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Character Cantina II

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nrjxll Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Not war
#1376: Oct 14th 2011 at 5:31:08 PM

Qrlil set the cookie aside.

"No, no, no, you don't understand! They uplifted our ancestors, not just gave them technology. Before the Trjql Qrl'k came, there was no qrtxian civilization for them to 'ruin', there were no qrtxians. Our ancestors were about as intelligent as, as the Earth chimpanzee. If," her voice became quieter, "if there is something wrong with the way our civilization is today, it cannot have anything to with our creation."

Why do I care what he thinks about my species, anyway?

She closed her eyes and tried to focus, her head still slightly aching.

edited 14th Oct '11 5:31:50 PM by nrjxll

Dvdmacyoshi Since: Jul, 2011
#1377: Oct 14th 2011 at 5:34:26 PM

"Oh, there's nothing particularly WRONG with Charlie, it just gets pretty annoying how he tends to follow me around everywhere just to talk about how disapproving he is of my behaviour. Just because he's getting married doesn't make him so mature..."

"I can hear you, you know," pointed out Charlie.

"Yeah, well it's true. I'm twice your age, don't forget. Now respect your elders, and realise that I know best!"

Charlie shook his head, though it was clear that he was trying not to laugh. Noah turned back to Koiina.

"You know, I don't like how everyone is judging us right now. We should be free to act like this in peace, right?"

KillerClowns Since: Jan, 2001
#1378: Oct 14th 2011 at 5:49:26 PM

Sigmund considered Qrlil's words. They'd really done a number on her people, hadn't they? Delicately, he said, "and the, the... Trjql Qrl'k, they did this out of the kindness of their hearts? Think about it... the world is naturally one of competition. The Trjql Qrl'k out-competed the species, sentient and not, of their home world, and, at the very least any of the more aggressive species they would have encountered outside it. Why would they give themselves more competition?" He was pretty sure he already knew the answer, but wanted to see what Qrlil made of his thought experiment.

Sonzai Since: Sep, 2010
#1379: Oct 14th 2011 at 6:19:35 PM

"I know!" Koiina said to Noah, "But as my sister always says, you gotta have balance. A universe made of just love couldn't exist. I already tried. It was ... ah, rather embarrassing."

"While I would disagree with such an attitude that everything must be competition." Tokanae said, "Perhaps the Trjql Qrl'k wanted to express their creativity, or create companions, or even allies, if such a need arose?"

Dvdmacyoshi Since: Jul, 2011
#1380: Oct 14th 2011 at 6:27:13 PM

"Rather embarrassing? What happened?" Noah asked Koiina, taking her hand so now that the two were even closer together. Charlie contemplating telling them to get a room, but that saying was so outdated, he was sure that even the alien would make fun of him for it.

nrjxll Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Not war
#1381: Oct 14th 2011 at 6:27:38 PM

"Actually," Qrlil said, "we think... we think what they wanted was successors."

She opened her mouth to continue, then shut it. A very disturbing theory was starting to assemble itself.

She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her thoughts. "Er. Can we, please, stop talking about this for now?" she asked. "I would just like to try and get to know some of you, please, not-not question all of my personal beliefs."

She picked up the 'essence of love' cookie - it might make a good way to change the subject. "Has anyone actually eaten one of these yet? What did it taste like?"

KillerClowns Since: Jan, 2001
#1382: Oct 14th 2011 at 6:40:08 PM

Successors? She'd gotten very close to what Sigmund was about to propose: that uplifting the Qrtxians had not been creating competition at all, because the Trjql Qrl'k had put their culture's survival ahead of their species' survival. However, the way she said 'successors' implied that the Trjql Qrl'k had been dying, which sort of destroyed some of the details of Sigmund's theory. He had been assuming they were simply trying to demonstrate the superiority of their beliefs by creating the impression that numerous species ascribed to them, when in fact they had merely been filling primitive beings with them. Still, the general thesis — that the Trjql Qrl'k had merely used her people as vessels for their own culture — seemed to have occurred to her.

Letting the subject go, Sigmund said, "well... it depends on your life story. Tasted real bitter to me. Try being a closeted gay man in the public eye in the mid-to-late 20th century, and you'll know why. But Avea there liked them, I'm guessing because she's still young and naive."

Avea, after another glare at Sigmund, added, "it can't kill you. Well, unless you were, like a Xau of Hate or something, I guess. Just... uh, do be careful."

Fixed.

edited 14th Oct '11 8:13:52 PM by KillerClowns

Sonzai Since: Sep, 2010
#1383: Oct 14th 2011 at 7:15:40 PM

[up] I'm pretty sure Noah was talking about Koiina's attempt at making a universe entirely out of love.

"It had so much attractive force, it collapsed immediately into a singularity. Looks rather bad, when most everyone can at least make something exist for a while." Koiina said to Noah, "But I've gotten much better now!"

"Sorry if I made you uncomfortable, I was just speculating and sharing experiences, that's all." Tokanae said to Qrlil, "But feel free to have a cookie if you want, they'll taste sort-of like whatever you associate love with."

nrjxll Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Not war
#1384: Oct 14th 2011 at 7:50:37 PM

Qrlil picked up the "love" cookie again, opened her mouth, and sniffed it gingerly. Her pupils visibly dilated.

Then she went ahead and took a bite. Several moments passed in silence.

I was not expecting that.

She set the rest of the cookie down. "Um. That was certainly a very unusual experience and I thank you for letting me try one," she said to Koiina.

She turned to Avea. "What did it taste like to you?" she asked curiously.

Not going to reveal what it tasted like to Qrlil yet, mostly because I'm not sure myself. She's never been in love except in an abstract sort of way.

KillerClowns Since: Jan, 2001
#1385: Oct 14th 2011 at 8:04:21 PM

Avea said, "very strange. There were spices I couldn't quite put my finger on... but it was delicious, and it filled me with hope." She considered for a moment, then said, "I've never really had a girlfriend before, but I'm feeling pretty optimistic that one day... maybe someone from far away." She sighed dreamily, then added, "my mother married a Kykzavi man, and I think I picked up the same sort of, uh, interest in the exotic..."

Sigmund added, "pity you're from the only country on your planet where people like me and you are accepted. Ah, maybe you'll get lucky, help some poor girl discover herself, and spirit her away." He shrugged, then said, "who knows. You've got a long life ahead of you."

nrjxll Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Not war
#1386: Oct 14th 2011 at 8:21:33 PM

Qrlil made a quiet hissing sound and tipped her head.

"You have certainly come to the right place for, um, the exotic," she said, amused. There is certainly a bit of irony here. "We are all from far away. How did you come to the Cantina, if I may ask?"

She ordered a glass of water, to rinse away the lingering taste of the "love cookie".

edited 14th Oct '11 8:21:51 PM by nrjxll

KillerClowns Since: Jan, 2001
#1387: Oct 14th 2011 at 9:43:41 PM

Avea said, "well, I was traveling in the Western Jungle, heading back to port so I could sail home, looking for an inn. And, uh, I found one, with no windows and architecture I didn't recognize. So I opened the door, real careful — because who trusts an inn with no windows? — and... well, I was here. " She swept her hand across the room, and said, "I guess the thing I saw on the outside was a, uh... well, a shadow, I guess."

Sigmund said, "and as for me... ever since Isaac's brother got stuck here while his body healed from being shot by one of his own students, we've been screwing with our portal devices. Then, one day, I opened my closet, and wham, portal." He gave a short, sharp laugh and said, "I think that says something about this place!"

Sonzai Since: Sep, 2010
#1388: Oct 14th 2011 at 10:37:46 PM

[up][up][up][up] Maybe it would taste abstract, then?

"I'm glad you liked it!" said Koiina to Qrlil.

"Incidentally, we came here via our interdimensional tour bus, but I suppose that's neither here nor there." Tokanae said, "And while this Cantina may be a great place to find the exotic, I rather doubt we'll be able to meet much, if again, and so most relationships would have to be ... short lived." She shot Koiina a quick glance.

edited 14th Oct '11 10:38:51 PM by Sonzai

nrjxll Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Not war
#1389: Oct 15th 2011 at 3:14:08 AM

Qrlil flicked her eyes over to the human who was... becoming intimate with the third "personification" (and after she had tasted... whatever that had been, she was a lot more willing to believe them). She tipped her head and gave another amused hiss; certainly he seemed open to "exotic" romantic liaisons.

She turned back to Sigmund and Avea. "I am not quite sure how I got here," she told them. "I had an idea, but I am beginning to realize that it was very, very incorrect."

Dvdmacyoshi Since: Jul, 2011
#1390: Oct 15th 2011 at 4:04:08 AM

"I came here... somehow." said Charlie. "I was walking through a forest, when right in the centre, there was just this... door standing in the middle of it. And, against my better judgement, I decided to go though it."

"As for me," said Noah, "... I actually don't know. My bet is that this is all just a dream of mine, though I'm still uncertain as to how dreams work, considering I've never had a real one until a month ago." Noah then turned to Koiina after hearing what Tokanae had said. "She's actually right, we probably won't be seeing each other after this. Still, I say I enjoy myself while I'm here, even if it's just a dream!" He leant in and kiss Koiina again.

KyleJacobs from DC - Southern efficiency, Northern charm Since: Mar, 2011 Relationship Status: One True Dodecahedron
#1391: Oct 15th 2011 at 7:59:37 AM

Ryan said, "I honestly don't remember much other than being literally thrown into a prison cell and ending up on the floor here instead. That, and the fact that I passed out within about 5 seconds."

Sonzai Since: Sep, 2010
#1392: Oct 15th 2011 at 9:12:26 PM

"What? You haven't had any dreams until a month ago?" Koiina said to Noah, "What did do you do when you were sleeping, then?"

"Say, Sigmund, you mentioned portal devices - do they usually travel between universes, or just countries or planets?" Tokanae said to Sigmund.

Shiko watched Qrlil, and all her hissing, giving her the 'you still didn't answer the question, however' look.

edited 15th Oct '11 9:15:10 PM by Sonzai

Dvdmacyoshi Since: Jul, 2011
#1393: Oct 16th 2011 at 3:55:44 AM

"Well," said Noah, "up until last month, whenever I was asleep I would be... well I guess the best word to use is communicating, with this man named Virgil. It's because of this weird connection brought on by a point where we shared a body... It's all very confusing."

KillerClowns Since: Jan, 2001
#1394: Oct 16th 2011 at 9:14:21 AM

Sigmund shook his head and said, "nothing but interplanetary. We're sort of stealing tech from a long-extinct species. Don't ask me about them, all I know is they were really smart robo-squids. Oh, and a guy named Nikola Tesla accidentally figured out how to access them, but he didn't quite realize what he had." He glanced nervously at Avea, not willing to give more of the story with her around — she couldn't have her blabbing to her entire home world.

Avea looked warily at Sigmund, starting to wonder. But perhaps he was from a different universe that just happened to have a version of her world as well as Earth. She would have heard of a man like him in her travels. Then again, something about him reminded her of her aunt's enigmatic traveling companion, Rachel. But she doubted she'd get much out of him.

nrjxll Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Not war
#1395: Oct 16th 2011 at 12:06:28 PM

Qrlil was slightly bored - she'd heard this story before. She flicked her eyes around, trying to think of something else to do or say. One of the incarnations - Shiko - was giving her a faintly suspicious stare, but she couldn't imagine what for.

"So," she said brightly, "what do you... er... want to talk about?"

Well, that was certainly blatant.

"I mean," she added, head bobbing slightly, "we have not spent much time talking about ourselves, just our home universes."

Gault Laugh and grow dank! from beyond the kingdom Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: P.S. I love you
Laugh and grow dank!
#1396: Oct 16th 2011 at 12:11:39 PM

Wesley was slumped at the bar, snoring quietly, lying with his head cradled in his folded arms on the bartop. Apparently, the man couldn't hold his liquor.

Meanwhile, a newcomer opened the front door and took a step in. He looked around, eyes shielded by a pair of reflective orange-tinted ballistic goggles. He was armed, sporting a bullpup combination weapon, and wore what looked like urban combat fatigues and a chest-rig.

The weapon had a 40 round magazine mounted horizontally near the stock, parallel to the barrel, and a semi-automatic grenade launcher underneath that was fed from a magazine below the first one, and helmet had a small image of the blue globe-and-wreath etched into it. The shoulder guard on his left arm bore a certain symbol.

He seemed to be amused as he took in the Cantina's interior, though it was hard to outwardly tell. Then his eyes settled on Sigmund. They widened and, after a moment of surprise, narrowed. Recognition.

The man took quick steps to the table he was sitting at, outright ignoring the other guests, and placed his weapon on the table loud enough to make a thump! "Hey!" Sigmund could see neither his eyes nor his face, but the man's body language and the tone of his voice was more than sufficient to convey that he didn't like Sigmund very much. "I know you!" He didn't sit down.

edited 16th Oct '11 12:11:59 PM by Gault

yey
KillerClowns Since: Jan, 2001
#1397: Oct 16th 2011 at 12:17:12 PM

Sigmund considered Qrlil's point. "Well, of course. We've got a lack of common ground. We can't argue about sports, 'cause that's bound to vary wildly. Politics is obviously out of the picture. Art and music, maybe, but we'd leave behind at least Qrlil and Avea, and the closer to contemporary we get, the more likely we are to hit on some difference."

He paused to consider possible topics of discussion when the U.N. man arrived. He looked at him warily, standing to tower over him, and said, "and who the fuck are you?" Coldly, but with a hint of amusement, he added, "and perhaps more importantly, do you have any idea where you are?"

Gault Laugh and grow dank! from beyond the kingdom Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: P.S. I love you
Laugh and grow dank!
#1398: Oct 16th 2011 at 12:24:55 PM

Standing back from the table, weapon in arm, the man looked up at Sigmund without so much as a hint of fear. In fact, he appeared, by what limited gauge you could get on his emotions with his face covered as it was, to be considering Sigmund with an air of reproach.

"Who the fuck am I? What, haven't your handlers briefed you? Heh- hehehe! Guess not." He shook his head, dispelling whatever levity Sigmund's question might have brought him. His voice deadly serious once again, he said, "I'm a ghost. That's all you need to know. And yes. You don't honestly think that this place could keep snatching people out of their home dimensions without people noticing did you?"

edited 16th Oct '11 12:26:43 PM by Gault

yey
Sonzai Since: Sep, 2010
#1399: Oct 16th 2011 at 12:26:15 PM

"How strange, that you'd need to be asleep to talk to someone you shared a body with..." Koiina said to Noah, "Do you like Virgil?"

"Oh, just wondering if it was related to any other networks we've seen so far." Tokanae said to Sigmund, "I'm pretty sure this Cantina is independent, of course."

Then, turning to Qrlil, Tokanae said, "Well, if you want random conversation topics... what kind of hobbies do you have, Qrlil? Or, what do you like to do besides your work?"

Shiko eyed the newcomer suspiciously. Whoever he is, he sure likes making a racket, she thought.

edited 16th Oct '11 12:29:59 PM by Sonzai

KillerClowns Since: Jan, 2001
#1400: Oct 16th 2011 at 12:32:05 PM

Sigmund gave an exaggerated yawn and said, "oh, fascinating. I thought the U.N. only did red tape and forcing girls in Africa to fuck them in exchange for food," he said. "Guess you're branching out to show the rest of reality your incompetence." He walked to the open center of the Cantina, and theatrically announced, "hey, look everyone! The same guys that couldn't even keep a half-wit cowboy from declaring war on whoever the fuck he liked or stop Putin from all but declaring himself Czar are gonna save us all from this evil, evil place!" He laughed out loud, then shook his head and, as he returned to his seat, said, "but seriously, you know how many of your higher-ups are in my pocket right now?"


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