flameandpassion | 71 [Video] 12:20 AM.

Entry tags:

71 [Video] 12:20 AM.

[It's dark outside -- pitch black, with only the softest sound of footsteps squelching in the mud. There's the briefest flash of white as Hino Rei drops her PCD onto the ground, where it bounces lightly. The girl is sopping wet -- aftermath from the abrupt draining of the water from Adstringendum -- but her eyes are bright and she appears happy as can be.

-- and then, fire engulfs her.

It's a column of flame, and it lasts for at least twenty seconds, before it falls away to reveal Mars, in her glory, perfectly dry and unharmed. She looks down at her gloves before grinning to herself, casting a glance down at the PCD, where she notices the red light. Instead of being bothered, Mars picks up the device.]

If this place floods one more time, I'll go to the Animus myself and deliver a complaint.

[But it's hard to take the threat seriously -- Mars looks a lot happier than she has in the past week. With a final smile, the senshi clicks off the feed.

And no, she is not apologizing for waking anyone up.

You people do it to her all the time.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I'm guessing this place isn't very tropical. I haven't even seen snow since prep school.

[Jinx shifts slightly. Another few moments pass before she cautiously reaches out. After a couple of failed tries, she finally goes through with it and grabs Rei's hand. Holding it, she closes her eyes and leans against the other girl's shoulder.]

I hate cold.

[When Jinx grabs her hand, Rei tenses automatically. After all, Rei is a living, breathing darkness detector -- proximity to aura can prove to be difficult. But, once she realizes what Jinx is trying to do, she relaxes, letting Jinx lean against her shoulder.]

... Toushirou told me that it snowed for a solid month once, in one of the winters here. The last winter was okay --- we got a lot of snow for two weeks, but then the Animus gave us a beach, right in the middle of January.

I don't remember being anywhere else but California. It's big, dirty, hot, loud, filled with idiots, and it's home.

[She stays where she is, relaxing slowly.]

...have you seen your father since then?

[There's a soft noise of agreement. Tokyo is much the same way. But at the question, Rei is silent for a long moment.]

Once or twice a year. I'm not really high on the priority list.

[Another pause.]

It used to bother me. It doesn't anymore. I have a better purpose than he ever will.

[Her voice is quiet when she speaks.]

Must be nice, though. Just...knowing.

[Where she came from. That she had someone there, no matter how neglectful they were.]

[Nice. Rei almost laughed, but the sound didn't quite make it out of her mouth. Dinners with her father were horrendously awkward. Rei put up with them, at the encouragement of her grandfather, and only because of his insistence that Rei maintain a relationship with the man. She had spent years being furious -- years hiding in the shrine, to avoid being picked up by his secretary, pretending to be anyone else but his daughter. Besides, it wasn't as if he could ever truly make up what he had lost. How many opportunities to know Rei, to know that her favorite food was fugu, that she hated asparagus, that she could sing, that she had a gift for calligraphy, that she could see things, had he missed? Rei knew everything about her father -- he knew next to nothing about her.]

...If the people back home noticed we were gone, he wouldn't think any different. I'm an obligation, not a daughter.

[She huffs softly to herself.]

I don't need him.

I...spent a lot of time looking through databases when I was younger. I just wanted to find someone who looked like me. Seven billion people on Earth and there's no one.

[She chuckles softly.]

Somedays I'd give anything to know where I came from. Maybe I'm better off not knowing.

It wouldn't change much finding out now, would it?

Maybe you're not meant to know.

[It's quiet, and Rei frowns at the ground.]

Everything happens for a reason. -- Castiel hates it when I say that. [It's added with a soft snort to herself.] But I think it's true. Every little thing that happens in your life builds you to be the person that you are. Pain and suffering are horrible things to endure, but it makes you a stronger person, in the end. What hurts today will be a dull ache tomorrow -- and by next week, it'll be a lesson learned.

[Jinx listens quietly, opening her eyes to look up at the stars. It's strange how you can see them so clearly here. Everything happens for a reason, huh? It made sense. She tries to look at it optimistically like that. It was hard somedays. Especially now that she was here. What reason did this place have? Was it another lesson? ...probably.]

Stop being so...right.

[Closing her eyes again, she nuzzles her cheek against Rei's shoulder and cuddles closer to her. The sorceress was even relaxed enough to start purring.]

Cheating on me already?

[He drawls it, completely unfazed at finding Jinx cuddled up with Rei. Lucifer had been out most of the day, but coming home to find Jinx gone was odd. He noticed her outside in the dark, and only in coming here realized who she was with. Hence the joke.]

[Rei shifts from being totally relaxed to tense as a board as soon as Lucifer appears, her free hand in her jacket pocket in a flash. Her grip on Jinx tightens instinctively, her teeth clenched together as her fingers touch her transformation wand.

The urge to transform is overwhelming. Every fiber in her being is telling her to do so, trap him, and leave. But doing so would put everyone in danger -- Castiel and Gabriel in particular, and then everyone else Rei loved in this stupid city -- no, she had to play her cards carefully.

Being instinctive and rash would not do anything here.]

[Jinx opens her eyes at the sound of Lucifer's voice. It's not hard to feel the shift in Rei. She holds onto the other girl's hand tighter, trying to be reassuring.]

I didn't know we were exclusive. And come to think of it, I didn't invite you to my tea party.

That's fine, I'm not here for your tea. [He gets that from Break, nyah.

He sits up on the table, watching the two girls.]

She is right, Jinx. About things happening for a reason. We all have so many choices, but in the end...if we stray, something will always set us right again. Usually, that's someone else.

Food for thought.

[His gaze rests on Rei, though, with an abnormal amount of curiosity.]

[Hearing Lucifer agree with her made Rei want to snarl several expletives -- but she holds her tongue, painfully so, her eyes never leaving Lucifer, her muscles quivering with the need to do something.

But something lurches in the back of her throat -- If we stray, something will always set us right again. Usually, that's someone else. And, suddenly, Rei is in the Wastelands, trying desperately to keep Castiel conscious after the three eldest archangels tore the Grace from his being, in order to keep her friend alive, because of something he hadn't even done yet.

She leans forward, and the girl can't keep the hiss out of her tone as she speaks.]

I imagine you know all about that -- setting someone on the right path again. How noble and righteous of you, you hypocritical piece of scum.

Edited 2011-08-15 07:23 (UTC)

[Whoa, whoa, whoa. Okay. Time for damage control. Releasing Rei's hand, Jinx pulls herself up from her chair. She doesn't quite stand between the two of them, but just enough to catch one if they went after the other.]

I don't appreciate you eavesdropping. I respect your private conversations with your brothers, so you should show me the same.

[Which, to a prideful lord of Hell, looks an awful lot like taking Rei's side. His expression flickers from the tiniest trace of surprise to a smirk.]

You're free to go with her, Jinx. I've showed you hospitality, but if you think she'll do better....

[At first it's looked like Lucifer won't do anything. But then the chair where Rei is sitting is abruptly made of knives--all of them with their blades directed right into the senshi.]

[The moment Rei feels change, she shoves Jinx truly away from her with a hand, the other whipping her transformation wand out of her pocket. Fire engulfs both her and the chair -- and when Mars appears, she is bleeding in several places, but it doesn't appear to be affecting her all that badly.

At least, not badly enough for Mars to twist her wrists, ten discs of flame surrounding her with a snap of her fingers, before she whips her arm forward. The discs create a tight circle around Lucifer, connecting in a solid chain, before slamming into the ground with a hiss. Her fingers curl into fists and Mars pulls her hands towards her, sealing the connection.

Bleeding and standing tall, the senshi exhales slowly as she stares at Lucifer. She does not say a word. The expression says more than words ever could.

I've got you now, you son of a bitch.]

[Jinx stumbles out of the way, completely unprepared. She was having a good night before this. She was tired, she hadn't eaten much more than crackers in a week, but it was a good night. Then Rei and Lucifer had to ruin it because they couldn't keep their hate for each other to a minimum. To solve the situation, she was probably going to kiss Lucifer, tell Rei goodnight, then try to explain boundaries to the idiot later. But no.

Now there was the scent of blood in the air. There was fire. And there was one confused, pissed off sorceress who comes right back up to Rei and shoves her.]

What the hell, Rei!?! [She doesn't even notice the stab wounds until a second after those words leave her mouth.]

[And one Devil who is very still. He's not afraid; not in a way that anyone could ever guess, except perhaps God or Michael. But Lucifer stares at Rei.

He still has his powers outside the fire, and he slits those stab wounds wide, fabricates snakes from the smoke of the fire and sends them writhing into her lacerations to burrow under her skin and crawl along her bones, biting and tearing everywhere they will go.

He says absolutely nothing.]

[She doesn't give much when Jinx shoves her, her focus entirely on Lucifer, breathing slow and even as she controls the ring of flames. But when the stab wounds slash open wider, the senshi jolts, her fists curling ever tighter, and even Mars can't stop the shudder and hissed cry of pain as the -- whatever he's doing -- goes through her being.

Her legs shake from the effort, but Mars does not give up. The ring of fire is maintained, even with the blood soaking her uniform, dribbling down her arms and legs. Her teeth are clenched so tightly together that her jaw is beginning to ache, but Mars manages to form a sentence to hiss.]

I offered you mercy.

[And, with a sudden twist of her wrist, the ring of fire grows a fraction smaller, and Mars gasps to herself in pain at the movement, but grits her teeth to reform her resolve.]

You didn't take it.

[She actually takes a moment to look at the situation. Rei's soaked in blood. Jinx easily recognizes the feel of what's doing it to her. Then to Lucifer, who isn't moving. He isn't talking. This would usually be the part where he started strangling something, but he--

He's trapped. Rei's doing it to him.]

Stop it...

[She looks between them, not sure which one to yell at more. Which one to go to. Her fists start glowing, and she momentarily takes a step backward to run. But she swallows hard, and yells loudly.]

Both of you stop it NOW. You're acting like children!

[The ground starts trembling as Jinx makes her decision. She jumps two steps toward Lucifer, crossing over the fire without hesitation and grabbing him by the jacket. Not roughly, just enough to try and get his attention.]

Baby, please.

[The second the fire constricts, Lucifer loses whatever sense of space he'd had. He's not afraid of it closing in on him; he would prefer that to being trapped. Death over a cage.

But then Jinx leaps in, startling him and he nearly seizes her, but he stops himself in time.]

Put the fire out, Jinx. [His voice is soft, but not him. He doesn't even seem to see her, though he's touching her, stroking her hair.]

No. [She leans her head against his chest, letting him pet her.]

Not until you promise not to harm Rei anymore tonight. [She looks back up at him, holding her ground.]

I'm not taking her side, but that doesn't mean I'm just going to let you kill her. The ramifications are too big.

Mars starts forward, her hands still in their position, though she is growing weaker. The blood is still pouring, after all -- but she fights to keep the fire alive. She has to. Her own death would be her own fault, but Jinx's would be, as well -- and Mars cannot allow that to happen. No one else's death will ever be her own fault.

Gabriel can get Jinx out of here. All it would take was a prayer. Castiel is already safe inside the Temple, where Lucifer can't get to him. And the senshi are much the same, though less of a target than Gabriel and Castiel would be. She could warn Hitsugaya -- or have Gabriel do it for her.

All of the options ended in Mars' ultimate death.

Her stomach twists, but she doesn't show it. Her fingers are digging into her palm with the effort of keeping the Devil ensnared.]

Jinx, go.

[She can't ask that of him. He wants to shove her away, not because he feels betrayed by her--he's beyond that, stuck on survival right now--but because he knows she can feel the slight tremor in his hands. He's masked his absolute terror perfectly otherwise.

The snakes have turned to acid in Rei's body, but Lucifer isn't even paying attention to that now. His Grace pushes against the fire; it doesn't hurt him to be burned, though if he jumps out he will die. As it is, he's just pushing against the cage, putting a strain on Rei deliberately.]

Get me out of here, Jinx.

71 [Video] 12:20 AM.

offline;

offline;

offline;

offline;

offline;

offline;

offline;

offline;

offline;

offline;

offline;

offline;

offline;

offline;

offline;

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)