Personification Life IC IX - [Semi Open]

[Urran]

Yoshi helped Katya up and looked up into her eyes. Curse his short stature! "How would you like to go out tonight?" He asked somewhat nervously. It had been forever since they had gone out as a couple, they always seemed to be so busy with other things. Oh well, hopefully tonight would be different.

[Torsiedelle]

Drova wasn't the only one being a bit fidgety, Kei was shaking ever so slightly in her seat as well. She might not have been the biggest target, but she was probably still up there on the list of people to make gone.

"Honestly, it's damn scary. I don't even feel safe going outside anymore now, it's like a stalker who wants to kill you, except they actually can kill you, and erase all evidence you even existed." She explained to Torii, knowing that she didn't really care for things like this, so Kei at least elt she needed to explain it in a nutshell to her.

"Oh, and you can't fight back."

"That's what pisses me off."

Torii's brow furrowed, before she wiped her face and took a breath. "I mean, It's like every time, it's something bigger and badder. I just hate not being able to do anything, but when there's not even hope to fight it? Even for those guys?", She nodded towards the Chaos and Time-folks.

"I suppose...it is pretty scary. I don't like thinking about what it would be like if I just.....", and then a very bad thought shot into her mind, sending shivers down her spine.

"Wait a minute, is Bane on the loose yet? Because I haven't seen Tsu in a while, and she wouldn't answer texts. I'd be mighty worried!"

[The BranRiech]

"Eh, there's a certain point to where I'd take the valuables over something like that. But yeah, good memories are some of the only things people can't take away from you. It's how I remember home." Toscha said, relating a familiar experience. He figured he'd never go back home anyways, so at least he could remember it. Well, as home, he meant his old dimension of course!

--

"Torii, even I probably couldn't do anything against Bane, don't feel bad about it. We'd both end up wiped from existence, so don't fret." Kei waggled a finger, chuckling. "I'll probably head to the island with everyone else, and stay under the radar, safe in a tropical paradise, you know? We'll have fun there."

[Torsiedelle]

That reassured Tora some, but she was still worried for Tsu. The Island would be fun....and full of memories. Maybe she could call her dad for Christmas? It would be her second Christmas with everyone, and she wanted it to be special...but before that, it would be American Thanksgiving.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Yea, I will be fun....I just still can't stand it, Bane."

[Giovenith]

"Well I'm glad you don't have trouble with it, so many people do. I try to help, though."

It probably wouldn't have shown at this point in the conversation, but Giovenith was patting herself on the back for steering the conversation away from Bane... she would ultimately help with any needs involving the situation (so long as they didn't involve going into the actual fight), but attempting to think about... that... felt like sucking in a breath that would instantly chill her to death. She wondered if that was at all selfish, or perhaps merciful, considering the true depth of what it meant to reasonably grasp... nothing. The existence Giovenith had been blown into did not allow the luxury of that kind of ignorance. Perhaps, if she believed hard enough, everyone would make it through this safe, it could be forgotten for a few more lifetimes, and few of her friends here would ever have to bear the burden of such knowledge.

Now that was a truly simultaneously selfish and merciful thought; Giovenith briefly wondered with a rare flash of cynicism if, had darker circumstances brewed it, she would have had the dubious honor of growing up to be an angel of mercy nurse. Didn't matter. Things had not been dealt so simply.

"So, I see you have already befriended the ponies yourself, huh? Since we're both new friends to them, would you mind if I asked your opinion on them thus far?"

[The BranRiech]

"Torii, stop brooding over it. There's nothing anyone can do about it, except keep it at bay so we don't have to worry about it." Kei reassured. "We'll get to enjoy the island, while others fight on our behalf to stop him. But of course, you'll just be bitching about the "Time-people" or the "Chaos" that you so seem to loathe, while they stay back here to fight for you. Why don't you go and fight Bane, eh? You'd be gone in an instant." She casually raised her voice, ending with an angry undertone. She was reaching a boiling point with Torii's little snarky remarks here and there.

"You should be honored to have them working to protect you, I sure as hell am."

--

"They're quite alright. I've never met someone like them before, but they're just like people I suppose, just different appearances. Wierd though, never thought Ponies could talk. We've got two of them on our farm, and I've never seen any like them." Toscha shrugged. Truth be told, the ponies were quite unique, but if they weren't trying to kill him, or discriminate against him, he'd tolerate them, and if they could be friends, well hey! Added bonus!

[Torsiedelle]

"Torii, stop brooding over it. There's nothing anyone can do about it, except keep it at bay so we don't have to worry about it." Kei reassured. "We'll get to enjoy the island, while others fight on our behalf to stop him. But of course, you'll just be bitching about the "Time-people" or the "Chaos" that you so seem to loathe, while they stay back here to fight for you. Why don't you go and fight Bane, eh? You'd be gone in an instant." She casually raised her voice, ending with an angry undertone. She was reaching a boiling point with Torii's little snarky remarks here and there.

"You should be honored to have them working to protect you, I sure as hell am."

Torii snapped to Kei with sharp eyes.

"What the hell was that? Did you hear me bitching? All I said was that I was frustrated that weo hope of actually beating Bane. I'm very fucking greatful that Chaos is fighting the damn thing, and even the Conservators, despite my trouble with'em, okay?"

She really didn't like that comment of Kei's. In an instant, Tora went from worrying and looking to Kei, to being ready to throw a punch at her. What the hell was all that about!?

"And I'm not honored. I'm used to being able to fix things without help. I feel bad when I can't. I swear, you adults are just.....ugh....."

Yoshi helped Katya up and looked up into her eyes. Curse his short stature! "How would you like to go out tonight?" He asked somewhat nervously. It had been forever since they had gone out as a couple, they always seemed to be so busy with other things. Oh well, hopefully tonight would be different.

"Dinner sounds pretty nice, actually." , Katya said, pondering the idea. She was really hungry, all the time, nowadays. Besides that, she had spent time with Dora, so she felt obligated to spend some with Yoshi as well. She loved being taken out to dinner.

"I'll get a nice dress later, when we go."

[The BranRiech]

"You adults are what?" Kei asked, truly fed up with Torii at the moment. "It's in your attitude, you don't like that poor little mortal Torii doesn't get to do the same things the big bad gods can do. You know what? Neither can I? I can't do anything, Torii. You need to know when to accept help, and to realize that people are more powerful than you." She scolded, sounding more like a concerned mother. "I've heard your little remarks from time to time, and it's starting to get on my nerves. I'm more powerful than you, but there's so many people more powerful than both of us. Mortals have one advantage though, you don't attract as much attention. Be glad you have that."

[Germanic Templars]

"Well I am sure that the Thanksgiving thing isn't all that important, right? Or is it something spectacular? "

"It depends on who you ask I suppose. Swith calls it Gluttony Day and says that's the day they celebrate an increase in their poultry, antacid and laxative industries. People eat food like hedonistic fools on that day. Ogoti says that's the day they celebrate the near-genocide of the American buffalo and native peoples. Klaus says it's a stupid holiday made by the god, Hallmark. Hallmark commands that all his people set forth to purchase paper bearing his name on the back, and they offer these papers to each other as a sign that Hallmark blesses him. He also share Christmas with Elohim, and more people buy Hallmark's products than they do food for the poor, which Klaus says is typical of Hallmark's greed."

Xanthe scrunched up her expression. "I honestly don't know if I should believe Klaus. I wouldn't have except that I saw a Hallmark shrine in the grocery store where all these paper products could be purchased for any occasion. Who is this god and why is he so expensive?"

She shrugged. "It's better than what Blythe says. She says Thanksgiving is a holiday that started 1863 when, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of "Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens", to be celebrated on Thursday, November 26. BUT... the first one was in 1621 and celebrated by pilgrims as a way to thank God for their first harvest. Both of those are stupid answers. It's America. Why would the government and people honor a holiday that's Christian in nature? I mean, let's face it, God isn't allowed in America. Well, he is, but he's not allowed to set foot in government buildings or show his face on TV unless it's one of his TV channels. Surely the government wouldn't make a federal holiday out of a Christian one, right? That would be hypocrisy."

Xanthe scratched her nose and then snorted in contempt.

"I'm sorry," she ventured at last. "It just irritates me. America does. All the animosity towards him makes me sad. Poor Elohim. He gets a raw deal."

She "got down from her soapbox" and opened up a packet of Saltines, offering one of the crackers to the Archangel.

--

Charumati watched the meeting break down into small discussion groups and was glad to note that most of the discussion dwelt on things other than Bane. Good, they'd taken the tidings well.

She wasn't drawn to any of their topics. A dark cloud hung over her, especially now that her "Swith" nature was shoved into Naomi. She felt no kinship with anyone here. She was depressed and in no mood for handling their trivial needs, or entertaining them, or reassuring them.

She retreated into the shadows and drew them about her like a cloak. She vanished from sight.

"No thank you." He said as he gave a small nod. It was now his turn to try and enlighten, to the best of his abilities, Xanthe on the things pertaining to Thanksgiving, and Hallmark. "Now then," he started off. " Blythe was actually right on something, even if she did read it off a Wikipedia page.. Probably." He shook his head lightly then continued "Other then that, Swith, Ogoti, and Klaus are wrong, even if it maybe their opinions. It was a day given for thanks for the first successful harvest, especially when we look back at the harsh times the colonist had their first time on American soil. Trust me, I was there, it sucked plain and simple."

"Second, Hallmark.... Hallmark is not a god, but a company that makes gift cards for special occasions and holidays, they even have their own TV station on cable, don't ask how I know this."

And one more thing about Thanksgiving; remember the time and remember the place, from there it will all make sense. And yes I sound a bit like the scroll but it is the best answer I can give for the moment."

[Torsiedelle]

"You adults are what?" Kei asked, truly fed up with Torii at the moment. "It's in your attitude, you don't like that poor little mortal Torii doesn't get to do the same things the big bad gods can do. You know what? Neither can I? I can't do anything, Torii. You need to know when to accept help, and to realize that people are more powerful than you." She scolded, sounding more like a concerned mother. "I've heard your little remarks from time to time, and it's starting to get on my nerves. I'm more powerful than you, but there's so many people more powerful than both of us. Mortals have one advantage though, you don't attract as much attention. Be glad you have that."

"I know I'm not the strongest, Kei!", Torii stamped her foot. "It's just that I feel like I should still have some chance! Even if we just seal it away, I'll just have been some kid who had to run away to safety...I guess I'd just rather face the dangers than stick around while others fight for me..."

Her eyes looked down at her feet for a second, then back up at Kei, then over to Bran.

"I'm sorry if I make certain comments every noe and then."

[Urran]

Yoshi giggled and kissed her cheek. "Great, I'll pick you up in a few hours, I have some last minute details to wrap up." He said and hugged for for a few more seconds before vanishing silently around a corner.

[Giovenith]

"I suppose it's a little weird... but hey," Giovenith smiled brightly. "We're all weird to someone, aren't we? Existence would be so very boring is everyone and everything stayed the same." She turned her head to offer a quick glance at the two equines. "They seem content with things as well."

Giovenith secretly believed they must have been talking about something wonderful, like hope, or happiness, or togetherness, in lieu of this seemingly dreadful situation, and was deeply touched by her own assumption. It probably wouldn't have been very uplifting to learn that their conversation was more along the lines of anxious planning for surviving an inescapable danger zone of steadily increasing lethality, and cultural (and possibly personal) identity crisis.

[The BranRiech]

"Suppose it's just nice to have you around again, you can see Tolya anytime you want, Aleki." Rylli grinned widely. Rachelle walked in a few minutes later after Bran dropped her off.

"Hey, Dad's at a tenant meeting, said he'd bring back the information to us." She said, shrugging as she walked over to her little brother's crib, getting a quick round of peek-a-boo in before heading off to clean her room. Rylli smiled, and Natiya grinned. If Rylli was the mother, Natiya was the crazy family member who lets the kid stay up late, or turns the other way when veggies are fed to Laika.

"Yeah, you two can stay for dinner if you want. But that's later."

--

"Torii, even I don't have a chance against Bane. Hell, I'm a bigger target than you are. If anything, I'd cease to exist first. You need to realize when you can't win in these situations. No one wins. Not us, nor Bane." Kei said, getting exasperated from this all. "You think you're invincible. Fine? Go and fight Bane, ask anyone in charge of this what you can do to help, and I guarantee you'll end up a whisper in the wind before sundown."

--

"Some more than others, but yes. I've gotten the fair share of strange looks, believe me. Most of it's just curiosity though, wondering what the heck I am and stuff. It's kind of fun to answer really. But yeah, same with the ponies. It's not weird in a bad way, just a curious one."

Toscha wasn't too phased by the whole "Nothingness" meeting, although he did think most people in this building were crazy, and were probably escaped mental patients, but what was he going to do about it? He heard that they'd be staying safe on vacation anyways, so why worry now?

[Torsiedelle]

When unable to create a counterargument, whether from being beat, or just from anger and frustration, Torii would resort to on retort.

"Just....bu-......"

She toom a firm stand and took a breath.

"Fuck you, Kei!"

She didn't even care that Bran was there, or her sister, or Gio right across from them, or anyone. She felt offended by how Kei had suddenly attacked her and brought them into this argument.

[Giovenith]

"That's a good way of-"

Giovenith stopped but did not flinch at Torii's sudden outburst. The girl stayed frozen for a moment before taking a deep sigh, but still did not turn around to the situation... these were not things she involved herself in. Not until a better moment, when the fire cooled.

"Never mind it," she told Toscha under her breath.

[The BranRiech]

"Oh really, little Torii-worri, beaten in an argument." Kei chuckled warmly, obvious sarcasm echoing in her voice. "Do something about it, Torii. Fight me." She encouraged, perfectly waiting to see if Torii would take up the offer. "Well? Come on, if you want to fight Bane, get through me first, and you'd still lose to Bane."

She cared not for the other people's reactions. She had a lesson to teach to the girl. Bran just sat back and rolled his eyes, looking the other way, he didn't want to get involved.

--

Toscha looked startled by the outburst, and shied away slightly at the cursing.

"What's her problem?" He asked to Gio.

[Giovenith]

"Not my time and place to say," said Giovenith, in a more clear-cut tone than before. "I would suggest we move backward though. I do not want to be involved in anything ugly at the moment."

At that, the girl backed away from the scene, motioning Toscha to follow her, stopping near the ponies. She was a bit worried about the fact that she could not predict the reactions of some others in the room, but kept to her usual reaction to these things, 'don't try to be a hero.' Running in and attempting to quell the others by yelling just as loudly and self-righteously did not help things or intimidate for the good, as people often thought.

[Torsiedelle]

"Oh really, little Torii-worri, beaten in an argument." Kei chuckled warmly, obvious sarcasm echoing in her voice. "Do something about it, Torii. Fight me." She encouraged, perfectly waiting to see if Torii would take up the offer. "Well? Come on, if you want to fight Bane, get through me first, and you'd still lose to Bane."

She cared not for the other people's reactions. She had a lesson to teach to the girl. Bran just sat back and rolled his eyes, looking the other way, he didn't want to get involved.

--

Toscha looked startled by the outburst, and shied away slightly at the cursing.

"What's her problem?" He asked to Gio.

"F-fight!?", Torii's legs started shaking a little, either in anticipation, or fear. The girl kept her gaze fixed on Kei.

"I-Do you really want to go there, Kei? You're gonna attack me like that, and then have the nerve to start want'n to fight!?"

"Oh, see ya later, Honey.", Katya whispered before Yoshi left. Torii's outburst made her jump, and she kept a very worried eye on her sister.

[The BranRiech]

I'll let you decide whether or not to fight. You think you can take me, go ahead and try?"

Despite the somewhat threat of Torii actually fighting, she didn't get up from her seat, intent on hoping that Torii would realize how dumb she was really sounding, but Kei was also mentally preparing, preparing to rough up Torii some if she actually decided to make the stupid decision that she was deciding on. "Go ahead, make your pick. How do you want the day to end?"

--

Toscha shrugged, and retreated several feet, bobbing back and forth as his tail caught up with him.

"Maybe we could go someplace else?"

[Torsiedelle]

Torii didn't want to fight. She was, in truth, scared, especially by the thought of being beaten in front of everyone.

But she also couldn't stand the idea of stepping down in front of everyone, and she couldn't let Kei talk to her like that in front of her own Sister!

Torii didn't throw a punch, but kicked Kei's seat back, hoping to knock her over.

[Giovenith]

Giovenith balanced her face on the tips of her fingers and took another deep breath, opening her eyes once she heard the kick. "I would like to," she told Toscha, without bringing her head up. "But I might need to attempt to mend things. Or not. I do not know." The girl reverted back to taking very breaths, obviously put-off by the current happenings in some deeper-rooted way other than she being awkward via the situation itself. "I really don't."

[The BranRiech]

"Thanks, for unseating me." Kei chuckled, standing up right as the kick connected, wobbling slightly. She did have a drink beforehand, but it wasn't affecting her too much at least. "You can still back out of this." She grinned.

Kei's hands started to glow.

--

"Yeah, we can go to my room, or wherever's not here." Toscha suggested, knowing the tell-tale signs of what he thought would be a destructive fight, seeing the magic coursing through Kei's hands.

[Tiltjuice]

Realizing he passed up the library and the gym, Dan bit his lower lip, too indecisive on what he wanted, or could be, to do. "Eh, could always just unpack. No pixies around to clean up after us anymore," he grumbled, making his way to the elevator and back to his apartment.

There was a man in a trenchcoat and fedora, standing in the middle of the hallway and facing Dan's door. Over his shoulder, he bore a large sack, much like some stereotypical images of Santa Claus.

Hans ... crossed ankle over knee, nudging Chrys a little in the process (on purpose, of course) and rested his hands in his lap. Life had taken an interesting turn.

Chrys quirked a smile and nudged him back. She wondered where Dia was; Luce was here, fiddling with the end of his sleeve (no doubt where his darts were). Hopefully nothing bad had happened.

Besides dealing with her mate, there was something else she needed to do. Something rather pressing.

"Thanks, for unseating me." Kei chuckled, standing up right as the kick connected, wobbling slightly. She did have a drink beforehand, but it wasn't affecting her too much at least. "You can still back out of this." She grinned.

Kei's hands started to glow.

Dora glanced sideways at Ogoti when no one else answered. That drew her line of sight toward Kei's glowing hands. She shook her head, disappointed in her onetime lover.

"Fighting's such a waste of valuable time, wouldn't you say?" she said, nodding toward the burgeoning confrontation between Kei and Torii.

The doors at the far side pushed open as Tasia ambled through without a care in the world.

"Well, now, what's going on here?" she asked nobody in particular, glancing among Torii, Kei, and Giovenith.

[Giovenith]

Damn. Glowing stuff was never good.

On one hand, these things were not Giovenith's style, but on the other hand, her inner compass was spinning wildly over whether or not walking away from friends about to hurt each other was quite the best choice.

Damn. Why was she a goodie-two shoes?

"Toscha, if I am incinerated, I bequeath to you all of my video games," she told the Lamia. That included about one copy of the original Zelda game, and pong. "Tell Willow he can have the Spectrum, but to stay the hell away from my Paintlala. It's only meant for level forty-six, and potato season." At that, she turned, walked a few feet nearer the conflict and spoke loudly but not harshly: "Wait. Please, just wait a moment." Her expression took on a genuine plea to calm down. "Please, please, Kei, just wait. Will you wait and let me speak? Please? I have words. Please."

[Urran]

Tieria had not left and was watching Torii's showdown with Kei go on from across the room. The Innovater sneered at the girl and shook his head. She was being an idiot in his opinion. But when Kei's hand began to glow he walked over. "Kei, do not waste your time on this one, she is not worth it."

Anew, had also been present as had Yuri, they were standing very near each other but Anew made sure to stay out of Tieria's line of sight. She thought it was splendid that Torii wanted to fight Bane, one less pest to worry about. Then Kei's hand lighted up and earned Anew's utmost attention, this was a perfect oportunity to evaluate the enemy's combat strength.