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Snow? This Time Of Year? (SDB!)

Started by Eckhart_Von_Musel, October 14, 2017, 04:18:07 AM

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Eckhart_Von_Musel

As Eckhart's thoughts grew more coherent, he began to feel the pain. It was unbearable, as if his abdomen had be set ablaze. "I don't have time." he thought hopelessly. "I could heal this if I had thirty minutes, but with her here..."

Eckhart looked at Taiga, eyes cloudy. "No... I'm sorry..." he murmured as he took her staff and slowly pushed himself up. "Just because you'll get reborn doesn't mean you should have to cut this life short for my sake..." Giving the girl one last solemn look, Eckhart began to limp away.

"This isn't fair..."

Belladonna ran beside him. "We'll make it out of this." she said, sounding unsure of herself. "I should have enough mana to teleport in another hour or so, we just need to hold out until then. Okay?"

Celegwen

Wasp saw Eckhart start limping away with Belladonna following after him. Her arrogant smirk disappeared, replaced by a dark frown. She marched towards them, eyes locked on the boy.

Taiga stepped in her way, her fists raised for a fight. One swing. Wasp ducked smoothly, jumping back up and slamming her elbow into Taiga's face. The girl fell to the ground, nose bleeding and vision blurred.

Unsheathing one of her daggers, the assassin's lip twitched slightly. "Did I tell you to move?" She repeated through clenched teeth.

Wasp flipped the dagger so the blade was between her fingers. She hurled it forward. It planted itself in Eckhart's back, less than a centimeter to the right of his spine.

"I told you to stay the fuck where you were."

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Blood dripped from the healer's coat as he moved, the dark red stain growing larger by the second. The assassin said something, but Eckhart wasn't listening. All that mattered to him at that point was not letting Taiga's selfless act go to waste.

And then, it was too late.

Eckhart felt a sharp jolt of pain in his back, worse than anything he'd ever felt before. Time seemed to slow as Eckhart stumbled, then fell. Images rushed through his head. He saw his grandfather reading him a bedtime story. His mother scolding him for breaking her Connlaothian vase. His sister hugging him after he gave her a timepiece for her birthday. His friend Kino ruffling his hair. Finally, he saw Kaida's shocked expression as he cut her face with a scalpel.

"Well... Looks like that's all..."

Eckhart collapsed, and stopped moving. "No!" he heard Belladonna cry. "Damnit you fucking human! I can't lose another!"

"Mom... Dad... Hildegarde... Bella... I'm sorry, everyone..." 

"Heh.... Found you."

***

Ignatius stood in front of Eckhart, blocking the strange woman's path. He struck a pose that he likely thought was dramatic. It made him look rather rediculous.

"Nothing personal... But it ends here."

"Did I do okay?"

"Hell yeah you did! She'll be shaking in her boots after an entrance like that!"

Celegwen

An odd boy appeared seemingly from out of nowhere. He positioned himself between Wasp and her target. The assassin grinned at him. "You're a strange thing, aren't you?" She said, looking at his tight pants and dark eye makeup.

Taiga shook her vision clear enough to put together what had just happened. She looked at the boy who seemed to be standing against Wasp, and she jogged over to Eckhart. "It's gonna be okay," she said quietly.

Wasp dismissed the boy instantly. Little fool, she thought to herself, rolling her eyes at the attempted - and failed - tough guy act.

Taiga whipped off her cloak, holding Eckhart's shoulders down. She kept the dagger in his back, ripping open the back of his coat and shirt to expose the injury. Glancing at Wasp and the boy to make sure nothing had changed, she continued. Taiga placed her hands on Eckhart's back around the dagger, not caring about her hands getting covered in blood and using the little bit of magic she could summon to chill the area. Hopefully it would help slow his blood flow. She packed her cloak around the injury. "Bella, lay on it. Needs pressure." The girl stood, facing the two others in case she needed to act.

"You are right about one thing." Wasp glared with a smile at Eckhart's bleeding body. "It ends here." She ruffled the boy's hair, walking past him towards her prey.

Eckhart_Von_Musel

"Don't tell me what to do!" growled Belladonna. "I can use the boys magic, synchronicity and all that." The cat placed her paws on Eckhart's wound, and they began to glow a pale turquoise color. The boy's wound gradually began to stop bleeding. ""I'm clotting his blood. Pull the wood out of him, quick!"

***

Ignatius watched as the woman walked passed him, scowling as she ruffled his hair. Immediately he rushed in front of her again, this time with his butterfly knife drawn. "You're only half right I'm afraid." he said twirling his knife. "It ends here... for you."

"Alright, that was a bit weak."

"Aww, really? I thought it was a good comeback..."

"It was a good comeback, but your infliction wasn't great. You sounded too timid."

"Hildegarde's brother will die if I don't make this lady leave!"

"Use your power!"

Ignatius shook his head. "N... No. I got this. He grinned at the woman, doing his best to look menacing. "I see you like knives. I like knives too... Care to test your skills against a master?"

Celegwen

Taiga listened to Belladonna, getting back down near Eckhart. She placed her hand on the wood and the other on Eckhart's side. "Hold your breath," she said, yanking the wood out with a single pull. She pressed her hands over the wound, looking at Belladonna as she healed him.

Wasp took a breath, dropping her head back. "Listen, pipsqueak," she snapped, leaning forward slightly to be at his eye level. "I have a schedule to keep."

She watched him twirl around his little knife. Adorable. He seemed to be having some kind of internal battle, but what she said was true. She had to finish off the Von Musel brat before Teryn came to take the wind from her wings.

"Wanna know why I like knives?" She pulled out both of her remaining daggers, spinning them each four times in either hand. Wasp's eyes narrowed, suddenly crossing the daggers at his throat before he could even see what happened. "I like seeing the fear in fake little boys who think they can fucking compare to me."

Flipping the daggers back into their sheaths, Wasp fixed her stance. She went to punch the kid in the throat, stopping herself just before she touched him.

"You're nothing," she spat. "And I'm busy."

Eckhart_Von_Musel

A mixture of fear and anger showed on Ignatius's face as the woman called him fake, flinching as she stopped her fist directly in front of him. "I- I am not fake!"

"She... she's not even trying to connect her attacks? W-who is she?"

"Use your powers. Bitch is too dangerous to fight head on."

Ignatius gripped his knife tightly. "But... she could die if I do that. I can't-"

"And then the boss lady's bother will bite it. You don't want that, do you?

"...No, but-"

"Then do it! Use your powers! You have no choice"

The boys breathing grew sharp. He looked up at the woman, eyes watery. "I'm sorry..." he mouthed wordlessly. Lifting his hand, he clutched it in midair, carbonating the woman's stomach acid.

Celegwen

Wasp ignored the boy, clenching her fists to get ready to deal with Eckhart. Feeling a strange sensation in her stomach, she whirled around to see the boy with his hand clutched in the air and tears threatening to spill.

"Are you jok-"

She suddenly doubled over in pain, landing on her knees and one hand while holding her stomach with the other hand. Wasp glared up at the boy with a sudden fire in her eyes. She felt herself start shaking involuntarily, then turned to the side, vomiting and coughing violently. Her arm gave out from her body's reaction to the boy's magic, and she fell to her side, propped up slightly on her elbow.

The assassin looked at Eckhart, then back to the newcomer. Once again, she started vomiting, and for the first time in her life, she realized she wasn't the alpha present.

The amplified screech of an eagle echoed, a massive shadow getting smaller as it got closer to the ground. A large creature dove toward them, sunlight reflecting from the pure white wings. Before the gryphon landed, an unarmed man leapt onto the ground with his hand extended to the boy. "Stop," Teryn said with wide eyes. "Please, stop. You're killing her."

Blexoir touched the ground, tucking his wings to his body. The gryphon looked at Taiga's shocked expression and the young man on the ground, immediately recognizing the cat's intelligence. "Do you need help?" He asked Bella telepathically.

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Ignatius watched in utmost horror as his power took hold on the woman. He broke into a cold sweat, and began to tremble. "Ca... Carolina? I want to stop, it's not right!"

"What? Why? Look at her. She definitely doesn't think you're fake now!"

"She's going to die! I don't want her to die!"

"Honestly dude? She deserves it. Just sit back and enjoy watching her suffer."

Before Ignatius could object further, a man dropped from some kind of flying mount, begging the boy to stop. Happy to have an excuse, he relented. The boy looked at the woman, trying his best to look menacing. "You know why you lost?" He pointed at the woman dramatically. "You can't tear Friends apart, that's why!"

"Holy shit dude. You fucking nailed that!"

"Haha, thanks! It just sorta popped into my head!"

Ignatius turned towards the newcomer, twirling his knife coolly. "Heh... And who might you be?"

***

Belladonna looked up from regenerating Eckhart's cells. "Ew, no. Get lost, freak."

Celegwen

Blex flicked his tail, sitting and extending his wings just enough to block Taiga, Eckhart, and Belladonna from the others' sight.

Teryn nodded to the boy, putting his hands down. He rushed over to Wasp, putting his hand on her back. She breathed deeply and shoved out of Teryn's reach. "A thank you would do it," he said to her, shaking his head.

"Fuck you, Spider," she hissed, getting weakly to her feet. Immediately, Wasp started off towards Eckhart again.

Teryn whistled sharply, and Blex screeched, standing with his feathers ruffling and wings extending fully. She stopped, knowing that no matter how quick she was, there was no way she was getting past a gryphon.

Teryn turned back to the dramatically poised boy, who was flicking his knife around. "I'm Spider," he said smoothly. "Who are you? You friends with that kid?" He nodded his head towards Eckhart.

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Ignatius watched as the woman managed to stand back up. The boy moved to raise his hand, but the man's bird thing managed to force her back. The man then introduced himself as, of all things, "Spider".

"Shit, is that a codename? Do I need a codename too?"

"Never mind that, look at how he talks to bitchface over there. Isn't that wierd?"

Ignatius tilted his head. "A little bit, yeah..."

"Careful how you answer his questions, dude. I don't like this."

Ignatius looked at the man for a few more seconds before he finally spoke. "I'm a friend." he said simply. "That guy's not one, but he's... related to us. Family, if you will."

"Alright, that sounded good. Now play dumb and ask about the whore."

Ignatius nodded and pointed at the assassin. "So, is she your wife or something?"

"Hahaha! Not that dumb, you doof!"

"Haha, sorry. That's all I could think to ask..."

Celegwen

"He wishes," she said.

Teryn scoffed, looking at Wasp, as she hissed at the gryphon. "If she was my wife, I would have killed myself," he said. "Wasp is my guard dog, if you will. Unfortunately, she tends to go off leash."

The two of them glared at each other. At that point, Wasp knew she lost. It was no longer a matter of how fast she could kill Eckhart. She was done.

Blex relaxed his appearance, his feathers smoothing and his wings folding against his sides. He walked around Teryn, circling the boy and sitting behind him. Just the gryphon's size was enough to make anyone uncomfortable. Teryn shook his head. "He's harmless unless I give the word."

"Unless Goldie gives the word," Blex sneered, to which Teryn gave a sarcastic glare.

"This is Hildegarde Von Musel's little brother, right? Well, you're 'a friend.' Don't think I don't know what that means." Teryn folded his arms over his chest with a shrug. "I don't want to have an issue rising, meaning I can't have you running back to your boss with a story about Spider and Wasp."

Taiga leaned in to Eckhart, unsure if he was actually conscious enough to understand what she was saying. "The assassin," she whispered. "Eckhart, the assassin isn't from Kaida. This isn't your fault."

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Ignatius giggled at Spider's quip about killing himself. "Ha! This guy is funny!"

"He does, in fact, have jokes." the bird agreed.

The two Friends then stood dumbfounded as Spider told them that he didn't want Hildegarde to get their codenames. "Wow. He really is funny."

"Ahahahaha! I'm going to tell him he's stupid!"

"Haha! Do it! Tell him!"

"If you didn't want me to tell Lady Hildegarde, then why'd you tell me your codenames in the first place, dumbass?" Ignatius shifted his weight. "You could have called yourselves Jorge and Melissa and totally thrown us off!"

"Fuck dude, when did you become so savage?"

Ignatius smirked at Spider and Wasp. "I mean what are you gonna do? Kill me? You and I both know that's a bad idea."

"How am I doing?"

"Yes. I love you. Please, never stop."

Celegwen

Wasp smirked, amused at the boy's criticism of Teryn. "He's right, ya know," she said. "This was planned very poorly."

"Buzz off," Teryn said.

"Shut up," Blex said to the man. "Teryn, that was awful. I'm embarrassed for you."

Teryn huffed, ignoring both of them. His eyes emitted the faintest violet glow, and he lowered his hands to his sides again, his gloved fingers subtly dancing around each other in an unusual pattern. He nodded slowly, approaching the boy and patted him on the shoulder. His eyes grew slightly brighter.

"You're right," he said simply. "I've actually changed my mind." Teryn clapped his hands together once, then returned to the strange pattern. Blex grinned. The man took a breath. "Go back to your boss. Tell her the story. But tell her the full story. I expect you to tell her the truth. Wasp hunted and hurt little Eckhart pretty badly. But you tell her that I have the bee under control. Know this... I won't hesitate in letting her sting you, if you lie. Trust me, I'll know."

Teryn walked away from the boy to assess the damage his assassin had done. Blex walked after Teryn. "You did what I think you did?" He asked.

With a few more movements from his fingers, Teryn nodded to Blex. "He's my eyes and ears, Blex." His voice was low enough that the boy couldn't hear him. "I have myself a little spy."

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Ignatius smirked. "Look. Even she thinks he's an idiot!"

"You fucking owned him, dude! You're awesome! I'm so, so proud to be your friend."

Spider likely saw the boy's cheeks had flushed red as he went to pat the boy on the shoulder, but Ignatius didn't care at that point. "Don't worry about it! I don't think she'll come after you." he replied to the man as he walked away. "She'll have a hard time taking you seriously after I tell her the full story, so you should be safe!"

"Oh my god Ignatius, I could kiss you."

"Hahaha, gross! Bird kisses!"

"I'm about to give you bird kisses right now!" Carolina said as she began to peck at the boy's lower lip.

"Ahahaha! Stop it, that tickles!" Ignatius whined, laughing out loud. "People are going to seeeee thiiiis!"

***

Eckhart groaned, and slowly opened his eyes. "I'm... Not dead?" he thought groggily. "Wha... Wha's goin' on?"

Celegwen

Teryn knelt next to Eckhart and Taiga briefly. "I want to make it clear to whoever can hear me that I won't hesitate in hunting any of you down if you try to find my assassin," he said in a forceful whisper. Taiga kept her mouth shut, simply nodding that she understood.

He stood up and walked over to Wasp. They snapped their heads over when the boy started laughing at his bird pecking at his mouth. The assassin sneered at him, rolling her eyes. "That how you and Moth work?" She asked the gryphon. Blex smacked her with his wing.

"Enough," Teryn said to both of them. He didn't care what the boy told his boss. He didn't care whether Hildegarde came after him or not. Either way, he'd be prepared. "Don't get cocky," he said to the boy. "Arrogance gets you killed. Take that however you want to."

Taiga smiled, breathing a small sigh of relief when Eckhart opened his eyes. "You're gonna be fine," she said quietly. "The assassin wasn't from Kaida. None of this is your fault."

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Through the haze, Eckhart heard a man tell him not to hunt down his assassin. It was hard to reflect on it though- while his magic was effective at healing, he had a lot of trouble numbing pain. A groan of pain was all he could muster in reply. Taiga's statement that the incident wasn't caused by Kaida received a similar response.

"Don't trouble him with that now." Belladonna said, visibly relieved. "Let the boy rest."

***

Ignatius and Carolina both stopped what they were doing and looked at the man. "Look at him trying to save face. He was the one who got cocky, not you! What a joke!"

"Haha, he seems really mad! Who is he even supposed to be?"

"Beats me. You oughta check on Hildegarde Jr., he looks hurt."

Nodding, Ignatius shot the man a smug grin. "Okay." he would then walk over to where Eckhart and the girl were sitting. He posed dramatically. "Heh... Looks like you two are safe now, thanks to me." The teenager looked at the woman quizzically. "Will Eckhart be okay?"

Celegwen

"I expect you to meet me where we started off in no more than four hours," Teryn said.

Wasp looked at him, folding her arms over her chest. "You aren't gonna make me ride with you?"

Teryn scoffed and climbed onto Blex's back. "I think I know you better than that by now. Do yourself a favor and stay out of trouble. One more slip like this and you won't have my protection. Clear?" Her pursed lips was the only answer he needed. Blex lifted into the sky with Teryn on his back. Wasp glared at the three people and sprinted into the nearby woods.

Taiga watched them leave. She decided to listen to Belladonna. Regardless of her own experience, everyone comes back from near death at their own pace. Eckhart probably wouldn't be the one to just spring back.

She looked at the new kid and smirked. "Thank you," she said simply. "He should be okay now, but it'll take a little time. How'd you know where to find him?"

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Belladonna watched the griffon take off, the man calling himself "Spider" upon its back. "You won't hesitate to hunt us down, huh?" she asked silently. She then looked at Wasp, eyes briefly meeting with hers before the assassin ran off. "Then I suppose you'll need to be taken out of the picture first." The cat looked at her master, a sad, almost possessive gleam in her eyes.

"Nobody will take you from me. Not again."

***

Ignatius smirked right back. "I've been following his trail for quite a while now." He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to the woman. "Lady Hildegarde drew it. I've been showing it to people and asking, and it's led me here!"

"And it only took us an entire month!"

"Shut uuuup! It would have taken longer if we didn't have Addie!"

Celegwen

Taiga took the drawing and nodded. "Well, your timing was pretty perfect," she said. "I'd hate to know what would've happened if you were a few minutes later."

She touched her nose lightly. Her raging adrenaline was finally wearing off, so the pain from her most likely broken nose was actually becoming noticeable. Taiga took her staff, using it to help her stand again. I need to find Kaeligar, she thought out of nowhere. The drama with the assassin and Eckhart's injuries had made her forget about her horse completely.

On her feet, Taiga looked at Bella. The cat had an interesting energy around her, and Taiga couldn't figure out what it was. She handed the drawing back to the boy. "My name's Taiga. Where's Hildegarde? Why didn't she come looking for him?"

Wasp stayed in the woods, hiding behind a few trees. She was close enough to listen to what they were saying because she didn't trust Teryn to tell her what was going on. She knew she would have plenty of time to meet up with the boss, especially if she stole a horse on the way.

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