Void Rift (rp) - Intermission

I try waking them up by tapping the sides of the heads one at a time.

 

Same shot. She can count eight targets to pass through, but again, there's no telling what's behind that cluster.


"I think the respite-dwellers call it a prison? I can't remember."


She looks for recently-input coordinates.

________________________________

All of them wake up.
"Hmm?"
"Whatha..."
"Ughh..."
"Five more..."

 

“Stand up and get home.”
I command.

 

Shadow Stephanie sets the detonation to eleven, before firing.


"That sounds like a prison to me." The guard says.


The list of commands seems to have been wiped recently, the last set of commands seeming to lead to the void palace library.

 

They stumble up and head out, one bumping into the doorway on the way out.

It explodes in the middle of the line, the blast vaporizing the entire line and half of the siege engines.
...And attracting all eyes on her. The portal's in plain sight, but it'd be a costly risk to try and reload and get the shot in without retreating.


"Maybe we should start using that term. It sounds nicer than a dungeon, even though it's worse."


Ihra sighs, putting in coordinates on Earth and stepping through.

 

I don't pay them much mind.

"So, we're done here?"
"You can be. I've got some clean up to do."
I walk over to the guards, removing the darts from their necks.
"You want these?"
"I'll take 'em."
I toss them to Voidfiller, who sends them down a portal.
"I still think it's fucked that you killed her."
I walk over to the king's clothes, taking his robe.
"Dude, she killed herself."
"After you drowned her."
"After she took a suicide pill."

 

"Hmmm. No children were in the palace, or on the walk. I wonder what happened to them?"

 

"Okay..."
He heads into the deeper parts of the cave.
"Miss dragon."

 

Shadow Stephanie retreats, reloading.


The guard nods.


Ihra ends up in a suburban village, cottages built next to each other without touching. A few humans walking about give Ihra odd looks.

 

"Perhaps. However, further investigation is currently not a priority."

 

Why can't anyone use gunpowder?

 

One of the four turns from the doorway.
"Hah... those pills? They're vitamin tablets. You fucking killed her over her act?"

Because it doesn't exist.

"What is, then?"

A few mechs body block shots meant for her, others using their shield energy to let her line up a shot.


The Matriarch nods.
"Yeah, thanks. I'll have them call it a prison."
Pause.
"...The crowd can't hear me rambling, can they?"


Ihra smiles and winks at one of them as she runs off, flowers growing with each step.

She looks up, laying on the side with her children wrestling on her belly.
"Yes?"

The room's quiet, no response at all.

 

"Are you territorial?"
He walks up to her.

 

Shadow Stephanie tries to get into a good position for a precise portal shot.


"No, you've been given privacy." The guard says.

The crowd seems to have dispersed, not many people near The Matriarch.


As Ihra runs past a human, they seem to hold a metal rectangle in front of them, a clicking sound heard as Ihra runs past.

 

"We all have to be. Why?"

She's got a clear shot from most angles... the only thing stopping her from getting a direct shot is the occasional friendly mech taking fire for her.


"Okay, good... I was worried for a moment there." She sighs, relieved.


She stops, turning.
"What, you never seen a dragon before?"

 

Shadow Stephanie lines up her shot, making sure it's clear before firing.


The guard gives a reassuring smile.


"Not really dude. I didn't even know there could be like, a human dragon. Can I get a selfie?" The human asks.

 

Third portal down, and the remaining siege artillery starts unloading every bit of ammo they have all at once.
"Get the hell back, now!" A pilot says, body blocking a few explosive rails.


"Well, I, uh... am probably gonna go back home and take a nap. Could you send your king my way once he gets back?"


"I'm a girl, but... sure? I need to find a shadow, so if it doesn't take long, go ahead." Ihra says, a bit annoyed.

 

Shadow Stephanie dashes back inside, trying to protect her mech suit.


The guard nods.


"Haha, you suicidal?" The human asks, walking over to Ihra and holding up the metal rectangle, turning it around. A display of Ihra and the human appears on a screen, and the human seems to capture it as a picture.

 

The barrel of the gun gets dented by a railgun shot just as she ducks into safety.


"Thanks. I... didn't know that my silly little hobby could stir up this much interest."


"No, what's wrong with shadows?" Ihra asks, confused. "I get they're bloodthirsty and all, but it's not like they're all bad. There's a woman who's a shadow with a form that looks like me, and she's really nice. She makes really good tea, too."
Pause.
"Oh, right, you guys hate guardians and stuff."

 

Shadow Stephanie just ignores it, wagering that taking out the portals is enough to justify a dent.


"Well, you do your hobby well. That's to be appreciated." The guard says.


"Hate's a pretty strong word. Some of them aren't actually assholes and work with us, while others just kill anyone who step in "their" "territory" for no reason." The human says.