Seraphim
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King of Castle Smoke
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Post by Seraphim on Apr 26, 2006 10:31:36 GMT 12
Axel crouched on the roof. His expression was mildly pained, his hair pulled back from his face and his hands in his anorak pockets. He was glaring out in the general direction of the Gargoyle Tower, not really sure why. His anger was stoked at Reason, but he knew that it was without good reason. Dancer was a Vampire – it was only natural that she was treated by the Vampires as they treated the other prisoners they caught.
You hate Vampires, remember? he told himself, and shook his head. He hooked his toes over the edge of the roof and dropped off the side, upside down. His anorak fell around his face and his long brown hair trailed over his eyes. He grabbed the windowsill of his room, unhooked his toes, and pulled himself into the room. Alexander looked up from his mattress. He blinked and hid his face back in the comic he must have read thousands of times by now.
Axel trailed through Castle Smoke, dodging the bodies in the middle of the halls. Sometimes there just weren’t enough rooms for everybody, and they had to take turns sleeping in the hallways. Axel danced among these sleeping forms, unnaturally fast. He clambered through the chairs arrayed in the main hall and jammed his shoulder into the door behind the stage. The prison hallway gaped before him. The rustlings in the cells grew louder and more frantic as the prisoners sensed his presence.
He moved deliberately to one of the last cells, where he knew Rattlesnake was being contained. Axel sighed, reached into to his trouser pocket, and removed a small silver fork. He bent over one of the tines and picked the lock. He paused a moment, set his fingers against the heavy door, and gave it a push. It opened wide and Axel slipped in, shutting the door behind him. He jammed the fork back in the lock and began locking it again, ignoring Rattlesnake.
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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 Apr 26, 2006 23:16:34 GMT 12
Rattlesnake was lying on the bed, staring at the blank ceiling. At least here he was alone, and didn't have to cope with ninnies like Solitude or listen to Seraphim. And Reason and her parrot-like speech. He needed something to shoot his anger at, and his knuckles were covered with crusts of stale blood from punching the wall over and over again. He was absently peeling some of those crusts when something sounded at the door. The fourteen-year old looked absently at it as Axel entered the room and locked the door again, then turned to face the ceiling once more.
" 'afternoon. Came to pay a visit, or just to be away from them?" His voice was rather mild. He spent most of his time here sleeping, for there was never much to do in the cell. Nonetheless, sleeping only tired him, and he was definitely not paying much attention to his surroundings. One more flake; a drizzle of fresh blood emerged on his knuckle, and George took his left hand to his lips, sucking on the wound.
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Seraphim
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King of Castle Smoke
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Post by Seraphim on Apr 27, 2006 8:32:10 GMT 12
“Mostly both,” Axel replied. He put his fork back in his pocket, bending it over double so it took less space. He put his hands in his anorak pockets again and breathed out through his nose. He looked mildly twitchy, although only someone who knew him would notice. His anger was still stoked at Reason, and probably at Seraph and Rattlesnake and Solitude for being ridiculous. If Solitude and Rattlesnake hadn’t fought, Reason and Seraphim wouldn’t have interfered, Rattlesnake and Seraphim wouldn’t have been sent down to Dancer’s cell, and she’d still be largely fine.
Yawning, Axel slid down the wall until he was sitting against it, his knees up. He set his wrists on his knees and examined Rattlesnake. Actually, Axel didn’t dislike him – he just disapproved of some of his actions, that was all.
“You want out yet?” Axel asked, his tone mild.
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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 Apr 27, 2006 9:22:35 GMT 12
"Nay, I don't mind it too much in here." George got up from the bed and stretched himself, then sat down against it, mimicking Axel's position and yawning as well - it was contagious. "It's quiet. Better to think. But I miss doing something... Useful, you know? Those Vampires are still out there. By the way, how's the girl?" He seemed to already have forgotten the beating on Anne's cell. "Any news from the outside world? It's rather boring and silent here, and you get curious about what's going on out there..." he added, as if apologizing for asking. He was splitting his attention between his hands and Axel, but when still another crust revealed an open wound, George shook his hands and rested them on his upraised knees, staring at the other boy and frowning as he did so. "Hey, what's up?"
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Seraphim
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King of Castle Smoke
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Post by Seraphim on Apr 28, 2006 9:03:50 GMT 12
Axel moved his jaw sideways and it made a creaking, cracking noise. “So much crap going on outside. The shi.t’s really hit the fan now. Vampires have Seraphim and Reason just gave them Anne back to them. Sometimes I know what you don’t see in her, ‘snake.”
Axel shifted his weight, his expression curiously unreadable, but definitely not blank. In fact, it looked more like a whole mess of emotions put into one, rather than one emotion or none. His eyes flicked to Rattlesnake and to the door, then back at Rattlesnake. Naturally, there was already a plan in his head – but it would take time to prepare for. His expression changed slightly, to one of thoughtfulness. He could break Rattlesnake out, play on his guilt (if there was some), and on his violent nature (if there was none). Daisuke would come, and maybe John or Kalanie or Suzie. Maybe all of them.
An organized attack on the Tower would be futile, even if they gathered the entire tribe together. It wouldn’t work, full stop. But if they could get help from inside the Tower, or work under cover? Axel was sure he could break Seraphim and Dancer out.
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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 Apr 28, 2006 9:31:45 GMT 12
"Err... What?!" Rattlesnake almost jumped. "No. Wait. What the fu.ck is going on here? They have Seraphim?" He could cope with that, if it wasn't another tribe. Seraphim was their leader, and they needed him, whatever else they thought of each other. "And Reason giving them the girl? That's stupid. That's so fu.cking stupid. Doesn't she see they'll take advantage of us?" If there was something George was used to, it was someone taking advantage on other people. Most of the time, the one taking advantage was himself; but bloody hell, he wouldn't let the Vampires take advantage of his Tribe. Not now, nor never. "She must be mad", he grumbled irritably, clenching his fists.
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Seraphim
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King of Castle Smoke
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Post by Seraphim on Apr 28, 2006 9:43:55 GMT 12
“Probably is,” Axel conceded. He agreed – they needed Seraphim back, and they couldn’t very well let the Vampires be Vampires to the girl – she was Seraphim’s age, Rattlesnake’s age. Just a tad too young for some of the sh.it being thrown at her, maybe. To Axel’s mind, Rattlesnake and Seraphim were tough bastards – they could make it through anything, likely as not, but Anne seemed much younger than they.
“Seraphim probably gave himself up; guy never did know what to do with guilt, eh? Reason was trying to keep our profile up, keep us at our slowly dwindling ‘good guys’ status. Stupid bit.ch.” Axel stood up and paced, his hands stuffed into his pockets as per usual.
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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 Apr 28, 2006 20:12:06 GMT 12
"I never thought he'd be so... reckless. And so fu.cking retarded", growled Rattlesnake, staring at the floor in front of him, eyes narrowed to a line. "And she..." he exhaled heartedly. His fists were too bloodied already, and lashing out at Axel wouldn't do. Insulting both Reason and Seraphim wouldn't help either. "Gods, she was trying to make amends? I don't believe it went as well as them releasing Lucifer, eh?" He let out a mirthless laugh. "Bloody Crow. One day I'm gonna tear her down to small pieces. Let's see how she likes it then. Now she's a bi.tch. Reason still believes they're human? So innocent. So plainly stupid. Good guys? That won't save us." Rattlesnake snorted, then sighed, bracing himself inwardly. "We can't leave him there. I don't like Lucifer, he doesn't like me, ya know that, but... bloody hell, it's the Vampires. That's enough for me. Fu.cking as.shole bastards. We gotta do something, Razor."
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Seraphim
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King of Castle Smoke
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Post by Seraphim on Apr 29, 2006 12:38:48 GMT 12
“Never were that smart, were they? Makes you wonder how in hell’s name they got the job,” Axel responded, pacing despondently back and forth. He paused before speaking, his breathing erratic with suppressed feelings of violence and anger. His hands were fists in his pockets, but his razors were upstairs. Otherwise, he might have done something stupid, like carve a hole in the wall.
“I can get you out, snakes, but I need to be ready. Who do you figure we can trust? We can get them back, can’t we?” Axel asked, agreeing silently with Rattlesnake’s words. He never had thought of Seraphim doing something that stupid – or Reason doing something so stupid or cruel. The whole world was messed up, these last few days, and it was getting to him in ways he hadn’t previously imagined.
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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 Apr 29, 2006 12:57:28 GMT 12
Rattlesnake was suddenly serious. Axel this mad at Lucifer and Impulse? Strange developments indeed. He nodded gravely.
"Yes, we can do it. It will not be a bunch of fething Vampires that's going to stop us. But you know that once we start this, there is no turning back. We might end up in their pits with Seraphim as well. Or you might join me here, if we fail too soon." He stared at the floor for a few seconds, then started counting. "We should take Daisuke. And Suzie. Alexander's not a good idea - he'd freak out 'cause of Empathy. Hmm... Not Vox. Kal's too forgetful, perhaps... If we could get Commando to fight..." Rattlesnake snorted and shook his head, trying to think clearly.
[Obviously, he doesn't give a sh.it 'bout Dancer.]
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Seraphim
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King of Castle Smoke
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Post by Seraphim on Apr 29, 2006 13:40:37 GMT 12
“Shooter will take any chance to spill blood, and Dai is so bored he thinks his brain is rotting. I wish we could take Alexander, he does know what he’s doing when he’s not overloaded with emotions.” Axel paused, both in pacing and in talking. He drew a razor from his pocket and began juggling it from hand to hand, a low whistle sounding every time it sliced through the air. “John? Man, he’s such a screwball,” Axel said, almost dropping his weapon. “Fething mute – you think we can get him to fight?”
Axel added two more knives to his juggling and stood still, watching the blades circle over him. His arms and hands moved quickly, sometimes grabbing a falling knife out of the air before it could hit the floor, only to toss it back up into the circling array.
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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 Apr 29, 2006 13:56:54 GMT 12
"Man, the boy's from the army - he's supposed to know how to fight. It's him or the Vampires, and I don't think we'll need to make the choice for him." Rattlesnake paused again, watching Axel play with the razors. "You make me dizzy with that. A few more of that mutation of yours would be rather handy. If Alexander could control his, it'd be just fine, but not this way. Hmm... Oh, how about Goddess?" He mused about it for a second. "Nay, she's all don't-touch-me-or-I'll-pinch-you... Won't do." He sighed. "Reason's out of the count, I guess. Pity, her airgun could turn out to be handy. Can't you get it?"
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Seraphim
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King of Castle Smoke
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Post by Seraphim on Apr 29, 2006 14:11:58 GMT 12
Axel grinned, replacing the knives one-by-one into his pockets. “Feth, I can steal hers and Seraphim’s too,” He shrugged. “But I dunno how much ammunition I can find. How much do you figure we need?” He asked, glancing around at Rattlesnake before sitting down again. He was hyperactive sometimes, especially since his mutation had manifested. He couldn’t sit still for long before he suddenly needed to be doing something else.
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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 Apr 29, 2006 14:24:09 GMT 12
"Eh, don't look at me, I'm the all around butcher knife fighter, remember?" Rattlesnake arched an eyebrow at Axel, relieved when he put away the razors. "Guess Reason got that too. Ask Shooter - of all people, she'd know about ammo. Anyone, anything else we'd need? And I hope you've got a good plan in mind to enter and leave that Gargoyle Tower of theirs - last time I looked, it didn't seem exactly easy to raid a tribe's headquarters." Rattlesnake rose from his place and sat on the bed itself, stretching his legs and rubbing his bloodied knuckles each at a time.
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Seraphim
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King of Castle Smoke
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Post by Seraphim on Apr 29, 2006 15:23:46 GMT 12
Axel nodded, thinking he might do just that. He was sure Suzie would come, even if she went alone with only Axel and Snake for backup. He though for a moment before answering Rattlesnake’s comment about a good plan. Planning was Daisuke’s problem, usually, but Axel would actually have to put some thought into it this time.
“In is easy, because we only need to get past their sentries, which has to be possible. We might get someone to distract them so we can slip through. We might have to fight our way through the antechamber, but once we’re there we can drop down the lift shaft like they’re always doing,” Axel recited. His knowledge of the Tower was scanty, but what he had was good information. “But we’re going to need a way out. By the time we’ve found Dancer and Seraphim – supposing, of course, they are in the basement – they’ll know we’re there. We don’t want Mina in our hair, or Sven bloody shadowkinetic. There has to be another way out of there.”
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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 Apr 29, 2006 15:35:20 GMT 12
Rattlesnake was weighing what they had sketched so far, considering their chances, when something suddenly popped into his mind. He narrowed his eyes at Axel, not quite believing on what he had heard. "Wait - Seraphim and Dancer? You're joking, right? She's a Vampire, for fu.ck's sake! Why the hell are we taking her again, a hostage? Just for the fun of it?" He looked truly puzzled, and was visibly not liking the idea a bit.
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Seraphim
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King of Castle Smoke
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Post by Seraphim on May 4, 2006 15:43:31 GMT 12
“Seraphim because of who he is,” Axel said patiently, glaring over at Rattlesnake. “And Dancer because I don’t think she wants to be there. Dancer because of who I am. You didn’t see the fethign Crow’s face when Anne defied her, Snakes.” Axel rummaged for the right words to describe Mina’s expression of rage, but only Seraphim on a really, really bad day came to mind. It didn’t seem diplomatic to use Seraphim as a measuring stick for Mina’s anger, somehow.
Axel stood up again and reassumed pacing. “If you want to leave Anne in their care, Snake, you know you’re as bad as everyone thinks you are,” Axel said quietly.
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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 May 5, 2006 0:32:34 GMT 12
"Eh, I'm not exactly up to date on what concerns outside world info." Crossing his arms over his chest, Rattlesnake returned the glare without wavering. "I like to know what I am to do before all plans fail. Any problem with that? I think not. Now, why don't you calm down and explain exactly what is going on? When I last noticed, we both hated Vampires - remember Matvy, Kazuko, Serenity, and the others? I never saw you twitch a finger when Lucifer caught the girl. What changed in the meanwhile? And what the heck do you mean with "defied the Crow"? Eh - slow down, Razor." Rattlesnake dropped the glare, but was still staring up at Axel from where he sat, an inquisitive look on his deep set brown eyes as they followed the pacing youth. "Slow down. You went with Reason - what happened there?"
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Seraphim
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King of Castle Smoke
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Post by Seraphim on May 5, 2006 15:18:36 GMT 12
Axel slowed his breathing and resisted the urge to spear something with a well-place knife point. He ordered his thoughts and sent them through a strict processes to choose which to tell Rattlesnake and which not to tell him. There were some things better left unthought, let alone unsaid.
“She’s in a bad way, you know, doesn’t look too good. Reason made her walk, like, to Rhymes. Mina came to see us personally, pointing weapons at us. Something came up along the lines of war and Dancer said it was a bad idea; directly opposed Mina. Mina flare up like Seraphim on drugs, and Dance fainted right off the handle.” Axel took a breath. “Suzie got a smokescreen up for us, damnit, but I got a knife into one of the stinking Vampires.”
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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 May 5, 2006 20:42:12 GMT 12
"A Vampire speaking against a fight?" Rattlesnake looked incredulously at Axel, repressing a laugh; the other Hunter didn't look in the best mood for it - and Axel was too fast. It was best not to push it too far, even if Rattlesnake was in a desperate need to beat the hell out of something or someone. He was silent for a while, taking in Axel's speech.
"She fainted - now that's their problem, right?" He shrugged. "We have nothing to do with it. You got your stab, it's done. Pity it wasn't Mina taking it, but oh well. We go in, get Lucifer, and out again. Leave the girl, we won't getting nothing good out of that. If she spoke up against the Crow, you know she'll be hunted down; we have enough problems without having to worry about another girl", he said in a dismissive tone.
[Someone's gonna get stabbed...]
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