[farm, inside barn]

'zer'? A corrupted 'sir', maybe?

But who really cares about that. "Clockwork?" He leaned forward ever so slightly, his curiosity piqued. "The only methods I know of for making clockwork intelligent involve Rivari hearts. We're talking humanlike intelligence, right?" Vince floated his cup over, which Seilaan had filled with more coffee using the magic favorite-drink-dispensing teapot, and took a sip as he listened. There had to be aitherotech involved. You don't just create strong AI like that without help from something that's actually alive.

While the two spoke, Lise watched the wyvern and baby move closer to Mazra in case she felt like giving them some scratchies, then started looking around the barn. Looks like she'd met everybody... except Ren Yangchao. So she trotted right on over there, giving them a smile and a good sniff.

Being from a world full of aither, Lise would be able to sniff out magical/energetic abnormalities. Like if Ren Yangchao has a bit of Seilaan's energy stuck to them, or the other way around.

Graveyard

Giving the place a look over, Caleb simply said, "I can imagine why." One of the ravens flew away as well, seemingly to explore the area. It always stayed in sight though.

"So," he turned to Moreena, "what should I keep watch for?" But before she answered he saw something in the corner of his vision. A...lake? No, that wasn't it, he's seen plenty of those and it just didn't match. And it wasn't freezing and boiling like the other pools. Before he could contemplate it more it turned red and...something came out of it.

Blood, then bones and organs. While the final form was intimidating, it mercifully had skin and scales. Caleb watched, ready to respond at a moment's notice, but felt a pang of empathy as-she?-slipped. The being walked toward the crater, then started approaching them.

She seemed to clash with the environment; then again that might be exactly what he should expect in a place like this. He waited for Moreena to respond to the scene before acting.

The Graveyard (Moreena, Caleb, Sentinel)

"I don't see any corrupted wildlife this time around," Moreena answered, staring out across the landscape. Or people... "But the thaumic forces alone are strong enough to quite literally pull you apart, or worse, in some places."

She pointed a taloned finger towards the shifting air and flashing images at the center of the crater. "Like over there, and other places like it. I suggest that you stay clo..."

A presence. She turned to face it, and saw... a rather unusual looking being approaching them. It was large and somewhat intimidating, but did not seem to be have been corrupted by the raw magic - in fact, it's presence appeared to have a calming effect on the surrounding area - and it's form was too... stable to have been spontaneously conjured by it. It was kind of elegant in it's own way actually, vaguely reminiscent of something a certain war god she knew might occasionally choose to manifest as.

"Well, that was unexpected," she said. "Another dreamer, perhaps?"

The Graveyard(Moreena, Sentinel, Caleb):

Finally, the eyes of the two wanderers fell upon the Sentinel as she marched closer, but she felt no hostility in them. Before perceiving her the human-looking woman was apparently explaining something about the place to her strange companion, an indication that she was most likely a mage. Maybe she came to study the phenomenon, or to determine if something could be recovered. Her companion didn't look like anything the Sentinel saw before, much like the rest of the things she saw in her dream. Maybe it was one of those spatial intersections Baron Verez spoke so often about, and her mind was projected into a vision of another planet.

As she got closer, she considered if doing anything to conceal her exposed breasts was worth it, but if attracting stares was inevitable, be it because of the nudity of her upper body or because the lower one was the body of a dragon, the best she could do was not think too much about it unless it somehow became useful. And if anyone could actually feel lust instead of fear when looking at her in her current form, she doubted covering her breasts or shifting her chest to become flat as a board would change that person's opinions.

Still, even if she could accept stares she didn't feel like initiating interaction with the starers. How was she supposed to introduce herself? She couldn't just say "hello", but ordering them to bow to her divinity also didn't feel like the proper course of action. Choosing to delay her choice the Sentinel walked on a curve, approaching the edge of the great depression without fully closing the now shorter distance between her and the two wanderers.

"By all the princes I crowned...", she whispered, peering down below.

The apparitions in the center were more powerful, more violent, so close to reality even someone with no attunement could see them, yet too unstable and energic to form pseudomaterial bodies or maintain thoughtforms like mundane ghosts. The matter around the area seemed to still be under effect of the force that rebuild the land, liquids changing states chaotically while stones lay frozen in the sky. It was hard to believe that that was a work of destruction, not some artistic display from a mad god ingeniously defying reality. But there was no artistic vision there, and no orderly architecture or purpose to so much death. Even the Emperor was wise enough to not go so far. Was that really the work of a god, or merely a tragic accident of nature?

"What... what force destroyed this land?", she asked louder, still staring at the center. She did not know if the wanderers would understand her language, but it was a question worth asking, even if she didn't exactly wish their company at the moment.

edited 18th Aug '16 5:22:09 PM by EternaMemoria

[The Graveyard]

No, no! Can't we do anything!? Hey, I don't like it any more than you but... We can't fight with each other! We're a heroine now, trainee Magical Girl Warrior! Tsk, don't Magical Girls always look for a better solution? W-well... We'll just use the power of love then! You two got plenty to spare right? Our emotions and will are nowhere near powerful enough to just bend reality so. Quiet! I think she's finally coming too... Yay, magical adventure heroine time! We're gonna be so awesome!

Eyes groggily blinking open, an awe-filled smile spreads across her face as she takes in the sky above. "Wow, its so beautiful... Light... ning? Gosh my memory must be twisty! Oh I do hope this isn't a problem, problems aren't fun at all!" Laying down on the ground, her limbs sprayed out, is a young woman whose body is completely covered in cloth- Disorderly combinations of red, blue and gold. Yet her facial expressions are remarkably noticeable... Such as the sour look on her face now.

"Wait, how do I get up? Oh gosh this is terrible!" Hopelessly flailing her limbs and rocking her body, the teenaged girl finally manages to flip herself onto her stomach. Uneasily pushing off the ground and standing up on her knees, she cautiously pulls one leg out before her. Awe-filled smile once again gracing her face, she stands up tall and proud- Before losing her balance and falling over.

"Hmph!" "Geez, when did I walk last? This isn't any good at all!" Propping herself up against a nearby wall before trying again, she practically smacks into it before finally getting her balance. Brushing off her clothing with a cutesy frown, the moment she heard a piercing scream a thought suddenly rushes through her head. "Armory Knight..."

Shaking her head in confusion, she looks around for the source of the scream to notice a massive crater- Noticing all kinds of environmental oddities, at least as others would say. Yet as she looked around, her heart tinges, her mind speaking on its own- "Reality is wrong here." Looking distasteful because of her automatic thought, she quickly notices three figures- Though she ends up glancing down at her own chest after noticing the giant woman.

"Why isn't my flesh as bulged out? Wait, am I not a girl? I don't feel like a boy... Hmm... I'll just- No!" Her arms instinctively flailing, she looks down at her hands in confusion- And then her entire body. "Huh? I-is something wrong with my body? I... I don't think I should check yet... Y-yeah, I don't know what sorts could be around! Good job brain for being cautious for me! You are officially my favorite organ so keep it up!"

Folding her arms against her chest and tapping her right foot, the girl glances back to the other three again. "They look like nice people, but looking isn't the same as being nice... Wonder where I got that from? Still, I should probably just let them approach me first- Don't wanna look silly trying to introduce myself. Wait, what is...?"

In the distance a beam of light fires skywards, followed quickly by the screech of some feral beast- A screech that causes the girl to lock up, before screaming out herself in worry "Armory Knight!" Following her cry, her soul pulses, quickly shining through the fragments of magic surrounding it- An incomplete yet grand soul, something belonging more to a fledgling god than a mortal being.

Debris around her suddenly beginning to float, and a ring of contained electricity, her soul shines but dimly with such a display- And her works of magic suddenly come to an end, her mind refocusing. Turning towards the other three with a look of uncertainty, biting at her lip, she calls out trying to be calm even as some unknown sorrow leaks through.

"H-how do I get over to where that beam came from? I'm suppose to find the thing that did it, b-because I'm a... A Magical Girl, its my duty to fight monsters like that! But I don't remember how I got here, a-and something about reality here seems really wrong- S-so I'm not sure how to safely get over there... I-I'm sorry for having to ask..." 

edited 20th Aug '16 10:35:20 AM by Kkutwar

San "Fransokyo" - East Haight/Shibuya (Gon, Ari, Ruka)

Just as Gon and Ari and their two Mystripets (Triumph and Lucky) walked further down the Shibuya side of the street, they saw a person clad in futuristic blue armor that looked as if it had been through many battles. Such armor looked to be form-fitting, and complete with a helmet and visor. As he approached, he slid up his visor to say hello - and just then it became apparent that this was a woman, not a man.

Gon and Ari looked at each other, both looking about equally interested with this appearance.

"She looks a lot like Samus, doesn't she?" Ari said to him, gesturing sideways at the armor-clad woman.

Gon shrugged, but with an awkward smile. "Well, I don't see any giant brains or alien jellyfish around, and her hair is blue, so... nah." Then he turned to the new arrival. "Oh hey there!" he introduced. "Sorry about the chatter - for a moment you reminded us of this video game we used to play as kids. Anyway, I'm Gon, and this is my sister Ari."

Ari chuckled. "His name is Gon," she corrected; Gon blushed.

"What're you doin' here?" asked Triumph, that fiery draconic salamander who just now decided to perch on top of a low store awning right next to them. "You don' look like you're from 'round here. You from the future or somethin'?"

Lucky rolled her bright green eyes. "Triumph, Triumph, always the sassy-pants."

Triumph scoffed at the short-tailed black cat, blowing a small flame out a ways as she did so. "Gon even forgot to introduce us. That domestic bobcat there is Lucky, and I'm Triumph. Emphasis on the 'umph', cause there ain't three of me."

Eldritch Factory - Sanity's Descent (Phoebe, Ashleigh, Noire)

Phoebe and Ashleigh watched with raised eyebrows as Azure Knight just teleported out of existence. "Well that was weird," Phoebe said with a shrug.

And then they heard Noire talking about how she didn't think she could be a fairy, asking what fairies were like in Mystrica... and also why there were elements besides the five the Elemental Goddesses represented.

"Hmm, I have heard that the fair folk can take many forms," Ashleigh mentioned. "Leprechauns and banshees are among them, for instance, and others look almost completely human. I'm not too knowledgeable on faery lore, but I'm pretty sure they represented both nature and fate, and were even thought to be responsible for bringing magic into the world. I've also heard stories of changelings, of the faery folk swapping out a human baby for one of their own kind that look a lot like the original, but turn out to be unruly and yet very talented, especially in magical matters."

"Uh, I think she means the fairies of Mystrica?" Phoebe asked Ashleigh, before looking back at Noire. "Well, I think Vi Willow mentioned something about the fairies holding the magic of the place. In fact, I think that's why there are other elements besides those five. I think she said the goddesses were the original and then the fairies added other elements from there? I dunno. Um, Light means you should have light-based powers, which I didn't see you using, so... And Fairy means you're of magical origin or something?"

Speaking of element, at that point Fooly spoke up in response to Noire's question. "Of Normal-element is me, so I'm just ordinary. See?"

"And Ludwig's element is Energy," Ashleigh added, "which I think is the magic counterpart to Normal. Phoebe said it - the Elemental Goddesses represent the first elements that came about, but supposedly the fairies added more elements. There are fourteen elements in all - that would seem like a lot of gods to deal with. Then there'd be fourteen of us trying to save Mystrica. I think if anything, Vi Willow was going for simplicity."

Meanwhile, Phoebe was looking around, still a bit grossed out by the surroundings. "What is this place anyway? Are we in someone's stomach or something? If so... are we gonna get digested?" She shuddered at the thought. "And what was that - what's soul syncronization, and why would Vi Willow have a part in it? Are you saying she might be trying to mind-control us?"

"But..." Deep down Ashleigh was a bit worried. "...Oh my, I know I had my doubts about living in a virtual world, but I never considered something like that. How does soul synchronization work anyway?"

Eldritch Factory - Forest of Bones (Midnight Stitcher, Vita Exosso, Durnem, Ethoya, Ayako)

Durnem was pissed off before, but this time she was just minorly annoyed at what Vita Exosso was saying. "Well look who's talking," she said to the bone lady. "Here you are making assumptions about my world based only on what I've said, and you accuse me of the same thing."

Before she could say anything else, Vita Exosso said something about this being a sacred place, and something about Brittles? Did she mean the Midnight Stitcher? And what was this about a boy? Did she mean the Midnight Stitcher here too? And now she was insisting that the thing inside the meat sac was her baby sister? At any rate, she seemed to mean business, even going so far as to threaten them with a wall of fire and put up a bony barrier blocking the sac.

Durnem sighed and shook her head. A part of her wanted nothing more to show this lady her true strength, and to blast away the bone wall just to spite her. She knew she could do it, and she really wanted to, and was appearing visibly frustrated at this point... but she had to hold back for now, for if she acted out like that, it would go against the very moral principles the Oradamin were founded on. One of the things she learned early on about them (and which almost deterred her from joining) was that they don't engage in indiscriminate fighting, especially not in petty situations or when the situation is uncertain. Although she was mostly sure that Vita Exosso was lying about the baby sister bit, she did not know the nature of the truth, especially since the aura about the pulsating sac seemed rather plain and untelling... not unlike a baby, Durnem thought.

So while she held her staff at the ready, she first turned to the Midnight Stitcher, who was just staring at Vita Exosso the whole time. "What do you suggest we do?" she asked him. "Is this really a sacred place, or is it just something Vita thinks is sacred?"

And then she turned to face Vita Exosso and her wall of fire. "Vita, I at least have no intent on harming whatever's in there, but I'm not buying the baby sister part. If it comes to a fight I will accept. On Orenya we are used to the presence of magic and living souls, so you're better off blinding me with harsh sunlight, and even that likely won't work. If it comes to a fight."

Misery Manor - Room of Blackness/Study -> Basement/Cellar (Sinistrina)

Note: Gault decided to abandon the whole Room of Blackness concept, so now I'm just kinda turning it into something else.

When the shadowy hands reached out, it wasn't long before Sinistrina felt them grasp at something, feeling what they were touching as if they were her own hands. They were bird feet. At least eight pairs of them. When they grasped them, she heard lots of croaking and squawking noises, and Sinistrina instantly knew that they were ravens.

She opened her eyes, and much to her shock, the blackness was gone, giving way to the study that she remembered being in this room before. There were nine ravens, standing on either bookshelves or an old beat-up writing desk sitting before a torn-up leather chair.

And a voice spoke to her.
"You know you cannot delay the inevitable. Though the blackness no longer surrounds this manor, you know full well that you can never be rid of it. So, what will you do?"

Sinistrina nodded her head slowly. "So, you are the ones who caused this manor to be engulfed in blackness. I hope you didn't do the same to all of Necromere." She looked at them all sternly.

"Your Necromere is unaffected. This is in fact a dream. Your manor is but a figment of a collective reality. And soon, we are to devour it."

Sinistrina looked surprised for a moment. "So that's why..." It made sense all of a sudden. So Gabe didn't have anything to do with Lucina... he was from a different world entirely. And this was not the real Misery Manor, but a dream version of it. In that case...

Sinistrina put on a smirk. The shadowy hands grasping onto the ravens' feet crept up their bodies more, engulfing them in shadow. And all at once, there were nine sounds of necks snapping. As the hands retracted and the spreading shadow on the ground vanished, the ravens fell to the floor, lifeless. But not for long. The black feathers hanging from the ring on Sinistrina's staff began to rustle all on their own, until she held the staff up high and swung it in a wide arc all around at the ravens. The instant she tapped her staff on the study floor again, the ravens got up, as if nothing had happened. But their eyes had turned red, nearly matching Sinistrina's, except they were glowing ever so slightly. And all at once, they spoke.

"I see you are holding the old adage then: if you cannot beat them, join them. Very well then, we shall."

With a nod of reassuring, Sinistrina walked over to one of the bookcases and reached out for an unlit candle in a holder on the nearby wall. When she removed it, the bookcase swung outward a ways at the bottom, revealing a metal slide leading down who-knew-where. Oh right, Sinistrina knew where, and so she sat at the top of the slide and slid right down, three of the nine ravens following her, the other six remaining in the study.

She ended up in the basement, where it smelled like death. She knew why - this was where she quietly dumped the bodies of everyone who died in the manor, and death in the manor was becoming much more common now that a glitch in Mystrica's data systems caused the mechanic of failed nightmares returning the user to the outside world to not work anymore. As she looked, she saw five new bodies here - those of the Dragons' Daughters, who had apparently failed to vanquish whatever foe they had been facing. And although it was difficult to see in the dim ruddy glow of the cellar lanterns nearby, there was another picture on the wall here, right next to a set of steps leading up to the door.

Sinistrina knew which picture this was, and looked at it with a certain sentimentality. It depicted a young woman, emaciated and suffering, lying in a loose bundle of cloth, with a look of much desperation and sorrow on her face. She had the same wavy black hair that Sinistrina did, but her eyes were clearly blue, though with blood-like splotches on the irises.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw half a white face. And a whole shadowy body attached to it, clinging to a wall. She walked up to it and saw the look in his eyes - the dazed look behind them was unmistakeable. Even though he was an inhuman being like Gabe sort of was, he seemed to be affected by the manor's curse. Peering past him, she could see Gabe in the cellar, along with the ghostly Mystripet she remembered accompanying Yamiko, and the same purple wolf she had seen in the goddess Mythrine's mouth prior to Gabe's arrival.

Not entering the cellar just yet, she instead turned around to face her three new raven companions. One of them was just now cracking its neck back into its proper place.

"Soon, but not yet," she whispered to them.

edited 21st Aug '16 1:36:52 AM by ladytanuki

Graveyard

As the part-woman part-reptile being approached, Caleb noticed that she didn't seem to have hostile intent, but remained ready to re-imagine his gun again just in case. Fortunately, that proved unnecessary when she asked what happened.

But the calm was short lived, as he heard a call of "armory knight" and a distant screech (different than the "normal" ones here). Turning to look he saw a cloth-covered figure emit some kind of wave the threw rocks outward, as well as a pillar of light behind her. Clearly frightened and disoriented, she began asking all sorts of questions one after another.

"I don't know if we can get there," Caleb said quickly, in case whatever made that noise came sooner rather than later, "but let me lay down some basics. This is some kind of dreamworld. You," then he looked to the other newcomer, "and I presume you as well, fell asleep and entered here." He turned back toward the colorfully garbed girl, "the creature that made that sound is probably something from your subconscious that got out."

Outside Misery Manor

The raven returned to the area of the mansion and entered the darkness. To the others it projected thoughts: something was part in and part out.

The Graveyard (Moreena, Sentinel, ? and Caleb)

What... what force destroyed this land?

"A terrifying weapon," Moreena answered, briefly glancing up at the large being. It - or perhaps she, judging by appearance at least - looked partially human, and was apparently capable of speech.

"...given to foolish mortals by their cruel and petty goddess."

She turned back to look out across the crater again, her face completely void of expression this time. So much time had passed since then, and yet... She shook her head.

Her thoughts were suddenly disturbed as another person arrived. Moreena gave the... - young woman? - a curious look, raising an eyebrow at the display of magic, and the amount of power radiating from her. She looked rather strange, being all covered in patches of cloth like that, though in this particular company that was hardly noteworthy.

"You seem a bit confused," Moreena said to the cloth covered woman after hearing Caleb's explanation. "That is quite understandable though. I suppose that introductions are as good a place to start as any. The name's Moreena."

The Graveyard (Moreena, Sentinel, ?, Caleb):

A weapon caused that. Not some sort of innate power, or a cosmic incident, but a tool crafted to break reality. It reminded the Sentinel of the tales she heard long ago when she was still a human, and of the things she saw for herself more than once in her centuries. Gifts from the seraphim, the ultimate creators, made so that men could destroy themselves. Yet... the seraphim were said to be one with the fabric of the Universe. Would they truly be able to create something that could tear it down?

"Immortal foolishness feeding mortal foolishness. I've seem it too often, but never this..."

Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard distant steps from a small human. The... - girl? - appeared to be talking to herself, and from her erratic motions it was clear there was something wrong with her. Perhaps as a response to a scream that sounded different from the others, she shouted "Armory Knight", which the Sentinel could only assume was part of some invocation, and a ring of lightning formed around her in an amazing display of pyrokinesis that a human was unlikely to accomplish without external aid. The waves of unfocused power sent through the aether reminded the Sentinel of other beings she met before, each powerful yet broken in some way, and awakened in her a protective instinct towards the newcomer.

"You should worry later, child. I know when someone needs to rest. I am the Sentinel, Patron of Physicians, after all.", she said, trying to keep a calm and even tone in spite of how nervous she felt inside, and holding on to the power of her title as she talked. Even one of the most innocuous of her names had become an invocation on it own right, and its natural and inevitable magic seeped into the spirits of all who heard it, soothing their emotions subtly and synchronizing their heartbeats, or equivalent, for a short moment. After announcing herself, she looked down and said almost bitterly: "Even if the statues may have other titles engraved upon their pedestals."

edited 21st Aug '16 5:12:05 PM by EternaMemoria

Graveyard

Caleb nodded to the newcomer, "and I'm Caleb. Forgive my haste, but I want to stay on guard of that creature you mentioned." He imagined his gun with him, and a rifle apeared slung over his back, "she's right though, you don't look in any psychological shape for a fight."

It was strange. Just moments after he relives that memory, instead of it sticking with him like he though, just moments later Caleb was filled with a sudden conviction; with no idea from were it came. Unbeknownst to him the eye and lines on the right side of his face began to glow brighter.

escuse me for posting out of order, but I thought it go smoother this way.

[The Graveyard] (Moreena, Sentinel, ?, Caleb)

Looking disappointed when the man said they didn't know how to get there, confusion soon sets in upon being told what this place supposedly is. This isn't the Dreamscape right? Don't ask us, we never knew this stuff.

Though her attention is quickly caught by Moreena, underneath the cloth she smiles in cheer as if ready to introduce herself- Yet being told to worry later by the giant woman caused her smile to become subdued.

Looking from her to the now named Caleb, the strange girl tilts her head in confusion of his statement. "Psy cho logical? I don't know what that means, though I'm sorry for that! Armory Knight is my responsibility though, so I can't ignore it..."

Rubbing at her face and her expressive mask now stained wet, that cheerful smile comes across her face as she turns back to Moreena. "Pleasure to meet you Miss Moreena, I'm-" Patches! "Patches! Cause my outfit, see?" Proudly cheerfully planting her fists against her sides, Patches(?) blinks in consideration.

Cutely frowning and holding her arms against the back of her neck, she tilts as she calls out towards Caleb. "Heeey, I'm not asleep though! Like, I would remember falling asleep right? So Armory Knight can't be from my subconscious I guess... Though even if it wasn't real Armory Knight is still super dangerous!"

Letting her arms hang loose, Patches attempts an airplane run- Yet ends up falling on her rear before sliding a bit. Angrily pouting and scratching the back of her neck embarrassed, Patches looks up at the giant woman. Why is she so indecent!? I would assume its obvious she has a different culture? Or maybe superhero pragmatism like Power Girl!

Blinking as she reflects on the giant woman's words, a sweet smile forms on Patches' face as she calls out to her. "Are you the battle-mommy? You seem really nice and strong, so you care a lot about your allies right? Though I think Armory Knight needs to rest more than me- It seems really unhappy, so that's why I gotta fight it yeah?"

Laying on her back and looking up at the sky, Patches lets out a gentle sigh before looking all three of them over, her voice sweet & friendly. "I don't know how this place works so I'll believe you all if you say this or that is impossible. Though we're not gonna sit around either right? So what adventure brought you all here?"

[San Francisco/Tokyo ~ East Haight/Shibuya] (Gon, Ari, Ruka)

The young woman smiled, "Oh, my name's Ruka," She looked up at the salamander, "and I'm from the year 2081" Ruka swept a hand through her hair, "You're not from this time period either, are you?" She gestured towards Gon's bag.

"Anyway, I could have sworn I saw a giant purple cat over here a moment ago." She held her phone out towards Lucky. A moment later, the screen read 'Bobcat' followed by 'Database Error'. Ruka frowned, scratching her head at the readings, "Strange..."

[The Eldritch Factory ~ Forest of Bone] (The Midnight Stitcher, Ayako, Ethoya Uvalex, Durnem, Vita Exosso)

Ayako bowed slightly at Ethoya's request for clothing. With a flick of her wrist, streams of thread flowed forth. The girl used her magic to begin weaving a covering for the woman. The bundle of partially woven thread floated in front of Ayako as she listened to Vita.

Annoyance and alarm welled up within the girl. Here was an individual who viewed themselves above others, it seemed. In addition, the mention of 'True Gods' creating 'Eldritchians' were starting to confirm small fears that resided in the recesses of her mind. This is starting to remind me too much of the Antarctic mission...

With a final flourish, Ayako finished crafting a vest made of light purple cotton. Handing it over to Ethoya, the girl stepped forward, her sword transforming back into an umbrella. "I do not appreciate being mocked, Vita-san. However, I'm more than willing to respect you, your sister, and the sanctity—" She looked down to her feet, then looked around, then looked back at her feet with a look of brief horror. "Oops."

She placed the umbrella across her back like a sword, held in place by the altered fabric. Bending down, she hastily removed her shoes before putting them into a newly formed pocket in her dress. Once the assumed wrong had been righted, she went back to holding her umbrella.

"As I was saying, I'm more than willing to show respect. However, should fighting be absolutely necessary, I will be more than willing to oblige." Once again, the umbrella changed form, shedding some of its bulk as it assumed the shape of a purple replica of a SIG P220. Ayako kept her gaze locked on Vita as she pointed the handgun at the ground.

edited 23rd Aug '16 4:56:45 AM by WillDeRegio

The Graveyard (Moreena, Sentinel, Patches, Caleb)

Moreena glanced up at the Sentinel as she felt the effect of what was clearly something more than just a name. It seemed harmless enough though, and rather welcome given the circumstances. A fellow deity, then? That would explain the unusual appearance.

"Even if the statues may have other titles engraved upon their pedestals."

A subtle frown formed on her face. That sounded very familiar. "That's usually what happens, is it not?" she commented.

She watched the girl in the colorful outfit bumble about for a while, and briefly looked over at Caleb as a weapon appeared on his back. She couldn't feel any magic being used. Perhaps it was yet another quirk of the Dream itself?

"Let's take a look at this Armory Knight of yours," Moreena said, her eyes moving between her new companions, finally resting on the Sentinel again. Moving so much mass around through the usual method could prove difficult in a place as unpredictable as this. She wasn't really in any hurry though.

"Perhaps I can reason with it," she continued, and started to walk.

Upon hearing Patches' question, she stopped for a while and scratched one of her horns. "I don't quite remember, actually. Last night was somewhat confusing."

The Graveyard (Moreena, Sentinel, Caleb, Patches):

The Sentinel sighed as "Patches" ran and fell on the ground, yet remained as eager as ever. People thought that seven centuries should be enough to teach one all there was to human nature, but her experience with children was lacking at best. At least the strange girl didn't feel afraid in her presence, but even that was troubling in its way. Would she run if faced with a monster that hungered for her blood?

She looked towards Caleb when she noticed the brighter glow of his face, to be surprised by the weapon he wasn't carrying before. Had he conjured it despite the hostile environment? She considered if it would be wise to question either him or Moreena before the black-eyed woman decided to investigate the so called "Armory Knight".

There was it, the chance of solitude and respite, the reason she let herself dream for the first time in the year. All she had to do was letting those three go without her.

But maybe the dream was trying to teach her something by making she wear her current form and delivering her to the ruins. She would have other chances to rest.

"I can aid you, if you wish.", she said, "Although I would prefer to prepare myself first. I can reach you later.". Hopefully, she would be able to reshape herself without worrying about the instability of the location if she placed some simple anchors.

edited 23rd Aug '16 2:57:58 PM by EternaMemoria

[The Eldritch Factory ~ Forest of Bone] (The Midnight Stitcher, Ayako, Ethoya Uvalex, Durnem, Vita Exosso)

A purple vest with a gold skirt? An... interesting combination, but now was not the time to complain. Ethoya accepted the vest gratefully and tossed it on, then turned to consider Vita. For she was beginning to recognize something off about Vita's cadence. Certain phrases... "Not!Mer". "Touched by vorlons". "Puella Magus". The words were unfamiliar — though she could by and large identify the meaning by context. But it was the feel of the words that unsettled her. She remembered what had been said about the ways in which Terrans spoke. Every language had memes, tropes, and references that could not be directly translated, but Terran was saturated with them, each layered with meaning and nuance that sometimes had no equivalent in an Alosian language, given how utterly different their world and perspective was. As such, translations tended to... struggle. Could Vita be connected, somehow, to the dying world of Terra and its scheming machine-people?

Ethoya wasn't afraid; to the contrary, she would relish a chance to give a Terran a piece of her mind, if this truly was a Terran before her. She looked over Vita again, seeking out any evidence of machinery grafted to flesh as she said, "indeed. We did not come here to fight, and I do hope it doesn't come to that. Battle is so..." she sighed, "''wasteful'"."

edited 23rd Aug '16 4:18:48 PM by KillerClowns

Ruins (Cira, Gwenafer)

So Cira was no longer satisfied with Reynardo’s leadership. In truth, Reynardo was almost fine with stepping back from that particular position, except for the little fact that he was the only one of their group who had any idea where they were going. Cira and Gwenafer could possibly defeat the vampires alone, but that still left them in a maze, and Reynardo knew he had built the temple to account for some strength of being able to see beyond.

And in truth, Cira was annoying him. Rey had wanted to like him. But the pointed use of his nickname after he had corrected the reptilian on the same became a double insult because Cira knew well what it meant. Gwenafer at least deferred to better judgment and seemed, by appearances at least, to catch the warning glance Rey had given them.

Suri shied slightly at the wall of flames. She glanced toward Rey, then Cira. “We will never escape this place and these creatures if we don’t work together,” she said in her small, light voice. “Please, we should all try to get along.”

“It will be fine.” Rey was giving the flames some side looks too. “I have no intention of harming either of you. All I have done is try to help you.” He waved a hand at Cira. “I am not enthusiastic about having to stand next to you either; you may take comfort in that. You’ve been nothing but rude and ungrateful since you appeared here.” That was not true, of course, but Rey did not care.

He stepped back for the moment to let Cira do whatever his ritual required him to do.

Ruins (Reynardo, Cira, Gwenafer):

"Ungrateful is an... apt description.", Cira said, lowering his sword and resting its tip against the ground. He let it go and it remained perpendicular to the ground, balanced on its tip as if some force was holding it in place. Tired, he took a deep breath that made him start coughing. He moved his hand to block it, an instinct instilled upon him by his instruction on Igurima, and felt a fluid splatter it. Blood.

The power from the sword ate through him like the fires it fed, yet its energy also gave him strenght to forget that he was dying by the breath. Now he was smaller and weaker, a bonfire reduced to a candle in a thurderstorm. His wall of fire also faded, leaving only a line on the dust. Wiping his hands on his shirt, he resumed with weaker voice.

"But... said ungratefulness has proven itself a virtue in the past. I hope you may one day understand why."

He now noticed how brash his previous claim of being able to escape alone was, but part of Cira still wanted to run away, or better yet, show the vampire how foolish he was to underestimate him. That part of him would have to shut up for now.

With both hands he reached for the pockets of his duster, supressing a grimace of pain as he felt torns pierce through his skin. With wide steps he approached the rest of the group, and in a dancelike motion he threw many metal discs in quick succession, all stained with small drops of his own blood. In the end the eight discs were arranged in a perfect circle around Cira, Suri, Gwenafer and Reynardo, with the sword Ruviltene standind a few centimeters outside it. Each disk was emblazoned with octagonal patterns of thorny vines, sharp blades and bright flames, the center filled with holy symbols of the Emperor and the Thrones.

"By blood bound, in fire unbound. In mind held, by thorn withheld. By force attained, by iron suspended."

With his words the enchantment did blossom and vines of steel sprouted. They twisted as they grew, enlacing each other until a dome covered them. Although the most his companions would see in the air was a distortion, both spirits and people like Cira would be unable to cross the border.

"This will block their passage as long as the coins are in place, but not all of their power. Permeability is needed for my invocation.", Cira said with a shaky voice. Most of his weakness was real, but part of that was an effort to seem harmless. Yes, Reynardo was an arrogant fool, but Cira was not innocent either and it would be useless to antagonize him further.

"Gwenafer, the enemy should become visible and vulnerable if they approach the barrier. Reynardo,", Cira said as the blood began to drip from his hands, "now comes the time for the ritual. For it to take place, you are to partake from by blessing. From my blood."

He joined his hands in the form of a cup, ready to command his blood to flow faster through the wounds. "Kneel. This is not going to be easy.", he said with embarassment, "I hoped there would be more time to explain. We are going to commune with your past, with the very spirit of this land. And if anything goes wrong..."

In the corner of his vision, Cira saw a single ember sail through the air from the path they came from.

"Gwenafer, change your bullets and grab the sword! May the Emperor have mercy on us.", he said, whispering the last part.

edited 24th Aug '16 5:39:29 PM by EternaMemoria

Misery Manor - Cellar (Sinistrina, Gabe, Half, Artemis, Lorraine)

After a moment, Sinistrina emerged into the cellar, and was met with a flash of blue flying past her. And then she saw Artemis and Gabe, both appearing to be watching Lorraine, who was still flying around the room and alternating between moaning and laughing, leaving a trail of black wisps behind her.

Deciding to ignore Lorraine for the time being, she walked up to Gabe. "Well, it seems you decided to follow Yamiko," she said to him. "Meanwhile, I discovered a congress of ravens up in that room with the besigiled door, and I think they may have been causing the commotion. Fortunately, I was able to deal with them quite easily."

As soon as she said that, the three ravens who had followed her downstairs flew out into the cellar, squawking softly, before perching on a high wooden beam and looking warily between Gabe and Sinistrina. Sinistrina looked up at them, annoyed at first, but then a peculiar thought occurred to her.

Something in, and something out? What does it mean?^note Since those ravens (plus the six in the study) are under Sinistrina's control now, they would've been able to pass the message on to her.

"You there, go stop that noisy Sinistress from flailing about!" Sinistrina pointed her staff at one of the three ravens, which immediately took off and flew over to intercept Lorraine's path. As Lorraine flew right at it, a faint dark energy shield appeared around the raven, so that instead of passing right through it, Lorraine crashed into the not-quite-normal bird with a cry.

...And then she just turned around and started flying around the room again, though this time she was quiet. Sinistrina turned her red-eyed gaze back at Gabe. "As you can see, they're under my control now."

Meanwhile, Yamiko squirmed about a bit, uncurling herself from the little ball she was sitting in, appearing to do so quite painfully. Then she lay down with her back on the moldy floor, her hands folded neatly over her chest.

Misery Manor - Illusion!Cellar (Yamiko)

Yamiko stared for several moments at Lorraine, dumbfounded. How did she end up on Alice's side? True, Alice did seem to fit her personality, but that didn't seem to mean anything. ...But once again, when Yamiko looked at Alice, she aged again. While previously she was a very goth-punk looking teen, currently she was in some stage of young adulthood, clad only in a simple black dress, and pregnant.
I'll bet anything that's my mother in there, Yamiko thought.

"Do you remember the tentacles?" Alice asked Yamiko, who was taken aback a bit. She did remember, and it was awkward indeed. Especially since Alice was strangely comfortable with getting "played with" by one of the tentacles she... called her dad? "Well, that's how I ended up this way." She patted her belly.

Celia stepped forward, concerned. "You're fine with that?" she said to Alice, then turned to Yamiko, grumbling and shaking her head, gesturing at Alice. "You see, this is why I used to call her Mad Alice a lot. Or Malice for short. You know, I really regret not putting her in an asylum - alas, I couldn't bear to do that to my own daughter, especially given what happened. To think my own husband would do such a thing... it only made me long for my darling Kazuo-kun even more."

"So I killed him," Alice (or Malice rather) quickly interjected, pulling a death cap mushroom out of her pocket. "With this. Ironic, ain't it?"

"Case in point!" Celia complained, facing Yamiko. "I told you she was mad! I could never forgive Kenji for what he did, but I would never go that far!"

"You know what, Mommy," Malice teased, clasping a palm over Celia's face and pushing her backward, "you're getting in the way. I got a battle to finish. Lorraine, let's start with your favorite attack."

Lorraine giggled with delight. "As you wish, Miss Malice. Agony Beam!"

Yamiko mouthed "wait what" as she watched Lorraine in disbelief, gesturing a palm out to Artemis and then clenching it tightly. At once, Artemis winced and sank down to her paws, trembling with the very agony Lorraine's beam inflicted.

Entirely unperturbed by this, Yamiko looked at her Scanner. "But wait - Agony Beam is Darkness-element, so Artemis should be resistant to it... wait what? It ignores elemental matchups? Urgh, I can't believe I forgot about that. You okay, Artemis?" She said the last part rather flatly - nonetheless, Artemis was able to shrug it off, and let out a harsh growl. If anything, the attack made her angrier.

A broad smile spread on Yamiko's face, though deep down inside she did not know why. "Well then. Lorraine, you've always loved pain, correct? I suppose you're getting exactly what you want then. Now what other attacks does Artemis know..."

Just then she heard a beep on her Scanner. To her surprise, Artemis showed up on it, as if she was her own Mystripet. Quickly she flipped through the wolf's status screen as a refresher for her attack list. "Ah, I can't believe I've never seen you use this one. Try a Snarl."

And snarl was just what Artemis did, causing Lorraine to shake a little bit. "Oooooo, how intimidating," the ghostly sorceress remarked sarcastically. Meanwhile, Yamiko saw a message on the enemy status screen on her Scanner that said "Will -2".

"My turn!" Lorraine chimed. "Wicked Lightning!"

Lorraine summoned a black lightning bolt which crashed down on Artemis from above. After the impact, black electric sparks surrounded Artemis. "What, you got Stunned? Ugh, what horrible luck."

"Oh, did I mention that since you're cursed, luck is against you in this battle?" Malice teased, causing Yamiko to glare at her. With a free turn at hand, Lorraine used another Agony Beam on Artemis, which prolonged the poor wolf's status. Yamiko grew anxious as she watched Artemis's HP fall on her Scanner, and wondered if she'd ever get in an attack. She knew if Artemis would only fire a Moonbeam, thanks to the Will debuff and Lorraine's poor Will in general, that magic attack could do significant damage, maybe even knock her out in one hit.

"Aaaaand... Ectoplasmic Ray!" This was a beam of spiraling smoky green wisps, fired from the round red charm fastening Lorraine's cloak. There was nothing Artemis could do about it, and that hit caused her feet to give out and her to collapse on the cellar floor.

Yamiko's heart was racing. Now she was down to only one Mystripet, one who was nearly scared to death. Through all of this, Anaissie was still clinging tightly to the side of her neck, burying her face in her hair and under her hat.

"Come on Anaissie..." Yamiko spoke to the little pixie. "You have to battle now. This is no time to be afraid. For your sake, and my sake, and especially Lupin's..." She looked over to the mushroom patch Lupin was lying in, and her heart sank. Was it over already? Lupin had already succumbed to whatever Celia did to him, and she would never see him again... just like Celia would have with Kazuo.

In an act of desperation, Yamiko wrenched Anaissie from her neck and threw her past Artemis onto the "battlefield". The red-nosed fairy was so petrified that she didn't even bother flying, landing on her side on the floor. When she did so, she started to cry. Yamiko would have as well... but she couldn't bring herself to. Instead, she felt empty. Distant. Like everything was falling apart around her, as well as within herself, and she could only watch with calm futility.

edited 24th Aug '16 11:25:31 PM by ladytanuki

Ruins (Gwenafer, Reynardo, Cira)

Gwenafer watched the mage work his magic, relieved that both he and the revenant seemed to have temporarily calmed down a bit. Suri had been right, a fight wouldn't have done either of them any good.

The ritual looked strange. The enchanted metal disks seemed straightforward enough, but the incantation sounded much more vague and poetic than anything she'd heard before, and the talk about blood was disturbing. This wasn't turning into some weird-ass necromancy, was it?

"Gwenafer, change your bullets and grab the sword!"

Gwenafer knew better than to hesitate in a situation like this. She quickly holstered her gun, drawing the other one instead, placed the torch with the strange crimson flame on the ground beside her, and - somewhat cautiously - reached through the distortion in the air to grab Cira's sword.

No fire this time? So it wasn't the vampires then?

"Alright," she said with a grim, determined look on the undamaged half of her face. "What the Depths am I up against?"

[The Eldritch Factory, Sanity's Descent]] (Phoebe, Ashleigh, Noire)

Frowning a little that Fooly didn't approach her, Noire Blanc nonetheless listens politely with a smile as Ashleigh and Phoebe answer her. Though once they began worrying about Soul Synchronization, she frowns a little once more, her tone polite but with a touch of upsetness as well.

"Normally Soul Synchronization is just cooperation of multiple souls- Not people working together, but their very souls acting as one. However as you can guess, Synchronizing with a developed soul is much harder than a unborn infant. Yet... Synchronization with a mature soul provides a much greater benefit."

Taking a breath and sighing, Noire combs at her hair with her left hand as she continues. "The Soul is divided into two generalized halves- The Mind which provides action, and The Heart which provides emotion. So a Necromancer, those proficient in soul magic, would know exactly how to corrupt someone's Soul- And therefore could twist someone into being a compatible Soul Synchronization partner."

Letting her left arm dangle, Noire glances towards where the Ribeye Butterfly died before speaking once more. "Normally, however, such mass scale corruption of Souls would provoke either the Psych or Reaper Aberrations into... Destroying the offender. Yet, they don't manifest in created realities unless taken there- So if Vi Willow's realm is a separate universe, she very well could alter your Souls without personal repercussion. Not sure what she'll do with Godly power though..."

Gripping her left shoulder with her right hand, Noire "Hm"s a bit before smiling again, looking towards Ashleigh before letting her casually friendly voice loose. "The Fair Folk can shapeshift even without spellcasting, though what is a Fair is a little wrong. In general many creatures and beings exist who could be said or outright claim to be a specific species. For example the basic standard for being 'Vampire' is a parasitic entity who benefits, needs to, or is compelled to feed on others- So while blood is the misconception standard, entities who feed on Life Energy, bone marrow, and so on would be considered Vampires just as much as the bloodsucker."

Holding her hands together against her flat chest, Noire continues with visible cheer. "So whilst some Fair Folk may be screaming ghost women or dump their kids into human homes, not every Banshee or Changeling is a Fair- In fact its very common for those outside the masquerade to wrongly assume certain beings are just as mundane society said they are. For an example, this scary Nekomata instructor lady I know regularly puts up with people thinking she's Japanese."

Though with a look of realization on her face, Noire holds her hands against her back before talking a bit softer. "Are there any Great Fairies? If they caused the formation of the other Elements, surely there must be some obscenely powerful Fairies. Though as for me, I'm certain your device reacted to the magic medium- Everything is covered in magic, so it takes extra effort to filter it out. Entirely possible to mistakenly believe something is Soulless just because their soul isn't shining bright enough."

Looking over her shoulder towards the white forest and red dome, Noire asks without looking back "Should we progress to another area or begin exploring this zone? There's no telling what may randomly approach us, so we should act first."

I'll write up a thing for The Midnight Stitcher later today, though I'm still working out an angle for Patches.

Graveyard

"'Psychological' means things that pertain to the mind, like how the state of our physical brains effect our thoughts and actions, but more that that," Caleb explained. Listening to her talk to the others, Caleb had to wonder at the significance of Patches calling the Sentinal "the battle-mommy".

Responding to her question he said, "I was traveling with a couple of other visitors to the dreamworld, Mazra and Anoerith. We were in a place called the 'Tranquil Underworld', but I was forced out and ended up in a strange black jungle. Looking for them I ran into Moreena." He inclined his head toward her, "I thought that if I help her find what she was looking for I could stumble upon my companions again."

Thinking for a moment, he said "though it's possible they've already woken. If Ano did it could explain what happened, if it was something she brought here." He heard another scream from the crater, "then again, this place isn't to unlike the Tranquil Underworld."

Misery Manor

Reaching the bottom without incident, Half turned to face Sinistrina but before he could speak he heard a distant voice asking "why did you lie to me? I shouldn't have helped you." It sounded like Ashleigh, but he know it was just the manor. Half was back in reality-relatively speaking-very soon, and saw her talking with Gabe. "You're the owner of this place, I assume?" he asked. Looking over to Yamiko he added, "we should probably find a better place for her, there's a couch upstairs."

When Sinistrina questioned the meaning of part in, part out, her thoughts would receive an image of Half, then a vision of the graveyard and its occupants. She would see a crater, ruined buildings, pools boiling and freezing, rocks in the air refusing to fall, and people and parts of people coming into and out of existence.

There she would also see a pale, black eyed woman, a girl wearing colorful patches, a being seeming like a giant human from the waist up but a six legged reptile below, and a humanoid with a blue pattern across his skin and warring loose restraints. The image of Half reappears and rests over the last one, and for a moment the images of both melt into each other and seem like one being.

edited 26th Aug '16 5:59:52 PM by Novis

The Graveyard (Moreena, Caleb, Sentinel, Patches):

"Wait... did you say Anoerith? How did... how did she look like?"

Could... could that be the reason she was having that Dream?

Ano's mask is somewhat similar to the Sentinel's face. While Ano probably exists in a different continuity from the Sentinel due to some big changes in my worldbuilding, my series does not follow One-Steve Limit, so I will put this opportunity to use. Oh, and sorry for the out-of-order post, I kept it as short as possible

edited 26th Aug '16 6:48:25 PM by EternaMemoria

Misery Manor - Cellar (Sinistrina, Gabe, Half, Lorraine, Artemis)

Immediately after Sinistrina received that strange thought from the ravens, and before she commanded one of them to attempt to stop Lorraine from flying around, she received a full-on vision connected to that thought. It was of an area that looked desolate and dilapidated, not unlike Necromere, but a bit more surreal. Especially given the creatures inhabiting it, which included two very strange chimeric beings.

But the other two inhabitants interested her. One was a blue-patterned man who for some reason seemed to have a connection to Half. The other was a pale black-eyed woman who clearly looked otherworldly... and just like the image of Half appearing above the man there, another image appeared above the death goddess. A rather pretty young lady wearing an elegant frilly black dress. The last image struck a strange chord with Sinistrina, causing the vision to abruptly vanish, and her to blush again while looking up at Gabe and the ravens. But she looked different while doing so - before when she blushed she might have had a mild pinkish tint to her otherwise pallid cheeks, but this time they looked gray.

And then later on, Half mentioned moving Yamiko to the sofa in the living room. Sinistrina redirected her gaze over to the girl who looked kind of like a slightly more colourful version of the goth girl in the vision, and her eyes narrowed in spite when she saw the position she was lying in. Nonetheless, she gestured a hand near the top of her staff and let the three will-o-wisps out of the largest skull on it, allowing two of them to hover above Yamiko and the last one to take a detour over to Lupin. All three of them immediately shrank and lost their colour, and became almost transparent. This brought up a faint sense of amusement in Sinistrina, as she retracted the wisps (which returned to their normal size and dark purple colour) and took a step towards the collapsed lovers.

"I think it would be more appropriate to find a coffin for her," she remarked without looking at Half. "In the past when people who have become trapped in here reached this stage of despair, they simply vanished into the real world." It suddenly occurred to her that since this was a dream world, that could still be true now. "But now with the real world sealed off, their souls have no place to return to, so eventually, they die."

"Then do something about it!" Artemis growled at her. "If you are the owner of this place as Half presumed, can't you remove the curses upon them?" The long black fur on her back bristled as she stood defensively in front of Lupin. "Or at least do anything but watch as they waste away?"

Sinistrina didn't even flinch from that remark. "I'm afraid not. Although I watch over this place, I have no power to fight against the manor's curse. All I can do is make sure they don't do anything..." and here she cast an aside glance at Gabe, "...drastic."

She noticed that one of the ravens had just decided to perch on top of Gabe's head. "Get off of him," she spoke flatly to it, "and whatever you do, don't ruin his hair." The raven ignored her and did just the opposite, especially if and when Gabe tried to shoo it away.

Just as an FYI, now would be a very good time for Gabe to experience another brief illusion and might be his last chance to do so, but it's up to you whether or not that happens, KC.

edited 27th Aug '16 2:48:16 PM by ladytanuki

[Misery Manor - Cellar (Sinistrina, Gabe, Half, Lorraine, Artemis)]

Gabe had not yet mastered Father Balder's showy habit of plucking bullets out of the air in mid-flight, but grabbing the raven mid-air and keeping a firm enough grip that it would be unable to fly away or further disrupt his immaculate hairdo was well within his abilities. Holding it at arm's length, his gloves ensured any clawing or pecking would be in vain. "Drastic," Gabe said. "Do I look like someone with a flair for the drastic?" (His gloriously outlandish outfit and halo-hair answered this question with a silent "yes".) "I dare say, it's not looking like it could..."

He let the raven go to clutch at his head. He watched the work of the Witches burn from afar. He watched the genocide. A vision, from the manor... or so he thought. The others might notice a brief glimpse of an emaciated figure, only partly in the "reality" of the dream world. Part bird, part man, a halo shone behind its head. It wore white cloth and gold, and its skin was as white as alabaster. No more could be discerned — it took barely an instant to gently brush the back of Gabe's skull, and then it was gone.

The vision lasted only a few moments, but it was enough. "My inaction," he said, a new coldness and passion in his eyes, "has doomed enough souls." He took a deep breath, then said to Sinistrina, "if you have the slightest suggestion what we can do about this place's curse, I advise you tell me. Now. Or start running — when a Lumen Sage sees fit to destroy a thing, we are very, very... thorough." He didn't even wait for a reply, but began looking for a likely place to begin opening a portal, already preparing for the effort the conjuration would involve.

edited 27th Aug '16 7:49:27 PM by KillerClowns

[The Eldritch Factory, Forest of Bone] (The Midnight Stitcher, Ayako, Ethoya Uvalex, Durnem)

The look on Vita's face as Durnem first spoke, resembles that of dismissal- Of someone looking down on their inferior. Yet anger flickers across her face as Durnem spoke to The Midnight Stitcher, the man in question considering his response- But holding back as she spoke without his answer.

Vita's fists clench, her face clearly wanting to turn into a snarl- Yet it is restrained even as her eyes bore into Durnem. Her attention is soon caught by Ayako, with a look of confusion crossing Vita's face as the magical girl said she was mocked. As she contemplated what to say, her turns her gaze to Ethoya.

Disappointed yet oddly cute "Hmph" sounding from Vita as she noticed the new outfit, her gaze narrows as Ethoya examines her. Nothing that seems like machinery could be found, though the sheer whiteness of her made it difficult to tell the difference from flesh & clothing. Still, once Ethoya spoke, a smile creeped up on her face.

That, however, was when The Midnight Stitcher spoke- "I believe I've figured her out." Startled curiosity crossing Vita Exosso's face, the abominable male continues in his normal tone. "She never once said Human- Only the slur Brittles, and she's clearly upset by the insinuation that's she's lying or that her sister is a 'thing'. Yet..."

Turning his left eye solely to focus on Ayako, he speaks once more. "She seemed surprised by Ayako saying she was mocked- Vita even resumed her more playful tone instead of something notably offended. Add in her dismissal of Ethoya being an angel and the reverence she gives to her Gods..."

Refocusing both his eyes on Ethoya, he takes a few steps forward before loosing his lips. "She's not truly racist- Humanity just seems insignificant to her, yet she clearly knows Earthen culture well. Thus why she knew to be offended by Watimari- Otherwise she would of casually ignored it all. So tell me..."

Lazily pointing his right arm towards Vita from which tendrils suddenly sprout ready for an attack, The Midnight Stitcher's eyes turn to purple- And he speaks a more aggressive tone than ever before. "Your Gods- They're my greater scope villains aren't they? Sending Eldritch Prime to Earth, doing nothing to prevent humanity from experimenting on it- Your Gods are why I'm a monster aren't they!?"

Blinking at his speech Vita begins playfully laughing- Only for The Midnight Stitcher to inhumanly rush up to the flaming the bone wall and stopping, prominently displaying himself to show the flames do not harm him. Vita's laughter ending, she boops him on the nose- The monstrous man snarling as Vita casually backs up.

Smiling and giving a bow as if closing off a play, the mysterious woman speaks playfully once more. "Well there's a lot you didn't get, though it isn't like the Brittles could of told you anyways- They know nothing of the True Gods. Still, I brought enough time for mother. So... Meanie Not!Mer, Adorable Meguca, and Angel of Mommy Complexies-"

The ground rumbling, Vita blows a kiss as she begins bunny hopping over to the pod & deer creatures, and finally calls out- "Follow the will of The Eldritch Factory and you'll find the core! Even if you aren't from our universe, the rewards you gain will return with you- So don't be afraid!"

I'll honestly post for Patches later- Just really loving Dice The Cube That Changes Everything so... Anyways, if nobody tries to stop Stitcher, he'll leap after Vita and become temporarily separated from the group.

edited 28th Aug '16 11:37:44 AM by Kkutwar