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Post by HungryHunter on Jan 15, 2019 4:58:05 GMT
Elliot was nearly out the other end of the gazebo when Gan parted the flames like Moses parting the red sea. The head of the Botswright family tried to strike with his spear, but its blunt end struck a pillar and was jarred immediately to a halt. Eyes wide, he raised a hand that crackled with electricity, but it was too late. Gan's blade came down through his fingers and he yelled, but the assault didn't end there.
Gan's sword struck like a hydra, snapping and slicing everywhere at once. It felt like an eternity, but it was only an instant and a spray of blood later that Elliot fell against the pillar behind him. The spear clattered to the ground. Elliot looked up at the victor, lips pulled back in a grimace of pain. "Finish me. I am not a man made for captivity." He made no further attempt to resist.
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Post by othus on Jan 15, 2019 5:14:55 GMT
"Do not be so eager to be reunited with your wife, Elliot, there are many sins you have to atone in this world first."
Gan kicked the spear away and proceeded to swing his blade at the air in order to cleanse it from Elliot's blood.
"Morton, I will fulfill my promise, your father will face the HWIC's justice"- He said as he gave Elliot a cold look.
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Post by HungryHunter on Jan 15, 2019 5:59:35 GMT
Morton could only stare. Blood, fire, and rubble. It felt like everything he felt was being expressed in the world around him. "And I will fulfill mine. I'll write up your check... later." He mumbled. His father hissed and slammed his hands down. His rage seemed to pass quickly in favor of resignation. Perhaps it drained away with his blood. "It seems nobody can get what they want. The prodigal son must follow in his father's footsteps after all." Elliot's grimace became a genuine smile and he laughed. "It took humiliation and imprisonment to get it, but I got you to man up after all!" His laughter ended in grunts of pain.
"Trying to find your own path is just as valid. You were just too self-centered to see it." A muffled voice came. Hammond limped up to the gazebo, propped up by Ludomir. "I couldn't convince him to rest." Ludomir sounded apologetic. "Yeah, Terry can kill me for it later. I need to do my job." The HWIC agent mumbled through the oxygen mask that tethered him to the doctor through a rubbery hose. He unhooked cuffs from his belt and placed them around Elliot Botswright's wrists.
"Elliot Botswright, you are under arrest for premeditated murder, attempted murder of an HWIC officer, and attempted murder." After droning out the various rights Elliot had, Hammond attempted to drag Elliot to his feet, only succeeding when Ludomir assisted him, barraging him with a flurry of insults for putting himself through such stress right after being patched up. As soon as the doctor allowed him, Hammond turned to Gan and Morton.
"I'm sorry this all turned out this way. Thank you for your help, Gan. Ms. Miyata herself will surely thank the Musashi for their assistance today. As for you, Morton, I know you're in for hard times, but you've got to keep your chin up and take each day as it comes. I can help you with one thing at least; the people at this address can fix Durward. It's not the top priority, but I know you need all the help you can get around here." Hammond handed over a card and waved goodbye, limping off with a prisoner in tow.
Morton looked at the card, still processing just what had happened. He turned his gaze to the frozen golem and nodded. "That's the first step. No, the second. I need to talk to my siblings. They need me more than anything right now. No, the third! Madriel is going free! Fourth, if I think of something else! Gan, I can't thank you enough, but I need to go!" Morton had a smile painted on his face, but it wasn't anything of joy. It was a shield for his heart, something to project to his siblings as he reclaimed the control his father never could.
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Post by othus on Jan 15, 2019 7:46:30 GMT
"Your father already paid for my services, Morton. There is no need for me to get a double fee. Go to your family, I'm sure they need you right now...I'll see what I can do to contact the HWIC"
Gan said with a gentle smile as he switched back to his formal suit. He stretched his arms a little, which felt kind of cramped after Elliot's attack.
From one moment to another, Hammond arrived at the scene. Gan moved straight towards him, slightly worried about the state he was in, he looked bad but apparently, he would survive. The rest was just him standing on the side as the procedure happened. When the HWIC agent thanked Gan he relaxed a little, giving a small sigh as he looked at the injured man.
"Think nothing of it, I was just doing my job...And yours, but who cares about the details?" he said with a small grin as he tapped him on the back.
"I'll hold your word to it, Hammond. don't be a stranger."
As everything calmed down, Gan looked once more at Morton, he seemed to be puzzled by the situation, though that much was to be expected...The moment he came back once again to thank him, Gan offered him a handshake.
"I'll be sending some of my agents to take care of anything your family needs until Durward is back on its feet...It's my fault he is in such a sorry state after all."
When the new head of the Botswright turned towards the house, Gan could only think one thing:
*Best of luck, pal*
TOKYO, GINZA (Star bar)
"So? how did everything go on your trip?"- Osechi asked Gan as she took a sip of her drink under the dim lights of the 10 seater.
"Well, it turned out fine I guess, my agents are probably having a far rougher time with the cleaning and the kids"
"You still can't handle kids, can you?"
"Give me a break, I think I have improved a lot since the first time we met, don't you think?"
Osechi smiled with some nostalgia, Gan was more akin to a wild beast than a human when they first met, now he looked like a movie star.
"Maybe, but you still clearly have it rough when it comes to socializing, I cannot believe you can't find a girlfriend with that face!"
Gan downed the whiskey on the rocks he had by his side in a single gulp, that was a harsh truth
"Give me a break, I'm looking for the right one"
Osechi gave a sly smile when she heard that, perhaps being around kids finally softened him up?
"Oh?! and what's "the right one" like?"
Gan frowned for a second as he thought about it, he waved for another glass at the bartender as he spoke
"Well...I'll know it when I see her! jeez, I know we are friends and all, but I really should be going out with other women, you sound like my mother"
"Other women huh? Like Akane?" Osechi inquired just to see how he reacted.
"Like hell, she's more like the annoying sister I never asked for. Besides...our personalities are totally incompatible, she is kinda ascetic in a sense, I swear she eats even more plainly than I did back when I was in the steppe...white rice and water? is she training to go to jail or something?"
He continued his ranting, not noticing he was doing what Osechi exactly wanted
"Hell, If she knew that I bought this thing with my payment she would just roll her eyes and turn away..." Gan said as he pointed at his watch, a Patek Philippe made out of platinum.
"Oh, and I dont' mean I want a girl who loves wasting money on garbage as Mai does. If anything, I want a girl who is smart enough to make her own money, someone who knows about style and that behaves like a princess"- He said flat out at the end.
"Those are the hardest types to please you know?!"- Osechi replied as she laughed. Gan simply shook his head before looking at her.
"I consider myself hard to please as well, darling"
The night kept going until the bar closed. In the end, Gan wondered if he really was asking for too much...
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Post by HungryHunter on Jan 15, 2019 7:51:44 GMT
“Okay. Show me the damage.” Terry was peeking through his fingers like there was a horror movie on. “Come on, it’s not that bad.” Hammond only sounded half-convinced. He had stared at it for an unreasonable length of time in the HWIC locker room thinking of how he would play if off, but in the end he had nothing. Hammond reluctantly unbuttoned his shirt, revealing the damage.
Slightly off-center and with the rough diameter of a softball, the scar was a blotch of purple, orange and red, marked with little raised welts and wrinkles. Terry hissed through his teeth, but he lowered his hands. “It doesn’t hurt?” He gently placed a hand on it. “Not at all. And Ludomir says it will fade with time, especially with the stuff he gave me.” Hammond put his hand over Terry’s. “Good. Then tomorrow, I won’t be training with you.” Terry pursed his lips. “What? Come on, I said it doesn’t hurt. I can train.” Hammond's voice took a soft whine. He could handle himself, he had just been taken off guard!
“It’s not about that. We’re clearly too reliant on each other in battle. We need to stand alone. So tomorrow, we’re training alone. I’m not mad, Hammond. You were doing your job. I just never want this to happen again. Now come on, get ready for bed.” Terry kissed his husband and slipped into the bedroom. Hammond grumbled, but he couldn’t stop the smile that took over his face. His hand lingered on his scar. What was it that Primrose girl had said about her scars in that interview? They were a reminder to do better? So be it. This would be his reminder.
3 months later Durward’s arms moved in their wild, snake-like motions to dig long furrows around a freshly-repaired gazebo. Fall was setting in, but the Aubrey’s powers would keep the plants healthy over the dark winter. “He’s really nice, and his hair’s great, and he’s so smart!” She was currently rambling about her date to Lucian, who was barely even pretending to listen at this point. Morton smiled from the shade of the Gazebo. There were still rough days here, and plenty of them. Visiting Madriel in the sidhe kept Aubrey’s spirits from falling apart entirely, but Lucian had no outlet but his tricks.
Morton watched him grind the railing leading down into the garden for the dozenth time. Every now and then, the blue-haired teen would stop and look beyond the gazebo, to the old family mausoleum. Morton felt a twitch of sympathetic pain. Time had yet to heal all the wounds. The sun peeked through the clouds above. It was a promise to the Botswrights. Some day, it would shine again for them.
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