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Default   #80   sylvanSpider sylvanSpider is offline
Weaver of Webs
Mendez rubbed his neck as if needing the reminder that he'd just almost been choked to death. A hand-shaped ring of pain circled his neck, pulsing, pulsing. He'd bruise, and it would only hurt more from there. Shit, maybe he could take a dip in the pools himself. He smirked, wanting to say something along the lines of practice, but rolled his eyes instead, “I'll keep the details to myself, hermano. Nothing you wouldn't expect, and we'll leave it at that.” Mendez stopped seeing the exhaustion in Riola's eyes. It'd been a while since either of them rested, and Mendez hoped that the trip to the pools might ease that. Not all of them were meant for medicinal purposes; some were more luxurious and spa-like. He knew they had the money, and he wondered if they would take the chance to relax a bit as well. Might relieve some tension on the ship.

“Eh, if that happens we can just dye our hair. I think your Rosa would be safe though – she looks different enough from us that he'd be able to disassociate...ehm, maybe. Unless it's a color triggered thing, but I thought that it wasn't an Edensian that attacked, si? It was that faceless thing?” Mendez asked. He knew that the effects of PTSD were very real, but he didn't know how it worked. There was nothing ever that triggered that for him. As far as Mendez was concerned, Atrix was the most exciting thing that had ever happened to him. If anything were to give him PTSD, it'd be her. “SÃ*...” Mendez said after a moment, “SÃ*, I do. But every time I remind myself that we're all here willingly. We're being hunted, and we all chose to be seen together. So, as far as I'm concerned, we're in this shit together. We've gotta help each other now.” Even as he said this, doubt tinged on the outside of his voice. If he was putting everything together correctly, between their party, they had both the Daoweian and Edensian governments on them. There were likely hitmen at best, if not, entire armadas. The best they could hope for, until they got allies anyway, was to keep away – keep running until they couldn't run anymore.

=-=-=

Ashi's eyes stayed locked on the ceiling, forcing herself to focus on her breathing. Inhale...exhale...inhale After all, that is what they taught, wasn't it? Deep steady breaths...She was forced back into reality when Hyun's form moved in her periphery, and her eyes honed in on her as something else to focus on. Breathing in once more, she mustered a smile, “Yeah... almost there. If attention has to be decided, give it to Shal first. I can wait; I don't think he can,” Ashi nodded several times, as if convincing herself as well, and attempted to shift into comfort only to hiss, pain jolting through her body and...falling right back into the position she was previously. Nope, not trying that again...

Air rushed into Ashi's lungs, heart catching in her throat as she felt those cold lips on her overheating forehead. Hyun was a natural icepack, working more effectively than even than the most soothing herbal salve. “I'll...rest,” she assented, “Once we get there. We're almost there, right? I can make it then...I'll make it.” There was something about knowing that she would make it. She was bleeding, probably both internally and externally, but her breathing was clear, her heart didn't seem to be beating too fast. She just had to stay calm until they made it. But the pain, how it was escalating! Focus on Hyun, focus on her beauty, she likes you enough to call you her girlfriend...If not for you, at least for her...

“I...I know. I don't want him to die either... we'll make it, he'll make it. His will to survive is strong, and you know that means he will. We're almost there; he just needs to hold on, just a...just a little longer,” Ashi said, swallowing some spit that had gathered at the back of her throat. Her good hand shifted to rest on Hyun's shoulder, feeling her cold seep through her clothes and into her clothes, “What are we going to do if there's no gang? Run away somewhere? Is there anywhere we can go that they won't find me?” Ashi asked, accidentally letting her pessimistic side out some. She closed her eyes, “...Sorry. There's... there's got to be somewhere he won't look. I know it. Someday he'll have to give up, he'll lose patience and when he sees I intend to lay low, he'll stop wasting resources... if I know him at all.”

=-=-=-=-=

Rosalind turned and grinned at Nokra after taking a long swig from her coffee. It was only slightly too hot, just the way Rosalind liked it, “Alright, Nokra, ye watchin'? The levers I'm pullin' now are bringin' in the wings. T'enter 'yperspeed, et's best not t'ave a buncha friction...” She fell into explaining every little things her hands were doing, every little detail on the screens that were important, the ideal numbers to hit, and just like that the stars began to blend together. It was here that Fikri tuned out, if only for a moment. The Terxix had given him plenty to think about, like he didn't have enough on his mind already. You do not see the fact that you will be doing to others what the Edensians did to you... He shook his head and shifted his weight, from one leg to the other. He didn't bother to correct Atrix. In fact, he found her threat to be sort of funny despite his lack of smile.

Magali froze, allowing the Terskix to run a finger across her cheeks, only closing her eyes and breathing only when she felt she was no longer being touched. Almost instinctively, she looked up at the Terskix as if seeking her approval – a response that had been trained into her. Without looking to Fikri she said, “We should... uh, probably...probably head for the medbay...”
All that is empty in the drawing should be filled in, the teacher said to us kids. First you sharpen the pencil to fill in the thin whiskers, then you use the thick crayon to fill in the wings with brown, meticulously and without letting the crayon leave the page. Six feet can be traced below the soft belly. Now, breathing is hard to detect on paper, the teacher said to me when I asked, but it is easier to feel it in real life.

Even insects breathe.

-Rawi Hage, Cockroach
Old Posted 03-03-2018, 05:24 AM Reply With Quote