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Post by Nikolai [39] on Apr 22, 2012 20:22:39 GMT -5
Nikolai gave Ulysses a funny look as he turned away from Springfield. "How can I remember someone you never introduced me to? I may as vell know him from all you talk about him. Vhy?"
As Florin spoke up, he snorted- Not derisively, but almost. "What? You hope to kill him? He has already been dead once before, what is making you think that we could kill him? That ve will even find him? You have not realized the manner in vhich this confrontation will occur, do you?"
He stepped away from Springfield, who had cast her gaze to the floor, perhaps trying to ward off unpleasant recollections. "Ve will narrow his location down. Ve will track him there. Then, vhen we are thinking that we have him right vhere we vant him, he will turn the tables on us. We will not be getting the first strike in this battle."
He paused, thinking for a moment, and then glanced mostly at Ulysses as he continued. "But, obviously, getting the first strike in combat is not nearly as important as getting the last strike."
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Post by Springfield on Apr 22, 2012 20:48:33 GMT -5
Springfield waited for Nikolai to finish his second or third long tirade. She knew him well enough that she could guess the two companions had heard it, or something similar, a few times already. Nikolai was not necessarily afraid, but he got... Whiny when the things he killed didn't stay dead (It had happened before- Nikolai overcame the predicament by bashing the body until it was completely unrecognizable. Springfield had helped.)
She decided to interject as he finished- Talking about Hollow was making her nervous, as though he might suddenly pop out of the walls just by talking about him. Considering the fact that he was probably watching them, it wasn't really all that far off on the list of possibilities. "C'mon now, y'all, that's enough dreary ol' talkin' about killin' and bein' killed. Relax a little! He wouldn't dare come down here- After all, there's enough ordinance in this hole to blow a fella straight ta the moon."
She grinned somewhat too enthusiastically, no doubt expecting and reveling in the discomfort that statement would cause in most normal people. "Still, tall dark 'n cranky's raght, Flor, Ni-uh, Hollow, never really was one fer waitin' fer people to go t'him. He's always been a might impatient when it comes to the ones that got away. Did ya think y'all weren't bein' watched on your way here? He's probably sittin' out there right now, predictin' exactly what we're talkin' about."
She walked over to her worktable and began tidying up as the color and cheer leaked out of her voice, like an open wound.
"It ain't his height, or his strength, or his funny lil' scythe, or his claws, or even his face that's what makes Hollow scary. What makes Hollow scary is that he's smart. Smarter'n you, smarter'n me. Smarter'n damn near everybody I ever met. He don't even act as smart as he is." She stopped at her cleaning for a moment, her voice wavering slightly.
"He knows exactly what it is he can use to get you fearin' him. That goes for you too, Ulysses. By now he knows everything there is t'know about you. He probably knew before he attacked Florin, because he knew she'd go runnin' to ya. He is. That. Smart."
She gave a light sigh and clapped her hands together after a moment, making Nikolai tense. "Well that was awful depressin'! You folk stickin' around for a while or must you be off into the wild blue yonder?"
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Ulysses-Σ47
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Post by Ulysses-Σ47 on Apr 23, 2012 20:39:13 GMT -5
"How can I remember someone you never introduced me to? I may as vell know him from all you talk about him. Vhy?"
Ulysses wasn't about to let the bigger doll play stupid. He let him finish his little tirade before motioning again. The message was something along the lines that Springfield was going to annoy the Chemist, and he wanted to see that. Pretty social, considering that only a moment ago he'd been ready to put his 'hawk in the newcomer. Then-
"But, obviously, getting the first strike in combat is not nearly as important as getting the last strike."
The Sellsword nodded at this sentiment. They'd leave their mark- he'd ensure that. Once Springfield started talking again, he listened. His mouth twitched into a wry smirk. Oh, he was smart? That certainly made it more difficult. But smarter than the Sellsword? Not when it came to combat. Not when it came to-
"He knows exactly what it is he can use to get you fearin' him. That goes for you too, Ulysses. By now he knows everything there is t'know about you. He probably knew before he attacked Florin, because he knew she'd go runnin' to ya. He is. That. Smart."
He blinked, and held up a hand, clearly signaling for silence. He shook his head, and made a series of hand signals, of which only Nikolai could even hope to keep up. Oh, the boogeyman thought he knew Ulysses?
To scare me, he'd have to find something I'm afraid of. The implications were clear, though of course Nikolai already knew it; Ulysses didn't care about fear. It didn't register to the mercenary. He'd failed his missions before, seen his clients murdered, some of which had almost become friends. Death was normal, death wasn't scary to him. He'd fall into that same oblivion just like every other machine or Ragdoll. And what history could there be? Ulysses had been alone since he'd woken up; there was nothing to use. Nothing to scare him with. And the big Scythe wielding fearmonger would learn that.
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Florin
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Post by Florin on Apr 23, 2012 21:26:39 GMT -5
Florin's arms folded across her chest, her eyes narrowing into slits in a sign of annoyance. "If you're going to be so negative, why the hell are you even here? Do you just like reminding us we're probably going to die?" She snapped at Nikolai. He was probably right, she knew. If this seasoned veteran had encountered Hollow and learned to be fearful of him, she had little reason to doubt what he said. Still, she'd rather not be reminded of what was likely their impending death.
"If we can't kill him, what the bloody hell else are we supposed to do?"
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Post by Nikolai [39] on Apr 26, 2012 15:18:24 GMT -5
Nikolai nodded solemnly, as though she'd finally said something sensible. He was sick of hearing her winge. It was about time she began standing up for herself again.
"We will certainly stab him. Many, many, many times." Nikolai said with relish. He picked up the detonator and patted Springfield on the shoulder. "We cannot stay, unfortunately. Time has now come for us to move on and plan our trap."
He turned to Ulysses. "Other than the train station, do you know of any other easily defendable positions? We cannot return to the clocktower, sadly."
He signaled to remain where they were and jogged topside to scout, his form quickly vanishing up the tunnel.
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Post by Springfield on Apr 26, 2012 15:29:26 GMT -5
Springfield had to laugh at the relish in Nikolai's voice. "Now y'all don't seem too excited." She mocked playfully. She smiled as Nikolai patted her shoulder. "Don't be a stranger, y'hear?" She called as he walked out of the den, leaving Ulysses and Florin behind.
"Take care 'a him for me, mkay?" She said good-naturedly to Ulysses. "The big lug never could watch after himself, and he's one 'a my oldest friends. I think he's the only one 'a my original traveling group still alive." She grinned in a sisterly manner. "He makes a great oldah brothah figure."
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Ulysses-Σ47
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Post by Ulysses-Σ47 on Apr 26, 2012 15:50:38 GMT -5
"Other than the train station, do you know of any other easily defendable positions? We cannot return to the clocktower, sadly."
Ulysses nodded, his cool having long returned. He knew of a few spots. One of his friend's laboratories immediately sprung to mind, but he quickly discarded that; Enzo was going to be annoyed enough when he found out about Springfield. Revealing any more of his locations would be unnecessarily cruel to him. And tactically unsound; those were the sites of some of the most powerful anti-machinery weapons they had access to. He motioned a quick hand signal to Nikolai. It was a bit crowded, but there were plenty of resources to fortify with.
Ever heard of that abandoned toystore? That might work. He didn't like being inside for a fight like this, but he would compromise, if only with Nikolai. As his friend left, Ulysses heard Springfield again. He stopped himself from leaving immediately.
"Take care 'a him for me, mkay? The big lug never could watch after himself, and he's one 'a my oldest friends. I think he's the only one 'a my original traveling group still alive. He makes a great oldah brothah figure."
The Sellsword lowered his hand in thought for a moment, before signaling as best as he could. Her concern was touching to him, in a way he understood only too well. And he hoped his message would be conveyed. If the revenant even knicked a single fibre off of his bigger Russian friend. . .Well, he wouldn't have a hand to knick with again. No one hurt Ulysses' friends. He didn't have enough of them to lose a single one.
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Florin
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Post by Florin on Apr 26, 2012 19:55:40 GMT -5
Florin waited for Ulysses to leave before she exited as well. He was the one she'd hired, after all. She sighed solemnly at the thought of having to travel again, though the thought of finally facing this monster that almost took her life was enough to keep her from complaining.
But Nikolai's words troubled her still. How could he not be killed? Her kind were different than organic life, she knew, and more far resistant to ailments and injuries that would cause death to any other being, but still, even the biggest, strongest stitchpunks she'd seen, some physically similar to Hollow himself, had their breaking point. Hell, a few she'd pushed there herself. How was he supposedly immortal? If they failed to take him down, would he just keep hunting her until he finally killed her?
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