Memory and Discovery }}Open{{

[aerithderren]

Aerith stepped into the church, her footsteps sounding terribly loud in the silence encasing the place. Her flower basket slung over her arm, she inhaled the scent of the old building. It had a certain alluring quality, in it's dillapidation. It was antique, forgotten, beautiful. She turned slowly to regard her surroundings more carefully.

Dust particles sparkled and glittered as they danced through the air, illuminated by shafts of sunlight that fell over the floor and pews. A cracked window with an image of Mary on it seemed to dominate the front; whereas if you walked futher one of Jesus presided. The smell, the feel, the whole of it all reminded her of her life at the church. She continued to walk slowly, humming a quiet hymn to herself. She stopped at the alter and sighed. It really was a beautiful place, despite it's disrepair.

She turned and noticed a patch of green on the floor, spotted with yellow spots. She approached the patch, sitting between the alter and the back wall. Kneeling down she gasped "What lovely flowers!" She set her basket down and walked around the little garden that had begun to bloom. Placing a finger on her chin pensively she bit her lower lip. "I have to let them grow... but what if someone ruins it?" She spoke to herself and sat on the floor.

Remembering why she came here she stood up and left her basket and the garden where it was. She moved over towards the pew and knelt down. Clasping her hands together she bagan to pray that she would be auctioned off to a master as kind as her last one.

[tyler]

Carine's head pounded. Man, she really had to calm down with the hunting thing. This was supposed to be vacation. And where the hell was she? Nevermind, the whiskey she had picked up was doing the trick. Night was coming in fast and she needed a place to lay her head. Ah, a church. A little run down, but it would do. Carine slipped in and laid out on one of the many pews. Her claws retracted and soon she would be better off once she had some sleep.

What the hell was that noise? Carine shifted on the bench to where her hand traced the ground and her legs fell over the edge. Man she was beat! And who the hell was humming? Church didn't happen here anymore. Did it? Well, they wouldn't do anything to her. She was a huntress, a good shifter by her standards. She helped people, slaves and monsters alike. Especially slaves since she had once been one herself. She knew what some masters like to do to slaves. Blood dripped on the floor from her torn arms, but she ignored it and curled up into a ball.

Wiat...she could smell it. A vampire...oh no. Carine stirred in her sleep, a little hung over from being drunk and being hurt. Man, everything was so bright. She needed to get back to her place before something worse than a vampire found her laying here. She sat up and saw stars, but otherwise was fine. This vampire needed to be taken out before it took her out. But when she smelled the air again, it smelled rather pleasent. Strange, vampires were not pleasent to her.

She turned to find a little girl speaking to herself about flowers. Flowers? Wow, and she thought her last friend was a girly-girl. Carine stiffled a laugh and ducked behind a pew. She was going to pray? Wow, she must have some serious faith. Carine didn't pray anymore. God knew that she needed him whether she said so or not. The girl was a cute little thing, rather like a child with big blue eyes. Carine instantly felt like a mother toward the girl. A protector.

Standing up and walking silently behind the girl, she smiled. "You know, it's not safe around here. Even for a vampire like yourself. Bigger things like to lurk in the dark." Maybe that would scare her enough to let Carine take her back to her own house. The girl needed help obviously. And Carine was the woman to do it. "Where is your family?"

[aerithderren]

Aerith started. She looked at the woman. Scurrying over to her basket she picked it up. "I... Well..." she stuttered. "Would you like to buy a flower?" She turned away from the woman momentarily and blinked a few times, making sure that no tears escaped. She breathed deeply and turned to face her, holding out her basket. "They really are lovely flowers."

She studied the blonde woman quickly and dropped her eyes to the floor. She doubted this woman would let her get away with not answering. "I have no family." She flushed red. "My father... was murdered. I never knew my mother. And, I am home, just so you know. I've lived my whole life in a church... well most of it..." She pulled the ribbon out of her hair and gripped it tightly. She had no clue why she was opening up like this. Normally she rarely even talked to anyone, aside from selling flowers.

[tyler]

Carine watched the blue eyed girl with a smile. She was a tiny thing and had the disposition of a child. A flower? Carine buy a flower? No, she had never bought flowers for herself and the only other person that had bought flowers for her was...well..she didn't like to remember him. No matter how tempting his memory was to her. She grinned again at the girl and shrugged. "Why not? They are pretty I guess."

She plucked a flower from the basket and handed over some money. It was more than enough, but she felt the girl needed it. Why, hell if she knew, but it looked as if she did. Carine tilted her head to the side and frowned. No family? Did that mean she was a slave? Oh, so not going to happen if she had any say so. The girl had a tale much like her own. Carine's father had been killed by her own lover's father. It was a rather Romeo and Juliet tale actually. "You know...my father was killed by the man I loved father. He attacked my father after hearing that my lover and I were going to become married. We've haven't seen each other since." Carine smiled lightly and sighed. "You know what kiddo, I think you should come with me if you want. I'll get you something to eat and all of that good stuff. What do you think?" Carine held out a hand and smiled. She could help this girl. Make her feel safe; she knew safe was a good thing for a tiny girl like her.

[aerithderren]

Aerith gawked at the money the woman handed her and murmured a thank you. She obviously knew that the blossom wasn't worth that much. She smiled at the woman's generosity and pocketed the money. She looked at her intently and put her hand to her mouth as the woman told her about her about her father's untimely end.

She shook her head at the woman's offer. "I... I couldn't. It's a lovely thought, and I appreciate the offer. I mean, I'm sure they-" Aerith cut herself off and thought. Most people shunned slaves. Surely it wasn't clever to admit her status. "I don't even know your name ma'am. Thank you though."

She gripped the basket handle tightly with both hands and shifted her weight slightly. It wasn't that she didn't love the idea of a nice amount of food. She just couldn't risk getting in trouble. Not if she wanted a nice master. They would call her 'disobedient' and 'irresponsible' and then she'd end up with someone who would be awfully cruel. She watched her feet and bit her lower lip, wondering what to say next. She would have to walk past the woman to leave, but that would seem rude. For now she just stood in place.

[tyler]

Crap, she hadn't meant to scare the girl. Oh well, she could lighten her mood maybe by telling her something nicer she guessed. But come to think of it, Carine really didn't have any 'nice' stories. After what happened with her father...she became a hunter. She swore she would track down every badguy that ever dared to come her way in life. And that just wasn't something you told young girls with big blue, innocent eyes. Nope, she was going to stay quiet about that one.

"They who?" Carine perked a brow and tilted her head while folding her arms around herself. "So, you are a slave. That doesn't matter to me kiddo. I don't believe in slaves. It's a stupid concept that the vampires picked up and frankly, they all need to burn in hell for it. No offense if you're one or something. Just most of them is what I mean." She grinned down at the girl and bowed low from her waist with a flourished sweep of her right hand. "I am Carine Castrilli, at your service." Her big gold eyes gave her a wink and she grinned again.

What was she going to do with this girl? She looked like she swallowed a bad margarita or something. Oh no, Nice Carine was tellling her she should do something. She always had a soft spot for those in need and this girl definitly needed help. But what could she do? The girl was a slave and the only way to get her was to buy her. Carine tapped her booted heel on the ground and sighed. Yep, she was going to have to do something. "Who is your current master? And how much did he, or she, pay for you?" The girl needed her help, she couldn't let some wack job take her.

[aerithderren]

Aerith chewed thoughtfully on her lips. She sighed an closed her eyes. "He's dead. He recently passed away. I'm due to go to an auction this evening." She looked at Carine, and couldn't help but smile.

"My name is Aerith Derren." She told the woman. She pushed back a few of the barriers against the vampire side of her and felt the woman's aura. She didn't mean any harm. If anything she wanted to help. Aerith tugged at her dress out of habit and tried to read further into the aura. The woman had a gentle soul even if she didn't always show it.

That was as far as Aerith could go without falling asleep or passing out. Right now, she doubted a feinting scene was in her best interest. If she had been more relaxed and calm, she'd be able to delve further. But it was too close to when she had to have blood, and she was always just a little bit on edge.