In Other Words, Hold My Hand...

[Samantha McManus]

"And Altamira wouldn't leave him behind..."

[Altamira Vazquez]

"Oh, shut up. I know what I'm doing."

[Atropha]

"Yet this is what you always feared."

[Altamira Vazquez]

"Shut UP," she said, giving Nailah a strong backhand.

[Samantha McManus]

The flock crowded menacingly around.

"I'm not going to let you do that to her any more than I would Harbinger..."

[Altamira Vazquez]

"Don't you dare. DON'T you DARE."

[Atropha]

She doesn't even try to dodge though maybe that's just because at this point she's rather exhausted. She spins around in the air and drops for a moment before her wings can catch her again.

"Maybe I was wrong. Maybe you aren't any better than her afterall."

[Altamira Vazquez]

"Believe what you want. The fire of the Phoenix burns through corruption, you understand? The gaze of the Phoenix is like an x-ray tearing through every wrong, every evil."

[Samantha McManus]

"This from the 'Angel of Chaos'..."

[Altamira Vazquez]

"You mock me, Samantha. Do not make me turn my gaze on you."

[Samantha McManus]

"You've already turned your hand against someone who was just trying to help you."

[Atropha]

"You're blinded by zealousness. Lost in your own importance. Consumed by fervor. Already threatening to burn both right and wrong." she almost scolds her.

[Altamira Vazquez]

"Shut up Shut up SHUT UP!" she cried, and blasted away, flying back up and out faster than the eye could follow.

[Samantha McManus]

There was a mental sigh from the flock.

[Atropha]

"In better news, we're still not dead."

[Samantha McManus]

"Jury's still out."

[Atropha]

"Rapidly running out of cosmic beings to confront though." she laughs, though it's weary and not much of her bravado is left.

[Samantha McManus]

"We can't leave her here."

[Atropha]

"Goodness gracious, of course we won't leave her here but we can't exactly chase her down either."

[Samantha McManus]

"I think hearing you say 'goodness gracious' is easily the most surreal moment of this excursion."

[Atropha]

"I get the feeling you haven't been paying very much attention then..."

[Samantha McManus]

"More that one has to consider the baseline..."

[Atropha]

"You want to tell me you've already gotten used to this?"

[Samantha McManus]

There was another mental sigh.

"Can we save the fight until we're out of danger?"

[Atropha]

"Please."

[Samantha McManus]

"One less thing to worry about, then..."