A light in the dark fog

[Kami-Gaz]

Fog, thicker than the anything the crew of the Ascendant Swan had ever seen, so thick that it could be sliced with a knife. The grandiose ship with a black swan figure head pushed throw the fog at a slow pace, it’s oars piercing the waters as they pushed the ship along in unison. With each splashed the ship groaned along, the rocky waters they were navigating through occasionally scratching the kairoseki coated hull. That being the only reason that the ship had even made it this deep into the monster infested waters of the calm belt in the first place. Occasionally shouts could be heard coming from the top deck and the distinct cracking of a whip, the screams of someone on the other side of that whip and the command “Row!” This continued on for hours upon hours without any time to rest.

Below the deck in a special brig was a lone prisoner, her long slender arms of a porcelain shade, were shackled and held aloft by taught black metal chains. Her eyes of dull golden hue were barely open, locked to the floor and her hair hung behind her with the fringe masking her bruised picture perfect face. Her tattered red dress hugged her as best it could with all the rips and tears made in it, what tattered remains that did not hug her body draped off of her body and dangled there, lifeless. The legs that were barely supporting her were bent at the knee and were chained to the side, apart making all sorts of movement hard.

How long had she been here? Hours? Days? Weeks even? She didn’t know, the time ebbed and flowed in an odd way in this cell, her mind was broken after all that had happened to her. The beatings, the chaining up, the minimal food and water all to keep her in a weakened state so she would not cause trouble in transit. This after all was a slavers ship for the Swan Slaves, and this woman was going to fetch them a pretty penny. She had a history with them and this was the story of how the ending began.

The ship had run aground on Mullyssa Nemo, it’s kairoseki hull being the only thing that stopped it from sinking. The crew? As far as Cheska knew they had vanished, gone to get aid or killed by the inhabitants of the island. The other slaves? They took the chance to flee, leaving her alone chained up and unable to get away from anything that could kill her. These were the simple assumptions her brain took, or part of it atleast.

The room seemed so empty behind these bars. On the other side was weapons, boxes and creates of rare items that were secured with some of the slaves that were taken aboard the ship. All dangerous or rare each being able to fetch just as much as the slaves that were being used above deck.

“Help….” The woman’s hoarse voice said in the silence… the silence, something was wrong, there was no repeated shout to row, no whips, no screams or groaning of the ship. The last thing to stimulate Cheska’s broken mind was a larger shudder than normal, one that lurched the ship enough to almost knock the cracked mask out of her hand. As this unnerving silence settled on her, her eyes widened, she was alone in the silence in this ship she was terrified of.

The Eerie atmosphere of the fog outside was seeping in through the barred porthole and was obscuring the floor. “H-help…” She croaked out again, her voice was so torn from dehydration that speaking hurt, her eyes now violently searching the cell in front of her for any sign of life to calm her nerves were a blur. This was a sign that her mental functions were returning to those of a normal persons… as much as they could resemble a normal persons anyways. Tears quickly came to obscure her vision in a watery haze.

In moments what tears formed made her sob, wail and devolve into a bigger mess than she already was. Through the pain of her dry voice she screamed out “Please somebody help!” only for nothing to come back to her

[Vio]

“Gah! I can’t see sh!t through this damn fog,” grumbled one of the isle’s fresh arrivals, holding a brass bullseye lantern close to his face. The amber beam it cast seemed barely capable of burning through the strange, static mist, whose swirls only vaguely hinted at the contours of the land. Not that these men knew that. To them – two dozen or so men who had abandoned their runaground ship – all they could really see was a thick wall of ashen grey smog that seemed to want to swallow them whole.

^{“Blegh! My clothes feel like I’ve just swam here…”}

^{“Quit cha whinin’,” another barked:
“Else ya’ll be swimmin’ t’rest o’ t’way!”}

^{“S-Sorry, Boss!”}

“Are those people…? Hey…! Hey!! Over here!! You’ve gotta help us! Our ship’s run aground and–” Before the now waving sailor could finish his statement, he was set upon. Springing from the mists seemingly as if they were forged from it, two emaciated examples of humanity pounced like wildcats upon a mouse. Sharp teeth clamped down upon the man’s arm, forcing a shriek of pain and worry as his lantern fell from his grasp and clattered upon the earth, casting its radiance upon pallid grey rocks.

^{“Boss! We’re…!? We’re surrounded!?”}

“Las’ t’ing I wanted was t’end up on ‘n islan’ full o’ cannibals! Kill ‘em all!! T’en get back to t’ship!” Surrounded they were, by no less than an equal number of hungering humans. Maddened souls thirsty for the flesh of the unwary, growling and snarling like rabid wolves as they circled through the fog and make their lunges from unsuspecting angles. Grabbing sabres and cutlasses, even a spiked club, the men of the Ascendant Swan rushed into a counteroffensive to save their own skins. Tendrils of fog seemed to grasp at iron and steel as it cleaved through the air, clipping the scrawny yet powerful forms of the assailants and painting blank, featureless geography with dark crimson streaks and spatter.

^…

Meanwhile, at the Ascendant Swan itself, all was silent. Just a small handful of the crew remained – three men who filled the simple roles of deckhands, and a boatswain who had discerned that any damage to the vessel’s integrity was minimal at worst. They stood among the rocks, basking in the dim warmth of a simple fire which spat and hissed like an angsty cat as the mists brushed at it.

Somewhat fearful of unknown territory, the men dared not to stray farther than just a few yards from their refuge, nor speak any louder than a whisper to one another as if terrified of the consequences of breaking this eerie silence. They had neither seen nor heard the intrusion.

“Well, well. Isn’t this place just cozy~!” chirped a man’s voice; well-spoken and warm as the door to the brig eased open. “I must admit, I’m not too fond of the décor, but I’m sure it wasn’t built with my personal tastes in mind. A bit of sunflower yellow ought to brighten it up, wouldn’t you agree, Sweeney…? Maybe some mahogany furnishings, too!”

^{“Well…,” replied a woman’s voice of higher pitch:
“I’d prefer something purple – nice light colours!”}

“Mm. Maybe beech… Or cedar. Cedarwood would go well, I’d imagine. Now, where do you suppose this ship came from? Whoever fared it here must be around somewhere!” As if on cue, the gentleman opened the last remaining door – the entrance to the deepest and supposedly most secure part of the brig in which numerous treasures were stowed. Secure was probably not an apt description, given that the intrepid duo had just waltzed straight on in without any obstacle. With thinning blond hair combed back, ash blond stubble and yellow eyes, the man’s features were somewhere between handsome and worn, well-kept and ragged. His off-white long-sleeved shirt and matching trousers, as well as the simple slip-ons her was wearing, indicated a modern life of few privileges. That was to say, if the woman his eyes locked with actually cared for such things.

“Well, good day to you, young miss,” he greeted with a welcoming smile: “You appear to be in a bit of a bind… Ah! No pun intended~!”

“Lecter! Who’re you talking to–” The woman gasped as she stepped through the doorway. Extremely fair, quite a bit shorter at maybe five-and-a-third, and dressed in similar attire to the gentleman she accompanied; raven hair – a thick, bedraggled and uneven mop of it – hung over her shoulders, collar and upper back, with a lengthy streak of silver-blonde running through her parting from fringe to crown. Her deep purple eyes were wide with awe, before she finally let out a girlish shriek of excitement. With surprising swiftness she bolted from doorway to the fresh face’s side, grabbing a length of hair and running it through her fingers. “Your ‘air’s so pretty! Can I cut it? Pretty please~!”

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{OOC}

[/i][/b]

_{Grimm-Rosa Scarlette (960018)
Chief Warden Johann Carter (2e9fbd)
Warden Hawke (d5e056)
Warden Ellis (8bdb84)
Michael Myers (461e58)
Todd Sweeney (a207c9)
Hannibal Lecter (8ca831)
Loomis Billy (426386)
Charles Ray (‘Chucky’) (c47022)
Jason Voorhees (11a759)
Freddy Krueger (8b1247)
Slaver Captain William Aiken (555555)}

[/ul][/spoiler][/font][/sup][/blockquote][/div][/div][/div]

[Kami-Gaz]

Voices in the silence, muffled but they were still voices… this filled the captive woman with a sense of hope… and deep dread. ‘Help? Someone actually heard me? Someone is coming to help?’ Hopeful thoughts filled the meek woman’s head as she shifted her weight and moved her legs to support herself far better than just letting the chains hold her aloft. A faint hopeful smile soon came to her lips. Even if this was the slavers it would mean she was not alone, not going to die alone.

What if it was the slavers? They were going to beat her for being loud again… hurt her for going against their will. Feelings of fear and regret instantaneously replaced all traces of happiness that previously filled her head and she began to backup, her feet skidding over the dampened floor, the chains rattling as they restricted the struggles. All of this whilst keeping her mask in her right hand in an iron grip. ‘No! I don’t want to be punished! I want help! I want to go home! I just want to go home!’

Cheska was already so dehydrated that tears could barely form as she tried to back up in the cell, attempting to flee in a foolish way. When the foreign voices of Sweeny and Lecter made themselves apparent, it shocked her, stopping her in her tracks like a deerfish in the headlights of the seatrain. “H—he—help.” She croaked out in a voice so stricken with dryness that it felt like her vocal cords were grating sand paper in her throat. “Wah ter” she wheezed out looking up through her golden fringe to see the odd pair. Their clothes whilst official looking seemed off, it was the same with their outward physical appearance just had an odd vibe to them.

As the woman appeared beside Cheska with such speed it made the bound woman flinch, feeling as if an attack were about to hit her. As her eyes opened and saw that her hair was being examined she was taken aback for a moment. She was fascinated by this natural hair? Why? It had not been kept well in what could have been months. It was now that Cheska remembered to breath, one deep inhalation after another helped the panic die away as she moved her eyes to her mask. It was calling to her, as if it wanted to be worn, wanted to be used instead of her actual face.

“Please… put mask on my face. Please, she can get me free; she can do something for you.” She said in a voice that was still feeling the effects of dehydration, croaky and raspy. As she said that, her hand gently waved the mask in the air, as its grip visibly loosened on it. This was her instincts telling her that this was a chance to gain freedom and possibly companions.

SPOILER: Click to show

{OOC}
These are still a little short but the muse is here! I am not going to force long posts anymore, which will help alot.

[Vio]

^II

---

^{“Hm…? My dear, you don’t sound well at all,” Lecter replied:
“But don’t worry. I’m sure we can assist you! Uh– Hm…”}

“It’s so soft and…? What is it, Lecter?” Sweeney queried, drawing her attentions briefly from the chained woman’s golden locks. Something had made the gentleman rethink his statement.

“Unfortunately, neither of us can break those chains,” he explained, examining the links with a certain analytical scrutiny. “If I’m not mistaken, these are – at least mostly – made of an exceptionally durable metal known as ‘Sea-Prism Stone’. Even Myers and Voorhees couldn’t hope to break this. Though, this appears to be cast iron…”

^{“Sea Stone? You mean like what was on Big Sis’ wrists?”}

“One and the same! Now, let’s actually help…” Taking the peculiar mask from the woman’s grasp, Lecter took a moment to examine it. Yellow eyes probed it with an uncanny precision, identifying each and every contour in the space of just a few short seconds. “My dear, we all have our own little devil inside of us – for some that’s more apt than others. Let us meet, ‘The Mask’~!” With a gentle push, Lecter placed the haunting guise over the raspy woman’s face. Curiosity killed the cat, they always said, but Mister Hannibal’s was overwhelming.

^…

“Sh!tty b@$t@rds…!” growled the slaver ship’s Captain as he flicked blood from his blade. “Tryin’ to massacre ‘n’ eat my crew! Grr…! Back to t’ship! We make do ‘n’ hold out!”

^{“U-Until when…?”}

^{“Until we get t’ship off t’rocks,” came the reply:
“Now!!”}

^{“B-Boss!!”}

“Now what!? I… Who…!?” Amidst the fog was another thin figure, different from the rest. It stood in the middle of the group, mostly still, with hair of jet and a fluttering red sash of sorts draped from the hips. Its body – her body – was wrapped in bandage and gauze, with one dark brown eye watching lazily. “You… You brought ’em ‘ere, didn’t cha!?”

^{“Hm…? Oh. Ghouls… No,” she replied through a yawn:
“Who… are you…?”}

“I should ask ya t’same t’ing! William Aiken, Captain of the Ascendant Swan,” he replied. He was tense, that much she could see. She could see it – she could feel it, more clearly than she ever could have before. Yet she did not care in the least bit. This man, this ‘Aiken’, was weak. Strong in comparison to his underlings, but otherwise weak. There was to be no entertainment in this fight, and she fully anticipated a throw down attempt. One did not need to be able to glimpse the future to know that…

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{OOC}

[/i][/b]

_{Grimm-Rosa Scarlette (960018)
Chief Warden Johann Carter (2e9fbd)
Warden Hawke (d5e056)
Warden Ellis (8bdb84)
Michael Myers (461e58)
Todd Sweeney (a207c9)
Hannibal Lecter (8ca831)
Loomis Billy (426386)
Charles Ray (‘Chucky’) (c47022)
Jason Voorhees (11a759)
Freddy Krueger (8b1247)
Slaver Captain William Aiken (555555)}

[/ul][/spoiler][/font][/sup][/blockquote][/div][/div][/div]

[Kami-Gaz]

The room was eerily quiet as the mask was placed onto the frail looking woman, nothing seemed to happen… at least not straight away. It was a moment before her body shuddered and the eyes behind the mask shifted, and focussed. The colour even seemed to sift from dull to sharp as the mask took over. “Ahh~ Thank you!” This woman’s persona spoke, the dryness in the voice was still apparent but the voice was harsher, slightly deeper in fact, it was harsher to the world.

“I’m the lesser of two evils, Mister Lecter.” The woman said as her demeanour shifted, her hands grabbed the chains that were linked to her shackles. “Cheska is naturally strong, but she’s broken from years of….” She stopped herself as the sound of metal creaking came from a dozen links up in the chain. “The idiots in charge bought shoddy chains, the links 12 in on all of the chains are iron.” She said with a snicker. The creaking only grew louder and louder as the sound of straining iron became more apparent.

The masked woman held her position for a second and looked to both of the friendly faces and motioned her head towards them as if to tell them to step back. “I don’t want to accidentally hit you with this.” She said cockily.

In mere moments the distinct sound of metal snapping under pressure rang throughout the brig. This was instantly followed two loud wood shattering thuds when the chains slammed into the wood below and the remains of the iron links scattered across the floor. Now on her knees the Masked Cheska was panting, this was hard, her body was malnourished and dehydrated… but this felt so good. “Cha. CHACHAHAHAH! YES CHESKA! We’re almost free!” She shrieked out. “Thank you, Mister Lecter, Miss, You can cut her hair soon when she has had a drink and a bit to eat. Is that okay?” She responded to the woman, thankful to them for putting the mask on.

[Vio]

^III

---

“Oah~!” A loud yawn overtook her body, much to the annoyance of this William Aiken. At around ten feet and bulky of build, it was impossible to say he wasn’t an imposing figure in some regards. In others? Well, he lacked a certain charisma – a certain strength of character. As he bellowed something incomprehensible, the woman stretched and cracked her knuckles. Several men shivered or winced at the sound, even Aiken ceasing his pointless ramblings before snarling out yet more curses.

^{“Li’l b!t€h! Answer me!” he roared:
“Where ‘n t’Sea Devil’s name are we!?”}

“It’s called ‘Mullyssa Nemo’,” she said certainly. “Now… This ship of yours was… Stuck on the rocks? I think… I might be able to– Oah~! To help you get free…”

^{“Tch! ‘N’ how d’ya suppose ya’ll do t’at?” the Captain queried:
“Ya’ve got no meat on ya bones, woman!”}

^{“I have… ‘Friends’.”}

“‘Friends’?” Even as Aiken further probed her statements, the woman – a certain Grimm-Rosa Scarlette – was already in the process of meandering into the fog on the hunt for this ‘Ascendant Swan’. Six months spent on this abysmal island was enough to learn of its geology and geography, and the familiar presences she could sense just a few stones’ throws away were far better a beacon in the mist than any lantern could be. Even blinded by the haze, the ship’s Captain knew where she was headed, darting forwards to halt her out of mistrust unearned. “You ‘n’ ya ‘friends’ can stay off ma ship, wench!”

Paranoid? Maybe.

Foolish? For sure.

“Durcir…” As Aiken’s blade came a-cleaving through the moistened, stagnant air, his target – still with her back turned to him – simply raised her right arm. With a dull ‘thwack’, the sabre’s edge collided with her forearm, much to the amazement of the slaver and his crew. Mutterings spread like wildfire between them, of how this strange, heavily scarred and bandaged woman had intercepted such force without losing her limb in the process. A slight trickle of blood crawled down to her elbow as the cutlass was pulled away. Without even turning, she asked: “Do you want help… or would you rather be stranded with the Ghouls…?”

^{“Hnn… S-sure…,” Aiken grumbled:
“Sorry~! My crew ‘n I… we’re on edge.”}

^{“Mm. I was too– Oah~! When I first got here.”}

“T’Ascendant Swan’s t’is way. C’mon lads! Help’s arrived!” Beginning to lead the way, William Aiken gave a nervous glance at the woman. To him, she seemed like some sort of walking corpse. But what unnerved him most – what enticed him most – was her ability to parry his strike with nought but an arm. He was sure. On the slave market, such a prize would be worth as much as their other catch. With a subtle, conniving grin, he gestured for them all to follow.

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{OOC}

uses Durcir (Fr. “Harden”) to defend against William Aiken’s attack; a technique he and his crew cannot perceive nor understand.


Starring…

_{Grimm-Rosa Scarlette (960018)
Chief Warden Johann Carter (2e9fbd)
Warden Hawke (d5e056)
Warden Ellis (8bdb84)
Michael Myers (461e58)
Todd Sweeney (a207c9)
Hannibal Lecter (8ca831)
Loomis Billy (426386)
Charles Ray (‘Chucky’) (c47022)
Jason Voorhees (11a759)
Freddy Krueger (8b1247)
Slaver Captain William Aiken (555555)}

[/ul][/spoiler][/font][/sup][/blockquote][/div][/div][/div]

[Kami-Gaz]

With the clattering of the chains and the maniacal cackle of the masked woman Lecter was taken aback slightly. She was so small and frail and yet she achieved such a feat of strength that only few people he knew on this island could accomplish. “Good show! Good show indeed, Miss lesser of two evils.” The gentlemanly figure chirped in reply to the thanks that he had received for the simple task of placing a mask on a bound womans face. “You are truly fascina--.” He was cut off with the squeal of delight.

“I can cut your hair?! Thank you soooo much! I will be careful with it I swear!” The bedraggled Sweeney chirped as she ran over to run her fingers through the long golden locks of the Masked woman. “Lecter! We have to show her to Big Sis’! I think they will be best friends!” Sweeny said with glee, running her hand from base to tip of the hair in a long single motion.

Cheska’s masked form did not move with the touch, but it did speak. “Big sis? Do you think she would help Cheska? Help her get home to Drum?” She asked, her eyes flicking between the two figures. After a second she pulled her arms up and started to wrap the chains around her arms. Her feet were still bound and the chains were bolted to the wooden wall. The chains rattled and the masked woman sighed “I don’t quite have the energy to break these.” She whispered.

“I believe the kitchen was just upstairs, why don’t I go and get you something Miss Lesser Evil.” Lecter said jovially as he spun around on his heel and headed to the door. “Sweeny, I think Sister Scarlette is on her way over, please make sure that Miss Lesser Evil and Miss Cheska are kept company whilst I go and get her something.” He carried on to open the door then stopped mid step. “Oh yes, do you want something too?”

Sweeny stopped moving as she was asked a question. “Hmm. No no, I am good for now~ I am just happy that I get to cut this beautiful hair!” She said giddily bounding around and over the chains that linked the masked womans feet to the floor.

“I think I could pull the bolt from the wall, wood isn’t hard to break.” The masked woman notioned as she leant down and picked up her left foots chain and started to pull, in a second the creaking wood confirmed her plans and the bolt was free. The other foots chain was done in quite a similar fashion. “So where did you come from?” The masked asked, intrigued in this woman who was with her, fawning over her hair.

[Vio]

^IV

---

“Where’d I come from…? Somewhere far away, I think,” Sweeney replied. A slight frown: “I… don’t really remember, to be ‘onest…? It’s been so long… What about you? What’s ‘Drum’?”

^…

‘I don’t get t’is woman at all… She showed up out o’ nowhere, blocked me swing wit’ ‘er bare arm, ‘n’ now she’s goin’ t’ help free t’ Swan from t’ rocks. ‘N’ t’at’s me best chance t’ strike!’ As they walked through the stagnant haze in eerie silence, Aiken wondered, pondered and conspired. This strange woman hadn’t even so much as tried to tighten the bandages around her body over the admittedly small wound upon her forearm, allowing it to trickle, slow and dark down onto her fingertips. It was as if, to her at least, the cut did not exist.

He could taste the profit.

^{“L-Lass… What’s yer name?”}

^{“Scarlette…,” she replied:
“Oh… Who were you again…?”}

^“Ehh!?”

The unanimous surprise erupted from the rest of the slaver’s crew, not just his own toothy mouth. They all distinctly remembered that he – and not more than a few minutes ago – had proclaimed his name and charge. Nonetheless, here was Scarlette, taking no notice of their surprise and continuing onwards with a certain lethargy and weakness in her step. He could see that now, discreetly gesturing to his companions in order to relay the intent.

^{“Aiken,” the Swan’s Captain articulated:
“William Aiken.”}

“Oahhh~! Do you… not care for your fallen?” Scarlette asked, still yawning near incessantly, to the point where it was becoming contagious. A couple in the back of the pack stifled loud yawns. Aiken ignored them, and gave the raven-haired revenant a curious look. This had been the first proper question – the first actual conversation attempt she had made. It was a strange question.

^{“O’ course I bleedin’ do!” He lied:
“But ye can’t dwell on t’ past…”}

^“Mm…”

“There she is, Captain! The Swan!” A call from the fore of the party identified a collection of oil lanterns, barely breaking the fog of Mullyssa Nemo with their supposedly intense illuminations. Dark eyes wearily followed the diagonal slant of their lit arrangement, starting to make out the silhouette – and then the more distinct features – of the grounded vessel. Scarlette closed her eyes. Voices whispered in the distance. Actual voices stirred her. “Wait… W-Where are the others…?”

^{‘That’s an… unfamiliar voice…’}

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{OOC}

[/i][/b]

_{Grimm-Rosa Scarlette (960018)
Chief Warden Johann Carter (2e9fbd)
Warden Hawke (d5e056)
Warden Ellis (8bdb84)
Michael Myers (461e58)
Todd Sweeney (a207c9)
Hannibal Lecter (8ca831)
Loomis Billy (426386)
Charles Ray (‘Chucky’) (c47022)
Jason Voorhees (11a759)
Freddy Krueger (8b1247)
Slaver Captain William Aiken (555555)}

[/ul][/spoiler][/font][/sup][/blockquote][/div][/div][/div]

[Kami-Gaz]

Hearing the reply come from the woman the masked form shifted and stood tall. Even Cheska remembered her home, it was all she had in the early days and deep down inside the real Cheska stirred inside the mind. “I will let Cheska answer that.” The deeper voice of the mask said before raising her arms slowly, grabbing the bottom point of the mask gently then lifting it until it was fully removed.

She stood there, her eyes dim and not quite there for a moment and then slowly a soft smile spread across her distant face. “Drum? That’s home… I was born there.” She said softly as she rubbed the area the shackles were clamped to her wrists. “It wasn’t easy, I could only rely on my twin brother, we were the eldest and we kept everything going after my mother died.” Her light Russian accent was very prevalent here and her eyes shied away from Sweeny.

“I still have family there, my brother and younger siblings. My father too.” She noted before running her hand down one of the chains and shaking her head, rushing to put the mask back on. “I’m sorry I’ll let Mask talk now.” Cheska whispered as the mask was slid back over her face. A second later a deep sigh came from behind the mask.

“She is delicate, relies on me far too much… but I love her and I’ll kill anyone who tries to hurt her.” The masked woman growled as she looked over to Sweeny as the door opened and the gentleman walked in. “Ahh, thank you Mr. Lecter.” She said in a heartbeat as the man walked in, food in one hand and a water skin in another.

“My Pleasure Miss Lesser Evil.” He said whilst handing the items over, quickly turning his head as the masked woman turned to the side, shifting the mask slightly and drinking the water that was inside as if she had never drunk any before. The spillage that ran down her cheeks was quickly wiped away before she tore into the sandwich that was on the small plate.

[Vio]

^V

---

‘That’s Sweeney and Lecter… But, who’s that other one…?’ As Aiken called out for what she assumed was a skeleton crew to guard his ship, Grimm-Rosa Scarlette drowned out her surroundings as best she could manage. She was particularly interested in just one of what must have been about two dozen voices aboard the ship, for it resonated with greater strength than the rest. Dormant strength. She stopped listening for now. No use burning it all on curiosity alone – Abe would’ve called that gross misuse. Besides, she already knew that those other voices were suffering.

^{“Asleep on t’ job, I’ll bet! No matter,” Aiken grumbled:
“C’mon. Come aboard, Scarlette!”}

^“Mm…”

“As for t’ rest o’ ye,” he continued, facing his crewmen. “Ye lot, split int’ two groups o’ five and search t’ area! Keep ye wits about ye – stay wit’in sight o’ t’ Swan’s lights ‘n’ try to find t’ others! Understood?”

^{“Aye, Cap’n!”}

As his men organised themselves, the brute of a man hauled himself over the rocks of Mullyssa Nemo’s rugged, steep shore and onto the slanted vessel. Its sails had been neatly furled, but the ship’s flanks towards the stern possessed what appeared to be large oars. In true fashion, that was perhaps the only known way of crossing this stretch of water known as the Calm Belt. Carter had said there was no wind here, so conventional sailing methods were useless. That had explained the stagnant, damp air of the island.

Scarlette followed him. First onto the foredeck, the remainder of his crew following behind. Then, through a doorway into the more sheltered and admittedly more comfortable lower deck. The air was less humid here, though still a tad chill. Dim candle lanterns illuminated the dark, wooden interior. He led her past a series of rooms, their doors firmly shut with iron locks, bolts and chains.

Then, around a corner, another door. Ajar.

Aiken seemed to tense, then pushed it open and barged in. Scarlette looked inside, though she knew full well that she could not escape. Some of Aiken’s men had split off from the tailing force, now creeping into her senses’ periphery, pincering her. They held fast. She waited. This was where Sweeney, Lecter and the other presence was. And that other presence was a somewhat frail, mask-bearing, shoddily robed example of a woman in chains.

^{“What in blazes is goin’ on ‘ere!?”}

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{OOC}

[/i][/b]

_{Grimm-Rosa Scarlette (960018)
Chief Warden Johann Carter (2e9fbd)
Warden Hawke (d5e056)
Warden Ellis (8bdb84)
Michael Myers (461e58)
Todd Sweeney (a207c9)
Hannibal Lecter (8ca831)
Loomis Billy (426386)
Charles Ray (‘Chucky’) (c47022)
Jason Voorhees (11a759)
Freddy Krueger (8b1247)
Slaver Captain William Aiken (555555)}

[/ul][/spoiler][/font][/sup][/blockquote][/div][/div][/div]

[Kami-Gaz]

It was not long after the food was devoured in the most unlady like way that the door opened again… The masked Cheska was not expecting the door to open again, she was expecting it to stay closed, sealed until they were ready to leave. When that damned Aiken barged in the woman was filled with a blood lust that would put a tiger shark to shame. Her eyes flared with a fiery rage and with a deft hand the woman slipped her mask back into place and leapt forwards in a single movement. She moved between Sweeny and Lecter with haste, avoiding them perfectly with heavy steps that cracked the floor as she got within range she swung he right hand out, shifting her weight enough to unravel the chain from her arm and the punch that would normally fall well too short was extended as the Kairoseki chain flew forwards with blinding speed.

“RAAAAAAAGH!! LEAVE MY CHESKA ALONE!” She screamed at the top of her lungs, instantly hopping and spinning her body to use the iron chains that were around her legs as a new weapon to again smack the man that had come through the door. “SHE IS NOT A SLAVE!!” She carried on as both the chains both connected with their target.

Aiken was smacked in the chest by the first chain, this one he had not expected… the next chain he brought his right arm up and let the chain wrap around it, it did slap his head and draw some blood but he was still standing and he looked really angry. “She is!” He barked back, yanking the chain that was around his arm towards himself, pulling the masked Cheska off balance and to the floor with a heavy thud. “Who pu’ t’ mask on you?!” he growled as his eyes scanned the room, when he walked forwards and put his foot down on the escaped slaves back.

“G-get. O-of. M-my Cheska!” The pinned woman growled, barely able to move under his weight, she was spent. The food she had eaten had not turned into energy yet and the initial rage she had stopped giving her the strength to move.

[Vio]

^VI

---

^{“Why, I do believe that was me,” Lecter replied:
“Quite the vessel you have here, if I may–”}

^{“Silence!!”}

“Cheska… Mask…” Sweeney retreated. William Aiken looked positively incandescent with rage.

“I don’t know who you are, but ye’ll make me a good profit on t’ market. Take ‘em!” Aiken bellowed, digging his heel into his captive’s back. Lecter approached him, hands raised and with a calm expression that screamed of reasoning and politics – the man’s social speciality. But the slaver did not take kindly to him. Aiken’s beefy arm made to backhand the dirty blond, striking him and tossing him against the thick timber walls.

As his body slipped and slumped, Lecter’s enshadowed face twisted. He spluttered slightly, reclaiming lost breath. Aiken snarled at him, taking his foot from the masked woman’s back as he plundered forth.

^{“Tryin’ to ruin t’ business, are ye?”}

^{“Heh… Au contraire,” Lecter grinned:
“Why are you wasting precious time on me?”}

^{“B@$t@rd! I’ve all t’ time in t’ world to– Ugh!”}

“Ah-ah-ah~!” He was still smiling a sly smile, waggling an index despite the slight bloody trickle at his lip – despite the fact that he was slouched against the wall of the room, barely standing and perhaps suffering a fracture or two and even a mild concussion. Analytical eyes peered into Aiken’s. “I do apologise. I should have been more precise. I should have said… Precious seconds.”

^{“Who… A-Are… You?”}

^{“Scarlette,” she articulated:
“Grimm-Rosa Scarlette.”}

Aiken’s eyes widened. It had all happened so fast – in the blink of an eye. The bandaged woman who had readily blocked his blade had just appeared before him, placing herself between him and his target. He glanced backwards. Three of his men were strewn among the hall without, each pressing a hand upon wounds he could not see. He knew what had done it. This woman’s fingers – index and middle – were plunged into his chest, right below the sternum. One eye, vivid red in the lanterns’ glimmer, glared at him.

^{“You hurt one of my siblings, Aiken,” Scarlette hissed:
“So… Do you want to die?”}

^{“N-N-No! I don’t!”}

“Well. I didn’t want you to hurt my little brother, either. Hypertension! Rose Ensanglantée!!” Aiken winced. Aiken retched. Aiken’s chest spewed crimson petals as a loud, wet, high-pitched pop resonated. The goliath’s form stumbled back, his foot narrowly missing the masked blonde’s body, and then fell forwards with a mighty thud. He body shook as he took a laborious, choking breath. “Still alive…? Well, you’re tougher than I thought. Myers! Throw him overboard. The Ghouls can have what’s left of him.”

“Mm… Okay.” A deep, rough, monotonous replied. Aiken’s men, most of whom were now littering the floor in various states of consciousness and injury, were swept aside as an enormous example of a man stepped through. At least eleven feet tall, possibly twelve given his slightly hunched movements, he was pale, squarely built and topped with a scruff of dark hair. Inky eyes and a solemn face looked over Aiken’s trembling body, but he easily hefted him up with one arm and dragged him back out.

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{OOC}

[/i][/b]

_{Grimm-Rosa Scarlette (960018)
Chief Warden Johann Carter (2e9fbd)
Warden Hawke (d5e056)
Warden Ellis (8bdb84)
Michael Myers (461e58)
Todd Sweeney (a207c9)
Hannibal Lecter (8ca831)
Loomis Billy (426386)
Charles Ray (‘Chucky’) (c47022)
Jason Voorhees (11a759)
Freddy Krueger (8b1247)
Slaver Captain William Aiken (555555)}

[/ul][/spoiler][/font][/sup][/blockquote][/div][/div][/div]

[Kami-Gaz]

The weight that was crushing the masked woman, her clad form was pressed to the floor and her body could muster little resistance under the boot. The harsh yelled of silence to Lecter’s calm approach with words shook the masked woman, whilst her body was broken and unable to fight back her spirit was still there. She growled under his foot as the sudden rage that overtook her frail body earlier came back, slower, but in a far more animalistic form. Sweeney’s meek words didn’t reach the woman who was starting to struggle underfoot.

The bellowing he gave and the digging of his heel again knocked the wind out of the woman’s sails, ending her low growl with a wheeze of pain. “heeet hoff…” The mask tried to speak, noticing Lector was now bloodied. Whilst the two were exchanging words the rag adorned woman spluttered in an attempt to get her breath back.

‘I’ll get you out Cheska, we can get out and we can go home.’ She said to herself. This rebellious spirit held strong and was reinforced when a new voice made itself known. It was another female, angry… a similar anger to the masks, one born out of protection. Aiken did hurt Lector and in the split second that it took a human to blink the new voice hurt Aiken. It removed the unnecessary weight from her torso with just two fingers. The mask knew what had happened but she did not want to believe it could have been done so easily… it left the personality in a state of momentary shock.

*Thud*

Aiken’s form hit the floor, twitching, struggling to breath. He was in no shape to rule this ship with an iron fist anymore. The voice of protection had assured that. Cheska’s mask was still dazed as Aiken was removed, by some holding mass that was quiet. With each light creak of the hulking mass taking Cheska’s nightmare out of the room to be fed to the monsters of the island, the Masked Persona took a breath. They were light, just enough to keep her conscious.

Then when a moment had passed she rolled onto her back and looked up to see her saviour. Whether that was intentional or not was yet to be seen. “Please don’t hurt my Cheska… she can’t take any more hurting… I just want to get her home, to Drum.” The personality wheezed out, her sharper golden eyes locking onto Scarlette’s.

[Vio]

^VII

---

Grimm-Rosa Scarlette watched coldly, her one visible eye never drawing away from Aiken’s twitching form until he and Myers were out of sight, and even then seemed to follow a bit further. Such was the piercing iciness in her gaze. However, once the dead man soon to be had been ‘escorted’ out, her dark chocolate eye shifted down to meet the hawkish yellows staring up at her from the brig’s floor. The masked blonde’s verbal pleas did not really reach her – not as much as her aura did, at least.

^{I hate it when they assume, Scarlette thought:
“Lecter, Sweeney… Who’s she talking about?”}

^{“Cheska and the Mask are the same, Big Sis!”}

^{“The same…?” She tilted her head:
“Cheska… Mask… That’s weird.”}

“Sweeney and I found her chained up here,” Lecter explained, appearing beside Miss Grimm-Rosa and – despite the injuries he had sustained – stood with his arms neatly crossed and head high as if nothing untoward had even happened. “She was holding that mask in her hand, and asked us to put it on, so we obliged. It’s like the mask itself is cursed, or contains another personality! A guardian, perhaps. Cheska herself seemed quite timid and innocent. Ah, and I thank you again, Sister.”

^{“For…?”}

“Why saving my life, of course~!” Lecter chirped, mocking a swoon, back of the hand upon his frons as his other hand palmed his heart. The dark-haired devil ignored his eccentricity entirely, instead watching the woman on the floor as Sweeney scurried over. One eye narrowed.

^{“Stand up,” Scarlette grunted:
“And let’s see who’s stronger…”}

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{OOC}

[/b][/font] issues a challenge…?[/font][/sup]

Starring…

_{Grimm-Rosa Scarlette (960018)
Chief Warden Johann Carter (2e9fbd)
Warden Hawke (d5e056)
Warden Ellis (8bdb84)
Michael Myers (461e58)
Todd Sweeney (a207c9)
Hannibal Lecter (8ca831)
Loomis Billy (426386)
Charles Ray (‘Chucky’) (c47022)
Jason Voorhees (11a759)
Freddy Krueger (8b1247)
Slaver Captain William Aiken (555555)}

[/ul][/spoiler][/font][/sup][/blockquote][/div][/div][/div]

[Kami-Gaz]

The next words felt cold, the innocent and helpless card was not going to work. Luckily enough the food and water that the masked woman had consumed was turning into energy, strength. If she needed to she could use it to run, get away onto the island and hide somewhere.

Sweeney’s explanation was deadon. Cheska and the mask were one and the same, it was a weird concept and the cold woman was right in that speculation. As Lecter made his description of the scene they walked into, and describing the woman in a showy fashion, the masked woman used her arms to push her body up to the point she was kneeling. This was to get in a good place to strike or run, the masks goal was survival.

“Wait… You want to fight?” She asked looking around quickly before moving, assessing the surroundings, the escape route and potential weapons… where was her sword again?! It had to be close. Cheska wouldn’t be able to handle this, not any of it. She was too weak, the mask just had to stay in control, it was the only way the being had a shot.

“Okay… If I win you have to take Cheska home, Deal?” She asked moving to stand up straight, shifting her body into a defensive stance. “If you win, you can do anything you want but please don’t make her a slave again.” The mask growled, using the thought to bolster her own strength through rage.

Without much notice, the first sign of hostile movement that the cold stranger gave would send the masked woman into a frenzied attack, punching forward with a powerful left hook, sending the chain flying to the target… she did not want to be caught blindsided.