highly secure
"Qrlil. That's a very good question," Hector said, slowly turning his body around in a full circle. His palm ignited with the same light from before. The light penetrated some distance into the fog, but the only thing the light fell upon was more people.
Hector extinguished the light. "Well, she's gone. Maybe she's woken up."
edited 10th Apr '12 7:23:32 AM by Chubert
Whatcha gonna do, little buckaroo? | i be pimpin' madoka fics
"Hello, Sam. Raphael Cline." He nodded politely.
He thought he had seen her somewhere once before... if anything, it was a long time ago.
"Eli's my older brother. We're triplets."
There was a loud tap on the floor, and Matt entered the room with a cane in hand that had more in common with a combat staff than a cane. It was perfectly straight, the same width al the way down its five feet of reach, and with a rounded copper tip.
"My name's Matthias, though."
Judging by the shattered display case that he passed on his way in, something must've went down.
"Jack, you have debauched my sloth."
The Draconic Superior
Nyarlathotep raised a white eyebrow at the discussion of magic, "Magic? Funny how you all speak of such a dangerous thing so lightly. Magic is a gift only those of the Damned and Horror can bestow. It makes me sick to my stomach to know that there are humans who think that real magic is for amusement and entertainment."
Astaroth nodded her head in agreement, "Indeed, and the holy magic used by those of the Righteous could never compare in power."
Samira looked over at Astaroth and Nyarlthotep and thought to herself, you're a real pair of charmers. Demonic and eldritch energies... weren't they the same thing? Still, they lacked the subtle insidiousness of the mages she knew, which was a curious relief. Though they were probably more powerful, objectively speaking, than most such mages. But then, wasn't corrupting power a mage's specialty?
She let the thought go for now and said, "nice to meet you, Sam and Raphael..." insincerely, she added, "oh, and, Nyarlthotep and Astaroth, you as well." She began to head out the door, saying, but "alright... uh... let's find, like, a lobby or something with comf... well, with some sort of chairs. I'm too old to stand around like this all day."
Zacharias said, "a pleasure to meet you, Matthias," and offered his hand. Quietly, he added, "and anything you can tell us that will help us help your brother and his... condition... would be very appreciated. He's a fine young lad, but I worry about him accidentally hurting himself. Or someone else."
Kokabiel spoke to the Lost and the Messenger after transmitting what it had seen in the appropriate formats for each. <A pawn of ice enters the game,> Kokabiel said, noting Matt, <and one of fire leaves,> it focused its ethereal senses towards Eli. <But what say you? The remaining flame,> it focused upon Wilhelm, <burns hot indeed. But it burns alone now, and should Wilhelm prove violent, I doubt his rephaite will long stand. Will he reign in his temper, or will he burn himself with his own passion?>
The future of warfare in UC.
"Optimistic of you." Nara examined the faces again. "Nobody I recognize anymore. Just as well, I didn't want to get too violent with them. They might be more resistant then they let on."
Nara sighs. "Unless they," she made sweeping gesture to the masses behind them, "took Qrlil."
Nous restons ici.
I changed Matt's form of blindness from total to cortical blindness, where he can tell the difference between light and dark, but not color or depth. Everything else is unchanged.
Matt was here! He was here! Eli's characteristic grin came over his face, and he leaned into view from where he sat next to the doorway. His energy signature's motion gave Matt something that could be described as a light brush of the hand.
Matt shook Zacharias' hand, giving his brother a smile and tiny wave after he was done. Quickly, he turned back to Zacharias.
"Did something happen? I'm guessing Eli was the one who broke that display case I passed on my way in; was there something in it, or...?"
"Of course," Raphael replied.
He headed out of the room and back to the lobby, hopefully expecting some of the others to follow.
edited 10th Apr '12 7:10:20 PM by CrystalGlacia
"Jack, you have debauched my sloth."
highly secure
"Ooh," Hector said. "Scary. Especially given the fact that dreams and Qrtxian biology seem to be incapable, who can imagine what horrors she might be subjected to? If the 'system' glitches out, then where could she be taken to? A screaming vortex of alien faces, where she is trapped for the rest of her life, where each second of agony is perceived to inflict the torture of several lifetimes. And, to the take her back, we, the brave, noble heroes, could fight our way through the endless mass, punching people in the face and making cool poses the whole way."
Hector sighed. "I'm sure she's fine. There's no way for us to determine if she's not, and if she isn't fine, then there's no way for us to determine how to help her. I would worry if I was paranoid, but I'm only paranoid when either me or my friends are in danger; that is not the case."
Whatcha gonna do, little buckaroo? | i be pimpin' madoka fics
Silent to all but its companions, Kokabiel said cheerfully <and the other flame returns! Delightful!>
Zacharias, meanwhile, nodded and said, "yes, he was the one who broke the case." Looking over at Eli, he added, "but I'm sure he can tell you why if he wants to." Matt seemed nice, but he'd let Eli decide how much or little to say. What if, for instance, Matt had been the one to send Eli to whatever place had so terrified him of such institutions? How could he know? Then again, the joy with which Eli greeted Matt made that horrible possibility seem very unlikely, enough that Zacharias felt guilty for considering it. Still, best to let Eli judge, at least on this matter.
Glad somebody had taken the initiative — and hoping the pleasant young man could shape the dream scape to a less dreadful shape — Samira followed Raphael without a word.
"Makes sense," Jonathan said to Zacharias. "If your enemies are powerful and all that, you kinda want to avoid making them, even at your own cost. Guess it's up to you to make your own decisions, anyway."
I wasn't planning on fighting Wilhelm, but oh, well. If that's what you think. Not everything I do culminates in violence. Just most of it. It's not like I'm some blood-obsessed psychopath or anything. Still, best to keep an eye on Wilhelm, for whatever reason. Couldn't hurt.
He gave Matthias a curt nod, but let Zacharias do the talking.
The Draconic Superior
Nyarlathotep looked at Astaroth as the two shrugged in unison and followed Raphael and Samira toward wherever the lobby was.
"This dreamworld is already proving to be of some interest," Astaroth said nonchalantly as she followed Nyarlathotep, "I'm beginning to think you're going soft Nyar~kun, I can tell that this place is even interesting you for a change." Nyarlathotep rolled his eyes as he they two continued to follow the others.
So far, Astaroth is the only one who is allowed to call Nyarlathotep Nyar~kun
"Because my sketchbook was in there."
That's... random. Matt headed over and knelt down to where Eli was sitting. What they actually said couldn't be heard from where any of the others were, but Eli's hammy motions made it quite easy to tell. He was being very matter-of-fact in his account- he jerked the notebook out to Matt for him to take, who closed it and began searching for something in the corners of the cover with his thumbs. Matt said something; Eli nodded vigorously and pretty much said yes as he did so. Finally, Matt paused at the lower-right corner, tracing his finger delicately over the painted sketchbook name before he realized what it said. He nodded and handed the sketchbook back to Eli, then walked back over to Zacharias.
"I know why he broke the case." Matt twisted his staff in his fingers. "He... concluded several years back that he had to burn one of his sketchbooks because it contained drawings and artwork that could be used as evidence to convict him of any number of poorly-defined crimes." He made sure to airquote the last word there.
They couldn't sit in the lobby; there was too much rubbish laying around to go to the trouble of clearing it away, so he left altogether.
It was in this oppressive fog that he realized that he was leading something for the first time. It was... odd. Raphael was simply hoping there wouldn't be something dangerous out there- he was a healer, not a fighter. And he didn't even know where he was going.
But amidst the grayness, a glint through the fog caught his eye. He stepped closer for a better look, and color was what assaulted his vision, of a bounty of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices being grown within the tinted panes of a greenhouse. Cascades of trailing, bountiful vines past counter-height plant shelves almost formed an emerald-walled hallway. Just looking in through the open doorway, they could see down the path farther than they could see outside- more than a bus' length away was a sort of atrium surrounded by stone seating.
And... seats! Night.
edited 10th Apr '12 9:34:55 PM by CrystalGlacia
"Jack, you have debauched my sloth."
The future of warfare in UC.
Nara laughed softly, just once. "Ah, to be less than three years old again, and to not realize that to be alive is to be in danger. But as a practical matter we know too little about this to even start. Did I provoke them? Maybe. Only way to test that is to try again."
Nara sighed. "And without any idea if I could protect you or myself, if they did it, if I provoked them, doing so would be unwise. Around and around in circles, and the bullets come out here."
Nous restons ici.
Drummer Boy
The music stops, and Wilhelm is visibly agitated. "Uncle, what are they saying?" He grabs Friedrich's sleeve, tugging gently.
"Not sure."
"They're looking at me."
"So am I."
"But you're talking to me."
"Don't worry." Friedrich puts an arm around the boy's shoulders, hoping this will help him. He knows that Wilhelm would be dying to leave, but Friedrich wants him in his line of sight. "Hello there, sir. I'm Dr. Friedrich Ritter and this is my nephew, Wilhelm."
He tries to project confidence onto Wilhelm, but as usual, it doesn't work very well. Wilhelm is slightly hunched over and shaking.
Bianca trails a little behind the others, humming quietly. She doesn't much care for the new company—yet, at least.
"Ooh!" She lifts her skirt a little above the ankle and runs toward the greenhouse. "Isn't it beautiful?"
edited 10th Apr '12 10:23:25 PM by SnowyFoxes
The last battle's curtains will open on stage!
<We,> the Messenger 'said', <do not care.>
It flashed briefly with lights before halting. A bulge appeared on its side and split off into a new, smaller sphere, the hole filling in it moments. The smaller sphere briefly flickered with light as well, before it sped off into the fog.
highly secure
"Whether or not either of us is alive is a moot point. Yes, my body breathes and blood flows through my veins, but the same might not be said of this body," Hector said, waving a hand in front of him. "Nor can it be said that true danger can be posed to my person when I am experiencing a reality different than the one I am concerned about. This experience is disconcerting, disturbing, and frightening, yet I do not believe it poses any danger to me. Let's not provoke them."
edited 10th Apr '12 11:28:57 PM by Chubert
Whatcha gonna do, little buckaroo? | i be pimpin' madoka fics
Zacharias muttered, "really? A sketchbook is hardly evidence of anything. Due process is just another one of those luxuries you don't miss 'til it's gone." He scowled slightly, but then softened. "Well," Zach said, "it looks like Eli trusts you, Matt. So I will as well." He offered his hand. "Have I introduced myself yet? Zacharias Hosseini, professor of linguistics."
To Bianca, Samira said, "yes, it is." She slowly made her way toward the greenhouse herself, finally easing herself onto a chair with a slight groan. "My legs thank me so much. As does my head. God, it's so nice to be around so many things that are alive for a change." She smelled the air with a faint smile.
Kokabiel spoke back to the Messenger. <Strange. You are not at all curious? I had thought a being such as yourself would be very curious about the cosmos, including the natures of other pre-singularity organics. After all, is it not such curiosity about the workings of the universe that brought you to your present state?>
The Draconic Superior
Nyarlathotep and Astaroth followed everyone else to the greenhouse as both of them sat down on a chair. Nyarlathotep's eyes wandered arounded the greenhouse, "This looks a lot like things post Great Warp looked like," He breathed out a heavy sigh, "It's very pleasant, I'll say that."
Astaroth became a bit curious, and decided to ask anyone who would listen, "What exactly is the time period where you are? I imagine that none of you have heard of the Great Warp."
they...
what need have they for such heated arguments
...
over killing
hearing them...
The voices were a bit disjointed, though listening to several people talk to each other at the same time was difficult in a way that talking to several individually was not.
Raphael followed down the aisle of plants, some flowering, some with fruit. The fruits looked absolutely perfect; large, ripe, healthy, and just waiting to be plucked and transformed.
On his right, he passed by many vines clinging to a wire lattice. He recognized each of them on sight- the black pepper plant's red berries, cardamom's green and brown pods, rosemary's delicate lavender flowers, fennel's tall-stemmed, yellowed umbels. On the other side of the atrium, citrus trees cast their aroma over the conveniently placed stone seats.
On the corner of a growing shelf was a patch of purple flowers. They'd be otherwise nondescript if not for their stamens, which were colored a deep, passionate red.
How-
Raphael had to look at it again. He blinked in disbelief, gently brushing his finger on the tall stamen. Nobody grew saffron, except Dad.
"...Oh, my God," he muttered.
Saffron, the stamen of the crocus flower, is the world's most expensive spice, costing about $1000 USD a pound. Each flower only produces three stamens, which have to be picked by hand without breaking or splintering. A lot of flowers have to be harvested for any sort of substantial amount needed for cooking, hence the obscene price.
"Pleasure," Matt said to both men.
He paused, realizing that only silence filled the air.
"Say, what happened to that piano? I thought it was lovely."
Even Eli found himself wondering what happened to it; from a distance, it really did sound like a fancy party!
edited 20th Apr '12 6:55:13 PM by CrystalGlacia
"Jack, you have debauched my sloth."
<We do not care,> the Messenger elaborated, <about philosophy[ideology/differentiation/emotional divergence].>
It appended a note that Kokabiel's use of metaphors was also a factor in its disconnection.
edited 11th Apr '12 2:12:33 PM by nrjxll
Drummer Boy
The music returns, now very faint, but as Friedrich wraps his arm more tightly around Wilhelm it grows stronger.
Wilhelm finally stops shaking, and Friedrich loosens up. The music becomes even louder.
"I'd actually like to know exactly how we're getting this music," Friedrich says, frowning at Wilhelm.
"Hell if I know." Wilhelm shrugs off Friedrich's arm and presses his ear against the wall. Nope, not from there. "Should we walk around a bit more or something?"
The saffron crocuses draw Bianca's attention, even among the other wonderful things the garden had to offer. She creeps up on Raphael. "Is something wrong?"
There really aren't many flowers. Whoever takes care of them must use the precious spice themselves. "Er... do you know who owns this place? I hope they don't mind us being here."
edited 11th Apr '12 5:16:56 PM by SnowyFoxes
The last battle's curtains will open on stage!
Kokabiel sent a message to the Messenger in its own format. <Apologies. My damage[disease/cancer/corruption/madness] makes me very wont towards the use of metaphorical[symbolic/magical] language. I shall attempt to be more clear in future. Do you have a preference for some other topic of discussion than the foibles of organics[mortals/proto-Rephaim/pre-singularity entities/toys], then?>
To the Lost, it said, <not killing so much as whether it is permissible to think thoughts of murder and crime if one does not act upon them. An old debate among organics. Is it enough to resist evil, or must one purge it from one's mind? As is organic nature, most select something between the two. But Eli lack the capacity for such purging, it seems, and must instead express through art what he would otherwise, in defiance of his own sense of right and wrong, commit.> It peered more closely at Eli. <Or at least, that is what I suspect.>
Zacharias listend to the music for a bit, then said, "certainly. We're not doing much else here. Seems like everyone's calmed down, anyways, and I'm... well, I'll regret this, but I find myself morbidly curious what oddities this place will toss into my lap next. That mixture of terror and fascination... such a strange yet oddly delightful feeling. An inheritance from my dear ancestor Qaisar, I should imagine, to feel like this in the face of the unknown and unknowable..."
Samira slowly stood and walked over to Bianca and Raphael, watching them with concern as she took a seat nearby. She said, in response to Bianca, "I don't think anyone can claim to own anything in this place. Or if there is some 'owner', it probably owns this whole... plane, I guess. In which case, if it minded..." she looked around, "we'd have known. But if any mind rules this place, I think we're its... guests." Nervously scratching her neck, Samira thought, God, I hope we're its guests. But that seemed like a bad thought to speak out loud, for fear of worrying either Bianca or Raphael. If they hadn't thought of it themselves.
edited 11th Apr '12 5:15:21 PM by KillerClowns
The future of warfare in UC.
Nara pressed two fingers and a thumb to her temples, hand covering her forehead, and sighed. "Where the hell is Sanderson when you need variables sorted? All right. Do we have a plan we want to continue with still, minus Qrlil, or are we reevaluating?"
Nous restons ici.
Matt turned towards where he thought he heard the music. "Sounds like a plan."
Eli decided to stay close to his brother, significantly mellower than before. The oldest one was supposed to be the strongest, the one the younger brothers and sisters look up to and go to for strength, not the one who needs his little brother to stay calm and semi-normal.
"I swear the Necronomicon's in there." He pointed in the general direction of Qaisar's accursed book, heading towards where he thought the music was coming from. Lydia flitted across the room and slipped herself into Matt's spacious jacket pocket without missing a beat.
"No, it's my Dad's greenhouse. Because he's... kind of crazy and tried to grow the most expensive spice in the world." Raphael laughed nervously. "I'm going to back away before he pops out of nowhere or something." His hands raised as though he had just been confronted by a police officer, he did just that and took a seat at a nearby bench.
"Jack, you have debauched my sloth."
While she herself never practiced magic, Samara was familiar with it, or at least a little bit.
"It may not be much of my place to speak, but I'm a bit familiar with a couple different types of magic," she considered for a moment, "Oh, but I only really know what I know from knowing others that use it. I think the general rule was that theoretically anyone could use magic, providing they had a proper formula written out. But there are some people or entities that can just do it without any sort of formula, like it's natural. I'm not entirely familiar with it."
She then seemed to get a bit embarrassed, "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. Samara Mason, though I prefer Sam. Good to meet you."
“DAMMIT WHEN I HEAR 'SPACE CQC' ALL I CAN THINK OF IS BIG BOSS WITH A FISHBOWL ON HIS HEAD, STRANGLING AN ASTRONAUT OUTSIDE THE ISS."