#and no Rion does not know that this is Syn but also I don't think he could do anything about it if he did know

[ace-malarky]

Snippet Sunday 22/12

Hello here is a snippet super early bc oh my god do I have things that need doing today

also I woke up with words in my head and chose violence <3

no it is not Halliel getting to use her sword <3

~~

Syn landed near Halliel's apartment and pulled their wings back in. For a moment, they almost looked like themself. They missed their antlers, but if they were to have any chance of surviving this…

They straightened out their clothes as best they could, crumbling off the dried on mud. A lot had fallen off during their flight, but… well. There was no hope for this outfit, really.

Their tinted glasses were gone, broken the first time they'd been arrested.

Syn flicked their tail under the fall of their coat, and perked their ears. Tightened their grip on Halliel's sword, tapping its scabbard against their leg.

No sounds out of the ordinary. It sounded like home. Just the quiet contentment of an evening after a long day of work. Music, laughter, conversations, several different shows going at once from different flats.

At least one person had a window open, practising their instrument. They sounded better than the last time Syn had heard them, more confident. Less prone to squeaking.

They took the fire escape down two floors and stopped outside the window there. Curtains still open, lights not on. The dim light from behind them let them see in, if just barely.

There was Trixie, curled up and asleep on Halliel's bed, tail over her nose.

Syn placed a hand against the glass, leaning their forehead against it. "Thanks for looking after her, Trix," she whispered. "I'll try to come back."

Trixie didn't stir.

Syn descended the last of the stairs and stepped out into the street, under the yellowing street lamps. How long would it take, they wondered. How far would they get?

They went back to work.

Three streets down, and [spoiler] fell into place beside them.

"I'm surprised you came back."

"Couldn't let you win, could I?" Syn shot her a wry look. "Not on my turf."

She laughed. "What is this, if not me winning?"

"That's cute," Syn said. "Real cute."

[Spoiler] frowned. "Where's Halliel?" She glanced at the sword in Syn's hand.

"Wouldn't you like to know."

"I - yes, that's why I asked."

Syn swivelled to face her. "What makes you think I'd tell you?"

"Because she's hurt. Because she needs help. Because why else would you make the mistake of coming back here?" She shrugged, scoffing. "You're predictable, Vale."

Syn hummed and kept walking. Two more streets. The buildings were older here. Archaic, really, with their wide columns and weather-softened corners and too-big windows. Syn had loved them regardless, but the city had changed too much around them and now they just looked… old and out of place.

Progress had come on apace with no care for the aesthetics of the place.

It would have been better, maybe, to come in through the park, but they'd wanted to check on Trixie just one last time.

They'd just have to make the best of their entrance with what they'd given themself.

There were guards on the steps, Verial and Sallen. Almost every window had a blaze of too-bright light behind it, spilling out across the road, almost reaching the trees in the park across the road.

[Spoiler] reached out to take Syn's arm. "Wait."

"No," Syn said sweetly, slipping out of reach. "I'm doing this on my terms."

[Spoiler] searched their face. "What's your play, Vale? Where's Halliel?"

"Wouldn't that be telling." Syn grinned, feral, sharp teeth and the mirrored skin gleaming in the brighter light coming from the building before them.

They walked up to the guards at the bottom of the steps. "Good evening," they called. "I believe you're looking for me?" They waved, their tail wagging in tandem.

[Spoiler] grabbed at their arm as the guards reacted to their presence. "I've got this, thank you," she growled.

"You haven't disarmed them," one of the guards said.

"He's right, you know," Syn said.

[Spoiler] huffed and reached for Halliel's sword.

"Ooh, no, not yet." Syn held it out of reach, dancing backwards. "Take me," they said, grinning, "to your leaders."

[Spoiler] narrowed her eyes, hand still outstretched.

"I promise I won't use it," Syn said. "You know me. Just need the comfort."

"This is highly irregular," said one of the guards. She'd come with Jaiel and Syn from Sallen, was one of the prince's guards. "We can't-"

"I have control of the situation," [Spoiler] snapped, and the guard subsided.

Syn winked at one of the Verial guards, tapping a couple of fingers against the scabbard.

He nodded and didn't argue as Syn walked up the steps to the door, [Spoiler] in their wake.

The next set opened the door without waiting to be asked, without challenging them, and Syn thanked them as they stepped inside.

"Just the usual place, is it?" they asked, looking around the empty foyer. All gilt and marble, a statue seated in the centre of the deer-formed architect.

Syn's antlers had been more impressive.

"This way," [Spoiler] said.

Syn let her lead just long enough to work out where they were going, and then strode past. They'd make her work for it, even though she thought she'd won.

Anyone else would've insisted that Syn hand over their sword, but [Spoiler] was getting cocky with the end in sight. More fool her, really, but then she thought she was winning here.

Syn stopped before the next set of guards. "I should be expected," they said. "Do you want me to announce myself, or…?" They waggled the hilt of Halliel's sword to point at the guards, as if choosing who to do their job.

They took in Syn's appearance - they grinned, feeling the stretch in their mirror-torn skin - and one knocked on the door.

"Yes?" Maj stepped out. "What is it?" Her eyes fell on Syn.

Syn watched the shock and dismay ripple across her face.

"… Vale," Maj said. "I see."

[Spoiler], only just catching up, took possessive hold of Syn's elbow. "I brought them in."

"Make sure Halliel gets this back," Syn said, passing Maj her sword.

Maj nodded and opened the door for them. "Please, come on in."

Syn didn't shake [Spoiler] free of them this time. They'd give her this much.

[Spoiler] cleared her throat. "I've caught Vale."

Neryd looked over Syn and scoffed.

Jaiel looked up from the couch. "Yes, but where is Lance? What have they done with them?"

"Ooh, you didn't tell him?" Syn asked. "Awkward." They bowed. "Your Majesty." When they straightened up, their dragon touched horns and scales were beading in. "Can't say it was an honour serving you." They swept it away before it reached their eyes, dropping back into Vale. Just enough to make a point, not enough to break the last of their guises.

Jaiel schooled his face into a sense of neutrality, but Syn had seen the shock and then the greed flit across him. "We'll take them back to Sallen to deal with," he said.

[Spoiler] really hadn't told him anything. Syn wondered if anyone knew about her.

"I think not," Rion replied. "They have endangered us just as much by their actions."

Syn shot him a glance but couldn't read anything. Did he know who they were? … Did it matter?