[?] To be alone with you (???)

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Yer ********' weird, cheeto." It was becoming harder and harder to move. "Y'ain't even inna human body! Yer a fancy ********' noble, ain't human." She flicked open her switchblade and dragged a deep gasp across one of her thumbs. <********' fingerprint that.

shibrogane

odds for left, evens for right

 

[shibrogane]

Ezra just smiled that queer smile and finally, finally got up. He took Preacher's hand in his and pressed her thumb to one of the junctures of the Charter. It burned, and then it didn't.

He took her hand away as the power dissipated. Preacher was free to move again, if less a thumbprint.

Ezra vanished the paper.

The Semblance of Unity

EZRA'S VICTORY
Preacher cannot reveal just what passed between her and Ezra in this thread, or that Ezra intends to approach others. Should she try, her left hand will begin to burn again; the pain will be such that she will be unable to speak for the duration. However, in return for this, Preacher has gained a boon. Choose one of these three below:
1. Flamekeeper - Preacher is basically a fire bender. Her abilities are much, much stronger in the otherworld, but she can still light a sizable bonfire with her mind in the real world. Her fire follows real-world rules no matter which side of the veil she's on. However, her ability to put fire out is poor, and depends entirely upon the material. Less flammable materials can be put out more easily than more flammable materials.
2. Replicator - Preacher can replicate magical traits from another's physiology through touch. So, for instance, she could replicate Lily's horns or Zac's galaxy eyes or Jeremiah's scent. She could also replicate a were's current form. Abilities such as Aleksy's sight or Jeremiah's magic-detecting eyes that are not caused by a physical difference in the structure of the body cannot be copied.
3. Partition - Preacher has become something of a gestalt consciousness. She can, if she chooses, actively work in the otherworld and the real world at the same time: essentially, she has the ability to manifest a second body in the otherworld that enables her to be in two places at once. However, most of her attention will remain in one world or the other. Should one of her bodies die, Preacher will be thrown back to the other one and lose this power entirely.

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

There was a searing pain and then she was free. "You're a ******** asshold dickweed n' I'll ********' figure our ya damn ulterior motive, ********." It rhymed with Hercules. Sort of.

Preacher launched her fist at Ezra's face.

shibrogane

3. Partition - Preacher has become something of a gestalt consciousness. She can, if she chooses, actively work in the otherworld and the real world at the same time: essentially, she has the ability to manifest a second body in the otherworld that enables her to be in two places at once. However, most of her attention will remain in one world or the other. Should one of her bodies die, Preacher will be thrown back to the other one and lose this power entirely.

 

[shibrogane]

Ezra took the punch. His head turned. He didn't even jerk back. But punching him was like thrusting her hand into the coals of a bright-burning fire; it hurt, and left burns where previously there had been none.

He looked at her. "Are you done."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"No, ya ********' Trogdor son of a b***h." And then she punched him in the stomach, using the other fist. It was just a flesh wound, right.

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

Ezra did buckle, a little. There was a odd, jittery notion to the way he moved.

The burns persisted.

"It's not going to be any different," he said. "They're not going to stop."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

That was more promising. "Who the ********-" She aimed a snapping kick at the side of his knee, hoping she hit the right angle with her steel toed boots. "-is they?"

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

Ezra didn't buckle at that. Sure, his knee cracked, but he didn't fall. There was, in fact, a strange smell: like something burning.

"I hope your shoes weren't expensive."

Why was the steel so hot?

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"THE ********." She wriggled her foot out of her boot. Trogdor. "Ya still dint answer m'question, ********. Tell me who's they?" Preacher threw the boot at Ezra's face.

"N'why tha <********> are ya so weirdlike. ********' fiery mannequin."

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

Ezra batted the boot away like it was nothing.

"I'm leaving now."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Preacher moved to try to block his path. ********, her thumb hurt, her knuckles hurt, her ******** boot. "WHY WON'T YA SAY ANYTHING WORTH SAYING?" ******** useless piece of fire a**, hotspur, Trogdor, Taco Bell Fireshits lord.

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"The burns," said Ezra. "They're not going to stop. You're doing this to yourself, dear girl, reading in mystery where there isn't any. Why should I waste my breath with someone so obviously deficient?"

He stepped around her. "We are done here."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Preacher tried to cut him off again. He wasn't fighting, he was keeping secret, he'd forced her. She seethed. "I ain't as stupid as ya tryna make me, Ezra. Shittiest 'father' ever." She couldn't imagine Mercer under this idiot's tutelage. But then again, he'd gotten headaches and magic sensitivity. Were all old nobles such dicks?

She slammed her shoulder into him, hands clawing up to catch at his hair, his clothing, anything to yank him down. Preacher had grown up fighting on the streets and maybe she'd get lucky and rip his goddamn ear off. He'd suggested a fight, and by ********, he was going to get at least half of one.

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

Ezra said, very patiently, as she pulled at his clothes, caught up his hair in her hands, "You are incredibly stupid, and I'm astonished anyone wastes their time on you." Then he exploded into motion, catching her about the throat and taking her down onto the ground. The skin on his face had peeled back in the flames, leaving a grinning skull staring down at her. His hands, too, were actively burning, where she had pulled and clawed flames were licking through.

"Don't worry. I'll make it so none of them has to waste their time ever again, little girl."

The Semblance of Unity

if preacher continues, she's going to get Actual Dead

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

She shrieked as she went down, his flames licking at her skin. It was very, very unfortunate that Preacher had broken her flight or fight response long ago. A thousand thoughts raced through her head in an instant, including the snarky thought that well, he certainly was wasting time on her now.

"Lemme go," she choked out. Regardless of her urge to continue struggling, Preacher knew, logically, that she couldn't win this. She blocked out everything distracting and tried to focus past his fire, past his hands around her throat. If she'd been thinking of anything else, she might have wished for pocket sand. Suddenly, she reared up, pressing as much as she could against his hands - if she could get more wiggle room... Then Preacher spat in his face and transformed, trying to slip through his hands in her much, much smaller form.

She wriggled violently, trying to bound away.

shibrogane

i'm sorry she's so stupid, this is as 'smart' an idea as she gets