Void Rift (rp) - Intermission

"Same place." He smiles.

 

Mark waves before jumping back into the water.

"...Well, that leaves us open for the day." Anne comments.

 

"Yeah. But I do want to visit Rema today."

 

"Then I suppose we do that next? I've got food ready for us in the forest."

 

"Lets grab some food and head out."

 

"Alright. I already threatened a few other foxes into gathering some berries, and I figure we could cook a few of the less cooperative ones." Anne says, starting towards the forest.

 

"Cook the foxes? Jeez Anne."

 

"What? Do you just want to eat berries, or do you want something more substantial?"

 

"No. It's just.. never expected something like that to come from your mouth."

 

"Well, I sure hope they save her soon so I can get you your old life back." Vexa says, frustrated.

Meanwhile...

I burst into the massage parlor, Stephanie trailing me.

"Hey, Ihra! We have some great news!" I say happily.

 

"If I give you the blade, can I have the guest room for a month?" Ruby asks, hopeful.

"Shit... so close." She thinks. "Sorry, Abigail."


"What's thaa-aaahhht?"

________________________________

"My parents suck, and so do my people." She shrugs.

 

"A year. That thing is damn powerful." Vexa says, her mood brightening.

Ruby feels a little sadder from Abigail.


"Stephanie, why don't you go ahead and tell her?" I ask happily.

"I've made a prototype totem that, if all goes well, should completely negate the Hive Master's control for a period of time in a large area. If we can find a way to get a portal open to the Realm of Light if it works, we could save and protect countless controlled beings without needing to kill them first," Stephanie says, summoning a totem twice her size next to her, "But...it's just a protoype. It uses the same sort of magic Xlentia has protecting her and so would disable psychic abilities for us too. As well as that, it's going to need some time to charge up, so we'll need to defend it when we go to test it against Gaia's attackers. Even then, it might not even work as intended, or at all."

 

"Right... but not everyone is the same."

 

Ruby flashes a smile, before returning to her emotionless face.

Abigail feels fewer senses.
"We'll make this quick. If there's anything fire is good at, it's scorching a way through a problem.


"That could help, if we can make it practical... but are you sure open-nnnnnnnnnnnning a portal to the Realm of Light is a good idea? You know, with Lux gone?"

"That's why we eat the stubborn ones."

 

"Feel free to say if you want to stay longer. This blade is of such great smithing quality, I think I'll keep it for my own use." Vexa says happily.

"W-What are you going to do?" Abigail asks, scared.


"We were going to bring the ones we save back here first. We need someone to go to the Realm of Light to arrange things with the portal." I say.

"Do we have to, aaah...go soon, Aj?" Artemis asks blissfully, relaxed.

"I don't think Gaia can survive forever without our help to be honest." Stephanie says, shrugging, focusing for a moment before de-summoning the large totem, a bit of rock dust falling where it once was.

 

"Don't cut yourself. No guarantee your armor will hold up against it, either."
Pause.
"Sorry to diss on guardian weapons. I just... have made better."

"We're going to go help your friends fight... just not now."


"I'll go-oooooohh, that felt good..."

 

"You're a fine smith, and once I get you your old life back, I'd be honored if you could train me." Vexa says, bowing to Ruby.

"Oh, o-ok." Abigail says nervously.


"Oh...Aj, you need to learn how to-aaah...massage like this." Artemis says.

"Yeah...but we sort of have a goddess to save sooo." I say.

"F-Five...ten more minu-ooh, minutes." Artemis says, extremely relaxed.

 

"If you say so."
He hesitates.

 

"I'll warn you, my apprentices have a fifteen percent survival rate through the crash course."
Pause.
"Oh, yeah... uh... can the blade also cover the cost of recharging my staff?"

"I'll just have to get my staff recharged..."


"I'll be there in a minute..." Ihra says lazily.

________________________________

"...Okay, fine, I'll have them hunt rabbits. Does that make you feel better?"

 

Vexa opens her till, taking out a couple of diamond coins and tossing them to Ruby.


"We should prepare things so we can go when Artemis and Ihra are ready." Stephanie says.

"Alright. Don't take too long." I say, leaving with Stephanie.