2.5: Surviving

The shelter was probably significantly worse than what they could do for themselves, but the thing was, Time and Ritophe were not supposed to be noticeable. A young couple in a well-to-do house would arouse suspicion, and neither could afford that outcome of that. While death was no longer a certainty or even a question for the pair, there were things much worse than death that one could experience. And though neither had living family to watch die, still, there was worse out there.

The others that had been turned like them lived elsewhere now. When Shaen had forgotten them with the world, they had abandoned the City. For some, it had not been a choice. Either the City was too full of enemies without the threat of the sometimes Goddess, or else the disaster had made people too untrustworthy of someone who is too well off. Others though...others wanted nothing to do with what had stolen their life from then, even as it gave them life. Yet both remained, though for different reasons.

When the Misshapen had returned in full force though, that was when they had been finally forced to identify one another. Rien had sought after the woman who stuck out to him as she did to no one else. Each report of a super hero combating the forces of the Goddess settled uneasy with him, as they seemed all too...similar. Of course Reality refused to believe that it was even possible, but that didn't mean that it didn't keep happening. And the rejection he faced as well allowed him to see when it was happening all too easily. And so he found her, and interrogated her on her purposes.

Of course, most of his tactics would be better described as conversed rather than interrogated, simply because while he knew there were ways of torture that would actually cause damage to their eternal bodies, Rien couldn't bring himself to execute any of them. In reality, Time was also entirely fine with sharing everything about her objectives, and was amused that the young man that had found her had similar plans. Very similar plans.

So they were living together now, barely sheltered from the weather because it was less risky. Because it was easier to target the new Misshapen who did not know what to expect from the True Heirs of Her Power. Because it was better than being alone for another century or two.