545/In the Snake's Den

In the Snake's Den
Date of Scene:	05 September 2014
Location:	Soul Eater World
Synopsis:	As she awakens in Medusa's lair, Kagenashi learns the price of crossing a sadistic witch.
Cast of Characters:	22, 85

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Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    How much time has passed since the Black Demon, no... Kagenashi, was struck unconscious? Not that she should be able to pick up much in the few moments she attains some degree of consciousness here and there. The darkness offers no answers, and wherever this is... it's cold and dry, somewhere where the light will not reach. There's the faint sound of scurrying of rats, as well as the echoes of screaming not too far away. Several types of screaming, as a matter of fact. Whatever it is, it does not sound too human. There's an underlying scent of blood, death, partially hidden underneath the smell of herbs, disinfectant and other strange smells. It also smells old. What might be even more unnerving is the fact that there are restraints in place, and the nogitsune should find it impossible to move, metal and leather digging into her limbs, torso and neck to keep her still. Is that a burning sensation in her arms? There is a faint whirring behind her, but those faint moments offer little opportunity to do more than to take in her surroundings and the faint clues given to her.

    At least until her heart seems to go haywire, willing her awake as it pounds in her chest. Wake up! Breathe! Adrenaline surges through her.

    The room is faintly more lit now. A cross between a dungeon and a medical room by the looks of it, the door open and leading into what seems to be a larger room that stretches over three stories. Kagenashi herself will find herself on a somewhat uncomfortable bed, and nearby by a small medical trolley stands a familiar figure, though she appears to be in a somewhat better condition that she was in the last time Kagenashi saw her. Medusa Gorgon, the snake witch. By the looks of it, she's preparing some syringes where she's standing, and there are various jars and medical equipment there on the small trolley. Bandages cover part of her arms, and her breathing is a bit shallow where she stands. Though the moment she notices that Kagenashi is awake, a smile that looks too warm to be real spreads across her lips.

    "Ah, you're awake...good. I had to give you a double dose before you would wake up." she states softly. "I was worried for a moment~"

Kagenashi (85) has posed:
    Kagenashi's awakening is slow. Whatever Medusa gave her had a strong effect, no doubt supported by the nogitsune's exhaustion from her own defeat. It takes her too long to wake up, too long to register what the sensations digging into her body are caused by, and too long to recognize the meaning of the various smells lingering around her. How long had she been out?

    Her ever-alert mind does not take kindly to any of those sensations when she realizes what they are. As her heart suddenly pounds in her chest, her silver eyes snap open and she reflexively tries to sit up with a jolt. Of course, she fails: the binding around her neck makes her gasp and cough as she yanks it against her throat, and pain shoots up from seemingly everywhere as her injuries remind her of their presence. She doesn't struggle for long before she falls back again, stifling a pained whine between pursed lips and clenching her hands into tight fists at her sides. Her breathing is tense as she pushes her pain aside, coming in brief pants through her nostrils.

    She does not like being bound. That much is clear in the burning in her eyes as she glares aside at Medusa.

    "...a double dose of what?" Kagenashi's voice is low, strained. She clearly battles a mix of weariness, pain, adrenaline, and anger in her attempts to remain calm, but she at least does so remarkably well as she watches the witch. After another moment, she speaks again. "Why did you bring me here?"

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    There is no sign on Medusa's face that indicate that she is troubled nor concerned about her... patient's current state. That smile remains, and she finishes preparing the syringe in her hands before she turns to Kagenashi, looking the woman over before she leans slightly over her, her eyes meeting hers as she /stares/. "Hmm. Good, the painkillers are wearing off." No constricted pupils, good.

    It's only then that she seems to concern herself with the question Kagenashi just asked her. "Just the antidote to the medication I used to keep you asleep while I tended to my own injuries. I must say... if you had wished to fight me before, you could have faced me in the WMAT," the witch teases with a malevolent grin. "I mean, I wouldn't have done this," she continues, reaching out her hand to prod it into one of the many cuts her snakes had inflicted into the nogitsune's side, her nail scraping into the sensitive muscles there. Despite the pleasant expression on her face, Medusa does not appear to have forgiven the attempt on her life.

    The final question though? That makes Medusa lean slightly closer, her eyes narrowed as she watches Kagenashi with a serpentine gaze. "I brought you here because we need to have a /talk/." The tone is that of a mother speaking to a misbehaving child. "Or would you rather I have brought you to the Confederacy and told them what you tried to do~?" Somehow, that thought makes Medusa snort just slightly in amusement.

Kagenashi (85) has posed:
    Kagenashi also seems not to like having Medusa so close to her. Her lip curls in a growl when the witch leans in to check her eyes, a sound not unlike that of a cornered animal rising from her throat. She seems slightly more composed once Medusa draws back again, at least...until the witch decides to poke at one of many still-tender cuts, drawing out a hiss between clenched teeth and making Kagenashi's whole body tense up in an attempted recoil. Of course she can't move very far with these bindings, a fact that continues to poke at her pride.

    Her eyes close. Another slow breath is taken, then released as the nogitsune does her best to remain calm. She has to stay composed. Succumbing to Medusa's prodding, clearly only done for the nurse's own amusement, will only make the situation even worse.

    After another moment, she opens her eyes again, looking back at Medusa once more as the witch answers her question. It's true, there aren't many options she has at this point. Medusa holds something over her that would put her alliance with the Confederacy at risk, and it seems the witch would rather make use of that. It sends the nogitsune's pride into boiling to admit it, but...she really has no choice, does she?

    "A talk." Kagenashi repeats the words simply and quietly, as if turning them over in her mind to try and figure out exactly /what/ Medusa could want to talk about. "...well, there is little else I can do right now. I could change into a flea and escape these bindings. Or turn into an oak and shatter them, or at least deny you an answer to any questions you give me, for what could a tree say? But I suspect that would only lengthen my time here, or perhaps you would just go to the Confederacy and tell them what happened earlier."

    Kagenashi's expression grows hard and cold as she pushes her own feelings aside. She won't let the witch get to her if she can help it. "Fine, then. Talk."

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    The distaste only serves to make Medusa smile more, and she looks quite pleased as she wriggles her finger inside the wound before withdrawing it. "You could /try/ to escape. I can't promise it would be successful." There are quite a few medications running rampant in her system. "And yes, if you show little interest in listening to me and accepting the consequences of your actions... well, I would have no reason to spare you the ire of the Confederacy."

    What is worse; the ire of the Confederacy, or being at the mercy of a twisted snake witch?

    Good, the nogitsune can be reasoned with, it seems. Medusa smiles and nods, all while she reaches over to grab a syringe from the trolley. "A healing agent," she explains, all while her left hand pinches the woman's left arm underneath her shoulder, and then she injects the clear liquid into Kagenashi's muscle, very slowly. Even so, it should sting slightly.

    "I take it you are upset with me for recruiting D to our cause...?" she asks, glancing from Kagenashi's arm to her face. "I thought it would please you, considering he helped you on your latest mission. As did I."

Kagenashi (85) has posed:
    Kagenashi only flinches slightly at the injection into her arm. It stings, and the unpleasant sensation of the agent itself being injected does not make it any better, but the pain in the rest of her body (particularly after Medusa decided to aggravate that one wound) is enough to make that small piercing barely anything for the nogitsune. She continues to wait and listen, her gaze shifting up to the ceiling as she works on making her breathing more steady and calming down the pounding of her heart.

    "'Recruiting' is an interesting way of putting it," she murmurs, resentment creeping into her tone. "Whatever you have done has stripped him of who he was. That is not D who stands with us, but a strange beast wearing his skin and speaking with his voice. Why would I be pleased by something that is no closer to the real thing than a puppet on a string?"

    Her silver eyes shift aside, staring at Medusa again with a shine of determined defiance. "Yes, both of you came to my assistance in Suzaku. I had little other choice in the matter, considering the situation. Had I that luxury, he would not have been there, and neither would you."

    The nogitsune pauses in thought for a moment. "What exactly do you have to gain by neither killing me nor telling the Confederacy what I attempted to do? Are you just amused by seeing me weakened and forced into accepting your aid?"

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    There is no doubt that the injuries Kagenashi got in return for her attempt to kill the snake witch hurt. By now the pain killers should be out of her system by now too, allowing her nerves to remind the woman just how much everything /hurts/. That Medusa is not somebody who gives up without a fight and that it takes a lot to get the upper hand against an experienced witch.

    Now what is with that tone? Medusa chuckles slightly, withdrawing the syringe slowly and letting go of Kagenashi's arm. "But it is D. Don't you see...? It's who he could be if he dared to just let go of his petty concerns. To be what he was meant to be. This is as real as he can be. I assure you..." Medusa reaches down to brush some hair away from Kagenashi's face. "I am certainly not pulling his strings any more than I did before."

    It's sad to hear that she is so ungrateful for the help they provided. Well, not really. It's not something she will lose any sleep over. "Without us, you would have failed," Medusa points out in a calm manner, discarding the used syringe. By now there should be a itching and scratchy feeling in any injured tissue. The witch picks up what appears to be a hooked needle as well as some thread. "Oh, this offers some amusement. But when you have lived as long as I have, you realize that you have more to gain to keep people alive than to kill them prematurely. Of course, if you do pose to be a problem in the future, I /might/ have to add a second part to my report from last night. After all... you aren't of much use to me dead. As a nurse of the Confederacy, it's also my job to keep you alive and well, isn't it~?" Those last words might make it even more unsettling as Medusa leans over Kagenashi... and begins stitching up one of the cuts in Kagenashi's side. Without any painkillers present.

Kagenashi (85) has posed:
    "It is /not/ D." Kagenashi's retort is abruptly firm, almost a snap at Medusa. She feels her heart burning with the sudden rush of ire the witch's words inspire, her body growing tense once more beneath her restraints. Oh, if only those were not there...

    The pain that comes with the tensing of her muscles is almost unnoticed by now, considering how present it's already been. What instead draws her attention is the fact that she's letting her annoyance get the best of her again, and once more she forces herself to close her eyes, lie back, and take a deep breath. Steadily, her hands uncurl from their tight fists and flatten out beside her, and only then does she continue in a more controlled voice. "...the man I have come to know is defined by his patience and control over himself. He is strong enough to control his urges, and through that strength, he is victorious in the face of other trials that have come through centuries of effort. To remove that is to create something I want no part of, whether or not you have goaded and manipulated him into what he is now."

    The needle pierces her skin, and her eyes snap open. Again her hands clench into fists tight enough to make her nails dig into her palms, and her lips are pursed firmly against a pained groan. Her breathing becomes strained and drawn out as she pushes back that new sensation threatening to eat away at her will. Stay patient.

    "So...what, then," the nogitsune breathes, her voice a tense hiss. "Are you going to use this to threaten me into doing your will now? I find it hard to believe you would not take advantage of such a perfect opportunity. Or-" Another piercing of the needle. Kagenashi flinches, then lets out another tense breath as she shuts her eyes again. "...or are you really going to let me walk away from here after you have finished digging that needle into me?"

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    "It is the man I love."

    Medusa's reply is soft, a sinister smile playing on her lips. "Control is all fine and well until you let it go too far. There is a difference between somebody who controls what is necessary, and those who surpress their true nature." It's as if speaking to a child, isn't it? A poor uninformed child...

    "As a witch I take delight in seeing things change and evolve... and seeing D like this is certainly something. To see him give in to his hunger, to see his /needs/," Medusa continues as the needle hooks into Kagenashi's flesh, working on stitching her injuries together. "He used to be /defanged/." The witch grabs tightly onto the flesh as she pulls the needle out only to stick it back in slightly further down. "A pathetic mongrel, drugged down on false empathies for the very creatures he should be feasting upon. I wiped the drugs from his system, and just like I did with Crona, I am teaching him what he needs to fullfill his true potential. A wolf among sheep..."

    Her amber eyes glitter with sadistic amusement, wide and wild as she stares down at Kagenashi. "Beasts like him are meant to be dangerous."

    What is Medusa going to do? "I will let you resume your duties in the Confederacy. I will /not/ report your part in this, as long as you assist me when I have need of you. I must say, I do not take kindly to those who wish to oppose my work." Here Medusa leans more over Kagenashi, her face coming uncomfortably close over Kagenashi's chest as she peers down at her. "Especially not matters regarding D. My business with him is far from done."

Kagenashi (85) has posed:
    'Love'. Something about Medusa saying that word in that particular instance seems to hit Kagenashi. The nogitsune barely registers much of what Medusa says after that, because the rush of uncontained fury that fills her mind almost completely stifles anything else. Her patience does nothing, her calm air is eroded, and she suddenly feels the very, very strong urge to tear out of her restraints and grab Medusa.

    Surely she can't, of course, but she tries, even while the needle is still in her side and her injuries burn with pain. Her nails scrape against the table. Her body lifts off of it as much as she can, the leather bindings creaking as their limits are stretched against her efforts. That purplish miasma of antagonistic will seeps from her, coming off of her body like steam and dripping over the table's edges to darken the floor. Her teeth are bared in a furious snarl, her body trembles, and her eyes glow with a radiance of absolute /loathing/. If those bindings were not there, if this position were not so disadvantageous...

    Kagenashi's silver gaze meets the snake witch's amber eyes, and her voice comes in a low, predatory growl with only the barest restraint remaining. "Never say those words again in my presence. /Ever/."

    It takes several moments for the nogitsune's rage to subside. Finally, however, the pain comes back to her, and her body loosens to falls back against the table. Her breaths are shallow when they come, and her heart seems to have no intention of slowing down. At least that malevolent aura is starting to fade, the bruise-colored corruption evaporating into the air once more.

    Kagenashi's eyes never leave Medusa's, but the black fox doesn't pull away when she comes so uncomfortably close. Indeed, the glaring light in her silver eyes seems more defiant than anything, as if /challenging/ the witch to come closer. "...so I must simply stay out of your way. Then what will you do? Or am I not /worthy/ of hearing your plans?"

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    The reaction from her patient does earn some reaction from Medusa at least as she leans back again, raising her eyebrows as she beholds the temper tantrum. And when Kagenashi makes that threat? Medusa's hand snaps out, grabbing for the woman's chin, pressing it up into her face to keep her silent, nails digging into the skin as her own eyes turn far more sinister, slit pupils staring the nogitsune down.

    "I will say what I want, dear. You are hardly in any position to make demands of /me/. Or do you want me to go into /detail/? Give you a real reason to be upset?"

    Most likely not.

    At least she seems to have understood the basics. "What I will do? I will continue to serve the Confederacy, continue my research. As for my plans..." Medusa smiles wryly. "If I won't tell my own child about them, what makes you think I would tell /you/?" she inquires. "Now, if you are done with your little tantrums, I am willing to give you some painkillers. I would hardly want your mind dampened and unable to understand."

Kagenashi (85) has posed:
    Nails dig into Kagenashi's skin, drawing out a pained groan before Medusa pushes her mouth shut. The nogitsune's struggle is brief, and soon she finds she simply doesn't have the strength to keep up with that defiance. For now, at least, she falls silent, staring up at Medusa as the witch continues to speak.

    She hates it. That much is plainly obvious. She hates being forced into this position of complacency, being forced to listen and have her weakness being driven into her skull, and being too weary to fight back. As much as she hates it, however, there isn't much she can do except let it fester and smolder deep inside her, waiting for a moment when she /can/ let it out, when she /can/ show her strength to direct her ire...somewhere. Maybe not to Medusa, but surely someone can be a target for it.

    Perhaps wisely, Kagenashi decides that she is better off not speaking. She gives a quick, firm jerk of her head to the side to tear out of Medusa's grasp, even if that means sending scratches along her fair cheeks in the process. Her smoldering silver gaze is cast to the far wall instead, and while she says nothing in her brooding anger, her silence at least makes it clear that she is done struggling for the moment.

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    The smile on Medusa's face turns to a pleased one as she lets go of the woman's face, not minding that her nails scratch Kagenashi's cheeks. Let her injure herself if she so wishes. The fact that she doesn't speak though, doesn't respond verbally... that does make the witch arch an eyebrow, watching the nogitsune in an inquisitive manner. "Hmmm? You do not want painkillers while I patch you up? Okay then."

    She resumes her work, stitching up yet another cut in Kagenashi's side. "You should be able to return tomorrow should you desire. Though I would recommend you take it easy for a while, dear. This will hurt for a while yet."

Kagenashi (85) has posed:
    The only thing Kagenashi can really think at this point is that she just might have to resist the urge to murder the next person who calls her a horrible monster after this.

    Still, the nogitsune is a proud and stubborn woman, and so even as she flinches slightly from the continued stitching, she doesn't ask for painkillers. Denying Medusa any further sensation of superiority in this situation is worth the repeated, sharp pains.

    Perhaps she is just a little petty.

    "Tomorrow? What shall I be doing in the meantime, then? Will you leave me tied up to this table, or will I be drugged into rest again?" Bitterness weighs heavily on the nogitsune's quiet tone, but so too does a sense of resignation. There really isn't anything she can do at this point, is there? She'll just have to endure whatever Medusa has set up for her.

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    "Drugged of course," Medusa replies primly. "I would rather not you bother me while I am working. When you wake up next, it will be outside of here and closer to the Citadel. And hopefully you will have learned your /lesson/ by then."

    Nobody interferes in her business unpunished.

    Perhaps it's a good thing that there are nobody else, as they would surely become quite disturbed at the medical treatment that follows. It's certainly not something most Confederates would want inflicted on them. Sure, it's effective. But at what cost? But fortunately Medusa keeps her word, and blissfull sleep awaits once she's finished patching Kagenashi up.