Lishka's Room -- 14th Floor -- Tower of Illusion -- Niflheim
White, mist, lace, and frost. That is the basic description of
this room. Everywhere one looks there is tendrils of mist rising up out
of nothing, and frost hanging to the walls though it's oddly warm in
here. The room is a large rectangle. On one end of the room is a bed the
size... well it rivals a king size bed, that's for sure. And it's
covered with pure white fur. Lace hangs from the ceiling, obscureing the
only thing that is out of place in this room. A doorway. With something
dark brown stained on it. And X, sitting on it's side, with one slash
longer then the other.
Well, that was a nice trip, was it not? It wasn't really a trip though.
If anything it felt like suddenly being hit with G-Force, like when a
plane takes off, that only lasts for a second. Lishka smiles and waves a
hand around, showing Ev the new surroundings. "Welcome, Everett. This is
my room. Make yourself at home."
Everett steps tentatively into the room, peering around and rubbing his
arms as if cold despite the surprisingly warm temperature. He seems
anything but comfortable, and wants to get out of here as soon as he
can. "How long will this take them?" He asks sharply, trying to stay as
stand-offish as he can, even though he hates doing it. But then, if he's
himself around Lishka he'd probably give the wrong message.
Lishka gives a small sigh, "There's no reason to be defensive, Everett.
I don't want to hurt you, and I will not." She makes a motion and a
chair appears behind her and she sits in it, crossing her legs regally.
She makes another motion with her hand and another appears near Everett.
Both are carved out of pure white stone. Perhaps marble. "And as for how
long it will take... most people cut it pretty close to the week, but
your friends look extremely... formitable. They might only take a few
days."
Everett glances at the chair skeptically, as if examining it for danger
before slowly making his way towards it and sitting uncomfortably. His
eyes continue to dance around the room, avoiding Lishka intentionally.
"They're not just formidable, they're trained for this type of thing. We
all are. They'll be done in no time." My, what an adament youth we are,
no? And if you're curious, he's avoiding eye contact because he doesn't
want to feel even more guilty for being such a defensive meany.
Despite his... talk, Lishka doesn't look nervous. No one is ready to
face her illusions. She knows where they are right now. Uncovering one
of the girl's secrets as they speak. "Everett, you really should get
comfortable. I do not want your stay here to be more unpleasent then it
must be." She tries to think of something to cheer him up, "Ah, perhaps
you would like something to eat or drink, yes?"
Everett frowns, and actually turns abruptly to look right at her, not
able to keep up this charade any longer. Okay, so he doesn't exactly
have an iron will when it comes to this type of thing. He just.... Hates
making people unhappy, even someone who's more or less kidnapped him.
"No." He says firmly, those soft eyes almost pleading again. "I want an
answer. Why are you doing this to my friends? Why did you choose me to
come up here? What have I got to do with anything?"
Lishka takes a breath. When she speaks her amused look is gone, her lips
barely holding any smile, perhaps just a slight curl on one corner. Her
voice is extremely grave, and almost formal. "Because I've fallen in
love with you." She knows how it sounds, though honestly, she's more in
love with the idea of -him- loving -her-. Loving her like he obviously
loves Jubilee.
Oh.... Wow. /Not/ the answer Ev had been expecting, or was at all
prepared to react to. His jaw practically drops as a look of utter and
total disbelieve comes over his face. After a moment his lips finally
begin to move, but its a few more moments before any words actually come
out. "You..." He begins slowly. "Are in..." His voice seems to give way
a bit at this point, simply stuttering the word so quietly it can't be
heard, "With me?"
"Surprised? You shouldn't be." Lishka's voice is still lovely, but it
seems still seems... formal, but less grave. She got the hard words out,
now she just has to explain them. But she's being truthful. She looks
him over for a minute, smiling briefly. They are such opposites.
Appearance-wise, personality-wise, even their race is completely
different. "Have you ever heard the myth of Hades and Persephone?"
Everett nods slowly, almost dumble, still reeling from the shock of what
he was just told. "The God of the underworld and the Goddess of Spring
in Greek mythology, right? She has to spend six months in the Underworld
each year for the six seeds she ate,and that's supposed to be winter and
fall... Or something." He actually knows the myth quite well, as
mythology had always fascinated him,but he's not... Thinking quite
clearly right now.
Lishka nods, saying in a voice like someone coaching a kid for his
final, "Yes. Greek God of the Underworld. He lived in a world of shadows
and death, all because he drew the short stick when him and his brothers
were picking the area they would control. He was extremely lonely. And
one day he looked up at earth, and saw a beautiful girl picking flowers.
Laughing. He fell in love with her on the spot. He wanted her to be his
Queen. But he knew that she would never join him, so he kidnapped her."
She takes a breath. Yeah, that's what she's doing right now. "But unlike
Persephone, I will not trick you into eating six seeds and staying here
for half the year. I am playing this game instead."
Everett just.... Melts. That's so sweet! To compare him to Persephone,
and say that she fell in love with him on the spot.... Ev's 'melting' is
pretty evident in his facial expression, but after a moment he manages
to catch himself and musters up some of his strength to steel himself.
"I'm.... Flattered, really. No one's ever said anything like that to me
before. But...." He looks down at his hands which are figiting
nervously. "I love Jubilee. I really do. And she loves me."
Lishka nods briefly, actually recoiling slightly at that, like a shadow
suddenly touched with light for a moment. "I know you love her, and I
know she loves you." And such an innocent love at that. Something she
isn't used to seeing. Most people don't go to game stores to shop for
the love of their life, or take the love of their life to a game store.
"But I can be anything you like. I can give you anything you like. Do
you like jewels? Onyx or obsidian to match your eyes? Expensive
clothing? Silks? A different outfit for every mood? In colors you've
never imagined? Have a marmoset as a pet? A white tiger to lay at your
feet? A panther? Or would you like to lie in the sun at Cabo San Lucas
or Cote d'Azur? Anything at all. Everett, just imagine."
Everett shakes his head at each proposition, his motions getting more
and more adament with each offer. "Lishka, I'm sorry, but I don't want
your presents... And if you think running my friends through a gauntlet
of danger is going to help win my affection you've got another thing
coming." He sighs heavily and looks back to hos hands, then up again.
"Look... I'm really flattered and everything that you feel this way
about me but I already have a girlfriend, and I love her and I never
want to leave her."
Lishka tilts her head up and glances at the ceiling. The funny part is,
that if she wasn't so dead set on playing fair she would have just
-taken- him. She has the right. Once in her world he is literally fair
game. "Everett... could you at least give it a thought? A moment of
imagination? While we're still friends? I may not be so friendly later.
I really do not want to hurt you, but I will if it is nessassary." She's
not afraid of Jubilee's threats. "Save yourself a lot of pain and
bother. Give in. Yield to me. It's going to happen eventually anyway."
With that, she vanishes in a puff of mist. Likely to go work on whatever
is left to do on the Tower.
(
geocities.com/duchessxdeath/nif) (
geocities.com/duchessxdeath)