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 Posted: Sat May 28, 2016 1:28 pm
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Ashanite had expected to enjoy a trip to Whisler's Wonder, but not nearly as much as he'd ended up enjoying it. He was still grinning once they arrived back on Earth, readjusting some of the pieces of his uniform that had slipped.
"I loved it. It was incredible, Whisler," he said, genuinely. "I'm sorry you'll have to say goodbye, even if it's for the best cause possible." Because finally, it was time, months and months of work with Whisler culminating in this moment where he would finally be able to bring his beautiful, sparkling Knight back to the Negaverse where he belonged.
He called his communicator to his hand, turning it over between his fingers. "Do you want me to call, now? Or do you need a moment?" He was eager, eager to finish this, to show his worth to the new General-Kings and General-Queen, to prove once again that Laurelite's faith in him was not misplaced, but he didn't want to press too hard and make Whisler run.
Not that he would get far, but really, it was best to make this easier on everyone.
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2016 6:09 pm
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Ashanite was very still for a moment. This was dangerous, this sounded like second thoughts, and he absolutely could not let Whisler back out of this. Would not let Whisler back out of this; Whisler was supposed to be his.
"You can do this," he reached out to take Whisler's hand, an assurance, "you can do this, and we'll find your Newgrange, and we;ll bring him over too, and we'll all be happy."
Surely that was how it would work.
He held up the communication crystal, not wanting to waste any more time. "This is General Ashanite, requesting the assistance of a General-King or General-Queen in bringing a former officer back into the fold." He gave their location, and then waited. It would only be a matter of time. Everything was going to be fine.
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2016 6:20 pm
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It felt like his heart stopped beating for a good half minute or so. Whisler felt Ashanite’s hand on his, and heard him speaking into that damned crystal, but apart from that, it felt like he was in slow motion, or stopped…or drowning. Maybe drowning was the right word. He…he could do this. Yes. He could do this. It was just going home. He was…just…
Going home.
The knight tried to draw in a breath, but it didn’t feel like it was even going to his lungs. He tried again, only managing a shallow gasp. He had to get out of here. Had to run…wanted to run, wanted to hide. Wanted to go back up to Whisler and bury himself in the snow…
His hand gripped Ashanite’s tightly and he finally looked at the General, his face white. Half was terror, and the other half…well, maybe that had something to do with his not being able to draw in a full breath.
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2016 6:39 pm
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It took Axinite only a moment to arrive, and when he did it was with a calm expression. He hastened to insist, "I apologize for the delay. I had some loose ends to tie up." But that aside, he turned to the Knight in front of them and offered a tight, sympathetic smile.
It had not taken him long to assess the scene; they were holding hands. This was not a forced corruption, there was no fighting going on. But the Knight looked afraid.
And he should have been—if they were enemies. But they were allies—before, apparently, and soon they would be allies again.
"Good evening," he said to the pair, though his eyes were on Whisler. "You look a little shaken, do you need to sit down for a moment? I understand if you need to catch your breath." He gestured towards the ground, as if it were a suitable resting place. "…Or if you'd rather me just make this quick?"
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2016 7:02 pm
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Whisler had closed his eyes, and finally managed a nice, deep breath when he heard a new voice. A different voice. His eyes snapped open and he stared, horror plain on his face at…well. At a General King. Or so he figured. The figure felt terribly strong and for a moment, Whisler was quite sure that he was going to keel over right there. Wouldn’t that be an easy corruption for him? A limp, lifeless knight being brought back home. Pathetic.
Trembling slightly, Whisler finally pulled his hand from Ashanite’s. “H-How do you do. I’m Wh…” He paused, closing his eyes for another second and steeling his thoughts, his emotions. His fears. “I am Mariposite. Or I was, before I suppose I made a stupid mistake and defected from the great r-ranks of the Negaverse.” Well, he hadn’t been able to stop the tremble from his voice completely, but he had done a fine job in trying to.
“I am ready to atone for my m-mistakes and would like to come back home. Please. Sir.” He held his hand out to the General King, hoping that his plea would spare him from any…well. Any real pain.
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Posted: Sun May 29, 2016 8:58 am
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Axinite seemed to be judging the man, trying to find the merit in his words. Finally, he nodded. A live soldier was better than a dead one, especially if they had information from the enemy. He had to debate for a moment if he should try to ask for information now or risk losing it in the corruption.
Ultimately, he wasn't sure the Knight was going to last on the spot, and he wanted to do this while the Knight still wanted to. Before he flaked out, and lost more of his memories in the corruption.
"Mariposite, then. It is my pleasure and my honor to welcome you home. Take a deep breath," Axinite instructed; he had done this many times before. He placed one hand on Whisler's shoulder to steady him, gave him a reassuring squeeze, and then placed his hand on the man's chest. He gave him a moment to take the breath, to prepare himself—and then he pushed his hand in, reaching for the starseed.
Chaos was already bubbling from him; he wasn't wasting any time.
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Posted: Mon May 30, 2016 12:51 pm
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When Axinite’s hand had slid into his chest, Whisler yelped, though fell quiet a moment later. This was okay. He wanted this. He knight was still trembling slightly, though his eyes slid closed after just a moment.
This was okay.
He wanted this. He was going home.
Home.
The very thought stirred up something within him, something warm and wonderful and bright and…perfect.
It felt as though time was slowing, ceasing to exist. As though this moment…these thoughts would last forever. Arias…Snowball…people who loved him and cared about him and would be heartbroken and devastated at what he was doing…giving himself to chaos. And his wonder…he saw again the smiling, laughing face of the black haired woman…the old knight of Whisler, he was sure. Thought of her standing at the hot spring, flushed with pride at how her wonder was flourishing. How his wonder was flourishing.
How it could flourish again.
The chaos was seeping into him, he could feel it, slowly ravaging all of him that was good. That was still wanting to be good. Like lava, burning up everything that he was. Everything that he could be. His eyes half heartedly opened, and the figure of the General King was fuzzy, as though he was losing consciousness. There was pain everywhere. Every inch of him burned.
Idly, his mind continued to drift, finally going back to the hot spring up on Whisler. It was so nice…so…comforting, warm and lovely, a balm from the cold, harsh snow that was outside…
He would miss that the most, he figured. The most out of anything…
Whisler’s mind supplied the words, the words that his starseed seemed to be begging to hear. The words that had to be thought. Before it was too late. 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. He thought it once. Twice. Three times. And again he saw the smiling woman, laughing at something someone said to her, though now, it seemed as though she was smiling at him. Proud of him.
Yes. She was proud.
From his lips though, from his lips came none of his internal joy, none of his internal relief, just a one word, strong and sure and full of confidence.
“No.”
At once, his starseed glowed, fighting back the lava, fighting the burning…fighting everything. The General King’s hand was no longer welcome in his chest—nobody’s hand was welcome in his chest. Not ever again.
Snowflakes had begun to glow on the back of his hands and one of his cheeks. His tie to his wonder was stronger than any wave of chaos. Stronger than any poison that chaos might try to fill him with.
He was Whisler, and he was damn proud of it.
“No. I’m not going. No, you can’t make me go back. I refuse. I’m sorry.”
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Posted: Mon May 30, 2016 1:10 pm
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Ashanite held his breath, waiting for the inevitable sweeping aura shift from Order to Chaos, waiting for Whisler to be remade into Mariposite.
That was not what happened.
He withdrew his hand as if burned as bright blue markings painted themselves on Whisler's skin, feeling a mounting sense of horror.
"No," he said, very quietly, and then louder, "no," and he started moving away from Whisler, betrayal written all over his face.
This was his fault - he had been too hopeful, too lenient; letting Whisler go back to his Wonder one last time had clearly been a mistake. And now Whisler was bound by the same terrible, permanent chains that had locked Ploutonion to his Wonder in his nightmares of a terrible future.
Whisler, he suspected, would not consider them chains.
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Posted: Mon May 30, 2016 2:10 pm
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Axinite's eyes flashed and he retracted his hand quickly as a strange sting shot from his fingertips. The pain was short lived and he took an equally short time to assess the situation and determine a course of action.
"That was a poor choice, Knight," the General King said quickly, and while his face was impassive, he swung his hand quickly. A large battle axe appeared immediately, and he wielded it with a precision that denoted his lithe frame. He raised it above his head and tried to slam it down atop the Knight.
The weapon's blade might have had a crack in it, but when Axinite swung it, it sounded like it could cut through anything.
There was a buzzing in the air; the entire mood had changed in an instant. Danger and hostility permeated, and Axinite was not going to take prisoners.
There was no hope for a Transcended Knight—none that he knew of, at least.
His goal was still the same: remove Whisler from the Knight faction. Only, now there would be blood involved.
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Posted: Mon May 30, 2016 3:47 pm
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Whisler blinked, turning to look at Ashanite and frowning just slightly. “I…I am sorry I just…” The General King’s words registered in his mind, and his weapon was out in a flash, and he was spinning it above his head, forcing those of chaos away from him. Part of him wanted to grab Ashanite and hold on, wanted to get him alone and apologize and let him know that he hadn’t meant for this to happen…but his magic affected the General as well as the General King.
He drew back, stepping quickly.
What could he do? Could he outrun them? He knew that they could teleport…the General King’s sudden appearance was proof enough of that…but he had to get away. Had to get someplace safe.
Idly, he ran his thumb over the end of his weapon and wondered…
Could he get back to Whisler? He had only been there a few hours before…but something in him made it seem like he could get back there. Well. It was worth a try.
With one last, half longing, have terribly sad look at Ashanite, the newly transcended knight murmured the phrase to get back to his wonder…and to his shock and surprise.
He went. He was safe. Once more safe on his beloved mountain. In his beloved hot spring.
It had never looked better.
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Posted: Mon May 30, 2016 10:14 pm
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Ashanite's weapon came to his hand as easy as breathing, and he started to move back, to get behind Whisler and block his escape, because General-King Axinite's orders, even without being said, were fairly clear. Whisler had to be stopped, could not be allowed to leave as a Transcended soldier on Order's side of the war.
It was unfortunate, but the Knight had made his choice, had chosen Order and his Wonder over the Negaverse, and over Ashanite.
And then Whisler's magic activated, just like it had at his corruption, and he was stopped in his tracks, pushed back and away.
"You're sorry?" He snarled, and he had a thousand more words for Whisler, a thousand more angry rejections, but Whisler gave him that terribly sad look, and then he was gone.
Ashanite felt himself shaking with barely suppressed rage.
"General-King Axinite, sir," he said, and he didn't bother attempting to justify himself - he had no idea that would happen, but saying so would mean little, "I promise I will ensure former agent Mariposite is eliminated. Personally." It was the only way, as far as Ashanite was concerned, to make up for, apparently, being the tipping point in making Whisler Transcend.
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