Many of the offices had sat empty with the acquisition of the Negaverse's hospital. Many of the staffed agents and senshi had transferred there, leaving the infirmary functional to a smaller capacity. With many agents instead visiting the hospital, the medical area within the Citadel was relegated to acute emergencies and extenuating cases where one could not make an appearance in public.
Jadarite had taken Rockatanskite into one such derelict office, knowingly or not. This office had sat empty for many moons, as its occupant moved out shortly after Lepidolite's hospital purchase. Thus, the room sat largely empty, and the furniture that remained had gathered a thick carpet of dust. The floor gathered black dirt in its corners. The only signs of occupancy were inhuman clawmarks and footprints dotting the desk, chair, or floor, as youma assistants got lost or curious.
The only light in the room came from crystal clusters in each of the corners, soon supplemented by Faustite's firelight. He was the last to enter, and shut the door behind himself. After a quiet click, the bustle of the medical area grew quieter, nearly inaudible.
Rockatanskite may have understood the situation he was in, but he did not show fear or deference despite the presence of Jadarite, Heliodor, Albite or Faustite. While escorted, his face had grown ruddier with his rage and indignation. He had gotten only so far into the room before he tried to jerk his hand away from the stronger Captain's, and turn his ire on the rest of the room's occupants.
"All you people need to settle down and listen! You can't replace me, even with that lizard General, and you can't get use outta my work without me! So think on that before you do somethin' you regret…" He sniffed, and snorted, and glared around the room beadily.
Faustite surveyed the responses of his teammates from his perch against the door. Arms crossed, he spoke in quieter tones than their captive. "Jadarite, Albite, co-lead. If I may suggest…" Faustite shut his eyes, and his gestures invariably formed his words, "When you're finished, break his legs and leave him in the Rift. Youma deserve their revenge, too."
meighei
for tama~
shiningamisgirl
for albite, cryolite~
a-disgruntled-dragon
for mizuki~
noir songbird
for valjean, alkmene~
kolina
for heliodor~
stari_maga
for jada -- imma guess my brain said 'you bolded her name enough, surely that counts for a quote'!
Posted: Mon May 23, 2022 3:03 pm
Mizuki was now itching to do a harm. She actively twitched and bounced on her heels, hands unable to stay still. He was right there, right there for the misery and the torture. Not yet, not yet. She couldn't hurt him yet. Metallia did she want to hurt him, a feeling that increased as he spat something about 'that lizard General.'
Her magic rose to the surface, but not yet. Not yet. Jadarite and Albite were taking point here. She had to wait. She had to wait until it was her time.
How did Mizuki hate waiting.
"Insult General Faustite one more time, little bug. Insult him one more time..." she said, voice deadly sharp and teeth bared. No one insulted her Fausty. No one.
She looked at Albite and Jadarite for permission to sink this gnat into his deepest regrets. Literally and figuratively.
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shiningamisgirl
stari_maga
a-disgruntled-dragon
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Shiningamisgirl
Ruthless Consumer
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Posted: Mon May 23, 2022 7:41 pm
"He's already insulted him twice now Zuzubee, m'thinking he doesn't deserve the chance at a third. M'thinkin' that line's well and crossed by now.." Mizuki got his warmest smile. He would never not be proud of her. Theirs, the best little sweetheart that ever was, and her canines deserved to be coated in whatever colors the half-breed before them bled...wept...
He would, he would, he --
"He does make a good point though!" circled round away from the rest, out the warmth of Faustites fires, to creep up just behind Rockatanskite's right shoulder. "Question is, how much of him can he afford to lose n still be useful...All that knowledge is just 'mind s**t'; probably we could ply some free of him without having to worry about what get's leftover -- ah, physically?" lobbed Jada's way, all nonchalance n muscled shrugs. If there was anything she wanted out of this one -- he'd let her pick -- knew they had the means and mode to ply it free if necessary.
Hell, if it worked for his Dearest Cybs? Why not this one --
He gave Faustite a look, some saucy thing; a smile that was less a promise and more an agreement to 'try' and leave the nurse with legs to break. As if that was all that'd be done before they dumped him in the rift. The youma out there could have the Lt's starseed, so far as the Senshi was concerned. The rest? That was theirs to do with as they pleased, Rocktanskite's ending was all sorts of rightly earned.
Strickenized
stari_maga
a-disgruntled-dragon
Posted: Tue May 24, 2022 6:06 pm
Jadarite did not continue to hold onto Rocktankskite once the door had clicked itself shut behind them. She let him slip from her grip, then wiped her hand on her peplum skirt, lips pursed slightly in disgust just from having touched him.
The others would not let him run, and there was nothing protective in her stance now.
"The others are right, you know," she said. "It seems you've already been digging your grave with that tongue."
Her old Generals had played their cards of intimidation from behind desks, with unbreakable, unwavering gazes and hands folded in front of them. This did not seem like the right situation for that, so Jada tried out Faustite's style. She paced, her hands folded behind her back and her eyes barely ever flicking over to the captive.
"If you want any kind of mercy," a merciful death, most like, since he'd proved his insubordination enough times that she hardly felt the need to try to nudge the others off of their blood trail, but they might as well let him think his life was on the line, to keep that bargaining chip, "Then I suggest you tell us what exactly it is you've researched that's so useful."
However, if Albite or the others were going to try ripping him apart instead, she was hardly going to stop them.
Turning to Faustite briefly, she asked, "Is there something specific you wanted to find out from him, or did you just want him dead?"
His expression had not changed. The scalpel's blade was mirrored in the sharp edges of his smile as he looked Rockatanskite up and down, every aspect of his posture oozing contempt.
"Rockatanskite, bit of advice? Shut up," he said, rolling his eyes. Then, with a stomp of his foot for flair, Alkmene said "Envious Whisper," and once again, his magic bloomed with no effort and no foolish sputtering nonsense.
Yes. He was beginning to believe that it just might actually be fixed. It seemed that need and certainty and determination may finally have bent his magic into the shape he needed.
His eyes flicked between Albite and Jadarite, and lingered, for a long moment, on Faustite himself, and the tattoo on Alkmene's shoulder itched. It seemed it would be a poor demonstration of the loyalty he had sworn, at least for himself, to let this particular piece of garbage live after what he had done.
"Anyway, does this idiot have notes? Because I bet if we bring them to someone halfway competent," he flashed Rockatanskite a look that indicated that Alkmene did not think that phrase applied to him, "I bet they could figure it out. I feel like the good Lieutenant here has more than outlived his usefulness."
strickenized
shiningamisgirl][/quote][quote="stari-maga
a-disgruntled-dragon
Posted: Wed May 25, 2022 7:29 pm
"Ain't talkin' about your barbecue," Rockatanskite shot back at Mizuki. "But some of you keep thinkin' that Amazonite is some kind of be-all, end-all for youma research. Half youma're half biased."
Then there was the hulking one, creeping around, insisting on losing parts. And the General, talking about leaving him in the Rift. "Betcha feel real big, threatening a Lieutenant," he grumbled. "Great achievement right there, worthy of notice by the Queen herself!" Then he guffawed, shooting flecks of spittle out with his hoarse laugh.
Faustite met Albite's gaze, shot him an interested look.
Then Jadarite had his attention, and Rockatanskite quickly gave up trying to track her as she paced. Seemed like she was a protege of some kind, to him. She 'asked' the dumbest questions, as far as he was concerned. "Already told you once, I been looking into youma. Ever think about how they get dusted, n' grow back in the Rift? Whole damn body outta nowhere? If we knew 'bout how they did that, and we figure out how to replicate it, then we got us an infinite supply of everything we need to keep our agents n' senshi battle-ready. Got that? All you better think twice before layin' another finger on me." Not that he noticed Jada's earlier gesture.
Faustite's attention reached Jadarite and he shifted against the door. "Need to know what fruits his research produced. What the Negaverse has gained by wasting all this energy."
"Look —" Rockatanskite started, but Alkmene had readily cut him off. He'd gotten his magic out, far as he could tell, but that didn't tell him what it was. He tried to summon his weapon, but found it disobeyed him again. "You're doin' this," he hissed at the Negaverse senshi.
"You want my results, you can go talk to the Sovereigns. S'all need to know, and I'm guessin' they didn't see fit to tell any of you."
"Had enough," Faustite decided with a hint of sizzle to his words, "stop his talking."
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Garbage Cat
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Shiningamisgirl
Ruthless Consumer
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Posted: Thu May 26, 2022 5:34 pm
Silent in his standby, Syrus made his way around the wallflowers; hedged the huddle with his tipped nails tracing brickade and caulking. Cold calculating eyes fixated on the proceedings while his free hand aimlessly reaching for the mink of a cat he'd inherited bearing about his shoulders; like the silken furlines own personal meat throne. It was a hell of a thing to watch though - the quick flares of magic n flash - the way the pack closed in - hyper intelligent hyenas the whole lot; then Faustite spoke a clarifying order, and it seemed to him that all bets were off...
*Mabye we'll get something out of the ashes..or the soverigns?* - would this one have left any paper files to rifle through? It was certainly the forming of an idea, cut sharply short by the ensuing show.
"Done," more glad n ever to not need a single bit of s**t that fell free from the walking piece of spite spliced with the worst offal he'd ever mets mouth; poor Rockcandy, or was it Yorick? Maybe he'd ask Valjean -- he seemed like the sort who'd know..
It didn't really matter though. Not so much as an Order. That Order. Faustite asking for 'Silence' and for once? It was something he could grant! Alkmene'd stalled Rock'lobsters power, for all that he was spitting mad over over it, pointing fingers and wagging his useless tongue. The least he could do was hold the insulting b*****d still enough for them to exact their dues from his form.
"Praxidikes Exacting Justice!" thunderous bass and growl as his magic exploded from his skin to seek and bind. All of it come alive like a half-starved beast itching for a proper target; found only the one - but one was more than enough.
"Chow time kiddies! Have the ******** at 'im."
Quote:
Eternal Sailor Attack:Praxidikes Exacting Justice! All of Albites tattoos appear to tear from his skin, lashing him to his three nearest enemies. They weigh like chains, and can squeeze to the point of bruising. The magic in the tattoos creates the feeling of being choked and beaten by a heavy hand; giving an opponent the sensation of being driven down and short of breath. Albites opponents can still move/fight, but remain bound to Albite until the magic is ended, or the bonds severed. The tattoo tethers are still magical and so can draw no blood. No physical or lasting damage is done, unless the target’s player wishes it. The illusion ends after 25 seconds. In which the bindings vanish along with the sensations. Range: 15 Feet Duration: 25 seconds Number of uses: 1 Number of targets: 3
stari_maga
L - is for the way you look at me
kolina
O - is for the only one I see
a-scowling-dragon
V - is very, very extraordinary
Meighei
E - is even more than anyone that you adore!
noir songbird
Love is all that I can give to you
Strickenized
Love is more than just a game for two! Love was made for me and you.
Posted: Tue May 31, 2022 9:18 am
Tama stayed on the senshi’s shoulder, his eyes darting between them all like they were players in a drama.
This was truly an element the cat was not familiar with. How did the Negaverse treat its wayward adherents? Just what did justice look like to them?
“I would like a look at that research.” Tama whispered to Cryolite, not wanting to interrupt the scene playing out in front of him. “I don’t know if Faustite would trust me with it, though.”
Rockatanskite hadn't time to react. He struggled against the bonds after they wrapped about him, and the Lieutenant was dragged, upright, toward Albite with the strength of the living tattoos' wrappings. He struggled to speak, but managed no more than muffled grunts with one of the lashes secured fast around his face. For this, he glared balefully at Albite, and his ruddy face tinted purple with rage.
With Rockatanskite silenced, Faustite resumed his pacing. His attention lingered on Jadarite a moment longer than the rest.
"Expect that he's been holding out because he's learnt little of value. He captured one lead that he planned to torture with handpicked magic until he received answers.
"Had a youma in his possession that mentioned a 'factory'. Was compelled to return to that place. For youma, that's highly unusual — they've minds only to serve, which drives them to DC. But this factory is part of the Rift.
"Youma won't heed Lieutenants. Rockatanskite must have been banking on torture for that information. Motivation's a mystery, however." He knew not whether any of them could ascertain Rockatanskite's motivations, and expected much of that to come from analyzing the evidence. A Lieutenant of so many years had reason to grow embittered and consider alliances with the enemy, but that could just as well have been wishful thinking.
Faustite halted his pace. "Jadarite, Albite, what say you? How do you want to proceed?" Hand on his hip, he watched the two, then his attention darted to Cryolite and Tama, and their conversation out of earshot.
meighei
for tama~
shiningamisgirl
for albite, cryolite~
a-disgruntled-dragon
for mizuki~
noir songbird
for valjean, alkmene~
kolina
for heliodor~
stari_maga
for jada -- imma guess my brain said 'you bolded her name enough, surely that counts for a quote'!
Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2022 10:54 pm
Alkmene was quiet; a rare thing, when he was usually all too happy to taunt and tease. But the only response he gave Rockatanskite's astute observation of who, exactly, was winning the game of keep-away they were playing with his weapon was a grin.
A grin, and a turn of the scalpel in his hand so it caught the light.
"So what you're telling us," Alkmene said, when Faustite passed on what he'd found, "is that this moron is useless, insubordinate, and willing to abuse allies for his own gain."
His eyes cut to Jadarite, then to Albite.
"I dunno, not seeing a lot of tallies in the pro-leaving-him-alive column, here."
But he would wait. He wouldn't defy his Captain, especially not when he was pretty sure he was going to get the permission he wanted anyway.
Mizuki had been quiet. Too quiet. A stray lilac petal fell from her fingers as Faustite's frustrations bubbled over. The senshi moved, appearing behind Rockatanskite with a murderous grin to rival Alkmene's. She drapped her arms over the moron, playing with his hair. Mizuki looked at Albite and Jadarite - they were running this, after all - and ran a hand down Rocka's face.
"Shall I give him a taste of misfortune and misery, my Captains?" she asked, voice syrupy sweet. The scalpel was back into her gloves, for now, but once he was wallowing in his own loss... well he'd come out of it with more holes than he entered this in...
Strickenized
Noir Songbird
shiningamisgirl
stari_maga
Meighei
Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2022 6:40 am
The others were right. Jadarite may have been running the interrogation, but there wasn't much left to hear. His notes were elsewhere, packed away and ready to be scoured. If Rocktanksite was even capable of saying more at this point, whatever came out of his mouth would just be spewed drivel meant to try to save his life.
"Have your fun," Jada said to Mizuki, and to Albite, and the others as she walked away, tucking herself into a corner of the room, although she continued to watch the proceedings through sharp eyes.
"Just make sure we get his starseed for the youma at the end of it."
