Masa con Papas: Proxy's Memory

[ThreadLurkingComorant]

       CW: PTSD, Gore, Graphic Violence against a Child

Geezer makes the way clear on the wide street, people starting to crowd around with a sense of familiarity and routine that you’ve only seen from a Sunday mass.

He gestures toward both you and Spada to settle into your position, crystalline barriers beginning to form around you and your eager opponent.

Spada: What’s all this then?

Geezer: Nobody who’s qualified to monitor this match is here right now, and there’s a risk of a fight dragging in to the crowd so..

Geezer: Mori’s got her blessing live on this island.

Geezer: Consider it a bit of a safety net. Your fight’s kept contained.

Spada: Ah.. never heard of anyone pulling something like that.

Geezer: it’s got a history around here. Surprised you didn’t know though.

Spada: Didn’t think I’d actually be here doing this to be blunt! This going to be safe?

Geezer: Barrier’s got a few other perks. Just a few safety systems in case you two get rowdy.

Sparda: I’ll be careful.

Charon: Mm, same.

Geezer: Gonna ask you both to keep it clean. Worked part time monitoring these fights before while operating on Plaza after all.

Geezer: You got a partner in case things go screwy?

Spada: Me? Nope. Not today at least but I’ll work with what I have.

Charon: Opera.

Opera: Yo, really?

Charon: Mm. Trust you with making the call if I can’t, and Geezer’s better off filling in a ref if one shows up.

Geezer: Yeah,. Can’t be a ref myself since I’ve got a bias here but I can help there.

Geezer gives an apologetic gesture to Spada.

Spada: Don’t take offense, we just met!

Geezer: Yeah, wish more folks understood that on shift.

Geezer: Anyway, final confirmation?

Charon: Mm.

Opera: Can do.

Spada: Of course!

With a little flourish you slip your hand into the void and pull out your trusty forked weapon.

Spada’s tail makes a gleeful swish at the sight of it.

The barrier picks up the pace by locking in the geometrical growths together Opera and Paige both give you a parting smile.
 

THe interior is cool and refreshing, an unnatural breeze exerting from the scattered fragments of vibrancy coming from your opponent.

She seems to pull out her massive weapon from seemingly nowhere, a giant beast of a sword with a rail style blade much like your own.

Styx rumbles in your head on sight. You can feel your pupils waver just a little.

Child?

Mm.

I know what you’re about to do but I’d widely suggest against it…

I’ll be fine.

I know just… be careful. I have an odd feeling about this one. I’ve never seen a custom build like that admittedly…

With a courtesy gesture between the two of you, both of you get into stance, shuffling back and forth.

You both wield tuner style weapons, designed as the ultimate defensive tool of its time.

A weapon that can potentially redirect the force of any opponent built on the philosophy of using one’s strength against them.. A single predictable attack becomes dangerous in this encounter.

You make the first move, attempting to feign an attack to force a swing you can punish, moving in but never committing to an attack.

Walking is a free action after all, a number of your peers made a big point of that.

Spada maintains a certain patience, refusing to take the bait but losing ground as she slowly finds her back against the wall.

Getting her close enough leads to a potential pin situation, and a decisive victory.

Her mask makes it difficult to gauge her state, though her body language is all you have to work off of here.

She has to be aware of the dangers of the clash, that’s the only reason she’s giving you this much positional advantage.

You decide you have enough ground and proceed to go for a shoulder tackle, one that she decides to go pound for pound against.

Her larger size allows her to trade pretty well, much to your dismay.

She takes the opportunity to use her free hand to fish for a grab, you immediately headbutt her.

It doesn’t result in much, she yanks you toward the wall behind her and smashes you directly into it.

You cling onto her, doing everything you can to try to take this to the ground if you need to. Anything to avoid the sword clash.

You’re only met with an even stronger grip as you’re once again pummeled into the wall. The tightness of the space prevents her from being able to swing very well, the most she can do with her large sword is whack you with the hilt.

Your chest starts to hurt.

Child?

This situation is too familiar.  Your heart races.

You’re panicking.

You manage to thrash around enough to kick her back, she doesn’t give you an inch.
 

She uses her new position to lunge the rail at you, aiming to lock you down.

You’re pinned properly. There’s no dodging this.

You go for the parry, it’s the only option you have.

She responds with her own, you’ve created a volley situation.

Both of you are trapped in a tug of war where one slip could end things. Take it now and minimize the damage?

No..

At this point you can’t safely redirect the attack way without getting caught in the blast but..

It’s the safest call, you grapple her blade with your own and slam into the wall around you.

 

The release of energy feels like a flashbang inside your brain.

Every wire scrambling to make sense of what’s happening in front of you.

You are on the floor.

You feel the tile of the castle ground against your skin.

You can make out Opera from the distance.

You look up.

It hasn’t phased her one bit.

You can see her approaching.

She reaches down.

You feel claws shifting toward your scalp.

They remind you of her… your brain starts to fog.

Suddenly a sharp pain through your skull.

Your head pounds against the wall, each hit making the dent bigger.

You feel claws shifting toward your scalp,

Pummeled over and over, your eyes start to roll toward the past.

Rook:You’re quite the trooper.

Each thrash and flail into the concrete worse than the last.

Rook: Don’t think anyone’s ever lasted this long.

Again.

Rook: They all had a lot more going on but..

Again.

Rook: None of them were this hard to kill. Consider it unlucky.

Again:

Geezer: Op, help him!

Charon: T-take the shot.

Opera: There’s to much moving, I can’t get a clear s-shot I-

Charon: P-please..

Opera: I’ll hit you!

Charon: D-don’t care- just…

Rook: You should, I don’t think you understand the situation.

Rook: Moment you die, she’s next.

You feel each breath harder to make. You try biting down to no success.

Styx: Make a pact.

Keeping your grip on the world becomes more difficult.

Styx: I can save you, but we need to make a deal now.

Rook: That awful entity of yours is whispering.

Rook: Pathetic that you’ve kept him around.

Rook: Should’ve made your request and cut him off after.

Rook: But people don’t seem to have much regard for what comes from keeping bad company.

The amount of physical abuse you’re taking has become backnoise at this point.

Rook: You spawn your little proxy, and then you keep making deal after deal.

Rook: Putting it through the paper shredder until it forms “correctly.”

Charon: I-

Rook:Whatever reason you have, it’s pathetic.

Your heart starts to give.

Rook:There’s a glaze in your eyes, took long enough.

Rook: About ready to see god at this point but…

She grabs you by the mouth, forcing your jaw open just enough to allow plasma to drip from her a wound on her palm into your mouth.

Your body sparks back, everything painfully starts snapping back together.

You frantically gasp for air.

Rook: You don’t get to die on your terms.

Styx: Child….

Rook: Right in time to bail yourself out.

Rook: What will you give up this time?

Styx: Dying will not help you or anyone else!

Rook: Not exactly much left looking at you.

Rook: Put yourself through the blender.

Styx: Please make the call-

Rook: Could reroll your proxy, ask for something a little more useful.

Rook: Not like it can feel anything, right?

Styx: That’s.. Actually a possible option, yes. A bit extreme-

Rook: I endorse it personally. See how long it sticks with you after that.

Charon: I’m not making another contract..

Rook: And why not? Everyone else who’s gotten this far has had more than enough sense to.

Rook: Your odds are pretty good, looking at you.

Rook: Worst case scenario, I might find someone who understands the struggle.

Charon: You’re not-

Rook: Mm?

Charon:...You’re what’s left.

Rook: Don’t call me that.

Charon: then that means you’re-

Rook: Mm..

Charon: What happened to you..?

Rook: Depends. What deal did you make with him?

Styx: She doesn’t need to know.

Rook: If you don’t talk, I’m killing one of your friends right now.

Styx: Something about this entire thing sounds wrong-

Rook: You have a favorite, right?

Styx: Don’t let tyrants intimidate you, there’s something she wants to hear.

Rook: That rabbit is looking very expendable, personally.

Styx: Charon!

Rook: Final chance.

Charon: I… just want to bring them home..

Rook:... Oh?

Charon: I want to meet them..

Charon: And I know Grandma worries about them a lot so…

Rook:....

Charon: I don’t know..

Charon: Guess I thought if I could do that-

Rook: -That’s more than enough. I’m feeling merciful today lucky for you.

Rook: So I’m going to give you an offer better than that entity of yours ever could.

Charon:... Oh?

Rook: You and Geezer leave. Your whole family leaves. You cut your loses and you never have to hear of this place again.

Rook: And in exchange… I want the Entity and all that comes with it.

Charon.. You want Styx?

Rook: His kind has personally scorned me, and I promise you’re better off without him.

Charon: My proxy….?

Rook: Treated like royalty in this realm.

Charon: I… What about Opera? The others?

Rook: I’m already giving you plenty, don’t press further.

Charon: But…

Opera: Please… we’ll be okay.

Opera: I can handle myself just….

Rook: Big call for you to make, but I’m sure that helps your conscience a little?

Rook: Owe it to the others, I would take it.

Charon: You’ll kill them…

Rook: I’ll give them a chance to surrender and potentially spare them, but that’s as much as I’m willing to add.

Charon: Nah…

Charon: They’re good people, they’re not taking that offer. May as well just be a death sentence.

Charon: You’re going to have to just kill me

Rook:...Disappointing, but I respect it.

You feel hands shifting.

And then a release.

Spada: Ah good,

Spada: …Are you okay?

You’re back where you started, your opponent covered in dirt looking down at you. The crystal walls have crumbled down, absorbing the bulk of the blast.

Spada: Things got a bit heated, sorry about that…

Spada: Tried to walk over and help you up but your proxy got a bit defensive. Assuming it’s yours? Had to talk it down..

You look over her shoulder, it’s changed.
 

Charon: My proxy…?

Spada: Aye! I’m surprised you didn’t bring it out. We all choke under pressure I suppose but… you’re never alone when you have one. You know?

Charon: I know…

Spada: It got a name?

Charon: Rook…