Fork in the Road

"I'll never tell you anything!" he snarls at her, lying incapacitated on the battlefield, unable to move.

Here is where history splits.

In one world, she stares at him a second before being consumed by her rage, pushing her into a violent fit which ends with him just another mutilated corpse amongst the thousands of others. She feels nothing afterwards.

In the other, she sighs, reigns in herself, and calls for a doctor right after he passes out. She swears to herself that when he wakes up, he'll be greeted by a bevy of questions, each one harder than the last.

The only thing that separates these worlds is that in the second one, she has her mother behind her, reminding her of her humanity. In the first, the loss of a mother becomes much more traumatizing than the loss of a beloved brother.

It's all in how the cards fall.

NOTES: Perhaps this is where WOTI will go next? Inspired by an A:TLA story.

Snow

He has never seen so much snow in his life. Sure, Romula had a few flurries every once in a while, leaving the city under a thin film of white. Out here, though, is a different matter.

At first, he had thought it was pretty. The entire world was a pure white. After a while, he learned. Snow is everywhere, and gets in EVERYTHING. It's constantly cold, and not even the fire can warm him up. He thinks he's forgotten what "warm" feels like.

The sooner he can get out of this bloody country, the better.

NOTES: No Cressida, but tons of snow!

Only Human

She wishes she could have known. She wishes that she could have saved him.

She is (and was) only human, so her nightmares will forever be watching him fall, unable to stop him.

NOTES: "DEATH TO ALL HAPPINESS" continuum.

Difficulty

He has never been the most... social being. He leaves that up to Sulla, the manipulating sociopath.

He's always been good with his math, and with his physics. He understands the universe.

He does not, however, understand the people living in it.

NOTES: There are two versions of Octavius in my mind. One is completely inexperienced sexually and has no idea whatsoever how to relate to people. He's skilled in math, science, and fighting, but has no people skills. He's very serious. The other is more nuanced. He's good at politics and fighting, and has more of a devious side. He also has more sexual experience.

This Octavius is obviously the first. These two versions populate my stories, and the one in WOTI, created by Boomerang Fish and I, is kind of a mix (and the basis) of the two versions of Octavius (Also, Batman. We love Batman.). See if you can guess which story is which!

Ally

They would have been enemies in any other situation.

In the zombie apocalypse, they are unwitting allies, and then later, loyal friends.

NOTES: And then later, cuddle buddies? You decide! Based on a conversation between Boomerang Fish and I (and also because we both want to see Cressida and Octavius fighting zombies).

Plan

She meant to attack him in the Senate on his anti-Artemision policy.

He meant to argue and win (the Senate has been in his pocket since day one).

She meant to find him afterwards to unleash her frustration at him.

He meant to stay calm and annoy her even more.

She didn't mean to kiss him.

He didn't mean to kiss back.

She didn't mean to get into an insane relationship that was going nowhere.

He didn't mean to fall in love with her.

She didn't mean to fall in love with him.

He didn't mean to leave her.

She did.

NOTES: I don't know. It came out differently than I expected.

Praise

"Cressida! You did it! You completely destroyed them! You've WON THE WAR!"

She had expected it to feel better.

NOTES: Possibly connected to #67, "Negotiation".

Can You Hear Me?

She tells him she's leaving. She tells him she never wants to see him again.

He doesn't hear her silent I'm sorry.

NOTES: I can't decide if she's leaving him because she's too dangerous to be around, or because she's just pissed at him.

Politician

She's a good politician. She doesn't accept (or give) bribes, she stays true to what she promises, and she fights for justice. She's what all the people want: a lawmaker in shining armor.

He's a good politician. He accepts and gives bribes, he tells lies to placate his listeners, and he works only for himself. He's slick and slimy, and he always gets what he wants.

It's ironic that they work so well together. They're an unstoppable force when they team up, pushing a bill through the Senate at lightning speeds, getting work done. It's a pity they don't work together more often.

NOTES: Octavius as the ruthless politician. THEY ARE ON A TEAM.

Honoring

Even though she's moved on with her life, she gets blind drunk on every anniversary of his death.

NOTES: A twisted form of honoring, no? From the "DEATH TO ALL HAPPINESS" continuum.