Literal Nightmares

[Nox]

It was interesting watching her with the shadows he could barely see. It was also kinda creepy. "They won't let you leave?"

He guffawed before he answered, 'I broke in here to follow your friend, but I was lured into a rougarou nest and they ate parts of me. I ended up in the hospital after I slaughtered them. I'd still be in bed if I didn't have friends in low places. I can't get you out -- at least not in a way that will keep us both outta jail. But I know a guy." Yeah, the guy who lured him into a rougarou nest and made Jaxen disappear like it was nothing. He knew a guy. "If anyone knew the things I saw I'd probably be here right along with you."

[Daiyu]

Mara watched with a mix of curiosity and amusement as he recounted his harrowing experience with the nest. Her eyes flickered with a strange light, the shadows around her seeming to pulse in rhythm with the story. When he finished, a small smile curved her lips. “That’s an incredible story. I think I can use that… No wonder my pets like you.”

Mara leaned forward slightly, her voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper. "You have friends in low places, and I have friends in the shadows. Perhaps together, we can find a way out that doesn’t end with us in chains.” She drummed her fingers on the table, “My name is Mara.”

[Nox]

Nox grinned widely with the introduction. "It's a pleasure Mara. Let me make a call."

He didn't bother leaving as he pressed a button on his phone and pushed it to his ear. "Hey Wicked."

He relayed the situation in the vaguest possible terms and then asked. "Can you have Ashton come to the Guardian? He owes me."

Sage clicked off with an affirmative and Nox wasn't sure if he'd do it now or later or whatever. He smiled at Mara. "Mara, how about we get you out of here as soon as my friend arrives?"

[Daiyu]

He had a kind smile, the type that pulled one out of her in return. When he retrieved a phone, she was taken aback with surprise. “You’re not a patient, are you?” she asked, studying his attire once more. His offer was accepted. “I have no objections.” With a commanding wave of her hand, her pets dispersed excitedly. The room did not overtly change, but for some reason, the moods of those around them shifted.

“Would you like to play a card game while we wait?”

[Ashton]

Nox chuckled. "Not here. I told you. I broke in." He hadn't lied. "A game of cards sounds interesting."

---

His phone range. Hello?"

A strange voice answered on the other side. "Ashton? I'm a friend of Nox's. The guy who just took down your creature nest."

"Yeah. i know who he is. What of it?"

This friend of Nox explained the details. And ended with "You owe him."

Ashton wanted to say he didn't. He let him go. But the Blackthorns had tortured him, and he was the reason. He sighed. "Alright I'll go."

Victoria frowned. "You are going to leave us here?"

Ashton sighed and gave her a side hug. "It's safe here. You'll be fine until we can figure out what we are going to do. it's not like you can go home. it's in the ground now."

---

Ashton called a car and it took him to the Guardian. Ashton found a suit in the closet at Nox's house, it didn't fit perfectly but he didn't really need much to convince anyone. A little song, and it would be all what he wanted them to do. He hadn't gotten great details, but he knew where he was going. And he didn't really have any idea what else to do so he just went in. He acted like he belonged there as he moved through the hospital to the right wing.

Buth then was the tricky part. The door was locked. And there was no desk. He went looking for a nearby nurses desk to get in.

[Nox]

Mara and Nox played several hands of cards. He talked a little about random things.

Nox got a text on his phone. Need help getting in.

He smiled at Mara and laid his hand down. "My guy is here. He needs help getting in. And I should get out before they think I belong here for real." Nox stood up and offered Mara his hand. "Ashton will take you to my house if you have no other place to go or don't want to go home." He wouldn't want to go home if he'd been left here for two years.

"See you on the otherside."

Nox left the same way he came in -- cautiously and carefully. It was a little harder to get out than in but it wasn't impossible and he snuck out and found the blond who lured him to the next. There was a knee jerk reaction to try to kill the boy, but he had eventually let him go. And that meant something. "Just take her to my house when you are done here, if she wants to go."

Ashton smiled. "You keep taking in strays."

Nox shrugged. "Everyone needs a home and to be cared for, if not loved. I'll see you at home."

[Daiyu]

Mara's eyes widened slightly in surprise as the boy revealed that his contact was already here. She glanced around the room, as if expecting to see this mysterious helper materialize from the shadows themselves. The corners of her lips curved into a tentative smile as she looked back at her rescuer.

Her eyes followed his hand as he stood and extended it towards her. For a moment, she hesitated. Then, with a resolute nod, she reached out and took his hand, her grip cautious and gentle.

"Ashton,” she repeated softly, committing the name to memory. "I don't have a home to go back to. This place has been my prison for so long that the outside world feels like a distant dream." Her eyes flickered with a mixture of hope and apprehension. "Your house will be nice,” she added, though she did not reveal how happy her pets would be to share the same roof as him.

[Ashton]

It was harder to get in than he anticipated, mostly because there was so many locks and no people. He couldn't convince a machine. But once he got inside the ward he could do whatever he did. He approached the desk like he was supposed to be there. She was a pretty girl, big blue eyes, but they were tired. He reached out and touched her hand as she asked for his paper work. In his singsong voice. "I'm looking for Ms Song." He hoped Nox was right. Nox was only guessing but Ashton didn't need to be 100% on things just convey the meaning of his desires. And he desired to take this girl home. "I'm her new doctor, and we are going to discharge her." His voice was singsong and the woman looked at him with that look.

"Of course, doctor." She whispered to another nurse and then around the counter.

"Right this way." She lead Ashton to a girl sitting in a chair.

He sat down. "You can go, I'd like a minute with her." The nurse didn't hesitate. Ashton smiled at her. "Hi, Mara. I'm Ashton. Nox sent me to get you out. You want to pack your things? And we can get out of here. The faster we do this, the faster we can leave so we don't get caught. I can't push too many people."

[Daiyu]

Mara watched Ashton with a mix of wariness and fascination as he approached. His singsong voice was soothing, almost hypnotic, as he spoke with the staff. Her pets, by then, had long ago dispersed.

When Ashton addressed her directly, Mara tilted her head, studying him for a moment before nodding slowly. "Ashton," she repeated, as if testing the foreign name on her tongue. “The boy mentioned you. Said you could help.”

The idea of packing her things felt almost surreal. "There isn't much to pack,” she murmured. "But I'll take what I have.” She was gone only a few minutes only to return with nothing. They weren’t allowed personal affects, the clothes were provided by the ward, and she had no jewelry.


Turning back to Ashton, she gave a small, almost shy smile. "I'm ready,” she said, her voice steady. "Thank you for coming to get me.”

[Ashton]

Ashton smiled when she came back with nothing. "That looks like what I left my home with." Just the other day. It wasn't too long ago. Nox's house was nice and emtpy too. "Where we are going isn't much better than this place. But I think we can always go out and buy stuff. He just moved in."

A doctor with a white coat stopped in front of them. "Can I see your paper work?"

Ashtom smiled and with a song song "I don't have any and you don't need it. Everything is in the computer." Those were the words that Sage told him to say. He'd take care of everything. I just needed to get the girl out. Ashton put his arm around his patein. "Come along Ms. Song. We'll make sure you aren't put back here again."

The doctor stepped in his path. And Ashton raised an eyebrow and reached out to touch the man. "Everything is in order." he sang. He then pointed to the tablet. "Check the tablet." The nurse held the tablet to the doctor and Ashton could only hope it was all in order.