[PRP] Aspirations Exceeding (Shikeen)

[medigel]

Nothing was more satisfying to leave off of that extended stay in Wonderland than the image of Medea bowing to them.

Shikoba had returned a triumphant horseman, almost foalish in his new, vicious glee about their markings. After weeks of preparation, something had come out of it at last. What exactly, he did not know. He assumed they were allowed to carry some sort of bond with Destruction, though he didn't necessarily feel different--giddy, but not more powerful. Or perhaps a key to helping unleash it, as it had been caged before. He wondered if that whole event had been worth it at all, even, if their powers could still lay in wait like that. Or maybe it was just all Medea's meddling with gods only knew what kind of power.

(There were some days he lusted after that as well.)

But for now Shik contented himself knowing that he and Shaheen had, essentially, been chosen for this. And he couldn't be more proud. This manifested in different ways, the most obvious being a more upbeat executioner. It was almost strange to see how more easily he grinned and smirked without prompt, or even how more affectionate he was with her (at least, in private; he didn't socialize nearly enough to show the effect publically).

Case in point: that late morning, he was roasting pheasants on the fire, plucked and prepared himself, without being prompted to make a meal. He was even whistling, and Catori, who was perched on the roof of their humble abode, twittered along with her own version.

Seussi

idk bro i just d-k

 

[Seussi]

Shaheen had been high in spirits since their return from the dream world, though she was growing antsy with every day that passed with nothing to occur. Normally the war chieftain was much more patient, but just that small taste of power that they had been given shortly before awakening had seemed to light a fire inside of her. She wanted it again, longed to be able to not just touch it, but wield it herself. The day would come soon, she hoped. It needed to come soon.

As it were, most of her time passed in complete and utter mediocrity. She trained, she sparred, she meditated. She harvested Fear and spoke with others, sowing the seeds of doubt against Death, their leader, as subtly as she could manage.

And then she would return home, to a place that was shared with her other half, the man that she now seemed to share everything with, including the matching marks of destruction etched into the backs of their hands.

It was on this morning that Shaheen had gone out early, heading deeper within the forest to perch in a tree, to meditate, to think upon things and reflect upon choices made. When she returned, it was with a wide grin on her face. Within seconds, her quick strides took her to where Shik was roasting a meal over the fire, and as soon as she found herself within reaching distance, she wrapped her arms around him from behind, pressing the un-afflicted side of her face against a well muscled back.

"Lan found me in the woods." She murmured, "She is pining over some stallion from Death. I suggested she shoot an arrow in his chest to get his attention." She smirked against his skin, before moving to pull herself away.

"She also called you my husband." She mentioned, idly, as she looked around him at what he was cooking, before her smirk grew. "I told her you were a better wife."

That last part was a lie, but it was still fun to tease him.

Ol-j-man

 

[medigel]

Normally averse to his back being touched (his wings being strangely sensitive), he mustered instead an amused snort. "Lan," he echoed as he turned his head to her, turning the Conquest's name into an insult. As he pressed his wings on either side of Shaheen in welcome, Shik grinned. "If that means being the better griller, though, then by all means."

It was a good day indeed when he didn't mind being called a woman. Well, at least by Shaheen.

"I would have suggested challenging him to a spar via ambushing him with a dagger to his throat, but Lan has such poor skills in battle that no-one would want her afterwards," he added as a matter of factly, turning back to the pheasants slowly turning. "Not counting the fact that Conquests use long-range. Bah. Who is the stallion of her unwanted affections anyway?"

Seussi

 

[Seussi]

Shaheen continued to smirk, finding herself more amused that he accepted the teasing without argument, then she might have if he'd argued or given equal banter in return. "It means that I am more man then you...which could be awkward, I suppose. Forget that I said that!" Her demand was given in a lighthearted tone, and her hands began to slide up his torso, fingers and nails dragging lightly against his skin, around his sides, until her hands were placed gently on his back.

"Oh?" She mused at his own ideas of the best way to seduce a man, her hands moving again, swiftly, and within a heartbeat she held the blade of her own dagger against Shik's neck, cold steel barely pressed against skin. Leaning forward, she whispered against his ear.

"This is a position I remember being in before."

She could answer his question in a minute. Right now this was much more fun.

Ol-j-man

 

[medigel]

He barked a laugh, his wings fluttering as her hands wandered. "We both know you're the bigger p***y in the end," he teased, because he never failed to abuse that one joke with Shaheen. Never got old.

Then Shik chuckled again as he felt the press of her weapon, because that too never grew old. His teeth gleaned in a grin as he glanced down at the glint of metal at his jugular. Fear or not, it was a nasty place to get cut.

"Let me think . . . Many, many times before, hmm? The first time was, what . . . when I lopped off some of your hair? I think it was after our first few lessons with our weapons. Still call it an accident." He had been. . . quite eager to try it out after all.

Immediately Shik threw his head back to try and stun her, quickly grasping at Shaheen's arm in order to twist it.

Seussi

 

[Seussi]

That joke did get old. It had gotten old so long ago she had hoped that it would have died and been buried by now, but yet here it was, resurrected for what felt like the millionth time, making her cringe against him. That little comment got what it deserved, and that was no comment back from her, because she chose to ignore it, and hoped once again that this time, this time, Shik would refrain from using it ever again.

Sadly, though, she knew better then to believe that could ever happen.

In this new position, however, all of that was soon wiped from her mind. In it's place, heady excitement. Her blade against his neck, and the more he spoke, the more pressure she added, by bare increments but certainly enough for him to feel.

"I still call it horseshit." She hissed, as he reminded her of the days of their youth, "Though at least I will admit, my attempt at cutting off something far more important to you was no accident at all." She was smirking again, enjoying this far too much now.

She should have known what he would do next. After all of this time, all of their days spent together, all of their lives working with and against, their rivalry and their friendship, she should have seen it coming.

All she could really see at the moment were black dots in front of her eyes as pain exploded at the center of her forehead. He had thrown his head back, knocking it against her own in an attack that left her dazed. She felt his hand on her arm, claws that dug into her skin, and she did the only thing she could think to do in her momentarily muddled state of mind.

She kicked at the back of one of his knee's, while simultaneously using her free hand to yank on his hair, hoping to take him down before he could disarm her.

Ol-j-man

 

[medigel]

It was his varotie joke Shaheen don't hate.

"In hindsight, aren't you happy you failed~?"

Even someone as hardheaded as Shik had to admit the move was not his best choice. The ground tilted beneath him slightly, but for just a moment she was in his grasp--but like all of their fights, it simply would not be so easy. Shik grimaced through his grin as she knocked him off balance, nails failing to catch onto her skin before her arm slipped free.

The disarm failed. Time for plan S. (Stabbity)

In an instant his dagger was summoned to his other hand, blindly slashing up and behind to discourage keeping a grip on his scalp.

Seussi

 

[Seussi]

"Mmm yes, I suppose so." She replied, just barely before she was forced to grit her teeth and no more words could be spoken as she fought to regain control of the situation. The handful of hair certainly put her at a bit of an advantage, but she knew better then to assume that meant she had a handle on him.

Not that she ever really did, or had, or likely ever would. She liked it better that way, however. Kept things fresh and interesting and made moments like these all the more fun.

His backwards slash earned him a hiss of pain as his blade caught her belly, digging upwards against her shield and striking against her arm. Instantly, her hold loosened, and she took a quick skipping step back, her wings flaring as a wild grin lit up her face, one arm lifted in defense, her other hand holding her weapon up and ready to strike should he decide to lunge at her.

And she was laughing, silently, her shoulder shaking as she barely kept it contained. Still watching him carefully though she was hardly taking the little fight seriously, she took a moment to speak, her happy amusement clear in her tone. "Do you think we will always end our days in such a way as this? Right now I do not feel as though I will ever tire of it." It was said in almost a wistful manner, like one who might be commenting on evening time romantic cuddles rather then a vicious knife fight.

Ol-j-man

 

[medigel]

Immediately he rolled away when her grip loosened, from ground to knees to his feet in seconds that only constant training could produce. Shik shook his hair out, feathers and heads knocking together as it stuck out even more from his scalp. "Perhaps not every day," he replied conversationally, grinning as he adjusted the grip of his dagger. A few chuckles of his own escaped. "But what dull people we would be without a few tussles here and there, no? We'd turn into complacent little Conquest fodder." A fate clearly worse than death. Or Death as it was.

His eyes flickered to the fire briefly and back, the smell of cooked pheasants a little distracting.

"They'll burn if we take too long. I'd be very cross for the catch to go to waste. Shall we continue this later?"

His stance didn't relax.

Seussi

 

[Seussi]

The way his hair practically stood on end reminded Shaheen so much of a wild beast with bristling fur, that she nearly laughed more. It wasn't a sight she hadn't seen before, but in these circumstances, with motions that were somehow more affectionate then aggressive despite it's rough nature, it was just so much more amusing then usual.

Straightening up just slightly from her ready position, Shaheen grinned in return. "How very disappointed I would be if you know longer found me suitable to tussle with." Her eyes took on a mischievous glint with her emphasis on the word, and she took a few careful steps forward, watching him closely, even while he worried over dinner and asked for what was most assuredly, in her mind, a time out.

Leaning forward towards him, slightly, she smiled, her sword still held up in front of her, unwilling to back down. "If you wish to give up, then by all means..."

Ol-j-man

 

[medigel]

"If that ever happened, I'd do the gentleman thing and end your life so you wouldn't suffer the misery of being unsuitable," he stated as a matter of factly. As per usual, though, neither felt like budging on the smallest of matters, and now he had to decide what was more important: his pride, or his stomach.

Hrm.

Shik made a face at her for show. "Who said I was giving up? Pausing isn't the same." Pride or stomach. Pride or stomach. He eyed Shaheen for a moment, debating this most serious of questions, before he decided to go with a third option instead.

Throwing his dagger at her as a distraction, he bolted for the food and hastily snatched the stake off its balance, kicking up embers in his wake as he took flight with a bark of laughter.

Seussi

idek

 

[Seussi]

Shaheen found herself rolling her eyes and barking out a dry laugh at his words, hardly able to believe what she was hearing from him. Put her out of her misery? She didn't think so! "I should celebrate the day I finally become free of you, rather then be miserable as you so think I would be." She sneered, taking another casual step forward, while silently contemplating her options. To jump him or not? To let him stop and continue it later, or goad him into continuing on, if only for the amusement of seeing the dinner he was fussing over burn.

"Taking a break? Seems to me dinner is just an excuse to get out---" She was suddenly cut off as a dagger came flying towards her, sword up to deflect the blade with the clatter of steel against steel, her teeth bared as she dodged to the side.

Straightening up, it was to the view of a flurry of feathers, wings beating as the other man threw himself into the air. Cursing under her breath, she, much more loudly, shouted at his retreat.

"COWARD!"

She then debated whether or not to pursue him. Even while mulling it over, she ran forward and hurled her sword at him, aiming for his a**.

There was a good chance she might hit a wing instead. They were so close to his a**, after all....

Ol-j-man

/gets on the idek train

 

[medigel]

For once, the insult didn't inspire his temper. Shik snickered as she gave chase, veering into the trees as soon as he could--not to hide of course, the smell of food and the smoke still coming off of it made it impossible for anything covert, but because a forest pursuit was so very like them anyway.

Darting from tree to tree, half-flying and half-leaping, he tore off a piece of pheasant andstuffed it in his mouth, tossing a gloating look over his shoulder ashe chewed and swallowed. "I think I might just eat all of this," he commented very loudly. "Compliments to the chef!"

Which was when he saw the sword coming for his a**. He almost choked on his food as he leapt up and beat his wings, an inch of his loincloth cut off, then proceeded to guffaw and run away even faster.

"Have you been training with Lan?" Shik taunted. "She has just about the same accuracy. Maybe even slightly better." And as far as he was concerned, that was insulting.

Seussi

randomly rolled to see how well his escape's doing, if you felt like rolling the same to have her catch him?

 

[Seussi]

Her sword, unfortunately, did not quite meet it's mark. Shaheen was running, however, powerful legs carrying her across the ground as she kept the man in her sights, debating whether it was worth it to unfurl her wings and fly at him in pursuit. As a shred of loincloth fluttered to the ground, stomped into the earth by her feet, she summoned her sword back into her hand, eyes carefully narrowed at the man who continued to flee from her from up high.

Her wings were large, hard to unfurl in such a thickly forested area. She would need to climb and join him on a more even playing field if she wished to give in to this little game he was playing, and chase him in earnest. She had accused him of giving up, and had also been content to accept his forfeit and in turn her victory, but now he was making her work for it, in a contest of speed and agility, something that he, as an executioner, surely had her beat in already.

With a low growling curse under her breath, she continued to run, darting around tree's, keeping him in her sights. His insult wasn't worth the breath she would have to waste in order to reply to, and so she kept her mouth shut, waiting until the perfect opportunity might emerge...

There! A tree that was quite large, with branches that jutted out around it at even intervals, practically a natural staircase. As she came upon it, she jumped, her wings unfurling just slightly, and leaping steps took her up and up before she was leaping again, this time to a tree nearby, putting her almost directly behind her chosen life-partner.

Her sword desummoned, Shaheen fished around her person for another type of weapon, a flash of dark, almost polished looking black-grey slipping into her fingers before her hand whipped back and then forward again, releasing a smooth stone that sailed and whistled through the air directly towards it's target, the back of Shik's head.

She then wasted yet littler time in jumping at him with a beat of her wings, sailing right into his back and wrapping her arms around him, intent on forcing him out of the air and back to the ground.

"Perhaps you have eaten too much." She hissed. "You've become slow...and maybe a little flabby as well." She may have pinched an inch barely above his hip bone in her struggles, just to further her point.

Ol-j-man

ISTFG I thought I had tagged this once