Swift. Quick and easy. Those where the words used when she recieved her assignment. Swift. Quick and easy. Those words were far from true. Her target was a necromancer who had made an ancient and desolate temple his home. While she was suspicious, since it was concerning a necromancer, it wouldn't prove any real challenge. Or so she thought.
She wasn't attuned to any kind of magic bar the ones taught to her by her superiors. But, that could hardly be called magic. But even Usagi realised her foe was powerful. And even blending in with the shadows. Even sneaking around as much as she could wouldn't help here. This necromancer knew her every move. Every step. And proceeded to toy with her in a dangerous game of cat and mouse.
Having dispatched the third batch of undead thrown at her already, she circled the two kama in her hands, before hooking them on the straps on her waist again, sighing slowly, pulling the mask up and perching it ontop of her head. She was briefed about the layout of the temple, but a sharp pain in her side reminded there were also traps the necromancer reactivated for her visit.
The particular wound in her side was grazed by a steel pike that slid out of the wall. If it wasn't for her quick reactions, she'd be hit in a vital spot. Having died right there. But, there wasn't time for that, she still had a mission to complete. And thus, she limped down the corridor.
"Just a quick job, Jynx," she muttered to herself, hand pressed to her heavily bleeding shoulder. "Shouldn't be a problem, he says. Nothing too strenuous for someone like you, he says. Easy as winking, he says."
She scowled, leaning heavily back against the wall she was currently hiding in an alcove of. "Easy my ass." She peered out into the corridor. It seemed clear, but then that's what she'd thought before some- some freak-ass zombie thing attacked her, practically taking her arm off.
Oh, quit your whining, a deep, rasping voice said in the back of her mind. Her scowl deepened.
"Easy for you to say," she hissed, "you're not the one getting mauled over some stupid trinket-"
Footsteps. She heard footsteps. Snapping her mouth closed, she pressed back against the wall, hiding herself in the shadows.
The footsteps were inconsistent, shambling. Belonging to another stray undead. A slow groan resounded from the undead carcass. Lamenting it's pitiful fate and disturbed rest.
The whizzing sound of a blade cleaving the air resounded, and soon, the undead was laid to rest, a blooded, exotic weapon sticking from it's skull. A woman clad in crimson robes limped over and wrenched the blade out, gritting her teeth in pain.
She stopped in her tracks, arching an eyebrow. "Your breathing. It gives you away." She stated slowly, her back still turned to the unknown, redheaded thief. Her voice colder than the stone in the temple.
Jynx cursed under her breath and stepped cautiously out of the alcove. "Nice shot," she said, trying to sound like she'd meant to be discovered all along and wasn't completely floored to find another living person in this godsforsaken place.
Her eyes skated up and down the stranger, taking her in, calculating.
Cute, Ilieth commented lazily. A pause, then, Looks good enough to eat.
Wishing he was on her plane of existence so she could smack him, she shoved his voice to a back corner of her mind.
"Leave." Was what she said, ignoring the comment about a 'nice shot'. It was natural. It wasn't nice. It was just a shot to finish off whatever was in her way. Bar the two kama, Usagi looked as if she was unarmed. But, anyone who had skills like her was bound to have hidden weaponry all over her. It would be naïve to think otherwise.
Yet, she was obviously hurt. The fresh blood still trickling down her side.
"You have nothing to find here." She added to her prior command, before limping down a small flight of stairs. "It's dangerous."
Jynx pursed her lips. "Cheerful little thing, aren't you?" she said, following after the other woman. Friendly or not, it was better than walking back into the dark alone.
"And my employer says you're wrong, I do have something to find here," she added. Glancing at the trail of blood behind the stranger, she tilted her head. "I think you're the one who should beat it. Looks like that's gotta hurt."
Usagi merely snerked in response to her being a 'cheerful little thing'. Leaving it just at that. She wasn't cheerful. And she was far from a 'little thing'. Sure, she didn't possess the curves of the redhead, but, by no means did she have the right to call her that. Perhaps sarcasm? That would explain the cheerful part.
"I do not care what your employer states." She replied coldly, not even looking at the thief. "Pain is only temporary." She deadpanned once more, glancing at the woman. "What is it you seek here, mercenary? These ruins are dangerous."
"Mercenary?" she repeated incredulously. "I don't know whether I should laugh or be insulted. I'm a theif, plain and simple. And I'm looking for a particular trinket, a sceptor of some sort."
She glanced sideways at the other woman. "You wouldn't happened to have seen anything like that, would you?" She couldn't deny she was curious why someone else was in this place, but it wasn't relevant in the moment so she didn't ask.
"Then you're just a fool." She replied in response, cutting the woman's sentence off. She knew exactly what the woman was talking about. She knew more about the artifcat than the redhead did. It was a dangerous thing. Something that was briefed to her in an optional mission.
Wich was to destroy it.
"I haven't seen it." Her voice as cold as ever. Before stopping in her tracks and holding her hand up infront of the thief. Stopping her in her tracks aswell. "Do you see that?" She asked.
It was barely visible, but a small, thin wire glinted in torchlight. Right before their feet.
Biting down on a retort to the "fool" comment, Jynx froze. She saw it. Silently drawing a dagger from the sheath on her thigh, she drew it quickly across her inner forearm and murmured, "Come to me, Tiameth."
The small demon shimmered into existence, flitting around her head and chittering. "Shh." Jynx batted at her, then gestured to the wire. "Think you can disable that?"
The demon nodded and chitteres some more, sailing down to examine the trap.
Usagi's ears perked at the chittering. She looked over to the redheaded thief, before a small creature fluttered towards the wire and went to examine it. She was a tad surprised. Normally, she'd just step over the tripwire and be done with it, but she was curious as to what this foolish thief could do.
Tiameth suddenly swooped toward the ceiling, disappearing into the gloom. Jynx waited, examining her nails. She really needed to stop biting them.
After a few moments, the demon returned, fluttering down to perch on the demonlord's shoulder. "Good girl," Jynx told her, stroking her head and giving a lopsided grin. Turning her attention to the other woman, she explained, "That tripwire was connected to about four others. I've seen tricks like it before, so I figured Tiameth could disable them all in one go if she found the main apparatus."
She gestured forward grandly. "We are free to go."
"Hm." She looked at the woman, arching an eyebrow. She didn't trust her at all. Thus, she didn't take her word for it. And rather to walk normally, she dissappeared from sight, her shadow disappearing only a split second later. She reappeared down the end of the wall, before taking a step back, a spear sliding out of the wall, scratching her cheek narrowly. Stepping back into the fourth tripwire. But nothing happened because of that.
Another trap. A pressure plate she had stepped on. Great job. She got ahead of herself and almost died a horrible death.
Jynx smirked, sauntering up behind the other woman. "You know," she drawled, "it seems to me like you could use someone like Tiameth around, keep an eye out for those pesky traps."
And she could sure as hell use some muscle. Her demons were strong, sure, but usually more trouble than they were worth. Plus these ruins were crawling with undead buggars, an extra set of hands- and weapons- would be useful.
"P-poison.." Was what she whispered as she slumped backwards, falling down against the female thief. The skin around the wound on her cheek growing slightly purple. It was clear now. The tip of the spear was coated in a thick purple, acidic substance that slowly dripped off.
"Oh fu-!" She caught her deftly, lowering them both to the floor. "Hey, stay awake alright?"
Shit, what was she supposed to do? Antidote, she need an antidote. Not even bothering with an incantation, she shouted, "Dionish!"
The demon appeared quickly, and instantly knew what she wanted. He sniffed at the girl in her arms, then snorted and shook his head. Jynx cursed again; it would take him too long to try to manufacture an antidote, which wasn't really his strong suit anyway.
She grimaced. Sucking out the poison it was then, at least until the demon had something. "Sorry about this," she muttered, and set about trying to draw the toxin from the wound.
It was not a pleasant experience.
Her eyelids felt so heavy. She felt sleepy. Was that why she didn't feel the smack of the ground? No.. It couldn't be. Someone caught her. The thief. The fool. Calling to her to stay awake. She smirked faintly as her eyelids fluttered shut, feeling the redhead sucking the poison out of her cheek. "F-fool.." She managed to murmur out with a grin, before closing her eyes slowly.
It honestly was comfortable to be in someone's arms. Warm and soothing. Perhaps her poisoned and weakened mind had concluded this.
"I'm trying to save your life, jackass," Jynx muttered, spitting out another mouthful of poison. "Watch who you're calling fool."
Tiameth chittered anxiously, leaning over the semi-conscious girl, and Dionish shoved his nose forward. Giving a sigh of relief, she flicked her finger through the demon's saliva- which could work both as a toxin or an antidote, depending on his desire- and dripped in onto the wound.
Disgusting? Yes. But effective.
The sick, purplish texture around the wound slowly dissappeared under the saliva of the demon. Her skin returning to the same normal and healthy color.
After a few moments, Usagi opened her eyes, fluttering for a short while to blink away the blurry vision. Only then feeling the touch of the redhead thief. "Thanks.." Was what she muttered. Rather than a random insult. "My.. My name is Usagi.."
She let out a quiet breath of relief. "Jynx," she replied with a crooked smile, helping Usagi sit up. "And don't worry about it. I'm not in the habit of watching people die."
Well. Not unless it was in her interests.
"Thanks, Dionish. Return through the Veil," she said with a nod to the demon. He yipped quietly, licked her hand, and shimmered away.
"You had no reason to save me. Yet you did. Habit or not." She retained the same cold personality. The same cold voice. "Gratefulness is in order.. And I am in debt to you." She stated plainly as she was helped to sit up straight. She frowned at the odd command.
"Magic?" She inquired.
"Of a sort," Jynx hedged. "And hey, I've never said no to someone being in debt to me. Tell you what." She tilted her head and smiled crookedly. "You help me get this trinket for my employer and get out of this hellhole alive, and we're square, yeah?"
Jynx seemed tl be rather evasive anout her ability. Good. Explaining your abilities to someone could only cause trouble. Though it could also indicate she was hiding something. In that case. It piqued Usagi's curiosity as to what it was. Ofcourse, she wouldn't inquire.
"If you wipe that hideous smirk off, I will." She stated coldly in return. Sure. She would get this woman out alive. It was part of her code. Even though she didn't trust the thief, she would keep her safe at any rate. Despite being saved. It was simply part of her code. About the trinket? Cross that bridge once we get there. And in all honesty? She did like someone like Jynx. Rebellious. Carefree. But. No way in hell she'd let that be obvious.
"Deal." Jynx stood and held her hand out to Usagi. On her shoulder, Tiameth yipped quietly and licked her mistress's ear, apparently bored.
Usagi grabbed Jynx' hand and stood up again. "Lead the way. You have the trap disarming creature." She said. Before turning to face the darkness off the narrow corridor ahead.
"Tia, search and disable," Jynx said briskly as she pulled Usagi to her feet. The little demon flapped off down the hallway, her mistress following cautiously behind.
"So what brings you here anyway?" she asked quietly, glancing at her companion.
"A mission." Was her only reply. Not caring to get into much other detail. The less Jynx knew. The safer she was. She wasn't allowed to talk about the shadow rangers. Nor would she do it any way. Some things are better kept quiet."We'llenter the great hall soon. I believe this is where the necromancer is."
Jynx's mouth twisted sourly. "Right, necromancer. Look, the guy who hired me for this job is apparently an asshole who will be getting all kinds of hell from me the next time I see him, and he didn't exactly brief me properly- so what is it that we're about to go up against?"
She muttered bitterly, "I know he can make zombies, or whatever the hell those things are, but anything else I should know?"
"I don't know either. Information was scarce." She merely replied in return. "I didn't know the traps were rigged, nor that he actually can see our every move. Whoever it is, he is powerful." She snickered. And if her gut feeling was right, the trinket this thief was seeking, was also empowering the necromancer.
"Oh, wonderful," she muttered. Reaching out to grip her companion's shoulder, she said, "Alright, we need some sort of game plan. We can't just charge in blindly, we're going to get ourselves killed."
"Oh. I wasn't planning on charging in blindly." She said, pulling the mask down infront of her face, flinging the kama from her back, letting them slide through her hands to grab the hilts. "He can see our every move. So, it's simple. You have to move fast enough that he cannot track it."
Hm. That would require a very specific skill set. Nodding, Jynx clenched her fists, forcing another trickle of blood to flow from the cut on her palm.
"Nightmare, come to me."
With a sound like the crackle of flame, the demonic mare appeared at her side. Giving Usagi a quick, business-like nod, she jumped easily onto the creature's back. "Fast. Alright, we can do fast."
"I'd be surprised how fast." She said, before she dissappeared from sight, the gentle sound of a thud that indicated her actually departure only sounding with a delay afterwards.
She touched down in the middle of a grand hall, having evaded traps and zombies on her way, the kama brandished, she looked at her target. A pale man with raven hair. A trinket around his neck that was glowing with a deep purple color. His eyes sharing the same radiant purple.
"He's being controlled." She stated towards Jynx, trusting that she could keep up with her phantasmal speeds. The man slowly shambled forwards with loud and antagonised cries.
Jynx wrinkled her nose, refusing to be impressed by the young woman's speed. "Of course he is," she grumbled. Clicking to her demonic steed, she and Nightmare leaped into the hall. Tiameth fluttered around her head, chattering anxiously.
The large black horse snorted and tossed her head, eyes rolling and flaming as she took in their adversary. Without a word, Jynx drew a knife from her belt, took aim, and let it fly.
It buried itself to the hilt in the necromancer's shoulder. She paused, waiting to see if he reacted to pain or would simply keep coming like the other undead creatures she'd dealt with in these ruins.
The hilt buried itself in the man's chest. Yet. The black robed necromancer seemed rathet upnhased by this. Coffins that were posted against the wall blasted open. Their lids flying through the room at great velocity, making them dangerous projectiles. Undead soldiers stepped out of the walls. Brandishing ancient weaponry. Filled with rust, dents, cracks and other symptoms of time's influence. Roughly fifteen soldiers littered the room now and stormed for the pair.
Usagi managed to dodge the lids. As they were quite heavy, yet she dashed backwards, next to Jynx as the soldiers started to charge them.
Swearing colorfully, Jyns readied another dagger, though she figured it would be pretty useless. "How do we kill- rekill?- these things?" she asked sharply.
Nightmare hoped into a half rear, screaming a challenge at the undead soldiers. Tiameth seemed to have retreated to the sky, screeching and chittering as she circled above them.
"Cut them untill they die." She replied coldly, before circling the kama in her hand and chargong forward. Going straight for the necromancer. Ignoring the undead that shambled behind her.
She moved forward with a great slash for the necromancer's shoulder. Before an arcane blast knocked her back, sending Usagi flying through the hall. She slummed against the floor before getting to her knees slowly. "The amulet.." She stammered before coughing out and getting to her feet. The undead immediatly charging at Usagi.
The amulet?
"Fuck me," Jynx hissed, and leaped from Nightmare's back, darting through the soldiers and slashing with a knife in both hands. "Protect her!" she shouted at the demon, and the massive horse neighed an affirmative before charging to Usagi's side, scattering undead critters and screaming a challenge.
"Tiameth, the amulet!" Jynx shouted, trying desperately to clear a path through the shambling fighters. The smaller demon chirped and dove for the necromancer, but had to pull up at a blast of that strange power. She kept trying though, distracting him at the very least.
To the demon, it would seem like Usagi became one with the darkness, dissappearing into the shadows. Completely dissappearing from sight. It was at the exact same moment, the shadow of the necromancer grew upwards, slowly flaking off to reveal the shadow ranger. And within the blink of an eye, the necromancer's head rolled to Jynx' feet.
All the soldiers dropped into piles of metal, cloth and dust.
Usagi fell to one knee, blood richly flowing from her hip now. Her face slowly growing pale. She pulled up the mask and spat out some blood. "Don't.. Touch it.." She whispered as she slowly ceawled to the headless corpse.
Getting over her surprise, Jynx darted forward. "Don't touch it? What, the body? Yeah, didn't need you to tell me that. Are you alright- why are you going near it?"
She hesitated a few paces away, still clutching her blades- wanting to help but not sure how.
"This is.. The artifact you're looking for.. Isn't it?" She said, kneeling down next to the corpse. "I.. Won't allow you to take it.." She said, before doubling up and coughing up more blood. "I need to.. Destroy it.."
Jynx quirked an eyebrow. "No offense, sweetheart, but with the state you're in I don't think you could stop me if you tried."
But she didn't move forward to take the amulet immediately. Instead she knelt next to her, taking her arm and slinging it around her shoulders. "Come on, let's get you someplace we can fix you up before we do anything else," she muttered, hand darting toward the amulet as she tried to get them both to their feet.
She was pulled upwards slowly, taking a deep gasp in pain. Yet she noticed Jynx' hand going for the amulet.
She pushed herself off against the ground, toppling the redheaded thief over and landing next to her on her back. Most movement impaired. Yet she slid a knife from her sleeve and pressed it against Jynx' throat. Her face distorted with pain. The amount of forve she had visibly diminishing. The shove was merely a last, desperate attempt to keep Jynx at bay.
"It seizes your mind.. The instant you touch.. I.. Don't want to fight you when it.. Does.." She coughed up more blood, the hand holding the knife quivering in pain and exhaustion. Usagi new she couldn't stop anyone who'd take the gauntlet. Nor did she want to see this particular thief becoming a slave to an arcane trinket.
But if she'd try to get it, Usagi had no choice but to fight her before she could touch it.
Jynx raised her hands toward her head, showing she was making no move for the amulet. "Alright, alright, calm down, you're going to hurt yourself."
She cast about desperately for a solution. "Well, we can't just leave it here. Let me find something to wrap it in, then let's get you out of here." She was trying not to be, but she was really worried about the young woman. All that coughing up blood did not bode well.
"Give me.. Some time.." She said as she pulled herself up straight. It was an amazing feat for the wounds she had recieved. She got on her knees weakly and sat down next to the corpse, blood gushing down from her chest as she pulled a bloodu scroll from her robes, pulling it open.
"Fires and plague and-" Jynx gritted her teeth, kneeling beside the young woman. "You need healing you stubborn idiot, so if you don't do this fast I'm dragging your pretty little butt out of here for your own good," she grumbled.
Nightmare whickered and pawed the ground, but the demonlord did not return her through the Veil; she wasn't sure if she'd still be needed.
Usagi didn't pay heed to the words and rolled the scroll out on the floor, her movements sluggish and shakey. She pulles down a sleeve from her robes, revealing her bloody shoulder, undergarments that were colored crimson due to a thick layer of blood and a deep wound underneath her chest.
With a slow breath, she pressed her index and middlefinger on the wound, hissing in pain bitterly. She pressed her fingers down on the unfurled scroll, pressing the blood on it. Usagi continued by sitting up straight. Or at least trying t and holding up her index and middlefinger, closing her eyes briefly to properly concentrate. Her lips quivering in pain. Yet her expression was one of calmth and serenity.
A loud, abyssmal screeching and screaming resounded as the amulet lit up. The entire room in a bright purple glow. But the raidance only died down as the screeching faded into the distance.
And.when the room was normal again, when the ethereal screeching had died down, Usagi keeled over, crashing downwith heavy, uncontrolled breaths.
"Alright, that's it." She ripped a strip of cloth off the bottom her tunic and tossed at the- now no longer shrieking, thank gods- amulet. Wrapping it quickly, she stuffed the thing in a pouch at her belt, trying to do her best not to touch it.
Then she looked at Usagi. With another curse, Jynx slid one arm behind the woman's back and the other under her knees. She knew you weren't supposed to move someone so badly hurt, but she didn't see a whole lot of other options. With a sharp whistle, she called Nightmare to her, using some larger bits of rubble as a mounting block to leap onto her back while still holding her strange companion.
"Get us out of here, fast," she muttered, and the demon took off.
Usagi was lying in Jynx' arms, her eyes devoid of life, her breathing dangerously shallow. Yet, it was still present. Same for a faint heartbeat, that caused a rush of blood from the wound under her chest each time it throbbed. She swung around like a lifeless doll in Jynx' hands, rambling silently about some kind of demon that was chasing her. Horned. Bearing two swords, yet her speech was incoherent as she was constantly slipping in and out of conciousness.
Nightmare's frantic ride out of the ruins was a blur to Jynx, and by the time the demon slowed she wasn't quite sure where they were. She looked down at the semi-conscious girl she held, starting to panic a bit.
"I don't even know what's wrong with her!" she exclaimed frantically. Nightmare eased to a stop, pawing the ground anxiously, and she dismounted carefully, laying Usagi on the ground. "Alright, alright..." She wracked her brain, trying to think of something to do. Was she poisoned? "Hey, Spitfire, can you hear me?"
Usagi coughed painfully as she was placed on the ground. Everything was a haze to her. Distant shouting. It didn't even matter. She looked up at Jynx weakly, raising her hand slowly, against the woman's cheek. Her thumb gently running across the scar. "So.. Beautiful.." Was what she muttered.
Usagi didn't seem poisoned in the least. Wounded and in pain to an extent of hallucinations, on the brink of death.
Jynx froze under her touch, completely thrown. She pulled herself together quickly though and set about stripping the other woman's shirt off to get a look at her wounds. "You're hallucinating or something," she muttered. Over her shoulder she said sharply to Nightmare, "Stand guard."
Her tone changed to breathless disbelief when she say the source of the blood. "Dear gods..." How was the girl even still alive? Working as fast as she could, she dug into the pouch on her belt and ripped out the few strips of cloth she carried to use as bandages. She set about wrapping the wounds up, talking all the while in an attempt to keep Usagi conscious.
"Sorry, I know this hurts. It's just until I can get you to a real healer, just hang on..."
Her hand slumped to the side weakly after a short while. Her fingers ocassionally twitching softly. She let out soft murmurs and gentle sobs as she was being bandaged up by Jynx, not responding to her words.
An endless torrent of cursing streamed out of Jynx under her breath. She'd done the best she could with the bandages, but they really needed to get her to a healer.
Scooping the young woman up again, she whistled for Nightmare and mounted carefully. They set off at a less breakneck pace, Jynx now more worried about what jostling would do to Usagi than the fact that she would be bleeding out.
Between the haze of surfacing memories, positive and negative. The pain she felt. A moment of clarity hit the young warrior. She titled her head weakly towards her saviour's face. The thief she had expected to leave her for death once they had the amulet. The thief she had admired for an undeniable efficiency was now rescuing her. Or attempting to. "T-thanks.." Was what she muttered in that moment of clarity. Yet it was barely audible, half of it weakly gurgled.
Jynx glanced down. She thought she'd heard Usagi say something, but it was muffled. "Just take it easy, Spitfire," she muttered, spurring Nightmare to pick up the pace.
The reached a village more quickly than she would have thought possible. Practically throwing herself off the demonic mare, Jynx cradled the young woman against her chest and chanted the spell to send Nightmare back through the Veil.
An inn. An inn should have a healer, right? She ran to the first promising building, kicking at the door instead of knocking as her hands were occupied. "Hey! Help, we need a healer out here!"
She looked down at Usagi, biting her lip. "You still with me, Spitfire?"
It seemed like Usagi wasn't with her. Eye closed, the pale face only accentuating the crimson streaks of blood. Her jaw opened slightly. If it wasn't for the shallow breathing. The faint rising and falling of her chest, one would make her mistake for being dead. Yet. She looked peaceful like that.
However, as peaceful as she might've looked, she was still dying. Bloodloss and pain had taken it's toll and knocked her out. Actual death wasn't a far cry any longer.
Jynx thanked some dozen gods she didn't really believe in when someone appeared in the doorway. "Who's- oh my goodness!"
"Help," she croaked out, looking up at the middle aged woman who looked more like the innkeeper than a healer. She didn't care, she'd take what she could get. "We need help."
The woman pulled herself together. "Bring her inside, quickly."
Jynx obeyed without question, following her into the inn and through some hallways she wasn't really paying attention to until she found herself in a back room. There was a small, long table pressed against one wall and she was directed to lay Usagi on it while the woman went to find her husband, who was apparently a healer of some small skill.
She did, crouching next to the unconscious girl and taking her hand absently. "C'mon, Spitfire. Usagi? Open your eyes, come on..."
Usagi didn't seem to respond to any outside stimuli. She was slowly lowered on the long, wooden table, blood dripping down from the surface quite soon. Yet, the hand that Jynx grabbed, twitched slowly. Usagi opening her eyes weakly. Devoid of emotion or life for that matter. Hazey and unfocussed. She felt the soft grip around her hand, yet couldn't muster the strength to speak, instead, she softly squeezed whomever's hand was holding hers.
Jynx let out a heavy sigh when the healer finally arrived, leaping to her feet but still keeping a grip on the near-stranger's hand.
"What happened?" the man asked as he moved to the injured young woman. Jynx backed off, knowing magic sometimes needed room to work.
"I'm not sure," she admitted. "We bumped into each other and she must have already been hurt. I didn't realize how bad it was until she collapsed."
The healer nodded, gesturing for his wife to come forward. She did, holding out what must be bandages and maybe some kind of poultice. "This may take a while. Take the other one to get some food."
She nodded and moved toward Jynx, but the demonlord shook her head. "I'm staying," she said firmly.
The innkeeper-and-apparently-healer shrugged, muttering, "Suit yourself," and set to work.
More voices. Footsteps. Enemies? Assassins? The horned and masked demon that had haunted her dreams and very being. She lifted her head weakly. Only to see a redheaded thief, a middle aged woman and her husband. She had the distinct feeling she had seen that redhead somewhere before. With a faint slump, her head dropped down again. These seemed like nice people.
She felt the healer going to work on her body. Every few seconds he had to pull away one or another hidden blade, a knife, dagger, any kind of concealed weaponry. It seemed to be quite the amount. Yet, Usagi was too weak to bring up any valid protests. She passed out again with a low grunt.
When her companion lost consciousness again, Jynx started forward with a worried frown. The innkeeper's wife waved her back though, saying her husband needed room to work and that the girl would be fine, she was just exhausted.
Reluctantly, Jynx sank into a chair at the head of the small table, out of the way but close enough to keep an eye on what was happening. Even when the healer sat back with a sigh, saying he'd done all that he could and that Usagi just needed to rest, let her body take over the healing process, she refused to leave.
She took the woman's hand again, murmuring thanks to the older couple as they left the room and promising she'd pay them for lodging once her companion was well enough to move. She was pretty exhausted herself, and before she quite knew what was happening her head fell forward and she was asleep.
When the healer and his wife were done, there was a pile of weaponry next to the table, aswell as her cloth gauntlets and bloody robes were neatly folded next to the pile of weaponry. Clothes weren't really required, she was almost completely bandaged up. A layer of bandages and her underwear.
With a slow groan, Usagi awoke again, her mind a tad more clear than before. She tried to sit up, yet felt a soft grip on her hand, looking down at the redheaded thief. Jynx. She let out a slow sigh. It seemed like she had just been rescued.
Usagi's stirring brought Jynx back to consciousness. Instantly she was on guard, snapping up and leaning toward the other woman.
"Hey, don't move," she urged, putting a hand on her shoulder to guide her back down. "Gods, Spitfire, you really had me worried for a minute there," she laughed. Realizing she still held her hand, she dropped it and cleared her throat. "Uh, how're you feeling?"
She felt the soft hand on her shoulder and nodded slowly, resting back on the table. She glanced at their still held hands, before back up at Jynx, who quickly rectified something that she tought was a mistake. "Shit." Was what she replied. "Where's the mask.." She murmured to herself, trying to look around.
"Oh, uh..." She looked around before nodding at the quite impressive pile of weaponry. "Probably in there, somewhere. But I'm not sure you should put it back on. Might block your airways or- something." She shrugged. She wasn't a healer.
Usagi tilted her head slightly, looking at the weaponry, gazing for the odd mask. "It isn't." Is what she stated after a brief moment. "It must be still in the ruins." She sighed slowly, before couhging painfully.
Usagi looked at Jynx. "Thank you." Was what she said, before she sat up slowly again, hand on her stomach. She turned on the table so her legs dangled over the edge and she stood up. Faintly limping over to the robes and weaponry. "But I have to go."
"Whoa whoa whoa, easy there, tough girl," Jynx said, hand snapping out to catch her arm and drag her back. Evidently this mask thing was really important. "Look, you are really banged up. And that's putting it lightly. You need to rest and heal."
She rubbed the back of her neck, biting her lip. She really shouldn't be doing this for someone she just met, but... "Look, I'll go back for it, alright? Just stay here and let yourself heal."
She put her hand on Jynx'. A gentle yet insisting touch. "I'll rest when I am dead." She said. Yet too weak to resist being put down on the table again. Something she didn't like. A frown on her face as she sat down again.
"I.. Don't go.." She said as she grabbed Jynx' arm, trying to stop her from leaving. "You will not understand. But believe me. If you leave now. I will die. He is always watching." A shiver ran down her spine. A sensation she hadn't felt in a long time. Fear. "If I end up alone. Without the mask. He'll come to get me. He fears the mask."
"Uh, a-alright," Jynx stammered, sinking down to perch next to her on the edge of the table. She had no idea what the girl was talking about, but those words- He is always watching- struck a chord with her.
"I'll stay," she soothed. "I'll stay, but you really need to rest up. We can go look for your mask in the morning, alright?" That was probably still too soon to move her, but she had the feeling Usagi might not even wait that long.
Usagi released Jynx' hand again, nodding slowly and lying down again. At peace with this decision. "He cannot harm me when there is someone else.." With a soft sigh, silence slowly fell.
Yet. After a brief moment, Usagi spoke up again. "You're lonely. Aren't you?"
Jynx snapped her head around to look at her. "What? No."
Silence.
She sighed sharply. "Maybe. A little. Sometimes." There was the echo of a grating laugh in the back of her head. She frowned, looking away. It was a strange situation she found herself in, never truly alone but always lonely.
She didn't want to think about it. "Seriously, Spitfire. Get some sleep. I...I'm not going anywhere."
Gods, she must be losing her mind.
"It's alright." She said as she sat up slowly. "I feel the same." Was what she said with a slow sigh. "You have the same eyes. The same look." Usagi looked up at Jynx. "We're alike." She coughed slowly, but kept up straight. "Yet.. You're the better person. You saved me." She stood up, stumbling forward, hugging Jynx when she was close enough. "I never tought anyone would care. So I push people away."
"Oh-" Jynx stood frozen for a moment, then very slowly brought her arms around to return the hug awkwardly. "I'm really not a good person," she mumbled- for some reason that was what her brain chose to focus on.
Letting out a breath, she sort of patted Usagi's head. "Alright, Spitfire, it's okay. I couldn't just leave you to die, yeah?" She gave her a lopsided smile. "You pretty much saved my ass back there." Absently she patted her head again, finding the gesture oddly calming for herself as well.
"I don't care where your loyalities are. You saved me." She stated ir so bluntly. So matter-of-factly. "I just did that had to be done. You had no advantages in saving me there. I am glad you did so."
She smiled a bit. "Me too, Spitfire. Now, c'mon." She dipped to hook one leg under Usagi's knees, lifting her up. "You need sleep. I mean it."
She maneuvered them to the table, laying the young woman on it. "I know it's not very comfortable, but it'll work for now, yeah?" She tilted her head at the other girl, brushing some hair off her face absently. "It's a pity you have to wear the mask," she said without thinking. She had a very pretty face.
"W-whoa.." She felt the leg hooked under hers, being lifted in Jynx' arms. Somehow. She felt like she could get used to this. She was placed on the table again, shrugging. "I've had worse." She said, before looking Jynx dead in the eyes. "Why is it a pity?"
Jynx shrugged. "Well, you're a pretty little thing. Seems like a shame to cover it up." She winked, kind of unable to help herself.
"Thanks." She said with a slow sigh. "Are you flirting with me, Jynx?"
She chuckled. "Maybe a little. Does it bother you?" She was a bit of a flirt by nature, but she wasn't one to play a game the other person wasn't interested in playing. She'd back off if she was told to.
Well. That was putting it rather bluntly. A gentle tinge of pink appeared on her cheeks. "I find it.. Intruiging.. Moreso than bothersome."
Jynx gave her a lopsided grin. "You don't flirt much, do you, Spitfire?"
Intriguing. The girl was entertaining, she definitely had to give her that.
"I don't know what it involves or how it works." She shrugged slowly, sitting up again. "But. Keep going. It is interesting."
She laughed. "Oh boy, you must've lost a lot of blood," she muttered, shaking her head and chuckling. "Flirting's a bit more spontaneous than, keep going, ya know? Here."
Shifting so she was facing her better, Jynx reached out and put a finger gently under her chin, tilting her head slightly to the side. "Perfect. Now just bat those pretty little eyes and say whatever comes to mind."
This was surreal, but oddly entertaining. It had been a while since she'd relaxed a bit.
"I have no idea on how to go about it." She arched an eyebrow as Jynx sat next to her, letting out a soft and small moan under the touch. Surprised at the ability of making such a sound herself. Her eyes fluttered as she looked at Jynx again. "This feels.. Nice.."
Jynx snatched her hand back, considered it, then reached out to brush the back of her hand over the girl's cheek. "I think you're better at this than you give yourself credit for," she muttered. Frowning a bit, she said suddenly, "You gotta watch yourself with this stuff though, you know? Sometimes people get the wrong impression, and if you're not willing to straighten them out you can get yourself into trouble."
The thought sparked an odd feeling of protectiveness in her. She knew Usagi was a fighter, she'd seen her in action, but she was also a pretty young woman who seemed just a little bit naive. Dangerous combination.
Usagi softly pressed her cheek against Jynx' hand. She found herself enjoying the gentle and caring touches. "Do you me rape?" She asked. Perhaps a bitbmore insensitive than expected mattering this subject. "There have been.. Attempts." She said as she looked Jynx in the eyes again."You're really beautiful." Here she was again. The most blunt and insensitive and cold way of saying it.
Jynx flinched. That was a bit of a sore subject. "Yes, that's what I meant," she ground out, one hand clenching into a fist at the mention of "attempts".
Then she felt her face heat a bit. Oh hell no, she was not actually blushing. She didn't do that. Ducking her head, she drew her hand back to subconsciously cover the scar that slashed across her face. "I'm really not," she mumbled. "I'm charming. People get the two confused a lot."
And usually she didn't bother to correct them. She wasn't a self-conscious person, but for some reason this girl made her feel a little jittery with those words. Not in an entirely unpleasant way either.
She shrugged the subject off. It wasn't important. Being raped or being killed. There were always attempts, but those never succeeded. And the ones attempting always payed for it. She didn't really see the difference.
Usagi shifted from her seated position to her knees, putting ahand on Jynx' shoulder. Her other hand insitently caressing Jynx' hand on the scar. Trying to pry it away. If succesfully done so, she'd run her thumb across the scar. "This doesn't make you less beautiful. It has some appeal to it."
Jynx snorted but let her pull her hand away. "Yeah, sure, appeal. That's the word for it." She never usually gave the scar much thought- it was just a part of who she was. Even she wouldn't go so far as to say it was appealing though.
She put her other hand under Jynx' chin, the tips of her fingers gently caressing her chin. "Teach me more about this flirting."
Jynx swallowed, forcing a smirk. "Well, I think you've pretty much got the hang of it, actually," she muttered, glancing down and away. "Good news is you're a cute little thing, so you'll never have to put too much effort into it."
She cleared her throat and looked back to her. Her smirk softened into a small smile and she gently took Usagi's wrist, guiding her hand into her lap. "I think this is a conversation to have when you're not all woozy from blood loss," she said quietly.
She couldn't say she wasn't a little bit tempted to, but she certainly didn't want to do anything that could be perceived as "taking advantage" of the situation.
"I'm not 'cute'. Nor am I a 'little thing'." Sounded her response. Taking it just a tad too literal. Yet her hand was guided to Jynx' lap. The other hand that was idly caressing the scar slowly slid to the back of Jynx' head. And sh e pressed forward. Pressing her soft and delicate lips on Jynx' after a short hesitation.
And for her being the cold and brutal personality and fighter. Forged by combat, she was surprisingly gentle and tender with the kiss.
Eyes widening, Jynx gave a small sound that was muffled into the kiss. She knew she should pull away, but she didn't. It was...nice. Much softer than she would have expected. And it had been a long time since someone had shown her such affection...
Remembering why that was, she pulled away, reaching up to cup Usagi's face in her hands. "You are definitely delirious, Spitfire," she murmured, unable to help the small smile that twitched at the corners of her lips.
"If I am. Enjoy it while it lasts." She sated. Before pressing closer again. Their noses touching softly. "And Spitfire is an ugly nickname.. It's Usagi.." Was what she whispered. Looking into Jynx' eyes, before gently nudhing the redhead's lips with her own once more.
Jynx closed her eyes, leaning into the contact. Ohhh, this is such a bad idea... But she found she was caring less and less.
((Do you want to ftb here? Or keep going? I prefer the latter. But it is up to you and your limits ^^))
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She broke the kiss and placed a gentle one in the redhead's neck. "You'll have to be active. Still wounded and all that." Was what she said with a soft, yet dry chuckle.
((I can keep going, just nothing too explicit please, I prefer implication))
Jynx swallowed a small sound, running her hand up Usagi's back. "Careful what you wish for, sweetheart," she said softly with a wicked grin, tilting her head up to kiss her again, more firmly this time.
((Duly noted ^^))
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Usagi took a deep sigh. "I don't wish. I anticipate." Yet. She was immediatly silenced by a stronger, more dominant kiss. If she wasn't hurt like she was now, she'd be all over that. Ready to struggle for the dominance. Yet as she was right now? She allowed Jynx to do as she pleased, for now, merely softly pressing back against Jynx.
Sighing softly, Jynx pulled back, letting her hand brush lightly over the other girl's cheek. "Ok. Let's just...take a beat, alright? You're hurt. I'm not interested in making your condition worse."
Not strictly true. She was interested. Very interested. But for once in her life she tried to put someone else's well-being ahead of her own.
That just wouldn't do at all. Usagi put a hand on Jynx' shoulder. Softly, yet insistingly pushing her down on the table. There was a surprising amount of strength left in Usagi. "I can take lead.. But that would make it just a tad worse for me.. So do me a favour, Jynx." Was what the young woman whispered as she crawled ontop of the redhead. "You take lead and be gentle."
Oh gods. "You are not making it easy for me to be noble here," she grumbled, sitting them both up and grabbing her- gently as she could- in a kiss.
"Good." Was waid Usagi said with a husky whisper, before hugging Jynx fully. Lowering her own head a bit. Making itbeasier for her to play the dominant factor. She slowly pulled herself against the redheaded thief.
Making a real effort to be as gentle as possible, Jynx lowered them both so Usagi was lying on her back, trailing kisses down her neck to her collar. She let one hand skim up her side and then back down to her hip, almost cautiously.
Usagi chuckled at the kisses, putting her hands on Jynx' shoulders as she placed the soft and gentle kisses. "Your sure these bandages won't get in the way?"
"Oh no, missy," Jynx muttered, pulling back to give her a dry look. "You are still injured. The bandages stay on, and you you keep as still as possible." Her lips twitched into an almost smile and she added, "Trust me, I can get pretty creative," before leaning in to kiss her again.
"Fine." Usagi chuckled dryly. "I'll trust you." She closed her eyes in the kiss, softly pushing her lips against Jynx', her hand still on the redhead's shoulders.
Though by no means a stranger to such endeavors, Jynx had to admit this particular situation was a first for her. She was a bit more cautious than she might have been otherwise, but she hadn't been lying- she could be quite creative if the situation called for it.
And there was always the ulterior motive that this might tire the young woman out enough to actually get her to sleep.
Quick-fingered thieves hands set to work while she occupied herself with kissing Usagi, figuring out just how to tilt her head or how much to lean in to get a favorable reaction.
The thief managed to ellicit small moans and cries from Usagi. Slme louder than others. Jynx' fingers were swift and lithe. Usagi, a warrior and assassin, didn't have such a sleight of hand, but nonetheless tried to keep up with Jynx.
"Shh," Jynx urged, covering Usagi's mouth with hers and then smiling. "Don't want to-" She drew in a sharp breath, eyes fluttering closed, and finished on a sigh, "draw attention...Gods, that. Do that again." She dove back into kissing her, some of her caution forgotten.
Usagi chuckled slowly as Jynx told her to keep a bit quiet. The first time her chuckle didn't sound like dry, forced huffing. But an actual, gentle, even musical chuckle. "Do you mean this?" Was what she whispered as she repeated a certain movement of her fingers, hoping it identified as 'that'.
She whinced slightly as Jynx kissed her with a tad more fervor that before. It hurt slightly, but she didn't mind the roigher approach. Somewhere, she liked it.
Jynx practically purred. "Yes. That." Very carefully, she wrapped her arms around Usagi's waist and lifted her into her lap as she sat back, moving the attentions of her mouth to the younger woman's neck and shoulder while her hands busied themselves elsewhere.
Usagi let out a soft, surprised yelp as Jynx pulled her up carefully, being put in the redhead's lap. She let out a soft mewl as she felt Jynx focussing on her neck and shoulder. She gentlt leaned forward against Jynx, pleasured by her touches. Still. She couldn't do much in this position. So, she rested her chin on the thief's shoulder and allowed her to work Usagi over.
Gently moaning, struggling to keep the sound in check.
Jynx chuckled quietly, increasing the pace of her ministrations. She twisted her head to kiss Usagi's cheek and nip lightly at her ear. "Just breathe, sweetheart," she murmured, pleased that she was getting such a reaction but not entirely interested in drawing unwanted attention.
Usagi took a deep breath, before heaving a laboured sigh. Jynx sped up, causing Usagi only to get more difficulties with holding back her voice. Her hands softly and idly clawed on Jynx' back massaging it gently. She pressed her mouth against Jynx' temple, letting out several muffled grunts and moans. Using the thief's head and hair to smother the sounds.
Swallowing a few sounds of her own, Jynx pulled Usagi flush against her and give a definitive flick of her wrist, her other hand striking over the girl's back soothingly, murmuring heated nonsense in her ear.
Usagi pressed her mouth on Jynx' shoulder, replying to the heated whispers with gentle moans and cries. Her body shivering and trembling, before she let out a muffled, long moan against Jynx' shoulder. Her eyes fluttering shut for an instant, slumping in Jynx' arms as every muscle in her body had tensed and then relaxed. She murmured something along the lines off 'I love you', against Jynx' shoulder. Yet it was barely audible.
Wrapping her arms around the younger woman, Jynx guided her back down to lay on her back. She couldn't quite make out what Usagi said, but she decided it must not be too important if she couldn't remember it in the morning.
"Now will you go to sleep?" she whispered with a smile, pressing a quick, light kiss to her forehead.
With a soft sigh, Usagi rested down on the table again, slowly nodding. "Don't leave.." Was what she said, still breathless. Yet hoping that Jynx wouldn't leave her here.
"Hey, I already said I'd stay, didn't I?" Jynx murmured, hesitating a moment before laying carefully beside her. "Not in the habit of breaking promises. Well-" she amended with a wry smile- "not the ones I make to pretty girls, at any rate."
Usagi turned around, facing Jynx, looking her in the eyes for a brief moment. Yet without a word, she sought shelter in Jynx' arms, cuddling up against her and closing her eyes.
"Good girl." She stroked her hair absently. It wasn't the most comfortable place to sleep, but it would do for now. Sighing, she let her own eyes close slowly.
Usagi closed her eyes in Jynx' embrace, relaxing into the thief's arms and shortly after falling asleep. Peacefully so. For the first time in what seemed like eternity.
Once she was sure Usagi was asleep, Jynx let herself fully relax. She could feel her myriad of hidden blades digging into different nooks and crannies of her body, but she was so exhausted she managed to drop off to sleep anyway.
Usagi opened her eyes slowly, not moving an inch, still feeling Jynx' warm embrace around her. She recalled a thing or two from yesterday, so she wasn't all that surprised Jynx had fallen asleep while hugging her.
And she remained in that pose, enjoying the warmth of the embrace. Sure. They were sleeping on a table and it was hard, but this was the first time she trusted someone enough to touch her.
Jynx stretched, then paused when she felt the warm body in her arms. Oh. Right.
Slowly, she sat up, not wanting to disturb Usagi if she was still asleep.
Usagi slowly turned on her back, facing Jynx with a cold, yet oddly soft gaze.
"Oh, you're up." Jynx gave her a small, lopsided smile. "How you feeling then?"
"I've been for several minutes." She sat up slowly. "I'm well. The pain has lessened."
"Good. That's good." She tilted her head at her. "Think you can move? Seems like the sooner we get this mask of yours back the better, but I don't wanna push it."
"I think I can." Was what she said as she slowly stood up, stretching slightly.
"Great." Jynx stood as well, rolling her shoulders. She eyed the pile of weaponry that the girl had been relieved of when she was being healed. "I'm not sure how you even fit all that on your person, but I'm guessing you want it all back," she said with a slightly teasing smile.
Usagi smirked dryly, pulling on the robes and starting to gear up. Surprisingly, she did it quickly. And all the blades, daggers, knives were neatly hidden underneath the robes. Yet, because of some shreds and torns. Some of the sheathes and holsters were visible.
Jynx gave her a quick once over and a nod. "We're taking it easy today, alright?" she said in a tone that didn't invite any argument, arching an eyebrow. "I just need to pay the innkeeper for the night, then we can make our way back to those ruins."
She turned to leaved the room, fetching her coin purse out of the front of her cinched bodice, planning in her head. They could probably ride Nightmare again, that might make things a little easier for Usagi.
Before Jynx could exit the room, Usagi put a hand on he shoulder, insisting to turn her around and stepping closer. "I.. Remember it all.. Yesterday was amazing." She looked up at Jynx, blushing slightly. "I'm sorry you.. Err.. Didn't finish?" Unsure how to state it. Hoping she was clear enough. With that, she pushed herself against Jynx, giving her a long, lingeeing kiss.
Jynx stiffened for a moment, then relaxed into the kiss, returning it gently. When she pulled away, she gave Usagi a small, crooked smile. "Don't worry about it. That- erm...that was for you."
Which wasn't usually the attitude she took when it came to such things, but hell- the girl was injured, and she hadn't wanted to push her.
"If this happens a second time.. You'll have a harder time." She chuckled slowly, before walking out, the two kama sheathed on her back.
Jynx watched her go for a moment, head tilted and lips quirked into a half-smile. Then she shook her head and followed her out.
"Thank you for the room," she said when they came into the main room of the inn, crossing to where the woman who had helped them sat tucked away in a corner, apparently waiting for customers. She fished out a few coins and laid them in her hand with her most charming smile. "I hope that covers it, and the healing."
The innkeeper's wife counted, then nodded at her. "Should do it. You girls sure you won't need to stay another evening?" She was looking at Usaig when she said it, concerned.
Jynx shook her head. "Nah, we'll be fine." With another nod, she tapped the younger woman on the shoulder and jerked her head at the door, moving to leave.
Usagi stood before the woman and bowed deeply before her. "My sincerest thanks." Was what she said, before standing up again, looking at Jynx as the woman asked them for staying another evening. Allowing Jynx to speak. She wasn't really the best at social stuff. She nodded at the tap and walked out along with the redheaded thief.
Letting out a sigh, Jynx reached up to rub at her shoulders, cracking her neck. "I'm thinking we should ride," she said, looking sidelong at Usagi. "Might make things a bit easier on you."
"I just want the mask as soon as possible." Was what she replied. "So, if riding makes that faster, we ride."
Jynx nodded, drew a dagger, and swiftly cut her palm. Holding out her bleeding hand, she murmured, "Nightmare, come to me."
The demon shimmered into being in front of them, tossing her smoky mane and looking them over, pawing the ground. Jynx turned to Usagi. "Want a leg up?" she asked, nodding to the rather large mare. she had difficulty mounting from the ground when she wasn't injured.
Usagi arched a singular eyebrow at Jynx cutting herself. "Awfully similair to blood seals.." Was what she muttered to herself, nodding slowly. "It'd help. Be less painful." She replied, walking over next to Jynx.
Kneeling next to the demon, Jynx cupped her hands to offer a sort of step. Nightmare tossed her head again, snorting, obviously anxious to be off. "Keep your hair on," Jynx muttered at her, giving Usagi a nod.
Usagi put her foot down into Jynx' hands and nodded, before pushing herself upwards with quite the amount of force, sitting down ontop of the nightmarish creature, not giving a damn about how it looked. She had seen scarier.
She was being chased by scarier right now.
Standing, Jynx swung up behind the young woman, pressing right up against her and reaching her arms around her so she could grip Nightmare's mane. "Back to the ruins, girl," she murmured.
The demon snorted an acknowledgement and took off, needing no further direction.
Usagi didn't move an inch while on the horse, just coldly looking forward and waiting for them to reach the ruins.
Somehow this ride seemed shorter than the panicked one form the previous night- perhaps because now she wasn't feeling so desperate.
Nightmare slowed at the outskirts of the ruins, then stopped, picking her way rather delicately through the rubble. "You know where we should start looking Spi- Usagi?" Jynx asked, eyes scanning the place warily.
"I don't know. Let's just backtrack. And do it with caution." She said with a slow sigh. "We never know what else may lurk in these ruins." She said, following Jynx closely.
She nodded, wrinkling her nose at the thought. "Return through the Veil," she whispered to Nightmare. Using her still bleeding hand, she murmured another summons, this time calling Dionish forth.
"Alright. You had the mask when I bumped into you. Think it might be in that big room where you stabbed the guy?" she asked, hand drifting to the knife at her hip.
"Possibly. But perhaps when I was flung across the room." She said soberly, not liking to state what she did wrong. It was unforgivable that she had been that careless. Not realising he had some kind of arcane shield. "That seems most likely."
Jynx nodded. "Right. Let's check it out then." Jynx snapped her fingers and Dionish came to heel, pacing after them and sniffing the air. "You keep close," she said to Usagi as they moved into the chill ruins.
"Way ahead of you." Was what she replied, practically standing back to back with the thief. She wouldn't be poisoned or impaled a second time.
Giving a sharp whistle, Jynx flicked her fingers forward. Dionish barked and darted forward down a gloomy hall. She waited a few moments until they heard his bark again, echoing up ahead. "Clear," she said, starting after him.
"You remember where we go from here?" The place was like a maze.
"More or less." She said as she brushed past Jynx, brandishing her kama and circling them in her hands swiftly, walking down a flight of stairs.
Jynx followed close on her heels, her body practically vibrating with tension. Dionish growled low, eyes darting around in the same wary manner his mistress's did.
As soon as the demon started growling, Usagi stopped in her tracks, controlled, calm and serene. Yet the gip on her kama tightened. "What's wrong?"
Jynx shook her head. "Probably just residual necromantic power in the place. Demons are sensitive to stuff like that." She did up her guard a little bit though, holding a hand out to Dionish to calm him.
"Alright." She said in response, trusting Jynx' judgement and following the demon's trails, holding at any sign of danger or distrust. Wary, yet in a controlled manner. Not afraid. Not scared. But wary of her surroundings.
The ruins started to look familiar. "Through here, I think," Jynx murmured. She unsheathed her dagger. "This place gives me the chills," she hissed, eyes flicking around. "Why's this damned mask so important anyway?"
"There's something chasing me. Even now. I can see him lurking from the corners of my eyes.." She loooked at Jynx. "He can't harm me when there are other people around or when I wear the mask. He seems to hate.. Or fear it. That's why I always wear it. Even when I sleep." She shook her head slowly, before turning around and starting to walk again. "I don't expect you to understand. But this mask is the only thing that keeps me from being tortured to death when I'm alone. He is.. Invisable.. Even untouchable for you. An apparition purely to torture me."
"Gods." Her eyebrows rose. "And I thought I had problems," she muttered.
She peered around the corner into the room, shivering slightly. "You see it in here?" she whispered, searching the gloom for a flash of white.
"I've given up on them a long time ago.. It's something you do when a demon that is bound to kill you one day is always present and watching. And visible. Slowly aproaching. Waiting for you to make one tiny mistake." Usagi stepped into the room, eyes scanning the surroundings. Silently standing there. "I think I found it." Was what she said as she walked over to a white glint, kneeling down and picking up the mask. It wasn't broken. But covered in blood and dirt.
Yet. She was captivated by something right infront of her. To Jynx. It would be invisble. But she stood eye to eye with what was haunting her. She swallowed slowly, sweat dropping from her brow and put the mask on. At that, the creature backed and dissappeared into the shadows. Yet Usagi was frozen in place.
Dionish began barking madly. Distracted with trying to calm him- he seemed totally panicked- it took Jynx a moment to notice the other woman's state.
She looked up from her demon in exasperation. "You found it then?" she asked, moving toward her. Starting to notice something was off, she reached out to touch her shoulder. "Usagi?"
"Right there.." Was what she merely answered. Dumbfounded. Shocked. "I could touch him.. Hear him breathe.. He looked at me." A slow shiver crawled down her spine. "The unending abyss of oblivion.. I saw it in his eyes."
"Hey." Jynx stepped in front of her, taking her shoulders and forcing herself into her field of vision. "Hey, it's alright, yeah? I'm right here. You said he couldn't hurt you if someone's here."
Her eyes flicked around the room, searching for whatever had spooked the girl. "C'mon, let's get out of here."
"He can't.." Another slow shiver. "This was him.. Mocking me.." She pulled a disgusted face. Fear still lingering visibly in her eyes. "A reminder he would get me." The ruins were creepy, for sure. But knowing Usagi. Well. Nothing would scare her. Yet. She was paralysed. Frozen in place. Whatever had presented itself, invisble to Jynx was frightening.
"Laughter.. Do you hear his laughter?" Yet. All that was heard was the unbearable, eerie silence.
Jynx shook her head. "I don't hear anything. Usagi, let's go. We need to get you out of here." She was starting to freak her out a bit now.
Usagi let out a slow nod after she had snapped out of her trance. "Yes. Let's go.." Was what she said, gazing around and sticking close to Jynx.
With a nod, Jynx started leading them back out of the ruins. Without thinking, she reached out and took Usagi's hand, tugging her closer to her side as they walked.
Usagi felt the hand grabbing hers. She gave a gentle squeeze as affirmation and got tugged closer. Again, practically back to back with Jynx.
When they finally reached sunlight again, Jynx let out a quick sigh of relief. She too a beat and tilted her head back, letting the warmth bathe her face.
Then Nightmare gave an impatient neigh and she snapped back into focus. "Alright. Let's put this place behind us, huh?" she said briskly, giving Usagi a lopsided smile.
Usagi nodded slowly. "That would be good." She said, glancing at the entrance of the ruins. "Where are we headed? Back tl the same inn?"
Jynx gave her a quick once over, then shook her head. "Nah. I'm thinking we should head into La'marri proper, find you a real healer so you can get more than a patch job."
Usagi nodded again. "Alright. I take it we're going by.." She glanced at the creature, then back at Jynx. "If I didn't know better, I'd say horse."
Jynx chuckled. "Close enough. That's what I mostly use her for, anyway, though she has a few other neat tricks." She mounted up and reached down her hand to help Usagi up.
Usagi nodded. "She looks like she does." Usagi grabbed Jynx' hand and pulled herself up, siting infront of her. After tento twenty minutes of riding, Usagi sighed slowly. "Jynx.." She looked up at the redheaded thief. "Can we talk for a second?"
"Hm?" She glanced down at her, raising an eyebrow. "Uh, sure. Fire away."
She put her hands on Jynx'. Insistingly so. Gesturing for her tl make the nightmarish stead halt in her tracks.
And when they came to a full stop, Usagi sighed. She seemed intent on staring forward. Not looking her companion in the eyes. "I.. Err.." Staring forward to hide her blush, that is. "The short time we've known eachother.. I trust you.. Even more so than trust.." She turned around, looking her in the eyes. "I.. Care for you.."
"Oh. Um." Jynx cleared her throat, giving Usagi's hands a quick squeeze. "Look, me too. I mean, if I didn't care I would have left you in that inn, and I wouldn't have-"
She cleared her throat again. "Well. Anyway. Yeah."
A sinking feeling started in her gut. She had a bad feeling she knew where this conversation where she was going, and she knew what she would have to say. And she hated it.
Usagi let out a slow sigh. "You're the first to look though.. All this.. And meet me.. Rather than the mask." She took a deem breath. "I don't know what love is.. Or what it means.. So I won't call it that.. You're the only one I've ever.. Truly cared for." She chuckled bitterly. "And here I am just rambling like a country bumpkin.."
"No, you're not." Jynx sighed. Damnit. This was going to hurt. "You're not a bumpkin. you're young, Usagi... Actually, how old are you, sweetheart?"
"I.. Don't know. I don't even know what day or year I was born in.. Training was far more important.." She looked into Jynx' eyes again. That same sincere, no-nonsense and cold gaze she always had. "I'm scared when you're around.. Scared of these feelings."
"Oh, hun..." Jynx let out a breath and, despite her better judgement, pressed a kiss to the top of the younger woman's head. "Usagi- those feelings aren't bad. But sweetheart, I think they're misdirected. I'm not good for you."
She reached up to put her fingers under her chin, smiling gently at her. "Look, however old you are, whatever's happened to you- and it seems like a lot- you are young. You've got a lot ahead of you, and you're damn sure tough enough to take it."
She ran a hand through her hair, glancing away from her. "I'm twenty-four, love. And I'm not going to live past twenty-five. Don't ask me why, that's just how it is. This is...we can't..." She sort of choked off, closing her eyes. "I'm sorry."
"I.. Don't care.. Who's good for me.. Who isn't.. Explain to me why they are misdirected.. I just don't understand what I feel." She shook her head slowly. "I might be young.. I might be tough. But death incarnate is chasing me as we speak. Each minute is just borrowed time.." She ook a deep sigh, pulling the cords loose and holding the mask out to Jynx. "If yiu stop fighting.. So will I. If you have less than a year. Why not take it to its fullest?"
Usgi shook her head slowly. "No. You aren't sorry. Not on my account. You regret your own decision." She pressed a gentle kiss on Jynx' cheek. "Not like I would allow you to die.."
She smiled sadly. "You're sweet," she murmured, stroking her hair. "You're wrong, but you're sweet."
They were approaching the outskirts of La'marri now. She let out a long breath. "Look, let's get you to a healer. We...we can talk about this later."
"Is it a disease?" She inquired. Still looking up at Jynx. "I'll find a way to cure it.. Is it a curse? I'll pay tribute.."
She heard the stutter in Jynx' voice. "You're going to drop me off at a healer.. And make a break for it, huh?" Usagi knew the type. And placed in Jynx' shoes. With her personality? She'd do the same.
"No!" Yes.
She sighed again. "No, Usagi, I won't make a break for it. I'm...telling you that I'm going to leave. I'm going to drop you off at a healer, and I'm going to leave." She tightened her arms around her, burying her face in her hair.
One moment of weakness. She could be allowed that, right?
Usagi put a soft hand on Jynx'. "You're hurting yourself more than me.. Don't do this to me, Jynx. Not after all this." She took a deep breath. "Not after being my first.."
"Gods!" She choked, jerking away from her. "I was- you were-"
Oh great. No way that guilt was ever getting off her conscience.
"You should have said something," Jynx groaned, rubbing a hand down her face. Nightmare slowed to a trot, then stopped outside what looked to be some sort of clinic/inn hybrid. The creature was intuitive, she'd give her that.
The thief dismounted, pulling Usagi with her. She held the younger woman against her for a moment in silence.
"Why? So you would stop? I wanted it. And I wanted it to be someone I could trust." She smiled sadly at the horse stopping. Knowing the function of the building all too well. She was pulled in a silent embrace. Knowing all too damn well what would happen next.
Jynx forced herself to break away. "Come on," she said softly, moving toward the door. "Let's get someone to help you."
"Wait.. One more thing.." Was what she said, putting a hand on Jynx' shoulder. Her finger pressing against a certain pressure point that would cause her to pass out for several minutes. And cause her to wake up with quite the headache.
If succesful, Usagi would catch before she fell and place her down against the wall of the clinic. Propping the mask in her hands. "I'm sorry, Jynx. But I can't go back to how it was before." And at that. She dissappeared in the shadows. Without her mask.
Recognizing the technique, Jynx was still too slow to avoid it completely. "Don't-!" She crumbled to the ground, vision going dark.
A young woman, who had seen the two approaching through a window of the clinic and gone to greet them, froze in surprise as she watched the scene play out. After a moment she forced herself to move, darting out to the unconscious redhead and reaching out with her magic.
"Miss? Miss, w-wake up."
Jynx came to with a gasp. It took about seven seconds for her to feel the mask in her hands and realize what had happened. "Shit!" She sprang to her feet, then swayed. Her gaze fell on the frail looking woman in front of her. "A girl, there was another girl- red hair, weird clothes- did you see her?"
Dusk nodded, speechless, and pointed in the direction she'd seen the other young woman go.
Jynx cursed again, colorfully, and took off. After a moment, Dusk sprang to her feet and followed, calling, "Miss, wait! You still need some medical attention, I really only woke you up-"
A clearing the forest. A suiting place. Kama brandished, she looked around for her personal poltergeist. The demon that had chosen to stalk her and make her life into a living hell. And she believed her life was destined to be such. Untill the very moment she called Jynx a fool for the very first time. "Face me." She said. Finding the lack of his presence disturbing.
Yet. After a short while, the demon stepped out from the bush. A fanged and horned mask. Clad in dark crimson robes. Two blades on his back. She twirled the kama in her hands. "Let's affirm destiny." Yet. The demon would have none of it. His prey had given up. This kill wouldn't be rewarding at all. With a dark and bellowing laughter, it dissappeared into the shrubbery once more.
Usagi blinked slowlt. Dropping to her knees as tears streamed down her cheeks. Sobbing uncontrollably. "You really are.. A fucking sadistic bastard.. Aren't you?!" She exclaimed loudly, before sinking into silent sobs once more. Whispering "aren't you?" Once more.
Jynx heard her voice. She came tearing into the clearing, teeth and blades bared-
And saw the girl crumbled, crying. Broken.
Her heart ached. "Usagi..." She walked to her and knelt, wrapping her arms around her shoulders and drawing her against her chest. "Oh, thank gods you're alive," she muttered.
Dusk, panting, hovered in the treeline, watching and feeling awkward. She shifted from foot to foot, wanting to leave them alone- but she could feel the younger girl's pain, and her healer's instincts wouldn't let her just walk away.
Then it was audible to Jynx and the healer. A bellowing laughter. Faint. Very much so. But the kind of laughter that haunted into one's deepest dreams. One that'd instantly sent a cold shiver down someone's spine. It was amused. Enjoying the scene it had just witnessed. And in the distance. A horned shadow slowly dissappeared into the woods.
The laugh caused another sloppy and loud sob from Usagi. She felt Jynx' arms around her. "Don't.." I don't deserve it.
The kama were stuck in the ground, the back of her hands slumped aginst the foredt floor. She was broken. Even worse. She was shattered. Destroyed.
That laugh... She looked around, clutching Usagi closer, but couldn't see anything. "Shh..." Jynx lifted her up, cradling her against her chest. She then remembered the healer and jerked her head to the kama.
"Grab those, would you? We need to get her to the clinic."
Dusk nodded, speechless, and darted forward to take the strange weapons. "She's h-hurt pretty b-b-bad, let's hurry," she murmured. Her spine was tingling and she kept looking around, expecting the owner of that haunting laugh to jump out of the trees.
Usagi shook her head slowly. Tears still streaming down her pale cheeks. "Don't.. Touch me.." Was what she murmured to Jynx between sobs. Trying to faintly escape her cradling. Her lovable. Protective cradling. Her warm and soft hands. The gentle musk that hung around the thief. She didn't deserve it.
None of it.
Why was this hugging so damn painful? So damn contradicting? She wanted it to stop. Yet she wanted it to go on forever. Half her mind screaming she didn't deserve this. Other half screaming she needed this.
And both were correct.
"You hush," Jynx told her, voice hoarse. She'd take the excuse to hold her just a little longer.
Dusk led them to the clinic- which was mostly empty- and to a fresh bed in a corner of the main room. Jynx laid the girl down, smoothing her hair off her face and placing the mask in her hands. "Don't you lose this again," she whispered, kissing her forehead.
Dusk, trying very hard to act as though she wasn't watching the fairly personal exchange, laid two fingers on the pulse point in Usagi's wrist, letting a tiny tendril of magic loose to feel out her injuries.
Usagi didn't seem wounded at all. Even with the arcane scrying. She was confused. Afflicted with heartache. Extremely distressed. She felt Jynx' lips on her forehead after the whisper. She gtabbed the woman's wrist. Softly. Weakly. Yet so tenderly and insisting. "Please.." Was the only thing she could blurt out.
Jynx let her hand brush her cheek for a moment, then pulled away. "Maybe I'll see you around," she murmured with a small smile. Heart aching, she freed her wrist and moved toward the door.
Unable to help herself, Dusk rose to her feet, starting after her. "M-miss, wait a moment-"
The thief turned in the doorway, looking at her with flinty, golden eyes. Then her expression softened just a bit and she whispered, "Take care of her. And don't leave her alone. She shouldn't be alone."
And she left.
Letting out a long breath, Dusk returned to her patient's side. "Your w-wounds seem to be healing alright," she murmured quietly, kneeling next to the bed. But after all the craziness of the last hour her defenses were down, and she could feel a whisper of emotion. She tried to block it quickly- not only did it feel like spying, but the brief glimpse was almost physically painful with the intensity of the heartache.
Before Jynx managed to free her wrist, Usagi wrapped her free arm around Jyn' neck. Pulling her down and pressing a tender kiss against her lips. "Whatever you carry.. You can still be happy.. Come visit me.." Was what she whispered before she slumped back on the bed. Whatever was going to happen. Jynx was going to leave. "I'll be waiting for you.." Was what she said, slightly louder. Strained. Holding back her tears.
As Jynx walked out, Usagi looked sidewards. Avoiding eyecontact with Dusk. "When can I leave?" Was what she inquired with a quivering yet cold voice.
Dusk glanced at her face, then returned her attention to her shoulder, trying to stay businesslike. "You should probably rest t-today," she murmured.
After a long moment of silence, she said so quietly it was almost inaudible, "I know it's n-not my place...b-b-but it seemed like she r-really cares about you."
More than seemed- she could still feel both their heartbreak.
"Alright." She took a deep breath. Her face returning to an emotionless guise. Her voice growing cold and emotionless again. She glanced at Dusk. "It isn't your place." Was what she bluntly stated.
Dusk blushed, dropping her eyes. "Yes, miss," she murmured. Her hands hovered over her bandages and she looked at her patient's face again. "I n-need to look at your wounds. Is th-that okay?"
Usagi looked at the hands, before looking at Dusk again. "Go ahead." Usagi rested her head back. Looking at the ceiling. Cold and evasive on the outside. But she was still hurting. Pained to no extent.
Nodding, dusk set about removing the bandages. "You've already had some healing on this," she noted quietly, her stutter falling away as she settled into a more comfortable topic.
A tall, skinny man with thick spectacles came striding into the room, shuffling papers in front of his face. He seemed to be muttering to himself and nearly ran into the door frame before he turned and started, finally catching sight of Dusk and their newest patient.
"Oh. Hello. What happened here?" He came forward a bit.
Dusk shook her head, looking to the girl. "I d-don't actually know." Softly, she coaxed, "If you could tell me how this happened, I might be able to treat you better."
"I fought a necromancer in his trap-filled lair. A pike razed through my hip and when engaging the necromancer, one of his minions stabbed me through the chest. I proceeded to be knocked against a wall due to a strong arcane surge." Her voice filled with desinterest and neutrality. Rambling the entire story off.
Dusk's eyes widened and the man gave a low whistle. "You some sort of tomb raider or something, then?" he asked curiously.
"Alan," Dusk chided, giving him a look. "She's wounded. Maybe the interrogation can w-wait until I've healed her, yeah?" Looking back to the girl, she said, "I-I'm going to have to touch you for th-this to work." She liked to get permission from her patients, if she was able.
"I had a mission. One I completed. It'd be unwise to ask more questions." She opted at the male, cold and emotionless eyes gazing at the spectacles, before back at Dusk. "Do whatever."
She nodded and laid her hand on her patient's chest, over her heartbeat. Closing her eyes, she let out a breath and pushed her magic through her fingertips into the young woman, knitting skin and muscle, driving out infection.
With the same cold look, Usagi glanced at Dusk's hands. Then at Dusk herself, before looking up at the ceiling once more. Unflinching at the pain the magic might put her through. Setting straight of ribs was a painful thing after all. Yet she didn't even show the least hint of discomfort.
Drawing her hands back with a sigh, Dusk swayed a bit. Healing magically always took it out of her. She rose shakily to her feet. "You sh-should eat something. It'll help your body heal. We don't have a lot, but I can get you some bread and water, y-you should take it easy on your stomach today," she said quietly.
Usagi looked up at Dusk. It was true. She hadn't eaten recently. But the emotional shock made her unable to do so. She quirked an eyebrow. "Take care of yourself before you take care of me."
Dusk blinked. "Wh-why would I need taking care of? I'm th-the healer." She tried to joke, but she was worried she wasn't very good at it.
Alan looked at them both. "Not like we have any other patients I need to look at. Why don't you let me get the food?" He left the room without waiting for an answer.
"You're shaking with exhaustion. I won't repeat myself a third time. Go take care of yourself before you take care of me." Ever so bluntly stated, before looking at Alan. Wanting to say something, but being a tad too late.
Dusk shook her head, sitting on the edge of the clinic cot. "Just need to refuel. Alan w-will bring me food when he b-b-brings yours," she said quietly. "And I'm n-not in the habit of leaving my p-patients when they're critical."
Physically, the girl was fine. She may be a little sore for a while, and tired, but she was fine. Emotionally? Even with all her walls up, Dusk could almost taste her pain.
"I'm not critical. I've fought being worse." She said with a dry huff, looking off into the distance.
Dusk straightened her spine, trying desperately to be authoritative. "H-hey. Who's the healer h-h-here?" She winced at the stutter. Great. So much for that.
Usagi wanted to bite back once more. But she reconsidered. The woman was only doing her job. She didn't deserve the extent of sharp remarks. With a slow sigh, she nodded. "You are. My apologies."
Dusk smiled at her softly. "D-don't apologize. Just rest, get better."
Alan returned, baring two small plates. He handed them both to Dusk, who passed one along to their patient as well as the clay cup of water Alan gave her. "Here. And if you don't think you can eat, at least d-drink the water."
She nodded slowly as she took the food, biting a piece of the bread. Deciding she still couldn't eat, Usagi swallowed the small piece and just decided to drink some. Sipping the water slowly, gazing at Dusk silently before staring.forward again..
"T-take it easy," Dusk urged, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You need to hydrate. And you should try eating again in an hour or so."
Usagi looked at the hand on her shoulder. Coldly. As if she didn't understand the gesture. In truth, she didn't want to betouched. None had a right to touch her but Jynx.
Taking the hint, Dusk withdrew her hand. "We can leave you alone, if you want to try and get some sleep," she offered quietly.
Sleep. As if she could sleep now. In her restless state. After seeing the one person she cared for departing for good. After seeing her personal demon up close. Unprotected. Yet she would at least enjoy the peace and silence for a change. She was thankful for the healing. But the social chitchat was something she disliked. "Please." Was what she answered on the response.
Sleeping in a public place. As if anyone would be allowed to see that weakness.
Nodding, the healer stood and shooed Alan out of the room. She made to follow him, then hesitated, glancing over her shoulder. "I-if you need anything, just call for me. My n-n-name's Dusk."
Usagi only gave her a cold stare as she saod her name, before dissappearing. Only when they left, she leaned back with a sigh, relaxing slowly. She picked up the mask and looked at it. Running her finger along the features of the mask. "What're you thinking.. Jynx.. And why did you leave me.." She quietly murmured to herself.
In the back room of the clinic, Dusk set about crushing herbs into pastes and powders, wrapping bandages, and setting some water on to boil.
When the kettle began hissing, she poured some water into a cup and added mint, lavender, and chamomile. She poked her head back into the main room, looking to see if her newest patient was still awake.
An Dusk was met with the same, cold eyes. Usagi was still awake. She slowly lowered the mask, loking atthe healer.
"I th-thought you might have some trouble getting to sleep," Dusk murmured, moving closer. "I made some tea. It might help." She held the cup out.
She looked at the cup of tea, taking it and nodding slowly. "I am not going to sleep. If that is what you were wondering. Not where people can see me."
Dusk tilted her head. "Th-there's another room in back. Usually used for quarantine, but since w-we don't need it right n-n-now..." She trailed off, raising her eyebrows questioningly.
"And what if you'd need it soon? I'll pass and just remain awake." Not like she could sleep even if she wanted to now. She looked at the tea in her hands. Been so long since she actually had this. So long when she had actually taken the time to enjoy this.
With a soft sip, she tasted the rich aroma.
But. That was also a push over the edge. The cup got shattered in her hand due to the force. It was too painful. Years of hiding emotions and pain. Years of wearing a mask. And simply losing someone made it shatter completely. With a soft sob, she curled up, resting her face in her hands.
"Oh." Her eyes went wide and her hands fluttered helplessly. Not sure what to do, she instinctively leaned forward to hug her, hesitated, then decided to do it anyway. The girl obviously needed comfort.
She wrapped her arms around her shoulders, feeling thin and awkward and not at all qualified to be doing this. "A-alright. It's okay, go ahead and c-c-cry."
She felt Dusk hugging, her hand scorched and bleeding. Yet, the pain, nor the sensation of someone at least trying to comfort her was getting through. She had broken down completely, ignoring anyone outside of her own mind.
Pulling back slightly, Dusk took her injured hand and winced. "H-here," she murmured, picking shards out clay out of the cut. She encircled the girl's hand with both of hers and closed her eyes, willing magic to stitch the skin together and soothe the burns from the scalding tea.
No response came from Usagi whatsoever. Who had degenerated into a pitiful mess of sobbing. She merely tried to fight her tears back, yet found herself unable to do so.
Just why was she left behind?
Dusk cleaned up the remains of the cup and then, quite without making a conscious decision to do so, climbed onto the bed with her. She wrapped her arms around the other girl again and pulled her against her side, patting her back soothingly.
Knowing she probably couldn't say anything to help anyway, she kept silent, waiting for the tears to stop or for her patient to push her away.
Usagi's eyes widened in shock at the sudden but gentle touch. She was pulled against Dusk, her tears immediatly stopping. Reminded that she was still in public view. Weakness was untolerable. "Let me." Was what she said with a cold voice.
Dusk pulled away. "D-do you want me to get you an-n-nother cup of tea?" she asked quietly, gaze fixed on her hands folded in her lap.
"No," she let out an annoyed sigh, "leave me alone."
"A-alright," Dusk murmured, standing from the bed. "Like I s-said, if you need anything I'm just in the other r-room."
"Good." Usagi said as she started to stare at the ceiling again, wiping her cheek off again.
With a sigh Dusk retreated, running her hands through her hair.
"How's she doing?" Alan asked quietly as she reentered the back room.
She shrugged. "She's hurting, and in a place I c-can't just fix it. I hate it."
The other healer gave her a small, sad smile. "I know you do. Give her some time, she may yet come around."
Dusk nodded desolately and went back to her task of sorting herbs and making salves, quiet and contemplative.
One of her hands dropped from the side of the bed, gently burshing past the kama. Wich she proceeded to pick up, flicking and spining it around in her hand like it weighed nothing. Bored. Idle. Deeply contemplating.
Dusk waited a bit before venturing back into the room. "I brought s-s-some porridge," she said softly, approaching the bed and holding out a gently steaming bowl.
Usagi shot her a cold look. "I am not hungry. Nor do I think I would be able to eat." She said as she slipped the kama out of her hand, back next to the bed.
Dusk sighed, laying the bowl on the small table situated between two of the clinic cots. "You should at least t-try. I know it's not much, but you n-n-need to k-keep your strength up."
Usagi's mouth portrayed a moritifed grin at the words. "Why would I? What's the point."
"B-because you don't seem like the kind of person to just g-g-give up," the healer murmured, tilting her head at her and brushing a stray piece of lavender hair off her face.
"You're right. I don't give up. Untill faced with defeat, I remain defiant." And she was faced with defeat. Jynx leaving. It broke her to pieces. Pieces that would probably never mend again.
"Then be defiant," Dusk urged, offering her the bowl again. "I know you're h-hurting. But pain fades. You just have to give it the time."
Smiling gently, she added, "And you can't do that if you starve to death."
"Some scars keep hurting." She shook her head at the offer again, raising her hand. Clearly not intent on eating.
"I never said the p-pain stops," Dusk whispered. "But it does fade..." Trying for a smile, she waved the spoon she'd brought back and forth. "D-don't make me feed you like a toddler. B-because I will."
Usagi shook her head slowly. Snerking dryly. "I would absolutely love to see you try."
Dusk frowned. Huffing, she dipped the spoon into the porridge and darted her hand forward, shoving it at her mouth.
Well. She'd warned her. She needed to eat, if this was how it got done, then fine.
Usagi looked unimpressed. Merely raising an eyebrow. A dry crack resounded and she held the big end up the spoon between two fingers. Having snapped it in half in an instant. "I said. I am not hungry."
She let out a sharp breath. "I c-c-can't help you if you don't want to be helped," she murmured, putting the bowl down. "B-but I'm sure as h-h-hell gonna try," she added determinedly, looking her int he eyes.
She put the broken piece on the table again. "I will eat when I feel hungry." Another cold gaze was shot at Dusk. "You have helped enough. Let me rest and tomorrow. I will be on my way. I have a redhead to track down."
Dusk bit her lip. "As you wish," she murmured, standing and turning to go.
She hesitated, then said softly, "I won't pretend to know what happened...but she left for a r-reason. It seemed to m-me like she was protecting you." She made to leave the room.
"She left for a reason. Perhaps. But I am selfish enough to be willing to shatter that reason. I'd rather die by her side than live alone again." She looked at Dusk for a brief second, then away again. "And I'll find her. Shadows guide me..."
Dusk didn't really know how to respond to that, so she simply murmured, "Get some rest. Y-you need it."
Usagi nodded slowly, sitting back again. Slowly closing her eyes and at least trying to get some rest.
As she usually did when she was visiting La'marri, Dusk slept in the back room of the clinic. She bbid Alan good night shortly after she returned from attempting to feed their patient and bustled about for a while cleaning up, then laid down on the cot in the back corner with a sigh.
"Everything looks better in the morning," she told herself quietly, turning onto her side. Maybe even this.
Usagi sighed slowly. Trying to get se sleep. And succesfully. Yet a myriad of nightmares plagued her shallow sleep. Mumbling and restless in her movementd.
Dusk had always been a restless sleeper, and when she woke some time in the night she thought she should maybe check on her patient.
Quiet as she could, she stood and made her way to the main room of the clinic, lighting a candle and peering in the direction of the girl's cot.
Usagi seemed fast asleep. Murmuring in her sleep about shadows and demons, chasing her down, restless.
Dusk moved forward cautiously until she was standing next to the cot. Doing her best not to wake the young woman, she laid a hand gently on her shoulder and closed her eyes.
Sometimes she could heal more than the body, if she tried. It seemed clear to her that her patient was having a nightmare, so she tried to send a current of calm reassurance through her fingers into the girl.
The instant her shoulder was touched, Usagi's eyes were wide open, she grabbed the arm and shot up, throwing Dusk over her shoulder and pinning her down against the bed. Underneath her. A knife on her throat. She relaxed, however, her sharp touch growing a bit more loose. "What do you want?"
Fear and shock struck her dumb and she simply shook her head back and forth, flinching away from the blade of the knife.
"I-I-I-I-" She swallowed and tried again when she had some of her voice back. "Y-you seemed- I was t-t-trying to h-help, looked like y-you were having a n-n-n-nightmare."
"I was.. Am doing quite fine, thank you." Was what she said as she sat up, sheathing the blade somewhere in her left sleeve again. "Do you always prey upon sleeping people?" She asked gruffly, removing her weight away from Dusk so she could sit up.
Shaking slightly, Dusk pushed herself onto her elbows. "W-w-w-wasn't preying," she muttered, wincing at her stutter. It always got worse under shock or stress. "Y-you looked upset, I was j-j-just trying to help..."
Usagi let out a dry, humorless chuckle. "I do not trust you. Be happy I didn't slith your throat right there." She let out a slow sigh. "It is obvious I am hostile and dangerous towards anyone. Why do you even risk it?"
Dusk blinked at her as though she'd just asked why the sky was blue. "B-because...because..." She shrugged. "It's just...what I do. It's in my n-nature, I can't help it."
She looked down cheeks flushing. "I can t-tell when someone's hurting, and I fix it." Or she tried to, anyway.
"Your nature is going to get you killed." Sounded Usagi's sneering response. Yet she looked down at Dusk with an arched eyebrow. "Do not try to know what I feel. Let alone fix it. You cannot."
"I don't try. I just happens," Dusk protested, still blushing. "I try not to, usually. It feels like spying. But I c-can't help it."
She drew her knees to her chin, wrapping her arms around them. This patient wasn't the first person to tell her that her "nature" was dangerous, but she really couldn't seem to help herself.
"Then stop 'not trying, but happening' so obviously. Or at least leave me be. It is spying." Usagi folded her arms, sitting on the side of the bed.
Dusk huffed, frowning a bit. "I won't p-pry," she muttered, "but t-taking care of you is my job. Until tomorrow at l-least. So I can't just leave you b-be."
She glanced away and let out a long breath. "Will you at least try to eat s-something?"
"Was what she said sincerely. In the middle of the night. After sneaking up on her patient." Usagi sniclered slowly. I won't pry my ass. Usagi let out a slow, long sihmgh at the question.
"It is past midnight. You just awoke me. No. I will not eat something."
"I didn't mean to wake you," Dusk muttered. "I only w-wanted to calm you down so you could actually sleep. But now that you're up you really sh-should eat something- healing can take it out of you, and you d-d-din't eat before..."
"Ad yet here we are." Usagi sighed slowly. "I. Won't. Eat." Each word slowly pronounced. Her voice hinting at quite the amount of annoyance.
Now she was getting frustrated. "Why. The hell. Not," Dusk demanded, frowning. She didn't even realize she'd dropped her stutter. "The only person you're hurting is yourself. You're acting like a stubborn child."
There was no real bite to the words, they were stated bluntly.
"I. Will. Not. Repeat. Myself." She grit her teeth. "If I hurt myself. So be it. I am not hurting you. So, do not involve yourself."
"Gah!" Dusk threw her hands up, exasperated. "Fine. D-do what you want. I can check on you in the morning before you leave. It's clinic p-policy."
Huffing, she stood and made to leave, tossing back over her shoulder, "Try to get back to sleep."
"Thank you." Was what she said, lying back down on the bed. "As long as you don't come brooding again."
"I'm brooding?!" Dusk exclaimed incredulously, whirling around to glare at her. "You know, wh-what, you-"
She took a deep breath, closing her eyes. "Fine. J-just get some rest." She turned again and left the room, muttering to herself.
Usagi smirked slowly. "You're the one sneaking around at night." She sighed slowly, deciding it was enough irritation for one night. For both of them. She didn't answer and just closed her eyes. She didn't nescessarily want to spite the girl. Just push her away.
She didn't want to open up to anyone again.
With some effort, Dusk ignored her, returning to her own cot and flopping onto it with a sigh. She ran a hand through her hair, staring at the ceiling.
She hated not being able to help.
And sleeping. Well. Usagi tried, but she couldn't forgive the weakness of letting a mere healer sneak up on her. It was unforgivable. So every sound and every creak in the hospital kept her awake.
Dusk spent the rest of the night in fit all sleep, and she officially "woke"- got herself out of bed- early. She set about doing her morning chores as quietly as she could, not wanting to disturb her patient.
Even if she wasn't very pleasant.
And she was met with an Usagi, already awake, busy strapping various weaponry to her body and inspecting them, she glanced over her shoulder to Dusk briefly. "Good morning." Was what she stated coldly.
Dusk sighed. She should have known. "Sit back down," she ordered briskly, moving toward her. "I need to check your wounds before you l-leave."
Tightening a last set of daggers to her shoulder, Usagi nodded silently, slowly sitting down. "Then get this over with. The sooner we're done here, the likelier I will find a trail."
Sighing, Dusk set to work, gently testing her wounds with her magic. "A-are you sure that's a g-good idea?" she ventured warily after a few moments, then sort of winced.
It really seemed like she just couldn't help herself.
"Not at all." She stated bluntly in reply, not in the mood to explain herself further.
Dusk let out another sharp breath. "Then why?" she asked, looking at her with genuine curiosity and worry.
"I can think of more reasons why to do it. Than why not. And those reasons are mine." She said, looking down at Dusk. "I want to say not to meddle, but I know that that won't stop you."
Dusk shook her head. "I w-won't stop you," she mumbled. Running her fingers through her hair, a sudden thought struck her.
"I'm l-l-leaving soon, too. C-could I travel with you. Just for a wh-while?" It would certainly make it easier to keep an eye on this particular patient.
And it might be nice to have someone who knew how to fight around.
"Good." She said. She could try to, but if Usagi wanted out, she wouldn't even notice her being gone.
Yet, the assassin sighed slowly. "If you head my direction and if you can keep up, I will not stop you."
Offering a small smile, Dusk murmured, "Th-thanks." She stood, brushing at her skirts absently. "You can g-go soon, but I want you to eat s-something first. Hang on." She moved toward the back room.
"I told you if you could keep up." Was what Usagi said as Dusk slowly trodded towards the back room. She sighed slowly and dissappeared from sight, the door slamming open instantly after. If Dusk would hurry outside, she'd see Usagi a bit of a distance off already, walking slowly.
Dusk usually traveled light, so she it was easy enough to shoulder her pack, grab some travel rations, write a note to Alan, and head back out into the main room.
Empty. Of course.
Grumbling, she took off out the door, hurrying after a flash of red hair. "Hey, w-wait a second!" she called.
"Keep up!" Was what was shouted from afar, the red assassin not lowering her pace.
Huffing a bit, Dusk finally managed to catch up to her, staggering into step beside her. "I t-told you you need to eat s-something," she muttered, fishing around in her pack for provisions.
"And I told you I was fine." Usagi said in response, discarding the remainders of an apple she swiped on the way. "And how well did you listen?"
Dusk gave her a dry look. "I can tell that you're n-not fine," she grumbled. "So forgive m-me for not listening to a lie."
"So. You wish for me to lay down my arms and portray my weakness to a complete stranger freely?" Usagi chuckled dryly. "Hope's but a fool's folly."
"I n-never said that," Dusk replied coolly. "I j-just know you're not as fine as you c-claim. Told you, I c-can't help it."
She hefted her pack a bit before asking, "Wh-where are you even going?"
Usagi only answered with a dry huff, before looking at Dusk. "I sealed an artifact away. She is in possession of the shell of that artifact. The seal allows me to track it down." She said, sparing the unnescessary details.
"Oh." They walked in silence for a few steps, then, "Wh-what if she gives it away? Or s-sells it?"
"I know she will hand it to her contact at once." Usagi let out a slow chuckle. "She's good. But not good enough to hide from me."
Dusk frowned. "Th-then what's the point in tracking it? If she just g-gets rid of it, how do you plan to find her?"
"Means I can track her contact. Question him and follow that trail." She said with a slow sigh. It was pretty easy. Tracking someone. Just following the trail left behind.
Silence for a long moment. Then:
"Wh-why bother tracking her at all?" Dusk ventured quietly, looking at her patient sidelong. It had seemed to her that the other redhead hadn't been happy to leave, but determined all the same. How would she react to being followed?
Usagi enjoyed the brief silence. It allowed her to concentrate for a second. She took a small paper scroll from her belt and unfurled it. Examining the contents before placing it back on her belt. "A roadside inn. I'm going to walk faster if I want to catch up." She said, before glancing iver her shoulder.
I love her. "She still has something that belongs to me." Close enough.
"Oh." Dusk frowned, not really buying it but sensing that she shouldn't probe further. "Okay." She tried to pick up her pace a bit, absently pulling her multicolored hair over one shoulder and twisting it into a loose braid.
"You know...I n-never got your name," she said after a moment, looking at the girl out of the corner of her eye.
Usagi didn't answer to the short reply. "Usagi." Was her slow, sighing response. "I'm going to run. I got a night to catch up on." At that, she stopped in her tracks and charged forward with great speeds.
"Wha- hey!" Dusk took off after her, not nearly as fast but at least enough to keep her in her line of sight. It didn't take long before she was panting and tired, but she refused to give up, keeping doggedly after Usagi.
Usagi glanced over her shoulder. This wasn't really her fastest. This was just endurance. Yet, she gave the healer some credit. She managed to keep up ever so slightly. Well, she'd drop out in the long run.
She'd slow down if she wasn't in a hurry like this. But, she had to be there as soon as possible. Otherwise, the trail would go cold.
It was all Dusk could do just to keep up, so she decided to stop talking, focusing her attention on breathing, moving her legs, and not passing out.
After a few solid hours of running, Usagi not slowing down in the slightest, they, or Usagi alone would reach a roadsidein. One where'd she storm inside and run up to the innkeeper behind his bar.
With one simple question. "Have you seen a woman with red, long hair, a scar across her face?" Her quedtion soundong more desperate than she intended.
The innkeeper blinked, startled by her abrupt opinion. Then he was instantly on guard. "Dunno," he said slowly, eyeing her up. "What's it to you?"
Which was about the time Dusk came staggering into the inn, slumping against the doorframe and panting desperately for breath.
"I need to find her.." With a deep sigh, Usagi regained her composure once more, her face going ice-cold. Looking the innkeeper dead in the eyes. "Have you seen her. Yes or no?" Usagi glanced over her shoulder briefly at Dusk's arrival. Surprising. She managed to keep up.
Apparently deciding being surly just wasn't worth it, the man shrugged. "Saw her yesterday. Stopped in for a meal, then left again. Couldn't have been here more than twenty minutes."
Dusk, sort of getting her breath back, managed to push herself off the wall and approach quietly, catching the end of what the innkeeper told her.
"Shit.. Do you know where she was headed?" She asked, her fist clenching slowly. Yet, her face didn't betray any kind of emotion.
The innkeeper shrugged again. "Didn't ask. Shifty looking if you ask me," he muttered, eyeing Usagi a little warily. Dusk looked back and fortune between them, unsure what to do.
Usagi nodded slowly. "I need food. For on the road." She tossed a small coinpurse on the counter. "Anything that can sustain me for two days. I don't care what. Just make it quick."
The man nodded, snatched the money, and slipped away, presumably to a kitchen or something. Dusk came warily forward.
"C-can you really find her in t-two days?" she asked quietly.
"She was here yesterday. She is travelling by horseback. I will." She said with a slow sigh, as man would return, she would accept whatever he took. "Around what time yesterday? And do you sell horses?"
The innkeeper handed over a sack of food. "Mid morning, I'd say," he responded in a mutter. "And no. Sorry, lass. But you may be able to strike a deal with some of our other customers." He made a vague gesture around the common room of the inn.
Dusk could feel herself shrinking. Talking to more people? Oh great.
"Thanks for the info." She took the sack of food and turned around. "And I'll pass. Thanks." She said, walking out again.
A knife slipped from her hand, slicing the leashes of the first horse she'd find outside. "Come on." She said, jumping on the horse and holding a hand out to Dusk.
Dusk frowned, then gasped when she realized what the girl intended to do. "We c-can't-" she started, then stopped. Usagi wasn't going to listen to her. With a sigh, she fished some coins out of a pouch on her belt and dropped them next to the hitching post.
Reaching up, she took the other woman's hand and swung up into the horses back behind her. "Um...what should I...?" She hesitantly put her arms around Usagi's waist to anchor herself.
Usagi merely glanced at Dusk, not answering her in the slightest. She knew she was comitting a crime. But then again. She was an assassin, a murderer and a thief. She didn't care in the slighest if horsethief was added to her titles.
"Occasionally take reigns while I check we're still going in the right direction." She answered in reply, before forcing the horse to move in the given direction. One she had read from the scroll earlier.
"O-Okay." Dusk grabbed her a little tighter as they set off, squeaking at the movement of the horse, then blushed. "Um, s-s-s-sorry," she mumbled, sitting back a bit and making a concerted effort to relax her grip.
Usagi didn't really have the time or energy to focus on Dusk's clumsiness or general awkward behaviour. There were better things to do. "Reigns." She simply said, trusting that Dusk would take them.
And as soon as she did, Usagi grabbed the scroll again and opened it, studying it's contents.
A little clumsily, Dusk took the reins, having to press up against Usagi's back to do so and have any measure of control over the animal. "I r-really don't think this is safe," she mumbled, trying desperately to keep her seat.
"Safe is the least of my worries." Usagi answered bluntly in response, before closing the scroll once more, brushing past Dusk's chest to put the scroll back on her belt. "Thanks." She said as she took the reigns once more.
Flushing, Dusk leaned back a bit. "Um, yeah. N-no problem." She let her arms circle loosely around Usagi's waist, falling into an easier rhythm as she started to get used to the rocking of the horse's gait.
No answer came from Usagi, who merely focussed on getting to their next location, Jynx' actual contact, as soon as possible.
Dusk fell quiet, unsure what to do or say. Eventually, she ventured a quiet, "Wh-where are we going?" Did she even know, or were they just wandering at this point? She wasn't sure she trusted that scroll thing.
"Tracing her steps. She has the artifact and..-" She cut herself off, holding the reigns and stopping the horse. "Shit." Was what she said to herself.
Inside. The final blow was dealt. A dagger through her heart. The dropoff was made. Ever since she stole the horse, she saw how the artifact didn't move.
She had already dropped it off.
And knowing Jynx.
No way of tracking her now.
"Wh-what's wrong?" Dusk asked, jerking ungainly with the halting of the horse. She reached down to pat the animal's flank, unconsciously reaching out to soothe.
And she felt a jab of pain from Usagi. Gasping softly, she drew back, not having expected her power to brush against the other woman's emotions. Something bad had happened.
With a slow sigh, Usagi swung her leg to the side, sliding of the creature. "The trail's cold. I won't be able to track her. Since half an hour ago." Stupid
She looked at Dusk again. No doubt would she want to stick around. And she'd come to like this particular stubborn healer. And she'd leave aswell.
And all the pain would happen once more. "Hold the reigns." She said, looking up at Dusk with a nod, before smacking the horse's flank with all her might. "Go!" She yelled, spooking the horse into running away at full speed with Dusk still ontop. At the same time, Usagi turned around with a slow sigh, starting to walk in the other direction. Broken.
"Wh-whoa!" For once her stutter was more from surprise than anything else. She clutched at the reins and desperately tried to keep her seat, sending calming thoughts to the spooked animal.
The horse calmed enough for her to gain some kind of control and she pulled him around, cantering back down the trail toward Usagi. Glaring, she pulled the horse into a sharp turn and halted in front of the young woman.
"What the h-h-hell was th-that?!" she demanded, glowering at her.
"I'm going home. So should you." She said, walking past her. Not even looking up at the healer.
Leaning forward to pat the horse's neck absently, Dusk urged him forward to plod along beside her. "At l-least let me get you h-home," she urged quietly. She couldn't just leave her like this.
"No. You're not allowed there. Not by me. Nor by the others." She said, looking away from Dusk, off into the distance. "Besides. As of now.. You'd want to have nothing to do with me." She said, glancing up at the woman. "It is not a threat. It is a warning."
Dusk bit her lip. "I..." She couldn't think of anything to say.
With a sigh, she reached into the pouch at her belt and pulled out a small vial of greenish glass. "It's not much, but it'll h-help with infection and p-pain," she murmured, holding it out to Usagi. "If...if you ever need more...I'm in La'marri a lot," she finished, dropping her eyes.
"Keep it," Usagi smirked coyly, "I'll have a reason to come and bother you more." Not really the main reason. She just didn't want any help at the moment. And it'd be wasted on her.
It wasn't certain death. But the path she planned on walki.g was even more dangerous than the current one.
She felt her eyes start to itch, illogical as it was. She barely knew the woman for gods' sakes! "J-just...look out for yourself, Usagi," she murmured, withdrawing her hand and blinking rapidly to clear her vision.
"Perhaps I'll survive to see you once again." Was what she stated, before she turned to the forest on tgeir left and.sighing. "I just don't want to get attachments." At that, she dissappeared from sight, rrappearing on the edge of the first and dissappearing into the shadows.
It was time to cut ties.