//Greetings\\

[Jack Shadow]

Jack stood behind his counter as he carefully sprayed Pledge upon its surface and wiped it down until he saw his glorious, orange reflection staring back into his piercing yellow eyes. Tonight business was slow or at least it was where he stood. In the bar? That was a different story for every Tuesday was Karoke Night and, of course, numerous citizens arrived to partake in the event. All were welcomed with open arms (how could Jack resist cash?) but the summoners and dog demons. Never would such scum be allowed into his domain, his inn. They were all beneath him and that was that. Jack refused to explain to those rejected why they were casted aside other than "Dog demon" or "Summoner". With that they left infuriated and confused.

Softly he blew on the countertop in hopes of drying it faster than it was already doing on its own. He smiled his cattish grin, gazing into his pearly white fangs with a cocky sneer. Jack tilted his black puff hat forward slightly then readjusted his collar before he turned to Loki, a young girl he took care of. Some even assumed he was in love with the girl. At first he didn't say anything and instead stared at her while she spaced out on the wall before her. He wondered what was really going through her mind, the real her. Not that possessed child that she had become due to her father, another story to be told at a different time. All that mattered now was how her long, silver hair fell about her shoulders. Then there was her cold, empty, grey eyes that her father endowed her with. What color were they before? Blue? Green? He couldn't recall.

Suddenly a slight breeze made his cat ears twitch and rudely interupted his thoughts. He glared at the door only to end up growling, his anger growing. By the looks of the woman he could tell exactly who she was. Jack remembered Haku constantly speak of her, sometimes complain, and describe exactly what she looked like. He also recalled that she was a summoner, something he loathed. Oh, if he was in his cat form his fur would be on end and his fangs bare but sadly he had to control himself. Sadly he had to swallow his pride and wait for her to speak. Not because he wanted to, quite the opposite. His reason was solely because of Haku who would have wanted him to at least allow the woman to speak. Well, before he sold his soul.

Thus the stubborn and prideful man stayed behind his counter, waiting for her to approach him.

[Kari Izumi]

Kari let her eyes adjust from the bright outside light, to the dimmer setting of the bar. Yet she did not need to see in order for her to know the atmosphere of the bar. She could cut the tension with the sword and whip that was at either side of her waist. She shook her head to move her long blonde hair out of her face, which today was sporting gentle waves in it. Her metal necklace of the half sun and half cresent moon jingled slightly as she did so.

Kari however strikingly beautiful as she was for a young woman, she was not completely normal. Her eyes, were bloodshot and red, and her piercing green gaze was hollowed slightly. It supported the theory of great difficulty and stress. It also meant that Kari would probably snap at the slightest thing. And given the situation, she would fight to kill. Her walk was quiet and subdued, her presence only known by the fact that the door creaked slightly when she entered the bar, and the burst of light from the outside.

She looked over Jack slightly once her eyes had fully adjusted. And her eyes locked on to his, and her bloodshot eyes could not mistake it. Hate. Yes her intellect was not dulled, she saw, and sensed the hate in his eyes. A cold breeze on her shoulder told her that Thaella did not like the situation. Kari agreed, but this was not anything she could avoid. She knew that finding her beloved had something to do with this bar. Kari had remembered Haku mentioning this was his favorite spot to go, and that he knew the barkeep, Jack. Her hand unconsciously went to the pouch that was tied to her belt. In this pouch was her most important keepsakes she had ever accumulated in her short life. Her summoning horn, and Haku's two horns.

"You must be Jack," she said, her tone could freeze the air, "I believe you know something about Haku and his whereabouts..." She knew it was a long shot. Afterall, she was out of her territory know. She was the scum. But she would be dammed to be treated like it. And she would damn herself even more if she couldn't get the information she knew that Jack held. No, she would not let anything stop her.

[Jack Shadow]

Suddenly Loki snapped from her gaze and stared at Kari, the woman interested her for some reason. This only made Jack had to bite his tongue more. Displeasing Loki was out of the question and, for now, he would at least try to not snap at the wench before him. The damned summoner woman who dared to enter his bar. A summoner who enslaved those who mattered to him and tore apart close friends. His body was shaking with the hatred that filled inside him, festering as it plead to be set free only to be forced back inside. Jack couldn't let his mind become obsessed with such an insignificant being yet each time he remembered Haku's empty face... he only became more infuriated, more enraged. Every fiber in his being wished that he could suddenly make some enormous explosion happen within this woman. Or even watching as her eyes were gauged out. Anything just to punish her for the sins of her brethren. Even though he didn't realize that she had nothing to do with it. Did it matter to him? No.

"Dahellmakesyathinkoi'dknowwhere'eis, eh?" he retorted. That simple remark was the nicest he could possibly allow himself to be. Haku hadn't wanted anyone to know where he was so why would he tell someone now? Especially when it was that summoner bitch that he was so fond of. For all he knew she made him sell his soul. Maybe she even owned his soul. What the hell could she want with his friend? Besides Haku was long gone from here. Luckily his Horned Child friend had left a couple days ago and with his wings he was probably far away. Maybe on that cliff he so often visited to stare at the sky in an attempt to remember how it felt. Though no matter how hard the man tried, he couldn't feel a thing. With that knowledge... Jack only hated this woman more.

Loki began edging her way towards Kari, muttering her movements in a soft tone. Each time she did something it was told out loud. If she took a step closer then she described perfectly that she did this and why. Jack could hear her perfectly fine and was used to this but neither of them was sure if Kari could hear the queer child as she babbled.

Jack turned his head away from Kari, raising a brow at Loki who was staring up at Kari. The girl was only about as tall as the counter so it wasn't surprising that she would have to look up at someone. It was the fact that she came towards someone that wasn't him that confused him. Did she not know who she was? What that bitch was capable of? Loki didn't ever understand such things. "Loki, getbackan'let'er'lone. Don'gottagotalkin'ta'eran'whatnot... Goback. Go'on." Instantly Jack was speaking in a soft tone as if to a child or maybe even a lover, it wasn't certain. All that was apparent was that it was loving and filled with concern. He honestly wasn't sure if Kari would dare to do anything to Loki and he wasn't willing to take that chance.

[Kari Izumi]

"Mr. Jack," She said with a forced politeness. Kari was used to hate before. She had felt the unnerving gaze and scorn all her life, and that gaze would be upon her until the day she dies. She thought it ironic enough, that what should in all rite be a sad day, would be a joyous occasion for many other. And despite this hate from Jack, and probably his urge to strangle her on the spot, she hid her anger behind her ice cold, impassable, expression. Her hands were placed on her hips, not giving an impression of impatience, but a symbol of power. Kari knew she could not be represented as weak and easily cowed over, she knew he would prey on her the second her guard was down. And that made her mad. She could have busted the door down, and wrecked the place until he answered her, but no, she was showing some respect to the man. But obviously it would be hard sought to get respect from this character.

"I'm sure you are familiar to a certain saying," She continued after her thoughts finished swirling in her head. "The saying that the eyes are windows to one's soul. To make a story short Jack. Its in your eyes, I can see you do know something of Haku, by the way your eyes act when his name is simply mentioned." Yet again her voice showed no emotion. Not yet anyway.

Kari turned her attention at the strange girl, who oddly enough, Kari did not find in the least bit strange. Running a hand through her long blonde locks out of habit, she half smiled at Loki, "Hello there." She said softly. She did question slightly the fact that Loki was approaching her, when clearly Jack would not take a step closer. Kari slightly contemplated extending her hand to the girl to shake it, but quicklie burried the thought. Judging by the way Jack was trating this girl, if she made any movement towards Loki, kind or not, all hell would break loose...

[Jack Shadow]

The girl completely ignored everything Jack said and continued to stare up at Kari with her eyes wide in perplexion. "And I stared at her, wondering if this was the woman Haku spoke of so fondly. If this was so then was she here to find out how to fix him? I wouldn't dare reach my hand out towards her in fear that I could be wrong and with his movements and reactions... who knew what she was capable of." She tilted her head to the right, still gazing up at Kari. Her empty, grey eyes were trying to examine Kari the best she could but it was clear that without the real her out in the open that she could not figure out what Kari had in mind nor if it was safe. "I took a slight step back to reassure him," she did. "But of course that was the opposite of what I wanted... I intended to figure out if she was the one."

"Loki!" he snarled, ignoring what Kari had said about his eyes. Maybe if he just pretended that she never said that she would go away. Though he knew this wasn't true. Getting rid of this woman wasn't going to be as easy as he would hope but he couldn't tell her where Haku went. He was sworn to secrecy, an oath he could never break. Yet even though his friend had described Kari perfectly and by description he would have known better that she never intended to hurt Loki he continued to try and get the girl to return to her room.

Suddenly the girl's eyes began to change and the child cringed, falling to her knees. The grey turned into whirlpools in her eyes mixed with some other color, a sea color. Her chin was lifted towards the ceiling with her arms back on the ground. Abruptly Jack was right by her side, not even caring how close he was to Kari at this moment. Now that he was out from behind the counter and his guard was down, it was clear he wasn't just a jackass all in all. But the girl didn't hear his cries as he called at her name. Her body began to twitch and her head falling back. She would have hit the floor if Jack wasn't there to hold her head in place. Part of him wanted to blame Kari, that her presence caused this but he knew better. He knew that Loki, the real Loki, wanted to come out and tell this woman something. Frantically she fought inside her to be allowed out if only for a moment. Then finally... her eyes turned green.

She lifted up her head and looked up into Jack's eyes with a slight smile before she stood herself up with him helping even though it was unneeded. Everything about her changed somehow with that simple transformation. Now her movements were more elegant and precise like that of a princess. Her back was straight, her eyes locked onto Kari's. Before she seemed more like a child, just a curious little thing. Now it was inevitable that she appeared more like a woman if anything. "I know you're Kari, by how Jack is acting... Do you intend to free Haku of my father's clutches? If so I will show you the way. Please act fast though. It will only take a few moments before he has figured out that I have freed myself again. Do not ask who he is or for any details from me because I have pushed myself out to help you, not myself. For a background story of some sort, please ask Jack when I am done."

Jack looked at Loki in awe but slowly he turned his gaze away. It was pointless to try and do anything at this moment. Finally she was out but of course he couldn't have any form of time with her. The real her was only out on business, helping someone other than herself. That was what she seemed to always do... help someone else.

[Kari Izumi]

And in the second that this whole scene took to move into action. Kari broke. Do you intend to free Haku of my father's clutches? Kari didn't need the explanation that Lokie said there was no time for. She knew it well enough down in her heart. She fell to the ground sitting on her knees, which hit with a thud. Her expression was no longer stoic, rather it illustrated a great, broken, pain. Her anger at Jack was still there of course. But it was overcome and pushed to the side.

She looked at Loki now, her face resembling the expression in her eyes. "Y-yes..." She said faltering slightly. "I will do anything it takes to bring him back to me." She said this last statement with more confidence than the first. And now she had a goal, and most likely some great task, and she would do whatever it takes to complete it.

[Jack Shadow]

Jack just stood there in silence, he wasn't sure what else to do. Part of him wanted to act out because he knew that Haku didn't want to be found but then the other knew she could help him more than he ever could. He watched Loki as she ruffled up Kari's hair as if speaking to someone younger than her though he really didn't know her true age. Her father prevented her from having any form of growth. He sighed, turning his head away from the two. This all brought on a splitting headache he couldn't stand.

"Do not worry..." Loki smiled softly at him though his back stayed turned. "I don't intend to tell her where he is... That she'll figure out on her own later but.." her gaze returned to Kari as she ran her tiny finger through her golden locks with a smile still. "I will tell her where she is..." Suddenly an eery silence filled the room as Jack's eyes opened wide but luckily neither woman could see it. Did she really mean..? "Yes, her. The same woman damned in the High Priest's books, the one few ever see. I will have you led by a man nearby to her layer and she will know how to cure your lover. Only she knows how other than my father... You must find the blonde angel."

"Cupid?" Jack answered even though he wasn't being spoken to.

"Yes, Cupid." Loki replied blandly.

"Oiwouldn'call'immucho'anangel..." Jack rolled his eyes, turning to face the two. Well, more of turning so he could see what was going on instead of having his back turned which prevented him from seeing the plot thicken. "Blondebimbo'ssingin'indabarifyawant'imtalead'eran'whatnot... Don'thinkhe'llbemuch'elpbutwhate'er..." the cat shook his head and walked into the bar with his tail swaying left and right behind him. This was probably the first helpful thing he had done all night.

Loki smiled sweetly at Kari and laughed, "Men.. what can you do with them?"

[Kari Izumi]

Kari smiled sweetly at what Loki said, "Can't do much with them, but you'll risk your life and search the ends of the worlds to get them back." Kari looked at this new person in Loki, and she decided she liked her a lot. She didn't really know what was going on, but that was none of her business and if it was vital for her to know, she would be told she assumed.

"So... Now I must meet with Cupid? Where he will lead me to this woman who can help me restore Haku's life to normal? She was ready for the challenge. Though she though to herself that Haku would want to be back to whatever he was after he was restored with the earrful she planned on giving him. And she will. And then maybe hug and kiss him to death. But that would be after her furious rage settled...

[Jack Shadow]

Loki couldn't help but laugh once again and shake her head slightly. "That's only if you love them..." She glanced passed Kari, where Jack had opened the bar door and left. For a bit she just stared at the door then she shook her head once more and looked at Kari. "It's funny... The both of you have so much in common but he won't believe Haku when he tells him that you aren't like the other summoners..." the young girl let out a soft sigh then smiled softly. "You both love Haku... and would do anything to save someone you love..." but at that the girl went silent and took a few steps back, away from Kari. Her eyes were hidden amongst her long, silver hair. It was hard to tell what emotion could possibly be going through her mind at that moment. The girl began to sway side to side, her hair following each movement she made. "Tell him... to take you to Shikyo..." she said with all most no emotion in her tone before she glanced up through her long strands of hair to watch Jack walk into the room with a short, blonde boy by his side.

Jack paused then the realization hit him. "Don'chutellmehyerleavin'already!" he snarled with a hint of sorrow in his voice, something well hidden. "Jus'gonnatell'ershitan'leave? Dat's'owitis?"

Loki kept her head low but her eyes on the yelling man only so far away from her. "I told you, Jack..."

"Tol'mewhat, eh?" he snapped, his fangs bare as if he was ready to pounce her if she made one false move. Most would know better than that. Jack would never dare hurt Loki but it was what he appeared to be doing.

"I'm not worth it," she said with a soft smile before her eyes went behind her head, only the white visible. Loki fell straight to the ground and the back of her head hit the floor with a loud thud. Grey strands spread across the wood floorboard as her body arched up towards the ceiling and she gasped for air. Her fingers went to clutch onto something but there was nothing to grab onto other than her hair laying about her. The only noise coming out of her was the sound of choking.

Jack ran over to her with Cupid slowly coming behind him. He quickly dropped down to his knees and slid by her side, lifting her head off of the ground. His right hand grabbed onto her's, their fingers entertwined. "Don'tchadodis! Fightdatbastardoff! Fight'imoff!"

Her irises returned but now her eyes were red and a smirk spread across her face. "She is mine... Without the money, she is mine." The the small girl fainted, her head laying limp in his arms and her fingers just laying in his hand.

Jack pulled her close to him, pressing his face against her stomach as he growled or maybe hissed, it was one of the two. He clung onto her for a bit before he put his other arm under her knees and stood up. "Take'erto'er..." Jack snarled at the blonde boy who had been staring at them all perplexed. "Dat'sit..."

"Can't I just pay-" the boy finally spoke, his soft blue eyes looking at Jack in hopes that he would allow him to pay off his debt but the man wouldn't even let him finish his sentence.

"No! Go'orImmakickyerass,gotit?!" Jack snapped, speaking even faster than usual before he exited the room and went into the side door by the counter.

[Cupid]

Cupid sighed and shook his head before he looked over at the summoner woman kneeling before him. Well, she was just kneeling and not facing him but she was still in front of him. "Do you really want to see Shikyo?" She was a woman that you should only visit if you really had to otherwise it was best avoided. Well, for anyone that wasn't Cupid, Musho, or her children. Otherwise she could easily snap you down and make you forget why you were even there, depending on her mood. Yet Loki had said to take this woman to her... and she would know best. "She's equivalent to what the humans call "the devil". So I can understand if you change your mind.. If this guy's not worth being tormented then it's best to turn back now." That was the honest truth coming from him. Though it did come off as cold. Cupid was always horrible at properly voicing his opinions and often offended people without realizing why. It was just how he was.

"But if you're still willing... I'll call her up right now," he eyed over at the door Jack went into then looked back at Kari. "You'll be alone when speaking to her... I won't be able to be there with you nor will anyone else. It'll just be you and the goddess of death."

[Kari Izumi]

"Yes I really need to see Shikyo..." She replied to the one named Cupid. She knew she never had a choice getting into this mess that was her life. "I have danced around Death all my life, whose to say I should stop now?" She looked over to him and smiled wryly. She then parted her hair on her head to reveal a stubbed gem patch, "I am no stranger to torture as well. I have been alone throughout my life as well, another event will not harm me." She said shaking her hair slightly to cover up the bump.

"No, this is something I have to do. He is worth it, no matter what." She said fully determined. She looked at the door that Jack went through and mumbled what Loki had said, "we have so much in common..."

[Cupid]

Cupid grinned sheepishly then laughed as he quickly grabbed her hand without further question. The blue-eyed god chuckled, grabbing onto her waist with his other hand. He didn't do it as an advance towards her but so he could properly teleport her away from the bar and where the goddess of death was located. Besides that Cupid was a rather physical person in general and always found it more entertaining to just follow his instincts. It was a lovely way to live life, sort of. At least to him it was a grand way to live out his life. It was better to do than to regret it later!

"Hold on tight, miss!" He pulled her hips next to his but only their sides were touching, he didn't want to pop too many comfort bubbles. "He's one lucky guy to have a gal like you willing to go talk to one of the biggest bitches in the world! Real lucky, haha." With that the two of them began to glow a soft hue of blue and become see through. "There's no turning back now, miss." Then they were off......

((And then Aru had to go make another topic >.>))

[Motias Shintra]

"James, just put the last piece of scaffolding up there so I can leave!" Motias cried, turning to leave the site anyway. It had been at least eight and a half hours since he had started that afternoon, moving all kinds of things around the site to get the real construction ready for the next day. After he had done that, he was left raising the remaining material onto the second floor's cross section. "Screw it, man! I'm not hanging around while you take your precious time!" The elemental took his usual route to the Shadow's Lair, taking the occasional alleyway where it needed to be used. They were much uglier than the rest of the town, which wasn't saying much when you considered where they were.

Motias pushed opened the door to the tavern, walking towards his usual chair at the bar where he could get a great look at all of the action. The action that night was Karaoke, and Motias never wanted to miss anyone make a fool of themselves singing the latest 'hits'. Leaning back a bit, he ordered a drink while listening to the drunken mess on stage. His drink came in the largest glass they had, and was likely to last him all night. Seldom was it that he had to get another round, but Motias always liked to keep his options open for a night when he was feeling adventurous.

[Jack Shadow]

After about ten minutes or so Jack exited the room without Loki, leaving the child on her bed to rest. He had his eyes low to the ground for a bit before he noticed something different out of the corner of his eye. One of his regulars had entered the building. Jack had to fight off groaning, he really didn't feel like dealing with anybody in the bar right now but he could lose money that way so he walked over to the counter instead. He eyed over at Motias with his usual cocky and annoyed gaze with a slight smirk. "Dausual? Jus'barndasit? Goondere'skaraokenwhatnottanight..." he rolled his eyes. Sure he wasn't going to groan but Jack was usually an ass to begin with. Thus his nickname "jackass", very punny and to the point. The most of the people who referred to him as that were either close enough to get away with it or two-faced and said it when he wasn't around. It didn't really matter to him. He would get paid either way and he owned the place. This inn had the best booze in town, people usually just put up with his rudeness to be able to still drink.

"Wegotoneohdosebandmembersindere... Dunnowheredarestofdemat... butdacrazycatonesdere. Sooiguessdere'llbesomekindagoodsingin'tanight..." Jack eyed over at his customer then at his counter then back at his customer. After this motion he pressed a button under the counter causing a holographic screen to pop up before the cat demon. "Fifteenbuckentry...Leas'tanight, whoknowswhatoi'llchargetamorrow," the cat said with a sneer. He could really care less if it sounded fair. In fact Jack didn't even know if that was a fair price, expensive, or cheap. He just threw out a random number for the man to pay him.

[Motias Shintra]

Motias looked up at the cat demon who entered the room and nodded in his direction, acknowledging the man as he started talking in his usual slurred manner. "Yeah, Jack, I'll take the usual," he said, turning away from the karaoke stage to talk to him. He raised an eyebrow and looked around at the crowd that was in the room. Motias always found it odd that the establishment was multi-use, though it did end up making Jack and his brother more money in the end, he supposed. "Heh, you sound like you had a certain kind of visitor in here today, Jackass." Though he didn't like using the name in front of the man, he knew that he could get away with it for how often he frequented the bar.

"Ugh, I hate it when people in bands come to sing. It makes it so much less fun to watch, because they actually know what they're doin', you know?" Motias took a drink and laid his money on the counter. He didn't often care that Jack changed prices every night. He made enough money as an elementalist in construction to keep his hobby continuous. "Higher than usual tonight, isn't it? Dun matter though, I can pay my own way into here." He raised the glass and took another drink. "Man, that's good after bein' out in the sun all day."