Watchers - IC [Closed]

[Faal Lot Himdah]

Merlin

Merlin smirked, "No. I wouldn't. I already fell for that trap once. It was my seeking of power that lead me to merge with Void. So, no. I would not try and grab power no matter the price." He then looked at the Gambler, "And what do you mean, 'our war'... And 'our time is beginning'?"

[The GAmeTopians]

Merlin

Merlin smirked, "No. I wouldn't. I already fell for that trap once. It was my seeking of power that lead me to merge with Void. So, no. I would not try and grab power no matter the price." He then looked at the Gambler, "And what do you mean, 'our war'... And 'our time is beginning'?"

"I did not speak to you, child. I would not expect you to take my... Offer. You dealt with Hell and you faced its wrath."
He chuckled.
"Though I will not deny, you could be a game changer for Our side."
As he spoke the words, a blue light flashed through his smoky eyes.
"As for what I meant... Well. You will see child.
War.
War never changes."

[Faal Lot Himdah]

Merlin

Merlin didn't deny it, he had faced many horrible things. He didn't deny it, instead he smiled as the Gambler chuckled. The smile faded as the Gambler spoke.

"Ah... More information please. I don't like being left in the dark with the sound of ominous things in the future." Merlin said as he looked at the Gambler.

[Charlia]

Gambler
Fiery dice danced across the Gambler's palm, wisps of flame.
Spinning.
Rolling.
"The chances of life," the Gambler said, as Merlin's and Charlotte's eyes were drawn to the dice.
"Our war... Our time is just beginning."
He closed a fist and Michael's head disappeared, dissipating into black smoke that rose into the sky.
"If you had a chance at power, would you take it? No matter the price?"

Liai
Liai closed her eyes. Humming, she sent her essence to lath onto her two followers, dragging them into her realm.
"Hania Seren,"
"Matthew Watcher..."
"I call to you."

Seren's head snapped up, and she looked around with interest.

"I assume you have a job for us, then?"

---

Charlotte's eyes narrowed.

"...The highest price I have paid, I paid long ago. But it is hardly a cost that can only be exacted once... All I would want to know is whether I would have to pay that price again. Because if there is even a chance that the power you speak of would require it..." She closed her eyes tightly, and shook her head. "I would never take power, no matter how great, if it came at such a cost."

Pity. Silence.

"But if the price were something else, I would at the very least consider it. Yet you asked if I would take it 'no matter the price', and I'm afraid that as I have already established that there is a price I will never, never willingly pay, the answer to such a question has to be 'no'."

[The GAmeTopians]

Gambler
The Gambler grimaced, eyes changing to black smoke.
"I am afraid I have already said too much."
He turned away, taking a couple of steps before pausing.
"I was simply curious how far you would go for power.
"When you feel the time has come, summon me. Simply write my name."
The Gambler disappeared into grey smoke, rising into the night sky before winking out of existence, leaving behind the faint smell of vacuum cleaner bag.
A business card materialized in Merlin's and Charlotte's hands - the only thing was that where a name should have been, a simple line had been placed, and there was only one line of text on the card itself.
Simply write my name.

Liai
"No... I simply wanted to begin your training."
She grinned a bright smile, eager to begin.

[Sindrya]

Walter listened the whole time, eyes wide. His imaginary Interest-o-Meter had went crazy again.

"A human fused with a dragon's soul? As in, real-life dragon's soul?!", he asked, disbelieved. "That. is. amazing! Your mother must be a real talented witch to perform soul-fusing magic!"

He squealed, like a high-school girl on her first date. "This is awesome! I would love to see when the dragon inside you developed his first breath weapon!", he said fervently, grabbing the boy's shoulders. Realizing that he had done something improper according to manners, he quickly removed his hands from the shoulders.

"Ahem," he began. "Mister Michel Dugal, am I right? Allow me to fully introduce myself. I recognize that Hashimoto-san had introduced us before, but it would be rude of me to not introduce myself properly." He grabbed on his top hat, removing it from his head, straightening his posture and his cane, before bowing like a medieval gentleman. "Walter Nathaniel Usher. Watcher, undertaker, and supernatural enthusiast." He stood back straight, putting on his hat again. "Pleased to meet you.", he said, his full-time grin on.

"Oh, and about the roof? Don't sweat it.", he waved at Michel. "I had always said to Master Matthew that this place could use some renovation. Well, now that you've gave him a reason to, he might as well start a renovation right now."

He paused, tapping his chin. "In fact, maybe I can show you a few more place to ruin in the HQ; places that certainly need renovations. It'll be our little secret." He grinned mischievously.

[Charlia]

Gambler
The Gambler grimaced, eyes changing to black smoke.
"I am afraid I have already said too much."
He turned away, taking a couple of steps before pausing.
"I was simply curious how far you would go for power.
"When you feel the time has come, summon me. Simply write my name."
The Gambler disappeared into grey smoke, rising into the night sky before winking out of existence, leaving behind the faint smell of vacuum cleaner bag.
A business card materialized in Merlin's and Charlotte's hands - the only thing was that where a name should have been, a simple line had been placed, and there was only one line of text on the card itself.
Simply write my name.

Liai
"No... I simply wanted to begin your training."
She grinned a bright smile, eager to begin.

Charlotte stared down at the card in her hand, and her face grew worried.

First the prediction about stormy weather ahead... and now this?

What's going to happen?

...no, that can't be right. It can't be!

---

"...What sort of training?" Seren asked, quirking an eyebrow.

[Faal Lot Himdah]

Merlin

"I don't like it." Merlin said once the Gambler disappeared, "I don't like this situation one bit. I have a really bad feeling. I don't want to be dragged into a war with an unknown enemy." He said as he put the card into his pocket.

He then looked at Charlotte, But... If it is for her, I will fight. he thought before giving Charlotte a comforting smile, "I'm here for you."

[Charlia]

Merlin

"I don't like it." Merlin said once the Gambler disappeared, "I don't like this situation one bit. I have a really bad feeling. I don't want to be dragged into a war with an unknown enemy." He said as he put the card into his pocket.

He then looked at Charlotte, But... If it is for her, I will fight. he thought before giving Charlotte a comforting smile, "I'm here for you."

She forced a smile in return, and then stared at the ground.

"Merlin," she whispered, "I'm... I'm scared. For us to end up here... and then, this... I know the Gambler said that he was the least of my worries, but... it doesn't feel like that... I feel like such a puppet! I don't even have control over my own mind anymore... ...I'm afraid..."

[Faal Lot Himdah]

Merlin

"I'm here for you." Merlin stated, "Remember. I made a promise. As long as I am breathing, I will protect you. I know you are afraid, but be strong."

[Charlia]

Merlin

"I'm here for you." Merlin stated, "Remember. I made a promise. As long as I am breathing, I will protect you. I know you are afraid, but be strong."

"...I want to be strong," she whispered. "But I'm so broken inside... When I was a little girl, before my father died, I remember one day I broke a glass... You see, he used to put glass things in the sun for me so I could see the colors they created. He loved showing me things like that," she said wistfully. "And I wanted to do it for myself, so I picked up a glass and was carrying it over to a spot of sunlight when it slipped out of my hands and broke. He came running, and I just stood there, staring at it. 'What happened?' he asked, and I said 'I'm sorry... I dropped a glass, and it broke.' He asked if I'd been hurt, and I said 'no'. I never forgot what he said next... 'Then it's nothing to be concerned about. Sometimes things fall, and break.'"

She was weeping softly now.

"That first night... I remembered those words... and I thought to myself that now I knew how the glass felt. The words had been comforting when I was little. But then they were painful. I didn't matter. I fell, and broke, but it was nothing to be concerned about. I was just another glass, dropped and broken, forsaken and lost, the pieces thrown away to be ground into dust... and nobody cared. And the look on his face, it scared me so much... He was brutal, I felt like if I didn't just stay quiet and endure it he would tear me apart. But I couldn't stay quiet, I screamed, I cried, it hurt so much... I was so small, so weak, he was just so much stronger than me that I couldn't do anything about it. I wanted him to stop, but I couldn't make him leave me alone. And I wasn't the same afterwards. It was like he'd killed the real me and I was just some twisted ghost. And that was before I knew what had happened to me... I went and looked in a mirror, and I saw that I had changed. My eyes, my face... I looked so... dead. Dead, and hollow. Like he hadn't just taken my innocence, he'd taken my soul... all I wanted to know was what I had done wrong. What I had done to make him look at me and treat me that way. I didn't understand that there was no good reason--I don't think I could understand. The concept of the act occurring for a reason was terrifying, but the thought that it could happen just because--it's not something I wanted to believe because that would mean that there was nothing I could do to keep it from happening again. You know what I'd like to be doing right now?" she said softly. "I'd like to be living a normal life, like someone who didn't have her innocence stolen before she even understood what was happening. Thing is, I can't. I can't even pretend to be normal. I'm trapped in this life. And I don't even know why. Why all the hatred? Why?" She buried her face in her hands. "I'm tired," she whispered. "So tired."

[Faal Lot Himdah]

Merlin

Merlin did the only thing he could think about doing to comfort Charlotte. No words spoken, no trying to spin a beautiful speech. Just something very simple, and very risky. But he felt like this was right, compared to the other options, this was the best option he believed. He embraced her in a warm, comforting and yet awkward hug.

"If something breaks, then you can put it back together. Nothing in this world breaks forever." He said with a calm and relaxing voice as he embraces her, "Don't get so caught up in the things you couldn't control, the events of the past make you who you are. Use them to better yourself and your future. Which I know you are trying to do, and that is why you are strong."

[Charlia]

Merlin

Merlin did the only thing he could think about doing to comfort Charlotte. No words spoken, no trying to spin a beautiful speech. Just something very simple, and very risky. But he felt like this was right, compared to the other options, this was the best option he believed. He embraced her in a warm, comforting and yet awkward hug.

"If something breaks, then you can put it back together. Nothing in this world breaks forever." He said with a calm and relaxing voice as he embraces her, "Don't get so caught up in the things you couldn't control, the events of the past make you who you are. Use them to better yourself and your future. Which I know you are trying to do, and that is why you are strong."

Oh... was all she could think, and she felt a tear in her eye.

She felt... safe. Truly safe. No need to look around in fear to see if anyone was hiding in the shadows. No need to put up mental walls around herself so that nobody could hurt her.

Nothing in the world could touch her now.

Nothing and no one... except Merlin.

Merlin...

She wrapped her arms around him in return, and smiled gently.

"Thank you," she whispered. "That means so much to me."

[Luminesa]

Walter listened the whole time, eyes wide. His imaginary Interest-o-Meter had went crazy again.

"A human fused with a dragon's soul? As in, real-life dragon's soul?!", he asked, disbelieved. "That. is. amazing! Your mother must be a real talented witch to perform soul-fusing magic!"

He squealed, like a high-school girl on her first date. "This is awesome! I would love to see when the dragon inside you developed his first breath weapon!", he said fervently, grabbing the boy's shoulders. Realizing that he had done something improper according to manners, he quickly removed his hands from the shoulders.

"Ahem," he began. "Mister Michel Dugal, am I right? Allow me to fully introduce myself. I recognize that Hashimoto-san had introduced us before, but it would be rude of me to not introduce myself properly." He grabbed on his top hat, removing it from his head, straightening his posture and his cane, before bowing like a medieval gentleman. "Walter Nathaniel Usher. Watcher, undertaker, and supernatural enthusiast." He stood back straight, putting on his hat again. "Pleased to meet you.", he said, his full-time grin on.

"Oh, and about the roof? Don't sweat it.", he waved at Michel. "I had always said to Master Matthew that this place could use some renovation. Well, now that you've gave him a reason to, he might as well start a renovation right now."

He paused, tapping his chin. "In fact, maybe I can show you a few more place to ruin in the HQ; places that certainly need renovations. It'll be our little secret." He grinned mischievously.

Ichiru used his fist to cover his laughter, at the sound of Walter's squealing. When he finally stopped laughing, he told him, "I suppose a tour of the place would be good for me as well, since I do not know it very well..."

[Nova Seren]

He winced instinctively as his shoulders were touched, but recovered quickly afterwards.
Michel smiled. "A tour would be appreciated, and maybe something to eat. But trust me, you don't want Eldon in charge unless absolutely necessary. And my mother had the help of her sisters, all three of them. They were the really talented ones."

[Luminesa]

He winced instinctively as his shoulders were touched, but recovered quickly afterwards.
Michel smiled. "A tour would be appreciated, and maybe something to eat. But trust me, you don't want Eldon in charge unless absolutely necessary. And my mother had the help of her sisters, all three of them. They were the really talented ones."

"I might want something as well, though I do not know where the kitchen is," Ichiru muttered, looking around. He then smiled at Walter. "If you could show us where the kitchen is, perhaps that might be of some help to us," he suggested.

[Sindrya]

Walter clapped both of his hands. "Alright! It's settled then! We will take a tour around the HQ!"

He had begun stepping away, before quickly turning back. "Oh, before I forgot this, allow me," he said, bowing to the two Supernaturals. "to welcome you, our dear guests, to the Watchers Headquarters. Enjoy the tour." Finishing the welcome, he stood back, and began skipping away. "Come on, follow me!"

If one were to judge from his behavior - leading two guests while skipping along the way, with a big grin plastered on his face, while whistling the chorus part of "Rule, Britannia!" - it would appeared as though he was incredibly happy.

He led them down the stairs, stopping right where he came out, where Hashimoto and Seren talked before. He saw that Seren had went missing from her place.

"Hm" He quirked his eyebrow. "I wonder where does Miss Seren go? Oh well."

He led them further down, stopping right in front of the Library's entrance. "Oh, this is the Library. We store archives and references here." He motioned to the well-lined racks of dusty bookshelves. "As you can see, it does need a renovation."

He skipped away again, leading them further. "Oh, and this is the meeting room.", he said, pointing to the Watchers' Meeting Room. The door's still ajar, and from the hallway, you still can see the overturned chairs from the previous meeting. Looks like nobody cared enough to fix this room. Or maybe they just keep it that way in memory of the late Allister Crowley. He was a good man, he was, Walter thought. I don't remember much of him, but he was indeed a good man.

He tore his gaze off the room. "Come, I'll show you the kitchen! Or, as we say in a more official term, the 'Pantry'", he offered.

[Luminesa]

Walter clapped both of his hands. "Alright! It's settled then! We will take a tour around the HQ!"

He had begun stepping away, before quickly turning back. "Oh, before I forgot this, allow me," he said, bowing to the two Supernaturals. "to welcome you, our dear guests, to the Watchers Headquarters. Enjoy the tour." Finishing the welcome, he stood back, and began skipping away. "Come on, follow me!"

If one were to judge from his behavior - leading two guests while skipping along the way, with a big grin plastered on his face, while whistling the chorus part of "Rule, Britannia!" - it would appeared as though he was incredibly happy.

He led them down the stairs, stopping right where he came out, where Hashimoto and Seren talked before. He saw that Seren had went missing from her place.

"Hm" He quirked his eyebrow. "I wonder where does Miss Seren go? Oh well."

He led them further down, stopping right in front of the Library's entrance. "Oh, this is the Library. We store archives and references here." He motioned to the well-lined racks of dusty bookshelves. "As you can see, it does need a renovation."

He skipped away again, leading them further. "Oh, and this is the meeting room.", he said, pointing to the Watchers' Meeting Room. The door's still ajar, and from the hallway, you still can see the overturned chairs from the previous meeting. Looks like nobody cared enough to fix this room. Or maybe they just keep it that way in memory of the late Allister Crowley. He was a good man, he was, Walter thought. I don't remember much of him, but he was indeed a good man.

He tore his gaze off the room. "Come, I'll show you the kitchen! Or, as we say in a more official term, the 'Pantry'", he offered.

Ichiru smiled bemusedly at Walter's cheery attitude, as he led them on the tour. He wasn't sure what 'Allister Crowley' he was talking about-whether it was a Watcher or the occultist-but he didn't ask. He was quite hungry, and was hoping that the pantry would have enough food for them to eat.

[The GAmeTopians]

Liai
"Lesson number one!"
Liai grinned again.
"God Wall One: omnipresence."
She snapped her fingers, and suddenly there were three identical copies of her.
"A useful trick, I must say."

[Charlia]

Liai
"Lesson number one!"
Liai grinned again.
"God Wall One: omnipresence."
She snapped her fingers, and suddenly there were three identical copies of her.
"A useful trick, I must say."

Seren's eyes widened.

"...Are you saying we're to learn these things?"

The scientific knowledge I could gather from this... incredible.

[Sindrya]

Walter clapped both of his hands. "Alright! It's settled then! We will take a tour around the HQ!"

He had begun stepping away, before quickly turning back. "Oh, before I forgot this, allow me," he said, bowing to the two Supernaturals. "to welcome you, our dear guests, to the Watchers Headquarters. Enjoy the tour." Finishing the welcome, he stood back, and began skipping away. "Come on, follow me!"

If one were to judge from his behavior - leading two guests while skipping along the way, with a big grin plastered on his face, while whistling the chorus part of "Rule, Britannia!" - it would appeared as though he was incredibly happy.

He led them down the stairs, stopping right where he came out, where Hashimoto and Seren talked before. He saw that Seren had went missing from her place.

"Hm" He quirked his eyebrow. "I wonder where does Miss Seren go? Oh well."

He led them further down, stopping right in front of the Library's entrance. "Oh, this is the Library. We store archives and references here." He motioned to the well-lined racks of dusty bookshelves. "As you can see, it does need a renovation."

He skipped away again, leading them further. "Oh, and this is the meeting room.", he said, pointing to the Watchers' Meeting Room. The door's still ajar, and from the hallway, you still can see the overturned chairs from the previous meeting. Looks like nobody cared enough to fix this room. Or maybe they just keep it that way in memory of the late Allister Crowley. He was a good man, he was, Walter thought. I don't remember much of him, but he was indeed a good man.

He tore his gaze off the room. "Come, I'll show you the kitchen! Or, as we say in a more official term, the 'Pantry'", he offered.

Ichiru smiled bemusedly at Walter's cheery attitude, as he led them on the tour. He wasn't sure what 'Allister Crowley' he was talking about-whether it was a Watcher or the occultist-but he didn't ask. He was quite hungry, and was hoping that the pantry would have enough food for them to eat.

"Aaaand here we are!", Walter exclaimed as the tour stopped right in front of the door to Pantry. "I'll go inside to see what we can cook up." I hope Master Matthew did not forget to stock up on foods.

He stepped in, flipping on the light switch. The cool temperature of the pantry gave him a slight comfort. He went around the cooking table, towards the rather large refrigerator. Let's see... cucumbers, cabbages, carrots, celery... we also have some eggs left, cheddar cheese, bacon strips, chickens, and... He searched through the fridge's contents, until his fingers brushed up against a metallic surface. Grabbing it, he pulled out a yellow tin, "Whale Meat in Tomato Sauce" branded on the package. Whale meats! Wait, who bought these? I don't remember any of the Watchers here like to eat whale meats. Ah, well.

He judged the contents, pondering on what he should make for the guests. There's also some rice left in the rice cooker. Hm. Maybe I can whip up some lazy fried rice.

Putting back the tinned whale meat to the fridge and closing it, he went back to the two waiting guests outside the pantry, putting on an apron and changing his top hat for a chef hat along the way.

"Pardon, monsieurs.", he greeted in a broken French accent. "It would appear that we only have limited ingredients, and je can only cook a lazy fried rice. Would it be bien, monsieurs?"

[Faal Lot Himdah]

Merlin

"Charlotte, no need to thank me." Merlin said as he let go with a smile, "I made my promise to you, and I will keep it as long as I live. That doesn't include just protecting you now, but also being your pillow for you when you need it."

[Luminesa]

Ichiru smiled bemusedly at Walter's cheery attitude, as he led them on the tour. He wasn't sure what 'Allister Crowley' he was talking about-whether it was a Watcher or the occultist-but he didn't ask. He was quite hungry, and was hoping that the pantry would have enough food for them to eat.

"Aaaand here we are!", Walter exclaimed as the tour stopped right in front of the door to Pantry. "I'll go inside to see what we can cook up." I hope Master Matthew did not forget to stock up on foods.

He stepped in, flipping on the light switch. The cool temperature of the pantry gave him a slight comfort. He went around the cooking table, towards the rather large refrigerator. Let's see... cucumbers, cabbages, carrots, celery... we also have some eggs left, cheddar cheese, bacon strips, chickens, and... He searched through the fridge's contents, until his fingers brushed up against a metallic surface. Grabbing it, he pulled out a yellow tin, "Whale Meat in Tomato Sauce" branded on the package. Whale meats! Wait, who bought these? I don't remember any of the Watchers here like to eat whale meats. Ah, well.

He judged the contents, pondering on what he should make for the guests. There's also some rice left in the rice cooker. Hm. Maybe I can whip up some lazy fried rice.

Putting back the tinned whale meat to the fridge and closing it, he went back to the two waiting guests outside the pantry, putting on an apron and changing his top hat for a chef hat along the way.

"Pardon, monsieurs.", he greeted in a broken French accent. "It would appear that we only have limited ingredients, and je can only cook a lazy fried rice. Would it be bien, monsieurs?"

Ichiru himself could cook, as well, but Walter was the host, so he answered, "That sounds fine by me. Thank you. But...Michel is partly a dragon, I would presume he'd eat meat of some sort, wouldn't he?" He turned to Michel for confirmation of his theory.

[Charlia]

Merlin

"Charlotte, no need to thank me." Merlin said as he let go with a smile, "I made my promise to you, and I will keep it as long as I live. That doesn't include just protecting you now, but also being your pillow for you when you need it."

Hear that?

Hear what?

The word choice. Sounds to me like he sees you as an obligation. He made a promise, so now he's stuck with it, no matter how annoyed he gets with how utterly pathetic you are.

...Shut up.

What?

You heard what I said. Enough! Enough trying to ruin my life any more than you already have! You don't want me being able to move on from you, do you? You always want me to be your broken little slave, who doesn't ever dare to stand up for herself, who doesn't dare to fight back. Well, I'm done with being the slave, and I'm done with you! If we ever see each other again, you will die, and that's a promise.

"...Well," she said quietly, smiling, "expect me to thank you anyway."

[Sindrya]

"Aaaand here we are!", Walter exclaimed as the tour stopped right in front of the door to Pantry. "I'll go inside to see what we can cook up." I hope Master Matthew did not forget to stock up on foods.

He stepped in, flipping on the light switch. The cool temperature of the pantry gave him a slight comfort. He went around the cooking table, towards the rather large refrigerator. Let's see... cucumbers, cabbages, carrots, celery... we also have some eggs left, cheddar cheese, bacon strips, chickens, and... He searched through the fridge's contents, until his fingers brushed up against a metallic surface. Grabbing it, he pulled out a yellow tin, "Whale Meat in Tomato Sauce" branded on the package. Whale meats! Wait, who bought these? I don't remember any of the Watchers here like to eat whale meats. Ah, well.

He judged the contents, pondering on what he should make for the guests. There's also some rice left in the rice cooker. Hm. Maybe I can whip up some lazy fried rice.

Putting back the tinned whale meat to the fridge and closing it, he went back to the two waiting guests outside the pantry, putting on an apron and changing his top hat for a chef hat along the way.

"Pardon, monsieurs.", he greeted in a broken French accent. "It would appear that we only have limited ingredients, and je can only cook a lazy fried rice. Would it be bien, monsieurs?"

Ichiru himself could cook, as well, but Walter was the host, so he answered, "That sounds fine by me. Thank you. But...Michel is partly a dragon, I would presume he'd eat meat of some sort, wouldn't he?" He turned to Michel for confirmation of his theory.

"Duly noted.", Walter said, nodding in response. "Well, I think it's time.. to oil up!"

Walter went back inside the pantry, standing in front of the cooking tables, ingredients and cooking utensils at the ready. First, he sliced up the cabbages and celery into small slices. Then, he scalped two carrots, and cut them into circular pieces, and then he cut those into four pieces, each resembles a quarter of a circle. After that, the cucumbers. He scalped one of them, and cut it in six circular pieces.

He proceeded to heat up the frying pan, sprinkling some cooking oil on it. Feeling it heated up enough, he poured the contents of the tinned whale meats, taking in the aroma of the sizzling tomato sauce, followed by pouring in the chopped-up bacon strips and chicken meat. Then, the chopped and sliced veggies. And then, the main ingredient: the rice.

Loud metallic scraping and clanking can be heard as Walter stirred the fried rice, while chopping the whale meats, both using the same metallic cooking spatula. Sprinkling some soy sauce on it, he continued stirring the fried rice.

Finally, when he felt that all the ingredients and seasoning have mixed up well enough, he turned off the stove, and poured the fried rice into three porcelain plates. He put the sliced cucumbers on the side of the plate, two on each plate, as a garnish and finishing touch.

He kicked open the Pantry door (because how else would you open a door when you're carrying three plates of fried rice with Minangese Plates Dance-style?) and exclaimed, "Lunch is ready~!"