[ earlier: His aura was a welcoming jolt for Chrome, who literally bolted up from the ratty couch she sat on. Tempered, at first, remembering that day when he (... another time, then?) and Ken suddenly appeared and left after that day was done.
But this, he was markedly different. Strong. Deliberate. (Reassuring?)
She fell back on the worn cushions, smiling and hugging a throw pillow to herself.
[ Y-yes! If it wasn't the most obvious thing in the world, for her to want to see her savior...
I'll, I'll come right away! ]
[ On video, see her blush furiously. It seems to have something she inherited... and besides, she doesn't get to be called pretty even every now and then ^^ A happy Chrome is blushing!]
A-ah, n-no... not really... I... I guess you just arrived here?
[ It's interesting, this -- overlapping, multi-layered communication with her. He can feel her moving, he can watch her move on the screen. Her voice through the speakers, in his mind. ]
I'm very grateful. If he hadn't been there...
[ Don't worry yourself. I'm fine; more than. His intention is not to show it, but there might bleed the smallest drip of weariness, a sliver of weakness. Not so invincible; though it wasn't ten years, significant time was spent in that prison. ]
[ She's reached the surface entrance and is now half-running towards the welcome center, so you get a slightly wobbly screen. ]
... he must be a very kind man... Mr. Arthur...
[ She will probably never reach his level of skill, but she hasn't been training for nothing. She feels the microcosm of weariness that he allowed himself to feel. Heart pounds, lip bit. ]
[ Mukuro-sama... I'm, I'm sorry, I wasn't able to meet you earlier... ]
[ She's not rushing. Not entirely ^^ But she's already reached the welcome center's doors and has almost barreled her way through them. A flight of stairs, some doors from the corner... ]
I... I forgot to... introduce myself!
[ And she opens the door to the room that Mukuro is in. She pauses to catch her breath first, then straightens up to look at him, shaking a bit. Her phone's feed is still on, so the network can see Chrome looking off-screen. ]
... I'm Chrome. Chrome Dokuro.
[ Video feed and phone are turned off. Voice settles to just above a whisper. ]
... Mukuro-sama.
[ooc: ... delayed tags for a bit. called away to aunt. will be tagging a storm when I get back and this weekend! ]
[ No, she wasn't quite rushing, not even running. Still, he advised it; mostly a teasing caution. He feels her nearing, watching the changing backdrop, listening to her approaching steps on a number of planes.
The door opens, and the network might hear the creak from his feed as well. It ends before he looks, before he pockets the device and stands, his thumb lingering, hooked into the jacket's pocket. Mukuro watches her steady herself, notes the color in her cheeks, and smiles.]
How lovely to meet you, Chrome.
[He lifts his hand, extends it to her, from across the room.]
[ This will only be the second time she has seen him in the flesh. The countless times of seeing him in their shared dreamspace pales in comparison to feeling the small hairs on the back of her neck and arm prickle in his physical presence. ]
[ No, she will not faint this time. (That was all sorts of irritating) ]
[ Her tremulous smile is betraying her seeming composure though, as she walks toward her mentor, master and virtual god. (Why does it feel like each step she's taking feels like a minute longer to reach him?) ]
[ She haltingly puts her hand (does her hands feel clammy?) in his when she does and peers up to him ]
[ Dreamspace, the world of illusions, his world; the only reality available to him for some time. The only reality in which he'd known her, outside of memories of a future that would never pass, memories granted but he'd not himself experienced. In memories, Chrome fainted; perhaps gratifying and amusing to some degree, but Mukuro prefers this. ]
The honor is mine. [ With a smile that cannot be read.
He squeezes her hand with his, and with his other, traces his fingertips so light as to hardly touch, over the cloth covering her abdomen. A glance at her ring; not possessive but pleased. ]
I'm glad you were able to here as well. Would you like to continue, or should I...
[ He wraps his illusions around hers; tightening, strengthening. His head tilts, just so, as if to say he can take over but at her discretion. ]
[ The hand grasping hers was enough to make her blush deeply again, but the slightest contact of his fingers on her stomach properly sent her heart racing. And he didn't need to add more to that. The ring's glow diminished fractionally as she allowed his illusions to penetrate her skin, making her wholly dependent on him again, until only the faintest glow remained on it. ]
[ She could and probably should have shown him that she has been stronger and, in theory maybe, now can rely on the ring's powers but she chose not to. Reality was very subjective now, but he was truly here, and her life was his once more. ]
[ A deep breath, slow exhalation, easing herself under his sway again. ]
[ His Chrome, his cute Chrome. The color on her cheeks so striking. The immediate and so willing concession of control, it is -- not reassuring, that isn't the word because that implies that he worried, that he needed or wanted that assurance. To sustain her in this way is simple; though a little tired (a little, he yields only that), this doesn't take much.
It reasserts. His hands fall away, first lingering. ] You've done well, my Chrome.
[ He pauses, smiling still, looking her over with care. ]
It's funny, don't you think? In this City, we might not need each other at all.
But this, he was markedly different. Strong. Deliberate. (Reassuring?)
She fell back on the worn cushions, smiling and hugging a throw pillow to herself.
... you're here, Mukuro-sama.
... can I come see you? ]
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[ And smiles again when the video feed accidentally turns off. ]
... Hello.
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Would you like to, my Chrome?
An amused pause; as if it isn't obvious. (As if he-)
Please.]
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I'll, I'll come right away! ]
[ On video, see her blush furiously. It seems to have something she inherited... and besides, she doesn't get to be called pretty even every now and then ^^ A happy Chrome is blushing!]
A-ah, n-no... not really...
I... I guess you just arrived here?
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[ On the video, he smiles, head tilting. ]
But, I think so.
[ His expression sobers. ]
Mm... in a bad way. But, it's OK, thanks to Mr. Arthur.
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[ Onscreen, still red. ]
...
[ Her expression changes when she hears the last line though. ]
A... bad way? Oh... then it's good that Mr. Arthur was there.
[ ... are you hurt, Mukuro-sama?!]
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[ It's interesting, this -- overlapping, multi-layered communication with her. He can feel her moving, he can watch her move on the screen. Her voice through the speakers, in his mind. ]
I'm very grateful. If he hadn't been there...
[ Don't worry yourself. I'm fine; more than. His intention is not to show it, but there might bleed the smallest drip of weariness, a sliver of weakness. Not so invincible; though it wasn't ten years, significant time was spent in that prison. ]
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... he must be a very kind man... Mr. Arthur...
[ She will probably never reach his level of skill, but she hasn't been training for nothing. She feels the microcosm of weariness that he allowed himself to feel. Heart pounds, lip bit. ]
[ Mukuro-sama... I'm, I'm sorry, I wasn't able to meet you earlier... ]
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I think so... he said I didn't owe him anything, and even gave me his jacket! How does it look?
[ It isn't your apology to make, my Chrome. He isn't apologizing, only addressing that she knew only when he allowed it.]
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[ She's not rushing. Not entirely ^^ But she's already reached the welcome center's doors and has almost barreled her way through them. A flight of stairs, some doors from the corner... ]
I... I forgot to... introduce myself!
[ And she opens the door to the room that Mukuro is in. She pauses to catch her breath first, then straightens up to look at him, shaking a bit. Her phone's feed is still on, so the network can see Chrome looking off-screen. ]
... I'm Chrome. Chrome Dokuro.
[ Video feed and phone are turned off. Voice settles to just above a whisper. ]
... Mukuro-sama.
[ooc: ... delayed tags for a bit. called away to aunt. will be tagging a storm when I get back and this weekend! ]
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[ No, she wasn't quite rushing, not even running. Still, he advised it; mostly a teasing caution. He feels her nearing, watching the changing backdrop, listening to her approaching steps on a number of planes.
The door opens, and the network might hear the creak from his feed as well. It ends before he looks, before he pockets the device and stands, his thumb lingering, hooked into the jacket's pocket. Mukuro watches her steady herself, notes the color in her cheeks, and smiles.]
How lovely to meet you, Chrome.
[He lifts his hand, extends it to her, from across the room.]
[ooc: ♥ Have a good time! /LOOKS FORWARD TO IT ]
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[ No, she will not faint this time. (That was all sorts of irritating) ]
[ Her tremulous smile is betraying her seeming composure though, as she walks toward her mentor, master and virtual god. (Why does it feel like each step she's taking feels like a minute longer to reach him?) ]
[ She haltingly puts her hand (does her hands feel clammy?) in his when she does and peers up to him ]
... honored. [ to be your vessel, Mukuro-sama. ]
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The honor is mine. [ With a smile that cannot be read.
He squeezes her hand with his, and with his other, traces his fingertips so light as to hardly touch, over the cloth covering her abdomen. A glance at her ring; not possessive but pleased. ]
I'm glad you were able to here as well. Would you like to continue, or should I...
[ He wraps his illusions around hers; tightening, strengthening. His head tilts, just so, as if to say he can take over but at her discretion. ]
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[ She could and probably should have shown him that she has been stronger and, in theory maybe, now can rely on the ring's powers but she chose not to. Reality was very subjective now, but he was truly here, and her life was his once more. ]
[ A deep breath, slow exhalation, easing herself under his sway again. ]
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It reasserts. His hands fall away, first lingering. ] You've done well, my Chrome.
[ He pauses, smiling still, looking her over with care. ]
It's funny, don't you think? In this City, we might not need each other at all.
[ Unless he takes the ring. ]
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