RP:Left Hook, Line, and Sinker
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.
- Riss, Human, Kensai.
- Satoshi, Kit-vampire, Frost Singer.
Satoshi is keeping herself busy with a bit of solo sword practice, Ko'tar in hand and being swung in careful patterns as the kit shuffles along the shoreline humming to herself. Her right arm rests in a sling, but the magus doesn't pay it any mind as she twists and arcs around the imaginary blades of invisible foe, her own katana lashing out to bite into nonexistent flesh with an exuberant trill.
Riss made no attempt to hide his presence, ethereal wings pridefully perched upon shoulders, illuminating the way-- a guiding light, encroaching the dark's domain. It had been too long since he walked these grounds, this land, but one thing would never change: the innate ability to find trouble. Eyes, once holding characteristics of purest jade, now held golden sheen, and took in Satoshi's swordsmanship with utmost precision. "Been awhile, Kitten," lofted lifelessly from dull lips, eerily echoing through the cavernous expanse.
Satoshi pauses mid-impalation of a fake's heart at the voice, ears standing at attention as eyes flick toward the sound and discover an unexpected sight. Blinking, the foxkin straightens, thrusting the tip of Ko'tar into the sand before tipping her head sideways while regarding Riss. "Awhile indeed, Christian." A brow curls upwards as she jerks her chin toward the illuminated wings. "I don't remember seeing those before. But then, I half-forgot what you looked like, being gone so long." Satoshi's eyes narrow slightly, taking on a vulpine expression as the amber flecks in them glint with dark humor.
Riss raised his shoulders in an unenthusiastic shrug. "Dragons. Go figure. After all, I'm still their golden-boy. As for the wings: Indignation. This is the most practical, least offensive form of the weapon, unless you have an aversion to holy-based magic." Light, practiced footfall led Christian into an absent-minded stride, eyes never leaving the fox-kit, granting near predatory characteristics to the swordsman, though such is completely unintentional. "What's my bastard of a brother been up to? Does he still want to kill me for the whole Shesryn trip?"
Satoshi matches Riss gaze for gaze, never one to back down in a staring contest, intentional or not. She's a predator like that, after all. And so, with no more than a slight furthering of her narrowed eyes, Satoshi approaches the swordsman with her own fluid stride, reminiscent of the ghosts she's nicknamed after while her left hand disappears into her sleeve to emerge seconds after with fist closed--seemingly holding something. "He's been around. Killing things. Getting stronger, and more destructive. You know, the same old. He probably still wants to kill you." Once closer to Riss, the kit stops and spreads her good arm wide, adopting a vaguely hurt expression. "What about me? We're family, aren't we? No greetings for family? And here I am, with a present for you~." A light nod toward her closed hand follows her words.
Riss was wary when it came to showing his family affection-- after all, they did tend to be just the slightest bit volatile by nature, but he gave Satoshi a half-hearted hug nonetheless. "Yeah. Figured he still wants me dead-- that is, until I conveniently pop up when he needs me most. That's how it always works. And present? What in the hell did you get me, Kitten?"
Satoshi looks at her hand in an absent fashion, as if forgetting all about the present. "Oh, y'know. Just a little token of my appreciation," the magus murmurs, voice distant, "for all you've done for my dear Kirien." With that the kit snaps to attention and moves like liquid lightning, fist clenching tighter as it's drawn back and promptly sent streaking towards Riss' cheek in a sharp hook. Honestly, with as much force as the fledgling vampire is putting into the hit, she's most certainly going to end up with a broken hand if her aim is true. But the injury is worth it, for what her damnable brother has put her cherished Kindred Spirit through. Hit or miss, Satoshi will still snarl out an enraged, "Bastard of a tomcat!" Riss' instincts about his violent family has proven true after all, although she makes no further hostile moves toward him.
Riss figured, but made no attempt to retaliate, much less move. Contact warranted a bone-crushing blow, leaving head cocked to the side, and footfall staggered in a backpedal. "Like this is the first time I've done this? I probably have some sort of childhood issues that cause me to do it. Go figure. If any of us chaotic spawn actually had a childhood, that is. Since we're technically creations, it could have all been fabricated. All of the memories, emotions, et cetera. Just do me a favor? Tell him I'm dead. I don't plan to work in the open anymore."
Satoshi refuses to wince or even acknowledge the throbbing pain lacing through her hand, merely meeting Riss' eye with a level, emotionless gaze. A long moment is spent just staring at the kensai before the kit-vampire heaves a sigh, closing her eyes with a grimace. "And people call -me- cold," is murmured, followed with glittering eyes reopened and focused on the sandy floor, the normally stoic fox looking surprisingly wounded. "I'll tell him you're dead. But not for you. For him. I'm not much of a healer, but I know it's better to let a wound heal once and scar, rather than rip it open time and again until it kills them."
Riss heaved a soft sigh-- relief?-- "Thanks, Kitten. You and Kas know me better than anyone around here. I have a bad habit of up-and-leaving at the drop of a feather. It isn't healthy for anyone to get too attached to me, and he can do better than that. Especially in a dress." Maybe, just maybe there was still some semblance of emotion left within him.
Satoshi manages something of a weak smile at Christian's words, still stubbornly refusing to let the twin doses of pain show in more than her eyes, which she stubbornly keeps downcast. "I should have warned him about you. You're dangerous. Like the rest of us, but in a different way, too."
Riss rolled his neck back, pain finally starting to set in from Satoshi's blow. "Warn him about being damn-near-sociopath, bound to morals which make me have an innate desire to do good? Yeah. Probably. The more I come in contact with the Dragons, the worse it gets."
Satoshi's weak smile gains a little more strength as Riss begins to feel the effects of her punch. She may be small, and she may be a young vampire, but Satoshi's still managed to learn how to clock a guy when she needs to. And Riss damn well needed it. The look on her face makes these thoughts obvious enough as she glances up at her 'brother'. "He's family now, if you couldn't tell from my 'gift'. Hell, I may just tell him -I- killed you. Although," a glimmer of the kit's usual playful side creeps into her voice then, "it'd be easier if I had a piece of you as 'evidence', y'know? Don't imagine you're willing to part with anything, though."
Riss searches through his pockets, revealing a pendant. "I'm not sure if he gave this to me, to be honest. I've received far too many gifts over the years to keep track of who gave what, but I'm fairly certain this was a gift from him. If not, it should still be proof enough of killing me, right?" With that, it was lofted in to the air, even if abruptly, for Satoshi to catch. "Business put aside, let's get to something fun. I'm back for a reason, Kitten. And you may be able to help me with it."
Satoshi gives Riss a murderous look as the pendant goes clattering across the beach pebbles behind her, no move made to catch it considering... one arm is in a sling and the other sports a broken hand from -punching him in the face-. "I'll be sure to give that to him, yes. I was more hoping for a chunk of yourself, but that will do." The kit pauses to clear her throat, about as subtle of a subject change as she can manage. "What can I help you with, brother dearest~?" The term of endearment is drawn out every so slightly, hinting at her remaining vexation for him.
Riss locked his hands firmly within pockets, mischievous grin adding playful light to his features. "I want to do a special kind of purging. You know-- those who could be seen as morally unfit. I'm not talking about you and Kasyr, considering you both have justification behind your methods, but rather those who exist for the sole purpose of immoral acts. Harlots, Slave-Drivers, et cetera. They don't deserve the gift of life."
Satoshi isn't exactly expecting those words from Riss and it's enough to leave the fox stunned and staring at him with a dumbfounded look. "You..." Give it a minute, she needs to process this. "You want to go on a murderous rampage? With -specific- targets?" The kit blinks as she wraps her head around the idea. Her targets are generally ones of opportunity or advantage, not for anything like Christian is suggesting. And of course, there's that nagging thought at the back of her mind that has to be spoken, "And this helps the Balance how..? Should Kasyr be hunting priests, peace-keepers, and paladins while you're at it?"
Riss shrugged. "Those kind of people do nothing for the balance. They don't act for a greater good, or greater evil. They're only acting for themselves. And I'm not saying murderous rampage-- there has to be a touch of subtlety to everything. Kill a less than reputable woman? Her diseases won't spread, pestilence abolished, benefiting society as a whole, right? Seems pretty balanced to me. What do slave-drivers do? They sell people other people, dissolving the humanistic right of freedom. Killing them brings balance, too. If anything, those immoral bastards of life go against the balance." Logic: it was always a gift of his.
Satoshi said to Riss, "And you need my help in this where..? I mean, I love taking lives as much as the next hunter, but," the kit manages a tiny, if pained, shrug, "I don't see where I fit into this plan of yours. I kill what offers me the easiest source of food, or what happens to get between myself and my temper. Morals aren't exactly a factor in my choice of prey, although they seem to be with you."
Riss said to Satoshi, "What do you have to lose by helping me out?"
Satoshi retorts with, "What do I have to gain for risking my life?"
Riss still kept his grin. "It's not a risk if we always win, right?"
Satoshi opens her mouth to retort once more, but finds no counter to this fact and promptly shuts up. Well, for a whole two minutes as she mulls it over and then finally speaks. "You have a point. But, if I'm helping -you-, doesn't that make me unbalance? I recall those dragons saying something about my needing to be the Gray to your White and Kasyr's Black. Or was it the Twilight to Night and Day? They said a lot..."
Riss rocked back and forth on his heels, cheeks twinging with excitement. "Like I said-- they don't benefit the greater good, or the greater evil. As far as this is classified, it operates entirely within the grey spectrum. It doesn't necessarily benefit my side of the road, or his, and weeds out the idiots who stand in the middle of the road, waiting to get trampled."
Satoshi quirks a brow at Riss in silent challenge for those 'standing in the middle of the road', as that's the position she's been given by the Dragons. "I don't suppose I can really argue your logic. And it wouldn't be like me to do so. Thus, I'll play your game and make sure it stays as it's supposed to." Doing her best not to wince, Satoshi lifts her broken hand and tucks it into the confines of her sling, where that precious icy egg still lingers and can provide a blessed relief to the distracting pain. And all the while she gazes levelly at Riss, trying to figure him out to no avail. "Do you have a plan, then?"
Riss offered Satoshi a boyish grin and thumbs up. Of course, old habits die hard, even if this action didn't quite hold the same enthusiasm as it used to. "No plan at all."
Satoshi would facepalm were she physically able to currently. Still, she manages a dryly spoken, "Of course not. Silly me, for thinking the strategist had a plan."
Riss nodded. "Of course not. Anywho. It was nice catching up~" With that, he left.
Satoshi waits until Riss is gone before dropping to her knees with a foul curse. "The bastard has an iron jaw!" With like remarks on her lips, the kit sets about nursing her damaged hand, impatiently waiting for regeneration to do its work--albeit its obnoxiously slow process when it comes to herself.