Atlantis

[Bloodedge]

It seemed an agreement had been reached. Hikari would make the journey, and Karna would be joining her. It was likely for the best, since the Dungeon which gave them all access to Atlantis would be closing soon. At that time, there would be much difficulty in leaving and returning, which would especially be a problem for someone stricken the way Kou had been. Alas, any leave they would take was destined to come later. Karna shifted his gaze, realizing that the pair they spoke of were in sight within the palace, albeit quite distant still.

"Power of Influence. You're a Dragon. We are living Artifacts. Where we exist, there could be a cataclysm at any moment. Even an idiot can feel it." Everything Akashi said, he said while his hand was pressed against Miki's sternum. Eye contact continued, with Miki even returning it with a demeanor that implied challenging. "You can hear me. I feel it. My Tatsuki." With these words, his hand rose gradually, sliding along her sternum and neck until it found its resting place by lifting her chin. In that very moment, his own face also drew dangerously close to Miki's, still maintaining the same intensity of eye contact.

[Apollymi]

Karna was soon staring off into the distance, and Seriri followed his line of sight as well. She saw the two who'd previously left in such a rush, stopped for some reason she didn't yet understand. Hikari was also shifting just a bit, seemingly annoyed as she took a seat on the arm of the throne for the sake of not standing for too much longer. 'Yare yare, how long does it take to retrieve a single item... what is the hold up?!' she wondered petulantly.

In the time where the others looked on from a great distance, Miki found herself in a staring match with a Dragon she didn't want to lose. Beyond this, it was pointed out by this lad exactly what Dragons were by their nature in terms she found conventionally acceptable. His explanation explained the sudden pulsing of power she felt within her body but if this reaction was simply to a Dragon being in her presence that didn't seem like it should be happening with an avatar of her own creation. 'Unless... they all count as part of me...' she thought in this moment. It explained quite a bit, but she still didn't intend to let some other part of herself fully enjoy her life to find herself sidelined. 'Obviously, she can hear you... she's plucking at the inside of my head like caged animal,' she thought. Still, she was being forced to maintain this eye contact, and found the lad's hand moving up her chest to her neck and settling below her chin. Her face was now so close to his, she was almost afraid to move her lips, but something he'd just said was stuck in her head, and brought a strange feeling to her body. But there was a question, right on the tip of her tongue, which passed through her barely moving lips. "Your Tatsuki?"

[Bloodedge]

There was a great deal of distance, that being the entire length of the palace from entrance to throne, but Karna could see somewhat clearly. The close proximity of the returning pair was an interesting, yet annoying sight to behold. However... he would see it through without interrupting, if only for the sake of avoiding a Dragon's wrath again.

Speaking of avoiding the things of Dragons, Miki's attempts to still her lips were obvious to Akashi. His eyes could see everything. When she finally chose to speak again, he could see the restraint in her lips. This was the case even while he was focused on her eyes. Why would she even bother? The Dragon scratching at her very soul would not have done so. He remembered their brief time. The two of them were free in the way only Dragons could be, and it was an experience Akashi would see continued. Perhaps this was simply linked to the human soul behind the Avatar somehow, but Akashi didn't care for all of that. The grin on his face was commanding, even a bit smug. In this state, he was absolute. Only one was allowed to meet him on these terms. "Yes. My Tatsuki," he said, clearly making no efforts to restrain the movement of his own lips. Due to this, his retort would see his moving lips brush against Miki's quite easily. "You don't have a problem with that... right, Tatsuki?"

[Apollymi]

'Kimi... what are you doing?' this was the thought in the head of Seriri. Of course, she was simply wondering what kind of the trouble the lass could have gotten herself into with the Dragon on such a simple retrieval. Beyond all of that, there was something very strange about her relationship with the lad Kou and Seriri was keen to figure out the exact nature of this connection.

Miki was in a situation most precarious by her own approximation. She had no intention of backing down, whether this was a machination of her Dragon or simply one of her personality was not really important. What was currently important was this new game of chicken she was playing with Akashi, she'd not quite backed out of enough. As a Dragon, she knew the lad didn't accept anyone else being at the same level as him, an exception was made to this rule for her other Avatar Tatsuki, who was a similar kind of being for whatever reason. What she hadn't quite gotten around to in her complete analysis was the fact that both of them were similar enough to create similar avatars with barely any connection to start with. His lips brushed against hers as he spoke, he didn't seem to care about this level of closeness. This wasn't at all how she was used to maintaining herself in this lad's presence. He'd claimed her, this part of her as his, with a smug grin at that. What was she actually supposed to say? It would be the case, that Miki herself wasn't really given an option, as the pounding of rushing water in her head, stopped her from arguing once more. "No, I don't mind. Look after me." There was a bluntness to this statement not normally possessed by Miki or even by Kimi her original self. Even so, it wasn't something she'd stop herself from saying, and in the same moment her own restraint seemed to disappear as well, as if she no longer cared to avoid the situation before her.

[Bloodedge]

Even in this proximity, the blonde continued to meet him without backing down. He knew this was nothing more than a game of chicken, but one could only wonder why. What's more, her words of response were intriguing. "Hoh? And how do you expect I'll do that?" he asked. Surely there was something. The Dragon was there, he could still feel it... and yet, part of him wondered how much of Tatsuki's influence was in place here. It didn't matter too much, but he still wondered. Even more imperative than that was the relaxation he could see in Miki's face. She'd given up on her restraint, leaving the situation at hand just where he'd initiated it. "You should specify, Tatsuki. And, depending, you should also prove yourself."

[Apollymi]

The rushing sound within Miki's head seemed to lower itself to something of a lull. It was more like background noise, and in addition, after having given up on being argumentative about the Dragon-related topics, it seemed her internal Dragon was fine with letting Miki be, for the most part. Though she was obviously still there, and right below the surface waiting for the right opportunity. In this current more relaxed state, Miki spoke directly to this lad's face her lips moving gently against his, still playing this strange game of chicken. "I thought it was obvious, by doing what you want. You being here is enough for me. I don't require anything specific," the lass mentioned and this was quite true. All she ever really wanted was to be accepted as she was without issue, if he was willing to do this, then there were no problems to be had by the lass while he performed any of his doting behaviors. There was one more minor thing, which was about to come from the lass, but she didn't intend to lose this game of chicken this time. "Miki desu," she mentioned in passing as her lips pursed and she aimed to meet his. It technically wouldn't be the first time she committed such an action, but in this moment as her normal Avatar, she was proving to herself that she wasn't afraid even when her form didn't match his.

[Bloodedge]

And so, the final piece of information was there. Akashi thought this to be a simple desire, but no more than he likely would have done regardless. The presence of Tatsuki was weaker by the time she spoke. Though it was still there, he could confirm that she was not necessarily speaking her own desire through her lesser self. "Sou desu ka," he said. Once again, Miki would correct his use of a name to that which belonged to the blonde Avatar. If Akashi intended to speak a retort immediately, he would be incapable. His mouth had abruptly become occupied as Miki's puckered lips met his, which then pursed themselves to suit the union. His hand remained on her chin all the while, and it would not be he who broke the kiss. In fact, the Dragonoid Akashi was more than bold enough to slip his tongue into the girl's mouth as well.

[Apollymi]

It seemed the simple nature of Miki's desires could be acknowledged without any qualms. What was more, she also was allowed to close the distance between them with her mouth and surprisingly her mouth was met by his own ready for this kiss she initiated. Strangely, the lad didn't stop this action at all, and beyond the level of their normal interaction, even progressed it further. She felt the warmth of this Dragonoid's tongue slip into her mouth and her eyes widened. Still his hand was on her chin and though it was likely a bit greedy, she didn't stop this for quite a few moments. Her own tongue playing against the one that belonged to the invader until her own need to breathe made her back away gently. She caught her breath in short bursts, her lips lightly flushed and her face gaining a similar tint. "Um-hm," this was a small noise which escaped her, but her head fully fluttered with the boldness of her own actions, which she could blame on no one but herself. 'Shit... what the hell am I thinking?!' she questioned herself. Hadn't she decided to leave this lad alone because he didn't seem interested? Was the simple interest of at least one of his avatars enough to make her change her mind so much? Or had she simply taken as much of what she was given as she possibly could, because it was right in front of her and she didn't know moderation? Any of these things could be right or none of them, she wasn't entirely sure herself anymore.

[Bloodedge]

The need to breathe on Miki's behalf was the only thing that separated them. What a shame this was. Akashi wasn't quite done yet, and he'd even managed a favorable reaction from the girl... or more specifically, her tongue as it toyed about with his own. Though quite different from the incomplete Dance of Dragons he shared with Tatsuki, this was something he could consider satisfactory for one who would be incapable of the dance. "Mhm?" he questioned as his hand moved from her chin to the side of her face, which it rubbed most possessively. "You'll be joining me on the throne then, won't you? If you insist on not being Tatsuki, your place should be... beneath me. Would that be more to your taste, or will it be the throne after all?" Akashi's choice of words was oddly perverse, yet also very much as he intended.

[Apollymi]

Miki was experiencing a crisis of her own conscience. She didn't feel bad about her actions, but she wasn't sure how she should interpret her own actions in this moment. She wasn't given much time to think it over, soon enough Akashi's hand moved from her chin to the side of her face. He committed to rubbing her face, in a manner that implied possession. The words the lad spoke thereafter could be taken several ways, but implied perversion at a level higher than most people would willingly put forth. Miki's eyes widened but strangely the lass chose to grin in this moment. There wasn't any different way she wished to take the statement he'd made. "Sou ka... Well, I don't necessarily see myself beneath anyone. But that isn't really a point I need to negotiate with you right just now is it?" she said with a bit of cheekiness. "You can have your throne, I'll take your lap. It's a better seat anyways..." the blonde lass said flippantly, oddly still feeling like this was a bit more of that game of chicken than she originally thought she'd been playing. Still, she strangely had no problem with this lad's actions or words. Perhaps this was because of their shared interests? Or perhaps it was something else, she'd simply been avoiding for the lad's continued comfort as her partner? Regardless, it seemed their detour had made a relatively short trip take quite a bit longer than normal.