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 Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2023 12:42 pm
Normally, Faustite paid no attention to social media. Elex was a digital ghost, and Eion was a non-entity — someone who never existed but as a name on a list on a government website, or registered only where absolutely necessary. Eion Risk had a birth certificate and a government ID, no bank account and no interest in Facebook or Twitter or Instagram or Mastodon or anything else they'd drummed up for profiting off of other people's information. The only interest he'd spared in it was to ask Ren if his tech company had a hand in TikTok since it had gotten so adept at peddling information.
But his husbands had social media presences. Haru's was owing to his sister, but Waru's was probably born of some childlike wander and interest in getting involved, or a fear of missing out on what everyone else was talking about. Faustite never spoke to him about it, and only had tolerance for exactly two videos before he told Waru he was melting that phone into slag if he didn't put it away.
This time, however, Waru had something of interest to share. A personal interest to Faustite, for as he watched the grainy video that spanned only a few seconds, he made out what looked to be a flying snake youma. Luckily for him, the person behind the phone camera saw fit to include a street sign, so Faustite had a place to start looking. Better that he go looking sooner rather than later, too, for Destiny City's social butterflies had a habit of blowing up the #WeirdDog tag into something viral when videos like these happened.
He'd waited for his boy to drift off before he summoned enough stockpiled energy orbs to stay his youma side and afford him a trip to Destiny City. Even at that, his head spun and a misplaced wooziness worked its awy up into his throat for the simple act of teleporting. He'd still not healed enough from his foray with Cybele, nor had his shoulder felt completely recovered from Bloodstone's piss poor attitude.
His broken wrist, cracked ribs, and bruised body notwithstanding, however, he wanted to see that youma again. It had been an age since he saw the one that went by Quetzalcoatl, since their first mission into the Scar at that, but he saw it again on the tablet feeds during the second mission.
It was just a matter of finding the creature. He kept to the rooftops again, this time, loathe to encounter Cybele so soon after their prior encounter. It made for tediously slow travel from flat roof to flat roof when he continually had to pause, summon up enough energy for a running start, and try to make it across with enough strength in him to avoid eating wall.
Worse yet, it looked like it was going to rain.
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Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2023 6:19 pm
Lysithea had been following the youma for a while now. It wasn’t that she thought she could befriend it, but she…hoped that she could. Of course she hoped that she could. It didn’t seem as though it was…well. It didn’t seem as though it had the brain power to want to be saved but…that didn’t stop her…if worst came to the worst, she could always dust it and send it back to wherever it came from for a while.
It couldn’t do damage while it was there, only while it was in the city. And dusting wasn’t something that lasted. Which. Was a good thing.
Another strong aura flared in the area, and she turned towards it, her eyes narrowing slightly, debating if it were a good idea to just leave and to Hell with the Youma or she should engage…it could be that Ashanite that Monoceros was pining over…or.
With a sigh, Lysithea hopped across several rooftops, half…well. More than half hoping it was Faustite and when she saw the glow of what seemed to be a fire…she knew that she was in luck. Which.
Was it luck to see Faustite? Was it ever luck to see him?
Kind of. A little.
But. She was angry too, and blowing out an irritated breath through her nose, Lysithea called out. “Faustite! You and I need to talk. You’re in so much trouble, and I don’t mind telling you.”
Of course as she finally got to the Half Youma General, the sky decided to open up and the rain came pouring down, so with a curse, Lysithea did the only thing she could think of. The thing that she had started to just do every time she wanted a conversation with anyone.
Reaching out, she clamped her hand down on Faustite’s shoulder and took them both up to her Homeworld.
At least it was dry up there.
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Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2023 7:12 pm
Faustite had slowed to a stop at the epicenter of a hotel roof, feeling breathless and overheated. Even with wind picking up for the overcast blanket above, the reprieve had hardly helped for how hot he burned anymore. With each breath, he could feel flame creeping farther up his esophagus. He tasted smoke on his tongue. He felt sick to his stomach and lightheaded. Only energy and starseeds had been successful at chasing away his blistering exhaustion, and he was ever reticent to accept either one.
He considered it, however, as he lingered on that rooftop. A White Moon senshi had cropped up in his auric periphery; Faustite knew he wouldn't be difficult to spot right now. If he was to fight right now, he would have to suck it up and take energy that could've gone to Metallia —
But as he straightened up, he heard the voice. Recognized it, and his eyes rolled skyward for the admonishing tone. There she was, again, already on a rampage. Likely still pissed at him for trying to reduce Ilse to molten slag.
"Would still ******** kill her," Faustite began as he turned toward her. But as soon as he saw her approaching him, as soon as she touched him, the world had shifted. Dropped like a rollercoaster and Faustite felt his imaginary stomach lurch with it. Felt that subtle shift in gravity leave him woozy.
Violet grass. Thick, well-established trees. Skies clear as clarion.
Even in his weariness, Faustite felt his heart rate speed up as he took several stumbling steps away from her. His insistence from earlier long forgotten, his voice trembled as he spoke. "What are you doing."
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Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2023 5:28 pm
“Still ******** kill who? What?” Lysithea took a step away to look him over, and she didn’t like what she saw at all.
“Encke was right. You look like ******** hell. And what do you mean what am I doing? I’m getting us both out of the rain, and I’m going to do what I can for you while I have you and you can’t get away from me. Consider yourself kidnapped for the moment.”
Finally, Lysithea knelt down and sighed, drawing one of her large rubber bins over closer to the both of them and drawing out a bottle of water, thrusting it into Faustite’s hand. “I’m pissed at you for telling people that we were fighting? Encke said that you needed help and he was afraid to tell me because we hated one another. Were in a big spat. Or. Or whatever he said. But that was pretty much it, and I. God Fausite, I want to hit you. You ******** well know I could never hate you, and I’m pissed to hell you could ever think that you a*****e.”
Drawing in a long, shaking breath, Lysithea held a finger in the half youma’s face and shook it. “Now. What the Hell do you need? Have you had someone try to heal you?”
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Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2023 2:54 pm
He wasn't getting enough air. Like his lungs were full of water.
"Ilse," he'd got out on the exhale. Had she forgotten the parking garage? The way she'd shown up to Ilse's aid when he and Albite chased her?
Or was that a dream? His attention searched for the knife. Or was it a sword? Didn't matter — if he didn't find it, that would be that. Dead in seconds. No one to know. No one to notice, so many lightyears from home.
She'd handed him something — water, when he looked at it — but the plastic melted in his hand. The edges of his vision prickled with a surfeit of stars — entire galaxies waiting to subsume him. Yuuri had told him about this once. Explained what to do, but years had passed. What did he say?
Even when she shoved a finger in his face and he'd nearly fallen from backing up, she sounded distant. Like she was shouting across an ocean of static. Against the ebb and flow of his own choppy breathing. Doubling over, he coughed, something hoarse and wicked, full of smoke and carbonaceous plumes.
"Something's wrong," he choked out. "Can't breathe."
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Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2023 3:10 pm
Lysithea watched him, her expression growing darker and more worried. “Faustite.” This…wasn’t expected at all, and she didn’t like it. It looked like he was having a panic attack.
“Faustite, look at me.”
Reaching out again she put her hand against his cheek and then pulled it away swiftly, shaking it from the heat of him. “...What the hell. You’re worse off than I would have thought. Just. Look at me, Faustite. Look at me, little brother. You’re safe…Ilse doesn’t matter, no matter how angry I might get with you, I will always love you, I can’t turn that off. You’re my family. The only family that I remember, even if it wasn’t real. My heart wants it to be.”
Reaching down, she opened her music box, allowing the soft tune to play, hoping that would do something. Not for his physical symptoms but. It always calmed her down, and calmed down whoever else she had used it for.
“Lysithea Healing Horn.”
The magic was cast and even though he had no visible injuries…she hoped that it would provide some relief.Strickenized the music box can play a song that makes people feel calm when they listen to it (but it's fragile so it can only be used outside of battle and players determine what the effects are while they listen) Lysithea Healing Horn Lysithea calls her attack, and a slightly larger unicorn horn made of energy appears in her hand, this one being about a foot in length. She can use this to mend all minor and moderate injuries by placing the tip of the horn on her target. The injuries will rapidly patch themselves back together, causing them to fade to nothing. The energy horn fades after the cuts are healed. The injuries can take up to 25 seconds to heal and once she has cast her magic it cannot be interrupted. She can use this two times in battle.
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Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2023 5:25 pm
Her voice was on a radio played a room away from a room away from a room, and Faustite was looking down a tunnel that grew longer by the moment. He breathed as deep as he could, as fast as he could, but he was always just short of air.
Even if he was a fire hazard, Faustite finally had to sit among the purple grasses. Holding his head with one hand, he tried to focus on what she had said. Something about family. Something about Ilse and anger and love. He still hadn't found the knife.
Then there was an undercurrent, something he couldn't place, but when he thought about it, he could hear a faint melody over the static in his head. And as he kept listening for it, trying to pick out the tune, it slowly grew clearer. Chased away the dark in his vision. Resolved the cotton in his ears and gave him a way to retime his breathing. He couldn't place the tune — couldn't describe it or set a melody to it. Even as it played, and he watched it play, watched the fragile handle spin, the melody sounded like it was in his own head more than it was coming from the device. Whatever it did, it granted him clarity.
This wasn't a dusky, abandoned town that was stranded in the middle of a parched desert. There was no jail with its empty, yawning cells waiting to swallow up another prisoner. And Lysithea had no sword in hand that would double as a curio for a draconic friend. He felt like a fool for that.
A temporary discomfort bloomed in his chest as his ribs resettled, the inflammation cleared and the damage knit over anew. Little came of his left wrist, but that was to be expected from his experience with Lysithea's magic. It helped for being able to breath easier, however, and for clearing up the heat blisters and split skin and residual bruising.
"Thanks," Faustite said when he found voice enough to speak. "Past few world trips," he swallowed, "Didn't go well." She knew of his experience with the Saturn knight, but he hadn't spoken about Tanais. Didn't intend to, either.
Slowly he stood, feeling lightheaded but otherwise better than he had been for a solid month. "Said something about Encke, right?"
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Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2023 1:49 pm
“You’re welcome…yeah. Encke wanted to ask me if my court would help you out…said that your youma side was taking over or…something like that.” Lysithea didn’t know what to say about his past few world trips, but a sharp anger went through her at the thought. People hurting her brother.
…Fausting doing things that deserved him being hurt…
“Of course we’ll help you. But you truly have to want it, Faustite. There’s no simple way to just…yank the youma out and keep you a General…You’d become a Knight from all I know.”
Or maybe just a normal person. Either way, he’d be happier she thought. Hoped.
“You know that I’ll take you in. Even if you’ve done…awful things, you know that I’ll always take you in. I love you. With all of my heart.”
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Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2023 6:07 pm
There it was again. That assertion, heard from Encke and now Lysithea — he had to want to be rid of the chaos. Faustite wasn't sure if the necessity of it to continue being alive constituted enough of a want, but he thought it might. He wanted to live, so what was the difference?
Such thoughts were reserved for a later time as he felt exhaustion replace the adrenaline that Lysithea had quickly and expertly expelled. It was easier, then, to remain seated in thee grasses as he slowly examined what she was saying. He would be rid of the youma that burned him from the inside out, but he would likewise be a Knight. Whatever Knight Velvet was, if he had to guess. Whatever Wonder it was that he had glimpsed. That would be the chance he was inheriting, and that was —
Faustite sighed, smoke leaving his nose. Even her jab about what he'd done failed to shift his miserable mood.
"Think that's getting ahead of ourselves," he answered slowly. "Have to try this first, right? Make sure it works before you offer me somewhere to live?" He wasn't yet sure if he wanted it to work or not. He liked being himself, but if remaining who he was wasn't an option anymore, then could he take becoming a youma? Or was it better to lose his memories? The boys seemed to think purification was the more salvageable approach.
"If you're going to help me, then what happens next?"
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Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2023 6:14 pm
“What happens next is that we make a plan. Find a good time to do this, I talk with the rest of my court and let them know that we’re doing this, because I’m not losing you. That’s not an option for me.”
Perhaps she wouldn’t let Michel know, not until it was all over. He would worry too much, but that was neither here nor there and there was time to figure it out.
“When do you want to meet up again? When do you want this to happen, in your mind, when do you think would be best? Obviously the sooner the better but…”
s**t. If he were only ready, she would simply do it now. Run back and get her friends and then come back here and…and save him. They could all go home together but.
…it was never and would never be that easy.
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Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2023 6:25 pm
Faustite knew that youmafication implied some loss — there were pieces of a person that simply escaped when the starseed finally cracked under the pressure of chaos, and the resultant creature, no matter how sentient, lacked certain qualities that Faustite could not quite describe but could easily attribute to people. To humans. And, he supposed, that loss — however mild or severe — was enough of a change that it would be considered losing him. That's how Lysithea chose to see it. That was likely how many of his boys saw it, too.
As she spoke, Faustite looked at his hands. Her healing magic had abated some of the worse wounds, but he knew the improvement would not last; his youma side would inevitably breach his skin again or raise more welts and blisters all over his body. Nevertheless, he continued to stare at them.
He recalled Eion's hands. He wondered if he could stand to see those hands for the rest of his life.
He supposed, too, that he had always been partial to sentiment. It had guided so many of his decisions to this point; why not allow it one more? "April 23rd," he muttered softly. "Try it then." There was scant time between then and now, but perhaps the pressure of it would motivate him. Perhaps, just as well, he may not have more than that before the decision was made for him. At worst, he wouldn't make it that long, but then the deed would be done. There would be no cause for this impending date.
"Who else should I expect?" His attention lit on her again, recalling names and faces that had accumulated in the Database over time, but there were so few that he had personally associated with Lysithea. The Saturn Knight, then Malus, and… Could that be all she needed?
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Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2023 6:34 pm
“I can do April 23rd, that won’t be an issue, but I do want to see you again before that if you’re okay with that. I want to heal you up as much as I can…and as for who will be with me, it’ll be me and Malus, and a few others in the court. Maybe Ilse, I don’t know though. I have to see who’s willing to try…you…do tend to make enemies, little brother.”
It wasn’t quite a reproach, and she wanted to hug him. Wanted to stroke his hair and tell him that all would be well. Wanted to promise that she would save him…
“We’ll have to have power too, I…we...normally get help from Cosmos for the whole thing…but. We’ll see. We were able to do something without her not too long ago so…hopefully it’ll be the case this time too. But. Me and some other Senshi. Most of us are Eternals. We can do this. We’re…” Lysithea shrugged, grimacing. “...Kind of experienced? They are. I’m pretty good with the technical aspect.”
And she had done a purification of a Negaverse Senshi…but. That was neither here nor there.
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Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2023 6:44 pm
"Fine," he conceded. Seeing her wasn't likely to be a problem, as long as Faustite didn't run into a more violent senshi before he could meet with her. Seemed that he and Cybele had a habit of encountering one another; if he found her again, a broken wrist and butterfly bruises on his neck would hardly be the worst of his worries.
"Leave Ilse out of it. Don't want to hear her gloating," he grumbled bitterly. It was bad enough that they weren't able to kill her last time; having her attend something like this? Where he had to sever his ties to the Negaverse? Unforgivable.
"Can't do it here, though. There's…" Faustite exhaled slowly as he tried to piece together the proper words for his explanation. "Almost died on a Wonder before. Would've if I didn't have a rescue. Places like these — there's no out. No way back. No escape if one of your Court members decides to put me out." And he would have to rely on Lysithea to do something about it. Place his most basic survival in the hands of someone else, who had lived investment in the person who would be doing the killing.
"Could pick somewhere in the city instead. Anywhere." Didn't matter where.
But it wouldn't matter the venue if they didn't have the power to which Lysithea referred. "Whatever you can do." His attention lowered to his hands again. "Has to be done."
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Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2023 6:50 pm
“I don’t think I’d have the power to bring so many people up with me. So no, the Purification can’t be done up here, though…I’d rather that be the case. It’s so much safer up here.”
But, unless she wanted to reveal herself down in the city, she was stuck. And honestly, she wasn’t going to feel comfortable revealing herself until Faustite was truly sure that he wanted this. And said that he wanted it.
“It does have to be done. Be where we met today in two weeks, I will be bringing you back here, fair warning, but. It’ll only be to heal you and finish putting things together so we can make this as smooth as possible for you, okay? I promise you that I will never let you get hurt here, I won’t let you get killed up here, and…”
She brightened, holding her hand out to Faustite, ready to take him back to the city. “I hope that when you’re a Knight we can have lots of picnics up here together. I have so much that I want to show you!”
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