|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2016 8:24 pm
The first thing Jet realized when he came to was that it was cold. And his head hurt. He could hear muffled noises around him. Crying. Screaming. Strained breathing.
He slowly shifted from where he was left, crumpled on the cold ground. His cheek felt stuck to the ground, and he carefully peeled himself away, realising the dark stain beneath him was probably his own blood. He felt hazy, not quite able to remember what happened.
While he didn’t try teleporting immediately, he did attempt to draw his weapons from negaspace. His hands were bound with rope and they would be easy to cut through. But nothing happened. He tried a crystal next, hoping to be able to at least communicate with someone, let them know what was going on. Still nothing. Finally he did try to teleport, not wanting to leave the other officers he knew were there, but also needing to be able to escape. Nothing.
Footsteps drew closer and he tried to control his breathing, not realizing until then that he was getting closer to panicking. Whatever it was they wanted from him, they were going to be disappointed.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 8:15 pm
There had been too many of them so far. Celsus had visited a few of the cells, and yet he felt distinctly...unsettled. Unresolved. He'd done his duties; he'd dragged what information he could, even if the participants were unwilling, and now he could say that he had done at least something for the Order.
(But was it the right thing?
"We'll go down in history for this."
"Except...are we sure this is what we want to be remembered for?")
The cell door creaked as Celsus slid it open, the tail ends of the whip dragging across the floor, the handle held loosely between shaking fingers. Shadows stretched spindle-legged across the concrete, and he stepped silently inside, the bars rattling.
There was a beat of silence, and then -
"I remember you," said Celsus quietly. "Remind me of your name again?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 8:37 pm
Jet tensed, not sure what was going to come and wanting to be prepared for the worst. So when he saw a man that he recognized, Jet felt his stomach drop and twist uneasily. He recognized this man. He’d hurt him when their roles were reversed. He was pretty sure he broke at least one of his fingers.
Instinctively, he curled his hands into fists behind him, as if that would protect them while being almost completely subdued as it ******** you,” he spat, but he was sure his bravado didn’t cover him very well when he could hear his own voice tremble with fear and uncertainty. Still, he made sure to glare at the knight. “You should get your memory checked, Celsus,” he hissed, glaring up at the man in what he hoped was an intimidating manner.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 6:08 pm
Celsus raised an eyebrow.
"Angry little b*****d, aren't you?" he asked, without much inflection. He gave the whip in his hand a little flick, letting the tails drag idly along the floor, Celsus eyeing the young man with an expression of mingled disgust and satisfaction. The last time he'd seen him, it had been the other way around.
Now he could be the one in charge.
(But you've never cared about revenge before.)
"I'd watch your mouth, little rat," said Celsus flatly. "Now, name. Yours was clearly not important enough to remember from last time."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 8:11 pm
Jet’s eyes followed the tails of the whip, but he paid them little mind. He doubted the soft spoken knight from before had it in him to do anything to really hurt him.
He might try, but Jet could see he was just a coward.
“Make me,” he seethed through gritted teeth, hazel eyes flashing with the challenge. “If my name is so important to you now, Celsus, then you better ask nicely. Maybe get down on your knees. That would be nice, right?” he laughed, defiant in the face of this sweet knight who could hardly do anything to fight back when their positions were reversed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2016 3:49 pm
Crack.
There was no hesitation in the gesture. Celsus had snapped the whip in the blink of an eye, and the streaming tails of it whistled through the air towards the captain - not his face, not yet, but aimed in the direction of his shoulder and upper arm.
"Let's try this again," said Celsus tightly, fingers clenching a little tighter around the handle.
"I want to know your name and your particular position in the Negaverse."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 10:46 am
Jet was surprised when the knight reacted, the whip cutting across his shoulder and arm. He let out a yelp, followed by a hiss of pain. It took his breath away, even though he knew the strike hadn't been as bad as it could have been. Was the knight still holding back? Jet was sure there would be angry red welts under his shirt if he looked.
He told a few moments to catch his breath, and then let out a very quiet laugh, his mouth twisting once more into a grin.
"Is that the best you got?" he asked, pleased with himself when his voice was still steady. "If you want information, maybe you should get a notepad so you don't forget this time."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 5:50 pm
He let out a barking laugh that was halfway between an actual laugh and a rasping cough. Celsus coiled the whip back in, looping it around his fingers, and looked down at the young man in front of him, defiance etched in every line of the smug face.
"You're a cheeky little one, aren't you?" He asked lightly. "How very...noble."
The whip snapped again, this time at his other shoulder, a sickening crack echoing in the air and in Celsus' head.
"Maybe you should simply learn to curb that sharp tongue of yours."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 7:37 pm
If Jet could have willed himself not to cry out, he would have; however, when the whip cut across his other shoulder, this time tearing part of his shirt, he let out a pitiful scream, tears of anger and pain welling in his eyes. <******** you,” he gasped, teeth gnashed together as he glared up at the knight. “You’re all cowards. H-hiding behind your mask of self-defined justice.”
He could feel the sting across his shoulders and chest of the two strikes. Part of him wondered if this soft spoken knight would eventually snap.
“Tell me. When you get your information, do you intend on letting us go? Or would you be satisfied leaving us to rot in our own filth?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2016 9:07 am
What are you doing?
This isn't you.
Stop it.
Stop it. Walk away. Just leave.
Stop this.
Another barking, harsh laugh escaped him. "Well, if it isn't the pot calling the the kettle black," said Celsus, turning to face the captain once more. "Aren't you the cowardly ones? You, who pretend to be 'protecting the earth,' hiding behind the guise of being so noble, when really all you are is a group of cowardly misfits who lack intelligence."
Stop.
He crouched down in front of him, Celsus reaching out and pressing the whip to the underside of the captain's chin to raise his head.
"I remember your name, by the way," he said, in a rasping, hollow voice. "It took me a while to get it out of my mind, but I remember it now. And thank you, by the way, for being the one to call yourselves filth without me having to do it."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2016 11:44 am
Jet watched as the man moved closer to him, knelt in front of him, and used his whip to force his head up. Jet knew his eyes were wild with anger, and also fear, his heart pounding rapidly in his chest. But this knight's eyes were completely devoid of emotion, like he was beyond caring.
His first response was to try and jerk backwards, but he already had his head up against the wall. He couldn't have pushed away even if he wanted to.
Instead, Jet spit in Celsus's face, his sickeningly sweet aura too close for him to ignore.
"Lignite," he growled out the name, preparing himself for the repercussions of what he'd done. At this point, Jet wasn't entirely sure if this knight would snap or not.
"My brother. He was murdered in front of me! I joined to get justice for him because the senshi who killed him is still out there. Lignite wouldn't have hurt anyone, even though he was in the Negaverse! He was trying to make sure I didn't get hurt that night!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 10:49 pm
Up close like this, Celsus was only too aware of just how young this captain was. He had to be at least several years younger than himself; he would have guessed late teens, if he had to hazard; but it could have just been a trick of the light, the glamour, any number of things.
He did not back away from the spit, though he flinched at it automatically. Celsus closed his eyes briefly then lifted his free hand and wiped his face on his sleeve, his eyes opening slowly to rest on the captain's face again. His heartbeat was erratic in his chest, his head throbbing.
"So you hate all of us for the actions of one?" Celsus asked quietly. "How...pathetic."
Aren't you speaking more of yourself now? What a hypocrite you are.
He pressed the handle of the whip more firmly against the underside of the captain's jaw, Celsus ignoring the pain in his head.
"Are you sure you're not just mistaking revenge for justice?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2016 9:04 pm
Jet continued to glare, his heart still pounding, as celsus remained where he was. He was surprised the knight hadn’t retaliated yet, but he was ready for it. If only he could struggle away to get the whip out from under his chin — that would be nice.
“Do you really blame me for hating all of you after this?” he scoffed, still surprised that his voice was holding up in the face of this knight who obviously held the power. His shoulder and chest burned from being struck, but he wasn’t about to shrivel away, despite being terrified of this man.
“Does it even matter anymore what it is? You’re going to have us killed, aren’t you? So justice and revenge are just means to an end. Isn’t that why you’re doing this? Revenge?” he growled, not liking how his chin was being pushed back, so he tried to shake his head away from the whip, but wasn’t very successful.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2016 12:52 pm
Could he?
It was a question that was not wholly unexpected, yet it still sent a shiver ringing through Celsus. Someone's family member had died; had been murdered by one of their own, if what Jet was saying was correct. And he had every reason to be angry with them.
Or did he?
Celsus' thoughts swirled unpleasantly through his hazy, muddled mind.
"No," he said, after a brief moment. "No, it's not why this is being done. I don't - I'm not - I don't sink to revenge, I'm not one of you."
His voice was unsteady, not like his own. Wavering near the edges, as though Celsus was trying more to convince himself than anyone else, and another flinch passed across his face, even though Jet had not spit at him again, or done anything but state the truth.
Celsus stood and took a step back, shaking his head slowly, his chest feeling tight.
"I'm not like you at all."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 6:46 pm
Jet watched in confusion as the knight seemed to become even more unstable with his emotions, his glare easing just slightly as Celsus backed up.
Jet tried going over the things he’d said to cause such a reaction, but couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was. Did it have to do with the revenge? He couldn’t quite believe that his story about his brother got to him, even if it was the truth. He doubted the knight would believe him no matter what he said.
“Then what are you doing, keeping us like this?” he asked, his voice softer now, no longer seeing the need to yell now that Celsus seemed to be on the retreat. “If you’re nothing like us…?”
Jet hated feeling hopeful, but maybe this knight really was the pushover he was expecting him to be. It would be better for all of them if he was.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
