Pip struck first, after one of the tattooed spells beneath her eye changed from black to blue— the same aegean blue as her eyes. Now, now she was as fast as him, throwing punches from gauntleted fists and kicks from spiked sabatons. Each strike upon her person was repaid in kind, though Pip's angle of attack was oddly low, despite being the same size as him.
STRUT D
The man was touch, unnaturally so. Each time a punch landed against his skin, Pip could feel it was like striking metal. It couldn't have been just from the dark magic creating these Heartless. His body had been genetically altered. The next strike she tried to take, the man reversed it as such,
He wrenched on her arm as hard as possible to try and either dislocated or break it. If she could withstand the pain, then incapacitating her would work as well.
------------------
STRUT E
"Huh, Heartless. Wonder what darkness is inside seagulls that they work?"
"Are you kidding?" The frog quickly interjected to Vaud, "they're horribly pushy creatures! You must have seen them when they get the scent of human food, fighting over ice cream, crumbs of sandwiches, those fried potato fingers humans sometimes drop on the ground. Not to mention their obnoxious behavior in packs. If anything, they're so stupid, they don't know how evil they really are!" If there's one thing you can never trust: it's a seagull.
As he watched the team continue planning out a way to make it across the bridge, he once again focused on Vaud when she explained they weren't going to take apart the conveyor belt. "I'm a better one than you: Your uninteresting human friend said 'Is there going to be an immediate issue if I take apart the conveyor belts?' And considering this place is locked in a time loop, and you keep knocking over the boxes like some toddler knocking over wooden blocks, I would have thought with the combined mental fortitude of that disgusting symbiote would increase your IQ beyond single digits."
This frog was making friends today.
yet while everyone was working to formulate and execute a plan to reach the other side of the bridge, where their encircled comrades were located in this strange facility stuck in time, something began to gnaw at the back of Luer's head. A feeling of light headedness, like he was having a fever strike, yet at the same time felt even more cold, as though all his body heat rushed to his head. Goosebumps would form along his skin, and as the world seemed to become even so slightly disorientating... Music began to fade into his hearing. Muffled at first, before becoming more clear as the moments passed.
It was an orchestra tuning itself up. The sounds of brass and clarinets softly echoing, rising in pitch to warm up, only to abruptly stop right as they were about to reach a satisfying high pitch. The world around him was shrouded in darkness.
Yet, he was now sitting at a round table with white linen covering it. There was a candle flickering in the middle, along with a basket of bread sticks with butter, and two shakers of salt and pepper. Someone sat down at the other end. A very familiar face to Luer by this point.
"You know," The Man You Do Business With began to say, putting two wine glasses down on the table in front of himself,
"it feels like we just don't talk anymore."
He had a wind bottle in his free hand. A dark red liquid inside, with the words 'dom perignon' on the label. He began pouring the wine into one glass as he continued to speak.
"We've known each other for, what, years now at this point? And we can't seem to ever find the time to sit down over a nice meal and talk about our relationship. What happened? Where's the passion gone? Is it me? I feel like if we don't talk about it now, we'll never recover, and what happens to the kids after?" There was an obvious tone of mockery in his voice.
The sensation in his head was admittedly painful, and strangely foreign to the archer. This was worse than the motion sickness from anything thus far. The sound was not helping either. Before he knew it, though, his vision had gone dark. Or at least he thought it had. He blinked several times as it cleared and the music became less muffled.
"…What?" He questioned. How and when did he get here?
He turned quickly at a familiar voice, his bow at the ready as quickly as he could. He glared, watching the man warily.
"The hell are you on about??" He questioned. The only passion he had for this one was to never see him again. Known each other for years? Not a chance. He was sure it had not even been one yet since this mess started.
"What do you want?"
Well maybe he didn't have kids in this timeline.
"See?! This is why your son is on drugs!" He once more joked, before being handed a cork screw by a waiter. The waiter was wearing a black tuxedo, but the odd thing about him was his face was entirely obscured by a theatrical comedy face mask.
"I just want to talk, Luer. It seemed like you needed a nice evening out as of recent." With a snap of his fingers, lights turned on on a side beside them, and a band on stage began to play.
Surrounding them were other tables, populated by more people wearing theatrical masks. Even the band and singer were wearing them as they played. Their surroundings became like a fifties Vegas lounge bar.
With a pop, Penta pulled the cork out and began pouring his glass half full. Before he poured it in Luer's, he stopped and realized something.
"Is it you or Ziv that hates alcohol?"
Luer narrowed his eyes at The Man You Do Business With. He was not sure he even wanted to know the context of that statement.
"Last time I checked I did not have kids." That would be an issue he was far from ready to face and deal with right now. He grimaced at the suggestion he needed a respite.
"You are not exactly my ideal company for such a thing." He grumbled.
He watched as the wine was popped and poured, making a small face at the question.
"I do not know if he hates it or not. I do not hate it, but I try not to drink much knowing my habits when I am… not sober. And you are the last person I want to sleep with." No, he was not drinking.
With a shrug, The Man You Do Business With chucked the glass behind his back; making a crashing noise a few feet away.
"I'm sure the last thing you need is yet another lover in your confused love life," he commented, before taking a sip of the wine.
Luer cringed at the glass breaking. What a waste… He chortled though, shaking his head.
"I only have one lover. A bed partner is not the same thing." They were very different to him, and no one was generally off limits as a bed partner. Regardless, he was not interested in either from this man, and he defiantly continued to stand with his bow in hand ready to strike.
"I'm sure Ryan knows the difference then when it comes to Morgan," he mentioned, before putting his glass down.
"And please, if I wanted to kill you, there's easier ways than having dinner with you. Besides," he snapped his fingers, and suddenly Luer's bow turned into a fancy cane, and his arrow a rose flower,
"it's rude threatening the host with death."
Luer growled lowly at this. How dare he. He and Ryan will settle that issue eventually, and he will not be having this bastard make it worse.
"Who said I did not want to- ah! H-Hey!" His bow changing interrupted him, giving another glare. Now that was just not fair. He huffed.
"Is it any less rude to drag someone away at an inconvenient time?"
"Killing frogs is a better way to pass the time than dinner?" He asked.
"This is a courtesy call, Luer. No matter how many times we offer, you reject our offers outright because of mistrust, when in reality we do want the best for you and your worlds. Now, the actions we take may be considered 'extreme,' but I ask: are a million lives worth the lives of a billion?" He asked next, crossing his legs under the table.
"You yourself must believe that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Then how can we save those billions of beings when the 'hard' choice is the sacrifice of an even fewer million? That's what we are, the ones taking action to ensure that untold billions have a safe, fruitful future. And what I want to offer you today is proof of that."
Luer groaned as The Man You Do Business With continued. He did not buy that for a second. Reluctantly though, as it seemed he had no other choice, he did finally take the open seat.
"You better give me my bow back…" He grumbled, putting the rose in his teeth and laying the cane on his lap. He did not want to talk to this man. It usually meant bad things.
He looked away when the other commented on his beliefs. He was not entirely wrong… that was something he did believe. His life was nothing to a town's worth but… dammit all what would he know!? He chortled, setting the rose on the table.
"And what do you mean by that?"
"Retora," he simply said.
Now this caught the archer's attention quickly, turning his gaze back to The Man You Do Business With. Few people knew that name, fewer were those he himself directly said it to. So when did this man learn of it… how and for what reason? He took a deep breath. He could not afford to let his emotions control this.
"How do you know that name?"
"I've been doing this job for a very long time, Luer," he simply said, before the music finally ended. The band reorganized and changed the tone of the music to something more 'casual.'
The waiter then returned with menus for each of them.
"Ah, perfect! I tell you, I'm envious of humans in their capacity for taste. I will never know what this tastes like," he raised his glass to stare at the wine inside,
"what I have is a series of programs based upon the impulses of brain activity when disgusting and reacting to food. It's not real taste buds I have, just what we, as machines, believe to be how a certain thing tastes. And it isn't necessary for my existence. Doesn't help me understand the geopolitical nature of worlds, or find information that's not available through data archives. I have it because I want it. Because it helps me understand the simplest desires of organic beings like yourself. If I'm to do business with them, how can I help you when I don't have the full picture?"
He opened his menu and began reading through it.
"Hmm... I'll take the stake. medium rare."
Luer simply stared at The Man You Do Business With quietly. This man just ranted about nonsense without truly giving him an answer. A long time, he says… Oh what I would not give to end him right here and now… Unfortunately, he neither had the strength nor the weapon to do so.
"That was not an answer. Things like you do not exist in my world for a reason." He would prefer to keep it that way, frankly.
"If you truly wanted to understand us, causing the havoc you have is not the way to do it."
"Oh, but it is that havoc that helps me understand," he explained, resting his arms on the table,
"example: Your life sucked after Kain died and Retora was attacked. You've been through the ringer emotionally since childhood with dead parents, prostituting yourself, and losing all your friends. Then, once we bring you here, you die and become undead with this hollowing curse, and now you find yourself in this awkward love triangle between Ryan and Morgan. Now tell me: What would you give to not only go back to those heavenly days before all this misery happened, but find the answer that ever evasive question you could never receive an answer to," he hinted to Luer.
"It's in that havoc I see the true nature of organic life, and in specific, human life, come to fruition. We can send you back to Retora. And I can tell you who your parents really were." His smile turned even bigger as he explained this.
The fact that Luer tensed so much it was visible the moment this man spoke Kain's name was enough to give way that he struck a nerve. It only hit harder as he kept going. Damn this bastard, he knew everything about him. He narrowed his eyes at the machine as he asked that question. He was not going to fool him into even considering such a thing… right? He chortled, shaking his head again. The better question to that would be what would he not give for that… To have the life he was happy with back? To have the family he grew to love back? It was a hard answer, and admittedly one he found shame in struggling to.
But the answers were there, to be sure. He knew what he valued now above what the past held. Besides, that was just that, in the past. There was nothing he could do about it now.
And then The Man You Do Business With went on. He sharply turned back to the AI with a scrutinizing look.
"You are full of it. Go back in time? Yes, this whole… multiverse thing is already unbelievable enough that I still wonder sometimes if I am not actually dead, but to go back in time? You cannot expect me to believe you can do that. I have no reason to trust you." Why should he? To cause this kind of disaster just to study them? There was no reason to trust he was not trying to do the same thing here.
"You may know about what I have done in the past, but that had to have come from what I know. My parents owned the orphanage I grew up in. I already know that."
"And that's... all you want to know about them?" Penta asked next, leaning back in his chair.
"The mysterious gauntlet handed down to you, strange thing for orphanage owners to have. Seems almost like it has a much more interesting lineage than just some old piece of metal."
But, Luer was speaking truth.
"You're right though, we've been trying to kill you this whole time, and I'm a very scheming fellow. But when I make a deal with someone, I make sure it is one honored. And when I promise something, I deliver on it. Time is not a linear progression of cause and effect. It is like everything else in this multiverse is, one giant combustion of particles and atoms bouncing from here to there. We've already broken down the barriers of reality. What's stopping us from breaking through time and space to reach back into history?"
With a snap of his fingers, the stage disappeared into darkness once more. Slowly, a sun began to rise from the horizon. And as its rays extended across the horizon, the lounge Luer had found himself in had become a wide open expanse. A familiar one.
Retora. Back in its prime days.
Luer kept his scrutinizing look, even as he reached for said band. True… but it was no doubt old, what could have been a thing long of the past and no longer relevant to his parents or him. Dammit! Do not let this man get in your head!
"You just like to hear yourself talk…" He chortled as the topic moved on, turning away now. Oh, sure, and his word that he holds a deal true was supposed to be enough? It was not enough. Much less was his comment regarding time. There were many reasons to doubt such a thing.
He jolted though in a startle at the sound of a snap, which rang like a metaling clang more than a snap of fingers did to his ears. The place went black again and though he tried, his bow cane was all he had to grasp as he stood on guard. The hell was going on now? He squinted as the sunrise hit his eyes, flinching away slightly though with the light he could see now. He could smell, too.
They stood by the docks, the salty air an immediate change from where he remembered being last. He had not been near the ocean in such a long time. Having been mostly distracted with the ocean view, he had been startled again by a call.
"Ser…? Is that all you needed?" The sailor spoke, seeming concerned.
Luer blinked, tilting his head. Wait, what was going on? That uniform… He turned for a quick glance around again to realize where he was. This did not make sense. The docks were quite busy, with loaded vessels ready to set sail. He glanced to Penta for a moment- did the sailor not see him? He turned back to the sailor.
"S-Sorry… What did you say?"
"Everything is loaded. We did a recount and nothing has gone missing. Is that all you needed?"
A recount? Ah, the thefts.
"O-Oh… No, that will be all…" He did remember this, at least vaguely. With the sailor offering a bow and returning to his work, the archer turned questioningly.
"What the hell are you trying to do?"
The Man You Do Business With was gone. As were the others sitting within that strange lounge. It was just him, left to explore the city. Everything felt real. The smells, the breeze, the feeling of ground beneath his feet, even the slightest touch with the tips of his fingers felt as real as it should be.
if this was an illusion, it was a masterful illusion. Down to every finite detail.
To say he was confused was an understatement. Where did that bastard go? Dammit, he hated this. How was he supposed to get back on his own? This was just an illusion, after all… right? It had to be. But even as he took a moment to reach down and dip his hand in the water, he did question it. It felt wet, like he expected, hell it even tasted salty like the ocean. The water spot on his shirt where he dried his hand was even felt. It was almost scary how real everything was.
"I was right to check on you."
Luer jumped, standing immediately and turning to the voice that spoke. Shit, I forgot. It had been quite a long time since he did this. Still… as he did face Kain he was left somewhat… speechless.
The older man sighed and shook his head. "I knew I would find you lazing about when you are supposed to be working. And what did I tell you about wearing your uniform?"
"…Uniform? A-Ah! Right… I-It is complicated to explain that…" Luer was having a hard time keeping himself focused. This was the first time he had seen and heard… and spoken to Kain in almost a year… To say it was something he expected to be able to do again- No. This is not real. He had to reel himself back in.
"Right. I will change right away. The sailors saw no sign of any thefts, sir."
Kain studied the archer in silence before giving a small chuckle. "So formal all of a sudden? Remembering your manners is usually difficult for you." He teased.
Luer smiled to himself. Oh, that was a laugh he missed… even that tease. He recalled that was a common thing between them. He took a long breath and let it out in a short laugh as well. Even if this is an illusion… is it so bad to enjoy it while it lasts…? Perhaps, but dammit, how could he not.
"Yes, well. Someone has been drilling me with reminders every time we see each other."
"So you are listening to me now?"
Luer nodded lightly. It was almost impossible to hide the almost bittersweet feel behind his smile.
"Yes… it's taking time, but I… I am adjusting."
Kain laughed again. "Good. Then we are done for today. I will pass on your report to the king. Go home, and I will be along shortly."
"Yes sir!" With his response, Kain turned and walked away. Luer took another breath and settled his gaze in a direction.
"Home…" He still knew the way, of course. He knew this place so well… for his short time here, it was second nature. He hesitated to open the door, but once he did he stood still for a moment. He could hear sounds in the kitchen. Another breath.
"I'm home." He called softly.
The woman scurried to the doorway of the kitchen briefly. "Welcome home, dear! I wasn't expecting you so soon. Go wash up and give me a hand, would you?"
That greeting filled the archer with a bittersweet happiness. He missed it… so much. That greeting was something he took for granted.
"Alright." He answered, giving a smile to Mika. He watched her disappear into the kitchen again, then turned to head up the stairs. He looked around the room he was in now, feeling the nostalgia hit him. It was a plain room, but it was his. He sat on the bed and ran his hands through his hair, his arms resting on his knees and his head down. This was a lot… he did not think it that bad to indulge but it strangely hurt.
As he took the time to let everything sink in, once more music would begin to fill his ears. When he looked up, he was back at the table. Retora was gone once again, and once more he was inside the strange lounge. The stage once again reappeared, and as the band began to play a new song, it was The Man You Do Business With himself singing into the microphone.
"Come fly with me, let's fly, let's fly awaaaay!~
If you can use some exotic booze, There's a bar in far Bombaaaay~
Come fly with me, let's fly, let's fly awaaaaay~"
He was looking right at Luer, snapping his fingers to the beat of the music and gently bobbing his body to the rhythm.
"Come fly with me, we'll float down to Peruuuuu!~
In llama land, there's a one man band, and he'll toot his flute for you!~
Come fly with me, we'll float down in the bluuuue~"
Luer's attention would then be startled by the sound of a ceramic plate being put down on the table in front of him. Steak, medium rare, with coleslaw and cobb salad beside it. Penta was now suddenly at the other end of the table, already cutting into his own steak.
"Go on," he urged Luer while looking down at his plate,
"tell me it's fake. That it's all some sort of trick, and everything you saw was just an illusion." If Luer truly believed what he just witnessed was some stage play set up by Penta, then he should have no problem admitting it aloud... right?
Luer took a breath in as the music came back. That meant only one thing. He looked up when The Man You Do Business With started signing, shaking his head and turning away with a roll of his eyes. Patronizing bastard… Admittedly he sort of hated himself for indulging in that, but at the same time, it was nice to get to see them again… to hear and talk to them… Short lived as it was.
He chortled at the urge to eat as he was served a plate. He was far from hungry right now. He growled quietly as the AI urged him to admit the unrealistic experience. He wanted to… he really wanted to. Yet… he could not. One thing stood out among that experience that made him aware he was not just seeing things. They recognized he was not dressed the way he should have been… He did recall wearing uniform that day, there was no reason for Kain to comment on his not doing so if it were purely pulled from memory.
"What do you want…?" There was no way this was coming from a place of generosity. Hell, he was still unsure he could believe it would really happen. On top of that, if it did, would he still remember everything? Would he just be reliving his life over again? What would come of Ryan? Would he forget him? Too many questions, and not enough answers.
Stabbing a piece of cut steak with his fork, The Man You Do Business With pointed it to Luer's right, before taking a bite. When Luer turned to see what he pointed to, he would see a faint image of Morgan. She was standing as still as a picture, clouded by a faint fog, with her hands held together in front of her body.
"Her," The Man You Do Business With said while still chewing.
"Give me Morgan. And I give you a backdoor to Retora before its fall." He then explained after swallowing.
"You can take Ryan with you, warn Kain of the incoming attack, do whatever you feel like. I just need Morgan, and we have a deal."
Luer followed the gesture out of expectation of an answer, and he got one. The surprise on his face was obvious, and he turned back to The Man You Do Business With quickly as he added in the bit with Ryan. He gave a laugh, as if to deflect the fact that it was never going to happen, but it wavered.
"What makes you think I would give you my friend? Surely you did not expect me to agree just because I can take Ryan with me…"
He glanced towards the image of Morgan and shook his head.
"What about him…? He…" Ryan loved Morgan too… he made it clear before that Morgan came before him even before the affair.
"Would he remember any of this… would anyone remember us? And what do you want Morgan for?"
"Up to you," Penta said, continuing to eat,
"what he remembers or doesn't is entirely up to you. I'm sure I can remove any and all memories of Morgan if you want his total and undivided love to you," he took yet another bite of his steak upon finishing.
"But, if you think that's way too manipulative for you, we can fake her death somehow and make him believe it's his fault. You know, make him even more loyal to you so he never loses another love again." He tapped his mouth with a handkerchief once he finished speaking.
"As for her... Well, that's between me and another involved party," Penta winked.
Luer rose a brow to that. It was up to him? He made a face at the suggestion he could even remove Morgan from Ryan's memory. He leaned back in the chair. It would make his life a lot easier… He shook his head though. No. He really would be manipulative if that were the case, and Ryan would have every right to shut him down like he did. He did not want that.
He cringed at the idea of not only faking Morgan's death, but blaming it on Ryan? That was too cruel. Besides, it was not just Ryan losing someone. He cared about Morgan too… Was her life worth the chance to save his home? To have a life he loved back? To save thousands that lost their lives… One life for many… a trade off he did believe in.
He did not much like the wink The Man You Do Business With gave him. Enough bad experiences left a bitter taste at the very thought. He could not put another through something horrible, much less someone he cared about.
"You fucking bastard…" This is not an easy decision to make! It should be, it should be obvious what he should do, but with everything that was offered… Lives that were unrelated could be saved. Would anyone believe him though…? Could he convince them they were in danger? He ran his hands through his hair again. Why did he have to think about this?? What gave him the right to choose for Morgan anyway?
But he knew the answer to that too… This was not a choice made lightly.
"I won't force you to make an answer now. It's a lot to think about, I'm sure you need to really think your options over. Only caveat is, should you mention our little meeting to anyone, our deal is void," he explained to Luer.
"Consider this, though, a parting gift for a show of good faith." The butler returned, placing down a neatly wrapped box in front of Luer.
Luer chortled. A lot to think about… that was true. A part of him felt bad though that it was even a choice he was considering. Especially adding on it is something he must live with in secret.
He looked to the box and sighed.
"You're just going to give it to me?"
"Why not?" He asked back, munching on steak still.
Luer honestly was at a point of being too tired and overwhelmed to care. He took a breath and moved to open the box. And yet he was left surprised again.
"A dragon stone…?" He questioned. What did he need one of these for- oh… He sighed and fell against the chair once more.
"So it wasn't a dream…" Another thing among many he needed to think about now.
"Thanks… I guess. As for your answer… I need some time…"
The moment Luer blinked, the music had stopped. The world around him shifted once more. He was back on the Big Shell, watching as everyone planned out their ideas to get across the bridge safely to reach the other scattered.
Yet, nestled within one of his pockets was the dragon stone. No one will have noticed Luer vanishing. It was as if he had been gone for but a millisecond. And when he tried to speak again, if he tried to tell them of what happened, nothing.
The words would get caught up in his throat. If he tried reaching for the stone to show everyone, his hand would freeze before his fingers could even touch the pocket. As Penta said, if he told anyone, their deal was void. All Luer could do was continue on with the mission like nothing happened. And decide for himself what was best.
'Are a million lives worth the lives of a billion?' Is one life worth the death of his home?
Collab post by myself and @LenxKaitoYaoi 
