Winsome Blue/Inner Rage Released

From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe

Blue was on edge. She'd been sitting lotus style on the corner post of the pier in Talos Island for the last two hours. There were so many things on her mind, so many things pulling her different directions. Blue looked at her wrists, at the bracer then the bracelet. Next she lifted her pendant, holding it tight. She'd been the epitome of calm. Alright so she had lost her temper with Chris but beyond that she'd pushed all her emotions aside. Lost in those thoughts she didn't hear Deus's footsteps as he walked up behind her.

“Salutations Madame Blue.”

Swiveling around she chuckled. "Hey, you." The chuckling faded as she caught sight of his appearance. He'd been roughed up. Dried blood from cuts that have healed mark his face and dents rent his armor. Jumping down she went to him, concern on her face. "What the hell have ya been doin'?"

Deus cocked his head to the side. "I do not understand what you mean?" He shrugged and she wanted to smack him. Oh how she hated it when he shrugged. "Ostensibly, fighting crime"

Reaching up she ran her hand over his armor. "Ya usually get this knocked up?" Again her eyes went to the blood on his face.

Finally he caught on. "Ah. No. At the request of others in the Invictus Foundation, I have been adapting to fighting non-lethally. Ergo, no sword. It changes parameters of combat quite a bit, not having a parrying blade."

She shook her head.“Ya ever think of just usin' the sword non-lethally? I've seen it done.”

Deus nodded. "I have, however, I surmise that it would be well to possess a greater understanding of unarmed combat than I do now. Hence, training in the line of my duties." He shook his head. "Enough about myself for the moment. Are you... alright?"

She smiled and nodded. "I get that. There's plenty of times the unarmed way is preferable." Looking away, past his shoulder, she swallowed hard. "I'm good enough I guess."

Deus arched one brow skeptically, though the look in his eyes was worried. He sniffed, looking at Blue both promptingly and profoundly.

Eventually she moved her eyes to his. They were rimmed with blue. It seemed they almost always were lately. "It's a lot. So fuckin' much sometimes." She shrugged, her lip quivering for the briefest of instances.

He nodded softly, comprehending. “Madame... Blue. Our desires do not shape us near so much as action, or inaction.”

Blue spoke with the least amount of emotion she could. "I know. Action... " She chuckled. "It decides everythin'."

“I understand how you must be encountering difficulties. In truth, I believe the only one who can control your more predatory self is you. Though, you have help, manifold, should you wish it,” he said as he stared intently at her.

Nodding, she looked away towards the ground. Then, growling ever so lightly, she wrapped her arms tightly around herself. "Deus.." She closed her eyes and took a few long deep breaths, trembles shaking her even as she growls.

He watched her, his gaze unabated, even piercing, The pupils shrank to reveal more and more of that inviolate and deep red of the iris. He finally spoke, his gaze unchanging. "Do you wish assistance?"

Blue could only nod in the affirmative. She hadn't acted on the anger at any point. Not with Mike's revelation, not with Baeroth, not after mindwalking with Deus, none of it. She'd been holding it in. She had wanted desperately to do so after talking with Chris the night before but instead she had merely went home. She had also lied on the sg comm when she said she'd put in work.

Deus nodded, his gaze softening into what might have been sympathy, or pity. However, that lasted for only a hairsbreadth before his arms snaked up and firmly backhanded her in the face. His gaze was sharp, even challenging, awaiting.

Blue didn't see it coming. Her head swung to the side. Eyes flew open- now solid blue. Growling with intensity, claws unsheathed as she slipped into an attack stance. Wiping the back of her hand across her mouth, she found blood on it. She glared.

He cocked the faintest of smiles, settling into a crouch himself.

Blue bared her teeth in a show of defiance as she jumped forward and slightly to the left. Swinging her arm around, her claws aimed for his stomach. Psionic energy became almost palpable but it held back.

Deus took a lunging step backward as she moved forward, moving his arm to block her punch, neither wincing nor reacting terribly as Blue's claws dug deep furrows into the flesh. Deus has minute problems with unarmed combat. He still thinks like a swordfighter in this regard. He adapts, however, his foot striking forward to Blue's gut, then overhead in an elegant text book axe kick.

She laughed. Part of her could see what she'd done and cringed. Blue cared so much about him that to hurt him hurt her as well. But there was that side that wanted to see someone punished, see someone take the brunt of all her anger. She turned but his foot grazed her side, sending her off balance. She dropped again to a crouch dodging only quick enough to not take the full brunt of his kick. She lunged forward, aiming to take out his leg with her shoulder, one set of claws reaching up in an attempt to embed in his side.

Deus was caught off guard by the aggressiveness of Blue's attack. She barreled into his leg, and he just managed to maintain his footing there as her claw punctured between the woven plating, slamming between his ribs. Deus grunted slightly as air was expelled from the force of the blow. His body responded, moving with aquiline speed and feline grace, grappling with the up-close-and-personal-blue, grabbing her with limbs that felt more like iron cables, attempting to squeeze the air from her.

Blue was rocked over to her side as he grabbed for her. Her claws slipped out of their hold. She growled as his limbs wrapped around her. She kicked and wiggled, claws aiming at whatever they could. Her growling could be felt vibrating through her entire body. Baring her teeth once again, she gasped for breath. Psionic energy gathered around them as she fought.

He took her claws in multiple areas, pulling Blue into a grim parody of an embrace as he lifted her off her feet to prevent leverage while squeezing tighter, and tighter. His body was not just warm, it was almost hot even through the armor, his blood steaming in the exposed air which cannot be much colder than 80 degrees. Again, another tightening, compressed Blue's ribs. Deus attempted to work his legs in between hers, further preventing her from gaining leverage.

She couldn't breath. She wiggled and fought, doing her best to kick his knee or nail his crotch. When her legs become separated they flail and her growling almost echoed. His warmth against her skin fueled her rage but she couldn't breath! Her mouth opened.. the air not coming. She fought harder, as if that would bring the air. Eventually she flailed less, her eyes blurring, her growls fading. The psionic energy rippled and oozed pure fear.

Deus continued to squeeze for a time, then realized a quick victory for either party would likely not be productive, even perhaps not what he wanted personally. His grasp turned into a body slam, throwing Blue to the deck of the pier with force. He straddled her quickly while she recovered her air, and began to strike her face, left then right, the force not breaking but definitely painful.

Blue nearly choked as air flooded back into her after the slam. The moment she felt him straddling her she began to buck. With each strike she tried to maneuver away, to take less of it. She shoved her claws forward trying to impale him. That psionic energy replaced fear with renewed vigor.

He continued to strike, riding her bucking form agilely until her claws slam forward, this time directly penetrating the plating over his abdomen. His red eyes fluttered, an uncharacteristic expression of sensation from Deus, before his gaze snapped back to Blue directly, his features the same but the expression pure predatory. From this vantage it was easier to see the differences from humans he possessed; the slightly longer canines, the sharp, almost aching symmetry of his features, the wild eyes and hot breath, smelling of blood, salt, spice and fire. He grasped her wrist in a grip that felt more like unto a power vice used to remove armor plating from cars than a hand, wrenching her claws out of him gruesomely. He stood, attempting to bring her up with him.

She gasped from the pain of his grip. She could feel the bones rubbing together and cracking. Her eyes opened wide as she struggled to escape even as he pulled her up.

Deus smiled softly as he brought Blue to a standing position. With the speed that allowed him to often overtake a vehicle on a freeway, he released her wrist, spinning as he did so, launching a blistering roundhouse kick aimed for her abdomen.

Blue had no time to prepare, no warning. She stumbled back, taking the kick directly where he aimed. With a deep resounding thump she was sent flying. As she sailed backwards she tumbled over the pier until she slammed into the railing with her side.

He stood upright and began moving forward. This was not a cessation of the fight, but Deus, stalking. His eyes focused and the inclination was that he was enjoying this.

Arriving off to the side, Arty approached carefully, her eyebrows furrowed.

Blue was unable to use her hands very well, her wrists broken. She pushed up to her elbows but doubled over as the pain in her stomach lashed out at her. The blue in her eyes faded a little but she still growled. Her claws sheathed but she tried to stand, baring her teeth.

Deus approached and stood there, looming for a few moments.

Blue laughed a little, dark and rough. Despite how much pain she was in she used the railing to stand.

Arty ran up, coming to a stop- carefully still at a distance, "Ah.. what's going on?"

Blue wobbled, pain written on her face. She still glared, watching his face. Growling she took painful rattling breaths. A small dribble of blood flowed from her mouth. She barely glanced Arty's way, her eyes solid blue.

Deus remarked without facial expression at Blue's defiance, then slammed his arm forward, clasping her neck in that selfsame grip as before, only a little less forceful. He stepped forward, bending her bodily over the rail, red eyes locked with her blue ones.

Arty watched, her eyes narrowed and focused. At Deus' sudden strike she stepped forward, "Deus!"

Deus's free hand behind his back flashed out "stay back" in American Sign Language.

Arty stayed put, her arms tense. She seemed to understand immediately, but is still affected by the tension.

Blue blinked, her hands coming up to wrap around his wrists. Even broken she couldn't help but fight. Her legs tried unsuccessfully to get some leverage. The blue in her eyes faded just a little as she looked to his face.

Arty backed away.

His grip loosened softly, his pupils returning from their dilated state which is reminiscent of a lion hunting. He stared at Blue directly, heedless of either of their wounds.

Blue watched his face, tears beginning to fall. The blue in them faded completely as does her growling. She mouthed his name like a plea. "Deus.." Even then she wanted to fight, wanted to give and take a beating. She shook her head, trying to rid herself of the tears. She kept a hold of his wrists with her mangled hands, her legs no longer flailing.

He was calm but moved with surety, sweeping her up in his arms and carrying her over to Arty. Whether it was a friend helping another or a predator claiming his prize that was dictating the arrow-straight posture in his back, no one could say.

Arty tilted her head, exhaling. Deus was pretty fucked up. He was bleeding from several areas and had dried blood on him in other places, along with pink tissue that indicates fresh healing. Blue was visually better over, but with obvious broken bones. Arty's eyes trailed down to Blue's broken bones, and she looked at Blue. Her eyes suggested permission to nullify the pain for her.

“Artemis, I believe Blue may require some administration of her wounds. Would you assist?” There was a passive staidness to his voice, very rote.

“Sure.. Blue, would you like me to help those for you?”

Blue looked at Arty with mixed emotions. She nodded. “Deus... first.” She had trouble, her voice raspy. "Please."

He shook his head. "Blue may have internal injuries. See to her abdomen first. The blow I delivered there was.... not restrained."

Arty walked forward and stretched out a hand to Deus. Her feet, then arms and hands glowed, and it streamed over to Deus freely. Blue clenched her teeth against her pain, closing her eyes.

He looked down when he heard the word please, thinking. Then he nodded once. "My most serious wounds first, then Madame Blue, please Artemis."

Arty inhaled and reached out for Blue, taking her in her arms with surprising strength, and setting her on the floor. “Deus heals quickly, I just accelerated his regenerating process.. He'll be fine. I need to set these bones straight before I heal you, though.” Blue opened her eyes as Arty took her than sat her down. She nodded. Arty placed her hand on Blue's head and exhaled, a numbing feeling washing over the limbs which are broken. At the same time, a steady calmness invited Blue to enter a state of deep relaxation, to the point of sedation.

Arty knelt down and closed her eyes, her fingers spreading out as she traced them over her arms, coming to the broken bones and. She carefully felt around then began pressing in and re-setting the bones, her fingers working as a puppeteer's fingers would.

Deus regarded Blue as she relaxed, also nodding. "It is difficult for her. It must be. Her self was made unto a vessel where the self is inherently not..." he said to Arty, or the empty air. His bleeding had stopped, but he was still bloody and dirty... and hot. His body heat was detectable even from feet away.

“What do you mean? Her mind was made into a body... Or put into a body..?” Arty asked.

He shrugged. "Madame Blue will relate the specifics when she is able and chooses to. I simply understand, perhaps, the consequences of it. Forgive me, I misspoke."

Arty continued her breathing, inhaling and exhaling loudly. Her arms and hands worked quickly, and she pulsed with healing energy. She nodded, “Ah, no problem.. I understand you two were just testing each other, right now?”

Deus shook his head. "No, we were fighting. It was mutual, and not without consent, I believe. It was, in it's own way, I surmise, healing." He sought the right word. "Cathartic. Yes."

Arty looked down at Blue, finished with her healing. She put her finger to Blue's forehead and inhaled, then with an exhale, began tracing down over the center of her nose, to her heart, past her navel, hips, legs, then feet. Then, she leaned back, finished.

Again Arty nodded, “I understand.” She smiled at him, and slowly pulled away the relaxation.

Blue, feeling inside that all was done, slowly opened her eyes, slipping out of her surface sleep. She pushed herself up to a sitting position, looked at Arty and said quietly. "Thanks."

Arty nodded in return. "Of course."