towerofanimus | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

Characters:

dualscars and whoever wants to pester him.
Setting: Floor 10.
Format: Starting off with brackets, but I'll match.
Summary: Dualscar copes with the Condesce's decision of equality. Poorly.
Warnings: R for Raging Douche.

Scenario A ⇨

["equality."

for anyone else, the situation that had arisen wouldn't cause as much distress as this. but this is dualscar: so naturally, it affected him ten times worse than was called for. even if many of his theatrics were intentional, a lot of them... were not.

it wasn't the fact that he was, the signless, but more the fact of how. what did the mutant -- no, monstrosity, the mutation was not favorble to his survival in the least -- think he doing in addressing the empress so forwardly?

but then she'd agreed. put him on the same level, thrown away the heirachy completely, and everything that made him better than the other with what he assumed to be a single syllable. he couldn't fathom that they were to be equals in that regard. he didn't want him to be even within the same room as her, building, land, let alone speaking freely to her, and her seemingly not minding it--

it made him sick. a feeling no amount of slaughter could alleviate, no matter the size of the enemy or the viciousness of it or just how slowly he dictated the creatures' demise, it wouldn't let up. the guns aches his shoulder now, the friction of the cutlass in hand rubbing his hand raw. the water feels heavy, not soothing as he'd hoped it would. he swims on, searching for a new target.

but red.

they all bleed fucking red.]

Scenario B ⇨

[ahab's crosshairs leans against the bench, the sword lies bloodied scarlet upon the floor. it spreads slowly across it, intermingling with the spilled salt water, and there is not only red, but drips of rich violet hues as well.

the orphaner sits at the same bench, hunched over with his elbows on his knees. presumably in rest, his bare chest heaving as he catches his breath, tiny rivulets of seawater running down his scarred face, neck, shoulders, swimshorts, legs-- finally to the floor as well.

but there are a few new gashes that momentarily halt him in his brutal excursions. scratches here and there that look to be more of an irritation than anything, but then the most noticable one along the side of his torso. from below his shoulder blade to just barely missing where his gills begin it runs; the wound itself ideep and jagged, swelling with a little more blood everytime he inhales.

not that it's of any more concern to him than any of his other wounds are; this one just bleeding heavily enough so as to need it to stop before he immersed himself in the water again. no need to attract hoards of the unwelcome, after all.]

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Sit.

[It comes out as almost a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. Did she really have to mother these wrigglers into submission? It was absolutely absurd to even think about.

And so she wouldn't, without at least letting him know how immature he was being about all of this.]

Chase the wrong shark, did you?

[of course, he obeys, sitting back down quickly. despite not looking directly at her, he still notices her movements in the corner of his eye. now exasperation: he should be culled for causing that alone, let alone all his other apparent weaknesses. he idly wonders if she would, and decides that would probably be for the best.

(how melodramatic. he'd rage about it later if she did.)

the orphaner lifts a bruised and bloodied hand to his chin, as if to thoughtfully stroke it; though the action isn't quite complete.]

Somethin' like that, aye.

[She approaches him, because even though she hasn't been terribly personal with Dualscar, she knows how to recognize melodrama, and she is not about to have any of it when she's in the same room as him. So if Condesce has to be forward about this, then she will.

His hand is promptly slapped out of the way and his chin is grabbed in her hand instead, forcing him to look straight up into yellow eyes smeared with tyrian hue. Her expression is most unamused.]

I'm speaking to you, Orphaner.

[Of course, her touch cannot mend wounds or restore lost strength, but her longevity was not something she simply inherited. Despite the power in her grip, the dig of her nails, there was definitely something warm and soft about the tips of her fingers -- something that would make the oldest man feel as if he were a boy again.]

[the action is unexpected; he stiffens, grits his teeth. his gaze flickers to meet hers: tyrian and violet and his loses out horribly. he hopes she sees nothing but impassivity and complete subjugation to her will.

but she's willingly touching him, and it's like something he's never experienced before. if only it were a little more lovingly and not out of frustration, he wishes. and he's unsure as to how to respond it, as no one has ever dared to act so condescendingly to him, but that is her namesake.

"I'm well aware." "I apologize." "I thought I was being respectful."

he says nothing.]

[Condesce lets him digest the glare for a moment before her grip relaxes and her glare lessens. She's still disappointed in his behavior, but she's reminded herself exactly why she came here in the first place.]

Are you through acting like a wriggler?

[his eyes narrow for a fraction of a second; an exceptional yet volatile amount of emotions coursing through him. but that's it as far as detectable motion goes, however. and he's still, the only discernible noises for a moment being the flow of sea from the aquarium and the steady dripdrip of water and blood.]

I am.

[She releases him entirely. opting instead to seat herself beside him after a long moment of staring him down. It's clearly an awkward motion for her, stooping to the levels of others, because her spine is rigid, posture straight and stiff.]

Good. Because I would hate to think that you thought for a moment that I was happy with these arrangements.

[the proximity. dualscar remains still, despite wanting to move himself closer (or was it further from? he isn't quite sure at this moment) to her. he lowers his hands to rest on either side of his legs; clutching at the edge of the bench.

but he'll look at her while she speaks, an eyebrow raising marginally at her words. it's not doubtful, per say, but inquisitive.]

Then why go through with it?

[and the words are more weighted then he seems to let on.]

My options here are very limited, Dualscar. Surely you are not so short-sighted.

An army is what I need, if any of us hope to make it out of this alive. An army is what he had, and so I took it. I am in command. Not him. Not you. If all it took what for him to believe he had power, do you think it wise to turn down?

[The corners of her lips curl slightly in mirth.]

Or is it perhaps that you really believed I have forsaken the hemospectrum?

[an army-- he wants to blurt out all the ways she could acquire one without having to demean herself to working with him, but he doesn't, because he knows none of the ways would be quite as effective nor as efficient as to simply make a deal with him. however well he does know this, he still wishes it to be untrue.

it was the fact that she was working with him in the first place, and the ridiculous amount of jealousy for something that wasn't even his to begin with. but he wouldn't dare to say that: not now, surely not ever. and still he wishes to inquire: would you forsake it, for the sake of a lover? but, quadrant jealousy aside...]

It... [is.] was the latter.

Shame on you.

[She taps him on the nose and stands, striding towards one of the edges of the tanks and lifting a finger to the water. Condesce speaks with her back to Dualscar.]

He arrived here before I, and so had the advantage of corrupting the Tower with his sick ideals. They are on his side, and yet he recognizes that he is not a leader, merely a rebel and a street rat. For the sake of diplomacy, he's communicating with his rabble while I organize them.

[She scoops her hand through the tank, snatching one of the fish that swim by and dragging it out into the open air as she turns to look back at the other troll.]

You are not amongst that crowd. Unless that is something you would prefer.

[Another pause -- the fish flails in her hands, cutting its scales on her talons. Her next statement dares him to speak against her.]

Do you agree with my decision, Dualscar?

[He watches her intently and without saying anything, absorbing her words. It is truth, he knows, but there is still the small, lingering doubt as to whether to believe her or not. Of course, he ends up doing so-- After all, there's much more to lose in not doing so.

Dualscar stands, putting on a much better front of the wound being painless this time, and goes to her side. She hadn't ordered him yet to do so, but he doesn't, for whatever reason seem to feel it necessary. Hands now clasped behind his back, he looks to the struggling fish and then to her; expression one of solemnity.]

I do. And I hope you realize I wouldn't dream of ever leavin' your side.

Good.

[She tosses the fish back in the water, where it promptly begins to flop around helplessly, red blood leaking out of its wounds as it struggles to right itself. It doesn't take long for another large barracuda to dart past and scoop it up in its mouth, darting away from the two seadwellers.

It brings a light grin to Condesce's expression.]

I don't need anymore disappointments, Dualscar.

[again, the orphaner says nothing. no need to reinstate his own failure, he's already well aware of it by now. and if she needs further reassurance of his loyalty? then clearly, he needed to show it better through his actions. once, he'd glanced to the aquarium in time to see the barracuda snatch up its prey, but no sooner was he then focusing on her again.

because that was okay with him, if it was okay with her.

if he went on with his silence, he wondered what she would do next. the same as before? leave him? and of which he desired neither; thus a conspicuous, if relative, change in topic.]

Have you tested the waters here yet, Your Highness?

[Her expression doesn't change, nor does she look at him when she answers. The only hint of emotion is the sobering of her expression, eyelids lowering.]

I haven't. Its been sweeps since I've seen any sort of ocean, really.

[At this point, she wasn't quite sure if it mattered, starting up the natural habit to swim. Alternia was doomed in this timeline as much as the timeline she would see the end of. She might never see an ocean again.]

[if dualscar were capable of a sudden overwhelming amount of pity, this would be it. as it stands, however, it wouldn't be quite "overwhelming" to any other-- though, even feeling a touch of that emotion is overwhelming enough for him. how she would continually deprive herself of such a natural instinct in exchange for constant, continual expansion of the empire was more than a little admirable, and it was a shame that evidently no one here but him was able to see that.

then again. maybe he didn't mind that either.

his gaze flicks to the aquarium once more, in a manner of subtly foreshadowing his suggestion, but that's all.]

Then why not treat yourself here?

[Condesce finally glanced toward Dualscar, a light smirk christening her face. Her eyelids lower in an almost promiscuous fashion for a moment before it straightens again, head tilting curiously.]

Were you looking to join me?

[There's always a chance that the questions she asks are trick questions, but it appeared to be posed as idle curious, rather than an accusation or a precursor to denial.]

[his gaze darts to her lips and that smirk, and back to her own (even if she wasn't looking his way after all). he shifts his weight from one foot to the other, almost in apprehension-- and dualscar weighs the pros and cons of all plausible answers, before merely deciding to go with truth.]

I was.

['if you wouldn't mind,' he'd like to add, but knows she wouldn't let him anyway if she did mind.]

[There might have been an ulterior motif involved, considering the gaping wound on the other seadweller's spine, but if there was, any hints were absent.]

Granted.

[She steps through the veil of water without another word, slightly awkward thanks to the long trail of hair that fights density as the transition takes place. Once she's floating, however, she's unbelievably graceful and swift almost if the banner of hair has no effect on her whatsoever.]

[dualscar makes to move in after her, then recalls what would be their lack of protection-- and thus, turns to amass the neglected weaponry. the crosshairs go over his shoulder, the sword into its sheath-- and he winces. being so focused on her, he'd almost completely forgotten why he hadn't been in the water in the first place.

he pinches the torn skin together, vainly hoping for it to somehow seal shut at that, but to no avail. and so, ignoring it as best he's able to, he steps in after her, the salt from the water stinging more than a little. after momentarily hissing through his teeth in annoyance, he presses his lips into a thin line and keeps near to her.]

[Perhaps that was her intent, an indirect punishment that she didn't have to administer. She knew well enough that he would follow her -- in fact, it was one of the major reasons she permitted it in the first place.

Despite being a sea dweller, breathing water was not nearly as comfortable to her as it should have been. She had the many sweeps away from Alternia to thank for that, but she hid it well if only because of how refreshing it felt (once you got passed the burning gills and slightly labored lungs).

But she was about as determined to swim as he was to swim with her -- it would at least take her mind off this insufferable situation she had been cornered into. She swam down, intent on diving deeper as she had once been comfortable doing.]

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wow, so many typos in my last tag /stares at hands

DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT... but wow this tag is so shitty i'm sorry

all of your tags are lovely, you hush