Playground

Carefully Keaira took the sketchbook from Esme. She examined the picture with a face that really never changed. She did like the picture though. It was nice. Swallowing roughly Keaira parted her lips once more. "I-it's...n-nice." She looked down towards the ground there; a very slight shudder having passed through her once more.

With a smile she gently took the sketchbook back, flipping through the pages to find her prized work in this book.
"This is my latest work."
She spoke softly and that single sentence as she showed Keaira. The dark colors showed a crocodile, curled up into itself to seem almost cute. Esme smiled, it reminded her of a certain someone.

Keaira watched Esme's movements before looking at the picture then. Her head tilted to the side some while examining it. "What...Is it about...?" She wasn't sure if it was just a picture if a crocodile or if it meant something. There were two different possibilities.

How to put this? Esme smiled as she leaned back, drawing with her foot in the sand with a smile.
"Well, I recently got into crocodiles. They're misunderstood creatures, I think they need more love."
Mel namely. No matter what Esme loved Mel despite the animal in her, she'd love her even if she went full animal. The crocodile on the picture was actually Mel when she'd caught her sleeping a little while back, odd to think she found it cute but nobody needed to know that.

"...I see..." More love? What an odd concept. Keaira had never heard of such a thing before. She wondered if it would possibly work. "Do you...Think more love can...Really fix people? I mean creatures...Not people." She scowled slightly; wondering if she had given anything away. It was actually starting to bother her throat a bit, talking so much.

Esme leaned her head back looking up at the night sky with a soft smile.
"Well yes, I think everything and everyone deserves a second chance if they really want to change. Animals only do what they need to survive, and people hate them for it. But it's what they do to protect themselves and make sure they make it to see another day. I don't think anything is wrong with that."

"I think you're wrong." Oddly enough Keaira's voice grew stronger and somewhat deeper. Slowly her eye color changed as well. Almost a bright green color. The being stood from the swing and removed the hair from its ponytail; shaking it out before fixing the shirt as well. She actually now took on the appearance of a man though if one were to inspect closely it'd be clear it was the same woman. This wasn't Keaira anymore, but Aeron. "Animals is understandable, but people...They don't deserve a second chance most of the time. When a mob comes in and kills a child's family in front of them and then beats the child after...They do not deserve a second chance. The higher ups that cover the incident up saying it was from the mafia? They don't deserve it either."

To Esme's surprise Keaira stood, her voice becoming deeper. Was she more...masculine she would say now? She spoke much clearer and in a deeper voice, Esme glancing to the ground after the speech.
"Well, people like that don't sure, but others do. Sure some people are beyond saving, but some want to change. The thing is they have to do most of the work themselves, you can be there, support them, and help them when they need it but they need to do most of the work by themselves. Everyone is born with both good and evil in them, it's up to us to decide which path we walk."

"I don't care who it is." Aeron's gaze was somewhat stern as he stared at Esme's face. "You lay a finger on my little girl...You're dead." A somewhat twisted grin spread over the lips of Aeron's face. "They think they're clever. Blaming such an incident on the mafia. I know each and every face of those that were there and involved. It's burned into Keaira's mind; even if she can't find it." He shifted slightly to pace some while tapping long and pointed black nails just under the scar. "I'd tell you to watch yourself, but I think you'll be just fine." Green eyes moved up and down over Esme's body. "You're good in looks. Besides...You're the only one who Keaira talks to other than myself."

The stranger went on to say that if she hurt Keaira she'd be in big trouble, pacing slightly. The other person turned, looking her up and down and saying she had a nice body making Esme blush ever so slightly. She was the only person Keaira talked to besides him? A smile spread on her face as she pushed herself very lightly.
"I just thought she looked lonely, I can't leave another person like that I was raised differently. And she does remind me a lot of my fiance, she was sitting all by herself when we first met too."

Aeron's head tilted to the side some. He walked over to stand in front of Esme; reaching his hands out to grab the chain's gently and hold her in place while kneeling down so their faces were even. "Reminds you of your fiancée? Are you sure about that?" He purred in a teasing voice before shrugging his shoulders slightly. "Whatever the case...You'd better take care of my little girl."

Esme jumped when she grabbed her chin and lowered herself to look at her. She wasn't really comfortable with this, but it was either stay put or try to move away which would probably result in her falling head first into the sand.
"I won't hurt her I promise, I wouldn't hurt someone I just met and especially if they become my friends."
She spoke as clear as she could with her chin being slightly immobile.

A smirk crossed over Aeron's face as he reached out and tapped Esme on her nose. "That's a good girl." He straightened up and took a small step back. "Ah; we haven't been formally introduced. I'm Aeron. The demon that has resided within Keaira's family for centuries. Though I will give you a warning...When I go back; Keaira's going to pass out. Bring her home, or leave her here. It's up to you."

The female tapped her nose before stepping back and introducing themselves. Aeron, a demon hiding in their flesh? Stranger things happened, she was a crusnik who was she to judge. She smiled and nodded her head to the demon in her skin.
"Hello Aeron, I am Esmeralda, but I just go by Esme."
Pass out? That was not good.
"I'll be sure to take her home, I don't want somebody finding her here and doing something inappropriate to her."

"I know who you are. I know everything that happens to Keaira." Aeron adjusted himself before grinning a bit once more. "What a good girl. Take her to her studio. I'm sure that's where she'd want to recover." Quickly Aeron dug in his pocket and pulled out the keys before tossing them to Esme before giving a slight salute. "I'll see you around sometime."

She caught the keys with a smile, nodding in understanding about putting her in her studio.
"I'll see you Aeron, keep a good watch over Keaira."
She readied herself to catch Keaira when she fell, hating to see herself get hurt when she came to.

"Sure thing." Aeron's eyes slowly faded from green back to that bluish-purple; a small huff of air escaping from her lips as her eyes shut and she fell forward into Esme's arms.

Esme was quick to jump forward and catch the other female. The crusnik moved her onto her back, piggybacking her and disturbing her weight evenly. She wasn't heavy at all, hen again not much was when you were as strong as Esme was. Making sure she wouldn't fall she began walking, holding out the card to make sure she was going in the right direction.