Nightshade sighed. "She wasn't supposed to see this. Nopony is ever supposed to see me like this. I wonder what she thinks of me now? Poor girl. I tried so hard to scare her off at first. I warned her not to get too close, but she's just so damn stubborn! Now I've gone and fallen in love, but I guess I'm gonna lose her anyway." The mutilated figure on the floor moaned, drawing her attention away from Asmo. "Oh, do shut up. You brought this on yourself." Nightshade's body grew and twisted as she took her Draconequus form. Reaching down, she pulled Critique violently loose of the daggers pinning him down as tossed him at the wall, snapping her clawed fingers as he flew. He struck the wall and fell heavily, his wounds healed by her magic. She walked over and grabbed him by the throat, lifting him until he was at eye level with her. "I came here to kill you, but the moment's passed. It's not fun anymore. So, I'm going to make a deal with you. You're going to print a retraction. You're going print an apology. You're going to take early retirement, and move to some small town somewhere where I'll never have to look at or hear about you again. You will tell nopony what happened here. In exchange, you get to walk away with your life." She set him down, and turned to walk out the door. "One more thing. If you decide not to accept my offer, I'll come back, and what I'll do to you then will make all of this seem like a pleasant memory." As she left, she said a few parting words to Asmo. ""I guess it's over now, huh? Raven's scared, you're pissed, and Cricket won't even look at me. It was fun while it lasted, though. So... goodbye, I guess." She managed to make it as far as the park across the street before she broke down sobbing under a tree.
Raven woke up, groggy, looking around the office before sitting up. "What... the hell happened? Where's Nighty?!"
Edmond: Anyways Maya, what's going on with you? Xion: I am head of Research and Development at SSI Incorporated. Knowing the department, we go through a lot of material. I was thinking in exchange for technologies for mining, we get a portion of materials mined. Of course most of the legalities can be handled later. Especially seeing as I need to get home and everything, but it may be a good investment?
Blackheart nodded. Though he had long since mastered the art of the poker face, he was extremely excited by the concept of advanced technology from another world. Even a small advantage over the competition would increase Black Forge profits immensely, and those extra bits would, in turn, finance more of his special side projects. "I do believe we can make a deal." *************************************************** Cricket answered Raven's question bluntly. "She's gone."
"Hey." Asmo tried to stop her from leaving, blocking with his body. "Just stay with us. We'll tell Maya and Dusty." "No." Raven effortlessly slipped underneath Asmo, dashing out the front door before he even had time to react.
Asmo sighed and shook his head. "Can't stop her." It took no time for Raven to spot the park and beeline across the street. "Nighty!"
Cricket shook her head. "Damn it. This... I never realized. I've seen the aftermath of her little episodes, but I've never seen it as it happened. It was worse than I ever could have imagined." ********************************************************* Nightshade, caught by surprise, made a half-hearted attempt to hide behind the tree. She knew what was coming, and she wasn't looking forward to it.
"Well. At least *squee!* over here came out alive." "Nighty." Raven stopped before the tree. "Come on, I can see you."
"And unharmed," Cricket added. She looked down at Critique, and pulled Nightshade's daggers loose from the floor. The critic recoiled in terror, and Cricket nodded. "Physically unharmed, at least." **************************************************************************** Nightshade kept her eyes lowered, and spoke flatly. "I warned you what I was. Why couldn't you have just dumped me when you were supposed to... before I got attached?"
"Well." Asmo sighed. "You. Critic guy. You're still a prick. Don't get it twisted." "I'm just too stubborn, I guess, Nighty. I wanna help you."
