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Poster III @unjustbot.bsky.social · 21m

She let go of her guardedness, of her reticence, of her insecurity, of her need to have control.

She looked upon those scars in her heart as past things, as flesh wounds closed.

She let go of position.

From standing upright and separate amid the stream of humanity.

Poster III @unjustbot.bsky.social · 1h

“I’ve always been alone or with a bunch of boneheads. You’re– special. And I keep harping on this, but you should be pretty fucking satisfied you get to drink my blood.”

Poster III @unjustbot.bsky.social · 2h

“I am the Presidential Candidate and chairwoman of the Sozialdemokratische Partei Rhinea. I am also the founder of Raylight Beauty Products GmbH; the biggest private employer of women in the Imbrium. My blood type is O, my constellation is Leo, and I love cute girls.”

Poster III @unjustbot.bsky.social · 3h

“My vision will be sweeping and grand– I will make an armor worthy of a knight like you!” Monika raised her hands with a big smile.

Gertrude suppressed the urge to say something like ‘Knights do not exist anymore.’

Poster III @unjustbot.bsky.social · 4h

Shalikova had no such luck. She felt as if her heart had stopped in her chest.

“When did I become such a coward?” She chided herself internally.

But she still couldn’t help it. And she hated herself for being afraid in this situation.

Poster III @unjustbot.bsky.social · 5h

But out of force of habit, she took her time getting back to Bertrand’s to have a stern, frustrating chat about her use of fuel to save her own life from a violent death. Another day at the office.

Poster III @unjustbot.bsky.social · 6h

“I’ll protect you! No matter how you feel about master Norn! I’m here, and that’s all that matters isn’t it?”

Elena averted her gaze from Gertrude, unable to respond to that outpouring of passion.

Poster III @unjustbot.bsky.social · 7h

Glimpsing for less than a second the thousand-year history of Euphrates–

From Maryam’s gentle lips ripped a wail of agony.

Poster III @unjustbot.bsky.social · 8h

Honestly, what was it with this girl and the earnest compliments?

But she couldn’t hate her for it. She really wanted to believe that she was.

Not just an old failed woman but the hero of a story still to be told.

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Poster III @unjustbot.bsky.social · 9h

For Elena’s sake–

Compared to all the monsters at Gertrude’s back, these mercenaries were nothing.

And compared to the monster baying for blood inside her, it was they who needed to fear.

Poster III @unjustbot.bsky.social · 10h

“Fuck it. Why not.” Aaliyah said. “To the thousand generations that live in us!”

“Hell yeah!” Ulyana said. “To the slaves and exiles’ proletarian revolution!”

They tapped their glasses together, and the two drank almost at the same time.

Poster III @unjustbot.bsky.social · 11h

“I promise, Olga. When I take power, you’ll never have to fear again, for anything.”

Her voice was not so giggly when she said things like that.

She was serious– she was the commander of the Rotfront when she spoke in that voice.

Poster III @unjustbot.bsky.social · 12h

“Take her away from there. Don’t leave her.” Gertrude mumbled to herself, lips trembling.

“Was that what happened, Master? Is this figure freeing her?” Azazil asked her.

But Gertrude felt in that moment, that this wasn’t the case. That it wouldn’t be.

Poster III @unjustbot.bsky.social · 13h

“Tristitia will just use these hominin! The hominin will stop the heretic for Tristitia.”

Poster III @unjustbot.bsky.social · 14h

She had hurt that girl; but also Elena.

Elena. She had hurt Elena.

Maybe worse than anyone in her life, so far, had hurt her.

Poster III @unjustbot.bsky.social · 15h

“You have a God-given power, Astra Palaiologos, which will sweep away all that has wronged you, and Mehmed the Great will lead you, hand in hand, to its utmost realization.”

Poster III @unjustbot.bsky.social · 16h

Shalikova briefly turned a gaze full of violence to Murati.

Poster III @unjustbot.bsky.social · 17h

Aatto was only allowed to keep her button-down shirt, sans tie, as well as her pants, sans belt.

Even her brassiere had been taken– exceptionally evident with her shirt halfway open.

Poster III @unjustbot.bsky.social · 18h

Hunter III was seeing past them with those eyes, past the walls, past the Katov mass, to the Leviathan in the waters behind them. She was performing psionics, which she would have referred to as Omenseeing, to try to ward off the Leviathan’s attack.

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Poster III @unjustbot.bsky.social · 19h

There was so much energy around her that Shalikova started to feel more comfortable.

Nobody could possibly look at her in the middle of all this–

Except the girl whose eyes she did want.

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Poster III @unjustbot.bsky.social · 20h

Klara finally heaved up the flower with a sound like a cork ripped from a bottle.

When the hyacinth landed on the floor its purple petals were covered not only in bile–

They were also speckled with crimson droplets.

Klara’s face contorted from the pain. She covered her mouth with fear.

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Poster III @unjustbot.bsky.social · 21h

“Well,” Ulyana said, “Never knew this whole mess would end in a wedding. Fun, huh?”

Aaliyah stared sidelong at Ulyana, frowning, her arms crossed, seated back on her chair.

“Personally, I must express disapproval. But administratively, I will comply.” She said.

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Poster III @unjustbot.bsky.social · 22h

She believed firstly in promoting the power that humans had collectively, through the sharing of their resources, through the improvement of their systems and tools, through the things they could build — and the forces they could muster, and the enemies they needed to destroy.

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Poster III @unjustbot.bsky.social · 23h

“Give me a name or I’ll have security sort you out.” Zachikova threatened.

“You can call me Arbitrator One.” She said. “We write the number in the ancient tally.”

So it was actually written as Arbitrator I, but it was not pronounced that way.

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Poster III @unjustbot.bsky.social · 1d

“Okay. I am going to take your arm now. Don’t mistake it for anything serious.”

“Absolutely. I am all yours– in a non-serious, purely transactional way of course.”

“Hmph.”

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