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 Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 9:18 pm
Dart. The Life training course flashed before her eyes and she immediately cringed as she examined it; definitely not one she had seen before. It gave her maybe a split second's heads up to back away when she heard a voice.
Aria's voice.
Frigid fear raced through her as her eyes landed on the woman, frozen in place under the disapproving stare. How long had Aria been there? There hadn't been a portal created as far as she knew . . .
Stormy swallowed and tried to keep her trembling to a minimum as she stood straighter; whatever Aria was labeled by Deus, she still commanded respect. "I regret that it happened," she replied earnestly, like this was just a post-mission interview and not a surprise visit from someone who could kill her with the pull of a trigger. "I regret that I did it and that it didn't even matter in the end. But in a situation where it was either multiple people or just the one, it felt like the only way we could survive."
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Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 9:31 pm
"Survive?" Aria rolled her eyes. "At what point was a direct threat granted on your lives? When you were discovered, yes, but all you had to do was stay quiet and forget about it if you wished to have no part in it. You?" Aria spread her hands, gesturing to the unconscious division leader. "You decided to speak out. You and someone else decided to throw me under the bus that was highly unlikely to ever hit you." The ex-leader crossed her arms. "For the sake of the future and other trainees, if this is how you treat those above you I shudder to think what you will do to anyone less than your rank and entrusted to your care."
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Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 10:28 pm
Someone else?
She knew it. She hadn't wanted to think about it because that meant believing someone had the gall to break that promise, but it was the only other explanation given how long Aria had been operating beforehand: either Cass or Nevada had talked. Her fingers curled as she fought past the cold panic of betrayal.
Like you hadn't contributed? her inner voice snarked.
"I--I didn't give anyone's names the first time," Stormy began shakily. "I fabricated everything. No . . . No names, no divisions, no specific context of where it happened, not even the right gender when it came to your role. I wasn't ever planning on telling Mr. Lance, Miss Aria. I know you confided with those people from Halloween, and even though I wasn't so sure, I trusted you because you were our leader. I wanted to take part because I wanted to help you, but I needed someone else to understand why I might do something against orders; I wanted him to know the truth if all else failed, or at least as much as I could tell him."
Just so Gale wouldn't think less of you. How very vain.
Her brows knitted with concern. "The only reason I was coming to Mr. Lance now was because I didn't know what else to do. My weapon's been Bound and I had a thousand questions: Were you abandoning us to continue your work? Going to find us later? Did the Hunters already know about us and were just biding their time until we slipped up? And after hearing you and your friends destroyed those outposts, I . . ." Stormy hesitated. "I've been acting without all the information, and I need to fix that. So, please: tell me exactly what I signed up for down there."
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Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 8:20 pm
"But that didn't stop you from being Bound, did it?" Aria asked sweetly, "Did it occur to you that the person you told may start to question and put pieces together? I am fully confident that if he didn't then someone else would." She raised her arms, gesturing to indicate the room. "Do you know how many hidden cameras there are here on Deus Ex? How many listening bugs? Secret passages? Or did you think there wasn't anything of that sort here? That we loved and trusted and held hands with each other because we're all on the same side?" Aria made a noise of disgust. "There's more players at work here. You know of the circles. You know I'm not acting in accordance to Deus Ex's policies. We're not the only ones here on this s**t of an island. As for your request? Denied." The division leader crossed her arms. "I don't think I can trust you. Not anymore. Give me one good reason to help you now considering you, Cass or Nevada have essentially signed my death warrant. Hell, maybe it's all three of you."
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Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2013 6:34 pm
Gale could and would piece it together eventually, she knew that: it was one of many sad but forgone conclusions about her predicament. But in spite of what the trials had shown, and in spite of Aria's sardonic words, Stormy did trust him. More than her hesitant affection let on, really. And if that was a mistake, then she had been doomed since last year and was simply adding to the forgone conclusions pile.
This was precarious territory here. She'd lost what trust she'd afforded herself with Aria, and Lance could still wake up and remember her confession. No weapon, no back up coming. What was better, gambling again that Lance would be merciful, or taking the small chance that Aria would allow her back into the fold? Stormy could still remember the predatory glare he'd given at just the hint that she had known who Aria had been conspiring with...But this had also been the man who had pep talked her out of her shell shock when she needed it most. Or did that not count anymore if she was called traitor?
Think. What could she offer still? What was the most important commodity she could scrounge together, weaponless and possibly alone in her sympathy for the excommunicated leader?
"I'm still willing to help you," Stormy answered after a moment, steeling herself against her anxiety. "What do you need me to do to prove it? Look into something for you like the Circles? Find out if anyone here has something on them so you can consolidate information? I know a few people in Life and Death, they trust me." There was the list she'd received during the trials too, the string of names of people who had been given weapons and yet which strangely had Lucky's name crossed out; maybe that was nothing, but she wanted to consider all the details when it came to the Circle. "Or do you need something retrieved? I've explored and gotten an artifact, and I've practiced my sneaking though I can work on it more; I spied on Candace for an afternoon and part of the evening without her knowing. I've done all the training courses available, I've been on several missions and even led one, and--and I'm open to the idea of working with Halloween, which is more than some people can say here."
And apparently I can ignore my conscience and kill people if it's an order.
"More importantly, I still trust you even if it's not mutual," Stormy added earnestly. "I don't know why you and your friends did what they did, but . . . You were my leader, and theirs long before I came here. I choose to believe the same instincts that you used to watch out for the Mist Division are the same ones guiding you now." She could not think of Aria as just a mindless Halloween conspirator who preyed on Deus for the hell of it. This was the woman who remembered conversations and personal details about Cass when she'd been interrogated underground. No, she believed there had to be a reason behind everything, even if Stormy wasn't privy.
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Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2013 7:58 pm
"The Circles are nothing more than a diversion," Aria replied. "I moved when they moved; all attention was on them instead of me. What use can I get from them?" She crossed her arms. "I don't care for their ideals or methodology." The woman further shook her head at Stormy's next suggestion. "You're speaking to the wrong division leader about artifacts. For me? Very likely useless, not to mention dangerous for you. You need a team to get an artifact; what would happen if you went out, got it, and conveniently lost it on the way back? That might work once, but twice? Three times?" Aria rose a finger to her neck, jerking it to one side quickly to indicate how effective that plan would be. "I've no interest to 'attack' a group and make off with it either. I don't need an artifact hound on my tail." She threw her arms up in exasperation. "Look," she snapped, "Let me make this clear: I don't trust you. You lost your chance with me. However," She held up a hand, stalling her. "I'm not going to leave you to die. I'm going to remove the binding." "As for getting a second chance? The odds of that happening are very, very bleak. If I have need for you, I will call on you. And when I do, you better as hell follow my orders to the letter. Got it?"
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Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2013 8:20 pm
She winced inwardly as Aria spoke, but being given the chance to have her weapon back was more than she thought she'd get out of this surprise visit, let alone even the remote chance that she'd be called back. "Crystal clear," Stormy said with relief she couldn't hide. She didn't want to just bide her time, though, there had to be something she could give as a sign of good faith . . . But if the Circles didn't mean anything, what--
Rebels, she remembered. Horsemen. That had been Aria's main concern last time at least.
I'll keep my head down and my mouth shut, ma'am. But if I happen across any leads about the horsemen, d'you want me to keep tabs? Or anything specific like that?" Gale's specialization was watching their activity at least, and she knew he had a contact who was willing to spy.
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Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2013 9:19 pm
That did it; Aria grew still, eyes narrowed as she stared down at Stormy. She took a step forward, reaching forward to snatch at Stormy's hand that wore her weapon's totem form. "See to it that you do," Aria all but growled. Her free hand covered the ring. For a moment, nothing happened. At least until Aria suddenly moved her hand back as if she was ripping something. Stormy would feel... something tear away from her, akin to having duct tape torn off of her lips. But that wasn't it. Thane could now be heard. All of his choice words, thoughts, emotions; all saved up only to come crashing down onto Stormy. If Stormy were to lose her footing she may vaguely recall a hand reaching out to stabilize her. Then leave quickly. If Stormy were to fall unconscious, she would find herself slowly waking up back in her room. If nothing were to happen, then Aria would simply turn and leave through a hidden passage that could not be opened. The mechanism was jammed from the other side, rendering it useless. Either way, Stormy would discover that her room had been ransacked. Papers scattered, clothes thrown onto the floor, pillows ripped open and feathers fluttering free. In the end, both Stormy and Nevada would realize that they are now missing their lockpocks. They would also find a note: Lockpicks are for full Mist hunters only. Try again. Ol-j-man herpderp forgot to add - for one IRL week Thane won't able to hold a charge on the account of needing Fear to clean out the rest of the Binding that remains~
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Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2013 10:45 pm
Something was better than nothing, even if that something was just a modicum of usefulness. Stormy opened her mouth to properly thank her, but Aria was faster in taking her hand. A strangled sound left her as she felt something tearing at her skin, and she would have jerked back had she not been paralyzed by the weight of thoughts and emotions crashing down upon her almost immediately afterwards.
A single word seemed to rise above the current, a heavy and dark: < < YOU. > >
That was all Stormy could catch amongst the Draconic being hissed, spat, rattled, and snarled out, the enormity of his withheld responses bowling her over like a tidal wave, as relentless and uncaring as her partner was. But more than that was the hunger that suddenly bit at her insides, sharp as knives gutting her with each heartbeat. Her legs weakened dangerously fast as she grew light-headed, barely recognizing that something--someone--was keeping her from completely falling, right before she leaned against the desk to keep herself steady.
But at the same time she could feel his every bone curl and take up the hole that had been left behind, slowly replacing the cold reminder of the Binding with his own unnatural but far more familiar chill; and she could also see that the talon ring was lighting up again, if weakly.
Thane? she tried asking above the torrent of curses. And for once it wasn't silence, but the cold and stinging hiss, answering.
< < I must feed! > > His claws scraped at her mind, keening loudly and unabashedly in his long-anticipated freedom.
Amidst her wincing and new pounding headache, Stormy saw the leader leave via a hidden passage but made no motion to try and test the wall afterwards. Indeed she had really tested the limits already and wasn't willing to push it further; a second chance wasn't something to squander. "Thank you," she said to the empty air, struggling off the desk and rubbing her temples with a sigh. Normally she would have tended to Lance, but Aria had warned not to touch dart, and frankly she needed to sit down in her room and consider what to do now. And pray hard that Lance didn't remember her visit.
Good thing she was used to having a mess in her room, though the ripped pillows was distressing. If only Stormy had known, however, as she sighed Nevada's name upon reading the note, that she was sharing a room with a homewrecker.
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