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 Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2015 4:45 pm
It took him quite a while to figure out how to leave the house.
Tolliver had tried to sleep. He'd tried to curl up in Hitch's arms and dream away the events of the previous day, to forget it had all happened - but for once, sleep had not come easily. He could not turn off his mind, and even after he'd sung his lover to sleep, Tolliver had lain awake, unable to drag his thoughts away from Ariel, from what she'd told him.
She had promised him the strength to protect the ones he loved, and he couldn't forget it.
So he'd snuck out. Lying to Hitch was not an option - Tolliver could hardly lie to save his life, but the benefit of Hitch sleeping was that he was almost unable to be roused when he did, and having his boyfriend be kidnapped was enough to exhaust him. Tolliver singing to him was a relatively low blow, and he felt disgusted at himself for even using such a tactic, but...
But he couldn't walk away. He had to do this.
So quietly, silently, he left the house, went to the place that Ariel had said, and waited.
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Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2015 6:48 pm
By the time Cinnabar arrived at the tower, the normal traffic to the observation deck had thinned out to nothing and privacy came in the emptiness. It only took a single circuit around the outside to confirm that there was only a single man inside and his red hair was distinctive.
Boots sounded from behind him as she approached. With her glamour up, she looked normal enough, the same as the first time he had met her. It was important, in her estimation, not to push the young man too hard... he seemed skittish. It was a good chance her true form would freak him out more than she cared for right now. It was better to wait... make sure she had a firm grip on him first.
"Tolliver. I'm glad to see you haven't changed your mind. I'm sure it took a lot of courage to come here. You're a very brave man, the kind of man we need on our side." Cin offered him a smile as she came closer, stopping once she'd reached arm length. Her hands stayed in her pockets as she looked him up and down, making sure he'd come out of the kidnapping okay. He didn't look injured, which was good. It would mean they could jump right into training, rather than wait for him to heal up.
"Are you ready?"
This would be the first time she'd ever attempted this... but the thought of it was exciting. She had the power in her hands to change him completely, to give him the same power she had been given all those months ago. She could still remember laying on her back in the snow, Painite looming over her... giving her the choice between corruption and death. It would be interesting to see how this Tolliver did, having the made the choice himself.
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Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2015 7:18 pm
In spite of her attempts at being careful, Tolliver still jumped a little as he heard the footsteps, twisting around to face Ariel. There was an anxious expression on his face, his heart in his throat as he stared at her, trying to ignore the way his legs seemed to suddenly feel unsteady underneath him.
"I - I haven't changed my mind," he said, though he couldn't quite get the tremor out of his voice. Truth be told, he'd wondered the entire time he'd been walking to the observation deck whether or not this was the right decision. Hitch had warned him, made him promise not to get involved with any of these people - but these were not those people. These were the ones that fought against the terrorists, the ones who were on the right side of whatever it was that was happening.
She'd promised him power - she'd promised him the chance to have the strength he needed in order to protect the ones he cared about. It was a short list comprising of only two people, but it didn't matter - Tolliver's desperation to protect just those singular two people was enough to drive him forward, to keep him walking.
"This - this will give me strength, right?"
He swallowed hard, and gave a little nod.
"I - yes," said Tolliver, and took a deep breath. "Yes, I'm ready."
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Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2015 2:03 pm
"This will give you strength." Cinnabar agreed as she stepped in closer, unable to help looming over the timid young man. Even if he hadn't stood a good six inches under her, she suspected she outweighed him by half again, or more. So small and seemingly delicate... but we can fix that, or you can use it to your advantage. Sympathy can be a weapon when used right.
"Don't be afraid... I have to take my true form to do this." She said as she took hold of his shoulder, her grip firm. She had to be careful not to hurt him with it, consciously reminding herself not to grip too hard in her excitement, but she also had to be sure he wasn't going to jerk away from her. "Its going to hurt, but remember this: Change hurts. Growth hurts. You have to break down to build up again and it will be worth that pain. The pain will make you stronger. I have felt this pain three times, exactly the same way, and that is what has made me strong."
It was all the comfort she could really give him, without outright lying. There was no masking what was going to happen to him. Cin moved quickly, dropping her glamour in the same moment that she drew her free hand back. Scales, leather and horns appeared as she shoved her hand forward, pressing it as gently as she was able into the center of his chest. She had won awards for her ability to drain energy, for her fine control over the flow of it. She put as much of that into this as she could in an effort to lessen the shock and pain, but nothing would take it away completely.
Her clawed hand sank wrist deep past muscle and bone into that empty space where starseeds lived and when she felt it, she closed her fingers around Tolliver's with almost tender care. Red irises in black schlera watched his face as she gathered the power inside of her, her face going slack with concentration. Once she felt it fill her, she pushed and Chaos flowed from the half-youma general into the young man she held, invading his very core to warp and change him. It was hard, and it sapped her own energy to do it, but she pressed on stubbornly, refusing to relent until the job had been done.
He would be her first, and she would not falter.
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Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2015 2:18 pm
Strength was what he wanted. Strength was what he needed. He did not have the sort of fortitude that Fritz had, nor the confidence of his brother. He did not have Hitch's kindness and passion, nor did he have his heart. He did not have anything much except the desire to keep safe what was the most precious to him, and he finally - finally seemed to have a way to do that.
Her warning made him suck in a sharp breath, and the thought of pain made his stomach twist unpleasantly - but Ariel was right, he could not do this easily. It was a conscious choice, he had to remember that this was what he had decided to do - no matter the cost.
Tolliver would pay it, if it meant keeping Hitch and Fritz safe.
He had only a few seconds to see her appearance change, and his mouth fell open, eyes wide with shock, a ripple of fear traveling up and down his spine. But the next second her clawed hand was pushing into his chest - and there was no blood, no splintering of bone and snapping of ribs, just her hand sinking past it all -
- and it hurt. Tolliver let out a sharp gasp, and then a half-strangled cry of agony as the blackness twisted and churned inside, and he could feel it taking ahold of him, a writhing, choking pain that made it seem as though his very bones were on fire, and surely he would not survive this, surely he was going to pass out or die from it all - his eyes squeezed shut, tears gathering at the corners -
But the pain was ebbing away, slow but steady, leaving a dull, throbbing ache in its wake - and something else, something much more was also left behind.
Cerussite opened his eyes, staring up at the general in silence, eyes red-rimmed.
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Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2015 3:47 pm
The General withdrew her hand with care, leaving the young man's chest unmarked and bloodless after her intrusion. As soon as she let go, a deep exhaustion rushed in to take the place of the energy she had shared and her grip on his shoulder was heavier now, more for support than it had been for grip. With the exhaustion came a roaring hunger, twisting up Cin's insides till her lips pulled back from her fangs in a grimace of pain. The hunger was ever present and had been since the day of her merge, but she'd learned how to push it down and ignore it over time. These days it hardly brushed against her attention, but this... this was like being fresh from her promotion, all the youma in her screaming to be fed.
Breathing shallowly, Cin shoved a hand into her pocket and scrounged up a starseed from the few she kept with her, shoving it impatiently into her mouth. The crunch of crystal was familiar and satisfying, the rush of power that swept through her soothing the hunger. It never quite disappeared, but at least it was controllable again. It did something for the exhaustion too and she ran her sleeve across her face to wipe away the sweat that had peppered her skin with the effort of corruption.
"Ah, there we go..." She murmured as she turned her attention back to the lieutenant under her hand. Black accented with a purple pink and silver shining from his buttons and belts did not cut the most intimidating figure ever, but she refused to be disappointed in her first ever corruption. There was pride in the accomplishment and she refused to let herself think otherwise.
"Look at you, all new and clean. Welcome to the Negaverse, Little One. This is your beginning stage, your starting point. There are three above you, two of which you'll be able to reach with time, effort and loyalty. Someday you'll be able to stand beside me as a General as well and enjoy the full blossoming of your power. Now. Let's see what sort of weapon you got." The half youma forced herself to straighten and release Tolliver's shoulder, shoving her hands into her pockets as she hid her tiredness. "Hold out your hand and concentrate... you have a weapon and you can summon it into your grasp. You just need to feel it and will it into being. Don't be discouraged if it takes a bit... its about instinct and you'll be able to do it without a thought eventually."
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Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2015 6:08 am
She was still holding onto his shoulder, and he was still standing there, unsteady on his feet, eyes stinging - but at the same time, the difference he felt now, with - whatever it was inside of him - he could almost feel her promise that he would be stronger already taking effect.
Cerussite swallowed hard as he watched her reach into her pocket and pull something small and glowing out before tossing it into her mouth. His brows drew together in confusion, but he didn't ask, instead just standing there wondering what it was he was supposed to do now.
He gave a little nod at her greeting, listening intently, though his brow drew together in confusion at the mention of a weapon. Cerussite glanced down at himself as though trying to find such a thing, but seeing none made him panic a little - maybe somehow he'd missed a step, maybe he'd somehow confused something -
- oh. He took a breath.
"Okay," said Cerussite softly, and swallowed again, shifting his feet. He breathed in deeply and held out his hand, palm facing up, his fingers trembling ever so slightly and tried to think about what she was saying, pushing aside the uncertainties and the confusion.
I can do this. I can do this.
He did not get it the first try, nor the second. But by the third, something blinked into existence, a light weight in his palm - something long and thin.
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Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2015 8:42 pm
Cinnabar watched with interest as he struggled, her hand light on his shoulder. She never showed any sort of disapproval with each failed attempt and when he finally managed it, a warm, approving smile spread over her face again as she gave his shoulder a squeeze and finally released him.
"Mmm, that's not so bad." She said as she studied what appeared to be a wooden wand, her head tilted to the side. "Its better than what I had starting out. Don't worry if it seems kind of odd, being called a weapon... All lieutenants start out with what you could call a training weapon. Some get rather ridiculous things, actually. But once you get stronger and are promoted to Captain, you'll get something far more deadly to work with."
Leaving the young man to contemplate his weapon, she shifted back to find the wall to lean against, her tail curling idly around her ankles as she shoved her hands into her pockets. She was still tired... but it was manageable. Being suddenly pulled into this life, he needed guidance. She had no plans to leave him floundering.
"Now. This power is not free." Cin said as she watched him, studying the emotions that moved across his face. "The Negaverse is a military and our goal is to protect Earth from the terrorists causing trouble and invading our world. We obey the commands of our queen Metallia and her General Sovereigns, who speak for her. Our power comes from Metallia, she is the source of everything you are now. As a lieutenant, your primary duty will be to collect energy for her, which in turn, she will give a portion of to you, just as she does to me. I'll need to teach you how to do this, but its not terribly hard. You'll have a quota you're required to fill, but for now that and coming to call of your superiors will be all that's expected of you. In return, you get to enjoy the power you have and protection for your family."
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Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2015 11:23 pm
He felt, annoyingly, quite underwhelmed by his "weapon." It looked nothing more than a piece of wood, a stick that he held in his hand, and Cerussite was wondering if this was a representation of how strong he was, how capable he could be. If it was that, then, well...he'd not do much good as it was.
Color flooded his cheeks, but the general was squeezing his shoulder reassuringly, and he glanced up at her, giving a tentative nod. What she was telling him lifted the uncertainty slightly; he felt marginally relieved to know that it was not necessarily him, per say, but just how all started out.
His fingers smoothed over the wood of the wand, taking a deep breath. Cerussite's gaze rose back to the general, however, as she began to speak, and he felt a pounding in his heart, against his rib cage, so that every breath was somewhat painful.
A nod was given, though he couldn't help but be concerned that he was still not strong enough. She seemed reassured of him, at the very least, and she was clearly powerful. That meant something, didn't it? That someone as powerful as she could sense his potential?
"So - " He hated the way his voice sounded, weak and wavering. Cerussite cleared his throat and tried again, this time with less trembling. "So all I have to do is - is to collect energy, and I will have strength?"
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Posted: Thu Nov 26, 2015 1:38 pm
"For now, yes." Cin said as she watched him, noting the trepidation in him still. It was better, or seemed so, since the corruption. He wasn't totally at ease, but he didn't seem to regard her with fear any more. If he could trust her, maybe even rely on her, she knew she could help to shape him... it would be a test for her, taking charge of mentoring this new lieutenant.
"When you get more experience, you can contribute in other ways, but its understood that you are new and green. Duties are kept light because of that."
"Here, give me your hands." Cin said as she stretched hers out towards him, fingers flat. She made a point of pulling her claws in as much as possible, both so she was slightly less intimidating and to be sure he didn't hurt himself doing this. "I'll show you how to do it. Done right, its just a little skimmed from someone who can afford it, who'll sleep it off that night and be fine the next day. Spread out over a lot of people, a lot of energy is collected and no one suffers for it. In a pinch, you can pull a lot from a single person, but it'll take longer for them to recover and its more noticeable."
"Before my merge with a youma, I usually gathered energy at bars and parties. No one there is paying that much attention and if they feel a little more tired than normal? They attribute it to the alcohol and go home early to sleep it off. Its impossible for me to hide what I am now, so I tend to go for targets like thieves and muggers... the trash of the street. If they're drained well, they're easier for the police to catch, so its a win for them and I still get the energy I need."
She hoped her explanation made sense to him... accepting the necessary evil draining was would be the first step for him in settling into his new role.
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Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 7:11 pm
He tried to bear in mind that he was new; that all of this was quite frightening, if he was being entirely honest with himself. But at the same time, he felt a strange surge of anticipation flooding through him, because this was it, right here; this was how he was going to protect Hitch, protect Fritz. And he couldn't do it alone.
The general was given a slightly anxious look, but Cerussite drew a breath and, after only a moment's hesitation, stretched out his hands towards her. His own were glad in thin black gloves that stretched over all of his fingers except his thumb, and he placed them tentatively within her grasp.
He realized, much too late, that he had not asked her name, and wished he had, because now it felt almost rude to have not asked before he'd given himself over to her. Cerussite glanced up at her and shifted his feet, trying to take in all that she was telling him.
"Oh," he said, as comprehension dawned. "You...you're merged with a - a youma?"
His face flooded with a bit of color, embarrassed at his lack of knowledge. Trying to stand up a little straighter and not hunch over, like he always did, Cerussite took another breath and then swallowed hard, giving a slight nod as his mind worked frantically.
"So...so be careful, is what you're saying," he said slowly. "Drain people who maybe won't be noticed...?"
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Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2015 8:54 pm
A wry smile pulled at Cin's lips as he settled his hand into hers. She curled her fingers a little, cradling his smaller ones in her thick-knuckled grasp. The contrast was stark between them, but not unpleasant in her mind.
A Beauty and a Beast. Poetic.
"Yes. Before I became a captain, I tried to tame a youma as my partner. I thought I was strong enough and I desperately wanted the power it would give me. This is why you'll find that no one can tame a youma before they've been promoted the first time. You don't have enough power to command their respect, whatever you may think, until then. I'm actually lucky. I could be dead." She shrugged, but as she spoke, she applied just the softest of pressure... and a thread of energy, just barely there, spun out from him. A ball formed in the hand that hung at her side, no bigger than a grain of sand, but it grew, slowly.
"Youma are an invaluable tool to the Negaverse. They are our servants and while they aren't indestructible, they can reform after their bodies have been destroyed, after some time in the chaos energy that fills the Rift. Captains can command them, and summon them from the rift, but it takes a lot of energy to do so. Generals, like me, can command them more fully and summon a handful of them from the rift as we please. Its useful to have their support and can ensure the success of a mission, or protect yourself and your partners from attack." She kept up the gentle drain, making sure to keep her touch so delicate it would not be noticed. Draining had always been her greatest skill, and sometimes, she rather liked to show off a little.
Dark hair danced around her pointed ears as she nodded answer to his question, lifting her hand finally to display the marble sized energy orb in her palm.
"Yes. Be careful, drain where it won't be noticed. The more careful you are, the easier it will be for you, and the less damage you'll leave behind. See?" The orb shone softly in her hand and she cut off the flow, her concentration holding it without conscious thought after so long. "Did you feel me doing that? This energy is from you. All I did was reach out, through the connection of holding your hand, and gently pull... and the energy flowed from you. You have to touch someone, starting out. That's why crowded places like parties and bars are good... people don't notice the contact so much in situations like that. You concentration, feel with your mind, and reach. Its a hard thing to explain, but something you'll understand once you manage it once."
The general straightened up and offered her hand again. "Now, try it on me... if it helps, you can visualize it. See me filled with glowing light. Picture your hand reaching out, taking hold of that light, and gently pulling it towards you. Don't worry about hurting me, because you can't. And like your weapon, its okay if it doesn't work the first time, so don't worry about that either."
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Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2015 9:23 pm
He felt intimidated by her overwhelming presence, but not necessarily frightened - at least, not as much as he had been originally. The fact that he was now changed helped to ease some of his nerves, because Cerussite could feel the way it was different, how it was already starting to work. A tiny shred of hope that he could make this work was forming in his chest, expanding outwards.
"Can you tame youma?" he asked, and Cerussite shifted a little, brows drawing together. The General answered his question a second later, however, and he gave a little nod, wondering if he would ever be strong enough to do such a thing and command.
Probably not. But no, he couldn't think like that. He had to stay positive, remember why he was doing this in the first place. He was taking care of Hitch, and he was taking care of Fritz by doing this - he was becoming stronger and that was what mattered.
When she raised her hand, and he saw the little orb, Cerussite's mouth fell open. His eyes widened, flickering first from the glowing scene, and then to their joined hands, and back again, as though just now noticing the connection between the two.
"N - no," he stammered. "I didn't - I didn't feel anything."
It was somewhat shocking - and at the same time, reassuring. It meant that he wasn't actually hurting people to do so, which was a good thing in Cerussite's mind. But having to touch people...well, that was a bit of a worrisome thing to have to do, but he would just have to work around it. Cerussite took a deep breath.
"Okay," he said, and nodded. "Okay, I understand."
He stretched out his hand tentatively and then placed it, after a second's hesitation, against the general's. He grasped her fingers, and then closed his eyes, concentrating hard.
Nothing happened. At least, nothing that he was aware of. Cerussite let out a soft sound of frustration and tried again, but the second time was no better than the first. It was on the third attempt, when he relaxed his mind, carefully, and tried to recall what she had told him, visualizing his goal, that he felt it: the smallest, slightest tug of something.
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Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2015 2:28 pm
Cinnabar waited, patient and unmoving, as her new lieutenant attempted to drain for the very first time.
"I've done this for a while now, I've had a lot of practice, and I was always naturally good at it. I would have been surprised if you'd noticed, but the point is that that is what you need to work to attain." She said quietly as he struggled.
For long moments, nothing particular happened. She didn't feel any drain on her energy, or anything else for that matter. She heard him sigh and her ears perked, but she made no motion to do anything, standing still and quiet for him. He was so nervous... pushing him, she suspected, would not produce better results. Maybe, if she terrified him utterly and pushed until he broke, he might fight through whatever barrier held him back, but it seemed like a poor way to treat the investment he stood for. Satisfying in the short term, but it was the long term she was focused on, for once. Train him right from the start, set him on the right path, and he could one day grow to be an asset to the Negaverse, and a glowing reflection on her in turn.
"Reach out..." She murmured as she watch him. "Feel the energy under my skin. Take hold of it, and pull..."
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Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2015 9:37 am
As intimidating as she was, she was patient. Cerussite's frustration at his lack of ability was palpable, but she wasn't pushing him or yelling at him, which probably would have made things worse. Instead, she just stood there quietly and let him try and work, let him figure things out on his own without being overbearing. Her guidance was exactly what was needed, and Cerussite felt the calming start to settle over him, slow but steady.
The smallest tug was there - Cerussite felt it, felt it growing, and seized upon the chance to deepen it without being reckless. He pulled carefully, steadily, and then with more effort this time, mind slipping free of the confines of inadequacy and into more determination.
And he felt it. A glowing orb was forming, and Cerussite could feel the energy beginning to grow, could feel the stream of it out of the general's hands. It was rather messily done, not quite as sleekly and surreptitiously done as she had, but it was still something. His gaze rose, eyes wide, and a smile broke out across his pale, freckled face.
"I - I did it!" he gasped out, astonished.
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