Snippet #2369293

Shae was sitting perfectly still on the floor of the helicopter. She leaned back against a wall, with her back pressed firmly against it. Her knees were drawn up to her chest, and her arms were wrapped around them. Eyes closed, she had tilted her head back so that the light of the sun beamed through the window on the opposite wall to warm her face. Inhaling slowly, as though she might actually breathe in the delicate motes of luminescence, she then held that breath for several long seconds, and opened her ice blue eyes. Her pupils dilated as she found herself staring straight into the sun, and she exhaled slowly, feeling the familiar tugging in her chest that told her the connection had been made. Invisible, except to the most perceptive of gazes, a tiny thread of translucent gossamer thread seemed to connect Shae's gaze to the Sun which burned brightly in the window. That affinity built so that the light was all that Shae saw, and then she blinked, and the bond was broken, but the Sun's Aegis burned beneath her skin.

This process had taken several minutes. Yes, it was possible for the whole thing to be completed within the time limit of a couple of heartbeats, but this link she had made now was much stronger, and easier to manipulate. Stirring slightly, and looking around, Shae realized that something was badly wrong. Something had changed.

She had been spoken to by a young girl, with fear prominent in her eyes. "C’mon, help me out here. Please. I’ll owe y’all, and trust me—I’m a great person to have indebted. I could help you on your escapade! I could tell you all about Aeron! We’re like, so distantly close. Please? I beg of you. I don’t want to be locked up again! I just escaped, for god’s sake.” Standing, Shae went to reply to the girl in a soft, indifferent tone, but just as she parted her lips to speak, she was stopped by the abrupt reaction of Gabriel.

With Aegis burning her skin a soft golden color, Shae turned her gaze on the male Slayer, with a risen brow. The fury that resonated from the Champion was palpable in the thick air, and the Elf Champion frowned as she then watched with an expression that was seemingly disinterested. Moments of silence passed, painfully devoid of action, and then Gabriel made a move. With agonizingly slow movements, he removed the mask that had covered his gaze, and a distinct shiver ran down the spines of each human slave aboard this ridiculous excuse for transportation, and even Shae was aware of the Phobia that drifted like toxic smoke across the space. She barely noticed the terror that the Colonel stank of. His fear sweat dripped down his face, soiling the arms and back of his shirt and with disgust Shae turned to look at the offending girl.

Immediately, Shae felt the instinctual feeling of wrong. She hadn't noticed the teenager before, and she mentally berated herself for the lax mental state she had been in, but now she knew that the female creature she looked upon definitely wasn't right. A hybrid of two creatures that should never have been mixed, though until the Angel wings freed themselves, Shae knew not what blood ran through her veins. But she stank of her own type of fear. Fear of being caught and caged. This was something Shae was familiar with, and she drew away from the pitiful girl as she realised.

By now, Gabriel was speaking to the teenager, Natasha. His voice was low, threatening, and dangerous, and Shae instantly became aware of the Phobia that had the others around them all but cowering in their respective seats. Protected as she was by her Aegis power, Shae was aware only of the soft brush of the tension against her skin as she watched the teenager cower beneath Gabriel's fist. It was only as she stepped forwards at this moment that she glanced to see Nirvana and Skylar, who was only just stirring.

"You will tell us everything you know, spy beast not affiliated with Aeron—but first, I will show you your place in this world." spoke Gabriel, moments before throwing the trembling body away from himself with the thud of a dead weight, and a small smile. He had enjoyed that, she knew.

Shae reserved judgement as the Slayer stepped back and donned his mask once more. And then there was another silence, and Shae's hand moved to the handle of her blade. It responded immediately, and flames licked for a second down the blue steel before receding back into the metal. She knew it would return if she needed to take steps to intervene between the Slayer and Natasha. She wasn't entirely sure on her situation, except for the fact that every moment caused her an internal dilemma.

And then she clapped, the slow sarcastic clap of one who knew that she was in danger but refused through sheer pride to show that. As Natasha spoke, Shae smirked. This child truly didn't know what she spoke of, and Shae listened to her short speech with amusement. She was so sure, so confident that she could do no wrong. When Shae knew she doubted herself. She regurgitated words that she had heard before, without true understanding of their meaning, and it was only when the child started to bawl that she saw fit to step forwards. Shae looked to Gabriel, knowing that he would likely take the tears as weakness, and abuse the teenager until he got the answers he desired. But now Shae claimed the opportunity to give taming Natasha a go.

A single step forwards. Her blade sang with flames, hanging threateningly at her hip, and the Elf Champion was suddenly very there. Shae let her cold gaze fall on Gabriel, and demonstrated for the first time her power over his Will. With the sweetest sigh of breath, Shae exerted her power, on one of the most basic levels. It was just strong enough, aimed towards those who would approach the Elf or the Hybrid Teenager, to take away the memory of their chosen action. They would attempt to move forwards, and like passing through a doorway, quite simply forget their intentions. The anger or frustration might remain, but the intentions would slip away like a fish escaping into deeper waters.

Then Shae approached the girl, whose wings were slumped in defeat behind her, and forced herself to soften her expression. She knelt and for several moments just looked at the teenager until she met her gaze, and it took that much time for her to understand. It was pathetic. She was weak. But she didn't let that show on her face as she spoke so that only Natasha could hear.

"Stand...Sit here, with me" She murmured, and exerted her power very gently once more so that she would almost lose the thought of hurting those around her. "Talk to me, Angel, and none here may hurt you" Her voice was rich and soft and persuasive, ignoring the pressure that Nix gave to her.

Shae then offered her something that she knew Natasha would find it difficult to refuse. "Trust me, and none here may hurt you. And you will earn your freedom" Shae didn't know if she lied or not. She just knew that these were the right words to speak.