Something's missing.

[beautyburning]

[In Umbra Cave, or in one of the caves that aren't Umbra Cave but might as well be, there is a woman in a Team Magma uniform lying face-down on the stone floor, half-submerged in a still pool that takes up most of the back of the cave. She is unconscious at first, and wakes slowly. Interestingly, she does not seem perturbed by waking in an

Comments

Apologies for lateness; I've been ill.

[oceansbane]

[Those cave systems run rather deep, you know - trace them back far enough and they'll drop down, a good ways under rock and soil and if you continue to follow, the heartbeat of the land is audible. Not as strong as it was in Hoenn, perhaps, when the land energy was high. But audible. Providing comfort in its own way, when Groudon becomes intolerable

[oceansbane]

[...good question. That is a very good question. And trying to answer it seems to force him to focus a bit, though he spends a good moment looking at her strangely, as though he'd just realized she was still sitting there.

The look fades quickly in favor of that easy smirk, however, and his gaze is less scrutinizing now - at the very least, he seems content with the answer she's given him for the time being.]

Well, to start with, we're not alone on this island. Mitch is here, and he appears to be the one from our world, not a duplicate; that would be the good news.

The bad news is that Archie is also here. He appears to have located one of his admins - the woman. Angie, I think her name was? [Of course, he knows full well what her damn name is; Archie's been insufferable for weeks. But that's irrelevant.] However, that doesn't really matter anymore - with you here, that puts Team Magma back at an advantage.

[beautyburning]

[Oh, good. This is much more familiar territory. Courtney's pleased to discover that it's still just as easy to let that malicious grin and excitement take over even when she's acting for her life.] Yeah, that's the bitch. Want me to show her the glorious power of Team Magma?

[oceansbane]

Perhaps.

[He tips his head slightly; there's something that's been bothering him. Nagging at his thoughts. Something about the timing...it's not -

...hm.]

Still willing to fight, then?

[beautyburning]

Willing and ready, boss.

[That Maxie's most likely still intending to continue working toward a battle between Groudon and Kyogre - well...she'll do what she can to sabotage that goal, but as long as little seems to be at stake, she can go along with this for now. If only to keep Maxie's eyes off her.

And if there's the chance for a little fun on the way...well, thay wouldn't hurt at all. Not a bit.]

[oceansbane]

[He laughs a bit at that, a sense of snarling aggressiveness behind the sound. Don't think he doesn't know. That he hasn't figured it out.

It was such a nice try, though.]

And are you going to stay on my side this time?

[beautyburning]

[Ah.]

What...what d'you mean, boss?

[oceansbane]

You have such interesting scars, Marge.

[He begins pacing again. Circling her.

Predatory.]

Don't get me wrong, you know. Physically? You're lovely as always. But there are some things you can't conceal from me. Marks. I can sense it in you, you know.

[His fingers shift upward, sweeping lightly over the center of his forehead again, though his touch doesn't linger.]

Perhaps you haven't learned to feel it. But you aren't the only one between us who's handled the Blue Orb. It. Leaves. Marks. And at the time of that explosion...the Blue Orb was still within Archie's body.

It's very dormant; I wouldn't worry about it too much as far as your behavior goes. But if you're from the time you claim you are...why can I sense Kyogre in you, hm?

[beautyburning]

[Fuck. Fuck.

Courtney freezes for a second, her fingers digging hard into Ninetales' ruff.]

I-I...I don't know what you're talkin' about.

[It's difficult to talk; her throat seems to want to close up completely. As she speaks, though, she's already shifting position, ready to move. She'd never be able to stand against Maxie's Pokemon for long, but...but if she can just distract him, put him off balance enough to give her some time...

Ninetales is growling, hard and edgily. It's almost inaudible except that she can feel it through her fingers.]

[oceansbane]

Don't lie to me.

[His tone is sharp, snappish; it doesn't last long before shifting back to his normal way of speaking, though there's a definite sense of aggressiveness that remains behind his words as he continues.]

I'm not here to punish you, Marge. That's been done for quite some time, as far as I'm concerned. You don't have to fear me anymore; it's over.

Now why don't you just relax. Stop lying to me. It doesn't help you any when you lie to me.

[beautyburning]

[Don't lie to me.

Stop lying. I can't help you when you lie to me.

It's like hearing echoes, and hearing them from him hurts. Unconsciously, she grits her teeth hard, snarling.

And forgive her if she doesn't believe you when you say that, Maxie. She's heard it too many times from other people to believe it this time. She'll just keep lying, thank you, and you can go fuck yourself inside-out.]

I'm not lying.

[oceansbane]

You can't conceal this from me.

[His voice remains harsh, but there's a distinct sense of wariness behind his gaze; this? Is a vehement reaction. She usually knows better than to give him vehement reactions.

Though, again, he supposes he can't say that he blames her. It's just inconvenient to have to deal with.]

Try again. You know how little I tolerate lies.

[beautyburning]

I'm-not...

[This is stupidly risky, sticking to her story this way with Maxie circling her like that, prowling, but she can't take it back now, it's too late for that. And she's angrier than she probably should be, Courtney realizes. Her fingers are curling and uncurling in Ninetales' ruff, ready to scratch, to attack him, and that would be the stupidest thing she could possibly do but the desire is so strong now, pulling her like the tide...

It hits like a kick to the chest, with a deep thumping impact that echoes through her skull, and now it's familiar, the rage. Courtney almost buckles, and Ninetales' growling breaks free in a sharp bark that burns red across her mind.

How-how did he-]

[oceansbane]

[It's odd; he hears Ninetales, and yet he...doesn't. It's like something he was told - there was sound, it was sharp and loud and not a good sign - as opposed to something he heard for himself. Not. Not good. He stops abruptly, shaking his head as though tying to get his bearings; it's not coming easily.

It's been a month and a half since the last for him; he still remembers what it feels like, the deep, steady burn pulsing through his system, intensifying - it's refinement, like ore tested in flame, searing away what remains of this life and returning the body, the vessel, to something ancient and primal and Groudon grant your strength to your follower before you

tear

him

apart -

...another episode, then. Not quite started yet. But getting there. A reaction. Kyogre.

He can feel it...]

Marge. Control it.

[His voice is firm when he speaks to her. Authoritative. Commanding. It can be done. Difficult. But it can be done. He and Archie would have ended each other many times over otherwise. Cave of Origin. This island. After Silent

[beautyburning]

[Shut up. Shut. Up. She wants so badly to shut Maxie's mouth for him, just shut him up, pound his face in until it collapses-

Courtney takes a deep, shuddering breath, concentrating as hard as she can on maintaining control, trying to swallow the rage. It's hard, really, really hard, but she's done it before, it can be done. And she doesn't know how long it takes but she manages to force it out of herself and her mouth tastes like blood.

She can still feel it in the salt water of her pulse, but it's under control now. She has it under control. She just...wasn't expecting...

What had just happened? Why had that happened?]

[oceansbane]

[And for a long moment, Maxie doesn't say anything; he remains where he is, his body tight and unnaturally still. He isn't sure how long he stays that way. Seconds. Minutes. Who knows? He certainly doesn't.

When he does move, it isn't towards her; he reaches out suddenly, his hand finding the wall of the cave, pressing firmly against it almost as though using it for support. He doesn't remember moving as a conscious decision but eventually he's leaning his back against that wall, sliding down to the ground, keeping his head down. Somewhere in there he knows that's exposing the back of his neck. He really can't bring himself to care. Right now, he just. Needs to calm down.

Come on, Maxie. You controlled both of them for hours. You can control this.

His breathing is coming jaggedly, in shallow bursts that send tremors coursing through his body; there's no real sound accompanying the gesture, but he's laughing...]

Get out.

[The words are dark. Almost guttural.]

If you know what's good for you, get out.