Shenanigans!

[phaselocknroll]

Comments

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He hesitates -- but only for a quick second, because if he can't trust Maya with it after he'd basically put his life in her hands several times over, who could he trust? So holds the pendant out on his open palm for her to take. ]

I don't mind.

[phaselocknroll]

[ She picks it up gingerly, turning it over in her hand. It's really a lovely piece of work, and really she feels so at ease just holding it, and-- wait.

She blinks a couple of times. ]

Huh. Strange.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He's chewing on his lower lip, trying not to be too nervous as she looks it over. But, well-- a small part of him is, just a little. He doesn't want to lose it again. ]

What is?

[phaselocknroll]

I, uh. I think this has some sort of enchantment on it.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He blinks.

-- Okay he blinks again.

-- Yep, okay, three times.

When he finally speaks, it's slowly and evenly. ]

What are you talking about?

[phaselocknroll]

Nothing major. More like a magical suggestion than anything.

But when I hold it, I just sort of feel... I don't know. Calm?

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Even as she's saying it, he's shaking his head. ]

Mom didn't know any magic. Hell, we didn't even know anyone who knew magic. There weren't any wizards or enchanters for miles.

[phaselocknroll]

Do you know where she got it?

[nostalgiabomb]

She's-- always had it. She wore it ever since I could remember.

[phaselocknroll]

It's possible that she didn't know about the enchantment. As I said, it's very subtle.

But there's certainly nothing harmful about it.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He frowns, clearly puzzled by this bit of news -- and, if he were to admit it, a little troubled. ]

Well... she was sick a lot. Maybe it-- helped, somehow. I don't know.

[phaselocknroll]

Perhaps.

[ she turns it over in her hands a couple of times, inspecting the markings. ]

... I'm sorry. I doubt this was something you wanted to hear.

[nostalgiabomb]

Well-- it's certainly not something I expected, I can tell you that much.

[ His presses his lips together into a thin line, still thoughtful. Then-- ] As long as it isn't dangerous, it's nothing to worry about, right? I guess if I've had it all these years then something would've happened by now.

[phaselocknroll]

I honestly don't think there's anything malicious about it.

[ In fact, she's kind of okay just sitting here holding it. She's tired, suddenly, but because she's never really been tired before, she mistakes it for the calming nature of the amulet making her lazy. ]

[nostalgiabomb]

That's reassuring, at least.

[ For Peter's part, a headache is starting to bloom just behind his temples -- probably overexertion, he thinks. He takes another pull from the skein of water and lets his head fall back against the tree, eyes slipping shut.

There's a quiet snap of a twig nearby, but Peter doesn't notice it. ]

Do you think I should try to get it-- disenchanted or something?

[phaselocknroll]

I don't-- [ she did hear it, though it was awfully faint. Their pursuer must be some distance away, yet, right? Weird that she didn't sense them, but perhaps it's more of the Order's wizards? That certainly doesn't bode well, and she braces herself. ]

... I think someone's found us.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He feels her tense, and even before she speaks he's alert.

What she says, of course, makes him regret the fact that his head is really starting to ache. He's starting to feel a little dizzy, and his skin feels flushed and-- shit, was there something in the water?

He slips his bow off as casually as he can manage, trying to make it appear as though he's getting more comfortable. ]

Which way are they coming from?

[phaselocknroll]

I don't know. I can't sense them.

[nostalgiabomb]

... That-- is definitely not something I wanted to hear.

[ His eyes slip shut again, but he's paying attention this time, listening for the sound of movement. Suddenly he-- senses something, like eyes on the back of his neck, and he just knows. He speaks before he's aware of himself. ]

Five of them. Behind us.

[ His eyes snap open, and he feels a twinge behind his temple, and his hand goes up to massage it. He adds, ] I think.

[phaselocknroll]

[ She just... stares at him, about a dozen different questions coming to mind all at once. How the hell do you know that? being chief among them.

But for now she just rolls with it. Stay alive first, ask questions later. ]

Is it the Order?

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He's shaking his head, every bit as confused as she is. His body feels-- weird. Really weird, like he has the flu or something? Did these guys poison the stream or something? ]

Don't think so. I don't-- I think they're just thieves.

[ He swallows thickly, hand tightening around his bow. ] Now's probably a bad time to tell you I feel sick as fuck right now, isn't it.

[phaselocknroll]

... Yes, probably. [ she still has that weird heavy feeling in her limbs, and decides it might be best if she puts the amulet away. Back into the pack it goes, but she's a little distressed to find that the feeling doesn't go away. ]

I'm... not exactly feeling well myself.

[nostalgiabomb]

Well, [ he says, and he senses movement behind them; he rises to a knee, ] I think we're fucked.

[ On reflex he grabs an arrow from his quiver, turns, aims, and shoots, and even with the unsteadiness of his limbs, he manages to catch one of the bandits in the gut. Peter seriously feels sick, like he's about to throw up, and he's sweating now, his body too fucking hot and every nerve is starting to scream.

Four bandits running at them, then. Better than five. His hands are shaking as he nocks another arrow, but his aim isn't as true this time-- something hot shoots up his spine and his shot goes wild. ]

Little help?

[phaselocknroll]

[ She gets up- a little awkwardly, for some reason- raising a hand to pop one of the bandits up in her phaselock. Her tattoos shimmer with a faint blue light, then go dull and lifeless. Try as she might, her powers seem to have vanished. ]

I-- I can't?

[ She seems dazed by the revelation, but an arrow goes whizzing by her head and she snaps out of it, putting herself back behind their tree.

Shit shit shit. What do I do now? ]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Adrenaline and nausea and a whole mess of bad feelings make his words sharp: ] The hell do you mean you can't?

[ He fires another shot, and only through sheer luck does he manage to catch another bandit through the eye. Three left to go, then.

He rolls aside, finding cover behind a different tree just as an arrow embeds itself in the ground where he had been crouched. His skin feels like it's on fire, feels like his flesh is burning away. His head is screaming now, and he gags, dropping his bow in favor of twisting his hands into his hair.

And then the dam breaks.

He straightens abruptly when the pain leaves him, and fine lines dance across his skin like cracks in too-dry mud, and between the cracks shines a dim light. He stares down at his hands numbly, and when he looks up, his eyes are entirely black.

An arrow thunks into his cover, and all hell breaks loose.

With a feral scream he throws himself at the thieves, and his hands burn as he grasps one by the throat, the scent of burnt flesh wafting in the air. He slams him down into the ground, grips, and tears, the open neck wound cauterizing immediately, and the bandit lies still on the forest floor.

The second thief cries demon and turns to run, but Peter's upon him before he gets too far, slamming into his back and driving him to the ground as well. He's nowhere near as fast as Maya at her best, but fast enough for his purposes. He slams his fist down and after a sickening crunch, sizzle, and gurgled scream, Peter stands.

The last, the archer, has an arrow nocked and aimed directly at Peter, who tilts his head -- birdlike, inhuman -- before extending a hand. Light flashes from his palm, a beam of purplish energy arcing through the air and reducing the archer to dust.

After that, Peter just-- stands there, staring down at the body at his feet. His head tilts again, curious and silent. ]