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 Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 10:35 pm
And just like that, Malodore had become her greatest ally in her struggle. This made it her favorite person, and she doted on it accordingly. Good. She murmured quietly. You think clearly, even in distress. I like you very much, Malodore. The irony of the moment was not lost to her, and her face lifted upwards in lieu of a smile.
I wish you could stay.
The sentiment came from her before she could think about it, and realize what she was saying. She wasn't trying to convince it to do her bidding, nor was it useful for her to have it with her here anymore. It needed to be free, to find a way to free her, and yet, from the recesses of her subconscious, she'd let forth a blip. The tiniest of sentiment. It was uncomfortable.
But I know you cannot. Her hand slid away from the claws that held it, and she ducked her head, staring at her own two hands. If.. you could, perhaps your presence, your continued memories, would help me. Yes, that sounded reasonable, unlike the heartfelt words she'd accidentally let escape. And even as she thought of it, she felt more of these unreasonable blips bubbling forth from deep within her.
Being here, alone, now that I.. I mean, now that you are here, I mean..
How absolutely frustrating.
This will be difficult.
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Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 10:51 pm
Its beak cracked open in a small smile. "I like you very much too," it said, simply. I wish I could stay too- It was suddenly agonizingly aware of the passage of time. How much was left? It wasn't sure, but it didn't want to ask.
But now that I know you are alive, being without you will be... it will hurt so much, but at least I know there is hope. It is temporary. Believe that, mia cara. It folded its hands gently in its lap. Perhaps they would permit me to leave you a token? I... ah...
It gently folded its right wing towards her, moving slowly so the movement would not be perceived as a threat. "See, the ring, there? You gave it to me." It ducked its head, almost shy. "I gave you one of my feathers, curled into a bracelet... though my wings were not so large, then." A startling feeling. It had changed, physically, since she had last seen it.
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Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 11:04 pm
Really? She muttered, teasing. I never would have guessed.
Riley watched the wing fold towards her, and her eyes gazed intensely, intrigued by the mechanics of the wings. She reached out, confident that it would let her touch them, and ran her fingers along the bladed feathers. How curious.. she had never seen anything like it. They looked so useful, so deadly. She adored them. If I ever had wings, I would wish for them to be like yours, she murmured reverently. Apparently, she had no idea that crystals were still floating uselessly at her back, folded down like a blanket but never touching her.
The token on the wing itself was a psionic crystal - she could feel it from there. She brushed her fingers against it, and felt familiarity throbbing from it's core. Then she turned her hand, and looked at her own wrist.
Empty.
I seem to have misplaced it in my death. I apologize.
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Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 9:40 am
Malodore chuckled, gently. Here, mia cara- It managed to pull forth a memory of her - not from any particular moment of any particular importance, just her standing, facing it, her eyes crescented in delight. Her wings stretched out behind her, humming softly. There, so."It is... quite understandable." A flicker of worry hit it; would the device Christof had made to contain that horrible wound in her midsection have also vanished? It thought it remembered that strange, nearly perfect circle being open and visible as she stretched above them all, pale and distant with the Insanity. "If it is allowed, I will give you another." It turned to look at the succubus, trying to catch her eye. "Ah, pardon - when I go, might I leave one of my feathers with her? As a token, to replace something she lost. The edges will not be sharp," it added, in a show of good faith. "... also, when I go, might I take a moment to speak with you privately?" it asked, after a moment's hesitation. "I may... have something that could be of use to you."
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Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 11:42 am
Riley reached out to cling to the plague doctor out of instinct when the memory came, and she let out an audible hiss through her tentacles. The sight of those garish wings humming behind her made her cringe, but she turned away from the memory to look at her own back, craning her head even as the wings started to rise. It was as easy as breathing.
How dreadful.. She murmured. Nothing like the splendor of your metal ones..
She did not like them. But if they worked.. perhaps it meant another possible escape method.
And just like that, she was distracted by something new.. Malodore's errant thought made her eyes widen in horror. Her hand slowly touched her clavicle, and drifted down, down, down.. to the hole.
By all the demons in hell.. Came her slow, horrified whisper. The first Sinclaire would have heard from her since the plague doctor came. What has become of me..
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Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 5:59 pm
"You are alive, and that is what matters most," Malodore said, firmly; it was not going to offer up the memory of how that hole came to be there, not yet. That might well be too traumatic. "That wound was earned in most honorable battle, I assure you - I am sure it will be well treated." It glanced back to the succubus again.
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Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 12:11 am
Without looking up, Sinclaire nodded, "Leave her anything you want, having a few familiar items may help her stability. As for weapons..." she glanced up now, and her smile was wry, "...she would hurt herself more than anyone else, I'm afraid." The hole drew her interest as well, "I can only guess as to it's origins, but her body will adapt to the injury with time. Provided there's no undue interference, of course."
Golden eye's slid to the mindflayer's and there was a certain amount of measurement in them. Loss of memory, or had the hole been caused when her Insanity peaked? "I'll speak with you on the way out, Malodore. You two have five more minutes."
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Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 12:42 am
Malodore's words held a clear, and intelligent clarity that rang true. She watched it speak with Clarice, obviously forming a plan, and she felt odd about it. She couldn't place the feeling, and it was quite disturbing. She tried to press it down and ignore it, but it flared up every time the claws of the plague doctor's hand brushed against hers.
It was curious.
She continued to feel the giant gaping hole in her abdomen with her other hand, in utter disbelief that so much of her body was missing. But Malodore's assurance once more filled her with a triumphant bliss, and she thinned her eyes in evil delight.
Riley turned her full attention to Malodore once Sinclaire finished speaking, and pulled her hand away from it's claws, holding it palm upwards expectantly. She was due to receive a gift, after all.
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Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 11:31 am
Malodore didn't have to guess, but it wasn't saying anything right now - not to either of them. It wasn't stupid enough to mention Hunters in the middle of a Bogeyman stronghold. It settled for nodding at the succubus with a pleasant "grazie" before turning back to Riley.
It couldn't help it - it chuckled at her posture, the outstretched hand waiting. "Here, then," it said softly, reaching back to pull a feather from one of its wings. The bloodmetal was pliant in its hands, and it easily twisted the feather into a bracelet shape, the edges blunted as with the original. It paused a moment when it was done - it could remember when it had made the first bracelet, and what it had meant.
But it couldn't ask for that again. Not now. It closed its eyes for a moment, allowing itself to feel and mourn the loss of that closeness, of that bond - but now, because of what the Bogeymen had done, it had a second chance. While the future was not as it had envisioned, at least it - they - had a future.
"Keep it as a memento, to remind you that there are many who care for you, and who will await your return with joy," it said, simply, setting the bracelet atop her outstretched palm.
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Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 11:06 pm
Riley's hand lowered in distraction when the plague doctor began to work its magic on the blade. She just watched, enchanted and intrigued. Then it was placed on her palm, and her fingers curled around it for a moment, before she flipped it up and let it slide onto her outstretched fingers. Her other hand completed the action as it pushed the jewelry down past her knuckles and onto her wrist.
She looked far too pleased about the simple token. Joy, you say? The world sounded like such a dreadfully lovely place. She wanted to return to it immediately.
Looking up at Malodore, her pleasure waned at the sight. Her hand, now wearing the bracelet, lifted up and cupped the mask, holding it gently in the palm of her hand. I do not see joy, here. Are you so sure you're happy to see me?
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Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 9:32 am
"Si, I am," it said immediately, then paused. "The situation is so... so very complicated. You are alive, when I believed you to be dead - this brings me great joy." It ducked its head for a moment, as if faintly shy. "But you have been in pain and are likely to endure more in the course of your healing, which... while I recognize that the two often walk hand in hand, I do not wish any pain upon you." And you are here, bound up in this place, and I cannot take you back with me, which brings me sorrow, it said, silently. "And I have to leave you soon, which is worse..."
It closed its eyes and leaned into her touch. "But you are alive. That thought shall be my anchor. All other things shall follow in due course, if they are meant to."
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Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 1:59 pm
Riley's gaze flickered to her hand when the mask pressed into her palm, and it pleased her. The words it spoke made her heart flutter, a curious feeling. It was as if she wanted to be it's anchor, but she couldn't understand why she cared. In the span of those few short, quiet moments, where she sat there holding it's face in her hand, she measured her reaction carefully, and her brow furrowed in her own sense of loss.
Something was there, asking to be let to the surface. Some kind of memory held in her heart, that her mind no longer attached to. Two separate entities, suddenly diverging in their desperation to live independent from one another. The heart, wrenching away from her cold, unfeeling mind - and her mind, unused to having a heart. It was ready to disengage from the shell she used and live it's own life devoid of the hindrances it bogged her down with.
She refused to let them diverge. This was who she was, somehow. She did not want to lose that.
Her hand remained on it's mask.
She did not want to lose this until she understood it.
Then your existence will be my anchor. She murmured, very quietly, very carefully. Her thoughts were no longer private. I will continue to heal, so that I am allowed to see you once again.
It was important, she thought. To see it again, and to be strong when she did. Strong, and perhaps, whole.
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Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 8:32 pm
"Si... I would like that. That would make me very happy," it said, quietly. Then it opened its eyes again, expression unreadable behind the lenses.
"May... may I embrace you?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 8:42 pm
How tragic. The creature in front of her clearly loved her, but it also clearly had the respect to know that she had no idea who it was, and therefore could not act without permission. Riley tried not to enjoy the position of power this put her in, but it was hard - it meant that she was allowed to do as she wished, and receive devotion without having to work for it.
It was a gift in and of itself.
Her face lifted, just slightly, and she slid closer, wrapping her arms very smoothly around the plague doctor. She had no idea what kind of affection it was used to, but this kind of hug was probably a safe option.
Anytime you want. Malodore was hers, now. And she hadn't had to do a lick of work to collect it. She was all too happy to receive her due devotion from it.
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Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 8:46 pm
A soft little sigh hitched its way out of Malodore's throat, and then it was leaning into her embrace, its hands stopping at her shoulders for one moment before it started forward as if it had been shocked. It settled with its hands pressed against her back, under the crystals of her wings, breathing in the smell of her - not as she was, too sterile and sharp, but not stone. She was warm. Not stone. Her skin was pliant. Not stone.
Not stone. Not stone.
Grazie, it sighed into her mind, aching and empty.
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