i am a cage in search of a bird

[crocodiline]

[ The figure inside the frosted glass snaps her fingers, and the glass falls away, sliding into grooves in the ground below. Inside, behind additional bulletproof glass, sits a woman, legs up on a transparent glass desk, absentmindedly petting a... whatever this thing is.

Say hello to your mastermind, everyone! ]

Hey there, everyone. Nice to talk to you in person - my name is Cipher, welcome to my city. Sorry I took so long to show up in person. No need to get up on my account - how about we talk business?

[ Let's drive. ]

Comments

[crocodiline]

[ Cipher lowers her arm. ]

At ease.

[ She takes a vial of some kind of plasmid out of her jacket and tosses it to the floor, where it shatters. ]

I'm done ordering you around.

[chemicalromance]

[The glass vial shatters and, just for a moment, a purple mist swirls up, and is gone.

Eleanor blinks. Her eyes, now blue, widen with a slight surprise. Despite that, she seems to relax.]

You've... set me free? Why? A-after everything...

[crocodiline]

I think the idea here is that I try to be better...?

[ She shakes her head. ]

Either way, it doesn't sit right anymore. I don't... mind your company either way, but no more hypnosis.

1/2

[chemicalromance]

You... were using me.

[A snap of her fingers, and a small ball of fire materializes in Eleanor's hand.]

I could kill you.

[specialyellthing]

[popcorn.jpg]

2/2

[chemicalromance]

[...The flame is extinguished.]

But... that wouldn't be much in the spirit of this, would it?

[She's contemplative, finally looking around herself, at the group of living people finally gathered together.]

Is it finally over? This nightmare?

[crocodiline]

You'd be within your rights.

[ She nods. ]

Yes. The New Rapture dream is over. They're going to have me blow up the city. Most of it, anyway.

OPEN

[chemicalromance]

[hm.] Then good riddance to it. I'm quite alright with letting this dream die for another to begin.

And... I would prefer to have you in that dream, without the mind control, of course.

[They're all free. Eleanor finally relaxes.]

I suppose forgiveness is the lesson learned. [She nods.] I feel like this was a good choice.

infant death mention

[hotpaprika]

[Really weird hitting this since he's openly talking about killing Dracula but

tbf he's pretty sure that Cipher isn't a baby eater.]

[chemicalromance]

[No gods, no kings, and definitely no baby eating.]

[howveryglib]

[...

There's something kind of bittersweet about it. Would that it were always so easy...]

...

I am glad to see that you are alright, at least.

[chemicalromance]

I'm glad to see you are alright as well. All of you.

[It's a bittersweet mood. Somehow, it's over.]

There was very little that could have happened to me. Seeing that you've all survived... it's quite impressive.

[howveryglib]

Ah... well, I was primarily worried that what had happened to you was irreversible, though it certainly is different than what I initially feared.

[chemicalromance]

It... was a Hypnotize plasmid. Temporary in most cases, but they can be modified, as is their nature.

[Her eyes briefly drift to the glass shards on the floor.]

[howveryglib]

…I see. That seems like the sort of thing that has no use that is not horrific on some level, honestly…