Caprise triggers Dmex' protective power to come forward

It was just a little west- near the ocean, where the river was still and the butterflies of spring's bloom danced around the bushes. Caprise stood directly infront of her with an odd look to him, the sort of expression that had never touched his cherubic features before.

Apathy. A distant, plain stare. His lips were a thin, straight line, and his eyes lacked the vibrant green they typically shone with.

"...I never really liked you anyway," he whispered out, before his hands suddenly sprung forward- fingers straightening to unleash a blast of lightning that surged from him to her in a burst of electric blue.

It hit hard with the full might of his magic- surely sending her off of her feet and leaving the woman frazzled.

Then, he approached, like a predator closing in on fallen prey.

"And nobody will care for the passing of a slave. You asked me to help you taunt whatever's inside of you- probably your own insanity, and I went overboard. It horrified me."

"It pained me."

"But it wasn't my fault that you died."
(Caprise)

Dmex had been led out to a clearing near the river by Caprise, her eyes constantly skipping back to the farmstead, wondering if she's going too far - if she's going to get pounced by a bounty hunter or some such.

When the two come to a stop, her head spins with ideas - a fight, probably? Or... maybe he actually just had the poisons necessary on his person...?

Drifting away in thought, she only barely hears the whisper he'd given, only quietly muttering herself.

"...What?"

She'd made zero preparation for the blast that hit her, landing in an undignified crash into the grass a short ways away.

Slowly, she pushed herself back to her knees, gaze held on the ground rather than the boy.

Her tone is acceptant, and the air around her is devoid of any signs of starlight.

"...I understand. I'm sorry, Caprise."
(Dmex)
"Shut UP!"

A step forward closed the distance between her and the kneeling woman, and then the back of his hand cracked against her cheek. The slap echoed throughout the field as he glared down at her, "You're the most pathetic person I've ever met!"

His fingertips were abuzz with lightning against. If she looked up at him, they moved toward her and unleashed a surge of electric that was maintained on the woman, shocking her on the spot- the bolts were like fire to each and every nerve, traumatic pain that was maintained without relent.

Of course, if she did catch a glimpse of his expression, there were watery eyes on a pained face. The look of an actor or the guilt of a psychopath with his mask torn back...?

"At least die standing!"
(Caprise)


Caprise says, "lightning again*"
The moment the slap meets her cheek, a flash of cosmic light comes around her - brief, nearly imperceptibly brief - but she remains stationery, only taking the hit and the verbal abuse.

Electricity buzzed through her veins, screaming in ways she couldn't, bringing with it an irregular, slow pulse of light to the air around her.

"Fine - if you wanted me to go out properly-"

She staggers to her feet, snapping a wrist and calling forth a slow wave of impossible, illusory colors.

Her voice is still weak-sounding, the fight itself feeling more like an obligation for a Gehennan execution than anything else.

"-Time's grace, Caprise."
(Dmex)

{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 10)

{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 9)

{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 8)

{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 7)

{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 6)

{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 5)

{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 4)

{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 3)

{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 2)

{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: 1)

{RP BATTLE} (COUNTDOWN: Go!)


Caprise exclaims, "You're so WEAK!"

Caprise exclaims, "DIE!"
His tone was poison, seethed through gritted teeth as the two danced- Caprise was on her tail, following close by as he unleashed blasts of blue and gold, a constant stream of ether that chased her movements. But Dmex was surprisingly graceful, able to counter him back in turn with her own magics- matching his cosmic for hers, matching each blow as he shouted his insults mid-battle...

Another surge of lightning caught her when the two were close. It rattled her core, exposing her skeleton from within. "Scream! Come on!"

She was taken up into the air with the blast and thrown back into the cliffisde. He swore he heard a bone break.

He steeled his expression as he approached her, a sphere of etheral gold materializing in his hand...
(Caprise)

Cosmic met Cosmic, raw mana met her face, electricity gave her sheer, overwhelming pain - as half-hearted as her own efforts were, the starlight that acted around her was flying with full force.

When a particularly brutal surge of lightning threw her through the air, the following smash into rock felt like nothing more than the full-stop at the end of a pitiful battle.

...And yet, as if there was no pain coursing through her, a hand dragged her forward - back to her feet. Starlight raged around her in fanciful patterns, and she practically just appeared elsewhere on the battlefield with the sheer speed she was moving.

Her voice is different - wavering, but not in the same way pain had caused - almost glittery.

"Stop."

Once more, she charged forward, with a very off kind of grace - as if no pain could settle.
(Dmex)
It was an unusual thing to watch... despite steeling himself to wound her, to burn the woman's body with electric and ether- leaving harsh marks that tore through her garbs and shot through her flesh, she was rising. And she fought him as if the brutal beating he had given her thus far had never occured...

He broke character for a moment when Dmex charged forward, aided by a boost of Starlight. A flash of surprise that saw the blow connect before the second's end.
(Caprise)

A second bout opened with a fist, wrapped in Cosmic energy, landing dead on Caprise's jaw. Where before she'd fought somewhat conservatively, assuming she'd be executed by the fight's end - she fought genuinely aggressively, like someone desperate to hang onto every last scrap of life.

There was never a free moment, in a blur of blasts of starlight, mingled with bursts of static directly to the boy's vision. And without fail, each and every moment of blindness was followed by an explosion of energy.

Wounds on her person were still visible, but she paid absolutely zero attention to them, fighting without any mind for the pain.

When the two had broken away, the masked woman stood up straight in a blaze of light, far more intense than any Caprise had witnessed before in her natural ambience.

"Did you not hear us? Did we stutter? Stop."
(Dmex)
The same voice, like her tone had taken etheral flavor into it- but the stream of starlight that flowed around her was far more impressive, like a fire of gold and blue was blazing out from Dmex. Of course, Caprise wouldn't back down now--they were just getting started, after all! Maintaining his psychotic persona, his fingertips flicked up and shot out a bolt of electricity, "Stop? You're still alive! Fall, fall!"

At this point, maybe he was taking it too far.
...Maybe he took it too far after backhanding her. Regrets.

The two fought for dominance, cosmic against cosmic. Their movements were accelerated by the blessings of the stars, Dmex with the strange takeover and Caprise with a glowing golden rune on his forehead. Battering each other with meteor tackles and blasts of violent gold, the Elsyrean realized that she was getting the better of him...

And so he attacked in a last ditch effort- both of his palms swerved forward, shooting out a projectile of ether following the motion.
--only for "Dmex" to respond with the same move, and their blasts collided, a duststorm coming out from the clash.

He fell to his knees, exhausted, lacking the magical power to continue.

Yet she was still standing. The victor.
(Caprise)

When the two of them fought once more, Dmex maintained the same hyper-aggression, moving far, far faster than her body should've been able to - and swinging far, far harder.

Every single impact should've been able to shatter her, yet she continued to dash about the battlefield and dance around blasts of energy and Caprise's own Cosmic magic.

Tackle after tackle, blow after blow, she just kept going - far beyond any reasonable person's point.

After two explosions of starlight met in the clearing and wasted the grass into a blasted crater, the dust cleared - revealing Caprise on his knees, and Dmex still standing, light enshrouding her to nothing but a bright silhouette.

Another dash-step forward, and her boot was pressed against the boy's back.

"Five seconds. Apologize, grovel."

As she counts down, the wisps start to subside slowly, with her voice gradually returning to normal.

"Five. Four. Three. Two. O-one."

Her boot slips off his back without the stamina to keep it there, and Dmex collapses to the grass, devoid of any further starlight around her person. Every further movement or breath stung with the pain of a complete blowout.

"...S-sorry, Caprise."
(Dmex)
The leather boot pushed him down into the scorched earth, and he winced in pain. "Ah- I- it was a-" His fingers dug into the soil, curling against the blades of grass. He breathed slow and heavy- trying to regain himself, to think a way out of this situation, but nothing was coming to mind. "I'm sorry- it was an act, I didn't mean to...--"

His attempt to 'nearly kill her' had ended in what might be his own death, he thought, finding a pained grin on his lips then. But thankfully for Caprise, Dmex returned to her usual self, and the countdown to zero ended in the woman's reserved tone rather than the authority of the takeover.

"...oh, finally," he mumbled out, relieved to hear her. The Elsyrean pulled himself up to look at the mess on the grass with a faint, smiled smile, "We did it! If I- if I went above, I'm sorry!" With what little energy he had, he crawled over to give her a big hug, squeezingas a smile lit up his features in the brightest grin one could possibly muster.

Oh Kraus, bodily contact sure hurt right now.

"Do you remember...?"
(Caprise)
At least the both of them were left in a similar-enough condition. Dmex's end of the hug is clearly weakened by pain - every injury sustained during the takeover pressing into her with their collective weight.

"Remember...? Remember the-"

Her eyes skim past the battlefield - or rather, what remains of the battlefield - one particularly large crater surrounded by smaller dents in the ground, scorch marks, and other signs of a battle that extended far past what she recalled.

"It - it stops after I-"

She gestures loosely towards a Dmex-shaped indent in the rockwall-

"Hit... that. What happened?"
(Dmex)
Wobbling back weakly on the grass, he shuffled to bring his shins down against the soil with a hand to each leg. "Awh, you don't remember?"

"I did what you said- I took you out here, and, well... I was a little mean, eheh." His head cocked to the side, eyes closing, smile growing. An angel halo would suit him right now.

When he re-opened his eyes, he looked at that nasty red slap on her cheek in particular.

"You actually managed to overpower me in the end, after your... ah, domineering alternative ego took over."
(Caprise)

As Caprise's explanation unfolds itself, Dmex barely manages to push herself up to a sitting position, gritting her teeth to push through the pain of just that much exertion.

"I - I won? Or I guess-"

With a crack of her wrist, she tries to induce a splash of wisps to come forth - but all that happens is she's briefly reduced to clutching it with her other hand, while cursing under her breath.

Of course, because it's Dmex, her profanity of choice never surpasses a 'Dang.'

"-I guess it won. Alter ego, star, demonic possession..."
(Dmex)
Caprise says, "Don't tell me we just got beat out for nothing! Told you it was a bad idea."


Caprise says, "<-Staaare, grinning->"

Dmex asks, "I - was it for nothing, Caprise?"

Caprise says, "That's on you to decide. <-He gently shoves her shoulder, wobbling forward->"
Dmex does not have nearly enough energy left in her to resist the shove. Or get herself back up -after- the shove.
(Dmex)


Dmex says, "...Oh no. This is where I die."
You have 2 hours, 41 minutes left until your next check. You currently qualify for an RPP reward in the upcoming check!

Oh no indeed. Caprise wasn't expecting her to fall over so easily, and he blinked down at the woman once she was flat on her back. He scooted over to her side, staring down.
(Caprise)


Caprise says, "It's okay. I can help you up in a bit."

Dmex says, "I - I'd appreciate it."

Caprise exclaims, "See, I've gotten beaten up so much in my life that my endurance is /fantastic/!"

Dmex asks, "Mine - mine should be fine, but right now?"

Dmex says, "...Ow."
Caprise snickered with a dastardly look to him, a devil peaking out on his right shoulder- maybe that was just her hallucinating, though.

"I should take advantage of this..."

"-I'm going to draw on your face!!!"

He glanced to his left and right, only to realize that he had left his satchel home.

"...oh, nevermind."
(Caprise)


Dmex says, "...Mean."

Dmex says, "I - I might deserve it, though."

Caprise says, "Hm. One thing that I can say, Dmex, is that when you got stronger..."

Caprise asks, "It was the opposite of you, almost?"

Caprise exclaims, "Not as- no ffense, now- meek!"

Dmex says, "And... it doesn't seem to care -at all- about how tired I'd be, afterward."

Dmex says, "I feel half-dead."

Dmex asks, "...Do you mind carrying me?"
Snickering, he found it amusing that she was already complaining about the takeover's courtesy. He shook his head as the soft giggles faded, and then scooted onto his knees to slide his hands underneath her...

Ah, she sure was heavy when he lacked most of his energy.
(Caprise)


Caprise says, "Okay, okay--I think I can manage it."
LOOC - Dmex: (...i wonder how much further i should go on logs before i feel comfortable submitting my shame)

LOOC - Caprise: (WAR)


Dmex says, "Actually - I - should be able to walk. Just... with some help."

Caprise exclaims, "You--I'm about to lift, too!"

Caprise says, "Okay, let's try..."

Caprise says, "<-He stands up, and slides her arm around his shoulder, trying to take her with->"
Dmex very much appreciates the assistance - she probably wouldn't be able to move without it.
(Dmex)

You are now following Caprise

Caprise says, "<-flops her down onto the seat... carefully. maybe a slight thump->"
You have stopped following Caprise.

Dmex slumps herself over against the table, letting out a long, heavy breath.
(Dmex)


Dmex says, "...Thank you."

Caprise says, "No problem, eheh."

Dmex asks, "...I guess - what's left is to try and find a way to trigger a switch on demand, right?"

Dmex says, "Fake executions are not a great demand."

Caprise says, "To be conscious of it, to gain control... Yeah, we can't beat you half to death every time, eheh."

Caprise says, "I feel kind of bad. My acting went a little too well."

Caprise asks, "Is your- um, cheek okay?"

Dmex says, "Even just -sharing- control would be good enough, I feel."

Dmex says, "And it kind of stings, but I mean. Everything does."

Caprise says, "Oops! I can tend to your burns, but I don't think you want to move from your seat at this point."

Dmex says, "I don't know if I can."
Caprise says, "...It's okay. You'd have to undress anyway, and that's always awkward. Maiya or Seneca will patch you up when they're about."


Dmex says, "As if I'd want to undress in front of either of them. I'll handle it myself, I guess."

Dmex says, "Eventually."

Caprise says, "Mm, all right, if you're sure you can do so.--"

Caprise says, "<-Stare...->"

Dmex asks, "...What?"

Caprise exclaims, "Nevermind, just make sure to do it!"

Dmex says, "I - I will, yes."

Caprise says, "Good."
Dmex says, "By the way - thanks for everything. I know I'm still... kind of a mess, but."
Dmex says, "I appreciate having you around."
Dmex asks, "Both to help with bad plans of mine, and just... as a friend?"
Caprise exclaims, "<-Smiles at her, warmth to his features-> I appreciate being around. It's a lot of fun. I'm glad to be your friend, mhm!"
Dmex weakly extends a hand off towards him. "I hope we don't need any more feigned duels to the death, in the future."
(Dmex)
Dmex says, "...Or actual duels to the death, for the matter."
Caprise takes her hand, his other wrapping over it in a light squeeze. "As long as we're on the same team rather than against each other," he chimed with a grin, though it faltered some when she mentioned the insult.

His grip loosened, frowning.

"Ah- sorry, it was probably overboard... I just- mm, I was worried if you didn't think it was serious, than nothing would happen...?"
(Caprise)


Dmex asks, "I - I believe that is true, yes. This star's a tad obnoxious, isn't it...?"

Caprise says, "Yeah... It took your back snapping against the wall before it finally showed up. But- I'm sorry for saying that, okay? <-He squeezes her hand before releasing, nodding->"

Dmex says, "Apology accepted. And - I wonder if I broke anything. It's... a little hard to tell, with how much -everything- hurts."
Caprise says, "Aah, you really should have someone check you over, Dmex."


Dmex says, "Yes, yes, when someone's here."

Caprise says, "All right..."

Dmex says, "...I guess you could do it if you're that worried."

Dmex says, "And - think you can handle it."

Caprise says, "<-Snickers-> I'm not a kid. It wouldn't take long to fix you up."

Caprise says, "...well, minus any broken bones, of course."

Dmex says, "I hope there's none of those."
Wobbling off of his chair, he smiles down at her and offers a hand, before ducking in a lean to give her the shoulder needed to make it to the temple. "To the healers quarters, then!"
(Caprise)
Escorting Dmex to their intended destination, Caprise carried her into an open room at the back of the temple. There, he headed toward a free bed, and gently eased the woman down onto the wood.

"I've gotten quite good at basic first aid over the years," he chirped, kneeling down to pull out a metal box from underneath. It was put down on the bed and snapped over, revealing an assortment of basic gear- stiching, ointments, herbal remedies, and bandages.

"If you could- ah, you know," despite his claim earlier, it still embarased him some, but he was good at hiding it, at least.
(Caprise)

The medical room of the temple wasn't somewhere she'd ever been before - most of her wounds were helped by the Hand or the Gehennan equivalent of shady back-alley doctors.

Just having a free bed's nice enough, and her eyes skim past the sights of the room and Caprise ahead of her, along with all the tools he'd brought.

"Cloak and such off, right?"

She wasn't very sure how much should be removed - sliding her cloak off was a safe enough bet, however.
(Dmex)
Well, that was awkward.

"Everything but your underwear," he mumbled out, before taking out a wrap of bandage, his gaze averted from her. "If clothes are in the way, it makes putting this on- you know, sort of impossible."

Caprise distracted himself by looking through the med-box--checking out the different herbal blends within and their uses.
(Caprise)

After a nod, Dmex begins to remove the rest of her robes and such - leaving only the mentioned underwear, a mythril necklace, and of course, the cool mask.

It's just part of the image, at this point.

She didn't seem to have quite the same level of awkwardness for the situation - capable of detaching herself.

"I wouldn't know where most of the burns and such are. The worst of it happened while I was out."
(Dmex)
He was a little curious in surveying the damage--shifting his focus back to Dmex, Caprise smiled some, "Look, ehe! All on your front, below your neck." Her stomach and hips primary, a few on her back too, "I purposely stayed low to avoid hitting your face. I'm a good sport, huh?"

Giggling quietly, he then took the burn ointment out of the box and dabbed it to a clean rag, "Okay, this'll disinfectant and sooth the wounds," eager to get to word, Caprise murmured that with a lean toward her, standing up some before the rag dipped down onto her side. There was an initial sharp ache, but it quickly went away with a cooling sensation that washed over the wound.

One mark at a time, he scaled her body.
(Caprise)


Caprise says, "<-going to timeskip the badnages because I'm SLEEPY->"

Caprise says, "<-or ill just do a small rp...->"
Dmex gets bandaged and stuff. Officially less half-dead, more like, one-thirtieth dead.
(Dmex)


Caprise says, "<-holy shit look at my typos->"

Caprise says, "<-eager to get to word, this'll disinfectant and sooth->"

Caprise exclaims, "Ahh! Much better!"

Caprise says, "Now you just need bed rest."

Caprise says, "And look, there's a bed, eheh."

Dmex says, "Yes, yes, that there is."

Caprise says, "Clearly this temple has everything."
Once she's been thoroughly attended to, Dmex shuffles the rest of her costume back on, piece by piece, and slinks into bed.

"Thanks again for all the help - and I, uh."

She coughs, rubbing at one of the bandaged parts of her left arm, through the multiple layers of cloth.

"Hope it wasn't fatally awkward for you."
(Dmex)
Oh, she noticed. He scratched his cheek while looking away, shaking his head, "--Of course not. Why would it be awkward for me and not you? Perfectly fine!"
(Caprise)


Dmex asks, "I don't react to things the same way as most people, remember?"

Dmex says, "I thought it was worth a concern."

Caprise says, "...Hm! Ah, well, sweet dreams, Dmex. <-Takes the bed north of head, slipping under the blanket->"

Dmex says, "You too."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~