because the lives of the wicked should be made brief

[somanyadjectives]

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[maxxx]

( He does, but forewarning would have been nice. He reaches an arm under her and then lifts her up in his arms. )

Why would I mind. ( But, he does linger. ) Do I get to know who it is I'm marrying?

( Is it Sierra? Is it this Elton cat? )

[maleficum]

["You didn't think we'd be that cruel to your sister, did you?" Gabriel replies with a tone that says he never actually considers whether or not he's being cruel to her. "I think you know the answer to that question."

At least he's hot, Max. Be comforted by the fact that he's hot.]

[maxxx]

( A silent, 'Again,' remains unsaid by the three of them, because he would. So, it is Elton the ex. Whatever. This goes down the right way, he'll deal with what that means after.

With Elena in his arms, he brings her up the stairs and down a high ceiling'd hall in the direction he was told to go.

George's lab is down a familiar alcove he avoids if he can. He turns sideways to not knock Elena's head or feet, and turns them back as he steps into the underlit room. There are strange touch points between all the parents and their other members' kids. It's George's lab, George Harper, but David took after with his alchemy.

He likes David's lab better. Feels less like a morgue.

He doesn't like David, though. For the record. )

[maleficum]

["Oh, thank you, Maxim." The comment is a little distracted as he's working on his current project, but he does flash the young man a smile when he sees him. "Please put her over on the cot, thank you."

He then turns back to his work, studying over what looks like a ritual bowl and a set of syringes.

"Excited for the big day?" He says, like he's not soon going to be wearing his sister like a dress.]

[maxxx]

( He does as he's told, being a little more careful than they probably care for him to be. But, she's sleeping. Alive. Trying not to dwell on her too much, he leaves her there, getting back to his feet.

He walks along one of the lab tables, eyeing the different jars of ingredients. )

The big ascension. I thought it would never come. The great culling stops after it?

[maleficum]

["That's the plan, yes."

He takes his tray and rolls his chair over to where Elena is lying, reaching for her arm and taking a syringe to draw some of her blood.

"Once the new heirs are confirmed, there will be no need for the Gauntlet to continue."]

[maxxx]

( He spins back around, watching George's meticulous work. )

What happens to you guys? You pass the legacy on. Does everybody go to Boca Raton? Or, the French Riviera? Is it like retirement?

[maleficum]

["Well, it wouldn't be very productive if we were hanging around, looking over your shoulder, now would we?"

He takes the blood extraction and releases it into the ritual bowl in front of him, before beginning to murmur a small incantation over it. He pauses, then frowns at whatever it is he sees.

"Oh, dear. Well, that's not good, is it?"]

[maxxx]

( Much better just to be them, instead. Forget being over their shoulders.

Max moves closer to George and the body, peering down. He gets a (9) to understand what's 'not good.' )

[maleficum]

[He can't really see it. He's not familiar with the intricacies of power flow the way that George is, given that George has been doing this for four hundred years now.

"I thought there was a chance that Ms. Pierce might be a problem, now that she's human, and I was correct." He shrugs as he gets to his feet. "No matter. Gainor knows where she is, and he'll be able to resolve the problem."

He gets to his feet, wraps Elena in soft restraints, just in case Louis' spell fails, and gestures for the door. "Come. I'm sure you have preparations to make."]

[maxxx]

How is he going to resolve the problem?

( He asks curiously, but it's also for his own benefit. How exactly will he help, he's on lockdown like all of them, isn't he? )

Right. My wedding. I'm practically blushing.

( Before taking his leave, he flicks his wrist at his side subtly, (16), loosening one of her arm's restraints. If she does awaken, she'll be able to slip one arm out. If. All the if's swirl around them. )

[maleficum]

[George does not notice (3), too caught up in things to do.

"He's going to kill her, of course."

Because that is the way they resolve problems in the Colony. She's over five hundred years old. That's a long enough life.

They fortunately find John Gainor in the place Max needs to go, and Max is shuffled off to get fitted for his suit. "How's our doppelganger doing?"

"Small problem. As I thought, having two human doppelgangers is wreaking havoc with the magic. The power is trying to divert between the two of them."

"Ah." John sighs, before pulling his phone out of his pocket and placing it to his ear. "Rooney? Are you still watching Jericho? ... And is Katherine Pierce still with him? ... Good. Would you be so kind as to kill them both? Thank you. Call back when it's done."

He hangs up the phone and glances over as his son-in-law wanders in as that order is given. "Something wrong, Ezra?"]

[praevaricatio]

( He's not in a tux and tails, he's only attending the wedding. He was sent here as an errand boy. He had to be retrieved, so his (1) at not reacting to hearing Katherine's name shouldn't be a surprise, he hopes. He should they be reacting to any of this. )

You're just killing two people. Like you're ordering lunch. It's fine. I was told you might need something?

[maleficum]

[John ignores his comment about killing people. Ezra should know well enough by now. He's been married to his son for how long?

"Yes. Elton needs someone to stand as witness for the hand fasting. I know it's a bit in poor taste, but you're the one who knows him best out of everyone here, so I was hoping that would be you. The twins are standing for each other, and David is standing for Sierra."]

[praevaricatio]

Sure.

( Why not bear witness to his ex's forced marriage to someone he shares a mutual dislike with. Before both of them are erased entirely. If they don't succeed in any of this. )

What's a little poor taste in the face of ascending to a higher echelon.

[maleficum]

["Glad to see you understand."

Any glibness is taken as sincerity, because what choice does Ezra have. John pushes up, clapping his son-in-law on the shoulder before smiling.

"Don't worry. I'm sure it will be relatively painless."]

[praevaricatio]

I have a high pain tolerance. ( He shrugs. ) It was your choice to go to my ex. I married your son. He's the horse in my race. I just hope Max knows what he's getting into.

[maleficum]

["Oh, my dear son-in-law. He came to us."

Elton wasn't even on their radar until he put himself on their front door, demanding buy in to the main event.

"He decided to betray you all on his own."]

[praevaricatio]

Desperate measures. You know he took me before I good get my suit back from the tailor's. Lucky me, you're so well-stocked.

( Snark aside, he still sees how sinister his husband's father is. )

I shouldn't warn Elton there's a 45% chance he might be possessed tonight, should I?

[gambled_ourmistakes]

[It's been a long few months on the road, and Damian is feeling the exhaustion. He's not made for running, and it's become more and more clear, with the way that they can't seem to settle for more than a day or two anywhere at this point without Rowena's early-warning system going off.

They've managed to stay ahead of it as best they can, and part of him is starting to wonder if they're simply toying with him, but he's too tired to think it through now. Instead he just drops himself onto the edge of the bed and rubs a hand over his face.]

You know, I'm starting to admire more and more the five hundred years you managed to stay ahead of Klaus. I don't know how many more months I can keep doing this. Hopefully this business is settled soon.

[shreds]

I didn't spend 500 years with a periscope pointed at me.

( She's planted by the window, peering out of the drawn curtains. Being on the run now leaves her no time to really relax. She gets a few hours sleep in when she can. They take turns and rarely come together. One of them has to always be alert.

This is nothing like being on the run as Katherine Pierce. She could fade into the background and stalk people with Klaus on her tail. Not that she didn't learn later in her life that he merely planted rumors of himself looking for her to go on his own run.

Pathetic. She still avoids him. Ignores everything about him. He has a daughter? That's right. She facilitated that.

It's water under his bridge and she has better things.

One other difference, she had an army of people at her beck and call thanks to compulsion. She doesn't have that here. She only has Damian. And he's fraying at the edges. )

I thought Kirsanov would have teamed up with one of the already dead witches, but I guess he's connected to the parent of an heir. ( She looks back at him. ) It'll be over soon. I feel it. They have until the solstice, right? Either way. The way I see it, it's good guys or bad. They're only chasing us because we destroyed their oldest friend's body.

[gambled_ourmistakes]

Chasing, but not catching. It's almost like they're toying with us.

[It has been months, and he's starting to wonder what the hold up is. Whether it's worth the effort to keep them scared but not to actually kill them. Maybe they didn't care that much about Kirsanov, but still.

What are they after?

He looks back up at her and nods.]

But you're right. It's not going to be much longer now.

[He pauses.]

When this is over, we should take a vacation.

[shreds]

Almost.

( Or, they are. She suspected it a few months back when she was able to time his sigil like clockwork to the day they'd arrive somewhere else. They always got at least two days, but never five. And, if they gave any remote signs of settling, his sigil would sound. Or, brighten.

She turns back to the window. )

Sun and sand or Italian villa?

[gambled_ourmistakes]

Both? Maybe one then the other?

[He glances up at her with a smirk, still feeling the exhaustion in his limbs.]

Right now, I'll take anything with a very large, very comfortable bed that doesn't have murderous witches lurking outside it.

[shreds]

Or, under it.

( Or, nearby in the closet.

She leaves the window, dropping down on her side of the bed, letting herself feel her own exhaustion. )

The Winchesters owe us. ( She cracks her neck. ) I'll take first watch. You need a few hours. You're starting to look how you feel. ( He's looked how he's felt for a week. But, this is her being nice. )