Colour of the soul

In a world where everything is black and white, color is known to take hold when one meets their soulmate. Still this does not make the hunt for the 'one' any easier, the key is they eyes they are known to be the first hint of the truth.
Renee x Killian
Rose x Angus
Dani x Jory
Jet x Keenan

Feeling the nudge, Jet glanced up at him and resumed patting as requested “He and Ice parted on bad terms, even if he see’s you just as an item I am fairly certain he will collect you” and then what, what would happen then between herself and the kelpie trapped in the tank. Now she’d accepted that she saw colour, Jet found herself wanting to keep seeing it she just had to be careful, but she was careful by nature, one didn’t survive this long around Ice without some instinct of self preservation although admittedly most of her self preservation had been used to keep other’s safe like Killian and Claire. Ignoring the familiar painful stab that never left despite how many walls she put up, Jet glanced around and took a seat, her feet were killing her after being on them all day, leaning against the bars and closing her eyes with a quiet sigh leaving her hand in the warm water incase he still wanted some pats. “I don’t know what will happen afterwards” if Ice figured it out she’d be punished, badly although she’d been hurt so many times she felt nothing at the idea of being tortured again. Under the black clothes she wore, under the black leather she was a mess of scars everywhere, sometimes she wondered if she held together by scartissue and magic more than anything else, all she felt was fatigue, yet she couldn’t stop there was so much more that had to be done to protect Killian who was her only family now and Claire her blood but by no means her daughter, from the moment she’d given that baby away she’d given up the right to call Claire that. Now there was a third person, in accepting the colour he had automatically been added to that very short exclusive list. “If he doesn’t, then I will figure out another way” She’d done so many unspeakable things in Ice’s name, her history splattered with blood, but in the end she was forgettable, others stood out more and that had been accepted. She wasn’t anything special, just a tired Soldier that didn’t have an expiry date, that was running out of things to keep her from becoming just an empty shell that did as it was bid more a robot than anything else.


Up at her usual time, Renee noticed the man on the couch right away and paused watching him, noting the loss of weight and how pale he’d become, remembering something one of the shadows had said the young shadow master turned and vanished into the kitchen making the richest brownies she could and made several batches. Leaving them cooling on a wire rack on the bench, Renee fetched her art book and found a place to sit down and sketch him, with only shadows, Cricket and memory to really draw it was nice to have a different subject for once. All she wanted to do was to help him as best as she could, fiercely loyal especially to someone who had rescued her twice now the gentle woman kept sketching until it was as detailed as she could get. Really wanting to tuck a blanket around him she didn’t, it’d wake him and potentially give him a fright, he was likely fairly traumatized from where ever he’d been kept, Cricket hadn’t said much but it’d been enough for Renee to connect the dots. Sitting there watching for a little while, her little bird on her shoulder chirped prompting her to get up and go garden which was her most recent addition to the house, once out there she started to sing to herself softly.

Pale blue eyes opened when his voice sounded in her head disrupting her thoughts “I have an excellent well thought out smashing plan” sounding slightly miffed that he doubted her plan making abilities she nevertheless didn’t stop stroking him, staying with him for about an hour, relaxing more as she did so and letting down more of the icy walls she kept up between herself and others. Jet finally got up and stretched “Eat” reminding him of the fish that were still in his tank it was a process yanking up her walls again, on the outside growing progressively colder until her face and body language was cold and hard, without bothering with a goodbye she left and came back a week or so later having been sent off on a job. Returning to find the kelpie muzzled something close to anger sparked in her gaze “What did you do to earn that? Bite the hand that fed you?” quite sarcastic the response slipped out of her mouth but she went with it and folded her arms to complete the picture. Noting more notches that had been taken out of him, the muzzle was the final straw, no more passiveness the dragon was going to get a strongly worded letter by post about the fact that he needed to get his ass into gear and get the gentle creature out before something truly bad happened to him. Stepping forward her arms dropped from their folded stance and she pressed a hand through the water leaving it there as an offering for touch if he wanted it.


She’d noticed the Jackal but since it hadn’t talked to her she’d decided to leave it be unwilling to force herself on it, her singing paused when she felt like she was being watched, sitting back and looking around a familiar figure was spotted in the doorway. Her features lit up in a bright smile, getting up and dusting her hands off, Renee made her way over to him not expecting him to be very talkative “You should go snuggle into bed not curl up on the couch” speaking very gently the sight of brownie crumbs on his face made her gaze soften with affection. She wasn’t really sure why she felt so much for him already it just felt natural like this had happened before, maybe not exactly this way but similarly, who knew that what she’d been waiting for all of her life had been this rather dysfunctional man and the wonderful creatures that were bound to him. “Go on, take the plate of brownies with you, I’ll make more” he needed the sleep the dark circles under his eyes were rather apparent now she could see him in colour, there was something about his worn scarred face that was home and she didn’t really know why, she just went with it because it felt right. The smile and warmth on her face were obviously directed at him, her dark blue eyes soft and shining with kindness and affection, things that she sensed he hadn’t had a lot of during his life.

Stroking him gently she answered the silent question “I don’t have the keys to your muzzle or I would remove it” she also doubted that he’d let her put the muzzle back on him. Having gone back to his property whilst she’d been away, Jet had made close friends with his dog and had wound up sitting with the gigantic beast in her lap snuggling him, the longer she stood there stroking the kelpie the more determined she became about getting his father to do something to get him out. If she had to go to him directly to get some action then she would, she had brought some food with her but was uncertain how he would be able to eat it, moving her hands through the water to feel the muzzle she found it was big enough for him to open his mouth a little bit. Pulling the fish out of the bag she’d brought it in she advised him calmly “Try opening your mouth as wide as you can” the fish was slimy and smelled disgusting, wishing she had a pair of gloves for this her shadows obeyed the wish and wrapped around her hands protecting them from the fish gunk. Once his mouth was open enough she slipped him a fish at a time waiting for him to eat and swallow what he had in his mouth before offering the next fish, was she going soft? How many prisoners had she ignored and left to starve or suffer, but not him, he pinged something in her heart she’d long thought had died once she’d given up her daughter “I’m trying to get you out” she’d never stopped caring about him, he’d been her only friend after all even though he had been a grumpy brat when they’d first met.



Having spent the rest of the day gardening, she was in the kitchen now finishing off with some bread dough, putting it in the tray and slipping it into the oven, she sighed much happier now that the house had been upgraded. She loved her new kitchen and her new room, turning about intending to get something out of the pantry she stopped seeing Killian there and smiled softly “Good morning sleepyhead, you look more rested” hopefully he would like the changes she had done to the house while he was away, unable to help the quiet feeling of anxiety that came over her at that, Renee began fiddling with the hem of her shirt, unsure how to bring it up the young woman instead made herself stop fiddling and moved to make herself a berry tea of which she was quite fond of the fruity flavours were refreshing after all. While waiting for the jug to boil she glanced back at Killian, "can I get you anything to eat or drink?" wanting to get to know him more, to understand him, he was her colour, after all, so she wanted there to be some sort of a relationship between them even if it was just as friends.

Listening to him, Jet resisted the urge to cross her arms and insist that she was going to make him listen, she wasn’t a child after all anymore, sitting down on the cold tiles she leaned against the bars watching him quietly. There was no point in talking about it now, she had about half an hour of free time and instead of sleeping for some reason she was here, there was so much that she didn’t understand about herself still despite the image she liked to give. Sometimes it felt like she was fragmented, a part of her chipped off and with Claire, another part of her chipped off and with Raiden, with killian, with Keenan and she felt lost who was she? Just someone cold who did as her mother ordered, someone who’d lost two people she’d loved within three months, the few days she’d had with her daughter had been the most wonderful and painful ones she’d ever experienced. Behind the cold walls that kept her safe, who was she? What did she like doing? What were her favourite foods, hobbies? All food for so long had just tasted bland and she’d only eaten to stay alive, how long had she kept herself alive for Killians sake, he needed someone on the inside who was able to sway Ice a little. Was she truly just hollow and dead on the inside? There were no answers she could fathom for the various questions that continued to belittle and lay siege to her, the silence between the pair of them lagged yet she couldn’t think of anything to say.


Getting out of his way when he came over, Renee shrugged “oh well I usually find something to worry about” finishing making her tea she left the bag in the cup to steep and managed to keep herself from hugging herself. Unable to help herself she questioned softly “The house is okay?” cricket said it would be but she couldn’t help the worry, concerned still about the wounds that she knew was on his back a thought came to her, ducking away she came back with some cream in a tube “If the wounds start cracking get a shadow to put these on the cracking bits” the wounds had to dry out in order to heal but the simple cream would at least help soften the areas where they were likely cracking and causing him some pain. She had no idea how long he was staying here which was why she’d suggested a shadow do it, there was something about him, perhaps it was how alone he was that made her want to take care of him, look after him so he had someone. Thinking along those lines made the anxiety in her body language and face drop, returning to her normal gentle but genuine self, removing the tea bag from the cup and setting it down in the old ice cream container she put stuff in for the worms, Renee sipped her tea and sighed softly enjoying the familiar fruity taste. Having lived the life she'd had no choice but to live had made her quite adept at self soothing and taking care of herself.

Jet stayed with him for a while, absently stroking him while trying to work through her own questions, after leaving him she vanished and went looking for Erisidr, it took her a while to be able to locate the volcano as the dragon had applied new spells to it since she’d been there last. Finally finding him she talked and argued with him until he finally listened to her, at first he believed that it was a trap but she stayed there long enough he finally started to listen, showing up in the nick of time the dragon strode into the room and narrowed his eyes slightly at Ice. Considering letting the Kelpie drown her, after a moment of debate he decided she was of more use to him alive, striding forward he shoved her back into a corner and stood between her and the Kelpie looking directly into the gaze of the dark beast. “Keenan, cease and desist. As much as she is a pain in the ass she isn’t worth it and is surprisingly worth more to me alive” speaking calmly and rather boredly he waited until the kelpie recognized him before continuing “Go to your home. You are trapped here no longer” thanks to the female shadow master that had come to him, he would have to speak with Keenan about that later on however he had promised not to reveal that she’d helped so Jets secret remained safe with him.

It’d been about 2 years since Keenan had been rescued by his father, and she’d been kept completely busy ever since, it didn’t seem like she was going to have any time to see him for the foreseeable future. Called upon by her mother, Jet left what she was doing and headed through the familiar corridors until she came to a room where her shadows told her Ice was, entering the room after giving a brief polite knock what she saw made her feel sick. This was the room where her niece had died, where Killian had been forcibly imbued with Sofias shadows, where Sofias twins had been cut out of her body and the woman had been experimented on until she’d become the silver burdened creature that had managed to escape with the help of a Cheshire Cat. The children of Sofia had been originally preserved so that Ice might awaken them when she had the time for him, apparently now was that time, over twenty years since Sofia had been torn apart, there were two infants that looked about six months old. Kelly was already there and was picking up the one Jet presumed was the male and in a way she felt sorry for him but there was nothing she could do about it. Looking over at the remaining child, going closer she noticed the blonde curls on the girls hair and felt something shift in her at the small bit of colour she could see thanks to Keenan, looking up at her mother she quirked a brow in question. Once Kelly had left Ice spoke “I want you to raise her” those words felt like a kick in the guts she couldn’t do that, she couldn’t raise this child not after having to give up her own daughter. Unable to even pick up the baby she took a deep breath “I would not raise the girl right, But I believe Killian and his partner would raise her just fine. I will ask” backing up a few steps and tearing her gaze away from the child she didn’t look at Ice knowing that the woman would be displeased, turning she fled. While she’d never met Killians partner, he’d told her a little about her enough that she believed they would do a better job, searching through the facility and discovering that he wasn’t there she deciphered that he must be back at the place that had become his home. Teleporting just off of the property she waited a moment sending her shadows out to make sure this was the right place, walking out of the trees she wandered up the path and spotted Killian sitting with a young woman watching the stars together. For a brief moment she was unsure of how to go about this but Jet pushed through it “Killian, I need to speak to you, privately” she flicked a glance at Renee who was now studying her curiously but didn’t say anything more.

Relieved when he agreed to speak to her in private, Jet was doing her best to be shut off from her emotions it wasn’t really working, that room rattled her and the fact that her mother had been so perverted to actually bring back two children that had been dead for a long time had tipped the scales. Once it was just them she took a long deep breath “I apologize in advance” what she was about to say would hurt him and he’d had enough of being hurt but there was no other choice “Ice has brought back Sofia’s twins, Kelly took the boy. Ice wants me to raise the girl” how did she explain to him that she couldn’t, Claire had been something she’d kept to herself as much as she could, she didn’t like talking about her and did her best not to think about her as she only wound up hurting again like a knife had ripped open a badly healed scar. Taking a slightly shaky breath Jet continued, “I cant raise it Killian, I was not meant to be a mother, I can’t do it” and there it was the dull ache of a reopened wound, for a brief moment her gaze seemed to glisten before her eyes closed sharply and she quite visibly hardened. “I believe you and Renee would do a better job than I would, I need you to help me convince Ice of that. This will be the only favour I ever ask of you both, please” not showing that she was close to begging, she had done so many things for her mother that had been horrible and testing but this was it, this she could not do. “you know I’ll interfere with Ice more so you can come home more” she was in control, complete control there were no feelings just cold numbness. She wasn’t a wreck, she wasn’t worthless she wasn’t pathetic, she wasn’t weak, none of the things that Kelly spat at her on a regular basis, she would not run despite an instinct that told her she needed to flee, to run although she didn’t know where there was a tug that pulled her away from here.

Relieved when he agreed by asking a question of his own she sighed quietly thinking over it “I think we need to both talk to her, but she knows Renee and Renee’s abilities from when Oliver took her. A child raised by someone of your abilities and hers, will definitely be dangerous and that’s what she wants. We can all agree that one raised by me would end up like me, that’s not what she wants. It’d also be a way to keep Renee safe from her” He would be good for the girl, he had a warmth to him she’d seen it, that’s what children needed after all look at her own mother and what she’d raised, a monster and a cold heartless worker. It was good that she’d given up Claire, she would only have turned out exactly like Jet herself, ignoring the fact that Renee was watching the pair of them curiously from the picnic blanket, “you looked happy with her, it seems like the risk was worth it for you, I’m glad. Do you want to come now or talk to Renee first?” it didn’t bother her either way in all honesty, Jet was well aware that Kelly would not be raising the baby not after what she’d done to Oliver, she was fairly sure that Ice had been pretty pissed by the creature he’d been turned into, an out of control monster. As heartless as Ice was, she detested rapists and molesters, which put Oliver in her dislike books and Kelly even more so.

He seemed to agree which took a weight off of her shoulders, giving a nod in return she vanished, intending to take some time to herself after this fiasco was dealt with, she just wanted to follow the tug. Closing her eyes, they reopened when she was back in the room, deciding that she would not let Killian find the child in that room, Jets shadows picked up the baby so she didn’t have to, they delivered her to Killians rooms while Jet moved to find Ice in her study. Entering she briefly explained that Killian wished to meet with her before shutting up and waiting patiently. Renee had been watching the pair of them curiously, wondering what was going on, soon enough he came over and apologized explaining he needed to go with Jet for a little while, “Okay” reaching up she gently tugged him down until he obeyed, kissing him softly “I’ll make something for dinner while you’re gone” letting him go, Renee gently encouraged cricket to move so she could go and make dinner as promised, it took the suggestion of her sharing some of the meat with the serval before she was allowed to stop patting and go towards the kitchen.

He entered the room, it was one of Ices private rooms, there was a wall filled with bookshelves crammed full of books, a large map on one wall and a window on the third, a rug on the floor and a desk off to one side, ice was standing leaning against the desk, her hands resting on the edges of it. She hadn’t expected these two to enter her rooms all of a sudden and she was somewhat irked but also curious as to what they wanted, her daughter was standing with a resolute look on her face she hadn’t seen for a very long time, “Very well, you’ve both intruded on my time. What is it you want?” they were like to tell her what they wanted so she took charge of the situation. Jet sighed softly before speaking “Mother, I cannot, will not raise that baby. You shouldn’t even want me to, she would just turn out like me” worthless “A smarter situation would be to send her to Killian” flicking her gaze to him she silently indicated that he should bring up Renee and whatever other ideas he had to do with convincing Ice to change her mind. Returning her gaze to her mother, she could see a thoughtful look on her face, with herself and Killian united in the same cause she was certain that Ice would change her mind, it was logical thinking and her mother prided herself on her logical thinking even if that logic didn’t make sense to anyone else.

Listening to the pair of them, Ice was fairly certain that Killian was concealing a few things from her, she wasn’t stupid even though most seemed to think that she was. Brushing some of her silver hair back from her face considering them thoughtfully before coming to a decision “Don’t think that I can’t tell you’re attempting to hide things from me Killian” it wouldn’t surprise her if he saw colour on the girl, after all he’d never had someone tend to his house while he was away “however, I’ll allow you to have your way for once” moving the slender graceful figure stepped around the desk and pulled out a draw, flicking through some files before pulling out one in particular. It was opened and the birth certificate was removed “There will be some rules about how she is to be raised, there are big things in her future” well aware that a contract was to be drawn up she flicked her gaze to her daughter “you are no longer needed, my business is now with Killian” it was almost cute how her daughter thought she was a master at hiding things from the world, perhaps she did have most of the world fooled but not her mother. She was upset, in a way she’d only seen one other time which now explained a thing or two, Jet was the only child of hers that she had raised herself, they knew one another very well by now, Jet just stiffened and left as soon as she could she vanished reappearing on the kelpies property. The faithful dog found her first, and she found herself sitting on the ground with her arms around him, clinging to him and burying her face into his rather doggy smelling fur.

Considering him a brief moment she pulled open the draw underneath the one she’d just opened and pulled out his file, opening it she thumbed through the small stack of contracts thoughtfully. “This is all rather messy, I think it’d be smarter to put it all into one contract for you don’t you think?” pulling out some clean unused paper she sat down and began writing carefully reading each contract and adding in the details. Sick of him finding loopholes she made sure to close every single one, reading through very carefully, once satisfied that the contract was complete and had no obvious loopholes, Ice looked up at him “She is to be trained in shadows, in cunning, reading writing everything” picking up the envelope that she’d been intending to give to her daughter when she had asked Jet to take the girl and passed it to Killian along with the birth certificate telling him the girls name, and her birthday. When he took them she pushed the contract over to him “The usual” she meant signing the contract with a bloodied thumbprint and his name, once he was done with that then he would be allowed to go “Any questions” she intended on checking in frequently to make sure the girls progress was going well. He wouldn’t be that happy about it but there was nothing he could do, the blood and ink on the contract dried quickly, rolling it up for it to be hidden away the other contracts that had been all jumbled were torn to pieces by her shadows. Pressing a seal onto the rolled up contract that spelled it she looked up at him once more, waiting to hear if he had anything left to say.


Snuggled into the shaggy beast, her eyes opened quietly at the familiar voice “I’d like something alcoholic for once” usually Jet stayed far away from alcohol, it made her talk too much but after the days events it sounded like a good idea to down some booze and numb herself to what was going through her. Reluctantly she let Brin go and moved him off of her lap so she could stand, straightening up she dusted the dirt and dog hair off of herself that had been left there by the shaggy beast, “It’s been a while, Keenan” he looked better than he had in that tank a lot healthier and settled. The bright colours of him were a welcome relief from the mostly black and white world she’d been living in, a part of her had been concerned that if she met him a gain that too much time had passed and she wouldn’t see colour on him anymore. But, he was lit up bright and warm, a smile tugged up the corner of her lips “you look better than when I last spoke with you” she’d had a lot of time to reflect and accept that she saw colour again and that she saw it again on her childhood friend, well her only friend, Killian was family more than friend and there was much she didn’t share with him. Apart from him and Keenan she had nobody else in the world, for the longest time she’d refused to let herself be pathetic and feel sorry for herself, she talked to herself rather sharply in an effort to keep her emotions in line.
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Nodding, Jet followed him inside and accepted the drink, taking a few sips before replying she finally managed to find words “I was kept busy, when I wasn’t working I was eating, sleeping or training there was no time for anything else or I would have” sitting down she closed her eyes and sighed, a hand lifting to rub her temples quietly. “Things came to a head today so I reached the point of fuck it” she was reaching the end of her rope, every day she woke up more tired, more empty and she felt like she was loosing her grip on things. The fact that Dani had been brought back and Ice was stubborn enough to give her to Killian like Jet wanted meant that the child was likely going to become Jets replacement, Daniella would become the new heir. She was thrilled, she’d have more time to herself and her mother would be less interested in her movements, at the same time she felt guilty for thinking like that, that child was going to go through a rigorous training right from day one. Finishing the alcohol she declined another one, more guilt filling her about Keenan, would it have been better if she’d just waited instead of going along with Raiden? She didn’t know, she just didn’t know. He was still in colour despite everything, so that had to count for something right? “I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner” her earlier words were right she had reached fuck it, she felt on the edge of drowning, staring down at the cup in her hands she couldn’t help but wonder if he still saw colour on her or not. Feeling like she was being pulled a million different ways and no longer knew what way to look, Jet, feeling like she didn’t know anything anymore and with the headache that often plagued her returning fell silent as stone.