Seraphim
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King of Castle Smoke
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Post by Seraphim on Mar 19, 2006 13:37:08 GMT 12
Seraphim watched at Rattlesnake continued his pounding of the Vampire. He was of half a mind to stop him – somehow, Dancer’s accusation of cowardice struck him as not only ridiculous, but true. Not just addressing Rattlesnake, but addressing himself, too. It cut him to the quick, but he wasn’t going to let anyone know this. He was supposed to be too hard to notice these things or to care. When had that impression arisen, anyway? What had he done to earn this reputation he now felt himself needing to uphold?
“She’s out of it, Snakeman, you can stop now.” Seraphim pointed out as the Vampire’s body went limp under Rattlesnake’s rain of blows. “She’s defenseless. Keep kicking her like that and you’re as bad as that horrible, mean and unjust Seraphim.”
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Mina Crow
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Madness waits for some. It creeps up on others.
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Post by Mina Crow on Mar 19, 2006 13:57:27 GMT 12
[Snakeman? xDD]
"And I would I care about it?" spat Rattlesnake acidly. "I would only be following his example. Good example, indeed." Aiming one last kick at the Vampire, Rattlesnake shoved his hands into his pockets, sighing. The fun was over. "Weakling, that's what she is", he grunted, eyeing Dancer with despise. "She didn't even try and defend herself properly."
[Muse's dead, and CPRing her is useless.]
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Seraphim
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King of Castle Smoke
Posts: 382
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Post by Seraphim on Mar 19, 2006 15:47:08 GMT 12
Seraphim shrugged and made a noncommittal sound. She was girl, after all. The only girls that Seraph was mildly afraid of were Serenity, Reason and Mina - and they barely counted. They were a whole new level of tomboy, and crazy to boot. Serenity had just been better at hiding her insanity, that was all, and Reason took hers out on the wooden targets on the roof, now riddled with holes from her airgun shots. They looked like Seraphim’s head felt right then.
“Well then, he’ll just go right out and join the Wildcats – and you can step up and take his place. How does that sound?” Seraphim’s grip on sarcasm had never been too good.
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Mina Crow
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Madness waits for some. It creeps up on others.
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Post by Mina Crow on Mar 19, 2006 21:36:38 GMT 12
Rattlesnake was suddenly serious as he turned to face his leader, frowning. "I've never wished for leadership, Seraphim. It's hard enough already to take care of yourself; watching for the wellbeing of a bunch of kids is just stupid. Especially when it is so much funnier to beat them." Dancer gave out a harsh rasping sound, fighting for a breath. She was silent for a moment, then moaned, still unconscious. "Shut up that f***ing mouth, blood-sucker", growled Rattlesnake, "or I'll just shut it for you. You don't want that. You don't want my lessons."
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Seraphim
Administrator
King of Castle Smoke
Posts: 382
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Post by Seraphim on Mar 20, 2006 8:16:35 GMT 12
Seraphim raised one eyebrow – was ‘snake conceding that leadership was hard, or that he simply thought it stupid? Either way, it didn’t seem right to rant at your leader for doing something, then do the very same thing while telling him you didn’t want leadership because it was harder or stupider than he liked. Whatever Rattlesnake mean, Seraph found it mildly amusing.
“Oh yes, his lessons tend to hurt one person so someone else can learn to mend a broken nose with dwindling recourses,” Seraphim agreed.
He rose to his feet and crossed the cell in three strides before dropping down beside the fallen Vampire. He squatted on his toes, black hair a curtain around his face. He knew she was unconscious, and it gave him a chance to examine her without having to worry if she was going to either lash out at him as he had done to her, or jump back in fright. Either way, she looked so much more peaceful now, even with the bruises slowly developing on her cheek.
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Mina Crow
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Maelstrom Synkkyys
Madness waits for some. It creeps up on others.
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Post by Mina Crow on Mar 20, 2006 8:21:58 GMT 12
Dancer's chest heaved twice, her eyes wide open, and the girl retched violently before falling unconscious again. Rattlesnake snorted in disgust. "I'm taking a nap. Reason doesn't seem to be in a hurry to take us out of this cell." He moved to the bed and lied down, facing the wall. "You'd better make sure she doesn't suffocate in her own mess. Reason wouldn't be too pleased, I guess." With that, Rattlesnake fell asleep. He could sleep with a thunderstorm overhead, roaring at his ears, if he felt like it. The Vampire could suffocate where she was, he had nothing to do with it.
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Seraphim
Administrator
King of Castle Smoke
Posts: 382
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Post by Seraphim on Mar 20, 2006 8:28:53 GMT 12
Seraphim coughed and tried to remember the first-aid classes he’d taken at school. Recovery pose was – There we go. Seraph turned Dancer over to her side before arranging her arms and legs into what he thought was a decent semblance of recovery pose. His memory of the ‘before time’ was woozy at best, and first aid wasn’t exactly his field, anyway.
Seraph rocked back onto his heels and threw a fugitive glance at Rattlesnake, who seemed to have dropped spontaneously into deep sleep. Seraphim wished he knew how to do that – it would save him nights of not sleeping, and days of walking around in a grumpy daze. But that was something for another day – he had the Vampire to figure out, now.
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Mina Crow
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Maelstrom Synkkyys
Madness waits for some. It creeps up on others.
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Post by Mina Crow on Mar 20, 2006 8:34:06 GMT 12
[After I wrote this, I realized it has similarities with your Angel bio, on Equal Cross, Cigarettes. Hope you don't mind. ^^]
Flicker.
A small, helpless creature curled over itself, whining miserably. Dark walls crumbling in with a silent roar. Blood-shot eyes, gazing into the depths of the soul in floods of hate.
Flicker.
A pitch-black gaping maw, the devil's very teeth clamping shut. No way out.
Flicker.
A desperate struggle, razor-sharp talons digging into the flesh.
Flicker.
A ragged scream, the door shutting off the light.
Flicker.
The darkness seeping closer, inch by inch, extending its wings like a monstrous vulture...
Flickerflickerflickerflicker...
Seraphim's touch rang something on Dancer's mind. Her eyes jerked open, and the face above her was enough to push away all memories of the nightmare and the bruises all over her body. That moment, the primal instinct of survival overcame the fear; her arms sprang out and forth, pushing away his hands. Her eyes were narrowed, her teeth clenched in hatred and fury. "Get. Off. Don't - ever - touch - me - again", Dancer snarled. Seraphim could be bigger and stronger, could be the leader of the Cigarettes, and she was helpless on the floor of the cell, but she would never let him beat her down again, not without a fight.
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Seraphim
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King of Castle Smoke
Posts: 382
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Post by Seraphim on Mar 20, 2006 8:50:50 GMT 12
Seraphim drew back, startled, his eyes darkening with confusion, then understanding. He twitched and stood up. He’d left more of a scar than he expected – not only physically. It was that which unnerved him – he’d never really done that before to his memory, and it wasn’t something he liked the idea of. God, he hadn’t meant to – damnit, he was acting just like his step-father. F.uck, he’d been curled up in a corner hurting so many times before New Pork. He – oh, sh.it.
Seraphim swallowed and, moving backwards, dropped back against the wall and sat there. He lay is head on his arms and closed his eyes, withdrawing. He hadn’t fething mean to, honest. It was just – Serenity was dead, and the Vampires had killed her and the girl was a Vampire and… and…
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Mina Crow
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Maelstrom Synkkyys
Madness waits for some. It creeps up on others.
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Post by Mina Crow on Mar 20, 2006 9:47:00 GMT 12
Dancer pushed herself to her feet, trembling with every move. She made for a pitiful image, her chaotic brown hair covered with flakes of vomit, one eye turning a sickly purple, matching the bruises on her neck and wrists and the the newer ones on her face. Staggering, the girl walked to the wall, leaning heavily against it - and immediately hissed at the needles of pain spreading through her back. Her right eye was almost closed, but the left was fixed on Seraphim with a deadly ferocity.
"It's a little too late to feel guilty, isn't it?" Dancer voice came out in short, harsh sounds, with long pauses for breathing. "I followed you without resistance. I let you bound me, let you take me prisoner. You took away my freedom, and I never struggled against it, Seraphim. I didn't resist. And how did you pay my good will? You beat me while I was bound, Seraphim. You almost strangled me. You threw me to the ground while I was defenseless. You would have let me there to die, coward. And now you feel guilt? Welcome to the real world, scum. Because of you-" Dancer broke in a cough, doubling over onto her knees again.
[Ouch. She's quite mad at poor Seraph.]
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Seraphim
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King of Castle Smoke
Posts: 382
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Post by Seraphim on Mar 20, 2006 10:00:36 GMT 12
Seraphim kept his head down, pressed again his hands. She was right – why was she right but wasn’t Rattlesnake? Why, gods, if he’d just agreed with Rattlesnake, he wouldn’t be – memories he didn’t want to own, didn’t want to have any part in. Seraphim pulled himself into a tighter ball, hoping Rattlesnake wouldn’t wake up. Hoping he’d be able to drop to sleep as well, blissful nothingness. He wasn’t going to listen to her. She was lying, obviously. Had no right to pull those memories to the surface, wasn’t her place to be chastising him. Goddamn, can’t attack her, make her shut up – that’d be proving her right.
Seraphim heard her knees connect with the floor – would, maybe, normally have rushed to help. It hurt to drop suddenly to one’s knees, he knew that first hand. Couldn’t – she told him not to, goddamnit. He wouldn’t. Oh, gods, Reason knew this was going to happen. Of course she did – she knew and she was probably watching and laughing and – no. Don’t blame Reason. She’s a good person.
"Sorry not enough?" he murmered, quietly.
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Mina Crow
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Madness waits for some. It creeps up on others.
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Post by Mina Crow on Mar 20, 2006 10:14:51 GMT 12
Dancer coughed for a long moment, then just gave up trying to stand. She wasn't strong enough to trust on her legs, and all the simple grace of a light stride and pose seemed to belong years ago. Now, it was too hard just to be on her knees, so she lied down again on the floor, squeezing her eyes shut. That hurt - and brought images back, so she opened them again, gazing unconsciously at the ceiling. "How can a word mend what mind and body have done?" she muttered rashly, quoting her sister Marguerite.
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Seraphim
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King of Castle Smoke
Posts: 382
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Post by Seraphim on Mar 20, 2006 10:29:35 GMT 12
Seraphim managed a deranged laugh that sounded completely wrong in that environment. It surprised him, too, and he pulled back into his ball. He felt wretched – because she was right, and because he realized he was becoming more like his stepfather than he ever thought he could be. More like Mina, like Chloe – less like Serenity, who he’d admired so much. She would have a perfectly good reason for all of this and a good comeback to every accusation.
“Never worked when my dad said it, either,” Seraphim whispered, more to himself than to anyone else. “Never forgave him.”
Seraphim brushed his long hair agitatedly out of his face, his head in his hands. His eyes were glittering with tears that he knew he couldn’t show, because it would be a sign of weakness. Couldn’t show weakness. It’d get him killed, goddamn it.
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Mina Crow
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Maelstrom Synkkyys
Madness waits for some. It creeps up on others.
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Post by Mina Crow on Mar 20, 2006 10:48:50 GMT 12
"I thought Mina was crazy... Looks like I was mistaken", Dancer murmured softly. "She is right. What use is there to dream, to hope? Sleep, dark oblivion is all we can ever hope for; the world will never give us more than that. We are dead - or should be. I'd surely prefer to be." Panting, she pulled herself to a corner of the cell, as far from Seraphim as she could be. Turning her head to face the window, her left eye glistened with unbidden tears. "There is no way out. Death is the only key to freedom..." was her soft whisper to herself.
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Seraphim
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King of Castle Smoke
Posts: 382
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Post by Seraphim on Mar 20, 2006 10:59:54 GMT 12
“Oh, you think suicide is the easy way out?” Seraph asked, peering out through his fingers, “It’s not. It’s harder to take your own life than to take some else’s,” He should know – he’d tried both.
Seraphim shifted, his back pressed hard against the wall. He removed his hands from his eyes, pulling them close to him, his right wrist encircled by his left hand. His dark eyes flickered towards the Vampire, huddled in the opposite corner. The only thing that could make this any worse would be Rattlesnake waking up, and then neither of them would have to worry about committing suicide, because Rattlesnake would kill them for free, no questions asked.
Seraphim began to formulate a plan. He could get them out – his lighter lay heavy in his pocket. The room was stone, the doorway wasn’t. Or his knife – Reason had hadn’t taken that. He could unscrew the hinges and the door would fall out. He could set Dancer free – follow her, maybe, leave the Cigarettes. Run alone?
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Mina Crow
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Maelstrom Synkkyys
Madness waits for some. It creeps up on others.
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Post by Mina Crow on Mar 20, 2006 11:21:24 GMT 12
"It sure didn't seem that f***ing hard when you and him were beating the hell out of me", snarled Dancer. Good, she was regaining her sarcasm, not everything was lost. She was starting to build up her defenses again, yet they didn't seem strong enough to hold off even a soft breeze. Some wounds never heal, some tears never will... Huddled in the corner as she was, she was a certain target if Seraphim lashed out at her again, or the other woke up. Fortunately, he seemed to be fast asleep. Moving forward on her battered knees, Dancer shortened the distance between her and the window, looking desperately at the sky. Why didn't he kill me at the first place? It would have been so much easier, and then I could fly free with the birds... Repressing a sniff, the Vampire brushed her sleeve across her face, pointedly not looking at any of the boys.
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Seraphim
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King of Castle Smoke
Posts: 382
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Post by Seraphim on Mar 20, 2006 12:47:16 GMT 12
Seraph looked up from his hands and stood up, padding to stand on the other side of the window. He was drawn in to himself, slouching. He was regressing into a state he thought he’d left behind when he’d come to New Pork, and he suddenly seemed to be lacking the aura of danger and power that usually encircled him, replaced with a defensive wall that definitely wasn’t there before.
“You probably think the Cigarettes aren’t exactly pacifist anymore, right?” Seraphim asked, his voice raspy. Gods, what was happening to the tribe?
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Mina Crow
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Maelstrom Synkkyys
Madness waits for some. It creeps up on others.
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Post by Mina Crow on Mar 20, 2006 13:03:42 GMT 12
Dancer faced him directly, making sure he was well aware of her swollen face. "Do I still have reasons to believe it, or do you think the state you left me on is prove enough of the contrary? Go on, pick one. It's your choice", she remarked acidly. Gods, her legs were trembling. How long until she could walk on a wire again without falling? How long to climb a building? How long- It was useless. She was stuck in here, and chances were she would never even see one of her ropes again. Why bother, then?
Rattlesnake rolled over. Dancer jumped back instinctively, semi-crouching by the wall, but the boy was still fast asleep. Soon he would wake up, and then - better not to dwindle on that particular thought.
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Seraphim
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King of Castle Smoke
Posts: 382
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Post by Seraphim on Mar 20, 2006 15:02:45 GMT 12
Seraphim twitched as Rattlesnake moved, but he didn’t move away from the sleeping figure. His dark eyes flicked in that direction, then back towards the Vampire. She had a point, but that wasn’t what he was aiming to prove. She could hardly say anything of the cruelty that the Cigarettes had shown her when the Vampires reveled in torture and slaughter, but maybe it was the very idea that the tribe was supposed to be peaceful and turned out to be as bad as her own?
Seraph shrugged and put his gloved hands inside his huge pockets. One hand around his lighter, one around his knife – the two weapons he’d thought were going to be used for the good of the tribe. The lighter had gained a reputation as a torture tool and the knife – he’d used the knife on another member of his tribe. Goddamn.
“I can let you go,” Seraphim started, almost hopeful, “As soon as Reason opens this damn cell.”
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Mina Crow
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Maelstrom Synkkyys
Madness waits for some. It creeps up on others.
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Post by Mina Crow on Mar 20, 2006 15:17:02 GMT 12
Dancer was still staring at him. "Oh, now you are acting the noble leader, right? First, cripple your prisoner, then open the door and offer him the freedom he cannot reach. I don't know if you failed to notice, but I can't barely stand, much less walk. I'm going nowhere. I have no wish to fall again on a dead end street and wait for the Wildcats to come. Just for you to put the blame on someone else. No, Seraphim. I'm staying here. I have no way to leave."
Rattlesnake let out a huge yawn and sat up, looking at his leader and the Vampire girl. "Great, it seems I woke up just in time for another lesson", he said, rising to his feet.
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