Blacksmith
Tonight, we hunt Outsiders!
Reboot of a concept hashed out a while back, set after Civil War.
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"Mama! Hey mama!"
The sound of innocence distilled was the first thing he had noticed. The second was his surroundings. One moment, he was in a full downpour on a world. The next, he was dry and in a place he knew very, very well. It was a beautiful day in contrast here from his former locale. Clear, blue skies dotted with clouds gave him a brief sense of vertigo as he looked into the distance. The wind was as warm and inviting as the sun that shone down on the clearing, illuminating the pair that embraced as a familiar castle gleamed. Fae-like, it's spires loomed over the land, bright and heavenward for all to see. There was no one else in sight, but that humming noise and laughter brought him peace to a degree he couldn't imagine he was capable of feeling.
"How-."
The settings shifted. He was suddenly inside a familiar room, but he no longer cared. Lucifer had only eyes for the two who didn't seem to notice him. His clothing had reverted from the soldiers uniform he had infiltrated in, replaced with his customary executor outfit. A shadow in the room, he stood there watching the two, tongue-tied as he saw.... Her.
She radiated brightness, a regal air combined with a kind spirit. Her hair was wavy, black as night and it curled down her back, around her shoulders like a dragon at rest. She was wearing her customary headband, that held back the fringes as a single white rose, shone in contrast against it. He knew without looking that she would have 'lost' her shoes, the woman far more comfortable barefoot. As he watched, an errant thought crossed his mind.
Motherhood suits her.
For who else could the child she embraced so be, but her own? With a smile, he realized he knew this one. Little Kana, from an incident below the sea. He should have known, he thought fondly. He bore few regrets from that last dance, when he obeyed her command. It was a cherished memory, one of many from his time on that world. He would have been lying if he said he wasn't tempted to remain and live out his days here. But then, he wouldn't be the man he was and Corrin recognized that. So they parted as friends and with heads held high. He was happy to see she found someone, afterwards. He realized Kana was presenting flowers to Corrin and in a face that had little cause to smile, he could feel the corners of his mouth twitching upwards. So brave and earnest, in the all-too brief time he knew her. Yes, she was certainly her mother's daughter.
"-when I was real little, we’d go looking at flowers together, Mama. You always smiled so much, and I love your smile! So I decided to start bringing you lots and lots of flowers!”
Kana giggled leaping for Corrin's lap with the sheer, trusting nature of a child. Corrin laughed in turn, her voice distinctly musical as she hugged her back. For his part, Lucifer smiled and turned to leave the room. As pleasant a vision as this was, he was in the midst of work and had much to do.
He was stopped as Corrin addressed him directly.
“Why did you leave?”
He froze, slowly he turned to look. Kana had vanished. Now there was only Corrin, staring at him and removing any doubt that she could see him. He had seen that expression twice- Once in the midst of battle, the second the night he danced with her. His brow furrowed as he said quietly.
“You’re not real. I have no truck for illusions, no matter how nice. Now spirit, djinn or whatever you are- release me. I was in a war zone.”
“Aren’t you always in a war zone?” Whoever had done this illusion was a master, that look of smoldering annoyance that would be fanned into a flame was spot on. She looked at him, seeing through his barriers as she continued. “There’s always a fight. Always a battle. Always a villain. You fight and fight, pressing on without regard for yourself as you always have. You haven’t changed one whit since the day you first put on that priestly garb.”
His eyes flashed, the spirit treading on dangerous ground now as he scowled. Hands in his pockets, he let out a sigh.
“If this is a Dickens situation, I’m afraid I’m not in the mood. I’m satisfied with my life as it is now. I perform work, regardless of man, state or nation for those who need it most. Not even the fracturing of the Coalition removed that from me.” Corrin finally smiled and it was pitying in its glance.
“No. But it hurt your faith. You couldn’t handle the mistakes made by those in power. Nor the fact they swiftly fell to squabble amongst each other, to the point your enemies infiltrated. Organizations are made of people, Executor. If you expect perfection, remove that splinter from your eye first.”
His jaw clenched, his fist cracked inside his pocket. He stared at her, no longer amused and good mood gone. A moment later, he simply turned and strode off. He would not stay and be belittled by a ghost of his past. Behind him, he could sense her following him, perhaps trying to call him back. He resolved to ignore her cries and so was unprepared, when she gripped his collar and wrenched him around to look at her. Eyes flaring bright, she snarled and a hint of the Dragon shone through it.
“It’s not why I’m here. You want to run? Fine. You’ll be running all your life, as you always have. But you need to know. About her. Kana. She...She’s…”
She exhaled quietly, before looking lost and despite himself, his arms moved to hug her.
Clare, Corrin, Yomi- He could see a pattern and felt a wry sense of self-loathing. Yomi was his enemy now, had been so for a long time. Clare, he had betrayed when he resigned-leaving his partner, his friend over his sense of dissatisfaction finally voiced by the spirit. Corrin… Enough said there.
“What’s wrong?”
“She’s in danger.”
Lucifer blinked.
The vision ended and he found himself in the storm. The only noises around him, the respirator he bore as a full-on mask and the sound of the rain and the cries of a war camp below his vantage point. He stared down at it all, confused and annoyed. What was that vision? Why did it come as it did, in the form that it did? An attack? A premonition? He didn’t know. Quietly, debating he finally snarled to himself and broke comm silence.
“Gwen. I’ll be making a detour.”
His thumb pressed the deadman’s switch and below, the camp lit up as explosions roared from the charges planted. Tossing it to the side, he stepped away as he headed for his ship and scowled beneath the mask.
Half-listening to her reply, he knew there was only one choice really, if it was a genuine call for help.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t be who he was.
-------
Lightning crackled, elsewhere as a storm brewed over the castle. Corrin would be humming to herself, reading a book as she sat in the library. The castle was lethargic, the weather making for drowsy folks from the magi experimenting to the knights snoring in full armor, rigid at their seats. Fog was rolling in, thick and heavy as well.
The sun had set and night was coming fast.
@Once more with feeling! @Sen
-----------
"Mama! Hey mama!"
The sound of innocence distilled was the first thing he had noticed. The second was his surroundings. One moment, he was in a full downpour on a world. The next, he was dry and in a place he knew very, very well. It was a beautiful day in contrast here from his former locale. Clear, blue skies dotted with clouds gave him a brief sense of vertigo as he looked into the distance. The wind was as warm and inviting as the sun that shone down on the clearing, illuminating the pair that embraced as a familiar castle gleamed. Fae-like, it's spires loomed over the land, bright and heavenward for all to see. There was no one else in sight, but that humming noise and laughter brought him peace to a degree he couldn't imagine he was capable of feeling.
"How-."
The settings shifted. He was suddenly inside a familiar room, but he no longer cared. Lucifer had only eyes for the two who didn't seem to notice him. His clothing had reverted from the soldiers uniform he had infiltrated in, replaced with his customary executor outfit. A shadow in the room, he stood there watching the two, tongue-tied as he saw.... Her.
She radiated brightness, a regal air combined with a kind spirit. Her hair was wavy, black as night and it curled down her back, around her shoulders like a dragon at rest. She was wearing her customary headband, that held back the fringes as a single white rose, shone in contrast against it. He knew without looking that she would have 'lost' her shoes, the woman far more comfortable barefoot. As he watched, an errant thought crossed his mind.
Motherhood suits her.
For who else could the child she embraced so be, but her own? With a smile, he realized he knew this one. Little Kana, from an incident below the sea. He should have known, he thought fondly. He bore few regrets from that last dance, when he obeyed her command. It was a cherished memory, one of many from his time on that world. He would have been lying if he said he wasn't tempted to remain and live out his days here. But then, he wouldn't be the man he was and Corrin recognized that. So they parted as friends and with heads held high. He was happy to see she found someone, afterwards. He realized Kana was presenting flowers to Corrin and in a face that had little cause to smile, he could feel the corners of his mouth twitching upwards. So brave and earnest, in the all-too brief time he knew her. Yes, she was certainly her mother's daughter.
"-when I was real little, we’d go looking at flowers together, Mama. You always smiled so much, and I love your smile! So I decided to start bringing you lots and lots of flowers!”
Kana giggled leaping for Corrin's lap with the sheer, trusting nature of a child. Corrin laughed in turn, her voice distinctly musical as she hugged her back. For his part, Lucifer smiled and turned to leave the room. As pleasant a vision as this was, he was in the midst of work and had much to do.
He was stopped as Corrin addressed him directly.
“Why did you leave?”
He froze, slowly he turned to look. Kana had vanished. Now there was only Corrin, staring at him and removing any doubt that she could see him. He had seen that expression twice- Once in the midst of battle, the second the night he danced with her. His brow furrowed as he said quietly.
“You’re not real. I have no truck for illusions, no matter how nice. Now spirit, djinn or whatever you are- release me. I was in a war zone.”
“Aren’t you always in a war zone?” Whoever had done this illusion was a master, that look of smoldering annoyance that would be fanned into a flame was spot on. She looked at him, seeing through his barriers as she continued. “There’s always a fight. Always a battle. Always a villain. You fight and fight, pressing on without regard for yourself as you always have. You haven’t changed one whit since the day you first put on that priestly garb.”
His eyes flashed, the spirit treading on dangerous ground now as he scowled. Hands in his pockets, he let out a sigh.
“If this is a Dickens situation, I’m afraid I’m not in the mood. I’m satisfied with my life as it is now. I perform work, regardless of man, state or nation for those who need it most. Not even the fracturing of the Coalition removed that from me.” Corrin finally smiled and it was pitying in its glance.
“No. But it hurt your faith. You couldn’t handle the mistakes made by those in power. Nor the fact they swiftly fell to squabble amongst each other, to the point your enemies infiltrated. Organizations are made of people, Executor. If you expect perfection, remove that splinter from your eye first.”
His jaw clenched, his fist cracked inside his pocket. He stared at her, no longer amused and good mood gone. A moment later, he simply turned and strode off. He would not stay and be belittled by a ghost of his past. Behind him, he could sense her following him, perhaps trying to call him back. He resolved to ignore her cries and so was unprepared, when she gripped his collar and wrenched him around to look at her. Eyes flaring bright, she snarled and a hint of the Dragon shone through it.
“It’s not why I’m here. You want to run? Fine. You’ll be running all your life, as you always have. But you need to know. About her. Kana. She...She’s…”
She exhaled quietly, before looking lost and despite himself, his arms moved to hug her.
Clare, Corrin, Yomi- He could see a pattern and felt a wry sense of self-loathing. Yomi was his enemy now, had been so for a long time. Clare, he had betrayed when he resigned-leaving his partner, his friend over his sense of dissatisfaction finally voiced by the spirit. Corrin… Enough said there.
“What’s wrong?”
“She’s in danger.”
Lucifer blinked.
The vision ended and he found himself in the storm. The only noises around him, the respirator he bore as a full-on mask and the sound of the rain and the cries of a war camp below his vantage point. He stared down at it all, confused and annoyed. What was that vision? Why did it come as it did, in the form that it did? An attack? A premonition? He didn’t know. Quietly, debating he finally snarled to himself and broke comm silence.
“Gwen. I’ll be making a detour.”
His thumb pressed the deadman’s switch and below, the camp lit up as explosions roared from the charges planted. Tossing it to the side, he stepped away as he headed for his ship and scowled beneath the mask.
Half-listening to her reply, he knew there was only one choice really, if it was a genuine call for help.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t be who he was.
-------
Lightning crackled, elsewhere as a storm brewed over the castle. Corrin would be humming to herself, reading a book as she sat in the library. The castle was lethargic, the weather making for drowsy folks from the magi experimenting to the knights snoring in full armor, rigid at their seats. Fog was rolling in, thick and heavy as well.
The sun had set and night was coming fast.
@Once more with feeling! @Sen
