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January 28, 2000 |
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Star of Shanghai...
Thornton steps onto the main deck of the Star of Shanghai.
Kitsune skips around Yosannah, who is lashed to the mast, singing, "Ring around the rosie..."
Yosannah grumbles at Kitsune, ".... rot in hell!!"
Thornton starts to make his way on board, eying the crew as he does so. "Death." he calls out towards Kitsune.
Kitsune stops and looks around. "Brother, happy day." She pets her kitty.
Yosannah moans softly from her spot against the mast; dried blood on her chin.
Thornton walks nearer. He gestures outside the boat, "A fine place for a meeting." He looks at Yosannah, "How is she?" he then asks Kitsune.
Kitsune pouts, "Pest still won't come out and play." She looks over towards Rathorne and brightens up. "I thought I'd bring her here. There's a shadow where powers don't work. Maybe the collar will come off there."
Thornton walks closer to Yosannah, examining her. "Tell me of this collar." He says to either Yosannah or Kitsune or perhaps both.
Yosannah flinches at Kitsune's touch. Probably from pain. The left side of her face is completely black and blue. "Get stuffed, you freak."
Thornton says while looking closely at it, "What have you tried to do to remove it?"
Kitsune says "Pulled on it, used a hack saw, cast a spell...."
Yosannah falls, once again, into unconsciousness....
Later...
Kitsune dances around Yo, the maypole queen. "When brother WAR gets back, we're going on a picnic. Won't that be grand? And then maybe Pest will come out to play."
Yosannah mumbles, "I'm not interested in playing with you. And I'm tired."
"Soon Yo go sleepy bye."
"I thought you liked me.. Yo."
Kitsune does a little pirouette on tippy toe. "Kitty likes Yo. Kitty gone sleepy bye for now."
"You're sick."
"No, you're sick. I'm dead."
Yosannah ignores the joke, "What will happen after we go on the picnic... after I go to sleep."
"Well, maybe the collar comes off, and Pest comes out to play."
"And then.."
"Then we have fun."
Yo repeats, "...fun..."
"Maybe Pest wont be so mean once I rescue her."
"She was mean before?"
Kitsune nods.
Yo plays along, "How come?"
Kitsune shrugs and dances in a circle.
Seemingly from nowhere a trump gate materializes, and much to the astonishment of those who are easily astonished a pack of large wolves come bounding through, quickly orienting themselves upon various crew members. Approximately twenty in all, they are ferocious...in size and in demeanor. Before the trump gate closes, a man strides through, although his identity may not be made apparent at first glance, covered as he is in armour.
Kitsune stops dancing her silly little dance and looks at the spectacle. "WAR?"
Damen smirks faintly, his voice faintly resounding like dead leaves upon pavement. "You could call me that." The first of the wolves soon reach one of the crewmen. Damen sweeps his gaze along the deck, quickly surmising the amount of crew and Yosannah's location.
Yosannah is tied securely to the mast. She seems rather oblivious.
The crew is not quit so complacent as their master. As the wolves come bounding through the gate, the crew attempts to scatter, some leaping over the gunwhale, others diving into the hold, or down the steps. Other, hapless crewmen get munched. Strangely, the wolves go against their nature. Once a crewman falls from their onslaught they don't pause to feast, merely killing and moving on to the next victim. As Damen walks towards Yosannah he draws a sword from his back with his right hand. His left gauntlet begins to glow with a fiery red intensity. His eyes narrow as he regards Kitsune. "You have taken someone who is in my care, abomination. I have come to take her back."
Kitsune watches nonchalantly as the first of her crew gets munched. She watches as Damen heads towards his prize. She comes down from her pirouette, removing a glove to touch the first wolf that dares come near her, sidestepping to let the lifeless body continue on with it's momentum. She's headed towards Yo.
Damen opens his gauntleted left hand, sending a sphere of flame arcing towards the ships helm.
Kitsune sees the flame take out the ship's helm. "Hey! This was my Mom's ship!" She takes a step towards Damen, then stops, and leans instead on the mast, letting her ungloved hand dangle near Yosannah's head, but not touching.
Damen pauses, regarding Kitsune. "Would you destroy your own kin?" He smirks, "-Can- you kill your own kin?"
Kitsune says "Yo goes sleepy bye, forever. Pest finds new host. Maybe you. Wolves go byebye."
Yosannah struggles meekly against the bonds at her hands.
Damen chuckles, "You think Pestilence can leave her body? I presume you noted the collar she wears."
Kitsune looks down at Yo, then at Damen. She chews on her lip. "Wolves go byebye, now!"
"I'll withdraw them only when you return her to me." And almost to emphasize that point, another crew member's throat gets torn out.
Kitsune removes her hand from near Yosannah and begins to glove it, stepping away, showing her back to Damen. "Okay."
Damen quirks an eyebrow up. He moves to stand behind Yosannah, his sword drawn and prepared to slash at her bonds. The wolves pause their attack, from some unheard command,although they still advance upon the remaining crew members, backing them into corners.
Kitsune leans against the gunwhale, her legs crossed, and watches. "Death can only be delayed, not denied. I can wait."
Damen frowns, slashing down upon the bonds. The sword cleaves through rope...steel...whatever stands before it's course.
Yosannah slumps forward as the bonds are slashed. She catches herself, palms on the deck. "..Damen..thank god." She turns toward him, her eyes, however, are black and lifeless.
Kitsune leans forward, clasping her hands, "Sister?"
Damen's frown deepens as he notices her eyes, yet he does not hesitate, dropping the sword that freed her from her bonds, to bend, catching her around the waist with his arm to assist her in standing. The other sword does not waver, its razor-sharp point glowing and trained on Kitsune. He mumbles, "If I get sick again...I'm going to kick you in the ass."
Yosannah stands with Damen's help and makes a week effort to lunge in Kitsune's direction, hands outstretched for her neck.
Damen tightens his grip, "Yosannah! No!"
Kitsune holds a gloved hand to ward off Yo's foolhardy attack. "Uh uh, mustn't touch. Not your time."
Yosannah screeches, "... bitch!" as Damen trumps them off the boat....
Penthouse in Elbridge...
Damen frowns, "Jesus Yo!"
Yosannah pulls her arm out of his grasp. She reaches a hand up to the left side of her face. "..ouch. Shit." She flinches at her own touch.
Damen sighs, lifting his arms to remove his helmet. Yosannah turns to Damen, "Are you crazy, going after her like that?" Damen moves to his kitchen, armour clinking on his linoleum. He grabs some ice from the refrigerator and wraps it in a hand towel for her. "Would you have rather I left you to her?"
Yosannah holds the ice pack up to her face, "uuh." She closes her eyes for a moment, "Fucking kills... Thank you."
Damen smirks. "You're very welcome."
Yosannah opens her eyes again and blinks once or twice. "..Mirror."
Damen frowns, "You sure?" He doesn't wait for your answer, but merely points near the solarium to the mirror standing against the wall.
Yosannah wanders over toward the mirror. She pauses before it, quietly. She reaches a hand out toward the mirror to touch her own reflection, "What's this?"
Damen walks up behind her, "The bruise? Or...the....other thing."
"The other. My eyes..." Yosannah's eyes are black swirling pools.
Damen nods, placing a hand upon her shoulder. "I don't know, lass. How do you feel?"
She shakes her head as she continues to stare at herself, "Something's strange. I don't know."
Damen nods, regarding his reflection. "Not even a slight clue....those are *her* eyes."
"Hers." It's a question, though she knows what he means, "How."
Damen shakes his head, "I have no idea."
She tugs lightly at the collar, "Is it this?"
He shrugs, "It shouldn't be. I'm not sure if I want to take it off yet.....do you want me to?"
She shakes her head, "No. What if you can't get it back on?"
Damen smiles, "I can always shoot you again."
"You aren't funny."
He grins, "Yeah I am. Everybody says so."
Yo holds up a hand, "Hold on..."
The image of Cisco says "Hey, Signora? Hello?"
Damen frowns, "Don't answer any trump calls."
Yosannah regards Cisco with cool black eyes, "What do you want?"
Damen sighs, "Jesus."
Cisco studies the picture, trying to not look too startled. "Donna Yosannah, I had some questions. Have I disturbed you?"
"No. I suppose not. What do you want?"
"As I said, I had some questions. About those people you mentioned. I need to know if they are for real."
Damen places a hand upon her shoulder, joining the conversation.
Cisco's gaze raises. "Whoa!" He mutters. "Hey, it's that dude again. Signora, are you all right?"
"She's fine. I'm her fiance' You are?"
Yosannah says "His name is Cisco, Damen."
Cisco seems to bow, without loosing eye contact. "That is correct. Francisco Martinez Usher Myryrs. I wished to ask the Signoritta about things I do not know enough about."
Yosannah says "Cisco, I'm going to pull you here, okay."
Damen frowns, "Hold on a second....he has no connection with them?"
The image of Cisco looks doubtful, and clearly inspects Damen before replying. "Yah, hokay, Signoritta, if you request it, of course."
Yo shakes her head at Damen as she pulls Cisco to the Penthous.
Damen frowns, regarding Cisco.
Yosannah crosses her arms, eyes flashing, "Go on."
Cisco steps back from Yosannah after stepping through. He bows. "Thank you. I wished to ask you about the others. Are they metaphysical personifications, or lunatics?" There's a pause, and he adds, "Neither or both could be true, too, I guess."
Damen crosses his arms, "Yo..perhaps this is not the best time."
Yosannah ignores Damen and smirks, "Do *I* look like a lunatic, Cisco?" She moves closer to Cisco.
Cisco remains in a formal stance, the glimmer of his eyes glinting each time his gaze shifts from Damen to Yosannah and back. He allows Yosannah to near, studying her. "I don't know." he tells her. The offer of a beer he seems to miss.
Damen shrugs nonchalantly, "I want a beer." He moves to the kitchen again, armour clinking upon the linoleum.
Yosannah moves forward, her right hand reaching for Cisco's arm, "This should feel real enough, I think."
Cisco stiffens slightly as Yosannah nears him, a mix of embarrassment and tension. Even as she reaches for him he does not move, much as if she were a rattlesnake nearing his feet.
Damen quirks an eyebrow up, "Yo?" His beer is quickly placed upon a nearby table.
Yosannah uncharacteristically snaps, "Shut up, Damen." She turns her attention back on Cisco "I'll rot you from the inside out, is this what you want?"
Damen frowns faintly, and cocks back his arm, positioning it out towards Yosannah's chin.
Yo seems unaware of Damen's presence.
There's a little jerk to Cisco's head as he almost looks at Damen. It's over in a flash, and his gaze drops to his arm. His face breaks out in a sweat, and there's a sudden stomach growl that sounds far too loud. "Uh!" He grunts, and his face pales to green.
Yosannah, however, drops her grip from Cisco's arm as Damen's fist connects with her chin. She is knocked slightly off balance. "Damen!" She appears rather puzzled, "What the hell are you doing?"
Damen frowns, "What the hell are -you- doing, Yosannah?" He growls, "Look at him."
Cisco collapses to his knees, his sides beginning to heave violently. He wraps his arms around his gut as if to keep his insides in. A halo of steam forms over his head as the sweat on his forehead turns to steam.
"He needs to learn that nosing around the Horsemen is gonna get him killed. This is the easiest way for me to show him." Yosannah watches for a brief moment and then brushes her hand over Cisco's shoulder; his skin tone begins to immediately return to it's normal shade. "He'll be fine." She bends over to whisper in his hear, "Ask one of the others the same questions. You should be so lucky. "
Cisco is hot, hot to the touch, and hot enough to be sensed even a few feet away. He looks up into Yosannah's face, and asks "But are you real?"
Damen stares at Cisco incredulously. Then turns to Yosannah. "Jesus. Just kill him."
Yosannah smirks at Damen as she kneels before Cisco, "Listen to me." She sighs lightly, "Stop with the questions. Just stop. You don't want to know about them. And you certainly don't want them to know that you're asking questions. Understand?"
Cisco shakes his head. "But I have to know." He closes his eyes, trying to focus his thoughts through the haze "Maybe this, then. Do you drive fate, or does fate drive you?"
Damen shrugs and retrieves his beer. "I still say kill him." He adds, "If you don't want to do it....I will."
Yosannah seems to stare at Cisco as she mutters to Damen, "You know I don't have that in me. I'm surprised I have this in me." She shakes her head and moves to stand.
Cisco begins to mutter, "...seen the cityscapes and vistas, far in the future. A nexus of shadows, A city beyond all cities. It's there, waiting to be built... gamble.... "
Damen frowns, "I've had enough of this. Yosannah...pick him up." Damen furrows his brow and a gate appears. A trump gate. Yosannah reaches down and grabs at the clothing at Cisco's chest. She hulls him up. Damen says "Throw him through."
Yosannah drags Cisco toward the gate. With a large grunt she gives a shove.
Cisco stumbles to his feet, yiping "Hey!" He tries to escape fro Yosannah. "Hey!" Cisco moves forward and vanishes, leaving behind a rapidly fading afterimage.
Damen brings a hand up to rub his forehead. "Yo...what's happening to you?"
"What do you mea...." She sighs. "Little bastard is gonna get himself killed he keeps poke'n around like that." She runs her hands over her hair, "I probably did him a favor."
"I'm still concerned at it's origin....this is not your usual behavior....did you see his face? You affected him in some way."
Yosannah nods, "I know. It just came out of me and I lost it for a minute." She heads toward the living area and climbs over the back of the sofa, plopping down into the cushions, "But I got a grip on it." She considers for a moment, "What's with the chin shot, by the way?"
Damen nods, "I knew you were losing it....I didn't know who was in control." He grins sheepishly suddenly, "Hey. At least I didn't shoot you."
Yo looks him over, "You keep bringing that up. Like you're proud of it." She smirks, "You gonna lose that armour?"
Damen laughs, "What? You don't like my new look?"
"Actually," She hugs herself, "No."
Damen nods, "I'm glad." He frowns faintly, "This was me....in the days of old..the days I never wanted you to see." He turns his gaze upon her. "I just ...when you were taken from me....all I wanted to do was find you...find the people who had taken you...and destroy them."
"Those are pretty dramatic words, D."
Damen nods. "I love you. What more can I say?"
She smiles softly as she idly fondles the collar at her neck.
Damen smiles, "Still want to keep it on?"
"I don't think I have much choice."
Damen nods. He removes his armor slowly.
Yosannah watches him as she asks, "I don't suppose there's any good time to bring this up, so I might as well do it now... I saw Nephthys right before all this happened."
Damen nods. "And she told you I was helping her."
"No," She offers shortly, "She said you were lovers."
Damen raises an eyebrow, "We -were- lovers. I told you that."
Yosannah shakes her head, "No. You didn't."
Damen sighs softly, "I thought I did. It was when you and I split up...looong after we did." He shrugs, "She and I just kind of found each other...and we both needed a shoulder. I know that sounds pathetic...but at the time...it was what we both needed. I thought I had lost you....forever...and to Merlin."
"You can't just forget you told someone something like that. You understand I find that hard to believe."
Damen nods, "I understand that...but on the same note, I didn't think I 'forgot' I told you. I 'thought' I did."
Yosannah eyes him skeptically.
Damen brings a hand up to trail a finger along her jawline. His tone is generally concerned when he tells her, "Does this change things?"
Yosannah shakes her head, "No. But whether you were bone'n some girl when I wasn't with you isn't the issue."
Damen says "Then what's the issue?" He adds, "And...how crude."
Yosannah rolls her eyes, "The issue is that I shouldn't have to hear it from the girl. Like I'm not prepared for it when it gets brought up. It makes our relationship look fake." She shakes her head, "That girl thinks she has a chance with you. She strolled right in looking for you. It was insulting to me and to us."
Damen nods. "I understand, lass. When you and I started things up again...and she called to ask for my help with her son...it just never came up."
"D, she told me things.. Things like, Marriage was the last thing you'd be doing with me. Or..." She sighs, "Listen. You've left some kind of door open with this woman. And I warned you about it!"
"Yo...when I was involved her it was after you and I....marriage was the last thing on my mind....afterall, I had asked you how many times? And you basically told me...hell no. So yes...I was a little tainted against the whole marriage issue."
"She said you two were still *together* when you shot me. I may have been hospitalized, D. But I saw who you left with" She clenches her jaw in irratation, "Goddamnit... and I warned you."