darkness falls across the land
Characters: Zuko [innerfirewithin] and Tyki Mikk [sleightofhearts]
When: Afternoon of the 27th
Where: Near the City Wall, by the Wastelands.
Rating: R to be safe. He's kind of dying.
Summary: Zuko got bitten by the infected during a solo (idiotic) trip to Veles. Hours have passed -- and Zuko knows he can't go back to Adstringendum without fear of getting others infected. ( Read more... )
When: Afternoon of the 27th
Where: Near the City Wall, by the Wastelands.
Rating: R to be safe. He's kind of dying.
Summary: Zuko got bitten by the infected during a solo (idiotic) trip to Veles. Hours have passed -- and Zuko knows he can't go back to Adstringendum without fear of getting others infected. ( Read more... )
It didn't usually take much to cause a ruckus over the infernal things - make it difficult to sleep for a few days and they all made it seem like it was the end of the world - and so it had taken Tyki a while to catch on to what exactly was going on. Imagine his surprise when he realized that it was a legitimate ruckus. How entertaining.
Initially, he had only come out of the Chateau out of curiosity; poking around at the not-quite-human things skirting along at the edge of the city between Adstringendum and the Wastes. Akuma? No, not quite. These things, while they weren't quite alive anymore, didn't obey commands, and they certainly weren't very durable -- at the very least, testing their durability had been worthwhile entertainment.
He was on his way back to the Chateau when he spotted Zuko. On any day of the week, he would have leaped the opportunity to get the boy's knickers in a twist - he made it all too easy - but oh. Oh.
Oh~
Tyki's lips curled into a knowing smirk as he slipped his hands into the pockets of his coat and strolled toward the withering boy.
"My, my~"
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Unfortunately for Zuko, he hadn't been fast enough.
It would be quick, painless -- he was already dead, for heaven's sake, all Zuko had to do was end it before he could hurt anyone --
But then, he heard the taunt, and his head snapped up to look at the newcomer with a scowl.
"Go," Zuko hissed, his fingers digging into the wall to keep himself standing, his other hand clutching the hilt of his sword tightly.
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Tyki fished around for his pack of cigarettes, shook the end of one cigarette out, and then drew it out of the pack with his lips. He switched the pack for his matchbook and struck one against the pad of his thumb. The flame briefly illuminated sharp, gold eyes that were watching Zuko with far too much intention as he lit the cigarette and took a long, long drag.
Mmm~
The cigarette bobbed between his lips as he spoke, "Why would I do a thing like that?"
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"I said go!"
Zuko was normally a brilliant swordsman -- but now, half-crippled by the virus that was slowly causing him to lose his grip on the world around him, he was nothing more than a child playing with a stick that was too big for him.
That didn't mean he wasn't going to fight for every single inch of what he was worth.
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Tyki tsk'ed around the cigarette - the lit end glinted as it bobbed - and shook his head, "I'm afraid I can't do that, boy."
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Tyki Mikk was here for a reason. And, something inside Zuko's head clicked into place, and for the briefest moment, he almost feels -- relieved -- but the moment only lasted for just that -- a moment. Death was inevitable. Death was welcome.
Tyki Mikk was not going to take away his last shred of pride in death by sitting here and taunting him.
"Why not?" Zuko hissed to himself, forcing himself to stand straighter, pulling the sword out of the ground. "There's nothing for you -- here, so just leave."
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Oh, how he hated to rush things.
"Tell me..." Tyki strolled closer, just outside of the sword's reach, and removed the cigarette long enough to flick the ash away and blow a few smoke rings into the air. "Do you really think you're capable of doing what you plan to do? You can hardly even hit me, after all."
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But he pushed himself back upright to glare at Tyki, his chest heaving with the effort to stay himself.
"What does it matter to you," Zuko gasped, his fingers moving to his wound again, hissing in pain as he felt the blistering pus-ridden flesh. It was in a horrible location -- he couldn't cut off an arm and save himself, no, it had to be directly on his side --
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Except fire is that of this world - something that he had full Choice over, and so he met it with an outstretched hand.
Reject.
The flame dispersed into a ball of what looked like nothingness, and flickered out like a candle.
"You barely have the energy to hold that kitchen knife properly, much less to make a decent effort to do what you know you need to do."
Tyki brushed his gloves together and met his gaze again, steepling gloved fingers together. Something black unfurled from his wrist - a butterfly - and it crawled to the tip of his joined fingers.
"If I leave, what needs to be done won't get done."
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Tyki was right. He knew he was right.
-- that butterfly --
It's what killed Sasuke.
And, dimly, Zuko realized what was about to happen, and how utterly powerless he was to stop it.
"Get that away from me," Zuko muttered, eyes unfocused.
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"Normally, I would love to. But I would hate to get my gloves dirty."
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Zuko immediately lashed outward, with a fist, the burst of fire burning hot. He knew it wouldn't do anything -- of course it wouldn't do anything -- Tyki Mikk is the man that cannot be hit -- but Zuko had to try.
Because he was not going to die at the hands of him. No.
There was more dignity to death than that.
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The Tease lifted into the air, as if in surprise, and Tyki made a soft tsking sound as he loosened his collar.
"That's quite enough, boy." He wasn't completely sure if Zuko had wasted the last little bit of energy he might have had - but that was a risk he was willing to take. Tyki stepped in a small half-circle until he was standing almost at Zuko's side and crouched down. "This is getting boring."
Zuko was fast, but Tyki was faster. One blackened hand lashed out, catching the boy by the throat and pinning him to the wall.
"I can promise you almost won't feel a thing."
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But, despite all of that, Zuko's eyes were on fire.
"I'm not afraid of pain," the prince muttered, fire forming at his hands once again as he tried to shove Tyki away with firebending. It would fail -- Zuko knew it would fail -- but he couldn't accept what was inevitably going to happen.
He was not going to die a victim of Tyki Mikk.
Absolutely not.
Except he was, and something inside Zuko's stomach twisted at the thought -- fear, definitely, but then -- the tiniest spark of anger --
And then, Zuko found the energy to open his mouth, inhale as much oxygen as possible into his failing lungs, and breathe fire into Tyki Mikk's face.
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It took Tyki only a split-second to react. His face was spared, but his cigarette was not. The little stick shriveled into ash and blew away, leaving Tyki to peer at the space where it had been bobbing between his lips.
Come now. Even Tyki had the decency to not waste a perfectly good cigarette.
He pressed Zuko more firmly against the wall, fingers digging into the boy's throat, "That was hardly necessary."
Tyki tilted his head toward the Tease flitting above him, though not without keeping his gaze locked on Zuko's.
"Tease."
The butterfly flit closer, landing on Tyki's shoulder and crawling down the length of his arm.
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He was going to die. But like hell was he going to make it easy.
But something struck Zuko, in what Tyki had said -- something odd, an old conversation -- argument, really -- with Sasuke and Tyki --
"I chose to do it," Zuko growled, trying to get in enough air to breathe fire again, but it was a losing battle. "It was necessary."
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