“So, Raven, what’s the plan again?” Jack said, just as he laid upon the table, the spiked metals inserting themselves into his back. They locked into place, paralyzing Jack’s body from shoulder and down.
Raven looked at him oddly, the ring finger on her right hand tensing momentarily. “What do you mean ‘what’s the plan.’ We spoke it over. Abundantly. In great and unnecessary detail.”
He shrugged “Just in case, I might have forgotten something important,” Jack said with a crescent smile, then adding “Wouldn’t be the first time, you know?”
She did not look convinced. She tried to read into Jack, to fetch an emotion or a stray thought, but alas, his body was paralyzed. Nothing showed. Raven was not able to get a sense of his thoughts when the only thing he had showing was his obnoxious smirk.
Raven began to become nervous. Blood started pumping and sweat started running down her back. Her heart crashed against her ribs, beating wildly. Her eyes became wet, a sharp pain distracting her panicking skull.
Her, scared? The Mother Of Ravens?
She tried to reason with herself, to remind herself who she was, who Jack was. He was paralyzed, and with a click of a button from one of Raven’s fingers and the conscious transfer would begin. She was in power. She was in control. The terror seeping into her was irrational, nothing more than a bizarre manifestation of Jack’s omniscient make-believe play. She knew him, she understood him. She knows his tricks, his fictional magical powers. They’re all lies, fabrications, and fantasies fathomed from heedless sources. Jack was just a man; no special abilities, no special strengths. She was the true orchestra, the true mastermind behind every scheme that the guild did. Gaia was the light, Raven was the dark; two sisters created for this very purpose. Jack had no place in this world, he was but a pawn, a minion, a clown, a fool, a joker. He was the king's jester, a flashy and deadly joke, but a joke nevertheless. Her unseen hand was what granted the impossible possible, the core agent behind the exaggerated legends glued to Jack’s inflated name.
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Even this very operation, in this very manner and time, was choreographed by Raven's desires.
But something grasped at her heart, something real and wicked. It coiled around her heart, squeezing curiously. She felt her breath quicken, her mind heavy under the weight. The way he stared at her, the way he smirked, it all made he feel like there was something missing. Something she was unaware of. Something insanity inducing. She felt it stalking her from her blind spots, it’s sly scales brushing against her skin and whispering in her ears; but nothing, no thought and no sound, just a haunting, furtive cold.
“Raven? You alright there?” Jack called, concern in his voice.
“Huh?” Raven answered, her eyes re-focusing.
Jack raised an eyebrow “You zoned out. That’s not like you. Still good back there?
“Mehm!” Raven said, turning her face to the computer. She took a deep breath and banished her foolish thoughts.
She turned back and spoke with her customarily cool demeanor. “I have no idea why you’re making me do this, but I’ll do it anyway,” Raven said, feeling slightly decentered. She attempted to think of the reason behind why she was going along with this farce, but a returning ache made her dismiss her skeptical thoughts. She simply felt compelled to speak about. It felt like the right, ordinarily thing to do, and she was far too exhausted to fight it now.
“We’re going to send you into Dive mode. You should be able to transfer all your memories and consciousness into his body via a virtual mind battle. Ordinarily, attempting to do that on a normal brain will result in a backlash, as neurons have better defense capacities than aggressive ones, which is what you are attempting to do. But that body's mind is wiped. His brain is still fully functional, but he possesses no memories and no consciousness, and therefore no neurons,” Raven said. “Or at least, that’s the theory of it, in actuality the success rate of this operation is morbid.”
“Oh, I see. You got any better alternatives?” Jack said, his tone blank yet somehow still seething with sarcasm.
Raven ignored him; fear began creeping on her again. “Are you ready?” Raven asked, her hand over the enter key.
“Yes, Raven…” Jack began, his voice solemn “Just in case I don’t get to see you again, it was...a joy to see you in your underwear. Violet really does suit you. Luck to your schemes."
Raven did not respond. She stared at his smug face expressionlessly, and with a whimper, pressed the key.
Electricity flew, and Jack closed his eyes for the last time.