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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/ThirdMovement|Third Movement]]
| + | #REDIRECT [[ADanceOfAngels]] |
| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/DanceOfAngels|A Dance of Angels]]
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| − | == Cold Cast in Red Light ==
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| − | <b>Seventh Moon:</b> Dank, a typical northern day. The wet air is cool and moist, gusts of wind carrying spattering of raindrops to splash upon the four travelers as they make their way north-west. The sky is gray and the shadows of the day are deep. Thunder rumbles ominously every so often and the distant flash of lightening rakes through the horizon whenever the trees clear enough to revel themselves. The trip is hardly enjoyable, but it is at least uneventful. No more ambushes occur, though there is a close encounter with a mounted patrol of soldiers as they come closer to their destination. Parallel to one of the major trade routes, they can catch glimpses of heavy traffic and even snatches of conversation when they drift a little too close to the road from time to time. Seventh Moon takes over leading the way as they start to stumble into more familiar territory. The Lunar is particularly chatty after Selina reveals just where she plans on taking them.
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| − | The Boil. <i>Home.</i>
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| − | Much of the trip towards the giant looming hillocks in the distance is filled with his extolling the virtues of the city. Both of them. Before it's walls have loomed into sight, the three women have learned more about the cities Red-Lantern District and it's hash-houses than most residents of the industrial city are likely to know. He answers questions where and when they come up, but it's clear that his perception of his home town extends little beyond the places he knew of it. The back-alleys. The gutters. The gangs. Nothing about the military beyond that they're all bastards. Nothing about the ruling Sheriff but that he's a greedy bastard. And nothing about the Bishops forces beyond that they are assholes who need to get out of his turf. He is not the greatest source of information.
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| − | But he at least knows the lay of the land and brings them up short well before the dense forests begin to give way to the rocky, muddy slops of the hills. Close enough to see, but not to be seen and even on a windy day, it's close enough to smell. Nothing smells quite like the Boil. It is ash and filth and water and sex, sprinkled liberally with blood and urine, and hurled like a weapon at the nostrils of approaching travelers. They can see the city walls clearly from where they are; imposing and undecorated slabs of gray stretching upwards impossibly far, the soldiers patrolling atop it little more than ants scurrying slowly back and forth. Foot and cart traffic steam along the road towards the almost ridiculously tiny maw of the main gate. An ocean of lumbering wagons arrayed in a squatters camp outside the front of the city. The streets, Moon tells them, are too narrow for anything that big. There are other sights to see; the skeletal frame work of the Dead Hand monastery being built at the foot of the wall. The huge white ward-stones and decrepit gallows that mark the Boy's Field. But there are only passing concerns. Getting into the city itself is what is important.
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| − | A brief stop to make plans. While the Lunar is all for going through the front door, in the same way he came out, Selina makes it clear very quickly she has no intention of risking someone identifying her or their two involuntary companions. They, she explains, will go over the wall.
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| − | The plan decided on, Seventh Moon gives them a safe place to meet. Smoke-Skin Way, the tanners lane on the south side of the hill.
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| − | "Ain't no one gonna be poking around there," he tells them. "Smells like dead mammoth and shit. No one goes there that don't gotta."
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| − | Leaving them with that cheerful thought, the Lunar weaves out onto the highway while Selina begins to haul Kanti and Fiona over the wall.
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| − | As they crest the top of the wall, unseen by soldiers more interested in keeping warm than keeping look-out, the first thing that greets them is the huge moon-face of the Dons - the giant clock tower stretching out of the center of the city. And all around it, lapping at's feet and against the huge walls, a warren of maze-like streets and smoky chimneys. A mish-mosh of architectural styles and materials thrown together with only a haphazard concept of design, as if it had only occurred to those who built it at the very last moment that actual people would be living here.
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| − | It's easy to spot the street Moon directed them too; the smoke rising from Soot-Skin Way is particularly thick and noxious black and the stream of figures bellow them take a wide loop around it. Setting down at the end of the street closest to the hill, the women barely have a moment to reorient themselves and adjust to the stink of raw animal hide and burning flesh before the Lunar comes stepping out of the smoke, grinning broadly.
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| − | "Took ya long enough. Was startin' ta think ya changed your mind."
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| − | <B>Selina de Windia:</b> Her steps sound against the cobblestone of the streets -- quietly, but not so quietly that she'd not be heard at all, that was reserved for other times -- greatcoat wrapped around her, black-feathered wings hunched. The smoke reminded her of home. Not home as in Windia, the clean city of her birth. Home as in the Nexus -- a city as dirty and depraved as this one, a welt on the face of the world that no one could get rid of. The Nighthammer district was alot like this...
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| − | <i>Hmph, when have I done this?</i>
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| − | She'd met a Lunar, years ago, in the Nighthammer district. Unlike Moon, he'd not known the city too well -- some fool from the hinterlands who'd come into the Nexus to prove himself or some such.
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| − | He'd never seen her coming.
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| − | But today was different.
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| − | Selina kept herself out of the middle of the street, closer to the fronts of the tanneries, and her companions as well. It wouldn't do for them to be noticed so easily. She was going to have to get them new clothing.
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| − | "We had to avoid a few people. You know how it goes." Selina replies conversationally, voice soft so only he can hear. "Know anywhere we can go, quickly? I need to check them for bugs."
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| − | <b>Kanti:</b> For Kanti, the time since her ...capture by the dark angel had not been especially pleasant, the near constant drizzle dampening her already slightly fraught spirit, intensifying her worry in the Vestal's reaction, and the fate of herself and Fiona.
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| − | <i>But .. the Dark Angel said nothing would happen ... so ...</i>
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| − | <i>And this ...Moon... doesn't seem so bad....now he's smiling more...</i>
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| − | And so to the Boil they went...
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| − | <i>Such a dirty, ugly city. She had been there before, a few years ago. So much pain, so much suffering...they cared nothing about the soul there, she had found while accompanying her master on his business. And they were going here...why?
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| − | To hide?</i>
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| − | And then they were carried up and over the wall, an experience lost on Kanti, as she trembled in the Dark Angels arms, so close to the one with the power to destroy her.
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| − | The actual passage through the streets had been something of a blur, keeping as quiet as she could, moving when directed, no idea where she was going, just following the Dark Angel.
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| − | <b>Fiona:</b> Fiona looked around, and winced. The place was worse for her to see than the Vestal's palace. A haven of all that is dirty and unclean in the world, something the innocence she so wished to hold to was inimical to. It was just... painful a sight. But she kept silent, and close to Kanti.
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| − | <b>Seventh Moon:</b> Seventh Moon felt light. Breezy. Even in the heat under the cities perpetual cloud of smoke, it was like he was dancing on the beach of oceans he had never seen. Home. He was home. When those fuckers had done all they could to stop him from even breathing, now he was home. He almost wanted to howl.
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| − | "Glad ta see she didn't drop you two," he grins at the two girls, giving Fiona a playful pat on the cheek and ruffling Kanti's hair.
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| − | "Eh? Bugs?" looking back up at Selina, he screwed his brow into a glare, giving her a bewildered look. "Shit, darlin'. You're gonna have a hell of a time keepin' those off 'um here ya know."
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| − | <b>Kanti:</b> There is the hint of a flinch as the Lunar reaches out to ruffle her long black hair, but one so deeply supressed it might have been a figment of his imagination.
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| − | <i>But..he seems to care...which is good? right?...</i>
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| − | <b>Fiona:</b> She smiles at the patting... maybe this Seventh Moon isn't so bad, after all. Even after what he did to Kiri...
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| − | But yet, the way he was reminded her of Otieno, if vaguely.... without the experience and the wisdom, and more... there. Maybe he had been like this when young... he had killed Kiri, but... he seemed nice enough...
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| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> "Not those kinds of bugs." Selina answers, looking about surripulously, more in her element here than the wilderness.
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| − | <i>At least this place doesn't have sewer gods from hell...</i>
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| − | At least, she hoped not. Some of the things that came out of Nexus' sewers could give <i>her</i> nightmares for weeks.
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| − | "Magical bugs. Tracking kinda stuff." She moves close to the three of them. Just another bunch meeting out in the place only certain types went. Nothing special. After all, no one had seen them enter the city. "I have to check them both -- thoroughly. Ain't standing for another ambush like in Spire."
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| − | <b>Seventh Moon:</b> Realization clears his face and sends it tumbling into a storm cloud just as quickly. His voice softens, an edge taken off the excitement in his tone. "Like that asshole back in the shack, right? Yeah, I know a place we can go. C'mon."
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| − | He waves for them to follow and begins to stalk down the street, hands thrust into the pockets of his coat. Moon tries not to think about the two girls suddenly or to glance back at them. The reminder of what happened in the Spire had suddenly made them dangerous in a way that even the stuff Kanti had pulled out with Selina hadn't before. Business might have looked like usual around here, but he couldn't forget that the Bishops gang had taken over here just like they had back in the Spire. And he wasn't about to get jumped again.
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| − | Hunched like a wary beast as he lead them, Moon guided the women out of the tanners street and towards a growing dim of noise. Music and laughter was starting to filter more intensely through the sounds of the city. The air, while no less foul, took on another fragrance in it usual bouquet; perfume, and a lot of it. Cheap and expensive. Sickly sweet and heart-stoppingly fragrant. The streets bellow them started to become cleaner. The foot traffic around them more constant. The faces more friendly.
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| − | "The Heaven House isn't long down the road," he called back suddenly, grinning over his shoulder as they began to pass the first of the thick wooden buildings adorned with bright red lanterns and girls in wispy clothing hanging like window decorations to call down to them as they passed. "You guys will like this place."
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| − | <b>Kanti:</b> <i>..Such rage ...over them! ...and what was she taking about? ... bugs?</i>
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| − | Kanti follows the pair of them through the streets, staying close to Fiona, as the streets became busy around her, occasionally looking up at the red lanturns hanging down.
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| − | <i>So ... he's taking us to the whorehouses ...but..thats what I am...Her Immaculat-..No! she was the Dark Angel's now.</i>
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| − | As they travel deeper into the red light district, to the Heaven House, Kanti's thoughts turn once more to what they will want from her...
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| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> "Heaven House?" Selina asks slowly, then shrugs. "Well, we'll see, then."
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| − | She just follows Moon. After all, it was where he lived. Her voice turns teasing, as if she's having more fun now. "Think I won't scare off the customers? Anyone who goes to a place like that wouldn't want a dominatrix walking about."
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| − | <b>The Boil:</b> And as they do... they begin to hear it. The whistles. Looks burning all over their bodies. The girl's at least.
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| − | A voice comes close to Kanti, too sudden. "Ooh, darling. Priestess fetish? I would pay a good money for it... you get any more of your friends to dress like this so we can have others to meditate on the monastery with the priest here?"
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| − | Two, one man and one woman, in front of Selina, strong, rough miners both, "My, my... black leather! How much for you to tie me up, darling? And maybe a few slaps then, you look like one to do it with *heat*..." "Aw, you let her tie you up, I say she is one for a choker... do you do the mistress dominated, hottie?"
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| − | Others, around her... Kanti gets no less due to the color of her skin, her robes... some there seldom if ever saw a real Dragon-Blooded, one wearing such fetish clothes and there, then...
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| − | And many around Fiona, they close in, too fast, "Hey, look, already undressed on the street... hmmm, younger than most, isn't she?.... aw, just old enough, younger girls fancy like her on the Heaven House.... now, golden chains... that real gold? Saying what your bussiness is already, aren't you, deaerie...?"
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| − | <b>Kanti:</b> Kanti ignored the people that crowded around her, trying her best to shut out the looks, and the things that were said to her, concentrating dutifully now on the figure in front of her, the Dark Angel.
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| − | <i>Can you not see I'm hers? ..or...No, Hers! I am Hers! </i><br>
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| − | <i>but..I swore to her...so...I am hers for now...</i>
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| − | <b>Fiona:</b> Fiona looked around, scared. Even if the 'laws' prevented them from touching a merchandise not bought, they surrounded her, made her feel scared, outmatched, turning her ability to dodge almost instinctively... while they looked at her. "I... I do not do any bussiness! I am not...I am not doing any bussiness.. this is ori.. chalque.. not undressed, I .." and they looked at her. Like that. Leaving her sullied. Even the Vestal, the look was warm, a look of possession, or warmth, of love, and not... not... like a thing, drooling over her... her body, like...
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| − | <i>"Stop looking at me like that!"</i>
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| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> "We're not for sale at the moment, sorry boys." Selina replies levelly, raising one eyebrow. They didn't know her too well here, so she'd forgive them this. "He," She jerked a thumb to Moon, indicating him. "Already has us accounted for. Maybe another time."
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| − | <b>Miners:</b> "And you want us to look at you... how, deaerie?" They ask, making jokes, laughing, saying the sort of things Fiona would never want to hear. Not of anyone, and especially not of her. She walks away from them, one or two hands reaching for her as she evades them, naturally, towards Kanti... just as people shake their heads at Selina's statement, backing off....
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| − | ...The pair in front of Selina looks at Moon, up and down, "He bought them all?" "Nah, can't be, look at him..." "So, he..."
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| − | "Ey! Kid!", the man says to Moon, "Get your girls off the street before the garrison heres! Pimp 'um out inside before ya get in trouble, then!" The lady miner, on the other hand, looks at them over, "And when they are, how much for each? I think I can pay at least for the dommie... and my friend here loves the cute little ones." She makes no mention of Kanti, as, even scarred, such high-station kinkyness had to be outside of their reach...
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| − | <b>Seventh Moon:</b> Looking back at the Windian again, Moon rakes his eyes across her; which ever parts of her peek through the drape of her coat. It's always a pleasant sight, but he keeps the look speculative, as if sizing her up to answer her question. "Well the outfit is more suited to the rope joints, but what it's covering has too much class for those places. With a little sweet talk, I think we can get Vivian ta slip ya into a room. What hours do ya think you can work?"
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| − | Then it started. The attention. The propositions. Aw, shit. Should have thought about that. Was almost funny that he had become so use to seeing women prancing around in their underthings that it almost didn't phase him anymore. Maybe he should gloat.
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| − | Catching onto Selinas ruse, he sniffed and ran a hand through his lengthening hair, flashing a fang out of his lips. "Do I <i>look</i> like a pimp, shit head?" he stomped his booted feet and flared his coat open around him, pulling out of his hunch to loom tall over them. "The Pack has these three for the night and we don't plan on leaving much for anyone else ta sop up on after, so I <i>suggest</i> ya fuckers keep it in your pants and head inta one of the houses. Ain't no entertainment allowed on the streets anyway."
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| − | <b>Miners:</b> The couple frown. The lady sneers, "Keep it ta yerself, stud. Bet the blonde alone will tire ya up. Ya street boys are too soft." They begin to walk away, some jokes about how he would have gotten the money and wild speculations. Them, and others around the street. Golden chains on a too-pretty, too-upper-class-little girl body, a tall, ravishing windian, and, of course... the ultimate fetish of anyone in a place even remotely immaculate-dominated. Even amongst the Red Lantern District, they draw attention...
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| − | * Fiona holds to Kanti, close to Selina with her, cringing on Kanti's arm... she was strong facing the darkness before. That is something she could always do, easily enough. But facing something this ugly and dirty... that was when she faltered, cringing, still feeling their eyes on her, <i>how</i> they looked at her...
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| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> "Oh, you can look at me however you like. Just don't touch." Selina mutters under her breath, then snickers as they walk away, even more under her breath. "Touching is dangerous."
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| − | <b>Kanti:</b> Kanti gives Fiona's hand a reassuring squeeze, trying to give to her some of the confidence she doesn't feel, sheltering her somewhat from the glances and the looks, letting her essence fill the girl briefly, lifting the weight from her shoulders, up and out of the darkness even if it's only briefly.
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| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> "Well," Selina says non-chalantly, trying to keep the hardness in her eyes from showing and giving her away. "Let's be in now. Gotta start on our business sometime, aye?"
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| − | Amusingly enough, it was true in the respect she'd thrown at the miners. That would come later, though.
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| − | <i>For now, I debug our new friends.</i>
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| − | <b>Seventh Moon:</b> Moon glares at the miners back, the line of his jaw tightening. His eyes flicker faintly. The air around him stirs.
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| − | <i>Oh you did <b>not</b> just give me lip on <b>my</b> fuckin' turf, bitch</i>
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| − | another time. He bites his tongue and hisses out a sharp breath. Another time. He was home. It was his turf. He could get the Pack and head out to teach those two all about how soft street kids were later. He'd remember them but they could wait.
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| − | "Yeah, business" Stepping near Selina, his arm snaking around her waist and pulling her against him possessively, he holds out a hand towards Kanti and Fiona, softening his expression a little as he sees them huddling together again. "Hey, come on. Just ignore this trash. We'll get ya inside quick."
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| − | <b>Fiona:</b> The Pack name throws most others away, though. They were the place's gang, and if they claimed ownership of them, only the foolhardly like the lady miner would say anything about it.
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| − | Fiona almost purrs as Kanti lets her essence in her, feeling warmed up... her chains never let her feel the cold, but still, now she fetl the warmth. She knew where it came from, and smiled. "Thank you, Kanti... we are even now, aren't we?" She says, remembering when she soothed her pain, long ago... what seemed like a lifetime ago, now.
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| − | <B>Kanti:</b> Kanti gives the tiniest shake of her head...<br>
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| − | <i>You gave me the sunlight too ... and the bliss....you let me feel bliss...</i>
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| − | Then she glances up, sees Moon's hand and accelerates her steps, guiding Fiona to him too, the relief she felt at being close to him..even if it was close to the Dark Angel ... was not something she had to fake...
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| − | "Yes, my lord." she says softly, adding a slightly sultry edge to her voice, making herself play the role his actions and her dress destined her for.
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| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> <i>So, he took offense to that.</i>
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| − | She supposed she would have, in his place. Or she would have laughed and let it go. But he was a ganger -- she knew about that well enough to pass it over.
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| − | "Right. One room for all of us, for now." Looking back at the other two, she nods, turquoise eyes seeming preoccupied.
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| − | <i>They seem to be taking it well. Which is good.</i>
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| − | <b>Seventh Moon:</b> Keeping Selina and Fiona on his arm, and Kanti in turn on Fionas, makes the going a lot easier... and a lot more pleasant. Moon's smile returns after a few moments, his step lightening. He pulled them out of the crowded edges of the street any they cut a path down the middle of the road. People seemed to clear the way naturally for them, falling away around them to watch the odd procession with looks both envious and curious. The Red-Lantern District was use to beautiful women, but none quite like these. Moon tried not to smirk.
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| − | As he promised, the Heaven House was a short trip into the district, it's red stone walls standing out among the wooden buildings around it, and his heart rose and fell at once at the sight of it's billowy curtains and the throngs of girls standing on the balcony waving to passers-by. He knew what he would find inside, and what he wouldn't. He had seen his come coming a lot differently.
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| − | Elbowing the crowd clustered around the door out their way, he moved away from the girls and stands to the side of the doorway, leaning back against a doorframe shaped like the Smiling Lover. "A'ite, we're here." Moon smiled, waving them onward. "Head on in."
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| − | <b>Heavenly House:</b> Madam Vivian’s House of a Hundred Heavenly Delights
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| − | The Heaven House is a large two story structure on the corner of the Howling Moon Alley and the Swaggering Street. For it's bracket and the patrons it seeks to talor itself to, the Heaven House is one of the best in the area. Scrubbed clean of ash daily by street urchins, it's one of the few stone-walled structures in the district, a rust colors building with faux pillars arrayed along the walls and a pair of twin statues of the Smiling Lover arching their arms together above the doorway. It is considered good luck and good for... stamina to give the statues nipples a twist on your way in. Colorful silk curtains billow out the open windows of the second story, joined by the sound of pleasured love making and cheerful laughter. Small balconys with iron-wrote railing sit to either side of the doorway, places where girls can wave and invite customers and are often crowded with two or three girls.
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| − | Inside, the House is warm and pleasant. The common room is large and well lit by candles - Madam Vivian will have none of those fake sorcerous lights other houses use; they look cheap. Plush couchs are arrayed along the wall where the girls sit and make conversation with patrons or sell kisses for chipped coins. The House has a bar, though only a modest one, and most drinks come out of the back, served by the very same girls who can be bought for the rooms upstairs.
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| − | ...And of course, Moon is recognized instantly.
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| − | Out in the street, some had, even though the sight of the girls drew the eyes away from anyone else, even if the sheriff had been walkng on that very street. But now... many girls, many greetings, many laughs.
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| − | Red Sparrow’s Song, a tall, dark-skinned woman comes close, smiling confidently, ”Hey, and the stud comes back home!”
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| − | Kyrie Ist Louen, a petite girl, like Sarah, and quite a friend of hers’, of dirty blonde hair and unusual green eyes almost hugs the Lunar,“Moon, Moon, how was it?!? I heard you went to look for Sarah... did you find her?”
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| − | Lanna, another of the girls, an energetic-looking redhead, jumped foward, “Well, even if he didn’t find her... got distracted, didn’t you? Or...” She notices things don’t seem that cheerful, “Something else?”
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| − | None of the pack are on the room right now, for some reason, so it all boils down to introductions, to excuses... and then they get a room of their own, fancy, colorful sheets, aphrodiacs in the drawer, lewd paintings. A nice room.
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| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> "Well...here we are." Selina says, unbuttoning her greatcoat, then shrugging out of it and tossing it to the bed, pivoting on one booted heel to face the others, then walking to Moon's side. Odd that, almost as if it comes natural. "Guess we'd better take care of business first."
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| − | <i>Which one...</i>
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| − | Dipping her sense of the dead around her into the immediate vicinity, Selina exhales and looks over Fiona and Kanti. "Let's make something clear, first." Selina makes sure to keep her voice soft enough that it doesn't carry beyond the walls. Or hopefully so. "I ain't Charmaine, even though I'm like her. She may be mad to order people to spread their legs, I'm not. You don't want me touching you, I won't. No one touches you unless you want em to, far as I'm concerned. Except for things like this."
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| − | * Fiona nods, arms in front of herself protectively... feeling exposed now, in front of the Dark Angel. "Alright."
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| − | <b>Kanti:</b> Kanti trembled softly as those eyes passed over her, as she stood next to Fiona, such cold, cruel eyes ... Kanti could still feel the darkness of the Void looking at her as the eyes did.
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| − | <i>she..will do nothing .... is this a trick ...or is she telling the truth...</i>
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| − | She nods, in agreement ...as if she could disagree anyway.. "Yes, my lady." she says softly, voice flowing off her tongue.
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| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> Blinking at the two of them, once each, almost in acknowledgement, Selina looks to Moon. "Well sugar, can ya see spirits, ghosts, and whatnot?" Sighing at the thought of being regarded as their <i>mistress</i> now -- damn her Malfean for influencing her to say that! -- the Windian continues. "Someone'd better keep watch and whatnot. After this' done, we can relax some."
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| − | | |
| − | <b>Seventh Moon:</b> Turning away from the working girls who rushed to greet him only after Selina finally addressed him directly, Moon nods a bit reluctantly. "Yeah, I can do that."
| |
| − | | |
| − | That he'd rather be down here, finding out what the hell has been going on while he's been away and figuring out where his good for nothing gang scampered off to was another mater. Business first though, right?
| |
| − | | |
| − | "Hey, Sparrow?" he grins at the dark-skinned woman. "Love ya for life if you could hit the backroom and see if it's clear. Thinkin' she could use a little privacy."
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> Looking over Kanti and Fiona again, Selina wonders which she should search first. Well...Kanti may as well go first, for some reason doing the other first makes Selina feel dirty.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Diving into the Trance, Selina sighs again, then looks them over, searching for any essence that might be acting...funny. Flowing away from them, to them, in certain patterns that would indicate active charms, etc.
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Kanti:</b> Kanti shivers a little as the angels eyes rove over her body ...
| |
| − | | |
| − | The robes covering little as they do, shimmer faintly with the essence bound into their making, the stone set into the jade lotus on her stomach shining even brighter than the mundane vision of it, invigorating her.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Then there are the flameflow guides, burning with soft fire, two bright stars of more hearthstones. Tracing her eyes up, there is the shining light of the collar around Kanti's neck, flush to her skin, crisscrossed with the black tracers of soulsteel that cut across it.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Then there is her crimson skin ... of which a lot is visible, and on that there is the faint tracery of Earth essence barely more than a mote, subtly bouying Kanti up.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Finally there are the tattoos, in all their swirling, necromantic complexity, small spirials of black essence curling off them into the room, trying to earth themselves somewhere ... anywhere.
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Fiona:</b> On Fiona, Selina sees nothing out of the ordinary. The stone of a thousand heavenly perfumes on her bracelet, the chains dangling on her arm, which project the aura of submissive innocence... golden chains, for a golden servant. And nothing more of note...
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> Exhaling slightly, Selina purses her lips and thinks. Nothing on the first glance, but they may have smaller devices on them, which would take a closer look to locate. Even if she found something, there was no certainty she could turn it off or even destroy it, not without hurting them. And that was something she would consider a last resort.
| |
| − | | |
| − | <i>May as well get on with it. </i>
| |
| − | | |
| − | Reaching up to check the robes more closely, and what's masked underneath them, Selina stops for a moment. Remembering taking the Terrestrial over the wall, remembering the screams and images that flashed into her mind. Not again.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "Kanti, I think you should take those robes off..." The Windian says, warily.
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Kanti:</b> She disrobes quickly, without question or hesitation, her fingers finding the pins that hold them up, she slips the robes off her, revealing the full extent of the scars that dance over her body.
| |
| − | | |
| − | <i>So, this is how she does it ...so cold ... The Vestal was ... always warm ... even when she hurt you...</i>
| |
| − | | |
| − | She stands there, legs slightly parted, as the windian steps closer.
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> <i>Poor girl, that bitch didn't do her any favors with those scars.</i>
| |
| − | | |
| − | Charmaine would get hers, though. Soon enough. Someone would make sure of that, even if it wasn't her.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Getting a fairly comfortable, mostly open-backed chair, the Windian indicates that Kanti should sit on it, then she goes around behind her, looking through her hair, checking to make sure nothing is hidden in the casade, and at her scalp. Then she examines her back, closely, looking at the scars in an attempt to see if they would do anything else.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "So, tell me." She says, trying to keep a pleasant tone. Those two were afraid of her, and after her performance before, Selina couldn't really blame them. But it was going to inhibit how they worked with her, if she didn't put them at ease. This situation wasn't going to help that at all. "Did she ever have you swallow anything? Put anything in your food, you know how it goes."
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Kanti:</b> She walks over to the chair, settling herself just a little nervously in to it, wondering what she is doing .... before she relaxes a little despite herself, as she feels the fingers trailing though her hair, letting out a briefly pleasant sigh, before the inspection of her scalp starts.
| |
| − | | |
| − | <i>Put anything in my food??</i>
| |
| − | | |
| − | "What do you mean, my lady. ...She always let us be well fed." Almost always.
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> "Like..." Selina trails off, checking one arm, then another. "...well, if she put small devices in your food, I suppose you wouldn't have noticed."
| |
| − | | |
| − | Standing Kanti up gently, Selina moves the chair back, then checks her lower torso, and legs, standing back up when she's done. She meets Kanti's gaze, then asks, a whisper in her ear, low pitched enough that hopefully only she heard. And not lusty at all. "Did she ever...put anything inside of you?"
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Kanti:</b> <i>How can she be so cold?!</i>
| |
| − | | |
| − | She shivers as Selina asks her question, and it takes all of her self control not to have her legs buckle under her as the question sets off a cascade of recollection, her body tensing as she holds herself up.
| |
| − | | |
| − | <i>So many things .... so ... so ...many things...</i><br>
| |
| − | The memories swirl around her in a red haze, the good and the bad ... and the exquiste ... the ones where the pain and the pleasure and the Mistress all blurred into one bonfire that consumed her...<br>
| |
| − | <i>Wait ... no...devices...tracking...that was what she was asking..concentrate.</i><br>
| |
| − | "I ... don't think so, my lady, not of the sort you're asking about." her voice merely a shallow whisper, barely audiable even to her.
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> "Well." Selina says, looking down to her dress on the floor, but not picking it up. She doesn't want to touch it again, if she can help it. "I guess you can put the robe back on. I didn't find anything peculiar on you."
| |
| − | | |
| − | Hesitating for a moment, she adds in a resigned tone. "Sorry if it brought back memories you'd rather not have."
| |
| − | | |
| − | Then, Selina turns to Fiona. Younger than Kanti, but unscarred. As they are now, Selina would rather sleep with <I>her</i>, like both of them undoubtably think she wants to do, then the other. No scars. No making her think of whatever the Vestal did to her.
| |
| − | | |
| − | <i>I'm sure she did plenty anyway.</i>
| |
| − | | |
| − | "Alright, your turn. Looks like you'll be just as clean, though."
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Fiona:</b> "Do I have to take anything of'?" She asks. 'My lady' almost coming, due to Kanti, but stopping near her throat. She had stood up for her, like she had for her mistress before... too much of a bonfire to go down too easily. She walks close to the chair, her chains tingling as she walks, waiting for Kanti to get up, her eyes retreating from the now and into unpersonal acceptance...
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Kanti:</b> <i>Nothing...? She did nothing...like she promised. Yet.</i>
| |
| − | | |
| − | Kanti collects herself further, and then nods.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "Thank you, my lady." she bobs a little, and then dresses herself once more, wrapping and smoothing her screans about her, stepping away from the chair to let Fiona sit, watching the Dark Angel with concern as she started to look her over.
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> Looking Fiona over as she did Kanti, Selina shakes her head in answer. "No. You can keep your clothing on. Have a seat."
| |
| − | | |
| − | <I>It's not much better that this one looks more like <b>I</b> did when I was her age.</i>
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Fiona:</b> "Thank you." Fiona sits down, trying to relax... and failing at it. Her dressing.. the teddy, the gloves and boots(stockings?)... almost like a white parody of Selina herself. She breathes heavily, tense in aprehension, waiting...
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> Beginning as she did with Kanti -- she was going to do it the same for Fiona, especially since she had watched Selina search Kanti -- Selina checks her hair, scalp, looks over her back. And then she stands Fiona up, and does the same check as before. "I assume that you never noticed anything in your food either."
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Fiona:</b> "No... I have not. It was always... very healthy." She shakes her head. "And... and... before you ask... no... she never used anything of the sort on me."
| |
| − | | |
| − | Of all the parts of her body she had defiled, she had never left anything... anything the sort. Even if she had left the part she had been most worried with alone.
| |
| − | | |
| − | <i>'You think this means all, doesn't you? Every time I touch you, you worry... do not worry. I will not touch you there, not until you understand. That you will feel defiled to the root of your soul, my pretty Fiona... to the root of your soul, even though I will never touch your 'purity'</i>
| |
| − | | |
| − | Mistress' words dance on her mind. And she never had. And she had been right, as always. It never made any difference...
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> "Very well then." Selina moves away from them, and sits on the bed, looking to Moon, and then back to them. "You two want to continue wearing those things? They look quite fetching, I assure you, but they blend in rather badly. At the least, you may want a coat of some sort of cover them up as I use."
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Fiona:</b> "I... I..." Mistress had given her that attire... she had said she looked to pretty in it. But the looks...
| |
| − | | |
| − | The way those men had <i>looked</i> at her!
| |
| − | | |
| − | No warmth, no mistress, just, just....
| |
| − | | |
| − | It left her dirty, still. Short as it had been.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "I would like to be more covered, yes. Please."
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Kanti:</b> <i>She..she..wants me to take them off?!</i><br>
| |
| − | Kanti briefly has a look of horror in her eyes, quickly supressed, the expression never actually reaching the rest of her face.<br>
| |
| − | <i>Ohhh...she will let me keep it..</i><br>
| |
| − | Relief.<br>
| |
| − | "..A coat please, my lady." You will let me wear a coat over them?
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Seventh Moon:</b> Leaning against the wall, arms folded, Moon lifted his eyes only after Selina mentioned letting them get their clothes back on. He would have left the room completely, if he had a choice. There was something... uncomfortable about what just happened in here. Clearing his throat slightly, the Lunar tipped his head towards the door. "The girls here can probably loan them something to wear until we can go buy them real clothes. Most'a them wouldn't be caught dead walkin' around like these two have been."
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> "Alright. We should be able to buy them something...unless the shops are shut down by those shitheads too."
| |
| − | | |
| − | Spreading her wings, Selina throws herself back with a sigh, resting on the bed. "Gods above," She whimpers with some irritation. "Why does my kind have to be so disgusting..." Angling her head, resting in a mass of pale blonde hair, she looks at Moon. "Thanks for keeping watch while I did that."
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Seventh Moon:</b> He shifts in place a little as Selina threw herself to the bed. Her kind... what the hell was her kind? He knew enough to realize that she was the same sort of being as that red haired bitch and the others were, but that didn't tell him much else. And all this talk about the Lover before
| |
| − | | |
| − | "Ain't a problem," he shrugged nonchalantly, picking at the door frame with his fingernails idly. "We were probably safe in here anyway though. The old lady keeps the doors warded, in case something gets out of the Field."
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Fiona:</b> Fiona walks up to Kanti, suddenly so conscious of how she is dressed... voice a whisper, so as to not disturb the other two in the room.... "Are you ok? This... this really was short, thankfully..."
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Kanti:</b> Kanti listens for a while as her fate ... or at least her dress is decided.
| |
| − | | |
| − | <i>But....She wasnt disguisting...was She?</i><br>
| |
| − | <i>She loved them. Cared for them. Sent them to fight her.</i><br>
| |
| − | <i>...ohh...</i><br>
| |
| − | The terror washes over hear again briefly as she remembers the Voice tearing through her...the it fades, Fiona stepping closer once more...
| |
| − | | |
| − | "I...I'm fine." she whispers to Fiona "..she seems to mean what she said...are you ok?"
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Fiona:</b> "Just some bad memories, is all. And the men's looks before. Not something I want to think of. They left me feeling all dirty. I mis.." <i>...I miss mistress</i> ".. I miss the East. It is so cold here. Even warded from the weather."
| |
| − | | |
| − | She nests against Kanti, looking at the other two... waiting.
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> "Yeah." Looking at the other two, she thinks for a moment. "You two want another room?" Her tone gets a bit more brisk. "You don't want to be around me, fine. So long as you don't try running off, we have no problems."
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Kanti:</b> <i>It is cold here. And, I miss Her too.</i><br>
| |
| − | Kanti looks down briefly, then back up at the angel.<br>
| |
| − | <i>They would be alone together...</i><br>
| |
| − | <i>...but ... they would be alone together.</i><br>
| |
| − | "Thank you, my lady ... We won't try and run ... Thank you." warmth, gratefulness ... and a faint hint of disbelief in her voice.
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> "Think they can have a room of their own?" Selina asks Moon, then adds. "Without working with the customers."
| |
| − | | |
| − | Unlike her, neither of them had ever had to do that. Not like Selina had spread her legs in the manner of a whore often...but she did. Once in awhile, in the old days. "And, you have anything you want to do here, before we leave for Whiteshield?"
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Seventh Moon:</b> "Shit, they can have this one," he answers, pushing off the wall. Moving to the foot of the bed, he holds out his hand to help Selina up. "We can hang down in the basement. Viv lets the gang stay there."
| |
| − | | |
| − | "And yeah. I got some shit I need to take care of while we're here. Talk to the old crazy, at least" And after that, it would just be killing time. Stalling. Visiting people he might not see again. He was home, finally. Even if it was only for a while, even if he knew it couldn't last, he didn't want to leave so soon.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "Now get up and stop hoggin' their bed," he grinned a little. "Got these down stairs too... Nice <i>big</i> ones."
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Selina de Windia:</b> "Right." Selina stretches, yawning and arcing her body upwards as her wings go to their fullest spans, before sitting up and sighing. "Been awhile since I had a bloody bed. Windia. And before that, a month or so." Getting off the bed, putting her greatcoat over one shoulder, she nods to the two girls. "Well, have fun." Looking to Moon, she smirks. "I'm going to."
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Fiona:</b> As they leave, Fiona disentangles from Kanti... walking around the room, not really knowing what to do. Feeling so... uncomfortable. Inside that place, following those two, inside her own skin. Not knowing what to do, until she remembers how *tired* she is... and falls on the bed, taking off her long white boots, and laying there on her skimpy, comfortable clothing... is it the chains that make her look so innocent, so helpless? Or just herself? Either way, she turns to Kanti, big hazel eyes smiling at her as warmly as they are able. "Well, at least feels a little better without them around, doesn't it?
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Kanti:</b> Kanti feels similarly lost, her eys following Fiona as she wanders around the room, her thoughts curning as she does. <Br>
| |
| − | <i>Should they run?<Br>Where would they go?<br>How would they leave?<Br></i>
| |
| − | As Fiona lies out on the bed, she seats herself on the edge of it, looking at her, marvelling still at her innocence.<br>
| |
| − | She smiles alittle<br>
| |
| − | "It does, yes ... she ... is so cold."
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Fiona:</b> "She is. Mistress was so... warm." She says, her hand holding Fiona's, looking for some of that warmth... "She says she cares... and she will not hurt us. But even when Mistress hurt us, she was warm. And she gave us bliss afterwards." The memory of the bliss she received, the heightened pleasure most would not feel in a lifetime comes to her mind, intoxicating...
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Kanti:</b> Kanti squeezes back on Fiona's hand gently, giving her strength, drawing strength from the touch, letting a little of her essence warm the air around her as she sits there. She looks down.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "She was....She is, so warm, always so warm." She lies out on the bed, next to Fiona, looking at her.<br>
| |
| − | "The bliss..."<br>
| |
| − | Kanti's thoughs drift off too.. <br>
| |
| − | Remembering all the times she was given ecstacy by Her.<br>
| |
| − | Remembering all the times she was given agony by Her.<Br>
| |
| − | "... How can we go back ... after we failed so badly though?"
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Fiona:</b> She sits up on the bed, holding Kanti, shining in warm sunlight around her... "I... don't know. But won't she forgive us? Maera was angry because of something, and mistress gave you forgiveness, didn't she?" She says, giving Kanti warmth, trying to hold her closer to feel the heat that comes from the fire aspect's skin... "You... do realise that we are betraying her, going with the Dark Angel, don't you?"
| |
| − | | |
| − | <B>Kanti:</b> Kanti presses against her closer as she encircles her in her arms, trying so soak up all the sunlit warmth, trying to find some peace in the light.<br>
| |
| − | <i>Betrayal....<br>They were..yes...<br>How could she betray Her?<br>How could she...</i><br>
| |
| − | "I...I know." she admits, her voice sounding small and broken in the young girl's arms. "But ... we cannot defeat the Dark Angel ... she is too strong ... much too strong ... the..." she starts to tremble as she remembers the apparition floating above her on wings of night, that aweful voice, the terrible eyes "...The Dead Gods ... they watch over her...we cannot prevail... and we ... we ... we can't return to Mistress in failure..." she presses up much closer to the girl, trying to bury herself in her warmth.
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Fiona:</b> <i>She isn, isn't she?<Br>Just like Mistress, when I faced her... when I...<br>For them, I faced her, for him..<br>No... I was wrong, wasn't I?<br>Mistress showed me... I was wrong... she gave me bliss...</i>
| |
| − | | |
| − | "You are afraid..." She looks up... "Of the Dark Angel..."
| |
| − | | |
| − | "... or of Mistress?"
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Kanti:</b> Kanti looks up at her with dark, haunted eyes.<Br>
| |
| − | <I>Who I am afraid of?<br>Who ..am I afraid of?</i><br>
| |
| − | "I ... am afraid of the Dark Angel ... what she will do with us if we stay ... what she will do to us if we run ... and I'm ... afraid of Mistress ... what she will say when she finds us again ... what she will do if we return to her ... " She trembles again.<br>
| |
| − | <i>But that's not really what you're afriad of ... is it?</i><Br>
| |
| − | <i>No...</i><Br>
| |
| − | "I'm afriad ... I ... I ... won't be able to bear her punishment so ... so she can love me again." I'm afraid of myself
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Fiona:</b> She hugs closer..."Myself..."
| |
| − | | |
| − | "When... Mistress got me... I felt so lonely. Everyone... everyone.." Tears begin to come from her eyes, again. Like on their first talk... "She... Mistress... after all she did, she, she... she warmed me. Accepted me. I..."
| |
| − | | |
| − | "... I'm afraid to be alone."
| |
| − | | |
| − | She sobs, holding Kanti to her, afraid of the cold that will take her soul as soon as she lets go. Afraid of the Dark Angel, who took her away from the warmth. Afraid of the Mistress who might just cast her out, or give her such agony... afraid of ending up like Kanti. As much as she tried to find her beautiful... she looked at Kanti and couldn't help but to hope Mistress would never... do that to her.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Afraid.
| |
| − | | |
| − | <B>Kanti:</b> Kanti presses up to her, up to the warmth and the sunlight, giving her own warmth, trying to fill Fiona with it ... to take away her fears ... to end her doubts ... knowing she can't ... trying ....needing so badly to succeed.
| |
| − | | |
| − | "I won't leave you alone Fiona. We're in this together."<br>
| |
| − | <i>You helped to lift me up when we were in the darkness.<br>You let me bask in your own warmth and light.<Br>Together we can ... we can survive this, at least.</i><br>
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Fiona:</b> "Together..." She sobs, held on Kanti's arms, trying to hold her own light, to warm herself, to warm Kanti... "Don't... let go, please... don't let go of me tonight..."
| |
| − | | |
| − | <i>Otherwise, the Dark Angel might come...<br>Cut my sorcery as if it was nothing, once again...<br>Cut me as if it was nothing, once again...<Br>Least with mistress, I knew there was bliss after the suffering...<br>In her dark wings, seems to be only cold. Only terror.<br>Keep her away...</i>
| |
| − | | |
| − | <b>Kanti:</b> Kanti pulls her closer, wrapped in Fiona's sunlight, wrapped in her own fire, her own body glowing with inner heat, though caged by the scars surrounding her.
| |
| − | | |
| − | She softly kisses her forehead "I won't leave you tonight. I'll keep hold of you."<br>
| |
| − | <i>I need you to hold on to me.<br>I need you to be close to me.<br>I can't survive without you.<br>I need your warmth.<Br>I need your sunlight.</i>
| |
| − | | |
| − | <i>To face the cold dark wings.<br>To face the terror.<br>To keep her away.</i>
| |
| − | | |
| − | | |
| − | ----
| |
| − | | |
| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/ThirdMovement|Third Movement]]
| |
| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/DanceOfAngels|A Dance of Angels]]
| |
