Balance The Realms Nov 2024 - May 2025

[Denix Vames]

Vincent sighed, "Alright. But you better be back here soon. Otherwise, I'm calling for extra help from Carter. There's only so much we can do."

---

Xenos pinched the brim of his nose, "I don't mean quickly. I meant talk to some vampires around the castle. Get to know them. Find someone who would understand you just as much as you understand them. Build relationships. It doesn't have to be romantic like River said. Just a vampire that you know would fight alongside you during the toughest battles. Do you get what I mean?"

---

Blake was about to rebuttal against the idea of killing anyone but once Kris mentioned the vampire idea, he grew pale. He nodded, "Y-Yes sir." The Trickster stood against the wall and glared at the boy, "With all due respect sir, you once trained me as a child. Surely, this thing-" He immediately shut his mouth once Kris gave him that look. Blake uttered, "I know I said sir but what do I call you?"

---

The hitman wrapped an arm around Henderson, "Alrighty then! Let's introduce myself!"

Inside, every other officer stood with their gun raised. The hitman nonchalantly waved his hands, "Settle down coppers! I come in peace as a traitor of my organization. I've got good details on the whereabouts of my boss." Will appeared. Startling the hitman, "Whoa! A bit of a warning next time, please?" Will suddenly grabbed his neck and pinned him against the wall. "Tell me why I shouldn't kill you right now?" The hitman awkwardly smiled, "Cause I'm hot?"

---

Death accepted his hand and stood by his side. "Though I'm not really sure how one announces a relationship. Do I use my speaker voice for usual announcements? Or should I bring it up at the ceremony during my speech?"

[Shadowess]

"I know, I know. Thank you again!" Amelia then vanished, appearing in front of Sara. "Ready to find the baby daddy?"

---

"Do you think me a fool that I hadn't already considered this?" Shezmu raised an eyebrow at Xenos. "I am merely disheartened to have awoken to a world where I feel that I am no longer welcome." he sighed and lowered his gaze to the ground. "To return to a home whose people had once considered me their leader only for them to gaze at me with fear and suspicion because I dressed and spoke differently to them. Not one vampire here was alive in my era... I am a stranger now. Lost, alone and looking for a new purpose."

He fell into silent brooding and for a moment, River didn't know what to say or how to react. He couldn't begin to imagine the pain that this ancient being was feeling. He looked at Xenos briefly then gingerly moved over to sit next to Shezmu on the couch. "We might not be from your time, but we're here now. So, at least you're not completely alone. There might only be a few of us now but, you know, it's a start."
"Perhaps you're right," Shezmu said quietly.
"And you were around when there was a lot of us, right? So, if we have any questions about our kind and stuff, we could come to you, right? You'll teach us stuff?"
Shezmu's eyes lifted and he turned his head slightly to look at him. "Of course. My knowledge would be your knowledge."
"Well I'd say our species isn't completely doomed yet, then." River smiled optimistically.
Despite his serious and stoic nature, Shezmu found himself smiling a little in turn.

---

"My name is Kris," he said simply. "Everyone else calls me The Tyrant Trickster of New York. You will call me 'Boss' or 'Sir', understood?" He looked over at the other trickster. "Take him to the bunks and set him up with a bed. I want him washed and rested before his training starts tomorrow."

---

Henderson realised a little too late that the way they'd walked in had made it look like he was the hitman's hostage. He ran over as soon as Will grabbed the hitman. "Wait! Boss, he's telling the truth. Just hear him out. He wants to help us and we could take out the whole seedy organisation!"

---

"I think announcing it at the ceremony would be perfect," Azrael said softly as he brushed his thumb across the back of Death's hand. "It would be romantic and all leaders of the realms would be there to witness it." He blushed as a thought occurred to him. "Would it-..." he started and then hesitated. Gathering his courage, he finished his thought. "Would it be too forward of me to suggest that, while the leaders are here to witness it, we declare our love in a- uh... matrimonial sense?" he asked then bit his lip in anticipation of Death's answer. 

[Denix Vames]

Sara nodded, "I just hope whoever it is that they're not...violent."

Amelia and Sara appeared in Hell's Library. Ash was there with a book in his hand. Reading at a chair to get his mind off of things. Sara gasped. Ash looked up from the book. She shouted, "There he is! The father!" He stood, "Excuse me?" He threw the book at the chair. She replied, "You let your powers out. They came to me and made a child. Your child." He glared, "I didn't choose. I had no choice. All because of that fucking Carol bitch! And her damn new friend. Your child is nothing to me. It is merely a mistake." She lowered her head, "Please sir. For Ophelia's sake-" "And you named her?! Get out of my sight!"

---

Xenos couldn't help but smile too. "Well then. I think we've come to a nice conclusion. Is there anything you need from us?"

---

Blake nodded, "Understood sir." The Trickster escorted Blake. Guiding him to where he could clean himself. He gave the kid some privacy while standing nearby should he try anything stupid. Once Blake reached his bed, in a shirt and boxers, he sat under the covers. "Tell Kris to come here. I need to talk to him." The Trickster raised a brow. He headed to the throne, "Kris! You won't believe it. The kid wants to talk to you. He's already acting like he lives here!" He laughed, "What a pathetic joke!"

---

Will glanced at Henderson, "Are you serious?" The hitman immediately grabbed Will's hand and locked it in place so that he could free himself. He immediately hit certain points of his hand so that Will could move it again. Will looked at him in amazement and shock. The hitman smirked, "Your friend's right. I can take you there. And if anything goes wrong or you think I'm going to betray then you can ahead and kill me. That's how confident I am." Will glared, "Fine. We'll all discuss this in the meeting room but you are definitely going to be close to me. I'm not taking my eyes off of you." The hitman snapped his fingers, "Done deal!" "First, what's your name?" "Uh Well-" "You said you're betraying them. So, what's your name?" The hitman reluctantly answered, "It's....Dick." He sighed, "Get the damn jokes out of the way already."

---

Death blushed. His eyes widened. He wasn't sure what to think at that moment. Then joyful tears appeared. He held both of his hands, "Oh Azrael. Already time has paired us together. For us to do such a human tradition? It would be wonderful. Though, I am not in favor of bright colors like most humans are."

[Shadowess]

"Ok. No." Amelia growled as she marched over to Ash angrily. "Get off your ass! And show this woman some respect!" She shook her head. "Have you any idea what she's been through today? I don't know how it happened but I do know that the child is here now as a result whether you meant it or not. That makes you responsible! So, step up and stop being a selfish prick!"

---

"No. Thank you both for answering my call." Shezmu nodded to him. 
River frowned. "I feel weird leaving you like this after you just found us."
Shezmu smiled at him. "Go." he reassured him. "I will be fine and you are both welcome to visit me any time."

---

While Blake had been getting washed up, Kris had moved into another room with a large rectangular wooden table in its centre. On it were various maps of the city, as well as the underground and sewer systems. As well as blueprints for different stores and clubs in the area. He'd been looking over these carefully when the other Trickster had walked in. Hearing him, Kris couldn't help but look at him and chuckle. "I hope he's not expecting a bedtime story." he put some of the blueprints down and walked over to the door. "Ortiz, why don't you and a couple of the guys check in on Miss Blaire over at the Vampire club and make sure those filthy leeches know not to stray onto our turf again? Set an example of what happens when Vampires cross into Trickster territory." 

He left the room and headed into the bunks. Named so for the rows of bunk beds on either side of the room. Right now, Blake was the only one in the room. Other young Tricksters lived and trained here as part of Kris's gang but right now they were all out running errands and wouldn't be back until the early hours of the morning. Kris opened the door and stepped in with his hands in his pockets. He said nothing as he walked further into the room. His boots sounded heavy with each step on the hard, cold concrete floor. He stopped at the foot of Blake's bunk and turned to look down at him emotionlessly. "Talk to me."

---

Surprisingly there came no laughs. No jabs or jokes. The officers were as professional as they were on their guard. The hitman might be telling them the truth, but that didn't mean they'd relax around him. After all, he'd put one of their own in the hospital not that long ago. The only reaction to Dick's name was a cold silence.
"Um..." Henderson mumbled, trying to break the tension. "In old comics, the detectives were sometimes called dicks. Like in the Noir ones with the weird funny way that the detectives describe things..." he trailed off, a little embarrassed and feeling like he'd just outed himself as a complete nerd. In truth, those comics were one of the reasons he became a cop.

---

"Neither am I." Azrael laughed softly. His own happy tears rolled down his cheeks. "So, we'll have it in our traditional dark tones." he grinned, barely able to contain his joy as he wrapped his arms around Death. "I don't think I could ever be happier than I am in this moment!"

[Denix Vames]

Ash growled, "Or what?!" He glared with bitter tears, "Your right hand woman already took most of my powers! I have nothing left! I am a mere Demon now with no title to respect! I could care less now if you sent me into Oblivion!"

---

Xenos replied, "I do have one concern that I wish to discuss with you." He glanced at River, "You may go."

---

Ortiz nodded, "I'll give them the message."

With Ortiz gone, Blake could hear that it was only Kris. He had teary eyes then held a look of determination. "Tell me sir. Am I only ever going to be a tool for you? A skeleton key?" He gripped the covers. "I know you warned me about what would happen if I didn't listen. I won't ignore that. What I wonder is, can I expect any ounce of respect or pride from you about....me?" He couldn't exactly say it since it felt embarrassing but Blake secretly wanted Kris to act like a father figure to him even if the guy was a crook. He had longed for a parent who actually gave a shit. Though he wasn't exactly hopeful about a guy like Kris.

---

Dick scoffed, "Well I'll be! No jokes! Giving me total respect? I like that!" He made his way to the meeting room, "You lot and I are gonna get along just fine." Will said, "Wait! How do you know where the meeting room is?" Dick pointed at the sign, "Duh! I may be hitman but I'm not an idiot." Will flustered, "Oh..." He had for a minute believed that Dick had looked into everything about the precinct.

Dick opened the door and waved everyone over, "Now come in! I've got a good layout of things to tell." He winked at Henderson, "Especially for you, ya sexy nerd."

---

Death returned the hug, "Oh? I wager on that for we have yet to see our children be honored. To see them up there will bring tears of joy to my eyes! I know it so!"

[Shadowess]

Amelia faltered. "What do you mean she took your powers? Carol doesn't have that kind of power," she asked. She glanced back at Sara briefly then tilted her head back to give an exasperated sigh. "I'm not going to destroy you, Ash. And I can't force you to be a father, either." She lowered her head to look at him tiredly. "I don't know what happened to you and I'm sorry that I couldn't help when you clearly needed it. But taking your anger out on this kid, who has done nothing but exist, isn't right. Don't be angry with Sara or Ophelia. They're victims in this too." she hesitated then turned away from him to look at Sara. Ash may not be willing to care but she still had a duty to make sure they would be ok. "C'mon, Sara," she said softly. "Let's give him some space and go home. I'll help you set up the nursery then we'll go and get Ophelia, ok?"

---

Sensing Xenos's question may be private, River nodded and stood before vanishing. When they were alone, Shezmu looked up at Xenos curiously. "What is troubling you?"

---

Kris stared at Blake for a long moment. The corner of his mouth twitched briefly but his cold expression didn't change. Lost, orphaned or abandoned trickster kids were unfortunately common and it wasn't unusual for a few of them to end up on Kris's doorstep asking for shelter, training and some form of parental figure. He preferred it like this. It meant the kids were more likely to grow up to be fiercely loyal to him. "Maybe," he answered. "But you have to earn it, like every other member of my gang. Show me every day that you are worthy of my respect and you could have quite the happy life here. I might even teach you a few of my own tricks... if you work hard enough to earn it."

---

Henderson followed the other officers into the meeting room and felt his cheeks grow hot when Dick made his comment about him. Then he caught the eye of a few of his colleagues who had given him a quick glare. He felt suddenly torn. He was attracted to Dick but he knew his colleagues would see it as a betrayal after what the hitman had done to one of their own. So he lowered his eyes shamefully and waited for the meeting to get started.

---

"Our children!" Azrael repeated as he realised that marrying Death would make them all a family. He laughed and wiped the tears from his eyes. "Then this is merely the beginning of our happiness! Oh, my love!" he kissed him softly. "My heart is singing." he chuckled.

[Denix Vames]

Ash studied Sara for a moment, "Wait." Sara looked up. He spoke, "Carol showed me emotions. That's why my powers dwindled. I fed off of violence. With this change in myself though, I don't know what I am anymore. I fear I am not the same being as I once was. I feel lost and confused as pathetic as that sounds. I...wish to see this child. If you'll allow me to, Sara." She held a spark in her eyes. A form of hope. She nodded, "I think you'll like her."

---

Xenos said, "I have a family. A wife and son. However, my attitude has become more violent. I fear for the safety of my family. I have let my powers get to my head. What do you suggest?"

---

Blake nodded, "Ok. Thanks for....the shelter then. Goodnight sir." He laid on his side and threw the covers over himself.

---

Dick had read the room and suddenly his cheery smile became a frown. He spoke, "I'm sorry about killing one of your own. And shooting the other fella. I know I can't take it back but I can make up for it, right? I'll give the location and everything will be fair."

Will sighed, "I can see you are different now. Clearly, you're not trying to kill us but the law is the law." He pulled out some handcuffs. Dick held out his hands, "Guess it only makes sense." Will cuffed him, "I'll let your hands be in front of you for the sake of showing us whatever details you have. After that, they'll be behind you."

Dick quickly went back to his eager smile and began talking about a paper company that was only disguised as such. The truth was that supernatural creatures were locked up and used for the assassin's gang and the boss. With the address given, Will reached for the cuffs. The cuffs suddenly fell off. Dick held up a lock pick, "Sorry fellas! But I don't look good in orange."

He ran to a window and opened it. Will immediately reached out with his aura. Locking him in place. Dick awkwardly chuckled, "Right. I forgot you lot are special."

---

Death replied, "Let us go see them! Surely, they are done with their chores."