"Lynx, would you really commit the cardinal sin?" The old, tired voice was amused, sparking with warmth as she ducked under its claws, grabbed its wrist and hurled herself up- there was no fanfare, no sharp response. She just angled her body and swung with all the weight she had- like a demon, like a girl, but never a liar-
The dragon tried, again, to speak- bite- lash out- but for a moment, it jolted and froze, stunned as Lynx rent her blade through its throat, spinning through the air as her weapon dislodged and gagging, tasting blood in her mouth as she slammed into the ground, pain exploding through her body.
"You," The dragon roared wetly, opening its mouth, trying to fry her. Flames jetted forward with such force that they roasted the stones, melting them- Lynx barely rolled away, getting to her feet; swaying… for just a moment, time seemed to stop.
There was the beautiful violet sky, the tapestry of stars like diamonds. The way the dragon's scales glittered at their diamond-hard points… Lynx blinked, and glanced down at the shield on her arm, remembering something Alice had said.
"Diamonds are hard and all, but they'd make for pretty bad armor; anything with enough crushing power could use them as a weapon against you."
The dragon was bleeding, but she didn't have time to wait for a slow bleed out, and the fire was getting close to her, now. Glancing down at the vial in her pocket, she began to run ahead of the fire, grabbing it, popping the cap off and knocking the tiny bottle back.
She'd been moving fast before, but Lynx's body lurched almost against her will as she flew forward, tucking her body and slamming her weight into the shield with everything she had, wincing.
The dragon roared, its voice growing increasingly wet, and Lynx held on for dear life, swinging a leg up and mounting its neck. Drawing a breath, she raised an arm and slammed it down with everything she had; the scales didn't break, but something underneath crunched wetly, and the beast jolted, voice cutting off. Still, it tried to stand, and Lynx slammed down again, again, again, arm blurring as she jackhammered the thing… head swimming, she practically didn't notice as the dragon fell into the mud, twitching, paralyzed.
"THE DRAGON HAS FALLEN!!!" A voice screamed, from somewhere, as Lynx tried to focus, one eye half-closed. A veritable army swarmed past her, cheering, laughing, cutting around her and the corpse in a sea of purples and blues… her world spun, and Lynx slid sideways, landing in the still-hot mud, wincing. Finally, she closed her eyes as the veins on her arms began to pulse with violet light, spreading up to her shoulders.
-
Lynx stood in a field of snow, wind blasting her hair around her in a mess of silvery-blonde, looking around her at a field of corpses lying broken, mangled.
"You ordered this," A voice came from behind, and she grit her jaw. "You're a leader, no? Then you must understand that you ordered the slaughter of these sons and daughters."
"I do," Lynx affirmed, turning and slowly drawing a blade. "They died for me. It's for the greater good."
She woke, frowning slowly and staring at the ceiling- even now, in the dead of night, she was able to see perfectly well, and blinked slowly, eyes tracing the painted lampshade hanging over their heads. For a time, she didn't move, pondering the strange dream. Does the next arc of my lovely tale begin with a prophetic dream of war? Wow, Lynx, you're one hell of a main character.
"You okay…?" Beside her, Nara had opened one eye, her breathing just slightly less regular, now, gaze soft. To Lynx's left, Alice was still… sleeping? Shut down? Pretending? Who could say for sure…
"I just had a strange dream, nothing to worry about," Lynx mumbled, shifting, closing her eyes.
"Tell me about it," Nara whispered serenely, ears swiveling forward. Lynx tried not to, but she found herself smirking, shaking her head just slightly.
"I was standing in a field of mangled, jacked-up bodies. Like a dragon had gone through, or you if my soul was across the way. Someone behind me was accusing me- or uh, maybe just, calling me out for being the reason they all died. I agreed that it was for the best."
"Hm… that doesn't sound like you," Nara spoke quietly, yawning, not bothering to cover her mouth. "I think you're going to make a good leader."
"Why?" Lynx mumbled, tired. "Actually, never mind, not trying to seek praise-"
"Shhhhhh, shut your dumb cat mouth," Nara practically purred, giggling tiredly. "If I were to, say, insult an average friend, I imagine that they might hold the wound close to their chest. Perhaps, let the wound fester, until their actions drip with venom that they can no longer control- when it would have sufficed to just, speak to me. No?"
"Yeah, that's why I'd just tell you how I feel immediately. No fight. Over and done."
"May all of Ravenwood embrace your logic," Nara smirked, pushing her head into Lynx's shoulder, humming. "A leader who is honest with their people and unafraid of the consequences… well, it is abnormal, but I think it ought to make a lovely change of pace."
"I…"
"No, Lynx, really- imagine it. Mir makes a move that seems as though they want to prepare for war. They do not. You call it out- they adjust their behavior and national relationships are resolved in a day."
"You think that'll fly? Sounds like a dream come true- and probably the only way I can do politics."
"I believe that your intent will shine through," Nara affirmed, voice becoming fainter.
"Go back to sleep, pretty girl," Lynx sighed, swallowing and closing her eyes one last time.
"Mm… that cow stuff… was that okay…?" The fox-girl asked, drifting off.
"Mn." Lynx grunted, and, had she not been so weary, she might have shuddered. "I… I needed to… not be a person for a while… I love you…"
"I love you too, my less-than-intelligent cat-cow…" Nara muttered, slurring, and in another moment, quiet snores were drifting into the air between them.
She thought, for a while. Strange brunette gods, failing angels, politics and work… after a while, Lynx drifted off into an uneasy slumber.
Come morning, she woke feeling much more rested than normal and stretched, hopping to her feet and yawning, tail flicking about as she wandered to the kitchen and began fiddling with the coffee machine.
"Morning sunshine," Alice spoke on a yawn as she sat up, no mind for manners. "Or should I call you my pretty gray cloud since you're always angsty and feisty?"
"I'll choke you," Lynx snorted, a smirk pulling at the corner of her mouth.
"I'll like it," Alice countered, smirking deviously. "I keep telling you this. Hold me against the wall, choke me out, make me beg-"
"Okay, okay," Lynx barked out a laugh, cheeks flooding with color, swallowing and glancing back as the coffee began to drip. "What's the plan for today, anyway?"
"The plan… right, I have a surprise for you," Alice smiled warmly. "After your press conference."
"What kind of surprise?" The blonde cat-girl raised an eyebrow, angling her head like a bird. "Better not be the expensive kind."
"It's like, the most expensive gift ever, sorry," Alice smiled in such a way that it was impossible to tell whether she was joking. "Three days in a hotel room actually relaxing, though. How do you feel?"
"I feel, fine, I don't know," Lynx muttered, looking away, back at her filling mug. "I mean, I feel better somewhat? Refreshed, I guess. It doesn't feel so awful now as it did before, if that makes any sense."
"I think it does," Alice agreed, sitting up straighter and standing as Nara began to stir. "You've had a chance to let those screaming muscles rest, or whatever. I'm glad you're feeling better- are you sure my hair isn't ugly?" Running fingers through the white locks, she suddenly changed tracks, eyes lingering on the orange highlights she'd dyed in.
"Yeah, something about it is gorgeous," Lynx nodded, yawning, looking back once more and starting to add creamer to the coffee- even in a hotel room, she'd made sure to run out for the necessities. "Maybe I just like gingers, I dunno. I don't know what you could do to make me find you ugly, though."
"Lose an arm," Alice stated flatly, immediately, and Lynx snorted again, shaking her head.
"God I need to stop making that sound, it's so unladylike-"
"You're standing there in nothing but a sports bra, and you're worried about being unladylike?" Alice asked, as if genuinely curious.
"Shut up. Anyway," Lynx added, curling her tail under her ass and starting to sip, still facing the desk and minifridge that the coffee machine sat on. "Nah. If you lost an arm I'd still love you. I don't really care what you look like."
"Oh yeah, I was curious, are you into dudes?" Alice changed track again, stretching as Nara slowly sat up, groaning.
"I mean. Could be," Lynx shrugged. "Girls hot. Guys hot. Don't really care as long as you're a good person. Not that you need to worry about that, I'm not seeking out new partners."
"Was only wondering," Alice shrugged, yawning and rubbing Nara's head. "Good morning, dumb animal number two."
"Kill yourself," Nara yawned, sitting up slowly on her knees. "I mean. Um. That was not very nice of you to call me."
"Oh god she's learning modern stuff," Alice sighed, shaking her head, closing her eyes.
"Lynx, come here," Nara mumbled quietly, reaching out, and, angling her head, Lynx wandered over, sitting down on the edge of the bed, beside her lover. Immediately, the dark-haired woman let her head fall into Lynx's lap, and both Alice and the cat-girl began to laugh quietly as Lynx ran her fingers through Nara's hair, yawning.
"Alright, alright… I feel restless, though," She, Lynx, continued. "Three days in bed has been great. Refreshing, whatever; but let's do something today before my press conference. Something that won't leave me unable to stand for the conference," She added, glaring at Alice preemptively, who's slimy tail had suddenly started wagging.
"We shall go rock climbing," Nara muttered quietly, nuzzling her cheek into Lynx's lap and sighing. "I want to try rock climbing. I saw it on my cell phone."
"Bet," Alice nodded, grinning and stretching again. "Let's get some clothes on and go!"
-
"Okay, this is not fair you are a cat and I am a fox!!" Nara huffed as Lynx leapt off the top of the rock wall, catching a hoop in the air with the backs of her knees and swinging about, giggling.
"Hey, I was an assassin, I probably did this kind of thing in my sleep," Lynx winked, glancing sideways at Alice.
"Look! No hands," The succubus homunculus giggled madly, hanging from a similar hoop by her tail, arms forward like a superhero. "It's a bird, it's a plane! It's an-"
"Idiot," Lynx purred, as she swung close, and grabbed Alice's tail, yanking it free- yelping, screaming, Alice plummeted into the bed of soft blocks below, bouncing a few feet up and landing on her back.
"H-Hey!!"
"Look at that fool, she fell," Lynx pointed, staring at Nara, who was still halfway up the rock wall across the way. "I didn't do it. I'm innocent."
"Right… innocent…" Nara agreed, snorting and moving to climb up another step.
"Stop climbing like a person, this is a gym made with demons in mind after all," Lynx purred, raising her voice to make sure she'd be heard as her hoop swung away, still comfortably upside down, with a hand at her stomach so that her shirt would not fall too much.
"What do you mean?"
"It's one of the things I learned underground; even if you're a demon, it's easy to never push or try harder than when you were a human. Muscle memory is real; push with your legs; REALLY push," Lynx called, swinging closer again and letting go with her legs, doing a lazy flip before landing slightly above and to Nara's left, huffing as her breasts and cheek hit the wall, one of the artificial rocks digging into her calf. "Ow…"
"You okay?" Nara blinked one eye and then the other, and Lynx wrinkled her nose, a mirthful smirk tugging at her lips.
"Yeah. Fine. So yeah, you're jumping like a person, and it's making you slower- no judgment, trust me I get it. Wait I said person didn't I- I meant human. Come on, really push."
"What… do you mean?"
"Okay, okay," Lynx paused, taking a breath. "Listen. Close your eyes."
"Okay…" Nara did just that, frowning slightly.
"Your legs- focus," Lynx hummed, remembering her time in the arena. Remembering the way Decem's head practically exploded- Focus. "You are a demon- you have to let go of the idea that you can only jump a few feet into the air. Come on."
"It is not that easy," Nara shook her head, huffing… she tensed, leaping up… and barely caught the next rock, looking down apologetically at Lynx. "Sorry."
"No, no, don't be- it'll come with time," Lynx shrugged, pausing long enough to yawn, leaning her forehead against her arm and shivering. "Alright, alright, probably about time we wrap up, yeah? Need to make sure I don't miss that press conference. I really don't want to be on camera, though…"
"You're going to be fine," Alice called, still relaxing in the blocky foam bed down below. "Come on, get down here!"
"Okay," Nara winced, and stepped down, then stepped again, then again, then yelped as Lynx grabbed the back of her shirt. "Lynx no- HEY-!!" Nara yelped as the cat-girl yanked back, sending the dark-haired fox tumbling into the foam, laughing despite herself.
"Trust fall!!" Lynx shouted, kicking herself off the wall and sailing back, spinning, tucking her legs and landing in the foam several paces away from the other girls, amusement still tugging her lips into a lazy smile.
"Lynx I am going to kill you with a stick," Nara laughed, arching her back to look at her lover upside down. "Betrayal! Misery!"
"Yeah yeah, I love you too," Lynx smiled softly, genuinely, and sat up, blinking slow. "Alright, let's go…"
-
"Alright Lynx," She muttered, looking down at the tube of lipstick Alice had given her, then shuddering and shoving it in her pocket, still wrapped in plastic. "Forget the lipstick. You're going out there to be honest, not a liar- give 'em your real self. Stop talking to yourself like a psycho."
Turning, she shouldered the bathroom door open and marched toward the stage.
"You have a script prepared, I hope?" A young man in a suit smiled nervously as Lynx twisted her body to avoid shoulder checking him, shaking her head and making her way deeper into the television station.
"Nope. I'm going to be honest. Set the tone right."
"Miss Lynx," The stagehand hurried after her, but she ignored him, approaching a red curtain and pushing through; she wore minimal makeup; just simple concealer and eyeliner, and even that felt… wrong, somehow. Her hair… well, Alice had offered to do it up, but Lynx had just yanked her blonde locks into a messy bun- and now she walked onto stage that way. No suit, just jeans and a nice sweater as she strode across a stage, anxiety knotting in her stomach as she looked out at the veritable crowd of reporters. At the head of the stage; a single podium with a microphone.
She tried to focus on just the reporters; it was a lot less daunting to address this room than to remember that all of Ravenwood, and maybe the larger part of the world, would see this broadcast. Already, they were chattering excitedly; but the cameras weren't rolling, and no cue had been given, so Lynx took a moment, closing her eyes and remembering. Remembering a scared girl in a hospital bed with dreams of a naked fox-spirit… It's time to lay the fearful kitten to rest now, Lynx.
"Are you ready?" A stagehand asked, raising his eyebrow as he stepped over- not the one who'd asked if she had a script ready, but this one carefully extended a hand, showing her a microphone, before clipping it to her sweater.
"Why do I need this if there's one in front of me?"
"For clarity in recording," He explained politely. "Ready?"
"Let's get this over with," Lynx affirmed, and he, the nervous staff member, hurried off as Lynx looked back to the crowd.
"Live!" A voice came from somewhere, and Lynx winced as the reporters began to clamor as one, all with different questions; curious, she opened her mouth just a hair, breathing in slowly; they reeked of greed, curiosity and novelty, wonder. Like children, faced with all the candy in the world… but not bad people. None of the deception and despair she'd tasted underground. Lynx swallowed; time to walk the walk.
"You, first," She called, pointing to a middle-aged black woman.
"My name is Ruby and I'm here reporting from Alcantore! What will your first moves be as the leader of Aigis Order, the world is dying to know!"
"I'll be getting out there myself and finding people who aren't part of the government; real, grounded people who know just how badly the common folk have suffered in recent years. We want people without a military background. You," She added, pointing at a young woman with Pempan features.
"I'm Jinno, from Pempa," She began. "People want to know; how did you find the courage to challenge the Director, of Contracted Arms?" Her words were clipped, and Lynx answered in kind.
"Didn't take courage. I can't stand idly by while people are suffering- even if it gets me killed, complacency is worse. You," She added as mumbling broke out, pointing at a young man with ebony skin and violet eyes.
"Adagun, with Alcantoran Network. Pleasure. Do you feel challenged, being one of the only women in a male-dominated leadership field?"
"No. You?" Lynx asked, but Adagun kept talking.
"Why not?"
"It's a world where powers are decided but we believe, no?" Lynx answered, angling her head. "I believe I can do a better job than the man I've stepped above. You?" She angled her head at a neatly-kept young man with pale skin and combed-over hair.
"Johnathon with Starrian news-"
"Starria? Here? I thought you guys were-" Lynx caught herself- Racist pigs isn't live TV appropriate, chick. "-Disinterested, in demon's dealings?"
"I'm a brave journalist, ma'am; independent! I don't share the outdated views of the majority of my people."
"I see. What do you want to know, Johnathon?" Lynx asked with an amused smirk, opening her mouth slightly, again, trying to let his scent in… but alas, it was too mingled with those of the others.
"I have two questions, ma'am! Is it true that you were chosen as a favorite of the Director; the same man you've now stabbed in the back?"
"Betrayal? No," Lynx shook her head. "Aerendyl wants to be a good man and I believe that at his core there's a true hero. However, he's narrow-minded and near-sighted. If a building full of five hundred men, women and children was burning, I fear he'd grab the first person he sees and run, calling it the best he could do. He needs a leash, but I will not stab him in the back, and I will not betray him- nor will I stand idly by and let Ravenwood be run through tyranny and favoritism. What else?" The anxiety was… gone. Her words came naturally, she felt at ease- maybe I'm not so bad at this after all…or maybe the panic will come after, hah.
"Many of us are wondering; is it true that you come from a military background yourself?"
"I don't entirely understand my past," Lynx admitted, swallowing. "I was a member of the royal guard in Pempa, as best I can figure. Old employers; if you're out there, no hard feelings, yeah? The girl you knew was quite literally killed, I didn't defect," She added, saluting a few of the cameras with a quiet laugh. For a moment, many voices clamored for attention until she pointed at a young man maybe twenty-seven or thirty with blue eyes, dark hair and raven's wings.
"My name is Cecil, I'm here from Mir. I guess we all want to know, cat-lady; will you be recruiting from heaven? Hell?"
"Why do you ask that?" Lynx angled her head, raising an eyebrow.
"Some people are theorizing it," He answered immediately. "Your way of doing things is fresh, and different; you challenge the dated norms and find new ways of doing things. A natural conclusion many have come to," He added, smirking- "-is that you're going to be bringing in outside help; people who truly have no bias toward any one region."
"That's a good idea- so good I'd think you're trying to plant it in my head if I didn't know better. I'll stew on it, no comment at this time," Lynx answered, shrugging. "You?" She pointed at a young woman with dark hair, brilliant white wings and a halo casting soft light over her head.
"My name is Liliana, I hail from Mir. Some of the world, Miss Lynx, are theorizing that you're a coward; that you mark the decline of Ravenwood. What say you to that?"
"I say, I understand," Lynx admitted, unable to help the cocky smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Here's the thing, though; Aigis Order isn't to signify that we're laying down our arms; that we choose peace. Aigis Order is the shield with the blade hidden behind it; no more will CA let drugs flood the streets, making no effort to hide it. No more, will we stomp on our own people because they aren't useless to us; we will choose peace. Process. Fair trial."
"What happens when peace doesn't work?!" Someone shouted, and Lynx's smirk became a wry grin.
"If I'm left with no choice, I have no problem tearing somebody in twenty pieces and feeding the bits to the wolves. Aigis Order is not cowardice, or fear, or hiding; it is mercy. Do you all know what mercy is?" For a long moment, there was silence, and Lynx let her expression go blank, staring at the far wall, at a camera.
"It's a tool."