queenoflogs | [Video to Action, closed]

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[Video to Action, closed]

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fallenfreelancr
Date: June 9th
Summary: Maine's meeting with her apparition leaves her in a slightly less than ideal state
Warnings: implied nudity, psychological trauma

[Video]

All the warnings she'd gotten about the edges of the Gardens hadn't been enough to deter Meta from exploring them, which is how she'd found herself being confronted by one of the apparitions, a seemingly harmless hologram of a suit of armor similar to Washington's, pure black, coming just about shoulder height to the white-armored Freelancer.

A vine had slithered and wound its way around to fix a mirror clearly on the pair, Meta towering over the hologram but still seeming somewhat cowed.

"You worthless weak sack of flesh. We should have dropped your sorry ass for any other host the moment we had the chance. South would have made a better vessel than you. Sigma agrees, you know she does."

Meta can only stand, tense, flexing her fists, unable to look at her from shame.

"You're unfit. Unwanted. Worthless. We'd have been better filled with rocks than you. Pebbles, even. Or cotton candy."

Meta growls, pulling into a defensive stance and taking a swipe at Omega, I can be better. I need you.

But Omega being, in all essence, a hologram, Meta's hand passes right through her, and she laughs, deep and grating. "BWAHAHAHAHAHA, you poor pathetic fool, you don't get it. You're never getting us back, you don't deserve us, any of us, you're useless to us now. You had your chance and you blew it; you got us killed and you'd get the rest killed just the same. No matter how hard you try, you'll never succeed. Such a worthless waste. We would have been better off with anyone else."

Meta tries another attack, and in her upset state pitches off balance and lands heavily on her hands and knees, pausing a moment there to try and catch her breath, reeling from the overwhelming fear of Omega's words, the oppressing self-loathing weighing her down. She found it hard to breathe. She pulled off the helmet and dropped it, where it rolled on the grass and looked back at her accusingly.

"Right. That's it. Leave it here, it doesn't want you anymore. It realizes now what a mistake staying with you was. Chop chop, drop it all."

Shaking, full of shame and a rising sense of panic, what will I do without it, Maine only obeys, soft sobbing grunts as she struggles to pull off the massive chest piece, shedding the gauntlets and pauldrons pulling off the boots and shin platings and thigh pieces, deconstructing the armor piece by piece under Omega's gloating and taunting, her manic laugh cutting into Maine's senses and making her dizzy.

Eventually she was left in nothing but the undersuiting, looking hesitantly up at Omega through dirty greasy strands of dull blond hair.

"All of it."

Once that's done, Maine's standing bare before Omega, her shoulders hunched and her arms wrapped about her. The mirror the vine has trained them them catching the scars on her back from Texas's knife and Tucker's energy sword.

"Such a waste. You know what? I'm sick of looking at you. Get out of my sight. You're disgusting."

Maine hesitates, she needed her, Omega was here and Maine needed her badly. She looks down at her armor, but the apparition of the hologram took a menacing step forward, snapping angrily.

"Didn't you hear me, you stupid girl? Go fuck off!"

Maine stumbles back a step, and then turns and hesitates a moment before tearing off into the gardens, because Omega was right, she was so right. The vine continued watching her retreating form before disconnecting. Nothing more to see here.

[Action]

Once she was back in the inner parts of the garden, entirely lost but still safely away from Omega, Maine collapsed to her knees, she'd been right, Omega had been absolutely right, Maine was nothing now, not even worthy anymore for Meta. She lays down on her side and curls up into a fetal position, unable to cope with the depression and overwhelming sense of failure and loss.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Zenobia comes running, a look of terror on her face. She notices Maine at just the last moment, and has to jump to the side to avoid her. As she does, she notices that whatever was chasing her has vanished. She stops, taking deep breaths until she regains her composure, and then turns to the person on the ground.]

Hey. ...Are you okay?

[Maine tenses at the voice, and it takes her a moment to recognize it. She curls tighter on herself, looking up with a desolate expression. She's covered in various scars, but most notably is the crisscrossing lines on her neck over the original bullet wound that stole her voice. She doesn't make a sound as she regards Zenobia, expecting more rejection and ridicule.]

[Zenobia looks shocked as she takes it all in, but her expression changes to one of concern after everything is processed.] Oh wow, you look like hell and a half. We've got to get you out of here. Are you injured?

[Maine shifts, pushing herself up until she's sitting, and wrapping her arms around her. She shook her head, she wasn't physically hurt, but the experience had left her shaken and she spent a moment looking around to try and get her bearings. She carefully glanced back at Zenobia, with all the hesitance of a beaten dog.]

Edited 2011-06-09 18:56 (UTC)

What's wrong? I'm not going to hurt you. This area seems to be turning into a dangerous place. [Zenobia takes off the top layer of her clothes, holding out the robe for Maine.] Take this.

[She blinks at the robe, confused a moment, but then reaches out and takes it, shrugging it on and pulling it tight. She's still watching Zenobia expectantly. She was lost, so terribly lost, and as it started to sink in that she'd abandoned her armor she was filled with a cold dread in the pit of her stomach.]

[Zenobia is scanning between trees.] We probably shouldn't stay here. There was a big demon chasing me a little while ago. He could be back any minute.

[She grunts, something of agreement, and pushes to her feet. She still just stands there, hugging herself, shoulders hunched, waiting for Zenobia to lead the way.]

[Zenobia takes the hint and starts walking, still cautiously scanning her surroundings.] Are you unable to talk? Is it that wound?

[She follows along behind, rumbling agreement with a little nod. Although she's still a little ways from being fully coherent, she seems to pick up on Zenobia's wariness and periodically casts about the trees as well, though less effectively. It's more just mimicing motions at this point.]

[Zenobia continues, still wary.] Sometimes weird things like this happen in the gardens, even though things are usually pretty peaceful around here. Apparently before I came here there was an outbreak of killer plants.

Whatever is going on, I'm guessing it'll blow over eventually and things will be peachy again. I hope.

[Maine does give a curious grumble at that, killer plants??, reaching out to tentatively brush against a branch as she passes. Hard to imagine any of this idyllic vegetation getting aggressive.]

[But at the second comment she'll drop her hand with a small whine, and try to pull the robe tighter around her, already missing the enveloping security of the undersuit. She shiveres as she thinks back on Omega and his words. ]

Edited 2011-06-11 01:21 (UTC)

Hmm? [Zenobia turns to Maine.] Is something wrong?

[I wonder where her clothes went, anyway?]

[She freezes a moment, and glances away, not at all used to anyone being nice to her like this. It was jarring. She grumbles, incoherent as always, this place is wrong, and then rubs a hand over her face tiredly. Facing Omega like that had taken a lot out of her.]

[Zenobia stares at her for a second, and being unable to really glean anything from her body language or grumbles, other than maybe she's fatigued.] Do we need to stop for a rest?

[Maine looks at her, and then glances back the way they came. Her expressio is conflicted, already missing the security of her armor but still feeling the biting sting of Omega's insults. After a moment she slumps back against a tree as if in answer, and then slides down until she's sitting on the ground, hugging her knees to her and looking questioningly at Zenobia.]

Wh-what's wrong?

[Zenobia kneels down next to her.] We can stop and rest for a minute. I'll try to protect you if anything comes this way. [I just don't understand this person. What happened?]

[Maine freezes a moment as Zenobia kneels by to her -- so close -- but then grumbles distractedly and reaches down to draw a little likeness of Omega's helmet in the dirt. Which really just looks like Washington's helmet.]

What is that? [Zenobia stares at the drawing for a minute, frowning.] Is that a knight's helm of some sort?

[There's a small pause as she considers then, then gives a small nod and a grumble, something like it, and scratches out &Omega next to it.]

Is this something you lost? Is this why you're distressed?

[Maine nods with a high whine. She draws a likeness of her own helmet next to it.]

Where is it? Maybe I could go find it?

[Maine's demeanor shifts in an instant. She glares suddenly, growling, mine. it's mine!, slamming her hand down on the drawings.]

Edited 2011-06-13 14:42 (UTC)

[Zenobia pauses, backing away slightly. What the hell was that about?] ...So... ...I shouldn't get it? ...I won't, if that's what's bothering you.

....I really don't understand.

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