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 Posted: Sun May 15, 2016 7:17 pm
The week had been long. Way too long, to be honest. Too many things had happened. And one thing still hadn’t happened. He had given up the starseed that Ashanite had given him…punched some poor senshi in the face…yet Arias still hadn’t spoken to him. They hadn’t worked things out…he…he hadn’t…fixed things.
Whisler was waiting at the spot where he had last see Ashanite. Waiting to take the General up to his wonder. Waiting to just…get on with it already. He had written a note to himself which had his apartment address on it…just in case he lost his memories again, and made sure to have his debit cards and all of his id’s with him…just so he could get his money out…since he was pretty sure he’d have to become someone new once again.
All of these things were safely in the pocket of Nick Foley…but right now he was just Whisler. And he was just waiting. Waiting for Ashanite. He had a bag beside him with a few blankets and some snacks inside of it, preparing to stay at least for the night on his wonder…
It was just time to go.
Now…where was that general?
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Posted: Mon May 16, 2016 2:53 pm
Now that teleportation was so much easier, it was a rare thing that Ashanite simply walked somewhere when he could appear. (Frankly, if he could have figured out a way to add special effects to his teleportation, he probably would have. Everything was so much better with a little dramatic smoke.)
So he appeared a few feet from Whisler, a broad smile on his face, and casually adjusted his cape as he walked over.
"Good evening, darling," he practically purred, stepping over to Whisler. "I'm so excited to see your Wonder, if it's half as beautiful as its Knight."
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Posted: Mon May 16, 2016 4:24 pm
Whisler didn’t jump, no, he had felt the energy signature before hearing the General speak…and the feeling of the darkness that surrounded a general, well. It felt as good, if not better than that of his own side. It eased the pain in his chest, and made him feel right. Made him feel home. Slowly the knight turned and smiled at Ashanite, holding out a hand and touching the blue haired Generals’ face. “And how are you tonight? You’re the only good thing about this week so far, let me tell you. It’s been absolute s**t . Newgrange hasn’t bothered to speak to me…and there was this stupid little knight…and she took the starseed you gave me…she said she was going to give it back to the cauldron.”
He pushed himself closer to the general and sighed, breathing in his smell. “I just want to go with you. I just want to come home…We…we could skip going to my wonder and you could just call whoever you need to call…I can be yours in fifteen minutes…” Whisler turned his gaze to meet Ashanites and he looked rather pathetic. “Please…?”
But…there was a part of him that knew he would miss this place…knew he would be upset if he didn’t see it again…but that was the part that told him this was all a bad idea. Red flags everywhere…that he was making a mistake.
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Posted: Mon May 16, 2016 6:35 pm
Ashanite reached out to rest a hand behind Whisler's neck, pulling them just a little closer together. "I'm so sorry you've had such a terrible week, darling," he said, and he even laced sincere-sounding layers of regret into his voice. "Mine has been quiet, mostly - and full of anticipation. I'm so glad to see you again." He was a bit annoyed his gift to Whisler had been stolen, by some do-gooder, but there was nothing to be done.
He would shower his Knight with plenty more gifts once he was an officer again.
He tried not to look too eager at Whisler's new offer, an even better one than before. "It's up to you, this is a big decision, and as much as I want you at my side, I don't want to pressure you." Let him have the illusion of choice. He would be Chaos in the end.
"I want to see your Wonder, but I will be just as happy to bring one of the General-Sovereigns to bring you back home now."
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2016 3:52 pm
Whisler closed his eyes, savoring the closeness he had with the general…it was so nice. The warmth of an embrace…the feeling of being cared about…being wanted.
It was intoxicating. He wanted to see Whislers Wonder…there was no way he could let Ashanite down…that would be the worst thing ever if he let the general down. Let his general down. A small smile formed on the knights face as he thought that. Perhaps tomorrow he would be back on the right side of this…the side that would win. The side that had all of the best chances to win.
“I can’t let you down, Ashanite. I just can’t. We can go to my wonder..I have blankets and some food for us, so it should be a nice night…” Whisler slid his hand down, lacing fingers with Ashanite. “I’m ready, and I hope you are…hold tight to me, now…”
He let his eyes close again, drawing in a breath and letting the words flow from him, causing a nice warmth to fill him, one that had nothing to do with the small bit of chaos that still resided in is chest…one that was the exact opposite. “I pledge my life and loyalty to Polaris and to Whisler. I humbly request your aid, so that in return I may give you mine.” The words came so much easier now, something that he enjoyed saying, rather than something that he had to think about.
As though he really were meant to go up to his wonder.
When he opened his eyes, he was there, and it was just as he left it. The building, with the bubbling hot springs at his feet. “Ah. Welcome, Ashanite. Welcome to Whisler…this is the main building from what I saw…I fixed the springs…they’re lovely.”
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Posted: Wed May 18, 2016 5:16 pm
Ashanite smiled broadly, and leaned in to place a brief kiss on Whisler's lips. "That's perfect, darling. A short visit, let me see this beautiful place protected by such a gorgeous knight, and then we'll go back and you can come back home."
Make sure that was how Whisler thought of it. Home. This was the last stage, the part he had to ensure was absolutely perfect, so that he got to keep as much of Whisler as possible. He hated the idea of another forced corruption, of seeing his memory completely ravaged the way Victoria's had been.
He held on, letting himself be swept off to Whisler's Wonder.
"Oh," he stepped away, briefly, turning around to get a good look. It was cold, but he was able to ignore that for the moment, too caught up in the beauty of the place. "This really is a winter wonderland. And hot springs?" He smiled, broadly, genuinely. "I'm so glad all of space isn't like Saturn, Saturn is so terribly grim."
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Posted: Wed May 18, 2016 5:46 pm
“Isn’t it? Wait until we actually go outside…it’s even colder and even more beautiful…” The knight beamed, his whole face lighting up. “I love it up here…I feel so…so whole…it’s like I can breathe up here…” He didn’t hurt when he was up here. The monster in his chest was gone and he really did feel free from his worries…
“You know, maybe I should just pack food and stuff and move up here, that might be better for me in the long run. I can fix these buildings up, don’t you think? And the springs will always feel wonderful…” It was as though being up here cleared all of the chaos from his thoughts, all of the worry from his thoughts. Being up at his Wonder was just what the doctor ordered…now if only he would shut up and listen to the prescription.
“What was Saturn like? That’s what you were a knight of, right? I take it you didn’t have a hot spring?”
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Posted: Wed May 18, 2016 9:42 pm
Ashanite sighed faintly. Whisler's affection for his Wonder was something of a tragedy, as far as he was concerned; it was a beautiful place, certainly, and a potential place of solace, but t also might be a stumbling block.
Still, he had to remind himself that Whisler had agreed to corrupt. They would spend some time here, go back to Earth, and he would have Whisler as an officer.
"I think if there was a Wonder worth living on, it would be this one," he acknowledged, "but I would so much rather have you back on Earth. How would we ever see each other, if you moved up here?" He laughed, a little, but he was definitely serious. Briefly, he bit the inside of his cheek, considering Whisler's question about Saturn.
"I've been to a few Wonders, and every one seemed to have this...clinging attachment to death. Mine was a cathedral with extensive catacombs clearly used for burials, another was in a swamp filled with corpses, the third was a mountain covered in bones. Nowhere I would want to live, at all."
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 5:05 pm
“Oh.” The news about the Saturn Wonders was…interesting. Really morbid, but interesting all the same. He hadn’t really met any knights of Saturn that he could recall off the top of his head, so the news that the wonders were all death flavored…was kind of gross. “Well…I’m pretty glad I was a knight of Polaris then, and not one of Saturn.” Violet eyes looked around the room and he hesitated. “Well…what is it that you want to see of my Wonder? I’ve never actually been to another Wonder so…this is all I can compare it to, and it’s difficult to compare what you have to…um…what you…have…?”
That thought had really gotten jumbled somewhere between his brain and his lips and the knight gave a little, almost nervous laugh and shrugged. “So, besides all that…Ash…what’s it like being corrupted? I mean, I guess in my case re-corrupted…since I’m…well…a traitor…Do you think they’ll think too badly of me for that…? I don’t know why I left in the first place so…” He really might have been having doubts. Maybe being at someone’s wonder made doubts more pronounced. “I’m…almost afraid.”
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Posted: Fri May 20, 2016 5:38 pm
Ashanite laughed a little. "I might have liked another planet, myself; something less...grim." He rested a hand on Whisler's arm. "Just show me as much as you can. The springs, the snow, everything." He squeezed Whisler's arm gently, a form of encouragement.
He leaned over. "It's not so bad, really. It was worse, at first, because I fought it tooth and nail. I didn't wan to be there, and so I wouldn't let myself see all the good things the Negaverse was giving me." He frowned, slightly. "I think what will matter far more than your previous mistakes is your choice, now, to come back. We all make mistakes, but the Negaverse can be forgiving, darling."
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Posted: Fri May 20, 2016 8:06 pm
Whisler put a hand on top of Ashanite’s and stroked the general’s fingers. “Well, if you think so, I hope they are as great as you say…” For a moment, the knight felt a deep, terrible sense of sadness. This general…he was gone. The knight he had been…was really gone. Obliterated by the chaos within…there really was no more Ploutonion…it was all Ashanite…and that was the way the general liked it. For another moment, it felt like ice had slipped into his veins. What if he had never really wanted to be saved in the first place.
No. No that was a stupid thought. A stupid thought that was only happening because he was here at his Wonder and…
And was thinking clearly.
The knight let out a sharp breath and squeezed Ashanite’s hand, almost too tightly. “All right, let’s take a nice look around then…like I said, I have blankets, so why don’t you wrap up in one of them before we go outside…and when we come back in, we can have a nice dip in the spring…and just…you know, talk.” It seemed nice enough to him. And maybe…maybe he could once more try to be subtle about it…and bring Ploutonion back…maybe. Doubtful…but maybe. Regardless, he gave a smile and pulled a blanket out of the bag, handing it to the General. “I’m ready when you are.”
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Posted: Fri May 20, 2016 8:56 pm
Ashanite turned his hand so that he could twine his fingers with Whisler's, giving him a warm smile. "They are, I promise," he said. "They'll welcome you back. I'll make sure of it," as if he could make that promise - but he intended to keep it. He would protect Whisler with everything he had, and keep him at his side, and make sure that he had the best possible welcome back to the Negaverse.
"A blanket sounds like an excellent idea," Ashanite said, and he laughed just a little, glancing down at his outfit. definitely not built for Polaris, or for anywhere but a very warm summer night on Earth. "And so does a dip in the spring, after we're done. Thank you for this, Whisler." He said, and he meant it. "I may feel safer and stronger in the Negaverse than I did as a Knight, but I would give anything to have even my own Wonder back again. Thank you for letting me visit yours, if only for a bit."
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Posted: Fri May 20, 2016 9:14 pm
The knight chuckled and nodded, standing and getting ready to give Ashanite a grand tour of everything he knew about this wonder so far. Maybe, just maybe it would be enough.
And if it wasn’t enough for Ashanite…he had to make sure it was enough for him. Because in the end…it was Whisler who had to matter most to himself. That was something he had to learn, and perhaps learn fast.
The night was young, though, and he was planning on enjoying every moment.
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