I walked for a good hour or so until I came across what appeared to be a dishevelled, abandoned castle. Most of the building looked completely destroyed and actually quite dangerous. 'not exactly up to code if I do say so myself, and I don't, I think it! Hells my mind is annoying today...' I think, clicking my tongue and humming a rather upbeat tune, much to my own dismay.

'Oh well, at least it's not the 'Friends' theme song- wait, never mind, it is now...' I think as I start humming the theme from Friends, "damn catchy 90s music..." I mutter bitterly as I force myself to stop humming catchy tunes from the 90s.

I walked inside and walked around for a bit -lots of walking- most of the furniture was in a sad state 'Looks like whoever used to live here left in a hurry...' I thought 'well if nothing else this place would make a good storage aria. God knows there's no way in the nine hells im going to live here. I actually value my existence, thank you vary much' I growled, sniffing the air I could smell something, it was faint, A good smell, coppery... I smelt blood.

I tilted my head. 'why would I smell blood? That's just weird' the only reason I think this was weird was because I don't smell blood, scratch that, i cant smell blood. I can smell souls but not blood, both a blessing and a curse of becoming a Collector. I look down at my half-healed chest, is that my blood I smell?

I run a finger over some fresh blood that oozed out of the wound "gross" I mutter, Bringing the bloodied finger up I sniff the blood 'no. It's not my blood I smelt. My blood smells like smoke and ash and like not actual blood. Why? I don't know, because reasons I guess. Life is insanity the world is burning and stuff like that' I lowered my hand and continued walking but this time toward the sent.

I tuned a corner and was greeted by the disgustingly lovely sight of a dying rabbit. It's lower half was clawed open and it's organs were scaterd about. How it was still alive was a mystery to me.

I approached the bloodied rabbit, it looked like someone had just thrown it in a blender and hit 'liquify'. I looked the poor creature over 'At least I know someone's having a worse day then I am...' crouching down I gently run my thumb through its slightly rough brown fur, it bagan making a high pitched squealing noise "Shh, calm down..." it stoped squealing and began breathing slowly again in long, raspy breaths.

I sighed. I have absolutely no idia how to help this rather unfortunate creature. I mean, I suppose most people would say 'put it out of its misery' and, yah, I should probably do that... but... I don't really feel like it. Well, might as well I suppose. I grab a rock from one of the various piles of rocks, 'seriously do people, like, sweep in here or something?' I walk back over to the rabbit, crouching down next to it, I run my fingers trough it's rough fur, marking calming sounds as I raise the stone and bring it slamming down onto its head, killing it instantly.

I click my tongue with a whistle "Not exactly something I planed on doing today... well... more or less I suppose, depending on how you look at it" I say to... myself... yeah that's not depressing at all.

I look around the ruins of the castle and nod slightly "Might make a good Lair, not exactly vary creative, but if I find something better I can always move, safety be damned, I'm to lazy to keep looking for shelter. This is probably not a good idea..." I mutter to myself before chuckling a bit at how stupidly weird this all is. I sigh and readjust my position on the floor, opting for cross-leg it instead of crouched.

A lair, pfffft! How stupidly cliché, a demon with a Lair. Well, could call it multiple things I guess, like a Den, a Resadincy... a... yeah, no, I got nothin'. How underwhelming... yea, imma' gonna' with Lair' I look around and am suddenly very glad I took that Shifting class as my minor in uni.

'And... yes, it does still sound dumb that demons have to go to university. And I'm realy starting to regret deciding to have chosen Collectorisum as a major, mum said 'Chose Shifting. Being a Collector will only bring problems, Arthur!' Yeah, I see what she meant now' I shake my head, getting up and walking around the castle some more, looking for a good aria for a nest.

"Always listen to you mum, Arthur, she knows best," I start talking to myself... again "What was I glad about again? Oh! Shifting, yes, that will be vary convenient..." I trail off as I reach what appears to be a cellar, I hadn't even noticed I had wandered into the lower levels.

I walk into the room, looking around. The doors were still on their hinges, a couple dozen of empty shelves covered in dust... low-ish ceilings, mostly intact, could use new support beams.

"This'll do!" I chime, trotting down the stone steps "if I move some of these shelves out into the hall and line a corner with animal pelts, it is the ideal aria for a nest" I hum in thought.

Working my way over to the corner, I sit on the cold stone floor, listening to the occasional sqeek of a rat or the creaking of the old support beams, the smell damp and earthy. Closing my eyes, I breath in deep, sighing out the air. It was perfect. I highly doubt I'm getting out of this disgustingly bright haven of a world any time soon, and if I ever do get back, I'm quitting my Collecting gig and going into the Shifting biz. I open my eyes again "Oh, yeah" I whisper.

Shifting was honestly a saving grace, if those girls alerted their family's of my presence there'd be a fucking witch hunt. In of, it would be a good idea to shift into a cute, fluffy, unassuming Forrest critter. A deer, perhaps... no, this forest had some nasty carnivores if that rabbit was anything to go by...

I snap my fingers "Ah ha!" I exclaim, again, to myself "A stray, a dog. Maby something like a German shepherd- or is that to obvious? I may have to rethink this, a stray would be a freakin' magnet to any animal lover... but that may be a good thing, free food, sure it's dog food but I've eaten worse" I say - well, it's a bit rambly- as I straighten up agenst the stone wall.

"I'll escape when I don't feel like living with them anymore and while I'm there I can think of a long-term plan..! You're going crazy arn't you, Arthur? Well, I don't see anyone else making any suggestions, me!" I point in a random direction. Lowering my hand I look over at a rat that is scurrying across the floor.

"I need to get a friend..." I say in a sad tone. I find my self wondering how my sisters are doing, I haven't seen them in a while and most likely won't for a vary long time- if ever, not to mention mum or dad.

I sigh "Fuck" I mutter as I bang the back of my head against the wall dully.

'Isn't this something, me, all the sudden longing for the frustrating company of my parents and sisters.
Might as well, I have to solidify whatever memory's I have of them, their names... this is stupid, I haven't even been gone twenty-four hours yet! Stop being dramatic, Arthur. So, next order of the Business, figure out if it's yay or nay to the stray dog plan, not my most creative ideas, sure bu-'

I am pulled out of my thoughts as a wave of pain hits me. I groan, looking down at the hole in my chest. Sighing, I rise my hand above it and pour my energy into repairing it.

Flesh mends and skin re-grows, nerves repair and bone snaps back into place. I grit my teeth in pain but continue nonetheless.

I sigh as the hole mends completely and leaves me with a hole in my shirt, dried blood and a fresh scar in the middle of my chest.

I wrap my black silk cloak around my self tighter. Running a hand through my ebony black hair, I acsadentaly remove the hood of my cloak. I grab the hood and pull it back over my head, growling at a rat that was getting a little to close for comfort, it promptly ran. Smart.

I sigh, curling up on the floor I close my eyes as the exhaustion of the healing catches up with me.

"I'll continue thinking over that stray dog... plan... thing later" I mutter to myself and prepare for an uncomfortable nights sleep... or afternoon, I'm not sure.

I slowly drift into the dark abyss of my subconscious as sleep over takes me.

Author's Note

Well, here ya go. I got bored and now it's 2:00 am and I'm posting this, i need help.

I do apologize for any spelling errors and such, I tend to be bad with those things.

And, yes, demons do go to uni, they chose witch demonic career path interests them and take classes for it. This is my story and I will do as I damn please no matter how ridiculous!

Anywhodoole! Hope ya liked it, I'm sorry I'm terrible! Good day!