sevenvirtues | (no subject)

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[ The sky is dark, the pitch black of 2am in the countryside. Perhaps it was once a bustling village, but now, it's only rubble and bloodstained pavement. What were once buildings are now smoking craters and collapsed piles of bricks and wood. Pieces of signs can be made out. Library. Clinic. Theater. But they're of no use to anyone anymore.

The only structure left standing is the hotel. Miraculously unscathed and in perfect condition, albeit dusty, it lies in what used to be the center of town. A bonfire pit sits in the street before it, cobbled together with stones and scorched planks from the ruins.

Two sets of feet patter across the ground. The first to reach the bonfire is a short girl with meticulously-kept black hair, made even more diminutive and shadowed by the dark cloak draped around her. The second is almost her exact opposite--large and imposing, her blonde hair swept up into a bun, and dressed in only a hoodie and sweatpants.

She reaches out to the dark-haired girl as she skids to a stop in front of the bonfire. ]

What are you doing? Have you lost your mind? We need to go back!

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...we won't get this sort of chance often. [ The dark-haired girl replies softly, taking out a voluminous tome from the bag slung over her shoulder, immediately settling down on her knees. ]

Just let me show you what I spoke about. It's brilliant.

For good reason! Don't you realize how fucking dangerous it is to be out here? Jesus Christ! [ The blonde girl pants, out of breath. She only watches as her companion retrieves more items from her bag: a piece of chalk, a candle, and a wooden talisman on a cord. ]

--fine. Fine, show me whatever, and then we need to get out of here.

[ There's a small, triumphant smile on the dark haired girl's face as she tosses the candle into the center of the bonfire pit. Like magic, a whip of fire shoots out from her fingertip and ignites the mixture of wax and rubble. The bonfire roars to life a little too quickly to be natural.

The blonde girl nearly jumps a foot in the air at the sudden influx of flames, but looks resigned and says nothing.

Silence settles in the air, only pierced by the crackling fire. The dark-haired girl continues on her hands and knees, drawing a chalk circle around the pit, and adding embellishments. Curves, dots, jagged lines are sketched until it is much more sinister-looking than a simple pyre. ]

Oh, you might want to stay out of the circle. Just to be safe, yes?

Edited 2016-01-24 05:03 (UTC)

[ The blonde girl looks as though she was just told she'd eaten something disgusting. She retracts her foot quickly, even taking a few more steps backwards for good measure. Every once in a while, she glances over her shoulder, in the distance, scouring for any other sign of life.

She sees nothing. ]

...is this safe?

Edited 2016-01-24 05:05 (UTC)

For us? Yes, don't worry. I'd never allow you to be hurt. [ She assures the other girl, rising to her feet at last. The talisman is flung over her neck, the book opened to a marked page.

And she sings.

At least, it sounds like singing, but to the cosmic forces around, who knows. Her words emerge a strange, indiscernible tongue, simultaneously one and many.

In the midst of the fire, the air seems to rip. A blast of cold wind spreads through them like the flames aren't even there. And from the rip stumbles out a girl. ]

[Stumble out is right. The blonde witch can barely keep her hat on and glance about at the same time. So many curiosities running through her head and not even enough time to figure out what to even try and start with...]

[ The blonde girl claps a hand over her mouth, letting out a strangled scream. She staggers back a few feet. ]

What...what did...?

[ Is she going crazy? Did a person just pop out of the fire? ]

K-Katerina, what the fuck?

[ Katerina, or so she was addressed, rises to her feet proudly, book in hand. ]

See? Isn't it magnificent? She's not even from our plane of existence!

Edited 2016-01-30 03:09 (UTC)

Magni--what the hell are you doing?! You've lost your mind!

[ The blonde girl stamps her foot on the pavement so hard it sends pain shooting up her leg, tears forming in her eyes. ]

You can't just--just--send her back! Take this girl back home!

[ Katerina's smile fades, and she turns to the other girl darkly. ]

Is that all you have to say? I show you a miracle, and you dismiss it. This could be the key to saving us. Even a little b--

[ Her words are interrupted by a harsh clash and clatter. Both girls freeze up, silent, their new guest promptly drops dead. ]

[ Before Ryouta knows it, he'll be unceremoniously yanked from his current activity. Traveling through the void is cold, unbearably so, but luckily it only lasts for a few seconds. Unluckily, he will pass out only a few seconds after falling out of the rip in the air, landing knees-first in the strangely cool embers of the bonfire pit.

His sleep will be dreamless, albeit fitful. There's something going on, and he should wake up, should get away from it as fast as he can...but what is it?

Eventually, he'll wake up, staring at a dusty wooden ceiling. Try as he might, he cannot move, as someone has strapped him down to an operating table. ]

....telling you this one is fine. Look, he's still alive.

[ A soft, almost gentle voice can be heard from the opposite end of the room. ]

[So much of this is wrong.

He's dreaming. He's been dreaming, but that doesn't mean the dream isn't horrible. A tantalizing whisper, she'll abandon you, Ryouta, you'll be left alone, won't you? He'll take her away, and you will lose everything, but if you join with me...

It was not a dream he'd like to repeat, nor was it a harmless dream. He'd figured that out... Some time ago. How disorienting it is, to be snatched from that dream to this cold one, especially since-

Well. Knees aren't something that Ryouta Kawara usually has, are they? For those brief, mystifying seconds, he wonders why his wings feel so weird, why everything looks so small, why nothing feels right, and he slams into the ground and his last thoughts are ones of fear.

Awakening, naturally, continues this theme, because while he's had to lay on medical tables before - a lot, so much, poor sick bird - he's never been restrained before...especially not when he can feel restraints on strange places.

This cannot be a dream. Even his wildest nightmares... He's never been human in them.

Ryouta struggles with a gargling gasp. His wings, at least, are mercifully there, but they too can't really move...or help him with his arms and legs- arms and legs, what in the world is this?!]

Hello?! Who's there?! [His voice chokes out; he's not used to talking with this kind of throat. Naturally, he wants to find out something, though. Where is he? ...Where's Yuuya, or-]

[ A second voice intermingles with the first, cutting it off. Raspy and slow, brittle, as though its owner is choosing every word carefully. ]

In poor taste.

Poor taste...? [ The first voice sounds alarmed. ] With all due respect, I have--

He has attained consciousness.

[ Footsteps shuffle along until two women enter his field of view. The first--a slightly frazzled looking girl in a dark cloak, with a wooden talisman draped around her neck. The second stands behind her, her facial features just out of view.

The first girl purses her lips, taking a curious look at him. ]

[With everything in him, he tries to look determined or...intimidating or something other than fearful and confused.]

Who are you? Why am I tied up? - No, what's happened to me?! Please, I- what's going on?!

[ The cloaked girl waves him off, giving a flippant smile that is supposed to be reassuring. Mostly, it just comes off as eerie. ]

Not to worry, not to worry, you're just helping us out for a little bit. You'll be able to leave soon.

[ The mystery girl shifts a bit, her posture stiffening. ]

It must be willing.

[Well that isn't creepy at all. A shiver runs down Ryouta's spine, over his...featherless-skin, no this is far too weird.

He tries to struggle with his wings. Not working.]

Help with what? Willing to what?! [Mustering up a little courage:] What did you do to me?!

[ The cloaked girl whips around to face the mystery girl, a little frantic. ]

I concur, what do you mean willing?

[ The mystery girl, motions as slow and measured as her speaking voice, takes a few steps over. She easily towers over the cloaked girl, her paper-white skin and hair an inhuman contrast next to former's dark clothing.

But most notably of all, she wears a thick blindfold. Any skin above her nose is covered up. ]

If we wanted a struggling one...we could obtain it ourselves. No, rather...give him a reason.

[ The mystery girl bends down, and puts her hand on Ryouta's forehead. For the first time, she addresses him directly. ]

Who...or what...do you fight for? [ A pause ] Answer me...honestly.

[His breath catches in his throat and his next question (Why am I human?!) does too. He can't...move his head. He can't pull away from her touch.

All he can do is try to keep his gaze steady...even though he's not sure if this girl can see him or not.]

Wh...why... [...He can't deny it. Not anymore.] My mom and...H-Hiyoko.

[Hiyoko. Is she safe?]

[ The mystery girl hums in acknowledgement, retracting her hand, though continuing to stare(?) at him.

There is something distinctively wrong about her. ]

See. It's very simple. You need only...information.

...very well. But that won't do this time, will it? [ The cloaked girl folds her arms uncomfortably, looking away. ]

I am afraid...not. My comrades are...not quite so...forgiving. However, I will...take him off your hands.

[That doesn't sound good. Ryouta again tries to pull out of his restraints, in vain. She feels like... Like... He doesn't know. He gets a similar feeling like he'd gotten from The King, someone not right.]

Wait, hold on- what do you mean by that? What are you going to do to me? Please- please, change me back and let me go!

Er...thank you. [ The cloaked girl looks awkward, as though she just walked in on someone doing something private. ]

No fuss...no charge... [ The mystery girl stretches her arms, and leans back to crack her neck--something that shouldn't quite be physically possible.

No one's neck should be able to bend that far back. ]

No mess. [ In another flash of motion, she veers forward--and she's looming over him like a lion defending its dinner. ]

Ryouta Kawara. Your beloved...will live on. However...this is your final act.

Edited 2016-02-04 11:43 (UTC)

[His mom needs him. He has to support her. She's sick. Hiyoko will miss him. ...Won't she...?]

N... No, I...

[He can barely speak. He can barely do anything but tremble and glance at the cloaked girl, begging her with his eyes to help him, save him.

Please. Don't let him die in this strange place, in this strange body.]

Edited (LMAO WHAT HTML WHY) 2016-02-04 12:01 (UTC)

Farewell.

[ The cloaked girl closes her eyes, doing nothing but standing there, waiting. Waiting for what, it's not clear, but she appears more uncomfortable with this spectacle than concerned about her inhuman companion.

The mystery girl places a hand on her chin, and pulls. And pulls. And keeps pulling. Her jaw unhinges, widening and widening until it's large enough to fit several dinner plates inside. What one would assume to be her version of teeth line the interior of her mouth, more akin to razors than dental implements.

Her teeth come down on his head, instantaneously snuffing out both his life and any pain he would have felt from being eaten alive. She wasn't joking when she said she was the merciful one.

Blackness comes once more. ]

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