....boot: successful. status: online. location: unknown.

[isoutthere]

Wherever it is in the nexus, bright bolts of energy begin to illuminate and shatter the quiet. Smoke begins to rise as the energy goes higher, as every electronic flickers and shuts off, until

Comments

[kingofblackmoon]

Demando looks down at the nude Serenity with a slight, appreciative smirk. So beautiful. Her body is perfect. He says nothing immediately, drinking in the sight at his leisure.

[isoutthere]

Quite the irony.

She does not acknowledge him, if she senses him at all. She begins to walk forward, instead, surveying her surroundings. It is Tokyo. The year, ideally, should be 2006. But something is clearly amiss.

[kingofblackmoon]

Finally, Demando calls out. "Serenity." His eyes stay fixed on her as he waits for her to acknowledge him. She must at least do that much.

[isoutthere]

She stops. That voice. Was that really...she turns. Yes. It is. She fixes her gaze on him.

"Prince Demand."

[kingofblackmoon]

"How pleasant to see you," he says with that semi-ironic courtesy that seems habitual. Or perhaps it's sincere; she is, after all, the princess; a form of her, at least.

This must be her world and time, he assumes at first.

[isoutthere]

"Pleasant...to see you." Serenity nods.

[kingofblackmoon]

Once, he'd have been willing to make her exactly like this, an empty puppet echoing back what he'd like to hear from her lips. Now, it bothers a part of him.

"What is this?"

[isoutthere]

"I am looking for Endymion, Prince Demand."

It was quite matter-of-factly how she said it. With no emotion. Not even anger, as others who looked like her would emit. It simply...was what she was doing.

[kingofblackmoon]

Of course she is. Fool that he is, he had managed to forget that inevitability. Demando glances away.

"Go, then."

[isoutthere]

"Yes, Prince Demand."

With that, she bows her head, and turns back to walk off.

"I will find Endymion."

[kingofblackmoon]

This doesn't make sense. Why is she speaking as if she acknowledges him as prince, if she is going to Endymion? Why does her tone almost seem to suggest she's finding Endymion for him?

"Explain," Demando says.

[isoutthere]

"Command...is acknowledged."

Serenity stops, and turns around once more.

"I have been ordered to terminate Endymion in this time, Prince Demand."

[kingofblackmoon]

That... certainly pleases him to hear. It explains her appearance and presence, certainly, but how have they brought Serenity to their side like this? No; a better question:

"On whose orders?" he begins carefully.

[isoutthere]

"On your orders, Prince Demand. I am to terminate Endymion of this time."

For her, a simple answer. Terminate Endymion. And terminate Serenity, to make it look like an accident.

[kingofblackmoon]

His? Certainly not, and yet Demando hasn't met alternates of his who seem to have the grudge against Endymion himself that he has. Besides, he likes this plan. Perhaps something from his future? The nexus can do that.

"You'll be rewarded if you do," he says, but his thoughts are still calculating.

[isoutthere]

"Thank you, Prince Demand."

Of course, the greatest award would be the end of the war, but robo-treats whatever the prince finds suitable, was suitable for her as well.