The Hatter and The Hare?! (Mature)

He wipes the tears away. "It's fine, Beyril. I'm here, and I won't let anything happen. I will defend you, even if I die. You're my responsibility."

Asuka returned with Aiko, "Beyril, we're here. Aiko and I. Everything is going to be okay."

Aiko kneels next to her, closing her eyes. "Asuka, I'm going to need your and Sylas's help..." Sylas looks at Aiko. "Why mine?" "Because I think you have some form of self-regenerative ability that I'll need to draw upon..." Sylas doesn't argue, placing a hand on Aiko's shoulder while still cradling Beyril.

Asuka knelt as well, placing her hand on Aiko's shoulder, and holding Beyril's hand, "It's going to be okay. Just hold on."

Aiko closes her eyes tight, bringing the other two in Beyril's soul. "I have no idea what we're looking for, just a heads up..."

There was a flash, and the three suddenly found themselves in the charred ruins of an old apartment building. Firemen were spraying hoses on the small flames still fighting to burn. A girl of about fourteen with flaming red hair hid behind the fire engine, a guitar strapped to her back. She seemed to be the only person who could see them, and her eyes were white.

Sylas steps up to her. "Beyril? Do you know who we are?"

As soon as he moves toward her, she bolts, taking off into the woods at the edge of the city.

Sylas curses, running after her. Aiiko shrugs to Asuka, following him. Sylas catches a glimpse of her. "Beyril, wait! We only want to help!"

The girl didn't stop or slow down, and ran a lot faster than Sylas. Asuka ran after them both.

Sylas's hands turn into axe blades and he jumps up, catching a tree branch with the wide inside edge. He started swinging from branch to branch, managing to at least keep up with her. Aiko, much faster than him at running, sprints ahead, drawing close to Beyril.

The girl came to a clearing and suddenly stopped. They were at the lake by the training grounds.

Aiko skids to a halt and Sylas drops next to her. He steps forward. "Beyril, why are you running?"

The girl looked quizzically at him, then pointed at the sky. The sky was filled with smoke, and a large kishin eye hovered where the moon should be.

Sylas looks up at the moon, paling. He fell to his knees. "Beyril, w-what is that doing there?"

She stared blankly at the eye, the image reflecting off of the white in her eye. The smoke moved closer, the smell of burning trees closing in on them.

Sylas continues to stare up at the eye, transfixed. Aiko steps up to the girl. "Beyril, we need you to help us help you. What can we do?"

Beyril dropped her arm. She pointed to her lips and then to her eyes, then shook her head no.

Asuka looked to Aiko, "I don't think she can speak."

Sylas growls lightly, staring at the eye. "I'm going to destroy it..."

Beyril turned her head slightly behind her. The clearing they were in was blazing brightly.

Aiko kneels next to her. "Beyril, we need you to help us. How can we fix this?"

The flames moved closer and she once again pointed at the eye.

Aiko looks up in time to see a large pole impact it. She turns to Sylas, who is launching several more at it, each one jutting out from his shoulders.

Beyril shook her head and angled her arm down, pointing across the lake. Mad Beyril stood, grinning across the lake, a large scythe in her hand.

Sylas's eyes narrow. An axe appears on each forearm and he charges, running around the lake towards her. "You! This time he isn't here to protect you! This time he can't make me..."