For Akira, being adopted was the best thing to happen to her. Celeste and Larka was the nicest women, and Akira waned for nothing. They spoiled her with attention and gifts, love and warmth. The child only hopped that they would allow her inquisitive and wandering spirit to travel when the weather warms.

Today, however, she contented herself with some of her toys. Angel danced around the room in Akira's hands. Sounds of the child's giggles echoed through the house, but the pets were too busy to play with her. Kyu was downstairs, with Larka learning obedience for a bit, and Reika was with Celeste hunting.

Everything seemed to be fine when something caught her attention. A toy, one she had not touched in some time, now sat on the foot of her bed. It was akin to a small bird with humongous eyes. Seeing it there unsettled the girl, so she put it back in the chest. Trying to ignore the weird feeling, she began to dress Angel in fresh doll clothing.

"Akira…" Her namewas drawn out as if someone was saying it in a sing song voice.

Slowly, she turned. There, in the center of her bed, was that bird toy once more. "Bad Steve! Stay in chest." Once more, she replaced Steve in the chest. Akira returned her attention to Angel, a doll she had once found on the side of the road, half buried in mud. After cleaning it, Angel was still in good condition.

"Aaaakiiirrraa." Her name was drawn out from its beak.
Ever so slowly, Akira turned back to find it on her bed. "Steve?"
"Play with me."
"Play what?" Her natural curiosity was peeked. Akira was unsure if she should be intrigued or frightened right now.
"A game, Akira. 'Simon Says'. I'll be Simon. You know the rules?" Akira nodded slowly. "Gooood. Simon says…. Kill Kyu." Steve's voice was dead serious.
"No! Kyu is friend. Kyu good dog."
"Kyu chewed on me! Now go do it! Simon saaaaysss."
"NOO!!" Akira screamed. Steve was snatched up and thrown as hard as she could against the wall. Then Akira threw herself under her blankets, shaking as a leaf. Akira would never hurt Kyu, nor a fly for that matter. Truly, the toy known as Steve was beginning to scare her now. The bird like toy waddled over to the bed and jumped upon it in a single great leap.

"Naughty Akira, that hurt. You know what happens to mean little girls?" Akira screamed and ran out of her room, tripped down the stairs. Her tumble came to an abrupt halt at the end, et she still scrambled as quickly as she could and ran straight to Larka. Sobbing, she threw herself onto the woman, holding her tight.

"Larka! Larka! Steve mean!" she wailed.

The Reaver smiled as she sat on the sofa looking down at the wolf pup, who was getting much larger as of late, looking up at her. ”Good girl, Kyu.” Larka scratched behind the young wolf's ears making the pup's tail wag. ”Now, can you do it again, but only one this time?” Larka asked and gesturing across the room to some bottles she had set along the fireplace mantle. She knew she probably should have been doing this outside, but, ah, well, she had started to she decided to keep going, besides it was cool out and Akira was upstairs playing with her toys.

Kyu looked to the bottles and stared for a few moments before giving a small bark and a spark of lightning snapped out and knocked over on of the bottles. ”Very good, Kyu!” Larka laughed and pulled the pup in close for a hug, a mistake, since Kyu sneezed again and Larka caught the brunt of the shock as it went through her body making her seize up and drop the wolf. The resulting small bit of thunder, while not loud, was close enough to her ear to make it ring for a moment so she sadly missed when Akira screamed for the first time.

But Kyu didn't, and the protective wolf was barking and growling even as Larka was feeling her arms and legs get their feelings again and her hearing back. ”Kyu, what's, ohh, shit that hurt, wrong?” Larka groaned as she started to stand but fell back again before she was able to stand and keep her balance, that had hurt!

She was about to take a step and see what Kyu was doing when she heard Akira scream again and the thudding of small feet running upstairs. ”Akira?!” Larka called and made for the stairs, but she was slowed down from her shock and was only in time to watch, horrified, as Akira came tumbling down the stairs. ”Oh gods, Akira!” Larka exclaimed as she came forward, all numbing suddenly gone as adrenaline kicked in through her body, but Akira was up and ran into her and Larka hugged her for a moment before pulling back and checking the fox girl over. She seemed okay, and she wasn't acting like anything was hurt, but she was clearly terrified of something.

Steve? Who the hell was Steve?! Larka pulled her daughter close for a tight hug. ”Easy, Akira, easy.” She was going to ask who Steve was but was guessing it was one of Akira's toys. Carefully Larka picked Akira up and when the opening was there Kyu took off barking up the stairs ahead of them as Larka carried the child back up to her room.

Once there, Larka kept Akira close, but the sight was, interesting. Some odd bird looking toy was on Akira's bed and Kyu was up on it barking like mad at the toy, snarling and growling and her hair was on end and static was running loops around the ruins in her fur. So, that was Steve, Larka guessed. ”Kyu, shh, please calm down.” The young barked one last time but did as she was told, but she was still growling and staring murder at the toy. ”Akira, what happened with, Steve?” Larka asked as she looked to the child in her arm.

Being in Larka's arm, against her body, her scent strong in Akira's nose was reassuring. Instantly, she felt safer, stronger, invincible. Eventually the sobbing quieted, yet she still quivered in her adopted mother's embrace. Larka picked her up, and Akira buried her face in the nape of her neck as each step on the stairs vibrated through Larka into Akira. She realized where Kyu had gone, growling and barking, and Akira tried to call for the dog.

"Kyu! Kyu, no touch Steve!" Slowly, she peeked under her own arm into the room, to see Kyu and Steve on the bed. Fortunately, Kyu was trained to listen to Larka, and quieted down. Akira felt able to relax, knowing that Steve wasn't going to complain about the dog biting him or something. Suddenly, Akira was pointing accusingly at Steve, her voice very demanding. "Steve said kill Kyu! Akira said no. Steve said Kyu chew on Steve. Akira no want Kyu dead."

Larka didn't seem sure how to react to such a thing. Was it Akira's wild imagination that freaked the child out, or was there a serious problem under their roof? The child was not known to spin wild tales, yet she wasn't known as their child, having only met her a handful of times. "It's true, Mommy Larka. Steve don't like Kyu." Yet there was no proof. Kyu didn't seem to like the toy, but was that reason enough to believe her?

When all hope seemed lost, Steve's head rotated a full circle, slow and creepy. He blinked his eyes and looked up at Larka, narrowing into a glare. "Simon did not say bring a parental, Akira." It sounded annoyed.
"Kyu good dog. Larka won't let you."
"Let me do what? We were playing?" Of course, it attempted to sound innocent.
"You mean!"
"Akira, I'm hurt. Play with me, Akira."
"No!" Akira threw her hand out as if to slap the toy from Larka's arm. Without anything near the blasted toy, Steve flew across the room and crashed hard against the wall. All was still for a moment while Akira stared in astonishment at what had happened. Once more, it was broken as she turned to sob into Larka's shoulders once more as to what Steve was demanding she do.

Larka watched as Akira pointed at the bird toy accusing it of telling her to kill Kyu, which was a terrifying thought indeed, and said that Kyu had been chewing on Steve. Which, now that Larka saw how the wolf reacted around the toy Larka could understand happening. This was a lot to take in for Larka, she loved Akira, but had to admit they still were getting to know each other, children did have good imaginations, Larka knew from past experience. But, the way that Kyu was reacting to did some credence to what Kyu was saying, and Larka was having a hard time remembering actually buying that toy for Akira, maybe Celeste had bought it?

Akira tried to assure Larka that she wasn't lying, that what was she was saying was true. But before Larka could make up her mind, the doll did it for her as it suddenly rotated its head fully around once. Larka's eyes widened; what the hell?! And then it spoke! It told Akira that Simon hadn't said to bring a parent in, but Akira was defiant, which made Larka proud, even as she was somewhat scared inside as to what this might all mean.

The exchange between child and toy was most disheartening, this thing was evil, Larka could tell right away. Akira went to slap the toy away even from within Larka's arm, and despite the fact that there was no contact the toy went flying across the room anyway. Larka blinked and looked down at her daughter, okay, that was new, perhaps Akira had some magical talent that the stress was starting to manifest.

That had to come later, for now Larka had to deal with this problem. Akira started to sob into her shoulder again and this was a time when Larka truly cursed her missing arm. She knelt down to one knee and allowed Akira from her grip but then pulled Akira in for a hug. ”Akira, I'm here, and we're going to take care of this, okay?” Larka smiled and gently wiped Akira's tears from her cheeks before she stood up again as a planned formed in her mind.

Larka walked over to the toy on the floor and carefully picked it up and eyed it. ”Hm.” With it in her grip Larka started to leave the room and head downstairs, she wasn't saying anything, not wanting to give it an idea of what she was planning. Heading into the kitchen Larka made sudden movements to the stove, flung open the top and went to toss the possessed doll into the fire, fire was always a reliable cleanser of such things in Larka's experience.

With a sniff, the child nodded, rubbing at her eyes. She watched with watering eyes as Larka picked up Steve, and followed her out the door, listening to Steve's cries and please. "Hey, what are you doing? Put me down please. It was a joke! Come on! Heehee, haha? Where are you going? Let me go. Akira, do something!" The scream that came from the toy was a very terrifying sound, a screech so loud that Akira clamped her hands over her foxy ears.

Steve latched onto Larka's thumb, refusing to allow itself to be thrown into a fire. The woman began to shake her hand, trying to fling the doll off of her, and Steven let go at the proper time to be thrown across the room, away from the stove. He hit the wall, bounced up and hopped over to Akira. The doll managed to climb up her clothing and perched on her shoulder.

"Okay! I get the picture! We can talk this through, yes? You're an adult, and I can be reasonable.. What do you say?" Akira began to get a sinking feeling that no matter what she did, she would always be stuck with Steve. "Larka, we get cage, lock Steve away? Please?" While she wasn't thinking it through, putting it in a cage would make it far easier for it to be disposed of. "No! No cages. I'm claustrophobic. I don't even like your bag or your toy chest! Come on, I'll be good."

The toy, Steve, talked the whole way to the kitchen and stove, but Larka ignored them, even as it shrieked loud enough to make her ears hurt she ignored it. She went to toss it into the fire but the latched onto her thumb and she shook her hand furiously to get the stupid thing off and into the fire. But it proved smarter than she assumed and let go on a back swing to fly across the room and into a wall, got up and climbed back up onto Akira's shoulder before Larka could catch it again.

Larka gave a snarl that was a little less than human as she was starting to get angry, a snarl that was reminiscent of her younger days. But she hardly noticed as she stalked over to Akira and Steven as it talked. Akira mentioned about a cage but Larka didn't have one that she could think of and no way to get in touch with Celeste. ”What are you?!” Larka growled at the toy, reaching out for it again but it dodge around her hand onto Akira's other shoulder, it was rather quick now that it knew what Larka wanted to do to it. ”What is it that you want from my daughter?” Larka continued, waiting to see if it would let its guard down so that she could grab it again. Next time she'd just ram her hand into the fire itself and get the toy on fire that way. Yes her own hand would burn but between her Reaver concoction and Celeste's healing powers she knew that it would be alright. Not to mention with her hand in the fire her Reaver powers would kick in and make her stronger making it harder for Steven to escape her grasp.

Larka was a mama bear to a fault when it came to her family, it was the same with Lilith and their kids. But even now she carried in her heart the idea that she had failed them despite the impossibility of them winning that fight from the start with the numbers the orcs had. So now Larka would be that much more protective of Celeste and Akira now that they had adopted her. But she wasn't about to antagonize Steve now that she knew he wasn't stupid, it must have been possessed, that was all she could think of. Either way it had better answer to quickly or Larka's temper would get the better of her.

Akira was almost shrinking away from Larka with that growl she had given off. Not only was the child afraid of the change in Larka's now warpath demeanor, but of her toy as well. If only she hadn't picked it up. When she had found it, it was face down in some grime. After cleaning Steve up, it wasn't the prettiest of toys, but she was a child, and everything is playable, so she kept it. Soon enough, when she thought she had accidentally lost it in the previous town, Steve ended up at the bottom of her pack. It became a game to deliberately leave the toy in the oddest of places, only to find it in her possession once more in as little as hours later.

Steve was running from shoulder to shoulder, running from the fearsome woman hellbent on destroying him. "I'm just a lost soul! Trapped in this body! Don't kill me!" For a minute, he huddled right behind her neck, trying to formulate a decent answer for the mama bear. He had no doubt that once she got her hands on him, he'd be in major trouble. "Akira saved me, took me in… I like her because… Because… Of her aura!" This caught both the child and the toy off guard. Akira tilted her head. "What's aura?"

"Her aura reminds me of something… It's familiar to someone I knew…" What Steve didn't want to share was that the someone she reminded him of was the very same person who killed him at some point in time. Now, stuck in this body, he was cursed to have a half life, bound to a single child until their death. "I'm sorry, I was bored and looking for something interesting, and that Kyu thing was the first thing that came to my head!" It was clear the hiding toy was quite desperate now, but the words seemed to ring with honesty.

When Akira shied back from her Larka relaxed slightly, not wanting to scare her daughter away from her. They had not been a family for too long and Larka was still scared that Akira would suddenly decide she didn't like being adopted by the two women and leave suddenly. Scaring her as she had probably didn't help, so for Akira's sake she calmed down a little.

Unable to get a hold of Steve Larka stopped for a moment as the toy started to speak again, maybe she'd give it a chance to at least talk. She didn't like that Akira was scared but there was little she could do about at the moment. She asked her questions and Steven answered so she listened. A lost sould, trapped in the body of the toy, but why and how weren't answered. He liked Akira because of her aura, Larka didn't like the hesitation the toy spoke with but left it for now as it continued, but Larka took to answering Akira's question about what an aura was first. ”An aura is the energy that living things give off, everyone's' is different, and some are stronger or weaker depending that person and sometimes how much, or what kind of, magic they have.” She didn't know if Akira would understand but she could explain another way if needed.

For now Steve kept going, saying that Akira was somehow familiar to him from someone he used to know. Larka had to wonder who that was, but it didn't sound like the toy knew who that someone was at the moment, just that was it was familiar. Larka's eyes narrowed dangerously for a moment as she thought on the toy's words. ”You were bored so the idea of having Akira kill my wolf was the first thing that came to mind?” She questioned. ”Hm, at the least I can make sure that Kyu doesn't bite you anymore, but you have to leave Kyu alone, deal?” She questioned and then continued and stepped closer, kneeling down to be at face level with Akira, a slow hand to reach out and cup Akira's cheek. ”It's alright, I think we can believe Steve, Akira. There's no need to be scared of… him.” The moment the toy had turned its head to look at Akira instead of Larka the Reaver made a sudden move and managed to get hold of the toy again.

Fire in her eyes her grip was tight the toy wasn't getting out this time. Nothing threatened or scared her family and got away with it! Steve struggled as Larka made her way back to the fire again, and while Steve might have got himself ready to cling to her again, he was taken by surprise when Larka thrust her hand into the fire with him in it!

Larka groaned as the fire started to burn her skin, but she knew that between Akira and Celeste, who was due back any time, they could heal her skin. Steve needed to go, Larka wasn't taking chances. It took longer than she had hoped but the toy finally stopped struggling and Larka pulled her arm out with a cry, from her finger tips half way up her forward was badly burned. She stepped back from a fire place a little tears of pain in her eyes, oh gods that hurt!

A noise came from the fire and she only had enough time to register through the pain as Steve came screaming like a banshee from the fire, while on fire, and collided with her head. Larka yelled and staggered back already going into shock from the pain of her burned skin. She tripped on her feet and started to fall back, hitting her head hard against the counter as she did.

Larka hit the ground hard and unconscious, blood on the counter where she had hit her head and a little started to leak onto the floor from the wound as well. She was totally out cold and vulnerable, Kyu started to bark again and lightning crackled around her as she placed herself between Steve and the Reaver's prone form.

Sensing her distress, Larka seemed to calm down, become more rational and less fearsome in mannerisms. At the questioning from the woman, the toy seemed to duck behind the child’s shoulder. ”I never said I had good ideas…” Steve’s voice did sound remorseful, yet it was difficult to discern whether or not he was being honest in his regret. ”Deal! I promise never to ask Akira to do anything harmful to Kyu or Reika.” Maybe, if he sweetened it to include the cat, he’d be safe, yes? No. When he went to look at the child, excited for impending permission to remain, his guard fell and he was caught.

”What about our deal?! Let’s not do anything–” Flames engulfed the toy, licking at its feathers, scorching the beak and the glass eyes clouded over. The most unearthly shriek issued forth as it burned. Akira screamed and clamped her hands over her ears, fearful of what Larka was doing to herself. Finally, the sounds from the fire ceased, and Larka pulled herself out. Before either of them could react, an angry battle cry issued from the flames as the toy launched itself as a fireball right for the woman’s head. Nothing was going to kill it and get away with it! No one backs from a deal!

Larka staggered back, tripped and a most sickening sound of cracking bone lingered in the air as the woman collapsed to the ground, unmoving. Akira was staring at the scene, afraid for Larka, and growing quite angry with what Steve had done. ”Ouch, ouch, ouch! Akira, put out the flames! ACT NOW, STUPID GIRL!” Steve’s screeches put the child in action. Grabbing a pitcher of water, she splashed it on the toy with an angry glare. ”Bad Steve! Stay there.”

Barely able to concentrate from the cacophony around her, Akira got more water, soaking a towel in it and carefully laid it over Larka’s arm. ”Kyu! Quiet!” she screamed through tears. ”Do you know what that bitch did to me?! And you’re going to help her? Where are your loyalties, Akira? With me, who you have aided for so long, or this…. Woman who desires to kill me?” ”SHUT UP!” Once more, the toy flew and slammed against the wall. Steve began glaring at the child, unmoving and finally quiet. The child would pay for this.

At this time, miraculously, the door opened. Nails clicked on the floor as a white tiger streaked into the room. Her fur was on end as she assessed the situation and turned her gaze to the toy. Letting Kyu remain by Larka, Reika assumed a threatening position directly over the toy. Celeste walked into the room. ”What’s going on… Akira?” The child had got up and ran, nearly knocking the woman back with the momentum, sobbing.

”By the gods! Larka!” Dropping everything, the elf rushed to her wife. Water glided through the air to Celeste’s demand, enveloping the terrible burn. She kept it cool as she reached her hand to the wound on the head. Hands glowed as the healing began, Akira hung on Celeste. ”Steve tell Akira kill Kyu, Larka burn Steve, but Steve no die! Flew at Larka, she fell back, hit head… Akira scared! Will Larka be okay?” She felt it was all her fault. If only she hadn’t picked up that stupid toy!

Larka moaned as she started to come around from being knocked out. The first thing she noticed was that she was on the ground on her side, what had happened? Her mind was fuzzy. She then noticed that her hand didn't feel like it was still on fire, in fact it felt nice and cool. Her eyes started to flicker open a little as she started to come around some more and then felt that she had one hell of a headache. Groaning more her mind came rushing back to normal; the toy, Akira, and something was touching her head!

The Reaver went to sit bolt up right but the her headache caused her to become dizzy and fall back again, propping herself up on her arm as she opened her eyes, blinking rapidly at the bright light, to see Celeste staring back at her. ”Celeste?” Larka managed blinking some more and getting the pain to settle somewhat in her head allowing her to think. ”Oh thank the Gods you're home!” Larka sat up enough to pull Celeste into a quick hug before she looked around and saw Akira was clinging to Celeste and moved to pull Akira close as well. ”Are you alright, Akira? He didn't hurt you did he?” Larka asked looking Akira over for a moment before Reika caught Larka's attention as the feline stood over the toy and now that Larka was up Kyu went over to help the tiger.

Larka looked back to Celeste. ”That, thing, that toy is alive, or at least possessed, Celeste. I tried to throw it into the fire before but it clung to me and hid behind Akira, it's gotten connected to her somehow. I grabbed it when I could and held it in the fire until it stopped moving, knowing you could heal me. But the damn thing still didn't die and jumped out of the fire at me and I fell back.” Larka explained glaring daggers at Steve. ”Anything to add, Steve?” Larka growled and looked back to Celeste. ”You know more about magical things than I do, any ideas?” She asked pulling Akira close to them again.