|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2024 8:37 pm
Quote: Summer Bugs (8 ) : Last year, one of Destiny City’s historic trees came to life after a lengthy hibernation, and it is livelier than ever. And, thankfully, mostly devoid of strange pods. Unlike the brown, soccer-ball sized pods from last year, these are all small and rarely larger than a tennis ball. The downside is that they have also been found in small clusters in surrounding trees as well. Sometimes, the hard-shelled pods tremble and twitch. Sometimes they split open and an angry cicada crawls out. The pods leak a strange, acidic sap that is strong enough to cause skin agitation–and in some cases there are even reports that it’s burned through wood or fabric. The cicadas are covered in it. Unlike the last generation, these cannot spit acid but it is still incredibly unpleasant to come into contact with them. They are food oriented and will come after everything they think can be eaten–food, clothes, hair. They are little more than a nuisance and never seem to stick around for more than a few days. Maybe it’s a sign that nature is healing–or maybe it’s a sign that there’s still something worse to come.
“There’s one over here!” Laon shouted, kicking the tennis-ball sized cicada that he’d chased into the-tree line after it and several others had flown into their dinner. He and Orien had been sitting at a park bench under a streetlight, enjoying the takeout they’d gotten after a long day at work. They probably could have had enough leftovers for at least another good meal tomorrow but the bugs had sabotaged them–and tried to chew through Kaelan’s sweater. He’d powered up immediately but food was already ruined.
He didn’t try to stop Orien when he powered up to take revenge. The food was left discarded on the bench. They’d crushed two of the bugs but the rest of the group was trying to flee. Poorly. They made a lot of noise, so it was easy to track them down.
They’d caused a lot of problems last year, and Kalean didn’t know much about bugs but he knew that they were not part of the natural ecosystem–and that made them dangerous.
Better to stomp them out now and save themselves trouble again next summer.
And the food! It was good! He’d been looking forward to those leftovers!
The cicada he kicked slammed into a tree but it looked like it had been stunned, not killed.
Laon leapt over the bush to finish it off. He could still see Arawn going after one of the others. There had to be another cicada close, he could hear it buzzing, and–
It didn’t really occur to him that it might be stuck in his hair and trying to burrow to safety. He was too focused on the one he could see.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2024 8:44 pm
Arawn was furious. They could have had another whole meal from what was leftover, and these damn bugs decided to ruin that.
He was proud of Laon for being fast on his feet and going after these horrible little things, and pleased that he hadn’t been stopped. He’d already fired off one of his magic attacks in the hopes of rounding up what was left of the bugs that were trying to escape.
What he hadn’t expected was a giant a** cat to launch itself at him.
He let out a howl of anguish claws dug into his arm, but he knew it would have been a lot worse if he hadn’t had the metal bracers on as well. <********>, what the hell??” he spat and hissed and growled, already clasping at his upper arm where there was absolutely already blood. In Lucien’s defense (he would claim for himself), he hadn’t known what was going on. He’d been hunting those horrible little bugs that made his ears feel like they were going to fall off, when suddenly he was surrounded by darkness and eyes, and he honestly believed there was a threat beyond his ability to handle.
If he wasn’t so concerned about not being able to get to safety after, he would have shot his forehead beam at the Chaotic energy.
He was fluffed and tail down, ears back as he hissed at the man. A completely primal response that he would have been embarrassed about had anyone who knew him had been around.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2024 8:45 pm
Laon turned sharply at the first sound of Arawn in distress. He was moving towards him even before he had processed what was even latched onto the other Dark Mirror Senshi.
It wouldn’t have mattered if it was a tiger, Laon wouldn’t have stopped until he got it off.
“Arawn!” he blurted, unable to contain himself. It was like he had to announce that was there and ready to help.
A cat was attacking Arawn but he didn’t realize it was a Mauvian until he had thrown himself in front of Arawn. “What’s your problem?” he barked, but he’d already half turned away from the Mauvian so he could look at Arawn’s arm. “--Is it bad? I have a first aid kit.”
That he probably shouldn’t be thinking about this very second but he didn’t care about bugs at all if Arawn was hurt and being attacked. Where had the Mauvian even come from? What was he doing out here? Why was the universe trying to ruin their time together.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2024 10:50 am
There had been so many strange things going on in the city lately that Lucien wasn’t entirely sure what he should be concerned about and what was expected. The people went about their lives as if it were normal, and maybe it was. Maybe he just wasn’t used to everything yet.
“I was attacked first. I merely acted in self defense,” Lucien huffed and snarled in return as he leapt away from the tossed branch. “If your actions were innocent, they were used to the extreme if you were truly chasing those horrid creatures.”
He did acknowledge that there were things at play that he didn’t understand or that he might have interpreted incorrectly, but he was sincere in his attempt at protecting himself from what was -- and continues to be -- a threat.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2024 10:51 am
“Arawn! Focus on me, it’s just a cat!”
Laon was trying desperately to keep a good grip on Arawn’s arm to look at it but there was too much fabric in the way, even after the Mauvian had slashed at it. He hooked his fingers in the fabric and tore it away from Arawn’s arm. The uniform would repair itself, he just needed to make sure Arawn wasn’t going to bleed out or get an infection or something.
Except, he saw all the blood and his mouth was suddenly dry. Being dizzy wasn’t going to do anyone any favors so he hastily pulled out the first aid kit.
How did a cat do so much damage in such a short period of time?
Frustrated, and worried, he half turned to the Mauvian as he fumbled to open the first aid kit. “We weren’t attacking you. What do you mean if our actions were innocent? If we were chasing–of course we were chasing them? I’m not going after it now, it’s fine. I don’t care if someone else gets hurt anymore.”
He was talking too quickly and his voice sounded just slightly panicky. Of course he cared if someone got hurt. He just cared about Arawn more. He opened the first aid kit, nearly spilled it, and had to hold it tightly with both hands and breathe.
He was just going to get Arawn worked up if he didn’t calm down.
“You can go take care of it yourself, leave us alone,” he muttered, finally securing an alcohol wipe so he could try and wipe away the blood enough to see what he needed to do to help Arawn. Assuming he could stay still enough for long enough to let him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2024 10:52 am
He absolutely would not hold still until he’d chased off that little beast of a Mauvian. <******** you, you little piece of--” he barked, pushing against Laon, not to get him to move away from him, but to make sure he was farther away from the Mauvian than himself.
He wasn’t so blinded by rage that he didn’t notice how worked up Laon was over the fact that Arawn was worked up. He was angry that this cat had caused so much trouble in the first place.
“Go ******** off to the White Moon,” he snarled, still taking a few steps towards the Mauvian, but within reach of Laon.
Lucien hissed again, his back arched as the mirror corrupted Senshi moved towards him.
“You align yourself with Chaos. You cannot expect anyone to truly believe your intentions are pure,” he insisted. He wasn’t going to be tricked into thinking that there was good in those who willingly allied themselves with destructive forces.
It was a shame, too. Both of these Senshi seemed to be quite capable. One seemed more nurturing and the other fierce. Both protective of each other.
For all of the good things Lucien’s awakening had brought, such as his reunion with his bonded, and being taken in by his bonded’s family, he learned there was so much that took place both after he was put into stasis and now that he was on Earth.
There was no haven for any of them. With the Negaverse trying to destroy everything, all they could do was fight to keep Chaos from becoming too powerful.
Whatever this dark mirror was, he couldn’t afford to become complacent.
There was also very little that he knew about the dark mirror. Something he would surely have to research. And for Senshi to be involved must have meant there were also Mauvians awakening them.
Which meant… there were Mauvians who were corrupted as well. The thought sickened him, but he took a cautious step back.
“You would be wise to stay away from any Senshi or Knights,” he warned. He didn’t want his bonded’s son or his friends to get involved with the wrong people. But it seemed as though the two were going to figure out what to do about the scratch he delivered. Very well, he could retreat for now. Hopefully find out where those bugs went to so he could crush them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2024 12:40 pm
Laon had to remind himself that Arawn wasn’t pushing away because he was mad at him, or because he wanted any distance, but there was still a split second of needling doubt. His walls were down because he was worried. Arawn was bleeding and was still driving himself so hard.
And the Mauvian was unrelenting.
Laon was used to being judged, used to being misunderstood. He didn’t understand why it hit him so much harder now but he had to pull himself together because if Arawn saw him get emotional it was just going to make everything worse.
He returned to Arawn’s side immediately despite the attempt to put distance between him and the Mauvian, and when the full first aid kit became too much to handle, he dismissed most of it and kept only an alcohol wipe–which he had hastily torn open and was trying to clean up Arawn’s arm–some butterfly stitches, a small tube of neosporin, and a few oversized bandages.
He might be able to do something, if Arawn would just stop moving.
“Okay! Bye!” Laon said to the Mauvian, because he could trust himself to say that much without worrying his voice would crack. He didn’t ask, ‘Well why didn't you come awaken us’ because he didn’t want to hear that they weren’t good enough for the White Moon. He didn’t say, ‘Nobody believed me even before the Chaos’ because why would the Mauvian care? He didn’t say that he didn’t care if anyone believed if his intentions were pure or not because he did, he just didn’t want anyone to know how much it hurt.
Fine! They were with Chaos!
Thank you, Remarque! For giving them a job, and sending him to school, and making sure they were okay! What was the White Moon doing, anyway? Just siccing their cats on everyone? Of course they’d be wise to stay away from Senshi or Knights, he didn’t want anything to do with them! He wanted to gather his energy and help fix Mirrorspace, where they could go live and be away from all of this trouble!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2024 8:42 am
Arawn growled and snarled at the Mauvian as it retreated. He knew he should stay still for Laon. Laon was so sweet and trying to make sure he was okay, as always. It was difficult not to go after the cat, if only to make sure it would never attack Laon in the future.
But he could hear the distress in Laon’s voice, and he knew he was probably at his wits end.
Blood still boiling, he reached for Laon’s arm, since his hands were full of first aid supplies, and pulled him in the opposite direction of the Mauvian. They would get to mirrorspace, somewhere safe, and then Laon could look at his wounds.
Otherwise, Arawn might be tempted to go after the cat.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
