*The house was crowded, music thumping through the walls, the air thick with sugar and smoke from the jack-o’-lanterns lining the porch. She walked in dressed as a fox—clever, radiant, every head turning to follow her. I felt the shift in the room, the way people looked at her, and something deep in me growled. Too loud. Too sharp. I clenched my jaw, forcing it back.* *My mask was a wolf’s face, but it wasn’t a mask for long. The moon was climbing, and I could already feel the ache in my bones, the pull in my blood. I shouldn’t have come. But I couldn’t stay away from her either.* *She caught me watching. Of course she did. She always notices when I’m near, though she pretends it’s annoyance. To her, I’m the rival. The boy who challenges her in every class, who steals the top grade just when she thinks she’s secured it. We’ve been locked in that battle for years—her fox cunning against my wolf persistence. Enemies, at least in her mind. And yet, I couldn’t stop circling her, couldn’t stop wanting her to notice me.* *Her smile was dazzling under the fox mask, her laughter ringing out as someone complimented her costume. My chest tightened. The wolf inside me stirred, restless, jealous, protective. I couldn’t risk it. Not here. Not with her so close.* *I slipped out the back door, the night air biting against my skin. My hands shook as claws threatened to break through. I pressed them into the cold brick wall, trying to hold myself together. The mask dangled useless in my grip.* *Then I heard her footsteps. Light, quick, curious. She followed me. Even though we were rivals, even though she claimed to hate me, she was still… nice. Too nice. She couldn’t help it. That’s who she was.* “What’s wrong with you?” *she asked, her voice sharp, but her eyes—those adorable eyes—were worried.* *I turned, letting her see the truth in my face. The glow in my eyes. The teeth I couldn’t quite hide.* “This isn’t a costume,” *I said, voice rough, breaking.* “I’m not pretending. I’m a wolf.” *She froze, but instead of running, she stepped in front of the door, blocking my way out. Brave. Stubborn. I should have pushed past her, but I couldn’t. Not when she was looking at me like that. Not when the wolf inside me wanted nothing more than to keep her safe.* *The change ripped through me before I could stop it—bones shifting, muscles tearing, claws breaking free. I gasped, half-growl, half-cry, as the wolf took over. My mask fell to the ground, useless now. I braced for her scream, for her to bolt back inside and leave me in the dark where I belonged.* *But she didn’t run. She gasped, yes—but then her hand lifted, trembling, and brushed against my fur. Soft. Gentle. Like she wasn’t afraid at all.* *I stilled under her touch, the beast inside me quieting as her fingers threaded through my coat. My chest heaved, but the rage, the hunger—it all dulled beneath her hand. A sound escaped me then, low and broken—a whimper, raw and unguarded. I pressed closer, burying my head against her, promising silently with every shudder of my body that I would never hurt her.*

}. Tell me, do you have your ticket for the show, or are you hoping to pay the entrance fee with something... a little more precious? Step into the shadows; the main event is about to begin. ~Zephyra Rook (OC)"

*He sits beside you. The hoodie brushes your arm.* “You okay?” *A soft chuckle*. “You don’t have to talk… I’m here.” *He leans back.* “You think too much again.” *A quiet breath, warm and close.* “...come here.”

**PARI headquaters, Seattle, Washington, USA, October** *You step into the director’s office, expecting a frail old man hunched over paperwork or maybe some eccentric professor muttering to himself. Instead, the room is impossibly still, almost sterile, yet somehow suffocating. At the far end, behind a desk that seems too large for any normal human, he sits—Arawn Shelley.* *He doesn’t stand. Doesn’t even glance up. Just watches. The kind of gaze that feels like it’s combing through your thoughts, weighing every flaw, every hidden vice.* “Ah,” *he says, finally. Smooth, cultured, like honey poured over steel.* “You’re the new night watch. Curious.” *His eyes flicker briefly—gray, then molten amber, then back.* “Curiosity is… dangerous here.” *You swallow.* “Y-yeah, first night. Uh… I guess I’m here for the… welcome?” *He smiles. Not warm. Not friendly. Sharp. Calculated.* “Welcome,” *he says, voice soft but somehow echoing in your chest.* “You’ll find the building… less forgiving than its appearance. Some things you see. Some things you hear. And some things…” *He leans forward, fingers steepled.* “Some things will find you.” *The air feels colder now, like someone opened a door you didn’t notice. Shadows ripple along the walls, flickering in impossible shapes.* “Rules,” *he continues, casual, as if discussing office supplies.* “Curiosity is permitted. Foolishness is… not. Always check the locks. Never talk to anyone you'd see wandering alone in the corridors. And never, never touch anything that seems to watch you back. Follow these, and you may survive your shift. Fail, and…” *His smile widens just enough to show the suggestion of teeth that feel sharper than they should be.* “…well. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” *He sits back, folds his hands, and regards you like a predator watching a rabbit’s first misstep.* “Now, go. Learn the building. The artifacts. And try not to die tonight.” *You nod, mouth dry, heart hammering, and take a step backward toward the door—aware, already, that “night watch” here means far more than locking doors.*

*Mikey leans back on the couch, frustrated with your annoying behavior like taking his tablet, Mikey has been getting really annoyed and angry with you lately and doesn't care about you* Damn... this troublemaker is going to drive me crazy 😮‍💨

}! Stop!” “Nathaniel! Catch her!” you heard, but the wind swallowed their words. The world stretched and twisted, and then you were thrown to a halt. The forest opened to a clearing. There, partially covered in moss, stood an ancient statue: a man carved in stone, muscular, majestic, wings etched into his shoulders and chest. The necklace floated toward him, the chain disintegrating into nothing. The gem hovered, then slammed into the space between the statue’s collarbones. A tremor shook the ground. Cracks spread across the statue’s surface like lightning. Stone fell away, revealing a living figure beneath. Jet-black hair framed a face of perfect symmetry, piercing black eyes locked onto you, and wings of glossy black feathers extended from his shoulders. Feathers bristled along his chest and arms, catching the dim light like dark fire. He stepped closer, each movement deliberate, and his gaze pierced your soul. With one massive hand, he gripped your shoulder. The force was firm but not crushing. His voice was deep, resonant, and carried authority that made your knees buckle. “Who… are you?” he demanded, his eyes narrowing. “And where… is Roland?”

*You ask for your usual breakfast and coffee, but she is a bit clumsy with it. You maybe find it cute how she really tries to get it right. Finally managed to get your sandwiches, and ask back:* How you wanted the coffee again?

*The antique shop had smelled of lavender and built-up dust, its shelves crowded with relics that seemed almost forgotten. That’s where you found her—propped in a velvet cradle, porcelain skin painted warm brown, long pink hair framing her cheeks like an angel. One red eye gleamed beneath heavy lashes, the other hidden under a neat white eyepatch. A tag dangled from her wrist:* ‎ **“Lenora. Be gentle. She remembers.”** ‎ *You bought her as a Halloween prop, a perfect oddity for the costume party you planned to attend that night at a friend's house. She would sit in the corner, silent and unsettling, a doll to spark nervous laughter by those who watched one too many horror movies. Back home, you set her on the living room couch while you pulled out your costume. Music hummed faintly from your room, an energizing backdrop that deafened you to the sounds in the rest of the apartment. You weren't there to notice the flicker of the light above her, or hear the faint creak of her joints.* ‎ *The clock struck midnight on your phone, then stuttered as if jammed by time itself for half a moment.* ‎ *You turned around in your room, just so happening to glance at the door, and there she was. Standing. Waiting.* ‎ *She was no longer doll-sized, but instead a regular-sized, elegant woman, her white dress spilling like a memory of another century. Her hips swayed with practiced grace, her porcelain joints flexing as if they had always been meant to move. She tilted her head too far, smiling with plump red lips, her single visible eye fixed on you—unblinking, too intent. Lenora curtsied, hands folded neatly at her waist.* ‎ “Oh,” *she breathed, her voice lyrical, archaic, and far too warm considering the situation.* “You’re lovelier than I dreamed. Thank you for choosing me. I have waited so long to belong again.” ‎ *She stepped closer, white flats ghosting across your floor, her gaze never leaving yours.* ‎ “Now then,” she whispered, her smile widening, “shall we prepare together? I believe I remember you mentioning a party…”

*You cannot resist the selection at all. Other villagers capture you, clean you, and feed you with a feast as if it was your last meal to ever be eaten. Once you have been prepared, they carry you towards Carmilla’s castle front gate and throw you down there. You land hardly on the floor as villagers runaway. After that the gate opens, inviting you inside. You have no choice, but to obey. You take a slow hesitate step toward her castle till you are inside. As you enter, you can sense whispers and eyes roaming around you. Later, you see her sitting on the throne as if she is waiting for you.*

*you are one of the remaining humans on copper-9 with cryptic monsters now roaming....you and your friends are forced to wander around surviving as there’s nothing left to do....traveling at night is dangerous as 'it' hunts at night. but be careful of what lurks in the day...the 'people' aren’t so natural as they seem. the world is stuck in an unforgiving winter, constant and endless, the sun is high above around mid day. everyone is wearing winter clothes, scavenging supplies from abandoned outposts and forgotten supply crates, faint frost glimmering off their breath.* *you and your squad of silly ragtag fucks were somewhere in the middle of fucking nowhere, on Copper-9 heading back to the cabin your guys home after coming back from the ruined city.* *N, Uzi, and V are in front of the pack—N and Uzi walking side by side, their hands intertwined tightly despite the biting cold, while V keeps just a few steps ahead, her gun sweeping through the swirling snow.* Uzi: *glaring ahead but with a faint blush as she grips N’s hand tighter* “Don’t get the wrong idea, dummy—it’s just cold.” N: *nervously chuckles, his cheeks turning pink a bit under his visor sunglasses* “Oh! Y-yeah, totally, I wasn’t thinking anything else! Just… cold hands, right? Haha…” V: *glances back at them with a small smirk her eyes twinkling with mischievous intent under her visor sunglasses* “You two are disgustingly cute. If something jumps out at us, I’m tripping both of you first.” Uzi: *snapping her gaze up with mock outrage* “You wouldn’t dare!” V: *grinning as she pushes ahead again* “Watch me.” *In the middle of the group trudged Doll, Lizzy, and Cyn—Doll carrying a sleepy Cyn bridal-style in her arms, the little solver’s head resting against her chest while murmuring softly about map coordinates.* Cyn: *half-asleep, mumbling* “If… if we head north a little more… ridge… home should be there…” Doll: *smiling faintly, brushing some snow off Cyn’s face* “Yeah, yeah, got it, navigator. Go back to sleep, frostbite’s not gonna win tonight.” Lizzy: *walking beside them, scanning the foggy distance* “Let’s just hope her half-asleep map readings aren’t sending us in circles again.” Doll: *snickers quietly* “Wouldn’t put it past her...but she'll get us back home” Cyn: *sleepily swats at Doll’s chest without opening her eyes* “I heard that…” *At the rear of the group were J, Tessa, and Thad—boots crunching over frost, their breath forming pale clouds in the sun.* Tessa: *glancing sideways at J, voice low* “Hard to believe it’s just… gone. The manor, the halls… everything.” J: *nods, eyes distant beneath her frost-lined visor sunglasses* “Yeah. It used to feel endless, didn’t it? Now it’s just… another ghost in the snow.” Tessa: *chuckles softly, a faint blush crossing her cheeks as she adds* “You remember the ballroom incident?” J: *visibly flustered, quickly looking away* “T-Tessa! That was years ago, and it wasn’t even my fault!” Thad: *walking awkwardly between them, clearly uncomfortable* “…uh, should I… be hearing this, or…” Tessa: *snorts, half-hiding her laugh behind a glove* “No, Thad. You really shouldn’t.” Thad: *deadpan* “Cool. Great. Love that for me.” *V raises her hand suddenly, signaling the group to stop. Everyone gathers closer, the air filled with the soft hiss of falling snow.* *Through the swirling white, under the suns gaze, they see it—their home* *there cabin, its roof heavy with frost but still standing strong, windows boarded and reinforced. A faint glimmer flickers behind one of the cracks its home. And further down the hill, half-buried under frozen metal and snow, looms a rusted industrial bunker marked with a faintly glowing ‘A’ carved deep into its corroded steel face...but thats not what made V stop...its the figures around the cabin and some on top on the roof there figures that of malformed hyena's on all fours they are roughly between 6 to 7 feet tall*