[closed]

[hylights]

who: Zelda and Lucretia
what: kidnapping most foul
when: June 14th
where: outside of Gramarye Institute
warnings: violence and abduction :(

[Zelda has been working late more often ever since Link returned home. Burying herself in research is something she's always turned to in times of stress, and that hasn't changed just because Ganon is defeated. It isn't as though anyone's going to tell her off for it. Her latest project is attempting to copy files from her Sheikah Slate onto her computer. The image files had been simple enough but transferring the much more complicated maps and compendium files was proving difficult. Eventually she realised that this wasn't going to be done in a day; she would need to leave the Slate hooked up to the computer overnight while it processed things.

She doesn't like to leave without the Slate. Still, it must be done. She locks her office behind her when she leaves and sighs, sliding her bag over her shoulders as she heads for the doors. In her brooding she almost didn't hear the approach of Lucretia from behind until she was nearly at the exit. When she turns, Zelda smiles at the older woman.]

Don't tell me - you lost track of time too?

[It's a little like confiding a secret, knowing the other would understand. And perhaps be guilty of the same.]

Comments

[scholiast]

(Lucretia on the other hand isn't working late for any particular reason; this just happens, sometimes. She'll chase a reference down a rabbit hole of sources and end up five steps away from the original topic, albeit utterly engrossed in what she's reading. When she finally glances up from her paragraph and idly checks her phone, it's to a message from Beverly, curious of when she'll arriving home. Whoops! Is is that late already?

Lucretia replies swiftly as she packs up her things, dog-earring her place in the book and leaving it upon her desk. She can always come back to it tomorrow, there's no rush.

On her swift way out, she finds Zelda lingering at the exit and watching her approach. Lucretia can't help smiling back at her, relieved that she isn't alone in getting too caught up in her work.)

Perhaps. Can't say it's the first time, or that it will be the last for that matter. What's kept you late today? (She reaches to open the door, holding it so Zelda might leave first.)

[hylights]

[Zelda nods her thanks to Lucretia as they exit, breathing in the crisp night air.]

I'm trying to copy the files from the Sheikah Slate onto my computer. Unfortunately it looks like it's going to take a long time, so I decided to just leave it running over night rather than try to wait it out.

What about you?

[scholiast]

It's probably taking so long because there's a lot of data to process. You take photos with it, correct?

(Apparently those kinds of files can be really big! These are things that she's learning about technology.) And nothing particularly exciting. I got caught up in reading all my source material, that's all. All of the books here are so interesting.

[hylights]

I do, but it has a lot of other information on it. Maps, catalogues... those are what seem to be taking the longest.

[She smothers a laugh at Lucretia's explanation, because of course. Why wouldn't it be something like that? The streets are quiet at this time of night, most of the peak hour rush having departed some time ago.]

I know what you mean. I do my reading at work, then go home and read more from the library. I think I should get some other kind of hobby to break it up a bit.

[scholiast]

(It's nice out; Lucretia's personally looking forward to a walk home. Sometimes she teleports, but the weather has been good lately and after spending a couple hours in her office cooped up and reading endlessly, it's nice to gather her thoughts as she walks.)

Perhaps music? (Her tone is light, innocent, but it's obvious that she's trying not to smile,) you could pick up an instrument again. Maybe the harp.

(... Or maybe she's just angling for Zelda to one day play where she might hear it? Who could possibly say? Not Lucretia, because in that moment something catches her attention and she stops, lingering on the pavement for a moment. It's just on the edge of her perception...

It's all the warning she gets. Something fires at her from out of the darkness and Lucretia doesn't get a shield up in time out of surprise, but that's fine. Her arcane ward is more than ready, absorbing the magical damage and she reaches out to grab Zelda by the arm, pull her back so she can shield them both, but– something, some one collides with her. She's over-prepared to counter magical damage but, uh, physical? Not so much.

An elbow in the back knocks the breath out of her and she staggers forwards, only for somebody else to lock their arm neatly around her neck, pressing on her windpipe.)

[hylights]

[Zelda can tell that Lucretia isn't going to let the harp thing drop. It would be all right to play it again, surely? She doesn't need to follow any instruction here. Maybe it won't feel so tedious if it's done on her own terms.

She's about to reply when Lucretia stops suddenly. About to ask what's wrong, all that comes from Zelda's mouth is a cry of alarm as the shot strikes Lucretia's warding. It might not be possible for her to see what's happening, but she knows an attack when she sees one. She stumbles backwards when Lucretia pulls at her arm only to be knocked aside when the assailant rams into the older woman.

The pavement rushes up to meet her like an old foe. Winded for a moment, Zelda rolls back onto her knees and sees -- a man.]

S-- stop! [She jumps back to her feet before lunging at the man, grabbing hold of the arm around Lucretia's neck and trying to haul it away. In her panic it's the first thing she can think to do.] Leave her alone!

[scholiast]

(She's dazed, struggling for breath as the grip around her neck tightens and tightens and she's vaguely aware of Zelda trying to help– she's dismayed to find she can't quite manage to warn her of the second man sneaking up behind her...)

There's– (she wheezes, and tries shocking grasp, lightning arcing from her hand to whomever has her in a tight grip and she feels the arm twitch and loosen slightly, just enough.)

Behind you.

[hylights]

[The arm gives a little and Zelda thinks now is her chance, only-- only Lucretia's words hit her. Whirling around she sees a second man lunge forward at her. She cries out as he grabs her wrist, struggling to pull free as he yanks her in. If he gets her into a firmer hold, she won't be able to get out of it.

Frantic, she sucks in a breath and calls upon her power. It isn't meant for fighting, not like this. Her holy power is intended to purge evil and malice from the world, not stun ruffians. But stunning them is what she intends.

Her hand snaps open and a blinding beam of light comes forth, narrowly missing the man's head but certainly shocking him enough to let go. Zelda falls back, the ringing that accompanies her magic sounding in her ears. Only to bump into the man still fumbling with Lucretia.]

[scholiast]

(Zelda's own burst of magic is bright, arcing. Lucretia shuts her eyes but it still burns into the backs of her eyelids as she wrestles in her captor's grip. It's a shame a lot of her spells run too wide, as Lucretia is just thinking of how dearly she'd love to cast chain lightning on these fools and scatter them appropriately when the man drops his arm entirely and wrenches her arm up behind her back, fumbling–

Zelda bumps into him. Something snaps closed around Lucretia's wrist.

It's like being muffled in a thick blanket. She knows her magic is gone the moment it happens, can feel it leech out of her hands and away and she gasps, pulling her arm back as the man shoves away from her. Zelda's power is humming around her but all Lucretia can do is stare at the cuff on her forearm, scrabbling at it desperately with her fingers, trying to prise it open, loosen it, anything.)

What did you do? (Her voice is hoarse, her heart thudding wildly in her ears. Fear creeps in, unbidden. Without her magic she's useless, can't protect anybody.) Zelda, run, go–

[hylights]

[The sudden lurch backwards takes Zelda by surprise, a shock upon shock. When Lucretia yells at her to run she acts on instinct - she tries to run free, just to get far enough away to turn back and blast the attackers again.

Her own assailant isn't so inexperienced though that he'll be distracted by sudden magic for long. It's what they were prepared for. So when Zelda attempts to dash away it's only to slam right into him, grim-faced and determined. She gasps with shock as he clamps his hand over her wrist and starts to bend it.]

Don't-- [Only to cut off with a shriek of pain as her wrist breaks in his grip. The man takes advantage of Zelda going limp with shock to whip out a collar and shove it around her neck. Through the pain, Zelda tries to kick at him again, taking panicky breaths.]

No, no, no!

[scholiast]

(The all too familiar sound of bones snapping makes Lucretia's blood run cold, her head jerking up from the cuff on her wrist immediately.)

Zelda!

(She reaches out to her friend to shield her. Nothing happens. Lucretia starts angrily toward them, but somebody kicks her hard in the back of her knee as she does and she falls hard. All the breath goes out of her as she hits the pavement.

She turns a little on her side, dazed. Her vision is going fuzzy at the edges, and with a horrible lurch she realises one of the men is casting sleep on her. Or something akin to it. In any case, she's helpless to stop it. The darkness rushes up at her, overwhelming and warm, and the last thing Lucretia hears before she succumbs is Zelda yelling 'no, no, no'.)

[hylights]

[Zelda can only watch helplessly as Lucretia is kicked to the ground in front of her, a useless hand stuttering up as though she could reach the other woman. The collar suddenly, brutally clamps shut. It feels like the air's been sucked out of her lungs - it feels wrong.

Like the goddess has turned her back on her.

She has no time for this to sink in. His dirty work complete, the man holding her quickly moves to smother her face. Between him and the collar, there's no air to be found. Between the void of energy where her magic used to be and the lack of air, it doesn't take long for Zelda's consciousness to fade out.]