Estragement
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Salty brine stung Rensa's nose as she waited on the pier. The tide was coming in, foamy waves splashing ever-higher against the pier's stonework, then whipped into a fine mist by gusts of cold air. A storm was moving in from the sea as well, and judging by the thick dark clouds already massing overhead, it was likely to be a bad one. Ill omens, to be sure. But where her sister Rasha was concerned, she'd come to expect such circumstances.
A heavy sigh escaped Rensa's chest. She'd managed to track her sister this far, but she still had no idea how to confront Rasha even if she was able to catch up to her estranged sibling. The trail hadn't been hard to follow - Rasha's penchant for bloodletting had some folks in the taverns calling her the 'Red Queen' now. Her reputation was the reason Rensa had taken up the sword in the first place. The thought of a family member being responsible for those sort of atrocities...
"Rasha, how could you?" she muttered to herself.
"Because I enjoy it," came the unexpected reply.
Rensa turned, silently berating herself for her inattention. There stood Rasha on the pier behind her, weapon already in hand.
At least my information was correct... "You'd draw steel on your own blood, Ras?"
If the remark stung, Rasha hid it well. "For a high enough price, maybe. Especially when she comes looking for me in Hunter's gear. A girl's got to protect herself, after all."
"Protect yourself? I didn't come here hunting you, Ras. I just wanted to talk."
"No? I'm almost disappointed," Rasha chided her. "It would've been poetic, don't you think? But alright, talk. Just be quick, I have a ship to catch and a contract to finish, both before that storm reaches us."
Rensa's heart was twisting itself into knots. The trail of bodies, the bloodstained sword in her sister's hand, the callous dismissive tone in her voice - this wasn't the sister she once knew. "Ras, what happened to you?"
"What happened...?" Rasha laughed. "You mean like, 'I was traumatized by an abusive man,' or 'the cruelty of the world corrupted my spirit in a moment of weakness?' Is that what you're looking to hear?" Her laughter turned to a quiet snarl. "Sorry to disappoint you, sister dear, but I chose this path on my own. I enjoy my work - it's
fun, and they
pay me for it. Many pay extra, in fact, just for my 'special' touch."
Rasha's words cut through the knot as surely as any real blade. "My sister was never that kind of monster."
"Then you never knew your sister." The chainsword unfurled, its links burning with ominous violet flames. "Now get out of here. I've got a job to do."
"
No."
Rensa forced the word through gritted teeth. Her head was spinning, her heart in turmoil, her spirit an echo of the canvas sails in the harbor around her as it was lashed by mad tempests. She needed an anchor. She needed to
fight. This bloodthirsty monster wasn't the Rasha she once knew.
Maybe if she beat the monster, her real sister could return. But the Beast in front of her, the one wearing her sister's face and sullying her name, was not accustomed to taking 'no' for an answer.
The bladed links bit deep into Rensa's side, scarring the bits of metal and skintight leather that were her armor.
This is the pain she brings others. The words were a beacon in her mind, a flame to fuel her determination.
No more. I won't let her hurt anyone else.
Even before setting foot on the pier, Rensa wondered if she could bring herself to fight her own sibling. She realized now, she'd never had a choice. This is how it had to happen, how it was always bound to be. The real question was whether she had the will to triumph.
The counterattack caught Rasha completely by surprise, sending her tumbling over the slick stonework. Feeling slightly dazed, she pulled herself to her feet, wiping a trickle of blood from her lip.
"Not bad," she growled. "Been a while since anyone made
me bleed. Don't expect to get any more from me, though."
"I'm not here to bleed you," Rensa bit back. "I'm here to stop you. The monster you've become -
that dies today."
Rasha snorted derisively. "Such drama! Come on then, little sister, come slay this 'monster'!"
One moment, Rasha was hurled into the air, Rensa's blade striking everywhere at once in sudden fury. In the next, she crashed to the ground, cracking tiles as the breath was driven from her lungs.
It did not return with her first strangled gasp, or the one that followed. As panic flooded her empty, starving lungs, a small grin tugged at the corner of her mouth. Absurd as it seemed, she felt...
proud of her younger sibling. Rensa was far stronger than she'd realized.
Whatever other thoughts may have followed became lost in a suffocating haze of darkness.
Rensa knelt beside her sister, checking the elder's neck for a pulse. "Good," she whispered, finding the vein still pumping. Behind her, sailors clamored on the ship's deck, final call for casting off. Remembering what Rasha had said, she searched the other's clothing swiftly - and smiled as she found a folded bit of parchment in her sister's left stocking.
'Contract for the assassination of one Frederick Duvall, Esquire, sole heir to the estates of his father, James Duvall IV.' I'm afraid you'll be missing the bounty on that one, dear sister. Without hesitation, she tore the parchment to scraps and dumped it over the edge of the pier.
As the ship departed, Rensa spared a backwards glance at Rasha's prone figure. How the other had come to be possessed by such bloodthirst was a mystery, but if the Beast could not be tamed by battle alone, perhaps it could be starved. If this defeat didn't awaken the sister she remembered, then they would certainly meet again. Rasha took contracts to steal life and shed blood - Rensa would do the opposite, and deny the Beast what it craved. Thus weakened, maybe her sister could return to her senses at last...
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Must say, I'm having a blast with Ansel, now that I've got it working properly.
Rensa (Style: 2B)
Huntress Attire
I typically avoid alternate outfits and 2Ps - if a design isn't good enough, I'd rather just tweak it until it is (or scrap it and try something new). But I really like Rensa as a character, and wanted to do more with her. Eventually, it came to me that as much as I love her original look, it doesn't exactly convey the feeling of a dangerous bounty-hunter / mercenary. So... Huntress outfit, for something a little more battle-ready.
... Really wish we could use stickers on those boots.
Wow! There is some pretty exceptional stuff in here. Really like Knight Ortho and your cat warriors to name a few but there are more exceptional creations. Very nice work!
Thanks! Comments and critique are always appreciated! I'm especially glad you like the kittehs, as they tend to be my favorites (Cass and Rensa in particular).