Personification Life - IC Part VIII [open]

[Urran]

Blossom put a cloak on over her new dress and came out of her room. She wandered into Jacob's livingroom and saw that he had a guest. She bowed curtly, her eyes glowing from under the shall. "Hello Gio, would you and Jacob care for anything?" she asked sweetly, she could tell that Jacob was upset.

[Giovenith]

"I did! I played cards with Octavian, and there were these cute little dear, and, and, and, they were so cute!" cooed Giovenith, suddenly flipping into a much happier mood as she remembered the miniature deer. "Oh Jacob, you should have seen the deer! They were really teeny for deer, and I made one with a top hat, and Octavian made one in Roman clothes, and they were both just so fantastic!"

Giovenith turned to wave to Blossom, "Oh, I'm just fine right now, thanks Blossom!"

[New Aksarben]

"I did! I played cards with Octavian, and there were these cute little dear, and, and, and, they were so cute!" cooed Giovenith, suddenly flipping into a much happier mood as she remembered the miniature deer. "Oh Jacob, you should have seen the deer! They were really teeny for deer, and I made one with a top hat, and Octavian made one in Roman clothes, and they were both just so fantastic!"

Giovenith turned to wave to Blossom, "Oh, I'm just fine right now, thanks Blossom!"

"Really? It sounds like fun. So Octavian was being nice? I haven't ever really seen him like that.... Usually he's pretty rude and nasty..... A roman deer though? Sounds interesting...." He smiled, and shook his head in a no when blossom came in. "No thank you, blossom. How've you been? I haven't seen you for a while!"

[Germanic Templars]

"Er, I wish I could, but this matter is too much to push off for a few minutes. I'm sorry. Don't when I get back I we will have ourselves a nice long walk on the beach." He answered. He made his way over to the mech room and within seconds, he opened the door up.

--

Lucius laugh. "Well then, we will have to go to the store now won't we." He slowly got himself back up from the ground as he used the tree for support and a tool to get up with.

Swith sat down on a beanbag chair surrounded by cheerful toys and happy colors. Eternally unblinking eyes seem to bore into her, the toys' faces fixed into vapid grins. She lifted a plush Norovirus from the mix and started into its grim, grey face.

Alone! Alone! Alone! Hahahaha, it seemed to chant to her mind. The seam above the eyes caused the face to frown.

Swith snorted. "Balls. Apart doesn't mean alone. It simply means distance between. Love is an emotion. I don't need physical proximity. No matter how far apart, the love between can't be separated because it flows beyond the physical state. Not even death destroys it, so long as the soul remains."

The toy stared at her through yellow glassy eyes. Really?

"Trust me. I'm made of emotion... I'm a Chaos god."

She rotated the toy so its seam fell below the eyes. The toy was now smiling. Fair enough, Chaos god. But you're talking to an inanimate object.

Swith snorted. "I'm projecting my doubts and fears onto an inanimate object in order to weed out negative thoughts which would cloud my heart. I've faced my fear and overcome it." She set the toy back down with its companions and her ears perked.

The sound of flip flops slapping the hall floor drew closer and closer, a resounding and extremely annoying FLAP FLAP FLAP that momentary halted at the very end of the hall and was replaced by the pitter-patter of bare feet on the linoleum. The steps paused again and Swith realized the person was standing outside her apartment. "Down here," she prompted, and the feet hurried their owner to the open door of Thriller's old room.

"Am I too late?" Naomi breathed in deep chuffs and propped herself against the frame.

"Not at all," Swith assured her.

--

"You're getting old, Luci," Xanthe teased. She rolled into a squat and then stood up. The former angel brushed the grass from her palms. "I think there's a small grocery story just down the way."

--

Blythe yawned and adjusted her position in the tub. "You know, I'm starving," she muttered.

Thriller stepped out of the mech room with a crate full of stuff. He gave a look at Swith. "Everything alright? I thought I heard you talking." He then looked at Naomi. "Hey there, Naomi."

--

"Great, lets get going. The quicker we get the food, the quicker we get to eat good food."

--

"Same here."

"Same here." Cain remarked. He sat in a chair near the door to the bathroom. "Relax, I am not here to hurt, I come in peace."

[Urran]

"I did! I played cards with Octavian, and there were these cute little dear, and, and, and, they were so cute!" cooed Giovenith, suddenly flipping into a much happier mood as she remembered the miniature deer. "Oh Jacob, you should have seen the deer! They were really teeny for deer, and I made one with a top hat, and Octavian made one in Roman clothes, and they were both just so fantastic!"

Giovenith turned to wave to Blossom, "Oh, I'm just fine right now, thanks Blossom!"

"Really? It sounds like fun. So Octavian was being nice? I haven't ever really seen him like that.... Usually he's pretty rude and nasty..... A roman deer though? Sounds interesting...." He smiled, and shook his head in a no when blossom came in. "No thank you, blossom. How've you been? I haven't seen you for a while!"

"N-no, you're usually asleep when I'm working. I hope you like the food I cook." she said happily. "How are you?' she asked gently, putting a hand on his shoulder. Yoshi's death had upset her because she could put a face to it. Even if she hadn't really known him that well.

[Swith Witherward]

Thriller stepped out of the mech room with a crate full of stuff. He gave a look at Swith. "Everything alright? I thought I heard you talking." He then looked at Naomi. "Hey there, Naomi."

--

"Great, lets get going. The quicker we get the food, the quicker we get to eat good food."

--

"Same here."

"Same here." Cain remarked. He sat in a chair near the door to the bathroom. "Relax, I am not here to hurt, I come in peace."

"Thriller!" Naomi bounded across the room and slapped into his metallic side. He was too big to hug properly, so she wrapped her arms around him as best she could. "I just wanted to say 'bye' and give you something."

She stepped back and pulled out a very long scarf. It was white with the Germanic Templar star knitted in black, but the very ends of it had a black chinchilla at each end. "I knitted it. It'll fit around your mech neck." She seemed oblivious to the fact that he didn't need a scarf while in his suit.

She bounced on the balls of her feet and grinned at him.

--

Laughing, Xanthe led Lucius from the park. The corner grocer had a nice selection and Xanthe picked out everything they'd need. "Just a cab ride away from the start of dinner," she proclaimed.

--

Blythe started at him warily. "What happened to you? You look different."

She stepped out of the tub and began to clean the lava off.

[Torsiedelle]

After a few minutes of taking in her current assignment, Dimitrus reluctantly entered the apartment lobby and approached the front desk. She glanced around, then quietly spoke to the man.

"Um, I have to live here on...well, that's... never mind. Anyway, how much do I pay?"

[New Aksarben]

"Really? It sounds like fun. So Octavian was being nice? I haven't ever really seen him like that.... Usually he's pretty rude and nasty..... A roman deer though? Sounds interesting...." He smiled, and shook his head in a no when blossom came in. "No thank you, blossom. How've you been? I haven't seen you for a while!"

"N-no, you're usually asleep when I'm working. I hope you like the food I cook." she said happily. "How are you?' she asked gently, putting a hand on his shoulder. Yoshi's death had upset her because she could put a face to it. Even if she hadn't really known him that well.

The smile on Jacob's face shrank a little. "I'm ok..... Just not used to people close to me dying... Talking to Gio is helping keep me from thinking about it too much, and becoming depressed...." He sighed, looking around again. "I hope going on a trip to urran will help me get over this...."

[Urran]

"Mortals die..it's a sad part of life. I'm not mortal, Gio isn't mortal. You have plenty of nonmortal friends here. And Urran is beautiful this time of year. I'm sure you'll have fun" Blossom said

[Giovenith]

"Eternity is unpredictable," mentioned Giovenith. "We are not so above death, any of us." It wasn't the cheeriest thing to say, but she felt it had to be sad.

[New Aksarben]

"Eternity is unpredictable," mentioned Giovenith. "We are not so above death, any of us." It wasn't the cheeriest thing to say, but she felt it had to be sad.

"I'm living proof of that. I will live until my nation begins to die, or if I'm killed." Jacob said solemnly. "But until that I'll continue to live." Jacob shrugged, then looked over at blossom. "What is Urran like? Yoshi hasn't told me a huge amount...."

[Urran]

"Eternity is unpredictable," mentioned Giovenith. "We are not so above death, any of us." It wasn't the cheeriest thing to say, but she felt it had to be sad.

"I'm living proof of that. I will live until my nation begins to die, or if I'm killed." Jacob said solemnly. "But until that I'll continue to live." Jacob shrugged, then looked over at blossom. "What is Urran like? Yoshi hasn't told me a huge amount...."

"Well, Yoshi and I are examples of what the people are like, though they aren't usually that shy. There aren't any red meats or alcohol...there's tall mountains and forests. It's cool for most of the years though it gets hot sometimes during the summer. Lot's of beaches. We're a tiny nation made up of about 650 islands.

[Swith Witherward]

Lengthy collab w/Cer.

… transversing the edge of his emotions. His power became his agony, his power knew no bounds. Whereas, before, his peace withstood the vastness; his prerogative became an endless force of the all impossible. His final soul is flying with contempt only… the temperature is rising. The ghost and monkeys make a choice.
This...
This...

Scarlet and yellow leaves, withered from an incomprehensible force, fell from trees and skittered along pavement to be crushed under heavy boot. The figure, ever conscious of the vast departure from its former self, or else the return to what it had once been, continued onwarad, seemingly oblivious to the prematurely autumnal change left in its wake. Those wary cultists who glimpsed him might find themselves shaking astonished heads and explaining it away as nothing more than a trick of the light and too much caffeine.

The figure knew better.

The departure from the norm could indeed be attributed to the other strange, hallucinatory events of that week but the wellspring was not any invocation or depraved fête outside the pantheon. Rather, it was a gnarled testament that the curse, now lifted, was forever banished; it would later become fell tidings to some. He had returned and the return was a lingering flurry of madness and angst that beat upon the mind’s door and propelled mortals into restless nightmares or else, if awake, they felt the flesh upon their arms pimple in trepidation of the unknown.

The figure cared little for their plight.

The flames of wrath and dread crossed into the madness of the old ruins and drove away daemonic beasts and cultists alike. Cankered weeds, which had only begun to chance existence that week, blackened back to the pods from which they stemmed as the figure passed them. Silence reigned then. It was an eerie sound whereupon not even the heart seemed to beat. The lack of noised seemed more deafening than the howling winds which usually plagued this restricted area. Sentries observed the crossing and then fled thereby giving the invader full entrance to Atosh’s lair.

The figure smiled.

The war god stared at the faceless figure that dared to cross into his sanctuary. He recognized the self-same traits and power. This splinter, this avatar of the god from which they both stemmed, was far more ominous than he and for a moment a sense of dread clawed at him.

“Aap kya chahte hain?” Atosh rose from his improvised thrown only to be spun around from the force of a backhanded slap.

“Speak English.” The figure lowered its hand.

Atosh, on his knees, clutched the throne’s armrests and spat out a wad of dark fluid. “What do you want?”

“I have everything I need.”

“Then why are you here? What do you want from me?” Atosh wiped his mouth with a hand that he barely managed to keep from trembling as anxiety crept into him.

What if they knew? What if they’ve found out what I’m doing? Who is this one? He tried to focus on the figure in a feeble attempt to will it into a recognizable form. It wasn’t that the clothing was nondescript. His eyes fell upon it in recognition that was then blanked from his mind immediately. This cruel and perpetual cycle frightened him most of all. This figure, this thing that came out of nowhere, was currently manifesting a power that he’d never mastered. This was the splinter of War that was foreign in nature to Atosh.

The figure stared.

“Won’t you answer me?” Atosh growled.

“No.”

Anger radiated from Atosh in waves that crashed against the walls in his chamber yet were easily deflected by the figure. The War god was deeply offended. This was his home. This was his domain. The interloper had little regard for that.

Ire rose and he raised his fist only to realize the figure was gone. He hadn’t blinked. It was as if the figure had never even been there. And then he realized that the figure had never been there. His arm lowered. Why was it raised at all? He sat down and his eyes discovered a spot of his own blood on the floor yet he was at a loss to explain it. The figure had been completely forgotten.

---

The cultist leader strode between moonlight and shadow with hands stuck in pockets. The fallen leaves seemed to muffle the click of boot heels on the concrete. Curious. It wasn’t fall yet.

[Germanic Templars]

Thriller stepped out of the mech room with a crate full of stuff. He gave a look at Swith. "Everything alright? I thought I heard you talking." He then looked at Naomi. "Hey there, Naomi."

--

"Great, lets get going. The quicker we get the food, the quicker we get to eat good food."

--

"Same here."

"Same here." Cain remarked. He sat in a chair near the door to the bathroom. "Relax, I am not here to hurt, I come in peace."

"Thriller!" Naomi bounded across the room and slapped into his metallic side. He was too big to hug properly, so she wrapped her arms around him as best she could. "I just wanted to say 'bye' and give you something."

She stepped back and pulled out a very long scarf. It was white with the Germanic Templar star knitted in black, but the very ends of it had a black chinchilla at each end. "I knitted it. It'll fit around your mech neck." She seemed oblivious to the fact that he didn't need a scarf while in his suit.

She bounced on the balls of her feet and grinned at him.

--

Laughing, Xanthe led Lucius from the park. The corner grocer had a nice selection and Xanthe picked out everything they'd need. "Just a cab ride away from the start of dinner," she proclaimed.

--

Blythe started at him warily. "What happened to you? You look different."

She stepped out of the tub and began to clean the lava off.

Thriller took the scarf and wrapped it around his mechanical neck. He then proceeded to pick up Naomi and give a big hug. "Thank you, Naomi." He then gently placed her down and picked his box up again before heading off to the roof.

--

"Sure is." He replied.

--

"A lot happened to me." Cain replied.

"yes but what happened specifically." Superbia demanded as he climbed out.

"A lot."

[New Aksarben]

"I'm living proof of that. I will live until my nation begins to die, or if I'm killed." Jacob said solemnly. "But until that I'll continue to live." Jacob shrugged, then looked over at blossom. "What is Urran like? Yoshi hasn't told me a huge amount...."

"Well, Yoshi and I are examples of what the people are like, though they aren't usually that shy. There aren't any red meats or alcohol...there's tall mountains and forests. It's cool for most of the years though it gets hot sometimes during the summer. Lot's of beaches. We're a tiny nation made up of about 650 islands.

"Sounds lovely..." Jacob said with a small smile. My nation has some islands that are like that. They're called the Veius Islands. They're towards the north, but still very temperate..... I should enjoy learning about Yoshi's homeland.... What is the culture like, by the way?"

[Swith Witherward]

Thriller took the scarf and wrapped it around his mechanical neck. He then proceeded to pick up Naomi and give a big hug. "Thank you, Naomi." He then gently placed her down and picked his box up again before heading off to the roof.

--

"Sure is." He replied.

--

"A lot happened to me." Cain replied.

"yes but what happened specifically." Superbia demanded as he climbed out.

"A lot."

"You're welcome," Naomi shouted after him. Grinning like a child, she went downstairs to check the mail.

Swith chuckled and followed Thriller to the roof. Some storm clouds loomed in the distance and the city lights were beginning to twinkle on. "Let's hope everything gets taken care of quickly," she sighed. "If we're not here when you return, we might be back on the island for the holidays."

--

The cab ride took little time. Soon the heavenly scent of cooking pork (oh the irony of that non-kosher statement) filled the hallway outside Lucius and Xanthe's door.

--

"Define 'a lot', Envy" Blythe said as she pulled on a shirt. "Last we saw you, you were chasing after Wrath." She stepped into a pair of shorts. "What happened after that?"

[Urran]

"Sounds lovely..." Jacob said with a small smile. My nation has some islands that are like that. They're called the Veius Islands. They're towards the north, but still very temperate..... I should enjoy learning about Yoshi's homeland.... What is the culture like, by the way?"

"We're a mix of Japanese, Chinese, and Korean culture with a few western philosophies thrown into the mix." She explained. "We celebrate the lunar new year and like that you no?'

[New Aksarben]

"Sounds lovely..." Jacob said with a small smile. My nation has some islands that are like that. They're called the Veius Islands. They're towards the north, but still very temperate..... I should enjoy learning about Yoshi's homeland.... What is the culture like, by the way?"

"We're a mix of Japanese, Chinese, and Korean culture with a few western philosophies thrown into the mix." She explained. "We celebrate the lunar new year and like that you no?'

"Uh..... I've never heard those names before, sorry. They must have been destroyed in my world...." He chuckled nervously. "Would you mind explaining it a bit more? And by western do you mean Roman influences?"

[Urran]

"We're a mix of Japanese, Chinese, and Korean culture with a few western philosophies thrown into the mix." She explained. "We celebrate the lunar new year and like that you no?'

"Uh..... I've never heard those names before, sorry. They must have been destroyed in my world...." He chuckled nervously. "Would you mind explaining it a bit more? And by western do you mean Roman influences?"[/quote]

"Not really. We have western religious views. In other words the God of the Old and New Testament is the most commonly worshiped instead of the ancestors like is common in the eastern cultures that I mentioned. Do you have far eastern cultures where you come from? Pagodas, soy sauce, anime and the like?"

[The BranRiech]

"Let's see . . . I spy . . . Something huge in our sky." Natiya giggled as she looked at the two ships flying in.

--

Bran and Rylli both nodded. "So, we just meet in the communal dining room then. I could make some snacks for people if they want as well, just because, Yoshi wouldn't have wanted people to be uncomfortable at the meeting." Rylli said.

Bran nodded. He too, now wanted to uphold the selfless behavior of his deceased friend.

[New Aksarben]

"We're a mix of Japanese, Chinese, and Korean culture with a few western philosophies thrown into the mix." She explained. "We celebrate the lunar new year and like that you no?'

"Uh..... I've never heard those names before, sorry. They must have been destroyed in my world...." He chuckled nervously. "Would you mind explaining it a bit more? And by western do you mean Roman influences?"

"Not really. We have western religious views. In other words the God of the Old and New Testament is the most commonly worshiped instead of the ancestors like is common in the eastern cultures that I mentioned. Do you have far eastern cultures where you come from? Pagodas, soy sauce, anime and the like?"[/quote]
"Blossom, there's thousands of years in difference between my universe and this one. It's possible those cultures were wiped out by the Great War." Jacob explained, scratching his head. "And do you mean Judaism and its sects? Including the Christians?"

[Urran]

"Yes." Blossom said. She didn't have anything else to say.

[Germanic Templars]

"Let's see . . . I spy . . . Something huge in our sky." Natiya giggled as she looked at the two ships flying in.

"I wonder what it could be." Aleki replied

"You're welcome," Naomi shouted after him. Grinning like a child, she went downstairs to check the mail.

Swith chuckled and followed Thriller to the roof. Some storm clouds loomed in the distance and the city lights were beginning to twinkle on. "Let's hope everything gets taken care of quickly," she sighed. "If we're not here when you return, we might be back on the island for the holidays."

"Everything will don't worry." Thriller replied. He over heard Aleki's statement and walked over to him giving a reply. "Those ships are our tickets back home to finish a fight that should have been won long ago."

Aleki looked back at Thriller in his mech suit. "Sir?"

"Gliese is in complete disarray, and I need every available pair of walking boots to help regain order and peace into the galaxy."

The cab ride took little time. Soon the heavenly scent of cooking pork (oh the irony of that non-kosher statement) filled the hallway outside Lucius and Xanthe's door.

--

"Define 'a lot', Envy" Blythe said as she pulled on a shirt. "Last we saw you, you were chasing after Wrath." She stepped into a pair of shorts. "What happened after that?"

There came a distinct knock on the door. "Getting it." Lucius opened the door to see an 8 ft, snake-like character with the mouth and snout of Superbia, except he had eyes on his sides and nostrils. His scaly skin was the color of jet black.

"Gluttony? What are you doing here, besides being attracted by the smell?"

And with a deep baritone, croaking voice, Gluttony replied, "I am here to request both your, Superbia, and Envy's assistance. The balance in Hell have been.. Shall we say, unbalanced in the favor of the Monger."

"Wrath?"

"Yes. Him."

"And you need our combined help?"

"Yes, we do. Hell does. Before we begin that, what is it that you are cooking?"

--

"A lot and that is all, my sweet succubus."

[Primordial Luxa]

Primordial stopped briefly to open a large iron flow gate that creaked as he pushed; with it released a noxious tide of chemicals down the passage that swirled around their feet. “It’s a little late for that, this is past the point of no return.” He trudged on his light following a small trail of moment through the dark as they walked and more than once several unidentifiable creatures fled out of the light. “I’m this groups advisor so I will be able to allow you to witness this one ritual. However you may not talk once we enter the chamber, don’t touch ANYTHING, and if something goes wrong I cannot protect you. Understand?”

Katya half-screamed as the chemicals washed around her feet. Now she would have to buy new shoes, new socks...perhaps a whole new uniform, if the smell set it. When Primordial said something about something going wrong, or they could get hurt, she gulped. This was not good. This was not good at all...

"Understood, sir.", Torii nodded. She didn't mind it all, as she was untouched. She was glad to wear those boots. As for the danger part, she welcomed it a bit. It sounded cool.

They continued walking away before turning into an alcove that had a large bulk head door, as Primordial opened it Torii could hear the sound of motion behind them. “This used to be a maintenance area for construction and power regulation, but we’ve changed it into a makeshift temple of sorts.” Primordial said oblivious to the sound. “This cult existed before I came and they actually tracked me down, now I offer them help with their work and the use of my knowledge.” The door finally opened with a loud sound that echoed through the tunnels.

The inside room was filled with a dark gloom and covered in the scent of dankness and human functions. The only lit came from the center of the room where a set of dark red candles burned filling the chamber with a different odor that smelled like the noxious rank of decay. At one end of the chamber facing away from the door was a group of four figures dressed in black sashes tied at the waist with yellow cloth, they turned as Primordial entered the room their express at first cheerful but quickly growing weary at seeming the sisters. “We are gloried to see you for a moment we…..Anarc who are these people?” said a female with dark red hair.

With a slow flicker light returned to the room beyond the bunker. The first flash silhouetted a strange amorphous shape that reared up in a constantly changing form that neither of the raptors had enough time to fully glimpse. Darkness closed in for another few seconds before blinding radiance filled the room revealing nothing had changed, as far as they could tell not a single object had been moved and there was no sign of the creature they had thought they heard and saw.

"Were the scanners on?" Neil asked his lovely partner. Gretta checked the readouts once the power came back on. "Looks like that was fried, along with the extradimensional probe." She answered, as the two exited the bunker and removed the clamps on the tablet.

"Okay, we don't want to release the thing in the house." Gretta said. "So we do it in another facility that can deal with this. ACF, they owe us." Neil suggested. As the two left the tablet in the lab and exited. Nurse-bots entered to clean up the damage and repair the lab's power grid.

They were so focused the Nurse-bots didn't notice that several test animals escaped one of the bio-labs. A snake made it's way through the ventilation system and was headed to the testing area where the tablet was.

The snake would find itself gaining the sudden sentience that its race normally choose to keep hidden from the rest of the world and as the Great God Yig sensed the power of the tablet he enticed one of his servitors to investigate for him. With the sly cunning and power bestowed upon it by its lord the serpent exited into the testing area dropping to the floor behind a set of devices to gaze up at the table were the stone was, its tongue flicked about sensing thing the human mind couldn’t begin to comprehend about it and Yig extended his influence outward to feel the object more tangibly.

He quickly realized his mistake as a coiling whip of pure white flames exploded from the tablet striking the snake and turning it to ash before striking the ground where it had been in a bout of continued rage. Suddenly and without warning another set of lashing white bands of flames exploded from the stone latching on to the surrounding building like tentacles and dragging something out of the slab.

[Torsiedelle]

Katya gulped, pushed her fear aside, and bowed towards the cult members. "We're the Dimitrov Sisters, we live with Primordial at the apartment. I'm Katya, and this is my sister, Tora."

Torii waved. "Yo."

.....

Dimitrus tapped on the front desk of the apartment lobby. "Um, hello?"