melodiesofeternity | [Closed] Serge has a present from the Cloud

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[Closed] Serge has a present from the Cloud

Who: Serge, Kid, Corrin
When: November 2nd, Afternoon
Where: Curti Center, the Dream Width
What: Serge and Company go to space.
Warnings/Notes: As they come up!

Serge and Mochi wait patiently in the airship hangar, sitting next to a rusty old Falcon-class. Mochi's friend has graciously allowed the use of his airship, called the Phoenix, for the expedition.

"How come it's called the Phoenix, anyway?"
"I think it's 'cuz it's been totaled three times and it's still flying."
"... Oh."

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When Corrin enters the room and finally lays eyes on Lynx, she blinks in surprise. "Oh, so you really weren't kidding when you said his name was Lynx." She notes.

The older man with him-the "General"-almost reminds Corrin of King Garon, though without her father's fearsome bearing (or at least the monster that pretended to be him). But then he is betrayed by Lynx without a second's hesitation, as a matter of convenience and Corrin realizes the General was not the one like King Garon.

"Serge, be careful..." She warns him as he approaches the crystal. This may be a memory, but this entire situation is unnatural, and there's still so much she does not understand about the Dream Width. Then the crystal erupts in light, Serge screams...and nothing seems to have happened? Serge is on the floor, trying to get to his feet, but from the look on Lynx's face, whatever he was hoping would happen when the crystal activated...didn't.

She moves quickly, interposing herself between Lynx and Serge. "It looks like whatever you were hoping to accomplish here didn't work." She says archly. It's odd, given how Serge and Kid were reacting to having to enter this room, like something terrible had happened here.

Corrin still can't quite shake the feeling that something isn't right, but isn't sure what it could possibly be. "Kid, how's Serge doing?" She asks, keeping her eyes-and sword-pointed at the cat-man.

Kid was down on a knee next to Serge, hands hovering in the space between them. "Serge, what's wrong?!" but there's always time for a hateful glare towards Lynx, which she obliges, with a boisterous "LYNX!!! What have you done to Serge!?"

But there was no trusting words from the devil's mouth anyway, and so her attention goes back to her pal. She was thankful now, more than ever perhaps, for Corrin's presence, keeping that pointy end in the path of her nemesis as she tended to the fallen.

The view of Serge's eyes obscured thanks to the angle of his body, but she leans forward all the same, a supportive hand on his shoulder now.

"Serge! You all right!?"

"Yes... I'm fine... I'm just fine, Kid." Serge stands, grinning savagely. Whatever Lynx attempted, it seems to have gone badly wrong; the confidence, the swagger, the effortless malice has gone from the room entirely. He takes an unsteady step backwards, dropping the scythe.

"What are you doing, Lynx?" There's laughter in his voice, amusement winning out over the momentary pain. The swallow is picked up, spun expertly, and pointed at the demi-human. "Now's our chance, Kid. Let's kill him."

Lynx tries to speak, but his voice comes out as a croak, not the low growl he'd managed earlier. "No, wait-"

Serge doesn't give him an opening. He charges, scoring glancing blows in a flurry of thrusts and slashes that drives Lynx back towards the wall, scrambling to pick up the scythe, if only for self-defense. "Not another word from you, Lynx! After everything you've done!"

Corrin understands Lynx's sudden lack of confidence now that his plan has seemingly failed; Iago was much the same way in her own world. An arrogant, smugly confident snake when he had the backing of his master Garon, yet when she and her siblings finally turned on him when he was deprived of that support, made it clear that he was a disgrace to Nohr, and that Corrin was finally ready to take his life for everything he'd done, all that confidence and bravado melted away into sniveling cowardice, begging for his life. It was such a pathetic display that Corrin hadn't had the heart to kill him despite it all.

Fortunately Leo had had no such reservations and had stepped in to finish the snake off with a blast from Brynhildr.

So Lynx's panic made sense to her. He'd played his last card, and it hadn't worked; of course he'd resort to tactics like this.

Serge's reaction, on the other hand, catches Corrin off-guard completely. His laughter causes her to turn to look at him in surprise. Even knowing that Serge still seems to be caught acting out the memories of another version of himself, it's a stark contrast to how he'd acted earlier...like the Serge she knew. The laughter seems so...unnecessarily cruel.

And then he orders Kid to kill Lynx. And that is cause for concern; not that Lynx should die, Corrin understands that need well enough, and she doesn't know enough about Lynx's crimes to judge whether or not it's warranted.

No, what's concerning is the callousness-the cruelty-in his voice as he orders Lynx's death. No matter the version, Corrin cannot believe Serge-any Serge-would so easily order the death of another being.

"Hold on a moment. I think something's gone-" She begins, but then Serge blows past her and engages Lynx, who seems barely able to fight back. "Serge, wait!"

No, no. This is wrong, this is all wrong. Did the crystal do something to Serge after all? But why on earth would this be a desired outcome for Lynx? What could he possibly have hoped to achieve? At this rate, Serge is going to kill him.

And that's not the Serge she knows. That's not any form of him.

The swallow swings toward Lynx again, but there's a flash of movement and the attack is deflected.

By Corrin. She's placed herself directly between her friend and Lynx, and looks ready to defend the demihuman from any more attacks.

"Serge, you need to stop. Right now." She orders. "This isn't you. Okay? Put the swallow down and we will figure this out."

If it comes to it, Corrin's fairly certain she can disarm Serge herself if need be, but she's really, really hoping it doesn't come to that.

Edited 2019-01-24 04:39 (UTC)

Now was their chance. The chance to kill Lynx. With Serge on his feet again, her focus is hard back on Lynx, though that churning in her gut voiced its concern again. "Yeah... I know." This is the end of you, Lynx. Say yer prayers...

"Serge" darted forward to land the first blows, then. And Kid was right on his heels, if not for Corrin starting to suddenly speak up. She catches herself in a half-step, looking over at the woman that she knew was, without a doubt, her friend.

She watched with a half-open mouth as her sword countered the swallow, and pulled up again alongside Serge's body. There's a look of disbelief, of some kind of pain she kept screwed up deep inside— as she looked to meet Corrin's gaze.

"What... what the hell are you doin'!? Corrin this ain't something that can be sorted out with words! It's blood for blood in this world!"

Something's gone wrong. 'Serge's' eyes widen, as though not understanding. "Who-" It's odd. Corrin, raising her sword against Serge, feels... something she wouldn't have, before, even in this memory. A faint resonance, something between them that's the same, where before it was opposite.

"Corrin," Lynx's voice slips out, shocked and relieved. "Corrin, please-"

Serge's face twists in rage, and he pulls back. "Are you really going to betray us, Corrin?! We're supposed to be your friends! You can't possibly defend him, look at what he's done! He killed the General in cold blood! He's been hunting me since I got to this world! He poisoned Kid and she nearly died!"

Energy collects around him, the mark of an Element being cast. "Kid... think about what he's done. You know he deserves to die! Remember what he did to Lucca!"

The...sensation...that passes between Corrin and Serge for a moment is jarring and for a moment, Corrin forgets about the momentary look of confusion in Serge's eyes after she blocked his attack. Now she has more pressing concerns; on his own, she's fairly certain she could take Serge in a fight, but if Kid got involved as well...and more to the point, Corrin doesn't want to fight either of them. She's had enough of fighting people she cares about to last a lifetime at this point; and at least during the Hoshidan war she had the backing of her Nohrian family,and a cause worth fighting for. Now she's by herself and fighting in defense of a being that she knows to be a backstabber and the source of much pain in both Serge and Kid's lives. Maybe Lynx does deserve death; maybe Serge and Kid are entitled to their vengeance. But this anger-this hatred, even-coming from Serge doesn't make sense. She can't allow events to proceed like this.

Serge's accusation of betraya; is met with a vigorous shaking of her head. "No, that isn't it. I am not betraying either of you. Serge...you are not yourself right now. At first I thought Lynx's plan had failed, but now I fear that something has happened to you, because I know you and this anger, it isn't like you. There's a cruelty to your actions now...you're not a cruel person, Serge. Am I wrong, Kid?" She asks suddenly, turning to look at the other girl. "You know Serge better than anyone; tell me you can't feel something is wrong here!"

For the time being, she ignores Lynx. Regardless of her motives for doing so, she is currently the only thing standing between Lynx and what she has to admit is a well-deserved fate.

Her dagger is in her hand. She was so close to getting her revenge, just a few steps away until she never had to see that awful face again... Her grip tightens on its hilt, as both Serge and Corrin's words wash over her. Her eyes close— Serge isn't a cruel person, no. But she needed to avenge... ...

"WAIT!" she yelled, eyes snapping open again, as a cold realization set in. There's a slow turn towards Serge at her side.

"How do you know Lucca's name?" came the question, almost simple at first, but with a much darker connotation the more it hung in the air between them. "Not once did I ever mention Lucca's name to you, Serge..."

And there's a glance at Lynx— the pathetic, groveling Lynx on the ground... with a look in his eyes different from the inhumane, cold gaze she saw almost every night in her dreams. There was a familiar spark she found there, as it felt like something cold crept down her spine as the pieces clicked together as she looked from Lynx, to Corrin, and to Serge...

"No... Don't tell me you're...?!"

'Lynx' starts struggling to his feet, confusion and panic turning into cautious hope. They've realized what's happened. Everything will be fine now, they can stop Lynx and- and put this right...

'Serge' smiles slightly, relaxing and backing away, suddenly calm. And then, quite suddenly, he moves. It's barely visible- no human should be able to move that fast- the knife-blade pushed aside, seized, inhuman strength driving it point-first into Kid's stomach and then withdrawn, dripping crimson onto the floor. "End of the road, Kid," he whispers, as he pulls away, leaving her to fall and him to turn to the other pair.

Serge- the real one, not this impostor- screams again. Not a sound born of pain, but of misery and pain, struggling to get to his feet. Corrin, for her troubles, is treated to a blast of cloying, black energy that turns her world ninety degrees, flying towards the far wall as though in freefall, before Serge is pinned to the floor with a similar blast. "Oh, Kid... don't worry. I'll send you to see Lucca. But... no, I think later."

Lynx moves towards the prone figure of Serge, casual malice and arrogance oozing from every pore. "Look at yourself, Serge- I mean, Lynx!" He laughs, a sound that in Serge's voice sounds high and unnatural. "Do you hate me, Serge...? Good. The only thing pure in this world is hatred... But, it's time for the curtain to fall. Your services are no longer required, unfortunately. Even your very existence is worthless, at this point..." He holds up one hand, energy gathering, sucking in all available light until there's simply- it's like a hole in space, a sucking wound in the world, held in the palm of his hand. "Farewell, Serge."

Lynx leaves the floor, and the world around him twists, the ancient dragon statues exploding into so much gravel, the walls quaking... "Finally, I have the key. The key to the gates of Fate itself. The time has come for the Flame to awaken." Serge tries, in fairness, to struggle against the bonds holding him, to reach out to Kid, to get to her, heal her, do something- but he's jerked upright, pulled into the air as that sucking void leaves Lynx's hand, approaching... "If you really want to see an end to your ten-year nightmare, Serge, come to the Sea of Eden."

The memory, as well, seems to be twisting, warping at the edges, threatening to break under the strain...

"Now, let love bleed... Darker and deeper than the seas of Hell!" The void touches Serge- and his vision explodes with agony, a scream tearing itself free as he's consumed by it. That laughter echoes nearly as loud, high and cold and manic, and then the dream shatters, leaving the three of them floating in the Cloud and the jewel clutched in Serge's tightly-clenched fist, his breathing ragged, body shaking.

Alive. Not dead. Kid's here, it didn't happen to him, none of it was real.

As realization dawns in Kid's eyes, so too does Corrin suddenly begin to see, and her head slowly turns to look at the cowering demihuman behind her. "Serge...?" Suddenly she whips back around. "KID, LOOK OU-"

But it's too late; Corrin turns just in time to see Kid stabbed through the stomach. She barely has time to cry out before she's sent flying by a blast of dark energy, slamming into the wall and falling to the ground. Through the haze she can barely make out Lynx in Serge's body taunting Serge in Lynx's body, even as the room begins to twist and distort, and as though all light is being sucked out of the world into Lynx. She can see Kid, lying where Lynx stabbed her, and once again people she cares about are dying and there's nothing she can do to stop it. She's as powerless now as she was back then.

Just like Ryoma.

But then finally-mercifully-the vision fades and Corrin finds herself, quite unhurt, the earlier pain having vanished completely. Or the physical pain, at least. She turns to look at the other two.

"Gods, I'm...I'm so, so sorry, I should have recognized it quicker." Corrin tells them apologetically as though everything that happened in that vision was her fault. "His...his Elements changed but I didn't realize in time. If I had, maybe..." She stops herself. "...Are you two okay?" She asks finally.

Serge shakes his head, hugs himself. He doesn't trust himself to speak, just yet.

He can't bring himself to let go of the jewel. It makes his skin crawl, touching it, but it feels... important.

Wordlessly, he tugs on the line connecting him to the ship, which after a few seconds starts to reel in slowly.

No, he's probably not okay.

It's mostly a blur, the blade being pulled from her grip, the menacing, cruel look in Serge's normally clear blue eyes... and then the pain. The searing, white hot pain of her own dagger, expertly sharpened, runs her through...

"H..." is all she can choke out, as one foot staggered backwards, and she looked up at her attacker, falling into Serge's chest— the imposter's chest, and trying to grip at him as she slid down, down... crashing onto the hard, cold, stone floor, quiet at last— a pool of blood creeping ever-outwards... . . .

And on the other side, once the memory finally slips away, there's a loud, panicked gasp for air as her eyes bulge open, as though she had been drowning. Before she can even focus on their surroundings, she's reaching for her short sword, panting, still trying to catch her breath. "Where is he?! Where'd that bastard—?!"

But it was only Corrin who was there— in the dreamwidth. And a silent Serge. The Serge from Vaikuntha. With her heart still pounding in her chest, everything that had happened just slowly sank in. So that was what they meant by experiencing a memory? There was only one way Kid could think to describe all that, checking her sacr-less, in-tact abdomen for blood with a quiet, "Shit."

Serge alights on the deck, trying in vain to shake the sensation of the terror he'd felt, seeing Kid hurt and Corrin tossed aside, watching that thing walk around in his skin like it owned him-

He draws a deep, shuddering breath, and offers the only coping mechanism he can think of, a weak, nervous laugh. "I... don't think I'm going to be getting over the cat thing any time soon."

It's not exactly funny per se, but Corrin laughs regardless, albeit somewhat shakily. After everything that just happened, even if it was only a memory, she's glad of the chance to relieve some of the tension.

"Hopefully retrieving my item won't be quite so harrowing." She ventures hopefully. "We should get to our seats."

As she moves towards her seat however, she stops by Kid, and lightly touches her arm to get the girl's attention. "I'm here if you want to talk." She offers quietly, then smiles. "I'm glad you're not hurt." Not anymore, at least. If there is to be talking, it won't be here; Kid's not the type to share lightly, or in the presence of others, but Corrin would be surprised if there wasn't anything she had on her mind given what had just happened.

There's certainly something on Corrin's mind as she settles into her seat and idly watches the Dream Width go by in her seat. Kid's stabbing has stirred up uncomfortable recent memories, and now that they're headed toward's Corrin's item she can't help but wonder; there are a lot of memories she would rather not be forced to relieve-or make people she's come to care about experience either.

"I will fulfill...a samurai's final duty!"

Corrin momentarily closes her eyes and tries to shake the image from her mind. Perhaps if she doesn't dwell on it too much there's less chance it will manifest when they get there.

She can only hope that's true. She's not ashamed of her actions but there are certainly things she regrets; the two are not mutually exclusive. And she can't help but be worried what Serge and Kid would think of her if they saw first-hand some of the things she helped to do, no matter the reason.

As the airship moves on towards her signal, Corrin's unease fails to dampen; in fact in only seems to get stronger. And the image certainly does not leave her mind.

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[Closed] Serge has a present from the Cloud

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