Personification Life - IC Part VIII [open]

[Urran]

Yuri turned to Minerva and shrugged, she sat back down. She was anxious of the tempers around her.

[Swith Witherward]

Katya sighed. "Whatever. I shouldn't be here anyway."

She got up and walked to the exit. As she did, she tossed her wine glass to the floor, letting it shatter, before slipping out. Torii sighed as well. "I believe that she was still curious as to why the city refused aid, and even funding for its own police force. However, previous points made in the discussion answered those questions. As for just now...well...."

She ran out and got Katya back. After a minute, she brought her sibling inside again and let her take a seat. Torii then started cleaning up the mess.

"It's understandable," Minerva said as if there hadn't been a break in conversation. She ordered Katya a new glass of wine.

"They aren't asking for aid. They're simply offering to hire us for a specific job."

[Torsiedelle]

Katya sighed. "Whatever. I shouldn't be here anyway."

She got up and walked to the exit. As she did, she tossed her wine glass to the floor, letting it shatter, before slipping out. Torii sighed as well. "I believe that she was still curious as to why the city refused aid, and even funding for its own police force. However, previous points made in the discussion answered those questions. As for just now...well...."

She ran out and got Katya back. After a minute, she brought her sibling inside again and let her take a seat. Torii then started cleaning up the mess.

"It's understandable," Minerva said as if there hadn't been a break in conversation. She ordered Katya a new glass of wine.

"They aren't asking for aid. They're simply offering to hire us for a specific job."

"Well I don't like that.", Torii piped up, having cleaned up. She sat down by her sister. "It's like we're mercenaries. I'm already a soldier...and I'm expected to fight for these people, and I feel like I won't be acknowledged for it...I don't want to help them."

[Urran]

"The don't" said Yuri to Torii. "They are not forcing you into anything."

[Swith Witherward]

"The don't" said Yuri to Torii. "They are not forcing you into anything."

"Exactly," Minerva nodded. "Torii, some people here won't want to do it. No harm. Klaus and I are extremely limited in what we can do because we already do some of it. We'd not say no to pay every now and then. You see, we don't get paid at all for what we do."

She began to chuckle and she looked at Klaus. "Not a penny. All that planning, all the defenses we put in place, all the months of surveillance on the Drones. The war against Yellow King. Even before that. The minor things. We were never paid and most of you don't realize how much effort we put into it. No one offered us a dime, and we wouldn't take it at this point. But no one ever said, 'Thanks Minerva' or 'Thanks Klaus'. People seldom say 'Thanks Bran' and 'Thanks Neil'. Well, from the bottom of my heart, thank you Katya and Torsii, for all you've done for all of us. You might not realize how much you've done, but you've done it and done it well."

She laughed and gave both girls a sincere smile.

[Urran]

Yuri nodded in agreement to Minerva's statement. "Yes, thank you Torii. You and Bran have shown me that there are good and bad in every nation. Not all communists are genocidal maniacs that want to kill me and all of my people. Thank you for helping me change.,,,but I still do not fully trust you." she smiled.

[Torsiedelle]

Yuri nodded in agreement to Minerva's statement. "Yes, thank you Torii. You and Bran have shown me that there are good and bad in every nation. Not all communists are genocidal maniacs that want to kill me and all of my people. Thank you for helping me change.,,,but I still do not fully trust you." she smiled.

"The don't" said Yuri to Torii. "They are not forcing you into anything."

"Exactly," Minerva nodded. "Torii, some people here won't want to do it. No harm. Klaus and I are extremely limited in what we can do because we already do some of it. We'd not say no to pay every now and then. You see, we don't get paid at all for what we do."

She began to chuckle and she looked at Klaus. "Not a penny. All that planning, all the defenses we put in place, all the months of surveillance on the Drones. The war against Yellow King. Even before that. The minor things. We were never paid and most of you don't realize how much effort we put into it. No one offered us a dime, and we wouldn't take it at this point. But no one ever said, 'Thanks Minerva' or 'Thanks Klaus'. People seldom say 'Thanks Bran' and 'Thanks Neil'. Well, from the bottom of my heart, thank you Katya and Torsii, for all you've done for all of us. You might not realize how much you've done, but you've done it and done it well."

She laughed and gave both girls a sincere smile.

"Well...."

Torii sighed and calmed down a bit. "Okay....but what about how they admitted to watching us? I'm definitely not going to forgive that."

Katya nodded. "It's creepy and downright evil."

[AETEN II]

"I don't have a problem with that."" Yuri answered. "As long as you don't ask me to go against my code of set morals then I will do whatever you tell me to."




Tieria huffed. "I do not have moral problems, unless I am killing someone completely innocent."

"I don't think people have to violate their own morals although, in a sense, some of us have to adopt few. Some of us would." She chuckled as her eyes flitted to Klaus and then Tipper and Volturius.

"Yes, you and I and Klaus are Chaos, Volturius," she continued. "But we're set up differently than in the timeline you came from. We're more hands on here, and not as a force that destroys. Our work today builds the emotional energy that fashions the future. Mankind must be protected at this stage in history because, without him, you and the rest would never come into being. The damned space elves would rule the universe."

She turned her attention to Fortu. "No. My papers are authentic. Nearly every member of my faction here holds dual citizenship. We started doing that when the city asked us to step in to plan against the Drones. Even Tipper and Volturius here have visas."

Minerva closed her eyes and then stood up. "Katya, whatever bullshit you're muttering about... it's distracting. Say your piece and then be at peace, or get the fuck out. I couldn't stand it when the French sat on their asses and did nothing but grouse before Hitler began to roll over them. If you don't voice your objections clearly, don't come crying to me when the city screws you over."

"Actually, I'd put my money on the invincible soulless death machines hellbent on eradicating all life, but if you want to put your money on the nearly extinct pansies, by all means- be my guest. But yes, while in the past, the only thing that sadly must survive is the GEOM. Forcing a small government to show some respect shouldn't retroactively erase us from history. Plus if you want to get into the technicalities of the time travel bullshit, we can't do anything that would alter the timestream, as it'd alter history and cause a paradox that erased us. Thus any action we take is the correct one and has already happened."

Volturius soon began to pull various memories on the subject from his memory. While most would see a brute in armor, those that knew astartes were well-aware that they were philosophers, physicists, biologists, tacticians, and warriors all rolled into one immortal demigod-made man.

[Urran]

"Well...."

Torii sighed and calmed down a bit. "Okay....but what about how they admitted to watching us? I'm definitely not going to forgive that."

Katya nodded. "It's creepy and downright evil."

"They are not the only ones" Tieria said robotically, arms still folded.

[Transgravitas Directorate]

Yoshi nodded and jotted down some more notes on MB. "They say you have powers, what are they and how did you get them?"

Intelligence. I can turn colors, which he demonstrated for Yoshi, and teleport, he added, from atop Yoshi's head.

[Urran]

Yoshi nodded and jotted down some more notes on MB. "They say you have powers, what are they and how did you get them?"

Intelligence. I can turn colors, which he demonstrated for Yoshi, and teleport, he added, from atop Yoshi's head.

"And talk" he giggled. "Where did you get them and why do you eat everything?"

[Transgravitas Directorate]

Intelligence. I can turn colors, which he demonstrated for Yoshi, and teleport, he added, from atop Yoshi's head.

"And talk" he giggled. "Where did you get them and why do you eat everything?"

Mad alchemist! And on eating everything...I do it because the road is orange!

[Urran]

"No, roads are black..." Yoshi corrected the rabbit and jotted down the other bit.

[Swith Witherward]

"Well...."

Torii sighed and calmed down a bit. "Okay....but what about how they admitted to watching us? I'm definitely not going to forgive that."

Katya nodded. "It's creepy and downright evil."

"We watch you." There wasn't any apology in Minerva's voice, nor any threat. "Ever since we learned that the Drones could replicate people, we've taken to making sure people are okay. It sounds creepy, and it can be... we don't sit in your laundry hamper and watch you bathe, for example... but if anything were to happen to you or your sister, we'd be the first to know. We won't tolerate the Drones harming people like they did. Not again. It's wrong of them to abuse friends like that. It was wrong of them to kill Rachelle's parents. It was wrong of them to take over Bran and Fortu's bodies. So we watch. That's how we know when you're feeling down. Haven't you ever wondered how it is that we pop up just when you need someone in your corner?"

Minerva sighed. "That said, we don't provide details to anyone. We don't have anything to gain by knowing Neil's favorite color, except that a Drone replicant won't know it. You all know the exact moment D-Day happened. If you go back in time, you'd have to sit on that information and not abuse it. That's what we do. We watch. We protect. We inform you so you can take steps to protect your own nations, like the last invasion."

She looked at her teacup and shook her head. "The Chaos Space Marine you see here. His name is Volturius. He comes from a time when Mankind is at a brutal crossroads. His time period doesn't reflect what we... the cultists you know, such as Will or Hans, or Klaus and I... it doesn't reflect our pantheon's attitude agenda during our current time period. We were all humans once, and we know how bitter it is to see friends suffer and die."

[Urran]

"Well...."

Torii sighed and calmed down a bit. "Okay....but what about how they admitted to watching us? I'm definitely not going to forgive that."

Katya nodded. "It's creepy and downright evil."

"We watch you." There wasn't any apology in Minerva's voice, nor any threat. "Ever since we learned that the Drones could replicate people, we've taken to making sure people are okay. It sounds creepy, and it can be... we don't sit in your laundry hamper and watch you bathe, for example... but if anything were to happen to you or your sister, we'd be the first to know. We won't tolerate the Drones harming people like they did. Not again. It's wrong of them to abuse friends like that. It was wrong of them to kill Rachelle's parents. It was wrong of them to take over Bran and Fortu's bodies. So we watch. That's how we know when you're feeling down. Haven't you ever wondered how it is that we pop up just when you need someone in your corner?"

Minerva sighed. "That said, we don't provide details to anyone. We don't have anything to gain by knowing Neil's favorite color, except that a Drone replicant won't know it. You all know the exact moment D-Day happened. If you go back in time, you'd have to sit on that information and not abuse it. That's what we do. We watch. We protect. We inform you so you can take steps to protect your own nations, like the last invasion."

She looked at her teacup and shook her head. "The Chaos Space Marine you see here. His name is Volturius. He comes from a time when Mankind is at a brutal crossroads. His time period doesn't reflect what we... the cultists you know, such as Will or Hans, or Klaus and I... it doesn't reflect our pantheon's attitude agenda during our current time period. We were all humans once, and we know how bitter it is to see friends suffer and die."

"The Innovaters are watching us as well" Tieria butted in. "Though for evil, twisted purposes." He added. He closed his eyes and "looked" down at his feet

[Transgravitas Directorate]

"No, roads are black..." Yoshi corrected the rabbit and jotted down the other bit.

The rabbit huffed. Watch carefully on the next month.

[Torsiedelle]

"Well...."

Torii sighed and calmed down a bit. "Okay....but what about how they admitted to watching us? I'm definitely not going to forgive that."

Katya nodded. "It's creepy and downright evil."

"We watch you." There wasn't any apology in Minerva's voice, nor any threat. "Ever since we learned that the Drones could replicate people, we've taken to making sure people are okay. It sounds creepy, and it can be... we don't sit in your laundry hamper and watch you bathe, for example... but if anything were to happen to you or your sister, we'd be the first to know. We won't tolerate the Drones harming people like they did. Not again. It's wrong of them to abuse friends like that. It was wrong of them to kill Rachelle's parents. It was wrong of them to take over Bran and Fortu's bodies. So we watch. That's how we know when you're feeling down. Haven't you ever wondered how it is that we pop up just when you need someone in your corner?"

Minerva sighed. "That said, we don't provide details to anyone. We don't have anything to gain by knowing Neil's favorite color, except that a Drone replicant won't know it. You all know the exact moment D-Day happened. If you go back in time, you'd have to sit on that information and not abuse it. That's what we do. We watch. We protect. We inform you so you can take steps to protect your own nations, like the last invasion."

She looked at her teacup and shook her head. "The Chaos Space Marine you see here. His name is Volturius. He comes from a time when Mankind is at a brutal crossroads. His time period doesn't reflect what we... the cultists you know, such as Will or Hans, or Klaus and I... it doesn't reflect our pantheon's attitude agenda during our current time period. We were all humans once, and we know how bitter it is to see friends suffer and die."

"I still don't like it.", Torii said. "But if it helps against the Drones...I'm still not a fan. If you're watching me all the time, then...I don't want people to know what I do when I'm alone...or in my own apartment.", Torii said.

Katya was getting nervous again. If they were watching her when she had her laptop....

"Then I guess it wouldn't be a surprise if another nation, not so far away, was watching us as well?"

[Urran]

"No, roads are black..." Yoshi corrected the rabbit and jotted down the other bit.

The rabbit huffed. Watch carefully on the next month.

"Okay...h-how did you get here? Were you created here?" he asked and kept writing notes on the rabbit.

[The New Velociraptor Empire]

"Myself and Gretta will not be directly involved with this "defense team." We'll give support, but we can't risk orphaning our children if something goes wrong." Neil said. "We'll provide technology and medical care. But we are not walking up to an attacking abomination and attacking it." Gretta added.

"I made a vow to do no harm. If the city needs prosthetics, organs, or me to crack a computer, I'll be happy to help and get paid for it." Fortu said.

"Myself and Nevvie, are willing to be consultants and can fight. We are taking the deal." Arthur said.

"I reject it on the principal of it, and I have no reason to. And we all should be wearing Tele-Kill Alloy on our heads to keep them from...nothing because they would already know that." NVE said disappointed at his peers. They probably already knew about their invasion plans. He then thought of how Tele-Kill Alloy should protect circuits from technopaths if modified properly, he'd have to research that.

[Giovenith]

Giovenith had remained silent throughout the whole meeting in a kind of shell-like meekness, pulling up her legs for warmth and chewing on the end bits of the strands of hair that were long enough to reach her mouth. The fact that the city had thought this much of them all was definitely flattering, and understandable, but with the request that had been made and the various talks of strengths, weaknesses, honor, especially involving those of followers, humanity, and pantheons, was giving her a sense of being overwhelmed. For fear of sounding spoiled and unappreciative, Giovenith never said it out loud, but one of the things that was a true upset-trigger to her was when people assumed she could do things she could not because of what she was... it wasn't necessarily that the girl was totally powerless, she was capable of interesting things, but there was little she could do to sway huge things like invasions or fights. Nothing that would be easy, anyway. What she could do was mostly parlor tricks. She viewed herself as a hatchling dracoling old enough to flap it's wings, maybe hover for a few short periods, yet would crash and splatter if it attempted anything super aerial.

And then there was the sheer responsibility involved... aw man. All those people, snuggled in their homes, making their memories and their lives, doing no wrong... the cynical times often vilified the guts to mention it, but there was something precious to Giovenith about the simple air that was produced by normal people living their normal lives. It was as if their emotions, memories, and energy created and invisible crystal casing around them all, one that she could cradle and admire, yet she was aware could be, and often had throughout history, been easily crushed. To help protect Bielefeld meant to protect those little crystals as well; things that should be small and meaningless to her, yet meant the world to others. Funny how easy it was to shatter a world. You didn't need a death ray, or an asteroid, like in the silly cartoons, oh no. One tragedy could shatter ten worlds simultaneously, and yet the rest of the people on the planet would not even blink, because it was just that easy... almost a smaller scale of the universe itself, with so many things coming into being and shattering, over, and over, yet time moved on with few tears of mourning. To fail at this task would meant Giovenith played a hand in destroying these worlds, and she did not believe that she was capable or strong enough to handle the burden of knowing that.

So she did not speak. Silently watch the gears, and take in what she could, for now. That was usually the policy, no? Maybe her courage would eventually foster to some new factor.

[Swith Witherward]

"I still don't like it.", Torii said. "But if it helps against the Drones...I'm still not a fan. If you're watching me all the time, then...I don't want people to know what I do when I'm alone...or in my own apartment.", Torii said.

Katya was getting nervous again. If they were watching her when she had her laptop....

"Then I guess it wouldn't be a surprise if another nation, not so far away, was watching us as well?"

"We're aware of the Innovators, Tieria," Minerva sighed. "We wouldn't have been but for the fact that you were taken over by Gen for a few minutes in front of our employer."

She looked back to Torii. "We honestly don't watch what people do in their apartments. I don't want to know what some of you do behind your bedroom doors." She giggled a bit. "And I don't want to even know what Neil keeps in his house!"

She shrugged and signaled the barkeep for more tea. "We have to always assume that other nations are watching and plotting. It's part of life. It's a game. Some nations play it well. Some fail, and epically. Some things cause nations to be more watchful. We keep a very close eye on the BranRiech and your own nation, Katya, because your two nations exploded into a territory grab that cause a lot of other nations to be wary. That was right before the last Drone invasion."

[Urran]

Yuri nodded. "Surveillance is necessary, but so is privacy, spying on nations is different than spying on people."

[Torsiedelle]

"I still don't like it.", Torii said. "But if it helps against the Drones...I'm still not a fan. If you're watching me all the time, then...I don't want people to know what I do when I'm alone...or in my own apartment.", Torii said.

Katya was getting nervous again. If they were watching her when she had her laptop....

"Then I guess it wouldn't be a surprise if another nation, not so far away, was watching us as well?"

"We're aware of the Innovators, Tieria," Minerva sighed. "We wouldn't have been but for the fact that you were taken over by Gen for a few minutes in front of our employer."

She looked back to Torii. "We honestly don't watch what people do in their apartments. I don't want to know what some of you do behind your bedroom doors." She giggled a bit. "And I don't want to even know what Neil keeps in his house!"

She shrugged and signaled the barkeep for more tea. "We have to always assume that other nations are watching and plotting. It's part of life. It's a game. Some nations play it well. Some fail, and epically. Some things cause nations to be more watchful. We keep a very close eye on the BranRiech and your own nation, Katya, because your two nations exploded into a territory grab that cause a lot of other nations to be wary. That was right before the last Drone invasion."

"Mhmm..."

Katya sipped her wine again. Torii spoke up. "Well, if they're paying us, I expect we'll have rules to follow? What are they? Regulations? Rules? Guidelines? If so, is there anything we can't do?"

[Tiltjuice]

The rabbit huffed. Watch carefully on the next month.

"Okay...h-how did you get here? Were you created here?" he asked and kept writing notes on the rabbit.

After a while, ran away from mad alchemist. Had to eat wall. Then teleported. Walls shielded to keep me in. Random jump to place of neon, many people in white gaudy wear and old sunglasses*. Met chef there. We traveled long time. Then chef brought me back to old city that fierce fighting foodstuffs** destroyed. Along the way, adventures with funnyweapon-carrying Communist girl and her sister. And others.

*Elvis impersonaters

**Drones

[Swith Witherward]

"Myself and Gretta will not be directly involved with this "defense team." We'll give support, but we can't risk orphaning our children if something goes wrong." Neil said. "We'll provide technology and medical care. But we are not walking up to an attacking abomination and attacking it." Gretta added.

"I made a vow to do no harm. If the city needs prosthetics, organs, or me to crack a computer, I'll be happy to help and get paid for it." Fortu said.

"Myself and Nevvie, are willing to be consultants and can fight. We are taking the deal." Arthur said.

"I reject it on the principal of it, and I have no reason to. And we all should be wearing Tele-Kill Alloy on our heads to keep them from...nothing because they would already know that." NVE said disappointed at his peers. They probably already knew about their invasion plans. He then thought of how Tele-Kill Alloy should protect circuits from technopaths if modified properly, he'd have to research that.

Minerva nodded at the group of raptors... and former raptors... and things that weren't really raptor but she didn't know what they were, ergo they were raptor.

"I don't think anyone should do anything they wouldn't normally be willing to do. I think we all have resources we could pull. You can hack. Perhaps if the Drones return... and they always return... we could work with you and combine our technologies. We didn't do that last time. There wasn't enough time. That's just one example."

She chuckled. "I know everyone has their own plans, and some of them dark. Don't deviate from them. But, if we're in a bind, people... just lend a hand. Do what you can, even if it means taking a moment to open a can of beans for the person who spent all day hunting down the Cthulhu-possessed vampire zombie catgirl that ate Tokyo. That said, for those who do want to do more, let's figure out who does what best, and let the city know those people are willing to fight, or track, or hunt, or hack, or spy, or whatever."

She turned back to Torii. "I don't know what the rules are. I imagine the big one is to protect innocent citizens. To not abuse our power or authority. We're not vigilantes."