2012-10-11 Good Mark - Kit and Rain

Evening in the Skull Cave finds the Phantom in a very foul mood. Lips pressed together, he grips the back of the Skull Throne hard enough to make his fingers turn white. A folded note sits on the seat of the throne--though it's not so much "folded" anymore as "crumpled into a tiny ball". The Phantom himself half-leans on the throne, right leg a bit forward, and his head is bowed in something between fury and "mere" intense irritation. It is--a very bad night, apparently.

Poor Kit. Well, Rain may or may not have known. Regardless, she's trying not to get punched in the head or hit with a brick again, so she's bringing him something and visiting! Even if she understands the poor guy's likely sitting under a giant storm cloud. She peers in, knocking on the door frame or its equivalent before entering (just in case). "Hey... I brought something by." She doesn't dare ask how he is, and there's an awkward silence.

"He took Devil," murmurs the Phantom, lips barely moving. "Mandrake. Took.  Devil." His voice is calm, but it's that calm that's almost eerie as it comes from an intense anger. His fingers grip the stone even tighter, and it's only now that he lifts his head to look at Rain. "I know--I told you both--to leave me out of plans that affected that--that man. But this is crossing a--this is crossing a line." A beat, then, "Did you know about this?" His voice is still calm, but his mouth still barely moves.

Hmm. Rain frowns. She looks worried, her eyes widening a bit. She stays right where she is, not getting any closer. She thinks a moment. Well, technically, she knew there was a PLAN but Rain had no idea when or that he had done it. "Huh? No, I was kind of surprised..." Yeah, that's it. She didn't know he already did it! Loopholes big enough for a hummer to drive through. "I guess that explains the bad mood. Should I go...?" She peers up, asking quietly.

Brows knit over the mask, lips pressing tighter together. "If you didn't know about it, then you will help me get him back. Scry for Devil, open a portal, and let him come back here.  I have whatever you would need to help make the connection; bits of fur, for example." The Phantom's voice is still calm, though it's lowered by about half an octave. Part of him isn't sure she's telling the truth, but the rest of him wants to believe her. Getting Devil back should help quell the first part of him, since if she truly were in on the plan, she'd never help basically ruin it.

Rain takes a deep breath. "Well. It's a half truth. But I can't tell you because... I honestly didn't expect THIS and ..." And well, she wants to help. She doesn't want to sabotage Mandy or Kit. "I'm sorry." She looks unhappy, frowning. She shakes her head. "So ..." She isn't quite sure where to go with that. Apparently, this IS part of their plan but not what she had figured on.

A soft breath is let out slowly, brows knitting over the mask, and the Phantom just can't say anything for a moment. Another breath taken and let out, and he lowers his head again to look downward toward the ground, without really seeing it. After another moment, he quietly says, "There is a line, Rain. I can accept not being /told/ information, but--outright lies, /taking Devil/..." Another breath, then he adds, "I had expected better out of /both/ of you." Lips set in a firm line, jaw setting rather firmly.

Rain winces. "Sorry. I didn't say -anything-," She admits, "I didn't think - this soon -" She rubs the back of her head. Guess they couldn't come up with much better. "I'm sorry. I guess I should go before I make it any worse or screw it up for Mandrake." She shakes her head.

"What about me?" asks the Phantom, squeezing the back of the Throne even tighter. A knuckle even pops. "I don't--want you to go, but--I can't accept this. You know that.  Not Devil." He finally lets the Throne go, left hand going to his hip, the right going to rub the back of his cowl-covered head. There's something between dismay, disappointment, hurt, and even anger in him.

"..." Rain rubs the back of her head, wincing as his knuckle pops. "I can talk to Mandrake. Maybe we can change this," She offers quietly. "But..." Sadface. "I'm sorry." She shakes her head. "I didn't - think..." A shrug and she does look pretty guilty.

"How would you like someone you've known since not long after they were born to be taken from you, to know that the people you count on not only lied to you, but thought so little of you that they would kidnap your trusted friends?" asks the Phantom, head still pointed at the ground. "Tell me how well you'd react to that." He strokes the back of his head, rather similar to combing his fingers through his hair, really.

Frown. "Not very." Rain seems to show the dullness on her face of guilt, and just exhaustion. Maybe feeling foolish. She doesn't seem to have many words right now. At the time it didn't seem like such a terrible idea... but that's not an uncommon mistake. "It was a case of good intentions gone awry."

"Kidnapping Devil?!" shouts the Phantom, looking at her with something between abject anger and outright shock, then a bit of color comes to his cheeks in embarrassment for the outburst. Gritting his teeth, he takes a few calming breaths and flexes his fingers, then, calmly once more, he says, "How is taking someone I care for--anyone--supposed to not be a terrible idea? It would have been just as bad an idea to kidnap you."

Rain is quiet, accepting his anger. She glances over her shoulder. "We mostly had to make sure you would go." She says nothing otherwise, likely understanding perfectly well why and her mistake.

And the anger starts to leech from the Phantom, as he rests his left hand on the back of the Throne, though it's to let him lean on the stone. "That's the problem, isn't it?" he says, corners of his mouth turning down, voice a soft whisper. "I've--put everyone in such a horrible position, letting my attempt to wrestle with a personal problem spill out onto everyone else to the point where this actually seemed like a good idea." He cups his face with his right hand, dragging it downward slowly before adding, "For what it's worth--I'm sorry."

Rain looks to the Phantom, most of her usual resilient cheer gone. "It is." She admits quietly. "I honestly didn't realize it would go this soon," She adds. "It's - I understand. I guess it was a pretty bad plan and idea..." She furrows her eyebrows. She takes a deep breath. "It's - what it is. I'm sorry." She shakes her head. "That's all. It's a bad position for everyone, even you."

A wince, almost like a recoil, then the Phantom nods just once. "It is--and I put everyone in it. That means I have to make it right." He takes a deep breath, the kind used to steel oneself, then he taps the back of the Throne with his index finger before pushing away from it and turning. "I know how to do that, too." He starts toward the hallway that leads to the sleeping quarters, determination about him as most of the rest of the anger fades away--though there's still a bit left. All aimed at himself for putting everyone in this untenable situation.

Rain smiles weakly. "Hey. Don't sweat it. I'm sorry. We really should've thought this through," She admits, shaking her head. "Mostly... I'd like not to upset you any further," She adds. "We only wanted... to help because we really do care." She frowns. She sighs. Clearly, planning is not her strong point.

Pausing at the entrance to the hall, the Phantom puts his right hand on the wall and lowers his head a little. "And it's because I care for you both--because I--love you, Rain, that I have to put right this mess I created," he says softly, just loudly enough to be heard. "This thing snowballed because of me; I can't stop that, but I can deal with the man who started all of this. I have to deal with him, because--this really is my mess, and I shouldn't have made it so you had to be put in that position.  You don't deserve that." A beat, then he lets his hand fall from the wall to head down the hall.

Rain smiles at Kit. "I love you, too. It's not your fault. A deal was made long ago that was out of your hands. It's not like any of us have a time machine. I suspect the best plan is to go along with this." So the fellow ends up in jail, Devil comes back... "Or I can tell Mandrake what you'd like to do," She murmurs. "But if it's one hundred percent unbreakable, you may have to go with our thing," She notes quietly. She watches him and moves over, to gently pat his shoulder.

The sound of her following him down the hall is--surprisingly comfortable, really, the Phantom realizes. It even makes him smile, seen when he gets to the sleeping quarters and turns a little. "Unfortunately," he says as he goes to cover her hand with his, the touch gentle and light, "all I can say is that Devil doesn't need to be kept away after tonight. This--man will be dealt with, one way or another." Lightly curling his fingers around her hand, he brings it up to lightly brush his lips along it's back. "I know I haven't earned it lately, letting all of this get out of control," he whispers quietly, "but I'd like to ask for your trust. For two hours, don't try and find me, okay?  No scrying, no--other secret magic stuff, okay?  Just--two hours.  After that, I should have this dealt with."

Rain smiles to the Phantom and curls her fingers around his. "I'll tell him," She promises. She blushes as he kisses the back of her hand. "Hey... hey... It's not your fault. It's out of your hands. Sometimes fate just drops a deuce on you, is all. To use a really crude metaphor," Headshake. She pauses and looks to him as he asks for two hours. "Okay... but I'd like a call or something after those two hours to know you're okay." Frown. "Or a visit or - just some sort of sign, even if it's smoke signals." She peers at him.

Another light kiss to the back of her hand, a light squeeze given to it, then the Phantom lets her hand slip from his so he can reach up, one hand going behind the cowl, the other starting to wiggle the mask loose. "Well, you tell me where you'll be, and I'll come find you," he tells her as the mask finally releases with a soft click. "You /do/ have space here, you know, if you want to do that. If not, just--tell me.  You deserve more than just a phone call.  You can scry me after then, too, but--I think I'd still want to see you in person." The cowl is pulled offer, and he rubs his knuckles on his head a little to try and deal with the hood-hair. Futilely, of course, but that's not stopped him yet.

Aw. Rain has to not melt a little at that. She smiles to him. His hood-hair is still cute. She nods. "Okay. I can wait here," She promises. "I have some tea and stuff," She looks to him and smiles. "I'll be patient and wait the two hours out. I think I have something I need to read, anyway," She shrugs. "Just be careful, alright?" She peers over to him, a little concern. "And I appreciate that. Mostly... whatever it is, I'd just like to know you're okay."

The cowl and mask are tossed onto the bed, then Kit smiles as he reaches for his belt. "You will, Rain," he replies as he twists the triangular buckle a little to release it. "Tonight, the Phantom won't be helpful--but there's a way Kit can help. I swear, Rain, I'll do what I can to solve this mess." The belt gets tossed onto the bed, then he starts unfastening the tunic as he toes his way out of his boots. He's a man determined, now--he has a plan, a plan he's sure that, while it won't stop the huge snowball of crap this has become, will at least address the original issue. And with that addressed, they can focus on the people making his friends' lives hell.

Rain watches as Kit reaches for his belt. She tries not to blush as he changes. But she nods. "Hey, we're helping, too. I promise..." She murmurs. "And I'll try to think of something nice for when you get back." She seems concerned as she watches. "Just don't get yourself hurt or in trouble," She furrows her brows. "I'll give Mandrake a call once you're safe and back, okay?" She promises, looking a little worried. What could he have thought of? Will he be okay?

When the tunic is unfastened, Kit slides it off and tosses that onto the bed, then reaches out to the clothes storage to yank a T-shirt off a hanger, which gets tugged on. As he pops his head through the collar, he says, "I look forward to getting back here, then, if you're going to have one of your surprises waiting for me." That's said with a larger smile; he's still not quite at the "grin" stage, yet, but maybe when he gets back. Hopefully. Right now, he's just trying to focus on fixing a situation he should never should have let get out of control in the first place.

Aw. Rain smiles, as he looks forward to getting back. "Okay. We'll be here. Azzy will help guard, he's very fierce. Though, I bet he secretly likes chin rubs," She considers. "Just be safe." She nods. "And don't hesitate to call if you need any healing."

"Well, I won't have to call if I'm coming right back to you, now will I?" Kit replies, arching a brow a little as he reaches over to snag a pair of jeans. "And I think Azzy's gotten to where he'll love any attention you give him. I don't know if he'll ever really be the cuddly sort, but he's getting friendlier." A soft chuckle as he tilts his head a little. "Well, mind that's friendliER."

"Okay," She nods. She smiles as he replies. "Just in case you can't get back or something. Like, if you fought the AnkleBreaker or something," Rain points out. She grins at the Azzy comment. "He is sweet, in his own way. A lot of cats just like being near you," She notes. Rain shrugs. "Stay safe and we'll be here waiting."

That makes his smile falter, if just a touch, and Kit looks at her a beat. Finally, he says, "I--can only promise to try. You know as well as anyone that things sometimes have a way of conspiring.  I mean, if it's not giant ants, it's something else, right?" Another smile for her, there, if it's a bit less sincere.

Aw. "Okay. And I understand. Just - y'know." Do your best. Rain seems to understand, even if it's hard not to be concerned. "We'll be here, like I said. My phone will be on and I'll be petting Azzy. So... don't worry too much."

"Right," replies Kit, smiling wider if by just a hair's breadth, "you're going to tell me to not worry, when you're going to. That's not hypocritical..." A bit of friendly needling, made obvious by his tone. "But I'll do my best, on all fronts." That's said quite sincerely. When everything's said and done, his costume is carefully folded up and set on a crate, the guns and his rings left on top. It feels weird, leaving all of that behind; he hasn't been without at least the guns and rings--nearly ever since he accepted the mantle in the first place and swore the Oath of the Skull before Guran. But tonight--no. What he's going to do, the Phantom /cannot/ be a part of, in any way. He gives the costume one last look while she's making tea, then sets his jaw again. And just a touch over two hours later, Asmodeus' ears will perk. Where Devil would have leapt from the bed, Azzy merely looks curiously toward the hallway. In just a few moments, Kit shuffles in, holding his left bicep with his right hand. His lip is torn, and there's a trickle of dried blood near one nostril. He also walks with a bit of a limp, favoring his right leg, and his clothes are dirty and rumpled. "Hi," he says quietly, forcing a smile as he enters the sleeping quarters. "So did you enjoy reading and sipping tea?"

Rain's reading, likely something on goetic magic - and sitting near Azzy. The room is sweet with the scent of sandalwood - candles! And she pauses as Azzy's ears perk. So much for attack cat. She frowns, seeing Kit shuffle in hurt. But she smiles, back. "Yes. Though, you look like you had a time of it. Do you need ... um, healing?" She peers over. She's been worrying a bit, but doesn't press the questions too much for now. Whatever surprise she has for him is waiting until she figures he looks less like he lost a fight.

When he gets to her, Kit holds up his left fist, opening his middle, ring, and pinky fingers--and a medallion drops from them, suspended by a chain still held by his index finger and thumb. "He's no longer under the Phantom's protection," he says, the bit of the smile fading. "He had friends, but--I got it." And thus, freeing Rain, Mandrake, and Helena to do whatever to the man they wish without his interference. "Now, if you don't mind, I do think I'll sit down. I've been dizzy ever since I got off the subway..." And with that, he steps to the side, turns around--and collapses onto the cot, not so much "sitting" as "flopping onto his back with a groan".

Blink. Rain's eyes widen. "Is that okay...?" She looks worried as his smile fades. She takes a deep breath. "I'll give Mandrake a call. Would you like anything to eat, drink or a warm bath?" She peers over. "And please, lay down. I can heal you if you'd like." But if he doesn't like, she'll accept it - albeit less than happily. Either way, she's both happy and unhappy all at once. Sigh. "We're just glad you came back," Yes.

"I'm just glad I'm back, too," says Kit, releasing his bicep to reach over and lay his hand on her arm, squeezing it lightly. "As for what I'd like--I'll take anything you want to give me, even a warm bath." Eyes close for a moment, as he tries to stop his head from swimming. Why does scum always have friends? Big friends, too--the kind that hit like a Mack truck. He squeezes and releases her arm in slow motions, then forces his eyes to open once more so he can look up at her.

Aww. Rain smiles and will set her hands over his. "Well. Let me heal you first, then the rest of it," She nods. She will kneel near the bed and zone out quietly for a few minutes. It's one of the great downsides to will working. No one knows what the hell you're doing or why you aren't drooling on yourself. Still, she smiles faintly at him. Regardless, unless he stops her, she'll at least heal the physical wounds. Poor Kit. She'll kiss his forehead. "So ... no worries. Dinner's by my room. I brought some gyros and stuff..." Nod. "If you don't like them, I will throw myself upon them, even if they're so going straight to my thighs." Brave.

There's a soft groan as his body re-knits itself, as wounds are magically simply fixed, and so on. It's not a sound of displeasure, not really--still, it's not exactly comfortable. On the other hand--that's probably psychological in nature, too; disallowing himself to feel comfort even from someone he loves tending to him. Which, yes, even he realizes is incredibly screwed up. When she's done, he smiles up at her when she kisses his forehead, and he reaches up with his two good arms now to loosely wrap them around her neck and keep her right there next to him. "Dinner sounds good," he says quietly, looking into her eyes. "And if the gyros go straight to your thighs--then I'll be jealous." The smile widens and brights a bit. That might have been a bawdy joke, or at least as close to bawdy as he ever gets. Of course, he's not really lying, either.

Poor Kit. Rain winces at the groan, but seems somewhat relieved as he smiles. She looks happy as his arms wrap loosely around her. It's hard not to just hug him back. Then she laughs softly at his joke and blushes. "Okay... what drink would you like? And don't sweat getting up. You deserve a break," Headshake. "Okay?" A peer over. Rain loves Kit, really. Even if she's a bit of a wanderer with many interests and allegiances. She is a bit concerned by the groan, but hmm... she didn't hurt him, did she? Either way, she lets it go, watching him for now and lingering until she stands to fetch whatever drink he asks for. And dinner.

A kiss brushed against her cheek, then Kit lets his arms slowly slide from around her neck. He's not going to argue, though there's a /bit/ of temptation to do just that. Fingertips drag lightly against her jaw to her chin, then he lets her go fully so she can get up. "A cup of tea would be brilliant," he says as he reaches his arms up to fold them under his head. "And--thank you," he adds, a touch softer. "For--everything. Dinner, the tea--being patient with me." His gaze lingers on her, and he realizes just how lucky he is to have her. Not very many people would, ultimately, put up with him and the demands his ancient traditions place on him.

In complete fairness, he has to put up with quite a few of Rain's flaws. She smiles as he kisses her cheek. Rain will carefully kiss his chin and stand to take care of dinner and drinks. She looks over her shoulder and smiles again. "Of course." She nods. Rain pauses at his words. She turns a little red. "Hey... don't sweat it. We take care of one another because we love one another," She shakes her head. "It's a tough burden you have. And um, well. Mistakes were made." That's an understatement. She just waves a hand. "So ... yeah. I guess that would be more a mulligan than anything else..." Sigh. "Sorry." She bites her lower lip and turns to distract herself by bringing things over. She'll pour some hot water from the kettle and fetch the food while it steeps. It's fresh Greek food, a trio of stuffed gyros with assorted stuffings awaits. Kit gets first pick, mind. There's some salad and sweet rolls, too.

While she's dealing with the food, Kit sits up, swinging his legs over the side of the cot to plant his feet on the ground. He watches her move, taking the time to just enjoy looking at her. And when she returns to him, he smiles again, glancing over the food. "Thank you," he says as he reaches for one of the gyros. He'll deal with the sides in a moment. He scoots over a bit to let her sit down next to him so she, too, can eat. "It is, sometimes, a burden, but--the Phantom has always had to deal with it, ever since Christopher Standish decided to help the villagers that had taken him in. It's--something I was taught since a boy, to deal with the burdens when they become--heavy," he says, looking at the gyro thoughtfully. "Mistakes are fine; they happen, even to someone trained to avoid them--but when they do happen, I need to deal with them immediately, and--I didn't, not as quickly as I should have." He takes a bite of the gyro, glancing over at her.

Rain will return and set it within reach. She'll sit beside him, looking over. "You're welcome. I hope it's good... I hadn't tried this place before," She admits. Rain watches him in turn quietly, violet eyes a little wide. She nods, listening to his story. It sounds exotic, so unimaginably far away. "Well. We're here for you. Even if we kind of blunder it sometimes," She will take one he didn't. Olivelicious. She takes a bit and peers over at him. Hmmm. "... how is it?" She asks quietly. "And don't feel bad. Like I said, we all have our troubles," She shakes her head. For now, she stays by him. "It happens. This seemed like a really unusual situation," She points out.

"It is," Kit replies quietly, looking back down to the gyro. "I've never encountered anything like it in the Chronicles, and I've read each of them dozens of times as I grew up." He has to wonder what his descendants will think of what he'd done; in one sense, be broke an oath almost as important as the Oath of the Skull. In another sense, though, he'd freed his friends and lover from a burden that should have been his alone to carry. Maybe they'll understand, and maybe they won't. Either way, it's done now. "And--thank you for being here," he adds, reaching over to rub her back and offer a small smile. "I do appreciate it, even if I don't always remember to tell you just how much." A bare beat, then, "Oh, and, uh--the gyro's good, actually, though I think that's as much the company as anything else." The smile widens a bit for her.

Rain tilts her head. She smiles at him faintly. "I see. Well, that is pretty tough," She points out. "But it sets a good precedent and might help others," She adds. Either way, she listens as she eats. And there is no going back. She looks thoughtful as he rubs her back. There's a smile in turn. "And I you. You're wonderful. Um. I'm glad you like it. I think... not sure if that's on the go back to list," She admits. She blushes at the widening smile. "I have to run a bath for you, too. But not just yet. Gyros in the bath..." Hmm. She quirks her eyebrows at that idea. "I don't know about that." Either way, she doesn't seem upset with him. Maybe a little frightened by all that wrath. But mostly happy.

((Fade Out))