how could a hero of justice turn down an adventure?

an impossible feat to consider! it was one possibility vegas could scarcely entertain - an act that would no doubt put endless valued citizens lives on the line, lest swarm danger upon honourable evanthe agnoire. admittedly, julio had made some resistance initially. foolishly so! possibly because among reasons there were minor, minor doubts on the descriptor of ‘honourable’ for evanthe but handed both a challenge - however little enthusiasm she intended to put into the proposal - and a mystery, vegas found it impossible to reject. for the impossible feat reasons, of course.

even if julio's typical enthusiasm had begun to wane across new york on an unexplained subway journey. yet he reminded himself, with each unanswered question, that a hero always keeps at their strongest - and most optimistic - the darkest of times! and vegas would be quick to remind one these were dark times that were both literal and metaphorical; or he reasoned so, with the inconsistent lighting in the subway carriage as the time went by. being a hero was overflowing with wondrous symbolism like that!!

but by the time they reached their apparent stop it was clear julio was eager to get off, deep symbolism or not. there wasn't too much effort involved in hefting the backpack around she'd handed to him. rather, he'd been more concerned with the fate of his companion!! given her insistence on the skates while scaling across new york, something he eyed as they left the platform whilst taking care to avoid other passengers. julio also eyed that backpack; he would have offered to carry her backpack, one proposal prefaced with valour as per usual, but he assumed she'd brush it off as she similarly did with every other question she'd done so far.

yet finally it seemed answers were in the horizon! instead of moving off to whatever was next on this quest evanthe had stopped to reveal something. as she glanced back julio expression was good-natured and inquisitive; curiosity piqued anew, his reaction on seeing the zip-lining gear was initially blank. seconds later, confused until his mind made the connections.

“what vegas thinks?” he repeated her jovially, loud grandiose tone setting in as per custom and attracting a few glances from those departing the platform, and mirroring her grin, “vegas can only think of beauty. truly, the honourable evanthe does intend for adventurous things to happen today.”

“pray tell, fair maiden, what of your previous quest for secrecy?” he felt the need to question it but julio's mind was focused on the items, chiefly unexperienced in all manner of zip-lining outside old friends' tales of trips to bootleg canyon and horrible youtube videos, “such seems entirely unnecessary to this hero now!”

@toccatina

ah, so perhaps his earlier internal controversy had been justified! what a tragic turn of events where vegas would have to strip evanthe agnoire her descriptor of ‘honourable’!! he took the revelation as one would expect and while he'd been slow on the uptake, his reaction to the moral calibre of the situation was immediate. there was fall in his expression and despite how upbeat she said it, his own tone turned to grave. though, y'know, still as grandiose as ever. she'd already turned away before he had much of a chance to reply

“so instead evanthe intended to dupe vegas,” julio felt her upbeat statements needed some clarification of sorts - to reveal their true CRUEL intentions. his eyes trained down on her with a gaze that could only be described as intensely disapproving. furthermore, it appeared she intended to hold his enthusiasm hostage. how the world was full of further cruel intentions! “for not only does this once fair maiden wish to break the law, she also wishes for vegas to break the chaste vows he has sworn to justice.”

were her sultry demands not evidence of that? seduce and regale one with the promise of zip-lining then while they're excited - defenceless, mind you!!! - spring the horrifying truth. should he have expected it? though yet while he was predictably conflicted, julio still continued to follow her. for not only did she intend to hold his enthusiasm hostage, but her own mortal life as well!!

which, y'know, not cool evanthe.

heaving a heavy, exasperated sigh, matching her less than genuine one, julio continued, “will evanthe truly go through with this illegality no matter what - or no matter the means?” vegas would have truly appreciated such determination had it not been for such fiendish ends! but something other than intense disapproval was on his face right then - contemplation.

@toccatina / my autocorrect changes her surname to 'agonise' i feel like this is necessary to say

lighten up? nay, vegas could sparsely think of such trivial pursuits when evanthe dared to infer this was meant to be. the true absurdity of her statements would be remembered for eons! she intended to drag lady fate's name through the mud with these very implications. even if, the hero of justice was begrudgingly beginning to realise, it seemed fate did dictate this to occur whether he liked it or not. evanthe at any rate seemed determined - her tone nonchalant whereas her intent was eternally devious. she possessed single-minded intent to do evil that day which was evidence confirming her status not only as dishonourable but as a dark force of evil.

a dark force of evil whose greatest weakness appeared to be subway stairs.

watching the effort the junior put into conquering them, and walking behind her in a move that seemed to indicate he was concerned about her attempts, julio chose to ignore her blasphemy against fate for an alternative approach, “would vegas' companion need a hand?” adjusting the rucksack higher on his shoulder, his eyes went briefly examined the stairwell before returning back to her, “for as it were evanthe's venture seems inconvenienced by the current foe that faces her. instead, vegas could just carry her?” for a tainted soul in trouble was still a soul, he supposed, by given her tone that sounded as exasperated as he felt she did not seem as if she would take him up on his offer. nonetheless, he was smiling a bit in reflex; julio always enjoyed carrying people, but he lost the expression soon enough, worried that the dishonourable evanthe agnoire would take it as a form of tacit endorsement of her fiendish schemes.

lest vegas get distracted by the ephemeral joys of the material world such as carrying people; after all, there was a tragic debate at hand and he needed to focus on that! and the tragedy wasn't evanthe's inferring that the trip to staten island was all a waste, it was the immoral zip-lining. for vegas refused to shake off the ramifications of breaking the law as easily as she did. and he did think about it; vegas toiled over these horrifying thoughts! for while it was hard to argue against the idea that vegas was doing a favour to the city by accompanying her, the hero of justice was sure a greater favour would be stopping her completely.

additionally, he needed to commit to his heart the knowledge of this nefarious side of evanthe! for vegas had faced many things in his time as a hero of justice but never expected such a satanic form of peer pressure that went beyond “if you don't do this you're not cool anymore” to hardcore levels of “i'll die and maybe accidentally kill other people if you don't help me”. needless to say, after school specials rarely covered such grounds.

and vegas realised his further deliberation also worked against his favour and right into her hands. as resistant to her attempts at sacred justice logic were he could not stay silent! especially with such a guilt-inducing question on the end even if the answer was obvious and hardly needed to be stated, “vegas guesses himself.” it was clipped sentence and there was little room for doubt in how julio felt about the matter, despite the other's go go at rationalising.

“should vegas be disappointed that evanthe's villainy displays a level of incompetence that it requires a hero of justice to assist her,” he resignedly continued, “or would evanthe have plucked another soul to do this if he had said no?” disapproving gaze still on her, he gestured for her to hurry up, “for at this speed, the chance will never happen. does vegas need to clarify he was serious about that carrying offer?”

@toccatina

evanthe really did need two people. perhaps, julio thought, he consider himself glad that evanthe did not possess some kind of duplication power. two evanthes zip-lining across staten island? there may as well have been two veritable horsemen of the apocalypse, opening the dark gateway through which more manifestations of evil would occur. so they both agreed to be disappointed in her villainy but, for now, julio would remain secretly relieved as one dishonourable companion was looking like more enough to try and stop.

yet she dared him to summon enthusiasm - and did vegas dare obey? well, he tried to do what she wished; enthusiasm was one thing that rarely came as an issue for him but the guilt of summoning his enthusiasm for such woeful ends! especially as it seemed true that others would not be spared from evanthe's cruel demands. she had little shame in admitting that other people were at threat of her fiendish requests. he was saving them from grievous zip-line injury but from the same position he was in: being told how utterly enthused they should be for the opportunity. so vegas made an attempt at being something other than reluctant, for her sake, “surely by the end of this his enthusiasm shall reach levels higher than what can be zip-lined by mortals.” though he failed in enthusiasm still; his words sounded uncharacteristically sarcastic even if he tried to make an effort.

at least he could be a little happy when evanthe said she was glad vegas was there, even if it was just for the carrying - mutual interests could always be seen a glorious victory! and she was smiling so widely, practically radiating with happiness, it made julio feel a twinge of guilt for what he was going to do. for when she accepted his offer, vegas wasted little more time. after all, it would be dishonourable to leave evanthe to trek up the rest of the stairs! stepping a bit and trying to get as close as he could on the unstable ground, julio moved into her personal space as he judged what to do. for while he took a few moments to shrug the rucksack off one shoulder, instead holding one of its straps in one hand, it hardly took more consideration to lift evanthe. moving her arm to his shoulder, he crouched down before he suddenly heaved her over his shoulder with the other arm that had the bag in it. standing up, it took him only a bit longer to get adjusted to the new weight, “is vegas' companion comfortable?” maybe she would have preferred a bridal carry but that would have been inconvenient for what julio had in mind.

since once he was comfortable, vegas twisted around away from the exit. ruining evanthe's progression against her eternal foe he started stepping back down the subway stairs back to the platform, laughing before announcing, “prithee, evanthe will have to try harder than that to corrupt justice.”

however, his laughs lacked the typical boisterous obnoxiousness they usually had as vegas was not only weighed down by the dishonourable companion on one shoulder but from the guilt of betraying her as well. it was necessary, he reprimanded himself, for the good of all the citizens of new york, “admittedly, vegas shall forever regret breaking evanthe's sacred trust.“ a dramatic pause, “the timeless joy on her captivating expression… it shall endlessly haunt vegas knowing that such delight was extinguished with his own hands.” the delivery was distraught and equally genuine but julio tried to keep justice in mind as he added wistfully, “but an eye for an eye, a dupe for a dupe. back to campus then?”

@toccatina / IS THIS OK UM FEEL FREE 2 BURN HIM EVANTHE U SAID SURPRISE HER 8^)

so evanthe didn't find it comfortable; if only he had gone with bridal style. torn between thinking a dark force of evil deserved the slight discomfort, and continuous guilt at vaguely kidnapping someone who he pretty much liked, in consolidation he attempted to shift a little to make it better - likely, barely doing anything at all. the little good that would do and at the same time he stated, “nay, justice's due actions may not always be the most comfortable but comfort is something one must sacrifice for the greater good.” a pause, “or it could be even less comfortable if justice so dictates it; evanthe should consider luck on her side in this regard!”

after all, vegas had considered safety such a prerequisite that he'd almost used his power - and his eyes on the rollerskates in particular, but doubted a giant exoskeleton would have added to the first class delights that was his shoulder already. he tried to glance over at her but his view was constrained for obvious reasons, choosing to add on hastily, “for what it's worth, vegas gives his apologies.”

though it sounded as if evanthe would have little interest in his apologies. her own unique twists on ancient proverbs got a small wince, more reaction than what her attempted struggles received, “he votes for neither of those phrases. ‘rotten traitor’ is a descriptor hardly befitting a hero such as he when vegas has already stated the regrets that fill him.” need he emphasise more how much this was the greater good?

“the best stunt shall never be worth it if the citizens of new york have to suffer! nor can it be so if it is bound to grant vegas an audience with the false idols of justice,” a dramatic and soulful delivery, especially bitter when he ended. however, the practical realities of waiting for the next train with a damsel hefted over his shoulder had not dawned on him though he appeared to pay little heed to the actual citizens of new york surrounding them on the subway platform, the few that were there at that time of day, “and perhaps evanthe speaks of two wrongs but all vegas sees are two wayfaring yet differing souls - one is a wrong,” a pause to pat her with the arm holding her steady, “and the other a right.” cue absurdly self-righteous chest puff! well, it was a stage cue he missed given the sudden burning sensation.

yelling in surprise - loudly, as was everything with julio - he tried to shift her into some other position to get her to stop. he tried to twist her neck to even see what she was but behind her was a veritable blind spot, especially with now the clumsy way he was still trying to make her stop. reflexively, his dermal armour set in, spreading over his upper back, shoulder blades and creeping up his neck. it made craning to see her even harder but he still tried to reprimand her - or at least, attempted to.

“hark, evanthe must not--” a break to try and pull her by her clothes further forward in an attempt to stop what she was pressed into his back, and a start of a whole new sentence, “vegas cannnot carry her if she sets fire to him.” she'd mentioned something like that but surely his dishonourable companion would not hold true to that if it put herself in danger as well? his armour had already spread across his upper back but it had never stood well against the test of heat and his grip much looser. the best case scenario was she would get out - worst case? dropping her. or his shirt catching alight with whatever evil powers she decided to unfurl!!! or, y'know, her heating deal, “for he'll bring her down with him if he has to!”

@toccatina / bless evanthe (oops sorry im a lil under the weather writing this but >))

such pessimism and negativity was not fitting on a vireximus university student! she discarded his apologies as she did with her moral fibre, with little care! equally as annoyed with this as she was with his determination in all things righteous, vegas huffed a little, even showing concern at her added bank robbery plan even if she clarified she didn't intend to go through it, “doing evil is a slippery slope! evanthe may say no now but if vegas permit evanthe to zip-line today, who knows what would happen.”

the fact she appeared to have little restraint in burning him was enough to keep vegas' concern!! his mind was already on his back under the armour; whatever she had done had stung - never mind her less nonchalant approach, it burnt so it hurt. he had half the thought to try and pull his armour off him out of all the things his back needed, a denser coat above it pushed down by another weight was only further agitating whatever she'd done, “well evanthe must quit 'cause vegas said so first.” quarrelling back his commands were less soulful announcements than childish squabbling whilst whatever she had been doing had apparently been ceased - interrupted, as he said - he didn't know how long for. and she dared to deem it artistry? “and art cannot be art if it is seared into vegas back, lest she try such maleficence against vegas' chaste armour of justice.”

evanthe seemed to settle down but vegas was not taking her lack of movement as a sure sign she'd calmed. the ramifications of letting his guard down before was getting two somethings poke red into his shoulder . no chances would be took against the dark forces of evil no matter what art they claimed to make, “then vegas shall keep carrying her - to the end of time if need be!” his tone was serious, as if she wasn't one-hundred pounds hefted over his shoulder with a pain in his shoulder exasperated by a set of armour that made it nigh impossible to move his neck. the thought of craning his neck to even look around the platform was a pain but he focused not on the negative thoughts. after all, vegas had nary intention here or there of giving up hope - not when he still had an ace up his sleeves!

and what was vegas' coign of vantage dare you ask? okay, maybe no coign of vantage so much as back-up of a back-up plan; julio's first ace had been the whole “in a heroic and virtuous fashion pick the dark force of evil up and carry her away"! yet lady fate demanded another turnabout, he heard destiny's cries. or that's what he wanted anyway because he had little interest of partaking in some ritualistic subway barbecue.

nay, a performance was what vegas preferred and a performance was what evanthe would get.

“behold!” brandishing the rucksack she'd given him earlier, lifting it up with theatrics anew, his actions came with audio descriptors. a lack of description was hardly something one need worry about with julio but he put special emphasis in giving extra detail with evanthe's restricted view. yes, even with her supremely dastardly deeds in consideration because didn't villains deserve a show too? “vegas has in his free hand a secret weapon! forsooth; while one arm keeps evanthe, the other cradles an instrument of doom, the decider of today's fair battle. ” and forsooth, despite his apparent detail julio was hardly as explanatory as he was typically - something the few surveyors on the platform struggled with as well, “what evanthe bestowed upon vegas remains the truest mystery to the minds and souls of the world save herself! however, this hero of justice will not hesitate to hold it against her.” a beat. “nay, if she tries vegas further he will have no choice but to destroy it whatever way he can.”

property damage for justice!! julio saw little wrong with the idea in his dramatic state - really, for him there was little issue with throwing the rucksack under the train. maybe even literally with the way he was dangling it.

yet once again a challenge of evanthe consumed him with hesitation! julio was hardly a stranger to an audience - whether the audience was willing or not - but her words were something he had to concede to more than anything else that day. his back still stung but with his limited view even he noticed the few people looking. they'd not been whom he'd been referring to when he spoke of the “minds and the souls of the world”. he'd found anyone else's attendance easy to tune out as if they were white noise but their relative silence made it all the more easier.

“it is simply that they are powerless against such raw, outstanding morality in action,” was julio's first explanation to evanthe's jab, “these gracious citizens remain silent in awe, that is all.” it failed to convince him admittedly. would none approach to speculate on such righteous power? were they just going to stand around? though face to face with the general public at a subway station vegas, the hero of justice, wasn't really sure of what to do with them.

he'd moved a little to get a better look at them, arm lowering in its dramatic brandishing, he clarified, “for perhaps they sense the unholy aura that encompasses evanthe, the tension between her and the valiant hero vegas?” the tension probably wasn't the best way to describe it but vegas' attention was on something else, “wait, is that one--” a break for a sound of indigence from him, “--taking a picture?”

@toccatina / js i would if i saw a man mountain carrying a rowdy pinkette

right he was, evanthe confirmed it herself! while evanthe scoffed at his concerns with remarkable flippancy vegas had half in mind to reprimand her for her continuously nonchalant nature. yet he'd been reprimanding her in the station to no avail if that dark chasm of sarcasm was anything to go by. he dared himself not venture down such paths of flagrant derision but he couldn't very well not reply. half-tempted to take her words at face value, he retorted, “forsooth, one can only speculate.” and her speculation? “drab.” clipped, he passed judgement on her quips, “evanthe may be an antagonist of this sordid, tragic tale, but with vegas here she shall step down that path no longer.”

she was right in her sarcasm in one respect, “she speaks of luck and 'tis the truest thing she's said all day, whether satire was meant or not.” though julio didn't count himself particularly luck, if at all. but a noble hero does his noble duty as he should! and julio had quickly internalised his struggle in carrying evanthe as the Only Option in that circumstance and there was No Other Choice.

besides, julio saw through her sorry attempt at a bluff. not only did she stoop to such levels of holding herself hostage, then the city and with no limits in sight she then brought the noble turtle race into it. scoffing, he quickly derided her choice. vegas was far past at believing her attempts at guilt-trips or far past giving her any heed, even at the risk it would be true. signs she'd definitely frayed his nerves, or possibly just a rational conclusion but it seemed more like the later.

“and trust a dark force of evil not to deceive him again so soon?” another scoff for the added dramatic factor; sure, there was no questioning julio's rising temper but he still put his heart into his performance, “does evanthe see not shame in involving the noblest creatures of the sea in her façade?” the hero of justice rolled his eyes. “or did she intend to take the turtle zip-lining as well - a further act of her bountiful charity today? another dashing surprise for vegas to be grateful for?” now that actually was sarcasm, the cynical tone growing at the two sources of aggravation on his back, the burn and evanthe herself.

even zip-lining turtles were not a victimless crime, vegas would assure all citizens of that! perhaps that was what would soothe the souls of those at the platform for their faces and concerned looks said nothing of understanding the situation. inwardly, he ended up reprimanding himself for his attitude as well. his negativity was hardly placating to those whose lives were at constant threat whether from evanthe or a full-scale super villain! nevertheless, he was mirroring evanthe's destructive ways and her disbelieving tone and he remedied that. ignoring her sarcasm for once instead he chose to address the cameraman by posing himself alongside eva, a forced grin and a nice flex of his arm which held the bag.

together with their combined forces julio and evanthe formed the most photogenic kidnapping in the world.

julio felt like he'd been ready to reply with something that only boomed positivity and beautiful intent but he thought he'd quelled her rebellion. even if he'd been expecting continued resistance that would do nothing against the the sharp, intense pain along his arm. the second time evanthe burnt him, and despite his earlier threats of eternally carrying her, he hesitated little in trying to get her off him as his skin blistered. it was hardly graceful and hardly satisfactory in terms of julio's high standards of justice; he tried to roll her off his arm even with his limited movement and pulled away, unconcerned with her safety. it was thoughtless in terms of whether it meant her hand met any other part of her and while the epidermis spread it would do would hold little against a temperature like that and it halted its spread before the angry burn, completely unable to cover evanthe's literal handiwork as it had done before.

julio couldn't see it, unable to move to much of his arm with the armour set, but if his back once stung the handspring on his arm throbbed. backing away from where he dropped at her his first instinct was to try and pull off the epidermic at the base of his neck to try and move easier. but with the bag in his non-injured hand, his earlier threats came to mind. and with the shaking of the ground, the echo of the subway train coming into the station, he threw the rucksack out onto the empty space of the tracks before the train came into the station.

the bag slammed into the font of the train; after that, julio saw little more of its fate. however, he did hear the screeching halt of the subway, probably drowned out whatever booming laugh of victory that usually accompanied a swift move of justice. that plus the burn alongside the sudden thought that the metropolitan transport authority wouldn't take too kindly to hostage disposal via subway carriage made julio less eager to laugh, making more of a meeker sound, something along the gripping and suspenseful lines of, “ah.”

@toccatina