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 Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 1:53 pm
Who would it be next, Valhalla wondered. The Negaverse was full of people who were so different that he didn’t know if the next person was going to beat him within an inch of his life, or help him and offer him comfort. He didn’t blame them, even if he was angry when he was kicked and punched for no reason other than the fact that he was chained to the ground. He knew they had their orders, how things happened when they didn’t follow them…
But that didn’t mean he wasn’t upset. He was always willing to talk to them, regardless of whether or not they’d been ordered to do so. He had always been open with his beliefs and never once attacked outside of self defense.
He shivered as he sat on the cold ground, his arms sore from being tied behind him, unable to stand, unable to lay down. Hungry and thirsty and tired. Above all that he was heartbroken. He knew there were others there, others that had been caught and were being abused. Others who probably didn’t do anything. What was happening to Ganymede? Had his brother been caught, as he was at the party too?
The door creaked and he looked up, his eyes doleful as he prepared himself for the worst.
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 3:26 pm
The others had been strangers, visions of another time that had been haunting Zircon for months. The captain had only seen them in her nightmares, and so in their way these incarnations were nothing more than phantoms themselves, strange and beguiling but no more real to her than any other soldier on the other half of the war.
Valhalla was different. In a blissful reversal of roles, she'd met him in person and not seen one bit of him in her nightmares. It was a welcome break, for her at least.
She slipped into the holding cell quietly, grateful that this one was lacking in the 'creepy puppet department'. With a hesitant pause, she gave Valhalla a long stare, and then with purpose she moved in closer, tearing away a piece of discarded bedsheet and brushing away at the dry blood on his face.
"Christ, you're no use to anyone like this," she murmured, a strange softness to her voice as she went about her work. When she was vaguely satisfied, she balled the shorn piece of fabric and tossed it away before digging into her jacket for a smuggled bottle of water, unscrewing the top and holding it just above the Knight before staring at him plaintively. "It's water. Drink."
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 3:42 pm
There were some who visited him whom he thought he could feel relief at seeing, only for them to blindly follow what they were ordered to do. It wasn’t their fault, and he knew it. Perhaps in their position he would do the exact same thing. It was a thought that terrified him, as he didn’t think he would be capable of such violence.
And yet, this was what Chaos did, wasn’t it? Ate at you until you were just a shadow of who you used to be. Nothing more than a corpse, starving for energy and knowing nothing else.
Valhalla’s initial reaction was to pull away from her and close his eyes as she quickly approached, unsure of her intention and afraid she would turn out like one of the others. The chains kept him in place of course, so there was really no point in trying to stop the inevitable. And yet, as she so carefully brushed away the blood and dirt on his face, he thought he could feel his now guarded heart soften again.
Even moreso when she offered him water. He looked up at her wearily, hesitant, but eventually opened his mouth to accept. It was only a temporary relief, but in that moment he thought there might be hope yet.
“Thank you… You don’t have to do this for me,” he told her once he’d had a moment longer to relax. “This isn’t your fault, Zircon…”
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 9:25 pm
Zircon gave Valhalla a curious look, followed by something of an awkward grin. "Oh, this isn't for you, per se," she corrected, twisting the cap of the water bottle back on once he'd had a few sips, "I meant it. You're no use to anyone like this, there's no way we can trust anything you tell us if you're dehydrated to delusion." There might have been a coy glimmer in her eyes, but then again, it could have just been the light.
"There's no point in trying to shift blame, I was there, I followed orders, I don't regret that," Zircon said nonchalantly, taking a moment to stare at the wound on his side. "I'm going to ask you a few questions, and as long as you answer them honestly I can continue to be the good cop," she explained, standing above him with the bottle clutched to her chest. "First--has anybody cleaned that?" Her eyes remained fixated on the stab wound, and she scrunched her face in disgust.
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Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2015 1:38 pm
Valhalla looked up at the woman with an expression of curiosity and awe. He didn’t know her as well as he would have liked, but he didn’t feel as though she’d be like the others. Granted, he had been wrong before, but until she did turn out to be something other than what he believed, well… he was fine with pretending.
He nodded when she explained she needed to ask him questions, resigned to the fact that this was the only value his life had now. She had a job to do and he was going to do as little as he possibly could to hinder her.
But when she asked about his wound, he was taken aback with surprise. He stared at her, his eyes wide, before glancing down at his side. He surprised himself when he was able to let out a small laugh and shook his head. “I’m hoping someone did when I was brought here…” The pain was constant, but to the point where he could attempt to ignore it when distracted by something else.
“That red haired general… He’s a passionate one, isn’t he…?” he mused lightly, soothed by what he assumed was concern. Or maybe just disgust?
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Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2015 4:30 pm
"It depends on the red-head," Zircon mused, leaning down to examine the wound further, her mouth scrunched in thought. "Obsidian was always a terror in battle, he had a talent for enjoying the pain he wrought upon others. Sassolite was a quieter sort, but she had her ways. Nealite..." The Captain let out a sigh, the corners of her mouth turning downwards. They had lost so much to this war, things that creatures of Order would never comprehend. How could they know, when their systems of power weren't even based in sacrifice? Such a sheltered life, to be a lamb in service of the White Moon.
"Buddingtonite was the only red-haired General I saw tonight," Zircon continued, her voice more subdued as she lifted away at the tatters of his shirt. Whatever had been inflicted on Valhalla, the blood had dried and the skin looked relatively healthy, but there was a bit of inflammation that looked worrisome without some attention. Nevertheless, it would be unwise to chip away at it without a medical knowledge greater than hers, and she had no need to subject the Knight to an infection. "Passionate is a good word. He's a great leader, proud of his cause. I'm surprised he wasn't trying to bring you into the fold." At that, she smiled, however weak it might have seemed. She herself was certainly not averse to the idea of a General Valhalla.
"There's nothing I can do about this without some proper equipment and someone who's better trained, but I can put a word in once we're done here," Zircon nodded, taking her seat. "First thing's first, though: what do you know about senshi activity on the moon?" Valhalla was a reasonable man: Zircon had no reason to expect the same resistance she'd had in other interrogations thusfar.
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 1:34 pm
”I can’t imagine I would be very helpful…” he let out the softest of sheepish laughs, his lips twitching into a small smile. “The Negaverse would have no need for someone like me… I would just be a hinderance.” Although he said it, he was afraid of the reality of the situation. He had no say over being corrupted or killed. It could happen any day. He was resigned to the act that he would most likely meet his end with either of those fates, but that didn’t mean he liked it.
He shook his head when she informed him she could put in a word for medical treatment. “I’m sure others need it more than me. I would rather they be seen first.” He’d heard their screams and crying… he could only imagine what was happening to them.
As for her question about activity on the moon, he looked at her in surprise. “I know there is no senshi activity there… Sure we can visit the moon, but it’s not like it’s being used to create some type of weapon. You’ve been around long enough to know we don’t all agree on things… If someone had a project they were working on there, it would just get dismantled… You’re better off looking at individuals who have something to prove, or a vendetta against the Negaverse.” He couldn’t think of any at the moment, but that situation really would be more likely than using the moon for anything more than recreation.
“There are others here, right…? Do you know who?” he wondered, frowning sadly up at her. “Any names…?”
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Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2015 4:10 pm
Zircon's face softened, and she smiled, feeling common cause. "But you wouldn't be a hindrance, Chaos scrapes away our weaknesses and fills in the cracks, making us strong. If it was enough to make me capable, than you would be a wonder, I'm sure." The sigh she gave was wistful and resigned--regardless of her opinion, it was not a call she could make.
She listened to his answer with focused eyes, an intent nod as she made notes in the back of her mind. "So you've been, then? Tell me what it's like, what you've seen." There had to be some sort of clue in his journeys, a piece of the puzzle that he'd seen but couldn't comprehend. A complete narrative of the Moon's holdings would be an invaluable resource, and she was determined to be the first to record it.
"I know some of the other captives," she admitted off-hand, more eager to continue his story. "I can give you a name for every answer you tell me. For starters, Acrucis." She hadn't visited the senshi herself, but it was the first of a line of names that she would happily barter away. Names were cheap--stories were powerful.
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Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2015 4:23 pm
The smile she gave him scared him probably more than it was intended to. He didn’t want to be corrupted. He didn’t want to turn on his friends and try to kill them. He didn’t want to lose his life with Paris when they were only just starting it. Valhalla wished he had agreed to her requests for a family sooner… Maybe then they would have been home on New Years eve instead of out at a party.
When she gave him the first name, Valhalla licked at his dry lips, wanting as many names as he could get. He wanted to know who was there, to make sure no one was left behind should they be rescued. Acrucis… he knew her and his heart ached to know such a gentle woman was locked up with the rest of them.
“I have. It… it’s just a bunch of ruins. You can tell that at one time it was a very beautiful place. It’s like everything was constructed from crystal… but it was destroyed. Valhalla is in better shape than anything on the moon,” he told her, pausing as he was hoping that would be good enough of an answer for her.
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Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2015 9:17 pm
Zircon's expression waned, but she made no attempt to move against him. Based on what she'd seen on Mars, it was a likely truth that the Moon was in no better condition, but it was nevertheless disappointing news to hear. If it was in worse state than a Knight's wonder, then there was next to nothing for the Negaverse to harvest, making it a worthless venture. But the story was not yet complete, and Zircon wanted to hear more.
"Amphitrite," she recited, the senshi's name rolling off her tongue with practiced ease. An easy enough name to give, a low-level senshi whose name sounded like she belonged in the Negaverse anyway. "So how did you travel there? Are there Knights of the Moon?" Zircon had neither heard of nor seen such a thing, but at the moment she had no better resource than one of their own.
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Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 4:32 pm
Amphitrite… he’d heard that name before. Ganymede had spoken about her. He needed to know who else. He swallowed thickly, desperate to give her what she wanted now that he knew she was going to give him what he wanted.
“As far as I know, no. Knights can’t even go to the moon on their own. Senshi have a way, but it takes concentration and energy. Unless they just haven’t shown up yet, there are no knights of the moon.”
He hesitated, wondering if she might be willing to give more than one name at a time if he gave out more information. “No one has seen or been able to contact the Moon Queen since she saved us a few years ago. At least I assume she saved us… But she looked… Like a figment, or a hologram… a ghost even. She sounded recorded and didn’t answer any questions. I don’t even know if she’s real or just a memory. No senshi or knight I know has actually sought the Moon Queen. Many resent her for putting us in this situation. Hated and hunted because of whatever she did a thousand years ago.”
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Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 4:01 pm
"Celsus," Zircon offered with a steady gaze, taking a pause to think. She'd seen the rosters, but after the first few names she was beginning to lose track. She'd have to start naming of the one's she'd seen personally, and that information was a bit more valuable. It didn't matter either way--Valhalla seemed to be upping the ante, and his little bit about the Moon Queen caught Zircon's interest.
"So you were rescued by an image of the Moon Queen?" Zircon steepled her fingers, leaning forward. "When did that happen?"guine sorry for the short tag and the delay I'm the worst ;;
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Posted: Wed May 13, 2015 4:22 am
There was a moment of panic when he heard the name Celsus. It was a name he hadn’t heard in a while, but he knew exactly who he was. He couldn’t remember if they’d actually spoken face to face, but he knew him from the incident at the Surrounding. To think that he’d been captured as well…
“I don’t know. I don’t know what she was or what we saw. It was when we were ambushed. Summer… two years ago. Senshi and knights had come together for a meeting and the Negaverse attacked. The Dark Mirror Court as well… Please, do you know if they’re okay?? I… I don’t want anyone hurt. On any side…” he said, lowering his head in defeat. Zircon had been kind enough to speak with him instead of attacking, but he could hear the screams of others, and knew there had to be something more.AMItotic I’m so sorry for the delay! We can wrap this up if you’d like! Val would love to meet up with Zircon again!!
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