Summary:Spring finally makes good on his escape from Thorn of Night's clutches, and drags the Abyssal back with him.
XP:S1
Tags:< I Only Said It Was Dangerous | Sol Invictus Logs | A Great Lie >
Spring The time elapsed between Kai's visits has been slowly diminishing, until Kai now comes to visit nearly every day. With the delicate work finally complete, Spring calmly awaits her last visit to his cell.
ThornOfNight The door opens with a loud thunk and Thorn of Night strides in, her two swords dripping a sort of purple ichor as she smoothly flicks each in order to clean them, then sheathes them in a practiced cross-arms motion. She strides over to the cage where Spring is locked and rattles the bars with the soulsteel bracer on her right arm.
Spring "Good morning, Kai Buckthorn."
ThornOfNight Thorn snarls in practiced irritation at Spring's assertion. "Good morning, Thirteen Blooming Flowers," she says.
Spring "And how are you today?"
ThornOfNight "Doing as is necessary," she says, stepping back away from the cell for a moment. "Things are going according to plan."
Spring "Oh, yes? And what is your plan?"
ThornOfNight shakes her head. "To bring about the end of all things." She looks at the gate. "Compared to yesterday, there are fewer things to bring an end to."
Spring "Mm."
Spring "Lacks tactical nuance."
ThornOfNight taps the black sunburst brand on her forehead. "Lacks tactical aptitude."
Spring "Oh, come now. Some of our greatest generals were Dawns."
ThornOfNight "Certainly. We are better at hitting things, and having others hit for us." As if to demonstrate, she kicks a nearby box, which explodes into flinders.
Spring "Pivot off your instep."
Spring "Who does make the plans around here, then?"
ThornOfNight "I think I've been around long enough not to fall for that one," she says, and taps on the bars again.
Spring "Do you have anything to eat?"
ThornOfNight thinks for a moment, then finally moves over to a spot around the corner, where Spring can hear her rummaging.
ThornOfNight After a few moments, her voice sounds out, irritated: "Why is there nothing but oranges here?"
Spring "Ah."
Spring "I have a friend who has an especial fondness for oranges."
ThornOfNight comes back over to the bars, holding a basket with three oranges. She tips it so that they roll into Spring's cell. "There."
Spring "Thank you."
Spring idly weighs them in his hand for a moment, then begins to unpeel one.
Spring "How are you feeling, Thorn?"
ThornOfNight steps back a little. "I'm feeling fine," she says, curtly. A quick sensory examination of her behavior, however, seems to indicate to Spring that she is not being entirely forthcoming.
Spring "I am a little worried about you."
ThornOfNight steps back, her stance a little unsteady compared to a moment before. "You are my enemy," she says, her voice sounding a little hoarse. "You feign concern for your own gain. That's different."
Spring "I am a Prince of Creation. I care for all living things. And you, Kai, are still a living thing."
Spring "Do not worry. I will save you."
Spring begins unpeeling the second orange.
ThornOfNight staggers forward and grabs the bars, even as oddly milky sweat runs down her oddly pale face. "What... did..."
Spring "You spend too much time with your captives, Thorn."
Spring "If someone were able to disguise themselves as you, they would be able to infiltrate nearly any part of your manse, knowing exactly where you were and why."
Spring "Of course, that would require a Night Caste...or at least someone with a uniquely mutable Essence signature."
ThornOfNight 's eyes bug out.
Spring "When we are working together again, I will help you to avoid problems of this nature. You have my word on that."
Spring "Orange?"
Spring tosses the third one at her.
ThornOfNight The orange strikes Thorn of Night square on the forehead, an she keels over backwards, splayed out onto the ground.
Spring waits exactly three minutes, casually eating the oranges.
Innocence After three minutes and four seconds, there's a knock on the outside wall of the prison.
Spring "You are late."
Innocence "I had things to take are of!" comes a muffled voice from outside the prison. Then, a few moments later, Innocence -- dressed in an elaborate and rather ridiculous deathknight uniform, and in slightly exaggerated death makeup -- steps around the corner, picks up one of Thorn's arms, and lets it drop limply back to the ground.
Spring "Was the makeup really necessary?"
Spring gestures casually towards the door.
Innocence "No." She giggles.
Innocence With a practiced -- clearly quite frequently practiced, actually -- motion, Innocence clicks a collar onto Thorn's exposed neck. Then, standing back, she says: "Ta daaa!" while gesturing expressively at her quarry.
Innocence After about ten seconds holding the pose, Thorn does not, in fact, stand up again. Innocence looks down at her with the slightest hint of irritation.
Spring "Actually, I was hoping you would open the cell door."
Innocence looks a little crestfallen. Leaning over, she unlocks the cell door, then prods Kai with one boot experimentally, frowning.
Spring "Did something go...that is...how is she?"
Spring steps forward and taps meaningfully on his collar.
Innocence "I think I used too much." Her continued prodding appears to accomplish nothing.
Spring "I did not know that was possible."
Spring "We can help her later."
Spring "We need to escape immediately."
Innocence Spring's collar falls off with a loud clatter onto the cold cell floor.
Spring "Thank you."
Innocence nods. "Alright," she says. "I've got a route planned out. Three quick stops."
Spring walks over to the food locker and grabs about forty oranges.
Spring "Ready."
< I Only Said It Was Dangerous | Sol Invictus Logs | A Great Lie >