Forums » General Roleplay » On the Wings of Freedom: 1x1

"Oh..." Erasai said, as she was now standing in front of the swim suit rack. She eyed the colors, not quite knowing which she liked. But that wasn't the only thought on her mind. "I -- I don't really swim much. Don't really have time, you know?" But she thought it would be fun, especially since she was becoming more comfortable with going out with friends and exploring the town a bit. She wanted to thank Alexis for helping her get that courage. It would have been a lot harder to do so without her. She felt like she could finally trust the world again.

"What do you think of this one?" she said, holding a light blue bikini up. It had sashes on the sides on the bottoms, to tie the piece together, and the top was strapless, and tied in the front. "Or do you think it's too skimpy? Let's try some on!" She took the swimsuit, and then a few others and took them over to the dressing rooms.

No, it wasn't too bad. The sash made up for the fact that not much of the top was covered. If she was hiding anything in her upper body, though, Alexis would have no trouble spotting it. "Not at all," She said with a smile, "I think it will look cute on you."

When Erasai made her way to the dressing room, Alexis followed. This is it: the moment of truth, she thought to herself. "Let me know when you have the bathing suit on. I want to see how you look." Alexis went in her own room next to Erasai and actually waited with her ear pressed against the wall, though she realized there was no point in it. "Let me know if you need help with it," she yelled over the wall. After a moment she decided to try the swimsuit herself. I'd never wear this... Too revealing, she thought but proceeded to take off the torn uniform anyways

She didn't need help. Since the suit tied in front, it was rather simple to put on. She looked herself over in the mirror in the little room, feeling more revealed than she had ever felt in a long time. If she got a swimsuit, it probably wouldn't be this one. It was a bit too much skin for her.

"I'm not too sure about it, but I'll let you look," she said, opening the door slowly and peeking out, making sure no one other than Alexis was around to see. She almost wanted to laugh at herself for feeling so self conscious. Just before she stepped out, she purposely pulled her hair over her shoulder, letting it hand down just enough in the back to cover her marking. She really didn't want to go explaining it to Alexis, if she questioned her about it.

Alexis spent a bit too much fussing over her uniform that she only managed to get the top tied in a loose knot before Erasai called out to her. It was a tropical colored orange and yellow top with frills to accommodate for her personal belief that she lacked in the chest area. Like Erasai, she wasn't so sure about the suit either. With her top secured, she took a deep breath and poked her head out of the dressing room.

When she saw Erasai, her face turned a slight tinge of red as her eyes went up and down her body. Jealousy? She wasn't sure but she was definitely trying to convince herself that was. That definitely explained her embarrassment of staying in her room. "You look good..." she said, averting her gaze before shuffling out in her bikini top and uniform skirt. She subconsciously crossed her arms as she stepped out. Amidst the embarrassment, she remembered she had a job to do and forced herself to look over Erasai's body. No marks, none that she could see unless it was really under the bikini. She thought all this as she walked around Erasai, complimenting her as she looked yet afraid to touch her. All that's left is that spot on her arm, she thought. Standing next to her, slowly reached out to the spot of hair. "Why's your hair like this? You should... erm, put it up, ja?"

She gulped quietly to herself. Now, she thought to herself. And with painfully slow and casual motion, she brushed Erasai's hair away from the spot. There it was. It's done. Her hands moved more quickly this time, pulling the rest of the girl's hair into a ponytail and holding it up. "There. Beautiful," she said with her best poker face. "What's this, by the way? A tattoo?"

She felt a bit odd, having the girl circling her; almost like a vulture. She shook her head slightly, and commented, "I didn't mean to change so fast that you didn't get to try yours on completely," she said with a little laugh.

And when Alexis went to move her hair, she almost protested. But if she had, it would have made it all seemed odd. And when she questioned the marking, she felt a knot in her stomach. She was going to have to lie. She felt bad for lying to the girl, since she really considered her a friend. But, there really was less harm in it, than the truth.

"Yeah, on my sixteenth birthday, I got it as a rebel act against my parents. You know how teens are when they are mad at their parents," she said, giving a laugh. But there was a hint of nervousness in that laugh. She was surprised by that. Usually she was so collected when she told that lie.

Alexis shook her head. "Don't worry. It's fine. I think I'll get the suit anyways. I need to change back, though. It's still a bit cold." Alexis eyed the tattoo and idly poked it with her finger before letting go of Erasai's hair. "Is that so...? I never thought of you to be this much of a rebel, but you proved me wrong. I like it, though. A girl like you has her freedom now. Do what you want.

Alexis reentered her dressing room, contemplating what to do. She dug through her purse and pulled her phone, stopping herself just before she sent the notification that they had their target. Did she really want to do this? It felt wrong doing this to someone she was getting close to. That was her fault, of course, letting herself get close to Erasai like this. But an entire organization was depending on this operation. Billions of dollars were spent for this worldwide search and it was all riding on her now whether or not she pressed that send key.

The blonde stepped out, carrying all the new clothes out to the entrance of the dressing room as she waited for Erasai. "Sorry to cut things short. I feel a bit unwell. Mind if we head home for now?"

Erasai had just tried on another outfit, and looked to Alexis, a little confused, but gave a smile in the end. She nodded her head, and said, "I'll need a moment." She changed quickly, not wanting her friend to wait for her longer than she needed. She too, took her clothing, picking the ones that she like, and paid for them with what money she had left.

As they left, she looked over to Alexis, wondering what might be wrong with her. "Was it the popcorn? Or maybe the popcorn wasn't enough, and you need to eat some more?" She didn't want to girl to feel sick or anything.

"Possibly. I'm not sure. I'll probably try and cook something at home and see if I feel any better. Why not drop by? Might not be so good but I feel like a dinner would be a nice way to end the day," she said while they paid for their items. "It... could also be a sleep over. Want to stay at my place? It's the weekend after all." It was almost like she was begging for her to but she knew it had to be this way for it to work.

They descended the floors back to the entrance of the mall. Alexis didn't say much else. She was deep in thought on whether or not this was the right decision. She saw the taxi that had picked them up earlier but she, instead, flagged another one down. A random one on the street that was passing by when they stepped out. I hope they didn't see us, she thought to herself, looking over at the car that peaked out from behind the parking garage wall.

She was a little surprised to be asked to 'sleep over'. But it almost made her giddy. So many things she had missed out on during her youth seemed to all be happening at once. Somewhat overwhelming, but very welcomed. "That sounds like it would be a lot of fun!" She slipped into the taxi, and sat her bought goods between her legs in the floor. That was when she remembered something.

"Oh no! I forgot my violin!" she exclaimed, but knew it was a little late to go back and get it. "Oh well, I'll pick it up tomorrow." She let out a little sigh, and looked at Alexis. "It's not like they won't still have it there for me." She laughed a little as the taxi drove them, heading in the direction they wished to go.

They arrived at the apartments well past eight in the evening. She didn't hear much of what Erasai had to say since she was really beginning to feel unwell. This feeling in her gut just told her this was wrong and it astounded her, when they stepped out of the car, how heavy and weak her legs felt. They took their belongings and Alexis led the way towards her apartment, cutting across the dimly lit park area towards the unlit section of the apartment complex.

"Did you have fun?" she asked, pausing in front of her door and looking back at the girl before digging through her bag to get the keys. Her door was opened and she motioned Erasai in, disappearing into the dark apartment as she did so. "I'll be a moment. Just going to throw my stuff in my room so... make yourself at home."

As she stepped into her room, she checked her phone, scrolling past the messages telling her the other mercenary group had killed their taxi driver earlier and stopping at the last message received: "Two of us are here. We'll be waiting in the kitchen for your signal. Living room lights are your signal."

"Yes," she replied, thought feeling a bit more concerned about the girl, who looked like she couldn't hold her own weight now. "More than I have had in a long time." As long as she could remember. She watched Alexis disappear inside, amazing that she could navigate so well through the darkness. But, it was her apartment, after all.

She slipped in behind her, closing the front door, but didn't dare venture any further in, afraid she might knock something over. She cleared her throat a bit, and set her things on the ground, and reached out her hand, gliding it against the wall. There must have been a light switch around somewhere. No reason to be in the dark. Her fingers slid over a swithch finally, and she flipped it, but the outside light came on. "Ah, wrong one," she said, and moved just a little further down, finding another switch and flipping it up as well, the lights coming on around her.

Now it was all a matter of how she wanted to approach this situation. Just calmly waltz in and let Erasai know things were over with? Or rush in and take her down before she realizes what's going on. She flipped off her phone and threw her belongings on her bed. She opened her closet and popped open the false bottom of a shelf, revealing a small collection of weapons. If their target was as important as they say she was, then she wasn't going to take any chances. The hall light was on and Erasai seemed to be searching for something to light up the room. The living room lit up just in time for Alexis to see two men emerge from the kitchen, blocking the exit as the blonde stepped forward towards Erasai.

"Hey, Erasai," she said with a gulp, "There's something I need to tell you..." She struggled for the right words but those movie villains always seemed to come out with something witty to say during these encounters. She, however, was at a loss of words. But what was she doing comparing herself to a villain? She wasn't a villain. Nor a hero. Just a hired gun. "Era... no. Subject P0X5. I'm putting you under arrest. I don't want to hurt you but if you resist," she drew a handgun from her back and pointed it at the subject, "I will shoot." Her hands shook as she held the gun and she found it hard to even point it at the girl. It was all a bluff anyways. They wanted the subject alive so lethal shots were out of the question.

Erasai looked as two men entered the room. Two burglars? She hesitated, and almost called for Alexis, but the girl walked into the room, seeming to care less about the men being there. That was when she felt something was wrong. Very wrong. She wanted to ask if this was all some kind of joke, but she could never imagine a joke going this far. And when Alexis used her code name...

Erasai lowered her head, looking at the ground. She wanted to play dumb, like she didn't know what was happening, but it wouldn't lead to anything but the inevitable. "I did almost think that it was too good to be true. And it turns out... it was." She raised her eyes at Alexis again. "I should have known. It was stupid of me, and I should have seen the signs. Is Alexis your real name even?" Her eyes were watery, and she felt like crying, but she wouldn't. That would mean she had cared about the fake friendship that she had had.

She felt so betrayed. She hadn't even thought that this girl might be working for the military, or the labs. But she had. And Erasai had been foolish enough to let her guard down.

"I'm not going back. And don't think that you can make me," she eyed the gun Alexis pointed at her. "And I advise, not to try." She raised her hand, a thick wall of golden light seperating them. If all went well, which it wouldn't, she would just leave through another door or window.

"I'm sorry I lied. I really am but..." She steadied her hand, putting much of her effort to be as intimidating as possible, "This is a lot bigger than it looks. If you don't come with us now we'll-" Her and the two other men shielded their eyes from the blinding white light. The suddenness forced the two men to open fire with the small arms they had but the wall of light merely slowed the bullets to a stop.

"Cease fire, cease fire!" Alexis yelled, and stepped as close to Erasai as the wall of light would let her, "Subject P0X5, lower your defenses this instant. Your cooperation is paramount to the success of this operation! If we stall any longer others will find you."

"Honestly, I've had enough of operations, and missions... and being a test subject!" she yelled, throwing her hand out to the side. There were sparks emitting from her hand. A few burst, and small flames birthed on the wall and the floor. "I'm not going back... As a living weapon, I've done part of my job. I've grown. We'll see how prepared you are, when a weapon developes outside the supervision in which it was created."

She almost looked pleadingly at Alexis, asking her to back away. The flames rose to her left now, and were spreading down the hall toward the others. "I'm not going back..." she said, one more time.

No windows, or doors near. She would have to make her own exit. She raised her fist, throwing it at the wall behind her as it radiated a brillant light, that exploded around her hand. Debris fell around her as a large hole now served as her exit. "Keep the clothes, then," she said, frowning as she slipped out the hole, and the wall of light slowly disinegrated.

"You're making a grave mistake, P0X5. Either you end this chase now or have me and who knows how many other PMC's chase you around the globe," Alexis said. When she blew the hole and left, the two men behind her ran forward and opened fire after her. "Stop shooting! If you kill her this will all be for nothing," Alexis said. She pulled out her phone and immediately called for Cecil. "She got away. What do we do?" "What do you think? Get after her! Use any means necessary. We have two other mercenary groups already homing in on her position. If you don't catch her, they will," Cecil said. "Two? How many groups are we dealing with exactly?" "More than you think. And it will grow by the day if we let our objective get away. If you run into any of them you are to shoot on sight, you hear me? We've come too far to come out empty handed.

Alexis hung up and signaled the men to take the jeeps and search for her. She, on the other hand was going on foot. Taking the newly made door that Erasai had cut into the wall, she followed the general direction the girl ran. If she's using magic, she thought to herself, then there's no point in stopping myself from using it as well. The shadows at her feet began to swirl and dance around her, covering her body in a hazy mist, making her appear almost transparent as she ran through the darkness at an increased speed. She had no idea where to look first but she couldn't have gone far, unless P0X5 had speed of her own.

Alexis' words echoed in her mind as she ran. 'Being chased around the globe..." she thought to herself, almost giving out a loud huff at the thought. That had been the situation to begin with. Why she had come to this city in the first place. But she had mentions 'others'. What did that mean? Perhaps the idea of warriors with engineered super powers had slipped out, and was very appealing to others. Or simply, they thought there would be a reward for her return. She knew groups like that existed.

She tried to pace herself, since she knew too much use of her power and her stamina would bring her down fast. But she heard something behind her, following close behind and seeming to catch up easily. She stopped, turning quickly to face Alexis. She was a bit surprised to see the use of the shadows. "I never would have guessed. Did they give you those powers?"

Movement in the shadows. She was catching up with a running figure but the form disappeared when it stopped running. It took her a moment, after switching out of her ability to sense the movement of shadows to her normal vision to realize that Erasai was standing right in front of her. She slowed to a stop, nearly running into her in the process.

She paused a moment to catch her breath before standing upright, shaking her head when Erasai spoke. "If by 'they', you mean my father? Then yes. Though genetic transfer of innate magic powers are still an uncertainty, that's what my father told me." Alexis drew her gun and pointed it at Erasai again. This only lasted a moment before her grip loosened and she merely tossed the gun aside. "Subject P0X5. I know how you feel to be betrayed like this. I'm sorry for lying to you. But know that if you run you'll only continue the cycle... there's no avoiding it." She didn't want to hurt her. This situation seemed almost familiar to her and that notion only brought more sympathy. She wanted to help but didn't know what else to do.

"P0X5... Can't you call me by my name anymore?" she said, her eyes narrowing. "Choice is a right given to every human being. I didn't have a choice, when they took me... When my parents sold me. I'm taking back that right, and I choose to be free, away from the torture, the tests, to killing. I don't want to kill. They made me kill.

"I didn't want these powers... I just wanted to be a kid. And now, I just want to live -- on my own. Or will you deny me that as well." She looked to the gun Alexis had threw to the side. "You might want to pick that back up. Because I'm not going back without a fight." A shimmering aura formed around her body, and she extended her arm, her hand grasping around the hilt of a white sword of pure light as it formed from her powers.

Golden wings erupted from her back as she took a step toward Alexis. "P0X5... trained in two-handed swords... given engineered 'angelic' powers," she said, her voice almost monotonous. "I don't want to hurt you... so please, just let me go."

She felt guilty about calling her by her experiment name. Erasai had her at that. Alexis felt bad enough that she was doing this to a friend but the conflicting payroll, her economic freedom, the corporation that signed her to this deal, everything would fall out if she helped the girl. "Erasai, I get that you've been through a lot but do you think this is worth it?"

She refused to pick up the gun. Erasai was unarmed except for her magic. This all changed, however when she drew her sword of light, casting out all nearby shadows on the street and limiting Alexis' own ability to use magic. With such a bright display, though, if anyone didn't know where P0X5 was, they did now. Giving them only a few minutes before mercenaries, friendly or not, to arrive at the scene.

"If that's how it's going to be, then fine. You don't want to kill anymore, and I'm not allowed to kill you," Alexis picked up the gun and drew a small blade from under her uniform top, "We'll see how much either of us wants our freedom."

She wasn't going to wait. Either she gets her or the others will. A spell was cast, draining her mental energy enough to shroud the immediate area in front of Erasai. She disappeared upon entering the night zone and reappeared in front of Erasai, blade raised and ready to strike at the girl.