[IC] Behind The Light - crawkid/megara

[Crawkid]

Seeing the chance for fun and playful interrogation, Chi decides to join in with Dante. Grinning with mischeif, he comes up behind aura, "Thats not very nice~"

Astra watches her thoughtfully, and nods slowly, "The man has a spotless record, as far as I know...but I still do not want our base here to be found so easily. You are an exception, it seems. Please put off telling him right away."

[MegaraFoxfire]

Aura jumped and turned, shaking worse as she moved backwards. “I can’t…it’s not that I want to…but it’s a sprite thing…seeing the fates…seeing what is to come…but I didn’t see it so I can’t speak…” she was starting to breath hard, her eyes wide.

Ash nodded and said “I’ll tell him what he needs to know right now. He has his own department to check. If he needs to clean up, he needs to start now…” she got up slowly, needing to pace so her nerves would calm down. She paused after a few rounds and said “tell me…is it just my cores people talk about? Nothing else about me?”

[Crawkid]

Chi doesnt move from his spot for a moment, looking at his frined with a frozen look of mischeif, though his gaze does slowly turn more thoguhtful, then he takes a step back and shrugs, "ALright. I'll just tell Astra. Guess its fae stuff, and not my business. Now how about some food?"

The elf smiles wryly, " You are valued, Asteria. By the few that know you, it seems you've quite the sense of loyalty, justice, and seflessness...but it must be hard for you, you suspect people of only caring about your inventions...while you also spend all day in your workshop. You don't let anyone close. You must have really been hurt by someone in the past, but...that makes you exceedingly easy to isolate and target."

[MegaraFoxfire]

Aura blinked as Dante looked over and said “alright sounds good. Let’s go” he walked after Chi and Aura sank to her knees, breathing hard.

Dante looked over at the cat and said “something big is coming…that much is clear…”

Ash looked down at her hands. Seems her true secret was still under wraps. Good. She said softly “I…was betrayed…by someone I thought I could trust…and in that whole mess a dear friend lost their life…I don’t plan on repeating that mistake…”

[Crawkid]

Chi frowns as they walks, looking like a very serious lttle boy. As they walked, he remained silent for sometime, thinking of his words, but also shifting again. Just enough to give himself some white hair and a pair of cat ears. Finally as they reach the hall for them to get something to eat, he grumbles, "Maybe ts time to stop playing...."

Astra smiles sadly, sitting up a bit straighter, "Betrayal hurts...losing someone hurts." she nods, "But you cant fully isolate yourself...becausee loneliness must also hurt" she takes a moment to observe again, before speaking softly, "For sme reason, you have very little care for your life....you dont take necessary steps to protect yourself, despite what resources you have. And you don't look for the danger you know is out there, let alone what more there could be. Perhaps you are under the illusion that the only thing that could be lost is your life, hm?"

[MegaraFoxfire]

Dante nodded and said “I agree. I think these attacks are the first move by our foe. They want brilliant minds for something…”

Ash said softly “I don’t go looking for trouble. When it finds me alone then I can take it down and no one else gets hurt…unlike last night when Chi was almost hurt because of me…”

[Crawkid]

He smiles wryly, grabbing an apple of the snack table, "We fight against the suffering of the system, the failings of the council...right? Our enemy is whoever causes that...it could be anyone. But whoever sent that bot...I think they were willing to kill their target this time. Didnt feel like a capture mission, you know?"

Astra shakes her head, "Theres a difference between looking for trouble, and looking out for it." a sigh "You're so fragile, you dont even realize it." she leans forwards, "Maybe you wont realize it until its too late...I should pity someone like you"

[MegaraFoxfire]

Dante said “no I think they wanted to trigger something. They wanted to take her…but knew she wouldn’t be easy…” he paused and said “how did she fight back before you both came here?”

Ash snapped. Shadows shot out and slammed into the elf, pinning her to the wall. Ash glared at astra, her eyes silver. “Don’t pity me! I don’t need anyone pity! I don’t want others getting hurt because of what I am!!!” Then she stopped and gasped, holding her head. “No! Let her go! I am the master of this power! Not you!” The shadows then released Astra and Ash fell to her knees, panting.

“I’m…sorry…I have to keep my…emotions…in check…or my shadows react…that’s the secret I can’t let out…”

[Crawkid]

"Well they sure triggered something." he grumbles, taking a big bite of apple. "uh...well, she has a gun on her. but she told me to go into her shop the first night. and then used something to crush the bot they sent"

Astra of course seemed alarmed at first, but when she realized that it was just shadow magic holding her in place, she calmed down considerably, just observing the girl infront of her. As she is let go, she calmly walks forward and sghs, "...is it your emotions? or is it a different personality all together?"

[MegaraFoxfire]

Dante paused and said “the turtle bot…I saw the shop afterwards…but I mean the fight that made you open the portal here? Those goons attacking?”

Ash shook her head as she held her face and said “no…the shadows…they are…protective…of me…but I can keep control of them…unless my emotions aren’t in check…then they lash out like that…I’m truly sorry…” she tried to get up, shaking badly as she did. Her mind was going wild. I have to get out of here. I can’t risk hurting anyone, especially Chi after all he has risked for me…I have to get control of myself. I won’t be the reason for anyone’s tears again… ash looked at the elf and said “I really should be…going…I shall think about…” she stumbled into the bed frame, her eyes wide and her hands shaking.

[Crawkid]

"Oh, yea. that was a gun...at first" he frowns some, "...she also had shadow powers"

Instead of moving to stop her, or help her move, or yell...astra simple holds up her hand slightly, the shadows around them suddenly feeling...suppressed. She smiles kindly, "Rest. I can handle myself."

[MegaraFoxfire]

Dante stopped and turned to look at him, stunned. “Wait, shadow powers? Without a contract or spell work? How is that possible?”

Ash blinked, feeling the shadows relax and calm down for the first time in weeks for her. She looked at the elf and said “how…wait, you can control them? I thought…” she moved to the side a bit, the room tilting a bit from the shock of all of this. She held her forehead and muttered “I don’t…dad said…there wasn’t…others…but I guess he meant like mother…or me…” she was still shaking as she tried to keep upright, her body a mess.

[Crawkid]

Chi blinks, "What...is innate magic not normal for someone like her?"

"Hm...well, let's just say that I learned, and leave it at that for now. You dont need more to think about."

[MegaraFoxfire]

Dante shook his head and said “for a human? No it’s not. They have to use spell weaving or contract like your portals. That means she’s not just human. That will change things…we need to tell Astra”

Ash nodded softly, her head pounding “I think…your right there…but I really should…get going…I don’t want…”

Dante with Chi was heading for the room he knew Ash and his lady were in. He hoped they were both alright.

[Crawkid]

"right...there was something about a mana infusion..." he murmurs some, deciding to just follow dante, tossing his core into a trash nearby

"dont want to what? Hurt me...? You can't. I am older than you, more experienced than you...and frankly, I have more mana, and a stronger aura than you. You are physically incapable fo hurting me with your magic....but your reliance on emotional control is troubling."

[MegaraFoxfire]

Dante said “mana…crap, she’s not human. She must be half breed. This is bad. If she’s alone out there then she has no idea how to control her powers under stress. Could be worse depending on what she is truly…”

Ash looked at her and said “my mother…couldn’t teach me much…always said my emotions were the key to my shadows…but I’ve never been able to find a way to control them how I should…so I lock my emotions down…it’s the best way to keep those around me safe”

Dante and Chi made it to the door and heard what Ash was saying. Dante paused, listening.

Ash looked down and said “I was okay until dad was killed…after that I kept losing it…lash out…it was hard to hide it…I couldn’t be found out…couldn’t let anyone know who my mother was…I can’t be in the wrong hands…I promised I would keep her gift safe…” she held her head with both hands, her breathing getting sharp and fast.

Dante opened the door and said “my lady, we have new information…”

[Crawkid]

Chi follows silently.

Astra keeps her eyes on the girl infront of her as she starts confessing and explaining things, "Yes...I guess you could say that. Connecting with your emotions makes it easier to connect with your magic..."

As Dante opens the door, she tilts her head slightly to acknowledge him, "Wait a moment." she tell him, then walks towards Ash and gently lays a hand on her shoulder, kneeling to be at eye level and speaking softly. "You cant think of those powers like a human. It is not some seperate entitity, it is not some broken spell circle.....it is a part of you, like an emotion. like a limb...an etherial limb."

[MegaraFoxfire]

Dante moved forward and said “she’s not human fully my lady…the shadows are part of her”

Ash looked at Astra then said weakly “so more…like a part of a machine? It’s all in the same system?” She was pale now and Dante frowned “She’s not looking okay. Was she injured?”

[Crawkid]

SHe nods patiently, "I can see that." she smiles slightly as she begins transferring some of her mana to Ash "I could see something was different...but I didnt recognize it early enough to put two and two together" turning the conversation to Ash, she speaks in hushed tones again, "....if you must think of it that way, you could say its part of your biological mechanics. Mana is like blood, magic is like using a limb....but you must be careful using it. If you use more mana than you passively absorb, it can be as bad as blood loss....then you end up like this. So, accept some of mine"

[MegaraFoxfire]

Ash nodded weakly and took her hand, her skin cold. Dante moved and pulled the blanket off the bed and around her and said “Chi? How badly was she wounded last night? I fear she might be in a little shock. I don’t think she will able to handle this conscious”