kingdomdressing | (no subject)

[being less learned in how to detect bad people, and people in general in terms of where, specifically, they are at any given time, Inaya's blithely getting into the elevator today. she's planning on finding some good food and stuff to drink for the new year tomorrow night, preferably to share with whoever can be rounded up, but especially Aden since she lives right next door to him.]

[You'd think it was still Christmas with a gift like this. It's almost too good, with his recent string of luck in the DR. He knows who it is immediately, of course. He keeps tabs on these things. Larxene waits for the doors to close before doing anything, though. They're still fairly high up, so once the elevator is between floors he sends a simple, short bolt of electricity to stall it.]

[she still has no idea. ;~; in the past, before they were both in this timeline, the fact that her parents kept pretty close tabs on her would probably have been enough to dissuade Larx, but here she doesn't have that protection, and doesn't even know Larx is in this timeline as well. basically he is really lucky and she is fucked.]

Oh come on! Knew I should've taken the stairs...

[She really is. But not like that, don't worry. He's not the least bit interested in that. Hmm. A wonderful, tiny metal box, trapped hundreds of feet above ground, all alone with no particular defenses. As far as he knows. He's not underestimating her at all, what with her parents. It's amazing the level of control and precision he has over his own magic, however. Enough for him to cut off all (or most of) the electricity connected to the elevator and send her into complete darkness.]

[~~damn.~~ and what will he do when her reaction is to huff in annoyance and get her phone out of her pocket? she flips it open, the glow from it providing a decent amount of light, and starts navigating to her contact list to call Aden, who will probably just be able to climb down like a giant spider and help her out or something, idk.]

[He'll wait, for a minute. He'll even let her answer it!]

[stupid, you don't even know who she might be calling, and more importantly, where they are in relation to the elevator. even she knows that. P: ]

Aden? Yeah, the elevator crapped out on me.

[Doesn't matter. Even if they're just a floor above him, he has the advantage of being able to see them, and however long it takes them to get there. It won't take him long to do what he wants, if pressed for time. Plus, it gives him an idea of who she'll go to in these situations, and it's always so much more fun when there's someone they can contact, someone they would ask for help, who can't get there. Larxene's a master of not leaving trails with his portals.

But that's all he's giving her. The phone will cut off in the middle of whatever Aden has to say, exploding in her hand. Better drop that so you don't get shocked too badly with it, Inaya.]

[she shrieks and drops it right away, recoiling to the wall of the elevator. now she's getting suspicious, because that many incidents of bad luck can't be a coincidence. she's trying to pick up any scents, but this is a spot that gets too much traffic every day for her to be able to distinguish anything as out of place. she's listening, too, which is much more reliable right now, but not by much.]

[The DR will give her a new phone later. That one appears to be completely fried. Who knows? Maybe it is bad luck. It's suspicious, sure, but it's also the dressing room. It could happen. Of course, it's not, and the layer of electricity that shoots up (and stays) on the wall she's against should hint toward that.]

[that gets another shriek as she jumps away from the wall, ears flat against her head. she's still not speaking, even though she knows who it is now, or thinks she does, there's no sense in asking what he wants, why her, etc., because she's always been told that Larx is nuttier than a room full of gay men. or something like that.]

[He's a little unhinged after that long. Can you blame him? One after another the walls start to crackle with magic. Even the ceiling is electrified, and it all should give her some light, and shed some on the fact that she's trapped at his mercy. The floor remains untouched, for now.]

[she knows all the things to do, having paid attention to her parents and also to basically everything else; she crouches down in the center of the elevator, making sure her sneakers are the only thing touching anything, and keeps her head down to at least minimize any damage. of course, this sensible behavior will probably just encourage Larx to come down and deal some direct electricity to her, but whatever. she's saving her magic for when that happens.]

[Wrong.

He makes the elevator plummet. He wants to hear her scream.]

[he's. going to get some screaming, then, but it's only briefly and cuts off as she makes herself stop. she's more terrified than she's ever been in her life, but screaming isn't going to get her anywhere, and she's not a goner just yet. she's not even going to do anything else in terms of magic, because from what she knows of Larx, he's not going to let her die that way. too simple and fast.]

[He does stop her from dying, stops the elevator before it even gets close to the ground. There's silence, and it's pitch black since the electrical cage is gone again, except from the ceiling. At least for now. But there's noise, too, as he removes the cover to talk to her.]

I expected more fight from you.

[she bites off the initial reply, which would be pretty sure to get her killed, and lifts her head enough to be heard.]

No point in fighting someone I can't beat.

That's true. But I'd expect you of all people to take some value in your life. Have you died before, princess?

[He sounds so casual. Leisurely. But she'll be able to hear the steady hum of electricity around her.]

No. But this is my home, so it can't exactly send me somewhere else if I die.

[she's very aware, and later on she'll be happy she peed before she left her apartment. :( ]

Do you think you'd come back to the spot you died in? In theory, I could keep you here forever. Dying and coming back in an endless cycle.

[He sounds delighted, and behind her there are pops and crackles.]

Probably not, most people don't.

[she's still trying very hard not to react, because reacting is what's wanted.]

Should we test it?

[He'll send a wave of very visible lightning rolling over the ground. But it doesn't touch her yet.]

[she flinches, but if he's expecting shrieking or diving away from it, he's going to be sorely disappointed. she's not stupid, and she did grow up with Aden.]

[...he's going to send a bolt right up her spine.]

[fuck. :( that makes her bite off another scream and spasm in surprise, falling onto her side. assuming he pauses after that, she'll try and catch her breath, a couple of reflexive tears escaping her eyes. they're such pretty eyes, too, and her ears, so unique! ~~yes i am horrible, but they're there and so is Larx, and we like angst. or he could just call her a freak, that would work too.~~]