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 Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2021 5:45 pm
Thorite inhaled slowly, taking a deep breath, before letting it out just as slowly. He couldn't forget that he needed to breathe. Needed to ignore the instinct to hold it in as he slowly tracked a guy he'd seen harassing someone on the streets earlier. He wouldn't stand for that kind of thing, no way, no how. If he was going to have to bring a starseed to the Negaverse, he'd at least make sure it was someone who deserved it. He ignored the queasy feeling as he flipped the guy over his shoulder and slammed him into the ground, ignored the apprehension and sweat on his brow as he plunged his hand into the man's chest and ignored the shakiness of his fingers as he slowly withdrew the starseed. He'd done it. He was going to take this and prove he could do it. That he belonged in the Negaverse. No matter how much he had to ignore the cacophony in the back of his mind screaming at him to stop and ignore all the physical signs that something was terribly wrong with what he was doing. The man was just sleepy. That's all. Right. So focused on ignoring all that, he didn't notice the Order aura making its way over to him.
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Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2021 12:20 am
This was all very new for Carterhaugh, but there was one thing they understood about their new position as a Page: namely, that it was their job to protect people against the violence that the people apparently known as the "Negaverse" (what a name, truly) were willing to dish out.
Monsters that went bump in the night, like something out of a fairy tale. People who could reach into your chest and extract your soul, and leave you an empty, lifeless husk.
They would never forget the feeling of a woman in black's hand, sinking into their chest and squeezing the gem that sat at their core. It was horrifying, and they would gladly spare someone else the same fate, which was why, when they felt a Chaos aura, crackling and dark, they followed it--and, oh.
There was a body on the ground.
Carterhaugh swallowed, unhappily. Well, it was time to do the heroic thing, they supposed.
"Excuse me," they said, striding forward towards the Lieutenant. "I'd recommend you put that back, quickly."
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Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2021 12:29 am
Thorite startled a bit at the sound of the voice, looking up and glancing over at the person approaching. "Aw. How polite," he crooned, "I almost want to obey! Unfortunately, the people I work for are a lot scarier than you, little man." Ugh. That sounded terrible. Like, B-plot villain in a movie terrible. His wisp bobbed around him and chirped alarmingly. Sounding almost scared. It really did make Thorite want to just drop the seed and run. But a deeper part of him longed for punishment for his misdeeds, so he didn't.
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Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2021 12:53 am
Carterhaugh sighed, heavily, and reached down to gather up their skirts, not moving to attack just yet--no, that would come in a moment.
"Not a man, but good guess," they said, idly, as they pulled the skirts over and twisted them around each other, knotting them at the hip, turning a floor-length dress into something much shorter and easier to move in. "And I'm well aware that I'm not exactly terrifying. But that's alright, because I have quite a lot of determination."
They smiled, pleasantly, and strode forward. "Your little friend seems to agree with me that you should hand that starseed over and leave. But if you're going to make me resort to force, I won't hesitate."
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Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2021 12:57 am
Thorite blinked. "Ah, sorry," he said sincerely, finally standing up from his squat. His wisp gave another alarmed warble, buzzing around his head, and he sighed, taking it in hand and giving it a pet. "I can see that. But, again... The people I work for are far scarier. You?" Thorite looked them up and down. "You won't kill me. You'll beat me up, sure, which'll at least give me a weaksauce excuse as to why I don't have any starseeds again, but them? They kill. And I'm not interested in dying." He moved his wisp behind him, ignoring it's increasingly loud warbles. "Don't hesitate, honey."
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Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2021 1:20 am
"If we must," Carterhaugh said, and they tucked their silk rose--their alleged weapon, for all the good it did them right now--into their hair. There was no element of surprise here, but that was alright with them. It was more fun to face people head on anyway. "But it sounds like you need to find new people to work for, if they're going to kill you for failing to commit murder."
They were quick and light on their feet, anyway, even with the weight of their dress, and so they moved forward quickly, stopping and twisting into a kick aimed for the gut.
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Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2021 7:01 pm
Oh, how Thorite wished he could. But he doubted it was as easy as Caterhaugh flippantly said. He didn't need to be hunted down for leaving and tortured and all that. At least if he failed, they'd just get it over with quickly. The kick to the gut caught him and he tensed as he took the hit, kicking out his own leg to hit the ankle of the foot that still rested on the ground, hoping to get Caterhaugh off balance.
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2021 7:47 pm
This was exhausting, and also, honestly, depressing. Carterhaugh didn't like fighting someone who was barely fighting back, even with the little token attempts like kicking at his ankle. It felt so listless, so miserable, and while it did make contact and make them stumble a bit, they were able to right themself quickly and twist back.
There was no more room to talk, apparently, and so they aimed to grab the wrist of the hand holding the starseed. Nails dug in the right place would make him lose his grip, and then Carterhaugh could take it back, and maybe put the Lieutenant on the ground.
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Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2021 9:56 pm
Thorite stumbled when his kick didn't work out in his favor, then winced when a tendon in his wrist was squeezed and forced him to drop the starseed in his hand. Well, he was just. Packing it in tonight, then. His head clearly wasn't in the right place.
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Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2021 10:30 pm
Carterhaugh grinned, using the leverage of their grip to twist Thorite away, and then dove to recover the starseed. They cradled the precious gem close to their chest, and looked Thorite up and down, standing firm and tall.
"Go," they said, firmly. "And we can both forget this ever happened."
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Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2021 10:32 pm
"Fine by me," Thorite muttered, hunching his shoulders and sticking his hands in his pockets as he turned around. He just wanted all of it to stop, but there was no end in sight for him.
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