When Time Runs Out

Salone was at home in her house in California doing what she strongly disliked, cleaning. She had the radio turned on and was sweeping the floor. If a song Salone didn't like came on the buttons would seemingly press themselves and change, but as usual it was Salone meddling with her powers.
Soon enough Salone got sick of doing the work by herself and the broom moved around the hard wood kitchen floor on its own while the young woman open the fridge, attempting to hunt down a sugary treat. She was in a rather one sided relationship with chocolate at the moment, the stuff understood and didn’t ask questions. Especially when reading a good book. Her left wrist was bandaged as she had sprained it a few days after getting it bruised and most of the bruises had gone down from last week’s vampire hunt. Not the polite kind of vampire either, the kind that killed and was literally a dead corpse walking around. There were several different kinds of vampires roaming around, this kind just happened to be the lowest of the low and very nasty.
Then she sat down on the carpeted floor of the attached family room and began putting pictures into new frames expertly avoiding cutting her fingers. Putting the backs onto the frames she stacked them and put on a side table next to the couch.
So far today seemed like a quite day except for Sasha barking at the neighbor’s cat. The buzzer went off for the oven and she stood and moved back over to the kitchen. She grabbed a hot pad and pulled the cupcakes out of the oven. Placing them on the stove top her fingers slipped and got burned on the edge of the pan.
“Ouch!” She winced and ran her finger under the cold water.

Artemis had decided to visit her friend Salone. It was strange having a friend, it caused her to stay in the general area. Something she hadn't done since she lived with her pack. She flew over the city as a hawk, remembering the same general location of Salone's home. She landed in the road of the neighborhood Salone lived in. Changing into a wolf she found and tracked Salone's scent to her house. She sat in front of the door, her tail wagging. She smelt the familiar smell of cupcakes was in the air. She waited for about 5 minutes at the door but then got confused when they didn't open. Curiously she scratched at the door but when no one came to the door she turned into a hawk flew over then fence, then back into a wolf. A dog bounded up to her and greeted her. Artemis remembered her from the last time she was here, She greeted sasha then found the way she got outside.

Artemis walked through the doggy door. She found Salone and jumped up on her, licking her on the face. However through one of the licks she returned to her human form. "Hi!" said Artemis Happily. "I smell cupcakes."

The blade slid out of the man like pulling a razor blade through paper. I smiled as I kicked the corpse across the room, sending it against the wall with a sickening crack to the head. That was the last time a mortal would dare to assault me. He was out cold, but not dead yet. With a snap of my fingers the water all poured out for every hole in hsi body, forming up into one shpwere that danced in my hands as his skin noe drooped and a look of intense pain was etched into the canvas that was the skeletal figure.

    "You mortals annoy me more and more by the day." I said, a distain in my voice so clear and sharp that it could slice steel. I mmade my way over to the hotel room bed and sat on it, waiting for the other mortal who assisted in my 'kidnapping' to return. The smell of death permiated through the room as i piked the internal organs of the dead mortal with my big toe. The skin tore and the entrails went everywhere. The smell wasn't as distrubing to me, then again it was most likely due to the fact I'm a dragon. The door clicked, and someone entered. It was a maid, form room service. I couldn't well have prying eyes could I? I did the sensible thing, I killed her too.  I sent the orb of water and encapsulated her head, draowning her ever so slowly. Eventually the light that was her life was snuffed out, and the waters dragged her corpse into the room. I began sifting through her cleaning cart, taking random liquids and sniffing them, or giving them a little taste. The door clicked and opened again as i had my tongue inside of a chemical bottle. It burned my tongue and a force nailed me in the shoulder. This person had a gun. IT was cute, especially as he tried to shoot the water as it came do drag him away. He was screaming, yelling, begging for mercy. Too bad. The water slowly dismembered him and began stuffing limbs into the toilet. The beautiful part about water doing the dirty work? No evidence left behind. I started watching CSI and Dexter, and they were enlightening to the things intelligant mortals could do with their little doo-hickys now.
  With the bodies of the slain in my wake, I exited the back of the room, and I jumped off the balcony, descending four stories. I used the water to break my fall, a bit, and I proceeded to take off to the nearest park. I smiled as I sat on the bench and recalled the tempests and maelstroms I used to cause in my youth. Every soul screaming for mercy, but not one recieving them. This is what I am, I'm a Dragon. Mortals are beneath me.
 
 "What are you doing? This isn't you!"
 "This is what I am and if you don't approve then I the only more I can say is I quite frankly don't care Al-one..." I snapped to the invisible voice that didn't even exist. This was the second time I almost confused Salone with Alenya. The Hybrid of the names was so appropriate though...Alone. Just like me. I felt a tugging on my heartstrings, but I'm not sure which kind they are. If it's the pain and sorrow of being alone...or if it's the feeling that my 'Dragon Knight' was calling me. I felt a sudden droplet. I looked up to the sky and there were no clouds.
 
   This....isn't me. This is the...other Dragons. I...can't even remember....what was that name that Alenya called me? Or was it Salone? Who am I? Had that third Focus site really done this much to me?I know I am Yam but...what was that other name?

Salone held her left hand with burnt fingers out of the ambush attack led by Artemis, knocking Salone onto her backside with a thud and was licked with a human tongue.
"EW!" Salone said half laughing, hugging her friend with her good arm. "Glad I made them then-"
Then she stiffened as the medallion burned against her collar bone... it had been weeks. She wiped the look of shock off her face and then stood.
"I am going to go put some stuff on my burn, don't touch the cupcakes they will hurt your skin." She warned Artemis, standing stiffly. Salone moved over to the bathroom down the hall and opened the cupboard her fingers tracing the outline of the medallion around her neck.
"Jake?" She whispered in Latin trying to use the medallion's connection to him, "Are you okay?"
Her other hand pulled out a cylinder of burn ointment and she rubbed it on the tips of her left hand fingers while she waited for a response that she would doubt she would get… it had been like that for a while… one side silence, the other side missing him and trying to reach out.
Penny said not to worry, he did promise to come back. Salone sighed and shook herself from head to toe before going back to Artemis and patting her on the head.
“Sorry, I just got distracted…” With that she began to pull out frosting ingredients. Salone inquired about how life was going for her and other things of similar nature.

Artemis hugged Salone. "Feel better?" asked Artemis. Artemis looked worried at her friend when she looked shocked and walked away. Artemis was tempted to follow her, but then again cupcakes. Following the scent of the delicious cupcakes lead her to the kitchen. She tired to grab one but it was hot. Artemis sat one the ground, trying to figure out how to get the cupcake. An idea sparked in her mind and she transformed into a wolf and jumped onto the counter, using her teeth to pick up the cupcake up. She placed the cupcake on the counter and ate it, still in wolf form. She finished up the cupcake quickly and jumped off the counter when she heard Salone returning. After Salone patted her on the head she changed back to human. Salone then pulled out what the cupcake was missing, frosting. One of the best foods she ever tasted. It was so sweet and it made the cupcakes even better. "Not problem." said Artemis, watching Salone put frosting on the remaining cupcakes, trying not to drool.

I couldn't make sense of the word. It was different, and whatever it was it either did not have a clear translation into the language. I looked asround, figuring that it was now my Dragon Knight calling me. I knew Salone, and still at the first sense of her voice I jumped and looked for her. But she sais 'Jake'. I shook my head. She obviously wasn't calling me. No blame there, I wouldn't want a Dragon who was stuck as a squishy mortal.
  I wasn't far form Salone's house though. I could easily go and check up on her. I remembered what happened that evening in Canada, before...this happened. My eye was still sore. The new eyepatch over it would be a shocking surprise to Salone no doubt. Then again, it wasn't like she needed to know HOW I got it. She wouldn't even care, would she? I can't remember what she's like. Her sense of humor, her hair...her face...nothing. I can't remember Alenya....I can't remember my own Dragon Knight...what kind of God does this? Salone isn't far away, maybe I'll pay her a visit. Not like this obviously, I'm a literral bloody mess in my soul-scales. I passed by a clothing store and used my...well...money....it was theirs...the people I killed...but they won't be using it anymore. Anyhow I eneded up settleing on a leather jacket and ripped jeans. I hate the feeling of wool so i discarded the under-shirt and just kept the leather jacket zipped up to keep myself 'publically acceptible'. The last time I walked down the street dressed like this with the jacket open I got some...intersting offers, being California and all. I got to the house I thought was Salones...I rang the doorbell and some older woman opened the door.
   "Salone?" I asked the older woman. Had I been asway from her that long?  Fate, please don't be this crule to me. The older woman shook her head.
   "No sweetie, I'm sorry." She said apologetically. I sighed and shook my head., I gave her a half hearted smile, thanking her for her time. I turned around to walk away. "Do you know her last name dearie?" The old woman called after me in a shakey voice. I looked back at her and bit my lower lip, trying to remember.
   "Newton...Salone Newton." I answered her. She smiled, stepped out and grabbed onto my arm. I was about to pull myself free and impale the woman for touching be when I noticed a look in her eyes. I Twas...passifying.
   "Come on in and we'll find who you're looking for." She said with a warm smile. I nodded and walked into her house with her.

   She had a rather contemporary home, not too many 'old timey' things, then again...I am in fact millions oif years old. Old Timey for me is dinosaur skulls and loincloths. She had a beautiful house, it smelled like sunflowers and there were water fountains everywhere. I was instructed to sit in the chair, and I obliged my hostess. She brought me back a 'Dragonfruit Jusice' and I was in love with theis old coot. It's not called Dragonfruit for no reason...we LLLLOOOOVE IT. I sipped at the juice, savoring it. She just smiled at me.
    "You are such a handsome young man, you remind me of my Jacob." She said. I looked at her and my eyebrows raised.
    "Oh...I'm sorry." I said. She laughed and shooed me away with her hand..
    "Oh no sweetie, that's a good thing. He was such...innocent person. ?He really didn't belong in this world. He was sweet, innocent, pure and he expected everyone else in the world to be thwe samme way. I tell you, if everyone were more like that then the world would actually have a chance this day and age." She said, her voice suddenly becoeming serious. I nodded in agreement. This poor woman just called me innocent and I killed three people in cold blood earlier today."Not to say he never do anything wrong. He had quite the temper, especially if someone was going to hurt someone else.  But he was somethign else....he really was." She said doting over a picture. I really couldn't help but notice the ocean scenery in all of her rooms, and the countless numbers of fountains. She placed the picture down and I had the chance to look at it. It was a man and a woman on the beach, He was wrapped around her like she was the only thing he had. It gave me the feeling like she was the only thing he had. I felt compelled to take the picture form it's frame, and I turned it around.
    "I love you to death. In the sea that is my life, chaotic, passionate and beautiful, the only thing I can hold on to is-"
     "You, and hope my arms can keep you safe from the tides around..." The older woman said, her voice broke. I put the picture back intot he frame. She was obviously crying, and I had no idea what to do. She looked at me and smiled, almost forced and wiped the tears from her eyes. my heart sank. "He was...a sailor of sorts. Loved the water..and the water loved him."
       "What happened?" I asked her. She looked at me and smiledbrushing my black hair off of my face a little.
        "You're such a dear." She said to me, smiling as if that wwere the best gift she'd ever had. I only asked a question? "I was taken to a new home by my mother while he was out at sea."
        "I'm sorry...did...you ever-?" I asked she cut me off and nodded.
        "Yes....It was a long, long time later...but I saw him again. It was worth the wait." She said sliding her hand down my cheek before pulling out a phone book and opening it. She found Salone Newton's address. I was able to find her now, thanks to this whakey old lady. She was a sweet old lady though, just needed someone to listen to her. I thanked her nd as I went to leave she brought me out something. She handed it to me. It was a bottle of 'Dragonfruit Wine' and I was NOT going to pass this one down! It had a necklace wrapped around it too though. It was a very beautiful thing also. I was told to take it, since it was her husmbands favorite, and I was apparently similar in looks or soemthing. I actually only had one more thing to offer her. I took off my own necklace. This wasn't magic like the one I let Salone hold on to, just a golden locket, nothing more.  You would have thought the older woman just got the lottery numbers, or had her grandson send her a letter. She hugged me.

     "You are a good man....don't lose yourself." She said. I nodded and walked off on my way. Salone was about six mles away on ffot. Not a long walk by any means. But the truth was I couldn't share that nutty old lady. I reached the door of Salone's house and knocked on it, the wine in my hand. She was likely to be so confused to see me in a leather jacket, an eye patch, and a bottle of wine. I just really hope she doesn't snarl at me again.

Salone eyed the drooling Artemis, slightly amused. Then without warning the frosting covered spatula tapped her friend lightly in the nose, covering part of her face in the fluffy chocolate stuff.
She let out a triumphant, "HA!"
Before she dashed away from Artemis and around the kitchen island once before skidding to a halt and brandishing the spatula as a weapon.
"Surrender," She commanded jokingly before turning back to the cupcakes and finishing up the last two. A knock sounded at the door and Salone handed Artemis the thing of sprinkles and showed her quickly how to do it before taking off her apron and answering the door. The person and how he looked was not who she expected.
"Jake?" She asked, searching his face, wide eyed. Her eyes drifted over him and halted for several milliseconds on the wine bottle, she felt her insides shrivel up. He was drinking... not good... Slowly her fingers reached out and touched his leather jacket, trembling slightly. Then she launched herself at him, wrapping Jake or Yam or whatever he went by now in a fierce hug.
Yes it was indeed him, after weeks and weeks of silence he had turned up once more on her door step.
"I missed you," She said lamely, before asking in a quieter tone, "Why didn't you come back sooner?"
Then she noticed the eye-patch, she relinquished her hold on him and tentatively she pointed to her own dark brown eye. "What happened?"
Whilst listening to his reply she reached down and took the wine bottle gently from his fingers, her lips curving upwards in a small smile as she read the name, "Dragon Fruit?" She asked with a small giggle before handing it back to him.
"Come on, there is someone I want you to meet." She stepped aside and called Artemis and checked on the status of the cupcakes. Sasha spotted Jake and caught a whiff of him before also barking at him and attempting to perform the lick your face clean ceremony on the poor guy. Salone intervened before introducing the two now standing in her kitchen.
“Jake this is Artemis, one of my old friends. Artemis this is Jake one of my friends who knows about my condition.” She watched the two warily in case she had to play referee anytime soon.

Artemis went after Salone after she got frosting on her nose. She was going to lick her but Salone used the spatula to point at her and say surrender. She raised her hands up in surrender and Salone finished up the last two cupcakes. She turned into a wolf, licked the frosting off her then turned back to human. She took the sprinkles from Salone and following her instructions started to put the sprinkles on. However she put a lot of them on. She heard Salone talking to someone at the door. She placed the sprinkles down and transformed into a wolf. She walked over to Salone when called.

There was a man at the door. Someone she never meet before. Sasha was rushing up to greet him but Artemis wasn't so sure about him. Artemis walked circles around him, sniffing him over. There where many conflicting scents on him. Most of which she was unfamiliar with. One however she recognized, blood. She bolted between Salone and this strange man. A low pitch growl came from her throat. This man smelt like blood. And she wasn't going to let him get Salone.

There was that name again. Jake, Jacob. It was appearing everywhere. I just wanted to make sense of it. I remember hearing the name on the sidewalk, but it's come to be so familiar...but I can hardly remember it. It's like looking in a mirror and seeing a cat. I'm not Salone so that would creep me right the heck out. 
    
    "I wanted to come back sooner, but of course you know how I can get with time...being...well...ya' know." I said with a chuckle. I handed her the wine and nodded. I really don't hold liquor well, I'm a bit of an...addict I guess. Yes I'm an acoholic, no I dont't care, no I won't stop. Well, so long as I keep myself in check so to speak. The first incident where I act out violently there is a cold turkey waiting for me.

   "It was the 'Place' in Canada. It was well guarded, and some brute took my eye clean out. It's growing back...slowly...but it's coming." I assured her. I used the word 'Place' because I have no idea who little wolfy here. This wasn't an actual wolf mind you, it's energy was very much human-like. Salone introduced the wolf as 'Artemis'. I swear to Fate if she EVER makes fun of my name I will remind her she knows an 'Artemis'. I looked at her as she began sniffing at me. I probably reeked of blood, but the natural odor of sea-water should have drowned it out... "Gahrrrrrr."  Whoops, guess not.

     "Look at her, thinking she can actually do anything to me." I said. My instincts took in and the roar of a massive Dragon came out of my little human mouth, causing the house to rumble from it's very foundation. There was no damage done, but hopefully this little mut would learn her place in the food chain. The waters that were thoughout the house were pooled to me, levitating Salone and bringing her to me.

     "Your frieend must have rabies...she's scared of a little water...that or she's a little Kitty cat." I taunted the wolf. There were four spheres of water rotatibng in a counter clockwise direction, ready to turn to water-spikes and impale upon command. "Learn your place, Animal. I am the Apex, what I say goes, and I won't have you acting violent around Salone. The girl has enough problems as it is, she doesn't need us tearing each other up...." I snapped, scolding the wolf. In truth it would likely be me ddoing the tearing. Thsi wolf needs to cshape up, doesnt need to like me, but it WILL respect me...or else I'm taking it for a walk in town, and bringing Salone Chinese for dinner.

Salone made a noise of warning at Artemis, who it turns growling at Jake and then what Salone feared would happen, did. The dragon Yam surfaced and Salone was suddenly swept off of her feet in a torrent of water and Salone yelped. The young woman struggled against the water’s grip and was suddenly in front of Jake, like some possession or territory he had won.
He wouldn’t listen to her actual voice so she pleaded, in English, through the medallion’s mental connection.
Stop, Jake, please. This isn’t you, it’s the other dragons. Please-
Her voice suddenly was cut off and she was curled into a ball as pain wracked her tiny form.  Sasha barked trying to catch their attention and she wined, pawing at Jake’s leg.  Neither Artemis or Jake had actually seen her have an attack. Her muscles roiled under her skin and she seemed to be gasping for air. After a few moments it passed and she came too again.
She closed her glowing amber eyes and pressed her palms to her forehead trying to kill the pain.  She batted Sasha away with a hand and she looked up slowly, her eyes changing to a darker brown.

((OOC: Having trouble thinking of what to post for some reason, if you want to skip me this once that would be on))

"I just wanted to-" I said. I noticed her calling out through the pendant. I let her go. I placed the weine down on the nearest counter, ignoring the overgrown mut and I left, taking the water with me. I went outside. Sasha followed me and attacked me. I nuzeld into the dog and somehow it managed to calm me down a little. I ripped my own pendant out of my chest, and used the pure water to heal it. That stupid pendant worked both ways. She could feel how I felt, and I didn't want that to happen. I was so confused, so angry. I just wanterd to protect her, to make sure she knew she was safe, that she was going to live. The pendant practically told her that I valued her above any other mortal, and almost, if not more, than myself, given the fact I'm KILLING myself to help her. Sasha whining brough my ttention back, and I felt sasha placing her paws on my eyes, wiping the blood off of them. I was crying, again? For Fate's sake, if the Old Gods could see me....
  "Take care of her okay?" I asked the Dog, smiling as best I could. Sasha just looked at me, you could tell she was worried."Don't worry about me, okay? I'll be fine. Here...." I said, using thre water to clean the blood form the pendant that was in my chest, and latched it onto her collar. Now Salone and Sasha could be linked like I was with her. She would be with this dog till the end of her days. But Jake...Jake was only temporary I guess.

Salone’s eyes snapped open as she lay there on the couch, she felt like something had been torn out of her chest. She gasped for air as she suddenly felt empty. Jake was gone… not literally. But she couldn’t feel him anymore. The emptiness was almost instantly replaced by something softer and warmer, Sasha… Salone felt her breath catch in her chest. Salone looked at Artemis and she motioned for her to stay put.
“Please,” She asked softly. Then she stood and made her way to the front door, to see Jake scrubbing furiously at his eyes.

“Hey,” Salone said, sitting next to him. The tears were blood; Salone sighed and wiped away the ones he missed away with a thumb. She remembered the last fleeting emotions before they were gone. Sasha harrumphed at the two before going inside, looking for a play fight with Artemis. “It’s easy to forget… that this is only temporary… why… did you give it to Sasha?”

Salone already knew the answer but she was trying to express her frustration, the poor girl had never been good at expressing her emotions. “Your such-“ She hesitated, “You’re so stubborn. You only see one set path and you stick to it. It’s an admirable trait to have as an individual but- don’t do this please. At least not yet… “

She looked up at his face, “Four years… that’s how much time your spell gave me. Thank you.”
Salone sighed before kissing him, it was short and sweet.

“Please come back inside, we can’t have Artemis eating all the cupcakes. Besides we still need to find the seventh sight. I did promise to help you.”

She made the movement to stand. Jake could hold her back if he wanted to or he could let her stand and wait for his decision by the door.

Artemis stayed low to the ground, still growling, the man's roar didn't scare her. She almost lunged at the man once her move Salone but Artemis didn't once Salone looked like she was in pain. Artemis dashed by her side, transforming into her human form looked for Salone, helping her to the couch and trying to figure out what to do. Once Salone was over whatever just happened she got up and began to walk away Artemis began to follow her but Salone motioned her to stop. Artemis didn't like that Salone wanted her to stay but Artemis sat on the couch as Salone walked outside. Artemis immediately stood back up and walked over to the window by the door and took a sneak peak out the window. Easy to say she didn't exactly like what she saw.

She left the window and walked over to the cupcakes, grabbed two then returned to the couch. Sitting on the couch she bit into one of the cupcakes. Why the heck would Salone do that? Didn't she smell the blood on the man. From what she understood of what was considering human culture that wasn't a good thing!

"I....Just need to know thatI'm doing the right thing. I don't know any more..." I told her. "Because Sasha can be here for you. She's always here for you....I wish I could be...but...your cure...Four years......I wish I could even take two of them to just stick around...but every time you're in pain I freeze up and get worried... Then she kissed me. Short, sweet. But definately enough to get me to shut my trap. I had to kind of look away. Kissing istnt exactly a Dragon practice, since we lack lips and all...regardless.... This woman is pure torture. She really is...it's too bad I can't just cure her and be done with this.
I stood up and followed her inside, using the water to remove the smell of blood from my body.