Conversation Space III.

[powersthatbe]

A poured concrete floor and cinder block walls are lit by a single bare light bulb hanging overhead. Shackles dangle from brackets on every side, and the chair in the center of the room is clearly an electric chair. A tall glass sits on top of a stool made of what looks like pure gold - but the liquid inside it is almost definitely blood.

Comments

[powersthatare]

Splinters of crystal shatter around the bullet hole, but zie appears no more discommoded by the wound.

HAVE YOU NOT SEEN THE WARNINGS? BAD TOYS ARE BROKEN. The voice is thick, ugly, gloating, and the figure reaches out to close one massive fist around Melissa's gun hand.

[stopinthenameofawe]

Melissa tried to jerk her hand back, anger and defiance and the beginnings of panic. "I am no one's toy," she snarls, "And if you think I'm going to be good, you have another thing coming."

[powersthatare]

The fist is tightest around the barrel of her gun - she can certainly get her hand free if she lets go. Otherwise, there's going to be a tug-of-war.

YOU ARE MY TOY. YOUR NATURE COMPLEMENTS MINE. YOUR METHODS PARALLEL MINE. TOGETHER WE WILL SHACKLE THIS UNNATURAL CEREMONY TO OUR WILL.

[stopinthenameofawe]

Fuck that, this is her gun. She wants it back.

"And what the fuck do you even want?" She's still tugging on her gun, and she is not a goddamn toy, but she's a little curious too. "The hell is this ceremony and why should I give a shit?"

[powersthatare]

SYNODIPORIA zie answers, and squeezes a little harder, until the gunmetal - and any flesh in zir grip - begin to groan and give. IF YOU DO NOT DEFINE THE VICTORY, THE VICTORY WILL DEFINE YOU.

[stopinthenameofawe]

...Ok, fine, maybe Melissa will give up her gun. Luckily she can make new ones. "You realize that answers nothing, right?" she snaps, "What the hell is the victory? Why can't you do it with dragging us into it?"

[powersthatare]

YOUR MIND IS LIMITED. YOUR PERSPECTIVE IS BOUND TO FLESH.

[stopinthenameofawe]

"That is not a fucking answer." She's just about done with zie.

[powersthatare]

YOUR HATRED GROWS. YOU BECOME MORE MINE EVERY MOMENT.

[stopinthenameofawe]

That stops her, a dread cold filling her as she can almost hear the Beast roar. She is anger, and she hates this motherfucker, whoever he is and whatever he wants. But that's not-- she's been trying, to be something else--

"....Tell me what you want, and why you want it," she says finally, glaringly mightily at him. She wants to get the hell out of here.

[powersthatare]

I WISH THAT ON EVERY WORLD, STARGAZERS SEE ME REFLECTED IN THEIR SKIES. IN EVERY STORY, A SEMBLANCE OF MY MAJESTY WILL STALK FRIGHTENED CHILDREN. WITHIN EVERY HEART, I WILL BE THE NAME GIVEN TO THE DARKEST IMPULSES OF EACH SPECIES. I WISH TO MAGNIFY AND GLORIFY MYSELF, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT I AM.

[stopinthenameofawe]

Not really what she meant. "And why the fuck should I care?"

[powersthatare]

BECAUSE MY GLORY WILL BE YOUR GLORY. AND MY DEBASEMENT WILL SURELY LEAD TO YOURS.

[stopinthenameofawe]

That's... almost a threat, without quite being one. "Is that what everyone is doing this for? Glory?" What a fucking stupid game.

[powersthatare]

WE ARE ALL IN IT FOR OURSELVES.

[stopinthenameofawe]

Melissa sighs. "Very helpful. Can I go now?"

[powersthatare]

YOU CANNOT. YOU ASK THE WRONG QUESTIONS, LITTLE TOY. THINK THE WRONG THOUGHTS.

[stopinthenameofawe]

"I'm not a fucking--" No, no, Melissa. Stay calm so you can get the hell out of here. "Then what, oh mighty Devil, are the 'right' thoughts?"

[powersthatare]

DO YOU NOT WISH TO KNOW HOW TO GAIN POWER? HOW TO OVERCOME YOUR ENEMIES AND ACHIEVE YOUR DESIRES?

[stopinthenameofawe]

Melissa actually has to stop and think about that. Does she want more power? Can she trust herself with more power? What enemies does she have here, that she doesn't rightfully deserve? Her desires... that's harder. But she's not sure she even deserves them. Would she hate herself, if she got what she wanted like this?

"...I don't know," she answers, which is a very odd thing to admit. Though, she does add dryly, "Are you going to tell me anyway?"

[powersthatare]

THAT IS WITHIN MY POWER. I COULD SPEAK TO THAT IN YOU WHICH BEST ALIGNS TO ME, AND RETURN YOU TO THE OTHERS IN THAT STATE.

[stopinthenameofawe]

Melissa doesn't know if zie is threatening to make her want to know, or just saying zie's going to tell her anyway. ...She doesn't much like option number one. "Tell me, then," she says, not sure what's going to happen next but damn sure she'll at least try to fight her way out if she sees an opening.

[powersthatare]

THERE ARE DANGEROUS BEINGS WHOSE NATURE YOU DESPISE. AFTER OUR VICTORY, WE COULD RETURN YOU TO YOUR WORLD WITH THE POWER TO DESTROY THEM ALL. IF YOU SERVE US WELL.

[stopinthenameofawe]

Destroy... all of them?

That's tempting. That's really, really tempting, even if Melissa knows there would be good people to die in that too. But it would eliminate it all, make it no longer a plague upon her planet, no chance of anyone else having to suffer how she and Thorne had. It's enough to make her listen, at least.

"...And what, exactly, would serving you well involve?"

[powersthatare]

REPRESENT OUR ARCHETYPE IN DEEDS.