WHEN: Sometime in the interim
WHERE: Castle Dashrix, Thirteen's quarters
WHO: Lex, Thirteen, Ichi, and Naoki
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[13:51] Lex Dashrix: Lex was in his study reviewing some of the latest literature on the mysterious ameripox that had been recently ravishing the west coast of the North American Free States. To him of course it was not so mysterious he'd been there when the plague had been bound into it's automaton shell and handed over to his father for whatever chaotic scheme he had concocted. How this wasteful plague aided his goals even Lex could not surmise but he monitored it with care none the less. The Piercing scream echoed down the halls of the castle and not for the first time Lex questioned the wisdom of keeping more than one human servant on the premises. With a flicker of shadow he appeared in the doorway of Thirteens chambers his eyes quickly taking in the scene before him as the young maid in a panic ran nearly into his chest fleeing the terror laid out on the bloodied carpet as Ichi fed. A hand snapped out closing around the young maids throat strangling the scream and he looked down at Thirteen where she sat next to the aged butler, unconscious but still breathing even as the jinkininki spawn gnawed on the neat opening in his abdomen his mother had provided seeking the soft blood rich organs beneath.
"Precious." he lamented softly, "What have I told you about locking the door when you feed him." he remarked as the young maid went limp in his grasp. He dropped her to the floor and picked up the dropped teacup sniffing the contents for sign of what shed used to subdue the butler and better know if he might expire or wake soon.
[13:58] Thirteen (aimee.aurelia) sat in her pretty white dress, the delicate lace soaking up blood and gore heedlessly as she spoke softly to her toddling off spring.
"He is larger than you, my little love, you must make certain that he cannot fight back if you're going to play with your food." Thirteen glanced up as Lex scented the tea. There was no toxin in it this time as Thirteen had all of a mother's concern about feeding her child things that might stunt his growth. Ichi was not the only one learning. Lex felt the flicker of Thirteen's aether as she ruthlessly caught the ancient butler's mind and pushed him back under her mental control with the sort of iron will that Lex's father would have approved of. This way, the butler didn't suffer, his mind drifting in the dream that Thirteen spun for him until Ichi managed to finish his meal.
"I am sorry, Professor. I was trying something new and did not have the time to manage the door as well as Ichi and his dinner. I do apologize. Could you hand me that blade, please?"
[14:03] Lex Dashrix: Lex picked his way across the floor carefully avoiding the pooling blood to gingerly hand her the requested blade his finger lightly running along the back of her hand as he handed it off,
"You'll need to call his father at least for clean up possibly to handle the maid." he lamented the pretty young girl was obedient and pliable had real potential to become useful but now unlikely.
"It's barely been a week Precious you're spoiling him." he admonished lightly. Particularly given how much waste there was these feeding sessions such a rate was not sustainable. "He must learn to manage his hunger eventually."
[14:05] ᴄᴀᴇʟ (helio5igma): The smell of blood guided the Jikininki up to Thirteen's room. When his head emerged from the floor he paused in his ascent, peering at face level at the feeding child and his bloodstained mother in mild disbelief that quickly blossomed into something else. Naoki let out a little breath of a laugh and rose fully into the room to take in the rest of the scene.
"His constitution may not be as strong as mine," he offered as Lex sniffed at the teacup, perhaps sussing out his purpose. "Not as resilient. Toxins, disease..." Turning his attention to the younger maid Naoki reached to the fresh blood still circulating in her system, keeping it going despite whatever damage Lex had done to knock her out. Her body slid itself forward in disjointed movements before pausing at Lex's remarks.
"I'll dispose of what he doesn't consume," he affirmed with a nod at the butler. "And her... I could keep her preserved. Fresh. Is she entirely human, this one?"
[14:12] Thirteen (aimee.aurelia) gave Naoki a soft smile when appeared though Ichi ignored everything as a young jiiniki would when feeding. Despite the risk of his very sharp teeth, Thirteen reached in fearlessly to poke her finger in the corner of his mouth, behind the sharp teeth, the way she did to stop him from nursing. Whether it was subtle mental manipulations or just the maternal bond, Thirteen had let to lose a finger to the little monster even when she interrupted feeding as she did now to get Ichi's attention.
"I won't always be able to stun them for you, sweetness. Here, watch. Next time pause to bite here first." Thirteen leaned down and calmly sliced the sharp blade through ligaments in the legs and arms that would prevent the butler from hurting her offspring if he did manage to flail. Now he simply couldn't.
That done, she let Ichi return to his feast and held the blade back to Lex, "If you could put this out of his reach again, please, Professor." Which might seem absurd but he was still a baby and could still theoretically hurt himself. Now that the butler was in no condition to cause problems, Thirteen stood, her bare legs streaked from the bloody mess and the hem of her dress and petticoats heavy with the spattered gore, she gave Naoki a sweet smile. "No need, he was on his way. If you'd like I can remove those memories as well. It should be no trouble."
[14:17] Lex Dashrix: Lexs hard gaze fell on the yokai as it drifted up through the floor lurking as usual he ought not be surprised. He did suppose i meant not additional effort need be spent summoning the creature. The maid was merely unconscious, though with how firmly Lex eschewed his fathers mental talents it was unlikely she could be allowed to live without another's intervention.
"I think that would be wise." Lex nodded to Thirteen still obstinately refusing to speak directly to Naoki. "She has no protections against such and is, pliant." he acknowledged and took the knife setting it gingerly on a cloth out of the baby's reach. What exactly Lex expected an apology for from his prodigal apprentice was perhaps unclear even to the spirit himself but they had not parted on the best terms after the last discussion of his current state and it's toll on Thirteen and the child.
[14:29] ᴄᴀᴇʟ (helio5igma): Naoki huffed through his nostrils. An out stretched arm and curl of his fingers and the blood pulled itself from the knife as well as from Thirteen's dress and legs, forming little wisps that dug out bits of butler flesh before dancing around Ichi as if to goad him into grabbing and snapping at his prey. That smile only widened when he heard Thirteen coaching the child, a nod of admiration and approval tousling the ghostly white hair.
"Removing mobility while keeping the body living keeps the meat fresh," he added. He was too taken with Thirteen's either learned or inherent murderous know-how to really be bothered by Lex's refusal to acknowledge him, at least until the task of dealing with the maid brought realization of the professor's response to the forefront of his mind. His smile fell to a tight frown and for a moment he lapsed into silence. Without responding to Lex he focused on the maid's body, puppetting it into an upright position. "Where would you like it kept, Thirteen?"
[14:36] Thirteen (aimee.aurelia) looked between her two men and tsked softly. "You two should talk. It isn't healthy to exist like this," she reprimanded gently. Leaving the toddler to bat and catch the meat gobbits that Naoki danced about, she pointed over towards a corner. Collecting aether along her fingertips, she sent the wispybutterfly into the woman's mind, plucking the recent trauma out and leaving her receptive and pliant in Naoki's hands.
"She's too young for Ichi still. He needs to learn to go for the weaker prey until he gets stronger." She offered her opinions. Her fingers ghosted over where Naoki's form was affectionately. "Isn't that right? Though if she ends up injured or lame, that would be an excellent chance to strike. One must take advantage of situations as they arise. I think he's doing well though." Weaker though he was, the hunger also seemed to be less vicious for the toddler than his father. Whether that was Thirteen ignoring Lex's suggestions that Ichi had to live with hunger or simply blunted nature from his mother's genetic contributions, the toddler finished, full and sated eventually, rubbing at heavy lidded eyes. "He sleeps better when he's full, Professor."
[14:45] Lex Dashrix let out a very nearly petulant sigh at the scolding from Thirteen and glanced to Naoki shaking his head. "What need be said has been said." he replied flatly jaw clenching lightly at the recollection. Lex focused on the infant as it sleepily smeared blood all over it's face and nodded,
"I'm certain he does but there is more to life than creature comforts Precious." he corrected lightly. He turned slightly to Naoki and clearly deciding he was going to be the bigger man gestured to the castle, "The servants quarters we'll say she took a blow to the head it will explain the confusion and lost time." he looked down to the remains on the floor, "Perhaps due to a mis-hung portrait to explain this one being let go." he surmised.
[14:52] ᴄᴀᴇʟ (helio5igma): At mention of their prior 'discussion' there was a very audible crack from the vicinity of the maid's ankle though thanks to Thirteen's manipulations of her mind, the poor young woman didn't react. Distracted from whatever suggestion he might have made for making the maid more suitable prey, Naoki returned what stray bits of meat Ichi had not caught from the air to the remains on the floor. The body enveloped itself in red, wrapping itself up and lifting into the air to strap itself to the yokai's back like a grisly napsack as he headed for Thirteen's chamber door.
"A blow to the head and a broken ankle," he said curtly and moved to return the maid to the servant's quarters. If Thirteen looked, she could at least glean some reassurance from Naoki that the ankle would be tended to so as not to further much suspicion. Pausing at the door, he cast a "I hope you can get some rest," to Thirteen before moving off with the assembly of parts without another word.