Mental Link;

[miscreant]

DEVOUR beg for mercy and i will deny you	ASSIMILATE the scourge will wash over this world
LEAD we do what the living cannot	WANDER your kind has no place in this realm

( CODE BY WHAMBAM )

Comments

[miscreant]

[She doesn't expect him to pull out that bit of information, but then, she can't say she doesn't appreciate the fact that he hadn't chosen to simply roll over. After all, he isn't wrong -- she can't kill him, at least not without maiming herself.

The symbiote won't let her -- not now. Possibly not ever.]

Of course, there is that.

[Her fingers unfurl from the fist, each joint cracking as it does. Seviilia leans back and stands to stare down at her broodmate with the same unmoving smile.]

But then...what is it the paladins say? [She snaps her fingers once in an attempt to recall it.] "Death is but a release". There are fates far worse, I think.

[Like her own -- she doesn't say as much, its probably a bit of an insult, though no less true. Still, there's no denying the uncomfortable pull in her chest cavity. It reflects back from Murphy, in pain, and the distance hurts her just the same.

But she needs to find more of it, to maintain her pride.]

You should hope one of them does not find you in its stead.

[wrackful]

[Murphy could almost roll his eyes. Of course, the old fate worse than death talk, like he hadn't heard that one before. Usually just before being tortured. Were he still feeling belligerent enough for it, he'd point out that he's already in one. Stuck somewhere multiple universes away from the person he cares about with an alien insect taking over his mind. Death might be preferable, except death had always been the absolute last resort for Murphy. The one time he'd willingly looked to it for release, he hadn't been able to go through with it.

Pain always brings out the worse in him. Obstinance. Anger. Cruelty. But he isn't a creature of pride, not anymore. He's a survivor. He adapts. And as much as he hates the idea of asking her to stay, the resurgence of pain as she moves away is enough for him to not be able to just let her go.]

So that's it? Someone doesn't bow down to your so-scary threats, you just walk away? [His head tips, lolling against the wall slightly.] That's a kind of limited idea of cooperation, don't you think.

[miscreant]

Typically, when one chooses not to take my threats seriously, I make good on them.

[She couldn't kill him, but she can feel his pain worsen when she widens the distance between them and finds herself content with that. It's not the most pure form of torture, but it's enough for now.]

Perhaps in the future, you will be less quick to reject my thinking. That is, if you truly care about cooperation at all.

[For a moment longer, she watches him stew (much to the distress of her own symbiotic link) before she turns to leave. It might be the equivalent of dragging herself away on her stomach, but it was better than being taken for granted.]

[wrackful]

[She's doing it to hurt him. Murphy doesn't need the symbiote connection to tell him that. It's just obvious. And there might be something he could say that would change her mind, but the pain's wearing on him too much to muster the effort for it. She clearly wanted him quiet and obedient, and her threats - seriously as he had taken them - weren't enough for her to earn that. Truly, no one's ever had been, made good on or not.]

You know, I'm not the only one around who's going to reject it when you go straight to the "or I'll hurt you."

[He says to her back, shifting on the floor into a position that might hopefully be more comfortable while he's still able. He's clearly going to be stuck here a while.]

Just... [He lifts one arm, lets it drop, talking more to the opposite wall now anyway.] something to think about.