.
Found In Translation
.
After the Bandersnatch fiasco, Julius stopped Ace from chopping off Aria's legs and they took her back to the Clock tower and laid her over the bed to let her rest. Agreeing that she would most likely try to escape or kill them when she woke up, they took turns to keep guard.
Around 4 time changes ago they started to wonder when she would get Ace decided that she needed a bath and immediately swept the unconscious woman towards the bathroom to clean her, and promptly received a hit from Julius's wrench before he even got out of the room."Ouchie!"- Ace pouted but still dragged her to the bathroom - "...But Julius! She needs a bath and needs someone to check her wounds"- He then happily held her inert body in front of Julius -"Oh? Do you wanna be the one to undress and grope her? You should have said so."
The Clockmaker blushed hotly before throwing the wrench at the damned idiot and hitting him right in the head. However, Julius reckoned that Ace was right. They haven't even checked on her because they had been waiting for her to wake up and at least demonstrated that they did respected some of her privacy, but who knew how long she had been without a bath? Still, he rolled his eyes and accompanied Ace towards the tub and saw the knave having trouble removing the armored suit.
"Have you ever undressed her, Julius? "- Ace asked while thoroughly examining all the little parts of the armor everywhere, at the arms, the end of the gauntlets, the armpits, between the legs… but he could not find a single button, zipper, or strap.
Julius didn't answered but blushed more. Aria was the kind that undressed herself or dressed to be undressed, which obviously didn't involve her armor. Seeing Ace taking out a hunting knife towards her chest, Julius stopped the brunette's hand. - "What are you doing!?"
"I'm cutting open her armor" - Ace pawed at Julius hand and when Julius let go, the knave tried to cut the armor's strange material but scaled darkness concentrated on whatever part he tried cutting.
Both men looked at each other. It was clear that her shadow didn't like them messing with her armor, or rather with itself.
"Well, we'll have to just fill the tub and drop her there"´- The knave happily said and lifted her over the tub.
"Just take her back to the bed"-Julius sighted with slight worry; not just because she might get an infection out of uncleanliness but because her shadow was acting on its own despite her being unconscious. This also explained how bullets were blocked in that alley. It had been her shadow or her armor acting on its own.
Ace nodded and took her back to the bed, then took a seat on a nearby chair. It was his turn to keep an eye on her anyways. Maybe he would drop her in cold water once Julius went away to see if that woke her up. There was stuff that needed to be said but they would have preferred that she was awake to hear it.
Julius turned around to go and prepare more coffee for both of them when the executioner noticed the soft unnatural glow of Aria's opened eyes.-"Hey Julius, I think she's is awake"
The clock master turned around and saw that Aria had her eyes open. She wasn't specifically looking at them nor had she reacted to their presence but blue lines passed fast over her irises. Julius sighed. At least she would hear them out now. He walked in front of the bed but she didn't moved or acknowledged him in any way. No bitter responses, insults, escape attempts, shadow manipulation or even rolling around to not look at him. - "I know you said 'actions speak better than words', so let me …."
"What you hate more about us Aria? - Ace moved to step by Julius's side and look down on her with plans of forcing the merc to speak. He could do many fun things now that she was awake, and he would make her respond one way or another.
Out of the blue her armor seemed to dissolve into shadows that extended like a liquid trail over the mattress and then stopped at the edge in front of the role holders and formed a small, cuddly, fluffy and adorable bunny that would make either prime minister look like a rough sewer rodent.
The rabbit gave a small curt nod and sat on its hind legs. Despise its mouth not opening, a deep male voice with a thick foreign accent was heard. - "At the current moment, my owner and user is indisposed for speaking."- He turned to look at Aria who was having an autism fit. - "Based in my protocols, I have determined the need for translating what requires to be translated from my user."- It raised its tiny paw into a salute a the holders. - "You may call me Aegis, I'm the specialized A.I. that supports my assigned user: Aria Hadron Scherzi."
"Interesting."- Ace put his hand on Julius shoulder and leaned a bit to see the creature. He remembered how the shadows moved in that dream or when she called spikes from the floor in the middle of the street. This thing was made from the same darkness. - "So Ari doesn't wanna talk to us, and you are going to do so instead? mmmhhh..."- He turned to look at Julius - "Julius? Can we keep the little creature of darkness that becomes mercy's clothes?" - The knave then had a wonderful moment of fridge logic . - "Does that means he is also her underwear?- With wide eyes and a bright smile he pulled on Julius's sleeve - "Does she wears underwear below the armor? You remembered everything, right Julius?"
Julius fakely coughed and spoke to Aria. He really didn't like rabbits, so he decided to ignore the weird creature and just say what he needed to tell her.- "As I was saying… Aria, you said that actions speak louder than words, so…"
Aegis stretched and interrupted Julius. Aria didn't even move. - "My user says: 'I tried to kill you. What of that communication don't you get?' . I must add that she is not happy. Although in her current situation she also isn't sad. "
Ace's hand waved in a dismissive way -"It means you need a hug and some love, Ari. " - Ignored the amusing interpreter he also addressed Aria directly - "Why don't you tell us what you hate more about us, Ari, that'd be fun!"
Aria was still not moving but her eyes glowed with static. Aegis scratches his long ear with his little foot and then looked at his owner and shrugged its shoulders - "I will play the response to that question. I have a recording that answers perfectly, da?"
More of Aria's armor became shadows and after a couple seconds of a bothersome elevator tune, the recording of the rant Aria spat to the succubus about Ace and Julius was heard. It was actually longer than what Ace remembered and in it the mercenary stated all she really disliked about them and which they prior didn't even had a clue about.
Once the recording finished Julius crossed his arms and sighed. - "Very well, you said your piece. Now you are going to hear ours. Here's your feedback: I dislike that you are always vague on important information and never say what's really going on. It gets on my nerves when you are happy one minute and then stoic the next; or simply continuously cold as steel. I dislike that you are so reckless, even if you say you 'minimize' risks. You ALWAYS get in danger one way or another."- Julius hardly bothering breathing as he gave his own rant.-" You are also stubborn and don't care how others feel when your actions almost kill you, you don't seem to know the meaning of the word 'stop'. You are too casual and careless with yourself and your body as much as with your life. When you prepare delicious food you don't seem to even notice that we do enjoy it. You never say anything when I grade your coffee. Too often you speak of yourself as if you were a machine…. and act like one."
Aria's eyes were clouded with static as Aegis interrupted Julius again to translate in a very liberal way. "My owner thinks that she is not your business and she means to say that she'd like to be left alone by you two pair of… "- It tilted its head for a moment before continuing. - "There is no direct translation to that in this language, but it contains various non good descriptions that may not be true about you, some of them involve your mother's or ancestors."
Julius was red from his own charade and looked at Aria while the bunny looked in the mortician's direction. After a few seconds of silence Ace raised his hand to contribute.
"I don't like that you're so smart but never realize the obvious. It's funny that you get so paranoid but it soon gets old. Kissing that rat of the Hatters was not good either because if you get cooties you'll pass then to me or Julius. When you fight you don't seem to enjoy it and go for an instant kill. You rarely smile and laugh even less. You go on adventures and don't take me with you. You act more knightly than I do… oh, and you haven't given us the chance to get down and dirty" :D
The bunny didn't answer immediately.- "She sardonically and with a bit of anger asks: "And?" in a way that states that she is not in the mood to think about you at all."- The bunny moved closer to the holders- "She also thinks that my translation for what she really wants to express is not necessary."
Ace blinked at the little furball and smiled before stretching a hand towards it. -"Oh really? Then if I just play with your pet for a little bit, maybe you'll want to come out of stupor, eh, Ari~?"
Before he could lay one finger on the bunny, it's adorable visage contorted to something fierce, uncanny and as creepy as it was cute. Its originally small mouth widened to reach from ear to ear and become as big as a sack on its neck. It's jaw unhinged and its metallic fangs filled the rim of the mouth's edges while its plain black eyes grew to be the size of firsts. As it's size and mass increased, it bounced on Ace with a snarl while the armor on its master's body mostly disappeared to give more structure to the shadows that formed the creature. The knight swiftly cut through Aegis but his sword only trespassed inky darkness as the creature reformed beyond the blade's steel and over Ace's chest and caused the knave to fall backwards with it on top. During this, Aria hadn't even blinked.
Uncaring of the enormous jaws and knowing that it was even far more dangerous than it's creepy looks suggested, Ace pet the creature as if he was just playing with it, Aegis's fur felt as soft as cotton candy. -"How cuddly! Does your owner need cuddling too?"
"She possibly does. Hugs, cuddles, fun and de-stressing activities would be good for her mental health. " - While on top of Ace, Aegis dissolved into darkness and became a copy of Aria's body made out of darkness and technology. In the bed, Aria just barely narrowed her eyes as her eyebrow twitched. Her double spoke with the male and thick accented voice. - "My user orders that that I do not copy her body unless she approves, which right now she doesn't. So please look well because I will point where she is hurt, da?" -Aegis stood up and pointed to various spots on his current form before dissolving into the shadows of the floor, then reappearing on the bed shaped like a fox and cuddled at Aria's side. -"A massage would also help with her tension and her humor." - The A.I. nuzzled her. - "She says that I shouldn't have added that."
Ace stood from the floor - "Of course we'll help you de-stress, Ari. Should we go down and dirty now that you are awake?"
Julius slapped the back of Ace's head but kept in mind the massage suggestion. Despite the weird form of communication or the even weirder translator, they had at least managed to say what they really thought. This was a proper moment to say more. - "Aria, give us a chance. We just want that."
From his position in the bed, the fox looked at the holders as Aria's eye glow disappeared, leaving her natural olive green shades on her expressionless face.- "She says: 'What if I gave you more than a chance for getting down and dirty and you forgot?', she can't decide if she's being sarcastic or if that's real question."
Julius got even redder because she indeed had, and answered without hesitation - "I remember. I do remember everything."- He then pointed his finger at her - "So forgetting is not an excuse for you or me"
Ace sat on the bed, and although Aria flinched at his presence, neither the mercenary nor Aegis made any move to attack the knave. -"It wouldn't count because it's not our fault we don't remember, so we need to start again or continue where we left"
Aegis transformed into an undefined feline form big enough to require most of the armor pieces that previously covered it's mistress's body, then it gracefully leaped from the bed and went to lay down below the sun entering through the window to recharge its energy through his solar panels - "Just to remind you where you left: In the knight's case, that would be in a hug and a kiss in the dream trap. In the clock master's case, it was with my user sitting over his lap before the other foreigner arrived to interrupt."
Aria's face continued without expression, but this time she spoke rather than let Aegis do so -"Maybe it was not worth remembering at all."
"Then we just need to get lots of practice."- Ace reached to pull her into a hug. She moved her arm and her gauntlets reformed from the shadows to create her armor's forearm blade. - "Practice with Julius then. I'm not interested."
Ace nods- "Sounds good, but I want you in the practice too, the more the merrier!" - He ignored the blade that he softly pushed aside and laid at her back, then motioned to Julius who had remained by the edge of the bed.
Aria just so barely turned towards him with a scowl of spite on her face and a growl in her voice .-"You want me to see you f*** or be f*** by Julius? "- She knew well that they had defeated her and if that was what they wanted to do she had no chance of fighting back. Aegis had used almost all its remaining energy with this little display and she could not give mana in any significant quantity. She was at their mercy or at their desires.
"No. I want you in the middle... or top... or bottom…"-Ace grabbed Julius's hand and pulled him on the bed- "Should I … should 'WE' start that massage or do you wanna hop directly to a de-stressing session, Ari?"
Julius didn't got off the bed although he was having a brain hemorrhage at this point due to actually remembering EVERYTHING, including that night she caught him at the shower.-"Stop it you two."- He pushed Ace, but Ace pulled back and they ended up tangled with Aria at the side. With a sigh, the mortician was about to set his hand over Aria's shoulder but before he could touch her she growled.
Out of the blue, the blue, and at a low enough volumen came out a weird wording of:
.
Ooga-Chaka Ooga-Ooga
Ooga-Chaka Ooga-Ooga
Ooga-Chaka Ooga-Ooga
Ooga-Chaka Ooga-Ooga
Ooga-Chaka Ooga-Ooga
.
The sound then joined the ret of the music and lyrics of the song (AN: Hooked On A Feeling by Blue Swede, you probably heard it int he trailer of 'Guatdians of the galaxy').
.
I can't stop this feeling
Deep inside of me
Girl, you just don't realize
What you do to me...
.
From his position under the window Aegis translated her growl as the music continued eassing the tension int he background. -"My user says: 'Don't touch me. You had your chance you you threw it to the floor… literally.' She is still angry at that, and very reluctant to any physical approach although she has no strength to kick you out of the bed. "- Aegis stretched so that light hit more of his frame - "She is still hurt although she has trouble pinpointing it. She's been emulating an emotional 'hurt' sensation." - The music continued in the background and gave the ambient a soft tint.
Julius's eyes widened while Ace took advantage of her weakness to hug her over waist. -"You mean you do feel? "- The mortician took a deep breath before he spoke with all his clock -"I'll say it again. I'm sorry"- He put his hand over her shoulder but she slapped it away. It was obvious that they had lost her trust completely and she didn't even care.
It would be hard to gain it back but they would.
"You said how sorry you was when you shot at me in the forest of doors" - Now trying to ignore their closeness, Aria lowered her face on the pillow.
Aegis intervened again -"My user felt threatened to the point that the madness reached her again. She almost lost her sense of self. It was scary, da?... She also disaproves of my musical choosing."- Yet the music kept going, he had already a soft playlist ready.
Julius set his hand over his forehead. Of course she was thinking that, she was so damn stubborn and paranoid…-"We weren't shooting at you! We…"
Ace put his hand over Julius mouth. - "Actions speak, right? Let's go on a date to dinner and make amends"
Aria didn't answer and Aegis remained silent. On the feline's face, a sort of smirk could be seen.-"You caught my user's attention, she is actually quite hungry."
"A nice fancy dinner."- Ace tried but still no response came from her.
Julius removed Ace's hand from his mouth. -"We're the ones paying."
She raised her eyebrow and seemed to ponder it, then hesitated before stating her answer -"...No. "
"You choose the restaurant."- Julius tried again, now backing up Ace and this slight chance they might get.
As if remembering how long it had been since she actually ate, her stomach growled- "Traitor..."
Aegis rolled so his belly was up to the sunlight - "She deeply misses the food from her homeland… or any real nice meal at all. I also inform you that she needs more proteins in her diat, some omega 3, vitamins D, B and... "
"Then it's settled. We're going on a date tonight and Ari is gonna put some meat on her bones" - XD Ace happily exclaimed.
Aria growled and her stomach rumbled again. "Fine, but let me sleep first. I'm tired"- She closed her eyes.
Julius's gently grabbed her jaw to make her look him in the eyes-"First give us your mercenary word that you aren't going to try and run away or kill us before this 'date'... or during it."
Aria tried to bite his hand while A.I. spoke on behalf of his mistress once more: -" She says: "Fine, I promise by my mercenary word… just get the fuck away and let me rest, dammit." - The A.I. stretched and yawned while the voice continued on.- " She speaks the true. Currently my owner is extremely tired and has no strength to even get on a nihilist streak, da?. So please let my user rest."
Ace got of the bed and dragged Julius with him - "Ok, kitty. make sure she rests well for tonight's date"
.
They left the room with a few glances back and headed to the kitchen where Julius prepared some well needed coffee and handed Ace the first mug.
With a content smile, the knave inhale the beverage before taking a sip-"I want to lock her up and keep her to ourselves… but I also enjoy chasing her"- Ace admitted -"Her pet is also funny don't you think?"
Julius served himself and sipped on his hot drink. He couldn't deny that he agreed on wanting to keep her locked, safe and for himself but... -"She's still a foreigner and free to do as she wishes. "
"And how do we make her wish to stay here?"- Ace took a long sip and then filled his mug again, and had a brilliant idea that led to the most obvious of solutions. -" Let's just propose to her before anyone does. A connector seals it. Wanna do it or I do it?" Wouldn't it be great if we could monopolize her in all ways?"
Julius almost choke on his drink. The demented executioner was straight out talking about marriage, and although Julius agreed on wanting to monopolize her, there were many things wrong with this. He set his mug on the table and massaged his temples- "Are you aware of the complications?" - How was a relationship with two men and a single woman supposed to function? Julius was uncomfortable with the thought of sharing Aria but he doubted Ace would mind it at all. He was aware of the knight's feelings but often set them aside as child's play despite knowing that the knave was serious about getting both Julius and Aria in a neat little package deal. Julius was having quite the dilemma trying to imagine the three of them actually forming a healthy relationship between the three of themselves when two of the three were already mentally unstable as it was and had psychopathic tendencies.
"Have you thought what you really want? Have you considered what will happen if you don't act?- Ace took another sip and enjoyed the coffee's bitter taste. - "If you don't act I'll do, but that's only half a chance to win"
Julius knew it. He could let Ace act alone, but then the risk was double. The knight and the mercenary were not right in the head and they could kill each other or they could go away from him. He couldn't stop them from coming or going but what did he really want? Julius remained silent, deep in his thoughts. He did not want a life that did not include the two of them, that he knew for certain. So the only option was to progress in the relationship or regress and he did not want to do the latter because that was a 'death' end. But having Ace and Aria as lovers? The idea made him very uncomfortable and caused him goosebumps to crawl over his skin, but any other way wouldn't work. Ace was not gonna renounce to either of them and most likely he wouldn't accept just to share Aria without sharing him too. -"She can choose only one."
Ace observed Julius having a mental monologue and suspected that the mortician was arguing with himself how this could not work. - "It's alright if you claim her, if you don't do it then I will. I'm not letting anyone else do that and I'm not letting her get away from us, either one of us or the two of us."- Then he remembered that something like giving a connector was not supposed to be so sudden - "We should get into a formal relationship first, right? So we ought to ask her about girfriend - boyfriend stuff. Should we take her camping?... not, going for a drink is a better dating activity, right? DO we do that after dinner next night cycle?"
Julius took the rest of his coffee in one go.- "I'll go fix more clocks -" He went to his office and kept this conversation in the back of his mind. A real relationship? He wasn't ready for something like that… although he did want something deeper, however, for now that was thinking too far. Not only did he had his duties and there were still hundreds of clocks left to be repaired, but he had other issues to take care off. The territory was changing just so vaguely but noticeable, many business had changed and there were plenty of constructions or renovations, also someone was boycotting him and no price was less than 5 times what it ought to be. Sure, everyone hated him, but this was just strange because there were very few direct attacks. Nightmare was not taking care of anything because the general situation was fine for the country, but Julius felt that something was odd and amiss, and he would have to take care of it before it somehow reached Aria and distress her already unstable mind even more than it already was.
.
.
.
Oh my, It looks like Ace wants to jump to capture her directly, poor Julius, hes probably having a very heavy mental debate.
What you think of Aegis as a transaltor? I like the way he translates or how he privdes the backgtound music XD
Do review please :3 BTW, I'm thinking on taking down various of the stories to focus on the ones with more chapters. What do you think?
.