Multiple Settings Anima Studies

[Yakov011001]

"No. No, no, no!"

As Marianne reached deep into him in an attempt to pull that wretched creature free from him, there was a rejection. Like a magnet that repulsed her in a way that made it clear no matter how hard she reached, she wasn't going to touch that vile, vitriolic ichor. Nikklaüs' grip tightened on her collar, and his face grew desperate and panicked. If it wasn't clear just before, it was now—

"That's not what I need you to say!"

—whatever had taken hold of Klaüs before was long gone, leaving behind a hole that desperately ached to be made whole again. Suddenly he recoiled back violently and dropped Marianne, retreating in a stumble until he fell over to be at a kneel facing away from her. His clawed hand coming up to clutch his mouth in that same grip he had on Marianne's throat, cutting into his face from his own grasp. The temperature in the air dropping much more drastically than it had before, the frost began to overtake even more than his arm. Spreading across his whole body, the ice threatened to freeze him entirely; including over his mouth and nose.

Everything we do is for you, Nikki. Why are you fighting us!?

Nikk, I don't have the time to go to this damn arcade, or that fucking rink, or the card store! I'm not doing all that with you.

I just feel like they took something away from you, Syn. I feel like I lost you to them.

There were tears that threatened his eyes, but he could not cry when they froze over the near instant they appeared. Trembling from the fire that burned in him again: that rage, that wrath; he knew better than anyone that he could never in a million years point that at Marianne. The way he'd lashed out at her already, it was fit to see him executed by the jury of his mind. Yes, that would do. What was he suppose to do with all of this anger and hate, and with no one deserving of holding it? He wouldn't wish it upon anyone in a million years,

no one except himself.

Juju

 

[Verite]

Valerie Vu - It Takes Two to Tango
Interactions: seasonedcat

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"Eek--!"

Despite the pretense of a brave and resolved face, that expression quickly crumbled as Valerie found herself the sole target of Aries's ire. Well, she always wanted to be the center of attention in everyone's eyes, but perhaps this was a bit too much heat to handle for her. Eyes widening as Aries began to charge at her at superhuman speeds with lethal intent, Valerie listened to the gut instinct screaming at her from within, and her body practically moved on its own. She moved to evade the berserker's horns, leaping and rolling to the side and spinning around to keep herself facing his direction, but indeed, the maneuver caused her to let go of the anima lasso in the heat of the moment, the rope uncoiling from its target like a reeling snake and letting him free as it began to shoot back and disappear into Valerie's hand within a matter of seconds.

Okay, this was getting pretty tense, but this was hardly any time to lose nerve. She still had options, and wherever there was a will, there was a way. Valerie began to stand back up again after her hasty roll, but remained in a hunched over posture for a moment, hand still pressed against the ground as she eyed up Aries. Green eyes darted about as it frantically scanned all over his form to ascertain what she should target next, before making a snap decision.

"Alright, fine. You wanna dance? Then let's tango!" She exclaimed, forcing a degree of bravado into her voice as she stood upright again. It was good that she was blissfully oblivious to the full extent of rage burning within Aries, lest she might sunk to her knees from the sheer storm of emotion. Even so, she persisted. Her hand moved up now to hover over her hip like a cowboy preparing to draw, as she looked at Aries and grinned.

In a flash, she thrust that hand forward, making a finger gun as she began to shoot her signature fireworks straight at Aries, specifically his feet.

"One, two, three, four! Make peace, not war!"

Pew pew pew pew! Pew pew pew pew!

She fired a projectile for every syllable she cheered, hoping to blast Aries off his feet and hit the ground, or maybe at the very least, literally keep him on his toes and make him do a little jig on the spot. Whichever kept him occupied longer. Leveling up since the first day didn't just mean developing her new handy lasso, but also that her little light projectiles packed a prettier punch than before, with a tad more concussive force behind them, but to what extent, even she found it hard to gauge for now. Hopefully, her training sessions with Cobalt would pay off any time now!