A Lie By Any Other Name

A Lie By Any Other Name

Postby CherryStatic » Sun Oct 26, 2014 8:39 pm

"You spend all this time arguing, when it could be put to much better use trying to remember. You haven't changed at all, have you, Cari?"

Vixen glared up at the woman who sat cross legged on a crate a few feet away, partially hidden in the shadows that danced around the edge of the dim lighting of the solitary lantern. Cobalt eyes returned her gaze, calm and unconcerned with the openly hostile look on the redhead's pretty face. The woman smelled faintly of roses, a scent that both confused the dancer and brought on one of her headaches.

She knew that smell; she couldn't remember why. She didn't want to.

"You're lying." she said simply, declaring it as a fact. "Everything you've said is a lie."

The woman ignored her statement, eyes remaining fixed on hers. "You're becoming more accustomed to Affecting. I saw your performance in the marketplace. It was an unusual manifestation, but progress is progress. And you recovered more quickly than I thought you would." Vixen felt the smirk cross the viper's face more than she saw it. "Impressive."

"You're speaking in riddles. You haven't answered any of my questions."

"You aren't asking the right ones, love."

Vixen stared at her in bemusement. She heard the man behind her shift against the beam he was leaning against, watching the two of them talk. The knife she had brought with her to defend herself was tucked neatly into his belt. He had disarmed her the second she had walked into their midst as easily as if she were a child, but he hadn't hurt her. Neither of them had.

It was far from a reassurance.

"Fine. Who are you?" she asked.

"Ah. Much better." The woman's smile grew. "We're friends, like I said before."

Vixen raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know friends keep each other hostage."

"That's rich, coming from you." the woman murmured, irony in her voice. "We're not holding you captive, Cari. We just wanted to talk. About old times. Surely you wouldn't begrudge us that? Not after we came all this way."

"And where are you from?"

The woman's smile slipped a fraction, but remained where it was for the most part. "A place we called home. Unfortunately for us, home isn't what it used to be. Too many rules now. Besides, it was never the same after we lost you." She shrugged. "They say home is where the heart is, but we don't have either of those things. So here we are."

"You 'lost' me?" Vixen felt like she was betraying herself, but she couldn't help being curious. The woman was offering her what no one else had been able to: answers. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said." the woman replied in a somber tone. "We lost you at sea

sensation of weightlessness as she flipped backwards over the railing, tumbling headfirst into the inky black water that crushed the air from her lungs in a frigid grip, pulling her down into the depths until the fires that raged along the ship above were little more than a golden haze through the

during an important assignment. We were devastated when we received the news. You were family. Are family."

Vixen touched a hand to the side of her head, which pounded. "Assignment? Am I some sort of agent?"

"In a sense." the woman said. "You are a key member to an organization whose services are no longer appreciated."

"Then why does this group still exist?"

"Because of the bond we share." The woman's eyes studied her for a long moment. "It's more binding than any contract, any code of honor, any promise. And I know that despite your claim that you remember nothing of your life from before

pulled the dark haired man closer by the iron collar around his bruised neck, whispering softly, sweetly, into his ear. She ran gloved palms over his exposed chest, smearing the mess of crimson that oozed from welts along his collarbone and pectorals, raising one delicate finger to his split lips and making him taste the physical evidence of his agony, giving him the briefest of respites from the

washing up here, you can feel that bond. It's what makes us a family, whether we like it or not."

took his face in her hands and raised it gently so that he looked up at her with beautiful brown eyes glazed over in pain, smiling kindly down at him. "We're family now. From now on, I will protect you. No one will hurt

She fell to her knees, teeth clenched, her mind a mire of thoughts that made no sense but seemed familiar for reasons she couldn't explain. Horrific images washed over her. The woman seemed unconcerned with her plight, examining one slender hand from her perch atop the crate, but she heard the man behind her shift and move towards her, stopping

guard down, even once, and it could spell your end. If someone is close enough to touch you, they are close enough to kill you. Don't give them that chance; strike

to bend down and place a hand

their size work against them; use it to your advantage and

on her shoulder, gently.

Her right hand was around his wrist before he could think to pull away, dragging him down and pulling herself up in the same movement, snatching the knife from his belt on his way down. His back hit the ground an instant before her full weight dropped onto his chest, his breath fleeing his body. She whipped the knife under his chin in a flash of metal, pressing the cool edge against his flesh with the intent

across the throat in one quick motion. There can be no hesitation or you will lose the opportunity to

of slicing it wide open.

The moment before she did, her eyes flicked up to his, just like they always did before the kill, to watch the life drain out of him. Her breathing ragged, she froze upon seeing the familiar brown eyes.

The scar that circled his neck. The dark hair that covered his head.

With a scream of confusion, she leapt backwards off of him, dropping the knife. She backed against a crate, whining in distress.

The blond woman laughed, watching her with lidded eyes. "You always were the faster one."

The dark haired man climbed to his feet, coughing and rubbing his throat. He looked at her with a wary expression, prepared for any more surprises she might have in store. She could only stare back, her head threatening to split open.

"Kess?"

One word, uncertain on her trembling lips. He froze, eyes widening, and the snakelike grin returned to the blonde woman's face, as if she had just won a victory of sorts.

The man hesitantly moved towards her, just a step, but she raised one hand to stop him, bringing the other to the side of her head. He paused, looking anxious, waiting.

"You're Kess. I know you." she said, slowly, as if testing the weight of the words on her tongue. "I've known you for a long time...haven't I?"

"Yes." he answered quietly, his voice filling in some of the blanks.

"You and I are--" She cut herself short, not quite sure what they were.

"We're close." he helped, watching her closely. She returned his gaze.

Behind him, the viper grinned broadly, watching her with those cobalt eyes. "Well, now. You know who we are."

"Yes." she replied, hesitating for only a second.

"Now, for the more important question."

"Which is?"

The blonde woman stared down at her with a smug look on her face. "Do you know who you are?"

There was a long pause before Alcara Felle finally looked up at her, the uncertainty fading from her mind, her face, and her voice.

"Yes. Yes, I do."
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CherryStatic
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