Oh. So Itvasme was currently acting like a damsel-in-distress, in order to convince herself that she actually had power in this sudden, surprising situation, and to avoid feeling vulnerable… but in actual fact… she *did* feel vulnerable, and this was just her way of dealing with that.
Immediately, Darken felt a wave of protectiveness come over him, as it would for most people when seeing someone in a vulnerable state.
*Ahem* "Itvasme, Sorry about that. There... wasn't much time to chat earlier... 🫢✨" The mysterious masked stranger said apologetically, even as he naturally injected just the right amount of care, humour and warmth into his tone to make her feel safe and more at ease.
Currently, the pretty, sweet, and also diabolical and devious Grand Dark Rizzard Itvasme is propped up on some pillows on a kind of hospital bed, in a kind of underground bunker and storage chamber, which is connected to the Central Convenience Store HQ via the Secret Island Underground Network, a series of passageways that allow for movement and transport between the 5 points of the five-pronged ⭐️ Star-Shaped Islands and the Central Convenience Store HQ.
There is an appropriately dim glow from the flickering fluorescent lights, which hum and buzz in the background, adding to the mysterious, clandestine feel of the Secret Island Underground Network setting.
Darken's Plan - in alignment with Bob's Plans - is to get to know more about the Dark Rizzards, and to see if there is the possibility for collaboration.
At the same time, this would also allow him to gain more information on the Dark Rizzards intentions, influence and activities, and perhaps, maybe, just maybe, to subtly steer the Dark Rizzard Association in a way that would do more good than harm, or at the very least, to be someone in place with the potential to better prevent harm from happening.
At the same time…
"When one stares into the Abyss… the Abyss stares back at you." [1]
The writer and man of thought Nietzsché had mentioned these words long ago.
[1] Full quote is "Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you." - from Friedrich Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil (1886)
But what exactly was the Abyss? Was it as simple as Anti-Life vs Life-Affirming beliefs and actions? And if so, how could we make the world more Life-Affirming, rather than less?
Everything has a cost.
Was this the truth?
Meanwhile, Itvasme glances up at the mysterious masked man.
After the stress of the Showdown… she wants… release.
Her body is naturally exuding pheromones, a dispersion of desire and bodily, human need.
"Thank you for saving me," Itvasme whispers, drawing closer, all the while observing his response and reactions.
Uh…
She looked insane.
Insanely good.
Itvasme's long legs and shapely figure were perfectly displayed and framed by her sweet, short shift and her aesthetic Dark Rizzard's Cloak…
She knew exactly what a man liked… and exactly what she was doing…
After the Intensity of the Showdown, Itvasme was aiming to reclaim her power, to restore her balance and equilibrium, in the raw, real, human, bodily way that she knew …