06-19-2018, 11:05 AM
"...and that's how we ended up here." Angel finished, her voice reverberating through the metal wall to Koal, who sat with his knees curled up to his chest and his arms wrapped around them. The soft orange light of the ray-shield cast long shadows across the Demon's cell and his face was contemplative as he mulled over Angel's words.
"So, you want me to join you." Koal stated, unwrapping his arms from his long legs as he slowly stood, wincing from the burning ache in his chest. Bracing himself against the wall, he rose the rest of the way to his full height. His dark eyes regarded the outside world, violet eyes scanning the prison through an orange filter. The Avengers. Doom had mentioned them the last time they spoke, given Koal strict orders to shadow them.
It would be easy to do so. Laughably easy, in fact, to gain their trust and execute his orders. Opening his mouth, Koal felt his voice catch in his throat, the words that would convince the girl on the other side of the wall that he was on their team wouldn’t force themselves into existence. Closing his mouth, Koal walked back to the wall, where he knew his mysterious new friend was waiting for a reply. A thousand words raced inside of his mind, each one a parent to a different outcome, a different path that this conversation could take. A million different voices in his mind, screaming at him from the safety of his memories. Most of them calling for justice. Justice for the man who had ripped their lives from them.
But Koal also remembered his promise. Not that he'd had a chance to forget it.
"Angel, I-"
"Look Alive, prisoner!"
Ignoring his body's protests, Koal whipped his body around to warily regard the two armor-clad troopers who had entered his cell. White plates and emotionless masks didn't do much to mask the glee in their voices as they roughly grabbed his arms and forced him to his knees. His face burning with shame, Koal lowered his face as they laughed.
"For someone who they say is a nightmare, this kid looks like the scrawniest piece of shit to ever disgrace this cell!" He roared to his companion, who chuckled behind his helmet before they both hauled the Demon to his feet and shoved him out of the cell.
"The Warden has a guest who would like to, ah, speak with you."
Koal felt his interest pique. Had Doom come to bail him out? He felt the little bit of hope he had in his chest wither as he thought about it. Doom was a wanted man. If he so much as showed his face to an imperial trooper, he would be either detained, or there would be one more death to add to the Latverian Lord's body count. Shaking his head to dispell his thoughts before they derailed, Koal instead cast his gaze to the rest of the building interior. It was dome-shaped, cells lining its outer rim, with guards and inmates all the same milling about. Behind the sickeningly familiar orange ray-shields, Koal could see prisoners of every sort lurking in the shadows of their gilded cages. Like wild animals, most of them spat and raged as Koal passed them with his escort. It was all the young man could do to keep his composure and not snarl back at them.
"Say, Kid, How many people did It cost to take you down? No way the reports are true." One of his captors lightly nudged him as he asked the question, And Koal didn't even try to hide his chuckle as he felt his eyes drag maliciously across the troopers body before he looked forward again.
"I slaughtered about fifteen men a foot taller than you before they dealt any damage worth talking about. If you don't believe me, take this infernal collar off an maybe I can-"
"That will be quite enough, Mr. Lynch. I'd hate for them to do any irreparable damage to that young, handsome face of yours. Not yet, at least." Locking his gaze onto the newcomer at the sound of his nasal voice, Koal noted his lab coat and imperial insignia before a moment had passed. Powers overriding the collar for a moment, Koal felt his temper flare and he let a growl rumble through his chest, sending the two Troopers at his sides into defensive stances as they put their hands to the stun batons on their waist. The Doctor lifted his hand as he let out a wide and unnerving smile, dismissing the troops as they interpreted the silent command.
"Peace, Mr. Lynch. I wish to exchange words, nothing more." Koal nearly scoffed, but cautiously approached the Doctor, who opened the door to his "office" with a wave of a security pass-card. Inside, Koal could see little more than hulking mass in the corner of the small interrogation room, with scarlet eyes (not unlike his own when enraged) and from what Koal could tell, It was breathing with difficulty.
"Take a seat, Mr. Lynch. Me, you, and our little Puppy have some business to address."
"So, you want me to join you." Koal stated, unwrapping his arms from his long legs as he slowly stood, wincing from the burning ache in his chest. Bracing himself against the wall, he rose the rest of the way to his full height. His dark eyes regarded the outside world, violet eyes scanning the prison through an orange filter. The Avengers. Doom had mentioned them the last time they spoke, given Koal strict orders to shadow them.
It would be easy to do so. Laughably easy, in fact, to gain their trust and execute his orders. Opening his mouth, Koal felt his voice catch in his throat, the words that would convince the girl on the other side of the wall that he was on their team wouldn’t force themselves into existence. Closing his mouth, Koal walked back to the wall, where he knew his mysterious new friend was waiting for a reply. A thousand words raced inside of his mind, each one a parent to a different outcome, a different path that this conversation could take. A million different voices in his mind, screaming at him from the safety of his memories. Most of them calling for justice. Justice for the man who had ripped their lives from them.
But Koal also remembered his promise. Not that he'd had a chance to forget it.
"Angel, I-"
"Look Alive, prisoner!"
Ignoring his body's protests, Koal whipped his body around to warily regard the two armor-clad troopers who had entered his cell. White plates and emotionless masks didn't do much to mask the glee in their voices as they roughly grabbed his arms and forced him to his knees. His face burning with shame, Koal lowered his face as they laughed.
"For someone who they say is a nightmare, this kid looks like the scrawniest piece of shit to ever disgrace this cell!" He roared to his companion, who chuckled behind his helmet before they both hauled the Demon to his feet and shoved him out of the cell.
"The Warden has a guest who would like to, ah, speak with you."
Koal felt his interest pique. Had Doom come to bail him out? He felt the little bit of hope he had in his chest wither as he thought about it. Doom was a wanted man. If he so much as showed his face to an imperial trooper, he would be either detained, or there would be one more death to add to the Latverian Lord's body count. Shaking his head to dispell his thoughts before they derailed, Koal instead cast his gaze to the rest of the building interior. It was dome-shaped, cells lining its outer rim, with guards and inmates all the same milling about. Behind the sickeningly familiar orange ray-shields, Koal could see prisoners of every sort lurking in the shadows of their gilded cages. Like wild animals, most of them spat and raged as Koal passed them with his escort. It was all the young man could do to keep his composure and not snarl back at them.
"Say, Kid, How many people did It cost to take you down? No way the reports are true." One of his captors lightly nudged him as he asked the question, And Koal didn't even try to hide his chuckle as he felt his eyes drag maliciously across the troopers body before he looked forward again.
"I slaughtered about fifteen men a foot taller than you before they dealt any damage worth talking about. If you don't believe me, take this infernal collar off an maybe I can-"
"That will be quite enough, Mr. Lynch. I'd hate for them to do any irreparable damage to that young, handsome face of yours. Not yet, at least." Locking his gaze onto the newcomer at the sound of his nasal voice, Koal noted his lab coat and imperial insignia before a moment had passed. Powers overriding the collar for a moment, Koal felt his temper flare and he let a growl rumble through his chest, sending the two Troopers at his sides into defensive stances as they put their hands to the stun batons on their waist. The Doctor lifted his hand as he let out a wide and unnerving smile, dismissing the troops as they interpreted the silent command.
"Peace, Mr. Lynch. I wish to exchange words, nothing more." Koal nearly scoffed, but cautiously approached the Doctor, who opened the door to his "office" with a wave of a security pass-card. Inside, Koal could see little more than hulking mass in the corner of the small interrogation room, with scarlet eyes (not unlike his own when enraged) and from what Koal could tell, It was breathing with difficulty.
"Take a seat, Mr. Lynch. Me, you, and our little Puppy have some business to address."
"...If the soul is left in darkness sins will be committed. The guilty one is not he who commits the sin, but he who causes the darkness.”
-Victor Hugo Les Miserables
-Victor Hugo Les Miserables