mortemscintilla: ∅  I saw a pretty little thing approaching me (Hei - All Business)
Hei (Li Shenshung) ([personal profile] mortemscintilla) wrote in [community profile] poly_chromatic2012-09-15 07:42 am

♦ ♦ 7th Contract

[ The ticking is a grinding migraine. ]

[ It's like a repeat of his time in The Gate. The absence of rational coordinates making him tense and queasy. His dreams are sporadic, but so vivid that sometimes he awakens to real images of enemies and blood-splattered walls. He misses Pai, but that missing is immense enough to constitute a whole atmosphere. His state of being. In that state, he thinks of others, most of them unexpected. Yin, for her light laconic presence and how simple she'd make reconnaissance. Huang, whose gruff practicality filled him with both irritation and respect. Mao, who was probably everything good about a Contractor (even if he was a terrible cat.) ]

[ They weren't friends. But they'd accepted each other as a team. ]

[ Here, he hasn't taken the steps to turn acquaintances into associates. It serves no purpose. Not unless they have something he wants. But most are in the same position as him. Trapped, at the Deities' mercy.  He keeps no social circles. No girlfriends -- he can sum up his 'romantic' encounters here on his fingers. Hour by hour, he postpones the question: What am I going to do here? ]

[ He should at least get a pet. Something to stave off the ticking. ]

[ Until then, this curse is effective enough to infuriate distract him. ]


Options For Run-Ins:

[ Cafe Satine: There's a spring in his step as he buses tables and does kitchenwork. Hands and feet moving in easy rhythm with the music floating from the speakers. He doesn't realize how bad it is until he's sweeping eggshells off the tiles -- and starts Turbo Dancing with his broom. Customers and employees stare. Li blushes and stammers apologies. ]

[ Inside, he grits his teeth. This is going to be a bothersome shift. ]


[ Evening Stroll: He's tried staying at his apartment. But ticking paired with dancing is disorienting. When his pirouettes transform into actual cartwheels, resulting in a crack when his foot hits the thin wall, he exits hurriedly. Walking the nighttime streets, he forgoes drinks at the bar for cool air and starry skies. Few pedestrians. Not too much traffic. Taking an inventory of his surroundings, he almost relaxes. ]

[ Until music spills from a nearby bar. ]

[ Passersby form a loose circle as he goes through his sweeping
routine. The City seems to enjoy cursing him with solos. The implications don't escape him. ]

[ Nor does the annoyance. ]


[ Recon: Cursed or not, he refuses to forgo reconnaissance. His movements are a little more balletic. His exits on the wire a little more elaborate. But this is familiar territory, at least. He picks up on marked areas -- Topside and Underground. For the most part, time passes smoothly. But in the shadow of Pandora's, he spots a crime mid-scene. A group of toughs have lured three drunk people, young women in flowery dresses, into the darkness off the street. ]

[ It'a not his job to save them. Let the Police deal with it. ]

[ But he could use the combat-practice. So in he swoops, masked and armed. Music from the club muffles the attacker's howls as he breaks their extremities. It isn't until he's knocked them out, snapping at the terrified women to run, Without those damn heels, that the curse returns. ]

[ ...
Work dat booty, Mr. Reaper. ]

[ OOC: Putting a different spin on the dancing curse! Feel free to run into any of his personas. He may grab you and twirl you -- before flustering and babbling as 'Li', or shove you away/knock you out as 'The Black Reaper.' The dance hilarity for the last option starts at 0:20 xDD ]
anatural: Korra angrily grabs a man's chin (npc1)

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[personal profile] anatural 2012-09-17 02:42 am (UTC)(link)
Were you cursed when you threw gas at me and then electrocuted me?!

[She gets up in his face - not attacking, but clearly pissed]
anatural: Korra is scared (woah now scared)

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[personal profile] anatural 2012-09-18 01:42 am (UTC)(link)
[Here's the thing about Korra, Hei -- she learns from every fight, and she learns quick. She's all set to block that attack to her skull.

But she's not prepared for the waltz.]


WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!
anatural: Korra's going to be watching you (angry and sarcasm yeah)

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[personal profile] anatural 2012-09-19 01:34 am (UTC)(link)
[She uses the momentum from the dip to flip him over her.]
anatural: Korra is ready to kick ass (determined 2)

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[personal profile] anatural 2012-09-19 07:09 pm (UTC)(link)
[Except she's already ducked down, sweeping her leg in an attempt to knock him over.]
anatural: Korra is angry (oh so angry and hurt)

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[personal profile] anatural 2012-09-20 01:19 am (UTC)(link)
[The wire catches her leg, but she yanks her leg back, trying to use the wire to pull him towards her -- or at least pull it out of her hands. It's a good thing her thick boots prevent it from digging too deeply into her skin.]
anatural: Korra tries to break out of her cage (pic#4510749)

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[personal profile] anatural 2012-09-20 02:14 am (UTC)(link)
[Thick boots, buddy. Thick leather and fur. The charge fucking hurts, but her boots protect her from the worst of it.

She summons a blast of a blast of air and sends it straight at him.]
anatural: Korra faces away, looking badass (pic#4510654)

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[personal profile] anatural 2012-09-21 12:20 am (UTC)(link)
[She knows better now than to let that wire touch her. Treat him like an Equalist.

She ducks the wire and rushes him, trying to get close and give him no room to use his wires.]
anatural: Korra's ass just got kicked by airbending (hurt)

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[personal profile] anatural 2012-09-21 02:00 am (UTC)(link)
[OUCH. Korra doubles over coughing and does her best to roll out of his reach while she recovers.]
anatural: Korra's frightened (keyword1)

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[personal profile] anatural 2012-09-22 10:08 pm (UTC)(link)
[Korra's eyes go wide with horror, but she's not seeing Hei anymore.

She sees Amon. Amon as he's taking her bending.

NO.

Before Hei can deliver the knockout dose, she knocks his arm off her head and throws him off. She flips to her feet, moving solely on instinct and adrenaline.

And then...she runs.

There's only so much she can afford to lose.]
anatural: Korra curls up to grieve alone (sad 11)

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[personal profile] anatural 2012-09-22 11:31 pm (UTC)(link)
[When she's far enough away and the adrenalin has left her system, she collapses on the side of the street. She curls up as small as she can and lets out all her pain and fear in choking sobs.]