#shadow plot

Rosette stood in the center of her newly remodeled home, shifting uncertainly from foot to foot as she peered around. The entire walk through the Goblet, she felt the feeling of being watched -- of being followed. It had caused her to quicken her steps, damn near running for the door as she heard footsteps behind her. She had bolted through it and slammed it shut, thrusting the bolt home and peering out through the side window. There had been no one there.

She was uneasy here, the sense of exposure crawling along her skin and unrest seeping through her veins. Everything was new, the beeswax floor polish scent and fresh paint still lingered in the air, the new fish tank cast a comforting light across the dark wood floors. she double checked the locks on the door and the windows, double checking that throwing dagger was in place, strapped to the edge of her boot. Breathe, she reminded herself before walking through the room and descending the stairs to her more informal living quarters. The shadows aren’t that long, Valeria. If trouble knocks, you can reach out for help. 

Book cases greeted her, shelves of alcohol were restocked (thank, Nymeia), and a small set of stairs led up to where her desk was. There was a small, intimate sitting area for her family and guests. Across from her, a sliding door would reveal her bedroom and bathroom. She looked at the door quietly before moving to the cupboard that sat just beneath the raised loft and stairs. She had to make sure it worked; it had to work for her sanity’s sake.

Her hand slid underneath the second shelf, her fingers finding the switch that she subsequently pressed and pulled on the edge of the cupboard. It swung open on silent, well-oiled hinges as she stepped into the one thing she had requested to be put in place via her retainers.

A panic room.

Inside was well stocked with non-perishables, an emergency bag full of items that she would need, blankets and pillows. Her ‘red thread’ insanity that had once decorated Mafrea’s table now was on the wall with all the push-pins in place. She shut the cupboard behind her, hearing the latch fall into place before she did a slow turn of the small, quiet room.  She checked her supplies and checked them again before stepping out of the room and locking it behind her, then ascended the stairs to sit at her desk and begin going through her correspondence and trade requests. She eyed the packet from her brother, setting it aside for later before leafing through the higher priority items. 

The feeling of ‘safety’ didn’t settle over her. She jumped and tensed at every unfamiliar sound in the house -- twice, she got up and checked the locks on the doors and windows before returning to her desk. Her anxiety caused her blood pressure to rise and her head to pound, her heartbeat felt far too fast. She tried to concentrate on her work but found herself reading the same sentence over and over for nearly a bell before she gave up.

She fisted her fingers in her hair and bowed her head, reminding herself to breathe; this just wasn’t her home anymore.

@dailyprima

​ - The post was already long as it was, so just gonna go ahead and post Brutus’ Rebuttal over here instead of reblogging it. Also forgive my shit, inconstant art.  ---------------------------------------- If there was one thing about Eve that Brutus liked... Well it pretty much is the only thing... It’d have to be how she can actually keep up with him, just made it all the more fun in his eyes. Especially since she was so easily accessible too just one yell of “Bitch” and she’d just appear ready to fight. Fighting with her was more or less the best times he had in his very misery filled existence. Couldn’t help but like the time they spent together even if it was mostly fighting and arguing over food and killing his underlings within his land.   Upon getting tripped up by the she demon catching his lower half off guard, Brutus lands on his back instinctively getting his upper half back up off the ground. Although upon looking up he see’s Eve going in for a second strike while he was down, most likely trying to skewer him in the head or chest region with her claws. But before she can Brutus side rolls out of the way as Eve strikes nothing more than the grass and earth beneath them. Getting her shadowy tools of murder stuck in the ground but promptly pulls them back out. 

Brutus after reaching a safe distance from the Primarina’s strike gets up only to proceed to wag his pointer claw and taunt her. “Ah ah ah~...” Brutus jested. “Now Eve where’s the fun in knocking someone over? I mean I know you wanna try and beat the guy, whose been able to knock you flat out multiple times... the only one at that~...But I mean come on~... It’s more fun when I’m top~...” He then began to Aqua jet once more in a circular motion around Eve giving her a chance to retort. Before the next assault began. “Aw Brutey what’s wrong? Can’t handle a little foul play? I thought you could handle more than that...” She merely watched as Brutus circled her, as Brutus was merely preparing for his next move. Using the Aqua Jet as a way to buy a little time, make her believe he had something new up his sleeve. 

Rose walked down the stone street with purpose once she handed the list of new crew recruits to Murdock, knowing that he wouldn’t fail her in seeing that the information was delivered to the Captain. She smoothed a few of the more rebellious strands of black hair back from her face, tucking them behind an ear before smoothing out the silken finery she wore. Her expression settled into an impassive facade and her back straightened, holding herself with a confident and regal air. It was the posture she used at every bargaining table, debating contracts and negotiating the prices of product. She was aggressive when she needed to be, especially in light of her recent failures and the loss of the shipping contract with Ala Mhigo. She chewed back on her frustration as she moved through the busy streets, tamping down on the anger the simmered in her blood and the tension headache that threatened. Now, truly, wasn’t the time to reflect on that particular fiasco...not with meeting with a more prominent contract to ship items to Kugane and dealing with her brother this afternoon.

A strange thing caused her to pause, a prickling on the back of her neck that caused gooseflesh to crawl down the backs of her exposed arms. A sensation of being watched stole over her and she turned slowly in the crowd as milled about her. Her bright teal eyes scanned the surrounding area but could see anyone distinct and nothing stood out to her, her eyes searching different niches and shadows.

Nothing.

“Despite everything being messed up, are we all prepared to get moving? I would like to check out the Lab. Regardless of age or altered abilities.”

“Whatever.” Nilos really didn’t care one way or the other. 

For a moment, Nilos found himself in total darkness. At first, he didn’t quite know what had happened? Then he remembered it. Falling... Humra in trouble...

Quickly, the Jirachi shot up, and looked up at the roof. The wires had pulled them down to another floor of the Base. He couldn’t see anything above him... just total darkness. Even after his eyes had adjusted to the dim light, he still couldn’t see much. 

They appeared to be in a long hallway now. The hallway was lined with cells. All the cells were completely empty, and the only sound to be heard was the sound of water dripping somewhere in the hall. How far had they fallen? 

He turned away from the hole in the ceiling, and his gaze settled on one of the cells. The bars were covered in rust, and a faint, damp, moldy smell was coming from the other side of them. He tried to stand up and investigate, when something held him back. He looked down just in time to see the wires, and bit his bottom lip. They were dead now. Lifeless. Whatever was controlling them before had turned it’s attention elsewhere... or was waiting for them to progress. 

He pulled the wires off of him, and let them fall to the ground, before climbing to his feet. He walked over to the cell, and looked inside... and immediately wished he hadn’t. The sickly, decaying smell was stronger by the bars, and he could only bare to look inside for a few seconds. It was too dark to see exactly what the smell was coming from, but he could see the outline of some moldy straw bedding in the back... 

The sight brought back too many terrible memories. This was where he lived... where Nikita lived... 

Suddenly, he remembered that he wasn’t the only one that fell, and whirled around to look for Take. His red eyes scanned the darkness for the silver haired man...

Pasha slowly leaned up, and rubbed her eyes.

“W-where?” Oh right! 

She gasped and looked around. She seemed to be on the floor of some sort of... security room? It was a large office, with glass windows that seemed to overlook something. She tried to stand up, only to suddenly realize she was tangled up in several...

“Wires?” She asked. 

Pasha’s eyes glowed, and the purple blades, made from psychic energy, blasted out from her, and cut the wires. Instantly, she jumped to her feet, and ran over to the far end of the room, towards the windows. 

The room appeared to be a semicircle, with the windows arching around. Obviously some sort of observation room. Most of the windows were covered in a thick layer of grime, and were stationed behind large desks and even large computer consoles. 

She ran over to one of the consoles, and leaned over it to look out the window. The observation room seemed to be at least three stories above a large empty room. The room was full of moss covered piles, and broken glass. Grass and vines were growing up between the tiles below. Whatever the room below was used for, it looked like it could’ve housed hundreds of people! 

“So then... how do I get down there?” She whispered. 

“I have a mission for you both.” 

Layth wanted to groan when he heard that. More work. Great. The brunette sighed, and shoved his hands into his pockets, as he stood at attendance, next to his co-worker... a serious, and determined young man named Zane. 

He looked ahead at their boss, a cruel man who was leading the team, along with some raven-haired man that Layth hadn’t met yet... 

His Boss, Roark Labelle, sat behind a desk, looking down at several documents, and fondled a remote control. He spoke to the two young men in front of him, without looking at them, “This mission is of the utmost importance, and you cannot fail. Failure will result in extreme consequences.” He held the remote up, and clicked a button. 

A screenshot of Dr. Pelagia’s old Lab, with two figures, and a large cocoon appeared. Layth studied the two figures. One looked like a rather Androgynous fellow, with curly blond hair. Their back was too the camera, so he couldn’t get a good look at their face. The other figure was a teenaged girl with silver hair. 

He instantly recognized both of them. After all, he had tried to attack them awhile ago, back in Hoenn. Unfortunately, the two of them had escaped...

Roark clicked the button again, and the image changed to show two mugshots. One mugshot was of a child with blank, emotionless eyes, wearing the typical apparel Nexus had dressed the 44HY Children in, and the other looked like... well, what Layth had come to expect from the poor creatures down in the Labs...

“Subject J, and Experiment G.” Roark explained, “Due to recent, and not so recent ‘failures’, we have lost control over these two subjects. I want them back.” He finally looked up from the desk, and his hazel eyes locked on the two men, “Do whatever it takes to acquire these two subjects. I don’t care how you do it, just do it.” 

“From what I’ve been informed, our records on them are a little outdated, and their appearances have changed.” Roark stated, “Just to be safe, be on the look out for a Jirachi with a female Gijinka Form. Be on the watch for a blonde girl. As for the other, it should not be too hard to find a girl with silver hair. Bring them to me as soon as possible. Layth, you are in possession of a Snag Machine, are you not? Use it to aquire the Jirachi if you must. Now, you are both dismissed.” 

Layth bowed his head, and turned to leave. A blonde girl and a girl with silver hair...

Nikita could feel the cold air against her face as she ran down the central road through the Complex. She knew the way well... after all, she was created here...

The complex had dilapidated quite a bit from disuse, since the last time she was there. The concrete buildings were covered in moss, and some of them even had collapsed walls. This place wasn’t built to last after all... 

The Power cables and radio lines had fallen, and for some reason, there was several wires stretched out over the road, many of them were freyed or water damaged. 

As they raced down the road, towards the Main Building at the far end of the Complex, a static sound filled the air. It sounded like an old radio that wasn’t quited tuned on the correct channel. 

A strange voice Nikita did not recognize suddenly chimed in, through the static, belting out from the old PA System, strung up through the entire complex. The PA System had been nothing more than a series of poles, with speakers and monitors on them, and had once been used to pass messages to the Scientists and workers at the Complex. And, given how paranoid Nexus was about everything, there was a pole at every corner. Several of these, had collapsed, or the monitors were broken, but enough remained that she could see them all suddenly burst to life.

She slowed to a stop, as she saw a strange face emerge on the monitors. The stranger looked like a kid... barely a few years younger than herself, with pink hair, and bright blue eyes,

“Attention Intruders.” Her robotic voice belted out of the Speakers, “This is Private Property. Please vacate the premises immediately, or face immediate persecution! Attention Intruders. This is Private Property. Please vacate the premises immediately!”

Nikita ignored the voice, and kept running. She hoped Zefri and Seri will be okay at the gate... if they hurry, they can rescue Pasha, and be gone before they get overwhelmed...

Nilos was at her heels, he looked absolutely petrified to be back here... even if he had never really seen the outside of the Main Lab before... but even the thought of going back there was terrifying... 

Still, his eyes locked on his sister’s back. She wasn’t hesitating... so neither should he, right?