|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2011 11:13 am
The food was the best he had tasted in a long time now... He could feel it energizing him, giving him more strength. He was about to get to his feet, take care of this body business before sneaking in on Touscon and Daryl. Maybe he could kill him if Touscon hadn't already. However, a noise from the brush distracted him, and he almost jumped up if it hadn't been for the face he saw.
"Hey..." He put his bag on his back again, put one hand on his knee and slowly got to his feet. The look on her face made it apparent she didn't want to talk about it. Reno didn't even want to look at the body on the ground beside them now. "Hah... Thanks. I feel like s**t." He lifted his hands above his head, stretched, cracked his back.
"Did anyone follow you? We should leave, soon." Where they should go, he wasn't sure. If Junon had been their destination, maybe they could still get to Edge this way... It was better than running into Dex or Bane, if they decided to go after them...which was very likely, even if their leader was dead. Though, Edge was a place many people congregated, so maybe...some place quieter.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2011 7:18 pm
“Man,” she gushed suddenly, a crooked humorless laugh to the sound. She knew it was out of the blue, but she couldn’t keep herself from saying it. That one ‘hey’ from him had made a world of difference. Having another human being to talk to was… ridiculously nice. She paused for a moment, considering her words. She was too tired for this, she told herself, as she looked him up and down. Right, like staring at him is going to give away just how much of his brain’s gotten working yet. You’re just trying pathetically to hide that you were worried about him, she told herself. “It’s great to hear your voice, so you’re welcome. I figure this’ll be a decent exchange for saving your a** for now.” She finally said, and smirked a bit, though it didn’t fully reach her eyes.
“Nah, they wouldn’t. It… it’s not going to draw them, from what we’ve seen. You feel comfortable about your exchange with the t**t? Because I’ve got, or,” she cut herself off. Sighing with aggravation, she tried again. “It’s all been taken care of on my end.” With almost a harsh motion, as though wanting to get this over already, she slung her bag off her shoulder and pulled from it the large knife, ignoring the blade that had belonged to Alpha and was now sticking out of her stomach. “Just to make sure,” she said as she leaned over the female Raven and sliced a little easier through the neck. “As for our next move, though I’d love to just get the hell out of here, these guys can cause us some serious damage if they were to tail us after finding out in a few hours what had happened. That and if we kill the other two and run, we’ll still have two and a half days’ head start before Headquarters realizes their pack hasn’t come in on time.”
Touscon cleaned the blade again and then slid it into its leather sheath, placing it away in her bag again. Nodding towards the dead female’s bag, she turned to look at Reno. “Did you take her supplies with you? We might as well do that and then head for the next nearest one.” She turned to the north and stared in that direction. If they put Bane on watch, she figured, he would probably have the better hearing. That’s where she was aiming.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2011 7:42 pm
Reno smirked slightly at Touscon's words. At least she was still trying to throw in some humor, despite how she felt. "I suppose, once we get out of this, I could give you something better," he teased, sticking his tongue out at her playfully.
He shrugged his shoulders as she questioned about Alpha. "I really ripped her a new one. But have at it, if it makes you feel better, yo." He turned away from her, looking out to the trees, attempting to see through them. He didn't hear anything unusual, other than Touscon's surgical action. It was true, the others wouldn't be suspecting them...not yet. Not until morning. And if they did get caught...
"No, I didn't grab anything yet." He bent down beside Alpha's corpse and took her bag. He took the contents out and put them into his own bag before getting back to his feet again. He sighed, however, because he did not want to fight Bane nor Dex. "Troublesome..." He was beginning to sound like Rude. He started to walk north.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2011 9:11 pm
“You’d better,” she quipped back with a vivid glare. It was a tease, but there was truth in it too. She wanted more than to see him just freed from these bastards. She wanted to be sure he was okay… no more with the Raven stuff. Momentarily she tensed. How successful could it be? Even she still retained a lot of the Raven she’d been brainwashed into. The animal inside was strong. Their bodies, too, still regenerated like any Raven. She had seen that firsthand multiple times now since she had slowly, painfully come back to her senses and regained her memories. Reno would be the same. The mind could be fixed, but maybe only time would tell? Whatever. She dismissed it.
“It does… sorry,” she had apologized when he had shrugged off her insistence on taking the female apart. It did help her to feel better. She saw the damage Reno had done her, and she knew he had taken precautions too, but time and time again she had been in the position of seeing Ravens that were supposedly fatally wounded, massacred even, come back. Disassembly was the only cure she had known besides complete disintegration—such as through fire or some sort of chemical solutions. She had neither. So, she became a butcher, a monster to keep them from returning. She did not like how her hands shook even now at the thought of severing their heads. She clenched her fists tightly to prevent herself from overreacting. Maybe being human was not the right thing to think about right now. Kill and then be human. Yes, she had to do that.
Touscon glanced at Reno, walking at her side. “This sucks, huh?” Having him here, though, even not knowing where he stood mentally, was a relief in and of itself. “It’s good not to fight alone.” She tossed her hair a bit, trying to get it over her shoulder and too lazy to raise an arm and do it the normal way. “Just wish we knew this b*****d’s weak point. I want this s**t over and done with already.” Testing the wind, she nodded. They could continue in their same direction. They would be upon their next target in a couple of minutes. They would have to be ghosts to not be heard now. From off her back, Touscon pulled her bow and fitted an arrow to it swiftly. Projectiles to wound and slow… inhibit while Reno went in for the melee. They each knew how the other one fought, at least enough. They could do it. She had confidence in that.
In the last half hour, the sounds had dwindled. A lazy smile was slipped casually over the Raven’s mouth as he remained in the same position he had been in for a while now. “It’s about time they shut up.” He did not even bother to suppress a large yawn as it overcame him. “Ahh… peace for a time.” Looks like the new guy shut up the b***h after all. It had sounded violent, but he wasn’t overly concerned about that. Alpha needed to be put in her place. What would be more embarrassing and demeaning than a newbie doing it for them? It brought a smile to his face. Daryl had sounded very pleased too. Maybe the new c**t had some tricks in her arsenal they hadn’t seen? Things were looking up, at least until a few hours from now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 9:21 pm
"You'd better..." Yeah... If there was one thing Reno really needed at the moment, it was encouragement and hopefulness. Something to look forward to. Sure, now that his memory had flooded back, and in such a nonviolent way in its return...he actually had quite a lot to look forward to. With Alpha dead he didn't have to listen to her quip about how much sex she wanted, and how Reno wasn't putting out. That was also something to look forward to.
Maybe it was just his reluctance to kill two people that hadn't done much to piss him off that was making him feel so downcast. Why his morality was keeping him from being at least optimistic and defending the kill or be killed mode that had been engraved into him...he wasn't all too sure. Maybe it was the shock of having his life back. Maybe it was just the fear of failure biting at his heels, because of the guilt he felt for having lost his memory so seemingly easily as he had. Losing control wasn't something Reno did often, but it didn't stop him from beating himself up over it.
At least I'm alive. We'll kill these ******** go the ******** home.
Successfully pushing all mental moral discouragement, Reno found himself nearing the treeline that exposed the spot Bane had taken camp at. He was glad that they were two and Bane was very alone. What time they had with him now before Dex showed up would be imperative for their success, though they did already know Dex's weak spot... Bane, however...
"Yeah, this sucks." He smirked anyway. It was good not to fight alone. Reno looked back at Touscon and examined the bow she held for a moment before looking back at Bane's camp. He furrowed his brow slightly as he slid out his baton. "...Can you make a shot now? Or shall I distract him?" He stepped carefully, making sure not to step on fallen sticks so as to alert him of their presence... There was always room for mistake.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 8:28 pm
Touscon could sense that they were both a little… off from what they’d just gone through. Both of them were trying not to dwell on it, but regardless what they wanted, their thoughts were both probably drifting back to those things they had done. Even more heavily weighed on their minds the things they still had to do. She thought it was pretty crystal clear the What and the Why. Maybe she was taking it for granted. Maybe she was taking being human for granted.
Abruptly she turned to Reno and stared him hard in the face. Narrowing her eyes, sucking her lower lip in and tilting her head, she looked at him with an expression of harsh frustration. Finally she stepped up to him and leaned in, hissing under her breath as she spoke to him, to keep their presence concealed for as long as possible. Ignoring his questions just for the moment on how they were going to take Bane, she started a different topic altogether. “Reno,” she emphasized his name. “Do you hate shopping? The spa? Shoe stores, clothing stores, pawn shops?” At first her words were rushed together, a little nervous, but the more she talked, the more her voice began to relax and become less sharp, less harsh. “Because I think once we’ve got this over with and we’re making our way back over the wide ocean blue, we’ve got to get some serious cleaning and fashion upgrading done.” She cracked a wry grin, a little embarrassed at the things she was suggesting and the balls she had to suggest it in the first place.
“A-anyway,” she hastily added, turning to look back to Bane’s base as her voice dropped lower. “We’ve gotta get this done first. Then we can trade off this stuff in the city… because I can’t imagine going anywhere else where we can get as easily lost. Besides, if… you’re looking for your friends… Midgar’s where they’ll be, right?” She bit her lip, trying to hide it, but probably not doing a very good job. How much of Reno was Reno now? Something in the way he was acting made her ask… like the stunned feeling. Or… she didn’t know what. Her own head was confused thinking back on her own memory-return, so how was she going to know what was going on with him? But she had to risk it. Especially now. Something had to break him free of that potentially fatal stagnation in between personalities. She wanted him to be Reno, as much as she had wanted to be Touscon. As much as she assumed he wanted to be Reno too. That was the nature of a human, right? They wanted to be me, not someone else.
Throwing a grin his way abruptly, Touscon’s decided then and there to make up her mind. No matter what happens, I started all this s**t to get you out of here, Reno. I’m going to finish it, even if I have no part to play after everything’s all said and done. “I can hit him with my eyes closed,” she boasted quietly, smirking at him. “Who you think you talking to, a waitress from a bar in Midgar?” She winked at him, knowing if he had any sense of who she was, he would remember where he first met her. Her last words, still grinning and confident, were: “I’ll immobilize his legs and do the distracting. I’m faster than you anyway. You take him from behind once I’ve got his attention.” She didn’t have to tell him to watch out, or that they didn’t know what his weapon or strengths were. They would find out together. They would work it out together. They would escape together.
Without giving him a chance to respond to the last part, she bolted—a silent shadow through the trees flying for Bane.
The watch was slow tonight. Nothing was going on in this area, probably too far from the town already to attract much attention from anyone other than travelers. And any travelers that might have passed, had not and were probably already bunked down for the night. Bane did not hear anything, but something in his mind told him to roll over onto his stomach before lifting himself up onto his feet swiftly. One impact, near to his hip. A second impact a split second later, where his ankle had rested. He was fully on his feet and moving to run to one side with an easy lope that said little for his considerable if not outrageous size. He was built, but still leaner than Dex.
He did not have time to glance to the ground before the impacting objects had suddenly found a hold just above his left knee. He gasped and hissed, eyes darting downwards. An arrow. His expression of pain turned into a slight smirk. Straightening, he went to take a step forward, raising his voice casually. “Come out, lady archer. I know it’s you.” Before he had a chance to say anything else, a thin dark figured flitted between two trees in his sight and launched three more arrows in quick succession, each for his legs—one on his left, one on his right, and one right in the center—high enough to hit the thigh and a trap so that no matter where he moved, he would be shot. He took the left and ran there, knowing he could take the second arrow to the same leg and ignoring the searing pain.
Bending forward a little, he reached down and yanked hard on the arrows, muffling a curse as he found them ripping the muscle in his attempt to pull them out. He left them alone and instead dealt with them, breaking into a run and moving towards the trees to the left where the female Raven had gone. “If you’ve got a bone to pick with me, then you’ve chosen the wrong pack to take on, little miss. Don’t know how you escaped from Daryl, but if he sent you to me as a leftover and you’re none too happy about that, the least you could do is face the facts and make it easier for yourself.” He lurched to the side as she abruptly sprang up before him, a vicious smirk on her face in the flash of a second she was there and loosed an arrow at his head. “b***h!” he cursed as he barely dodged, grabbing for her at the same time and missing. He didn’t have enough time to turn around before he felt the same jagged, pronged arrows hitting him from behind. This time they landed in the back of his right leg, and one, right in the back of the knee, sent him stumbling against a tree, holding onto it for support.
“Not talking, ah? This your idea of foreplay, little toy?” he asked mildly, a little annoyed and a little amused. “It’d be nice to hear your side of the story. You don’t have to attack me out of the blue, you know.” He frowned as he carefully turned himself around and one of her arrows found his left ankle, and then his right thigh, close to the pelvis. He fell back against the tree.
“Fine. You want me to talk? Then help me out with this: …,” she appeared slightly to his left, facing away from where he first had his back turned. Mostly concealed behind a tree there, only her arms and the bow-and-arrow showed around the edge of the bark. She launched another arrow, and another after it. Bane, to her pleasure and dismay alike, moved. He was hindered by the arrows, and made great leaping bounds for her that closed the distance between them fast. He was just a few yards away now! She whirled to the other side of the tree and the arrow that was loosed went for his other unhindered ankle. How could he move like that?! Clearly his legs weren’t the place! “…then die, Bane!” she cried as she fitted another arrow to her bow and leapt back. Go Reno!! He’s open!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 7:08 pm
Touscon's sudden hushed voice running words together about shoe stores and spas caught Reno off guard, to say the least, until he realized what she was getting at. The surprised expression on his face faded to smug understanding. "Touscon," he replied, "no need to worry your pretty head, yo." He returned the given grin and kept it there even as his partner moved on, focusing her attention on their current problem at hand.
Reno nodded his head. "We could always 'get lost' somewhere remote...if you like the exotic." The red head winked. "But if I'm going to find anyone, Midgar is most likely where they'll be." Not that home was exactly where he was, mentally, at the present moment. It felt almost uncomfortable to think of home after all he'd been through, like it was a part of the past he hadn't expected to get back. Yet it still held that familiar warmth. And oh how he craved those welcoming arms... "Don't look so disappointed. I'd expect you to be more in shock of being free than me. Let's quit our bitchin' and kill this a*****e, waitress."
Then she was gone. There weren't very many women Reno remembered ********, let alone the people he met on a daily basis. Touscon, however... It had been a long time. He watched her shoot at their enemy, Bane, how he teased her even with her arrows in him. Reno pulled out his baton, a light charge of electricity tickling from the base to the tip. He ran out into the open darkness, Bane seemingly completely unaware of his presence. The red head kept a distance as he waited for his chance to move in, but he didn't stray too far...
The arrows through Bane's ankles didn't seem to hinder him much, which despite their abilities surprised Reno. Bane had been struck against a tree, freed himself, lunged at Touscon and was completely open from behind. Reno bolted from his spot behind a tree, ran up a boulder near Bane's position and jumped with his baton raised overhead, lightning charging his weapon as he slammed it down against the back of Bane's skull, accompanying Reno's battle cry.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 12:09 pm
Unknowingly, even as Rikk thought of the way things had been when she was still new to AVALANCHE, Cruze was doing the same. He had little feeling toward her, of any kind at the time, and certainly hadn't expected her to be such a complete, unruly, pain in the a**...All her antics, her arguing, her treatment of the Ravens, her intensely energetic attitude...Especially the way she simply refused to obey orders from time to time...He hadn't anticipated any of it. That thought alone made him almost scoff in disbelief. Had he known she was as such, he doubted greatly whether or not he ever would have allowed her to become an AVALANCHE member...But while his thoughts were still private, a part of him did feel that it would be hard to picture his day-to-day going-abouts without the occasional Rikk-interruption. So accustomed to her antics had he become, that the man honestly didn't know what his days would be like without having to deal with one event or another caused solely by her.
Still, though he didn't know it was an agreement, he too thought they had settled into an acceptable rhythm...At least for the time being. When he had thrown that teacup at her in Junon...Well, after what she had seen, he had doubted very much so if he wouldn't try to kill her long before they even reached the ship...But somehow, here they were; she had not brought it up again, or even given any indication that she knew...And as much as he hated to admit it, even to himself, he did appreciate that. If nothing else, Rikk did understand that there were some things a person might want to keep to themselves.
True he even yet held a level of caution around her, but the woman next to him seemed to have, for the moment, earned some ounce of his uneasy trust...He had been angry, and made her angry, yet she had not done as many would have and simply revealed his secret to the first person she had seen, as an act of revenge. Now their movements were more than just carefully organized choreography; he moved to compliment her, and it seemed at least from his view, she to him. He would not necessarily call what they had at the moment friendship,...But it he did feel it was more than simple compliance with the parts they were to portray...Quietly, the man found himself almost enjoying their roles.
Though it was indeed a part of their play-acting, Cruze's responses to her in what she considered a 'normal' way, had also been voluntary...To some degree, he really had relaxed around her - at least enough so as to consider her worthy of notice more than an unnamed grunt of their organization...No, were this life a movie, Rikk would no longer be cast as 'AVALANCHE Member #3'...She was a speaking part, with a name, and at least of import to the story...And somehow, the Second found he didn't mind.
He let her slip away from him, 'their' child leading her forward into the town. She spoke of frozen treats to the girl, acting as a doting mother happily on vacation to some new wonder...Even as he watched, he could feel his train of thought broken, and allowed himself back more to the play-acting. "Come now Rikk, we should at least have breakfast before you go spoiling her," He said, with just the tiniest bit of a laugh in his voice. While they acquiesced to Rikk's desire to remain in town a while, they were going to need to at least act as a normal family would - and it seemed he remembered that his father would have said something along those lines...Regardless, even if that were not true, it made more sense to give the Raven proper nutrition than to make it sluggish on little more than frozen cream.
For a moment, Midori looked just as an excited child would at the prospect of a new desert, and then promptly pouted just a little when her 'Father' turned the idea down...Truth be told, she really never had experienced ice cream before, and wondered vaguely what it was like...This Master seemed to think that the child was missing out on 'essential childhood things'...Whatever that was...But, though the little redhead wouldn't admit it, she was curious...The last time she had been offered a treat, it had been that delicious ambrosia known as Hot Chocolate...Her mouth watered slightly at the thought alone. Was this...Iced-Cream something of similar nature? Simply different in being chilled rather than hot? The child could not deny a certain curiosity on the subject.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 11, 2011 8:23 pm
It really was something amazing…this play that they put on. She straightened, gripping the child Raven’s hand just a little tighter in surprise as Cruze called out to her when she had been talking to Midori. Of course, she didn’t know why it surprised her. She had said it so that Cruze would overhear—that had been the entire point, to get him to agree to her desire for spoiling her little ‘daughter.’ Yet there she stood, and turned around, and almost laughed in amazement and delight—indeed, the sound fell from her lips as he hair was caught with the movement and a breeze at the same time, throwing a long lock of her hair into her face so that she had to lift up a hand and half brush, half pull the tawny hair behind her ear again, letting it fall down her chest. Her fingers curled into the fabric of her shirt a bit, found the belt that also was there to hold her katana in place, and swiftly took the opportunity to grip that—suddenly self-consciously aware of the fact that he had surprised her, and she had reacted to it…happily.
His laughter maybe…had….
Her hazel eyes, unblemished by the presence of her glasses, shimmered in the sun, betraying for a split second an emotion she had no name for. Then her mouth turned into a smile, and her hair, which kept wanting to fly into her face, was held back by her hand as she let her laughter enter her own voice, richer and fuller for it. “Cruze!” she exclaimed playfully as though shocked that he would assume such a thing. But a gentle acknowledgement touched the way she said his name: it was a soft guilt—she was letting him win. The subtle nuances that flowed now between them…they were so strange. She lowered her eyelids for a moment, and then, almost as though about to look down and speak, her mouth opened in preparation of words—and she suddenly laughed and turned her head down to Midori. “Did you hear that sweetie? Daddy’s going get us both ice cream after this!” And with an exclamation of “Yay!” the woman bent down and lifted ‘her’ child into her arms, wrapping one around her back and the other just beneath her, holding her as one would any child. She smiled into the Raven’s face. “Aren’t you excited?! We’ll get to experience the nicest of treats in the nicest of places! There’s no place like the beach to enjoy an ice cream, sugar-lily,” she crooned to Midori, honestly pleased with Cruze’s suggestion. Still, one thought echoed vibrantly low in her mind.
That was a close one….
And then, going against everything inside her head that silently screamed not to, she turned back to look at Cruze, her arms wrapped around Midori, and her face clear of any expressions. She gazed at him now as she had on the ship, gazed at him without anything to assume or anything to ask: simply looked at him…and took him in. Without saying a word, she lifted her arm just enough, and held out her hand at her side to him, waiting for him to take it, and knowing, somehow, he would.
Then the moment passed, and an almost gentle voice spoke, filled with a warmth that would cloak the conglomeration of whatever it was underneath and inside of her that she was feeling. “I think breakfast is a great idea,” she said with tenderness, still holding Midori, unaffected by the child’s weight and happy to hold her, as though having the child Raven in her arm and pressed against her gave her a kind of reassurance she did not know if she needed, yet which she claimed anyway. “There’s this one restaurant in town, not far from here, that I know of and used to go to back a few years ago. It’s just a few minutes of walking, so let me take you there. I know you’ll like it.” She paused a split second and then laughed a little, the sound slightly deprecating. “It wouldn’t have me in it,” she almost breathed, her voice had dropped so low with the words.
It did not take them long to get there, like she said, and when they arrived, it was a pale stone structure bleached like the sands with a wooden balcony forming half the restaurant itself, out of doors and facing the ocean. Indeed, from here, the beach was behind them, and the sight on their right side was unblemished sands and endless waves, unbroken by people. All you could see were boats far off skimming the waves, or gliding slowly to and fro still a ways from shore. A light, salty warm breeze danced among the many outdoor tables, some with umbrellas to shelter them, and others without that were closer to the painted fencing closing off the balcony from the drop to the beach below. Rikk said nothing as they arrived. Her tongue, for once, had failed her. The saddest part was…she had very little idea why.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 28, 2011 8:09 pm
[Here ya go, Azzy! Sorry it took me so long to getting around to it. Computer problems and fights at home about it and whatnot. BUT. YAY! Let's continue now whenever you get a chance, babe! 8D <3] The last male Raven of the pack that’d been sent out abruptly laughed. He did not either know what had happened to the others, or he did not care. There was a strange light in his eyes, and his sandy hair fell into his face. He was close--very close now to reaching the female Raven that flirted so, and badly too he felt. She had no skill with it at all. “So this was your plan?” he said aloud, slightly breathless from the work she made him put out simply to get a little close. Mind, he wasn’t altogether basely driven, but it seemed a wry and unjust bit of work if she was going to show up and attempt to take him like this. There was no way. No way, he repeated to himself, that she could have gotten here except under some provision of Daryl’s. What exactly she had fluttered here for, and still danced before him about, was up to his guess. And really, what understanding could he have of females after being set up with Alpha in his pack for so long?
“This won’t work, little one,” he chided, the slight smile not leaving his face. “You’ll be crushed like the frail butterfly you are.” He crouched and made to lunge forward, knowing she could not evade him. Two steps--that would be all and then she’d be broken. Completely. He would do it if the others didn’t see the need or have the desire. It was no big deal. She could heal. Eventually.
Then he felt it. That same thing inside his brain that told him to move without actually knowing what it was. He landed on one foot and dodged to the right. There was a crackle of sound beside his ear. What was it? Then it hit him…literal and hard, and he felt a sharp Crack! resound dully through his shoulder line. He grunted, staggering and suddenly one of his legs gave way. He fell to his hands and knees, and his left arm quaked and felt on the brink of collapse. What? …where did…?
Heh. It’d be too greedy to try and keep you all to myself, Red. It’s why I’m not gonna try. You’ve got your own little pack to go to, and what we had…that’s old, old news. No matter how we got shut up together now.
Damn. She was going to get into this way too deep. Stop being an a*****e and WORK, dumbass, she scolded herself, cursing loudly to do her best to hide Reno’s assault. He had moved, and was moving. And then Bane dodged. She loosed her arrow at the same moment, cocking her bow to the side and marking his motion slightly to the right--her left. It hit him just to the side of the stomach, and yet no pain-reaction read on his face. Another miss, she thought. But now…Reno’s EMR would miss the skull--she had seen where he was aiming--but it would hit the shoulder. “Smack him hard, Red! Shatter that ********’ collar!” she shouted, even as she crouched and lunged to the left to move with Bane, reaching back and flicking another arrow out of her quiver, and gasping. She did not have many left. Maybe a few feathered stems met her fingertips. Think of it later! Go now! Her fingers grasped an arrow, fitted it in preparation, but held it still.
Then suddenly, Bane fell. She barely let a light enter her dark eyes. It was too soon to cheer, but damn it! That b*****d had seemed as though nothing would fell him! “Nice hit!” she called out, a bitter smile twisting her lips. Her cheer did not last long, however. Almost as though neither the shattered collarbone or dislocated and fried arm made a difference, the male Raven suddenly bolted forward from his crouching position directly towards her. She did not mean it, but she let out a shrill cry of surprise, leaping back and twisting to the right, darting into the trees and then stopping herself, knowing that she needed to keep the field open for Reno. Biting her lip and growling furiously, she turned around again and ran right for Reno. “******** s**t!” she cursed as she reached him, stepping slightly behind him and at his side, looking out for Bane who had half-stumbled, half-run into the trees. “This a*****e doesn’t stop!” Then, lower: “…I’ll pin him for you somehow. Fry him if you have to, even if you’ve gotta smack him in the ********’ face to get it done! RAHHH!” She crouched as he ran towards them again, like a bulldozer with no sign of stopping even with parts broken and dangling limply. She pulled the arrow back and loosed it, directly at his groin. He shifted just to the side, and still came on. There was blood. A huge amount of blood suddenly drenching the leg, and she knew she’d gotten one of the main arteries. But she didn’t move. Let Reno do the moving now. She would stay still and take what Bane had to give. In a flash another arrow was at her bow. In a second it was aimed at his throat. “GO RENO!”
She did not know what made her use his real name, where before she had avoided saying it at all around the other Ravens. But somehow, loosing her arrow and getting another fitting, aiming at the same spot as Bane smacked it away--tried to, had it lodge in his arm to no avail--she knew it didn’t matter. If Reno could get in there…if she could keep it going until everything was up…no matter what injury she sustained, he couldn’t kill her. No way. She refused to believe it. “We’re gonna be FREE!” she shouted at Bane, and crying out, loosed her arrow again at his throat.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 3:41 am
Her laugh wasn’t altogether unpleasant…He had heard it before, but now it seemed…more wistful almost. Cruze couldn’t put his finger on just why it had stuck with him there. Without realizing it, a true smile had crept it’s way onto his lips; just a small one, but there it was all the same. He recognized the sensation after a moment, and quickly attributed it to his role in their façade, and as she called his name in such an odd, welcome way, before turning back to “their” child, he continued toward the pair with what appeared to be a happy resignation.
“Ice cream sounds great Mama!” The little girl said, wrapping her arms around the woman’s neck, all smiles as she buried her face for a moment in the crook of Rikk’s neck to nuzzle her in the hug. When she pulled back, she looked the Master in the eyes, looking as innocent and child-like as any of those around the trio when she said, “…Mama…does Ice Cream come in chocolate?”
Truthfully, she really did want to know. She didn’t want to put the Masters at any inconvenience, but at the same time, she was so curious about this described confection that she couldn’t find it in herself to resist asking. The little redhead was slightly sickened with herself for the way she was acting, but given their rather dire need to keep cover, she suppressed the feeling…At least she knew well enough that she was better than the idiotic, drooling prepubescents that seemed to swarm the resort town with their progenitors…
Cruze took note of her every motion as her smile went from the face of the child Raven, to settle back into a blank look at him, simply staring. He couldn’t decipher just what it was on her mind while she focused her gaze on him, until after a moment, she extended a hand to him. Though no trace of it showed on his face, in the back of his mind, the man wondered just for an instant if there was something more to the gesture – some underlying message, or hidden meaning he needed to be suspicious of…But he got no indication of anything of the sort; it was just a simple gesture.
He took her hand in his, smiling as he stepped forward to move as one with “his family”. The uncanny tone in her voice as she agreed to an early morning meal with “their” child almost had him believing her, just for a moment…She was quickly getting better at their little act. Cruze couldn’t deny a certain level of worry, but also satisfaction in the confidence she showed when speaking of the restaurant from her past…Clearly, Rikk had no worries about whether or not she would be able to keep up the performance around those who might recognize her. For once, he had to admit he was putting a little of his faith into the other AVALANCHE member.
As they entered the restaurant, Cruze had begun to notice how peculiarly quiet his companion was…True, he could not complain about the blessed departure from what he considered to be her normally endless torrents of chatter, but in this case…He had expected it. Braced himself for it, even. Now, as they were handed their breakfast menus he found the lack of it just odd.
Midori was not pleased. Of course, that didn’t show on her face in the least, as she was promptly placed onto a booster seat at their table…She would have loved to slit that overly-peppy waitress from nose to naval for the indignation, and once again when her menu turned out to be a paper place-mat accompanied by three primary colored crayons, but knew better than to give up their farce. Instead, she chose to emulate the sugar-coated ball of disgusting innocence she had been trained to, picked up the blue crayon, and started coloring in the smiling, tinted-glasses-bearing sun on the page before her…Children were idiots.
Cruze let his eyes skim over the menu, occasionally stealing a glance up at his companions, as if to inquire to their status…Midori was, of course, playing her part well, but Rikk still seemed so subdued. He decided at that point to try and snap her out of her dream world.
“…It says here they’re famous for their waffles…Have you had them before, Sweetheart?” he asked, not lifting his gaze from the page, as though this was any normal day for them. He hoped, regardless of her answer, he could at least get her to behave more like herself…He wasn’t quite prepared to deal with Rikk in such a completely uncharacteristic mood.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 6:52 am
Man, this was awkward. She wasn’t so much confused as she was…lost. Holding Midori, no matter how small and young she was, was a wearying task after a while, but…. Her eyes drifted down slowly as they walked, touched upon the hands clasped together. It almost didn’t seem possible, and even more so, it was…strange.
She looked forward and inhaled deeply through her nostrils, her eyelids lowering before the breath was likewise expelled. Before she could really gather herself out of this murky pool she swam in—always moving forward with confidence, even though she was as good as blind—the cheerful voice of Midori broke through her thoughts. “Ice cream sounds great Mama!” Abruptly the child Raven nestled herself deeper in the embrace and Rikk’s eyes widened with surprise. For a tangible moment, her façade slipped. She had…never…experienced something like this…from a child.
Then, the red-haired Raven pulled back and looked into her hazel eyes, and Rikk blinked gently, listening as the child hesitantly asked a question. “…Mama…does Ice Cream come in chocolate?”
Somehow, this was enough to shatter the darkness around her. Rikk smiled. Then she grinned. Finally, her eyes wrinkled with mirth as they closed, and she laughed—and it was rich, it was airy and calm—it was herself. Somewhere in the process, as she opened her eyes and leaned her face in close to the child’s, beginning to speak in low, secret-revealing utterances, the hand in Cruze’s squeezed. “Midori, dearest,” she crooned, laughter in her face and delight in her voice, “there are more flavors of ice cream than there are of any other food in the world. And chocolate is definitely one of them.” She was doing the guiding as they walked, but that did not change her attention from Midori to Cruze even once. As she straightened, shifting her hold on Midori with a light bump up onto her hip, she grinned at the child Raven. “Just you wait, my little one! When we get there, you’ll see everything. I promise.”
She had been broken into speech again, and the veil of darkness she had blindly led them through had fallen away maybe, but she could not bring herself to look Cruze’s way. That was why she forced herself to. She glanced sideways at him, as they reached the restaurant, and did not shy away, but neither could her emotions stir at the same time. Her gaze fell away to their surroundings, the familiar dark wood of the tables, the menus then, and the choice of foods they were to get. She was slightly sympathetic for Midori. Even she thought the young Raven was a little too old to be placed in a high-chair. The child must have resented it. But when the paper placemat was given to Midori, and the waitress about to step away, a delighted “Ooh!” escaped the Avalanche member’s lips. “Ma’am! Can you bring us a green crayon too, please?” “Sure thing,” the woman responded, and Rikk beamed a full smile at her with gratitude and joy alike. “Thank you!” she sang after her retreating form.
It took all of two seconds for her to pick up the yellow crayon—no big surprise there—and begin coloring in the sand, leaning close to Midori to do so while not necessarily getting in her way. “I love these things,” she said quietly, easy and soft pleasure dancing in the words. She was speaking to no one, just expressing herself. And she was happy this way, doing these simple things. Somehow though, even with the peace of doing the simple coloring, she felt…vaguely lacking. Something was still off.
“Something” snapped back into place when Cruze spoke. Specifically, to her. Her eyes jumped to him, her mouth opening with soft shock that turned, after a moment, into a glance up at the ceiling, and a crayon shoved dorkily against her lower lip, as she screwed up her face as though thinking. “Yes, I think I did! It was so long ago that I could use a refresher though!” she answered mere seconds after his query. Her eyes dropped to his face, and suddenly…everything changed back to normal. Had she really been waiting for him to just…speak? She shook it off, and a deeply sincere smile touched her face. Façade be damned…she was home. There was no need for it. Even Cruze had admitted that. She wanted to laugh at herself. Damn. He’s the one that just told me as much. Be yourself, Rikk. He just reminded you—that’s what you’re supposed to be doing. Wife! Mommy! Rikk! …what’s the difference? Be yourself.
Placing the hand with the crayon as flat as possible against the table, she pushed herself up onto her feet, leaning forward over the space that separated them. Her other hand was soon sneaking onto his menu, fingers playfully wedged in the fold of the pages. Slowly she pushed the menu down, so that its contents and where his eyes wandered were visible. A grin was playing over her lips, and her eyes were locked with his—reassurance in them. “What’re you getting?” It was such a simple question. And she didn’t break eye contact. Whatever he was going through—her bossman, her ‘Master,’ this man needed her for his own effortless performance. Yeah, she was self-serving. But she…had always lived to excel with others. There was no fun if no one shared in the victory, and no one appreciated the efforts. She wanted that. Sadly, perhaps shamefully, she wanted that from others. Especially this hard-a** without a sense of humor and no room for fun and play. She would like to see him enjoy himself for once. It was kinda rewarding seeing someone open up like that. Like her own personal win in life.
She hoped she wasn’t going to be shut down again. She didn’t want to be rejected or refused another time. Man, he’d done it enough times to subdue the most valiant and determined efforts! In some ways, she never did learn. Still….
“If you’re stuck between two, I’ll get the second and we can all split it up and share,” she continued after the moment. “Would you be up for doing that, Cruze? I’ll eat just about anything when it comes to waffles.” She smiled warmly, tilting her head and closing her eyes for a second. It was a look of affection, an expression of trust, and as she opened her eyes again and continued to lean forward on her arm, it still resting on the table, she let her eyes betray her. Yeah, they seemed to say, I’ve got your back too. She wanted to add more, wanted to say, ‘Sorry for leaving you hanging there for a bit.’ So, surprising herself with it, she found herself speaking again, her voice slightly embarrassed. “I’m a bit hungry so, I’m sorry I was drifting off there for a while, babe. You know how I get in the mornings.” He didn’t really know. Didn’t know the first thing about what waking up was like for her, what she did first thing, what thoughts entered her mind, what habits took over first. But still, she said it, and maybe that was the point: the lines of what they knew about each other, and what they didn’t, were intermingling; had been since they had to take up this play act. Some moments, she felt it was worth it, and at other moments, she wanted to break it, just to screw him over and show him that she was not a tool to be used like he pleased. Maybe she was just tired of being an object.
But... maybe that was why she continued this act and put her best foot forward. She enjoyed being a simple everyday person, with a normal life. It had been a long time since she had that, she imagined. She thought she knew what it was, that it was locked in those recesses of her hazy memory, back when she was a kid, before her mother left too, and she was alone to fend for herself in the streets of Midgar. She liked being…normal.
She was barely conscious of thinking the two other words that played in her mind, unsure whether or how she meant them: ‘With him.’
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2011 5:29 am
Cruze couldn’t help but think the expression on Rikk’s face was near laughable as the Raven nuzzled up against her. In her case, it was surprise; had it been him, and had he not been second only to the Leader, he probably would have been worried about letting one of their soldiers that close to his jugular vein…Particularly the tiny, bloodthirsty one. He had no lack of faith in the girl’s training, but was smart enough to know not to take risks with them…Especially after what had happened to this particular Raven’s partner.
…There it was; as soon as the child had inquired about the frozen confection’s availability of flavors, Rikk had snapped back to some semblance of normalcy, her hand tightening slightly around his. It did not escape his notice however, that she seemed to be avoiding his gaze.
When the Master laughed, seeming happier now, and informing her of the multitude of flavors the confection came in seemed to entertain her. Of course, the promise of delicious chocolate in yet another form was so tantalizing that she almost thought this experience would soothe her ire at acting the part of the mindless youngster. The child couldn’t deny a certain interest in the fact that supposedly, this particular treat came in many flavors, but the idea that she could discover another proper preparation for chocolate was just too tempting to pass up…
Though the girl knew better than to say such things normally, today she was just a child; stupid, rude, and always going too quickly to realize what they were doing, just so they could make themselves happy. Keeping this in mind, Midori made to live up to her façade, “…Mama, Papa, we should go get breakfast now. And…Eat really quickly.” Then she smiled, as if she thought she were so clever, and no one would see through her ‘oh-so-clever’ idea.
Cruze laughed, just a little. It was not the same one he had for when Rikk spoke earlier, but the more planned one; more artificial. Truly, no one else would no the difference. The subtle change in tone was virtually unnoticeable. “Alright, alright Midori. We’ll go get some breakfast then,” he noticed as he said it, it seemed Rikk was again refusing to look at him, until she did so with a vaguely strained sense as he let her lead them through the town until they reached the restaurant.
The little girl watched when Rikk a bit surprised when she asked for the green crayon…It was Midori’s designated color, by the stone in her “necklace” and somehow her favorite. She felt a twinge of guilt, just for a moment, that one of the Masters had gone out of their way to do something for her, even if it was so simple as to make a request.
She watched as the Master’s hand moved to pick up the yellow bit of wax, and started to lay down lines of the stuff where the page indicated sand, never stopping her coloring – if her slight distraction caused her to go outside the lines at all, it would just look that much more authentic. Midori had taken in her surroundings as they came in, checking to make sure there were no surveillance items or potential threats in the area, but regardless of their absence, she did not break character. “Me too Mama, they’re so pretty,” She said with a grin, before adding, “But you’re even prettier!” with just a little giggle, placing a gentle kiss on her “mother’s” cheek – Their waitress had come back, dropping off glasses of ice water, along with the green crayon, and Midori wanted to make sure she played the part of the little girl convincingly…Children were always disgustingly and inappropriately affectionate like that…
The man was pleased when he saw his brief conversational attempt had pushed Rikk back into paying attention to her actions. When she took hold of his menu, he locked his eyes with hers as she stood. “I haven’t decided yet…” he replied calmly to her query, smiling as a husband would to his playful wife. Though they were not really married, she certainly was playing up that aspect of things. Well he decided, he could do that just as well, for now at least, while they were in what seemed to be described as “her city”.
Her suggestion to split the meal was actually a rather good idea; Cruze found himself unusually hungry, and that fact did make several of the things on the menu sound quite good…”That sounds perfect,” he said, with a faint smile. When she continued, he listened patiently, though was a bit surprised by the statement. “Of course Rikk. Don’t worry yourself about it; I knew you were like that from the beginning,” His words were simple, and to any outsider it would seem he meant when he met her, or began to date, or even from their marriage…Truthfully, he was surprised. Cruze had never put much thought into Rikk’s state of mind varying over times of the day: to him, she always simply seemed an astronomical annoyance.
Lately however, she was behaving surprisingly well. There had been multiple occasions where, had she wanted to, she could have caused quite a bit of trouble for them…and chose not to. He didn’t know precisely why, whether it was his multitude of threats that had recently been released, or if she had simply decided now was the time to simply go with the flow, he wasn’t quite sure…Whatever it was, he couldn’t deny that he was glad for it…It gave him a chance to be within 100 yards of her without feeling there was an impending disaster of some sort. The thought actually made him smile.
Shaking it from his head, he looked at the menu again. “How about this, love?” He started, looking at the selection, “classic waffles with fresh butter, powdered sugar, and fresh sliced strawberries…Sounds delicious….And maybe Chocolate Chip waffles for Midori?”
The child’s ears seemed to perk up again at the ‘chocolate’ word. For an eager instant, the green crayon she had taken up after discarding the blue paused, quickly resuming as if she weren’t completely thrilled at the idea.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2011 7:39 am
Midori's "oh so clever" idea was ironically right along the line of kin of one of her own. In easy, child-like innocence and desire, her simple objective right now was hot delights and a full stomach. When had been the last time she had eaten anyway? It felt ages ago already. She should have realized it earlier, but somehow in the midst of all the chaos with Cruze, the strangeness of this new arrangement, she had forgotten herself. Oddly enough, until she was forced to remember herself merely on account of where they were passing through, and the requirement that she play a role... very similar to her own line of life.
You know what? She thought to herself, as Midori acted and Cruze falsely put on his role of amusement. Even if they are faking it, at least I get this great chance to enjoy myself. And them! How often does that happen? It was bringing out a truer smile on her face.
Sitting down to breakfast--'outside their home,' she added with a playful narration--was comfortable and easy now. She should have been surprised by the unexpected show of physical affections that Midori gave her, but the mood had swung in Rikk. The woman was a machine of humanity, and as Midori's first sentence grazed by--“Me too Mama, they’re so pretty.”--the ex-Turk shifted her body towards her "daughter," already smiling as the second sentence followed with a kiss that Rikk turned her cheek into at the last possible moment. Nuances, and acting cues. Rikk was an expert in both when she set her mind to it. Her laughter, like her happy, "Awwhawhawwww~! Thanks sweetie! Cruze, did you just hear what our lovely daughter said?" was all perfectly in role, and in balance. She could not be thrown.
That was why, when Cruze answered her apology by saying he had always known, she smiled, and there were many shifting emotions that flowed through her all at once. Soft coyness in a smirk, the rustle of laughter echoing her disbelief, and the little intake of breath and exhalation of it with a hum, as she looked at him without flaw, without rustled reaction. "Come on, Cruze," came the teasing, playful words. "How could you, really?" To the world, this would be seen as nothing more but lovers' banter, the effortless definition of flirting, regardless the circumstances. But the truth of it ran deeper than their act, and only her honest, open smile could have told him that she knew the depth of her words in this situation.
And then... the man smiled.
She felt her heart fray, knew her breath lulled into near stillness, and leaned forward. Their smiles, like their attention however, was not on each other. It was wrapped up in the act, in the choosing of morning delicasies. "I think that's perfect! What do you think of adding on some coconut pancakes on the side of that? I remember them being delicious here, and they're one of my favorites."
Soon, she was waving over their waitress, her resonant and rich voice like a song in the air. "Ma'am, we're ready! Oh, and Cruze, can Midori have a glass of chocolate milk too? Please? You know I love to spoil her. Here, we'll get a pitcher of orange juice as well to balance it out with the healthy, how about that?" This is... too fun! she thought to herself, authenticity coloring her smile and influencing her nature. Right now, with them, she really did feel at home.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 2:55 am
Cruze smiled affectionately at the question, and reached out to touch her hand gently. "Because Rikk...I make a point to know everything I can about the woman I love," He said with a smile, truly sounding like an enamored husband. There was some truth in that statement, after all...He did make a point to know as much as he could about those he employed...the tricky ones in particular...And Rikk was as tricky as they came. None the less, she was right: there were some things he didn't know, and she was far better at keeping her secrets than some...Not to say they were out of his reach: He just didn't want to expend the extra effort to go after them.
He had to admit though, he was pleased when she agreed to his menu selection...The waffles sounded good, and he really did want to try them...After all, Rikk did say they were good, and whether or not he had intended to, he had somehow come to give the woman a modicum of trust outside the professional. At the suggestion of the additional pancakes, he couldn't deny...They did sound delightful. "That sounds great," He said, nodding in what seemed a quite happy way, "And if they're your favorites, they must be good."
When she added the suggestion of chocolate milk for the little raven, he rolled his eyes in a way that could almost have been called loving, as if this were part of their idyllic banter. "Alright, alright,"he agreed, acquiescing to her desire to give 'their child' an extra treat...After all, the Raven more than likely would be pleased to receive part of her calcium for the day in such a way, and such pleasure would hopefully stave off her...bloodier desires a little longer....At least until they were out of the city.
The child was amazed. Chocolate came in milk as well? Was there no end to the forms the coco delight could possibly come in? "Mama...How much chocolate is there?" Midori asked after a moment, legitimately starting to wonder. She was amazed how many forms it seemed to come in...Hot chocolate, chocolate milk, chocolate ice cream, chocolate chip pancakes...How many more could there possibly be?
((okay, short post...I'm blaming it on the head wound. Sorry!))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
