RP:An Eye For A Bee

From HollowWiki
Faux Twilight Cavern
A sense of ancient, arcane power permeates the chilled air as the southern tunnel opens abruptly into a massive cavern. Very little light enters this area, for the only opening that can be found aside from the entrance tunnel is a perfectly round hole in the distant roof. Yet one can't help feeling as if they're in the wide open despite being below ground. The walls are a peculiar wonder and aid to the strange illusion, appearing to be almost entirely basalt unnaturally polished to a glossy sheen, giving the cave the uncanny appearance of an inky night sky--with the ceiling gap above small enough to pass for a moon. But it's what lurks amongst the basalt that is the true source of the strange atmosphere: stars, infinite and brilliant in their eternal shining. These stars, however, are not quite the same as the ones in the night sky, albeit being remarkably passable at first glance; rather, they are myriad gemstones embedded into the walls--fluorite, for those able to recognize such things--in an array of colors, from flawless white to glowing yellow, serene blue and glistening violet, all eagerly catching faint light and reflecting them in an eternal mimicry of winking starshine. Any can tell this place is no longer purely a natural formation, if ever it was one. Enchantments long have been woven into the very core of this strange cave to maintain the careful appearance of an open sky beneath the earth. Further travel into the cavern will reveal a massive underground lake occupying the northern half, its unfrozen but deathly cold waters lapping at a 'beach' of black sand and rounded pebbles of blue fluorite. If one possesses night vision or squints to their fullest, they may just spy what appears to be a large glacier and structure in the center of the lake. The home of this place's creator? It's impossible to be certain, and there seems no obvious way across the waters to reach it--a lurking, intelligent presence seems to suggest even attempts at flying across will prove fatal.



Characters:


Summary: Satoshi confronts Kirien for the murder of Neema.



Kirien slips out of the tunnel leading to the cavern, footsteps silent as always save the telltale 'click' of the metal devices strapped to the soles of his foots. A curious expression paints the Elf's fine features, intense gaze scanning shimmering cave walls, and the black sand still bearing traces of his last -- and first -- visit. With eyes glowing a near luminous amber in the glimmering dim, Kirien makes his way across the sand to the water's edge, dappled starshine lighting his way; though of course he doesn't exactly need it to see in the first place. "Hm…Satoshi?" he calls, brow furrowing in slight bemusement, pointed ears twitching. The scrap of parchment containing the woman's scrawled note is held in one gloved hand, the rogue having of course returned here in the hopes of finding his way into interesting new adventure. He could certainly be considered naïve right about now for having not been more suspicious.


Satoshi pauses in her trek across the fluorite bridge upon hearing her name called. So, he's here already? An uncertain gaze is sent in the elf's direction before she heaves a sigh and continues on, eventually reaching the end of the thin pathway and coming to rest upon the beach. Directly beside her is one of those tell-tale bootprints, the same ones she's found at bloody scenes of murder recently. Another trace of doubt flickers across her features, however, what doubt exists in the foxkin's mind is not directed toward the killer's identity, but rather... "What do I do here, Bright Eyes?" Satoshi murmurs, gaze distant as she continues to stare at the bootprint, as if wishing it didn't match the other. "You killed my bird. I promised to kill the one who took my Neema-swan. And yet, I hesitate now... I never would have hesitated before. This is what comes of growing attached to others... What comes of family." Sometimes, Satoshi can't help but think 'if only', which in and of itself is not a prior trait of hers. Growing up has been a difficult matter for this kit.


Kirien is everything but a killer in his current appearance, smiling affectionately as his gaze falls upon the other foxkin. He lacks the blood spatters that'd stained his clothing and face only a few days ago, lacks the maniacal expression one would expect to find on whomever was vicious enough to murder not only strangers, but an Avian Senator on top of that. And at her words, Kirien's only change in mood is to one of sombreness. There is no visible anger, but one such as Satoshi should know by now never to judge on appearances only; beneath the surface there is likely much more. "I guess I should've known you'd figure it out," he says in a quiet voice, "as you're so intelligent. I can't tell you what to do though; I'm not your mind. Don't ask me to tell you, don't give your choices to someone else. I'd explain but…it's somewhat convoluted, and you probably don't want to hear it. And even I know I messed up. If only I'd had some of the hesitation you feel now, mm?" A shrug of the shoulders follows as the Elf falls silent, amber eyes trained upon Satoshi and having never left her form in the first place. Now he's aware that she knows what he's done, that she may attempt to kill him, he's leaving nothing up to chance; should she try anything he'll react immediately. "I'd rather not die though, you know?"


Satoshi's gaze flicks up to train on the rogue, a hint of a smirk dancing across her features. "I don't want to kill you, otherwise I wouldn't be wasting my breath talking. There are others that do, however, for what you've done. And you did kill an official of Frostmaw." Slowly, but without a hint of her former hesitation, Satoshi draws Ko'tar from its sheath, the blade of Charity singing softly as it's brought out to gleam in the false starlight. "Killing is what we do, it's our nature. But it's also our nature to face what we've earned, when we're caught, is it not? We're not cowards, we're hunters, and hunters sometimes pay for their victories." Eyes and katana alike are leveled at Kirien then as Satoshi exudes an aura of calm--with the faintest haze of blue shifting along her edges. "If I confront you as the Queen of Frostmaw and exact punishment for Neema's murder from your flesh, it should suffice the other Queen searching for you." Ko'tar's blade begins to flicker as the gauzy blue flames dance across its surface, and Satoshi takes a firm step forward. "As official or as hunter, either way, Bright Eyes, I'm coming after you. Take your pick, for this time 'silly titles' may spare you what's been twice promised."


Kirien 's sensitive ears twitch, fluffy tips pointing intently in Satoshi's direction at the soft hum of song emitted from her drawn blade. Elethial trills in response, all whispers and magic, but remains in its sheath. Its owner makes no move to draw a weapon, stood innocently before his friend although by this point in time a curiously wicked little smirk is curving up the edges of his lips. "I hardly consider that killing a victory, I should admit. Rather, a defeat; I lost to my own insanity. Terrible, right?" Only once he's said this does Kirien shift his position, near-languid movements bringing his form into a more relaxed posture, right leg forward and the arm of the same side flung across his chest, the left leg and arm angled behind his body in a fighting stance. It's the hidden blade on the inner left limb that extends first, hissing out of its vambrace, readying for imminent offensive measures. "But still, I'm quite aware of what I've done and that I require suitable punishment. I hurt people I care about when I killed her, and that's something I'm not happy with." There is no mention of feelings of remorse for Neema herself, as it's highly likely that the rogue doesn't feel anything like that for the woman in the first place. "So you'll deal out said punishment, Queen Satoshi Azakhaer?"


Satoshi nods curtly, her expression devoid of any emotion as Ko'tar's calming song keeps the kit in careful control of herself. With that practiced slowness, Satoshi moves to reflect a pose similar to Kirien with the katana held out horizontally before her, ghostly blue flames writhing in the beginnings of their first manifestation. "You're not going to take this lying down. That's not like you. However," the fox's boots press against the black sand as she suddenly lunges at Kirien, "I wouldn't have it any other way!" In a flash, kit and katana are dancing in and out before Kirien, a strike of claws here, a swipe of blade there, feints from one side, slashes from the other, in a seemingly wild choreography. The sequence of movements are anything but disorganized, however, and while each is meant to deliver a painful--and instant numbing from cold--cut where they fall, the surreptitious intent is to drive the slightly elf toward the lake edge, to herd him into the frigid depths where his own body will betray him to the deathly chill.


Kirien may seem as controlled as Satoshi is on the surface, but the reality of the situation is quite different. There's something very off about the Elf now, the scent of upcoming battle having been enough to switch his mood to something far more vicious, far more feral and, perhaps, dangerous. "What can I say? I've always wanted to try scarring your pretty little face, after all," he'll laugh as he mimics Satoshi's initial lunge; the metallic sting of metal striking metal rings through the air repeatedly as Ko'tar's blows are deflected by the rogue's assassin blades, the small, thin weapons jutting from his wrists as an extension of the arm being just enough to throw the larger sword off course each time. Instinct will mostly lead Kirien's actions and he busies himself with blocking the katana while allowing the occasional swipe of claws; clothing shreds and blood drips onto obsidian sands, but the Elf is retaliating violently each time, his own attacks a disturbingly exact copy of Satoshi's. Wherever his own blood spills, be it on his arm or chest or shoulder, it's the point he aims for on the other foxkin's body, quite intent on causing as much damage as he receives. Her attempts to drive him into the waters would be thwarted every time by a sly dodge or duck to the side, the agile rogue slipping out of the net briefly enough to escape the icy lake water and utilising every advantage of his svelte form to its maximum.


Satoshi keeps up her close-range trading of blows with Kirien for a few moments longer while her mind carefully runs through calculations and information, and only once she's certain the herding isn't working and the elf is purposely retaliating--quite successfully--against the same places does she react further. With a harsh shove, eliciting a screech from Kotar as its icy surface scrapes across Kirien's blade, Satoshi dances backwards and swiftly increases the gap between foxes. Warily, Satoshi takes a moment to gather herself, register injuries, and sort her thoughts, running through the practiced--but so unused--routines of swordplay while Ko'tar is kept in a defensive position. A brief look of delayed surprise from Satoshi goes to the Azure Flames upon the sword then, her lapse in calm focus immediately causing them to fade into mere wisps once more. Pushing her dismay aside, the kit returns her eyes to Kirien and smirks crookedly. "You did promise that. And I made a promise too, as I recall~." If she can't bring Kirien to the water, she'll bring the water to him, for with combination of singsong words and Ko'tar's ever-present chime, Satoshi's called upon the lake for aid, to remind Kirien of her promise to freeze him proper. Readily a wave rears higher than its lapping kin, rapidly separating into a series of thick tendrils that, with the faintest of pauses, are sent after the elf--some crashing down with pure blunt force while the more supple of them aim to lash around thin limbs and hold the wily fox in place.


Kirien leaps back to a safer distance in almost exactly the same moment as Satoshi does, the bitter scream of scraping, icy metal against his blade filling sensitive ears which prick and twitch in response. He's barely still for a second, however; while the other foxkin inspects her wounds he ignores his own completely in favour of reaching into one pocket and withdrawing a small vial. Lifting it to eye level to scrutinise it carefully for a moment, the Elf keeps up his movements, dancing over the sand at random intervals to evade any sudden attacks. "Hm~. I seem to have forgotten your promise, you may have to remind me of it," he murmurs slyly, amber gaze flickering across the beach to fall upon her form. Ever since having first met the woman and becoming aware of her innate affinity to ice, Kirien's been thinking of ways to escape being frozen to death should a fight ever occur - now that pondering will be awfully useful, and he's quietly glad he carries just about everything he owns on his person. The bottle will be opened and downed in the same instant the waters of the lake twist their way through the air for him, and Kirien chokes once before a jet of fierce flame erupts from his mouth, likely hot enough to melt the tendrils or at least sever them momentarily as their target rushes forward. In leaps and bounds he's skidding over the sands, dodging around striking thick ropes of water. One arm is caught as he comes within range of Satoshi, and with a cry of surprise that spits more flames -- this time in the foxkin's direction -- he's yanked back. His weapon, however, won't be. Speeding from his free arm on its length of thin silver cord is one of those shadowy hidden blades, its jagged tip aimed first at her chest; and then, when Kirien grabs hold of the string and swings the knife, controlling its arc through the air, its second intended point of contact will be the joint of Satoshi's left knee.


Satoshi's manifested flames all but die as her focus is shattered by the appearance of -true- fire. With a hiss, the minstrel watches the majority of her water turned into nothing more than a blanket of steam, and it's this moment of preoccupation that nearly costs her when a second gout is sent her way from the elf. Only Ko'tar's reaction spares the foxkin, erupting from the shape of a katana to that of a lyrebird with a shrill cry, wings widespread as it places itself between flames and Keeper. The Charitable Guardian's cries ring loud and clear through the cave as it's subjected to the fires before crumpling to the ground at Satoshi's feet with a weak chirp, leaving the kit staring wide-eyed at her innocent Familiar's charred form. A frigid look meets Kirien when Satoshi looks up, eyes blazing with a blizzard's fury as Asorial's rage races through her veins, instilling a different brand of focus. This overwhelming sense of Wrath is the reason the kit doesn't even flinch when the twin blade strikes find their marks, nor do her steps falter--despite a knee torn open to the bone--as she trudges toward the rogue. With an outraged scream, Asorial appears in Satoshi's left hand upon the approach, the form of a black scythe flickering into view before being replaced by a lengthy, thin zanbato, blazing with dark blue flames. Ko'tar gone, Satoshi's song is a far from gentle tune, made of macabre and haunting snarls, grating upon the ears as the lake's water takes a corrupted black hue, attacks renewed with now barbed tendrils--all ordered to grab Kirien and hold him still long enough for Satoshi to reach him and exact twice the revenge she had started out for.


Kirien , having managed to escape the single tendril wrapped about his arm, is caught somewhat off-guard when the song of his currently friend-turned-enemy -- sort of -- twists itself abruptly into a morbid mesh of lyrics and wrathfulness punctuated by animalistic growling, the bitter sound enough to elicit another twitch from those ears. "Oh, s***!" he can't help but exclaim at the ghostly appearance of the foxkin's new weapon, the Elf skittering back out of the way of the first strike and quickly finding himself caught in another speedy dance of dodging and evading. Reaching back over one shoulder, the rogue's metal right hand closes around the hilt of Elethial, the moon blade singing from its sheath with a shrill cry. Being a medium-sized blade, though still as exotic as the rest of his weaponry, it's a little harder for Kirien to wield currently, but in terms of combating Asorial's wicked tendrils it fares far better than any of his smaller knives would; with raucous shrieks and trills of what can only be described as dismay, Elethial is brought to slice through each thorny vine in turn, Elf and moon blade working in near-perfect tandem to combat the enraged foxkin. With quick movements, excellent agility powering them, Kirien concentrates on getting himself within as close a range of Satoshi as possible, keeping himself just out of the zanbatou's reach but close enough to strike back as each vicious swipe of the weapon sears past him. Elethial's song mixes with Asorial's at each slash, a high and almost saccharine note twining with the hiss of the wrathful creation. Each of Kirien's stabs is lightning-fast and vicious, Elethial's amber blade aimed for arms, chest and legs in turn with each passing arc of the zanbatou.


Satoshi's feral smirk widens with each strike from Kirien, a part of her relishing the sharp pains that temporarily make her believe she's not one of the Undead, while another part of her takes delight in knowing such cuts won't stop a Vampire. Asorial is taking similar delight in it all, its seven-foot blade having little difficultly snaking around the much shorter Elethial to nip at Kirien's flesh like a vile serpent--with a venom of its own, spilling a glacial, crippling chill into the elf's blood whenever it meets flesh. Satoshi's own blood is being woven with a similar frosty magic by this point, but one twisted to her advantage: Kirien's strikes will rarely miss, but the damage they do is little more than slices to skin before the blade is sent skittering off, deflected by blood and tissue frozen solid. Natural armor in place and adjusting flawlessly with each of her movements, the cryomancer has no fear as she continues pressing toward Kirien, Asorial hissing its excitement for more flesh and encouraging the corrupted Azure Flames to burn higher--a bite from such promises cruel frostbite, at this point. And Satoshi likes to keep her promises, as is evident by repeated jabs and swipes for her Kindred Spirit, honing in on vital joints as she continues her wrathful Nocturne.


Kirien is an incredibly perceptive creature, capable of picking up on the slightest change in expression or body language; amidst the myriad blows exchange between the two he catches the widening of a smile, notices the way his blade is deflected even when it strikes true, as if sliding harmlessly over an invisible layer of metal. "Ha," he hisses despite himself, perhaps amused at his predicament, or Satoshi's ingenuity, before one of those swipes of hers manages to catch his arm and sends it snapping back at entirely the wrong angle. Thankfully, this time at least, the zanbatou caught the rogue's replica limb and ice encrusts itself only on the steel The arm may be bent and awkward but it still mostly works, and after getting over the slight shock Kirien switches Elethial over to that hand, now only blocking oncoming attacks as once more he reaches into his pocket and withdraws a vial of sparking liquid. The bottle's top is unceremoniously smashed off, likely spraying drops of the burning substance within onto Satoshi in the process: the rest of it will be downed by the Elf, who once more chokes and spits orange and white fire from his lips. At such close range the likelihood of Satoshi being burned, and her icy techniques being quashed -- if only momentarily -- is extremely high, though Kirien's risking scorching himself at the same time.


Satoshi's only warning of what's coming next from Kirien are those drops, hissing as they land upon her sleeve, activating the anti-fire wards set into the coat. With a snarl, Satoshi recoils, bringing her arms--and Asorial--across her body not a moment too soon before she's enveloped in the white-hot flames. The high-pitched cry that comes from within the torrent is strangely musical, and the explosion of crimson water and steam that follows is the result, quenching the flames in a macabre wash of Satoshi's own blood combined with the icy aura of Asorial. Satoshi stands, wavering unsteadily from the sacrifice of her blood, before Kirien unarmed, wisps of smoke rising from her, patches of charred clothing and flesh patterned across her where enchantments and defense didn't quite cover. The mind-numbing pain is nearly enough to overwhelm Satoshi, and maybe it does really, but while the unseen Asorial is in control, there is no stopping. Another cry--as much of anger as pain--and the kit lunges for her Kindred Spirit, claws outstretched as she dives to tackle him at his midsection, intent upon knocking him flat and assaulting him with bare claws. But where is Asorial? Kirien will get a reintroduction to the Wrathful entity once Satoshi is close enough, hit or miss. From out of the minstrel's sleeve streaks a blur of silver-blue, the Ouroboros pipefox snaking with lightning speed up the elf and toward his neck, whether surprisingly powerful coils can find a home around his throat and begin a slow, murderous throttling while the elf's face is subject to sharp nips of tiny fangs.


Kirien is allowed but a moment's rest as Satoshi gathers herself after her rather interesting defence against the flames has receded. Coughing smoke and sure his throat will not be thanking him for his overuse of the fiery substance, the rogue leans heavily on Elethial for a couple of seconds to catch himself and take in, for the first time, his own wounds. He's a little more scratched up than he first thought, his coat hanging in rags from his svelte frame and a multitude of cuts both deep and shallow covering arms, torso and thighs; the only reason he's not currently freezing to death due to frostbite is his most recent use of the elixir, the flames having seared the ice away while scorching his skin some. "Satoshi," he manages, though nothing else is uttered as the woman is rushing at him once again, and the foxkin growls in discomfort, his throat grating uncomfortably, eyes watering. The following movement is almost instinctive, dizzyingly fast and executed near perfectly; when Satoshi is close enough and her claws are but inches away, Kirien side-steps at the last second, his working arm reaching to grab the back of her hood as she dives by him. He yanks roughly on the material, completely intent on choking the cryomancer a little and sending her to the ground just as she had aimed to do with him, and if he succeeds he'll be perching atop her and attempting to pin her arms at her sides. The only problem here will be that Kirien was unable to evade Asorial while catching Satoshi, and by the time he's pressing his knees onto her arms and pushing them into the sand, the pipefox will be coiled about his neck and tightening its body, cutting off his air as its vicious little bites slice red lines over the skin of his face. "S-Satoshi," the Elf repeats in a tone now rather strained, though despite his lack of ability to breathe he refuses to move from atop the other foxkin. "Wake up." He's not quite as stupid as he looks.


Satoshi has no intention of 'waking up', not when Asorial is directing her to kill the one who murdered Neema--that wicked little weapon, using Satoshi's desire to avenge her Avian friend to fuel murderous wrath upon another companion. But for all of Asorial's intentions, there is one with a voice the kit doesn't have the heart to defy: Ko'tar. The sword-turned-bird's chirps are weak and nearly inaudible at first, but as it drags its scorched form closer, the volume rises into a rough version of its usually soothing melody. Satoshi's struggling beneath Kirien dulls and finally subsides when the lyrebird rests its beak upon her cheek, voicing a last trill before fading from sight--to rest within the mark at the minstrel's throat. Asorial's coils tighten in one last squeeze before, with a hiss of rage, it likewise dissolves from sight, its hold upon Satoshi lost with the return of her control. That damnable blade of Charity and its no-good superior influence on their Keeper. Blinking away the last wisps of anger, Satoshi narrows clear-sighted eyes at the elf atop her. "That... didn't go as planned." Coughing weakly, the magus shifts. "Gerroff, Bright Eyes." It's not a request, but a demand, and if Kirien doesn't... Satoshi's still got plenty of blood left to freeze a particularly sharp spike directly beneath the rogue.


Kirien , who by this point was tugging weakly at the creature about his neck, emits a rather heavy sigh of relief when Asorial fades, amber eyes cast in a glance toward the scorched lyrebird before it too is gone. With deep inhalations and small coughs the rogue steadies out his breathing as best he can, continuing to hold Satoshi down until her order reaches his ears, and he's abruptly on his feet, grains of obsidian sand clinging to the fluffy trim of his jacket - what's left of it, at least. "…Okay?" asks the rogue after a long pause, eyeing the other foxkin with a measure of caution as he steps back a few paces; his voice is rough and barely there, the fire-breath potion having temporarily destroyed his ability to speak more than a couple of words at a time. "Are you still…" Kirien coughs, winces, and gesticulates slightly to his person, "…going to punish me?"


Satoshi clambers to her feet shortly after Kirien frees her and she silently regards the elf a long moment while hands trace her newly acquired burns and wounds. "I think..." the kit coughs as well, voiced strained by spells and smoke alike, "this will keep going until one of us is dead. You said... not to ask you what you thought on this... but I will anyway. ...what is a punishment that you can live with, and that will quell the anger of everyone else?" Running a shaking hand through her hair, Satoshi manages a frown for the soot that ends up on her palm. "You had to use fire..."


Kirien begins to pace back and forth, gaze sharp as ever and meeting Satoshi's constantly in the process. "Mm," he mutters, inwardly a little irritated with his lack of ability to form proper answers; but that's the price of using the elixir, he knows, and he'd rather temporarily lose his voice than be sliced to ribbons. "Don't know," the rogue says then, words punctuated with a sigh as he turns and paces back across the beach, "so long as I live." Amber eyes scrutinise the woman for a good few minutes in silence as the Elf mulls over the question, trying to think of something that wouldn't prove to be too terrible, but would satisfy those hunting him. Eventually he'll lift Elethial, the blade singing a soft, whimsical tune as Kirien begins to drag it through the sand, and scrawls out a message for Satoshi to read: 'if I give you my right eye, do you think they will consider it punishment enough?'. He'll look back at her thereafter, head tilting.


Satoshi scans the written words numerous times before scrapping out her own response with the toe of her boot. 'I think so. If you play it up right.' Nodding at this, the kit turns and faces the other fox, hazarding a smile. "This will hurt, you know. But then, it always does, when you've been caught. Ko'tar and I," a hand is absently rested upon the peculiar tattoo on her throat as she speaks, "can likely make sure it doesn't kill you, though." No promises, here. The minstrel doesn't entirely trust her healing, and rightly so after the damage it caused Neema once before. Poor Neema, the former pin cushion to both these foxes, it'd seem.


Kirien grins faintly, the slightest twitches at the corners of his lips hinting to amusement. "Don't mind," he says, "if it hurts." Writing another few words in the sand and reaching with his free hand to rub his throat, the foxkin steps a little closer to Satoshi, giving a little flick of Elethial to add a fancy curl to the end of his statement. 'After all, I put her through enough pain when I killed her. I'm pretty used to being beat up anyway. Just make sure it's the right, okay?'. He'd lean forward then in a mockery of a bow, as the hand holding Elethial raises to swing the blade back and over his head, and slots it back into its sheath.


Satoshi reads over the words, double checks to make sure she's focused on Kirien's right eye, and begins to softly hum. Slowly, the remnants of chill that still loiter in the elf's blood after their fight answer the call, moving through his circulatory system under Satoshi's careful direction until the collection of mana reaches his right eye. Tightening her focus, the kit feeds a tendril of water's healing touch to the ice magic, willing the soon to be severed blood vessels to seal themselves even as the eye starts to freeze. There's nothing she can--or truly will--do to lessen the agonizing pain of ice crystals forming within the sensitive eye, and with her desire to execute this correctly, Satoshi's drawing out the freezing longer than typical. Only once there's essentially a round chunk of ice resting in Kirien's socket does Satoshi move, a hand lifting to give a sharp beckoning gesture along with a whistle, and obediently the eye tears itself free with a crystalline 'crack' to land snugly in her waiting palm. To her delight, Satoshi's attempts to keep the elf from bleeding have worked, but he's likely to have a killer case of brain freeze for the next few days from where too much ice has mixed into the healing spell.


Kirien feels the oddest sensation coursing through his body as Satoshi stares at him, but forces himself to focus attentions on her humming tune over everything else. "Spirits," he mutters, clenching a fist despite trying not to, as the most excruciating pain erupts in his right eye; and this pain continues for a short while, the Elf shaking his head and twitching in response to it, until he ends up emitting a crackling laugh, apparently amused at his own pain. Bitter as the ice in his head, it's like spitting needles, and Kirien licks his lips as if to taste the sound. "That's…the weirdest feeling…ever," he coughs out when the eyeball is abruptly removed. He stumbles a little, the sensation in his head causing him to feel a little woozy, and raises a hand to prod curiously at the odd hole in his skull.


Satoshi shifts her gaze from Kirien to his eye and back, a brow raised. "I... should imagine so. I'll need to make... 'official' posts and such. Hopefully stop Queen Thea's hunt for you with it... You should likewise rest, Bright Eyes... 'hem, Eye." Nodding in the direction of the lake, and the fluorite bridge just waiting to be summoned, she adds, "You can rest there, if you want." Take or leave the offer, Satoshi gives the elf a simple nod of farewell and heads off toward the cavern exit--only to be stopped and pulled aside for a moment to speak with the ever-present Fox Spirit, before moving on.