perenawska (perenawska) wrote,
@ 2009-12-14 23:58:00

Today was a rare day off for Irina and so of course she spent it at the Winter Guard's headquarters practicing her fighting skills and opening some portals to other dimensions. It had been awhile since she had time to just open some random portals to see where they lead, let alone time off in general. Guarding the Tsar and his fiancee was a round the clock full time job. Today it was Zemlya's turn to guard the future tsarina, giving Irina a much needed day off.

She took a deep breath and a new portal started to form.

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vicious_cycle
2009-12-15 04:12 am UTC (link)

Nicholas has no idea how long he's been here. There's no day or night, just an endless gloom filled with all sorts of undefinable things in the shadows and murk. No roads or even paths beyond those he's made, and a terrible sameness to it all. And worst of all is the knowledge that he was trapped with nothing he could do about it, and so soon after finding real freedom.
And then, somewhere in the distance, there's a light. A pinprick at the distance, but its real, genuine light. He guns the engine. It could be something even worse than all of this, but at least its different, and has the faintest hope of freedom.

He rides for all he's worth, desperately hoping that the light doesn't fade. The closer he gets the more it looks like a doorway, a way out. It might just be Mephisto's torments, knowing that to Nicholas, freedom is worth more than anything.

With one final scream from the engines, pushed even to their limits, he launches himself through the portal, to find himself eye to eye with... a woman with swords?

The rider stares.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

	perenawska 2009-12-15 04:17 am UTC (link)
	Irina stepped back and held a sword ready. Sure, she always had one in her hand when opening a portal because one never knew what could come out, but this was the first time someone had actually come out before she could go through. Not to mention the guy's head was a skull...which was on fire. "Who are you?" she asked in Russian. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	vicious_cycle 2009-12-15 04:18 am UTC (link)
	The spirit of vengeance's voice is a rasp amidst the crackle of flame. "English. Do you speak it?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	perenawska 2009-12-15 04:20 am UTC (link)
	"Da, yes. Some. Who are you?" Her free hand slipped a knife at her waist out of it sheath and she held that ready. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	vicious_cycle 2009-12-15 04:22 am UTC (link)
	He lets the bike idle, but holds up one hand, wreathed in hellfire. "Seriously, you do /not/ want to try me. Not today. Unless you work for Mephisto, I have no quarrel with you right now." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	perenawska 2009-12-15 04:23 am UTC (link)
	"You are the intruder here and I never open portals without being armed." Her hands lowered just a little. "You did not answer question." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	vicious_cycle 2009-12-15 04:25 am UTC (link)
	"Whoever you were, you were my way out of that... place. Believe me, you don't want to go there. I believe that the world knew the others with my curse as Ghost Riders." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	perenawska 2009-12-15 04:28 am UTC (link)
	Irina nodded. "I know of the Ghost Rider. My mother knew one during her time in America and she would tell me stories. I am Irina Krylova, daughter of Laynia Petrovna known as Darkstar." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	vicious_cycle 2009-12-15 04:30 am UTC (link)
	The flames fade, save those ringing the one hand, which remains alight with hellfire. "Alright, I'm trusting you, because I'm pretty sure what I heard of her was good, and I owe you my freedom. Don't suppose you really want my undying gratitude, and have a cigarette on you?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	perenawska 2009-12-15 04:33 am UTC (link)
	"Nyet. I do not smoke, but there are some inside. Perhaps a cigarette and a cup of coffee?" She's offer something to eat, but the food here was never that good. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	vicious_cycle 2009-12-15 04:35 am UTC (link)
	"Smokes and coffee? Man, I could go for some good old, mundane, stunt your growth kind of bad for me instead of the eternal damnation, doom and gloom kind of bad for me. Lead on, babe." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	perenawska 2009-12-15 04:36 am UTC (link)
	Irina smiled. "Come this way. We will get those and then you can tell me how you come to be trapped in another dimension." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	vicious_cycle 2009-12-15 04:38 am UTC (link)
	He follows readily. Sure, she might still be out to kill him, but right now, the risk is well worth it. He's been out of smokes for ages. And coffee! "That is not a pleasant story. But I'm glad to be out of it." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	perenawska 2009-12-15 04:45 am UTC (link)
	"Most stories in life are not pleasant," she said as she sheathed her sword and started walking. "This way. I would offer food, but it is not very good here." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	vicious_cycle 2009-12-15 04:51 am UTC (link)
	"There's food here? Right now, I don't care if its McDonalds. It'd taste like the greatest thing in the world." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	perenawska 2009-12-15 04:52 am UTC (link)
	Irina chuckled a little as she opened the door to the main building. "Da, there is food. I will cook while you smoke and drink coffee." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	vicious_cycle 2009-12-15 04:53 am UTC (link)
	"Careful, babe, you freed me from that place, you have coffee and smokes, and you cook, even if the food isn't much good. You're gunning for a proposal any time now." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	perenawska 2009-12-15 05:03 am UTC (link)
	Irina laughed as she led him to the kitchen area. "And I suppose I am the first woman you have seen in a long time too, no?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	vicious_cycle 2009-12-15 05:05 am UTC (link)
	"Damn right. You're lucky I'm a gentleman. And you have swords." he replies, amused. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	perenawska 2009-12-15 05:07 am UTC (link)
	"And various other hidden weapons and no, you cannot search for them." She was just as amused. It had been awhile since she had been able to joke with someone. The job required seriousness almost all of the time. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	vicious_cycle 2009-12-15 05:10 am UTC (link)
	"Aw, you're too quick for me. Fair enough, coffee, smokes, food will do for now. So, was that Russian you were speaking?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	perenawska 2009-12-15 05:12 am UTC (link)
	"Da," she answered. "You are at the headquarters of the Winter Guard, just outside of Moscow." They entered the kitchen area and motioned for him to sit a the table in the center. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	vicious_cycle 2009-12-15 05:13 am UTC (link)
	He takes a seat as indicated, sliding the chair back until he can put his feet up while he waits. "That's the official Russian super team, right? Sort of like the Avengers? Huh, long way from home, but at least its definitely Earth." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	perenawska 2009-12-15 05:16 am UTC (link)
	"Da, but these days we spend a lot of our time guarding the Tsar and his family," she answered as she grabbed a mug from a cabinet and then filled it. "If you need to go somewhere, I can take you. I can get you to any place on the planet." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	vicious_cycle 2009-12-15 05:18 am UTC (link)
	He takes the coffee, and despite the heat, drains about half the mug in the first drink. "God that's good. Probably some complete crap coffee, but its heaven right now. And honestly, I don't know how long I've been gone. Don't have anywhere in particular to be, other than trying to figure out how to fight a devil and a god." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	perenawska 2009-12-15 05:20 am UTC (link)
	"What was the date when you left?" she asked as she opened the fridge and took out a bowl of leftover pasta. She put it in the microwave and set the time. "Mephisto, right, and what god?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	vicious_cycle 2009-12-15 05:22 am UTC (link)
	"Mephisto, yes. And Pluto. They have some big plot in the works, according to my pet demon. And early November." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	perenawska 2009-12-15 05:30 am UTC (link)
	Irina pulled open and draw and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. She tossed them to him. They were Anton's emergency pack, but this counted as an emergency, sort of. She'd replace them before Anton even noticed they were gone. "This does not sound good," she said. "You are fortunate. It is only mid-December." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

vicious_cycle
2009-12-15 05:33 am UTC (link)

He catches the pack and draws out a cigarette, summoning the ring of hellfire around his hand again to light it. Like the coffee, he takes a long draw first before focusing on anything else.
"Its definitely not good. I tried to object, and ended up banished to one of apparently an awful lot of hells out there for the trouble. Apparently only for a month and change, but that was plenty."

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	perenawska 2009-12-15 05:42 am UTC (link)
	"There are a lot of not so pleasant dimensions out there." She had accidentally stumbled upon enough of them. She frowned. "What are you going to do?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	vicious_cycle 2009-12-15 05:47 am UTC (link)
	"I'm still working on that. I've only been free for a few minutes, and haven't had anything but fried hellbugs and boiled swampwater in a month. I know that they can't act directly or they'll bring other gods down on them, so Pluto's agent is around somewhere." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	perenawska 2009-12-15 05:49 am UTC (link)
	The microwave dinged and she removed the bowl of pasta. A fork was dug out of a drawer and she set both on the table in front of him. "Finding these agents would be the wise thing to do." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	vicious_cycle 2009-12-15 05:52 am UTC (link)
	He digs in like the cheap pasta was a king's feast. Apparently it is better than swamp bugs. "I was supposed to be Mephisto's agent. It didn't go well for either of us. And then even once we find him or her, there's still dealing with some pretty considerable power behind them." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	perenawska 2009-12-15 05:55 am UTC (link)
	Irina thought about it for a few moments. "The Winter Guard cannot get involved for many reasons. We would need help, but who do we ask?" Somewhere in the span of those few short moments she had decided to help him. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	vicious_cycle 2009-12-15 06:00 am UTC (link)
	He's somewhat surprised by the switch to 'we', but he doesn't mind that much. "Good question. I know the plot has something to do with dopplegangers, so the list of trustworthy people goes down a long way." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	perenawska 2009-12-15 06:05 am UTC (link)
	"That is the hard part," she said. "Who do we trust? The answer is not a simple one." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	vicious_cycle 2009-12-15 06:07 am UTC (link)
	"Good question, to which I don't have a good answer. I might be able to do some research on it, and Pluto, if you can get us around to a few bookstores and provide a few bucks for the right books. I have the know how, but being in dimensional exile doesn't pay well." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	perenawska 2009-12-15 06:08 am UTC (link)
	"Getting around is the easy part," she said with a smile. "When you are finished we can get started. But now you eat and I must tell my superiors that I need some time away from the Winter Guard." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	vicious_cycle 2009-12-15 06:13 am UTC (link)
	"Take your time, my vices have been kicking my ass for a month now, got some serious debt to pay down here. When you're ready, and possibly out of coffee, we can get moving." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	perenawska 2009-12-15 06:14 am UTC (link)
	Irina nodded. "Okay. Just...don't leave this room." She paused before going. "You never told me your name." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	vicious_cycle 2009-12-15 06:15 am UTC (link)
	"Nicholas, Nicholas Salem. Nice to meet you. And don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. At least til there's no more coffee." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	perenawska 2009-12-15 06:16 am UTC (link)
	Irina nodded and then left to go see about getting a leave of absence. (Reply to this)(Parent)

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