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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/FourthMovement|Fourth Movement]]
| + | #REDIRECT [[ADanceOfAngels]] |
| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/DanceOfAngels|A Dance of Angels]]
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| − | == Lonely Amethyst ==
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| − | ''' Lonely Amethyst: ''' The Wildcat restaurant, the following night...
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| − | The restaurant is a little hidden in the city. It is in Lower Windia, so where the non-winged ones walk, easier for them to move around without great detours, gondolas, or stairways. Eastern-Style cousine, Shogunate-Style construction... and the whole second floor, along with its garden, rented for the night.
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| − | A shallow cup of sake in her hand, she waits for him... so different than she once was. The glasses are the same... but the hair is longer, and not tied up anymore. Her former scholarly clothes traded for the dangerous-looking cheongsam, a shade of scarlet, dragons roaring through it. She stays there, waiting. All humor drained from her face.
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| − | * Gennadi knows this, and much more, the right things to say and do drifting through his mind without finding purchase. He shrugs, pausing outside the resteraunt to adjust his jacket. For ocne, it is of sombre cut, midnight blue with silver traceries that catch the ligh, weak rainbows spilling out onto the floor in every direction as he makes his way up to see her. The wait staff knows better than to interfere with a man of such purpose, patrons shifting their chairs to give him more room to walk unconsciously. He pauses, knocking on the doorframe and sizing her up for a moment, mental deep breath though he will not afford his body the same luxury. "I apologize if I am a bit late. This was... unexpected."
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| − | ''' Lonely Amethyst: ''' "You are always late, Gennadi. I did not think you would have changed."
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| − | Every word cuts the air. It is totally devoid of emotion.
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| − | She is doing her best to be polite.
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| − | And, without but a greeting, she goes to bussiness. "And it is supposed to be. Nobody can expect I would ask you what I am going to. I am not even of the Northern Convention. But you are the best person to ask."
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| − | * Gennadi shrugs, that apologetic little half-smile she's so familiar with appearing for a moment before vanishing, Almost but not quite as if she'd simply imagined it. "Is it that hard to believe in change? You certainly have." This pleasantry out of the way, he taps the leg of a chair with a dark leather boot, too black for snow to even consider defiling with shine, and sits down in it as it spins around, leaning forwards onto the back. "I do not think anyone will believe you were here at all, much less asking questions of importance."
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| − | ''' Gennadi: ''' His hand reaches out for the sake, a quick flick of the bottle pouring out an almost perfect measure which he promptly ignores, minute motions of his hand swirling the drink as he waits for her to continue.
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| − | ''' Lonely Amethyst: ''' She sips the sake, and looks at Gennadi...
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| − | "You can order anything. It is on me. A courtesy."
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| − | '''That you don't really deserve '' she barely holds.
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| − | "I had to change. I am better like this. I was too... naive, before. This is a harsh world. More. And better if they do not. The 'Gennamy' is past, but some of the gossiping bitches in your division will never learn that."
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| − | She sips the sake a little more... "By the way... you did change. Rare to see you in dark clothes."
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| − | ''' Gennadi: ''' "It seemed appropriate at the time, nothing more and nothing less." He tucks the end of his chain a little farther up his sleeve. "I think we all change, bits and pieces in constant motion, never laying down in quite the same bed we left in the morning. Not that it shows, but I think the principle matters."
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| − | ''' Lonely Amethyst: ''' "I suppose. But why is it that change always leaves us colder...?" She says, quickly placing more sake for her, and closing her eyes, as she focus on the subject. "You may have heard of Alexsei Krauser? Chosen of Endings, formerly from the Eastern Convention, Blackbird of Sijan? Stole a Solar from the Realm a few years ago?"
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| − | ''' Gennadi: ''' "Of course. There are few enough star-chosen I try to keep track of all, just in case." He leans back, mostly to repress memories of her reaching up to him with a face almost like that... no, not quite. He'd just like it to look familiar. "An interesting story, that."
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| − | ''' Lonely Amethyst: ''' She looks away from him now, as a waiter brings some food... fish rolls, and some fried pieces of fish. River fish, all of them, as easy to get on the river of tears and the white sea as on the Yellow and Yanaze rivers.
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| − | As soon as he lives, she continues, still not looking at Gennadi... "He took his wife to heaven, however... he is a little too idealist. And now he managed to get himself assigned to recruit people like the Windwraith and the Prince to the Gold... and pehaps even the others they travel with..."
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| − | "We fear he has been spilling too much, however."
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| − | ''' Gennadi: ''' "I see. Well, it would not surprise me if he was... I fail to see where I possess skills uniquely suited to this problem, however."
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| − | '''Lonely Amethyst: ''' "You do not."
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| − | "However, most of those who remain in the north are Bronze. Illun is Alexsei's friend. If we ask for the Bronze's help on this matter, we will just be giving more fire to their cause. And some golds are too idealitic to do anything until this goes bad. So, my superiors asked for a completely neutral and inconspicuous party - you, that being - to keep an eye on him. I heard the Bronze already asked your help in this overall situation."
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| − | '''Gennadi: ''' "That, Am" He hesitates for a split second before finishing. "ethyst, would be the unique skill. They have, and in the typical Bronze fashion, offered a rather nice reward. Just enough to buy my attention for a few months, though my means are my own."
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| − | '''Lonely Amethyst: ''' "You would be perfect for that, however. It is so easy to like you..." She says, her voice nearly tripping for a moment...
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| − | "... and it is always a misguided trust."
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| − | She sighs. This was important. Important enough that she had to see him again... "My superiors promised to reward you handsomely for the job. You will be in the good graces of the cream of the Gold."
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| − | * Gennadi sips his drink, leaving the cup empty. "That sounds suspiciously like recruitment." He pours again. "Well, not that it's entirely unexpected. And if he's assigned to recruit them, there's a good chance I can get my own strings attached to his deals... Just keep an eye on him? Nothing else?"
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| − | '''Lonely Amethyst: ''' "''And'' prevent him from saying too much, of course. By any means nessessary."
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| − | She takes some of the rolls, taking her time eating them after saying her last sentence, letting it hang in the air... "If it was recruitment, you would know. I have never maneuvered you like that. Though I should begin now. But no..." Violet bangs fall over her face then, covering her eyes... "... just payment in favors. You come to the Gold if you wish, preferarbly away from my convention. But it is not what this is."
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| − | '''Gennadi: ''' "I did not say that it was. Merely that it aroused my suspicions. You know how I am about both." He drums his fingers on the side of the chair. "This will require some thought. I am not going to leap into opposing Krauser without being sure I can handle him."
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| − | '''Lonely Amethyst: ''' "Oh, he is good. Quite good in the arts. Ever since he spirited the girl away, he softened, however. Almost no train all those years, is what I hear. But, it is not like you are supposed to fight him. On your own arena of machinations, my dear..." He says that darkly, "... he is defenseless. You are probably going to meet him either way. So just consider it."
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| − | Violet bangs still covering her eyes, she turns to the food, "Not going to savor some? I figured you still liked fish."
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| − | '''Gennadi: ''' "My old tastes remain much as they were." He spears a roll with a chopstick, deftly laying it out into four sections and flicking that into his mouth as he bends down. "I simply do not wish to ruin your enjoyment of the garden. Nothing more, and nothing less." Another piece vanishes. "As for my machinations, they protect me perfectly so long as I make no mistakes. I find that hard to expect whilst I am sitting across from one of my greatest."
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| − | '''Lonely Amethyst: ''' "A mistake, was it?"
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| − | She smiles, happy, almost "Everyone makes mistakes, Gennadi..." She says, picking some more food and eating... before continue, "... few people ever do what you did. That, was not a ''mistake'' That.. was...." She lacks for words. She does not find a name... and he sees her smile breaking... slowly...
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| − | Then, she stops. Tenses.
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| − | "Did you hear that?"
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| − | * Gennadi listens... two things of note.<br><br>One, the sound of the windmills vanished. Along with that of the birds.<br><br>Second, outside of the rolling window, the sight of the garden, everything is darkening... coming to pitch-black.
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| − | '''Gennadi: ''' "It's not what I'm hearing I don't like. It's what I'm not hearing. Might I suggest we continue this conversation some place that does not feel as if the Underworld is attempting to claim it?"
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| − | '''Lonely Amethyst: ''' She seems frantic, almost, letting it slip, "... I did not see this..."
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| − | She says, getting up, slowly, "If you think we can walk out of here easily, but of course."
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| − | * Gennadi stacks the remaining two pieces of fish roll on the chopstick, then adds another, chewing on one contemplatively. "You're the Endings. Just how bad is getting out of a shadowland?" He stands, absentmindedly tapping the chair leg the other way to return the seat to its proper place.
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| − | '''Lonely Amethyst: ''' "Honestly? Pretty hard. Though, it is no the shadowland..."
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| − | "It is what is inside it that is the problem."
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| − | Gennadi sees it on her eyes then. On the glass of her spetacles. He sees the chain going through the window. Breaking the ornate glass. Going through her skull. He can feel the blood over him... before fate changes, and she stands there, holding the chain.
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| − | It begins to clear outside, and Gennadi can see the masked figure, covered in a robe of cut stars....
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| − | The figure smiles. The figure speaks.
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| − | "I have a message for when Wayang eats your eye, dear."
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| − | "''Ten Thousand Virtues says : Keep the Bier out of the here. ''"
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| − | "There. Now, kindly die. You will notice you cannot move out of here with your fate-bending powers. It is my darkness, and it is ''purely'' intentional."
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| − | Her hands aflame.
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| − | Burning with the Battle Maiden's fire.
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| − | She steps out then, the Cheongsam never so sexy in her as now. Time to kill. To sever. To end.
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| − | To end that which should be already dead.
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| − | Through the broken glass, and in... the snow. So heavy. The darkness... holding her. Holding her down. Unable to get to him.
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| − | "Damn you...."
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| − | "Gennadi, the darkness! It slows us down!"
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| − | '''Gennadi: ''' He flicks his wrist, sending a length of chain to pool on the floor as his eyes glow with inner light. His hand weaves, bright blue streamers in the sigil of Venus that surrounds him as he seems to slide forward, sinous motions leaving a trail of silver chain behind him. "Slow I can handle. Hold him off for just a moment!"
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| − | '''Lonely Amethyst: ''' "If... "
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| − | a step.
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| − | "...you..."
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| − | another
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| − | "..have..."
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| − | yet another
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| − | "...not... noticed..."
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| − | But she does not stop
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| − | "... he is holding ''me! '' And I need cover to get out of this!"
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| − | '''Starbreaker: ''' "Don't bother." He pushes the chain, made of smoke. Smoke entwined on itself.
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| − | "I have not against the Joybringer! He can run! Your kin was quite specific mentioning a Gardener for the killing!"
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| − | The chain of smoke curls... then goes straight, straight towards her heart, to bring her to her end.
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| − | '''Lonely Amethyst: ''' "...oh hell."
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| − | They came for her.
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| − | She closed her eyes.
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| − | It cut fate. She could not sense it. It did not exist.
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| − | Out of mind, out of fate, out of the stars. The stars had no power here.
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| − | Still, he would end. She moved towards what was not there, and whispered a prayer to the Sword.
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| − | With crimson flame, she held the chain.
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| − | There is always an ending.
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| − | And hers' is not today.
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| − | '''Gennadi: ''' "You seem to have me mistaken for some other sort of man! I was busy, and you have interrupted me. Ten Thousand Virtues should have taught you manners instead of bad martial arts." His snakelike dash ends with a dive, catching the chain in a hand and wrenching his body sideways, yanking the intruder forwards into a storm of silver chain strikes. The chain snakes around him as gennadi darts forward, driving his palm forward and tearing the chain from the Starbreaker's body, razor-edged links whirring as they slice through the air and bring the fighter back to his original place, Gennadi's grin meeting him as he looks back over his shoulder.
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| − | '''Starbreaker: ''' "I did say I wasn't supposed to kill you. Oh well. I will '''not''' kill you then, mr. Ilkov. Just maim."
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| − | He spins, and it is not the chain anymore, but smoke all over his hand, cutting the air in a thousand shapes of broken stars towards the Joybringer's face... each of the shapes coming behind the blow, so many strikes, so many cuts.
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| − | * Gennadi weaves in place, the grin static as the rest of him flows away from the onslaught. His feet kick up bits of snow as he dances with this devil in the pale moonlight.
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| − | '''Lonely Amethyst: ''' She stands in place, then. Still hindered by the sticky darkness all around her.
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| − | With another prayer, she executes a kata. Her mien darkens. She becomes even colder.<br>
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| − | She is Endings. She is Saturn.<br>
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| − | She assumes the Violet Bier of Sorrows Form.
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| − | As she does, cherry blossoms fall about her like snow, and whirls around her arms, as her bracers shine. She smiles a cold smile. The cherry blossom shadow is here.
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| − | '''Gennadi: ''' The dance continues, his own chain flicking out in a spray to tangle with the smoke. He ducks under and then leaps backwards, a spray of snow arcing out from hiis feet as he drops down behind his opponent, A step forward as he kicks the far leg out from under the starbreaker, and a vicious twist snakes the chain around the man's neck as Gennadi steps up onto his knee, bracing against the trapped hand as he hauls back on the chain.
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| − | '''Starbreaker: ''' He is swept off his feet.
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| − | The chain goes around his neck.
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| − | And then, simply, fluidly, he slides his neck away from the chain, and Gennadi can feel the smile under the Starmetal Mask. "Nice try, Joybringer. You dance like a devil."
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| − | The chain twists around him, into a dragon of pure smoke... before going for his face, the dragon closing its maw, and losing form until it is just a lump, just a weight... just impact.
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| − | * Gennadi spins, starmetal-wrapped hand fed to the dragon. The grin falters just once as a tooth jcuts his hand, but he guides the strike down and away, drawing more and more chain and wrapping it around his body before he steps back though the smoke, leaving the chain to crush only thin air and fall to the ground. "There's a little ghost, if you were feeling out of your element."
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| − | '''Lonely Amethyst: ''' Dance.
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| − | She dances.
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| − | She dances for loves lost,<br>
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| − | She dances for the plants of the harvest,<br>
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| − | She dances for the ghosts in eternal agony,<br>
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| − | She dances for the end of dynasties.
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| − | Her dance makes the symbol of Saturn. Her dance cuts the air.
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| − | She does the dance of saturn, and fills the air with cherry blossoms.<br>
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| − | The inky-black curtain breaks, ripped apart by her movements. Cherry blossoms fall to the ground all around her, just as dead.
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| − | In a moment, she moves a slice through the snow, trailing the blossoms on her wake.
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| − | "You do not hold me anymore, dead thing."
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| − | She smiles<br>
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| − | The smile of saturn.<br>
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| − | A smile for the dead, and for things that will end.
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| − | '''Starbreaker: ''' He grunts. She was free.
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| − | This was harder than it seemed at first...
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| − | Wit ha growl, he lifts his arms, and the chains begin to whirl about him, once again becoming as Dragons.
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| − | "To blind the maidens,"<br>
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| − | "Striking a blow against their hearts,"<br>
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| − | "Against their souls,"<br>
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| − | "Against their beloved."
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| − | "'''Die, Chosen! '''"
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| − | The chains reach up to the sky, then twist, five dragons around him. One vanishes, the one that is the contrary of green. The other four, the contrary of every color, dart.... two to Amethyst, two to Gennadi, hissing as they trip their impossible anti-color into the air...
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| − | '''Lonely Amethyst: ''' She sees them coming. Be damned, she could never get the drop on him.Not unarmed. She needed her weapon, she needed her familiar... she was too open.
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| − | So, she did all she could - to fall on the defensive.
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| − | The crimson flame on her hands moved... and she stopped the colors, severing them even as they hissed to the violet essence within her.
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| − | "Return to the Abyss. You have no bussiness existing."
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| − | '''Gennadi: ''' Gennadi has a moment to shrug before the dragons strike, as if lamenting his own foolishness and watching the oncoming strikes. Suddenly, he is gone, the dragons tearing through his jacket and skidding across the ground as he steps to the side, adjusting his collar. "What she said."
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| − | * Gennadi shakes his head to clear the cobwebs, though only after he's already in motion, drawing the weight up into his hand and eschewing the flashier spinds of the time before, stepping into the circle and slamming the weight into the man's mask. He chases after him as the strike sends his fore stepping backwards, a spray of sparks in the night air almost like falling stars with each following strike, He finally steps up and sends one of his boots into the man's crotch as he falls backwards, panting quietly.
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| − | '''Starbreaker: ''' He staggers backwards... hand to his crotch, losing all composure.
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| − | "Damn... you..."
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| − | '''Lonely Amethyst: ''' She holds the impossible colors in her hand. Then, she sommersaults, and rushes above them. She is a blur, unmade in cherry blossoms before she jumps again, falling close to Gennadi, the blossoms touching his face once again... that scent, once again.
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| − | "Did I take too long?"
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| − | She asks, before turning... picking one of the blossoms... and throwing at the Starbreaker. It goes through a snow droplet, sticking both in a point in the man's torso.
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| − | "There is it. Now..."
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| − | "Die."
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| − | The following moment, her hand is through his chest, the blade of the battle maiden ripping everything... Saturn's touch giving the final end to the Starbreaker.
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| − | She goes through him like a hot knife through butter. Nothing is left. Violet fires sever every thread... and she finishes with the sign of Saturn, ending it once and for all.
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| − | A moment later, she is there, standing in the snow, cherry blossoms, dark blood and pieces of bone in the ground near her,cleaning her hand.
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| − | "He went easy on you. That was made to anihilate Sidereals, and yet he pulled his blows. He did not strike you lethally."
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| − | '''Gennadi: ''' "I know... insulting, that."
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| − | He retrieves his coat, looking sadly at the twin holes in the back. "The whole thing was odd, really. He went for me, and not you, despite being here for you... Used something close to my style, as well. Maybe they thought you wouldn't be any good at fighting a faux me."
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| − | '''Lonely Amethyst: ''' "He tried to fight us both at once. Not very good at that."
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| − | "He just wanted to take you out of commission to deal with me..." She turns around, and just walks back at her table. "And I would have greater troubles fighting him without you around, yes. Takes too long to get right for it."
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| − | '''Gennadi: ''' "I suppose your plan backfired... No one would believe you were meeting me, so it's the perfect time to strike." He shrugs, folding the coat over his arm and following her. "Just doing what he was supposed to... Ah, well. Up to finishing that dinner?"
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| − | '''Lonely Amethyst: ''' "Yes. I was trying not to bring any implements of death either, and no backup... damn it."
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| − | "But... why not? Thankfully there is no way this would have grown cold."
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| − | ----
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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/FourthMovement|Fourth Movement]]
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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/DanceOfAngels|A Dance of Angels]]
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