It was almost a sprint. But why? Why rush? Why risk hurting themself just to get somewhere quicker?

They walked into Canis out of breath. They lied down on the damp stone floor and huffed and puffed.

They just stayed there, even after their breath returned, just for a few minutes. The silence was still eerie, but silence of any kind was nice sometimes.

Mayfal stood up, finally, and snapped the silence in half.

"Collector! I did as you asked! Pegasus is on fire!" Somehow, whenever Mayfal said that name, their confidence escaped from the room.

Click, click, click.

There was something ominous in those steps, this time, each hoofbeat ringing sharp and cold along the rock. The rustle of cloth as the Collector came to stand before Mayfal was followed by a long beat of silence.

And then his voice, soft, questioning.

"Did you, now..?" The silence that followed sounded almost accusatory. "Please. Tell me all about it."

There was nothing but gentle ice, a promise of a kind razor's edge, in that tone.

@Mayfal

Tell me all about it.

Except, there was nothing Mayfal could tell him. They hadn't started the fire. They didn't know how it all happened. They just knew that it happened.

"What is there to tell? I started a fire in Pegasus and it spread. Now everything has been cleared out like you said it would. The brush and leaves. It's all ash. What more is there to it?"

Mayfal had a point. But the way they said it...they were still unsure. Unstable. Uncomfortable.

They tried so hard to not sound guilty, but the greatest irony was that Mayfal's face gave it all away.

They decided to focus on what they came here for in the first place. That would speed things up.

"You got what you wanted. So I'd like the object you promised me."

The collector technically HAD gotten what he asked for. That was what the deal entailed. That was all a deal was, really. Two people getting what they wanted. The details of the means to the end weren't necessary. Right?

He fixed her with a long and silent regard, the hood entirely hiding his features. The seconds ticked past with the Collector standing motionless. When at last he spoke, his voice was soft--so soft one would need to strain to hear it: a cold near-whisper.

"Are you lying to me..? You wouldn't... lie to me, would you, little fox..?"

He crouched in a swish of cloak, and his voice came with a hiss: "I thought we had a deal."

@Mayfal

Mayfal would absolutely lie to him. As far as they were concerned, Pegasus was burning and they wanted some eyes. Best of both worlds?

But something in the Collector's voice made Mayfal more careful with their words.

"Pegasus was to burn and I would get sight. THAT was the deal."

Mayfal was definitive in their speech. Short with intent. Evasive in a way that seemed more a lifestyle than a practice.

"Oh, no no no," he crooned, robes rustling as he stood back upright. "That was not the deal. The deal was that you burn Pegasus, a clean burn. Not that you allow some... wayward Chaos-spawn to start one small fire, and claim it as your own... or claim the work complete. -Tsk. I know you are blind, foxling... but I am not. If only you could see how far off the mark you are; Pegasus was hardly singed. But!" Another rustle: a shrug. "I suppose you cannot see it. And now, you never will. I do not approve of liars. The deal is off," the Collector added, and the dark tone of these words was counteracted with the cheerful glee in his farewell: "Ta ta."

There was a flash--though Mayfal could not see it--and with that, the Collector vanished.

@Mayfal

You never will.



You never will.




You never will. You never will, You never will you never will younever will you never will you neverwill youneverwillyouneverwillyouneverwillyouneverwillyouneverwillyouneverwill...



You


Never


Will.


Lies had never had consequences for Mayfal before. Not unless they let the lies have consequences. But they didn't have a choice this time. They were at the complete mercy of someone else entirely. And they couldn't say anything to rebuttal them. Or defend themself.

And they would never have sight. They would always be trapped in an echo chamber that they'd have to translate into meaning. They'd have to fear the world just as much as they always had.

They could still rely on Comet. Out of all of this, Mayfal would still have Comet.

And yet, Mayfal was choking back tears and mumbling their howls. Leaving Canis was slow. Walking was slow. And painful. As if every part of them was broken. They wanted to crumble then and there, but they had to keep walking.

Mayfal kept walking.

~Exit Mayfal~