Shenanigans!

[phaselocknroll]

Comments

[nostalgiabomb]

Well. This way I at least have a chance, right? To make my own decisions.

Last offer I had was "get eaten or fall in line," so.

[phaselocknroll]

I could see how that would be preferable.

[ Her gaze slides to the underbrush alongside of where they're walking. ]

You said these Ravagers come in twos, didn't you?

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He stops mid step and turns to her. ]

I did.

[phaselocknroll]

[ She wordlessly indicates a nearby tree with a tilt of her head, and gives him an expectant look ]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He breathes in slowly and shuts his eyes. ]

Do you mind taking care of him?

[phaselocknroll]

[ She gives him a long look before nodding. She gives a wave of her hand, tattoos going bright, and the Ravager comes walking out of his hiding place, expression slack-jawed and vacant. ]

If you wish to throw them off of our trail, now is the time.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ ... This is new. ]

What did you have in mind?

[phaselocknroll]

Have him relay a false destination to his superiors. If nothing else, it would grant us some breathing room.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He nods, looks thoughtful for a second. He tells the guy that they're two towns over in the opposite direction. ]

Will that cut it?

[phaselocknroll]

I think so.

[ She turns to the man ] You heard him, didn't you? [ and he nods, eyes still glazed over. ] Then that is what you saw. Go and make your report.

[ he turns to go, giving another vague nod, and vanishes into the forest. Maya waits a few moments before turning back to Peter. ] He'll snap out of it eventually, but he'll believe what you told him to be true.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ The funny thing is, Peter is only now feeling unnerved by the Siren's abilities. The pyrotechnics where about in line with what he expected, to be sure, but this-- this is scary, to get into someone's head like that. To make him believe what you want him to believe.

Leads men to their doom, indeed.

He waits until he's sure the Ravager (he thinks he might have worked with him, once, on a smash and grab job -- his name may have started with a K) has gone well out of earshot before he speaks. ]

You won't ever use anything like that on me, right?

[phaselocknroll]

No. Doing so would be a breach of contract. I'll only ever use my abilities to heal you, never to hurt or control.

[nostalgiabomb]

And you're a healer too. [ He huffs, the sound caught somewhere between a laugh and a sigh, and starts moving again. ] Of course you are. I guess I'd be more surprised if there was something you couldn't do.

[phaselocknroll]

There are many things I can't do. Shoot lightning from my fingertips, for example. Or sing, contrary to what a lot of people may think.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ That last bit actually brings him up short. ]

Why do they call you guys Sirens, then?

[phaselocknroll]

I don't really know. Maybe one of us once could sing and she earned us our name.

[nostalgiabomb]

I guess that makes about as much sense as anything.

[phaselocknroll]

I suppose.

Would you tell me about yourself as we walk?

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Even as an AU he can't help being a smartass-- ] Guess that means you can't read minds, then, huh?

[phaselocknroll]

[ and neither can she help shutting him down-- ]

I could, were there something there to read.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ That gets a laugh out of him-- quiet, short, but genuine, and the slightly surprised look definitely shows he wasn't expecting that. ] And here I thought you weren't supposed to hurt me.

[phaselocknroll]

Your fragile human ego was not a part of the agreement.

[nostalgiabomb]

Damn. Wish I had known that before I agreed.

[ He's quiet for several steps, before he turns to her. ]

Alright, then. How about you ask me a question, I ask you one? And we go back and forth until one of us gets angry and decides to stop talking.

[phaselocknroll]

Your loss.

[ She considers that a moment, and well, like she's one to ever turn down a trade ] Fair enough. How did you become a Ravager?

[nostalgiabomb]

They found me when I was a boy. I mentioned the "get eaten or fall in line" thing, I think. That's what I was referring to.

[ For his part, he chews lightly on the inside of his cheek, considering his question. ] How many contracts have you made?