[IC] Flames of rebellion (Thewindel and FaithfulMuse)

[FaithfulMuse]

"I'll tell them again that I haven't seen you before, that's all I can do for you. And considering the fact that you broke into my house and are considered a global criminal, I don't think it's that odd that I'm interested by you." Trixie reminded Kiara.

It actually made no sense that she was defending this woman, but Kiara was armed and had threatened her, there was no doubt about that. So even if Kiara had been innocent, Trixie didn't really have that much of a choice at all.

When the door was opened, Jackson looked at the AI again. Before she could ask anything, the AI started talking. "Look, I already told you that I haven't seen that woman you're looking for." She said, but Jackson shrugged it off.

"We would like to take a look in your house. We have a warrant. And if you're telling the truth, I suppose you have nothing to fear, do you?" Jackson answered, at which the AI stepped aside without any more words. Now there was really nothing she could do.

[TheWendil]

Giltwith followed the other two as Trixie stepped aside for them to enter freely. However upon doing so, they found the living room to be empty. Were they wrong after all? Or had the Catalyst somehow escaped by now? The dark-haired Knight paced around the area with his eyes scanning for any signs of struggle or last-ditch abandonment.

Little to them all, Kiara had chosen to hide herself with the logic that if the Imperium really were the ones at the door for a second time around then they would either bring reinforcements or search the complex properly. Her specific spot was of course further in the bedroom where she waited to pounce on whoever dared to enter. Once the confusion started she would force her way through an pick up again on the streets.

Not finding anyone in the living room Giltwith patiently waited beside Jackson for further orders.

[FaithfulMuse]

Jackson entered the house without any further delay, soon finding out that the living room was empty. Still, that didn't mean anything, there were more rooms their target could be hiding in.

"Search through the other rooms, I'll start in the kitchen." She said shortly, not wanting to waste any time.

Before getting into the house, Elliot offered Trixie a friendly smile. "Don't worry, it won't take long." He said, at which Trixie forced a smile onto her face.

[TheWendil]

Giltwith too the initiative to search for the single seen bedroom next. As this was a rather small establishment, there weren't alot of rooms to check for in their search. As such, it was to his great surprise when he felt a swift fist to his gut upon entering the doorway. Before he knew it, he was already on his knees clenching his abdomen while the sound of scurrying feet filled his ears.

Kiara didn't hesitate to draw her weapon just in case, barreling out of the bedroom and making a line straight for the front door. The Imperium soldiers had left it wide open and so she would use this chance to escape for good.

"Miss Jackson....stop her," Giltwith called out with a gasp.

[FaithfulMuse]

Jackson didn't hesitate to run after the woman as soon as she heard Gilwith. She wasn't going to let this woman escape now that they had found her. No, she would catch her, and their target would get what she deserved.

Elliot wasn't sure how to react right away, but soon followed after Jackson. He just couldn't understand why Trixie would lie to them and put everything she had at risk after working so hard for it all, but he supposed he should worry about that later.

[TheWendil]

As Kiara made a bolt for the door, a sudden thought entered her head. What about Trixie? Well what about her? The woman had served her purpose, and that was her problem for trusting Kiara in the first place. Still, it felt wrong to just leave her fate in the hands of the Imperium like that; she would be taken in and interrogated...but still....

Groaning, Kiara turned back around and summoned her weapon: the Volunta. With a sigh, she discharged a short burst of energy to send her flying over the approaching Jackson and skid on the ground next to Trixie. She stood in front of the AI and held her weapon out in a defensive manner.

Having recovered from his own plight, Giltwith stood up and materialized his weapon as well as a massive blade. Gripping the guard tightly, he watched the Catalyst's moves for any sign of distraction.

[FaithfulMuse]

Trixie looked at Kiara and was unsure of what to do. She was ptotecting her, but still Trixie wanted to yell at her for just showing up out of nowhere and ruining her entire life, making all the effort she had made to get all of this, all she had with one person who helped her, go to waste.

That one person now stared at her in disbelief, and she felt guilty. He was the only friend she had, and she had just lied to him. They both knew that, and Trixie hated herself because of it. He didn't deserve such a thing.

Jackson was trying to decide on what to do. If they did anything, there was the possibility that the catalyst would use the AI as a shield. Not that Jackson really cared much about the robot, but she doubted that the Imperium would want any dead, innocent beings. She shifted her look to Elliot for just a second. But of course, the idiot looked like once again, he was totally useless.

[TheWendil]

"Please, step away from the citizen Catalyst."

"Or what?"

"We will be forced to use excessive force if need be."

Giltwith and Kiara stared each other down, blades gripped tightly in both of their palms. The flaming-haired renegade smirked curtly in regards to his fighting stature; both knew that Kiara was one of the Imperium's finest assassins prior to her defection. Winning this battle would be difficult for them both.

Without another word, Giltwith leapt forward and struck overhand with his sword. Like a flash, Kiara quickly parried the move herself. The clangs of metal on metal rang out in the small apartment as sparks flew from the intensity of each's weapons.

[FaithfulMuse]

While the two of them fought, Jackson waited for the moment when Kiara would be distracted enough, so that she could get to the citizen.

Trixie still didn't know what to do. Now there was a fight going on, and she wasn't in a position to do anything at all.

[TheWendil]

Pushing Giltwith back, Kiara kept sparing glances over at the AI beside her, making sure she was not in immediate danger. The second male seemed to be keeping his intent on the battle at hand, and the female was watching her moves closely. Gritting her teeth, she jumped away from another overhanded slash and placed herself between Trixie and the attackers once more.

"Hey, you gonna help or what? Three on one isn't fair for me you know."

Kiara risked a precious moment to direct Trixie for....something. She had to do something, or the both of them would be punished for their respective crimes against the Imperium's will.

[FaithfulMuse]

Trixie looked at Kiara. "You're asking me for help?" She asked, sighing and shaking her head. "You are unbelievable! I have no weapon and no skills and even if I had, why should I fight with you? I forgave you for ruining my window, gave you shelter and you made me lie to my best friend, just to keep your sorry ass safe! You single handedly ruined my life and don't even give a damn about it! All you care about is yourself and you can't care less about what you did means to me! You ruined everything for me and you don't deserve any help!" Trixie shouted in anger, glaring at Kiara with a furious look in her eyes.

[TheWendil]

"You are unbelievable! I have no weapon and no skills and even if I had, why should I fight with you? I forgave you for ruining my window, gave you shelter and you made me lie to my best friend, just to keep your sorry ass safe! You single handedly ruined my life and don't even give a damn about it! All you care about is yourself and you can't care less about what you did means to me! You ruined everything for me and you don't deserve any help!"

Stunned, Kiara lowered her guard for only the briefest of moments to glance over at Trixie in shock. In hindsight, she should have expected something like this to happen. Barging into her home like that, dragging her into this conflict....what right did she have? Still, she had come too far to allow herself to be captured now. To die here would be an insult.

Giltwith took the chance to raise his sword and slash it in a downward arc, launching a curve of energy composed of light and darkness. The attack just barely registering in her peripheral vision, Kiara swiped down to counter with her own energy slash. The two forces met and collided, bathing the room in a brilliant flash of light.

Before the Knight could react once more, Kiara leapt back behind Trixie and placed her palm over the AI's mouth. Putting away her summoned weapon, she took her other hand to pin Trixie's arms to her body and waited for the room to clear.

She was being desperate if she was now resorting to using a hostage for bargaining.

[FaithfulMuse]

"Let her go!" Elliot shouted in response Kiara grabbing his friend and using her as a hostage. A fireball ignited in the palm of his hand. Trixie had lied to him, but she still was his friend. They would have to solve their problems later, but he still cared for her.

Jackson looked at Elliot, letting out a sigh. "Calm down, unless you want to hurt your friend. As long as she has the citizen, we can't do anything." She snapped.

[TheWendil]

"Let her go!"

"Calm down, unless you want to hurt your friend. As long as she has the citizen, we can't do anything."

"That's right, Just calm down and maybe we can handle this like adults, alright?"

Kiara wasn't exactly happy with the approach she was using, but she felt she had no other choice. Moving forward, she carefully led both her and Trixie closer towards the front door, making sure her grip was tight enough to hold the AI.

Giltwith watched the actions with a hard stare, arguing with himself if now was the right moment to strike or let her run out and catch her later. Choices and decisions...the Imperium would not be satisfied with today's mission.

[FaithfulMuse]

Elliot stared at Kiara with a hateful look in his eyes, which was an extremely rare thing for him. He wasn't one to get angered fast, but this definitely was more than enough. She was kidnapping his friend, and possibly worst of all, was that he couldn't do anything without risking to hurt Trixie. With a frustated sigh, he died the fire he ignited in the palm of his hand just a moment ago.

Trixie pulled at Kiara's arm with all the strength she could bring up and tried kicking her, all in an useless effort to do something that would cause Kiara to let go of her. A good amount of swearwords aimed at her kidnapper also escaped the mouth of the AI, but they were all muffled by the hand that was pressed against her mouth firmly.

[TheWendil]

Kiara grunted as she felt Trixie fight and struggle under her; in an attempt to settle her down, she nudged her fist softly into the AI's gut while clenching her palm over Trxie's mouth even tighter. By now, the two had safely made it outside into the open with a good amount of distance putting them off from the three Imperium soldiers. However, the Catalyst wasn't quite done yet. She waited until they were enveloped by the shadows to make her move....

"What...are your orders Miss Jackson?"

It was obvious to Giltwith now that there wouldn't be much of a chance of capturing the two tonight. For now, they had to let the both of them go, despite the fact that Trixie was now a conspirator as well.

[FaithfulMuse]

"That's simple, we wait until tomorrow. There's nothing we can do tonight." Jackson answered.

"What? You're kidding, right? We can't just leave a citizen with one of the biggest criminals and wait!" Elliot reacted. He hated that he couldn't help Trixie before, and especially that Jackson wouldn't let him do anything now.

"Your friend helped out said criminal, in case you forgot, and she needs to be captured too. But nothing we can do right now will be helpful. So just calm down and shut up for now, okay?" Jackson said, which seemed to be enough to make her assistant shut up.

Trixie didn't give up, but instead kept struggling as much as she could, hoping to get away somehow. She hated Kiara, she truly hated her and wanted to get as far away from her as possible. She'd turn herself in, that was definitely the best to do now that she was a fugutive anyway, and she would have to apologise to Elliot for lying to him. She hoped he would understand.

[TheWendil]

"Your friend helped out said criminal, in case you forgot, and she needs to be captured too. But nothing we can do right now will be helpful. So just calm down and shut up for now, okay?"

Giltwith said nothing more, not did he move towards Elliot in any attempt to comfort him. Elliot should have known better than the place personal emotions in the line of duty. Because of it, now they were forced to concede the battle for now. Still, Giltwith did not blame or pity the other Knight, simply accepting the situation as it was.

"Right," he finally said aloud. "So who wants to report this back to Spencer?"

A good mile away, Kiara sighed in relief while finally loosening her grip on Trixie; not enough to turn her loose or release her, but enough to give the other girl some more breathing space. They had lost the Imperium for now, but they were always being watched. They had to keep moving.

"Would you stop moving around so much," Kiara muttered lowly. "Right now, taking you with me is the best option for you. If you turn yourself in, I promise you the Imperium won't hesitate in executing you just because you've had contact with me. Look, sorry for ruining your night, but just tough it out and get over it. We have to keep moving...."

[FaithfulMuse]

Trixie listened to what Kiara had to say, and then laughed at her afterwards. "Impressive. I've never heard someone say that much bullshit in such a short moment." She answered with a glare. "Taking me with you wasn't good for me and that's not why you did it. You kidnapped me because that was your only option when I refused to help. You didn't do this crap for me, you did it for none other than yourself and you know that just as fucking well as I do. As for ruining just my night, that's not what you did. You ruined my life! You ruined everything I worked for! You took everything I cared about in this world away from me and crushed it! Do you have any idea how much effort it cost me and my friend to get me out of a life of prostitution and give me a normal life? Did you even wonder what it was like when I met someone who looked past what I was made for and offered me friendship? Because those things are exactly what counted for me, a normal life and a friend, but thanks to you, I have neither left anymore, and I'd rather die than living without those things!" Trixie shouted at Kiara, her voice a mixture of anger and sadness.

"I will. That way I can rest assured that this moron doesn't screw up twice at the same night." Jackson said in a cold voice, though her voice had a sharp edge to it.

"I'm not a moron!" Elliot snapped in response to Jackson, glaring at her. It was his fault that the Catalyst escaped, he knew that. But that was no reason to insult him.

"Is that so? If you're not, than how come that we're here, without the Catalyst and your useless little robot friend, which are now both fugutives and meant to be caught? Because the way I see it, there's obviously one person to blame for this." Jackson answered, still in the same, cold voice.

[TheWendil]

Kiara froze upon hearing Trixie's harsh words, instantly letting go of the AI. Backing away, her eyes widened at the sheer bitterness and anger present within her voice. But...did she expect anything less? Everything Trixie had said was true; she had swooped in and ruined this citizen's life. And for what exactly? Because she needed a place to crash? Being an assassin, Kiara just wasn't used to dealing with people on a social level; she was more prone to just killing them before they gave her lip. Taking a sigh, Kiara finally conceded.

"I guess you deserve some answers, huh? Well I don't know if what I say next will convince you at all. Hell, you could just leave me right now if you want too...I wouldn't be able to stop you. But something tells me you at least want an explanation for all my trouble, right?"

Back in Trixie's residence, Giltwith sighed as well, although for a completely different reason than Kiara's. Arguing among each other wouldn't really solve anything, nor would it bring the two fugitives to justice.

"Is that so? If you're not, than how come that we're here, without the Catalyst and your useless little robot friend, which are now both fugitives and meant to be caught? Because the way I see it, there's obviously one person to blame for this."

"Woah, whoah now. That's alot of anger coming from that statement Miss Jackson. Let's all try to settle down from the blaming game, hmm?"

A familiar voice turned Giltwith's head towards the front door where Spencer Parker stood in the low light. Grinning, he had his hands in his pockets and a shrug in his shoulder.

"Soooo.....you wanted to tell me something?"