the darkness keeps growing, the shadows cutting deeper

[hfm_npcs]

Warnings: Darkness, Nox, darkness, manipulation, darkness, violence, and more darkness
Location: The sewers
Characters: Agent York, Aaron, Celestia, and a lot of Nox
When: Shortly after the attack on the city.
Summary: The Nox approach the hapless prisoners, and attempt to make them a deal

It's dark. This should come as no surprise to those who have a clear memory of what happened, but the sheer size and scope and depth of the darkness is suffocating. Pressurizing. There's a dripping in the distance and the Nox's guests will find themselves covered in...something that's rapidly congealing. Communicators don't work, and if listening close to the silence reveals they aren't alone...

Something's out there, watching the three warm bodies. Almost breathing on them.

((OOC: Check this log periodically for subheaders which will direct the plot!))

Comments

[goddamngrenades]

"I'm not normally one to buy into cliched 'dark is bad light is good' but when the darkness literally drags us kicking and screaming down to it's evil lair?" He sucks on his teeth for a moment, shaking his head. "Not really in the mood to trust you. Or. Listen. Maybe call a guy instead of kidnapping them. I'd say the same thing to that Lux dude too."

[hfm_npcs]

Would you trust us no matter how. We attempted to contact you?

The breathing gets heavier, the shadows displace more air, shudder and writhe with a frantic pace...

You act as though. You are the only ones here against your will. That you are the only ones. Who are soldiers in a war that is not yours.

...Then suddenly, they stop.

What have you really been told?

[letteropener]

"To put it quite bluntly," Celestia said, allowing the faintest hints of annoyance to creep into her voice, "I have been interested in engaging you diplomatically for some time, and have gone out of my way to make the effort any time I encountered one of your representatives. So yes, I would have quite liked to hear your side of the story. Trust is another matter, to be earned or accorded based on your actions, so you have little grounds to complain that we would not trust you when you have done nothing to earn it."

Never mind that she was addressing the Nox in all their shadowed glory; Celestia sounded precisely like an exasperated schoolteacher, or maybe a disappointed parent.

"We are well aware we do not have the full story or all the information we would like. If you are truly willing to share your perspective with us, just doing so would go much farther to earning our goodwill than all these dramatics and theatrics."

[exuviiated]

As Celestia confronted the Nox, Aaron took special care to resist taking a few steps back-- showing his uncertainty about this whole situation would put the Nox at an implicit advantage. Not one quite as large as their explicit advantage, having them down in their dark nest, but-- he was the business of preserving whatever meager favor they had right then. It wasn't as if this situation could get any worse. (Right?)

He stopped himself from voicing that, even sarcastically, because while it might muttered in cynicism there was still the chance of it blowing up spectacularly in all three of their faces. He won't take them down with him by virtue of his tactless comments. One of which is aimed at one of the pairs of eyes, and then down into the choking darkness.

"Maybe if you hadn't dragged us down here, we'd be a little more privy to listening rather than-- this. I agree with Celestia."

Then, he angled his head just so to look at York; checking for his reaction, and also able to watch Celestia while keeping the Nox in his peripherals (but then and again, they were everywhere.)

[goddamngrenades]

"A whole lot of nothing, from either side." But he hasn't really made it a point to poke around. He's-

Not unhappy to be here, honestly. Considering his personal alternative. But that doesn't mean he's glad for everyone else that has better things to do with their time that got stuck here either. Celestia's royalty, the kid's a kid, Wash-

Wash had a life. Better or not, he was living and making do. He shouldn't be put through this shit again.York? It's about par the course. "You wanna say something? Say it, we'll listen. Just...keep your distance, grabby."