#‹ 1. › ᴋᴇɪɴᴇ ʟᴜsᴛ

[false-majesty]

⥽ @unspeakablyevil | cont. ⥼

❍ ⧼   ❝ Alright, while I admit that the starting point for your idea has its merits-- consider this! Instead of using slaves or other mindless lackeys to do the honors, why not man this twenty mile chain entirely with copies of... ourselves? ❞

   Er.. was that the right way to put it? He still wasn’t quite used to addressing other versions of himself, even after all this time.

   ❝ You know what they say. If you want something done right, you had best do it yourself, hmm? ❞   ⧽

[false-majesty]

❍ ⧼   He laughed. ❝ This should NOT be this EASY! Have you no sense at all? ❞   ⧽

[false-majesty]

Aku had been crouched in wait for hours, his eyes fixed unwaveringly on the dark windows of the Smith house from his position perched in a tree across the street.

If anyone had paid him any mind in his present disguise, an otherwise perfectly-ordinary looking crow (were it not for his flaming eyebrows and softly glowing red and pink eyes) they would surely have known that he was a creature of supernatural origin, and therefore something not to be trifled with. But numerous mortals had since passed beneath his tree on their evening walks blissfully unaware that he was even there. (Foolish creatures...) Some of them, however, were at least aware enough to be confused when their dogs would glance fearfully in his tree’s direction before they tugged their masters decisively away, their tails tucked between their legs.

At the thought of dogs, Aku’s resolve tightened its grip on his mind. He fought the urge to smile. So focused was he on getting in there and getting the job done right that he was sure even the slightest show of arrogance at this point could prove disastrous to his carefully laid plans. Hell only knew what kind of precautionary measures Rick had installed in that house to prevent just such a presence as his own from entering and running amok. Or perhaps his presence was one of the few Rick would admit into the house...? One of the few that the security system—if there was one—wouldn’t identify as a threat...?

Given his heinous plans for that night, he sincerely hoped for the later…

He looked at the sky for a moment through the branches of his tree, and his talons dug harshly into the branch upon which he perched. Judging by the position of the moon, the house had been silent and dark for at least three hours. The time to act was now.

A dark shadow melted down the tree trunk and oozed slowly across the street.

@prideandfangs

[false-majesty]

❍ ⧼   ❝ If anyone gives you a hard time, Morty, you’ll be sure to tell old Uncle Aku aaalllll about it, won’t you? ❞   ⧽

[false-majesty]

❍ ⧼   Aku had been waiting for this moment for months.

   Had been waiting with bated breath just for a chance to see this girl.. this dog.. suspended from the free wall in his private torture chambers, bound hand and limb to shackles which stretched her uncomfortably in four different directions-- miserable and worthless and downtrodden as she was meant to be...

   Her body was a blank canvas on which he could paint all manner of wonderful cuts and bruises, scrapes and burns! And generally just-- you know! Just be creative in his own special way!

   Even a God had to have his hobbies!

   As he patiently awaited her awakening, the Beast paced slowly before her, never taking his eyes off his prey as he meditated on the circumstances which had led to this unfortunate but not unwelcome turn of events.

   This dog... She’d once been one of his most reliable and loyal servants, but that time was so long ago-- or so it felt to Aku, who could remember like it was yesterday when he had her sitting by his side in his throne room. When she’d sat beside him, on a cushion of finest silk and goosedown at the foot of his throne. When she’d awaited his every command with teeth and claws bared... even in their more private interpersonal affairs.

   Her young body had been so willing to serve in more ways than one...

   But, alas, all good things must come to an end-- or so Aku had gradually come to believe as he’d watched his house of cards slowly crumble down around him and he was left with the sad remnants of what was once one of his most valued assets.

   He probably should not have been so surprised when she gradually became too comfortable with her status as his most prized assassin and began to exercise what limited free will she had. She had spoken out against him in little ways at first... such as letting certain targets slip through his claws if it suited her... when she had quietly questioned his method of governing his citizens and even had the audacity to question his then-budding relationship with his now-fiance...

   And Aku had a feeling she would still be doing all those things now, were it not for one teensy, tiny little bitty OVERSIGHT on her part...

   Her most recent act of rebellion was the final straw.

   Aku could have overlooked her little acts of defiance up until this point, had she apologized sufficiently for abusing his generosity and just stepped back into line like a good dog. And while she did indeed correct herself at his repeated stern urging, such renewed subservience never lasted. She would slowly slip back into disobedience within days after she had been reminded of her place, but when she had dared to impose upon his fiance-- the one person outside of family that he loved? Well. That was it.

   Simply put, you did not fraternize with those few people that Aku claimed as his loved ones. You just didn’t do it.

   So now here she was, unconscious and ready to be reprogrammed. Earlier that morning, in the young hours of dawn, he’d slipped into her room like a ghost and restrained her, at which point his assistants had administered a mild sedative to prolong her sleep just long enough that he could get her ready for what was to be... quite a long day for her, indeed.

   He quirked a flaming brow at her prone figure when she suddenly snorted in her sleep, and her expression began to show signs of wakefulness. He cocked his head at her almost as would a bird, bending down somewhat so he could pin her beneath his gaze and watch her dawning horror as she awakened to the little slice of Hell he had orchestrated--

   --just for her...   ⧽

⥽ @prideandfangs ♥’d for a closed, semi-plotted starter... ⥼

[false-majesty]

A girl with burgundy and purple hair looks at you and asked as her eyes glow blood red for a split second"how can I destroy my enemies?" (the girl is Praxina btw)

❍ ⧼   ❝Step One: be A-KU.❞

   ❝Step Two: Realize you’re NOT A-KU.❞

   ❝Step Three: Weak and powerless that you are, FALL before your greater foes and be crushed into so much dust– one less problem for me to take care of in the future!❞   ⧽

[false-majesty]

@tigersteeth | continued.

Aku pushed open her door and stepped inside the room. He sat heavily upon the edge of her bed, right beside her, and turned his head to look at her while he rested both his arms on his knees. It was obvious from the serious look on his face that he had much to talk with her about. He had something hidden in his fist. Something that glinted with unnatural light just before he could adjust his grip and hide it from view a little bit better.

“I apologize for calling on you at such a late hour of night, but this is the only time I have right now,” he explained, his eyes watching her carve deft little shavings of wood from the totem in her hand. “Seems there are certain things I have neglected for too long around here. In more than one respect...”

“What’s that you’re carving? May I.. see it?”

[false-majesty]

❍ ⧼   Perhaps he should have seen this coming. Was it really so much to ask, to find someone that could see past his influence and power and resources? Was it too much to ask for someone that could see him and not the superficial things which surrounded him? Or were his powers and wealth all that gave him value in the eyes of other people?

   Figures it was too good to be true...   ⧽

[false-majesty]

therealricksanchezpleasestandup replied to your post: Touches his face. Specifically, he's going to...

He moves his head, just a little. Only a little, because for a second, there was a tickling sensation. It even managed to get a laugh out of him, even if it was brief. “You uh… Y-you haven’t seen pictures of me when I was young, have you? I-I–I can’t remember.”

❍ ⧼   ❝ Hmm... Can’t say that I have? ❞ Aku mused thoughtfully, still looking at Rick with so much fond amusement.

   ❝ But I think I’d rather be surprised on our wedding night, if you wouldn’t mind keeping the knowledge to yourself? ❞

   He shrugged. ❝ It doesn’t much matter what you looked like back then, anyway, because I’m stuck with you either way, in the end... ❞   ⧽

[false-majesty]

@billrick | continued.

“I quit the citadel for a few months to get my thoughts together,” responded Aku simply and at once, with a great deal of honesty that he hadn’t afforded for the other people that had asked him the very same question earlier that week.

“I said a few things that I regretted at the time, and decided to… well… give things an opportunity to settle down while I was away,” he explained, but it was clear by the tired look on his face that things hadn’t quite blown over just yet, despite the fact he’d been away for so long.

For some reason he couldn’t quite place– reasons that were, in actuality, quite similar to Cipher’s own for seeking HIM out– he felt an accordance of sorts with this particular incarnation of Bill, and so he felt he could trust him with this rather personal story. Despite his problems with the other that he’d met in the past, this Bill had proven himself to be quite good company. Good enough for Aku to seek him out for a friendly chat and perhaps a little advice, although he was loathe to admit to such a fault as seeking some other entity’s council. Even an entity that was so much older than himself, and thus the more experienced.

He walked past him and took a seat at the bar without being asked, and procured two shot glasses from seemingly nowhere. He passed one to Bill.

“Are you certain about your tolerance? Even three sips of this could kill a mortal man, and I’d hate to be the one that assists you with your suicide.” He chuckled and poured a small splash in Cipher’s shot glass. “Best, I think, for you to try a sip and see how it agrees with you before you ask for more. Trust me…”

[false-majesty]

❍ ⧼   Mimes a pathetically innocent and optimistic expression as he drags a claw underneath his eye, and pretends to wipe away a tear. ❝ ❛ The jewel! We have succeeded! Oooh, at looong last my quest has come to an end--! ❜ ❞

   He burst out in a fit of cruel laughter. ❝ Ah, the memory of that treachery never CEASES to amuse me! Truly, it was one of my better farces! And the look he had on HIS FACE when I DESTROYED that jewel! You should’ve seen it! How innocent and broken it was! To think that that FOOL had really trusted me! ❞

   ❝ Ahhh, but those were the good old days! Wish I could do that again... ❞   ⧽

[false-majesty]

❍ ⧼   ❝ The truth is upsetting isn’t it? ❞

   ❝ Do cry about it some more, won’t you? I’m sure that will fix everything. ❞   ⧽

[false-majesty]

ooc ⥽ Soooo in regards to my previous post about Aku’s unfaithfulness, I just thought I might cite my sources for that, and discuss it a little bit more in the context of my more recent RPs with @prideandfangs and @therealricksanchezpleasestandup... ⥼

Before I launch into a lengthy explanation about context and why I feel this fits into his characterization, I should prooobably go ahead and mention my sources from canon that help support my decision.

In Episode VI “Jack and the Warrior Woman,” Aku disguises himself as a woman in order to get close to Jack. Not ONLY to play with his feelings but ALSO to serve his own purposes-- finding the Gem of Paradise. This demonstrates that he is not above playing a part and messing with mortal emotions to get what he wants. This is further demonstrated in Samurai Jack Classics Vol. 2 “Jack and Jill” when Aku pulls a similar stunt with Jack-- going so far as to disguise himself and play the part of a mute in order to get close to him. At the end of the comic, when Jack is about to reveal his feelings for ‘her’, he instead uncovers Aku’s disguise, at which point Aku bursts forth and rubs it in his face that he will ALWAYS be alone.

Canon evidence aside, this fits into his characterization on this blog specifically because Aku has demonstrated his tendency to play mind games at least three or four times now even before I made this connection. In no particular order (just listing these off the top of my head): he’s tempted @foolishxsamurai ( x ), he’s tempted @prideandfangs ( x ), he’s played a little game with @alwaysfindaway ( x ), and... there may be some others but these are just the ones I can think of. He hasn’t cheated on @sonxflight ( yet ), but he almost certainly will in the near future, simply because he doesn’t care for him.

In the context of my roleplays with @prideandfangs and @therealricksanchezpleasestandup however.. Before Aku met Rick, he was spending his time messing with Ren’s emotions. Their little fling was so short-lived there wasn’t any time nor desire to find some other partner in addition to Ren; so for all intents and purposes, Aku remained loyal to her in that sense. But when he started developing feelings for Rick, he visited Ren less and less and came to spend more and more time with Rick-- in a friendly setting, with no affection or sex involved at first. Right up until he was getting ready to ask Rick to be his boyfriend, Aku was stringing Ren along on the side in the off chance that he should cease having feelings for Rick and return to status quo as being the apathetic and detached ruler he previously was before meeting him. When this did not happen and his feelings only intensified, he pretty much dumped Ren-- told her that was the end of their little tryst-- and focused all his attention on Rick.

This is significant because if Aku did NOT have feelings for Rick, he would surely have played them both and hurt them both without caring in the slightest. But BECAUSE he had genuine feelings for Rick, he made the decision to commit to him with no third party involved. His feelings for Rick are also the reason he was so hurt by the idea of Rick potentially cheating on him, despite the fact he does the same to other people...

[false-majesty]

❍ ⧼   ❝ ...You’re one to talk, seeing as you’re engaged to me of all beings. ❞   ⧽

[false-majesty]

⧼   What fun, all this strife and unrest! It’s been a long time since last he’s stirred up trouble like this, and he’s treating this shit like it’s a great big joke, honestly.   ⧽

[false-majesty]

❍ ⧼   Perhaps... he shouldn’t have asked...   ⧽