3 || Audio

[aswanbyday]

[The comm clicks on to the sound of running water. Odette sounds decidedly distressed.]

Please! I need help. I'm in the forest, by the water. Please someone! Help me!

OOC: Odette's found injured!Phoenix. And since she's a swan, she's pretty much useless in getting him help. Maia's got dibs on finding them first \o7

Comments

[solittleeffort]

[Maia normally isn't the kind of person to help someone unless there's something in it for her - of course, find someone desperate enough, and there will always be something in it for her.

And Odette sounds plenty desperate at the moment.

Maia's already visited the forest before, and with the image of that location in her mind, it takes little effort to simply teleport herself there.]

You said you needed hel--

[Maia pauses as she finally catches sight of who she's to be "helping."]

Well, isn't this an interesting turn of events?

[ecopiracy]

[Again, there's no response from Phoenix, beyond another convulsive shiver. Even half-submerged by water, it's obvious something is very wrong. There's blood in his hair, on the side of his face, and his skin is pale, leeched of color and warmth. He's still breathing, though his lips are turning blue. That last sign might be difficult to see in the very faint forest light.]

[aswanbyday]

[Odette is beginning to wonder if anyone's heard her. Or if they just can't be bothered enough to care. That is until Maia appears. The swan lifts her head. Thank goodness someone finally arrived. She gets up.]

Please, would you help me?

[solittleeffort]

[Maia grins. This could be very interesting.]

That depends. What is his life worth to you?

[aswanbyday]

[Odette's brow furrows. What kind of question is that?]

Why would you ask something like that? He needs help. What difference does it make what he means to me?

[He means a lot, Maia.]

[solittleeffort]

I ask because I'd like to know. So, tell me - exactly what is his life worth to you?

[She's already got the impression that Phoenix and this animal have a strong enough connection, as evidenced by Odette's reaction...but toying with them is far too much fun to resist. Especially since Phoenix's life is on the line.]

[aswanbyday]

I do not owe you an explanation.

[Odette moves to nudge Phoenix again. It's clear this person isn't going to do anything but make her angry. Well angrier.]

Phoenix?

[ecopiracy]

[Warm feathers and pressure, a voice he remembers. Something registers dimly, and he shivers and stirs. The world refuses to focus, though, even when he manages to open his eyes.]

...dette?

[The name escapes, barely more than a breath.]

[solittleeffort]

[Maia doesn't miss that sound - it was clear that this swan knew Phoenix, but that fact that he said her name confirmed that he was familiar with her, as well.

Everyone had someone on this ship, didn't they?

Jak had his rat, his father, those newcomers, and so many other people who knew him. There was something between Phoenix and this animal, and no doubt there were other people aboard this miserable ship whom he cared about.

What did Maia have here? A couple of nights of drunken sex? A squeaking blonde who wouldn't leave her alone? Dark Eco? ...no, she didn't even have that, save for what's inside her. And the one person she had wanted around this entire time was nowhere to be found

[aswanbyday]

[Odette doesn't have much a choice as she watches Maia drag Phoenix out of the water. But she's not far behind. She can't make out what Maia is saying, but it can't be good, considering how different Maia looks now. Odette's feathers rustle.]

Stop it! Get away from him!

[ecopiracy]

[The rough treatment earns a wince from him, especially when his head reconnects with the ground. His head lolls and he almost blacks out again.

Until Dark Eco crackles dangerously close, only inches from his skin. Groaning, he forces his eyes back open - when had he closed them? - and struggles to focus on Maia.]

You...

[He's so tired. He lifts one hand as though to push her away, but there's no strength at all behind it. His body shivers violently.]

Keep... away... ...dette.

[solittleeffort]

[Maia turns her head and glowers at Odette before shooting out a bolt of Dark Eco her way - it doesn't hit her, though. That shot isn't meant to kill. It's a warning.

You stay out of this.

Maia turns back to face Phoenix. She's still bristling with Dark Eco, however, none of it actually touches the man in question. It's close, though.

Killing Phoenix now would be easy.

Too easy. Too soon...and good things do come to those who wait, after all.

The Dark Eco is gone, now. She's calm.

Maia pushes Phoenix's hand back - not that she really needs to, as he's far too weak to actually push her away - and reaches out to gently stroke the side of Phoenix's face; she's smiling, now.

It won't be the eco that does you in, Phoenix. When Maia decides to kill you, she plans on doing it with her hands.

It's a few minutes before Maia finally gets up, only to snatch away Phoenix's communicator once she catches sight of it.]

I hope you don't mind me borrowing this, Phoenix. It will only be for a little while.

[aswanbyday]

[A gasp escapes the swan as she scrambles to escape the bolt of eco. Rothbart could do something similar. So it wasn't as though she was unfamiliar with magic like that. Just...unaccustomed to it being launched at her. But she's not deterred.]

Leave him alone!

[She doesn't like the way Maia is smiling. It's unnerving and Odette has got to get him out of here. But how? There was that horrible useless feeling again. What was she going to do?]

[ecopiracy]

[Despite his weakness, Phoenix still manages to glare his hatred - of her, of his helplessness, of what she is doing to him.]

Rot... in the Brink.

[Another shudder wracks his body and his vision swims. Against his will, his eyes close. But there's something important. He can't give in. He needs... He can't...]

Odette...

[solittleeffort]

[Maia just rolls her eyes and continues to grin, already browsing through the contents of Phoenix's communicator.]

Oh, calm down. You're lucky I decided to let you live. [She sounds almost casual as she says this, like it's no different from discussing the weather.]

Anyway. I have things to do and boy to teach - [She glances back at Odette.] Good luck getting him back to his room.

[And with that, Maia is gone. There's little doubt that she's teleported back to her room...she has quite a bit of catching up to do, after all.]

[aswanbyday]

[Odette looks relieved when Maia left. Thank goodness. Although they were alone again, Odette didn't want to think of what Maia would have done to Phoenix.

She waddles closer to Phoenix, curling up closely to him. This was not good. She couldn't leave him, but staying meant Phoenix was only going to get worse.]

Can you move?