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« on: March 17, 2024, 10:55:25 PM »
"There's migraines, stress headaches, hypertension and then, Lucius headaches," she sighed. "He's somehow found a way to be worse than a liar, I guess that takes some sort of special talent," she continued with a shrug before affixing her signature to the paper Emerson produced. After that she stood and offered her hand to Lěosa for a shake before sitting back down. "When Stanley serves prison time it'll have to be in Achkaerin," Asuna said looking to Emerson, "many of the Anauša who were cleared of treachery in the last scenario transitioned to guard duty. It's not a matter of if but when he's killed if he's subjected to Rokkenjiman prisons and," she paused, "I'd rather he lived to ruminate on his actions for many, many, many years. He doesn't get an easy out, even if that might be satisfying for some, can we agree on that?"
She looked out her window in the direction of Pyrena Castle, "She's with friends, and I can fall asleep knowing she's safe so, it's going to be a good night. What are we doing with the speculation out there that an SIS Agent was the one who attempted the hit?" Asuna asked. "My predecessors might have not seen the rot in plain sight but I do and I am tired of having those serving in my name to forward their own pursuits, it sullies the very nature of duty to crown and empire," she paused as she stood and struck her fist against the nearest hard surface. "I want the SIS to know their number has been called, that this is one line crossed in a series of way too many, and if Rowe is anywhere near this...." she paused again, "we get the bastard, I'm sure I can warm Cole up to the idea of a return from his retirement. He can't resist a request from his little Asu after all."
"And there we go," Alex said with a smile as he presented a mug each to Beatrice and Lucinda, "Alex's pick me up after bad times special, known in some circles as a Quinntopian Hot Mess," he continued with a chuckle as Lucinda downed the cocoa with Quinntopian vodka concoction. "This isn't a hot mess," Lucinda said with a monotone sigh, "you spoiled it with the addition of cinnamon, but..." Alex shrugged, "Glad you're holding up alright for what it's worth, you're in safe hands I promise. If there's anything I can get for you, you let me know alright?" It might of been his quick recovery or the tone of his voice but that's when Lucinda cracked a smile and dropped her shell, "I'm sorry, thank you for looking after me. If anyone thought they could kill me so easily I have some beach front property I can sell them in Morivia." "There's my girl, smiles and all," he said as he turned to leave the room.
Once he had left Lucinda crumpled into Beatrice who, for the last few hours, had been cuddling her under a blanket. "Shhh," Beatrice said as Lucinda whimpered, "you're fine, okay? You protected me for so many years, now it's my turn," she continued as she selected a new movie. "I hope you take from this a lesson," Beatrice continued, "that you can still be an absolute bad-ass while showing emotion; it's not a weakness and," she said as she hugged her tighter, "it's nice to see you feel again. I think the last time I saw you feel like this was when those children withheld my cat from me."
"They were assholes, Bea, they're no longer children and neither are we so we can call them what they are," Lucinda retorted with a playful punch. "Indeed," Beatrice chuckled before adding, "You've got Kado's finest picks alongside the Achkaerinese and the walls of Pyrena so please," she paused as she kissed her forehead, "don't let one asshole make you retreat into your shell once again, because I missed the real you. You gave up so much for me and now, Luci, you don't have to, so be the wonderful you that you are. Don't make me miss you even though I see you every day ever again, and know that the days are numbered for whoever ordered a hit on you, your favourite girl is making sure of that."
"Damn you and your way with words in the right moments," Lucinda sighed, "you got it Bea. Really," she said as she framed her face with her palm, "I tried to outrun it all, all the pain, all the faces, but running is never the right choice, you have to choose to reconcile instead. I've done so much for you I can never let you know about, my hands are filthy by this point, but at the end of it all, I'm still the same girl who'll break someone's ass for making you cry, and Asu," she paused, "I don't need a rank or position to look after her, she's family just as you are to me, even Alex with his peculiarities, thank you for being here with me. I have my family, I've done my due, and now other people are in place to pull the trigger on your behalf. I can finally let my guard down and feel, and damn if it's not beautiful, my heart is alive for the first time in nearly a decade and..."
"...and you enjoy it fully, and keep it, a smile fits your face so much better than the static locked lips, you know?" Lucinda pushed back with mock shock, "Are you trying to say I've spent the last years walking around with resting bitch face, Bea?" That prompted more giggles from the two, "No, never!" Beatrice added, "just, it's good to see you smile, okay? Love you," she added to which Lucinda sighed, "and I, you. Oh here's the good part!" she nearly shrieked as she pointed out the Backstreet Boys in This Is The End. "It's as good as you'd hope to expect."
"Ah, that," Kado said as he put his Type 64 away and produced a stun gun, "much less fun, and to think this is my reintroduction to the field is a "catch and carry back to the pound." Still," he said as he set the gun to its highest setting, "this one, in theory, incapacitates instantly. I wonder if he'll feel the jolts rushing through him, to a degree at least."
"Interesting," Kado would add moments later, "in front of my childhood home is where they intersect us," he said as the vehicle slowed. "Are we ready to remove the mask from Seagull?" he continued with a wink as the door opened from the outside and Intelligence Operative Howard Bailey opened the door. Once the affair was behind them Kado nudged his body with his foot. "Seriously, Bailey?! The fool couldn't handle intelligence back in the Soviet days and here he is, running information for our adversaries? I'd have trusted Kyle Barren delivering his victory on foot over this guy," he kicked his stunned body again before kicking it slightly less forcefully again. "What?" he said to Rion who looked unimpressed, "I had to make sure the bastard's really out, and what better way to do that than a kick to the rib cage?"
"Oh my," Eva said as she turned into Emerson's chest, "she has your eyes," she said as she mounted a smile. "You always had something about you that I loved and now," Evanthe said as she expanded her hug to include Sophia, "it all makes sense. "I'll take care of Euphy through this, but you and I," she continued motioning to Sophia, "we've so much to catch up on, yes?" Sophia took it well for her age, "Mum, dad?" she said simply, "I think I need an adjustment to my allowance for the mental trauma I'm enduring now. I think र20k a week should cover it, yes?" to which Eva shook her head, "Oh my girl, there's more to it all than fortune, but we've years before us. Think you could learn to love us as Euphy, who I'm grateful took care of you?" "I'll give you a chance," she paused, "I mean it's not like I'm meeting strangers, you're both known to me so," she hugged them, "guess we're even closer now, yes?"