4127/White Noise And Black Static

White Noise And Black Static
Date of Scene:	19 May 2016
Location:	Slum Urbania
Synopsis:	Post-Battle of Avatar World. Sanary has been badly corrupted by her link to Drowned Ophelia - so the obvious answer is to drown her. Rise, Sandere! Blessed by the power and madness of the Sea of Black Tears.
Cast of Characters:	975, 990, 22, Sanary Rondel

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Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
It'd been a hard tour season for the Drowning Doom; Four worlds, and four technical losses. But the Queen of Tears had proven her point each and every world: The Union was vulnerable. The living were vulnerable. How quickly and easily it was to throw entire areas into chaos and corruption with a light pressing force.
And now they've once more come here, to the Slum Urbania; The bottom of the drain, where all the poor, the crazed, the destitute, the hopeless and the deranged fell. All of them. All the horrible, nasty places where life was cheaper than next hour's sandwich, all poured together here. So bad they actually stitched skyscrappers together to keep it from leaking to the 'better' parts of Urbania. A swirling maelstrom of misery - and literally at that, with dark stormclouds crackling above a particular section of this place.

There, the Drowning Doom has taken court. From the Brutal Lands, 'battle of the bands' is a very literal thing, more akin to an invading army than a concert. Here they take their repose, soaking in the misery, regathering their forces of Tear Drinkers - the freakish undead. The miserable, the sorrowful, the hateful are invited further in; Sup the Black Tears, take the power, sink and rise once again as something new and twisted and strong.
Never hurt again.
Others are more forcibly brought to heel, drowned in puddles formed in the street as black rain falls from unnatural storm clouds. A bare tree grows from a particular rooftop, its roots digging deep - supernatural crows silently keeping watch in all directions. All around it prance and cackle the Tear Drinkers, from the NecroMoshers stolen from Middle Earth to the Dorcs roaming the abandoned cafes ('But you wouldn't know about it, it's pretty underground), the ghostly reapers riding their skeletal horses at break neck speeds along the alleyways as they cackle madly, heads bobbing to the music in their headphones. Disembodied heads pulled along by spidery hair, bloat-bellied men who gurgle and giggle at bellies filled with living rats.
The freaks.
The disenchanted.
The dead.
DROWNING DOOM. And amongst it all is Drowned Ophelia, reclining beneath that bare limbed tree, quietly turning the candle machine heads of her Six Stringed Sorrow while Death Metal reverberates in the air. Something unholy and powerful.

Themesong: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NY3A2RIaUs

Jedah Dohma (990) has posed:
A high pitched cackling is hidden by the music and cacophony. Jedah flies several circuits around the general area to get a feel for what's going on. His keen sight sees the woman with the dark instrument. The unholiness actually makes him feel more comfortable, more relaxed. He dives in near the Drowning Doom and then hovers for a long moment, before presenting himself to Ophelia with a bow.

"Hello, sister. I am Jedah Dohma. I felt your power, and came to investigate," He says with a flourish. There's a tiny Confederate insignia badge on his chest, so maybe that will tell her that he's on her side.

He's rather tall, although not compared to most demons. His clothes resemble a japanese school uniform, except fitting to his form. There's a sinister gleam in his eyes. Clearly this suffering is something in which he delights. His regal air will probably keep most of the minions from bothering him. His wings and claws appear to be blades more than anything.

He awaits her reply, wondering if there's something he can do to aid her, or if this is more of a social call?

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
"Demon!"
"DEMON!"

Goes the call down the line, and amidst buildings spotlights snap to life. The lights swinging up into the sky to track Jedah as he approaches, a soulful clang of a deep bell toning from somewhere; A call to action, to alertness. Drowned Ophelia lazy straightens once more as the demonic aristocrat approaches - introduces - and awaits.
A small, brittle smile slides up her blue-tinted features, the 'running mascara' under her eyes weeping slowly. "You're not Tained Coil at all, are you? No ball gags." A single lift of her hand halts the trembling tree behind her, and fingers slide down along the Six Stringed Sorrow - a low, moaning scream from the guitar as it crashes down through the octaves. The Drowning Doom - relaxes. Spotlights flick back off, and the PARTY presses on.

Drowned Ophelia glides, pushing a finger to her lower lip - a claw trailed along Jedah's shoulder. "Hey, I like the outfit. Real suave. Nice wings... Fed too, huh?" That brittle smile becomes a dark little grin. "Pleasure's mine, though I'm not your sister. Most people just call me Ophelia.."
"Although 'augh no stop don't take my eyes' works too."

Jedah Dohma (990) has posed:
Jedah eyes her curiously and asks,"Tainted Coil? That's a new one," and he relaxes a little when he is accepted as an ally, if not merely someone who isn't saving everybody from their doom.

"Sister in spirit if not in flesh, but Ophelia works, too."

He stretches his wings a bit. "Yes, I, too, serve the Confederacy. Looks like you're doing well here," he says, observing the conversion of the slum denizens.

"Is there aught I can do to aid you? Or I can just watch," he says. It's clear he's experiencing mild bloodlust, but is controlling it. This isn't his gig, after all.

As he notices the tears consuming the people, he wonders if it's similar to his own blood. His mind goes over about a dozen tests, but no, that would be rude. No peeking under the hood this early. Still, he seems intrigued by it.

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    Footsteps across the asphalt heralds yet anther arrival.

    It's not the first time the witch has been to the slums in Urbania. Though she might appear to be out of place at first glance as she enters the area that has been overtaken by the undead and claimed in the name of their morbid mistress. Now much of her face is seen as she walks down the street, her snakeskin coat obscuring her upper face. The attache case she's carrying with her doesn't exactly match her knee length black dress either, and despite all the nasty creatures that are gathered here, she walks as if she was talking a calm stroll through a sunlit park. Though there is something about her that doesn't match her calm demeanour as she approaches the building with the tree. If the presence of a witch soul isn't enough to keep the undead from approaching her, then perhaps a sharp glance from underneath the hood of her snakeskin coat will give them second thoughts about approaching her.

    Only when she is near the tree and the two other figures there does she speak up in a friendly and somewhat sweetly tone. "My, I do hope I'm not interrupting. Especially since my expertise was requested...?" Her hand reaches up to the hood of her coat, flipping it back and reveals a the head of a blonde woman with a soft smile on her face.

Sanary Rondel has posed:
Sanary hasn't been having much luck in her past few missions working with the Drowning Doom. Sure, combat-wise, she's done better than even she could have expected, but mentally...

     All those links to Drowned Ophelia have taken a toll on her mind, and now? Now, she's... Well. She's not doing all that great mentally nor physically. Physically, she has a fair amount of bruising around her face and probably a good amount of dried blood caked into her hair from getting smacked around by a swamp thing. Nothing some bedrest, healing magic, and a lot of cleaning to get the swamp gunk out wouldn't handle. Mentally, though...

     Well, it's not like she enjoys lying in bed muttering to herself or anything. She's just... Doing a lot of it.

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
"Yeah. Crew of demons from my world. Real douchebags with bad taste in Metal and a thing for bondage gear, you know? They tend to show up and mess shit up. ****'ing assholes."
Another light smirk, cussing as casual as talking to the Queen of Tears as she turns, arms clasped together behind her. Sarcasm her natural tongue "Yeah, you like it? Good atmosphere, great neighbors. I don't need another man in my life right now, but hey - if you want to voyeur, I've got just the peep show for you."She unclasps her clawed hands, and wiggles one of those large digits in a 'follow me' motion as she's moving towards the stairwell.
Just in time too, as Medusa finally appears; Unmolested by the Tear Drinkers. After all, you need to be able to feel sorrow to drown in it~ Besides, she's just as freakish as the crazed undead in her own way; That alone buys her passage amongst the Drowning Doom.

"Oh, hey. Good timing." The light tone, the soft little smile, it's all perfectly harmless - but the eyes. Unblinking and crazed as the rest of her subjects - but it's madness with DIRECTION. With motivation! A tendril of the ichor slides away from her dress, opening the stairwell down as she speaks. "You know I managed to drown an elite, Doc? Took almost everything I had, and for a small one too. And Sanary's got a lot more potential locked up in her;" A glance back, as the Queen of Tears glides down the stairwell to the room below. There is Sanary, as stated in her pose, muttering to herself upon the bed. "But she's caught in a half way point; I can help her finish it, but I need someone around able to help people stay .. -alive-." A faint shrug, and a gesture. "My methods are really only useful after they die, and I'm pretty sure the Feds would look poorly on that. You up for a trip, Doc?"

Jedah Dohma (990) has posed:
Jedah eyes the new arrival with a smile. He bows, and then hangs back, following the other two wordlessly. This might help him with his own research one day. He'll need test subjects of his own at some point.

He observes Sanary at a distance. A human? This seems a bit sketchy, but Jedah's not one to interfere in others' nefarious plans. He pulls out his pocket notebook, linked to the Illustrated Primer of Dark Science back home, and makes some notes in a cross between Abyssal and short-hand.

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    When she's referred to as 'doc', Medusa chuckles softly with a cant of her head. "Oh, I'm no physician, no need to be so formal either, dear," she assures the other woman and follows her down the stairwell. As for the state of the other healer, now that's a different matter. The witch narrows her eyes slightly as she walks up to the bed where Sanary is resting. The muttering is unlike her. "Hmmm. There have been a lack of reports, would you please fill me in on what's happened with her?" She wastes no time and walks over to sit down on the edge of the bed. The attache case is set aside, and Medusa leans over Sanary, peering down at her, trying to see if she will look up at her. If not, she will raise her hand and snap her fingers there. "Sanary? Can you hear me?" Hmm. This is most curious.

Sanary Rondel has posed:
It takes a while for Sanary to even register that there's other people around, although she does appear to relax just a bit when Medusa makes her presence known. Emphasis on 'a bit', however, since her expression is still mostly vacant. Even the snap of her fingers just gets the one-eyed healer to stop muttering, although it takes a little while longer for her to finally speak up quietly.

     "H... Hey, Medusa. You didn't need to come here. Should've just..." Alright, so she's still muttering, but at least it's easier to understand now. Spotting Jedah, she looks him over slowly before resting her head back down and chuckling quietly. ".. Ah. He'll be a good replacement. Better than I'd ever manage..."

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
Drowned Ophelia raises eyebrows as she watches Jedah scribble, before Medusa mentions the lack of reports. That cool little smirk again. "Oh, yeah.. that's a thing, isn't it?" She settles to the other side of Sanary, quietly brushing claws through the woman's black hair. It's not loving or friendly; It's almost possessive. The Queen of Tears leaning back a bit, taping her lip with a finger. "Mm, I think it probably began with the first leg of the Black Flags tour. She linked up with me."
A glance to Medusa, that smirk growing a bit wider. ".. And she got stronger for it the second time. I could see it; FEEL it. So, I decided to see if I can help her along, you know? She's so -very- useful. But the more she connected with me, the less stable she became, hm?"
Claws pause their stroke of Sanary's black hair as she snaps awake, before going back to the previous motion. Combing out tangles. "So I pushed her. It's love that's holding her back, you know; I tried to have her drown some little friend of hers. Toph, I think? Oh, that one has -so many- people who love her. Sending them her cold corpse would've wrecked havoc along the Union lines." A cold smile down to Sanary.
"She just wasn't strong enough. But, Sanary - I've got a way to fix that. To make the heartache stop, to make you.. irreplacable. It just takes a little swim, a few brief moments of pain.. " A glance to Medusa. ".. And a little know-how in Elites."

Jedah Dohma (990) has posed:
Jedah puts his pen to his fangs, tapping them softly, not noticeably. Remove her positive human emotions? Make her sociopathic? It might work. Jedah thinks that splicing her DNA of something a little more durable or stronger might be easier. Leave her in full control of her emotions and will. A thinking, feeling soldier is better than a monster, but who's he to judge? More scribbles.

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    A delayed reaction. Is she hallucinating, perhaps? Neural damage? When Sanary speaks though, Medusa simply smiles reassuringly down at the girl as she reaches out to pat her hand. "Oh, but I did have to come here. It's my job, after all."

    Her attention shifts to Ophelia when she speaks. "Linked with you, you say? What does that involve?" Of course she's curious, and it will be easier to help Sanary if she has all the information at hand. "Of course she's useful, she's a Confederate officer, and she's been helping me out at my ward as well. And too much instability will compromise her ability to perform her duties..."

    Whatever Ophelia has done to her she's entirely sure of yet, and while she notices the way Ophelia dotes on the younger woman, Medusa doesn't comment on it where she sits, her expression serious with the former smile replaced. "Love can indeed hold some people back. But it can also push them over the edge. Remember, the absence of love is not hate. It's apathy. Sure, you could send the Union corpses," Medusa offers with a shrug of her shoulders, "but do remember that it has consequences. Consider them well the next time, and make sure to report about these things from now, hmmm~?"

Sanary Rondel has posed:
Sanary's hair could certainly use some conditioner. One step at a time! At least she washes it frequently, even if the swamp gunk might have made it a little gunkier than normal. Not that she's all that concerned with that at the moment, but still.

     At the very least, she is still capable of talking and responding. Quietly, though, and Sanary's also doing a lot of sighing while looking not unlike someone that failed a stupidly easy exam.

     "The linking thing... Uh. I do the thing, and then whoever's using magic or whatever can... Do it more." How descriptive. Of course, even trying to talk about that has her chuckling again, and not in the amused happy way. "Better off just doing that forever if I can't get anything done right myself..."

Jedah Dohma (990) has posed:
Jedah says, "There are a few references in the ancient texts of bonding like that, though they're mystical in nature and I don't fully understand them. Each person mixes natures, like mixing paint or letting pigment flow through water. As a budding scientist, if this is to proceed, we need Sanary's consent, something she's not able to give it would seem. When humans despair, they typically die, whereas demons such as myself can despair for centuries.

"Has the link affected you, Ophelia?"

Jedah is not going to interfere, but he feels an obligation as a scientist to speak up, especially as Medusa shares his concerns.

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
"She linked."Hers faint shrug of the shoulders from Drowned Ophelia, as Sanary explains it further. Black lips coo, a mockery of a caring creature. "I think it's a bit like plugging an amp into an amp; Feedback. I got a little bit of her in me.." A glance up to Medusa, that cold smile once more. ".. And she got a little bit of me in her. She's drowning." The claws pause, and then spiderwalk up to tap Sanary on the forehead. Make sure that the dark creature has her attention. "True; You'll never be as useful when you can't make the hard decisions. You can't save the stupid from being stupid; You can't save the weak from being weak. Not all of them."

Ophelia twists her head a bit, hair drooping around her own features. "Did it hurt when Toph realized it was you who was going to kill her? That's the chink in your armor, Sanary. That's what's holding you back; Just like it held me back." The cruel morbid mistress turns her attention back to Medusa, and laughs.
"Apathy's perfect. Apathy's -my- strength, Medusa. That's what the black tears offer; An cessation of pain, a growth of power.." She speaks to both, now. "It makes your weakness your strength. You go under - and you rise. New, and powerful. What will poison the Union, surpress their will to continue, is precisely what drives my Drowning Doom forward. You're worried about her being able to fulfill her duties?" A flash of white teeth. "Then come with me and keep her heart beating. The only way to escape temptation is to go through it; To let her sink and rise anew, stronger in every way for her loss."
And then she looks to Jedah, and tilts her head again. "Affected me? Well... You're here, aren't you, demon?" A litling chuckle.

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    This is a curious concept, and Medusa peers down at Sanary. Does she believe she's a failure now? When Jedah speaks of consent, the witch lets out a snort. "Even heavily senile people can give consent in varying degrees." It's all relative, and you just need to ask in the right way.

    One can practically see the serpentine woman thinking as Ophelia speaks and coddles Sanary in her own twisted way. At the question she shakes her head a bit. "No, I'm not worried. I'm merely doing my job in making sure that things progress as they should." Slowly, Medusa leans forward, getting closer to her ear. "Do you /want/ Ophelia to drown you?" she asks Sanary directly. "And do you want me to keep you alive? It will most likely hurt a fair bit." Sanary should be well aware of some of Medusa's methods.

Sanary Rondel has posed:
Sanary's eye follows Drowned Ophelia's claws idly as they trail up her face, and she winces very briefly at that tap to the forehead. Her gaze shifts away, however, when she's addressed directly, and she lets out a quiet sigh before shrugging and somehow managing to slump further into the bed.

     She's probably nailed it right on the head there.

     The talk of consent seems to be going right over the apprentice healer's head both figuratively and literally, although she does glance between Jedah and Medusa a few times before finally settling on the latter when Medusa asks Sanary directly. Sanary's not completely out of it, at least, since her eye does widen a bit at the notion of being drowned. "For... Experiments or something? If you need a test subject, sure... Whatever."

     Still going over her head. "I... Uh. It's better than being dead, right?"

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    It's clear that Sanary is reduced mentally as well as physically. Yet she did answer the question in a manner that Medusa expected her to. Satisfied with the answer, Medusa reaches out and pats Sanary on the cheek in a motherly fashion and sits up. "We'll take care of you, dear."

    Her eyes glance at Ophelia, then nods. "How are you going to do this? I will need to know so I can prepare equipment."

Jedah Dohma (990) has posed:
Jedah touches his finger to his blinking comm. "Jedah, sir, Bko's made some progress on the design for the device. We think you should come see it,"

Jedah sighs and says,"Well, it appears I will miss out on this one. I wish you luck," his concerns assuaged, he prepares to leave. "Thank you for your hospitality, Ophelia," and to Medusa,"A pleasure to meet you,"

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
"Oh, I don't know about that.. I kinda like it, personally."

States Drowned Ophelia, skin blue and lips black. Claws draw back down through black hair, and are finally lifted away. "Experimentation? ... Close enough. And hey, what girl doesn't like to experiment now and again?" That bitter smile that never quite touches the eyes as Ophelia rises, claws flexing slowly in on themselves. A glance to Medusa, and then to Jedah - before she sways past them both towards the glass window. Glancing back to Medusa and her patient, a flash of white teeth.
"If she were anyone else, I'd simply cut a vein and let her drink her fill of it; But for an elite? We're going to the source; The Sea of Black Tears. That's where I drowned, in the end - seems a good place for her to begin as well. And.. I'm being very literal." A look to Jedah, a sultry little wink. "Yeah, sure. Come around anytime and soak in the atmosphere, Jed. We're all friends here.." There's a way she says that word - giving the impression of a crocodile licking chops. Ophelia's hands suddenly swipe behind her as she turns; Claws grow, shattering the window outwards, letting the wind sing through. She lifts her clawed hands, the Six Stringed Sorrow bubbling to life as she hits a quick up-neck solo - electricity arcing along her arms from the strings, grounding against the metal frames.
Lights flare to life along the buildings, swinging back and forth in the sky.
"Summon - the HATREDCOPTER!" She calls to the cheering Undead below.

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
The HatredCopter's flight path is smooth enough - even if the giant, spikey chopper spends too much time chasing small birds to ravage with the fat, swinging scythe blades while it 'whumpa-whumps' through the air, manical skeleton up front in the jumpsuit cackling with each gorey demise. Below, the landscape changes - trees fade to be replaced by steel, jutting exhaust pipes. Massive highways built for giants cross the landscape, most of the asphalt long ago collapsed. Engine heads poke up like monuments, and - for a moment - looking out of the Hatredcopter's windows will show Bladehenge. It's like stone henge, but made with giant broadswords. Eventually the Eastern continent is reached, passing over the cliffs that divide it from the rest of the Brutal Lands. Savage trees poke up, quickly fading to mist-strewn and haunted vistas as the Sea of Black Tears is approached. The Hatredcopter's whumping blades stirring up a flock of Sickle Wraiths - think 'Dementors with blade arms' - that briefly give chase. Over swarms of Tear Drinkers caught in their perpetual celebration of entropy, and finally to the relative quiet of the cavern itself.
The giant, sorrowful skull carved into the front should give hint as to what lays within. The Sea of Black Tears is not as big as one would expect; As Mangus said, it'd be more appropriately named the 'lake of black tears'. But he was looking at the horizontal distance; Sorrow goes far deeper than it does wide, endless depths. Huge ribs form the roof far above, as if rock formed around some ancient dead being. Masses of wake candles dot every pillar, inevitably leading to an almost cathedral like dias jutting out from the shore and into the still dark waters.

It is towards the shore itself that Sanary is carried by the twisted woman, if she cannot walk. A slow and steady progression, with only the Elites invited within Drowned Ophelia's sanctum.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEZPYvgwUZU

Sanary Rondel has posed:
Perhaps the easiest way to tell that Sanary's still out of it is that the ride in Hatredcopter doesn't get her to (outwardly) freak out one bit. Inwardly, she's still panicking mildly, but her breathing is normal, her eye functions without a hitch, and she even manages to take a nap on the ride there!

     She also mutters to herself quite a bit. Failures, weakness, wanting to be stronger. It's probably nothing that Drowned Ophelia hadn't already heard from her since the end of that mission, really.

     Thankfully, the apprentice healer is still capable of walking on her own, even if she looks like she's still in something of a daze on the way to the shore. She's barely even looking around, though, almost as if she's already resigned herself to drowning or experimentation or... Whatever it is that the Queen of Tears has in store for her.

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    The snake witch follows closely behind Ophelia and Sanary, inspecting their surroundings with a calm look on her face even as she carries some cases with her. It had been easy to get some of the personnel at medical to bring the equipment necessary for this... experiment, to but it crudely.

    Once they reach the shore, Medusa sets the cases down before opening them, revealing various ampules, syringes, as well as some monitoring equipment by the look of it. And then she begins preparing some syringes of different sizes, drawing some of the different medications up in their correct doses. "So how will this be done exactly, Ophelia?" she asks even as she works, flicking a finger against the syringe to get some air out of it.%

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
The eager smirk grows a bit wider as the trio approaches the shores - water slowly pulling up and back, gentle waves laping at the stone. One would be hard pressed to realize that here lies the source of the power that broke the human rebellion, frightened the Gods of Metal and drove Ophelia to her current state. The endless grief of a millenia or more, back from the death of Ormogodden.
The Queen of Tears settles herself by the shore, eyes drifting to Medusa as she readies the varies implements needed for their experiment.

Frankly, it doesn't matter -why- she's going to get to drown someone. Only -that- she gets too. She pats the stone next to her, that mock friendliness a still masque upon her features. She speaks again, for both Sanary and Medusa.
"It's the easiest thing in the world; Drink. Drink deep." Clawed fingers trail through the water, beneath which lays a strange, churning darkness.

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    "I know that you're no scientist, dear," Medusa comments, "But perhaps you could be a dear and provide me with a bit more information on how the process works if you want me to keep her alive. Otherwise it would only be sloppy guesswork, and I assume that's not what either of you want."

    Her hand gestures to her medications. "And I would need to know just what bodily processes that I will have to deal with." Sure, Medusa might be a witch, but she's got a scientific approach to the whole deal.

Sanary Rondel has posed:
Upon reaching the water, Sanary looks over at Medusa and Drowned Ophelia slowly as they speak. She does seem a little more excited than she has recently, at least, although whether it's because of the possibility of getting stronger or just having something to validate her existence... That's harder to say.

     "Doesn't sound too hard. Mm... Alright, might as well get this over with." She lets out another heavy sigh before stepping into the water, peering at it for a while before kneeling into it.

     "Looks... Appetizing." Apparently, feeling like a useless waste of space hasn't completely dulled her sense of sarcasm. She scoops some of that darkned mess up into her cupped hands and sniffs it briefly, then finally stops putting off the inevitable and drinks it.

     Surely this couldn't go wrong.

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
Drowned Ophelia looks up as Sanary passes by, and quietly stands to follow her. She glances into the water - and snarls at the reflection of what she sees. But Medusa's question snaps her out of her reverie, and she lifts a hand behind Sanary as she finally drinks - bitter, but strangely refreshing? And then the burning starts in the throat; Tight and hot, like a sob that never breaks.
"Ah. The process?" Begins the Queen of Tears - before her claws neatly wrap around the back of Sanary's head. And she -pushes-, forward and down. Stronger than she looks. Strangely calm as she speaks.

"She'll panic at first; I did."
Sanary can see it now, beneath the waves. Tendrils reaching up from the dark mass, reaching for her face.
"Her lungs will burn as she holds her breath. She'll feel her heart pounding, pounding, pounding.. it gets so loud, when you've nothing else to hear. And there's this moment.." The other hand lifts a finger as she pushes a bit harder, smiling softly. ".. This moment when you think this isn't real. When this is just a dream, when the black starts creeping in on your vision. Surely if you open your mouth, you'll get that last cool breath. Surely. Surely... "

A soft chuckle, finger tapping against Sanary's neck. "It's so easy to just give in, when the realization strikes. You're not coming back up. You're never getting better from this. Just give in and let the black waters pour in; Oh, how easy it is to float away, without the air tugging your lungs up, up, up, like a chain on your heart. It's so very... peaceful. After the hurt is over."

Sanary Rondel has posed:
It takes Sanary a moment to notice that burning pain, and it's just long enough for her to have dunked her hand in for another scoop before she finds herself shoved right into the drink. As predicted, she starts flailing as her lungs find themselves filling with that weird black substance.

     That flailing only gets worse when the tendrils appear, but the damage is already done. She's losing her strength as the black water fills her lungs, her movements slowing as the lack of oxygen starts to take effect. The slowing is relative, of course, since it takes quite a while for her movements to even start slow down.

     Then again, isn't this what Sanary was hoping for? It's not as if she came here to have a relaxing swim or a nice soak. No... She agreed to do this. The only thing left to do is to see it through to the end.

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    Ah, if only Sanary could have waited with drinking until /after/ the explanation had been given? "It would have been easier with time to prepare everything first," Medusa sighs, obviously not too concerned about the time limit she's just been given. However, she does appear to be a tad annoyed.

    Nonetheless she works quickly with skilled fingers and an experienced mind. And once she's prepared a few syringes, the witch follows them into the water, trudging through until she comes up next to Sanary. At the same moment one of her snake familiars slithers out from the sleeve of her coat, and it seeks to coil itself around Sanary's arm, keeping it in place as Medusa peers down at it. There, a vein. With no hesitation the witch quickly jabs the needle of one of the syringes into the vein, injecting it quickly. Giving Sanary a subcutaneous injection at this time won't work well enough, this particular agent to force her heart to keep on beating no matter what needs to work quickly!

    Though the second injection is given to the back of Sanary's arm, an intramuscular injection to work a bit longer, though it's effects won't show itself for a few minutes... The brain can survive for eight minutes at most without oxygen in such a situation.

    Perhaps Sanary will notice it even as she feels her body being starved for oxygen. Her heart is starting to beat faster, and then there's a numbing sensation. Maybe this effect will calm her down some, but it might also increase the fear.

    Even as she stands there, one hand on Sanary's arm, Medusa discards the used syringes into one pocket before she finds another one, its contents deep red. "The next time you wish for my help in medical matters, then I want a /detailed/ report on exactly what you're going to do, is that understood?" she asides to Ophelia, and her eyes change slowly, round pupils becoming snakelike. "I can't imagine Lute would be too pleased about this, he cares for Sanary, you know." While Ophelia might have a flair for the dramatic, it appears that Medusa prefers to state facts when she's working. Dramatic speech can be saved for later when there's time for it.

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
The Queen of Tears watches the struggles weaken with something approaching satisfaction; Oh it felt good to watch the bubbles stop. She'd almost forgotten Medusa was there, until the witch is sloshing into the black waters as well to inject the life saving medications. A brief flash of annoyance - but Ophelia did ask for her to be here. If nothing else so that Sanary would agree to it. At last her claws unravel from the back of Sanary's head, leaving her to float or stand as she wills. Turning her attention fully upon the serpentine witch, teeth briefly bared - before she catches her self.
Pauses.
And smiles. An empty smile. "And ruin the surprise? I warned you my methods weren't suited for keeping people.. alive. She's drunk the Black Tears; Half-drowned, at least. The federation's going to be quite pleased with what she can become, without holding herself back as she did. As for Lute.."
A tap of claws against an upper lip. ".. If it hurts too much, I can help him too. The Sea of Black Tears is always open to the willing." The creature sparing one last glance for Sanary - and then turning to move deeper into the dark waters. Laying back on her back and just -floating-, soft laughter on her lips. "The Hatredcopter can take you home; It'll know the way."

Sanary Rondel has posed:
Sanary's pretty lucky she has Medusa watching her back here. The life-saving injections are all that's keeping her from drowning outright even as Ophelia holds her down, her lungs finally filling completely without that unnatural water. Even when the Queen of Tears releases her, the younger healer doesn't get up right away as the black water works its magic.

     Very drowny magic. It's not as if she didn't ask for this. All those failures finally piling up, all her weakness making it her unable to even kill a child offered to her on a silver platter... She deserved this. It couldn't possibly get any worse.

     No, this is about as bad as it could get. All that's left is to drag everything else down with her.

     As Sanary finally pulls herself out of the water with hacking coughs, the changes are already becoming apparent. It might just be darkness surrounding the water, but her hair appears to have turned lighter along with her skin. Her eye hasn't changed colors, but the skin around the one hidden behind her eyepatch looks strangely cracked like a window that's been hit with a rock, but not quite broken.

     She also vomits a bit. That was a lot of water that went into her, after all! She doesn't say anything, however, as she starts hobbling out of the water, giving Medusa only a blank stare in passing.

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    "Oh, I /like/ surprises. I just prefer when they don't interfere with my work," Medusa says. "And yes, I'm quite aware that your methods aren't meant to keep people alive. Mine are however, and if you want my help, then /I/ get to decide the order of things. That way we will have time for your pretty little speeches, metaphors of drowning and black water~" If Ophelia wants to be annoyed at Medusa having demands for these types of situations, then so be it. Indeed, it will be curious to see what Sanary will become, but there are other things to consider as well.

    The mention of Lute does make the witch look down at Sanary, watching her as she's in the process of drowning. "I doubt this is the road that Lute will take, nor is it the best way for him to reach his potential. "I will be taking Sanary into Ward 17 for observation, but thank you for your kind offer~" Medusa says, then turns her focus back to Sanary when the woman pulls herself out of the water and coughs wetly. The vomiting is curious, though Medusa calmly watches. And once Sanary begins walking back to shore, the witch follows. "How do you feel, Sanary?"

Drowned Ophelia (975) has posed:
The Queen of Tears straightens up briefly, still wading in the water - or being held aloft in it, as she watches Sanary puke out her guts. The ichor evaporating as it touches ground - not that it mattered. Anyone could see it was enough; She was touched with Sorrow, now, right down to the bone.
"I dub thee Sandere." She murmurs, before looking at Medusa. And just... smiling. Before she sinks beneath the waters herself, with a faint, quiet 'bloop'.

Sanary Rondel has posed:
As her steps become a little more steady from finally being able to breathe again, Sanary nearly stumbles as she turns in mid-step towards Medusa. It takes a moment for her to catch herself, but when she does, her expression is oddly... Happy? Chipper, even, like someone who hadn't almost drowned just a minute ago.

     "Mmmmme? Never better!" She even sounds cheerful. Too cheerful, and certainly not like she's ever sounded before. The paler-than-usual healer staggers again as she straightens herself back up, nearly toppling right over into the water again before hopping in place to face Medusa and Drowned Ophelia as that latter starts sinking. "My legs feel like shit and I my inside feel like I drank acid, but other than that? E-verything's great~"

     At least she's not moping around any more.

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    There's scientific curiosity there as Medusa beholds Sanary, eyes slightly narrowed. When she steps onto dry land she doesn't seem bothered by the fact that her clothes are wet, though she does raise one foot and shake it a bit to get the water out of her shoe, then she repeats the act with her other foot.

    "I see. I will examine your insides then, just to get a better idea of what's happened with you." Why yes, Medusa has the nerve to order others around. Then again, Sanary... or Sandere, as Ophelia referred to her as, has been her apprentice, has she not? The medical report will most likely be... interesting. And hopefully Ophelia will do the reports necessary to explain why there will be a medical report about this in the first place.

Sanary Rondel has posed:
"My insides? Oh, that sounds fun!" Yep. This is definitely too cheerful for Sanary, although aside from the paler hair and skin? She still looks largely the same, albeit somewhat drenched with leftover bits of swamp gunk stuck to her clothes. She looks around a few times before squatting in place on dry land, peering at Medusa with wide-eyed curiousity.

     "So does that mean you're gonna cut me open? Make sure not to cut up too much, because I need that to do my job later!" She lets out a shrill laugh at that, patting the ground next to her before glancing around again. "You got any tools around here? Or do we need to wait 'til we get back to Medical?"

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    ... well, they always did say that hypoxia had a bad effect on the brain.

    The cheerful attitude from Sanary is not repaid from Medusa, who peers down at the younger woman. "Perhaps... but not here. Unlike what our dearest Ophelia thinks, I prefer to do my job /properly/ with enough time to ensure I won't have to improvise like I just did," Medusa drawls before she continues walking, then gestures for Sanary to follow her. No, Lute will probably /not/ like this.