[As promised, Papyrus shows up, looking ... upset. He looks all the part of a total cowboy now, with a brimmed hat curteousy of Ban, and his clothes purchased from the store before Shit Went Down.
He keeps his distance from Sieglinde, knowing she's a powerful witch, of course. Her magic was probably better than his, right? At least that's how it always seemed.
Cue old western music. It's like a proper showdown, except one of the participants is a small crippled girl and the other is a skeleton. So maybe not like... proper. Also no one has a gun?? So yeah this is actually a bad showdown.]
...
[Once again, uncharacteristicly, Papyrus is quiet. Just kind of staring out ahead at Sieglinde, and then his gaze drifts off to the distance, where he can just barely make out if there's two others there. Maybe Koltira and Achilles? He can't tell, he's also got really bad eye sight.]
[Though Sieglinde had only recently returned from Oska, she was already back in the garb favored by the locals- blending in as much as possible was always better than standing out, no matter how Audentes stuck out like a sore thumb wherever they went. Green gingham dress fluttered in the slight breeze- or was that just wind kicked up by the duel in progress? Her hair is a mess, her pinafore is stained, come straight from her makeshift laboratory in order to make sure neither of the combatants in this duel over pride and honor lost their lives. Her expression, already strained from the effort it has taken her to resign herself to watch two people who she cares for fight, only tightens when Papyrus enters her view.
Lucina could handle anyone else who tried to interfere, mitigate damage if a bystander accidentally wandered in... but Sieglinde viewed Papyrus as her responsibility. Just as Koltira, as a patient was her responsibility, as Olivia, her disciple was, how... well, almost everyone she knew was.
There is a moment where she simply stares at him, but finally she raises her voice.]
[ There's a good distance between them, just far away enough that Papyrus can't use his magic on her directly. Not... not yet. ]
I'm not going to do anything bad! I have a plan! I can stop them- both of them!! Before they hurt each other!
[ Although, this is only about three-quarters the reason why he's doing this. If someone had simply let him run ahead and do this, without raising a hand to stop him... maybe he wouldn't be quite so determined to do it. He's known, for a while now, that most people in their group think of him as incapable, in some way. Whether they mean to or not, he's never going to be "strong enough" or "smart enough" or "brave enough" for him to be allowed to do what he wants, on his own.
[Sieglinde, for all she had been able to play the witch act, to be wise and mysterious and powerful on the throne in her manor, surrounded by her domain and in a position of knowledge... her expressions play out too plainly on her face, her body language, how stiffly she holds herself, knees locked, hand fisted tight in the scruff of fur around her familiar's neck, Isengrim half mental support and half physical where she stood.
It wasn't like she relished in this- she, too, wished they would not fight. Even if he had attacked her in his frenzy, Koltira had saved her in Nalawi. Achilles had saved her in Zeta-12. The two were equally important in her eyes, and she did not wish either injured... but-]
Trust in you has nothing to do with this!
[Protested, because she would stand here and stop anyone who attempted to interfere, no matter how strong, or wise, or upset. It wasn't about that at all-]
This matter is between the two of them, and the sooner it is settled, the sooner we shall have a better peace! It is not your place, nor mine, nor anyone's to insert themselves in a battle such as this.
[One she understood to be grounded in both ideas of honor and pride, mixed in with the explosive touch of love recently sundered. ... a potent combination.]
The reason this even started is because Koltira beat Achilles in a fight! And we both know, Koltira's going to win again! What's that going to prove to Achilles? Only that he needs to fight Koltira again!! I know that's how he thinks, because that's how Undyne thinks too!!
[ He doesn't know shit about the Olivia love thing, which just further proves this is a Bad Thing To Be Fighting About. ]
If you trusted me, you'd know I was right! And you'd let me try and stop them!
[ Papyrus raises his hand, and surrounding Sieglinde (and her familiar) in a circle is a row of bones, like jail cell bars.
He knows, this isn't enough to stop her. He knows that if he used his blue magic, it'd be easy to stop her. But using gravity powers against someone who already has difficulty standing? Would be one of the cruelest things he can think of. ]
I promise I won't get hurt! And I promise that I can make them stop!! Isn't that enough??
[A twitch of anger appears in the corner of her eye, shoulders raise like hackles, and even Sieglinde'a familiar seemed concerned by the tightening of her grip on its fur. Saying something like that- like she didn't know Koltira would likely win? As if trusting someone meant-]
Trusting someone does not mean you have to agree with everything they do!
[Wasn't that right? Just like being someone's friend or lover did not mean you had to like everything about them, or always think they were right... but doubts remain, whispering in the back of her mind. What did someone like her know about trust in the end? What did someone like her know about friends, or lovers, when every relationship she'd ever had before ALASTAIR had been a lie?]
This all started because Achilles was bested in an ambush! That is why he took the steps of calling Koltira out for a proper duel- to fight with both parties of right mind and weapons! If he is to be bested here, then so be it, but cease proclaiming you know how another thinks!
[She might have sympathy for both parties involved, but the pain of not being understood, of what you viewed as normal in your culture being ridiculed or dismissed... it struck a tone with her, who shared that sort of kindredship with Achilles, even if she found it foolish she even spoke out on his behalf. With a frown, she steps forward, and lays a hand on one of the bone "bars".]
Ástríce.
[That which was made my magic, summoned by magic, nullified. It was only the one she touched, but. From where her hand was, splinters began to form, and dust to spill.]
[Papyrus flinches as the bone disappears, instinctively. The bones are technically a part of his magic, and so a part of him. It didn't hurt but... it's a strange, phantom feeling, if one of them is destroyed somehow.
Witches and mages of human descent, and Monsters... technically, they are rivals if one is to think about them in a classic sense. A monster is made of magic, and normally, humans do not use magic. It was humans who could use that magic that found a way to lock the Monsters away into the Underground to begin with. Not that Papyrus cared about that anyway.
Maybe he doesn't really know how Achilles thinks... and honestly, he's a little glad. He doesn't really like the other too much.
Papyrus takes a half step back before steeling himself, and then raises another circle of bones, just a foot around the initial circle. And then another, and another. It isn't that he needs to do anything to Sieglinde...
Just buy himself time to get past her. Which he then tries to do, once he's raised several rows of bones. Makes a break for it, to try and run around the bone circles, into the distance behind her.]
Even though she had said to him she would stop it, it isn't as if Sieglinde doesn't understand the desire. She wishes they wouldn't fight. Wishes she could make them see the other's side of things. But pride had always been a flaw of Achilles', (so much that it was told of for generations until it reached even her ears)... and to her mind, stopping them now would only increase the anger there, only put off the inevitable.
Let it be done now, and pray it would be done.
Though her gaze darkens at the additional bones, she doesn't waste the time or the magic dissipating them. She only needs to see him, and she grits her teeth as she peers past her "cage" to watch him, a hand reaching out, fingers imitating the movement of tying knots, looping the spell into place, before-]
Constringo vos!
[It would throw the both of them into a battle of wills and magic both, but while Sieglinde's mind was yet sharp, yet fresh... Papyrus would find himself suddenly unable to take another step, frozen in place.]
[He's halfway around the circle, halfway out of Sieglinde's path, and maybe then-
He stops running. He literally cannot run, or even move forward. He's completely frozen solid... without the cold part. It's almost like Undyne's magic, but he can't even turn his body...]
What-
[He gasps out, pulling at this feet that are completely unresponsive...]
[There is no cold, no feeling of being touched, or physically bound... only an arresting of movement, an unmistakable inability to do much beyond slight movements of mouth, "breathing".
Sieglinde's eyes are narrowed in concentration, one hand still tight in Isengrim's fur for support.]
I am sorry, Papyrus.
[It was debatable if he could hear it, but. She said it despite.]
[He can't move at all. It's a good thing he wasn't mid step here, because he's pretty sure he'd fall over. But he can talk, just barely. It's not like he really even needs to move his mouth to talk, that's actually a choice he makes. Spooky, right?]
I can't move...
[Said, more to himself than to anyone. Sieglinde did this.]
...
[He's stuck staring straight ahead, and tries shifting his foot. Nothing. He tries even harder, focusing now on just his foot, just a single movement from his toe bone, even...]
[Perhaps, Sieglinde sometimes thought, another mage could do this better. A real witch, not her, a scientist who has just been lied to all her life who found it easier to cling to the trappings of magic than to face the truth and explain it to everyone, who had received the gift of a magic universal at the cost of power. A real witch could simply place that spell and go about their business unheeded...
But now it couldn't matter what another would do.
Sieglinde grit her teeth, gaze flicking briefly over to Koltira and Achilles' fight before she was back focusing on Papyrus, mentally quashing that attempt at movement with a hiss of effort.]
[ The movement is halted, like if someone had just wrapped their hands around his leg and just made it stop. Any movement he makes seems to be met with nothing but opposition, and for a moment, he stops trying. ]
Wow...
[ He doesn't sound shocked, or angry. Just upset and impressed. ]
This is really strong magic...!
[ She'll probably notice at this point, he hasn't needed to open his mouth to talk. It's a bit muffled, but that's the only difference in his voice.
He has no idea what Sieglinde's thinking, besides that she's really determined to stop him, but even despite them being on opposites sides on this, Papyrus still loves and respects Sieglinde, of course. She's still his teacher, even if he thinks she doesn't understand him. He experiments again, trying to turn his head to look at Sieglinde. Maybe she has to keep a control on each limb as he moves it? Maybe she'll let him turn his head? ]
Humans always were much better at barrier and restraining magic!
[This was the spell Sieglinde had worked to perfect the most, even more than her shields. This could be the difference between life or death on the battle field, and not just for her. For anyone. If she could stop a rampaging beast, or an attacker... Masamune had thankfully let her experiment on him until she perfected it as much as she was able. But there were limitations as with any spell, and one was her inability to customize it. She'd tried seeing if she could freeze only legs, or let one part free, but it was infinitely harder to hold concentration that way as opposed to simply seizing the entire body.
She so grits her teeth harder and doesn't allow even for the harmless turn of the head. If she allowed that, it could all unravel in an instant.]
[ Ah. Can't move his head either... It's okay though. He's not testing the bonds at all, at the moment. Just staring ahead... ]
I just don't understand why... if you could do this, you wouldn't do it on them.
Why do you think them fighting it out will help? Koltira didn't even want to do this. We're just... letting Achilles do what he wants to, because he made a big deal about it.
[It isn't easy to talk while holding the spell- but Papyrus wasn't her enemy. He was... she did not know. What were friends, and allies, and teammates, and any of it at all? (She hasn't asked for this, or wanted this, or-)]
I doubt I could hold someone that powerful more than a few moments even at my strongest.
[He deserved a reply. And she didn't just mean powerful in ability, but in will. Achilles might have no magic to his name, but the sheer force of will he had behind his desire to meet Koltira in a duel... and then Koltira himself, she had seen first hand how ineffective her magic was against him. He had burst through her shield no slower than a crow might peck open a snail shell.]
Stopping them does nothing anyway. All it does is add insult to injury, leaves those emotions with nowhere to go-
[A bead of sweat trickled down her temple.]
... Me stopping you has not made you lose the desire to interfere, has it?
[To her, stopping them was pointless. Not only would it anger Achilles further, but it would be a slight on both of their honors, it would mean the next time things exploded it would do so more violently, more ferociously.
At least now they had warning, time to organize healers for the inevitable, time to keep innocents back.]
She forgets to reply in words, just nodding, taking the opportunity he gave where he wasn't actively fighting her to spare another quick glance towards the fight.
Still going.
But she shakes her head this time, remembers to use words.]
No.
[It didn't hurt. Only strained, like how holding up an object was easy at first, but your muscles started to burn and tremble as the lactic acid built up.]
[At least he gave her a warning. Sieglinde squared her unsteady stance, readjusted her grip on Isengrim's collar, and braced herself mentally as well before Papyrus exerted himself. Lucina was still available to push back innocent bystanders or other well-meaning people on foolish missions of stagnancy, and Olivia was on her way so she wouldn't be the only heart on site...
Another head of sweat rolled down skin, growing a bit pale with strain.
She could probably only hold him another few minutes maximum... but with the strength of Achilles, and Koltira...
Sieglinde somehow doubted she would need to do more than that.]
[ True to his word, Papyrus tries his hardest to break free. It's strange and not like any time of magic he's personally fought against before. Even with Undyne's magic, when she turned him Green- it just kept him fixed to a point, not every part of his body. He starts with his hands this time, trying to push them forward and finding it much like trying to shove a brick wall, but it's a brick wall he knows he can probably power through!! He just needs to believe in himself!! And he always does believe in himself!!
[Sometimes eternity can be found in a single second, and not just in the romantic, love at first sight sort of way.
When she's focusing on holding the spell, throwing her will to keep it in place against Papyrus' attempt to break free, there's no spare iota of thought to spare for the battle raging on the horizon. Has to shut out peripheral vision, block out the sounds of rage and the clash of weapons, growing paler, (not normal), as the time ticked by, sweat beading on her forehead, grinding her teeth.
Sieglinde doesn't know Papyrus has received a healing spell. Knows that this foolish duel of theirs is draining her own magic, but at least she's already called Olivia...
But Achilles' and Koltira's duel will be over sooner than they think.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Action;
He keeps his distance from Sieglinde, knowing she's a powerful witch, of course. Her magic was probably better than his, right? At least that's how it always seemed.
Cue old western music. It's like a proper showdown, except one of the participants is a small crippled girl and the other is a skeleton. So maybe not like... proper. Also no one has a gun?? So yeah this is actually a bad showdown.]
...
[Once again, uncharacteristicly, Papyrus is quiet. Just kind of staring out ahead at Sieglinde, and then his gaze drifts off to the distance, where he can just barely make out if there's two others there. Maybe Koltira and Achilles? He can't tell, he's also got really bad eye sight.]
1/2
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Lucina could handle anyone else who tried to interfere, mitigate damage if a bystander accidentally wandered in... but Sieglinde viewed Papyrus as her responsibility. Just as Koltira, as a patient was her responsibility, as Olivia, her disciple was, how... well, almost everyone she knew was.
There is a moment where she simply stares at him, but finally she raises her voice.]
Do not do this, Papyrus.
[In warning.]
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I'm not going to do anything bad! I have a plan! I can stop them- both of them!! Before they hurt each other!
[ Although, this is only about three-quarters the reason why he's doing this. If someone had simply let him run ahead and do this, without raising a hand to stop him... maybe he wouldn't be quite so determined to do it. He's known, for a while now, that most people in their group think of him as incapable, in some way. Whether they mean to or not, he's never going to be "strong enough" or "smart enough" or "brave enough" for him to be allowed to do what he wants, on his own.
Papyrus' finger bones tighten in their gloves. ]
Why don't you trust me?!
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It wasn't like she relished in this- she, too, wished they would not fight. Even if he had attacked her in his frenzy, Koltira had saved her in Nalawi. Achilles had saved her in Zeta-12. The two were equally important in her eyes, and she did not wish either injured... but-]
Trust in you has nothing to do with this!
[Protested, because she would stand here and stop anyone who attempted to interfere, no matter how strong, or wise, or upset. It wasn't about that at all-]
This matter is between the two of them, and the sooner it is settled, the sooner we shall have a better peace! It is not your place, nor mine, nor anyone's to insert themselves in a battle such as this.
[One she understood to be grounded in both ideas of honor and pride, mixed in with the explosive touch of love recently sundered. ... a potent combination.]
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[ He doesn't know shit about the Olivia love thing, which just further proves this is a Bad Thing To Be Fighting About. ]
If you trusted me, you'd know I was right! And you'd let me try and stop them!
[ Papyrus raises his hand, and surrounding Sieglinde (and her familiar) in a circle is a row of bones, like jail cell bars.
He knows, this isn't enough to stop her. He knows that if he used his blue magic, it'd be easy to stop her. But using gravity powers against someone who already has difficulty standing? Would be one of the cruelest things he can think of. ]
I promise I won't get hurt! And I promise that I can make them stop!! Isn't that enough??
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Trusting someone does not mean you have to agree with everything they do!
[Wasn't that right? Just like being someone's friend or lover did not mean you had to like everything about them, or always think they were right... but doubts remain, whispering in the back of her mind. What did someone like her know about trust in the end? What did someone like her know about friends, or lovers, when every relationship she'd ever had before ALASTAIR had been a lie?]
This all started because Achilles was bested in an ambush! That is why he took the steps of calling Koltira out for a proper duel- to fight with both parties of right mind and weapons! If he is to be bested here, then so be it, but cease proclaiming you know how another thinks!
[She might have sympathy for both parties involved, but the pain of not being understood, of what you viewed as normal in your culture being ridiculed or dismissed... it struck a tone with her, who shared that sort of kindredship with Achilles, even if she found it foolish she even spoke out on his behalf. With a frown, she steps forward, and lays a hand on one of the bone "bars".]
Ástríce.
[That which was made my magic, summoned by magic, nullified. It was only the one she touched, but. From where her hand was, splinters began to form, and dust to spill.]
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Witches and mages of human descent, and Monsters... technically, they are rivals if one is to think about them in a classic sense. A monster is made of magic, and normally, humans do not use magic. It was humans who could use that magic that found a way to lock the Monsters away into the Underground to begin with. Not that Papyrus cared about that anyway.
Maybe he doesn't really know how Achilles thinks... and honestly, he's a little glad. He doesn't really like the other too much.
Papyrus takes a half step back before steeling himself, and then raises another circle of bones, just a foot around the initial circle. And then another, and another. It isn't that he needs to do anything to Sieglinde...
Just buy himself time to get past her. Which he then tries to do, once he's raised several rows of bones. Makes a break for it, to try and run around the bone circles, into the distance behind her.]
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Even though she had said to him she would stop it, it isn't as if Sieglinde doesn't understand the desire. She wishes they wouldn't fight. Wishes she could make them see the other's side of things. But pride had always been a flaw of Achilles', (so much that it was told of for generations until it reached even her ears)... and to her mind, stopping them now would only increase the anger there, only put off the inevitable.
Let it be done now, and pray it would be done.
Though her gaze darkens at the additional bones, she doesn't waste the time or the magic dissipating them. She only needs to see him, and she grits her teeth as she peers past her "cage" to watch him, a hand reaching out, fingers imitating the movement of tying knots, looping the spell into place, before-]
Constringo vos!
[It would throw the both of them into a battle of wills and magic both, but while Sieglinde's mind was yet sharp, yet fresh... Papyrus would find himself suddenly unable to take another step, frozen in place.]
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He stops running. He literally cannot run, or even move forward. He's completely frozen solid... without the cold part. It's almost like Undyne's magic, but he can't even turn his body...]
What-
[He gasps out, pulling at this feet that are completely unresponsive...]
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Sieglinde's eyes are narrowed in concentration, one hand still tight in Isengrim's fur for support.]
I am sorry, Papyrus.
[It was debatable if he could hear it, but. She said it despite.]
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[He can't move at all. It's a good thing he wasn't mid step here, because he's pretty sure he'd fall over. But he can talk, just barely. It's not like he really even needs to move his mouth to talk, that's actually a choice he makes. Spooky, right?]
I can't move...
[Said, more to himself than to anyone. Sieglinde did this.]
...
[He's stuck staring straight ahead, and tries shifting his foot. Nothing. He tries even harder, focusing now on just his foot, just a single movement from his toe bone, even...]
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But now it couldn't matter what another would do.
Sieglinde grit her teeth, gaze flicking briefly over to Koltira and Achilles' fight before she was back focusing on Papyrus, mentally quashing that attempt at movement with a hiss of effort.]
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Wow...
[ He doesn't sound shocked, or angry. Just upset and impressed. ]
This is really strong magic...!
[ She'll probably notice at this point, he hasn't needed to open his mouth to talk. It's a bit muffled, but that's the only difference in his voice.
He has no idea what Sieglinde's thinking, besides that she's really determined to stop him, but even despite them being on opposites sides on this, Papyrus still loves and respects Sieglinde, of course. She's still his teacher, even if he thinks she doesn't understand him. He experiments again, trying to turn his head to look at Sieglinde. Maybe she has to keep a control on each limb as he moves it? Maybe she'll let him turn his head? ]
Humans always were much better at barrier and restraining magic!
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She so grits her teeth harder and doesn't allow even for the harmless turn of the head. If she allowed that, it could all unravel in an instant.]
Thank you.
[Was that even the right thing to say???]
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I just don't understand why... if you could do this, you wouldn't do it on them.
Why do you think them fighting it out will help? Koltira didn't even want to do this. We're just... letting Achilles do what he wants to, because he made a big deal about it.
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I doubt I could hold someone that powerful more than a few moments even at my strongest.
[He deserved a reply. And she didn't just mean powerful in ability, but in will. Achilles might have no magic to his name, but the sheer force of will he had behind his desire to meet Koltira in a duel... and then Koltira himself, she had seen first hand how ineffective her magic was against him. He had burst through her shield no slower than a crow might peck open a snail shell.]
Stopping them does nothing anyway. All it does is add insult to injury, leaves those emotions with nowhere to go-
[A bead of sweat trickled down her temple.]
... Me stopping you has not made you lose the desire to interfere, has it?
[To her, stopping them was pointless. Not only would it anger Achilles further, but it would be a slight on both of their honors, it would mean the next time things exploded it would do so more violently, more ferociously.
At least now they had warning, time to organize healers for the inevitable, time to keep innocents back.]
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[He isn't pulling against her bonds. Giving her a break on purpose, really.]
Does it hurt when I pull against it...?
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She forgets to reply in words, just nodding, taking the opportunity he gave where he wasn't actively fighting her to spare another quick glance towards the fight.
Still going.
But she shakes her head this time, remembers to use words.]
No.
[It didn't hurt. Only strained, like how holding up an object was easy at first, but your muscles started to burn and tremble as the lactic acid built up.]
1/3
So...
2/3
PREPARE YOURSELF, HUMAN!! DO YOUR BEST!!
3/3
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Another head of sweat rolled down skin, growing a bit pale with strain.
She could probably only hold him another few minutes maximum... but with the strength of Achilles, and Koltira...
Sieglinde somehow doubted she would need to do more than that.]
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And then they both proceeded to strain on for at least thirty seconds to a minute, maybe, as opposed to the very long struggle originally written one tag ago.
He does start sweating as well though, and even grows a little pale- oh wait. Nevermind, that's normal. ]
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When she's focusing on holding the spell, throwing her will to keep it in place against Papyrus' attempt to break free, there's no spare iota of thought to spare for the battle raging on the horizon. Has to shut out peripheral vision, block out the sounds of rage and the clash of weapons, growing paler, (not normal), as the time ticked by, sweat beading on her forehead, grinding her teeth.
Sieglinde doesn't know Papyrus has received a healing spell. Knows that this foolish duel of theirs is draining her own magic, but at least she's already called Olivia...
But Achilles' and Koltira's duel will be over sooner than they think.
... for better or for worse.]