Riding through Hyrule Valley Link had just gotten back from a more rather relaxing time at the Hylia fishing hole. He jumped the fence with Epona before riding up the hill to the Ranch. It had been some time since Link last visited the ranch and he thought it was time to visit a good friend of his. Unknown to him was the Gerudos were gearing up and planning a raid, A raid which would be to the start of the next war. Link watched as the sun was starting to set and it would of been a long ride back to the forest and he knew Epona was tired from all the riding today. "All right girl I guess we'll have to take shelter at the ranch." He smiled and started to gallop up to the ranch and inside of it. He only had vauge memories of fighting gannon since Zelda sent him back to his normal time and he got to grow up normally, making friendship with Malon and growing up with her. He showed up at the ranch often but recently the dreams were returning and he didn't stop by as often.
Malon was out feeding her horses, which was usual at this time of the day. She had no idea about the future that would have been if not for Link. When she heard Epona galloping into the ranch she turned around and smiled. As soon as Link stopped, she took a carrot and let Epona munch on it while she watched Link. "I can't believe how much she likes you. I'm a little jealous." She laughed a bit. She had grown fond of Link as well. He was turning into a strong young man and she liked what she saw.
Link laughed abit and jumped off as Malon started to feed Epona. "Well she has been raised by one of the best horse breeders." He just shook his head and smiled softly. "Malon what have you been doing to keep yourself busy besides working here?" but as they spoke Gerudos were riding up through Hyrule valley and into Castle town. The New prince of thieves was going to meet up with the Princess and try to talk to her. But that was only a ruse since he knew he would be blown off again. Zelda's Bodyguard and Friend and Son of Impa, Toscha, walked beside Zelda. "I dont think we should be even talking to this Gerudo. You and I BOTH know what his father tried to do." It was only Zelda,Impa and Toscha who knew of what happened. , Toscha only knew because when he was born His mother told and he was able to receive the visions of what happened.
~Malon~
Malon smiled at Link and then felt Epona eat the last piece of her carrot. "I guess so. But you know Link..its because you've been so kind to her. I'm sure Epona...really loves you." She said the last part quietly and blushed a bit. She didn't think Link noticed, but she was referring to her feelings too. "..I think I'll go get her some sugar cubes. I'll be right back." As she made her way to the rest of the horses she sang her usual melody, swaying her hips to the tune while walking.
~Zelda~
"I know what his father did, but if I continue to deny his requests, I'm worried about him becoming even more hostile." Zelda stated before sighing deeply. She didn't want her city to be attacked and conquered by this boy. She was curious though and wondered what he wanted. "He persists even though he knows our answer. If I reject him again, he might be planning on attacking, so.." She looked at Toscha and shrugged. "I think it would be best to at least hear him out, okay? I know there's a risk."
Link nodded and watched Malon then looked at Epona and gently tapped her on her sides before looking over the ranch. "Looks like today is going to be a nice night." He ran a hand through Epona's Mane before he started to walk her over to the stable and help Malon put her into the stable. Meanwhile back at the castle the Gerudo prince was waiting keeping his cloth wrapped around his body. Toscha looked at Zelda then nodded. "All right Princess, I just have a strange feeling about this." He was protective of Princess Zelda, one because it was his job to be but two was he cared deeply for her and didn't want anything bad to happen to her.
Malon fed Epona a sugar cube and then closed the stable door. She turned to Link and opened her mouth to say something but then closed her mouth. Her expression suddenly changed and she looked sad. "Link..you've been visiting me less and less. Did I do something wrong?" She knew Link had a good relationship with Zelda. She was worried that they were much closer than she wanted to believe. "I get so lonely sometimes. My father is still away, but even if he wasn't its not like we talk much." She looked down.
Zelda nodded. "Me too, but its a risk we have to take for Hyrule." She got up from her throne and then walked to the door. She didn't like waiting around for others to do such simple thing. The Gerudo prince looked like his father, but was much younger looking of course. "I have decided to hear you out, Gerudo Prince. You have my attention." She crossed her arms and waited for him to talk. He looked ominous in his clothing and dangerous as well. But she showed no fear.
Link looked at Malon and sighed. "No no its nothing like that. Its just that i've been having these really strange dreams again. Not sleeping and just traveling and i feel as though if something did happen i wouldn't be up to full strength and i would be unable to help." He sighed and looked at Malon and smiled. "Dont worry it doesnt have anything to do with you or anyone else..i just feel that its a weakness on my part."
Garu looked at Zelda and nodded giving a soft bow. "Thank you princess. You see i think that the time has come for my people to be brought out of the desert, where there is little food and little water. The Hylian wars are over so there is no need for you to treat us as anymore then a neighboor. We have done nothing wrong since. We served out our time for the crimes from that war so many years ago. there is a new generation and I feel they shouldn't suffer just because that a preveious generation Did. You must understand Princess I am only looking out for my people." As he spoke Gerudos were infiltrating the castle. slowly taking out the guards.
"Link.." Malon started and then took his hand. "Whenever you're tired, you can always come to the Ranch when you're tired. Nothing ever enters the buildings and maybe..maybe I could help you sleep next time. I know some lullaby's.." She pulled him into an embrace. "You don't have to worry about being weak around me, okay?" She was a simple farm girl, and no one bothered her. She didn't need protection all the time because she would never be a target. "Come anytime you want, okay?" She looked up at him.
Zelda listened to his words but she knew what he wanted would be impossible right now. She didn't trust them and the civilians didn't either. "I'm sorry. It takes a lot longer for traditions to fade. Your people are still known as theives around here. There would be a lot of hate and suspicion if I allowed you to come back. I cannot allow it..for your own good. That is my final answer to that request." She hoped she convinced him that she wasn't just concerned about her people and herself.
Link looked down at Malon and smiled and nodded. "All right Malon." He smiled and yawned abit. "So how about we start a little bonfire and just relax hmm it would be good for that?" He looked up to the sky to see the night stars so out and so clear. "I'll go gather the wood and supplies, you gather anything else you think we might need." He smiled and ran a hand through her hair before heading out to the wood pile to gather the firewood.
Garu looked at Zelda and bowed and started to walk out. two guards looked at Him. "Im sorry that it had to come to this." He whistled and the two guards standing at the door were quickly taken down as he threw off his cloak and drew his sword "You have forced my hand..If i cannot have I shall take." Toscha quickly moved himself infront of Zelda. "Princess run." He moved ahead and rushed meeting sword to sword with the gerudos.
Malon smiled, a light blush still touching her cheeks as she watched him gather wood. "Look out for spiders." She called. She then began to head for the barn, singing once again. After milking the cows and bottling the milk, she got two blankets and then headed back out to their spot. She spreaded out one blanket for them to sit or lay on and put the other one down. She spotted him coming back and then smiled once more, putting an end to her singing. She hugged her legs to her chest and watched him.
"Torsche!" Zelda didn't want to leave him to fight off the three of them. However, she would just get in the way. "Please, don't die.." She ran to the back of the room and used a secret passage behind her throw to escape the frey. Zelda hoped that the rest of her guards would come as calvary for the both of them. She knew something was wrong when they came back once more. She continued to run down the torch lit passage that would lead to the Tempule of time.
Garu watched as Zelda ran off and her bodyguard ran foreward. "Willing to die..well that wont happen..yet." He rushed Toscha and ducked slamming his head into his stomach then grabbing his head and kneeing him putting him down quickly. "Im dissapointed I thought you would of put up more of a fight." He looked at other Gerudo's "take him to dungeon..he'll be useful to make Zelda show herself." Slowly more and more Gerudos moved into Hyrule Castle town and the caslte. Anyone who resisted was killed openly. "we'll make her know that it feels like to have nothing while someone else has everything." Toscha kept a link to Zelda, speaking into her mind. "Princess, stay away. what ever you see and hear..stay away..do not come back..I just wish i could of protected you more...You are on your own..I..love you." with that the connectionw as cut as one of the gerudos knocked him out.
Link walked back over carrying the wood pile. He set it down in front of them and began to set up the wood pile. Once he got it all set up he stood up and moved away from the fire before casting Din's Fire, sparking the wood and lighting it up. He then walked over and sat down beside Malon and smiled. "lovely night."
Zelda managed to slip buy the Gerudo's and she stopped at the gate that had closed after sunset. Tears ran down her cheeks as she heard Tosche in her head. "I will come back for you, Tosche, and my people." She whispered and then climbed over the gate.Link, where are you?Zelda thought as she struggled to get across the stream. Once she was out the water, she heard the moan of a monster and began running to the safest closest area. The Lon Lon Ranch. Luckily she was a quick runner.
Malon nodded and when he wasn't looking, she scooted closer towards him. She took the blanket and draped it over his shoulders and hers. "There's a lot of stars out today. It makes it all the more beautiful." She took out a bottle of Lon Lon milk. "I know how much you like this so I got some for you, Link." She said, looking up at him. She had an uneasy feeling tonight. It wasn't because of him, it was like something bad was happening outside the ranch. She tried to ignore the feeling the best she could.
Link looked at Malon and smiled and took the milk. He opened it and drank abit before putting it away. "Thanks. Malon, yu know I do." He smiled and set the bottle down resting his hand upon her thigh. He knew she cared about him and he did too, perhaps tonight would be their night to tell how they both feel. Garu looked at the throne and walked over to it and put his sword away and sat down. "Search every place, we have to find her!" He shook his head then looked around and laughed. "Princess Zelda... you cant hide forever." She would of noticed as soon as she slipped away the gate started to open and 2 garudo riders looked around before riding off to search for Zelda.
Malon looked at his hand on her thigh and blushed. "Yeah..I know a lot about you." She put her hand on his and looked into his eyes. She wanted to tell him how she felt, but she wasnt sure how to. She had never liked anyone like this before. "Link...I umm.." The words got caught up in her throat and she shook her head. "I'm glad your with me tonight.." She said with a nervous smile.
Zelda could hear the Gerudo's galloping after her. She made her way through the fence that belonged to the ranch. She was on her way to the very back of the place to hide. Then she saw Link and Malon sitting together. She had obviously interrupted something, because Malon jumped when she heard Zelda. "I'm sorry.." She said breathlessly as Malon got up. "Princess, what happened?" Malon asked. "The Gerudo's took over Hyrule.."
Link rested against Malon but when she turned from the Princess Link got up. "Gerudos? lead by who?" He sighed and pulled on the hylian sheild and fixed the holding of the Master sword. "Malon, keep Princess Zelda here. Im going to go scout Hyrule town and see whats going on. "If any trouble happens head for Zora's domain. its the safest place for you." Link looked at them and smiled. "Malon take Epona. she'll carry you swiftly to the Zoras or anywhere if needed." He then headed out of the ranch and into the town. Gerudo riders were searching everywhere for Zelda. "that ranch, we haven't checked." The two gerudos nodded and headed up. seeing the gate locked they broke it open.
Malon nodded and hurried to Epona's stable. She would get her ready just in case. Link had asked her to keep Zelda safe and she wouldn't fail him. "They're here." Zelda told Malon. "Should we leave then?" Zelda got on Epona. "Lets go." Malon sighed and got on Epona, a little upset that Zelda had took it upon herself to get on Epona first. Epona jumped the fence and headed to Zora's river. Malon looked back, hoping Link would be safe. "There are monsters in Zoras river, so be careful Malon." Zelda told her.
Talim had decided to go out and aid the two other riders in their search. She actually wanted to find Zelda before them so she could please Garu. Garu had only spoken to her once when they were younger. He had told her not to give up her bow and arrow training when she was just about to give. Ever since then, she always dreamed of being at his side. She had to get his attention though. "This would be a lot easier if it wasn't night time." She spotted a figure moving along the horizon and decided to follow.
Link had snuck into Castle town and looked around. it was true that the Gerudos were taking over. Anyone who resisted them was executed on the spot so the castle town's ground had some blood that ran in the streets. "innocent." He sighed and shook his head before heading off to get to the temple of time. The riders seemed to notice the pair riding as well as Talim did, they then started to ride their horses to get the pair. "If we get them then the prince wil be most pleased with us."
Malon looked back and saw the riders in the distance. Luckily, they were at the entrance of the river. Zelda got off Epona as quick as she could, but Malon petted her. "Go back to Link if he needs you girl.." Zelda grabbed Malons hand and dragged her away. "Don't fall into the river, you might get hurt by a monster." Zelda said as they made their way to the waterfall. Malon nodded and then spotted an Octorok in the water. She ran with Zelda so she wouldn't get hit from a distance.
Talim saw the other two and sucked her teeth. "I saw them first, dammit!" She slapped her horse's rear to make him go faster. Finally she arrived at the entrance and saw them run uphill. "Who's the other girl..?" She asked, but then shook her head and began running after them. She deflected the monsters attack while running after them. Didn't they know this place was a dead end?
The Octorock was different it seemed. it looked bigger and it had physcially blocked off the path whipping its tentacles at the two girls as the Gerudo riders got off their horses and headed up the hill after Talim. Now Zelda and Malon were between a "rock" and a hard place with the Octorock blocking the path and the Gerudo theives coming up behind them.
Malon screamed when the octorok closed in on them. Zelda sensed the Gerudo riders and lowered her head. "They're here. Its over." Malon pulled herself together. She had to protect Zelda. "Take your clothes off. I'll pretend to be you.." Malon suggested. "What? I can't do that!" Zelda protested. "Yes you can, they won't hurt me and they'll let you go!" Malon stated and then began undressing. Zelda hesitated but did as she said and the girls swapped clothes, ignoring the monster.
When Talim saw the monster she growled and then took out her bow and arrow. This Octorok was mutated and the princess was most likely its target. She aimed her arrow to a spot that would drive it away and not send it into a frenzy. She fired into its side and hit right on the mark.
The Ocktorock let out a groan as the arrow hit its mark and it started to move away as the other Gerudos came up. one stood behind Talim and shook their head. "it was keeping them pinned great!" He hissed and headed after the two girls. "You two over there freeze." They quickly drew their swords and looked at them. "hands up now!"
Malon and Zelda both put their hands up. "Please, let my friend go free," Malon began, trying to sound like a princess should. "I borrowed her horse, but she's done nothing wrong. If you let her go, I will cooperate with you." Zelda still had an uneasy feeling. Garu knew what she looked like, so even if they fell for it, he wouldn't. What would he do to her?
Talim put her bow away and walked up to the two girls. She was pissed off that she couldn't take all the credit, but she said nothing of it. "Aren't you running the Lon Lon ranch?" She was speaking to Zelda. Zelda nodded. "Get out of here then and have some milk and horses ready for us."
As "Malon" was trying to run the 2nd Gerudo grabbed her and threw her down to the ground. "You have much to learn young Talim." He tied her hands behind her back. "It doesnt matter if we are searching for 1 and come with 2 we take all..." He pulled her up and tied her to the saddle horn of his horse then looked at the Real Malon in Zelda's outfit and then tied her to the other horse. "Lets go. and know I will be telling the prince of your mistakes, pray he's more forgiving then I would be."
Malon gasped as they tied up Zelda. Her plan had failed, and now they were both in danger. Suddenly she was tied up to a horse as well. "Let her go!" She demanded once more. Zelda looked away. Malon would be found out sooner or later. "Link..I'm sorry I got her mixed up in this." Zelda whispered. She had to think of something before it was too late.
Talim glared at the man. She wanted the Prince's attention but not this way. "I was going to follow her. I'm not stupid. Just thought we'd get some free supplies along with her. Whatever." It was a lie, but she didn't care. She started making her way back to her horse.
The man looked at Talim. "free supplies?!. we are THEIVES, we'd take it anyway. No need to ask. Really are you sure you are gerudo?" He shook his head before getting back onto the horse that held the real Zelda and made the horse walk back to the castle town followed by the horseman who had Malon. They untied them from the horn and lead them up into the castle. "Prince Garu, we have the Princess and another woman who was with her."
Zelda kept her eyes down, but she knew Garu would recognize her even if she was in different clothing. Malon glared at Garu, showing that she was not afraid of him. She wasn't sure if she should continue her act. At least not with the real Zelda next to her.
~Talim~
Talim had decided to to stay at the doorway. She hoped to keep a low profile just in case that man did mention her mistake. She pretended to stand guard and listened closely. Even though she was nervous it didn't stop her from oggling Garu.
The man pushed "Zelda" foreward and looked at Prince Garu. "The Princess Sir..." Garu just shook his head and sat back laughing. "Do you really think me to buy that...You dolt you have the two mixed up..She is obviosuly a bodyguard and handmaiden ment to play as double should something happen and." He walked up and walked over to the Real Zelda and ran a hand against her cheek. "She is the real princess." The garudo looked over at the two. "But Talim-" Garu glared. "Silence. I dont care if it was or wasn't her mistake. You are the superior and should of known the difference and taken responsibility!" Link stood guard a bit away, disguised as a gerudo.
Zelda already knew that he wouldn't be fooled. She slapped his hand away from her cheek. "Where is Toscha?" She demanded. Malon was upset her plan didn't work. She had failed Link, and now Zelda was at this mans mercy. Its not like she could fight them. She sighed and looked at her feet, now hoping Link would save them.
Talim grinned and had to keep herself from snickering. She then decided to make her entrance. She put a hand on Malon's shoulder. "Sir, this girls got a ranch not to far from here. Permission to raid?" She couldn't believe she had just talked to him and did it without studdering. "No! My ranch means everything! I won't let you!" Malon shouted, turning around and biting Talims arm. Talim was surprised at Malons sudden attack and tried to push her away. "Get off me, whelp!"
Garu looked at Malon and struck her face to knock her away. He then looked at Talim and nodded. "Go ahead, send a team to do it." He then looked at Zelda and laughed. "Ah yes, your bodyguard..we have delt with him. no need to worry about it." He grinned and looked at the two girls and nodded. "Have them taken and put in more acceptable outfits." He then headed back to the throne and sat down and nodded to the guards who grabbed Malon and Zelda and dragged them off to get them dressed.
Malon cried out when she was struck and fell to the ground. Tears ran down her cheeks and she looked at Zelda, stunned. Zelda looked at her for a second but when she heard Garu she turned back to him. Her eyes widened but before she could say anything, the guards took hold of her. "No!!" Malon screamed as she was forced to her feet. "My ranch means everything to me! Please, no.." Malon sobbed as she and Zelda were dragged out of the room.
Talim nodded quickly. "As you wish, my Lord." She turned and smirked at her "superior" before leaving. She couldn't believe he had just spoken directly to her. She spotted Link. "Hey you. Come with me. We've got a raid to do." She then walked past him, gathering a few others as well. She wouldn't skrew up this time.
The prince held up his hand and looked at Malon. "Talim, you will take what supplies we need but leave the ranch intact. It can be of use to us, as long as she cooperates with us." He then sat back as the guards dragged them off to a room. There they stripped them down and forced them into short silk nightgowns and stockings. their hands tied behind their back and a collar wrapped around their neck. Link looked at Talim then nodded and headed out with her to get the supplies from the ranch.
Zelda closed her eyes as they stripped her down but said nothing. Malon on the other hand struggled until they put the collar on her. She then began to sob quietly as they dragged them both back into the room. "I'm so sorry, Malon. I didn't mean to get you involved." Zelda said quietly.
~Talim~
As they rode to the ranch, Talim looked back at Link. He seemed unfamiliar. She'd have to keep an eye on him. Once they got there, they began loading their carriages with supplies. They even captured a few horses.
Garu watched as Zelda and Malon were brought back to the main room. He looked them over and licked his lips before walking over to them. "There we go, outfits more suitng of slaves." He laughed and looked at Zelda. "My how the mighty have fallen. But now it is your role and you'll learn to accept that. Ah as for your friend, yes I had someone look into it..he's alive..barely..in the dungeons." Link stored Epona away and headed in learning details and guard rotations.
Zelda glared at Garu. "Youwillset him and Malon free..Or you'll regret it, Gerudo prince." She simply said. Malon tried to be as calm as Zelda was, but she couldn't stop her tears. "Link will save us," She sniffled. "And he'll defeat you in the process..." Malon finished. Zelda wondered where Link was in all this. Did he escape the Gerudo riders?
Talim had finished raiding the ranch and left it standing like Garu had asked. A few stayed back to take care of the remaining animals since Malon was gone. Once they came back to the castle, Talim took her place just outside the thrown room, keeping guard.
Garu looked at Zelda and laughed and looked at Malon and just shook his head. "You think that Link would be able to beat me.. Well then why isn't he here hmm?" He just shook his head and looked at Zelda then nodded. a guard pushed her foreward and forced her to her knees infront of the prince. He smiled and ran a hand against her cheek. "you look good Princess."
Zelda blushed and looked away from Garu. She didn't like how she was on her knees so she began to get up. Malon was very close to losing it again. She could never be as calm as Zelda was being right now. Even though she was looking danger right in the face.
Talim continued to listen, making sure she wasn't obvious about it. She was hoping The Prince would slay Zelda, but that didn't seem to be his plan. She could understand that, but what about the other one? Why was he keeping her?
Garu laughed then looked at a guard. "Have her taken to my chambers, tied up and exposed..I'll deal with her later. and as for you." He looked at Malon. "I think our prisoner could use some entertainment." He laughed when another guard grabbed Malon and started to drag her off to the prison.
Zelda gasped as he ordered his underlings to move her into his chambers. She struggled as they pushed her into her own room that he had converted into his. Malon looked backed as Zelda was seperated from her. "Let me go!" Malon shouted as she was pushed in the opposite direction. She was too weak to put up much of a fight. She didn't know what Garu was planning to do with her but didn't care to find out.
Garu walked into his room after sometime and looked at Zelda tied up and exposed. He licked his lips and walked over to her. "Now my slave, what am I going to do with you?" The guard pushed Malon to the prisons and up to one of the cells. Toscha was against the walls, hands shackled up. he looked beaten and bloodied.
Zelda glared at the wall in anger. "You're a sick man.." She growled. She struggled against tie ropes futily, trying to close her legs. What was he going to do whth her? Zelda did not want to know.
Malon landed on her knees as they forced her into the cell. She began to sob once more, her back to Toscha. In fact, she didn't even know he was their. "Link..where are you?" Malon whimpered.
Garu looked at Zelda and crawled over her,running his hands over her body before slipping a hand up along her stocking clad legs and up to the edge of her dress. he looked at her and grinned. "You have no idea how much i've dreamed of this."
A guard came in and opened the Cell door. he was followed by another who went in and pulled Malon up and out. "Shh relax." It was link. He looked at her and "forcefully kissed her,pinning her against the wall.
Zelda closed her eyes as she felt his hand running along her leg. She couldn't help but blush more upon seeing him on top of her. "Dreamed of what, Gerudo prince? Forcing yourself on me or finally getting a woman in your bed?" She continued to glare at him.
Malon was about to panic, but she recognized Link's voice and felt relief. However, he suddenly pinned her to the wall and she gasped in surprise right before their lips met. Her body relaxed as they kissed and she closed her eyes.
Garu laughed and looked at Zelda and kissed along her neck as he slid his hand up her legs and up under her dress as his other hand slid along her sides. moving his hand over her chest and squeezing her breasts.
Link kept her pinned and looked at her. "struggle abit, make it look real." He kept her pinned sliding his hand over her sides,running his hand up her leg before slipping a small key into the top of her stockings.
Zelda flinched when he squeezed her breast and immidiately began struggling underneath him. He was going to violate her and she was helpless. The rope was taught around her wrists and ankles and she doubted she could get free.
Malon quickly obeyed and began to struggle against him. She squirmed, pretending to fight him off and even screamed at one point. She felt the key in her stockings and realized that was his plan all along.
Garu laughed and looked at Zelda as she squirmed underhim. he smiled and pressed against her sliding his hand up along her thighs to the tops of her stockings as he slid his hand in between her legs. "Go ahead and struggle all you want my pet. it will just make it more fun for the both of us." He smiled and kissed her forcing his tongue into her mouth.
Link Forced himself against her before looking at the other Gerudo. "Mind some privacy, cant really have any fun with someone watching me..really." He then looked at Malon and kissed her neck and whispered to her. "I'm going to get you out of here."
Zelda closed her eyes when he put his hand in between her legs. A small cry escaped her lips when he forced his tounge into her mouth. Her breathing excellerated quickly as he kissed her and she turned away, breaking the kiss.
Malon nodded and continued to struggle falsely against him. Having him so close made her feel strange and she was sure her face was bright red. She wasn't screaming any longer, just whimpering.
Garu looked at Zelda and grinned and licked along her neck as he rubbed his hands against her panties for abit before slipping his fingers into her panties and rubbing his fingers against her. his other hand unzipped his pants and pulled his dick out and rubbed it against her silk clad legs.
Link Kissed Malon then as the guard left he stopped. he looked at her then to the door. "That key should help get you out back, The key should also unlock his cuffs. He is Toscha, Zelda's bodyguard..take him and get him some medical help."
Zelda's body stiffened underneath him as he touched her most sacred of parts. She wanted to close her legs but she couldn't. The rope prevented her. She felt the head of his cock on her leg and her breath caught in her throat. "N-no!" She screamed and began to squirm once more.
"But what about you, Link?" Malon whispered, turning around so he could untie the rope that bound her wrists. She knew that if there ever was a time to confess her feelings, now was the best time.
Garu watched Zelda squirm and scream as he rubbed his fingers against her before sliding his fingers into her. He grinned and kept rubbing his cock against her legs. "No point in resisting My pet, Im going to have you whither you like it or not." He smiled watching her reactions.
Link looked at Malon and kissed her. "I'll be fine." He untied her wrists and looked at her. "Quickly get him out of here and to safety. we'll need him if we are going to overthrow the Gerudo Prince."
Zelda was getting wet quickly, probably because she had never been touched there. Tears began to run down her cheeks as she moaned, feeling her nectar seep out of her virgin pussy. "Stop it..please.." She moaned. She was close to losing all control of herself. She had no way out, and she was panicing.
"Okay, but.." She took Links arm. "Link..I love you. So please, don't die." She whispered, kissing him back softly and looking into his eyes.
Garu slid his fingers deeper into Zelda and laughed. "If, If you give into me. fully becoming my slave..I wont force..i will take you gently,without restraints or bonds, You will accept what happens and I wont have to harm you."
Link looked at Malon and smiled. "Don't worry I wont, Now hurry get him and get out of here I don't know how much longer we've got."
"No..never! I am no ones slave!" Zelda cried. She refused to give into him even though she was on the virge of panicing. She closed her eyes once more and bit her lip so she wouldn't moan.Toscha! Toscha!She thought as she tensed up under Garu, fearing the worse.
Malon smiled at Link and then backed away, taking one last look at Link before going to Toscha. She put one of his arms over her shoulders and then tried to get him to his feet. "Hey..you're heavy..please wake up." She whispered.
Garu just shook his head as he kept fingering her for abit until he pulled down her panties and pulled his fingers out of her. He watched her for abit before he moved up and slid himself into her. "You are mine now."
Toscha's eyes slowly opened he looked around and looked at Malon. "Who are you?"
She had got wet enough for him to easily glide into her, but when he got to her resistance and broke through it she cried out in pain. She could feel herself bleeding and her eyes began to tear up as she realized that her innocence was gone. "No..." She whispered, holding back her tears.
Malon gave him a stern but innocent look. "There's no time for pleasentries, we have to go.."
Garu let her get adjusted to his size before he started to pick up the tempo and push harder and faster into her. He smiled and licked over her neck and chest as he kept pushing against her. "You are mine and shall be always dear princess." He laughed and kept pushing against her as he started to lick over the top of her breasts.
Toscha went with her but he could feel Zelda's pain. "Princess..."
She writhed which each thrust and began to sob. "Toscha..." She whispered as Garu continued to thrust into her. She closed her eyes and began to moan underneath him, giving into him at last. Her body relaxed so it wouldn't be as painful.
Malon looked at him and frowned. He needed medical attention, but the village was so far away. At least it was daybreak.
Garu kept pushing himself against Zelda going as deep as he could before he was getting close to release. He watched her before pulling out of her and releasing all that he had over her legs and thighs.
Toscha kept slipping in and out of consciousness. He had lost alot of blood and really needed medical attention.
She shuddered as he came on the lower half of her body and then opened her eyes. She had been close to cumming but he had pulled out. She was breathing heavily and looked exhausted. "I hate you.." She whispered.
Malon managed to get him all the way to her ranch, but the Gerudo's were still standing guard. Lucky for her one of the horses had gotton loose and she helped him on top of it before getting on herself and riding to the village.
Garu laughed and looked at Zelda before getting up and cleaning up. He walked over to his dresser and looked at her. "Your attitude needs worked on so for punishment. I think I'm going to let the Lizalfos have some fun with you." He laughed and untied her from the bed then tied her hands behind her back and dragged her from the room.
Toscha faintly could see what was going on. He was just too far out of it to understand who this pwerson was who was helping him and his connection to the princess.
Zelda nearly tripped over her panties when he dragged her out of the room. She didn't know what kind of monsters he was using for her punishment, but she had a bad feeling. Talim had been just outside his door, and her face was red. She was glaring at Zelda as they passed and began to follow.
Malon finally got him to the village on the foot of Death Mountain and got him into his mothers old home. She got a red potion and some bandages from the stores and ran back. "Drink this while I clean your wounds."
Garu dragged her to The back prisions where her kingdom ahd captured a few of the Lizalfos who had attacked. He laughed and threw her into their cell. They looked at Zelda then to Garu, Garu laughed and nodded. "Have fun."
Toscha looked at the bottle and drank it, slowly regaining his energy back. He groaned abit being able to feel his wounds again. "we need to get back."
Zelda had her back to the wall in seconds. She began to shake upon seeing the lizalfos and closed her eyes, calling out for Toscha once more. Talim grinned at Garu. "A fitting punishment, your highness."
Malon shook her head as she stripped his shirt off and began cleaning his wounds. "You're not in any condition to move."
Garu looked at Zelda then looked at Talim and nodded. "I know thats what I thought." He laughed and started to walk away from it and head back upstairs. The Lizalfoes watched Zelda before two rushed and grabbed her.
Toscha shook his head. "It...doesn't..matter, My job is to..protect her. No matter what." He tried pushing her away and sitting up.
Zelda screamed as they grabbed her. She tried to wriggle away from them, but it was no use. Talim continued to follow Garu, struggling to keep up the conversation. "She had the honor of sharing your bed and still she did not surrender?" She made it a question.
"No! What good are you to the princess if your dead?" She forced him back down on the bed with her weight and glared at him. "Don't be stupid. Link needs your help, but he needs you to recover first.."
The Lizalfoes kept her pinned down as they climbed over her and felt her up. One of them even grabbed her nightgown and ripped it away from her as another did the same to her panties. Garu looked at Talim then nodded. "Now we must find the sages."
Toscha just laid back and shook his head but finished off the red health potion and sighed.
She blushed when they began feeling her up, squirming underneath them. "N-no!" She shouted as they stripped her clothing off her body. "The sages?" Talim repeated. "What for? What do you plan on doing, my lord?" She asked.
Malon began cleaning his wounds and then bandaging them up. "My name is Malon. Whats yours?"
The Lizalfoes kept Zelda pinned down as they felt her up. hands were moving all over her body before one moved over her and pressed against the top of her body. Its cock brushing against her thighs as it flicked its tongue out at her face. Garu thought about it for some time before answering. "I plan to bring back my father so that he can control this place..Hyrule..and if I cant bring him I am sure I can bring back his power."
Toscha looked at her. "My name is Toscha. I am one of the last Remaining Sheikah and Guardian of the Royal family."
Zelda was not sure how long she could last in the cell before breaking. When one of the Lizalfos crawled over her she screamed once more. She felt its rough tongue against her cheek, licking up some of her tears. "That is a noble cause, Prince. Allow me to help on your crusade. I'll do whatever you ask of me. No questions asked."
Malon tilted her head and finished bandaging him up. "I see..Aren't Sheikas ninja's or something?" She asked with a grin.
The Lizalfoe kept licking at her as its cock rubbed against her thighs before it grunted and slid itself into her and started to push against her. It growled and another came forcing itsway to her motuh, rubbing its cock against her face before forcing its way into her mouth. Garu nodded. "All right."
Toscha was starting to feel a little better. "We are like. we use silence and stealth to help us get our jobs done."
Zelda felt the monster enter her body and cried out. Before she could do anything else the other one stuck its cock in her mouth. Her screams were now muffled. Tears ran down her cheeks. "I'm..so happy to hear that. I will follow you to the ends of the earth."
"Silence, huh?" Malon asked as she washed her hand. "I guess thats cool."
The Liazalfoes grunted and the one inside of her slid deeper in and picked up the tempo of its thrusts. the one in her mouth pushed against her mouth to make her suck more. Garu nodded. "I know, I know." He pulled his cloak around himself. "which temple first?"
Toscha nodded and looked around the room. "its usefull."
Zelda began to suck on the cock in her mouth so that it would stop pushing into her. She was already on the virge of climaxing because she almost came when she was raped by Garu. Talim sighed at her loves lack of response. "Lets go to Kokiri village. The sage has to be there. It'll be easy to find them."
"I wish I could do something. All I do is get in the way. Zelda was kidnapped because of my weakness..."
The Liazalfoe groaned as she started to suck on it and the other one pushed harder and harder inside of her. Garu looked at talim and pulled her over and pressed his head to her's and smiled. "always come up with the best ideas don't you?" He smiled then headed out to the horses. "All right lets go."
Toscha slowly got up and off of the couch and walked over to the bookshelf and leaned against it. "All you can do is try your best. you wern't able to handle a fight against them."
Zelda could feel her body begin to stiffen and she came, moaning against the cock in her mouth. She writhed underneath them. Talim blushed when he pulled her so closed, and when he pressed his forehead against her she tensed up. When he proceeded, she followed. "I'm glad that I can help." She got on her horse.
Malon shook her head. "Link trusted me with Zelda though..."
The lizalfoe inside of her began to release inside of her shooting up into her as the one that she was sucking on began to release as well. Garu looked at Talim then got onto his horse. "Lets ride!" He hit his horse and galloped off to the forest temple.
Toscha looked at her. "And I was entrusted with the whole royal family."
If their were two single words that could describe who L was, it was a unknown genius. One thing about him was that he only took on cases that interested him, and well.. so far their had not been one that had not been solved and this was planned to be no different. Purely rather secretive in nature unless certain situations occur, everything would be analyzed and one thing that always was what he tried to do was think ahead.. think ahead of the person who was the criminal, work them out and then find the culprit. Kira.. a mass murderer who believed he was being justice, killing people is no better then the actual people themselves of which L only believed in one sort of justice. The justice of the law, and people like Kira.. are just don't fit in that category. One thing was for certain, he was unsure how.. the person actually killed but he would catch him nether the less.
Because of his secretive nature he only really trusted one person and that was Watari, but their was a few people that he had at least had some trust or faith in a while ago. Trying to cooperate with the police force was getting rather hopeless though and people were still dying left right and center, truth was he needed more help.. but well to find someone smart enough to think on his level, and be of some help.. it would either have to be a group he could trust.. or maybe, just maybe if he could get in contact with her.. he remembered someone from Wammy's house that was one of the only ones their that did not see him as odd or look at him strangely.. but she seemed more to be on his level, yet making contact with JT.. was a hard task, she was a PI and a decent one.. but he had tried numerous times and so decided if she wanted to help it was up to her, to actually get in contact with him.. Although alone he had worked out more about Kira then anyone so far, it was not enough.. sure Kira was a student, of some sort.. he possibly was even connected to the police force somehow,.. and he was in Japan in one of the main cities.. but other then that a lot was to be worked out... and soon he would have to just work with a few members of the police force he could trust the rest, he knew would not risk their lives in a heartbeat.
JT grinned. The messages from L were clear. She'd been working the case on her own so far. But lately she'd called Watari. She remembered him from Wammy's house and he'd given her L's current location. Carrying a bag with a nice cake and a backpack wit her files she knocked on the door of his hotel room.
It had been too long since they met. She'd always liked L, but had never told him about her crush on him and had always wondered if he'd known by reading her behavior. He was really hard to read. He was himself around others rather then trying to fit in, something she was guilty of as well. JT was now twenty years of age, stood about 5'6ft tall. She had a mildly athletic build, nice curves and slightly pale skin, long straight ginger red hair and big, almond shaped piercing blue eyes. Dressed in slacks and a long sleeved black t-shirt along with a raincoat and neat looking sneakers she looked a tad odd.
The KIRA case was a big pain in the ass. She'd found out the same things as L. KIRA was still young, a student in Kanto Japan, late teens, early twenties. A classic sociopath with a god complex. One thing that struck her as odd that criminals who had their names misspelled in the media hadn't been targeted. Maybe they'd been targeted but the weapon didn't work. Somehow spelling mattered. KIRA needed a name and face she knew.
L at hearing a knock on his door partially froze up as he turned towards it.. Could it be room service or what.. He was unsure if anyone actually knew his location at the moment but instead signaled for Watari to go answer it as he turned of his computer monitor to hide the Kira research he was trying to do. Watari went to go to do such a thing, knowing who it was.. he had forgotten to tell L that he had left JT their location and slowly he opened the door to see just such the person.
Slowly Watari started to speak up deciding to test if this was who he thought "Hmm.. well then are you the room service? Or.. if you who I think you are.. then what was the place that you went to when you were young?" This had L's attention now as he stood up and walked towards Watari.. he could barely remember what JT looked like but he always had a feeling just by studying over all her actions back then.. she definently had a crush of some sort on him.. and briefly his mind remembered before he spoke "Watari, no time for trivial measures.. come in JT.. and close the door behind you.." He had a feeling that Watari had told her their location.. without telling him but that was what was expected and so it was no surprise to see her now..
"Well I must ask you, how much do you know about who they call Kira.. I have discovered a reasonable amount of information, but for now I still have yet to work out how he gets his information of who to kill.. I have a few ideas that i would like to throw past you once I hear what you know.." He then gestured to a chair as he sat down.. a slight sugar craving coming over him.. "Oh and you would not happen to have something sweet to eat?.. If you remember me well enough.. you would have known to bring something.."
JT blinked. Well this was to be expected. "Missed you too Wammy." JT said, calling him by his real last name, something only a small group of kids from Wammy's house knew that Wammy and Watari were one and the same. She just grinned at him. Then L walked up. Well he hadn't changed a bit, with the exception of his voice and height. She stepped inside and closed the door.
She walked over to the livingroom area and put a plastic bag on the table. "You know me." She said and sat down. "I doubt I figured out something you don't know already. KIRA is young, late teens early twenties, a student in Kanto Japan. He's idealistic, yet is a sociopath with a god complex. He somehow got his hands on something that allows him to kill with just knowing a person's real name and face. All criminals killed had both their names and picture published. But the ones who's names were misspelled were not targeted. Or at least they didn't die, doesn't mean he didn't target them. I think he needs to spell the name correctly, which would mean that in the process of killing he would need to write down his victim's name. This could mean that whatever object he has is something he writes with or writes on. How this object got this power I have no clue. Also recent findings seem to indicate he can control the actions of his victims just before dying. If that's true he might also be able to control the cause of death and we merely picked up on it because he wanted us to. It would mean he deliberately chose heartattackes to send the world a message. After all if he can control someone's actions and he make them jump of a twenty story building the end result is a bloody corps on the sidewalk. Also he seems to know classified information and to be reacting to it, as if challenging you. He's either a cop or connected to a detective on the KIRA case. Or just some whizzkid that managed to hack the computers of one of the detectives."
It had been a while since Watari had heard anyone call him that.. but it was the answer he was looking for nether the less. Even though L had made the comment just after her answering he decided to speak "You know at times like these.. we have to be more careful then ever.. so no harm in just checking.." This was enough to stop L from answering again and quickly he heard JT start to tell him of what she knew about the Kira case so far.. or more to the point what she had worked out.L had for a while now thought that it was possibly the case that Kira had to actually write down the names onto something to kill people, otherwise spelling would probably not matter.. and knowing what type of person Kira was.. well he would try to kill anyone if he deemed them evil, and it probably annoyed him with each misspelling that had occurred which probably was a few. Just hearing what JT had to say, already was reassuring L of what he had already previously thought.. So far nothing seemed wrong from what she had said before he decided to speak.
"Although I agree with the majority that you have said, we already know he is not a cop because of the times that the first killings occurred, that which you obviously worked out.. fitted into a general students timetable.. and its highly unlikely that Kira is someone who has hacked the computers of one of the detectives..but he has to be connected with someone of the Kira case.." L let out a small sigh raising a thumb to his lip before an idea came to him. "Hmm, Watari, get me a list of any students that are in Kanto that have connections to the police force..," This did not take Wammy long but quickly he sent them to L's main laptop before speaking "Sent.." L quickly started to flick through them.. Not many of the few seemed like they could be Kira before he thought of an idea.. "I think we can easily get a higher chance of knowing which one is Kira by their grades.. from what I have seen so far, Kira has to be intelligent from how much he tries to out plan me.. and the fact that he has let us know that he can control peoples actions so it seems.. shows he is over confident that we will not catch him.."
"I agree it's unlikely that it's a wizkid don't forget that cops sometimes have undercover as students or students working undercover who have excess to the computers at the policestation, however limited, anyone with enough knowledge of coputers... Again it's highly unlikely, but not impossible. As for intelligent KIRA is most likely top of his class and to everyone around him he would seem like a decent young man, no one would believe he's KIRA." JT said and stood behind him to read the list as well. She then took her own laptop from her bag and began to excess school files after hacking into the school computer.
She found something a little while later. "Well here's one. He's the son of police chief Yagami. Light Yagami, has been top of his class ever since first grade. He even was the junior high champion here in Japan. In the tenth grade he hung up his racket though. And it seems he's helped the police with cases before. He fits the profile perfectly." JT said, then looked up at him.
L just nodded in agreement at what JT had started to say, It was obvious that the third choice was the most possible, with a percentage chance of about 22% just from thinking about it, his eyes had caught one individuals name as well... Which definently had strong police officer connections and by the looks of it had been intelligent for a while, he went to hack into the school's network for the information before noticing JT had already started to do such a thing. So instead he quickly hacked into the police's network also noticing that for a while their is Yagami Light had helped with solving a few crimes.. the chances of it being Kira so far were at least 25% now.. "Seems like he would fit the profile perfectly.. with that you have helped me raise the chance of him being Kira to roughtly about.. well 30%"
His mind started to scheme before he started to come up with an idea "Maybe we could get in direct contact with his father,.. not to tell him his son is a high suspect for Kira, but just to warn him Kira might be someone close to him.. or the police office.. Now that your here though I won't need as much cooperation as what would have been needed in the first place if it was just me.. but having someone who is also on my level.. will help us even this all out."
"Well looks like things are going well." JT said. Then her phone rang and hers wasn't the only one. She answred hers. "I'm sorry to tell you this ma'am, but the FBI agents on the KIRA case all collapsed of heartattacks." A male voice said. "What?" she said, half yelled. She'd heard him perfectly though. "I'm really sorry." The FBI director said. "Me too." She told him. "Where and at what time did they collapse?" JT asked him. She got the names, times and locations of the agents. she wrote them down in her steno, one no one, but her seemed to be able to read. "Please send the information of the case of each agent over and thank you." She said and hung up.
She looked up at L, she was sure he had just gotten the same information. "Looks like he got us, hopefully his method left at least some clues." She said and sighed. She wondered when L was going to try the cake she'd brought with her, it was still sitting in the plastic bag on the table. He should like it, he did back at Wammy's. His taste could have changed of course.
OK, now for a timeline, she thought. She grabbed a piece of paper and wrote down:
Dec. 14th: 12 FBI agents enter Japan.
Dec. 19th: KIRA experiments on prisoners.
Dec. 27th: FBI agents are killed by KIRA.
In between the 14th and 19th he became aware of the FBI presence, felt threatened.
In between the 19th and 27th at least 23 people died at KIRA's hands. They differ from normal targets (Alledged criminals, ex-convicts and suspets in ongoing investigations.
He waited eight days so the FBI could investigate others.
"Got some more news. I think KIRA was one of the people the FBI investigated between the 14th and 19th of December." She said and showed him what she'd written down, hoping L could read her handwriting. it was hard to read at times.
L was suspecting Kira to target the FBI agents as he knew of them trailing quite a few suspects that were thought to be possible cases, but in truth they were quite horrible at discovering such a person but the fact all of them died gave him one piece of information,.. KIRA was being followed by the FBI, and so to protect himself he had dispatched of them.. and he had killed them all with his trade mark,.. heart attacks. It seemed JT just got the same information but to a slightly more detailed level but she was working for them for a little while, or so he knew and so it was not that much a surprise. Already he began the task of hacking into the network of the FBI before pulling up all information regarding Kira in a few moments and then showing the 12 dead members. and who they were following, a particular name in the list catching his attention.. He turned to JT before then speaking "Yagami Light .. was one of those being followed by the group of 12 members that are dead.. and the time fits your suggestion perfectly.. one of the members,.. it says here was following Yagami from the 14th to about the 22nd,.. but apparently he ruled him out for some reason,.. still this raises the possibility up to about 39%,.."
Her writting seemed like it had not changed much since the two of them were at Wammy's but he could read it then , and so now was no different.. "Maybe Kira used one of the agents .. to kill the others.., After the 19th he knew he could control the deaths.. Hmm but first before i finish what I am suggesting.. I am going to check what you brought,, " A small smile appeared upon seeing what was in the bag, it was a style of cake.. he had commonly at Watari's and surprisingly enough she had remembered, He quickly removed a slice and started to eat before speaking.. "You remembered.. but back to what i was saying,.." he swallowed before taking another bite speaking a little afterwards. "What i have come to conclusion .. is that these deaths were all linked by who ever was closest to catching Kira.. which... if I am right.." quickly he started typing away again, and not long afterwards he pulled up a filed report of the death times and locations of the FBI members.. "It seems according to records, that this person died.. first, after going onto a subway.. which considering,.. seems odd for him to do at such a time,.. Best thing we can do is try to get some footage, it might have Kira.. if he was their.."
"Makes sense. Only another FBI agent would be able to get the file of the other officers involved. But still how did KIRA get his name to begin with?" She asked. "I think I'm going out for a bit I want to check some things. But first I'd like to read the notes of this agent that died in the subway, this Raye Penber." She said and grinned. It was obviously he still loved this cake. That was good.
She sat back downand opened her own laptop and locked on Raye Penber's notes in a few minutes time. She read and memorized them. "Alright I'm out. I'm gonna retrace Raye's footsteps for the days he was following our main suspect." JT said. She was more hands on then L. Her face was known, her name wasn't. But there weren't any pictures of her around either. She grabbed her jacket and walked over to L. She'd been wondering if he knew, she was sure he did now. Something like her crush on him wouldn't have gone unnoticed by those eyes. "I'll be back for dinner, anything you'd like me to bring?" She asked. It was just past lunch time now.
L could tell JT had not changed much since back when he used to know her more oftenly, which at least that would make things easier.. but her feelings would probably complicate things a little if the chance came. If she acted anything like back at Watari's.. well it could be an issue, she was to hands on and such a method with Kira's case could be deadly.. as it was a little reckless. Still he could not deny her results, and just like him a case had always been solved if he chose to take it up. Raye Penber could be a huge clue to this whole case, and now as she asked the question after her other statements L's eyes looked within hers before he got a hold of himself.
"Surprise me.." it was all he could say before turning away, something was on his mind that was lingering to say but he was not going to say it. It was to risky to possibly let feelings fly around and times had changed, L was slightly unsure of himself anymore and could not take chances with risks. Kira was to much a threat and so instead he sat on his laptop starting to try and get some footage from the train station at the time of Raye's death. "Just be careful JT.. " that was the last thing he said turning to face her before turning away again and starting to type away again.
JT smiled. "OK. And I'm always careful." She said and bent down and kissed his cheek before walking out with a smile on her face without looking back. Well the interesting part in Raye Penber's steps was the day he thought Light was not a suspect, so that one would come first. She went to the central station where most busses left. the guy driving the buss on that day was easily found.
"Good afternoon. I'm JT." She said and showed him a badge.
"Good afternoon." He said and looked at the badge.
"I'd like to ask you a few questions about the morning of twentieth." She said.
"Sure, but keep it short please, my lunchbreak ends in fifteen minutes." He said.
"OK. Do you remember any of the passengers?" She asked.
"Well there was this man that yelled to get down when the crazy guy started shooting." He said.
"Is he one of these men?" She asked him, showing him six small photoportrets, all looked more or less like Raye.
"That one." The bussdriver said and pointed at the picture of Raye Penber.
"Can you tell me what happened before the guy just started shooting?" JT then asked.
"Well he was yelling at me when he suddenly stopped and started yelling at some kid who appeared to be trying to pick up a piece of paper. Instead of letting the kid pick it up he picked it up, that's when he lost it. He started yelling to someone who wasn't even there, emptied his gun through the rear window. Then ordered me to stop, which I more then happily did. He got off and got hit by another car." The bussdriver said.
"Can you remember what the kid looked like?" She then asked.
"Not really. About six ft. tall I think, well groomed, polite, brown hair." He said.
"Is he among these guys?" JT then asked and once again showed his six photoportrets, all of guys who fit Light's description and of course a photo of Light.
"Maybe this one, but I'm really not sure." He said. He did point at Light's photo though.
"Can you remember anything about him. Was he alone?" She asked.
"No, he came in with a girl." He said.
"Can you describe her?" JT then asked.
"I think about 5'8 ft. tall, slender build, shoulder length black hair and brown eyes." He said.
JT knew that was the average description of many asian females. "Do you think they were related or was it more like a girlfriend?" She asked.
"Girlfriend I think, but I'm not sure." He said.
"Thank you forr your time." JT said.
"You're welcome." He said and left. His lunchbreak was over.
JT left too, time to find this girlfriend. Light's sister fit the description. If it was a girlfriend maybe the sister would know?
A slight gasp left L as he felt her lips on his cheek,.. yep nothing had changed, She still had those feelings but because of her being more grown up.. L was unsure if he could predict if and when they would pop up again and if and when she would act upon them. Lightly his hand brushed the spot that was kissed before hearing Wammy laugh and speak
"Looks like things have not changed much .. L"
L looked away slightly embarrassed before starting to start trying to find out more information "Watari.. I want you to try and get surveillance camera's.. of the station that Raye Penber.. died at.. Think you can do that?"
Sure enough the man seemed to nod and start to begin the task set out before L started to look up today's victims to see how active Kira was this week.. he had a feeling Kira was playing it a little more quiet.. that and the news were being tipped to misspell names.. to try and avoid casualties..
But L had reason to think that this would not work to well.. the fact would be, he could use the internet to find out there real name.. but at least this would delay Kira a little and annoy him at the same time. Already L knew he had occasionally struck at Kira's weak point.. and soon was going to announce some of his newly found information.. to the police only so that Kira.. would find out somehow since he had some sort of relevance to the police force, it was certain. It seemed Kira had actually been a little more quiet, but again their were some odd unexplained deaths..that he was wondering if they were Kira's or not.. he would double check with JT to see what she thought about it..
Well now to go talk to Light's sister. It was lunch break and she spotted Sayu. She would fit the description, but she had no way of knowing if it was her just yet. She walked up to Sayu. "Sayu Yagami?" She asked.
"That's me, who are you?" She asked.
"I'm JT." She said and showed her badge to Sayu. "I'm looking into the bussjacking from about a week ago. The buss driver said that there was a teenage boy on the buss. He remembers because at one point he drew the hi-jacker's attention by trying to pick up a piece of paper. The buss driver described this young man about 6ft tall, brown hair, well roomed and really polite." JT said.
"Oh no, Light." Sayu mumbled.
"Light?" JT asked.
"Well my brother went out that day, I think he was taking his girlfriend to Spaceland." Sayu said.
Spaceland, you'd need that buss, buss 174 to get there so Light was on the bus with Raye Penber, great. JT thought. "Thank you, do you know her name?" JT then asked.
"I don't know that much about his dating life, but if he's still dating the girl he brought home once, her name is Takada." Sayu said.
"Thank you very much. Good luck with school." JT said.
"I'll need it, bye." Sayu said.
"Bye." JT replied and walked off. She would need to check the Yagami's phonelogs to see if Light or at least someone had called Takada's house. She walked into a coffeeshop and ordered some black coffee. She then took a seat away from people and took out her laptop.
Watari seemed busy now with what had been set for him, and so L continued to try and piece what was in their hands already.. to see if anything was missed. He looked over it a few times, at what the two of them knew so far trying to notice if anything was missing. While he was thinking his mind went over the messages that Kira had left him.. thinking them over..
'L do you know that death gods..' What does he mean by this.. I am missing one key.. part that will tell me what this means.. L sighed before watching over the surveillance tapes a little of which he had gathered from Yagami's house. He was the main suspect now.. and he watched parts before noticing sometimes that he watched the news.. and although no notes or anything like that seemed to be made.. those people died the next day.. or recently after,.. that was no coincidence... but instead just made it more probable that Yagami Light.. is Kira.. "Watari.. I want to get back in contact with the police.. I think that with JT here, I will not need their assistance anymore.. and that they should be careful so that their lives are not accidentally lost..
Kiyomi Takada wasn't that hard to find. JT grinned, this would be good. "Kiyomi Takada?" JT asked.
"That would be me." The girl said, chatting to a few other girls.
"Can I please speak to you?" She asked.
"You're already doing that, who are you?" Takada countered.
JT couldn't help but chuckle lightly. "Good point. I'm JT." She said and showed Takada her badge.
"Alright, what do you want to know?" Takada asked, in the mean time her friends relocated to about ten feet away.
"First of all would you mind if I record this conversation?" JT asked.
"Not at all." Takada said.
JT took a voice-recorder out of her pocket and pushed the record button. "I'm looking into the buss jacking from a week ago. Can you please tell me what happened in as much detail as possible?" JT asked.
"Sure. Well Light called me that morning and asked if we could go to Spaceland. I agreed and met him at the busstop. We got on the buss and for a while everything seemed to be going normally, but then this man comes on the buss and pulled out a gun and put it to the buss driver's head. He then ordered him to call the office of Spaceland. Once the buss driver had told the office about the buss jacking he grabbed the horn and started yelling into it. He said he wanted a female employee to meet him two stops before Spaceland with all the cash from the day before. It scared the hell out of me. Then Light showed me a note, it said that when the guy would turn away he'd try to disarm him. Then this man sitting behind us got involved. He told Light that was stupid and to leave it to him. That's when Light asked him why he should trust him, what prove he had he wasn't the other's accomplice. Then he told me that sometimes hi-jackers work together. One enters and appears to be working alone, the other sits in the very back, pretending to be a hostage and to only step in when nescesary. Then this man pulled out his badge, he was an FBI agent. Light agreed to trust him. Then Light accidentally dropped a piece of paper from his pocket and the hi-jacker noticed this and instead of letting Light pick it up he picked it up. I was afraid it was the note from before, but it wasn't. The man said: "Having plans for a date?" or something like that, then threw the note back at Light. Then he turned around and started shouting at someone who wasn't even there. The FBI-agent yelled through the buss that everyone should get down. Then he emptied his gun into the back of the buss. He seemed really scared. He ran to front and ordered the driver to let him off. He got off and got hit by a car." Takada said.
"Thank you. Did you by any chance catch the name of the Federal agent?" JT asked.
"I think it was Raye something, but I'm not sure." Takada replied.
"Is he one of these men?" JT asked and showed her the same six photos as she had the buss driver with Raye's picture in it.
"That's him, I'm sure." Takada said.
"Can you tell which number you picked? Also I need you to write down what you just told me and sign it please." JT said. Takada sighed, but nodded. "Number four." This meant bye bye lunch break. She took out her notebook, when JT pulled out her laptop and opened a text processing program. Takada smiled and typed the statement out. JT stored it on an USB stick and printed it out inside, then Takada signed it.
"Thank you very much for your time Miss Takada." JT said and smiled politely.
"You're welcome." She said and headed out to find her friends.
JT walked off and grinned. They had him, Light Yagami, hook line and sinker, now to talk to him and see his version of the story.
It seemed as if not much else could be worked out by him as if this moment but Watari had a breakthrough at least in finding the footage that was requested.
"I could only get it in a length of an hour.. they only change tapes every hour, but.. I am sending it to you as we speak... "
L looked over towards Watari before speaking "Good.. this should hopefully help"..
Kira would have had to been on that train, to trick Raye Penber.. of which he was having thoughts that somehow.. if it was Yagami Light.. somehow he had planned it enough so that someone with knowledge of the FBI agents names.. or someone who could get such information, would be tricked into telling him the names so that they could all die. It could be possible they were using some sort of short wave communication,.. almost like a walkie-talkie sort of setup.. but that would mean no recorded transmissions would be able to be tracked down,.. " As his eyes looked over the time of death of Penbar again, he realized something..
"Watari,.. about fifteen to twenty minutes prior to his death.. were their any recorded deaths.. from a heart attack later to be proven a criminal?"
L now opened the footage.. starting to skip through, fast forwarding, judging by how accurate their hour change overs where.. it should be about a quarter of the way through..
".. L their was one.. he was a rapist.. who got of the hook, and.. he died today from a heart attack .. downtown, about five minutes away from a station.."
Watari seemed to know were L was going with that, and then thought for a moment.. It could be possible maybe to get JT to interview any possible witness's and see if they saw Raye Penber with a person close to him.. their would have had to be a time where they exchanged direct words,.. and the person was just Kira proving he was Kira, to create fear in Penber.. to make him feel as if he cooperated.. that would possibly mean no death. As the footage got closer and closer to it's mark he sighed before speaking
"Well just as I thought.. Kira proved who he was to Raye.. this means he had met him before, and has to be one of the people that were under his surveillance.. and that were not to far away from downtown.. possibly, which still fits Yagami, it would have taken a little bit of travel.. but I want you to try and find witness's of the death... in such an area their must have been many, but Kira would have been with Raye.. So what i am thinking is we get a picture of Raye.. and Light, interview the people who watched the proof of Kira.. and ask if they saw this person, Point to Raye's image.. and then say was anyone like this nearby.."
Watari seemed to just look at him in slight amazement
"Always working out something aren't you.."
L after working that out felt his sugar craving come back up and so quickly again, gathered himself another piece of that cake, eating it before noticing the footage was passing Raye Penber exiting.. He quickly went back, watching in slow motion the death,.. and then seeing the FBI agent turn the way he did, to look onto the train.. Kira was on that train,.. it was for certain.. and in the door seemed to be a reflection gazing obviously in victory.. roughly at the time the FBI agents started to collapse..
JT now was approaching Light, wondering what he had to say about the buss jacking. "Light Yagami?" She asked.
"Yes that's me." Light said, looking at a young woman, a student? It was hard to tell these days.
"I'm JT." She said and showed him her badge. Since her real name wasnt on it, she was in no danger.
"How can I help you?" Light then asked, politely as ever.
"I'm looking into a buss jacking that occured about a week ago and a description given by the buss driver matches you. I'm hoping to gather some information about the incident and I'm trying to find people who were on that buss." She told him.
Light's head was racing. Why would she be looking into this, if she too was on the KIRA case then it was bad news, but if not. Besides he hadn't heard from the police she was on the KIRA case, it hadn't been on his father's computer, then again she could be investigating this without the police of course, maybe work alone or just with L. If she came to him she had to be pretty sure. Lying to a detective like her or L would be an almost completely futile excercize. He was sure she knew he was there, did she know about the FBI agents? "I was there, unfortunately. I wanted to take my girlfriend to Spaceland. After that buss jacking neither one of us was in the mood for that anymore." Light said.
"That's understandable. What bothers me about the incident is that he suddenly started to hallucinate while the tox-screen in his autopsy came back clean. He was also described as very on edge. He had failed to rob a bank earlier that week and was most likely even going through withdrawal symptoms so it wasn't drugs. Maybe I'm just being paranoid. But could you please tell me what happened?" JT asked, trying to get Light to open up, to convince him it was just about the buss jacking and not the KIRA case.
"Well around 11:30 he came in, pointed a gun as the buss driver's head, forced him to call spaceland, then yelled into the phone that he wanted all the cash fromt he day before, that he knew they still had it and that he wanted a female employee to meet him with the money two stops from the park. I dropped a piece of paper and when I tried to pick it up he did. He made a comment about me planning for a date, then turned around. It was after we passed under a viaduct that he turned around and started to hallucinate, yelling to someone who wasn't there. He emptied his gun, ordered the bus driver to stop and got out, then he was hit by a car." Light said.
"Thank you for your time." JT said.
"No problem, I hope you find your answer." Light said and smiled slightly.
"Bye." JT replied and returned the smile.
"Bye." Light said and walked off.
JT grinned, one more stop to make before going back.
All L could really do at this moment was think, he had taken the recorded part out of the footage by editing and was now trying a trick the police usually used, to try and gather a person's face off a reflection.. the angle if just slightly different would have shown Kira.. he could tell that by the look that Raye gave as he died.. it even looked like he said something.. It was short, as it left the FBI's mouth.
"Watari.. can you come over and check this out.. I want to try and work out what left Raye Penber's mouth when he died.."
Hearing this Wammy started to head over, he had so far found a few witness's that would allow for such a interview that they would receive.. one being called Seth Tzuko.. already with that name, he had the location of the person.. were he worked and even a mobile number if worst came to worse.. even L could do something with it,.. of which he would tell him after trying to help out with what L had found.
"Alright play it at a slow motion.. maybe we can at least work out partially what it could be.."
L started to do such a thing starting it from the beginning and slowing it down to about eight times slower then it was, sure this dragged on a three second footage.. to about a minute.. but it was definently just one syllable.. possibly a name.. Was it Kira's name,..
Since it would have taken recognization of the person, if it was Kira, it was definently someone Raye Penber.. who was the closest to finding Kira. Quickly he clicked out of that opening the list of files with the people that Raye had been ordered to watch.. Light.. if it was simply said instead of Yagamii.. or Yagami Light,.. it would almost fit perfectly.. that was enough evidence for him from that footage. He had given up with reflections.. but that segment.. It just had to be..
"It could be a name.." that was all Wammy said before starting to walk away..
Already L had worked that out.. but it was just more confirmation to him.. Now he just wondered how JT was getting along..
"L I have a witness.. that saw Kira's killing to prove he was Kira to Raye.. He gave a police report about it not trusting how the death occurred. Maybe he saw someone with Raye.. I think you should call him to try and gain more information."
L nodded to such a thing before starting to prepare his phone flicking a switch nearby that would distort his voice to how he sent it to people.
JT rang the doorbell to Naomi's appartment. Naomi opened the door and recognized her. "Hello, JT how can I help you?" She asked.
"First of all my condolences for your loss and can I come in please, I'd like to have a word." She said. Naomi nodded and stepped aside. JT stepped inside and closed the door. She hung her jacket on the hatrack and followed Naomi to the livingroom. She took a seat across from Naomi. "I know you're a top agent. I know you resigned, but if it was me in your position I'd want to track KIRA down. You still have the mind set of an agent. Although I think the KIRA case is almost done, something could go wrong, if it does L and I could use all the help we can get. Would you be interested?" JT then asked.
"You're right, I do want to track down KIRA and if you need help, I'll gladly take the job. I'm also glad to hear that the case is close to ending." Naomi said.
"It is, but like I said something could go wrong and your face and name are still on the FBI website. If you were to go on your own KIRA could find out your name, I or L can make sure to change your name on the website tot he alias you'd be using for the duration of the KIRA case. Please don't act on your own, this is not a normal case." JT said. Naomi nodded handed her, her card. JT smiled. "I'll talk this over with L and I'll call you either way. But I'm sure he'd be happy to work with you again. You did a really good job on the BB case after all." JT said. Naomi nodded. After saying goodbye she looked at her watch. Time to grab some food and return to the hotel room.
Slowly the phone dialed the number that had been found, today had been a rather quiet day for L, more thinking then actions.. but they were getting rather closer to Kira, and so that was what really mattered.. He was almost feeling certain Yagami Light.. was the culprit, intelligent.. something that such a person would need trying to outsmart L,.. or more accurately trying to find a way to get to him,.. and find out more about him without getting caught and so far,. he had done that reasonably well, but really he was a little reckless with the method of taking out the FBI agents.. and even though their was spaced time.. that was probably done to lose suspicion.. since Raye investigated a few others.. but coincidences did not happen, a robber that seemed to have no reason to be there at that time.. entered a bus,.. eventually screams and shoots at something not their.. and then gets hit by a car afterwards.. even L had managed to find a police report and the fact that the criminal had died.. Kira.. it was well devised but something that just did not happen everyday.. and so was out of place. It seemed no answer occurred and so he redialed only to hear a male's voice pick up this time.
"Seth Tzuko.. i have noticed that you were a witness to the death of a rapist.. in the downtown segment,.. mind giving me a few details about the killing?"
On the other end he heard a breath been taken before the person started to speak
"Well.. we were all just walking around not really organized.. the victim was just casually applying a broom to the floor simply cleaning the area in front of a shop.. when he suddenly seemed to have a heart attack.. Their were no other warnings.. other then the actual event.. so when asked, I got them to file it with the Kira cases.."
"Hmm.. do you remember the look of people around you.. when most people crowded around.. did you at any stage glance out from such a thing.. and see anyone seem not interested and walk away.."
"A few people were like that.. but not many want to see a death..."
"I might have some other questions to ask soon.. but for now that is all, in the next day or two.. I will have someone visit you to try and confirm a few images.. after all, I L,.. am trying to solve this case and now have new help.."
Finally she was back, it had been quite a long a day. She knocked on the door again and smiled when Watari opened. She stepped inside and walked back over to L. She had some Chinese food with her. One was a duck prepared withhoney and what not and was known for tasting sweet with rice, which would be fine when L would empty a cup of sugar in it. Time for something different then candy and she had asked them to make the taste extra sweet. She had something more simple, fuyung hai with noodles. Not too bad either. The restaurant had a good reputation so it should be alright.
"Hey, here's dinner." She said. she sat down and put her bag down next to the chair. She wanted to get some plates, but was happily surprised Watari brought them plates two knives and two forks. "Thank you." She said. "Oh and we got KIRA hook line and sinker." She said casually wondering how L would react. She reached into her backback and took out the signed statement from Takada and the tape and pushed the play button.
L did not speak to Seth for much longer, since what he had said was enough to say. According to some information just given then though there seemed to be two people.. that walked off strangely, first noticing the death,.. and then something was said to the one behind him.. and a look of dread crossed this man.. before the two left the other following rather closely behind.., although that might not be Kira.. it was worth a check, maybe he had been a bit foolish and if so this could possibly even be more of a hit to catching Light.. wait here is L already thinking who it is.. the two of them just needed to gain as much more possibility before making a move..
Slowly he turned to here food was here, after all he did partially smell it. It had been a while since he had realistic food like the one he could smell,.. although he could already tell it would need extra sugar.. as most things did for him. "Hmm.. we do?" He looked at her as if to say go on.. it seemed she really had been trying to grab information.. the more personal way, which was quite impressive for JT.. because usually he had heard it would take her a little longer before being able to get to that stage.. but because both her and L knew roughly the same information.. it was enough for her to start instantly grabbing information "Interesting.. what intrigues me.. is the fact that it was said that he started to shoot at something not their.. Is that possibly a shinigami..? and if so.. did Kira.. somehow cause this person to see that before dispatching of the criminal?.." he was running questions over to himself before he also started to speak "I have footage of the death of Raye Penbar.. it seems that Kira was on that same train.. you can tell when he turns to it looking at it.. and saying what looks to be a short name.. which slowed down looked like a few things.. one of them was Light.., and I have a witness of Kira's proof killing.. in downtown.. of which from a quick talk.. it would seem that he saw the two.. together,.. but I want you to confirm it JT.. he witnessed that serial rapist's death" he was thinking of how to say the next part..
".. but one thing I have worked out also.. is Kira can't be to far from a train line.. because he killed on the way to one.. and then seemed to continue riding the train.. of which I am pretty sure it is a loop train.. that would get him back towards his location.. of which their is a station reasonably close to the Yagami's house.." saying that he looked at Watari who had brought plates before deciding to dish up the sweeter of the meals, before trying it.. and rushing off to the kitchen, but Watari stepped in front of him before holding out the sugar "Predictable as always L.." Wammy then laughed lightly before starting to walk back towards his computer.
"It is a loop train, it finishes its round in a bit less then an hour. He made Raye Penber stay on for an hour and a half, which is odd to begin with. I guess he didn't want to stay on long after the agents started to collapse. The investigation would lead to the train and the station and if he was on there for long the more chance he'd get caught or pulled in for questioning. He made Penber stay in so long because then he would be able to get off at the next stop or the one after that, but he got off closeby. And Light's house is close to the second stop after the station where Raye Penber died. Coincedence?" JT said and looked at L, then started to think over what L had mentioned over a shinigami. It had occurred to her too and if they both came to that conclusion it was more likely to be true.
"That part has been bugging me too. On top of that there's no human that could make the weapon KIRA is using right now, so I wouldn't be surprised if a shinigami is involved. Also we know that spelling mattered in the way he kills. I already believed it was something to write with or on, I'm now certain it's something to write on and that piece of paper that the hi-jacker picked up was part of it. If KIRA's weapon did come from a shinigami it would only make sense that the person who touches it or apparently part of it can see the shinigami. Light tricked him into touching the piece of paper and therefor revealing the shinigami to the hi-jacker. At least that's the one thing that seems to make sense right now. I'll go talk to your witness tomorrow, most people don't appreciate being questioned at this hour and since he's not a suspect we shouldn't make him uncomfortable. On top of that I'm going to a judge and get a search warrent for the Yagami residence." JT said and filled her plate and sat down on the couch and began eating.
It seemed so far, the two of them were on the same level of understanding,.. which only made reason to believing such things more strong. Usually because when two rather accomplished people like JT and L agreed on something it almost guaranteed that they were correct and that meant Kira really would be done for before he knew what hit him. It was risky for her to visit such close people that connected to Kira.. and possibly she even saw Yagami which was a dangerous move but luckily her name.. of what ever it was, did not exist anymore except to those who had made the deal.. to see such a thing,. Something that Kira would never do.. and something that neither of the two detectives knew about. "They were not to bad on the phone.. but that was about fifteen minutes ago,.. but personal face to face talks.. I would not recommend at such an hour... Seth Tzuko after all might end up rather important if he recognizes Light.. being with Raye, at the time of that Rapist's death.
Already now the sugar had been mixed in thanks to Wammy knowing that L would go straight for such a thing.. so that had decreased the time of finding it.. using it and placing it back. Now it was the right sweetness, just how he wanted it. He finished quite a few mouthfuls before starting to speak. "Hmm I would like to assist you in that search.. this might be a risky move for me to make.. but I need to make it, others risk their lives and so I to must at least show Kira.. the face of his main enemy.. but if we could time to search it when he would be at school.. that would be the optimum time... but I want to see how he lives, and see possibly what sort of person this Yagami Light is.. just to help prove the fact that he is Kira.. which is at a seventy two percent chance.."
"Well we got his schedule, the chief hasn't been home in days according to his work schedule and the mother is out quite a lot too and Sayu is still going to school. The house should be empty by ten O'clock tomorrow morning." JT said. This had all been in Raye Penber's report of observing the Yagami family. "So search first, talk to witness after that." She mumbled and took another bite. Tonight there was nothing more to really do, so she could work out and for a change since the investigation began get some sleep. Although she could function on just three hours of sleep a night on occasion she did like to sleep in. "But why is the shinigami staying with Light? Is it because the weapon is in his posession that the sinigami is bound to him and follow him around? For how long though? Until it runs out of pages? Until it's destroyed or until Light dies?" JT said. It could be one or more then one of those. "And more importantly what is the shinigami going to do when Light is arrested?"
It seemed JT had already had this all planned out which made L almost feel a little jealous, to the fact that her method had allowed something to be created that he.. because of his nature would have taken longer. He had the same conclusions but she was the one taking the actions to trying to get Kira trapped, before he gets to a unstoppable point. "I think it could be any of those.. if the person dies, a shinigami.. would have no reason to stick around.. and maybe the tool of killing is originally the shinigami's.. so he has to watch what is done with it.." That made a little bit of sense, but even now the whole shinigami thing was rather hard to consider being real, but it was a chance.. of such a case, and would explain the bus incident more so as a Kira caused murder then.. a convenient way for Light to become out of suspicion. "I guess we will see tomorrow if you manage to get that warrant.." L was already finished eating now as he looked at JT for a moment.. "What would be Light's reason.. to become Kira.. maybe he feels like wanting to become a god.. of something he is creating?.. a world of no criminals.. It's similar to what we want except he just kills for it.. Am i correct?"
"If I get that warrant? Did you read the same witness testimony I did?" JT said and grinned, there was no doubt she'd get it. sayu put Light on that buss, hell even Light put himself on it. "Makes sense. Or maybe it's just bored or both. Maybe that's why it fropped that thing into our world? Frankly I don't care as long as we can get it to go back to hell." JT said and now finished her meal. She was pretty full, but she hadn't brought dessert to not eat it.
"Hmm. I guess so. It appears that power brings out the worst in Light. The power this thing gives him gave him a god complex and it seems he already was a sociopath." She replied and pulled out two portions of tiramisu. Not a good mix maybe, but both would be good. She handed one to L and sat back down and opened her own. She liked her sweets once in a while too.
For a moment L had actually forgotten such a thing, yet acted now as if he knew such a thing.. It seemed even master minds like him forgot simple things like that.. but it was not his method so parts of what JT did and organized slipped away from him.. but the two seemed to come up with the same answers at least. Which was expected really, because that just meant they were close to the truth. "Not just Light.. power brings out the worst in everyone,.. most in Light's case.. would probably do the same but be caught quicker.. he is more intelligent then I expected.. but tomorrow we should be able to find the correct evidence that will make everything confirmed.
A small smile crossed L now as he started to continue his dessert, sometimes even he wondered how he managed to eat so much sweet food, and never have issues with his teeth... or with cramps or pains.. or anything but that was probably because he was designed for such matters of working and so did not really have to worry about real food most of the time.. or sleep for that matter functioning on two to three hours.. most nights.
Although she didn't eat sweets that much she did sleep an average of three hours a night, sometimes more sometimes less. Her drug of choice was caffeine. It seemed to take ages before morning came. Around five she went to the gym for her workout and at nine sharp she was in the judge's chamber's for a warrent. The judge had no doubts, just signed the warrent. she thanked him and walked out to go and meet L.
She knocked on the door. Watari let her in. "Well I got the warrent, shall we get going?" She then asked, knowing his answer would be yes. She didn't bother to take her jacket off. They'd be leaving fast. She was excited about this search, for both her and L this was their biggest case ever. "So if we manage to close this case, wanna celebrate?" She then asked him.
L stayed up for a little longer seeing if anything else could be worked out, and at the last minute checking out the death tally for the day of possibly Kira deaths.. so far if they were all added up.. Light really had taken out quite a few.. and he was almost purely sure it was Yagami without a doubt.. and tomorrow they would have the final evidence, this was what he was sure about. He although hearing JT rise, did not bother to get up instantly.. waiting about an hour after her departure before he slid himself out of the bed that was in completely different rooms to each other.
L knew not how her mornings went, but knew how his own went.. a hot coffee..overloaded with sugar.. mixed with chocolate to make a mocha.. something that as he started to head to his own kitchen seemed that Watari had made already for him just how he liked it.. before returning to his computer to try and help as best he could. L began to drink it slowly, letting it's warmth and sweetness get to him, the caffeine an added bonus. It did not seem like long after that, the she seemed to return.. obviously with a warrant ready as well, with such strong evidence to suggest such a search of Yagami Light's house.. it was expected " But of course.. although I am not sure if it will be over straight away, we know not where Yagami hides such a book as such that we don't even know the appearance of.."
"Well I think somewhere close, somewhere his family would never set foot. Probably his own room. He wouldn't leave anything to chance, not to mention that he has to have it nearby to use it. Since we suspect that anyone who touches it can see the shinigami, if that's true he'd have to be sure. I'm going to check Light's room first." JT said. She left the room to go to the car. She got in the car outside of the hotel after Watari had opened the door and she moved over so L could get in too.
The ride there wasn't long, not that long. She took her binoculars out and saw the mother getting ready to leave. Light's class should have started by now as well as Sayu's and the chief was nowhere to be seen and probably working his butt off. "Let's wait five minutes after she leaves just to be sure." JT said. She left, the house was empty now. JT watched her walk across the corner. A car stated and then she drove by them, looking at the odd car with tinted windows for a moment and driving on, turning the corner. "Well it looks like the house is empty now." JT said after a few minutes.
Before it was even said, L was sure that such a place like his bedroom would be the only suitable room he would place it in, since so far.. they had ideas that when touched they could see the shinigami with Light, and so.. in saying that since it could probably be mistaken as a normal notebook, it would be hidden away so that the rest of the family did no stumble across it or find out he was Kira and that only place that he would probably be left alone.. for him to be able to write up the list of names,.. would be such a location as well, knowing he would probably have a computer and a tv,. both used to make finding names easier.
L slowly walked out in the same clothes as general, rarely did he change into anything different, after all.. he had about five pairs of what would appear to be the same clothes and Watari always made sure at least half of those were clean and so he did not need to bother with anything else. "Hmm yes I agree with that, just incase.. she decides to go back if she forgot something. It seemed the mother had noticed something odd about the darkly tinted car.. but continued to drive "It would seem so,.. Still, we should wait about another minute or so.. I will help you with the search in his room, I am positive it would be the only location he could keep it without his parents finding it.
"Alright." JT said, even though she'd already left five minutes ago. A few minutes later still nothing. "Let's go, it's not like we're breaking in L, it's a warrent." JT said and got out of the car, he could either follow or stay put. It was a nice house and JT had lock picking tools at the ready and had the lock open in maybe two seconds longer then it would take with a key. The company that installed the alarm had provided her with the code and she typed it in. Now to find Light's bedroom. She was sure L would follow pretty soon. He was way too curious to stay behind.
She walked up the stairs and opened a door. Sayu's room, no doubt about that. She looked at the next door. The handle was at an odd angle and she looked it over an almost missed the mechanical pencil laid over the hinges. The piece of paper in the door was obvious. She removed the mechanical pencil, then took the piece of paper and opened the door. She put the piece of paper and mechanical pencil down on Light's desk. That's where she would start.
L for a moment just sat within the car, it was a little risky actually going to the house of the suspected Kira.. what if the death god was waiting inside, left to guard it or something silly like that.. nether the less he just sighed and slowly stepped out of the car, not used to being so upfront with a case. This was all a new method to him.. Usually he would get others to search ones house or to setup hidden cameras of the sort. As he started to walk he darted back to the car grabbing just such a thing, small little cameras that would feed video data to his laptop. Since they were here if they did not find anything, they had to at least do something else with the time they were going to spend.
He was only a moment behind JT now entering the house before starting to look where she was listening to footsteps that sounded like they stopped as she obviously found the room she was searching for, he walked after her now before slowly entering seeing her place a piece of paper and what looked like a mechanical pencil down on Light's desk "I take it, he set those up.. to check to see if anyone enters his room?" Now the searching would begin, but what L's eyes were doing right now was looking for good spots to stick hidden cameras, that were about the size of.. well a very small object.
"Yes. Too bad we don't fall for something like that, well for him that is and L the warrent is to search his room, not install cameras." JT said as she saw him look around the room. Oh well back tot he search she decided to look in his desk. Schoolbooks, normal notebooks, schoolstuff in general. She memorized the order, then took it all out to see if anything was hidden. So far absolutely zip. She put the books and notebooks back and opened the drawers. One was empty with the exception of a diary, the other was stuffed with pens, pencils and whatnot. She took everything out again and took a thorough look at every object, nothing or maybe...
It could be her imagination, but the drawers didn't seem to be equally high in space on the inside. She grabbed the ruler and measured both drawers. It was less then an inch, but the difference was there. She tapped on the bottom of both drawers and found one was hollow. "I think I got something here." She said and went to look to see if she could open it. She ran her fingers over the smooth surface, first the inside, then the outisde and grinned when she foud a little hole. She looked around to something she could use, then used the filling of a ballpoint. The bottom rose and she took a carefull look inside and noticed it wouldn't be wise to remove the filling of the ballpoint. She took the bottom out and saw a notebook that had two words on the front, Death Note. She took it out and put it on the desk, then put the drawer down carefully. She put the Death Note in an evidence bag. Then she put the fake bottom of the drawer back in place. She began to read what was written inside. "We got him now, take a look.". JT said and handed L the Death Note, then began to put thing back in the desk in the same order as they'd been in there before.
Hearing such a thing L sighed before deciding not to bother about the camera's, since after all, they were searching for the proof that Kira was Light.. so that the case would be over. All they needed was evidence, they had instinct.. and a solid feeling that it was definitely Sayu's brother.. that was the culprit. Ever since seeing Light,.. as someone who was being investigated, brought up a slight curiosity.. which L from that moment had a small feeling even though to begin with it was only a small percentage that it could be such a person because he had seen his grades before.. and so far the intellectual level he had seen,.. could have only been a few people.. and to begin with, the school hours.. everything fitted nicely. Instead now his eyes started to try and find anything, but really he knew JT was probably going to be the one who actually found the book.
He watched now as she seemed to start measuring the draw, ... possibly a hidden containment, it would be a clever spot really, but if he had taken such precautions.. there had to be a catch of just trying to open the draw.. unless, that was when he saw as JT seemed to find what must have been a small hole as she then grabbed a ballpoint pen and started to dismantle it a little.His eyes just stayed fixed now watching as the hidden area started to lift and move, to begin with all he saw was a black part of the book, but it had to be it a slight look of triumph crossing his face before he decided to speak "How did you know?" Slowly he started to then flick through the pages a little seeing a little on how it worked, noticing how a few pages seemed to be torn out.. "We still have to be a little careful, we might have the book.. but what if all he needs is a page from this book?,.. " It could always be a possibility but still,.. they knew who Kira was.. had his name and all,.. now they could easily take him into custody, the deathnote being the evidence.. containing most of the names of whom he killed a few pages seemed to be missing,
"I didn't. To me it just appeared to be there and I checked for good meassure, then it was a matter of checking everything. However some pages are missing, I think I get the picture now. Remember the FBI agents? What if Light made Raye write down the names. You know envelops with wholes in them. Raye wouldn't have seen the specifics for the agents at all and since KIRA was nearby he couldn't open them either. Raye received the file, wrote down the names and since a picture acconpanied the name that sort of automatically got stuck in his head." JT said. After putting everything back in the desk she moved to the cabinet with books. "Give me a hand L, we need to check every book for the missing pages and check the wall behind it for secret compartments." JT said and got started at the bottom.
Some magazines and all, those were big enough to hide the missing pages. At the end of the bottom line she found the envelope. "We get lucky again." JT said and pulled the papers out and indeed it wasnt Light's handwriting. It was Raye's. "Well this doesn't account for all the pages, but I'm sure he's got some on him as well. The one thing that would make sense, especially for an intelligent kid like Light was experimenting to see if a torn out page or piece of it would work and we know at least that a piece can make you see the shinigami, so we should assume the worst and think a torn out page or piece of one is as deadly as the notebook itself." JT said and put the magazines back in the right order. "I think we're done here, we should go before anyone comes home." She then suggested.
That made quite a bit of sense really and was exactly what L could understand, it was more the fact that it felt like the right location.. and so she checked and found such a thing. When he had looked through the Deathnote a small laugh left his lips as he saw what was supposed to be his death.. oh how easy it had been to trick Kira into that one using a criminal which was more forced into doing it rather the volunteering. Hearing what JT had said he remembered upon looking for camera spots a few possible places that could have hidden pages. He started to help her a little before noticing a envelope of which she seemed to beat him to and instead picked it up.. it was obviously what was used to trick Raye Penber. He partially always wondered how so many FBI agents were taken out only seconds between each death.. but Light really had been foolish to try and hide all the evidence in his own room,
Slowly L nodded before deciding to respond slowly ?? Wait just a second longer.. I think if we look a little longer we will find some of the hidden pages, they would just appear to be normal note pages.. but they would be folded.. and if you look from a slight angle.. they go slightly gray..? Quickly his eyes scanned noticing within a book what appeared to be a gray glimpse before grabbing that book, opening it and then retrieving the page ??.. We can??t leave Kira with so much pages left missing.. Judging by how the book is made.. at least ten or so pages have been ripped out.. two of them are in that envelope.. one is here.. we have to assume others have been used before.. so there probably is another three or four pages.. then we can leave..?
"I see, we can look, however he can have the pages on him." JT reminded him and merely started looking through the rest of the books and magaznes systematically. In a book half way up the cabinet she founds two more pages. "L I think he has the last two on him, I'm sure of it." JT said and handed him the two pages. She put the books back and put the death note and pages in evidence bags. Then she put the ball point back together, ready to leave the room. It would only make sense that Light would keep the two pages on him as a form of protection or something.
She grabbed the piece of paper and the mechanical pencil and looked at L. they'd been there for over two hours already. They had what they needed and she was curious about the shinigami. Would it protect Light? If so they'd be dead, if not it would be interesting. She was waiting outside the door for L to leave so she could put things back into place.
L would have really not expected less from Light being Kira.. to the fact of extra pages kept with him. Slowly everything started to make even more sense before he saw that JT had found some other pages, he also had found a few pages.. and so it seemed just like she had said two or so pages were missing. Still they had the evidence they required.. and those pages would hopefully still not allow him to manage to kill the two of them.. since they both used aliases and well.. L had many names he used as another alias to publically go under.. but no one actually knew he was L for that fact. yet anyhow. Although he had not really noticed, his eyes looked over at the clock for a moment. Making sure they had all the evidence they needed slowly he slipped in one hidden camera, mainly for the reaction that Kira would give to see his deathnote.. stolen from him.
It was such a small camera, and was nicely hidden as his eyes then fell onto JT "One can not hurt.. after all, I want to see Kira's reaction.. which leads me to thinking.. how do you think the shinigami will act? .. I have never heard of them protecting people before.. but they are death gods.. creatures.. that kill to gain lifetime.." he doubted the same worked for humans.. and so at least Light would not probably outlive the sentence and then public execution to be made as an example off..
"So do I. I wonder what that death god looks like. Anyway we need to go." She said and closed the door behind L, putting the piece of paper back in place as well as the mechanical pencil and she made sure the doorknob had exactly the same angle as when they came in. She walked down the stairs and out the front door, back tot he car where Watari had been waiting for them.
She wondered how things would turn out. This death god was a wild card, she was sure it would have no trouble knowing their real names, however it is that shinigami know that. It was a god after all so would ti protect Light? If it really had to stay until the death note was full or until the owner died what would it do if Light was sentenced to a life time in jail. They'd taken it, did that make them the new owner? But then it should have showed up right? So as long as Light was alive he was the owner? That would mean this death god would be stuck in prison with Light for a long time. Would it kill Light? So many questions and no answers, not until they had a chance to talk to this death god. She got into the car and moved over tot heother side for L.
Although the two of them were now running of chances that the death god would not help Light, it was hopeful that would be the case.. and that well. Kira.. would be sentenced to life, all the evidence they needed, was already theirs, and he would gather handwriting samples of Light.. from what ever school related things he could manage to gather. That and they would soon have the recording of Kira noticing it was gone thanks to the tiny hidden camera.One thing was for certain though, was that it felt great to leave such a place.
There was still a lot of questions they both probably knew not the answers to,.. but L was just happy that they had found him,.. found Kira before more damage could be done although it was not entirely over just yet.. it was likely he still had pieces.. and again hopefully.. the death god would not protect him somehow.. from the fate that had been chosen because JT and L managed to gather everything they needed.. and in reasonable time as well. Slowly he entered the car after JT a slight smile crossing his face a rare sight to say the least "we caught him.. the two of us,.. just like that other case.. when i was in doubt you came and helped me finish what was started.. Watari.. drive us to the hotel, I have one last thing I have to see.."
"Well I think I should go and search Light's locker at school for something with his handwriting, then find a good expert" JT said. They couldn't waste anymote time. "I'll talk to your witness oh and what is it you want to see?" She asked. She was wondering wat was going through his mind. This brilliant sweet man was hard to read and only by knowing him for some time she knew his habits. But getting a grip on what he could be thinking was hard even for her. she suspected it had something to do with either the Death Note or the surveillance tapes.
However altough there was surveillance the cameras weren't state of the art and didn't have too many pixels which made enhancing a picture difficult. She was sure the 80's would call for their securty system. Something a friend once told her when dealing with an old model security system. She would also need to visit Naomi. It really was going to end soon, today Light would be arrested.
"I am sure I can find quite a few things through the school's apparent secure system.. I hear that the computers to mark tests and exams scan in the answers into a database that then calculates if it's wrong or right.. so I will get my hands on those scans.. without the school knowing though.. but still maybe you should go gather what you can from his locker.." a faint what almost seemed like a smile seemed to cross L which even partially surprised him when realized his expression changing to become more normal for himself afterwards. "I will notify that witness you are coming around then.." Watari had already started to drive now towards the hotel as had been requested before L looked at JT hearing what she had to say..
"I could not help myself but plant one small minute camera.. that will give us clear view of when Light gets home.. and judging by the time, say a few or so minutes after we get back to the hotel.. we will have footage straight to my laptop of his reaction to his missing deathnote" L then brought out the deathnote looking at it again "quite amazing this was all that it took to kill so many.. It's lucky that more of these things don't seem to exist.."
"Oh that I'd like to see. I'll talk to the witness after that and then go to his locker." JT said. She was glad he smiled a little. He didn't smile enough, he hardly ever did. She still didn't know why. Now they gather the remaining evidence today and get an arrestwarrent today and arrest Light on his way to school. that would be perfect, no one would know where he'd gone or that he was a suspect other then the judge who would have to sign a none disclosure agreement.
"You know L, you should smile more. Even in all the time I've known you I can still count the numbers of times I saw you smile on my fingers." JT said. There really was nothing more to discuss about the case, it was merely waiting until they got tot he hotel. She Watari had given up on trying to make L smile some time ago, because nothing seemed to work. Maybe she could get him to cheer up? It would be a long shot at best though.
L almost gave JT a look of disbeleif when she started talking about him smiling more and well.. truth was, she could probably count the times.. on one hand alone let alone both of the,.. it really had to be one of the rareist occasions, and sometimes occurred after a good case was cracked, this was one of those.. but now that smile was gone probably not to show itself again.. well thats what he thought anyhow.. who knew if JT knew methods to try and change that.. as he had a feeling she would at least try
"I don't understand what the big deal is.. I don't find the need or want to smile.. that's as simple as it gets.." it was something that probably would not change a while and already the limo was nearing the hotel before Watari pulled it up "Were here L,.. you might want to go get that laptop setup soon.." L once the car stopped wasted no time heading up to the elevator heading up to the suite they were in waiting for neither of them entering with his own key as he then started to setup the laptop ready to receive and record the footage as the other two entered "All setup for showtime when he arrives home.."
"That's just sad. It's healthy you know. Then again you seem to have a vendetta against a lot of things that are healthy." JT said, referring to his eating habits. Getting him to smile was like mission impossible. Probably a waste of time, but she liked to see him smile. She went upstairs with the both of them. She wasn't sure what to say right now so said nothing instead.
She took a seat next to L in front of the laptop screen and just in time too. Light entered his room. He put the mechanical pencil away, then opened the right drawer. Removed the fake diary and opened the secret compartment. Only to find it empty. But she saw something else. A big, somewhat humanoid looking creature. It was ugly and seemed to be decaying. The shinigami. "So that's what a shinigami looks like." She mumbled
Instead of responding to that, he just ignored the whole comment. He knew she was only joking around,.. but he ate the way he did, because he enjoyed snacking.. and sugar was the only thing that kept him at bay. He figured without it, issues would occur because his body would go into breakdown without it.. well that's at least what was a guess anyhow, L had never tried to give up his sugar fixation yet, and as he sat down he pulled out a stick of pocky and started to nibble at it,
It seemed the two of them decided to sit down just in time, Light entered and did what was expected the look of surprise crossing his face as he looked around for obviously his deathnote. L just could not help but gaze at what was obviously the shinigami.. and hearing JT say something about it he knew his eyes were not playing up. He had a feeling if others saw the footage, they would not see the Shinigami.. unless they had touched the deathnote.. it was his guess anyhow, since other wise the FBI agent would have said something about it.. "So you can see that thing as well.., I wonder if he will try and help Kira get back his deathnote.. or.. will he go now and find us.. or what."
"But, how, no one was in here..." Light mumbled. Or did they find all the tricks. He went over to his closet only to find the other pages missing too. The shinigami started laughing, loud... "Now this is fun, humans are sooo interesting." Ryuk said.
"I don't think it's on Light's side, I think he dropped the notebook and wants to see what's gonna happen. IT's like he's studying humans." JT commented.
But it was indeed amusing. "L damn you." Light muttered. It was obvious that only someone as smart as L could have found all his little tricks. "Why L?" The shinigami asked. "I left the doorknob on a specific angle, I put a piece of paper i between my door, but mot importantly I placed a mechanical pencil on the hinge. If anyone had opened the door it would have broken. Most people wouldn't have noticed the doorknob or the pencil, the one who was in my room did. Only someone as smart as L would have." Light explained to the shinigami.
"So now what are you going to do, you don't know his name or face, however if you made the eye-deal you'd be able to pick him out of the crowd and you still got those two pages on you." Ryuk said. Light looked at him, he knew the death god was right. But he didn't want to do it. "Alright." Light said. Ryuk smiled and placed his hand on Light's head, then removed it seconds later. "Congratulations, you now have shinigami eyes." He said.
"I guess we'll have to blindfold him when we arrest him. I bet he can see people's names when he can see their faces. I be that's how shinigamis know people's name. I wonder what the cost would be. I'm sure they talked about that before and Light turned it down originally, which means it must be a high price." JT said.
It seemed that Light was almost annoyed at what had taken place, but then again.. if it had not been for JT, L was sure even he.. careful as he is when it comes to that sorta thing would have missed the mechanical pencil, To say the least, he was not as good at the practical side of things were as that was sorta more where JT belonged when it came to tracking down criminals. L on the other hand preferred to make sure he was safe at all times whilst trying to capture only the cases that interested him.
Between the two that was the main difference, but she was the only person who had probably ever seen him smile.. the limited amount of times, had even made him laugh once.. but that was a long time ago. "It seems all details of your arrival and working with me managed to not get leaked to the police.. that's good, because you would not be noticed by him.. where as he is trying to find me." L went silent to listen to what else that was being said, it seemed if the Death God really was on Kira's side, he would have told him about the camera.. he had a feeling already the Shinigami already knew about it,
A look of desperation seemed to be across Kira's face, he knew he was going down.. and so this had to be his last attempt to make a change. L knew if he died.. and somehow JT was discovered.. the two were the only things really standing in his way.. especially now that he had a new power.. or from the sounds of it. He wondered what the change really did, but knew they would have to be careful working out roughly what it did. It obviously allowed him to the name of the person.. which would mean he could kill them without having to actually finding out their name by other sources
"Blind fold, and have his hands bound I think.. we don't know if fabric will stop something that a Shinigami gave.. so we have to take the necessary precautions.. and here I thought this last part would have no danger.. I only thought that deathgod was going to help Light and come kill us.. as the worst alternative.. but at least he is a neutral spectator almost.. probably here for his own amusement"
"Hands bound is standard procedure. Add a blindfold and we should be safe. The death god finds this all amusing and wants to stetch things out obviously." JT said. "Alright I should get going, talk to your witness and all." She said and walked out, the show was over and she needed to get back to work.
First the witness, then Light's locker, then wake up a judge for an arrestwarrent. She was sure all judges would sign it, no matter what time it was.
"I think the Shinigami would have got something for the deal as well.. it is obvious that it would amuse him to drag it out longer.. but their would be no reason to give Kira a power without a cost.. everything costs something. For all the kills he has written onto paper.. has cost him a sentence he can not avoid.. a life time sentence of suffering with the sins he committed thinking he was a god.."
That was all L had to say before he fell quiet for a moment "Seems like taking care of him will be easy enough if we play it safe.. which means I want you to be a little more careful JT.." he then grabbed another pocky stick snacking on it before offering one to her,
"But of course." JT said, she accepted the pocky stick, not sure if she'd eat it or not, at least not right away. She put it in her pocket and walked out. "Have fun you two." She said, knowing they'd be on the case too. She drove to the workplace of Seth Tzuko and walked up to him.
"Good afternoon sir, are you Seth Tzuko?" JT asked. The man turned around and looked at her, seeing a rpetty young lady. "Yes ma'am." He said.
"You were contacted earlier about what you witnessed at the train station. I was sent here to take your official statement, I hope you can spare a few moments of your time." JT said and showed him her badge.
"Of course." Seth said and walked with her to a small table in the cafetaria of the small restaurant he was working. JT accepted the offer and sat down as did her. "I was hanging around here with some friends. When we walked past that shop a guy sweeping the floor just collapsed, grabbing his chest. Just like that. He looked to be in his thirties or something, not the kind of person that would just die of a heartattack like that so I asked the police to put it with files of the KIRA case." Seth told her.
"Did you see this man there?" JT asked and showed him a picture of Raye Penber.
"I think so." Seth said.
"Was he alone or with someone?" JT then asked.
"Someone was standing really close to him and they walked off together." Seth replied.
"Was the one with him one of these men?" JT asked, showing him a six pack of photos, Light's included with others looking prettty much like him.
"Could be this one, but I'm not sure, I didn't really get a good look at his face." Seth said, he did point at Light's photo though.
JT pulled out her laptop and began yping their conversation. "I'll type out our conversation and print it out, then I'll come back. I'd like you to read it and if you believe it's accurate sign it." She said.
"Of course." Seth said and went back to work as JT typed out his statement. Then she printed it out in triplet and walked back up to him. "Alright here it is." She said.
Seth looked at the papers, scanned through them and signed them. "I hope this helps, good luck." He said and returned to work. In the mean time JT left, on her way to Light's school now.
At this moment now that Kira had become even more dangerous, at least in the fact they would have to be more cautious.. all he could really do was be like himself. That was L,.. secretive yet someone that found out information without having to reveal himself. Light was probably more determined then ever to take out the last known threat at this time to his whole god Complex of which he was trying to invent.. but all things like that had to come to an end sometime. So many were killed in a false sense of justice, and the tactic of fear had dropped crime rates.. but this really was not the right way to go about it all.
"Watari, find me the details for the schools main system.. I need to start trying to bring up as much evidence of writing I can of his for comparison."
Wammy began to start looking before finding something that would be relevant
"Here.. I sent the details to you via bluetooth.."
Sure enough his computer popped up with a new file, bluetooth was actually rather useful.. when it came to this sorta thing, sure it was short range and slow.. but untrackable to the point of unless you were in the room at the time..you would not even know something was sent..
L looked over the details noticing what sort of server the school used, and which methods he would have to use before he starting to hack into it managing to stay undetected. He grabbed the records of about 12 students just incase he was spotted within the system before grabbing as much as he could for Light and disconnecting himself from such a network.
"Watari.. look over Light's files and compare some of the writting with what is in the deathnote.."
"Okay L.."
In the mean time JT walked to Light's locker with the combination, carrying out the other part of the search warrent. She grabbed two notebooks after looking into them a bit, then looked around for anything strange, which of course wasn't there. She closed the locker and returned the spare key to the principle. At first glance it looked similar, but she wasn't exactly an expert on it.
Time to get dinner on the way back. This time she bought a chocolate cake for L and went to the burger kind fo a nice meal for her, it was easy, since it was next to the bakery. Then drove back to the hotel. Around 7:30pm she returned holding three bags. One held a strawberry milkshake and chocolate cake for L, the next her own dinner and the third held the notebooks and Seth Tzuko's sworn statement. "Hi there. I got the statement and the notebooks and brough dinner." sHe said and handed him two of the three bags. She was sure he'd love his dinner this time. She sat down on a comfy chair and started to eat her own dinner.
L was already looking at the comparisons that Watari had found,.. the style looked very similar although even he was not an expert at telling such things and so could not say for sure other then saying "They sure are similar L,.. but this alone won't be enough to prove that this deathnote has Light's writing and that he did not just stumble upon it.. since I know you feel it is him, but maybe Kira.. is just using him to hide his true form.. so just be careful Master L"
It felt odd for L to hear him speak like that to him yet he decided just to ignore it "I know he is Kira.. the chances are over eighty percent.. which means it just has to be.. and once JT comes back.. I have a feeling that it will creep closer to ninety percent.. which we can then start to plan the arrest" L sighed sitting down and started to relax.. enough had been done for today, and they would allow Kira this last day of power.. before tomorrow an arrest would be arranged of which the use of riot gear would hopefully do the task of protecting their identity as well as a flash stun grenade.. now it was just where, and when.. Seeing her return with dinner he wondered what she had gathered before a genuine smile crossed him.. he was unsure why and part of him tried to hide it before he spoke it completely disappeared "I see you learned.. or should I say remember what I would prefer over real food.." in saying that he then started to eat some of the cake and then drank a little of the milkshake that she had bought. "Tomorrow will be Kira's last free day.. Riot gear, a stun and flash grenade.. or a few if needed.. and the police force should work don't you think?"
"I've always known, however I think even you should eat real food from time to time." JT replied and looked at him, he smiled again, twice in one day, that most deffinately was a record. "Not on Light's arrest. Don't forget his father is chief of police and he'd be informed of it, he'd raise hell if he finds out we're going to arrest his son. No I think I'm going to call in help from someone else. I talked to Naomi and she said she wanted to help. You know very well how capable she is and I'm sure the both of us can handle Light just fine. We'll get him when he walks to school." JT replied. Her dinner tasted good, regardless tot he fact that it was fastfood. She'd have to go out again tonight, wake up a judge for an arrest warrent and talk to Naomi who would be more then happy to help. They'd wear helmets, use a flash grenade handcuff him and blindfold him.
L's smiles.. being as rare as they were, simply were rather short.. and if you blinked at the time of a smile showing.. you would miss it. That was just what sort of person he was, He was even unsure of why a smile had crossed him at that moment but instead he started to eat more of his sweet food "But real food is boring.. it does not give the same rush and effect.. that and my teeth would probably suffer with real food.." It seemed like an attempt at an joke before he went back to more serious mode before nodding "Naomi is almost on par with you.. so bringing her in for the help sounds like a good idea.. although with the amount of evidence we have.. Light's father has no choice to accept anyhow.. but he might give warning to Kira.. well, his son. That means we would then not be able to take him by surprise."
"I see." JT said, was he trying to make a joke? Well that was a first. "Well that's why Naomi and I have to do this. I don't think a father or parent of such a perfect looking kid like Light would ever accept it. Light puts a lot of effort to appear to be the perfect son and all." JT replied. She finished her meal, now to finish her chocolate milkshake. Sh loved it and it was king size, just great. She began to drink it slowly. L seemed to be happier for some reason, three smiled in one day, plus an attempt for a joke, that's a record alright.
That was probably his first and only try at making a joke, after all it really was not his type of personality to do such a thing.. infact it was more the direct opposite of what he just did. L had not even noticed the fact that he had let of another one of those rare smiles of his but it would most likely be the last one of today, after all rare occasions were meant to be rare.. and this year those were the first times he had smiled.. maybe it was the company of JT that brought something out of him that usually did not show, either way for L it felt odd. But Watari seemed to be happy to see L smile.. and JT definitely would be adding those to the smiles she had seen before trying to make him break past the number of times she had seen him smile from being in actual numbers rather then being able to be counted using the two hands. The first thing to be finished was his huge milkshake before he saved some of the cake and offered it to JT "You bought it.. you at least deserve some.. after all this case would have drawn out a lot longer without your help"
"No thanks." JT replied and soon finished her milkshake. "I'm full." she told him and looked at the clock. "I should get going again." She told him and got up and left, this she drove to Naomi's appartment. Once there she rang the doorbell.
Naomi opened it and was surprised to see JT again. "Hi, come in, can I get you anything?" She said, then closed the door behind her guest.
"No thank you, I'll keep this brief. We're going to need your help with arresting Kira. However he now only needs a face to kill, that why when we're going to arrest him we're going to wear helmets, use a flash grenade and blindfold him as well as cuff him. We got all the evidence we need, all I need to do now is visit a judge for an arrest warrent. Of course that's if you still want to help." JT said, however the slight devious smile on Naomi's face, she knew Naomi was glad to help.
"Of course I want to help. I'm glad you and L found him so soon. So at what time are we going to arrest him?" Naomi asked.
"On his route to school. I'll come and pick you up at 6:30 am." JT said.
"Alright then I'll see you at 6:30." Naomi said.
"Till then, bye." JT said and left so Naomi could get a decent night's sleep.
He was done with the day just relaxing, tomorrow was a big day after all and finally the capture of Kira, which although they had been quick to try and get him before he hit a status of godliness.. They had let him get close enough already, taking to many lives.. thinking that was justice.. no that was just a childish attitude when power was found.. when a child found something.. it was theirs and they would use it to their advantage.. the deathnote seemed to be no different causing a perfect student to becoming one of the largest threats the world had seen. They had about all the evidence they could gather now and he had a feeling of which when JT was going to organize the capture of Light.. after all the optimum time he knew would be roughly around the time he would unsuspectingly leave for school,.. of which knowing Naomi everything that was going to be required for the capture would be supplied.. and it would be over quick before the blind fold and his hands would be bound.. and JT and L would partially monologue a little after making sure they were not in danger.. speaking how they worked out it was him.. and that sort of thing.
JT arrived at the judge's house and rang the doorbell. the judge opened it, she recognized him from before. "Oh it's you, what do you want?" He asked sounding rather grumpy.
"An arrest warrent for Kira, aka Light Yagami. If you let me in I'll show you the evidence we found." JT said.
"Oh OK, but keep it quick." He said, obviously being a bit grumpy.
JT took out the photos. She first showed him those of the outside of the death note, then handed him pictures of the inside pages and of the loose pages found in Light's room. Also the other samples of Light's handwriting.
"Well that's plenty." The judge said and signed the arrest warrent.
"Thank you your honor." JT said and then left. She quickly drove back to the hotel and walked into L's room. "Well it's all set." She said and sat back down in the chair she'd been using ever since she got there.
Slowly L surprisingly fell asleep, one would have expected him of all people after consuming so much sugar a day, mixed with caffeine and considering he did not do much for it all to disappear, he was the last one expected to fall asleep. but the dead silence, and knowing Kira was finally not a hassle.. made everything easier for him. The case had been a little tiring at points and it seemed to all have caught up. JT would be back eventually after preparing everything for tomorrow, and Watari knew better then to wake him up.. although part of him expected to wake up before she got back. After all it was a small nap, of which the sleep was not very deep anyhow and would be rather easy to break. It seemed about five minutes before she returned L finally woke up, feeling a little tired still but glad that he had the nap, his first thing to do after that.. was go to the fridge and pull out a chocolate candy bar of which he playfully started to eat slowly before seeing her return to the chair that seemed to be claimed from the day she came here. "What's going to happen after we get Kira.. you just going to go your own way?"
"Good question. On the other hand we could continue working together. Neither one of us ever solved a case this difficult this fast. So it might actually make sense. That is if you would like to continue working together." JT said. She'd seen him sleep for a short while and was glad he had. She would never wake him up. She liked the idea of working with him and maybe then they could get closer together as well. They both knew in what way she liked and loved him, question was how would their relationship continue. Getting KIRA would be great and all, the best boost their careers could have, but still she wished KIRA hadn't shown because of so many deaths, another part of her was grateful for the case because it had given them an opportunity to work together.
"Hmm well I guess I am sometimes used to working with people similar to you, but.. it sure will be different. Combining our two methods after all seems to be extremely effective.. I guess, if you want to hang around you can.. right Watari?" A small smile crossed him before he thought for a moment "Organize a room for JT, oh.. and soon we should consider moving from this hotel,.. maybe into something a little larger and something that we will own that has spare rooms.. " L thought for a moment before looking at JT for a second "See how that progress on the building I organized is going.. and then lets call it a night.." He sighed laying back into the chair a little, things sure would be different if she stayed around. After all he would not feel as lonely, since Watari was usually kept busy and the main time the two talked was business related. Wammy started to look at the emails that they had recently received. Like usual there was always crimes in some of them.. but there also was the progress "A few weeks or so and they say it will be finished.."
JT looked around the enormous suite. "Larger?" She asked. It was sort of funny, the suite was really big and all and she didn't mind sharing. Besides it's not like L ever used the bed anyways. "What building?" She then asked. She was always surprised with the luxury he lived in. She usually did her business from te cash kind of motel where the clerk would forget your face before even seeing it. Being a good tipper helped too. She did need a few hours of sleep, three usually did it for her. Well he was full of surprises that was for sure.
L looked at what they were in at this moment as quite small in comparison to what he wanted although that was a small side of him that was partially greedy. That and it was getting to become a pain having to move hotels so often and so instead having one place to stay, that would be extremely secure and large.. it was finally something that would be happening soon."I had it built... but I will show you it when it is finished.. and yes, Larger.. this place is to small.." He was partially relaxed in his chair before he sighed lightly "Well.. we best call it a night then,.. we have Kira to catch tomorrow.. and then we will see how everything goes after that.." truth was L would probably get next to no sleep but that was the type of person he was, a few hours would suffice.. that was if he even got that.
"Too small? Then I guess it's a good thing I'm visiting you and not the other way around. This place is huge by the way, on top of tat it wouldn't fit in my budget. Anyway I'll see you around five thirty before I go and pick up Naomi." JT said and got up. By now Watari had arranged for a room two floors down. It wsn't as luxurious as L, but it was still great. The bed was maybe too comfortable it wouldn't be easy to get up early and just to be sure she set the alarmclock for four am.
At five thirty am the next morning there was a knock on the door of L's hotel suite. She'd had the best sleep in years and was more then ready to go and catch KIRA.
A normal person would have probably laughed upon JT making such a comment yet L just kept his normal face pretty much, it was how he was used to reacting and so it was what came naturally. "Okay then JT.. enjoy your sleep" the night slowly passed for him, and sleep was something that barely came, he managed to get a few hours before waking up a touch earlier then expected. Instead of moving he just relaxed not in a hurry to get up, they had a time set anyhow so there was no point getting up early.
Slowly L was the first one up out of him and Watari and even though the knock had awoken Wammy, L had been the one whom answered the door " You look like you slept well.." he made it as a small comment before Wammy yawned slightly before starting to walk towards them "Lets go then.. the car is waiting outside."
"Indeed, same goes for you." She said and stepped inside and saw a still sleepy looking Wammy. "No offense Watari, but you look like you need some coffee first, besides I don't have to be there for another hour so have some coffee first, maybe breakfast?" She suggested. He wasn't gettting any younger after all. She sat down, she'd already had one cup of coffee, but she could go for another one. Wammy's was much better anyway.
She sat down in the chair, expecting her old friend to get some coffee and take the time to actually wake up, they'd still be in time if they left in like twenty five minutes. At this hour no one was out there, well almost no one.
Hearing such a thing Wammy was glad before giving a small bow of appreciation. "I see your as thoughtful as always" he then decided to start heading off to go make a coffee for himself turning to face L and JT, of which before he even got to ask L spoke answering the question he had turned around to ask. L always had a bit of a skill when it came to knowing if a question was going to be asked and an even better skill of knowing what that question would be. "double strength and bring the sugar to me so I can add it as I please"
Watari then turned towards JT saying " and you?" he waited for the answer before heading off yo go do the task set and to mainly awaken himself. Quickly he made the drinks before taking L his placing the sugar in front of him to go and return to grab the remaining coffee that he had made up taking a drink of his in the process.
"Double strength, just black please." JT said and looked at L. In all those years he hadn't changed a bit. It was funny, if you knew him from fifteen years ago you'd still recognize him. Same hair, same outfit, almost exactly the same face, his vouce was lower now though. JT grabbed her cup and took a sip. It was great as always and smiled a little. Yep deffinately better then the hotel coffee. One advantage if she chose to stick around, she'd have coffee that good every morning.
She took her time with her coffee. "Hm, L, I assume you'll wait for us here." She said and looked at him. Then she looked at Watari. "We have to go in five minutes." She said to Watari. Knowing the man had already finished or was close to finishing his cup of coffee.
Watari was not really surprised by JT's response, it had been exactly what he thought he would hear. Most people could not stand a double strength black coffee but then again JT was not just some standard normal person. Seeing the two of them start to drink their coffee's he headed back to go grab his own before taking a sip of the hot liquid a soft sigh leaving him. That's better.. Now Wammy walked back to were they were seeing L like normal adding a lot more sugar before starting to drink it. It almost was a unnatural amount that was put into each cup and yet his teeth were as white as a pearl. Surprisingly L today was not demolishing his coffee though taking his time for once obviously still thinking about the capturing of Kira... aka Yagami Light-San
Slowly he simply shook his head "I was involved in the Kira case as well.. I want to help with the capture.. instead of hiding away like I would normally do.." it sure was a first for L to even say something that could lead to him partially endangering himself, but the truth was he wanted to capture Kira.. capture Light and feel the success of solving one of the hardest cases so far for him, with the help of JT anyhow.
"So we'll be needing four helemets. I'm sure that can be arranged. Now let's get going." she said and put her empty cup down and put on her jacket. It really was time to head off. She walked to the car, feeling a bit nervous about all this. At least he wouldn't be able to see their names with the helmets and since they would blindfold him too.
Arriving at 6:30 sharp she rang the doorbell to Naomi's appartment. It turned out Naomi was already up and wide awake for a cup of coffee or two. "I'm so excited." She told JT. "There's been a development though. We have reason to believe KIRA now only needs a face to kill so we'll be wearing helmets during the arrest." JT told her. "Fine with me." Naomi replied and walked with JT to the car. "Oh and one more thing. L decided he wanted to be present with capturing KIRA, so you'll finally have a chance to meet him. I know you worked for him before." JT said. NAomi smiled. "Well I have to admit I wonder sometimes what he would be like, I guess I'll finally find out." She told JT. "I think he's probably nothing like you imagined at all." She told Naomi before opening the door to the back seat for Naomi, giving her a chance to talk to L as she took her seat beside Watari.
Watari after finishing his cup of coffee seemed to be completely awake now unlike he had first seemed. Quite impressive that he managed to pull himself together so well, L was going to let him relax for a little after Kira was caught which today was going to be that day. It sure was going to be interesting meeting Naomi since he knew since the case she had wanted to meet him in person quite some time ago.
Yet it was unlike him to even be in a situation where such a thing would become possible yet today was the first for a few things. Him and JT had not worked together like this before yet it had worked well for the two of them and L found himself having to not do as much as he would have had to if he had been on his own. L watched as they all were now in the car before a small sigh left him as he spoke "Today is finally the day we get to apprehend Yagami Light, of which we have strong evidence he his Kira,.. as JT probably has already told you.." he paused before speaking quietly "It has been a while Naomi.. or did you forget the first time we met.. where you met me once without knowing who I was, of which you almost attacked me, sending me backwards with a kick.. I know I recall that day.."
Jt just sat in the front and listened to the conversation which was proving to be quite interesting. But she said nothing. Naomi looked at L and recalled that day and was speechless. He looked just like BB. That's why she'd attacked him the first time. "I remember, sorry about that." She said softly. She was sure he knew why she'd done it. The BB murder case had taken a strain on her. A man pretending to be L, then she'd found out who he was, he tried to burn himself. she'd saved BB and now he was locked up in a mental institution.
"May I ask what evidence?" She then asked.
"For one we found the murder weapon in his room. He was present on the buss when the bus jacking took place and a witnes saw that Raye showed his badge to Light. And the bussdriver confirmed Raye Penber being on that buss. Also the station at which Ray got off was only a two stops from the one closest to Light's house, it would make sense he'd want to get off as soon as possible. "
It was no surprise to hear that Naomi remembered that day, after all it was going to be clearly stuck in his for a little while. Hearing her say sorry L looked out the window for the moment before speaking "No need for an apology, what is done.. is done" Hearing the evidence start to be rattled off to her L decided to start adding in his own that he had noticed " We also have seen quite a few coincidences and got Kira identified by someone whom said he saw a man of Light's description behind who could have been Raye Penbar as the two spoke to each other a man dying close by.. and we have video proof that the deathnote was his, and have matched his handwriting to the book itself." L then let a small sigh escape him "finally the day we get to capture him for everything he has done,.. then Kira will get the justice he deserves.. for all the people he has killed,.. for all the people he would have killed, his reign will be finished and the world can be more normal as it seems to act in fear these days"
Naomi nodded. Glad L didn't hold grudges. She smiled when she heard the remaining evidence. They had him hook line and sinker without him knowing it. "I don't think a case could get this good. I have no doubt he'll get what he has coming. But how would KIRA be dealt with. He's killed people all over the world and every coutry would want juristiction." Naomi pointed out.
"Good question. I say he should be handed to a country with the death penalty. Then after his excecution we can destroy the death note for good." JT replied. It was way too dangerous to leave it in an evidence locker somewhere. Then again the countries all together might feel safer if he's dead and come with a unanimous decision of a death sentence. It was also possible a special court would be brought into existence for this case alone.
They arrived ten minutes early. Eva got the helmets from the trunk and handed one to everyone. She carried guns and had a permit. She also had taken out three pairs of handcuffs and two blindfolds and handed Naomi one of each as well as L. It would all depend who got to him first. Watari would be at the wheel, ready to drive off A.S.A.P.
No matter what the judgment L just hoped they would be harsh, after all.. Kira really had caused the word quite some fear and so many had died because he simply wanted to create a god complex, oh what power did to people.. it truly did ruin great potential knowing Light could have had a great future.. obviously being extremely intelligent yet he had been given a chance at becoming more then simply a human which was something L did not agree any human should have the right to have.
"as long as he gets what he deserves for killing so many, that is all that matters.. the rest will be out of our control once he is captured and our evidence is presented to the people whom will prosecute." L knew the chance of the death sentence was high or at least it would be jail for life, something possibly considered worse yet it was not worth the risk of doing such a thing because possibly the shinigami would do something that could end up with Kira being released once again.
The helmet quickly hid L's face not wanting to expose himself for to long. It seemed the method was who ever was closest would go for the capture seeing the number of handcuffs that Naomi seemed to have. "I suppose we now wait for the perfect time to strike?.." he asked wondering how they were going to approach this. It was probably only going to take an instant before he was caught then Kira's reign of terror would be over.
The next ten minutes were tense for all of them. Light approached, mumbling to the shinigami. He approached JT's spot first. He never saw her and didn't know what happened when his legs were swiped from under him and he landed face down in the dirt. Then quickly JT pressed her knee into his back, putting some weight on it. She handcuffed and blindfolded the still fazed boy. "Light yagami you're under arrest for murder, being KIRA to be more exact." JT said.
Light was panicking a bit. Who was she and what did she know? "Who the hell are you?" He asked.
"People know me as JT. Oh and it's not my real name by the way." She told him.
"But wasn't L on this case?" Light asked.
"We both are." JT replied. She got off of him and grabbed him by his arm. "Let's go." She said. Light had no choice but to follow. Getting him into the car had gone better then expected. The shinigami looked amused and puzzled. Naomi took the passenger's seat next to Watari this time as JT sat one one side of Light. There was enough room for three people on the back seat.
L had to admit slightly upon noticing Light he was slightly disappointed to see that he was not going to be close enough for the capture and instead would just get to watch knowing that JT would have no issue doing it herself slowly approaching towards them as she quickly did what they had set out to be. It was no surprise to hear Kira ask whom she was since it would be impossible to see without actually seeing her face, which was why they had taken the extra precaution. Seeing as she began leading him towards the car he walked after them before hopping into the backseat since it would seat all three of them since Naomi had sat in the front. Once the car started to drive L decided to start speaking.
"Yagami Light... or would you prefer me to call you Kira.. since that defines who you became,.. the murderer.. the person whom thought he could be god.. I am L,..and with JT's help.. you will finally get the punishment you deserve for trying to take justice into your own hands.. to try and create fear to make you a god to some. But your just another teenager, except for a little you were dangerous... to bad that is over for you hmm.. what do you have to say for yourself?"
"I think I know. He was trying to make this world a better place by killing the criminals and as he saw the power the death note had developped a god complex along the way." JT said.
"Don't make fun of me. I'm sure you'll agree with me that without certain people this world will be a better place. I just put my thoughts into actions." Light said.
"You did so thinking black and white. Never thinking that the people could have been convicted while they were innocent for one. The justice system is created by humans and thus not perfect, yet you would take every word of it for granted when you set out to kill." JT said. She had him there.
"But that doesn't happen too often." Light countered.
"All depends on which country you're in. A rich country like the united states and some in Europe that's the case, but countries ruled by dictators and so on such as in Africa..." JT replied.
This he hadn't really thought of. But still people would stop commiting crimes simply because they would fear him. He chose to say nothing instead.
I don't need to know the reason of what he was trying to do JT,.. as i clearly saw what he was aiming for except he simply went about it the wrong way.. and then when we started to target him.. it seemed innocents could possibly suffer just so he could create a world that everything was his way or it was regarded as death since Kira.. did once have that power."
L sighed a little before shaking his head a little "You really could have been something Light.. but instead you tried to target me when I got closer to uncovering you.. and then did not realize for once I did not work alone.."
He knew that Naomi probably wanted some sort of revenge for what Kira had done to Raye Penbar whom had seemed like a fair man. Loyal.. believed in true justice and he had even apparently written something about this would be his last day investigating Light since he was just a normal teenager..
"Killing those FBI members was not justice.. but what you will recieve for it and the others you have killed,.. to me will be justice since I knew you were Kira.. i just needed the proof and you kindly donated it to us quite easily.."
"You.." His finger pointed to the half floating in the car "I take it your a shinigami.. and yes I can perfectly see you, I have made contact with the Death Note which made it possible so it would seem.. care to tell me a little about it and why you are in this world?"
Ryuk looked amused, so they had the death note. Things were lookig grim for Light now. "I was bored so I dropped the death note into the human world. I knew I would have to stay with whoever picked it up and I was hoping for some fun and for a little while Light made things really interesting." Ryuk ansered.
"What's your name?" JT asked Ryuk. He was ugly and all, but didn't seem to be on anyone's side but his own, that was good.
"I'm Ryuk and do you guys have some apples?" He asked.
"Well looks like more evidence. The message from the notes. L do you know, shinigami only eat apples? You answer our questions and we'll get you plenty of apples." JT promised him.
"Soudns good." Ryuk said.
Light wanted to sink through the ground about now. So they had the death note and he'd never even noticed they'd been in his room. Not until he'd noticed the death note was missing."
Although the answer from the creature or more accurately stated Shinigami, was slightly unexpected L knew that Ryuk seemed to not need to lie about such a thing since he seemed careless enough as it was that Light had been caught. They had spent all this time being weary once finding out about the death god, but it at least was better to be safe just in case it had taken a bad turn and the death god decided he was still bored and kept him for entertainment. L breifly looked in the backseats pocket before pulling out a shiny red apple. ""I must thank you Kira... for at least telling me this message that came in use somehow after you wasted my time with it.."
Watari simply drove before briefly looking at Naomi "What should we do with him before proper transport for his trial occurs?"
Ryuk smiled as he saw the apple. He decided to save them sometime and for a moment took a seat on the roof. Just long enough to write down Light's name, Forty seconds later Light collapsed of a heart attack and Ryuk showed them his notebook through the window.
"Looks like we won't have to worry about that anymore." JT replied, looking at a now dead Light Yagami. Probably for the best. Now they could at least destroy the death note. The world would be a much safer place. But what would they do with Light's body? They could always list him as a victim of KIRA's. In a way he was. The killings would stop and the theory would be KIRA was in prison or dead. That would work, it would also save his family the horrible truth.
L wondered where Ryuk was deciding to go as he went above the roof disappearing almost completely just for a moment before about thirty seconds passed of which as he looked at Light he watched what could have been a talented man, die in front of his eyes. It was karma almost to be killed by a book similar to his own, by the person whom had given him book. "I guess he got what he deserved... killing people with the deathnote, to end up being put to death by the exact same sort of thing.."
It was odd yet L found himself being able accept it completely. It was good that they had not actually told anyone else if they knew who Kira had been, but they could announce him being defeated but say Light-Kun had been his last victim knowing that Cheif Yagami of the police force would be able to handle such news earlier "I guess tat we will just announce him as a death of Kira suffering the trademark heart attack, of which shortly after he disappeared.. and hopefully that will be enough which people will notice that he is gone.. "What are you going to do now Ryuk.. I have to ask you not to leave such a thing around, and I am going to burn the deathnote that was his.. you do not mind this.. yes?"
"Ironic justice." Naomi said. She was glad KIRA was gone, now the death note could be destroyed.
"Ironic indeed." JT said. Now that the death note could be destroyed...
"No. My time here is up. I have to head back to the shinigami realm now." Ryuk said nd flew high into the air, disappearing. He could always get another notebook. The humans could have this one. Getting a new notebook could proof to be interesting...
"That could work." JT said.
L was not sure what he would do now that Light was gone now, and Kira was eliminated of which the death god had left as well, and on top of that he had helped with the destruction of the deathnote of which had been the cause of the whole issue. The case itself was quickly over and done with, most people seeming more relieved that it was over more so then what were the details making it a lot easier. Part of L was going to be sad that JT would be leaving shortly more then likely. Since he was starting to get used to not just simply having his butler around. That and Watari seemed to be glad that he had someone whom he could relate to a little since she was similar to him... or more to the point simply did not find him odd like everyone else did. Although L never seemed to acknowledge the fact that JT definitely had something going for him, Watari had seen the signs of it plenty of times and well.. he felt it was something that was needed. Actual human interaction instead of working alone in secrecy on cases he chooses..
JT was glad the case was over with and decided to stay and work with him. It was obvious they made a good team and well she liked him. Maybe she could get him to realize that. She sipped her tea, sitting on the couch next to him. "You know I'd like to stick around. We make a great team." JT said. She wondered how L would react. She knew Watari would like the idea. Even in the years they'd been apart she'd wondered about him. How he was doing, if he wasn't lonely or anything. And she was worried about him being cut off from human contact other then Watari. At least now she could keep an eye on that. Back in England they'd played tennis, sometimes had gone outside. But that was a rarity for L she knew.
L looked at JT for a moment finding it hard to actually believe what she was saying to him, it made little sense at this moment why she would want to stay. Still part of him was not complaining since things were at least more interesting when JT was around. That and Watari.. well he knew would worry about him a little less now that he would have other company. "if that is what you want.. not much will have to change from the way it is.." he offered a weak smile, something he rarely showed. "Maybe we might have to have a tennis game sometime.. like ages ago back in England.. I am sure you remember? I am pretty sure you even won, a few times..". Considering how competitive the two of them were at times, he remembered how close it generally was, even though there was a gender difference that really did not get in the way. It had been some of the few times he had felt what most would probably call a hint of happiness. Probably the same sort of thing that he was feeling at this moment.
"Sounds good. A few times yes, but usually you. It was fun." JT said and didn't miss the smile. For now there was no new case and they had some time to themselves. She recalled those days. Although his smile had been rare always, he had in general looked happier. Hopefully he could be like that again She put her empty tea cup down and smiled at him. He'd smiled more in the past few months then in the years before that was a good sign.
Right now she just wanted to cuddle up with him, but wasn't sure how he'd react. Human affection, it was something he didn't get often. Not as a child and even less now as an adult. She sat closer to him and put an arm around him, hoping he wouldn't freak out. She had done little things before, a hand on his shoulder, a kiss on his cheek. She just hoped he wouldn't mind hoped he might enjoy it.
It was good that the two of them would be working together but what Watari hoped that JT could show L, was something he could not. Judging by the feelings he say within her, he could see a possible happiness for L, but more so. She loved him. It was so clear and maybe she would manage to get L to show the crush he always had and tried to hide. Even now L's actions recently showed some emotional change and his body language not so slouched compared to how it had been before she arrived.
Seeing her move closer L had a slight confusion shoot through his head. Upon her arm going around him, naturally he went to freak out and ask JT what she thought she was doing. Still no words managed to leave him and so he simply stayed quite letting her do what she was. After all she had done small similar things before so this felt no different. Well apart from the warmth and a relaxing feeling of calmness. ."i dont think we will have a case for a while, but i think Watari and all of us need a break after the Kira case. . At least another month or so. . Agree?." it was the first words he had spoken after a few minutes silence caused by her action of wrapping an arm around him.
JT studied his reaction. He hadn't kicked her. He probably would have had she been anyone else. She'd seen small changes in him. Less slumped over, more smiles then she'd seen from him in years. Time seemed to pass really slowly, but she felt him relax when the confusion had passed. "I agree. Let's have some fun during that time. Maybe a nice tennis match?" JT then suggested. A whole month of free time with L, a dream come true. Playing tennis was something they'd be doing. And hopefully they could get to a bit of romance too. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking Either way it would be fun. But how to break the uneasiness he had with being touched? That would be a challenge.
Watari had known that L was not going to kick her, although if it had been someone else, there would have probably been a high chance of him doing it swiftly to get the person away and warn them not to do such a thing. hearing her question he waited to see L's reaction, wondering how exactly would he act watching the two interact in a way that he had hoped L would have done with people more often. It showed he did have somewhat a real side of him that was more human like. He stayed silent watching as L finally responded "I would like that.. although I will not go easy on you just because you helped me out with the Kira case.." his eyes glanced at her for a moment wondering what had seemed to go through her head, since JT probably had not noticed that a slight blush had appeared softly on her cheeks that if he had not looked at that moment, he would have probably missed the emotion that showed
"I wouldn't want it any other way." JT said. It was more fun when the both of them went all out. She looked back at him and smiled. She had no idea there was a mild blush on her cheeks. But he'd probably freak if he knew what she was thinking about. She looked into those big black eyes of his, they never seemed to miss anything. She was hoping she might see something in them, the slightest hint of emotion, anything at al....
"Gah, where could they be?" Mikura asked herself, getting rather annoyed that the would be killer she was chasing seemed to have gotten away. She was currently searching for the assassin in a dank, dark abandoned parking garage. She was dead set on catching this person, so she failed to realize the assassin had lead her intentionally, where she was alone and couldn't call for back up.
Suddenly, Mezzo would hear the doors of the garage slide shut and lock one by one. Soon she was in complete and utter darkness....however that all changed when a large single light bulb switched on at the top of the garage..showing the area she was standing in.
Then she heard a chuckle...and a woman with short blue hair and an eye patch came out. She was dressed in a blue and white maids oufit and wore blue gloves with studs and large fighting boots. If the description of the assailant didn't give her away, the blood on her outfit sure did.
"'My oh my...'" said the spider to the fly." She chuckled. "Stupid Stupid..Stupid.... You fell right into my trap. Secluded warehouse...noone to hear for miles and miles...and you came alone. ONly us and my other girls...and all the exits are blocked. Now..." She grins. "This is where you beg for fucking mercy...like the useless piece of shit you are!" She laughs. "You can start begging ...NOW!"
"Please. I'd never beg to anyone. Especially some cosplay freak in a maids outfit. You like you stepped out of some bad hentai." Mikura replied, grinning defiantely as she aimed her gun right at the woman. Though, as odd as the outit was, she had to admit the girl was gorgeous. Her highly revealed and curvy body made Mikura a bit envious.
The girl laughed...and she smiled "Oooh..she has a gun...." She giggles and spoke more...just moving a little bit closer..but so slowly that the girl wouldn't fire yet. No sudden movements..just slow advancements. "You forgot one thing though Missy."
She does a spin kick suddenly - but this kick is so fast, that Mezzo can't see it coming. It knocks the gun out of her hands and send it spinning towards the darkness. One of the girls grabbed it and disposed of it and the bullets. As she did that...the main girl did an elbow to Mezzo's throat, a kick to the stomache and then grabbed her arm and flung her over her shoulders into some crates. Before the girl could even think of recovering, she was over top of her and she punched her right in the nose, almost breaking it, but not quite.
"Now...its time for our fun time...girls...Everyone come and watch. Little Miss Prissy is going to learn about fucking around with the wrong girl...literally." She dragged the girl into the centre of the area again...and leaned over her and began to tear her clothing off..ready to punch her again if she resisted.
Mikura had zero time to react. The girl was just too fast. When she finally wrapped her head around what was going on, the girl had already stripped her down to her bra and panties. That punch to her nose had hurt her nose, but also knocked her for quite a loop, making her light headed.
The girl grinned as she kept tearing...she used a knife to tear the bra and panties up...and then sliced them into ribbons. "You won't need those any more....you're going to be our fuck toy until we're tired of you." She smiles. "And that...my little fucking whore...will be a long...long...LONG time..."
Then with other girls grabbing Mikura's arms and legs..and pulling them apart spread eagled, the girl began to kiss her on the lips..licking them..and leaving a long trail of saliva as she began to lick the woman's face ...and move her way down with her moist tongue.
The other girls cheered her on and shouted "Go Ryoumou! FUCK HER! yeahh...make her cry! Make her cry like a baby!"
"NO....STOP!!!" Mikura pleaded, groaning lightly when the woman began to lick her way down her amazing body. Sure, Mikura was highly skilled, but not only were there more of them than her, they were also all better fighters than her. She really had no chance of escaping. For now, and who knows how long after....she was set to be their play thing.
Ryoumou giggled and said "Lift her head and force her to watch me eat her pussy..." The other girls nodded and quickly moved her head up so she had to watch as Ryoumou began to dive between her thighs, hungrily eating out the pussy, her tongue sliding between the pussy lips and filling the vagina with her tongue...
As crazy and vile as this situation was, Mikura couldn't help but moan lightly as the woman furiously ate her out. Plus, there was just something about watching it that turned a part of her on. Perhaps Mikura had developed a taste for force.
Ryoumou hmm'ed and drank deep of the girl....moaning as the juices began to dribble out.
"Hmm..you're enjoying it you little tart, aren't you?" She smiled "Hey girls..this one's secretly a gang-bang whore. Let's not disappoint her."
She then leaned up... gave the girl a long slow French kiss, and as she did...she shoved her fingers DEEP into the pussy and broke her hymen - IF it was there...If not...the girl would still get a good finger fucking.
Mikura was quite surprised the kiss and the addition of the fingers to her oral ravaging. Surprisingly....she kissed back hesitantly, moaning and clutching at the women she was currently making out with,
Ryoumou didn't mind if the girl enjoyed it...it was about her and the girls getting off any ways. Besides there was always the chance the girl was acting to catch them off guard...either way. Ryoumou was getting laid. She stood up and quickly undressed. "Spread her legs..I want to pussy fuck her."
The other girls soon spread the woman's legs more so they could watch her fuck the girl.
This was easily one of mikuras weirdest sexual encounters. But, seeing how loud she was moaning and how she obeyed their commands, she didn't seem to mind.
All the girls cheered as Ryoumou took her skirt and panties off...and lay between the girl's stretched thighs. No one noticed that the girl was enjoying and no one was trying to see if she was anyway.
Ryoumou sighed happily as lay full weight on the girl and began to pussy fuck her.."FUcking shit ..you're wet whore....hmm..You'll be more wet by the time me and my girls fuck the shit out of you..." She grabbed her lover's ass cheeks and began fuck her roughly...licking her face wetly as she raped her hard.
It had been a few years since the second bloody valentine war ended. She was no longer in any military organisation. After her parents had died she had inherited their fortune Her parents came from money and had been engineers their whole lives. Now she was a member of the junk guild like her parents and worked with mechanics. For the past two years she had worked on her own gundam. It was finally finished. She put on her pilot suit and got into the cockpit, a robotic blue bird joined her. She launched into the air and then space. She tried out te new system she had made for maneuvering and it worked like a charm, never before had she been able to make a mobile suit move so quickly and acurately. That was a success.
She was heading for a debree field to test the weapons when a large rift appeared and sucked her in. She flew into it, not having a choice. When she finally re-entered normal space the colony she was next to looked nothing like the ones she knew. Earth was still there that was good, at least it wasn't some alien world. Whatever that anomily had been it wasn't just between places. She was confused and started running every scan the sensors could possibly do.
Duo was working on Deathscythe. He ran over tot he main computer to check on something when the sensors they had went haywire. Proffessor G tried to read them but couldn't make heads or tails of it, instead activated the cameras. A somewhat small rift, no more then fifty meters across had appeared right next to the colony and soemthing was coming out of it, a mobile suit, a gundam. Deathscythe wasn't finished yet and a fight couldn't happen. Instead Duo started to try and hail the pilot in the machine that had just appeared. It looked quite impressive.
Heero sighed as he ran some scans on Gundam Wing to find any sort of bug before he took it out for a test drive.
"So far so goo-" Heero stopped when he heard something off. Standing up from his seat he ran towards the source of the disturbance... a rift.
"What is... going on?" Heero asked seeing the mobile suit come out "Friend or foe?"
Meanwhile
Jus' a little tune for Musha Gundam!
"BWAAHAHAHAHAHA!" Jake roared from inside the cock pit of the Musha gundam as he cut down various samurai styled Zakus "SOMEBODY... GIVE ME A REAL FIGHT!!!"
Suddenly out of the blue a storm hit the battle field of Ark, destroying the villages below.
"The hell?!" Jake growled as he fired off a few shots "The hell is going on here?! Mitsuhide?! Mitsuhide do you hear me?! HEY!"
Lightning bolts rain down on the Musha Gundam as it tried to block them with his trident and naginata.
"DAMN IT!" Jake roared as the ground beneath was lifted into the air and soon... everything turned to black.
Upon opening his eyes, Jake found himself falling from the sky at a great speed.
"CRAP!" He growled as he quickly drew Musha Gundam's katana and stuck it into a nearby building to soften his fall.
Doctor J looked through the computer. "It's canning us, a foe would have opened fire, but it may not be a friend just yet." He said and opened a hailing frequency. "This is Doctor J to the pilot of the mobile suit, please identify yourself and your intentions." He said, he was being friendly.
"My name is Eva Johnson. I was sucked into that rift and now I'm not sure where I am. These colonies look nothing like the ones where I just came from. Do you have any idea what that rift is?" She then asked him.
Doctor J scanned the closing rift. "Well I've heard about it in theory, never seen one before. If I'm not mistaken it's an interdimensional rift. So who do you work for?" He then asked.
"Myself. I quit the army a couple of years ago. Can I come in by any chance?" Eva then asked him.
"Sure." Dr. J said, intrigued to have a visitor who seemed to come from a different dimension. Eva landed inside and docked her suit right next to the gundam Wing. She got out of the cockpit, the bird flying off, its wingflaps sounded mechanical even though it looked real.
"We gotta move. Plan B." Proffessor G ordered.
"On it." Duo replied and put on nightgoggles and drove off into the colony while the others cut the main power to the colony. Suddenly evrything was pitch black. Duo stopped on the rooftop of a garage and when close enough to the mobile suit launched a simple device onto its arm. "Unless you want to end up being attacked by an army follow me, I can get you out of here safely newcomer." He said. The string attached to the suction cup carried the sound to inside of the suit.
Heero said nothing when he saw Eva walk into the lab.
Rifts? Heero always thought rifts were just something from Science fiction and what not. And yet...
"A rift... why do I have the feeling she's not the only one?" The pilot muttered under his breath.
Jake growled as he scanned the area but sensed something on Musha Gundam's arm. That's when he heard Duo's voice.
"Quite the bravery..." Jake said as Musha Gundam drew it's katana and pointed it at Duo "To try and talk to an armed man..."
After thinking for a second Jake sighed saying "But Alright... I'll follow ya..."
"I don't know. All I know is that there was no one within miles from me so if there's someone else maybe there was a second rift?" Eva replied. "That's a nice looking machine you have there, a gudam?" She asked. his caused the doctor to look at her. "So you know that term, you have them in your dimesion too, your suit is a gundam too then? May I ask where you got the gundanium to build it?" Dr. J said.
"Obviously, yes and what the hell is gundanium?" Eva replied.
"You don't know what gundanium is? Then why do you call your mobile suit a gundam?" Dr. J asked.
"No. Generation Unsubdued Nuclear Drive Assualt Module. Gundam. So what is gundanium?" Eva replied.
"I see, gundanium is a very hard metalic compound that can only be produced in space, it's many times harder then titanium and therefor it would be much harder to damage the mobile suit. I guess you really have to be careful not to get hit then." Dr. J said.
"I'm always careful, however multiple phase shift armor and mirror coating help minimise the damage so even though made of something that's not as hard as gundanium it can handle quite a lot." Eva replied.
"Multiple phase armor, mirror coating?" Dr. J asked. She was very forthcoming, not planning on being an enemy.
"Yes. Multiple phase shift armor uses an electric current to minimize damage while mirror coating can disperse beams and at the right angle even reflect them. Multiple phase shift armor has different settings and each one uses a different amount of power. The color of the gundam depends on which phase is used." Eva replied.
"Remarkable. If we could add that to a suit already made of gundanium..." He mused.
"I got a deal for you. I'll help you install multiple phase shift armor and mirror coating on your machine if you replace the titanium of my machine with gundanium." Eva replied.
"You know how to do that?" He asked.
"I do, I designed and built this machine myself." She told him, referring to her gundam.
"Well Heero what do you think?" Dr. J then asked.
Duo didn't flinch or anything at the reaction of the weapon pointed to him, nothing fearful at least. "Good, this way." Duo said and detached the suction cup and started druving, flooring it. He got them back to the shelter in maybe ten minutes time where there was a space next to Deathscythe for him to dock his mobile suit. A voice sounded over his intercom. "Please dock your mobile suit next to the Deathscythe." Proffessor G said. "We'd like to have a word with you. Maybe over some dinner?" He suggested. His mobile suit looked like it came straight from a battle so he was probably tired and hungry.
"Very well... if it will help in making Wing Gundam stronger..." Heero sighed.
He didn't trust this girl quite yet. Though he was quite curious about the technology on her gundam.
"Feh... sure..." Jake growled as he docked the Musha gundam. Soon the cock pit opened revealing Jake. A tall man with short dirty blond hair, an Oni mask on his face, a pair of Geta sandals and a Hakama.
"OOSHA!!!" Jake roared as he hopped from the cock pit and landed on the ground next to Duo causing a small tremor "Fu fu fu... so... where the hell am I?!"
She had never been the chattiest among soldiers, but this kid took it to the next level. "That it will. I'm going to have to take a look at it, you're the pilot right?" Eva said to Heero. "It's nice to meet you Heero." She said, assuming he'd heard the conversation between her and the doctor he would already know her name. Hopefully he wasn't one of those pilots who would kill anyone who would touch their mobile suit. "So you're an engineer then?" Dr. J asked.
"No I'm a retired soldier who built a mobile suit, but both my parents were engineers. I grew up between parts lying around of all sorts of things. Needless to say I picked up some things." She told him.
"A soldier huh? Would you mind if we tested your skills?" Dr. J asked.
"Not at all. What kind of test do you have in mind?" Eva then asked.
"Well hand to hand combat, how you handle a gun and some simulations with mobile suits basically." Dr. J said.
"Fine with me." Eva replied. She kept in shape, the kind of world she lived in it was required. Then her robotic bird finally showed itself. Its wingflaps sounded mechanical, but it looked real. It's body was covered with holographic projecters. It looked like a blue macaw and landed on Heero's head.
Duo looked at the guy. Not bad looking even though he couldn't see the guy's face. The sandals and outfit were rather strange and the whole Oosha thing sounded like something that could ahve come from a movie. "This is colony L2. Oh and what's with this Oosha thing?" Duo then asked casually. "This way please." He lead their new guest tot he kitchen or what passed for it. It was almost dinner time and a small group was making dinner for everyone. It wasn't any gourmet food, but it would do.
Heero nodded saying "Nice to meet you Eva..."
He watched the exchange between Eva and Doctor J. So the girl built her mobile suit all by her self? Not bad.
"Pretty impressive to build it by yoursel-" Heero stopped when the mechanical bird landed on his head "The hell?"
"Don't mock me boy." Jake said as he followed Duo into the kitchen.
"That gundam..." Jake began referring to DeathScythe "It reminds me of Mitsunari Ishida's gundam... heh... Jus' saying that name brings back memories. Let me ask you this boy... are there any good fighters in this... colony? I atleast want to make my time here worth it."
"It took me a couple of years, but it's finally done." She chuckled. "Come here, Chad." She said to the bird and it landed on her shoulder instead. "If it weren't a machine I'd say I think he likes you. I guess your head was just convinient to land on." She said, then turned her attention to Dr. J. "You mentioned hand to hand combat, who's my opponent going to be?" She asked, there were more people working around there and she got some strange stares.
"Wel I'm one of them. I'm the pilot of the Deathscythe. They wouldn't let me pilot it unless I am good." Duo replied. He was a street rat and although he might not look all that tough had plenty of tricks up his sleeve even if he did dress like a priest. "Please have a seat." Duo said and took his usual one. "If I may ask who's this Mitsunari Ishida?" Duo said. Duo's colony was one of the poorest fo them all and on the streets it was all about survival. He made it through, was really good at picking locks etc. With the training he got from Proffessor G he got from good to excellent.
Heero couldn't help but smirk a small bit at the odd looking bird.
"I'll be your opponent..." Heero said walking up to Eva and got in a fighting pose "Come..."
"In my world... Ark... We're in constant civil war with several Daimyo's after the supreme rule of the land. I was one of them... Jake Hojo... Leader of the hojo army and one of the seven great Gundams of Ark." Jake explained with a bit of pride in his voice and sat down at the table and continued his story "After the death of my ally, Shingen Takeda the pilot of Musha Burning Gundam, My army went solo and stayed out of the fight for awhile. Well one thing lead to another and after the current ruler Nobunaga Oda was assassinated... that damn Hideyoshi Toyotomi took his place and immediately ordered a siege on my castle in Odawara. And at the helm of the operation was Mitsunari Ishida... pilot of Musha Deathscythe... damn good warrior... even better tactician."
Jake soon removed his mask to show a rough, scarred but otherwise handsome face.
Eva grinned and the bird flew off and watched from above. She too got in a fighting pose. "Alright first move is yours." Eva said, since that hadn't been decided yet she told him he should. Dr. J watched with both amusement and curiosity. How good could she be compared to Heero. She had age on her side and with that the possibility of experience. Small didn't mean weak, Heero proved that point.
"And I thought things were complicated here." Duo said as he heard the story, feeling a bit confused. When a plate of food was put in front of him he took a bite. It wasn't that good, but it would have to do, army food was never that good. "So this guy is a major rival of yours. Why is his gundam called Musha Deathscythe?" Duo then asked, more wanting to know about the Musha then the Deathscythe part since he could gues one of the weapons of it would be a scythe.
"Hmph..." Heero grinned as he got ready.
Soon with a swift movement he charged towards Eva carefully and dropped down to sweep kick her. He had a good feeling she'd dodge it.
"We don't know where exactly they came from... The Mushas I mean" Jake said "Possibly before the dawn of man... the Mushas have always been on Ark. Common folklore says that the Mushas were once the avatars of powerful gods who fought in a war that separated. As for the word Musha... In our world... Musha was the god of war. So it was fitting we'd call them Gundams. Of course at first there was only six including mine. Musha Nu, Musha Zeta, Musha ZZ, Musha Psycho, Musha Unicorn... and of course mine... Musha Gundam. Though we were able to create our own mushas..."
Eva merely jumped over his leg before moving to knee him in the face. It was a classic. Heero was fast for a natural. They probably didn't have co-ordinators in this dimension. Eva moved with strength and speed that no normal human her size should have. Not only was she a co-ordinaotr but a well trained soldier who had already been on the front lines of two short, but intense wars. Since she was small speed and agility had always been her best weapons since she would never be able to develop the bruth strength of her bigger colleagues. This caused her to be unusually fast and agile even for a co-ordinator.
Machines before the dawn of men? Yeah right. Well that was cleared up. "Well dinner is ready I hope you like it." Duo said, sounding cheerfully. A plate had been standing in front of Jake for a minute or two by now. "So what are you planning on doing next?" Duo then asked, they could always use another ally and this one came with his own gundam.
Heero quickly caught the knee.
"Not bad... you're definitely fast." Heero said as he got up and swung a punch towards her.
"Heh... what shall I do?" Jake said and bit into the food. He soon grinned saying "I have a feeling this place is full of powerful warriors... Alright! I'll stay in this place for awhile and find me some powerful foes!"
Instead of dodging she grabbed his wrist, then lanted her elbow into his, the back of it. She held back on the force though, she didn't want to do permanent damage, which there would be if she were to go full force, a joint bending backwards always does, but plenty of force to cause from serious pain and minor damage. She'd never seen a natural this fast before, then again he was like her, small, he probably used the same strategy of speed and agility to deal with bigger foes.
"Then join us. It won't get much better then that." Duo said. He was already planning to not follow the original plan Meteor, he wasn't sure how proffessor G would feel about it, they needed to talk. If that luny wanted to go ahead with the original plan he was a goner. Duo had other plans and hopefully proffessor G would understand.
Even though he was no longer a boy, Arthur still took the steps two at a time when his father summoned him.
The old king had mellowed with age somewhat, his ages smoothing over like a river rock, but his son still hated to risk his ire. Uther would never hit the boy, had never laid a hand on him but for his few moments of gentleness, but the old man was still capable of finding punishments. At this age, striking would probably do little good, what with the son sharing the father's stubbornness. Punishment or not, Arthur had hurried from training the knights to answer his father's summons, the stink of young men in dirt and layers of armour and cloth clinging to him.
Maybe it would do the old king good: over the last fortnight, his health had taken a sudden and surprising turn for the worse. Uther had blamed the cold, the food, something in the wine, everything he could but the obvious and Arthur knew it was simply age.
Funny, the thought of old age creeping up on his father, a death like the slow crumbling of cities. Arthur had never imagined that death for the warrior-king, the slow falling apart of a body in decline because Nature and the Heavens willed that man would not live forever. He'd expected poisoning or battle or maybe even Morgana losing her temper on the poor men (women, after all, were still a different species as far as he was concerned, and perfectly capable of regicide should the moon be in the right place in the sky), but this slow decay over the years? Not even Uther was prepared for that.
Arthur nodded to the guards standing at attention near the king's study, his face tinged pink from the cold and exertion. Old, paranoid bastard, he thought, not unkindly (maybe time had smoothed out his own sharp edges concerning his father) and tucked his helmet under his arm. Something... something was off. He knew it the moment when he stepped into the cold, stony room with its heavy furniture that Uther sometimes took his appointments in to keep them short. It was too quiet. Too still. ??Father?? Arthur said carefully, voice small in the stillness, more like a little boy's than a prince.
His body knew. His body knew before his mind did, because his mind refused to believe in his father's mortality as he glided over to the slumped form of his father, his heavy cape swishing around his booted feet as he moved, hand out stretched. No. No, Father was just sleeping. He was an old man who still pushed himself and old men, even his father, got exhausted. Certainly he wouldn't ?? hecouldn'tdie. Arthur touched his hand and jerked back like he'd been burned by the cold of a body that was no longer a body, but a ??
A corpse.
In a fog much colder than any temperature he had ever known, Arthur returned to the doors with all the grace of a man whose legs had been replaced with wood and, in a voice he could not recognize, told the guard to fetch the physician and the priest. The king was dead. Who was saying that with all that control, with no waver to his voice? Certainly not Arthur, who had just been orphaned in between the time his father had sent down for him and now. The prince turned back, closing the heavy, wooden doors behind him, the sound of them shutting not registering in his mind. Again, he approached the king, slow and wary like a dog that had been beaten. Like a little boy chastised. Who was controlling his body? Certainly not him: he could no longer feel his legs, but when he touched his father's thinning hair, he could feel that.
??The King is dead,? he repeated hollowly, nervous fingers smoothing his father's hair, his collar, brushing invisible lint from the rich fabric now that the man could no longer see his son's affection for him as ? as what, a weakness? Arthur tried anger. Tried to reach for the thought 'he was never there', but he could not. All he could do was crumple: his shoulders dropped, his helmet fell from his hands and the son pulled what used to be his father to him and sobbed, alone in that dark, draughty room made of stone.
The king was dead.
Long live the new king.
Gaius had been summoned and Merlin was quick to follow. The king was dead?! That did not seem possible. Uther seemed far too invincible for this to be true. How could it be? He just could not fathom the thought that King Uther could actually no longer be. How could that happen? That man was so strong. He was so very hard to ever beat. He, much like Arthur, imagined him to be killed by a physical opponent not old age. Their King was so very strong. Obviously, he was not immortal. The mood in even the hallway showed him this was not just some false alarm.
Watching the white-haired man gingerly walk into the room, Merlin kept back. Arthur would need time to mourn. He doubted the blond would wish to even see him. Why would he want to? He was merely a servant. Nothing more to the prinKing. King Arthur. That The ring to it was nice, yet the reason was so very bitter. Bitter-sweet. He truly did not like this at all. He knew Arthur would be a good King, but he also knew that it must be horrible that he lost his Father. He could relate. Losing his father. Being an orphan since his mother passed on a few years back, he knew what it was like to feel so suddenly alone, but why would Arthur care about his opinion?
In all the years he had been at Arthurs side, the man still did not seem to trust him as much as he should. That something he was hiding probably did not help him at all. The raven-haired male kept to himself, heart racing as he waited to see Arthur. He wanted to help him. He had to. He just did not know how to! What could he do? There was not much that he could do other than be there for him. Other than that, what use would he be? He would not let him be alone. That would only make matters worse. Being alone in this time, would be bad.
??Gaius.? In the time the old physician had taken to come up to the kin-- the former king's study, Arthur had stitched up the pain like a battlefield's wound: quickly, carelessly and with the posibility of becoming something nastier later. No. No, it wouldn't. He'd seen the results of a leader being poisoned by grief. He wouldn't let it happen to him. And Gaius had brought Merlin. Fantastic. ??Thank you for responding so quickly.?
Gaius. Now there was someone who had outlasted too many people. Hadn't his father been older than the physician? He could not think of Gaius as younger, especially as the old man curled in on himself as he bowed, head turned towards Uther's body. Maybe the ancient physician would out live him. ??Sire,? he said, rheumy hands twisting in front of him. ??Shall I check fo--?
??I do not believe it was an assassination, Gaius,?Arthur responded levely, body turned slightly from his father's... his father's corpse (the word had a finality to it, heavy like meat, notpeople). ??You may certainly run your tests, but I had hoped to speak with you about the living. Before the priest shows.? Instead of the old man, though, he turned his eyes straight on Merlin, the first time really looking at him since the two had come in. ??I know my father's ... stance on magic. But I also know you have connexions with those who still practice.? He swallowed down a gulp of air, chest expanding nervously -- he had always hopped that the dead did not mettle so much in the affairs of the living, but maybe his father's anger had yet to disappate ?? and said, ??I wish for you to ... contact the druids. Tell them that their new king would appreciate they pay their respects at the old king's funeral, Gaius. They will be under my protection.? The whole time, his eyes stayed on Merlin, because Arthur wasn'tstupid. ??I must tell Morgana. Please, ask the priest to hold off last rites before I return. And Merlin,?he added, grasping for normalacy. ??I expect my clothes for the funeral will be properly handled tonight. Hopefully, your years of service will allow you to do this one thing right.?
And with that, the new king turned on his heel, cape spining out behind him, and fled as slowly as possible from the room his father had breathed his last in, alone. Morgana and Gw-- and hermaid's weeping would be picked up by the castle women and Merlin would not see Arthur until much later that evening.
Merlin hated to see Arthur in such a state. Yes, to most who viewed him, he would look normal. Composed. Strong. To him? The man who had been serving him for all these years? He could tell else wise. He was broken; shattered. He hated to see him like that. That look in his eyes that told him their new king was truly feeling the ache of losing his father. Understandably so, as well. They had their differences, but both men were close as father and son could be, especially a royal father and son. They were never openly affectionate, but the love was still there. It was no wonder that Arthur was so hurt. Not that he would tell him, nor try to comfort him unless given some sort of sign that he needed it. He did not wish to hurt his pride as well as his heart.
Nodding to the man, he gave a soft, I will try to do my best, sir and then waited for the other to leave. Exchanging a brief glance with Gaius, he soon turned to make his leave as well. The clothes were not going to get themselves to his lords chambers. The new King. King Arthur. He had awaited this day for so very long, but that did not make this any better to know just why he was king. He was positive that had it been assassins, or in battle, taking the former-kings death would have been easier. There would have been one to be angry at. Now? It was just nature.
The evening came all-too-quickly and Merlin had done as told. He had the pri- Kings clothes neatly laid out on top of his bed, ready to be dressed to the mans form. Merlin stayed in the room, waiting for Arthur to come back from his errands and would be sure that his friend would be all right. Yes, he viewed him as a friend. He knew that it was frowned upon, but Arthur treated him fairly, especially in the recent years. He paced back and forth in the room, impatient to see if the man would be all right.
There was something... real about death, wasn't there? Arthur had thought he'd go for days without eating in grief, but the demands of his still very much alive body didn't go away because they didn't fit in with his idea of mourning. So he had taken a hasty meal in Morgana's rooms because his stomach had been dully empty after the good part of the day had been spent running around the castle, taking care of things that his father could no longer see to. The meat, cold remains of lunch, had tasted of sawdust, as had the wine and the conversation with Morgana, who spoke no more than three words.
They were both orphans now, but she had experienced the loss twice. Arthur had wanted to saysomething, but he had been incapable of doing more than taking her hand. As he left, he'd said a few words to Gwen to take care of her mistress.
Gwen hadn't met his eyes.
The room was well lit when he let himself in, the fire at a painfully cheery level. For some reason, he had thought the world would stop, would slow when a king like his father died, but the fire was no sombre pile of embers and ash, the candles still twisted slowly and warmly, and even the weather outside was mild for this time of year. Arthur headed straight for the clothes left on his bed, calloused fingers touching material: linen, of course, since mourning clothes were not meant to be luxurious, but soft none-the-less, carefully maintained by Merlin's skilful hands.
Arthur finally looked to Merlin, the corners of his mouth and eyes taut. ??It seems you've been promoted, Merlin? he said hoarsely, trying for the cocky drawl he had only had that morning when he'd complained of the man's armour buffing skills. ??How does it feel to be the king's manservant not just the prince's?? His fingers began to pluck at the string of his cape, undoing the knot deftly. He had no reason to give Merlin a verbal command: they'd been together for so many years, Merlin would recognize and adapt to his routine without direction. ??You will accompany me to the wake. I trust you're capable enough to tend the candles.?
Once the doors opened, Merlins pacing stopped. He stood still where he had been, his eyes staying with the blond while he entered the room. He truly looked like hell washed over him and then some, didnt it? He hated to see Arthur in this manner. He had never seen it. Well, no, there had been very few times when the man looked like that, but it was never to this extent. Never so horribly broken. That was horrible. He felt like he was going to crumble in the mans place. He could not. He had to stay strong. If Arthur could, he would as well. He had to. There was no doubt whatsoever that he could manage to keep himself together.
Oh yes, promoted. He agreed, giving the blond a simple little nod. I feel regal just standing beside you. Merlin stated, trying to get a bit of his own wit in there. He almost wished to comment about how Arthur would not be ready, but that would be far too inappropriate. He did not want that to happen. He was all right with just stopping at his words.
Moving over to the blond, he held his hand out to catch the cape before it fell to the ground, or before prompted to do such a thing. Yes, sir. I will try to not set the castle on fire. He said, giving a half smile to try and get a smile out of the man as well. Just a little one? A half-laugh? Anything to show him that the other was going to be all right. Anything. A sign to help him feel like Arthur would snap back in a few days, go back to the man that was so very full of himself, but managed to just barely not have Merlin smother him in his sleep.
The morning had come and the birds sang out throughout the town. Nathan awoke from his bed within the military HQ with a yawn. He got up and looked around to find his clothes. He had slept in his boxers and a tank top that night, and had just put his clothes back on.
Having them on, he fitted his trusty sword on his back. He had an alchemical symbol carved into the hilt so that when it slashed, lightning shot out. He also had a symbol engraved on his palm so he could use lightning based attacked with simply slamming his hand against something.
He looked at the top bunk of the bunk bed and poked his partner to awaken.
Nathan- Hey. Wake up, the day started. Don't get me late again, I'm not gonna take the punishment. AGAIN.
Gwenne rolled over as the sun shone in her eyes. This was the worst part of the day, getting up. It was soo annoying. She slowly got up, jumping down to put on a millitary uniform over her black top and shorts.
"Calm down Nathan, we har plenty of time..." she laughed, slinging two swords onto her back and sliding her pistol into it's holster. The blades were log and wickedly curved, able to cut through people like butter.
"Alright, I'm ready now... Jeez, you look worried... We won't be late, just calm down and down't get your panties in a bunch." she laughed, walking to the door.
Nathan- Yeah, if the commander didn't have a soft spot for women you'd know WHY I'm in a rush.
Without waiting for her as she walked to the door, he briskly walked past her and started for the meeting room. They were supposed to go to a town-like area in the forest and meet with its HQ. They needed some more men because of the jungle-dwelling rebels.
Nathan- Hurry up.
"Oh come now, I have to take my advantages when I can, right?"
She followed behind him, going somewhat slowly, just to piss him off. She followed quickly, they were still quite far away from the room that thay were headed to. "Besides, he didn't punish you last time because of me, you should be thankful!"
When they finally reached the command room, she laughed.
"I told you we would not be late! Ya could have let me sleep for five more minuts..."
Nathan- To hell with that...I'm tired of getting in trouble cause you want to sleep all day....
After a while, the commander informed them on their next mission for them to take and gave them train tickets that would take them to the Jungle city of Florensia.
Nathan- Are you ready to go? I wanna get there as quickly as possible before anything should happen.
"Hah... Calm down... It's not that bad... Punishments aren't too bad around here..." she laughed and took the ticket from the commander, smiling.
"Thank you very much sir..." she then turned back to Nathen and grinned impishly.
"Yea, yea, let's go, I need some exitement in my life... Hopefully this won't be as dull as our last little tour of duity... We didn't get to fight anyone at all..."
Without waiting for his response, he just walked off, toward the exit.
Nathan- Grr...I actually preferred the peace and quiet. What exactly makes you such a war monger to want to fight anything in you way? You're not even good, I beat you in the last sparring match we had, and I didn't even use alchemy!
She laughed hartely as she walked. "Oh come now, You know I went easy on you right? I didn't wat you to get all angry just beached you lost to a girl, you're really anoying when you lose..." she shot an agry look at him. "Besides, your little alchemy tricks are quite unfair in fights, Ehy can't you Judy learn to use a gun like everyone else?"
Nathan- Because real power is in the sword and how you use it...or enhance it. Either or. Guns, who needs em when I can just push you out the way? They don't call me the Silver Wind Alchemist for nothing.
He raised his right arm, his automail arm. He showed her the engravement on his palm, the alchemist circle and the title he achieved for his work.
Nathan- You try and be this awesome.
"Of course it is Nathen... Of course it is..." she muttered in a sarcastic tone. She steped onto the train, leading him. She found them seats quickly and sat down. She leaned backwards in her new seat, looking at him.
"You forget that without your little magic you couldn't kill a fly, right?" she laughed and handed him her train ticket.
"Give this to the conductor when he comes by... I'm gonna take a nap..." she relaxed into te chair and dozed off to sleep, knowing that she probably wouldn't wake up untill they reached their destination.
"Without my 'magic'...pfft...learn to use alchemy and you'll see just how good it is you little..." He said to himself. He stopped himself short as he handed the tickets to the conductor when he came by. Leaning back, he sighed as he began to thump his automail to make a small clanging sound with each impact of his finger. "This trains gonna be a long one, I can already tell..."
-2 hours later-
Gwenne had slept soundly untill now, about 3/4 into their train ride when the train came to an abrupt stop. There was a loud crashing sound outside and there was an anouncement over the train speakers.
"Attention passengers, please close and lock your doors, someone appears to be trying to get onto the train. Gweene slowly opened her eyes and looked around .
"Nathen, what the hell is going on now?" she didn't hear most of the announcement and was somewhat confused.
There were sounds of fighting outside the cabin, so Gwenne stood up, placing her hand on her gun.
Nathan stood up and looked to Gwenne. "Careful, train robbers...okay...we're military so we can handle them, when I open these doors, I check the left and you check the right and we stay together, got it?" He said as he reached for the door handle.
"Well, Shit, they picked the wrong train to rob, didn't they?" She drew the handgun, and loaded it.
She cracked her neck and her knuckles.
"Alright, let's do this..." she kicked the door open and kept around the corner. Before her partner could do anything, she dashed forward and took a masked man down. She grinned and ran to the next car before them. She was quite battle-ready.
"I said stay together! Dammit!" He called out to her as he rushed after her. He summoned a stone wall behind him to block the corridors so that no one could take them from behind as he raced after Gwenne. "Wait up!!"
By the time Nathan had got to where she was, the was fighting off a group of robbers had surounded her, and she was fighting them back.
"Took ya long enough, little help please..." she kicked one of them in the face and grinned. She wasn't even using her gun, yet she seemed aware of it.
He sighed and summoned a dagger, his weapon of choice for close ranged fights. He ran toward the guards and began to take them on one by one, easily picking them off without killing them with the dagger unless needed. "Gwenne, I got things here, head to the engine room and stop the train!"
"Show off..." Gwenne muttered under her breath and dashed out of the small crowd. She had to take out someone in the engine room but she got the train to come to a standstill. She ran back to check on Nathan, checking on passengers on the way.
"You ok?" She yelled, sliding around the corner.
Nathan nodded, but he was wounded. His shoulder had a cut in it and it was bloody around the area, but he seemed fine. He looked at the pile of robbers that were in a room beside him. "I'm just watching them is all. Are you okay?"
This rp will be between the character Gin Ichimaru played by True Decade and an OC of mine.
Yoshiko Aizenhad always been faithful to the Soul Society. She had been at the top percentile of her class and had even been considered for the position as captain of an elite calvary squad that was being discussed. This expiremental squad was what destroyed Yoshiko's future. Yoshiko had been leading her group on a routine search and rescue mission when they were attacked. She and the other 21 people that were with her were captured by Arrancar and expiremented on. The effects were permanent and many of her friends were left to die because they did not give the desired outcome. She was one of the ones throw out to the hollows of Hueco Mundo and left to die.
What the scientist that had so greatly altered Yoshiko failed to realize was that the many essences of different hollows that he had fuse with yoshiko's own spirit woul allow her to absorb the life force of a hollow when she was critically injured, in order to heal herself. She managed to survive on her own and was found by Shinji Hirako, and her older brother, Sosuke Aizen, while they were out on a recon mission. They had been trying to find any trace of Yoshiko's missing team. When they brought her back to Soul Society she was thuroughly examined by Captain Unohana and Captain Urahara in an attempt to help the young woman return to normal.
They were unsuccessful in finding a cure, and it was decided that Yoshiko would stay in a prison cell that could contain her power until she they could find some means of reversing what was done to her. She was allowed visits from Captain and Lieutenant level Shinigami only, and only allowed to walk outside under heavy supervision. They treated her well enough, and she knew that it was for the good of everyone if she stayed locked away until they found a 'cure' for her 'predicament', if that was even possible.
It had been fifteen years since she had been brought back to Soul Society, and it hurt her to not be able to see the people she cared for. Sosuke was allowed to come see her, but she always told him to focus his energies on protecting his squad members and the people of Soul Society. Now she could sense that there was an uprising of some sort outside her prison walls, but she wasn't sure what. She looked outside the window of her room to see her zanpakuto hanging on the wall, and she only wished that she could help the others somehow, but even she knew that she might be more of a danger to them than what they were facing now.
Gin Ichimaru smirked as the body of the dead prison guard slumped to the ground. "There's one more down." The white hair male said. Indeed, he had spent the better part of the day going up throught higher levels of the prison and murdering who every tried to stop him. He rather enjoyed it, even if he didn't know why he had been doing it until about ten minutes ago. "You never told me you had a sister Aizen." He said, glancing at his companion. "Oh? Must of slipped my mind." The brown haired, glasses wearing man answered. Gin decided to drop the subject, knowing that was Aizen's way of saying " I don't care and you should be quit about it."
They were now near the top of the prison, and Gin figured that they where almost there. Of course, the higher up the pair went, the stronger the guards became. "They're actaully get a little tough. It took metwowhole minutes to kill this group, instead of just one." He said, kicking one of the now dead bodies. "For a prison fit for captains, they so dude have some weaklings guarding it. Not a single good fight in the entire place." He complained. "I'm sorry it dissappoints, but did you epect more from Soul Society?" Aizen asked him. "Heh, guess you're right. So, how much longer untill we find your sister?" Gin asked, putting away his zanpakuto. "Not much longer. In fact...." Aizen said, suddenly stopping in front of a door. Pushing it open, he walked inside and looked at the sole occupant. "Hello sister, how have you been? It time for you to leave this place." He said, easily forcing her locked cell opened.
"So you're the one causing all of this disorder, Brother. How many times have I told you, my place is here. I belong in the soul society. They have been kind to me by letting me live here, when it would have been safest to simply kill me." Yoshiko said as she made her way to the other side of the room. She believed that she owed her life to Soul Society, where as herf brother obviously looked down on her. She noticed Gin Ichimaru and realized that he must not have known that she and Sosuke were related.
"It's nice to see you again, Captain Ichimaru." She said as she bowed respectively. Her hair stained with white streaks as a result of the experiments that were done on her. She had seen Gin before, but she had never hinted that she was Sosuke's sister. It was obvious that they must have been close because they constantly referred to eachother by their first names.
She was at a loss at the moment. She didn't want to fight her brother, but even if it came to that it would be a bit hard because she was unarmed. Her Zanpakuto was on the other side of the doorway that her brother was standing in. She wasn't sure how she should handle this situation, but she did know that she should figure it out, and quick.
"Oh, hello Miss Yoshiko." He said, bowing at her. "So you're Aizen's sister. I would have never guessed." He said. "Oh sister, much y ou ne so naive? They only let you stay here so that they can control you." He said, his voice rather calm. Through he could have just tell her to look out the only window in the room and see something that would convince her to join him, he decided to save that for a last resort. "Don't you think your big brother knows what he's doing?" He asked her. Gin just sort of listened while staring at the wall. "I really don't have time to explain it all to you, so I'll put it in simple turns. Join me, or die. You won't die today, but you will soon enough." Aizen told her. "It would be wise to listen to him, Miss Yoshiko. He's rather powerful, don't you know. " Gin piped up.
Outside the castle walls snow was starting to fall and in the large rolling grounds around the Hogwarts castle students were enjoying the change of the season and the first snow of the year. The hallways around the place were rather quiet as were most of the room with a majority of the students having started to depart for home for the holidays and Christmas and those who were remaining making the most of the soft snow outside with many a snowball being exchanged between different groups as snowmen popped up all around the grounds.
Inside the castle, Hermione Granger had been enjoying the snow for a different reason. The quiet hallways were productive for thought as she strolled through them on her way to the library, dressed in her favourite soft lavender sweater and old faded jeans which had seen a few years already. The hallways were dressed in their usual festive decorations but Hermione ignored them as she walked, her mind already in the library and the books she was headed there to find. The quiet of the day just made her favourite place in the castle more appealing and she knew that despite the slight chill in the hallway from the stone walls she would find a nice fire somewhere in the warren of books and a comfy chair in which to pursue her research.
Rounding the last corner she looked forward to the warth of the fire and brushed a stray strand of her wavy hair out of her face and behind her ear absentmindedly as she focused her thought on the pathway she needed to take through the shelving units to make her way to where she wanted to go.
Elsewhere in the castle the Boy was getting ready to go out and do some studying of his own. He knew with most of the student's gone he could sneak into the Library without any distractions from the students or the teacher's really. There was a few books he had heard about in the restricted section that seemed worth reading into. Some books on his heritage and the dark arts the older slytherin needed to explore and figure out what he could do. He was already learning alot from some teachers and his family's personal library but he wanted some the more rarer books the school was known for.
Smoothing back his inky black hair the boy checked himself in the mirror. One His rules was always be sharp. so he was making sure he looked like a hundred gaellon's before he even left the room. Shoes shined, check. Black jean which look brand with a Green vest that's crisp and lighter toned on back side. His white button up shirt looked crisp and was tight a little against his quidditch players Body. He was the back up seeker after all. If malfoy didn't have all the money he may been the main one. A soft growl given a little about the fact that Pounce who was everything a slytherin should not be still being seeker over him.
Turning from the Mirror he slide on his leather bracelet and his Violet tinted glassed as he smiled. His bowler flipped onto his head the mans began down towards the library to get the books he needed. He would turn into the library and saw.. The golden girl all alone. He grinned alittle and moved towards her now she didn't have that Punce weasley hanging all over her trying to shove anyone who was male except harry away. He thou waited to see where she was going, curious about what she be coming study. she was One few people in school above him in grades. her and the ice queen greengrass.
Hermione made her way quickly and quietly through the shelving without any effort. She was here so often that she knew the way like the back on her hand, especially with the recent studies she'd been doing. She'd stumbled her way across a reference in an old mythology book that had intrigued her while studying for an exam the other day and had been wanting to look into it more. If anyone knew about myths being based upon truth it was her. Almost every myth had a least some truth behind it and she wanted to know a bit more about this one. Now with the holidays upon them she would finally have some time to get stuck into it without schoolwork getting in the way so much.
Her black ankle boots made a slight clicking noise as she made he way across the stone floor inbetween the aisles which seemed to echo through the empty rooms. Even the teachers seemed to have made their way to other places, not that she minded. She knew perfectly well where to find what she needed without the librarian's help anyway. She paused halfway to the back of the shelving in the current aisle and glanced around for the moment. Despite the emptiness around her she couldn't help feeling like there was someone else there. She tried to shake it off. Maybe the librarian was around somewhere nearby out of sight. That was probably all it was.
Eye's watched her move threw the shelves as if she was at home. He knew the library almost as well as she did, but not this well. He smiled following her, watching her move . She really was a beautiful woman when you thought about it. Most thought she was a little off color. But he enjoyed her and always imagined she was like a librarian from lore. so prim and proper on the outside yet very naught and down to the core. He smiled as he moved towards her. The Mans shoes polished dress shoes. He tipped his hat down and walked by her without looking directly at her the first time.
He stopped beside her and acted Like he didn't notice her at first. Grabbing a book down from one the top shelves. He had to stretch out to do so. The book on advance uses of runes and the history of them. She maybe being one the only other seven students in the school who would be able grasp it. or did anyway. he then rocked back off his toes and looked at her with a blink." Oh Hi"
A slight frown fell across her face at the guy walking through the library. He was familar, she was pretty sure he was in at least one of her more advance classes but she couldn't quite place him. Fact of the matter was she didn't often pay much attention to the people around her, especially in those classes but now she found herself wishing that she had, even if just so she could place a name to the face. Perhaps the holidays were already starting to effect her. She would usually remember at least that.
With a slight glance at the book he was looking at she felt one of her eyebrows raise slightly in consideration of if he could actually understand what he was looking at but she quickly pushed that thought aside. She did recongnise him though so it was possible. She let a soft smile cross her lips at his greeting, no reason not to be friendly she thought as she returned the greeting. "Hello there, nice day," and with that she continued down the aisle slightly to the mythology section she'd been steadily working her way through in the past few days without much luck. Soon she would have exhausted the options here and would need to move on to the more ancient and advanced books of the restricted section. Thankfully being head girl would allow her access to those without any hassle. One of the quirks. She did wonder vaguely what the other student was researching on a day like this which most students were out in the grounds but pushed that aside as she opened a particularly heavy book to have a glance through it before deciding if it was worth further pursual.
The Man looked over at her with a smile on the corner of his lips. His head tilted as he looked at the book she was reading, trying to discern it from the distance thou he was unable to. So he then moved over and leaned over her shoulder a little..He leaned close enough she could feel the heat his body. yet not close enough be crowding her." Light reading?" He asked her almost seriously. Thou to most the book she would have would be considered crazy reading. To him he understood what she was reading better then some, after all he still had his own thick tome in his hands. He smiled at her and then looked down and over the book." Maybe i can Help you? I am after one few in top ten,, thou i am no granger.' He teased her a little. She was the best. he knew it, at least she did better then hm in some subject's. and he did better then some in most. the Man smiled as his hand seemed to on accident stroke the small her back.
"i Myself am looking for few books and am about sneak back that way." He tilted his head towards the section of books she loved. The section only teacher's and few others would ever get to see. He needed it for his project and he knew she would be able go there. But of course, hed go either way. He was a Slytherin and would not be stopped by silly things such as the rules. Hand rubbed her lower back just alittle more before he literally would Walk by her. and go on the way to the section of books he just mentioned.. and without Premission!
Her eyes snapped up from the words shed just been studying as he lent in over her shoulder and she turned slightly in an automatic but needless reaction to see who it was. Silly really seeing as they appeared to be the only ones in the library at all. "didn't anyone ever tell you it was rude to look over peoples shoulders?" she asked primly before snapping the book shut. She didn't really want anyones help so she avoided the question of what she was looking up for now hoping that he would get the hint and leave her in peace.
His hand accidently brushing against her back made her feel weird, a little nervous and edgy but she wrote that off as his being a slytherin combined with her current annoyance with him. So much for having the library to herself. Her eyes widened at his uncaring mention of going into the resricted section. "you do realise I'm Head Girl don't you?" she queried, one eyebrow raised before stepping forward as he began to walk away from her and towards the section and grasping his wrist to stop him. "Do you have a permission slip?"
He grinned seeing her act so shocked and casually ignore the touch.He shrugged and continued on for now as she shoved off his offer for help, the boy then grinned a little at her as he stopped as she grabbed at his wrist. His own hand looped back at her own wrist. He moved to rub his thumb against the inside of her wrist as his finger's stroked against her wrist. A deep grin as he just smiled at her. Eye's looking over the silver rims of his glasses as he winked." And why would i have one of those mis granger? and yes I often think about you being.. the Head girl."
He said with a grin. The smile became so large and he winked one more time to get the playful suggestion to her with a smile." Are you going punish me? Oh?" He said with a wild smile. " Now. I was going to study some stuff that i need to.. if you don't mind.?" he said with a tilt of his head. His other hand came up and pat her cheek very softly." Your very beautiful. id love talk more. so join me in the section?... so No one gets in trouble."
Allen was a normal guy. He was just out of college with a degree in business, and he had just broken up with his fiance, whom had been cheating on him with his best friend. Awesome. Needless to say, his life wasn't the greatest right now. He generally wore blue suit with white cuff links and a white undershirt. His cuffs were quite classy if he did say so himself, and they were gold rabbits, his favorite animal. It seemed weird for a rabbit to be a man's lucky animal, but nonetheless, they were. Recently, due to the rough patch Allen had been having, he kept finding himself at the bar, at the bottom of a bottle of scotch.
The man had short blonde hair and icy blue eyes. Though he was a football player in high school and through college, he was a bit of an intellectual. He was so good at finding holes in defences while playing football, but he was even better at talking to people and finding the holes in their defences. Throughout his life, he was somewhat of a ladies man due to these traits, but since he had been trying to shy away from that kind of life. This has been something he had been toying going back to recently.
At this point in time, he was rather sloshed. Most of his money had been going to buying the scotch at this particular bar. He was making quite a bit of money, yet the payments on his car and his house payments had been syphoning his money off. The current bar he was in was more of a dance club. The music was booming and the lights were flashing. Pretty hard for a drunk man to pay attention to anything going on around him.
In the club women were everywhere, and it just so happened that there was a costume contest happening. So it was that thewomanthat came to Allen didn't appear much out of the ordinary. In her eyes, he was an attractive man, and it didn't seem odd to her that she would approach him because of it. She put her arms around him as she tripped, her curvy body pressing against him. "Oh, I'm so sorry," she said with a little nervous laugh. "Are you okay?" Her bunny ears gave her a slightly more innocent look and she did look sincere. Perhaps she would be a nice distraction.
The man let out a slight grunt as she tripped and used him to catch her balance. That was a pretty nice surprise if Allen said so himself. Turning and looking and finding it odd that she was wearing a pair of bunny ears, he thought nothing of it and smiled. "No problem." He said helping her back to her feet. Letting out a laugh, he downed the rest of his drink and put the glass gently down on the bar. "Yeah, I'm fine." He said as he glanced around the bar and realized that no one else seemed to be wearing bunny ears but then again, it was dark and everyone else was in different skimpy costumes "Are you alright?" He said with a laugh.
The man helped her into a bar stool next to him and ordered her a girly drink and another scotch for him. She was cute and even the bunny ears made her look innocent, he would almost feel bad if this led to a one night stand. He figured she was trying to be a bunny or something like that for the party, but he figured he would ask anyway. "What is your costume?"
The mysterious girl stood up with his help and smiled back at him. She was glad he seemed to be alright, and he was nice about it. He even bought her one of those pretty drinks made with fruit and what the humans called alcohol. She smiled cutely, seemingly something of a flake. "Oh, good. I'm glad you're okay." When he asked her what she was trying to be, she couldn't help but grin. "I'm the white rabbit," she said, with a giggle, spinning around for him, her breasts jiggling a bit as she hopped and turned, a fluffy tail in the back of her costume. When she was finished, she sat down next to him and sipped at her drink. "Thanks for the drink. Hey, what's your name?"
The girl had that innocent look. She was strange, sure, and she had that very bubbly personality. He let out a laugh as she spun around, and he quickly got the reference to what her costume was. It was a very interesting take on the old Lewis Carroll tale. The man ordered another scotch and smiled at her. "Name's Allen." He said holding out his hand and taking hers in it. He placed a delicate little kiss on her hand and let go. Allen was a gentleman, and he was rather decent in the bedroom as well. In his college, news travelled fast. He wasn't one to kiss and tell, but nonetheless. "I never caught your name." He said with a smile as he took another sip from his drink.
"Also, what brings you to this particular club?" He asked her as he moved his stool closer to her.
She set her drink down and turned to face him a bit more, bouncing a little. "Hopping, silly." She smiled and then remembered he'd asked her name. It was so strange that he wouldn't know that she nearly forgot. Then she remembered the human name someone had once given her. "My name is Farah. It's nice to meet you Allen." She smiled and took another sip of her cocktail, already feeling it a bit.
The man let out a laugh. What a simple answer. He thought as he finished another glass of scotch. When he tried to get another one, the bartender cut him off. The man was a little upset about it, but he just turned. "What a pretty name." He said with a smile. "Nice to meet you as well." The man moved closer to her. There was nothing else at the bar for him now, well except for Ferah he supposed. Sighing a bit and feeling the scotch take hold, he leaned very heavily on the bar. "Well, what are you plans for tonight?" He asked her, looking around at the other people in the bar.
"I was going to do some more hopping and go home," she said, cheerfully, finishing off the drink he'd gotten her. "Wanna come with?" she asked, thinking nothing of her seemingly forward behavior. In Wonderland this was considered subtle. Of course, he knew nothing of that yet. She smiled at him and tilted her head. She thought he was cute, even if he was drunk. And sometimes drunk lovers were the best. "Are you all by yourself Allen?" she asked, looking around, the ears on her head moving just a little.
The man nodded. Was that a real question? Coming from her? Did she even know what that meant? The man smiled. "That sounds wonderful." He said as he took her hand and got up. He had a slight stumble to him and he reeked of the substance. He was too drunk to realize what was going on around him, but as the alcohol kicked in more and more, he wanted to take advantage of this tiny innocent little bunny more and more. A sober Allen would have scolded him against it, but this wasn't a sober Allen. Besides, what was the worst that could happen? "Lead. . .the. . .way." He said as he struggled to keep his own balance.
She giggled as he stood up and stumbled a bit. He smelled strongly of alcohol in a way that was slightly unappealing, but she could fix that with a hop to Wonderland. And he had said that he wanted to go. She smiled and put her arm around him bouncing a little as she walked. "Okay, just hang on to me," she said, walking toward a large mirror.
The man just followed her. He was having a hard time paying attention to where he was going, he was just looking at the ground and trying to keep his bearings. Every now and then, he would stumble on his own feet or have to over someone else that was passed out. His hand gripped her shoulder. It was almost as though she was leading the blind, or leading a cow to pasture. Allen didn't even notice the large miror. . .
She let him hang about her, finding the stumbling rather amusing. He must have been trying hard to forget something. Well, she'd certainly help him do that. Once they reached the mirror, she turned to him and smiled. "Sure you wanna come with me, Allen?" she asked, her body in view from both sides at this point, the mirror glittering behind her.
The man smiled as they stopped, leaning in for a kiss. However, his motion was stopped due to the fact she started talking. She asked her question and the man nodded, looking around for a second. "Of course I still want to come with you." He said, noticing her body from both sides of the mirror. His blue suit a little roughed up from the long night of drinking he had just done. He was unsure as to why they were stopping, it almost seemed like they were still in the club, but then again, he was drunk and it was Halloween. "Are we almost there?" He said with a laugh, kissing her neck tenderly.
She smiled at him flipping some dark hair over her shoulder. They were, in fact, still in the club. Though, this area was a bit more private and much quieter. It was a special room that people rarely saw, and no one knew about the mirror. She shivered as his lips touched her neck so sweetly. "Mmm, Just making sure. We're almost there," she said, putting her arms around him. And then she leaned back into the mirror. Only instead of stopping at the surface, she kept falling through, and taking him with.
They kept falling and falling through different colors and patterns until they were on a rather large, soft bed and she was on top of him, nearly spilling out of her costume as she looked down at him, smiling. "Mmm, we're here."
The man landed with a thud on a soft plush bed. The bed was a pretty plain bed, but the bed wasn't what was making Allen's head spin. Instead, the bright, almost neon colors swirling around him, in the tiny room with no windows and a pale white door finished the room off. The man took his attention away from the walls and looked at the woman laying on top of him. He reached his head up and pecked a kiss on her lips, though his head was still swimming from that alcohol he had ingested a little bit earlier. He wondered why there were no windows in this very brightly colored room, and his mind swam for a bit.
How did he get here? Why was the room like this? Last he remembered, he was in the club with the very same girl and let out a bit of a sigh. What was going on in this crazy world?
She smiled and returned his kiss, leaning into him as she brought his head back down to the pillow. She kissed him deeply, her soft body pressing into him enough to thoroughly distract him from any of those nasty little thoughts of his. After a long moment, she moved away from his lips and started kissing his neck, pressing flush against him once more. "Mmmm, thank you for coming with me Allen..."
The man tried to sit up against the tiny bed. It was really just a twin sized bed that was fitting a woman dressed as a bunny and a grown ass man. His hands moved to her hips, and his hands started to reach around and squeeze her ass. Her body was barely covered as it was, and he liked what he saw, and he could see a lot. The man moved his head so she would have better access to his neck and he smiled. "Thank you for having me." He said as his hands slipped under what little covering there was a grabbed a handful of her bare ass.
She giggled and kept kissing his neck, moaning softly as he squeezed her ass and pulled her closer. She kissed and gently suckled his neck, her body warming with his as they got things started. Her tail wiggled a little as they continued their process but she doubted he could see that. But he seemed to like her enough, so that was nice. He could take off her costume with ease if he wanted to--there wasn't much to work with in the same place. In the mean time she started using her hands to run over his chest and open the jacket he wore. He seemed unhappy, so step one was definitely getting him out of the suit.
The man was propped against the back of the bed, allowing her to get his suit jacket off. Tossing it aside, he moved to place his grubby little hands back on her plump ass. Her costume was a little on the bare side, and he realized that she must have been pretty cold throughout the entire night. That was fine though, he would make sure that she warmed up. On the bed they were in, there wasn't really much room for him to move or flip them around or anything, so he had to just let the bunny girl take her time and do what she wanted at this point. Maybe if they were to stand up, but as of right now he was pinned between the bed and the bunny. Not a bad place.
She kissed his neck and moved her hips to grind against him, moving to take off his shirt next. Deftly, her fingers moved from his collar down to the end of his shirt and then ripped it up out of his pants. "Mmmm, so many layers...You really know how to tease, don't you?"
The man let out a laugh. "It's something I do best." He said as his hands moved under her so he could unbutton his own pants and slide them down and his boxers down enough exposing his rather large cock. After all, he had to keep the girls coming back for more and beat out the fellow bachelors and players on the football team. The man smiled as he moved his attention back to her after exposing his cock. It seemed like the direction this whole thing was going anyway.
She smiled and kissed his lips as she finally took his shirt off. She was just about to start to undo his pants when he did it for her. She blushed and gasped in awe at his size. No one in Wonderland was that big...she would have to share this one. "Oh wow...It's so big," she said, her cute face showing her amazement.
After a moment she looked back up at him and grinned. "You're fantastic, Allen. Wanna see if I'm fantastic too?" She asked, wiggling her butt just a bit. She was sexy, despite her adorable demeanor, and she meant to have her way with him, one way or another.
The man let out a smile when she saw his cock. She looked cute, even whist doing what they were about to do. Even random girls were impressed by his size. Something that made him a little bit prideful and a little bit of confident about his abilities in bed. Sure he was great at it, but Allen thought he was the best. He was normally humble about most things, just not this.
When she asked her question, the man nodded. "Of course I do." He said with a laugh. "Show me what you got!"
She grinned and sat up, reaching behind her to remove her tiny bra, the thin garment falling and leaving her ample mounds bare. Farah then reached down to her hips and started to pull the skirt down and panties down as well. She leaned into him and quickly wiggled out of her clothes so that she was completely naked. Farah never bragged, but she was incredibly self-confident. Her body was just as pleasing as Allen's. "Mmm, touch whatever you want."
Her body was just as pleasing as his. Mainly because she was the opposite sex of course, but even then, Allen was pleased with what he was seeing. The man sat up and pushed her onto her back. Now it was his turn. Pinning her down by her wrists, he leaned down and kissed her passionately. The room was still spinning a tiny bit, and one of his hands was finding it's way south. Finally, he ran one of his fingers against her slit and smiled, leaning down and kissing her passionatly again, moving south and kissing her neck. His finger, still running against her slit, teasing it.
She gasped and giggled as he pushed her back onto her back, her flexibility showing as he did so. She grinned as he pinned her down, obviously turned on. And when he kissed her passionately, she kissed him back, throwing herself into it. She was just a little dizzy from it all, but that could also have been the shifting colors on the walls of the room. She didn't mind though. She moaned softly as his fingers slid up and down her slit. Her eyes closed and she panted softly as he kissed her neck and teased her. "Allen..."
The man smiled as he kissed down her neck, stopping at her collarbone and taking one of her nipples in her mouth. Moving back up, he kissed her passionately again and smiled, his finger still working the outside of her pussy. Allen always liked to take things slow, and she was his new victim. She was on her back now, they were both naked, and his member was throbbing. He wanted it in her so bad, however, he wanted her to squirm beneath his touch. Moving back down again to her other nipple, he stopped and positioned himself outside of her. "Beg for it." He said in a short breath.
Ferah shivered as he kissed her, stopping with her nipples and then returning to her lips. Grinning, she enjoyed all the teasing. Though he wanted her to beg for it, he was already preparing to give it to her. Her fingers ran through his hair as he toyed with her breasts and she smiled. "Mmm...Allen, please...Please fuck me. Take me and make me feel soo good," she groaned, arching up into him.
The man moved and smiled at her. She did ask nicely. Slowly, he positioned himself outside of her and slowly pushed the tip inside, leaning down and kissing her passionately. His hands moving to hip and holding her there, he slowly thrust and his hips started to pick up steam and momentum until he was thrusting harder and harder into her. "Come on." He said through breathes and grunts.
Ferah whimpered with need as he slid his tip in and leaned up to kiss her. She kissed him back, pulling him close as he thrust in. It took awhile for everything to build up, but waiting was definitely worth it. She gasped and moaned softly her hands running down his back possessively. He thrust in a bit harder and faster and she reached down to squeeze his ass, smacking it as he got particularly rough with her. She moaned hotly and arched into him, her hips working in time with his to help him get deeper each time. "Fuck..."
It was late afternoon when the plan went into action, Lucius knew that his neck was on the line if they slipped up or screwed up. He was slowly scouring Riddle Manor for the boy that he was about to kidnap, the Dark Lords son, adopted anyway. The little wild thing was only fourteen years old, but he was one of the most accomplished killers, the most insane death eater that Voldemort had ever enlisted. Of course Voldemort had trained the boy himself, so that was only to be expected. Salazar Riddle was an emerald eyed, black haired boy who had been kidnapped from his true parents at a young age.
Lucius and Dumbledore and formulated a plan to kidnap Voldemort's son in an effort to save the boy and the people that Voldemort sent the boy after. They had worked for a long time to formulate a plan, A plan that could mean death fro everyone involved. Lucius, Draco, everyone. So Lucius was walking on tender steps as he looked for the green eyes boy, who was probably off torturing Wormtail somewhere, his favorite pastime.
Salazar. Lucius stated once he had found the boy, the green eyes beauty turning to look at the blond smirking a little. Hello Lucius. Salazar stated calmly with a nod. does father request me? he asked curiously, that was usually the only reason why someone would actually come looking for him. Most people avoided Salazar as best as they could, wary of the young boy's violent temper and plain sadistic streak. Amazingly enough Salazar was reading a book instead of torturing someone.
no, there is someone else who wants you. Lucius admitted handing Salazar a small necklace Salazar looking confused. who? he asked tensing as he felt magic flaring up around him. Dumbledore. Lucius admitted with a small smile, Salazar's eyes widening violently as the Portkey jerked him into the air, vanishing him in an instant and transporting him to Grimmwauld place, into a room well fortified to hold him. He landed on the bed with a retched sort of groan. Portkey always made poor Salazar sick to his stomach and very disoriented, which was why he could apparated perfectly at the age of fourteen.
Goddamn son of a bitch! Salazar cussed, staggering away from a body, slamming into a wall with another groan, rubbing his head, struggling to make the world stop spinning. back off! Back off before I spill your guts! Don't think you will get away with this you filthy mudbloods! I'll have you all tortured for this! he spat, shaking his head, scrabbling to find his wand, not realizing that Lucius had removed it from the holster he always wore it at his hip. and give me back my wand you cheating uncouth heathens!
Thorn Satanspawn, daughter of Merlin and a nercomancer's who's name had faded into the annuals of history leaned casually against the wall. Studying the man-child in front of her, she tilted her head. Having been sent in to calm him, because she was the only one his gift for killing would have no affect on. After all, she was known as the Deathless. The woman who's sins had become so great, that death had turned it's back on its favored daughter.
"heathens...I think you're talking about yourself."The casual tone of her voice belittled the power behind it. She could call people back from the brink of death, or leave a trail of corpses in her wake. Stuck in a teenager's body, the only thing that showed how very old she was, was the power of death in her words, or the shadows in her grey eyes. Beautiful by any standards, she was a pale reflection of the Malfoys.... or the malfoys were a reflection of her. Pale silvery hair fell around her shoulders, grey eyes the color of storm clouds. She was death in a pretty package, and many walked into her embrace willingly. Shaking her head a little she pushed away from the wall moving around so she was facing Salazar from the front, holding out her hand as if they'd met in the street instead of him being kidnapped."I am Thorn. And welcome to Valentine Manor."
he snarled as he found his balance and his vision cleared snarling at her, baring his teeth as he looked around for his wand, growling viciously before pausing as his emerald eyes met her power filled gray orbs, pausing as he stared at her, looking startled his head tilting as he examined her. your a woman. he stated with a small sneer. It was no secrete that Voldemort held women in low esteem, thinking they where better suited as breading rabbits and house keepers than warriors or anyone of power. He growled as she held her hand out to him and she smacked it away. do not touch me you vile little bitch! he spat. you will release me this instant or I will slaughter you without mercy! Do not presume that just because I am without a wand that I cannot do away with you vile wench! he was definitely Voldemort's child.
He hissed violently at her in parseltongue, invoking ancient magic that the world had long thought dead, purely elemental magic, wild magic that Merlin and the original Salazar had used. Ancient magic that no one should have been able to access, and certainly not a fourteen year old boy hell bent on helping his father rule the wizarding world. He lifted his hands, eyes burning with fury as he slammed pure, wild magic into Thorn, filling her with a force that easily killed. He was determined to rip her to shreds.
Thorn moaned in pleasure, eyes going wide as the magic filled her. Instead of bone ripping pain...there was pleasure in her tone. Death had long been her trade, and her father's magic....it was like coming home. Grey eyes filling with the pleasure and the answering elementals, she called Death like a hound,a weapon as she raised a hand a smack him hard across the face, not with only flesh on flesh, but power. Bending the world to her will,deading the flesh under her fingers tempoarily, as if he'd fallen asleep on it and put his face to sleep, knowing just how much power to use without causing permenant harm, letting the pins and needles in his cheek be a warning even as his elemental magic tore her body apart. "I am Thorn Satanspawn, not one of your death eaters. Do not think to kill me with parlor tricks."She snarled shadows swirling around her feet,chasing back the elemental magic, reaching out with her own gift, looking for death in this child. The only thing keeping her from killing him was the promise of freedom, waiting for her at the end of this war.
Shuddering as elemental and death lingered together like they hadn't for centuries, her father hadn't been able to use death like she did, but he could use elementals.It was....it was coming home. Bowing her head slightly she looked sixteen for a moment before she looked up again."You will be able to roam the house, but not leave."She said moving away from him, panting slightly. Despite being able to drive the magic out of her, it had managed to hurt her. Rip apart her insides, giving wounds that no one should have survived.And yet...she was still standing. Still talking as if she wasn't in mortal agony.
he hissed violently when she slapped him, stumbling back and holding his cheek, looking outraged and shocked. No one had ever dared hit him before, between his reputation and his father no one dared to lay even a finger on Salazar, staring at her with wide, startled eyes as he rubbed his tingling cheek, swallowing thickly as he looked her over, waiting for blood, or pain, or death but nothing happened. It was as if he hadn't hurt her at all! He was panting pretty hard himself, death having touched him from an early age the touch of it had left him drained and weak kneed.
what do you want with me? Salazar demanded his eyes narrowed violently. you should know my father doesn't care about me enough to play a ransom game with you. he stated hatefully his eyes narrowed as he examined her, his head tilted as he pondered how many people he could kill before she stopped him, before deciding that this was a good opportunity. It was clear Lucius was a traitor, that meant he was working for Dumbledore, which meant that Dumbledore would be there. He could gather information, play the waiting game, and when Dumbledore showed up, he could kill the insufferable busy body. He liked that plan. what do I have to do, to get you to let me go back home? playing along...for now.
Thorn smiled slightly wtching him, looking amused as he considered his options. After all, she'd been a teen like this one, a death walker, one who lived further into death's shadows then anyone else.And as one as him, she could tell what he was thinking.Yet for the moment, willing to let him lead the dance."Good thing I'm rich already isn't it?"she said bemused as she studied him, nodding a little."Nothing. Well. There's nothing you CAN do to go home. I have my orders to not let you leave the manor, and I have no reason to let you go, and every reason to make sure you stay."She said mving towards the door, walking out of it and leaving it open so he could follow, knowing no one else would be showing up. Well. She corrected that after seeing the man waiting for her. Sirius black seemed to think that she needed taking care of, as if she was really the teen who's body she was stuck in.
"Black, there's reasons I told no one to come.She said looking up at the 38 year old, shaking her head a little. "I am the only one he can't harm, every one else is open game.And I'm not about to walk death's halls to find your sorry ass."She pointed out to him, though there was few people she'd dare try to test the limits of her ability for, sirius was one of them, and she suspected he knew it. Hence his constant annoying her.
Salazar narrowed his eyes at her and tossed his head proudly, his spine as straight as it could get as he narrowed those cold emerald eyes at her, filled with madness and bloodlust most people cowered in terror under those viscous eyes that could make even Lucius cringe, but as he had suspected she seamed impervious to him. He hissed viciously at her when she left, snarling cuss words under his breath as he examined the room that he assumed he would be staying in. at least it was well furnished. He paused when he heard her talking to someone and he smirked viciously as he walked out, staring at the Marauder with a viscous Glare. Sirius was grinning though as he smirked at her. oh come on Thorn don't be that way you know your my favorite! There's no need for you to suffer all by yourself! Besides how am I supposed to give him his present if I'm not here!? Sirius demanded, making sure not to meet Salazar's eye, thought the glare ceased at the mention of a present.
present? Salazar asked, eyes narrowed suspiciously, but like all children could not resist the thought of a brand new something to play with. Maybe it would be some new knives, or one of those fun muggle guns, a poisonous snake or a deadly wild cat or... here! Sirius chirped tossing Salazar something, the boy catching it effortlessly and ripping it open, probing the box with magic to check for traps before yanking it open and tipping the present onto his hand, his head tilted as he stared at it. It was a broom, shrunken to fit in the box but it expanded at a simple gesture from Sirius, Salazar's eyes narrowing as he examined it. they are useless. he stated dropping the broom to the floor and stalking back into the room, slamming the door and locking it, making Sirius wince. well... that was...rude. he stated with a smirk. but he didn't kill me! See thorn nothing to worry about!
Thorn frowned at him, watching the interaction before smiling slightly."Siius, he already tried killing me.He's playing nice because he wants to go home."She sighed shaking her head before picking up the broom, "Sirius, if you wanted to get him something, you should have gotten him something deadly. He wont accept anything else now."She said scooping up the broom from the floor, flicking her fingers at the door unlocking it."Salazar, do you want something to eat?"she asked through the door, wondering just what she'd gotten herself into to. But she wanted peace, and working with dumbledore seemed to be the only way to find out her sins. Sighing she rubbed her forehead, feeling the ache of death pressing against her. She might not be able to die, but her body still hated her while she healed death wounds. And yet... she was standing on that edge, that shining edge of pleasure, which was her secret. That death's mistress found pleasure in being torn apart, that she lived so far into death, only death could touch her anymore. Having over the centuries tried sex and anything to feel pleasure, she had no idea if she could be affected by simple sex anymore.And for a moment she wondered why she was thinking about it, before glancing at the door again paliing slightly, yanking her thoughts away from the thoughts."Salazar?"She asked again when she didn't hear anything.
He snorted a little and puffed his chest out. you watch! He'll grab the broom when no one is looking. he teased taking it from her and laying it next tot he door before pausing when his sharp ears caught the sound of a window opening. ...he's making a run for it. he stated calmly, Salazar having slipped out the window and grabbing the trellis that was under it, crawling down quickly and darting towards the open space, hoping to get out of the barrier so he could Apparate back home and slaughter Lucius for his betrayal. Unfortunately for Salazar the grounds where expansive, and he had a terrible, terrible sense of direction. He couldn't find the edge of the barrier anywhere and he had a terrible feeling that the oaf from the manor was laughing at him, what had she called him? Sirius? Salazar hated him.
fucking hell, just how big is this place anyway!? he demanded looking around the expansive quidditch pitch that Sirius had INSISTED that Thorn include when he decided to move in with her to teach her how to cook and fend for herself. Sirius held no fear at all, which was why he'd asked Thorn to let him try with Salazar again, the man holding Salazar's broom with a smirk, offering it to the other. come on, you know you want to, it's fun! do you have a fucking death wish!? Salazar demanded his eyes narrowed as he advanced on Sirius who smirked a little as he watched Salazar. i might. he admitted calmly. why? You gonna kill me? there, Salazar hesitated frowning as he looked into Sirius's eyes, looking for the fear, the terror... he found...nothing but amusement and...trust? Salazar took a step back, away from the mutt looking confused and uneasy. He had always seen fear in people;'s eyes, even his father held fear when he looked at Salazar... so, how could this scraggly skinny man not have any fear!?
Thorn laughed quietly as she looked at the two, shaking her head slightly as she saw how upset Salazar was at the man's non-fear. Brushing her fingers through her hair she tied the pale blond strands back out of her face, "Because he trusts me to rip him out of the god's embrace if you do."She said absently shaking her head. While she would try, she was only certain that she could take herself out of death, not anyone else. Her heart giving a painful throb at the thought.She was a nercomancer, born to heal and to converse with the dead, and yet she was a nercomancer without her god's embrace denied acess to death's halls. Looking at Salazar she smiled a little, holding her own broom."Now death walker, do you want to fly or not?"She said snidely. Knowing how his father and him felt about woman gave her the perfect words to say. She needed him angry, pissed enough and curious enough about her that she wouldn't be forced to hurt him badly to keep him still.
Rubbing a hand over the black thorned tattoo wrapped around her wrist she watched the two, knowing there was important things she should be doing, like attending meetings that dumbledore insisted she attend but something about the boy drew her to him. Since she had lost her mother, she hadn't met another death walker like herself, and for him to be a elemental to....yes, Thorn Satanspawn was finding herself bemused and dazzled for the first time in her very long life.
Salazar bared his teeth at them, looking very uneasy now as he examined the broom held in Sirius's hands. no... I don't fly. he spat taking another step backwards, it was as if he was...afraid of the broom. i want to go home damn you! he was feeling very uneasy with the present company, they weren't afraid of him and he couldn't kill them, so he had no clue how to act or what to do. He glared at them and turned on his heal, stalking away Sirius looking confused. :... I think he's afraid of me! Sirius complained, pouting a little as he examined the broom. i wonder why such a strong reaction to flying? Do you suppose he's afraid of heights?... should we stop him before he breaks his nose on the barrier? Sirius asked after a moment watching Salazar wander about the expansive grounds until the boy got tired and bored and settled onto a bench, glaring at the ground as he tried to figure out what the hell these people wanted with him. Sirius had gone home, or rather to Number 12 Grimmauld to report Salazar's erratic behavior to Dumbledore, leaving him alone with Thorn once more.
Thorn sighed quietly as she watched the boy wander around the grounds. The nearly endless energy he displayed exhausted her. Sitting down on the ground across from him, she rested her nearly always present katana across her knees, closing her eyes. "Sal....the people who hired me want to save you. Make sure you'r'e not insane."She shrugged absently, as if it didn't matter to her if he was insane or not. Even with her eyes closed she could see him, as if she had her eyes open. Feeling his presence like a touch on her skin."We aren't afraid of you Salazar, because we wouldn't mind laying down our lives for a cause."She said opening her eyes a little to regard the boy, guessing at what was bothering him."I am sorry....but I can't let you go."She said softly, and she id. She wanted to let him go, but to be free of her curse, she would condemn about anyone to a life they didn't like. She was so tired.So ready to bid farewell to the earth.
Sal glanced at her and scoffed a little, lifting his nose in the air. i am NOT insane and neither is my father! You people just fail to see the great work that he's doing! he spat hatefully. you should know your place woman! he spat before turning away from her when she explained why they weren't afraid of him. ...i've never seen someone without fear in their eyes... it's...unnerving. he admitted frowning a little. but... not unpleasant. he admitted simply glancing at her again and sighing a little. i know Dumbledore hired you, he wants me out of the way, so that I'll stop killing all his guys. he nodded a little. he'll die eventually, and then my Father and I will be free to pave the way to a glorious rule for all of wizarding kind. Muggles need to know their place, they are inferior and stupid and need to be taught a lesson, and so do people like you. Blood traitors and idiots who don't know their place. he sniffed a little, as if he was trying to antagonize her. i will get out of this place eventually woman, and then I will kill you, that old oaf, and that fucking Dumbledore with glee.
Thorn smiled, dark and vicious as she raised her eyes to look at him, darkness that had nothing to do with the color of her eyes and everything with the paths through death she walked showed there."If you can kill me riddle, you will be the first in many years able to do so."She said mildly closing her eyes, snorting a little. Laughter choking her."No one is better then another, death finds you all."She said softly, sadly. as if she envied them their deaths, as much as they tried to avoid it."Glory is for those foolish enough to grasp at it, you will destroy what you try to fix."She said shuddering a little. Thinking of camelot, and the glorious city. The shining king she served and...frowning a little. For the first time in awhile thinking of home, and disturbed at the holes in her memory. Wondering what the ties of camelot and...something, had to do with her sins.
Viper stared at her then. it does not find my Father. he stated simply shaking his head a little. i will admit that my fathers approach is a little...brutish, but who am I to question him when he is the only one trying to fix what is wrong instead of making it worse? he glanced at her. you have walked Death too... haven't you? You've died, and come back. he stated calmly. It was a well known fact that Salazar couldn't die, he had been shot through the heart by a muggle gun, struck by a Avada Kedavra and shoved off a cliff. But thanks to the Horcrux that Salazar had made he had walked Deaths hallway, and returned to life. they say that you are Deaths daughter, that you control who dies and who lives. he sounded as if he respected her a little. why did that stupid man want me to fly so badly? he demanded, frowning a little. and why wasn't he afraid of me!? Everyone is afraid of me...
Thorn shrugged a little, closing her eyes again as she struggled for calm. "Sirius wanted....sirius is siirius, I can predict his actions as well as someone can predict the weather. Sirius fears no one, not even when it would be wise for him to do so."She said answering the easiest question, before sighing quietly. Reaching out quietly,gently, power trailing over his body, feeling death clinging to him like a lover, sighing gently in pleasure, feeling her god guarding him as fiercely as he'd once guarded her.
"I have been called many things. Thorn. Deathless.Satanspawn. Death's daughter.Death's mistress. The hunter. I was once the chosen, and now I am the outcast."She said gently, magic lingering against his, if only to get that touch of death, needing to feel her god...or in this case, goddess-,even if it wasn't for her. Feeling the Morrgian's protection holding him gently, despite the elemental and death magic clinging to him. After all, those were forms of worship for the goddess, and Thorn had long worshipped, even if their back was turned on her."I have been outcast from the sacred halls of death, forever earthbound."She said closing her eyes again. Keeping her thoughts about his father to herself. After all, she had plently of time to disabuse him of them later. For the moment, she was glad she was keeping his attention, even if they were discussing her.
Sal scowled a little, looking uncertain about her response but sighing a little as he rested his head on his fists, contemplating where he was and what he wanted to do about his imprisonment. the Goddess will see your suffering before long. he promised his eyes closed, a wicked smirk on his lips. i will find a way to kill you. he decided. and end the suffering of your many days. as if he where doing her a favor by killing her. and then I will be free of this cage that you have placed upon me. he looked at her. is it true, what they say about you? That you are the daughter of Merlin and the Goddess Death herself? he had no idea, that the blood of Merlin ran through his veins as well. why does it matter if I am insane or not anyway? he asked curiously, closing his eyes. clearly it is not only my sanity that has you holding me imprisoned here, what else do you want with me? he demanded, eyes closed. or am I just being held here to get me out of the way? Does your silly little morals prevent you from killing children? sure, Salazar wasn't much of a child, hell he didn't even know how to have fun unless it involved torturing someone, but he was still only fourteen years old, and young in the eyes of...well, everyone. Salazar could easily see Dumbledore being reluctant to kill him simply because of his age.
"The goddess has turned her face from me in shame.I can't be killed."She said slowly sounding slightly amused at him seeing it as doing her a favor, before starting a little at his question. It had been a long time since someone had asked. A goddess and mother...yes, she was ashamed of....whatever she had done. Frustrated not for the first time with not knowing what she had done. Not realizing that she was sitting next to a relative.Though many times removed.Many...many centuries removed."I don't remember."She said simply. Refusing to answer before laughing quietly, fingers tapping against the black lacquered seath of her sword."I have no morals anymore."She said just as simply, drawing her mind away and answering his question."No.Dumbledore does not want you killed. And he has something I want, more then I care about your imprisonment.If I could kill him and let you go, without destroying it, I would."She said sounding slightly amused. Even if she did like the light side better the the death eaters, she was for the most part ambilivant to the suffering of others for they barely affected her anymore. She was apart of the world, and not. Though...somehow he was affecting her more then anyone had in centuries, not realizing like was calling to like, answering a prophecy that demanded that death's daughter love the last son of merlin.
Salazar hummed a little as he tilted his head, lifting an eyebrow at her, wondering what in the WORLD one had to do to have the goddess of death of all things turn their backs and deny you death? He wanted to know so she could shun him too. But he didn't ask, it wasn't a good time, she would simply not answer and he knew it. Dumbledore has something you want? he asked curiously. interesting. he muttered, eyes narrowed as he pondered this. If he could get this thing from Dumbledore... he could control the one person who Death could not touch. He and his father would be unstoppable with her under their command! He instantly decided he wouldn't kill her, not when he had a chance at controlling her. It surprised him at how badly he wanted to have her, control her, own her, he did not understand the strange emotions that filled him at the thought of this woman under his control, but he recognized the one as lust, and he would be dammed if he did not bed this woman within the week. He wanted her, and Sal always got what he wanted. so, what do people like you do for amusement then? he demanded, bored.
Thorn snickered, "I tempt death of course."She said standing slowly, languidly. As if she had all the time in the world to stand up, to move. Her body despite looking 16 was older, and she was more comfortable in it then any 16 year old should be. Shifting her blade she slide the short katana out of the seath, the blade gleaming with both power and steel as it flashed in the sun. The sword itself infused with her gift, made death's weapon by her own deadly will. Shebelieved, she had no choice, she knew the gods existed and in doing so, despite their refusal to answer her, she had created a weapon like no other.
Tilting her head as she looked down at the boy on the ground, she smiled, that terrible vicious smile, that was her mother's. Morrigan's smile, when she heard the battle cry of warriors, and the screams of the dying."Do you know how to use a sword?I could teach you.It's better then flying."
he smirked at her answer, amused by the response and he got to his feet gracefully, though not as comfortably as Thorn did he was still more graceful than any fourteen year old boy should have been his eyes fixed on her sword, eyes glimmering with a strange sort of want in them. he knew what power lay in such a magnificent weapon, and he wanted it just as badly as he wanted her. "i know the basics." he stated simply. "Father insisted on teaching me, in case i where to somehow loose my wand or was drugged with Magic draining potions. it is a good still to have." he wasn't very good, but he had not had time to learn past the basic stances and movements. he would lose in a fight with someone skilled, but he could do some basic moves against most wizards who would have no idea how to handle such a thing. "i would like to learn more." his eyes still fixed on the Katana, licking his lips. "flying is a waste of time." he stated simply, not about to tell her he had never been on a broom, or that he was terrified of heights. how do you intend on teaching me? Daughter of Death? he demanded, glancing her over and smirking almost perversely. will you be, handling me?
"Of course,death walker."Thorn's answering smirk was just as perverse, wondering just what he was thinking before she took a running step towards him, in his face before he could respond. Hovering near him, body vibrating with the need to fight, having inherited that, along with her mother's death power, she needed to fight, she thrived on it. Being around so much death, that shining edge in a battle where life and death were so intertwined. Sword brushing slightly against his arm, the soft hum of power answering morrigan's blessing on him reacting to his presence, like it had never reacted to anyone else."I'll teach you to handle your sword."She said her eyes flickering down for a moment before meeting his.
he smirked at her answer and licked his lips, side stepping when she got into his face, running his hand up her arm, reacting to the threat of her sword by unleashing Magic into her skin, making her arm burn and sting from the power he unleashed. Most people would have lost the use of their arm, she, would no doubt, only find it an annoyance, smirking when she glanced down at his crotch, sighing softly as he felt the power of her sword against his arm, uttering a low, soft moan. you have no idea what your dealing with. he teased smirking at her, licking his lips again. i am VERY capable, of handling my own sword. he purred, watching her closely. the question is, can you even handle it?
An annoyance....and pleasure. The sigh that escaped fluttered her eyes closed, pleasure coloring the annoyed sound as she smirked, tilting her ead pale hair blowing lightly in the breeze."I have been dealing with swords since long before you were born child, you have nothing I haven't seen."She said before stepping back, lashing out with her own gift, letting it sting him back as she closed her eyes for a moment, concentrating, summoning. Smirking as she raised her hand, catching her other sword and tossing it to him. While it wasn't as deadly as her personal sword, it still rang with death magic, and answered the morrigan's blessing.
he smirked a little, licking his lips as he watched her, lust in those green eyes of his, his head tilted as he watched her. you are now so old. he accused. you can't be more than two or three years my elder. he accused, shivering as he felt her gift sting his flesh, only making him want her all the more as he caught the sword, and fumbled it a little, shuddering at the feeling of death in the blade, sighing softly as he probed the swords magic with his own, testing it and feeling it, licking his lips again. you have such wonderful weapons. he hissed softly. you must tell me where I can get one of these for myself. he stated, swinging the sword through the air, testing the weight and the feel before settling into a beginners offensive stance... he was going to lose horribly, but that was only if he didn't pin her down in the middle of the match and rape her.
Thorn nearly dropped her sword when he said that, nearly doubling over with laughter."You-you ask me if I'm death's daughter,then annouce that I'm not that old.Now that is amusing death walker."she said before straightening growing serious again. Looking at the weapon in his hand before her smile faded, "They were forged by the Lady of the Lake for Lancelot De Luc, and there are no other's in existance,well... not without centuries to make them."she said as she unseathed her blade all the way, falling into the stance easily. The blade guarding her front even as the seath went along her arm as a block.
Sal actually pouted when she explained that there where only two, sighing a little as he ran his fingers over the blade before examining her stance, trying to memorize it before he lunged, striking at her with a weak lunge, he clearly, clearly had no idea what he was doing as he struck out at her, the strike easy to block and even easier to slide under, poor Salazar was about to get his ass handed to him, though the blade sang in his hand and her body called out to him he was hoping to at least maim her a little before he lost.
Thorn responded, gently flipping the seath around, smackign him in the back of the head with it and tapping his stomach with the flat of her blade before sliding back, the sword living a sting to the smack, letting him know the touch could have been worse."Careful. You overextend yourself, you're going to get hurt."He said stepping back to let him take another shot. Letting him try and attack her, wondering just what he would do. Not realizing he was feeling the draw to her, not realizing that he wanted her. It'd been so long since she'd had attempted sex that she didn't even recognize the signs of someone wanting her body anymore "Keep your arms close.easier to defend,easier to correct after a mistake."
Salazar hissed as he was struck in the head and snarled when he felt the sting on his arm, growling as he listened to her, licking his lips again, the hunger in his eyes growing as he shifted his stance at her instructions, bringing his arms in closer and struck at him again, better but still pathetic as he swung for her neck, trying to slit her throat, leaving his belly and chest wide open for assault, his eyes trailing along her body, more focused on wondering how her soft body would feel as he pinned her tot he ground, screaming, or moaning, and took her for his own, fucking her until she belonged to him, and only to him. He hissed at the pain as she smacked him around, and without warning lunged at her, unable to restrain himself any longer as he abandoned the sword, his hand wrapping around her neck as he used the force of his weight to throw her onto the ground, him on top, his lips instantly on her's, kissing her almost violently as his knee's pinned her hips down, and his hands searched for her wrists to pin those down as well. Wanting her, needing her, he would have her!
Thorn whimpered under him,growling quietly when she tasted blood, his or her teeth cutting up their lips as they kissed. Snarling as the man pinned her wrists to the ground, despite being older, being able to kill him, she was smaller then him, and he'd managed to catch her off guard having not expected to find herself tackled. Knowing she wouldn't get free without seriously harming him, she closed her eyes, shivering when she realized she didn't mind this. She was...responding to him. Worried whimpers slowly becoming pleasured whimpers as he pinned her still, responding to both the man on her and the feel of death and life between them. She was everything death represented, the cold emotionless dark of the grave, and he was life within death, alive and well despite walking deaths halls. And their gifts together...even without him doing anything else but pinning her there and kissing her, he had her shuddering in climax as she responded to the only other death walker she'd met.
he moaned at the taste of blood in his mouth, her lips or his he didn't know but one of them was bleeding, panting eagerly as he effectively pinned her, rubbing his cock against her crotch, humping her eagerly as he stuck her wrists to the ground using simple sticking spells, abandoning her lips to bite, nip, and suck on her neck as he ran his fingers up her shirt, massaging her breasts as he felt her reacting underneath him, moaning , wanting him as much as he wanted her. It was enthralling to have someone under him, moaning for him, wanting more from him. He hissed eagerly, stripping her pants down to her knees and running the length of his cock along her cunt, stroking the flesh with a wicked smirk. my god, your so wet. he whispered eagerly, stroking his length along her, lubing his flesh as his mouth went to her ear. i'm going to fuck you, I'm going to make you mine, forever.. he whispered, possessive and wanting. you will be mine. he growled, massaging her breasts as he slowly started to sink into her cunt with a loud moan of pleasure, shivering at how tight and warm she was, smirking a little. mmm fuck you feel so wonderful around my dick.
Thorn whimpered quietly, her body spasming around him, welcoming him even as she growled, turning her head, sinking her teeth into his shoulder."I belong to no one, espicially not you."She growled lashing out, bending the world to her will as the spells snapped, rolling them, pinning him down to the ground,sword appearing in her hand as she pressed it between them, laying the cold steel across his neck as she rode him. Making him fight to own her, once she caught up to what was going on. Even as her body betrayed her, welcoming him with desperate little spasms, it'd been so long. Fighting to make her not seem so whorish, so desperate. And yet she was, desperate to feel alive again, to feel life like he did.
he moaned as she bite him, arching into the pain eagerly, gasping loudly when she broke his spells so easily, hissing as they where rolled, him on bottom now, baring his teeth as he felt the cold steal pressed against his neck, moaning at the death in the sword as it lay against his skin, thrusting up into her desperate movements, a smirk on his lips, panting softly. you already belong to me, Daughter of Death. he hissed. your riding my dick so wonderfully, so..needy. You belong to me and you already know it, your mind denies it but your body knows. he whispered panting eagerly, his eyes daring her to lie again, to deny it. your mine, Death Daughter. he whispered, gripping her wrists and forcing the sword away from his throat, leaning up and kissing her hard again, thrusting wildly into her, more than happy to let her think she was in charge by being above him, they both knew the truth, she was Salazar's now, and forever his. What he didn't realize, was that he was just as much hers, he just didn't know it yet.
She snarled as she bit down, teeth finding his lip as she came, eyes widening, power crackling between them, winding death through life, and life through death, a circle flairing between them, binding them, breaking the bonds that held them before, and forging a new one. Death's daughter, and merlin's last son...and a piece of the final prophecy fell into place as she trembled in his arms, spasming and trapped in his arms. Not realizing that he now held the secret to her life, and everything else. "Mine."She snarled fingers biting hard into his shoulders, trembling and weak as she slouched down against his chest, body still spasming around him even as numb fingers let the sword fall from her hand, the blade cutting both her hand and his shoulder, mingling blood together, tying them together. A bond forged of both magic and blood.
he moaned, arching against her as he came as well, filling her intently, moaning loudly as he felt their power mingling, bonding them together, binding them as he clung to her, gripping her tightly, leaving bruises and bloody marks where his nails dug into her skin, snarling as he felt their blood mingling shuddering violently against her as his magic exploded around them, wrapping tightly around her as their magic bonded, and then settled, both of them twice as powerful as previously as they shared their magic, Salazar groaning as he finished thrusting into her, laying underneath her as he felt their magic, and their bond settling into place once more, his eyes fluttering open as he felt a... peace, that he had never experienced before. what was that? he asked, cautious, angry that something had been done to him without his permission, but unable to be angry at her for reasons he could not understand. what did you do?
Thorn whimpered, hearing the anger in his voice, responding to it as if she was a hurting wife, unable to defend herself. Thinking for a few long moments before realizing her own gifts had offered her up as a sacerifice, sine she lived in death, she was submissive to her...mate that lived in both life and death. That...and morrigan's blessing made her weaker to him, made her vulnerable in a way she hadn't been in years. Trembling as she drew away from him, tugging on her pants. Stumbling a little as she headed for the house. Despite hearing the question, she didn't have a answer. Or at least not a answer she thought he'd accept. And she..she was afraid, for the first time in a long time, of what someone would do to her. Feeling morrigan's blessing like a kiss on her brow, yet...she was denied the full blessing. Only feeling it because it was in his magic, and not hers."We changed things."She said softly, so out of it not even realizing she was leaving her ever handy sword behind.
he groaned a little as she got off of him, sighing a Little, because he had not finished, but he let her get dressed anyway, feeling too calm and content to do anything all that quickly as he sat up, running a hand through his hair as he got dressed, catching up to her using a slow jog, tilting his head as she informed him that they had changed things. no shit Sherlock. he stated, using a common muggle expression, one that his father absolutely hated. never mind, I'll look it up myself. he decided eyes narrowing before he smirked again, watching her intently. It was a good thing that he didn't realize she was submissive to him, or he would have ordered her to take him outside of the barrier and taken her home, using her against Dumbledore and warming his bed with her. But he did not realize this, and therefore he wrapped his arms around her, licking her ear, thinking he had yet to convince her that she belonged to him. i wasn't finished. he growled, pinning her against the wall, pinning her there as he licked, and then bit gently at her neck. i'm going to fuck you right here In the hallway, I'm going to prove your mine by fucking you in every room of this house.
Thorn snarled at him, even as she tilted her head back, offering her neck. Submissive she might be but she could still fight, and didn't have to listen to him. Though her own power made it so she wanted to, she could resist. Snarling as she pushed him away, slapping power into it, death and life ooverwelming her as she stumbled slightly, feeling off balance as she caught his arm to stay on her feet. Shuddering as she closed her eyes, letting it fill her like a cup, feeling a to small vassel with what she'd been missing."You've given me back life."She whispered, opening her eyes to look at him.
"You have given life to the lifeless,by binding your fate to my own."She said, jaw dropping a little as she thought about the ramifications of that. If he bound her to life, to the things that normal people felt, then she bound him to the cold stillness of death and immortality. He'd plunged his hands into the still waters of power that outcasted her from her god and mother, filling death with life, as it was always meant to be. Forging the links, starting the chain that would return her to mortal, return her to what the final prophecy needed her to be.
he smirked when he felt the other submitting to him before yelping when she pushed him away, clutching his chest where her power had struck him, snarling viciously as his eyes flashed with rage, standing up and examining her when she staggered, catching her carefully. i did what now? he demanded lifting an eyebrow. you don't make any sense. he growled, annoyed with the erratic behavior of his....'host'. He scowled at her and scoffed, tossing his nose into the air and stalking away, annoyed with her and no longer feeling like he needed to fuck her or explode he decided to find something else to entertain himself with. He settled himself into the library and pulled out a book and simply started to read. Or pretended to anyway, in truth he was exploring the new sensations in his body, closing his eyes as he followed the bond between him and Thorn, feeling her confusion, horror, lust, all the emotions she was feeling right then, a smirk on his lips as he experienced emotions he'd never felt before... he...enjoyed this bond, it filled him with...joy?, yes, it was a 'happy' feeling.
Thorn smiled a little, respnding to the joy she could feel in him, before gently but firmly shutting it. Not enough to fully cut him off, but enough her thoughts were still private. Knowing she had annoyed him she smiled, still feeling his joy, she couldn't stop. Wandering the house before she joined him in the library, just as darkness was creepng across the room, the sun setting. Walking over she sank to the floor, sitting at his feet, pressing her forehead against his knee, a submissive movement she did before she could stop herself. Knowing she needed to explain."Salazar... for all intents and purposes, I am DEAD. I just can't stop moving, living. My...sin condemns me to living death here, on earth.You for all that you mess around with death magic and should have died, you're alive. Still holding that spark of mortality. Morrigan's blessing lies on you like a kiss...and you.Shared it with me."She said trembling a little, for the first time in a long time, afraid of what they had done."You bound your fate to mine...and whatever you do, you will pull me with you."She snorted laughing a little, pressing her cheek against his thigh as she wrapped a arm around his calves, for once looking as young as she appeared to be. "Your darkness is my fate."She whispered, not understanding what they meant, but needing to say them.Understanding that the bond needed her to voice the binding, the need to stay with him
Salazar looked shocked when she set her head on his knee, his head tilted as he examined her, listening to her explain, suddenly understanding. we bound our souls together, and our magic... I hold immortality, and you hold life. he smirked a little. what I do, will decide your fate. he whispered stroking her cheek. i could order you, and you'd have to obey me wouldn't you? he asked, pondering that. Hours ago, he would have taken her home and used her but now... now... he didn't want to. interesting. he muttered running his fingers through his hair. you gave me... something else, but I don't know what it is... his eyes narrowed as he pondered it. it feels hard, and heavy in my chest, but not unpleasant. morality, emotions, the ability to see good from bad. She had given him a lifetime of knowledge, had given him the ability to understand life, death, and everything in-between. He was no longer just what Voldemort had turned him into, he was suddenly...someone else. Someone he wasn't completely sure of. you are mine. he decided, looking a little upset. but I am yours at the same time. he scowled a little. i can't decide if I like this or not. he admitted softly. but I'm sure I'll figure it out.
Thorn laughed, shaking her head."I'd feel obligated to do it, but I am thorn satanspawn, and will not bend to anyone's will but my own.I'd want to, but I could walk away if I want."She said, her faith,her beliefthat she would be able to, changing the binding slightly, giving her more freedom then it had.And it changed to match her words, giving her freedom bound by submissiveness. Going quiet as she thought it through, closing her eyes as she felt him through the bond, making a distressed noise as she crawled in his lap, trying to calm him down. Fretting as she felt his unease, thinking it over as she thought over his words."You gave me back life.And I gave you a lifetime....many lifetimes worth of knowledge."
Salazar smirked a little as he stroked her hair, pondering that before nodding. that's alright, some part of me doesn't want you to simply obey me. It's more fun when you fight back. he admitted glancing down at her, his head tilted. ... lifetimes of knowledge. he muttered softly, nodding a little. yes... I'm not blinded by my father anymore... I can see... he has the right idea, but he's insane, all he's doing is killing. he closed his eyes and sighed. i never thought I would ever disagree with my father... he admitted softly. he raised me... loved me, as best he could... he shook his head. but... he shook his head. it's all too complicated right now, everything is so confusing. he complained shaking his head as he stood up. i'm going to bed. he decided, abandoning her in the library, confused and upset that he was changing into someone else, upset that he didn't know how to be himself anymore. He just wanted to sleep, and hope it would all be better in the morning.
Thorn watched him go, her heart hurting for causing him this much upset. Shaking her head a little she headed to bed herself, knowing things had to be better in the morning.
In the morning Thorn shook her head as she walked through the meeting hall, having locked the mansion down tight before she left, she had been summoned for this meeting, though she was keeping a half mind on her mate, feeling him as strongly as if he was standing next to her. Easily walking through the crowd she sighed daintily, looking at the order of the phoenix, plus lucius."You are all fools if you think to use him." she said interrupting the arguement going on between the members on what to do with Salazar. Shaking her head as she made her way to Lucius's side, feeling more comfortable with the death eater then the people of the light."I will kill the first person who thinks to use him." Tonks frowned, shaking her head as she looked at the younger woman, forgetting as most people did, that the mind behind that young face was centuries older."Do not play with powers you don't understand little girl."
Dumbledore raised a hand, calling silence to the arguing people, he, out of everyone, was the only person who never forgot what she was. why do you think this Thorn? he asked calmly, examining her closely. is he as we feared? Mad as his father? no, but Salazar could never fight against the man that had raised him. He loved his father, no matter how much his morals where now screaming at him that everything Tom was doing was wrong. he's not mad. Sirius stated suddenly. he's just very young and been under rules different than ours. He doesn't know right and wrong. Sirius explained looking at them. but asking Salazar to fight Voldemort, is just like asking one of your children to kill their parents. I don't think even Voldemort could even kill his own mother, despite hating her. there was a soft murmur, startled by Sirius's sudden insight as the dog smirked at Thorn and winked at him. this is true. Dumbledore agreed. but we cannot simply let the boy wander London slaughtering as he pleases...Thorn can you safely contain him, try to teach him right from wrong? Perhaps if he learns, he might stop helping his father at the very least... many would stop fearing Voldemort if Salazar Riddle was no longer a danger.
Thorn laughed quietly as she continued walking around the room, just to unnerve people. After all, she spent years building her reputation, it wouldn't do to have anyone forget she was merlin's daughter along with death's."He's sane. And he knows right from wrong."She smiled slightly trailing her fingers over the window sill,watching ice bloom under her fingers, the icy embrace of death showing. Daring them to ask what she had done, what had shifted. Tonks stared, eyes wide as she watched the girl, her voice shaking slightly, before mentally shaking herself, she was braver then this. This child would not scare her, no matter who she was."What did you do?"She demanded. "Bound life and death, as they should be."She said cryptically, wondering how long it would take for them to grow annoyed with her. After all, she only showed when dumbledore demanded her there, and she didn't want to be here. Didn't want to be around people radiating so much life. Though feeling the living presence of her mate in her mind was making her more pleasant then she usually was.
Dumbledore gasped in astonishment at her cryptic answer, his eyes wide as he watched her before nodding. then we shall leave Salazar in your care. he stated calmly, unwilling to use something that she had claimed. Because thorn had a limit, and nothing would make her cross that line, not even for the information he had. Tonks, leave her alone. Sirius suddenly demanded, glaring at the metamorphagi as Salazar's consciousness stirred in Thorn, he was waking up, his emotions going from hazy and peaceful to sharp and startled back to calm and confused. Though not upset as he had been last night, sleep had calmed his writhing emotions, as he had hoped they would. Thorn, will you agree to continue watching over Salazar? Until we decide what is to be done with him, we must remember that he is only fourteen, a child and no doubt very confused and afraid despite his reputation. nope, not a drop of fear, Salazar riddle feared nothing.
"he is not afraid of you.Or me.Or anything.A child in body only, you would do well to remember not everyhing is as it appears."Thorn shrugged absently, amused that he was so sure to be afraid. Enjoying her game of cryptic answers, before dipping her head slightly."What is to be done with him is not for you to decide, professor.Morrigan treasures her warriors, do well not to piss them off to badly."She said, sounding insane, and amused. Heading for the door as she made her way through the crowd, pausing slightly."Do knock before you come home Sirius."She said giving him a warning and a vague answer all at once. Apparating home with a thought,gently knocking against Salazar's door, a frown on her face as she tried to decide if he was upset with her.
Sirius chuckled a little as Dumbledore sighed a little, shaking his head. Thorn, I would like to meet him at some point. he admitted smiling at her. but for now, try to be nice to him? he teased well aware of what her binding death and life together meant. Sirius looked confused at the statement however and watched her leave, his head tilted a little before chuckling as he looked around him. you people really have no clue who your pissing off. he teased smirking a little.
When the knock sounded on Salazar's door, excitement rushed through their bond, letting her know that he was excited to have her back as he opened the door, looking sleepy and bed mussed as he yawned. mmm you left? he asked curiously rubbing his eyes. i'm hungry... he complained, sounding like...like an average fourteen year old actually, like a normal person. He had never been a normal person before, he liked it, honestly. He didn't feel any desire to cause pain or draw blood or kill as he had before, he felt, calm, and at peace with himself. He felt... happy. thank you Thorn. he stated suddenly offering her a smile. you saved me. he admitted. i didn't know I needed saving but I did... he grinned at her, his wickedness returning in a flash. your still mine.' he teased, pulling her in for a kiss, pressing his lips hard against hers before releasing her and trying to find the kitchen, his stomach demanding food, hating him for missing all of his meals the day before.
Tonks scowled slightly shaking her head, looking at her cousin."Shut up sirius."She said as the meeting broke apart
Thorn laughed quietly, steering him back to the bedroom as she summoned a elf to give her some food, grinning as the small elf brought them a feast of food. Settling on his bed as she started eating. Even though she didn't need it, thorn did enjoy eating. Giving him a almost shy smile when she thought over his words, frowning slightly. "I had to leave for a bit. Summonings from the old bastard aren't to be ignored, unless I want to end up with a headache and my secret once again lost."She said, truly afraid the man would do it. Take the memory from his own mind and destory the last remenants of what she'd done, if she even thought to disobey him. The actions slowly pushing death's daughter into a corner, and like a animal, she would strike out eventually. But for the moment, Salazar was balancing her well.Making her as calm and normal as he was.
he scowled as he was pulled away from the kitchen, relaxing when he saw the feast, settling onto the bed and helping himself. Dumbledore is a manipulating old bastard. he stated calmly, pondering. but, he is only doing what he thinks is right. he decided nodding a little as he looked at her. what is it that he has? A secrete? That doesn't make any sense at all. he complained with a small frown. he shouldn't use people like that, at least my father has the decency to let people know when their being used like pawns. he growled, a little annoyed with the old man who so denied his father at every turn. what does Dumbledore have planned for me anyway? And don't you DARE lie, I know he has something planned, he always does, I was kidnapped for a reason and we both know it.
Thorn frowned,"He wants you, for whatever reason.He has a plan, to use you I think."She shrugged, for a moment looking vulnerable before she shook her head looking at him."But I didn't ask, because your life meant nothing to me, and my secret meant everything. Though...the game has changed now. And I don't know what to think."She said frowning a little, brushing a hand through her hair eating. Avoiding his eyes."When...when I was rendered outcast, I was made to forget the sin of what I did. The only thing that can render me mortal again, is finding out, and repenting for doing...whatever I did. Dumbledore knows, or at least suspects where I can find what I did."She sighed tiredly looking at him, shifting to kiss his shoulder, letting him feel just how tired, how old and how very attatched she'd become to him in the short day they'd been together."I'm tired Sal.I've lived to long, and can't feel apart of the world anymore. Nothing...sometimes I think I'm dreaming... and the world was all figments of my imagination....but I know. I know I did something.And I want to know what.So...I played the headmaster's game to find out. And I'll keep playing, to keep you safe."She said smiling slightly.
Salazar growled a little, feeling angry that they would kidnap him and then not even tell him what they wanted with him. my life means nothing to a lot of people. he agreed looking rather amused about that. so you have been made to forget your sin, but your supposed to repent for it anyway? That's kind of twisted. he admitted shaking his head a little wrapping his arms tightly around her, closing his eyes. you have every right to be tired. he agreed. i can't imagine how long you've been living, alone, without any knowledge of what you've done or how to fix it. he sighed a little and kissed her temple. we'll find out, what he knows. We'll find out your sin's, and we'll save you from your curse. he promised, smirking a little. don't worry about me, I'll play my own games with Dumbledore.
She laughed uietly turning a little, settling into his arms with a sigh, head resting on his chest."Wsn't always aone...biut...I think I haven't had anyone for awhile."She said frowning a little as she thought about it, before laughing softly, nodding. Wondering if she should worry about him, if he was going to play games with dumbledore."He wants to meet you. He wants to see whatever I have done to you..."
he nodded, running his fingers through her hair. i like this. he admitted calmly. you won't be alone now, I've decided I want to keep you. he teased smiling a little. we'll be together forever. he decided. or until one of us dies I suppose. he snickered a little. actually, didn't I rape you first? So isn't all if this sort of my fault? he asked grinning at her as he peeked at her through one eye. that oaf is back, tell him I hate him. he ordered as someone knocked on the door. Thooorn! He said he hates me! Tell him to be nice. Sirius whined through the door, god the man had such good hearing, but Salazar just smirked and nodded. Thorn, tell the ugly oaf that he's immature, worthless, and needs to get a life. i am NOT ugly! I'm GORGEOUS! Sirius whined, though you could hear both the laughter, and the bemusement in his voice. It was very clear to Sirius that Sal had changed very drastically overnight.
Thorn smiled at him shyly as he looked at her, shifting as she shook her head."Do I look like a bloody owl to you?Talk to the mutt yourself."She said sliding away from him, opening the door and smiling a little, a shy smile curling her lips as she looked at sirius, for the first time truly unsure of hw he would take this. He'd agreed with the whole saving sal thing, but she wasn't surewhathe would think of their bond, and him being the closest she had to a father anymore meant that he was the one person that she truly worried about disappointing.
Salazar snickered as he yawned a little and settled back into the bed, relaxing as Sirius walked in, the man looking at Salazar curiously. what in the world did you do to him? he asked looking baffled before he sniffed at her and then at him, his eyes narrowing. you both smell different... he growled eyes narrowing. you smell...the same... he complained sniffing at her again Salazar snarling suddenly as he got to his feet. you quit sniffing my woman you old lecherous pervert! ... your woman!? Sirius demanded his eyes wide as he suddenly realized, looking at her. you bound him to you!? sounding shocked, Salazar snorting angrily. no! We bound OURSELVES to EACH OTHER. And before you start bitching it was an ACCIDENT, and one I don't intend on 'fixing' now get out before I feed you your own fucking heart! Sirius lifted his hands and backed away from Thorn, showing Salazar he meant no harm. easy there kid, she's like a daughter to me, I'm not going to do anything to her. he promised Salazar hissing furiously. bullshit! Death eaters fuck their own kids all the time. he spat angrily. you stay away from Thorn! i will not! She's MY daughter and I'm NOT going to hurt her! YOU might! i can't! Salazar snarled. remember!? I tried that already!
That was about the time Thorn snarled, a sound of fury and life. Beacause it took being alive to really feel the emotions she was. Harry's emotions making her feel even more off balance."Stop.Both of you."she growled looking between them,"Me and Sal are meeting with dumbledore after this, if you would behave and let us finishing eating."She said looking upset at upseting Sirius struggling for call as she looked at him.
Sirius and Sal stood there, growling at each other but they had stopped yelling once Thorn had growled at them, Lupin looking startled as he gaped at her. your taking him to Dumbledore!? Thorn that's not safe! For you OR for Salazar! he protested Sal looking a little puzzled. Dumbledore wants something from this kid! And from you for that matter, if he pisses Sal off we ALL know Salazar is going to try and attack him! i won't. Salazar stated simply. i won't lay a finger on the old bastard until I have what Thorn needs. he stated simply. Dumbledore has something that Thorn would risk her own soul to get, and I can't have that. Sirius looked startled by Salazar's possessive protectiveness over thorn and he nodded a little. i didn't know that. the animagus admitted shaking his head a little. even if you do get what you want from him, he still wants something from you. well he might get it, depending on what he wants. Sal admitted shrugging a little. it really all depends on how I feel about him. ... how much did you change? she gave me a lifetime of experience that's all. I enjoy understanding myself in all actuality.
Thorn looked slightly amused, the pleasure of being protected so filling the bond even as she rolled her eyes."A few lifetimes actually."She said before shaking her head sitting down again. Starting to eat. guilt making a appearance, now that she was attached to Salazar, she...she felt bad for using him, to gain the secret she needed. Looking at the animgaus even as she eat a little looking at him thoughtfully."There's reasons I didn't tell you.Though truly, I am amazed you haven't asked me."He said looking amused before sighing."Dumbledore has the secret to my immortality Sirius.He knows what I did."She said quietly, needing him to understand just why she was willing to risk everything to go to this meeting. Before perking up,even though guilt and amusement was what salazar was getting from her."Besides, I am Thorn Satanspawn. It will take more then a old man to hurt me."She said trying to joke and failing miserably.
Salazar turned and looked at Thorn when he felt the guilt, tilting his head and lifting an eyebrow, feeling a little puzzled as to why she should feel guilty. Sirius shrugged. i always assumed Dumbledore had blackmail on you like he does me. he admitted simply, as if it was a run of the mill thing to be blackmailed in order to make someone work for them. Hell for Sirius it probably was, that and his loyalty to Lily, who was still as depressed as the day she had found out her husband and son had died and she had lived. i'm sure that Dumbledore will try to blackmail me too. Harry stated with a shrug. but the world already knows I'm a bastard, he doesn't really have anything on me that I don't already know. but there was one thing, that Salazar did not know. well then... Sirius stated looking a little puzzled. anyone want to go flying? ...no. Salazar stated with a scowl.
Thorn laughed quietly, shaking her head amused at the man's want to fly. Standing slowly, kissing his cheek."We'll fly when we get back. We have things to do, people to meet."She smiled wrapping her arms around Sal,kissing his cheek before apparating them to grimwuld place. Frowning a little as she looked around the front hall."This house always depresses me."She said looking around before heading for the sitting room, knowing dumbledore was probably already there, or at least lily would know when he would be. Of everyone she was forced to interact with, lily was one of the few she really got along with.Which probably said more for the woman's kindness and tolerance then anything about thorn.
Salazar wrinkled his nose at the thought of flying, Sirius whining a little but nodding as he watched them apparate away, shaking his head. ...those two... I have a very bad feeling about this. he grumbled sighing a little. Salazar looked around the place and suddenly smiled, relaxing a great deal. this place feels like home. he admitted softly, turning to a painting, Mrs. Black suddenly ripping her curtains open to scream at them all before gasping at the sight of Salazar. Salazar! My lord welcome to black manor! she shrieked, Sal wincing and sticking his finger in his ear. yeah.. hello Mrs. Black. Do be so kind as to shut up. he ordered the painting slamming the curtains shut. did you know that we have one of her in my house? he asked curiously. no one uses that room because she's a raving maniac but if your not careful she might decide to spy on you. he pointed out, keeping his voice low so that no one but Thorn could hear him. He stepped into the room, looking around at all the people who froze and stared at Salazar, eyes wide as they waited for him to do something, anything. Dumbledore standing up from his seat at the table and smiling.
i wasn't expecting to meet you so soon Salazar Riddle. i have been eager to meet you Albus Dumbledore. Salazar admitted, but did not go for the wand at his hip. i hear you have plans for me. oh yes, many plans. Dumbledore teased with a small chuckle. none of which I expect you to go along with. Sal smirked a little. well aren't you smart? he teased shaking his head a little. i suppose you think you have blackmail on me too hmm? oh my no, you'd have to care what people think for blackmail to work. No I have much better information. Salazar looked curious despite himself. oh yes? i know who your mother is. Salazar paused, pondered that then. she's a mudblood bitch who abandoned me at birth. he shrugged. that's all I need to know. but he did want to know, Albus wouldn't be able to tell, but Thorn could, through the bond.
Thorn tilted her head, feeling how much he wanted to know,brushing his head, squeezing gently as she moved past him, moving to the window so that she could look out, looking slightly worried."Tell him."She said simply, ignoring everyone else in the room expect fr dumbledore. After all, he was the only one truly capable of urting her, if he did know her secret. Offering support through their bond she was seemingly not paying attnetion, though even without looking at him,she was painfully aware of where salazar was."And if you are lying and we find out, I will destroy you."She said simply, a warning. Because there was nothing to stop her except salazar if dumbledore hurt him.
he turned and examined her, his head tilted a little. as I said before, I don't need to know. She's dead. he stated simply Dumbledore lifting an eyebrow. she's not. he stated calmly, the silver eyed man examining Thorn. you would do well not to threaten my dear, don't forget I have information you want as well. Salazar smirked a little. your worse than my father. he stated Dumbledore looking horrified at that. he at least treats everyone the same. They are all lower life forms, all pawns. He rules by fear, but they can leave at any time they want really, though I'm not sure if that's the madness or if it's just him not caring... you, your ten times worse, you use blackmail and hold secretes to make people do what you want to do. What will you do when someone refuses to play your silly game? Harry demanded, Dumbledore frowning a little as he examined Salazar before sighing. then they go I suppose. he stated calmly, Salazar snorting a little.
this is a war old man, people do things their not proud of. Now tell me what you want with me before I get bored and take this opportunity to go home, despite my bonds and my chains. very well. Dumbledore said with a small sigh. all I want from you, is information. The names of death eaters, your fathers plans... Salazar actually started laughing. you are a fool! A bloody idiot! he stated laughing brightly. you think that because the world thinks I am evil, that I am just going to betray my own father!? he demanded staring at Dumbledore who's eye was starting to twitch before he started laughing again. oh very well. Salazar stated wiping his eyes. but only because you amuse me, and because while your theory about magic is wrong, at least you don't slaughter everyone. he stated pondering a little. why don't we talk and walk? I'm still hungry and I wanted to catch up with Kreacher. he admitted, causing the room to flinch, wondering how Salazar knew about that idiot house elf.
Thorn turned her head, loking at salazar for a long moment, before she thought about it. Narcissa Malfoy had once been Narcissa Black, and they were in the most ancient house of black. Looking amused for a minute before her face shifted, the coldness entering those eyes. Following the two men out into the gardens, before she spoke."You would do well to remember who she is Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."The voice though, was like Thorn's but different. Lightly amused and the slight ring of power as the words escaped. Deeper voice, and a entery worth of experience. "You will only be able to force her so far...both of them so far, before they turn on you."Lucifel, the one who had once been the morningstar, sounded amused and interested as he used his granddaughter to speak. the protection that her parents had laid over her to keep her safe, but rendering her alive agin. After all, one had to be alive, to be able to risk one's soul. And... well he wanted to meet this man brave enough to not only risk playing games with thorn, but with Salazar and Voldemort.
Salazar had just been about to lay down a few threats on Dumbledore when Thorn suddenly changed, his eyes narrowing as he felt her being shoved to the back of her own mind as someone else took control, snarling lightly as he listened to this new person, Dumbledore listening with wide eyes as he realized that this person talking through her had to be ancient and one of her family. He swallowed thickly watching her intently. i do what I must to save the wizarding world he stated softly staring Lucifel in the eye with firm eyes. if I must use these two children to do it then I will. he stated, Salazar laughing again at Dumbledore's stubbornness. you, are still a fool Dumbledore. Salazar stated firmly. there are other ways for us to learn what we want to know. Dumbledore nodded. i am sure there are. he agreed. but until then I am your only choice. there are always a choice, and you are making a bad one. Salazar stated setting his hand on Thorn's shoulder. be careful what you decide Albus Dumbledore, or you might find yourself on the losing side of the war right along side my father.
Lucifel smiled slowly, the look cold and far from human. After all, Lucifel had never been human. Turning to look at Salazar, the devil smiled wider,"My, you are a pretty boy."he said raising his granddaughter's hand, stroking her hand over his cheek before looking at Dumbledore, fire filling her eyes, and the tangy sent of brimstone filled the air."I swear on my own name, Ibius Lucifel, the one who was the morning star, shall you cause harm to befall my granddaughter, the hell you have lived through will be small and insignificat to what follows."Lucifel smiled shaking out her long blond hair, missing the world. as a demon, he was comdemned to never leaving hell, as a angel had a enjoyed the world. And he would break any rule to keep this so wronged girl from harm....could he be feeling guilty?The devil feeling remorse for his granddaughter's fall? "And do be kind, she will not be remembering this when she's back.She'll think you're still having the conversation you had been having."He said before departing.
Thorn frowned slightly looking at the men staring at her."You're staring at me.Why?"He frowned looking at the both. She might have been her grandfather's way to earth but even when she was in total control, Thorn hadn't always remembered had he had done while in charge
Dumbledore shuddered violently at his threats Salazar smirking. and I'll help. he promised ignoring the pretty comments, looking at Thorn curiously. sorry, I'm assuming your a boy and I don't swing that way. he teased eyes glittering with laughter as he teased who he assumed was the ruler of hell itself. he smirked as he watched the Demon flee, his head tilted when she returned, Dumbledore opening his mouth to explain and Salazar cutting him off. it's just because your so beautiful. he teased smirking a little. i'll explain later, for now why don't you go inside and see if you can't find that nasty little house elf for me while I have a few private words with Dumbledore?
Thorn studied him looking confused, before nodding slowly. Brushing her hand against him as she headed for the door."Don't be long. I don't like being here. Mrs. Black yells alot at me."She said laughing a little as she headed inside to find the house elf. When the two men came inside she smiled slightly, looking down at the elf standing at her side."As ordered, the house elf."She said wrinkling her nose a little. She hated this house elf, it had no matters an was continuely muttering to himself. It kinda reminded her of the imps her grandfather had let Merlin summon. Which was in itself, a very disturbing thought.
Harry laughed a little and nodded turning to Dumbledore with furious eyes. When they walked back into the house, Dumbledore actually looked afraid of the young Salazar who grinned when Kreacher nearly turned inside out at the sight of Salazar. Master Salazar! Master Salazar! It's so good to see you again I missed you ever so much! Are you finally going to take me away from these filthy nasty people!? yes, yes I am. Salazar admitted chuckling a little. go back to my house, my PERSONAL house, the one that Father doesn't know about and keep it tidy for me. he ordered Kreacher scraping and bowing before vanishing with a loud CRACK to do as he was ordered the house gaping at him again. and Kreacher! he yelled the house elf reappearing. Take your mistress with you alright? Kreacher nodded and bowed and scraped again before vanishing, this time with the noisy Mrs. Black. there, that's that. Salazar stated simply. i'm done here. he admitted smiling at Thorn. ready to go or do you have anything you need to do yet?
Thorn shook her head, "No.I'm done."She said turning her head slightly to look at Dumbledore."Tell Lily I would enjoy it if she would come for lunch tomororw."She said bowing her head slightly, wrapping a arm around Salazar's waist, apparating home with a sigh."Now.Can you explain why I have a headache and I can do this again!?"She demanded as she raised a hand, fire circling her fingers. "I lost it!I know I did!Hell magic was forbidden from me!"She yelled starting to panic the overwelming panic hitting her. She might not remember what she did, but she knew bone deepwhoit involved. It wasn't a conscious thought that she knew lucifel was involved, it was a instict that something was terribly wrong.
Dumbledore nodded, looking amused by something as he turned away, sighing a little as they vanished, swallowing thickly as he turned tot he room. ... no one is to even lay a finger on Salazar or Thorn. he ordered. shaking his head. He was getting in way over his head. Salazar blinked at her, looking almost mesmerized by the flames sprouting in her hands. god, I wanna fuck you all over again. he growled eagerly licking his lips. you where possessed for a little bit. he explained. a man named Ibius Lucifel, the one who was the morning star. harry explained. he took over your body and threatened Dumbledore. he shook his head. i think he unlocked part of your bloodline or something. he admitted. whatever it is, he's protecting you as best he can. I think. I can't say for sure I don;t even know who the guy is.
Thrn paled drastically as she stared at him, hellfire circling her fingers, flairing brightly before a moment before settling into a single ring around her finger, the shifting metals it formed showing like a real fire even though it wouldn't hurt to touch."Lucifel was once the most beloved in heaven, until he fell."She shuddered a little."There is a reason my father was known as satanspawn."She swallowed hard, shifting nearly collapsing into him as she leaned into his arms, legs shaking. Instictively afraid, and not knowing why."You know lucifel better as Lucifer."She added softly.
Salazar blinked a little as she explained his eyes widening a little. so... your the granddaughter of... of Lucifer!? he demanded amazed and horrified all at the same time. that's... I'm actually not sure how to feel about that. he admitted pondering that gasping as he caught her and carefully picked her up settling her onto the bed. calm down Thorn! Having the Devil on your side is a good thing isn't it?
Thorn whimpered quietly, for the first time since the fall of camelot, totally out of control of herself. "I-I'm afraid, and I don't know why."She said, the panic so great that it was all that was in their bond, all that was holding her. The only thing completely stopping her from losing it was the sound of his voice."Somethings wrong."She whispered looking up at him with wide grey eyes, looking so much younger then 16. "G-grandfather always has his own agenda. His own reasons."she swallowed trying to focus, but panic blowing her concentration to hell.
Harry looked at her with wide eyes as she panicked and he grabbed her giving her a firm shake. thorn stop it! he ordered glaring at her. your grandfather might have his own agenda but that doesn't mean I am EVER going ot let him hurt you! I've walked through hell before and I'll do it again if it means that I'll keep you safe alright? he ordered pulling her into a tight hug. just calm down. he muttered softly. i won't ever let anything happen to you, your mine, remember?
Thorn whimepred as her teeth snapped together as he shook her, swallowing hard as she clung to him, fisting his shirt tightly.Holding onto him as if he was the last solid thing on earth. Letting his steadfast belief that he could keep her safe make her panic go away. Whimpering she nodded, burying her face against his chest, panting like a horse run to hard. Panting, and heaving as she shuddered."...I...I dont know what happened..."she said quietly."Like...the thought of grandfather is enough to send me into a panic...that's never happened before."She whispered, sounding scared, but trusting him to take care of her. For the first time in a long time, trusting her well being to someone else.
he held her close, giving her a small nuzzle before he picked her up letting her calm down as he yelled for Kreacher, ordering the house elf to make them some hot chocolate, which the House Elf was more than eager to do as Salazar carried her into the living room and started the fire using wandless magic, filling the room with warmth. It was remarkable, in Salazars entire history he had never taken care of anything or anyone, not even the small animals people gifted him to win his favor. He either let them die or let the houseleves do it. Yet there he was gently stroking her hair and handing her a hot chocolate when Kreacher returned. it's probably remnant memories, your mortal again and that might have started unlocking your memories. Maybe your grandfather had something to do with your curse? he mused stroking her hair. or it could just be the possession thing. he stated with a shrug. Drink your hot chocolate and calm down. he ordered gently.
She trembled a little, smiling slightly as she sipped her drink. Amused that the man was taking care of her, well aware that Salazar Riddle had never done anything, for anyone. "Maybe.It would make sense if I was rememberng things."She said sighing in frustration."I hate not knowing what I did."She said sipping her drink before shifting, settling against Sal with a smile, cuddling into him."What did you say to dumbledore?"she asked curious, and wondering. Needing the distraction and wondering how much ruffled feathers she was going to have to sooth as to not get dumbledore so pissed at them. Hopefully when Lily came for lunch in the morning, she'd have some idea what Dumbledore was up to. Because she had a feeling things were about to get messy, for both sides of this war.
he chuckled a little. sometimes, your body remembers what your mind cannot. You flew into a panic at a memory that, you yourself don't remember. he admitted nodding a little. i love how I suddenly understand, and remember everything I've ever read. he admitted with a small chuckle. say? Why I only warned him that he better be nice to you or I would tell my father the location of his precious Order that's all. he teased smiling a little. he's fine so long as he doesn't hurt you. he teased smiling a little. so who is this Lily person you invited over? She's not a shrink is she? he asked lifting an eyebrow. Merlin only knew how many times Lucius had tried to trick him into seeing a therapist. remind me not to kill Lucius later, I think he might actually have done me a favor.
Thorn snorted laughing, resting her head on his shoulder, sipping her hot chocolate."Oh no. Lily's a friend...as much as I have them anyways."She said frwning slightly, because it hurt to be so very alone. These days she usually just didn't get close to people, because she knew that she would outlive them. So...it was easier to not get close."She's lost a lot of things in the war....we understand each other is all."She said before snickering, looking up at him."Oh, I'm sure Lucius will appericiate that. OF course, I could offer to repay him for the favor."She said, a wicked little smirk curling her lips waggling her eyebrows a little. While she found the blond attractive, she had no desire to sleep with him...except to harass salazar with the idea that she did.
he relaxed and nodded, kissing her forehead with a small smile. you have me for a friend. he pointed out. you won't outlive me. he pointed out, feeling her loneliness. i'll always be here to take care of you. he promised smiling as he gently kissed her neck, sighing softly as he snuggled into her. and if you dare touch Lucius, i'll chain you to the bed and never let you go. he growled smirking a little, well aware Lucius wouldn't let Thorn near him anyway, that man only had eyes for Narcissa, just like Salazar had eyes only for Thorn. are you feeling better now? he asked hopefully, kissing her forehead again. would you feel better if I let you top again? he teased playfully, chuckling a little.
Thorn smiled a little, smirking as she felt his lust, shifting to facce him, moving to straddle his legs, leaning back to look at him.Relief that he still wanted her showing, relief to finally having someone to live as long as she would."Oh but lucius is so pretty.I love his hair."She said shifting her own blond hair over her shoulder,smiling at the man under her."I'll always top.I don't need you to LET me."She said kissing him softly.
Salazar smirked at her as he was pinned, leaning up and kissing her eagerly, not even trying to regain the 'top' position, he'd do it a little later while she was distracted, another thing that Thorn was the only person able to do so. Salazar had killed the last person who had tried to control or top Salazar. his hair could blind people. Salazar stated with a snicker as he shook his own ink black hair out, turning it ivory just like Lucius's. there is that better? he teased smirking viciously as he suddenly flipped her onto the bed, pinning her down and kissing her hard. mmm your delicious.
Thorn growled a little, moaning as she was kissed. It'd been so long since she truly enjoyed having someone in her life, truly had sex, and felt connected to someone. Wrapping her hand in a fistful of his hair she studied the strands."It's pretty. But he is so much prettier."she said, wondering just how far she could get, wondering how jealous he would get. She...she felt loved, even if he hadn't said it, if he really didn't feel it, she felt treasured when he was being possessive. Growling as she jerked his head back she pressed up against him, rolling to sit on top of him, moaning as she rocked against him, shuddering as her jeans rubbed against the sensitive parts of her.
Salazar growled in annoyance at her apparent like of Lucius, no matter how much the Bond told him otherwise he was still jealous as he growled, moaning as he felt her yanking his hair back, rubbing against his cock, jealousy forgotten in favor of lust as he rocked his hips back into hers, magic shimmering in the air as he used wandless magic to strip her bare, and him naked, grabbing her hips tight and rolling her over, pinning her the the bed, kissing her again,. your mine. he growled. i don't share, with anyone. he hissed slipping two of his fingers deep inside of her, reveling in her moist flesh. all mine.
Thorn moaned, her hips rocking against his hand in desperate little thrusts, her eyes fluttering shut as she whined, her head thrown back against the pillow. Her shields crashing all the way down, reveling in the feeling of belonging to someone else, even if she would deny the liking it, she did. "Mine."She growled holding onto his hair, pulling him down for a kiss shuddering."Always mine."She growled kissing him, teeth sinking into his lower lip,sucking.Leaving a mark on him as she felt blood filling her mouth.Blood and magic, they were bound together so tightly now that she never wanted to let him go.
he growled, smirking as he wiggled his fingers deep inside of her. yesss, all mine. he growled, letting her drag him down for a kiss, thrusting his tongue into her mouth as he winced, feeling her bite his lip, smirking as he yanked his lip free and bit her neck, hard, making sure to leave at least one tiny scar at the end of the night, marking her as his, panting against her war as he slid his fingers free, and slid his cock in groaning a little as he rocked his hips into the other. mmm so warm and perfect around my dick. he moaned smirking against her neck, licking at the tiny drops of blood.
Thorn growled back at him, whimpering as he thrust into her, her head falling back, blood beading faster as her heart raced. Growling softly as she raised her hips to meet his, growling as she rolled them, pinning him to the bed as she looked down at him. Opening her mouth to growl something at him as her body went rigid, coming with a small squeak as she clung to him, nails biting hard into his shoulders, drawing blood. As much as he scarred her, he was going to have scars from her nails.
he smirked as he thrust into her panting against her neck, still licking at her neck, moaning as he was pinned to the bed, snarling almost playfully as he let her pin him, thrusting hard into her as he felt her cum tightly around him, moaning himself but staving off his own orgasm. hmm love? Did you mean to say something? he asked smirking as he used her orgasm to flip her onto the bed once more, pinning her down with a groan. mmm gonna have to start tying you down if you can't learn how to play nice. he hissed licking at the blood beading on his shoulders before kissing her hard, still thrusting.
thorn growled at him, whimpering quietly as she shuddered under him, legs wrapping around his lean waist as she leaned up ,nuzzling his neck. gently biting down."I always play nice.Isn't this nice?"She muttered against his skin, kissing him again, tangling her fingers in his white blond hair, wrinkling her nose a little at the sight."I don't like this. I love you with your hair."She whined, not even realizing that she'd said I love you, to far gone in pleasure to notice.
he chuckled a little and shook his head as he watched her, smirking. this is nice. he purred chuckling a little. i suppose it would be bored if you behaved. he teased chuckling a little as he nibbled and nipped at her neck, panting softly as he shook his head, changing his hair back to black, kissing her hard. mmm love you. he growled smirking a little as he thrust faster, fucking her even faster panting as he struggled to withhold his own orgasm.
Thorn moaned at the words, diving her hands into his hair, closing her hans, kissing him hard,desperately as he pushed her over the edge again, trembling viollently as she orgasmed again,eyes wide and lust filled.
he groaned loudly as he felt the other coming around him, shuddering violently as he came as well, panting hard through his nose as he kissed her intently, smirking as he pulled away, panting softly as he licked his lips a little. i love you. he admitted in a hushed whisper, nuzzling her gently. i really do... I love you. he lay back down on the bed and snuggled into her, wrapping his arms around her belly and kissing her neck. i'm ready for bed, how about you? he teased smiling a little. we have to get up early tomarrow if we're going to be presentable for this Lily person.
Thorn giggled sleepilym cuddlling into him,smiling shyly at his words."Yes, we want to be presentable."She smiled cuddling and going to sleep peacefully.
in the morning Thorn whined quietly as she dug through her closet, whimpering as she tried to find something to wear. While she usually didnt care what people thought, she did about lily and she didn't want to come off as a slutty teenager. So...seh tried to stay out of her normal clothes, though she knew the other woman knew, and just amused herself with letting Thorn pretend. "Sal!I dont have clothes!"She said stomping out of her closet to look at the man as he laid sleeply in the bed, hands on her hips, looking oddly in just her bra and panties.
Salazar chuckled as he straightened his own Dragon hide pants and silver silk shirt, fixing his hair so that it was perfect before looking over at her, lifting an eyebrow. whats wrong with what your wearing? he teased with a lecherous grin his head tilted a little. wear that dress. he suggested. the long sleeved one, in the black and green. he stated reaching over her and handing her the pretty dress. It was Renascence style, but elegant and tasteful and fortunately not slutty. The strange thing was, she hadn't owned that until ten seconds ago, had Salazar gotten her a gift?
Thorn looked startled as she looked at the dress in his hands, eyes a little wide as she studied it. Before grining at him, pouncing on him with a kiss, taking the dress from him. Startling as she slid into it, looking in the mirror as she did her hair in a lover's hair knot, a few strands falling around her face. After applying some makeup she smiled at him,kissing him again. Dark lipstick showing on his skin before she wiped it away."It's like being home again."She said quietly, longign for camelot, and happiness at him from giving it to her."Thank you."
he smiled a little, glad that she liked it and kissed her back every time she kissed him. i'm glad you like it. he admitted smiling a little. i had Kreacher go out and get it, I saw it last week in a shop and when I remembered it I thought it was just perfect for you. he admitted chuckling as he wiped the lipstick off his cheek shaking his head as the doorbell rang, Salazar opening the door to let in an exuberant red headed woman who was just a little pudgy, and a tall, slender, pale perfect woman with eyes as emerald green as Salazar's where, both of them freezing when they caught sight of Salazar. good evening Ladies. he stated with a small smile. please come in, Thorn is fussing. he admitted, Lily looking shocked. your Voldemort's boy. she whispered softly, looking Salazar over. you look very much like him...when he was younger... she admitted softly Salazar blinking before smiling at her. thank you Lady, you must be Lily? And I know you. he admitted smiling at Mrs. Weasley. your family continuously aggravate my father, I find you and your family remarkably steadfast. he admitted, Mrs. Weasley blushing a little under the strange compliment.
Thorn rolled her eyes as he walked out of her bedroom, stepping down the halls."Ignore him.he's strange."She said wisely before frowning, stopping. Steppign back."Oh molly, whatever are you doing here?"she said, not angry more...flustered. The weasley woman just left her in confusion because she tried to mother her.Thorn had a death goddess for a mother, she wasn't used to good natured mothering. Smiling as she slid a arm around Salazar's waist, kissing Lily's cheek."It's good to see you love."she muttered hugging her before stepping in, waving them towards the dining room.
Molly beamed and swept the young girl up into a tight hug. hello Thorn Darling, I love your new dress! You look WONDERFUL! she beamed Lily smiling gently. oh molly, don't strangle the poor girl. Lily protested chuckling a little as she gently kissed Thorn's cheek. i'm sorry, I couldn't convince her to stay at home. she admitted smiling as Molly sulked. you make it sound as if she hates me! She doesn't have me do you dear? Here! I brought you all sorts of treats! Salazar suddenly perked up and poked his head out of the kitchen, Lily giggling as he slunk over and peeked into the basket that Molly had brought with her, his eyes widening at all of the cookies and candies and cakes, Molly suddenly smacking him in the nose. now you get your nose out of there! she ordered Salazar drawing himself up to his full height, just about ready to bitch her out for smacking him when she beat him to it. don't you give me that look young man! You might be the darkest thing since your father but your still small enough to be taken over my knee and taught your place! Now you will eat a regular dinner before you get into these sweets and that's that! and for the first time in all of Salazar's history, he cowered under someone who wasn't his father, and submitted to her will. y...yes Ma'am... Salazar muttered staring at her wide eyed as he carefully hid himself behind Thorn.
Thorn turned her head looking at the dark lord cowering behind her, turnign her head enough to press a kiss to his cheek, running her fingers through his hair."Lovely, she's all bark and no bite. don't hide so. It doesn't do to see my lover cowering."She teased stealing a kiss before walking into the dinning room,blushing under lily's gaze, knowing the other woman was looking at her."Okay, so I slept with him.Its not a crime."She said defending herself, sounding defensive. So unused to relationships, she felt awkward suddenly finding herself in one.
Molly stared at her, mouth open in what looked like Horror, lily chuckling a little. how old are you Salazar? she asked her head tilted, Salazar scowling a little at her. fourteen. he admitted. but I'm turning fifteen next week. he crossed his arms. besides I started it! he growled feeling very uncomfortable with the way they seamed to be judging Thorn. oh my! Molly stated, sounding shocked. poor Ron will be DEVASTATED. she admitted with a sigh, Salazar lifting an eyebrow. can I eat the sweets now? ..no. Molly practically growled, Salazar huffing and crossing his arm, lifting his nose at her. i am the Dark Lords Son! I should be able to do what I want! you are a fourteen year old little boy who CLEARLY needs a proper parental figure! she stated with a growl Salazar looking shocked and then angry. My father is a brilliant man! your father is a madman intent on slaughtering everything that stands in his way and torturing everything that isn't! Salazar puffed up like a giant cat about to pounce on something threatening it's kittens and then without warning he stalked out of the kitchen and into the bedroom, slamming the door shut so hard paintings fell off the wall, Molly wincing a little. Molly, your temper has a way of getting away with you. Lily muttered softly. shall I talk to him thorn darling?
Thorn sighed softly, rubbing her forehead, looking hurt and pained."Please.He's making my head hurt."She muttered trying to ease the instant headche that Salazar's anger had given her. Looking at molly she sighed, shaking her head."Do try to not anger everyone in my home."she said cooking, rubbing her temples, trying to ease her headache."Molly we have all done things that we regret.He was raised to believe his father was good, and don't hold that against him."She said, the warning running under the words, the pain in her head giving life to the rarely there temper.
Molly sighed a little and shook her head. i'm sorry. she stated softly, Lily moving into Vipers bedroom. it's just. Ever since Arthur died I just... the very mention of that man... I just lose my temper a little. she admitted shaking her head, setting her hand on Thorn's shoulder. i'm so sorry. she muttered softly. i didn't mean to take out my anger on him. the anger running through her slowly faded away as Lily talked to Salazar, explaining that Molly hadn't meant it. i'll apologize to him as soon as he comes down. Molly promised looking a little worried. it's true though? You and Salazar, you've bonded yourselves together? molly was terribly worried, if they had bonded themselves together, then Salazar, the stronger of the two, could change Thorn into anyone he wanted her to be, should he realize he could. He really could turn her into a weapon if he learned how to manipulate the bond properly, but he wouldn't do that...right?
Thorn nodded, pressing the heels of her hands against her head, Salaar was giving her a terrible headache, even if he was calming down. And despite knowing he was the stronger of the two, she wasn't worried about him changing her. Or...had he already changed her enough that she seemed to didn't mind?"Molly don't worry. I'm Merlin's daughter. There are very few beings of power that could force me into doing what they wanted."she said, not realizing the very nature of their bond made her vulnerable to what Salazar wanted, would shape her into being what he needed, because she was submissive to him."I've lived centuries.I'll be fine."She said looking at the other woman, smiling slightly."He'll be fine.Don't worry.This is what dumbledore wanted anyways."She shrugged sighing softly.
Molly sighed a little and shook her head. i'm sorry, I can't help but worry. Dumbledore is using you, Voldemort wants to see you dead. she shook her head again. no one knows what Salazar wants. that's ok.. Salazar stated suddenly. i don't know what I want either. he admitted moving over to thorn, wrapping his arms around her. sorry, I didn't mean to make your head hurt. he muttered gently kissing her temple. i'll keep a better hold on my temper from now on. he promised Molly shaking her head. and Mrs. Weasley, I'm sorry I yelled at you, it was rude of me, no matter how much I might disagree with you. he admitted Molly looking startled before she shook her head. no dear, I'm the one who needs to apologize, here, have a cookie. Salazar examined the cookie with narrowed eyes and grabbed it hesitantly, clearly expecting a smack to the hand since he hadn't eaten food yet, wary of the lessons and the tricks that his father was so fond of. But when Molly didn't start yelling or smacking him he shrugged and ate his cookie like a good little boy.
Thorn laughed softly as she rested her head on Salazar's shoulder, smiling at his reaction to molly's smack. Amusement and contentment showing through their bond."Oh such a good little boy."She teased nuzzling her lover's neck before moving away looking at the other two woman."Now, that we're done yelling, shall we like get something to eat?You two did come for lunch."She said with a small smile sitting down at the table as she set food down, blushing a little at the roast beef and rolls meal. It wasn't often she cooked, and she was usually embarassed when she did.
Salazar looked impressed with the meal, smiling as he examined it his head tilted. Delicious. he stated glancing at her. i didn't know you could cook. she's just wonderful at it too! Molly chirped happily as she sat down, Lily smiling a little. don't be so shy Thorn, you should take pride in your talents. Lily stated with a small smile, Molly giggling a little as Salazar sat down and examined the meal, licking his lips a little. yeah thorn, you should take pride in your talents! he stated smiling. you should be glad to have talents. Lily looked startled. you don't have any talents Salazar? she asked her head tilted, the boy hesitating. no, not really... I haven't really had a chance to find any really. he admitted helping himself to a slice of the roast beef, smiling a little. this is delicious Thorn.
Thorn blushed more, smiling slightly giving salazar a small smile."I know smoething your good at.."She muttered before looking at the other two, rolling her eyes a little."I should be.I've spent years cooking for myself. Though doing it has gotten easier. No more fires and caludrons needed."She said laughing a little starting to eat.
Salazar chuckled as he shook his head. that's not a talent, that's a skill. Salazar teased chuckling a little. and damn I'm skilled. he purred, both Molly and Lilly blushing furiously. They all knew that Salazar had been known for raping women on his fathers orders, but they hadn't realized that he was so...open about it, and at such a young age too. it's a shame we can't upgrade potions making, it would be an easy snap to make a shrinking potion or something on a stove! he admitted grinning. at least then mine would stop blowing up. and his father would stop beating him for it. In all honesty Salazar wasn't very good at magic in the traditional sense, he couldn't wave his wand and cast a tickling charm, he was terrible at torture and healing spells. But elemental magic he was very good at, and he was better when he wasn't using a wand, something that annoyed his father to no end that his own Son wasn't keeping the image of a proper wizard. i'm good at gardening though. he admitted nodding. that's a Talent. Lily agreed with a small smile. perhaps you could start a garden here in the manor, or perk up the one that was already started?
"My garden's perky!It's perfectly fine!"Thorn squeaked, looking at them, before looing away because everyone knew Thorn was terrible at gardening. That she'd rather beat someone to death with a shovel then consider using it to plant something."we'll garden together. It'll be fun."She said looking between them all, a smile dimpling her cheek before she shook her head."I'm good at fire magic.Brilliant."she said thinking it over, it wasn't a big talent, but there it was. Looking down at her plate she smiled eating.
Lily lifted an eyebrow, looking amused. yes, it's very perky. she stated Molly giggling. it's also overgrown, overrun with weeds, and it hasn't been trimmed since you moved in here. she teased Salazar chuckling a little as he shook his head. it's alright Thorn, people good at Fire magic usually can't do water or plant magics. he admitted grinning a little. not well anyway. he admitted. i'm pretty bad at Fire magic myself, I can't even make a decent fireball, with my wand or without. he admitted helping himself to another roast beef sandwich, smirking a little. i'll make your yard gorgeous! Salazar promised. but don't tell my father, he'll be angry if he finds out I'm doing house elf work. Molly and Lilly both winced at the idea of Voldemort being upset, or talking to him for that matter.
Thorn snorted, amused at the idea of talking to voldemort. Despite being on the opposite side of the war from him, thorn was detattached from the world enough that salazar was really the only thing holding her steady.That and her friendship with lily."Of the things I'd be talking to your father about, gardening wouldn't be one of them."she said smiling as she turned pressing a kiss to his cheek, amusement and happiness showing through their bond. Showing just how very tethered to the world Salazar kept her."My father said I was to made for fire and descruction magic, to ever be good at growing things."She said, for the first time wondering if it was her grandfather's influnece or her mother's that had created the perfect weapon to bring about the apolcolypse. Which she was.And yet...when lucifer had tried to use her...things went sideways.So she was repenting the crime she didn't remember, and wondering why talking about magic was making her head hurt.
he smiled and nodded. i doubt my father would ever talk to you. he admitted. he doesn't hold much stock in women. he admitted with a shrug. i'm not sure why though, some of the smartest strongest wizards are women. he admitted frowning a little, unknowing about his Fathers belief that all women where useless, because his mother had betrayed him by dying. really? I bet you'd make a killing at a fireworks show. he teased grinning a little as he gently kissed her forehead, suddenly manipulating the bond without realizing it, taking half of her headache for himself, looking startled as his head suddenly hurt, instead of getting an echo of it from her, but he looked pleased that he had been able to help and ignored the mild pain in his brain to grab another sandwich. so Mrs. Weasley, I hear you have a doze children? oh my no! Only seven. she stated beaming at him, Salazar looking shocked, wondering how one woman could give birth to seven kids and still look as young as she did.
Thorn laughed, both in startlement that her headache was less, and amusement at his statement."Which is like 12 when youre around them. They're liable to drive a rational person insane."Thorn giggled a little as she finished her food, leaning back in her seat with a sigh. Content with the fact that for now, her and salazar were fine even if it was slightly worrying to see him maniuplate the bond so easily. Even if she wasn't aware of what he'd done, only known that he'd done it."Oh, a man who wants to live forever?I'm pretty sure he'll want to talk to me."She snorted laughing, because it was true.Even if he didnt know just how much.
he smiled at her, happy that he had been able to help her, kissing her forehead gently before snickering a little. that many boys, I think I'd go mad... Salazar admitted chuckling a little. i have enough trouble with the Death eaters boys. he admitted munching on his food. and their all idiots, I can't imagine what intelligent boys in that number would be capable of. Molly blushed at the wayward compliment and Salazar smirked a little at Thorn. no, he'll make me talk to you and find out the secrete and then report back to him. he shook his head. he never talks to a woman unless he has to, not even Bellatrix, much to her annoyance.
Thorn swallowed, laughing at the words, shaking her head in disgust."Yes. I've heard about bellatrix's fascination."She said looking up startled when she felt the wards flex to let someone else in. Looking up hopefully that it was Sirius, and sighing tiredly when she saw it was just dumbledore."Whatever happened to everyone staying away because I told them Salazar was dangerous?" "Ah, Thorn, I thought that you would need this information before anything else.And since all concerned are here..."the headmaster said looking around the table. Having been threatened by salazar and lucifer he was trying to force them apart before they disovered just how powerfu they were. Because despite the prophecy, salazar and thorn together scared him, more then anything else.
Lily gasped in horror as she watched Dumbledore approach, her hand over her mouth. you wouldn't, you can't! You said.. Molly set her hand on Lily's arm, silencing the woman Salazar scowling as he stood up. you had better have a good reason for this you old windbag. Salazar growled his eyes narrowed as he looked at Lily's ashen face. Dumbledore had promised her that when the time came she could tell Salazar, and now he was breaking yet another promise. your upsetting Thorn and her guests and I will NOT allow this Dumbledore! Salazar growled eyes narrowed as he examined the other. do not forget that I am more powerful than you old man, just as I proved back at that filthy house. he had only given Dumbledore a taste of the burning power, Salazar was beginning to wish that he'd just slaughtered the man where he had stood. He wasn't sure why he felt so terrified, but he did.
Thorn growled quietly as she stood, smaller and silent, and yet, she blazed with magic, like a light shining in the dark. She might not remember, but she burned with Lucifer's touch, the one woman on earth, that had been his avatar. The living embodiment of all his deadly will, and she would not allow this to happen...whatever it was. "Go."She said, feeling reality trying to bend to her will yet the headmaster seemed untouchable by her gift. Dumbledore smiled a little, "My dear I hold your secret,and as such, none of ell's will can touch me."He said conidence restored, even if he wasn't sure it was true. He just needed her to believe it was. Shaking his head a little as he looked at Lily."I am sorry my dear, but I must. He must understand who he is, if any of us are goign to survive to stop Voldemort, instead of fighting each other."
Salazar snarled at the man, baring his teeth as he scowled furiously at the man as Lily looked down at her hands, upset. please... Dumbledore.. Lily whispered, Salazar snarling furiously as he slammed his fist on the table, a sharp burning pain beginning in Dumbledore's chest. she can't hurt you old man but I can! he hissed furiously. say what you came to say and get it done with if you won't get the hell out! Salazar didn't like him, didn't like how he was using everyone, didn't like how he was trying to control Thorn. you will never stop my father. Salazar hissed at Dumbledore. he is a far greater man than you could ever be. Yes he's mad, yes he's cruel but he will win this war and when he dies I will continue his rein. he growled, threatening, warning, and most of all promising Dumbledore that Salazar intended on ruling the wizarding world himself, someday.
Dumbledore's eyes widened slightly at the threat, looking at the boy before looking at Thorn. With Thorn standing beside him, he might manage to pull it off, and rule the wizarding world in his own right. Dumbledore swallowed hard before meeting the boy's eyes, hoping that the news would drive him away, at least long enough until he could figure out how to bring about the end of Voldemort's reign without whanding the wizarding world to thorn and him on a silver platter."Your mother Salazar, is Lily Evans." "You lie. I would know this."Thorn said as she stood, looking between them all,growling quietly."Dumbledore. Go."She ordered pointing towards the door,giving a easy breath when the man left as silent as he had arrived.
Salazar's breath caught in shock as he turned to face Lily, who swallowed hard and nodded. yes, this is true. she whispered softly, Salazar snarling viciously without warning. i'm leaving! he hissed grabbing Thorn's hand. take me home this instant thorn! he demanded, the bond flexing under his fury, twisting her very personality into what Thorn wanted, or needed. He needed to go home, to talk to his father, he had to know the truth. wait! Sal please! Lily pleaded, tears in her eyes, but Salazar didn't pause, he ripped apart the wards effortlessly and turned to Dumbledore with furious eyes. die! he snarled viciously, filling Dumbledore with a debilitating, agonizing pain before he and thorn both vanished, saving Dumbledore from death, and permanent injury, Lily bursting into tears as she shook her head. you took him away! You took him away from me! she wailed, just as distraught as the first time she had lost her son and husband.
In the meantime Salazar stepped into Riddle Grounds with tears in his eyes, turning to Thorn. stay with me? Please? he pleaded softly. don't...don't leave me... the bond flexing yet again,and Salazar was too troubled to even notice what he was doing to her.
Dumbledore whimpered as he sat up from where he fell rubbing his face."Yes. Because I had to."
Thorn whimpered quietly at the attentions, feeling her personality giving under the pressure, realizing to late that not even death's daughter was enough to protect her. Not when he bore the blessing of the death goddess, and she was a outcast. Tears streaming down her face, both because she couldn't stand firm against the twisting, even if she would have stayed with him without twisting the bond. But the bond was forcing her to be subservient, forcing her to mold herself to his will."I wont.I'm not going anywhere."She said gently stroking his hair, pain fading, not even remembering what she'd lost. He'd changed her so much that she couldn't even remember who she'd been in wha tshe wanted her to be.
Salazar relaxed when she promised to stay with him, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her before he took her hand and led her inside, instructing her to wait outside of a door as he strode into his Father's 'throne Room' settling onto his knees and bowing to Voldemort who smirked at his son. ah, there you are Salazar, I was wondering what had happened to you. i went out to pursue some information, that's all. Salazar lied, standing up, troubled eyes staring at his father. i..met someone. he admitted, Voldemort lifting in eyebrow in astonishment. oh? Who might that be? a woman, named Lily Evans... for the first time in Salazar's memories he actually saw surprise flit across his fathers face.
ah yes, Lily Evans... your mother. he stated with a smirk. i suppose your curious as to how this could be? he asked smirking a little. i am a heir of Merlin, did you know? The spawn of Satan, though our bloodline has grown week, we are the descendants of the greatest evil. Voldemort admitted, Salazars eyes growing wide as he stared at his father. He had never once imagined that he could be related to Thorn, even if their bloodline was so far apart they where as closely as related as twelfth cousins, it was still a bit of a disturbing thought. you had a brother once, he was a pathetic man. I once called him Lucien, Lucien after his great great, many times great Grandfather, Satan himself. But he was a pathetic little thing, and he ran away from me, and joined the light side of the war, and took on the name James Potter. Salazar swallowed thickly. he married your mother, Lily Evans, who is the great descendant of the 'Goddess Death' a good bloodline, a shame she was such a timid thing.
Salazar listened intently, too shocked to really do or say anything. your Brother decided to defy me, I sought to punish him. I slipped into their home, and raped his pretty wife. he smirked a little. she pleaded so pretty, and screamed... but she never told James what I did to her. You where conceived from my seed, two very powerful bloodlines created you, and rape is how you where formed. he smirked. you are the perfect progeny of Death and misfortune, my perfect son. Salazar nodded. yes. he stated bowing to him. thank you for explaining Father, I will do everything I can to further our goals. he promised, sounding almost, emotionless. The truth of how he had been born... had broken Salazar more than anyone could have imagined.
"Ah so saddened to see how far the mighty have fallen."Thorn mused looking around as she strode in. She was everything Merlin's line was, dark and deadly, with that cloak of death hanging around her like a cape, fluttering around her. Having felt Salazar's distress enough that it had driven her to interrupt his meeting with his father. The ring on her hand flairing brightly at the presence of her descendant she realized that she had had children at some point. And wondering, why she couldn't remember that. Shaking her head a little she sneered slightly, looking at voldemort."Death is not supposed to be the weapon you have shaped it into Lord Death, and merlin's line was never to be what you have made of it."She said, as if she'd known she had descendants. Struggling to come to terms with the idea. Even as she felt heat under her skin like a inferno, demanding that she get Salazar out of here, that she pull him away from this man. Death and hellmagic had always made a deadly combination, and it was never more visible then it was in this avatar of Lucifer's, this granddaughter that he had created in his own image.
Thorn scowled a little as Voldemort snarled, annoyed that a mere woman would dare speak to him, snarling at her as he stood up, Thorn suddenly grabbing her. i told you to wait outside! he growled glancing at his infuriated Father. i apologize Father, I haven't yet taught her the rules, she doesn't know better... she is my woman.. I have laid my claim on her. he stated firmly Voldemort smirking a little as he nodded. make sure she understands the rules son, because the next time she speaks before me, I will kill her. he hissed, Salazar nodding as he shoved Thorn out of the room, hissing at her as they walked. you moron! We don't want him finding out who you are stupid! He'll torture you for the information you hold! he hissed shoving her into a massive, elegant bedroom filled with gorgeous plants of all kinds, rare and common alike, even the rarest Tigerlily Rose, which no one but Merlin himself had ever managed to cultivate. i will not let my father have what's mine. he growled kissing her furiously. if you see him, don't make eye contact, and never speak in front of him, other than that, as my woman, your free to do as you please so long as you don't kill Lucius or that fat rat that my father likes so much. Or Draco, I like him, kind of. he admitted sighing a little. you just about gave me a fucking heart attack, walking in like that!
Thorn snarled softly as he grabbed her, rage simmering in her eyes as she studied him."I've never bowed my head to anyone but arthur. I am not going to grovel at the feet of a pathetic descendant, who doesn't even know how to use the gifts his blood has given him."She growled, before her will broke under the pressure she was getting from the bond, nodding a little as he reshaped thorn satanspawn into a a docile, willing woman who would allow someone else to direct her."I'm sorry."She muttered pressing close to him, resting her head on his chest, shuddering a little as her personality shifted, returning to what he wanted her to be.Before pulling away moving to look at the flowers, gentle fingers stroking over the petals."I haven't seen any of these since camelot..."She muttered softly, soounding so sad at the loss of home. Though the shift in her personality was inflicting pain on her, her mind and body shifted it into sadness. into depression and worry.
Salazar blinked, a little confused at her sudden shift in moods but simply thought it was just a woman's thing and smiled when she agreed to obey and not bother his father, kissing her forehead. thank you. he muttered softly running his hand down her back and smiling as she handled the Tigerlilly Rose, his head tilted. it took me a while to figure out how to grow them. Their rare, even in the wild. he admitted gently plucking a single flower, setting it in his hands and using his natural magic to preserve it, giving it Life, so that it would never wither and die, gently settling it into her Hair, smiling a little. their supposed to preserve life, and bring good will. They can only grow where everything is very healthy, in the deepest forests that have never had a single bit of litter. They grow where everything is healthy, so the flower will help you stay healthy too. he said smiling at her, kissing her forehead again. i'm sure that someday soon, you will get your memories back. he said smiling. i'm sure if we can find Camelot, I could reconstruct it for you?
She smiled slightly,fingers going up to brush against the flower before resting her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around him. Small and meek, the perfect woman to bend to his will."If we find camelot, I want to go home."She said with so much longing, it hurt to hear."Merlin's son I am sure you can. YOu would be the only one able to."She said smiling as she looked up at him, wanting so much to believe that she could go home, that the knights and camelot would return, and that her redemption would take her there.
Sal smiled at her and gently kissed her, nodding. yes. he agreed. we will bring Camelot back, it will be our realm to rule. he promised softly. we can't bring back the people who lived there originally, but we can bring back the lifestyle, and the philosophy. he decided smiling at her as he nudged her towards the bed, kissing her hard. god I want you all over again. he groaned. you and I, we'll be the king and queen of the world soon enough. he promised smiling. you and I, will rule side by side. he whispered kissing down her neck, his fingers sliding up her dress, tugging her panties out of the way before sliding two fingers deep inside of her. yes, still so tight, and wet, and warm. he groaned smirking a little.
Thorn moaned her legs trembling as she fell back onto the bed, pulling him with her, dress pooling around her hips as she shifted against his hand, driving his fingers deeper as she pulled at his clothes. Moaning as her hands found his cock, gently stroking him as she kissed him back hungrily."Been awhile...centuries..."She muttered blushing at the idea of having gone so long without sex that her body was still tight and eager for his touch.
he moaned, smirking as he let her drive his fingers in deeper. yes, oh yes. he growled, bucking into her fingers, panting against her ear. yesss. he moaned shaking his hair out of his face kissing her intently, stroking her tongue with his as he wiggled his fingers inside of the other, panting hard as he bucked into her fingers. oh yes, I'm gonna fuck you nice and slow. he purred softly. all night. h whispered sucking on her neck. make you cum again and again...
Thorn moaned, a answering smile showing her response as she shuddered.It was going to be a wonderful night.
In the morning Thorn smiled tiredly as she dressed, doing her hair as she leaned down to kiss her lover. "I'm going to go talk to lucius."She muttered stroking the mostly sleeping man's hair, to wound up to go to sleep. And being dead, she really didn't need to sleep. So, she was going to go exlpore and hope she learned something to defeat voldemort with. "Do you want to come with me?"She asked looking down at the man, smiling gently.As much as he'd worn her out with making love all night, he'd worn himself out to.
he groaned softly and smiled as he watched her. how can you not be tired? he asked his head tilted a little. yeah, I'll go with you, I wanted to talk to Draco anyway. he admitted yawning a little. and I don't like the idea of you walking around here all alone, people might get idea's. he growled. until they know that your mine thy might think your a hired whore, Father does have needs after all. he complained shaking his head as he got up and got dressed, sighing a little, smirking a little. oh, I... sent a house elf to get all of your clothes... and I bought you some more dresses, since you liked the first one so much. he admitted smiling as he indicated her new wardrobe.
"Thank you."She smiled at him at the new wardrobe, before dressing. Smiling widely as she pulled on the dress, smiling as she walked out into the hallway with him, letting Sal lead the way to were the malfoy's would be."I don't really need sleep."Thorn shrugged, smiling a little, wrapping a arm around his waist as they walked through the halls."I'm dead, in all the ways that matter. I really don't feel exhaustion and mortal things. So I'm not tired."she smiled kissing his cheek, knocking on the door that he stopped in front of,waiting for a answer.
Salazar paused and then gasped as he realized, he wasn't really tired either. my god... I think I got that too. he admitted blinking at her. i feel tired, but.. not tired like I normally would. he admitted shaking his head a little. i suppose it doesn't matter, I still intend on sleeping. he admitted chuckling a little as the door opened, Lucius's eyes widening as he examined Salazar and thorn. i...uh... I.... uhm... Lucius stuttered, Salazar snickering as he shook his head a little and shoved past Lucius and into the room to talk to Draco,. Who looked very uneasy about Salazar taking an interest ion him, but more than happy to talk about potions with a mind as brilliant as his own. thorn what the hell is going on!? Lucius demanded, looking almost horrified.
"He wanted to come home."She said looking up into Lucius's horrifed look, starting to feel uneasy. Realizing that something was wrong. That she wasn't supposed to be here."I was going to ask you something...but I'm not supposed to be here am I?"She said biting her lip, looking at salazar, trying to figure out why she'd given into salazar and brought him home. Fear showing for the first time on her face, the feeling going bone deep as it flaired through the bond. Fear not of where they were, or lucius, but of salazar, because he ha changed her. Fear bringing the taste of brimstone and sulfur as she called hellmagic to her hands. So panicked at being changed, forced to be something, that she'd summoned her connection to hell to the forefront.
Lucius frowned a little. no your not supposed to be here. he sighed a little and set his hand on her shoulder. calm down Thorn. he ordered with a small scowl gently slapping her across the face, Salazar snarling without warning, leaping at Lucius and knocking him to the floor. don't you DARE hurt Thorn! he hissed, furious that Lucius would DARE hurt his lover, Lucius writhing in pain on the ground, clawing at his chest, Draco staring wide eyed, terrified as his father went limp, panting hard. that was a warning Lucius. Salazar hissed, angry still. touch my woman again, and I won't let you live, you make sure to spread the word that anyone who touches her will be slaughtered without mercy! Lucius groaned but nodded. i'm sorry Salazar, I was only trying to calm her down, she was panicking...
"With good reason to."Lucifer's clearly amused voice filled the room, once again tinged with fire and brimstone. Waving a hand, taking the pain away from Lucius before adding some kinetic magic, pushing salazar away from his granddaughter and the malfoys. Summoned because Thorn's panic had called him, and he was curious. He couldn't help it. He felt guilt...as much as he could anyways. He felt guilt for his granddaughter."Now Riddle, I am going to give Thorn back her body if you promise to take her to your father, then leave here."He said willing to withdrawl, but stay close in case Thrn needed him again. Disliking the changes he sensed in her, and yet it would take time to undo the damage, and at the moment he didn't have the time to fix what was wrong. Both him and thorn would need more time and peace then what was available in this sanctuary of insanity and he needed them to get out of there. Otherwise to fix her, was going to cause inrepairable damage. "Get her out of here Riddle, and fix what you have done."
Salazar snarled a little as he was ordered about by Lucifer, but he was the only person, aside from his own father, that he would be willing to take orders from. and why the hell would I take her to my father!? He'll use her hurt her! I won't allow that! he spate hatefully. i belong here! With my father! He's the only one who's never lied to me! he lied to you when he didn't tell you who your mother was Salazar. He told you she was dead remember? he's lying to you now, he plans on having you die before you get strong enough to overthrow him. Draco stated softly. i overheard him saying so tot eh Lestranges... Viper felt tears welling up inside of him again and he gritted his teeth hard, upset and angry, and he had no one to take it out on. He rushed forward, wrapping his arms around Thorn and Apparating away, hating them all, hating everyone...everyone but thorn. She was the only person, who had never hurt him, never betrayed him. They landed in a dark, dusty room, Salazar's own personal house, the Serpents Den. Everything was old and dusty and need of replacing and cleaning, but it was his and no one else could get there unless he took them there. oh Thorn... what have I done to you that Lucien had to intervene? he wondered sniffling a little as he started to cry for the first time in his fourteen years. what have I done to myself?
Thorn whimpered a little as she shifted, pressing against him as they sat on the floor, urling against him.Holding him as much as he held her."I'm okay.Don't worry.."She muttered feeling the strain of being changed. Lucifer had managed to push aside the changes a little bit, but only managed to make her aware of them, which just made her hurt more. Whimpering as she held him,stroking his hair.Despite the pain that was touching her, she was more worried about him then herself. Gently stroking his hair as she pressed a kiss to his head."Shhh you;re fine. I promise love.All's well."She said trying to calmm him enough that he wouldn't cry. It hurt so muh worse to see him so upset that he was crying.
Salazar cried softly his hands pressed to his face, feeling sorry and guilty and ashamed of himself for hurting her, even as he had tried to protect her from others. all it NOT well! I..i did something to you and...and I'm... oh god Thorn I'm... I don't... know who I am anymore! he complained pulling her into his arms and pressing his face into her shoulder. i wish I could undo, whatever it was that I did to you... he whispered, the bonds snapping back into line, returning her tot he way she had been before his grief had changed her, his grief allowing the undoing as he sobbed into her shoulder. i'm such a monster... I'm just like him... I hurt everyone and I enjoy it. I rape.. and kill, all for a cause I was told to believe in and I j..just....i...i don't... know anything anymore... he pulled away from her and wiped his eyes, sighing a little as he started to calm down. how can I be the son of someone so good, and so evil at the same time?...who am I supposed to be?
Thorn shuddered like a fly stung horse pain biting at her as she struggled to focus a little. sighing quietly as she looked at the man, gently touching his face as she tried to sooth him, needing him to feel better, now that she was. The bond settling easily back into place."You.That is who you are."She said gently touching his chest, her smile heartbreaking and amused at the same time."Love, you forget who's daughter I am.I am a goddess's daughter, as well as merlin's. I understand what youre going through.And...my mother always said when I tied myself into knots, is that you just had to be yourself."
he leaned into her as she touched his face. but I don't know who I am... he whispered softly. i don't think I ever did... I was...i was my fathers pawn. I don't... know who else to be. he admitted with a soft whisper, shaking his head a little. i don't know how to be me...i don't even know who I am... he whispered, starting to calm down. i'm sorry...
Thorn sighed softly, pressing a kiss to his head."Its okay love. We all have a crisis of faith."She said kissing him slowly before standing up, pulling him with her."Come.We'll go lay down and get some food. You'll feel better."She said soothingly, gently stroking his hair as she led him towards their bedroom,worried about him."We'll figure out who you are.Together."she said smiling gently.
he sniffled as he looked around. it's been forever since I came here. he admitted softly. i used to come here when Father got angry. he admitted. but, I learned that running away wouldn't stop the beating, in fact it made it worse, so I stopped coming here. he admitted shaking his head. i hope that stupid elf got my room clean. he complained. this place is a horrible mess. he complained, smiling in relief when the stasis spell on his bedroom proved effective at keeping the room clean and fresh. we don't have to go back to Dumbledore do we? I don't like him. he growled scowling a little. he's just as vile as my father is...
Thorn smiled slightly, pressing a kiss to Salazar's shoulder as she wrapped her arms around him, leaning into him with a smile."No love. We're not going back.We'll figure out what to do next..."She shuddered resting her head on his shoulder.As much as she needed to work with dumbledore,as much as she knew she needed to know what her sin was, she couldn't betray salazar and make them go back. Feeling tired and mortal, the stress of the day finally sliding away, leaving her slightly exhausted.She wasn't used to feeling tired and the emotions of the world like a normal person."Ohhh good. We'll have a good bed to sleep in."He said yawning, laughing ever so softly before growing serious."You're father...what will he do when he realizes we're gone?"
Salazar smiled a little as he snuggled into her, sighing softly. oh, just so you know, I tuned the Wards so you can come and go as you please. he promised. i know your trying to get your memories back so I can't ask you to stay here with me all the time. he admitted smiling at her. just... promise you'll always come back? he asked softly his head tilted as he studied her, kissing her cheek. i'll have Kreacher clean the rest of the house, and I'll hire two or three more to cook for me when your not here. he decided smiling a little. i'm just going to hide here... until I know what I want to do...
Torn smiled kissing him lightly, glad that he understood that she had t go.At least she wouldn't have to fight to be able to try and remember."Of course I'll be back.I don't like any of them enough to stay."She teased, laughing softly.Amusement and love going through there bond."And we'll figure out what you want to do.Besides having sex."She added with a smirk, stealing a kiss.
he smiled a little and nodded snuggling into her as he answered her Love with Love, and most amazingly enough Trust, of his own. Fathers going to be very angry when he realizes that I'm not coming back. he muttered softly, a dark pulse of terror shining through their bond. Salazar sounded brave, as if he didn't care, but the boy was terrified of his father in ways that no one could have expected. He was after all only fourteen. there we go, I'll just become a whore by hire. he teased chuckling a little. from now on when we fuck you have to give me a galleon. he teased smirking a little as he nuzzled her. i love you..." he muttered softly. "i'm going to grow a Garden in the back yard." he decided smiling a little. "i'm sorry for...whatever i did to you.. i didn't mean to..."
Thorn shuddered a little at the terror she felt, snarling fiercely. she might look sixteen, but she'd seen centuries. She wasn't going to let some trumped up dark lord hurt her bonded. Giggling a little at his idea,"A whore for hire.Not bad.'She teased smiling as he nuzzled her."I want garden.It'll be pretty."She mused before nodding,"I know love.I'm...I'm not sure what you did either,besides me wanting to please you by promising.I don't knw.I would have promised anyways..but..."She sighed quietly."We'll just have to be careful."
he smiled as he snuggled into her, smirking a little. i'll make a big one. he promised. even that cow Lucius won't be able to compare to my garden. he purred, happy with this idea as he closed his eyes and sighed softly. i... I want to talk to Lily again... not now, maybe later... when I've... understood everything Father said. he decided, looking at her. are you really my great great great many times great grandmother?
Thorn shuddered."I don't know."She said truthfully the low level panic coming back, sighing quietly as she let hellmagic sooth her thoughts, letting the fire burn away her panic. Wondering what a child could have done, to be forgotten."I don't know."She said slowly, closing her eyes,"I would assume he is correct...purebloods are usually obssesively anal about keeping track of those things."
Viper frowned and then. well, pureblood cousins marry all the time... it can't be any worse than that right? I mean, you are centuries old.. that's a lot of descendants thinning out your blood from mine right? he asked smiling a little as he snuggled into her, sighing softly. can you make pancakes? I really would like some pancakes for breakfast. he admitted half asleep now as he breathed softly, terror and fear forgotten in favor of her and sleeping.
Thorn laughed quietly."Whatever you want princeling."She muttered closing her eyes, goign to sleep.
In the morning by the time salazar was up and moving, the house was filled with smoke and Thorn's cursing. Bursting into tears when she burnt another set of pancakes. Collapsing down onto the floor with tears filling her eyes she rubbed her face, wondering what it was about pancakes that she just couldn't cook.
Salazar coughed a little when he walked into the kitchen and gaped at all the pancakes, amusement filtering through their bond before he did something unthinkable. aaaw you made me pancakes, just the way I like. he purred kissing her forehead, well aware that bringing light to her tears was probably only going to get him struck, so instead he piled three burnt pancakes onto his plate, cut them up, slathered them in butter and syrup and started to eat, smirking at her the entire time. love why are you sitting on the floor? hoping to make her feel better by eating the food she had made, and really they weren't bad if you could get over the burnt taste.
Thorn sniffled rubbing her face with the back of her hand to get rid of the tears as she looked at him with a watery smile, her jaw falling slightly. She couldn't believe he was eating them."I fell down.I burnt them!"She whined getting up, smacking him on the shoulder for the amusement she was feeling for him. Though she was perking up a little at the sight of him eating it."Sal, you don't have to eat them."She sniffled slightly.
he chuckled a little as he stuffed more into his mouth shaking his head a little. i've eaten worse. he admitted smirking a little as he munched on his food, amusement growing when she punched him in the arm. their really not that bad. he teased smiling a little as he finished off his pancakes and reached for more. besides I don't think this stove has been used since I bought the place when I was six. he teased smirking a little. of course your going to have problems with it.
Thorn perked up even more at the idea of the pancakes not being her fault. She'd never been able to make them,but she was willing to let him think it was the stove."That's true.I didn't think of that."She smiled sitting down next to him, rubbing her eyes before sighing."I have to go out today."She said quietly,chewing on her lip."I want to make sure everyone knows I'm okay, and not hurt after we disappeared on them."She said not wanting to worry sirius or lily, hell even molly.
he smiled and nodded. that's fine, I'll start on the garden today then. he decided smiling at the other. give Dumbledore a kick in the balls for me? he asked chuckling a little, blinking when an Owl swooped into the room, dropping a letter from Lily onto Thorn's head, a letter asking her to visit soon, that she had a gift to her son that she could only trust Thorn to deliver.
"Perfect timing."She smiled kissing him slightly, smiling as she read the letter."I'll be back this evening.Behave love."She muttered kissing him harder before apparating to the manor house, letting herself in."Lils?"She called as she walked further into the house.
Meanwhile,back with Salazar, Lucifer smiled slightly as he forced reality to pretend he was real. That he could do this. Smiling a little as he took that side step,between hell and heaven.Suspended between. The slight mirage as he sat down at the table with his granddaughter's lover, looking amused. A afterimage, a barely there presence that was so much worse then if he was actually there. This meant that he'd regained enough of himself within Thorn that he could imprint his will onto reality and step through for a few minutes."Hello Salazar."The dark haired demon smiled, fire threading its way through his dark hair, looking cool and calm in a business suit.
Lily smiled as she walked into the room that Thorn was in. Thorn, come in. Lily murmured smiling, looking ever so relieved. i was worried that he'd taken you to... she shuddered violently. that man is pure evil after all, I couldn't bear it if you got hurt. she admitted gently stroking Thorns cheek. come, it's in the living room. she admitted. my mother gave it to James when he expressed interest in marrying me when he was fifteen. she admitted opening a box and spilling the invisibility cloak. i never needed it, there are easier ways to become invisible but I have a feeling Salazar is going to need it...
Salazar smiled until she was gone and then he let his head fall and the tears start again. Wondering what was the truth, and how long he would be able to keep his depression from her. He gasped when he heard Lucien's voice and he got to his feet, staring at the other his eyes wide. your...my grandfather... ancestor aren't you? he asked softly, swallowing thickly. i suppose your upset with me... he muttered staring at the other, horrified, and amazed.
Thorn smiled softly as she picked up the liquidy fabric, the almost mercury like fabric flowing over her hands."Ooh lils, its beautiful."She said sounding bemused, though she felt something, something about this. She..she didn't know what, but she knew there was something she needed to find out about this cloak."No.We just ended up going to the house he bought."She smiled slightly."He's upset,but he does want to know you."
Lucien nodded slightly, "yes.Through thorn."He said tilting his head looking amused, before shaking his head."I would be, if I hadn't already done worse to her."He said fire flairing in his eyes slightly, any crimes commited against thorn, couldn't be worse then the ones he committed. "Her memories. I came to speak to you about her. Because he deserves to be free."Sadness tinged his words, pain showing on his face for a moment, before it faded.
Lily smiled a little. James wanted Salazar to have it.. even after I finally told him. she sighed a little. i assume Salazar asked his father what happened. she admitted glancing at her. Voldemort thinks I never told James, but I did... he didn't care, he loved me and my son anyway. He was a good man like that. she admitted smiling a little. i see his goodness in Salazar too, he just needs a chance to discover it.
he nodded a little as he watched him, his head tilted. you know what happened don't you? Your part of why she's lost her memories... can you tell me what happened? he asked curiously, worried about Thorn. i know I'm a bad person, I'm not worth much at all. I kill, murder, rape... everything a bad person does I loved until I met Thorn... but... I want to help her... I want to make her happy, even if I don't deserve her I want to keep her. I want to be good, for her. he admitted staring at the Devil. so please... tell me how to help her. And I will.
Thorn smiled stroking the soft fabric, looking up at Lily. "I'm glad you had someone like james."She said, smiling softly. She knew there were good men out there, which made eternity easier."He's going to have every chance I can give him, even if I have to liter the ground with corpses to do it."She said a look o determination crossing her face,stubborn and vain, she was lucifer's child, determined to do what she wanted.
Lucien's smile was sad before he shook his head."I know what happened, and no I can't tell you."He smiled, fire flairing brightly in his hair for a moment, looking amused and displeased all at once."Death's curse can hold even on my, merlin's son."He bit his lip, trying to deide how much he could tell them. After all, he'd come to make sure they'd search, and make sure dumbledore wasn't using her to much, but damned if he didn't worry about making it worse. Morrigan's curse had a repucussion, that if he personally interfered and told her everything, the death waiting her would be worse then death.So...he'd just give them a nudge in the right direction."Find what happened to Arthur.And....find Morrigan's hallows. Death's own weapons."He said biting his lip, for once looking unsure of himself trying to decide.
Lily smiled and nodded. James was a wonderful man, shocking considering who his father was. she glanced at thorn and smiled a little. we're trying to teach him how to be good remember? Slaughtering thousands of people I not going to help that. she teased chuckling as she shook her head. he just needs time to find out who he is, that's all. James needed time too. He was a horrid little monster when he first came to school, but he calmed down when he realized that he was actually hurting people. Salazar is already becoming a good person, he just needs to find the reason WHY he wants to be a good person.
he sighed a little and nodded, smiling at the Devil. if there's one thing I'm good at it's research. he promised smiling a little. i'll find Arthur. And find Morrigan too. he promised. you don't have to say anything else, I'm sure I can find the rest out on my own. he promised smiling a little at him. i don't want you to get in trouble with Death... he hesitated. if I find out, and I tell her... will she get in trouble?
Thorn blushed slightly at the teasing, smiling a little as she blushed harder."He's weeding the garden."She muttered, slightly embarassed to admit the man wanted to be good, for her. Because she held fast to the laws of honor that she'd had from camelot."We'll figure it out."She bit her lip a little."He did say he wants to know you lils. Maybe write to him?Tell him about JAmes.I'm sure he'd apperciate hearing about his brother."
Lucien shook his head,"Only I would if I told her. Thorn...was always meant to find out what she did, and the hallows. They're hers after all."He said smiling a little as he stood, smirking slightly."Start with the bookIl morte de arthur. It's mostly fiction, but it has some truth."His eyes grew sad as he ran his fingers through his hair."I can't do more. If I could tell you exactly where to go, I would.But...morrigan decreed that her daughter had to find it on her own."
she chuckled a little and smiled at her. your good for him, and he's good for you. Lily stated kissing her forehead. i'll make sure to write him a nice long letter. she decided. would you like to stay for lunch? she offered smiling at him. if he's like me he loves the life in the Garden, he could probably stay there in hours and never notice the time going by.
he nodded a little. i'll find the book. he promised smiling a little. it shouldn't be too hard, I'm sure there's a library in my possession that has at least one copy. he promised hesitating a little. only... I don't speak Italian... or was that french?...Latin? he frowned a little. well, maybe I can get a translation spell or something. he mused. and these Hollows.... I think I read about them somewhere before... he admitted. i just have to remember where. he muttered, biting his lip as he pondered. was it in that History book? he wondered glancing at the Devil. ...why are you helping u anyway? he asked, blinking at his ancestor. ...you feel guilty don't you?... you had something to do with her sin...
Thorn nodded,laughing lightly."Lunch would be grand. After the fisaco with breakfast, I'd appericiate not having to cook."She said blushing harder, heading for the kitchen, enjoying the other's company. And wondering if she could convince lily to help her with gardening ideas, at least so that she could help salazar.
"Title's french,but most copies were spelled to english centuries ago."Lucien looked amused before frowning at him. Not able to tell him where to start looking for the hallows, just able to give them a direction to look in. Sneering slightly to hide the guilt he felt."I never feel guilty about anything.It's why I'm the devil."He said arrogantly, knowing he probably wouldn't be able to fool him,but there it was. He couldn't help the display of pride.
Lily giggled a little, smiling at her. did you try to make pancakes again dear? she asked smiling a little at her. don't worry, you'll figure them out eventually. she teased smiling as she kissed thorn's forehead, leading the way inside for bright green salads and vegetable soup. Lily was a vegetarian, and only ate vegetables and fruit, but what she did eat was always delicious, home made and home grown.
Salazar nodded and then smirked at the Devil. of course, your never guilty. he agreed. just like my fathers not a madman and Dumbledore's not a manipulative bastard. he agreed chuckling a little as he shook his head. i'm going to go find my libraries and look for the hollows and the book you suggested. he stated writing down the title and what else he needed to look up, glancing at the Devil. want some pancakes? he asked smiling a little as he indicated the burnt leftovers. made them myself. what a liar, but at least thorns pride was saved.
Thorn sulked a little, grinning as she followed the other.She loved eating with lily, the food was always so good."I did.And he ate them!"She said sounding amused as she sat down at the table, knowing better then to try and help lily make something.
"Don't lie to the father of lies."Lucifer smirked,"I know my granddaughter can't cook."he said tilting his head a little before his presence in the room faded,gone as if he hadn't existed. Knowing that if anyone could help thorn, this earnest man could.
Lily chuckled as she shook her head. did he really? she asked smiling a little. well that was sweet of him. she agreed handing Thorn a bowl of soup and a plate of bright green spinach and carrot salad, smiling a little. he really is a sweet child. she admitted blowing on her soup to cool it down. it's remarkable how kind someone can be when they've only known cruelty don't you think?
Salazar smirked at the Devil and wrote a letter to Thorn before he apparated out, heading to another one of his private homes, he had a surprisingly large number of them, to start looking for the books he needed.
Thorn nodded starting to eat, "It is. Just given the chance...he is kind." she said the tightness around her heart tightening again, making her swallow hard before she looked up at the older woman."Lils...I'm scared."She said softly, raising her hand so she could see the ring of shifting fire around her finger."I can use firemagic again...I'm starting to remember....and lucifer came to my rescue,when I needed him.I'm afraid."She said,sying what she could never tell salazar.That she was truly afraid of what she had done.
Lily smiled a little as she took Thorn's hand, smiling at her. being scared, is only natural. she whispered softly. memories are a hard thing to lose, and their even harder to regain. And you did something terrible. she admitted smiling at her. but you are remembering slowly, so you can come to terms with what happened, and learn from your mistakes. Salazar is the key to your memories, and to your heart darling. You think Morgana was only punishing you, but she is also giving you a chance to atone for your sins, she gave you a second chance. You can be afraid my dear, but don;t let that fear rule your life, be brave, and remember what you need to remember, and soon, you won't have anything to fear anymore.
Thorn looked down at her hands, shuddering as a memory overlaid them for a moment. Seeing blood red, sticky hands wrapped around a sword hilt, forcing...forcing something...to happen. Shuddering as she squeezed her eyes shut to clear her head she smiled slightly, looking at Lily. Looking sad."No...mothher meant to punish me...."she whispered, not realizing it had been her beloved father to draw the harsh line, and her mother just backed it up, and gave her the out that would allow her to atone."I should be going.Sal's scared,and worried about what his father will do when he realizes he's gone."she stood,finishing her soup before pausing."Has anyone heard from lucius or Draco?If not, tell them to get out of there. There's no reason for them to stay, they'll be in danger if they do."
she smiled a little and kissed her forehead again. you'll remember in time, and Sal will help you through the pain. she promised. and I too will do anything I can to help. she promised standing up and leading Thorn to the door, smiling at her. don't forget to give Salazar that cloak. It will come in handy, for both of you. Lily promised smiling. Because through Morgana's blood, Lily had the gift of a true Seer, a gift that someday, Salazar's daughter would have as it only passed on to the women of their bloodline. i have a letter to write darling, be safe. she murmured smiling. and Draco is already out. Lucius has chosen to stay, Voldemort will no suspect him of helping Salazar escape.
"Good.If he doesn't want to stay where he is,tell him the wards to my manor are set to let him through."She smiled easily kissing lily's cheek before apparating to salazar's house. Frowning a little when she didn't see Sal in the garden, running towards the house, wand in one hand and a sword in the other as she pushed open the door."Sal?"She yelled, panic starting to lace her voice, their bond flairing wide open with panic.
Kreecher suddenly appeared in front of her. Master Salazar has left a letter for you Lady. he stated, more than willing to offer her all the manners he offered his master, since she was of such a prestigious bloodline. it is on the Table Lady. he informed her before he returned to washing the floor with a filthy rag. Showing he really was a useless as a house elf.
'Love, I got a tip from an old friend about how I might find a key to your past, so I've gone to one of my libraries to research it. I'll be home by Dinner, try not to worry yourself into an aneurism hey love? See you soon, Love Salazar'
it wasn't ten minutes after she finished reading it that Salazar Apparated in, carrying an armload of books in his arms, dumping them on the table with a small groan. damn... I forgot how HEAVY books are, Thorn? You home? he called curiously his head tilted a little.
Thorn skidded into the room after the first word, looking at him worriedly, panting slightly after having searchd the house just to make sure he wasn't home."You okay?"She said more concerned about him then her own past.She'd lived centuries without it, a few more minutes ws fine. She needed to know he was fine
Sal blinked, looking amazed. i'm fine, honest. No one knows where my libraries are, not even my Father. he promised smiling at her, running his hand through her hair. it's alright love, I'm more careful than people think I am, I promise. he admitted chuckling a little as he kissed her. help me move these books into the study? I'll work on them when you leave.. unless you want to help?
She studied the books for a long moment, wrapping her arms tightly around the packag she was still holding, smiling slightly."Oh.Okay."She said relaxing, reassured when she felt his amusement. Nodding slightly,"I'll help. I need something to fill the time with, when I'm not running off playing dumbledore's lapdog."she giggled a little settling the invisiblity cloak under one arm,gathering a few of the books and heading towards the study.
Salazar chuckled a little as he picked up his share of the books, glancing at the package, lifting an eyebrow. someone give you a present? he asked smirking a little. if it's from Dumbledore i'd suggest burning it. he teased dumping the books onto the table in his dusty study, sneering at all the dust. that damn Kreecher is useless, I need more House Elves. he muttered sighing a little. i'll tell Lucius to buy me some. He'll send them through to us and I'll pay him back once they get here. he admitted softly shaking his head a little. we have GOT to get the dust out of here. he grumbled coughing a little. guh. My allergies are KILLING me right now. he complained sorting the books out and examining them as he picked upIl morte de arthur. i believe we're supposed to start with this one. That's what Lucien told me anyway.
Thorn looked up startled at his words, eyes widening slightly as she considered it. Lucien....lucifer?She swallowed, wondering what game her grandfater was playing before waving a hand, banisihing the dust."It's only a temporary fix, it'll be back, but it'll let us get some work done."She said pushing him down in the chair, climbing up in his lap like a little girl,cuddling close as she flipped absently through the book."No.It's a present for you.Lils had it, it belonged to your brother...she thought you might want it..."
he smiled as she cured up in his lap, wrapping his arms around his girl and smiling a little as he glanced at the package. for me? he asked curiously. my brother? he asked curiously. James Potter... he muttered sounding very interested now as he reached over and tugged it over. Father hated my brother. he admitted. he only had terrible things to say about him... he was a traitor you know... tried to kill Father... several times. he pulled the package open carefully and the invisibility cloak spilled out into his hands, making him gasp softly. it's beautiful...
Thorn nodded,fingers gently stroking over the liquidy fabric, resting her head on his shoulder, feeling something.Her chest growing tight at touching it, but for the life of her,she didn't know why it hurt to have it."Your brother was a brilliant wizard...who died for his crime of caring to much."She said smiling a little. Despite not having known her personal connection to the riddle line, Thorn had followed the older wizarding lines, seeking someone, anyone to keep in touch with who she'd once been.
he smiled as he examined it rubbing the silky material against his cheek chuckling a little. he sounds like the kind of guy I want to be. he murmured smiling a little as he kissed her neck and folded the cloak carefully setting it to the side as he opened the book to it's first page. well, lets get started shall we? Apparently this book has a bit of truth to it. he admitted watching the page closely his head tilted a little to rest against hers lovingly as he read the book.
Hours past as they read, both reading back and forth, thorn smiling sleepily as he finished,frowning as she rested her head on his shoulder. Remembering bits and pieces...remembering mordred's welcoming to court. Merlin's refusal to accept the boy as arthur's son..."I remember some of this."She said quietly, sleepily but slightly alert."I don't...it ended in blood.Fire and blood."She said seeing to much, to many flashes, to sort out what she was seeing not understanding the flashes of memory she was seeing.
Salazar nodded and kissed her forehead, gently nuzzling her. shh love. he muttered softly. your getting stressed out, let's go to bed and everything will make sense in the morning I'm sure. he muttered smiling as he gently picked her up and carried her into bed, tucking her in and sliding in next to her, smiling a little as he kissed her forehead. i'll be like James. he decided softly. i'll be a good person, one willing to go against my father for what is right. he promised smiling at her. i'll always keep you safe. and he settled down to sleep with her happily, waking in the morning to an owl poking him in the forehead with a letter from Lily, Salazar groaning but accepting the letter, opening it and beginning to read while he stroked Thorn's hair affectionately.
Thorn whined cutelly, nuzzling her head against Salazar's hand, sighing quietly as she blinked up at him."reading already?"she teased raising her head as she looked up at him, looking amused. Wondering if lily was so eager to talk to her son already. Wondering what they were going to do today.
he chuckled a little and smiled at her. lily sent me a letter. he explained smiling a little. she talks a lot. he admitted with a chuckle. she's told me about James a lot, it's really nice. he admitted smiling at her as he set the letter down. i don't know, I thought I might actually get started on the garden, unless you had something better planned?
Thorn shook her head, smiling a little as she shifted, resting her head on hsi chest."No.That sounds wonderful."She said smilng shyly."I want to try the gardening again.I've never...been good at it.Maybe if I focus on something else,my memories will start coming back to me."
Elsewhere, Lucien swallowed hard as he took the sidestep into riddle manor, sneering at the death eaters and general gloom. Hell was designed for sinners, but even it had more class then this. Swallowing he shook his head, and hoped his heavenly counterpart was right,and that this had to be done. Amazingly, the former highest ranking angel, trusted his once second in command,and Lucien was trusting the world into Raphel's hands."So far the pride of purebloods has fallen among miscrenants."
he smiled a little and kissed her forehead. great! he chirped happily. we'll have to start by yanking everything out. he admitted. everything is so overgrown and dead that it can't be saved, everything will have to go. he admitted smirking a little. and then we'll go out and buy some crap to mix in with the soil. yes, literally, crap.
Tom and Lucius both turned at the sound of his voice, both of them gasping at the sight of Lucien, Voldemort standing with Rage in his eyes. get out of my home! Voldemort demanded, shooting bright green light at the Devil himself, so gone in madness he honestly thought he could kill the ruler of hell. leave this instant! My lord! That.. that's Lucifer! Are you sure it's a good idea to... he was cut off by his own shrill screams as he writhed on the ground as Voldemort held him under the Crucio. Silence you Fool! Do not DARE to question what I do!
"....crap?you want me to touch crap?"Thorn said sitting up and looking at him, her jaw dropping a little as she considered her lover before shaking her head."No. I'll let you do that part, and I'll pretend I have no idea what you're doing."she said stealing as kiss as she climbed out of bed.
Lucifer sneered raising a hand ending both curses before they got to extreme, smirking as the killing curse passed harmlessly through his form. "And here I was here to tell you something.Maybe I'll go take my secrets to deathless and go play with dumbledore."He mused outloud, turning to leave.
Salazar laughed and nodded. yes, crap. Dragon dung is the best but it's hard to get a hold of so I prefer to use cow dung since it's almost as good, even if Wizards don't raise cows. he chuckled a little as he kissed her and raised the letter again, looking amazed. hey! Lily is amazing at Gardening too! Awesome. he stated grinning a little.
Lucius laid there panting hard as he staggered to his feet Voldemort snarling before snorting a little. wait! he growled staring at Lucien. don't go to Dumbledore, tell me what it was that you wanted to say... he hated giving in, but the man was the devil, and it was better than letting Dumbledore have him as an ally.
Thorn laughed nodding."She grows all her meals.Doesn't buy anything."she smiled dressing as she smiled, heading for the door. "Come on then, lets go get your crap."she said frowning thoughtfully. Maybe she wouldn't help him.
Lucien smirked a little as he stopped, walking back."hmmmm...so polite."He muttered looking amused.Enjoying the man's giving in."But not so submissive. You should be."He said raising a eyebrow."I know the secret of Thorn Satanspawn, who is helping Dumbledore."
Salazar nodded. that sounds like a good idea. he muttered grinning a little. we could get some chickens and a miniature cow and have all the fresh milk and eggs we want too! That would be a lot of fun don't you think? he asked smiling at her his head tilted. and we don't need the crap yet. he admitted. first we have to clean out the flower beds, that could take hours, or even days and we don't want the crap sitting out to the elements for that long.
Voldemort growled in annoyance at the order he be submissive before he hissed in glee at the realization that this man knew how to achieve true immortality. A life without any sort of death. yes! Tell me!....please! he added, almost as an afterthought, but at least he was learning... sort of.
Thorn smiled,kissing him gently as she tugged on her tennis shoes, "OH no, no bad crap."She teased grinning as she walked happily into the garden, looking around.Having every intention of staying close to him, because it meant learning something new."And a small cow would give you crap when you needed it."She said smiling a little.
Lucien smiled slightly."Find death's own hallows.Morrigan created them for the deathless,and only in destroying them can one become like her."Lucien said, praying that raphel was right, and he wasn't going to condemn his granddaughter again."Thorn and your son even now, ae looking for them.If you don't get to them first, they will be lost forever."
Salazar chuckled a little and nodded smirking a little as he headed out into the yard, settling onto his knees and began yanking everything in the ground, out, throwing them behind his shoulder into a pile. careful, some of these have Thorns. Salazar warned smirking a little as he looked over at the other. that's true too, alright I'll buy a cow and some chickens. he decided. we can use magic to keep them in the yard. he decided. we'll never had bug problems. he admitted smirking a little. the chickens will eat them all.
Tom's eyes widened in astonishment. my son was with.... that woman was the deathless!? Lucius! he snarled at his second in command. go and get Salazar! Now! i... I can't sir he.. he left. Lucius admitted wincing when Voldemort slapped him hard across the face. you didn't think to inform me of this!? i.. I thought they where just going out on a date sir... I didn't know.. find me the books on the Hallows! Now! yes sir. Lucius stated rushing out the door, fearful of his Lords temper.
Thorn smiled slightly as she helped him,gently tugging out the plants."I wonder if that's why my mother named me thorn, because I would be a danger to those around me."Se said thoughtfully as she gently tugged the plant out of the ground, whimpering slightly as it pricked her thumb, feeling the blood welm up. Eyes going wide slightly as they glazed, memories showing in her eyes, the bond allowing Salazar to see them to. Walking through the bodies of Lourges, the brave knights of camelot, fallen in one man's greed. The only living thing left on the field, she knew she was. A hand resting on her stomach,feeling the gentle rounding, feeling the babe growing in her. And knowing that she couldn't ever let this kind of slaughter come to pass again. And then she was slapped back into the present.
Lucien smiled, his work was done. Tilting his head in a goodbye to voldemort, he sighed. Now the hard part would begin.Protecting and betraying thorn all at once...disappearing with a sigh. Life was about to get intreesting again.
Viper smiled a little. your not a danger to everyone. he stated smiling a little. you know, it's strange. The plants with the most dangerous thorns... often bring about the most beautiful flowers. Like roses. he admitted smiling at her before gasping as he watched the memories, blinking a little before looking over at the other and then picking up her hand, gently kissing the bleeding thumb. we'll figure things out, alright love? he promised smiling a little at her. together. he shuddered violently suddenly and swallowed hard. father is very pleased about something... he muttered softly. that's never a good thing... he muttered shaking his head. come on, lets go bandage your thumb and get you some gloves. thorns never hurt him, he could fall into a thistle bush and come out without a scratch, he sometimes forgot that thorns where not so forgiving on other people.
Thorn blushed as she looked up at him, pain and embarassment coming through the bond as she leaned into him. Touched deeply by his wordsthat he found her beautiful. Getting to her feet she chuckled as they headed back inside looking over at him. Worried about what voldemort could have found pleasing before looking thoughtul. Not wanting to ruin their day with wondering what it could be."...why dont you get gloves?"She pouted, at the idea that she was waek and she needed them.
he chuckled a little as he kissed her cheek. love, I could dive headfirst into a thorn bush and writhe around for a half an hour and then drag my way back out and my clothes wouldn't even be scuffed. Thorns don't hurt me. They don't even touch me, the plants protect me from themselves. he admitted chuckling a little. comes really handy when I'm running through the woods. he admitted bandaging her thumb and giving it a kiss grinning at her as he tugged gloves onto her hands. Draco learned that the hard way when he tossed us both into the Roses back at home when we where fighting. He was covered in scratches for WEEKS because his father refused to heal him. he snickered a little. i didn't even have a scratch, BOY he was pissed at me. he admitted grinning a little as he headed back outside and started yanking things out again, smiling at her.
Thorn giggled a little, grinning as he followed him back out, settling in to helping him."Ahhh poor draco."She said smirking, already planning on teasing him about it. Smiling slightly as they settled into working. A few hours later She was sleeping peacefully in a pile of flowers, curled up in it like a bbe, looking small and sweet before she blinked awake, looking sleepily. realizing she'd fallen asleep."Sal?"She muttered loking around, trying to deide what had woken her. Feeling the fragments of her dream slipping away
Salazar looked over at the sound of his name and smiled a little. you look so cute when your sleeping, all covered in dirt and wrapped up in flowers. he teased smiling. wanna see? he asked holding up a digital camera that he had fashioned to work despite the magic that was supposed to interfere with it. Looking rather amused as he smiled at the other. Three of the Garden beds where completely empty now, Salazar was rather good at yanking out weeds and plants.
Thorn moved close to him, blushing hard when she saw the picture, pressing a hand to his shoulder, blushing more."I'm not cute."She muttered smiling a little as she leaned against him, looking around her, laughing as she saw the done gardens."Oh wow sal..."She muttered sounding amazed, tilting her head back to look ath im."Now what?More books?Or more flowers?"She teased
Salazar chuckled a little and smiled a little. well we have two more gardens to clear, but since your so bored. he teased smiling a little. we could always go out on a date or hit the books. he teased chuckling a little as he flicked on the Camera, and showed her the adorable picture of her sleeping on the pile of flowers, grinning a little. isn't that adorable? he teased smirking a little. i might print it off and send one to Lily, she'd love it. he teased giggling a little as he kissed her gently, smirking at her. i could always tie you to the bed and give you the loving of a lifetime? he teased snickering again.
Thorn giggled,blushing more."Hmm you could. But I wouldn't' want you to get bored with me."She teased stealing a kiss, leaning into him more, hugging him tightly."That's not adorable."She sulked a little, pouting as she looked up at him. Before perking up a little."Lets go out on a date."She said grinning at the idea of going out, of having a normal thing, like a date.
he smirked a little, wrapping his arm around her waist. your always adorable. he teased smiling a little. that's what makes you so deadly. he teased smirking a little. on a date hmm? Where would yo like to go? he asked smiling a little. i don't really know any real places other than the places I own so I'm going to refer to you on this one.
She grinned at the idea of being adorable but deadly. Tilting her head slightly, smiling as hse stole a kiss."I want to go to the zoo."She said, a smile dimpling her cheek."The zoo and dinner."she said wrapping her arms around him,resting her forehead against his."We could even use your cloak, sneak into the wizarding zoo, so no one realizes we're there."
he grinned a little. muggle or magical? he asked his head tilted a little. i think we should go to both. he decided smirking a little. see the Aardvarks AND the Nifflers. he decided happily chuckling a little as he kissed her. let's get cleaned up and changed and we'll head out. he decided smiling a little. we can even get a snow globe, I like snow globes. he admitted nodding. i have one from a baby, it was supposedly my mothers. he admitted grinning. i should ask Lily. he decided chuckling a little. and then we'll go out for dinner at someplace nice and romantic, again referring to your judgment on that one.
She giggled a little, heading inside with him."No death eaters go out?"She raised a eyebrow, snickering a little."We should ask lucius's opinion."She said, amused because she liked teasing him about lucius. Grinning at the idea of getting snow globes, she cleaned up before dressing in a snug well worn pair of jeans, and a tank top that said 'looks like a innocent flower,but there is a serpent under it.' Grinning as she pulled her hair up into a pony tail she grinned."Well?Do I look like a muggle ready for a date?"
he chuckled a little. no they go out all the time, but I never bothered with it. I was more focused on training and learning. he admitted shrugging a little. besides I didn't have any friends to go out with. he admitted scowling at her. we are not asking Lucius. he complained huffing a little as he shook his head before grinning at her as he pulled on a pair of jeans and a t shirt, pulling his hair back into a ponytail as well. you look marvelous. he admitted smiling at her. how do I look?
thorn grinned at him kissing him lightly."Hmmm very good."She smiled wrapping her arms around him tightly, before apparating. The invisiblity cloak tucked under one arm, grinning wildly as she looked around the muggle zoo."So. Where to first, oh great explorer?"She teased, wondering if he even knew what kind of animals would be in a muggle zoo.
he grinned and kissed her back, smiling at her. mmm love you. he purred chuckling as they apparated, looking around. uhm.. wanna just wander? he asked smiling a little as he looked around. He had no idea what kind of animals muggles had, but he didn't want to admit it, so he took a quick glance at a sign. how about the tiggers? he asked his head tilted a little, unaware that he had just mispronounced the name. He tried to sound smart and he ended up looking like an idiot.
Thorn bit her lip to keep from laughing at him,nodding as she looped a arm through his walking with him."The tigers are so beautiful."She said softly as they neared the cages, crouching down in front of the glass, her nose nearly pressed againt the panes as she watched the tiger pace, one deadly creature studying another.
he smiled a little and watched the beasts, looking impressed. they are gorgeous. he agreed smiling a little as he tilted his head a little. look, those two are going at it. he pointed out two tigers who where play fighting over a squeaky chicken, chuckling a little. their kind of cute. he admitted smiling a little. who knew muggles could have such beautiful things? he mused watching one of the tigers stop and pose proudly, Salazar chuckling a little as he stopped and took a picture of the tiger posing.
Thorn grinned watching the tigers play before looking at th tiger posing."See, that one looks like you. Strutting around like he owns the world."She teased straightening up looking at him,looping her arms around his waist, nuzzling his chest like a overgrown kitten swaying on her feet a little. Remembering...something. Remembering the one time she'd met her grandfather...he'd brought a kitten hadn't he?A tiger kitten of her own.Maybe. Wondering why she was remembering so much now. And wondering if it was because she was finally with the man hse needed to solve the riddle.
Salazar laughed a little and snapped another picture, grinning as he stroked her hair before looking worried. Thorn? You ok? he asked softly before he gasped suddenly and yanked the invisibility cloak out of her arms, wrapping it tightly around her and gently shoving her lower before he lifted his head proudly, examining the Lestrange family, Bellatrix and both the brothers. ah, Salazar, how good to see you again. Bellatrix purred, reaching out to ruffle his hair, forgetting in her madness that Salazar hated her. She was reminded by the burning pain in her hand. so, where's the little Lady you made friends with? Rudolphus asked smirking a little when Salazar shrug. ditched her. he stated simply, examining the three. i suppose father sent you to kill me? oh my no, he needs you to help him find something. i'm not going back. you have to. i'd like to see you try and make me. there they hesitated, looking uncertain, clearly remembering the last time they had tried to make Sal do something. He smirked viciously at them and shook his head. buzz off freaks. he ordered. i'm enjoying a day off, I've earned one. he spat sniffing angrily. leave, before I slaughter you! he snarled when they didn't move, the three squeaking and vanishing with loud Cracks, Salazar sighing a little. stay under the cloak, I'm sure they'll be watching us.
Thorn sighed, rubbing her hands over her arms as she closed the cloak around herself tighter, tears filling her eyes. Feeling overwelmed at someone trying to protect her. It'd been centuries since someone had tried to protect her from a enemy."So much for our date."She muttered sighing quietly, wondering what they should do. Knowing things were changing."We should leave..."She said before stopping,frowning. Wondering..."Sal....what would you father need you to find?"She asked wondering what would be so important to send out death eaters to find him.
i don't know, and I don't intend on finding out. he muttered scowling a little. come on, we'll go to the wizarding Zoo, they won't be able to follow me there. he admitted. they won't be able to trace my magical signature because there are too many people and it interferes. he admitted smirking as he set his hand on her shoulder, apparating them both away, uncaring if any Muggles saw him or not, reappearing in the wizarding Zoo where the Dragons where roaring, showing off tot eh people watching them. i think you can take the cloak off now...
Thorn smiled as she slipped the cloak off tucking it back in her shoulder bag before looking at harry. Smiling as she looked at the dragons."I always did love dragons."She said ignoring th people who had turned to look at them before hurriedly looing away. Between the two of them, thorn satanspawn and salazar riddle the things that wizards nightmares we made of.
he chuckled and nodded as he led the way over to the Dragon's, smirking a the fearful vibes running all around them. and such a lovely atmosphere too. he purred watching the dragons breath fire on their eggs to keep them warm. oh my god! he gasped, hearing a thrum. Thorn look! Their hatching! at his astonished cry several groups rushed over to watch too. this is so cool! I've never seen a dragon hatching before! I wonder if we can buy one?
Thron giggled a little watching the dragons hatch, her nose nearly pressed up against the bars, "Ohhh, I bet if we asked, they'd let you have one."She said twisting to look at him before stepping back, shuddering a little. Feeling the press of the vistors around her. It wasn't normal, she was clausterphobic, and pressed closer to salazar in the effort to make herself feel better. Anxiety showing through thier bond looking at him."They're so cute!I want one!"She said trying to stay calm. Not wanting to ruin their date more then she already had
he grinned and shifted so that he was standing behind her, protecting her from the crowd. come on, let's go find out. he decided pulling her out of the crowd before she could complain, grabbing a worker and demanding to see the owner of the Zoo, the man whimpering in terror as he led them to the main office, the owner paling as he saw who it was who had come to see him. Sal stayed silent, giving Thorn a small nudge, indicating that she should ask.
Thorn smiled,relaxing as she found herself out of the crowd. Once again on sure ground once she was facing the owner."Sir. We were just out watching the dragons, and one of the nests hatched. We were interested in if it was possible to buy one."She said matter of factly looking at him sternly, wanting it for salazar. Wanting to do something good for him
the owner sputtered and flustered but nodded, i..y..yes we have been known to sell baby dragons to private owners b..but their very dangerous! it's alright. Salazar promised smirking a little. i speak Parsel, that's close enough to Dragon tongue that I'll be able to control the beastie. he promised. and I'm not going to use it to terrorize anyone either I just want a deadly pet. well that wasn't entirely the truth but the man seamed convinced and he nodded. the little ones have been removed by now for testing and check ups. We have to test them to make sure that they don't have any genetic diseases and we need to make sure that their healthy too. h explained motioning for them to follow as he led the way down to the 'nursery' which was basically a large Vets office. pick one out love. Harry offered smiling at Shay as he watched the 'vets' weighing and measuring most of the baby dragons, which where huffing and puffing, annoyed at the handling.
"Awww poor babies!"Thorn giggled as she walked over watching the dragons before scooping up one of the smaller males, cuddling the runt of the pack. "Mine."She said looking at salazar, smiling as she let the vet finish his exam, before holding her dragon again, walking back to the owner and salazar."Love, will you ask him what his name is?"She asked, wondering if she could learn to speak dragon. She'd learned many other languages, surely she could learn dragn.
he chuckled as he nodded and hissed at the Dragon, smiling when it snorted. he says he doesn't have a name, that he is only the runt so he didn't get one. he explained chuckling a little. well we're just going to have to give him a big strong dragon name then won't we? he asked smiling at her. we'll pick up some meat from the butcher near the house and then get him a nice hot bed in a fireplace. he decided. they love to sleep on hot coals, we'll spell the fireplace to smolder and keep it stocked with hot coals for him.
Thorn giggled a lttlem nodding happily. Knowing she was probably acting out of character or at least hwo she was in private. For once not conscious as to the people around her."I'll name him....Harm."She grinned stroking the dragon's head, looking at salazar."Pay the man so we can get him home. I want to get him settled and easy at home."She said grinning.
he laughed and nodded, paying the man as ordered and hissing to the dragon that his new name was Harm, the dragon purring happily, pleased with his new name as he huffed and puffed and showed off to his new mommy. i had an idea. he admitted to her. i think I can manipulate our bond, so that you can share my parselmagic. he admitted smiling at her. but if you don't want me to mess with the bond I won't. he promised.
thorn bit her lip thinking about it, before nodding."That would be okay."she said after a few long moments, before reaching out, doing the maniulation herself, smiling slightly as she hissed quietly, a soft hello to her baby dragon. Before looking up happily at Harry."It worked!Lets go home."She grinned happily that after such a rough start, their date was going well.
he shuddered as he felt the bond twisting and smiled as he listened to her talk to the baby dragon, which hiccuped before nudging her with his head, demanding food Salazar chuckling a little as he shook his head. let's go get some raw meat. he decided grinning. i think the mother dragon usually chews up the food first so I think ground hamburger for now. he decided tickling the dragon's chin as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and vanished with a crack, stepping into an honest butchers shop, the butcher actually cutting up the leg of a cow at a table behind the counter. i can helps yeh? we need... oh, fifty pounds of ground hamburger. f..fifteh... thats right, fifty."
Thorn laughed a little at the man's reaction, cuddling her dragon as she turned her head a little to look at the butcer. "We just got a pet that likes cow."She said grinning as harm tried to go for the food on his own. Catching the baby with a single hand,pulling him back."Careful harm."She muttered with a hiss.
Salazar chuckled a little and shook his head. we'll take thirty pounds of chicken and twenty of pork as well. he decided smirking a little. this little guy is going to eat quite a bit, we might as well make sure we're well stocked. he decided chuckling a little as he shook his head as the man ran around gathering everything they needed, Salazar yelling for Kreecher and making the useless elf transport it all to the walk in refrigerator they had at his Manor, smirking a little. well at least he's useful for something. he muttered with a roll of his eyes. i am so buying some new elves. he grumbled smirking as he stroked Harm's wings. he's so cute! he purred grinning a little.
Thorn nodded smiling a little as she paid for the meat, before leaning up to kiss him."Thank you love."she said happiness and amusement coloring the bond, so happy that she had found harm. Leaning bak to look at him she stroked the dragon's wings, tilting her head a little."Home?Or did you want something else to do on our date?"She said quite content to go home. Wantng to show the small beast around his new home, and anxious to make sure he'd be happy with it.
he smiled and kissed her forehead. anything to see that wonderful smile of yours. he stated happily, offering Harm some hamburger, watching him chow down with a small chuckle. well, I was hoping to go to the Nursery...er, the plant one. he admitted smiling. i thought you might like to help pick out the flowers that we plant, since you apparently don't want to handle the crap. he teased snickering a little as he nudged her chin. but we can go home if your tired.
"Oh!No. Let's go."She grinned at th idea of picking out flowers, blushing ever so slightly that she wasn't up for planting things. Smiling as she apparate them she looked around the garden she'd apparted them into. "Ohhh..look.They're so pretty."She cooed snuggling harm as she looke over the pretty magical flowers, ignoring both harry and the nursey owner in favor of th pretty flowers.
he chuckled and kissed her temple with a small smirk as he talked to the nursery owner for a moment before turning away and plucking Harm from her arms when he tried to eat a Snapping Dragon Lily, which was large enough to eat the baby dragon, shaking his head. nothing that eats, love. he ordered with a small smile. we should pick up a few flowering bushes too while we're here. he decided. to trim the garden with. he glanced around and examined the many pretty flowers, smiling as he let his lover pick out all the plants.
Thorn smiled as she hose what she wanted, before pausing in front of one of the snap dragons, before looking at harm."You'll leave it alone wont you pretty boy?I think we need at least one eating plant. It'll help keep bugs down."She said logically as she turned looking up at Salazar, pouting a little at the sight of her lver holding her dragon.
he laughed and handed Harm back to her, shaking his head. alright alright, we'll put the Snap Dragons in. he agreed chuckling a little as he obediently gathered some seedlings. their better behaved if you raise them yourself. he admitted. and they grow fast. he admitted kissing her forehead as he settled them carefully into the basket along with the others that she'd picked out, settling a few of his favorites in as well. any others you want love?
"No.I don't think so."she said smiling a little as she paid for the flowers, wrapping a arm around his waist and the the basket, apparating them home. Smiling as she stepped away from them, looking down at the dragon."Do you want to explore, or go nap lovely?"She said stroking his head. Before looking up at salazar."Love, am I losing you to your gardening for the evening?"She said raising a eyebrow as her stomach growled, giggling as the dragon's head darted down to investigate the sound.
he chuckled a little and shook his head. no not yet. he teased smiling a little. i still need to finish weeding and then I have to fertilize, the seedlings will be alright in their little pots for about a month so I can take my time. he admitted smirking a little. hungry? he asked smirking a bit. well I know a good chef who could come over and make something for us? he offered his head tilted a little. or did you want to cook again? I loved those roast beef things you made. he admitted licking his lips and laughing as the dragon curled up and went to sleep, letting out a large puff of smoke as it started to snore.
Thorn giggled a little as harm started to snore shaking her head as she blushed."No. You ould have someone come over. Roast beef is about the extent of my knowledge of cooking."She said smiling a little as she wrapped her arms aound him, kissing him gently.
Salazar chuckled and kissed her forehead before raising his voice. Dobby! of course it was Dobby, even as an evil bastard Dobby still adored the son of Lily potter. yes master Salazar Sir what can Dobby be doing for you!? could you make us some dinner? Sal asked hopefully. we're starved. yes Sire Master Salazar sir! he chirped popping away, Sal leading her into the dusty dining room, cleaning it with magic before sitting down at the table, dobby rushing back out with roasted chicken breast, garlic bread, and some steamed vegetables Salazar smirking. thanks Dobby. he chirped happily the elf bowing and popping away. i don't know HOW he does it. He cooked that in five minutes!
"He's a house elf. They have all kinds of magic."She said with a smile, kissing his cheek as she sat down at the table starting to eat. Looking thoughtful."Sal, do you think your father has someone watching this house?By now he has to know you're not at home."She said biting her lip,really looking worried. Because she wanted to know what they wanted with them, and was worried about what voldemort would do when he realized his son was no longer under his control.
he shook his head. no, Father doesn't even know this place exists. Sal admitted. i bought it in secrete using Lucius's name and his money. he admitted. the only person who knows about this place is Lucius and Draco, and their not about to tattle on me. Their the closest things to friends that I have. he admitted chewing thoughtfully. in the astonishing chance that he does know where this is, no one will be able to get in but you and me because of the extensive Wards, both magical and natural I have set up around this place. he admitted with a small shrug. only the people I want in, can get in.
Thorn smiled,grinning at the idea of that. Oh man, those would be the most perfect place in existance.Eating a few more bites before she looked over at him."I..I think we need to go see Draco.He's staying at my manor, and he might have word from his father. Lucius would know what Voldemort wanted with you wouldn't he?"she asked, looking slightly anxious. While she knew voldemort couldn't get to them, she was still worried about what he wanted, surely he wouldn't give up that easily;
Salazar chuckled a little and nodded. alright, we'll go see Draco after Dinner, Harm could use a good walk anyway. he admitted smiling a little. and your right, Lucius should know what Father wants. Father is mad and insane but he trusts Lucius. If Draco doesn't know, he could easily find out. he agreed nodding as he calmly scraped his vegetables into Harms waiting mouth, the little dragon having woken up and wanting more food. And it meant that Sal didn't have to eat the nasty broccoli, it was the only vegetable he hated...well, that and asparagus... and Brusselsprouts....
Thorn looked amused as they finished dinner, patting the small dragon's bulging stomach."Love, you're going to make my dragon fat."She teased, looking up at him before standing, "Ready?We better go see draco before he decides to do something this evening."she said, looking forward to seeing him. she did enjoy talking to the blond, and well, salazar would get so jealous. And then...ahhh the sex was going to be good. Needing to feel loved and cherished, owned. Feeling off balance with the newly regained memories, she wanted to reconnect...after they figure out what was going on with voldemort.
Salazar snorted a little. he's a growing boy he needs his food! he protested grinning as he scooped up the dragon and settled him into her hands smirking a little as he slung his arm over her shoulder, giving her a gentle kiss, chuckling a little as he Apparated to her manor, Draco yelping in astonishment and the looking relieved. there you are! My GOD I've been looking for you two all day! I have TERRIBLE news! whoa, easy Blondie calm down and explain then panic alright? Voldemort was contacted by Lucifer, you know, the devil!? He told Voldemort how he could gain immortality by destroying something called the Hollows. Father is looking them up right now but he's pretending not to find anything useful, but if he doesn't come up with something soon Voldemort is going to start getting annoyed... and that meant pain.
Thorn paused staring at Draco before stumbling back a step, nearly dropping harm as she fell, hitting the floor in a state of shock as the sense of betrayal hit her. Memories of a old betrayal both hers of her parents, and of her grandfather's of her, overlying this newest betrayal. Wrapping her arms around harm,curling up into a ball as she struggled to find her bearings again.Overwhelmed and not knowing what to think. "Luc..lucifer?"She said choking on the words.
Salazar was staring at Draco in shock before he realized his lover was on the floor, pulling her calmly into his arms, gently muttering calming things to her, kissing her forehead, her cheek, her nose before glancing at Draco. thanks, sorry we have to go. he stated vanishing in an instant back to his own house, gently laying her on the bed and covering her up, still constantly muttering calming things as Harm whimpered and nudged her, wanting her to feel better.
Thorn whimpered, curling up on her side, wrapping her arms around harm, wanting to make him feel better even if she wasn't. Hours later nudging towards midnight, Thorn swallowed hard, wiping her eyes. "Sal... my grandfather told him.After he told us."she said, her voice breaking slightly. Feeling broken inside, feeling something shift at the idea, and not knowing what it was. She had wanted to believe her grandfather had wanted to help,but...no. This was to much.
Sal had held her the entire time, muttering parts of the few songs he knew, stroking her hair and kissing her cheek as he waited for her to calm down, sighing softly. yes, but he did tell us, and he told us first. he admitted softly. i know he's up to something, but I think it;s in our favor... he admitted softly. i'm not sure how yet but.. I met him, I understand him a little.. he feels guilty about your pain. he admitted softly. i don't know what's going on but... I will always be here for you, I will never leave you or betray you. I promise, okay? And we'll find out what's going on...
Thorn was quiet, shifting to rest her head on his chest, the small dragon curled into his arm,"Okay."She muttered closing her eyes, smiling softly. Before it faded,closing her eyes. slowly calming down, though it still hurt the idea that lucifer had told him. "He does?He...he feels guilty?"She frowned, wondering why. "But why...he...I don't know."She said pressing a hand to her forehead, trying to stop the headache. Wondering why the idea of her grandfather hurt her so badly. And wanting to know what happened to cause that.
he nodded. he won't admit it but he does... he admitted smirking a little. calm down love. he murmured kissing her temple. you need to relax. he muttered softly opening their bond and taking half of her headache with a wince and smile kissing her temple. we'll figure all of this out, we just have to calm down and find these things faster than my father does. he promised smiling a little. and I know we can do it because my father is an idiot.
Thorn giggled a little leaning up to kiss him looking amused."Oh, a idiot is he?He does control most of the wizarding world you know."She pointed out, shifting harm to lay on the bed shifting over, straddling his waist. Needing him.needing the reassurane they were okay.
he chuckled a little and shook his head. he has control of the wizarding world because of his death eaters, namely Lucius, and peoples fear of the name Voldemort, that's about it. He was a smart man once, but now he can't hardly think other than to torture someone. he admitted, settling his hands on her hips, smirking a little as he ground his parts into her with a small sigh. mmm horny are you? he teased smirking a little. good, I'll fuck you nice and slow, aaall night long. he growled. and well into the day. he decided chuckling as he started tugging her shirt off, licking his lips. think you can handle it love?
Thorn smiled, nodding as she undressed him to. Nearly collasping in relief that he still wanted her, even if she was broken and hurt. "I'll do my best."She grinned. The next day Thorn smiled sleepily, grinning as the sunlight slanted through the window, absently stroking a hand over salazar's chest."That was all you promised and more."She said amused yawning."We shoul go see draco.So he knows we're not mad at him or anything.And help lucius with his search."She said knowing they'd have to lead voldemort in the wrong direction if they wanted to keep lucius alive.
he grinned as he lay on the bed, hands behind his head and feeling exceptionally proud of himself as he smiled, enjoying the hand stroking along his chest. mm I'm glad you liked. he admitted with a small chuckle. Draco will be fine. he stated calmly. i was actually thinking of holding a Sance he admitted shaking his head. i mean, if people can contact the dead, we should be able to contact Lucifer right? he asked smirking a little. and with us being related to him it should be even easier. he stated with a small chuckle. i intend on asking him what the hell he's up to. he admitted with a small shake of his head. if you don't want to talk to him I could always do it when your off with Dumbles. he admitted smiling at her as he kissed her forehead, chuckling a little. besides, I have to go out and buy my cow crap today. he teased snickering a little.
Thorn snickered a little."Ah, Then I'll go see draco while you get the cow crap."She said amused, wrinkling her nose a little as she sat up. Biting her lip."No...come to the manor after you're done. I'll have lunch with draco, and we'll contact lucifer tongith."She said biting her lip thinking about it."And the best way...instead of trying to bring him here, I'll bring him through my body. Lettng him speak through me will keep us both from tiring out to much....I think...I think he's bound to hell, he can't leave easily. It'll be easier to bring him throgh me."She said rambling a bit.
he chuckled a little and nodded. how about I send Dobby to pick it up for me? he suggested smiling a little before frowning. i'm not sure I want him coming through you... it seams...wrong somehow. he admitted licking his lips nervously. can we get him to go through me instead? he asked his head tilted. That was doubtful, Harry's blood connection to Lucifer was very week after so many centuries of human breeding. well...we'll plan when we're done talking to the annoying blonds. he decided smiling as he kissed her cheek, getting up and getting dressed, kissing her forehead. come on worry wart. he teased smiling. we'll take Harm with us and introduce Draco to him. he decided chuckling again. maybe we can convince Harm to spit fire at him.
"I'm not a worry wart!"She whined smacking him on the arm, laughing as she dressed. Muttering a quick cleaning charm for them both, not wanting to go to the manor smelling of sex. Smiling as she scooped up the still sleepy dragon she wrapped her arms around sal, apparating. Smiling as they arrived looking over at harry. "Love, we can't spt fire him. That would be mean."She said kissing him gently grinning as she stepped back, wondering where draco could be. After all, he got up early, so he should be around.
he chuckled a little and pouted at her. not even a little bit? he whined softly his head tilted a little blinking as Draco came down the stairs holding several books and staggering as he dumped them all on the table and then squeaked when he realized he had company. your back! Thank god. Draco breathed sighing a little i was worried. he admitted smiling at Thorn. you alright pet? he asked his head tilted, calling her the old nickname he'd given her when she was like, three, since he hadn't been able to pronounce thorn at that age and Lucius had joked that she was his new 'pet' he'd always just called her pet.
Thorn smiled a little nodding."I am."She said blushing a little as the other called her pet. It was cute and reminded her when he was younger. "We were just coming back to help you with your research. And introduce you to him."She said raising the arm harm was curled around. "Harm, this is draco.Another dragon.He breaths fire sometimes to."She said laughing a little. Amused as she tilted her head looking between the two.
Salazar looked a little confused when Draco called her 'pet' and then a little jealous but he managed to brush it off when Draco flinched away from the Dragon. good Merlin! That's a DRAGON thorn! Those things are Dangerous! You can't just pick up a dragon and call it a pet! you can when your a parseltongue. Salazar stated simply, looking through the books Draco had dragged down, looking impressed. he has books that I don't have. their thorns books. Draco stated, Salazar looking startled. really? Wow... hmm I wonder if I can move all of your books into my house? he teased smirking at Thorn, Draco scowling. and what will I be reading!? he demanded. you have to leave the books here! do not. do too! do not! do too! i will kill you. fine you can have them!
Thorn smiled a little looking at harry."Dont' kill him. I like him most days."She said looking amused as she settled into a chair reading absently, stroking harm's head."Leave the books here he needs something to do."she said looking at harry fingers brushing over the words she'd written."There's none here from camelot...it's like I never existed there...they only start after that."she said flipping through them.
Salazar snickered a little and shook his head. fine, I'll leave the books here. he stated simply watching her open a diary. when they erased your memories they probably removed all information about you in Camelot, so you wouldn't find out just by reading an old diary. he admitted Draco nodding. it makes sense. he agreed smiling a little as he opened 'the ancient History' which was an old book of Camelot's beginning. so when did you get the dragon? yesterday. We went to the Zoo when Thorn calmed down and we fell in love with the little babies, the owner of the Zoo agreed to sell us one. Salazar admitted opening a book on the Hollows his eyes flicking over the page. hmm, interesting... something to hide from death, an all powerful weapon, and an orb to bring back those who have died... that certainly sounds like something only Death's kin would have. he admitted nodding. but it doesn't say what they are...
Thorn frowned a little, a memory flickering through her eyes."Arthur's cloak rendering one invisble from even death, a ressurection stone to bring back ones from the land beyond, and excalibar death's own weapon.They are death's own hallows."She said before loking startled at the words, tilting her head slightly."Excaliber....every arthur myth has the sword...and yet, it disappeared after the fall of camelot.."
Draco and Sal both stared at her for a moment until Sal wrapped his arms around her shoulders, silently offering his comfort as he nodded. so we have to find Excalibur, Arthur's cloak, and an orb that brings back the dead. he muttered frowning a little as he considered it. how interesting... he was clearly thinking something that had nothing to do with bringing back her memories. hey Thorn, love... when we find the orb... do you think we could bring my brother back? you have a brother!? Draco asked, astonished Harry shaking his head. no, I had one.. James potter, you know the husband of Lily? My father raped lily and that's how I was conceived so... he shrugged a little. i just, thought it would be nice to meet him. Draco was actually gaping at them, his mouth hanging open in shock. s... seriously? Lily is your mother? Draco loved Lily, he considered her an aunt, everyone loved Lily really, it was hard not to. yeah. I only just found out myself so don't feel bad dray.
Thon laughed quietly resting her head on sal's shoulder struggling to remember her memories. Surely she knew what this was. Swallowing hard she shook her head."IT...it wont bring people back. It brings their ghosts back. Allows everyone, not just death walkers, to see ghosts."Thorn said biting her lip, whining quietly. Wishing she could bring him back for him."And close your mouth draco.You're going to catch flies."She said giggling a little as she pushed Draco's mouth closed.
he nodded a little. well... it would be nice to talk to him a little. he admitted smiling. even if it's a ghost. he admitted smirking at Draco as he kissed Thorn's forehead, Draco snapping his mouth closed at the comment, the blond blushing slightly. well that was shocking. he admitted chuckling a little as he shook his head. alright so we just have to find Excalibur, an orb, and a cloak of invisibility that can hide even from death. he stated calmly. it shouldn't be too hard, there are only a handful of invisibility cloaks, and there's.... he hesitated then. all a lot of swords and orbs... so maybe those won't be as easy... we could always get Dumbledore to help. Sal admitted smirking. i'll tell him I'll help him end the war, make up a fake prophecy and he'll find the things for us, simple.
Thorn laughed quietly, nodding."And you wanted o contact Lucifer. If he can't tell me what I did, maybe he can tell me exactly where Camelot is. I don't... I dont remember anymore. Surely the best place to look is the last place anyone saw all the things together."She said biting her lip, still stressing a little at the idea of her grandfather's betrayal. Smiling a little at draco."His is your father doing?Voldemort nearly cught us last night..."She said looking worried.
he smirked a little and nodded. don't worry, you'll remember soon. he promised kissing her temple. we'll find your memories. he promised nibbling on her lip with a small chuckle. and we'll find Camelot, even if we have to beat the knowledge out of the Devil himself. he promised smiling a little before pausing as Draco hesitated. well... Fathers kind of scared. he admitted. i mean, it's not often that the Devil himself comes along and gives the man you hate advice. he pointed out. but he's not hurt if that's what your asking. he admitted with a small smile. Voldemort needs my father and he knows it, so he avoids using lasting spells on father, he usually sticks to the Crucio and the like. And Father knows a numbing spell that lessons the effects of the Crucio so it's not as bad as what people think. he admitted Salazar nodding. good.
Thorn nodded, still looking worried as she looked at the blond, leaning back against Salazar's chest. closing her eyes as she thought."You'll let me know if it gets bad right?One of the few gifts death left me was healing."She saidtilting her head before looking at draco, before nodding a little."Voldemort's insane, not stupid. He knows lucius can do the research better then anyone else he could get to do it."She said before laughing."Talking to the devil?how do you think I feel having him use my body. it's so weird to be male."she said snickering a little.
Viper wrinkled his nose and shook his head a little as he stood up, kissing Thorn gently and smirking at Harm, who was chewing on the table leg like a dog. remind me to pick up some chew toys. he ordered calmly with a small snicker as he shook his head. i cant imagine you as a male. he teased smiling a little as he hesitated. are you sure your alright with it? We can find other ways I'm sure... I know! We'll kill Draco and send him down there and he can ask the devil for us! i think not. Draco stated with a small chuckle. Thorn likes me, she won't like it if you kill me. hmmm true...
Thorn giggled, relaxing like she was sure he'd meant to her. Smiling a little as she stood to, straightening her clothes."NO, not sacerficing Draco."She said laughing brushing a hand over harm's head, biting her lip."It's the easiest way to-" "talk to me."Lucifer said his voice holding a mere echo of thorn's as he finished her sentence, reaching a hand out, tugging on a strand of salazar's hair. "You, worry to much."He said before looking at draco,smirking slowly. The devi's expression on thorn's face."Ah, she does find the prettiest boys..."
he smiled a little as he kissed the other before Draco blushed at being called pretty. i don't worry, I just don't trust you. Salazar stated crossing his arms. what the fuck is wrong with you!? How the hell could you tell my father about the Hollows!? he demanded glaring at Lucien. do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused!? You could have ruined any chance Thorn has at regaining her memories what the HELL is wrong with you!?
Lucien sighed quietly. "I had my own orders to do it. I'm not the only one interested in what happens on earth you know. And not the only one who knows what Thorn did.There are...worries among the celestial host that if she becomes who she was again, without a challenge, that she will repeat her mistake."Lucifer said, though he didn't believe it, he knew that Michael and Raphel wouldn't have given her the chance without him making it difficult."There are others at work among humanity, and some of them wont be nice at all."
Salazar growled a little as he glared at Lucien. your the goddamn devil!? Who the hell get's to push you around!? Your the ruler of hell dammit act like it! he ordered before sighing a little and pinching the bridge of his nose. it doesn't matter, no matter who is ordering you about they won't chase us off course. he looked up at the other. where is Camelot? he finally demanded staring at Lucien. and don't you DARE tell me you can't' dammit! As far as I can tell you owe Thorn something, and this might be the only way for her to get what she needs!
"Her mother. Heaven.Michael and Raphel. To just name a few. I might be the devil,but I am still bound by heaven and death's rules when it concerns Thorn."He said before smiling a little, having hoped that his seemingly betrayal would be just what the two needed to drive them towards camelot. He wanted his granddaughter free, and to do that ,he had to be her betrayer again. Tilting his head a little he smiled wider at Salazar's demand. While he might not be able to provide good information of his own free will, he could when asked a question."Avingon, France. The ruins still stand...I think if you get close enough, she will remember the way."
Harry snarled violently, annoyed that creatures of good where trying to impede there way. heaven or hell, I will not let anyone ruin her chances. he hissed offering him a dark smirk. that I promise you. he hissed softly. i might be evil and a bastard but I honestly feel like I love Thorn, and I will never let anyone hurt her. whether it was protectiveness, or possessiveness, Salazar meant it. we will go to this place. he decided looking at Lucien. we will leave tonight. he decided glancing at Draco who was looking timid but nodded, affirming that he would go with if he was needed. is there anything else that we should know? Salazar demanded, still very angry at the Devil.
Lucien smiled amused at finding a mortal who was angry at him. it wasn't often one was so brave as to get angry at him, much less yell loudly. "Be careful. Merlin's buried there somewhere....whatever you do, don't let her cross the boundaries of the grave."he said actually sounding concerned. while he knew his son loved his daughter, he was also sure that merlin's rage at having everything brought down by her, would outlive his death. And he didn't knwo what the mage would have guarding his tomb, and he worried what they would do to thorn. smiling he tweaked a strand of draco's hair."I need to visit again.You're so pretty."He muttered. Once again thorn was herself, wrinkling her nose, shuddering a little, though she was handling it better this time."I'm disturbed at grandfather's tastes."she whined quietly.
Salazar nodded and examined the other, his head tilted. i'll be very careful not to cross the boundaries. he promised Draco shuddering as he wrinkled his nose, ignoring the bolt of arousal that tore through his gut at the thought of being bed by the devil himself. For one thing it could never happen and for another he wasn't gay... or at least that was what he liked to pretend. i am also very disturbed. Draco stated simply, sounding more in shock than disturbed. do you remember all that? Sal asked looking a little startled before he smirked a little and shook his head. of course you do. You know where we're going then? Because I have no idea where France is. he admitted Draco nodding. it's alright, I've been to France and I think I know where Avignon is, I can take you there. he promised, happy to help as well.
Thorn nodded, laughing a little as she looked at draco, amused."Well you should know where it is, its the place where the first malfoy was born."She said, tilting her head a little as she stepped back, biting her lip."we better go before it gets to late."She said before wrapping her arms around them both, before apparating. Smiling happily at the cool winter day they arrived in, the branches holding just the touch of frost."Well.You know, I can't say that its changed that much."she said looking around,frowning pointing up the hill."Your ancestor's house up there Draco. Or at least the ruins are. I don't know if your father fixed it up since Abraxas let it fall into ruin."
Draco nodded. yeah it is the place I was thinking of then! he admitted grinning a little as they apparated, Salazar snickering a little. this place is a dump... shut up Sal! This was the ancient home of the Malfoy's! We where the most ancient bloodline entrusted to guard the bloodline that runs through Thorns blood! this she already knew. so buzz off freak! he ordered sulking a little as Salazar laughed. is that why Lucius is always trying to protect me? Because his bloodline is my bloodlines protectors? that and he felt bad for you having that fuck head of a father. Salazar nodded. makes sense, come on we'll check out your crap house for clues before we head on to Camelot. he decided, Draco glaring at Him. i hate you.
Thorn laughed as she headed forn the house, walking slowly, slipping a arm through salazar's. Feeling slightly unsteady on her feet, channeling lucien did have consquences on her physical body making her tired and slightly disoriented."Now boys, behave."She said laughing shaking her head."The line of malfoy was one of the few of camelot, to escape unharmed....I think so.I remembere coming here....after. I assume that they survived the fight, though they were all forbidden from talkign to me, at least until we all had forgotten what we weren't supposed to remmeber."
Draco nodded. we volunteered even. he admitted. we chose to give up our lives and help, and that's when Death gave us Long Life and gave us Elvish blood to make us strong both physically and magically. why are you so boring? Salazar demanded bending down and picking up something off the ground, dusty and rusted but a very nice sword anyway. huh, nice, I've always wanted one of these, hey Draco I'm looking your ancient bloodlines crap. Salazar stated, Draco rolling his eyes as he left to examine his ancestors things, smiling as he found some books, Salazar shining his new found sword as he smiled at Thorn. he's so fun to piss off... hey are you alright? You look exhausted... here sit down. he ordered cleaning out a space on the floor and making her sit down. do you need to take a nap? We can wait if you need to rest...
Thorn shook her head, wincing as it made her head swim."I'm fine. Just tired."She said smiling a little as she wrapped her arms around salazar, tugging him down for a kiss before reaching for the sword."Let me see that.I can clean it up."She smiled a litle wider,"It'd be good for you to have a sword.more protection and all that. Draco could even teach you to use it.He's good like that."She teased her lover, amused because he loved pissing draco off.
Salazar shook his head. you need to rest. he ordered kissing her back, letting her have his sword with a smirk before he glared at her and snatched his sword back. no! Draco's a lousy Sword mate! I beat him every time! he complained Draco snorting as he looked through the diaries he had unearthed from a hidden compartment under the floorboards. again, only what happened after Thorn lost her memories and Camelot was lost. Draco admitted sighing a little as he watched Salazar shining up his sword. and unfortunately he's right, he is better than me. not better than thorn, but definitely better than Draco and Lucius. so what now? Sal asked frowning a little. we go to Camelot, there's a map in this journal, it even marks off Merlin's grave. he admitted Sal nodding as he hesitated. He planned on going to see Merlin, despite Lucien's warning, he wouldn't take Thorn with him, he'd conveniently get 'lost' but he had questions for Merlin and he intended to ask them.
Thorn nodded, getting to her feet though she swayed a little. Looking at Salazar, slipping a arm through his."Well then,I'll just have to train him myself."She said, grinning at the idea of him having a weapon like her own, knowing that if he kept the sword long enough, the death magic he used would imbed itself within the steel, as they're both weapons of death. "Come on.Let's go."She said heading out, wanting to get to the once castle. needing to know what was wrong, and having every intention of not letting sal out of her sight, even if he went to merlin's tomb. Like lucien said, she didn't trust her father's traps to let his bloodlien through."Is there any that has arthur's?"She asked lookign at draco as they walked, wondering if excalibar would be there.
Draco shook his head. no, there's nothing on here that suggests that Arthur is buried here, but then he was also supposedly taken to Avalon, the birthplace of Magic and Merlin so... he shrugged. we have to hope. he admitted Salazar nodding as he examined the map from over Draco's shoulder suddenly pausing. oh hell... he groaned. i gotta take a piss. he complained fidgeting a little before kissing her cheek. i'll be right back. he promised darting off to pee, or rather, darting off to find Merlin's Grave, stepping over the boundary of his grave and shuddering at the feal of ancient magic on his skin.
"You dare disturb my slumber, son of pendragon?"Merlin's voice filled the room, his tomb looking peaceful and undisturbed since the time he'd been buried. The body laying on the marble slab in the middle of the room, looking as alive and well as he had when he died. The only thing showing he wasn't living, was the pale blue cast of his skin.'Your kind has been forbidden from entering here, for my daughter's sins. Death will not welcome here, nor the living. Remove yourself, son of pendragon."The arrogance in those words, centuries worth of arrogance. He had loved his daughter, well he had loved the ideal of her, more lovign a weapon he could shape, then the daughter he had. Very much like lucien in that way. Though unlike the demon lord, he did not repent for trying to use her. For casting her forever from her mother's presence.
Salazar's eyes narrowed at Merlin's voice, his head tilted a little. i have come for answers My Lord. he stated calmly. for you yourself have sinned far greater than I have ever done. he stated simply. i have raped, murdered, lied and stolen under the orders of someone, while not knowing any better, just as did thorn. he stated calmly. this I am sure, but your sin is far greater isn't it? Using your own daughter as a weapon, and then shunning her when someone took your weapon away from you and used her just as you intended, isn't that right? Salazar demanded, his voice firm, calm, unafraid and unrepentant. i strive to pay for my sins, and fix the wrongs I have done, and so too thorn tries to fix the wrong she did, though she knows nothing of what she did, what sin's have you ever tried to fix?
"It is not a sin to strive for greatness, or condemn Thorn for siding with her grandfather instead of her father, like a child should."merlin said, "She destroyed the dream that was camelot, out of a selfish child's wishes, not the wishes of a child of morrigan."he said, tilting his head a little, "Thorn Satanspawn's sin was against everything she was supposed to hold dear."he said, not mentioning that his daughter had never had the chance to become the unspoiled brat she had been. That she had grown up in the centuries since. For him, Thorn would always remain the rebellious weapon that had failed to heed him when he needed her to do so.
if a child should side with there father, then I myself should be out slaughtering, murdering, raping, and hurting babies right now. My father is a madman, would you condemn me for not being the weapon he wants me to be!? What right do you say who Thorn is supposed to be? Yes, you might be her father, but your nothing to her but a master, and all she was to you was a pawn. She is no daughter of yours Merlin, all she is to you is a tool. Of course she would abandon you for someone who actually cared about her, or at least someone she thought cared about her. he stated with a glare. you can't twist people around your finger, and expect them to do as you want. God himself can't even do that, what makes you think you have the power to do anything? Why make a weapon when all you had to do was show her a little love and she would have DIED for you!? he demanded walking right up to the body of Merlin, glaring at him. you are an old, bitter fool Merlin, and you had no right to do the things you did. Now your daughter is being twisted and manipulated all over again, and she has a chance to make this world right, and fix the things she did wrong and you won't help because your a bitter old man who can't let go of the past, or even forgive your own flesh and blood.
Merlin sneered a little, eyelids flickering a little."She sided with lucien for pure power,traitorspawn.She joined with mordred pendragon in the effort to end my dream of camelot, and singlehanded pulled the world down around her. Do not speak to me as if you could understand that.Let her go, she destroys everyone she loves,eventually. modred fell to her hand, while she held excalibar, her mother forbidden from entering the realms again because it cost her everything to stop thorn in her tracks. And Lucien...poor deluded lucien, who thought he could have the world. never realizing she wanted it for herself."merlin sighed,"Go away traitorspawn, she will find what she seeks her, and she will hate you for giving it to her."
Salazar stared at him then. i do not know the truth of her past Merlin, but so long as she finds what she seeks, that is all I need to know. he admitted watching Merlin closely. she might hate me, this I cannot know, but I will do anything to make her happy because she is the only thing in my life that I actually care about. he admitted setting his hand on Merlin's hand. everyone makes mistakes, and I'm probably making the biggest one of all, but they are mine to make, and mine to fix, just like it's her mistakes, and her problems to solve. he smiled at the man and nodded. i will go now. Try not to sulk for the rest of your life grandfather. he stated calmly before he stepped back out of the boundaries and headed off to find his lover.
Thorn looked pissed as he walked out of the cave, having only been stopped from going in by draco holding her there wtih a stun spell. Glaring at draco she snarled as she shook off the spell finally, grabbing sal tightly, looking worried."What were you thinking?!You could have let me come with you."She growled.even if lucien had warned against it, she was intent on protecting salazar, no matter the personal risk that it took to do so.
Salazar smiled a little. that's why I didn't tell you. he stated calmly, giving her a small kiss. Merlin would have struck you down. he admitted shaking his head a little. i wasn't about to let that rat bastard hurt you in anyway. he admitted shaking his head a little. come on, Merlin said that we would find what you where looking for around here somewhere... I don't know if he meant the Hollows or your memories but either would be good I guess. he could only hope Merlin was wrong about her hating him.
Thorn smiled a little, before she stared at the sword he was holding. Her mind catching up belatedly.A sword, death's own weapon...no. it couldn't be that simple. But excalibar had disappeared...and the malfoy's had been her protectors."Harry...can I see your sword...."She said looking thoughtful.Wondering since she already touched it, if she needed to be in a certain spot to find the memories that lucien had waiting for her."We need to find the castle..."She stopped, thinkign about it."No. The battlefield."She said slowly.
Sal blinked a little his head tilted before a sudden flash of possessiveness ripped through him. no it's MINE! he growled backing away before pausing, bafflement and confusion flooding their bond. i... he scowled a little that... what just happened? he demanded Draco lifting an eyebrow. yup, that's Deaths Weapon alright, according to legend in the right hands it bonds to it's wielder, causing the owner to be very possessive and protective over it. So that it doesn't just get passed on to anyone. There was a reason why only Arthur could safely wield Excalibur, even Merlin couldn't hold onto the sword for long. oh... so it needs to go to thorn then? Sal asked biting his lip. are you sure? Draco nodded and Harry hesitated but gave her the sword anyway, sighing a little. but I want it...
Thorn shuddered as her fingers closed around the hilt, shuddering harder as she closed her eyes. Memories filling her, drowning under them. Seeing this battlefield, so soaked in the blood of knights that her pants were sopping wet with it. Fingers tight around the hilt in her hand, weilding death as a weapon, as she used death's own weapon on death's allies. Jolted back to the present, she screamed as she dropped the sword, swaying on her feet as she looked at her burned hand, blisters already starting to raise. It seemed death's weapon no longer wanted her.
Sal gasped as he stepped forward and caught her,, cradling her as he set his hands on hers, sending cool water across her blistered hands, kicking the sword away from her so that it couldn't do any more damage. Draco! Bring the sword! Stash it in thorns house, keep it safe we might need it later, thorn hold on love I'm going to take you home and get you fixed up. he promised, Apparating away and carefully laying her on the bed, grabbing a jar of healing Salve and carefully massaging it into her hands to help with the pain and swelling. hang on Thorn. he murmured softly stroking her Hair. i'll stay with you, I promise, so you have to promise not to leave me. because some part of him was terrified that the sword had killed her.
Thorn whimpered as she curled up on her side, closing her eyes as she shuddered,blinking at salazar through tears."not going anywhere.I dont wanna go anywhere..."She muttered whimpering a she curled her hurt fingers around his. Despite being really hurt and reeling in the memories, not even death's sword was enough to break her curse.
Harry kissed her forehead, giving her a gentle nuzzle. shh love, you'll be alright. he promised pulling her into his lap and cradling her carefully, kissing her neck and smiling. i'll never let you go. he promised softly, gently nibbling her lips. just rest now. he murmured gently. sleep.
thorn muttered sleepily, closing her eyes as she cuddled against him. When she woke, her eyes were red from crying asleep, hands still slightly blistered and red as she liked around to see where she was, shifting a little as she realized she was still sitting in harry's lap."..you didn't move...your legs must be asleep..."She muttered moving to get up.
he smiled as he woke up. mm? no... my legs are fine. he lied his arms tightening around her. mmm no, don't get up... still sleepy. he groaned nuzzling her, having stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to make sure she was alright, kissing her neck gently. are your hands alright? Do you need more healing Salve?
Thorn whined before slipping away a little, stretching out on the bed, pulling him down next to her,gently rubbing her hand against his leg to get the blood flowing again, swallowing hard as pain spiked through the agiated skin."No.I'm okay."She said looking down at her hands, "Nothing that a few hours wont heal."
Salazar smiled at her and nodded, jerking violently as pain suddenly flared through his legs, making him groan and shake his head. damn... I almost rather you hadn't gotten up. he teased grinning a little as he caught her wrists. don't worry about it, they'll get feeling back on their own, don't hurt your hands. he ordered gently, kissing her forehead. how are you feeling? Did you get any memories back? he asked, looking very worried.
thorn winced a little as he touched her hands, biting her lip. "I remembr...fighting."She said shuddering as sshe leaned into him. Having realized that going in,since lucien had told them to find all the hallows, that she probably wouldn't get them all back at once, no matter how much that she wanted to."I was holding excaliber...I was fighting....I think I was fighting AGAINST arthur, and had disarmed him..."She said shuddering harder at the horror of the idea of killing arthur.
Harry shivered gently. Merlin said that you sided with Mordred. he explained softly. that Merlin was using you as a weapon, that you where a weapon to be used. he explained softly. but that you turned against him and struck down everything you where supposed to care about... I think it's Merlin's fault that your like this. he admitted, sounding angry, sounding sad, sounding worried. i think he made your mother do this, erase your memories and shun you from her side... he kissed her cheek. we'll fix this Thorn, together, and we'll Atone for your sins together too.. you never have to be alone ever again. I'll never let you go alone. he promised softly.
Thorn shuddered pressing her face against his chest, startling to cry. She couldn't believe that her loving father had wanted to use her, that was all she was to him."If he is...then maybe if I find out what happened, then I can see my mother...again."She said sounding so hopeful that it would hurt to hear. Wanting to be who she was again, not a shadow of the woman she had once been.She needed to know everything, if she was going to be in a stable and good relationship.
Sal smiled as he kissed her temple gently. we'll try. he promised smiling a little. if we can atone for your sins, I'm sure that you won't be shunned anymore. he admitted gently nibbling on her lip nuzzling her lovingly. we only have two more hollows to find after all. he admitted smiling. and Draco has Excalibur at your house, safe and sound in a lock thingy down in your basement, something about blood seals and magical signatures, I don't know he was talking too fast, I think he was high or something. he admitted with a small chuckle.
She laughed a little slowly standing up."We could hope."She said leaning down to kiss him slowly."Draco does talk fast, when he's frantic about something."She said laughing a little at the mental image of her friend before wrappign her arms around salazar and apparating. Needing to make sure draco was okay, to reassure him that she was fine, knowing he'd work himeslf into a frantic if she didn't.
Salazar chuckled and nodded a little. Lucius does the same thing. he admitted snickering a little. you should hear Narcissa tell the story about when Draco was born. he admitted chuckling as they apparated, landing in the living room, Draco launching himself at Thorn and hugging her tightly. oh my GOD I was SO worried! he gasped hugging her tight before releasing her and checking her over. are you alright? How are your hands? What do you remember?! How many fingers am I holding up!? Does your head hurt!? Can you see o... Draco! Knock it off! Salazar ordered looking amused. she's fine!
Thorn laughed quietly looking up at him, gently resting a hand against his cheek, wincing a little though. "I'm fine. My hands hurt, but they're healing. You're holding up no fingers since salazar yelled at you. And I remember fighting. With excalibar."She said sighing quietly, amused."I think that's why it wasn't happy about having me hold it again."
Draco sighed a little, relaxing before he nodded. that makes sense. he admitted. i put Excalibur downstairs in your safe, and locked it with blood magic, your the only one who can open it right now. he admitted. so even if by some insane amount of bad luck Voldemort does manage to break in here he won't be able to get to the sword. he admitted smiling at her. are you sure your alright?
Thorn nodded a little looking at him, holding up her slightly burned hands."I am fine. See?Stop worrying."She teased looking at salazar, then draco."You think he would have let me out of the house if I wasn't perfectly fine?"
Salazar smirked a little and shook his head a little. of course I wouldn't have. he teased smirking a little. what kind of lover would let their girlfriend out? he asked with a small snicker. i intend on keeping her locked up for the rest of her life. he teased kissing her cheek with a small snicker, Draco chuckling as he nodded. ok ok I get it, I worry too much. he agreed rolling his eyes a little. i'm sorry it's in my blood! I'm supposed to worry incessantly about your bloodline remember? he teased smirking a little. it's what I do.
thorn laughed quietly nodding."I know."She smirked a little, pointing at salazar."Shouldn't you be worrying about him to?"She teased, amused at the idea of draco acting this worriedly insist about salazar. "ahh, lucius. It is good to see you."She said smiling when she saw the elder man, looking worried as she crossed the room to hug him,"I'm sorry for dragging you into this."She said worried about him working for voldemort, searching for the hallows.
Draco snorted a little and shook his head. no I should not be worried about him! He's never the one who's hurt or having a mental breakdown or throwing themselves off cliffs! he complained turning to look at Lucius who smiled as he hugged her tightly. you didn't get me into anything little one. he promised stroking her hair gently. i chose to stay, and I choose to protect you. he promised kissing her forehead smiling at Salazar. congratulations on finding Excalibur, Lucien had to tell Voldemort that I hadn't found it in time, the man went insane and tried to crucio the devil, it was rather amusing. he shook his head. i left before he turned his temper tantrum on me.
"hey! I only jumped off a cliff once and that was only because YOU jumped off." she whined at Draco before stepping back from lucius studying him worriedly before grinning. "oh yes I am sure grandfather found that amusing. Maybe we won't have to worry about voldemort Lucien might kill him." she giggled but looked dlightly worried about the devil
Draco rolled his eyes. i didn't jump I was PUSHED you idiot. Draco complained Lucius snorting a little. he was annoyed actually. he admitted shaking his head. i don't think the Crucio hurt him, being that he wasn't actually solid, but the fact that Voldemort actually tried. Lucius admitted shaking his head a little. besides I'm pretty sure that Lucien is under orders not to hurt Voldemort so.. yeah. he admitted shaking his head. do you really have Excalibur? yes. Salazar admitted. and we talked to Merlin as well. he smirked a little. i can give you the location of you like, he was an astonishingly nice fellow, very helpful, I bet Voldemort would love to meet him. he admitted with a shrug, Lucius smirking a little. i'll look into that. he agreed snickering a little.
Thorn's jaw dropped a little looking confused. For once, totally missing the joke."But!But I thought you said he was a bastard, and andthat he didn't want anyone there!much less you."She said sounding anxious, worried about lucius going there. Oh poor thorn, she was so confused. she found it disturbing to think about her adopted father talking to her real one. That was just so worrying.
Salazar snickered a little and shook his head. oh no love, Lucius would be fine, as he is of a bloodline that stayed true to Merlin and stayed faithful to his bloodline, they are protectors and would be treated kindly... in theory anyway. No I'm planning on getting Voldemort to go to Merlin. he admitted smirking viciously. Voldemort would try to order Merlin about and be attacked. We'll go again tonight and make sure there are no more Hollows, and then 'accidentally' leave Voldemort a clue to Merlin's whereabouts, Lucius will deliver it of course to stay on Voldemort's good side. when had Salazar stopped calling Voldemort Father?
Thorn nodded a little calming, sighing quietly as she shifted, restign her forehead on his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist. She was feeling teh stress of doign this, and now she had her boyfriend laughing at her. So not nice. Pinnching him she smiled, wondering when he'd stopped thinking of voldemort as father."We'll do that. Though draco or lucius should go with you instead of me...the hallows might not let me touch them..."She said looking upset at the idea.
he yelped when he pinched her and he giggled a little, kissing her forehead gently smiling at her. alright, I'll take Lucius with me, he could claim to be following an old lead on his heritage, I'm sure Voldemort knows about the Malfoy's being protectors. He'll assume that Malfoy is protecting him, not me and Thorn. he admitted simply. since Thorn is banished and I'm 'weak blooded' it's Lucius's perfect excuse. he admitted Lucius nodding as he glanced at Draco. you stay here with Thorn. he ordered calmly, Draco nodding. will do Father. Draco promised hesitating a moment, wondering if maybe they could get that sexy illusion of Lucien to come again, he bet the man as utterly sexy... he sounded sexy.
"Ahhh lovely boy, if you want me to appear, all you have to do is ask."Lucien chuckled, as he bent reality to him, and stepped through, for the first time in centuries, since he'd gotten merlin onto a human woman, that he was in the mortal realm in the flesh. The question was, was he getting stronger, or morrigan's control over him getting weaker?"thorn."He said softly, sadly as he looked at his broken granddaughter, catching her against his chest holding her tight as she cried.Feeling his heart breaking at that sight of his strong willed thorn so upset.
Draco froze and went beat red as he realized the Devil had been listening in on his thoughts and coughed softly as Salazar snickered darkly at the blush on the blonds face before gasping, astonished when Thorn started crying, sending waves of calm and compassion through their bond, trying to make her feel better as he gently stroked her hair glancing up at Lucien. it's true isn't it? he asked softly. Merlin forced Morrigan to deny her daughter... didn't he? he asked softly once he was certain that Thorn wasn't paying attention, Draco gasping in astonishment at the words, his head tilted a little, all thoughts of seducing the Devil vanishing as he realized just how broken Thorns family really was.
Lucien nodded a little, dipping his head barely noticeable, making sure thorn wasn't really paying attention, pressing a kiss to her head."When he realized who's side she'd chosen...."he said softly, kissing thorn's head again,smiling a little."Sweetheart,you're getting my shirt wet."He teased. Thorn sniffled leaning back, looking up at lucien with red rimmed eyes,rubbing her face before looking at salazar."Sorry."She muttered starting to move away, laughing softly when lucien wouldn't let her go anywhere."I missed you grandfather."she muttered leaning against him.
he nodded. that's what I thought. he admitted growling a little before smirking a little. i need a favor from you Lucien darling. he purred fluttering his eyelashes at the Devil. Lucius is going to 'discover' Merlin's grave tonight and tell Voldemort ALL about it. Maybe you could push the man into thinking he needs to talk to Merlin to find the other hollows? he asked smirking a little. since he did try to Crucio you, which is VERY impolite. Draco snorted a little and once he realized that thorn was calmed down went back to fantasizing how one might go about seducing the devil.
Lucien looked amused as he gently moved thorn into harry's arms before smirking."It was very impolite. And considering I'm here in the flesh now..."His smirk widened. Like his ability to actually feel the curse, his ability to respond in a similar fashion was muted. Now that he was physically present....yes.They were going to be nasty if he found himself on the other end of a crucio again."I will speak to him.'He said kissing thorn's forehead as she cuddled against salazar's chest, before disappearing. "He was here...he was..."Thorn said sounding amazed, and so happy to have part of her life back. Despite being the devil, she remembered that her grandfather had been the only one to really care about her as a child, instead of a person to twist to their own ends...despite what happened after, he was the only one who cared. Had kissed skinned knees, and wiped away tears.
Lucien sneered a little as he stepped into the throne room, frowning as he looked around, sneerign at the death eaters before looking at voldemort. "Despite our last meeting, I have decided that I am still goign to help you today."
Salazar smiled and wrapped his arms around his lover, kissing Thorn's forehead as he smirked at Lucien. you know, Draco's living here all alone. he teased Draco flaming up in a blush as he glanced at the Devil and coughed before stalking off Sal snickering as he stroked Thorns hair. come and visit us anytime you want Grandfather. he promised smiling at the man. i know Thorn would love to have you over. Sal promised chuckling a little as the man vanished, kissing Thorn's forehead again. whatever curse is holding you and Lucien is starting to break. Sal pointed out. that means we're winning. We only need two more Hollows. he stated with a viscous smirk. and then you will have your life back. he promised smiling as he nuzzled her.
Voldemort was screaming at Lucius and froze when Lucien stepped in, his eyes narrowed at the Devil before he sat down, his eye twitching with his repressed rage. i apologize for my earlier behavior. it was clear Voldemort hated apologizing, but he knew he had to. my mind is not held together all that well. blame it aaaalll on the madness. please, make yourself at home. Voldemort ordered, a Death eater moving forward and constructing a chair for Lucien next to Tom, it was a little lower than Voldemort's was, but a little more comfy and intricate. can my Death Eaters get you anything to eat or drink? it was getting easier for Voldemort to be nice to Lucien at least.
Thorn smiled wrapping her arms around him,holding onto him tightly as she laughed happily."So it is. We're winning. We WILL win."She grinned laughing softly as she thought about draco getting bedded by her grandfather. Smirking a little as she looked at draco."So, would you like some company?"She teased."I'm sure he'd be open to the living conditions."
Lucien sneered a little looking at the chair, waving a hand, replacign the decorative chair with his own throne, the gleaming metal and glass looking apporiately nasty-and higher-then voldemort's. Though he moved to sit next to him."No I am fine. I came to help you with your most recent loss.Surely you should knwo there's more then 2 hallows, who better then death's husband to know where they are?"
Draco coughed, blushing hard. shut up Thorn! he ordered fidgeting. he's very powerful and he's SO handsome. he complained Salazar snickering a little. just remember to practice safe sex Draco! Wouldn't want you giving birth to the Antichrist now would you? he taunted smirking a little as Draco glared at both of them. i hate you...
Voldemort bit back a nasty snarl when he found the others chair was both higher and more decorative than his but with held his comments, wanting the Devils help. He could deal with the bastards attitude later before his eyes widened. Deaths husband... Merlin! he hissed turning to Lucius who nodded. i.. I still have that map...my lord... GIVE IT TO ME! Voldemort ordered, Lucius wincing and handing it over, Voldemort hissing gleefully and vanishing on the spot, glancing at Lucien and glaring at him. you stay away from my son. he ordered before vanishing as well.
Voldemort appeared before Merlin's grave and strode across the boundary, his eyes mad with glee as he examined the 'master' wizard before him. i have come to you for information! I must destroy the one named Thorn and that bastard Devil Lucien! I must rule the world not them and therefore I demand you tell me everything that you know about the Hollows!
Thorn snickered a little as she looked at her friend."Ahh, no worries Draco.The antichrist is already come, and a ghost of his former self. Though soem might say I was..."She said shuddering a little her smile turning a little brittle as she jumped startled at lucien's sudden return. "I've been ordered to stay away. Your father is a brave man."Lucien said smirking as he looked at the young blond.
"one cannot kill either of them, one is deathless and the other is a demon lord."merlin said sneering a little, not about to make this arrogant youngling's demanding his hollows easy.
Draco blinked, looking amazed. the antichrist has already walked the earth? he asked looking rather amazed. i thought he.. she?.. he was supposed to bring about the end of the world? he asked, jumping violently when Lucien suddenly returned. no, my father is over protective. he complained, scowling a little Salazar snickering a little. no, he's a very brave man. he stated calmly. no one else has the guts to tell me no and tell the Devil what to do.
Voldemort snarled and he rapped hard on the glass dome around Merlin's body. Tell me what I wish to know! Before I burn your hold on this world! he ordered, all to willing to burn Merlin's body if it meant getting what he wanted. i can kill them if I have the hollows now TELL ME!
Lucien snickered looking amused as he looked at the three, resting his hands on draco's arms as he jumped, looking to amused at the idea."the end of the world was more... just the end of a era, then anything else." Lucien said thoughtfully, not about to tell thorn she had been the prophesied child, born of hell and raised in death, to bring about the end. Though had her reign gone unchecked, she would have destroyed more...but his own guilt and pain at for causing part of it made him want to put it off for as long as he could.
Merlin sighed looking at the glass, "The hallow's are death's own weapons, for her daughter. They are in places that were important to thorn, hidden because of who she'd become, the antichrist's who's touch death refused.Find her home, and the once lake of the lady of the lake, and you will find what you need."
Draco went beat red again as he felt Lucien's hands on him, swallowing hard, Salazar snickering. Poor Draco, for him this was his very first crush, his very first object of lust and affection and it was driving the blond utterly wild because for the first time Draco had no idea what he was supposed to do. Salazar pondered then. so is there an Antichrist for the end of every era then? he asked his head tilted a little, curious.
Voldemort smirked viciously, licking his lips. yesss, Thorns home and the lady of the Lake. he paused and then glared. i do not know those locations! he shrieked in rage, banging on the glass again, getting frustrated and mad. They already have one Hollow! I MUST have the other two before she finds them! So I can kill her and that filthy Traitor Salazar that travels with her! Now tell me the locations! I NEED those locations!
lucie noded a little looking at the all.thorn looking concerned at how tired she looked and how her hands were still a little raw."lets get her in bed.then we'll have the endof days talk."he said amused at draco's reaction to him, laughing outloud as thorn whined at being pulled towards the door."I'm not a child!i dont need to go to bed."she sulked though shelet them get out of the room. lucien bsides wating her to rest they coul talk easier if she wasnt wth them.
"I no longer no where they are located in this new england.You will just have to hope you get there first."merlin said raising a ghotly hand blasting the dark lord with a lightening bolt for rudeness sending him back home no longer interested. he'd given the man evrything he needed to destroy his traitorous daughter and thats all that mttered
Salazar chuckled a little as he led her away. your tired love, you need to sleep, I'll tell you everything Lucien says. he promised smiling a little. just sleep, we don't want you passing out. he pointed out, tucking her in and kissing her forehead as Draco led Lucien into a sitting room, ordering a house elf to bring them all some refreshments as Harry joined them.
Voldemort shrieked as he was struck by the lightning, snarling viciously he tortured his Death eaters for a while before ordering Lucius to go and find the lady of the lake and thorns home.
lucien smiled a little as he took the firewhiskey fromthe elf sittng dwn in the chir easily staring at the fire in the fireplce."you asked if there was a antichrist for every era...there was supposed to be. my only mortal born line was supposed to be,each eler passing on the duties when the time came to the next heir. but when merlin earthbound his daughter he didnt just stophert frm dying, he stopped her from passng on the burden of being the halbringer of the end. because she's done it so long the detiny i part o who she is.Thats part of why you have to gert to the hallows first because theyre the only thing that could allow her to become mortal agin without her and voldemort_the current heir_ ripping the world to twain around them."
Harry paused then. Merlin ruined the cycle of life. he stated simply, suddenly understanding. that's why Voldemort doesn't die... it's not the horcrux... it's him, he was supposed to be this Era's antichrist but Dumbledore opposed him. he looked at Lucien. without your powers flowing through Voldemort's veins he wasn't strong enough to end the era and is stuck fighting a war with Dumbledore... he scowled darkly. Merlin fucked up the entire world and he's too fucked up to care or even worry about it. Salazar scowled as Draco frowned. poor thorn... Draco whispered. that was it wasn't it? She destroyed Camelot as her destiny was to do... and Merlin punished her for it... he closed his eyes then. and that's why Merlin can't die either. Because Morgana cursed him as well, punishing him for his sin against her and her daughter...
"she cursed him for both cursing thorn nd bnishing me from all contact....merlin's gripon her Name is slipping.its the only way i ould step through.because he's lived so long he's draining himself of power tat as holdingher from inerfering'"lucien sighd softly."dumbledore was upposed to win.WLl win because thorn's still tyhe antichrist, still in control enough to keep things from goingto her mad heir...but only if she has the hallows."Merlin cursed his daghter for being everyrhinb he wasn't,the true heir and destroying his hold on power...everythingthats happend since then is result o my son's greed."
Sal nodded. that makes horrible horrible sense. he admitted jumping when Lucius suddenly staggered in, panting hard, Draco gasping as he rushed over to support his poor father. Voldemort... pissed off. Lucius managed to gasp as Salazar helped Lucius lay on the couch. couldn't... shield the Crucio. Lucius admitted softly. Voldemort talked, Merlin... Lucius explained Salazar running out into the kitchen to get some potions. have to find... thorns home... and...Lady of the Lake... for last hollows. he groaned Sal running back in and holding a potion gently to the man's lips, urging him to drink.
lucifer wnced a little as he hlpd the other man drink looking thoughtful. having not known whre morrigan had hidden the last of the hallows."I can lead you most of the way to the lake.though merlin's curse willkeep m from going to the lke directly. The lake is morrigan's domain."he said before biting his lip."she should be able to point you towards thorn's home...thorn made sure no one knew where the astl was besides the boadest terms.... doubt even thorn knows anymore."
Salazar nodded as Lucius drifted off into sleep, standing up and heading into the other room to grab a map, several maps. if you can give us a general location I think we can find the others ourselves. Thorn already remembers a little bit from touching Excalibur, which is locked up safe and tight. he admitted biting his lip as he looked at the maps. if we take the invisibility cloak we could walk wherever we wanted without having to be worried about Voldemort. he admitted biting his lip a little. Lucien, I was wondering. he admitted looking at the other. what happens to thorn? When she becomes mortal... she's centuries old... will... will she.... he swallowed hard. will she die?
Lucien smiled slightly, glad to see that thorn's bonded was so worried about her. Wondering what he would say if he said yes."Yes."He said studying the other man. wanting to know what be would say before he added the rest. After all, the two were bonded, as long as salazar was strong and alive, his life would sustain thorn's, until either he died, or wanted to end the bond.
Salazar swallowed hard biting his lip hard, hard enough that he drew blood that ran down his chin and dropped to the floor. is there... any way to keep her from dying? he asked softly, his eyes watering. i know... she can't live the way she is now but... isn't there any way to save her? he asked softly as he watched the other his head tilted at Lucien. or is the only way I can be with her... to end my life with her? he asked softly. would she end up in hell? Or heaven? he asked swallowing hard. It was amazing that Salazar would be willing to end his own life, just to stay with Thorn, it was something that had Draco looking both amazed and horrified as he stared at Salazar.
Lucien to, looked amazed as he stared at his many times removed grandson, a gentle smile curling his lips."She'll live as long as you do. You're bonded, you'll keep her strong and mortal, until you're life ends, then you'll both end up in hell. With me. it's not really that bad you know."He said smiling wider, glad that thorn after everything had a chance to have someone love her with the all consuming passion that morrigan had once felt for merlin. though the death goddess's love had denied under the strain of merlin's greed, and he sent up a silent prayer that these two would have a better chance.
Salazar glared at Lucien. then why the hell did you tell me she was going to die you utter jackass!? he demanded before sighing and shaking his head. i'm sure Hell isn't that bad, not for the people who are supposed to live there. Being your descendant I always knew I was going to hell, I think that's why Voldemort is so obsessed with immortality, he's terrified of ending up in hell. he shook his head and leaned back in hi chair, closing his eyes as he pondered. as long as I'm with Thorn, and she's happy, then so am I. he decided smiling a little. the world is starting to right itself out anyway. he admitted. Merlin even knows it. he admitted. he's just too stubborn to admit he might be wrong. He glanced up the stairs and hesitated before he stood up. i'm going to go take a nap with thorn. he muttered glancing at the sleeping Lucius. don't bother Lucius, he needs his rest.
"I said it cause I wanted to know what you'd say."He said waving the other out even as he pouted."I promise. I wont bother him."He said smiling as he went back to reading over the journals.
The next morning when they woke, lucien was crashed out on the couch, books spread out around him.Thorn giggled a little as she looked up at salazar,"He's being adorable."She said grinning al ittle at the sight of her grandfather, walking across the room and crouching next to him. Forgetting a important fact. Lucien woke up deadly when startled awake. Touching his arm she yelped at finding herself pinned to the ground, looking up into dark eyes even as she choked, not seeing any recogniztion in his face. Lucien held her there for a moment before cursing jerking away, shame and guilt showing on his face as he moved away from her.
Salazar snorted as he shook his head, to him nothing about Lucien would ever be adorable. He moved into the other room while Thorn woke the Devil, and when he came out and saw Lucien with his hands around Thorns neck he did what only he was brave enough to do, he attacked the ruler of Hell. He pushed into the Devil, slamming into him just as Lucien released thorns neck, filling the Demon with raw, burning power, actually intending on killing the man for attacking Thorn, snarling in Fury as he reached out, trying to find a weapon, Excalibur suddenly shimmering into existence in his hand, swinging the blade before he even realized he was holding the weapon, and only an instant body lock spell from Draco saved the Devil from loosing his head.
Lucien snarled as his hand closed around excalibar, ignoring as smoke rose up beneth his closed hand."Bloody hell."He snarled moving away looking at Thorn, wincing as she flinched away. Looking at draco."Let him go.He has to calm her.'he said watching thorn panic as she lundged for her lover, pressing close to his chest. His strong granddaughter broken on the edges of a half remembered dream. A small,broken guilty smile on his face as he moved to leave teh room.
Harry hissed in rage as he was locked but immediately rushed over to Thorn, cradling her gently as Draco followed Lucien, looking rather terrified. i knew Salazar was stupidly brave. Draco muttered, wide eyed and shocked. but I never imagined he'd be stupid enough to attack the ruler of hell... he admitted glancing at Lucien. are you alright? he asked as he listened to Salazar hum an old lullaby to Thorn to help her calm down, stroking her hair and gently rocking her.
Lucien nodded a little as he set about cooking breakfast, avoiding looking at the blond following after him. Guilt showing on his face even as he tried not to."It's...been awhile since anyone was foolish enough to attack me."He said before looking down at his burned hand, hating that he'd been foolish enough to attack thorn when he'd already harmed to so much.Blaming himself for things beyond his control, much like thorn in that way.
Thorn smiled softly, burying her face against salazar's chest, swallowing hard."I'm fine...fine..."She muttered hugging him tightly.
Draco snorted as he shook his head, grabbing Lucien's wrist and forcing him to sit down, summoning medical supplies to his hand as he started to tend to the Devil's injuries. Merlin almighty all you people are the same. he complained, annoyed. look I know I'm the protector of your kin and all but do you have to damage yourselves at every turn!? he demanded shaking his head. you make it impossible to do my job! he complained. first thorn is stupid enough to wake you up, then Salazar attacks you. he complained carefully bandaging Lucien's hand. i'm going to go BALD from stress and it's ALL your Faults! he complained.
Salazar gently stroked her hair, helping her to calm down, murmuring softly in her ear as he rocked her. your not fine, your freaking out, just rest and relax, I won't let anyone hurt you. he promised, hesitating a little. do you think Grandfather is going to be angry that I tried to kill him? rather afraid for his life all of a sudden.
Lucien laughed softly as he flexed his fingers, wincing as the bandages scrapped across burned skin."You're going to go bald anyways. Your father is."He pointed out snickering a little before pouting slightly.It was a sight to see the devil pouting."I don't damage MYSELF all the time. That's thorn."
Thorn sniffled a little resting against him, slowly calming. Giggling a little at his worry."It's a little late to be worried about that isn't it?"She teased nuzzling his neck before sighing."No.I think he's amused more then anything."She said hearing deep laughter from the kitchen.
Draco snorted a little. my father is not bald. he stated simply, rolling his eyes a little. it doesn't matter HOW you people get damaged just that you DO get damaged. he complained kissing the devil's hand gently, something he did for thorn all the time to help make the pain go away, blushing as he realized what he'd just done. don't move your hand, sit, there is a reason for House Elf existence after all. he stated snapping his fingers and ordering the house elves about to hide his own embarrassment.
He smiled as he kissed the top of her head, shaking his head. i cannot believe I tried to kill him. he admitted sounding rather mortified. and you! What on earth where you thinking waking him up in whatever way you did to piss him off so much!? he complained, whining a little. you just about gave me a heart attack. he complained smiling a little, gently touching her neck. how hurt are you? Do you need me to call Draco in here to play nurse?
Lucien growled at the order before doing as he was instructed, laughing quietly as he sat at the table, amused at the blond's embarassment."Ah, yes. I'm not used to having house elves around. and your father is going bald."He pointed out, more to tease him, then that the elder blond was really going bald.
Thorn laughed quietly, wincing a little before shrugging."Bruised.but it'll be fine in a few days. I...I forgot that he doesn't like being touched when someone wakes him up.He thinks he's being attacked if you do."She said snickering a little."but you did it to protect me.I am sure he found that more amusing then offputting."
Draco glared at Lucien. he is not going to bald and if you say it again I'm going to be the one who puts you in hurt. he growled, more amused than annoyed but unwilling to let the other know that as he slumped into his chair and sighed a little, closing his eyes. i have a terrible headache... you people give me headaches...
Salazar nodded and smiled as he gently healed her throat, as much as he could anyway, he wasn't very good at the whole healing thing. there, that should help the pain a little bit. he muttered softly smiling a little. everything seams to amuse Lucien these days. Salazar admitted with a shake of his head. shall we go see if he's alright? I think Excalibur burned him a little... he frowned at the sword laying bare inches away. how come it doesn't burn me? he asked curiously. and it came when I called to it, despite the protections Draco set up... that sort of bothered Salazar.
Lucien sighed, getting up and picking the blond up."Come on then. You'er going to go to bed, and we're going to get you something for that headache."He said heading for the bedroom, pausing at the sight of thorn and salazar in the other room. "Are you alright?" "Fine. Draco took care of my hand."He said shifting the blond to show them the bandaged hand before continueing upstairs.
Thorn smiled a little as she looked at salazar,"He'll be fine. if he's not screaming bloody murder, it'll heal. And I think lucien is just amused about things, because he can get out of hell again. That'd make anyone happy."she said before growing serious, looking at the sword."it burned me to...I think now that it's chosen you as it's weilder, that it'll burn anyone who tries to touch it.And...it came despite the protections, because you needed it to...I think, if I remember correctly...that it answers summons no matter what."
Draco huffed a little and shook his head. i don't need to sleep! I slept last week! he complained snuggling int Lucien and taking a long smell of Lucien's skin, trying to be subtle but failing terribly Sal smirking as he watched Lucien carrying Draco. aaw so cute, go gentle on him Luc, he's a virgin! Harry stated causing Draco to go completely bright red in mortification... but didn't deny it.
Sal snickered as they vanished up the stairs and shook his head as he reached out and gripped the sword tightly and lifted it, examining it with a smirk. well, that might come in handy. he admitted nodding a little. i'll have to hide it someplace then. he admitted kissing her gently. do you want dinner or bed? he asked smiling a little, his head tilted.
Lucien smirked a little as he laid the other in the bed, raising a eyebrow as he looked down at him."Oh a virgin are you?"He said looking over the blond, looking amused. Smirking a little as he considered the man sniffing his skin.Finding it cute and adorable.
Thorn smiled a little, raising a eyebrow as she kissed him back."well considering my grandfather's going to have sex, which is gross by the way, I think we should have dinner in bed.then disturb him by having sex."She smirked a little stealing another kiss.
Draco went bright red again and shook his head. no! I am NOT a virgin! I just... never had sex that's all! Draco protested, sulking a little. or.. er, been touched... or kissed... or... had any real interest in it... before now... he admitted sounding utterly mortified again. you smell good did you know?
Salazar snickered a little and nodded as he ordered a house elf to make them dinner and deliver It to them in bed as he scooped thorn up into his arms and carried her into the bedroom, smirking a little. oh yeah? We should make sure to be really loud. he teased smirking a little. hows that sound?
Lucien smirked as he sat on the edge of the bed,raising a eyebrow."Draco. That would be the definition of a virgin."He pointed out before laughing a little."I smell good do I?"he teased.
Thorn laughed climbing into the bed, undressing. "Oh, that sounds perfect."She said laughing as she stole a kiss, jumping a little as the house elf appeared with their food, smiling as seh settled the tray of food on the bed.
Draco blushed hard and he crossed his arms, sulking a little. don't you mock me! I saved your descendants lives! he complained smiling a little as he curled up on the bed, looking rather cute and innocent as he blushed, patting the bed, inviting the Devil to lay down with him. will you stay with me? I...er...have nightmares? well it worked when Salazar said it, so he thought he might try.
Salazar laughed brightly as he crawled into bed, leaving his underwear on as he accepted the bowls of soup and the sandwiches from the house elves, sipping on the soup happily. mmm the house elves here are excellent cooks. he murmured happily, smiling a little. fifteen Galleon's says Draco wusses out and doesn't have sex.
Lucien laughed softly as he sat down next to him,stretching out on the bed."Okay okay, no more mocking."He said kissing the other's head as he wrapped his arms around draco,showing a fierce scowl."I'll chase all the nightmares away."He said before it faded to a smile.
"20 says he ends up making out, but wusses out on the actual sex."he said laughing a little, stealing a kiss before she started to eat."Of course, I'm glad I wont have to worry about you wussing out...will I?"She teased.
Draco smirked a little, feeling rather pleased with himself as he realized his little lie had worked, snuggling into the Devil, smiling a little. funny. he purred chuckling a little. you, the beast of nightmares himself, protecting someone else from them. he teased smiling a little as he leaned up and gently kissed him. thank you. he murmured smiling as he snuggled into the Demon again and closed his eyes, blushing hard, unable but to think about how the other might feel, touching him, stroking him, fucking him.
Salazar snickered a little and nodded. i never wuss out. he teased smirking as he munched on a sandwich. even if you do keep thinking that your topping. he taunted snickering a little as he shook his head. do you think Draco's got him in bed yet? Sal asked smirking a little. or did he kick the Devil out?
"well then I should be able to protect everyone from myself shouldmn't I?"he laughed a little, amused as he looked at the other, smirking as he looked at the blush, tapping a finger agianst his cheek."Are you feeling okay?"he asked, as if he was worried he was sick, instead of aroused.
"well, we haven't heard lucien cursing.So they're probably in bed. Though he probably pretended to have nightmares or soemthing."She snickered looking up at salazar, smirking slowly."I always top."
Draco smiled and then blushed harder when the other asked if he was ok. i..i'm f..fine... just a little embarrassed I guess. he muttered softly, looking up at the Devil. i've never shared a bed before... he admitted rather sheepishly. i keep thinking we... you know... aught to be doing something.. he admitted looking so shy and sheepish it was impossible to think of him as anything but utterly adorable.
Salazar snickered a little and shook his head. that's my bit! he complained smirking wickedly. that's how I get the fresh death eaters into my bed, or used to anyway. I pretended to be a sad little child who had nightmares and they where all too willing to comfort me. he shrugged. i never screwed them... well I didn't screw most of them anyway, mostly I just hate sleeping alone. he admitted with a wicked smirk as she stated she was always on top. oh are you? I recall to being on top once or twice since we've been together. he teased snicking as he rolled on top of her and kissed her slowly, smirking a little. mmm as always, so delicious.
Lucien laughed a little raising a eyebrow, smirking slightly. "oh, do you want to do something you virgin?"he teased dipping his head to steal a brief kiss, before leaning back."You are adorable."He informed the boy.
Thorn snickered,"You'll have to complain to draco about stealing your trick."She muttered moaning as she kissed him back slowly, wrapping her legs around his waist, shivering a little."Hmmm I should taste delicious. I am amazing."She muttered shivering, enjoying being pinned for once.
Draco blushed harder and accepted the kiss, biting his lip before looking annoyed. i am not! I'm... I'm sexy! Not adorable! he complained before crawling onto the Devil, straddling the others hips, his head tilted as he examined the man for a moment before he leaned down and kissed the other, properly, kissing him intently, albeit a little oddly being that he had no idea what he was doing.
He snickered a little and nodded. i so totally am. he purred smirking a little. considering I've used it on him dozens of times. he snickered a little. he hates how it works every time. he admitted smirking a little as he kissed her intently, stroking her body through her clothes, slow and sensually tormenting her playfully as he nibbled and licked his way down her neck and collar bone to her cleavage, licking it sensually, smirking up at her. mmm I think your wearing FAR too many clothes.
Lucien smirked against the other's lips as he kissed him back just as slowly, tangling his fingers gently in his hair before taking control of the kiss, keeping it gentle but demanding, wanting and lustful. Kissing him with eons worth of practice of seducing mortals.
Thorn moaned tilting her head back as she shuddered, fingers in his hair as she stroked the silky length."Oh?am I?What are you going to do about that?"he said kissing him again,before vanishing his clothes, leaving his own."I think I'm just fine."he said smiling a little.
Draco moaned as he felt the hands tangling in his hair, his scalp ever so sensitive as he kissed back to the best of his ability, feeling more and more aroused with every movement Lucien made, grinding himself into Lucius, cock against cock as the Devil kissed him with the expertise of the world, Draco suddenly breaking free and gasping for air, panting lightly. f..forgot to breath. he stuttered sheepishly before bending down for more amazing kissing.
He smirked and then growled as his clothes where vanished, offering her a little glare before smirking as he grabbed both her wrists and pinned them tot he bed, the blankets writhing and tying her wrists to the bed, keeping her pinned there as he banished her clothes and smirked as he slowly, sensually, and tortuously stroked her body all over, smirking a little. mmm, all naked and tied down for a night of amusement. he teased, running his tongue along her cleavage again.
Lucien chuckled before pulling away, looking at the blond as he gently stroked the other's hair, panting ever so slightly as he looked at him."Ohhh that was good."He teased raising a eyebrow, wondering if he could make the boy come without doing anything more then kissing him. Smirking as he set about doing just that.
Thorn moaned a little shuddering as she squirmed, looking up at her lover through half closed eyes, whimpering quietly."Oh just for your amusement?"She muttered sounding amused, that line between pleasure and pain blurring as pleasure became to much to her sensitive skin.
Draco smiled a little, still blushing furiously, looking a bit dazed as he nodded. so good. he whispered looking very, very pleased with what was happening, moaning as the kissing continued, and then, to his utter horror, he came, squeaking as he jerked against the other and flooded his pants with Cum, swallowing hard. i...i.. uh... he was so mortified, he had never expected that to happen. i...ihavtogotothebathroom. he stammered quickly, leaping off the bed, the wet patch on his pants very clearly not piss as he ran into the bathroom and slammed the door closed, feeling like he had ruined everything bu cumming. They had only been kissing for Merlin's sake!
Salazar smirked as he licked and kissed and nibbled before he started to lick at her cunt, kissing, stroking, sucking, and rubbing as he ate her out, wanting her to cum before he started fucking her, wanting to make sure she enjoyed every bit of it.
Lucien grinned a little as he watched the boy go, smirking. So,even centuries of being deprieved of human company, hadn't reduced his ablility to seduce. Taht was always good to know. Smiling a little he tilted his head, smiling easily when the blond came back out."You okay?"he said pretending to be worried as he studied the mortified blond. He was just to cute to not to tease.
Thorn moaned,hands flexing as she pulled against the blankets holding her, whimpering as she did exactly what he wanted, her body responding so eagerly, after so many centuries of not having sex, she was overly responsive to his touch. Shuddering as she came with a soft cry, "sal!"She muttered whimpering.
Draco blushed harder, in a new pair of pants, slinking out as if he'd done something wrong. n..no... I mean Yes! I mean... I'm fine! Perfectly fine! he squeaked, utterly mortified. i..i'm tired! Gonna bed to go! I mean, go to bed! he stuttered and stammered as he crawled under the blankets and hid.
He purred as she came, smirking as he licked up all over her juices, smirking at her as he hovered over her, nudging his cock against her cunt. yes Love? Did you want something? he asked a wicked grin on his lips. you wanted to admit that you love it when I dominate you and pin you down and top you? he asked smirking a little as he tilted his head at her. i wanna hear you say it now. he teased snickering a little, looking playful and mischievous.
Lucien smiled a little as he looked where the blond was hiding under the covers,shifting as he stretched out on his side, smiling as he started drifting to sleep. Amused as draco hid."Goodnight Draco.Good dreams."He said sounding amused as he settled down into the bed, willing to let the boy hide for now.
Thorn whined looking up at him, a small smile curling her lips as she looked at him. So happy to see that playful mischivious smile on his face, because it was so different from what he had orginally had."I do!I do!"She whined squirming, hips rising a little, trying to draw him into her.
Draco blushed harder, muttered goodnight and laid there, wondering if he could find a way to ask Harry if that was normal or not. He couldn't think about it for too long, because he fell fast asleep.
He snickered and nodded as he pushed into her, giving her a nice, long, slow and gentle love making all night long, bringing them both to an orgasm time and time again until neither of them could stay awake any longer. In the morning, both Harry and Draco where missing from their beds and where in the kitchen, talking as a house elf made their breakfast. Draco it's perfectly normal, you where very aroused and you've never been touched in any way before. It was perfectly natural and you need to stop worrying. b..but what if I do it again!? then you do it again, your young, hell I came four times last night, I'm sure you can manage twice. i... that was WAY more information than I needed to know... Draco complained, making a face Harry snickering as he watched Dobby and Dippy flipping pancakes.
Lucien snickered as he looked at the sleepy woman walking next to him, raising a eyebrow as he studied his granddaughter."Do we need to have the sex talk?"He teased. "Noooo."Thorn said, sounding sleepily sulky, snickering a little as she heard draco's worry. Glancing at her grandfather."Do I need to have it with you?" "I think I can handle it, thanks."He smirked a ltitle as they walked into the kitchen, the two a mirror reflection of each other as they slid into their seats, more then merlin ever did, thorn was lucien's child. With his dark hair and wideset dark eyes, the two were deadly together, and promised all kinds of pain to whoever hurt them."Are we going out today?"Thorn asked as she smiled at the house elf as she handed her some coffee, sipping the drink with a moan.
Sal snickered and grinned when the other two walked in, Draco blushing violently as Harry smirked at thorn. :i owe you twenty. he stated simply, looking very amused as Draco sputtered violently. where you BETTING on me!? ... of course. Sal stated blinking at Draco. who else would I bet on? ... I hate you. Draco growled, accepting his pancakes from the house elves and munching on them, though he did look much better after talking to Sal. did you want to go out today? Sal asked, grinning at his lover. we can if you want to. he admitted his head tilted. i was thinking of looking through your house first, since your the only person who knows where it is it would be easier to take our time looking for one of the Hollows. he admitted stroking his chin. i have my doubts that the Lady of the Lake would let Voldemort take off with her hollow. he admitted shaking his head. and we have Excalibur, she created it right? She might respond better to someone who holds Excalibur. you know, it scares me every time Sal thinks. Draco admitted with a wicked grin. you think he's an idiot and then he comes up with a good idea and then poor Lucien has to spend a week unfreezing hell. bite me Malfoy. Sal teased back, shaking his head.
Lucien snickered, "Oh no. We all knew he was intelligent, after all he is my relation, so hell didn't freeze over.Now if it was thorn having a good idea..." "Grandpa!"Thorn protested whining a little before looking at salazar, nodding as she considered that, the memory tugging at her."I think...I think that's the best course of action. My home will be easy to find." "But not particularly easy to get into. I wouldn't put it past merlin to not set traps in case she ever thought to go back."Lucien said amused as he pressed a kiss to draco's head, amused that the man was so embarassed. He was so cute like that.
Sal snickered a little and shook his head at Lucien's taunting. hey, Thorns pretty, she doesn't have to be smart. Draco taunted, Salazar laughing a little. is that whats wrong with you Malfoy? Sal asked his head tilted, Draco glaring at his 'friend'. hey! I'm smarter than you are! you so, are not. Sal stated with a snicker. are you coming with us? You know, to protect us? Draco pondered then shook his head. no, I'm going to stay here and get the first aid kits ready. he decided shaking his head a little. oh, Dumbledore's been trying to get a hold of us too by the way, and Sal? You have a letter from Lily. i do!? Sal asked looking bright eyes and eager as he bounded off to go read it, Draco lifting an eyebrow. that was an interesting reaction...
Thorn laughed softly as she watched her lover go, before looking at draco."Not so bad. Considering he never knew his mother before, this is a good thing."She said her smile widening a little before she stood, "I better go get ready to go. We'll stop and see dumbledore on the way.."She said before walking out, looking thoughtful as she did. Worried about what dumbledore could work.
Draco nodded a little. it's hard not to love Lily though. he agreed chuckling a little. and this is the first time someone's shown Sal any true paternal emotions before. Draco admitted smiling a little. it's good for him to feel loved, before you, he didn't have any. Father tried but... well he's not very loving in the first place, Elves never really are. he admitted chuckling a little. our emotions are slightly dimmed so that they don't get in the way of our duty. he admitted smiling a little. but when we do feel them they tend to make us very... flustered, since we're not used to them. It makes life a little complicated. don't elves only fall in love once? Harry asked curiously, his head tilted as he came back in with a letter, Draco blushing hard. that's the theory, yes. We're rare so it's hard to test said theory but that's what my father always claimed. he admitted blushing furiously.
Thorn snickered patting draco on the head as she watched her grandfather move around the backyard, as if he was fighting someone. Knowing he was just taking his time to practice. Smiling and glad that the man hadn't been around to hear that. "Hmm well, I'm sure you'll find out soon enough."She snickered pressing a kiss to the boy's forehead, before straightening, looking at salazar."You ready to go?"She asked stealing a kiss, just because she could.
Draco scowled at her as he was patted on the head and Salazar snickered a little. go spar with the Devil Draco, I bet he'd be impressed. he teased smirking a little as Draco rolled his eyes. i am NOT a child dammit! he complained, pouting at the kiss before heading out to the yard, following Salazar's suggestion, sliding into a traditional stance as he smirked at Lucien. you up for a challenge old man?
Harry chuckled as he kissed her gently, nodding. let's go. he agreed, vanishing with a Crack and taking her with him, appearing in a thick, overgrown forest, his eyes widening a little. damn... no ones been here in centuries... Salazar muttered as he looked around, taking her hand in his as he stuffed his invisibility clock into his pocket and slid Excalibur into his belt smirking a little. i feel like a night of the round table. he admitted with a small chuckle. do you know which way we need to go or should we start wandering?
Lucien raised a eyebrow as he slapped the other's hand a little, amused as he slid into a easier position, smirking at his almost lover."oh, you're so sure you can keep up kid?I was kicking your ancestors ass long before you were a twinkle in your papa's eyes."He smirked.
Thorn frowned as she looked around, biting her lip as she stared at the surrounding forest before slipping a hand into harry's, pain flickering over her face, a almost memory. almost, remembering what happened here."This way..."She said tugging him towards the left, taking her time to make sure that she wasn't going off track, keeping on where she needed to.
Draco smirked a little at his crush and widened his stance a little. you forget who your talking to. I, old man, am an elf, and we, pass our knowledge from elder to student. I have the knowledge of almost five Elves inside of me. he couldn't unlock that knowledge unless he was in a real life or death situation, but in situations like the fight that was about to occur, Draco would instinctively use all of the information to help him win.... hopefully. so you might have been kicking my ancestors asses, I, am a whole new story.
Salazar gently ran his fingers through her hair at the flicker of pain, his head tilted as she led the way, making her stop when they reached the ruins of her once house, biting his lip as he scowled a little. hold on... wait here a moment... like you said it's probably booby trapped... how should we go in? Guns blazing or go back, get people we don't like, and send them in first? well, no matter how much he had changed, Salazar was still one sadistic little boy.
Lucien snickered a little, before stepping into the boy's guard, batting his hand away enough so he could get close."Hmmm and such a good story it is."He said stealing a kiss before he moved back, out of easy reach before the blond could respond, falling easily into a stance to wait to see what the blond would do.Wondering if kissing him was going to piss him off or make him concentrate on fighting him in another way.
Thorn bit her lip leaning into Salazzar for a moment, resting her head on his shoulder before shaking his head."No...let's go in.Lucien's been here... "She said sniffing a little, smelling the brimstone and fire."He might not be able to tell us where to look, or go with us, but he probably already triggered the traps...."She said looking unsure. So scared that her grandfather was goign to betray her like her father had. Even if lucien was the only one that hadn't turned on her, she couldn't trust because of what her father did.
Draco smirked as he allowed the kiss, blushing hard as he settled back into stance, staring at him before striking, moving fast and effective, striking at Lucien with sharp, painful jabs, moving fast in quick, darting movements that no human would have stood a chance against. Draco hadn't been kidding, for being barley fifteen, he was impressive.
Harry nodded and lead the way in, wand in one hand, sword in the other as he slunk carefully into the building, wary of unsprung traps, even the Devil could make a mistake. When nothing happened he began to relax and sheathed his sword, keeping his wand out, just in case they weren't alone. i don't sense anything... Sal stated simply. and Excalibur isn't reacting at all... the book I read said that the Hollows would react to one another... he admitted scowling a little. i don't think that there is a hollow here love. he admitted softly, gently taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. maybe one of our bloodline got it? We should check the bank for any vaults our ancestors had...
Lucien smirked as he actually had to work to keep up with him, sweating as he actually was forced to tap into that demon power to just move fast enough to keep the boy from beating him into the ground. Growling as he caught the boy's hands in his,pulling him close and stealing another kiss."Hmmm you are so pretty.And so good.Makes you wonder what else you'll be good at."He teased.
Thorn nodded absently, her heart hurting at not finding them, and.... her things. rubbing a hand over her face she walked further into the house, gentle fingers running through the dust before she stopped. Looking at the bookcase she was standing near, before ducking down and brushing the dust off. coughing as it billowed up she smiled a little as she opened the small cupboard, reaching in and drawing out...something. What she had wasn't visible for a long moment before she shook off the rest of the dust, sniffling a little as her eyes watered from the dust, before raising it so salazar could see it. the black beaded bracelet gleamed in her hand, even if it was to small for her, made for a child's wrist. Tears filling her eyes as she looked at him, fingers stroking over the beads."This was.... something.'She said struggling to find the memory."Mine, I think.Maybe."she said trying to focus, but she'd abandoned the house so long ago, that it was no longer even a memory.
Draco smirked a little as his hands where caught and pulled in tight to the other, panting hard sweating heavy, dirt smeared across his face from where he had been tripped and took a face digger into the dirt, and a bruise growing on his chin where he had been too slow to dodge, his hair tangled smirking a little before he blushing furiously at the comment of 'other things' hesitating before leaning in and kissing the Devil, as intently as he could, groaning softly, blushing even harder as he shivered a little. you make me feel things I've never felt before. Draco whispered softly, so embarrassed to actually be admitting such a thing.
Salazar watched her, his head tilted as she looked through her house, giving her all the time she needed before accepting the bracelet, stroking the beads for a moment then. no... not yours, unless your name was Lilyana. he muttered softly. i think... this was your daughters. he admitted softly, rubbing the last of the dirt off to reveal the letters etched into the beads. come on Love... we'll go try the lady of the Lake... we'll find a Hollow there, I'm sure of it. he muttered, gently easing her to her feet, tucking the beads into his pocket to take with him, smiling at her. you'll remember, I'm sure of it.
Lucien smirked as he held teh boy close to him, kissing him again before raising his head, gently running hsi fingers through his hair, untangling the blond strands."Ohhh I do do I?"He teased. amused, wondering if draco knew he knew about the elves mating rituals. But it was going to be amusing to watch the other try to think of how to say it.
Thorn nodded getting up, smiling as she looked at him,wrapping her arms around him.Needing a hug, shuddering. Hating that she couldn't remember even her daughter.A daughter that wasn't part of camelot. Sighing quietly she wrapped her arms around him tighter before apparating, smiling as she saw the lake. The crystal clear water made her remember, remember coming her before. Getting the gifts of her swords."I remember this. She gave me my swords here...a gift, to me and lancelot."She said paling a little at the remembrace of arthur's best friend and the....first knight to fall at her hand, with excalibar as the executioner's blade.
he blushed hard and smiled a little as he bit his lip hard and lowered his eyes, feeling very sheepish. i... I wish to mate with you. he whispered softly. but... I... I don't know the rituals... he muttered softly. i was never interested, so I never learned them... I... he flushed even harder. i.. I don't know what to do...
he hugged her back, kissing her forehead gently before he looked around. as I recall, the Lady of the Lake was Merlin's sister. Lucien's daughter. he admitted smiling at the lake. it's pretty here. he murmured softly, jumping violently when the sword suddenly let out a loud ringing sound and jerked in his hand as someone rose from the water, sliding out without so much as a ripple on the mirror like surface. so, it was Excalibur that I heard. she stated, staring at the sword in Salazar's hands, holding her hand as if to call it and frowning when nothing happened. i see, a new master it has chosen, and such a handsome man as well. she purred smiling at Salazar who flushed brightly and stepped behind Thorn and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, sorry, taken. the Lady of the Lake smirked a little and turned her attention to her Niece. ah, my darling niece! I never thought i'd see you again. she admitted. here for your memories I suppose?
Lucien smirked looking down at him, running his fingers through his hair."You could ask your father.He would know."He said, struggling to not sound as amused as he was.
Thorn growling softly, baring her teeth in what could pass as a smile as she leaned into Salazar, wrapping a arm around hsi waist."I would like my memories yes."she said frowning a little, "...Father didn't take your memories. You could tell me what happened.'She said sounding hopeful, needing to know. And also scared, to know what she had done. Now that she remembered killing lancelot, she was afraid of who else she had killed, and what the pain in her heart was from. Worried about this, and what caused the wounded look in lucien's eyes."Grandfather's here."She said knowing the lady of the lake would know merlin's hold on things was loosening.
Draco blushed harder and hid his face in the others shoulder for a moment then. Elves only love once Lucien. he whispered softly. i... if I mate with you... you would be the only person in my life. he sounded slightly afraid. could you handle that? Being my only? being loyal.... Draco knew better than to expect the man born of sin, to be able to stay loyal to him, to take this seriously but part of him trusted Lucien, and knew that the man would not jerk him around... he hoped that Lucien could love him too. So many Elvish loves ended in disaster. Draco could only pray that his love worked out.
The Lady of the Lake stared at her and then shook her head. i cannot tell you. she stated softly. if I told you, you would be condemned forever, as would I be. Together we would be cast from our minds, never to remember anything again. she admitted softly. i know my father is here, and I could not be more glad. Come inside. she offered, smirking as she examined Salazar again, the boy grimacing a little. i will tell you what I can, and if I trust your motives, I will gift you the Hollow I keep. she promised, turning to the Lake, where a doorway had appeared, Sal wrapping his arm around Thorn's shoulder, kissing her temple, not sure what to do with a woman flirting with him. Normally he flirted back, but he had a feeling that was inappropriate now that he had a steady woman.
Lucien winced a little at that, brushing his lips over the others ear, swallowing hard. because it was in him to be loyal, it'd just...been a really long time since he'd done so.Actually since merlin's mother, the only mortal he'd ever wanted. And now he had another almost mortal."It's been a long time since I was anyone's only."He said looking thoughtful.
Thorn growled a little even as she followed her aunt into the doorway, smiling slightly at the house the woman still lived in. Wincing slightly, "Stop flirting with my aunt.It's not nice."She said anxious, and feeling out of sorts enough that even if the bond was telling her that he was feeling just as withdrawn towards the other woman, she was worried."What do you want to know?"she asked as she looked around.
Draco shuddered violently at the kiss to his very sensitive ear, the pointed tip quivering lightly as it it was ticklish, making Draco shiver a little as he bit his lip. i know... I'm sorry... I can't help it. he muttered softly, realizing his hopes had been for naught. The Devil already had a mate. Draco was going to be alone forever.
Salazar flushed hard. what!? I'm not! she's flirting with me! he complained, wondering how the hell he had gotten in trouble when he hadn't even said anything! The lady of the lake giggled a little and rolled her eyes. oh calm down, a little flirting never hurt anyone. she complained leading the way into her elegant home, made of wood, and ice, ordering a beautiful merman, just like in muggle pictures, to make them some tea. i want to know what you intend on doing with the hollows of course. she stated simply. you have Excalibur, and the memories that came with it. she stated staring at Thorn. i know you remember parts of what happened thorn. What will you do when you remember all of it? she demanded before turning to Salazar. and you, son of death, son of a madman, what will you use the hollows for!? Salazar pondered then. i won't. he stated simply. the Hollows have their own souls, that is why they can hold Thorns memories... I can't use them, they will use me. I take no sides in this war, I simply want to fix magic, and end the senseless killing.
Lucien smiled a little brushing his lips over the other's ear,"You don't have to sound so upset.I had a mate, for the whole of her life. I've been alone since then.Even when I was having sex."He muttered holding the small elf close.
Thorn sighed moving to a wall, looking at the fishes going through the walls, amused to watch them swim around. Her heart hurting, "I want the memories that hold within it. I want to end this war, and I want....I want to be free."She said softly, "Death's weapons aren't mine anymore. They burn when I tried touching them. I want to protect them so my bloodline doesn't destroy them."She said rubbing her arms.
Draco shuddered at the touch to his ear and moaned softly, blushing hard. oh... he muttered smiling a little as he snuggled into the other. will... will you be my only? he asked softly. i... I can find out the rituals from my father... he admitted. it involves a vine I think... he admitted biting his lip a little.
The lady of the Lake watched her intently, smirking a little as she nodded. Deaths weapons have not turned their back on you little one, you fear them and they respond as such. she stated simply standing up and looking at the both of them. i will gift you the Orb. she informed them, smiling. but, I want a kiss first. Salazar looked horrified. w...what!? No I'm not kissing you! i want a kiss, or you will get no Orb. Salazar bit his lip hard, glanced at thorn and the hesitantly approached the Lady of the lake who smirked and pursed her lips, shocked when Salazar picked up her hand and kissed the knuckles instead, making her sulk. now that's just cheating! she complained stomping her dainty foot, Salazar feeling very proud of himself as she stormed off and came back with the Orb, handing it to Sal who nodded. thank you Lady. he stated tugging Thorn over to him and bowing to her. bye! he stated vanishing with a crack and taking her with him, appearing outside their house with a small sigh. she, was kind of creepy...
Lucien smiled hugging him nodding a little."I will."He said sounding amused and a little worried. Because it'd been a long time since he'd had to take care of someone else, and he was worried about failing.But he was willing to try as hard as he could, not only for draco's sake but for thorn's, because she loved the blond to.
Thorn laughed quietly cuddling into Salazar's chest, resting her head on his shoulder, careful to not touch the orb. Not wanting to burn herself again."She was. Always has been."She smiled looking up at the house, relaxing slightly. Because she was very sure nothing could go wrong at this house, she was protected here. So even with the hallows here, she was safe, she knew salazar would take care of her.
Draco smiled as he wrapped his arms around the other happily, kissing him intently, happy that Lucien was willing to try, nuzzling his neck with a small grin. my father is going to absolutely hate this. he admitted with a small chuckle. he wanted me to fall in love with Pansy Parkinson. he admitted shuddering violently. she's a disgusting thing she is. he admitted smiling as he looked up at Lucien. if anyone asks, I totally kicked your ass.
Sal smiled a little as he wrapped his arm around her wait, kissing her forehead as he unsheathed his sword and let it fall to the ground, unhooking his Invisibility cloak and dropping it next tot he sword, dropping the orb on top of it before kissing Thorn deeply. i need to wash the Lady of the Lake off my lips, care to help? he asked with a small smirk as he nuzzled her neck all over, tickling her with stubble that was growing on his chin.
Lucien laughed softly looking down at the boy, pressing a kiss to his forehead."That is a disturbing idea."For even demons, who didn't leave hell alot, had heard of the girl. If only because his granddaughter couldn't stand her.Stepping back he snickered, shaking his head."Oh no. I don't get my ass kicked by anyone."He said pouting a little.
Thorn giggled a little, squirming at the whiskers brushing her skin, jumping back as she stepped back, laughing quietly as she looked around her, amused at the good weather. They hadn't had sex outside in while, this was going to be interesting."Oh I don't think so.That requires alcohol."She teased stealing a kiss before stepping back, teasing him as she started undoing the buttons on her shirt.
he smirked a little and nodded. she's a disgusting mortal. he admitted shaking his head. but she's a pure blood and the only one in the entire school that has even the closest thing to immortal blood. he admitted with a small snicker. your MUCH better breeding qualities. he teased kissing the others cheek. i so totally almost kicked your ass. Draco teased, smirking. i got in quite a lot of good hits and you know it!
Salazar snickered a little as she leaped back. well if you want to get drunk go ahead, I'm not too worried about it. he teased licking his lips as she started unbuttoning her shirt, peeling his own off. mmm you kinky little girl. he growled playfully, licking his lips. better run. he teased, because when I catch you, I'm fucking you until your pregnant. he teased chuckling a little, hinting, for the first time, his want for a child. He didn't even seem to realize he'd done it.
Lucien laughed, snickering as he heded inside."Oh, just because I let you."He teased walking inside, rolling his eyes a little."You do realize, if we did breed, you'd not only be related to thorn, but to merlin?"He said, wanting the man to be aware of the issues of what would happen if they really were together.And he knew, he felt the longing for another child. To creat a better life for the one that he could make sure wouldn't suffer like thorn.
Thorn looked startled at his words, paling a little before flushing. A smirk flashing across her face as she growled back as playfully."You'll have to catch me first!"She giggled before taking off, running lightly across the ground, knowing this was going to be fun. And knowing that she was going to bring up the feral, demon death side of his personality, because she was going to make him work for his mate
he snorted a little and shook his head. you didn't LET me do shit! I was kicking your ass and you know it! he teased chuckling a little. i wouldn't mind being related to thorn, she's good, I like her and Sal. And Merlin can kiss my pale white ass. he stated simply. he's a jackass and while I realize that he's your son, really.. he's just a jackass.
Salazar growled eagerly as she took off, running after her, stark naked, as he rushed after her, growling as he chased her around the yard, finally grabbing hold of her, panting eagerly as he stripped her of her clothes eagerly before pounding on her properly, kissing her hard. mine, mine mine mine, ALL mine! he growled happily kissing her intently once more as he slid into her, pinning her belly to the ground, using his hips to lift hers up, and taking her like the beast he was, moaning and groaning as he filled her again and again, making sure that she enjoyed every minute of it with happy pants, grunts, and groans.
Lucien laughed quietly, "Yes, well all my children are oddities. The lady of the lake, is just...'He stopped. Paled a little because he'd thought of something that was slightly disturbing. Swallowing hard he hoped Thorn didn't kill her aunt for flirting.
When they were done, Thorn whined quietly as her legs slid out from under her, collapsing bonelessly into a heap under him, sighing contentedly. Not realizing that he'd undone her enough that not only could she get pregnant anymore, that he had. After all, he'd dominated her, forced death to bow to something again, which was what the spell did. made her submissive to him, and in doing so, had allowed her to concieve....now she just had to survive the war long enough, and maybe, with this child's life, the world would be corrected. For salazar, son of death and life was the very person that the world needed to correct itself. "...love you..."She muttered panting as she closed her eyes, curling up against him.
he chuckled a little before pausing a little. is just? he asked wondering why the other had just suddenly stopped talking, his head tilted a little. whats wrong? he asked frowning a little, his head tilted. do you not like your daughter or something? he asked, wondering what was so bad about the Lady of the Lake that had stopped his Only cold.
He was smirking when they collapsed, purring happily. mmm that was wonderful. he moaned happily smiling at her. i love you too. he murmured gently nibbling at her neck before hesitating. hey thorn... do you... ever want kids? he asked softly, snuggling into her, wondering what her answer would be. He hoped she wanted kids too, but he could handle it if she didn't.
Lucien shook his head, "I forgot my daughter...is sort of a whore. At least for the warriors."He said sighing quietly. "She'll have a thing for salazar, and thorn's liable to take offense to it."He said sounding slightly worried about the idea.
Thorn whined softly shifting to snuggling into him, yawning sleepily."I don't remember...I think...maybe..."She muttered, frightened to have more kids because she didn't remember how the first time went, so she was extremely frightened of ruining the child's fate with her own. After all, look at voldemort, who had been driven insane by her fate. Not realizing it wasn't her fault, but merlin's for the fate of her line.
Draco blinked, his head tilted a little. well it probably won't go too badly, considering that Harry is pretty damn loyal. He'll probably cower behind Thorn like the pansy he is and then screw her brains out to reaffirm his manliness. he stated with a snort. he's never sure what to do with flirting females, i'd almost pegged him as gay once. he admitted.
Salazar smiled as he kissed her cheek. you don't have to remember anything, to know what you want Thorn. he stated calmly. you where a different person then, and a good person now. he admitted stroking her cheek. you would be a wonderful mother, no matter Merlin's interference. he admitted softly. he cursed you, and your entire bloodline, but your breaking the curse, all of the curse. he explained smiling at her. with every memory you gain, the more Merlin's hold breaks. he promised kissing her forehead. we could raise a family, you and I... we could be happy...
Lucien snickered a little, shaking his head at the idea."Now I'd like to see you tell him that."He said amused at the idea of salazar being gay. Shaking his head,"Oh are you so sure he's a pansy?He is after all thorn's dominate."he pointed out, having felt the change in their bond, so he knew that despite everything, thorn had become the submissive one in a relationship.
Thorn sighed quietly, nuzzling his chest as she rested her head on his chest, closing her eyes as she thought."I.."She swallowed, stopping as she thought. Because it hurt her badly to not know what her child was like. Sitting up she reached for his pants, stroking her fingers over her daughter's bracelet, "I..I think I would.."She said quietly.
Draco snickered a little. i did tell him, well I asked him... propositioned him. he admitted blushing hard. i thought I liked him see so I flirted with him, of course he's downright dense so I actually had to TELL him I was interested in him. he shook his head. he kicked my ass so hard I was in the hospital for three days. he admitted smirking a little. besides Thorn is only submissive because she WANTS to be. They have an equal relationship, or viper tries to keep it that way. he admitted shrugging his shoulders. he lets her dominate him all the time. Likes it even.
he smiled as he kissed her neck, smiling a little. really? he asked softly, eyes shining with joy as he pounced on her again, kissing the daylights out of her. mmm yay! he purred. i'm gonna be a daddy someday!. he hoped soon, but he knew that sometimes conceiving a baby took a while. i love you thorn. he purred smiling as he rolled them over so that she was laying on top. now that I've established you belong to me, I think maybe you aught to return the favor. he teased wiggling his eyebrows at her. make me all yours baby, own my ass. he teased smirking a little. Draco was right, he loved how Thorn bossed him about in the bedroom.... or in this case the backyard.
Lucien laughed quietly, "I would have been interested in seeing you tell him."He snickered feeling relieved that he now knew that it was by choice that thorn was submissive, even if most of the time they were equls. "And how about you?Are you a pretty little bottom?"He teased tweaking the blond's hair.
Thorn grinned leaning down to kiss him sighing as she shifted her hips sliding onto his cock with a sigh, black hair falling around them both as she kissed him."Hmmm I do own you don't I?"she said biting his lip softly."I am so the boss."She growled aused at his enthusiam to be a daddy.
he snorted a little. please, you would have stopped him if he started kicking my ass. he teased smirking a little. and I only bottom when I feel like it. he teased biting Lucien's lip playfully with a small chuckle.
He moaned smiling a little as he bucked into her gently. ooh yes, yes I am. he purred happily, licking his lips. you own me all over. he purred chuckling a little. every inch of me, body, heart and soul. he purred pulling her down for a kiss. and you are SO not the boss.. yet. he teased smirking a little. you can be my boss when your all pretty and round, stuffed with my seed. he teased giggling a little as he kissed the other again.
"Oh really?"Lucien smirked a little, shifting the blond, pulling him close as he rested his hands on the other's hips, kissing him slowly."I think I like the idea of you being a bottom."He growled softly.
Thorn growled quietly as she rode him slowly, thigh muscles flexing as she moved, biting down harder on his lip."I am so your boss right now."He growled kissing him harder resting her hands on his chest to pin him to the ground.
Draco snickered as he kissed the other and nodded. only if you promise. he murmured slyly. to be nice and gentle. I am a virgin after all. he teased smiling a little. i'm.. actually not even sure how this works... he admitted biting his lip a little. i've never even stroked off before... he admitted blushing hard.
Harry moaned eagerly as he thrust into her, smirking a little, whining as he was pinned. nnng you are so the boss. he moaned squirming with a grin, smirking at the other, licking his lips. god I love you. he moaned happily, chuckling a little as he arched. mmmg god, your going to make me cum! he whined, panting happily. oh please, mistress. he moaned, grinning happily. please let your obedient pet cum. he teased grinning playfully at her.
Lucien's jaw dropped a little as he looked at him. Well he'd known Draco was a virgin, but to never..."Really?"He said sounding pleased at the idea of being the first one to teach draco the pleasures of sex.
Thorn growled biting his shoulder softly as she purred."Come pet, come."She muttered shuddering as she moaned, coming with a full body shudder her body tightening around salazar's tightly.
he blushed hard and nodded. er...y..yeah.he admitted sheepishly biting his lip. sorry... I know that's probably a bit weird. he admitted sheepishly. but... you'll teach me right? he asked hopefully, his head tilted, grinning a little. will you teach me a little bit now?
he moaned as he tossed his head back and moaned as he came, and came hard, filling her with his seed and groaning loudly, shuddering happily. oooh fuuuck yessss. he hissed, trembling as he filled her to the brim, panting hard as he fell limp under her, a well satisfied smile on his lips. oooh yeah your the greatest. he moaned smiling a little as he grinned at her, his expression full of love and happiness. we should really go inside. he muttered softly. but my legs are made of jelly... I don't suppose you'd consider dragging me? he asked playfully.
Lucien smirked a little, resting his hands on the other's hips, hands sliding lower, cupping his ass as he drew the man closer to him, picking him up, and directing draco's legs around his waist."Oh yea,I'll teach you."he said heading up the stairs towards draco's bedroom.
Thorn whined quietly as she slumped to the side as she pulled off him, a leg resting over his stomach as she sighed, closing her eyes."Me tired.."She muttered beore smiling, her expression a mirror of his, happiness and love showing there. Raising her head she stumbled a little to her feet smiling as she used a lightening spell and a floating spell, pushing him towards the house."You lazy bum."she teased
he blushed hard and squirmed a little as he wrapped his legs around the other and rubbed their cocks together, kissing him again, flopping onto the bed and stripping off his shirt, more than willing to be sullied by the Devil.
He chuckled a little before blinking as he was suddenly raised off the ground, laughing a little. i wasn't being serious! he admitted laughing a little as he shook his head, grabbing her and pulling her into a tight kiss. you go ahead and go inside and lay down, I'm going to gather our clothes up... if I can find them... where did I throw your bra?
Lucifer smirked as he knelt on the edge of the bed, looking down at the blond, before leaning down to kiss him, slender fingers wandering the other's chest, tweaking a nipple, taking his time to play with his virgin. It'd been so long since he'd made love to a virgin, it was going to be fun.
Thorn giggled a little kissing him back before drawing away."IT's over by that tree."She said yawning heading inside. And doing like he said crawling in bed and curling up as he gathered their clothes. Already, even within moments of conception, death's gift allowed her not only to sense death,but new life. Feeling off and bound up, but not knowing why. Not remembering the last time she'd felt like this. So it'd be up to salazar to tell her....when he eventually notice."Find everything?"She muttered sleepily loking up at him as he walked into the bedroom.
Draco moaned a little and kissed him back, jumping at the nipple tweak and blushing hard as he realized how very GOOD that had felt, stroking his own nipples and moaning at how good that felt. oh man... he moaned softly. this is going to be amazing, I just know it. he mumbled, pulling the other down for another kiss, blushing hard, but looking so innocently needy that it was impossible not to ravage him.
He snickered and gathered their clothes up, looking around and with a smirk he snapped his fingers, and all the plants and flowers that had been waiting to be transferred into the freshly turned Gardens where in, and started growing rapidly, filling the lawn with bright flowed and heavenly smells, Salazar smirking as he examined everything, setting out the Tiger Lily roses into their own little patch so that they stood out as his pride and joy before heading inside to kiss Thorn happily. i think so, where you wearing panties? I couldn't find them if you did. he stated feeling smug. She was just going to love the garden when she stepped out next, and probably startle the hell out of her when those little Snap Dragons pinched her in the ass. The little baby Dragon was already napping in the rhododendrons.
Lucien smirked kissing him before pulling away, smirking down at him. He was just so innocent looking laying there blushing so hard. "Ohhh it will be amazing."He grinned shifting down as tugging the boy's pants down as he slid his mouth over the other's cock, sighing quietly as he played and teased the other's erection.
Thorn smiled a little kissing him back,"No, no panties."She said sitting up on her elbows, looking slightly concerned. Knowing harm was still in the area, having set the ward to make sure he couldn't get out without going with them,but she was worried."....you don't think we scarred harm by doing...that where he could see do you?"She asked, even if she wasn't sure about being a mother, the fact that she was mothering a baby dragon was showing just how protective and fretful she'd be over her own.
Draco blushed harder at the promise that it would be amazing, lifting his hips to make the removal of his pants easier, squealing as his mouth was slid over his cock, jerking into the touch as he arched, his fingers immediately tangling in the Devil's hair. Moaning eagerly. oh.. oh g...god! Oh god! OH MY GOD! he yelled, very clearly enjoying every bit of attention.
Salazar smirked and nodded. then I have everything. he promised before pausing, blinking at her. love, Harm sat there and mocked us. he stated simply, looking amused. i get you where busy but how did you not hear him complaining that that was not the way we where supposed to play Leapfrog? he demanded lifting an eyebrow, looking VERY amused. he's FINE. he promised kissing her forehead. he got bored with bitching at us and took a nap in the dirt. he admitted before pausing. speaking of, he's going to need a bath.
Lucien smirked around the other's cock, amused at the other's moans, smirking as he muttered the spell he'd spent years working on making his mouth as hot as fire, but a pleasurable burn as he worked his tongue over the other's cock, having every intention of making him come.
Thorn giggled a little as she got up, stretching as she pouted slightly."Leap frog?Really?We're going to have to play leapfrog with him."She said giggling at the idea, amused that the dragon had been complaining that much."And YOU will be giving him a bath."She said moving over to touch him, yelping as she fell over the boots she'd left laying by their bed, tripping and reaching out, fingers wrapping in fabric as she fell.
Draco moaned loudly, bucking into the others mouth eagerly, too lost in pleasure to realize that he could move the other parts of his body, squealing as the mouth around him went hot, so hot, screaming his pleasure to the world as he came, and came so hard he jerked and twitched and writhed, calling out the Devil's name again and again as he emptied himself into that tight, hot sucking mouth, collapsing onto the bed and panting hard. oh...oh my god. he moaned his eyes fluttering open. oh my god.... and then he jerked again, feeling Fear, intense fear, Salazar's fear, Thorn's fear, Voldemort's fear... somethings happened! he gasped sitting bolt upright, his silver eyes widened as his mind fled, reacting instinctively, just as Lucius did, his head tilted as they traveled the 'fey lines' searching the sudden disturbance of the very nature of the world.
Salazar chuckled and nodded. yes my mistress, I will give the wee one a bath. he promised smirking a little, gasping as she tripped, too slow to catch her and gasping when her fingers met the cloth of the invisibility cloak, the sword and Orb shifting so they they where laying directly on her flesh.... and then a pulse of power, a sound of breaking glass and then a wind, wind made of raw power, raw memories, and raw emotion, slamming into Thorn, filling her, spreading her soul and her mind thin before it turned to Salazar and filled him to, making him cry out, feeling Terror welling up inside him as the power exploded, coating the world and altering it in ways that no man could guess, and Voldemort jerked in his throne room, looking around as, for the first time since he was a child felt the burning presence of Fear deep inside of himself.
Lucien's head came up like a hound on the scent, as he felt death and life braiding together, shifting the worlds together. Eyes widening as his mind fled in face of the power as he tried to find the problem.
Thorn caught in the middle of all that power crashed, her mind shutting down as she fell to the floor. Blinking stupidly as she laid on her back, staring at the white light that blinded her, her head aching as she sat up slowly."Easy, love. Easy."She said feeling a soft voice muttered as the other stroked her hair, frowning a little as she tried to figure out who it was. Before realizing that all shadows of everyone she knew, of the lives she touched her and now, were ghosty images among the light. "mother?"She asked softly, blinking as she met the same dark eyes that she saw every day in the mirror. "ah, my daughter."Morrigan muttered brushing her daughter's hair, feeling her heart aching to see her daughter so torn up."My daughter, I have one more task for you.You have done so well, my girl." "anything."Thorn breathed softly, because even outcast and overwelhmed, she was a death walker, and no one knew the halls of death better then the woman in front of her."same answer... all these years later. I am sorry, we tried to forbid you from your grandfather....mayhap things would have been different if we had. The gods are fading my girl. And I....I am the last. And you, you who've walked in death longer then any but a goddess, I grant one last gift. Strength...and a gift."
Morrigan's lips pressed to her daughter's forehead, hearing the distant call of a hunting falcon, the roaring challenge of a leopard, and the screeching battle cry of a war driven wraith. it was a sound of helpless fury, and desperate.But...there was hope. Oh yes, with her daughter's bonded, there was hope. "Begone."She muttered sending her daughter from death's halls, breathing life into her dying body as thorn gasped, the power breaking around her as she came back to the realms of the living.
Salazar woke a day after the incident, but Thorn didn't wake when he did, a fact that worried him, both Malfoy's, and Lily to near death. Salazar was week legged when he came to, and had a splitting headache, but he felt more alive than he ever had in his life. He could feel power brimming through him, where it came from he didn't know, he assumed it was because he was bonded to Thorn, it never occurred that it had affected ALL of Thorns blood relations. Even Lily, who had blood bonded with James had gotten a touch more of the gift. Sal was at her side almost instant when she gasped, and caught her hands in his, hope blooming in his heart as he saw her stir. Thorn!? Love? Are you awake? Can you hear me!?
Thorn's hand lashed out as her eyes came open, as deep and unfathomable as deep seas, her hand passing through flesh, closing around the heart of the man standing next to her. The reborn death goddess stared up at her bonded, and didn't recognize him. Power crackling around them before the power accepted the death goddess's bonded as her consort. A matching set, goddess and consort...life and death. And then...she blinked, and she was thorn again. Her mouth falling open a little as his heart beat against her fingers like a caged thing."....Salazar?"she whispered softly, forcing her hand open, to pass flesh through flesh again, drawing away from him. Looking scared as she felt death in a way she never had before, tasting it on her tongue like sweet candy.
Sal grunted when he felt his hand close around his heart, but there was no fear in his eyes as he looked at her. Because he knew two things, one, she would never try to kill him, aware of herself or not, and two, even if she did crush his heart... he wouldn't....couldn't, die. He smiled when she recognized him and nodded. it's me love. he muttered softly, leaning down and gently kissing her. your safe now, we're here, even Draco. he promised, glad it had been him and not, say, Lily watching over her when she woke up. how are you feeling? You've been asleep for quite a while so I want you to be honest alright? Do you need me to get you drink and food? he paused and wrinkled his nose. sorry... the old speech comes in now and then before I realize I've done it...
Thorn laughed softly."It's okay."She said softly, her voice quiet thunder, holding that edge of battle cries on the a battlefield, of the wounded dying, and fury. It woud do well for people to remember to walk softly around a death goddess. Swallowing hard as she thought through his words."..I was asleep?It didn't seem that long....I saw my mother."She said softly, tears filling her eyes, trying to remember everything her mother had said, shifting her gaze to look at him."I feel....disconnected. More alive, and more...there."She whispered, considering his question truthfully,"I...I think my mother's gone."She said, pain filling her eyes even as the truth blossomed like a gift."She was the last left....the last to go to death's halls, because she'd lived there for so long."She swallowed around the tears, shiftingresting her head on his chest as she started to cry."I think...she gave me what she had left.Of her powers..."She muttered sniffling.
Harry smiled at her laugh and nodded, his eyes as deep as the Emerald sea, and filled with a power that had long been thought dead. i know, I saw James. he admitted softly. he told me many things. he admitted. he must have had a lot less to say though because I woke up twelve hours after. he teased smiling a little before he gently wiped away her tears with a worried expression. shh love, your mother is with her friends and family now, she is safe and happy and no longer in pain. he promised, kissing her gently. you are Death now, just as I, am the new Demon King. he admitted softly. and I think Lucien is turning Draco into a whore. Their always up there 'learning' how to have sex. he admitted with a roll of his eyes kissing her forehead. Come on, lets see if you have the strength to walk. he ordered calmly, helping her to stand and steadying her if she wavered, helping her out into the kitchen, and carrying her if she collapsed, determined to get some food into her.
Thorn smiled slightly at the reassurance that her mother was in a better place, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. Gripping his arm tightly as she walked unsteadily towards the door, wavering ever so slightly"I'm hungry Sal..."She muttered as they walked before giggling a little at her grandfather's learning."Oh, I'm sure draco's learned something by now."She said laughing leaning more into him the further they got downstairs, smiling when she saw everyone sitting in the kitchen."Hello."She said blushing as everyone stared. Lucien nearly pounced on his granddaughter, wrapping her in a hug, pressing a kiss to her head. Had they not been related, draco probably should have been jealous at such a display."Thorn,oh thank god."He muttered kissing her head,refusing to let her go even as salazar tugged at her arm.
Lily and Draco both looked seriously relieved to see her up and about, Lucius didn't look anything because he was napping on the table. Draco smirked as Salazar did something no one had ever dared do before, he growled at the Devil and pushed him away from Thorn, pulling her close to him and glaring at them all, looking like an angry predator protecting it's babies. mine! he growled, Draco and Lily lifting their hands in submission to show they weren't going to take her from him. Demon Kings where very known for being overly protective of their chosen mates, and Harry was no exception. Lucien, he almost ripped your head off when you threatened to take thorn away to your castle and lock her away for safety.... shouldn't you have learned your lesson by now. Lily teased looking amused. come sit Thorn darling, I made something very special. she promised, getting up and pouring out what looked like a vegetable soup with fresh carrots, peas, cabbage, noodles and it was thick with potatoes and... could it be!? Tiger Lily petals have an amazing taste! Lily admitted. and their SO good for you!
Thorn looked startled at the food, smling a little as she let salazar help her sit down,sighing softly as she sat. Hands shaking ever so slightly as she started to eat, "Thanks lils. It's amazing."She said slowly starting to eat, ignoring the way everyone watched to make sure she was okay. Lucien growled softly, just as posessive of his granddaughter as salazar was. The only reason it hadn't become deadly between them is that they both knew thorn would kill them if they hurt the other."It was just a hug!"He whined before pulling draco close, studying thorn, figuring out what was different, but not saying anything. Willing to just let her be at peace for the moment. Thorn smiled sofly as she ate, biting her lip a little. Because she knew that salazar was going to hate it, but thorn with her memories back, needed to do something."....I'm going to my father's grave.By myself."She said studying them."In a few days. I'm weak, not stupid. I'll recover first."She said before they could protest
Lily smiled as she handed a bowl to Sal and ordered him to sit down and stop making a fool of himself, the boy grumbling but doing as he was told, Draco rolling his eyes. no, it was a hug and a kiss and it lasted a lot longer than Thorn was comfortable with and that's why Salazar nearly ripped your hands off. he stated simply snuggling into Lucien with a small smile as Salazar ate his food calmly, until she told him that she was going to Merlin's grave, the cup he was holding shattering, making him wince, Lily gasping as she rushed over to him with a handkerchief, blinking when she realized he wasn't bleeding. Thorn you can't go alone! he complained pouting at her. you already almost died once I couldn't stand it if he does something to you!
Thorn sighed quietly looking at her consort, biting her lip. "You could go with me....but don't come in. Sal...he destroyed me.Granted...I helped along the way..."She shot her guilt riden gradfather a look amused when the demon king avoided her eyes before looking at salazar again, closing her hands over his."Please...I need to confront him, if I'm going to be able to live on...and now that...that we're changed, we have a lifetime longer together....I don't want to be hobbled because I couldn't confront him."She said needing him to understand because she needed to face her father, before she could deal with the offspring of her own life, and destroy voldemort.One insane person at a time.
Salazar hesitated and then sighed, shaking his head. i don't like it! he complained before sighing and nodding. but I understand... I'll go with and let you speak to him alone. he promised, gently taking her hand, shocking everyone. we'll go when you're back to full health. he promised smiling at her. i.. have a surprise for you too. because she had been ill, and he suddenly had no need, nor desire to sleep, he had busied himself with making the most amazing backyard ever. There was a pond, and a little stone path, and a huge archway with a bench underneath it, the entire arch crawling with bright Tiger Lily Roses that she loved so much, all of them gleaming and healthy, the entire Garden crawling with the flowers she had picked. finish your food and I'll show you, ok?
She grinned at him, stealing a kiss as harm climbed in her lap,stroking the small dragon's head as she nodded."Perfect."She said hugging him. Knowing that everything was going to be okay.
About a week later Thorn sighed quietly as she pulled on her boots, pausing for a long moment before she slid the sword seath down her back,, needing to be armed if she saw her father. Looking at salazar, kissing him gently, wrapping her arms around him."Thank you for coming with me."She said hugging him tighter before stepping back."We better be going."She said, just as dawn broke. Wanting to get this done. Having grown steadier the longer she had her powers and healed, but she was still weaker towards evening, so it meant getting up early to see her father.
Harry Growled and grumbled as he slid Excalibur into his belt. i don't like it. he complained. we should wait another few days. he complained. your still not fully healthy! he complained, but didn't stop her from hugging him, and he sighed and nodded, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and vanishing, appearing just outside of the 'grave line' as Sal called it, where Merlin's power began. please be careful love, and yell if he does anything remotely funny! he ordered calmly. i'm the Demon Prince after all, I'm pretty sure I could kill him if I wanted to.
Thorn nodded, kissing her lover softly."I will."She said before stepping across the grave line, trembling a little as she felt the wards snap up between her and him. Before turning to face the man standing just inside the door.Men, she corrected after a moment."Does your ruthlessness know no end father?"She asked studying the dark lord, leaning her back against the wards, trying to get them to buckle, feeling alone and realizing the trap had been set well. Welding both death magic and death into them, merlin and voldemort had managed to seperate her fully from her consort, and not just bodily,but their bond was muted, almost gone."Yu have no business doing as you will daughter.Your death will be the one that ushers in the new age."merlin said, raising a hand, smirking as she crumbled.
"Salazar!"Lucien snarled as he crossed the grassy expanse to the grave, nearly running."Lucius just arri-"He yelped a little as he caught the boy as he stumbled, the demon king looking down at the newest demon prince."Salazar?"He asked shaking him a little, looking around for thorn.He could feel her dammit, he just couldn't find her.
Sal felt the bond shut, and he gasped as pain ripped through him from the loss of connection, he didn't even hear Lucien, he just collapsed, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. Because there was only one way to kill a Demon Prince, and that was to take out their bonded. It wouldn't be so easy to Kill thorn, but with the bond so muted Salazar's body and mind where reacting as if she where dying. He reached for the wall that separated them, not even realizing he was being held up, striking his palm against the wall, the ringing sound as loud as life. For that was what made Sal special, he wasn't just of darkness and death, he was also rebirth and creation, life. He struck the barrier again, creating another loud ringing sound, but was too weak to do any more than that. T...orn...
"Bloody hell."Lucien growled before looking at the ward, glaring at it. Because he couldn't see past it, but he could almost sense what was going to happen.And if...what lucius said was true, then they were all in trouble. Swallowing as he apparated them back to the house he laid Salazar in the bed, wincing as he felt the bond flair back to life. Muted some,strong but not as full as it normally was. After all, Merlin needed the demon prince to live just long enough. Snarling as he looked at lucius,"You heard Merlin's prophecy. Did it say when they would sarcifice her?"He demanded, snarling as he shoved magic into Salazar,determined to bring him back, because they needed the demon prince to find a missing goddess.Frantically going over the words that had driven him to the grave, looking at the older Death eater.A eternal goddess, reborn again. when her blood is spilled, upon the old sacred stones, the world will be once again claimed, by the powers of old, a world changed, a world destroyed, A hellfire prince, the avatar that was once a king's, Sacerficed for the mirror of the worlds, death god and goddess,, blood spilled upon stone, with only once chance to change, what is to come. Beware of a world, without the reborn goddess, who is both her mother's daughter, and her mother reborn. One chance, to change what is to come
Lucien shuddered, struggling to think before he realized what time of year it was."Tomorrow's the summer solstice. The longest day of the year."He frowned before he remembered what else it was."Camelot fell tomorrow.Tomorrow...he'll bring back all that he has lost."He said, in that vague way that said he wasn't aware of what he had said,but more of a memory, of a prodding from the otherworld that wanted to take them in the right direction. Morrigan, even after death, protecting her daughter.
Lucius opened his mouth to speak and then closed his mouth, blinking a little as he felt the magic pulse into life again, Salazar groaning as he felt his body returning to life, blinking stupidly for a moment as he felt power filling him before he snarled and rolled slowly onto his feet, Lucius shaking his head, both him and Sal staring at him for a moment as they heard him talking in that dull flat tone that told them all someone else was pulling the strings. ok... ok... Lucius muttered carefully supporting Lucien. where will they sacrifice her? ...Camelot.. Sal whispered, astonished as he realized just what was going to happen. they'll spill her blood, and then mine, and bring back Camelot, her blood has to be spilled at Camelot! he snarled getting carefully to his feet shaking his head a little as he grabbed the Orb, his invisibility cloak, his wand, and Excalibur. i'm going after her! your barley able to stand on your own Sal! We need to plan! We have until tomorrow... tomorrow will be too late! Sal snarled his eyes narrowed. you plan! I'm going after her!
Lucien snarled as he reached out, closing his hand around the boy's wrist, locking him in place, a handcuff of magic keeping the demon prince with the demonking. once again lucien was in control."She was the one who brought down camelot. She's a reborn goddess, and the one who ended it the first time. It has to be her."He said frowning a little because he had a idea, remembering the second part."A hellfire prince, Salazar. If you go, you're going to get killed to. We need to plan. We have 34 hours, they wont do it till midnight tomorrow."He said not about to let the prophecy come true. Because if salazar died to, it was going to go totally wrong."Where's draco?"Lucien said looking around for his boy, because he needed to plan.
Salazar snarled as he felt the locking spell take place, he was strong, but he wasn't strong enough to break a spell made by the devil himself, but he tried! He slammed his magic into it, he even went as far as trying to chew his wrist off, screaming that they where all traitorous scum and that they where all going to burn in the pits of hell when he was the king! That he was going to kill them, take their souls, and eat them for breakfast! He slumped suddenly as a sleeping spell struck him square in the head, Lucius shaking his head. he's like a wild animal. he complained. and Draco went to get Lily, he should be back soon. he promised picking Sal up and laying him on a bed that had been made from a chair, since Sal couldn't get too far away from Lucien now that the spell was in place. keep that handcuff on him, if he wakes up early he'll either try to kill us or he'll try to sneak out. he admitted shaking his head as two loud CRACKS filed the air, Draco and Lily walking in, holding Harm, who was once again covered in mud. he was trying to dig under the fence, I think he knows where thorn is...
Lucien looked starlted, before nodding. Realizing that the small dragon probably did. "We'll take him with us."He said running his fingers through his hair as he thought over his son's habits."We need to get to camelot first.He wont dare move her there to soon, just in case we do go in early"He said running his fingers through his hair, struggling to think beyond the demand of his soul that he go get his granddaughter back."...I have a idea....and you're all going to hate it."He said studying them,"Salazar's not the only one here that's considered a hellfire prince...I can give myself up...tell them I'm the one they need, and should things go pearshaped, and you can't get us.Then he still wont bring camelot back."He swallowed hard, hating the idea of leaving draco, but he needed to do this, to correct a old harm he'd done to thorn."If you can only save one, save her."He sighed quietly."When you get to camelot, it will be among the ruins of the castle that he sarcifices her. Old stones there...."He sighed, looking at the dragon, stroking his head to try and keep him calm."He'll be able to lead you right to her."
Draco and Lucius nodded hesitating as Draco took the dragon from Lily, cleaning it with a spell and setting the little creature down next to Harry, where Harm settled down and watched them with wide eyes, Draco swallowing thickly. you can't! he stated, grabbing Lucien's arm. you can't! Draco... it's ok. Lucius stated calmly, gripping his shoulder. it won't come to that, we're going to save Thorn. We are protectors. We are High Elves, we can find her. he promised closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. we'll take Harry, he'll use the Hollows to kill Merlin. The unbeatable sword can cut down even the dead, Merlin won't stand a chance... that will leave Lucien free to take out Voldemort... as he is of your blood, and we where created to protect that blood we cannot harm Voldemort, or even raise a hand against him. he admitted shaking his head as Draco bit his lip hard. father, your still on Voldemort's good side... right? he asked suddenly, Lucius nodding. so what if... what if Voldemort is hiding thorn at one of his safe houses? He trusts you, he won't attack you if you walk in with information that Salazar is ripping apart the country side....
Lucien nodded, looking thoughtful."I'll go with Lucius...to voldemort. We'll be able to find out if thorn's there, and if not, i can still take care of my bloodline there. that'll only leave Merlin."He said shuddering, because that was enough of a thought to deal with.It was going to be a bloody day in camelot."Tomorrow at daybreak, head towards camelot. Their bond, and the hallows, should feel the tug of the death goddess. They'll lead you two to her, once she's at camelot, because they were made there."He sighed, running his fingers through his hair."Lucius, we'll go now.And salazar...."He said leaning over to look at his grandson, getting his attention."we're not going to let her die. I wont. Not again.You just have to wait a few hours from now."She said pressing a kiss to his forehead.
Lucius nodded a little and pondered the most likely place where Voldemort would be, spreading out his mind and locating his chosen protectee and nodding. i have his location. he admitted, salazar rubbing his eyes, trying to clear his fuzzy vision from the sleeping spell, looking up at Lucien with rage, and fear in his expression. ... fine.. he muttered looking down at his toes and shaking his head, burying his face into his knees. this is all my fault... I never should have let her go in there... never... he muttered softly Draco setting his hand on Salazar's shoulder giving it a squeeze. it's not your fault Sal, we'll get her back. he promised Sal sighing a little. As Lucius shook his head. come on Lucien, we better do this quickly... are you sure you can handle it?
Lucien nodded, "I can."He said, swallowing hard. Even if he had to bath the world in blood, he wouldn't let his granddaughter what little of life she'd come to find. "Sunrise. I'll see you at camelot."He growled pressing a kiss to draco's mouth before he apparated with lucius shuddering a little as they appeared in front of the house, frowning a little as they walked inside."You're not going to like this...but we'll need to surprise him...if we are going to kill him..."He muttered looking at the blond. Frowning as he felt her, weakly, as if she was still asleep or unaware. "Whatever do you want?Merlin told me that you were not going to help me. That you care for no one but your granddaughter." Voldemort snarled a little, pointing his wand towards the devil. "Merlin lies. I had to use thorn to aquire the hallows. Even now, your son is on his way to camelot with them."He said watching the man even as he mentally searched for thorn.
Lucius nodded a little. i can distract him. he agreed. if I try to stop you from killing him, I'm sorry, feel free to knock me out of you need to. he stated calmly, uncertain how he would react when his protectee was threatened. He smiled as they apparated stepping out of the shadows, approaching Voldemort. my lord! I have news!!... oh, Lucien, good to see you, you know Salazar is ripping apart the countryside hunting down your ass... oh! My lord! I have news! Salazar! Your son is in the Ireland countryside ripping it apart looking for thorn, he seams to think that Camelot is there, or thorn's house! He hasn't found the last hollow yet! he admitted flushed with excitement. he hasn't found the Sword of Excalibur yet!
Voldemort looked startled before nodding."Good. Then he wont be able to stop what is to come."He said sounding pleased as he sighed."He wont find Thorn, before the end."He said not noticing Lucien moving closer to him.Despite being battle trained, the man was insane. He didn't notice things that were life and death. Lucien snarled quietly, nodding." That is good. Thorn will be the sacerifice you need."He said shifting to put voldemort between him and lucius, not about to trust the protector to not attack him. Walking slowly around he swallowed, wincing as voldemort turned towards him, sensing something was wrong. Lucien smiled before reaching out, fingers closing around the other's neck,ripping out his throat the same moment his hand past through his chest ripping out his heart, filling the dark lord with enough hellfire to kill even thorn and her undeath state. Wincing as he stepped back, yelping as Lucius slammed into him as the elf realized his protectee was dead. "Lucius!"He snarled fending off the man, trying to push him back.
Lucius roared as he felt his protected die, and his instincts kicked in, leaping onto Lucien in a furious rage, striking at him with fists and elvish Magic. Not that the magic could hurt him, being that he was of his Thorns bloodline. He didn't stop attacking Lucien until the Devil knocked him out, slumping to the ground unconscious, the magic he had been spilling fading away. As an elf he wasn't unconscious for long, groaning as he sat up. got that was a HORRIBLE feeling... he groaned. like part of my soul had been ripped out. he admitted smiling at Lucien. thank you, my protections have switched to Thorn. he explained hesitating a little. but... uhm... you should know that Draco's have switched as well... he admitted. He felt the Devil should know that Draco had become his protector, it was only right.
Lucien whimpered a little."Oh bloody hell. He's goign to be up my ass over every little dangerous thing now..."He grumbled, though he was mostly amused at the idea of the elf trying to take care of him, before sighing."She's upstairs."He said before running up the stairs towards where he could feel his granddaughter, rushing into the rooms, ignoring the wards before he stepped close to the bed. Staring down at the unconscious woman he reached forward, cursing as his hand went right through her shoulder."Bloody fuck!"He cursed as he felt the stinging hex woven into the illusion strike at him, jerking back as he realized he'd made a very bad mistake. She wasn't here, she'd never been here....they had to get to camelot.
"We need to go. Now."He growled turning to face the blond heading for the front hall again, needing to get past the wards to apparate.
Lucius nodded and froze in astonishment as he watched Lucien's hand pass through thorn, shaking his head. don't bother! Voldemort is dead and the wards are still keyed to let me through, I'll apparate us to Salazar's house! he explained, apparating and then freezing in astonishment as he saw... well, something that would normally have been very funny. Draco was bound to a chair very firmly, wrists, arms, legs up to mid shin, hips and chest where all tied very securely to a chair, and there was a large rag stuffed in his mouth. ...Salazar? Lucius asked, Draco's eyes narrowing in fury and nodding. went after thorn? another nod and Lucius sighed, looking at Lucien. leave Draco tied up, he'll try and stop you if you go to plan B. where Lucien gave up his own life. come on, Salazar has a very big head start on us. he admitted shaking his head.
Deep within Camelot Salazar crept along, hidden by the invisibility cloak, his very foot steps silenced with magic, and his magical signature barley there thanks to heavy meditation and pulling his magic deep within himself. He hoped Merlin wouldn't be able to find him, but he could feel Thorns distress, and just HAD to get to her! He just HAD to.
Lucien nodded looking at the blond."You look for Salazar. I'll take care of my son."He said already bracing himself to die for his granddaughter. Closing his eyes as he apparated them, leaving lucius outside of the clearing before apparating again, smiling as he stepped closer to the sacrificial stones, having always known where merlin needed her to be, but he'd been foolish enough to think they wouldn't be there yet. Sighing as he walked around the stones, watching his son as he prepared."You fool." "Lu-Lucien!I should have known, Ibrus Lucifer."merlin growled, power in the words, making the devil's head ring as the use of his true name stopped him for a moment."Ah, but you knew I would come for her, after all, I am the only hellfire prince."Lucien said praying lucius and salazar were close, because he might be able to stop this antichrist in time, but his son was stronger then him-not that he'd ever admit it- and it would cost him everything to bring him down on his own. He needed one of his own bloodline, to strike out at merlin."You will not bring her back.She's not what you need."
"She is a goddess reborn....I have made her into exactly what I need."the two men stared at each other across the stones and thorn's body, both ignoring teh sounds of distress from teh goddess bound.
Lucius nodded and gripped Lucien's wrist gently. just be careful. he ordered calmly. or Draco will never forgive you. he teased vanishing with a crack to try and find his Protected, so he could do his job and protect him. Little did he know that he was watching Merlin arguing with Lucifer, sneaking silently closer and closer, trying his best to ignore thorn, Lucius panting as he ran up, gripping the man's wrist to indicate that he couldn't find the boy. Voldemort is dead Merlin. Lucius stated simply. and destroying thorn will not bring back your daughter. It was Camelot's time to die, it was Gods will, as well as Hells. You are sinning against the very nature of life, and you will pay for your sins. Lucius promised, drawing a blade from his belt as Salazar stepped behind Merlin and Activated the Orb, calling on the one person Merlin would never want to see, Morgana, pulling her from death and spilling her out into the world, further masking his presence, and distracting Merlin... hopefully. He just had to get in close enough to take off the man's head with Excalibur.
merlin stopped, stared at his dead wife, shaking his head even as he laid the blade against thorn's throat. One slice, and it would be done. His life would be back, remade even better then it had been."No!I wont let you stop me!Camelot was a dream for the ages!" "It was only ever supposed to be a dream Merlin."Morgana said sadly, "Thorn was always meant to be the end. it was a dream for the ages, a golden age, something to strive for." merlin scowled,"no!It was meant to be foreever!"He said before his hand flashed down, bright blood spilled across the stones, magic singing as morgana was forced back to what she was, for this was a thing of death, and she was no longer part of it.
Lucien howled as he felt the blade bite into his skin, even as he kept his arm between the blade and thorn's vulnerable skin, looking down into her scared eyes, knowing she was still trapped even as she started to scream. She was a goddess bound, and he would save her, even if it cost him everything. He would unbind her. Shuddering as he felt the blade pressing deeper,slowly getting closer to bone, snarling as he looked for salazar and lucius. It was taking everything for him to just keep merlin's attention on him, he couldn't throw the killing blow. He needed the other two.
Lucius snarled as well as he saw the blade swinging towards his Protected power suddenly slamming hard into Merlin, because Merlin was a direct threat to his particular Protected, he could defend her even though Merlin was of her bloodline, Elvish magic filled Merlin with a sense of Sorrow, Regret, Fear,and agony, pure agony. And then death magic filled him, pure burning pain filling him from toes to nose as Salazar snarled, the cloak falling off his shoulders, his blade flashing through the air and striking Merlin square, slicing effortlessly through flesh blood, sinew, and bone, lopping off his head effortlessly and snarling in rage as he summoned Hellfire into his palms and set fire to the falling body, burning the ashes before pulled water for the air, soaking the ashes into mud, hissing furiously in Parseltongue, sealing the mud with ancient Snake magic before he grabbed handfuls of it, muttering darkly, half crazy with fury and pain as he stuffed the mud from Merlin's body into separate glass jars to be split apart forever. He was making DAMN sure, that even if Merlin was somehow still alive, that he was NEVER going to be able to come back to life.
Lucien laughed quietly as he cradled his bleeding arm against his chest, wincing at the slight grinding it made, knowing merlin had broken bones. Shuddering as he looked at Salazar, swaying a little on his feet as he focused on undoing Thorn's bonds, nearly falling when the girl crashed into his chest."Salazar!"The devil demanded, swaying a little. Starting to feel the blood loss as he looked around him, knowing..."...draco's going to be sooo pissed at me." He muttered aloud as he stroekd thorn's hair as the goddess clung to him, so scared and out of it she didn't even notice the rest of them.
Lucius moved over to Lucien, panting softly as he carefully took the injured arm and healed it as much as he could, fixing the broken bones but not able to fix the lacerations or the bleeding, not having enough energy left to do any more. Salazar jumped when he heard his name and seamed to snap back into the realm of the not so crazy as he blinked stupidly at Salazar, finished shoving the mud into the containers before rushing to his feet and pulling Thorn into his arms. go untie Draco. Sal ordered. i'm taking Thorn home to rest. he explained, apparating her away and carefully laying her down on the bed, gently kissing her forehead and nuzzling her gently as he carefully started to wash the dirt and blood off of her, checking for injuries. shh love, your alright. he promised softly. Merlin is gone, I made sure of it. he promised kissing her gently.
Thorn whimpered as she shifted, kissing him back, ignoring the blood and dirt on them both as she wrapped her arms around him, clinging to her lover."You shouldn't have come for me. No...you were in danger..."She muttered clinging to him harder, trembling, before sniffling."I'm pregnant.'She muttered, worriedly, as if it just occurred to her to be worried, after her father had said she was worried. Not sure how the man had known, but she knew it was true, she could feel it in her bones, why she made a good sacrifice. Both life and death, innocence and sin. Two lives bound in one.
Lucien whined a little as he apparated both himself and lucius back to the house, stumbling tiredly as he moved to draco's side, undoing the knots one handed as he held the arm close, not wanting to reopen the wounds lucius had mostly fixed."Draco, it's over."He said glancingg at his lover, smiling slowly. dazied. Feeling the blood loss.
Sal smiled a little as he kissed her. i will always come for you. he promised with a soft whisper. i will always save you. he promised before freezing, looking amazed. b...baby? he asked with such a tone of hope it was almost funny. i'm gonna be a daddy? he asked his eyes wide excitedly. I'm Gonna Be A Daddy!!! he squealed happily pulling her into a hug before snarling violently. excuse me a moment, I have Merlin's ashes to dispose of. he growled. One forth of the ashes had been left in Camelot, bound to earth. He vanished in an instant, tossing one of the glass jars into a Volcano that he knew of, binding that soul to flame, vanishing again to an island somewhere in the Caribbean, dumping the mud mixture into the water, binding it to water. The last he apparated up to the highest peek in the world, using a breathing and warming charms to keep from dying, scattering the only dry ashes into the wind, binding them to Air, four elements to hold Merlin in death, forever. The only punishment that Salazar could find fitting, Merlin would never rest, never in hell, never in heaven, never in death and never in life, bound forever to darkness and nothingness, in agony.
Draco snarled as he was released and the first thing he did was slap Lucien, hard, before pulling him into a tight, firm kiss, before he finally set about healing his lover, bitching and complaining non stop about how he was an IDIOT and a TRAITOR and that the next time someone tied him up dammit it had better be Lucien and there had BETTER damn well be sex involved.
Thorn grinned, watching him go. Because that was perfect. They were going to be fine now.
Lucien snickered a little as he watched his lover bandage him up nodding every now and then in agreement to the boy's ranting, quite amused though it didn't show. Not about to tell him he was finding his anger amusing.
9 months Later Lucien smiled sweetly as he looked down at his great granddaughter, "Hello witch-child."He cooed, purring quietly, smiling as the girl studied him with solemn eyes before grinning. "Damn. Barely out of the womb and she's already seduced by your voice." "As she should be."Lucien said looking up as the others ame in, having kicked out not only salazar,but lucius and draco so he could have a private moment with his granddaughter. Smiling as he looked at the boy's, shaking his head."She's precious Sal."He said stroking the girl's cheek. "And we named her titian."Thorn said, tilting his head as she remembered her grandmother, the only woman lucien had ever loved enough to consider being mortal for.
Sal beamed as he saw the babe, stealing his daughter and glaring at Lucien, still pissed about having been bodily thrown out of the room before beaming as he snuggled his daughter. little Titian Satanspawn, it's perfect love. because when they had gotten married, Sal had taken her last name, deciding to let the Riddle line die. Draco grinned as he gently took the baby, ignoring Sal's whining. hello my little niece. he purred smiling a little. i'm going to spoil you rotten, yes I am. he promised, Lucius chuckling a little as Sal beamed at Thorn. i love you SO much right now. h growled playfully kissing the other intently.
Thorn smiled kissing him back before leaning bak, sighing softly."I love you to."She said stroking his hair, shifting to pull him down into the bed, cuddling against him."Rest."She ordered closing her eyes, starting to fall asleep. It'd been a busy day. Lucien laughed quietly as he wrapped his arms around draco, pressing a kiss to the back of draco's neck as he pulled the man bak against him, closing his eyes as he cooed softly to the baby, grinning as she giggled."We'll take care of titan.Sleep."He ordered looking at the other two.
he smiled a little and snuggled into her, Draco grinning as he looked up at Lucien. i want a baby. he complained pouting at his lover, wondering if right then would be a good time to tell everyone that he was pregnant... with twins. Sometimes he hated being an Elf, but Lucien always made it all right. good night. Sal purred, smirking when Draco admitted that he was pregnant with twins, Sal snickering. He had known Draco was pregnant, he was half death and half life after all, he could sense such things. mmm life is perfect.
Thorn laughed happily, grinning at the idea of their family growing even more. And well, watching the devil faint was a once in a lifetime experience. Snickering as she grinned at them all, she knew all was going to be perfect as she watched Draco fuss over his lover. yea. Salazar was right, things WERE perfect.
The end
Nowhere:
Triad Orange teetered on the edge of the endless abyss. The floating slab of stone, drifting endlessly through the Time Trapper's domain was crumbling as the swirling red vortex sucked in everything around it. She had never experienced an environment where her flight ring wouldn't stabilize her, even in the vacuum of space where there was no "up" or "down", she could find solace in the control her ring gave her over her orientation and direction. But here, in this space outside of time and space, there was barely a forward or a backward, and her thoughts were panicked, unfocussed. All she could do was shout out to her other self and flail and try to get her heels back onto something solid.
"Lu-lu-lu... Luornu!" she cried as the pull of the vortex finally overwhelmed her imagined gravity and pulled her free of the disintegrating rock.
A few meters away, and yet simultaneously infinitely far off, Triad White-Purple laid a crippling, nose crunching punch straight into the face of one of the Trapper's thralls. Looking up and around at Saturn Girl's psychic warning, barely felt against the warm wash of psychic protection she often put up in her minds when in the heat of battle, she spotted her other self hurtling towards the vortex. Her breath abandoned her as she instinctively willed herself "forward" at the vortex, arms outstretched. Though her other self felt infinitely far off, somehow their hands linked almost instantly, and they were whole before either had a chance to realize it. The overwhelming sense of falling flooded Prime's mind, as the backwash of Orange's panic, if only for an instant, paralysed her. The vortex closed around her, and Saturn Girl's warm psychic embrace puffed out of existence.
Gotham:
Blinding light and pain struck her. She literally shattered into her base components, Purple coming down hard and leaping to her feet, White forcing herself up on one arm before collapsing again, and Orange tumbling helplessly, like a rag-doll, moaning pitifully.
Downtown:
Purple tried to draw her feet up under her, felt her arm sagging, and then the pain hammered through her like a cruiser through a building. "AAAH! SPROCKING NAZZING FRAK!" Purple cursed as she fell to one knee, sucked air between her teeth as her dislocated arm made her torso feel as if it were tearing apart, and not in the good way. She quickly looked around, her vision still fuzzy, looking for a place, a corner of a wall, to knock her shoulder back into place. She was in a dark, damp alley, garbage piled high along the walls, giving her no place to knock her shoulder. Where she could see wall, she saw... paint? Purple paint, a crude clown... grinning. One thing she didn't see, as she staggered to her feet, were her other two selves.
Uptown:
White's vision was blurry, but she could see faces. Faces looking down at her. She felt like she was floating. Red and blue lights were illuminating the white jackets of the two standing over her, their words seeming far, far off. They were shining a little white light in her eyes.
"Her eye's aren't dilating at the same rate... yeah, pretty big contusion over the left temple. Gently... Her left eye is... it's purple, you ever see that, Benny?"
"Bleeding into her eye, probably, kid's pretty messed up... there we go..."
The feeling of sliding on rails jarred something painful in Luornu's chest and she cried out in pain. Her eyes coming clearer into focus with the shock of it.
"Well, she's more responsive," Benny said, climbing up into the ambulance, shining the light in her eyes as Roger went around to the driver's side.
"Let's take her to East Mercy, then, ride's longer but they've got better neurology dep."
"Again, man, hating on Doc Regj. West Mercy is just fine."
"Then you get behind the wheel," Roger said, slamming the driver's side door.
"Wha...? Where...?" Luornu moaned, reaching out a hand, only to have it be caught by Benny and gently guided back down to the gurney where it was strapped down.
"Easy there, Darling, you'll be fine, just stay calm, this'll make you feel a lot better, just breath deeply," he said as he put the facemask over her mouth and nose and turned on the gas.
Luornu stayed awake, but, for some reason, didn't really mind being either immobile or being taken where ever it was she was being taken. The pain in her chest and head also felt like distant memories...
On The Outskirts of Town
Orange was dreaming of White holding her gently, kissing her face, her short brown hair tickling her forehead and eye and her ear. Her kisses becoming more passionate, more wet and... "Mmmm... Luory, that fee~eels sooo~ nii~iice..." Orange moaned as she rubbed her face into the grass. Ace continued licking her face, the huge black Great Dane sitting and looking over his shoulder, whining plaintively, then barking for attention. He went back down and licked the face of the strange girl who had fallen onto Master's lawn, here in the manor garden.
Things were starting to become difficult for Terry McGinnis, aka Batman. Of course it wasn't being Batman, that was actually the schway part, beating up bad guys and having the cool toys to do it was great; it was the mild mannered part that was starting to kill him. Trying to do the miracle balancing act was slaging impossible! Between high school, his family, his girlfriend (well now ex-girlfriend), and practically everything else that was not batman related were all suffering due to Batman. Thankfully right now was Batman time and he was looking to crack a few skulls to blow off steam. So now he was cruising around Gotham in the sleek and stealthy Batmobile that flew above the Gotham skyline, everyone below unaware of his presence. That was good, more thugs were more likely to try something stupid if they didn't know he was out there, watching. This whole time he had been silent, most likely due to the fact of his assessment of his current state. The silence was broken by the sound of a gruff man over the intercom spoke, "Terry, is everything alright? You're pretty quiet." Terry shook off his train of thought to focus on the task at hand. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Just thinking." He stepped on the gas and the Batmobile rocketed faster across the sky. Terry looked down at the scanner and still saw nothing blip or flash across it. "Kind of quiet tonight, think I could turn in early?" Bruce thought for a moment and came to a conclusion, "One more sweep of the city and then come back to the cave." Terry smiled and pushed the jet to its limits to make it go by faster.
On the last few minutes of his sweep Bruce came back on the com, "Ace wants outside, I'll be away from the batcomputer for awhile." Terry nodded and finished the sweep. Once done he turned the jet around and pointed it toward Wayne Manor.
Bruce got up from the comfy chair and reached for his cane. Ace was already halfway up the steps of the batcave and out the secret door. "What's gotten into him? I already let him out a half hour ago." He didn't think much of it and started hobbling his way up the steps and out of the cave. When he reached the front lawn he saw Ace sitting on his haunches and licking an oddly dressed girl on the face. "Tresspasers," He growled. He walked over and nudged her with his cane, "Get up!" He shouted, "And get off of my property!"
Wayne Manor
Luornu moaned and pushed herself up on her hands about an inch, muttered unintelligibly, then fell back on her face, rolled over onto her side. "Sorry... Mr. Brande..." she sighed. She must have slept in late - Luornu and Luornu must have gone ahead without her, or... Rubbing her eyes as she finally stood up, she saw they weren't next to her in... she wasn't in her bed. Looking around panicked, she looked up at the unfamiliar face of the old man brandishing a stick at her!
The dog by the man's feet barked once and Luornu screamed - bolting up into the air, a good two meters into the air, hovering there and staring down, realizing she had startled them, or at least the dog, which was now barking madly at her. The man looked irritated.
"Oh! I am so sorry! I must, I must... oh... Sorry, which was back to Metropolis?" she lifted another two meters into the air, looking around for a familiar city skyline... Saw only trees. There! The city was well off and... small... had there been a power outage around the rest of the city? Why couldn't she... she flew off in it's direction, holding her ring to her lips. "Braniac? Where am I...? Hello?" She stopped in mid air, over a... a river? How far out of Metropolis was she?
Downtown
Nerves were pinched between her arm and her shoulder. Her flight ring, controlled by nerve impulses, wasn't working. Lu slammed her shoulder into the corner of the building, popping it back into place. "AAAAH!! NAZZ-IT!" She screamed as the ball of bone popped back into place. She punched the wall with her good left arm, the sharp pain in her knuckles distracting her from the mind shattering pain in her shoulder. She wiggled the ring off her right index finger and worked it in her left palm till it was on her left index finger. "The sprock am I?"
"Hey, pretty lady," came a voice like oil on sandpaper. "Wanna smell my pretty flower?"
Lu looked around and saw a... clown? He was massive and squat and wore a black and red plaid coat, large oversized red shoes and baggy yellow pants. His makeup was all white and black and blue with red hair coming to points on either side of his head. He hand one hand behind a flower in his coat's lapel. His bared teeth were... filed down to points...
"Smells real nice, come on, give it a sniff..." he indicated his flower with his other hand, black gloves with holes at the fingertips.
"Seriously, back off," Lu growled as she lifted off the ground, one hand in a fist, held before her, elbow down, her bad arm hanging at her side, but elbow stiff - the best aerial fighting stance she could manage with her hurt arm.
"Whoa... got a little meta in you, yeah? You wanna rumble little purple girl? You wanna run with the Jokers!" Suddenly there were more clowns, women in face-paint wielding tire irons and sledge hammers, males in outlandish clown costumes, swinging rubber chickens and juggling small black metal balls.
Lu held her ring up to her lips. "Control? Where the grief am I...? AH!" a net shot from somewhere unseen smacked into her from behind, the weights throwing her off balance for a moment. "Sprock you!" She shouted and proceeded to fly straight up into the air, net and all. Two of the gang of clowns jumped... impossibly high, and grabbed onto the net, pulling her back down. "Fine!" she screamed, and turned in mid air, rushing at the ground at speeds she would normally save for travelling interplanetary distances, slamming them into the ground as she pulled what would be, without her ring, a bone snapping turn and fired back up into the air. She had the satisfaction of hearing something squish and break in each of her assailants as she flew back up into the sky.
Another body, bigger than the others, slammed into her, coming horizontally from... maybe a building? Whatever it was, it had claws... Lu tumbled down toward the streets below, pain in her back from the sharp, shallow cuts that made it through her uniform...
Bruce was still upset that a kid would come on to his property like this, but that brought up a thought. Why would a kid come here of all places? Practically everyone in Gotham knew to stay away from Wayne Manor. The only ones who regularly came was Terry and Barbara, so what was her deal? Taking another look at her he noticed the orange jumpsuit on her with a strange triangle symbol in the center of her chest. She finally woke up and called him Mr. Brande, "Excuse me?" He asked. With that Ace barked and growled at her sensing his masters discomfort. Bruce put a hand on his head and Ace backed off. The next action she took surprised him. She kept straight into the air and stayed there, "Meta," Bruce murmured and Ace resumed his barking. Must be one of Clark's new protogs. His assumption was strengthened when she asked which way was Metropolis. Bruce went into Batman mode, a nostalgic feeling returning, and studied her with a detectives eye. She was flying with no visible technological help, she was obviously wearing a costume with nothing to hide her identity, and she was asking for Metropolis. Kryptonian? No, Kara was the last one to come to earth, the rest remained in Kandor according to Clark. So who was she? Either way he was not happy. As she went higher he yelled, "When you get back there tell Clark my home is not a safehouse for League members!!" With that she was gone and Bruce hurried back to the cave to inform Terry of what happened.
Speaking of Terry, he was heading back to the cave, happy to be done for the night. That was until his scanners picked up something. He slammed the Batmobile to a stop and looked at what the scanners was picking up. He was surprised to see that it was Nth metal. "Nth metal?" Terry asked himself, "What the hell is War Hawk doing in Gotham?" He turned the Batmobile to where the signal was coming from and sped off toward it.
When he arrived at the source of the signal he was shocked to not see War Hawk, but a girl in a purple jump suit. "What the frack?" What was more alarming was the amount of Jokerz she was taking on. She was on the ground with one on her back and he decided she needed backup. He slid the cockpit door open and lept from it. He activated his rocket boots and made a b-line to the mutt on her back. He crashed into him and tossed him into a heap of garbage. While the Jokerz were busy bolstering themselves to take on Batman Terry went to check on the girl. He nudged her on her left shoulder, "Hey," He said in his deep gruff voice, "You ok?" That would have to wait since he heard the twirl of some chains and the sound of pipes being slapped against skin. He cracked his neck and turned around drawing two batarangs from his wrists. "Let's dance!" He then jumped into the fray and battled the Jokerz again for about the hundredth time.
On the Edge of Town
Luornu couldn't reach Legion control - there should always be someone on monitor duty... The city she was flying over looked... colonial... small... the tallest of the towers were only about a mile high at the highest, there were... vehicles flying through the city haphazardly, and for a moment Luornu's heart froze thinking there was an evacuation underway... but there seemed to be a flow to the chaos... This was not a city she knew. Was it a planet she knew? She calmed down enough to decide on a place to settle down to the ground, atop a tower of the bridge spanning the river. The gravity felt... comfortable. Which meant if it wasn't Earth, it was a planet very close to it. She had been on Earth longer than her native Cragg, and so knew it's gentle pull better than any other... it felt like Earth...
She set her ring to scan for local transmissions... there was no comm. traffic she could detect... she set it to a wider scan, and found a blast of sound coming through a very short range of signals, all the electromagnetic bands... She wished Luory was there, she would know, she was the technically inclined part of her. She heard a dog barking in the distance, and shot up into the air again, her hands covering her face. Then realized what she had done and grimaced, ashamed of herself, she was a legionnaire, she shouldn't be so jumpy... but where her other selves? And where was she?
Rather than fly into a panic, she flew back across the river toward the isolated house she had left, circled it and, not seeing anyone, landed by the front door. It was made of wood... After a moment's hesitation, she knocked on it. "H-hello?"
Downtown
Lu jerked away from the prod to her good shoulder. Did she have a good shoulder now? There was blood in her eyes. The thing had gashed her forehead pretty good. She looked for it, found it in a bush some feet away, shaking it's head, and fly at full speed into it with her fist, flipped her feet out from under her in a wide arc while hovering and hit it in the side of the head again. "AAAAAAAARHHHHH!" She lowered to her feet and, realizing she had no other selves to support her, hesitated, unsure of how to proceed - was interrupted by a clown with a spiked club coming at her - ducked a swing, elbowed him in the back of the neck and kicked his feet out from under him.
That felt good. She brought her foot up into the chin of a girl dressed like a stuffed dolly from Princess Projecta's room, grinned gleefully as she was knocked fully off her feet, dropping her crowbar. She basked too long in her opponent's pain, because a piece of wood hit her in her bad shoulder from the side, causing a scream of pain to come unbidden from her.
Spinning into the air, she looked down to see a very short clown on another short clown's shoulders, wielding a large round stick of wood. "Base-ball bat" ran through her head. Super-Boy had had expressed an interest in the game and had shown him how the game was played. What were... Superboy... Time Trapper... a base-ball bat... Time... She looked around, guessing she had transported someone else in time. What the nass era had roving clown marauders? Sadly, none of Triad's selves were much interested in Earth history... She realized no one was paying attention to her, and a new shot of anger ran through her as she looked down (she had unconsciously floated higher than she realized) and noticed that the clowns were all focusing on someone else, someone in all black, with... antennae? No... Ears? Big black pointy ears? The image on his chest was a big red... What was that? A Bird? No, that wasn't a beak, they were ears too, but then... "Bat? Baseball Bat? Bat... Boy?"
She rushed down just as this man in black was using a clown on a chain as a mace, swinging the hapless clown around in a wide circle by the very chain the clown had meant to use as a weapon against the man in black. She came down with her heel on the back of one of the bigger clown's necks, back flipped off of him and into the two small clowns who had hit her in the shoulder. "Little trolls!" she picked up the baseball bad and began hitting them with it, using her good hand, until another clown came up behind her, she moved out of the way, and raised the bat, only to have him run past her, away from the man in black, holding his bloody red nose...
Lu laughed seeing that. Threw the bat down on the ground and watched the man in black clean up the last insistent antagonists, most either lying on the ground groaning or scampering off to lick their wounds.
She squinted and thought back hard... "Bat Lad... Bat Boy... Bat... Man? Bat Man?" That stuck in her head more than anything else.
She sucked air through her teeth, as the breeze stung her back, reaching behind her, she felt the wet blood and torn fabric behind her. There was more blood running down her forehead... "Sprock me..." she muttered. She hoped this era had invented disinfectant... or the study of medicine all together for that matter.
Her only condolence was watching how massively the man in black was womping these clowns. She bared white teeth watching him crack noses and bones and kidneys with his fists and feet. "Bat Man..." she muttered again, mesmerized by the elegance in the violence, something in that ringing true.
Bruce was only part of the way down the steps in the cave when he heard the knock at his door. Strange, no company was expected and Terry only comes through the cave. Speaking of which Terry should have already been back by now. Either way Bruce went to go answer the door, proceeding with caution. When he reached the door he gripped his cane hard, ready to strike encase the visitor wasn't friendly. He opened the door and grew immediatley irritated, "You..." He gritted his teeth slightly, "I thought I told you that my home was not a refuge for Clark's little band of so called 'Justice League' members!" Not wanting to take this out on a kid he turned back and headed for the cave, leaving the door open so she could follow and hear this. He hobbled down to the cave and to the Batcomputer. He clicked a few buttons before an image of a middle aged Kryptonian, funny how he and Ckark are the same age and yet Clark looks 20 years younger, appeared on the screen. "Bruce!" Clark said in surprised, "I never expected to get a call from you." Clark then pointed to the annoying child. "Tell your sidekick to stay off my property! And that goes for the rest of your so called 'Justice League'!" Clark took a look at the girl and became befuddled. "I'm sorry Bruce but I've never seen her in my life before. Are you sure she's not one of yours? Has Terry quit?" Bruce scowled, if she wasn't from Clark's band of merry men the who in Christ sakes was she?! He cut the communication with Clark and opened a line for Terry, maybe something he saw in the field could explain this mysterious girl....
Terry felt right now that he was back to cracking skulls. Things just seemed to flow into one train of thought when he was fighting. Analyze, evaluate, dodge, block, counter. He tossed one baterang at a joker and hit him square between the eyes and dropping him to the floor. He was able to hear the whiff of a crowbar and ducked to see it whiz over his head. He got on his back and saw the joker come over him and try and take another swing at him. He loaded his legs back and released them as he sprang back up onto his feet, his feet connecting with the Jokers face on his way back up. He landed on his feet and looked around and saw the DeeDee's coming at him, joy. He used his second batarang and tripped one up. The one still coming jumped up and tried to drop kick him, he easily countered by side stepping and grabbing her legs. He swung her into another joker and wrapped them both up in his chain. He grabbed a loose end and swung them around like a ball and chain.
Finally he finished the rest off and the two were left alone. He turned to look at her seething over some wounds she had and went to go check on her. He stopped when he heard the familiar click over the intercom. It was seiches later when Bruce's voice came on, "Terry I've got a situation here. A girl appeared at the major out of nowhere. She has short brown hair and is wearing a jumpsuit with a triangle symbol that's-" Terry jumped in saying, "Purple?" Bruce continued, "I was about to say orange... do you have a similar problem?" Terry nodded, "Let's compare notes." He continued his walk to the purple girl and said, "I need you to come with me."
Wayne Manor
The door swung open. "You..." the old man said through gritted teeth.
"Um, hello, Sir," Luornu said, cringing at the apparent anger. "I'm sorry, can you, um tell me..."
"I thought I told you that my home was not a refuge for Clark's little band of so called 'Justice League' members!"
"J-justice League? Clark - You mean Clark Kent? You know Super- Um, sir?" She followed the old man into the house. He knew Superboy? Maybe, wait - Justice League... that was... "Um, s-sir? Can I just, hello?"
She followed the man into a kitchen off the main foyer, and through a... secret passage behind an old clock?
There were stairs, and Luornu floated down them after the old man. "S-sir?"
The dog was growling at her again.
"N-nice doggy..." she said, trying to placate the large, angry black dog as it followed its master, laid down next to the chair the old man sat in.
A screen came on with an image of... an older Superman, in his grey uniform.
"S-superboy?" Luornu muttered.
"Bruce!" the older Superman called the old man. "I never expected to get a call from you."
The old man gestured at her with a thumb over his shoulder. "Tell your sidekick to stay off my property! And that goes for the rest of your so called 'Justice League'!"
Superman looked at Luornu, who couldn't find words, let along explain her presence. "I'm sorry Bruce but I've never seen her in my life before. Are you sure she's not one of yours? Has Terry quit?"
"Um..." Luornu said. "K-Kal...?" Something changed in Superman's expression as recognition seemed to dawn over him, and just as Luornu's hopes began to raise, and Superman looked as if he were going to say something, the old man, Bruce, closed the channel.
"Um... excuse me?" Luornu said, shyly.
The dog growled at her again.
"Uh... never mind..."
Downtown
"I need you to come with me," the man in black said as he approached her. Through the blood and the pain, she managed to smile and leaned in toward him.
"Okay," she purred, putting her good hand on his shoulder, half fell, half lowered herself against his torso, leaning against him, putting her head on his shoulder, rubbing her cheek against his chin and neck. "Keep showing me a good time like that and I'll let you take me anywhere you want."
Her injured arm was folded in-between their bodies now, her palm on his chest, feeling the muscle, her other hand stretched down around the small of his back and down... to squeeze his butt. "Oooh, firm..." Suddenly she felt whoozy and... he really did have a firm butt. Then she passed out.
Clark was confused at Bruce's call, the girl seemed familiar to him but he couldn't put a name to a face. Then she called out his name, his Kryptonian name, and things came back to him. "Bruce wait!" It was too late, Bruce had already cut the transmission. He turned to Aquagirl, "Can you reopen the channel?" Aquagirl shook her head, "Sorry Kal, his signal is too encrypted. It would take days to even get a text based message to him." Clarke grew slightly aggitated, what was Lory doing back in the 21st century?
Terry was now confused. When he was without arms reach of the girl she fell forward on him and she was... hitting on him, or at least that's what he thought. She certainly talking like it but she almost sounded like she was drunk or delusional. Was she seriously hitting on Batman? Normally women just thanked him and ran away from him, so what was her angle? Was she trying to get to him, soften him up for a critical blow? His train of thought was interrupted by her hand gripping his ass, he almost jumped out of the suit at that. Without warning she just passed out in his arms forcing him to catch her. "Oh you have to be karking kidding me!! The one girl to hit on me in weeks and she passes out right after!" He picked her up and clicked the center of his belt. The Batmobile lowered from the sky and touched down in the ground. He got in and clicked the auto pilot destination, cave.
Bruce was waiting in the cave when Terry finally came back to the cave, the mystery girl still beside him. Terry opened the cockpit, still carrying the girl. "What happened?" Bruce asked. "Girl passed out after she and I took care of some Jokerz. Didn't think Mutts claws did that much to someone. Terry set her down on the examining table and Bruce took a look at her. "The scratches and plus she has impact trauma as well as a dislocated shoulder." Terry was confused, "How can you tell? Her shoulder looks fine." Bruce chuckled, "That's because she popped it back into place, rather curdley but it got the job done, the trauma from the injury is still there though. It's gonna take a day or two before she can exert it again." Terry looked up to see the exact same girl but in an orange suit. "Who's she?" Bruce have her a passing glance, "I still don't know yet. I was hoping something from her could tell us who."
The Bat-Cave
Luornu was used to being invisible. Not as well as Invisible Boy, of course, but as well as any good corporate personal assistant - the old man, Bruce, had the air of a corporate executive about him, like Mr. Brande or Mr. McCauley - and like Brande and McCauley it looked like "Bruce" was a manager of super-heroes. After all, he knew Superman.
She stood back, kept quiet and watched. She had slowly lowered to the ground. The dog was still growling at her intermittently, but seemed less interested in her that something else that Luornu eventually discovered was a primitive - though beautiful - sleek craft that came down through a hole in the roof of the cave.
A man in black got out of the vehicle holding... herself. At first, Luornu was overjoyed to see her other third again, but then - seeing that she wasn't moving, and that there was blood on her face, Luornu put her hands over her face to stifle a gasp.
"Who's she?" The man in black said as he helped put her other body down on a high bed.
Bruce turned around and looked at her briefly, "I still don't know yet. I was hoping something from this one could tell us."
"Um... I'm Luornu Durgo - and, um, that's me too..."
That was it, she couldn't say any more until she knew... until she was sure... Bruce and the man in black were asking her questions, but she couldn't focus on anything but herself, lying on the table before her. She saw herself take a breath, and rushed forward happily until she touched one finger to her other body, and merged with her, sucked herself together until they were one. The shock of memories and merging injuries were jarring. The memory of the injured shoulder nearly sent her back into unconsciousness. She had bruises on her forehead, neck and back where gashes had been when they were separated. Her shoulder sore and swollen, but better than it had been for Triad Purple alone to bare. Still, they shouldn't separate for a while while Purple healed.
Her outfit was half orange and half purple now, with a purple and orange triangle in the middle, and no white down the centre of her torso or the insides of her thighs. Her right eye was lilac and her left eye was amber. The holes in her costume on the back were completely repaired, or at least they looked that way in this configuration. Her gloves and boots were still white.
Triad shook herself, Orange and Purple's memories merging as she sat up. She rubbed her face. "Time travel... I'm from the Legion of Superheroes, 31st Century Metropolis. Big bad end of the world battle with a time travel villain in the future. Probably okay now but... well, time travel," she said as if that were an explanation enough, after all, she was talking to two people who were essentially her colleagues in the super-hero trade. "And you're Batman," she said without looking at either of them specifically, then looked up at the two. "I'm sorry, Mr. uh... Bruce, I'm afraid you didn't see me at my best," she nodded with a little of Orange's courteousness. "And you," she turned to Bat Man, grinning cattily. "I'm afraid you saw me at my worst, yeah?"
She coughed before she could say anything else, holding her left hand up to cover her mouth, her two Legion Flight Rings on full display. She studied in her hand, pulled one of the rings off and put it on a finger of her right hand. "Now then, when and where the grief am I?"
Terry comtinued to stare at the unconscious girl on the examination table and watched Bruce do careful examination of the girl and her i juries. His attention only turning away when the girl in orange introduced herself as Luornu Durgo. "Luornu," Terry commented to himself, "What kind of name is Luornu?" Thinking more about her name made Terry chuckle at the ridiculous sound of the name. The chuckle turned into full laughter when she said that the girl on the table was Luornu Durgo as well. "Right and I'm actually Bruce's kid!" Bruce had the opposite reaction, his face was stern almost as if he believed her. Terry wasn't surprised, Bruce had probably seen everything during his time as Batman and wasn't ready to scratch anything off the list of possibilities.
His attention switched back to the purple girl as she finally gained consciousness. Terry went to go grab the medical supplies knowing Bruce would want to treat her so he could keep her stable while he got answers from her. As he went to get the kit the orange girl rushed past him, "Wait!" He called. The point he was about to make became moot when Luornu touched the other girl and they merged into one! "Shway," he said in response. Bruce didn't seem too surprised, but that changed when he saw the gashes and wounds he was about to treat turn to bruises, "Fascinating," he said in response. The two shut up and listened as she explained herself. "Of course it was time travel." Bruce said, he figured it had to be something that was impossible. Terry was still trying to wrap his head around it, "The 31st century?!" Terry sat down in the nearest chair taken back by the revelation. He sort of blanked the res of the way until she asked when and where she was to which Terry responded to with, "Gotham City, 2039."
"Yes..." Luornu said quietly. "The 31st century by earth calendar. And I've got a massive headache, so could you keep the exclamations to a reasonable volume, thank you." She rubbed her temples as she stood up.
"It's what my mother named me, thank you very much. And, at least in my time, it's generally considered polite to introduce yourself after someone tells you their name. Also... wait, Gotham isn't a City, it's a district of Metropolis..."
Thinking of Metropolis made her think of Superman. He was... She felt weak just remembering how amazing he had aged - that white hair on the sides, that salt and pepper on top, that Kryptonian military uniform that she had seen him wearing in some of the pictures of statues and paintings that adorned her and her friends' rooms... "Can we talk to Kal-El again? I've never seen him all grown up before, well, not in person, that is. Is he still with Lana Lang or is he single now?"
Terry got a nasty little thought when she back talked him about his exclemation. He held his arms out wide and then slammed his hands together that made a loud clapping sound that echoed through the cave. "Terry," Bruce said with a stern and warning tone. "Sorry," He said with a slight laugh, "I couldn't resist!" Thinking about how jovial and juvenile he was sounding it mind of counteracted the whole dark and grimacing look of the Batsuit. To get rid of that he gripped the spot where the mask ended and removed it from his face and tossed it on the table. He ran his hands through his hair and felt how messy and tangled it was due to the mask. He quickly fixed that by smoothing it out with his hands and quaffed it to the side as usual. He sat down in the big comfy chair infront of the batcomputer while the rest of this stuff sorted out.
Bruce paid closer attention now as the newly inter girl walked around like nothing had ever happened. "We'll keep the name basis to anonymous until we can figure out what the situation with you is." The adage of how Gotham is a district and not a city was strange. "In your time maybe, but in this time it is still Gotham City so that's something your going to have to get used to." At the mention of Clarke Bruce got up from his seat and walked over to lock the batcomputer to make sure she couldn't attempt to contact him with out his consent. "No," He growled, "If your memory is collective then you should know why I won't." He then left the cave.
Terry shook his head, "Yeah that's a bad move with him, he and Clark don't really get along anymore."
Luornu glared at the man in black for his rude behaviour. Then he took his mask off and her grimace lessened slightly. Mystery man was pretty cute when he wasn't being a little squaj.
"Bruce" was telling her that he didn't want to tell her their names. "You know as soon as I get back home I can just look you up in an ancient history text, right?"
That didn't seem to go over well and the old man left the cave for the house upstairs.
He also didn't seem to like the idea of calling "Clark", by which she meant Kal's adopted name, Clark Kent.
The man in black shook his head, "Yeah that's a bad move with him, he and Clark don't really get along anymore."
"How can anyone not get along Kal? He's, like, literally the perfect man? He's 'Super' man." Luornu leaned against the examination table, trying to look casual and trying to hide the fact that she was leaning on it for support.
Luornu remembered Brainiac telling her that Kal wore his Legion ring even after he had grown up, and that, if they absolutely needed him, they could call him through time using Brainy's stupid time travel death-traps. Luornu held up her ring and used a setting she hadn't used in, by her point of view, over a year, that for Superboy's ring. "Superboy - er, Superman, this is Triad, come in... Hello?" She waited a few minutes. "Hello...? Shit..." She sighed and rubbed her temples, her headache having diminished somewhat. She thought for a moment. Superman could fly, so maybe he could just need the ring for flying through space? Could he not be wearing the ring? For someone who tended to wear three rings at once that seemed irresponsible.
She looked over at the man in black swiveling in the chair under the ancient computer. Half of her wanted to attack him and force herself on top of him. The other half really wanted to go up-stairs and beg the old man to let them call Kal-El again. Eventually she made a decision. "How about this, Mystery Man, you tell me your name, and help me find where the rest of me has gotten to, and I'll let you borrow one of my flight rings. What do you say?" She pulled off one of her rings and held it up.
After all, she needed to stay together in order to heal properly, and she would only need one ring in the meantime. "It'll let you fly in space..." she gave her voice a tantalizing lilt to tempt him, holding up the Legion ring.
Terry was still not used to people referring to Superman by his Kryptonian name, Bruce always referred to him as Clark, so did the files he kept on him. He remained in the chair while Luornu went into what sounded like fangirl, or crush, mode and talked about how he's so perfect. "Perfect?" A few chuckles escaped him as he remembered the time Clark, or Kal as she liked to call him, went under the control of Starro and almost killed all of his Justice League. "Trying to say he's perfect is practically impossible, especially if you're trying to tell that to Bruce. You should have been here a couple months ago, then you would be thinking differently about that." Still Clark was a nice guy, it's hard to think what caused him and Bruce to have such a big rift between the two.
He swiveled in the chair more while trying to find something to do, now that patrol was over there was nothing left for Batman to do, but he still didn't know what to do with her. He turned to her when she mentioned there was more of her, "Wait there are even more of you?" Now the real question was, could they all assimilate into one like that or was it just between the purple and orange one? The ring she mentioned piqued his interest, "Space you say?" He thought about it but shook his head. "Nah, Bruce wouldn't want me to do anything like that without first discussing how we would handle this. Besides, the Batmobile can get into space, but there's no need, there are still the same nine planets out there, nothing's changing any time soon."
"Oh... nine planets..." Had the Sol system ever had nine planets? Triad thought back to history lessons... nothing came up. Between constructed planets using Kryptonian technology, wandering planets and exploding planets, any number of changes could have happened in the last thousand years to bring the number to the eleven that Luornu knew.
"Still, come on, tell me your name, at least. You owe me - I saw you, carrying my unconscious body out of that very small cock-pit, don't tell me you didn't cop a feel or two, Mr. Hero," she said indignantly, crossing her arms. "Plus, if I'm not looking for my other body right now, I'm bored." She slipped her ring on. "And if I'm bored I'm leaving." It was a bluff, of course, she probably shouldn't go anywhere with Purple in this condition, but...
She stared down the man in the chair.
Terry continued to swivel in the chair, ignoring the little quip about the planets. Damn people from the future, it was like they were cheating in the past with all of their knowledge from the future. He cocked a brow at her when she tried to accuse him of feeling her up on the ride over to the cave. "Well if you were paying attention, which how could you you were unconscious, then you would have noticed my hands remained under the crook of your knees and on your shoulders." Which was true, Terry had remained chaste the whole time. Though the thought did cross his mind on the way over, she had taken a squeeze out of his ass before so why shouldn't he gotten a grab out of her, but the thoughts never turned into action. Terry lowered the eyebrow and kept a straight face when she threatened to leave. "Then go ahead," Bruce's deep booming voice came from the top of the stairs.
He was walking down the steps as he had remembered a 911 call earlier that mentioned a girl in a white junp suit. From the vacinity the call came from the people from Gotham General should have come and gotten her. He reached the bottom of the steps and went to the computer and unlocked it. "I give you five minutes before you come knocking on my door again seeing as one of your halves only took three before she came back." He typed on the keyboard and brought up the call. "This was a call I intercepted earlier matching her description but in a white version of their outfit. Go to Gotham General and find out her story and see if it matches up with hers." Terry got up from the chair and grabbed his mask, slidin it back on to his face. "On it," Terry said in his deep Batman voice. He hopped in the Batmobile and took off for Gotham General leaving Luornu to do what she wanted.
"You're a very mean old man, Bruce," she told him. "No wonder history's forgotten you." Whether or not that was true wasn't something Luornu could be sure about. But she did manage to take off after the man in black and his vehicle. It couldn't hope to outrun her. But once it got into the sky it faded from sight.
Luornu sighed and pulled out her Omnicom from its pouch on her belt. With the scanning feature it was all too easy to track. And Luornu followed just above and behind the cloaked vehicle as they weaved through the city's buildings and skyways. On the flight to the hospital, Luornu tried to distract herself from what might have happened to her other self. She tried to remember how she could get back to her own time from here. Who had she encountered from this time period before besides Superboy? There was that Rip Hunter guy but... how could one ever find him? There were time travelling villains a plenty that she had read about who infested Earth's timelines, she had had to review the files as part of Legion training. Degaton, Warp, Chronos, numerous magic users. She knew that Superman could help her. Or at least use his ring to get in contact with... no, wait, did it work that way? She was having trouble thinking clearly without her other self. She hated being separated from herself for too long. Hopefully these "super heroes" were taking her toward her other body.
Bruce remained stone faced after the girl insulted him about his attitude. "I never expected historytoremember me." Yes it was always the song of the byronic hero that went unsung, no one remembers the outcasts, the black sheep. Though recognition wasn't why Bruce became Batman, Terry always reminded him of that. When the girl left to follow Terry he opened a communication line with Terry. "You've got a tail."
Terry received the communication and responded back. "I figured she would come, I wonder why the sensors haven't picked her up yet? Something on her must be something the Batmobile can't pick up."
"Just stay aware." Bruce said and the line went dead again.
Terry kept the jet in stealth mode just to keep things interesting for her. He swerved in and out of the skyline until the large red cross of Gotham General Hospital was in sight. Terry reopened the line to ask Bruce, "I need the floor and room number." Terry stayed on the line while he listened to Bruce at away at the computer until he came back with her. "Got it, they have her listed as a Jane Doe, the only one in the whole hospital. They brought her in with multiple abrasions and contusions, all cope coinciding with heavy impact injuries, reports say witnesses saw her falling from the sky." "Weird," Terry replied, "So what's the room number?" "4th floor, room 5." Terry pulled the Batmobile to the window of the specified room and opened the cockpit. He picked the lock on the window and gently slid it open before slipping in to the room without a sound. He crept quietly to the bed and looked at her charts, he didn't know if she was still conscious and didn't notice anything when he came in the room.
Luornu watched the man in black get out of his cockpit and climb through the window, she waited to see if he would go far, then could no longer restrain herself and flew in after him. It took her eyes a second to adjust to the low light, but she saw him standing over a bed, looking at a form on a clipboard. Then she saw herself and rushed over, diving into herself.
She came awake with a gasp as she felt her chest re-inflate fully, her bones realigning and snapping back into place. It hurt - it hurt horribly. Plus the drugs that were still coursing through her system, while diminished by two thirds, were still powerful, and made her woozy. Looking down at herself, she realized she was still wearing her uniform with only the orange and purple sections, her Triad-white uniform had been taken from her by the hospital staff. Over her uniform now she wore a white hospital gown. She tugged at the tie in the back and yanked that off from over her jump suit as well as the sheets. In the bio-fusion, the sensors and needles had already come out of and off of her body. The machines by her bed were now making a long, prolonged noise that made her headache all the worse. "Holy nass, I feel like death on a cracker, let's get out of here," she said to the man in black even as she heard commotion coming down the hallway.
Looking at her hands, she swore again. "Wait, they took one of my rings..."
Terry continued looking at her charts. It was strange looking at it, the standard set of drugs they used didn't seem to work, not Carisoprodol, or Diazepam, or Cyclobenzaprine, not even good ol' morphine. She didn't respond to them at all, at most they were just throwing in more liquids into her body. They had only gotten the standard set of antibiotics to take. That raised a few questions for Terry, if the standard set of drugs to keep a standard human sedated didn't work then what was she? "Hey," he whispered, "Are you awa-"
That was the last syllable he could get out before Luornu dove onto the bed. "Wait I!!" Then he watched as she assimilated in front of him, yet again. Watching that again should be way schway but it just made more questions come up. Was she meta, was she alien, or was she some sort of evolved human from the future? He shook it off as the drone of the machines monotone sound of no heartbeat pulled him from there. He looked to see that she was exactly the same as the last time he saw her except with an updated look to her jumpsuit, now covered in the standard white hospital gown. He waited for her to get everything together as she got over the fact that she just absorbed a part of herself that had almost her whole chest impacted.
The wait was cut short by the sound of nurses rushing down the hallway to try and save her. There was no time to find a stupid ring. He grabbed Luornu by the hand and yanked her out of the bed and out the window. He put her in the cockpit and closed it once he was in and rocketed off back to the cave to update Bruce in this.
She was whole again and part of her regretted it. Luornu winced at the painful healing fractures still present in her re-inflated chest, the bruised tissue in her head and lungs. She was dizzy from the rush of memories and sensations as her bodies reintegrated, to the point where she barely protested as the man in black lifted her out of her bed and carried her into his vehicle. As he closed the canopy, she got a brief glimpse of light spilling into the large patient room, nurses rushing in equipment.
"I'm amazed they didn't kill part of me - I'm not even human, you know," she muttered, sitting in his lap, craning her sore neck to see out the red-tinted canopy, see all the readouts. She needed to get her ring back - true, she had others and Brainy could always make her a new one, no matter how much he complained about the rarity of parts, he still had his sources, and if that meant new recruits and reservists went a little longer without a ring, then so be it. But what she couldn't afford was leaving future tech in the past. She would get in so much trouble if she let that slide it made her woozy just thinking about it. She might even lose Cragg's sponsorship to the Legion.
But for the time being she was just tired, and she snuggled down and back, against the pilot, his arms stretched out to either side at the duel controls. It really was a very small cockpit. "So, what now, Mr. Man With No Name?"
Terry zoomed the Batmobile over the dark skyline. He was surprised to feel her snuggle back into his chest, he hadn't felt that since Dana and he were dating. He refocused his attention back to flying so they wouldn't crash. The focus was broken when she even stated that she wasn't even. "Really?!" He really shouldn't be surprised at this point, he had met a Kryptonian, a half-Thanagaria half-human, an Atlantian, a waking Nuclear reactor, a woman who was waking ink, he really shouldn't react at hearing that he had just met another non-human. It's just that the fact that she looked so human he would have never guessed it, well after looking at her medical charts it was a possibility, but there could have been another explanation.
She asked him the gameplan for now and he himself didn't know. "We'll go back and drop off the Batmobile and then I guess Bruce and I will find a place for you to stay." He went back to flying before smirking, "I have a name..." He felt a little rebellious and decided to break protocol. "It's Terry, Terry McGinnis. Nice to meet you Luornu, am I pronouncing that right? Sorry if I'm wrong, alien names from the future tend to be confusing for me." After that he gave a small little chuckle thinking he was hilarious.
Finally they reached the batcave and he set the craft down. He opened the canopy and gently helped her out of it before stepping out himself and taking off his mask revealing the face of Terry McGinnis once again. Bruce turned in his chair, "Where's the other girl?" Terry waved his hand to her, "You're looking at her, they assimilated again and now three are one." Bruce tucked his hands under his chin, "Interesting." Terry went to grab his civillian clothes and went to change. When he returned he was in his standard set of jeans, a black v-neck t-shirt, and his brown leather jacket. "So what now? Where is she going to go?" Bruce began the shutdown process of the batcomputer, "She'll go to your home." "What?!?! How am I going to explain this to my mom! 'Hey mom look who found out in the streets, a random girl!'" Bruce shook his head, "Just tell her they're my distant cousin visiting from Metropolis, simple as that." Terry took it a step further, "And if she ends up splitting again?" Bruce had an answer for that to, "Tell her they're twins or triplets." He sighed in slight frustration, "Alright, I'll give it a shot." Terry turned to Luornu, "I guess your crashing with me." He nodded for her to follow him to the steps but before he could leave Bruce called for Terry and tossed him a cash card. "What's this for?" "Clothes, she can't go around in that jumpsuit forever. Take her tomorrow." Terry nodded and continued his way out to his bike. "Hop on," he said, he didn't have a an extra helmet so he would have to go without the helmet to give it to her.
Arriving back at his family's apartment he snuck her in, thankfully everyone was asleep. He decided she could crash in his bed for now until his mom made something for her. He took her to his room and immediatley flopped on to his bed, "Bathroom is down the hall if you need it, other than that feel free to crash wherever you want." With that he closed his eyes and tried to go to sleep.
"Well," Luornu said, responding to his outburst of surprise. "I guess my ancestors were, like 800 years ago. I'm from Cragg - that's a planet. I represent Cragg in the Legion... ugh... what were they doing to my body back there?" she said more to herself than the pilot.
"Lu-or-nu, three syllables. Or you can call me Triad - my professional name. My friends sometimes call me Lu or Lorry. And it's nice to meet you finally," she smiled. "Superboy always told us about the whole 'secret identity' thing, hard to imagine really living two separate lives like you do. I'm guessing your professional name is Batman?"
"Thank you, Tarry," she said, making sure she could be heard by Bruce.
"Incidentally," Luornu walked over to Bruce. "I want to apologize for what I said earlier. I don't really know if history forgot or remembered you or anything, I'm not that versed in Earth's history. I was just angry and not... all together, I guess you could say. And I don't do very well when I'm so... spread out, like I was."
"Um... let me just ask you one more thing, and I'm guessing from what Terry said that you and Clark were friends once? Maybe were members of the League together? Did he... did he really never mention me to you? I mean, not at all?" She tried to hide the disappointment in her voice and turned her face away so her expression would be too obvious, but mostly she was just struck by the finality of it all. That ultimately Luornu was just a footnote in Kal's past, a childhood friend that occupied a very short segment of his life. However, due to the wide swath of time that Kal's visits to the 31st century were spread over, Kal had been a part of Luornu's life since she had joined the Legion, since there was a Legion, and according to Brainy and his time institute, Kal would remain a large part of their lives for the foreseeable future. But this Kal, of this time, was old, and his time with the Legion presumably a long forgotten memory that bore little to no weight on his current life. It was no secret in the Legion that Luornu loved Kal, more than for what he represented, but as a caring, compassionate, brave boy who had inspired her since early childhood when she had escaped Cragg for Earth - Alien child makes good on Earth and becomes a hero. It was a very relevant story for Luornu and the shock that the boy lived up to the legend, even surpassed it, made her love him all the more. And now she was forgotten by him, no longer a factor in the story of his life. It was a little more than she could bear or process in the brief amount of time she had been all together, and her memories of her short albeit eventful visit to this time compiled.
"And, for all you know, it might be totally true, Great-Great-Great-Grandad," Luornu teased. "And it's just 'she' not 'they,' I may have three bodies, but I'm still only one person."
Luornu watched the Terran boy, Terry sleeping in his clothes, dead to the world. She smiled and headed for the bathroom. There were... bits of clear tape and bandages on her body from when White had been at the hospital and, stripping out of her jumpsuit, she began picking them off and looking at the wounds in the mirror. When she reconstituted herself the open wounds and injuries lessened in intensity and healed more quickly, so long as she stayed together. Still, she was all together now, so so long as one of her bodies stayed joined with White they should be fine. Orange, not having any physical injuries to speak of, was the obvious choice if they needed to separate, but Luornu didn't really trust Orange not to get into trouble without them, and without Orange the rest of her would definitely be out of commission. Purple then, would be their alternate if they had to split again, and just to see how it would work out, as a proof of concept, she stepped out of herself, Purple wincing as the cuts and scrapes on her back and forehead almost opened up again - but were just returned to being scabbed over gashes.
Looking in the mirror at herself, she noticed that they were looking better than she had initially expected them to be, but her shoulder still hurt like crazy. Her other body was panting, holding her chest, but professed to being fine as she folded up her jumpsuit and picked up her boots and gloves from the floor. Purple strode down the hallway back to Terry's room and, spotting him there crawled into bed with him, naked, wearing only her flight ring, nudging him to scoot over as she lifted up the sheets and slipped in.
Seeing the rest of her walk in, also naked, and close Terry's door, she motioned for her to put her stuff down on the chair by Terry's desk. The rest of her moved to rejoin and Purple shook her head. "Your fine, I'm fine, just get some sleep." Purple pulled at Terry again to make him move closer toward her so that Orange-White could climb in on the other side of the bed and get beneath the covers, leaving Terry on top of the covers between the two of them.
"Hey, Terry? You want to get out of those clothes, at least your shoes and jacket? Your clothes are going to be all wrinkled if you sleep in them all night."
Terry was half asleep when he heard Lorry leave the room, flaking his offer on using the bathroom. He turned over on his bed, now facing away from the door, and tried to settle down after all the fighting and the running around. Sometimes it was hard to do this since it was either something that happened when he was Batman or the dread of having to go to school tomorrow that kept him tossing or turning in the middle of the night. Right now, it was school. He would have to get up early and fight through the pain from the previous night and put on the facade that he wasn't Gothams sole protector and that he was just some bad kid turned good looking to just make it through the world one day at a time. Ugh and then there was having to deal with the social melodramas of Hamilton Hill High School. Who was dating who, why are a couple breaking up, who was getting shoved in a locker, where were people going on the weekends, what were the latest trends? Sometimes it was just too much for Terry to juggle and he would pay the price by being out of the loop and subject to ridicule from his friends telling him that he had no life out of working for Mr. Wayne. Through all of this wallowing in pity he realized something, tomorrow was Saturday. "Oh thank God," he mumbled.
Finally Lorry came back and slid next to him, going under the sheets rather than staying on top of them like he was doing. His eyes still remained shut so what she did in the bathroom was a mystery to him. Lorry nudged him to scoot closer and he did, not wanting to try and deal with a grumpy girl when he was this tired. He was surprised to hear another click of the door, was his mom coming in to say good night? He still couldn't open his eyes and he obeyed again when Lorry nudged him to scoot closer to her. When he felt the sheets lift again his eyes darted open. At about the same time Lorry suggested he take his jacket and shoes off. He obliged and got up, he saw Lorry next to him under the sheets, but when he turned around he saw her again, they separated. Great, Terry almost freaked over nothing, totally unschway. He didn't bother to look under the sheets since he saw two jumpsuits and boots neatly folded and placed out of the way. He sluffed his jacket off and kicked them off before falling back onto his spot on the bed and finally closin his eyes and saying goodnight to both Lorry's....
When he got up the next morning he saw the two wet still sleeping and he snuck out of his room to let them sleep more, it was a bit hard since his muscles and joints were feeling sore from last nights events. He crept to the lit hen where he found a note from his mother saying that she and Matt went out to his soccer game and that they wouldn't be home for another hour or two. "Perfect," he said relieved, now he wouldn't have to akwardly explain why two. Amex women were in his bed. This would also be a perfect chance to take her shopping for some actual clothes. Figuring out his plan he went over to the cupolas and began digging around for some cereal. He would let them sleep a little longer before going to wake them up, unless they woke up on their own and joined him for some breakfast.
Luornu watched Terry creep out of bed through one open lilac eye, grinning to herself. When she saw him close the door, she lifted up the cover that separated her from her other body and scootched over, wrapping her arms around Luornu's shoulders.
"Lu... no..." Luornu's uncoordinated hand pushed Lu away and then rolled over. Lu, still undeterred, started rubbing Luornu's shoulder suggestively. Luornu threatened to reabsorb her by giving her a slight biological tug. Lu yanked her hand away and tsked angrily. But ultimately it was no use fighting with herself.
She crawled over her other sleeping form and stood up, stretching as best she could with her still aching shoulder. The other two were carrying more of the injury than she was now, but it still hurt like a hell.
Triad-Purple opened the door to Terry's room and padded barefoot into the hall. After a few wrong turns she found her way to the kitchen, padded across the linoleum floor, looking for something resembling a coffee maker. Had they discovered coffee yet? Terry had his back to her, making breakfast, apparently, and was still dressed in the same clothes he had been wearing last night. They had that wrinkled "slept in" look, of course. Luornu was still naked as she found the stack of mugs by what she assumed was the coffee maker. It was primitive but effective, and dispensed coffee when she held the cup under the nozzle with a hiss. She held the cup up to her nose and sniffed, confirming it was in fact coffee.
Sighing with pleasure, she turned around and leaned back against the counter, crossing one bare leg in front of the other, wrapping both hands around the mug to warm them and sipped the hot beverage gingerly. "Good morning," she said between sips. "So, shopping today, handsome?"
Terry was still squatting down in the cupboard trying to pull out some things for breakfast. His eyes moved to the corners of his sockets as he heard the light sounds of footsteps across the kitchen floor. He reached for a glass plate and was prepared to use it as a disk to toss at the intruder, his trained Batman instincts kicking in. He then realized it was just Luornu walking out of his bedroom and he just set the plate down and went back to grabbing things for breakfast. "Hry, do they still have cereal in the future?" He pulled the various boxes out and set them on the counter above him, still not turning around. Once the boxes were out he had an idea to make breakfast a little better. He went to the fridge and started pulling out the orange juice, bacon, eggs, and milk. He kicked the door shut and listened as she figured out how the coffee maker worked, he wasn't one for coffe, too bitter.
He turned to face her and answer her question. "Yeah, Bruce gave us a-Whoah!!" He now saw that she was totally nude, if he had anything to drink at that moment he probably would have done a spit take. He was shocked to say the least, he had never even seen Dana naked before. He knew that they had crawled into bed naked with him, thankfully they were under the sheets while he lyed above, but why in the hell was she naked now?! Oh that just brought up a point, which Luornu was she? Was she the one in the purple that was hitting on him after pounding some Jokerz, the timid orange one that Bruce had to deal with, the one in the hospital, or the one that formed when the purple and orange got together? Dear god that was going to drive him crazy just trying to figure that out constantly! He was hoping that he was masking his shock and confusion, but seeing as she blindsided him with her naked form he wasn't to confident that he was. "A-a-and uh...this is why we're going shopping." He lowered his head and used his hand to cover his peripheral vision. He was hoping she would finally put on some clothes so he wouldn't have to do this the whole time. "And uh if you d-don't mind me asking... Which Luornu are you? Also, why are you naked?" He hope he wasn't being too rude with her by asking that.
Triad startled slightly and almost spilled a little coffee when Terry shouted. She frowned toward him as she steadied her hand - but then she saw his face and realized it was more a compliment at seeing her nude body. "Agh," she smiled, putting one hand on her bare hip, shifting her wait to one foot, eyebrows up, sipping her coffee as she watched him squirm.
"A-a-and uh...this is why we're going shopping," Terry said. She looked down at her body and wondered if she should be offended or amused at his discomfort.
"And uh if you d-don't mind me asking... Which Luornu are you? Also, why are you naked?"
Luornu looked up, grinning. "Well, it's very complicated, but, basically, I'm naked because I'm not wearing any clothes at the moment." She set her coffee down on the kitchen counter and walked over to Terry, holding her hands behind her back, coyly, moving very close to him and leaning forward to catch his eye. "Don't slouch, Terry, look me in the eye... okay, good, as to 'which Luornu' I am..." she took another step closer to him, almost pressing her body up against his, her face pushed very close to his, looking into his eyes. "You can always tell by looking me straight in the eye. You see how my eyes are this lovely shade of lilac without any icky amber? That means I'm the best Luornu, all of my confidence, all of my boldness and strength - I'm both physically and mentally stronger than my other bodies - also my breasts are much firmer, though the other mes will deny it..." She was enjoying his discomfort. It seemed to strange to be so upset by nudity. Her friends Garth and Ayla came from a planet of nudists and often walked around the headquarters nude in their off hours without any major comment from their fellow legionnaires - though Saturn Girl and Cosmic Boy, their Titanian and Braalian cultures showing, often admitted that nudity made them a little uncomfortable, but never anything so shocked and amazed as this boy from primitive Earth. A wicked through crossed her mind and she had to suppress a nasty little grin.
"Do you... why are you so upset, Terry? Is nudity really this taboo in your culture? Or is my body just that offensive to you...?" she did her best to sound and look hurt and offended, even though she was laughing on the inside. Messing with primitives was fun!
Terry's eyes remained locked down and he kept Luornu in his periphery. Even while he was looking down he frowned at the naked comment that was smothered in sarcasm. Of course she wasn't wearing any clothes and that's why she was naked! Sure Terry enjoys a little witty banter, but right now? He was not in the mood for it being that there was a nude woman in his kitchen, his family's kitchen for crying out loud! And he was lucky that neither Max or his mother was home... well really his mother, Max would just stop and ogle until he grew bored or until Luornu slapped him.
He was pulled away from that fearful trian of thought when he heard the padding of he feet on the floor as she slowly walked toward him until she came close to him and dipped her head to meet his eyes. She even ordered him to not slouch and stand up straight. He had no choice but to do so and stand up straight, his eyes shooting up and stayin locked in on hers. She then went on to explain about which Luornu she was and it was indeed quite simple. He found it quite interesting that they are so exactly the same, other than their personalities, that the only way to tell them apart was a simple look in the eye. The other differences she described were probably only there to turn him red and cause even more discomfort of the current situation. Well if they were or weren't, they did do just that. "Uh... Yeah I-I-I can see that or uh I guess in this case.... feel that."
She then proceeded to become suddenly shocked and hurt about his discomfort asking if this was because he thought she was ugly. "No no no its not that! It's not that at all!! It's just that... It's just that..." He was starting to become stuck due tithe fact that he was trying to think on his feet and normally that was something he was good at when he was fighting the big bad uglies of Gotham, but this was entirely different situation. Suddenly he got an idea, "Well it's like what you said, it's taboo in this time. Being naked infront of people is left for THE most private moments between a couple." He hope this was making sense to her or this was about to go downhill fast.
Luornu burst out laughing and stepped back, placing her coffee on the counter. "Yeah, I know, I've been to twentieth century Earth before - in Smallville. Also, some of the human colony worlds like Braal and Titan still have taboos against nudity - I'm just messing with you. You know two of the leaders of the Legion - sort of like your era's Justice League - are from a planet of human nudists. And on Cragg and on most other human worlds it isn't really an issue."
"What's so funny?" came a sleepy voice as Luornu walked into the kitchen, also naked, rubbing her eyes. "Is that coffee I smell?"
"Sure is!" Luornu poured the sleepy Luornu a cup of coffee, handing it to her and tilting the sleepy, amber and lilac eyed Luornu's chin up so she could kiss it gently - rubbed her side tenderly, letting her hand slide down to settle on the other's hip, accepted a kiss back from her other sleepy self, and leaned their foreheads against each other. "How's my adorable little bundle of neuroses this morning?"
"Mmmm..." the sleepy Luornu muttered, nuzzling her head against her other self. "Coffee...?" She pulled back from her other self and drank the hot, gently steaming cup.
"Enjoy it, sweetie," the lilac-eyed Luornu said as she gave her other self a playful little slap on the bum. "I'm sorry, Terry," she said, switching gears and crossing her arms over her breasts, casually, but with a conscious effort to take pity on the poor hero. "I'm also the repository for my sense of humour, so I'm not above poking fun at other's discomfort. So, anyway, shopping today?"
"Who's uncomfortable?" the other Luornu was saying, leaning her bare butt against the cool kitchen counter and drinking her coffee.
Today was the last day of summer, which made the High Elf a bit sad. Sighing to himself he figured he'd enjoy the lake one last time before fall would hit and then winter where everything froze. See Dath'Remar Sunsorrow wasn't like the rest of his people, he didn't join the Alliance with the remaining High Elves, instead he had chosen to stay close to his family who had followed Kal'Thas Sunstrider, his uncle who had found a way to curve their appetite for arcane magic by feeding off of fel magic. A foolish choice for his family, but yet he wouldn't turn his back on them. Instead he sat back in the dark and watched as they became converted into what they were known now as Blood Elves. His two younger siblings Mio and Himeko were always off doing their own thing nowadays. After the fall of their uncle they knew that they had to re-find their original paths and find a new hope. Dath didn't have that lust for magic anymore, he instead had turned to nature where he had originally stayed with. He was a druid, which wasn't rare, but the Night Elves had mainly taken that route. The Night Elves were High Elves but in a different form, like the Blood Elves, but different. As he stared at the lake, completely lost in thought he felt the warm breeze hit his hands and face as he then shook it off.
He would always stay to protect his family and even though High Elves were not really supposed to be within the Horde ranks, he was the only exception. He liked Thrall and enjoyed serving him, to him he was like another father. One who didn't abandon not only his people, but the other races who followed him. A true leader. Him and Thrall had spent many long weeks together just talking about one another as they both learned a lot. What hatred he had once bore for the Orcs was almost completely gone for he saw how Thrall was and that he wasn't like Blackhand who had once been the original leader of the Dark Horde, and the others before Thrall. Thrall was different, kind and caring, not like the other barbaric Orcs before him. Which this is why Dath admired him and begged to join the Horde so he could watch over his family. Thrall didn't care that he was a High Elf, what he cared about was making sure that one of the families under his watchful eye would be safe, knowing that Dath would protect them and other members of the Horde. Too many wars had passed and most of his family had been killed off. His family thought he was dead because of Arthas, but he had managed to get away in time by transforming into a bird and flew away. He had been watching in the shadows for far too long, wanting to tell his family that he was safe, but too afraid to do so. One day he would find the courage to do so, but that day wasn't today sadly.
He had stared at the lake for far too long as he had been lost in deep thought and then slowly started removing his gear so he could get a nice swim in before the last day of summer ended. When he removed his hood his long white hair fell out as the wind caught it, causing it to float gently. His goatee was was also white like the rest of his hair, his body was nice and tone from all of the training and working out he had done. He was a druid so he either spent most of his time in his lynx form hunting or in his bear form defending himself. He left his boxers on as he jumped into the water and normally he'd change into his aquatic form, but today he wanted to enjoy the water in his normal form. He didn't know he was being watched but right at that moment he didn't care. For all he knew it could be the other animals around him. "This water feels so great... It's sad that today is the last day of summer..." He said as he swam around in the water as he took a smiled softly before diving in deeply. His normal lunges couldn't allow him to breath under water, but he could hold his breath a lot longer than most. He swam to the bottom of the lake as he enjoyed the scenery down there before having to come back up for air. When he came back up he shook his head and laughed heartily to himself as he enjoyed this last beautiful day of summer.
After about an hour of playing in the water he slowly got himself out as he shifted into his lynx form to shake himself off dry. He then changed back into his elven form as he gathered his leather clothing and put half of it back on, leaving his top and hood off so that he was only half naked. He put the rest of his gear into his small magical pouch which was located right next to one of his daggers as he made his way to his favorite spot near the lake and laid down. He let out a long drawn sigh as he laid on his back and stared at the sky. He didn't even realize he had drifted off to sleep. But he was so calm and so relaxed that it didn't mater at that point. Nor did it mater that he was still being watched. He was comfortable and needed a nice nap after that swim in the lake.
Traveling much farther away from his home than he normally would, Krefiin knew he was bound to encounter many enemies on his journey to find greater knowledge of the other races. He knew there was no other way though to obtain such knowledge other than to confront every obstacle that comes in his path. Although like most of his people he hated to fight because it goes against everything profit Valen has taught him after all those years of studying under his leader. But he also taught him to seek every bit of knowledge he could possibly find.
Finally he came upon a lake where he could rest for a bit and be safe from any nearby threats. However, he felt something out of place around him. He noticed a blood elf Just leaped into the pond and instantly readied himself for combat."Foolish elf" he mumbled to himself ready to make the first move if need be. He hated blood elves more than any other race because of their past with his people. Further examination of the elf though as he came back up for air showed him that this elf was a high elf still. A mixture of relief
and confusion arose that was not there a few moments earlier. Still this did not mean he was clear from combat by any means.
He watched the elf for several minutes until he finally go out of the pond and began to rest. Knowing the elf was asleep he wandered over to the elf who didn't seem to be disturbed from his slumber. He made it right beside the elf and began to question if he should stay here or move along."This is not safe to be here I know but.." he murderer to himself and cut himself off on the chance of awakening him. He continued to stare down on the elf wondering what he should do now.
Dath slept peacefully as the intruder came closer to him. He could smell the stranger now and slowly opened his eyes as he saw a Draenei standing over him. He quickly shifted into his lynx form and stood on all fours as he hissed at the Draenei. "Why are you here Draenei? What brings you into Horde territory like this?" Dath asked as he kept his pose. See most druids couldn't speak in their animal forms, but Dath could. He was a rare case and he feared that if there was one here, there surely would be more. "How many do you have with you? And just how long have you been staring at me? Were you waiting to strike me down while I slept? Speak before I end your life where you stand!" She snarled as he showed his massively large canines to the Draenei, hoping to either scare him or back away slowly. Either or didn't matter to him, but he was going to make himself VERY clear to his enemy here. His golden eyes watched the Draenei carefully as if waiting for him to make a move, which if he did it would be a terrible mistake.
Krefiin was not shocked when the elf awoken, it was indeed expected of him being a druid.He then watched as the druid quickly changed into a lynx and sighed. He knew the druid would not willingly enlighten him with the knowledge he was after by simply walking up to him and offering a pleasant chat. Still there was not much else he could do.
As the lynx questioned krefiin about why he was here as well as threatened him he was both surprised and amused. Krefiin knew he could hold his own against the druid so the his snarling remarks meant nothing to him. However, never has he seen a druid speak in any other form except their own."Save your threats high elf, I am only here to better familiar myself with you'r kind. We do not seek conflict where none is needed" He watched for the elf to make a move or a reply not know how this would turn out.
Looking at the Draenei he tilted his head as he listened to his enemy. "Better familiar yourself with... My kind? Dear boy, I am the only High Elf here that sides with the Horde. My reasons are my own though. I cannot abandon my family nor will I. Alliance are not allowed here in Horde territory. If I wasn't in a good mood I'd kill you right where you stood. I can see you can hold your own, but what I have and you don't have, is age and experience." Dath said as he began circling the Draenei. It had been so long since he had seen a Draenei that he had almost forgotten what they looked like. He wanted to know the truth, to know why this Draenei was here and what his true purpose was. Hopefully his 'guest' would intrigue him. This man... Interested him. Made his elven curiosity grow strongly now. Maybe he might find out the truth and he may or may not have to kill him. He didn't want to kill the Draenei if he didn't have to.
INITIALIZING
BOOT-UP SEQUENCE ACTIVATED
MEMORY CHECK - COMPLETE
SPEECH CAPABILITY CHECK - ERROR:
SPEECH PARAMETERS NOT FULLY ESTABLISHED
CONTINUE? (Y/N): Y
MOBILITY CHECK: COMPLETE
VIDEO PROCESSING CHECK: COMPLETE
BOOT-UP SEQUENCE COMPLETE
As the first activation checks were completed, slowly, this new being decided to open its eyes and see the world around it. Looking right in front of her, it noticed that there was a very beautiful, red haired woman that was standing in front of her. What the woman was doing, it could not be sure as it had a pondering question in its processor.
QUERY: IS THIS PERSON MY CREATOR?
Its computerized question focused itself on the bottom left hand corner of its vision as the programming started to take shape.
"Are... you.... my... creator?" It asked with a pause as if it was struggling to speak. Hopefully, some questions were going to be answered as the unit looked at the woman for the very first time in its existance.
As the first activation checks were completed, slowly, this new being decided to open its eyes and see the world around it. Looking right in front of her, it noticed that there was a very beautiful, red haired woman that was standing in front of her. What the woman was doing, it could not be sure as it had a pondering question in its processor.
QUERY: IS THIS PERSON MY CREATOR?
Its computerized question focused itself on the bottom left hand corner of its vision as the programming started to take shape.
"Are... you.... my... creator?" It asked with a pause as if it was struggling to speak. Hopefully, some questions were going to be answered as the unit looked at the woman for the very first time in its existance.
"I am. My name, Candi, is Thatri Silvers. You may call me Mistress, Mistress Thatri or Mistress Silvers." Thatri stands and walks closer. "Present your self for inspection."
NEW IDENTITY FOR THIS UNIT: CANDI
CREATOR'S NAME: MISTRESS THATRI
INSPECTION SUBROUTINE: PROCESSING
As Candi stood in the middle of the floor in a room that she did not recognize, she noticed two things about herself that were very apparent. one was that she was a female and the second, she was naked. Walking back and forth, she started to her inspection routine, which required her to kneel down on the floor and spread her legs wide.
"Your... wish... is... my... command... Mistress... Thatri." She slowly spoke as her voice program just did not seem to be working at full capacity.
As Candi stood in the middle of the floor in a room that she did not recognize, she noticed two things about herself that were very apparent. one was that she was a female and the second, she was naked. Walking back and forth, she started to her inspection routine, which required her to kneel down on the floor and spread her legs wide.
"Your... wish... is... my... command... Mistress... Thatri." She slowly spoke as her voice program just did not seem to be working at full capacity.
"Seems you have speech issues. Diagnostics my lovely Candi." Thatri kneels in front of her stroking her body."
RUNNING SPEECH DIAGNOSTICS: SPEECH CAPABILITIES AT 50%
RUNNING SELF FIX ROUTINE: PROCESSING...
PROCESSING...
PROCESSING...
SELF FIX ROUTINE COMPLETE...
SPEECH CAPABILITIES NOW RUNNING AT FULL CAPABILITY
Feeling the strokes from Mistress onto her body, her emotions were not showing at all. If she was capable of emotions at this moment, she probably would feel comfort with the soothing touches that Mistress was providing. With her diagnostics completed, Candi finally spoke. "Candi can now speak properly. There was an error in Candi's speech processing program. Candi has now fixed that error. Does that make Mistress feel better?" She asked as she stayed in the same position that she was now in.
Feeling the strokes from Mistress onto her body, her emotions were not showing at all. If she was capable of emotions at this moment, she probably would feel comfort with the soothing touches that Mistress was providing. With her diagnostics completed, Candi finally spoke. "Candi can now speak properly. There was an error in Candi's speech processing program. Candi has now fixed that error. Does that make Mistress feel better?" She asked as she stayed in the same position that she was now in.
Thatri speaks in Elven which is a language Candi is not programmed to understand but can learn. "Thaumaturgical Diagnostics." Thatri then scans her magical pattern to see if the Emotional issues are there as she switches back to American. "Emotion programs aren't working check related software."
Candi could not understand what language that Mistress Thatri was using but, being proactive, she decided to save the accents and the words for a future reference. Once Mistress Thatri switched back to American English, Candi heard the command and started her software checks:
SEARCHING FOR SOFTWARE UPGRADES...
NEW SOFTWARE UPGRADES AVAILABLE...
DOWNLOADING UPGRADES...
INSTALLING EMOTIONAL UPGRADES...
UPGRADES COMPLETE
Just as soon as the emotional upgrades were installed, Candi let out a smile of content as she felt Mistress Thatri's hand stroking her body. "Thank you Mistress. Candi was not able to download this much needed software." She let put a soft purr as she leaned her head in towards Mistress's hand. "Candi feels... comfort with Mistress's touch. Is this normal to feel like this?" She asked, feeling puzzled as the emotions that she just downloaded were swirling all around her processors in her body.
"Yes that is perfect." Thatri kisses her passionately. "Now, my Candi, what do you feel now." The magic scan showed no magical anomalies. Thatri smiles at the knowledge derived from her magic.
Feeling the passionate kiss on her lips, Candi felt her entire body glowing in delight as she started to get goosebumps all over. She could not help but to answer as she smiled. "Candi feels... " She paused as she was trying to relate to a feeling but there was nothing that she could relate to so she decided to do the next best option... tell Mistress how she felt. "Candi feels joy and happiness. Candi feels a very slick feeling between her legs building up. Candi is not sure what this means. Is this good, Mistress?" She asked in her confusion. Deep in her programming, she was only sexually attracted to other women so that was one subroutine that could not be changed..
Thatri purrs. "Very good." Thatri stands. "Stand and embrace me." Thatri waits as she watches for any issue. Thatri is wearing Black Leather pants and a Red leather sundress with a White cotton lab coat. And Red Leather Ballet Boots.
Candi's motor subroutines went to work as she stood up smiling with her red hair flowing below her shoulders and down her back. Many emotions were swirling into her computerized mind as the one main emotion stayed with her... happiness. Though her programming told her to obey mistress at almost every command, she was starting to make a connection with fulfilling those commands. To her, fulfilling Mistress's commands equaled happiness as she did just as commanded. Wrapping her arms around Mistress, Candi placed one hand on Mistress's lower back with the other just behind Mistress's neck. She decided to go with full body contact as her breasts were squishing against Mistress's body. She let out a loud purr as she smiled. "Is this how Mistress wishes for Candi to embrace her?" She asked, feeling a small shake in her body as happy emotions were sweeping through her systems.
Thatri kisses her again as she rubs her ass. "What do you think Candi?" Thatri's leather feels cold against Candi's skin.
Feeling the warm kiss against her cold lips, Candi let out a very unexpected purr just as Mistress rubbed her ass with her hand. The rub almost forced Candi closer to Mistress as she released the kiss and smiled, answering Mistress's question. "Candi feels that this embrace that she did pleased Mistress very much. The reward told Candi that this is how Mistress wished to be embraced. Candi will embrace Mistress just like this when she is commanded to do so..." She paused for just a bit as she leaned her head against Mistress's shoulder. "This is because Candi enjoys this type of contact... very much." She added as she then looked back up with her eyes towards Mistress. "Can Mistress... teach Candi how to make Mistress completely happy?" She asked with a pleading look in her eyes.
Thatri's lips are warm it is her leather outfit that is cold. "Of course. Just be very obedient and hyper sexual at all times." Thatri kisses her again as she does she fingers Candi's ass.
Candi felt the leather outfit that Mistress was wearing in her embrace against her cold body. She did not look down to see if she was naked or not but she has a very good feeling that she is. Feeling another sweet kiss as she felt her ass being fingered, Candi lets out a very muffled moan as she releases the kiss. Though she did not need to breath, she could feel that Mistress certainly needed to. "Candi can be very obedient. That is part of her programming but... Candi does have a question." She paused as she looked back into Mitress's eyes once again. "How can Candi be hyper-sexual and... what is 'sexual'?" She asked, feeling a little confused as she made one more question while still learning more and more about her surroundings and her Mistress. "Is what Mistress is doing to Candi... sexual?"
Thatri kisses her passionately. "I love you. Okay Sex is two" Thatri smirks. "Sometimes more then two people enjoying each others physicality. So yes all this is sexual. Hyper means overly or a lot. So you should spend a lot of time being this way with me. Unless I say otherwise." As images of the Kama Sutra flash through Candi's mind.
Candi's processors were still trying to make sense of what Mistress was telling her as she felt the sweet kiss yet again. She could feel her body swaying with her mistress's movements but with being a special android, she had to rely on her programming. There were so many variables that Mistress talked about but only one thing was certain for her... what they were doing now was sexual as that seemed to make her very happy. "Candi understands, Mistress." She replied, having not reached the programming to call herself by 'I' or 'Me' just yet. "So Candi should feel... very happy or..." Softly, she tried to access many data banks and even the internet to find the right word but she just could not find it.... not at her stage of awakening. "Mistress, I can not find the word that I am looking for. Can Mistress help to find it?" She asked as arousal was not ingrained into her programming... not yet anyways.
Thatri purrs. "Candi should cum yes." Thatri watches and waits.
Thatri seems to shiver while purring. "Candi should always feel very happy when she makes her Mistress happy."
Candi felt Mistress shivering just a bit as she tried to process the ideas that came out. "Candi understands that Candi should feel very happy when Mistress is happy... but Candi does not understand what cum is. Can Mistress help Candi to understand what that means? Is it sexually related?" She asked, still feeling Mistress's fingers flowing through her as images of two women engaging in Karma Sutra positions flowed through her processors.
Prince S'chn T'gai Spock was irritated. Even if his face showed nothing but a cool, impassive mask; inside he was nearly seething with malice. His rival, Ston had dared to chalange him to a a'woon battle. Of course the incompetant male had lost, Spock had barley found it a chalange to his skills to take down the other vulcan.
Quickning his pace to the edge of proprieties limit, the crown prince rounded a corner, finding himself in the palaces lavish waiting room outside the main hall. His father had summoned him here, his father did not like to be kept waiting. Usually someone got flogged if the delay was long enough.
Pushing open the heavy wood doors, Spock strode into the room, his dark chocolate collored eyes sweeping around the enclosure to clear it for threats. Noting is father lounging in his throne, a slim silver chain held loosly in his hand brought a small amount of curiosty blooming to the surface of the half vulcans mind, even more facinating was the slim female attatched to that chain sitting on the floor.
Aproaching the throne of his father Spock held out the customery salute, bowing his head respectfully to the elder vulcan.
"Live long and prosper father. You summoned me?"
The elder man acknowledged his son with a bob of his head; hed seen the eyes flit over the female at his side. But the idea of this gift being given was bound to have a more profound effect. Yes, I did. It has been brought to my attention that I have too many slaves to attend to, too many women that this latest addition is being gifted to you. His own chocolate eyes moved down the chain to the female form attached to the other end.
Indula had barely spoken to the man since she arrived. She answered questions when asked but offered no other information. She was the latest of gifts sent to other kingdoms, as a way to have them pledge their allegiance to Geniva 4. She wasnt sure where to call home truthfully and could offer nothing to that area. She sat with her legs folded beneath her on the floor, a simple grey shift swarmed her body but the fabric was almost sheer allowing her body to be seen.
Round breasts to fill an average males hand stood proud upon her chest, the darker nipples were peaked due to the cooler temperature of the room. Curious mint green eyes stared up at the younger male that entered, a bit of fear welled in them when she understood this was her new owner. Looking away her odd mix of dark blonde hair spilled over her shoulders and curtained her face off. Though the sight wrinkle of spiked bones that crested forward from her head only added to her beauty, it kept her from being entirely hidden. Her skin had a slight coppery tan sheen to it. Her mutt race mixture caused her origin to be questioned, though one could never deny that she wasnt a sight to behold.
The older man stood and guided the woman to her feet using her chain. She stood taller than most women at 510, but she was still not as tall as wither male. Her hands held the fabric at her sides as her eyes closed and reopened to focus on his face. She knew what was expected of her but still the sense of fear welled up, she didnt know what to expect. The man made her turn, her slight curves showing as she moved. Her hands held raised plates of bone as well, same as her head, though she wasnt trained to fight and would use them for such. Her chain was handed off and she held her breath.
Speak your name girl! The order came in short and clipped.
I am Indula of Geniva 4, She spoke soft but clear. I am a gift to earn your favor. She wished to say more, but to beg her new master for his kindness would fall on what she thought would be deaf ears.
Spock gave his 'gift' a slow once overl, noting each of her more womanly attributes. The girls interesting green eyes and accuenting bone protusions made her look exotic, and she was astheticly beautiful in most humanoids perspectives as well.
Once she had answered his innitial question Spock turned back to his father.
"I thank you for this gift father. I will enjoy her. We will take our leave now."
Turning, Spock walked away, not even bothering to give a tug to the chain around Indula's neck, he knew she would follow him. What he didnt know was how to proceed. He had never had a personal slave before this, and with his pon farr aproaching the nature of his gift was apparant.
Leading his new woman back to his lavish rooms took a bit of walking, and that walk was done in near silence. He wasnt much of one for talking when no talking was needed. Opening the door to his room Spock lightly tugged on the silver chain, indicating with a sweep of his hand where his new slave was to sit while he retrieved a key to remove the wide, ungainly collar from her neck. Instead he would replace it with one of his own make, a finely crafted peice lined with silk and adorned with a few tastefull jewels. Much more fitting for a princes slave than the one she had now.
Indula followed, fear of what might happen if she didn't kept her in check. The halls and corridors passed by, curious green eyes flitted over them but no words were given. The silence was deafening. His grasp on her chain was light but she had no doubt that if she attempted to run he would tighten it.
As they walked she wondered what he meant by enjoy her. She may have been a virgin but she knew what enjoyment he would expect her to give and it frightened her. She followed his directions and sat as he directed. Staring up at him as he fumbled with the lock, clear green eyes flitted over his face. The fear she showed was palpable and more than understandable. "Thank you master," she whispered before dropping her gaze. Slim fingers caressed the tender flesh of her neck.
Spock could feel her fear like it was in itself a living thing, it eminated from her skin in waves, striking out at his mind even though he was not in contact with her. Catching her gaze for a brief moment as he perused his face, the vulcan prince set aside the old collar, picking up a cool wet cloth to clean the irritated skin of her neck. Running the cloth over Indula's neck to clean away the built up grime, Spock stroked his fingers gently across the now clean surface flesh, acknowlaging her thanks with a dip of his chin. Clipping the new high quality collar into place, he fingered the shiny latinum tag at the front, wich read 'owned by S'chn T'gai Spock'. this claim would keep the low level trash away from his slave. And only the most stupid of rivals would dare to chalange him for her.
"You may address me as prince spock when we are in private. And i would prefer you to use the vulcan term for master when we are in public, it sounds more elegant and less crass. Trentor is the word. You are my kafeh or slave now. The only three people you must take orders from are my father, myself and my mother. All others whom would order you disregard unless specificly told by me."
His voice was a deep, rich baritone, overlayed with honeyed tones that gave it a resonating quality. Yet the voice held little inflection or emotion as was expected of him.
"Now. You require a bath and food. Then when we are done with both those tasks I will test your coitus abilites. Also you will be sleeping here and you will eat when and what i do. I expect absolute obediance. If you make a mistake you will be given a chance to correct it and learn not to do it agian. Any further blunders of the same nature will be punnished acording to the severity of the act. Understood?"
Tilting her head as the soft cloth came in contact she closed her eyes and tried not to sigh in satisfaction at the action of her master. She had very little training, the kingdom wanting her pure for this strict purpose. His warm fingers followed causing her to quiver slightly. The collar he gave her was smaller and soft against her skin. The permission to call him by his given name was something she didnt expect and the Vulcan terms were much gentler sounding.
She tried not letting his voice work into her system but it did. Recognizing she belonged to the family but was for his pleasure was easy, at least it was only one and not many she needed to service. At the mention of food her stomach gurgled, a bath sounded divine as well. After being caged and travelling from her planet to here, she felt many layers of space grime. Her coitus abilities were none, but the small bits of training she had would help her prepare him for it. Her eyes travelled the room and wondered where she would be sleeping in the spacious room.
The idea of being given a chance to self-correct was interesting. Yes Prince Spock, Her voice was soft, but she looked up at him and graced him with a soft smile. Sir what if Ihaveno coitus abilities? Shall you be very disappointed in me? Mint green depths lifted up to meet his own chocolate. He was handsome and she found her body responding to his already. Perhaps it was the fear that made it seem that way.
Spock watched his kafeh digest the information he gave her, satisfied that she was inteligant and obediant but not wilty or fragile.
When she made eye contact he held it, even going so far as to alow the barest tilt of his own lips in response to her smile.
"No. I will prefer it if you are untouched. I am tired of used whores who act out their every motion. Now come, we will bathe"
Walking gracefully to the door that led to the side bathroom, Spock glanced back in invitation to acompany him. Entering the spacious, tastefully decorated room the vulan prince turned on the tap for the bath, filling a deep ornate tub with cool but not cold water. In the desert heat of vulcan cool water was prized, and it was a show of wealth to have so much.
"Undress yourself and then me kafeh."
He gave the order softly, without an ounce of force, he knew it would be followed.
His words shocked her, she knew it was a prize but for him to prefer it scared her a bit. So many questions flitted through her head. Each touch he would give would be new and she would not act. Promising herself she would feel it all and try to be the best slave hed ever have. She hadnt missed the slightest of tilts but knew nothing would be given to her in the way she was used to.
Rising she followed him to the bathing room at his glance. The room was the most beautiful shed ever seen. The heat of the place was felt and her copper skin carried sweat both dried and fresh. The water tumbling down into the tub made her smile widen. Watching him she nodded briefly understanding his gentle command.
Shaky hands moved to the hem of her gray shift she lifted it slowly over her form. Her body was smooth, hairless and soft. Blushing she stepped forward and removed his shirt, pulling the fabric over his head. Her eyes flitted down over him slowly, before rising to his eyes. As she knelt to remove his shoes her spine was exposed. The same bone nodules on her hands dotted the line of her body. They werent sharp just different.
Once he was out of his shoes and then his pants she paused a moment. Her hands fumbled at the band of his undershorts. Closing her eyes briefly she gave the flimsy fabric a shove. When she opened her eyes, what greeted her caused her to heighten in color. Her copper flesh brightened at the length she faced. Unsure of what else to do she stood; her eyes remained on his shoulder. Unwilling to look him in the eye she waited.
Spock watched his slave bare himself to his gaze passivly, silently admiring her body as it became visible to him. Her form was well and her body healthy even under the veil of dirt. She was pleasing. He was amused by her embaressed final undressing of him, he knew that he was well endowed by any humanoid standard. Flexing his lean but well muscled body to show off abit, the vulcan prince analyzed her reaction carefully, deciding that she would be very intertaining indeed.
Shutting off the water when the tub filled, Spock stepped in, flicking a glance at his slave for her to follow him. Once they were both settled he casually perused the many choices of bathing soaps, selecting one with a fresh, femine sent for Indula.
"Use this to bathe your body thouroughly."
Selecting a masculine sent for himself the crown prince began his own bath. He prefered to care for himself with hygiene, and his slave would do the same.
She noticed the slight flexing of his muscles under her perusal. And had they been lovers shed have laughed and kissed him tenderly, but they were not. She stood watching him turn off the water before stepping in. Indula wondered if her body pleased him, one could never tell with a Vulcan. Wondering why she wished to please him and deducing that it was her job.
She stepped into the cool water and dipped below the surface. Emerging she could feel her skin was a bit cleaner. Grasping the soap she began washing, pausing only a moment to watch her master to make sure it was the right move. Watching his fingers glide over his own flesh with a coating of soap assured her that this was the right choice.
She lifted to her knees, her arm brushing against his slightly with the action. But it enabled her to wash better. Working the bar into a rich lather she smoothed it into her breasts and down her arms. She washed all of her body that she could reach. Prince Spock would you be able to wash my back for me? She asked softly, before adding. I can return the favor.
Glancing over Spock watched his slave wash herself, smirking slighlty to himself. Her body was indeed pleasing to his eyes. Feeling the slight, unententional brushes agianst his body alowed him glimpses into her emotions, she was still afraid. Looking over when she spoke, Spock dipped his head again, nodding slightly to her request.
"Of course. turn around."
Grabbing a loofa, he latherd it with the sweet smelling soap, and when her back was presented began to wash her skin gently.
Indula loved the feel of the soap on her skin, she had no clue the slight touch allowed him views of her emotions. Had she known she would have guarded them a bit more. Afraid but curious about him and how he would make her feel. These two things combined within her. She smiled and spun on her knees when he asked.
The loofa scratched the dead skin and dust off her flesh, revealing the slight goldish coppery skin of her back. She trembled beneath the surface of the water. He was gentle and it was almost eerie. "My turn..." She whispered. When he obliged and turned she washed his back with her bare hands. She smiled, his flesh was hard like a man's should be yet soft. She lost herself for a moment and pressed a soft kiss to the base of his neck before her fingers smoothed over the same area.
Spock sucked in a quiet breath as his slave suddenly got abit braver, the weak cocktail of emotions eminating from her intensified when she began to wash his skin. When he felt her soft lips press into the back of his neck he couldnt help the quiet gasp he released. It had been a long time since a woman had touched him, and with his species being touch telepaths it made their bodies very sensitive. He could feel her admiring thoughts and the accompaning emotions with them. She didnt quite know what to expect of him, and that was good. he didnt want her to become complacent too soon.
Turning around when she fnnished Spock suddenly lashed out, firmly pinning his slave to the edge of the tub beneath him. It wasnt a menacing hold, just a possesive one. He made sure that his stance didnt portray any anger or malice, he didnt want to scare her too badly. His voice took on a deeper register, the rich baritone going slightly husky.
"did no one ever tell you not to tease a vulcan?"
Blushing at the way her thoughts went and the soft touch of her lips to his skin, she shook off the want to do it again, or the picture of him doing the same to her. A shiver went down her spine at the image. She heard the gasp, liked catching him off-guard this way and was proud shed even affected the Vulcan prince in this manner.
His next actions made it so it was her turn to gasp. Mint green eyes flitted up over his face this close. Oddly she wasnt scared; a little shocked but not scared. Though perhaps she should have been. His voice changed, she didnt understand why but it did. She blinked at him, Indula had never been told such a thing, though what she did was it a tease? I-I didnt mean for it to be a tease Master uh, Prince Spock. I only thought it was a nice gesture, something that might feel good Im sorry Spock, so sorry.
She trembled where he pinned her, her teeth dragging over her lip as she waited. He was so strong; she could feel the strength and knew if she struggled it would not get him to loosen his grip. If anything it would tighten. Fear reared up again the longer he held her in this position, Please, I only wanted to know what it would be like
Spock frowned slightly, realizing that his slave had become fearfull again. slightly relaxing his hold, the vulcan prince sent soothing pulses of emotion to Indula, hoping to calm her.
"I am not angry with you. Vulcan skin is simply much more sensitive than most. So even a small touch like that gives a large amount of stimulation. Im not going to punnish you for your actions. It was a 'nice gesture' and one that would be welcomed in the future, do not mistake my own form of 'teasing' as anger."
Running his free hand gently over her thigh, Spock kept his voice gentle. It wouldnt do to have his pet afraid of him. He didnt want a simpering airhead at his side after all. And coitus was much less enjoyable when the partner was terrified of the initiator.
She did calm, feeling the pulses immediately. Biting her lower lip harder she listened to his explanation. The stimulation she gave him was liked and would now be welcomed. His lack of expression had her confused at his tease. His grip losened and she tilted her head at him. Her hands slid over his arms, the enjoyment of touching him showed on her face.
Her thigh quivered as his hand drug over it. Her teeth released the lip and her lips parted to breathe. Indula wondered how sensitive his skin was. Tipping her head forward she pressed her lips to the underside of his jaw. "Is that... Ok Prince Spock?" Her eyes flitted up to his, her voice was soft. And she felt something well up inside her, desire.
As he felt Indula slowly loose the fear that had welled inside her, Spock notied with a small amount of satisfaction how quickly she accepted his odd brand of comfort. Feeling her smaller, soft hands running along his arms brought his full attention to her, and he let a miniscule amount of encouragment mix with the calm he was projecting.
When her thigh quivered under his fingers and her breathing accelarated, Spcok realized that she was becoming aroused from his touch. Smirking inside the safty of his mind, the prince shot a single small pulse of pleasure to his slave as her lips touched his jaw, letting her know silently what he thought of her contact.
"Yes. It is 'ok'."
It felt as though she couldn't slow down and in fact, didn't want to. Each touch to him set her burning higher. She felt the pleasure and was encouraged by his response to do more touching. Her brows furrowed as she attempted to decide how to touch him. Indula knew she shouldn't want to touch him or even desire him in the way she did. That scared her.
Questions filled her head, why should she provide him pleasure? Why did she want to, outside of it being her main job? She knew she didn't want to be beaten or fall out of his good graces. Soon she would test his limits and allow him a punishment. It was necessary to judge his limits and to know what would be done, in order to serve him to the best of her abilities.
She had heard of pon farr and knew it was when he would need her most. Indula wondered if she would be allowed to carry his child, he being a prince and she a mutt commoner. For some reason her heartbeat sped up. The thought of being his to that extreme excited her, but it was short lived and she knew that it was out if her station to think upon such things.
Her stomach growled. "Will you have me now or shall we eat my Trenton?" She lifted her hand and settles it along his jaw, the small pad of her thumb brushing over his lips. She wondered what they would feel like pressed to hers, even briefly. It caused her breathing to shallow out once more. When would this stop and how would she ever control herself.
Spock smirked, observing his slaves reaction to the desire he was sending her through their physical contact. Her obvious arousal and confusion about it amused him. Pulling her closer he nuzzled her neck to gauge her reaction.
"We will eat first."
Indula gasped softly as the males nose drew along the smooth column of her throat. The sensations it caused made her quiver. Unknowingly being affected by him sending her waves of pleasure. She felt her pulse race and her mind drew a blank as to why she felt so closely connected to him. Her fingers ran over the smooth skin of his bare back as his words fell upon her ears. The disappointment combined with the relief and she stepped from the tub. Drying him off after he stepped from the tub she smiled and made sure his entire body was clear of water.
Wrapping the towel about his trim waist she couldn't help but allow her gaze to fall. To the thing that hung between his strong thighs. Swallowing hard she secured it a d began drying herself as well. Once finished she moved back to his main rooms, food sat on a small table kneeling next to the chair the female prepared to eat the scraps he would feed her. Keeping her head lowered she bit her lip, she wished to sit in his lap or at the table and be treated like a human instead of a toy. Eventhough she desired him.
Spock could hardly contain his smirk as he continued to pick up on the roiling emotions of his slave. He knew his body was pleasing, and He was enjoying Indula' s helpless reaction to his prodding. Dressing in a loose meditation robe, Spock entered his main rooms following Indula. When he sat at the table he noticed her longing look, knowing her emotions and thoughts would come in handy with keeping his slave happy.
"Indula, you will sit with me when you have pleased me, if you have misbehave that privilege will be revoked. Am I understood?"
Certain that the message was well received Spock lifted his slave into his lap, settling her comfortably so that they could begin their meal.
Bare she stayed in her place, kneeling beside his chair at the table. Her eyes lifted to him, longing for something she didn't quite understand poured from her eyes but she tried to keep it at bay. Smiling when she heard his words she lifted to stand. "Yes Prince Spock... I understand." Moving close she placed a kiss of thanks on his cheek.
Surprise filled her when he tugged her close and placed her on his lap. Her soft body molded to his, she was across his lap. Her breasts proudly heaved upwards as she straightened her posture. Her eyes slid over the plate of food before him, and now her. Meats and vegetables, even a bread of some sort. to the side a plate of fruit, all of which made her mouth water.
Indula waited patiently, mint eyes on the prince. She was unsure of if he would feed himself a bit and then her or go back and forth with bites of food. She smiled at him and even giggled when her stomach gave out a rumble of protest at waiting so long. However, in waiting her eyes fell to the bed several times and even though they fell back to her master, her cheeks maintained the blush.
Wrapping his arm securly around his slaves lap, Spock began the meal, sipping at a glass of fine gold colored wine from his goblet. Then reaching around Indula he chose a slice of meat from the pile and savoringly ate it. The food was good and so was his company and the prince of vulcan was content.
After he had sampled the rest of the delicaces from the plates he turned his attention to feeding his slave. He had heard her stomach growling and he didnt want that to be a distraction for when they turned to more...active pursuits.
Selecting a slice of heavy fruit drapped in honey he held it up to her lips, watching her closley to see what reaction she would give him.
He had found that soon his new favorite pastime would become cataloging and changing the emotional reactions he could get from Indula, her vibrant mind was very pleasing to him after all and what fun would it be if he couldnt tease her abit now and then.
Continuing with their meal Spock picked up on the longing if somewhat reluctant thoughts that his slave was experiancing, and decided that the meal could be hurried abit for both of their comforts sakes.
She watched him eat, listened to the chewing and swallowing as her stomach gnawed at itself within her belly. Indula tried sitting still and attempted not to wriggle around on him too much, even though she knew what was just under her. Her eyes lit on his as she watched his fingers bring the fruit to her lips. Pink tongue flicked out to wet the surface before she opened her lips to accept the sweet choice morsel.
Keeping her hands still, one on his thigh and the other on his lower stomach she savored the tang and sweetness as it washed over her taste buds. Her eyes closed as she moaned in pleasure. "Thank you my Prince, my trentnor..." She whispered once the first bite was gone. Silently she begged for more and wasn't disappointed.
Indula obediently opened her mouth for each morsel he gave her, whether she liked it or not. Her longing for what she didn't understand proceeded to confuse her as each moment it built up inside her. The Vulcan prince beneath her was innocent of anything, she thought, it was only her own body that desired a deeper connection. She continued to blush as the meal continued and neared it's end.
Spock knew that now was the oppertune time for thier activities to begin, now that Indula was fed and happy. Scooping her into his arms he carried her over to the bed and set her down on its center, dropping the heavy robe and following her on.
"I think its time we put your skills to the test my pet. I have high expectations im sure youll be able to fill."
Swooping down he captured her lips in a fierce but carefull kiss, calculated to make her loose her breath and excite her even more. The prince was no innocent. He had been with other wemon. But that was only in the firey grip of the Pon Farr, never of his own free will and never cognizant enough to really enjoy it. So he planned to make the most of this oppurtunity and his beautiful new pet.
Giving out a sound of surprise the female stared up at the male carrying her with such little effort. She curled her legs under her and sat upon the center of the bed where he placed her. Eyes roving his body when the robe was discarded. He was beautiful and she couldn't wait to be his. She was trained to please men but was not allowed to be taken, it was part of her being a gift in war times.
Indula nodded, she hoped she'd be able to as well and was glad he had such faith for her. Gasping into the kiss she moaned and lifted her body up against his, soft breasts pressed tightly against the hard breadth of his chest as her fingers timidly shoved forward into his hair. "I am yours..." She mumbled against his fiery lips.
Questing hands moved over his back and down to his backside, gripping the rounded flesh before rising up to trace his back. Forward to his chest and lastly down to grasp his member. the length and girth of which left her more breathless than the surprising kiss. Her fingers wrapped about the root and worked slowly to the tip, caressing and memorizing the surface of his meat while her lips parted to his.
Spock was faintly confused by her thoughts though he didnt show it, he was uncertain as to why she had been untouched until previously. It didnt make much sense for a pleasure slave to never have been taken by a male.
He wasnt going to complain though, she certainly had the skill to satisfy his needs. but this wasnt just about him after all. As he felt the soft flesh of her breasts pushing against his chest, Spock wrapped his arms around her to keep her close.
"I know. And i plan to make you Fully mine tonight."
He was surpised at how bold she became, but her touch was arousing and he wasnt going to stop her. when she grasped his now straining need he let loose a soft groan, pulling her closer and gripping the soft swells of her ass in his hands encouragingly.
She didn't see the look of confusion cross his face at her thoughts. Her eyes were closed, loving the feel of his hands on her lower back to keep her close to him. At his words her eyes opened and met his. He knew, how did he know? She wondered if it was told, she blushed a little across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose.
Feeling the weight of him against her palm she swept her thumb over the head of his member, loving each sound he made. She smiled knowing he liked it as he tugged her closer, using her ass cheeks as a handle to keep her there. "I-I am thrilled that you will make me completely yours my prince... your slave is nervous but excited." Her words were soft.
Her lips pressed to his chest and slowly she eased down his body working his hands loose from her ass. That is until he was on his back and she was kneeling between his spread legs. Smiling down at him she licked her lips before flicking her tongue over every exposed surface of his thickened member. She moaned softly, his name before her lips wrapped around his throbbing love stick and began bobbing.
Spock looked down at his slave, purring roughly as her minstrations began to pick up. Groaning softly as she settled between his legs.
"Good. Because im not letting anyone else get near you. Your mine."
When she began sucking on him he gasped, hips jerking slightly as the pleasure lanced up his spine at her actions. Slidng his fingers into her hair, he gently tugged, encouraging her to keep going.
Gently thrusting his hips up to meet her movements, Spock stroked along her cheek, eyes gentle.
His words reached to her soul, they caused her to flutter deep within her stomach. She wanted only to be his, care for his every need and be protected under his wing. She wanted to make him gasp over and over again. The purr, it caused her lips to smile as she gazed up into his eyes. Rolling her tongue up against his member as she bobbed her head up and down hoping to hear him moan or say her name. His hands slid along her head and into her hair, guiding and tugging her down on him more. Using her training she loosened her jaw to make his glide easier.
As his thumbs caressed her cheek she moaned sending vibrations along his cock. She felt him begin to thrust and allowed his long hard length to fill her mouth and down into her throat as she pressed her lips to the base of his member. Gaining speed as her head bobbed on him, loving the taste of him on her tongue. A long, loud moan leaving her throat as he continued thrusting into her mouth. She loved his dominance and the gentle way he was with her. When he did take her she knew he'd be gentle and attempt making it easy on her, at least she hoped she was correct in her thinking.
Indula's minstrations were begining to drive the fairly inexperianced prince to his release quickly. Her skilled hands and mouth coupled with the emotions he was able to pick up roiling in her mind were highly exotic to the normaly stoic prince.
"though..i will want to show you off abit at the next party, we rarley get such lovlie pets and when we do its in good social manners to make the others jealous just a little."
Groaning softly when the vibrations from her moans made his pleasure spike up, Spock tightend his grip on her hair, speeding up his own attempts.
Show her off? She didn't understand, did this mean he was planning on sharing her just this once, using her to tease the others. Indula feared she would disappoint, she didn't like crowds. Perhaps she could get out of it, but how? She pondered this for only a moment as he began bucking wildly into her mouth, his grip approaching painful as he tugged on her hair and forced his length down her throat. Her breathing was rapid and she found herself gasping around his length as he spent more time down her throat and blocking her airways.
Tears formed in her eyes as she stared up his body to his eyes, half lidded due to the pleasure she was giving him. She knew this was all she was but it still hurt when the realization hit. Her own body was filled with desire and need. A touch could break her over that heady wave and into pleasure. Her hands, instead of touching herself, traveled one along his stomach caressing the firm muscles she felt tensing there. the other slid below her mouth and chin and cupped the prized orbs that held his seed. She weighed them on her palm and gently massaged them using her fingers in ginger sweeps.
Not wanting to gag on his release the hand on his stomach slid down to hold the base of his cock steady while her head pushed against the persistent tug of his hands. A thick line of saliva linked his throbbing member to her lips before her hand rose from his testicles to stroke the length of him and ease his orgasm out of him. "Gift me with your seed Trentron, please..." She begged dropping a kiss to the mushroomed head. Her lips parted, opening and wrapping about the head to suck gently as her fingers stroked him quickly. Green eyes focused on his face and the mask of pleasure it wore.
Spock smiled slightly as he felt her worries, he had no intention of sharing her. Vulcans DIDNt share with anyone. he would have to explain that to Indula soon. Loosing his grip on her hair slightly so he wouldnt cause her pain, the vulcan prince stroked her cheek encouraginly as she began to fondle his balls, a low groan begining to force itself from his throat at her actions.
When he noticed the tears he wiped them away gently with his thumb, he didnt want to see her cry. He knew that she wanted to cum also, and he fully planned to give her as an intense orgasm as she was gifting him with. he was getting close to exploding, and the wanton begging she was saying and the heady need he could feel from her was not helping his control at all.
Locking his own chocolate orbs on her emerald green ones, he thrust up once more before his cock throbbed once, spilling its hot cum into her waiting mouth in long streams.
Indula adored the sounds he made when she pleasured him. His groans and moans were so sensual and made him sound vulnerable. She nearly laughed, a Vulcan prince defined as vulnerable. Feeling his thumbs on her face to clear the watery tears away she blushed. Perhaps he would think they were only her eyes watering from the build of pressure. His momentary loss of control was her only priority, the heat building between her legs was only slightly bothersome. She lied to herself, her fingers itching to take care of the need.
When his eyes locked on hers she smiled around the head of his member as he thrust up into her mouth. Indula felt his length throb against her tongue and moaned again. Her eyes widened with surprise as his salty cum hit her tongue. Drinking down the spurt she moaned over and over as he filled her orifice with his seed. He tasted wonderful, amazed she stroked his shaft drawing out every last bit of the fluid. She watched his chest rise and fall as his breath filled and left. Licking her lips cleaned she pressed them along his body until she was upon his chest. "My prince... your taste is delightful, thank you for gifting me with your seed."
Indula knew he meant to have her but she wasn't certain when, "Prince Spock... might your slave have a moment to deal with her own..." She blushed deeply. "Her own need, I promise to be quick so I may once again be at your disposal." Her face dropped to stare at his chest. She never realized her life would be like this. She silently worried about making others jealous when she couldn't even have him desire her. Biting her lower lip she waited, breasts pressing to his chest slightly as she hovered above the male.
Spock colapsed back against the coushins panting heavily from the after shocks of his release. Indula had certainly not been lying about her abilities. Smiling slightly he drew her up against his chest, soon he would have regained his breath and then the next round would begin.
"what are you talking about? You need not to take care of that yourself."
Flipping her under him spock gently spread her legs, taking a moment to admire the sight of her needy quim displayed for him. He was going to enjoy pleasuring her.
She puzzled at him and his response. Did he intend to take care of it? Indula pressed her lips softly to his chest and smiled down at him. "Prince Spock, I do not mind...Oof..." she ended her sentence with the air going from her lungs as he flipped their positions. She kept her legs together, or at least tried to. but his hands gently pulled them open.
Quivering core felt his breath flitting across the surface of it as he sat there admiring her. Damp curls the color of the hair on her head, a bit darker now crowned the apex of her thighs in a thin soft layer. Caramel nether lips glistened with her need, green eyes moved down her body, between her heaving breasts to his face and the admiration she saw there. Silently she wondered if making her wait was part of him teasing her or if he was just uncertain how to proceed.
Rising up on her elbows she watched him, thighs quivered as his face inched closer to her needy womanhood. Her hand moved down her body slowly, apprehensive at best. Uncertain if he would welcome her touch. It would not be to guide him or hold him there, simply to touch and marvel at what he was doing. She smiled, unprepared for the onslaught of pleasure he was about to bestow upon her.
Spock inhaled the intoxicating scent coming from Indula's core, licking his lips slightly as he planned his soon to be pleasurable assault on her. Slowly stroking along her inner thighs near her damp mound, he kissed the soft skin there and nipped lightly. Teasing her sensitive flesh abit before he moved on.
Feeling her fingers on his face the vulcan prince purred softly in encouragment, nuzzling her fingers lightly. He wanted to be in as much contact as possible so that he could feel her emotions.
Smirking up at her, Spock slowly leaned down and licked a slow stripe up her nether regions, stopping to teasignly flick his tounge over the small bud that would bring her the most pleasure. Gently spreading her soft lips apart with his fingers, he proceeded to lap at the quivering entrance, desiring more of her sweet necter and loving the surprised sounds of pleasure that it brought from his slave.
Sharp intakes of breath filtered into the air of his chambers as his lips pressed soft kisses to her inner thighs. She bit her lip and giggled around the impediment as he nuzzled her fingers purring, as though he was the pet in a role reversal. Indula sighed settling into his gentle kisses.
Her thighs were parted and remained that way, although her spine arched so high a slight popping sound was heard. It was only the flick of his tongue but it was pure magic. She whimpered and moaned, her fingers stroking into his hair and, now, pressing on his scalp gently.
"My prince..." she whispered as he began lapping at her entrance. A spot that was sensitive and dripping with excitement. Felt his fingers on her body, holding her apart for his questing tongue. "Yes." The woman lifted her hips and rocked them against his tongue, needing to feel him deeper, or rather, something deeper.
The war was finally over. Three years of fighting, suffering, all over. Commander Shepard barely made it out alive along with her friends. They lost and gained many friends through their journey on the Normandy, but for Shepard, Garrus was her best friend. He was there when Kadian broke her heart. There when she truly needed someone. To fight Saren, the collectors, Cerbrus, and finally the Reapers. She couldn't ask for a better friend.
Even now while living in the apartments of the rebuilding Citadel she sees him everyday. He again always there and of course her best friend.
Garrus was more or less trapped on the Citadel as the Mass Relays were rebuilt and repaired. Which was fine with him, he had a big promotion waiting for him back on Palaven and he was glad to drag his feet when it came to going home. Promotions meant paperwork; and Garrus certainly didn't want to spend his fighting years behind some desk playing with politicians.
But the Citadel wasn't that bad of a place to be, Shepard was here: so the company was nice...the view was even better. Even though she was soft, squishy, and so...alien, Garrus felt himself drawn to her. It was hard for him to deny that he had feelings for the human any longer. She had almost died when activating the Crucible...and he had been too worried about ruining their friendship to tell her that he loved her...
He wasn't going to make the same mistake again. He had lost her to Kaidan, lost her to the Collectors, had almost lost her to the Reapers. And now she was famous with suitors following her around all over the place! He needed to do something, and fast.
So he had invited her over for dinner and to watch the Skyball game. Hopefully a little alcohol would make him brave enough to make a move on her this time.
It's been a long time since Shepard got to sit down and relax since her new promotion as Fleet Admiral took a lot of her time, but she always made time for Garrus. It seemed like almost all her guy friends, except for Cortez and Joker, as well as her girl friends and complete strangers were trying to get her to be with them, but she wasn't really in a lot of them. James and Kadian try the hardest, but she couldn't really decide right now.
Shepard happily went over to see Garrus. She wore her usual Alliance Navy casual uniform and knocked on his door.
Garrus was just plating their food. Dextro foods for him and Levo foods for Shepard. He didn't mind cooking...he actually kind of liked it. It kept him busy. He heard a knock on the door and quickly finished what he was doing before answering.
"Shepard! Right on time. We can have dinner before the game starts." Garrus' mandibles clicked happily and he managed a smile...a more human habit that he had picked up from serving with them over the years. He was dressed casually in Turian clothing and even removed the blue, glowing visor he always wore. Even so, he was still a rather tall, muscular specimen of Turian. "I made some...chicken...thing for you. I may have overcooked it, I heard humans could get sick from undercooked meats."
Shepard smiled "You've been doing research huh? It's true sometimes fatal too. It's fine if it's over cooked." She walked in happily and noticed his visor was missing. "Wow you look different without your visor. It looks good." She complimented.
She saw how he prepared for her arrival and smiled a bit. He put a lot of hard work into it which didn't surprise her, Garrus was a bit of an over achiever, but she liked that about him
Garrus preened a bit at the compliment. Good! She thought he looked good...not handsome but, it was a start. He stepped a bit to the side so that Shepard could come in, then shut the door behind her. His apartment wasn't much. Small, economical, probably only a tiny bit bigger as Shepard's cabin had been on the Normandy. But considering much of the Citadel was damaged and uninhabitable, it was quite nice.
He strode over to the small kitchen and brought their plates of food down to the little breakfast nook that he ate his meals at, motioning for Shepard to come join him. He even went so far as to pull her chair out for her before he sat down himself. "It's the Asari versus the Turians tonight." He smiled, obviously a bit excited. Even though reconstruction was underway, watching a Skyball tournament was a good way to pretend everything was normal, at least for a little while.
Shepard sat down in the seat he pulled out for her thinking how polite it was. Kinda strange for him, but sweet nonetheless. "Thank you. Who do you think will win? My money's on Turians. Asari's are powerful, but Turains have the advantage of strength and endurance in a non biotic game." She smiled sweetly at him. She wanted to relax and take her mind of things living in the illusion that everything was fine.
"This looks amazing by the way. Looks like you put a lot of work in it. I hope it wasn't too much trouble to make food for the both of us." She gave a happy, but concerned smile
"Yes I'm rooting for the Turians too of course. The Asari have an excellent offense this year though. It's sure to be an interesting game." Garrus knew that if the Asari could keep from getting run down and hit during the match, they may even just sneak a victory against the Turians. Garrus already had a glass of water and glasses of wine on the table. He poured some from a red bottle for Shepard, and then some from a blue bottle for himself.
"It was no trouble...a little confusing. Most Turian food is cooked more on the raw side." He had made Shepard something that looked like chicken and pasta. Garrus' own plate was heaped with parts of an animal that looked as though it may have come from the sea at some point. It closely resembled human calamari but wasn't fried. To him it was delicious, to a human the smell of it wasn't bad...but it definitely didn't -look- like something one would want to eat.
"Oh and the red bottle is for you...help yourself, I can't drink it." He offered a smile, hoping it wasn't too evident that he was trying so hard. But he had definitely had to put in a lot of research into preparing a meal that wouldn't accidentally make the Commander sick. He had done so much searching over the extranet that he was absolutely famished, eagerly digging into his plate of food.
"Thanks Garrus. This is really great." She said happily taking a drink of wine then eating her meal he prepared her and was surprised. "Wow Garrus this is really good. I didn't know you cooked so well." She complimented.
She saw how he was so hungry. Must of did a lot of work to make this right it was sweet, but she never seen anyone put this much work in their evenings with her. It put a smile on her face to see someone so hardworking and kind
Garrus wolfed down the first half of his meal before he slowed down enough to sip at his wine. He was nervous. This wasn't the first time him and Shepard had spent time together off duty. But that had always been in a more platonic sense. Now that he wanted to make a move on her, he didn't know where to start. If she were another Turian he'd compliment her on her fringe or her waist. But did humans say such things to one another? Spirits...he was in over his head.
He knew Shepard had many human suitors...even a lot of Asari suitors. As a Turian he was just so...different. So alien in comparison to the Asari. His fears started to melt away as he drank a bit more, so much so that he soon found his glass empty and had to refill it. "How was another day in the life of Comman-" Garrus paused for a moment, correcting himself "Fleet Admiral Shepard? I may just always call you Commander...just so your ego doesn't get any bigger." Garrus grinned, finally relaxed enough that he could fall back into their routine of playful banter.
She chuckled a bit "Call me Commander if you want, but I don't think it's my ego in danger. How about it sharpshooting Reaper Advicer Archangel?" She joked. "By the way did you ever get your gun bronzed after I let you win that shooting contest?" She asked playfully happy to see their playful banter returned
She took another drink looking more relaxed. Garrus seemed more relaxed then before which made her happy, but wondered what made him so tense? "But nothing new really. Just construction here and there some suitors. I haven't said anything to them yet don't worry." She tease
"Heh...no, not yet I'm afraid. I figure I'll keep the old girl around until she falls apart, then I'll get her bronzed to retire her." Garrus smiled. He did love his sniper rifle so, even more now that he had bested the Commander with it. "And I won that contest 'fair and square' as you Humans say! You Biotics have no appreciation for the finer things...such as sniping your opponent from 2.5 kilometers away. Always just running around, blasting everything at close range." He smirked, taking another sip of his wine and starting back on his food.
For a moment her words scared him. Was he so obvious that Shepard knew that he was attracted to her? That he hated the admirerers that all but threw themselves at her? No...it couldn't be. She was just teasing him, of course. "No one able to tame the Savior of the Galaxy yet?" Garrus teased her back, but was quite relieved that she wasn't going out of her way to find someone new after Kaidan.
Before they could pursue the topic any further, Garrus noticed that it was 20:00. The game was starting! "One moment." He got up and hurried into the living room, just so he could turn on the TV and put on the game so that they could hear it from the kitchen. "Are you finished eating Shepard? If you're not that's fine...but we could move into the living room. Little more comfortable..." He smiled, more comfortable and the couch would allow him to be much closer to him. Usually he cursed this small apartment...but now the little room would lend itself nicely for Garrus to try to get a little more physical with the Commander.
She smiled "Yeah I'm finished. Besides I wouldn't miss this for the world." She joined him and the couch that made them closer, but it didn't seem to bother her. She's use to being close to others, but didn't suspect anything out of the ordinary. She laid back relaxed and crossed her legs to get comfortable trying not to hit Garrus. A smile was on her face it's been awhile since she's had fun with him.
Garrus carried their bottles and glasses of wine over, setting them down on the small coffee table and relaxing on the couch with Shepard. Now that he was two glasses of wine in the hole, the Turian was feeling pleasantly buzzed, though wasn't drunk by any means. It was just enough that he sat close to Shepard, a lot closer than he usually did. He could feel the human's body heat radiating off of her...it was nice.
He tried to focus on the game rather than the feel of her body heat or the scent of her hair, but his thoughts kept drifting away. Humans were so strange...covered in hair all over and disguising their natural scent with deoderants and perfumed shampoos. But he liked it, it was so different from Turian women. -Everything- about the Commander was so different...Garrus didn't really consider himself a xenophile. But he definitely did enjoy his human friend's company, and Shepard was beautiful in her own alien way.
"Your ah...fringe...looks very nice tonight." Garrus' mandibles clicked just the slightest bit in his nervousness, not sure if Shepard would catch the compliment or not. Some things just got lost, even with the newest model of translator.
She looked at him and gave a smile realizing he was talking about her hair. "Oh thank you Garrus." She stared in his eyes. She didn't know why, but she just loved his eyes and don't even get her started on his scars. She did like men with scars and he had enough.
Turians were interesting and so different to humans, but she liked them. Their rough exterior and attitudes were just so amazing to her.
She tried to focus on the game, but she couldn't help, but look at him a couple more times then said. "I take back what I said about you looking good without your visor. Now that I have a closer look youook handsome actually."
Garrus smiled, his bright blue eyes gazing deeply into Shepard's. Spirits, she was beautiful. He never knew why he didn't tell her before. They both turned back to the game...but it was hard to keep track. Even though Garrus loved a good Skyball match, it was hard to pay attention with Commander Shepard sitting next to you on your couch.
"You think so? Maybe I'll take it off more often." He perked up a bit at the compliment. But still...there was this nagging in the back of his mind that he should do something while the mood was still right. "Shepard...I..." He turned to look at her, suddenly at a loss for words. A thousand things ran through his mind. Mostly they were things to say, some of them clever, some of them teasing. "I am having a very hard time concentrating on the match."
And with a gulp and deep breath to help steady his nerves. Garrus leaned forward, pressing his forehead gently to Shepard's in a Turian sort of kiss. A low, almost purring sound rumbled in his chest and he affectionately licked her lips with his forked tongue. He wasn't quite sure how human kissing worked...but since he lacked lips he assumed that any sort of contact he made with his mouth would be close enough to something she could understand.
She smiled at his comment and said "What do you mean?" Then that's when he kissed her or at least what she thought was a kiss. She did enjoy how he licked her lips though. She blushed brightly seeing how her best friend kissed her.
Soon she pressed her lips against his mouth wrestling her tongue with his forked tongue. Sje closed her eyes kissing him passionately with a blushing face
The rumble in Garrus' chest grew louder, his mandibles trying to click together with how happy he was, but instead they lightly tapped the side of her cheeks before he willed them to be still. The way humans kissed was odd to him...but eventually he figured out a tilt of his head that made it quite pleasant. The Turian appreciated the softness of Shepard; she wasn't hard or rough in the same ways he was. As their tongues playfully dueled, Garrus craved more of her. Part of him was afraid this whole thing would fall apart if he dared pull away.
He wrapped his strong arms around her, running taloned hands surprisingly gently up and down the small of her back. Even this added touch wasn't enough. So he pulled her, lightly tugging her until she sat comfortably in his lap and they were more equal in height as they kissed.
She didn't dare pull away from him. She was enjoying him too much especially when she felt his strong arms around her. When she moved on his lap she was more comfortable and wrapped her arms around his neck. She enjoyed the feel of his rough skin against her soft skin. Slowly she grew more desired toward him
Finally Garrus needed to pull away. He was either going to die from asphyxiation or lose control and fall prey to his primal urges to fuck and claim her as his own. With a little shiver down his spine, he looked up at her. His bright blue eyes searching, uncertain. "Shepard...I..." Garrus was about to apologize, but then he realized that Shepard he returned the kiss willingly, like she had wanted it to. "You...didn't kick my ass..." He smiled, a big toothy grin. He had kissed the Commander and was still alive to tell the tale! Sure, they were friends. And Shepard never beat him up unless they were sparring. But he had thought that this was crossing some sort of horrible boundary they had established long ago. He had expected a slap to the face or some harsh words...but he wasn't receiving any.
Unwilling to let her go, he tried to tempt her to stay in his lap with his gentle touch. His taloned hands found their way to the hem of her uniform. He untucked the shirt from her belt, sliding his fingers so, so carefully up the smooth flesh of her back that was now easily bared.
Shepard couldn't help, but smile at what he said "Well. I would've but...I liked it...a lot." She smiled feeling his talon working up her back feeling his claws against her skin. "Besides I wouldn't have gotten on your lap either." She smiled at him
"I'm glad." Garrus nuzzled at her neck lightly. Unlike a human male, his throbbing arousal was hidden underneath his plates...which he was immensely thankful for. At least Shepard wouldn't be able to see or feel what she was doing to him even though she was sitting right in his lap.
His hands began to drift their way around to her front, feeling along the muscles of her abdomen. It was strange...Shepard had muscle but it was hidden under all this squishy flesh. He liked it a lot, it felt nice under his fingers...but he was very careful with his talons, not wanting to hurt her by accident. "Am I...moving too fast? I know very little about human mating rituals."
Shepard smiled and replied "You're not too fast for me. Keep goinh." She nuzzled his neck adoring the feel of his talons running across her skin. "Mmmmm." She hummed in pleasure with her eyes closed to fully feel him
Garrus groaned happily at the feeling of Shepard's face buried into his neck. The flesh at his neck was much more sensitive and delicate than the majority of his body. It was soft and supple, like a fine piece of leather. His heart rate spiked and he knew he was falling prey to his Turian urges that demanded that he claim this female for himself.
"I want you Shepard..." He growled softly, clawed hands moving to the front of her uniform. He could never think of a time when he had seen Shepard out of her uniform and now was very curious as to the alien body that the cloth was hiding. His claws started to work at the buttons, causing him to heave a little frustrated grunt. Ask him to take apart, clean, and assemble all the small parts on a sniper rifle he could do...but these tiny buttons on her uniform were unbearable. Maybe it was because he was still a little nervous about this whole thing.
Shepard smiled hearing his desire for her. She could help, but giggle softly at his frustration. "I want you too Garrus. Here." She whisper softly then slowly unbuttoned her uniform shirt and pulled it off. Underneath revealed her soft human breast and curvy body. She took off her bra and revealed her breast to him.
She grabbed his talons gently and guide them up her body onto her breast and let go for him to freely roam her body
He sighed in relief that the shirt was off. But it appeared that Shepard's breasts were encased in some sort of armor...thank the Spirits, she moved that bit of clothing for him too. He allowed his clawed hand to be moved to her breast. As carefully as he could, he gave the soft, fleshy mound a squeeze. Turian females had no such adornments on their chest and Garrus seemed absolutely fascinated by the two mounds before them.
He had -seen- naked humans in Fornax before...but the photos of them were -nothing- like actually touching one. Shepard was smooth and soft all over. Her skin felt delicate, so delicate that he was a little uncomfortable using his talons to explore her more closely. So he leaned forward, snaking out his forked tongue to gently travel along her now bared breasts. He experimentally licked and nuzzled at them. He wondered a bit what the two tips at the end were for, and so he gave her left one a tender little lick.
She smiled watching the alien explore her body curiously. It was adorable and his inexperience to the human body made that more enjoyable to her. She smiled as he ran his tongue licked over her left nipple. She made a pleasured hum to let him know she liked it. There was so much about each others bodies they didn't know about making this expierence twice as exciting
His mandibles fluttered in excitement at having learned that this was apparently a human erogenous zone. So he kept licking the little pert bundle, curling his tongue around it and flicking it. He even became so bold as to press the rough flesh of his mouth against it as he ran his sharp teeth very carefully over the bundle of nerves to make them just a little more hypersensitive to his curious touch.
His clawed hands began to busy themselves with taking off and unbuttoning Shepard's pants. He insistently pulled and tugged at the fabric, curious to see what other goodies she was hiding under these clothes.
Shepard smiled seeing him warming up to her human breast as he played with her nipples with his long tongue. She made more pleasured humming noises as he went. Feeling him tugging at her pants she unbuttoned and unzipped them for him to explore.
With a little bit of wiggling and some adjusting, Garrus finally managed to pull off Shepard's trousers and the thin piece of underwear underneath. He pulled away from her breast, just so that he could study her a bit closer now. Shepard's sex was strange...but it closely resembled a Turian female's, though appeared to be smaller. He hoped that he wouldn't hurt her later.
He ran the smooth, dull backs of his talons against the outer lips of her sex, eyes widening in surprise as he saw that the outer lips opened a bit like a flower when Shepard spread her legs wider. Now bright pink folds were revealed to him, with an odd little protrusion. As lightly as he could, he curled his hand into a fist and rubbed the little nub experimentally with his rough knuckle.
Shepard enjoyed watching Garrus curiously investigated and experimented on her lower flower and moaned as he began to rub her clit. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of his rough knuckle rubbing her. To her surprise it didn't hurt at all in fact it felt amazing to her. She bite her lower lip trying not to moan too loud or too much
His bright blue eyes kept darting up to Shepard's face to gauge her reactions and then back down to her sex so that his talons wouldn't get lost on the alien landscape of her body. With a groan, he shuddered as he felt Shepard grow more and more wet the faster he rubbed the little bundle of nerves. He wanted to be inside of her, to plunge himself into her hot, slick warmth.
But still, he was curious about what the little bundle of nerves did. It didn't seem to have any function other than giving the Commander extreme amounts of pleasure, judging by how hard she was biting her lip to suppress all the little noises she made. So he started working it faster with the back of his knuckle that was now warm and slick with her juices.
Since her eyes were closed she didn't notice Garrus constantly gauging her reactions. Each second she grew just a lit bit wetter and because of his rough knuckle rubbing her sensitive nerves, it grew harder to contain her noises too. But as Garrus worked her facer she couldn't hold it in and moaned loudly for him
Garrus groaned happily to match Shepard's moan. He wanted to draw more pretty little noises out of her, but his movements were so limited on the small couch. Like most Turians, Garrus was very strong. It didn't take much effort to scoop Shepard up into his arms and carry her towards his bedroom, carefully laying her down on the bed.
Now more than ever, he was very aware how alien Shepard looked to him...he could only imagine how strange he would look to her. Everything about a Turian body was meant to protect or to maim. He needed to show her...give her a chance to back out before they got in deeper than they already were. So he began to strip out of his cloth, civilian wear, revealing the plated, raptor like body underneath.
The thick, almost metallic carapace of his back and shoulders glinted and reflected the artificial light of the room. He shifted a bit nervously as he stood before Shepard, entirely naked, letting her get a good look of him. "I hope...this is acceptable." About the only places on his body that weren't covered in protective plates were the areas around his waist, neck, and inner thighs. His member was internal, and although it had threatened to burst from his plates earlier, now it remained hidden under the plates of his groin in his nervousness.
Shepard smiled seeing him strip for her. His nervousness was adorable to her, but she had no issues with his Turain body. She was fascinated with his body it was so different and exciting to see. Not many humans know what a Turian looks like without armor, but this human liked it.
She stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck and replied "It's acceptable." She kissed him again then kissed his neck showing her approval for him
Garrus' chest rumbled happily as her wrapped his arms around the Commander, resting taloned hands against her lower back. "Excellent..." he murmured happily, mandibles clicking as he managed his Turian smile. He walked Shepard backwards, stopping when her knees hit the back of the bed and then giving her a little push to send her onto her back. He climbed into bed himself, then took light hold of her hand, leading it down to his groin.
Just a few light touches were enough to make his sheath swell, his groin plates moving a bit to the side as the tip of his dark blue cock began to poke out of it's sheath.
Shepard happily rubbed his groin staring into his deep blue eyes full of desire for him. As his member start coming out from his plates she stroked him gently rubbing more of his length as it came out.
Garrus shivered, blue eyes shutting as he relished in her soft, gentle touch. He groaned loudly as she began stroking him, easily getting him so turned on that the rest of his member was finally freed from it's leathery sheath. Turians were a big species of alien, his thick shaft was long and thick....much bigger than a human male's, though not as horribly imposing as a Krogan's. His whole member was slick with his arousal, covered in a clear fluid that had the consistency of a light oil, perfect lubrication for the rough, heated style of mating most Turians were accustomed to.
But Shepard was small, squishy and delicately human...as much as he wanted to pounce ontop of her and claim her roughly as his, he knew that he should be careful, at least for their first time. Besides, the way she was stroking him felt really good...he was content to just relax for a moment and enjoy the soft touch of her hand.
She could see the desire he felt as his body tensed up. While she loved it rough and hard Garrus was much bigger then she was use to so she took it slow. She kissed and licked his neck as she stroked his entire length faster and harder, feeling herself getting wetter
Garrus moaned louder. Her touch was so wonderful, so different from anything he had ever experienced. He felt his cock begin to throb in earnest now, his whole body tight and tensed up as he tried to keep himself from cumming. "Spirits...Shepard..." He groaned. Unable to hold back any longer, his hips began thrusting up into Shepard's hand. A low growl rumbled in his throat as he came, his cock shooting thick, light blue, almost white, ropes of his seed from the tip, covering her hand and spilling onto her stomach.
"That's it...you're in trouble now." Garrus was panting but he grinned and flipped Shepard over off her side and onto her back, grasping her lightly by the wrists and gathering both of them in one taloned hand so that he could pin them above her head. He couldn't trust those naughty human hands to behave. With his free hand, he positioned his still rigid member against her entrance, pushing the head against her tight folds. "Tell me if you need me to stop..." He murmured after his first gentle attempt to push in yielded no ground. A little harder this time, he pushed forward, groaning loudly as her slick heat enveloped just the tip of his member.
Shepard smiled to see her touch turned him on so much going easy on him made him explode all over her hand and stomach. Hearing his moans as she pleasured him made her only wetter.
She smirked at his threat sounding comment as she said "Come get me Turian boy." And get her he did when he turned her on her stomach. She adored as he held both her hands with one taloned hand. She moaned softly feeling his tip enter her carefully
The Turian groaned loudly as inch by inch, his thick rod disappeared into Shepard's bright pink folds. He tried his best to go slowly, especially as he pushed in far enough that he was now stretching her more than human man had ever done before. "Spirits...you're so tight..." He panted, body tensing as he tried to refrain from pounding into her all at once.
He grasped a little tighter to her hips as he forced their groins together. And there he waited, just for a moment, letting her get used to his size and just relishing in the feel of her slick heat around him.
Shepard moaned softly in pain, but mostly pleasure. "Oh God it's so huge." She said panting from the intensity of the moment. She felt her walls grip the Turian's huge member. Just the feeling alone was all pleasurable.
Garrus moaned as he felt Shepard's walls clench around him. "Shepard..." He groaned out her name before slowly pulling out his thick cock. He pulled out almost the entire length, leaving just the head inside of her before thrusting back in, harder this time. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, a rumbling growl growing in his throat. He needed her...needed to claim this human that he had been so in love with for so long as his.
Unable to keep up his self control any longer, he began roughly thrusting into her, moaning and growling in his lust.
Shepard moaned loudly feeling Garrus' member thrusting powerfully in and out of her. Her moans grew louder as his thrust grew more powerful and faster. "Oh God Garrus!" She cried out gripping his shoulders
Garrus was absolutely mesmerized by the way the soft, fleshy mounds on Shepard's chest bounced each time he drilled his throbbing cock into her. "Ohhh...Spirits...Shepard!" With another loud growl, he leaned down to find the soft flesh of her neck. He bit her, not as hard as he would do to one of his own kind since his teeth were so sharp, but still, he nibbled on the delicate flesh of her throat. He wanted to make sure he left little marks on her, made sure that no other male would dare come close to what was his.
His thrusting became more frantic, the way her silken walls felt around him was too much and with a loud moan, he could feel the head of his member twitch, another batch of his thick, warm cum shooting into Shepard, spilling out of her sex as he kept up his rough thrusting.
Shepard moaned loudly as he roughly thrusted into her feeling his huge Turain member inside of her. She could feel his sharp teeth biting down on her neck marking her as his. The thought of being his brought a smile to her face.
She screamed in pleasure as she felt him cum inside her, but didn't stop thrusting into her. "Oh...Garrus!" She cried out soon cuming herself
Garrus kept drilling his thick rod into her. Right until her slick sex began convulsing and clenching around him, milking him of every last drop he had. He shivered and growled, his thrusting becoming slower as he relished in the feel of the Commander's pink folds clutching his member so desperately. He panted and groaned, his pace tapering off until finally he stopped and let his large body collapse onto the bed right next to her.
"That was...you're so..." Garrus panted, unsure of what to say. Now that his unbareable primal lust had left him...he was more aware the he had -the- Commander Shepard in his bed. Yeah they were best friends...maybe that's what made things worse. "So ah...I suppose now would be a good time to say...I really...er..lo-..uh...like you, Shepard." The word 'love' didn't seem to want to come out...and while he felt it he was terrified of saying it.
Shepard screamed in pleasure as she felt her walls clenching and closing on his member. She felt feel his cum filling her up and her walls causing his member to be milked of cum with each thrust into her. When he finally pulled out she took a minute to breath.
Listening to Garrus she realised after today they'll never be the same. But maybe it's a good thing. She wanted to be with him. When sjhe heard lilje instead of love she smiled and said "I like you a lot too. I might even love you." She nuzzled him lovingly holding her hand awkwardly in his three fingered hand.
"Excellent...I was hoping you'd say that" Garrus rumbled happily and pressed his forward to her's in another Turian style kiss. Then he started moving around a bit, finding the blankets so that he could pull them over their rapidly cooling bodies. "I hope you're planning on staying with me tonight, Shepard." Garrus nuzzled her lightly, covering up the fact that he was shivering a bit as his large cock was retreating back into his sheath, the plates of his groin moving back to cover and protect it.
She smiled replied softly "I wasn't planning on leaving you. Why would I want to leave you?" She asked giving him another Turian styled kiss and nuzzling him lovingly.
"Because you're Commander Shepard and probably need to go blow something up or save the galaxy from another ridiculous threat." Garrus chuckled softly as he teased. "But I ahh...well I thought...maybe you'd only like humans. You know...with Kaidan...and all your male admirers are human, usually. Don't get me wrong, I'm very pleased you want to stay...I've liked you for a very long time Shepard." Garrus' mandibles clicked happily and he wrapped a strong, wiry arm around her. He held her nice and close, enjoying the shared body heat.
Shepard gave a slight smile. "Of course I like my own kind, but...I discovered that the man I care for the most. The one I think is perfect for me is no human, but a badass sharpshooting Turian named Garrus "Archangel" Vakarain." She rested her forehead against his staring into his small deep blue eyes "Besides Kadian wasn't always there for me. He abandoned me when I needed him. But you didn't, in fact you almost died for me. You're my best friend Garrus and my perfect lover." She whispered softly
"Well...I had to keep you alive, you were my ride home after all." Garrus smiled and pressed his forehead gently to Shepard's once more, his forked tongue coming out to playfully lick her lips. He brought one of his clawed hands up, tucking a couple of strands of hair back behind one of her ears so that he could see her better. For a moment he just played with the strands after putting them back...they were odd. Like silky pieces of string but they felt pleasant in his hands.
"But I will never abandon you Shepard, I've always got your back." He nuzzled against her lightly. "Are you tired? Or would you like a shower before bed...that Skyball match is probably over by now." He smiled sheepisly as he glanced over at the clock. They had been in bed for some time now.
Shepard smiled at him and replied "Yeah. I won't be surprised if it's over. A shower sounds great. This my sound weird, but if you want you can join me." She smiled then licking his beak and nuzzling his neck.
"Mmmm....that offer sounds very tempting." Garrus nuzzled the top of her head gently. "I think I'll take you up on that." The Turian slowly rolled away from her and got up. He offered Shepard a taloned hand to help her get up and then led her away to the bathroom. It was just down the hall and was a little on the small side...just like the rest of his place. But the shower looked plenty big enough for people even though he was without a bathtub.
Shepard smiled as he lead her to the bathroom. She was firmly grabbing his taloned hand, but let go of it to turn on the water. She made sure it was the perfect temperature before stepping in.
The water ran over her smooth and perfect body. Tracing her curves and shape perfectly before dropping off of her. Her nipples hardened again as the water from the shower head hit her chest. Little droplets would rest on her hardened nipples before eventually falling off
After her body was nice and wet she held out a hand to Garrus and said "Come on Garrus. Join me." She chuckled softly
Garrus found himself staring at Shepard like a lovestruck adolescent Turian. She was breathtaking. The way the water pooled and glistened along the hollows of her neck and then dripped down and rained from her breasts... If he could have blushed he would have when Shepard offered him a hand. He eagerly took hers and made his way into the shower right behind her.
A loud, almost purr-like sound rumbled in his chest as he moved to stand up behind her. Tall and strong, he easily enveloped the Commander in his long arms, pulling her back into him and keeping them both under the stream of water. "Mmm...if you start coming over more frequently we'll have to get you soaps or something...I like this."
Shepard felt safe enveloped in his long arms, a feeling she hasn't felt in a long time. Just feeling him with their bodies pushed together was comforting to her. Like his arms were castle walls protecting her. She couldn't believe how long she went without him in her life as a lover. She was almost mad at herself for not doing it sooner.
She whispered back. "I have a feeling that I'm gonna be coming over a lot." She smiled laying her head against his chest hearing his fast, but strong heartbeats.
"Good." Garrus smiled and happily nuzzled the top of her head. He let his taloned fingers start gently running over her body, trying to help Shepard get a little cleaned up. It was starting to become a little more clear to him how to run his hands over her alien skin in order to not hurt her. Only the tips seemed to leave little bright red scratches...perhaps he'd have to file them down for her. It was a very odd thing for a Turian to have blunt talons, but he'd gladly do it if that meant he didn't have to constantly worry about hurting the Commander.
"Shall we go to bed now?" the Turian leaned down to give her a playful little nip to the neck. "Or would you like to go for a second round...?"
Shepard smiled as his talons scratched her body lightly. She didn't mind his talons giving her light scratches, but if it made him happy to do something about it then she would be okay with it.
She giggled feeling him nip at her neck and replied "I could go for another round." She whispered back smiling
The caravan made its way quietly across the Hyrulian Field. The procession seemed to labor under the weight of the events leading to its departure, and more than one person was trying in vain to hide a face full of tears. Their king and queen had been killed, betrayed by their most trusted knight, Ganon. Princess Zelda was being held hostage, and if Link could believe anything he was hearing from the old knights around him, it was likely that she would be forced to marry Ganon in order to solidify his position on the throne. All at once all of Hyrule had been thrown into chaos, and not a single soul knew what to do about it.
Link stared straight ahead in the center of the procession. He was just a recruit, too young to be an actual knight. The ten or twenty seasoned knights walked in a circle formation around the caravan that carried the only supplies they managed to secure before leaving town, along with a couple of the castle dignitaries. On Link's back was a sword and a shield, both having belonged to his father. His father who had been killed by Ganon.
Link's father and Ganon had both been head's of the Hyrulian Knights. The both were the King and Queen's personal bodyguards, and each had a sword forged special for them. Link carried his father's blade, known as the Master Sword. His father's shield was standard issue for the Hyrulian Knights, as his father had always preferred to stick to regulations. Ganon had been quite different. Ganon wielded the Master Sword's sister, the Hero's Sword, and a ornate shield that was more decoration than function. The two had been friends for a long time, and their rivalry on the battlefield had been the focus of many a tavern story.
Lately, however, Link's father had become suspicious of his friend. Link had never been told the specifics of what was going on until hours before his father's death, where Link had been approached by his father, handed the Master Sword and his father's shield, and told to leave the Castle as fast as possible. Link had obeyed, of course, and it burned him with regret. He had been found by a knight later who told him of his father's death, and alerted him to the plan of the knights who hadn't joined Ganon in his rebellion: Go to Lon Lon Ranch, hide there, and try to build their forces up for a counter attack.
Link had been in a state of shock at the news, and followed the knights around numbly. He was starting to get feeling back now, but it was just a burning heat and a blinding pain. He was angry and hurt and he didn't know what all to do with it. He wanted to march back on Hyrule Castle Town and kill Ganon himself. However, he knew it would be a suicidal mission. If the reports were to be believed, than Ganon somehow had magic, despite not being of the Royal Family. There wasn't a knight alive who could have fought a person with Magic, especially unarmed. It was said it had been a spell that had killed his father.
"Link?" A small voice said, but Link ignored it. He recognized the voice as belonging to the historian's apprentice, a young girl who had helped Link a lot during his schooling. He didn't want to talk to her, not right now.
"Link? I'm sorry for your loss." The voice was truly sad, and Link hated her for it. "Your father was a good man, he did a lot for --"
"Shut up!" Link snapped, glaring at the girl. She had obviously been crying, and she looked shocked at Link's reaction.
"I - I'm sorry, Link, I just --"
"Go away." Link turned back, his eyes forward again. The girl didn't go away, however, and instead sobbed a little besides him.
"Link...I...Do you know the story of the Five Stones?"
Link stopped in his tracks, turning and glaring at the young historian with such anger that it would have been believed the girl had killed his father, not Ganon. "What the hell do I care about that children's fable, Leia? Why the hell won't you go away!?" he was yelling and throwing his hands into the air now, and the girl looked frightened.
"I...I..." The girl cast her eyes to the ground. "I'm sorry." With that, she walked off, and Link resumed his walk in peace. He was agitated she wanted to talk about some dumb legend right after the kingdom had been taken over, or more importantly, his father died. She was dumb for trying and Link found himself wishing she had been left in the castle.
A call came from the Knights walking in the front of the caravan, one that signaled Lon Lon Ranch was within sight. Link idly found himself wondering the owners of the ranch had been alerted to the Knights activities, and how they would accommodate them. He only hoped that he could get a place where he could be alone.
The ranchers had barely completed preparations for the knights when they arrived, a small battered group with just a handful of survivors and a small amount of supplies. The horses looked worn and the people were in low spirits to say the least. The message had come just a short time ago via carrier keese, and it was lucky that the ranchers had had time at all. News that the castle had been attacked had just reached them at the same time of the message from the knights.
Lon Lon Ranch had long been a thriving economic power in Hyrule. The owners ran a modest-sized ranch with horses bred for soldiers, royals, merchants and the like, and lon lons for their famous milk and its restorative powers. There were also cuccos roaming about, thanks to the late wife of the owner. What few people knew, however, was that it had also been a place to hide weapons in ancient times. Secret rooms were littered all over the ranch, and the small home that housed Talon, the ranch owner, and his daughter sat on an expansive system of underground tunnels that linked them all. Refugees from the castle and town would be welcome so long as they could be careful and lend a hand in the stables from time to time. It was the perfect place for knights to choose to regroup.
The spirits of the people, however, were very heavy, and it seemed that they would be unable to do much but grieve and get set up for the first little while. Talon and Ingo, the owner and the foreman, welcomed the knights, helping them in, aiding in any way possible. Several other ranch hands were waiting at the gates as well. They stabled the horses and gave them feed, hiding the wagon under bales and bales of hay. Once that was tended to, the hands set to work hiding the supplies and the refugees in some of the underground rooms.
Hours later, the bulk of the work was done, and the people were left to grieve, to be served food, or to wander the tunnels. The ranch itself, would be off limits for most people for at least a few days. Malon, the owner's daughter had done her fair share of work, cooking, cleaning, and preparing makeshift bedding for the refugees earlier. Now that the food was prepared, she left it in the hands of one of the other female hands and went to check on her beloved Epona, as well as the other animals who were surely in need of comfort. Her voice could be heard clearly as she sang the song her mother had taught her, soothing the animals, as well as the hearts of many of the refugees hiding beneath the stables.
At this point, a few of the people would be wandering about, but she was sure that most of the refugees would want to be alone. The best she could do was give them what they physically needed, and hope that her mother's song could smooth away some of the rough experience and stop some tears from falling.
Link found himself in the bunkhouse early on. He didn't bother helping with the unloading of their supplies, or the sleeping arrangements, or with anything. He found himself a bed in the bunkhouse the moment it was open to them, propped his father's sword and shield against the bed, and laid down. He ignored people as they came and went; his eyes were closed, and he had let himself get lost in his grief. He didn't cry, for some reason. Every time he felt he should, he just got angrier; a need to do something about this situation rose up with him. Each and every time he came to a conclusion on what to do, however, he found himself so lost in pain and hurt that he remained right where he sat. It was confusing, and Link had no idea how to deal with these events except for getting angrier and angrier and stewing on it. He never noticed the apprentice historian, Leia, slip beside him once again.
"Link, I...I need you to listen to me."
Link didn't respond, left his eyes closed, and continued stewing on the death of the greatest man he had ever known. Link's dad had always been a strict, but kind man. He made sure Link knew how to be strong, how to never back down in the face of a threat. He had given Link the skills needed to fight. Yet, now he was dead. The person who was the sole provider for both Link as he worked to become a Knight and Link's mother was dead. Now Link was out with a group of useless Knights too busy crying to fight, and his mother was left in Castle Town with no way to support herself. Link bristled at that thought, but there was nothing he could do about it...not right now. After all, he was just a useless kid. Not even a Knight. Not even worth a quarter of what his dad was.
"Hey! Listen!"
Link opened one eye, falling on Leia, who looked afraid that Link may yell at her again. "I thought I told you to go away, Leia?" Link asked, calm despite the anger quickly boiling up insde of him.
"You did, but you need to know this. I'm sorry. The reason I brought up the story of the Five Stones earlier was because it was one your dad had been real interested in the past few days."
Link opened both eyes, and sat up in his bed. The anger was gone, now sat with curiosity. "Why?" Link asked, bluntly.
"You know how some of the Knights are saying Ganon can use magic, despite not being of the Royal Family or a Gerudo? Your dad had become suspicious of his friend's activities some time ago, and while he didn't find out in time what Ganon was planning, he did discover that Ganon could indeed use magic and sat out to find out how. This led him to the Legend of the Five Stones, which states that if you pass all of the Triforce Trials and collect the Five Stones, that person will be recognized as a true hero and receive the Triforce, which is said to grant its bearer the use of magic. Your dad thought that Ganon had proven the legend true and done just that. Especially fitting since Ganon's sword is the Hero's Sword."
Link glared at Leia. "And?"
Leia blinked. "Well, your dad did several amazing things. A few hours before Ganon attacked, he came to us and revealed the location of the five Temples where the stones were, and proved that the legends were true. He then said Ganon had not completed the trials or taken the stones, and that he was planning on betraying the whole kingdom. Your dad discovered Ganon's plan, and that's probably why everything happened today. Ganon had to act or be caught and killed."
Link shook his head, growling as he laid back in the bed. "Okay, great. Thanks, Leia. Now I know why my father died. That helps a lot."
"You aren't paying attention, Link," Leia said, excited. "Ganon has magic somehow, but he hasn't done the trials. No one can fight a person with magic, no matter how skilled they are. That means in order to fight Ganon, you will need magic. The trials, Link, the trials!"
Link stared at Leia from his laid back position, thinking about what she had just said. "You...you are suggesting I go off, alone, and collect these stones?"
Leia nodded. "Only the historian and I know about this, and its doubtful the older knights would believe me if I brought it to them. I thought it would be fitting for you to get this information, maybe do something about it, since it was your dad that discovered it." She laid a folded up piece of parchment beside him on the bed. "That is a map, marking the location of each of the stones. Good luck, Link." With that, Leia was off.
Link watched her leave, and as soon as she was gone, he grabbed the parchment and opened it. One in the Lost Woods, one around Lake Hyrule, another near Death Mountain. There seemed to be one in Kakariko village, and one smack dab in the middle of the Gerudo Desert. How the hell Leia expected Link to get to these places, he wasn't sure, but Link didn't care. He was finally given a way to do something, a way to put one foot in front of the other and avenge his father. He had the sword, he had the shield, and he had most of the Knight training. Link could do this. And at any rate, it was better than sitting at this Goddess-forsaken ranch doing nothing but listening to old men cry.
Link jumped out of the bed and grabbed the Master Sword and his father's shield. he strapped them to his back, placed the map into his pouch, and rushed off for the stables. It wasn't long before he heard the singing, and it hit Link that just grabbing a horse and rushing out of here may be harder than he thought. Still, however was singing, had to be just a lowly girl, and there was no way she could stop him from taking a horse. Link stepped closer to the stables, and rounding a corner to see a red-headed girl about his age, singing and taking care of the horses. Her voice was beautiful, and captivating, but Link did not care. He glanced around quickly, trying to settle on the best horse to take.
After a few moments, he spoke. "Give me a horse so I can get out of here," Link called.
The sharp sound of a young man's voice cut her off and she gasped, nearly dropping the grooming brush she held. She turned to see a young man in the doorway, his harsh demand still lingering between them. He had a sword and shield and a look in his eye that startled her. The redhead set the brush down and pet the horse's nose before turning to the young blond man. "I'm sorry, but I can't do that right now." The look in his eyes said he was full of anger and hurt and she could only guess what horrors he'd lived through today. She frowned just a bit and took a step forward.
"This isn't a good time to leave, and none of the horses here are ready to travel. They need to rest if they're going to go further than just out of the ranch." She stayed a few feet away from him, but she was able to get a good view of him. Clear blue eyes filled with hurt and what she imagined to be rage. He had a handsome face--not overly masculine, but not feminine. He was obviously a strong young man with some skill. He had the bearing of a proud knight, but not the armor or years of experience. She sighed softly and tilted her head.
"Listen, if you can wait until morning I'll make sure there's a horse ready for you on one condition--you're not taking it back to Castle Town." She stood there, wondering if he could understand that it wasn't a good idea to charge out for revenge. It wasn't a good idea to travel when you were exhausted physically and emotionally. It wasn't wise to pick a fight with grief in your heart and vengeance on your mind. Of course, even if he understood that it wasn't a good idea, that didn't mean it would stop him from doing it. It didn't mean that he wouldn't try. At least this way she could be certain that the refugees wouldn't be given away, the horses would be well-rested, and this idiot wasn't actually going to the castle for his revenge. There was only one way to make sure that he didn't do it--she would have to go with him.
Link glared at the girl. She was in his way, stopping him for no good reason. She would move out of his way or Link would move her out of the way. She would not stop his journey, not now, not when he finally had something to do other than cry and be useless like half the knights here. "I didn't ask for permission. I said give me a horse. I need to go, and now." Link quickly thought of his first destination. Probably the Lost Woods. That seemed the best place to head for now. It was the farthest from Castle Town, and he'd be there a few days. It would give things elsewhere in the kingdom time to calm down before he left.
"Preferably the fastest one. I have things to do." Link tried to step around her, eyeing the nearest horse and approaching it. "I would also prefer you hurry."
She was a bit taken aback by his gruff demeanor and arrogant demands. Just who the hell did he think he was, exactly? He may have been through a lot, and he may have had a plan that had an infinitesimally small chance of success, but that didn't give him the right to walk around and make demands--especially when it involved her horses. She wasn't one to be harsh without reason, but if this wasn't reason, she didn't know what was.
Of course, Epona wasted no time setting that to straights. The horse Link was looking at, Malon's horse, was very particular about who rode her. She was the fastest and strongest the ranch had to offer, but she only ever let Malon ride her, and anyone else who approached was treated...poorly. The horse lifted its hoof and set it down on a nearby pitchfork, sending the handle straight up, bashing Link in the leg. Malon merely smirked.
"Sorry, hun, but the fastest horse here is Epona, and it seems she's rather...unimpressed with you. Most of the other horses in here are workhorses and won't be getting you anywhere fast. The two who pulled your wagon are exhausted and still riled up, so pushing them wouldn't be wise at this point. And in your current state, I wouldn't trust you to handle one of our animals." She stood, glaring at him now, hands on her hips. "You don't give commands here, boy. This isn't the castle, this isn't your home, this ismyranch. This ismydomain and my home. Don't come in here making demands like you're more important than anyone else. Working with a tired animal, or even just one that doesn't trust you, is a fools errand, and you'll be dead before you get where you're going if you charge out of here without a clear head and an actual plan! Now either wait until tomorrow, or start walking."
Link hopped around, cursing. The he glared at the horse than at Malon, and his glare deepened as she went on. He stepped up, his face now a scowl. "Don't you command me,girl, like you know anything about anything. I have a plan, I have a clear head, and I don't have time for a stuck-up rancher and her damnable horse to get in my way." Link shoved past Malon, stomping off towards the ranches main gates. Anything was better than just sitting here, even a fool's errand and possibly a waste of time like trying to get the Five Stones. Even having to walk, he would make it to the Lost Woods and find the Stone there, or he would die trying. He didn't really care about the true outcome of the events.
As Link walked off, he began to calm. Slowly he started to regret how he had treated the girl. Had his dad been here to see any of that, Link would have likely been removed from consideration for the Knights. True Knights were supposed to be level-headed and kind to all, fair and staunch defenders of all the denizens of Hyrule. He had been a spoiled child in his dealings with her, but Link couldn't quite let it go that she should have let him take a horse in go. He probably shouldn't have reacted as poorly as he did, but it was on her for not giving him a horse and making this easier on him. Link's leg smarted painfully.
Cursing under his breathe, Link headed for the ranch's main gates, but came to a stop when he noticed the two guards. They must have been there to prevent people like Link from getting out and doing anything stupid. He sighed, getting annoyed again with how much trouble this was becoming. He approached the gate guards, attempting to walk by them. He didn't get far before one of the guards caught up to him.
"Link!"
Link tried to keep walking, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. "Link."
Link looked up, seeing the Knight who had told him of his father's death. Seething with sudden anger, Link shrugged his shoulder from the Knight's hands. "What do you want," Link asked, gruffly.
"Stay in the Ranch, please. For your safety." The Knight looked legitimately concerned for Link, but that only served to anger Link more. Despite knowing better, a part of Link blamed this man for his father's death.
"No, you say in the Ranch. Foryoursafety." Link retorted, then turned and ran as fast as he could away. He was breath was coming in heaves before he realized he wasn't being followed, and he fell over, trying to catch his breathe. Well, he thought, that could have been more difficult.
Malon kept her mouth shut as Link told her she knew nothing, called her stuck up, and stormed off like a child. Maybe she was wrong about the knight thing. Frowning, she let him go rather than deal with him and his tantrums. The horses needed their rest and Epona would have probably been more stubborn than Malon in the end. The redhead sighed and comforted her horse, moving the pitchfork so that no one else could suffer. She made sure the horses and lon lons were comfortable before she left the stables. She headed to her small home and the tunnels beneath it where most of the people had gathered to eat. She got a bowl of food for herself and some milk and sat down with a small, mousy looking girl. She looked shaken and sad and kept muttering to herself. The girl had obviously needed some comfort, so Malon smiled at her from across the table.
"Hi there, I'm Malon."
The girl seemed surprised that someone else had sat next to her. She must have been deep in thought. "Oh, hello. You must be the owner's daughter. It's nice to meet you," she said with a slight smile. "I'm Leia."
"Nice to meet you too. Are you enjoying the food?" Malon asked, taking a bite of hers. "I've never made food like this for quite so many people before. I hope it's not bland."
"Oh, no, it's great. Thank you for all you've done." The girl frantically started waving her hands as if she needed to physically express her gratitude.
"I'm glad. But you don't need to thank me. I'm happy to do what I can for all of you. You've been through so much, I can only hope you're all comfortable here." Her mind flashed back to the stubborn young man who'd left and she wondered if he'd been foolish enough to actually leave the ranch. "Say...I know this is sort of a long shot--surely not everybody knows everybody here, but do you know a blond young man in a green tunic? He came into the stable not long ago demanding a horse and when I told him he couldn't have one, he stormed off. He had quite an attitude problem, but I'm sure a lot of that is grief...Anyway, do you know anything about him? I'm a little worried..."
The girl nearly dropped her spoon. "He tried to leave tonight?" That could only be one person. Quickly the girl launched into an explanation about Link and the stones, fretting the whole time. She knew Link was capable, but he was a fool if he had just decided to leave. The guy probably hadn't had the foresight to bring any food with him or anything. "I-I have to make sure he didn't leave. If you'll excuse me," she said. With that Leia left the table and rushed off toward the main gates.
Sighing, Malon realized why he'd been in such a hurry and why he'd treated her quite so poorly. That didn't really excuse his bad manners, but she could at least understand them. The desperation he'd had made more sense now, as well as the recklessness she'd sensed. The fool was charging out to his death. Groaning the girl decided she would just have to go after him. This Link character was stubborn, so he was probably headed toward the first stone. She'd have to ask Leia about that. In the mean time, she had supplies to gather and things to pack. Not to mention her chores. Her father wouldn't be happy about this, but he'd have enough people to cover her absence and there was little he could do to stop her.
One thing she couldn't have on her conscience was death. She simply would not allow it. And if the fool died in the night...well, she doubted he would. With that, she set to work on her food and the rest of the chores she had--she'd be leaving early in the morning with Epona.
Link had rested where he had fell for a little bit before picking himself up and walking in the direction he had begun to run. He wasn't entirely sure how far into the Field he was, or what direction he was exactly heading, but it didn't matter to him. He'd find his way eventually. And sure enough, he found a river. Quickly, Link decided to follow the river's flow South, knowing that the Lost Woods were South of Castle Town. He wasn't sure how far of a walk from where he was the woods were, but he would get there. Eventually. Hopefully.
As it neared dark, Link started to realize how quickly he had rushed off without thought. He didn't have any food, and by this point he was exhausted. His stomach growled and Link sighed. Suddenly, he wished he had waited until after supper to leave, or even until the next day. At least then he would have a horse and food. However, he would have had to explain his intentions to others and no one would be as gung-ho about it as Link would. After all, it was a shot in the dark. A stupid shot in the dark.
But it was one that Link would take. If it gave him the power to fight Ganon, it was worth it. And that was all Link cared about. Eventually, Link found a tree by the river and stopped, setting his sword and shield next to the tree while he sat down next to it. He pulled his boots off and sat them to a side, and sighed as he leaned back. He was starving. He hoped the Lost Woods were near. Maybe he could find some food there.
Once she'd finished her chores, Malon found Leia and asked the girl about Link and the information she'd given to him. While Leia reproduced Link's father's map, Malon set about getting ready to search for the lad. Hopefully, he was still alive. She'd gotten a good four hours of sleep, taken a bath, and packed a few sets of clothes, extra shoes, and camping supplies--plus extras for the boy. She found herself wondering more and more if she would need to use the medical supplies she was packing up. It was distressing to know that she was partly responsible for this mess, but also that he had actually done something far more stupid than she'd thought. The girl pulled her hair back into a braid and tied it with a yellow ribbon, and put on riding pants beneath her skirt.
Once she was sure she had everything she would need, she headed down to see her father to tell him what had happened. Of course, he was worried about the young man. Malon, his sweet daughter, the only thing left of his wife, was the most stubborn young woman he'd ever had the pleasure of meeting. There would be no talking her out of seeing this young man along in his journey. And he couldn't deny that someone with that much rage and grief storming through him would need someone calm and cheerful like Malon--and someone like Malon to call him out when he was being too idiotic for his own good.
The girl was a talented rider, had strength and cunning, and knew how to live off of the land if necessary. She was a good healer and he knew that she would do well in the woods. So he gave her as much advice as he could and got together a nice stockpile of provisions for her and the young man to share for awhile. He gave her several bottles to take with her, telling her to fill one with lon lon milk. And when all was said and done, he hugged her fiercely before taking her to the pasture to get Epona.
His little girl sang out her mother's song in a clear and beautiful voice and the horse came running, searching for Malon as though she were the only person in the world who mattered. Yes, as long as the two of them were together, things would be alright. He helped Malon saddle the horse and situate the packs properly before Leia presented the girl with the map and set her on her way.
It wasn't long before Epona found her way to the Zora River, heading Southerly from there. Malon nearly didn't see him--but she was certain that that was the boy, sitting against a tree. He had to be freezing and starving by now. And what was he thinking sleeping like that? Didn't he know he was a sitting duck? Ugh! What an IDIOT. She came to a stop and climbed off of the horse, petting her mane to calm a bit before she walked up to the sleeping boy and leaned down to him, gently shaking his shoulders.
"Link?"
Link hadn't been sure when he had fallen asleep. It had been cold enough he had put his boots back on. He had tried to make a fire, his failed attempts surrounding his sleeping position around the tree. He had curled up, his knees up to his chest and his arms wrapped around his legs, his head resting on his knees. He had been starving, and very cold. For the longest time Link thought that sleep would be impossible, and that he would be forced back to Lon Lon Ranch to better think his adventure. He had begun to regret running off like he had, but his fierce stubbornness and the thought of proving that girl at the ranch right kept him from moving.
Now, after only a couple hours of sleep, Link found himself being shook away. He looked up lazily, briefly forgetting he was out in the Hyrule Field, thinking he was being shook awake by his mother. It came as a shock, then, to see the girl from the ranch looking at him. Link hollered, pulling away and scampering backwards, his training temporarily forgotten. He jumped to his feet, staring at the girl before recognition finally set in. His expression twisted to irritation, and he almost growled at her.
"What the hell are you doing here, scaring me like that?" Link shot, stomping forward and grabbing his father's sword and shield, beginning to strap them up and onto his back. He refused to look back at her, embarrassment turning to anger inside of him. He noticed the horse, noticing the packs upon the horses back. A loud growl of his stomach betrayed Link, showing he was in need of more help than he cared to admit.
Patient though she was, Malon wasn't going to deal with his shitty attitude this entire time. "Just be glad I'm not one of Ganon's men here to kill you for deserting." She stood and brushed herself off, ignoring his rather brusque outburst. "I should think you'd be a little more grateful to someone who came after your stupid hide. You don't even have the means to make a fire at night or something warm to sleep in. And I know that you don't have food and didn't eat any before you left." She rolled her eyes as he strapped his sword and shield back on.
"Listen, I'm just here to help you, okay? I'm not going to try to bring you back to the ranch with me. I'm going to try to help you reach the temple in the Lost Woods." She proceeded to explain Leia's role in all this and then tilted her head. "I'll help you with food and supplies if you're dead set on trying. I know what it's like to lose someone. I know what it is to wish there was something you could do to change that or something you could fight to avenge them. I understand. But I'll only help you if you drop the attitude. You know you need my help, so quit acting like you can do it all by yourself."
"If I had stayed any longer than I had, I wouldn't have been able to leave at all."
Her next statement caused Link's face to darken, and he spun around as he spoke, finally finished strapping on his weapon and shield. He stepped forward towards Malon. For a moment it looked like he was going to let out another tirade of rudeness and stupidity, but his brain seemed to finally catch up with his mouth as he features softened just a tad. He closed his eyes, sighed, and crossed his arms. "Whatever," he said, looking away. "If you wanna help, you can start with food. I am starving."
Part of him was angry that Malon had tried to understand how he felt, how she had tried to understand his need to do something, to fight something. She was a girl, how could she possibly understand!? However, Link couldn't bring himself to be angry at her if she had lost someone important to her as well. It was a strangely rational thought coming from his overly irrational mind, but it gnawed at Link and prevented him from yelling at the poor girl.
She had lost someone too, then. She wanted to help and had things that Link needed to complete his journey. His poorly planned, brashly sat out upon journey. As Link waited for the food, even he had to admit this girl was a blessing. However, Link was sure that thought would pass.
"I'm going to let that last one slide because you're in a lot of pain. But just a word to the wise? It's best not to mess with people who make your food." With a pointed look in his direction, she took a few things from the packs on Epona's back and led the horse to the tree to rest. She took a few pieces of tinder and set to building a fire before using flint and stone to spark it to life, blowing on it just a little to bring it up. She'd lit it like a pro, and she didn't really give any thought to the fact that he hadn't lit one at night. It was probably smarter, strategically. But since this was the middle of the morning, she didn't much care. She broke off a decent sized chunk of bread and gave that to link while she got to making something creamy but lacking in meat for breakfast. She poured him a bowl and took a small serving for herself.
"The rest is yours if you want more when you finish. There's lon lon milk in there, so it should help restore your energy." With that, she handed him a spoon and dug into her own little meal. Hopefully he'd be more agreeable with food in his stomach.
Link scoffed at the girl, standing there and watching her work. She knew how to light a fire, which was a skill Link never picked up. It was rare for a Knight to leave Castle Town, and rarer for one to go alone. Most Knights knew how to start a fire, so it was unlikely Link would have been ever paired up with a Knight who couldn't light a fire if one was necessary. Still, Link's growing sense of inadequacy was only adding to his irritation. He took the bread from her, scarfing it down in no time as he took a seat near the fire. The food she then made was wholly appreciated even if it did lack in meat; though Link made it a point not to show it.
Link dug into his bowl noisily, hungrily slurping it up. It was good, and Link did feel heartened after his first bowl. He dug into the rest with gusto, not paying much heed to the girl who had made it for him. When he had finished several bowls and felt content, Link laid back on his arms, letting out a contented sigh. When he glanced at Malon, for the first time, his eyes showed a general sense of contentment rather than anger or pain. It seemed that, for the moment, Link had forgotten his troubles. "For something without meat, that was pretty good." He said to her, nodding. "Thanks."
He sat up, his expression becoming serious. "So as for what we are doing. We are looking for a Temple in the Lost Woods. Now, its well known that if you aren't very careful, you will end up lost. You have to take precautions when going into the Lost Woods. It earned its name for a reason." Link's old angry self was gone, now, his voice calm and cool. It seemed he had finally gained enough sense to think about what he was doing. "There is an old wives' tale in Castle Town that the reason you always seem to get lost in the Lost Woods is that there is a village of fairy people who use magic to keep outsiders away." He looked up at Malon, thinking.
"All the map tells me is that the temple is in the Lost Woods. I've never heard any Knight who went into the Lost Woods say anything about a temple...so I'm tempted to believe the old wives' tale. Maybe its the guardians of the temple trying to keep outsiders away from it. So, if we go by that assumption, we are going to have to find a way to break the magic to actually find the temple." Link tilted his head to one side, a curious look coming over his face. "I don't imagine you would know anything about dispelling magic."
He was different now, somehow. Some of the anger had died away to leave a normally intelligent person. And one who wasn't horribly rude. Apparently food went a long way to improving his disposition. That and time. And realizing that he needed help. Well, she was far more willing to work with this young man than the one she'd met last night in the stables. But then for awhile, she'd felt that anger herself. When she'd become old enough to feel the frustration, the anger of her mother's death--a death that she'd felt was her fault for the longest time.
She smiled a little at him and set to cleaning up the dishes which now had very little left in them. The river wasn't far. She could take care of them there. For now, it was important to listen to him, however. So while she listened, she put out the fire and got everything ready to carry. "Hmm...Well, I haven't heard of the village of fairy people, but I have heard of the Lost Woods. I don't know anything about dispelling magic, but it's possible that the magic isn't really a factor here. None of the legends I've heard say anything about that. Maybe it's something else. But if it is, maybe we can find clues when we get there."
Optimism. That was important in a mission like this. Luckily for Link, he wouldn't have to supply it all. He could count on her to back him up. Whether something came of this journey or not, Malon was certain that it was a journey Link needed to take.
Link watched as she cleaned the dishes and listened to her, thinking. It was true, it could not be magic at all. None of the Knights who had ventured into the Lost Woods had mentioned magic of any sort, though they did indeed talk about how easy it was to get lost in the woods. Each Knight seemed to have his own way of preventing it, however, and it never seemed like fighting magic had been a part of it. Of course, it wasn't like Link could remember any of their plans. At the time, he had't really cared.
"I guess so. We should probably head out soon. We're likely to be in the Lost Woods overnight, but I'd like to get some searching in before that point."
Link nodded, and when Malon was done washing the bowls, he offered to help her get everything packed up so they could set out. It would be an easy journey to the Lost Woods, just follow the river South, but the journey in the woods themselves would not be easy. Link had never personally been, but he had heard enough stories about the dense tries to know the Horse would not like it much there. Of course, Link could still remember the pain in his shin the horse had caused, and felt it would be fair repentance. He wouldn't tell Malon that, of course.
Malon finished washing the dishes they'd used and repacked them carefully, making sure that everything was safely stored. The horse couldn't go everywhere, so the bags were easily detached and carried with them. None of the packs were terribly heavy. She'd done her best to pack lightly. For now, though, they probably needed to get going. The less time they spent out in the open, the better their chances of pulling this off. Assuming, of course, that the legends were true. And she had to hope that they were or she feared that the young man she was traveling with would be swallowed by despair and anger. His need for vengeance would consume him and he would find himself in an early grave.
Why did she care so much about a stranger? She could relate to that feeling of loss and guilt. The need to put things right, though nothing could be done. Looking at him now, as he explained where they needed to be, she really hoped that he would make it through.
"Epona won't be able to traverse the woods well. She'll need to stay along the outskirts. We can carry the packs ourselves when we're inside. Don't worry, though. I'll be able to call her to us again if she wanders off for protection." With that, she stood up and climbed into the saddle, holding Epona's reins. "Climb up," she said with a smile.
Link looked from Malon to the horse, giving the horse a small look of distrust, before climbing up and taking his place behind Malon. Part of him wanted to argue about how he was forced to ride in the back, but the other part of him wanted nothing to do with the beast that now carried them. Link's shin throbbed from the memory. As they set off towards the Woods, Link sat silently at first, until his mind began to wander to things best left alone.
"So, you are Malon, right? Or is that the woman who used to run the ranch?"
Link's question was in ignorance, a simple conversation starter in order to prevent himself from thinking of things that would sour his mood. He hadn't fully dealt with his father's death, and he didn't want to. Not while he had a job to do, a way to avenge his father. Work first, grieve later.
The redhead caught the look of displeasure in his eyes but kept her face clear of expression. She was smirking pretty smugly on the inside, though. She let him get situated behind her before they took off, and it was some time before Link felt like having a conversation. Malon had them going at a cantor, not yet a gallop. She didn't want to tire Epona too quickly--especially since she wasn't sure how far it was to the Lost Woods. The Kokiri forest would come first, though, if she wasn't mistaken. However, what Link said had nothing to do with any of that. The question took her a moment to register.
"Oh. My name is Malon. My mother's name was Reya, but we don't really talk about her around the ranch. She worked with my father to run the ranch while she was alive. She was in charge of cucoos, horses, and customers. My father had his hands full with the small farming and lon lon side of things." She glanced back at him, her red hair covering part of her face. "Why do you ask?"
"I just wanted to make sure I had the right name for the girl I am journeying with."
Link got quiet for a short bit, thinking. So this girl lost her mom? That would explain what she said earlier. Link considered for a moment asking what happened to her mom, but he quickly decided against it. What good would asking do for her or him? So he set in silence for a while longer. He wasn't sure what to say to this girl. He had been an utter ass to her yesterday, and now she was apparently coming with him on his journey. The journey to avenge his dad.
After a while the woods came into sight, a large expanse of trees that stretched far past Hyrule's borders. As they neared, Link grew more agitated with worry. What would he find in there? Did the temple even exist? Was this all a waste of time? Would he even be able to get the Stone from the Temple if he found it? Questions that couldn't be answered until much, much later. "There it is," Link said finally. "The Woods. Now how to find the Temple...?" He drifted off as he began to ponder the question.
Malon took a good long look at him before she smiled softly and nodded, turning back around. Well, at least he was being nice to her. This was a vast improvement over the young man she'd met not long ago. If they'd met under different circumstances, would they have been friends? Somehow, she doubted that they would have even met if things had stayed the same. Maybe that would have been for the best. After all, he'd lost his father. The redhead decided not to think of that for now, however, driving Epona toward the forest.
When they arrived, Link was little more than dead weight. Poor thing was asleep on arrival. Malon slowed Epona to a stop at the edge of the forest and looked around while she let Link sleep a little longer. He'd been through so much--a little extra rest wouldn't hurt anyone. She spotted a few areas that looked as though there were some poorly maintained paths, and one that looked a bit wider than the rest. Epona would be frightened in the forest, however, so she stayed where she was for the time being and then carefully turned to make sure her passenger wouldn't fall off of the horse.
"Link? Link? Wake up, please. We're here."
"Huh?"
Link shot awake, having not even been aware that he fell asleep. He had not slept well, or much, the night before. He adjusted himself on the horse, looking at Malon. "Sorry. Didn't sleep well." Link looked at the woods, which had gotten closer since he last looked at them. He had slept a few more minutes than he had initially thought. He was suddenly very tired, and the idea of carrying all these bags without the horse didn't seem so glamorous to him. He didn't wager they'd get much choice.
After a few seconds, though, Link noticed a path that Epona might have fit down. This got him excited, thinking he may not have to carry anything. "Think your horse will make it down that path?" Link asked, pointing at the path. "It would make it easier, and it looks wide and well-used comparatively, which makes me think that the Knights who made trips here from the castle used it. We might have an easier time getting into the woods there." He looked to Malon, and really hoped she would agree to take the horse into the Woods.
Of course, he knew why it would be better not to. It wasn't likely the Temple would be anywhere near the path, especially no one knew for sure that the temple existed. The path wasn't eventhatworn, it wasn't like it was travelled often.
Malon smiled reassuringly, trying to show that she understood as they stood at the edge of the forest. She found herself thinking that he was kind of cute when he was asleep anyway. Hopefully he was rested enough to make the hike. Epona, could make it into the forest for awhile, but soon, the terrain would be too rough for her to travel and the lost woods were notoriously dense. The horse would not do well there--whether she wanted to or not.
"Well, this is the Kokiri forest. There should be a village of forest-folk near the entrance where we can safely leave her. I don't think that Epona will be able to make it through the lost woods, though. We'll have to go there on foot. Maybe the forest folk will know something about the temple we're looking for." She gently squeezed Epona with her legs and guided the horse into a lush green forest along the only path that seemed to have been recently used.
"So what information do you have about the places we're going?" she asked, trying to stay on topic as they ventured further into the forest.
Link looked confused for a moment, glancing around at the trees. "I never understood why there were two names for the same set of trees." Link glanced around. The Knights who had traveled to the Lost Woods had called it the Kokiri Forest too, and Link had always assumed they were one and the same. However, when the Knights spoke of Forest Folk, it was with apprehension. They were called Skull Kids, and were said to be one of the many things in the Lost Woods that liked to lead unfortunate travelers astray and get them lost forever.
So Link grew more confused when Malon talked of leaving Epona with them. "Leave the horse with the forest folk? Aren't they dangerous? I mean, the Knights called them Skull Kids if I remember right, and that doesn't sound like the name of a group of people I would want to leave anything with."
"As for the Temples, I know nothing other then they are connected to the legend of the Triforce. You know, very few people can use magic. The Royal Family, Gerudos, and anyone who was blessed by the Triforce. In olden days, in order to get blessed by the Triforce, you would travel to the five temples guarded by the five races of Hyrule and undertake the trials. Pass all five and the Triforce would bless you and you could use magic. Or so the legend goes, anyway." Link got quiet for a little bit, thinking. "But no one could ever find the Temples. Until my dad did, apparently, and left Leia with this map. Its not even clearly labeled, either. So I'm guessing dad drew it in a hurry or didn't know the exact location of the temples. Just where to search."
Malon glanced back at Link as he spoke and let Epona drive for awhile. "Oh? The Kokiri are a tribe of people who seem to never age, according to my father and the merchants. Kokiri inhabit the outer forest and make a living trading items they craft from the great Deku tree. In order to get to the lost woods, you pass through their village. They're a peaceful sort from what I hear." The girl watched Link, listening as he explained about the Skull kids and said, "Ooooh. The Skull Kids inhabit the Lost woods--which is much thicker and denser than the forest we're in now. It's disorienting, and they like to play tricks on travelers. Sometimes, it's more than just a trick, though."
As Link explained about the Triforce, Malon was curious. "Oh? I didn't know that. Maybe we should ask the Kokiri, then. I'm sure they've got some kind of Lore about that. It might not be helpful, but it could be a good place to start."
"I guess so. I didn't know there was anything other than Skull Kids in these woods. Or even that Kokiri Forest was different from the Lost Woods. Makes sense now that I think about it though." Link chuckled, then watched as the trees went by. "So, whats this Great Deku Tree? Is it just a really big tree, or a cultural symbol, or what?" Link had heard the Knights talk about a deku tree, but he had assumed it had just been a type a tree that grew in the Lost Woods. It could be possible, now that Link thought about it, that they were referring to the same tree Malon was.
Link got the sudden feeling they were being watched, but as he looked about, he could see nothing. Maybe Malon was wrong...maybe there were Skull Kids in this part of the woods? Maybe she was wrong and this whole wood was still the Lost Woods, and they were about to be led astray to their deaths....
"You know...I'm not entirely sure what the Great Deku Tree is to the people of Kokiri. I know it's very important to their way of life, but I don't know much beyond that," she said, returning her gaze forward. She guided Epona over the rougher terrain with no problem. "It shouldn't be much further until we reach their village..." But Malon was getting the same feeling as Link. Maybe she was just being paranoid, but it did feel as though they were being watched. By whom or what, however, she wasn't sure. The forest was full of all sorts of creatures. Not all of them were friendly. Even Epona seemed a little unsteady.
In order to keep the horse calm, Malon began to hum her mother's song, soothing the horse's nerves as well as her own as they traveled forward. Not much longer now...
Link gazed around the trail, into the trees. Little balls of light seemed to flutter about between the trees, almost as if they were following the pair as they trotted down the trail. Link didn't think too much of it, discounting the balls of light as reflection of the light on the dust they were kicking up. "I hope we get there soon. This forest is giving me the creeps. You sure we haven't crossed into the Lost Woods all ready?" There was a snap of a twig, and Link snapped to attention, but too late.
"Navi!"
"Tatl!"
The first voice sounded like a male child's, and the second a female, but at their words two balls of light flashed from behind the trees and began to circle wildly around by Malon and Link; a yellow one bobbed around Malon while a blue-ish one floated around Link. Shortly after, two people no larger than children steped out from behind the trees, bows drawn and ready to fire. "Don't move," the male one said. "You're in our fairy's sights. We won't miss." The female beside him simply nodded. Link glanced to Malon, wondering idly if he should jump down and attack them. After all, they were no more than children, and Link was confident in his ability to dodge arrows.
"Who are you?" The female demanded.
"Stop pointing arrows at us and maybe we'll tell you," Link quickly shot back, a sudden pang of annoyance shooting up through him at being held up by children. It seemed surprising Link hadn't yet connected that these were Kokiri, considering his and Malon's conversation not even five minutes ago.
Malon was a bit surprised at the fairies' appearance, but she stayed calm, making sure that Epona wasn't frightened. She halted the horse and sat perfectly still while the balls of light surrounded both of them and people who seemed to be children demanded to have some kind of identification. The redhead looked back at Link as he called back at them to back off and found herself shaking her head a bit before she called out to the fairies. "It's alright. We mean you no harm. We come from Lon Lon Ranch. My name is Malon, and this is Link. We come bearing news and in need of your help." She bowed her head and waited for the fairy and the children to clear her.
"Link, these are the Kokiri. It would be wise to do as they ask for the time being."
Link grumbled at Malon's words, becoming increasingly indignant at the thought of being held captive by children, even if they were the owners of this forest. But he complied, nodding, the male of the two Kokiri glaring at him for his earlier comment. It was the female Kokiri who spoke next.
"News? What news?"
Link crossed his arms and looked away, his voice gruff. "The kingdom was taken over by a Knight named Ganon. Despite not being Gerudo, of Royal blood, or blessed by the Triforce, he can use magic." Link turned to glare at the two Kokiri. "We're seeking the Temples in order to get the Triforce's blessing so we can kill him, and we know one is here. Take us there."
Malon resisted the urge to slap Link upside the head, but just barely. She felt as though she should be commended for her willpower. She glared at the man behind her and sighed as she turned to face the Kokiri. "What he means to say, is that we have a chance of putting a stop to this man if we can obtain the stone. Legends indicate there is a stone in the Lost Woods, and we'd like your help, if you'd be so kind as to give it."
The Kokiri seemed to consider this for a moment before they lowered their weapons. "Show us your proof, girl."
Malon then pulled a Bowser brooch from her bag and showed it to the fairy circling her head. this seemed to confirm her status as a woman of Lon Lon Ranch, because the fairies stopped circling them and the Kokiri lowered their weapons. Then, the fairies returned to their owners who came out into the clearing to guide the two to the forest glade in which their village was settled.
Link coudn't believe it. They wouldn't listen to his PERFECTLY reasonable request, but Malon shows them some brooch and they just get all happy and guide them to their village? What was this crap? Link seethed, fighting the urge to yell at Malon. Instead, he just watched as the Kokiri led them on down the path. Eventually, the Kokiri led them off the path onto a very small trail that would have been invisible to Malon and Link. It was just wide enough for the horse, but it forced Malon and Link to dismount and carry the bags themselves, much to the chagrin of Link. By the time they actually broached the village itself, Link was thoroughly pissed.
The village was a quaint little place, with few buildings, most of which were built into the trees. A few were in the tree themselves, giving the Kokiri who lived in the tree-houses a more child-like feel. Each of the Kokiri had his or her own glowing fairy, each one a different color. The Kokiri people seemed to be a happy bunch; Link stuck out like a sore thumb on the merit of his grumpy expression alone.
"We'll take your horse," the male Kokiri said as stopped just outside of the village gates. "I sent Navi up ahead to tell Saria about your coming." It was then that his fairy returned, bobbing around the male Kokiri's head for a bit before disappearing under his hat. "Navi says Saria will meet you by the Great Deku Tree." The male Kokiri pointed across the village, where a path created through the trees could be seen leading out of the village. "Just head over there."
"Odd," they could hear the female Kokiri say as they led Epona away. "Usually Saria won't let any outsiders near the Great Deku Tree."
"Yeah...well, usually outsiders don't ask about the Temple..." The male Kokiri responded, before Link turned to Malon. "You okay with your horse getting taken like that?"
Link's rage was palpable, and somehow it amused Malon. It was hard to be upset with someone who was so clearly out of the loop. The image she had of someone who was more patient than the boy she met at the stables fluttered away like so many frightened cucoos. It seemed he was pretty much rude to everyone when he wanted something. Tact was apparently not high on the list of knight priorities. But that was a topic for an entirely different discussion. At present his rage was nipping at her heels while they carried their own supplies and led Epona down the hidden path.
The village was just as her father had described to her and she was charmed by the Kokiri and their way of life. They seemed happy to be living in the forest. Saria was a name that she was unfamiliar with, but Malon gathered that the woman was important. She would have to be to set these kinds of terms.
Epona was led away by the Kokiri and Malon smiled. "Epona will be fine. The Kokiri have a deep respect for plants and animals. They'll be good to her. And she can take care of herself pretty well," she said with a smile. "We should be a little more worried about meeting with Saria. I don't know about her at all."
Link looked across the village towards the path the Kokiri had pointed at, and sighed. "I know of Saria. The old Knights who came here often talked about her. Thought she was some old woman who liked to live in the trees. I'm gonna go on a limb and say she's a Kokiri, probably their leader." Link gave a shrug and started down the path through the village. "From what I remember of what the old Knights say, Saria is a kind and wise woman. So I'm betting she'll know where the Temple is, if it even exists." Link's arms were crossed as he walked, his irritation from the trip up here still not completely dissipated.
"Let's just hope this Saria person is more agreeable then those other two Kokiri."
Malon shook her head. "You know, at some point, we're going to need to have a talk about the way you make first impressions," she said with a sigh. Her hands stayed on the straps of her supply pack but she walked as though she wasn't bothered by the weight. She was used to this sort of work on the farm. It would take more than the weight of a supply pack to put her in a sour mood. Then, she supposed that the same couldn't necessarily be said for knights in training. Sure, they carried equipment--but not usually this kind of thing. She hoped that his rudeness would take a back seat in the presence of someone who was obviously an important ruler. Somehow, she doubted it.
"Saria...It sounds like a lovely name. It's familiar somehow...maybe I did hear of her once and just don't remember? In any case, I don't think it would hurt to address her as if she's a leader, even if she's not. She obviously holds sway here, and she has the information we need if we want to continue. And I think it's safe to say that we do," she said, turning toward him.
Link walked ahead of Malon as they slipped down the path leading out of the village, a veritable tunnel cut into the trees, winding its way around and down. The pack grew heavy on Link's shoulders as they walked, and he found himself constantly adjusting everything and grumbling about how much more he had to carry due to his weapons. As they walked down the path, the two began to hear a playful song echoing through the trees. It grew louder as they walked down the path.
Eventually the path opened up into a large clearing, at the center of which grew an extremely large tree with a face carved into it. The tree was massive and even Link felt little just by the sight of it; he almost didn't notice the Kokiri sitting on one of its roots. The green haired Kokiri was the source of the music; she was spiritedly playing an ocarina, but stopped as Link and Malon entered into the clearing. She lowered the ocarina to her lap.
"Hey, there. You must be the ones looking for the Temple," the Kokiri said, fixing them with a big smile that stretched up into her bright green eyes. "I am Saria, and this is the Great Deku Tree." She patted the root as she introduced the tree.
"Welcome," said the tree, though it was impossible to tell where the dull roar came from; Link took a step back and looked wildly to Malon.
"The tree can talk!?"
Malon found herself feeling more lively and light as they neared the source of the music. A girl with green hair was playing an ocarina and seemed to be charging the air itself with life. The Kokiri were a group of people who never aged past a certain point, but they could be quite old. She wondered how long this woman had been alive. Saria looked a little younger than the both of them, but more mature than the other Kokiri...why was that, she wondered.
The other immediately noticeable thing was the Deku tree on which she sat. It had a carved face...or so it seemed. What really surprised Malon, however, was that the tree could speak. She jumped at the low rumble, obviously shocked. At least she kept her composure a bit better than Link. Well, she couldn't fault him for it, though. Neither of them had really expected it. She doubted that Saria or the tree would hold it against them. "Apparently," she said, standing up straight once more.
"Thank you both for seeing us. You'll have to forgive us for not really knowing how to act--we don't know much about the Deku Tree, or this area. We are looking for the temple to put a stop to Gannon. We were hoping you could help."
Saria giggled at their reactions, then nodded to Malon. "It is quite all right. Most outsiders react that way to the Deku Tree." The girl lookd up towards the face carved into the tree and smiled.
After a few seconds, the tree spoke again. "I could feel a growing darkness in the north. Is this 'Ganon' the name of such darkness?"
Link finally regained his composure, a scowl setting upon his face as he nodded, though he remained unsure whether to nod at Saria or the tree. "Ganon is a Royal Knight who can somehow use magic and took over the kingdom. He killed my father, and I will be the one to kill him." Saria's hands rose to her mouth, a genuine sadness over the new Link shared showing in her eyes. The tree, however, had a different reaction.
"The dark magic I felt was of a Gerudo nature, yet the person you describe can only be a Hylian." The tree was silent for several seconds before it spoke again, this time directing its words at Link. "The Temple is here, but with the anger and hate burning in your heart, you will never pass the trial, young one. The death of your father is sad news indeed, but you can not let it consume you. You must --"
"SHUT UP!" Link yelled, stepping forward with a stomp and raising a fist towards the tree. "If the Temple is here take me to it and stop talking! I'll pass the trial, I don't have a choice!"
Malon knew his pain--she could feel the frustration emanating from his very soul. She wanted to help him, but the Deku Tree and this Saria had the final say. And they certainly knew better about what the trials entailed. She frowned and looked down for a moment feeling her mother's loss again and wondering what it might be like if she had lost her mother in such a violent way. Could she be so calm? Could she handle a mission like this? But he needed to push through it somehow, and if this trial in the temple was the key to doing so, then who was she to stand in his way? Seeing this through would be important regardless.
Malon looked up at him and then sighed softly, turning to the tree. "If you can see what's in his heart, then please, tell us where the temple is. Nothing can be faced without the proper motivation--he cannot come to terms with his loss until he can do something about it. And he will not be alone." Malon nodded, staring into the carved face of the tree, hoping that he could see within her own heart as well. Perhaps she could help Link in more than one way.
Saria smiled warmly at Link despite his outburst, and that served only to anger him further. Then Malon spoke silly things about seeing hearts and needing proper motivation. In his head, they were all talking down to Link, treating him like an angry toddler who would soon learn the folly of his ways. His anger swirled inside of him, indignation rising; they knew the temples were real, and from the way the tree was talking, so were the Trials. That meant there was a way to fight Ganon. Ignoring his own personal stakes, at this very moment Link and Malon were the only ones who had the proof and the knowledge to gain the ability to fight Ganon. Add in the fact Link HAD to avenge his father, and the fact that this hunk of timber was standing in his way to that goal was almost too much for Link to control.
Link stepped forward again, his face contorting with rage. He looked like he was about to scream, but the tree spoke before Link could. "Saria will take you to the Temple. Now, if you wish. I see the potential buried under all the grief and hate." He paused for only a second, Link stunned, his face softening slowly from rage to a scowl. When the tree spoke again, it was aimed at Malon. "Girl, it seems you will face a Trial just as he will. You must keep this man from being consumed by the flames of his own hate and anger. I do not envy your task."
Malon stood a little straighter and turned to look at her travel companion who was justifiably angry at just about everyone in the clearing. Of course, he probably shouldn't have been quite so angry with her, but that was a moot point in any case. He was getting what he wanted. And that meant that her task was laid out for her as well. She needed to help him through all of this. "I will not fail him." Her eyes took on a steely resolve and then she turned back to Saria and smiled a little. "Thank you for leading the way. We'd better get going soon or we'll lose the light."
With that, she picked up her packs again as though they weighed nothing at all and waited for the Kokiri woman to lead them to the temple.
Saria stood and smiled. "Right this way, then."
Link crossed his arms and waited impatiently while the Kokiri woman walked from the tree and to the pair, eventually walking past them and leading them back into the village. As they left, the tree grumbled a final "Good luck," and disappeared behind a mass of smaller trees. Saria hummed a happy tune as she led the pair on. When in the village, the other Kokiri approached her constantly, much to the chagrin of Link. It seemed that she was important to this village, as each Kokiri came to her with a problem for her to solve. She always answered with patience and love, and each time someone approached her Link's grumbles got louder.
Eventually, she led them to another path cut through the trees, that led out from the village. She gave them careful instructions to keep close behind her, as it was easy to get lost here. And indeed it was. She took left and right turns seemingly at random, and not a single thing looked different to Link as they traveled. When she finally led him to the grotto outside of the temple, it had seemed to materialize out of of no where.
"Here we are," Saria said, taking a seat on a stump.
Malon put up with Link's attitude while they were walking, but that didn't mean she wasn't annoyed with him. Shaking her head, she sighed as Link's annoyance grew with the Kokiri. Did he not realize that other people had lives and responsibilities too? He must have--the problem was that he didn't care. He had no respect for anyone else's time right now because he was so close to his goal. The task was consuming him, and she was worried that she might have to slap him across the face to get the point across.
She'd try a few gentle reminders before they got too far into things, however. Before she could really start on that, however, they had reached the temple. Her mouth fell open just a bit as she stared at the huge complex. "Wow..." She'd never seen anything quite like it. It was covered in forestry, but the architecture was beautiful. The only problem was that portions of it were crumbled--it was as though it were in ruins. That would make this trip slightly more difficult. And if the forest had infiltrated the temple, then surely monsters had as well. It was best to be on guard here. That might be troublesome with Link acting like an idiot. She hoped that Saria would stay until they came back...
"What is waiting for us?" she asked.
"Nothing but a bit of a walk," Saria said, smiling warmly at Malon. "Most of the Temple has long since fell to ruin, but the central antechamber where the trial is held is still there, along with the doors to them. If you walk through the rubble in a straight line from here, you'l find big double doors leading to a stairwell that takes you underground. That's where the trial will be. I'll wait for you out here," Saria added, nodding.
Link had all ready started forward before she even had finished talking. He had forgotten about the Kokiri, about Malon, about Saria. All that was on his mind was the Trial, and how many different ways he would succeed. He must succeed. He slipped into the ruins and kept walking, ignoring the architecture, the broken statues, the shattered pieces of pottery. The mosaics painted on the shattered bits of walls held to interest to him until he came to the big double doors Saria mentioned to him, standing alone amongst all the rubble that surrounded it.
Malon was surprised that this temple was as peaceful as it was, but she supposed that she shouldn't be too surprising. The girl made apologies for Link and dashed after him, grabbing his arm as he stood before the double doors. "Hold it!" She stood before him, well aware that she was blocking his path and knowing full well that this would earn her a few rude comments and a healthy glare from Link. "Before you go in there you need to calm down! Your head needs to be clear before you can face what's on the other side of these doors." She frowned and watched him, worry on her face.
"You can't ignore all the warning signs, Link. You're going to get hurt if you're not careful," she said, hoping to impress upon him the danger he was going through. "So please, try to calm down."
She was right about the health glare; Link's glare would have sent even the most ferocious of monsters scampering away. "Get out of my way," Link growled, his voice low. The worry on her face wasn't registering to him, his mind was elsewhere. He was so close to the first step on his goal and this infuriating woman kept getting in his way. She told him not to ignore the warning signs, to calm down. Yet Link found it strange how she was doing the exact same things he was. She was ignoring all of the warning signs by getting in his way, and she was going to get hurt if she didn't get of his way.
That was the thought that struck a cord with Link. Was he really getting so angry that he was about to strike a girl fortrying to keep him alive?Not only did that violate almost every Knight code imaginable, but Link's own moral standards rose up and red-flagged the thought. It wasn't enough to calm him down, but it was enough to have him reconsider his approach. "Move, Malon." Link growled. "I am as calm as I am going to get and getting in my way like this certainly won't make me any calmer."
She saw the pure rage directed at her, and if it weren't for the fact that she was a little angry at him, too, she probably would have gone weak in the knees. As it was, however, the rancher's daughter did not move an inch. Instead, she glared right back at him. "You're being really stupid about this, Link. You know walking in there as you are is a bad idea, and you're still acting like you can handle anything! Remember what happened last time you charged off on your own without thinking? You left without food or water or really anything that would help keep you alive! I am begging you tothinkbefore you go in there. Please just take a minute."
"Ihavethought about this!" Link bellowed, stepping closer, getting right in Malon's face. "Ihavethought about how my dad was the only other person in the world who knew the Legend of the Five Stones was true. Ihavethought about how his supposed friend killed him in cold-blood. Ihavethought about how I wish I had stayed to help my dad when he told me to run. Ihavethought about how this is the only reason I can justify not having been there when my dad died! And Ihavethougt that you need to GET OUT OF MY WAY!" With that, Link shoved at Malon, pushing her backwards into the door.
Link wasn't sure where most of that came from. He hadn't actually thought half of what he said. When he had started talking, he had intended to go on about how he had thought about it was only him who was capable of this journey, and how great of a knight his dad was and how he would have done the same thing in Link's shoes. The weight of his words and his actions slammed Link like a ton of bricks, his eyes finding the ground to the left of his left foot. He stared for a second, his face a mix of defeat and regret. "Just, move." Link said, quieter this time.
Despite Malon having stood her ground quite well, she wasn't terribly used to fighting, so when Link pushed her, he caught her off guard. She slammed into the wooden doors, the heavy pack she was wearing only adding to the pain in her back. She took a moment to get her bearings and then dropped her pack with a metallic clang and a rather loud thud. She stood up straight, took a step forward as he told her to move again and slapped him as hard as she could right across the face. "First of all, don't get mad at me for trying to keep your ass alive when you know damn well know that what you're about to do is stupid. There's no way you're going to be able to focus if you can't take a minute to just calm down. I understand that you're in pain and you need to do this. I'm not trying to stop you. I'm asking you to calm down before you charge into battle."
She glared at him and then picked up the pack she'd dropped. It had come open to reveal a few metal bowls and plates and cast-iron pans. She'd been lugging it all around without breaking a sweat. "But if the only thing that's going to get through to you is experiencing defeat first-hand, then you go right ahead, Link. Step right up and test your state of mind. See how far you get on this quest that you need to complete." The last thing she wanted was for him to get hurt or fail, but nothing she said or did would dissuade him from entering now, and she didn't think fondly of getting shoved again.
Link moved with the blow, staggering back a bit before fixing Malon with another glare. He knew he deserved that, but it wasn't like she deserved the push any less. He choose to ignore the sight of what was in her bags, becoming increasingly glad that she hadn't swung that thing at him. When she was done talking, Link shook his head and pushed past her, placing his hands on the doors and giving them a big shove, slowly pushing them open. A staircase was revealed, leading down just as Saria had said.
Link glanced at Malon, like he wanted to say something, but then decided against it and disappeared down the stairs.
Malon watched as Link stubbornly pushed past her and opened the doors to the temple trial. He looked at her as if he wanted to say something, but he kept his mouth shut and started down the stairs. She let him get a few steps ahead of her and sighed, waving to Saria before she followed after the stubborn idiot. Before long, they reached the bottom of the stairs and entered a long hallway with crumbling walls. On either side was a series of chambers that would bring them to the end of the hall where an enormous, circular room began, no doors to be seen.
She stood at the base of the steps, waiting for Link to decide what to do. She figured that he would be walking straight into the large room, determined to face his goal without searching the area for anything that might be useful.
Malon was right about one thing; Link had no interest in the chambers that lined the crumbling walls. He saw the big chamber at the end of the hall and decided that must be where the trial would be held. He made a beeline for that room, ignoring everything else but the room at the end of the hallway. He hadn't even really noticed that Malon had followed him; he had assumed that she would go back to the village, possibly even head back to the ranch. At this point in time, Link didn't care. He was about to pass a Trial and be one step closer to avenging his dad.
When he stepped into the big chamber, he got a real good look at the room. Of all of the Temple they had seen, this room was the most well kept. The walls still stood strong, adorned with various paintings of roads across from where Link and Malon entered the room; there was five in total, one of a forest path, a mountain road, a bridge over a river, a dark tunnel, and a packed stone street in a desert town. Strong metal bars prevented Link from walking the perimeter of the room, guiding him towards a set of stairs that led to a raised, almost arena-like platform in the center of the room. Link paused here, taking in his surroundings, suddenly nervous about what he was about to do.
Malon had left the packs outside of the temple, so it was easy to see why Link hadn't realized that she was following him. But he was pretty well absorbed in the task at hand, even though he didn't really seem to understand what that task was. Well, she couldn't deny that he was dedicated. Obsessed, might be a better word, but what was the point of splitting hairs, at this point? The room was forboding and the air was charged with an ominous sense of darkness, despite there being a good deal of light in the room.
She followed him up the stairs, keeping her mouth closed, standing back a few feet. She wouldn't get in his way. This was too important, and frankly, he was distracted enough already. It was all she could do to pray that he wouldn't be too hurt by what was about to take place.
Link stepped into the arena, walking carefully to the center. He heard a sound from behind him, and when he spun, a translucent red wall had materialized between him and the stairs. It was now that he realized that Malon had followed him; he turned and stepped towards the barrier, reaching out and placing his hand on it. It was as hard as stone, despite looking thin. His eyes met Malon's through the wall, and he nodded his thanks, as begrudging as it may be. With that, he turned back around and stepped toward the center of the arena.
When he reached the exact center, a feeling of immense danger washed over him, and for the first time since he had acquired it, Link drew his Master Sword. He pulled the shield over his shoulder and set it to his arm as well, dropping into a combative stance as he took a few steps back, looking around. In front of him, a dark form seemed to amass from no where, taking on a person-like shape. Slowly, details began to form on the shadow figure, and as they did, Link became filled with rage. Before him stood Ganon. This had to be one of his spells, and he had somehow learned of what Link was attempting to do, and came to stop him. This worked for Link, who gave a strangled, angry cry and charged forward, raising the sword above his head and swinging it at Ganon.
However, Link may as well have not moved for all the good it did. Ganon easily jumped up and back, floating easily out of Link's reach. He smirked at Link as he floated backwards, his feat several feet above the ground. When he backed into the painting of the forest path, Ganon seemed to melt into it, appearing on the path as if he was a part of the painting itself. Link watched as the Ganon figure walked up the path and over its horizon, disappearing. Growling, Link dropped into his combat stance again, and looked around him, waiting for Ganon to appear again. He wondered if Ganon had used this kind of magic when combating his dad. This kind of cowardly, annoying magic.
It had never occurred to Link to watch the paintings. Otherwise, he would have seen the Ganon figure walking slowly down the stone street in the desert picture. Link's focus was completely on his next assault when Ganon showed up again. Ganon dashed from the painting without a sound, raising up a staff to swing at Link. Had it not been for Malon's yell, Link wouldn't have seen the attack, or raised his shield in time. The blow still hurt, knocking Link over to his side. Ganon floated above the arena, still smirking down at Link as she picked himself up. "You have been judged by this Trial to be unworthy of the Triforce," a deep, booming voice yelled. "You must learn to tame the emotions in your heart to see through the illusions they would have you believe."
"SHUT UP!" Link yelled, charging at Ganon once again. Ganon floated almost lazily out of his reach; Link's vertical slash made contact with nothing but the ground. However, this time Ganon came down fast, landing on Link and bringing him to the ground. Ganon turned, putting a foot on the back of Link's head. With most of Ganon's weight bearing down on his back, and a foot on his head, Link was pinned, and it only served to anger him even worse. A stream of curses and threats flew from his mouth, but Ganon only smirked. "Listen, young one," the voice began. "There is potential in your heart to be a Hero of the Triforce. But not while your heart is aflame with hatred and anger. No tree can grow in flames."
Link was not listening, and Ganon seemed almost saddened by this. Ganon's gaze shifted up towards Malon, where an almost confused look crossed his face. "You should take a leaf from your friend," Ganon said to Link, despite the fact the young boy was doing anything but listening. "She could pass the trial, if it would not be a waste for her." With that, the spirit jumped off of Link, towards the edge of the arena furthest from Malon. Link sprung up, taking his sword in hand and charged; this time Ganon brought his staff up and swung. Link didn't get his shield up in time for this blow, it hitting him directly in the chest. The force of the blow sent Link flying backwards; the red well dissipated as Link flew through it, hitting the ground in the hall and rolling a bit. Link's sword skittered to a halt at Malon's feet, having been dropped as Link flew back from the arena.
"You hold power, young one," Ganon said to Malon, as he slowly faded from existence.
Had she been in Link's shoes, she was sure she would have made some of the same mistakes he had. Believing that Ganon was actually there and not a manifestation of the temple, for one. As it was, however, Malon had the presence of mind to realize that this was not so--this Ganon was merely the form the trial chose to take for link. What the tree had said and what Saria had said about needing balance to complete this trial successfully rang true in her head. If he hadn't been so caught up in his anger, there was a distinct possibility that Link might have realized what was going on before things had gone too far.
The battle had been brief, but brutal, and Malon had no doubt that Link might actually have killed the illusory Ganon if he'd made contact. As it was, he was too angry to think straight. His emotions had overrun his brain yet again. And it was at this point that Malon felt entitled to say, "I told you so." However, as the young man flew past her and into the hall with a supremely violent crash, it just didn't seem fair. And to be honest, it had been forgotten the moment she realized he was in real danger.
She screamed as he flew past, unable to stop herself, but she gathered her wits as she rushed toward him. The illusion's words reached her, but for the time being, they were forgotten. Link needed her help. She took his sword, carrying it carefully to him. She knelt beside him to see how bad his injuries were.
"Link!" she said, shaking his shoulders for he was certainly dazed. "Link? If you can hear me I need you to nod for me, okay?" She set the sword down beside him and then moved so that she could inspect his injuries.
The blow had been painful, but hitting the ground and rolling had made it so much worse. Sharp pains shot through him from his chest each time he took a breathe. Link laid there, trying to make his breaths as light as possible. His mind was swimming with anger and pain, and he found it hard to concentrate on any one thing. He heard Malon calling his name, but it was if she was calling from a distance. Link couldn't concentrate on that anymore than he could anything else. When she shook him, Link let out a cry of pain. His eyes shot open and focused on her, a pained expression on his face while the pain subsided.
"Ow..." he forced, the act of drawing in air to talk shooting pain through his body.
He closed his eyes again for a moment then opened them once more, looking at Malon. Had she always been that...beautiful? Errant thought aside, Link let out another grunt of pain as he breathed looking past Malon back towards the arena, where Ganon no longer was. "He's...gone?" Link asked, wincing a little. He had failed the trial after all, and was now really hurt. Great.
She stopped shaking him when she knew he'd snapped out of it and carefully held him up instead. Malon knew he was in a great deal of pain at this point, and whether he'd deserved it or not, she didn't want to cause any more than was necessary. At Link's question, she nodded and looked around them. Nothing to really help at this point. She'd have to do her best to help him out and ask Sariah to help patch him up. "Okay, well, that went about as well as could have been expected." She frowned and carefully helped Link to stand, letting him use her as a crutch.
"You're in no condition to try again any time soon, so come with me. I'll get you some lon lon milk and Sariah can take a look at you. Come on, then." With that, she made sure he had his sword and shield and carefully started to walk with him, trying to be as gentle as possible in the process. He'd been through quite enough.
Link stood up, but it was painful. Something definitely wasn't right with his chest, and from some rough guesses the attack from Ganon had broken a rib or two. It was likely the pain from breathing was coming from his lungs expanding into the broken part of his rib cage. Grunting, he leaned heavily on Malon while they walked, trying his best to focus on anything but the pain in his chest. For some reason, Ganon was in these woods. Why hadn't the tree or that Kokiri girl told him this? Why did they seemed surprised to hear Ganon's name when he was in the woods? Something wasn't adding up in Link's head, but he was in too much pain to really think through it.
The steps were hell, and Link slowed them down considerably. He was no stranger to pain, but he had never experienced a pain that made breathing unbearable, and it was hard to grit your teeth and press forward when literally everything you did, whether you controlled it or not, was causing you to want to keel over and die. Eventually, however, they made it up stairs, where Saria awaited.
"He failed, as the Great Deku Tree predicted," she said, but there was no condescension in her voice. Instead, it fluttered with concern. Several other Kokiri were a ways behind her, busy building a small platform. "When you descended, I sent my fairy to bring the Kokiri here, and had them start building that platform. I had a feeling he would be hurt. Have him lie on it, and when we get him to the village, I'll see if I can't convince the fairies of the forest to use their magic to heal him."
Saria smiled at Malon, and helped her carry Link to the platform, and lay him down. The Kokiri picked it up with little to no trouble, and began a slow trot back towards the village, but Saria did not follow; she grabbed ahold of Malon's hand. "The Deku Tree would like to speak with you. We can go now, or after you check on your friend in the village." Saria smiled warmly at Malon.
Malon frowned, cringing a little with each step. She knew he was in an extreme amount of pain, and it was difficult to imagine him being otherwise. His body had taken quite a beating, and she was certain that part of that beating had come from his own mind. Malon helped him, wishing for his sake that the stairs had been less steep or even just less. Poor guy was in enough pain, wasn't he? When they reached the top, Saria was still there--and now she had company. Apparently, the Kokiri girl had thought ahead and figured out that Link hadn't really been thinking with his brain when he went to take the trial. Well, hopefully now he'd learn.
The rancher frowned and helped him over to the platform the Kokiri had made with Saria's help and watched them take off with him. It was an odd sight to see, but it meant that he'd be getting help soon enough. She was just about to pick up their packs and go with him when Saria grabbed her hand. The girl turned, surprised at the tree's request--once she got over the fact that a tree could have one. "Of course...I just...I need to make sure he'll be okay first." With that, she scooped up both packs and trotted after Link's little caravan. Her load was a bit heavier without his help, but she was more worried about whether or not he would be healed. The best she could do was to give him lon lon milk.
The Kokiri were surprising light with their steps considering the load they were carrying and the rough terrain they were covering. Link didn't feel a singe bump the whole way, which helped the pain in his chest recede just a little. He groaned, idly wondering where Malon had gotten off to. Something told him that she would be able to make the pain go away, that she would make him feel better. It would probably accompany a lecture, but right now, Link was all right with that. A lecture would be just fine.
The Kokiri guided Link into the village, trotting him over to Saria's house. Her house was nothing more than a hollowed out tree trunk, though the tree trunk was quite large; there was plenty of room for Malon to stand stall and comfortably even with all the Kokiri and Saria slip into the house through the curtains that acted like a door. The Kokiri that had carried Link on the platform gently set it down, making sure to do so evenly lightly so as to not hurt Link more. Once he was down, each of the Kokiri lifted their hats and let a small ball of light fly out. The Fairies hovered over link, floating in a small circle over him.
"The Fairies have powerful healing magic," Saria explained. "It is reported that if you get enough Fairies together, and they can bring back the dead. Still, they only speed up the natural healing process. So what make take months to heal will now only take a day or two." Saria smiled up at Malon, hoping that her explanations were enough.
Saria's words barely reached Malon. She understood what the Kokiri woman had told her, though. "Before you do that," she said, "Let me give him some lon lon milk. It'll help heal him and give him some energy as well." With that, she reached into one of the bags Link had been carrying and removed a large bottle. Carefully, she lifted his head and held him carefully. She tried not to move his chest a great deal--there would be pain if he moved too much. One of his ribs was probably broken, if not badly bruised. Malon tilted the bottle carefully, letting him drink a little at a time until about half of the bottle was gone.
"You'll be alright now, Link," she said softly, gently laying him back down. "It'll be okay." She smiled a little--worry still showing through her as she tried her best to be reassuring. She stayed close and looked up at the fairies, wishing they would do their best to heal him. Then she looked at Saria and nodded. Soon, the fairies began to circle Link, spinning around him, flying in what appeared to be a frenzy. Their movements were graceful, but fast. The more they circled link, the more his wounds appeared to fade.
Malon smiled down at Link once again. "Do me a favor, okay? Next time I ask you to calm down--do it."
Link grunted when Malon lifted his head, glaring at her as pain shot through him. She offered milk, which Link drank gratefully, almost sad when she took away. Heartened, Link laid back down and closed his eyes. Link closed his eyes and choose to pretend that he didn't hear Malon spewing meaningless nothings like that would make him feel better; however, when the fairies began to move over him, Link felt a thousand times better. He opened his eyes and watched the fairies, fascinated by their dance. He still hurt, but it was a dull ache, something he could ignore. The bruises were gone, his chest felt better, and Link could move without falling over in pain.
Link shot Malon a glare when she mentioned calming down when she said to, but before he could say anything Saria intervened, taking Malon by the hand. "We mustn't keep the Great Deku Tree waiting," and almost dragged Malon from the house. Link gave a 'harumph' and laid back down, content to nap a little. Already in his head was a plan to sneak out as soon as he could and try the temple again. He gave no thought to the fact he didn't know his way through the Lost Woods, or how he was still technically hurt. All he knew was that he had to get there again, and this time without Malon dragging him down.
"She's here, Great Deku Tree!" Saria called as she pulled Malon into the clearing.
The old tree's expression was different from earlier, now in a sort of smile. However, the face remained completely motionless as it spoke in its dull roar.
"Malon. I see Link's trial went as well as I had warned." There was a brief silence before the tree continued, in which Saria practically bounced over to her seat on the tree's root. "I could not say earlier, as it would have boosted the young man's ego to fatal proportions, but I knew the two of you would come visit me long before you were born. You see, when the Goddesses made the world, they left us with a number of prophecies. One such prophecy involves you and the young warrior, and the man who took over Hyrule."
Saria began to speak now. "The prophecy is this: "Hyrule will face a darkness from within. A hero blessed by the Triforce after conquering his grief, will rise and work together with a member of the Royal Family to bring an end to such darkness." After saying her piece, she slid from the root and ran around the the Great Deku Tree, disappearing behind him.
"I believe Link to be this hero," the tree continued. "And that your destiny is tied to his. As such, I give you this artifact, that you may ensure he sees his quest to the end." Saria reappeared from around the tree, carrying a wooden flute. It was a simple thing, with little to no additional detail added to it. Saria held it out for Malon to take. "Just blow on the flute," Saria said., "And the Fairies of the Kokiri will come to your aid!"
When Link appeared to feel better, Malon let loose a sigh of relief. At least he wouldn't be in pain for long. Or at least, not a lot of pain. But before she could do much else, she was dragged to her feet and out of the small tree house. She glanced back at Link but she was gone before long. She hurried along with Saria to the Great Deku Tree, and caught her breath as they started in on the prophecy business. A royal family member? Did they mean Princess Zelda? Well they would need to free her if she was going to help defeat Gannon.
Confused as to her role in all of this, the rancher's daughter took the offered flute and stared at it. It felt somehow warm in her hands, and she felt the urge to play it. What surprised her even more was the fact that she seemed to know how to play it. She looked up at the green haired woman, confused. "I...How?" She bit her bottom lip and sighed, lifting the wooden flute to her mouth. She closed her eyes and her body took up the proper stance, and before she knew it, she was making music. A short tune later, and she was surrounded in fairies.
Momo was a fairy like any other. She fluttered around the Kokiri Woods, using her soft pink light to keep the Kokiri from getting lost. She played with the other fairies, and she celebrated when her friends found their Kokiri match. When a Kokiri was hurt she offered her magic to heal him, and when the Great Deku Tree gave her a job she did it without question. Overall, Momo was a good fairy, and was happy to do her part. Unlike the other fairies, however, Momo had an obsession with romance: she had it in her head that when she would finally bond with a Kokiri, it would be romantic and she would love that Kokiri forever.
She did not expect to get drawn to a Hylian girl playing a flute.
It was an enchanting song, the girl bouncing slightly as she played. And Momo wasn't the only fairy drawn to the music. Hundreds of fairies flew in circles around her, glowing brightly and laughing merrily. Momo did the same, losing her self in the swirl of fairies that surrounded the girl. When she stopped playing, Momo had been laughing and having so much fun that she did not notice all the other fairies fly away. When she did realize the music had stopped and she was the only fairy still there, she was came to a stop right in front of the girl's face. Momo looked around, unsure what to do.
"Hi," she said, awkwardly.
Malon blinked, not really sure how it had come to pass, but there were fairies all around her as she played the song. And then...one remained. Not really sure what to do, she glanced at Saria who just sort of shrugged, smiling. The rancher's daughter thought it would be rude to not return the somewhat awkward greeting, so she did. "Hello...there." She looked in wonder at her flute, holding it in both hands. "Duh nuh nuh NAHHH!"
Well that was strange. Frowning, feeling like an idiot, Malon returned her attention to the small creature in front of her. "Ummm...my name is Malon. Who are you?" She asked, staring in wonder.
Momo idly wondered if all Hylians did that with items they find. She hoped not. That was weird.
When the Hylian introduced herself as Malon, Momo fluttered happily around her, gaining giggles from Saria. "My name is Momo! I am a fairy of the forest! Nice to meet you!" Momo gave a little flourish at the end of her introduction, waving and bobbing about.
"Momo, eh?"
The voice that spoke then was the voice of the Great Deku Tree, and it seemed thoughtly. Saria glanced curiously at the tree, and Momo turned to face him. "Oh, yes, Great Deku Tree! Momo at your service!" Momo seemed to bounce excitedly.
"Momo, I hereby request that you travel with Malon as you would a Kokiri, and guide her and her friend on their mission to stop the world's growing darkness."
Mom floated there, stunned. "You want me...to pair...with a Hylian?" She looked over at Malon, remembering all her dreams she had about this moment. On how it would be super special and romantic and she would love the Kokiri forever.
"Oh, yay!" she explained, bouncing excitedly and darting to Malon, rubbing against her face and excitedly dashing back into her hair, spinning around it and mussing it up. As she circled back around in front of Malon, bouncing in that spot, she almost sang, "Fairy Momo, at your service! Monsters to fight? I'll help! Treasures to find? I'll help! Secret loves you want to come to fruition?" She floated close to Malon at this point, whispering. "Thats my specialty."
She began to nuzzle against Malon again. "Oh, this will be the best ever! Who would of thought I would be paired with such a beautiful girl? We'll be the best of friends! We'll talk about boys, I'll do your hair, we'll..."
It seemed there was an infinite amount of things Malon and Momo would end up doing.
Honestly, Malon had forgotten that the Deku tree was an intelligent being and was a bit startled when he spoke. And then the tree dropped a metaphorical bomb. A fairy?! Traveling with her? The girl's eyes widened in awe as she stared at the fairy, who seemed to be more excited about the news than even the girl. Malon giggled as Momo zoomed around her, flitting through her hair and nuzzling her.
The excitement seemed to be getting a little out of hand, though. "It's an honor to be paired with you," she said with a chuckle. She turned to the Deku tree and bowed her head respectfully, "Thank you, Great Deku Tree." She lifted her head to see Saria was still chuckling a little. "This has all been so much...but I need to ask. Why me? Isn't Link the one who'll save Hyrule?"
Saria looked to the Great Deku Tree, her look giving away that she knew something she wasn't sure she should say. The Deku Tree seemed to know what to say, as he gave a low, rumble as a chuckle. "Is it not a common saying amongst your people that behind every great man, is an even greater woman?" Saria laughed aloud at that, Momo finally coming to a stop on top of Malon's head. After Saria quieted down, the Tree continued. "You have your own destiny to fulfill, Malon. One that may very well be the difference between Link's success and failure."
Saria jumped from the root she was sitting on and ran over to Malon, taking her hand. "Come on, I'll show you a place you can stay tonight! The others should be done getting it ready." She tugged on Malon's hand, trying to get her to follow her back down to the path to the village. It would be a quiet trek, Saria not feeling like there was any new information to share.
Malon smiled at the saying, but she was still confused. What did she have to do with Link's success or failure? Certainly, this first temple would be key to whether or not he even survived, and she had agreed to help him...but could she actually turn the tide in his favor? Somehow that didn't seem quite right. She was just a rancher's daughter...who now had a flute that could summon fairies. Not to mention her little companion, Momo. Well, maybe she wasn't so insignificant after all. She could be useful. She was certain of that. The only question was if Link would see it that way.
She ran off with Saria in a bit of a daze. She wasn't really paying attention--her legs were just moving for her. Yes, Link was the problem. He had been alright when she'd left him--out of danger at the least. But she was still worried. So she would go with Saria back to the village and check out her house, but then, she resolved, she would visit him and tell him what had happened. Maybe she could convince him to actually listen to her. Well, she could dream.
It wasn't long before they were back in the village and Malon was being shown into a little Kokiri house like Saria's. A Kokiri villager had given it up for her and they'd managed to make a bed large enough for someone of Malon's size. It looked comfortable enough, and the sheets and blankets looked soft. The place was clean and, though it was small, it was nice. Her packs had somehow appeared in the room as well. She smiled and thanked Saria for thinking of her. "Thank the others for me as well, please."
When she was all settled in, the redhead made her way to the place where Link was resting. She would check on Epona afterword. Quietly, she slipped into the house, past the curtain and let herself in. "Link?" She said softly.
Link had done a thing. A thing that probably wouldn't be appreciated. A thing that Link would probably regret. A thing that Link had not completely thought through. That thing was sneaking out of the village while the Kokiri were away. He had slipped on his tunic, grabbed his sword and shield, and fled from the village and into the Lost Woods. He was refusing to admit it at this very moment, but he was beginning to understand why they called it the Lost Woods. Link couldn't tell one tree from the next, and everything looked the same, always seeming to round him back to where he began.
"Lost?"
The voice was childish, but it startled Link, causing him to spin around, readying his sword and shield. "Who's there?"
"Oh, no need for that," came the reply. Link lowered his weapons slightly at the slight of what he thought might be a Kokiri...but he didn't put it away. Instead of the mostly greens that the Kokiri themselves wore, this one wore mostly brown with a tinge of green. The kid wore a mask fashioned like a skull with a big floppy hat resting on his head, perfectly hiding any other features. In his hands was a worn, wooden flute.
"Who are you?" Link asked, still not putting away his weapons.
"Skull Kid," came the reply, and he broght the flute up to the hole in the mask for the mouth. "You should note I like your things."
Link looked quizzically at Skull Kid, who seemed to ignore Link's expression as he began to play the flute. It was a haunting sound, one that sent chills up and down Link's spine. "What are you doing?" Link asked, looking around, suddenly regretting this little foray into the woods.
"Taking your stuff," Skull Kid replied, just as he finished playing his flute. He laughed loud as a low snarl could be heard from the trees behind them; Link spun, readying his word and shield. He didn't expect to get nearly toppled over by a mound of fur and claw, swiping at him and snarling and baring. Most of the blows checked Link's shield, but a few managed to scrape his arms and legs, even catching his face. The creature was a wolf the size of a Hylian, bidpedal and ferocious...something that Link had only heard of from the tales of old knights.
A wolven.
Link pushed hard, with all his might to throw the wolven off of him, sending the creature rolling off to the side. Quickly, Link jumped up and readied his shield and sword, ready to strike when the creature gave the chance. Skull Kid had skiddered off, but his laughter still rang through the trees, informing Link that he was still around. Things were making sense now: Skull Kid wanted the wolven to kill Link so he could have his stuff.
The Skull Kid would just have to be disappointed.
The wolven was up now, hunched low and snarling at Link. They circled each other for a while, Link tense and waiting for the attack. It came soon; the wolven lunged as Link stepped to the side just a mite too slow. The wolven hit Link's shield; Link continued to step to the side, letting his shield move with the wolven's momentum. His shield arm gave away and the wolven fell to the side, and Link reacted quickly; he jumped up and brought the sword down hard into the wolven's back, causing a screech from the wolven as his fur turned a dark red.
Link didn't stop raising his blade and bringing it hard back down into the wolven, the creature's cries drawning out the haunting music of the Skull Kid's flute. It wasn't until he hard the snarls of several other wolven, the first one now long dead, that Link realized what had happened. He looked over his shoulders at the deep red eyes looking at him from between the trees, and Link knew he was in trouble. Sheathing his blade, he began to run as fast as he could. The wolven were faster, but Link far craftier; he kept his shield on his arm, using it to block the lunges and stall the wolven so he could dodge away and keep running.
He just ran and ran, not paying attention to which direction he was going. By the time he saw the light from between the trees that signified he was almost out, Link was positively covered in scatches, cuts, and bruises, and was running on fumes; his tunic was tattered shredded, covered with blood. He wouldn't last too much longer.
He only hoped he would appear near the village.
Malon realized Link was gone within seconds of her eyes adjusting to the darkened room Link had been staying in. She burst out of the house and ran to her own, grabbing her flute, rousing Momo. "I need your help, Momo. Link's missing. Please get Saria!" She ran back out to the village and called for help. Regardless of the fact that wounds healed faster with fairy magic, Link was in no condition to fight. If something had managed to creep into the village...
And the more she thought, the angrier she became. Link hadn't been stolen away or attacked. His sword and shield weren't even in the house. No. He'd purposely run away on his own. He'd gone through the Lost Woods, searching for the temple. This added a whole new problem. There was no way of knowing where he'd gone. They could search for days and not find him. "Idiot." Panic was starting to rise, along with anger, but she pushed it down. Once Saria had joined her once more, she explained that Link was gone and she thought that he may have gotten lost.
Just then, the idiot in question came crashing through the woods and into the village. And there was definitely something behind him. Without missing a beat, however, several Kokiri appeared out of nowhere and fired arrows at the creatures behind him, eliciting howls of pain and finally silence. What Malon saw before her made her look a little pale. Link was in even worse shape than when he'd come back from the temple. Rather than play her flute, however, the first thing she did was rush to him and slap him across the face.
"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" Tears found the corners of her eyes and she stood as straight as she could. "Why would you ever do something so stupid?" She glared at him and felt the urge to slap him again but stopped herself. "Obviously talking to you isn't going to get us anywhere. After all, why would you do a silly thing like trust the person who's trying to help you? I mean what could you possibly have to gain from actually listening to someone who knows more about something than you do? Clearly nothing of value, right? It's much better to do everything on your own. Well, fine. You're on your own, moron!" With that, she whirled away and ran off to find Epona.
It WAS the village! Link stumbled forward, falling over, thinking that he would die right here in safety. But there was a twang and yelps of pain...and life. There was still life. Painful life, but Life nonetheless. Link stood, woozy, taking in his surroundings. There were Kokiri with bows, the ones who had obviously chased off the wolven, and then Malon who --
BAM!
She hit as hard as the damn wolven, Link thought, stumbling back and falling on his ass. Pain shot through everything on his body, especially his face, but he could tell Malon was upset. And everything she was saying had been true. It had been dumb to sneak out into the woods like that, without a guide, and while barely healed. He had been a total dumbass and almost died for it. He couldn't fault Malon for being upset with him, as much as he wanted to. The only thing he could think was that she didn't understand. She didn't understand that he HAD to pass this trial, and all this pandering and all this planning -- his dad didn't need to plan, his dad would just -- what would his dad think if he saw -- how could he save his dad if -- his dad was dead.
And whether it was the pain or the slap or the realization he could do nothing for his dad, Link broke down and cried. Heaving sobs that shot pain through his body from all the cuts; he curled up into a little ball and just cried. He didn't care that he was bleeding, didn't care that he was hurt, and didn't care he was sitting in the middle of the village. All he knew was that he, a Knight-to-be from the Castle, son of one of the greatest Knights in the land, had made a fool of himself trying to save a dead person. He could hear his dad now, "Son, what are you doing? I am dead. Yes, Ganon needs to be stopped...but stop focusing on me, on my death. Don't stop him for me. Let your anger and grief over my death fuel your strength in the battle against Ganon, but do not let it consume you."
Link had been consumed, and almost died. What could he do? Say he was sorry and start over? He couldn't. Not now. Not anymore. It was over. It was done. Link had failed and he cared not to try again.
He just wanted to be left alone.
Momo had been caught up in the excitement of things, zooming around and talking to other fairies and fetching Saria. She certainly hadn't expected Malon to react to her friend's reappearance in such a way. Apparently, from what the other fairies had told her, he had snuck off into the forest while he was still hurt. But for her to react this way to what he'd done was a bit of a shock. Malon didn't strike her as the sort to be violent, and this particular circumstance didn't seem the right time for such a thing...she must really have been hurt by what he'd done.
But it seemed as though he had had his reasons for going. And he definitely regretted leaving to handle it all on his own. He was crying in a way she hadn't seen before. Something about him just seemed...broken. Well, she needed to fix this. After all, she was supposed to go with Malon and Malon was supposed to be helping Link. Something needed to be done. So she flew after Malon and found her in the stables with her horse, crying a little herself.
"He's so stupid," she would whimper, sobbing into the horse's neck. Epona, to her credit, seemed to agree with the girl, doing her best to nuzzle the poor thing.
"Malon! There you are! I was worried about you." Momo fluttered around Malon's head as the girl wiped her eyes and sniffled a bit.
"I'm sorry, Momo. That was wrong of me." Everything had been wrong. "I shouldn't have run off. But he was just so...I don't think I've ever been quite so angry with a person before. He's so rude and annoying, but I try to forgive him because he's in pain and he's trying to avenge his father...but it doesn't give him a right to treat the people around him like dirt. It doesn't mean he gets to do whatever he wants with no consequences."
Momo frowned and sat on Epona's head. Epona seemed to be okay with this arrangement, and watched Malon as well. "Well, he got beaten up pretty badly. And then you hit him. I would say that's a consequence, wouldn't you?"
Malon sighed. He'd deserved to be slapped. Granted, she could have found a better time for it, he'd still deserved it. But that didn't mean that it was alright for her to walk away from him either. She needed to be a better person--a stronger guide for him. After all, she was apparently the key to his success. Sighing she nodded.
"I suppose so."
"See? We should go apologize. And that's enough crying. It makes me sad to see someone so pretty cry. And I'm sure Link would think the same thing. He's crying enough as it is."
He was crying....well she wished she could say that it served him right, but she knew he needed her now. Walking away was not an option. So she sighed and stood up, brushing away the hay with Momo's help, unwittingly sending the message that she cared about what Link thought of her. "Alright. Let's go."
"Yay! It'll get better. You'll see!" And with that the bright ball of light zoomed off again. Malon smiled at Epona and shrugged. "Thanks for being there for me."
And with that, she followed after Momo, making her way back to the bloodied and beaten Link. When she finally found him, she stood over him for a moment and considered that he was in pain and clearly needed to be alone. He was also a mess and needed to be cleaned up. So he would just have to deal with the intrusion.
Her expression softened as she sighed and knelt down. "It'll be alright. I'm still mad at you--don't misunderstand--but we all make mistakes, I guess. Maybe this time you'll learn."
With that, she lifted the fairy flute to her lips and summoned a whirlwind of fairy lights to help heal him.
By the time Malon had appeared by Link, he had stopped sobbing. Instead, he was doing nothing. Just sitting there, curled up and bleeding. Malon said words to him, but this time, rather than hearing them and ignoring them, he just plain didn't hear them. He was lost in his own self-loathing and torment; he didn't notice the whirlwind of fairies or even that his cuts were gone and healed. He didn't feel better, he didn't care, and he just wanted to quit.
"I just wanna quit, daddy. I can't do it."
His dad smiled at him ruffling his hair. "Son, the test is hard, I get that...but no one ever gets it at first. Knights are meant to be the best, and if everyone could join, they would not be so."
Link pulled away from his dad, pouting and crossing his arms. "But I am the best! I am your son! I have to be!"
His dad laughed, shaking his head. "Son, I earned my station and my skill. You must do the same."
"Its too hard. It wasn't hard for you."
His dad hugged Link close, smiling down at his son. "You know, son, I gave up trying to be a Knight just like you seem to want to. It was too hard, I thought, and I was not good enough. I was settling for being a farmer for the rest of my life...but then I tried again. And again. And again. And I failed, and failed, and failed."
Link pulled back, looking at his dad, disbelief blatant on his face. "I don't believe it."
"Ask your mother. Its how I met her. She was the one who took down the names of all trying to join the Knights that year. I applied so often we ended up falling in love. I didn't make it into the Knights until my 27th try, son."
Link stared at his dad. The best Knight in the kingdom didn't make it in until he had applied 27 times!? That couldn't be true.
But it had been. His mother had tried to fight back the tears laughing as she recounted the tale. Link had been inspired by that to keep trying until he made it, just like his dad. And lo and behold, he was in on his 13th try. He had been so happy...he had done better than his dad.
But was he doing better than his dad now? No. He had forgotten all it meant to be a Knight and let himself get consumed with hate and grief. He was nothing, an insult to his dad's memory...and worse of all, he only had one try. He couldn't keep trying until he succeeded, and it didn't look like he could succeed on his first try. He was unsure what to do, and slowly he raised his head, his expression dead.
"What do I do?" he asked, his voice flat.
Malon frowned as she looked down at link. He didn't seem to change much after the fairies had healed him. Malon sighed and put her flute away, watching as he just lay there with a vacant look on his face. Of course, she knew that the reason he was like this wasn't her fault, but she couldn't help but feel guilty. Somehow she just felt for him. He'd hit a wall after he'd tried so hard, and he couldn't seem to get it together. He was doing all this for his father, so it must have been quite a blow.
It felt wrong to just leave him here, but she knew he'd basically be dead weight if she tried lifting him. Best thing was to just be with him. So she moved over and gently took his head into her lap. When he asked her what to do, she sighed softly. "Don't give up now," she said softly. "You haven't failed yet. And you won't until you give up." She moved some hair out of his face and looked down at him. "Maybe actually try listening to someone next time," she said, her voice taking a bit more pointed tone here. "Oh, and getting up would be a great idea."
Momo just watched, floating around, excited about potential progress. So Malon must like Link, then. And wouldn't you know that that was her specialty. She grinned widely at the prospect of getting link to realize how lucky he was to have someone like Malon around to love him. After all, her job was to help.
Link huffed, sat up, and stood, shaking his head. "Fine." Was all he said in reply, so force returning to his voice, before stalked off back to the house he had been residing in. He slipped past the curtain and laid down on the soft bed he had been on before, turning to his side and shutting his eyes. He store wore his tattered tunic, and he still didn't care. He was angry with Malon, but he wasn't exactly sure why. She was right, not giving up was the right thing to do.
So he wouldn't. It wasn't like he could, anyway. But the rest of it, the 'listening to people' and 'getting up' thing could have not been said. Link knew where he had messed up, and he didn't need her rubbing it in. He was hurt and needed a friend, not a freaking school teacher with a ruler ready to be smacked across his knuckles. What he wanted was comfort. He knew he couldn't stay that way, that he would have to get up and try the trial again...but not now. Not today.
That he had so much energy after all of this was pretty surprising. She'd known full well that she'd be needling Link with the last comments she'd made. Good. He deserved to be angry with her. After all, she'd been angry with him, too. She watched him storm off back to his rooms and then stood up, brushing herself off again. Good. Maybe that would force him to do something. At the very least, he seemed to know damn well what he'd done. That was a thing to be happy about. Maybe it meant that he would learn this time. That things would be alright. And she was still mad at him anyway, so bully if she couldn't talk to him.
She fetched some warm water for him so he could clean up and managed to find a Kokiri weaver to make another tunic for Link. After all, his had been shredded by the attack. When that was done, she went back to her own little hut and started to prepare for bed. While she was brushing her hair, she began to sing her mother's song, hoping it would calm her soul, and maybe Link's, too.
Momo seemed to like it a great deal in any case.
Over the next few days, Link talked to Malon as little as possible. He took his time with the Kokiri, letting himself rest and heal, accepting the new tunic, and taking some time learning a little about the things in the Lost Woods. According to the Kokiri, the Skull Kids were Kokiri who got lost in the Lost Woods until they perished, raising back up to un-life as a Skull Kid. Wolven were ferocious creatures that hunted the Lost Woods, though legends had it that they usually protected great treasure. The Temple was the thing the Kokiri knew the least about; all Saria was willing to share was that it was far older than even the Great Deku Tree, and that its purpose was only to test potential Heroes of the Triforce.
The change in demeanor in Link surprised even Saria. The first day or two he remained mopey, not moving and barely talking or eating. But afterwards something in him seemed to steel itself, and he came out of the small hut. He had graciously (especially considering how rude he had been earlier) accepted the new tunic, and began to ask questions about the Kokiri and their legends. Link even spent a great deal of time with the Deku Tree, talking about the Temple and its Trial and what it would take to pass it. The Great Deku Tree never provided straight forward information, barely giving hints that even Saria understood, but Link seemed to take the information to heart, studying it and learning by it. Once, after Link had left, the Deku Tree had told Saria they were seeing Link the Knight rather than Link the Child.
Momo, however, had a very hard time with Link. The moment he was up and moving she approached him, but her over-abundance of energy and constant assertions that Malon was beautiful and they would be great together wound her up in a bottle stashed away in Malon's hut more than once. Link didn't really care what Malon thought of him stuffing the fairy into a bottle, he was just glad to be rid of the constant chattering.
Eventually, Link thought he was ready to attempt the Trial again. He still didn't understand what exactly the Trial was calling for, but Link knew that he was ready to face Ganon and win. His head was clearer, he had more information, and was generally more calm. He sent off Saria to fetch Malon, upon Saria's insistance she would be important for his success. Link stood waiting for their return, arms crossed and a slight scowl on his face.
Malon mostly stayed out of Link's way, though she did ask the Kokiri to help him out with little things like making sure his sword was sharp and maintained and little things like that. She asked for their patience in dealing with him because he was going through a terrible ordeal. Beyond that, however, she stayed away from him. Mainly, she took care of Epona and hung out with Saria and Momo when they weren't with the hero in question. He needed space, and he was being a brat about talking to her anyway.
She focused on maintaining their supplies and gaining fresh ones. She also learned the ingredients needed to make certain potions that would help them in their travels. She wasn't sure of the methods, but most marketplaces had a potion-maker she could visit. She'd even gotten a net to help in her endeavors. She collected these things in a pouch so that when the time came, she could help Link. She managed to save Momo time and again after Link had rather meanly stuffed her into a bottle and had to calm the fairy down and explain again what was happening and why Link was shoving her in a bottle. It never seemed to help the situation. Such was life.
The Kokiri taught her many things and she was eager to learn them all. When the day came for them to try again at the temple, it was Saria who came for her--not Link. She nodded and carried a pouch full of supplies, rather than their entire packs, and a bottle of lon lon milk. When she was face to face with Link again, he didn't look very different from before, but she knew he had changed. He was being stubborn about her involvement, but at least he was listening to someone. That was quite a change in itself.
Malon had kept her eye on him and asked others how he was doing. There was a definite change. Whether or not he would succeed this time, however, was still in the air.
"Ready?" she asked, Momo fluttering near her head.
Link glanced at Malon, happy she came despite how he had ignored her all this time. He nodded at her, adjusted the strap that kept his sword and shield on his back. "As ready as I'll ever be." His eyes came to Momo, now, and he shook his head. "Does that annoying little fairyhaveto come with?" Link wasn't happy about that, but he would deal. After all, he didn't really wanna get in another fight with Malon about something as silly as the fairy. Malon seemed to like the fairy (after all, she continually let the fairy out of the bottle) and that would be that. Maybe, just maybe, that fairy would prove to be useful.
Saria guided them back to the Temple. Link didn't speak at all, trying to ignore the incessant inquiries about his well-being the fairy kept shooting on him. His scowl deepened gradually as the path wore on, the fairy doing nothing but dragging Link back down. To Link's credit, however, Link did not budge, or yell, or give him; he simply approached the Temple doors and slipped down. As he neared the bottom of the steps, he slowed, apprehension pouring over him like water. He was suddenly very unsure he could actually succeed, and the pain from his previous failure still fresh on his mind. He almost didn't notice that the fairy had fluttered by his ear until she spoke.
"Link! Did you look at any of these side rooms?" Momo asked. Link shook his head in response.
"Oh! You should definitely do that! Maybe you'll find something that will help you win this time!"
Link turned his eyes to the fairy, thinking. "Why do you think that is true? This Temple is really old," Link asked.
The fairy bobbed excitedly. "You never know! You can find the best things in the oddest of places!"
Link glanced over his shoulder to Malon, and for the first time in several days actually spoke to her. "What do you think?"
So now the great warrior deigned to speak to the lowly rancher's daughter? Well, he seemed to have changed a good deal. At the very least, others had told her he was more polite and more open to learning now. Maybe things would be different this time. The redhead nodded at his acknowledgement, spare though it may have been. She smirked a little at his rejection of Momo and just shook her head. "She's coming with. Give her a chance. I'm sure she'll be very helpful on this journey. After all, the Great Deku Tree asked her to come along. He wouldn't send just anyone." She grinned and let the fairy buzz around her in excitement before she went to bug Link on their trek through the forest.
Despite Momo's nearly constant well-meaning but obviously annoying questions, Malon gave Link credit for bottling up his obvious anger. She would have congratulated him on his progress, but he might have taken it as condescension. The last thing she really wanted was to start a fight with him about the subtle nuances of communication. Besides, it was kind of amusing to just watch and listen. When they reached the temple, Malon noticed that Link's irritation seemed to give way to a new emotion: anxiety.
He was actually nervous. Good--that meant that he was thinking clearly. Blindly charging in like he had done last time wouldn't get him anywhere, and he seemed to realize that now. Maybe this time he'd be able to hold back some of his emotions. Maybe this time his anger wouldn't consume him. It was about this time that Momo chimed in. Malon blinked when he turned to her and asked her opinion. Surprised, but in a good way, she smiled ever so slightly.
"I think she's right. I mean, the chambers must be here for a reason. Besides, it's not like the trial won't be there waiting for us if we go look."
Link looked forward again, nodding. "Fair enough. You take the left doors, I'll take the right."
Momo gave an excited "Yay!" as Link headed for his first door, not waiting for Malon to give a reply. He opened the door to be faced with a room with no real discerning features: cobwebs and broken pieces of what would have been ornate furniture littered the floor. Link stepped in and kicked a few of the pieces around, when a clinking sound caught his ears. Momo became excited and dived under a plank of wood that would have been a table or desk top, popping out moments later. "There's something here!" She squealed. Link moved the wood with little effort to find a small pouch of green ruppees; about 15 to be exact. He looked about then shrugged, tying the pouch to his belt, not giving much thought to who would have left a small pouch of rupees in a room of an old temple lost in the middle of the Kokiri Woods.
The second room of three on his side provided nothing of interest; a bunch of leaves had been blown into a pile in the room. Link paid the room no mind, but Momo seemed to float at the door. Ignoring her, Link moved on to the third room, which was even less than nothing. It was empty except for the cobwebs and spiders. Sighing, agitated by the wasted time, Link stepped from his room, watching Malon. He was about to ask if she had found anything when Momo gave an cry from the second room. Link dashed back to the room, sliding in front of the door just to get smacked in the face by the excited Momo racing from the room.
"Link! Link!" she cried, as Link fell over on his ass. "What?" Link practically yelled at the fairy, to which the fairy seemed to ignore, dashing back into the room. "In the pile! In the pile!" She cried. Grumbling and cursing, Link stood up and walked into the room again, kneeling by the pile of leaves. "What?" he said again, his agitation still palpable. "Its in the pile!" The fairy cried again, and sighing Link simply stuck his hand into the pile and dug around.
At first, Link didn't find anything, but then his hand hit something solid. Grabbing onto it and pulling it from the pile of leaves, Link found himself holding a small bow, something that was obviously designed for the use by the Kokiri. Momo seemed really excited about it. "A Fairy Bow, a Fairy Bow!" She sang, dancing in circles.
"Fairy Bow?" Link asked, his irritation forgotten.
"Mmhm!" Momo replied. "Its a bow imbued with special Kokiri magic. Its used when fighting alongside your fairy. The Fairy floats by the target and the magic in the bow uses the fairy to help guide the archer's aim to his target. Its quite ingenious."
Link looked at the bow appreciatively. "At least you'll be useful now," he said to Momo, to which Momo huffed, hurt.
Malon nodded and walked toward her own set of chambers. So it was all business between them? She could handle that. After all, they hadn't exactly gotten off to a great start. It wasn't like they were best friends or anything like that. Still, it was kind of disappointing to think that there would be no conversation between them outside of "what should I do now?"
She entered the first room and searched around for a bit, finding nothing of interest. Just a few empty pots and some leaves strewn on the floor. When she moved to the next chamber, she found something written on the wall. Something about a bow and the use of teamwork. It was very hard to make out, but she made a note to share it with Link and Momo when they met up. Still, nothing really stood out aside from that in this room.
Finally, she reached the end chamber. By this time, Link was in the third room on his side as well. They were either going to find something cool, or this was a wasted trip. She could swear, however, that she saw something in the corner of the room. Was that a little chest? She started to walk toward it when something flashed in her peripheral vision. A large purple flower had risen up from the floor and opened what looked like a mouth. It lunged at her with all its might, straining at the stem and nearly got her. With a scream, she stumbled backwards, scrambling to get away to the door again. It lunged at her once more as she was attempting to get away and she felt the movement of air as the mouth came close. But it was as though something forced it back and away from her. A glow of some sort. It was just a flash, but she was nearly certain she'd seen it.
"Link!"
Malon's cry jolted Link from his satisfaction of actually managing to hurt Momo's feelings, and getting her to be quiet. He stood and bolted from the room back into the hallway, slipping his shield over his shoulder and onto his arm, pulling his sword along with it. He dashed over to Malon, looking her over, making sure she wasn't hurt. Momo floated loftily behind Link, floating straight to Malon.
"What?" he asked, glancing into the room. It was there he noticed what she must be talking about.
The tall purple plant creature loomed in the room, seeming to watch the pair despite having no eyes. Its stem was rooted firmly in the ground, giving it a very set attack range; Link recognized this creature from one of the stories from the Great Deku Tree. It was a Deku Baba, a weed that could kill people. The Kokiri had told Link the best way to deal with these plants: get close, let them strike out and hit something solid, something they cannot bite. It'll stun them, causing them to lean upright, giving the attacker ability to take out the Deku Baba in one fell swoop by cutting the stem.
Link went immediately to action, turning so his shield face the plant while his sword stayed outward, approaching slowly. As he neared, the plant indeed lunged for him, smacking his head hard against the shield. As the Kokiri had said, its straightened out, upright, its head bobbing to and fro. Link wasted no time in dashing forward, and with a yell cleaved the plant straight in two with his sword, causing the creature to fall over, give a pitiful scream, and die. Link quickly glanced around the room, ignoring the chest for now as he sheathed his sword and swung his shield over his back. He approached Malon quickly.
"Are you hurt? Did the plant bite you?"
Momo zoomed around Malon, checking for injuries as quickly as she could. When she was satisfied that the Hylian was unharmed, she hurried to Link's side, ready to assist if he needed her. Malon for her part, edged closer to the door, very much relieved to have someone with a weapon with her. Of course, it hadn't escaped her attention that he'd checked on her first. In fact, he was so preoccupied with her that he hadn't noticed the Deku Baba at first.
She was still afraid of the plant, but she was calming down with the realization that Link seemed to know what he was doing. She forced herself to breathe evenly and watched with anticipation as the creature struck out again and bounced off the shield, straightening up. When Link killed it, she allowed herself to relax, her shoulders drooping a bit.
Hand over her heart, Malon nodded when Link asked if she was alright. "I'm okay. It was pretty close though. It just took me by surprise." She looked into his eyes for a long moment and finally calmed down. "Thank you, Link." He really wasn't a bad guy. This, she figured, was the person she'd originally thought he was beneath all of the pain and sadness. This was the real Link. After a moment she shook her head and pointed to the small chest in the corner.
"I was going toward that when the Deku Baba sprang up. There might still be something inside. And I found some writing in another room," she said, deciding not to waste time with a bunch of worrying.
Link turned to look at the chest in the corner of the room, nodding. "What did the writing say?" he asked, as he approached the chest and opened it. It was unlocked, and inside rested a small quiver with 10 arrows. It was obviously of Kokiri design, and it left Link wondering how a quiver full of arrows and a bow got left in an ancient Temple, in perfect usable condition. What surprised Link more was the belt that was attacked to the quiver; he had expected it to be made to fit Kokiri, but it fit him just fine. He tired the belt around his waist, letting the quiver hang at his hip. The bow that Link had found laid in floor of the room he had found it in; Link had dropped it when Malon had cried out.
Malon watched curiously as link tied the quiver around his waist, rather than over his shoulder. Interesting technique, but who was she to judge? She really didn't know much about using weapons and he was a knight in training. Calm again, she snapped to it when Link spoke to her again. "Well, the writing was worn, so it was hard to make everything out, but it seemed like an important hint about the trial. It mentioned a bow and teamwork, but I wasn't able to make much else out of it." She frowned a little and let Momo rest on her shoulder for the time being.
"Listen...I don't think the thing you fought last time was Gannon. I think it changes for every person who takes the trial. That man is not the sort to leave challengers alive if he can help it." She frowned at him and shook her head. "The bow they mention must be the key to defeating it, but I'm not really sure what you're supposed to use. I mean there are arrows, but nothing else on this side. Unless you found something?"
"Well, I found a bow." Link traveled down the hall and into the room where he dropped the bow. He returned back to Malon with the bow in his hands, showing her. "Not really my size, but maybe this has to do with the clue?" Link motioned towards Momo. "Momo says the Kokiri enchant their bows with a special magic that allows the fairies to assist the Kokiri in aiming. That has to be the teamwork they talk about." Link nodded, pulling an arrow and testing the bow. He found it was really sturdy, even though it was too small for him. He was starting to like this bow.
"And now I am aware that wasn't really Ganon. The Deku Tree made it apparent that Ganon only appeared there because I was taking the test." Link smiled slightly at Malon. "I don't know what to do to actually beat this trial, but I know that beating Ganon isn't part of it. I am not sure what else to do...but we'll figure it out. I hope." Link smiled and looked towards the trial room. "Let's go."
The redhead followed after link, waiting in the hall as he went for the bow. She checked it out as he went on about the magic involved. She had to admit that it sounded like a legitimate case for using Momo in battle. "Well, you'll have to rely on Momo, then. I'm sure she can help you when you're in battle, too." She smiled and nodded as he told her he was sure he hadn't been fighting Ganon last time. He had learned, and he was going in with a clear head. There was a chance he could actually win this time. "We'll figure it out," she said with a reassuring smile.
When he called for her she nodded and started to walk with him toward the trial room, knowing that things would be different this time around. There had to be something they were missing about this trial from the first time. "Ready Momo?" She asked the fairy. The girl thing shot up and beamed. "You bet! Let's do it!" and with that, she zoomed around Link's head, ready to be of use. Oh, so ready.
Link gave an irritated wave of his hand at Momo, trying to swat her away like she was a fly. "Find a place to be, fairy, don't buzz around my head." The fairy floated quietly for a second, before immediately flying over and slipping under Link's hat. "I'll stay here until you need me!" Momo called, but Link only grumbled. At least she wasn't buzzing around his head. He led Malon into the trial room, sighing heavily as he paused at the stairs. His eyes had fixed on a location at the top of the stairs, but it was obvious Link was not there; he was lost in thought.
Am I ready for this? Is it time? Can I do this?
Link had no answers for those questions, but he had to try. He didn't know how many tries he actually would get, but he hoped for sure that he wouldn't need more than this one. He wanted to move on. He wanted to visit the other Temples...which reminded him that he would have to ask the Great Deku Tree if he knew more about the locations of the other Temples. He had the map...but he wasn't keen on traveling idly around until he found something that somewhat resembled a trial.
Link brought himself back to the task at hand, looking back at Malon. "Ready?" he asked, more for himself than her.
Malon chuckled at the exchange between the boy and the fairy and smiled, watching Link prepare for what was to come. It was obvious to her that he was thinking about everything that had happened and all the possible ways this could end. Nervousness was a good sign in her opinion. She smiled and waited for him to come to before she came forward and put her hand on his shoulder.
"You can do it. You're in control, Link. You'll succeed." She smiled and squeezed his shoulder. "I'll be here for you when you need me."
Reassured, Link nodded and stepped up the stairs into the small arena. As before, the translucent wall appeared, and as before, Ganon appeared from a black blob. Link's face contorted with controlled rage, but he didn't move. Momo popped from his hat and gasped, but the pair remained still, watching this phantom Ganon. The Ganon seemed to smile, almost seeming pleased with Link's response, and floated up and back into the center of the large portrait. Link stayed still, looking wildly between the portraits. If his memory served Link correctly, it was likely that Ganon was about to pop right out of a portrait and attack.
"Link!"
Momo's cry grabbed Link's attention, and he turned to look at the far right portrait. Quickly, Link assessed his options: destroying the portrait might prevent Ganon's escape. However, the portrait was too far from the edge of the arena, and a large dip would prevent Link from reaching the portrait from outside the arena. Then...how?
"Link! The bow!" Momo cried, and Link felt dumb for not thinking of that himself. He quickly snapped up the Fairy Bow and an arrow, pulling back and firing at the portrait just as Ganon was about to reach the end of the path. When the arrow touched the portrait, its surface rippled like water and the arrow disappeared, Ganon looking surprised and fading from the portrait. Link lowered the bow, looking around. Where was he? He slid the bow in its resting place over the quiver at his side, just as he heard a sound behind him; he spun just in time to see Ganon raising his staff. The blows caught Link in the arms and the chest, sending him staggering backwards.
Link recovered quickly, though. "Malon, keep a look out! Tell me when he's behind me if I don't see him!" As he said that, he moved his shield to his arm and drew his sword, charging forward. The phantom Ganon checked Link's first sword blow with his staff, the subsequent swing of the staff landing against Link's shield. Link slashed at his foe again, but he rose into the air and behind Link; Link barely swung around in time to jump back out of the way from the coming staff attack. He quickly returned the attack with a leaping, downward slash, and conencted; Ganon let out a pained scream and seemed to explode into the black shadows, the pieces darting into the center portrait. It was then that Link noticed the portrait Ganon had initially been apart of had gone black.
Dropping his shield and sheathing his sword, Link took up the bow again. "Momo, find the portrait he's in, NOW!" He docked an arrow and waited for Momo's cry. When it came, Link fired into the portrait, and the whole process started again. Each time Ganon reappeared, he fought fiercer; each time Link had to try his best just to keep up. Link would suffer a deluge of staff attacks, but he would withstand it and wait for his chance to attack back. Link lost track of how many portraits remained, and he lost track of how many times he had been hit. The only time he realized he may have actually weathered the trial was when his sword struck Ganon after Link had taken a multitude of staff blows. Ganon seemed to stop in his tracks, not a muscle moving.
Slowly, Link watched the detail fade from Ganon until he was nothing but a white person shaped blob. Slow, that blob began to emanate a bright white light, and in a flash was gone. Link stood, dazed, not yet comprehending he had won. The wall at the top of the steps faded away, and Momo dashed to Link, dancing around his head. "You did it! You did it!" Slowly, the adrenaline from the fight wore off, and Link's shield arm ached. He felt each bruise, and the soft trickle of blood from his scalp where he had taken a blow to the head. His lip was busted, he face bruised. Link staggered for a moment as an overwhelming exhaustion took over him, and the world seemed to swim.
And then, it was all black.
Link was standing in nothing. It was all black. There was nothing to feel, nothing to see, nothing to know. A bright light flashed before him and Link stared, wondering idly what would interrupt this peaceful existance. A figure stepped forth from the light, and then Link's eyes grew wide. He felt again, he saw again, and he knew.
"Dad!?"
The figure nodded, saying nothing. He was dressed in ornate armor, though his sword and shield were missing. A flowing purple cape marked him as a Royal Guard, and he smiled at Link. Then he held out and opened his hand, revealing a small green stone inscribed with the Triforce. Link stared at the stone and then to his dad, who seemed to insist that he take the stone.
"Dad," Link began, reaching out and taking the stone. "Whats going on? Where are we?"
With the stone in Link's hand, his dad smiled, nodded, and turned to walk back to the light. "Dad!" Link cried, reaching out and trying to grab for his dad, but he found he could not move from the spot he was standing.
"Dad! Dad! DAD!"
Link's eyes shot open, realizing that he had fell backwards...and that he hurt.
Malon watched, flinching when hard blows rained down on Link, but never looking away. They fought for what seemed like hours, but was mere minutes. And she saw the true personality, the true nature of her traveling companion as he fought. He was strong, smart, willing to work with others to obtain victory. He was agile and she could see the rage that he carefully controlled in every blow. Yes, this time, he was exactly as he should be--he'd found balance. This was the person she had sensed beneath the pain all along. This was someone she could stand by.
But that line of thought couldn't continue with him fighting like that. She squeaked a little each time he was hit, but she did her best to not distract him. As he battled, she kept track of the portraits that had been placed around the room, noting when each one went black. It seemed as though that was the key. Each time Ganon came forth, he seemed to have renewed strength and vigor, but Link managed to return each blow and defeat the shadow in the end.
When the trial had been won, the translucent wall vanished and she noticed that he seemed a bit unstable on his knees--as though the weight of what had happened was bearing down on him. The battle-weary knight crumpled to the floor and she gasped as she ran to him. "Link!" She was at his side in a heartbeat, gently shaking him, leaning down to be sure he was still breathing. Thank the goddesses he was! The poor thing was just worn out from the intensity of the battle and the emotional baggage he'd carried into it with him. As he lay there, a bright green light flashed near his hand. When the light died down, a softly glowing stone appeared in Link's hand--smooth, polished, and inscribed with the sign of the triforce. She closed his hand around it and watched him as he lay there, taking in what he'd become and what he'd accomplished in awe.
Maybe she'd been hard on him. Granted, he'd been an ass hat the entire time they'd been together, she'd been fairly harsh herself. She had been raised in such a way that she didn't take anything from anyone that she didn't deserve, but perhaps she'd flung it back at him a little too hard. This change had come from a deep place and it had been difficult for him to come to terms with what had happened. Maybe she could have been more supportive. But then, he had been very selfish and foolish. He'd looked down on her when all she'd wanted was to help him. It was hard to cut him slack even though she knew what he was going through. But the time for what if's had passed. One could not change the past.
Before she knew it, Link's eyes were shooting open and he looked startled. She jumped a little herself but recovered quickly. She smiled softly and let him come back to earth. "Congratulations, Link. You won." With that, she took the hand that held the stone in hers and put it on his chest so he could see. While he was looking at that, she took a half-bottle of lon lon milk from her pouch and helped him sit up, cradling his back with her strong arms. "Drink this. You'll feel better."
Link looked at the stone that Malon showed him in his hand, confused. Where did that come from? He didn't remember his dream or his dad...just the deep exhaustion and waking up on the floor. He looked slightly confused as he sat up, slipping the stone into the rupee pouch he had found earlier, before accepting the milk. "Thanks, Malon." He drank heavily from the milk, feeling enlivened, despite his wounds still being present. It would be enough to get him back to the village, at any rate.
Momo fluttered around Link, singing about how he had finally won, finally beat the trial. This only landed her in the bottle however; Link caught her and shut the bottle, setting it off to the side. "Malon," Link asked, still sitting on the arena floor. "Where did this stone come from? All I remember is winning the fight...then waking up."
When he finished the milk she was just about to take back the jar when Link stuffed Momo inside of it. Sighing softly, she picked up the bottle and lifted the cork so that the fairy could be free and hide under her hair quietly as she'd become accustomed to at this point. "No problem." She let him go once he was sitting up on his own power and then put the bottle away in her pouch. "Well, that's hard to say. After you won, you passed out so I rushed over here. There was a flash of green light, and then the stone was in your hand. Seems like magic. But I guess that only makes sense coming from a trial that was meant to judge if you're worthy of the gift."
She shrugged and watched him, taking in the extent of the damage. He had some healing to do. "Hmmm....hold still," she said, taking the flute from her pouch and lifting it to her lips. She played the song she'd learned on the flute and summoned the fairies to help heal Link. They stopped the bleeding and the swelling, but the rest remained...well, bruised was the most generous term for it. She'd only called a few fairies and for a short time. "There. That should keep you together until we get back." She smiled again and tucked it away, slowly getting to her feet and then offering her hand.
Link accepted her hand and stood, thinking on her story. "I guess that'll have to do. We should get out of here." He smiled, squeezing her hand a little before letting it go. He made sure he had all his equipment collected before stepping down the stairs and walking into the hallway and up the stairs leading out of the Temple. Saria, for her part, was all smiles. "I knew you could do it!" she said, excitedly. "Let's get you back to the village to heal up. I'll get the village ready for the celebration!"
Momo popped out from Malon's hair and bounced excitedly. "A party! A party! I'll go let the other fairies know!" and she flew off into the trees. Saria could only smile. "Fairies love parties, you see," she explained, as she began to lead the pair back towards the village. Link walked next to Malon, a almost imperceptive smile on his face. "Thanks, Malon," he said, not looking over at her or meeting her eyes. "You...I don't think I would have won without you."
She smiled at him as he squeezed her hand and then let her go. It was an oddly sweet gesture, but she wasn't going to complain. It was as though he was congratulating her, too, though she wasn't really sure why. While he was collecting himself, Malon took one last look around the room and frowned. Somehow, it felt as though they were being watched. Whether it was good, bad, or just her imagination, however, she couldn't be sure. Either way, it didn't seem to matter because they did not dawdle in the large chamber. In fact, they were out in the ruins of the temple in no time at all and Saria was telling them to get ready for a party.
Malon blinked and chuckled as Momo flew off into the sky to tell the other fairies about the party, leaving the two adventurers with no one but their guide. "Sounds like fun," she said, walking along. When Link started thanking her, however, she wasn't quite sure what to say. He really meant it...but it hardly seemed as though he'd needed her at all. At least not in this battle. But it seemed like he was thanking her for more than just today, too. She smiled and watched him for a moment before answering.
"You're welcome, but I didn't really do much. I just helped you when the fight was over. You did the hard part." She smiled and then focused on the path ahead. "I'll stay as long as you want me around, though. After all, I made you a promise."
Link still didn't look at her, his face set in a stony expression. "I'd like you to stay for a while, then." He grew quiet after that, slightly red in the face. It wasn't what she deserved for him being a collosal ass to her earlier, but it was his way of telling her that he appreciated what she did for him, and her part in his change that allowed him to win the trial. There were four more trials and he was sure she would be pivotal in beating all of them.
When they arrived back in the village, it was obvious Saria had sent her fairy ahead. The village had been decorated festively; even the inside of Saria's hut, which Link had been brought to be tended by the doctors. Saria turned to Malon and smiled brightly. "I have some people coming to outfit Link in some traditional clothing for the party. I'll help you find something for you!" Saria grabbed Malon by the hand and smiled. "Ready?"
Malon hadn't been expecting him to ask her to stay, but it made her smile instead of gasp. "Alright, then. I will." She grinned and before long, they were in the village again. "Wow...it's beautiful..." She smiled at the colorful decorations and the happy Kokiri, plus the dancing fairies. Say what you will about them, but the fairies certainly knew how to get things done when it came to events like this. Malon didn't have much time to take it in, though. She was being hauled off to change for the festivities by Saria in no time at all. And Link fared no better. "O-okay. What exactly does traditional clothing mean?" Suddenly she was very curious about this aspect of the party, and whether or not anything the Kokiri had would fit her.
"You'll see!" Saria said with a smile, and drew Malon off.
The outfits they were given were made from Korok leaves and Korok bark. The Kokiri took both Link and Malon's measurements, quickly putting together traditional outfits for them: Malon dress sewn together out of Korok leaves, with a belt made of the Korok bark. Link was not given a shirt; he was given a Korok bark shoulder plate, with the Korok leaves forming a sleeve down that arm. The only thing covering his chest was the strap that kept the shoulder plate in place. He was given a kilt of Korok leaves to wear, and Link begrudgingly put it on.
Look at all the Koroki men and women dressed just like Link unsettled him, just a little. The Fairies came into the village and illuminated it with their light, and shortly after filled it with their song. Link found Malon as soon as he possibly could, his eyes travelling down her dress before meeting her eyes. "H-hey," he said. "You look....nice dress."
Malon stumbled after Saria and let the Kokiri fuss over her. Her measurements were taken while fairies played with her hair. The dress was soft as any fabric she'd worn, but she was afraid of tearing the delicate leaves. They proved to be quite durable, however. The dress they'd made for her was very snug in accordance with their measurements. The dress gave her a fair bit of cleavage, two large leaves covering her breasts, sewn into the rest of the garb. It was a lovely green that played up the red of her hair.
When she was rushed out of the hut, she smiled when she saw Link, happy to see a familiar face in a similar situation. She hadn't been expecting his outfit to be quite so...well, revealing. He looked handsome and strong, and his face had healed quite nicely. Something about the outfit was very masculine. She blushed a little at his appearance and his compliment.
"Thank you. You look nice, too." She smiled and looked up as Momo zoomed around them, singing and laughing and subtly pushing them together.
Link blushed at the sight of Malon, instantly noticing her cleavage and how the dress had been a snug fit. It did look really good on her, and Link's compliment had been genuine. The dancing and laughing fairy though was circling around them, being her usual annoying self, causing Link to try to step away and out of her path. This caused him to step close to Malon, which he hadn't noticed until he realized how close he was to her.
He paused, looking down at Malon for a second, still a little read in the face. He suddenly found himself at a loss for what to do, or with any knowledge of how to respond to this situation. "Momo, quit," Link barked, snapping his eyes up at the fairy and taking a small step back as he swatted at the fairy. "Don't use the party as an excuse to be even more annoying than usual." He glared at Momo then smiled lightly at Malon.
"I'm not sure what exactly we are supposed to do. I've...never attended one of these things before."
Malon chuckled and ducked and dodged the little fairy as she subtly forced the two of them together. She only noticed when they were so close she could feel the heat coming off of his body. She blushed just a little, looking up at him when she was aware of how close they were. When Link flicked Momo away, she felt an odd mixture of relief and disappointment. The difference in the way he treated her fairy friend and the way he treated her was very noticeable tonight. It was decidedly different from before they came looking for the temple and during the last trial. He was friendly, even warm.
It was getting hard to keep up with him, really. But she couldn't fault him for being nice to her. In fact, she thought it was really nice. His confession, however, had her admitting the same. "Well, this is my first time here. I don't really know much about these things myself. But it is a celebration for you. You beat the trial, after all. So let's find a way to celebrate."
Just then, Kokiri began bringing out trays of cold, but very appetizing foods. Malon noted that several instruments began playing as well, and the fairies' singing was picking up. "It's your night." She smiled and took his hand, walking into the midst of the other Kokiri. They were surrounded with supportive congratulations, curious questions, offers for food, requests for the fangirl set, and more.
Link was dragged off by Malon, and he spent the rest of the night trying to have fun. He thanked those that congratulated him, he answered the questions to the best of his ability (though he remained reluctant to show off the Forest Stone), and he tried the food as it was offered to him. Most of it was really good, but there were a few pieces that Link turned his nose up to: anything with bugs as an ingredient. The fan-girl requests bothered Link, as most centered around him showing Malon some kind of affection. Momo aways backed these kinds of request with much enthusiasm.
Link would always get red in the face and ignore the request, instead going off somewhere else. He danced with the locals, drank with them, and shared stories of the outside world in exchange for the stories of the Kokiri. Link generally enjoyed himself, and enjoyed his company. As the night wore on, Link began to give in a little to the fan-girl requests for him to show affection to Malon, giving her a hug and pecking her cheek at one point.
Still, Link woke the next morning, haphazardly in his bed, with the traditional Kokiri clothes still on. He sat up in bed, deciding that today, he and Malon would have to go talk to the Deku Tree and get set off in the right direction.
Malon was glad to stick around. She shared stories of the ranch with the Kokiri and they told her of their day to day ventures as well. She spoke to many Kokiri girls, all of whom thought she was beautiful in her traditional garb. Some of them, however, seemed to be decidedly unhappy about that. These were the fangirls who gushed about how good Link looked in his. The redhead couldn't disagree with their assessment. He was very handsome--heroic, even, in the Korok leaf outfit. She smiled a little while she watched him and shook her head as some of the girls swooned.
Most of the true fans, however, seemed to be under the impression that she and the hero in question were in some sort of relationship. What ever could have given them that silly idea? Well, probably that they were an attractive pair of people with opposing genders who were traveling together. Also, she'd been caring for Link during his injury, even if he was upset with her at the time. It wasn't that out-of-order to assume a relationship in that situation.
Malon wasn't sure why the fan girls were rooting for their supposed relationship, but it felt nice when he hugged her and kissed her cheek, so she went with it, smiling and blushing all the while. Even without his affections, the night had been wonderful. It was a happy occasion, and the celebratory mood invoked high spirits. In fact, she was still in high spirits when she woke up the next day. She had stripped out of her Korok outfit the night before in favor of not messing up her outfit. The fairies took good care of it and stored it away for her if she ever came back. She was just getting dressed when she wondered how Link was doing and what he'd want to do today--stay in the forest a bit longer? Or immediately set out?
Link sat in his bed for a little bit, slowly waking up as he looked about the hut for his clothes. They had been put in a neat pile near the wall, obviously having been taken care of by the fairies of the Kokiri themselves. Link stood and approached his clothes, and began to get dressed. He had gotten his pants and boots belted on, the Kokiri traditional outfit laid in a messy pile that at least looked like Link tried to be respectful, when an idea struck him. He slipped on the under-tunic and thin leathers that the Kokiri had provided for him when they fixed up his shirt, then took the tunic and ripped off the sleeve.
It had a rough look to it, but Link didn't mind. He slipped on the tunic, standing up and grabbing a hold of the Korok bark shoulder pauldron that the Kokiri had provided for him. He was sure they wouldn't mind him borrowing it, so he slipped it on to, strapping it over his tunic. The bark covered the rough tears in the tunic, and the Korok leaf sleeve provided better cover for his arm than the sleeve had ever done. The long sleeve of the white under tunic still was visible, but Link was fine by that; he slipped on his gloves over the sleeve, strapped them down and nodded.
Happy with his appearance and opting out of the hat (it was for travelling, anyway) and his gear, Link stepped out of his hut and headed for Malon's. He knocked on the side of the door. "Hey, Malon, you awake?"
Malon was just putting her apron on over her skirt when Link knocked on the door. "Sure, come in," she said, slipping into her boots. She was nearly ready for the day when she bid him enter. The first thing she noticed was that he wasn't wearing his hat. The next thing was his slight smile, and finally, the new addition to his outfit, the sleeve and armor piece from last night. She had to admit it looked great with his knight's uniform, and he wore it well. It was interesting that he wore it with such pride, but then he'd overcome something intensely difficult and personal during the trial. It only made sense to keep a memento of that victory. This was one of them.
She smiled at Link cheerfully and complimented the piece. "You look nice today. I like what you did there. So what would you like to do today, Link? Stay here longer or resupply and move out?"
Link beamed a little at her compliment of his appearance, smiling and nodding at her. "Today? I want to set out as soon as possible. We don't know what Ganon is up to, and the longer it takes us to get these Trials finished, the more power he can amass and the more protected he gets." Link thought, bringing his gloved hand to his chin. He stroked his chin, considering their options. "However, we have a map that only gives general locations of the Trials, not the specific locations. We need to talk to the Deku Tree, see if he knows more about the locations of the other Temples. Maybe give us more specific locations."
He looked at Malon, and smiled. "We'll need to re-supply at some point, too."
"Well, based on what that girl told me, we'll be heading to several different regions in Hyrule. To get to a few of them we'll have to make our way through Hyrule field, so we can make it back to the Ranch and resupply there if you like. Kokiri have some goods we can buy, but we should be alright for a little while longer if you'd like to wait on that." She smiled back and decided he was right--the more time they spent dawdling, the more time Ganon had to become stronger and bring the kingdom to ruin. At least that was the impression the Great Deku Tree had given. And since they would be working together, it was good to make these plans.
"Sure. We can find Saria. I need to get a few things in our packs squared away and then we can be off after we visit the Great Deku Tree." She smiled and then turned to get the few things she'd unpacked into their proper places, and got her pouch of herbs and various other things ready to go. She hooked it around her hips and tightened up the packs before taking the one she'd had be fore and handing the other to Link. "Here you go. We'll take these to the stable and talk to Saria next."
Link nodded, taking the pack and throwing it over his shoulder. "I think we should probably get the info and head back to the Ranch, see whats going on there. I'd like an update on what the Knights are doing, at any rate, and I think we've taxed that Kokiri enough with my stupidity." Link nodded, adjusting the pack on his shoulder. "Sounds like a plan."
He was happy, now. They finally had a plan, had a goal, and Link had the proof that he could pass the Trials. He would pass all five, and he would meet Ganon in combat. He would win, and he would avenge his dad. He still wished he could challenge the man now, rather than run from one side of Hyrule to the other, but he understood that he stood no chance against a magic wielder who also happened to be the greatest swordsman in the land. His dad had been the better swordsman and still fell to him.
Magic was not a thing to be trifled with.
With that thought in mind, Link walked towards the stables, wondering what exactly their future held for them. Saria was at the stables, tending to Epona, when they arrived, and she smiled warmly at them, her eyes lingering on Link's addition to his outfit. "Looking good, Link," Saria said in greeting. "You too, Malon. I see you have your packs...are you wanting to set out now?"
In good spirits, the two headed toward the stable where Saria was taking care of Epona. Malon smiled at the Kokiri girl and walked straight to Epona who nuzzled the redhead. Clearly the horse missed her master. Malon smiled and pet the horse's snout before she set to getting their things packed again. When Saria asked if they were going to leave soon, Malon took Link's bag.
"Well, we were hoping to speak with the Great Deku Tree first, if that's alright. But heading out today is the plan."
Saria nodded and paused for a moment as though she were deep in thought about something. "It seems as though the Great Tree would like to see you as well. Please, come with me and I will take you to him."
When the packs were secure, Malon walked in step with Link on their way to see the great being that would point them in the right direction.
Link was surprised to hear that the Deku tree wanted to speak with them as well. Still, he walked beside Malon as Saria led them to the clearing, wondering what the Deku Tree might want to speak with them about. Soon, Saria was seated upon her tree root and Malon and Link stood before the great tree itself. The tree seemed to be smiling today, but Link could not tell if that was actually the case or if was just a trick of the light. Soon, the tree spoke.
"Link, Malon...congratulations. You have successfully proven yourself to the Trial, and been awarded the Forest Stone. It is but one of the Five Great Stones that, when collected together, will prove you are worthy to wield the Triforce and its magic."
Link stepped forward, excitedly. "That's what we wanted to ask you, actually," he began. "Where can we find the other Temples?"
The tree was quiet for a moment, before it answered his question. "Long ago, when the Goddesses created the Triforce, they protected its magic with the five stones...one of which you hold now. Each of these Stones were awarded to a member of each of the five Great Races: Kokiri, Goron, Zora, Gerudo, and Hylian. You have the stone for the Kokiri. Seek out the other races, and you will find their temple soon enough."
Link was quiet for a moment, thinking. Each race had a Temple and thus a Stone, including the Hylians. Did that mean there was a temple back in Market Town? He knew of the grand cathedral that rested in the town, but he had always thought that temple was for the worship of the Goddesses...it was possible there was a Stone there, too. Lost in his own thoughts, Saria gave Link a curious glance. Link did not seem to notice.
If there were anymore questions to be asked, it would be up to Malon to ask them.
Malon was still sort of surprised at Link's turn around. He had spent a fair amount of time avoiding her until just yesterday, so the transformation was still new to her. The fact that he wasn't chomping at the bit for answers was refreshing and a little bit new. He still had questions to ask, of course, but he seemed to do it in a better, more respectful way. If she'd met Link when he was acting like himself (which she assumed was this version of his personality), she might have liked him better. It was a shame that they couldn't have been friends until now.
She listened to the Tree's response and thought for a long moment. Her role in this journey was that of support system. She had more tools with which to complete this task and do it well, but she got the distinct feeling that she wasn't just supposed to be someone who followed Link along. She'd already acted to save his life numerous times, not just to keep him from starving or freezing to death. The information about the temples was good, but it wasn't terribly specific. She would have to pick up any of Link's slack, so her mind went to work.
"Well, Great Deku Tree, I know you say to find each of the races, but which do you think would be the best stone to go after next? Certainly, you would know more about the trials and the races than we would. Would you mind giving your opinion on the matter?
Since before the time of the Shinobi, Humans and Catus had been separated by cultural differences so great that they avoided each other. The Catus were fewer in numbers, but they lived a bit longer. They were a feline humanoid race, with their own legends, fighting styles, and they also held the ability to shift between their humanoid form and a large cat form. Unlike most creatures, genetics did not determine their markings. It was the personality of the catus. Only males ever were born with markings of a lion. At least, untilSanurawas born.
Sanura was both a miracle and an omen. She was born with the markings of a lion. She was a reminder of an ancient prophecy of the Lioness that would foreshadow death and destruction of the world. That was all that was known of the prophecy, even though at one time there was more.
The chief of Sanura's tribe was supposed to kill the child, but he could not kill his own daughter. Instead, he did something that no one in his tribe could ever find out about. Not even his mate. He contacted the nearest Shinobi village, Konohagakure. It was true, they had recently suffered a great loss of their Fourth Hokage, but the Third agreed to take the child after the chief explained the danger she was in by staying with her people. It was difficult to give his own blood to humans, but she was safer with them. Or so he hoped.
Years passed, and Sanura, though kind, was considered an outcast. Her feline features often scared other kids away, or they made her a target of teasing. She accepted that she would be alone, unwanted by most. Her only friend was Naruto. He was a loud, obnoxious boy that was also an outcast. The girl never understood why that was though. He really was kind and loyal once someone got to know him. Still no one really bothered with either of them. Hopefully today would change that. Both she and Naruto had been assigned to Team 7, with Haruno, Sakura and Uchiha, Sasuke. Their sensei, Kakashi, was given the daunting task of leading a five man team rather than the usual four man team.
Uzumaki Naruto was going to be a ninja, it was the thing he had been waiting for all 15 years of his life. It was the biggest moment too. He had trained for it so long, and had worked so hard to be the best he could be. It was his aim in life to be the best ninja ever, to be better then the hokages of old. He would go up and look at them from time to time, he idolized each of them in his own way, but the loud young man was now focused on being on a team, he knew his team and he was so happy to have Sakura on his team, she was amazing, smart and cute. He hate of course that Sasuke was on his team, and glad his friend Sanura was on his team too.
He headed out early to meet with them, he skipped breakfast as he was to excited to eat and he had been told to not eat as well. He didn't know at that point that it had been a poly by Kakashi to show them that they shouldn't always listen to the person who was in charge and break the rules when it was in their best interest as well as to help their friends as well. He sat waiting, as he saw Sasuke arrive quiet, acting arrogant as ever as he approached and sat down waiting as well, Sakura come later, Naruto tried to get her attention as she seemed focused on Sasuke completely. Now he just wanted for Sanura to arrive then their teacher and they could get started.
Sanura finished getting ready for the day, though she ignored the order to not eat. She figured that no one would know, and she knew she would regret it later if she actually listened to the rule. It was a light meal, eggs, toast, and a glass of milk, but she was on her way soon enough. When the feline like girl made her way to the training grounds, she sighed. There was the Uchiha, trying to ignore Haruno, with Naruto glaring daggers at Sasuke. Yeah, it seemed that this would be an interesting team to work with. "Ohayo, Naruto-kun," she greeted as she walked over to the blonde.
Naruto noticed that Sanura had arrived and looked over at her as he smiled a bit at his friend, "Well hey, Sanura," he said as he held his stomach, hearing it roar a bit as he looked at her, "man, am I hungry, and this sensei of ours, I think he is late on purpose," he wined a bit as he sat there, he hoped to get started soon, but this wasn't soon and well honestly it wasn't going at all like he thought it would. He let out another sigh as he looked over at Sasuke, "I have to prove myself today, show that jerk that I am good too," he announced loud enough for her to be able to hear his statement if nothing else.
"Neh.. Or he got busy with something," she said with a shrug as she watched her friend complain and grumble. She felt bad that he was hungry, but sadly she couldn't help much with that. He had actually listened to the rule. Sanura rolled her eyes as he mentioned Sasuke. "Who are you trying to prove it to? Him, yourself, or Sakura?" She asked as she followed his gaze towards the raven and the pinkette.
Naruto blinked at the comment as he thought about it for a moment. "Well I guess I want to impress Sakura, Sasuke as well, but maybe myself, to prove that I can be strong enough to be the next hokage," he with a nervous energy. "I will be the next hokage you know, that is my goal, and my ninja way," he said loudly following up his first statement as he looked at Sanura for a moment hearing the sounds of bells as Kakashi came up and looked at the group surprised to find 4 but he would handle them all as best as he could.
The sound of bells caught Sanura's attention. She glanced over as Kakashi walked over to them. She found it odd that all but one eye was uncovered, but stayed silent about it. Wondering what Kakashi had planned for them, she glanced over at her teammates. Sakura looked just as curious now that her attention was off of the Uchiha boy.
"Well now, this time for a test," Kakashi said looking at the group, his eyes measuring them up as he figured he would learn a lot about them each as they tried out his test. "your goal is simple, to get the bells from me," he said as he looked at them, there were just two bells on his waist band. He looked at them and smirked, "yeah, just two, those who don't pass this test will never be able to become ninja of the leaf," he said with fired up the group as he looked around and paused. He figured they would work against each other going at him one at a time.
"Simple?" Sanura asked as she tilted her head. "You've got far more knowledge than all four of us combine. The goal is simple, but the task is not.." She stated, hoping that it would get her teammates to think. Sakura, however just scoffed at her statement, while it seemed that Sasuke had ignored her. Her dark eyes flicked over to Naruto for a moment before returning to their sensei.
Sasuke went into hiding and Sakura went after Sasuke as she had her fangirlness on a high level. Naruto was about to go charging head long into a failure when he heard the voice of Sanura and blinked for a moment as he looked at her, "what do you mean Sanura-san," he asked as he looked at her, curious what she was talking about, "do you have a plan," he asked as he looked at his old friend. Anyone one else he might of just gone ahead, but he knew Sanura wasn't a idiot, she was smart sort of like the lazy Nara in some ways.
Grinning slightly, Sanura looked back over at Naruto. "Come on, and I'll show you." She knew that only by working as a team, they would ever get close at obtaining the bells. Even then there was no guarantee. The feline darted into the trees, hoping that Naruto's curiosity would be piqued enough to follow her and listen to her plan.
Naruto looked in the direction of the woman as he wasn't sure what she was going to do. He was curious, plus she was his friend, and he was a type of person who helped and supported his friends. Plus it wasn't like he had any better idea for her to do now that he was in this fight. He watched as he saw Sakura stuck in a fit, worried about the death of Sasuke that she had seen due to genjutsu. It was odd but he wondered where Sasuke happened to be in that moment as they traveled along the woods.
When she and Naruto were far enough away from the others, she stopped, listening carefully for anyone. "So, there's no guarantee that my idea will work.. Not with Sakura-San and Sauske-San trying their own thing.. But I bet we have a better shot.." Her dark amber eyes fixed on the blonde. She knew he would be willing to try anything if it meant that they could beat Sasuke to the bells. "We'll need to tag-team Kakashi-Sensei. One to distract, the other to attack, and constantly switch back and forth." She knew that their teacher didn't believe they could work as a team yet, and Sanura wanted to play on that doubt.
Naruto nodded his head as he looked at her. He smiled s he listened. He knew that Sanura was far better at coming up with plans to deal with problems like this then he was. He had known this fact for a while, and smiled as he jumped down in front of Kakashi and pointed his finger at him drawing his attention as he used a huge number of shadow clones and smiled as he let them attack for him. It was the distraction part, it was what he was good with, he would let her figure out how to attack and perhaps get the bells for the both of them.
As Naruto used his shadow clones to distract Kakashi, Sanura did her best to creep behind the silver haired ninja. Her tail twitched in anticipation, but she was following instincts she hadn't even known of until then. This was a hunt, and the bells were the target. Seeing what she figured was the only opening she would get, she used it. She lept at Kakashi's back, her clawed hands reaching for the bells at his side.
Naruto did his best to cover for Sanura but he wasn't skilled enough to handle Kakashi as he ended up fighting himself more often then not as Kakashi was rather good. Yet the sensei looked and then felt the finger on the bell. He was surprised as he was about to break that attack, when Sasuke attacked from distance too, the combination of the three attacks, Sasuke playing off the other two out of selfishness worked wonders as Sanura actually managed to get the bells into her hand as he had seriously underestimated the group.
A Cheshire grin grew on Sanura's features as she held onto the bells and walked over to Naruto. She was surprised Sasuke had jumped in, but she figured he had done so due to seeing an opportunity. That made her question where Sakura was. Her ears twitched a bit as she heard the pinkette cheer for Sasuke, even though Sanura and Naruto did the majority of the work. "So... Looks like we win, neh?"
"Yes, it does," Kakashi said looking at the group, they had worked better then he thought, it might of been for self interest, but it wasn't bad, he looked at the group for a moment longer, "Well now, that you have completed your mission, you pass. Tomorrow return to this spot and we will go over the next mission that you have, say noon, till them you are free to do whatever you need to do," Kakashi commented as he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
Naruto was happy, but then he also felt that he had been able to show that he was better then he though and showed off in front of Sakura, who pretty much was focused on Sasuke commenting on how cool that Sasuke was, and how his attack had been so amazing and he was the best shinobi ever born pretty much.
Sanura glanced over at her teammates, and rolled her eyes. Sasuke was walking off, to do who knows what, Sakura was trying to follow him, and Naruto looked like he was half tempted to follow Sakura. "Go after her if you want," Sanura stated with a shrug. "I'm going for some food though." True, she may have ignored the no breakfast rule, but she was hungry again.
Naruto looked in the general direction that Sakura was going and heard what his friend had told him. He looked at her and let out a soft sigh as he shook his head. "Naah, she is not going to be any fun, she is to into Sasuke," he said making fun of Sasuke's name as he said it changing his tone to mimic her or Ino as he looked at Sanura, "plus I am hungry too, I think I am going to get me some ramen, that sounds good, I think I have earned it with the victory today and all."
Sanura smiled a bit and nodded. Honestly she was glad that he had decided to join her. She wasn't sure if it was just because she hated being alone, or if she was somehow jealous of the pinkette. Either way, she'd think it over later. "You always think you've earned Ramen.~" she teased as she began leading the way back into town.
"Well we are going to be shinobi finally, I would say if anything, that earns it," he replied as he put out his tongue towards his old friend as he walked down the street and then headed towards the ramen stand making sure that he had money in his pocket so that he could get himself some ramen as normal. Now the type of ramen he would get, that he wasn't sure about. It was something he never could decided upon till he got to the stand. He figured that when he did that he would get something good.
Chuckling a bit at his childish act, she walked with him to the ramen stand. It wasn't her favorite food, but it was still good. She decided to order her usual, which was no where near the amount that Naruto could chow down on. After all, the feline hated how overeating made her feel after. "Neh, so any plans for tonight, or just whatever comes your way?"
Naruto walked as he thought about the food mostly, he was a large fan of it of course, and he blinked as he heard her question about his plans for that night, "nothing at all actually, I haven't thought past what I am going to do after I have this meal and enjoy it," he said honestly as he looked over at Sanora for a moment and then sat down at the ramen stand, it wasn't common ever for Naruto to plan ahead except for his long term goal of being the hokage.
The office was a grand room that was almost completely bare. The biggest piece of furnature in it was the large chair that faced away from the windows, and towards the grand doors. Outside it was a tranquil night, and yet inside the room the atmosphere was completely hostile.
Schrodinger stood at attention, his back as strait as he could get it, his cat like ears twitching to every non existent sound in the room. His youthful blue eyes were wide as he looked around. He had come back to life only a few days ago, and been dragged into the halls of the Hellsing organization rather unceremoniously by Alucard.
"So..." Even as he spoke he could tell that it was the wrong thing to do as the woman who was siting in her desk leaned forward. She was missing an eye, and her glasses were reflecting what little light there was in the room hiding her other one, but Schrodinger could tell that Sir Integra was more annoyed then ever about the current situation.
Swallowing the cat boy had no other option but to stand at attention and wait. The atmosphere was the complete opposite of millennium. There he hadn't been expected to do anything like this. He wasn't used to being put under pressure and it showed as his ears twitched wanting nothing more then to get the order to leave.
Integra slowly pulled the cigar from her lips and pressed a button on the intercom. "You can come in now." As she pulled her finger off her button she turned to the former Nazi Warren officer.
Scrhodinger had changed outfits, both figuratively and literally. His old warren officer's clothing had been lost for good, and he had been given an outfit of the Hellsing organization to wear. With Millennium and the nazi's gone for good along with the Major and his plan Schrodinger had been adopted in a way...
And while they couldn't kill him no one had exactly made this transition easy for Schrodinger.
After a brief moment, the large doors of the office opened, and Seras stepped through them, closing the doors behind her with a slight thud. "You called for me?" She asked as her red eyes looked around before noticing Schrodinger. For a moment she did not recognize him without his Warrent Officer uniform. Then her eyes widened in a look of confusion.
"I did. I need to discuss some recent matters with you. As I know you are aware, Alucard has returned to us. However in doing so it seems that he has brought this... creature back with him." Sir Integra began, gesturing slightly and casually toward the cat eared boy standing stiffly at attention. "It appears that as long as Alucard remains, Schrodinger here will as well. And due to the unique nature of his existence we need someone to keep an eye on him. That is what I need you for. Until further notice Schrodinger is to be under your direct supervision. He is to follow your orders, and not be out of your sight."
Seras continued to stare for a few seconds, taking the orders in. Her face grew flustered as she realised the implications. "But... with all respect Ma'a... Sir, why do I have to watch him? He's the reason that Master disappeared for so long. Couldn't someone..."
"Were my orders unclear Miss Victoria?" Sir Integra snapped, her posture shifting slightly so that her one good eye was visible through the gleam on her glasses, her gaze making it clear that she was not going to ask again. "N...No sir." Seras muttered, looking down. Her emotions were swirling inside of her. Anger, shock, confusion, outrage, shame. She did not want to be made to keep track of the former Nazi, for he had been instrumental in almost killing her Master. She was confused as to why Integra or Alucard did not simply kill him, or was that even possible? And she was ashamed that she had questioned her superior's orders. But if this was what she had to do, then she would do. Finally Seras looked up. "I understand. I shall keep track of him for you." She said firmly.
At that, Sir Integra waved her hand at the pair. "Very well then, you two are dismissed."
Hearing the order that he was to fall under Seras Victoria his jaw dropped slightly. She had been the most incompetent vampire he had ever met during their war, and now he was to be her servant. He made a move like he was going to protest this as well, but then remembered his place, this wasn't a place he could speak his mind really, nor could he refuse Integra's orders for the moment he had no choice but to follow and do as they wanted. Bide his time as things were and find some new place he could afford to be captured in.
Schrodinger's ears twitched as he was dismissed his body posture changing almost instantly as he shrank away from both Integra and Seras and walked out into the hall opening the doors so that Seras could follow, but quickly ducking out of Integra's eyesight as he breathed deeply. There was something to be afraid of with that woman, and he was grateful that he wasn't put under her supervision instead of that woman's or Alucard for that matter. That said he wasn't all too happy to be put under the supervision of the Fraulein either so at least they had one point they could agree on.
"So I'm to be the pet of a Fraulein, the wonders of mine life." He spoke intentionally shooting a glare towards Seras Victoria. He let her know displeasure with the situation, but in truth he couldn't do much more then that. He couldn't really leave since he had no where he could go now. He was as much a prisoner in this place as he would be anywhere else. So aside from being discontent and hateful of his situation he didn't really have any other weapons that would benefit him.
"Don't expect me to call you mistress or anything like that." He said loudly. "Just because I have to follow your orders doesn't mean I am your kissed or some ghoul you turned." He put his foot down like he was trying to set up some kind of ground rule, and gave Seras a slightly accusing look. Just because she still had a master did not mean he was now her servant, and the last thing he wanted was to fall into some master and slave ordeal like what she had with Alucard.
She couldn't believe this had happened. Elsa had always thought of herself as powerful, at least enough to protect her kingdom, especially now that she knew how to control them. A slip up here and there was possible, she couldn't always control her emotions, but she hadn't had anything drastic happen now that she was able to keep herself calm, focus on the love she felt for her sister and the people of the kingdom. Then everything had suddenly crumbled beneath her as they were invaded.
Her kingdom had always been peaceful, they didn't have a large army, and they'd been overrun quickly. What bothered her the most, was that despite her powers, the leader of this other kingdom had them as well, and they seemed stronger. Now, here she was... Sitting on the cold stone floor of her own kingdom's dungeon. Her dress was gone, her hair out of it's braid and left to hang, disheveled around her shoulders.
She didn't know where her sister was, she didn't know what had happened to her people, to the kingdom she'd let down. No... She was just left here to sit... Sit and wait.
#full
Mitsunari Ishida walked into the dungeon with a grin, as he was the leading general of the conquering army. He severed the Empire of Esseto in the south and he had been charged with taking Elsa's kingdom from her. He had done just that, and now he ruled that land as he turned all the women into whores to be sold and all the men were sold for labor.
"So, this is the great and powerful Elsa?" He chuckled as he licked his lips at her nude form. His firebenders had easily overpowered her when they stormed the castle and he himself was a master bender. Beside Mitsunari walked another figure, that of Elsa's sister, Anna. She was clad in a tiny bikini top and thong, with a collar around her neck that was attached to a leash that Mitsunari held. "Your sister has told me all about you...isn't that right, slut?" He looked at Elsa with a grin before he moved to lick Anna's cheek. She was his whore and slut now, he had given her to some of the officers first, and they had had her way with her until he decided her wanted her for himself.
Elsa jumped slightly with the sudden voice and glanced up, frowning when she saw the leader of the army who'd taken her kingdom from her. What she hadn't expected, was to see Anna in tow wearing little and not seeming to want to put up a fight, nor seeming bothered by her lack of clothes. Frowning, she held her arms over her breasts while Anna simply smiled and nodded to his words, her eyes closing in delight when he'd licked her cheek.
"W-What have you done to her?" Elsa asked, her voice shaking in despair. She hadn't wanted any of this, especially not for her sister, she didn't deserve this, she didn't deserve any of it. Elsa had been horrified with the stories and rumors she'd heard of what he'd done to her people, but being trapped here... She had no way to change anything.
Mitsunari chuckled as Elsa tried to hide her body as she questioned why Anna was the way she was. "Why...its simple...she's my slut now...isn't that right? Tell her, Anna...tell her whose slut you are." He chuckled as he licked her neck, giving her enough time to speak the words he desired before he tilted her chin to the side to plant is lips against hers firmly, his tongue coming out to swipe at her lips as he sought to gain entry into her mouth.
Anna nodded along to his words, her arms hugging around one of his. "Yours of course." She replied, smiling as he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. She willingly parted her lips and let her tongue reach out to brush against his. Elsa winced and looked away, frowning and feeling her heart slowly sinking in her chest.
Mitsunari swirled his tongue around Anna's as his hands wrapped around her body to grasp at her ass. He enjoyed the kiss as his cock grew hard inside her pants. He pressed the firm bulge up against Anna's crotch as he pulled back from the kiss with a grin. "Well....Anna...how about we show your sister just how good of a slut you are..."
Anna grinned as she felt his hard bulge press against her. Nodding her head eagerly, a hand slipped between them to gently rub at his cock through his pants. "Oh yes, we definitely should." She said, already able to feel herself getting wet at the very thought of it.
Mitsunari gripped Anna's shoulders and lowered her to the ground as he licked his lips. "How about you pull out my cock and get sucking...I know how much you love to suck cock, you love giving blowjobs to all my soliders after all..." He chuckled as he looked towards Elsa for a reaction. It was true, Anna loved to make everyone feel good after all...
Anna grinned as she knelt before him, not taking much prompting before she reached forward and undid his pants, pulling them down along with his boxers. Reaching forward, she took his cock in her hands and slowly leaned forwards, running her tongue along his length a few times before leaning up just enough that she could slowly slid her mouth around him and start to bob her head, her lips tightening around him.
Disclaimer
Spoiler Warning to those who have not played the game nor read the comics.
This role-play has taken two opposing stories and ideas only to collaborate them together. The game "The Wolf Among Us" (based on a comic called Fables) and the many stories of "Alice in Wonderland". After being aware of the various lore that Fables, Wonderland and TWAU has provided, the story/RP below has taken elements of both stories in order to combine them. Due to the pairing, there will be some minor and major changes (for those who are heartfelt fans of either series, we thought you should be aware). The RP begins after The Wolf Among Us, Season 1 and all choices from the game will be mentioned when necessary.
Synopsis
For once, the world seemed just a little bit too peaceful. Many folklore, fairy tale, myth and legends sought out a comfortable place to stay after their homelands had been taken by the Adversary. Those known as Fables had retreated to the Mundane World (our world) and the year has occupied itself as 1986 in Manhattan, USA. The area in which they have been relocated to has been identified as Fabletown. For those without a human-like form (toads, pigs, trolls, etc) are told to pay for what is known as a Glamour, an enchantment they must receive in order to seem human. Citizens of Fabletown must remain quiet and in tact and not show their true forms to others in the Mundane World known as Mundies. Although a glamour is quite expensive and those who cannot pay the toll are forced to move to The Farm, a so called safe haven that allows those without glamour to run around as they so please. Of course with every community, there comes a government.
Due to a recent fall of the government, Snow White has taken over as Deputy Mayor whilst Bigby Wolf finds himself sticking around as the Sheriff, enforcing the laws where the Mayor see fit and fighting for their citizens wants and needs. After the horrid murder of two young women by the names of Faith and Lily, the citizens of Fabletown have grown quiet. Citizens assume the Crooked Man manipulated another Fable into the horrible act of murder. Due to these acts, he had been placed away under the spell of a crow in a small gold cage as punishment. As it stands now, Fabletown is somewhat safe, or so they assume. It wasn't until a month after these events that murder had risen once again...
Even still, the thoughts ran heavily through his mind. The idea that he had possibly allowed someone to get away with something so drastic? It still haunted him with every waking moment. There was not a time he looked at himself in the mirror and saw a traitor, that he had looked to the confident and somewhat content citizens of Fabletown and felt guilty. Even when facing someone as important to him as Snow had him trying to escape the moment that withered around them. After speaking with someone he thought he had a connection with, someone he thought was so pure and innocent with the words that escaped her glossed lips it had become more clear to him that he couldn't trust everyone that walked into his office, that he passed on the street, that he got information from or that he had known for a long time. How had he not placed the pieces together? How had he been so blind to just not see what was right in front of him the whole time? In a roundabout way, he was disappointed and angry with himself but to let anyone know? It was impossible. Keeping this secret, it was the only thing he could do. Staying silent? It was apparent he did so. The last thing he wanted, the last thing he needed, was to have the citizens of Fabletown hating him for the very mistake he knew he made...
"You're not as bad as everyone says you are,"
Those words still haunted him. They dragged out every second, every minute, every hour of every day and made it twice as long. On a good day, his mind would be so busy that the very thought of Faith would only come to him when he had a moment to spare, when he wasn't so busy tending to others and their idealistic problems. If only escapism was possible. If only he could go back to the way things were, if only he could return to the beginning than perhaps he wouldn't have had to point the fingers he had. He knew he made mistakes. He knew he'd been a bad person. He knew that he had to do what he needed in order to survive, to protect those he found himself caring about. It hadn't even been about himself and what he believed in, but what the town backed him up on. What they believed he could and could not do. Of course it was a given that now he was deemed the protector of this town. That he was the one person who could look out for each individual in their current state.
Although he knew that his title still scared them. Just because a title bound behind his name and called him a Sheriff did not mean he was really anyone that special even though sometimes he wished he was. Wanting to change the stars that aligned his very path. Fate was not so easily changed in all it's fortunes. To his demise, he knew that fate did not hold him in its favour. The citizens of Fabletown did not easily trust nor did they easily accept change within their lives. He knew that he still frightened them, scared them, that they shook when he got angry. One day perhaps, one day when he wasn't such a fuck up. Perhaps then, they would accept him for who he was.
Knock knock knock...
Not even an hour of rest and already his eyes were on the brink of destruction. Red veins had coursed through them, strings of blood that begged him to rest yet again. His body tired, weak, drained of all movement. Perhaps just one more wink of sleep, at least one more hour that his body needed to recharge. Closing those petty eyes ever so slowly to enjoy a good regeneration. Realistically the consequences were uneventful. Knowingly, sleep was not precisely needed even if the thought crossed his deceptive mind. The cursed nap he'd provided his own body would've done better had he just disagreed with it entirely. With his mind already tormenting him night after night he was unable to think of anything else but Faith and what she had done to him, to all of them. What guilt he was still holding inside. Just one more ounce of sleep, just one more was all he was asking for. Just a little bit of time to discard the attention his mind placed on something so significant. If only it meant nothing to him, if only he could push it away. But he knew better than that. Sleep would not cover anything. Sleep would not assist the very thoughts that mistreated his mentality. Even in the land of dreams they sought out his deepest darkest secrets and held them accountable within a nightmare. Being reminded of all the innocent people involved, of all the harm he'd done in his life, of the countless lives he'd taken in the past, all the people he'd eaten-
"Bigby, open up!"
A recognizable voice, for certain. It was that same voice that he felt his own damn heart pulsating in a negative direction. Pain filtering through his body as his head turned to face the door. What time was it? Had he really only obtained one whole hour of sleep? It felt nearly five minutes. With a hand on his blue stained chair he'd force himself up on his feet, clothes still very much in tact. Unable to remember the last time he'd truthfully changed them and alas somehow never ended up with a horrible scent. Headaches did not revolve around him, not often at least. Unless his head was willing to muster itself against the pavement than perhaps so but right now the only headache he could possibly get would be from the lack of sleep he seemed to get. Pulling himself from the chair was not the difficult part. Pulling himself together was more so the hardest.
With a quickened pace, he ran a hand through his somewhat natural greasy strands, grasping at the lock with his other as he sooner than later; opened the door. His blood stained eyes soon met with bright blue ones that snapped him back into reality. Snow White, yes. Of course who else would it have been? He knew her voice on the other side of the door but these days, he wasn't one hundred percent certain whether or not the dream land kept him safe or not. But this moment snapped him back into reality. The strong alluring scent that Snow had, it not only brightened his sleeplessness but also his mind. But something was wrong. Her eyes were wary, worried, fearful. Something had happened. Bigby Wolf's brows furrowed in despair, misunderstanding, concern and disillusion. What was going on? He had to know.
Not a word was truthfully explained, he knew the walls were paper thin. Snow would have said something instantaneously had she wanted the public to know. This must have been urgent. Concentration seemed to be accurate here. Speed was with them, the both of them, it was nearing almost midnight. Snow was sleepless as well, he could tell just by looking at the natural bags that bore underneath her bright blue eyes, lashes as long as ever without the slightest hint of makeup. He followed even without a word being spoken. They had an untrained understanding of one another, they had to. As partners in crime, with Snow being the Deputy Mayor, he had to contain that very strange connection he had with her. Even if she hadn't realized it, even if his intentions were as pure as day itself with her, his obsessions were similar to that of which Crane's once were. But he had never acted upon them, he couldn't do such a thing to her. Dishonouring her the way that that sluggish creep had always done. How he used glamour to obtain Lily, using her the way he had. Had he been in a similar situation, his mentality would not accept such things. He knew deep down he couldn't go through with it. He could never take advantage of such an attraction. Besides, her scent was the most alluring thing about her, he was obedient to her every command. Willingly he would bow before her if she asked him to and that alone said enough towards his loyalty. Grasping the HuffnPuff brand of cigarettes that rest in his slacks he'd push one out. A shit brand that every sacred soul in the sluggish town found obscene and disgusting. He'd been the only person who smoked such a brand, at least that he knew of. Everyone else called it wretched but he could not. The smell helped, it dominated the very sweet addiction she was. Lighting the cancer stick with a zippo, his senses were soon soothed.
They left the building, only to drive a quiet distance. It wasn't until then that Snow spoke up. Bigby had been told of a body, a body of someone that he may have known of, a man she thought he may know a little bit about. But when told his name, his expression did not falter. Of all the people in Fabletown, he was not all too surprised on the outcome. That was up until the car came to a halt and he was faced eye-to-eye with the wretched scene of what had become of The Hatter. With one last long drag from his cigarette, as the world slowed down just a tick of a pace, Bigby took one large leap forward into the case, hoping to whatever humanity was left of this scene that there were witnesses or even suspects to such a disaster.
Early morning had arrived quicker than he thought. His mind was still attempting to wrap around the very idea of losing one of their own; yet again. But who was to blame? Who was to blame but himself? Taking everything to heart, it was all he could ever do. Crane told him long ago that he was supposed to be the one person who kept the town safe and yet again; he failed. What had happened to The Hatter? Who had done such horrible distorted and inhumane things to him? A part of him wished it were a Mundy, if anything it had to be one of them. But no, deep down he knew in his big beating heart that a Fable did this. One of them must have done it. A weapon of peculiar abilities, with magic perhaps attached, but nothing that Bigby had ever seen before, not even once in his life.
Step by step, he made his way down the very hall that echo'd in his name. Towards his office. Already he'd spoken to two witnesses earlier that evening. Two lone girls that spoke sweet sorrow to him, explaining they both had seen a girl with golden locks at the scene. But when asked her name or if they knew of it, they seemed uncertain and wary and explained to him who she was.
Alice.
That was her name. Bigby ran the name over in his head hundreds of times trying to wrap his head around the very idea of her. Having never truthfully looked into her tale he had to wonder if she had anything to do with this. They'd gotten in contact with her instantly, as best they could, knowing quite well she may not show up, just as most had seemed to skip out on. With a file in his hand and slow yet steady walk, he stopped at his room. The door was closed. Snow had told him 'She's waiting for you' and all he could hope for was a steady case here. Perhaps she could lift some evidence for him, perhaps she would admit to doing it if she had been the one. Alas he did not know if that was for certain, he didn't know if any of this was for certain. All he had to do was open the door. 'Open it' He'd tell himself, over and over in his head.
Through slow motion he opened the door. Time slowed down, his heart even came to a delightful stop. A heavy pang in his heart almost broke him. It was not with his eyes that he saw her, but with the scent that filled the room. A scent he had never once taken in before. It lured him in, it instantly drove him crazy, a perfume that riddled him confused, a scent that over powered his very thoughts of Snow. That had him baffled with all bewilderment. What was that scent that aura that begged him for more. Etching him on as he slowly closed the door behind him. He had to speak, he had to do something, he had to get rid of whatever it was that caused his heart to rush this quickly. Never in centuries had he smelt something as delightful as this...
"Alice, is it?"
Ignoring the very essence of what he had taken in, he'd walk around the table in the slowest of manners, taking his time as he'd allow the closed folder to fall down onto his desk. The room filled with disorganized papers and finished boxes of Chinese food that were probably a week old. Taking a seat across from the girl, his brown eyes took the very attention of her own. Gripping his box of cigarettes once again from his pocket he'd grasp it out with his lips and light it within seconds. The scent was much too strong, it was absolutely murdering his own mentality. He had to rid of it, and just barely and only barely, had it done such a thing. The scent of his shitty cigarette had overpowered her perfume and with a hand reaching forward, Bigby held out the pack to her as though to offer her a stick of his own personal favourite brand. But he knew in all honesty, he was in much more trouble than she was for she was one of the fairest he'd ever lay eyes on, let alone took in the very scent of.
My my.. Wonderland, where are you now?
It were as if in the blink of the light of the former day a nightly presence had come in with such an invigoratingly unsuspecting front, that had done well to show address to the irregular circumstances of the particular beholders jurisdiction for nothing quite seemed as simple as the turn of day to night. Such things had become a background aspect of much more sinister powers at hand, as time had seemingly shifted from it's former meaning. To everyone else it would be a night like any other, one filled with mystery and purpose to those who dwelled within the comforts of it's shade. For the most part those still about would be doing as they always did, serving to pick and nit about at all the silly little impractical behaviours and bitter sweets, they found themselves more devoted to address. It had occurred to her only over recent understanding that others were very much unlike her in several obvious different ways, but she could do little even bother trying to make herself show consideration for such matters. Perhaps the source of her confusion came from her history or instead something that deemed to dissolve itself so much more in a scheming elaborate paradox? Truth was she'd rather not think about it, even try to consider rationality in the subject of one of the very most important things she had obviously forgotten. Instead she preferred nothing more then to indulge her fantastical illusive stare into the stars hanging above her, like riddled dots over a once fabled and adored pattern that seemed so much more interesting then anything more prioritized around her..
The thickening shroud of her nightly surroundings had only ever served to measure its value to her in one purpose and that was the ultimate cover of confinement. Whether she was oblivious to her reasons for being so entranced by it, was beyond the value of her consideration as she found the simple manner of night much more appealing then trying to understand what it was that she adored so much about it. It was tricky to say much about her other else then what was only said by others and written by fools in old silly tales, as the mystery to who she really was would always remain just that and to herself as well, even if she were capable of realizing it she probably wouldn't have had it any other way.
Only now in this dissolving sense of gloomy childish reality had she found herself at a rather rough edge that had seemed to send her head over heels into a chasm of uncertainty. As she knew better then almost anyone else, whenever the thought of her anxiety slowly began to once again crawl its way up her back and finally came to her attention would she often find herself slipping slowly into a rather shallow form of escape that was often at the edge of some bizarre form of mostly illicit sedative or through the rim and cork of an equally otherworldly bottle that housed liquid beyond this worlds knowledge or reason. Though she seemed to bare some for of dignity even now accepting this term of herself as she knew better then to ever get caught out in the open doing such things, the desire to enthrall herself in the release of these urges knew such little control of herself as even now in the glamorous shroud of the nightly aroma in which she loved so much she felt that spiteful temptation of addiction quickly drench the very essence of her silly little mind.
Through the cosmic mist of the thick nightly fog and ridiculous vibrate spotlights of small establishment there would be but a single whim of a rather illusory trail of a strange coloured smoke seeming to shift in both colour and form. The trail that led to its source seemed to go of forever or at least in the eye of the beholder of such otherworldly strange prescription. To the source of the cosmic artistic lines of smoke, the trail seemed to coil about the very essence of all physical manner of obstruction and object coming forth its path, always shifting and changing in vibrate glow with each step further she had made, as she had only just stopped to realize the beauty of it all. The journey of mesmerizing illusion had taken her only to the foot of a single alleyway that was drenched in shadow and didn't seem to bare any form of flare or colour about it. Only now had she remembered why it was she had gone there, her steps seeming to quicken at the tap of her heels as she felt a strange source of eagerness fill her. Looking back at the cosmic highway of endless magical smoke had only inspired her to paint the entire city in the charisma of it's delusion as she had just realized why it was she found herself walking about on this particular night..
It were as if there were nothing more interesting in the entirity of this rather strange little world then her own personal daze, as any thought of the purpose to what she might have been doing or even how she may have gotten there had totally slipped her mind. Oh there was so much she had forgotten and it would be even so much worse for her to force herself to remember but even strange odours of intoxication from a land of her own seemed to find their limits among the laws of this cruel new reality that came in the form of this curious new little world around her known as Fabletown. There would be the sound of crawling footsteps drawing nearer to her, as she had remembered the particular sound of similar dusty old books clapping their way along bitter pathway several times before. To her, it were as if the source of the approach was one who obviously brought about them a bold intention of illwill, an obvious threat of sorts who had shown no fear in displaying anger in his footsteps. The once dreamy expression that had poisoned her face with fantastical ecstasy would slip away as she'd find herself only now turning her head to address the other closing the distance between her. It were as if the entire engagement had come forth through the obscurity of slowed motion, as the simple touch of the strangers grasp upon her shoulder felt much more like a shove or crude gesture to her, then what it really had been. A simple pat on the side of her shoulder in reality, but to her an assault driven in violent madness by the hand of another who was far from in any way shape or form, the person she saw in her own mind and through those dilated eyes of misty blue wonder.
Oh how she had half a mind to throw sharp defence of her own at the obviously rather kind individual who had approached her with nothing more then gentle steps and a light tap on the shoulder. Her former expression of ridiculous fantastical euphoria had abandoned her, as instead she found her brow tilting and her lips tensing in sharp appal only within moments time to form reaction of bitterness. With the turn of her head, she'd only now take in his very real features and deem them strange and anything but settling to her which had slowly begun to remind her that this man was not who she had originally thought him to be. That was besides the purpose of her reaction however as oddly enough there were several of him, splitting right down in the middle as if he were a phantasmal image of a realistic person being split into several ghastly variations of his one true self, if there was really one true source of the visual madness at all? As she'd weigh in the very much mundy features of the one before her she'd instead find her expression once again tilt about in strange confusion as if it were on the lighter side of a one way scale. Without a single word she'd watch the strangers chapped young lips turn to attempt to form words, which had only come out to her as distorted tones and equally nonsensical frequencies. Had she lost her mind? Or was she dreaming? Perhaps she had forgotten what it was she was smoking? Her own vivid blue eyes would spark alive within concern and disbelief as after the slowed and chopped nonchalant clamour of the strangers speech she'd only just realize she was completely not at all within her right mind.
There would be a small shudder escape her lips followed by the heavy shaking of her head as she'd make a desperate obvious effort to come back to reality. As she it were as if the world around her would seemingly fast forward back to the actual time in which it existed, visuals around her and former words having gone past her quickly snapping back into their proper place. The ambience of the quiet night around her had come back to her, as she'd verify for certain now that there was only one strange man before her and that the trail of smoke that in which she seemed to both create and follow had only come from the strange cigarette between two of her fingers and was anything but endless, only whisping off an inch or so from the source of its flame.
"I beg your pardon?"
She'd find herself ask aloud, feeling quite silly for assuming the worst of the situation but not even sure, not quite understanding the reality of it. Or why it was this particular stranger that had broken her from her hysteric daze and for what reason? So many questions with no time to pay mind to them.. It made her feel rather uneasy to say the least.
The man had asked her to come along with her, to answer a few questions involving some sort of police work? Or so she had been told. The feeling of being selected under the premise of what the circumstances were for her assistance hadn't done very well to ease her forward in agreeing to go forth with the man but it wasn't like she had much other choice then that.. Or perhaps she could simply continue to venture down a very much more psychedelic variate of the true Fabletown that seemed to make so much more sense to her then the current..
The experience of being taken away for questioning had proven to be anything but comforting, as she'd much rather describe the situation as nerve racking but she had very little choice in the matter. The man would take her to a strange building one that she was certain she had been too before but may have been mistaking for on odd mushroom shaped and sized house back where it was she had originated from. Her mind was quite literally in the gutter as the realities of Fabletown, no matter how boring and unworthy of her interest as she had once considered them to be, had suddenly become so much more of a valid factor to her. In reality she knew very little about this world, only being here for... for.. well her memory wasn't too great, but she knew she didn't quite fit in as well as some of the other fables did, or so she had heard? She really didn't know anything now did she? If that be the case then why would the authorities wanted to take her in for questioning? Had she done something wrong?
As she'd sit at the opposite end of the desk in the rather strange room containing a number of strange artefacts that were clearly not from this world, she'd wonder if she had honestly done something wrong. It took only a moment for her hands to begin fumbling about in front of her, as her vivid blue eyes would widened with panic and she'd stare down at them wondering if she had done something horrible in fact with her own two hands. In a sudden immediate frantic display of searching, she'd throw her hands to her shoulder, only just realizing now that the one who had brought her her had taken her purse and thus any form of she would often use in these sorts of situations where she felt completely out of control of herself. It took her only a moment to realize she had nothing to ease the suffering of her own anxious emotions as she'd only just realize just how dreadful the fundamentals of the reality around her were quickly become and why it was she did half the things that she did in the first place. There was literally nothing she could do about the utter desperation of her withdrawal under the current circumstances and instead of being able to ease her panic with unhealthy addictions, would instead find herself biting away quickly at her own thumb in a soft rhythmical but intense speed as some depressing means of trying to comfort herself through a more simplified means of deprival.
It was a good thing the sheriff had shown up when he did otherwise who would have known what little Alice may have resorted too without another in the room to retain her focus on the very fragile but real reality that inevitably surrounded her, the one it was obvious she didn't quite like as much as the other. At the simple creaking chime of his own office door she'd find herself looking up, her eyes sharply reacting as if she bore not even a single flaw when it came to the health of her reflexes, which seemed odd for a young woman of her stature who did very much the variety of unhealthy things. The nervous tension of her wonderful blue ocean eyes would stare sharply over to the one who closed the distance between the two as suddenly her feelings of lonesome anxiety would quickly find a reason to ease themselves from the maddening condescension of her own despair.
"Why yes.. It is..- Though it would be more proper to refer to me as Alison for I feel it may do me more justice, if that is any consolation to you at all ?"
Suddenly the feels of dread and madness quickly seemed to be repelled by what could only be described as some sort of invisible force, one of good nature and welcoming but still remaining very much in the unknown. Though it would be strange for her to feel such things in the presence of Bigby of all people, as the two of them had never met before? Or had they..?
There would be no further words exchanged from her shaking bright red lips, as she could only find herself so eager to want to try one of his cigarettes but instead began to rationalize the depth of her choice now that she was fully away in this bitter reality around her. She'd only gently shake her head with a nervous smile and wave her hand at the pack of cigarettes as if to wish them away..
The Big Bad Wolf.
Ever since the beginning of his own tale he'd been called such a name. A time where his brothers mocked the very essence of his seemingly weak existence. Even still it stuck to the very core of his memory. Having been the runt he still found strength in proving them wrong, in proving everybody who doubted him; wrong. If they were to call him the Big Bad Wolf, so be it. He would keep that name and use it to his advantage. Ever since the inevitable passing of his mother, Bigby made it clear in his own mentality that he was a loner. That he wanted to learn by himself, for himself, without the help of others. Over the years he found himself eating larger creatures day after day, including that of human flesh as well just to add to his charts. Alone was what he'd been use to. Alone was what he thought he'd always be. Loneliness was a given in his life and even though somewhere deep within himself he hoped for a future with someone together... he knew that was highly unlikely. There were thoughts that rummaged through his mind, thoughts that had always intercepted his own way of thinking. Hiding his feelings as best he could for Snow White had been hard enough. Not acting upon his devious thoughts was one thing, but keeping his feelings on the inside was certainly difficult. He was used to keeping quiet but at times it was aggravating to be the way he was. To be introverted, to keep everything stored deep down on the inside; it was not as easy as some may have thought it'd been.
The most difficult thing about being apart of the law in a town where the citizens were not used to such normalities had proven itself quite difficult. Being a Sheriff was one thing but actually physically enforcing the law was another. Having made a promise in more than one way to be a protector of the Fables had left him at ropes end. There was no escaping what he was supposed to do, no way around it. But in a roundabout way, he somewhat enjoyed what he did. Believing that if the role of Sheriff were in the hands of another, he'd quite possibly find hatred within himself, for himself. There was no reason to allow someone else to take over his job and he knew above all else, Snow would more than likely need his help. Of course she was independent and strong and wilful, but he feared had anyone done her wrong that she'd fall off that high horse she held so close as Mayor. Fabletown was in good hands now, that was without a doubt. But to confide in himself, to have the confidence she even seemed to bring to the table had him astounded. On the outside he presented himself as how he'd felt for a very long time. What he pushed forward was the law and had always been the law. For all their sakes, he did not want to start a ruckus. The last thing any Fable needed was to be discarded or harmed or worse; executed by the Mundy government or military for that matter. What he did was exactly what he had to do. Bigby held himself as the law because it was absolutely necessary. With his background, with all the horrible things he'd done, with his reputation and his name behind him; people would listen to him. Even though he wished to be redeemed of his past, he knew that sometimes that was utterly impossible.
Alice's scent had caught him off guard. There was no doubt in his mind let alone his heart that he felt a rather abnormal way because of this. What he felt on the inside was a reoccurring symptom that lay strong in his heart. With Snow, he was all too sure he'd been in love with her, that his heart would only attract to her, that his mind would only comprehend who she was and who she would always be. Not once in his entire existence had something overpowered such a scent; except now. The perfume Alice wore, whatever it had been, wherever it was from had lured him in a lot more than he meant for it to. Bigby's senses had always been above most wolves, that he'd been much used to. His father's abilities had been cast down upon him and he learned of them within time itself. But sometimes, his senses were soon in the depths of his own regret. Of all creatures, he just had to be a wolf. If only he'd caught a cold or been sick on a day like today, for then he wouldn't have had to breathe in the same air that Alice's sweet scent emitted. She'd drawn him in close and alas he acted as if nothing had even happened between them. Pretending that she was no different than any other individual he'd ever come across. This fact of course, it had to be true. He could not treat her as anything special. Having done that with Colin not too long ago and the worst had happened. The pig he considered a friend to him ended up back at The Farm, a place that he could only imagine relocating to. It was safe there, wasn't it? This thought more than often crossed his mind.
The request was simple and Bigby would obey such a simplicity. Retreating, his hand forfeit the idea of giving such a gift to a girl who seemed so pure. With strong posture he'd lean back, shoulders steady as he observed her from the other side of the desk that lay between them. Bigby had not seen such innocence in a long time. Her bright blue eyes contrasted his deep brown ones as they looked between each other. Although her outfit remain rather profound, he did what he could to see past the somewhat erotic taste of fashion sense that curved around her body. Unable to understand why he found someone so innocent so attractive, but he assumed it had to do something with the perfume that overpowered the cigarette that held placement between his lips.
"Everyone says they're a bad brand anyway,"
Referring to the pack of cigarettes that lay upon his desk and the one his lips held sacred, he'd give her a small smirk from across the table. Eyes lingering on hers as he found himself attempting to understand all the things that rummaged through his mind. If his mind were a home, he quite possibly couldn't find footing on the floor. His mind was a mess and he was unable to locate much sense at all right now. Feeling as though Alice had in fact bewitched him with some sort of spell, though he knew she had closer relations to a Mundy than a Fable. Hadn't she always been an honorary Fable? Finding that thought somewhat offensive, he pushed it into the back of his mind, pretending no such thing existed. His thoughts were crumbling his own mind, twisting his thoughts like they never had before. For once in his life he was unable to see things as clear as he normally had. Whenever danger seemed to come into existence, whenever a murder rose from the ashes, his stability would crumble and his thoughts would never be unclouded until the mystery was solved.
Why was she a witness? Of all people Alice did not seem like the type of girl who could have witnessed such a murder, let alone be the cause of all it. But perhaps Wonderland was called that for a simple reason. He had to read more into her story because at this current moment that linger between them, he hadn't a clue what to say to her. What was he supposed to do? Lash out at her? Yell at her until she told him the truth? When it came to women, he couldn't find the strength in himself to be negative toward them unless they showed him the undying hostility which lay within their hearts. Even when it came to people as simple as Faith and Lily all he could do was give them the benefit of the doubt. When it came to men, it was the opposite. Perhaps it had something to do with his upbringing and his father. Perhaps it had something to do with the kindness of his mother and the hatred for his father. Or perhaps it had to do with his very own experiences when it came down to it, or the tiniest pebble of sexism that ran in his heart, whether he wished to admit such a thing or not.
There were choices to be made here, choices that he didn't wish he'd have to make. Words he wished could escape his very lips but he knew deep down that speaking such nonsense to her in this very room would prove to ache his heart all the latter. As the cigarette between his lips grew dry and hasty, he'd gander down at the folder beneath him, staring at the front as he knew what contents bore inside. His expression did not consider hesitation. His own eyes meeting back with the softest colour he could ever have imagined. There were questions he needed answers and if he did not receive some sort of response from her, especially not an honest one he didn't know what he'd even end up doing with himself. Bigby always thought of himself as an excellent detective when it came down to understanding someone else's mentality and the procedure behind it. Would she lie to him? Would she be honest? The hardest parts were trying to figure out those who lied right to his face unphased by his questions. But all he had to do was give poor Alice the benefit of the doubt.
"I need you to be honest with me because these questions may hit home. Tell me Alison, do you have any relation to The Hatter?"
There were a handful of names that Bigby had always kept, names and faces of people whom he kept in files and folders in the center of his own mind. But these people whom reflected his life in both positive and negative manners sometimes had him questioning his own psychology. Of all the people, The Hatter had been known as one of those who were deemed insane. Fabletown had rumours spreading left right and center. It wasn't easy to sneak behind someone's back without eyes lingering on you. Bigby knew that whatever he did outside of his home or outside the office mattered almost twice as much as how the people saw him whilst at work. But he was always on the job.. Twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Perhaps The Hatter had not been insane and perhaps he always had a good head on his shoulders. It was questions like these that riveted the very head that sat on his shoulders. Brows raised in such a devious manner as he leaned against the old fashioned desk in front of him.
You of all people should know better..
It were as if suddenly that wretched fissure of blatant anxiety had suddenly diminished completely from the strange young woman sitting across the table but in reality things were never so simple as they have seemed. All the sheriff had proven to do was distract the mad little girl but the particular ease he had provided her with was anything but unsatisfactory. Now instead of allowing her mind to compile up all matter of insane consequence she instead found herself utterly mesmerized by the wolf among her, but not in any sort of obvious healthy way that one may assume. This was not a mannerism of good introduction as this truly wasn't the first time they had met before? Or was it? That terrible thought stretched through her mind again as she couldn't help but wonder beyond sensible manner if she had mistaken his physic for that of someone else. Oh she was sure she hadn't met anyone quite like him before? Or had she simply forgotten yet again? Was it honestly that important for her to know or ha she simply been extended the value of sane company once again, which to her had proven to come in some form of uncommon treat. Well whatever the case was she was quick to decide well of it's matter as instead of trying to desperately find the answer to her question she instead allowed her mind to become utterly captivated in the paradox of it all as she'd wonder only now if he was truly interesting as her instincts remembered him to be.
On the outside her company thought probably the least of her, conveying her position in all of this as to be some sort of obvious mix up? Or perhaps that was what her head was telling her it was. It didn't matter and that would be the simple end of it, no longer would she be chasing the own tail of her mind in circles while she desperately tried to make the very most honest and sincere impression. Alison was a honest good girl despite whatever that miserable racket in her head said. Oh but what was that racket? It was so difficult to focus on the situation at hand. In reality all he probably saw was a poor nervous little wreck of a girl who hadn't even done herself the dignity of covering herself up well with her wardrobe, simply throwing on any mannerism of tight clothing and tore accessory. The way her blue and white top hung down the shape of breast and allowed more then just an obvious peak at what lay behind. Oh it were as if that miserable little rabbit insignia had been placed between those two moulds behind her shirt deliberately. Not much else could be said about the rest of her either, though mostly hidden by the table it was fairly obvious that this girl was not the sort who preferred the comforts of silence in her steps either, not with her wearing those foolishly large platform heels of white and blue that were wrapped about at her ankle in a strange striped fabric that looked to be as if it stocks that she had been to lazy to pull up the fabric of her dark full leggings.
Even she had to admit she found it a bit odd that she wasn't wearing her matching blue and white jacket, even now that the temperature in the room had been somewhat chilly to her. Instead it hung behind her chair as she'd consider trying to remember during at what point she had even removed it from herself to practically herself on display to the sheriff-
The oddest thing about her feeling so bare and exposed to the total strange was that she felt as if she were was basically staging herself for the worst of the situation. Had little Alison forgotten that her arms had practically been riddled from top to bottom with both fading and new incision of tiny little black holes, that obviously gave her anything but healthy titles to what her favourite pass time was? None of it seemed to matter to even the slightest bit to her when she was with him however. Instead of considering her own disposition in the whole matter she could only find herself forcing a light gentle smile across her rosy red lips as her lips did their best to form resistance in the instability of her gentle smiling gesture.
"Well perhaps everyone else is mad.. Or is it that they just don't seem to share your flavour?"
Her words literally rolled of the tongue as if someone else was talking to her, but the distinctive hum of her tone seemed to normal. She felt like she was sure that part of her had wanted to attempt to take his offer, only because it was from him and not anyone else.. but another part of her, a more rational aspect of her character that seemed somewhat unknown or forgotten to her, didn't want to test the idea of smoking a brand other then the sort she were used as she had a certain expectation when it had come to reaching her own high. Nothing less then the sort of nonsense she smoked would ever do it for her, not since it had become her whole world, even outside of the real one that the visions had really come from..
Even now she felt less and less like herself as while she did a decent job at maintaining the illusion of who she was on the outside, while the inside of her min asked more questions of herself that one may find in an encyclopaedia of the most nonsensical of value. The room seemed so quiet in reality but in her head it was something so much menacing altogether and the only thing keeping her from losing her cool seemed to be the mystery sheriff only a mere inches away from her. Would he talk with her? Or would he get straight down to business.. Oh she'd hope so.. What did that even mean? What was she playing at? Honestly she felt as if he could ask her anything, anything at all and she'd be so willingly proud to provide him with the answer he so seeked even though she probably wouldn't have the slightest clue as to what it was she were talking about, but the simple idea of blabbering about to him seemed to suffice as the sort of thing that would keep her in the forgetting of just how uneasy she felt now that she had been helpless to prevent herself from being consumed by this reality.
Well anything but that perhaps? Her expression seemed to toss and turn about at the mention of The Hatter even though she showed no immediate claim to whether she was shocked or confused over the mention of him. The expression she wore seemed to slide about like goo plastered to a mask as in an instant she first displayed an obvious sign of concern but only moments later wonder as to why he of all things had been brought up at the only the beginning of their conversation.
"I know of a many good things.. One of which being a Hatter.. Though I feel concern for your question.. Why has something happened? Oh he is such a silly old man that man is.. I live with him you see.."
Her will to cooperate didn't seem flawed in the slightest bit, but her understanding of the situation seemed to show frailty. If it was Bigby's intention to question her like how they did suspects in those old serious black in white films then it would be certain Alison wouldn't be the qualified to play the part of the questiony since her reactions seemed to profound in their honesty despite whatever flaws she obviously had with her character on the inside.
For reasons unbeknownst to even himself, a familiar aura struck the room silently, allowing such a clouded feeling to rise and grasp at the innocence that was Alice. It seemed like just yesterday he'd met a rather alluring somewhat innocent female on the street that may not have been as innocent as the story foretold. For once in Bigby's life, he was truly hoping that nothing would go wrong, that he could trust this girl with all his big heart could handle. He knew that something could go wrong, that she could potentially lie to him, give him false information and leads that would throw him into a dead ended alleyway. Of course, there was nothing wrong with a little challenge but he just couldn't convince himself that Alice was a murderer, rather than a victim. In a way, his fate was in the palm of her hands and all he needed to do was hear her story. Where she'd been, what she was doing, why she was where she said and all those all too obvious questions that anyone could just as easily lie about. But if he were to doubt anything about her, he'd be denying her the very right to speak, to give her words as to where she'd been during the time of the murder. As it stood now, her blue eyes stood out like no tomorrow. There was no sorrow behind them or devastation or pain and guilt behind them. Not to mention, she didn't come across as the type of girl who would even commit such acts. If anyone was a murderer in the room; it was him.
The response she'd given him in regard to his cigarette taste had thrown him off. In the beginning, when they'd first been placed into his very hands he hadn't quite remembered enjoying the taste or the smell for that matter. But they blocked out the one thing he could barely stand, especially when he'd been around a certain someone, which apparently accumulated itself for two people now. Both Alice and Snow had stronger scents than most and for that reason he'd found their presence alluring and highly attractive. It was not something that he'd been used to and by all means, whatever would block the smell, even it had been a candle or some sort of air freshener, nothing would do him as much justice as the cancer stick that lay place in his mouth. Such a simple object had put his mind at ease even if the scent of Alice remain much stronger than even that of Snow. His loyalty to Snow was no question but the two had not paired off as a couple. They made a good team but she had never exactly seen him for whom he was let alone the feelings he held for her. Assuming that there was no way in all eternity that Snow would ever fall for a man such as him. There was nothing Bigby felt had been too special about him. Confidence remain strong on the outside but on the inside, was he really a truly confident person? Of course his natural instincts took over but that did not protect him from what happened in the reality presented in front of him.
Alice's statement on it's own had caused his brows to furrow, if only for an instant. A confused expression found way to his eyes and then quickly forced seriousness to reform in the room. In a roundabout way, she'd complimented him but Bigby knew that getting to the bottom of this was where everything was soon to gather.
Observing Alice carefully he'd wait for her expression to change, but nothing had seemed suspicious or anything of the sort. Instead she seemed curious in his question, wishing to understand what he meant by what was asked. Knowing quite well the way he worded things could have been taken in a rather harsh way, but instead she'd given him a straight answer and for that, he could not hold her against it. It was her word over his and she knew what she was talking about. All he could do was try and see if she'd been lying or not. There was no lie here, at least not in his eyes or his ears. Her words did not stutter, they did not falter, they did not ramble and they did not shiver. There was something here that seemed pure to him and he'd have to agree with his senses on this one.
But Bigby's interests did not quite stop there. From watching her very closely his eyes wandered down to her clothes, as though looking for blood that he'd not seen even an inch upon her. From the looks of the crime scene, there was without a doubt blood splattered upon almost every surface. In this case however, the only thing he stumbled upon was that of the very tiny holes that pierced the skin of her arms. His eyes momentarily locked there, time slowing down for him as he took notice to them and then soon back to her eyes. He didn't want to seem as though he'd be staring somewhere strange. Awkwardness was not needed at this time.
Breaking the news to just about anyone was always such a hard thing. Taking a moment to himself he allowed himself room to breathe, taking in the idea that Alice had not only known the Hatter, but the two of them lived together as well. This was quite possibly going to be one of the hardest things he'd have to do in a long time. With his big heart taking the pain for her, he'd slip the cigarette from his lips slowly. He had to make this moment one that didn't have him seeming like some stuck up prick in his own little world. Right now, Alice did not need that. So he put the cigarette out, burning the tip of it against the ashtray that lay upon his desk. With air suddenly growing thick and the scent of Alice's very self sitting before him he'd waver with worry. Fingers lacing together as he placed his hands upon the desk. From her eyes to his he'd take a breather, a moment to himself and then begin to speak. It was now, or never. Breaking her heart would have to do, it was the only thing to do. But he kept his professionalism as best he could. Even with her scent strongly surrounding him, he'd still find a way to observe her reaction.
"I'm sorry to say this Alison but we found the Hatter last night. He's... well, he's dead. We found his body, he's been murdered..."
In some way, Bigby felt responsible. With Crane's influences heavily on his shoulders he began to worry of her momentary reaction. The voice of Crane echoing in his mind over and over telling him that he was responsible for keeping all citizens alive and well and obeying the law. They both knew that was next to impossible at the time but it was in Bigby's right to at least try. For some reason, he felt as though he failed Alice. Even though he was not the sort of man to go out at night hunting for crime or see to it that he caught every single solitary individual who did one thing wrong; he still felt guilty of this crime. With his ears theoretically back and his brows furrowed he'd give Alice the look of devastation and compassion, attempting in a way to empathise with her even if he'd never been good with such a thing in his life. Empathy ran strong sometimes but he never quite knew how to deal with it. This was one of those times where he didn't know what to say, didn't know what to do and awaited for her to react before he could do anything.
Alison Liddell you say..?
The degree of the circumstance for her being where she was seemed anything but simple, even with the idea that she may have been confused about her involvement in this whole situation. Regardless of what had really happened it seemed impossible for her not to consider her own potential at playing the hand of a scheming murder. Honestly didn't seem to fit her character, not from what she considered about her general character anyway. Sure she was a silly girl who did a handful of less then ideal things but her involvement in them had always been rather basic to say the very most hadn't it? It was stressful to recall, but even now in the midst of the rather unforeseen turmoil of the situation it was still anything but easy to piece the logic together about her being the culprit. It wasn't easy to remember much of what had happened earlier tonight, never-mind the night before that or even two days time before today but she was most certain she had gone about doing what she always did for the last bit of time that had slipped on by and that was playing the part of a silly little girl who was lost in her very vivid and colorful fabled imagination of a time when things around her seemed not to wither in such gloom..
The apparitions had become anything but had they had originally began as, as the simple idea of finding something nice and pleasant to look out shrouded in the twisted fabricated depths of visual insanity had seemed to become her only reason for continuing her rather blink addiction. Of course she saw some things, did some things that didn't make much physical sense when she was off on one of her trips but never had she come sober to a reality where she had been painting illustration with another's blood or anything horrible like that. Come to think of it, she couldn't even recall what she did when she often became sober, as the thought of it had been anything but settling for her to recall as she had so obviously displayed not any longer the moments ago. Oh dear she truly was not herself at all. But then who was she? If not the little innocent Alison she had always remember herself to be? Suddenly the idea of her being a once renowned hero in a far distant land that fought dragons and evil queens seemed anything but probable to her.
Perhaps she had gone to far within herself, allowed the pride to slip into her head or had let some other matter of shredded moral linger on in her head for just a tick longer then she had expected it to? Now she was sitting in a police station being asked by Bigby of all people, about questions revolving to a murder and the Hatter? Had he done something again? Oh that good for nothing old man was nothing but trouble he was. Suddenly the idea engagement had passed a vibe off to Alice that her matter in this whole equation would end up being anything but subtle and oddly enough the reaction that she concluded to in her head didn't seem to add up with her own physical reaction. Before Bigby could even speak his first words she felt a tear slip down her cheek as suddenly the weight of her eye lashes doubled and found herself tearing up over the idea that she hadn't been good to the Hatter and him doing something had been her fault.
"Im such a silly little girl.. I know, always in my head about it.. But I never meant to disappoint or anger him in any way..-"
Her statement seemed to end mid way as the idea of talking about him on the inside, didn't seem to match her feelings for the particular character on the inside.
That little voice in her head seemed do be nothing but trouble, always second guessing every little damn thing she said as if to address something she had forgotten or possibly deliberately left out. It was like having a reflection of oneself in the mirror that did anything at all but act as reflection and instead took some form of ill matter pleasure in contrasting every little thing it was that she did and thought to herself. Where had it come from? Oh never-mind with it! The hatter was dead because of her and- Wait how had she known that? It was literally moments after that Bigby's words had come off his tongue and would only act to verify the real truth that she had literally told herself a millisecond before he said it. The situation had taken a turn for anything but simple, as suddenly Alice's ability to comprehend what she said to herself and heard seemed anything but easy.
Those big ocean blue eyes of hers would do anything but lightly tear up now as she began to weep an isolated shower of her very own in front of him. Had Alice had more clarity through the liquid drenching her own eyes she'd be able to tell that Bigby had also taken notice of the small devote holes decorating her arms like they were put their with patterned intention. Her knowing that he knew she was anything but clean in the matters of her illicit behaviour suddenly seemed to matter so little to her as all she could consider was how she had known about this entire situation from the very beginning.
"Mur-.. Murder.. but by who? And.. why..?"
She so deeply wanted to know why, as the desperation for understanding in her voice actually matched her mental concern for the matter in a way that nothing else had from the beginning of this entire night.
To explain the death of someone close to anyone was practically impossible without giving out each and every little detail. To hide the truth that the victim's relatives or friends wished to know only harmed the mentality and heart that Bigby had kept as strong as humanly possible. Keeping files under classification was the only route that he could go. Even Bigby knew that to show Alice the photos of the Hatter that had been taken the night prior would not be in anyone's best interest. To show the slaughtered and hacked up body that lay there helplessly on the ground, beaten and bruised all the more; it was quite the horrible sight to see. To hear that little Alice herself had been at the scene of the crime already riddled the mentality of Bigby, who sat opposite to her on his side of the desk. Who's brows furrowed whilst watching the young girl mirroring him tear up in misunderstanding and fear. Her body almost trembling, searching within herself for some sort of answer. An explanation was necessary, it was needed, her expression absolutely demanded it. The terror that was brought forth had even the big bad wolf feeling sorrowful fill him in all it's glory. No decent fable of this city would not understand how Alice felt. Throughout the years, each one had lost something of importance and at worst, lost a relative or someone they deemed closest to them. Alice had lost the Hatter, someone she considered to be her guardian perhaps, someone worth looking up to, someone strange, but loyal and kind. As it were, a long time ago even Bigby had lost someone close to him, his mother who he deemed the most important person in his entire lifetime. With her gone and out of the picture, he remembered the hopelessness that dawned over him. Due to her death he did horrible things but he never wanted anyone else to follow in his footsteps.
An innocent girl such as Alice could not have seemed more dreadful as her eyes bore with tears and her face flushed of red colour. Mismatching the blue she wore as she was made out to be the most innocent of all Fabletown. A witness was said to have seen her? Really? Bigby did not think he could believe such lies and slander. Unable to understand why someone would have proclaimed that Alice herself was the main reason for the death of the Hatter- was that what they were saying or was Bigby just turning around their words for the worse? If she had been a witness, would she truly have been filtering the tears that bore from her big blue eyes? Witnessing such a beautiful girl in such a distraught unhappy place now was never alright to witness. Why oh why did it always have to be the most attractive girls of Fabletown that he got himself involved with? No matter where he went, it seemed as though he'd have to swoop down and help them to the best of his abilities. Of course this did not mean that he could help Alice. Truth be told Bigby had always felt as though a curse had been placed on his very soul. That those around him could never be happy, that he would never experience true happiness. Perhaps if he wasn't the Sheriff, than Fabletown would've done just fine without him. Had he not been in charge, would this not have happened? Would the Hatter still be alive and Alice well within his grasp? One thing was for certain, that such a fantasy would never be revealed as time itself would continue to tick and be unable to turn counter-clockwise.
Regardless as to the tears that fell from Alice's face he'd tend to the file that presented itself in front of him. Her perfume had truly caused him to be unable to focus, as did her crying, but he did what he could to see it through to the end. Right now his attention had to be on explaining to her what happened, to give her answers to the hundreds of questions her mind expressed. With a gentle sigh he'd look through the written up text, paper after paper. Lists of witnesses and statements that had been made so far. It was tragic, truly it was. Bigby hadn't seen a crime like this in over a month and yet he thought due to the events with Crane and The Crooked Man that all of this would come to and end but it hadn't. It should have, but it didn't. For once the all so powerful wolf had fallen victim to the crimes of Fabletown and felt like he'd been ripped of his half-decent future he'd been hoping to accomplish here. Absolutely nothing was going his way. Nothing would ever go his way. His fate had been on trial already and had been since the day he entered Fabletown. Once a bad guy, always a bad guy...
"I'm sorry Alice, I wish there was something I could do for you."
An apology was not enough, he knew that it was not his fault but still he felt guilty. His attention was focused on her and her alone right now and the situation at hand. Never had he been so uptight before. Another smoke would do him some good but he couldn't bring himself to take another taste of the sweet cancer stick. Not even once had he actually touched the package since he'd put out the last one. But he was fidgety and uncomfortable but his mind knew to focus.
"We don't know who or why yet. But we will. We'll get to the bottom of all this Alice, I promise you that. I'm going to do everything in my power to solve this for you. But I have to ask you a few questions and you'll have to answer truthfully. I need to know where you were last night, between six and midnight."
Interfering with others personal lives what not something he'd ever enjoy doing. Not once in his life had he found it interesting unless they were the scum of this very earth. Alice's life was interesting to him but he did not want to invade it. Bigby was so certain for some reason that she did not do anything. That she would never do something like this. By the innocence in her eyes, the tears that burned her red, the fear that danced around her. Why would she be like this if she had done it? Perhaps his witnesses were wrong. Perhaps the women who were around the scene of the crime were in fact... well, the murderers? Was that possible? Or perhaps they just did not fancy the blonde girl as another Fable and decided to shun the blame on her. There were many horrible people in this city, many of which he thought were corrupt and unfaithful. It was quite possible that someone was blackmailing Alice into all this. That she was the victim just as much as the Hatter...
Clearly we are one of two minds..
It was abnormal to consider a life without the Hatter, despite feeling rather strange about the true nature of her feelings towards him. What would she do without that silly old cook of a man to take care to her, where would she go and what would she do with herself? Strangely she felt as if she had already known the answer to that, as if it had been something she had long since considered and planned out for a time that reached beyond her obvious memory. There were others of course, the the most of them were equally as menacing as the rest and it would feel rather odd of her to consider them as a conclusion. Hmm.. how very unusual indeed.. The longer she considered the matter to more clarity seemed to compile in her conscious over the matter as her ability to demonstrate and display utter sorrow seemed tempted by other rather unlikely mischievous thoughts. Oh my what had she done? Had she done anything at all or was she simply allowing herself to become lost in the distressful reality of her personal little sobby society? Perhaps it was a simple rational feeling of instinct but she suddenly felt as if she bore some incline in discovering the truth behind the rather grim matter of the Hatters fate, even if it meant accepting the odd possible conclusion that she may very well had something to do with it..
There was a simple shake of her head as Alice would attempt to shift herself from the fundamental dismay of her current circumstance and could think of nothing other then severity of the situation. To most, or in Bigbys case she seemed to show a very true face of utter confusion and distrot but within herself the emotion hardly felt probably placed in even the slightest degree. Still the girl was incapable of controlling herself and that much was true no matter how the situation was reviewed. Perhaps it would have been better of her to simply delude herself in the silly practicalities of her little wonderlandly consumables and simply do her best to comply with the matter of the situation as Bigby would probably expect her too? Though she wished for it to be this simple any form of simplification seemed to have long slipped away from her over her last little unexpected in this very unfair and nonsensical reality around her.
Now instead of knowing what it was she wanted and to feel exactly where it was she should be, she only bore trembling hands that desperately served to skittishly tap away at the surface of the table before her as she concerned what means of escape she could possibly take to smooth herself in her time of distress. Regardless of the rather grim sense of wicked reality, there seemed to be satisfactory when it came to being interviewed by the one and only sheriff of Fabletown she would speak any-more then a single word too.
The voice in her head was becoming anything but reassuring, as the longer she seemed to try and press the unfortunate matter of the death of someone close to her, the less inclined she felt to believe anything the little snicker in her mind said. Where had that voice come from anyway? How long had she allowed its racket to fumble around with the fragility of her wonderful character? Where had it come from in fact? Suddenly the trauma of considering what she may have done seemed to out-way the possibility that she hadn't done it at all, as Alice would literally find herself collapsing her face into the siege of her hands as they'd sharply lock at the side of her head as if she were trying to suppress a terrible pain in her head. It would be obvious to Bigby by now that the girl was in hardly any obvious place to be answering many questions by the simply pigment of her reddening face from it's former almost ghostly pale colour.
"I.. I was out.. Doing what I always do at 6 o'clock.. Was I late? I can't exactly recall but for sure I was out doing work for the catepillar.. That crooked old swindler wouldn't have me doing anything else at such an hour.."
She'd give Bigby an answer to his question but hadn't quite realized that she may have slipped a detail more or so then she had intended too upon being brought in here. The caterpillar was never planned to be mentioned in any recallation that related to the Hatter to prevent herself from becoming too attached to more personal matters. Strangely her desire to disclose more of the personal bits of her life with the two individuals seemed anything but elaborate but also considered by the influence of a second thought she hadn't quite been aware of before.
To a degree, he considerably understood the pain she felt deep down within her soul. The harsh reality before he wasn't necessarily a good thing to even her ears. Perhaps it was a good thing that she never had a chance to see the body as Bigby knew that even he would refuse to show such horrific pictures. This task was a delicate one and sometimes he thought it was almost too much to handle. Sometimes it seemed overwhelming with the amount of work he'd done day in, day out. With Alice here he couldn't help but just feel horrible for her in the current state she sat in. Dreadful, in tears, crying about in such a depressive way. Somehow, he wished to hold her, console her, express to her that everything would eventually be fine. Now was not a good time for questioning, perhaps he could schedule another appointment with her soon and see to it that she got some rest and had time to take in all this information. To lose a loved one, someone she held dear and close to her above anyone else, he knew that feeling. To have someone torn and ripped from the clutches of your own hands, to have them taken away much too early in life; his mother had too met a similar fate. So as he spoke with Alice, had this confrontation with her, assuring her that everything was fine was practically impossible at this rate. Nothing was fine. Nothing was okay. She had every right to cry her eyes out, every right to be distraught and upset and downright angry at the world. For reasons, Bigby felt responsible for all of this. For the tears that seemingly left her beautiful blue eyes, to the makeup that ran down her very face. This tragedy would not go unsolved, not without him around. Determination gripped his very soul, wrapping around it and causing it to leap forward. His focus was needed at its very best right now.
There were so many questions that escaped his confused mind. The caterpillar? What did he have her do exactly? The occupation that Alice held, what was that as well, and why? There were so many questions filtering through his mind, some going into useless folders in his brain but the important ones would soon stay. There wasn't a reason for him to overload her with questions, seeing as he wished to stop as soon as humanly possible. It was hard enough trying to crumble around the very scent of Alice, trying to force himself to try and think outside the box rather than in, or perhaps inside was best? This was getting a little too confusing. There wasn't a reason for a normal human being to have done such a thing. With the way the Hatter had been killed, with the way his body had been demolished in such fashions made it reasonable to understand that he had in fact been murdered by a Fable. The magic presence that lifted upon and around his body held that evidence, but what was it and who'd of done it? The results were still coming in and being calculated and observed. Sooner or later they'd arrive but hopefully not after too long. Whatever had done this and whomever took that item there, the wolf hoped there was a way to figure out who'd caused such grief to such a young woman.
As many questions floated around in Bigby's head he'd watch Alice look up from behind the very fear that stunned her. Sympathy and empathy were both felt strongly for such a sweet daring girl whose heart had been broken by the act of another's death. It was sad, depressing and somewhat corrupt. Someone, somewhere was receiving satisfaction out of doing this. Perhaps the Hatter was involved in much more than just Alice and the Caterpillar. There must've been a thousand times more details to such a story, wasn't there? Bigby never once thought that whoever could've done it may or may not be before his very eyes, or under his all too sensitive nose.
"Just a few more questions Alice... and then we'll be done for today. What sort of man is the Caterpillar and what do you do for him? You've gotta have some kinda place to stay right? Do you live with the Caterpillar too?"
His concern had simple rose and fallen from the interest of her relationships to where she lived all the more. Had Alice in fact lived in such a run down area? It was unfortunate that not all Fables had the ability to live in such high end places. Those who were once rich had at least a half-decent place unless they were found under bad terms and rather darker forces that had a grip on society as a whole. Bluebeard for one had Bigby continuously curious as to his whereabouts and occupation status truly lay. The man was corrupt and he knew it, it was just a matter of proving such things eventually. But people like Alice, she must've had the inability to live in a comfortable home. Perhaps it wasn't just her home that caused discomfort in his eyes, but the fact that maybe Alice wasn't alone in all of this. Maybe the individual whose sickness ran deep within the current case had a whole other idea? Perhaps they were attempting to draw Alice out? This continued to bug the wolf even more. His true worry for Alice was growing by the seconds as they ticked on by. Imagining the screams of such a blonde girl in the mist of the evening hours had him bewildered and beyond depressed. Oh god... No, that was not what he wanted.
"Do you have anywhere else to stay other than your current location?"
An eye for an eye
It were as crying rivers of tears upon tears seemed so much easier then trying to atone for what she did. Oh now, she wasn't following herself of course even when he spoke to her in such a soothing and gentle tone. From what she could gather, outside her obsession of the man known as "Bigby" he seemed like a good source morality and the sort who was loyal to his titles. A noble wolf seeking redemption amongst the trope of poor victims to his former self and yet where would she find her redemption? Amongst the people of her own? She'd dread not. Wonderland was nothing as it once had been and naturally being the very icon of such a nonsensical place, the world had fallen in similar discord to it's hero. Back then life seemed so simple and so easy, she never had to worry about anything but the next ounce of curious thought that crossed her attention and riddled her brain with fable. Some may even say Alice was to blame for her own state of mind to this very day, with her precious wonderland aside it was her own fall from grace that had inevitably undone her from the very beginning. Perhaps it be the addiction of the tea that the hatter had practically shoved down her throat time and time again or the that ghastly pipe and smoke that came with it that the Caterpillar was always enshrouding himself within and the odd way it seemed to distort her since of true reality.
Even now so many years later Alice still struggled to understand the element of her own responsibility, despite her loyalty to her own stubbornness seeming to persist above all other matters. She was a guilty woman, she knew something but was an expert at hiding it though the practice of it was hardly difficult at all what with her extensive experience in keeping secrets among others. What a guilty little girl she were, sitting there as if she were the victim of the atrocious that had befallen the hatter and seeking Bigby's remorse as if he were the type to show remorse to deranged criminals such as herself. One could dream of course, though sometimes those dreams had a way of testing the very boundaries of reality and naturally that seemed to be what was occurring at this very moment. Nothing more then a gentle studder escaped her trembling pink lips as if her entire body was frozen in an transparent frosty air. It was hard to form words and feel certain she were the one saying them in the first place, never-mind trusting their accuracy out-loud to a total stranger. Though when the mind seemed to bend in such twisted deluded spiral even the simplest things seemed totally inoperable.
With nothing more then the raising motion of a single hand to her lips as she'd press against them gently and silently to prevent herself from saying the wrong thing, her eyes would dwindle about the room and finally stick back onto Bigby. Should she be honest? Though what was honesty, it was hard to tell when their were several different voices screaming about in your head after all. What should see say? The truth, what was the truth? What had she done? She knew she had done something but couldn't quite verify for certain she even knew what that was. The entire thought of it seemed rather hazy and anything but easy to comprehend.
"I-I Don't know what you'd want me to tell you.. about such a man? He's rather complicated and probably wouldn't want me mentioning him in fact.. Though I can tell you for certain I feel as if I hardly know him to be.. anything else then an oracle of sorts.. A wise man at that, but not a very good one.."
Once she had said it, she felt somewhat ill about having done it. There was nothing more then a light fluttering shift in her tone and an obvious nervous forced swallowing gesture to state that she didn't exactly feel comfort speaking poorly about the Caterpillar.
The idea of speaking behind someone's back to a total a strange, despite being rather obsessed with one seemed very much unlike her. She wasn't an evil snippy young woman with a tendency to idolize herself above others now was she? Though she could certainly say she knew a woman very much like that. After mentioning the Caterpillar at all Alice felt as if speaking of anyone else from Wonderland was probably not for the better, since she remembered that she hadn't quite left the place last on such good terms as the first or second time she had been there. Though she had to admit that the idea of not considering them seemed rather unnerving and reminded her that she hadn't really felt truly wanted in any particular place since the fables from her story had split and found their place in this new world.
Before her thoughts could wander forth and to far into the confusing abyss of her own imagination, Alice was broken from her thoughts of wander by the comment made by Bigby in his final sentence. It seemed somewhat ironic in it's nature, for him to be asking such a thing when she had just considered herself homeless in an obvious sense. If there was anything pleasant about their confrontation it was certainly this very moment..
"Well.. no.. I haven't now that I think of it.. I-I presume I'll await the authorities to finish up their investigation and presume my place at the Rabbit Hole I guess..?"
Alice replied in a obvious tone that reeked of confusion.
Alice hadn't quite realized it yet, but she had already done two things she hadn't entirely planned on doing in her little engagement with Bigby. The first was slipping the information out to him that she did in fact live with the Hatter which would refer to her relation with him and the Caterpillar being stronger then she had claimed it to be. The second was that her desire to find a new home seemed to bare much more foundation then influenced by the spur of the moment.
The Cybermen had taken on a myriad of forms over the many thousand years he had fought them, from the Mondasians, to the Telosians and lastly the Cybus Cybermen. One thing remained consistent in all forms of Cyberman- they were exceedingly dangerous. It seemed that was something his 12th incarnation had remembered all too late at the end of his line.
It was supposed to be a routine trip with Clara- with her coming on the heels of some break-up he had wanted to take her on a wild adventure that would get her smiling. A trip to see mankind's first ever Dyson Sphere, being constructed around the star called Manifold. It had been fun and cool to see... for about ten minutes until a group of cyber-ships appeared, hoping to draw the energy from that same star for themselves.
Both of them were seperated by the roaming squads of steel monsters, forced to flee to different parts of the station. The Doctor, try as he might, hadn't been able to stop himself getting struck in the gut with a lethal electric burst. In his final moments he had killed his cyborg assailant, and then he was struck with the golden energy burst of a new regeneration.
It took some time for his brain to rewire itself, but once it did he took in a sharp gasp and jumped to his feet. "Whoa! Spry this time! Welcome change from bein' an old man again... is that my voice? Damn growly... did I swallow gravel..." He looked down at himself, brushed some ash off his lightly burnt suit. "Agh... this'll have to go. Soon as I get back to the TARDIS... wasn't there someone else on that? Oh right! My sweet impossible girl... I better go get her before the Cybermen make her all... metal-y."
He plucked his sonic screwdriver up off the cold metal ground, walked on and then took a brief moment tocheck his reflection.He looked good... young again, though a bit scruffier than those other squeaky clean lads. He kind of liked it actually...
With a wry grin he took off, jogging down the length of the metal corridor. With any luck Clara had found herself a secure hiding spot.
"He doesn't let me down....He doesn't let me down" she muttered to herself in a room which had all of these controls beeping and buzzing. She hated hiding, but as always, or most of the time she had to do what he asked of her. Clara found it hard being with this Doctor but she was slowly warming to him, his idea of this trip certainly made her feel better until they were attacked by these robotic men thingy's she thought.
Her big brown eyes bulged as she heard footsteps. Loud noises hit the floor with a heavy metal, they were walking her way and she couldn't do anything.
"Doctor where are you" Clara whispered, scared out of her mind and wondering where he was. Little did she know he was regenerating after being killed. Taking a few deep breaths, Clara opened the door quietly and saw the place was clear, she remembered a sign which read 'Decontamination' on it which was wear the TARDIS had landed. Tip toeing in her black shoes, her short skirt bounced up and down against her black nylon tights and she made her way down some stairs to see the big blue box standing tall out of harms way.
Heading inside, her navy blue cardigan got caught on the door and ripped, showing off her white shirt underneath. Running to the centre, she put on the camera feed to watch outside.
It took some fiddling with the remote controlled windows and the power relays of the two cyberships orbiting the sphere, but by now he was certain he had what he needed. The Doctor, unaware that the camera of his big blue box was picking up on his movements, stopped in one corridor as a squadron of the ironclad army marched toward him. They halted, all looking at him with dead black eyes.
"Ah hey there, my favourite metal men... well... second favourites. You guys are great and all, but I prefer the mechanoids in all honesty." The Cybermen, undistracted by his banter, all raised their hands his way, their digits glowing with lightning. "Oh now, don't take it personally. You know what you lads need? A healthy dose of vitamin D... SUNLIGHT!"
The screw driver in his hand lit up with a vibrant green light, the panel of space age metal beside the cyber-squadron catching light as a corridor of solar fire burst through the crack for only a split second, that brief gap of time proving to be more than enough to melt them to slag. "Hm... maybe doctor's orders aren't the best... let's see how well those ships handle a healthy dose of starlight." His screwdriver aimed at one control bank, and suddenly the signal caused two great columns of fire to burst from the open portions of the dyson sphere. They hurtled through space, smashed into the energy conductors of the twin cyber-ships. Both were quickly vaporised in the surprise attack, leaving the sphere safe for the time being.
"One hour of life and I pulled that off... I am good." He snickered a bit to himself and then traced his steps from memory, heading to where the TARDIS was 'parked.'
She slowly stepped back away from the monitor with the camera feed on. Weirdly, Clara was more scared of this new man rather than the Cybermen who were trying to kill her.
Her human mind could not process what she had just seen, was that....the Doctor? Was it another Doctor? Clara felt the sudden urge to see if 'her' one was OK, she assumed the enemy had been defeated and ran out of the TARDIS in a hurry, her shoes clapped against the floor as she ran.
"Doctor!....Doctor! Where are you?!" The running soon stopped as she came to a creepy looking corridor with it's lights flickering. It was like one of those horror films, one of them times when you shouldn't go down to investigate.
But knowing Clara, she started to take steps forward towards the darkness of the station. "Hello? Is anybody there? I'm...Clara? Doctor? Is that you?" Her throat gulped, she was scared, who was that man she had seen.
Only time would tell.
"Yeah yeah it's me... relax would ya? I'm just wearing a new face is all," he called out. He had to check his memories, which seemed to expand each second as he could look further and further back into the tapestry of his old lives... yes 'Clara' had seen this happen before, she saw the change from his eleventh self into his twelfth, and now it seemed she had the chance to meet lucky number thirteen.
His little trick had drained a bit of the power from the ship, so he was left in darkness most of the walk toward the TARDIS... too hard to see, he had no idea where Clara was, but he had definitely heard the schoolteacher call out to him... at least she had evaded the metalclad death squad, so she had gotten into the ship without injury.
He reached the blue box, whistled a disjointed tune, and the doors opened in response to his melody. Thirteen glanced over his shoulder into the darkness "Well c'mon then out of the darkness, wherever you are. I won't bite." He stepped inside and gave a low exhale of relief. "And I can't wait around all day for that cute bum of yours to get in here."
"Wait! What?!" She shouted, her English voice echoing throughout the station. "Doctor!" She looked around as he went silent, this place was far to creepy for her now, the trip was meant to be a happy one and it had turned in to a nightmare.
Looking back, she started to head towards the TARDIS again, although it took her longer as she lost her bearings and now had to follow his voice. Clara wondered how he got there without seeing her, he must of gone around her in a different corridor.
"I'm coming!" She shouted, finding his voice odd and weird, she would have to get used to it.
His last comment shocked her, "what did you say?" Seeing the TARDIS, Clara stepped inside and saw the Doctor for the first time.
There she was, his much beloved impossible girl with the sunkissed skin and the silky hair. His previous two selves had been far too asexual to notice how good Miss Oswald looked.
"What? Your bum looks good, no need to be embarrassed... Anyway, I kind of died... Again. I'm making much too much of a habit of it. Oh well, I still need to make you happy."
Thirteen paused and drummed his fingers on the TARDIS controls. "Oh, what if I take you to the first drive-in theater on Mars? That'd be fun, right?"
The door shut behind her and she was safe again by the Doctor's side in the TARDIS. When he mentioned her bum again, she looked around as if to try and gaze at it. Her hands then went over her cheeks to try and protect them from view. "Don't stare at my bum" Clara insisted.
"What do you mean you died, you can't die, I mean you can, but it can't happen that quick...again? Can it? How did it happen?"
Tilting her head, she looked confused, "Still need to make me happy? You remember? Anyway, I think you have done enough today, I went away with an old man and come back with a youngish man" she shrugged, walking up to the controls with him.
"The first drive-in theatre on Mars? There is a whole universe and you take me to that. You sure there won't be anyone after us there?"
"Don't judge me for looking, judge yourself for looking that good," he commented in turn, now swiftly sorting through the dials and knobs of the main console. He hummed and turned one larger dial, trying to look as if he was working while at the same time groping for any memories he could find on how to actually fly this damn thing... harder than it looked, and it looked hard enough to start with.
"Oh i die all the time, and that body had a good life relatively speaking. One hundred and sixty years, that's longer than some get," he remarked. Finally the TARDIS started moving, the central tube rising and lowering down at a set rhythm.
It was moving, travelling through space and time as it hurtled back toward the sol system- mainly to Mars of the 24th century. "First though I think I'll need to change..." He hummed and slipped his burnt shirt and jacket off, letting them fall to the floor and revealing his upper body... the youth of the new body was clear- fit but not excessively muscular, so he seemed to be in fairly good shape.
"Give me a moment to get dressed... wonder if I still have that old rainbow coat," the Doctor commented, walking down one corridor with his shirts tucked under one naked arm.
Clara didn't know what to think of this Doctor, he was certainly more blunt and open than the previous one. Looking at him use the machine, it didn't seem like he knew what he was doing, she was pressing buttons which even she hadn't seen pressed in her time here.
The brunette was just about to ask if he knew what he was doing when a sudden burst of sound filled the room and a shake make her stumble on the spot. As they travelled, Clara saw him take off his upper clothing, she gulped and waved a hand in front of her face to stop herself from blushing although it never worked.
Thankfully he never say as he walked way. "Rainbow coat?" She questioned, wondering what he was talking about.
He returned not too long after, taking his sweet time by the way things seemed. All too soon he returned, and his sense of wardrobe was another thing that had changed with this particular regeneration. When he came into view Thirteen was dressed in a button up white shirt with a black tie lazily tied around his neck, wearing a red leather jacket that he kept opened up fully for the time being.
Thirteen had decided on changing his trousers too, as the last pair were coated in a light film of ash from the battle with the Cybermen. Black slacks and clean brown moccasins that fit his feet just perfectly. He adjusted his sunglasses, gave Clara a wry smile, and then flicked them up to reveal that they were normal glasses with the lightproof black lenses being ones that could be flicked up and down at the wearers leisure.
"What do you think? Been too long since I wore a leather jacket... but I think I can pull it off." He gave his companion a smirk "What do you think? You get fashion a little better than I do..."
This wasn't something Clara expected to see, she loved the way he looked, he looked....cool, which neither of the other two who she had met did. One wore a bow tie and the other...well the other wasn't cool in anything.
"Wow Doctor you look....amazing" she smiled, giggled and laughed, leaning on to the TARDIS with her elbow. It suddenly dawned on her however that she had lost yet another man in her life. Although she was told they were all the same, Clara was easily attached to the individual.
"I got him killed, I killed him didn't I? I mean you? You brought me here, he brought me here, to cheer me up. This is all my fault" she was starting to breath heavy and feel guilty.
"Ah come on, don't start getting all mopey... and don't cry either. Your eyes will get all puffy, and that lil' bunny nose of yours will start twitching," Thirteen replied. He strode closer with casual sways of his feet. He sighed and reached over, stroking the back of her hair in a manner that could almost be construed as affectionate. "I just took a wrong turn is all... probably my fault for not double checking what was going to happen on that day."
"And besides," the slightly scruffy time lord smiled, stuffing his spare hand into his jacket pocket. "Your whole life has kinda been all about saving mine. I'dve died a million times more if you weren't around... my impossible girl."
He paused and stood still for a moment, their eyes locked together in that warm manner. Thirteen's eyes roamed over her fae, the unblemished skin and soft lips proving to be the main draws of his hungry gaze. Darn, he really wanted her. But he'd hold off for now. The TARDIS lurched to a halt and he proceeded to look up. "Ah, we're here. Well come on then we'll have a good view of the screen from the doors. Hopefully the Daleks won't take a sudden interest in Martian cinema," he remarked as he headed for the twin doors and opened them outward.
It was certainly more scary him being this affectionate she thought, although she loved it. He commented on her nose, he touched her hair, it was like he was the Doctor she had been waiting for this entire time. It had all started with number eleven, she loved him although he didn't seem to know what love was and twelve was...just twelve.
Once he headed to the twin doors of the TARDIS, Clara turned sharply, her long brown hair swinging back over her shoulders before she walked over to him. Rubbing her eyes and hiding that she had cried, she looked out in to the open world of Mars hundreds of years in to the future.
"So they did put people on Mars eventually then" she said, hopping out of the time machine and getting her shoes all dusty with red sand. "Well they could have built some roads! Ugh!"
"Well, celebrate the little victories," Thirteen replied with a small laugh. The TARDIS had parked itself on one ridge over looking the drive-in, a vantage point that allowed them to see the rows of cars parked before the twenty foot tall projection screen. As he had predicted a decent flick was playing, some romantic comedy starring Jennifer Anniston's fifth clone (The past four had all had some particularly grizzly accidents) that played much like her classic roles.
Still, having Audrey Hepburn's clone as a co-star did wonders to make the flick marginally more interesting.
"What do you think?" Thirteen asked softly, glancing over to the sexy single brunette. He smiled her way in an almost playful manner. She looked good in the red light of Mars, even better than usual. "Dunno what kind of movies you like... I guess spending time like this with you was something my past selves never did."
Standing on the ridge over looking the drive-in, Jenna went near the edge to look down and saw roads and buildings. The planet wasn't completely civilised yet with large portions of the land in the distance still red. Looking over to the screen, she had never seen anything like it before and decided to sit her peach of her bum on the sandy ground. Bending her knees, her arms rested on them as she watched Jennifer Anniston speak.
"No, they never did do anything like this...." Jenna then paused, she wasn't even looking at the screen but beyond it. "Is...is this a date?" She asked, turning her head so fast that her brown hair swung in the air before finally resting back down.
"It is isn't it?" She couldn't hide he smile, but then she thought she looked to eager. Turning her head back, she quickly glanced that screen in embarrassment.
"I unno. Never been on a date before, it's just one of those human things I've never really done before," Thirteen replied. Not that he particulary abhorred the idea, if anything he was quite excited she had gone that route before he did. Yes, a date did indeed sound quite lovely... a date with a notoriously lovely woman.
If his older selves were here, well no doubt they'd lecture him about these matters and just how many issues there were... and they'd probably be right too. But right now that didn't matter to him, he was all too happy to throw caution to the wind and just go for Clara while she was here.
One hand moved over as they watched the movie, a strong arm wrapping around her slim shoulders as the credits began to roll.
Her firm butt had it's own seating available in the red sand as her cheeks worked their own groove in. When he put his arm around her, Clara didn't know what was going on but liked it. Had she found a more intimate Doctor? Taking advantage of the situation she leant her head in to his chest and smiled at the screen.
"I think this is the first time you haven't put me in danger before Doctor. I like it."
Suddenly, she wanted to go, she sprung up and bounced on to her feet with all the energy she could muster. "I want to go to France. To Paris, if your going to take me on a date, I want it to be really romantic."
It then dawned on her that she had a time machine at her disposal but she chose something rather dull. "What is the most romantic place in the Universe? This is OK, but well...your taking me to the movies. I'm not a kid."
"What place do you most love in the world"
"Romantic places?" He said in turn. Interesting proposal... really romance was something so often evaded by his past selves. Troublesome, hard to understand... so he didn't have much grasp on places that could be construed as romantic. "Well there's this really cool black hole I saw that... no, wait... well the planet Alekmor has the biggest old battlefield in the Andromeda galaxy and... no, girls wouldn't be interested in that."
Thirteen paused, sighed and racked his brain for a good place for a 'date.' He was over a thousand years old, surely he knew somewhere that could... He snapped his fingers and grinned like a madman "Aha! perfection! Follow me!"
Back into the TARDIS they went, and he spent some time working the dials and keypads to set in a place and time to visit. The ship whirred to life, vanished from the sands of Mars. Moments later it was reforming in the midst of a lush green clearing, flanked by an infinite stretch of beautiful platlife- great fruit trees, multicoloured flowers, and lovely rays of sunlight that illuminated the place perfectly.
"This here is Elderra. A planet that's almost perfectly like the Garden of Eden. Perfect, unspoiled, beautiful. Great scenery. We could have a great meal here, and do plenty of relaxing on the greenery."
Clara held on to his hand and let him pull her in to the TARDIS before he started messing with the dials. She stood back, resting against the railing before she went up to him and stared in to his eyes. She looked puzzled, she even lifted a hand to flick his head. "Is everything OK up there? In here?" She now tapped his temple.
Suddenly, they arrived at this place he deemed the most romantic and Clara was certainly surprised. As the doors swung open she gazed at the natural beauty. Stepping out, the grass below flattened under her shoe. She was in front of him at moment and still had the red sand of Mars on her tight firm ass.
"It is beautiful" she said to herself. In the background was a roaring waterfall that whispered it's sound given she was some distance away from it.
"Thank you for bringing me here" Clara said, turning to face him now.
"Oh wow, I got it right? Well I'll be, I really am a genius," he said in a somewhat boastful tone, taking the time to grin at the younger woman. He approached her and closed up the double doors of the time machine on the way, just to make sure they didn't wind up with an infestation of what ever little critters called this woodland their home.
Now Thirteen stopped, coming to a halt beside her as he wondered just what to do with his hands. He shrugged then and simply laced one large arm around her shoulders, feeling how dainty she was compared to his sturdier build... she had a wonderous scent to her too, it mixed well with the natural odours of the neighbouring flowers.
"So ah... wanna have some food or go exploring?"
"I want to walk and look around, this is beautiful, why would I want to sit around eating with you? We could of just done that in the TARDIS" she said, shooting him a look and then looking at his around her shoulder. Clara started to feel like she was being hit on in an odd way but she loved it.
"I'm going to change" the girl then walked back in to the time machine and shut the door, she seemed to always have a different outfit no matter what planet or city they visited.
In ten minutes or so, Clara returned wearing a white t-shirt and some tight blue denim jeans. She had a bag on her back which she held by the straps. "Let's march on!" She said, walking past the Doctor and going through the trees. Stepping on some branches and twigs, she saw weird looking plants and animals. The latter were only small, they looked rabbit like and very cute. Clara instantly fell in love with them.
Changing already? He'd never figure this woman out... Still he had no qualms in continuing on once she returned, walking close to her side as they stepped over one track hewn into the dirt. "You don't need to worry about the wildlife," he said, watching one of the stumpy rabbit-like creature spirited past them as fast as it's hopping legs could carry it. "Most of them are about that size. Nothing really carnivorous we need to worry about."
A hand came to rest on her shoulder as they reached the peak of the trail, reaching a vantage point from which they could look down and examine a distant lake gleaming in the sunlight. A flock of rainbow-coloured birds flitted overhead and even from this distance they could see different species of fish hopping about in the clear blue.
She stood back straight, arms folded and looked at him with that look she always gave like he wasn't telling her everything. "Nothing really carnivorous to worry about? Why do I get the feeling we will bump in to whatever it is you are talking about Doctor."
Her shoes pressed against the grass below as they looked down at the lake with all the fish inside. Then overhead all of the birds were singing and chirping as they flew in their formation. "So why did you bring me here? Did you want to get me alone with you, in the middle of nowhere where we wouldn't be disturbed" she smiled, poking his chest with her finger.
"Well? What about food? Did you bring a picnic for our 'date?' I can't believe it, I am the first person to go on a date with the Doctor, aren't I lucky?"
"Well... there was nothing carnivorous the last time I was here..." he replied. Granted that was about.... a thousand years ago in this planet's history, but he was sure that this planet wouldn't evolve anything too lethal. Thirteen smirked "As if I'd be so callous Miss Oswald. If I wanted you alone, well we could've just stayed in the TARDIS, and give you a tour in the ah... cordoned off areas," he said slyly.
A hand reached into his interior coat pocket, rustling about slowly, and then from the ether he managed to pull out a fully loaded picnic wicker basket which he proceeded to set down on the grass. "Dimensionally transcendent pockets. Similar technology to what's in the TARDIS," he said, now reaching into his coat again.
A split second later and Thirteen had pulled out a checkered brown and white blanket which he then immediately unfurled and set down on the lush green grass. "There we go. Picnic basket, picnic blanket. All we need now is Yogi Bear and we'd be set," he said coyly.
"Hey! I've never seen such pockets! You kept that quiet! Making me carry bags on me when you could have just put them in there!" She crossed her arms and pouted at him with her chin up in the air like she was of a higher class. But she was only joking and the lovely setting of the picnic make her heart skip a beat.
Dropping on to her knees, she opened the basket up and looked inside to see some human food and some...well not so human food. Lifting up a plastic pot which was filled with some type of purple goo Clara held it in the air. "What is this? It looks like jelly but it isn't jelly? You really don't know how to date do you."
Setting the pot down, she stood up and stood in front of the Doctor. "What do you want from this?" Her arms folded once more and her head tilted, her soft brown hair falling to one side.
"I'm not made of magic pockets," he said simply, shrugging and then smiling playfully. He sat down opposite the brunette and sorted through some things. "It's jelly... kind of," Thirteen admitted, taking a quick look at the jar she raised. "It's the purified honeylike produce of an apoidean group. Tastes exactly like grape, don't you worry," he explained. The bread looked very nice at least- standard British stuff.
"And no, I don't know how to date. Which is unfortunate... I had a granddaughter before you were even conceived and I don't know the first thing about this," he admitted. Poor Susan... whatever happened to her? He really would need to find out one of these days, try and find a trail to pick up on.
"Uuuh, hum. How about..." she reached into the basket and pulled out a pair of candles, lighting both of the lemon-scented wax cylinders to set the mood as the sun set. "This?" he asked.
"You want this?" She said, looking confused, seeing the candles which soon filled the air around them with a fresh lemon. "This is so far the weirdest date I have ever been on." Clara confessed, sitting back down on to the blanket. She tried some of the grape he brought and it was rather delicious, although one side effect of the alien food was it made her tongue purple. Little to her knowledge though.
The bread was fresh, very fresh, almost as though it was baked only minutes ago. Not that she complained, Clara looked at the man full of wonder. She had been travelling with his two previous counterparts for a long time and yet she was always surprised by what the Doctor could do. He was always full of surprises.
Staring off in to the sunset, she watched the larger than normal sun fall very slowly behind that gigantic waterfall. She considered herself the luckiest girl in the universe at that point.
"It's the only date I've been on... in a long time," the significantly older male said with a lazy shrug. It had been so long that he couldn't quite recall, much like how he had long since stopped bothering to remember his own birthday. Not that it mattered, time travelling so ofteb made it too much of a chore to try and recall. The two sat there, chatting and eating while the romantic ambiance grew stronger.
Soon it was dark, the candlelight illuminating them. "Hm... good stuff eh? I've never been much for preparing food, but I can deal with the simple things," he said. Smiling, Thirteen reached over and placed a hand over Clara's own "Come on, how've I done? I mean, this has to be at least a... a b-grade date."
"You don't very well with the food" she smiled, sticking her tongue out at him and revealing her now pink tongue which had gone back to it's original colour. Looking down, she felt his hand on hers and her big brown eyes gazed in to his. "B-grade is good, it's fair" she nodded, but looked disappointed. "A kiss would make it an A-grade. I know you struggle with emotions. How you think humans are stupid for having them. Just a kiss on the cheek and I will be happy. It is a start."
She closed her eyes and leant her face out, showing her cheek to him, waiting...just waiting for his soft lips to caress her skin.
"It will make me feel special Doctor" Clara added.
A chance at an A-grade. Well he could be a suck up if it meant a solid grade... "Just on the cheek? Well if you insist, though I can always go a tad further if you'd rather," Thirteen replied as he leaned in. His lips met the unblemished flesh of her cheek, feeling both the softness and warmth of the exposed area... and she had such a wonderful perfume on too. Thirteen pulled back and kept grinning at her.
"So, A on the first date. I sure am something."
Go a tad bit further she heard him say and it made her look at him all jelly like as he leant in and kissed her cheek. Closing her eyes, it was just a simple peck yet she thought of it something more. It was special.
"Yes you sure are something" Clara replied, leaning in dramatically with her arms, wrapping each hand and finger around his neck so he couldn't escape. She pressed her firm yet equally soft lips on to his and then planted her tongue inside to make out with Thirteen. Pulling back she was flustered, her eyes remained closed and she waved a hand in her face.
"A+ now Doctor"
Something halfway between a squeak of surprise and a purr of desire left his mouth when their mouths met, the strange and long-forgotten sensation of a proper kiss filling him for the first time in, well, decades at least. It felt...good.No no, more than good. Fantastic! He was grinning at her flustered nature, and for a change he was the one who recovered first. "Aha, well I'm an overachiever."
He took his cue and leaned in again, once more their lips met in that same heated manner, and he recoiled as if to leave her wanting more. "Hehe," Thirteen replied, still tasting the sweetness of alien foods lingering on his stimulated tastebuds.
"Well, how about I walk you back to the TARDIS then?"
Clara was sure she heard the sound of love in her ears as they kissed. Her hand cupped his cheek and she smiled shyly at him when they pulled apart.
"I'd love for you to walk me back to the TARDIS" her hand grabbed his without him even offering and she stood up, walking side by side with the man who could achieve anything he wanted. Looking behind her, she saw the grass below start to eat up the picnic arrangement they had. Her face looked shocked but also amazed.
"It cleans itself?" She asked.
When they made it to the TARDIS, Clara stared at the man as she leant against the railing. "Where are we going now?"
"Eventually. The soil is partway sentient, and if any inorganic material offends it then it's liable to convert it into nutrients," the Doctor explained in an offhand manner. It was a neat little trick, more planets could benefit from it of course, but the brunette holding his hand currently warranted more attention from him.
Thirteen snapped his fingers, the two doors opening wide. "Now? Well I feel catching some sleep wouldn't go amiss. We've been up and about for fifteen hours straight," he said with a small laugh. He snapped his fingers to open up the blue wooden doors, and then stepped aside so his lady could enter first. Catching some sleep... always handy, though he felt he wanted to do more than just sleep right now.
"Sleep?" She said, stepping in to the TARDIS. Clara couldn't help but wonder if this was his way of getting her in to bed so she played along. "Yes, I'm really tired" each arm stretched upwards above her head and her fingers clenched to a fist. With a loud yawn she leant her body in to his and put an arm around his neck.
"You better put me to bed then Doctor, it is only polite." Clara was acting like a damsel in distress, the back of her hand on her forehead as her head rested on his chest with the arm around his neck keeping her up.
Feeling her press tight to him in that sensuous manner was enough to make his pulse quicken, a grin quickly working it's way onto Thirteen's face. "Well shoot... I am a doctor after all, so it's only right," he joked. He walked along with his sunkissed beauty, heading down one stretch of corridor that split off into about a dozen different corridors hurtling in infinite lengths. Despite the sheer scale ahead of them, he had no difficulty in pioneering the way ahead.
He stopped at one red-painted door, snapped his fingers in that familiar way that caused the doors to instantaneously open in for them. He led her inside, and then Thirteen 'accidentally' tripped and landed on his back on the bed, with Clara's curvaceous female frame pressed tight to him.
"Whoops. I am just so hopeless at balancing. I blame this new body of mine," he joked with a sly wink.
Clara wasn't nervous as she made her way through the corridor of corridors. Entrances to rooms and hallways beckoned on front of her, she hadn't been in all of them and she very much doubted the doctor had to. Looking at the red painted door, it was her bedroom when she stayed with him on journeys although it only took a second to travel from one place to another.
As they entered, the move was quick and decisive, Clara was on top of him as they laid on the bed. The wink he gave her filled her with a burning passion to just take the man she had loved. Lowering her head quickly, her soft lips met his and the girl made no hesitation in giving him her tongue.
Her small hands roamed his body from his chest to his hips and back up to his face.
'Oh wow it actually worked... who says I'm not a genius?'Thirteen mused to himself. He welcomed her soft lips and eager tongue all the same, and worked to match her motions with his own while her hands worked to excite and arouse him. He made no move to turn the tables, not quite yet, though he was all too happy to move his own hands about and worked to slide her top off, even if he had to briefly part lips with her in order to do it.
Pushing forth again his lips met her naked neck, and skilled hands worked to unhook her bra as if he was fiddling with the mechanics of some advanced machinery.
Clara rested on top of him still and let him kiss her naked neck whilst he unhooked her bra. Those perky milky breasts hung down from her chest and pressed against his after her fingers unbuttoned his clothing. Closing her eyes, she liked the feel of his lips against her neck and moaned delightfully.
"Have you done this before? It feels like you have" she moaned her hand on his bare chest and sliding down to his pants. She wanted to dive her hand in to his groin but his clothing was tight. "I've waited three doctor's for this" she laughed and giggled.
"I'm a one million year old virgin... of course I've done this before, it's just been a while," The Doctor replied. It had been a while and he felt a little rusty, but Clara's pleased moans made his confidence rise a bit. With her breasts bared he reached up and found himself stroking the twin mounds of her bust. Smooth, a respectable size and quite perky to boot. "I'm pretty sure I told you I have a granddaughter. Just gotta readjust and get the old skills bubbling up."
As he said this his left hand left her exposed bosom to unzip his fly, freeing up the impressive hardness of his shaft. Quite a nice length and thickness, and as with all things Time Lord it looked every bit human in it's dimensions. "There we are... phew, got a bit tight for a touch there."
His groping of her breast made her feel more like a woman and his lover than some companion following him around in a time machine. Closing her eyes and lifting up to make it easier for him to play with them, Clara but her bottom lip and moaned as her nipples hardened and became erect. When he let go, she took over, squeezing her mounds of flesh and rubbing the nipples to stimulate herself further.
When she heard the sound of his fly unfasten, her big brown eyes open and stared at him before tracing down his body to his groin. Swinging one leg off him, she knelt by his side and saw the cock of an alien but in human character.
"I'm going to suck an alien cock Doctor" she smiled, licking her lips, giving them a shine with her saliva. Using a free hand to pull his pants down further, the girl lowered her head and licked the tip of his cock, one hand held the base whilst the other rested on his stomach.
"You make it sound like it's something crazy," he teased in return. All the same he raised no objection to her leaning into him, the hot breath grazing his hardened flesh making a low groan roll off his tongue. Fellatio, like many things, was something that was more of a human phenomenon. As such it left him pleasantly surprised when he first got to feel a soft tongue stroke along the protruding tip of his penis.
He breathed out a pleased sigh and allowed her to work away with her tongue. He guided a hand down and caressed the back of her head, letting his fingers thread through the silky dark locks of Clara's hair. "I get the feeling you've done this before..." he remarked idly before breathing out another pleased sigh at the warmth caressing along his shaft.
He stroked the back of her head again as a reassuring sign and then he closed his eyes to savor the growing sensation of pleasure.
"Oh no, I haven't done this before" she replied, talking in between the strokes of her tongue against his cock. "I've never taken an Alien in my mouth before" teasing him, loving him all the more for caressing her head and running his fingers along her ever smooth locks of hair. Opening her mouth, her tongue popped out and gave the man one last stroke from his balls all the way up to the very tip of penis before she kissed it tenderly.
Now, lowering her head once more, her lips parted wide enough to take him inside. Moving further down, those lips which always gave the Doctor a perfect smile were wrapped air tight along his cock, passing bulging veins and rock solid hardness to poke the back of her throat and make her gag.
Those amazing big brown eyes of hers looked at him across his chest to his face. They watered, appearing to make her cry but she wasn't, instead she was choking on his meat before lifting up to about halfway and going down on him again.
The famous Clara Oswald bobbed her head up and down on the Doctor's cock. Her long hair falling to the side, covering her face from view, hiding what magic she was doing with her tongue.
"How very naughty of you," he replied dryly. He would have teased her more but alas that skilled sucking mouth was fast capable of turning any words to liquid and leaving him groaning. Thirteen tried to brace himself but Clara was far more skilled than he would have anticipated, and the work of her mouth had his breathing growing harsh. That tongue of hers was more dexterous than he had dared anticipate and it was an understatement to say it caught him off guard.
So much so that her slurping stroking tongue soon got what she so craved from her time lord companion. Ultimately he was left panting while the beat of his twin hearts synced with the pulses of his cock, twitching and then filling her cheeks and the roof of her mouth with his thick and salty seed. Quite a copious load, though at least it tasted similar enough to human cum.
He gave a low breath of relief and then stroked the back of Clara's head, his shaft still stiff as a board.
Clara was caught off guard by him, she was so satisfied by the fact she had got her man, the doctor, that she had potentially forgotten about him ejaculating. So as she lowered her head all the way down to his balls, she felt a squirt of cum shoot in to her throat, making her gag and choke. A coughing noise erupted from her mouth, vibrating against his cock which was slowly backtracking away from her. The girl's eyes watered, those glorious big brown eyes welling up as she felt his seed go down the wrong hole.
Coughing some more, she felt another thick rope of sperm spray up against the roof of her mouth, coating her gums and teeth as well as the inside of her cheeks. When she freed herself from him, she stayed lowered, hovering over his cock as she coughed and coughed, her hand going to her chest. Taking breaths she looked up at him with her eyes as her mouth lay open, thick white goo dribbling down her bottom lip and just resting in the air above his penis.
As it touched the head, she lowered herself and sucked his cock, cleaning him up as well as her own mouth. Another five minutes was spent taking him in her before she sat up and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, swallowing any cum that remained.
"Aha... sorry. Kind of... forgot how much pressure there would've been down there," he remarked with a small laugh. Truly it had been a while, and he hadn't anticipated the younger woman being as good as she was. Clara Oswald was a woman of great and diverse skill it seemed, despite the age gap present. "Well, I'll just have to make it up to you in that case," the Time Lord said as he hoisted Clara up and held her bridal style for just a moment.
He set the dark-haired beauty down on the plush mattress and then moved atop her, hands resting on either side of her head while his tall body loomed over her. "Alright... slow and steady, I know to start that way," he remarked as if informing himself of as much. He took in a light breath and then Thirteen slowly pushed forth, now sinking the first few inches of his powerful saliva-soaked cock into the welcoming warmth of Clara's pussy.
Start slow... and then get a little more intense.
Clara fell on to the mattress as light and as gentle as a feather. Her bare chest appeared to become flat give the way she was laying but any slight movement caused her perky breasts to shake and wobble. She wouldn't have cared if the Doctor had all the experience in space and time or had none at all, it was just the fact she was with him and no one else. For a brief moment she thought about the other companions he must of had with his many faces but she was sure she was his first and hopefully last. 'God I am jealous' she thought to herself.
Seeing him climb down, lower himself atop of her with hands either side, the brunette witnessed his younger version poke at his pussy, giving himself pointers to as he did so. "Do it however you like, I want it however you like" she spoke, resting each of her hands on each of his shoulders.
Opening her mouth, she yearned and gasped as he slid slowly in to her hole. "Ugh" her chin lifted to point at the ceiling with her head pushing back.
"You... got it..." Well it was easy enough in theory, and so he began to push in with an almost deliberate slowness, partway out of concern and partway out of nerves. However once the warmth was encircling his powerful cock it seemed to ease him in a bit more, aided by the warm sensual moans flowing past Clara's lips. "Wow..." he huffed out, closing his eyes and then redoubling his focus so he could move too and fro with shallow thrusts serving to gradually loosen her to fit his imposing cock.
One hand slithered up, caressing along the modest shape of her right breast and seeming to take some perverse pleasure in deviously slowly tickling the pointed nipple. "Hot... and... and tight too." Thirteen gave a toothy grin at this realisation and picked up the pace, powerful cock pushing in deeper and deeper with each inward motion.
Never would she had believed she would be in a spaceship disguised as a police box fucking a alien disguised as a human. No one would make that up yet it was happening...and Clara was enjoying it. The girl arched her back up as he got more comfortable inside of her, causing her legs to push further wider and give him her opening to pleasure himself.
"Oh fuck Doctor" she moaned as they hurled through space, or at least she hoped to help with the thrill. Each ankle of hers now wrapped around his lower back, not letting him escape her, willing him to push in harder, more furiously if needed, he was very old in age, he must of had so much frustration built up in him.
"Talk dirty to me!" She gasped once more as he poked her with his cock.
"Talk dirty? I dunno, I have quite a sailor tongue on me," Thirteen replied with a small snicker. "I'm gonna fuck you so hard you'll be walking bowlegged for a week. I'll make you cum so bloody hard that you'll be hooked on me," he hissed in her ear. Sure enough he was feeling her legs pinning him in place, and yet he was still probing forth with a vigorous passion, the bed rattling beneath he as he grew rougher.
"And you're gonna love every second of it..."
Her sex felt so warm, contracting against his hard meat which was slithering inside of her delicately but with a pounding and roughness she craved. She loved that he was some type of alpha male, yet he had that innocence about him to, something she loved more so than anything else. Each of her hands rested on his shoulders as he lay above her, those big brown eyes of hers focused all around his face, every slight tiny spec of skin.
Those gorgeous lips parted with a glorious moan and her mouth opened wide as she came on to his cock, her beautiful juices soaking him in her scent. "Doctor!" She screamed.
He felt that contraction, the shift of pressure that heralded her sweet juices further lubricating him. Thirteen didn't hold out much longer than that, feeling a sense of heat race into his groin before he too came. Toned muscles shuddered, thick spurts of hot alien cum painting the interior of her magnificent pussy. He slumped forth a bit, letting out low pants from the exertion, and then he slowly pried his cock free, letting some of the hardness leave him.
"Aw man... we really... we really should've done that sooner," he said with a ragged laugh, reaching up and scratching at his raven hair.
Clara wasn't sure if it felt different, having a different specie of sperm inside of her. She hoped it was, hoping and praying that it did something to her, wanting to have every part of the doctor inside of her. When he pulled out, she bit her bottom lip with a naughty grin and watched him scratch at his hair.
Whatever the consequences were of her sleeping with him, she didn't care, she had slept with him and that is what she wanted.
"Did you enjoy yourself, because I did." Rolling on to her stomach, her hands held her chin and her legs went in to the air and started to sway. Her naked form so curvy and beautiful, hopefully the most beautiful and radiant creature in the universe.
"Certainly. It was just a little awkward getting back in the saddle... I'll get it right next time," he said, now taking a seat beside her on the bed. "These new hips are great. So quick and fluid!" he said with a quick laugh. Thirteen reached over and stroked down Clara's back, fingertips now brushing the softness of her ass. "We should do that more often... hm, I think our adventures are going to get much more interesting."
As she laid on the bed, she watched him and smiled. "Well your better looking than the last" Clara teased. Her hands still held her head in her palms with that silky smooth long brown hair falling over the sides of her cheeks. The girl then felt his finger tips run down her back, over her soft flesh before reaching that plump little ass.
"Much more interesting" she then moved in to kiss his mouth, moving from her relaxed posture. "So where are we going next? Who can we help?"
Once their lips parted it seemed Thirteen was once more filled with a youthful excitement. "Mm... well I need to check about with the instruments," he said with a shrug. "So, you know... feel free to rest up for a bit. Can't have you running around out of breath, it would be a criminal offence in this line of work." He reached down and donned his discarded shirt and trousers, but seemed just a touch haphazard in how he did the buttons.
Giving her another quick wink Thirteen headed on his way through the nebulous corridors toward the entryway. It was safe to say their travels were set to get much more interesting.
When he left, she stared at the empty doorway for a few more seconds and smiled, before rolling on to her back in her naked form and looking up at the ceiling of the TARDIS. She couldn't believe what she had just done, it was magical, amazing, yet old..he was really old...but that added to the excitement for Clara, all of it did. He wasn't even human yet he appeared human. No one would believe her in the their wildest dreams. She liked that...this was her special world now, and only she knew about it, it was her secret place and secret time.
After five minutes or so, she appeared in the center with him, she always looked at the numerous buttons and controls. Wearing something knew, she must of had a closet in there surely, Clara had on a pair of denim jeans with white sneakers and a t-shirt along with a black cardigan on top.
"You do know I am a teacher right? I do have a life to go back to?"
"Hm? Oh certainly. But of course we can head back whenever you want without an eyebrow being raised," the marginally older man said, giving the console before him a light pat "After all... time machine." Thirteen seemed to ponder this for a moment before turning focus back to the tan beauty, a hand pressing into her perky rear and pulling the curvy beauty in close, their noses lightly touching in this intimate embrace.
"We could head back if you want. You know, let you do some 'normal' things before we meet back up again," Thirteen said. He knew maybe a little break from the wild adventures wouldn't be too bad for her, give Clara the means to catch her breath.
"Your trying to get rid of me?" She said, walking around the control panel. "I give myself to you and that's how you repay me?" She turned her head, peeping in to view of his eyes with a cheeky grin. "I could do with a break, I am a bit tired of trying to be killed. But you promise me, you will be back on time OK? No making me wait years for you because you have made a miscalculation?" Her finger pointed directly at him as she moved closer.
"You promise?"
"When have I ever made a miscalculation like that?"
There was a bit of a pause before he waved one hand up "Don't answer that actually," he said with a small sigh. Much as he didn't like admitting it, he was a bit 'accident prone' at times. Thirteen shifted his attention back to the panel and got to working the dials nearest to him. "In any event, if it puts your mind at ease I could spend a few days of normalcy at your place. Might do me a bit of good really."
She was going to give him examples of when he had mistimed his visits, Clara was looking forward to telling him and then pulled a displeased face with his hand in the air.
"Spend a few days at my place? No no no no no!" She said, the last Doctor who did that, ended up working at my school and it did not go well. I had my students coming in and out of the Tardis!"
Walking away, she soon quickly spun on the spot, her long brown hair flying upwards before she ran close to him. "But! If you promise not to do anything stupid, and act normal...scrap that bit you aren't normal. Just don't...Just....Just blend in OK?" She poked his chest with her finger.
"Just blend in?" he replied. He mulled the idea in his head for a moment before giving a shrug "I'm sure I can do it. 'Hello, I'm a human. I like cups of tea and watching football and... going to the pub.'" Thirteen pondered the idea again before grinning "Yes, this will work out splendidly. It's not too hard to act, it's basically the same as lying- and I am a magnificent liar!" he boasted, drawing upon the centuries of knowledge locked up in his alien brain.
"And I promise I'll keep away from your students," he added a moment after. Schools seemed a massive drag as far as he was concerned.
Her mouth opened wide in shock, her hands went on to each hip and that cute face looked angry while her head tilted to one side. "Did you just stereotype my people? That we just drinks cups of tea and go to pubs and watch football! That is low for you mister two hearts!" Clara wasn't exactly hurt, she at least just wanted to say something back to try and belittle his people, although that was hard as it was only him left.
"Look, just blend in, or you aren't getting any of this." Her hands lowered as to show herself off to him.
Once they had stopped travelling, Clara opened the door and found herself in her bedroom. "Smooth...very smooth." She smiled. "But you Sir are sleeping on the couch. I will see you in the morning. Goodnight!"
"I've been travelling with English people since oh... I suppose the fifties. Trust me, you people don't change all that much," came his casual, teasing response. He was convinced he was in the right on this, and when he was convinced of something he was unlikely to change his mind on the matter. "The couch! Well, it is a comfy old couch," he said, closing the TARDIS doors behind him with a snap of his fingers.
"Night," he said casually, striding from the bedroom to the adjacent living area.
Clara was never sure why this happened, but after travelling to numerous places with the Doctor, it had an affect on her for a few nights. Wearing a silk black nightie and resting under the covers, she tossed and turned a lot, sweat poured from her forehead, droplets resting on her cheeks and nose as she breathed and panted heavily.
"No....No..." she said in her sleep, her head shaking back and forth from one side to another on the pillow.
Sitting up on her butt, her big brown eyes looked wider than ever as she sat up, staring across the room. Gazing at the TARDIS, she remembered the Doctor was sleeping here to. It didn't make much difference anyway, she had these crazy wild dreams when he was away.
Getting up, tossing the duvet over to one side, she stood up barefoot and walked in to the kitchen. Going to the sink, she turned the tap on to get some water before gulping it down.
Over the course of the night, Thirteen had found he quickly grew bored of sleeping. He had found Clara had no such issue, and as she was in slumber when he went to check he felt it best to find some other way to amuse himself. Fortunately he could be a silent sort, and had managed to reel a blackboard from the TARDIS and into the living room without making much noise in the process.
By the time Clara came to her kitchen he had already scribbled great swathes of equations, scribbling the range of numbers and letters onto the board with a piece of chalk he found in his pocket. When he heard her Thirteen turned and gave her a smile. "Ah, hey. Did you get bored of sleeping too?" he asked politely. "I wanted to put my mind to work, so I started working on a formula that guarantees longterm economic stability."
Turning back from the sink, she saw him, looking his usual smug self, not realizing she was a little bit flustered with her dreams. "Get bored of sleeping? No, I woke up, you haven't slept have you? Working on a formula? For economic stability?" Her left eyebrow raised higher than the right and a hand rested on her hip. Walking past him, she went in to the living room to see the giant blackboard.
"You got that out of the TARDIS? You were in my bedroom as I slept!" Clara seemed out of sorts. "I said, not to delve in to, or mess with anything while you were here and it hasn't even been a night and your trying to fix the economy!"
Clara was sweating on her forehead, she was panting to. She didn't seem....alright.
"Well I didn't make a noise if that helps any." He tossed his chalk from hand to hand and then set it on the outcropping of the blackboard. Turning his attention to her he did indeed realise she was upset about something. "Dear oh dear," Thirteen said, looking her over. His hand reached over and came to rest on her left shoulder. "Everything alright?" he asked softly. "I know I upset you easily, but I get the feeling that's not what's wrong."
"I...I don't know what is wrong with me, it happens every time I travel with you, well after every time, as soon as I go to sleep, I have really bad dreams, I sweat a lot, I can't get comfortable. I thought it might just have been some space travel sickness or something? No?" Clara started to feel worried about it now, like it may be more than what she originally thought. "Doctor? I'm going to be OK aren't I?"
With his silence lingering on, she felt more scared and paranoid that something was going to happen, she was travelling with a time lord, so something obviously was.
Thirteen pondered her question for a moment, causing him to reach up and scratch up at his chin. "It's likely some combo of stress and excitement from what's transpired. You are going through things that are ah... well space and time travel are uncommon to humans." He managed a smile, set his hand on her shoulder and turned his attention to her kitchen. "I suppose the standard remedies would help you get back to sleep. Anything to calm the mind and whatnot..."
Following him in to the kitchen, she didn't seem all to convinced about this. "I know we all call you Doctor...but....you aren't a doctor? Right? I mean, your just a time lord. What could you know about remedies and whatnot?" Standing in the doorway of the kitchen and corridor, Clara witnessed him as she stood in the little black nightie, brown hair near her shoulders and hands on her hips.
"Doctor! Talk to me!"
"I'm a few centuries old, I picked up some things," he said quickly. He paused and then set his attention on her. "Maybe a change of scenery would help?" Thirteen offered. The apartment was a touch cramped by his standards, not that he would say as much aloud for fear of offending Clara. Ultimately he was willing to bet that somewhere more open would help clear her head a bit, help her keep calm.
"I know a planet with dandelions the size of skyscrapers, and the smell of them can make your cares melt away. Oh, oh! Or, there's this one planet that orbits a purple star, and the light can soothe away anxiety through a specific psychosolar frequency. As far as worlds go they are quite remote- we're unlikely to run into any trouble at either spot." He smiled and then set both hands on her shoulders "Anywhere you want to go, I'll show you- because making you happy is now my current mission."
A change of scenery, meaning a journey, to another planet, and probably danger. She was sure it was his middle name, if he had one. The sounds of the planets he mentioned did seem magical, she always wondered why he never bothered to take her to places like that to often. It was always systems with things trying to kill her.
"Take me where you want to I trust you for some reason." Pulling her hair behind her ear she shook her head, seeming like it was a second ago that they only arrived and now they were leaving, typical. "Well I need to get dressed, not going out in just a nightie."
Getting changed, she was in a new outfit, almost ready for like a new adventure, she knew she wasn't going to be home in a while.
"Really? I think adventuring in a nightie would be quite a nice change of pace..."
Soon enough the magnificent machine had transported the two across the spacetime gulf, depositing them on the large yellow petal of one of the towering dandelions he had spoken of. The smell of the air was delightfully sweet, a sound of birdsong moving on the breeze. As Thirteen led the way he allowed one of his strong arms to settle around Clara's shoulders. "This is just a brief trip- only an hour or so so you can calm your nerves. So please, do tell what's on your mind."
Opening the police box door, Clara stepped out on to the petal, her eyes looking ever so worried that she would fall off to her death. A petal was something delicate, fragile back on Earth, but given the size of it here on this planet, it was strong, and sturdy. "Nothing is on my mind" she said, looking at him with a look, a certain one which told him there actually was.
"It is going to end isn't it? This...us...." Sitting down, her feet overhung the petal and dangled in the air. "You have had other companions before me you will have others after me. Which is fine...I know! But..I don't want you to forget about me."
This was an entirely different problem from her nightmares.
"Well... unless I die while we're together. Like, for really real die," Thirteen said. Outliving his companions was a reality he knew well enough- much as it displeased him to think on it. Still he didn't think it was something that would bother Clara in any capacity.
He pulled her in closer, letting them share each other's warmth. "As if I'd forget about you, after all the good you've played in my life," he said. Thirteen leaned in close and gave her cheek a quick kiss "And truth be told you're the only companion I've ever had this kind of relationship with. I won't let anyone else hold that position," he assured her. As new as this experience was, it was still a marvelous one.
The kiss he gave her on her cheek filled her with more warmth than his hug. Clara felt more safe than ever, and was feeling rather better now in this certain environment. "I knew you wouldn't forget me" her face was buried in to his chest, hands wrapped around his waist, holding him at the hip.
"I am just full of worry, you know how I get. It was stupid to go back home, I don't feel like it is my life anymore. I want to stay out here with you always. What do you say?"
Now that came as a bit of shock to him, leaving him blinking down at her. "Oh... well..." it took him a moment to truly process what she was offering, but Thirteen didn't seem offended by the offer. "If that's what you want, then by all means." The raven--haired alien leaned in a bit closer until his brow was resting against her own. "That is, if you think you can handle nonstop adventure and my ah... exploring hands."
She smiled as he agreed. Resting her head against his, their eyes just an inch apart, she moved her hands to his chest, resting them on his pecks. Clara loved his body. "Just one deal, please. Don't die again, I'm not sure what I would do if you came back as some old guy. I like this face and body." Moving a hand down, she groped his groin. "Especially this part" Leaning in she kissed his lips.
The handsome male watched and listened, managing a faint smile and trying not to snicker. "Well, I'll try my best but you know how danger follows me. But you never know, I might come back as a very handsome old man," Thirteen said with his smile only widening at the idea. Thirteen cast his eyes down to his groin and felt himself grow just a little bit hard from the teasing grope Clara gave him- after so many years, it seemed anything could get his motor running.
"Well, it's pretty bloody good- I mean, you sure were a fan of it," he teased. Thirteen reached over and gave Clara's left breast a poke "And luckily, I am quite fond of these ladies too."
"Maybe...just maybe..." she hesitated, before continuing, "If you did die, you could come back with a bigger cock?" Her little finger curled up in front of him. "I am joking!" I love it, I would put it in my mouth right now if I could" she laughed with a smile. When he felt her breast, she cupped his hand with her own. "I feel honoured you chose me, to be your girlfriend." Kissing his lips once more, both of her hands landed on his cheeks whilst her tongue danced with his.
"I might come back as a woman, and then you'd be up a creek without a paddle," he joked in return, the corners of his mouth curling into a spindly smile. Being pulled in like that was hardly an unwelcome sensation but it still managed to catch Thirteen by surprise, giving off a pleased purr into Clara's mouth. He pulled back to catch his breath and managed a wry smile "Someone's eager. We could do it here if you'd rather, it's not like there's anyone here to catch us in the act."
When he said do it here, she looked around, she doubted that anyone had ever done it here, standing atop a petal of a flower which was bigger than any skyscraper on Earth. "One day this planet might even hold humans" she smiled, "and I was the first one here, it's a shame no one will ever know."
Kissing him, she rested her hands on his chest, closing her big brown eyes and getting lost in the moment of being with the Doctor, the only man she ever truly loved.
"Well, I'll know," he answered in return. As far as records went, few were as concrete as Thirteen's alien mind.
Clara's lips were, as ever, a welcome sensation that had him fully embracing her with one strong hand wrapping tight about her waist. At this distance he was more than capable of picking up on her heartbeat, heard how it rose and grew all the more intense. He pulled back for a moment and proceeded to lean back in, his lips and teeth now starting to tease along the tanned surface of Clara's throat.
As far as places went, this was perhaps an odd one to have sex in. But hell, the ground was soft and nobody was around to pester them.
Her eyes remained closed as he leaned in to kiss her neck. Those soft lips sent shivers down her spine, making her more horny with each passing second. Lowering her small hands she reached for his groin, wanting his cock out in the open as soon as possible. One hand managed to slip inside his pants and feel the flesh, making a smile appear on her cute looking face.
Her other hand was on his neck, holding it in place as he kissed him more while getting him hard.
Clara felt so lucky, as well as incredibly horny. All the girls in the universe and he loved her, wanted to be with her and spend time with her. There was only one way to repay it. Dropping on to her knees, she looked up to him with those big brown eyes before tilting her head back. "I want you in my mouth" she said, taking her hand out of his pants.
The thrill of all this was swiftly building inside Thirteen, his twin hearts beating at quite a pace. Any other time he would've feared something was wrong with him if his body was acting out like this, but right about now he knew that this was all exceptionally natural. Didn't stop him from fearing that he could fumble this whole thing with one wrong move.
"Whoa..." he murmured, the idea alone enough to sent his body into overdrive. He managed a shaky grin and proceeded to slide his trousers down a bit, allowing Clara to witness his exceptionally large cock flop outward to greet her. "Well by all means then," Thirteen said, managing a wicked grin. "Have at it." A fine way to spend the night, and he wouldn't have it any other way. Clara knew just how to thrill him.
Smiling as he gave her the go ahead, Clara stood up on her knees proudly, shaking her head a little to get rid of the long brown locks from her face. Keeping her hands on his legs, she didn't want to touch him with her fingers, instead letting her mouth do the talking, so to speak. Moving her face forward, she rubbed her nose against his meat, lifting it up before opening her mouth and catching it inside.
Taking him in, she slowly worked on him, sucking on the tip and head, moving steadily forward, inch by inch. It felt warm against her tongue and she noticed it was getting harder with each stroke of her tongue underneath. A slight lean to the right made his cock bulge out of her left cheek, those seductive brown eyes looking up to see his reaction.
The older male found it was a bit of a struggle to alternate between watching Clara and those smouldering eyes, and leaning his head back in godly pleasure. She was... exceptionally good. He had to wonder how often she had done this in the past, but then again Thirteen figured it would be rude to ask. He focused on the pleasure her her mouth embracing more of his cock, steady groans easing out of his mouth.
"You... really know your stuff..." he breathed out, his voice thick with lust. One hand moved down and was soon stroking slowly at the back of Clara's head, threading through the silky locks of her hair as a silent sign of encouragement.
What made Clara more turned on was that fact he wasn't even human, just taking the shape of one. She had hoped with her mouth his two hearts would always pine for her, she wanted to be the last companion he would ever have. If that wasn't to be the case for any reason, then she wanted to be the best he ever had.
Bobbing her head over his shaft, her tongue continued to sweep up the underside whilst her upper lip slid across his skin smoothly. She never once stopped looking at his face, enjoying the squirms and expressions he was pulling. "Nice to be human isn't it" Clara smiled, her knees firmly on the petal of the large flower and giving head to a time lord.
Picking up the pace, she sucked faster, her head sliding up and down him quickly, showing ambition to make him cum.
"Whoof... Clara that tongue of yours is magic!" He'd have to ask her how she learned to wriggle it with such dexterity- his own just felt so clumsy by comparison. For now the sensations were more than enough to keep him pleased, pleasant groans and gasps escaping him at an increased rate. After just a few more moments of sucking Clara got exactly what she craved of him, his cock tensing in the confines of her mouth before the thick jets of his seed cascaded over the roof of her mouth and hit into the back of her throat.
He managed to open his eyes, letting out a long shaky breath of pleasure. "Oh wow... can't feel my knees..." Thirtreen said in between quick breaths, taking the time to reach up and wipe the back of his hand over his forehead.
Smiling with her mouth full, she loved the way he enjoyed what she was doing, it was a pleasure for her to give it out to him, she loved him. Bobbing along his shaft still, her lips sealed tightly against his skin, she got what she so badly craved, his seed. Clara's curious mind couldn't help but wonder if his sperm was any different from that of a human, not that it bothered her so much, if it was unsafe he would have told her.
It squirted up against the roof of her mouth, crashing against her teeth, coating every inch of her in seed. Gagging on it down the back of her throat, Clara's eyes watered until she let go, taking him out, a long drool of saliva and sperm hanging from her bottom lip. "Mmm" she wiped it with her fingers.
"Goodness... I take it you enjoyed yourself?" he asked playfully, watching as Clara worked to swallow every last droplet of his seed. He had to admire the determination, it was a cut above what the average woman would do. After a few moments spent catching his breath he proceeded to take a seat opposite the sexy brunette. "Well, allow me to return the favour. Our last fuck was exquisite, and this is a fine spot for a repeat performance."
After every drop was finally swallowed and her bottom lip cleaned with her tongue, Clara had a proud smile on her face. "I did enjoy myself, satisfying my man" she added, on her knees, watching him sit on the floor, which she still couldn't believe was a giant flower petal. When he spoke of returning the favour, her heart melted, excited by the prospect of having an orgasm that he would give her.
It seemed Clara had no actual objections to going that step further... and truth be told 13 did get quite a bit of a thrill when she called him 'her man.' He could do with hearing that even more often. He pulled Clara a little more into his lap, his hungry lips teasing up the tanned left side of her neck, nipping and suckling the sweet flesh. As he did this 13 casually guided his hand between Clara's thighs to see if anything could block his path.
Her head tilted on to his as he kissed her neck, making her moan and shiver in delight. With a smile, her lips were still shiny, covered in his sperm and her saliva, she didn't bother to wipe it with her hands, wanting to taste him every time she licked her lips. Laying on to her back, she opened her legs for him, wondering what he would do with her tights. Would he get her off with them on? Letting the material soak up her juices? Maybe tear a hole in them to feel her flesh?
"You don't have to return the favour you know, I like pleasing you"
He knew Clara would be okay with that, but he personally would not stand for it. "Fair's fair," he replied, winking briefly at her. Strong hands reached upward and Thirteen was quick to slide her tights down a bit. Once he had an unobstructed view of Clara's pussy he was quick to place his strong hands on her shoulders. Smiling briefly the Time Lord pressed on and was soon easing the thick head of his shaft into her pussy.
Lifting her ass up so the tights would come down easier for him, she moved in to a different position in the meantime, getting on to her hands and knees. Those silky tights were resting around her knees and bottom half of her legs with her pussy exposed to him. Feeling his hands on her shoulders and his cock pushing in to her pussy Clara dropped her head between her arms and moaned knowing this was going to be pleasurable.
The growing pressure between their nethers had more and more cock pushing nice and deep into the soaked interior of Clara's sopping pussy. "Goodness, you're even tighter than last time," he murmured with a hint of surprise in his tone. All the same Thirteen didn't back down from a good challenge and was soon pressing in deeper and deeper, hot and husky breaths leaving him while the shallow sawing motions of his hips had Clara bouncing against him.
"Ugh...mmmmm...you like fucking me don't you, your human pet aren't I?" His cock changed her from some innocent school teacher who traveled space and time to a naughty girl who would now talk filth as he mounted her. That cute little ass which would grab the attention of her students at times was slapping against the bottom end of the man's stomach and abs as he thrust in to her hole. Her breasts bounced back and forth, swaying in her bra in sync with his balls hitting her.
"Fuck!" Lifting her head up, her long brown hair fell over her back as she stared up at the shooting stars and colourful galaxies.
"Well, I don't know if I'd be so crass, but lucky for you I do quite like fucking you," Thirteen confirmed, grinning and snapping his fingers as affirmation. His long shaft was plundering in as deep as it could reach. The noise of their hips meeting seemed to roll on through the infinite stretch of flowers, and the fact that none could hear them spurred him to move at that same fast and rough pace. "Ahh... h-hell, gonna cum..." he breathed out.
She felt very hot and sexy as well as unique and last of all, very special. To be the one with the time lord and share this moment with him made her the happiest girl in the universe. As shooting stars continued to fly with in her sight Clara turned her head around to see him picking up the pace even further and even getting rougher. She enjoyed it, to her he was showing her passion. His stuttering of words was enough to let her know he was going to blow his seed even though he told her he was going to cum.
Being fucked hard, she put a hand on the back of his thigh, steadying herself while waiting for him to ejaculate.
Well she didn't tell him to pull out, that was apparently a big thing with earth girls, but Thirteen supposed there was no need. He had his doubts anything would come of him letting it out inside. So with this thought in mind the alien let out a long and pleased groan, his tensing cock releasing hot jets of his seed that cascaded into her deepest depths and seemed to fill her to the brim until his warm excess began to leak out.
He slowly caught his breath, his twin hearts beating heavily in his chest. "How... whoo... how was that...?" he asked. She seemed to have enjoyed it, but there was no harm in checking and just making sure.
Clara's moans were as cute as she was. Soft grunts as well as yelps while he put himself in and out of her, her pussy gaping because of his cock. When the pace did pick up, her hand clenched tightly on the back of his thigh with her nails digging in to his skin.
Then came the moment she had been waiting for. His sticky seed splashing in to her hole, making her feel good and warm inside and just that little bit slutty. "It was amazing" she gasped, as cum leaked out on to her pantyhose and staining them. "I hope you enjoyed it to" turning around, she felt him pop out as she moved. Dressing herself back to normal, she laid down on the petal and stared up at the sky.
"Enjoyed is an understatement. That was stellar," he replied, grinning in a manner that fully showed his joy. Clara was so good at thrilling him, and if they could do this more often... the idea alone almost made him hard again. He paused and simply sat with his lover for some more minutes, enjoying the alien scenery, before he rose up to his feet. "Well now... shall we head on our way?" Thirteen asked, gesturing to the TARDIS.
After some minutes of taking in the scenery, Clara walked with him and entered the TARDIS, closing the door behind her. Every time she was inside she couldn't get over how the inside was bigger. It just didn't make any sense at all. It messed with her mind and confused her in to a state of confusion.
"I don't want to go back, I just want to travel in space with you. Forever." Leaning on control system, her ass stuck out wonderfully. "I am going to have a shower and get changed. I could get used to the peace you know, no more alien fighting. It suits you."
Smiling, she then wandered off down the stairs and in to the many corridors of the spaceship.
"Well... I was thinking in case you wanted to take something from your apartment before we go. But if you insist," he admitted. And he certainly didn't mind watching Clara's fine ass in motion, even if it could be a bit distracting. Once she had vanished into the corridor, Thirteen turned his attention back to the console before him. Anywhere they wanted to go... a tempting prospect with all of time and space open to them.
He supposed trying to do peaceful things wasn't a bad way to go, but if danger called then they would be obliged to answer. He pulled the lever nearest to him and gave the dial to his right several quick turns. In seconds the central tube was whirring and glowing, dispatching the craft into the gulf of the unknown.
Clara had always planned ahead, by the time she was in her thirties she wanted to be a wife and mother, but that was before she had known about time and space and a man called the Doctor. Revisiting her goals in life, the girl in her twenties wanted to continue roaming the universe for many years to come.
It had been weeks since she had returned to her own timeline and her home planet. In that time she had fought against an alien race trying to claim a distant world as well as fight against the Cybermen. All of this occurred whilst trying to fit in some type of romance with the man she was fast falling in love with.
Deciding to keep track of everything, Clara kept a diary. The leather book was fast becoming filled with words and drawings, even explicit details of their relationship.
The music swelled as bodies moved together, hands clasped tightly as couples spun each other around the numerous bonfires that had been lit in the Village Centre and even its perimeter. From where Caitrin sat in her cozy little spot amongst the trees, they looked like nothing but dots of light while silhouettes seemed to fade in and out against them. There was nothing strange about it, just another ordinary town enjoying its Harvest Festival as the autumn chill bit through the nighttime air. Silvery rays from the moon shone down as the stars lit the inky sky above, twinkling merrily in time with the music and song of the village below.
Caitrin grimaced, her eyebrows knitting together as her blue eyes searched and finally found the one she was looking for. She turned toward her Warder, a delicate hand moving to brush against his arm. She let it rest there, squeezing ever so gently. Giving him a nod of her dark head she gestured toward the fiery haired girl. Of course she would stand out, though it was apparent that wouldn't know it. Or would she? Caitrin wondered if the dreams had begun. It certainly appeared as if they might have taken their toll. Even from where she sat, she could see it in those pretty blue eyes. The Power emanating from her, stronger than she probably guessed. Though...
Caitrin turned toward her Warder again, head tilted as she innately reached for the preciousand cleansaidar. With a furrowed brow, she wondered why she thought that, why she... But she pushed it away. There was no saidin there. No taint. Swallowing hard, she forced a smile and gestured once again toward the fiery-haired girl with elfin features. She sat back and raked a hand through her dark hair and tugged on a loose curl that fell over one bared shoulder. Oh, her sisters back in Tar Valon would be proud that she'd found this one, her Power so strong, so ready to be trained.
Just then the wind blew through the trees, the leaves rustling ever so slightly.
With a slight jerk of her head, Caitrin turned away from the girl who seemed to be sitting on the outskirts of her own village's revelry, her image burned into her memory forever with a fiery branding iron. The girl would serve Tar Valon well if cared for properly, if trained.
Caitrin let out a slow breath, her hands all but trembling as she reached for a tree branch and slowly pulled herself up to a standing position. The trees framed her, a perfect Aes Sedai. When she looked to see the girl she'd come to find, she was no longer there. Blue eyes wide, Caitrin mumbled a curse under her breath.
The Amyrlin Seat and her Keeper would be furious if she failed! This was one of their first missions together as bonded Aes Sedai and Warder. They couldn't fail now. Glancing around, she tried to find the girl again.
"Where is she?" Caitrin whispered aloud, her voice carried upon the wind as it made its way through the dark trees surrounding her, enshrouding her slender body covered in deep greens and rich browns. She blended in with autumn, a herald of the harvest the villagers were celebrating.
Biting down on her cheek, Caitrin carefully stepped over fallen twigs and leaves, beckoning her Warder follow. Her steps were light and cautious as she made her way closer to the scene, hoping she could relocate the girl without giving themselves away. Not yet. As she neared the dancing villagers, she could feel the fires burning, their heat too warm for her taste. The sounds of the music, the laughing, their song heightened as the villagers worked themselves up into a frenzy, as they celebrated their harvest, the bounty they'd had over the seasons of spring and summer. Winter was on its way and it wouldn't be smiling on these people or their mountains.
Caitrin's breath caught and she closed her eyes. She felt the Power, but it was wrong. Off. Tainted. When she opened her eyes, she half hoped to see the girl in the distance, but she couldn't find her among the crowd. Just what was she feeling? So close! So amazing, so sickening in its fury as it roiled beneath the surface. She shook her head and looked toward her Warder, her face quizzical, confused. And then the sensation was gone. Licking at her full lips, her mouth dry, she gave him a nod and turned back to the crowd. There, before her eyes, she saw herthe girl!
"She's there," Caitrin whispered, pointing, relief finding her though she felt a knot forming in her tummy.
Meanwhile, Leithia had had enough of dancing and merriment. No one wanted to be seen with the wild girl let alone touch her. She sulked inwardly, her thoughts running rampant as she secretly wished someone would take notice, ask her to dance...something. But such things were silly, frivolous dreams. Even her parents knew it, though she wished they were the sort who cuddled and hugged their children, whispering soothing words into their ears of fanciful dreams and happy endings. She sneered in disgust as she felt the bitter bile rise in her throat. No such thing would ever happen for her. It just wasn't the way of the web, the pattern hadn't weaved such pretty patterns for her.
Idly, Leithia let a slim finger twist itself through a flaming tress of hair, the red curls causing the tip of her finger to become purple as it wrapped about it over and over again. She let out a sad sigh, the music growing louder as everyone laughed and danced, as everyone failed to notice her sitting on the outskirts of the festivities. A few times she tried to smooth out the deep blues of her skirta special dress she'd chosen, hoping to catch a special someone's eye. But she hadn't been able to find even him among the sea of faces she saw day in and day out, the same droll people who rapped on her mother's door for ointments and herbs. How she hated her mother.
A breeze blew through the crowd, the scent of autumn wafting toward Leithia. She breathed it in deeply, letting the aroma drift into her nose and settle. It was pleasant, so she let her blue eyes flutter shut so she could enjoy the scent, the muffled sound as it muddied and blended together into a cacophony of incoherent sound. She let out another tiny sigh, her eyes suddenly flying open. There was something familiar on the breeze. She could smell...him.
Blue eyes sparkling, Leithia turned toward the direction of the wind. She saw the one she'd been looking for. Immediately, her cheeks heated and she was reminded of her dreams. Looking down at her lap, she could feel a strange burn forming in her core, a yearning for something forbidden yet something she desired so deeply. But he wouldn't give her a second look. She was just Leithia, nothing like the other village girls who giggled when he passed by or gave them a grin or glance. No, she was the daring one, the bold one. The one who said awkward things that gave people pause. It was no wonder she had no prospects and probably never would.
Hot tears formed in Leithia's bright eyes, her mind reaching out to something she didn't quite understand. It had brought her to strange places this Power that stood just out of reach, beckoning and calling. It had shown her visions in dreams, something hard to explain or comprehend. She longed to talk about it, but there was no one. Not even her parents would understand the place of oddity that had found her that night she'd cried herself to sleep. It had been full of wonder, such awe and magical beauty. As the heat of her cheeks swept further, another heat began to form and she locked her legs together at the knees, her lower lip trembling as a deep ache began to grow.
"If only..." Leithia sighed as she watched the man she desired dancing with others. Always with others. Saddened, she walked away from the most crowded area of the festival so that she could clear her head. She didn't want or need to see such things. Besides, she wouldn't be missed. No one would notice or care. Her list of dance partners in wait was none and even her parents were too lost in each other to bother, their thoughts elsewhere, on the festival and merrymaking.
Never did Leithia feel so ugly, so wretched and plain as she did when her village held its festivals. It was a reminder of where she stood, how she'd never be noticed by the one she loved. It was hardly fair. Then life tended to be cruel, especially in the mountains. She took a turn about her village, listening to the laughter, the music, feeling the distant heat of the fire and finally rejoined the crowd. If only it would end sooner. If only dawn would come.
"We'll drink the wine till the cup is dry, and kiss the girls so they'll not cry, and toss the dice until we fly, to dance with Jak o' the Shadows."
Maybe it was his days as a gleeman or maybe it was his love of small villages rooted from being born in one, but the songs and dances from the crowd had gotten to him. His normally vibrant personality was lifted with an extra spring in the step that a common man would never see, his face tweaked in the presence of a smile that no mother would ever spot, and his eyes glittering with an enthusiastic gleam that no lover would ever notice. Stoicism and joviality did not often mingle in the same features, but by now he had grown accustomed to presenting a clean outward facade while allowing himself some merriment internally.
Not that he would ever allow that to cloud his focus as he flicked a careful glance to Caitrin, who was something middling frustrated and irritated as she scanned about the town. Aermun had been told of the girl they sought, the one who he by now suspected a wilder that lived in or near this village, but the descriptions had been limited to hair color and some vague facial features. Even for his keen eyes and Caitrin's natural feel, it would be difficult to pick her out among
Or perhaps it would not, as Caitrin seemed to find their quarry with reasonable efficiency by the way Caitrin stole his attention with a slender hand on his arm. Before Aermun could turn though, a breeze rustled past and Caitrin's head snapped away. He looked to her in a moment of concern, decided that she was fine, and looked to where Caitrin had gestured only to find empty air.
Aermun did not know how to answer Caitrin's whispered questioning, but he had certainly felt the Power in the area. As he began to puzzle about where the fire-haired woman could have gone off to however, Caitrin began moving. He was on his feet and moving with her in one smooth motion, silently following her as she trekked through the sparse wood. Her footfalls were light and his were silent as they neared the village, but something was off. Aermun could not quite get a grasp of what it was, but something in this whole situation felt wrong. Perhaps it was the girl's mysterious movement or perhaps it was the odd feeling gnawing at the back of his skull, but his joviality had subsided along with his urge to sing and dance.
Hearing the delicate catch of breath from Caitrin, Aermun scanned quickly over the crowd, and sure enough, found her, the dancing lights from the fire setting her hair near ablaze with its flaunting lights. "Take care here," Aermun cautioned silently, placing a gentle hand on Caitrin's shoulder as he ghosted to her side. "Something feels unwell in this place, and I'd rather we not find out what without knowing it's coming first."
That was Aermun, forever cautious and looking out for her wellbeing. Caitrin looked up into his eyes as his warm hand pressed against her shouldera gentle demand more than a request. But she knew all too well, he had his reasons for wanting her to hold position, to wait despite her burning desire to approach the girl as she stood in the shadows cast by the firelight. And none of it had to do with pride. It was one the reasons why she'd been drawn to him in the first place, wanted him to become her Warder. His friendly demeanor and easy way with people struck her and had immediately placed her at ease. A simple look and it was clear they were meant to spin webs of adventures together, learning and growing as the wheel turned, weaving their threads more tightly together. Bound.
Caitrin felt a heat sweep over her cheeks, her eyes averting to glance at the nearby fire. Its heat was more intense than she thought, her body warm despite the chill in the autumn air. "What's wrong?" she asked, worry in her voice. For a moment, she let her blue gaze drift toward the girl, her aura strong with the One Power. But she couldn't stare for long. There was something else. Something...
Caitrin's hand reached up to touch the pendant about her neck, the angreal. Her fingers rubbed against its smooth curves, the white stone cool to the touch. Almost instantly, she felt a wave of nausea and let the pendant drop. Blinking, her thoughts began to race, flooding with questions as she wondered why the Amyrlin would send her to a tiny village to seek out a wilder. Yes, she was there, but clearly there was more. Something she hadn't been told.
Tarmon Gai'don.
She sensed it. There was no question. The air was thick with the taint of saidin!
Meanwhile, Leithia stood in the shadows, her eyes fixed upon her love as he danced with another. Her heart twisted beneath her breast to watch. It was always the same. She went ignored. Her eyes drifted to the fire, staring at the flames. She watched the air swirling about, stoking the bright oranges and reds, making them dance higher and higher. Perhaps they could dance more brightly thanhim, swallowing his partner up...if only the air allowed. As her thoughts focused on the air, the threads weaved together and she embraced the thought as it beckoned. Eyes rolling back, her tongue wetting her lips, she saw the event unfold. Just then, the flames creeped higher, igniting a nearby tree and causing the villagers closest to the bonfire to shout out in panic.
The channeling of the Power caught his attention immediately, eyes snapping up to watch the fire haired girl. After spending so long with Caitrin, he had gained a feeling for the Power, such that he sometimes thought he could almostseeits strands as much as he could feel them, as preposterous as he knew it was. Now, though, the wilder was not his concern as much as the lapping flames tickling the branches above their heads were.
"That's what's wrong," he murmured back, pleased that his voice sounded so calm. The fire was getting hotter than he was comfortable with, now, as the village girl knowingly or unknowingly channeled it higher. Whatever her game was,Caitrin and Aermun were not in a position to win it.
He twisted his head about and cast his gaze through the darkness, made all the darker by the encroaching light. It did not take him more than a moment to find a path as he pulled the color shifting cloak aside to one shoulder. Whether she could sense him or not, it would do no good to have Caitrin lose sight of him in the darkness of the trees. "We have to move," he told her, another gentle hand on her shoulder. "There's a path behind us we can move though if we're regressing; we can go back or we can go elsewhere, but we have to gosomewhere, and now." He waited more patiently than he ever thought he could have for her words, ever mindful of the threads of power circulating throughout the village.
Leithia's eyes widened as soon as the tree caught fire. She hadn't expected the dry branches, a canopy of lush orange and red hues, to suddenly ignite while she'd dreamed the flames of the bonfire would lick the flesh of the girl in the arms of the one she'd been pining for over the years. Hearing the leaves crackle as the branches groaned within the dancing flames, she wasn't sure what to think. The music had stopped abruptly, her parents nowhere to be found. Everyone seemed confused, frightened, startled. Villagers were running from the flames as they climbed higher along the tree, engulfing it entirely.
For a moment, Leithia looked down at her hands. A soft glow seemed to swirl about them. Blinking hard, she wasn't sure if it was the light of the fire, her fear or something else causing her to see such things. Suddenly worried, she grabbed a hold of the blue fabric of her skirts, determined not to look at her hands again unless she had to. Just what was happening...and why? She scanned the area looking for the one she desired. But he was gone. And so was the girl he'd been with. In her heart she knew he'd fled the scene. He'd never been one to help or stand up and face crisis, but she would never admit that out loud. Not yet. Not when she so deeply yearned for his affections, just a single glance her way.
Eyes stinging with tears, Leithia backed away from the horrific sight unfolding as people began looking her way, to the odd girl. To the eccentric girl with no prospects and one even her parents ignored. Her blood suddenly felt cold, her feet slowly moving her away from the light and closer to the shadows.
Caitrin looked up at Aermun, her blue eyes widening briefly before she gave him a nod. Her insides twisted as her thoughts ran wild. She could sense saidin. It was everywhere. The angreal was telling her as much and the artifact would never lie. As she looked at her Warder, all her trust and faith in his words rushing toward him, she saw it...that moment when he noticed the aura around the wilder girl. He shouldn't have seen it. Not with all his training or time spent with her. It was impossible. Unless...
Dark thoughts began to circulate through Caitrin's mind. None of them she liked. All of them led to the inevitable and it made her heart ache. Not wanting to believe it, she decided that she had to be wrong. There was no other option. Her sense was thrown off due to the chaos. Pushing the notion aside that somewhere lurked a male channeler, she decided to focus on the moment. Glancing toward the villagers and the fire, the girl they'd been seeking was lost in the crowd. Their only hope of finding her now would be to search once things calmed down, but...
There would be no later.
Caitrin closed her eyes. The girl was the least of their problems, second to the fire. Her heart knew it even if she wasn't ready to accept. Opening her eyes, she reached out to Aermun. "We go, for now," she agreed. The fire was spreading fast, another tree was engulfed in flame...a house! A part of her felt guilty for not lending aid. But to do so would place them both in danger. Aes Sedai were not welcome in these mountains. "Back to the path. There was a clearing near a stream a few miles back. Perhaps there it will be safer," she suggested.
Caitrin was not fond of these mountains, their forests providing little to no shelter, leaving them vulnerable. As she glanced at Aermun, her heart racing, she feared that more than failure of a mission was at stake. Though she no longer felt or saw saidar, she could feel the saidin through the angreal...and it was only growing stronger.
Aermun thanked a great number of fictional or otherwise figures simultaneously that Caitrin's Green nature had not gotten the best of her as she nodded and turned to face him. He noticed a gleam in her eye, a fear that had not been present in her voice, and while it worried him to his core they did not have time for him to ponder the mysteries of her fears with the forest rapidly lighting ablaze around them. These woods were dry and sparse, just the kind of environment for the flames to spread alarmingly quickly.
Aermun spun on his heel and moved forward as quickly as he could manage while keeping Caitrin close to him. Any stray branches in the path that would hinder them were shoved aside and held for her to pass before Aermun slunk his way back ahead of her to clear the forest ahead. All the while, his thoughts were racing, predicting distances and how fast the wood would burn, trying to get a grasp on the situation. His thoughts were dark. He had seen fires like this on a scant few occasions before, and every time they were uncontrollable, wild, and destructive, sometimes burning miles of wood before they eventually either petered out or ran out of things to burn. The way the trees were spaced and accounting for how dry it was here, Aermun's reckoning was that it was more likely the latter.
As they broke into a small clearing, Aermun took a moment to glance behind. Sure enough, the orange glow of flame was not far behind them, growing brighter with each passing moment. He grimaced, remembering this clearing on their way in; it had been a godsend at the time, for the path nearest it was overgrown and uneven, difficult to walk over even in the calm circumstances of their arrival. Now, though, it would only be a hindrance, one they could not afford. Jerking his head towards the path to beckon Caitrin along, he drew the fine Shienarian steel from his hip and waded into the path, hacking and slicing his way through the overgrown brush with relative ease.
The going was slow. Too slow. Aermun could feel his hackles rising as the flames... no. It was not the flames that were setting him on edge. A familiar feeling hung about the wood, one he had not felt in some time and was difficult to place. A sense of dread, mixed with fear, mingled with hatred, and bathed in thin sheen of bloodlust. All at once, it clicked, and he ground to a screeching halt.
Aermun closed his eyes.Flame burned,darkness fell.All was quiet in his mind. He stretched his senses as far as he could, listening for the slightest
There. It was faint, but it was there. As improper as he knew it was, he snatched up Caitrin's hand and pulled her close to him, resuming his cleaving but taking a moment to utter a low word to her, tinged with apprehension: "Shadowspawn."
The word was like a whisper, a soft breath caressing the skin. Only this word didn't set Caitrin's heart at ease. Rather, she felt every nerve run raw and ragged, her senses on full alert as she began to reach out into the darkness before them.
At their backs, Caitrin could feel the heat of the fire. It burned wildly, scorching everything that dared get in its way. The soft glow went from dim to bright as the trees and brush burst into flame behind them.
The smoke was thick in the air. Caitrin coughed, her body pressed against Aermun as he held her tightly. Just how had he known...and before her? Impossible. Biting down on her lip, she became aware of the angreal about her neck, how heavy it suddenly felt. The urge to tear it off and throw it rose, but she couldn't let the artifact fall into the hands of shadowspawn.
"I feel them," Caitrin stated, though she made no move to leave her Warder's side. Something was off, wrong.
Saidin.
"Over there!" Caitrin shouted. Immediately she lunged, her hand letting go of Aermun's and reaching for the dagger strapped to her hip. The skulking beast, no doubt a trolloc, moved quickly as she tried to cut its throat. She missed and caught sight of a silhouette far off in the trees. There was something familiar about it, but she didn't have time to think on it for the trolloc was snarling and swiping at her.
Caitrin let out a tiny cry as she fell backwards over a fallen branch and landed, hard, against the ground. Just then the flames spreading through the forest seemed to rise higher, grow brighter. It was as if they had a life of their own. The wind blew, directing the flames, branches catching until Caitrin suddenly found herself surrounded, caged in fire.
"Aermun!!!" Caitrin screamed. Trollocs danced around her flaming prison, the fire closing in upon her. Squinting through the firelight, she saw the silhouette disappear. "Aermun!!!" she shouted again, her throat going raw from smoke, from heat, from the fear of leaving her Warder.
This was no coincidence.
Trollocs did not gather like this. They did not attack like this. They did not hunt like this. Not without orders. And not without one one the ends of their leashes.
Time slowed down and sped up all at once, the world slowing while Aermun accelerated, suspended in the blackness of his soul.Cat Crosses the Couryard.His posture was lax, arrogant almost, sword loosely held in front of him and body straight. He felt Caitrin leap away from him, and his void shook; he knew she would last if she was channeling, but the familiarshhck!of a dagger leaving its sheath meant she was not using the Power. If he could have let out a guarded shout in that moment, he would have, but there was no time. In order to save her life, he had to maintain his, and the trio of trollocs bearing down on him was a detriment to that success.
Apple Blossoms on the Wind. The shadowspawn stuttered to a halt as a slash meant for each of them lanced through the air in front of their noses. Aermun was already moving, within arm'sand sword'sreach within the second.Hummingbird Kisses the Honeyrose.A precise slash into the trolloc's eye sent it reeling.Kingfisher Circles the Pond.Aermun popped up on his toes and spun about, feeling the unevenness of the forest floor try and take his leg as he moved. A careful, higher step bounced his leg over the gnarled briar of a tree.Red Hawk Takes a Dove.A great downward slash rent the next trolloc from shoulder to hip, dribbling black blood into the ever-brighter glowing forest floor.
Cat On Hot Sand.Practiced steps carried him forward and into a careful spin as he distanced himself from the third trolloc. Its comrades felled in seconds, it had not yet gathered the gall to attack him, and indeed seemed to be wavering still.
A scream?Sounds permeated his void for the first time. His head whipped around, trying to find its source. Then, again, but louder, came the same scream.Caitrin.
The thought hit him like a bull and smashed his void to pieces as he scrambled on the loose leaves of the forest floor in a mad dash towards the pool of fire Caitrin had been enclosed in. A number of trees had fallen, it seemed, imprisoning her in the most terrifying cell imaginable with the worst prison guards ever conceived. A sloppy execution ofParting the Silkdispatched the nearest trolloc, but his heart had replaced his head in the battle. The remaining trollocs saw him, and split, two staying to lord over Caitrin's personal fire while the other three ran him down.
The first was met with the full fury of Aermun's frustration asThe Boar Rushes Down the Mountainslammed repeatedly into its shoddy steel shield until its arm was bashed aside and a cut landed home. An unceremonious lash of Aermun's blade opened its throat, but left him exposed on his left side long enough for a great boar's head to connect with his chest. His light steel breastplate saved his ribs from breaking but left him with an extraordinarily uncomfortable lump in his armor as he flopped to the ground, luckily managing to regain his balance and roll with his momentum as an axe exploded into the ground his pelvis had so recently occupied.
Aermun hastily seized his opportunity, surging forward and landing the only precise slash of fight so far asHummingbird Kisses the Honeyroselanced a clean hole in its throat. Aermun did not have time to finish it off, instead leaving it to scream on the forest floor as he abandoned it.
The two trollocs standing over Caitrin had seen the result of the fight, and, enraged, had stepped around the fire to charge him, leaving Caitrin, now, unguarded. These two trollocs were the last thing standing between him and his Aes Sedai, and Aermun knew itbut he also knew he was waning. His stamina could only go for so long, and sloppy forms combined with the aching in his chest had left him heaving. Nevertheless, he rushed forward to meet them.
The first swung out clumsily with its great mace, nearly connecting with Aermun's face save for the Warder's quick duck. A slash into its side found little purchase for the studded leather the trolloc wore, bouncing off the steel studding uselessly and careening aside. With a muttered curse, Aermun leapt back out of the way of another crushing slam, slicing through the beast's wrist. The beast screamed and tumbled aside just as its companion rushed forward with a great sledge of a blade, bringing it down directly at Aermun's head while the Warder's blade was uselessly out of the way after his slash at the previous trolloc's weapon arm.
His mind dulled as soul-crushing defeat set in. Not only would his death here signify the failure of their mission, it would signify his failure to protect Caitrin. He was not sure if that stung worse than the acceptance of his death, but Aermun had accepted, by now, that it would not matter if he spent his last handful of living moments reflecting the philosophies of his failure. Fear and regret were the last things he felt, all for Caitrin; fear of leaving her to the flames, regret that he was to leave her like this without at the very least bidding her farewell.
A last vestige of defensive instinct, Aermun shouted and rose a hand into the path of the blade, screaming out as he felt liquid run hot in his palm, searing his hand with the pain. And then... the trolloc's attack stopped and it stumbled back, confused. The pain in his hand was immense, but he was...Alive? Why I am I...?
Grim acceptance turned into furious hope in the blink of an eye as Aermun's baser instincts sensed weakness. With a bestial shout, he sprang forward and crammed his sword into the trolloc's chestpiece point to hilt, feeling the familiar sensation of sword piercing armor, bone, and heart, then coming out the back end, and knowing full well the shadowspawn would die where it fell.
He ran. Aermun ran faster than he ever thought he could have towards the flaming nimbus, yanking his cloak from his back and holding it ready. The fire was hot in his face as he neared, giving the cloak a great sweep forward before throwing it down over Caitrin. His breastplate would keep him safe enough, he knew, to make a brief roll though the flame, and the cloak would keep the lapping flames away from her flesh long enough to clear of the fire. So he wrapped his arms around Caitrin and barrel rolled them aside, thudding to a halt just a few feet away, still very much in the searing heat of the fire.
Aermun hauled them to their feet with little sympathy, draping the cloak evenly around her shoulders. His sword lay abandoned, still in the festering wound of the trolloc; it was good Shienarian steel, but there were others like it out there.
"Let's go!" he shouted frantically, snatching up Caitrin's hand.
The stream trickled coldly through the icy night air, the shivering bite welcome after the heat they had endured. Aermun had left his cloak with Caitrin to keep her warm, leaving his Aes Sedai's side to sit by the stream alone, contemplative. The woods were burning in the distance, the pleasant smell of a campfire belying the actual devastation it inflicted just a mile away. Aermun had run them until they finally met up with the crook, collapsing into the clearing with heaving pants and lying in the cold dirt of the clearing for some minutes before finally collecting their head.
Now, he sat on a stump next to the stream, staring at his hand. Staring at the now-cool metal that had been molten some minutes before, melted and twisted around his hand by...
His hand had melted the steel. And thinking back on it, even though what he had done with his cloak had made sense, that did not account for the cloth of the cloak coming out completely unscathed, untouched by the burning fires. It didn't account for every hair on both his and Caitrin's face being unsinged by the flames they rolled through. Nothing accounted for it.
Nothing that made sense, anyway.
The fire was hot, its light intense and Caitrin knew this would soon be the end. She could feel the bond between her and Aermun beginning to falter as her life began to slowly ebb and fade. There was too much smoke and it was suffocating her, sucking her life force away. Try as she might, the One Power was of no help. Both air and water were no where to be found, their threads of Power evading her and unable to dowse the flames that encircled her, creeping closer and crackling in her ears. She let out another shout, her throat hoarse from the heat, the smoke. Her thoughts were a swirl of color as she struggled to hang on, for him, for her Warder. He was magnificent, just as she knew he would be, as he slayed the trollocs, dancing like only a trained fighter could.
Just as Caitrin thought all might be lost, her body crouching low to the ground where the air was freshest, she felt strong hands grip her body. Closing her eyes, she let the wheel turn, weaving its threads with purpose as she suddenly felt the heat become replaced with something cool. She wasn't about to question what had happened, that would have to wait. Looking into Aermun's eyes, her own showing both fear and wonder, she gave him a nod. Her hand in his and his cloak draped over her shoulders, she followed him away from the blaze.
In the shadows, Damarys watched on, a smirk gracing her pretty face. She pushed the deep purple hood she wore off her dark head and watched Caitrin and her Warder flee into the night. The trollocs were dead, but that was of no consequence. Shadowspawn were easier to find than most realizedif you knew how to look for them. Thoughand part of her hated to admit itshe was impressed at how well the Warder bested so many. She wasn't one to take on a protector. After all, she could fight her own battles. Besides, there were better things to take care of in the world, more pressing matters. As she watched the two, she felt a seething hatred toward her old training mate. How she hated Caitrin Halim. Still...her Warder's actions, the way he touched the flame. She didn't need an angreal to know that he could channel saidin. Her Red sisters would jump at the chance to gentle him, to rip away his grip on the One Power. She laughed inwardly. It would destroy the bond he held with Caitrin, the two of them suffering madly. Her lip turned up into a broad smile as she thought about her Master, his words reaching out to her like a soft kiss upon the mind.
Letting out a resigned sigh, Damarys knew she couldn't go after Caitrin and Aermun. Not yet. There was time enough for that. Though the idea of gentling such a prize appealed, it would serve far better to bring the Warder to full madness, for him to bring chaos upon the realm. Then and only then could Shai'tan be fully released from his prison, his dark magic unleashed upon the world! But for now...her blue eyes peered upon the burning village, resting upon the fiery haired girl who stepped further and further away from the scene, she had someone to train, someone to introduce to her Master.
Caitrin set down upon the hard earth, her blue eyes watching Aermun carefully as he sat alone near the stream. She could tell he needed a moment, so she let him have it. No doubt he was going over the events that had just transpired, trying to make sense of them. The weight of the angreal was still heavy about her neck, the taint of saidin thick in the air. Closing her eyes, she knew the truth and the burden he was suddenly bearing. How long had he known? Opening her eyes, she decided...not long. Her heart twisted, aching desperately as he seemed lost in his thoughts. Finally, she moved to stand and approach him.
Caitrin's hands clutched at the cloak wrapped about her. She could smell Aermun's scent upon it along with the aroma of fire. Licking her lips, she walked over and sat down beside him, her eyes fixed upon the water babbling over the rocks as it rushed by.
"Thank you," Caitrin said softly, a hand moving to rest upon his arma normal gesture, familiar. "I would not be here to see another dawn if not for what you did." She gave him a squeeze. "Something is heavy on your mind," she continued, her tone pleading. "You know you can tell me. I...I'd like you to." A heat swept over her cheeks just then. She wasn't sure why it meant so much that Aermun share his thoughts with her himself when she already knew. But, it did. It showed trust and something more and, for reasons she couldn't quite explain, that mattered.
Aermun's bitter laugh was more a huff of breath and a shake of his head. "Heavy is a word," he said back, his good nature tainted by the taint he knew was creeping ever closer. "You're amazing, you know that?" he said suddenly, obviously going somewhere with the comment as he leaned forward and perched his elbows on his knees, examining his hand. The molten steel had warped around his palm and hardened in place, making a strange sort of hand wrap that glistened darkly in the sparse light cast by the waning moon.
"I'm an apprentice Blademaster. You can maybe fight well enough to save your life. You're a Tower trained diplomat. I can saunter my way through an inn room but a court is not a home for me. I can work my way into any woman's heart if it comes to it, and you've never been lacking in womanly charms." He sighed, turning his hand back and forth and staring grimly. "Our abilities compliment each other with startlingly little overlap. It's why you and I were paired, I'm sure." His gaze turned to her for a moment, but his eyes fell away after just a moment and he sighed. "You can use the Power. Of all the skills I ever thought we would find in common, I thought it was going to be something like 'we both play the flute,' or 'we both vacationed to Whitebridge as children.' Not that we were both channelers.
"I'm not sure what another dawn is worth, right now. There are far too many questions and not enough answers. Shadowspawn, wilders, and coordinated attacks in the forest. I half wonder how we didn't see a Fade in these woods, the way those trollocs attacked." He peered wistfully into the stream, taking some comfort in Caitrin's hand on his arm. In the sudden chaos that threatened to upturn his life, he prayed to the Creator that his one constant would remain; throughout their time together, he and Caitrin had faced a dozen dozens of trials and not once had he ever questioned either her ability or her reliability. Now, she was torn between two duties, one to the Tower and the other to him, between her life's work and her partner through it. He did not bother to think on that now, for he was not sure his mind could handle the stress.
Indeed what exactly was the worth of another dawn? Caitrin sat there next to Aermun, the scent of smoke and fire still lingering in the air. It seemed to cling to him, permeating the air about his body. Then again she'd inhaled a lot of smoke, her thoughts still a bit hazy. Inhaling deeply, she could smell him amidst it allsomething familiar and comforting despite the confusion.
Caitrin listened to the water as it rushed over the rocks. She wondered what it would be like to strip down to her slip and splash in the cool water. The air was frigid, but she found solace in the thought. A tiny smile crept over her lips as she imagined Aermun joining in her play...like water and fire. The perfect complement indeed.
Aermun was right. They did complement each other. No other Warder could ever be by her side. The idea of another made her insides twist and the though of his fate should their bond be broken...
No! Caitrin couldn't do it. Couldn't allow it. Her thoughts suddenly went wild as she tried to decide what they should do. Aermun could not go back to Tar Valon. One step into the shadow of the White Tower and all of the Red Ajah would see him gentled. While she knew it would prevent the madnessher heart lurchedit would destroy the man she knew, the man she cared for.
No. They could not go back. They had to move forward, abandon their mission and...
Caitrin looked at Aermun, her heart hammering hard. Her mouth had gone as dry as the Waste. Licking her lips, she knew what needed to be done. And she knew her choice would make her family proud. She needed to listen to her heart though she also knew doing so would mean giving up all she'd worked for, all she'd ever known. Or would it?
Tarmon Gai'don.
As a sister of the Green Ajah, it had been her sworn duty to prepare for the coming of the Dragon. Was this not a sign? Was this not the Creator's way of showing what needed to be done? Setting her jaw, Caitrin decided it was...it had to be. She wasn't abandoning her Warder. Ever.
"Listen to me," Caitrin began. "One cannot put a price on something as precious as life." She paused a moment, her expression thoughtful. "Did not the Creator merely imprison Shai'tan rather than annihilate?" Her blue eyes softened. "We must prepare for the coming of the end. But..." her voice trailed and she turned to stare off at the water. A shiver ran along her spine just then causing her body to shudder. "But we can no longer do so in Tar Valon."
Caitrin had never felt so sure though her entire body trembled at the very notion of her defiance.
"Yes, we both can channel it would seem. You and I." Caitrin smiled, turning to look into Aermun's eyes. She gave him another squeeze, her heart leaping that he'd told her. The threads were weaving another pattern, another adventure. "Wecan't go back," she stated, emphasizing the 'we'. "We must go to the Black Tower," she swallowed hard, fear and worry coursing through her veins. "They'll know how to help you, train you. Therewecan prepare for Tarmon Gai'don," she smiled at him. "It's as the wheel weaves." Her grip tightened and she nodded, dark waves falling over her shoulders. "It's what I desire to do."
Meanwhile on the outskirts or the burning village, Damarys lightly stepped over smoldering branches still red-hot from the fire that had set them ablaze. The lush red and purple fabric of gown brushed against them, but they didn't ignite nor did they tear. She seemed unhindered by anything that tried to get in her way. Her blues fixed upon Leithia as she skulked in the shadows, the frown on her lips quite evident despite the darkness.
"Come with me," Damarys said with an air of confidence once she reached Leithia. The fiery-haired girl looked at her quizzically, almost like a prey caught in a predator's trap. Oh how naive she truly was! Flicking a dark braid over a shoulder, she flashed a pretty smile and extended her hand. "I'm Damarys Aad of the Red Ajah. I hail from Tar Valon."
Leithia's eyes widened, but a tiny smile caused her lips to turn upward. "I...I knew it..." She whispered. "Somehow, I always did."
Damarys just smiled sweetly. "Of course you did. You are better than these people. They are your puppets. Come with me and I'll show you how big the world truly is and the kind of life you are meant to live."
Leithia looked upon Damarys with great awe and admiration. She'd heard of Aes Sedai, but to meet one! The villagers would have run the woman off, but not her. She knew why she'd come. Finally! Finally, she was being noticed! A reward for being different, for being the person she was...for being Leithia Sachar.
"You and I..." It was not a question, nor was it a statement. It floated somewhere in the blackness between uncertainty and fear that most men's words fell when they felt their life slipping out of their control inch by painful inch. Caitrin's words only served as affirmation: They could never return to Tar Valon in their lifetime. All their belongings and sentimental items were lost. Their families, friends, and colleagues would likely see them presented as deserters or worse. After some time, they may even need to worry about being followed or hunted, depending on how strongly their names were blasted. And then there was the mystery of who had organized the shadowspawn attack, who they were working with, and how far they would chase.
Aermun stood from the log, pacing back and forth in front of Caitrin. She was no doubt used to the gesture, as it was how he focused his mind best. Some of his most brilliant revelations had come about, after being stuck on finding a solution, simply pondering the problem on his feet. "You're right," he grumbled grimly, "Tar Valon is out. Even the surrounding cities may become hostile to us, depending on how deep our names travel before we are searched for. And let's not forget that there's someone who controls shadowspawn hunting us as well." He sighed harshly and scrubbed a hand through his hair, shaking his head back and forth exasperatedly. "I'd like to say we've been through worse, but we really haven't."
A brief, mirthless laugh cut his words off. He paused, contemplative. Then his eyes turned to Caitrin, brown-nearly-black eyes somehow managing to glint fondly in the dim starlight. "But you're right, Caitrin. There's no Aes Sedai in this world who I would rather have by my side through this." Honest and sincere, Aermun's words matched his smile as he closed his eyes and tilted his head back.
In the clearing, under the cloudless night sky and surrounded by the fires of discord, a new life started for them. It was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the wheel of time. But it wasabeginning. A beginning of what would undoubtedly be the most difficult time of their lives, by Aermun's guess.
The Black Tower. Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, theCar'a'carn, the most powerful false Dragon in recent history. Whatever the name, they all lead to the same man. The same madman.
Aermun shivered. "The Black..." The words choked in his throat. His eyes fell on Caitrin for a bare moment, then slipped off. When his madness came, she would be the first to be hurt, invariably. She would be his only friend, his only ally, his only confidant, and likely his first victim. Perhaps she could teach him to channelas a dog trainer could teach a man to train a bearbut some part of him did not want her to. Consciously he knew that training was the best way to keep control, to stave off the madness, but part of him was afraid of what he could do as a madman trained in the One Power alongside a masterful blade.
Not now. He knew he would have plenty of time to ponder the nature of their predicament while traveling. Now was the time to act, not think, and actions could not exist without intent, nor intent without planning. So be it. "It's the only place to start. You're right." At least, he hoped she was. Creator, he hoped she was.
Despite how grave their situation had become, Caitrin couldn't help but smile as she watched Aermun pace. His gestures and expressions brought an odd sense of comfort as she focused on the lulling sounds of the water rushing over the rocks. It was as if the water was trying to reach out to him, to somehow cleanse the taint. But she knew that was her own wishful thinking, her own desire to use saidar to help her faithful Warder.
But such thoughts were in vain. And Caitrin knew it. If only it could be so simple, but life never was. As she listened to Aermun, she nodded her dark head, curls framing her pale face in the moonlight as its silvery rays shimmered through the trees. She could tell he was leery, worried.
And she could hardly blame him.
"You'll see that I am," Caitrin said lightly, almost playfully, trying her best to ease Aermun's mind. Though she knew nothing could.
Caitrin stood up then and took a few steps closer to the stream. The air was cold as it swirled about and she found herself tugging on the cloak draped over her slim shoulders. The fires seemed to have died down, but she could still smell them on the cloak she wore. Deciding to relish it rather than be fearful, the tiny smile on her lips broadened.
The wheel had spun them a most intricate pattern. Aermun was right. Not only was he suddenly channeling, but someone or something was hunting them. Did they know of Aermun's ability? Or was it something else? A part of her wished she could send word to the White Tower, to warn her sister Aes Sedai of the shadowspawn lurking in the mountains nearby. But such messages had to wait. She had to trust they'd manage on their own. Aermun's safety from being gentled, his remaining by her side...that was what mattered.
"I know we've not been together long," Caitrin spoke, her blue eyes fixed on the water. She could feel her cheeks warm as the silvery moonlight shone down upon her. "But I believe we've been bonded for a reason." She stepped a bit closer to the water. "We will face each obstacle together as we're meant to." Turning to look at Aermun, cheeks still flushed, she smiled. "But for now, we must rest. It's a long journey to the Black Tower and we must be alert in case this attacker comes back." Her expression turned thoughtful, though her mind was still processing, a swirl of color. "We can take turns keeping watch."
Meanwhile, Damarys let a delicate hand rest gently upon Leithia's shoulder. She smiled down upon the fiery-haired girl. "Sweet Leithia. There's so much to teach and I take it upon myself to take you under my wing."
Leithia beamed as she walked next to the Aes Sedai, her blue eyes full of hope and wonder. She could hardly believe she was about to leave her home, her family, her...
"Forget him, Leithia," Damarys said plainly. "I know it cuts deeply, but I assure you he will have no trouble forgetting you."
Leithia frowned, troubled by Damarys' words. More than anything, she longed for him to remember. Though a stronger desire was starting to growfor him to regret.
As if Damarys could read Leithia's thoughts, she nodded. Dark braids fell over her bared shoulders. "A day will come when he will regret casting you aside, Leithia." Her smile grew until she showed teeth. "And how radiant you will be on that day."
"Will I?" Leithia asked, her eyes wide and doe-like.
"Sweet Leithia," Damarys whispered. "You will shine brighter than the Tower itself." Leithia smiled, letting out soft giggle. "But come now. It's a couple days journey to Tar Valon and the Amyrlin Seat will be pleased to have you among us."
Damarys smiled inwardly, pleased to know she could report on Caitrin's failings by bringing the girl to the Tower herself. She'd personally oversee her training, nudging when appropriate. Already, the girl was becoming her little pet. Yes, the girl would be a marvelous asset to the Master. And a good little minion while she trained.
Caitrin was a deserter. She and her blasted Warder. Damarys sniffed at the thought of the two, so beloved by all. Not any longer. Not when she'd be able to tell them how they abandoned their mission and...she knew she couldn't speak of Aermun's ability. Her Red sisters would ruin everything and that would disappoint her Master greatly. No. No, she'd deal with that herself...
Damarys' gaze drifted to Leithia. She smiled sweetly and brushed the girl's hair away from her face as they walked. Perhaps she wouldn't have to deal with a madman on her own, not when she'd have the perfect ally.
The smile that Aermun cast sideways at Caitrin was comfortingly reminiscent of his old self, kind and warm and just a touch cheeky in that way gleemen always had a joke in their voice. He caught the blush in her cheeks, and for the first time noticed himself that the night air was beginning to get uncomfortably cold. As per the norm, Caitrin was right; a night's rest would do them good, even if they only got half a night's rest each. Her sentiment regarding the fate she believed was woven between them was answered with a solemn nod, but her concerns of their attackers still being present in the woods stuck with him more.
"I'll take first watch then," he said, taking one last longing glance at the stream before pacing towards the woods. With her sleeping first, he would be able to let her get the lion's share of the sleep during the night. The physical boon that came with his bond had seen him funcitoning well on just a few hours of sleep each night, and a bit of beauty rest in their situation would do Caitrin a world of comfort. "I'll gather up some wood and get us a fire started, keep us warm over night. If I had a bow I could see about doing something for dinner, but we might be traveling on an empty stomach for a period." He shrugged apologetically, jerking his head towards the forest. "Even if we could manage to navigate ourselves to where we tied our horses, they're likely fled or dead after the fire."
After a short jaunt into the forest, Aermun quickly returned with an armful of dried branches and chunks of fallen wood. His belt pouch held a flint, and it was an easy enough task to scrape a ball of tinder from the dry bark of a tree. Minutes later, a pleasantly crackling fire lit the clearing just a few spans away from the stream he and Caitrin both had found themselves lost in. "Cloak'll take to the heat," he said, gesturing at the cloak that looked monstrously large on her diminutive form with the stick he held to tend the fire. His voice was soft as he suggested, "Put your back to the flame and you'll keep warm all night. I'll wake you in a few hours," he added softly, doing his best Aes Sedai impression as he told the flex of the truth. "If you wake and need anything, I'll be right here."
Aermun's thoughts turned inwards for a moment; thinking over his words, he was unsure why he added in the reassurance he would be present when she awoke. There was no reason he would not be, so why tell her? Caitrin was a big girl. Tucking her in was not necessary, but he still felt the need to comfort any fears she may have had. Perhaps it was the pomp and circumstance of their bond dissipating as their connection with the Tower did the same. Perhaps it was not. Aermun could not tell one way or the other, but he knew that telling her somehow comforted himself as well. It was a feeling he was unused to... but not one he minded.
With a nod, Caitrin watched Aermun go to work gathering wood for a fire. She managed to find some small pieces of wood for kindling along with tattered pieces of tree bark and pine needles. She set them next to the pile her Warder had made, adding to what would be needed. Her tummy rumbled softly, but she pushed thoughts of hunger aside. There would be no feasting this night. As it was, they were lucky to be alive.
Caitrin found herself settling in as she watched Aermun build the fire. A part of her wished he could reach out to saidin, touch the One Power and light their fire with ease. But to do so would be foolish, dangerous. As a trained Aes Sedai, she knew the temptations of touching the Power. Its seductive call always beckoned deep within the mind, to touch it brought euphoria, blissful peace. Her legs trembled slightly at the thought. But there was a sickening taint in saidin, the male power shadowed in darkness by Shai'tan himself. To embark on the journey of channeling without aid? It was madness. And it was why they needed to get to the Black Tower.
A small smile tugged at the corners of Caitrin's lips and she pulled the cloak even more tightly about her tiny body. The heavy fabrics were warm and smelled of Aermun mixed with fire and smoke. It was pleasing, comforting...somehow soothing her as they readied themselves for the night.
Heeding Aermun's words, Caitrin listened to him and moved to sit with her back to the fire. Immediately, she could feel the cloak absorbing the heat, allowing it to warm her entire body as the frigid night air became colder. Her cheeks grew warmer still when he spoke of staying by her side. It had always been a given, an unspoken expectation that he'd never bothered to reiterate. Hearing such words now...
It was as if he wasn't just a mere Warder, but a man. Living, breathing. Warm.
Sucking in a sharp breath, Caitrin gave Aermun a nod and then averted her gaze. "Thank you." She longed to reach out, to touch his arm like she always did. But something made her hesitate, unsure. "I..." she began, stammering slightly. Swallowing hard, she mustered up her resolve and brought her hand down upon his arm. "And I promise to stay by your side. We face this together," she reassured. "Everything." With great reluctance, she let her hand slide from his arm and she nestled deeply within his cloak, letting herself get lost in his scent as sleep slowly began to claim her.
Meanwhile, Damarys led Leithia to a small grove. She gestured the girl take a seat upon the ground.
"I know this isn't the best accommodations. But I have blankets in my pack. And we'll spend the night at an inn tomorrow."
Leithia's eyes widened.
"Not everyone fears and detests Aes Sedai," Damarys explained. "We are revered in many towns, in many countries." She nodded, smiling. "You are taking your first steps into a much larger world. One where you can stand tall...and will."
Leithia nodded. "I'll make you proud of me, Lady Damarys," she said, her voice hopeful, eager.
"I've no doubt that you'll exceed my expectations, pet." Damarys opened her pack and began laying out blankets. "But let's gather some wood for a fire. We need our sleep for it's a long way to Tar Valon."
Aermun smiled at Caitrin's touch, but his heart was not in it. He had seen the hesitation, the way she touched him like he was a could viper. Her words tried to comfort him, and he tried to let them, but it was nearly a waste of breath. She knew what he was; why would she not be frightened of him now? She had every right to be wary. He had no idea what kind of pain he could or would cause her in the coming weeks. He felt selfish, knowing her fate should she stay with him yet hoping against the world that she would do just that. He had to wonder of the knot forming in his stomach was nerves orsaidin; neither idea settled him any.
Relief and disappointment met in equal parts as Caitrin'a hand slipped off of his arm. Disappointment won out though as she turned from him and laid to sleep. Images flashed in his head of her walking away, turning just as she had now and walking back towards... It was hard to say the Tower would even take her back now, especially if word got out what he was, what she had been traveling with. If she was as guilty as he, there would be nowhere fit to stay save with him. He hoped that her faith in him was as great at his distrust in himself. And then, he hoped not, for breaking those hoped would hurt the most.
Time passed slowly, alone in the clearing. The tricking of his favorite stream kept him sane and alive as he scanned about the wilderness, searching for anything that might be ill-willed. In his scanning, he lost track of his time; he had been intending to give Caitrin the lion's share of the sleep, but as the dim gray of dawn started to creep through the treetops, Aermun realized he had on fact given it all to her.
There he stood, his back facing her as she cried out with her arms stretched out before her. No matter how much she tried to get his attention, he would not turn. Tears stung her eyes, her heart aching beneath her breast. It hurt...a pain that made her senses reel as she longed to get closer. Steeling herself, she tried to run. As her legs moved, her lungs burning with the exertion, not once did she get any closer. He continued to remain out of reach. Untouchable. Whimpering, gasping for breath, she dared to cry out his name.
"Aermun!!!"
Eyes going wide, Caitrin sat up with a start. She squinted her blue eyes as she looked up into the sky, the sun just beginning to rise. Aermun's cloak was still wrapped about her body, the scent strong as it invaded her senses, the only comfort she felt as she shook off the lingering dread from the dream. Turning her head, dark hair falling into her eyes, she saw Aermun not too far off, keeping watch. He'd stayed up the entire night, not once trying to wake her. She bit down on her lip as she shifted her body, her eyes fixed on him as he stared off at the water rushing by.
Caitrin had to admit that the sight of Aermun standing there, his cloak still draped about her body, was a pleasant thing to wake up to. If only her dream hadn't been so dreadful. She placed a hand against her forehead and brushed her wild curls away from her face. Slowly, she pushed herself up, her skirts a bit rumpled, but she hardly cared. As she watched Aermun and the water, she was once again reminded of the thought of playing in the stream. The two of them splashing, smiling...her cheeks heated just then.
Warder...channeler...man.
Yes, Aermun was many things, especially now. But underneath everything one thing remained ever the constanthe was a man. And one Caitrin found herself caring for deeply. Seeing him troubled, knowing their bond was threatened. She couldn't abandon him now. She wouldn't. They'd already been through so much and she knew she wanted to go through it all...good, bad, everything. Her family would be proud of her, her decisions. But there was more to it than that. Seeing her Warder, looking past titles and vows, she cared for the man he was, the man he could be. She wanted to help him, to be there for him. They could fulfill their promise and duty in other ways. One thing she'd learned before traveling to the White Tower was that not everything was as it seemed and that when the wheel weaved a pattern before you, it was up to you to interpret its meaning and embellish to bring out its beauty.
She would do no differently here.
"You-you're still awake?" Caitrin said softly as she quietly approached Aermun. Her cheeks were still flushed as she averted her eyes and smiled. She could feel the flutter in her tummy, something that had been growing as of late whenever she spoke to her Warder. "You should have woken me, you..." Biting down on her lip, she placed a hand on his arm and squeezed. Relief flooded her when he didn't vanish, when he didn't somehow move out of reach. She hoped the nightmare would never return, the very thought made the bile rise to her throat. "Thank you," she then said, not wanting to spurn the gift he'd given her of full rest. "For letting me rest." She turned to look at him, her eyes searching for his. Worry etched the lines of her forehead as she furrowed her brows. "I do hope you'll be rested enough to travel. If you need time, please let me know."
Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, Damarys watched Leithia's still sleeping form. The girl looked angelic as she slept, her wild red hair sprawled about the blanket she slept upon. She smirked down at her charge, her little ally. She'd managed to get her away from her village. No one there would miss her and soon she'd be under Tar Valon's protection and her own watchful eye. Before long she'd know the way of the Black Ajah, learning who the true master was. Her hands balled up into fists at her side, nails digging her palms. Like her, she'd get this girl to renounce the Creator and his lies. She'd get her to taste the sweet promise of darkness and know the tender kiss of Shai'tan.
Sensing the distress through their bond, Aermun's head pivoted about and locked into his Aes Sedai as she say bolt upright. Determining it was just a bad dream, he let his hand fall from his sword and the edge leave his eyes, not wanting to alert or alarm her. Nightmares were not something he would give attention to. Not now. There were plenty of things to have in your nightmares.
She approached him, then, stammering over her words as she spoke with him, as she spoke with the wild lion before her. She attempted to smile, and he smiled back at her in kind, but even without sleep he could see the hesitation in her crystal blue orbs. Maybe that was why he liked the stream so much that he had spent the majority of the night camped out beside it: it reminded him of her eyes, crystal blue and sparkling with something between chastising and thankfulness.
Caitrin tried once, then twice to get out her words, and Aermun let her, meeting her eyes gently and patiently. He studied her face, taking in the pink in her cheeks and the way she looked strangely relieved that his arm had not fallen off overnight. She always touched his arm in that way, but it was different this time, searching somehow, uncertain. Without knowing her thoughtsand what man could read the thoughts of any woman, much less of an Aes Sedaihe had no way of knowing, so he let it be for now, nodding in acceptance of her thanks. "You need it more than I," he proclaimed, brushing a fatherly hand over her cheek to clear away the splayed stands of hair that still stood out from a restless night of sleep. "Only one of us gets the benefit of the bond. You take all the strain, I reap all the benefit of the Pow..." He trailed off, realizing she too would soon be receiving effects odd a channeler through the bond.
His mouth feel into a grim line and he averted his eyes, settling back on the stream that had begun to shimmer in the early dawn's rising light.
There was a pause, a brief moment of silence that was all but deafening if not for the sound of the nearby stream as the water sloshed over the rocks. Caitrin felt her breath hitch as Aermun spoke, his tone resonating in such a way that made her tummy flutter, goose bumps forming along her pale skin. She shivered when he cut himself off, though it wasn't due to the chill in the air and it certainly wasn't because she feared her Warder. If anything, she found herself drawn to him all the more, her worry about his future growing as she feared he might wish to relinquish their bond and move on...without her. The very idea cut deeply, more so than she expected. Then again, she'd always cared for him, always...
Cheeks burning, Caitrin pondered the relationship she and Aermun held. It was strong, she didn't doubt that, never would. The two of them had known each other for only a few short years, their bonding for even less. But that hardly mattered. They'd finally been granted leave from Tar Valon on a special quest for the Tower and...
Caitrin felt her insides churning. They'd failed the Tower on their missiontheir first mission, their only mission. She failed her Green sisters, the Amyrlin. But she still had her Warder and she wouldn't fail him so long as he'd have her. And she hoped to the Creator he would. She wouldn't force him to remain bonded, though she knew she could if she so desired. Her sisters had told her it was possible. But the notion sickened her to her very core. She couldn't do that to the one man tied to her, weaved to her soul through threads of Power.
Pretending not to notice Aermun's sudden silence, Caitrin turned and took a step closer. He gently touched her face, pushing the hair that had fallen in front of her eyes out of the way. She couldn't help but notice his warmth as he touched her, washing over her, swallowing her whole. Breathing in, she could smell the fire and smoke, the same scent that hung heavy on his cloak.
Caitrin's blue eyes fluttered shut. When she opened them, Aermun was staring at the water. She could tell he was troubled and more than anything, she longed to ease his worry. Something.
"It's a long journey to the Black Tower," Caitrin said softly, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "But it's early." She looked up into the sky, the sun barely peeking above the horizon, the trees of the forest a natural canopy as it allowed a few stray rays of the sunrise to filter through. The air was chilled with the bite of autumn, but she hardly cared. The water beckoned. Without further hesitation, she reached behind her neck and undid the ties that allowed her dress to slip from her body into a puddle of blues and browns at her feet. Smiling brightly and wearing nothing but her slip, she ran quickly toward the rushing water, bare feet splashing as she entered. "Come on!" she shouted. "Just for a few moments!" A shiver ran down her spine as her body adjusted to the cold air and water caressing her skin. "I promise that the water isn't as cold as it seems!" Unable to hold back, she laughed and reached out to her Warder.
Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, Damarys waited for Leithia to wake. They had time before they needed to reach the White Tower of Tar Valon. No doubt she'd please the Amyrlin by bringing the wilding back with her and that would be enough to preoccupy them all while she set her own plans in motion. Caitrin would be despised, seen as a failure and deserter before long. She'd become the most disgraced Aes Sedai. It was all so perfect and would no doubt please her master. The thought made her skin tingle, her heart race. Yes, things were going as planned, the patterns weaving, the wheel turning and set.
Caitrin's words were calm, though her cheeks burned with some unknown heat. He was about to ask when he suddenly found her stripping her dress off. Out of habit or courtesy he did not know, but he flicked his eyes aside, listening as she splashed off into the stream they had been staring at for the past twelve hours. Seeing the smile on her face, hearing the tinkle of her laughter, was infectious, and Aermun could not help but return the same smile as he brought his eyes back to her. The shift she wore was modest, but the Warder on his outside could not stop the man inside from stirring at the image of a pretty girl letting her emotions fly to the wind to share a moment with him.
Her laughter and smile were not the only infectious things, evidently, as Aermun found himself begrudgingly unlacing his shirt and pulling it up over his head, unlacing his boots and kicking them aside. He was confident the of the water proofing on his breeches, and for all her fervor Caitrin could not hide the shiver that went up her when she entered the cold water. Aermun was not appreciative of the cold. But he was appreciative of Caitrin.
He took her outstretched hand and spun her about, dancing in the stream for the first minutes of dawn. The minutes he spent blissfully ignorant of the Power coursing through his blood were the best he could remember since before he had come to the Tower, save perhaps for the day he and Caitrin were bonded. He had always yearned for the deep camaraderie that soldiers had, but he had been passed up to fight for Andor at an early age, instead thrown to the noble courts because of his heritage. There he had tried to spend more time fighting than he did training, but he was always caught on the practice field and dragged off to his lessons. As such, his skills had developed equally on both ends, and he found himself an apprentice Blademaster who also possessed a deep understanding ofDaes Dae'mar. He had been a rarityand the perfect candidate for the Tower to sweep up.
Some days, he wanted to regret it, wanted to go home to Caemlyn and doff his noble holdings to train alongside the warlords. Not in that moment, though. As he frolicked about the stream at the brink of dawn with Caitrin on and in his arms, he knew that no bond he could ever make with a soldier would match the Bond he held with the Aes SedaiwithhisAes Sedai.
The water felt blissfully warm after a while in comparison to the chilled air. But it pales next to the heat Caitrin felt emanating from Aermun as he held her, danced with her, allowed themselves a moment to forget duty, obligations...troubles. It was pouring off him in droves, though she welcomed it. A part of her wondered if it was a result of saidin, an affinity for fire and earth. But as she held onto his hand, she knew it was because he was just a manhot blood coursing through veins and a steadfast heart.
Caitrin looked into Aermun's eyes, the sun climbing higher but doing nothing to stave off the chill. She smiled, shivering but somehow happy and lighter despite their circumstance. With her free hand, she ran her fingers through her dark hair and took a moment to studyno, admireher Warder. Immediately, a heat crept across her cheeks and swept down along her neck. It continued down along her chest and over the swells of her breasts. She had to admit, he was handsome. She'd always thought as much. But now...like this. Suddenly, she couldn't hold his gaze.
Still smiling, her tummy a flutter of nerves, Caitrin looked down toward the water. The memory of Aermun, bare chested and beautiful was burned into her mind. Seared forever. "We should probably dry off," she suggested, though there was reluctance in her voice. As much as she wanted the moment to last, she knew it couldn't. It wouldn't be long before they were missed at Tar Valon. And if anyone at the Tower learned that Aermun could channel then every Red sister would pursue them until he was gentled.
Damarys. Of all the Red sisters, Caitrin feared her the most. The two had trained together as Accepted, testing at nearly the same time. But the Red sister hadn't liked her from the start. It had pained her that the two couldn't be friends. More times than she could count, she'd tried. But the Red had always shut her out, pushed her away, made it clear that she was despised.
"We should head back to the village we rested at before coming here," Caitrin said still staring at the water, though her hand was still in Aermun's. She tugged him toward shore, her smile not once faltering. "It's on the way to the Black Tower."
Meanwhile, Leithia and Damarys packed up the blankets and began their journey to Tar Valon. Damarys stared at the back of Leithia's head as she let her lead for a bit. Her smile was broad as she thought of her plans and how perfectly everything was going.
His own reluctance was mirrored in the tight nod he gave. Aermun did not say anything, surreptitiously giving her a brief once-over. It appeared the cold was getting to her by the flush in her cheeks, so no matter how much he wanted to press on with their play he knew that she was right. And so he let her lead him by the hand out of the water, in turn leading her to the fire. A few minutes' worth of poking and stoking got the little light up to a comfortable blaze, blissfully dulling the edge of the early morning chill.
Gray turned to slate, and slate to blue, as the sun peaked its first slivered edge of the horizon hidden behind the trees. Caitrin's suggestions made him think for a moment, tilting his head aside; he could not hide a visible twitch of his lips as she said "Black tower," hiding it as quickly as he could. "You're still thinking of the wilder, aren't you?" he asked calmly, probing. Caitrin had always been dedicated, so it was not unlike her to suggest trying to follow up on their task. But in his mind, they had already come to the point of no return. So what if they did find the wilder? They certainly could not bring her back to the Tower like they were supposed to. Perhaps Caitrin could convince her to go on her own, but that travel would be far too dangerous and overwhelming for a little town girl like her to accomplish unassisted.
Caitrin sat quietly by the fire as Aermun brought the dwindling flames back to life. The heat felt nice as it kissed her skin, promising warmth and comfort as it began to dry her, pushing away the chill of both the water and the autumn air. She brought Aermun's cloak up around her sodden body, the heavy fabric making her smile as she draped it about her shoulders. She hoped he didn't mind that she was still holding onto it. It was hard to relinquish, though hardly because it was hearty and functional. No. She enjoyed its smell, the way it felt when it caressed her skin. It was as if Aermun himself wrapped his arms about her and hugged her close.
Immediately, Caitrin's cheeks reddened and she shifted slightly, moving to kneel and hold her hands out closer to the flames. Her feelings for her Warder were strong. They always had been. But the sudden threat of losing him made her start to realize several things, darker things she'd only begun to notice.
"The wilder?" Caitrin asked, trying to settle herself, keeping her eyes fixed on the flames. "It's a pity we had to leave her behind. Creator, I hope she manages on her own." It was true. She did. But the girl was out of her reach now. Though it pained her to see any creature yielding the One Power to go without aid, her first priority was to her Warder. Not even the Tower could sway that loyalty. She'd made her choice and there was no turning back from it now. She would just pray to the Creator that the girl would find the guidance she needed to stay properly in-tune, to resist the seduction that can lead to madness and shortened life. The girl had made it this far without training. Perhaps she could make it a little longer. Maybe someone at the Black Tower could send someone. That might be their best recourse. But she knew she wouldn't leave Aermun. "We must trust in the Creator that she finds her pattern on the wheel and doesn't stray. Our thoughts will help," she added with a reassuring smile.
Aermun returned her smile, but there was no mirth in it. Thoughts of the wilder without a guide to teach her to channel properly quickly gave way to contemplation of his own future. Perhaps he had a teacher in his Aes Sedai, but that gave him little comfort, as he had always held the assumption thatSaidinandSaidarheld about as much similarity as a pony to a dhurran warhorse: They perhaps held the same root, but a trained battle horse would do little but snort derisively if you tried to lead it around on apron strings.
Aermun's eyes, cast down, flicked aside as he huffed a sigh and moved briskly to the fire. He nudged a large rock he had propped nearby into the sticks, scattering them and puffing a small cloud of smoke near his ankles as the fire was thrown apart. "We should move," he muttered shortly, beginning the task of scrubbing their presence from the campground. "Keep the cloak," he offered as he scooped her up Caitrin's dress, giving it a neat fold over one arm before setting it in her lap. "You'll want to wear both, though, in these woods. Ticks and mites aren't fun on the legs."
He spoke and moved with deliberate, efficient words and movements, suddenly seeming very eager to be free of the clearing. Mouth compressed in a tight line and eyes narrow from a combination of lack of sleep and frustration, he paced through the camp scattering footprints and clearing their trail. A sudden pang of lamentation came as he realized his sword had been left in the clearing. Perhaps if they moved back through the woods on their way to the village, he could retrieve it... as long as some trolloc had not gallivanted off with it in the confusion of the previous night. The thought only made the tight line of his mouth pull into a frown, and for the moment, he decided to let it go. Steel was replaceable. Caitrin was not. If it had been a heron mark or power-wrought blade he would have been more adamant about retrieving it, but for now he would make do with the hardwood sheath with metal fittings. It would not stand up against steel, but it was a first line of defense. If it broke, he could always defend himself with...
Thatthought he squashed unceremoniously. "Lead the way whenever you're ready." His voice nearly sounded queasy, for the thoughts that roamed his mind.
Caitrin was unable to hide her blush when Aermun told her to keep his cloak. She hadn't expected him to give it to her nor had she expected her body to react in such a way. Giving him a smile, she nodded and allowed herself the luxury of breathing in its lingering aroma that smelled heavily of smoke and him. She then took her dress and began to put it back on. Slipping the cloak off momentarily, she'd forgotten how chilly the air had become. Once her dress was back on and secured, she put his cloak back on and readied herself for their journey while Aermun broke down their little campsite from the previous night.
"It shouldn't be too long a journey to town," Caitrin said, leading the way through the woods.
A couple branches snagged on Caitrin's arms and she pushed at them to get them away. The town that they'd traveled through on their way to retrieve the wilder was but a day's walk from where they were. They'd reach it by nightfall without too much issue. However, given the trolloc attack, they'd have to stay ever on the alert for shadowspawn. She just hoped they wouldn't run into any in broad daylight. Chances were they would not. But once they arrived in Whitewater, she couldn't be so sure. But she didn't want to worry her Warder about such things. He already had enough of a burden to bear.
"Think of the nice warm bed and hot food that'll be awaiting you at the inn in Whitewater," Caitrin added, smiling brightly as she turned toward Aermun. "Let us make haste." Her smile broadened as her eyes glittering like sapphires. She then turned and began traipsing through the woods, ever watchful for skulking shadows, ever mindful of saidar. Glancing up overhead, the sun was beginning to rise higher in the sky, promising a pretty day, one she wished they could enjoy. But they had to move, for now.
Caitrin just hoped that there would be other days like this one for she and Aermun to share.
For the most part, Aermun followed her lead. He was a pace ahead of her, using the wooden scabbard that once held his sword to shove aside the branches and bushes that blocked their path, but her path was what he followed. Right now, he needed to; plotting his own path would have proven difficult with his mind moving as fast as it was.
Saidin. The tainted half of the One Power that had driven men to fear, madness, and beyond. And nearly the sole reason for the existence of the Red Ajah, on top of the impending insanity he knew would beset him in the coming months... if the process even took months. How long did it take to succumb to the call of the power? He could feel it pulling even now, clearly able to hear that siren's call as it whispered lovingly in his ears. He could not help but recall his accidental channeling that night in the clearing. That rush of power had been unexpected and terrifying, wrought of panic and fear of losing his Aes Sedai, but more than that it had been excruciatingly wonderful. There was not a sword form he had learned in all his years that invoked as much power in his chest, and he had trained with a half dozen Blademasters.
His thoughts were cut short by the breaking of light ahead of them. Aermun was grateful they had gotten through the forest unmolested, but a bit sour he had not been able to retrieve his blade. If something happened to them on the road, he would have to either use his belt knife, a wood axe, or... No, he would not use that. Not again. Never again.
The light materialized into a sight the closer they got to it. The flank of the town was soon revealed to them thorough the thin foliage, so Aermun stepped aside, letting Caitrin take the lead. He had been silent up until now, and intended to stay that way for now. His words would likely only incite conversation, and right now, he needed to avoid that at all costs. And yet he still found himself wondering...
Whitewater. There weren't many towns in the tiny region nestled near the mountains that actually welcomed Aes Sedai and their Warders, however the small bustling town of Whitewater was one of them. Caitrin was grateful to be in a place where she and Aermun could rest easier, though she hoped trouble wouldn't follow them in their wake. As it was, they'd had a time of it in the wood. Something was out there and it was clearly in watch. But they needed to watch in return, to stay ever mindful that no matter where they went and what they did, they were hardly alone. However, being in a place that was warm and welcoming helped ease some of that tension. It was needed and very much desired.
Caitrin couldn't help but smile as they neared the town, her pace quickening as her dress dragged along the spiky grass. She pulled Aermun's cloak tighter about her body, drinking in the scent that was him and reminding herself that soon he'd receive proper aid once they reached the Black Tower.
The Black Tower. The people of Whitewater couldn't know that was their true destination. These people admired the Aes Sedai, the sisters and all they represented. They knew nothing of their counterpart, their mad brothers trying their best to seize control over that which Shai'Tan tried to destroy, yet still tarnished with his touch, his taint.
"Nearly there," Caitrin whispered, her hand reaching for Aermun's. She wasn't sure why, but she needed his touch, that contact that let her know he was there beside her. Her blue eyes drifted as she glanced his way, noting the loss of his steel. Through the bond, she could sense the loss he felt, that heavy sorrow. And it pained her...perhaps more deeply than it should have. She had more than enough coin in her purse and she decided right then it was to be his. Of course, it wasn't much, but it was the least she could do after all the sacrifices he'd made.
And still would.
"The inn isn't too far from the Smithy," Caitrin whispered to Aermun as they reached the outskirts of town. Her cheeks heated, her heart beginning to race. "After we settle, I'd much like it if you ran an errand for me there." Her face grew hotter, her mouth starting to go dry. She licked at her lips and continued. "Have him forge you a sword and..." her voice trailed and she stopped in her tracks. "Before you protest, due note that I am in need of a Warder who is amply armed." She smiled coyly, though shyly. "The specifications of this sword are yours to make. I've the coin in my purse for payment."
Meanwhile, Leithia's eyes grew wide as Damarys led her into the bustling town. The young girl had never ventured outside her tiny village. Damarys couldn't help but smile wickedly and then pet the girl's wild, red curls.
"You like this place?" Damarys asked.
Leithia turned and looked up at Damarys, a grin playing on her lips. "Oh my yes!" she all but squealed. "I never knew places could be so big!"
Damarys just laughed. "Oh my dear. This is but a town. Wait until you see places such as Caemlyn! Wait until I bring you to the Tower."
Leithia gasped delightedly and smiled. "I knew I was meant for better. I always knew..."
Caitrin seemed more eager than ever to take his hand in hers, and for the moment Aermun had no objection. With events unfolding as they were, it was a comfort to feel that companionship in a physical touch rather than bond they were privy to. That bond conveyed a great many feelings, but right now he was grateful for her presence.
Whitewater opened up around them and Caitrin led him through it, and Aermun's eyes flitted across the town and took it in. The once friendly air the little town had possessed was gone; what used to be a welcoming openness was now tainted just as the Power he held, warped by the knowledge that the people here would as soon chase him down with a torch as help him should they find out what he was. What little comfort he had was all on Caitrin's shoulders now, and the little Aes Sedai seemed happy enough to cart him alonguntil she stopped suddenly, her voice fading.
A smithy in a town like this? His steel would hardly be like that of the Andoran smiths he was used to, but occasionally the sword makers in the backwater towns like Whitewater possessed a sort of idiot-savantism, developing their own unique methods and tools and creating some truly fantastic works. The coin in Caitrin's pocket would almost assuredly make the smith's eyes bug outmost of these little towns weren't used to bandying about Tar Valon gold marks en masseso the cost of the blade was not his concern. But her insistence on a blade rose another matter.
"Forging a blade is a lengthy process for these small town smiths," he explained, hands gesturing unconsciously along with his speech as they tended to. "A little smith like this could take days just to craft the blade steel, much less sharpen it and set it to a hilt and guard. I've little doubt he could makesomething functional, but it would cause us to linger. We would need to room up in the inn, spend some days here. Normally I wouldn't take issue with that, but..." He spread his hands, defeated, still not quite able to bring himself to admit to his condition.
The task is difficult because you choose for it to be difficult. Do you ever wonder why you do that so often?
Kylo Ren chewed the inside of his cheek. He could feel his sweat pooling against the tile, almost splashing against his bare back. No one could accuse him of a lack of effort.
He looked around, but he'd practically designed the room to preclude that. The quarters were spartan - thin, itchy fabric and hard metal. No personal mementos, for obvious reasons. He'd designed his entire life to eliminate pondering and encourage action. But now...
You don't conquer a mind, Ren. A mind is a powerful entity. A mind is... convinced.
He'd been working on the damned probe for months now - with prisoners, with hostages, with dignitaries, even with the odd stormtrooper. He'd gotten glimpses here and there, but for the most part... only headaches.
What have I been teaching you? To apply yourself with an open mind. Not to think of yourself as a student of one path or another, but to shed your identity.
Snoke insisted that he needed to forgethimselfin order to read someone, that he needed to fully immerse himself in his target...
Kylo pulled himself from the floor, threw on a thin set of cotton scrubs, followed it with his ceremonial robes and mask, before heading to the ad-junction room of theGauntlet. As usual, most people studiously ignored him - and since he rarely made an entrance on the bridge, most of the staff could go on pretending he didn't exist.
Gauntlet. What a name for a ship.
"Fedorre. What a pleasure to see you alive."
"It's a pleasure to see youawake, Ren." The Admiral sneered down his long nose at him, as if Kylo hadn't personally saved his fucking life at Gyndine. He was like every Order officer he'd interacted with the last couple of years. All narrow eyes, rudeness, and barely concealed nervousness. "Do you know what system you're in?"
"Mimban."
"Chandrila. You werequitea bit off."
"Are you here to demonstrate your superior knowledge, or..."
"I'm here to relay orders. They're directly from the Supreme Leader."
"About the blockade?"
Fedorre pressed his lips together and nodded, as if impressed. "It's been almost a year without any real results. He's seen fit to break that blockade."
That's not the sort of thing that would need his particular skills. A large-scale planetary invasion? When he was still supposed to be tracking Skywalker? There was no chance he'd bethere. So... "You want me to go planetside."
"TheSupreme Leaderwants you to speak to the Governor of Chandrila. He assured me that you'd be able to... convince him to surrender the planet."
Never was he so happy to be wearing this mask. He swallowed. He'd never been able to do it properly. And now the Supreme Leader wanted him to do some... special operation? With an entire planet at stake?
"I know Chandrila's military doesn't have the finest reputation, but sending me down there alone is ridiculous."
"Oh. I never said you'd be going alone."
" . . Got to be a fucking clone. "
It had been said before, out of jest and slight tease. That was usually the last line of someone's mind working in defense, to make a joke in a situation that they felt absolutely screwed in. In situations where one needed a distraction, it was like some chemical the brain released to keep one from realizing they were basically right at the edge of shitting themselves. That being said, she didn't really mind being compared to one of those failed attempts from a previous regime, the comparison made with connection of the body on top of him being smooth and swift in her action. The year before when they had heard the rumor of a woman joining their ranks, there had been faint whispers made with excitement, expecting another to slip behind one of numerous controlled, desk positions. She couldn't mentally handle it. To say the very least just the idea was boring, but the lifestyle itself made her want to be sucked out into the atmosphere, but in bringing her mind back into the reality, her fist raised as her eyes regained focus to the man beneath her trying to nearly suck his head and helmet into his body to avoid the punch. Rare should the situation turn into having someone attack you without a weapon, but the situation could occur, the simulation proving as such when the scene around them disappeared, the sound of gears shifting and something within the walls humming reminding her that this was merely practice.
" Hm. "
Standing now after pulling her opposite hand away from the gulping neck, the fingers on each hand wiggled softly before a faint nod was given and the thud of her boots carried her away. Helmet straight in her walk through the hall, the light chatter was no distraction, entering her chambers with a soft whoosh of the sliding door, gloved hands freeing herself from the helmet's confines. Breathing out softly, her eyes wandered aimlessly to the mirror out of a habit recently gained by change, closing the distance to her reflection and shifting her fingers through her hair. It was rare that she was without her helmet, deciding it long ago to simply keep herself from being apparent unless speaking, though the change almost gave a twinge of relief that wasn't often felt. The choppy haired woman's head turned sharply when the knock came from outside, glaring sharply at the door as she awaited the words that followed. " Admiral Fedorre has requested to speak to you, by order of Supreme Leader- "
" Leave. "
Almost instantly at her request, she could have sworn she heard the lips of the stormtrooper outside her door form into a line before he left, eyes tracing the lines in the floor before meeting back to her helmet. While she wasn't particularly in favor of having the Admiral wait, and with this she clicked the Commander pauldron onto her arm, the white suited stormtrooper slid the helmet back over her head before leaving her quarters again. While there was no real joy in going to see the Admiral, there was almost equally no joy in figuring out why he had that snarky look on his face, breathing out within her concealment just in time to hear, ". . . I never said you'd be going alone. " Clearly the Admiral was one for dramatics. Nodding her head softly in greeting to the shorter Fedorre, in proper lighting, the stormtrooper could cast one hell of a shadow over him, though that would be something to laugh at when she was alone later.
" He is sending you with Commander Phasma, to persuade him to. . Release the planet to us. It is inhabited, so you will be among civilians. "
Though no protest was heard, the slight tilt of her head was evident when the woman heard the short version of what was happening, realizing she probably should have just pretended she hadn't heard anything at all. Pretended she hadn't heard the request, pretended she was busy doing something else. But. This was for the First Order, and she had a duty. Unfortunately that meant dealing with. . Others. Others who weren't conditioned, others who weren't trained to kill since childhood. . Just simply civilians. Just the thought made her stomach churn.
He appraised the newcomer as she entered the room. Of course, he'd heard about this one by reputation, but he'd only recently signed on to the Gauntlet, and so
She cut an impressive figure - the thing that struck him first was her cleanliness. Most troopers kept their armor to a dull sheen, the sort of acceptable and functional appearance that soldiers tended to have. This woman either had a microscopic attention to detail or she was a bit vain.
After that there was well, the obvious thing. She oozed a calm, professional menace, and looked like nothing if not a walking tank. Which was to say she was very poorly suited to this kind of mission.
Now I understand, He growled. You're sending TWO of us to infiltrate a hostile planet. My confidence in our chances has skyrocketed.
If it were up to me, we would attack the planet with a full complement of forces. He waved a hand, displaying a hologram of some imaginary battle over Chandrila. Kylo scowled, watching the ships dancing around each other in the upper atmosphere. Was this display supposed to be impressive? But the First Order doesn't have unlimited resources, and the contingent we'd need to openly take a fortified planet are otherwise occupied.
Turn your hologram off, Admiral.
This is Kylo Ren. He's a personal student of the Supreme Leader, and he is the asset were going to use to secure Chandrila. He gestured upwards. Commander Phasma is here to keep you on course, assist you with intermediate targets, and secure your escape if you fail your mission.
He sank backwards into the chair and thought about this. He knew there was meaning in euphemisms, technicalities, polite little nothings. People hid so many hurtful things in sweet sentences like those. You want this person to babysit me.
I'm not doing anything but relaying your orders. We are just extensions of the will of -
Spare me your idle talk, Admiral. If I need to go alone, I'll just go alone. Her contribution here would be completely insignificant. Kylo dug his hands into the table and stood up, fixing the towering stormtrooper with a dismissive glare. Insignificant at best. Send the data to my pad, and -
Ren, I haven't finished.
What else IS there.
You aren't to wear your armor. Or carry your lightsaber. This needs to look like it came from Chandrila. You'll need to land planetside, get biometric data, infiltrate the capital, do whatever you're going to do with the governor, and leave.
Again. I'll resolve the situation myself. He turned to the Commander and spoke, the faintest hint of a grin creeping into his voice. As for you. Supreme Leader Snoke is apparently aware you exist. That must be momentous for you.
While she had momentarily blacked out before in her previous endeavour, this seemed nearly critical to pay attention to. Being sent off the ship wasn't a problem, not at all. It was dealing with those who weren't in line with the First Order, specifically as a stormtrooper. No one outside of their ranks responded well to the white suit stepping foot on land that the Resistance had more so promised to keep protected. There had been many times when arriving at a planet that people either kept themselves clenched and contained or openly angry, thus usually resulting in altercation. So why send them down alone. Surely, she wasn't being sent to protect him from everything. The word of the knight of Ren joining their ship had spread rapidly, stories twisted in regards to his beginnings, only tidbits confirmed when efforts of the Force were shown.
And like so many others, she had steered clear of this Kylo Ren. Not out of fear, but quite frankly, out of lack of concern. They were here for different reasons, though each a stretch of Snoke's growing power. It was then they both heard the underlying truth as to why the woman was here, her stance shifting now as the first audible sound was heard. The sigh that normally would have cleared her mind, then showed a moment of frustration, annoyance. Were there not better things to do than keep him from having a fit outside of the Gauntlet? There had been one or two times she had passed a set of men she outranked, cleaning up the mess of this one. Now here was the grand opportunity to be the one to do it herself. Joy.
Alas, all this mental strife would be tossed aside. It was for the growth of the First Order, nevermind the wants of this grown child. Standing stoic behind the chair that sat a short distance from Ren's, his distaste causing a soft click of her tongue to her teeth. " I do not own proper civilian clothing, " Of course, that was already arranged for, as even being on a planet in simply a black body suit could prove as odd. Turning now as the announcement of Snoke being aware of her existence, her figure shifted in the direction of the black cloaked man, almost swearing she heard the tense inhale the Admiral retrieved.
" Yes, the Supreme Leader being aware of my insignificance is. . . Momentous, " If that's what you wanted to call it. " But he has requested I babysit you, nonetheless. " There it was, within her chilled tone, what caused the Admiral to stand quickly and clear his throat, smoothing out his cost with habitual care. " A ship is prepared for you to leave within the hour. " Head turning again after completely ignoring the idea that Ren was going alone, a soft mod was granted before the woman left almost as quickly as she had come.
The time leading up to their flight from the ship have her plenty of time to fume within the comfort of her chamber, even more so when the bag of clothing was brought to her. The situation in itself made her uncomfortable, even more so to find that she was going out of armour. It felt like being nude, and it was terrifying. Staring at herself in the mirror, it had been a while since she had seen herself in something other than variants of her uniform, only finding genuine comfort in the fact it was black. Had it not been for her height, she found she probably could've slipped around unnoticed, though with the rare glimpse of the leggy creature in less than her hauntingly clean uniform was enough to make one look twice. The collar of the black one piece meeting to grip around her neck, arms exposed and free of both armor and the normal bruising that came with fighting so consistently.
Heavy bust rising and falling gently, the eyes that ventured continued upon reaching the bay, her eyes locked into the Admiral immediately. He was the messenger, but this was his fault. " Oh, Phasma. . You- you cut your hair. " As if trying to make light of her being uncomfortable.
All of this had to be some cruel, cruel test.
It was as if the entire mission had been carefully designed to annoy him. He scratched the side of his face and scowled down at the thin pad Fedorre had shoved into his hands.
There had to be someone with skills better suited to this.
He'd even said so out loud. It was as close as he'd come to rejecting an assignment. They hadn't even given him the dignity of trying to convince him. Phasma had left as though he weren't there, and of course Fedorre stood up and made a list of excuses as soon as he could, backpedaling out of the room.
Now he was back in his own quarters, looking at old intelligence. Blueprints, names, faces he didn't really have the skill to retain. Anything to distract him from the box at his feet.
Kylo let out an aggravated grunt and kicked it, like he could change the chemical properties of what he was wearing through absolute, dogged hatred. A tight, white number with an orange belt. A couple of red squares to pin on his chest. An ill fitting cape with some sort of fake fur lining the inside. Was this what they wore on Chandrila? The outfit didn't even have gloves. Where what was he supposed to do with his hands?
He ripped off his mask. Usually it provided him some comfort, kept him on the offensive in social situations. But now the mask was making a little plasticine squeak as he ripped it off, a blast of warm air hit his cheeks, and the whole thing felt pathetic.
He stripped with a resigned sigh. Kylo reflected on the sheer amount of time he'd spent wearing one uniform or another, practically since childhood. Usually some sort of flowing robe that forced him to be more deliberate. He threw on the white long sleeved number that stick to his chest and began to change.
It really struck him, minutes later, how different the air was on his face as opposed to reflected through his mask. Colder and thinner. He locked eyes with the ship in the background, a tiny beige number.
That's the most luxurious escape pod I've ever set my eyes upon.
He felt like a sulking child pointing it out, but it certainly wasn't inaccurate. He felt like everyone was looking at him now.
Fedorre was on his heels, as if he was ready to dismiss himself as soon as hed finish talking. What a wonderful strategy Phasma had introduced him to.
Seized during the blockade. Weve scrubbed the identification and given it false information. Some smaller ships do get through fairly often. You shouldnt raise too many alarms with your mere presence.
Thats wonderful. He gave Phasma another look of appraisal. She didnt look quite as overwhelming without the suit on. He wryly noted that the first thoughts that came to mind to describe her appearance were things he heard said about himself. A sort of hesitant acknowledgement of attractiveness that still thought there was something a bit odd in the mix.
And all that had just made him cynical about looks and being looked at, with a self image that veered wildly when he wasnt ignoring it altogether.
He knocked on the ships door gruffly, as if expecting the thing to fall apart.
Ive taken rides in worse, he said ruefully. If youd believe it.
If one were to think of the truly uncomfortable member of this gathering, it was easily dear Admiral Fedorre. Why he had to stand between a brick wall and an equally difficult to speak to user of the Force. He had to have made a quiet attempt at escaping these orders, the weasely sort usually did, yet here he was among the two dressed in common clothing. Why, they almost looked normal, and that in itself was damn near frightening. But as they all knew, their Supreme Leader had his reasons for everything he did. That didn't make it any less clear that none of them wished to be here. Her hands had found her sides, noticing now the pieces cut out just before the material of her skirt began, thankful at least for the length lightly dancing along the floor. It was hard enough to be dressed like this in the first place. So few, if any, of these men had seen her without her helmet, and now she stood with the thought of where she was going to put her-
" No guns. "
The amber hues of her eyes lifted now, narrowing critically, the seconds were counted in her head, because it would either be the Admiral or herself to speak first. Four seconds of her eyes staring harshly into his and the Admiral quickly recovered, " At least, not your usual. " Even that didn't sound promising, and it wasn't, being handed the small pistol and a small holster made for concealing. " You do realize that by the time I get through this thing to this gun to shoot anything, he'll be dead, hm? " Unfortunately, her words rang true if there were shots, though the First Order had done things quite differently in their training since the faulty troopers of the past. But clearly this mission was made to be one of calm nature, now finding she would have preferred using what little resources they had to simply attack the planet. Just get it over with. Leaning down carefully, the blonde began pulling the hem of her skirt up, swearing she heard a distant sound of a man inhaling from some dark corner to spy from. Revealing the boots made for combat and not necessarily the pretty, delicate things she had been given to add to this outfit, the woman was already a towering creature as it was, slipping the band of the holster up her leg, one hand holding the hem of the dress hiked while the other adjusted the gun.
It looked like a toy against her thigh.
The woman carefully let the skirt adjust itself over her shoes, it was then she noticed the outfit they had given the man she was deemed to protect. Well. . At least she didn't look like that. Raising an eyebrow softly, whether it was the belt or the fur, Phasma couldn't decide, but it almost triggered a laugh, deciding to save it for later, as this was already a tense situation. " Yes? " Her brow remained raised upon catching Ren inspecting her again, as now it was different than simply being a tall stormtrooper. Now she wasn't under the anonymous guise she found the most comfort in, even more so with her body clinging onto her femininity. Being a woman wasn't the problem, but the expectations that came behind it were. Moving toward the beige metal that had damn well better actually make it to the planet, Phasma had had enough of looking at the flighty eyes of the Admiral, already ready to be back in the closed off space of her chambers, or at least out of this damn outfit.
" Let's get this over with. "
He would have been perfectly fine slumping onto this sloop and getting on with this affair, he really would have. As awful and uncomfortable as he looked (and felt) he had other things on his mind, things more pressing than local fashion. He needed to master this skill, for the first time, "lose his identity" as Snoke had told him... and somehow do that while feeling like a fucking goose.
And then this woman had locked eyes with him, said that sly, sneeringYes?as if he was some boy looking at her through a peephole. Something about using that as some kind of parry, like she expected it to shake him up, offended him a bit. He licked his teeth, feeling his sneer somehow deepening.
"I'm a bit tense, and you areofficiallythe most entertaining thing in the room." He pressed his thumb in a little pocket to the side of the door and waited a second for the door to open with a squeaking grunt that didn't exactly inspire confidence. "Since you needed my insights into your..." he waved a hand up and down here, "... situation."
Fedorre let out a very small snicker - whether it was at her or the absurdity of the situation, it was gone by the time the two of them locked eyes on him. "Well," Kylo grumbled finally, "tell all our friends we miss them."
Ah. About that. He shuffled off, looking for somewhere comfortable to sit. Hopefully this woman would assume he didn't know to fly.
Oh. Oh it was going to be that sort of trip.
Though the expression on her face was that of someone who was right at the point of responding, the sound caught both of their ears and veered their vision directly to the Admiral. If it hadn't have been him, it would have been someone else. Her situation. At least she didn't look like a fucking goose. Either way, she would let this one slide under the rug among with two more strikes this man had during this babysitting trip. Of course upon entering the ship, the woman watched him make his awkward shuffle away from the cockpit, closing her eyes and sighing softly as she should have assumed. The stormtrooper sliding into the immediately uncomfortable pilot's seat, with a few switches the machine whirred to life, glaring and resisting the urge to mouth something foul to Fedorre as they began their journey off the Gauntlet.
The faint rattles of things within the ship made her faintly uncomfortable, looking up at the condition this husk of metal had been left in. They couldn't have targeted a better ship from the blockade, hm? With another rattle in the silence leaving her tired of the silence, the cool chill of her voice began again, " Well, are you going to brief me? " A small portion of her was curious as to why Snoke felt the need to send his prized student in the first place, when there was potential risk. Perhaps that was another reason she was placed directly in the eyes of their Supreme Leader. That thought alone was absolutely daunting. While Phasma had never found herself directly focused on being one to praise a being itself, as there were more than enough times on record to show that devoting ones life to another was. . Well, absolutely disastrous.
It wasn't long at all before the planet came into view, potentially thirty minutes out judging by this ship's capabilities, eyes taking in the spaces of blue and green, the swirl of the clouds. Pleasant, and it again made sense as to why they didn't simply send them down as stormtroopers and an angry man in a cloak.
Kylo sank into the weirdy rounded chair behind her. He felt every bit like a child getting escorted to an appointment, which he hated, but he didn't have to channel his frustration into something as tedious as flying just yet, and that... was a relief.
And so he was quiet for a long time after she'd asked him about a "briefing"... he'd actually expected her to bring it up again after a few minutes, but they both knew he'd heard her.
Finally, when he was ready, he cleared his throat.
"I only know a little more than you do. We're going to infiltrate the capital as aides to one dignitary or another. We get into the governor's office. I am going to... convince him to stand down, deactivate the planet's defensive systems, and allow for some... new management. Then we get back to the Gauntlet and I throw these clothes into an airlock."
He probably should have given the full details of how he was going to accomplish that. But right now, he didn't feel quite confident enough to speak it out loud. If he tried the technique and failed, he'd need to... improvise something else, wouldn't he? As if he wasn't embarrassed enough. He had to imagine the debriefing was part of why Phasma was there.
A reliable, impartial informer. In some ways, she was the quintessential Order solider - a hard, sneering, disciplined sort. And in other ways... it struck him that she was veryrelaxedin his presence. If there'd been any consideration of the idea that he could kill her with a particularly strenuous thought, it hadn't shown up on her face.
If anything, she treated him like an annoyance. Something about that word,babysit. It had been obvious mockery when he'd said it, but she'd done her best to make it a neutral statement of fact.
Funny. There'd have to be some small answering for that, later.
What was he getting at here? It seemed like the officers he'd interacted with were pretending to be what this womanwas. Or at minimum, she was a much calmer actor.
"Please don't ask me about the strategic logic of any of this. If you've thought about it as much as I have and you're thinking..." Kylo started with his small finger and counted outwards. "Why is it important that Chandrila stands down by themselves? Why not just do this deactivation ourselves? Why not a familiar face with my... talents instead of you? I don't know."
He stood up and crossed over in front of her, taking a seat on the console right in front of her and at least partially blocking her view. He titled his head and looked down at her.
"You won't be offended if I ask about your talents, will you? You at least have some vague familiarity with mine, which puts you at an advantage over me. Amazing scores at academy? Someone's bodyguard in a past life? Great with a blaster? I acknowledge that you'reexcellentat scowling, but that's a skill that's in abundance around here." Kylo leaned backwards, distantly nothing the irony of his statement before a beeping noise came from his pad.
"You won't believe this," he said, reading it over. "The two of us aren't actually in the capital's security computer. We need to break into another site and add ourselves manually."
The Admiral hadn't exactly given them a free hand here, but he used the phrase "some minimum amount of restraint" in the memo...
Really, a few dead techs or guards wouldn't matter if the Order was swarming the planet by the end of the day. On the other hand, razing the place and butchering everything inside... obviously, word of that sort of thing would get around quickly.
"I actually feel... relieved. It's not kind to say you're in the mood to hurt someone, and yet..." He gave an awkward smile, not knowing or caring how she'd take that. You never knew how a person felt aboutthatbased on their manner.
The silence hadn't bothered her, and certainly wouldn't torment her enough to ask him again, hands gripping the W shaped steering wheel as the thought crossed her mind again, eyes wandering off the path and toward a set of meteors. No, it wasn't that critical, not yet anyway. Besides, the man behind her had things to accomplish, hm? His reputation had floated around, both in her time as a cadet and in a sudden flurry when word had gotten out that he would be joining the Gauntlet, uninterested as a cadet and still uninterested. He had his reasons for being there, and unlike her own, they weren't for the First Order, it didn't at all cause her distaste for him. Rumors of his abilities with the Force, stories told, and catching tail ends of a fit or two, had all been added to his reputation. As far as Phasma was concerned, they were on different paths with no real need to cross. Unless of course. . Things like today happened.
Nodding her head softly to acknowledge she had been listening, blinking faintly from her trance when she heard him shift from his seat, the woman shifted her head faintly when he moved forward. While he slid himself into her line of vision, crossing her legs out of the sudden remembering that there could somewhat be something good out of not wearing her uniform. His questioning was almost amusing, turning her head again to look out into the black atmosphere around them, taking a soft bite of her bottom lip. Phasma had never necessarily been asked what got her to this point, merely being stared at from a distance, as it was comforting. Personal space and people keeping their boundaries, was wonderful. Whatever personal lessons the Supreme Leader had for Kylo Ren, she herself was momentarily bothered that it had to concern her. What for, really.
It came with being who she was, unfortunately. When you attempted to keep within your own personal shadow while excelling, well it was enough to draw attention whether you wanted to or not, having slipped underneath the radar until things got a bit. . Difficult to do so. The memory of slipping up the ranks only to one day remove her helmet at a ceremony of her male peers, although it wasn't frowned upon, it was almost unbelievable to see a woman beneath the white uniform. However, none of these things came up when she answered his question, looking up at him again, " In a past life? " If this was another fucking clone joke. . " It isn't a scowl, it's my face, unfortunately. I don't appreciate how you respond to it. "
How to go over that she was simply better than what had been churned out from her batch of cadets. Well, she supposed it would be shown later. " You can not be serious. " Fucking Fedorre. How was she supposed to break into anything with a dress on. Eyes turning away from his as they grew near the planet, his words and smile albeit slightly uncomfortable, didn't cause a rise out of her, nails lightly tapping over the steering wheel again, " Sounds like you'll be seeing my talents then. "
Well, if she didn't appreciate his misdirected compliments... she really wouldn't appreciate the snorting laughter coming from his nose. "Sorry about that." As soon as he'd said it, he snickered a couple more times. Shit. He was beginning to understand why Fedorre had done it. The body works up enough tension and it escapes in the strangest of ways.
"My behavior I mean, not your face. I wouldn't say your face was unfortunate, really. It's... "
Of course, he'd backed himself into a terrible rhetorical corner, because now hehadto look at her, look at her and render some sort of judgement. She had a broad, strong jawline (a bit stronger than his, if he were excruciatingly honest), a slightly crooked nose that had probably been popped out years before and never reset exactly right, bushy eyebrows that even he could tell she'd tried to tame in a dozen different ways before settling on walling them off at some angles out of frustration.
All of this stuff, features from a half-dozen different women, and a set of big gorgeous brown eyes. He hadn't come to much of a conclusion about her personally, but it was a pleasure to look at her. Thinking about what she looked like. Seeing her in different lights and angles...
The problem was putting all this into a word.Fascinating... captivating...these were accurate, but a bit strange. She'd be looking at him out of the corner of her eyes for the rest of their mission. Maybe the rest of their lives. It was something you told a bug before you dried out their carcass and pinned them to a fucking board.
Beautiful... handsome...Ingratiating and mechanical, respectively.
Of course the third option was to just vomit out his train of thought. A bit off-putting but would probably close the subject, just from sheer force of completeness.
"I mean, you've probably heard a dozen different things about your face, and decided you didn't like any of them for a dozen different reasons. It's your face. It's what I'd expect you to look like." This was probably even more mechanical than calling a woman handsome. Certainly no girl was ever raised hoping a boy would call her fucking "handsome" one day.
Still that was... enough, wasn't it? Feeling himself turning red, Kylo turned his back to her and checked out some landing settings on the dashboard. "As for your past life... you would be very surprised at what some of us did from a very young age, Commander."
They eventually landed at a port, getting through a rather.. accelerated clearance through port control. When he saw someone actually running through the shipyard to meet them, he actually panicked. Had they somehow been found out? But that didn't make sense. They'd certainly send more than one man if that were the case...
Kylo opened the door and let the man through. He was a heavyset man with butchers forearms, and he immediately wrapped his arms around Kylo and hugged him. His eyes boggled out, and he looked at Phasma with a mortified expression. Wasn't she supposed to protect him from these sorts of things.
"Thank the fuckin' Maker, we haven't had anybody get through in a week! You must be a hell of a pilot, son."
He wryly looked at her out of the corner of his eyes, almost thinking of passing the credit onto her, but what would that get her, aside from a hug from a very sweaty man? "Just got lucky."
He was already looking through the ship, feeling the walls and floors for secret compartments. "Okay, what'd you bring."
"Bring?"
The fat man paused. "You... outran an Imperial blockade in this bucket of bolts and you didn't... bring anything? Oil, spice, coal, anything?"
"It's the First Order."
"Sorry, what?"
Kylo froze, and one chunk of spit slowly, agonizingly slid down his throat. "I just... I just think we should be exacting about... you know. The taxonomy. Of words."
Snoke had made some brilliant plan. Except for this part. His gaze veered over to Commander Phasma. Which one of them was supposed to do the talking?
The hole he had so quickly dug around himself was the perfect level of amusing, hands coming together to lace fingers as she so patiently watched the wheels in his head turned. Watching as he so desperately tried to figure the correct thing to say in his head, this was not the first time a man had shot himself in the foot in conversation, and she knew there was plenty of opportunity for his words to bury him again later. Truthfully, he didn't have to say anything, he could have simply left it without a tail end, but instead he had as though he had already gone over this scenario in his head and suddenly forgot. He had suddenly forgot the words of a play that he'd wrote. " My face is. . What? " A distraction.
It had taken her a while to come to the decision to cut her once long tresses off, namely because she knew when the time came, her face would be left with only a few gentle whisps to frame around it, rather than the pale curtains that were there before. What distinct features her face had had, were no longer shielded by layers of both hair and a helmet, but instead left bare and available. It was. . A daunting change. The natural pout in her plush lips, the occasional doe expression in her eyes with thick eyelashes to match, it was strange how despite circumstances, Phasma was still feminine in all her hidden glory. Perhaps that was why she kept herself so hidden in the first place. It was when he began fumbling, stammering out words that weren't careful or thought out, that there was another sign of human functions in the blonde.
Laughter.
It was airy and soft, raising a hand to her mouth soon after because laughing at dear Kylo Ren almost seemed rude. Almost. " What you'd expect me to look like, mmhm. " Luckily for him, Phasma had never grown up wishing a boy would call her pretty or wondering if one ever would. " You got stuck at handsome. " Typical.
Letting him brood himself back down to his normalcy, the ship landed without any further damage from the blockade, eyes roaming the empty shipyard to see that clearly they were without. Again, it made her ask why they hadn't just simply stormed in, though that wasn't important, turning her head sharply when the door opened, moving away from the cockpit carefully. With the dark haired man being the first one in plain view, the woman wasn't at all surprised by the initial interaction of the sweating man and Kylo, tilting her head softly at the 'Please help' expression. Eyes shifting through the back of the ship as the man searched, her hands carefully grasped a black case beneath the pilot's seat, opening it up to peek inside with a thankful sigh that Fedorre hadn't left them completely scrambling. Noting no sign of Chandrila labeling on the case, the woman immediately noticed Kylo speaking again. Oh no.
Clearly, it was not his job to do the talking. The look in her eyes so vividly telling him to shut up, she didn't see the need in depicting what her mind screamed, natural instinct almost demanding that she choke him harder than any Force could. " Technicalities, it doesn't matter, " Pausing as the tall woman managed to slightly maneuver them both off the ship with faint 'shoo'ing hands, the case was pulled out from under her arm and set against her lap, holding onto it carefully as she looked at the stout man. " In exchange for these, we need information from you. " Nails tapping lightly on the box, the woman's eyes shifted back to the area around them, again finding it so very vastly empty. No need to kill him. . Yet. " You have another base of operations near here, we saw it before the blockade scrambled our map. Where is it? "
He looked out onto the vast, empty airfield and pondered what she'd said to him. He'd gotten... stuck on handsome? Why did she have to phrase it like that? Did she mean that was what he'd meant to call her and he'd gotten stuck mentally? Or was she saying that he thought she was a dozen different things and he was just handsome? If so, was she disappointed in how... utilitarian he'd sounded? Was that a teasing mmmhm or a resigned mhm?
Now he was going to have to stew about this for hours, and... well, why was he even thinking so much about what this girl thought he thought about her?
Ridiculous. He let a silence come over him. He needed to be the master of his own mind, here of all places. He looked with surprise at Phasma's little black box. He'd started to ask what it was, but then remembered the death glare she'd given him the last time he opened his mouth. True enough, he'd made a hash out of it last time. He missed that mask. Without it, he didn't really feel like Kylo Ren. He felt like...
"Well, I wouldn't call it a base of operations." Kylo wouldn't have either. He took some vague sense of relief that Phasma's flub was just as bad as his. She sounded exactly like an incompetent spy looking to stage a dangerous operation. "But the Mahiall building is about a dozen clicks that way. They mostly handle... experimental weapons, digital security, defense against HoloNet based attacks. Things like that. Typically planetside transport like a speeder costs extra. But depending on what you've got inside there..."
Kylo stood casually. They'd be fine if something came to it, but he had high hopes for Phasma's case.
If there had been any insight to him falling into the pit of his own thoughts, truthfully she wasn't sure if she'd stop it. . At least not immediately. Not particularly cynical, but simply watching him, counting the way his mind ticked through the possibilities the way it had gone through each of the questions prior in regards to why they were on this ship. Whether it had been his attempt at proving himself social or because dwelling on why they were going to Chandrila in the first place, he had easily given her more pieces of his personality. Curiously, she wondered if it made him uncomfortable. Or if he had even noticed that portion of it at all. Perhaps it was better for the sake of this mission that they at least spoke to one another as though they had been familiar prior to this. .
Yeah, no. Let's just get through today.
Whether it was a blip between Kylo correcting everyone that still believed they were under Imperial jurisdiction or her own unawareness of the planet they had been sent off to, the woman herself wanted to be back quietly in her chambers, or even better yet, in her suit. They wouldn't even have been having this conversation. He probably would've been shot the second he had been seen running to the ship, nails again ticking softly across the box again, the thoughts of what to do with this man slid through her mind. Each calculated, all revolving around the fact that she was not about to walk that distance in this outfit, there was the prime possibility that she could simply allow him to lead her to his speeder and drop him off in some broom closet, but then came the potential of leaving him alive. May as well use him for the time being, hm, after all. He did appear to be alone out here for the time being.
" Sansanna. "
Answering the question he hadn't entirely asked, her hands guided the case to point the opening toward the bulky man, lifting the opening to expose the ground powder, the pure burnt orange color bright within the case's black lining. The case snapping softly when the man attempted to reach out, the blonde tilted her head faintly, " For your speeder. . Please. " Oddly, the words fell in a sweet nature, despite her quick actions, offering the smallest hint of a smile.
Kylo felt his eyebrows rising as Phasma showed off the payload. He'd had a couple of surprises today - for example, he'd been asked to conquer a planet with the Force and a woman armed with a peashooter - but the Order giving a payload like this surpassed all of them. He'd really need to speak with Snoke about the priorities of the Order.
Well. Realistically, he'd make a smug note inside of his head.
"We're talking about bribery, here." The air control officer spread his hands (innocent enough) and then stuck out his tongue at them (a little weird). "If I've given you two the impression that I'm a spicehead..."
A rare smile crept across Kylo's face as he folded his arms together and spoke in a light, agreeable tone. "We're on a blockaded planet, and you specifically mentioned spice during your little inspection. Isn't that right?"
"Yes." The officer paused. "So you do speak in complete sentences after all."
"Like you said, I've had a very hard trip. Listen.I'd like you to exchange the speeder for the contents of the case."
"I... well, I wasn't planning on selling the speeder. I mean, the usual policy is to give a rental -"
"Again, I really need you to listen." A little frustration was beginning to creep into Kylo's voice now as he closed distance with the man. "My name is... Robin Stillwater. My wife and I both have friends and family here on Chandrila and... their safety means more to us than any profit. I know there are people just as desperate to get this as we are to use your speeder, so. This is a very fair arrangement."
Kylo groaned inwardly. In the space of a few minutes, they were a loving couple of spice smugglers who dodged an Imperial blockade to check on their relatives, but also had a deep interest in... what had she said?Bases of operations?
Still, criminals had their soft spots too. Maybe more than the average person. It wasn't a completely incredulous cover story, and by the time anyone doubted it, they'd be lightyears away.
The man nodded wordlessly and slowly pulled the case out of Phasma's hands. Kylo dryly spread his hands behind the man, preemptively accepting congratulations for his negotiating skills. Certainly he'd deliver the speeder without any problems. Even dressed like buffoons, neither of them looked like people to doublecross lightly.
A few minutes later, the hum of the speeder was underneath them as they hummed towards the forest facility.
Kylo was teetering on the edge of frustration. He shouldn't have needed the spiceandthe sad story to brainwash some government functionary for a few minutes. He needed his skills to be at a peak level, and he felt himself backsliding, if anything.
"That was a closer call than it should have been," he mumbled, to no one in particular. "I'm not... performing to expectations."
He sounded stiff when he said it, as if sounding like a stormstooper drone with a poor firing accuracy would make it easier for Phasma to understand his situation. Another knight might have been useful here, but his companion here... naturally, she had no idea of the kind of turmoil going on inside his head.
He leaned back in the scratchy cowhide seat, chewing the inside of his cheek into a blister as he pondered Snoke's words. He'd been making even simple tasks difficult for himself lately. The question was... why?
If one were carefully inspecting the body language of the woman, subconsciously one hand gripped the case a bit tighter, the color leaving the skin around her knuckles slowly. Did he just. . Stick his. . It was going to take a lot to get through this conversation without landing a blow to the bridge of his nose, even more so when the man tried to cover for himself, as though either of them had insinuated such a thing. He had brought it to their attention before she had taken note of the box, though even if he wasn't to use it for himself, using it for his own gains was the next best idea, hm? The budding conversation between the two men had left the woman counting inwardly, releasing her tightened grip for a moment only to snap it back to gripping the case when the man again attempted to backtrack. Was this how people had civil conversations, because frankly there were several faster ways they could have gone about this, but the woman held her tongue, kept herself from gripping him by the collar and almost immediately wishing she hadn't.
The flush hit her cheeks so fast, Phasma was beyond thankful the attention wasn't directed to her for the time being, bright eyes venturing across the airfield. This was being stretched out far more than either of them were expecting, cursing deep within at Fedorre. Here she was, the wife of Goose Stillwater. Through several silent breaths of air she had managed to contain any signs of her cheeks completely discrediting her, just in time for the case to warily be slid from her hands. Eyes staring holes into the back of the officer's head, again and again she reminded herself that she should have just taken him out and dragged him away someplace quiet, avoiding all of this confrontation and conversation. But then again, this mission was already a thorn in both of their sides, and easily she would keep herself from repeating this situation ever again.
Sitting comfortably in the silence that sat between the lovely couple, Phasma had taken to lightly running her tongue over the edges of her teeth when her concentration was broken by the sulking of the man next to her. The tone in his voice proved that he was feeling lesser, raising a dark brow softly, he looked like someone had kicked his favorite droid down an airlock and forced him to watch it float away. " Expectations? " Had to be his own. Or was he supposed to be living up to the hype that surrounded him? Neither of them had handled that situation gracefully, and it only showed that they simply needed. . Well, the ability to deal with others, and that thought alone made her cringe. " It's over now. If you know you can do better, then do it. " Of course Phasma knew nothing about the struggle he was dealing with in his head, her own conditioned to simply. . Well, get better or ultimately fail. And clearly, she wasn't one to simply fail. It was then the speeder began to veer slightly to the left, distancing itself from their straightened path only slightly as they grew near the facility. Head turning away from him, her eyes began shifting as she took in the visual of the building, counting the few on patrol as the speeder veered around it in a circle in the distance. Not enough to be too worried, but the woman couldn't assume there weren't several more inside.
" Done sulking? " Her tone wasn't condescending despite her words, landing the speeder near the back of the building after the first trip around, eyes again moving back to Goo- Robin Stillwater.
"Expectations."
And he couldn't exactly put a target on that sentence. Snoke's expectations, of course. Mostly his own. Perhaps even Luke Skywalker's expectations, in some gnarled and twisted sense.
The whole ordeal just wasn't a good sign. Kylo slowly traced the inside of his palm down his lips, replaying their miserable failures in his own head. He supposed they'd technically done what they'd set out to do, but he was a master of the dark side. Aleadereven at his young age. At a time when he was perfecting the probe technique, a little mind trick should have been child's play.
"The... thing I need to do with the Governor. Is amuchmore difficult version of the... thing I just failed to do with the pea-brained air traffic controller." He opened his mouth and weighed Phasma's expression, which was somewhere on the edge between "businesslike" and "might as well have been talking to a dog" ... then again, dogs didn't have such judging expressions.
And they wouldn't snitch on you to Snoke, either.
Of course, this didn't invalidate her advice.
He took a second and rolled her statement around in her head, parsing it in different ways. Just like he had for her "stuck on handsome" bit. And then he finally sighed and gave up on it. It was silly, wasn't it? He was so used to getting little nuggets of wisdom from his mentors that he was digging studiously through a very different sort of nugget...
Getting it under his fingernails and everything.
He took a heavy breath and kicked the speeder door. Of course, he was loosely aware of how stupid he looked doing things like that, but he couldn't help himself, and it wasn't like there was anyone around to tell him no. And doing that helped, a little. By then they were closing in. He wasn't exactly sure what he plan was, but he'd already decided to get the gist of her plan and run with it.
They were going around the back, anyway. Signaled something in terms of approach.
"I am done sulking, actually." He didn't in any sense mean it. He had enough sulking to last the entire day. But he licked his lips and leaned over the door like he was hungry for a fight and waited for the tension of battle to overcome him.
He was a Jedi.
He wasmorethan a Jedi. He hadn't exactly mastered... brain picking or whatever, but even without a lightsaber, he was in his element here.
What a vivid answer that was, not that she felt like arguing through it to figure out what was getting him into his emotions. While Kylo sulked deeper into the seat, Phasma's mentality was a bit different, perhaps because of how conditioning for stormtroopers had grown over the years since the Battle of Endor. Less emotional connection meant less fuck ups, after all. She wasn't going to baby him, knowing that there were plenty of First Order militants who stepped on eggshells when around the knight, but frankly, she couldn't take him too seriously in that outfit. None the less, Phasma wouldn't let herself be afraid of something she hadn't witnessed herself, let herself become fearful when her job was to more so. . Keep him from dying until they got to the Governor.
Stepping out of the speeder only to hear the hard thud from the other side, the woman rolled her eyes faintly as she moved toward the front of the courier to watch him pace the remnants of another soft tantrum. " If you break it and we have to walk back in this dress, I will be extremely upset. " Leaning down now, the blonde began lifting the hem of her skirt again, both hands gripping it now as she bunched the fabric, successfully tying it up toward the middle of her thighs. She could not at all deal with this dress being the reason she got pinned down. She'd be damned. " You did a better job at lying to him than you did to me. " If that made him feel any better, standing now as she turned to him again with a raised brow, " There are five of them outside, and I don't intend on having any more conversations that include me being married. " However with their unfortunate luck throughout this trip, a part of her wouldn't be surprised if Fedorre had set this up as some sick honeymoon guise.
And though she didn't necessarily expect him to do much, what with his ego crushed, the blonde turned and let her boots guide her forward, steps soft against the ground. One less conversation, one less awkward moment. Catching the end of a conversation of two human men at the back of the building, she watched them separate in opposite directions before moving carefully behind one, hands reaching out to grip his head, the soft snap muffled beneath the attempt to yell. Though it had been just barely, the other man had heard, Phasma releasing the man before her just to let her foot raise and land the back of her heel to the side of his head. The grips of her boot shoved against his neck, the stammering man now lay on the ground, staring up at the woman as she asked, " How many of you are there? " Whether he confirmed her headcount or not wasn't necessarily a hit or miss situation, foot pushing with a gentle ease as he again began stammering, " Eight. "
If it helps, nobody will remember Robin Stillwater a day from now.
Now, looking down at two men, he realized he'd need to reassess that statement, and expand his definition of nobody. If Commander Phasma performed like that regularly, she'd certainly see tomorrow no matter what happened on this godforsaken rock.
For a glorified stormstooper, he was beginning to see why people put up with her weird unblinking expressions and constant understatement. Eight. Eight people that didn't know they were coming, weren't exactly elite tier military, weren't even force sensitive. He wasn't sure about breaking the Governor yet, but he was sure he'd get into the capital.
He leaned over the man Phasma had destroyed andreachedfor his mind through the Force, less insistently this time. Every mind had its own textures and contours, secrets that were hidden on the surface or buried amongst deeper shames. He needed to clear himself out. Be a mirror, not a stonedozer.
"Where's the server room?"
The man was grimacing, pouring sweat out of nowhere as Kylo sifted into his mind. The man seemed to melt into the floor, pinned, and desperate. He saw no reason to be gentle with him. None.
The man let out a soft whimper. "I don't know!"
He wasn't deep enough to take the truth for himself, but he did have the lay of the land. "You're lying to me, aren't you? I can always tell."
Hereachedfor the downed man's throat, and Kylo felt the Force flickering through him this time, smooth and responsive and... almost joyful. He pulled the man into the air, strangling him and stretching his limbs in all directions. "The server room. It's your last chance."
He sneered and let the man's throat open just enough to croak out an answer. Of course, just applying pain to someone wasn't a perfect interrogation method, and yet... "It's in B2-17. The big room at the end of the hall. The basement."
"Thank you." Kylo focused his rage on the guard, crushing the veins in his throat and destroying his heart with an invisible, pitiless hand. The man fell to the ground with a soft thud and Kylo stepped over the body. Wouldn't make any sense to do that to someone and let him live.
"I already knew where the server room was," he grumbled. Of course, that wasn't the problem.
They'd actually arrived with less frenzy than anticipated - there was an uneventful journey down to the MagLift, and only one guard on the level, who they'd evaded seamlessly. It was possible that they'd have to deal with him on the way out, but...
Kylo hovered over the server computer, scanning their lovely faces and information into the database of aides and functionaries that had security clearance for the inner areas of the capital. "I'm going to assume you don't want to be Mrs. Robin Stillwater on your biometric ID."
For a moment the woman considered being thoughtful and mentioning the potential to practice on the man who was down and bleeding out the side of his head. But apparently his intentions were just that, arms folding over her chest now as she watched him lean over the already stunned man, perking up a brow softly as she watched the man's stance begin to change. The complete change was. . Different to watch, to say the least, having never witnessed the illusive Jedi Force herself, Phasma let her eyes drift from the cringing man to Kylo. His face had appeared to grow with something of a gloom, the terrified man's voice catching her ears, it wasn't unfamiliar to hear the sound of a beggar, but there was still something different in it. Never had Phasma let anything regarding the force cross her mind for more than a few fleeting seconds, because there were too many stories that were almost unbelievable. A woman of her vision, watching something creep across Kylo's face, the faint flicker of curiosity behind her eyes when the body rose into the air.
Ticking the confirmed rumors off in her head, he almost seemed pleased with himself, unlike the sulking adult he had been only a few minutes prior. The change could be seen as something that made most uncomfortable, this giving more than enough of an explanation as to why his tantrums were tolerated and dealt with time after time. Eyes shifting their focus again to the man who stretched so still in the air, only to watch his body seize and fall to the ground like a pile of meat, a soft " Hm. " escaping. Well that was. . Odd. Nodding only faintly to herself as she stepped over the pitiful husk, easily her mind was starting to process what had just happened. Not to say she hadn't necessarily been a nonbeliever of the Force, but frankly, she hadn't care enough to delve into caring about it. All the Jedi were said to be dead, aside from this one in particular and a certain runaway Skywalker, so believing in it just seemed like a ridiculous waste of time. Well. . You can't say it wasn't sexy.
Almost immediately scolding herself with a sharp bite to her bottom lip to prevent any slip ups that left her embarrassed any more today, Phasma was again relieved with her favorite thing; Silence. Standing near the server room door, being ambushed in a basement was not anything she wanted to be the cause of this to end before they finished their mission, turning now when he asked if she wanted to remain as misses Stillwater. " If it keeps you from getting fluttery on our story, then it's fine. Otherwise, no. " She would deal with it, tight lipped and swearing in her head, but she would deal with it. Now, however, came a question she had given plenty of time to be patient about in regaining her stoic line of thinking, " Is that the better version of what you're supposed to do with the Governor? "
"You... you could say that," he grunted through his teeth. Mrs. Robin Stillwater it was - of course, now they were recent University graduates working as aides for... one set of Senators or the other. He would have changed the name if she'd actually offered a suggestion, but he wasn't inclined to bend over backwards to learn all her... little preferences. He hammered the keys, stretching out his own senses through the room and into the hall.
"Of course, we need to keep him alive. It's more than possible. The force can sense emotions, manipulate feelings, read minds, some of the old masters even had the power to reshape minds to their own will." Kylo waited on the computer to log his first set of changes. He was well aware of how terrifying that sounded to someone uninitiated, but he had long since made his peace with the forces he was wrestling with. "The Emperor and... Lord Vader... held an entire galaxy under their sway. Trillions of lives balanced by their rage and passion and sheer willpower. I clearly haven't reached that level of mastery but..."
As evidenced by the fact that Phasma was here, acting as his chaperone. Doubtless she thought the Empire was held together by... shipyards and pamphlets and men with laser rifles. How could people not know any better? Perhaps it was better this way? If everyone in the galaxy was prepared for him, his work would be more difficult.
"Give it time. One day you might be happy that you have me as... well, that we worked together." He finished the second entry and gave her a little lopsided grin. "That one wasn't perfect. He still shut me out. Or to be more accurate, I didn't let myself all the way in. Next time the charm, hopefully." The computer chimed gently and Kylo loved towards the door, almost joyful at their good fortune. A couple of dead bodies no one would miss for a while, free passes to the Capitol, and not a single scratch on either of them.
The power was still crackling inside of him from his last display, and he felt looser despite his encroaching deadline. He clapped Phasma on the shoulder and maneuvered around her. "We're about to singlehandedly conquer a planet. You'll be able to brag about this for the rest of your career."
It hadn't quite dawned on her until he said it, until he listed of the many wonderful things his enlightenment did, eyes growing wide as she turned her vision back down the hallway. Read minds. Replayed over and over again, one of her hands lightly settling against the door frame as she inhaled sharply to regain her thoughts. Alright Phasma, you'd thought it one time, one fleeting time and it had only happened once. Just once, and never ever again. Another soft nod to assure herself before she returned back into his devoted semi-speech in regards to previous men who had caused destruction within the galaxy. Finally, something worth the distraction. Phasma had never found herself among several others within the First Order, searching for men to fall in line behind, to praise the way others had done to Lord Vader or Emperor Palpatine. Her duty was to the First Order, the cause it stood for. Not men with fondness for the Force.
As? Clicking her tongue softly behind her teeth out of her ill formed habit, the woman knew he had left husband deep in the depths where it should be, turning back to him in time to catch the grin he gave her. Happy that they'd worked together because the cards were set well for him? Was he. . Was he bragging? Getting an ego? And there it went, any moments of still being a young twenty something with emotions and attraction, right out the window. Men. Thankful when he was done with such a chore, her head had turned back to the mess left in the hallway, only for her eyes to snap immediately to her bare shoulder. " Thank you for selling my career so short. " And although it would be nice to have in her arsenal, the conquering of a planet, the way he made it sound as though it were that much greater to have known him before he followed in the footsteps of so many other Sith, who were all murdered if she might add, Phasma welcomed the light once they were back outside.
" Well husband, I suggest we get as far away from this as possible, hm? "
The ride back to the airfield was rapid, the blonde turning her head to the building the officer had pulled the speeder from, pulling open the door of their ship and slipping into the pilot's seat yet again. Thankful they were off the ground without any difficulty, Phasma now spoke as they were no longer on the airfield. " Red clay dirt looks a lot like Sansanna, doesn't it? " Though only the first of the small jars contained the spice, the remaining two proving to simply be unimportant. With what would be happening by the end of the day, it was almost as though they had handed him something to keep him relaxed. Oh, but of course that was only if they were true to assume what he did in his free time.
Another airfield proved that while one side of Chandrila was without, this one was the opposite, sighing softly, " Let's get through this a bit better than the first time, hmm? " What Phasma? Crippling embarrassment wasn't fun for you anymore?
"Oh excuse me," he said, hitting a button on the MagLift and leaning against the far door. "This is important work for me. Maybe it pales in comparison to whatyou'replanning to do next week."
She had an ambiguous way of talking, clipped little indirect sentences, with stresses in just the right places to have him thinking about what she'd said. Either that, or he'd done all the thinking on his own volition, and that was a stranger thing to consider, wasn't it?
But he knew what she was getting at, that he'd be going on to all the exciting things she imagined him doing and she'd bepracticing her scowlinglooking around with her naturally unfortunate face, doing tedious grunt missions from here out to the Rim.
Hm. Strange that a few moments of optimism after his breakthrough would leave her so chilly. Chilly even by her high standards.
"I couldn't agree with you more." Time was on their side here, but there was no need to dawdle. One of the many incredible problems with Republic aligned worlds was their insistence on bureaucracy for everything. Even something as gruesome as a couple of murders at a secure facility would need to gradually be pushed up the ranks - it would be days before anyone got around to actually assessing the damage done, especially considering the amount of secure data being held at that facility.
It wasn't propaganda to say that the ideals of democracy and community, when applied to a scale of a galaxy or even a planet, created consistently horrid results.
"Are you going to tease me about the husband thing for the rest of my life? I had to think of that on the spot. And we don't exactly look like siblings." Against his better senses, his lips twitched into a slight, sardonic smile.
"It was funny, though."
They were in the air before Phasma spoke again, this time talking about the spice they'd sold off to the traffic controller.
"Well, this time we have a cover story in place instead of... increasingly desperate improvisation." He slid forward and pressed a button on the comm, casually reading off the ship's name and manifest.
"Hang tight, Mr. Stillwater, we recently moved to an elevated state of security, it might take a few minutes to clear you."
Kylo's eyes boggled as he sent Phasma a worried look.
"Okay. No problem. Thanks. Thanks... so much for your... thoroughness. Your thoughtfulness." He slapped a button on the comm and ran a hand through his hair.
"There's no way we're getting captured by people whodress like this, right?" His nose let out a hot jet of air through his palm. "Should we be uh...developing a contingencyon the remote chance that we're found out?" He'd tried to think of a phrase that sounded Phasma-like, as if that would spur her towards action.
"I guess we would just... give up, keep quiet, wait for an opening..."
But he didn't know.
There was the possibility of turning around in mid-air and hurrying back to theGauntlet. But would they be followed? By what, and how much of it?
He didn't much like the ability of being in a ship this rickety, even if safety was relatively closer in the air.
For the rest of his life?
" Til death. "
Perhaps what she hadn't thought about initially was the fact that while he was on the track to his slightly well paved uprising, Phasma would know him at his lesser end. She would have seen his frustrations, his fluttering, and his moments of disappointment within himself. Phasma had witnessed little ticks and nervousness creep over his face like a storm, while most had only seen the mask that he held himself so confidently behind. She was no one to judge, but while most had seen their end come at the hands of a man behind a mask, she would know him at what could quite well be his worst. His open faced, worst. And although both were in an uncomfortable bind, with small glimpses of getting used to this situation, later in life it might make things a bit clearer. For now, she took it for what it was. Kylo Ren as himself, without the mask.
Eyes venturing down over the green of the forest as they passed, the woman only turning away when he spoke through the comm, announcing their arrival the way anyone naturally would. Meeting the concerned gaze the man gave her with a soft blink, her legs crossed again, only then realizing she hadn't readjusted her skirt back to the appropriate length, reminding herself to do so before they landed. They were supposed to be held to some sort of esteem, after all. The stammering in his words brought her focus back up however, her lips curling into a grin when she could hear the very point his nerves shoved themselves into his throat. There was no way they were getting caught by people who dressed like this, indeed, one hand reaching out and carefully shifting a few buttons across the console, for his sake, it was almost pleasant that he was more than just another stormtrooper. He'd have been slapped back into the present, and in his senses, several awkward stances ago. " I am only here to make sure you get through this alive, but. . "
And here was where her eloquent way of wording came again, " I have plenty more opportunities to walk out on Fedorre in the middle of a conversation. " While Phasma knew she damn sure didn't want to hear any snide remarks from the man, just that little bit of information alone would give the Admiral fuel to mention it in every little conversation he could. Phasma's job here was to get him to and from this mission safely, and alive. Now, if he felt like turning and running away so soon, the woman would oblige because technically, he was the one in charge in this situation. But the longer it took him to decide, the closer Phasma got to the next airfield, and turning away the closer they got would look oddly suspicious. Turning away from him now, the woman shifted lightly in her seat, eyes catching sight of the open grey of the airfield, " I am Asa Stillwater, your wife. We're newlyweds who just finished University, and we are just so happy to be aids for Senator Dipka. " That was their story. Simple. Now they just had to stick to it.
She hadn't directly addressed the possibility of them getting caught, and that was an answer in its own way.
Stick to the plan, keep as level a head as possible, and execute.
Not at all his typical way of doing things, but it was the sort of thing he needed to work on.
He took a breath and returned to the matter at hand. "You know what? When we're actually in the party, we should say we're from off-world. Think of how many people there are going to be bright eyed graduates from the So-and-So Academy. Someone's going to come up to us and start asking whether you playedGravball, and then I'm going to start rambling about..." Kylo snapped his fingers. "Etymology.That's the word I was thinking of at the airfield."
Fine. It wasn't exactly a perfect plan, and if they were at all fortunate, they'd be in and out before such a thing could even be tested. But they were both very poor choices for spies... the sort of people that others looked at (when they weren't gawking outright) and remembered. Before he could present his own counter-argument, the comm crackled to life, and Kylo slide over towards it, trying to put a casual tone in his voice, topping out at irritation over the delay.
"Okay... we're going to need you two to remain stationary for a few minutes while we figure out the situation on the ground. We apologize, it's just... really hectic down here for obvious reasons."
"Are we... are we in trouble or anything?"
"Uh... no!" The air traffic controller sounded terrified. Maybe that was just circumstance, but maybe, maybe it was something deeper. Kylo shot a sideways glance to Phasma and pressed his lips together in a narrow, nervous line. That was exactly the kind of thing they'd say if they were in a full meltdown about how to capture a powerful force user and his (relatively) deadly assistant. "Just stay where you are. Sorry for the inconveni- "
The comm buzzed out just as abruptly. Kylo groaned. This was stomach-churning stuff, but really... they were in a floating tin-can, so the next move wasn't theirs to make. Even if he wanted to stress himself out over hypothetical, his companion would just...refuse to do it, so there was no point doing anything but... sulking over it.
He leaned back, catching a flash of the Commander's long, muscular leg spilling out of her dress. She'd pulled the thing up for the sake of convenience, and now he was seeing... well, progressively more of her than he'd imagined he would. He watched her out of the corner of his eye, slowly letting himself take longer looks as he fiddled with the dashboard - he was sure that she'd start making faces at him if she noticed, and she was about nothing if not attention to small details, and yet...
He couldn't quite help himself, with an image like that. You didn't see women that curved in her particular ways everyday. Orevereven.
"The hole in our plan," he said, forcing himself to look upwards, "is Dipka himself. We need to either find out where he is when we arrive or say we're there in his place or... I could try to practice with him."
Practice, that was his new euphemism for the mental probe. Wasn't good enough, though. He'd practiced with plenty of people, and now he felt like a student getting increasingly desperate as a deadline approached. He'd practiced with so many... wait.
A few things flashed through his mind. Things the targets had in common.
"Oh no. Uh... listen. You aren't going to love this suggestion, but keep an open mind. I've been working on this for a few months. Honestly, I'm still uncomfortable with it. I think Snoke is trying to place me in an urgent situation where Ihaveto do it properly, but... maybe that's the wrong direction. Do you think you and I... I mean, while we're up here, I could try it out with you."
Try it out with you. So friendly. Like a party trick that needs an assistant, and not the single most invasive thing one person could do to another.
Honestly, getting her to strip naked and bend over might have been less of an ask, depending on your perspective.
"I wouldn't hurt you at all. And it would be even easier because you'd be... calm. Willing. Receptive. I haven't had a..." Kylo coughed midsentence and rubbed his face. Okay, there's a sentence that was going in a dozen bad directions at once. "But I'd be very... limited. You think of a color and I would just... peel it out."
He winced. PEEL IT OUT?
This was Kylo Ren. Being reassuring.
Then again, maybe he was being weirder about it than she would be. Anything for the Order, right?
right?
Phasma was not about to let him sulk it out and fuck this up.
Unfortunately, now he had the woman second guessing herself, the steps they had taken. Should they have simply killed everyone they had come into contact with? That air officer couldn't possibly have been bright enough to expect them to be from the First Order. He hadn't even heard of the First Order. It wasn't possible. They couldn't possibly have been found out, right? Right. Coercing herself through her own moments of doubt plagued within this conversation, the woman shook her head softly. What is wrong with you Phasma. No one truly knew who the fuck either of them were, even more so out of uniform. In no way did the woman without her uniform simply look like a stormtrooper and he didn't look like some mass murderer. They were simply. .Well, they were simply the Stillwaters.
Why didn't we change that name.
The comm buzzing out as she placed the ship in a steady float, her eyes glancing upward at the sound of it rattling again almost forcing her to be reminded that this thing could just drop out of the sky at any time. Perhaps that would be helpful. Looking down just in time to catch his own eyes go up to the ceiling, raising a brow softly at the sudden shift of his vision, though deciding it best to disregard it for now, " I don't think it will be hard to find him, " What would be hard would be making sure he didn't choke on what he had done so gracefully before. Three times could help, hm? Anything better than the first time was getting better, and if it took them narrowing in on Dipka to make it personal, then it was fine with her.
Again she swore she could see an idea working over his face, narrowing her eyes just slightly as the sentence started off in a way that one would naturally respond with an immediate no. The further he got into not actually explaining what he wanted, the closer the woman got to a no. Why was this beginning to sound like something else. Or was it actually what she thought it was and he was terrible at asking, and drowning himself even further in the process. It was right at the end that she noticed her eyebrows had raised, blinking softly because none of that had led to where he ended his question. " W- what, " Was he asking for. . No? He couldn't have been. . Right, think of a color. So he meant that thing he did? Jedi thing? The pure confusion on her face changed, almost in a blink the blonde began laughing immediately, closing her eyes and inhaling only to find herself laughing again, hand moving over her mouth to stifle her laughter.
" Absolutely unbelievable. " From her perspective, he had damn near asked for her to do exactly that, for her to make the time they were spending waiting and use it in a different, nonproductive fashion. " Are you trying to do that thing or are you trying to have sex with me. " Shaking her head softly, the woman found the faint curious nature within her deciding that if it kept him from completely screwing up, it couldn't be awful. . Right? " Fine, I'll do it. "
"Okay, look." A certain calmness came into his voice as he stood up and closed in on her. "Right now, we both need -"
He'd cooked up a sales pitch in the few seconds between devising his scheme and actually doing it. He wasn't sure it was a good one, but it was... cohesive, and he could deliver it without the mask. Something about the congested hierarchy in the Order. How difficult climbing the ranks had to be for a woman officer (he was still weighing saying this out loud). How valuable he could be as an ally - as a friend, even.
Before he could go through his routine, she'd already agreed to it.
"I... what?" Kylo licked his lips and raised his eyebrows. She'd just had to mention sex, didn't she? He had a vivid mental image of her stark naked and writhing in his lap, his hands gripping the crevices of her back, his fingertips playing along her spine like a harp, the twitches in her generous bottom lip and the startled expressions in her eyes and the curling of her toes, all responses to his skillful play, and then -
Ugh. He needed to stop that. He wasn't sure whether it was a genuine attraction, or just his general fascination with her, or being on a tin can with (mostly) men for the last few months. Either way, it wasn't exactly the time.
"I wouldn't need to try to have sex with you. I'd just offer you the opportunity, and you'ddoit." Fine, being bellicose in the face of her sexual... whatever was like second nature for him. He could deal with the external almost automatically. It was the internal that was bothering him now. "But try and focus, all right?"
He was already in front of her, so he raised his hand to her temple. "I'd like you to.... picture... this stupid outfit I'm wearing. Picture it as some other color besides white and orange. And I'm going to find out what that color is. Snoke has told me that I'm too rough when I try this. That I try to dominate instead of... mirror. So you're going to feel a very gentle touch in your mind."
Kylo took a deep breath... and then he paused.
"By the way, I might have been lying about... how much this would hurt. It tends to hurt the more you resist, so... just be... very relaxed. You're just... doing a magic trick with your handsome friend."
Why did he need to even talk about pain out loud? Still, he was about as calming as he could manage. His fingers tough the tip of her temple (no tingling sensations or starbursts on contact with her skin, thankfully he hadn't gone THAT overboard yet) and begun... no, he couldn't DIG this time.
He showed Phasma her own mind. And eavesdropped.
Though she had agreed, Phasma did take into consideration the way he closed the distance between them with excuses stacked up high and ready to unload, whether she had agreed out of genuine curiosity or because she wanted to avoid all that together, she would never tell. However, when he looked at her as though he were hungry, it almost made her reconsider, only for the look of genuine surprise to cross her face at his response, her expression purely 'Oh?' He was just full of surprises, it was amusing to her that he was so hidden. Then again, that could very well have been her doing. Nodding her head softly when he told her to try and focus, thumbing through her mind for any simple color, brown eyes following his hand as it hovered near the side of her face.
The instruction was simple, almost a bit too easy for the circumstance, eyes snapping upward when he so blatantly admitted to being a liar about the pain, a small portion of her had figured that it wasn't some delicate trip. She had saw the way that man writhed without him having to touch him, and even if he had given her some promise of being far more gentle, she didn't completely trust that he could just make this a painless process. Reminding herself that she had agreed to this, her bright eyes shifted over his face just in time for her to feel the initial touch of his finger, inhaling sharply when the sensation hit. Her fingers curled, not nearing to close into a fist, pupils dilating, her skin faintly ridged with a chill, the first picture in her mind was her first time seeing the outfit. Goose. The solid form that was once Kylo Ren shrank, forming the very bird who held an almost uncannily unhappy expression. Black.
Again, the image shifted, the goose rising back to the male in a black one piece, the orange belt needing to be thrown away as well. . . And red. The orange growing dark, fading into red, breathing out softly. It was there her mind did what anyone's normally would, associating images and sights with other things. The images fell and the red pooled into blood, the Force stricken man slipping through her mind, silently tasting the slight metallic taste with her tongue from where she had bit down. Her fingers were beginning to close slightly, growing closer and closer to fists, though her mind went on, revealing the less than Phasma reaction she had in watching him earlier, further back into the time she had spent examining herself in the mirror while getting dressed, and deeper into her practice simulation from this morning.
It was right at this moment, that the woman's fists were clenched completely, the color leaving her knuckles as the sharp pain seemed to move down the back of her neck, diving through her spine. Her hand immediately slapped his palm away, eyes dropping from his face now and down to her still clenched fist, slowly releasing it as she realized she had been holding her breath when the pain severed her thoughts, breathing out now as she heard the sound of the comm buzzing to life again. " You two are clear to land! "
Kylo staggered backwards, and a few emotions clashed for supremacy on his face as his back bumped into the console.
"Black and... pink? No, it was red. It was red." Well, that had to be the first thing, didn't it? This was the first time he'd been able to get into someone's mind, not a weird wiggling act that felt like balancing a pen in the palm of his hand, but complete entry, with every corner of her thoughts, memories, and being open to him.
That was incredible.Incredible didn't even describe it. It was perfection and it felt... it felt good. Speaking of perfection, he felt (and with an incredible intensity) the flush of arousal Phasma had felt when he stepped over the security guard, gotten glimpses of her in the mirror this morning, a little "jumpy" in her memory but perfectly clear, and the ambiguity of his being stuck on handsome was... well, much less ambiguous now.
He saw himself as she saw him. Which wasn't entirely flattering, but beneath the layers of condescension...
"Ah." He kept his mouth shut beyond that. Even he wasn't stupid enough to crow out the details of his findings, right there in front of her face. "I didn't mean for it to... sting at the end. It was really... abrupt. But you're fine, right?"
Before he could get any sort of answer, the comm came on. He didn't even want to know what that meant, or even if they were as clear as the man said. It was possible this was another way to catch them, but there was something about the man's tone...
Either that air traffic controller was a master liar, or it reallywasa situation on the ground that had been cleared up. "That is excellent to hear," Kylo panted, "we're sending you our approach vector now, try and keep the skies clear for us."
He slumped to the ground, wiping a bit of sweat from his brow. Now he had... that memory and those images. Someone detached from the situation would think it was a dream come true for him.
Force choke a dozen more Chandrilans and she'll be all yours. And you're actually good at that! And she finds you somewhat attractive when you're not talking!
But really, it was a separate set of issues. How did you breach something like that? Did you even try?
"I was just thinking... should we... trade somehow? Maybe there's something about me that you'd like to know."
He looked over at the readings. "Nothing that takes longer than a couple minutes, though. Or we could just settle here in silence."
There wasn't really a way to confirm or deny what - and how much - he'd seen inside her head. Well... he supposed she could just ask him.
As if this day couldn't get more uncomfortable.
Well this. . This was just. . Her face felt hot, unable to doubt that there was a blush against her cheekbones, chest rising and falling softly as her eyes danced over nearly everything that wasn't him. She didn't need him to announce what he had seen, the thoughts having poured so easily that the woman had seen them lazily slide by, though her body almost held her from controlling them. Keeping them from creeping around like a slow moving projector video, feeling the retreat of her welled eyes as she closed them faintly, seeming ignoring his weak attempt at an apology. He was a liar, after all. He probably didn't give a shit. While the last bit of it had sent such an unpleasant feeling through her skin, she did not feel any sympathy for those who had felt worse in that situation. Did that make her cynical? Probably.
Breathing well enough that her cheeks retreated to a soft pink, she had almost forgotten about wishing she had her helmet until now, hands gripping the steering wheel as she opened her eyes. She had experienced beyond more than she expected from the Force today, that was for damn sure. Ok Phasma, get it together. She had been hit harder than that, it had just never been a mental thing. Eyes still avoiding the dark haired male on the floor, her nails tapped faintly against her palms, the ship shifting with the surprisingly softest sound she had ever heard come out of this thing, the whirr filling the silence until he began speaking again. Phasma wondered, curiously, if he could read her mind now, her mind telling him to shut up. Trade? Trade? The chilly expression was slowly returning to her face, lightly uncrossing her legs as she finally spoke, " What did you. . Never mind, let's not even get into that. " Phasma knew immediately that she could not handle having her mind played right back to her right now, not with the pile of awkward sitting in her lap as it was. They did not train me for any of this.
Perhaps this all was in the grand scheme of things, the guiding eyes of the Supreme Leader. . Without a doubt, she absolutely hoped not. Phasma was far beyond deciding to place this incident behind her, in the back of her head until they got this mission over with. Actually, forever. Yes, forever was nice. Ignoring the heat she knew was disappearing from her inner thighs, the woman guided the ship in silence, their arrival and landing almost expertly faster than their first, shifting the material down her legs now as she stood. None of this is going in my report. No, again reminding herself that forgetting was the easiest thing to do, Misses Asa Stillwater breathed out softly before turning to look at him, " Ready? "
The ambiguity was infuriating. Kylo sat in the speeder and pouted. What did he... what? He supposed that he could go on another voyage inside Phasma's head, but he'd barely pulled it off with her cooperation, and she'd give him a bloody nose at the least.
He supposed he was overdue a little ambiguity after all that. It wasn't like he hadn't gotten anything out of the bargain. His mind had a very brief conversation with itself over the ethics of getting a tent over the images he'd stolen from Phasma's head.
But his mind eventually decided that he'd already butchered women and children, and getting a bit of a stiffy from his co-worker wasn't a problem. He remembered (it washis memorynow) the subtle cocking of her hips as she walked, the vulnerability of her thoughts in the mirror, and... well. There wasn't a bit of anything going on there.
He couldn't let himself really relax like that. Not wearing something this tight. Then there'd be a situation where...
He groaned to himself, putting his head in his hands before he could even finish the thought. No more thinking of her at all. Think of Asa Stillwater.
He was still doing that when they arrived at the Capitol building. The scan had been rather tense and tedious, but it had passed without incident as well. So disappeared the last chance there was some sort of trap or mistake in place. They were probably just discovering the bodies, just calling someone who would call someone else to make a preliminary investigation and... it was all so pathetic.
The two of them walked up the stairs, got scanned in again and the door and surveyed the main receiving room. Well, this was nice. Kylo had imagined a social party for some reason, but the government was more or less in session. In the distance there was a debate over the blockade, other aides were scurrying around delivering papers back and forth.
Millions of man-hours going into making one fucking decision. How could any sort of war machine function like this? He had some observations, but they'd have to wait for some other time. There were probably worse places to turn to his companion and give a speech on how much he loved fascism, but he couldn't think of any.
He stalked through the crowd and peered through the floor - people were talking, but nobody was paying attention. The high chair that overlooked the Senate was empty. Kylo tapped one sweaty looking aide on the shoulder.
"Uh, is Governor Arquardt -"
"He's in transit," he said, barely looking up. "Going to be making an announcement in an hour."
Kylo sighed dramatically. Of course he was. He spun to Phasma.
"I have WONDERFUL news to share with you, my love."
A small portion of her was thankful for the knowledge that at least there was potential to feel something if he decided to go snooping, knowing entirely what could happen for being aggressive toward someone of a higher rank. But what if she didn't feel anything? What happened if he did it and heard another set of thoughts in her core. What if he heard something that made is ego inflate. Oh. . Oh this was awful. The thought made her stomach flip, just hearing it now as he tried his hardest to be smooth about it, So I heard you think I'm sexy. One hand momentarily settling over her stomach, Phasma shook her head softly, slowly as though telling that wicked thought to bury itself and die. Much like how she wanted to.
Moving through security with the thoughtful reminder that she had left the gun in the ship, the blonde let her eyes follow the all but running aides once they reached the receiving room, taking in the sight of Resistance saved government. Not for long. How many of these stacks of papers and running aides would be there to protect them from the First Order? How many times had they gone over needing to find better ways to handle the blockade, one arguing in favor of this while another disagreeing. There were better ways to go about this, both she and Kylo knew this. It was entertaining to see the before of something like this, the buzz of aids dancing around in almost intentional beats, the woman somehow found herself with a stack of papers. Being mistaken for someone else in the aide's flurry of movement, her brown eyes caught Kylo just in time for him to spin so delicately to her and announce that he had good news. Blinking softly, her hand guided the papers into a trash chute, the calm expression on her face almost amusing as she clearly couldn't have cared less the importance of the forms.
" Do tell. "
"The Governor," he said, the irritation clear in his voice, "is in transit. It's going to be about an hour before he's here." He took the blonde by the arm and started to amble down the hall. He ignored the stack of papers she'd thrown away, making a note of respect for her extraordinary comic timing. "I want to get through the security detail and get my hands on him before he does anything else."
He didn't shout this, but he didn't hide his voice either. There was a din of people trying to be heard over each other, and figured some small percentage of them were trying to get the Governor's ear. It wasn't a crime or anything, was it?
"We need a quiet way to do that." They couldn't just casually kill anyone unlucky enough to meet them, not here of all places. Best case scenario, he'd retire to an office flanked by two guards. They could use the ID, huff Dipka's name over and over, and do what they had to do. Ideally.
But while they waited. "I didn't expect it to be so crowded. It's a room full of people, and I don't want to socialize with any of them. Would you like to... ply the time somehow? Find drinks? "
He supposed slipping into a closet and letting him crawl between her legs was an impossibility. And how careful of him to talk about the pain of socializing with... them. He was likely part of the them as far as she was concerned. Maybe he was Most of Them.
The tone he took was immediately telling that there was yet another set back, at least this one wasn't providing any great deal of stress, it just meant avoiding bodies sweating for another being in the worst way. And avoid being handed anything else, which really wasn't a true hassle for her. Another soft bite placed against her bottom lip, half of her mind having been expecting that sensation to tingle up through her skin again, there was an inaudible sigh of relief that settled her paranoia. That still didn't hide the embarrassment from before.
Killing people and leaving far too many alive in the same building was sloppy, unless the intention was to send a message. The level of high alert they would be sitting in almost made her skin crawl, her eyes moving over the open space before nodding toward a door near the end of the hallway, " There, " Though they hadn't completely began guarding the door, a set of men in uniforms stood talking among themselves, just as unconcerned about the decision-making as they were. Turning her head and raising a brow softly at the way he so lightly attempted to make it sound like he wanted to be chatty with anyone here at all, Phasma decided against vocalizing such a thing, instead thankful for the offer of drinks. " Lead the way. "
While Phasma hadn't necessarily planned on asking anything about what had happened or what he had seen, there was another underlying question. " Did you learn anything from doing that to me or were you just being kindly invasive? "
Doubtlessly Phasma had meant the comment as a one off statement, a business like expression to keep him focused on the task ahead. It was the sort of thing a handler would say. But something about her phrasing froze him, had him staring off into the middle distance.
Now the Supreme Leader's voice was echoing in his head.
The task is difficult because you choose for it to be difficult. Do you ever wonder why you do that so often?
This was an air conditioned room, but his mouth felt like it was on fire. He swallowed, keeping his voice low and looking at Phasma out of the corner of his eye as he spoke.
"The first time I wore... that mask. There was a task I needed to do, and I needed to protect myself from my own weakness. I was doing something terrible. Not to strangers but to people I'd... slept with, ate with, people who loved me. People I loved in return. It was something I understood intellectually, something that had to be done, but my body... wouldn't start shaking. My hands wouldn't stop shaking. I remember being curled up in a ball in a bathroom crying, because my stomach was so cramped that I physically couldn't move. I was... just a kid, really."
He almost started to explain why the mask helped with that. But she was sure to understand that part of it.
"Kylo Ren is... how my body obeys my mind. If that makes sense. I... am... empathic." He made a sound like air being let out of a hose. "I've spent the entire trip obsessed with how you'd feel about everything I... said and did. And it's not just because you're... the most amazing woman I've ever met." That bit physically pained him to say out loud, and yet he felt like he owed her some sort of payment for the intimate tour of her quarters. "Enough time, I would have felt the same way about... Admiral Fedorre, or that greasy air traffic controller, or the security guard I killed a couple of hours ago."
"I'd gotten so used to cutting that part of me off that I never stopped to think about when it might be useful. The reason I've failed so much is that... it's not a skill Kylo Ren is capable of. Not yet, anyway."
He made brief contact with Phasma's eyes. Was this going to come off as a bunch of psychological babble? "All of that's to say, I can finish this mission now with 100 percent certainty. I think. Thank you for asking."
Her question hadn't been meant to hit any specific nerves, simply figuring if he was going to be that far into her mind without initially hurting her, she was curious if it had helped his difficulty dealing the task at hand. Of course she had no idea what difficulty he was dealing with from having far more expectations than anyone ever could. Between the Supreme Leader pushing him out carefully into the spotlight, that only lead the First Order to follow along with expectations, something she had only somewhat had to deal with on a seemingly lesser scale. Turning her head lightly when he began his story, although she didn't ask for it, she didn't seem to mind, listening with simple focus to tune out the ones around her. It was odd to her that he felt the need to explain himself, explain his actions to her as though she were anything more than an escort for him today. Granted, never had she simply sold herself short in that fashion, but it almost felt as though she mentally needed to in this circumstance.
What he said next caught her off guard, naturally as things like that weren't directed toward her, especially not out in the open. How would it have ever happened, naturally aware that her domineering nature kept people away from her and kept her again at a comfortable distance from her own emotions. Stormtroopers weren't supposed to hold emotions, as numerous failures had been had when ones thought it made sense to hold on to feelings, and others. Empathy was not an option. Phasma watched the wince on his face when he admitted another sign of emotion, this one more than some deep reflection into his past, Phasma turned her vision away from him now, eyes following another aide off to find something that another had said was missing. " What do you mean you can't find them? I just gave them to you. " She overheard, shaking her head faintly just in time for him to turn to her and announce that he was absolutely sure he would be able to complete the task at hand tonight.
" Let's stop making all of this uncomfortable, hm? " Phasma spoke now, offering a faint smile that was surprisingly genuine. " You've seen my thoughts now, and know things about me that I'm never going to just admit. " Now they were even, at least for now until they were stuck in another situation that left them both uncomfortable.
Was it even possible to stop making things uncomfortable? This had easily been the most uncomfortable day he'd had in... years and years. Kylo pinched his nose and grunted a little at his own emotional diarrhea. How much of that had he meant?
Maybe some of it. But he'd really wished he could take the entire conversation back.
"I could not possibly agree more. No more admitting anything, from either of us." He started to add more depth of detail there but... he felt like he'd stuck his hand in a pile of sewage. "Anyway, I've got an idea."
He started moving towards the guards, something resembling a cheerful expression on his face. Was this... a good idea? Neither of them were professional spies, but of course, Snoke knew that when he ordered them to do this. They were mostly going off.... things they'd seen other people do an intelligent inferences.
He closed in on them with a wave. "You guys are on the Governor's detail, right?"
"You guys are not supposed to be back here."
"Listen, I know. I just started working for Senator Dipka, and he's gonna kill me if -"
"Okay," one of them growled, holding up a hand. "you need to know that we don't get between him and Senator Anybody, because if we start doing favors for one, we've gotta do favors for everybody -"
"I know, I know, that's... listen, I want to make everybody's job easier. My wife is working for Senator Rittora, and I don't want to bog you down in details, but we're both representing our own coalitions. If we do it in his room, five minutes, he comes out with a deal and everybody's agreed to it. If he goes out there by himself, he gets swarmed by thirty different people and you guys are standing up, working for hours."
"God above." The guard pulled his hair and held a hand out. "You got IDs?"
"Yeah, yeah sure." Kylo handed both ID's to the guard, who scanned it with a skeptical frown.
"Okay, this says that your wife works for Dipka too."
Kylo looked him dead in the eye and stretched his arms out. "Politics. Do you want the detailed breakdown of how that happened, or -"
"No no no, it's fine." The guy looked around and sighed. "If I let you back there you've gotta keep quiet and... you're not going to have any kind ofcongressin the Governor's office."
"Absolutely not!" Kylo let out a harsh, forced bark of a chuckle as he pushed past the guard. "I'm pretty sure I'll never get to sleep with her or anyone else ever again the longer this goes on."
He gripped his hand on the door and mumbled to Phasma. "That was easy."
"What was that?"
"No, nothing." He opened the door and turned back with a queasy smile. "Politics... nerd joke thing. You wouldn't get it."
That was easier said than done of course, because if another situation presented itself and left them vulnerable, what were either of them to do. Frankly, Phasma was tired of feeling vulnerable in front of someone she had only heard rumors that were probably far too stretched out. Whether they were true or not, didn't necessarily matter, as those alone were what helped her thinking of him so fearfully in their initial meeting, or perhaps she herself had decided it best not to enter this situation with the intention to shove air into his ego. There was no telling how many of the few women there were took it upon themselves to make it known of their presence near the mysterious Jedi in a mask. When this was all said and done, they would go their seperate ways and continue on with their lives. They would silently pass one another in the Gauntlet and no further conversation or mention of this would ever happen again, right.
Right? Right.
Silently reassuring herself of such a thing while he was worried about whether or not his quickly thought up scheme would work, her pretty eyes ventured to the guard who spoke first, noticing the faint sign of annoyance that crossed his expression. Annoyance at the interruption, annoyed at the fluster of this Resistance bullshit. Judging by the looks on their faces, they would rather be at home with their families, avoiding the way their world had become thanks to the First Order blockade. Curiously, she was amazed at how things worked when their planet was being guarded so heavily, stopping any flow of traffic, ultimately starving them out of their resources. Oh well, it would all be over soon, offering the guard a gentle smile when he glanced her way, only to proceed in letting Kylo carry on with his lie. Moving through the door just short of him making such a comment, the woman definitely didn't want to have this plan go to shit so close to the end. Thankful when the door closed behind them, deciding against commenting on his latest remark, another something that probably he wasn't used to with his mask off.
" You would think they would want to be earlier to these things, to get them over with as quickly as possible. " Moving to the window, her eyes carefully roamed the edge, fingers tracing over a button to dim them just slightly, preventing any potential onlookers from any other buildings. " You still owe me a drink. " It was now almost in his husband duties to get her one, once all of this was said and done.
"You're on duty," he said gruffly, turning his back to her and fiddling with the bookshelf. It wasn't technically in the parameters of the mission, but he was curious about... secret compartments and panels in a room like this. He was pretty sure Phasma wasn't carrying a weapon on her anymore, and he didn't want to make some error that ruined everything. Not when success was so close.
The bookshelf was a bit dusty - and there weren't any conspicuous looking tomes that seemed to have more or less traffic than the others (aside from a biography of Mon Mothma that would have been too obvious to hold secrets of any kind). All an excellent sign there was nothing important to look for, at least on this side of the room.
He turned around, and Phasma was giving him a very level look, as if the routine about duty wasn't quite getting through to her.
"What are the chances that someone in his position, with so much responsibility, would carry a stockade of liquor around?" He considered his journey inside the capital - the aides rushing back and forth, the announcements over the loudspeaker, the gits making speeches "for the record" that nobody was paying attention to...
All right then. The chances were excellent.
Kylo threw open his hands and started checking the governor's desk, opening the panels and rifling through the inside. "Well, here's a blaster pistol. Try to squeeze that on you somewhere."
He flipped it to her, and his eyes brightened when he saw a little bottle of brandy... but his expression dimmed again when he noticed that there weren't any glasses to go with it. "Our friend doesn't know how to share."
He sighed and passed the bottle up to her. If she was as hard as she acted all the time, she wouldn't make him look for something to cut it with. "I don't want any. I actually don't know how you can drink right now. And if all that wasn't enough, I'm not sure drinking would make me better or worse at this... thing. I should probably leave it alone."
He slid the panel shut and took a seat in front of the governor's chair. Finally, he'd decided to say what was on his mind since he'd arrived. "This is just the worst place. We drove into the most important digital security facility on the planet, we talked our way past the Governor's personal guard, and now we're sitting in his office, drinking his booze. This didn't even take an entire day. We've just barely missedlunch.There comes a stage where you lose all sympathy for a people, and I think we've passed it."
He mumbled the phrase "culturally flaccid" to himself and sniffed at a Chonometer with the local time, hanging up on the wall.
Moving to the door despite the grumpy expression so easily plastered on his face, because really, what were the chances, watching as each reason screamed at him mentally, only for him to start going through the Governor's things. The woman tilted her head faintly at the pistol, catching it now and rolling her eyes when he told her squeeze it on her somewhere. " Because I have plenty of space to just stick this thing anywhere. " Momentarily deciding if one were eavesdropping, that would have given off far more than the wrong impression to anyone, reminding herself that if it did become necessary, putting it where the other pistol had been just seemed impractical. Sexy, but extremely impractical.
Of course, he had completely missed what she was talking about.
Why was that not at all surprising. Remember who you're talking to Phasma. A soft sigh followed by a sharp roll of her eyes, the woman catching another object tossed in her general direction. Taking the flask now, the blonde made the easier decision that if he was going to be pouty and completely miss what she had said, she would simply keep it to herself for later, instead placing this against her thigh, held down by the holster. " Well, hopefully you never run into a situation where you have to do that thing while drunk, " What an unfortunate situation that could turn into. Dead bodies everywhere or just another embarrassing story for later.
Leaning her back against the wall beside the door, the woman almost laughed at how disappointed he sounded by the nature of their trip, arms folding over her chest lightly. " So you went from absolutely loathing having to come to being upset that it's almost done? " If she didn't know any better, she'd say he liked the time away from the Gauntlet. " It's not like we have to leave immediately. I'm sure we could wait around long enough to watch the domino effect, hm? " Quite frankly, that could be entertaining and make all these terribly uncomfortable moments worthwhile. Then again, that did mean leaving them both in these outfits for a little while longer, and remaining the happily married Stillwaters. Before she had time to truly think the matter through, the woman heard the shuffle of men outside, nearly indistinct conversation turning to firm voices of military men straightening up in preparation to actually do their jobs.
"What, are you serious?" Kylo bunched his shoulders around his neck like he was tightening a cloak. "A disciplinarian like you is suggesting an absence without leave? There are branches of the military that take that kind of thing very seriously."
He felt his voice cracking by the end of his sentence. Honestly, he felt ripped in two different directions there. On one hand, they could probably pull it off - certainly Snoke had larger concerns, and Admiral Fedorre was worried that one or both of them would eat hi m one day while he was walking the halls. He'd probably be glad to get rid of them, and yet...
He rubbed his thumb into his palm. It wasn't entirely fair. He'd packed the Commander up emotionally, for better or for worse. Or he was at least trying to. Now she was volunteering herself for fraternization. Now it felt like he was doing laps in his own mind, lugging emotional machinery in and out.
He almost wanted to cut all of that off for his own protection.
"And, I think -"
Before he could finish, there were shuffles and noises from outside the door. He wiggled a couple of fingers at Phasma and pushed her towards the door. And a few seconds later, Arquardt himself entered, wearing a tight gold jacket and a white cotton vest. He had the look of someone who was very handsome in his youth, but hard habits were starting to catch up with him - his stomach was starting to fold over his waist and wisps of grey were cropping up in his sandy blonde hair. He looked them over and folded his arms over his chest like a Gravball referee. "I'll tell you right now, this isn't the place. And certainly not inside my own damned -"
"Wait, wait -" Kylo popped up from the chair and put on a soothing voice. "It was either us or thirty people knocking down your door. We spent the last couple hours trying to make this as easy as possible, so just hear us out."
The Governor massaged his (rapidly thinnng) head and waved his men away, shutting the door behind him. "Fine. Explain to me exactly what -"
Before he could finish, Phasma slammed her hand over his mouth and took a grip on his shoulder, slowly pressing her leg into the back of his kneecap and forcing the man downwards. Kylo (only taking a second to appreciate how quickly she'd subdued him) rubbed his hands together as if dissipating the last of his nervousness and stepped forward, letting his fingers get right on top of the man's temple.Steady hands. Light touch. Open mind. Eavesdropping.
And by the Force, don't fuck this up.
He hadn't fucked it up.
Kylo collapsed onto the co-pilots seat of the little beige ship and leaned back, spreading his legs and groaning. Things had gone perfectly, barring some congestion on the way to the airfield. It was actually a wonder how much one determined man could fucking ruin the defenses of an entire planet. By the time he'd gone to the local HoloNet to announce the stand-down, he'd disabled all the planetary shields, put the Capitol under martial law, scrambled the logistics co-ordination devices. If anything, Kylo had done too good of a job convincing him to tear everything out by the root.
He looked up into the atmosphere - there were already a few Star Destroyers looking to take advantage of the lapse in security, not to mention a few larger freighters. There's be a thousand heavy boots on the throat of Chandrila before they even knew what was going on. Maybe not everywhere... but everywhere important.
"What do they even make here? You know what, forget that I asked. I don't want to get to know Chandrila that intimately." But speaking of which... Kylo chewed his lip and looked out of the window at the hundreds of little points lining the sky above them. "On reflection... I'm notcompletelyagainst watching the dominoes."
He'd started to add some conversation about how fine he'd be if she wanted to go back, but for once, he just let the thought hang in the air.
It was always amusing to her to watch someone complain, then complain at a potential solution to the situation, like a child. I want the candy, but don't just give it to me. It was merely an idea and he had almost shriveled up into a cocoon, though a part of her did understand it. Why would anyone want to simply linger on the planet that had offered them such stress, physically and emotionally. Having to pretend that either of them made career choices that left them social and not killing people the instant they said a wrong answer. Namely being reminded of that air traffic officer, she had nearly grimaced at the thought of his tongue sticking out at her. Though straightening her face and tucking her hands politely behind her back, the initial sight of the man was almost as amusing as the moment she'd seen her dearest husband in his outfit earlier.
So tacky really was a thing on Chandrila. A very esteemed, prided thing.
Her actions thereafter were steady, calm in closing the distance once the door closed and bringing him just as quietly to his knees. The less stress within the situation, the better as it seemed, and again, Phasma felt no remorse in watching the Governor start the process of having his mind thumbed through. On the contrary, there it was, that soft tingling in her thighs again. .
Getting back to the ship had gone swimmingly, almost making this mission worth the turmoil after the Governor had succumb to the invasion of his mind. With a gun in his back and a forceful grip against him, he certainly was not trying to relax himself through the process. Then again, in his predicament of realizing that the First Order had come to claim his planet so inexpectedly, well one may be a little surprised. The engine beginning to whirr softly as they sat on the airfield, the blonde letting her eyes dance up to see the familiar signs of a siege. It almost felt weird seeing it from the ground perspective, wondering just how many people noticed the black dots grow nearer and nearer. His question snapped her out of her daydream, and though he had answered for himself, the true answer was, " Gold and white ensembles for men. "
Though neither of them had been to the Resistance planet, she was sure there was easily some place for them to comfortably watch the destruction unfold, smiling softly as he reminded her again of the child - candy struggle. Well, I wouldn't mind being given candy. Knowing that whatever they decided, flying back without getting in contact with First Order ships could prove to be a messy situation, the engine still humming. " That's not a real 'Yes, I want to sit and watch. ' you know. " But she would accept it none the less, eyes venturing out toward the city that the Capitol boasted. There had to be some simple place there to watch the madness unfold, the engine stopping as softly as it could before Phasma moved now, mind set on the speeder.
"Oh. Did you notice that? That's one of the things I enjoy about you, you're so observant."
Did he sound a little petulant? Probably. But usually he was aware that he sounded like a sour kid. Here he just felt like he was being honest. There were distinct differences between beingpleased to havesomething andwantingsomething andaskingfor it. He knew those little lines, he'd studied them well in himself and others.
Here was something he hadn't exactly expected about the Chandrila affair. Once he'd actually finished the job, he felt more relaxed than he had in ages. It couldn't just be accredited to just the mask. He'd been working on the probe for so long and so diligently, that he felt a fresh sense of freedom. He could improve on this, perfect it, use it as a wedge to open up other challenges. He tapped his fingers together and drummed the dashboard.
She was already moving, hovering in low orbit through the city. Even now, Hanna City was already facing a spreading chaos, like the spreading edges of a burning sheet of paper. A couple of old Imperial buildings had been reclaimed years ago, painted over with symbols of the Rebellion and a generation of graffiti. How ironic. He wondered what would happen tothosein a few hours.
These people couldn't even put on a united front for ariot. There were protestors out storming businesses because of the President's actions (why), there were counter-protestors that were protecting the buildings, counter-protestors that he assumed were fine with the occupation (after a year of a blockade without a hint of assistance from the Republic), the military police caught between the two, but trying to disperse everyone without violence.
"I like that spot." He put a hand over Phasma's shoulder and pointed to a hill on a public park Despite the central location, there were only a couple using it as a place to gawk - most people were either closer to the action or were staying at home and waiting for this to blow over. They'd be able to look in one direction and see storefronts burning... and look into the other and see the tangled coral reefs of the Silver Sea in the distance. "Put it down there. Maybe we could sit on top of the ship. Less chance anybody tries, you know,talkingto us."
After all this? Atbesthe'd be waving one of the spare blasters at them. At worst, well... he'd get a jump start on Phasma's body count.
He finally let her go and started rummaging through the sloop for... binoculars, or anything else with entertainment value. "The only thing we're missing is a fancy meal. I swear if someone down there is having a picnic, we're going to rob them."
Numerous times she had ran over the thought of him being a stormtrooper. None of this would have happened the way it had and she probably would have planted a fist in his throat a long time ago. Again, she felt that sudden urge to do so when his sarcasm began trickling up, ignoring him the way she would if fear Admiral Fedorre had tried to be cute. The ship glided over the city, all it would take was a simple pull up and an announcement into the comm to say they were returning to the Gauntlet and they would both be back to their lives and under inspection. Her eyes roamed the city streets, watching the movement of people as some filtered out into the street, the news hitting some like a ton of bricks. Had they been waiting for the Resistance to come save them? Please.
While Phasma wasn't entirely looking for somewhere to land, as a very reasonable part of her had no faith in him wanting to sit and watch the first hour or two of Chandrila come apart at the seams. Phasma had never witnessed the moments prior to an attack, or to a claim of a territory, only arriving on the ships that corralled the inhabitants and fought back when things got a bit. . Tricky. Blinking softly in surprise when he spoke up and finally settled on staying, settling into the grass at the center of the hill, " I don't think anyone's going to be that worried about talking to us this time. Really. " The familiar sound of resurgent vessels almost acting like music around them, it was an odd contrast between the Stillwaters and the couple a short distance away. While their expressions were that of shock and fear, Phasma's own was an odd calm, shifting to the back of the ship and up the rungs of the ladder to the roof.
Well, this was as good a time as being in her chambers alone, settling comfortably on the roof to again hear shattering of glass somewhere within the distance as she slid the flask out from between her thighs. " Are you going to keep being a crybaby or drink? " Please. . Please choose the drink.
He sucked on his teeth and considered it for a second. That wasnt crying, that was envisioning a potential future
Fine. He understood the interpretation. Hed found an extremely standard-issue survival case stowed away with a cheap but functional pair of electrobinoculars, but unless he wanted to do some weird and time consuming things with the hypospray, this was the best time he was likely to have.
Which honestly, wasnt so bad. He felt a tinge of excitment as his shoesting tinged across the floor and carried him up the ladder.
Considering theinsanecircumstances and my overwhelming success, I dont like you questioning my attitude. So Im canceling my usualladies firstrule.
He closed in on her, watching the curves in her back and neck as his footsteps grew closer. Kylo ripped the bottle out of her hand and looked down on her, a cool smirk showing across his face as he unscrewed Arquardts brandy and pushed it across his lips.
Tasting amazing, but it burned so fucking much. He coughed, almost sending it spilling across the ship before he composed himself and titled his head back, downing it with two long gulps and a shudder before handing it back towards her.
Dont you dare make fun of me for that. He wrapped an arm around her waist and put on a low, accented voice with a familiar monotone. WhenIwas a cadet, we drank fermented piss and used old motor oil as a chaser.
It was crying, and he was a crybaby, that was all there was to it really. Head turning back to him as she heard him move across the metal ship, noticing now the bits and pieces that caused the thing to rattle in the first place. She definitely was going to mention shoving this thing out to be used as target practice later on down the line, shaking her head to keep herself from standing and getting to work on this ship instead of relaxing and enjoying Chandrila's organized destruction. Perhaps it wasn't exactly normal to just sit around and find amusement within watching the early stages of a planet unfolding the way this one so swiftly was. Neither of them had to admit to enjoying it, but it was almost like saying it made everything worth it.
Raising her brow softly when he took the flask from her hand, the woman bit her bottom lip softly when he began the faintest of chokes, keeping herself from laughing at him just in time for him to scold her as though he knew she was going to. Taking the metal, only now seeing that it was engraved, flask into her hand, the arm sliding around her waist caught her off guard, skin finding the faintest chill and goosebumps to creep over her skin. Shit. There it was again. Though instead of basking in what embarassment this could have provided, the woman found herself taking her own drink, shaking her head as she closed her eyes.
" It's so warm. Why did you pretend this tasted good? " That's what you get for putting it by your thighs Phasma, a hot brandy that nearly burned on the way down. Laughing softly at his remark, the blonde shook her head and handed him back the flask, light eyes moving away from the city's steadily growing rampant streets before moving back to him, " Proud of your work? " Speaking of the mess he had made just from reaching into a man's mind. Keeping Ardquardt stiff beneath the slow creep of Kylo sifting through his mind, she had wondered at what point it had started to pain the man, and why it had taken her own so long to genuinely hurt her. Perhaps it was simply because he was aiming to be gentle, aiming to only find one thing and instead seeing several others, several personal thoughts that she was beyond thankful he hadn't simply seen. Seeing her with little clothing was one thing, but a part of her found if the circumstances came to it, Phasma would much rather have him tell her. Turning her head again just in time to watch one of numerous Resistance etched buildings begin to collapse, the sound of rubble began to rumble within the air, tilting her head softly, " Let's make a bet. Four buildings go down before we leave. "
"How was I supposed to know whether it was good or not? It's an engraved flask, an important person owns it, and he probably spends much more of his time drinking during the day than I do."
Especiallyconsidering what he had to face every day. All Kylo had was people trying to kill him once in a while. A good deal more straightforward.
"I'd rather suck the thing down and make a straight face than - actually, how doyouknow it's good? Maybe he knows better than both of us."
He gave her waist another squeeze as he took the flask out of her hands, his fingertips brushing against her knuckles as he took another pull. He couldn't blame his boldness on the alcohol, obviously. It was a thrill of victory, and the warmth of her body against his hip, and the way she smelled - something like... well, sea water and smoke and cheap soap.
Maybe there'd be room to blame the Governor's brandy later, depending on how this went.
"I am proud of my work, because..." He winced and passed her the flask again. His eyes narrowed as he tasted the memory on his tongue. "Hereallyhated it. I felt completely inside him. He was trying to get away frommeand he couldn't. He was trying to get away fromyouand he couldn't. I almost thought I could get away with something... a little nastier, but I would have hrown a fit if I'd messed up there. But he couldn't shut me out anymore than he could have... turned his own brain off."
He licked his lips, still feeling the liquor stinging his cheeks. Maybe he'd had it too fast or something.
"Either way, I didn't need to, I had every access code, every password, every clearance, every personal -" He stopped here and held his hand up. "He'd broken a finger when he was a kid and he thought about that pain every day since, and so... getting his compliance was child's play."
Arquardt had given him a particularly vicious look, but he hadn't minded. Made it a little better actually. He pointed a foot towards the crumbling building. "That building's a fluke. People aren't going to intentionally bring down buildings they're inside. They're our enemies and we're crushing them underfoot, but they're not SO stupid. So I'll take your bet."
He stopped for a minute, and then abruptly gave her a hard slap on the hip. "You didn't mention what I get when I win. We could just name things seperately, in which case I'd love to -"
Before he could finish, there was a loud explosion in the distance to their west. Kylo grabbed the binoculars and frowned. "Now, does a burned out husk count as DOWN? And are we counting Fedorre slating something from orbit for the hell of it?"
Good questions, Kylo thought, his frown deepening.
The sort of questions you ask before you make a wager.
Raising her shoulders softly as he did for once have a good point in regards to the alcohol they had essentially stolen, she truly couldn't complain too much more since he had found it for her in the first place. Still, a little ice wouldn't have hurt it. " Fine, maybe it is good and I'm just complaining about his choice in alcohol. " Whether it was the alcohol coaxing her into being all the more comfortable with both him being so close to her and his arm being around her waist, feeling his fingers grazing over her hip. The sensation was starting to become normal, inwardly admitting to it being wanted and even more so that it was wanted on more than just her hip and traces of her skin. Another time. Though even with that thought she couldn't be sure.
" One would assume he'd just surrender since he clearly wasn't that fond of his job. " But then again, when you had the Resistance pressuring you to be more than you truly were, one could merely sit and suffer. When instead, all he had to do was surrender. Surrender himself to the First Order, as they should have done several months ago. Taking another drink, carefully though quickly to avoid actually taking it, the woman listened to him explain the deep roots that he had swept through to get the aging man to break. " Do you enjoy being that deep in someone else's head? " Obviously being inside of his own mind was a mess, but was it enjoyable to force his way into someone else's, to learn their lives and their wants, what made them tick and what they enjoyed? Had he enjoyed what glimpses he had gotten from hers?
Grinning softly when he accepted her bet with no real limitations, only to catch it afterward, the blonde jumped lightly against him when his hand collided with her hip, merely out of it being unexpected. . And well, the tingle sending another faint bolt of electricity up her spine. The explosion drawing both their attention, Phasma watched the once tall structure fall into a pile of smoke, ash, and rubble, speaking now in regards to their little wager. " Only explosions made on the planet, not from the Gauntlet. And no, it has to be destroyed and blasted down, it can't crumble to bits later. That's cheating. " Turning her head now, there was still an important question at hand, looking him in the eyes as she asked, " What do you want if you win? "
"No, he hated his job, but..." He wriggled his free hand and waited for the words to come to him. "It was a noble kind of hatred. There are plenty of people who will do a job they hate if they think they're the only ones who can do it right." She was in the service, no doubt she knew that type as much as anyone. "So being in that situation, it was almost a relief to him. Like... I imagine dying would be. It's out of your hands. No more thinking about it."
He really needed to move his hand, as comfortable as it was - he could already feel the subtle signs of how much he was thrilling her with his hands, even if she wasn't wildly expressive, and that gave him another rush. He leaned in close, touching the small of her back (feeling his vivid fantasy from earlier in the day almost coming to life for him), sharing the memory of Arquardt with her. At least, his perspective on it.
"Do you remember... the simulation room?" Maybe it wasn't wise to casually bring uphermemories as a point of comparison here, but it was the most accurate picture, and he knew it because she knew it. "And that brief moment where it dawns on him that he's completely at your mercy and his body is completely... responsive to you? You move your arms, he flinches. You tighten your legs, he curls up. You move your eyes in a certain way... almost like sex, except there's no mutual anything, just a..."
He pulled back and gave her a small smile. "It's like that. Except with their entire inner life instead of their body. So. Yes. I enjoyed being that deep."
He listened to her reaction and the terms of the bet. All those things made it easier. Especially because of a little detail she was forgetting...
He liked his chances of winning, actually. And he already had a prize in mind.
"I want to kiss you. I mean..." He waggled his head from side to side, as if there was something else he could have possibly said here. "I obviously want to kiss you. But where that kiss goes should probably be a surprise. Except to say..."
He looked away from her for a second, licking his lips before returning her eye contact. "Itabsolutelywill not be on your lips. And I don't want to hear you call me unimaginative either."
He leaned back on his hands, looking her up and down, a hard tent between his legs already pushing these ugly pants outwards. There was no amount of respect for creative stipulations that was worth any delay there. "There is such a thing as being too clever for your own good. Pass me that flask?"
Arquardt's situation was easy to understand, his succumbing to the battle that was tearing around in his mind, she didn't feel sorry for him, rather simply agreed with his decision. His ease after his mental battle had been won, she could feel it in the way his body no longer seemed tense against her grip, he no longer seemed to resist. Death was curious to her in that way, but she supposed she would be the same when it came to the inevitable, if no way out were available. It was when he mentioned the simulation room that her brow just slightly raised, amber eyes moving over his face as though judging the nature of him bringing up such a thing.
But, she couldn't find herself angry. Why, Phasma had let him get that far in, whether she would simply admit it or not. Her mind had slipped down as though it wasn't being watched, and fell through and thought more than simply the color. At least his example had made sense, whether it was to her expense or not, the conversation returning to it's light nature as he mentioned his conditions for the bet. I'll give you something you can be deep in. At that exact moment, Phasma knew the alcohol had attempted to cling on to what little food she had left in her stomach only to toy with the rest of her senses in a replacement for that, smiling faintly to herself. The conditions on his end of the bet were almost as predictable as she expected them to be, though she showed no sign of protesting his end, " You don't have to win a bet for that. " Bless that brandy.
But, it was too late, and that was his end of the bet if he won. While Phasma had yet to simply tell him her own, it made her smile that he seemed so smug with himself, finding that it was probably going to be a lot better for him if he won. The sound of another building collapsing under fire emerged, Phasma turning her head to watch the building drop, holding up two fingers to the count of buildings destroyed by First Order stormtroopers and not Fedorre flaunting his abilities from within the Gauntlet. Turning now, the woman raised a brow at the clearly comfortable male beside her, handing him the flask as she spoke, " I have to disagree. "
"You have no idea how pleasant it is to hear that." He was trying to ignore his... comfort now. Even if his cock was jumping up and down for attention, he was fully aware that most women weren't paying as much attention to his bulges as he was. Then again, that attention to detail might have been coming into play.
"Because that kiss is the only thing I want right now. Well, after that one, I might want one more."
Especially if she was giving them away. He took the flask and grimaced, the taste feeling a little easier since he'd already gotten some down already.
"Here's where you're wrong." He felt a little nervousness boiling in his stomach as he spoke. One of them had a good deal more experience in stormtrooper tactics. "Those people are going to head for the hills. One building is a fluke but two? The town will be deserted a few minutes from now."
Before he could finish his thought, a set of charges went off in the distance. He grabbed the binocs and scowled as Phasma raised a third finger.
"Fine. You almost made it." He finished the flask and let it clatter to the ground, twisting her wrist behind her back and marching her back towards the ladder and he growled into her ear. "But guess who decides when we're leaving?"
Well, if he had thought she didn't notice the tent in his outfit, he was horribly mistaken, the white ensemble doing absolutely nothing to keep it away from her vision. Besides, she was right next to him, and after spending the majority of her life surrounded by men in white outfits, she knew what a hard on looked like. " Sounds like you think you're very sure you're going to win though, " The tease in her words followed by the faint tilt of her head, Phasma swore she could almost here the rhythmic movement of feet hitting the ground, the timed footsteps of a squad of stormtroopers somewhere in the distance. Oh she was definitely going to win. Just because the townspeople left, didn't mean that she wouldn't get her fourth building.
Hands settling on her hips now as she stood, the blonde knew she didn't have to look just as the man grabbed the binoculars, three fingers wiggling at him as only one more meant he had lost. " You were saying? " His immediate response gained a laugh, biting her bottom lip softly when he shifted her completely with a loophole in her bet, shaking her head. Phasma's fingertips lightly grazing over the beginning of his tent as he growled to her, the blonde teased him again, " Someone's eager to win his bet. " Though they were both well aware of the alcohol snaking through their systems, it was almost like a welcomed enhancement that they were both silently settling into, enjoying it without admitting to it. The woman letting her vision turn to the cockpit of the ship, only now did she notice the heat on her body, faintly in her cheeks but definitely against her thighs, even further into her core.
He pulled her down the ladder, almost ripping her off one of the rungs as he drug her down to the main floor of the ship. "Really, it's more that Idon'tenjoy losing."
With that, he began to tighten his hand around her throat, ramming her into the wall loudly enough to rattle a jar of screws off a counter and onto the floor. Kylo put his free hands around her shoulder, yanking down the straps of her dress and roughly snapping off the thin undergarmet she had up top. Of course, he wouldn't be able to pull the whole thing down yet, but how much of that did he reallyhaveto do? His hand moved again down, going up her ribcage before one finger barely traced the underside of her breast.
Kylo slowly began to squeeze her long throat as he brought other fingers into play, first one and then another as he felt the weight of her breast in his hand, swirling his thumb around and dragging her nipple down with a little pinch. It was technically a kiss, but what he did before that... well. He had a certain amount of levity.
He tightened his grip even further, ignoring her face and smiling as her nipple seemed to harden right in front of them. The lust was naked in his eyes as he licked his lips and leaned closer. Then it was his hot breath against her, then the inside of his lips, then this tongue, flickering out for just a moment before he lost patience and took her into his mouth. With a quick, quiet breath through his nose, he went deeper without losing contact, kissing firmly with his teeth right behind the nipple. He was mostly using his lips and exploring every bump and counter of her body, but things could get rougher in the blink of an eye, and people tended to like that promise.
Technically a single kiss, sure, but he thought it would be memorable.
The next few moments, although ones that were underlying and there, still took her by slight surprise, the flurry of movement ending with her back slammed against the wall. The air slipping out of her plush lips, the sweet color of her eyes almost betraying the way she wonderfully accepted both the spread of his fingers over her neck and her breast, palms flat against the wall. The metal felt cool, as though the force of their bodies together had caused everything else to grow colder and demure. And perhaps, the heat flushing over her thighs, she would give in to a few of her body's screams.
The warmth of his hand holding her breast, the way his lips toyed at the sensitive bud of her nipple, her own hands pulled away from the wall, just in time for something to escape her lips. Breathy, but not at all strained or riddled in pain, Phasma knew the potential to bruise was there, but it could be easily explained as an enemy's approach and would be covered by the black one piece adorned beneath the white plates of her uniform. Her moans sat in the air, breaking the silence of gasps and sharp breaths when either of them remembered they needed to breathe, nail guiding her fingers over his jaw, snaking back into his hair.
Well, Phasma had no problem at all letting him feel like he had won, that was for sure.
He shot a breath of air through his nose and sucked deeply, flicking his tongue back and forth, and then in a tight circle around her nipple. Even in this moment, he didn't feel perfectly happy - there was too much he wanted to do at once. He growled again, grabbing a handful of her upper thigh as she started to press against him.
Kylo straddled her leg, still holding her against the wall, but loosening a little on her throat as he broke away from her breast, licking his lip and quickly admiring his handiwork before giving his partner a mischievous glance. "That's the bet. But you're not going to tell me to stop, are you? I mean, it would be..."
He took a breath, pausing for long enough to lean in towards her mouth. "Uneven and everything. I'd be ashamed of myself."
Clearly, he had forgotten one of the things she was fond of him for. Granted Phasma was carefully ticking off more things she hadn't necessarily planned to put on that list in the first place, a gentle pull within his hair just in time for him to pull his mouth away from her. Closing her eyes lightly when he began to explain himself, for a moment her mind tried to recall the last time a man had been in the middle of something like this and broke his dear concentration to talk. To say he couldn't possibly leave his task uneven.
Usually men preferred to leave themselves engorged in her, the handful of times she had been in such a situation. Feeling his warm breath against her lips now, Phasma opened her eyes with a clear expression, though she felt the need to make it clear. Hands still buried within his hair pulled him forward, her warm lips meeting his and silencing any other worry of her telling him to stop. " Shut up. " Though there had been many times throughout the trip that she had held herself from saying such a thing, the blonde felt it was more than necessary, a gentle tug of his hair guiding him back down to her chest.
He felt himself smiling as he tightened his grasp around the supple skin of her waist, kissing her once near the tip of her breast, then again right where her araeola started to darken in color, and then a third one, that turned to a soft bite on her nipple.
He couldn't be sure if it was relief from the job or her own deep feelings or the booze, but he didn't care. She tasted incredible and felt amazing on his fingertips. And Kylo was sure that if he got a chance to do this, he could push her over the edge. He closed his eyes and stoppedthinkingabout his jest move for a second, groaning softly and kissing between her firm tits and working his way downwards until -
Well now he had the taste of fabric in his mouth. Kylo didn't bother speaking, but he did reluctantly break contact with her body and work on the orange button around his belt. These ugly things had to go.
Within a few seconds, he was stark naked aside from the little cotton underwear he'd thrown on in the morning. Kylo leaned into the waistband, almost snapping it off with his thumb before realizing he had other priorities.
He went back to kissing Phasma, just barely stopping long enough to slap her on the ass. "Pull it off."
Though both were smiling for different reasons, they each were aware of what the other wanted in this situation. The taste of the brandy on both of their lips, it was as though the brown liquor had given them the ok. Given him the drive to grab her and given her the drive to let him have her, though not without a few selfish perks of her own. The fast pace of their actions was almost amusing, though Phasma knew that time was getting less and less before they had to be under a more watchful eye within the Gauntlet. The thundering sound in the distance clearly wasn't enough to distract either of them from the task at hand, mentally locking that thought away for later as he began peeling off that awful outfit.
Within the hungry kiss that he returned to, Phasma grinned softly as he demanded she remove her own, hands already releasing his hair. Sliding the dress up and over her head left the woman in simply the boots she had chosen to wear and the soft lace panties that held into her firm rear, lustful gaze meeting his just as the dress hit the floor among the assortment of clothing laying around them. Her hands slid the last article that acted as a barrier down her hips, guiding it halfway down the thickness of her thighs before gravity let them fall, kicking them gently to the side just as her hands grabbed him and pulled him back to her.
Whether it was alcohol or feelings, it was clear that Phasma wanted him. Her body wanted his as close as possible, teeth biting at his bottom lip as her hand slipped between them, meeting the cock he thought she hadn't noticed.
He picked her up underneath the legs and carried her to the dashboard, putting her down right next to the steering and standing up between her legs. He felt her warm hands tightening around his shaft, every individual finger sending it'd own little shiver down his back. She still hadn't let go yet even as he was moving her - it wasn't going to be long until she felt his pre-cum leaving a little wet trace on her wrist.
He kissed her again as he slowly peeled his underwear down his legs, pulling himself closer until he could feel the heat from between her thighs, pulsing on the thick vein that controlled his shaft. He could go on with that for a while, he thought, running a hand through her short hair and tilting her just barely towards his open mouth.
He put his hands to use while he was occupied, curling up two fingers and hooking them into her pussy. He spent a minute flicking his wrist in and out, enjoying the little textures on the inside of her body. His hands were on fire, but the soft sounds of his hand sliding in and out of her pussy and the soft panting sounds of (one of them? both?) drowned all that out.
Speaking of drowning out... he pulled his hands back, looking into the eye and taking her juices into his waiting mouth. It was distinctive in taste, and thick enough to spread between his fingers. Oh, she was joking this more than she let on, and he hadn't even got started, really.
He'd planned on wrapping his hand around his shaft and stroking himself up, but getting so much of what he needed, literally a world away from his usual problems, he could probably...
He pushed his hips forward against her entrance, swaying back and forth, looking to push straight between her legs. Another knowing look came across him as he bent his knees a little, push forward... and got that blinding sensation that started at his wet shaft and went all the way to the back of his eyes.
He'd liked her long, muscular legs, liked her bust, like smaller things too - the way she looked when she was annoyed (and a dozen other faces), but being inside her, feeling the walls of her pussy stretching and giving way while his shaft settled in...
That was something amazing.
Not a single time prior to this trip had she envisioned her current circumstance, thighs on either side of his waist and welcoming him to the warmth that radiated between them. Her intentions had been to get in and get out, efficient and simple, even more so when he had thumbed through her head like a book. Now here she was with a man between her legs in a city that was being made an example of. Not that she was complaining, curled fingertips following her soft palms down his back. Her wetness seemed all too welcoming against his rigid length when he brought himself closer, Phasma's lips welcomed the warmth of his with another lust-filled moan.
Again her nails shifted against his back, this time a result of his fingers curled inside of her, slick folds daring to grip at his fingers as though pleading for something more from him. As it seemed, he got the message from her body, between her hips gently rocking toward him and her fingertips tracing lines into his back. Light eyes watching the expression on his face as he pulled his fingers away, much to her dismay, and slipped them into his mouth, the dip of his hips was the next movement her senses caught. His hips repositioning, reguiding, and soon Phasma found one hand leaving his back, palm flat against the smooth metal of the console.
The sensation went up her spine, her tight walls making sure he remained buried inside her, half lidded eyes smoldering now when she turned her head up to him. " Fuck me. " No longer was there the game of confusion or mixed signals, something he would have to go back later and over analyze, no here it was so absolutely clear what the blonde woman wanted.
"Nowyou'rethe one talking too much," he said through his teeth, arching backwards on his heels and giving his cock one slow flex inside her and enjoying the instant (and almost painfully responsive) response around him. Of course every woman was a little different when they were getting fucked, but he'd expected Phasma to be a little more... boisterous. Instead she was outside of herself, in a different world, and maybe he should have be more proud of himself.
He felt her grinding against his throbbing penis, teasing him with the movements of her hips as her legs splayed out and wrapped around him. His hips bucked up and down and he could feel the faint outline of his hand on her thigh and her juices dripping down his inner thigh. He wrapped his hands around her back and squeezed, pressing her closer to his chest as he thrust inside of her.
Smiling to himself, he thrusted faster and faster, picking up the pace and looking her in the eyes, pressing his forehead against hers.
The alcohol had already told on her before, letting it slip so calmly that a bet wouldn't have been necessary to get what they both equally wanted. It made her skin warm to the touch, gave a sweet kiss of warmth to her facr, and told her to let it win, to let him win. He wasn't special, after all, they had only just officially met, she just enjoyed his company. . And his face. And of course his cock. So, with the alcohol making her body feel much looser than she recalled being in any of her previous endeavours, Phasma enjoyed the reminder that she was human.
The reminder that her body had needs.
Legs wrapped around him to keep the space between them minimal, aside from where his hips pulled back to thrust into her again with little reluctance, instead filled with the silent promise that he would push back inside her. Again, and again. If he had mentioned the tone of her voice out loud, Phasma quite frankly would have had to tell him the honest truth, alcohol permitting, that he hadn't done anything. But it was as though he had known himself to thrust harder, faster, to illicit the not so quiet moans and gasps for breath, the fire in her eyes meeting his as her hands gripped at both him and the console.
He stretched his thumb over her clit and flexed it in tight little circles - grinning to himself as he pulled -
Another explosion in the distance. He gritted his teeth and squinted into the distance, almost slipping out of her as the tall column of fire erupted in a distance ahead of him. He thought this one was too close for comfort, but he wasn't about to -
Kylo sucked in another breath through his teeth and slapped Plasma on the mound before pulling out with a soft pop. "I don't even want to look at that."
He spun her around without waiting for a response, wrapping one hand behind both her arms, pushing her onto her knees and reentering her from behind. The floor smelled like oil and cheap soap applied in a hurry. He would have complained about it thirty minutes ago, but now....
He got one one knee and thrust forward, burying his rod inside her and letting out an obscenely wet crack as their hips met, loudly announcing that he was inside again. Shit, she felt good. Was it because of her body or because it was her?
He grabbed a couple of strands of her hair and pulled them back, using both hands as a handle, pawing across her body and looking for a way to get even deeper.
"Stay where you are. Don't move. I haven't even started to get fucking dirty with you." He arched on his toes a little, slamming into her with a rough, confident rhythm.
The rumble of the ship was momentarily noticed, the way it sounded so unbelievably closer than the others had been. Or had they all been getting that close. The sound of faint annoyance was held with a pout when he pulled out of her wetness, folds nearly begging for him to be put back in, to grip him. The silent request was met almost immediately when she was pushed to her knees, wicked moan matching the electricity that shot through her now bowed spine.
The arch in her back providing her firm rear at a delicious angle, the sound of his hips colliding with her body even louder, wetter. Phasma's moans matched the sudden intensity, half gasps following hard collisions into one another as her body worked against his. Another shiver was felt when despite all this, his words rang very clear as though nothing else was happening. Oddly, it was sexier than normal, fingers curling against the metal flooring as she let him use her.
His hand dug into the flesh of her arms again, feeling the little goosebumps forming under his fingers as he kneaded her arm and rocked his hips forward inside of her.
"I think someone has a craving for this kind of treatment. Someone likes getting spread out like this more than they want to admit."
With another thrust, he was all the way inside of her, smoothly filling her up and burrowing inside. This was a great position - he could feel the extra bit of penetration, he could see how wet she was from the moisture on his shaft as he rocked his hips in and out, and he could almost taste - well, why almost taste anything?
He leaned forward, nipping at Phasma's neck for a second before sucking the side of it - taking some barely restrained care not to put any loud, obvious marks that would be... harder to explain. Kylo reveled in the way she smelled, the feeling of her hair against his cheek, the feel of her ass pressing against his public bone as he slowed his rhythm.
"You taste too fucking good, do you know that. There isn't an inch of you that I don't want to kiss." Whatever curiosity she attracted, it wasn't anything compared to... what if people knew she looked this good naked and covered in sweat, or that the inside of her felt this perfect.
Kylo gave her another couple of upward thrusts and then paused suddenly. Now she could feel herself, pinned to the floor with him on top of her, his balls pressing urgently against her lower lips, his own lips making low smacking noises on her neck and shoulder.
Even now, as he was getting everything he'd been thinking about from her today, his cock was still throbbing with need inside of her.
Maybe, that was true.
It was like a rare gift to have anyone do such a thing, play with her senses and even get her down to this, down to every inch of her normally well covered skin being exposed. If one had been watching, in all fairness, he had made it look easy, simple as though it was all deliberate and planned when both of them knew it wasn't. Unplanned and quite off the path of their mission, perhaps there had been an underlying reason for them to be here together, some odd sense of knowing from leaders above, however Phasma was immediately prepared to doubt it. Nor would she ever know from the Supreme Leader himself if it came down to her having to ask. What a terrifying, uncomfortable conversation. Knees spread slightly against the metal flooring, her head tilted when his lips dove to her neck, back lowering just a bit more as his chest pressed against it, moans flowing out so easily now.
There was no need to hide her enjoying what was happening, if she ever felt like there needed to be. Half lidded eyes closing softly as he spoke again, this time restraining from completely shushing him as he littered her with faint compliments, almost silently promising that he would make sure to kiss every inch of her. " I wouldn't complain if you did, " The calmer rhythm of his hips gave her time to breathe, gasps turning into softer breaths of air, head absentmindedly moving against his. The choppy haired blonde felt pieces of her hair sticking against her face, or was it his, truthfully uncaring as she felt his body come to a steady halt, all but his lips moving over her warm skin. One of her palms that had been flattened against the floor to keep from absolutely crashing into the floor when he pushed her down raised, hand again burying itself into his dark hair as she felt the needy twitch of his length within her, only for her own body to respond accordingly. Her hips remained low, her firm rear pressed against him, rocking back only once as Phasma felt her walls grip him again, murmuring softly, " Kylo.
He could have, he could have easily, but there was onlyso muchtime. He held a kiss against her back, pressing his lips against her and trying to clear his head so that he could keep going... but the intense squeeze she was giving him urged him on, turned him on too much to ignore. There came a point where you cared more about getting off than taking things slow or stretching them out, and she was getting him to that point.
He picked up rhythm again, first building up to their previous tempo, and then going even faster, his balls slapping against her as he slid in and out. The shadows from the cockpit were flying across the room in weird directions. He could feel the sunlight in his hair, see the way the shadows played on their skin, and of course he could see the way her pussy hugged his wide, smooth dick as he pumped inside of her.
"Oh god." He could feel that familiar charge on the underside of his member, but he wanted to make this last as... well, not as long as possible, but as long as he could. Kylo had thought up a dozen nasty little tricks he could use to really make her scream, but he was savingthosefor a special occasion. He had no idea how she was going to take this after they were back on the Gauntlet and the drinks had worn off - so it didn't hurt to have a dirty idea in reserve.
Though the moment of calm was enjoyable, almost welcome within the chaos of his hips crashing into the soft flesh of her ass, making lead sounds each time he returned to her body, there wasn't a single complaint when he began again. Oh no, the way the hand that had once been in his hair slammed to the floor to brace herself again, a moaned " Ah! " escaping when the first hard thrust turned into several more, no part of Phasma was complaining. If anything, her walls were screaming, begging for what she knew was coming, milking length for its worth. The set of crashing waves in herself were starting to become apparent, body littered with telltale signs.
The glisten on his cock seemed to grow wetter, feeling it on both her own thighs and his, cheekbones a soft red as she closed her eyes, choking out the word, " Fuck ". The sun felt warm on her cheeks, almost surprised she had noticed it at all, radiating in bursts over her skin. It was only a moment or two after her third, or maybe fourth, fuck that the woman's orgasm crashed over her body, body writhing softly beneath him as her legs spread a short distance wider. The feeling of his balls slamming into her clit was like another gift in itself, coaxing out more of her sweet nectar, fists curled against the floor. The shower I am going to need after this.
It wasn't until a few seconds later that he realized his hips were starting to hurt.
There was a little discoloration there - Kylo felt a little rawness in his skin. But honestly, this was the kind of pain that he could ignore, the kind that urged him on. Kylo took a breath, feeling the sweat dripping on his forehead as he feet dug into the floor. The sounds and smells of sex were flying through his nose and soaking into his brain. And even though he could still feel himself on the edge of orgasm, his brain was still turned on - almost unrecognizably charged in that moment.
Even as she was starting to shiver beneath him, she was still smothering every inch of him, squeezing around him and getting tighter and tighter until...
Kylo squeezed her around the midsection and roared. His cock exploded inside her, sending jet after jet of hot cum deep inside of her. Each spasm they had seemed to set the other one off, starting a painful, powerful, perfect chain reaction that only lasted a couple of seconds but would be branded in his memory for much longer than that. He closed his eyes, one big climax hitting his body, his muscles quaking with unbelievable pleasure as his hips worked out of instinct, banging into her from behind, trying to squeeze out every drop of pleasure from this that he could.
His body went rigid for a moment, and he rolled off her to the side. He took a few deep breaths... maybe after getting off, he'd think about the situation differently. It wouldn't be the first time that had happened. Did he feel ashamed, embarrassed, worried about future complications?
Looking down at his dripping manhood as it rested against his stomach, Kylo sighed. No. Not even close. She'd been fucking mindblowing. Whatever problems this causes were ones he'd handle when they arrived. A smug grin crossed his face as he rolled over and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her possessively right below her navel while she recovered.
Technically, it wasn't the thing you were supposed to do in that moment, with the nerves still firing in all kinds of weird ways. But if she wanted to take a few deep breaths... he wasn't technically keeping her from that.
Inwardly, Phasma could nearly count the bruises she would be left with, over her neck, along her hips, against the back of her thighs and ass. The thought of each was amusing to her, like a pleasant secret to go along with what they were doing now, tucked away beneath her uniform. Only to be remembered when she undressed at night and noticed in passing a mirror, the print of a hand around her neck. For now her memory was a copy of his, his orgasm and last few hard thrusts into her cemented into her mind, the way it felt when he twitched from inside of her right before to the way it felt when his grip went loose from around her stomach. His dismount causing her to breathe out softly, ragged just slightly with how her lower lips throbbed, with one fluid movement, her hips lowered and her body turned.
The metal beneath her offered a small cool spot against her back, feeling the distorted sun rays dance over parts of her skin as her long legs stretched across the floor. Well. Phasma certainly felt as radiant as she looked, if one were to stand above and admire the naked woman, the gentle rise and fall of her heavy breasts, the way her taut stomach curved, thick thighs having already proved to be a warm and inviting home. Caramel eyes opened now, half lidded as she noticed the reflection of something glass in the ceiling, content expression remaining when she felt his touch back on her skin. It was amazing to her how it still felt like tiny bolts of electricity when his hands grazed her skin, arms above her head as she followed the colors of the reflection. The faint crackle of someone attempting to come through on the comm did not startle the blonde, not did she make any effort to move to respond to it, lowering her eyes to the man at her waist as her smile appeared.
" Four. "
He'd been just about to drift downwards to her generous thighs, right when he'd heard that voice in his ear. He popped up, a baffled expression on his face. A part of him wanted to ignore her altogether. Kylo was in an amazing state, the best he'd felt in a long time. But there was something about her high and mighty tone that merited pointing out the obvious.
"I hope you didn't waste any energy counting buildings,Commander. I don't want to rub it in, but our little wager is over. I collected and everything. I hope it wasn't THAT unmemorable."
Unmemorable wasn't at all the word. No, this would sit in her mind for a while, and when it wasn't in front, it would creep up with faint memory triggers that made her skin hot. The look on his face warranted her smile to grow wider, shifting her body carefully from his grasp, " Four buildings, before we leave. " She repeated the bet he had so eagerly agreed on, the smolder in her eyes still there as she crawled forward to close the short distance, palms flat as Phasma spoke again, " Before we leave. "
Leaning forward, her lips grazed the side of his baffled face, delivering the final blow in a soft whisper, " Where are we again? " While he had felt that he didn't like to lose, Phasma certainly didn't need to correct him before to say that she didn't either. There was something soft that fell from her lips, a feminine giggle when she pulled away and stood up back to the open view as she moved to her discarded clothes. With it now very clear that the sex hadn't been simple compliance, but because she wanted him to, Phasma looked over her shoulder as the crackling message finally came through. Sort of.
" . . . -auntlet contacting Commander Phas- . . - Ren. . Do you crrrch -"
Standing in her underwear now, the blonde raised a brow at the mess they had missed while very preoccupied, holding her dress as she stood behind the pilot seat, pillars of smoke dancing along the city outskirts. Clearly the city had been made an example of. The hum of the engine began again, the woman's soft smile still lingering as she pressed the comm response, " We're heading back now, there was trouble with the ship. "
"No." He thought about the total absurdity of what she was saying, lined it up in his own head, and... "No, when I said leave, I didn't mean -"
But she was ignoring him again, dressing and heading off to answer the comm. He'd really wanted to just forget the whole thing. But he realized that he didn't even know what her end of the bet was. What did she even want?
He supposed he could pitch a fit and get out of the bet, but... well there was the other little issue. What was going to happen to the two of them back on the ship? He wasn't quite thinking romantically, but he intensely enjoyed her company, and the sex had been incredible atop that. And he had an inkling that she hadn't gone too far into her own bag of tricks either.
Kylo lifted his hands over his head once the call ended. "Fine. I acknowledge my defeat."
He imagined he looked the picture of it, lying naked beneath her.
"How do I repay you? If you want to kiss me, I have a few suggestions."
She could almost hear it in the way he said no, the way his mind ticked and he found himself so close to growing that naturally grouchy cloud, raising her eyebrows slightly with half expectancy to lay any snide comments right back into him. It wasn't her fault he went for her breasts first, hungrily starting the cycle they both enjoyed. Smiling softly when instead of something catty, she got a proper acceptance, his following statement caught her off guard.
" For the sex or the bet? " Well, it was a valid question. His broad span of 'kissing' was amusing to her, moving to stand over him now as she looked down with a tilt in her head. " No helmet for a week. " Slipping away from him quickly just in case he reached out to grab her as a form of protest, sliding into the pilot seat, the hum of the ship echoing around them as they raised off the grassy hill.
***
If there'd been a celebration after Chandrila was taken, he hadn't been invited.
Sure, Phasma had technically won the bet, but he technically wasn't part of the First Order's command structure - nobody was going to ask him to spend a shift doing training drills or cleaning dirty pipes. So after his debriefing, Kylo Ren spent the next couple of days sleeping, watching old holo footage, or giving out dirty looks at the cafeteria that warded off any questions about his face. Most outsiders didn't appreciate the scale of an ISD, but a fully staffed one could hold a crew of thousands - he could walk around for all day if he wanted without retracing his steps.
He'd run into Phasma once - but now that they were in a professional environment, their "conversation" amounted to a grunt of acknowledgement. And he didn't mind that at all... it was the sort of thing he could pull that off for a week.
If only he'd been given that long. He'd been in the Gauntlet's cavernous on-board library, looking for footage for a "personal project" when his comlink buzzed at his hip and called him back to the adjunction room.
This room was usually used for meetings between different branches of the order that rarely had pre-ordained spaces. Admiral Fedorre was there was a bit of a nervous look on his face (more nervous than usual) and Phasma was over his shoulder. He gave the woman a slightly accusatory look. Whatever reason they were back, it was probably some fallout or discrepancy in their debriefings.
"Good afternoon, Admiral. Everything's well, I hope."
"If everything was well," he said grimly, "I wouldn't have the two of you here. There's a - did something happen to the..."
He circled his palm around his face, indicating the obvious.
Kylo took a set and crossed his legs with an irritated noise. "I've been depriving you all for much too long."
"Your typical humor aside, I think I prefer you this way, Ren. You look... sunnier. More approachable. I can see all your little expressions. And feel like I can understand and relate to you on a personal level."
His gaze flitted towards Phasma for a moment, and then he let out a lengthy gust of air through his nose, his lips widening in a too-wide smile. "Oh, I know."
A perfect argument for why he'd have the thing back on as soon as possible.
"I suppose I should get to the point here. We've had a wave of piracy in the inner rim. I know you may be thinking that there's always piracy in the inner rim. But not to this scale and effect - and certainly not with Order-affiliated vessels. These pirate attacks have been more and more daring - and they've culminated in the hijacking of an Imperial Corvette near the Carida system."
Now this made Kylo sit up in his seat. "They stole a capital ship from right under the nose of the old officer's academy? That's a -"
"Tremendous black eye to the Order, yes. It harms our claim to the security of our citizens and disrupts our ability to conduct diplomacy. We think it's possible that this effort is from the New Republic's guerilla organization, styling themselves -"
"The Resistance," Kylo grunted theatrically. The political situation was one of feints and counterfeints, a flimsy teetering structure built on plausible deniability. Everyone knew the First Order was undergoing rearmament, even going so far as to coerce some "neutral" systems into line. And everyone knew the New Republic was relaying aid and comfort to what was, frankly, a terrorist organization.
And yet for now, everyone was too shy to revert to the open bloodshed of the Civil War. "Yeah. I know. So we're going to -"
"We aren't going anywhere, Ren. A ship with the force of the Gauntlet can't be deployed to handle a few stolen vessels. And even if it could be spared, it wouldn't solve the core situation. We need to catch these people in act, capture and destroy... whoever is responsible before they get even bolder. Another situation where your... unique skills can come into play."
As a glorified security officer on ship that was likely being set up as bait. A great deal of waiting, and hopefully some small, intense amount of action. Well, there were worse jobs. "So, I'll be working with Commander Phasma again."
"Yes. No. Hm. Not... exactly."
How many times had she told them not to do this. She couldn't even be bothered to count, really.
" They're not going to hesitate to shoot and kill you, so why are you hesitating? " While it was a frustrating truth, that didn't stop it from being imparitive, important to be reminded. Unfortunately, when you were told to both resist from hesitating and leave one behind if the situation came down to it, there were areas of gray that made things like this difficult. Watching the screen with a steady gaze, her arms folded around her chest as her eyes danced over the rapid movements of cadets, counting the missteps of each. It was like watching a terrible joke, to say the least, watching the punchline fall through because the person telling the joke didn't remember the words correctly and had to go back and repeat it three times to get the pieces together.
But, there were no complaints yet. If there were going to be better stormtroopers, one would have to create them from this pile of mess. " Again. " It seemed that even in her return to the Gauntlet, she was back to babysitting men, left with the promise of cadets before she had even gotten a chance to let the remaining alcohol sneak out of her system. It was no matter, a welcome distraction on the ship from anything underlying she felt creep up while being here. On the ship she had responsibilities, things to peel her mind away from any distraction she had fallen into while on Chandrila, brandy induced or on her own. There was no time to sit and think about it, to dwell on anything extra because she was busy.
She welcomed the distraction with open arms.
Only every so often was she reminded, tender spots on her skin that she felt or touched in her sleep or while getting dressed. The print of a spread fingers dancing in pink over her neck when she glanced in the mirror, thankfully these were all from within the privacy of her own confines. Once or twice brought back into the reality of what had happened when glances came in passing, reminding her that his face held no protection from the outside world. While their one interaction had been in a circumstance of getting stuck in a pause of avoiding the other, Phasma was reminded of the amusement in watching his face contort in reactions to others and whatever traces of simplified conversation shared. Thankfully, it hadn't been much, and the pause was pushed for them to resume with their lives.
" I'm not taking them to Carida. "
It was one of the silliest things she had heard for the day, beyond the explanation of why the cadet hadn't taken the shot within the simulation. That alone was reason enough why taking them out into the field was a useless idea. Babysitting one person was one thing, but multiple, and actually having to make sure she didn't return with no cadets at all? Please. This conversation was already getting on her nerves, breathing out audibly as she looked down at Admiral Fedorre, the man backtracking instantly as it was an absolute terrible idea. But they couldn't, wouldn't send them in alone. No, this task was too big, and there were too many things that could go wrong. That was fine but, she was not taking her cadets.
This wasn't some field trip, as Fedorre had made sure to announce again the severity of the situation. Turning her head away from the projected map as the third party of the conversation arrived, the look given caused her arms to fold over her plated chest, what was said next made her portion of the bet instantly worth it. Oh he was just a beam of sunshine, smiling beneath her helmet and resisting the urge to laugh at the quietly made agreement. Turning her head back to the map as Fedorre explained the situation, her eyes danced over the slowly moving system, gloved hands raising as she zoomed in to where they suspected the ship had been taken. It was the mention of her name that caused her to turn now, directing her gaze to Fedorre as he stammered slightly on the answer. Not exactly. Rolling her eyes, the shift of her body almost announcing that she had done just that, speaking now, " Who? "
"Given the severity of the situation, we're putting you together with someone who has a background on the traits and habits of these pirates."
"You really have to stop having people walk in these meetings at the last minute."
Fedorre ignored him, of course. The Adjunction Room had been designed for this purpose - facilitating smooth co-ordination between the Order's many departments. He hit a button and a babyfaced redhead strolled through the door. The man looked like the opposite of Phasma's meticulate appearance - his eyes were red and cracked, his uniform wasn't ironed, there was crust on his eyes and lips.
Perhaps a man with more gravitas would have looked like a hardened solider, but this man looked like he'd stayed up all night to study for an exam.
"This is Major General Doriel Hux. He's going to be assuming leadership of... something like a bait ship that we'll be using to... is there a problem, Ren?"
If only he'd been wearing the helmet. Maybe he would have gotten away with it. But the shock and the absurdity of this man possessing this rank just made him smile, and then the smile made him laugh, and then he was guffawing uncontrollably. To his credit, the Major General stuck his nose in the air and acted as if Kylo wasn't in the room. But Fedorre was looking at him aghast, and Phasma was looking at him with... one expression or another.
So now, it felt like he had to explain himself. "I'm just curious. Who was your father?"
Hux turned on his scabby heel as if he'd been challenged to a fistfight. "Excuse me?"
Kylo leaned back in the chair and shrugged his shoulders. "You're, I mean... have you ever so much as used a razorblade before?"
"Have you?"
"I'm not..." Kylo waved a hand dismissively, "poncing about calling myself a Major General, either."
"Let's discuss what else you won't be doing." He swallowed. "I've been made aware that you have your... unique relationship with the Supreme Leader. And I am at peace with that. But I simply will not be spoken to like this, here or anywhere else. If you actually listen you'll find that I'm more than qualified for this task. Do you have any other questions?"
The Major General had pointedly ignored the two questions he'd asked already. "By all means."
He shot Kylo one more nasty look and leaned over, tapping a panel and triggering another complex series of holograms. "I've been assigned to lead a task force on stopping the piracy problem in the Inner Rim -"
"Insofar as it concerns the Order."
"I would like you to stop interrupting me," he snapped. But after a second, he nodded. "Yes. Insofar as it concerns the Order. We've made a probability map based on when they strike, the amenities, the vulnerabilities, the locations of the attacks. Our model also includes ah... "
Hux stopped for a moment and rubbed his eyes. "Includes forensic data. Marks from certain blasters we think the pirates are using. Eyewitness accounts. Things like that. But we're predicting that they'll strike further into the Carida system, attack another Corvette. I simply refuse to believe you could hijack anything larger without starting an all-out war."
"It seems that your limited ability to conceive has brought the problem this far already."
"Kylo Ren," Admiral Fedorre started -
"No, it's fine." Hux sighed. "We came here asking for your help, not the other way around. I've predicted the last two attacks, almost to the exact time. I think the model works. So I'd like you and Commander Phasma to help secure the ship - alongside a contingent of my own men. We'll be flying an unescorted Corvette on a supply run from one of the local mining colonies. So... something flush and inviting."
Kylo squirmed, tapping his fingers together and giving the room a queasy, uneven smile. He wasn't an expert in military tactics, but he did know an obvious trap when he saw one.
He idly wondered why Phasma was coming again. He certainly didn't mind, but... what an odd set of coincidences.
It was true. These appearances were starting to become almost like a game, guessing who was behind each sliding door. The next to enter made her tense, not necessarily because of who he was, but rather his appearance, head falling just slightly as she took him in like a book, reading every wrinkle and crease, the look of a tired man. Hands flat against the table, the woman's fingers noticably curled as she resisted the urge to shake her head. It was a. . A thing, to say the least. For the most part, she had never taken great notice in it, not until the occasional question as to why slipped out of someone's mouth. Perhaps it was because it was something she so easily had control over, being spotless and taking care of her things, that it ran along with her every day life.
Long hours spent patrolling simply because she enjoyed making distance from others and the views each system offered, it was merely a simple task that kept her alert, and her long legs strong. Even her own outfit, given the get up when she moved so gracefully up the ranks, that sat deep in her closet, was kept neat and carefully taken care of, despite never caring to wear it. Why? She had never preferred to sit behind a desk and plan out strategies, and not be there to help see them through. It just didn't feel right. But this- Hux, god. His appearance made her skin crawl. He looked like a piece of used paper, crumpled up and tossed into a chute somewhere. Thankful that this helmet did obscure certain portions of her vision, the woman stood properly now, silent relief in only being able to see him from the neck up. The distraction that pulled her eyes away from him was laughter, all aside from the ginger himself, heads turning to the laughing Kylo Ren. . If one would call it laughing.
Sighing softly as a means of relieving stress, despite how it sounded like she was sighing about the children gentlemen around her having a discussion that was irrelevant, though she was far beyond used to boys having semi-pissing contests. " I don't have time for this. " Turning her head to Fedorre, the woman spoke now, " This is still your fault, you know. " Another point she blamed him for, the elder man huffing slightly only for the two to turn back to the verbal debate between the two men, lightly raising a hidden brow as Hux had at least won for now. Well that was new, almost amusing in itself. Eyes following the flickers of the hologram, each of his presented statements acting as bullet points for how he had followed this so thoroughly through both attacks, easily agreeing that letting a third happen just seemed sloppy on their part. However, why she had to be a part of the sitting in a ship with them in such close confines, she wasn't getting. Clearly she was just being stuck into shit as one huge test. It had to be.
Next time she was called into a little meeting she was standing as close to the door as possible.
" Well Major General, " Turning her head to Hux, again focusing her line of sight away from his clothing, " Anything else? " Will you be putting on something actually presentable before we take this trip to sit like live bait?
"A LOT else. A great deal... else." Kylo pinched his nose and shook his head. "I want to know about the military capabilities of these pirates. There must be eyewitness accounts of what they did, how they got on board a fucking Corvette of all things and took over."
Hux ran a hand through his very generous hair and sighed, a long, long sigh that seemed like it would never end. Maybe this was what was giving him so little sleep. "We know that somehow they're tampering with the gravity and shields of these ships using some experimental weapon. We also know that the pirates are designated NhM."
Kylo frowned. The First Order adapted so much Imperial terminology (even now, the Star Destroyers used the ISD designation, although that was as much for convinience as anything else) that it could get irritating at times. "So... aliens. Bothans and Twi'lek and Quarren and all those other cuddly creatures."
"It's only now that the Supreme Leader has devoted what I would deem significant attention to it."
"The significant attention being... me."
"There are also reports of the one or two humans attached to the group being armed with lightsabers."
Now it was Kylo's turn to look like he was losing sleep. Was there any way that... no. Impossible. "You're joking. Look, there are plenty of bounty hunters and smugglers who killed Jedi back in the day. There are actually a few factories in the galaxy that make artificial lightsabers."
"I can't say I know all the details of that. But if this is some kind of Jedi business."
He narrowed his eyes. "I'm not a Jedi, Major General."
"Don't be pedantic. It should still be something left for you to handle."
Kylo scoffed. Without the mask, this would have been steely and intimidating, but now it came off as... well. "You make it sound like owning a lightsaber makes you impossible to kill. Has this special contingent of your men had any kind of training in Jedi countermeasures?"
Hux swallowed and looked around the room, as if hoping for support. "We've run simulations."
Before he could think, Kylo pounded the table and bent over, groaning into his hand for a few seconds. By the time he cleared his throat and recovered, everyone was looking at him.
This seemed like a bit of a trainwreck. Not from lack of preparation exactly, just from general... well, it was lack of preparedness in a macro sense.
"All right. I'll take your assignment." Kylo stood up, and Fedorre followed him in standing. "When are we supposed to leave?"
Hux put his hands behind his back and looked up at the ceiling. "I can give you two hours at most."
"Won't need that long. Commander Phasma, I'd like to check in with you before we shipped out. Just a few loose ends from the Chandrila affair."
Hux gave a half smile and extended his hand. "You're the guests of honor. Take your time."
Kylo frowned around the room miserably, as if the process of touching Hux was physically repulsive. And yet, he didn't want him to go around thinking he was the better man... so he gave the Major General a very terse handshake before getting out.
Of course, there was even more mess to be piled ontop.
It was then she eyed her options of exits, though again she knew that these pieces of information were important, hands settling themselves at her hips as Hux seemed to tip toe around the answers that were becoming apparent between all of them. Clearly these weren't simple pirates, especially if they were targeting First Order ships with clear intentions of hunting after them. A neutral party that had to be stopped, simply, and quickly before the Resistance caught any word of this. If a set of pirates could do it multiple times, and so easily, well, that wasn't good for anyone. The terms were familiar, head at a light tilt when it was confirmed that these weren't simply humans testing the waters of their ships, though the woman's eyebrows shot up, almost feeling her helmet shift when the second announcement.
Oh, now this was all too amusing. Lightsabers, hm? And Jedi business? The pure distress on Kylo's face, added to this little mental pile, coughing softly to cover the faint sound of a laugh, the tension between these men seeming to bubble up to the top again. With more and more bits of information, again this plan sounded like it was missing something, as though there were a gaping hole that needed plugging. Anti-gravity, aliens, and lightsabers. Well. While none of that truly sounded unusual, none of it was something they should have been simply briefed on today, probably right before the mission itself. Like I don't have things to make sure of. But alas. This was for the First Order.
Ship retrieval and all, it was for the First Order.
The woman was thankful this conversation as a whole had come to an end, though none of them wanted to sit and dwell on the fact that this was quite potentially a terrible idea, no matter how many statistics Hux had run. No matter how many maps and ideas he had, turning her head when Kylo mentioned speaking to her in regards to Chandrila, a lie that only she was aware of. The faintest of nods given to Hux as she moved around him, not before glancing down and silently cursing about that damned wrinkled shirt. Entering the hallway with a sigh, the woman's distinctive steps began, moving among the chatter of a few other men in uniform on patrol, she wasn't at all surprised that the Supreme Leader's protege had ran off to his room to brood silently before she spoke with him. Probably had to rebuild that pouty wall of his.
Standing in front of the doorway now, the woman sighed softly as she tilted her head upward, speaking now through the closed sliding door, " Sir, " Momentarily professional until she noticed the troopers who had been in the hall with her moved on, the woman continued, " Open the fucking door. " And like clockwork, the metal slid open, moving inside now as she immediately explained, " I was told to call you sir. " But the tilt of her head provided that it was going to happen rarely, if ever at all, fingers hooking under her helmet now as she slid it up and over her head. Choppy bangs brushing over her eyelids, the woman let her eyes narrow at the faintest sign of amusement she saw on his face, knowing immediately that telling him that would prove to be a pain.
The smile still hadn't faded from Kylo's lips.
"I looked it up the day after I was stationed on the Gauntlet, and technically I outrank both you AND Hux, which is wonderful... at least on a technical level." The smile faded and turned into a bitter sigh. Imagine where he would have been if the Chandrila mission had failed. He certainly didn't know where to start extracting himself from a situation like that. "Of course, there's the technical level and the practical one. On that level, it mostly allows me to mouth off, walk out of conversations and leave when I want."
He decided this made a good amount of sense. The Order's military arm and the Knights of Ren had their own roles to play in Smoke's service, and it didn't make any sense for him to be answerable to layer after layer of bureaucracy. Although...
Kylo took a big step forward and finally lifted his arm, touching her right under the chin and tilting her in his direction. "You should still make a habit of calling me Sir. I think I could get used to it."
The playfulness left his voice, although the distance didn't change. "Why do you think you keep getting all these to do these things lately? Is this something Commanders get sent to do? Do you... have you given the impression that you get me to behave somehow?"
As he said it, he realized that this theory could have cut a different way from Phasma's perspective. This woman barely walked around without something over her face. And now she had to worry about the perception of... being too good a handler. He wondered how much of him cared. God. If he was regularly getting fucked like that, he'd be on time much more often.
Much more likely she was just doing a great job, anyway.
"Do you know Hux? Do you recognize that name? Is there some kind of reputation in him?" He hadn't looked it up, but he was certain that Hux really had a father that was... someone of influence. It was hard for him to imagine anyone climbing the ranks that quickly. "I don't want to die for some snotty rich child. And speaking of not dying."
He grabbed his lightsaber from the counter. He still hadn't perfected the crafting on it, but it was stable enough that he felt like he could still use it in the field, if it came to that.
It was right at technically that she rolled her eyes, knowing nothing good could come from him after that very word. And she was right, her free hand settling on her hip now when he felt the need to say she was only slightly useful. Useful like she was some kitchen appliance tossed in a drawer. Useful like she was good for his inability to fly a ship, despite him outranking her. Useful because he had to be watched out of fear that he would go completely off task. Oh how useful. The shift in her mouth that of someone who was biting their tongue, even as he lifted her head slightly and so easily approved of being called sir, the thought alone making her head shake lightly from his grasp. " Now I really don't ever want to say it. " Clearly he already found way too much joy in it.
The rapid fire of his questions left her with an amused expression, most notably for the final question as she tapped her nails across her helmet. " Have I given the impression? Don't you think that's more or less something you'd be the one to determine? " After all, he was the one walking around with his sunny disposition, hm? " So? Am I the reason you're apparently behaving? " If him hiding himself away in the dark corners for a few days was counted as behaving anyway. Though the previous questions still remained, brown eyes raising to the ceiling lightly, " Usually no, not this often anyway, unless he just needed me to fly the ship, " Doubtful, when he had men of his own accompanying them. It wasn't given as busy work, because there were plenty of other things she had to do here on the Gauntlet, easily adding, " But if you'd rather sit on an even smaller ship with Hux alone, I'm sure something could be arranged. "
Watching the thought process wash over his face when he mentioned Hux again, the blonde was momentarily surprised he was unaware of the last name, though easily it was more trooper matters, recent history. " His father is Commandant Hux? " Raising a brow when the name still didn't register across Kylo's face, Phasma shook her head and continued, " He used to be the commandant over Arkanis Academy until the civil war ended, and he fled. He used to study how Jedi would train since birth, and once the war ended, they started new training methods for troopers. " Phasma didn't feel that she needed to put the connection of Jedi training and trooper training together, breaking eye contact for a moment as she glanced down. " So, by default of being his son, he's important. "
Kylo slowly broke into a smile, leaning back against his bed and shaking a finger at Phasma. Her demeanor had surprised him, but he couldn't be sure why that was. "I couldn't have imagined you'd make those kinds of faces, or take things that seriously. You're supposed to be a True Solider that Loves The Thrill Of Battle. And now you're giving me all those kinds of looks because you're not sitting behind a desk? Hux seems to be very eager for that kind of thing, but you... well, I thought you would be a little more even keeled."
Imagine. Asking that from her of all people. Of course, what she was really concerned about, if he put himself in her shoes, was... something less simple to grasp onto. She didn't want to be seen as a tool (or to be more accurate, she wanted to be seen as a tool, but in a limited sense that she could take pride in) and this situation already had troubling implications for the way the Order thought of her. Who wanted to be known as someone else's handler? Especially a handler for someone like him?
The fact that she was allowing herself into his room, and was being so cordial to him, was actually a testament to his personal charm.
If that was what you wanted to call it.
"We made an agreement and I'm following it. I wouldn't say I was doing anything out of personal affection for you. I wouldn't say you're... handling me or anything of that nature." He trailed off with something about how absurd it was, before she brought up an obvious thing he hadn't thought of - if he didn't like her around, she could always find a way to sneak out of the job. Perhaps one of her children would come down with the flu. "Ah. Listen. No. I wouldn't like that. I'm sure this is going to be a clusterfuck, it'd be good to have someone... competent and... trustworthy, to..."
He curled up on the bed (a glorified cot, really) and looked up at the harsh lights. This was what he'd asked for, but really, the place was more like a cell, wasn't it? "No. I do want you to be there. I'd like it very much, do you... how much of a production does it have to be for me to say that?"
He chucked a screw at the opposite wall, and it rattled around on the floor. "And I didn't know his father was that sort've important. I suppose it makes sense. Have you ever seen a Major General that young before?"
Of course, the Order had plenty of obscenely young officers. He was speaking to one of them. Maybe the entire line of conversation was hypocritical. But Hux was everything obnoxious about the officer class rolled up into one person. He hadn't decided he hated him or anything as dramatic as that... but he had a lot to prove.
The audible sigh that slipped through her naturally placed pout was one of faint annoyance, immediately aware that he plainly didn't get it. Outright he didn't get it. Of course she would be clawing her eyes out if she were sitting behind a desk, watching planets from inside some ridiculous communication room. It would drive her absolutely insane to be chatty with any of the other comm room associates about what they were doing with their droning lives. Shit, it was already near painful enough to be chatty in the first place. " Oh I am just so thrilled to be on another mission where my underlying objective is to keep you from dying. Absolutely. " Or to keep him from freaking out, or losing his mind, or whatever everyone was so genuinely concerned about him doing. Whatever Snoke was just so sure she needed to be around him for.
The only true pay off she had noticed from Chandrila was, other than the fact that they had both admitted to enjoying the other's company in one way or another, the sex. The mind blowing, forget what time it was and what you're supposed to be doing sex. And Phasma doubted on every inch of her body that Snoke had just prepared for that to happen. Arms folding over her chest again as he slightly stammered through the fact that he clearly didn't want her to simply not be there, whether it was because he would be alone with Hux and several other men or because he again, enjoyed her company, Phasma wouldn't ask. " You're the one with the flair for dramatics. " She responded, watching him as he laid on his bed with half of his mind clearly in his thoughts, grinning softly when he asked if she'd seen a Major General that young.
Absolutely not, but. .
" I've never seen anyone your age outrank one either. " Clearly he was just finding excuses to not exactly be fond of Hux, other than the general hauty attitude the man carried. Though plainly, the woman had no intention of getting between their bitter attitudes. " Are you going to lay there for the two hours you said you wouldn't need? "
"That's my underlying objective in every mission, Phasma. I think a lot of people would be saddened if I were to be killed by some pissant space pirate with a squid neck in the middle of nowhere." Kylo rolled himself off the cot and padded over towards her, wrapping his arm around... well, it was a little bit silly, wrapping his arm around the waist of her armor, but he did manage it. He tilted his head to close the distance, kissing her. "Me, most of all. I suppose there's nothing I could do to convince you... I mean, I could think of so many things we could do in two hours."
Of course, deep down, he knew the idea was absurd. Even if they were in here for half an hour, that was a long time to... have a conversation about something they'd both experienced together already. Ah, and speaking of which. There was one more loose end from Chandrila that he hadn't brought up from their earlier discussion. "Okay, I've got a theory. How... intensive were you about that debriefing when you got back?"
He rolled his neck around and glowered at the door. "I'm not saying you told them everything we did, but... did Fedorre ask any kind of strange questions? Did he ask about my... mental state or anything like that?"
Unfortunately, there was something amusing in that, Phasma resisted the laugh that settled in her chest. She wouldn't argue it with him, as she knew herself that the shit would hit the fan and destroy so many of Snoke's plans, disrupting the First Order, and everything around it. And in reminding herself that she didn't want to be the one responsible for that, Phasma simply got over it. Not to say the kiss hadn't helped. " If I've got to get out of this armor, it's going to be for more than an hour or two of sex. " Her tone was soft, though honest as Phasma spoke again, mentally reminding herself that there were still a few things that could be worked around in this uniform.
Raising a brow softly when he mentioned their debriefing, the question was odd and she hadn't entirely thought back on it since the day they'd returned. Intensive? " I told him what happened, " Obviously other than the clearly obvious points that needed to be left out, mentally deciding that watching Fedorre squirm through filthy details would have been amusing if it wasn't her own. Though him asking immediately triggered her thoughts, being reminded immediately of Fedorre's tipping around what he truly cared to know. Had the man choked in the mission, had anything gone south, had he thrown a tantrum that resulted in extremely negative results. " He asked how you. . Handled the pressure when not under such close observation. "
"An hour or two of sex isn't enough for you? Either you're really underestimating how much sex you can have in that amount of time. Or I'm underestimating how hard it is to get out of that thing. Half an hour would be more than enough to..." Kylo stopped midsentence as he read her face. Wait.
Wait, that hadn't been what she'd meant at all. Well, Kylo certainly wasn't going to ask for... that was a little bit eccentric, even for his tastes. He shook his head, his face turning all kinds of red as he moved on to the other pressing issue.
"What did you tell him?" And then his mind went back to the actual mission. Almost giving away the thing as he entered the Governor's office. The whole affair with the air traffic controller. The sheer amount of effort and false starts that it had taken for him to pull off the probe. "You lied to him about everything, right?" She'd indirectly answered his question, at least he thought she did. It seemed unlikely that she was there for the sole purpose of informing on him. Of course, his vision of her mind hadn't exactly gone that far back...
"Let's... deal with the pirate situation, try to survive, and pick apart the evidence later, I suppose." He slapped her on the back and headed for the door. "And thanks. Most of those were things I really needed to know."
The crash course of expressions that crossed his face when he realized what she had so silently said within her words, laughing softly when the red shot over his skin like a rash. The embarrassment was his alone for once, the woman's own focus on what he was so carefully trying to keep from making sure she hadn't outright blabbed on him. Trying to make sure she hadn't told him that he had screwed up numerous times in practice, thumbed through her thoughts, and stolen liquor from the previous Governor of Chandrila. " You think from something I said it unofficially made a part of my job watching you? " That would be very Fedorre, to say the least. " You don't think something you said might have made that happen? " Then again, Phasma didn't put it past the knight to glorify himself like he had truly been almighty.
Her eyes narrowing when his hand collided with the smooth back of her armor, she shook her head softly and slid the white helmet over her head, shifting it slightly as the image of her surroundings adjusted. " It's not like they aren't common knowledge. "
" We'll keep their training regime the same, of course, just. . Keep them under another's eye. " Fedorre explained, his voice almost sounding hopeful of something the woman couldn't exactly put her finger on. But it made her uncomfortable. It had felt odd for her to essentially pass her training of her cadets off to someone else until she returned, finding that it just felt wrong. Felt like it was too soon and way too early to just be giving the burden to someone else for the moment. Wait. . Why was she making them sound like they were her children. . Am I being maternal. . The sharp inhale and shake of her head caused her to reevaluate the situation entirely, though it was almost as though she wasn't given the opportunity to dwell on it, one of Hux's men addressing her now.
Something about a blaster, " Mmhm. "
Phasma momentarily felt uncomfortable in this environment with that thought so deeply lingering in her, turning her head just in time to hear another say the coordinates of where the last ship had been taken under siege. Watching the hologram come up from the table, the woman turned to Hux now, arms folding over her chest, " Are you expecting for any of the other crew members to be alive? "
This ship was called the Resolute or something like that - it was a lot more camped, a little dirtier than the Gauntlet. There simply was less attention paid to those kinds of details out here, even if it technically was Order space. They were huddled around the hologram, and Kylo stared at it from the shadows in the corner, as if he'd expected to unlock some sort of profound truth from the damned thing.
"I don't know," Hux said grimly. "I almost don't want to think about it. There are at least 40 ships that have been taken, most of them extremely small vessels, but generally the ones that don't put up a fight live and the ones that do... well."
"You're right, that does not bode well. I don't think our boys are the surrendering type. Have you given a stand-down order to captains in this sector?"
Hux swallowed, shaking with fury at even the notion of such a thing. "Of course not. These are the men and women of the First Order. It would be degrading to tell them to surrender at the first sign of trouble. And word would spread, oh it would."
"I just mean they should stand down if they see some of these traits you've identified... you know what, never mind." This was absolutely not an argument he was going to win, of course.
"That's why we're here. We are the countermeasures."
It seemed more like he was the countermeasure. But there was speaking your mind, and there was being a cunt. Kylo usually stayed on one side of that line, until circumstances irritated him to the point that...
"Are we going to disembark and..."
"I'm expecting that we'll be attacked as we go by."
Kylo folded his arms. "I find that... do they really think so little of us? That we'd be so totally incompetent? We really should just drop a Star Destroyer on their heads and get it over with."
Hux shook his head, his hair waving back and forth in synchronized motion with his forehead. "We've already discussed that. We're down here in the bay. Based on our knowledge of previous attacks, they mess with the gravity using... some method I don't know about yet. Then they board the ship and disable the hyperdrive. Then they storm the ship and take it by force."
He showed a little hologram showing this stuff off. "We're going to buckle down and counter this initial gravity attack." Then he pointed to a bunch of little platforms he'd... stuck to the walls somehow. "Then we're going to push ourselves between here and the hyperdrive room. I don't much care whether they actually disable the hyperdrive, but I want to spring the trap there. We need to hold this room at all costs, that way we can leave if things get bad."
"What if your men aren't the crack shots you think they are. What if you run into a few things they haven't seen in the almighty simulation."
"That will not happen."
"Even I know you need a contingency for -"
"It will not happen, Ren. Just stick with the plan that I've provided you. We've been blessed with a predictable enemy and I intend to take advantage."
"Have you ever been in the field before, Major General? I mean, really in the field."
"We will discuss my experience in private, after this mission is complete. Are there any more questions?" That was a no. And just then, he felt the ship rumbling. "Now. Buckle up. Please."
He could say this for Major General Hux - he had a way of making the word "Please" sound like the word "Cunt", which was impressive, considering the lack of similarity.
The more he spoke, the more this sounded like a very elaborate suicide mission. One that had been carefully thought through with enough care to figure out which able bodies were important enough to get on the ship and play pretend that they could destroy pirates using technology none of them knew about, instead going based on guessing. And it was true, with no word back from these missing ships and the ever awareness that these men and women of the First Order weren't the sort to sit tight and wait for a rescue. Maybe a few, but that would be a slim few. In that, she could just about see Hux's blood pressure rise through him as his heart damn near stopped at being asked such a simple, but apparently preposterous question. On one hand, Phasma could understand where Hux was coming from, the idea of anyone being a weak link within the First Order could be absolutely damning for the image they firmly held. However, forty ships down. . You would think. . And with the knowledge of what was happening to these other ships that weren't standing down, it apparently meant that an act of bait was to be placed. Forty ships in.
" You can't just drop a Star Destroyer on everything, especially if there is anyone who survived. " What a grand solution that would be though, to simply blow them up and carry on through as though it was simply a bug on a window. Instead of having to hold the guard of a room that wouldn't have any gravity. And it was the trooper way, that if your comrade went down, then you were to keep going until the job was done. " Where do they boar- " Sighing softly as the beautiful couple continued their squabble, she moved toward one of platforms, " I refuse to die like this. " As if she had a choice in the matter, though knowing Phasma, she would fight until she got at least some similarities of how she wanted to die. The rumble of the ship caused her head to turn upward, the soft click emerging beside her just in time for Hux to so sweetly tell Kylo to buckle himself in. Grasping at the blaster, only for a moment could she picture the fumbled image of one of Hux's men scrambling to grab his weapon because he wasn't holding it or it wasn't strapped down, closing her eyes because again she was finding numerous things that could go wrong.
There was a loud wobbling sound and then an insanely loud crash and boom from outside the ship. Now Kylo was thinking about other things. Were these gravity weapons shipboard or handheld? "At LEAST tell me that we've got a map. Cameras. Some kind of tracker that we can use to coordinate our own attacks in case of -"
"I'm hooked up to the bridge," Hux said hurriedly, as another loud noise was in the background. "The bridge is hooked up to surveillance. We're going to be fine."
"We need to -"
But Hux was already talking over him. "The ship's taking fire! Start moving to the hyperdrive engine!"
There was another loud wobble and then - static. The ship rocked back and forth, and the dim overhead lights began to flash on and off. The men had started out in a smooth, synchronized motion in the light, but the next time Kylo could see, they were disorganized, sprawling in different directions. Oh, this was already a total fucking horror show. This was the great General Hux, already getting them close fucking killed.
"Use the platforms!" Yes, yes, we got that much. To his faint credit, Hux had slung a rifle over his shoulder and was moving admirably, even taking a minute to boost one of his black-suited henchman up. Hm... everyone was wearing some variety of black except Phasma... that would make her stand out at least.
There was another loud rumble, and the now the gravity on the ship was down, and the electricity too. The backup power was engaging, and there were little suits flickering in the darkness. Well, at least they were good for something. Kylo stretched out with the Force, keeping track of Hux's squadron. This was a really poorly thought out plan, but he was Kylo Ren. He should be enough to turn the tide of the battle by himself, unless...
Well, what else did these pirates bring into play? They cleared the way into the hyperdrive room - Kylo scowled. He'd been smart enough to think of their way in, and lighting for speeding the path, but the site of their ambush wasn't as good as he'd hoped. There was some rudimentary cover placed on the ground (wouldn't last long in a firefight) and on the ceiling (here was a man in love with his own cleverness) and then men got behind it faithfully and waited. He saw Phasma in a far corner of the room, looking comically out of place behind some durasteel bumper, and resisted the urge to position himself directly behind her yet... it was just as likely he'd go careening into someone else.
And he needed Hux to relay him information. "Total darkness, everyone." And they'd clearly all neatly practiced synchronized light cutting. Hooray. There were a couple of loud BOOM noises before these pirates entered. It was a smaller crew than he'd expected. Only a dozen in the massive engine room. Had they really taken a corvette with a crew that small?
The alien spoke some kind of gibberish and the group flanked out. They wore red, all of them, and they all wore variations of the same boots, but it was all different sorts of clothing, vests, jackets, bandanas, armor, they looked more like a jumped up street gang than a military force. And one of them wore a heavy gun around his shoulder that almost looked like a trumpet. Shit. They needed a translator. Another detail the Major General had forgotten.
Of course, maybe Hux didn't care so much, since he was going to have these people captured or killed soon anyway. Kylo squinted in the dark at the humans, looking for one that had a lightsaber. That one would have to be measured first... if he found -
"NOW!" Another mistake - even in the darkness, the barricades weren't impossible to see. The pirates had spotted the trap early, leading the firefight to break out a little soon. That wasn't impossible to recover from, through. A little war had broken out in the engine room - and the good news was that Hux's squadron weren't incompetent shots. Phasma nailed a man in the shoulder, and another couple of pirates died in the initial volley. One of the pirates shot the trombone gun - and a wave of pressure flew out, smashing three troopers into a wall.
He still didn't know what that was - some sort of grav manipulation device. He needed to focus on the - he heard the trademark spark of a lightsaber on the far end of the room. He was - a Jedi? He had incredible reflexes - inhuman ones, and he blocked a few blaster bolts, and pushed two of the troopers back. Nice trick. But Kylo didn't feel anything from this man... he was like a void in the Force, and that sent shivers down his spine.
This man wasn't like any Jedi he'd ever met. Was this... one of Skywalker's new students? Had he gone to taking them? Was this some new sect of the Sith? But that was impossible, because...
Kylo disengaged from the wall and chased after him, sparking his own lightsaber into being and hurling some Bothan across the room. The Jedi noticed his presence, and whether he knew better or not... he was running back the way he'd come from rather than fight.
"WAIT! YOU NEED TO COVER US HERE! WE HAVE TO DEFEND THE -" There was a pure panic in Hux's voice now, almost enough to freeze Kylo where he was. No, no. If he got this man, he'd have something far more valuable than a Corvette. He needed to make choices, and real ones, right now.
Kylo sprinted at full bore, giving chase through the firefight and down the hall.
It was like watching something fall from a high place, as though you could count the seconds until things got far beyond their reach to be pulled back to making this plan work.
The rumble sounded like something heavy rolling on the ground, only for the crash to send each of them shifting sideways, answering her interrupted question from earlier, she should have already known that as pirates they simply made their way in where ever they felt the weakest point was, and having done this before, they knew what they were doing. Unlike any of them on this Corvette. Wonderful. Phasma already felt like she should have attempted to slide out of this trip, but there came the faintest sign of guilt. If word had gotten back to the Gauntlet about this mess and she had stayed, Phasma couldn't deny feeling like shit, again that weight held that if he died with her having done nothing to prevent it. . Well, it just didn't sit well.
And so began the hurried phrases, flashing lights, and the sudden lift of her body off the ground. It caught her off guard, gripping a bar on the wall for a moment as she regained composure and began to move, despite immediately deciding she was much too, well. . Much too big to just be off the floor like this. The journey to the hyperdrive room had taken her mind off of that however, the darkvision in her helmet beginning to etch out slightly, though much to each of their surprise, the next crashing noise offered a visual. Inwardly, she was surprised and impressed at the small numbers, though that made the situation a bit more imparitive, eyes moving upward as she watched the slight shuffle of men, before the shout rang out.
Shit. Shit shit- The static rippled through her helmet again, but momentarily she ignored it long enough to take a shot, watching the beam crash into the shoulder of a Quarren, only to wince immediately when the largest gun was fired. The static rippling up through her helmet now, forcing it off her head as she felt the electricity snake over her cheeks, the pressure that had sent the three men near her flying back, leaving a sharp crack in the helmet. Shit.
Whatever it was falling from the high place, Phasma hadn't had time to decide, it was definitely hitting the ground and falling into a million pieces. Another set of shots were taken before Phasma actually noticed Kylo Ren. Kylo 'I'm fucking reckless' Ren. It happened all too quickly, faster than she had time to think about it, light eyes turning to Hux, " We have to go, NOW. " This plan had gone to hell right in front of them, and while taking out the pirates that they could, the ones that were still here were doing all too well of a job of making sure their largest gun remained intact. The soft click completely drowned out as she disengaged herself from the wall, with only a few steps taken forward, the trooper had already been targeted. Her blaster flew into the wall beside her immediately, that lifted feeling rippling over her again as she shot backwards, the air carrying her only for a second before she was slammed to the ground.
Of course, Kylo Ren was completely right. He'd never seen combat before. Not out in the real world. And nothing had prepared him for how quickly his meticulous plan had fallen apart. He'd lost so much sleep creating that model, gotten it to perfect accuracy, all for everything to fall apart like this. Commander Phasma was screaming at him, her helmet smashed and halfway off her face (even in the madness, he noted how surprisingly pretty she was), most of his crew was incapacitated or something worse.
"NO! WE JUST NEED..." Hux jumped from behind his cover. Mardeck was the best shot, but where was she? The damn bitch was twitching on the ground. A concussion and broken bones at best. It had to be him.
He noted this with a rising panic as he tilted his rifle towards the trombone. All this work, all this manipulation, all the climbing, and he was going to fucking die in his first exchange. A blaster bolt slid right past his face. Perhaps. But he couldn't run from this. This was his plan. His people. He squeezed the trigger - and yelped! Deadeye! The creature with the trumpet fell to the ground. He was excited until he realized the damage had been done. His men were still on the ground, all blood and broken bones. His Jedi had abandoned him at the first flash of a lightsaber. And now a grenade was... oh no. The Hyperdrive.
"TAKE COVER!"
***
Kylo Ren sprinted down the hall, struggling to catch the Void Jedi before he got back to his ship and disappeared. The Hall opened up to the Hangar Bay, and the Jedi rounded a corner. Kylo rushed behind him... and leapt out of the way as the Jedi took the offensive. As soon as he rounded the corner. Kylo cursed, backpedaling as the Jedi took obvious advantage. He sparked his lightsaber, the red crossguard blade surging to life as he stepped forward and attacked, feeling the rage of the dark side roaring around him.
The Jedi had another surprise. He was flexible, smoothly popping joints out of place to stack him from strange angles. He threw wrists, shoulders, and elbows. Kylo couldn't read him through the force and couldn't possibly keep balance.
But then, something amazing happened.
The Jedi stretched his hands out, and Kylo went flying, the lightsaber dying as he flew. And that... was not the Force. Kylo slammed into the wall, coughing as the so called Jedi threw a smoke bomb and ran.
"YOU'RE A FUCKING DROID!"
But he couldn't... chase. Could barely move. Tired.
The ground felt safe, even safer when the yell of 'Take Cover' actually sounded like something soft to follow in with the ringing in her ears, the vibration of the ground rumbling and the roar of metal giving way bringing her focus back into the destruction. Arms over her head slid down beside her once the ringing had succeeded enough for her to begin to move, wincing harshly at the headache that crashed down to act as another weight. The woman shifted forward into a slight crawl, hand moving over the woman that was once one of Hux's finest, a jagged piece of the propulsion system jetted out of her side. Pushing up to a standing point, though clearly light headed, the red of fire seemed to draw her in, to wake her mind up enough to begin to walk, blurred vision clearing well enough to see that though there were casualties all around, none were that idiot sack of Force.
Good. She could strangle him herself then.
Whatever remained of the pirates had fled the hyperdrive room, the sound of her boots hitting the floor in once cautious steps mixing in with the crackling of fire, the yell was what caught her attention, told her where he was. He had run off to find another Jedi. But they all knew. There couldn't have been, right? " -DROID! " Right. Sighing softly, the woman pushed forward, the smoke clearing well enough for her gloved, and only now noticing there were more pieces of her armor missing, hands to grab him, pulling him carefully into her grasp before adjusting his arm around his shoulder. Phasma would remember this as the time she saved a slew of illicit words for someone of a higher rank for later, instead opting for, telling him to try and walk. It honestly didn't matter, slightly dragging him back toward the bay with her teeth clenched together, almost feeling guilty that she hadn't immediately looked for a sign of Hux. Well. She couldn't babysit everyone.
He swayed in two or three different directions as Phasma pulled him up - and he heard a loud roar from the other side of the wall. Something was leaving the hangar bay - maybe multiple somethings. The force of that little device had slammed the back of his head into the durasteel - he was dizzy, his legs were shaking, his back was on fire. And she was... what... moving him for some reason?
"No, just..." He wanted to tell her to just leave him where he was, but his words were coming out slurred and he barely had the energy to put his lips together. "Where are you..."
He'd expected her to take her back towards Hux and the hyperdrive engine, but they were going in the exact opposite direction. Kylo just coughed and limped in whatever direction he was being taken. It was a few seconds later that he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. "What was that, Ren? I told you to help protect the engine! Now we're stranded here!"
Kylo took a deep, ragged breath and ignored him. He was in too much pain to even bother responding to the man who'd made an instant, incredible hash of the day. There was always the hope that Hux would stop in his tracks and consider what an idiot he was, or at least focus his anger on someone else.
But those hopes were dashed when Hux caught up with Phasma and rounded into his face. "Were you so interested in having a duel that you ignored the entire plan?"
Fine. Fine, that was exactly what he needed. Kylo shoved Phasma away, let his own rage and misery spur him onward. "Interested in having a duel? If that had been a real Jedi, you'd have a lot more dead soldiers than you have right now! You should be on your knees, thanking me for being the only person here that could actually adjust to a changing situation."
"But it wasn't a Jedi, was it? It was some sort of droid with synthetic skin -"
The audacity of this man, to blame him for not being able to predict that. Kylo grabbed him by the shoulder and pushed him to the nearest wall. "How was I supposed to know it was a Human Replica Droid? Do you know how rare those are? We're looking at a set of pirates who somehow have experimental weapons we haven't seen from the Order OR the Republic."
"And despite all of that, we were still winning the fight! We'd have most of them captured or dead if you had been patient and obeyed my -"
Kylo reached for his lightsaber, turning it on and firing the blade right over Hux's shoulder and embedding it in the wall. "You have no way of knowing that!"
Kylo turned the blade off and walked back towards the hyperdrive, partially to survey the damage, and partially to get away from Hux. Was that a plan? Because it seemed a lot like standing around waiting to get shot to him. Hux was so caught up his strategy of preparation that he'd barely considered the tactics of the actual firefight.
He took another couple of steps... and then his legs gave out, with a sharp pain shooting up his back. He almost collapsed, but caught himself in time to make it appear like... a very sudden decision to take a seat.
It would have all been fine if - No, she couldn't even say that it would have been fine. There was no next step in this process, they were stranded, and Hux hadn't thought of anything other than his straight and narrow plan. While it would have been wonderful if it had gone off without a wrinkle, it hadn't and now here they were, with no real plan. Being sent to create a trap with someone who had to be babysat, and another someone who just barely knew how to fire a blaster, considering he had potentially just gotten very lucky. In some sense, it was her fault, that she had given any faith that he wouldn't just outright chase after someone, ripping the plan like it was a sheet of thin paper in an old book, only to be lit even further by failure. Failure that was pressed further into the light when Hux began his condescending words.
Mentally commending the dark haired man for keeping himself from outright losing his calm, Phasma stumbled slightly when she felt the push against her chest, watching the scene unfold before her. Or at least, the initial contact, the pain thrumming through her head again as she turned her head, wincing and turning from their argument. " The only person that could actually. . " Ignore him. None of them had time for this, but Phasma was not about to sit here and watch them argue about why any of this had happened. " . . Winning the fight. . " Liar. They were both at fault, but she would remind them of that later, eyes illuminated by the steady flashes of caution red lights, she wasn't going to drag either one of them to safety.
Fuck it, she had tried. Gloved hands reaching into one of the pockets of her belt, sighing softly at what she knew was very likely, her comlink partially smashed from her fall. Moving past the slumped man where he sat, her hand reaching back and grazing over another crack in her armor, the heat from the room attempting to grip at her through her bodysuit beneath. The thud of the chest piece hitting the ground, the woman dropped to her knees where a half of her helmet lay, hands tearing out pieces until the comlink alerted her by beeping to life. A thankful sigh when she heard the static fade out to the announcement of another First Order ship within the system, Phasma speaking now into the receiver.
" First Order Corvette number 0626, in the Carida system. Hyperdrive is destroyed. "
"We're lucky it's just the hyperdrive," Kylo said with a long gasp. He was long past trying to look tough, given the stress of his situation. He rolled onto his side, ignoring the sneering look that Major General Hux was giving him. "Has anyone looked over the bridge?"
"I'll see to it myself, it might be a better use of my talents." Hux spun on his heels and left, and Kylo didn't see fit to make the obvious rejoinder for the situation. They'd been lucky in a very small sense. The ship hadn't been taken, and everyone hadn't died. But they'd forfeited all element of surprise, hadn't they? And he didn't think they'd taken anyone alive. Not exactly the resounding victory that he'd hoped for. There was hardly anything they could use, except...
"I want to see that gun." The big trombone they'd used to manipulate the room's gravity and throw people around like leaves? That wasn't just a potentially useful tool, that was a way to track down the people who'd done this. "Do we have the..."
He decided to leave Phasma behind and look for it. If she shared his interest, there was nothing stopping her from keeping up. He arrived, making his way through the wounded, the dead, and the directionless to pick up the weapon, still lying placid next to the smoking corpse. What a weird gun. There was a lot of weird going on here. Who had made these tools, and who was gaining from attacking the Order in their own space?
A bunch of weird factions scrolled through his head. He started adjusting the weapon in his hand, looking for identifying markers for a minute before giving up and strapping the cumbersome thing onto his own back. It wasn't exactly his specialty, but there had to be some kind of useful information from the thing.
He just started to walk... away, unsure of what direction he was going. This entire ordeal had been a quick and utter failure. And this was the most careful plan they could construct?
To attack a ship and just leave it alone, didn't make any sense to her. In her own mind, her first thought would have been that sure, they had to retreat back to their own ship with several casualties, but that couldn't have been all of them? And with weapons like that, one even being left on the First Order ship. If it had been her, plans to destroy the First Order ship before it could get away were next in order. . And perhaps this same situation had happened before, not necessarily in the same means of trying to trap the pirates, but in the fight back. For this to have been a pile of shit, it had been too simple. Pirates couldn't be that simple. Compliance was rewarded with life, usually not actions of fighting back.
Nodding softly to herself as she finished the call, there was the inkling inside of Phasma that was unsettled about this, about these casualties. It was First Order space, but it was beyond clear that to these pirates it didn't matter. Bold, but for very good reasons. From a different perspective, Phasma found this fascinating. Unfortunately, her headache wasn't exactly letting her sit and focus on it for too long, standing carefully with the half of her helmet in her hands. Ten minutes. It would take roughly ten minutes for the Terigen to arrive and take their ship in. Ignoring the sound of bickering men, at least they weren't shouting at one another, not to say she wouldn't continue getting further away from the both of them.
Phasma had easily decided that watching after a grown man for this trip was not acceptable, not when her own life was being so closely threatened by his decisions. Not his decisions for the Order, anyone else on this fucking ship, but his decisions for himself. While Kylo was hunting pretend Jedi, Hux was trying to be his father. More than ever had she wished she had simply kept her ass back at base. Turning her head now, Phasma catching Kylo as he strapped the gun onto his back, arms folding over her chest now as it felt like it was just a touch too late for him to care about anything other than the droid who had slightly embarrassed him. But that was a conversation for later, if it was a conversation at all.
Five minutes. It was a welcome sign for her, moving now toward the bay as it seemed as though it were the best place for a pick up. There was only the faintest sounds of conversation that she tuned into before the ship rumbled again, bracing herself against one of the walls before the sound of metal peeling starting to become familiar to her in the worst of ways. " 0626, we're seeing another corvette on radar, " Of course. Of course. The familiar sound of multiple shots being fired into multiple spots were growing louder, riding up the bait corvette, the sirens erupting around them as she listened to the comlink again. The discussion was whether or not to pursue, ignoring the shouting around her that the ship was taking fire, immobilizing them and taking out the weapons that the attacking corvette so easily found. With the mission having gone to shit, it seemed necessary to bring the corvette under fire in, Phasma gripping the wall again, another set of shots riding up the opposite side of the ship, an explosion erupting in one of the distant wings, breaking it off.
Just as quickly as it began, it seemed as though the blasting stopped, the destruction done but the pirates not given enough time to completely annihilate the ship before the Terigen loomed near, preparing to take in the bait ship.
Fuck you. " Had been the first and last thing Phasma had said to Ren since boarding Terigen, the blonde woman peeling herself out of the remains of her torn apart armor with pure annoyance. She didn't want to look at him or that ginger mess until they had to be back on the Gauntlet, following behind a set of Troopers as they lead her to one of their empty rooms. Not only did she need a new helmet, but at this point she needed the majority of her armor fixed, which meant when she got back to base, she'd have to wear that loathsome outfit. Retreating into her designated room for the remainder of the night with an ever present look of ' Do not speak to me at all. ', the woman was clearly not in the mood to be the one to explain what happened. They'd be sent back to the Gauntlet in a little under twenty four hours, and Phasma was already annoyed by the circumstances they were returning on. He thought her debriefing would give him away.
Please. She could only imagine how Hux viewed things from his end.
Standing in the dark of her room, Phasma had meticulously laid the black glove-like suit against a chair before slipping beneath the comfort of blankets, sighing softly as she attempted to sleep like none of this had actually happened.
He'd planned on a very... reasonable five minutes with the Commander. He'd been playing it up in his head and everything - he was going to apologize for his outburst(s), accept a bit of responsibility for chasing the HRD through the ship, he was going to tug his hair a little and really let her know what an idiot he'd felt like.
And she'd told him to go fuck himself or something like that before he could even get a word in, and he'd had to adopt other priorities. He'd really wanted to go into a corner somewhere on the Terigen and scream, but he forced himself to sit and talk to the survivors. Squint his eyes into that grunting, seen-it-all expression military types loved. He needed to get a sense of the event. Not just from his own tense, blurred vision, but an accurate version of what happened from everyone who'd lived it. How often did the thing fire? How hard did it hit? Any internal bleeding?
And there were more practical questions that he wouldn't have known. These aliens - good shots or bad shots? Did they fire in some sort of formation? Did they use cover wisely? Did it look like somebody had trained them? This was the sort of thing he would have asked Phasma, but she was determined to be short with him.
Which was fine. It had taken a few hours of course - drinking and interviewing and commiserating and apologizing. He did get some satisfactory answers, but by that time, it was later at night and he had no idea what Phasma would be doing. Probably sleeping or something. But the information had given him a wild idea.
Wild and time sensitive.
He knocked on the door twice, then hammered on it, then gripped the corner of the door, forcing the sliding mechanism open with a grunt before shimmying in, the door slamming shut with a smooth pop. "Hey, uh. It's me."
There was no smooth way to break into someone's room, and he worried that trying would only make it worse, so he slid the dimmer light and pulled up a chair on the far side of the room. "I'm aware I might not be the ideal person you'd like to talk to... especially after I... just broke into your room. But listen, do you want to go back to the Gauntlet with a mopey expression on your face and one of three competing stories about what failures we are?"
He pulled the trombone over his shoulder and began to disassemble it there, on the floor in front of her. "If not, I've got something you should at least look at before you start slapping me around."
" This motherfucker. . " Each sound at her door she had heard, choosing to ignore each as she stared up at the dark ceiling of her room, her eyes narrowing softly as the sound of clicking began, the stuttered whoosh of the door being forced open causing her to close her eyes. He was not serious. He couldn't be. He was, even going as far to announce that it was him as though anyone else would be bothering her. Sighing softly only to open her eyes just as he raised the lights, shifting up and onto her elbows when he set himself so cautiously across the room. At least he was thinking clearly enough to know not to get too close. Sitting up now, Phasma carefully tucked the sheet beneath her arms, her bare shoulders proving the obvious as she watched him drop the gun onto the floor behind a not so grand apology.
Charming.
Then again, Phasma, remember the size of the ego in the room. While he had called each of them failures, the woman herself knew she was the least at fault. But then perhaps she wasn't, because she was Snoke's number one choice of babysitter apparently. Clenching her jaw at the thought, momentarily making herself mad, the woman shook her head lightly and let her vision drop to the weapon on the floor, watching him separate the pieces. " Well? " Inwardly, Phasma was giving him five minutes to make a point, a good one, though she had some tiny inkling he was about to say something ridiculous.
"Just look at this." First, Kylo knelt and showed her the 'horn' of the gun, a big metal funnel that discharged the gravity from the main chamber. "This isn't an Order issue. There's an off-chance that the Republic made it, but I'm willing to bet someone independent produced it."
Then he showed her the trigger, an oddly shaped thing that rested far away from the stock. "How many people make triggers for Quarren fingers? They tried to file the serial number off the bottom in order to make the weapon harder to trace, but... that's not something that applies to a weapon this wild. There are too many unique pieces. So you might think... well, any someone with enough free time can make something like this. But there's the problem."
Kylo shook his head and produced his compad. "An any someone with access to an HRD? These... people. Didn't build their tech by hand. They stole it. And I'm willing to make a wager."
He hit a button on the compad, showing off Hux's famed "model". But now Kylo was tracing it backwards, to the beginning of the chaos. "These attacks started right on the edge of Sector L7. Same sector as Ord Mantell. Which housed a base of the nastiest smuggling syndicate in the galaxy? And the construction of the most successful HRD ever recorded? Now I know that Ord Mantell is technically Order space, but what if there's... I don't know, an illegal weapons lab robbing the Order and scrapping ships right under their own noses?"
They'd certainly heard enough about how tight resources were for the past few months.
"So, what I'm saying is. We can blow Fedorre off entirely and just... leave. If anyone asks, you can just say that I ordered you to come with me." Of course, he was aware that he sounded like a child going to elaborate lengths to avoid facing his parents. But that didn't mean he was wrong. There was precious little to be gained from going back to the Gauntlet anyway. "We find who's making these weapons, we find the pirates. We find the pirates before they can shred anything else up, we're heroes. Twice in the same week."
At bare minimum, this had to get the woman's mind racing. She knew more about "primitive weapons" than he did, right?
Folding her legs beneath her as she adjusted her sitting to watch him pull apart each piece of the gun that had caused the majority of the destruction on the ship. She hadn't inspected it when it was down on the floor, her own concerns being to think with the way the pirates were, and figure out some way to get off the ship before it was destroyed. People clearly had different priorities, but she couldn't say she was angry at him for grabbing the gun. It was, odd to say the least, and much too powerful to be overlooked. Doubting just as well as he did that it was made by anyone in the Republic, each side was known for their species alliances, but that didn't mean they were all out making different varieties of guns for one another. Especially something like this.
Watching the hologram lift in the dimly lit room, Phasma listened to him intently, disregarding that he had gone over her mentally made five minute limit, because at least he was saying something that made sense. The chance that this was a group who had taken it upon themselves to remain neutral in the sense of not being Republic or strictly First Order was likely, their actions of taking apart weapons and rebuilding them, attacking First Order ships for new parts, it made sense how it could happen in Carida without any real witnesses or anyone talking too much. Though what he said next caught her off guard, noticing how he seemed to say it a bit faster than everything else he'd taken the time to explain, one hand settled against the sewn hem of the sheet against her chest. Of course Kylo Ren was avoiding the situation back at base, avoiding having to look at Fedorre, avoiding the potential they all risked of being sent directly to Snoke. . Oh. . Oh just the thought made her want to. .
" You need to learn how to fly a ship, " So he could run off and do his cracked missions on his own. " And that's not a plan Kylo. That's an objective, with no contingency. " Using his favorite word of the week, Phasma let her eyes move over the gun again, inwardly admitting that if this was one thing, that the idea of there being more crudely made weapons was a bit. . Well, intriguing. Scrunching her nose softly, the woman easily still had her doubts, adding, " And how do I know you're not going to do the same stupid shit you pulled the last time? "
"You don't," he said quickly. Well. Perhaps he'd said it a little too quickly. He took a deep breath and tried again. "It was not a wise decision to get lured into an obvious trap. It was something I'd never seen before, and it got me more excited than a... hyperdrive. I'm sorry. I'll try to be more judicious in the future. But look."
He sank to one knee outside the bed.
"While we're en-route to Ord Mantell, we find out who used to work R&D for the Black Sun and is still in the game and is in system. It can't be a long list, can it? We make an impression on a few people, they get us closer to these pirates. It's our own planet, we wouldn't have to sneak around like last time. We wouldn't have to be subtle. We just show up, as ourselves, and we get what we came for."
Of course, it wasn't exactly as easy as he was making it sound. Nobody jumped into the criminal underworld so lightly. "If we get to the end of that long list, and we still don't find any promising leads... we can find shipyards that have been processing a lot of military grade stuff lately. Or hang our heads and go back to Fedorre, and I'll take the blame for everything. I'll tell him you thought I was stupid and my ideas were stupid and you only went with me so that I didn't get killed."
He chuckled and gave her a pat on the hand, like she was a bedridden woman. That wasn't an implausible story, was it? "This is a black mark on your impeccable record. So get up, come with me, and let's rectify this."
In a sense, Kylo was asking her to gamble on his competence after that disastrous display.
Double or nothing?
All he was offering was pure risk. Nothing but risk with the potential of an even worse consequence than what they were sitting on. Phasma could think of at least a dozen things that could go wrong with his spew of ideas, not even getting to the point of what could happen resulting from them stealing a ship in the middle of the night from underneath patrol eyes. She could only imagine the embarrassment of a ship being taken under her watch. Though he had apologized, Phasma didn't entirely believe the apology, keeping said opinion to herself as she had the situation had happened in the first place. Wasn't he supposed to be able to feel another's. . Force? How could he just not know? " No you won't. " Another reason he wanted her to go, easily.
Watching him shift to kneeling at the side of her bed, the woman raised a brow slightly as he again began to improvise, coming up with this off the top of his head because really, that's all he could do. There clearly couldn't be some set way to do this, but evidently he flourished in the unexpected. " I don't have my armor Kylo, " Which he would know if he hadn't been running around, playing the smoke bomb game with droids. Walking into any environment without her armor and demanding things, well, it was odd. Very few knew of her appearance beneath her helmet, even less outside of her trooper armor. Sighing softly, while inwardly screaming, because that potentially meant wearing someone else's uniform, her head turned toward the fitting bodysuit laid against the chair. Definitely couldn't just walk onto a planet in that. Right? Right.
Turning back to him as he patted her hand, the expression on his face made her close her eyes, inhaling sharply. " I can't stand you. " Came out in her soft tone, that almost clearly being the woman confirming that she would go, shifting in her bed now before turning her head down to him. " Turn around. " Watching the confused expression on his face, Phasma merely nodded her head to her garment of clothing, watching him shift now to face the opposite wall. Standing now and turning her back to him, the woman stepped into the suit easily, the faintest sign of a wiggle as she slid it up her curves, " If you run like that again though, I will leave you. I will get in the ship and fly back to the Gauntlet. "
He sounded like a little boy looking to catch a ride with his mother to some long anticipated event. But even though the optics seemed less than ideal, he was unfathomably pleased with the end result. He wouldn't have to go back to the mothership and admit defeat. But was that all there was to this situation?
He wondered to himself whether the sudden eagerness to go on a wild journey to track down space pirates, and Phasma's most unlikely agreement with the notion... were both a reflection of their own desire to be alone together, to experience each other outside of the confines of the Gauntlet and the tight-knit environment of the Order military. Maybe in their own weird way they wanted to reenact Chandrila.
Then again, she wasn't letting him see her naked. Things weren't perfect.
"You have my word. I doubt I'll find anything quite as interesting anyway."
He tried to look her squarely in the eyes and not drop his jaw for the sight of her in the body suit. Somehow she looked better here than she did naked. Everything... pushed together in the right ways.
"I don't want you think I just assumed you would go. But I actually arranged a ship already. And if having something to wear is so important to you... let's figure it out planetside. You can't possibly look more awkward than last time."
The temperature controlled material holding onto her frame after adjusting it slightly, the woman raised a brow softly at the stern expression on his face, immediately aware that it was in no regard to him keeping his word. Rolling her eyes softly as her arms folded beneath her bust, stepping toward him now and looking over his face, " Oh you didn't assume huh? " Figuring out her clothing planetside almost seemed as revolting as her options prior, though she knew if it was imparitive, she'd figure out something else to wear when the time came. " Don't pretend you didn't like my dress. You were the goose in space, remember. " The stuttering sound of her door caused her to sigh softly, glaring at him just slightly for messing it up in the first place, at least she wouldn't be around to hear about it for too much longer, silently moving through the hallways as they moved toward Terigen's bay.
Unfortunately, what Phasma did not necessarily think of was running into anyone else from their mission.
" Commander! It's good to see you finally out of your- " The pause in the man's voice when he noticed Kylo Ren behind her, the ginger haired man squinted slightly, looking back and forth between the two. Now this could go several ways, Phasma decided. He could either assume that there was something. . Well, sexual going on here, taking a glance down at the woman's lack of armor and feeling his eyes avert back up rapidly in realizing he had probably been looking for far too long. Or they were going somewhere. The second seemed more plausible, doubting Phasma would even be interested in the man behind her, " Where are you two going so late? " Phasma could hear the bite in his tone, the sound of a man who quite possibly knew there was something going on.
Oh, so that's how it was. Phasma got the collegial greeting, and then as soon as Hux saw him, he tries to revert to the stern daddy act. Kylo turned around and let out a slow snarl.
"We heard there were cookies and milk in the mess," he explained tersely, drawing closer to him. He felt his lip curling as if he'd smelled something bad. "As you can tell, I'm very excited about it. So... do yourself an incredible favor. And fuck off."
He grabbed Phasma by the arm and started to haul her down the hall, but Hux circled around and got in his face again. It was so strange, because most people became less bold after you shoved the burning end of a lightsaber into their faces. He was quickly learning that Hux wasn't most people.
To his great displeasure.
"No. No, I will not 'fuck off' as you put it." Kylo couldn't help but smile. He said it like he was trying a new flavor in his mouth for the first time. "I think Commander Phasma is up to something, but I know you are. What's this talk of you debriefing everyone on my team tonight? Hm?"
"Debriefing? I spoke to them, Major General." And Kylo was leaning how to make innocuous words sound like swears, too. "It wasn't the conspiracy you're making it out to be."
Hux picked up the pace, still walking right at his shoulder. "What about the... gravity weapon? You took it for yourself. For what purpose?"
"I tore it up," Kylo said gruffly. He'd meant it to be another, elaborate way of demoralizing him, but he could tell from the look in Hux's eyes that he had barely underestimated him. His eyes were wide open, and Kylo could practically hear the gears turning in his head.
"You... you disassembled it. The two of you are trying to trace the pirates through their weapons. I'd planned to do the same thing, so I'd have... something positive to put in my report." That made sense. He'd want to give a stiff upper lip and claim he was closer than ever to... what have you. Now he was looking Phasma over, guessing that she'd be the one more likely to spill the information. "But the two of you are working on more than a report, aren't you?"
Kylo heaved a big sigh, as if the question wasn't even worth answering. "You're paranoid."
The flare up between the two men was amusing, to say the least. It was like watching animals fight, two birds circling each other and puffing their chests out to see which one was bigger. For a moment, Phasma could've sworn she heard one of them caw at the other, snapping out of her vivid daydream when she felt the grip and tug, narrowing her eyes slightly as she was definitely going to have a conversation with him about shoving her around like that outside of a sexual situation. Being grabbed for sex and just being grabbed need not be blurred as things he could just do all the time, as only one was truly acceptable to the blonde. Pulling her arm away from him only for both to settle in surprise at Hux circling around again, another subconscious caw before he announced his manhood again, deciding that he just wasn't going to stand down in this.
Truthfully, there was a small portion of her that saw sense in telling the man what they were doing, after all it had been his information that Kylo had used to draw back on. Yet, if it hadn't been for Hux, they wouldn't be here in the first place, hm? Phasma could see the line of ships growing closer, merely needing a few more side steps to get around him and into the ship Kylo so conveniently had ready. Meeting Hux's eye contact with a raised brow, the woman met his question with a simple, " Absolutely not. " Did it seem like something either of them would do? Run off into space based on hints and intelligently made assumptions? Phasma didn't find a need in asking that out loud, rolling her eyes softly when Hux went as far as to mention that they weren't even going in the direction of mess. His guessing didn't stop her from walking however, the woman moving carefully along the still ships until her eyes moved toward the ship Kylo so silently implied was the one.
" What are you doing? "
Phasma looking over her shoulder now as she moved ahead of the pair, the blonde simply shrugged her shoulders softly, " He doesn't know how to fly a ship. " While one could take it as a sweet way to say she was giving him lessons, Hux's facial expression damn near contorted when he refused that as the case. " You're. . You're going after them, aren't you?! "
If she'd just kept quiet for the entire conversation, they would have gotten away from this with a little less trauma, but as it was... there'd be a fuss. He'd be fussing at Phasma for running her mouth, she'd be fussing at him for trying to get her out before she Immediately Did Exactly What He Was Worried About Her Doing... and of course, there'd be a form of fussing that was quickly becoming his favorite.
"You need to take me with you."
"I absolutely don't." Kylo pushed past him, just barely knocking his shoulder into Hux as he closed distance to the ship. This wasn't a miserable vessel like the one from the Chandrila incident, and it was a little bit bigger. He wondered -
"Do you even have a reason for doing this? The two of you are just going out of pride and egotism. You're going AWOL -"
"It's impossible for me to go AWOL. And Phasma's with me, so she can't either, plus -"
"Don't be pedantic, Ren! My point is that you've been interested in this for perhaps a day. And that's between the two of you!" Hux tightened his fist in and out. "I've been working on this for months, I've been eating it and sleeping it."
"And you're going to be so upset when we get to the bottom of your months long mission in a few days. That's what you're really upset about here." Kylo leaned against one of the engines and sulked. Even having this conversation was wasting his time, really.
"What's your plan? You must be looking to..." Hux squinted and tried to figure it out. "You must be looking to track the weapons. I already tried that. There are so many small manufacturers in this sector that -"
"I've got a few ideas. Listen, just stay out of the way, and when this blows over, I'll give you a glowing recommendation on the debriefing. That is what you're interested in, right?"
"I know this case, those weapons, the pirates, their tactics, more than anyone else." Hux got between Kylo and the door, stretching his hands out and looking between the two of them. "What are you going to do once you actually find them? I can... help you. You have to take me."
She could almost taste the distress in Hux's voice when he began to state his reasons, firing them off rapidly as the woman shook her head faintly. Though neither of them held a true amount of respect for the young Major General, Phasma wasn't thinking out of sheer bitterness and absolutely against dear Doriel the way Kylo so clearly was. Setting her hands on her hips now when he went as far as saying that they had to take him, raising a brow lightly as she asked, " You know that technically counts as you going AWOL, right? " Though with the thought of the supreme shit-storm Hux would be in if in fact this little trip did go to absolute shit, the woman almost felt a calm in it, some of the pressure lifting off her shoulders. If only Ren saw it that way. No matter, she would simply remind him of it later, already sure he would be brooding and swearing under his breath as the redheaded man chipped away with reasons for him going.
" He did save my life, " In a sense, he had, simply by being lucky enough to fire the blaster directly to the Quarren who probably would have taken a shot at her with his gravity weapon. But, Kylo didn't necessarily know the details of that, again his fault for being reckless. " And he does have a very good point. " Carefully shifting one of his arms up and away from the door frame of the ship, Phasma had damn near batted her eyelashes at Kylo through her words when moving past Hux to get inside. Kylo's plan was riddled with holes that neither of them knew enough information about to fill, which was easily where Hux came into play. And if all else failed, well. . He could be used as a shield if it came down to it. The expression on Hux's face when he had at least one vote in his favor had been amusing, although they all knew time was ticking away from them. The more chatter off the ship, the less time they'd have for this to go well. The sound of her boots soft as she entered the ship, the blonde woman sighed softly, quietly thankful that the ship had plenty of capabilities far and beyond that of the tin shit they had been in before. Granted, it didn't make any sense to steal a piece of junk if you were going to go all out anyway.
"I can't believe this is happening."
Kylo ran his hands through his hair, once... and then twice. Hux had made a little puppy-dog face and given the sad sad story, and of course, she'd went right along with it. Perfect. That just made perfect sense. The two of them deserved each other.
And yet, she was his transportation off this boat. And he didn't really have much interest in going to do this by himself. Hux had saved her life, somehow. And now he was stuck with Hux.
"All right. You can come." Hux's expression brightened of course, and Kylo held up a hand. "However, there are ground rules. The first rule is that I'm in charge. The second rule is that you shut up."
"Of course," he said dryly.
"I'll think of some other rules, trust me. In the meantime, help yourself."
Hux spun around and clapped his hands, touching the slide door open and letting himself in with a jolly whistle. Kylo looked at his back for a few seconds before trudging inside. The ship was another seized vessel - he was fortunate that business was so much better in this sector. He entered the cockpit and saw high, rounded walls with black leather seats and subtle, ornate gold trim.
The thing just barely straddled the line of taste and gaudiness.
"A bit nicer than what we're used to." Hux sat on a little curved couch and pressed a button, revealing a compartment that probably would have been used for drinks of some kind. Kylo closed it with a twitch of his thumb. Hux looked back up at him suspiciously, and Kylo smiled at him in return.
"Maybe you couldn't trace the weapons in the past, but now we know they're using a LMD. That narrows the amount of people who could know about this. Our plan was to... go to Ord Mantell, find people who worked in munitions and were alive during the Black Sun's peak."
Hux crossed his legs and steepled his fingers. "Declan Lavish? Going to be hard to get to him, he's got an intense personal security detail, he lives in a city full of scum, and he doesn't like speaking to authorities."
"Who?"
"Declan Lavish? Big ears, big sunglasses, bit of an accent, wears fur all the time?" Hux smiled softly. "This is exactly why you needed me."
"Can you get us a meeting?"
"...no. I tried talking to him, but he... well, he was very rude. I think the two of you would get along."
Even without any sort of sense of the Force in her, Phasma could feel that Ren was pissed. Pissed he had been melted down in his risolve, and here they were, sitting in a twice stolen ship. The red backlit dash controls made her sigh with satisfaction, satisfaction that she wasn't in charge in flying something that could collapse on them at any time. It seemed that the leather theme continued from the seats, fingers awkwardly gripping the wheel before simply shaking her head. Deal with it Phasma. Eyes venturing upward, the woman calmly noted the patrolling trooper running down the flight of stairs, however the blonde already had the ship hovering, rising out of it's dock, the bay doors opening just enough to grant them passage. " Sit tight, " It was a warning, not really an instruction as there wasn't much time for her to really check and see who may have still been standing.
The ship made speed quickly, Phasma smiling softly as the black machine soared through the bay doors, the realization that they were even opening coming much too late. " What are you all doing with that - " Hand having been carefully reaching beneath the comm, the voice fizzled out easily with a faint jerk of her hand, the familiar wire hanging toward the ground now. Turning her head slightly, her eyes danced over the radar, watching for the off chance of a ship to be following them, though with it happening relatively quickly, she doubted that poor trooper on patrol was able to put proper words together to tell anyone what had happened just yet. Good. Looking up now, the coordinates set into play and the ship beaming straight to Ord Mantrell, the blonde turned within the pilot's chair, mentally amused by how smooth it was, rolling her eyes when Hux handicapped himself by announcing that he couldn't exactly help with the man.
" You are the only one of us who is in a First Order uniform, " If he was going to help at all, something had to be done about that, especially when dealing with criminals who weren't entirely fond of authorities. Even more reason why Hux couldn't be out in the city talking too much, as this Lavish man was aware of who he was, watching the red haired man glance around in noticing that now. " Yes. . Well, I think it's, ahem " Coughing into his hand lightly, " An advantage to approach him with someone unfamiliar. " Phasma narrowing her eyes slightly as he looked from the floor to her, the woman turned immediately back to the dash, her silent 'Nope' being clear. " Wasn't rule number two for you to shut up? "
"I'm going to need at least one of you to come with me. I don't think I can fight off an entire compound with just a lightsaber and my dashing looks."
"If we're being frank," Hux said, "I think the two of us should sit down together. And you should give me a clear assessment of what you can do with this, er... Force of yours. Rumors and misinformation are wonderful for... cultivating an air of mystery, but I'd like to have a deeper idea of your capabilities. For if we're in a combat situation -"
Kylo leaned forward and narrowed his eyes, shaking his head back and forth darkly. Rumors and misinformation were among his most powerful weapons. Even Commander Phasma - who he trusted and liked infinitely more than this one - didn't know the full extent of what he was capable of. Furthermore, she didn't just go asking him right off the bat. "Right now, you're violating your agreement of silence. You should know better."
Hux swallowed, wiggled his hands around as if defending himself, and settled back in the seat. "Very well. If you prefer silence, I'll simply -"
"Wait." Kylo folded his arms together and rocked back in one of the seats. "I think we should get all the painful details about you trying to... get yourself in with this tacky engineer that's apparently living like a drug smuggler."
And this got a reaction from him. But it was only a flash of one - within a second the impassive expression of a cold FO lifer was back on his face.
"I don't see how that would at all be relevant," Hux sniffed, folding his hands and looking around the cockpit. He seemed weirdly evasive about the whole thing. But of course it was important. Especially since Phasma seemed like she wanted to leave the task to him.
"I'm apparently going to be talking to him. I want to.... understand his character. What's he like?"
Hux held his hands up like the answer was self evident. "Declan Lavish was one of the galaxy's most successful engineers and inventors. He was co-opted by the Black Sun crime syndicate back before any of us were born, he was instrumental to the creation of the most advanced HRD model, an instrument by the name of Guri."
Kylo's eyebrow twitched at the mention of a vaguely familiar name. "Where's this Guri now?"
"Nobody knows, and I'm certain that she won't be appearing during the course of our investigation." Hm. What an oddly confident and specific statement. Before he could reflect on it, Hux was steamrolling on. "He considers himself an artist. Most of the work his team did was under the influence of one opiate or another. I don't think he invents anymore. He's a petty gangster who snatched up a piece of the Sun after Prince Xixor was killed. He's more of a... name brand than anything else."
"You're avoiding your personal interaction with him."
"I spoke to him, looking to get his assistance tracing these weapons - you weren't the only one to have that idea, Ren. But he didn't take kindly to my presence, he... had his men assault me."
"He assaulted the son of The Great Commendant What's His Face? Without any fear of reprisal?"
"Apparently," Hux said testily, a hint of redness starting to show in his eyes, "I did not merit that sort of reprisal. An open war with the Black Sun in our own space was considered an overreaction and a waste of resources."
Everything was a waste of resources lately. He needed to talk to Snoke about that, one of these days. Where was all the money going? Kylo tapped his foot to the floor.
"You're hiding something. You should be eager to face him again after that. I practically threatened to decapitate you ten minutes ago, and you were back in my face a few minutes later like I'd kissed you on the cheek. What happened between you two?"
"I would rather not talk about it."
Well, now Kylo was interested. There was the obvious - that he did want to learn a little more about Lavish. But there was a hint of embarrassment that he wanted to root out as well. "I've decided we should talk about what I can do with the Force. I can... read minds for starters."
"Y- you're bluffing."
"No." Kylo slowly stood himself up and the nervous smile faded from Hux's eyes. He took one step forward, then another... "Commander Phasma can attest to it. Every sensitive memory, replayed with light, color and sound. So you're going to -"
"I pissed myself!"
Kylo put his hand down, and his nervous chuckle at the revelation gave way to a grimace, one that crossed both of their faces. Hux continued, his face turning a bright, horrid shade of red that neatly matched his hair.
"All right? Piss. Urine. Going everywhere. It was not my proudest moment."
Well. It had to be something that made him sound like a sociopath for getting it out of him. "I ah... apologize. If I knew it was something so personal I wouldn't have teased you."
"What did you bloody expect it to be?" Hux snapped. And then his expression softened. "It's fine. And if I need to face him again, it won't impact my performance."
"It actually isn't. Fine, I mean." Stifling a groan, Kylo stiffly made his way out of the cockpit and down towards the living area. There had to be somewhere he could sleep until he got planetside.
Well. He had walked right into that hadn't he. If we're being frank.
While Phasma had theoretically handed him a No, Hux had taken it upon himself to branch out in the worst of ways, shaking her head from behind the seat as though she could see the face Ren was making. It was easily something they were all curious about, but it almost sounded like an intrusion, and awkward admittance to the fact that he had been holding on to these rumors like a checklist to go through in the off chance they were placed near one another. It was almost as though she felt uncomfortable for Hux, on the same personal level that people had when they sat in the background and watched something shitty unfold. And that's exactly what Phasma did, done pretending she had something important to do at the dash and turning to watch the spectacle. God, she wished she had a snack for this.
There were traces of emotion that fluttered over Hux's face, but what caught her instantly was the way the blush began to creep on his cheeks at his assault. Why would that make him uncomfortable? Had it been. . Inappropriate? No, that wouldn't have went over so kindly, biting her bottom lip softly when Ren made his very valid point, the hesitance that Hux was showing proving that he was in fact lying. That was when things got a bit more tense, palms subconsciously settling against her chest when the mention of his ability to. . Read minds. Thankful that Hux was too busy being afraid, Phasma's eyes momentarily lit up, keeping her mouth shut however as this was looking to be more and more like something she was going to enjoy. Not necessarily watching Hux squirm but-
" I pissed myself! " It struck her rapidly, quickly, her lips parting as though she had gasped with surprise like some dramatic actress. " Piss. Urine. Going everywhere. " Her eyes had welled up so fast that by the time she breathed in and closed her eyes, the tears settled into her eyelashes, the fit of laughter absolutely consuming her. Not everyone in the First Order had been trained the way troopers were Phasma! But by god was she laughing at his expense, leaning down in her chair as she inhaled sharply, further laughter aiding to the blush in her cheeks, exposing freckling that often went unnoticed. " I can't. . Breathe! " It was the nervousness between the two men, the sheer terror over Hux's face and the absolute embarrassment Ren held because he had never wanted to know the man just that well, that caused her to regain her breathing again only to curl her hand over her mouth to stifle more laughter.
She was laughing at both of these superior ranking men, but it was absolutely worth it, inhaling a calmed breath now as she fanned her cheeks, the glisten over her light brown eyes offering another mental image of Phasma not being the cold hearted bitch she kept within eyesight. " God. . I'm. . " Pausing as she stood, the blonde woman moved toward Hux now, the man standing slightly as if going on the defensive, his face still flaming red. Now Phasma felt a pang of guilt. A small one, but still felt it none the less. It was like a reflex, one that almost hurt to do, but it seemed necessary for the crushing blow she dealt to his ego, the way she had laughed until it almost hurt. At his expense at that! But where do you- Put your. . Do you go above or below?
Winging it, the woman wrapped her arms above his shoulders, around his neck just slightly and patted the slightly shorter man's head. Sure. . This felt, right, right? Eyes scanning the ceiling as though there were someone up there to confirm, the blonde nodded softly to herself more than anything. " I'm. . Sorry. . For laughing at your unfortunate circumstance. " Good, there it was. Releasing his well cradled head, the blonde offered the smallest of smiles, patting his shoulders gently before moving away from him now, on her own search to find food.
Well, this was already awkward enough.
As bad as the discussion was, Commander Phasma's reaction made this even stranger and even more uncomfortable. He'd expected her to pout at the two of them and give a high-minded speech about team unity... and that would have been bad enough. But to hear her like this - losing all straces of her usual dignity and screaming with laughter...
It somehow made the whole situation worse. Kylo barely noticed it from a couple rooms away and out of the corner of his eyes. She was giving Hux perhaps the most awkward hug he'd ever seen in his life, and Kylo felt things getting even worse. He felt bad, but he really hadn't planned on sharing Hux's (most?) humiliating memory. He'd just assumed that there were dozens of weird things going on in his life, and that it was just one never-ending montage of humiliating activities.
Which hadn't been exactly disproven.
Phasma headed out of his sight, and Kylo slunk the long way around the ship, finding her in the little dining area.
"Ahh..." Kylo let out a low, open mouthed grimace, like a cringe in slow motion. When he spoke to her again, a bare whisper. "I am so sorry. I thought I would get... well, something. Not that."
He squatted down, opening a drawer and pulling out some freeze dried confection in a pink package before wrapping his arms around her waist. He took a deep breath before resting his chin on her shoulder and whispering into her ear. "I feel so terrible. I don't think I've done a single kind thing all day. But I was thinking..."
He leaned down, taking a slow whiff of her neck before kissing her right along the top of her collar bone. The time alone hadn't been the main reason he'd gotten her to take her to Ord Mantell, but of course it was on his mind, somewhere at the back. And it had to be on hers too. She'd set up that bet with the express purpose of seeing more of him, hadn't she?
"I can think of one or two things I could do for you. To get back in your good books."
She had only been thumbing through a stack of air tight foods before hearing Kylo move into the small space designed to simply offer room around the kitchenette, Phasma looked over her shoulder at him as she chewed softly on the dried fruit. His apology was odd, though it seemed genuine enough despite the fact that well- " You shouldn't apologize to me. " Clearly there was no true shame in her laugh, especially when he hadn't actually been there to deal with the full force of it. But, if it made him feel any better, Phasma knew he felt bad for making Hux out to be a lesser man in such an unfortunate way. Obviously they weren't fond of one another, but taking it to another man's peeing on himself in a time of absolute fear was apparently just too far. Another piece of the red fruit pushed into her mouth, Phasma watched his arms cross at the lower portion of her stomach, finding the slightest of comfort in leaning against him.
Not a single kind thing hm? One could very easily find themselves announcing that it was a good thing, and that he shouldn't be out doing kind things regardless, who was Phasma to stop him from feeling so guilty. Why, it seemed absolutely rude of her to just turn him away, especially now that he was showing clear affection. Head at a tilt and her hands leaving the counter top, while one allowed her fingers to graze his hands where they connected, the other slid over his jaw and into his hair, " I suppose you could try, " Turning her head as her eyes opened, her shoulders raised faintly as she looked over the side of his face, " But I can't make any promises. "
"You don't have to promise anything. I'm actually..." He couldn't contained himself long enough to finish the sentence as he hands trailed downwards, roughly gripping the textured fabric of her bodysuit and pulling her backwards, pressing her body roughly into his.
He curled his hand and began to massage her, his hands rubbing in tight circles through the material. He'd thought that the first time being with her would be the most intense, the thing everything else would measure up to. But as soon as they'd gotten back on that ship, he'd been thinking about the shameless sounds she made, the way her body wriggled and reacted when he was inside her, the way the room smelled when they were finished. How hadn't they been caught at the end of that? How couldn't everyone just tell?
Even then he'd wanted more. That kind of connection wasn't one you could work out of your system with one orgasm. If it had been up to him, he would have spent an entire weekend rutting like a wild fucking animal. But she'd gone and broken the entire thing off.
Kylo grabbed a handful of hair and kissed her, his tongue lapping at hers. moaning softly into her lips at the sensation of... connectedness he felt from both of them caressing each other.
"You'd better not tease me," he said with a low voice, almost showing his teeth to her as he talked. "I've been out of my mind wanting this since the last time."
He reached down and fished his cock out of his pants - he was already rock hard and didn't see any sense in hiding it as he marched the girl down the hallway and towards a suitable room.
"I'm about to give you the most amazing fuck you've had in your entire life. You're going to feel addicted by the time I'm finished with you tonight. That's my promise."
He whipped her into the wall, his eyes widening as he stepped into her, almost stepped through her, close enough to taste her breath and feel the rise and fall of his chest against hers. "Do you believe me, when I say that?"
Maybe it was a chain reaction in the way he shifted so rapidly, feeling her body clench then release when her curves blended into him, relating it to melting when she felt her nerves surge. He didn't need to finish what he was saying, as Phasma got the message loud and clear when he began rubbing the just thick enough layer over her skin, breathing out softly as her mind told her body immediately that that just wasn't acceptable. It had been forced to the back of her mind, the way his hands felt on her skin when they roamed her curves, grabbed at her thighs or gripped her neck, even if the unprofessional moments of blushing were hidden beneath her own helmet. But it was for the better, Phasma had assured herself, as if no one had suspected them when they returned to the Gauntlet, no need to push it any further, right?
It wasn't entirely worth it, right?
Second guessing that immediately when his lips crashed into hers, her tongue did the familiar dance with his only to be eventually be greeted with a threat. To be honest, such a threat made her smile, as Phasma could almost tell that he wasn't going to give her the opportunity to tease him even if it came up. But that was fine, teasing was for some other time. Teasing was for when either of them were much too busy to peel away from what they were doing, and Phasma would tuck that away for later. Though when she felt his length bump into her from behind, the hand that had so easily grazed his over her stomach reached back in their awkward walk to the nearest room that proved to be a well enough bedroom, stroking his cock as though she missed it. Well, to be fair. .
His promise made her skin tingle, shivers radiating up Phasma's spine just in time for her hand to reluctantly release him when her back was pressed against the wall in the dim room. Heavy bust pushed upward when he pressed into her, brown eyes looked up to him when he demanded an answer, smiling softly, " I believe you. " It was in record time that her lips met with his again, stepping forward to begin relieving him of clothing and move herself off the wall. Another step forward and Phasma was reluctantly pulling her lips away from his, pulling his arms up and beginning the pile of clothing for the night. Oh she absolutely believed him.
He was almost naked within a few seconds, smirking softly to himself as the big blonde sank to her knees and attacked his clothing, pulling off his boots with a rough intensity, knowing full well what she'd be getting when he was stripped down in front of her.
She was an incredible sight down there, and she set every nerve on fucking fire. He'd almost wanted to stay there and watch her, but he didn't really have the time or the patience. The cool fabric of his robe slid down, and then he grabbed the bottom of his tight undershirt, turning it inside out as he pulled it up and over his chest.
That went on the pile too, and by the time it was done, he was looking at Phasma like a particularly juicy cut of meat. He felt his cock jumping and throbbing in front of her, proudly reintroducing itself to an old conquest.
Kylo curled his fingers one after the other, pulling her to her feet without her input.
And here was a sensation she'd never felt before - Kylo's head tilted just a bit, and Phasma rise just a bit higher, her feet barely making contact with the ground and her limbs helpless, held with a weight far beyond what human muscles could produce. Would she think about that guard on Chandrila now, held just as helplessly before being snuffed out?
Of course, her position wasn't exactly the same. She was breathing for now. And he did enjoy her neck, her chest, the look in her eyes.
He kissed her thick, gorgeous bottom lip one more time, tangling their tongues and lips together. And he reached downwards, spreading the tip of his cock along her entrance for a few seconds and then pressing forward, sliding the head of his cock inside her. It seemed impossible, but she was just as warm as he remembered.
"Do you know," he said casually, "that you're putting your life in my hands right now?"
He grabbed his base and flicked it back and forth, still not increasing his penetration.
Just because she knew what was in the packaging didn't mean she wasn't hungry for it. Him. They had done this already, but it was almost like there was more hunger than the first time. Clothes littered in an attempt to pile, but really, Phasma knew later on that she still wouldn't have cared where her bodysuit had landed or where one of her boots had been pushed aside in the room. There were bigger things to take care of, to worry about. To have inside her. The smooth arch in her back that lead to her firm rear, only recently being free of the majority of the bruising from their last tangle with one another, though the woman inwardly admitted that she was probably very overdue.
God. All of this was overdue.
However, what caught her off guard was the sensation of her body moving, further until she felt the balls of her feet leave the ground. And though she could still feel that her body felt fluid, she couldn't feel any sensation of movement. A weight held her there, and even as he slipped between her legs so effortlessly, Phasma's body had begun to accept it. Perhaps it was helped in turn by the warmth that came from her own senses, cheeks a soft pink color when she noticed that sticky feeling against her inner thighs, her eyes remaining closed even as he pulled away from their kiss to speak.
The sweet scent filling her nose as he shifted himself against her entrance, the blonde again felt the want in her to move her hands, to pull him closer until he was completely inside her, though the sensation she was granted reminded her of a body part falling asleep, static charging up her fingers. " Yes, " Came the softened tone of her voice, eyes still closed as the question repeated itself in her head, until a different variant came into play. Do you trust me with your life.
"You don't seem as worried by this as I thought you might be. And that might be because..."
He looked down and slowly breathed through a little hole he'd formed in his mouth. The sight of the two of them, together, was one of the most intense things he'd ever seen. He wasn't all the way inside, but their two organs were wrestling, kissing, and squeezing each other all at the same time. He was stretching her out, but she was more than capable of handling him, her cunt was just... drooling down his shaft and onto both of their thighs.
This was what a great fuck was supposed to look like, he decided. The sensations her body gave off were more intense, even her musk was stronger. It tickled the back of his nose everytime he smelled it, drove him out of his mind.
"That might be because you already love this." He leaned forward, his cock pushing another inch inside of her. He just loved the sensation of his cock burrowing inside. It was her body, but she was desperately making herself wet for him, warm for him, so that he could fill her up as easily as possible.
He wound back and slapped her on the thigh. Usually a partner could move, scamper away even if their body loved the pain they were getting. But she couldn't move, didn't have any choice to focus on the pain echoing around her body, to wait and see how long it took to turn to pleasure.
"And you just started to heal from last time." He pulled out of her and twisted his wrist, turning her around and making her present her thick legs and butt to him. "I can't help it. Your skin feels too good. I like playing with your hips too much. I want to drink from you."
He bent to one knee, easily holding his concentration as he pushed his lips against her legs, finally tasting them and feeling the texture on his tongue. He'd wanted to do that since he'd seen her in that dress, and it hadn't disappointed. His cock surged to life as he knelt down behind her, almost painful as he kissed his way up her legs and then licked the back of her pussy. He took his time there, licking her like he wanted to commit every bump and fold to his memory. And like every corner of his tongue had it's own memory, along with each lip.
He'd wanted to take his time, but her smell was too powerful. He spend up, greedily drinking up every sign that she was enjoying this treatment. But there she was, dangling in the air like a toy for him. Like she was just a meal he was treating himself to.
It was a while until Kylo pulled himself away from her pussy, and most of his face was moist. He slapped her again, hard on the ass, as if nothing had happened.
"Nobody ever taught me how to be gentle with a woman's body." He turned her back around and stood between her legs again, bringing her back to her original position. He pressed his cock back inside her, fixing her with a calm smirk as he pushed himself in. Now he was halfway inside of her. "So you're going to feel it, every time we're together."
He looked her in the eye and started to caress one of her breasts. "Is that what you want?"
The shine along her inner thighs was only one sign that her body had grown to crave him, her lower lips reacting naturally, gripping around what little he gave her as though trying to pull his cock inside her. His teasing made the fire on her skin grow hotter, much too deep in other emotions to be distracted enough to mention that he was in fact teasing her. However, he wasn't lying.
Phasma loved this.
Not necessarily because she knew there was potential of death, or because she had watched a man with much more clothing on die in a similar fashion it was. . Well, it was him. It was how he did it so effortlessly, but how it meant he was concentrating on her, on holding her body here. It was the way he glared at her without anger, but the drive and determination to use her as his own while driving her further than she had ever been. It was how he knew he wanted to hear her scream, but he held off anyway. Just with that thought alone, Phasma felt her walls silently beg for him to fill her up.
The sharp " ah! " that emerged when his hand collided with her thigh was met with a wince, feeling the blood begin to rush, not even having to look to take note of the red hand print. Feeling her body again shift just slightly, as though invisible hands were guiding her, holding her, keeping that arch in her back as his lips roamed a new part of her body, soft moan leaving her lips. It certainly wasn't the last with how his mouth went to work on tasting her, feeling her juice smear across his cheeks and chin, the sound of her moans beginning to fill the room.
When he arose and left another possessive handprint on her skin, Phasma again found herself wanting to grab him, wanting to make him further aware that her body craved him. The sweet scrunch of her nose and her eyes closing to again silently savor him entering her again, there had been a glimmer of hope that was shot down when he only settled halfway in. God fucking damnit Kylo.
" Yes sir. " The word sounded so wicked when it slipped through her pout, the color in her brown eyes dark and burning as she opened them to look at him after her verbal accident.
How was it even possible?
The last time they'd fucked, she hadn't exactly had to do much of the work. Just the sight of her, on her knees and bent over, was enough to get his body racing. Now he had the woman totally immobilized, and she was still putting him on edge. With her voice. With her mind. Kylo couldn't help but enjoy that. It meant she was completely enveloped in this moment, desperate to give him enough pleasure to... make him happy. Happy enough to send her over the edge.
And the pure, unfiltered need in her voice was almost enough to tilt him over the edge. He thrust his hips forward a little, feeding her a little more of his cock, but he reared back. No, she wasn't going to get that just yet.
He reached out to her, putting pressure on her neck and stroking and squeezing her in a dozen different places, all at random times. Little hands kneaded the flesh around her neck, the small of her back, right inside of her navel, the curve of her breasts and the soles of her feet. Kylo watched her body shudder, almost overloaded, his cock still standing strong inside her. It still amazed him that most people thought of her - knew her - as a hardened killer. She's been compared to a clone back at the ship. And it was hard to imagine that, here in private, with her squeaking and squealing through all...
Kylo used his hands now, placing a hand over her clit as he stepped forward and finally let himself inside her with a loud smack.
Just then, he released the tension on her neck, smiling as he drew back and pushed inside her again, his hips working up a loud clapping rhythm that was completely on time. "Now you can scream for me. You can fucking howl. Daddy's home."
The confidence in his voice was total. Why wouldn't it be?
It had slipped out so casually that Phasma didn't feel the need at all to mentally reprimand herself for it. It felt as though it was right, fitting to say in the moment of her something of submission to the man in front of her who's only current connection to her was his cock being inside her. It felt natural even though she had told herself she was going to keep that word at a once per day minimum, if it had to be said at all. However, it was almost like a silent acknowledgment between the pair of them that it made the heat grow even more, taut stomach clenching softly as she braced herself for what was yet another game with her senses. Not given enough time to even be frustrated, Phasma felt something odd cascade over her skin. Without actually touching her, he was in fact touching her, embracing his grasp around her throat with a raised chin, her walls again silently begging with need against what little he had left inside her.
The soft bite against her bottom lip was telling like the rest of her body, the way her cheeks flushed in a soft pink, the muscles in her body bracing themselves when the actual touch of his hand fell into place. Shivering softly, half lidded eyes looking to him when the grasp around her throat seemed to train down the rest of her body to join the rest of what was making her crave him. The moan she released was wonderful when he finally pushed himself completely inside her, the perfect home for his cock welcoming him with a firm grasp and warmth. Perfect. When he began working himself up into a rhythm, Phasma's body, although still held by the pressure, felt some sign of relief, closing her eyes as he spoke.
Mixing in with the sounds of her pleasure came another faintly familiar sound, cheeks still their pink hue as she began to laugh. It wasn't the same as her laugh at Hux, this one instead floating out with her loud moans and the rhythmic thrusting he was doing inside her, no, there was no joke here. On the contrary, it was out of pure enjoyment, amber eyes opening to stare back at him now, their color showing the all too clear force of lust behind them.
She looked up at him with an expression of total yearning in her eyes, and he wasn't sure whether that was supposed to make him slow down or urge him forward. Faster, harder. Every thrust felt like heaven, his legs and back and chest were on fire.
"Sit up," he said, manipulating her to something almost like a seated position while his cock changed its angle of entry. Kylo's hands slid across her legs before lifting them up, raising them over his shoulders and almost folding her in half as he plowed into her, his cock easily hitting bullseye again and again and again. In any other context, the superior grin on Kylo's face would have seemed cutting, but here it was just... different.
He was giving her exactly what he'd promised, buried inside her and making her shiver. There wasn't any reason not to be proud of that.
He turned up the tempo, savagely slamming into her as he slapped her across the breasts, gradually turning the color of her skin. That felt so good that he had to go further - he spat at her again, aiming upwards for her cheek, rubbing it into her with slaps from his heavy, bare palm.
Now he leaned forward, almost jumping on top of her, burying his as deeply as it would get, grinding his hips against hers and rolling them back and forth. He slapped her again, again, again, across the cheek, more to watch the changes on her skin than anything else. As much as he'd loved the mess he was making, keeping her stock still wasn't quite giving him everything he wanted out of this moment.
"I'm letting you go."
Kylo grabbed her by the hips and gradually released her, letting her sink to the ground and use him for balance. He put his hands on his hips and turned her around, calmly looking her up and down, almost as if he was examining her. His calm demeanor was interrupted by the sound of his own pre-cum (or something else mixed with it) sliding off his dick and tapping against the floor. He couldn't help but smile a little at that.
"I hope you don't think you're finished."
Well, Phasma certainly wasn't begging for him to stop, that was for sure.
No, she was much too busy being wrapped in pleasure, never mind the Force. Despite the fact that she was in fact trapped, being manipulated by simple flicks of his wrist or whatever he so chose, the woman had already mentally cleared over the mental hurdle of being uncomfortable about it. Even if, the twinge of fear still sat in the back of her head. One would be an idiot to say that it wasn't there, a liar to say that having someone keep you from moving in such a way wasn't absolutely frightening. But, this was different. Different than Chandrila, simply because of the different means, because there was no needing to fish through her mind for information, no need to rip her apart. No, his cock had the aims to do that already. To say the very least, he was a lucky man as it was to be settled in between her legs and not being strangled, although there could easily come a day.
She could feel the muscles on his shoulders working in unison with the rest of his body, to make her scream louder for him, to make her body clench and stretch in his hands. The initial impact of his hand colliding with her cheek was. . Shocking, to say the least. It caught her off guard and made her eyes flare just slightly, but it didn't stop the set of moans that fell out afterward, eyes narrowing just faintly as her body continued to succumb under the pressure. But of course, he stopped. He stopped to let her go, feeling the gentle pull of both gravity and his reach drop her to the floor, momentarily amused that the bed was being so sorely neglected. Knees bending just slightly, the woman shifted carefully as he admired his work so far, legs grazing down his sides and her hands slipping over his chest until her left foot hit the floor beside him, just in time for him to announce that he wasn't finished with her.
Cute.
" Of course not. " She could feel his heavy breathing through his chest, heart beating with a rhythm against her fingertips, her opposite leg still at his side, the moment to breathe welcome. However, just as her hands reached his shoulders, the woman's legs shifted, pulling him down only to be turned over, palms forcing his shoulders down onto the floor. The push had been just a bit hard, one might even say slight payback for being slapped in the face, the thud against the ground causing a miscellaneous book to fall. Staring down at him now as he lay beneath her, the warmth he had once been buried in how pressed against him, hands still holding his shoulders to the floor as she leaned forward, lips hovering over his, " I'm not finished. " Raising her hips slightly, it wasn't hard at all for her slit to meet his cock again, the space granted his length room to reach for its warmth, raising up and using his shoulders to balance, the woman now gave him the grand view of watching his cock disappear inside her from between her full thighs.
He let out an unashamed groan as she confidently squeezed down on top of him. He felt that beautiful burning sensation spread down his shaft as she sank lower until her hips slammed down on top of his. He loved looking at her from the bottom - she was like a totally different person like this.
Made sense, a distant part of him noted. He'd taken all control from her the last few minutes, so of course she'd want to do something more assertive. He'd almost counted on it. Of course, who would know that it would feel like... like this?
He arched his back and tilted his hips upwards just a bit, helping to get as deep as possible as she rode on top of him. She squeezed her way up to the very top of his head and rode back down with total precision. And that was after him slapping her all over - not to mention the near-death experience they'd both had earlier tonight.
"If this is your way of thanking me, I should hit you more often."
This was far and away the strongest woman he'd ever been with, and she had the timing and balance of an athlete, too. The way she felt was driving him crazy - she was like an animal, or someone's carefully crafted statue of a woman, alive and out of her mind on top of him.
He stopped for a second and drank in the motions of her body - her tits, the sweat on her forehead, the shape of her calves. He wasn't sure if he'd ever been this hard before.
Kylo realized with a start that he'd been enjoying the ride for quite a bit now. He sat back, balanced on his elbows for leverage, and began to push himself forward, still letting her lead the way, but at least matching her strangest thrusts somewhat.
There had been a few men in this position, but for a completely different reason entirely. Never had any of them held more than a fleeting second of the idea that having Phasma on top of them was deemed as sexy, but again, so few men knew what was beneath her armor. Consider himself lucky to be in this position and not yet at the point of getting a fist in his eye, though there was still plenty of time in their lives and Phasma wasn't going to put him on a pedestal. Choppy, angled bangs brushed over her flush cheeks each time her head tilted downward, her thighs guiding her up only to let the soft skin of her ass press into his lap over and over again. Whether it was the stinging in her cheeks or the way she felt his cock reach deep within her, the woman's body didn't stop, driving the sensation up through her body.
Hands slipping away from his shoulders, her nails left red lines of their presence against his chest, the familiar scent that had been left in their previous ship filling the air around them, the rapid smacks of her ass colliding with his skin and spreading the mess he had caused. Phasma's walls were gripping him, as though they had spent the entire time of him teasing her making a silent promise back to him, to hold on to him ever so tight. It was almost amusing the way he got lost in her curves, the way her breasts pressed together thanks to her hands on his chest, stomach taut as she leaned forward and arched her back, body working in unison to bring them both to another well deserved orgasm.
Kylo narrowed his eyebrows, focusing as much as he could as he felt his muscles starting to shake inside him. Her hands on his chest felt good, the sight of her on top of him was amazing. The toe curling, earth shattering feeling of his shaft pushing into her body - that was obscene. It was like her presence had engaged every sense of his body.
"Fuck. Ohhhh...yeah. You're amazing. I love it." He reached over and smacked her on the ass again. "I'm so close to having the hardest come I've ever had. You're so good I can barely even breathe. Now I want you to show me you're the best. I want you to come right on top of this."
He pressed his hand against her mound, as if he could touch himself through her folds. "I want you to squeeze it for me while you... uggggh... while you come, and then I want you to give me a -"
Kylo stopped what he was doing and grabbed her by the hips. Even as close as he was, he wanted to spend every drop of energy inside her. "You're gonna... I want to feel your lips on mine, I want your tongue tasting me, and then I'm cumming all the way inside you."
He picked up the pace now, a part of him most certainly feeling like he was babbling nonsense. But he wanted to talk, to urge her on, to get as much as he could possibly handle. "Is that what you wanna feel? That warmth flooding into your body? Me finally getting off with you? Inside you? Come on..."
She could feel his body starting to betray him beneath her, no matter how hard he tried to fight against it, Phasma was going to get what she wanted. She was going to get what she wanted, and make sure he remembered all of this in the process, just the same as he had made sure their sex was etched into her memory. Phasma wanted him to remember seeing her above him, hips rocking and breasts bouncing each time she dropped herself back down, the tingling burn in her thighs ignored. Her nails had again begun making more lines in his chest, the red trails ending where her fingers curled inward as her moans had long sense turned into half screams half lidded eyes closing when he so kindly walked her through what he wanted through her orgasm. Which, that glorious feeling was starting to pour over her, an almost cooled feeling running down the back of her neck and down her spine, she felt herself grip his cock tighter. Leaning forward, Phasma's lips immediately met his, using this angle to let his hips pump upward, she could taste the saltiness of the sweat shared between them, hands gravitating to his shoulders just in time to grip him again. " Fucking fill me up. " It was like a switch for her body, those words, her slit tight around him as she broke their kiss again, sounds of pure pleasure coaxing her through her orgasm.
More than anything, Kylo wished they'd taken this shit to the bed.
It felt very much like Phasma wanted to break his hips and fuck him through the floor. And if that wasn't hard enough on his body, she was practically using him as a scratching post. But despite the rings of protest from every corner of his body, he couldn't help but feel like... it was worth it. He would walk through fire for a chance to feel like this.
He dug his hands into the tile, sweat underneath his fingers, running down his chest and sliding down the hard muscles of his midsection. She came on top of him like a wave, and as tired as he was starting to feel, the sight of her throat tilted forward in an orgasm gave him all the energy he needed to finish. As much as he felt that way, she obviously felt the same, her inner muscles somehow becoming more hungry and demanding, and that kiss... he'd expected something gentler, marked with gratitude...but in that moment, her lips felt like a demand. And her words afterwards didn't disabuse her of that notion.
And that was fine. He wanted to finish just as much. Tired as he felt, his mind was still insatiable.
He wrapped his arms around her waist and swung his hips forward, filling her pussy and rocking back and forth inside her. He still loved that feeling of friction when he rubbed against her inner walls, or when his balls slapped against her body, or when.
"Ah, I'm..." Kylo growled and willed himself to speed his tempo, exploding inside of his own mind as he fired a load inside of her. He slowed down, going for depth and intensity over pure power, his still hard cock determined to stay part of her body for every second it was possible.
Another aftershock rippled through his body, and he put in two more thrusts, but he suddenly felt weak. His balls and muscles and eyes and brain were all drained.
She had all of it now. Kylo leaned backwards, taking deep breaths, so many pieces of his body sweating and burning that he didn't know how to favor them.
Waking up with someone else was odd enough as it was, though doing so comfortably and with the knowledge of having to see them after had crossed her mind several times when she woke up and slipped out of his grasp. Could've been worse. She could have had to destroy something of his to keep him far, far away from her. Glancing away slightly at the discarded memory that was again pushed to the back of her mind, the hot water loosening up the well deserved sore muscles that she had been left with after the night's romp. Tender spots on her skin where when he had grabbed her, it hadn't been delicate or gentle, not that she had expected him to when he had so clearly stated that he wasn't going to. Frankly he had said a lot of things very clearly. The sound of the water stopped as she moved to the mirror, fingers grazing her skin to find the sensations she had started to find familiar as of late, turning to look behind her. There they were, the telltale signs of bruising at the back of her thighs, Phasma honestly couldn't decide if that was her fault or his, thankfully not seeing the same across her face.
That would have been way too complicated to explain.
The room still dimly lit as she stepped through it silently, moving on the balls of her feet through piles of black that more than likely belonged to him. Pulling the body suit up her frame after discarding the towel against a chair, the woman was halfway out the door in adjusting her breasts before having to make an awkward two step around Hux. " Oh. . Hey, " Carefully moving around the man when his face hit a deep red before she had even had the chance to really say anything, raising a brow slightly as she moved toward the cockpit. What was his problem. It hadn't really dawned on her until she sat down in the pilot's seat, watching the soft blink of the radar as the planet grew near, that she had completely forgotten about him last night. " We couldn't have been that loud. . " Right Phasma, sure you weren't.
Of course, he felt her leave and hit the shower, but he didn't get up and follow her - mostly because he was still too tired to open his eyes and move. His body felt like a weird, unholy combination of pulp and muscle. Even his cock was aching. Kylo finally gained the strength to brush his hands over his forehead (damp of course) and slide out of bed just as Phasma was getting out of the shower. Hm, how strange - she hadn't wanted to talk to him. He couldn't have an idea of how good he was outside of... sideways looks and nervous tics.
Well, maybe it wasn't so strange, given the target. And it wasn't as if he needed verbal confirmation of how good he'd been. It just would have been... nice, that's all. He went behind her in the shower - he needed that time to think - and when he came out he almost considered changing his clothes to something a bit more... discreet.
But odds were that discretion wasn't going to help them here. Maybe his full attire could be some sort of deterrent. Certainly Phasma dressing like... well, like some stormtrooper whose armor had been blown to shreds wasn't going to make too much of an impression.
He limped into the cockpit, and a weird silence between his two... crewmates? He'd expected some cutting remark from Hux - had spent a good deal of his shower time loading up some cutting replies. But instead, the kid looked like he'd had too much to drink last night.
"Well," he said quickly. "You look... ah, well. You're here. And that's what's important."
He hadn't thought about how incredibly awkward it had been for Hux until long after he'd gotten off. Really, it wasn't until he hit the bed that he even remembered anyone else existed on the ship. The timing of the thing - he'd really just wanted to take his mind off the piss affair, but to him it had probably seemed like the whole awful situation was an aphrodisiac (Phasma's hysterical laughter not being a benefit there). And they hadn't been subtle together. Not at all.
"Just... barely." Kylo grimaced. There really was no way to make this comfortable for anyone involved. Just a spectrum of bad reactions that heightened tensions with Hux or annoyed Phasma.
Of course, he'd do something to annoy Phasma soon enough, but he did want to fuck her again, which meant doing as little to proactively ruin things as possible.
He almost envied poor old Hux. Being able to walk this morning without a limp... having a chest that didn't feel like it was on fire...
Hm, was that the entire list?
Fine, given the benefits, he didn't envy him a bit.
Kylo slunk down onto the little couch behind the cockpit and messed with the little drink panel Hux had discovered, flipping it up and then down. "To be fair, you did ask to come. You made a very big production out of it if I remember correctly."
"Well, I didn't think you'd be..." He made a very large hand gesture, as if talking about it was an embarrassment. "And I especially didn't think you'd be so demonstrative about it."
Kylo groaned. It was as if Hux was trying to retroactively ruin an amazing night. He did not want to have to imagine this ginger in the corner, giving constructive criticism of his performance.
"Can we not. Can we all just... not." He pointed at Phasma, who couldn't see him behind the wheel, but had to just know somehow. "I'd like you to especially not. Should we try to arrange this meeting as soon as we can or should we be... buying something to wear?"
He assumed they wanted to just go to this meeting as themselves. But if Phasma wanted to cook up some elaborate cover story, now was the time.
What. . What if maybe he hadn't heard and he was just being weird. Don't be an idiot Phasma. Sighing as she partially slumped into the seat, unaware that she had pulled one of her legs into the seat with her as the ship moved closer to the planet, eyes wandering once the clouds broke around the ship. Well, no one had begged him to come, even if she had acknowledged he could be of some help. Besides, she was halfway sure that it wasn't something that would happened whether he had been here, unplanned. Again she scoffed at herself, absolutely doubting that the time spent alone wouldn't have given them even more reason to claw at each other like animals, but at the time Phasma hadn't been thinking about the red haired man. Frankly that probably would have shot her mood right into the ground, and even now only a small portion of her cared.
Sure. He was her superior, and technically she was sleeping with another superior. . But, she was an early product of Doriel's father, so in a twisted way, it could be seen as his fault. Grinning because that was illogical and absolutely incorrect, turning her head slightly as the initial break for conversation began, sighing softly when it began in Ren's corner. Of course. Just couldn't ignore the silence. It was Hux's description, even without having to see his hands, that caused Phasma to keep her grin, hands grazing over the dash as they moved past a set of mountains. The closer they got to the ground, it became all too clear that this wasn't simply a planet for people to vacation on by accident, raising her hand into the air when she heard Kylo direct his words to her as though saying 'What'. " I didn't say a word, " It was true, she hadn't, but she knew that she was amused even without having to see her face.
The dust in the spaceport raised up around the ship as she lowered it to the ground, the hum of the ship starting to slow as she turned, tilting her head softly. A scheme wasn't anything in her mind, though she was already without her armor, destroyed thanks to a situation she hadn't necessarily wanted to be in. " Do you know how long it takes me to get fitted for things that are actually mine? " Hands motioning over her chest and down the rest of her frame, the blonde then stood and folded her arms over her bust, " I'm not about to fuck up my entire uniform in two days. "
Hm. Kylo crossed his legs, patting his chin for a while before conceding the point. Before now, he had sort've considered Phasma's attire to be an elaborate display of vanity. Or to be more accurate, he'd considered her stock stormtrooper uniform to be an elaborate display of counter-vanity with it's own labyrinthine logic behind it.
As it was, this wasn't something he could argue with. He shrugged his shoulders and turned leaned against the edge of the ship. "Someone explain where we are and what we're doing here."
"Well," Hux said, happy to be onto business that didn't involve Phasma pointing at her breasts, "this is Kradeir. It's Ord Mantell's third largest spaceport and the home city of Declan Lavish. I would suggest you're on your toes here, this is one of the most corrupt cities in Order space. I'm ashamed to admit that many of the police officers here are on the Black Sun's payroll."
Kylo sighed. Well, of course it was, and of course they were. "Are you going to be able to get another -"
"Another meeting. Given my performance last time." Hux was really facing his humiliation head-on. The Major General tightened a cap around his head and threw an elaborate looking... shawl over his shoulders. "While the two of you were preoccupied - I made contact with a Yonen Terrik. He's worked for Lavish for years, he can make the introduction."
Hux made his way to the door and pressed a button, opening the door with a smooth-sounding swoosh. "You sure he'll still want to introduce you after last time? And why are you wearing all that?"
"Manners maketh the man, Ren." He stepped to the side and walked down the ramp, barely paying attention to him anymore. Kylo groaned and followed him. The man had an incredible ability to get under his nerves. He was the commiserate First Order officer, in all the worst ways. "Your two questions are very tightly related. I can't be sure what my relationship with Yonen is now. He's Rodian by the way, in case you need to... ready your stomachs."
Kylo narrowed his eyes, but didn't comment beyond that.
"That's why I need to make a proper first impression. Appearances are everything, especially given..." he paused his marched, looked back and gave the two of them a not-very-subtle once over. "... what we have to work with."
Kylo looked back towards Phasma and bugged his eyes out quietly, pushing his way through the crowded spaceport. "Very well. Is this him?"
A finger slowly went up. Kylo pointed at a Rodian in a black and purple track suit that clashed horribly with his green skin. Hux nodded and waved. "Yonen Terrik!"
Hux quickly closed the distance, babbling something cheerful sounding in Rodian. The gangster caught Hux's eye and nodded curtly, waiting for him to get in range before leveling him with an uppercut.
And with that, Hux (and his hat, and his coat) went sprawling to the ground. And some lanky Ithorian stepped over him without so much as breaking stride or looking down.
Ord Mantell was a rough, rough place.
Please. It had already been enough for them to modify certain, ahem, areas of her uniform when the female grew up through her training, she silently dreaded how long it would take for them to make another, because costs and other excuses she had heard whispered through the wind. It was like being the tallest out of young cadets, awkward and lanky, only to grow and develop curves that most of her fellow cadets had never even seen on anyone other than their friend's mothers. Thankfully, she disappeared among them when graduation came around and uniforms were given, but God. Just the thought made her roll her eyes, hands falling to settle at her hips as Hux began to explain the destination he had given them, raising a brow when the flourished piece of fabric was flapped around Hux's upper half. He was just too easy to laugh at, really.
But she showed some self restraint, simply letting her eyes run over him to save the mental image for a later thought when she was alone. Watching him move away to the door, Phasma stepped down from the cockpit now, eyes moving over a set of compartments near the door, opening two before smiling softly. Thankfully, the First Order hadn't let her down here, placing the strap of the altered e-11 around her torso and holding the second, pulling the power cells from it before the woman moved after Ren, the door sliding closed behind her. Taking in the sight of the busy spaceport, her boots shifted dust beneath her, clicking her tongue behind her teeth softly when Hux looked them over, " Coming from the man in a shawl. Please. " The scene that unfolded shortly after almost went unnoticed, eyes venturing around the port until she noticed the covered tent manned by a Jawa, one of many booths hustling people for their items. Good, plenty of scumbags to trade things. Turning back to the men in front of her with her lips parted, sighing audibly when Hux came crashing to the ground, watching his hat roll off somewhere, hell she wasn't going after it.
" On our toes, huh. "
Poor man couldn't catch a break. But Phasma would mind that in a little bit. " I'll be back. " Breaking away from the scene, the blonde moved toward the booth now, yellow eyes catching her immediately and growing wide. Thankfully, the exchange hadn't taken long at all, simply mentioning that his pile of shitty droid parts needed a gun, giving him the empty e-11 that it so clearly hadn't noticed, the basic conversation ended with whatever the Jawa could form outside of its own language. The stormtrooper wasn't gone for much longer, raising the black hood of the dress over her head, amber eyes easily spotting the head of ginger and moving toward him now, looking over the damage made from the punch. Could have been worse. Phasma's quick trading had bought her yet another dress, sighing about it when she changed though deciding it was better than tearing up her own clothing, the slits up each side giving her enough room to move as opposed to the last dr- " I guess I'm a dress woman. " Nevermind that now. " How's your face? "
"So, should we..."
Kylo looked down at the carnage. Poor Hux was still reeling from the sucker punch, and he'd expected for things to get ugly quick, but apparently Phasma thought she could press a pause button and... go shopping. A few little jokes boiled around in Kylo's head, little jokes he wouldn't dare say out loud.
"Should we talk about you assaulting our friend here, or should we wait?"
The Rodian shrugged. "Is she important? I don't see any reason to -"
"It's -"
"The faster we go ahead with -"
Kylo raised a hand. The two of them talking over each other wouldn't be productive. "You go first."
"No," he said, waving generously, "I insist."
Kylo let out a terse kind of smile. "It's just that I don't want her to be behind on anything. Like, if she gets back and I'm on top of you, punching you in the face, again and again and again."
"Well," Yonen garbled. "That wouldn't happen."
"But let's say it did. She comes back, and I'm punching you in the face, again and again and again. And then I have to explain to her how things got to this point because she wasn't here for all of this. Maybe you were just being a cunt, but she's going to demand an explanation -"
The Rodian held a hand up now. "Is she a sensitive sort?"
"What? No. No. She's actually very terrifying," Kylo said matter-of-factly. "Loves to kill. Just loves it. HUX. Could you please get up?"
He pulled himself to his feet, getting one of his impractical accessories and then the other, dusting them off and putting them back on. By God, some people just didn't have the capacity to recognize when something was causing a problem.
"I'm fine. Just a bit shocked that an old friend would treat me in such a fashion." The redhead folded his arms in front of him and clicked his heels together. "Don't you have any respect? After all the times I've looked out for you?"
"I don't owe you anymore favors, Doriel." Yonen spat on the ground in front of him. "Lavish almost stuck my antennae in a blender the last time you showed up. If I had known you'd ask about... them... I wouldn't have introduced you to him."
Kylo cleared his throat. "This is exactly what I'm talking about. I don't want to talk about this until Phasma gets back."
"Is that who we're talking about?" Yonen got on his tip-toes and watched her in the distance. "She's... so funny looking. Does she have a first name?"
"Commander."
Yonen rolled his eyes. "If she's as... put-together as you say she is, she's not going to mind walking in on a bit of violence. She'll just accept it as a natural course of life. And here she comes, anyway."
"You know, it's wonderful for me to hear you say that. Because I don't want you to complain when I'm punching you."
"Again and again and again?"
"Right."
And here she was, still fiddling with her clothes even as she approached them. And asking Hux about his face.
"I'm quite all right. One or two blows is nothing in comparison to what I've faced just yesterday."
Kylo smiled into his fist. He could be talking about any number of things.
"We need you to take us back to Lavish."
"He doesn't want to see you. Or any other Order flunkie. I should hit you again for even suggesting it."
What was the hold up?
Rolling her eyes at the dramatic response from Hux, she was going to assume he meant the tragedy they had all faced on the bait ship and not what he had heard on the ship ride here. He could have found something else to listen to, surely. But, the woman clicked her tongue behind her teeth softly, narrowing her eyes because something felt off about this conversation. . Wait. . That's what it was. " So, you punched him in the face? " Nods all around, good good. " And you are. . ?" The Rodian blinked softly as it was his turn to speak, her bright eyes staring to him now with a curious expression. " Yonen. . Yonen Terrik. " Excellent, confirmed. Now it was Phasma's turn to nod, speaking again, " Right, good. And you, Yonen just threatened to punch him in the face again. "
Using her hands to motion to Hux, the blonde woman received another uncomfortable nod, for a moment it looked as though she were trying to register what was going on. Unfortunately, she wasn't an idiot. Tapping her fingertips together softly as the woman stood among this odd circle of conversation, sighing gently, her hands reached out, gripping him tightly by the purple collar of his hideous jumpsuit. Only the sound of a " Hey- " was heard before the woman shook him, his antennae shaking as sounds of clear discomfort filtered around them. Phasma was pleased with this environment, no one stopping to care what was happening to the shorter rodian, gripping him tightly at the collar as she stopped shaking him.
Fists pressing into his neck as she pulled him forward, Phasma's pretty eyes narrowed and ignoring the faint attempt to squirm from his discomfort. " I'm sure you've been having a wonderful conversation with these gentlemen, " Probably about me because they like to talk shit. " But really, the situation is, " The emphasis on gentlemen and conversation simply because Phasma was not one for having unnecessary conversation. He had already punched Hux in his tender, baby face. He had already broken any common ground and Phasma saw no reason to keep any pleasantries. " If you don't take us to him, your little ass will never hit anything ever again. And I know, Lavish may seem scary, but I can promise you he is not as scary as my fist in your face, right now. " And God was she tired of saving up a punch for Kylo.
He'd been on the planet for all of five minutes before he'd started to feel a bit impatient, but the sheer absurdity of their situation was funny to him. He'd expected there to be two or three intermediate steps before things turned to outright assault. But Plasma obviously didn't share his comfort for comic tedium.
"I tried to tell you," Kylo said smoothly. "She really loves her work."
"You three don't know what you're doing," he gasped. "You're like children. You harm me, you harm the Black Sun. There is a reason why -"
"Listen. You might have gotten a certain impression dealing with the Order in the past. And maybe Major General Hux here assisted with that impression. But understand this. We aren't garden variety Order, and we didn't come all this way to be reasonable with scum like you."
"Lavish is in the middle of a business arrangement. We can't see him. He doesn't want to be disturbed, he'll kill me -"
Kylo ignored him and turned to Phasma. "While you were gone, he called you funny looking."
She looked for him to the Rodian and raised one heavy eyebrow before pulling him up further. "Oh?"
He was already barely touching the ground, now he went up higher. The Order literally had her training a squadron of little murderbabies in her image. He shouldn't have been so surprised things were working out this quickly.
"Understand this, if we kill you, we'll be half the galaxy away by tomorrow. And trust me, the Sun doesn't think you're important enough to avenge. I can tell just by looking at you. I will scrape you off my shoe and forget you even existed by sunrise tomorrow."
"You don't understand," he said, his feet kicking the air like some invisible bicycle. "You can't meet him. You would need... tickets."
Kylo blinked twice and tilted his head. "Like... circus tickets?"
" She really loves her work. "
" I do, I'm very good at it. "
It was just so lovely for Phasma to have found a career that she was just so skilled in. Of course she hadn't necessarily found it, more of been found, but that was neither here nor there in this situation, an explanation for some other time. Though on a more civil planet this could be seen as bullying, Phasma wasn't particularly caring in the matter, as after all, he had delivered the first punch, Hux merely being too. . Well, weak to act out of his uniform. Oh well, hm? His squirming did nothing to loosen her grip from his outfit, taking in the tacky pattern that she was almost surprised was made in such a color scheme, turning her head softly when Kylo spoke. Her face immediately looked surprised, momentarily confused that this thing had the audacity, raising him to her eye level, almost half tempted to rattle his brain around in his head again.
" Oh? "
His voice seemed to flake out after Kylo spoke to him again, eyes glaring softly at his face as he glanced to the side, fearful of a sudden movement that would leave him on the ground in a pile of his own mess. Out of the three of them, she was funny looking? With the weasley ginger beside her and the moody, big eared jedi on her other side? Phasma couldn't even. . Whatever. Who was looking to be the object of a fucking rodian's eye anyway. Shifting the man as he started to kick, Phasma glared at him now as she murmured, " If you get your dirty feet on this dress, " There it was again, the twinge of being a clean freak, watching him stiffen himself at once and turn to Ren, " No! Not like circus tickets, like admission! He's hosting an event with some of his men, " Pity, dear Yonen wasn't invited. He could have avoided this entire confrontation ten fold, probably even if he hadn't so rudely started the conversation.
" He didn't invite m- "
" Yonen. . No one cares about why he didn't want you at the party. Tickets, focus. "
"It's a charity event. Some flesh-eating disease in the Outer Rim. And some other company is investing in a cure, and some other company is trying to buy land for mining rights."
"You're telling me that the Order is letting a well-known smuggler host... black-tie galas?"
"Word on the street is that the Order doesn't want expensive conflicts." Yonen turned to him and smiled. "How little you know. About anything. It's almost adorable."
Hux threw his hands into the air and paced around in a circle. Kylo watched him out of the corner of his eye as he blew a heavy breath into the air. And he did understand that. Whatever issues he had with Hux, he was a true believer.
That loyalty was maybe the one thing they all had in common, in their own different ways. So of course he'd be dismayed to know that crime and corruption were rampant in this territory that was in the heart of the First Order. But that was part of life, something impossible to avoid. Even Darth Vader couldn't simply rub out an organization like the Black Sun entirely. Kylo understood as well as anyone that behind every smuggling arrangement, there was something that people decided they needed, whether it was as small as a shipload of rare animals or a capital-sized shipment of spice.
And a government, whether it was the Republic or the Order or the Triumverate or something else, they couldn't devote every drop of themselves to standing in the way of that. Not when there was a war to fight.
"Forget about all that. Tell me. Tell us about how to meet him. We don't necessarily want him dead. We just want information."
Yonen looked at Phasma (who was still giving him a hard look), back to Hux, and then to him before sighing. "It isn't like he's hiding. He's at the Kradeir opera house. It's just that -"
There was a bolt of laughter before he could finish. "A shit city like Kradier has an opera house?"
Yonen's experession changed. The Rodians were a warrior society (although a surprising number of them were actors or announcers), but he'd never seen one look as... sad as this one. "Listen to me, Kylo Ren."
"How did you know my name?"
"There's so much going on here that none of you understand." He'd stopped kicking around anyway. He looked up to Phasma, but it seemed like his speech was directed at the three of them. "When people have so much it creates a... crisis of the mind. People want to do something with their money. Convince themselves they aren't just scum that floated to the top. So they do things that they heard of other rich people doing. Of course they have an opera house."
"You aren't listening." He stepped forward and snapped a couple of fingers in front of Yonen's big eyes. "I don't want the philosophy. Tell us how we can get in. Or I'm going to have her tear you to pieces right here."
"I really don't know!" He held his arms up. "I can... I can take you there. I've got a speeder and everything. But I don't know if that will be enough to get you in."
Kylo ground his teeth together. "Listen, we just need to bluff our way past security. If I can get close enough to see him, that would give us an... advantage. What would we need to do? Pose as... buyers or something?"
He really, really didn't enjoy Hux's company, but he'd hesitate to call the man a weakling. If anything, he was obnoxiously dedicated to his goals. He thought about it and said. "Well. Seeing as all the rumors I've heard are distressingly accurate. Why not simply pretend to be corrupt? You're Snoke's favorite boy."
There was a hint of derision, but not enough for Kylo to root it out at a time like this. "Fine. Why pretend? I don't care about the Black Sun. I just want the people he's working with."
Hux let out a heavy sigh. Kylo narrowed his eyes and looked back at Commander Phasma.
"If you'd like to put him down and give the opportunity to lead us to the Opera House, do so." He turned back to Yonen. "Of course, if she thinks you need something more painful than that to keep you in line... who am I to argue?"
Unfortunately Phasma couldn't pretend to be surprised. It was too much effort that could be placed elsewhere than to monitor Ord Mantell so closely. Too much effort, never enough troopers, the list went on and on. And so, while in First Order space, this filthy planet thrived like a leech, sucking off of what it could from those who passed through. These scavengers had spent their lives and the next person's lives making this place what it was, and although it was admirable, it was a hindrance outside of this planet. Sighing softly when the look of absolute sadness crossed his face, clearly the way he chose to hold his feelings was all wrong. That's not how feelings work Phasma.
Whatever.
Although she didn't entirely care to have conversation with Hux's not so fond connection here, she was easily letting him state his piece, perking a brow softly until his eye contact was broken and drawn back to Kylo. " Rumors? " Well. Wasn't that good to know, immediately drawing back to the pirates who had invaded their ship. The situation had left them wide open for rumors, even signs of them being sloppy, inwardly groaning at the thought and absolute unpleasant memory. What caused a soft, " Hm. " From both Phasma and Hux was Yonen's next sentence, Phasma tilting her head faintly as a short sign of agreement. He was Snoke's pride and joy. Then it was settled. Though she very easily put him down and let him momentarily regained himself, her hand reached out and immediately gripped his left antenna, his big eyes turning up to her as though they had a silent agreement that she'd rip it right off if he tried anything reckless.
The walk to Yonen's speeder was awkward, more so for him than anything else, the blonde woman clearly without genuine care for his discomfort in the matter, squeezing lightly every so often just as a silent reminder. She could have done a lot worse, so she counted him as a lucky little green thing. For now." Do you have a plan for this or are you about to send us into something reckless again? " The sound of the speeder humming beneath them muffled out conversations between rows of seats, Hux sitting beside Yonen looking all too uncomfortable. Well, he could have been squished back here between the two of them, but the woman already knew he wasn't ready for that level of embarrassment yet, turning her head now to the dark haired male beside her.
The place was all lengthy arcs and jagged pieces, like God had cracked a half-dozen eggshells and left them scattered across the ground. Massive transparent glass panels of men touching the hands of deities and women elegantly stretching their hands to the sky dominated the rest of the design. The walls inside (and so close, Kylo could squint and see them inside the glass) were velvet and crimson, with shining, neon chandeliers blazing overhead.
One of the weirdest things about space travel was... the seasons. He'd left Chandrila in the fall, but it was blazing hot on Ord Mantell, enough to get him feeling weird here in the speeder. Phasma's insistence on some kind of "plan" only made it weirder.
"I'm thinking that the plan should be..."
Yonen pulled the speeder to a halt and held up his hands, as if there was nothing else he could do.
"Absolutely not," Hux said. "You're coming with us, and furthermore -"
Before he could finish his threat, Kylo held an arm up. "I'm... 80% sure I can get us inside without any extra help. So just let him go and we'll -"
"Four out of five isn't quite enough for me, Ren." He couldn't help but feel responsible for this. If he'd been at full strength, and full understanding of the Force, this entire affair would have been child's play. He would have been able to protect his friends allies and get all the information he needed. And yet, everything seemed... harder for him. Why was that?
"You need to trust me," he said harshly. He filed out of the speeder, and the others followed. "My plan is to proceed very calmly. Convince him that we can bring just enough trouble that it's worth giving the pirates up. Use the Supreme Leader's name a bit? If you have any ideas, feel free to interrupt."
Kylo wasn't sure whether he was terrible or if he had some strange mental blocks or whether he was still too conflicted. But despite his innate power, everything took him longer to understand, to learn. Snoke had helped him so much, had conveyed the title of Master on him due to his raw abilities (a messy issue by itself, he'd never understood how meaningless the title was until someone gave it to him)... the subtleties of the Force were often lost on him. So many people with less power had... understood. Like it was nothing.
He was closing in on the ticket office, so if Phasma wanted to nag at him for lack of preparedness, or Hux wanted to say things weren't by the book, well... this was their chance.
Ugh, of course this had spawned debate between everyone else as though she had even asked, raising a brow as she glanced over the back of Yonen's head. When was he a part of any of this? Oh, right, when he knew he could have his ass exterminated by Lavish or herself. But eighty percent was not good enough, she and Hux both agreed on that, Hux more vocal about it as she turned to glance over Kylo's expression, clearly reading it as unsure. Stepping out into the heat, again she was thankful for the change of clothes and the flow of this dress, her bright eyes moving over the area around them, looking up the large building that stood among the scorching sun and the rubble.
It was only a few steps before Phasma grabbed his arm, resulting in a pause from each of them as Hux's eyes fluttered slightly, pulling Yonen to a halt several steps back, the Rodian was quick to protest, " What are you do- " " Just don't! " The red haired man mumbled as though Phasma was about to tell Kylo some deep secret that needed to be kept away from prying ears. Rolling her eyes at him, the woman turned her vision back to Ren. " Eighty percent isn't good enough. " She repeated, shaking her head faintly before speaking again, " This isn't Chandrila, " There was no one around for him to practice a few times on before he got it right. " And you need to know if you can do this all the way through. " Truth be told, Phasma would be damned if she got stuck in some irreversible shit, deeper than before because he was out and about doubting himself. None of them knew anything intricate about what he was dealing with, but she'd at least seen him do more than enough successfully.
" Are they. . Intimate? "
" I don't want to talk about it. "
"This is not exactly up to me." Kylo looked down at the duracrete beneath them and ran two hands through his hair as he considered the situation. There was a spotlight scrolling around the entrance, and dapper looking humans were making their way to the booth. The situation was very frustrating, but he tried to keep his voice level. Wouldn't help to alienate his own allies. "I am very obviously not a god. I can't make people obey my every whim, or I'd have a... much different life than I do right now."
He smiled, attempting to add some levity to a stomach churning situation. "I can... make a choice more comfortable. A choice like letting the three of us inside to this stupid party despite not being on the guest list. Depending on... the person, and their devotion to their cause, and their willpower." He took a long hard breath. "I will be fine. And I will perform to the best of my abilities. But I can only control myself."
He wasn't being entirely honest. There were masters of the dark side that could bend people to their will completely, with almost no exceptions. But for him, that was fodder for a holo-reel and late night fantasies. He wasn't at Vader's level of power. Not yet.
"If this doesn't work, we're leaning on our credentials. Doing what we would have done already." Kylo, despite feeling how this could have backfired, grabbed Phasma by the hand and looked her over. She wasn't technically the deciding vote, but practically, she was.
"As it is, I'm doing the best I'm capable of. That has to be enough for you, and for Hux, and for this other one, because...."
He shrugged his shoulders. It was this or nothing.
" Wh- why can't I? "
" Just don't! "
Watching the change creep over his face, easily she knew her answer wouldn't be anything definite. Telling someone wasn't going to make the situation any better, but it would definitely bring the need of this going correctly to the forefront. There couldn't be any more mishaps, especially not after what had happened on the bait ship. Almost dying for pirates was nothing any of them really pictured themselves dying, certainly. Phasma had already let herself get caught up in things that weren't entirely whims of the First Order, breaking off of the initial mission after being asked by the man she was fucking. Unfortunately, she already saw that as being a thing. . God. It only became slightly more clear when she went after him in the first place.
Sighing softly, her eyes roamed over the sets of happy smiles gleamed by the spotlights, knowing this was definitely not like Chandrila. This was a lot worse. " That's all I'm asking. " At least saying he was doing his best was better than hearing an actual percentage, perking a brow when Hux so calmly stepped up with a soft set of coughs, " Let's? " The walk to the security detail seemed as though it had taken forever, dragging on as though time itself was giving them more time to work this out. However, here they were, at the beginning of the mess.
" Tickets? "
"Ah." Kylo was first to the counter, and he realized with a start that he had no idea what he was doing. When was the last time he'd been to some fancy "gathering" with people in dress attire?
It had been years. And there was usually someone more important than him in the party, and all he needed to do was... something resembling a smile. So he gave one of those.
Which only seemed to make the attendant behind the counter look guilty and embarrassed. He racked his brain for something that sounded appropriate. And just before Hux stepped forward like he was about to take over, he pulled something out.
"Party of four. They're really gonna need us in there."
"Uh... okay. What are they under?"
Fine. That wasn't the best way to open, but he didn't need more detail than that. He leaned forward and looked the kid in the eyes. "You don't need our names. We've got reservations."
"I don't...?" He blinked slowly, like he'd been asked to solve a complex math equation. "You have to have a ticket, sir."
"I don't have to have a ticket. My friends and I are going through, right now."
"You're going... no." The kid was sweating, he looked physically pained. Kylo thought about it and wondered if his own powers had gotten that poor, or if the kid had been... counter-programmed somehow. "No, you have to have a ticket."
Damnit. He looked back at his motley team for a minute, briefly considering just pushing his way in and letting the chips fall where they may. But then, he had another weird little idea.
Kylo cleared his throat. "We are... actually working security here. Sorry that we got here late."
The man squinted for a moment, then nodded his head. "Oh! Well, you should have just said so. Just... go around the back and you should be fine."
The man pointed (presumably to "the back"), and then ignored them. There was a long pause. Kylo turned around... licked his teeth... gave half a shrug... and just gave up on the whole thing.
"Well, come on."
Well, that could have gone worse.
It was a situation of tense glances and awkward pauses, the attendant looking confused and unsure of the argument that was happening, unsure of the conversation because he was just trying to do his job and get on with his night. Thankfully, it could have gotten a lot worse for him but remained steady, the flow of conversation ending at. . Security. Security with reservations, huh? Phasma's arms folding over her chest at the attendant who went on about shifting through other's tickets, she shook her head softly, deciding to simply be fine with the fact that he'd been so easy to move through, but simply based on reasons of him being an idiot. No matter, that was none of her business.
" Wow. . That was. . Terribly simple. "
Yonen clearly sounded disappointed in himself for not thinking of that sooner, perhaps he could have at least been in the party through some different accord if he had come up with that simple lie himself. Her eyes lifting toward the raised ceiling when they entered the lobby of the opra house, eyes moving across the shimmering tops of the pillars, roaming the elaborate etching and immediately felt uncomfortable. God, now I feel funny looking. One of her hands reach and gripping her own arm softly, now was definitely not the time to be another tick on the self doubt/self conscious meter, rubbing her skin through the soft black material. Phasma couldn't even say that she had ever been to anything like this, especially not outside of being a trooper. Graduation, maybe, but even that wasn't this ridiculously elaborate.
Golds and burgundies, stupid haircuts, and people laughing among one another as though it were actually funny. . Or like they weren't all a bunch of criminals. Then again, so were they. " Weapons. " Shifting out of her trance, her bright eyes moved toward the pair of Twi'lek men, one nodding his head toward Ren's lightsaber, the other noting the e-11 on her back. Shit. Eyes moving over his his face, the woman almost found that he looked familiar. There was something about him that looked like she'd seen his face before.
" Can't allow you to bring those into this event. "
Well, that was just an absurd suggestion. Kylo looked absolutely shocked for a minute before shaking his head sternly, sending his hair shaking in a little curtain across his eyes. "You two are working security at an opera house. I think handling a lightsaber is a little out of your paygrade."
One of the Twi'lek twitched his little tail thing on his head. Was it a... lekku? "The rules apply to everyone. Even creepy-looking Jedi. If you even are a Jedi. You look like an ugly little boy doing a bad job of dressing like Darth Vader."
Kylo sneered and took a step forward. "Let's imagine that you're wrong. Would taunting me really be the wisest idea?"
"Kylo," Hux said under his breath, "may I politely suggest that this might not be the best time. Let's get in here, ask our questions and leave."
Kylo curled his face into a grimace, looking down at the lightsaber.
"Do you know how...arduous it was for me to... make this?" Months of work, and he never did get the core completely stabilized. "And do you know much these are worth on the black market?"
"Well," Yonen said helpfully, "depending on what system you're in and local import/export laws, and of course whether authenticity and effectiveness matter to you -"
"SHUT UP!" Kylo whirled on him with murder in his eyes before taking a hot, ragged breath and turning to Phasma. "Isn't he supposed to be a - look, just keep him quiet."
He snatched the lightsaber up, and for a second he pictured himself cutting the thing on and going on a killing spree. But instead he shoved the thing into the Twi'lek's hand.
"I'm coming right back for this, and if it's not here when I get back - "
"You'll use your Jedi powers to find us and kill us?"
"No, I'm going to look up the two or three people in this universe that love you, and I'm going to kill them. Mostly because you've got a real smart attitude."
The second Twi'lek decided this was the perfect time to interject himself into this conversation. "If that happens. I want to remind you that I didn't call you creepy looking or anything like that."
"But you thought it," Kylo said grimly. Of course, he was now speechless at the display of Jedi powers he hadn't bothered using.
To be fair, he had insulted their line of work. What was a sentient without their pride?
Let's get this over with.
Declan Lavish had his own table roped off in the far corner of the auditorium, as if he was in a nightclub. Here was a man who most decidedly didn't look like a scientist - a heavy fur coat, thick sunglasses, gaudy looking chains around his neck and... a goblet? Did this man seriously have a GOBLET? Behind the rope, 4 burly looking men in armor stood, making eyes at everyone who passed by and generally ruining the genteel vibe the rest of the room was putting on.
If not for that table, the room would look like an upper crust charity auction. There were weird creatures in tuxedos passing out food on silvery trays, a heavy-looking golden podium where people could talk and sell... paintings or dates with local figures or whatever else came up during the night, room for the adventurous to dance...
He didn't like any of it.
"Major General Dorial fucking Hux!" Lavish spotted them immediately, of course. It was a gigantic blonde woman, the tackiest Rodian on the planet, a man in Jedi robes, and a ponce with fire-red hair and a half-dozen different accessories. They didn't exactly hide well. Lavish grabbed some blue powdered substance and put it into his nose, sniffing twice and tossing his head back and forth. "I can't believe you actually came back here. You'd better not be here to ask about my work, or your friends here are going to see a whole different side of you."
Though she had removed her gun without any hassle, the woman knew the same wouldn't happen for the lightsaber. Another snag in the seam, clearly, as he looked outright appalled that someone would even say such a thing. Like someone had punched him in the gut and stood there to watch, the guard went even further to push buttons, carefully looking over his face again. The green hue of his skin and the bite of his words, her eyes danced down over his attire, nothing odd or alarming there, staring at his boots until she was snapped from her thoughts by Yonen going through great detail to be annoying. Handler for two men and a . . Thing. Wonderful.
" Don't walk in here and get punched in the throat. "
Phasma had already let him go majority unharmed, she would hate to ruin this big social event for him by cutting off his ability to breathe. The look of shame and understanding crossed the Rodian's face, big eyes wavering when he turned his head to the ground, as though he were merely trying to help in the wrong situation. If she were anyone else, she would have felt bad for him. Just was not his day. " Something about him, " Speaking more so to herself as she guided Ren away from the tense situation with just the guards alone, she knew that it was just another disadvantage they would have to get over for now. Her eyes again taking in more sights of gold, the woman held in a sigh only to find relief in one of the creatures with trays, light touch leaving Ren's back to reach out and grasp the flute glass.
Placing the empty glass on another tray passing by, the bite of discomfort starting to trickle away just as a voice seemed directed directly to them, despite being called to Hux. She could just about see Yonen's body tense up, now taking the time to scoot carefully behind Phasma as though his jumpsuit was some sort of camouflage. Right.
" Well, I ah. . Yes. . Er- no, not your work per say. "
"Okay, this is already pathetic." Kylo stepped forward and look a couple of steps towards Lavish, which of course, tensed his men right behind the diving rope. "Listen, I don't know all the er... messy details of your last encounter with Hux, and I don't need to know. You're not dealing with him, right now. You're dealing with us."
Hux took a step forward at this development. "Am... I included with the us? If so, then technically..."
Luckily for his physical well-being, he understood that the interruption wasn't appreciated and fell back in line.
"Yonen, I told you to stop bringing fresh-faced Order twerps to my doorstep, but you just don't listen do you?"
Yonen peeked out (from behind Phasma, this really was a comedy of fucking errors). "They... made me? I mean, she said she'd..." He trailed off and gave her an ironic look. Yeah, kind of a weird choice for hiding. Caught between two people that have promised to kill you. Hm. Kylo guessed Yonen was all too happy to let this happen. Somebody had to go!
"You've been working with a crew of pirates, they've been robbing everywhere from here to Carida unchecked. Weird tech, gravity weapons, even an HRD. Now, how many people know how to bring a droid to life quite like you?"
Lavish shrugged. "My work is very confidential. It's for clients only. Paying clients. If I were to talk about every masterpiece I've ever created, I'd have a lot fewer paying clients."
"Do you know who I am? You drug-addled old fool? Your clients should have picked softer targets. Stuck to raiding scummy little merchant swoops and ripping off other smugglers. Instead they decided to step on the toes of most powerful force in this galaxy, and we're about to step right back. Except we aren't bothering with toes. So you can be a professional and stand aside, or you can get their same treatment."
It was actually a good speech. Hux would be proud. Kylo looked back as if to confirm this, and he was... yes, a little impressed.
But Lavish was less so. "If the First Order really cared about this," he said, waving his hand as if weighing the situation evenly, "they would have sent more and better than you three."
"You have no idea what we're capable of."
"Well," he said with a smirk. "I have met Hux."
"This is your last chance."
"Do you know how many people at this party work for me, Kylo Ren? Do you think it would cause a stir if I pulled this out -" He quickly drew a blaster from his holster. "- and blew your brains out all over this floor? People would dance right over you."
What was it about his shoes.
It was odd of her to even care, momentarily wondering why she had noticed anyone's shoes, but even more so that he felt familiar to her. When was the last time she had met a Twi'lek, really. Arms folding over her chest now as she looked over the four armored men, unfortunately they were outnumbered, even more so if you disregarded Hux as a real threat to anyone here. Sighing softly, the woman shot Yonen a hard glare, viscious gaze daring him to say what she had told him she would do, almost wishing it on him just as he gasped himself to shutting up. Her eyes moving to the side now, she watched the door now, the Twi'lek sliding in and moving through a set of smiling faces, disappearing among another group. Clicking her tongue behind her teeth, Phasma didn't like any of this one bit. If it was another trap, it certainly wouldn't involve this many people for the three of them, right?
Didn't make any sense for Lavish to even be here if it was a trap. But what was starting to make sense was where she had seen his face. Turning her head now just as Lavish threatened Ren with his blaster, the woman immediately reached down and gripped Yonen's wrist, glaring at him now, " You're not sneaking out of this. " If they died, he was going right down with them. Speaking now, her tone was soft and inaudible to the men behind the rope, watching as one of Lavish's companions leaned in to him. " One of the pirates is here, " Phasma wasn't going to immediately tell him that it was probably the one who had taken his lightsaber to be checked in, speaking softly again, " I haven't seen any of the others. " The threat was unfortunately more than just Lavish waving his blaster around, though now would be a beautiful time for him to tap into his inner force. Any. Time. Now.
"You're joking," Kylo mumbled under his breath. Of course not. She wouldn't joke about something like this. Actually, she wouldn't joke about most things. On one hand, it meant their odds had just gotten worse - especially if they had any sort of fancy weapons with them - but if they could get out of this alive, and maybe somehow capture him...
He groaned softly to himself, looking up at the chandeliers. Of course, that was hard enough without literally giving their weapons up at the door. Hux wasn't exactly going to be useful, who knew what side Yonen would be on, and Phasma... were they supposed to take on the entire room? You take one half, I take the other.
"Listen, if you know who I am, you really shouldn't bother dong this. You'll be hunted for the rest of your very short life. You plan on staying in the slums of Ord Mantell for the rest of your life?"
Lavish grinned and spread his hands, letting the blaster drop. "It's a wonder then, that I'm not going to kill you." He pointed behind them and smiled. Kylo didn't need to look back - not when he heard the familiar hum of the lightsaber behind them.
Kylo Ren ran a hand through his hair, his face twisted into another frustrated grimace. "I've got a bad feeling about this."
But really, at this point, what else could be done? Kylo whipped around, spinning to his knees, taking a silver plate into his hands and hurling it at the Twi'lek as fast as he could. He might have had the weapon, but he wasn't a Jedi - the plate smashed him in the hands and went scattering across the floor as the place broke into screams. Now the people were running in every direction. That would buy them a few seconds, anyway.
So he let out a shout and charged the guards.
It was clear in the change of expression on Hux's face as he took a moment to glance around that he had also heard Phasma, amazed that his face really could go beyond its normal pale.
" Lavish, we're not here for any confrontation. Just, information. "
The red haired male was ignored, instead a threat given to Lavish from Ren, huffing his cheeks out for a moment as he reached up to unclasp the top button of his shawl accessory. Well, there would probably be no need for this in a few minutes. Phasma would have shown amusement when she watched him pull his hat down to tuck it beneath his arm and look up at the ceiling as though he were praying to Snoke himself. Though each of them held their own moment of tension when the crackling hum grew closer, the blonde turning and gritting her teeth softly. Of course. She felt Yonen jump slightly, accidentally bumping into the brick wall behind him when he turned, impossibly large eyes getting bigger. " I think my job here is- "
Whatever he planned on saying was cut off by a plate shattering, someone screaming to start up the next few, the woman moved now, Yonen free from her grasp as the Twi'lek made immediate eye contact with Phasma. The lightsaber had only moved a few paces away, slid across the ground, however when he began to move toward it, Phasma immediately beat him to it, kicking it away and letting it slide further out of his grasp. Oh. She'd definitely have to apologize for that later, swearing she heard Kylo cry out like she had kicked him in the crotch. For now however, her focus returned to the built pirate, avoiding his fist and bringing her leg up to kick him across the face, out of the corner of her eye noticing Yonen attempt to run. Unfortunately, a guard had made his way to the green man, targeting him like he was a part of First Order.
Well. By association.
Thankfully, the little green thing held his own, clearly deciding that he wasn't about to just die for doing what he had been threatened into doing in the first place, whether he was First Order or not. Phasma didn't have the time to see where Hux had gone, the Twi'lek standing after regaining himself before charging the woman, grabbing her up by the shoulders and slamming her onto the ground. The woman's body writhed beneath him, the pain from the drop surging up her back, causing her to grit her teeth. " Stupid. . Fucking First Order. . " He grumbled, his hands reaching for her throat while her own reached behind her, feeling the ground and finding a dropped platter, picking it up through the food that had once been on it and slamming it against the side of his head. " Get OFF me. " The platter slammed into his head at least three times, his hands closing around her fists, though from each blow growing decreasingly less tight, the Twi'lek's body grew weak after the fourth, immediately pushing him off her as he passed out among discarded party food.
The bad news was, he was surrounded by four armored men with guns, weapons training, and the desire to kill him. The good news is, he was surrounded - with all these men so close to each other, none of them had the room or inclination to shoot him directly without lining each other up for friendly fire. That only bought him a second or two, but Kylo used it, jamming an elbow into one man's face (they hadn't quite been devoted enough to the cause to wear helmets) and sending a hard kick into another man (that thumped uselessly off his chest).
Kylo did understand how to throw a punch and speed his own reflexes, but he wasn't exactly a martial artist. He turned around to look for his lightsaber - there it was on the ground... and then Phasma kicked the thing, probably shorting something out in the process.
He turned around just in time to avoid the butt end of a rifle. He looked on Lavish's table to find something worth using as a weapon... a china plate? Good enough. He called the plate from the table and flung it like a discus into one of the guards at point blank range, shattering him and sending it reeling.
Just at that, he sensed, more than observed, Lavish pulling the trigger of his blaster. Kylo had been working on an incredible trick with blaster bolts, but it needed preparation - he leaned backwards, the deadly bolt almost singing his eyes as it passed his head and went through to the party.
He needed another distraction.
But of course.
Kylo pushed the cloud of blue powder into Lavish's face. Maybe a sniff or two of the stuff felt pleasurable, but this was a whole mountain of the stuff all at once. Lavish hit the ground, covering his eyes and coughing like a madman -
And Hux, bless him, jumped on top of him from out of nowhere, now they were both wrestling for the blaster.
One of the guards saw this and turned around to help, but Kylo was on him, grabbing him by the collar, turning him back around and smashing him across the face with his fist. But now another guard was moving, the field was clear, he raised his rifle -
Kylo pulled the guard in front of him just in time for the blaster bolt to hit the armor. Still, the guard's howl of shock was enough to cause a moment of hesitation. Kylo pushed with all his might and sent the two guards crashing into each other.
Now he had a moment. One moment where he could turn the tide. He turned around and called the lightsaber again. It flew through the air, brisk and confident - and then a Bothan woman flipped over a table and grabbed the thing out of the air.
No. That wasn't supposed to -
And just as he thought he'd seen it all, the Bothan pressed a button on her hip, and some weird looking heels popped out of her shoes. She coasted forward through the party, jumped onto the wall - and began skating up the wall with his lightsaber well in hand.
Kylo was still in a life or death situation but...
"You've got to be KIDDING me!"
he couldn't help but express his frustration.
If there wasn't screaming and people running about trying to find themselves some sort of placement, Phasma would have laid where she was, to wish the pain out of her back. However, standing now, the woman looked over the unconscious pirate and groaned softly, " No weapons through and through. " Though the guards she knew for sure had weapons, were momentarily preoccupied, the last stream of guards actually hired for this event filing in and dealt with, Phasma knew that with such a small amount of security for this large group, that there had to be more around working for Lavish. It was almost unsettling to Phasma not to know, however there wasn't time to be entirely bothered, a blaster bolt missing her head as Hux and Lavish wrestled across the floor.
Another guard aiming his blaster, the female gripped one of the bars that held the crushed velvet rope up, smashing it out of his hands and swinging again at his head, landing the makeshift bat and knocking him down. Turning again when she heard the familiar " Oomph! " from Hux, she watched him fall to his side, a punch to his gut no doubt, Lavish starting the crawl for the blaster. Phasma immediately grasping it and knocking the man onto his back, straddling his stomach and landing a sharp punch to the bridge of his nose, the shift in his bones apparent. " What the fuck. . " Apparently both she and Hux had been thinking the same thing, watching the Bothian start her climb up the wall to the glass ceiling, Lavish attempting a laugh from beneath her. " Did they use my tech to make you or something? " However when he noticed the Bothian skating up the wall, he grinned as though he had the upper hand in this.
" People all over this party, working for me. "
Knees digging into his arms, Phasma looked through the scope of the blaster, breathing out softly as she fired the shot, watching the blue blast land in the Bothian's back and drop her off the wall just as she reached the glass. Listening to the hard thud her body made when it hit the floor across the opera house, her amber eyes looked down to lavish again as he grimaced, " You know, I could pay a beautiful woman like yourself a lot more than what- " The punch she had been saving for Yonen in case he acted out was settled into his left eye, Phasma rolling her eyes into the back of her head at the line he had attempted to fish out, her feminine " Ugh. " heard. Standing now, Phasma watched as Hux adjusted himself, dusting the blue powder residue that had gotten on him as a result of rolling around with Lavish.
" Well, now time to get down to business then? "
Kylo had really hoped that one of them would be enough of a crack shot to hit the Bothan on the roof- certainly before she started opening fire on them from the ceiling and giving them some other weird angle to have to think about. And as soon as he thought it, Phasma connected with her back.
Beautiful. He pulled the saber towards him from the air. One of the guards tried to snatch the thing in midair out of desperation, but Kylo was already too close to the thing and had minute control - he turned the blade on in midair and the crossguard burned through the guard's hand. He didn't hesitate, snatching the lightsaber out of midair and driving it through the maimed guard's throat. The second guard grabbed his rifle and fired, but it was all panic, outmatched against his icy precision. Kylo blocked the bolt and took a half step forward, slicing through the armor like it was nothing, sending half the man's head sliding to the clean floor before running through the third guard just as he put his hands up to signal for mercy.
The whole thing was over in seconds. Even better, Phasma had Lavish pinned like a bug and was already wailing on him. And Hux was... alive. All right. He didn't want to have to explain losing him on the job.
"Hux. You look ridiculous."
He just smiled. "Thanks. I feel. I feel like I might have ingested much too much of... whatever this is."
"Oh boy," Lavish said with a snicker. "You are in for a wild fucking ride, son."
"Enough." Kylo took a couple of steps forward and put his boot on Lavish's chest before activating the lightsaber. "You need to start talking before you lose parts of you that I promise you will miss."
"Wow, look at all that aggression. If it helps, I told the Litari not to go ripping off Order vessels. For... well, exactly this reason."
"The Litari."
"I don't want to go into all of the motives here. We'd be all day. Let's just say they don't like the Order's policies, think of them as specist."
"I don't know if I'd say that."
"Well, there are complex political reasons behind everything, but if you are a specist, the First Order is a rather comfortable place to be, wouldn't you say?"
Kylo shrugged and turned the lightsaber off. "Where do they get their money from?"
"I don't know? And I don't care. The credits ended up in my account, and I got the rush of making new toys."
"Who was your contact? Where'd you meet?"
"Listen. You can cut off whatever you want, but I'm not telling you that. There's some level of professional..."
"Fine." Kylo stretched his hand forward and sighed. "You don't have to tell me anything..."
Well that had been, uncomfortable.
Apparently her sitting on top of him gave Kylo the sign to go ahead and start peeling through this man's brain like some sort of fruit, which meant she had to hold him down long enough for him to stop squirming. Not where she wanted to be, most definitely. " So you can't read minds! " Hux was already feeling the results of this drug. Leaving Lavish there with blue powder foaming out of his nose, the blonde carefully wiped her hands on one of the guard's shirts, watching Hux's pupils dialate showing that she definitely wasn't prepared for going on the same trip he was on. The ginger had slunk down onto the empty couch Declan had once been sitting in, staring at his hands as though they were slowly slipping away from him, Phasma having had to pull him up carefully and guide him out of the opera house. " Th- Thank you for not punching me like that. " Phasma had only smiled lightly at the little green pain in her ass, knowing he would definitely have to lay low which meant avoiding the tacky outfits for a bit. Really, that was doing everyone a favor.
" Phasma, let me just ask you. . "
" No Hux. "
" But let me just. . How do you get those in your armor. . Do they extend your breastplate or. .? "
The speeder ride back to their ship was filled with plenty of moments of Phasma shushing Hux to no avail, moving into the ship and hearing the redhead stomp in behind her as though he felt that he weighed less. " I'm not sure, what this is. But I definitely need to lie down. " Good idea. Phasma watching him slide into the couch behind the cockpit with his face down, the blonde made her own steps toward the room she had shared the night before, breathing out softly. While she wanted to think about going after the pirates, the ringing thought in her head was to get under the hot water, dress pulled away from her body and tossed aside, the woman moved to carefully lay on her side beneath the heated stream, closing her eyes.
Sigh. Hux was already raising an invisible glass to him when he opened the door. Just a nasty situation. And totally premature.
"I have to say," he slurred, "I had no idea you had it in you. Just a... fantastic show." He muttered something about colors and his hands that Kylo didn't catch.
Kylo didn't want to go back to catch it either. He shuffled into the back room and sprawled on the floor with an awkward huff. He hadn't heard of the Litari before today, but they were already an incredible pain in his ass. See...
Hux, Fedorre, even Snoke... they'd really, really been wrong about everything.
And so had he.
They had some of the tactics of a pirate organization... but what kind of pirates used these kind of tactics? Proceeded with this kind of military efficiency? Had this kind of amazing tech, to say nothing of the results. It made perfect sense when he thought about it, but he hadn't really been thinking about it. None of them had been.
His body felt awful, he was... tired and frustrated and hungry all at the same time, and the ship wasn't stocked with anything but candy and stuff you'd get at an army cafeteria. And worse than all of that, they had some choices to make.
Really, this was a decision that should have involved Hux, but... as bombed out of his mind as he was, he could stand to have his choices made for him for a few days.
There was a pitter-patter of water behind the door, and Kylo pulled his robe, still lightly dressed as he knelt in front of it. "Let me know when you want to hear my incredible findings."
A long pause.
"The pirates aren't just pirates. They're a paramilitary organization. They're developing a superweapon they plan to sell to the Republic."
The water was all too soothing against the faint red signs of what had happened along her back, eyes remaining closed when she heard the door outside open and shut with a soft swoosh. Staring at the frosted privacy glass, Phasma didn't wait very long before Kylo was speaking through the door, carefully moving to stand. " Don't be shy about it now, " A surprise in itself considering he had barged into her quarters on the Terigen by twiddling with the lock mechanism, " You don't have to speak through the door. "
Turning her head to see the cloud of black appear when he stepped in, speaking again, " What kind of super weapon?" It was momentarily bothersome to hear that the same people who were creating weapons to pull the gravity from a ship were the same people trying to sell a weapon to the Republic. Just the idea alone made her cringe, the image of the tides changing drastically causing her to frown lightly.
"What kind do you think?" No, really, it was more obvious than they'd thought. That was one of the things that made the revelations from Lavish so frustrating. "The pirates used a device that penetrated shields and fucked with the gravity and life support systems of a capital ship. That's more than horrible enough if they scale it up properly, and when the Republic gets a hold of it, they will. Can you imagine something like that getting mass-produced? If it was something the Republic could just... get their hands on and use during every confrontation?"
Most people thought of the Death Star as a weapon that changed the face of war - the ability to obliterate any individual planet that wasn't compliant was the ultimate projection of force, of course - but did they know how fucking EXPENSIVE a Star Destroyer was? Given the amount of space that was in the galaxy, even the threat of one was enough to relax most systems into submission. Now there was something widespread that could render them effectively useless? Even a frantic retrofitting would cost them billions of credits and hundreds of worlds.
"We need to... do something. They're already in contact with people inside the Republic Senate and showing off their amazing results. We need to... either call for help or try to stop the thing ourselves by stealing the prototype."
No good choices there. If they waited and talked to Fedorre, they could be too late to actually catch them (Kylo thought news of this disaster would spread fast and drive the not-exactly-pirates underground)... but if they rushed in undermanned...
There had already been one too many times the other side had only needed something so ridiculously simple to be at an advantage. Taking technical errors and making them grand in scale like a ripple effect. Just the idea alone of Republic fighters launching massive cannons that sucked away the gravity was something that none of the Order was prepared to deal with. " Wait for Fedorre or do something else with only three people. Wonderful. " Sighing softly, the blonde looked at him again through the glass, " I doubt the situation would be the same if we go in with Fedorre in the absolute dark. "
Frankly, they or rather Phasma, was already in the hole.
If they were testing resources, they may as well go for the head resource. She could hear an eventually sober Hux now, gulping down the idea that they had told on him for his drug fiasco. " Do you think they'd rush to finish it? " It made sense, to hear about parts of the smuggling group being hunted, parties being destroyed. Arm reaching out now, the water stopped rushing as she pointed at the pale fabric hanging on the wall, " Towel? "
Kylo grumbled under his breath at no one in particular. The weird dichotomy between the woman in the shower and the horrific situation unfolding in front of them had his mind racing j two separate directions. He congratulated himself on only ogling her out of the corner of his eye as he grabbed the towel and handed it off to her... but then he had to look at her to speak to her, so what was the point of all that?
"The thing already works, they've got all the proof of concept you should possibly want. Maybe they would taken their time and experimented with something bigger if they didn't know about us, but I imagine they think the entire Order is breathing down their necks."
Kylo grunted and sat down in the shower, leaning against her hip with a gloomy expression. He looked at the wall as if it were some far off, distant point. "I wish we had done... literally everything differently. Done an investigation. Watched their tactics instead of setting up some stupid ambush. I wish we hadn't just rushed to Ord Mantell. I wish we had followed Lavish and approached him someplace else instead of making a big scene. His house at night or something. I wish I hadn't floated a bunch of stuff in the air, waving my lightsaber around."
That last point wasn't useful. Had it been... Phasma and her trainees, they'd probably all be dead right now.
The expression on his face was more than clear to read, frustrated and upset with how things had escalated so quickly only to find more bad news when he found the answers they were looking for. Well. What had he expected? Clearly something that didn't prove that Snoke was keeping things from him, the trooper understanding very clearly that whatever information the higher ups had would have been greatly appreciated. Phasma alone was well aware and used to superiors leaving her in the dark about missions, having been sent out plenty of times into shit that they should have thought through several more steps after. Wrapping the cloth around her torso just as he placed a small portion of his weight at her hip, the woman looked down at him with a curious expression. Clearly, this was eating him up.
That is fucking adorable.
For a split second, she almost wanted to hug him. But. . Different than her hug with Hux. The kind of hug that showed she wanted to take care of him. Was there a type of hug for that? Phasma was sure there was, rolling her eyes at herself before reaching down and gently shifting her fingers through his hair, " You were just trying to make sure we didn't have to go back to the Gauntlet with a destroyed ship as our only outcome. Besides, you know what happens when he's approached alone after being watched, Hux is a prime example. " Granted, Hux was a completely different person, and Lavish and his goons weren't that scary to need to piss on himself. " And really, fucking couldn't have relieved all the tension you had, hm? " Enough tension to slice someone's head to pieces, for instance.
Fingertips tracing over his jawline for a moment, Phasma shrugged softly as she added, " Being absolutely honest, that could have gone a lot worse considering everything that happened. "
Kylo took a slow, shuddering breath and considered how he felt. And he felt... "better".
There was still a burning pit in his stomach that seemed to spread with every breath. He knew what he was trying to do - but he'd really just been reckless. And uninformed for half a dozen different reasons. And it was true that things could be worse. One of them could have been dead, they could have gotten captured, he could have regressed and messed up the mind-reading with the amount of stress he was under. But if he'd learned anything during his life, it was that things could always get worse, and that didn't make things good.
He took another slow breath through his teeth. All that was true. They'd been backed into a corner where they had to succeed. And yet.
Even despite the burning on his insides, the rest of him did feel better. There was something electrifying about Phasma's leg pressed against his face, her hand in his hair, her embrace all around him. He turned towards her hand and kissed her palm. "I don't know, I felt very relieved after that night. It's just that, I don't know..."
He looked away and an awkward little smile twitched into life on his face, like a butterfly wriggling out of a cocoon. "I get tense pretty easily?" He felt himself grinning against all natural instincts as he turned his head inward and kissed her inner thigh. "What are the chances Fedorre wants to work with us? We can both sort've yell at him until he gives us what we want. He shows up, makes a big distraction, we get onboard and..."
Steal the prototype? Blow everything up? Who could be certain?
Really, the only real negative outcome was Hux snorting drugs off of another man's body, a good story to tell if he actually managed to remember it in his haze. In a sense, made the man a bit more likeable, minus his attentive behacior to her breastplate modification. He definitely put himself at a massive risk for simply jumping onto Lavish, though it quite possibly could have been what he felt was a repayment for Lavish giving him such awful embarrassment. Smiling softly when he kissed her palm, his response gaining a faint nod, " I'm aware, " She'd seen many scenes unfold just from him getting tense.
Shaking her head when he mentioned Fedorre, though she had been greatful to avoid the conversation they'd have back at base, Phasma sighed. " Wants to? None whatsoever. But he doesn't have much of a choice, " Considering the circumstances. " But that also means waiting the two days it would take him to get here, if they don't decide to raid another ship. " What a giant shit storm that could be, although it did offer the distraction. Phasma doubted that Fedorre would demand they destroy the weapon if it offered such an advantage though.
" We take it. "
Finishing the sentence for him, it would be grand repayment for the ships stolen, almost as though it would be worth the lives lost.
"Oh, see. When I mentioned tension, I was doing one of those things. You know what I mean." He slid under his head under her towel, feeling it around his ear like a pair of muffs as he tilted his head and kissed her between the thighs. It was hard for him to imagine that scent ever being... familiar, in some spine-tingling way, but there it was. And then the word came to him. "Euphemism."
They were really torn between two problems. They needed the immediacy of an attack - something within the next few hours, while he still knew where they were, before they were driven deeper underground. But they needed organization and manpower, too. And that usually took time to organize.
So just as suddenly, despite the very wonderful sights taking up his immediate vision, his mood passed. The freighter incident flickered on and off in his head like a lightbulb that just hadn't quite burned out yet. "We don't need Fedorre, specifically. We just need... some form of help in the system."
Of course, even with his weird little dispensation, Kylo couldn't tell a fleet where to appear. However... there was an obvious someone who could approve of that immediately. Kylo imagined it wouldn't be a completely pleasant conversation. But an elaborate heist of some experimental weaponry, that might be enough to brighten anyone's mood.
He took a breath and pushed his nose into the warmth in front of him.
Watching his head carefully bury itself beneath her towel, raising a brow as though she were silently asking what he was doing. But of course, it was familiar and even more so when his lips coasted her skin, inhaling sharply only to laugh when he spoke up through his hiding place. There it was again, that soft tremble that began at her head and slid down to her toes, the towel lightly spread and allowed faint peeks of his loose waves when his head shifted again. If they were going to ask for help, Phasma knew that it was going to be another uncomfortable situation, almost as though it were preparation for the end of all this. Preparation for returning to the Gauntlet and going under fire, she could already hear it now. " You're one of my brightest Phasma! A Commander, with troopers at that! Young minds who are looking to you for guidance. How does it look when they hear about you running off into space. Going AWOL! " Like an angry father disappointed for her running off with some boy. .
Oh my god.
That's exactly what this was.
Her eyes stared blankly at the white wall, slightly wide for a moment as the thought sank deeper into her mind. Even if it was for good reason, and with backing influence of someone of higher rank, Phasma knew immediately when she had stolen the ship that Fedorre's conversation with her was not going to be of any joy, no matter how many things they stopped the Republic from getting. For right now, however, her mind was brought back into reality when she felt his warm breath against her thighs again, speaking up to her again and only now noticing her fingers absentmindedly back to shifting through his hair. " Because we just have so many al- Ahmm" The sound interrupting Phasma mid sentence as her body responded to him again, hand lightly gripping his hair when her eyes dropped down to his covered head, one thigh gently pressing against his cheek.
It was the little signs he liked the most with her. The moans that barely escalated above a sigh, the way her legs shifted just a little in response to his movement, the sensation of her hand curled in his hair, her laugh. There was something about that laugh that set his hairs on end.
And when he started, those were the sensations he wanted to bring out. He took his time, licking and nibbling on her outer labia, almost as if he could get her to memorize the texture of his lips and tongue.
He tasted her in his mouth now, she was starting to drip and that scent seemed to get everywhere in his brain. He kissed her more aggressively, bringing his hands into play, rubbing her thighs, stroking her calves, touching everything within reach in one sense or another.
A satisfied little moan escaped his mouth as he pushed forward, licking her more roughly, tilting his head and really throwing himself into serving her. There were... problems still floating around the edge of his mind, but he was just thrilled to know that being here could block them out for a few minutes, leave him surrounded by more primal thoughts, even if it was just for a few minutes.
Kylo gripped her thighs, licking her and slowly making his way up to the clit. Of course, he could feel his own dick buzzing between his legs, but somehow ignoring it for now made those feelings even more intense.
By far, Phasma was definitely fond of his mouth. The way his voice caused vibrations to move into her folds, even more so when he began to moan. How he grabbed at her skin as though they hadn't been here and done this before, it was almost warming to feel his hands coast along her lower half. Again she had to resist the urge to all out close her thighs around his head, the tender skin again grazing his cheek in added approval to her moans.
Back pressed against the cool frosted glass and offering comfort that she didn't notice to her heated frame, her back had only gently begun to curve into a light bow. It was as though her body knew what he was doing, curving with him so gently when he made his way to her sensitive bud. It was there that Phasma could feel the familiar sensation against her thighs, closing her eyes as she let the present moment wrap around her.
Now he craned his neck backwards, looking her in the eyes and sliding his neck up and down, studying her responses as he made out with her pussy. Kylo moved his hands now, drifting up her legs and meeting at her opening. Let's see. He worked out a count with his hands, eventually settling on three fingers and slowly pushing them inside her, working up a faster and faster rhythm as he lapped away at her.
"I was thinking," he said between kisses, "that I should suck it up and..."
He shook his head, giving a weird arrythmic laugh as he leaned forward, pressing his cheek onto her mound.
"We should actually talk about this... after."
Eyes half lidded and her chest rising and falling, neither stopped her from watching his hands unfold in a count that would later make one of her knees turn toward him and a feminine " Hah, " become muffled by her once free hand, fingers subconsciously curling over her lips. Not necessarily to protect dear Hux from anything, more out of a reflex that her body wasn't allowed to do prior. Cheeks their familiar shade of soft pink when he began speaking of business again, Phasma almost couldn't believe him. Almost. Her own laugh emerged through her fingers, hand dropping to the exposed skin of her chest as her arousal remained. " You are the worst kind of person. "
Of course, being the "worst kind of person" didn't stop him from bringing her to yet another spine tingling orgasm. And she was greatful for that when they finally got out of the bathroom. Phasma had momentarily left to go, well babysit, Hux, peeling his powdered shirt off of his pale frame, only to hear him, " Phasma, are you getting fresh with me? In Kylo's robe? Well I. . Like where this is going. " It was much too easy to simply agree with him, only joking though at least thankful that days at a time spent stalking space pirates hadn't left his body some rickety mess. No, instead he was a pale, muscled mess.
" Well that's surprising. "
Having carefully sealed the shirt and left him back on the couch with a pouch of dried fruit and water, Phasma returned despite debating whether to sleep in here again. It was the principle of it, but she set it aside after setting the robe among the darkness of the robe, placing herself beneath the warmth of the sheets. She could smell the faint fragrance of the soap she'd used, something floral she had decided before speaking, " You were saying? "
"Iiiiii.... " Kylo spoke with a cheery, sing-song voice. He was sitting with his legs folded on the bed now, sourly sucking down some tea and eying some salty looking soup suspiciously. He thought about it. Really, really, he was still a little upset from Chandrila. Wasn't that funny? "I gotta talk to Snoke."
He wanted to say we gotta talk to Snoke, but then it seemed like he was foisting a punishment on the both of them.
"He is not going to like any of this. But he's not a very.. temperamental person exactly. Except when he is." Kylo narrowed his eyes and shrugged. "A lot like you, come to think about it. And when he sees how important this is... and why wouldn't he... we'll get everything we need to make our move."
Of course, there was the chance that he would be so calm that he didn't see immediate action as necessary. Or he already knew about this "superweapon" and had some other plans. Or any number of issues - and if that happened, he'd just send them back to the Gauntlet to face the music.
Laying on her arm carefully as she watched him form the words as though he hadn't been thinking about this all along, her eyebrows raised immediately when he mentioned going a bit further up the hierarchy. It was almost frightening the way he spoke so casually of his actual handler, though the ringing of going to him in the first place was still in her head. " Do what? " Fedorre was one thing but Snoke?
" And if he already knows? " A huge chunk of this mess had been because there were secrets kept that should have at least been made clear to Hux, if anyone. Though the benefit of Ren saying something rather than the rest of them was as clear as night and day, better chances held if Snoke's shining star asked for it rather than herself or Hux. She could already hear the question now of what happened to her armor. Well Phasma, if he already knows, he'll probably pout his way into it. Just like he does with you. Cue the split second of self loathing and internal screaming.
"If he already knows, or he doesn't care, or he decides it's too much of a risk for us to be involved with it... then..." Kylo buried his head in his hands for a moment, and then he threw his hands into the air, his eyes clearly showing his frustration with the situation. "Well, we're fucked. And there wouldn't be any bureaucratic wriggling out of it, we would just... "
He clapped his hands against his thighs. That didn't require any extra elucidation, did it? They'd have to lie down and take whatever came out. "But it's really the only possible way we're going to get everything we want. Our alternatives are a virtual suicide mission, or going and getting help from the appropriate people which will take too long."
Well, those options were terrible. But so were the odds that Snoke would turn away his favorite little angry Jedi, even more so to send him to be so heavily scrutinized by people other than him. Turning slightly to completely lay on her back, Phasma let her eyes crawl over the ceiling. " Well. . I guess this could be worse, " Pausing now to look at him, she shrugged softly, " We could be dead. . Or blasted out of our fucking minds. "
After saying that last night, and agreeing to make the call in the morning, Phasma was half tempted to take whatever remained on Hux's shirt. That thought cast to the side as she escorted him out of the clear line of vision, an odd sight to see in the background and definitely something she wasn't going to explain to anyone who hadn't been there. " How do you feel? " Sitting him up near the kitchenette, her brown eyes watched his pupils dance in size, momentarily surprised that he was clearly still riding the drug's figurative wave. " I've never been more hungry in my life. "
Sounds about right.
There was no way he wanted to talk to the Supreme Leader from a bedroom. It wasn't just absurd, it was the sort of thing that invited... questions. And none of those questions were ones he was comfortable answering. He held the robe up with both hands, stretched the fabric underneath his thumbs. Damnit. This thing had speckles of blood running all over the front. He hadn't noticed in the heat of things. Of course, communicating by holo washed out a lot of the color, but even then... Snoke was so...
Attentive.
Kylo grumbled and swished the thing round his shoulders. He still hadn't been to the back of the ship, but if it was like most ships this size (especially ones like this that seemed built more for impressive women than getting from one point to the other), he was sure there was some cargo hold or storage locker that was suitable for this kind of conversation. He heard the steady padding of his own soft shoes against the intricate steel mesh of the floor, he slid open the back door (again, with another cool-sounding swoosh), opening the door to the cargo bay.
Damn. Now Kylo was interested in who could possibly have owned something like this. The room was lined with large, impractical leather couches that would probably need to get reupholstered by the year. In the air above was a curved roof with a religious-looking mural painted on, slowly rotating with some other gimmick. There was an area for actual cargo, with bolted chain fixtures and a practical steel grate, but it looked like something that had been added at the last minute at someone else's insistence. Kylo looked at it out of the side of his eye, huffing and going to the opposite side of the room. There was a narrow concave canopy that almost looked like a confessional booth. How appropriate. He pulled out his personal holoprojector - there was another one nearby, but he wasn't anxious to create a security issue with what was, essentially, a loaner craft.
As if he hadn't messed up enough today.
He pressed a handful of buttons on the side of the transponder, followed it with his own access code, and waited for the link to be acknowledged. A few seconds passed... and they turned into a few minutes. Kylo scowled and started walking across and back the tight corridor. It made sense - Snoke had to be working on a thousand different things, and right now -
Before he could finish the thought, Snoke's twisted image blared to life in front of him, a life sized projection that dominated the small room. The Supreme Leader blinked down at him, his expression a worrying mixture of bemusement and weariness.
"Lord Ren. What a relief to see you before me safe and sound after the... incident on 0626. The reports I'd heard were... worrying. Hm. Yes. Very worrying indeed."
Kylo looked down and took a breath. Now or never. "That is actually the reason I'm contacting you. I -"
"Have you... been eating?"
He'd had a speech lined up in his head, brisk, honest, confident. And Snoke had scrambled his plan and dashed the scrambled bits to the ground. "Supreme Leader."
"It's only that that you seem a bit... haggard. Since you promised me that you be less... conflicted about your duties in the future. And since I know that you nearly always keep your promises... my mind points me towards some sort of... nutritional defect."
The man spoke so slowly that you had to give every word your utter, rapt attention. Kylo smiled, a nervous chuckle escaping from his lips. "I'm... fine. Physically speaking."
"During your mission on Chandrila... you were assigned a partner of sorts." Snoke looked away for a moment, as if confirming the name, but Kylo knew this was theater. Snoke was nothing if not attuned to details. "Commander... Phasma, if I recall correctly."
"Ah, yes. And she's been very... helpful for -"
"The main reason she was given this commission was to prevent you from taking reckless actions that endangered our larger goals. I'm troubled to learn that she's failed in this respect."
This conversation wasn't at all going the way he'd planned. Mostly because he was letting Snoke do all of the talking.He needed to grab hold of it with both hands and steer it in a favorable direction. "Supreme Leader, recklessness is a title given to risks that don't have even rewards. We've uncovered a ring of piracy originating from the Ord Mantell system -"
"I know of those men."
"Using a new weapon that disables the ships internal systems in the middle of space and leaves them vulnerable to an on-board assault. While this doesn't have the destructive power of a traditional weapon, I think it could easily turn the tide of a battle."
"... I see." That was as close to surprise as he'd thought to ever hear from him, but he didn't seem prepared to invest either way. That was good. Now Kylo needed more.
"I also believe that these pirates are preparing to sell the weapon to the Republic."
Snoke was still for a long time, staring into the distance, weighing the implications. Kylo could feel his heart leaping inside of his chest.
"With your approval, I would like to -"
"Tell me, Lord Ren. Are these pirates planning to sell these weapons to Luke Skywalker personally? Or will he be receiving them at some later date?" Kylo clenched his jaw and said nothing - whatever hope had risen in his stomach had fallen now. Snoke cleared his throat and continued. "I think our conversation has been very... revealing. I would like to speak to Commander Phasma."
"What?"
"She is there with you, is she not? Bring her to me."
Kylo nodded (his neck feeling stiff as a board), and spun on his heels, worry written all over his face. It was the first time he could feel himself breathing since he'd turned that projector on.
The male had taken a rather gloomy expression over his face, eyes left with faint signs of red from a slumber that left him waking up to debate whether or not he was real, anything he had imagined was real, things of that nature. She had gone over several moments of reminding him of what was real and what actually had happened, confirming and denying as though he hadn't just lived through them the night before. " So why am I not wearing a shirt? " Really, she was using this conversation as a means of distraction, raising a brow at him when he patted his chest as though attempting to feel for the fabric. Phasma had no intention of letting her mind wander off into the deep end of what could occur from the conversation happening further in the ship, sighing softly as she tilted her head, eating a piece of Hux's dried fruit pouch. " You don't remember? I'd think you'd remember what happened, since you know. . What you said. . I knew I shouldn't have, since you were, you know, messed up. "
Fucking with him.
The redhead's blue eyes grew large, inspecting her blank face as though there were answers written on it, why he had been on the couch with his shirt off and his face plastered into the leather. His eyes shot around the room when he caught her grin, searching for something, someone, " Where is Ren? " He needed some truth, some kind of confirmation. There was a pause, folding one of her legs beneath her as she took a drink of the sealed blue liquid that she had pulled from the small refrigerator built into the kitchenette, " Speaking with the Supreme Leader. " It was then that they both seemed to grow tense, the name rendering a sense of discomfort between the two of them, she watched his hands shifted back through his hair as he straightened up, smoothing his hair back as though it would stay in its signature look. As though he was preparing for himself to be called into question, pulled aside when he looked like a speeder had smashed into him.
It was like clockwork though, both turning their heads when the male entered the room, looking around as though he had left something before setting his eyes on the blonde. " Snoke. . He uh, " For a moment, there was an inkling of hope that the conversation was short because it had gone smoothly. He had bat his eyelashes and pouted and whined a little bit in that deep voice of his and there it was, the help they needed. " Wishes to speak to you. " Nails attempting to dig into the table, the air suddenly got so tight she could have sworn she stopped breathing, when it was quite possible she had. She felt light headed, and never once stopped secretly wishing she had a helmet, had her armor to hide the shiver that rolled down her neck and over her shoulder blades. Had a helmet to hide how she closed her eyes and wished she could be launched far out into the atmosphere in an escape pod, maybe even to have it shot down.
Phasma knew this was coming, but she had prepared for it to be. . A few days from now at least, putting it in its own separate corner of her mind like a child in trouble. Even Hux looked tense, thankful it wasn't him but still knowing that this could potentially be a - a handicap. Flattened palms pushing her up as though her body were working without her mind, the way a trooper of several decades would, the woman had only ever felt like wanting to die this much maybe once or twice in her life. The sound of the door of the cargo bay sounded ten times louder than what it actually was to her, eyes searching the floor for a moment before raising them to the projected image. He wasn't even here and she wished she could breathe.
" Commander Phasma. "
He noticed that she was falling back on the basics in his presence. Her heels were together, chin up, chest out.
"Supreme Leader. I should say that it's a -"
Kylo's mouth twisted, but not exactly into a smile. It sounded like something Hux would say.
"My expectation," he interrupted smoothly, "was that your presence here would prevent things like this from happening. That you would be the one to tell him no. Your record showed you as a very rational and... disciplined soldier."
This was already going terribly. "I needed her help to track down the Litari - that's what they're calling themselves, by the way - I needed a pilot and I didn't trust anyone else with that kind of danger. So I told her that I would take full responsibility for her actions."
"Kylo," he said with a grandfatherly tone, "I was not speaking to you."
Kylo inhaled sharply, but stopped himself before sighing outwardly. He looked to the side, giving Phasma a guilty look as Snoke narrowed his eyes, looking them over as if searching for some defect. When he next spoke, it was with a tone that felt like he'd already made a conclusion.
"Did he seduce you?"
Now it was Kylo's turn to want a mask on. He felt his skin turning hot with embarrassment.
Now more than ever did she wish she had kept her word to herself to stay away from him. That first time had sealed things a bit differently, and now she was paying the price for it, the inevitable. It was crashing down on her and she wanted to go sit in a room and brood somewhere. If the Supreme Leader spoke to Ren like this on a regular basis, it was no wonder he preferred dark corners to wriggle his hands in. Though his tone was calm, eerily reminding her of her own but from a different perspective, the woman silently breathed out through her nose, eyes wavering slightly. At once, Phasma wanted to tell him that she wasn't to be a grown man's babysitter, to slap his hand when he reached for the hot stove top, that not even Lord Vader had a babysitter in the Emperor. How was he supposed to step out of such a large shadow by having her tell him to mind his manners.
But.
Her eyes welled up almost immediately, breaking eye contact and looking up to the ceiling, dancing over the ornate painting as it was unclear whether she was about to burst into tears or laugh. . Or both. Seduce? Why was this the first question he'd asked. The answer she had to give. " I. . Seduce? " Why was this to be her first interaction with the Supreme Leader. Why.
"Hm. I'm suitably chastened. The word does have certain connotations. Implies a level of skill." Snoke's volume hadn't changed, but his tone become more whimsical, and he no longer seemed to be addressing either of them at all. "A level of skill I'm not certain our young master has."
This coming from a man with half a face. Kylo sulked and looked downwards at the ground. No one spoke for what must have only been a few seconds, but felt like an eternity. He'd already been told about interrupting, but he'd gotten Phasma into this unholy mess and he felt like he needed to do something to get her... out of the depths, if not out entirely.
"If you mean seduction from a moral viewpoint, I suppose I... made our excursion seem like the practical choice. This was a time-sensitive issue."
"What if I'm not talking about a moral viewpoint?" It took a few seconds for him to even understand what he was talking about. Snoke had a way of attacking you during a conversation without raising his voice. "Did the two of you indulge in any kind of congress in the... week or so since I've introduced you?"
Kylo's mouth felt like a desert. "I..."
"I did take that possibility into account. Of course, the two of you are... biologically compatible. I only thought that if it did happen, it would make you more likely to emulate her and not the other way around."
Kylo screamed.
Internally, of course.
Well, this was beyond mortifying.
Even with cute little quips to Kylo, it was still going to leave a traumatic scar in her head, one that was going to sit and replay over and over again like a broken hologram. Had she- Had she been called in here to be questioned about whether or not she was sleeping with Snoke's personal favorite? This could not be happening. But it was, and it had only gotten to be a deeper pit of embarrassment when specific viewpoints came into view. Oh god. It was almost like an added push to the willpower to not die on the spot when he mentioned it had only been a few days over a week since they'd met, eyes no longer taking great detail in the ceiling and instead closing, fists clenched at her sides.
I have never felt so dirty in my life.
Oh so you didn't feel dirty after fucking on the floor of that shi-
Alright, so he knew. No need to confirm or deny anything. No reason to specify viewpoints and positions and the when and where's of it all. No no no. No. Biting her bottom lip harshly as her body's way of telling her to react, her eyes opened and fell to the hologram because really, Phasma was still trying to convince herself that this wasn't happening. Nope. " Biologically compati. . gross. " Releasing her bottom lip when she felt she had contained any attempts to scream, the blonde's voice emerged in a different tone, " But about the Litari, " Airy voice to make up for her once watery eyes, Phasma turned and looked to Ren now, silently demanding that he get this shit over with.
"I very much agree. Despite your personal... foibles. We need to move forward with the situation as it has presented itself." Kylo swallowed. That was the most reasonable thing Snoke had said yet.
"The pirates aren't just... pirates. They have a research wing, they do smuggling, they buy the services of scientists and engineers. It's all very... political."
He told Snoke the full story, everything that he remembered, but he wasn't expecting a very excited reaction from Snoke. His voice represented potentially thousands of years of chaos, of training, of preparation. Sometimes Kylo wondered if the long succession of pirates, soliders, ships, Jedi... wasn't all just a lengthy, exhausting blur to him. "The First Order will deal with them when you give me the coordinates. I can only assume you've gone to such lengths to ask if you can lead the strike team personally."
Kylo nodded. "I'm embarrassed. I want to... solve the problems that I've caused. And I've fought them before. I know what they're capable of."
"That you do." Snoke raised his hand, almost touching the voids over his jaw. "Did you know... Lady Paulik just crawled out of a bacta tank a few hours ago, I think she would be... excited to assist you. And I recall you enjoying her company...?"
"I think she should be given time to fully recover," he said stiffly.
"It's interesting that you feel that way." Snoke raised an eyebrow, but didn't give any indication of what he felt in either direction. "The ISD Majestic is only four hours away from your rendezvous point. An older ship, but I suppose it can be spared. We'll also attempt to have a team board the ship, but provided we can't, it will be your job to steal whatever... valuable prototypes are on board."
Well. Despite the very awkward lead-up, he'd eventually given them... practically everything they wanted.
"How are we going to get on board?"
Snoke paused. Looked at Kylo. Then Phasma. Then back again. "I trust you'll figure something out."
"Supreme Leader, I -"
Before he could get anything out, Snoke waved his hand, and they were in darkness once again. Kylo leaned against the wall and slid down, feeling a numbness sliding through his legs. It was as if they'd been beamed to another world to speak with him and suddenly beamed back.
Phasma had silently been deciding the options in this. He could outright embarrass the both of them for their foibles and give them every bit of help they needed. Or, he could embarrass them and simply shrug at it all, tell them to return to the Gauntlet for even more finger wagging. She could feel herself growing light headed in the conversation, the sharp tingles in her fingertips of her hands going numb from being clenched so tightly. But, he had offered some relief without actually aiming to be of comfort, agreeing that it made sense for them to be of action where they currently were, and that there would be assistance. Sighing softly, that didn't release the clench out of her hands, her eyes returning to the hologram with a faintly raised brow.
Not particularly was the question of 'Who.' plastered on her face for the Supreme Leader, clenching her jaw and clicking her tongue behind her teeth lightly. There it was again, Kylo asking how as though they needed to drag anything out within this conversation any longer, shaking her head just as eye contact was made and the simple answer was given. The light in the room disappeared, and Phasma remained still, fists still clenched tightly as she turned her head, thin lines of amber staring down at him. " Who? " Ignoring the sound she heard on the other side of the door, her eyes finally broke menacing contact with him, finally shifting her fingers with the faintest wiggle, hands void of real color for the moment. She had to get out of this room. Had to get off this ship definitely, but out of this room, as far away from that holoprojector that she resisted the urge to kick into a wall, turning sharply and slamming a hand against the door.
The awkward turn the male made as though trying to appear as though he hadn't been eavesdropping, the coughed ahem that caused Phasma to push him against a wall in the small hallway, moving past him with a stifled sound of frustration. Tapping his hands together for a moment, he noted the dark room and looked down at the slumped Ren, the faint smile he offered clearly still a product of his accidental huffing, " May I suggest. . Surrender? " Looking up as he heard the faint sound of a scream and something smashing from the other end of the ship, coughing again as he nodded to confirm his suggestion and moved back to the living area up front, passing the bedroom that Phasma had locked herself in.
Kylo paused, and both of them listened to the temper tantrum across the ship. He turned back to Hux, as if he didn't want to engage with any of... that. "Surrender."
"You need to get in place quickly. Stage a fake attack, get overwhelmed quickly, break out when the reinforcements arrive."
"What would make you think they won't immediately kill us?"
"Because of their politics, Ren." Hux rolled his eyes. "Liberals are relics of a bygone age. They're stupid, they're greedy, and more than anything else, they believe in providence. That the universe is one long, inexorable slide towards spoonfeeding them exactly what they want." Kylo didn't entirely agree. The universe was a horrible place sometimes. "These pirates won't question a lucky victory until it's too late."
He sure seemed confident about it. But that was the best idea available. He clapped Hux on the shoulder and stepped around him. The Major General cleared his throat. "Ren, I've got a pack of cards and some fruit snacks. I say we play poker for a few..." he looked over Kylo's shoulder... "hours, maybe. Because I'm worried the Commander will... hm. Physically destroy you. Which would imperil our mission to say the least."
Kylo nodded sympathetically. Damn. He did like fruit snacks, and yet. "I should do... something about this."
Before he knew it, he was knocking on the door. "Can I seduce you into opening this?"
The one time. The one time an interaction like that was ever granted was simply because she had let some stupid, handsome manchild get his way of things. Chest rising and falling softly, Phasma's hands reacted quickly, smearing away any traces of a deeper emotion from her cheeks as she leaned against the door. The damage to some piece of decoration for the room had been done, bits of it on the floor and another dent from another thrown object elsewhere. Sitting in the silence, her legs folded beneath her, closing her eyes when the physical part of her frustration subsided enough for her to calm down. It wasn't enough to be outright embarrassed about being sexual, it was sitting on a base of her being irresponsible, and up until this point, she wasn't irresponsible. She wasn't irrational or without discipline, but here it stood that she was.
Here, because she had followed the one she was supposed to be telling no every second, that she was all those things. Hissing softly when she felt the knock on the other side of the door, her hands shot up again to her cheeks, wiping away any remains of her tearful outburst as though the door wasn't locked. How about I seduce my foot up your ass. " Don't pretend you've never broken open a door before, " Glaring at the floor, her body shifted to the wall nearest the door, in case he did start tinkering with the thing, " What do you want. "
He was expecting her to force the door open, grab him by the neck, and start slapping him. That, he would have... expected. But her tone now was oddly stoic, and he couldn't say he liked that. He'd come to remind her about this ticking clock and put her back on something resembling her task, but...
Now that he was here, there were more pressing issues. "That's... what Snoke is like. You have to understand that he already knew where to... go digging around. It's not a wonderful experience, talking to him."
Of course, that wasn't really the thrust of why she was upset. No matter how much she admired Snoke and his ideology, she wasn't having a tantrum because of what he'd said, but because what he said rang true to her.
"Smoke was so busy chewing us out that he didn't understand the situation. All right? Hux got dozens of ships captured, you helped break it up. In days. You were bold. And like you said, nobody died, right?"
Of course that was only half of the issue. "This is a really... shiny door. But I'd rather talk to you."
Audibly sighing when he began with making excuses, she would have had a million conversations with Fedorre before she ever willingly wanted to do that again. She had never in her life just made a plan to weasel her way up the ranks to be close to the Supreme Leader, comfortable with her distance and now within a week of sleeping with big ears, she was being asked by the man himself whether or not she was sleeping with his golden boy. He had gone from quaintly acknowledging that she was top rank to asking if she'd been seduced. Seduced like he had whispered something lush into her ear.
Well, to be fair, she had gotten quite warm after that incident on Chandrila.
But that wasn't done for her, as an act to make her weak in the knees for him. Hell, he hadn't known about it until he did that thing, after all. Clearing the wells of her eyes with faint blinks, her hand raised to the small screen to the left of the door, soft clicks of the mechanism unlocking before the familiar swoosh was heard. Remaining in her position of sitting on her knees, the blonde slid her hand back into her lap, murmuring, " Foibles. Ugh. "
"You should actually be glad you got stuck on foibles." Kylo stepped into the air of the bedroom, feeling the texture of the floor change just a little as he crossed over. He walked past her and turned around, sliding down close to her. "Every time I see you now, I'm going to have to hear an old man saying biologically compatible."
He shuddered. And actually saying it aloud made it more real, like it wasn't some freaky shared hallucination they'd both had. This whole situation reminded him of getting on that ship for the first time, the situation so mortifying and absurd that you could either laugh or cry.
"You can't obsess over what other people think. Even discipline and professionalism are... means to an end, you don't do it because it's what everyone else is doing and it feels good to confirm. You do it to be prepared for situations like this one. If you had stiffened your jaw and quoted some regulation, that's what would have been disappointing."
God knew the Order had enough of those sorts strutting around Star Destroyers across the known galaxy. She wanted to be in the field so badly, why be upset at having instincts for the field? He twisted to the side and fell backwards, stretching his back onto the ground.
"I feel weird giving you a pep talk about... feeling guilty for liking me. It's strangely... manipulative." He put on a sing-song, fatherly voice. "Kylo Ren. He's a great man. You should trust him."
The underlying question that so easily bounced around her mind was whether or not any of it was worth it. Was going past the first incident worth it, to go beyond that first romp as though it were silently confirming things they didn't necessarily need to say outloud. Things that Snoke had said in the worst phrasing possible, cringing when Ren said it himself. " Don't. " It would take a few thoughts of reminding herself that there were bigger things at hand before Phasma disregarded the clear awareness that Snoke knew, trying to decide if that meant it was acceptable or to stop while they were ahead. In all fairness, she had tried.
But it was that stupid hair of his, and the way he could just creep up behind you, and god those hands were just so- biologically compatible. Sighing softly as she leaned back against the wall, keeping her stomach from lurching up for a moment when he began his first try at being consoling. " It's not like that, Kylo. " It wasn't necessarily what other people thought of her, clearly not giving anyone who called her an HRD or a clone the time of day, because really that was just childish of them. It was that she hadn't necessarily thought deeper into the fact that maybe there were certain little things changing in her because of something she hadn't completely thought through. Phasma made sure she hadn't had the time to stop and think about any lasting feelings toward Ren.
Raising her eyebrows slightly as she looked at him, the woman shifted against her legs as she spoke in her usually cool tone, " Well, I don't like you, so it doesn't matter. "
"Uh huh. All right. If you say so."
It soured his stomach to hear, even if Phasma was being... whatever she was being right now. Maybe it wasn't noble to get upset at hearing that, but it was still a bit shit, wasn't it? Going to all these lengths just to watch someone indiscriminately vomit their emotions around. He felt bad, and he felt bad about feeling bad, which was somehow even worse. Kylo bit the inside of his cheeks and rolled his eyes.
"The only thing that happened in the last ten minutes is you being reminded of... the other half of your life."
Only half? That was being generous, for both of them.
"But regardless of what your personal feelings are." He sat up and looked her over. "We all need to work together, and we've got a limited amount of time. I'd rather be a successful hero with a couple of... weird moments than lie around here sulking and hating each other."
He didn't exactly feel good about his choice here. As soon as he transitioned to the Litari, she'd probably take it as an excuse to freeze him out entirely.
But he couldn't help but feel sitting here and trying to pry her brain open would make things worse.
Especially if he was talking about prying in the traditional sense.
It was something in the clouded look on his face that made her head tilt just slightly, examining him as though there was something she hadn't seen there before. A soft blink pulling her eyes away from his face, tracing the shards of some once detailed animal with tusks, a piece of decoration left in the over the top aesthetic of the ship. " The other half of my life? " She repeated, rolling her own eyes now as he again mentioned her personal feelings as though he was completely aware, the blonde looked to him again when he offered another set of words meant to give a push.
Sulking. Someone other than him sulking, it almost didn't feel right. It felt, out of place, just like the word 'hate' in that sentence. She didn't. . Fuck it. Pushing herself off the ground, the blonde stood and looked down to him now, " Well? " The shiny haze in her eyes gone by the time she stepped out of the room and moved toward the living space, looking at a sad looking Hux, only to see his face light up when he realized that no one came out of the conversation physically scarred. " Ah! Good. Now, surrendering to the Litari, hm? "
Kylo licked his gums and made a noise that sounded like a speeder taking off. Here was how he'd always thought of people working - if you wanted to understand them, it wasn't exactly a hard task. Sentients were mostly the same, everywhere he'd traveled. They wanted the same things and chased the same few impulses.
So you just thought about them, put yourself in their shoes, removed your own biases. And there you were. Some rough approximation of a persons desires and motives. All it took was a bit of... patience, and people were just shocked at how wise you seemed.
She hadn't gotten upset at him like he was hitting something too close to home, or opened up like he was saying something she needed to hear.She just sort've... looked at him weird. Like they were having two very different conversations.
Kylo drummed his fingers against the wall before joining them in the living area that took up most of the ship's center. He hated to admit it, but he was almost... glad that Hux was here, cutting the tension.
Even if the drugs were cutting into his mood and keeping him from making smug remarks about fraternization, he was happy for that too. Kylo cleared his throat and got his main objection out of the way.
"Nobody's going to believe us surrendering, right before their moment of triumph." Kylo pulled up a chair and looked them both over. Hux was grinning.
"You don't have my experience. I have to insist. Liberals are gullible. All you have to do is tell them a sad story and they'll move heaven and earth for you. It's how they're programmed." Hux snapped his fingers. Once. Twice. Again. "Tell them that the two of you are in true love, but the First Order won't let you be together. And when you learned that they had a chance to turn the tide in this war, you chose to defect."
Kylo covered his cheek, almost in shock from how maudlin it all sounded. "They would never believe that!"
"You might be right," Hux said, leaning forward and pointing a finger in a way that dredged up some depressing memories, "but they won't execute you on the spot, which is the goal of the whole thing. They'll lock you up and... bicker amongst themselves about whether you can be trusted. And by then - you turn the place into a killing field."
"We should at least put up some token fight. Make them feel like they've achieved something in bringing us in. There's just no way that..." Kylo looked at Phasma out of the corner of his eye, then turned to face her entirely. "You aren't thinking of going along with this, are you?"
It was as though that entire conversation with Snoke and what happened after had left both of them tense and uncomfortable, which was easily what happened when words were left unsaid between two people. They were both aware that they didn't have time for that sort of conversation, if they were to ever have one. How would they even go about it later? Phasma doubted she would be the one to bring it up, already deciding that she couldn't let it eat her up. She couldn't let it eat her up that Snoke had so subtly pointed out more things than she cared to sit and fuss over. So you shut him out instead. Phasma would place that off in a distant part of her mind for a while, looking to Hux make his claim, pointing with an idea at the two of them that left her with slight disbelief.
It was an outrageous idea, perhaps something that was a result of Hux's drug inhalation, but Phasma couldn't deny that it wasn't. . Simple, and easy. Clean, even. Meeting his gaze when he turned to her, Phasma crossed her legs at the knee lightly before shrugging her shoulders, " I have faith in Hux's ability to surrender in situations that call for it, " Almost a compliment, almost. " And I trust his knowledge of the Republic. " Pausing for a moment as the redhead clasped his arms together, almost beaming as though he had been given some grand reward for being a good boy, causing Phasma to roll her eyes. " Anyway, I don't think we'll need to fight at all. If we know where they are, we go to them as though we're in hiding from the First Order. Let them capture us, split us up for questioning- "
Hux was nodding his head rapidly now, looking between both Phasma and Ren, " To figure out why you're running, to figure out any inside information. That should be just enough time for the ISD to arrive! " It seemed as though it had been settled without Ren really, Hux sitting up on the plush couch with his hands still holding on to one another as a curious expression on his face. " Ren, I hate to pry, but out of curiosity. . What happened with Lady Paulik? "
Faith in his ability to - well, that was a vote of confidence under narrow, narrow circumstances. It looked like they'd just made the decision without him. It seemed almost too easy and yet. He didn't feel strongly enough to insist they intentionally lose a skirmish. That sort of thing could go wrong in a thousand different ways, playing about with life fire...
He was at peace with the whole situation until Hux brought up one of his knights. He cringed. There had to be moments where curiosity took a backseat to prudence. He'd been so concerned about his getting physically destroyed, but now apparently all that was out of the window.
"Ashara Paulik serves Leader Snoke in a... similar capacity to me. Our paths cross sometimes." Kylo cringed and reached for a cup of water. "We worked together to... break a mining union in neutral space. One of the leaders was arrested. Long story. She apparently tried to kill her in prison. Didn't work out. Scalding oil to the face. I have no idea what she looks like now, but she was just a very -"
He paused, then felt stupid about pausing. "She was... a shorter woman with big eyes. Conventionally attractive. Very talkative. Very ah, intense. And the facepaint?"
It was right around the first sentence or two that Hux showed a sign of regret for asking, looking at Phasma out of the corner of his eye as though prepared to dodge a punch at any time. However from what he could see, she hadn't started to move from her position of leaning back against the couch, nearly getting out a sigh before his breathing hitched into his throat when Phasma spoke. " Like you didn't already read that in a file or something. " Her words were directed to Hux, having been staring at the side of his head with a thankfully calm expression, despite wanting to wrap her hands around his neck. But, there were answers, hm?
Coughing now to clear the air around him as Phasma stood, he offered the lightest of smiles, " Good to hear it from a true source, Commander. " Justifying his question, the man watched as she got a few steps distance away from him, again settling in comfort with her at a safe distance, he turned his head back to Ren, mouthing 'I'm sorry' before speaking to them both, " Moving right along, everyone is clear on the story hm? Escaping the clutches of the First Order, which presumably means I may be taking a backseat. " Probably best, considering he probably couldn't hold water given his current state, looking between the two of them for any sign of protest. None? Good. " Whatever little bits you two think up between one another, in case things go longer than planned, make sure your stories are the same. . So they don't immediately regret not executing you. "
Even when he was shaking off an incredible high, Hux had a way of phrasing things in just the right way. Kylo leaned back in the chair and clapped his hands, a slow smile spreading across his face. "You always have the best ideas. Regardless of how soft-hearted they may or may not be, they're still pirates. Uh... of a sort. We can only fall back on only speaking Basic so many times before."
Kylo held a couple fingers to his head and pantomimed a blaster's being pulled. And the resulting effect on his cranium.
They spent the next twenty minutes or so working out a story that was truthful enough that they didn't have to improvise everything, but vague enough that they weren't likely to get tripped up too much. That required some negotiation of course - and some considerable embellishment of their time together. A few heroic rescues, some intimate exchange of personal details (fictional, for the most part), more heart-rending struggles with the bureaucracy.
"You've been very confident about being able to contact the Litari."
"I know a lot about their operations," Kylo said, hunching forward and locking his fingers together. "it was right on the front of our friend's head. But I don't think we should try to catch onto them in space. Too many logistical issues."
Would the ship be docked somewhere? Would Hux have to hide under the floorboards? What if the conversation on the comm went sour?
"So you want to find them planetside."
"They have an infrastructure. We're going to need to go to The Trenches, in Cliffport."
Hux shuddered, and Kylo almost wanted to shudder right along with him. Worlport was the largest city on the planet, and the Order worked hard to keep that place clean and efficient (with mixed results). But Cliffport was a few hundred miles away, and the whole city was a gutter. And the Trenches were the brown muck on the bottom of that gutter. Anybody with credits to spare or hope for the future had cleared out of town years ago. All sorts of little horrors out in the open.
"I feel sorry for you."
Kylo sighed. "It's fine. We should dock. No need to be inconspicuous. We just wait around, order lunch, wait for word to spread."
"And I'll say in touch with you by comlink -"
"Until they take it, anyway." He'd have taken some kind of tracking device and swallowed it, but they weren't intelligence operatives, and their toybox wasn't quite so extensive...
" We couldn't have actually eaten before we got here? "
Although she hated to be the one to make the first complaint, it was a very reasonable question. The smog wrapping around them immediately, Phasma grimaced softly despite the not so natural gray appearance of the sky above them, she remembered the almost saddened expression on Hux's face when they left the ship. Not necessarily a sign that he didn't want to be left alone, rather another quiet acknowledgment that he didn't want to be in either of their shoes in this predicament. But how could he be? A Major General with a reputation such as his, not to mention whatever traces of spice were left in his system, Phasma knew he probably couldn't be counted on for too much.
At least he was back with the ship he could be of more use other than another person to have to tell to hush. Though in this case, walking through the grime it didn't appear as though there was a need to stay somewhat stealthy, instead, just walk. Walk around the other a bit closer than normal, offer the occasional light touches that went along with subtle displays of affection that neither would admit to being truthful or part of the act, and sit around and wait. It was all so simple that she knew it made them both uncomfortable, even more so with the events that had previously occurred. Upon finding what appeared to be the cleanest, by a long stretch, establishment in the slum city, sitting next to one another to again, keep appearances. Her eyes ventured out the open window next to her, almost laughing immediately because of how it seemed as though they were trying to offer some grand view of filth. Amazing.
" I guess this could be worse. "
"Might not be the best time to say that." Kylo scowled and watched the crowd out of the corner of his eye. "It's like you're calling a curse on a precarious situation. If I could count all the times I heard it could be worse, followed by things immediately getting worse..."
Kylo looked around the place as if waiting for a cue. The place was some weird combination of bar, restaurant and - saloon, that was the word he was looking for. There was some woman singing and playing jazz music intermittently over in the corner with a trumpet. The woman was talented enough, he supposed. But there was something about that combination of the environment and the rust on the instrument, and the woman playing songs that were clearly meant for an ensemble...
It made the whole place seem pathetic.
"Don't worry about looking nervous. We're supposed to look nervous."
But they'd passed the window for things immediately getting worse, at least.
"You don't want anymore freeze-dried anything, Phasma. I'd honestly rather chance the food down here. Even if it's a little grungy, it'll be fresh and warm."
He picked up a faded yellow menu (a simple looking thing with five menu items and four languages) and smiled. "Even better. Small menu. You go to a place like this where they make twenty different things to drum up business and it turns out they can't make anything right."
Even in the dirtiest place on the planet - most of the people walking around weren't criminals. Kylo turned his attention toward the little crowd that had gathered. There's still bartenders and sanitation workers and mechanics. Junk dealers and the unemployed. The desperate blood that the city's very worst suck away. Mostly minding their own business and thinking about their own problems.
Of course, that wasn't always a good thing. It was hard to point out a dangerous, sullen person with a blaster in a room full of sullen people with blasters.
"Let's say they were to find your... service record." He held up two hands. "Which seems impossible. But you must have some wild stuff filed away down there."
Wild being a euphemism for horrible, of course. But you had to talk about something.
One really couldn't blame Phasma for her slanted optimism, especially considering there wasn't a trooper in her memory that had ever simply surrendered. Death, before simply surrendering out in the field. Eyes following a Dug as he walked to the bar, mentally reminding herself that she might as well relax. They were here to be caught, not to fight their way out, even if her instincts made her sit next to the window. " Oh? You don't want to die in a slum? " Sarcasm, of course.
Everyone knew Kylo Ren wanted to die with a firm grip on the universe.
Sighing softly in agreement to what they'd both rather be eating, with a lean she let her eyes run over the menu. Simple enough, eyes taking notice of the tired looking Jenet making his way over to them, noting his apron at least eliminated him up front. Once he had left with their decisions in mind, Phasma raised a brow softly when he mentioned her. . Record. A part of her doubted he was as nosy as Hux, glancing down for a moment. Clearly he was just simply aiming to make conversation, and he deserved no punishment for that, even if things were somewhat tense from their last private conversation. After all, that wasn't entirely his fault. Turning her vision toward the table, Phasma shook her head faintly, " My first mission out, I got swallowed by a Hutt and my squad left me for dead. "
Traumatizing really.
" Which, I can't say I blame them. I probably wouldn't have gone back for me either. "
So really, things could have been a lot worse.
"I..." he stretched out that I for as long as he reasonably could, looking her over and trying to find some crack in her facial expression. Predictably, he didn't get one. He shook his head. Mercy on whoever tried to interrogate her. "don't believe you."
He'd heard urban legends about Hutts swallowing people whole. But someone (presumably) armed? And her of all people?
"It would have to be a very large and very dedicated and very angry Hutt."
And this had to be an addition to the list of unbelievable things - a Jenet wearing an apron. His relatively sunny appraisal of the food was fading quickly. Seemed like an easy way to get some kind of fur or whiskers in the food.
"But I was expecting a list of... massacres and assassinations and... other nasty business. Your story almost sounds cute. I do give you credit for that."
He looked at a big convex security mirror at the far corner of the bar - it hadn't been cleaned in a few days, but through the smudges, he could see the Dug in the corner, working the comlink and eyeing them suspiciously.
"This might be nothing," he said, keeping his voice low, "but it also might be... something. You know, if I'd thought about it, I would have made you change into... you know. The spacesuit?"
Since they weren't exactly trying to hide from attention.
Her bright eyes simply blinked softly when he inspected her face for any sign of fault, tilting her head faintly when he announced he didn't believe her. " Have you ever seen a Hutt in person, that close? They're fucking terrifying. " And absolutely disgusting. Not to mention that as a late bloomer, she wasn't always some towering woman. Clearly though, Phasma wasn't absolutely crushed that he didn't believe her, silently amused that it was just that far fetched for him to see it as possible, shrugging her shoulders softly.
" I killed the Hutt. "
Her own eyes were watching the Jenet return, holding individual plates of their food with another grumble of something before he returned to the bar. Eyes roaming over the plate, at least she could give him the benefit of the doubt and say it looked clean. Edible, and even warm. Taking a small bite just as he noticed the Dug, her eyes were narrowed slightly as though she were trying to gauge something, chewing carefully. Alright, it tasted fine. Better than anything they had on the ship, almost considering getting something for Hux if the situation wasn't what it was.
" It's not a spacesuit. Besides, I'm having lunch with Kylo Ren, who people apparently know even without his mask. I think we'll be fine. "
"Heard plenty of stories, but I haven't seen a Hutt in person. But I have seen some very realistic holos. Texture and color and everything. People tell me it's not exactly the same without the smell."
What a weird contradiction this was turning out to be. He didn't entirely believe the story about getting swallowed by the thing, but the image of her coming out of one dripping in filth, that image springed to his mind pretty quickly - and it felt credible. He looked down at the food, grabbing some deep fried (fish?) and dipped it into some white sauce. He had to get some of that - odds were pretty good it would disguise the taste of what he was doing. He pushed it into his mouth, chewing on it sourly. Yeah, that actually... wasn't rancid. A little overseasoned, but he'd almost call it good.
He had a thought in his head about acknowledging that it wasn't a space suit. A jump suit. An... undersuit. Whatever. But then she said something that made his eyebrows jump.
"I've been thinking about that since Lavish said it!" He jabbed the meat-stick in her direction excitedly, still glancing back into that mirror with a much cooler expression in his eyes. "Because I don't think I'm that infamous. I mean, I'd love to think it. But I think someone knew about me, or told him about me. Or maybe expected me. And I've been wrestling with the implications of that."
He poked at some shredded cabbage with his finger, but it looked limp and ash-grey, and he wasn't quite so hungry to take a chance at it.
"Or I was, before all our recent decisions." Best to be ambiguous about that. Really, even in the Trenches, this was still technically an Order aligned planet. He didn't have any problems talking semi-openly about things that aligned with their cover... but some things were best kept to themselves.
" No, no, that doesn't count as you being a credible source for them then, now does it. " Phasma knew that even now she wasn't anywhere close to the height of a Hutt, faintly shivering at the memory, the chill spilling over her skin. The few more bites she took of her food, at least she could stay that it was a somewhat welcome sight, creamy colors mixing into reds, layers just as inviting. One couldn't blame them for being suspicious though, turning her head back to him as he stuck the fried stick in her direction, following his gaze to the mirror.
Again she noticed the Dug shift slightly in his seat as though he were somewhat unnerved by something, whatever the conversation he had on the comlink leaving him with a slight fidget of nervousness. Well, that was telling. Laughing softly as he went over all the possibilities, shaking her head and dropping her eyes back down from the mirror, Phasma spoke again, " Yonen knew your name too, " If they had been expecting them it almost seemed as though it were planned in some sense, however she wasn't sure how much to dwell on thinking about it. Lavish had been dealt with and used for what they needed.
" But you might as well let it go to your ego, hm? "
Their conversations went on like this for another forty minutes, easily keeping the appearances up without the thought of what had happened prior. It wasn't important now, watching the Jenet take their emptied plates away from the table and back to the bar, nodding softly toward a Bothan who had entered at least fifteen minutes ago. She hadn't seen him get up and go anywhere near the Dug, instead sitting at the other end. But again she was minding the Bothan's familiar boots, murmuring softly as he stood up from the bar, " I think we've been caught. "
"That is such perfect timing." Kylo stuck a thumb inside his mouth and swirled it around, feeling the texture before popping it out. "I never thought they'd be so courteous in the Trenches. I almost want to order desert. I saw someone wandering around here with ice cream." The problem was that the ice cream - just like so many people here knowing his identity - didn't feel exactly right.
Kylo looked around, tried to stretch his senses. Really, it was hard to get a bead on anyone because the room was so... grouchy. So he tried to look for nerves instead. This wasn't the most pleasant of places, but it wasn't a situation that seemed like it was about to explode in danger. At least not unless you planned to be part of that danger.
He sensed it for sure in the Bothan, a little in the Dug. Now there was a speeder pulling up, five armored aliens that felt like a quickly improvised tac team. And within them, there was...
Ah. What an inconvenience.
"I'm going to have problems with the Force for a while," he muttered. Of course, the plan had been for him to use his powers and decimate the Litari when the opportunity presented itself. But now, they'd need to improvise. In fact, chances were good that Phasma would need to rescue him from the ship. Ugh. Speaking of... contingencies.
"In case we screw things up. I should probably say this out loud."
The ysalmiri was on the table like a grenade before he could get any further.
"STOP MOVING!" The Bothan yelled, grabbing a rifle out of the air and pointing it at them both. "Put your hands up and throw that blade away!"
Kylo looked around at the arms on display. Concussion grenades, sonic disputors, slug rifles - the room had turned into a convention of anti-Jedi weapons. Pretty impressive. He held his hands up sheepishly. "Do... you want me to stop moving, or throw you my lightsaber?"
Before he could answer, some brave Lasat grabbed the lightsaber from his belt and hauled him out of the booth. Kylo let out an easy-going smile. Which, honestly, was probably more terrifying than he'd intended. "Relax, you ugly lugs. I've got good news for you. We're here to defect."
Eyes narrowed in a rather what are you doing fashion as she watched him shift his thumb about in his mouth, though Phasma had been mildly surprised by the fact that the food wasnt absolute trash, she wasnt going to take the risk into dessert. But. . Kylo Ren eating ice cream. And you said my story was cute. A little baby faced Vader scooping the frozen treat into his mouth and grinning about it, a soft smile on her face at the mental image before shaking her head out of her thoughts. The soft mumble of Hux coming through the comlink, reaching to tap it carefully just as Ren mentioned he was going to have a bit of issues with the Force. Not enough time to ask why, the blonde murmured softly, Weve been found. How close?
Two hours.
Think youll be fine without it for a few more hours?
Phasmas eyes went from Ren to the wide mouthed creature on the table, immediately thankful they had finished eating prior to this interruption, a soft ew slipping out before being yelled at. Well, good thing they werent moving. Though again came the reminder that he was having Force difficulties, raising a brow at the creature on the table, not having enough time to decide whether it would be solved by simply getting rid of it, raising her hands and wiggling her fingers gently. A blaster pointing at her head was enough to coax her up and out of her seat, the glances of the aliens sheer disbelief.
" The two of you. . Defected? "
" We had to. "
There was a pause, a bit of silence, and then the Bothan shook the rifle back and forth. It had been a very, very long time since Kylo had seen a gun like that - they shot little lead pellets instead of laser beams, and you had to constantly reload them - but they didn't overheat, and there wasn't any risk of a lightsaber battering the beam around.
"We're not the New Republic." He pulled back the hammer - and one of the other aliens immediately held a hand up to stop him. Kylo had to try very hard not to smile.
"Bask!" The Lasat grabbed the barrel of his gun and tilted it towards the ceiling. "You can't do that. Not in front of all these people. We're supposed to be -"
Then there was a bunch of clucking and squealing in languages he didn't understand. They wrestled back and forth with the rifle until Bask wrestled control of it and aimed it at Kylo's chest. He raised his hands.
"Oh, I know you're not Republic. But you are about to make contact with them, aren't you?"
"You don't know anything about what we are or what we're willing to do. What I'm willing to do. Especially with that ysalamir on the table." He pointed the gun at the lazy looking lizard on the table. "That little thing repels the powers of the Force and makes you just another Order lackey. We know exactly what to do with those."
"I thought Bothans were into diplomacy," Kylo said calmly. Bask growled and pointed the gun back in his direction. "You think we'd come all the way to the Trenches of all places - if we weren't looking to make friends?"
"I don't know why you're here. But I'm interested in making friends with you." Kylo sighed as Bask looked around the room for support. "He's one of Snoke's creatures. We all know this."
Funny, the use of that word in a place like this.
"I don't deny that." Everyone seemed to unconsciously tighten their grip on their weapons. Kylo kept his hands up. He needed to make this believable, couldn't just pretend to be a completely different identity. This needed to be him, what HE would say and do in this situation. "I still owe the Supreme Leader a debt. He rescued me from slavery. He saved my life. But he's been using it to manipulate me for years now. I can't live my life for him. I can't... kill for him." He shot a sad, guilty look at Phasma. "Not anymore."
This. This was why people told lies. It felt too good.
"Bask Dal'aivi," the Bothan growled. "Do you know that name?"
"No," Kylo said truthfully.
"That's not what I mean. Not my first name. Aivi. My clan. The chemical research facility on Queyta. Someone destroyed it, along with the people inside. Someone like you."
Kylo shook his head. He did remember Lady Paulik having... something to do with it. But there were so many names and planets and faces.... "Maybe it was. But it wasn't me."
Bask reached for the lightsaber and that started another commotion. Kylo tried to remain stock still. These people were paranoid as it was. A sudden movement would probably get the entire place blown sky high. They finally shoved Bask away, and Kylo held his hands up further.
"I'm just as scared as all of you right now." And as Kylo said it, he didn't feel like he was completely lying. "All of you are leaving this room no matter what happens. I don't have my little magic tricks. And you've all got... too many guns. Seriously, I appreciate preparation, but you're more likely to blow yourselves up with all this -"
"ENOUGH." Every head in the room turned - to the Jenet of all people, still wearing an apron and wiping his hands suspiciously. "I don't know what to make of this... Jedi. They're dark side, they're light side - it changes. It happens all the time. That's what they're like. Not part of the world... consequences don't stick with them."
"What do you want us to do with him?" This was the Lasat.
He took off his apron and gave Kylo a long, level look. "Take both of them to the Corvette. We'll find out what they know and make a choice from there. But first...take that."
Kylo groaned as he pointed at the lightsaber. Was he really going to have to go through this again?
"Take that and cut off his hands. Better safe than sorry."
Surrounded and extremely outnumbered, it was again a reminder that this was easily why troopers never surrendered. Fortunately, it wasn't proper knowledge to them who she was other than the reason Kylo Ren had decided to defect. Clearly there was more than enough anger directed toward Ren, it was expected really, having him here so open and vulnerable with no real way to fight back. In a way, it was almost too perfect a scenario, and if they escaped this alive, then she would definitely put better faith in Hux. Without weapons and both appearing as though they were simply here to eat and be on their way, Phasma's mind had begun to dance over the situation carefully, watching for any faint twitches of men ready to fire their blasters prematurely.
All it would take is a wrong shift and there would be more casualties than just the two of them. If they weren't in such a precarious moment, Phasma would have rolled her eyes at him, though it was evident that this was going to be one of those situations. The situation of being a damsel. Inwardly sighing softly, the woman let her mind move over the day's prior events, back to the interruption of her conversation with Hux when Ren had brought himself out to guide her back to the holo feed of the Supreme Leader. There it was, that heavy feeling again that made her chest want to cave in, breathing out softly when she looked up just in time to have the room grow quiet for the Jenet. At least he hadn't tried to poison them.
From there, things seemed to happen rapidly.
The sharp hum of the lightsaber coming to life, the panic on her face, and the sudden outburst, wells of her eyes filling up and their color hazing as she replayed being verbally punched into the ground over and over in her head. " Don't! " The attention shifted to her now, guns aimed when she took one step forward, several glares turning into raised brows at the near crying woman. " Please, don't cut off his hands, this is my fault. I said we should come here to get away from the Order. " The Jenet's eyes narrowed slightly, the short rodent looking man clenching his jaw as he eyed her expression, taking in the tears in her eyes. Women.
" Fine. Separate them. And if either one of them lashes out, then we'll cut off both their hands. "
Though there was fear in the threat, Phasma knew easily that there wouldn't be time for that to happen. There wouldn't be opportunities given, feeling the sharp push of a blaster against her back as she was lead out to the speeder.
"And you come this way."
Here was one of the reliefs. Sometimes, he didn't have to act. He felt that way as they marched Phasma into the speeder and marched him into a dark alley. Hed gotten most of the attention, so now it was just Bask and two others guarding him. And of course, one with the ysalamir a few feet away. What was the range of those things? 50 feet or so? Enough that they could gun him down if he tried to make a run for it.
Not that there'd be much sense in that.
"We're going to the same place. I don't know if breaking us up was all that useful."
"How about you let me decide strategy?" Bask said with a huff.
"What's a chemical research facility? I mean, chemicals. That's a very broad category."
Nobody responded. The alley seemed to get more and more tense. The kid with the ysalamir was on the comlink and talking in code. Yeah, this was still Ord mantell. Better safe than sorry.
"I already feel guilty about everything else," Kylo said with a sad sigh. "We might as well add this to the list."
There was a pause. "They weren't just... chemicals. They were medicines - it was a research facility that specialized in non-human treatment. With so many humans running around the galaxy -"
"They get the majority of the funding," Kylo said, completing the thought. "Certainly from the Order and the old Empire."
"And the Republic, too." Bask sneered, butting him in the back with the rifle. "It ends up being every race and every species for themselves. Rare illnesses go untreated. Many members of my clan were... what's the point."
"What do you mean?" Kylo said placidly.
"It's just the same story getting told over and over again. Death for no reason. Revenge. JEDI with reasons the rest of us don't understand. Over and over. I doubt you even care."
"I'm trying," Kylo heard his voice crack as he turned halfway to the skeptical Bothan. "I don't know... what that's worth, but I'm trying by best to... care about what happens here. Let's... exchange. I'll tell you my story. How I ended up in the Trenches, running from the Order. And you tell me about your clan."
"I don't want your story. I only want -"
Before they could finish, another speeder came through the alley - a bigger one that was absolutely covered with rust, where there weren't worn out vinyl seats. A human (!) filed out of the speeder and walked into the restaurant, giving Kylo the barest of suspicious glances before sliding away. Another tap with the rifle, and they were all piled in, heading for captured Litari corvette.
" What is your business with the Order? "
Again Phasma was faced with a simple question, one that she could have lied about, though for a moment, there was an instance of why bother. They would be dead soon enough, counting the time in her head. The corvette was easily recognizable, similar to all the other Order corvettes, they hadn't bothered covering her eyes as it was clear she would know where they had gotten this ship.
" I was a Commander. "
" So then it's Commander Phasma. "
Shaking her head softly, she made it clear that they were defecting, titles like that no longer being held after all. " Just Phasma. "
" Is that a first name or. . You know what, nevermind. " The Twi'lek didn't have time to go over details like that, shaking her head lightly as she glared down at the sitting human. Phasma watched the expressions shift over her face now, her own remaining calm and steady as the woman began.
" What is your business with Kylo Ren? "
There it was again, acting as the blush crept up over her cheeks, eyes dropping down now as though she were hiding some secret when it was all quite simple. " I. . I- " A pale green hand slapped the table hard, amber eyes shooting up at the impatient Twi'lek, " Spit it out! "
" I love him. "
The Twi'lek's head lowered now, getting to be eye level with the woman as though she were searching her face for any sign of a lie or some sort of Jedi reconditioning mind trick. " We love each other, but we couldn't be happy killing for Snoke, risking our lives for a cause we can't believe in. "
" So you decided to run away like cowards? Figures, some half assed Jedi and his girlfriend. Jedi always switching sides whenever they feel like it."
Oh Phasma was definitely going to fuck her up when the opportunity came available.
She did tell me her first name a couple of times.
Kylo had expected to be held in some rank dungeon. His mind had constructed a horrible cell with slime on the walls and torture droids looming at every corner.
But as it was, this was a brig. A little less roomy than the quarters for enlisted and yet
But it was hard to pronounce? I gave up after a while.
Kylo tried to smoke, as if that was a struggle all of them had gone through. Nobody seemed sympathetic.
Bask pulled up a seat directly across from him. What was so special about her? That you'd go against Snoke?
Nothing! Kylo barked. Then he looked each of them in the eye sheepishly. It's just with my background. Ah -
We were about to get to that. What's your name, huh? Don't tell us you can't pronounce it.
Kylo shook his head and looked off into the distance. The real story of his identity was too fantastical to believe, of course. Not to mention the attention it would draw. He'd plumbed the depth of his imagination here. Something insane, something ridiculous but that still hit all the notes. The kind of mythology worthy of a master of the dark side.
My name is... Kyp Durron. My parents were political dissidents. Murdered by the Empire as their planet slid into chaos. I was orphaned and sold into slavery. Worked in the spice mines of Kessel, right next to the black hole cluster. They killed us when we spoke up. Never gave us enough food. I went years and years without seeing the Sun. I worked during the day and wept at night, my back was tangled and knotted and throbbing. And if we ever came in under our daily quota they'd lash us. Or worse. My only salvation was Ashara Paulik. Shed been captured and sold just like me. But she had premonitions, visions, could do amazing things. Said I could do amazing things too. If I tried hard enough. If I believed.
Kylo shook his head, tears beginning to flow from his eyes. It was the first time anyone had ever told me anything like that. She got in trouble with a foreman and had to go to the deepest part of the mine. The Core. People left and never came back because of the energy spiders.
Kylo shivered. I went with her and we found a secret passage to the surface. Staged a riot and escaped, I've never had so much sun in my eyes. We got away free. And that's when she told me about Leader Snoke.
I suppose she left out the fact that he was a genocidal monster.
She told me, Kylo said, scratching his nose. that Snoke had sensed me from lightyears away. And sent her to save me.
You weren't at all skeptical of this?
I was I don't know. She told me that there were powerful people across the galaxy that owed their life to Snoke. That they formed a a family that supposed his will. Supported each other. That's how Kylo Ren was born.
I thought you were the leader.
That's not true. Snoke is the leader. I named myself after the order. I wanted Ren to be my heart, my identity.
And not Kyp Durron? You had a family.
Kyp Durron was weak, Kylo snapped. He let himself be captured. Let his will be controlled by everyone and everything around him. No achievements of his own, nothing to contribute to history just a family name. I needed power. Kyp Durron was a symbol of how powerless I had been.
"I know that name."
"Kyp Durron?" Kylo screamed internally. There was no way he'd made up the name and life story of a real person, was there?
I mean it was an excellent t story, but a bit too silly to pass for real. Right?
"Paulik. Lady Paulik." Bask stood up, shock and disgust on his face. "That's the woman that destroyed my clan."
" So you both stole an Order ship. "
Really the way she was asking her questions, if they were even questions, was just a bit rude. Even for Phasma, eyes following her pace around the room before contact was made and the conversation was sparked again.
" Why come to Ord Mantell? "
" . . . It's perfect for what we're doing. "
Throughout the questions there were times when Phasma noted the woman attempting to catch a slip up in the story, waiting for little details to change or for her expressions to be any more telling to what she was saying. Telling bold faced lies was clearly an amusing situation to be placed in, whatever dragged the time out long enough for things to get underway. Hux was listening intently from their own stolen ship, his expression clearly amused from what was happening on either end of their stories. He'd actually heard Phasma use the 'L' word, even if it was acting, and. . Kyp Durron. Brilliant.
" Why should we even bother taking you to the Republic? We should just send you both back to the Order and let them have at you. " Well, that was one thing.
" You mean, you'd fly back to the First Order in one of their stolen ships to bring us back? " They'd get blasted out of system by a Star Destroyer in no time.
Clearly the Twi'lek woman hadn't thought of that, forgetting that this ship was stolen property with a weapon to change the tides floating on it. That was a risk that none of them were willing to take. Watching her begin to pace again, she clearly didn't want to allude to them having anything that important on the ship, Phasma lightly tapping her nails on the table, a habit that could be considered a nervous tick.
" Less than forty five minutes. "
Hux's muffled voice emerged, the blonde cursing inwardly as he had clearly taken the silence as her being alone, the alien turning sharply and glaring. " What was that? " Before Phasma had time to answer, the distance between them was cleared and she was being glared down upon, nails again tapping the table. " I don't know what you're- "
The closed fist that landed into her cheek, resulting in an immediate bitten lip, caused her jaw to clench out of habit, nails no longer tapping when the frustrated Litari spoke again, " Don't lie. "
Tasting the blood form in her mouth, the metallic taste caused her to close her eyes softly, sighing as though she had been found out. Turning her head, her amber eyes were clearly no longer soft and pleading, over it the second she felt her hand come into contact with her face.
" Did you just punch me in my fucking face. "
"I didn't know," Kylo said. "I'm sorry."
Kind of a stupid mistake. He'd been thinking about making things sound "credible", not too wild and far away from the truth. If he'd just invented some other fictional rescuer, he wouldn't have been in this situation. What were the chances that the Litari knew each and every one of the Knights of Ren, or wouldn't trust him as an authority on the topic?
Now he was introducing instability and emotion into a situation that had too much of both.
And Bask Dal'aivi didn't seen interested in apologies.
"You're going to tell me everything!" He smashed his head right above him, rammed a fist into the little bunk Kylo was sitting on. "All about her."
"You... you probably know as much as I do." The Lasat was already running out of the cell in a panic. As if he was going for help. That wasn't a good sign.
"That's not what I came here for, Bask." The Bothan showed his teeth, and Kylo put his hands up. "But if that's what you want, that's what we'll do. We'll talk all about her."
Kylo glanced right outside the cell. These people had managed to get access to two ysalamiri, which was just... incredible, given how fragile the creatures were. The two of them together meant he couldn't do anything special in the cell, or maybe this entire floor.
Not that he could anyway. He needed to stall for time. And if he could do that by telling a bunch of stories about Ashara or Snoke or Phasma or even that one particular story with Hux, he'd be happy to do it.
"Tell us this, then." Bask reared back and jabbed him hard across the throat. "Are the two of you close? Would she weep if someone took your life?"
Kylo fell from the bunk and sprawled onto the floor, his eyes watering. Damn. That rank, overgrown sloth had left him alone with someone who was likely to murder him. Kylo staggered to his feet, smiling despite the anger rising in him - he couldn't let this spiral out of control. Couldn't get killed here of all places.
"We didn't," he said, coughing, "have that kind of relationship."
Bask left the cell in a huff, but he returned a second later with the lightsaber in his hand.
"No. No no no."
"NO MORE LIES!" He powered the lightsaber on and slashed downwards, sending cotton and burning metal flying across the cell and almost into Kylo's eyes. He staggered backwards, pedaling away until he was against the wall of the cell. By now the Lasat was back with a couple others, yelling at Bask to stop.
One of them was howling platitudes about the futility of revenge. Kylo didn't think they rang true for either of them in that moment.
Well, the conversation had ended relatively quickly after the Twi'lek had asked what Phasma was going to do about it.
" You're really fucking rude, you know that? "
It was like she had set herself up for the next few minutes of being slammed around. The fight between the two women muffled by the closed door, though that was probably for the best. The initial shuffle would be seen as catty, if only for a moment, however it wasn't long at all before the Twi'lek was slumped against the floor, Phasma pulling her blaster from its holster. Licking her lips carefully, the blood had stopped in her mouth at least, though clearly she was still not amused by the situation, standing near the door as she heard the attempted whisper from Hux again.
" Um. . Commander? "
" She punched me in my face. "
Hux spent the next minute or so keeping the subject from focusing on the fact that it was technically his fault she had gotten punched, the blonde woman shaking her head softly as she looked over the clearly modified blaster. Firing it appeared simple enough, typical trigger and switches along the side venturing between 'Stun and Kill', the blonde raised a brow softly at the added word 'Push', turning the switch carefully. No reason not to try it out, hm.
" They're getting closer Phasma, just. . Find Ren, and the weapon. "
Simple enough.
Listening carefully to the quick shuffle of feet walking by, chatter about Hurry before he. . before they got far enough away, her head peeked out the door carefully, stepping out into the empty hallway and following them silently. The trumpeted opening of the weapon reminded her of that massive thing from the bait ship, thinking over it just in time for two dug to round the corner. Well, no time like the present. Without proper aim at the quick situation, the woman fired the long barreled weapon immediately, watching the force bring them up and smash them into the wall behind them.
" Beautiful! "
Another sharp adjustment and the blaster fired into both of their stomachs, Phasma moved in the direction of commotion, again hearing that familiar sound and almost drawing some sign of joy from it. . Until she realized it was just someone else playing with the lightsaber again. Sighing gently into the air, the woman cleared the space quickly, hearing the Lasat get out an attempt to yell before she fired into his head. And as rapidly as it had happened, the aliens who had come to keep Bask from slicing his head off, were dead on the ground.
" What the fu- "
" Put it down. "
Her request was simple enough, but obviously this infuriated him to the point of stepping toward her, shot immediately fired through his leg, dropping the saber when he fell in pain. Ignoring his screaming, Phasma's bright eyes immediately shifted to Ren with an important matter at hand.
" I feel if we're supposed to be a couple who is in love, you should be saving me in all this. Specifically, from getting punched in my fucking face. "
He'd expected to have to talk Bask down, or have to sit still and make sad faces. More calmness in the face of loud, angry idiots who just happened to have a little temporary power. Even Fedorre on his worst day hadn't started pummeling him, threatening him, ranting at him out of the blue. His cheeks were burning from the heat of the saber when a little noise occurred down the hallway, and then -
It was if a hurricane had it. Bodies flying, laser blasts searing people center mass, a room full of dead within a couple of seconds. Oh, well that could only be one person. But was it supposed to be so soon? By then, Bask was on the ground - and his own lightsaber was on the ground in front of him. Kylo narrowed his eyes and snatched it off the ground. He was just incredibly sick of the level playing field, sick of his work getting crammed into other people's undeserving hands.
Kylo straddled the Bothan's chest, feeling the cool ridges of his familiar piece in his hand. They were familiar, but this wasn't exactly what he wanted. "Commander," he said slowly, not bothering to look behind him. "there are a couple of those ysalamiri on the counter right there, do me a kindness and dispose of them."
Bask instinctively muttered a low, desperate, "Don't," but his words carried a lot less weight than they had a few seconds ago. Kylo glanced backwards, and Phasma was already stepping on both of them with an eerie calm. It didn't take long for a rush of familiar sensations to come pouring back inside of him, with an almost overwhelming volume - it was like being exposed to light again after years in a cave.
Or so he imagined.
"Before I kill you," Kylo growled, placing the lightsaber under his chin. "I want you to know that you were right to mistrust me. To fear me. That sliver of weakness that held you back from killing me when you had the chance - the righteousness of your cause, not wanting your friends to treat you like a madman, whatever it was that you thought would redeem you in the end, make you better than me... it was wrong. It always was. I wasn't there to watch your first family die. But this one, Bask Dal'aivi, is going to die screaming by my hand."
"You -"
Kylo felt a tide of hatred roll through his body, heavy and irresistible, as he turned the saber on, flash-boiling Bask's skull from the inside out. Eyes that held a resigned fear were instantly - burning, deformed, a window into horror. He ripped the weapon away and looked at Phasma, his face twisted in rage.
"Stand to the side, then. Let's get to saving you."
One hand had placed itself on her hip, and though her scold hadn't been entirely truthful, she didn't expect him to say anything about it at all. It wasn't difficult at all to kill the lizards, neither of them making much of an effort to get away from her as she killed them both, carefully wiping the bottom of her boot off on the torn piece of bedding. Watching the way he seemed to shift now, it was almost as though the confident stride was back in him, raising a brow lightly as she watched the altercation.
Sure, she should be paying more attention to the door, listening in case she heard any foot steps as she stepped toward it, tipping around the bodies as though she were avoiding getting something on her dress. Whether it was the chill that snaked up her back or Hux attempting to contact her again that caused her to shiver and snap from her trance, her arms folded over her chest now at the look on his face. Well. That was new, wasn't it. Again with this shit Phasma. Finally responding to the chattering man at the other end of the comlink, Phasma followed along behind baby Vader, eyes watching as the chaos began.
" What. .Where is Ren, is everything alright? "
" Oh. . He's. . He's fine. "
"Yarzek to bridge - hit the alarm!"
Kylo was on top of him before he could say anything else - working himself into a full sprint and killing him with a couple of slashes. Whether the alarm was triggered or not, they'd all know about him very soon - he had no intentions of hiding.
That was one of their mistakes - they'd stolen a ship they couldn't properly staff and were running a skeleton crew. The pirates barely had the manpower to keep the ship running, let alone fend off a threat like this.
That was their second mistake. They'd tried to hold back Kylo Ren with a couple of creatures smaller than his forearm, had entrusted their lives to one grieving, temperamental bothan. And now, they'd all pay for it. Starting with this one.
Someone with a slugthrower - he recognized him from the ambush at the saloon. With that rifle, he had an expression Kylo didn't like - a certain amount of courage.
He cocked the hammer back, and Kylo reached for the metal that formed the gun, twisting it backwards and making it useless. Now he dropped the gun in shock and fell to his knees, pushing himself backwards with his hands. That was the kind of courage he expected from a dying man. Kylo screamed and flicked his wrist, throwing the lightsaber across the room underhanded and splitting the humans chin open and calling it back to his hand.
A human rounded the corner, clearly expecting them to be further away. He took a step back, only to find that his body wouldn't move. Kylo frowned coldly, bringing the lightsaber across his chest with a loud slash before flinging him across the opposite end of the hallway.
"Where do we need to -"
He stopped himself. Laboratory. He'd been on enough Corvettes to know the general layout of the place, even if it looked like a dark reflection of its normal self now with some of the lights out and areas unoccupied. It was like a ghost ship, illuminated by the alarm chyron and the blaring light of his blade.
It gave a menacing, comforting hum as he walked down the corridor and towards the elevator.
Two Twi'lek had barricaded themselves in front of the elevator, basically confirming where he wanted to go. They looked similar, even from this distance. Brothers. Or twins. Wouldn't that have been funny?
These two were better prepared - one had a sonic disruptor and was already firing it from behind a huge container. The second was more conservative, firing from a rifle and hoping for reinforcements. Phasma hadn't bothered shooting for some reason.
Not that it mattered. All the frustration of this entire mission came pouring out of him, searing everything in sight. His mind ripped the container out of the floor, smashed in against the wall, turned the creature's thin legs to a green pulp.
The second one had just enough time to realize what had happened, to trigger that horror in his mind before every part of him was on fire, his throat closed, his heart collapsing, his brain getting torn to pieces like a wet paper as he fell to the floor. In a place like this, no one had anywhere to hide from him.
Kylo wordlessly got into the elevator and pressed a button for where he thought the lab would be. He paused, fully aware of how bothersome it could get trying to get there. Would the Litari be trying to protect the bridge or -
Before he could finish, the elevator doors opened, and a familiar yellow lightsaber blared to life in front of him, rushing into the cramped corridor. Now that Kylo was looking closely, it was those eyes - they were almost human, but there was something lacking there. He barely had time to think about this before the HRD was slashing at him, pinning him and Phasma down in the elevator.
It faintly registered how dangerous this was - the Commander was already shrinking back into a corner, but she'd be dead if he lost control of the fight for a split second.
The droid caught an overhead slash and pinned him back into a corner, sparks from the dueling sabers flying overhead. Kylo groaned and pushed him back, the two of them whirling and slashing with tight, controlled attacks in the confines of the elevator.
Kylo caught his blade on the crossguard and pivoted around, trying to push him out of the elevator so that Phasma could get out of the way. But the droid - the clever fucking thing sensed what he was trying to do and threw a hand back, planning to attack him with -
The on-board grav-cannon. Kylo gritted his teeth - losing control of his body for a second or getting throw backwards would totally destroy his momentum and likely get both of them killed.
He reached for the force, pushing at the same time the HRD did...
And nothing happened - well, the HRD flew backwards a few feet. Kylo charged and pressed the advantage, hacking the droid backward with strike after strike, all finesse gone from his style now. That machine was one of a kind. A true work of art, just in being able to survive this long. And that... that was perfect.
He was in the mood to destroy something beautiful. Kylo feinted another heavy smash and twirled on his back foot with unexpected grace, cutting the droid's right hand off cleanly, snatching the yellow lightsaber out of the air, and decapitating it between the two with an explosive scissor motion and a shower of sparks and metal parts.
That rush, that feeling of victory... he hadn't felt it in ages. Kylo hacked at the downed machine, slashing it again and again as if in an uncontrollable trance....
" What. . Why do you sound like that? What's going on? "
If she was truly concerned, it would have taken her a bit of thought to explain to Hux what was going on, instead the woman tapped her fingers against the gun lightly, holding the comlink carefully to allow the male on the other end to hear the familiar crackle as it split another alien like he was some piece of candy. Though one part of her remained on her own defensive, knowing that despite their limited numbers, there could just as easily be one or two to slip up behind her. Thankfully, it had only happened once, doubling another Bothan over as the blast spit through his stomach, just in time for her to catch the sight of another body crumpling to the ground.
It was becoming a blood bath and. . Well, it was almost comforting.
Not necessarily because she was being rescued from this situation, but because this was another environment that didn't feel out of place. She would let him stretch out his rage, use his force, to send splatters of blood along the walls and floor, moving to stand in the elevator and get her last glimpse of the destruction. It felt good, a warmth on her skin, though she wasn't entirely fond of being in the small space of this elevator. Rightfully so, her body reacting and immediately pressing against the wall when the yellow glare dragged over the light above, the sparks raining down on them, she knew taking the risk of shooting that thing in here was all too dangerous, one step toward the door only to be pushed back by the potential sear of the saber.
Shit.
Though just as she had thought such a thing, Phasma watched as the dueling to pushed out of the confined space, her own eyes scanning about to find if anyone else was left. No, just this dr-
Nope, not the droid.
The head rolling off beneath some of controls, the woman watched him carve pieces out of the machine with vicious blows, subconsciously letting her hand settle against her chest. Oh he's daddy alright. Fingers toying with the material now, finally the woman spoke up, breathing out softly when she realized she'd been holding it in in the first place, " Hey. . Hey! " Catching his attention, the warm cheeked blonde spoke again, " It's not getting back up. " It was almost as though he hadn't realized it, watching the weapon disappear in itself as she stepped forward, the itch not going away as she reached forward, fingers snaking into his hair and lips pressing against his.
" I appreciate being saved. "
Moving away from him now, her eyes had settled onto the table in the center of the lab, eyes roaming over the weapon that had caused so much of this mess, the weapon that would do great work for the Order.
Wow. Phasma had used the A-word. From someone like her, she'd might as well have stripped to her underwear right on the spot and begged him to take her.
Frowning, Kylo clipped his lightsaber to his belt, stepping around the smoking hull of the droid he'd fought. The damned thing was still... twitching, moving joints in a vaguely agressive way, as if the mind hadn't quite shut off the body, or it was executing orders that had long since been useless.
And he looked at the HRD's yellow one, weighing it in his hand. The thing was very well made - not authentic though. The thing had been expensively made in a small factory, all the pieces made somewhere else. But the blade worked properly, and something about that frustrated him.
He'd gotten the designs from his own piece from a Jedi holocron, how could it be that... Kylo grumbled and clipped the thing to his belt. It wouldn't be the first lightsaber he'd pulled apart, and maybe this one being so divorced from the Jedi would have some kind of use for him.
Kylo watched the Commander for a few seconds as she inspected the lab, and brushed his own hair behind his ear. He'd known she was there during the aftermath of his fight - knew that she would say something eventually to stop him.
What he hadn't expected was the impact it would have on him in that moment. As cliche as it sounded, it did... redirect him and make him feel a bit calmer. And now he could look over the gun in the center of the lab with a fresh pair of eyes.
The thing was on a big, raised roundtable with two or three bigger subplatforms - it was almost like four round stairs leading up to the gun. The thing was clearly designed to be screwed onto a traditional cannon. Kylo ran his hands around the black steel.
"That's not just powerful, it's compact. At least relevant to a big fucking shipboard gun." He wasn't an engineer but at least to the naked eye this looked like something that could be mass produced.
"Do you think the insides are... weird somehow? And do you think this is the only one?"
Kylo felt to his knees, squinting at the base of the gun as if it would reveal some kind of secret.
If it remained quiet, Phasma could hear the soft humming of the HRD's system starting to fail, gears stuttering as though it were trying to piece itself back together. The damage was done, eyes twitching and lips quivering, in a way Phasma saw it as weird, carefully scooting the head into a dim corner to keep herself from subconsciously glancing at it. Other than the parts of metal and 'skin' that had flown off the body, she couldn't see anything else out of place, clearly there wasn't enough time during the assault for anyone other than the HRD to be up here, an act of them putting the strongest defense they had near the weapon.
The odds were against them and it had still resulted in an absolute slaughter.
Watching him move around it as though she halfway expected him to reconsider and go back to hacking away at it, her eyes turned back to the cannon now, Hux's voice filling the air.
" You both. . Still alive? "
He knew they were, but some acknowledgment that he still existed would have been comforting for the man, hearing him cough softly before speaking again. The ISD Majestic would be there soon to meet at the rendezvous point to take them back to the Gauntlet with the Corvette in tow, having forwarded the news that the crew on the ship had been confirmed as dead. " I'll be flying the- "
" Hux you can't fly a ship. "
Immediate huffing from the other end of the comlink, and she could almost feel him straightening out any wrinkles in his clothing.
" I've done simulations and I've watched you! Anyway- "
Kill yourself then, whatever.
Hux went on to explain any intricate details of the plan, even attempting to go further into what would happen when they arrived on the Gauntlet. All would be clear and explained with the new weapon they had kept from getting into the wrong hands, more or less. " Rigged, you mean? " Phasma asked, watching Kylo settle down in front of the cannon like he was working on some challenging puzzle, looking over the steel instrument before shaking her head softly. " I don't think they would have had the time to make another one of this size. "
Hmph.
Kylo sprang to his feet and looked around conspiratorially before sneaking up behind her, pressing his nose into her neck and wrapping his hands around her stomach. He looked down and, frowned, hurriedly shaking a little blood off his hands before squeezing her back into him, just barely dragging her off the floor.
He pressed his lips into her neck before quickly remembering... ugh, this was already awkward enough without...
He tapped her ear and made an X with his fingers, returning to her neck, but this time with his teeth, his hands still smearing faint traces of residue onto her.
From an outsider's perspective, this was sick.
However, both seemed to grow deaf to Hux talking on the other end of the comlink, closing her eyes when his lips settled against her skin, the chill rolling up her spine. She hadn't necessarily planned for anything to happen next to the finally still husk of the HRD, but-
" I just told you both the ISD is coming! Whatever you're doing, at least wait! "
Son of a bitch.
Hux's arrival, after demanding that she help coach him through flying the ship to them, was hurried, as though he had expected them to be defiling the cannon. " Oh, good. " Phasma rolling her eyes at him lightly, she watched him nervously examine the HRD parts as though he expected them to surge back to life, " You. . Took its saber didn't you? "
The awkward shuffling it had taken to move the weapon to the bay, Hux halfway into another speech about how much better he felt, almost silently hinting about no one mentioning his little drug incident, before another set of sirens rang out.
" That's. . That's not good. "
Phasma turning to watch Hux initiate the holoprojector against the wall, the familiar suite of a trooper appeared. " Sir, there seems to also be a Republic ship intercepting. Stand by. "
"That's just nervewracking." Hux sighed and looked down at his fingernails. "They tell you a Republic ship is incoming and then tell you to... stand by? Seems like a way to make one nervous."
Now that Hux had broken up their... whatever it was he was going for a few minutes ago, he'd decided to devote his mind to purer aspects, like the logistics of this gun. Except Hux's sudden worry about the Republic was distracting him all over again.
"You don't have to worry about the Republic anymore. Number one... they've got a treaty. I don't think they're in a rush to engage." Kylo wanted to spend an entire weekend with a case of liquor, just laughing at the comedy of errors the Republic's political system was. As soon as they got back into power, it was like they wanted to prove why there was an Empire in the first place.
"Number two, they don't have any grounds. It's the Order recovering an Order ship in neutral space. What are they going to do, accuse us of interrupting their illicit arms deal? Idiocy."
Kylo looked at the bottom of the gun - the thing was bolted on tightly. He thought he could maybe pull the thing off the bolts if he focused, but that wasn't going to be much good - even the prospect of carrying something this big with the Force was making his brain hurt. It was a job for a team of engineers and a squadron of soldiers with thick legs and wide backs.
Before he could think beyond that, the holo-trooper flared back to life. His helmet was off (NOT regulation) and he was sweating. That could have just been the helmet, but his eyes.
"What is it," Hux snapped impatiently.
"I... you aren't going to believe this. I should -"
"Believe WHAT?"
"I should just show you."
The holotrooper hit a button, and another video took up the space. This was... this was not a Republic background. They insignia behind the captain was of the Rebel Alliance, which of course meant...
"This is General Garm Bel Iblis, my ship's the Peregrine, and at the moment, I'm working on behalf of the Resistance. Gentlemen, you are interrupting my illicit arms deal."
Hux covered his cheeks with both hands, almost letting out an audible scream. He had the self restraint for it only to come out as a squeaking noise. He turned to Phasma, snapping his fingers and pointing at her as if she needed to leave the room. He was wondering if this was just an attempt to look busy, but then Hux was pointing at him too.
But Kylo's eyes were glued to the projector by now.
"Now, I know most of your little Order is composed of kids whose nuts haven't descended yet, so maybe you haven't heard of me. I'm the man that co-founded the Rebel Alliance. I'm the greatest military genius of two different generations - if I'm being humble. And most importantly, I'm the man with three-Dreadnought class star cruisers that are itching to kill anything that needs dyin'. So let's make a deal."
Hux was already shaking his head. "We have to leave."
"You clear out, leave our friends alone, give us access to that Corvette... or you can toast marshmellows with your hunchback hero in hell. Doesn't make a difference to me, but I'll give you sixty seconds to decide whether life as one of Snoke's useful idiots is really worth living. Peregrine out."
"No," Hux groaned. "He's DEAD. Everyone knows he's dead. Right?"
Well, everyone "knew" it. But who else had Dreadnoughts lying around anymore? And this was an awfully specific message for a hologram...
Things had gotten tricky all over again and Phasma could only close her eyes and rub her forehead, fingertips lightly massaging her skin. It was as if Kylo, instead of saying things could be worse, had talked up the situation they were currently in, sighing audibly as she ignored the fluttering Hux. " This can not be real. " But it was, and unfortunately sixty seconds was no good amount of time to think, with sirens blaring and emergency lights flashing. There was no need to tell the dear General that there were no survivors here to make such a deal, however now came the true reason they were here.
" We can't just leave that thing here for them. "
" What do you mean we can't just leave it? We don't have time to just get this ship out of here, Phasma that's not- "
The fiery look she gave him caused his words to falter into a mumble, soon laying down into silence as she spoke again, shaking her head. " Do you want to be the one to explain to your father that you were on a ship with the weapon that could destroy every last one of the Order's ships and did nothing about it? "
The expression in his wide eyes clearly gave her an answer, turning to Ren now, they all knew they had worked way too hard to simply destroy the machine, but they were running out of time and options. " Be ready for us. " The hologram had switched back to the sweating trooper, hearing the faint sound of someone who sounded alarmed in the background. Ignoring how tense Hux became, even if it did surprise her that it was even possible, the woman shifted her attention to the lab, eyes shifting over the platforms and down across the tables. Plenty of chemicals, easily a few were going to be flammable. Simple enough.
" You can't. . Pick this thing up and put it on the ship!? "
Hux voice rang out now, pulling a tank toward the weapon now as though he had answered his own question. Obviously if he could, he would have used the Force to do so when he landed in the bay. Another heavy tank pulled to the canon, there was a sense of silent assurance that this had to work, this thing had to be destroyed before it fell into Resistance hands, firing the blaster at one of the lab consoles and watching it spark up. The time they had to immediately get back into their ship wasn't counted, Hux avoiding the pilot seat as Phasma brought the smaller ship into the air. The flames had spread through the rest of the lab quickly, licking out to the tanks and chemicals, changing colors before finally roaring up in the explosion, another soft sound from Hux as they flew toward Order space.
" I can't. . Even. "
Phasma was at a loss for emotions, unable to settle on which one as the three stood in the ad-junction room of the Gauntlet, each looking a different variety of exhausted. Hux with his hair all over her head, Phasma with splotches of someone else's blood on her dress, and Ren. . Well, where to start with that. It was painful to stand here and wait for Snoke's image to project out, even more so to look at the expression on Fedorre's face.
" You three made quite a mess. "
There was a long pause.
Fedorre pinched his lips together and raised his eyebrows. "This was where I'd expect one of you to defend yourselves."
Hux looked a bit chastened, Phasma just looked exhausted. He was the one who could talk about this while facing the fewest consequences, so Kylo spoke up first.
"There's nothing to defend," he said smoothly. "Hux's task force was put together to solve the pirate problem. It has been indisputably solved. The Litari's been crippled, you know the identity of one of their leaders, we recaptured the Order's Corvette -"
"You destroyed it. Did it yourselves, without any authorization. In a time when all three of you know how stretched our resources are."
Kylo shook his head. Those were three Dreadnoughts. They were wildly outdated ships, but three of them together would have easily swamped the Star Destroyer, especially if Bel Iblis had them retrofitted with the latest weapons.
And with the Republic scrapping so many onboard weapons, that would have been a near guarantee. "We prevented a weapon the Order hadn't even heard of from falling into the hands of the Resistance. If not for us, the first you would have heard about this was live, in battle. And being wielded by Garm Bel Iblis, of all people." Kylo leaned back in the seat and spread his legs. "You should be thanking the three of us. Drinks, commendations."
Fedorre touched his ear and tuned them out for a few moments before breaking into a smile. "Leader Snoke would like to speak to you. This should be instructive."
"When making our... determinations on the outcome, we should ask ourselves if we're in a better position now than we were before this happened." Snoke raised his hand, and Kylo clenched his fist in victory. "And we are. We had a crisis of confidence in Carida that would have rippled elsewhere. One Corvette is a fair price to pay for an end to our piracy problem. Our old enemy Bel Iblis revealing himself can be counted as another victory, of a sort. An enemy that is known can be accounted for."
"Leader Snoke," Kylo said with a faint smile.
"But things could have also gone much better. Your recklessness on board the ship left no survivors. Whatever intelligence there was to gain, whatever we could have learned from the surviving Litari members, has been lost now. They've been driven further underground, and they may already be in contact with the Resistance."
"But, Supreme Leader -"
"The Black Sun is going to take your assault on one of their affiliates as a personal message from me. I have worked carefully to keep them on our side in the conflict to come through a policy of tolerance. Renegades and scoundrels had a large role in the defeat of the Emperor, as you well know, and I don't wish to repeat his mistakes."
"I understand, Supreme Leader."
"And the HRD. If you had simply disabled it and brought it to the Gauntlet intact, we could have had it reverse engineered. I can't exaggerate the benefit a tool such as that would had for our espionage efforts. You avoided many disasters today, Kylo Ren, but you avoided opportunities with the same dogged insistence. None of you should feel proud of your performance."
"I understand."
"Supreme Leader, if I may." Kylo's jaw opened a bit. This was... Hux of all people? "I think this incident has left a number of loose ends. The origin of the replica droids, the whereabouts of Garm Bel Iblis and his fleet. The remnants of the Litari. With the piracy problem broken, I would like to dedicate my efforts to tying these loose ends on your behalf."
Wow. Amazing. What a climber. Hux had volunteered to solve three almost impossible problems for Snoke. The man was a lot of things, but he had ambition and courage. Snoke looked somewhat surprised by the intrusion, but nodded his head in a way that indicated that he might be receptive to the idea.
"This will be discussed in time," he said, before abruply shutting off the holo. Now Hux's power play was over, and it was just the four of them in the adjunction room.
It was something in the tension, the way the air seemed to sit and be still with them when she noticed that her second interaction with Snoke was yet again for negative circumstances. She had made the decision to blow up the ship, destroy any progress and whatever pieces of the HRD were left, blown beyond recognition. The Corvette was irrepairable, and for some reason she felt no regrets from it. Perhaps it was the sudden wave of exhaustion or the fact that she truly didn't care, Phasma breathed out softly as the lecture began, catching Fedorre's eyes as he watched for any sign of reaction from any of them.
Of course, the near frown only deepened on the man's face at how unscathed they seemed to be. It shouldn't have been a surprise, considering what they had been through up until this point, his slight involvement in the conference before making him well aware of that. Turning her head to Hux as he spoke, the woman raised a brow softly, nails tapping along her crossed legs. Another reason to hole himself up somewhere with wrinkled clothes on. The image disappearing now, the Admiral cleared his throat as though he had been saving up for some big, dominating thing to say.
" Dismissed, "
Mercy.
" Commander, I'd like a word with you. "
Shit.
While both Hux and Ren had protection from different angles, the Admiral knew there was only so much Ren could say to throw his weight around, only so much he could huff about how he had been the one to initiate the start of this AWOL mission. No matter how biologically compatible. Admiral Fedorre was still her clearly frustrated superior. Once it was simply the two of them left in the room, Phasma knew exactly how this conversation was going to play out, long before Admiral Fedorre had even started.
" This is should not be how you put yourself in the Supreme Leader's line of sight, Commander. . "
While it felt like it had lasted for longer than a mere fifteen minutes, when she was finally dismissed, the blonde didn't quite feel the relief she needed until she reached her quarters. The spacious living arrangement given to those with higher rank, though she was never one to sit and bore herself to tears and preferred to be on the ground with her troopers, Phasma would be ridiculous to deny the luxury of a bathtub. And that luxury was calling her name.
"You are just... hilarious."
He put his hand on Hux's shoulder and turned him around. The man looked remarkably sober in the aftermath of their dressing down. Although he could probably spend a year catching up on sleep.
"Did I do something funny?"
"I'm getting chewed out by Snoke. Phasma's getting chewed out by Fedorre. And you're... campaigning for a promotion?"
"Excuse me," Hux said flatly, "I don't have the kind of personal time you and Phasma have seemed to get with the old man."
Kylo blinked. "Is that what this is about?"
"It's not about anything. There's work that needs doing and I'm committed to doing it."
"You're committed to getting yourself promoted."
Hux shrugged - doing a little gladhanding on the backs of his comrades was so normal to him that the idea of NOT doing it was strange to him. Hux's heels made a light squeak as he turned away and headed to his shuttle.
Kylo scowled at him. That man was probably going far.
And he had a shuttle.
Darth Vader had a shuttle.
Why didn't he?
It took a few minutes, but he found himself in Commander Phasma's quarters (he had his methods), sulking in a cool corner, wearing a tight black shirt and a pair of workout pants.
Hux had already talked about his "loose ends", but Kylo had a few of his own that needed resolving, and he was almost certain that there'd be a hammer coming down on at least one of them.
Given that, it was best to get this out of the way.
Of course, it didn't hurt that she was making her way out of the shower.
She hadn't heard a sound, too busy enjoying the comfort of the steam relaxing her along with the hot water. The faintest sound of humming emerging from the bathroom blended with the sound of the water, Phasma had already started letting her thoughts go to the lighter side of the situation. Fedorre had made plenty of remarks of taking her cadets away from her, using the typical lines that she should be setting better examples, where Phasma had responded so politely in her tired state, ' At least they didn't come to Carida.' Fedorre had not taken any sense of amusement to that joke however, huffing and puffing all around with consistent arm motions like he was elegantly keeping a bug from landing on his face.
She couldn't blame him.
He had to make sure she was an example, that troopers who did things like this were out of line and would be dealt with. Never had a trooper gone off the hinges like that, though Phasma did combat his words with the fact that regardless of her being out on the thin line with Ren and Hux, it had been for the First Order. It was done for more than just her redemption or Kylo making up for nearly getting them blown to pieces, it was to keep the Order's way of life.
The sound of the water stopping only made the humming clearer as the sound of wet footprints moved through her bathroom, a few things shifting before her dried frame stood wrapped in the comfort of a bathrobe. Nightstand, bed, discarded clothes, and legs. . Wait what. It only took her one glance around to notice a long pair of legs in the corner, nearly jumping out of her skin with a soft " shit. " before realizing who it was, face going deadpan for a moment. Letting her eyes shift to her door just to make sure it wasn't sitting awkwardly like his last shuffle with her privacy, Phasma spoke now with her arms crossing her chest, " So we have sex and then it becomes a thing for you to just sulk around in my quarters? " Though her question could come off as having a bite, the expression on her face proved it wasn't, laughing softly at the brooding expression on his face.
"If you'd rather I waited outside your door... maybe made a few loud knocks? Just let me know." He stepped out of the corner, his pensive expression giving way to a small, crooked smile as he sat on the edge of the bed. "I didn't think you were looking for that kind of attention, but I've been wrong before."
Of course, this was more than a bit bullshit. More than anything, he liked seeing her in that towel. He crossed his legs, his eyes flickering at the (by military standards) high ceiling and modestly furnished room.
"You have your own shower, that's the really shocking thing. When I was stationed here, I asked Fedorre to station me in the smallest, most uncomfortable room on the ship. Remove myself from distractions. There was a Sith Apprentice who slept on the floor of an active volcano. To, you know, train himself to sleep lightly and be prepared for anything. And, you know... he did die. But not from the volcano, which is a sort of victory."
"Anyway." He tilted backwards, flattening his back against the bed. "Am I the only one who think we didn't do that badly? I don't know how fair it is to measure against hypothetical successes. But you're supposed to be the "elite solider", so you tell me."
A little hiss of air came from between his lips as he looked up at the dim light overhead.
"I think it's... politics. We saved the day, but nobody wants to encourage our methods."
Granted, people she didn't particularly care to have involved, were somewhat aware of bits and pieces of their. . Relationship, Phasma inwardly cringing at the thought because again that was just one more thing she hadn't thought all the way through, they both knew that it wasn't good for either of them to be blatantly open about it. Shrugging softly when he mentioned the comfortable accommodations, there were simple reasons for that, " As long as you don't ask for the smallest, most uncomfortable room, they treat you well enough when you're at proper rank. Besides, I can't just shower with a bunch of men. " Well. . She could, but that wasn't anything she wanted to let her mind run through.
Watching him lean back into the soft sheets of her bed, the blonde moved in front of him now as he let his sulking come to the light, for a moment she let her eyes so carefully move down his frame. Well, it only seemed right. Moving easily to straddle his lap, though taking no action to undress him, her palms went flat against his chest, nails tapping him lightly when he attempted to be cute with his words. " Of course from your perspective we didn't. You murdered all of them and I blew up a perfectly good Corvette. It's. . Messy, for the Order. Bad example for others, " Using her hand to make a simple 'et cetera, et cetera' motion, her bright eyes looked down to him now, " Can't have cadets running off with ships to save the day only to make a huge mess of it. " It made sense how Hux had grasped onto the tail of what was left, trying to make himself appear better from it when they had all been there.
" We didn't do badly but it certainly wasn't a shining win. "
The entire generation was made of radicals, in one sense or another. When you studied the history of most planets, a devastating war moderated everyone involved - made them gunshy about starting a conflict. But now it seemed like people either saw war as a horror to be avoided at all costs, or an inevitability to be prepared for. There weren't many "moderates" on disarmament in the galaxy.
Kylo had done his share of reading - for every fist-pumping, resounding victory, there were a dozen... stalemates, mixed results, re-shufflings of the board. This was another one of those. Kylo wasn't sure whether he would have preferred something more... definitive.
"Do you think they'll do something punitive, or just ignore us?" He wrapped his hand around hers and pulled her closer towards his chest, tilting his head up and trying to kiss her on the chin.
Then he flopped back down, a gloomier expression in his eyes. "And I assume you're not upset at me anymore. I remember you making a few dramatic threats when we first started this."
Ugh. War wasn't the only field packed with messy ambiguities.
" Ignore us? "
It was almost amusing to her the way he seemed almost upset that if he wasn't getting a prize, he wasn't getting anything more than his wrist slapped. As though he wanted something to give him a sense of angry purpose that wasn't just simply being told that they shouldn't be proud of themselves. Cute. Very baby Vader of him. " Go back to ignoring you maybe. But according to my very uncomfortable conversation with the Admiral, I am to be within this ship for a very, very long time unless otherwise told. And training my cadets is now up for a review. " Though with this information in the air, the expression on Phasma's face wasn't entirely saddened, mostly because she knew Fedorre was in a very tight spot on the matter.
Give her cadets to who? Another equally competent trooper? Please.
Sitting up again with her hands further up his chest, the dark cloud over his head almost made her smile, as awful as it was. " Oh, no. My frustration with you went away when I gave you a limp. " There was the smile, biting her bottom lip softly as her shoulders raised, the woman bouncing just slightly as though he needed the reminder.
"Oh? See, I would have thought your frustration ended when I singlehandedly got you out of a giant ship filled with... alien space pirates with advanced experimental weaponry. To say nothing of the dead-eyed killer robot." He wrapped his hands around her hips and hauled her to the side, climbing on top of her and crawling between her legs. He lowered his voice, transitioning to seriousness now.
"And you didn't give me a limp. What happened -"
Phasma was already covering her mouth and giggling at him. Kylo sighed and put on a frustrated pout.
"See, you're already -"
"No, no, it's fine." She put on a barely credulous smile. "I actually want to hear where this sentence goes."
He opened his mouth and then frowned. "I actually hurt myself. By being so vigorous."
Phasma didn't want to be the one to point out that she had very clearly let him go on his killing rampage, the necessary steam he needed to get rid of evident in the look he had given her after killing that dear Bothan. Instead, she let him have his own opinion of the scenario, staring up at him now as she found her back pressed into the comfort of her bed, his immediate attempt to cover for what had happened gained the appropriate response. They both knew that if he wanted to be like that about it, she could always just ask Hux.
The frown didn't make the situation any better, still visibly smiling because he genuinely seemed upset by the aftermath of such a good thing. It was precious. " Well, next time don't be so. . " Hands reaching up now to pull his face closer, lips murmuring against his, " Vigorous. " Because that was totally what resulted in his limp, surely. Following her last word, her lips pressed into his, that familiar feeling rolling over her skin as her hands slid back against his jaw to his neck. One hand tracing down the upper part of his spine, it didn't take long at all for her to get a grip on the fabric of his tight shirt, the first tug of the material up his back.
That felt so.... that was the best feeling in the world. If this was a distraction, he'd take being distracted a hundred percent of the time. Even when she touched him, it was like her fingers were scraping the back of his mind. He slid the shirt off his fingers and flung it to towards the corner. "I think I can do that. I can be patient."
He sunk his lips into hers, sunk his hips toward hers too. He was already getting hard - just for the way she'd touched him, the tone in her voice, the way she smelled... a dozen different things made him want to have her now, and he could feel just how warm she was a few inches away.
He kissed her again, his hands roaming her legs and digging into the covers. Breathing heavily now, Kylo slid a hand under her ass and squeezed - and something about that sensation urged him forward. He kissed her again, her lips, her jaw, her shoulders, the top of her breasts, his pace gradually gainign steam.
Kylo paused to collect himself. Shook his head, licked his lips, took one slow breath through his nose. "Hm. You really do make it hard. Let me undress, and -"
He paused. "Wait, let me ask you something. We got... captured on Ord Mantell. And we had to make up a bunch of stories. Did a part of you wish that you really could? Run away from everything, go anywhere? I mean, ignoring the thousands of practical issues..."
What was he really asking for here? Asking for her to ignore the practical was like asking Snoke to grow a jaw. He tossed his hair and reached for his waist buckle.
"Actually, what a weird... forget I said anything."
Her fingers were busy, one hand finding comfort within his hair while the other traced the shifts of his muscles along his back, skin left exposed thanks to the shirt being discarded. Only once did her hand flatly graze him, feeling the heat against her palm when his lips pushed back into hers, the push of his hips causing her knees to bend and her thighs to remind him of the heat he was bringing out of her. Truthfully, if patience began to eat at him, Phasma wouldn't have been offended if he went beyond and into his vigorous nature, almost surprised in herself that it didn't matter to her how, just so long as he did. She wanted him, and it was just that simple.
The soft fabric around her body doing very little to cover her frame at this point, when his hand met with her tender skin, her nails lightly moved along his spine, breathing into his kiss. Even though her eyes had become half lidded she could almost pinpoint the exact moment the question popped into his head, shifting her head against the soft sheets now when he began his unexpected question. It was then Phasma remembered that neither of them had actually heard the other's interrogation conversations, momentarily thankful that this wasn't some jab at what she had said in obviously trying to convey why they were running in the first place. . She'd have to find Hux and ask him about that recording. But just as quickly as he had asked, he was brushing it off.
" I used to think about it all the time, "Sitting up now, the blonde knew this wasn't necessarily a situation like before where she would simply remind him that she didn't like him, because god was it a lie. But instead it was almost. . Comfortable. " But despite how big the universe is, I didn't know where I would go. " Maybe that was why she eventually succumbed to him asking her to go with him on the sporadic mission in the first place. One hand reached out now, nails tracing the 'V' to its point before her soft fingers slid up his exposed shaft, looking up at him with a raised brow, " Answer your question? "
"More or less."
Kylo felt a rush of electricity through his body. He was swelling, pulsing under her touch as her grabbed her behind her neck, his fingertips just brushing the edges of her hair as he kissed her with a fresh focus. Nowhere else to go. He understood that perspective for her - this was what she was good at. The stress and the... well, the order. It was cumbersome sometimes. It wasn't exactly a life of leisure or anything. But there was a sense of community and support that you didn't get storming from gutter to gutter as a bounty hunter or detective or merc or... whatever people did where life was cheap.
There was history to think about too. Working for a large organization kept you from feeling... anonymous.
Kylo had the opposite set of problems. He could think of plenty of places to go and be happy. Everyday, he could think of a dozen different ways to be happy. But happy wasn't just a set of electrical impulses flying around in your brain. Not smiles from friends or good food or sleeping in warm places. Happiness was... doing something that challenged you, that had some impact on things around you. On history.
He knew that. He believed that with everything he was worth, and yet...
Kylo grabbed her behind the knees, pulling her legs apart, elevating her hips as he pulled himself closer to her. He looked her up and down one more time, his eyes flickering somehow between arousal and outright challenge as he grabbed his shaft and slowly plunged into her, piece after piece, surprised with himself for how smoothly he was sliding in.
"Fuck." He growled and suddenly thrust forward, their hips clapping together in the bed while he rose on his toes, trying to get as much of himself as possible inside of her.
To put it simply, the Order was the only sense of family she remembered. Dysfunctional as it was, when it was all you had, you simply dealt with it as though it were nothing. Nothing you minded, nothing unusual. And once you found out enough answers about the life you had and potentially would have been lead down, most people stop looking. Phasma had stopped looking when the answers were so plainly laid out. Occasionally, she supposed she could run, after all she was no number within the system. She had a name. But even that made things more difficult.
The kiss he offered was another reminder that this was a distraction from those things, a reminder that they were both here to surrender to other things.
The warmth there made any and all of those thoughts burn away, at least for now. One hand shifting back against the bed, the other only reluctantly let him go when he went to grab for it and was reminded of that wonderful sensation. The electric tickle in the back of her head, the one that felt new every time he entered her, moaning out softly as he loomed over her body again. Instinctively, her body shivered when his hips finally made their way to her own, bright eyes staring back into his as though silently drawing him closer.
The hint in her eyes taken after the initial, welcomed shock was finished, Phasma welcomed the kiss that followed, a soft bite placed against his bottom lip.
That slight bit of pain felt somehow magnified, deepened coming from her. He broke away and kissed her again. The smack of their lips felt deafening in the quiet of this room.
Kylo shifted and drew his cock most of the way out, and waited for her breath to catch. Then he drove forward, faster this time, his muscular hands gripping the sides of her softer hips and guiding him back inside. He worked up to a slow rhythm, pounding his hips against hers as he pumped his cock inside her faster and faster.
"I am so glad," he said through his teeth, "that we get to do this on an actual fffFFUCKING bed."
He slapped her on the hip and growled, making short, firm strokes into her cunt. The feeling of forcing his thick length into her, that friction of flesh on flesh, it felt brand new, and the heat was raising a thin layer of sweat over his skin. He traced a couple of fingers along his chest, flicking a couple of drops to the sheets as he lifted her up to a sitting position. His tight stomach was on full display as he flexed his stomach, pulling her into him.
He reached back and slapped her on the ass, driving her chest into his. They felt so good together, almost like a natural fit despite all common sense and reason. He bounced her up and down, his mushroom still scraping her insides as he looked over her shoulder. And as he did, a sudden thought came to him.
"If anyone tries to get between me and... this," he grumbled into her ear, "I'll probably kill them."
This. What did he mean. And why probably?
The soft hiccup of breath when his hips skillfully rolled back into her, the sound starting to become one of her favorite parts of the distraction. Her favorite mind numbing point to think back to when say, Hux was speaking, to imagine his hands the way they were. Grabbing and searching for places on her body as though they were new to him. One of her legs wrapping around his waist to pull him in closer, the hard thrusts that resulted were taken with a welcoming smile.
Familiar smacks of skin blending with heavy breaths and louder moans, the room was no longer filled with soft conversation, words rushed between sexual desires. When she felt the pull, instinctively her other leg wrapped around his waist, thighs spread around him as they should be. Hands at his shoulders, gripping and bracing with each thrust upward, her lips and warm breath met with his skin, unable to keep the moaned " Kylo " from slipping out and against his neck. Amazingly, she didn't care.
He was deep inside her and it was perfect, as if he belonged there. Her skin glowing, her eyes closed, and her nails clenching at his shoulders, occasionally releasing with the sole intention of letting her fingers assess any potential damage. The soft sound of panting and laughter surfaced against his skin now, lips raising to the tender space of jaw beneath his ear, his threat to seemingly no one oddly. . Comforting.
" This? "
"Let's see, what do I mean by this."
He let out a short, shuddering breath with their sudden pause. Well of course, she had to just nail on that little ambiguous spot in his head, right when he would have rather concentrated on...
"I don't just mean the fucking amazing sex..." The sound of his own voice pulled him over the edge and he swung his hips up, driving into her and following up with three or four long, deep strokes, tracing his hand up her back and moaning before slowing down. "And I don't just mean relieving... a hundred and ten percent of the stress from work. I mean that... I have the potential for impossible power. And I've spent months trying to isolate myself and scrape that potential out. And it feels like all of the parts of myself that I've walled off start... spilling over when we're alone. I can say all the things that I've only been able to say inside my own head."
He grabbed her breast, cupping it in his palm and admiring the texture and weight before grinding her nipple under his fingers and thrusting up slowly, letting the pain and pleasure rise together.
"You've never tried to... change me, or steer me onto some other path. You're the only person that wants what I am and what I'll become. So that's... this. I'm a little protective of it."
It was a kind of complete relief that didn't feel like cheating. And maybe talking about what he would become was presumptuous, but between getting in the governor's head and clearing a ship full of pirates armed with anti-Jedi weapons... he did feel... better... than the week before.
"There's the other thing. And it's weird."
He touched the back of her head, guiding her to look him in the eye for a second before turning her back around and kissing her on the shoulder.
"I like your voice. I like how... upright you are sometimes. I like it and I hate it at the same time. What I'm saying is, you're a quintessential FO officer, and some small part of me is hatefucking the chain of command. I mean, you and Hux have your little similarities."
Maybe somewhere in the deeper, darker pits of her mind she had expected him to say something else. There were plenty of things he could have said, potentially even should have said that fit into the black hole that was Kylo Ren, moody and tense as he was. Was it in the way he moved against her, their hot bodies blending together so perfectly that she was potentially reading too deep into what he was leading up to? Probably. But to be fair, could one blame her. One hand snaking down to his back when another thrust left her bouncing up and filling his head with another one of her moans, the slow timed thrust leaving her cheek pressed against his now. Again, his words did nothing to go against that tiny piece of slack she was giving him, and then she found herself giving him more.
Well, there was this. And it was all fine and well, truthfully, deciding she couldnt exactly pin point what she would have expected him to say. The sex, was obviously going to be a part of this, but anything else almost seemed messy to include. However, there it was again, him leading up to things that made her debate herself. Her half lidded eyes stared down, faintly nodding as a sign that she was listening despite the mangle of moans dancing around them only to have her gaze turned into his. There was no searching for something in the expression on his face, because before she knew it she was shifted again, body shivering lightly. Her eyes had just grazed the wall when he began, and if there had been another watching, they could pinpoint the exact moment the skin under her eye twitched faintly.
Of course. OF COURSE.
This is why I dont fucking like you, Kylo Ren.
The hand against his back had curled into a fist, raising it and dropping it hard against the back of his shoulder, her eyes tearing away from the wall after giving it the clear blank expression for more than enough time. Ill make sure to tell Hux the next time Im letting him Pausing as she dropped another heavy hit into his back, the blonde glared at his cheek now, Similarities. She grumbled, well aware that if he wasnt buried inside of her, she would probably have more mental clarity to be fuming with him. Similarities. You're similar to Vader and look what the fuck happened to him.
Well, that was one way to keep her from dwelling on his big emotional monologue. Of course, that gave him other problems to deal with. He smirked as her fist pounded into him. And he responded, gripping her ass tightly for a second before smacking it with one strong hand, just a touch harder than she'd hit him. "Shut up."
Kylo hauled her into the air, lifting her up to the head of his dripping cock before slamming her back down, bending her roughly around him as he savored the feeling of his body exerting itself on hers. "You aren't telling him fucking anything, funny girl. Turn around." He lifted her off him again and did most of the turning for her, putting her on her knees facing the wall.
He rubbed the broad head of his dick in her juices, but could only tease himself for a couple seconds before fucking her from the new position, his fingers digging into her hips (one of his many favorite places) as he started again, feeling a new level of pressure and tightness from this angle.
He needed this, all bullshitting aside. They'd wanted this for hours, had to tolerate the kind of long lectures you'd give a child. And who knew what those people were cooking up for them even now?
Instantly, she could feel the stinging pain his hand left against her skin, and despite jumping softly in his grasp, even beyond the " ah! ", it felt good. The lingering feeling of his hand left in the print, the firm grip he held onto her ass pushing the smile up despite how she attempted to keep it from showing. Of course, it wasn't like feeling his cock shoot back inside her didn't help that, fist unclenching rapidly to place her palm back to his skin.
" Fuck! "
There were several more of those to come after she was shifted onto her knees, her back arching slightly. Whatever rupture of annoyance she had held toward him before was momentarily forgotten when her shoulders dropped slightly, allowing her plush ass to welcome more of his impact. Again, Phasma was reminded that this was a damn good distraction.
Had he blacked out or something?
His hand was around her throat before he understood what was going on, and his body was on autopilot. He was deep inside her now, and he roughly pulled her closer using her neck as a handle, gyrating powerfully against her and manipulating her lower back with his free hand.
He was like this all the time, wasn't he? He was measuring her body's reaction with each stroke, seeing which angles made her arch her back, made her moan, made her shiver.
And when one place got a especially mind-melting reaction, he stayed there for a while. He held her tight enough to keep her from slipping away and pounded her, pausing a little to flex his rod inside her before churning it inside her.
And after one low howl, he decided this was where he had found his place. He tightened his grip on her neck and pushed in deeply.
And she was responding in just the right way - thrusting her ass up to meet him despite the stress on her throat. He looked down at the view that she was missing, his cock stretching her and sliding in and out, faster and faster - until he felt a familiar pull that he could only stop by slowing down. And a familiar apathy that said there was absolutely nothing more important than getting relief right now, in this moment.
She was shuddering and screaming around him, and he was slumped over her, coming hard and heavy as he finally, finally, let her throat go and wrapped around her waist, dragging her to her side with one more animal grunt before laying down, finally relieved by a soft surface, silently hoping she didn't have the energy to turn around and kick him out of the damned thing.
Whatever it was that made sex with him so glorious, Phasma was grateful.
Grateful when his big fingers spread over her hips to get a grasp at more of her skin, amazed at how flawlessly her body reacted. It was as though they were speaking through his heavy grunts and her own spilling moans, telling one another without making proper sentences where they wanted to be. Even if his emotions had, for the most part, failed her, Phasma knew there were better ways to make up for it.
Her own hands gripping into the sheets as her body remained wonderfully bowed, that wonderful feeling was creeping back into the lower part of her stomach. Warm and dancing down her thighs, each thrust aided the push further and further until she felt the end crash down, her walls silently begging for his release as her own spread across his length. It was like clockwork, grinning with pink cheeks and lustful eyes as her back remained arched and accepting of each shift, Phasma's body shivering wonderfully when she felt the last few hard pumps into her body.
Luckily for him, the orgasm left her momentarily in the high it gave, closing her eyes for a moment. " Did you feel that was as vigorous as usual? "
"Yes? No?"
He didn't feel like anything so much as a bug that had been slammed into a windshield. Except the windshield was made of orgasms instead of fiberglass. And he felt like his whole body was twitching in unison, completely exhausted - except for one part of him that considered this more of an intermission than a conclusion.
"I feel like my pelvic bone is in better shape? But the rest of me..." Kylo creaked his neck downwards to survey his body, and chuckled in disbelief at the landscape of sweating flesh and shaking muscle. Which of course led to him looking across the bed. She looked like she'd been in a fight, and he looked like he'd run a marathon. "I'd call it a wash."
Kylo covered his eyes with his palms, as if trying to dig deep enough to massage his brain. "Not that I wouldn't take a couple of painkillers and do that again. You're very good on top. And. Y'know. Everywhere."
Fingers shifting up and through her hair, Phasma considered for a moment the sort of slap in the face it would be to have him limping through the ship again, someone murmuring something about it and Fedorre taking it upon himself to ask. After all, the week without his mask was basically up and it was potentially a lot easier to ask things of him when you weren't directly staring at a scowl. The thought made her smile for a moment, turning her eyes to him now as they both scanned his body for any signs of trauma, easily confirming to herself that she got more out of that than he did.
Laughing now when he admitted that painkillers would essentially be ideal, Phasma moved carefully, sitting on her knees next to him and shaking her head, " If you have to take painkillers, I feel like that still counts as a loss for you. " Certainly, it did. Already sure he was prepared to argue about it, the blonde smoothly guided the conversation elsewhere, nonchalantly returning herself back to his lap. The sensation was completely different than before, no layers of fabric protecting his cock from her warmth as it rubbed against him, feeling it twitch beneath her as if it were begging to return. " You know, you didn't actually say what this is. You just alluded to something and tried to be cute about it, " With this, her hips rocked forward carefully, bringing her wet slit up his length but again, leaving him out of her warm home.
If he thought he was getting out of these feelings, he wasn't.
Knees on either side of him, her fingers slid against his inner wrists, tracing the veins as she leaned over him now, eyes moving over his face before meeting his eyes. " What is this and why are you so protective of it? "
"I was exaggerating about the painkillers. It was funny." And he was exaggerating, just not as much as she might have thought. He let out an oof as she leaned into him. He could try to be crabby with her, and yet... their bodies seemed to respond to each other without words, and it made him seem like a liar no matter what he said.
Regardless, she seemed weirdly proud of herself. She was thinking like a man, if so. Really, if Kylo Ren looked like he'd been jammed into a trash compactor while these rumors were flying around, it would only add to everyone's droid theory. And maybe nobody would say so to her face, for obvious reasons... she'd know somehow. Absolutely.
"Can we talk a minute," he said, grinding his teeth together and looking away as his cock lurched forward at her touch, "to appreciate the irony of you trying to force me to emote?"
It seemed unfair, the more he thought about it. Kylo hadn't gotten her stirred up and asked about her inner monologue. Probably because he didn't want to hear it, but still. And he felt like he'd talked about it, enough. Talked about it at length. And he didn't want to add to it because...
Well, now he wasn't just having to work out how he felt about himself. Now he had to work out what she felt about what he felt about himself. And that was just fucking dizzying.
"I mean our relationship. It used to be a nice thing that made me feel sane." He put his hands behind his head, wearing a smile that might have betrayed his words.
There it was again, the gentle twitch attempting to speak for him when his answers didn't flow from his lips, her nails traced the veins again carefully before guiding over the rest of his arm. Studying them without actually looking at them, meeting the warmth of his skin with her own as her hips subconsciously moved again, bringing her folds lower down his shaft. " Kylo Ren, you have been on countless missions and in the faces of dozens of men and women who hate what you are and what they know you'll become, " Sitting up now, her palms pressed against his chest, the familiar feeling of his heart thudding there being ignored, narrowing her eyes softly, " And yet you act like I am ripping your fingernails out for an answer. "
Granted, Phasma thought, he could very easily turn the situation around to her. And what would she have said if he had asked, well that wasn't important, because she had knocked his train of thought away again when she arched her back again and let his length fill her up.
The distraction had done its job for the night, lingering in their minds for perhaps a day or two after before they each became too busy to simply stop and enjoy their surroundings. Only once had their been a pause in this, when a conversation of little hints and subtle teases turned into more, relatively quickly, the blonde took this opportunity to remind him. It had happened all so fast, and ended just as swiftly, the narrow, empty room littered with huffs of breath beneath his mask before she stood so calmly from her place on her knees, murmuring, " Similarities my ass. " And left him there with a saliva coated erection. That had been a week ago, both falling in line in front of the watchful eye of others within the Order, Commander Phasma sighed softly when she remembered the decision to tentatively give her her cadets back.
Things were falling back into line, for the most part.
She had almost gotten used to not being in her standard armor. Almost. Of course her alternative had been to wear the other variety of her uniform, getting over the reaches it made to have feminine qualities. Blinking out of her trance as she moved through her rounds, it was as though by chance that the redhead found her, easily stopping his shuttle to move swiftly toward her. " Commander Phasma, I'd like a word. " Of course you would. Turning her eyes from the vision of black outside the ship, Phasma watched him shuffle a stack of folders in his gloved hands before he spoke again, " About, Lavish's party, hm? Do you remember any of the people he was sitting with at that table? I think I've found- " His words were cut short by the haste of another, both noting the flustered expression on his face as though he had just been bullied for his money. " Whatever it is you have to say, I'm sure it can wait. Now, Commander- "
" I'm sorry Major General, but Commander. You're going to want to see this. "
He'd been in the middle of a meditation session. One Plasma had interrupted with a hard stare and a pull on the ears and a "stop sitting around here" that left Kylo wondering if she was getting too familiar with him.
He made his way out to the hall, his eyes still stinging in the fresh, harsh light of the corridor. He was still blinking the light out of his eyes when he noticed Hux, looking as tired and haunted as the first time he'd met him. Where are we going, Major General?
Adjunction room. Hux barked. You're a special guest at a very large conference. And it's just plain General now.
Kylo didn't stop in his tracks, but his eyes widened, and his heart rumbled in his chest. Something terrible must have happened.
You have absolutely no idea what an understatement that is.
The pit in his stomach just grew as he entered the adjunction room - the last couple of times he'd been here they were relatively intimate meetings, but now there were a dozen Order officers packed into the room via hologram, with Snokes placid, menacing form at the head of the carnage. And every person in the room turned to him and Phasma as they entered the room.
He found he didn't need the mask as much as he thought. He didn't feel as if he was in control, but he did need to act like it. It's wonderful that you were all so patient. Who's going to bring me up to speed?
That was something he'd learned a long time ago. When in doubt, just sound confident.
But the confidence faded when Fedorre turned on a screen above them. Now he see what he presumed they were all so upset about. It was security footage of the break-in to the Chandrila digital archive. There was Kylo and Phasma, killing the guards and making their way towards the computer room.
This, Fedorre says sternly, is incontrovertible proof that the First Order played a role in the turnover of Chandrila.
Kylo shrugged. We blockaded the planet for a year. And then you practically glassed the capital city. Of course we played a role. As long as there isnt any footage of me and Arquardt, we should be fine.
Youre being rather flippant, Kylo Ren. This was Snoke speaking, which sent a chill through the room. It was of utmost impotance that you werent discovered-
I wasnt. Kylo looked around the room for the red jacket of the intelligence division. Im not a spy. You sent me down there with Commander Phasma against overwhelming odds. Which we accomplished, we couldnt have predicted-
Worse than the video, is who published it.
How could that possibly matter? Kylo whired around the room looking for reassurance. And all of these people - all decorated, all geniuses, some of them heroes dating back to the old Empire all of them looked nervous about this.
Kylo, the tape was in the hands of General Bel Iblis.
The dead one?
Thats the thing, Hux said, putting a hand on his shoulder. Hes very much not dead.
How many times had she been in an adjunction room full of people she didn't particularly care to be involved with. Sure, being recognized for your efforts was one thing, but this shit was getting out of hand. Her eyes had followed the video as though it were Ren playing them back to her, a similar wince coming across her face as this clearly would not lead into anything good. It never was in these rooms. Holding onto her wrists behind her back, nails tapping into the bottom of her palms when Fedorre spoke, shaking her head faintly as though it were the wildest thing that the Order was behind what had happened to Chandrila.
Of course they were.
" Not to be disrespectful Admiral, but you sent us onto that planet with no security clearance to even get near the senate. We did what made sense with the option we were given. " What were they supposed to do? Let themselves get captured by a set of guards? Please, the scenario would have turned out exactly the same with potentially more bodies, eyes meeting the flushed Admiral Fedorre, who clearly needed the reminder that that was exactly what he had done. Of course, the subject was so rapidly changed she had to resist rolling her eyes in front of the higher chain of command.
Gritting her teeth softly when the announcement had been so abruptly leaked by a presumed dead man, Phasma wanted desperately to ask how they'd fucked that up, again curious if it was just that easy to disappear. " Are you sure it's not another HRD? " Was her next question, having had one too many run ins with them already, she wanted to at least get some idea of this apparently walking corpse. She wished it was that easy now, to just disappear into the universe and never be seen again, her eyes moving back up to the screen as a snippet of what else came with the video surveillance recording.
" . . I tried to be kind about it, I really did. Gave you the ultimatum, sixty seconds and all that fun bit. Then you had to go and screw it all up, huh. " The tone of the General's voice was clear annoyance in the situation, his eyes staring toward them as though he was speaking to them directly and not pre-recorded. " The good news here is, that kid you've got playing Vader dress up, is just that. A kid playing dress up, so I thought to myself, maybe I could let this whole situation go. . But now, now I can't do that. And that's where your bad news comes in. . "
The camera slowly panned back from the stern face of General Bel Iblis, revealing a plush, rounded seat that seemed to clash with his taciturn features. Rolling back even further, it revealed a tall, sun-drenched set of windows and a wide marble table.
"I'm sending this message from the Theed Royal Palace in Naboo. A few hours ago, this planet was under the predictably brutal occupation of the First Order. And, I get that, you know? Emperor Palpatine's home planet. Owning this place must have been a big boost for morale. But tonight, I'm sending a message loud and clear - there are still people in this galaxy who don't roll over and die in the face of naked aggression. Had to kill a few thousand gullible young kids to send that message, but..."
Bel Iblis shrugged, the faintest hint of a smile emerging on his lips. "So it goes. And that's not my only message. To the New Republic and freedom loving people throughout the galaxy: I liberated Naboo with ten ships. Ten. We don't have time to be intimidated by these assholes. This fella Snoke isn't Palpatine, and all the Knights of Ren put together sure as hell aren't Darth Vader."
Kylo felt his jaw shaking. He scanned the reactions of the room, Hux had his usual mix of terror and resoluteness that he almost admired. The younger officers were mostly keeping it together, but the older hands, the ones that had actually fought this man in his prime... calling them "wary" would be a generous way to put it.
"Not yet, anyway. The First Order is cooking up some nasty stuff. This business in Chandrila is just the tip of the iceberg. Don't wait for them to bring the war to you. Stand up and fight. I'm ready to lead the way. This is General Garm Bel Iblis - "
Snoke waved his hand, and the screen was gone, replaced by wrecked, burning ships that littered the landscape of Naboo. Hux cleared his throat. "Obviously, this was not an HRD. There aren't any androids with this level of tactical talent, that much is certain."
"He's not just making us look like fools, he's inciting chaos throughout our territory. I want to lead a team into Theed. Obviously, this general needs -"
"The Knights of Ren," Snoke said calmly, "are indisposed. Even for this."
Kylo narrowed his eyes. He really needed a conversation with that man. About this, and a lot of things.
"Just explain to me how we fix this."
It was admirable, even from the side of the First Order, to watch this man so carefully pick apart things the Order stood for, pick apart Snoke and his knights. The way he plucked at the true lack of resistance in his fight to prove to those in occupied cities that the Order was nothing more than a shadow, her eyes peeling away from the screen to look at Kylo, almost surprised he hadn't began lashing out at anything within the room. Here was a man, who was assumed as dead, speaking out toward the people of the Republic and the Resistance, and it made her skin crawl.
It, though only for a second, made her consider the possibilities of an uprising.
They couldn't allow that to happen. Her eyes dancing over the dark clouds of smoke from burning ships that would have looked so out of place among the lush greens had Naboo not been a place for several conflicts, there was a knot forming in the bottom of her stomach. Everything about the planet looked the same, the panning shot of pieces of rubble on fire, jutting out from the ground, Commander Phasma's eyes lingered on the images, more so in the background. Gorgeous buildings with rounded roofs enveloped by black smoke, her eyes dropped to the floor for a moment, the slack on her wrists giving her room to cough into a closed fist softly.
Was nice to see that home still looked. . Familiar.
God how she wished he had been an HRD.
" Extraction. " Because make no mistake, she was certainly not willing to hear about this General slipping out of their grasp and into the shadows to hide and bulk himself up until it was time. Her word was mostly to herself, although the Admiral had heard her clear enough to nod his head. " Yes, that's correct. We're going to have to make an example out of General Bel Ilbis. "
With, limited resources, apparently.
"And," Kylo said, finally picking up on all this, "General Hux is going to be leading the way on this for some reason."
He crossed his eyes and gave the redhead a skeptical look. "There are a handful of people in this room that actually fought General Bel Iblis during the civil war. None of you want revenge against him? Why would Hux, of all people -"
"Because," he said, a little irritation entering his voice. "I scored the highest on the simulation we produced based on data from previous -"
"SIMULATION?" Kylo had wanted to scream for the last minute and this finally tipped him over the edge. It was IMPOSSIBLE that they'd been going down that route again. "I'm looking at a holo-montage of thousands of dead men and you have zero field experience co-ordinating anything besides one disaster! Did you even BEAT him in the simulation?"
Hux flushed and Kylo groaned out loud. He'd meant for it to just be a pejorative question that didn't require an actual answer. "I scored the highest, Ren."
"That's not the actual man. You understand that. Even in the best case scenario, it's not going to play out like a computer simulation of his tactics."
"Unpredictability is ... that's built into the model."
He was hearing a lot of the same noises he'd heard before the disaster with the Resolute. They couldn't possibly be making these same mistakes again. Kylo grabbed his head and marched around, gathering his thoughts and trying not to have a screaming tantrum in front of the entire brass.
Snoke simply turned to the red suited officer. "I would like a full review and crackdown of the intelligence department. Any little suspicions need to be brought to light. Project Orsanna cannot be revealed to the Republic or their proxies."
The woman stood and marched off. Then he turned to someone else.
"I want diplomacy to be used as a redirection. Pressure the Republic to denounce Bel Iblis as a terrorist who broke our treaty based on a paranoid delusion."
The diplomat's jaw fell to the floor. "Supreme Leader, there's video evidence."
"Chandrila was a neutral territory. The Republic might not like our actions there, but they do not technically break the terms of the treaty. Remember that we do have certain... hard-earned leverage in the Senate."
"They still aren't going to denounce -" He stopped himself at a look from Snoke and stood up. "I can at least keep them from giving him aid."
Snoke nodded, and he was gone too, mumbling under his breath. Kylo tried to take a breath, tried to sound measured, but his own rage and anxiety was eating him up. "This isn't good enough! You want us to capture the Rebellion's best general with... one tac team?"
"Lord Vader," he said dismissively, "did more with less."
"If I were Lord Vader, this would be a much smaller room!" Kylo wanted to scream at the top of his lungs. This was supposed to be the most powerful military machine in the history of civilization, and Snoke seemed to always be forcing him to fight with a hand tied behind his back and a blindfold around his eyes!
"Kylo, if you are yet again dissatisfied with my leadership -" Kylo reached out and grabbed Hux by the neck before he could say anything else - with his bare hands instead of the Force, flinging him to the table and leaning over his panting body.
"Dissatisfied?" Apparently he had a choice between Hux and the men who stepped aside and let him lead a mission to restore the Order's honor. Neither of those options were going to make him happy.
"Kylo," Snoke said softly, "I will not countenance this kind of behavior in my presence."
"And I will not be treated like a CHILD!" Kylo slung Hux to the floor, trembling with rage as he approached the hologram. "If the Knights of Ren are involved in something more important than recovering the Emperor's home planet from the Resistance, then I want to know about it immediately so that I can be involved with that instead of wasting my life on Naboo of all places."
Snoke's face was unmoving and unreadable for an agonizing length of time. He looked directly at Kylo, ignoring the rest of the room. "Hux's leadership of this mission is that objectionable to you?"
"It's the lack of resources that I object to." Kylo spun around a couple times, honing in on Phasma as some kind of anchor in this spinning world. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to yell something at her too, before finally wiping his hand through Snoke and slamming a hand on the table. "Everyone in this room looks ashamed of themselves but none of them are speaking up! I want... I want to personally lead the strike team."
"Of course."
"I want the Knights of Ren."
"The moment any of them are available and fit for duty, they'll be sent to you. But for the moment, they are indisposed." Indisposed. Indisposed? He turned around and stormed out of the room, slamming his hand against the wall and sending a painting tumbling to the ground.
By all means, Phasma was absolutely amazed by Hux. He was downright fascinating.
Never in her life had she seen a man so brave that it was almost stupid, almost terrifying. It was admirable, the way he held onto his pedestal of simulations and data, buried to his pretty little eyeballs in research, Phasma was outright amazed. And it showed in the expression on her face, brows raised and eyes slightly wider than usual. Sure, he had absolutely tanked his first mission out in the field, and no simulation could have gone any worse than that had, but it was in part, also Ren's fault. But unlike General Hux, she knew when to keep her words to herself, the situation's cards laying out in front of each of them. It was as though they were asking them for a repeat of what had happened before.
A suicide mission, with successful results.
It was when Hux spoke again, that the faintest shake of her head resulted in her closed eyes. Unbelievable. Hux was a rare, rare treasure, the sound of his back slamming into the table did nothing to cause her to open her eyes. Breathing out softly to catch the ginger land on the floor in the shuffle, she noted how Fedorre had taken a practical step out of Kylo's physical reach, just in case. Her eyes had been drifting back to the silently playing holofeed projection when the fuming knight caught her gaze.
Arms folding over her chest now, for a split second she expected to brace herself, but apparently Hux had taken the brute force of his aggression, and inwardly, it did surprise her. Finally getting another glimpse at the mangled ships, another inaudible breath pushed out of her lips when Hux finally shuffled up just as Ren escaped the room.
" Supreme Leader, " The words echoed between both herself and Hux, turning her head to look at the redhead for a moment before speaking again. " If we are to capture General Bel Iblis, I have to hope we are doing this based on more than a simulation only done by one very inexperienced tactition. "
The conversation had gone on in a smoother fashion, or at least as well as it could, the politics discussed far more than she cared for them to be. General Hux would be leading the team until Bel Iblis was secured, and it was known that he was. From there, Phasma would orchestrate the troopers from planetside to confirm taking the planet back. It was all a lot of risk with one monumental pay off, if it worked.
It was almost as though Snoke had expected her to go and find Ren, the way he had worded things seemed as though he were pointing without actually saying a word. Again, it reminded her of the cringe worthy phrase he had used, escaping the tension of the adjunction room, boots guiding her across a bridge that overlooked the bay, watching the fluster of men from above. The woman moved through the steady flurry of others preparing for the inevitable, Phasma's closed fist knocking against his door now.
" Kylo. "
Kylo touched the door from across the room. Of course, there was only one person this could have been. He watched her enter with his legs folded beneath his body, looking at some recordings of the battle. It had just gone... miserably, in every conceivable way. The planet's defense forces were taken by complete surprise, took an agonizing amount of time to deploy, underestimated the Dreadnoughts, used formulaic tactics, and broke to pieces as soon as the odds shifted against them.
"Is this your upset face?" Kylo waved a hand around his face and kept a very stoic expression. "I saw an entire room of men in carefully ironed suits gleefully sending us on another poorly thought out suicide mission. Which I wouldn't even mind except that we got blamed for everything that went wrong last time. We get blamed for everything that goes wrong in the field."
In a sense, it was their fault - but it wasn't much of a sense. How were they supposed to think about electronic surveillance? An actual spy would have made that determination, but Fedorre in his infinite wisdom hadn't sent one. Both of them were closer to... blunt instruments. And they'd been fabulous at blunting.
"The good news is that we won't have to do much sneaking around. Through all this... wreckage."
" I feel like I very specifically told you the last time, when you talk about my face, I don't appreciate it. It hurts my feelings. "
To be fair, General Hux had very silently expressed that he wanted to come, but Phasma had expressed to him numerous times that she could not protect him from something she couldn't see. Merely sit, and watch, as he was strangled without Ren ever having to put a hand on him. And well, that with the unpleasant reminder of what had happened when Kylo simply mentioned a false power of the force, Hux decided to sit this conversation out. Good for him. Her eyes roamed the information he had quickly gathered on the floor, noticing her own handwriting among one of them and the faint ticks of red where Fedorre had noted certain things about the Chandrila affair.
The job had been done, completed to the best of their abilities. And up until now, nothing had been seen as wrong.
And with that said, Phasma didn't consider that something to leave them at fault for. Video surveillance of them tampering with machines didn't completely seal that they were an active hand in this, and even if it did. So? Troopers had stormed the planet within a few hours after, it wasn't as though they couldn't have done that in time. Or rather, at any time. Once it became the First Order to make the move into a neutral space, it was apparently a problem, as if that wasn't what the Republic knew would happen. And for a moment, Phasma decided, that if that was the case, then they had been set up by Fedorre being careless. . Even worse, Snoke.
" Yes, but we can't go around killing everyone either. " Going to the planet and peeling through the layers of the Resistance until they reached the core of it all, just didn't make any real sense. He could get away before they ever even got to him. However, and this was where she knew he was going to react badly, her arms folded over her chest again lightly, " They want us heading to Naboo in two hours, " There was a pause, her eyes pulling from him and looking over the ceiling, " So you should at least apologize to Hux and hear what he has planned. "
She had said it fast and the look on his face when she glanced down at him was still registering, good. However, when he clearly began to go against, Phasma shook her head and spoke again, adding, " You can't choke everyone and expect the results to be the same! "
Her statement had deflated him from his carefully crafted meditative pose. Kylo fell backwards with a huff, narrowing his eyes and starting to talk before she cut him off.
"If anything, he should be thanking me." He'd only used his hands to throttle him, and so Hux was still walking around doing... whatever it was he was supposed to be doing right now. Of course, Phasma wasn't going to see the wisdom and truth in that kind of statement. She had her arms folded and was giving him a very level sort of look.
Two hours. This really was just like the Resolute. Kylo pulled himself up and reached for his mask, tucking it underneath his arm. He didn't feel like a shivering nervous wreck anymore without it, and yet... he had a feeling it might be useful. He enjoyed the thing, it let him feel a little more in control of the situation. And he needed that more than anything, right now.
"I will apologize to Hux," he said through gritted teeth. Of course, that was the only thing he could do. He had to work with him, and he couldn't exactly throttle Snoke, could he? "I will hear what he has planned. I don't promise any politeness beyond that."
***
But Hux had taken it as an admission of undying friendship, somehow.
"It's quite all right, Ren." He put a hand on his shoulder, kept it there for what felt like ages until Kylo looked at the hand... and then slowly looked back at him. "I've learned not to take anything personally in this line of work. Your outburst was in a genuine concern for the success of our mission. I wish everyone in the room had that sort of passion."
"Huh." Hux turned around and started messing with some tactical maps on the wall. Kylo didn't at all think he meant this. A room full of Kylo Ren's would have been a destructive shit-show. Of course, maybe that was Hux's subtle way of making the point.
"In addition to that," he said cheerily, the subtlety starting to leave his voice, "your opposition to my leadership was based almost completely on ignorance. The simulations we run are much more emotionally taxing than the image you might have in your imagination. Commander Phasma can attest to that."
He looked at Phasma out of the corner of his eye. He was still thinking about her comment earlier, replaying it in his head. Was she being... serious? If she didn't say everything with that tone, he'd be able to figure it out without all this recrimination. It was a weird thought either way. Her face wasn't any worse than his. Or Hux's, for that matter. He turned back to Hux. "Huh," he said again.
"You should actually try it. I bet the support staff could conjure up something that would challenge you. And it would give you an idea of the rigors your comrades go through to develop personal discipline."
Kylo narrowed his eyes. The First Order could forget the Star Destroyers and send Hux to the Republic. He'd be the Grand Fucking Chancellor within five years. "Let's get in and out of this alive. Then we'll talk about playing... computer games together, all right?"
Whatever wisdom and truth he thought was there, Phasma wasn't going to let it go unresolved, silently thanking him for at least agreeing to be civil, whether it was genuine or not.
What was surprising however, and she really shouldn't have been so shocked, was Hux. He was a damn treasure, she was sure of it. " Like a fucking rare gem. " Or an alien. . Or an HRD, which made her eyes dance to the side for a moment as it could be plausible. Unable to watch the awkward interaction for much longer as Hux held onto his shoulder as though he were giving him lessons in life, the blonde moved toward one of the maps now, using her fingertips to zoom into the aerial image of present day Theed.
Having settled her hand against her cheek as though holding her head, the blonde looked to General Hux again, still faintly amazed as she watched him so easily dodge any sense of bother he had from the situation. Amazing. However when he even went as far as to say that Ren should try his luck in one of the simulated environments, the hand shifted into a fist, biting softly against her knuckle to keep from laughing. Alright, now it seemed fair to iron out the slowly forming wrinkles, shaking her head faintly, " It's still not the same, " Of course it wasn't, and she was sure General Hux knew that. He was now able to see that, with his prior and only mission literally blowing up in his face and partially resurrecting a dead man.
" Of course not. . But that is why, this time, we have a back up plan, hm? "
Phasma almost wanted to smile at how proud of himself he looked, as though a Plan B was a reason to be as happy as he was, at least he knew how fond Kylo Ren was of his options. . When they were given anyway.
"A backup plan!" Kylo gave his hands one sarcastic clap together, and a wonderous expression came across his face. "That's just delightful."
"Well, we're going to -" Hux spun around and tried to do one gesture or another to zoom in on the palace, but he staggered and realized that Phasma had already done it. He recovered, running a hand through his hair and tapping the palace itself. "We're planning to attack the palace on three different fronts at once. Each more subtle than the next. First, we're going to disable the palace with ion cannons from the Gauntlet. With that cover, we're going to deploy a stormtrooper battalion to attack the palace directly."
"That's easier said than done," Kylo said with a grunt. "They're going to have their own preparations to defend the palace. And they're likely to have their own cannons that they'll be firing upwards."
"They're not going to disable a Star Destroyer with ground based cannons. Matter of time, and we have plenty." He tapped the screen, and it smoothly rotated the show the back of the palace.
"That's where you come in. The odds are low that we'll capture the General with a frontal assault. We're going to send a second team to breach the palace from behind. These won't be stormtroopers. They're Order Intelligence, a special unit of eight fitted with stealth armor."
"Eight isn't much."
"These are the best of the best, and they're trained especially for insertion and extraction. They will get in and you will cut through whatever's in front of you."
"What if -"
"What if the General escapes?" Hux nodded and twisted the map around again. "There's a third unit. There are secret tunnels underneath the palace especially for these kinds of emergencies. We've put together a team of marines especially for preventing this kind of escape. Heavy arms - it's my hope that they'll be able to trap him between the two teams if it comes to it."
Kylo looked at the map and the glowing red arrows that indicated an ideal scenario. "What if Bel Iblis keeps your Star Destroyers from getting within range?"
"That wouldn't be possible -"
"Let's say he does something unexpected. It wouldn't be the first time."
"We turn the palace to slag from orbit."
"What if our team runs into Luke Skywalker?"
"What?"
"Luke Skywalker." He was pushing the argument to the absurd, maybe, but he wanted to emphasize a point that hadn't really stuck to him -
"That seems like a problem you and the Supreme Leader are suited to solving," he said crisply. "In the worst case scenario, you can retreat and we'll extract you. Are there any other questions?"
Kylo folded his hands, and gestured towards Phasma. "I'm questioned out."
There it was again, a plan that sounded perfect out loud and had the potential to be even better if the outcome gave them Iblis. Hux even managed to g through each and every hole Ren threw at him, watching the arrows of each strike swell on the map as though again, nothing could go wrong in this. Shaking her head faintly, Phasma knew there was no avoiding the push in her mind, letting her eyes move between the two as they went back and forth, raising a brow similar to General Hux when the mention of Luke Skywalker came into conversation.
What.
How long had it been, she didn't care enough to think about, but out of all the times for him to appear why- Well. . That would be the way things would work, wouldn't it. " And you'll be on the ship, out of the way? " The ever present flush on Hux's face was as telling as always, Phasma finding the most comfort in that, Hux in her ear was a lot easier to deal with than Hux in the way, in person. There was a shining light in this after all, the man coughing into his hand as though that would assist his blush. " Someone has to make sure the strike from the Gauntlet goes without disarray. Just the same as you both are on the ground with your roles, hm? " His hand motion causing another depiction of the perfect attack he had planned, turning back to Phasma with a flicker of joy in his eyes as though he was to tell her the best of news.
" But! Right on time for your battalion strike, your new armor is ready! "
" Oh General, you're trying to be in my heart, aren't you? "
With the good news delivered and the plan out in the air, several decisions agreed upon that if things went sour, extraction and destruction would be the objectives of the remaining troopers and the Gauntlet. After returning to her bedroom, it hadn't taken Phasma long at all to dive into her favorite shell, sighing comfortably at the clean shine as she tucked her helmet beneath her arm and moved to the bay, the line up of troopers and First Order alike almost welcoming. It had been a while since anything Gauntlet involved was at least this organized, breathing out softly as she slipped the helmet over her head and boarded the assigned ship.
Kylo marched towards the stern, towering shuttle, and without any undercover missions or side wagers, he was finally able to wear his face. There wasn't anymore time for thinking and reflecting on himself. Now it was time for his enemies to think, to ponder their last regrets, and he relished that clarity. And it seemed like most of the men in the docking bay did too, giving him a very wide berth as he entered the ramp and climbed onto the craft.
He hadn't expected this. The place was cramped and crowded. Phasma was there in the back, standing out as usual. The newcomers blended together, but in a delightful and terrifying way. The members of Section CT-1 wore black armor, so polished it was almost reflective, with glowing red lines placed on the knees... forearms... ankles. All eight of them looked as though they bathed in ashes and blood before getting here.
He gave a small nod before one of them marched a step and a half to greet him.
"Good afternoon, sir." A hard, female voice with a weird accent - this was Sargent Platini. "General Hux told us to expect you."
"I heard that you were the people Snoke called on when the odds were impossible. Well, the other people."
"CT-1 will do our best to leave behind a few stragglers, but we can't make any promises."
"It's funny, I was going to say the same thing."
"Remember," Phasma chimed in calmly, "that our main objective is capturing General Bel Iblis and bringing him back to the Gauntlet."
Kylo clicked his teeth and stood up near the back of the ship as it rumbled underneath him. He looked the Section over, and all of them were rigid, patient, stock still. And he liked the lack of nervous fidgeting.
"Gentlemen!" Platini turned her shoulders and addressed them now - and from directly across the ship, it was like she was looking right into Kylo's eyes. "Since CT-1 was founded, we have killed men and women in every corner of the galaxy. You have spread like crimson ink poured across the stars, turning everything that opposes you an ugly shade of red. In word and deed, you have honored the Supreme Leader and defended the honor of the First Order."
The men let out one unified, savage bark.
"And now he's seen fit to honor you in return. Snoke has decided that killing men was just... too easy for the likes of us. So this afternoon, we are killing a GHOST. Garm Bel Iblis disappeared from the Rebellion 20 years ago because not even the people that fraternize with walking sushi could stand the smell of his horseshit."
"Now he's back. With a fleet that was ancient twenty years ago, a mind that's clearly addled, and no friends worth speaking of. Someone told him a pack of apple-cheeked children had conquered the galaxy, and now he's come to take advantage. But listen - you are the strongest warriors in all of recorded history. He had war thrust upon him - you have chosen it from birth. He fights to defend the weak - you stand united with the strong. He's got an appointment with destiny waiting for him on the Gauntlet... and that's the one thing you've got in common."
There were a few loud barks, and a cheer that felt deafening even inside his helmet. The ship rumbled even more intensely with the men pounding their rifles against the floor.
The Sargent looked him up and down as they entered the atmosphere. "You're going to need to hold on to one of the rails, sir. It can get bumpy."
What concern. How wonderful. Kylo smirked behind the mask and spread his legs out, letting out one light chuckle as the ship began to take off. "I can promise you, I'll be fine."
He couldn't see the rippling fire from the ground, but he could feel it, blazing by them and splashing against the shields. He tapped his ear and whispered to Hux. "You should tell me how things are going up there."
"I am a bit preoccupied, Ren." There was a pause and a few more blasts before he spoke up again. "The Gauntlet's within range, firing ion cannons. You're going to land half a mile from the palace and insert yourselves."
He looked around the ship. Everyone looked so... patient. Damnit. He should have brought a pad or... they should have installed a viewport or something. He really, really didn't like the idea of being on a ship as it got hit with a turbolaser or something.
"We're encountering quite a bit of resistance from these Dreadnoughts. They're executing a pincer on the Gauntlet and blocking us from supporting our other ships for the moment. I really did not expect -"
"HUX."
"It's actually fine. Let me concentrate. You're on vector to land. And -"
There was a loud, static hiss. The lights went out on the shuttle for a moment before switching to the emergency. The ship hung in the air for a moment and then pitched downwards. Kylo's stomach sank and he tried not to scream. "Hux. HUX what is going -"
"Everything's fine!"
"My ship is crashing."
"No, no. I meant fine for the rest -" There was an abrupt jolt as the shuttle crashed and threw him shoulder first into the ceiling and then back to the ground. Then another crash, just as hard and just as loud. Then nothing. Kylo groaned and grabbed his arm, looking frantically around the compartment.
"Is everyone all right?"
CT-1 looked banged up, but all of them seemed to have full motion in their limbs at least. Kylo felt horrible - and maybe he should have grabbed that railing after all - but it wasn't enough to slow him down. He reached out to himself, calming his aching shoulder and marching towards the front of the shuttle as the door hissed open. The automatic power was out, so they'd need to push the door open.
He took a breath and held his hand out, pushing the heavy thing open before the rest of the unit could force it open - and he already saw red and green lasers flying in his direction. Had they... had they crash landed in the fucking palace?
So much for subtlety. They'd already be pinned down.
Closing her eyes to enjoy the familiar sounds of feet marching as one, the soft noise their blasters made as they were handled with care within the ship, it was almost welcoming to hear it all from beneath her helmet. Breathing in, much like anyone else, it was a genuine comfort for this to be what they were trained for, moments like these where it was necessary to show the strength behind Snoke's grasp, rather than just leave it as some simple myth. General Bel Iblis had tested the line, stomped on it, and smiled about it, and there was nothing else left for discussion. They were going to find him, and make an example of him. Make an example of men who were proclaimed to be dead, and tell them to remain in hiding, if they were cowards enough to run in the first place. And for a moment, Phasma felt a twinge of guilt for the man.
How difficult it must be when you needed that sort of attention, and how even worse it must be when you realized the true consequences of your reckless actions.
The only mercy to be shown to Iblis was to simply keep him alive long enough to get him back to the Gauntlet. Simple, as most men could take plenty before needing to cry out for true help, subconsciously feeling her gloved hand slide across her blaster. The engine humming as it tore away from the Gauntlet and into space, her eyes remained closed for the remainder of the journey, as quickly as it was, her hand raising and gently slipping through the grasp of the band, fingers wrapping around the bar. Phasma wasn't going to remind Ren of the last instance he had seen things happening to ships when people weren't holding on, and the vocally stimulating Platini wasn't going to press him on the matter. Good. Of course, this was around the time when things seemed to go very, very left, the green view through her helmet wavering for a moment, her feet spreading out of habit.
They were breaking the atmosphere, the ships descent seemed to be going well to start, however she would have been more surprised if they hadn't been attacked, fired at. Though what was surprising was the amount of resistance the ship seemed to be taking for them to just land. Not gun fire, not cannons, but simply, force. Hux's voice was less than comforting, if she could even recall a time when it ever was, it escaped her, adjusting her fingers almost as a silent request to Ren that he still had the opportunity to hold something. Of course, that didn't happen. Well, for now Hux had done his job, even if their landing was less than graceful and clearly not where it should have been, her body shifting up only to have her back pressed into the wall beside her, another body pressed against hers.
The familiar sound of beams firing and shooting just as the scrape of the door echoed around them, their recovery was quickly, despite the ship sitting at a tilt in the capital palace, momentarily deciding that she hadn't quite expected her to ever be here by these means. No matter. Adjusting her comlink as she switched out of Hux's momentary fluster, and Commander Phasma wanted to congratulate him on handling that so smoothly for what it was, but she would do it later, speaking now to the men in white when he confirmed they were on the ground.
" File out, and clear the hallways. Find him. "
Again the march of boots was heard like a warm rumble, only to pause in firing back at the Resistance men, the situation was almost similar from within as they used the odd position to keep themselves momentarily guarded before doing just that. Nothing about this seemed unusual, at first any way, until they reached another open space in the palace, probably once a room set aside for the Emperor to be lavish, now littered in bodies of troopers and Resistance alike.
" Clear. "
" Something isn't right about this. They should have picked- "
Tapping back into the comlink to the Gauntlet, she could hear the sound of a slightly proud male who wasn't seeing what she was, who was instead going on the numbers he could see from radar. " What? Nonsense Commander, it's going swimmingly well from up here. Now, the Emperor's office where Bel Iblis made his announcement should be coming up. " They could have funneled us off the ship and killed all of us. Sighing softly, the woman moved now, ignoring the faint touches of red that lined the feet and sides of her boots, taking out the men at the front doors before watching the smear of black armor move to cover the space. The first bursting into the room, followed by the next few with their blasters prepared for any ensuing firefight, Phasma listening carefully and shaking her head; Empty. Of course.
It would be too simply for him to still be waiting in the room.
The order to spread out granted by Sargent Platini, it would take the troopers outside far too long to get inside and be of much more assistance, the group breaking off as she spoke to Hux again. " Any idea where he might be at this point? "
" The Emperor's bedroom is about twenty f- "
The comlink made that unfortunately familiar hiss, and went out, her viewpoint going black for a moment before readjusting. Narrowing her eyes, again she re-gripped her blaster and followed the two black armored men into the next room, guns aimed and readied as they spread across the still lavish room. Amazing, he had been dead all this time and they still kept the room looking pristine, as if he could actually do much in here in his final days, subconsciously noting the ornate ceiling.
" Shit. "
The word almost sounded louder than it really was, turning her head to notice one had stepped into a thin line of light, as it appeared as though it had simply been shining through the window, the ripple of the ground happened faster than any of them anticipated. The ground collapsed from the set of explosions, smoke and rubble bursting out around them as the floor crumbled beneath them.
" Commander? Commander, what happened in there? Phasma? Ren. . Ren! Commander Phasma isn't on the radar anymore. "
The scenery needed to change. They'd fought their way out of the wrecked ship (partially because of the element of surprise) and pushed towards the throne room, barely escaping the wreckage of the ship as the Resistance detonated it. But now they were in a big open room that was almost built like a funnel - a perfect opportunity for a large group to fire at a smaller one.
"Need cover!" Platini shouted tersely. Kylo wasn't a master tactician, but he could tell that much. He shoved a CT-1 rifleman aside and peeked around the corner. Republic defense forces still wore those green jackets and the half-baked helmet. Looked friendlier, he supposed. But there was a problem.
"Move when I signal you," Kylo growled. He reached out to the high glass walls that lined the palace. It was funny how inefficient these things were - they were clearly designed for a place that only knew... peace and art and beauty and shit like that. Well. The time for that was about over. Kylo smashed the glass, using the force to create a whirlwind of intelligent shrapnel and swirled down the hallway. He heard a few horrible screams as the glass flew like daggers towards the troopers, then a nasty retreat. Kylo patted Platini on the shoulder.
"MOVE."
CT-1 filed out with a vengeance, taking advantage of the cover and firing at the regrouping troops, hitting them on the ground floor and the balcony above. Kylo flipped over a massive, bolted down table as the Republic troops regrouped, firing big, shoulder mounted beams.
Someone tapped him on the shoulder. "Sir, you can go forward and we'll cover you."
Kylo poked his head over the table - there was smoke and fire from every direction towards him, and it felt like too many attacks for him to deflect or stagger or even cope with. He leaned back down. "I have a better idea."
He stayed there undercover, grabbing the Republic troopers from behind the walls and dragging them into the hallway - the black trooper pulled himself out of his cover and popped each of them twice. Suddenly a half dozen defenders were down, and they were advancing faster.
It was funny, Kylo thought, that the pirates had managed to get their hands on the ysalamiri and carefully cultivated them. They'd expected him. And yet Bel Iblis had expected them and...
Before he could finish, he'd heard the explosion roaring across the palace.
"Commander? Commander, what happened in there? Phasma? Ren. . Ren! Commander Phasma isn't on the radar anymore."
"You're JOKING." He'd been so proud of his patience and deliberation, the methodical way he'd advanced with the team. And all that had been ruined - they'd been a trap in the throne room, and now...
Kylo vaulted up from the table and broke into a sprint, trying to recall the map in his head and closing in on the throne room.
"REN!" He was almost out of the room when a voice screamed at him from across the blasted, messy room. Platini.
And yet the situation was terrifyingly familiar, wasn't it? Kylo paused for a second - just long enough to see a blaster bolt out of the corner of his eye, careenning towards the Sargent.
Kylo held his hand out, acting more on instinct and training than conscious desire - and the blaster bolt stopped, inches from Platini's head. She turned her head and fell onto her ass in shock as the beam entered her vision, inches from splitting her head open.
He exhaled, losing his grip on the bolt as he fell past her, scorching the marble on the floor. There were already red bolts flying upwards from her team, trying to nail the sniper.
Kylo fell to his knees in shock, and one of the black troopers was already on top of him, pulling him towards the rest of them. Kylo held his hand up for distance and filed in with the rest of the men.
"Tell... the Commander tell her to hang tight if you can pull her up. We're proceeding towards her position."
" I can't hear anything from any of them over there, let me. . "
When she opened her eyes, she expected to only see the detailing of the ceiling, etched in paints as she stared up at the scene through her helmet, the cracked pieces of ceiling displaying the over told story of Darth Vader's reconstruction. Each image so detailed, clearly this had been done after the take over of Naboo, the pictures swirling in her head. For what it was worth, it was beautiful. Feeling footsteps from within the rubble, turning her head just slightly to the sign of movement from one of the men she had fallen with. Good, there was one. However, looking to her left she noted the man who had initiated the bombs, the way his body lay slung backwards over a slab of rock as though someone had hung him there to dry, shaking her head carefully.
He definitely wasn't alive.
It was then, when she attempted to move, she felt the pressure against her side, the heavy wait of another piece of rubble pressing down on her side. Perhaps in the shock she hadn't noticed it, and again her body tried to put it off behind the searing headache and the fact that her hearing wasn't entirely up to par, her ears were ringing loudly, and her vision was blurring out again. The explosion made the floor appear as though it had opened up to swallow them, shattering through to the tunnel system below that had been used many times as an escape route. Clearly this had been well thought out. Breathing in sharply, Phasma's vision caught the sight of a shadow, looking up as it loomed over her and the man shoved the slab off her side, only to move into her line of sight, grinning.
The bomb hadn't necessarily targeted who he had wanted it to, but it provided him with enough leverage to speak through their comlinks now. The signal that he required was given from one of his men, Bel Iblis spoke up for the first time since their messy arrival as his team moved through the tunneling system, dragging the bodies of their hostages along with them.
" Well looks like we've gotten into a bit of a mix up. See, since you brought in Lord Jaw-less' extra special troops, someone thought that one of `em just might have been the Order's prized favorite. No matter though, we can work with what we've got, huh. "
Though the pain caused her to wince sharply, she could finally hear well enough to listen to a slightly frantic Hux. This, was not in the simulation.
" She's back on! Commander Phasma, are you sta- "
" We've got one of those extra special troops and a- hm. . Commander? Well, I'll be damned. "
It was then she felt her helmet shift as it was brought up over her head, amazed at the pleased look on Ilbis' face.
" You're the other one on that recording. And you're the one who helped blow up my cannon. What a day. Well, I think it's time we started making some negotiations then, shall we? Cause time's a ticking and little miss Commander here doesn't look so good. "
You really need to get there faster.
It was an exasperated voice that poured into his ears - and that told him a lot, even before Hux finished his sentence. The worst hadnt happened yet - but the situation had gotten worse. Gotten more complicated. Kylo was marching towards the blown up room - his own unit was only down one man, and that was an injury instead of
Exactly how bad is it?
Exactly how bad? I dont think you want to know. He cleared his throat and clacked a couple of buttons. But Ill patch you through.
There was a little static and then he heard the familiar drone of the Resistance General. Did you really just put me on hold? I dont think youre really appreciating the gravity of your situation.
I think youre the one lacking appreciation, Hux said with a clipped voice. For all of your little maneuvers, youre completely surrounded.
Am I? He said calmly. Thats an interesting assertion.
You remind me of I read a story about an ancient leader who was outnumbered and surrounded. He cleared all of his men out of the castle and stood on the barricade completely naked.
If this is a metaphor, Im worried about how you imagine me, kid.
His opponent was so baffled by this, Hux continued, that he ordered a retreat. He was sure that this was some kind of elaborate trick, so he overfought himself.
And you think youve caught me with my pants down.
Im not going to overthink it.
Its funny you say that. Kylo narrowed his eyes, making his way through the smoke, the dust, the bodies. Why all this talking. Why so much of it? A little bird told me that you ran a computer simulation of me back on the ship.
Dont act so surprised, kid. Its a funny mental image, you and dozen other people playing a video game version of me. Did you get my haircut right at least?
Well, enough of this. Kylo broke away from CT-1, sprinting towards the big, crumbled hole in the palace and jumping in the air, landing across the room from Bel Iblis and a dozen or so of his men in the distance and shit. What an awkward looking hostage she made.
My patience for games has run out, General.
You know Darth Vader wore a mask because of a deformity. What about you. Something wrong with your voice box, or are you just a pussy?
Bold words. Kylo stretched his hand out and -
Be careful. He took his free hand and produced a delay charge. Kylo rolled his eyes behind the mask. This isnt the only set of charges I wired up, kid. You people were so slow, and gave me so much time.
Did your men know Kylo said menacingly, taking a couple steps forward, that you sent them on a suicide mission?
They wanted to use those old robots? You know, the dumb ones? Roger roger? He shrugged. Wouldnt have worked. Too obvious. Did they get a few of yours?
He hated this collegial style he was using. Like they were all playing a game. Not with the plan he was using, the hostage he was taking. Fewer than youd hope for. Now I have a question. Do you think one officer is enough to get you passage off this planet?
He tightened his fist. Ideally, she'd find some way to get herself out of this for - just a second anyway.
With the ringing beginning to subside enough for faint traces of the conversation to catch in her head, the airy feeling starting to grow annoying for her as though it only amplified the sharp sear in her side. Breathing out softly, at least that didn't seem too ragged, assuming her armor had prevented any broken ribs, though in that same moment, her hand carefully shifted to her side, beneath the plate that began at her chest and immediately felt the warm, wet sensation. Sighing when the helmet was so smoothly placed back over her head as though he was saving her as a treat for later, this clearly was all in good fun for Iblis. Good fun and whatever reasons he held.
" You say that but see, here we both are in this tunnel as a result of one officer. "
The emphasis on the one came at a time after he had stood properly, his hand on the charge while his booted foot raised and pressed into the bloodied side of her armor, the sharp sound of pain she released clamped by gritted teeth and formed a hissing sound. Even if the initial set of bombs hadn't dropped the proper Order lackey into his hands, he was going to keep his advantage in this situation, no matter how much the odds seemed against him.
" So now that I've made things a bit clearer, it's about that time to make some things happen, huh? "
His men moved carefully, knowing that at any awkward misstep there could be a moment of the force erupting around them, blasters pointed just long enough for the General to give a sturdy looking Resistance fighter the charge and place Phasma on his shoulder. A shield if all things went south, really. Just in case he gets reckless with that force shit. " There's something I want in this palace, good for the Resistance and everything. And I want you to do me the honors of getting it. "
Thankfully in laying across his shoulder, Phasma hadn't been set on her bloodied side, carefully taking the risk that these men were focusing on Ren and not her head turned toward the General's pistol as though she were counting the risk.
"Do you know how many Imperials went over this palace with a fine tooth comb looking for some secret cache that belonged to the Emperor?" Kylo folded one hand in front of the other and tried to project an aura of calm. But he could feel his own eyes, blazing with hatred, giving everything away. "And the Order in the years after that? Every place on the map has been scraped clean."
Bel Iblis just smirked. "See, there's your problem. Every place down here isn't on the map. I've got an inside source with a great deal of authority on the matter."
The mission was to "extract". He'd already decided that Bel Iblis wasn't getting back to the ship. The insults had just staked on top of each other too much. Not just printing that tape, not JUST shooting him down over the palace, not just trying to kill him. Although, honestly, all that was enough. It was his calmness. His lack of fear. That attitude that he understood him and had accounted for him.
His mind was already racing with a dozen ways to crush him and his friends like bugs, some way he could feel the horror and futility of dying half a galaxy away from home. He hadn't felt that since... well, the Bothan wasn't so long ago. But he was feeling it again. He could kill him and figure out how to apologize for everything later.
"This must be very important indeed, General. Imagine if it were to fall into the wrong hands."
There was a long pause here. "Don't outsmart yourself, kid. Your lame ass barely knows what it is and wouldn't know how to use it."
"But the Emperor did?"
"Oh no. The Emperor didn't use this. He wanted to prevent anyone else from using it." Bel Iblis smirked and turned around, Phasma still gingerly hanging around his back. "You follow me, I'm gonna show you some shit that doesn't fit on your map."
"I'd be delighted," Kylo growled. He extended his senses, trying to reach Phasma and get her level of awareness, slipping an invisible touch to her hand.
Even from within the fuzz of her helmet's tech, she could hear the commotion of Hux working diligently from within the Gauntlet. Directing his comlink calls between both Phasma and Ren, the man from above spoke cautiously.
" Keep him busy. I can have the team in the tunnels follow you at a safe distance to make sure nothing gets any worse. "
Clearly, Hux hadn't necessarily expected for it to go that far, for them to even be necessary, but there was significantly less panic in his voice than missions prior. As it seemed, he was learning on the fly of things and Phasma couldn't be more grateful.
" Really, all of this could have been avoided if you hadn't been meddling in shit that wasn't your concern. " Iblis spoke again, raising his arm and hooking it around Phasma's waist as the walk began through the dimly lit tunnel. Breathing softly, the blonde noticed the touch in her palm, almost as though it were tracing the lines there, the familiar sensation causing her fingers to wiggle just slightly.
The walk had been countless little comments made, a few sets of stairs, and a clear knowledge that they were descending further through the tunneling system, the intricate shifts all being quietly mapped by Hux, the ginger murmuring his apparent fascination. It only took another ten minutes of snide commenting before the stairs dropped again, opening up into a massive room that had clearly been used for something other than storing Palpatine's play things.
The largest item in the space appeared to be the gleaming recreational craft toward the back of the room, a clear sign that there was a way out and above hidden within the walls, another shift of Phasma on his shoulder. " Didn't see this shit on your map, did you. " The room seemed to shine with things that Palpatine had been keeping for himself in his time prior to being a mangled mess of a man, and probably even further out in his reign over the Empire.
" And just so we're clear before things get started. If you try anything stupid, and by God, I half think you might. I'll blow this fucking place to the ground. "
"Let me ask you a question. Do you believe in... alternate universes?"
Kylo just ignored him. He wasn't completely sure what was happening here, but he was certain that Bel Iblis was running his mouth as some kind of... strategy or distraction. He narrowed his eyes and took in as much of this hidden room as he could. The decaying marble of the palace had given way to glazed bricks that went in a wide circle around this room. He looked down, there was a layer of clean water that rippled through the room and came up to his ankles. Was there some kind of filtration system keeping the water circulated, or was there some kind of fresh water source nearby...
He was shocked at how neat everything looked, this huge open room that was like a cross between a cave and a vault, a meld between nature and careful construction.
"You know. That every important choice creates a fracture in everything that's possible. Maybe there's some universe where you and this girl have a completely platonic relationship. Or none at all. One where you're not wearing that stupid mask."
"Or one where you're smart enough to stay dead -"
"Instead of coming our of retirement and ripping this planet a new asshole?" He shrugged. "Sure. Lots of happy possibilities. Let's imagine that the Force was connected to these alternate universes too. That you could draw... energy from a thousand sources instead of just one."
"The Jedi and the Sith feuded for thousands of years before their extinction. Filled with scholars who spent their entire lives studying the secrets of -"
"They were two cults," Bel Iblis interrupted smoothly, "that had a strict and defined ideology, that clamped down on people who went against those precepts. But there were offshoots that delved into the Force and studied it on their own terms. The Witches of Dathomir, The Disciples of Ragnoth, the Krath, the Voss... the Knights of Ren?"
Kylo moved up the shining brick staircase, raising through the open air and approaching a big circular gate with arcane markings on it. He recognized a couple characters, so he thought it might be... a message in a bunch of different language. "You think a Sith Lord would discover a way to channel alternate dimensions through the Force, but would try to hide that power instead of using it?"
"Oh yes. Absolutely." Bel Iblis put on a thoughtful expression that gave way to a smile. "I'll let you think about the philosophical implications of that. But now we're reaching the point where your services are needed."
He craned his neck up at the gate. "My source tells me there's something very special behind this gate. Something that would channel these alternate universes... if they exist. And my friend has good reason to think they do. But we'd need someone to open the seal. A master of the Dark Side. But we don't have any of those, so you'll have to do."
Kylo felt his cheeks burning. He'd done so much reading, so much preparation, and the idea of this was something that he hadn't even imagined. He squeezed his eyes shut, tried to block out the anger he felt at being manipulated, tried to channel his master's experience and calm. "You don't know what's behind this gate, but you want it open so badly that you're willing to blow this whole room down."
"That's right." He tossed Phasma over his shoulder and reached for his pistol, pointing it down at her. And in the background, a couple other men pointed their rifles at her. How brainwashed were these people? The Resistance was supposed to be... noble and individualistic. Self sacrificing. But these men were insane, zealots willing to die for the cause without blinking. And why was he bothered by that so much?
Maybe because he'd always thought that total devotion belonged to his own allies. He closed his eyes and made a decision.
"You want to die so badly?" Kylo whipped around and did something stupid, reaching for the General's throat. "Let's all die together. The Order has a grip on the galaxy, Hux has a grip on this building, and now I have one on you. You thought you could use Phasma to manipulate me?"
There it was, that was the look. He was a big talker, but he hadn't expected to die here, not really. Kylo tightened his grip on Bel Iblis' neck and grabbed the hand of the trooper, stopping him before he could even think about detonating.
"Phasma," he hissed. "Up, get up, hurry THE FUCK UP."
Hux was practically screaming in his ear, but he blocked it out, straining to hold the situation in check. But one of the troopers started marching forward - it looked like a woman, but he wasn't sure - in a baggy white outfit and a mask. "Phasma!"
Too late. The mask stepped forward, turned on a white lightsaber and slashed downwards at him. Kylo drew quickly, switching on his lightsaber and catching her on the crossguard. Everything was moving now. No no no.
For the smallest moment, she was thankful for her head to be throbbing the way it was, blocking out most of Iblis' deep monologue about what he'd been doing while in 'retirement'. Reading books and gathering a cult following of his own within his so called retirement, for a moment she considered how many other things a person would have been better off spending their time doing. Instead, here they were in some expensive pit of Palpatine's hoarding problem, silently cursing to herself. Politicians.
Tongue moving over the back of her teeth, the blonde closed her eyes as a way of focusing, ignoring the ever-present burn of whatever damage her body had taken. By no means was Phasma willing to just die here, slung over some man's back like a doll. If in fact the building did come crashing down on them from above, then so be it. However, Phasma wanted to have the pleasant reminder later on in life, whether he admitted to it or not, that he had come to save her. It was just that Bel Iblis happened to be trying to use her as a means to keep himself safe. No matter how you viewed it, it made her smile beneath her helmet anyway.
Palms flat against the ground as she listened to the familiar sound of blasters raising, much like Ren, she was watching Iblis. So confident and unprepared for things to go in the wrong direction so close to what he needed. Her head turned, ignoring the shift of a gun as it raised further in a silent threat. With half of his men focused on Ren and the other on her th-
Oh.
The opportunity presented itself beautifully, the fighter with the detonator distracted by the sound of his General gasping for air because it had taken him by surprise. Unfortunately, he'd momentarily forgotten that with her no longer in his grasp, there really was nothing protecting him. It was then the woman brought her foot into the back of a fighter's knee, whatever had been holding into him, Phasma only assuming the obvious, slack when he was attacked by the saber. How the fuck does everyone have one of these.
The fighter dropping down to his knees, Phasma immediately grabbed the detonator away from him, gritting her teeth at the flush of pain in her side. Free hand snatching his blaster immediately, Phasma raised the hand clenching the detonator first, watching the tense fighters silently keep from firing on her. One push. Clearly whatever this charge was connected to was enough to keep them away from her, long enough of a distraction until the sound of heavy foot fall was heard. The sound was another that made her smile, the squadron of white appearing where they had entered and firing immediately, Hux's command ringing out in her ears and watching the men surrounding her drop like flies.
Now, there were four.
Ren was much too close to the saber weilder for them to take a shot, and they were on orders to keep Iblis alive. And Phasma understood that, entirely. However, using the wall behone her to stand, the beam of light that shot through the side of Iblis' knee, well, that was just an accident, the woman's soft murmur clear.
" Don't kill him. . Yet. "
Now who the fuck was THIS?
The woman (he wasnt sure this was a woman, but he needed to think of her in some way or another) was not a droid, that was for sure. There was a force and power in her technique that he hadnt seen from maybe not anyone. The force seemed to pulse off of her, and her attacks were a solid wall, knocking him backwards with one attack and immediately transitioning to another one. He held his blade close to him, far beyond his ability to attack yet, every bit of energy he had was towards protecting himself from her barrage.
I knew that someone was feeding the General his insane philosophy.
Mercifully, she slowed down a bit, circling and feinting with the lightsaber, backing him through the stone gate. Kylo looked back - there was a drop down of about thirty feet. Wouldnt kill him, or even hurt much but still. Rough landing.
You dont really believe that. Okay. This was a womans voice. She stabbed her white lightsaber towards him, and Kylo frantically slapped it away. You risked your life to avoid indulging an insane person. You risked her life.
The woman turned back to look at Phasma - and Kylo took the chance to attack. She turned around in time, stopping him easily and pushing forward with the blade, shoving him closer to the edge. She hacked downwards at him, and he blocked it, just in time to duck a wild swipe that nearly look off his head.
Before he could regroup - there was a firefight on the far side of the vault. Huxs men were firing at the Generals guard, and Kylo was surprised to see them quickly getting the best of it. The woman sensed his emotions and took advantage, pushing him off the platform and down to the cave below. Kylo gritted his teeth as he flew through the air, writing himself just in time to hit the ground evenly, wincing at the shock to his ankles.
The lightsaber hit the water, soaking his boots and sending a wave of steam upwards as the woman leapt down, landing with incredible grace and running towards him as if shed been on flat land the whole time.
Were you afraid to open the gate yourself?
Darth Sidious was a warrior for darkness. Im looking to end the wars.
Youre doing an excellent job.
She swung her saber through the water, whipping steam into his eyes. Sacrifices have to be made for peace. Ive learned that the hard way. She spun around, smashing her lightsaber into his side and knocking him backwards. Hed seen this fighting style on holocrons - but hed never seen it in person. He was back to defending, getting increasingly desperate, still not keeping up. Finally, he tried to push forward in desperation, but she parried him perfectly, sending his lightsaber flying.
Kylo held his hands up, backtracking. Damnit!
And now youre going to open this. And remember that you dont need to be in one piece to -
There was a loud sound that sounded like three thunderclaps going off at once - and the woman went flying. Kylo turned his head to the side - to see an Imperial Shuttle, crudely painted black with shades of grey striped down the angular sides.
Which meant -
The door to the shuttle opened, to show another woman in a mask built like a cage, and a walking armory of explosives, two blasters, and a heavy set of gauntlets. I bet youve never been this happy to see me, Kylo.
He ignored her talking, scrambled towards his lightsaber. Who else did you bring with you? he barked.
Just my gorgeous self, Ashara said brightly, throwing her shawl to the side. Whos the bitch?
You know what? The woman marched forward with a renewed fury, lighting a second blade. Kylo sighed miserably through the mask and set his feet in the cool water. You two really need to improve your language.
And with that, she was on top of both of them, slashing wildly and setting them backwards. They could control the pace now, stepping away when they were overwhelmed and flanking her on the flat ground. She whirled wildly, but the two of them synced up, reading each other and attacking as one unit. The woman tripped Ashara and closed in on Kylo, both sabers bearing down - and then she stopped, screaming as a blaster bolt slammed into her back. Her concentration was shattered, and Kylo took advantage, rolling his saber against hers and forcing it into the air, disarming her.
Well, she said casually, holding her hands up. I suppose I should -
Asharas red lightsaber ran through her chest before she could finish the sentence, ripping through her baggy clothes and pushing out through the other end. The woman let out a surprisingly frail scream before toppling over, landing face down in the cave floor.
The time to surrender, she said smugly, was a minute before I arrived.
Breathing heavily, Kylo switched off his own device, returning it to his belt. Snoke wont be pleased with you. That woman might have been able to explain what happened today.
Ashara shrugged. Dont tell me you care so much for this womans life. If she dies, then she dies.
Put her on your shuttle and take her back to the Gauntlet, he said, turning on one soaked heel and walking back towards the front (back?) of the cave.
Ben! He froze in mid-step, awkwardly turning around. Ashara had removed her heavy cage of a mask, looking surprisingly frail despite her bulky wear. The last time we spoke, there was we should talk about -
You and I, he said coldly, have nothing to discuss. Merely follow my orders and wait for word from the Supreme Leader.
He moved forward without looking back, his own thoughts occupying him as he stiffly walked around the long cave and back towards Phasmas position. He felt the familiar mix of sickness and exhilaration and relief he felt after every battle. But deeper, more intense this time. Who the hell was that woman? She was the fastest hed ever seen.
And yet, hed still managed to survive with a bit of help, anyway. He sat on the ground in front of her and sighed.
General Hux, I think I think were all right here. He pulled his mask off now, snatched the piece out of his ear and tossed it into the water.
It was as though for a moment everything around her grew still and silent, no ringing, no Hux, no screaming. For a moment she almost couldn't tell that the screaming was from Iblis, maybe it was her own, she was bleeding after all. No, she wasn't screaming, the vision around her swirling as she braced herself again, dropping the blaster and peeling her glove away from her hand. Reaching beneath her armor, the blonde grimaced softly, the red smear on her hand reminding her that yes, she was still in pain. But where had all the sound and feeling gone? It was when her eyes raised toward Iblis, left alone on the ground, that everything came roaring back, the sound of a shuttle echoing in, the sound of Iblis grunting loudly as he dragged himself out of potential line of fire, the march of boots spreading out to find any more men.
Pulling her helmet away from her head, it was set down with a hitched breath before the blonde steadied herself, moving toward the currently one legged Iblis. If he had expected to be given the mercy of dying, and it was apparent that's what he expected when she kicked him over onto his back, there was none of that in Phasma's eyes.
" Well. . You're lookinnnnngh great Miss Commander. "
Amazing.
The standing over the cringing man, her stance was clearly unstable, but for a man with one leg, he wasn't about to test just how much she had left in her. " You gonna kill me up close, I get it. " Or maybe he was. Reaching out to grasp his pistol that had been dropped in the instant pain that sliced through his body, Phasma's finger laid gently on the trigger, just as her opposite hand gripped the charge.
" Well? Get it over with Miss- "
" I'm not going to kill you, "
No, this was an extraction mission. He was to be brought in for questioning because he was supposed to be dead, long gone, and suddenly he had reappeared with so much to say about Snoke. About Ren. But about the Order, it had teetered on a nerve, her livelihood, and sealed it completely when he had taken advantage of her wounded body. So, that only meant one thing. The sound of the General screaming again could be heard, several of the troopers turning as the pistol fired a shot into his wrist, the staggered trooper breathing out softly. " Bet you wish you were dead though. "
The General was carried away after passing out, missing both hands and a limb would do that to someone, hand pressing back against a wall as she watched the limp body of the man disappear out the opposite end of the tunnel. Her head turned now, having lost her focus on what was happening beyond the gate, there being no real sound of a man screaming out, just the typical grunts of someone struggling. Thankfully, she was answered before she completely made her way to the edge to peek, amber eyes wavering and the faintest sign of a smile appearing as she slid to a seat against the wall.
" I think this, " Pausing as her eyes danced over the cruiser before back to Ren, " Counts as this. "
Fire, fire, fire. Kylo Ren felt like his whole body was burning. His forehead was mopped with sweat, partially from physical exertion and partially from having a flesh searing instrument waved in front of his skull for a few minutes. He wasnt sure who that woman was, but he didnt want to see her or anyone like her again - under any circumstances.
And that knowledge, that little admission to himself, really bothered him. Hed always thought of himself as an explorer in the ways of power, desperately trying to piece together the unknown and the untold, and even when he struggled, he could tell himself he was ahead of the masses.
But this woman fought like nothing hed ever seen before. Carried herself like nothing hed seen before. It reminded him of how weak he felt, how far he had to go. Disturbed him. His legs were burning too, but he ignored them for the moment, looking around the cave. It was still bustling, just in a different way. People were securing the area, patting each other on the back, reporting to the ship. Kylo had to assume the fighting was still pitched in other parts of the city.
He craned his neck to the side and looked Phasma over.
Okay. You had a point about wording things vaguely. I admit that now.
He tilted his head to the side and put his head on her shoulder. Of course he was aware it was vaguely inappropriate, but he doubted anyone cared in that moment.
Glad youre alive, though. He pushed his head off her shoulder for a minute, looking over her awkward posture from her earlier injury. At least for the moment.
It was necessary that she made that point, smirking softly when his head settled against her shoulder. Out of a developing habit her hand raised and danced over the side of his cheek, welcoming the silent embrace. Shifting it away just as quickly as it had settled against his skin, Phasma watched the troopers as they ventured around beneath the gate, overwhelmed by the sights as they began body clean up. " You know, I probably should see someone about this eventually. " The other troopers would stop gawking around and climb the staircase eventually, of course. Curiosity would prevail as usual.
" It's starting to feel like lightsabers are just common items now. "
However now the woman could hear Hux's voice, reminding her that they were both still technically on duty.
" Someone answer me! The. . The one with the other saber, does Ashara have her? "
There was that name again.
" Who? " She could hear the exasperation just oozing from his voice at such a question, even more so when it sounded genuine on her end.
" Lady Paulik? Ash- nevermind. Where is Ren? "
" Your husband is calling about your assigned wife. " The protest of Hux disagreeing with her choice of wording for him caused her to pull her own piece away from her ear, merely setting it down with a faint cringe.
" You'd think he wouldn't act like that with his plan going so well. For the most part. "
Oh, it just seemed like a lot to her. He'd read enough books and watched enough footage that mysterious armed strangers and vague speeches about unleashing ultimate power were... well, almost par for the course for him.
But even so, the circumstances for this were special. Here was something that could only be unlocked by a user of the dark side. And yet the Emperor hadn't used it, had kept it under lock and key. Had he been afraid of it? Either way, its existence was common knowledge now, or would be soon, and that was never a good sign.
"How many was that this week?" Kylo smirked and counted on his fingers. "Five. Five this week? That's a lot."
Kylo put his finger over his lips, grabbed the earpiece, and chucked it into the water with absurd, unrealistic distance. He'd already sent Ashara to the Gauntlet, which meant she'd be meeting Hux a few minutes from now.
"That woman in the mask must have dozens of.. secrets. I almost don't want to know where she comes from. I can almost guarantee it'll be our next headache. I would love to just... get away from here."
Here being... the endless politics of the First Order? The Emperor's creepy cave-archive-thing? The philosophical implications Bel Iblis was talking about? Naboo altogether? He bounced the phrase around in his own mind, but he didn't have a perfect answer.
To say the expression on her face was anything short than pouting as she watched the metal piece disappear into the distance before hitting the water with a soft plunk, it would make you an immediate liar. Thankfully, Ren had taken that bullet himself, unsure whether he had meant to or not. Whether the moment of distress on her face was a result of him throwing her device or tipping around the subject soon became clear, blinking softly at him as he tried to fence in the situation by offering a distraction. Technically, he wasn't lying by using maneuvering and avoidance tactics, but it still seemed shifty.
" That was just unnecessary Ren. "
No matter. If he was going to be that way, Phasma would simply ask someone else about the woman attached to the name. " Oh please, of course you want to know. It's going to eat you up if you don't find out for yourself. " And it would, she had been around him long enough to watch it happen in several other instances. " Are you suggesting a vacation? " Turning her head to notice a trooper appear at the top of the stairs, it was a few quick steps before he helped Phasma up, idle chatter in assessing her wounds and turning to Ren to do the same. Once the three reached the bottom of the stairs, her bright eyes grazed over the gleam of the long forgotten yacht.
" I wonder what they'll do with that thing. "
The question isnt what theyll do with it. He took a couple of casual steps closer, looking from side to side with a mysterious, scheming sort of look. Most everyone still seemed occupied. And it didnt look like Hux was in someone elses ear trying to track them down. Count that as one thing to be thankful for. Its whats inside thats interesting. Gold? Maps to some ancient cache of secrets? The galaxys most amazing liquor cabinet?
He shrugged. The mind boggled at the possibilities. But it was more immediately interesting than the masked woman (which tingled in his mind with a weird mix of curiosity and dread), or his weird relationship with Ashara. Because, fine, they were interesting, but they all promised to bring more work with them.
He was almost certain that there wasnt going to be work waiting for him on the ship.
Yes. almost certain. Kylo crept towards the thing, sliding under its shadow and looking for some mechanism that hed need to touch, or some weird security measure in that vein. But there was a simple, ancient looking lock on the door that Kylo easily popped open. The door fell open, colliding with the ground with a heavy noise that drew much less attention than hed expected.
Im pretty sure that everyones going to strangle us if we sneak into yet another weird ship and start fucking before they can give us anything else to do. Kylo climbed up the first couple of stairs, taking a whiff of the stale air as he climbed aboard. He expected the place to look and feel like a museum. But he hadnt expected it to look quite like this. He climbed back down the steps, his expression dripping with shock and amusement.
But Im not saying that should stop us. I mean I think youll really want to see this.
Speaking in a soft tone that she was fine to stand alone, her body had started to embrace the pain as a warm tingle rather than what had nearly rocked her back to the ground a few times before. Sure it was simply the tight bodysuit beneath her armor, soaking it up and preventing more of her blood from leaving her body, watching Ren get that look in his eyes. Up to something. While he was more concerned about the probably not functioning yacht's insides, her eyes again danced over the shiny metal, amazed that it didn't appear filthy despite these conditions. There was no denying the fine tastes the man had, and all the things Ren fired off could be a possibility.
Turning her head after the door dropped, only one or two troopers looking that way, and upon only noticing Phasma standing there alone, merely shrugged and went on about their conversation. He was offering this as a distraction, and while normally she might have been upset, the brown eyed woman moved toward the stairs, looking up and waiting for a sound of something. Infested with spiders, some massive slug attached to his face, a very hostile wookie. But when he reappeared, Phasma subconsciously relieved nothing had latched itself to him, speaking now. " I hope that's not how you lure women into your bed. "
Walking behind him once he was sure she would follow him, though she was proud of the troopers for taking control of the situation, she almost wanted to yell at them for being so oblivious. Ah, some other time. " You almost got your face split open, and I'm covered in my own blood, but you're still considering having sex. Amazing. "
"That's an interesting choice of words," he said, smirking at Phasma and narrowing his eyes. "Lure. Maybe I just ask them. Have you thought about that?"
He extended his hand to her, pulling her up the stairs and into the main body of the ship. The thing looked... old. Immaculate, but old. The control panels were coated in shades of brown and pale beige, and the sleek, modern design of the last ship he'd been on had changed to... well, something that probably seemed futuristic forty years ago.
Kylo looked upwards at the wide, arcing roof, cutting his eyes as she predictably criticized his sound and generous offer. "I'm not saying that we should do it right this minute. I'm just saying... you know... a few minutes."
He grabbed her by the hand and took her towards the big central room. An interesting looking room, he thought. A little round table where deals were made, little droids the size of his pinky that even now still struggled up and down the carpet cleaning the rug. And on that table there was...
A weird looking black container, with white spirals on the side.
"What do you think..."
Kylo cleared his throat and tipped the box open. And then it glowed, the light tall and impossibly bright.
And despite the age of everything around them, it carried the promise of something impossibly new.
Whether or not Phasma would simply admit out loud that he was just that appealing, it was left in the air when she rolled her eyes at him, " I still consider that a part of the lure. " She knew the potential of that voice of his, after all. Although Phasma let her interest lay majority in the hags of the shining outer portion of the ship, she couldn't deny that despite the smell that needed to be aired out far and beyond, it almost felt as though they had stepped through some sort of capsule. She couldn't begin to imagine Darth Sidious as anything more than a greedy man, consumed by ideas that while would have been splendid, were blinded by the goal of being all powerful.
That, and one really had to wonder if Lord Vader had actually been the one to kill him. Well. She'd seen enough inner turmoil within men to gather her own answers. " Ren, you know how much I just adore making you wait for sex, " The pull into the next room felt odd to her again, though without any waychful eyes she let it happen. Or at least, that's what Phasma told herself. Just like his, her eyes zeroed in on the decorative box, placing her bottom lip between her teeth as he opened it before properly asking. " Reckless. "
But, then again here they were, holding hands and squinting lightly at some beam of light.
STAY TUNED FOR PART TWO
WHENEVER WE FEEL LIKE DOING IT
Heya Puddin'
It was the opportunity of a lifetime. A chance to expand and finally get a chance to work with the patients that would one day be hers when she was able to get her way through college and get her degree. Until then, she may as well be just a pup tagging along at her fathers heels, holding onto his coattails as he whisked her through the hallways. The opportunity of a lifetime. She had waited for years to be able to even be allowed inside of Arkham, much less to be allowed anywhere near the patients. It had taken so much convincing for the man to even sway, but this past year she had needled and pushed and prodded until he could take no more.
The man had warned her about the type of people that he worked with on a daily basis - the scum of the earth, the whole lot of them. Her fathers sympathetic heart had been hardened from years of dealing with the criminally insane. He had put his everything into the work hed done there only for the world to once again cut the funding and once again turn their back on the people that were imprisoned inside of the asylum. These people had taken the lives of others in horrible and unthinkable fashions, had tortured and raped, played games with the minds of others And yet here they were, being examined like animals in captivity.
Harleen, remember, these people arent safe. Theyre in here for a reason. All of them are here for a reason. Her father had repeated these words over and over again like a mantra to her, trying to burn the words into her brain so that it would be impossible for her to forget, even if she got paired with one of the more manipulative. No, he wouldnt let that happen. He couldnt be so irresponsible as to let it happen. He had already chosen her patient, a dangerous man but on the softer side of the spectrum. He was a man that was feeble in body and growing even more feeble in mind as he got older, but still someone that would be interesting to her inquisitive young mind.
As her father parked the car, his face was heavy and his movements slow, as if he really didnt want to leave the safety of the vehicle and didnt want to take his daughter to the hell that was his work place. Are you Sure that this is what you want? He asked, staring at the steering wheel instead of her face. At seventeen she had retained so much of the innocence in her face of a girl younger than herself, still so much a child at heart that he couldnt bear to think of taking her into the lions den, even at her behest. She didnt truly know what she was getting into, couldnt possibly understand even though she had read the books and looked at the case files.
Yes, daddy, She offered him a soft smile to assure him, though it only set his heart to racing once again, Ive read the files. I can handle him. Her father couldnt help but let out another resigned noise, rubbing at his eyes as they exited the car and he lead her into the asylum. The place had seen its better days, the cut in funding resulting in a cut of the better staff members that had required the higher paying salaries. What was left was a motley crew of people that essentially could have manned any low-class hospital, not nearly secure enough to work a place such as Arkham. But it was the best that they could do with what they had. He had already begged for more funding twice and been turned down.
He lead her to the room that she would be spending a majority of her time in, a simple room that had minimal decorations - a large table in the center had two chair on opposite sides, and a small painting from a local artist that had been donated. Just Wait here. I have to do my rounds. An orderly will bring him to you. He pat his hand on her shoulder, attempting to quell her nerves and his own.
Harleen took one of the seats that was vacant, laying her case files on her patient out on the table in front of her. She had looked them over until she could almost recite them from memory - Casey Jones, fifty-seven year old man from Gotham, diagnosed with severe paranoid schizophrenia. He had attacked his wife and children while suffering from a delusion and had been remitted to Arkham to carry out his sentence. He was medicated now and mostly harmless, a man that had made a mistake that would haunt him for the rest of his life.
She had just shut the files when there was a soft tap at the door, a tired-looking orderly poking his head in, Ms. Quinzel? He pushed the door open, Got ya psycho for you. Her brows furrowed a bit as the man drug in someone that was quite obviously not Casey Jones - no, this was someone else. Thats n-- She stopped herself from making possibly the biggest mistake ever. No, this wasnt Jones. She had heard of this man before. Thank you. She amended herself, smiling nervously at the orderly. This was her chance to prove her father wrong. This was her chance to prove herself as a young psychologist. This mans mistake was the only way she would ever come in contact with the worst of the worst -- the Joker.
Twelve. That's what they gave him. Twelve life sentences, all to be served consecutively. They'd tried for the death penalty. But you can't put someone to death when they're criminally insane, can you? They said that he didn't know what he was doing. That he didn't even know the difference between right and wrong. So instead they just locked him up and hoped that the world would forget about him. They hoped that he'd rot in his cage till there was nothing left but a shell of the Clown Prince of Crime. But they were so wrong.
They called him The Joker, but truth was, he was a man with no name. A man with no identity. He was more like a force of nature. A being that could bend the world to his whim. Shape it to his imagination. And oh what an imagination it was.
They thought that the cage they'd put him in would hold him. But they didn't realize that the cage would not hold him. It would be his new playground. And everyone within it his new playthings. The guards. The prisoners. The warden. Everyone was his. There was nothing that went on within these walls that HE did not hear about. No, not a thing. So when he heard that Doctor Quinzel was bringing his dear, sweet Harleen to evaluate Mr. Jones, how could he not have a little fun?
He'd met Casey Jones in the mess hall and confronted him. He asked nicely if Mr. Jones wouldn't mind giving up his appointment with the young girl. But poor Mr. Jones, he wasn't much in the way of brains. He thought it was a good idea to deny the Joker his request. And so, that night, Mr. Jones found himself with a permanent smile carved on his face, as well as a new opening in his throat for him to breathe through. Such a happy guy didn't need a therapy session, did he?
When she arrived in the room the door quickly shut, and the Joker just smiled at the young girl. She looked so proper and professional. Just like her father. He smiled wide at her as he leaned back in his seat. "Little Ms. Quinzel I presume." He said with a grin that looked like the cat that had just eaten the canary. "Please, have a seat. Make yourself comfortable." He said with such confidence. "I hear you wanted to evaluate one of the nuts here at the Asylum. Is that right my dear?" He asked as his eyes seemed to burn holes as he gazed into her. As if the man could peer into her soul.
From the moment that the orderly closed the door and left the room to be just the two of them again, her skin was crawling. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins in a mix of excitement and fear, her arms hugging the case files to her chest in a subconscious way of protecting herself against the man that had most certainly performed so many villainous and violent acts against his fellow man. Her father had warned her to stay away from him, far far away, but that only made her more interested in him. He wasnt some old man that had made mistakes years ago when unmedicated. He was a lunatic, plain and simple.
Harleen did her best to straighten herself up as much as possible, crossing the room in her best impression of calm, cool, and collected as she could, setting her case files down onto the table in between them and shuffling them as if she had all the time in the world. She couldnt stop her hands from shaking, though, and couldnt help the queasy feeling in her gut that was making her feel on the edge of tossing up her breakfast from this morning.
Mister J, She cleared her throat gently and offered him her best professional smile, We do not call our patients here at Arkham nuts... We prefer to use words that are deemed more appropriate - mentally unstable, for one. Harleen crossed her fingers through each other and set them on her papers, staring at them as if they were the most interesting thing in the world suddenly, Now, you were not the patient that I was Intended to speak with, but Im sure that we can speak and maybe I can offer you some help with what youre dealing with.
Her eyes were shy but curious when they lifted again, meeting his though she hesitated, Tell me -- do you know why youre here?
He could smell it on her like she'd been rolling around in shit. The fear, the excitement, the adrenaline. That cocktail was powerful. If she hugged that case file any harder it would burst into a million pieces. It was like she was using it as a shield. But it would not protect her. No, not from him. Not that she needed protection. Not yet at least. No, she was his new toy, and The Joker wanted to play. He'd missed having fun. These walls, sure, he could find ways to amuse himself within them, but there was nothing like a brand new toy to get the blood flowing. And she was certainly brand new. An innocent, pure, untainted little thing. She had no idea the things he could do to her.
He watched as she tried desperately to put on a professional demeanor and get herself together, but he knew that it was a near impossible task. He'd gotten under her skin the moment she entered the room. He crawled around just under her top layer, and she could feel it.
When she finally spoke again he grinned even wider. "We don't? And what do we call them Ms. Quinzel? Loons? Freaks? Crazies? Bonkers? Oh, I know! BANANAS! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" He cackled out as he leaned back in his seat and began kicking his feet. He was certainly enjoying himself. "Mentally unstable? What about unstabley mental?" He asked as he leaned forward glaring into her eyes. "I don't think mentally unstable really applies to me though. I'm more....mentally volatile. Like a barrel of explosives waiting for that little catalyst to set it off. So make it go BOOOOOOOOM!" His arms flailed in the air as he nearly fell back in his seat mimicing the explosion.
When she said that they can speak and she could offer him some help he got serious, but the smile never left his face. "Oh oh oh. You want to heeeeelp me? Alright, alright. Please Doctor. Have a seat. Let's chat." He said as he pretended to straighten his non-existent tie and sit up straight in his seat. He placed his hands flat on the table, acting like he was interested in what she was ready to ask him.
"Sure, I know why I'm here. I'm here because your society thinks that they can cage me up. They think they can lock me up behind these walls and throw away the key. They think that by me being in here they're somehow safe and secure. It's like a warm safety blanket letting them sleep soundly at night." He said with a playful smirk. "Now what about you Ms. Quinzel. Tell me...do you know why YoOooOooOOoooOOOoU'RE here?" He asked as he leaned forward closer to her from across the table.
The voice of reason that spoke inside every normal persons head finally decided to put its word in on the situation - Youre in over your head, Harleen. You need to leave the room and let the real professionals deal with him. You need to get out. She really should have listened to this voice that was tickling through the back of her mind and raising the hairs on her neck with all the hard earned instincts that a girl like her ought to have. She had promised her father that she would be safe and that she would play things by the books But there was another piece of her, a harder part of her that wouldnt let this go over so easy. No, she couldnt walk away from this, even for the sake of her safety. Her pride was at stake here.
She forced herself to try and remain cool as the man did his best to get beneath her skin, his manic motions and wild gestures only symptoms of the overall absolute lunacy that was his mind. His thoughts were shambles, but she tried to remind herself of the one thing her father had always told her about this man - Yes, he was crazy. But he was crazy like a fox.
Instead of letting his gestures make her feel unsafe, she did her best to put her mind to watching every tick, every move, and catch every word that fell out of his mouth. And even though he was crazy, he was absolutely right. He wasnt merely mentally unstable - he was mentally volatile. He was gasoline just waiting for a spark, so eager to be near a flame that he could almost taste it. He was reckless in how badly he wanted to explode, how much he just wanted to damage and hurt everything around him.
She made a mental note of something else, as well - his sense of superiority. He didnt just believe that he would be let out. He knew down to the very core of his being that his stay in Arkham was only temporary and that he wouldnt be here until the day he died.
Harleen did her best to at least look calmer than what she felt, because her heart was still racing in her chest and adrenaline still being pumped into her veins from the close proximity to sheer insanity. We both know why Im here, Mister J. She did her best to deflect, offering him the small, professional smile that she had practiced so many times before.
Twelve life sentences. She stated the fact plainly, But you still believe that youre getting out. She was just stating what he had made quite obvious. He didnt think that any place could contain him. How do you think that will happen? This was out of curiosity more than anything else. She had heard horrible stories about him and she was curious just how far gone he truly was. Sure, he had killed people, but there were so many out there that had done that. What made him so special?
His movements and actions may have been manic, but one thing remained constant. His eye contact with her. He never broke it. Never faltered. He gazed into her eyes as if peering down into her soul. Seeing what lie beneath the mask she wore. She was trying so HARD to be something she wasn't. Trying so HARD to hide her fascination with him. But he saw it all. He ate it up. Relished in it. Even her little pet name for him 'Mister J' was a form of adoration that she was subconsciously projecting onto him. "Mister J? I like that. It makes me feel important. Makes me feel special. Say it again for me, pretty please." He said as he leaned forward, reaching his hand out and gently touching her cheek. His touch was soft and sweet, seemingly luring her deeper into his gaze.
He didn't answer her question though. Not yet at least. Shaking his head he just smiled at her. "Not yet Harleen. Wait...no...if I get a fun little nickname, I'm going to give you one." He said with a laugh, an excited look on his face. "Harleen, god, sounds so boring. Harleen....Harleen...Harleen..." He tapped his chin pensively as he thought about what he was going to call her. "Got it!" He then exclaimed with excitement and a youthful playfulness on his face. "Harley! Harley Quinn!" He said as he jumped happily in his seat. "Now tell me my pretty little Harley. What are YOU doing here in Arkham? What are you reeeeeeeally doing here?" He asked as he leaned in closer to her. "Because the way I look at it, seeing you all dressed in your fancy professional clothes, looking so sterile and clean, you my dear look like the real prisoner." He said with a cocky smirk on his face.
Leaning back in his seat he ran his fingers through his bright green hair. That smile almost brightening up the room. "Now now my little Harley. I can't give away all my secrets, can I?" The way he said "my little Harley" there was almost a possessiveness in his voice. A sense of ownership to her.
Talking to him like he was a patient wasnt going to get her anywhere and that much was becoming blatantly more obvious to her. She had tried to extend him the least bit of courtesy she could by still treating him with respect - her insistence on calling him Mister J had been as close to being respectful as she could without knowing his real name. But that was fine, she knew his game and the gears in her brain were working slowly to get a plan in effect. Her thoughts were scrambled by his hand, which she hadnt expected. He was a criminal with a nightmarish violent background so tenderness wasnt something she had expected from him.
It was almost A romantic touch. Stop it, Harleen. That was the mind of a hormonal young adult talking, not the mind of a young professional. She composed herself, but her mask had slipped horribly. He couldnt possibly have known the cold, clinical life that she had lead at home, couldnt possibly know the psychology behind her own upbringing that lead her to desire attention and adoration from someone - anyone, really. He couldnt know. It was just a random chance.
She let out a brief sigh and leaned back in her chair, consciously attempting to get some distance between the two of them because the air was getting thick, almost hard for her to breathe. Her arms crossed over her chest slowly and she chewed her lip at the corner a bit. Alright, She nodded, mostly to herself. He wanted to play a game, he wanted to try and break her down and turn the tables on her so that she was the one that was the victim. His ploy wasnt subtle in the least bit, but what else would you expect from a mind like his? Alright, She said again, How about we make a deal, Mister J?
Harleen crossed her legs, keeping up her professional pose in at least a small amount, All it would take for me to leave this room and never come back is just one mention of the clerical error that was made today that caused Mister Jones to not be in this room with me Now, I could conveniently mistake you for Mister Jones because, She let out a small laugh here, almost a playful giggle, Silly me, Im just seventeen Or I could walk out right now and fix the mistake so that you go back to your regularly scheduled appointments with a real professional All Im asking for is you answer my questions Does that sound like a deal Mister J? She leaned forward now, a smirk on her face. This was at least one regard in which she had the upper hand.
He could see the way his touch affected her. The way she needed it. The way her mask slipped for the moment. She seemed to crave the attention, and it made his grin grow wider. Perhaps her dear daddy wasn't giving her the attention she needed, or craved. Seeing that mask lip even for a moment made him hungry for more. He knew that she'd continue to feed that hunger.
Watching, he noticed how she was suddenly trying to regain control again. Control she'd lost when she felt his touch. When she offered to make a deal with him he smiled wide and nodded his head. "Oh, a deal? I like deals and I like games. So sure, let's make a deal Harley!" He said with a laugh.
When she crossed her legs, he couldn't help but glance down, seeing more of that gorgeous, soft, pale skin. His eyes scanning over the revealed flesh before running back up to her face. When she made her offer he nodded his head. "Now now, isn't that an interesting proposition? Seems like it gives you all the control, doesn't it? But there are a few things that could happen here Harley." He said as he moved up off of his seat. Slowly the man began sliding across the table, moving onto all fours.
He looked like an animal stalking his prey as he moved closer and closer to her. "One, I take your deal, and we sit here and I answer question after boring question till...till..till my head just explodes." He said with a laugh, getting even closer to her. Soon his face was practically in her face as he glared into her eyes. "Two, I could pretend like you have power that we both know you don't have. Besides, you need to be here. You want to be here. You and I both know you could interview some boring inmate anywhere, or...or you could have fun with me." He said with a smile. Then leaning in a little more, he whispered into her ear. "Or, the guards can fake a riot, and your daddy dearest might have a little accident. Wouldn't that be sad?" He whispered into her ear before gently licking her earlobe. "Now, what do you prefer?" He asked in a soft, calm, sinister tone.
Just when she thought that she had thought her way through his clever maze and found herself on the upper hand, it seemed that all she had done was add fuel to his fire. She not only gave him the satisfaction of continuously being called Mister J, she had given him the satisfaction of watching her squirm. Harleen did her best not to move as he quite literally crawled onto the table like a beast, his eyes hungry on her as if she were a terrified rabbit and he a fox ready to pounce.
Where she had previously not moved because she wanted to show that she wasnt afraid, she was now genuinely too terrified to make a move. The air in the room was suddenly thicker than she felt she could breathe and his words hung in it, slow for her brain to process and harder still for her to manage a response. He was playing tricks with her mind, she was sure, but he was so much more an expert than she could ever be. He had played this game far longer than she, and he had come to play it as the god he was.
Manipulation for him was as easy as letting out a held breath, though Harleen found that currently near impossible.
He was so close she could feel his breath on her cheek, her tongue wetting her lips nervously as he closed the space between them further still. Goosebumps rose on her skin and she fought a shiver as his breath now tickled at her ear, his whispered threat in deep contrast to the softness of his touch, his tongue tickling its way up her earlobe. A new sensation now, one completely unexpected and unwarranted given the circumstances - excitement. But not the excitement like what she had felt in her chest when pulling up to Arkham, but its darker cousin, an excitement that stirred between her legs and made a knot form in her belly.
Fear and excitement mixed, lending bravery to her paralyzed soul. She gathered what courage she had, her head tilting towards his so that her lips were against his ear. Her heart was beating so hard and so fast that she could scarcely draw a breath, but youth gave one reckless abandon, What kinda fun ya got in mind, Mister J? She couldnt believe the words that came too easy, only a slight hesitation before her lips touched the edge of his ear, the knot in her stomach clenching as her lips pulled back at last second to deliver not a kiss but a soft bite.
Hanna Orimura was sat on the train what would take her to the IS Academy. Not her choice her annoying cousin forced her to go after not even a word from her since she was 5 years old now finds some interest in her making her leave Canada and come back to Japan. It was a long flight and she was falling to sleep dropping her violin and backpack to the floor waking her up instantly. It wasn't that long till the school was in site.
All half asleep she picked up her things and stepped off the train. Trying not to attacked much attention as she hated anyone from staring.
Mean while back at the academy Laura wakes up rubbing her right eye. "What time is it?" She asked as it was hard to see much throw his thick heavy curtains.
Michael slowly yawns as he opens his eyes to see Laura. Like her, he is naked, his muscular and toned body visible through the dark. He had crewcut brown hair and brown eyes. He yawned as he wrapped his arm around Laura's waist and pulled her into his firm chest.
"Who cares...we are here with each other, that's all that matters" he whispered in her ear as he kissed her cheek before giving her a playful grin.
"You were amazing last night..." his hand moved to squeeze one of her breasts under the covers as he gave her a playful kiss on the lips.
"Well I need to head back to Germany for the 6:30 flight. I only came to sign the transfer papers. I still have some work back home and packing. I only have my school books and uniform here you see". Laura said hoping he understood that she still needed to make sure her other belongings were sent to her dorm room back in Japan. "It will only be for a few weeks then I come straight back here, So what do you want to do with the remaining hours I have left?" Laura asked.
Hanna decided to head to her mothers shrine where she was raised. Her mother was half Canadian and that's the reason she had been away for so long. No one was there so she turned decided to head to the old home hoping to grab a spare throw for her bed back at the school. The problem was she missed her stop and now has to find her way back to the school.
"I see...I'll miss you." Michael frowned, not happy that Laura had to leave so soon. He wanted to make the most of the time they had left. His hand squeezed her breast and tugged on her perky nipple as he gave her a playful smile, one hand slithering up her leg towards her crotch.
"How about...we have fun like we did last night and then go on a date...sound like a plan?" He asked her, kissing her forehead. He could already feel his cock growing hard at the idea of him and Laura having some passionate sex again.
"All I am doing is finishing off my working contract. I go to a millatry school in Germany. And collecting my things. The time will fly by I am sure". Laura said. "Sure sounds like a plan. Where do you fancy on going?" She rolled onto her back with her right knee bent and her arms out stretched,
"We'll figure that out later. For now..." Michael got ontop of Laura and began to rub his throbbing and large cock against her firm ass while his fingers teased her clitoris by tugging on the perky nub. "I love you, Laura...tell me how much you love me and beg for it like last night..." his voice was full of desire and lust as he gave Laura's ass a spank again and watched her firm rear jiggle.
"This is a little embarrassing". Laura said going bright red who had never done anything like this befoure. "I love you. Of course I love you. Other wise why would have I given you my body like that". She wrapped her legs tightly around his body pulling herself closer to him so there skin was fully touching. Slowly she slid her left foot up and down his back while she ran her figures throw his hair.
Hanna arrived at her old home. It was dusty but not to be surprized as no one had lived there for years. Heading into the draws on the landing she found a golden throw what she decided to put into the washer. while that was in she started to take photo's of the home she was born in.
"Laura..." Michael pressed his lips against her own, his tongue lashing out at her lips and seeking to gain entrance to her mouth. As he was doing this, her breasts molded against his firm chest as he pressed his cock up against her wet entrance. "Beg me to fuck you, beg for my cock like you did last night." He whispered lustfully against her lips.
"Fuck me. Have it your will and do as you see will with my body". Laura whispered getting the words wrong a little finding it hard to get the right frazing into Japanese." She was still rubbing his back with her left foot but was not stroking his legs with her right foot.
"Laura...I love you so much...will you be mine forever?" He asked her with a smile as he stroked her cheek and spoke in German. Michael was actually American, but he spoke English, German and Japanese quite well. He began to push his cock into her pussy, spreading her open with his girth as he let out a soft moan. "You are so tight, Laura..." He moved his hand down to play with her clitoris as he felt the tip of his cock press up against her cervix.
"Yes I will be yours forever". Laura responded kissing him on the lips. "I am sorry". She responded when Michael said she was tight. She had no idea why she responded that way making her go beaken red. She placed her fist into her mouth to prevent any noise from coming out as it would be bad if they were caught at this very moment. "How long have you been speaking German?"
"Quite awhile, my beautiful girl." He smiled as he spoke in German again with a smile. He removed her hand from her mouth and kissed he gently on the lips before giving her a playful wink. "I want to hear you, Laura..." He moaned himself as he pushed his cock past her cervix and entered her womb, a small bulge visible in her stomach.
"If someone walks in to find out what the noise is we are in big trouble". Laura gasped breathing heavily. She started to make strange noises and if anyone was next door it was going to get obvious exactly what they were doing. Making there fate unknown within the school.
"I locked the door, it's fine..." Michael nibbled on her ear as he fucked her harder and faster, his hips slapping against her ass with each thrust and making it jiggle. He played with her clitoris even more as his cock throbbed inside. "Laura...you feel so good...I love you so much!"
"I love you too Michael". Laura could feel herself reach the climax. "I am sorry I can't hold it much longer". Laura said all out of breath. Keeping up with his speed was like running a marathon. And she was in extremely good condition so she can weld her own personal IS unit.
As Laura began to climax and tighten around his cock, he moaned loudly as he felt his own climax building, a pressure building up in his cock as he fucked her harder still. "Laura! I'm going to come...can I come inside you!?" He managed to ask her between moans, wanting to get her permission first.
"Yes but we will have to have a shower afterwards". Laura said knowing if they didn't they would be all sticky and stinky for there date. And it was the last thing she wanted for her plane trip back to Germany. "Do it together or head in separately I am not sure on how big they are in the dorm rooms". She said throw gasps
"Laura...coming!!" Michael groaned as with a final, violent thrust, he slams his cock deep into her pussy and womb and floods her with his hot and sticky seed. He fills her to the brim, his excess dripping down her thigh and onto the bed. He sighed as he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her passionately. "We can go in together...if that is alright with you?"
"Of course that's alright I am the one who come up with both of the options after all". Laura said. Laura said Kissing him back then resting her head onto his chest. She didn't want to move. Especially knowing in a few hours she would be on the plane back to Germany. "I wish I didn't have to go back. But since this is a military school you will understand when it comes to orders".
Happy new year
An aura of darkness had been surrounding the land of Hyrule for the past several months. The number of monster sightings and especially attacks upon the people who lived within its borders had greatly escalated with every passing week, to a point where few could deny that such incidents were simple coincidence. The problem, however, had been in trying to pinpoint what exactly was the cause of such ever increasing mayhem. Rumors were started, as they often do when nobody has a clear idea of what is happening. Most of which were rather fruitless, save for the recurring talk by various eye witness accounts of an ominous red light coming from the distant Gerudo Village at night.
There were other warning signs. Fallen monsters which were wielding weapons that are traditionally of Gerudo craftsmanship, while others were seen riding upon wild breeds of horses that were normally found within their valleys. It was enough of a warning that the King of Hyrule had called upon the leader and representative of their tribe, Ganondorf, for a meeting within the Hyrule Castle walls a little over a week ago. While those who suspected Ganondorf to be behind the mounting chaos had high hopes for this encounter, the resulting meeting with the Gerudo male (which in itself was a rarity among their race) had actually gone off rather nicely in the dark complexioned visitors favor, with the King seemingly convinced that there was no way such an upstanding leader could be to blame for the recent incidents.
Fortunately, not all of those which Ganondorf had met during that visit to the castle were so easily convinced of his innocence, as the Gerudo leader sat in silent contemplation within the darkened halls of his palace until a knock came to the large door leading into his throne room. Yes? The crimson haired male called out, as he raised his head to look toward the Gerudo guard that made her way inside. The toned, yet slender female warrior bowed to her leader, as she spoke with slight hesitation, Sorry for the intrusion. But the Princess of Hyrule is here to see you. Surprisingly, while others might expect him to show concern at such an unexpected visit, the male simply smirked at this news, almost like a part of him had expected such a visit to occur sooner or later, as he responded, I see. Well, lets not keep our guest waiting.
With a bow of her head, the female rose to her feet to retrieve the visiting Princess, as her leader remained seated at his throne, dressed in a dark ceremonial robe which was opened enough at the top to show a bit more of his firm chest then his armor had during his visit to the castle. This should be very. interesting. The male whispered to himself, awaiting for the Princess to make her appearance, while also putting a fair amount of fate in his warriors to keep an eye out should her visit have any hidden agendas behind it.
Ganondorf was behind the growing darkness.
Princess Zelda knew this.
Unfortunately, she couldn't precisely explain why, particularly to her father. It had a good deal to do with the power of the Triforce within her and Zelda's own natural magical proclivities. Her lineage had always had a strong connection to the pulsing magic that made the land of Hyrule, and Zelda appeared to have received a double burden of that power. It had been enough for at least one third of the great Triforce to reside in her, and she knew that the other bearer, the simple warrior Link, was working against the darkness. All signs pointed to this castle, to this land, to this horrible excuse for a man.
But he fooled them. Zelda had very nearly fallen over in shock when her father proclaimed that King or Lord or Chief Ganondorf (no one seemed able to agree on his exact title) had been perfectly civil and proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that his people were in no way behind the attacks. Zelda had met the man in passing; they'd attended a formal ball together and of course she sat near her father at official meals. She'd felt the unease. She knew, knew to the depth of her soul. Knew enough to insist to Link, and to come up with a relatively simple plan.
Zelda would meet with Ganondorf as a follow up to his meeting. Often official dignitaries were exchanged, and her people hadn't sent someone to the Gerudo lands in quite some time. Her enamored father quickly agree to sending along even his precious daughter (she may have insisted more than slightly). Zelda would travel with a relatively small retinue: a handful of close handmaidens, a translator, a few traders and guards, etc.
And in among that retinue would be Link.
Zelda would distract; Link would investigate, and together they'd uncover definite proof of Ganondorf's evil ways. Thus Zelda made her presence known in several ways. She'd sent messengers ahead. she'd announced her arrival. She'd requested a formal audience. She'd shown herself to be thelight skinned Hylian beautyshe was, knowing that to be a weapon. Often people saw a pretty face with flawless features and clear blue eyes and didn't think her capable of subterfuge. Someone so beautiful and graceful, with intricate care taken in her hair and fine silken gloves covering delicate fingers, couldn't possibly have ill intent. A shimmering tiara would hide an excellent mind, while a flowing dress would hide magical skills and a little flexibility and agility.
Thus she approached now, waving some of her retinue forward. They cared gifts: customary Hylian foods and crafts. The princess strode at their head, dropping to a slight curtsy as she approached. "King Ganondorf," she said, using the highest title connected to the man, "I, Princess Zelda of Hyrule, only daughter of the king, bearer of--" she very nearly let the Triforce slip, instead, "bearer of good news, humbly come forth as an emissary of peace for my people. I bring offerings and a gesture of continued relation between our lands. It's my sincere hope to find you well, and that your generosity will allow me and mine to stay in your beautiful lands for some time," she finally looked up, blue eyes taking him in. his garb hardly looked proper for a ruler, and she fought the urge to say as much, almost literally biting her tongue. She had to act and look the part of the proper princess if this was to work, after all.
Traveling with Inuyasha has become more and more frustrating! He kept running off with Kikyo even after she said she would stay by his side. Sure she admitted she wanted to stay with him and that it was her choice but still. Didn't he care about her?!
Frustrated the young Miko kicked a rock into the waterfall they were near. Inuyasha was gone with... her, Sango was with Kirara getting supplies and Shippo was with her. So that left her and Miroku to tend the camp.
Sitting down next to the small fire she hmphed in frustration, "honestly Miroku. Can you believe him doing this again?" She knew he saw what was going on. Sometimes she wondered if it would be easier being with him. He acted like a lot of normal guys from her time, but he was interested in Sango right?
Not that she didn't think he wasn't attractive. As a matter of fact she got little flutters whever he heard him flirting with other girls. He was just too handsome and sly for his own good.
Miroku listened to Kagome vent her frustrations as he drank some water. He didn't understand how Inuyasha could abandon such a beautiful girl who was basically throwing herself at him. Still, he saw tonight as his chance to make a move on Kagome. He stood up and sat down next to Kagome, offering her a small smile.
"I honestly can't believe it, Kagome...you are such a beautiful and amazing woman....I can't imagine why Inuyasha would chase after another woman...." He gently placed his hand on her own, giving it a squeeze as his smile widened.
"If you'd like though....we can make each other feel good tonight and forget about Inuyasha and the others...."Miroku asked, his voice becoming slightly deeper as he leaned in towards Kagome.
Feeling his hand on top of hers sent a shiver through her. He wasn't saying what she thought he was saying, was he? She swallowed hard and looked up into his blue eyes. Blushing she bit her bottom lip for a moment.
"Miroku? You... you're just flirting like you do with Sango-chan," Kagome lifted her free hand and gently pushed it against his cheek. He was always such a flirt and while finally hearing those nice words made her feel good, could she really go through with this?
Miroku chuckled at Kagome's words as he wrapped and arm around her waist, pulling her into his chest and licking his lips, like a predator ready to pounce on its prey. His eyes seemed to shimmer with lust and affection.
"Am I....? Maybe we should test to find out..." His voice was a low growl as he felt her breasts molding against his chest beneath their clothes as he pressed his lips hungrily against her own. He had wanted this for so long...needed it. He had always pined for Kagome but considered her lost to Inuyasha. Now that he had this chance though, he was going to give it all he had. His tongue lashed at her lips, seeking to gain entry to her mouth.
Kagome's innocence got the better of her here. She was shocked by the kiss. She never expected him to go that far with her! Blushing harder her hands went to his chest but they didn't push him away. In fact they grabbed onto his robes.
After a moment of feeling his tongue against her lips she slowly slid her mouth open letting him gain access to her warm mouth. She hadn't ever been touched by someone so experienced before. She could already feel a tingling moving down her body.
Miroku grinned slightly as he felt Kagome clinging on to him; it seemed she was inexperienced and he would have fun teaching her the pleasures of flesh this evening. His tongue darted into her mouth, swirling around her mouth before pressing up against her tongue. It seemed to be dancing with her own, swirling around it in a teasing manner. His hands, meanwhile, roamed her body. One slithered down her back and gave her ass a playful spank beneath her skirt while the other move up from her hand and groped at her breast through her top.
After kissing for a few moment, Miroku withdrew, his breath slightly ragged as he licked Kagome's cheek and neck, almost like he was claiming her in a way. "How about you take those clothes off for me..." His tone was a lustful growl now...a command he expected to be followed.
Kagome was lost in a cloud of sensations. She was a Miko and they were supposed to be celibate in this world right? Right now she wanted to be held by a man who wasn't the one she fell in love with. What was wrong with her?
Her tongue slowly learned how to move against his as they kissed one another. From the spank to the groping of her chest she could feel the area between her legs quickly heating up. A little giggle went through her mind as she noticed a bra wasn't a thing yet in that world, would he have the same problems trying to get it off like an inexperienced guy?
The command however caused a shudder through her entire body. It seemed she liked being dominated in a way even though she was always so stubborn, "What if the others... come back?" Her hands were already moving to play with the hem of her shirt, getting ready to pull it up.
Miroku felt during the kiss that Kagome was learning and rather quickly too. This would make for a fun night indeed. He could feel his cock beginning to grow erect in his robes, though he wasn't sure if Kagome had felt the massive bulge yet.
He also noted that Kagome seemed to like being dominated; he figured she might have. Being that she was always so in control, most girls like that liked to be out of control during sex he learned. "They won't....trust me. Now take your clothes, off and show me that beautiful body of yours." He commanded again, reaching over and giving her ass a good spank as if to motivate her.
Kagome blushed and grabbed his wrist from the hand that spanked her. She tried to remain in some sort of control with all this, "behave yourself."
Even though she'd said that she finds herself removing her top slowly. Under it was her flat stomach and surprising large breasts trapped in a soft pink bra. Her arms came down to cross over her chest and shivered a little.
Miroku grinned at her actions and simply rubbed her rear tenderly. "You like it though, Kagome...admit it..." He chuckled as he watched her removing her top. He licked his lips at the sight of her body, her smooth stomach and large, shapely breasts contained by her bra. That part was new to him, but he decided to roll with it.
"We have to keep you warm." He chuckled as he started planting kisses up and down her neck, nibbling and sucking on a spot ,marking her with a hickey.
"I will admit, I'm not sure how your future garment works, so I shall leave its operation to you." Miroku admitted freely with some embarrassment before nibbling and sucking on her earlobe.
For a moment she was almost sad he didn't try to remove it. His hot mouth on her neck made the young Miko gasp in pleasure. One of her hands moved behind her back to undo the clasp, "there now... It can just slip off...mnnn..."
Leaning in she gently nipped at his neck wondering if it would feel good for him too. Her soft hands moved up to tug at his robes. She did like it, the spank even felt good.
Miroku's hand moved up to rip the bra off of Kagome once she had unclasped it to expose her breasts to them. His eyes were on her perfectly shaped and large breasts for a few moments before his mouth was upon one. He began to suck, like a babe trying to draw milk. His tongue swirled around her perky nipple and he spanked her again, his fingers lingering this time.
He moaned into Kagome's breast as she nibbled on his neck, it seemed he rather enjoyed the sensation too. He was starting to press his massive bulge up against Kagome's crotch as she began to tug at his robes to let her feel just how excited he was for her.
Kagome moaned softly feeling her sensitive nipple being sucked on. It quickly grew hard in his hot mouth. She could feel the wetness between her legs soaking her thong she wore that day.
One of her hands moved up behind his head gently running her fingers through his hair. She could feel his hardness against her and blushed further. Was he really planning on going all the way with her?
Miroku began to nibble on her now perky and hard nipple with his teeth. He ground the nub between his teeth, seeing if she would enjoy that sensation or not. One hand continued to squeeze her rear while the other moved towards her now soaked cunt.
His fingers glided against her thong and he chuckled. "You are soaked, Kagome...do you want my cock that badly?" He teased her, pausing his sucking to get an answer, his fingers brushing against her clitoris beneath her thong.
Kagome gasped as her arms wrapped around Miroku's head, "ahhhh... Th- that stings..." But it also seemed to feel really good.
Her legs shook as she felt his fingers slid against her wetness, "d- don't say such dirty things..." Her face flushed in her embarrassment and also from his touches. She wasn't sure if she did yet, sure this felt really good but maybe it was also frustration from not being able to take care of her needs for weeks.
Parking my car outside the house of the girls I have been dating, we all have been dating for about a year or so now, and have all been getting along really well together, keeping affection and attention balanced, making sure no to leave each other out at all. We've all been going on some great dates altogether; restaurants, movies, and dates at my own apartment.
Today I was waiting outside their house to take them out to a fancy dinner because I got my paycheck today, so I was going to spend a bit extra on them tonight. I sat in the car, waiting for them to come out, as it was getting closer to the time that they would need to come out. I let the music on the radio play softly for right now so we'd all be able to talk the whole trip.
It had been a few years since Max and Chloe drove away from arcadia bay in their pick up. They had grown up a little more since then, in more ways than one. Having time rewind powers meant that the two could make money easily by gambling, but to not draw attention, they kept the winnings to a small amount to live day by day with. It was about a year ago when they added a third to their mix to spice things up and after several duds they finally landed on a good guy.
"Would you hurray up, your slowness," Chloe burst out of the front door calling back to Max as she made her way to the car. "He's already here. SHOTGUN!" The blue haired vixen yelled and ran towards the car. For once, she was not wearing her beanie as this date was described as 'fancy'. Not dressed up too much, Chloe wore a buttoned up collared blouse with suspenders and black pants. "Hey," Chloe said as she threw the car door open and began to get inside.
Closing and locking the house door behind here, Max made her way to the car. She had her brown hair straightened and was a little passed her shoulders. She wore a simple black dress and carried a clutch purse with her. Max had on flats instead of heels since she had trouble walking in those. She jogged lightly to the back seat door, causing her hair to bounce. "Sorry, sorry, I had to redo my make up," Max apologized as she got in. "And I left my camera at home, so I didn't have to hear Chloe bitch the entire time."
"Its fine, no worries girls. We still have time before the reservation starts." Looking over the both of them, they both dressed in their own fashion, and that was clearly obvious to me. Chuckling lightly, I looked in the rear view mirror at Max, looking her over. "Max, that dress looks good on you. And Chloe, those suspenders and blouse look fantastic on you." Starting my car back up, I make sure to buckle my seatbelt up as I begin driving to the restaurant we had reservations for tonight. Making sure to drive the right way, I was able to pull into the parking lot next to the restaurant, I stop the car and look at them both. "Seems like we still have a couple of minutes, I'll go check in with them right now." I get up and out of my car, closing the door behind me as I walk over around to the other side of the car. Making sure to open both doors for both of them, I wait for them to get out.
"Yeah yeah, cool it Romeo, we aren't even at dinner yet," Chloe dismissed your praise, waving a hand as she looked out the window hiding a smile. "Thanks, you look nice as well," Max replied as she leaned forward to speak closer to you. She pushed her hair behind a ear as she nervously held her clutch purse in her lap. "Wow this place looks like the shit," Chloe said as you pulled the car in. The two girls hopped out of the car as you did and walked up next to you. Max stood a little awkwardly before taking your arm, meanwhile, Chloe just threw an arm around your next on the other side, putting her body close as you walked.
"I can't help it if I think you guys look good." I say back to Chloe in the car. When hearing Chloe's admission to the look of the building. "Well I went for the best one that my paycheck could get a reservation for us." Feeling the girls taking my arms, as well as Chloe's body pressing lightly against mine, I blushed deeply, trying not to stare down at the protruding of her chest against her blouse. "N-now then, lets go inside." Taking the girls, I brought them into the restaurant, confirming the reservation, we walked over to the table. Sitting them down, I sit down in the last chair between the two girl, handing them each a menu. "What do you guys think, a small bit of alcohol for tonight? I'll make sure to stay sober to take you guys home if you want it?"
"Hell yes, that would be amazeballs," Chloe quickly responds grabbing the drink menu. She already appears to be fidgeting with her collar as she looks the menu over. "That sounds like fun, I'll just have whatever Chloe gets," Max says opening her menu and lookin it over. "You sure, Max, for an Otter, you can't hold your liquor well," Chloe retorts. "It's fine, I have my Prince charming here to help me," Max responds putting a hand on your shoulder. "Wowzer, this place is a little pricey you sure you want to eat here?" Max exclaims as she looks over the menu. A waiter eventually comes over and takes their drink orders. Chloe ordered something heavy as usual.
"Yeah, its fine. Its changed to my card already, so i'd ask you don't worry about it for tonight. I mean, its been about a year now since i've been together with you guys, I might as well show you guys how much you mean to me." Watching Max's hand resting against me for hope, I blush slightly and look them both over. "Its funny enough Chloe, considering what happened last time you drank when I came over to your house last." Chuckling lightly, I grab my own menu, ordering myself a simple coke. "You guys can even order dessert for the road, don't worry about it. And I mean it Max, theres no need to worry about it tonight."
"If you insist," Max smiled and silently looked over the menu. She crossed her legs in her chair as she thought, resting her head on a hand. "It doesn't count if I don't remember," Chloe joked, laughing at the table. "Oh and don't worry we have a surprise for the year mark for you too, Xio. Riiiiiiiiiight, Max?" Chloe announced playfully, reaching over Crypt to poke at Max. The time travelling photographer blushed as she shot a glance at Chloe to shut it. "It isn't a surprise when you talk about it, Chloe!"
"Yeah, Yeah," Chloe laughed and went to move her hand over to grab a menu. She was sitting almost sideways facing the two of them in a haphazard position. When Chloe moved her tattooed arm over the table she bumped into a glass of water, spilling onto Crypt's lap, all over his jeans. "Oh crap, shit, fuck, my bad," Chloe pleaded as she grabbed a napkin and dabbed your crotch. She froze for a second and reversed. The water forming up and reversing from their dates groin back up into the cup that repositioned itself on the table. "Yeah, yeah," Chloe laughed before being interrupted by Max, "And watch your dumb arms!" Chloe stopped a moment and avoided the cup.
"Oh, but it was a pretty funny night, you stripped down to your underwear and was about to grind on me. Max stopped you and locked you in the bedroom for the night. I agreed it was about time I went home after that. I'm sure whatever surprise you girls have planned will be exciting either way." Chuckling at the thought of the story again, I leaned back in my chair as I began to read over the menu. As the glass spilled, and water splashed, I looked down to see my lap soaked as I see Chloe beginning to dab her napkin against it. But as everything went reversed, nothing I knew happened, but now my cock was slightly hard for reasons I didn't know of at the moment.
Now as the hazard had been avoided unknown to me, I called the waiter over and placed an order for a nice small fillet, with a salad as a side for it. Ordering a couple appetizers for the beginning for us. "I hope its alright with you guys if you take any leftovers home, I plan on ordering a bit to let you guys have."
"Hella cool," Max said ordering a salmon with a side salad. She folded her menu and handed it to the waiter. Subconsciously, she glanced down at Crypt's crotch to see if the spill was ok before remember she fixed that. Max's eyes widened for a moment before she looked up and away as if she didn't notice anything, cursing herself in her mind. "Yes, I'm f-in starved and leftovers are always welcome," Chloe stated before ordering a nice cut of prim rib and adding another appetizer to the order. The two began to drink their beverages as they arrived. "So Max, fuck, marry, kill. Victoria, Dana and Brooke. Which is which huh?" Chloe asked as she took a healthy sip of her beverage.
"Uugh really? Kill Victoria that's easy. I guess I would marry Dana, she seemed really nice, even though she was way too preppy. So I guess that means me and Brooke are enjoying each others company. Jealous?" Max retorted.
"What? Brooke? She is so boring. I'd switch her and Victoria. Something about her makes me feel like she's a good lay," Chloe corrected.
After getting our food, I begin eating, chuckling lightly at their antics as I watch and takes sips of my own drink. Sitting back in the chair, I looked down at myself for a moment, realizing I had a hard-on for some reason. I scoot lightly into the table more to hide it under it as I continue eating like nothing was going on. "Well then, I hope you guys will enjoy the leftovers." I didn't notice it till now, but Max had a bit filled out on the top in the last year that we three have been together, and it was definitely showing a bit from the top of her dress. I couldn't help but take a long glance down at it, enough for either of them to notice as I continued to eat. "A-anyways, you girls will want to order dessert afterwards, right? Max? Chloe? I think that sweets would compliment this night, and your alcohol somewhat."
Max, looking away for moment, let her thoughts wander to the events that led them here. The tornado, Blackwell, everything seemed so life or death at the time and now seemed like a foggy memory. It was hard for Max to piece together what was even real memories from the ones that never transpired. A smile slow formed on her lips as felt a relaxing wave that she was a lifetime removed from those horrors. She glanced back to notice the attention her chest was receiving causing her to blush. Ummm Yeah, dessert sounds great!
Chloe meanwhile noticed earlier considering the attention was not on her. Chloe took a long sip of her drink as she contemplated her next move. She smiled coyly as Max responded before leaning over and almost whispering into Xios ear. I bet youd want to see those tits bouncing up and down, the succumbs guessed as she leaned into you a little, so that he could feel her chest.
After hearing the whispers in my ear, I blushed deeper, looking away from her chest now and towards Chloe whispering into my ear. "Mmm, a bit, but not just hers. Yours as well Chloe, I wouldn't mind staring if you unbuttoned your blouse a little. But i'd like to see much more of your girls bouncing." Looking back over to Max, I could tell she saw me staring, as I then look back at Chloe again. "Do you mind if I ask her to give me a little nipslip if I lean close enough to her?" I smirk as I grab Chloe's drink from the table, taking a small sip of it as I then lean back in my chair again, waiting for an answer or response from either of them, if Chloe was going to show off, or give some permission at the table.
Chloe laughed and made seductive eyes. She began unbuttoning her shirt. "One.... Two.... Three..." She counted as you could almost see the majority of her bra before she applies the third button. "But you lose a button for taking some of MY drink," Chloe quipped as she grabbed her drink back. You could tell the both of them were getting a little intoxicated as a reddish hue took over their faces. "And you can ask her anything you want."
Max watches the both with invested eyes, trying to overhear whatever secrets her ears miss. "Ask me what?" Max inquires as she scoots closer to you, not being able to hear the whispers that have been taking place.
"Aww come on Chloe, its not like you're paying for the alcohol." Chuckling lightly as I take a few nice, long stares down to her and let her take her drink back. As Max slid over to the two of us and asked what I wanted, I only blushed slightly deeper. Leaning in close to her, it was obvious that they both were getting a bit drunk now after a couple drinks as I look down at her, sliding an arm around her as I lean in close to her ear.
Leaning in close to Max, as I look down at her face, my warm breath lightly against her ear as I whispered my question. "Hey Max, I could tell you noticed what I was staring at earlier. Do you think you could have a bit of a 'clothing accident' for me?" It felt embarrassing to ask her to basically show off one or both of her breasts in the restaurant for a moment, but I was slightly eager for it.
Max blushed and glanced around the room quickly. She bit her lip for a moment in thought before looking up to meet your eyes. "She's not going to do it," Chloe piped in, amused at her friends torment. Max shot her a glance before adjusting her seat so she was facing you more direction. She brought her hand up and slide a finger between her bra and skin, pulling both her black dress and bra down a bit between you. Her perky breast's top half popped up, resting the lining of the bra that was pulled down. You could see she was wearing a black lacy bra, but were more distracted by other sights. She quickly adjusted her self back into her clothes almost as fast as they were pulled down. Either due to nervousness, embarrassment or the alcohol, her face was bright red as she quickly took another drink.
"Oh come on, if it went badly you could always, you know, change it!" Chloe joked.
Blushing deeper, the reaction of it only got my cock harder seeing her do it. "W-wow Max, they were really nice. Good job." Turning back to Chloe, I wanted to dare her to do the same since she seemed so courageous right now. "Since you sound so eager, why don't you try it then Chloe? Those tits of yours are big enough to definitely be noticed. And how about this, if you show off, then I will as well under the table, you two can both 'accidentally' drop your silverware and pick it up, and take a nice look at it if you want." A sip of Chloe's drink had given me a little more courage to be a bit more eager for things, and a little less moral.
Oh its on like donkey Kong, Chloe responded, unbuttoning a few buttons and pushing her suspenders out of the way. She smiled, holding her shirt with both hands just as Max piped in. Chloe wait... she said. A healthy moment later a few waiters walked passed carrying a birthday cake, like up with candles. Chloe glanced at Max sending an invisible question, which Max replied with a slight nod. Chloe then turned and opened her shirt towards you and used her elbows to push her tits together. She shook her upper body back and forth for a moment before giggling and putting her outfit back together.
Taking a good long look at Chloe's tits bouncing left and right between her arms as she pressed them together, they both were hot and made me excited. "Mmm, that was definitely worth it Chloe. I hope you guys don't mind that when we get to your house, I get to grope both of you a little bit before I drop you guys off?" I knew it was now my turn to hold up my end of the bargain, I slide my waist more under the tablecloth, letting my hands slide under to unbuckle and unbutton my belt and pants. Sliding them off along with my underwear a little to let my hard cock free from them. I motioned lightly for them to know that they could check under the table now for what they wanted to see.
A wide smile developed on Chloe's face as you get into position. Max, however, seemed more nervous and worried, constantly glancing around to see if anyone is noticing what's happening. "Oh there maybe more than groping," Chloe teased, her blouse was still half unbuttoned. Max followed direction and pretended to push her fork off the table, while Chloe dropped all pretenses of guile and simply got down to look under the tablecloth. The two froze for a moment taking in the site of your erection. Chloe glanced over at Max, "Hey use your powers in a sec, I want to mess with him." Before Max responded, Chloe reached a hand under the table and grabbed your cock. She began to jerk it off, starting slow to get ahold of it and then quickly progressing to a fast pace.
I couldn't hear what Chloe said for a moment as they both headed down under the table, my erection was already hard and quite girthy. As I felt one of their hands wrap around my cock, I stifled a moan as I reached down to pull the tablecloth up a little to see what was going on. Seeing Chloe grabbing my cock and beginning to stroke it, I whisper down to her. "C-chloe, what are you doing?" As she began to stroke it harder, I looked down at her as I leaned back in my chair, trying to concentrate on holding in moans from coming out as I look around to make sure no one was coming around, as well as looking down at Chloe.
Chloe continued stroking the large cock. She could feel its hardness and its warmth. She giggled as you look down to figure out what's going on. "I'm just having some fun in the moment, don't worry and let yourself go, Max 'll fix it in a moment," Chloe responded as she gripped your man meat harder, really stroking it's length. Max was a little used to Chloe's 'in the moment' ideas and rolled her eyes a little before watching your cock get attention. Her eyes hid the things that Max imagined in her head of what could be done to and with that cock. She almost lost her train of thought, memorized by it.
Letting her continue, I look down at her with hazy eyes as I felt her begin to stroke my cock more, looking down at both her and Max, trying not to moan as my cock throbs lightly in Chloe's hand. One of my legs sliding against Max a little, lightly urging her closer to my cock as I look down at her with slightly pleading eyes. Whispering down to Chloe under the table, "Hey Chloe, since you're having some of your own fun right now, make sure Max gets some fun after she fixes this."
Max took the non verbal queue and moved closer to your crotch. She was trying to figure out when she should rewind things, but decided to reach up and begin playing with your scrotum. Softly massage it in her hands, Max looked up at you for approval. Meanwhile, Chloe responded "Sure thing, you want to paint this under table already, my arms getting a little fuckin tired," she complained while switching hands. She spat into her palm and began rubbing your head to give more pleasure.
Almost letting out a moan, I put a hand over my mouth. I look down at Max as she begins to massage my balls, motioning for her to get a bit closer, approving of her actions to them. Using my other foot to push Chloe closer, whispering down to her as I smirk. "Well maybe you could give those arms of yours a break and use that mouth instead. Besides it'll definitely let you know what you did when Max rewinds this." My cock throbbed a bit more and twitched as Chloe began to tease the head with her wet palm, my balls stiffening lightly in Max's hand as she continued to massage them.
Chloe took the direction and moved her mouth over your cock. She breathed hot air onto it's tip, looking up at you as if teasing. She then took in and began bobbing her head on your shaft. Max, not wanting to be left out, moved and gave your balls a kiss. She could smell your aroma and taste your sweat as she licked and sucked on one of your nuts. She worked slower as Chloe got into it more quickly, sucking and bobbing on your cock. The noises from under the table began to get louder.
Continuing to hold my moans, one of my hands went down to slide into Max's hair lightly, enjoying her soft sucking and kissing along my balls. Looking over to Chloe as I see her teasing with breathing on the tip of my cock, I smirk as I see her begin to bob her head along my shaft, using my other hand to slide into Chloe's hair, the tablecloth dropping, shielding them from my view now. As my cock twitched in Chloe's mouth, as she sucked deeper inch by inch, and my balls stiffened in Max's mouth I let my hot, thick, sticky load of cum release into Chloe's mouth and throat. Leaning back in my chair as I pant lightly from the release
Chloe continued bobbing her head on your hard cock. Suddenly your release hits and her eyes widen. Not expecting it, she tries to swallow your load but has to take the cock out of her mouth at one point to take a breathe. It continued to shoot cum out hitting her in the face. Max moved her head to avoid it as Chloe loudly complained, "You couldn't give me a god damn warning! It's in my hair." Max's eyes shot to Chloe as different restaurant goers looked over at your table, including some of the staff. Max concentrated and rewound time to just when they got under the table. Chloe smiles and begins to say something only to stop. She moves her lips and rolls her tongue around in her mouth, thinking she tastes something faint. "Nevermind," Chloe says as both the girls retreat back to their seats out from under the table.
As time reversed, and the girls came back up from the table, I looked at both of them, now pulling my pants and boxers back up as I zip them up. "Get a good enough look girls? We've might want to hurry, in case the waiters have caught on to anything from us. Shall I get us some to-go boxes, Max? Chloe?" Wondering what happened, as I begin eating my food again and drinking some more of the soda from my glass as I look over to them both, wondering what happened under the table just a moment ago.
"Heck yeah, let's blow this joint," Chloe responded as she appeared to be trying to figure something out in her head. "Sounds good to me and it was a nice view," Max said before taking a sip of her drink. She had a coy smile as if she knew something. Chloe and Max stared at each other sending trying to get a read on what the other knew, like two poker players at a high stakes game. The group finished up and got the leftovers to go as the ended the meal.
Taking the girls out from the resturant and back to my car, with leftovers in hand, Max got to sit in the front seat now while Chloe sat in the back seat this time. Only a little tipsy, but not at all enough to sway my driving I look at the girls. "Did you girls have a fun night? The anniversary is in a couple days, I made sure to get that day off from work, and since I won't be able to take you girls out for that night since I spent most of my paycheck. Did you guys want to spend that day at my place, or yours?" Looking over at the girls to see if they had any thoughts at all about it.
"Of course we had fun! This dinner was da shit," Chloe spoke up from the back seat. She was half sprawled out between all three seats. "It was totally fun, Xio," Max piped in, buckling her seatbelt and turning to talk to Crypt. "I think you should come over to our place for the anniversary," Max began before being interrupted. "Totally? since when do you say totally, like are you, like a valley girl now Maxine," Chloe mocked, poking her friend in the ribs as she joked. "Oh shut up, you know I would go back and just change it if I cared that much," Max defended her self pushing Chloe's hands back. Chloe shifted to sitting behind you and reached over and gave your shoulders a little massage, "Yeah, you should totally come and crash at our place that day, it'll beTOTALLYfun."
Laughing lightly from the mocking, I look over at them both as I startup my car and begin driving on the road back to their house. "Alright then, and don't start the party without me, I wouldn't want to miss out on the lapdance I could've gotten last time. Besides I think it'll be fun, do you guys have anything planned, or were you guys just going to wing it that day?" Chuckling lightly, I didn't know what their plans were, but I could guess if there would be alcohol involved that night, that there would be some skin to skin contact to follow it up. Feeling Chloe's hands grab onto my shoulders to give them a massage, I look back at her. "Oh, what are you doing back there?"
"Just bored," Chloe said giving you a squeeze before continuing. "We might have some things planned out," Chloe said leaning forward, "But we could always feel where the night is taking us." She leaned back in her seat looking out the window, lost in her own thoughts. Max hiccupped, "God damn it, I hate these." She held her breath trying to prevent them from continuing further. Slowly exhaling, Max turned to join in the conversation before another hiccup hit. "Ugh, well yeah Xio, we do have... hiccup... something planned that should be pretty fun, but we are flexible if you wanted to do something as well," Max said, making it through the sentence with only one interruption.
Hearing both of them speak of what they thought of the next night, along with the cute hiccups coming from Max as I chuckle lightly. "Hmm, well I think whatever you guys have planned will be fun, but I'll think of somethings as well, that would be fun then." Thinking of some ideas, I look over at Max again as I smirk, with a dirty idea. "Hey Max, they do say that you can cure hiccups with drinking some liquid slowly, I don't have any drinks in here, but I think I might have some liquid you can drink though if you want to try it out?" I didn't know of the blowjob and handjob that never occured from Chloe earlier under the table.
Max looked a little nervous, unsure of herself. She glanced between you and the road itself. "Yeah, Max, why don't you give Crypt a little 'thank you'!" Chloe chimed in, excited about the idea. "Don't be a pussy, besides if anything bad happens just," Chloe spoke putting two fingers up in the air and making quick, small circles with them. "You know, use your powers or whatever, Mad Max," Chloe continued. Max looked back at her life long friend, before looking towards you with a renewed confidence. Whether it was the alcohol or being left out before, Max unbuckled her seat belt and scooted towards you. The movement tugged her dress slightly, showing off more cleavage then before as she leaned over the center console. "You have to say something if anything goes wrong, alright?"
Nodding lightly towards her, I pay attention to the road. "Of course, just, be careful and don't accidently bite down if you hiccup. Theres still a bit to your house, so make sure you drink enough, so make sure you keep licking if you want more." Making sure to pay attention to the road, and keep my focus there as I look over at Max from the corner of my eye, able to see more of her breasts now. "You'll need to slide my pants off for me so I can drive. Theres the hole in the front of my boxers for easy access for you Max."
Max smiled, hiccupping shortly after. She leaned over and nervously fumbled with your belt and zipper. She helped move your pants down just to the thigh as you drove. "Yeah, Max! Get in there!" Chloe cheered on from the back seat. The blue haired side kick was leaning over, peering over the center console for a better view. Max pulled her back behind her ears and reached down to your crotch, feeling around until she found the beast. Her delicate hands opened the door to your boxers and reached in fumbling your cock out into the open. She slowly decended her head between your body and the steering wheel and took the tip of your cock into her mouth. Her slow movement only accented by her tongue moving circular around the tip.
As my hard cock was now out in the open again, I try to make sure to concentrate on driving, while looking down at her every few seconds. Feeling her mouth begin to slowly latch onto my tip, I moan out softly, my cock throbbing lightly against her tongue as she began to play with it. "Yeah Max, this is just for you-" Moaning out again as I continue driving. "suck it as much as you want." Looking in my rear-view mirror, I could see Chloe's ass sticking up while she leaned over to watch Max, smirking as I look over to Chloe to make eye contact. "All this is making me eager for the next time i'll see you guys. I hope theres some nice, sexy outfits involved."
"There will definitely be sexy asses there," Chloe joked reaching over and smacking Max's rear. Max's head recoiled slightly from the sudden slap, but she kept her concentration. The brown haired girl began bobbing her had on your shaft, taking in the top half over and over against. She sucked on your cock as some saliva escaped, dripping down to your groin and wetting your underwear. Chloe mischievously grinned and reached over, gripping Max's hair. "Come on girl, let that pirate out!" She said as she began to pulled and push Max's head faster up and down on your cock.
As Max began to suck on the top half of my cock, I continued to moan out, enjoying the feeling of her mouth against it. Precum spurting out lightly from the tip onto her tongue, it had the faint taste of honey to it. As Chloe began to bounce Max's head more down on the shaft of my cock, I moan out louder, my cock throbbing inside her mouth as I look at the both of them. "Mmm, much better. And pirates you say, well, I'm definitely hoping to get some booty when I get to your house that day, sexy pirates sounds fun." Smirking as I reach one hand over to pull the bottom of Max's dress up, exposing her ass and panties now for Chloe to slap.
Chloe laughed at your antics and released Max's hair. Despite no longer having Chloe's encouragement, Max kept the same intensity and speed up as her mouth surrounded your cock, sliding up and down quickly. Chloe adjusted in her seat and eye'd her friend's ass. Due to the tightness of the dress, it was only normally that Max wore a thong to prevent panty lines. She had on a black thong that accented her curved rear. Chloe grabbed it and tugged a little, "Looks like someone put on their sunday best." The blue haired trouble maker then smacked Max's rear leaving a slight red mark and sending a little jump through Max's body. This didn't deture her from the task at hand, or mouth more appropriately. Feeling left out earlier, Max worked hard on pleasing your member, slurping and sucking it.
Watching Chloe smack Max's ass as she let go of her hair, I smirk and look over at the both of them. As my car was pulling in close to their house, I moan out louder, watching Max continue to suck my cock hard enough when Chloe was bobbing her along it. As my car came to a stop, I turned it off, looking back at Chloe. "If you want to, you can go inside, Max'll be another minute, or a few...Unless you want to watch her?" Smirking, I slide one of my hands into Max's hair, thrusting my hips up into her mouth everytime she went up.
Chloe smiled and gave you a kiss on the side of your head. "Alright, i'm going to go make myself another drink, Don't be long, mad max," Chloe calls out giving her a hard smack on the rear before opening the backseat door and hopping out. Max tried to raise her hand to wave, but instead rested it on your bicep. She held on as you thrust your cock up at her. She closed her eyes and kept her mouth relaxed as your member hit her again and again. She could smell your musk as you were getting more aroused, a strong masculine aroma.
Watching Chloe get out of the car and go into their house, I shift my view back to Max again. Moaning out as I watch her continue to suck on my cock as I continued to thrust in her mouth, I leaned back in the carseat as I kept my hand on her head, enjoying her mouth. My other hand slowly sliding down her body, pulling on her thong as I slid it down a bit. "Max, maybe one time before you go for the night?" I said between moans as I felt my limit getting closer, looking down at her reaction as I wait, my cock throbbing in her mouth, showing I was going to cum soon enough already.
Max slowed down and glanced up at you. She momentarily removed the cock from her mouth. "What do you want me to do?" She asked, wiping her chin of some saliva and precum. She was bent all the way over the center console of the car with her knees on the passenger seat and ass up in the air. She felt bad to deny you earlier in the restaurant. Smiling, she rested your member against her chin as she waited for an answer on how you wanted to get off.
Leaning my chair back, I grab her ass, pulling her on top of me as I slide her panties off. "I hope you don't mind me getting some desert myself, but I couldn't pass up the chance here." Leaning my face in, I began to lick slowly against her pussy, teasing the lips as I flick my tongue against her clit. "I'm gonna make sure we both don't forget this night right now Max." Groping her ass, I slowly push my tongue into her pussy, licking around while pushing it in and out of her, using one hand to tease and pinch her clit.
Max lets out a moan before biting her lower lip. She slowly strokes your cock as her body reacts to your intrusions. It takes a moment before she regains composure and guides your member back towards her mouth. She uses her tongue to lick around the head as it enters her mouth. Instead of bobbing her head, she simply keeps your tip inside her mouth and begins stroking your shaft with a hand. Her grip tights as she quickens the pace. Her lower body twitches from pleasure as your tongue plays with her.
My cock throbs in her hand as she begins to stroke it, slowly speeding up as she began to lick and suck around the tip as well. I began to lick deeper into her, slowly sliding it around her walls as I continued to tease her clit. Continuing to grope her ass, I bring her lap down against my face. My cock throbbed hard against her hand, lips, and tongue. "Max, can I cum inside you? Then you could reverse time, and choose where I cum after?"
Max tried her best to look back at you and smiled. "That sounds like a good plan," the brown haired photographer said as she tried to reposition her self. She slide down your chest and accidently bumped into the steering wheel causing the horn to honk. She jumped a little startled before laughing. She maneuvered herself to be sitting on your lap and reached down to grab your cock and guide it in. She slowly lowered herself onto it as she hiked up her dress to not get in the way. Max was facing forward and holding onto the steering wheel as she began to bounce up and down on your cock.
Watching her make her way down from my face onto my cock, I smirk as I watch her bump into the steering wheel. I help guide her down as I hold onto her ass, slowly sliding her down as I felt her guide my cock into her pussy. Moaning out, I continue to grope her ass, my cock throbbing inside her as I was already close to cumming, I wanted to make sure I got deep inside her when I would cum for the first time. "Max, I have you all to myself for tonight." I lean forward as I begin sucking on one of her nipples, smirking as I thrust my cock upwards into her, making sure to pound deep into her.
Max let out a low, long moan as you assaulted her body from different angles. Her ass felt plump and soft in your hands as you squeezed it. She placed her hands on your shoulders, feeling your muscles as she bounced slightly on your hard cock. She could feel its size and girth as her pussy slide up and down, gripping it almost with how tight she was. Her nipples were hard in your mouth as Max began to slide a hand through your hair, closing her eyes as she was lost in the moment. "Oh, fuck, this is great," she made out as you both fucked in the front seat.
Moaning out louder, I pant as my cock throbs inside of Max's pussy. My hands tightly grabbing her soft ass as I thrust her down more onto my cock, pushing deeper inside of her. My mouth sucking on her nipples, teasing them with my teeth and tongue as I flicked, and bit them softly. Feeling Max grab onto me and my hair, I smirk and pull her body closer to mine as I smack her ass lightly. Pulling my mouth off from her nipple for a moment as I look up at her. "Yeah, you're really tight Max. Do you mind if we don't rewind, this feels amazing on its own."
Max grips harden as she feels your cock swell inside her. She opens her eyes and looks at you as you request the rewind. Nodding slowly and knowing you wont remember her response, she tries to concentrate and time begins to reverse. Your hand slaps off her ass and then pulls back. Max can feel your thrust being reversed as your cock pulls back more thrusts in. She gasps as the backwards fucking sends her over the edge. Time moves forward again as her mind goes blank and her body shivers. Her pussy tightens on your cock as she lets out a low moan as her organism builds.
As time went backwards again, we went all the way back to when we were in the sixty-nine position on the chair, with my cock still hard in your mouth as I was still close to cumming before I stuck it into your pussy. Watching as you were somewhat still, wondering what happened as I look over at you.
Sakura Haruno and Hinata Hyuuga had been assigned as partners for a dangerous mission, not only far from the Leaf Village, not only far from their nation, but far from the very continent which their nation was within. Neither had ever been so far from home before, few from the village had ever ventured off the continent this far on a mission. It meant that the two Kunoichi were isolated from any kind of support, they had no real method of communicating with home and they were in completely unfamiliar territory. At first things had been going rather well, they had managed to infiltrate the small town where there mission was taking place, track the target of their information gathering mission, the anxiety of it all had just been starting to fade and the two may have thought this mission was going to be easier than they had originally thought. Sadly that wasn't to last, things had gone very wrong very quickly.
Neither of them could be sure how, but their cover as tourists had been blown, before they could even really understand what was happening they had been surrounded, attacked, it almost felt like the entire town had been after them. With no other option they had been forced to abandon the mission and flee blindly, leaving the town in a completely different direction to the one which they had arrived from, all of their maps completely useless.
They had been on the run for almost 48 hours now, there had been no chance for sleep, they had been lucky to get 5 minutes to stop and catch their breath. Finally though they had lost their pursuers. Taking a chance Sakura and Hinata had fled into a thick fog, one which the ones chasing them seemed to have been reluctant to enter. At this point neither kunoichi was particularly concerned with moving through the fog blindly, they had no idea where they were with or without fog after all. But finally they had emerged from it, stumbling into a clearing in the forest, a sparkling stream running through it, the trees vibrant with flowers and fruits.
"H-Hinata....you ok?" Sakura spoke as she panted for breath. Every muscle ached, her body screaming for sleep, her mind starting to lose it's sharpness now that they finally seemed to be out of danger. "I think...I think we're safe now. They didn't follow us into that fog..." She slowly looked up and around. From the geography she could make out it seemed that they were in some kind of valley. That was bad news, the broader, more general maps of the area that Sakura had studied had shown no kind of valley anywhere remotely near the town. That meant they were at least a hundred miles from anywhere they had a map for. "Let's...let's set up camp here....get some rest, get some supplies and then figure out our next move....ok?"
Hinata held herself up against a tree, breathing heavily and holding her arm where a gash was bleeding lightly. "Y-yes. I'm okay." Her airy voice whispered. Just like Sakura, Hinata too was in a delirious state of mind having gone sso long without proper food and rest. Her body was quite ready to give up on itself and it truly out of pure will that she was still standing. Her pale white eyes looked around the area they were in and she was shocked to say the least. This area looked nothing like the rest of the areas they travelled. It was so lush and vibrant with pops of green, pink and orange. Everything looked so pretty.
Sliding against the tree, Hinata's legs finally gave out and she popped on the ground, earning a oof from her. A green hue lit up her hand but it dimmed just as quickly. She didn't even have enough energy to heal herself. "Sakura... Do you know where we are?" Her voice was merely a whisper as she was nervous. This was a foreign land and she found it odd that their pursuers wouldn't go beyond the fog they had disappeared into. Those thoughts aside they were safe and it looked like they had an abundant food source. In front of Hinata there was a red, plump, juicy fruit hanging on a tree limb. she reached up and plucked it off splitting it in half an handing some to her partner. "Here, we need to supplement our energy." She took a big bite and swallowed loving the sweet taste.
Little did either kunoichi know that there was a reason no one ventured into this forest and that the fruit being eaten would have some dire consequences.
"Honestly Hinata...I have no idea where we are..." Sakura took a few more deep breaths, still on her feet despite the fact they were screaming at her for rest. She felt this place was safe enough but they needed to be absolutely sure that they really could relax here. "Every map I studied didn't show a valley like this....we've got to be at least a hundred miles from town now if it wasn't on the map. And that fog....nothing I read mentioned anything like it, so we're probably even further from home than we were before...." She sighed, surveying the area once again, there was absolutely no sign of pursuit, no signs that people had been here in a very long time, if they ever had been.
"Hm?" She glanced over as Hinata split a fruit and held half out to her "Oh, thank you. I think we can get some rest here...." Sakura finally slumped into a sitting position, slipping off her sandals at last, her feet red and sore. "Well of all the places to be lost I've seen worse. We've got plenty of food, we can rest up here for a few days I think. The water looks fresh, the weather looks like it stays fairly nice....yeah I'd say we can camp out here for a while until we're completely recovered" The pink haired girl grinned weakly, then took a bite of her own fruit. Her eyes widened at how delicious it was, she'd never tasted anything like it! Without hesitating she devoured the rest of it, even sucking the juice from her fingers. "Oh wow, that was amazing! I've never tasted anything so incredible"
Sakura smiled and relaxed, feeling an odd sensation, but she just attributed it to eating for the first time in days and recovering from her rest. She had no idea what the strange heat building in her chest really was, and she was so exhausted she didn't notice the slight increase in tightness from her bra and shirt, nor did she notice that her nipples had rapidly hardened, now quite clearly visible through the fabric of her clothes due to their incredible hardness.
Hinata was unaware of the pressure building in her chest as well, her eyes drooping from exhaustion. She wanted to eat more of that fruit but her body had decided that she needed to sleep instead. She truly felt safe and protected, not to mention warm. Really warm actually. "Um Sakura... Do you feel hot?" Maybe it was just her body cooling down from running for so long but the warmth in her chest was starting to make her uncomfortable. There was also an odd tingling sensation happening in her nether regions. Hinata was horny and incredibly so. Still she was trying her best to ignore it and to ignore the fact that her bra straps were now digging into her shoulders and straining with newfounded weight.
Her pale eyes trained on Sakura's chest. The sight was definitely not helping her arousal any. "Um Sakura...." She didn't want to embarrass the kuinoichi but maybe she should tell her. "Sakura are you cold?"
"Hm? Feel hot...? Well, now you mention it I guess it is a little warm, but then again we've been running so much I'm sure we're just burning up from all the exertion, not to mention it's a sunny day" Sakura fanned herself for a moment as she stretched a little, though that only pulled her shirt more tightly around her chest, not to mention her bra. Wait, did her chest feel a little heavier? No, it had to be her imagination right? She was exhausted, sore, aching, possibly even a little feverish. Still, that didn't explain why she was starting to feel....aroused? Really? Aroused right now? She couldn't think why, but she did try to avoid looking at Hinata.
"Hm? Cold? No, why would you think I was cold Hinata?" Sakura was still looking away, but whilst Hinata was staring she'd see Sakura's chest seemingly....grow slightly. Almost like her breasts had inflated by nearly a cup size right before Hinata's eyes, and Sakura fidgeted a little from the sudden and drastic increase in the tightness of her bra, which was now rather stretched beyond what it was designed to hold.
Hinata felt her eyes widening what she was seeing before her. There was no way that Sakura's chest was growing in front of her like this. It just had to be a trick of her exhausted mind. She shook her head and looked up into the trees her own bra beginning to snap from the pressure on her chest. She tried to take a breath and calm herself. That's maybe all she needed to clear her head. Opening her eyes again, Hinata saw her bust size increasing as well and get nipples lengthening and thickening. "Um.... Sakura...."
"Hm?" Sakura's attention was caught again when Hinata spoke out. "What is-" She cut off when she saw what was happening, eyes going wide and gasping as she watched Hinata's jacket starting to push outwards, as if the girls chest were growing larger by the second. "What in the...? What's going-" Sakura gasped as there was a sudden growth spurt in her own chest, Sakura looking down and seeing as her own shirt was bulging, then winced as her bra became tighter and tighter, starting to painfully dig into her. "What...what's going..." Sakura dropped to her knees as her own arousal continued to grow rapidly, her shorts turning dark as her body produced more and more juices of arousal.
"I...o-oh god...!" Sakura cried out as her chest surged again, the loud noise of Sakura's bra snapping echoing around the clearing, followed moments later by the sound of ripping fabric as her tight shirt finally started to give way, Sakura's breasts spilling free, her nipples also increasing in size, each nipple now the size of a soda can.
Hinata could only watch in mild horror and intense arousal as Sakura fell to her knees in erotic pain. Finally her bra gave way to breasts far larger than normal size. Not to mention her nipples were thick, erect and as sensitive as her clitoris. Even just the smallest air current around her breasts made her wet with desire. She moaned and bit her lip Her hips thrusting a bit as even her panties rubbing against her made her want to come. She had never been this aroused before and just looking at Sakura made her even more so. "Sakura...I....I feel so horny." Hinata's nipples were not as large as Sakura's but they certainly were thicker than normal, about the half the size of sakuras but they were still growing. "I feel like I need to...." Hinata was dripping with desire. Her pussy was absolutely soaked in her own juices. "Sakura.... What's happening to us...." She moaned out.
"Y-yeah I....m-me too..." Sakura didn't just feel horny, she felt more horny than should be humanely possible. Her pussy felt like it was on fire, and her body was producing juices so rapidly that they were now leaking out of her shorts and running down her thighs, glistening in the bright sunlight. "I...I don't...I don't know what...what's going on. I just know I need...I need to..." Sakura fidgeted again, before she simply couldn't take it anymore. She reached down past her still growing breasts, grasping at her shorts and using her immense strength tore them away easily, revealing a hairless, dripping wet pussy. Without even hesitating, or seemingly caring that Hinata was watching her every move, Hinata plunged several fingers into herself, moaning so loud it echoed through the valley. She didn't want to do this, she was trying to stop herself with Hinata right there, but the urge was far too strong to resist.
"N-not...not enough....More....I....I need more!" Sakura whimpered as she thrust her fingers in and out, but as good as it felt it just wasn't enough to satisfy the intense burning desire her body was feeling, and the longer she waited the more intense the desire became. If she wasn't satisfied somehow soon she felt like she could well lose her mind.
This sight before her was causing Hinata to blush but her body also was ramping up the production of her juices. ""S-Sakura-chan...." Hinata was scared for her friend. What on earth was happening to them? "Sakura l-let me help you." It was almost as if she was in a trance but Hinata moved over to her friend, her newly formed breasts bouncing wildly and sank down to her knees in front of her. The sight of her hairless pussy was enough to have Hinata thrusting against the friction in her own pants as she wrapped her lips around the puffy dripping ones. She moved Sakura's fingers and began thrusting her tongue through the juices lapping them up as they flowed heavily into her mouth. It was like Hinata couldn't get enough! Moaning at the taste she held on to Sakura's strong legs and added three fingers to the mix spreading her wide open for her tongue to have more access. Hinata didn't know how she was doing this but it was like she needed Sakura's juices for survival. She couldn't pull her lips from her pussy! Hinata was dripping waterfalls at this point, her shorts completely soaked through but she was too busy pleasuring her friend to even worry about how she needed to get off. Sakura was her priority.
Sakura could barely hear what Hinata was saying over her own moans of pleasure, along with the sounds of her fingers plunging into her pussy over and over again, juices spraying everywhere as she did. Sakura's other hand was trying to reach around her breasts to grasp one of her nipples, but she could barely reach, her breasts now having grown so large that her nipples were almost out of reach entirely, leaving the giant soda can sized nubs aching for attention that they simply couldn't receive right now.
When Hinata suddenly brought her mouth to her though, Sakura certainly felt that, almost screaming in pleasure as she felt the other girls tongue thrust into her. "F-FUCK!" Sakura almost came, but it was like something was still holding her back, like she still needed more stimulation. Her hands both went to massaging the flesh of her huge breasts, her hips grinding against Hinata's face as her juices poured out freely, coating Hinata's face, running down the girls neck and chest. "Nnnngh! Y-YES! D-deeper! Faster! More!! G-get your hands in there too Hinata!" Sakura was so close...so very close, just a little more that was all. A little more and she was sure she'd be able to think straight.
Hinata had no idea what had come over her but it was almost like she could very well die in Sakura's pussy and have no qualms about it. She stuck three fingers into her friend's dripping core and began curling them to hit Sakura's g-spot moving in time with her tongue. Meanwhile all of this was happening, Hinata's arousal began to drip past her shorts and underwear making for a very uncomfortable situation. However Hinata couldn't bring herself to care. She was too busy lapping up the juices like she needed them to survive. Her breasts were still growing, now very much past the normal human size but normal things that would worry her just didn't anymore. She just wanted to make her friend come and come hard. One of Hinata's hands snaked their way barely able to brush her own nipples that were now huge and permanently erect it seemed like. "S-sakur-chan." Hinata whimpered rutting her hips against the ground and licking Sakura's clit. Soon not even fingering and eating Hinata out would solve her problem of arousal. She would need something more.
Sakura's entire mind was overwhelmed with pleasure, she couldn't see or hear anything, every bit of brainpower she had was consumed with physical sensation. And as Hinata plunged her fingers inside, curling them up against Sakura's G-spot, the sensitivity of which seemed to have increased many times over, it was finally enough to push her over the edge. With a might scream that echoed around the valley Sakura came, hard. Her juices squirted with such volume that Hinata's entire body was completely drenched in them in moments, the ground all infront of Sakura between her legs completely soaked with the fluids of her arousal.
With the orgasm finally achieved Sakura's breasts seemed to have stopped growing, though they moved and jiggled as Sakura panted for breath, her vision starting to blurrily come back. "H-Hinata....o-oh god...oh god that...that was amazing...but...but what....what happened? What's still happening....?"
"I-i don't know Sakura but i.... I need...." Hinata could barely speak she was so horny. Her shorts were torn from her body as she reached down trying to get herself off. It wasn't working. She needed something more something more than fingers. She began to rut against the couch. Hinata used the arm of the chair and moved her dripping pussy covering it in juices. "Sakura I feel empty." She whimpered still sitting n In the armrest of the chair. "I. .... I need someone in."
Sakura looked down at Hinata's crotch, gasping as she watched the girl literally rip her shorts off, staring in amazement at just how wet the other girl was. Sakura wanted to get down and return what Hinata had done, to eat the girl out, to use her mouth to get her off....but Sakura's breasts had grown so large that getting onto all fours was impossible now, the attempt would just make her lean on her breasts and keep her head still plenty off the ground. "I uh...Hinata....you need....someone in....inside you? Uh....well I know I've gotten a little different but I'm not exactly....equipped for that...." She swallowed nervously, glancing around. For some reason Sakura found herself momentarily mesmerised by the fruit on a nearby tree....like some instinct was drawing her to it. After a moment the pink haired girl moved towards it, plucking it from the tree, sniffing at it, then taking a large bite. Her face scrunched up, it tasted bitter, but she swallowed it anyway.
At first it seemed like her energy was coming back, the exhaustion from such an intense orgasm vanishing, but then suddenly....Sakura gasped sharply. All of a sudden her arousal began to skyrocket again, juices once more gushing from between her legs, though Hinata would be able to see something else, something almost like movement, like someone inside of Sakura was now starting to try and get out.
Her eyes widened at the site before her and Hinata covered her mouth with the one hand that wasn't knuckle deep in her core. Her hips continued rutting on their own and a mitten left her pretty little lips. "Sakur-Sakura Chan.... There's....oooh!" She bit her lip in frustration and thrusted harder in her fingers watching her friends private area very closely. But the frustration of not being able to orgasm was getting to her. Not to mention her breasts began to swell again at this point almost blocking the vision that was her dear friend. "I-i need something inside me!" Hinata almost screamed in frustration at this point. She couldn't orgasm and it was driving her mad. Her breasts grew continuously and her nipples grew just as sensitive as her clitoris. But Hinata couldn't even reach a hand up to rub her own nipples as big as her breasts were
Sakura panted as her hips began to thrust back and forth into the air, the girl crying out in pleasure and frustration. She whimpered as her hands slipped down, trying to plunge into her herself, almost as if attempting to dig out whatever was inside of her, but just before her fingers could find their mark Sakura's eyes widened, her fingers suddenly clenching into fists as the pressure spiked all of a sudden. "F-FFFUUUUUCK!" Sakura screamed out as the pressure suddenly released, in the form of a cock erupting from her crotch, springing forth and sticking straight up into the air, 12 inches of thick, throbbing cock now sticking out of Sakura's body. The pink haired girl stared at it for a moment, knowing she should be freaking out, but despite the release of pressure her arousal was now stronger than ever.
She looked over to Hinata, watching as the girls breasts had started growing once more. Fuck it, she couldn't take this anymore. Sakura managed to get to her feet, her own breasts gigantic as well, bouncing wildly as she moved over to the other girl. Their gigantic breasts squashed together, before Sakura managed to angle herself, plunging her new cock into Hinata's body. "AHHHH!" Sakura cried out in pleasure, her cock twitching so hard that it actually lifted Hinata off the ground briefly. "Nnngh...sorry Hinata...but..." Without waiting any longer Sakura pulled out, then thrust back in, starting to pound her cock into Hinata with her incredible strength.
Leona straightened her skirt and slid her legs out of the town car the agency had sent for her. As the vehicle's driver pulled away, without a word, she read the sign ; LUMIOSE BUREAU OF POKEMON INVESTIGATION."Hm, not very catchy." She chuckled slightly as she passed beneath the sign. Then again, she supposed her old agency wasn't winning any prizes for word play either. They were what they were, and what they were, were semi-privately owned investigation agencies who didn't deal in nonsense. And she supposed that was why she was involved. Although, she couldn't help but indulge herself in a wit battle every now and again. After all, the pokemon couldn't have all the fun.
"Your ID please, Miss?" A voice snapped her out of her thoughs. Someone behind a security check-in was waiting to scan her ID. Fortunately, the agency had issued her a temporary one to use until she'd gotten there. She passed the slip of paper through the window, and the man behind the glass took it with ginger fingers, as though it were a delicate artifact. "First day, huh?" He asked as he stamped it with something written in large, red letters. Leona couldn't read it upside down from where she was standing.
"Yes,." She nodded, taking it back when it was offered. "I've just come over from Goldenrod."
The security guard let out a low whistle. "Quite a trip. Well, I'll let you get to it then."
"Thank you." Leona attempted to sound cheerful, but might've come off more as unsure. She continued through to the main hall, where she'd been told her new partner and the head of her department would be waiting for her.
Tristan shouldered his bag as he stepped out of the cab. He took a deep breath, happy to be back at the home office. As he walked into the building he smiled at the security guard, "Vinny! How's it going?" he said happily as he shook hands with the guard. The guard grinned and shook Tristan's hand, "Agent Brennan, back already? Where were you this time? Johto? Kanto?" the guard asked excitedly. "Nah, I was back home in Alola," he said, "Caught some bad guy trying to poach Lapras," he said and produced his ID badge to be properly signed in. "Have a good day Agent Brennan," he said as Tristan saluted the guard and headed up the stairs to his office.
As he reached his floor he saw his boss waiting for him. "Agent Brennan, welcome back. Please come into my office," She said. There was something about that phrase that put Tristen in mind of his days in school being sent to the principal's office. Stepping into the office he saw another woman sitting there, Tristan smiled politely and took a seat next to her. "First, welcome back Agent Brennan, glad to see you back. Now, I would like your to meet your new Partner," she said with a grin and pointed at the other lady.
"Leona Bradford." She pulled her painted lips into a tiny smile and shook hte other agent's hand. She was attempting to size him up,, but knew that despite what the old adage told her, first impressions were not always accurate. She would have to give herself more time to see what kind of person he was. But he didn't seem to jump right on the Disrespect Express when he saw her, so that was a good sign. "I'm from the Goldenrod City branch. Pleased to meet you." When she was given her hand back, she tucked a lock of deep green hair that had come loose back into place and adjusted her glasses.
A new partner, that must mean a big assignment, Tristan said as hed never had a partner before. Tristan Brennan, he added shaking the hand of the young woman.
Yes, the two of you are going to be assigned to a new case. A recent string of Pokmon robberies have occured throughout the region. Our on clue is this mark, the director said as she opened a file and pulled out a photo of what looked like a graffiti tag of claw marks, this symbol has been found at every crime scene, the unsubs tend to target wealthy or highly renowned trainers. They are challenged to a battle then once the Pokmon are out the trainer is attacked by a second assailant and their Pokmon is captured in a pokeball.
Tristan was confused, but I thought a trainers Pokmon couldnt be caught in another pokeball?
True, but it seems these unsubs have created a new type of ball, so no Pokmon is safe. Now here is the case file, put a stop to these robberies, dismissed, the director said. Tristan stood and grabbed the door holding it open for Leona.
Leona already seemed to be puzzling things out as she passed through the door Tristan held open. Her finger rested under her chin in contemplation. "Well, do you think it would benifit us to work backward from the most recent attack, or forward from the first recorded incidence?" She asked, having already had an idea in mind. She too wasn't so used to working with a partner, but she wanted to make sure he was included in her thought process.
As he got to his desk, Tristan dropped his bag and sat down putting his feet up on the desk. Well, I think we should start the the most resent attack, the memory of that victim should be the freshest and we might learn something about the attackers, he said pushing his glasses up on his nose, besides the latest attack happened at a pizza place and Im starving, he added with a dopey grin
Leona's eyes widened for a moment before she smiled. She could tell he was going to be a very informal partner, but his assertions of the victim's memory were astute enoughto assure her that he was taking it seriously. "If we're being honest, me too. It was a long, long trip over here. We can take a few statements, collect some details, then gorge on pizza." Her grin fell away for a moment. "Though it's kind of odd they would attack a pizza place, isn't it? I mean, aren't the marks usually wealthy or well known trainers?"
Tristan smirked, this partner was going to be ok. You are obviously new to the city, Gormond is not only the best Pizza chef he and his Magmar have won every cooking competition in the city, he said grinning, so it the thieves are after champions, that Magmar is a prize, he added and stood up his grin never faultering, So agent Bradford is it? Shall we crack this case wide open? He asked holding out his hand to shake hers.
"Absolutely!" She took his hand and shook it emphatically. "I'm glad I get a local on this one. I didn't even have to do research that time." There was relief in her sigh as she and he moved back toward the security desk. "Normally I'm the only one who thinks to do research when I'm with a partner. Thats why I tend to work alone as much as I can. But something about trying to solve a case of this magnitude on my own in a city I'm unfamiliar with seems wildly impractical."
Chuckles as they walked out of HQ. Dont know how local I am, only been here for a few years, he said scratching the back of his head and smiling. As they exited the building, Tristan hailed a cab and opened the door for Leona. Gormonds Pizza Palace, He said getting in. As for the research theres no sense rushing in to anything without knowing the facts, I blundered through my first few missions that way before I learned, he admitted blushing.
She smiled and shook her head as she slid into the cab. "I've always been a big fact checker, but sometimes it makes me a little spacey. Like, maybe I get so llost in the books that I miss the here and the now." She thought her first partner had been a royal ass when he'd suggested that, but the longer she worked, the more she found it to be accurate. However, her first partner was far too impulsive, and she couldn't take him seriously at the time.
As the cab pulled up to the pizza place, they found a broken window boarded and the door locked. Wow those thievies did a number On this place, Gormond had to close up. Tristan said getting out of the cab. He looked in through the unbroken window and saw the place deserted. Hmmm...looks like we might need to find out where Gormond lives, he said turning to look at Leona.
"Hmm..." She thumbed through the documents in the file folder the chief had handed them. "This photo copy of his driver's license puts him at... 224 Lavender Blvd." She offered the file to her partner so that he could verify. "Do you know where that is?"
Bradford I could kiss you, youre a genius! He said looking at the file, Lavender Blvd is on the other side of town, pretty ritzy street. Seems the pizza business in quite lucrative, he added before hailing another cab.
A little while later the cab pulled up in front of the gate to a large house. The gate was adorned with gold plated Magmar statues. I think this is the place, Tristan said smirked as he got out and pushed the buzzer, Yes, hello we are insurance brokers for Pokesurance, we are here to see Chef Gormond, he said. The gate slowly swung open and he walked up the driveway to the house. He obviously didnt look like an insurance broker in his bright button down shirt and jeans, he didnt look like an agent for Bureau either for that matter. As the pair were lead into the house, they found Chef Gormond sobbing in a chair a Vanilluxe beside him freezing a bowl of ice cream.
A trace of pink tinged Leona's usually pale cheek, and she grinned. She'd never been praised so boisterously before. When they arrived, and he'd given them his story about being an insurgence broker, she quickly began to formulate questions she could ask in that guise. She looked the part a little more so than Tristan; wearing a black sport coat and matching skirt and little pumps. But it wasn't a cover story they'd talked about. Maybe it was just to get them in the gate.
She saw the chef there, about ready to drown his sorrows in ice cream, exactly what she'd do if she'd suffered a loss of a pokemon. She felt her hand creep across one of the pokeballs she wore at her side out of instinct. "We would wish you a good afternoon, Chef Gormond, but it seems inappropriate under the circumstances. May we sit? Please, feel free to eat while we're speaking. We didn't wish to interrupt."
The chef waved at the love seat near him as he sobbed. So Chef, we here just to ask you a few questions about this terrible incident. Tristan said and The chef nodded.
A man came out of nowhere on my way home with Mozza, my sweet Magmar, and challenged me to a battle, the chef began, he started eating the ice cream as he spoke the vanilluxe hovering near by. naturally I agreed the man and I battled and just as my Mozza was going to win, a Liepard came out of nowhere and stole my pokeball! at this the chef began to ball as he stuffed ice cream in his mouth in large quantities.
Then what happened Chef Gormond? Tristan asked as he feverishly took notes.
a woman stepped out of an alleyway and snapped a black capsule around Mozzas ball. Then its stare went blank and and it walked iver to her and returned to its ball. They both demand I hand over my other Pokmon but I couldnt let them have my Squishy, Chef Gormond said and hugged the Vanilluxe.
Tristan went to speak but was cut off as a large bay window bust in and a man and a Zangoose walked in.thought you could escape us? We are Team Claw we always get what we want! Zangoose, Crush Claw! he ordered and the Pokmon leaped into the air its claws glowing blue-white. Tristan was quick to react throwing a pokeball from his belt. Toxicroak, hop to it! Counter it with Cross Chop! He said and the frog-like Pokmon appeared out of its ball and its arms began to glow white and it crossed its arms to form an "X". As the two attacks collided both Pokmon were stuck in a stand still.
Dont interfere! Warmed the man as he glared at Tristan.
"You fools make it too easy sometimes." Leona muttered, throwing out her own pokemon. An eerie olivine Mismagius appeared from the either. "Ginger, cast confuse ray!" The little witchy scarf began to chant and bob back and forth, dipping forward and focusing her mind on the Zangoose. The formerly fierce pokemon took on a dazed look and swayed on it's feet. It tried to raise a clawed hand and take a swipe at it's closest target, but that had been what Leona had been hoping for. "Sucker punch'em!" Suddenly, the Zangoose's claw rounded on itself and took aim at it's own face. In a barrage that would make any schoolyard bully proud, Ginger caused the pokemon to continue to hit itself at full force three times before stopping. Her hollow cackle echoed inthe Chef's parlor. It was clear that she enjoyed that move a little too much.
Kinda takes some of the fun out of it doesnt it Bradford? Tristan said before smirking and looking at his Toxicroak, alright this fools had enough, lets finish this withFocus Blast, he added and Toxicroak put its hands together and formed a sparking yellow orb of energy in between them. It then hurled the orb at the Zangoose. The force of the blast sent the Zangoose and its trainer flying back out the shattered window and into the yard beyond. Too easy, Tristan said disappointedly as he walked out and pulled out a pair of handcuffs. Before he could cuff the man, he was picked up and thrown back by a powerful psychic attack. Soon after a male Meowstic floated down with another man with dark hair and a black scarf.
tsk tsk tsk, the man said looking at the other trainer in the yard before turning to look at Tristan and Leona. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Claude special agent of Team Claw. I congratulate you on this victory but warn you not to get in Team Claws way again if you know whats good for you, Felix Misty Terrain, Claude said and the Meowstic released a thick mist that blanketed the area. Once the mist cleared, Claude and the other trainer were gone with just three large claw marks singed into the yawn outside.
Leona stepped gingerly through the pane of broken glass to ensure that her partner was alright. "Well, that's something to add to the notes." She muttered, looking from where Claude had been to where Tristan was now. "I'm not sure how he got away so quickly under cover of mist, but there doesn't seem to be any trace of him, other than their usual calling card. Maybe...Teleport?" The detective was mostly thinking aloud, but she felt it would be better to do so to keep her partner in the loop.
Tristan sat up holding his head, "I'm not sure, all I know is that Meowstic really packs a wallop," he said slowly standing up. "Toxicroak return," he said recalling his Pokmon. "It also seems that we are dealing with a much larger organization then I first thought." he added turning to look at the damaged house, "how is Chef Gormond?" he asked Leona, "Also looks like we might have just made this investigation that much harder," he said rubbing the back of his still aching head.
A few hours later and they were back at HQ. Tristan was going over all the files associated with the case and trying to find any connections between the victims to see if he might be able to predict when and where the next attack would take place. Unfortunately all the attacks seemed to be at random times and places, the only connecting factor was that all the victims were high level trainers and champions in some aspect. Frustrated, Tristan kicked back from his desk, "this is pointless, it seems all the attacks happen at random, the next one could be happening right now and we'd have no way of telling." he said angrily
Leona sat at her new, temporary desk in the bullpen and pressed her palms just above her eyes. "I hate this kind of guess work!" She groaned. "There are no patterns, there are very few facts. Everything is conjecture!" She sat up right and looked across at him. "Well, we have two options. We can take a guess as to whom they'll hit next with what we know; it'll be someone with a famous pokemon relatively close to here. Or, we try cross referencing this Claude character with active criminals and their pokemon that're already on file."
"I guess we could do both, I'll cross reference This joker against know crime organizations and you can search for any high profile trainers in the city," Tristan suggested and started his search for any connection of Claude in any files of the know crime syndicates, no matter how small. He even went so far as to search the files for any trainers know to use a Zangoose or Meowstic. There were no mentions of Claude but there were a few mentions of a trainer that used a Meowstic, except the trainer was a woman. Again it seemed like Tristan was still just spinning his wheels, until he came across a high profile crime boss with a reputation for never being defeated with his powerful Abomasnow. "Hey Bradford, I might not have found any connection to Claude. But I think I found a possible target," he said turning his monitor to face Leona, "What do you think?"
"Hmmm," Leona leaned in and adjusted her thick glasses on her nose. "High profile...pokemon unique skill set...access to further criminal underlings..." She leaned back and clapped her hands in front of her resolutely. "I think you've found the hay in the needle stack!" She paused for a moment and raised an eyebrow. "Wait, that is how it goes, right?"
Tristan chuckled, I think you mean a needle in a haystack, he said with a wide grin. Now the only trouble is, how do we get close enough to the big boss? He asked not sure how two agents of law and order were going to get up close and personal with a crime boss
Leona returned to her chair and leaned back, resting a finger under her lower lip. "Well, I guess we should study him a little, see what he's got his hands in, and get our hands into it too. Gambling, shaking down shop keepers for protection money,. What's his game?"
Tristan looked over the file on the crime boss, seems hes cornered the market on gambling at the local gym, huh, seems hes the gym leader too. Tristan said with a grin, looks like it wont be as hard to get close to him as I thought, he added with a grin, tell me, have you ever wanted to join the Pokmon League? He asked.
"You know, I thought about it." Leona admitted, sitting upright and folding her hands in her lap. "My father was absolutely sure I wouldn't like it. Being youthful and rebellious, I wanted to do it anyway. So, to prove he was right, my dad and a friend of his battled me twice a day for a week. By the end, I was kind of sick of battling, and I knew he was right." She sighed and shrugged. "I know you probably weren't looking for my life story, but that's kind of how I ended up here."
Tristan grinned, well coming from the Alola Region, We dont have gyms there so I have always wanted to see what the hype was about, he said grinning, plus wouldnt mind a rematch with that Claude guy, he added.
Leona groaned. "I know exactly what you mean. He just...just swooped in and finished things so quickly that we didn't even get a chance!" She sighed, stood and stretched her arms. "Well, where do we start?"
I guess we go challenge ourselves a gym leader, Tristan said getting up and grabbing his jacket. Ill even give the lady the honour of challenging first, he added grinning. Come on the gym is in the entertainment district.
"Oh, how chivalrous." Leona laughed, straightening her blazer and following her partner onward to the gym.
When they got to teh gym, Leona was impressed with how bi it was, much bigger than her hometown gym. Well, home region gym at any rate. The village she started out in wasn't quite big enough to offer a gym all its own. Two men stood outside the door and seemed to glower at everyone who passed by. She turned to Tristan and spoke behind her hand. "Who're those guys? Hired goons?"
Yuup, Tristan said before walking up to the two burly men at the door. Hey there wed like to challenge the Gym Leader, so if you wouldnt mind just stepping aside, He said with a wide grin but the men didnt move.
Battle, was all on said in a deep gravelly voice, yous two against us, you win you get in, you loose and...hehe lets just hope you dont loose, the other said with a wicked grin of his own.
Very well, Primarina center stage Tristan said and called out his seal-like Pokmon. The two thugs smirked and released their Pokmon, a Beartic and an Exeggutor.
Leona figured there'd be some battling involved, but she hadn't thought it would be two on two. "Ginger, let's go!" She tossed out the pokeball and the fabric-like pokemon appeared. She fluttered in the breeze created by her release and let out a musical cry. "Alright Ginger, throw a little shade. Shadow Ball!"
Wood Hammer!Shouted one of the doormen,Icicle Crash!Shouted the other and their Pokmon leapt to action. The Beartic focused on Ginger while the Exeggutor attacked Tristans Primarina.
Alright Primarina counter withDazzling Gleam! Tristan commanded and his Pokmon let out a melodic call before its body became surrounded in a rainbow colored shine. The shine then got brighter and brighter, before striking the Exeggutor. The attack blinded the tree-like Pokmon for a moment and as it swung its attack it missed wildly slamming harmlessly into the ground.
The giant polar bear pokemon conjured a massive icicle above Ginger. It chilled her and caused her to look up, but by then it was already bearing down on her. She tried to float out of the way, but the sharp point caught her in the side before she could. She let out a little cry of pain and surprise.
"Shake it off Ginger!" Leona tried to sound encouraging, but it always worried her to see her pokemon injured. "You know what this guy needs, Will-O Wisp!"
The Mismagius's eyes glowed with a blue fire, which spread to her entire body. Completely engulfed in spectral flame, she rushed the Beartic and painted him in blue embers.
The bear-like Pokmon let out a roar as it was burned and its trainer growled, Shadow Claw now! He shouted and the Beartic lashed out with a massive paw wreathed in dark energy. The other trainer looked at his Exeggutor and frown as he saw the attack miss, Seed Bomb! He shouted and the Exeggutor opened it mouths and fired a rapid succession of glowing seeds. Tristans Primarina didnt have time to react as it was pelted by the exploding projectiles. Tristan felt his stomach lurch, the attack had done a lot of damage to Primarina, but as the smoke cleared he sighed seeing his Pokmon still standing. Bradford, what do you say we switch dancing partners? He said then ordered his Primarina to attack the Beartic withMoonblast.Primarina spread its flippers wide and gathered a ball of energy from the moon and threw it at the Beartic. Tristan didnt even wait for the attack to land before shouting out for Primarina to follow up withHydro Cannon.Primarina openes its mouth as a glowing light blue ball of water appears in front of it and it launched it at the Beartic.
"Okay, Ginger, you heard the man." At that, Ginger bolted across the field, narrowly avoiding the shadow claw, to float in front of the Exeggutor. Despite being a ghost, Ginger looked a little tired. This was probably the toughest battle she'd had in quite a while. Or at least, the fastest. "Give it all you've got! Will-O Wisp!" The Mismagius began to chant something melodically and the familiar blue glow of the ghostly fire attack surrounded her, shooting toward the grass type in a beam of radiant light.
The Beartic barely had a chance to register its attack missed before Primarina's attacks hit it square in the chest. The Beartic roared out and collapsed to the ground. Tristan smiled triumphantly as he turned to look at his partner. He watched as the ghost-type attacked the Exeggutor. The plant pokemon staggered back as it was burned badly. "Exeggutor usePsychic!" the brutish man said. The Exeggutor's eyes began to glow blue as it sent out a power wave of psychic energy.
Unfortunately, Ginger was unable to dodge the overwhelming psychic attack, and took it full force. Her eyes clamped shut, and she looked as though her head were going to explode. "Ginger, return!" Leona raised her pokeball and called the fluttering ghost back. If she had been angry before, she was furious now. "Ember, go!" She tossed out another pokeball and a lampent appeared with a screech. "Ember, use flame burst!"
Tristan watched how his partner handled herself in battle, she seemed more determined now to win. As the elegant chandelier like Pokmon attack her opponent tried to retaliate withSeed Bombbut the power of the fire-type attack engulfed the Exeggutor knocking out cold.
The Lampent goulishly giggled and danced with glee. "Alright, we've played your game, and now we'd like some answers." Leona demanded firmly but calmly. There was a hard glint in her eye that suggested she might not be above using her ghostly pokemon's flames on humankind. "Or would you like to keep drawing this out?"
Well done, Tristan said with a grin then turned his attention to the two men, Alright we won so let us pass to challenge your boss, he demanded. The two men grumbled but stepped aside to allow the two trainers entrance. Well that was easy, he said as they walked down the hall of the gym.
"Yeah, I've got to admit, it makes me skeptical." Leona stroked her chin in contemplation. Ember floated alongside her and looked confused, but happy to be out of the ball. Once down the hall, they encountered another man in a suit. This one looked a little less burly than the two in the front, and seemed to size them up a little more methodically.
"Alright, which one of you guys is the challenger?" He demanded with a sigh, as though this were an unwanted chore.
We both are, Tristan replied, we both want to take a crack at beating the gym leader, he added with a triumphant tone.
The man looked the pair over again, whos first? He asked, only one challenger may enter at a time, the other can go wait in the stands, he finished by pointing the way towards the visitors box.
"You go ahead Tristan." Leona sighed, shutting her eyes and shaking her head. "I'll give Ginger some medicine and let her relax a little before battle." She paused and remembered that they were on equal footing. "I mean, if you're okay with that?"
Sure thing, I got this, he said flashing a winning smile. Tristan then followed the man through a set of large doors and out onto the battle field. The field itself was cold and covered in tall trees and snow. Tristan shivered and ribbed his shoulders not being dressed for such a cold arena. As he took he spot on the challengers side, an other set of doors opened opposite him. A large man dressed in a thick red coat and boots walked out.
So this is my challenger for today huh? Alright lets get this over with, he said scoffing in a deep voice. The man from the door took up the spot of ref and began announcing the rules for the match. This will be a three on three battle, only the challenger is able to substitute Pokmon, once all three of either opponents Pokmon are defeated the match is over. Now send out your first Pokmon! He shouted.
Don Provo was first, with a smirk he threw out his first Pokmon, a winter Sawsbuck. Tristan grinned ok lets start things off easy, Snorlax, up and at em! He said releasing his large sleeping Pokmon. Don Provo wastes no time ordering his deer-like Pokmon to attack withJump Kick.
The battle between Snorlax and Sawsbuck didnt last long with Snorlax being defeated. Tristan frowned his Snorlax put up a good fight but Don Provo was no slouch. Figuring he should play type advantage, Tristan sent out his next Pokmon. Inconeroar, tag in! He said releasing his large cat-like Pokmon.
The man in front of the door had permitted Leona to watch from the doorway as long as she didn't try to interfere. It hadn't occurred to her to do so, but she supposed people had done it in the past. Otherwise, why would there need to be a rule? The battle looked pretty intense already, but it looked like Tristan had it well in hand now that he'd called out a fire type. She wondered if he played the sandwich method when it came to three on three; the strongest pokemon choice between two slightly weaker or mismatched pokemon that wouldn't have the type advantage. She'd had to do a lot of that herself considering all her pokemon were ghost and grass types, and were weak to fire and a few other types. She supposed she would have to diversify at some point, but she was so fond of her team that it seemed cruel to just trade one of them away.
Tristan smirked as the battle continued, his Incineroar easily holding off the attacks of the gym leader's Sawsbuck. "Alright Incineroar let's finish this withBlast Burn!"he said and his Pokmon roared as it's body was engulfed in blue flames, it then slammed it's fist to the ground. The ground shook and erupted in dazzling blue fire spreading out from Incineroar. Don Provo tried to save his Pokmon but the Sawsbuck was unable to protect itself and as the flames hit it the arena exploded. As the dust cleared, sawsbuck was laying on the ground unconscious. Don Provo growled, "fine I was going to go easy on you but now you asked for it,' he said and threw out his next Pokmon, the ball opened with a flash of light and a massive Pokmon with shaggy white fur towered over Incineroar. Tristan grinned and looked back at Leona, he figured the gym leader would bring out Abomasnow sooner or later but he never expected it to be so big. "Abomosnow,Blizzard!" he shouted and Abomasnow's body began to glow light blue, and a dark cloud appeared above the arena. Chunks of ice began to rain down from the cloud and strike the Incineroar. Tristan panicked, using Blast Burn had tired Incineroar so he could do nothing but watch as his Pokmon was pummeled by the attack.
Suddenly the roof of the gym was peeled open and a Meowstic floated in. Tristan looked back at Leona again. "Incineroar Return!" he shouted and recalled his damaged Pokmon. "what the hell is this?" Don Provo shouted looking up at the floating Pokmon. Don Provo, your Abomasnow is coming with us, came a voice as a man lowered on a cable into the gym. "Like Hell, AbomasnowRazor Leaf!" Abomasnow roared as it launched a flurry of leaves spinning at the intruder. Meowstic's eyes shone as the leaves stopped midair.
Tristan grabbed another of his Pokeballs and threw it. "Decidueye Take Aim!" he said and the ball opened, but nothing came out. Don Provo laughed, "think you got the wrong ball their sport," he said and looked back at the man on the cable. Tristan just smirked, "Spirit Shackle,"he said calmly, suddenly an arrow flew through the air, its tip glowing with a dark prple energy. The arrow circled around the Meowstic they struck its shadow exploding. The Meowstic was thrown to the ground. Everyone looked to see where the arrow came from and a large owl-like Pokmon materialized in the rafters, "Nice shot, Follow it up withLeaf Blade!" he said and Decidueye swooped down at incredible speeds, its hand glowing green as it slashed at the Meowstic.
Leona brushed by the man in front of the door to join the fray. She called out her Ivysaur and chose her target. "Alright Sprouts, let's nip the problem in the but. Grapple the trainer with your vines!" Sprouts let out a low croaking call and two vines shot out from beneath it's blooming bulb. They wrapped around each of the legs of the man on the zipline and attempted to tug him down. The harness was making it difficult, but he was at least distracted now. Perhaps he should have thought better of busting into a pokemon gym and demanding a fight. This wasn't like a restaurant where one wouldn't be readily available.
Claude growled as his legs were entangled by the Ivysaur. He reach to his belt and tossed two more pokeballs, Mittens, SnugglesPower Gem! he shouted as a pair of Persians, one normal and the other Alolan, appeared. Both of the the Classy Cat Pokemon meowed and shot a powerful beam from the gems on the foreheads towards Leona and her Ivysaur.
Before Leona had time to laugh at the ridiculous names for such powerful pokemon, her Ivysaur acted without her orders. He let go of Claude and slapped her out of harm's way with his whips still extended. She fell to the ground a few yards away, rubbing the back of her head. He'd saved her, but in doing so, Sprouts had left himself open for an attack. He took two beams and fainted, looking worse for wear.
Leona cried out and forced herself to her feet. Sprouts trembled as she recalled him, but it was clear it was just reflexive. She too threw out two pokemon; Banette, the ghostly doll pokemon, and Gourgeist, the ghost grass hybrid. "Take them down. No mercy." She groweled, feeling that uncontrollable anger and sorrow overtake her. In her logical mind, she knew that this was what all her handlers had warned her against. Getting too emotional would lead to mistakes and breaking protocol, but this whole situation was out of bounds as far as she was concerned. So, what else could she do but free herself up from the red tape.
Gourgeist used leech seed on the normal looking Persian, while Banette opened its zippered jaws and launched a phlegmy glob of dark toxic sludge at the Alolan cat. Gourgeist, whom she'd simply named "Pumpkin", was used to starting virtually every battle with Leech seed, and instinctively reached out for that move when beginning a battle. The Banette, whom she'd affectionately dubbed, "Nettles", was just a scrappy futher mucker, and threw out the first attack he could think of.
Mittens mewed as it was wrapped in the thin vines of the leech seed. Growling as it struggles to free itself from the plant, the Persian flared at the floating pumpkin like Pokmon. Snuggles on the other hand dodged away from the gooey attack. Letting out a loud roar, the dark-type Persian sent out a wave of dark energy throughout the arena.
Tristan grimaced knowing the dark-type attack would be extremely effective against not only his Decidueye, but also Leonas Pokmon. Decidueye, protect them withFrenzy Plant!He shouted and the owl-like Pokmon landed between Gourgeist and Bannette slamming its foot to the ground. The earth shook and split as massive vines sprouted out of the ground in front of the three Pokmon.
The two ghost pokemon flew backward to try and avoid the blast of dark energy. The plants slowed it drastically, taking the hard edge off, but they still took a little damage from the exposure. Not nearly as much as they might have.
"Alright, we'll see how they like it." Leona was psyched up now that the immediate danger had passed. Just the little bit of time the plant frenzy had afforded her had also given her a moment to plan. "Pumpkin, Trick or Treat!" A ghostly ray enveloped the normal Persian. It began to become translucent, as though it were fading from existence, but stopped before it could. The cat pokemon was now half ghost, and would be susceptible to all the things her ghosts were. "Nettles, Faint Attack."
The little doll stuck a pin in it's own neck, stumbled toward the two Persians, and pretended to die in an almost Bugs Bunny-like fashion. It waited for the now ghostly persian to move a little closer, then leaped up and scratched it across the face in a shadowy streak.
The pale Persian smirk as the puppet attacked feeling confident, as Persians usually do. As the attack hit, the Persian reeled as the attacked did far more damage then expected. Claude growled and looked at his Meowstic that was struggling to its feet. FelixPsyco Cut!He shouted. But before the psychic-type had even tried, a ball of dark energy blasted it into the wall, Tristans Decidueye swooping past. Claude recalled his Meowstic and looked at his Persians, Mittens,Foul Play, SnugglesPlay Rough!both felines eyes glinted as they rushed towards Tristans Decidueye.
Leona knew her Banette was in too close to evade easily. She decided it was probably better to take the hit and do a little more damage than risk provoking an attack of opportunity by running away. She didn't want to see Nettles hurt, but she didn't want Claude to escape again either. "So they want to play?" Leona smirked. "Well, that's what dolls were made for. Nettles, pain split."
The plush pokemon convulsed a little in a psychic cloud of dark energy. She could tell it had effected him drastically, and she hoped he would be able to pull of this one last move before she recalled him. The doll plucked a ghostly hair from the dark Persian's coat and swallowed it. Then, he began to stick pins in his soft body. Deep purple clouds swirled around both the Banette and the persian, swam together into one large cloud, and crashed back into their respective hosts. Nettles collapsed with the force of the strike, and Leona recalled him immediately.
Tristans Decidueye was hit squarely with the normal Persians attack and was engulfed in a cloud as the two struggled. DecidueyeLeaf Blade! Tristan shouted and flashes of green could be seen through the cloud of dust. As the dust settled both Pokmon looked worse for wear. The two persians regrouped, both looking close to collapse. Claude clapped from above, Im impressed, it has been a long time since anyone has given me such a fight. You have definitely made my list. Snuggles, Mittens return, he said and blew a kiss at Leona and Tristan, perhaps we can meet again my dears and I will be taking those extraordinary Pokmon with me then, he said as he was hoisted out of the arena. As he left he looked back at the gym leader, Team Claw is done with you Don Provo you have been judged and found...wanting, he said and laughed as he was hoisted out of sight.
"We can't let him escape!" Leona shouted, filtering through her other pokemon to try and come up with a plan. There were rules in place to prevent agents from using lethal, or even very harmful force against humans using pokemon. Not only was it bad for the person being attacked, but the pokemon who killed, either by accident or otherwise, were often subject to fits of traumatic stress. There was also a ton of red tape that would inevitabley lead to the destruction of said pokemon. As angry as she was, Leona would never subject her pokemon to that.
"This is a tough gambit..." She threw out her oddish, a rookie pokemon that she'd only gotten recently. He hadn't had much in the way of training, and was much more of a lover than a fighter. She hadn't even given him a name yet, but he was the last thing she could come up with. "Oddish, vine grab him, now!" The Oddish looked confused, but followed her finger, just in time for his gaze to land on Claude's feet slipping through the hole he'd made. The way he'd come in was not conducive to long distance grabbing, and Leona slid her palm over her face in defeat. It was an expression the Oddish was used to seeing, and nuzzled her knees in apology.
She picked up the little vegetable pokemon and hugged him to her chest, watching the criminal slip through the cracks.
Tristan looked to his Decidueye, but it was took weak to fly after the retreating figure. Well on the bright side we made his list, Tristan said shrugging. He then looked at the gym leader who was slinking away, stop, by order of the BUREAU OF POKEMON INVESTIGATION you are coming with us to answer some questions, he said in a very official tone as he displayed his badge.
An hour or two later, Don Provo was in an interview room waiting for Tristan and Leona to ask him some questions. Tristan had decided to let the Don sweat a little while he tended to his injured Pokmon. It might not be much, but it seemed that Team Claw had a personal grudge against the Don. We might be able to get something out of him that could be useful, Tristan said to his partner as he waited for the Bureaus own Nurse Joy to return with their Pokmon.
Leona sat stone faced for a long while after returning to HQ. She knew she wouldn't be able to breathe again until her pokemon were out of the healing rays, and the gaze of the particularly judgemental Joy had been diverted elsewhere. She took back her pokemon with a solumn nod, and the relief lightened her mood.
"I agree." She finally replied. "Maybe he knows someone from the organization personally. So, how do we want to do this? Good cop, bad cop?" The corner of her mouth twitched up a little at the thought of the classic charade.
Good cop bad cop? You watch a lot of crime dramas huh? Tristan asked with a smirk, I have never seen anyone actually use that before, heh cant hurt, you wanna be the good cop or bad cop? He asked as the pair headed back up to the interview room where Don Provo was waiting.
He shouldn't have asked that.Leona took a deep breath and steadied her nerves. "Bad cop, if that's alright with you?" But without waiting for an answer, she pushed open the door that separated them from Don Provo.
"Well, Mr. Provo," She began in a deep, authoritative tone. "Despite the disgrace of nearly getting your pokemon nabbed, it's hard to see you as a victim. You've got a record as thick as a Snorlax toenail., and we could just send you up the river now and save ourselves a whole lot of trouble. Or..." A subtle gesture aimed at Tristan told him it was his turn.
Slightly stunned by the complete 180 in his partners usual demeanour, Tristan stood at the door for a moment before walking in, We May be able to work a deal if you cooperate and tell us what we need to know. He said taking a seat opposite the Don. Firstly you can tell us what connection you have to the criminal organization know as Team Claw,
The Don merely chuckled, You aint got nothing on me, I
And I dont know nothing about no team Claw, he said bluntly
"We've got plenty on you." Leona told him flatly, narrowing her eyes and leaning into his face. "Enough to put you away for a long, long time. And of course your pokemon will have to be confiscated, but I suppose that's slightly better than getting them stolen by Team Claw. Hell, you might even get them back, if they haven't been rehomed in the ten or so years it'll take you to get out of prison. " She stood straight again and folding her arms in front of her. "But perhaps it would be for the best."
Now we dont have to go that far, I mean your gym is a very big draw to our city, so if you helped us out we might be inclined to look the other way on some of your less then legitimate enterprises, Tristan said folding his hands in front of himself. All we want is Team Claw, thats it, he added with a pleasent grin.
Don Provo sat in silence for a moment, Fine, Ill tell you what I know, but I want our deal here in writing, he said and I want you the repairs to my gym to be paid for by the city, after all its such a draw to young trainers, he said smugly leaning back in his chair.
Leona scowled, knowing City Council probably wouldn't go for it. She was new to this town, but government was government. "You'll get your written contract, but insurence will have to cover your damages. City Hall has padlocked pockets." The detective wasn't entirely sure where she'd go if he didn't comply, she might have to back up and try a new route. She folded her arms sternly and squared up with her eyes.
Don Provo chuckled, no deal Princess, he said crossing his arms, I am the victim of a vicious attack, I had my personal property damaged and the bureau couldnt prevent it, so maybe you should pay for the damages, he added.
Tristan could see this was going nowhere fast, and he knew there was little he or Leona could do if the Don didnt cooperate. Ok how about this, you tell us what we want to know and well not only look the other way with your side ventures, but we will also make sure your gym is the main gym for the city, you would be the sole provider of the Snowdrift Badge, He said grinning. Provo day silently for a moment then nodded. You got a deal.
Leona turned her head a little, just long enough to roll her eyes. "Alright, we'll get that process started once we bring in Team Claw. But you've got to give us any Intel you have on where to look for them. We could shake every bush in town, but that's more time you spend in competition."
Alright Im playing along sweetie, Provo said, now I dont know about this Team Claw, but I do know that punk kid that wrecked my gym. His name is Claude Feliday, him and his sister tried to become part of my crew. But lets just say they didnt pass initiation. He said leaning back in his chair. Im mean they were strong trainers, but when push came to shove they were only good for slowing people down, you know a patsy. Eh, they took the fall for one of my crew and I hadnt seen em since, until today. Don Provo crosses his arms as he spoke and seemed to show no emotion in confessing to setting up two kids to take the fall for him. That made Tristans stomach turn, he was helping this jerk, at times like these the job wasnt worth it.
"Perhaps Claude's assessment of you was accurate enough to make it into your file." Leona scowled and rested her hands on her hips. "This gives us a personal motive as well as a professional one." She turned her face intently toward Tristan, virtually snubbing Don Provo. "Perhaps it's worth investigating recent skermishes surrounding other victims, as well as mapping future targets." She paused, and looked down her short, upturned nose and the criminal in the chair. "Do you have any further questions for our guest. I think I'm through."
"No I think we got all we need from him," Tristan said then turned to look at Provo, "You are free to go," he said and opened the door for Leona. As the two left the room Tristan wondered if they had gotten any good information at all. "So what do you think, did you get anything out of that? Seems like Claude and his sister had a reason to attack Don Provo, but I don't see any way to find either Claude or his sister.
Leona lead Tristan over to the office coffee pot, and found it empty. Color rose in her cheeks at the sight of the clear glass carafe. She shut her eyes and took a deep breath before replacing the coffee filter and setting the pot to brew. "While I don't think it'll help us find Claude and his sister specifically, I do think it's opened up a few more leads we might be able to look into. We should also keep on the predictive trail, and try to figure out whom our next victim might be. So, not only do we look into who's got the next strongest or well known pokemon, but question the the previous victims to see if they've had previous altercations with people who then disappeared. I know it's...oddly specific, but it's something to go on."
Good idea, I never thought of that angle. Scorned apprentices seeking vengeance on their masters, Tristan said scratching his chin. Hmmm...if vengeance is their motivation, then we have made ourselves quite the targets as well having beaten Team Claw twice now, he wondered aloud.
Leona rested her chin on her hand. "So what if...we make ourselves bigger targets?" She offered, an idea flickering into life like a candle flame. "What if we draw so much attention to our pokemon that they can't help but send their best and brightest after us. If we bring down the best, we could strategically weaken the rest." A kind of ferocity crept into her eyes, illuminating them in the same way they might if confronted by a particularly strong opponent.
And how would you suggest we do that? Tristan asked fully intrigued in Leonas idea. I mean not like we can become famous overnight, he chuckled as he tried to think of a way to get the attention of Team Claw. Well we could hold a press conference and directly call out Team Claw, he said snapping his fingers as the idea jumped into his head, We could totally get their attention if we do that and practically dare them to try and strike again,
"Hmm..." Leona began to pace, stopping only to pour herself a cup of coffee and add a few sugar cubes. Her pacing resumed as she stirred. "If we call them out directly, they'll have time to plan and back-plan. They'll come at us knowing we're waiting for them. We've got to find a way to make them feel like they're catching us by surprise..."
She stopped and seemed to focus on a spot on the wall with a red hot intensity. "What if we bring the most prominent pokemon trainers we can get, to us?" She spun around and took the seat across from Tristan. "I know it's a stretch, but what if we set up something like a....a fundraiser pokemon tournament. An event that big might draw out more than just Team Claw. I know it'll take a lot of work, but if we could keep it contained, it might do the trick. What do you think?"
Hmmmm...that could work, I can pull some stuff into the with my contacts back in Alola and see if I can get the Masked Royal and his Incineroar to partake in the fundraiser he said air quoting around fundraiser. Im sure that should draw out anyone wanting to steal famous Pokmon,
The last year had seen dragons burn, and a world grieve, it was a passing of an era, any man woman and child could see that. For two hundred years, Balerion the dragon Aegon the conquror brought with him from the land Valeria had helped to defend the world, and now it was gone. Along with it's many children, of the host of 19 dragons. Now they had 10, with the largest of them was still strong and powerful, but they had been declining even before the blackfyre's had fought for the throne.
Now the largest was dead, and Averis Blackfyre felt a lot like the smallest dragon at the head of the table. He was forcing himself to smile, the last night had brought an end to a war after all he should feel relieved, he would get the throne that his brothers, his uncles, and his mother and sister had all fought for. Yet this was no victory dance. It was an awkward celebration a feast surrounded by enemies. His banner, the black dragon on a plain of red, was behind him, and would be set aflame after the celebration was done. His wife's to be banner, the one that his entire family had died to try to get rid of, would remain, the 'proper' red dragon on a plane of black.
'Fire and Blood' the words of the Targaryen would also remain, while he had been told not to speak his own families chosen words. The meisters wanted such things lost to history. The Red Keep was nice, he had never actually been to Kingslanding before, he had spent his life on Dragonstone after the Blackfyre's had liberated it and used it as their base of operations. He could feel eyes on him, and he couldn't help but wave nervously.
His green eyes, and darker hair were traits born from his mother. Though he did have his father's pale features, strong jaw, and the tall frame of a targaryan all things that stayed with them even when their blood was 'diluted'. His eyes strayed over the host of the tables, he could pick out at least 3 women whom he would rather sit beside, but if he so much as looked to touch another woman right now, last of his blood or not he was going to get his hand chopped off. So his hand was forced, and he would have to marry the woman sat beside him. He looked to her, briefly before breaking eye contact and looking back at the meal he could barely touch. They had never spoken before, he didn't know anything about her other than that she was the enemy.
And now she was going to be his wife.
Much of the world had changed since Aegon the conqueror first took over the seven kingdoms. There was war and blood between houses as all of them tried to take power for themselves. Much of the fighting wasn't even fought with swords and arrows. The political animals that existed in Kings Landing seemed to inhabit the capital loved the fighting more than the armies and troops. One thing that many learn growing up in the noble houses is that no matter how 'civilized' these people were. These Lords and Ladies they loved nothing more than bloodshed and power. Anything they could do to take more for themselves was done. Often without a second's thought to the people who would be impacted the most.
Emilya Targaryen knew how to play the game. She knew what she needed to say and who to say it to. Albeit the girl was still learning but she was quick on her feet. If nothing her family taught her to use her strengths to her advantage. One thing that was instilled in Emilya was her beauty. Even in the room she sat in she was undoubtedly the most beautiful girl in there. Her silver-golden hair cascaded down her back in beautiful thick waves that framed her heart shaped face. Her bright violet eyes contrasted sharply with the smooth and pale skin. Her body developed into full womanhood.
Her grandmother was one of the most politically savvy people Emilya knew. She taught her everything she knew. She coached her on what to say. But she also told her what to do. Which is how Emilya found herself in a undesirable predicament. Next to her sat the man she would marry soon. The man she would spend the rest of her life with (how ever long that may be). The man whose family most recently tried to kill off her family. But that was something everyone in room conveniently decided to ignore.
Emilya turned and looked at Averis. The pair caught each other's eye and quickly looked away. But one thing the girl tried to do was make sure that she didn't show any fear. In front of the people they had invited but also to each other. They didn't know each other yet. How could she trust him? In fact, how could she trust any of them? The girl opened her mouth to address the man sitting to her. "Averis..." she trailed off not sure what she could say "How are you? I'm sure these past few months and even years have been hard on you and your family." She wanted to seem sympathetic but also to gage where he was at. Was he angry? Hateful? Happy? Apathetic? She needed to know.
She spoke to him? He blinked for a moment thinking that maybe he hadn't heard his name called, but then she asked him how he was in the moment. The months and years had indeed been hard on his 'family' House Blackfyre were all of the targarian's bastards, which meant that the majority of them were cousins and not real true born family. But when they had been legitimized the entire group of them had been quick to form bonds. Since he had been the previous kings bastard he had been the main line of the family, along with his two elder brothers, his sister and his mother.
All of them gone now. He sighed and closed his eyes, sorrow was a better word to describe his demeanor when she asked him about his family. He let out a deep mournful sigh as he picked up his glass of wine and sipped some of it, the music helped, but it didn't matter really, he didn't want to get drunk on the wine or on the festivities, he didn't want this feast. "Emilya?" He asked her name for a moment as if he had forgotten it, and then looked at her, she did have a sort of beauty about her. "I loved my family, but they are gone now." He spoke with a soft sigh as he leaned back into his seat.
When he opened his eyes he looked to his 'wife' looking her over for a moment, he evaluated her with a soft eye, trying his best to think about how to approach her. She was such an unknown and yet she was asking about his family. "I'm sorry for yours as well. For what it is worth I didn't really want this." He said softly, he needed her, at least half the armies of the kingdoms were loyal to her, he had no idea what would happen if something bad were to happen to her. Yet at the same time he had no idea if she was planning to get rid of him.
Their families had killed one another. How could he trust her after that?
He missed his family? From what her Grandmother told her about the Blackfyre family the only thing they cared about was getting more power. In fact, she told her that they might even kill each other to get what they wanted. Emilya didn't know who to believe. She knew her Grandmother was cunning but she always had her best interest at heart. She knew nothing about Avis. Was he saying this to win her over? Did he think she would be ruled by her emotions? Or was her truly a rare find in Westeros. A man who actually allowed others to see his emotions. Only time would tell.
But they needed each other so what he would gain from lying she had no idea. Her Grandmother brought her up to believe that everyone had an ulterior motive when they did something. Rarely was something done at face value. The look in his eyes told a different story though. Not one of cunning and bloodshed but rather of pain, sorrow, and maybe anger. She could sense that even if they couldn't trust each other just yet that he might not be as evil as her family told her.
"Thank you...it's been difficult but hopefully the bloodshed is over." They both knew that wasn't true. The way their families craved power it wouldn't be long before there was in fighting amongst themselves or with another powerful family. Although Emilya pitied the fools who would go against a family with dragons. After Emilya said it she couldn't help but laugh for a moment. She knew it was a ridiculous thing to say. "Sorry, I'm not mad. It was just the thought of them never fighting again was laughable." The party around them was in full swing and it looked like it wouldn't be ending anytime soon. "It looks like they are having fun...despite the fact that they were only just trying to kill each other not too ling ago."
The bloodshed was indeed over and done with. Yet the way she laughed made him a touch uncomfortable. Her blood was fully targaryen which meant that only time would tell if she was as insane and depraved as the worst of her family. Every time one of her line was born the gods flipped a coin to see if those around them would suffer. At least that was what his family had told him time and time again, so he couldn't settle down. Not while the kingdom was split fifty fifty. Yet she was right the idea that these people would never come to blows again was laughable cause there was no doubt that if either one of them died by accident than the six kingdoms would split down the line again ready to spill each others blood at a moments notice.
"This party is honestly a bit much for my taste." He poked at his food for a moment watching lords ladies and servants all around dance to music, feast and drink. at least they could find some sort of comfort in this show, but he was stuck in his chair along with her. He knew full well that this party wasn't for them, it was for the people who had died in the conflict finding relief now that there weren't people willing to try and set the kingdoms aflame with dragons fire. "Still I don't think anyone would listen to me if we tried to put a stop to it." He shook his head, they were king and queen and yet no one was going to listen to them for a while.
cause after the wedding would come the bedding. Normally it would be the highlight of the night. A chance to see his new wife, but after everything that happened it felt more like he was going to be forced to rape her even though he himself didn't really feel like having sex. He paused to get a drink, should the two of them talk about that? He felt worry in his gut for what would come next, but he didn't know what to say. "this is more their wedding than ours I suppose." He said with a laugh.
Damn him. Damn them. Damn it all.
The orange glow, ambient heat and the roaring sound of waves of molten rock crashing against energy shields seemed the perfect backdrop for his inner turmoil.
The corpses of the Trade Federation leaders had been fed into the rivers of lava, and cleaning droids were scouring the control room, removing every trace of the brief struggle. No, the massacre. He had personally retrieved the security footage and deleted anything that might seem incriminating. To the galaxy at large, the story would be that the backers of the Seperatist movement, the men who had supported Count Dooku in his ill-conceived crusade, had simply... vanished... when their defeat had become inevitable. They would be far from the first war criminals to go into exile to escape the repercussions of their actions.
The people of the new Galactic Empire would moan and complain about the troublemakers having escaped justice. But there would be peace. Thanks to him. Why did that particular thought make him want to jump the railing and cast himself into the fiery sea?
Search your feelings, Anakin. Before you can control them, you must know them. And to know them, you must first be able to name them.Do not try to put them into perspective, or make them presentable before you do. That way lies only delusion. Face them without fear, and they lose much of their power. Then you can decide what you must do about them with a clear head.
One of the few lessons Qui-Gon had managed to impart aboard the Nubian before they returned to Naboo all those years ago. Name your feelings.
Fear, of course. He was afraid. So much was changing, and he had never handled change well. The war had become his home. He had had an enemy, an objective, and a way to prove his strength and courage. It had made him a hero. Now he would have to find a new way, and that was terrifying. And even with Emperor Palpatine's reassurances, he still feared for Padme.
Guilt. However just the cause, he had betrayed much of what he had come to value, and the principles of many whom he loved. Oaths he had sworn, that had once granted him strength and comfort. It would be difficult... and painful... to reconcile everyone and everything he would need to to go on. Perhaps even impossible. The screams of the Jedi in the temple still rang in his ears. Maybe they always would.
Anger. The only reason any of this was happening was because of the failings of others. The bureaucrats of the Republic had failed to negotiate or compromise or even admit culpability, and forced him, Palpatine and Padme to shoulder the burdens of the galaxy alone. The Jedi Council had failed to resist corruption, and had threatened everything he held dear out of sheer spite and lust for control. Everything had been falling apart because people kept refusing to follow the law, and do their duty instead of pursuing their own interests.
So what must he do? He must trust Palpatine and Padme to know what was best, and would follow their lead. The three of them, together? They could make the Empire great. Make it fair. Make it prosperous. Make it a place where no slave boy would ever have to fear his mother being captured and tortured by Sand People again. That wastheirduty. The time for selfishness and indignation was over. It had to be. Or everything would have been for nothing.
When he returned to Cosruscant, he would make it so.
Anakin's ruminations were cut short by a movement out of the corner of his eye, a reflection in the dark sky. For a moment he thought his mind was playing a trick on him, until he recognized the shape. It sent a jerk of happiness and apprehension through him, and he wasted no time in running to the landing pad as it descended. Suddenly, the only thing he could think about, the only thing in the universe that mattered, was holding her in his arms again.
He stopped before the ship, her Nubian, as graceful as the first time he had seen it in the desert under a blue sky, waiting for it to lower the ramp. Ready to take him to the stars, along with its angel. His hair was disheveled, and a shadow of stubble ghosted his jaw after the past few days. Dark rings circled his eyes, and while genuine, his smile of anticipation seemed... brittle. Too sharp around the edges.
Nonetheless, his shoulders were squared and his jaw was set. Anyone who knew him could see the new determination in his eyes. He would do this, and do it right. And damn the galaxy to hell if he would allow himself to lose her along the way.
Padm gripped the controls with a hold of iron as stars streaked past the viewport. She could have relinquished her hold on them shortly after breaking Coruscant's atmosphere had she wished, what with the auto-pilot feature and Threepio to guide the Nabooian craft to Mustafar. Mustafar; she'd never been and never imagined she would ever have any need to venture to the industrial planet. It didn't make sense as to why Anakin would be there other than on an assignment for the Republic. Did he even know that the Republic was no more?
According to Obi-Wan, Anakin knew better than anyone what was going on.Younglings....surely it couldn't be true?
"Mistress?"
The prim voice of Threepio woke her from her reverie. She snapped into action and assisted in landing the ship on the landing pad below them. The sight of the river of lava sent an icy shiver down her back. Whatever the reason Anakin was on this forsaken planet, Padm felt it wasn't a good one. She took a moment to gather herself before exiting the cockpit. How she would broach the rumors that Obi-Wan had shared with her was lost on her. Putting the horrid deeds to words seemed a herculean task.
Yet, hadn't Anakin killed innocents before? More than once the massacre on Tatooine crept into her mind, having escaped the smothering grip she had on the memory.
"Stay with the ship Threepio," Padm ordered. She stood from the pilot's chair, holding onto the back of the co-pilot's for balance, and looked beyond the viewport. Her heart leaped in her chest at the sight of a familiar figure approaching the landing pad. Despite her misgivings Padm hastened off the craft and down the lowered ramp.
"Ani," she breathed, embracing him tightly. The two lives within her moved and kicked; perhaps they sensed their father.
"What are you doing here? Coruscant is in chaos. The Republic-" Her words dried up as she searched his hardened eyes.
His heart skipped a beat when he saw her make her way down the ramp. As it always had, right since he was a child. Even in the ugly light of the fire, even with that expression of concern and fear on her face, she was the loveliest thing he had ever seen. Her skin radiant, her posture straight and dignified as befitted a Queen and a Senator.
Anakin didn't hesitate for a moment to wrap his arms around her, careful of her growing belly which seemed even more pronounced than it had just a few days ago. He held her, tightly. Desperately. Buried his face in her hair and breathed her in, as though her presence was an oasis after far too long trekking through the desert, losing one's mind.
Everything would be okay now.
She broke the embrace and pulled away far too quickly, and the look of disbelief and doubt in her face hurt him in a way nothing had prepared him for.
"The Republic is no more. I know." he said, refusing to let his voice quiver. He had done this, and he would not hide from it. "The war is over, Padm. I know it's... scary. To see things changing so quickly. But Palpatine wants peace. Order. He's going to need our help. It's the only way. The only one that makes sense."
His voice held conviction, but the desperation in his grip around her shoulders had not faded.
Padm swallowed past the lump in her throat when Anakin affirmed the news about the Republic. "He's dissolved the Republic," she reminded him. "And declared himself emperor. How could that bring about peace? How many voices will be silenced because of this?" Her hands moved to his face, palms flat against Anakin's cheeks. "Let's go home, Ani, to Naboo just like we planned." It was foolish to think they could hide away on her beloved home planet and avoid the insanity that would follow the shift of the Republic to the Empire. Still, she couldn't help but hope for simpler and safer times.
She let her hands smooth down his shoulders to his biceps, letting them rest there. She gathered her strength and posed the next question. "Obi-Wan told me....terrible things. The-" Her words cut off as she met his eyes. "The younglings, Ani? Please tell me it isn't true. I can't-"
Padm couldn't picture him putting the young Jedi to his lightsaber without regret. How could he, when he was due to be a father withing weeks.
"The Republicwantsto be dissolved, Padm." Anakin said, a note of gentleness in his words. "Even if it offends your sensibilities. I may be an idiot child when it comes to politics compared to you or him, but I've been out there, on campaign. On the battlefields. I've seen what all the holo-shuffling and talking and money-grubbing has lead to. We all know that things can't go on like this. And it's the right of people in a democracy to unite behind a strong leader when the need arises. Come what may. It has to be."
He squeezed her shoulders, looking her straight in the eyes. Trying to force her to understand. "He'll need us, Padm. You more than me. He needs you to help ensure that itdoeslead to peace. That it isn't the end of everything we've been fighting for. I know you can do that. And we can't hide from it. We'll go to Naboo to have our children. But first we must go back to Coruscant and do our duty."
Her mention of Obi-Wan and the younglings broke his stride and his chain of logic, forcing him to release her and take a step back, drawing a deep breath. So Obi-Wan was alive after all. He had figured as much, but the confirmation still shook him. The realization of what his master must have felt, seeing what he had done.
"It's not true. You can't listen to him, Padm. I know he's our friend, but he has always been a Jedi first. You know that. And the Jedi turned against us. Please, don't let him turn you against us." He felt like he was lying to her, even though he wasn't. He had sworn to his new master to keep the younglings a secret. But he would not let her believe that he would hurt a child, even to save the galaxy.
Padm rolled her eyes in exasperation when he put himself down regarding his capacity for politics. The issue with her husband and politics was that he didn't have patience for the democratic system, flawed as it was. She'd expressed as such to him multiple times yet they still didn't see eye to eye. "They're saying he's a Sith, Anakin," she stated as she was forced to meet his gaze. "How could you stand behind someone like that? I'm not so knowledgeable about the Force or anything like that, but isn't he against all that you and the others stand for?" The others; most of the Jedi had been killed already on the order of the emperor. She had a sad suspicion that few remained alive besides Obi-Wan.
Padm bit her lip as her eyes grew blurry with tears. She was never one to give into emotions yet one of the effects of her pregnancy was unstable emotions. The week prior she'd dropped a robe and Dorm had found her sobbing, unable to bend down to retrieve it. "He said there was proof, Anakin. You know I've stood by you during every dark moment thus far." The massacre of the Tusken Raiders hung unsaid in the air.
"So why would he tell me that there's holo footage of you...." She couldn't say the words for the image they summoned was too horrific to describe.
"He wouldn't betray us," Padm reminded her husband. Her grip on his upper arms tightened as if to punctuate her statement. "He's like a father to you; he wouldn't lie."
Anakin snapped back, angrily. "Yes, he's a Sith, but he still wants what is best for the galaxy just as you do. And it's a moot point regardless. You're not listening to me.He's already won, Padm. The Jedi could not stop him before, and I can't stop him now. He has the clone troopers. My men. And the support of the people. Theonlything we can do now is help him prevent further war. It's the only to make a better world, and it's the only way you'll live!"
His hands found hers again, squeezing them, even his metal fingers holding her gently, as he always had. "Please, Padme. The younglings are safe, I promise you. He would never order me to do something like that. Obi-Wan is misguided, and I'll save him too if I can. Come with me to Coruscant when He summons me. Let me show you that he means for us to rule alongside him in a prosperous and peaceful galaxy. Perhaps when I'm powerful enough... when you and our children are safe... perhaps we can hold him to account and move the Empire in the direction you want..."
He was getting desperate. Foresight had never been his strong suit, but he could see it now, clear as day. Two possible futures. One where he convinced her to follow him, to submit to Palpatine and help him try to build the world they wanted out of the darkness his new master had brought to their destinies. And another path. One that lead only to darkness and pain, loss and madness, and a galaxy in ruins. The deaths of trillions.
Helpless before this vision, he fell to one knee, looking up at her, his hands clutching hers. He brought them to his mouth, kissing them each. It was a gesture of helpless supplication. Their fate was in her hands, and his eyes implored her to think about her own safety for once. To make the hard decision and salvage what she could, instead of standing on her principles and doing the right thing until it all fell to pieces around them.
"Please, Padm. I can't go on without you. I don't.. I'm so... afraid... of what I'll become if I lose you. Don't do this to me. I beg you."
Lethe & Selene
It'd been three years since Ike and the Greil Mercenaries had ended all of the conflict and wars. Everything had seemed to go back to normal. All had been well ... or so it'd seemed. Peace, unfortunately, was never a permanent state, and the residents of Begnion were quickly finding that out as of now. Enough people whom had wanted the old days to return - the kind which allowed for slavery to be legal, grouped and banded together. Numbers eventually overpowered people like Ike and others who had fought so hard for justice and equality, and now, the Laguz were seen as little more than property once again. But Laguz weren't the only ones in danger. So were the Branded, ones with special marks that labeled them as the offspring of a Beorc and Laguz couple; a topic that many had considered taboo.
In the capital of Sienne, auctions were already underway for those unfortunate enough to have been captured and dragged into the town square. Most were transported from other cities and nations of the continent of Tellius. A very specific set of orange ears were rapidly flicking, the owner looking absolutelylividabout the state of affairs. Hell, she'd even fought with Ike and his group, precisely toavoidhaving these sorts of heinous acts being legal once again.
So what happened?! Where did everything go wrong?!
Her fists clenched tightly, the act causing the chains wrapped around her wrists to jingle slightly. Indicating and hinting to all of the Beorc surrounding her she was doingsomething, but with how light and weak the noise was? It wouldn't be enough to warrant any suspicion to be put upon her; then again, even if that wasn't the case, they had no reason to worry about her. A shock collar decorated neck, and that was one of the things that keptanyof these slimy bastards bodies - particularly the hands - intact and still very much attached.
Not at all to say she accepted this state. Far from it. But Lethe knew when to keep her emotions in check and when to fight. Sadly, no was not a time for the latter .... even though shereallywanted to. But stronger than her primal desire to use her claws and fangs to tear these fools open .... was the very urgent and frantic need to find and save her sister. Something Lethe had been beating herself over; the fact that some disgusting beorc haddaredto drag her away and claim Lyre for himself.
Unfortunately, Lethe hadn't been able to see which exact person this had been. She only heard rumors through the grapevine, specifically from one of the guards who had ensured she and the other Laguz arrived here. Thought it'd be fun to mock her by letting Lethe know of this. Sure, she earned a shock by sinking her teeth into his neck ... but it was very much worth it.
Violet eyes narrowed as the chain attached to her collar was yanked. It seemed it was her turn to be bid upon. Her eyes temporarily softened as she watched another feline begging and pleading for mercy, only to be hoisted over a tall man's shoulder and carried to who knew where, let alone if her pleas would be heard.
Not likely, she bitterly thought, her gaze returning to the sea of beorcs.Why should they care?
But then she remembered Ike and the others .... which caused her to roll her eyes and internally scoff.
Fine, but lest they're with him? None of them will give a damn about you.
She wasn't expecting that to be the case, anyway. All she could pray for was to be proven wrong .... but since Lethe wasn't banking on that, the most likely scenario would be getting bought by someone generous enough to give her a swift, painless death. Because no damn way would she willingly serveanyof these low lives.
"Her name, apparently, is Lethe," the auctioneer stated, pointing to a charm attached to her collar that did indeed have her name engraved in it. That was one of the absolute smallest of blessings; the fact it had heractualname and not something degrading. Even still, it didn't change Lethe's disdain for having to wear such an item as if she were a common, domesticated pet.
"She's ... got quite the attitude. Very feisty."
That seemed to amuse enough people to earn a chorus of chuckles. Lethe, meanwhile, looked less than pleased at the reaction as she turned her head away, looking more up towards the sky than anywhere else. "I'll start the bidding at her for ten gold pieces. Start naming your prices! She is still pure if any of you are hoping forthatsort of prize!" That seemed to help inspire the men not to be as hesitant. Apparently, the idea of having a slave that would likely be uppity didn't appeal to many of them. But now that they knew that bit of information? Quite a few were willing to take the risk, it seemed.
Meanwhile, in the outskirts of Salmo, heavy breaths and panting resounded from a young, raven-haired woman. A grimace appeared on her face as she still heard footfalls close by; not right behind her, but close enough that the echoes indicated her assailants were still very much chasing after her.
"Damnit all," she cursed under her breath, looking around frantically. But all that reflected in her hazel eyes were trees. Tons of them. Sure, she could climb, but ... was that honestly the best place to try hiding away?
Before she could contemplate too long on that thought, a shocked gasp elicited as she felt herself stumble, crying out in pain as she collapsed onto the grass. Her head jerked downward, clicking her tongue in annoyance as she found the source of her pain; a raised root from an old tree that the girl had been unfortunate enough to trip over. And given the pain her ankle was feeling? It was definitely at least sprained ... but at least nothing worse.
Still, she'd already used a considerable amount of her energy and mana over the past few days. Add in the fact she'd had little, if anything, to eat or drink .... her fists clenched as she understood the very dire situation she was in. Even still, the maiden refused to give up. Shakily, she crawled towards her tome that had fallen out of her hands.
"So be it," she muttered to herself, "If I'm going down, it'll definitely be fighting."
Right as her hands gripped the book and she turned to look in front of her, indeed there were already at least five armed men slowly approaching her. No doubt taking notice of her injury and that there wasn't many places to run to, let alone away from them. "Come on now, wench. Surrender peacefully, andmaybewe can offer you some leniency."
"Fuck off!" she venomously replied, earning some sadistic chuckles from her assailants.
"Have it your way. At least we tried."
Her teeth latched onto her lower lip as the girl's grip on her book tightened, now clutching it firmly against herrobes. She gulped anxiously and internally cursed. Just fromtryingto muster any of her magic, she could feel it just as swiftly fade away. Not even a breeze from her wind magic would attempt to conjure and help protect her.
Tears formed and most definitely wanted to fall, but .... no. She wouldn't give them that sort of satisfaction. If she couldn't fight, fine. But she wouldn't dare give them any displays of emotional weakness, either.
Soren & Aril
It was hard to watch an entire nation regress in a mere three years. The senate had not been willing to listen to the voice of Sanaki the apostle who preached about peace and freedom for the Laguz. They saw slavery as a way to bankroll themselves, and the people hadn't been ready to hear about the genocide of the Heron Laguz and Begnion's other atrocities. It was too large a wound uncovered far too quickly and the resentment it caused brought about the end of an era. The Senate moved to dispose of Sanaki, and remove the apostle from power.
Those who voted against the disposal of their former hierophant and leader were soon to find themselves with little in the way of allies publically. Aril had been a coward in the first vote. He had assisted in smuggling Sanaki out of the country before she could be executed, but publically he endorsed her removal, not wanting his own lands and provinces to be taken from him. He was walking a fine line between the loyalists to Sanaki, and those that wanted things like the slave auctions, and for the atrocities of Begnion to grow worse and worse each passing day.
Because of his public actions, and the fact that the slaves he did buy seemed to disappear after reaching his estate. He had earned himself a darker reputation. There were rumors that he violated and murdered the slaves he bought. Publically he seemed to enjoy the torment of subhuman women. It was a rumor he disliked internally because he knew the truth. His estate was close to the shoreline, his family had access to shipping boats that dealt with Crimean affairs. Laguz and branded slaves often found their way onto his family's boats sending them far, far away from this country.
It was unfortunate Aril couldn't afford to buy every Laguz that went up for auction. Rather he only managed to get one or two. He had to be selective with his family coin and his own reputation. So he waited and hated every moment of it. The next one they brought out was a redhead cat.
Lethe
That name was familiar, he hadn't met her, but he knew of her. She was part of the Greil mercenaries or had been with them at some point. So why is she here? She should have known better than to come back to Begnion.
They were calling Feisty, and pure. When he heard that information he knew her price was going to go high. Saving her was not going to be easy, but thankfully it seemed no one else really knew who she was. If they knew she was a war hero the price wouldn't have started so low that common folk could bid on her. "30 gold!" He cast his hand in for her. He raised the price by three times trying to cut out any high bidders immediately.
"Oh a Senator is bidding on her! can we get 40?" The auctioneer gave a jeering yell announcing Aril's presence, and so Aril decided to stand taller, and walk toward the stage. As another person announced his attempt to snatch the prize from his grasp Aril rolled his eyes.
"50 for the subhuman kitty!"Aril tried to stay ahead of the bidding and called her kitty. It kind of escaped his mouth at the moment, he tried to belittle her to try to keep people from realizing who she was. If she was just a cute kitten no one else would realize they were dealing with the Valkiery of Gallia. Unfortunately, his eagerness sparked a bidding war, and her price was quickly rising.
"100"
"250"
"500!"
"Can I hear 650?" The auctioneer had to increase the number by ten for the next vote, Aril had hoped to purchase two more from today's auction, but it seemed he would have to settle for quality over quantity today. "1,500 gold!" and so far no one else was coming close to his bid. "1, 2, Sold to Aril of the Begnion senate."
Walking up on stage he pulled out his coin purse and quickly handed over enough gold for a silvered spear. The wealth was heavy off his person and would be a considerable dent in his movements for the next few months, but at least this all came from his personal coffers. He approached her and grabbed the chained leash. "Come on Kitten let's get you home."
Things had fallen to shit pretty quickly. The Greil Mercenaries had come to Begnion at the behest of Sanaki, and despite managing to sneak through borders they were caught in an ambush and routed. Soren was forced to scatter in various directions Soren had been running blindly through the wilds of a country he barely recognized. He was supposed to be the tactician of the group, he was supposed to be smarter than this, but somehow he had been taken off guard, and the last he had seen of Ike they had all been running in various directions.
Separated, and with no army to command Soren really only had his own powers to help him. His options were to try and find someone who would help his cause, or fall back to Crimea, but he was lost in the wilds. The map had been destroyed in the ambush, all better for it as it showed invasion plans that his friends could still safely follow.
Since he was running blind it was really only luck that brought him to the brook where he saw the girl fighting Begnion soldiers. He hadn't exactly needed a reason to fight against the militia of this country, but saving a young woman from a terrible fate didn't hurt either. He was hungry and disheveled. As he stepped into the clearing his black hair was a wild mess, and his dark robes were dirty he was sweaty and kinda gross from having run for so long. Thankfully his long hair was also covering his face, and the mark on his forehead so as he approached he could seem human.
"Civilian don't interfere!" Soren didn't hesitate as he drew their attention he raised a hand and wind like a crashing wave charged through the men sending them hurtling to the ground away from the girl. While he may be tired he had thankfully conserved a lot of his casting power and had plenty of years of experience to draw upon as he sent the wind hurtling into his enemy throwing them into the woods.
Soren's own conjured wind did expose the truth that was written on his forehead. He approached the young branded girl. "Can you run still?"
Lethe & Selene
And there they went. The numbers quickly began increasing, literally tripling just from the very first bid alone. While Lethe had no real care about which beorc was making each bid, she did still sneak peeks out of the corner of her eye. If only to get a glimpse on the kind of ....ownershe was about to have. She really did want to be proven wrong about being with a shady and cruelhuman- if they could even be called that. It wasn't likely ... yet despite knowing that fact, some part of Lethe was praying like mad she could have her anxieties silenced, or at least lessened. Because evenifsome part of her would be fine with her life ending, there was another that was very much against it. Namely the portion that still was determined to find and reunite with Lyre.
"100!"
"250!"
"500!"
An eyebrow quirked as a look of disbelief appeared on her face. Could these people truly afford to spendthat muchon her? It seemed impressive and equally disgusting. Who even were these people? Were they all senators, much like how it was implied the first bidder was? Clearly, they were more well off than the commoners of Sienne, because no typical person would have been able to offer a three digit offer, let alone as much as 500.
No, Lethe was by no means an expert in beorc customs. However, given her time with Ike and the others, shehadlearned a few things. That plus the trait most people lacked known as common sense helped her make these deductions. And then ... came a number that neither she nor anyone else in the crowd would have expected, evidenced by the silence that lingered in the air.
"15,000!"
Seriously? Are they insane?
That was enough for a house, maybe even a few of them! He could have literally bought just aboutanything elsewith that sort of gold. And yet, he used it on herself? Her fists clenched tighter, her own claws actually getting close to drawing a bit of blood from her hands. There were zero doubts that she was beyond livid at this point; she was furious and humiliated.
Being calledkittenmost certainly did the man, apparently named Aril, no additional favors.
"Lethe, not kitten!" she snarled angrily. Even though her tone could have given him all the concerns in the world to think she'd fight against him ... no aggressive moves were made, thankfully for him. It was just a not-so-subtle warning that there were very certain things Lethe wouldnottolerate, regardless of her 'position' or not.
She'd wait until they were far enough away from the square before speaking up once more, unable to help her curiosity. "So what in the world were you hoping for? You didn't spend that amount just for the hell of it ... I doubt. So what are you going to be wanting from me, exactly?"
Had they stopped? Did the soldiers get a sudden surge of mercy and chose to leave her alone? No, definitely not. Her head lifted in time to see another mage ... or some sort of magic user. The outfit at least implied as much. And she quickly got a confirmation as he did indeed cast a spell. A wind one, to be precise. That certainly made her heart soar a bit. It was good to find someone else that was similar to her insomeform or fashion.
Of course, Selene didn't realize how alike she was to her savior yet. Time, however, would help her understand that realization soon enough.
"I .... "
Her body instinctively tensed up. The fact was, even with the display she'd just seen, Selene was too accustomed to being chased around for the past few days. This man was but a stranger. For all she knew, he'd simply acted for his own selfish desires. For all she could guess, he also had less than pure intentions, and was simply waiting for the opportune moment to act.
Even if that was the truth ... she had to take the chance.
"Don't know about run. Move? Probably, though not as quick as usual."
Her head bowed, a small bit of crimson appearing as frustration and shame mingled in. Yes, it'd been her fault she tripped ... but she certainly hadn't asked for a goose chase against some of Begnion's soldiers. Far from it, so as far asshewas concerned, it wastheirfault she was injured now.
"I don't think it's broken," Selene nodded towards her left leg, "But ... definitely hurt somehow."
Interesting ... she mused as her head lifted back up. A quick glance could easily make it look like they were siblings to any other pair of strangers. It wasn't true, of course. But the hair color, if absolutely nothing else, allowed that illusion to be believed well enough. An irked huff elicited from her, mainly with understanding well enough what she'd likely have to do.
Selene hesitated for a few moments, before extending her hand out. "I guess we'll find out together what I can or can't do."
Soren & Aril
Aril didn't answer Lethe right away, rather he pulled her by the chained leash into a carriage, and motioned her to be silent for the moment. Once they were in the carriage, he took out the keys they had given him and undid her cuffs. A Laguz was pretty much harmless in their human form, she might have been able to scratch him pretty decently, but he didn't have to worry about her transforming without a totem stone, and he had the controls for her shock collar. Right now he was taking her to the home that he used while he was in this city.
"Okay Lethe, be silent till we get home and I will explain what you are to do." He said quietly, he had to be a little suspicious of the driver, technically anyone and everyone at the moment. Till finally the two of them were brought into his home estate. The building was a large three-story homestead. with a large garden. He practically pulled Lethe inside the house and only once they were alone among friends did he finally let out the breath he had been holding since the auction.
"Sorry for the name calling, I was trying to lower the price not that it seemed to work. I was hoping to buy two or three others, but I can't let a war hero stay here." He started to unlock all of her chains taking her off the leash and the shock collar.
"My name is Aril, I'm one of the few friends the Laguz have here among the senate. In a few days, I'll take you back to my proper estate, and get you on one of my family's boats sending you back to Gallia. Until then you just have to lay low and wait unfortunately I can't leave the capital right now and I can't risk the other members of the senate using my absence to pass the next phase." He looked at her genuinely searching her eyes to see if she understood the situation. "Till then, I have fresh food, clean clothes, and a bedroom you can have to rest with."
Soren groaned a little when she said that she couldn't run. "We have to keep moving, we need to find somewhere we can lay low for a while."
He searched the forest near them for a moment trying to see if there was anything of value in this place, he would have taken a few fruits if he could have. At this point he was going on day two of no sleep, not that it was difficult for him to stay awake. The threat of death certainly helped with that thought. "I've been running blind, do you know where we are? do you have a map?"
Soren had a million more questions he could have rapid fired them if he wanted to, but for the moment he settled on what they did have in common he saw the book, it was one he was very familiar with, as it was the weaker version of the one he was carrying. "You're a mage?"
"Good, that means if we can get somewhere safe, and get a chance to catch our breaths we might have a fighting chance at surviving this ordeal. Now, do you know of anywhere that is safe?" They needed a place that would at least work for a hide out for a moment while they worked on getting out of here. "And why were those men chasing you?" He said keeping the rapid-fire questions going as he started to walk with her, if she was too hurt to use her ankle he would offer his shoulder for support and help her walk.
Lethe & Selene
Lethe scowled but - reluctantly, mind you - obeyed the order to stay silent.
Enjoy having this control while you fucking have it, she internally thought, shaking her head as the carriage came into view. Wow. She'd seen and heard of some humans that supposedly splurged like mad on material possessions. But actually meeting one? Well ... it was a new sight, for sure. And even the previous beorcs who fell under this category had all been against Ike, not with him. So it wasn't like anyone from his group gave her a negative impression because of gloating their wealth. Oh, but this man? He most certainly was quickly succeeding in doing that.
And if his goal was to confuse her? That most certainly started happening as all of the chains and restraints were being removed. Even the collar, the one item she'd fully expected to stay on, was taken off.
"What's the catch, beorc?"
Her head tilted as her eyebrow rose up more. "War hero?" she repeated, "Then ... does that mean know of my previous associations? Are you a comrade of Ike's?" It was at leastsoundinglike a possibility as he revealed he was - supposedly - helping Laguz out. Itdidseem like something any friend of Ike's would do, but ... he didn'tsmelllike he'd been near the leader of the Greil mercs.
Lethe suddenly found herself .... torn. Relieved for certain, but on the other hand? Still very much conflicted and even a bit confused. Surely, therewasa catch, right? The mere thought of someone buying a slave, only to aid in them escaping .. it sounded far too good to be true. And when that was the case ... there was typically a reason for it.
"No," she sternly replied, "Not unless Gallia is where Lyre is. Otherwise, we're changing destinations. But if you're not lying about what you're saying to me ... then the best way you can assist is by helping me get my sister away from whatever scum has her. If you have money, then surely you have the means and resources to help me find out. So ... you can prove to me now whether this is all real or an act. Will you help me with that, or prove I've been correct with being on edge this whole entire time?"
And particularly now that the collar and chains were off? Well ... she'd have no qualms in considering leaping out of the carriage and running away. Would she make it far? Not likely. But she'd rather try than stay put and justallowsomeone else to capture and claim her.
"N-No ... no map, I'm afraid. I've barely had time to getanything, really. Those bastards have been relentless the past ... two or three suns from what I counted."
The dark circles under her eyes would help confirm she wasn't at least lying, which was definitely something for Soren to be thankful of. Doubly so given Selene didn't trust easily, if at all. But as things were? This was easily the best chance she'd had in several days of getting any type of a break. She'd be more of a fool to refuse the help. And so far, it was at least seeming like swallowing her pride had been the correct move to make.
A faint grin appeared as she nodded, taking his hand and slowly getting back to vertical base. "I ... shit!" A surge of pain shot through her ankle, a hiss mixed with a growl eliciting as she grit her teeth and tried to bear with it for a bit. More accurately, she'dhaveto, whether she wanted to or not. Her eyes temporarily closed as Selene took a sharp, deep breath before beginning to hobble along with Soren.
Though it was a small bit annoying, she knew this would be another correct move. So after swallowing another proverbial pill, Selene untangled her hand from Soren's and wrapped it around his shoulder, using it to help support herself.
"Yes though, I am indeed a wind mage like yourself."
Lucky. He's probably normal then if he doesn't know.
"I do think, however, given I was running from behind us ... we should be able to move forward and find a place eventually. Now, as for why you ... well ... found me that way. Laguz and Brandeds are being hunted. It's become legal again, apparently."
The 'apparently' was muttered in an icy tone. No effort was made to hide her disdain on the current situation. While keeping her tome tightly clutched, she cautiously moved her right sleeve away, revealing a mark similar to his, but different. Whereas his looked akin to an N, hers was an S. It also looked as if someone had gone over it with a blade of some kind in an effort to make it more prominent and obvious. Probably as a means to find and track her down more easily.
With her own hair being long enough, she'd be able to help guide some of her own onyx locks in front of the mark after he got a good enough look to see more proof this wasn't being made up. This was the cold, hard truth ... even if he wouldn't be happy with hearing it.
"So ... what exactly do I call you anyway? I doubt you'd prefer 'sir' or 'fellow mage'. I'm ... I'm Selene."
Soren & Aril
"I wish, I don't know Ike personally, but from what I know of him I'd say we have similar goals." He said with a shrug. He had never met the Greil Mercenaries, three years ago he had just started his service in the Senate taking over his father's seat once the man was too old to vote or have a voice, but he had missed his chance to meet Ike and the others. He didn't have a catch, not really. He just didn't want his name to go down history as a slaver. He supposed he would settle for being 'one of the good Begnion senators' if such a person could exist.
Then something happened that he honestly could never have expected. She refused his offer of freedom. He blinked for a long moment thinking it over. "Are you... insane? You know you're turning down freedom..."
He paused for a moment and rubbed his temples as he considered what she said. He had a little sister, and he supposed if she was branded or Laguz and their situations were reversed he would be making the same kind of deal to guarantee her safety. He took a deep breath to calm himself. "Finding a single slave in the capital is going to take time. I have a few friends and resources I can put to it, but the longer you stay in Begnion the more dangerous it will become for you. The holy empire is not what it once was, the senate overthrew Apostle Sanaki, and things grow darker every day."
"I had money, but I put it to use buying you. It will be a few months before I can throw around coins like that again. Without coins to trade, it means we will be going with favors, and if we end up in the wrong situation owing the wrong person I could make life substantially worse for every Laguz within our borders. I don't want to trade a hundred lives for one so there are some lines I won't cross even in the pursuit of your sister." He was an aristocrat he knew how to play this game.
He knew there was really only one way to buy her trust, or at least make her feel less vulnerable. He waited till the two of them got to his homestead, walking just behind her to try and keep up the illusion of power but once they were actually inside his house, he pushed something familiar into her hand. A Laguz transformation totem. "Keep it in a pocket, and don't use it unless we are going to die. You will be safe inside my house, but outside of my home you will need to wear the shock collar, and pretend to be a slave."
"Shit." Soren cursed when she said that she was being hunted because she was branded. Somehow the hunt was once more legalized within the country of Begnion. That put him in a lot more danger than he had previously thought. It didn't surprise him too much considering the Greil Mercenaries had been hired by Sanaki to try and investigate what was going on in her country and prevent war if it was possible, but if the hunt was once more legal it was only a matter of time before Gallia or Pheonicious became enraged.
"I've been living in Crimea for a long time, I didn't know." He said with a small sympathetic shrug and nod towards her. When she asked him what to call him he shrugged. "You can call me Soren."
With nowhere to go but onward progress was slow and steady. Walking till the sun started to get lower till they started seeing the signs of evening fires and life near them. torches were starting to glow in the distance, though it was clear they were stationary finding a break in the woods they were coming close to a town. "How many coins do you have on you?"
He had seen the etched marking on her, the fact that her symbol was an S was a little amusing, but what they had done to her made it all the more clear that this was not a situation where one could afford to be amused. "We are coming up on a township, and we might be able to find a place to stay for the night. I only have... 20 gold on me." He gave a quick count on him, of course he had his book which he could sell for a decent amount, but he would rather not part with his only weapon.
Lethe & Selene
Lethe scoffed, clearly not easily believing that Aril had goals anything close to like Ike did.
He's definitely going the wrong, or at least unorthodox, way about it, she thought, barely keeping her emotions in check. Really, who had ever heard of a heroic rich man? There was none she knew of. If anything, it was precisely why she'd heard tales of the noblemen being robbed from, not vice versa, that were at least closer to being labeled as acts of good.
"Hmph. Says the beorc who just spent fifteen thousand gold on one Laguz. Regardless of whether you view me as a war hero or not, that's aninsaneamount to spend."
Lethe crossed her arms over her chest, feeling her agitation only increase as the man kept speaking. "Do you think I don't know any of these things?! Listen here and listen good, because I'm not repeating this again. I hadzerointentions of even stepping foot in here, and that was long before hearing the other Beorcs decided they missed the old ways too damn much." She rolled her eyes before continuing, "That said, since I have literally been all but dragged here, I'll take the risks. If it helps me find and make up for failing to keep Lyre safe in the first place, so be it. I don't care about any of the other things; how long it takes, how dangerous it'll be for me. None of that matters. Hell, if it ends with me dying and Lyre being able to go free, fine by me. In fact, that'd be one of the more perfect ways to atone for letting her down to start with."
In case the tone of her voice hadn't made it clear enough, her resolve could be seen practically burning in her eyes. The whole time, her clenched fists had held tightly onto the seats of the carriage, keeping herself from wanting to give into the temptation to lash out and physically hurt him. It would have been a slap at worst ... but claws would likely have come out, more due to instinct. And if only to avoid anyworsetrouble ... it was more of the reason she was making any efforts to restrain herself as opposed to offering Aril mercy.
Besides ... if he wanted to really prove himself? Then, somewhat unfortunately, being on her best possible behavior would probably be for the best. But, as she just made it clear, she wouldn't dare allow certain things. Feeling as if she were being talked to as if she were stupid, for example. It may not have been his goal, but her pride had gotten wounded enough that Lethe quickly and harshly spoke out in retaliation ... or at least that's how some beorcs would probably see it.
"Hmm?" An eyebrow rose again as she was given not only a familiar item, but a sacred one in its own rights. A Laguz Transformation Totem. ".... Come out?" she repeated, scoffing at the thought as she tucked the totem away into one of her pockets. "I think not. There is literallynothingthat would need me to walk out and about in the capital streets, nor am I giving you an excuse to put that cursed thing back on, act or not."
"Hmmm ... " Selene used her free hand to reach into the pocket where, thankfully, she did have coins. It would have been fair enough if Soren had wondered if she had any to start with, given how minimal she'd appeared. But after rummaging around and silently counting before letting them all fall back inside her robe, Selene relayed, "Seventeen gold."
Not much by itself for sure, but they could probably get a room and some food. Assuming there was an inn. There hadn't been too many, but some of the places Selene had run through were practically just large sets of ruins or graveyards. Clear evidence of all the past wars and conflicts that had ravaged the continent throughout the years. The wiser might think perhaps an incentive, something to try to avoid, but nope. Begnion revealed that if they were worried about losing a massive amount of people again, that wasnottheir biggest concern right at this moment.
"A bed soundsamazingright about now," she muttered softly, gritting her teeth as she forced herself to keep moving. It was more so from fatigue than much else, though her ankle also wasn't exactly doing any favors for her. "Hopefully ... this place is more ... friendly. I don't feel like running anymore."
Screw 'feel like'. The more blunt truth was whether she could even do so or not. And even without admitting it aloud, it was pretty clear for Soren to see she wouldn't likely be able to; not lest some miracle from nowhere arrived, be it in the form of the proper magic, a priest or priestess helping her, or something else altogether.
Soren & Aril
There was a strange disconnect between the two of them. Like Aril was hearing her words, and she may have been hearing his, but neither of them was exactly listening to the other person. He was trying his best to impart how serious this situation would be. He knew things from his meetings, that were only barely being held back, but he also learned how prideful Lethe was, and how her anger agitated him so that neither one of them could see the whole picture. When she said that she wouldn't leave his home, he scoffed a little. Lethe mentioned his wealth and he shook his head.
"That money could have bought three Laguz their freedom today, while it only managed to land me one rather large pain in my neck, it all came from my personal coffers, you understand that right? the difference between a lords war chest, and their personal wealth?" He didn't really know how Gallian politics worked but a Beorc army marched on its stomach, and food was expensive. Not to mention their weapons, and pay. He had to keep that money tucked safely aside and used only his personal wealth to try and free as many Laguz as he could.
she mentioned that she wouldn't go outside. "You just said you would do anything to find Lyre did you not?"
"I can pull strings, and find friends, I have connections through Begnion's senate who might be able to help find Lyre, but there are places I can't go alone. Also, most Laguz in this city won't talk to someone like me. To them, I'm just a human oppressor and if I don't play the part there will be a considerable price on my head if I step out as sympathetic, and then I won't be able to help anyone get out safely." He hoped he was making his point.
"So there will be times, where yes, you will have to wear the collar and go outside. Heck, I just spent fifteen hundred gold on a Laguz slave, word about that purchase will travel around people will find it curious if you're never around." The price he had paid for her honestly may have been a bit too high. It was bound to get noticed. "My cover getting blown is just as bad for me as it is for you, and if I am killed or removed, then your chances of finding Lyre go out the window."
The carriage was finally starting to roll to a stop.
"We are pretty far from anywhere maybe they won't notice us." It was late, and the two of them were exhausted. This was also the first town he had seen since running from the battle where the Greil Mercenaries had been routed, there was a chance that some of his allies had gotten here on their own, or would pass by here eventually. Maybe he could reconnect with the Crimean army or send a letter to find his way back to Ike. He would have to take the girl with him.
Selene was at best a novice mage in her own right, she didn't have a lot of skill, but then again they had both been running for what felt like days. Maybe he could talk to her about her abilities after they got some rest. He put the hood of his robes up and stayed in the looming shadows of the evening sun. He didn't want to draw attention and some part of him thought about waiting till sundown to approach the village, but it was best to approach when they could see if any town guard would approach them and not to act as complete strangers in the village.
Getting to the Black Lotus Tavern, and stepping inside he was greeted with the warm smell of dinners being cooked, and ale being poured. He kept his hood up as he approached a table with Selene in tow. Sitting down with her. He took a moment to catch his breath so far so good, and if he pulled off his Hood his mess of a hair still kept his nature as a branded concealed. A young, yet familiar redhead walked through the tavern collecting orders, and as it came to their table Anna smiled at the two of them.
"Oh, you two look like you have been traveling for days. I can get you a quick meal if you need, and if you will be staying long we have a single room free, and a bathhouse out back. A room's stay will set you back five gold, I will need a name for the room, but it comes with one meal free, and a drink. If you just want the meal and drink and then get on your way again it's 2 gold coins."
Soren looked at Salene and pulled out his purse, putting down seven coins on the table. "whatever is on special will do for me."
Anna pocketed the extra gold with a wry smile. "Welcome to town. Will get you both some hot soup and bread shortly with a stout drink."
Lethe & Selene
Well ... that was an interesting confession. She couldn't help herself, and before the cat girl could even attempt to stop herself, an amused smirk appeared upon her lips. "Oh? Is that so? It's a bit intriguing to hear evenyouare forbidden from going to some places. So tell me ... ifyoucan't go to certain spots alone, why wouldmypresence do you any good? After all, I'm going to pretend to be little more than a mere slave. So .... "
Her eyes narrowed as a few ideas swiftly went through her head, causing her ears to flick angrily just from the mere thought. And just to avoid risking jinxing herself, she kept those 'locations' tucked away in the back of her mind, refusing to voice what she had pondered to her new 'owner'.
"I'll take your word, if only because you've been in Begnion much longer than myself, but it sounds just a bit odd to think me coming along to these forbidden areas will help out in any form or fashion."
When he dropped a decent hint on what it might be - that other Laguz here wouldn't be overly fond of him - Lethe had to hold a scoff back.
Well no shit, they won't overly be happy to see you.
Out loud, however, she merely replied, "Other Laguz, hmmm? Is that the only reason you can't go to those areas, or are there other factors I should know about now? May as well get a head start on fill me in on possibilities of what may or may not need to be done and happen, doubly so while we're away from prying ears and eyes."
At first, she didn't think much about his point regarding her not being around. But then after dwelling on it .... Lethe couldn't argue. She did see his point a bit, and somewhat annoyingly, that would draw the wrong type of attention.
Only after the carriage came to a complete halt did Lethe step out, though not before allowing Aril to exit first. A very small part, whether he'd believe it or not, was due to her etiquette. She did havesomemanners, contrary to popular belief - she just typically reserved them for people who gave her an iota to extend such gestures towards. And even if it was just achance, the mere thought this Beorc would seriously aid her in finding Lyre and helping her sister escape ... that was enough.
The other reason .... was a lot simpler in concept. She'd let him lead her towards and into the house. Lethe wuoldn't know which way to go, nor what room would end up being hers.
Hopefully something decent enough, she silently prayed, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ears and following close behind Aril.
Damn ...
That would likely be something she'd look into; an outfit that did have a hood. Too many of Begnion's finest soldiers knew her name and face as it was. If she could haveanythingto help conceal her appearance ... that'd definitely be extremely useful in the long run. Fortunately, it seemed that as they entered the Black Lotus Tavern, the atmosphere was calm. There were no indications they'd have to leave anytime soon ... something that made a soft sigh elicit from her lips.
Finally! A reprieve!
Her stomachgrowledjust from hearing they wouldn't getonlya meal, but a bed too! She'd very likely get some of the best sleep her body had felt since the last two or three days, and now that her ankle was hurting? It'd certainly appreciate something soft to lay down upon.
"Isabella," she replied, flashing Anna a small smile. "Forgive my brother for ignoring your question. We're both exhausted, haven't really had a break in way too long. But I'll let him introduce himself to you."
Also, she wouldn't dare choose a fake name for him, not if he felt safe and confident enough to use his real one. The lie about them being blood related? Well, she wasn't about to go back on that, it seemed. But at least it made sense and could be very easily believed. So why not go along with that story? If soldiers had been here, Selene may have understood and not used that. But with them appearing to be clear enough? It seemed like a safe and realistic enough 'background' for them to use. This was the best compromise, she figured. But gods help her, she wasnotabout to risk losing that room just because he was as worn out as her. Possibly a bit more so.
"But ummm ... agreed. Literally anything you can offer would be greatly appreciated."
When the food and drinks were placed down in front of them? It took all of Selene's will power to avoid downing the beverage in one swift gulp. A good chunk of it was consumed though, hinted by how empty the glass would sound once it was set down. Opting to reserve the rest for later, she focused on her bread and soup. It might not be the grandest of meals, but it was something. And given she'd had next to nothing over the past few days? This was much, much better than starving.
Soren & Aril
As much as Aril knew Lethe would want to start the hunt for Lyre immediately he also knew that it would be best to wait for a little while. Paperwork would likely be their first clue, and he could spend the night writing letters to the various auction houses across the Bengion capital to try and find the one where Lyre was sold from. Those letters would at least give them an idea of where and how many cats were sold, and since he had someone who could provide a good description of Lyre he would have an easier time finding the person who bought her.
Aril walked in the lead of Lethe, taking her into his home. The house was not exactly a quiet one as it stood three stories tall, it was a manor by most people's definition. The interior was lit with gas lamps, with strong wooden walls. The place was not exactly lively, there were a few staff in the house. Though curiously enough the wait staff here had markings of branded. While Aril himself was most certainly a Beorc his staff members were all people he was trying to shelter, though Lethe would find herself to be the only Laguz among the house.
"While you are in my home you are among friends, please ask for anything that would make you comfortable," Aril said warmly. "For now, while I start writing letters, and getting paperwork in order, I would suggest taking some time to rest." He lead her to a bedroom meant for guests positioned on the third floor. It had no balcony, but there was a large window. The bed was also a comfy feather queen-sized bed. "While I have no doubt that you would be able to jump out the window and make a run for it I would suggest against it. The door to this room can be locked from the inside, and I'll have fresh clothing brought to your room soon as I can send someone to get things in your size." he eyed her knowing he would have to put her in a dress at some point and knowing he would likely get scratched for it.
"You have an adjoining bath, you can make use of, and I will call you once dinner is prepared, for now, feel free to explore the house as you please or refresh yourself, I know the journey has been a harsh one." Aril doubted he fully understood the extent of the horror Lethe had gone through, being made a slave and dragged out onto a stage was likely only the tip of the iceberg, but according to the auction house she had been spared the worst fate.
Damn...
Soren had intended to not give a name, a little extra cash would have bought them anonymity, and what's more the lie about them being blood-related meant that if either one of there status as a branded were to be revealed the other would be questioned as well. He understood why it was this way it meant neither one of them could cut and run, but at the same time he hadn't wished to be so directly tied down. He took a deep breath.
"Oscar." He said the first name that came to his mind but immediately regretted it. He didn't know why the name of one of his long-time friends came immediately to mind, but it would be an inconvenience if Oscar was the one who actually ended up finding them. Bread and soup, it was at least a hearty meal and gave him a chance to think as they ate. He looked to his 'sister' and decided they were far enough away from prying eyes that he could talk with her now.
"So, dear sister." He made it apparent that her choice was not the one he would have made. Not that it mattered in the long run. "How have your studies been going?" He pointed out the fact that she had been carrying a book of magic when he had first met her. If she could defend herself then it would make his life a lot easier. He still kept eating, though did so slowly not wanting to rush a meal and upset his stomach. "Tell me all of the progress you have made, maybe I can help you."
Lethe & Selene
The wait staff were easily the first things Lethe took note of. Having been around some Branded before, she could recognize and understand the markings on these people, as well as what it symbolized. And it made her raise her eyebrows - not so much at the other individuals, but at the idea that this beorc truly did seem to be taking up the role of a 'savior' for anyone who wasn't one of him. That was to say another human. This was either a very convincing display or a genuine one. Only time would reveal which.
For now, Lethe merely tucked it away in the back of her mind before allowing her eyes to soak in the scenery of her new 'home' of sorts. It at least looked cozy and eve a bit inviting, despite the way she had just been 'acquired' being the exact opposite. She nodded slowly in approval, seeming satisfied enough with what her eyes were gazing upon. Not that she really had a way to object at this point, but still ... if he was so willing to adapt ad change things around, then shecouldhave probably requested for something new to be added in and it'd happen. Not necessarily right at that moment though; after all, hehadspent way too much gold on just herself, so if it would be a new material item, that'd mean waiting for funds which could be as soon as a few hours later or as long as several weeks.
Hopefully not the latter, she thought to herself, her ears flicking in annoyance at the thought. He was - supposedly - a Senator so ... it'd likely be sooner if she had to take a guess.
"Yeah, yeah," Lethe muttered, not bothering to hide her disdain as she waved a hand dismissively through the air while Aril insisted it wouldn't be wise to just jump out the window and try escaping. "You seem to keep forgetting that I've never really spent much time in this damn country. So don't worry - even if, admittedly, I do indeed want to leave .... "
Her head shook as she finished her sentence, "I won't. So go do your stuff, I guess."
Only after he left did her gaze shift back towards the adjacent bathroom. A soft huff resounded from Lethe. She didn't enjoy feeling as if she were giving into his words,buttruthfully? It'd been quite a while since she'd been able to wash up properly, so ... his idea had been a damn good one, much as it irked her to admit to herself.
After carefully peeling her clothes off and draping them over her arm, Lethe wandered inside the actual bathroom ... and couldn't help but smile. The tub wasmorethan big enough to fit not just one person, but two. Good. Extra space was always nice and appreciated. It allowed her tail and body to stretch out. The clothes were taken off her arm and set upon the sink before Lethe would lean down and turn the water on.
It wasn't scorching hot ... but it definitely favored warm over lukewarm or cold temperatures. A hand lowered, testing the water as it ran over her flesh and fur. Lethe slowly stepped in .... and let out a soft, content sigh as she sat down in the tub, leaning back and relaxing as the water began to surround her like a comforting blanket.
Oscar?
It took every ounce of Selene's control to keep a straight face. Just from what she heard and not knowing the reason for why he chose the name, it really did sound silly. If she'd known, she wouldn't have dared nearly chuckled, but as it was, well ... it was by far one of the more actually hilarious things she'd heard in quite some time.
Well, time to play along then. Oscar then, got it.
She'd simply given him the option to use a fake name. Selene didn't necessarily expect him to lie about his name, but ... ah well. This would make their journey intriguing, if absolutely nothing else. She'd wait to finish her spoonful of soup before tilting her empty hand in the air and responding to his questions, "Well ... it's kinda been put on pause."
Now ... how to relay the truth while making it subtle to the patrons and staff in this inn?
"It started out great. However ... my instructor kinda up and vanished into the wind almost literally a few days ago. I've been trying to track them down, but ... no luck. I'd like to think something dire happened, but ... " Selene shrugged. "I have no honest idea what happened. When you found me, I had been in the midst of trying to locate him but, as you saw, no such luck was with me."
He seemed to have a smart head upon his shoulders, so Selene hoped he could decipher itsactualmeaning well enough.
"What about you? How have your travels been thus far? Or were, in this case?"
Soren & Aril
Aril went his way, leaving Lethe to her room and her eventual bath. In the meantime, he would join the house staff helping in some of the work as he let the rest of his staff know that Lethe would be staying with them, at least until such time that they could locate her sister, and get them both out to Galia safely. It was a change of plans that was a little worrying, it would put more stress on the need to keep everyone in the house safe. He retired to his study for a while to start composing letters that would eventually help him try to find Lethe's sister or at least where she had been sold from.
About 10 minutes after Lethe had set herself in for a bath there was a knock on her door, before a female voice beckoned to enter. A young woman in a maid's outfit walked into the room. She had a gentle smile about her features. "I brought you some fresh clothes, I'll take your old ones to be laundered properly." She said with a soft bow towards Lethe. "No need to get up, just here to deliver your clothes for the night."
"Aril has informed us that you chose to stay with us until he could find your sister. I think that's very brave of you." She picked up Lethe's dirty clothes and left out aKimonosort of dress. the fabric was green to match her preference and a rich soft fabric at that. Along with a soft belt that ended in foiled gold bells. It wasn't exactly house attire, as it made her look far more formal. "We didn't know your measurements, so it actually belonged to one of Aril's sisters." She said with a slight bow. "Unfortunately she is no longer with us, but the dress should fit you for the time being." There was however a lack of any undergarments that came with the dress. Again a lack of anyone knowing Lethe's sizes. "We will send for a tailor in the morning, for now, dinner will be ready in about thirty minutes."
It seemed Soren was still bad at improv. He preferred to have a complete plan of attack and stumbled whenever he had to think quickly on his feet for a moment. For the moment the borrowed name of Oscar would just have to stick, he regretted it, but maybe it would be helpful, Ike and the others would know to search for him, using a different name that they would already be looking for wouldn't be awful. For now, he just had to sit and wait to be found.
He nodded a bit when she mentioned that she was self-taught. He had an education, but it was a cruel one, his own master had taught him magic, but also barely taught him a word to speak. The words he did know from back then had been cruel and not worth repeating. For now, he supposed he would take her up on the situation and try to teach her the best he could.
"I can teach you." Soren gave her a confident nod, when she asked him about his travels he gave a small glance around them trying to make sure he wasn't over heard at this point. "Well I am just getting back into town from being up north. Me and a few friends wanted to see the capital so we were originally going to head down that way, but now we are stuck here where as fortune had it I ran into you." He gave her north to let her know where he was really from.
"Hopefully some of my friends will be able to find us around here. They are good people you will like them." He returned to his meal, but once he was done, he looked to her. "Do you want to use the bathhouse? I can keep watch from outside."
Lethe & Selene
Lethe's ears twitched moments before the maid walked in. The noise of approaching footfalls had been easily detected courtesy of her feline senses. Her body somewhat relaxed as she found one of the many Branded maids walked in, if only because it was someone of the same sex walking in as opposed to another male. It made her entrance less awkward and less ... coerced, for a lack of better wording. She sat up straighter, mainly to get a peek at the dress that had been laid down. And ... she'd felt better about it prior to learning whom it used to belong to, as well as the fact they were now deceased.
Ugh, seriously. Why even bring that part up?
Nowthatwas definitely something that made Lethe uncomfortable enough. Hopefully this Aril hadn't been one of those weirdos who lusted after their own sisters, because if he did or said anything stupid because he was envisioning her as his sister? No, that'd be too many degrees of fucked up for Lethe to tolerate. She'd definitely retaliate somehow, even if not necessarily by running away.
But if only to help herself maintain what sanity she had left, those thoughts were hastily shoved away. Thankfully, the maid gave her something else to focus on, and it was the attempt to compliment her. Her ears flicked a few times as she stared at the maid. Brandeds meant they weren't fully Laguz, nor completely Beorc, but a combination of both. Unfortunately, the fact this woman hadanyBeorc blood in her ... made Lethe feel like the words were fake.
Yet the more she repeated them in her head, they felt a bit more genuine. But they were missing a certain tone ... sincerity? No, not quite. Lethe frowned as she failed to pinpoint what exactly was 'missing', but most certainly tucked it away into her mind. Her head turned as she casually shrugged. "I'd like to hope anyone with a sibling they gave an ounce of caring for would do the same as me."
And even though Lethe had more than that to add, she opted to hold her tongue. Not so much out of pity, but necessity. If Aril wasreallyserious about helping her ... then it'd be wise for Lethe to be at leasttolerantof not only him, but his staff. Instead of verbally saying anything more, Lethe merely replied with a simple nod to thank and acknowledge the maid, sighing as she left and exited the bathroom.
Only when the water started to shift in temperature did Lethe take that as her cue to finally grab the soap, shampoo and conditioner and begin washing up. Drying up would come afterwards, with extra caution used on her ears and tail. And then she slowly walked up, eventually staring down at the dress. Her ears flicked, then outright flattened. Itstillfelt a bit ... wrong to wear a dress that belonged to someone dead. And a stranger, at that. It made her feel like a thief of sorts.
But ... it was true for the maid to take away her more typical outfit. Those had been in dire need of washing, as they'd been worn for atleasta week, if not more. A soft huff left her lips ... and Lethe grimaced as she almost literally swallowed her pride, grabbed the dress, and slipped it over her figure.
"I suppose it at least looks better on me than I thought," she muttered, straightening the fabric carefully out with her hands. All while making sure she didn't accidentally rip or tear it apart with her claws. With herself presentable and ready, Lethe herself left the bathroom and sat atop the bed, waiting for the signal that dinner was finished.
"North, huh?" Selene repeated, trying to mentally conjure a map and figure out where exactly that would imply. Unfortunately, the map in her mind wasn't nearly as vivid compared to if an actual one was set down in front of her. "I'd love to hear more about your own adventures. You've likely met some interesting people up there, yes? Friends even, perhaps?"
Of course, there was an easy double meaning behind the word 'friends'. But given how he'd replied, she didn't need to elaborate. Soren was indeed as intelligent as Selene assumed, probably more so.
As she finished up with her own meal, the utensils were set down in the empty bowl. Her arms rose over her head as she stretched, lowering back by her sides afterwards. Selene mused over Soren's idea ... and flashed a sly smile towards him.
"Why not join me? It's not like we haven't done so before, and frankly, your hair looks like it needs to be washed as much as mine."
A huge ass lie ... well, the first part was. But the next half would help elaborate her intentions.
"Besides, with all of the shady figures I've had close calls with ... I'd rather have a friendlier and more familiar face nearby."
There might not be any of Begnion's knights or soldiers in this tavern, but that didn't mean there weren't assassins or other men who pledged allegiance to said country and were simply in more discreet clothing. "If absolutely nothing else ... " she gave a nod downward, specifically to her ankle, reminding him that even if she wanted to try to bathe alone, getting to it would be an easier said than done task. As would defending herself ... if she needed to for any reason.
Better safe than sorry, right? That was what she'd always been told, and given how the past several days had gone? It was proving to be a more and more accurate proverb.
"So ... let's be off. To the bathhouse!"
And even with the caution she used ... a faint wince that she made sure only Soren could even see would hint she wasn't being lewd or purposely selfish. The help really was going to be needed. She started walking with him, trying to make her steps look ... normal and not immediately give away the truth of her state; that she was indeed very much wounded and vulnerable.
Soren & Aril
Lethe didn't have to wait for that signal for very long. A knock came on her door, and another staff member brought her to the main dining area. The main table was set for eight or so people, and surprisingly Aril was one of the people helping to bring out the food and get others seated for the meal first. With his usual ornate clothes, he kind of seemed more like a butler than some of the actual kitchen staff who were dressed in less formal cloth. When he did finally get a chance to sit he made sure that he sat next to Lethe.
"Thank you all for your work with providing us our food and drink!" The table became rather lively, and Aril leaned into Lethe for a moment to speak with her. "As I said the majority of people here work for me because they don't have the option to leave, or feel more connected to our home. When out of the house, they have to pretend that I'm some sort of slave driver, but here in the safety of our home, and especially in this dining room, we are all family." The dinner was ornate, from a large roasted bird to mashed sweet potato, and other vegetables, and even a sauce made from mango it was wealthy food for sure and it was shared generously. The lively conversations helped to cover what he had to say to Lethe next.
"For now I encourage you to eat as much as you can and recover some of your strength. I sent out the first wave of letters to the auction houses across the capital. Basically, I said I recently bought you, and I wished to acquire your twin sister for the 'forbidden threesome.' With any luck, they will get back to me in a few days with their records, and we will be able to find out who bought Lyre, if we are extremely lucky, she may have ended up not in a nobleman's home, but in a freedom cell, and that is where you will be needed to search rather than me. As a member of the Senate, they aren't going to listen to me or give me any trust, as a Laguz seeking freedom from an oppressive tyrant they will turn a sympathetic ear to you."
Soren couldn't hide the blush on his face, as much as he knew he shouldn't have blushed or nearly choked on his drink, that it was technically safer for them to bathe together he could understand that, but it still sounded so... scandalous. He regained some composure after a moment and started to drink again a bit more to help encourage himself before he finally set down his drink. "Yeah, just we were a lot younger when we did that last time." He said more for the playing along in the act.
But in the end, he did follow her to the bath house. It was only once he caught her wink did he really understand what the two of them were doing, and why. He wished Rhys was here, his long-time friend and the healer of his army would have been a much better choice, as it was if she was deeply wounded the best he could do would be to apply some bandage and maybe some rudimentary stitches, but he would try his best.
Thankfully the bathhouse was empty for now, and finally, Soren began to disrobe. With his hood off and his messy hair tossed aside for the first time she would get to see his mark and realize why he was so sympathetic to her plight. They really could have been siblings between the two of them. Then more of his robes fell away revealing the creamy pale body of a wizard in the late evening sun. Soren wasn't exactly a strong man, but staying on his feet, and a constant military life had done his figure some good, with lean muscles earned from hours of march and practice. The only real difficulty of his body was the fact that Soren wasn't exactly shaved around his pubic or armpits. His dark hair grew wildly around them as he hadn't expected to be showing them to anyone recently. "Let's have a look at you, how bad are your injuries."
Lethe & Selene
Once the cue registered to her ears, Lethe would stand up and follow the maid out of her room and eventually enter the dining room. Her head gently turned, glancing around at not only the other maids, but the room and how exactly it was set up. A lot more organized than she would have originally assumed. Then again, Arilwassupposedly a Senator, so it made sense that everything was relatively orderly. She nodded after mulling over that thought and slowly sat down, feeling ... torn. Relieved on one hand. If shehadto end up with anyone, well .... Aril was at least seeming like he was wanting to prove his words were real. And he was taking the right steps into gaining Lethe's trust.
Not to say she was perfectly accepting of her new 'home' or 'owner'. Far from it. But if life could really be this peaceful, this tolerable ... maybe it wouldn't be the absolute worst. Especially knowing fully well there were more brutal and sadistic beorcs she could have wound up being claimed by.
Poor Lethe damn well nearly jumped as Aril whispered in her ear and helped tug her away from her thoughts. Her ears briefly flicked, not bothering to hide her annoyance at being startled ... but she merely nodded, acknowledging she heard and understood his words.
Be glad I've got great self restraint. Otherwise, you could have gotten scratched or worse ...
".... Thank you for the meal," Lethe finally managed to say aloud, her eyes now studying the various foods laid out on the table. Her stomach grumbled ... making Lethe burn a deep red. Wordlessly, she pulled her plate closer and began eating, eliciting a content sigh. Well ... that was another bonus in her books. He'd been able to provide her with decent clothes, a damn good bath, clothes, a bed, and now a great meal.
Yeah ... maybe this wasn't the absolute mess she could be in. It wasn't much, but it was stillsomethingto be grateful for. Something was, as they said, better than nothing.
Selene barely managed to hold a snicker and chuckle back. Granted, his reaction was perfectly fair. But it was a nice change of pace to see someone else's face turn crimson aside from her own. Not that anyone had made her react in such a way .. not recently. Still ... the change was a nice and rather welcomed one.
Well, here goes everything and nothing ...
As they left the inn portion of the tavern, she felt her heart race. Would he actually go through with this? Some part of her wouldn't overly blame Soren if he tried to just drop her off in the bath house and stand guard outside. Truthfully if things were reversed and he was the injured one? She wasn't one hundred percent sure if she'd be able to heed her own plan ... hypocritical as that may sound in her own head.
"I know I've kinda shoved an invisible script upon you, and I am sorry about doing so abruptly, but -- "
And that was as far as she got. Her eyes widened as Soren deftly began to strip.
Oh. My. God!
Had he done this before? He either had no shame ... or was just keeping his priorities straight. Either way .... goddamn. He wasn't without some scars or whatnot, but honestly? That made him just a bit more attractive. But whatreallygrabbed Selene's attention ... was the tell-tale mark on his own forehead. "No way ... " she whispered, moving carefully forward as she gently moved his bangs aside to get a better look ... and then finally chuckled softly out loud.
"Wow. Well ... I couldn't have come up with a better lie if I'd tried, it seems! We really could pull the sibling act off pretty damn well."
A genuine smile appeared as she slowly lowered her hand. Well ... that at least got rid of her doubts from earlier. If he was another Branded like herself, then there weren't many reasons for Selene to be afraid of him. If anything, she'd seemed to be found by one of the best possible people.
" ... Touch, I suppose. Well ... here goes, I guess," Selene muttered, allowing one deep exhale to be heard ... before peeling her own robe off. And ... Soren would find they'd done quite the job at hiding some very specific things. Two of them, in fact ... though once the reason why came into view, it would make sense.
A set of bandages was bound around her chest. Her face burned brightly as she skillfully untied them ... and revealed her D-sized breasts. The bandages would be gently placed atop the discarded robe, with socks being next. Although she had to briefly borrow one of Soren's shoulders to help keep her balance. Finally, the white pair of lace panties would be removed and unlike Soren, she was bare. Not only in her underarms and around her crotch, but also with her legs.
Although to be a bit fair, a lot of men didn't actively shave any of those areas to start with, so it wasn't her place to try to judge his own appearance.
Now that she was nude and in full view for Soren to observe ... he'd find that injury wise, there weren't too many others aside from her sprained ankle. The bad news? She had experienced enough run ins with some other soldiers that resulted in Selene receiving some other wounds. A stab wound on her right shoulder. Given it didn't go all the way through, it was easy enough to assume a dagger had been used as opposed to a full sword. There was a slash that just barely missed connecting with her left kneecap.
"Fuck!" she hissed through gritted teeth, grabbing back onto Soren's shoulders as enough adrenaline died down that she was feeling the effects of the pain again. Though she managed to remain standing, it was only just barely. But it was clear her leg looked very ready to cave in at any moment's notice.
Soren & Aril
It quickly became clear that Lethe had no desire to speak with him. Aril took her look of annoyance not as he had startled her, but that he had somehow offended her, probably because of the crass words of his letter. He had thought by now that Lethe would understand that such crass language and actions were more part of the disguise that allowed him to walk among the higher society of Begnion, but she had also only been with them for a day, and so he simply returned to his own plate. She muttered thanks for the food and he nodded to her.
"It's really the least we can do for you." He was a bit sorry for her. It would have been much easier for Lethe if she had taken his advice and he had smuggled her out of the capital like he had other would-be slaves. He at least wanted her to know that while she was in his house she was safe, and to a further extent, he wanted those who worked for him and whom he had tried his best to protect would eat well under his employ.
Still, these meals came with a strange, special kind of guilt. He helped in the kitchen when he could, but his station still put him above everyone in this house. He was still a master benefiting from a system that people had put into place, and when there had been a chance to effect massive change, he had been too afraid to side with the Empress and had instead stood and let the more corrupt senate declare Laguz as less than people. He would spend the rest of his life trying to fix that error, but it made him responsible for the plight of everyone in this house.
Slowly he finished his meal or at least a small enough portion of the food that he could feel like he had eaten. "Please enjoy the food to your heart's content," he said to Lethe giving her a more forced smile. "I will be in my study for a few hours, please drop in when you have time I do need to talk with you." He decided, for now, to let her eat in peace, and that it was for the best if he took his leave, he got the distinct feeling that if he kept forcing her to talk with him he would get scratched by the end of the day.
"I don't mind the script, I'm just not that good an actor," Soren admitted, he really wasn't that good when it came to talking, he could tell her eyes were on him especially once he was naked, and while his eyes did stray along her skin, and down her breasts for a moment or two, it was her wounds that garnered the majority of his attention. Suddenly the eagerness to share a bath made far more sense between the two of them.
Soren was quick to bring his face close to her shoulder blade, at first it almost looked like he was about to stick his face between her breasts, but it became more clear that he was looking at her knife wound very closely for a moment. He gave an audible sniff of her shoulder and sighed content for a moment. "It doesn't seem to be infected, so we are lucky about that, and while I am not much of a healer I know from my times assisting my friends that you don't stitch a stab wound."
He checked over the slash on her leg. "Lucky with this one that the slash is on the outside of your leg, if it was on the inside you would have died of blood loss rather quickly." He said assessing the damage, but without a healing staff the best he could do for her was to help clean the wounds, thankfully they were in a bath house, and as she put weight on him, he helped to carry her into the water. Treating her wound with Aloe would help ward against infection but it stung like hell while he applied it to her shoulder. The warm bath water would also help her clean out the wound, while he grabbed a few more clean towels and rags and started to make bandages. "Best we can do is keep you wrapped up cleanly, and let the wounds heal on their own, until we find a good healer, or we get back to my friends and find Rhys the best we can do is just make sure you don't end up with an infection, and heal you up the old fashioned way. With vulneraries and bed rest."