Personification Life IC IX - [Semi Open]

[Cerillium]

"Did you ask him if this is what he wanted to do, to be?" Wren crossed her arms and squared off with Dr. Smith. "Because, let me tell you, resentments are easier to avoid if someone asks rather than enslaves or forces someone into indentured servitude."

It was perhaps a poor choice in words but Wren was a priest. She adhered to her faith's teachings and couldn't help but be pained by the situation.

"And just what caused the mutants to exist in the first place?"

"Wow, you are a naive little one now aren't you? You don't think we tried that already? Asking doesn't always work. Some take it as a sign for weakness." He concluded with that and went on with his next question. One on which he bowed his head and shook slowly before looking at her.
"Three words,"Dr. Smith started out. "Project: Homo Superior".

"A project designed and lead by the emperor in the early years to try and "evolve" humanity into higher beings. Such methods of using our mind more and try to harness powers once fabled like telekinesis, or problem solving skills on a more computer base pace, meaning individuals could lean, apply, and create things quicker and better. Was used and designed for a good cause. Of course, like all risky gambles, this one was the worse. Project was shut down, mutants were hunted down all over the island. And if they swam, they'd just get eaten by the sea creatures. Damn kraken-like beasts out there."

He shook his head and continued. "And I bet you wonder where I was. To be fair, I was off planet for this one, studying on another planet's life species on how they adapt to their surrounding and taking samples. So I wash my hands clean on that one."

A puff of breath moved Wrens' bangs from her eyes. "Project: Homo Superior goes awry and mutants run amok, so another program was started to put a stop to the mutants, by creating mutants?"

Wren wasn't being facetious. She was attempting to understand.

[Tiltjuice]

"Oh, I'm certainly game for that. We can sit up in our imposing Volcano fortress, scaring any foolish mortals that happen to stumble in." Kei chuckled, joking in quite the imposing voice. "Nah, but the hide and seek thing does sound pretty fun. There's a huge runway carved into the side of the volcano as well, like a giant cave, where huge ass planes would come in." She explained.

"It's basically a huge bunker."

"Well, sometime we should go for a try, maybe?" Dia finished up his appetizer and sat back, the chair creaking.

"That's no problem with me," assured the chef. "Haven't had much time to socialize either, I suppose? Funny how people find similarities in the oddest places."

He took a sip from his drink (champagne). It's a shame this isn't a costume party, either. Otherwise, we could find Dan if he's around, mock up three fake guns, and be the Three Musketeers."

"Would you like to be a costume party?" Hans' eyes had a mischievous gleam. A costume would be a valid excuse for getting out of his uniform for a time, and as long as he returned to it... well, what would it hurt?

His imagination took hold. There was an old trunk in the Compound that was rumored to have things left over from prior Zalgofests, and if there wasn't a Musketeer costume there would be plenty of pirate costu-

His eyes settled on Chrys and he abandoned the ridiculous plan. She was sitting with Blossom and looking somewhat on edge. He nudged Cuisine with an elbow and nodded in her direction.

"Chrys. A good friend. Let's join her?"

"I wouldn't mind it, no." Cuisine smiled. The stud in his ear glinted; it gave him the beginnings of a piratical air.

"Ah, of course. I think I've seen her in Chaos a few times for drinks. Yes, let's." He picked up his glass, in preparation for going that way. "And her friend, as well. They both look somewhat strained, do they not?"

[Cerillium]

"Classical Greece. So different from modern times. So very, very different. Democracy, such as it was, had just come to Athens. None for women, slaves, or freedmen, though. We didn't have very many rights. A few, but not many. It's why I don't like being tied down - in any sense, as you just saw with the warehouse scene." She grinned, self-deprecatingly. "Anyway, it was bright for Athens as a whole for about a century, and then power shifted elsewhere. Sparta, then Macedon under Alexander, then Rome. I followed the events there until just after the Romans conquered Greece. I haven't been back there since, with the exception of visiting my family's burial site from time to time."

A quick shrug that hid discomfort at being disconnected from where she'd been born. "Things have changed considerably, likely. If I ever went back, I think I'd spend all my time talking to historians, linguists, and so on. My ancient Greek would probably stand out among the Greeks of today."

"They say you can't ever go home again. Perhaps this is true," Ogoti mused. "It isn't so much that we can't return to it. No, I think what transpires is that we, over time, dwell on only the things we want to remember and forget that daily life was just as difficult then as it is now. We see it through nostalgic glasses and would be shocked if we actually traveled back in time to revisit it."

He shrugged his shoulders apologetically. "Forgive the ramblings of an old fart. I tend to be cynical regarding the past."

[The New Velociraptor Empire]

Siduer's eyes widened. "Really? What do they look like?"

He hadn't forgotten that time his sister and he accidentally set giant waterbears on the world, or the time his father turned into a spider... but he didn't want to think about his dad, mostly because he was dead and never coming back. Siduer shook off the knowledge and pretended it wasn't so.

"Can we see them? It's better than grown ups parties."

"They are kind of big, a bit furry, and tasty." Robert described the invented creatures of his own father.

"Sure we can see them," Swift answered enthusiastically, "we can round them up and drive them to the kitchen. Like cowboys!"

"And cowgirls." Jenny snapped as she continued holding the bag of vegetables for MB.

[Tiltjuice]

"They say you can't ever go home again. Perhaps this is true," Ogoti mused. "It isn't so much that we can't return to it. No, I think what transpires is that we, over time, dwell on only the things we want to remember and forget that daily life was just as difficult then as it is now. We see it through nostalgic glasses and would be shocked if we actually traveled back in time to revisit it."

He shrugged his shoulders apologetically. "Forgive the ramblings of an old fart. I tend to be cynical regarding the past."

Dora gave Ogoti a tolerant look, although her words were slightly bitter. "It's no trouble. There's very little I personally care to remember about life back then. That was a time for the person I was back then. Someone destined to be married off early, in the name of tradition. Still, the society as a whole flourished, and that's the more important thing, I feel. There will always be something happening, and it could be good or bad. Only chance determines which. I can't imagine that life for you would have been any easier, to make you cynical."

Siduer's eyes widened. "Really? What do they look like?"

He hadn't forgotten that time his sister and he accidentally set giant waterbears on the world, or the time his father turned into a spider... but he didn't want to think about his dad, mostly because he was dead and never coming back. Siduer shook off the knowledge and pretended it wasn't so.

"Can we see them? It's better than grown ups parties."

"They are kind of big, a bit furry, and tasty." Robert described the invented creatures of his own father.

"Sure we can see them," Swift answered enthusiastically, "we can round them up and drive them to the kitchen. Like cowboys!"

"And cowgirls." Jenny snapped as she continued holding the bag of vegetables for MB.

MB jumped forward, listening to the stories of waffalos with half his attention. The other half was on the open bag, into which he dove headfirst. There was the sound of crunching, as he started on the first couple carrots he found. The bag jolted somewhat awkwardly to and fro.

[Swith Witherward]

"They are kind of big, a bit furry, and tasty." Robert described the invented creatures of his own father.

"Sure we can see them," Swift answered enthusiastically, "we can round them up and drive them to the kitchen. Like cowboys!"

"And cowgirls." Jenny snapped as she continued holding the bag of vegetables for MB.

"Let's do it!" Siduer grinned. He knew better, especially after riding Boopsie all over the building and breaking things, but darn it all, Daddy wasn't there to punish him. Maybe, just maybe, if he behaved badly enough, Daddy would come back. Besides, how big could waffalos be?

Sydney giggled as MB ate. "I think he likes them. Can we bring him along, too?"

[The BranRiech]

"We can make a day of it then, hiding around the island base or something, eh?" Kei suggested. The idea seemed quite fun really, and a good way to explore the parts of the island she'd not yet seen. "But now, let us eat!"

Kei started poking a fork at her food.

--

Seeing that Rachelle was going to keep fidgeting, and that Rylli couldn't really control that, she let her daughter run off, but told her to at least stay in the confines of the raptor's house. She spotted the chicks, MB, and the Twins all gathering around, talking, and decided that she'd make her way over there as well! All her friends were there!

Besides, no one else seemed as interesting as her friends, and her friends also had the potential to provide fun things to do . . .

. . . Or in the case of the twins, life-threatening situations that were still secret to all except for the children, and the select few who came to rescue them that day.

[The New Velociraptor Empire]

"Sure we can take him." Jenny said to Sydney as the burlap sack shook in her arms.

"Hey Rachelle! Wanna come round up the waffalos? Doesn't your dad use waffle meat?" Swift greeted their other mammal friend.

"They are this way, we can drive them to the kitchen." Robert led the way.

[Torsiedelle]

"Now that ya mention it..."

Gretta brought up something that Torii had not really taken into consideration before. Time did seem rather flippy-floppy lately...she didn't know whether it was Wednesday, or Saturday, or Easter Sunday anymore, unless she checked her phone.

"Yea, time is weird. Say, if Neil, or you guys in general, need some help, or assistance, maybe I could help, ya know. I'm not particularly knowledgeable on all this time stuff, or dimensions, or science, but I could sure try. I wanna see what the problem is, too. It wasn't like this before."

[Swith Witherward]

"Hiya Rachelle!" Sydney's smile could have lit up a room, in stark contrast to Siduer's suddenly brooding expression.

Girls. Why do they always have to tag along? I don't have any boys to play with, and girls just didn't know how to play right. They like stupid games, and suck at playing cowboys and guns. And thus, as was typical of small children, Siduer decided he didn't like Rachelle anymore. Of course, these things work themselves out once children age and hormones kick in but, for now, Siduer thought Rachelle an interloper who purposely came over to horn in on his time with Swift and his brother. Plus he was sure she was going to start up with 'well my Dad is this and my Dad is that', and Siduer resented her even more.

Boys are little rat turds sometimes. So are girls, but they're more underhanded about it.

Sydney was oblivious to her brother's shitty attitude. She was delighted to have her friend join them, since it was just Jenny and she, and girls were seriously underrepresented at the moment. Now things were even, and even was always good. Plus boys had germs, even if they were raptors, and they didn't know how to play games right, like cowboy. They were always so loud and rough when they played that game!

The little godling slipped her hand into Rachel's and wrapped her free arm around Jenny's head to give her a hug. "Yay! Waffalos! Let's go!"

[The BranRiech]

"Hey, guys." Rachelle smiled. She was finally away from the other adults, among friends at the moment. These were her best friends as well, two of them having taken her to Japan one time, and the others who had all the cool gadgets that she didn't have access too, but inevitably caused quite a bit of fun when used. "Waffalo meat? I've made waffles before, but I don't think that's how they work, is it true?" She asked, instinctually looking down to see that the hand was indeed her friend's.

[Swith Witherward]

"I wouldn't mind it, no." Cuisine smiled. The stud in his ear glinted; it gave him the beginnings of a piratical air.

"Ah, of course. I think I've seen her in Chaos a few times for drinks. Yes, let's." He picked up his glass, in preparation for going that way. "And her friend, as well. They both look somewhat strained, do they not?"

"Cuisine! Hans!" The ball of energy bopped over to them and hugged them in turn, planting a kiss on their cheek as she did so.

Cuisine was Naomi's favorite chef in the world. Then again, Naomi didn't know many chefs to begin with, but the tall man was quirky and friendly and made some outstanding grub... Naomi had always wanted to ask him for lessons... so he naturally fell high up on her list of Good People I Like Lots. It's uncertain if Cuisine would want to actually share that list. Aegis' name was on it, as was a few other dark denizens of the building. Kindly chefs and homicidal maniacs. Naomi was a strange being.

She eyed Hans a moment. "Aren't you hot in that wool? Why don't you just do like Klaus does and make it a Nazi desert uniform? You know, the khaki shorts and socks, and boots, and cotton shirt with the funny symbols on the collar and the funny hat? Then you'll be dressed right."

The godling grinned at both and then scampered off, interrupting Levi and Neil long enough to give the raptor a hug and sprinkle his snout with kisses. She moved on after that, a little butterfly happy to flit amongst her friends and share the love.


Hans chewed his bottom lip, dredged his memory and nodded. Sure, there was sand here. It was hot. It would only make sense to be appropriately attired. And thus it was so. Hans tucked his shirt into his shorts to even out the material and then placed the cap on his head.

"Where were we? Ah, Chrys!" He led Cuisine towards her table and took a seat across from her.

[Germanic Templars]

"No I haven't, I heard he went off to fight wars that have not yet happened. My contacts have gone silent. Please inform me of how my nemesis, your better side, is doing." Neil asked Levi with genuine interest but not quite concealed contempt.

"Well he United the galaxy, became emperor of the galaxy, " he then paused and as he did he gained a bit. "He's dead.. assassinated by someone who i might think it to be."

[Germanic Templars]

"Wow, you are a naive little one now aren't you? You don't think we tried that already? Asking doesn't always work. Some take it as a sign for weakness." He concluded with that and went on with his next question. One on which he bowed his head and shook slowly before looking at her.
"Three words,"Dr. Smith started out. "Project: Homo Superior".

"A project designed and lead by the emperor in the early years to try and "evolve" humanity into higher beings. Such methods of using our mind more and try to harness powers once fabled like telekinesis, or problem solving skills on a more computer base pace, meaning individuals could lean, apply, and create things quicker and better. Was used and designed for a good cause. Of course, like all risky gambles, this one was the worse. Project was shut down, mutants were hunted down all over the island. And if they swam, they'd just get eaten by the sea creatures. Damn kraken-like beasts out there."

He shook his head and continued. "And I bet you wonder where I was. To be fair, I was off planet for this one, studying on another planet's life species on how they adapt to their surrounding and taking samples. So I wash my hands clean on that one."

A puff of breath moved Wrens' bangs from her eyes. "Project: Homo Superior goes awry and mutants run amok, so another program was started to put a stop to the mutants, by creating mutants?"

Wren wasn't being facetious. She was attempting to understand.

"Pretty much. Only real logical thing to do, and human. Trust me, if the Order of Purity got word of it, there would be a lot of missing posters and a lot of dead body."

[Giovenith]

"Thank you, again," said Giovenith in a softer, more genuinely appreciative tone, preparing another little plate for herself. Though she was aware of just how dangerous Scarface had been created to be, Giovenith still had a place of affection for him. He was around and about, he was part of the family, Frankenstein-esque brute or not.

Spotting the lovely napkins as well, Giovenith reached over and began to contently fold one into a swan.

[Cerillium]

Dora gave Ogoti a tolerant look, although her words were slightly bitter. "It's no trouble. There's very little I personally care to remember about life back then. That was a time for the person I was back then. Someone destined to be married off early, in the name of tradition. Still, the society as a whole flourished, and that's the more important thing, I feel. There will always be something happening, and it could be good or bad. Only chance determines which. I can't imagine that life for you would have been any easier, to make you cynical."

A snort escaped Ogoti. He pursed his lips. "We have today and beyond to live. Let's not dwell on the past."

It was an artful dodge. The cynicism lurking just under his skin hadn't been present a year ago. Recent events dredged it from his soul's depths and deposited it extremely close to the surface. Bane. Thriller's death. Atosh. Rumors of a traitor in the Conservators' ranks. Dora snatched off the street. His mistrust sprung from ancient fears and the realization that the cycle seemed to be repeating. He didn't want to think of connections or conspiracies. I'll cling to denial just a little longer. There's food. Companionship. An entire island to enjoy.

"The last time we stood on a beach together, you were wondering about the future. Have you given any more thought to your plans?"

"Pretty much. Only real logical thing to do, and human. Trust me, if the Order of Purity got word of it, there would be a lot of missing posters and a lot of dead body."

Wren's eyebrow arched. She didn't agree with it. Did not. Never. Not in a million years. However that was of little consequence. What mattered was that the chip get extracted from the boy.

"Back to Datus," she was more than happy to change the subject on Smith, "Can you remove the chip? Will doing that complicate his life? Is it a fail safe of some kind?"

[Germanic Templars]

"Well by judging the images I saw before going into a bit of a rage, it seemed to be a basic chip. Standard for clone troopers. So yes I can remove the thing no problem. Gather up Vitellius and the kids please, I must get things prepared and ready."

[Cerillium]

"Well by judging the images I saw before going into a bit of a rage, it seemed to be a basic chip. Standard for clone troopers. So yes I can remove the thing no problem. Gather up Vitellius and the kids please, I must get things prepared and ready."

Wren did as Dr. Smith requested although she had a difficult time looking Barox in the eye. She mumbled something about Smith removing the chip and that both children were needed, and that Smith wanted him along as well.

The Germanic Templars had every right to conduct their business and research as they wanted. It wasn't her place to tell them otherwise. Yet Wren was a champion for children. The innocent were so often overlooked or, worse, slaughtered outright by invading forces. Children hadn't any rights in her time period. They were subject to the whims of the emperor and his sons, and if their world was declared unworthy or the people heretics, exterminatus was the only recourse. Their lives ended in a baptism of fire, blessings from the emperor god mummified on his throne. Was it any wonder that Wren turned away from that monster? To be Heretek was to be liberated.

She hung her head in shame and vowed to distance herself lest she draw disfavor from the Omnissiah, the Logic in the Maelstrom as her specific cult believed. Her faith was all that remained of her, as she lacked a dedicated parent and family. The Brotherhood became what flesh and blood refused to.

"We must hurry," was her urgent whisper to Barox. "Time runs short."

[Cerillium]

Normally, Aleksie would have arrived at the Building to find various residents milling about the lobby. Normally, he might have noticed a Pony chatting with a Chaos god and he might have paused to listen to the heavy Slavic accent of a mechanic as he patiently explained how cookie dough does not belong in the Building's incinerator. Normally, a ginormous water bear might have bolted past him with two children riding upon its back and being chased by a real Velociraptor wearing a lab coat. Normally, it would not have been out of place to see an old cyborg reading a newspaper in a corner.

Normally. Might have. Not today.

Instead, Aleksie arrived in a wintery Bielefeld to find a cluster of workers in biohazard suits putting the finishing touches on a tent which draped the entire building. The truck parked directly outside had a magnetic sign on the side which announced it as belonging to "Blackwater Exterminators LLC. The back doors were open and the entire inside seemed packed with festively wrapped bricks or perhaps shoe boxes covered in red or green plastic wrap.

Two kindly men in gas masks stopped Aleksie at the curb. They confirmed his residency (the landlord, O.C. Demens, was very thorough) and then informed the man that the landlord was providing an all-expenses-paid trip to a tropical island while the building (and city block) was being fumigated due to a South American Viptopictithical Beetle infestation. Don't worry, all your needs will be taken care of, they reassured Aleksie as they pushed him through the hip-high snow and towards a phone booth. It's a holiday, mate! You'll love it. Everyone's there!

They didn't give him much time to protest before they shoved him into the phone booth. It was a glass-paneled one with a pay phone that lacked a handset. They tucked something into his free hand and shut the door. It was if someone turned off the sun because Aleksie found himself crammed into a dark, confined rectangle that smelled vaguely of fruit punch. No, maybe that was coconut? Come to think of it, it smelled a hell of a lot like suntan lotion.

Aleksie would push on the phone booth door only to find it had become a curtain. He'd tumble out of an old fashioned, red and white striped beach changing tent. Gone was the snow and blustery wind. A tropical breeze took its place and the ocean roared in the background. He was on the island, the likes of which can only be properly described here and only if the reader takes the time to read all the bits under the pretty picture.

More importantly, that red and white striped changing tent was directly facing an odd Victorian house (and its lawn) where a cluster of people had gathered for some sort of feast. Various people (and beings) waved to Aleksie and gestured for him to enter the garden. It was only the appetizer round so his timing was perfect. Nearly all the Tenants were there and his arrival wasn't entirely out of place when compared to the usual insanity that cast its coiled tendrils on that lot.

Aleksie would also find out later that there was a small hut set up for him near all the other huts. He wouldn't need to sleep outdoors.

Further, in his hand was a slip of paper. It read: "Now Hiring: Bartender. See manager at Chaos Restaurant." This tidbit wasn't essential here on the Island but it did mean that Aleksie had guaranteed employment once the group returned to their beloved Bielefeld.

So it is. Welcome, Aleksie. Join the party.

[Germanic Templars]

"Well by judging the images I saw before going into a bit of a rage, it seemed to be a basic chip. Standard for clone troopers. So yes I can remove the thing no problem. Gather up Vitellius and the kids please, I must get things prepared and ready."

Wren did as Dr. Smith requested although she had a difficult time looking Barox in the eye. She mumbled something about Smith removing the chip and that both children were needed, and that Smith wanted him along as well.

The Germanic Templars had every right to conduct their business and research as they wanted. It wasn't her place to tell them otherwise. Yet Wren was a champion for children. The innocent were so often overlooked or, worse, slaughtered outright by invading forces. Children hadn't any rights in her time period. They were subject to the whims of the emperor and his sons, and if their world was declared unworthy or the people heretics, exterminatus was the only recourse. Their lives ended in a baptism of fire, blessings from the emperor god mummified on his throne. Was it any wonder that Wren turned away from that monster? To be Heretek was to be liberated.

She hung her head in shame and vowed to distance herself lest she draw disfavor from the Omnissiah, the Logic in the Maelstrom as her specific cult believed. Her faith was all that remained of her, as she lacked a dedicated parent and family. The Brotherhood became what flesh and blood refused to.

"We must hurry," was her urgent whisper to Barox. "Time runs short."

"Er, alrighty then." He gathered up the two kids to his side. He looked down at the two kids, he then looked up at Wren. "Did he say where he was heading?" He asked as he looked around. He couldn't find out where the Dr. went, it seemed as if he vanished.

[Primordial Luxa]

With a splash a familiar face appeared on the island beach and began to make its way over to the various residents living quarters. The thing was greyish-green, though it had a white bellys. It was mostly shiny and slippery, but the ridges on its back was scaly. its form vaguely suggested the anthropoid, while its head was the head of fish, with prodigious bulging eyes that never closed. At the sides of its neck were palpitating gills, and its long paws were webbed. It hopped irregularly, sometimes on two legs and sometimes on four.

[Cerillium]

"Er, alrighty then." He gathered up the two kids to his side. He looked down at the two kids, he then looked up at Wren. "Did he say where he was heading?" He asked as he looked around. He couldn't find out where the Dr. went, it seemed as if he vanished.

Wren shook her head. "He went off to "get ready". I assumed he meant somewhere here."

She ran her hand over Datus' hair and then gently squeezed Katherine's shoulder. "I suppose we wait here? There's food over at the raptor's house. I don't know when these kids ate last."

[Germanic Templars]

"Er, alrighty then." He gathered up the two kids to his side. He looked down at the two kids, he then looked up at Wren. "Did he say where he was heading?" He asked as he looked around. He couldn't find out where the Dr. went, it seemed as if he vanished.

Wren shook her head. "He went off to "get ready". I assumed he meant somewhere here."

She ran her hand over Datus' hair and then gently squeezed Katherine's shoulder. "I suppose we wait here? There's food over at the raptor's house. I don't know when these kids ate last."

"They ate on the way here, didn't they?" Barox asked. He then shrugged and suggested. "Ah well, I guess if they haven't eaten yet we should feed the little ones."

[Cerillium]

"They ate on the way here, didn't they?" Barox asked. He then shrugged and suggested. "Ah well, I guess if they haven't eaten yet we should feed the little ones."

"Do you want to get them some food while I look for Smith, or would you rather I get the food and you look?" She wasn't too enthusiastic to roam the Templar compound alone. "Or maybe Smith has food. Maybe he doesn't want them to eat because of anesthetic?"

Wren sat down, feeling defeated.

[Germanic Templars]

"They ate on the way here, didn't they?" Barox asked. He then shrugged and suggested. "Ah well, I guess if they haven't eaten yet we should feed the little ones."

"Do you want to get them some food while I look for Smith, or would you rather I get the food and you look?" She wasn't too enthusiastic to roam the Templar compound alone. "Or maybe Smith has food. Maybe he doesn't want them to eat because of anesthetic?"

Wren sat down, feeling defeated.

"Here, we'll all go to the compound, and go check the clinic. If he is not there, we go get food. Sound good?"