[Co-Author: Butterfly123199]
Context: Time to get the show on the road and break some cargo! It's one mission after another, what'll be next for our characters?
The gang went into positions, Elise hiding near the corner where the giant steel beams stood tall and erect. A pistol in a holster and the sniper rifle in her hands.
Jak and Trin set off without a hitch, immediately skating across the murky waters of The Port and splitting off. Daxter was clinging on as best as he could on his partner with the Morph Gun in his hands, soon enough, when Jak obliterated a piece of protected shipments, the KG around the area were alerted!
"YEESH! Careful around the mines, Jak!" Daxter was tugging and practically buried himself into Jak's hair trying to stay on.
"Hang on, Dax!" He was hopping over the mines sitting dangerously upon the dark, dank waters.
Trinity on the other hand, didn't say much and focused on shooting the KGs with the Elise's Phalanx Pistol. Every time a mine almost touches his JET-Board, he zipped around it at the very last second with ease. (Albeit, if Dax was on Trin, he would've yelled everytime...)
The Krimzon Guards' attention were so drawn in by the ones in the waters that they wouldn't tell there was death hanging on their shoulders - a sniper in the shadows.
BANG!
"Jeez this thing packs one hell of a punch..." Elise cursed under her breath and took aim yet again. "Come on boys.. you've got this..." She held in a breath and-
BANG!
A guard fell limp and hit the waters below, the boys wasted no time cleaning up the cargo. With only a few left, the Communicator floated to life.
Trinity (Communicator): ["Once we wrap this up, we need to bail!"]
The ottsel wrestled with Jak's flying device, looking hilariously comical admittedly as the fiery eco bullets whizzed by. Jak has to rebalance himself from it.
Daxter (Communicator): ["And lose 'em WHERE?!"]
Elise wanted to bite back at the ottsel for yelling, but she chose to try and pick off another guard that was protecting one of the shipments with an electrical rod.
Trinity (Communicator): ["One of Bazaars, where else? Be sure to get that Zoomer on when we finish up Elise, we'll skate right on over real quick."]
Elise repositioned herself, "Alright..."
Jak (Communicator): ["Last one!"]
Dax (Communicator): ["BOOM BABY!"]
Trinity and Jak made a sharp U-turn, soon meeting up as they flew back to land! Trin motioned his fingers to their Zoomer and Jak nodded, Daxter was holding on his partner's gun with a deathgrip. The KGs were immediately tuning into their radios for backup and some Hellcat Cruisers, they knew for sure this place wasn't going to be calm for a while...
Elise followed her partner's orders and ran to the zoomer. She hoisted herself in and immediately started it up. She awaited the arrival of her co-workers. Every bit of anxiety she tried to push away only worsened when the sight of hellcats and dozens of KG members came flooding through, quicker than she could ever imagine.
"Boys! We've got some problems!" She called.
"Dax?!"
"On it, Jak!" Daxter fired the Blaster Gun while Trinity was using the pistol as they sprinted for it!
"Alright, step it!" Trin yelled as he reloaded and fired some series of shots.
"Fire at the UG scums!" A KG yelled.
Elise was quick to slam her foot down and they took off! She swerved and cut through traffic.
"Keep em off, I'm taking a shortcut!" She yelled. "Hold on!"
KG's were zooming quickly behind them and above them until...
SKRRRRR!
"YYYEEAAAAAOOOWWW!"
She slammed the breaks!
Jak had grabbed onto Daxter before the poor ottsel could fly out the zoomer.
They zipped off taking another sharp turn in hopes of losing them, racing across the city, and eventually ditching the Zoomer to go on foot discreetly. Trin pulled out his map to see any patrols and motioned for the rest of his companions to follow suit.
"Phew! I think we lost 'em back in the Industrial place." Daxter wiped his forehead.
The gang were sitting and hanging out in a corner, Trin was patting his boots down to shake off the sandy dust collecting in the wrinkles. He sighed as they rested for a long while, "I think Ash's around here actually."
"Speak of the devil!" Mr. 'Orange Lightning' whistled, Jak rolled his eyes when he saw Dax pretending to comb his hair back (instead, he 'combed' his ears back). "Even I can see that red hair from a mile away."
"Wait, wait! Where are you going?!" Elise wanted to rip him back into their little temporary hidey corner, especially when Jak was going to walk up to Ash with KGs all around at a distance away (now that she saw closer).
Trinity patted her shoulder, 'This is part of Ash's squadron I'm sure.'
"How's it ridin' in the hood red?" Daxter spoke out first, unsurprising as it always is.
Jak almost had the blaster pointed to his head by the nearby KG, but Ash moved it out of the way and ushered him to go elsewhere. "Get out of the area, this is Krimzon Guard business. One of Vin's eco tankers is coming in from the wasteland, but the clearance transmission sounded fishy. The driver was scared. We're going to check it out, just in case."
Trinity stretched, the Snipertron back in his hands when they hid low after that cargo rampage. "Need help?"
"We've got it handled- "
Elise was behind Trinity, not quite liking to stand out in the open with other Krimzon Guards checking this corner of the Eastern Bazaar out, even if it was part of Ash's squad. It wasn't long however, that her ears picked up an uncommon humming sound of a damaged engine coming above...
"You sure we should be sticking arou- "
Elise suddenly... lost herself? She looked frozen completely. Then she suddenly sprung back to 'normal'.
Trinity had seen this once before...
"Sweetheart, I know now is not the time..." Her voice was smooth, much smoother than Elise's, it sounded panicked and pained.
'Beth?' His puzzling moment was cut short as everyone's attention was caught on the tanker vehicle suddenly crashing in, sending parts of the buildings to scatter and shatter around them! The guards weren't so fortunate, and somewhere crushed under the tanker itself!
Trin cursed under his breath, everyone had their guns out, and the metallic hatch popped open...
"AHH! A Metalhead sneak attack!" Daxter was the first to scream.
Ashelin looked around and she grimaced, "Damn!" She fired at the creatures and grunts hopping out! "It's just us! Help me take out all the Metalheads!"
The five all huddled close together, backs facing each other. One after the other, metalheads all began rushing at them, some even swerving different directions to throw them off.
"AAH! GET THEM, JAK!" Daxter screeched and tucked himself into Jak's tunic.
"A Juice Goon, I haven't seen those in a good while." Jak punched a grunt up close and shot it with his shotgun, the powerful wave of Red Eco had sent close ones flying.
"Tiny gun." Ash commented while she kicked another one away.
Trinity on the other hand was surprised on how many Metalheads could be squeezed and fitted in one Eco Tanker, it wasn't as bad as the sewers though. He continued to fire his Snipertron straight into their metal faces. He checked on everyone and had realized the only pistol firing was Ash's gun, he glanced to check on Elise who fought unarmed. He blinked in slight confusion, expecting to see the raven black colored hair - instead it was different.
'Brown hair?'
"Watch out!" 'Elise' cried out and sent one packing, smashing the Metalhead behind with the blunt end of the pistol! Trinity had rolled out of the way, striking at the enemy at her six o'clock!
"There can't be this many damn Metalheads - how much did they stuff in there?!" Jak whacked another across the head.
'There's no time to be worried, Elise is fine for now!'
Beth grunted and skidded on her feet, gritting her teeth.
'But she will be in trouble if you don't help!'
Trinity only mumbled in response as they fended off the crowd of Metalheads, nodding in approval as he slashed many and tossed them aside. The violet black-purple blood made him a little sick internally, but it was nothing he wasn't used to.
They were all snarling and lunging themselves with full intentions of suicide, if it weren't for the others, Trinity would've been easily overpowered unlike previous hunts.
"They're so ready to die- no, not now." He narrowed his eyes, but kept himself composed luckily.
Beth could catch the odd distorted voices, but seeing Trin hammering away at the enemies, taking a slow and focused defensive stance, she could tell he was fine. For now, she could judge that the internal conflict was kept at bay tighter and much more carefully than before.
One by one, the team of vicious beasts died down, till eventually the group was left with nothing but bloodied up metalhead corpses.
Daxter popped his head out of Jak's tunic, "Is it over?! I mean... Yeah you better stay down, ya lug heads! THAT'S how the orange lightning rolls!"
Ashelin holstered her pistol, still cautious but continued to examine the hijacked Eco Tanker. "We got 'em all. The Metal Heads are getting bolder every day. It's almost like they're testing our defenses, like probing attacks." She rolled her eyes at the carcasses that already had the Dark Eco eating their own bodies up. "I've got a bad feeling about this." She walked off immediately past Jak.
Jak put away his gun, "Yeah... you're welcome."
Trinity knelt to the ground, wiping the glistening Dark Dagger, and letting the sand catch the blood before he sheathed it. 'How boring. Shut it.' He sighed looking at the sorry state of the vehicle and the entire place. "What a mess."
Beth huffed to herself softly. "So you can finally see me..?" She mumbled softly, placing her hand on Trinity's shoulder.
Instead of being their normal chocolate color, the girl's eyes were a bright green, almost resembling a beautiful shining emerald. "You've noticed Elise hasn't been speaking to us recently..."
Trinity motioned for Jak to go and grab a zoomer - or possibly have a little privy time with the girl in front of him. "Yeah, all the sudden it seems the more time lets on things are getting more unpredictable." He glanced at his shadow, only to see someone else's silhouette. The long hair waving in the darkness... But he didn't acknowledge it as the odd voice prodded his mind. 'Unpredictability makes me anxious.'
"She's in danger..." She narrowed her eyes sternly. "Her.. dark self..." She felt a lump rise in her throat. "It got rid of Dawn..." Beth did her best to try and gaze into his eyes, but unfortunately, only Elise could truly see the beautiful sight.
"And I'm next..."
"She wants complete control. Elise can't keep pushing the darkness away, it's only making her stronger, more aggressive, and it's going to consume her.
"It will only listen to you, Trinity..."
She pointed to the pendant. It gave a hearty reflection.
"Because you are her light."
'...I am not the balance that guides Elise, Beth.' The voice finally came clear to Trinity's ears in his thoughts. His eyes flashed golden for only a mere second, and within the next blink Beth could've sworn she saw something in those eyes. Something that Elise couldn't see. The voice Beth heard was a woman's voice, but it seemed strange. It seemed off. Trin bit his lip, then something inside his mindscape sparked. 'We're not the Light One as Oracle told us- no, shut. Up.' Trinity wanted to look away but there was something that made him not to.
The thing Beth saw in his eyes was something completely opposite of what Elise saw. They were dull. They seemed troubled as he was darting them around looking for something.
'I can't say it...'
"..."
Beth could almost feel the tension, not between the two of them, but within himself. She was clearly the sentimental one, as seen by the tears slipping from her eyes.
"She's dying...Moria..."
She was hoping she wasn't making such a horrible call, such a mistake that could risk both her own, and her 'caretaker's' life. She felt it; she could feel another presence within him.. and it drastically reminded her of Dawn. Oh how painfully similar they were - in the worst ways.
"You may not be the light... but you're her light."
When she got no response, she spoke again.
"Please, I'm begging you to try..."
Trinity closed his eyes. 'This is not Moria. This is just me.' His thoughts were mixed, there was a female voice somewhere in there. When he looked at his pale hand, he could see 'himself', blinking yet again, it was only his glove and his slightly lavender veins. "I will do it." His thought swam around, every time, it almost feels like he was about to slip into a daydream. 'We- no... I. I can't stop fighting with myself. Moria was just the appearance she- I took...' He took a sharp, quick breath. "I'll do it." He nodded this time with more confidence.
He saw the shadow of an incoming Zoomer, he put away his Snipertron, and almost wanted to take Beth's hand. But hesitated.
Beth watched when he had reached for her hand. She chuckled to herself and took it into her own. Though, it felt very different. Because now he truly knew, she wasn't just Elise.
"I can't promise I'll ever return, but keep asking Elise."
Her touch was more... motherly.
"I will."
Before the pair could walk to the zoomer Jak had oh so gracefully 'borrowed', The girl stopped in place. Her appearance to Trinity had changed back to normal. It was just... Elise. She was quick to pull her hand away from Trinity and rub her temples. "Ah..." she looked sickly pale.
"Hey, Masky! She looks like she's gonna- WHOA!"
She fell right into Trinity's arms!
Trinity quickly caught her, Daxter did the same low whistle when he saw Ash. Jak was smirking and covering his mouth. The masked man narrowed his eyes dangerously at them, "What." He stated with a dead tone at them, 'I'm very tempted to drop this whole thing saying I'm done-'
Jak stepped back and almost bumped into the front of the Zoomer, "Nothing, nothing."
Daxter grinned widely, "Oh it's SOMETHIN!"
He began to shake his bratty tail, "Trinity and Elise sittin in a tree!" He swayed side to side, "K-I-S-S-I-N—AAAAHHHHH!"
He jumped out of the way of the dark dagger that was now lodged into the spot he was standing.
"I will choke the ever living life outta you so hard even the Precursors can't do anything to piece you back together."
"Okay okay! Sheesh!" Daxter hopped onto Jak's shoulder.
In his arms, Elise felt a tad bit warm, but the poor girl was shivering.
"What even knocked the psycho out? She doesn't seem wounded!" Daxter rested his elbow against Jak's head, earning a glare from the blonde.
He carefully had the ravenette in his arms as Trin slowly reached down to grab the dagger, it's tainted metal always seemingly looking as if it was yearning for blood. "I think we should get out of here and rest, the place is flooded with those nasty things anyway." He gestured with his head, mentioning the dark pools seeping out of broken bodies of Metalheads. Even looking at it makes Trin's stomach churn, he wasn't sure if it was Elise's situation along with Dawn and Beth; or his other self.
"Ah, a nap! Now that's somethin' I can agree to." Dax replied, Jak brushing his partner's arm away that was resting on his head.
"Yeah, I don't think I'd want to stay near those any longer."
They headed to the stolen, scratched up vehicle. "Damn, Jak, what did you do to this?" The engine sputtered horribly, and Trin even kicked it once to get it going.
"Hey, it was already like this-"
"Mm-hm..."
Trinity had suggested they get away from this sector as far as possible and planned to head back to meet up with The Shadow for their next mission after they had rested up. It wasn't very long when Hellcats were beginning to head into the same direction where the ambush had occurred. Elise was cuddled up to Trinity when he let Jak take over the driving, the ex-KG's mind was preoccupied. But he did his best to hide it, looking around silently to keep an eye out for patrols. 'I'll keep asking for you, Beth. Dawn as well...' He sighed. 'Goddamn deja vu this mess.' Trinity then bit harder on his bottom lip, some unwanted venting frustration and memories of something very familiar bit back at him. He pushed the urge away, not wanting to rip his own mouth from his teeth anyway.
"Sh...be..."
A drowned out voice muttered.
"...be okay..."
They tried to tell what the mutterings were trying to say, not knowing who it belonged to quite yet. Only darkness had surrounded them, greeted them. But somehow, they could tell they were lying down judging by the feeling of gravity.
Gentle turns and shifts were made, and they could feel a tiny hand being placed on their forehead.
"Mmh..."
They peered their eyes open, flinching at the sight of the bright light. The tiny hand was placed on their cheek next.
"Tr...inny..?"
Somehow, she got reminded of Trinity's dream. When Elise saw the hand, it was the kid that Kor had taken along from before.
Trinity was standing in the doorway, leaning on the frame with arms crossed. Hiding his other arm again, "Right here." He said plainly. The child's big bright blue eyes were filled with concern.
The ravenette blinked her vision clear, soft huffs leaving her lips. Her brown eyes met with bright blue; ones she could call familiar. She forced a smile, exhaustion wired across her. "Hey..." She pushed herself up and pulled the little one into her arms.
'Oh how I missed this.'
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to worry ya." She fixed his little hat.
Trinity was just watching the child in silence, not even a thought or a little hum came across. Or perhaps Trin didn't really have anything much to say. He tucked in the pendant, subtly imagining the kid's crystal color was completely pure as a wandering thought.
His eyes went to Elise for a moment. Looking as if to search something, he wasn't sure what, but he tried to. While El was playing with the kid a bit, he felt himself go off in a slight zoned out stare.
It seemed the longer he stared - the quicker his vision began to distort. Nothing but darkness fell around him. He was no longer in the UG bunkers, but some place far more empty and decrepit. The lone place smelled of decaying flesh and decomposed remains—and looked similar to a graveyard. In the distance, he could almost see...
"AGH!"
Her.
Beth's fair figure slid across the ground, not too far from where he was standing. She let out pained breaths, struggling to force herself to her feet. Another figure came skulking her way over, her pale grey toned skin very easy to identify.
"You... can't—"
BAM!
"GAH!"
"I. Can do as I please."
Her voice was sinister and full of venom. She didn't look like she was holding up anytime soon. Beth's weak state could only give her but so much to push into a sitting position.
"He.. won't.. let you..." She wiped away the crimson running from her mouth. "No matter... how hard you try... how.. m-many times you beat us down.. we'll be back... Trinity won—"
"TRINITY."
The dark being wrapped her clawed hand around Beth's neck, her nails effortlessly piercing her skin.
"Is. WEAK."
She threw the girl aside.
"JUST. Like. Dawn was." Her black coated lips cracked a smirk, showing all of her dagger like teeth. "Remember her?"
Beth trembled in fear, tears racing down her cheeks. That was the only sign Trinity had needed...
Dawn was gone. And Beth was next.
Those tears jerked his heart. 'Always a goddamn woman...' Trinity's heart and mind began to race, he could feel his other self itching for it, but he forced his mind away from those thoughts. He looked for anything on his person, unsure of what he's doing or if it'll do anything, seeing Beth like this only prompted him to jump in front of them for it. An old familiar feeling bubbled in the pit of his stomach, an old memory cracked open seeing all of this that he hated.
In a split moment, that word echoed in his own thoughts. 'Weak... WEAK? You only have the tiniest fraction of my insanity.' He felt himself start to feel feverishly hot.
He stepped between the two, silent, but his eyes were as golden as ever.
The two stopped in their tracks, Beth widening her eyes, and the dark form widening her grin.
"T-Trinity, no..." Beth let out a breathless, pained cry when she tried to force herself to stand. "If.. y-you get hurt here.. you'll feel it when you get back into your... your own body..." She slurred her warning.
"Well, if it isn't the feeble star they've alll been begging for..." The dark being's voice echoed and cracked slightly. "What? Here because you're afraid of losing another partner?" She laughed maniacally.
That had done it.
Without another warning, he could tell his horns began to grow and shoot up, his fangs and claws growing. He wasn't sure if it was the pendant's work, or something else, because he projected his words when they were meant to be thoughts. The voice was a female. "Actually. I want to kill you." He snarled, his eyes brighter than ever like two glowing suns.
Two parts of his wings lashed at Beth - or she thought they were, but instead carefully wrapped around her like a protective shell. The other two tendrils whacked and swept at Dark Elise's legs making her trip over so fast she couldn't even react. He laughed with the voice of a woman, yet there was a small hint of another voice within. His mask and wings were quivering as if he was cold, but they knew by his hunched over and overly aggressive posture that he was just excited.
Dark Trin could feel something dripping down his lips from under the mask, he wasn't sure if it was blood or drool, but he didn't care. "I'm the first. You're just another copy." He snickered with a high voice and it seemed like he was almost going to break down laughing.
Beth stared back, feeling the fears Elise once had, but even moreso. Whatever Elise had seen, somehow, it wasn't as bad as this. Glancing at the dark tendrils around her that creepily shivered as feverently as ever, she was a little afraid of moving and having the thought of accidentally provoking it. It's like they had a mind of its own, as if the wings itself were alive but horrifyingly separate from Trinity in a way.
"What are you afraid of?" The man taunted. The environment made him giggle as he looked around like a psycho, "I find this more pleasing than that cursed metal box of a cage." A memory wanting to seep into his already-scattered thought process made him growl lower and harsher than any animal. "Scratching the walls 'til my nails bled- at least here we can talk with corpses."
The dark girl was quick to pick herself back up. Both surprise and amusement laced her tone. "I was wondering when you'd show your pathetic face." She taunted him. She looked as if she showed no fear... looked. Her actions spoke loudest. "Right where you belong, huh? Caged up.." She began to smirk. "Alone... like the good old times, huh Trinny? Well... as good as being a kid in a cage can be." She teased.
"D...Don't listen t-to her." Beth pleaded desperately.
His wings took hold of her arm by wrapping around her wrist immediately! Something about the tendril began to glow purple for once. He snarled even louder, murmuring something. His animalistic sounds ceased dead, a small pause, and then a crazed bout of laughter. "Keep doing that. I can rip that Dark Eco out like any channeler... Just like what I did to Nyx. Mmm... heheheh. Alone. I made myself alone by consuming..."
The name repeated in his mind like a broken record.
She hissed with pain, she started yanking her arm away. "Go ahead, kill me! Show Elise how much of a monster you truly are.."
It felt like time stopped at her words.
Elise...
Trinity wanted to retort while he was making a wide mad smile, but the name made him snap back his senses. Even for a little bit. He stood straighter, the dark tendril still wrapping around her arm even tighter as she pulled. Trinity could suddenly feel pain as if the adrenaline dose was running off, the wing was draining away like a parasite. He groaned slightly, narrowing his eyes. "Elise wouldn't like this- and we, no, I can't do this, not again." His arm with the heavy scar was glowing violet just like his wing. He gritted his teeth, "We don't think you'd rather want to be consumed into an endless void like we, I, were anyway." He spat with venom and utter disgust, the two voices of his becoming clear and equal.
The wings gently wrapping around Beth had slackened in a small moment, what Trinity was slowly doing must seem like a death sentence the way she saw it. The purple light under the glove of Trin's arm was just enough for her to notice something scribbled on the metal plate, but now was not the time, if Trinity (or whoever they are) keeps this up, then…
Dark Elise's eyes softened for a moment, before their original intent returned. "You really are weak. WORTHLESS, man."
She chuckled under her breath. "You want to save this girl, save who...? Elise? Your love?" She let out a loud, boastful laugh. "You couldn't even save Yourself! Moria! Nyx!" She wrapped her other clawed hand around the tendril. "And when Elise. Is finally consumed..."
She slowly leaned forward.
"It will have been all. Your. FAULT!" She snarled.
Trinity continued to have the wing hold onto her wrist. The name of Nyx triggering something. "Has it really...?" Within the next sentence, the woman's voice was louder again. "It's true." It was calmer. But Trinity stood up straighter and had an iron stance, despite the freezeburn feeling from his back where the wing had sprouted out of and was keeping Dark Elise at bay. "Do you know what happens if you are consumed with us?" Trinity held his head up high, his eyes glaring and defiant. The other voice, Trin's real voice echoed louder. He smiled and something within those eyes of his held unimaginable sorrow-
-but then a crazed glint flashed back.
"You won't disappear. I'll save you. By consuming you..." Another distorted tone switched. "...And you'll wither away with me in time. You don't want that." Trinity resisted the urge to just want to double over and curl in himself from the poisonous pain building up by his own doing.
"Do it." She tilted her head slowly. "Prove. You aren't. Weak... DO IT!"
"No!" Beth had finally managed to stand herself, wrapping her arms around Trinity from behind. "Let her go..." She whispered, "This.. isn't worth it..." Her touch was comforting, sweet... motherly.
"Please..."
Trin hitched in his breath, he felt so sick, he's beginning to regret this entire thing. The gentle calming voice of Beth, made something snap in his mind. The feminine voice was brought out. Completely. "Trinity- Me, she's right." He whispered to himself. "But what if you end up like Dawn? I- If..." The other voice reawakened, he snarled again. "We... I can save her. This is as close as we, I, ever wanted. If, if I... We take her in." A malicious burble erupted in his throat. "Control..."
A malevolent chill ran through Dark Elise and even Beth could feel themselves seize up slightly.
"Shhh..." Beth hesitantly brushed her hand on his shoulder. "This isn't what I needed from you... We always come back..." She squeezed him tightly, as if trying to comfort him. "I told you.. so you could protect her while I'm gone... if you get rid of her dark form, you could hurt her..."
Dark Elise's gaze softened to one of hate and disgust. "Even if you don't believe it... she is your weakness. You. Are. Weak."
Trinity pushed her away harder, finally letting go, and to maintain distance, but retaining his dark form. The pitches in his tone reached an equilibrium again. "We're not weak." They simply stated, no hate, only sadness. But it was an odd kind of lying undertone laced within their voices. It was as if they were coming to terms with a heavy burden. Trinity chuckled, yet it wasn't malicious like before, it was as if they had realized something and had reached a juxtaposition, finding it a little sadly funny. "Elise's weakness is also all of us anyway."
'We trust you...'
"We'll find you both." The dual voices of Trin's spoke in unison. The wings seem to have calmed, but was embracing the brunette behind him nonetheless. He stared at the Dark alter ego of Elise in front of him, it wasn't that he dropped his guard or anything. He just decided to stop, whatever storm of emotions and personalities he thought he didn't have had seemed to reach an (albeit temporary) truce. His blazing irises from the mask gave a soft glow, so did his wings and arm.
Almost in a flash, the dark being was gone, nothing but the rancid and pungent scent remaining from her 'hunt'. Beth used whatever strength she could muster up and moved to stand in front of Trinity. She cupped his 'face' in her hands.
"I'm so proud of how far you've come.."
She rested her forehead against his.
"Now I need you to wake up.. and fulfill your promise."
Within the next few fleeting moments, he blinked, as if it was simply some daydream. He was still standing in the doorframe watching Elise and the young one play together, which was nice.
But then a bead of sweat formed under his mask.
Then a few more and suddenly he felt wrong.
Trinity's body ached and that old recognizable static sensation he hated so much was ringing in his ears. It felt like extreme poisoning and illness was coming down on him in mere seconds all at once. He didn't wait to see what Elise's response was, as he had turned and headed into the messy restrooms. All while trying to keep his composure.
Elise hardly reacted as soon as Trinity left. It was so sudden, and especially worrying. She set the kid down, "Wait for me here." She said. He gave a little nod, and played with a little doll she had given him.
As he had turned into the disorienting hallway and made it to the door, he felt something fuzzy chewing at his boot. "Forgot you were here..." A green dog-like creature greeted him warmly. "Go on..." He said a little meekly, pulling something out of his pocket and tossing it to the crocadog to snack on.
"Trinity!" She called, rushing after him. "What the hell?! What happened?" She asked. She still had no recollection of even falling asleep before. Questions were more than fair on her end.
"Ugh, nothing." He closed and locked the door on her.
"Trin- " From here, Elise could hear the running waters, and something else. Murmurs from beyond the door that blocked her. But they were inaudible, and sounded a little odd. It was like broken whispers coming from next to her long, pointy ears. They were muffled, as if someone was trying to hush them. Elise glanced around and only saw the dog wandering off happily with crumbs all over its fur.
She did her best to listen in, but he felt as if someone were muffling her ears. She groaned and covered her ears slightly.
"It's somethin'!" She snapped back.
Inside...
Trinity was supporting himself against the sink, legs a little weak, and his heart racing. But he tried to keep himself calm. It didn't help that looking upon the reflection, was someone else, yet it looked somewhat like him at the same time. A faint shadow and feeling of being watched hung over him, the same side of his shoulder where the wing had supposedly almost destroyed Dark Elise in some kind of mind realm. He almost was dry heaving, but kept it to himself, kept it quiet, kept it under control.
He moved his shaky hand under his mask to touch his mouth... Taking it away and adjusting his mask, he didn't have to look to know it. He could taste it anyway. The red liquid, tainted purple. He washed it, cursing and muttering.
This mind was swimming with frustration. 'I...ne...si...nce...' He tried to to shut it away, drawing a few sharp but quiet and focused breaths.
He would've laughed noticing his hand he saw belonged to the woman from all those years ago, but it was rather too much for what little wavering energy he had at the moment.
"I need time." He spoke softly, resisting the urge to do something horrible in order to vent something out.
'...nee...c.n..ol...'
"..."
'Just leave him be.' She thought.
There was clearly no getting through to him. So that was it. She turned, and left.
'Every day, he becomes more and more mysterious.'
The UG was mostly quiet, just the sounds of laughter from the kid, and soft mumbles between Samos and Torn. Elise carefully picked the kid up, seeing as he was falling asleep against her. She rocked him in her arms and walked out to where Samos and Torn were.
"Hey..." She sighed. He fell asleep.
"Mm? Ah, the child slumbers." The Shadow was stroking his facial hair. "He must be escorted elsewhere when the ruckus has died down, for now, I think the boys were off freeing lurkerfolk."
Torn grumbled, "Metalheads are getting bolder every day as we speak. Trin and Ash had already told me that much back at the Bazaar Sectors." He was rubbing the tip of his chin, thinking of plans already as always.
She smiled down at the kid and rubbed his back softly. She snapped her gaze towards Torn, "Did Trinity tell you what happened to me?" She raised an eyebrow. "Because, I'm wondering about myself..."
"Huh? Oh, he just said that you needed rest after all kinds of errands you guys were scrambling around for." Torn suddenly smirked, but kept his eye on the papers. "I noticed he kept that braid on ever since."
Elise froze, her ears and cheeks turning a bright pink color. "S-So?! What does that have to do with anything?" She forced a scoff and carefully placed the kid on one of the cots to sleep.
Samos and Torn eyed each other for a mere second. "Nothing at all." He said, still maintaining a little tug in the corner of his lip with some sense of playfulness in that tattooed face of his.
"Oh, don't make me tell Ash, Captain Ass." Elise hissed through gritted teeth, her blush not easing up at all.
After a long while of exchanging glares, witty remarks, and Samos eventually ushering Elise out of the main room...
Dusk was fast approaching. Elise was at her own personal bed as per usual, Trin had turned sometime later, and then Jak with his orange friend. She found herself slightly restless when she was laying on her bed, Trinity seemed extra worn out than normal. Jak and Dax didn't take long until they were completely knocked out like Trin.
Elise sighed and stared up at the ceiling. "What am I gonna do..?" She mumbled to herself.
"Where are you girls..? Are you upset or something?" She turned to her side and faced the wall.
"Just sleep it off, Elise - sleep it off.."
And with that, she fell out.
JV007 A/N: Ah, how the pendant and second act seems to pick up speed so damn fast that my old secrets are starting to be rooted out *nervous chuckle*, expect some darn angst, but if you made it this far..it's not surprising is it? OH! Did ya know? I had a hard caffeine crash, didn't drink water, and didn't eat the entire day literally a few days back? Trin feeling horrible right after that spoopy thing is me recalling that LMFAO
Butterfly A/N: I'm about to whoop you- GO TO BED JV. It's time for mama Beth to work her magic!