|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2022 12:22 pm
Oh, she was really crying. Really letting it all out, huh?
Michel didn’t feel bad, he was too far beyond that, but something about this made him squint. Maybe it was a trap, maybe it wasn’t. He risked it anyway, and crouched down in front of her. His weapon stayed clutched in his hand, but he held it limply–like it was too important to let go, but not necessary to wield right now.
He didn’t want to answer her. He didn’t want to tell her what she meant to him.
Maybe someone anticipated it already, maybe they knew. But, maybe they didn’t.
“I don’t want to hurt her,” he said, but avoided answering her. “I want to get her out of the Negaverse. Sounds like you need to get out, too. Metallia does that, you know. Twists your mind, bends it to her will. Her General Sovereigns can tap into that. Hessonite probably did as much.”
That was her name, wasn’t it? The General Queen?
“Chaos warps you, in every way. Your body, your mind. Your memories, your will, you. I can’t let that happen to Lysithea. It was a fluke that they got her, anyway. She’s not a monster like the rest of them. But you’d know that, wouldn’t you? If you knew her before. If you know her now. Help me save her. And, I’ll help save you, too.”
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2022 12:41 pm
Ilse nodded, slowly. It was probably fair that he dodged her question--she hadn't exactly demonstrated that she was worth being told intimate personal secrets. But at least he was listening, and wasn't treating her like she was lying. That was good.
"Y-yeah," Ilse acknowledged. "Maybe she did." Hessonite using Chaos ot warp her somehow....it made sense. Bring her back in line, so she wouldn't run away. That tracked with what the Negaverse might want. And she'd--oh.
Oh, she'd practically giftwrapped Lysithea on that battlefield, using her magic on her when she was probably already vulnerable.
Her stomach lurched.
"I-I was there, when she corrupted. You're right, it was....a fluke. An awful, terrible chance, and--" She made a miserable little noise. "Whatever you need. Whatever you want. I'll help you. I think...I think I made it easier for her to corrupt, so that means I have to help save her, right?" That made sense. Balance the scales. Maybe get herself out.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2022 1:22 pm
He didn’t want to hear that she was there. Parts of his memory from that night flashed and faded. Sometimes he could remember it clearly. Sometimes it came in a haze.
A nightmare he couldn’t remember.
His back ached now.
He remembered the way his fist felt colliding with Ilse the first time. He remembered losing Lysithea, to her–to all of them. Did she know Faustite? Would he suffer if he killed her?
Michel was quiet and swallowed the rage; he gripped his weapon tighter again, just to ground him.
This one had gotten in his way. Maybe he could have saved Lysithea if it weren’t for her.
…She was at his mercy, now. She didn’t have an army to back her up.
But she did have Lysithea.
“Yeah, it does. It’s your responsibility to make this right,” he said flatly. “But I’ll help you, because that’s what she was trying to do. So I’m going to walk things over with you. The first thing you need to know is that you don’t talk to anyone. Don’t tell them you want to leave. Don’t tell them you ran into me. Don’t tell them you remember what happened, or that you want to help her and yourself. The moment you slip up, you’re right back where they want you. You’re just a pawn. They’ll youmafy you if you shake things up too much. So you stay close to Lysithea. You keep her safe. You don’t leave until she leaves, so you have to get her thinking about it too. She has to want it. You can’t just tell her to do it. How closely are they watching her?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2022 1:32 pm
Ilse nodded. That had been her mistake before, hadn't it? Rushing into things without thinking. Not looking over her shoulder carefully enough. Letting herself get too far ahead of things. She'd wanted out so badly, it had gotten away from her.
"I understand," she said, softly.
It wasn't just about her anymore. She had to help Lysithea.
She looked up, and looked at Michel, and took him in--he didn't seem like a violent monster. He seemed....broken.
She had to help him, too. Whatever Lysithea had been to him, it clearly mattered, and she had to help fix this. Repair what she'd been partially responsible for breaking.
"I don't want to be stuck there any longer than I have to. But you're right." She swallowed. "I know Faustite wants to keep an eye on her, but she's bucking. Not happy with it. They had a fight recently, I guess he was a stubborn a** about letting her be nice to him--but I think." She swallowed. "I think if I tell her the truth, that he was lying to her--that we both lied to her--that might...might break her loyalty."
It might also make Lysithea hate her, but that was a risk she had to take.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2022 2:25 pm
Michel was quiet for a long moment, and he mulled over her words with an obvious sincerity. He didn’t want to wait; he wished she could just summon her here now and he could shake the Chaos out of her. Maybe Cosmos could come. Maybe it would be smarter to try and take her–both of them, he supposed–somewhere safe. Somewhere the Negaverse couldn’t reach.
The muscle in his jaw twitched but, fine. He was doing this, he could be committed. If she was playing him, it was a good trick. He wasn’t going to be made a fool of, so she’d better get all her laughing out, fast.
…Except, she wasn’t. She still looked shaken. She seemed serious.
Fear could do that, though. Maybe she’d come out of it. Maybe the Chaos was too deep in her.
“Don’t mess it up. Don’t rush into it. You might only have one chance. Talk to her about the White Moon. Ask what she thinks about it. Wait until the timing’s right. Plant the seeds if you have to, but don’t jump the gun. And when it’s time, when you’re ready,” he paused, he exhaled.
The adrenaline was still coursing through him but he could control it. This wasn’t like being in the Negaverse. This wasn’t like that time he nearly killed his brother.
He could control himself.
He reached into his subspace and pulled out two small keychains. They were half the size of a half dollar, and the white plastic had been molded to look like a cat. It was smiling, and there were two LED lights where the eyes would be and a large button on the back. Each cat was attached to a gold chain, along with a few small golden and purple stars.
He held one out for her. “It can’t be tracked. Doesn’t look like anything fancy.” He pressed the button on the back of the one he was keeping, and both of their eyes began flashing a gentle, steady pace. It was a beeper at best. “Mauvian made it. Should work anywhere in Destiny City, maybe father. Haven’t really checked it. You can hold down the button and the eyes glow, just in case someone’s suspicious. Press the button again to turn it off if it was an accident. If I need to see you, It’ll let you know I’m looking. If you need to see me, the same. You can set it to make a noise, there’s a switch on the side.”
He looked over his shoulder, at the fountain in the distance, and then back to her. “So we’ll meet here. Or somewhere else if you’ve got a better idea. It’ll let us stay in contact. If you’re in trouble, or if you’re ready, press it. I’ll come. Just know that Lysiteha’s my priority. But if you’re helping her, you’re helping me. So I won’t make you figure this out on your own. If you want out, I’ll get you out.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2022 2:35 pm
Ilse nodded. He was right--she would have to be very careful. No mistakes this time. If something happened to her, that would be alright, they could figure it out--but if something happened to Lysithea, that would....no. It was simply not allowable. She wouldn't think of it.
So she took the little cat keychain and nodded. "I don't think anyone will think twice of me having something like this," she said. It was cutesy, and silly, just like most people probably thought she was. And if anyone did ask, she would just lie. That would be easy enough.
She was going to have to do a lot of lying in the coming days.
"I understand." She took a deep breath, and forced herself to push off the ground and stand up, clutching the keychain like it was her only lifeline. "I think this is easy--no one's going to question a Senshi and a Knight in the park, as long as we're careful." She wiped her face. Squared her shoulders. "Thnak you," she said. "Um, I don't--my name is Ilse. What's yours?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2022 3:03 pm
If it was a trap, maybe he could have fallen for it. But, he hadn’t made it that far without playing it safe.
He wasn’t going to give in now just because some pretty girl with big eyes started crying.
“Mikellos. But I don’t want to hear anyone else using that name. I’m sharing it with you, and you alone.”
And if he heard it anywhere else, he’d know she outed him. Or had been compromised. Either way, he’d have an idea that something was wrong.
He wasn’t good at emotional support, and even if he had been, he was tired.
Michel sighed, heavily, and pushed himself back up into standing position. He dug his clock hand into the ground and leaned against it.
“This isn’t going to be easy. But you can do it.”
She had to, there really wasn’t any other alternative. She was the only one who knew Lysithea, who seemed to want to help her. If she wanted to purify, then maybe she could be an ally.
Maybe.
He didn’t have any choice but to keep moving, but he was desperate. He was willing to try anything. “Give me updates on how things are going, if you can. If you need help with something,” he trailed off and shrugged. The offer was there.
He had resources.
He’d give everything he had to bring Lysithea back. If Ilse helped, he’d save her, too.
It was a small price to pay.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2022 3:14 pm
"Mikellos." She repeated the name. Committed it to memory. Nodded firmly. She would know it. Would remember. Would find him again, and they would get Lysithea out of the Negaverse.
And maybe she would get to leave, too.
It was a strange feeling, the hope that settled in her chest. It was like looking up and realizing that she had been in a tunnel for months, and was just final;ly spotting the light at the end--and by seeing the light, she recognized that it had been dark for so, so long.
But it didn't have to be anymore.
She turned over the little keychain, and gave a firm, resolute nod.
"I'll make sure to keep you in the loop." Her expression broke into a smile. "Lysithea is lucky to have someone like you looking for her," she said. "And I'm glad we managed to run into each other." She tucked the keychain away into the ribbon-sash around her waist, making sure to hook it there so it held.
"I'll find you when I've got something to report," she promised. Then, she turned to go.
This was it. The first steps back onto the path she needed to be on.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
