Rain Dance

Voltaire felt Kimi's brief tenseness in his arms and frowned. So it was the Chiaroscuro earlier. Why didn't she just say so? Adair still hadn't noticed them yet, gazing off in a different direction.

"So it was Adair that spooked you," he said, trying to think of the best way to explain the Hero's little fits. "Look, he's cursed. When he gets too riled up his heart stops and his emotions get cut off. He goes around spitting black-and-white flames and stuff because his conscience is turned off. But he's not some monster or anything, he's just...sick, I guess."

Kimi shook her head but didn't outrightly respond. She still didn't know what he was talking about.

"Like I said, scares the hell outta me too. You don't get used to it," added Voltaire. Chiaroscuro could be a real problem if she was traveling with them long-term. He should have told her from the start, but somehow the subject never came up. "...If you're really that worried about him you could stay outside the cave room, or he could stay outside."

Kimi shook her head again and tried to curl more into a ball. If he put her down she could just walk away, no problems.

Adair finally noticed them, turning in their direction. If possible, his expression grew more miserable.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, resting his head on his knees while he still looked at them.

"Don't be," answered Voltaire flatly. "Chiaroscuro is Chiaroscuro."

"I'm a terrible person."

"No you're not."

"Yes I am."

"No you're not."

(is Adair going to tell voltaire? if he does he should do it when kimi isn't around)

Kimi sniffled again. "I'd rather go to Ava." She whispered. In truth, if Voltaire was going to make someone watch her, she'd much rather it be Ava. "I don't want to sit in the wet."

(not now. It'll probably come out when he gets drunk at he bar again)

"Fair enough. I don't want to sit where's it's wet either," replied Voltaire, not really wanting to be around Adair while he was in his slump anyway. "Later Adair. We're going back to Ava.

"...Okay," he answered quietly. "...I'm sorry."

"Stop that."

Kimi curled closer to Voltaire's chest. He was warm, even though he was wet, and she was freezing. She was still shivering from sitting out in the cold wet.

The rest of the trip had little incident, other than quite a few stares, whispers and chuckles from some of his fellow changelings. He supposed he ever-steaming body didn't help matters much. He wasn't going to hear the end of this one anytime soon.

"What happened, Volty?" asked Ava with almost sickening worry. "Did you and Kimi fall into a lake?"

"She was outside, I went to get her, and it was raining," Voltaire explained, still shivering a little himself but more concerned about Kimi's trembling state. "I think she saw Adair go Chiaroscuro earlier and it scared her, 'cause she was acting kinda spooked around him."

Ava let out a sad warble.

"Everyone gets scared of Fiery when he's like that. It makes Fiery sad because people don't want to be around him," the phoenix replied, sweeping her wing over them and pulling them both closer. "Both of you are cold. Come here."

"Hey hold on!" Voltaire protested, finding the position awkward.

Kimi let out a soft whimper, finding herself suddenly pressed even closer to Voltaire without warning. She squirmed and tried to push away, her mind conjuring up her horrible past. She squeezed her eyes shut as her pulse and breathing skyrocketed.

"Whoa whoa hey!" Voltaire exclaimed, ducking out from Ava's wing and trying to calm Kimi. "There's not room for both of us to be under there like that. Kimi needs some breathing space too."

"Sorry," replied Ava, looking dejected. "I was just trying to keep you two warm."

Tears welled up in Kimi's eyes and she ducked her head again. "S-Sorry" She mumbled. "I-I don't like small places" She lied.

"A lot of people don't. No big deal," Voltaire answered casually, though he felt uncomfortable about her sudden tears. "Anyway...I guess if you don't want to sleep under Ava's wing you could just lean against her, or sleep on top of her. I'll be sleeping under whatever wing you don't choose."

Kimi nodded slightly in understanding. She leaned against Ava lightly, from where she was sitting, and settled down like she was going to sleep, keeping her face from Voltaire.

"Alright," Voltaire said, carefully placing her beside Ava. He started to go around Ava when he remembered that Adair would be back later. The redhead would probably want to be under the other wing, and it would be better for Kimi's nerves if he stayed out of sight. Sighing, he climbed up onto Ava's back and laid down, facing the ceiling.

Kimi sat in silence. She waited until she thought Voltaire might be sleeping, and was sure Ava was, before standing and stepping carefully towards the door.

Voltaire sat up and opened his eyes halfway, but he did not look at Kimi. The pupils of his eyes were dilated and glowed faintly red. He lifted his head high as if to keep his head out of high water, and began singing something softly and intelligibly.

Kimi jumped, clutching her chest. Voltaire had startled her, she had thought him to be sleeping. She quickly returned to her place by Ava, not wanting to be scolded by him again.

Voltaire's head gradually sank down to his chest as he continued to croon on, his voice rising but still quiet. Apparently he wasn't even aware of Kimi, or anything else around him.

Tendrils of fire formed above his back, divided into two loose sets above his shoulder blades. Lazily they twisted into the shape of wings, then uncoiled, then recoiled, all as Voltaire sang.

Kimi watched in fearful fascination. She had never seen anything like this before, and it was amazing, if not a little scary. She was afraid to draw attention to herself.

Every time the tendrils bound together they stayed together a little longer, before they melted apart again. Eventually fiery strands stayed in the general shape of wings, the filaments of fire squirming only minimally in their confinement. Suddenly the fire sprang away to reveal glossy red wings tinted with golden markings. Voltaire's melody stopped, and then shifted to a slower tune as the wings flapped languidly.

(O.O What's happening???)

Kimi inhaled sharply but softly. It was so beautiful, so wonderful... "Voltaire?" She whispered

(Build-up of demon energy is affecting Voltaire more than he knows. Among other things, it sometimes causes him to do strange things in his sleep, or to summon unknown powers like now.)

The wings flapped more vigorously, lifting Voltaire into the air. Although he was flying, the Hunter's body relaxed mostly lax. He glided in circles around the higher part of cave.

Adair walked in soberly, with all intention of apologizing for their argument and his rude words, when he noticed Voltaire soaring around about them.

"...The hell?" he said, staring.

Kimi stiffened when she heard Adair's words. She had been so focused on Voltaire's strange behavior that she wasn't paying attention to her surroundings. She scrambled under Ava's wing, to get out of sight, but ended up waking the demon.

"Hmm? Kimi?" Ava murmured sleepily. "I thought you didn't like small spaces."

"Uh, Ava..." Adair began, pointing up.

"Huh?" asked the golden phoenix, before looking above and seeing Voltaire. "Volty! When did you learn to do that?"

"Forget that. When did he grow wings?"

Voltaire, still in his trance, did not hear either and continued his circling pattern undeterred.