eunoias | Running Wild

Running Wild

Who: Varon and Resa/Esmerelda Vanuatu
What: Varon has gone rogue and Dartz has hired a hunter to find him.
Where: Barcelona, Spain
When: Present Day AU

With so many variables to sort out in his life, Varon had decided to break from Doma. He never liked to conform to the rules of megalomania yet he was trapped. The Stone of the Orichalcos acted like a beacon and he knew it. He never ran from anything in his life, though this is the first time that he felt he had to. Killing was wearing him down. He saw too many faces in his dreams to keep going with his present occupation, and he wanted out.

Confronting Dartz at his current state was out of the question. The cobblestone streets of the old Barcelona bull run streets offered some comfort. A cantina tucked in the shadowed alley offered a place to rest for a while. Dismounting the yellow Suzuki Intruder Super Sport, he looked down the street. It wouldn't be long before he would be tracked down, so he figured that a small breather would be better than none at all.

Entering the cantina, he eyed around the small bar, and he took a seat in the corner. His eyes watched the door. He knew someone was coming. He just didn't know when...

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Pulling up to the parking area, the bike's engine whined on the downshift. As if it was gliding on its own merit alone, Varon's body moved along with the turns as if the machine and him were one being. It was the sort of action that took time to embrace. He didn't have to fight gravity.

Easing the machine to a stop, he lowered the kickstand and turned the bars at an angle before he removed the key. He enjoyed the world with the things that it provided. The beach was one place he could never grow tired of.

"Hope I didn't jar ya too much." He said with a slightly cocky grin with a look over his shoulder at Resa.

"If you can get past the rotten Navy people, you'll come t' like it here." He chuckled softly.

Militant groups were Amelda's biggest hatred and that sort of thinking rubbed off a little on the younger member of the Soldier's group. Raphael's contempt with society in general was bad enough and he listened to the larger man during training drone on and on about how people were greedy and needed to be wiped out. Varon never saw it that way.

Yes, he thought that society was messed up as an orphan raised on the streets and he spent time in prison listening to men talk about how they were wronged for the crimes they committed. Varon stayed quiet about his views while the two older members complained about this and that. Capitalism was Amelda's biggest hitch. Varon often felt like an outsider in these views. He didn't like drawing in unnecessary attention to himself in such ways which often made him awkward to talk to in most cases.

He waited for Resa to dismount first before he could otherwise he would accidentally kick her in the face, and that wouldn't do well for either of them when this was a trip just for fun.

Honestly, the sensation of riding on a motorcycle was something that was incomparable. There really was nothing quite like to feeling the wind go through your hair, going as fast as one could on the open road - nothing. It almost made her consider getting one herself, but she knew that her Koenigsegg CCX was more than enough for her.

She took a moment to admire the sun itself, sitting back when the bike stopped. There really were some gorgeous places here in the world still and she wanted to explore it all.

"Nah. You didn't," she replied, grinning at him. "And, that right? Well, eh - what could it hurt?"

As much as she hated any kinds of authority over the mistreatment they gave her, she knew when to shut up, look pretty, and deal with what she had in front of her. She stayed quiet as Amelda and Raphael prattled on and on about their views of people and really never displayed her own views quite that much.

But, she did know that society was fucked up. Society is what made the monster that she was today, and that's why she wanted to make them all pay - as long as she had enough hate to fuel the Orichalcos, that was all the power needed.

However, she got off of the bike and took off her tank top and her skirt, revealing a modest tankini underneath. However, it was clearly evident that there were a few scars resembling the past on her - all from forced injections or her own self-harm.

"Think you're ready for a swim?"

"Gimme a sec." Thankfully, he wasn't wearing his gear that he normally wore for Doma. The scars were their own and Varon had his to bear from fights and from social abuse. He kept his shirt on and only removed his goggles, jeans, and boots. Taking the keys from the pocket, he unlocked the storage bin under the passenger seat. His plain blue swim trunks weren't fancy in any way and he had planned on going to the beach whenever he could.

Being the smallest male of the Soldiers, it didn't bother him that he probably wouldn't get much taller. He didn't mind the jokes or being picked on for it like he once did as a youth. He was stronger now despite the scars, and he could take on anyone that questioned his strength to render them silent forever, if necessary. They served as reminders. Resa's were scars caught his attention. He glanced at them, but now wasn't the time to talk about it.

"Ready when you are." He ran toward the beach.

"All right, but the last one there is a rotten egg!" Somehow, spending time with her "family" was what helped her get rid of all her previous fears and hesitations. She knelt down and unzipped her thigh-high boots and placed them near the bike.

As far as height was concerned, she was the tallest one of the female soldiers, but definitely not the strongest in terms of physical strength. Malnourishment, on top of not loving herself was her downfall, but she definitely came a long way from the scared little girl she used to be who would flinch from the slightest touch.

Though, one thing she had to her was her speed when it came to running as she easily caught up to Varon, tapping him on the shoulder, before she passed him.

"OY!" He called out behind her with a mildly shocked expression.

Taking up the challenge, he sprinted after her. He wasn't the strongest or the fastest. but he did have tenacity in his favor. It didn't take them long to reach their chosen destination through their run.

It was days like this one that he enjoyed the most. He wanted more of them, though the thought was cut short when he remembered the reasons they were chosen. It was enough to leave a pit in his stomach. To be taken from one prison directly into another didn't settle with him even through the training and the comforts he was allowed to have. It was a freedom only in name.

He pressed on. The sand and his feet weren't getting along too well, slowing him down dramatically.

"You have to be quicker than that! Come on, I thought there was nothing but beaches in Australia!" she joked, laughing all the while.

When they reached the water, she took a moment to admire the horizon from afar. One day, she knew she would be free. It was only a matter of time at this point, and she was anxious for it all. She didn't view the Paradias Organization as a prison, but merely saw it as a home and a safe haven.

She decided to get her feet wet and wade through the water slightly, shivering a bit at how cold it was initially. "You'd think the sun could at least warm the water up a tad, eh?"

"Guragh!! It's not a big ol' beach!" Catching up finally, he chuckles at the thought. He wasn't able to go to the beach as often as he would have liked as a child, but that hasn't stopped him now.

Keeping his inner thoughts safe, he hadn't voiced against Paradias or Doma. It would be a terrible move if he had, not to mention viewed as ungrateful and a cad for his insolence. It was no secret that he had some contempt toward Dartz. He chose not to show it. It was safer for him.

Standing next to his 'sister', he turned his gaze toward the ocean. "Heh, you'd think."

With a smirk, Varon splashed deliberately with a wide stance with flat feet along with the intend to get her wet. "Cold yet?"

"Seemed like that to me, even with the koalas and kangaroos!" Sure, she knew that there was more to Varon's homeland than just that, but it was fun to tease the younger one about it time to time.

See, the two sides of her were split on the whole issue on Doma and Paradias. As Resa willingly played in to Dartz's hand and did everything he asked and more, Esmerelda was much more cautious and willing to show that she wasn't some kind of pushover. That, and there was a reason why she was so active in their shared mind. Esmerelda acted as a shield when Resa couldn't fight for herself and came out when it was needed. Even with how much trouble Esmerelda gave her, Resa liked her being around and protecting her when she couldn't do it herself.

Though, she wasn't quite expecting Varon to splash her and as soon as it happened, she growled and splashed some water back on him. "No fair!"

Laughing at the play, he shielded his face from the splash. His hair dropped from their customary and iconic thick spikes. Shaking out the water, he grinned and splashed again. "It's not just koalas an' 'roos. There's more to it. I've gotta take ya there sometime. Time off or not."

Seeing his home again did bring back some sour memories which were quickly squashed the moment he felt the waves drift higher on his legs. "Yeouch, that's cold!"

He tried to jump back only to land on his backside instead...

After Resa successfully splashed Varon, she couldn't help but giggle after it and smirked at him. "And here I thought that you woke up with your hair naturally like that! And, hey - maybe it could be an outing for all of us. I'm sure we'd all need it."

However, the moment he landed on his backside was when she broke out into laughter. "A-Ahaha... You sure aren't the most graceful, that's for sure!"

A sputter escaped him. He allowed himself to fall backward onto the sand as another wave came and washed over him. Flailing about he sat up and coughed. That wasn't the brightest move he made, but it was made in fun.

"That's just gagnasty!" Shaking off the excess water, his hair was a lot longer than it appeared as it laid flat from the weight of the water.

"See, it's super fine but there's a lot of it so it sticks up all over the place. Can't do a damn thing with it most times." He rings out his hair then shakes his head again. The top of it spikes back up with the rest laying flat.

The longer Varon stayed like that, the more she laughed. In fact, Resa couldn't remember a time that she laughed this much and it not being brought on by a psychotic episode.

"They do say to not drink the water, you know," she said, waving her finger as if she was scolding him.

"Does that explain all the hair gel I see on the counter tops? You'd think that Mai and myself would lord over that sort of thing." Mostly, all she did was wash her hair and then put it into a high ponytail so that it'd actually stay out of her way.

Her laughter really helped him and his smile returned internally though outwardly, his male pride was jostled. The very mention of the hair gel made him pout slightly and his lifted his knees just as he was pushed again by the waves. Okay, now it was time to move.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm busted. So I take a stock out on the stuff." Wincing slight, not from the verbal jab, sand was now in places he really didn't want to mention. His shoulders rolled from the weirdness. It was time to take a dive.

Soon, her laughter quieted down to a low chuckle here and there as she got deeper into the water.

"I'd think it's much more than just a stock," she said, deciding to take a swim herself. While she was in high school, swimming was something she loved doing. To be one with the water definitely helped ease some tensions here and there.

"Now that I think about it, we really should have brought a ball or something!"

"Damn, I thought I brought my boomerang." He surfaced the water.

"I guess I left it back at the hotel. Not that I use it much." Usually he would bring it if he was going to be bored or if was alone on trips. He didn't think to bring with him this time.

"Hm, wonder if the gift shop has one though. Oy, it's good t' hear ya laugh again." He smiled.

"That weird stick thing? I could check if it's in your bike." She swam over to catch up to him as she floated through the water slightly.

"Who knows! We should ask them!" However, at the compliment, she looked a little confused before smiling.

"Guess I've got plenty of reasons to stay happy!" A lot had changed about her in the past few years, and it was all positive development.

"You're gonna need the keys. I dunno if it's in there but you can look." He untied the keys and handed them over to Resa.

"If it's there, it'll be under the map." He dove back under the water to look at the fish below.

Resa took the keys from Varon, nodding. "All right. If not, I can get something for us at the gift shop."

She swam back to shore, shaking her hair free from the water that was in it as she went back up to where Glory was. She crouched down and unlocked the compartment before rifling through the items.

However, due to how she was alone right now, a couple of guys decided to come up to her and one tapped her on the shoulder.

"Hey, you. Why don't you come with us on a date? We'll be sure to give you a good time," he said in a condescending way.

The touch felt like it was icy cold on her skin as she turned around and looked at them over her shoulder. "No thank you. I'm afraid I have to decline. As you can see, I'm here with my brother to enjoy the day. Now, if you could please leave me alone, I'll be on my way."

Unfortunately, it seemed like the men did not take no for an answer as one of them walked up, lifted Resa up to her feet and smirked. "Listen, girlie. We're gonna take what we want and we want you. Now, are you gonna stop being a stuck-up bitch or are you gonna come with us?"

The other men went behind Resa and surrounded her from all sides. As much as she tried to remain composed, she was shaking like a wet puppy. Being touched by people she didn't know did not quell her thoughts. "Please let me go. I did nothing to you."

"Well, I guess we've gotta go the hard way. Boys, let's reeducate her."

Resa bowed her head, a slight dark smirk crossing her lips as her eyes became dilated and wide. She blocked both punches coming her way with her palms before raising her head up. "She said no. Why don't you guys decide to listen for once in your miserable lives?" With that, her nails dug into their hands, a wicked smirk crossing her lips. As she tossed the men over her shoulder, she quickly went for her knife in her boot and took it out, extending the blade.

"Now I've got to teach you a lesson. Why would you decide to do that to yourselves?"

And off she went, blade in hand to begin fighting the men off as well as terrify them.

The Stone on his ring glowed and felt warm on his finger. Something was wrong. It didn't react that way unless one of those that wielded the stone was in danger physical or otherwise. He felt the same thing happen once with Mai before she was cast out of Doma by her own free will.

Desperately, Varon swam for shore and ran toward the source. He could feel the pull of negativity lead him straight to Glory. Momentarily he stopped to assess the situation before acting on impulse. His brow knitted in a scowl while determination gripped his very being into action.

"BACK OFF!" He yelled at the men that threatened his sister.

Esmerelda was already putting up a good fight on her behalf, landing a few cuts on the men as she merely did not respond. They weren't even on the food chain. They were just maggots of society and that was how things were. Why couldn't they understand that, too?

She did stop to turn around to face Varon, smirking. Flecks of blood were on her cheeks and her chest some as she gave him a friendly sort of wave.

"Oh, goodie. Backup. Guess you guys are d-o-n-e~!" she taunted in a singsongy voice.

Varon recognized immediately this personality. He met Esmerelda first when he discovered the new arrival in Doma. It was clear to him that she wasn't going to make it easy for anyone. The tone would have sent a chill down his spine though this time he took it as an invitation to get involved.

Jumping into the fray, Varon pulled the first guy off and immediately punched the taller man square in the center of his face hard. The force from the blow was enough to send him tumbling over the seat of his bike and onto the ground with a groan.

The second man came at him, Varon ducked. Varon used one hand to hold the punching arm straight while the other hand delivered a punch right under the man's armpit, rendering his arm useless through the numbing pain.

"Sonuvabitch!" The second man called out with a stumble backward.

Varon's ring began to glow along with his eyes that mirrored with intensity in red. "Your souls are mine." Varon held his hand out.

"W-wait! Maybe we can cut a deal?" The first man said while he was staggering to get up and holding his broken nose.

"I'm not feelin' that generous." Varon's response was cold. His hand extended. "You screwed with th' wrong girl, mates. I'm gonna screw ya harder."

The two men's eyes rolled to the back of their heads. "Now, you're mine. Go clean yourselves up an' then come find me."

"Yes, Master." The two responded in monotone.

Varon smirked and then laughed as the two lumbered off like mindless zombies. In the distance, gasps and screams were heard. It wouldn't be long before the cops would take them away for disturbing the peace which was exactly according to his plan. With their memories wiped, the spell would wear off in time. To Varon, it was the ultimate revenge than simply killing them.

While Varon took care of the idiots, Esmerelda stood back and watched the madness take place. Though, the unwanted attention definitely didn't help matters any, especially if she still wanted to be covert throughout this.

Oh, well. Maybe she could be useful to this grand plan of theirs. Soon, her earring began to glow an intense green, her usual turquoise eyes tinting with red, as she held out several blank cards from Resa's deck. Her hand was raised as the people started to drop like flies with their souls being sealed into the cards themselves.

"How boring~ I wanted to play with them more," she said in a disappointed tone, frowning. She did approach Varon and leaned against his back slightly. "Though, I don't know about you, but I'm not willing to go back to you-know-where~. So, why don't we get out of here like yesterday?"

It didn't take long before Varon took the keys back from Esmerelda and mounted the bike. Sure, he could at least put his boots on before he did, but there were now more pressing matters. Esmerelda did a lot more damage than he anticipated with the soul snatch of the innocents around them. Great. He thought.

Now wasn't the time to argue. They had to get out of there. "Get on." He revved the bike.

Quickly, Esmerelda put back on her boots and grabbed her clothing, stashing it away as she got on to the bike.

"You realize they would have gone blabbering to the police, right? And someone would have to do a whole lot of damage control on our parts. I was merely helping to exclude that variable," she explained, her tone icy cold and manipulative. "Besides, at least we get to come home with more than we bargained for."

"Chances are, nobody was payin' any attention." He had no other place to go other than back to the base. That was the one place he really didn't want to go back to at this time.

He knew what faced him there. With her souls clutched in the cards, chances were that Dartz would be more forgiving to him as long as Esmerelda said her piece. It didn't matter now at this point. He'll worry about getting dressed once they reach a safe point.

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