The Stray Cat's Hotel/Boarding house (Wow! 2500 pages!!!)

[LemonStarShine]

(( ^.^ What a very long post... And I'm sure it will be fine haha... But yes that should do. I will text you most likely before you even read this... So wasted post.. Yay...))

[count_zantara]

The most amusing thing was that Zantara hadn't moved from holding Nightmares seemingly secondary body for quite a many hours.... or had it been days? He'd been laying there with her head on his thigh the entire time, sitting up only to repack his pipe and go back to smoking....always smoking and thinking his deep thoughts.

Of Home.

Of the Primera.

Of Nightmare.

Alright, truthfully, the third really wasn't bothering him. Topaz made one right observation that might cause troubles sometime down the line. Zantara may be a cleric but to all who know him, he is known by a misnomer that is spoken when they don't want to speak his name...for he has a way of hearing such things.

They call him the Deceiver.

Oddly enough, he never lied to a single deity, so the name didn't quite make so much sense. But Zantara always worked within the letter of the agreement, nothing more, nothing less. And the Gods always got their noses into a bent when someone uses their ideas against them as such.

True, he'd grown into the name when he took over from the last Lord Mask and actually did become the Deceiver for quite a few years.... but that was all in the past and another Primera.

So who was to say what would happen to him or not? It seemed to be up to the Fates to decide what was so perfect about him and if he was worthy. But even if he had known about such, he wouldn't have cared any more than he did now. Fate....had a way of working out, he'd always found.

It would have been interesting if he had a pair of eyes within the Dreaming and listened in on what Topaz had to say as well as Nightmares reply.

Alas he didn't.

And his violet eyes closed once more as he rested his pipe against his chest, resting for another time.

[LemonStarShine]

☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ⋮ Π ɨ ɠ ӈ ȶ ϻ ɐ ɾ ε ⋮ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆



☁ Her eyes did not leave the alter as she seemed to be in deep concentration. She felt as he approached her from behind. Of course she knew of his ability to pass through both worlds with ease. Such was the reason that she chose him. And perhaps that was why he chose her. They were bond together it seemed. Of course she had now bound him and Zantara together to herself by creating this child. Now she in a branched way she owned a part of Topez as he owned a part of her. She had not shifted into her true Nightmare form here, the one he knew all to well, but she was going to have to. She may even have to pull on Akumu and Bella to regain her whole power. She hated to admit that he was right but this was quite a task and only part of her might not be strong enough to complete her child. Slowly her eyes drifted shut as Topez began to hack away. "He is by far a wise choice. His mentality of creating dream themes rivals that of my own. Plus he has the power of a deity on his side. It will make my child one to trifle with..." Her eyes opened as she stared down at the unmolded form that rested on the alter. On the far side corners two mirrors rose out of the ground. In one stood a tall slider pale woman with tumbling red curls and voided eyes. Akumu seemed slightly amused but as always had an air of confidence. The other mirror held a meek young girl with pale red hair piled in a lose bun. Her eyes seemed unsure as her finger wrung each together in front of her. Bella was the timid and lost creation of Akumu but in the end still part of Nightmare. Turning slowly from the mirrors Nightmare's eyes feel on Topez as she gave him a small nod. It was time. From her chest a small light, the gift from Zantara, drifted down to hover over the form on the alter. ☁




ℳóóḍ: ◕ ◡ ◕
ℒóḉαłìóἠ: My World
Ѡìłḫ: Topez

[Hazel_Membranes]

=||~:~||= Topaz =||~:~||=

Nightmare hadn't yet fully made up her mind, Topaz could read her like a book. Her doubts were displayed as she hovered for a moment on the thoughts, distracted, not seeing what was bound to happen. Like any human being wishing to be a mother, her clock was ticking, clouding her judgement... Nightmare's faux mortality shining through, as if she were truly human. It was a characteristic he would have considered her having to be a flaw.

There it was... she had looked into the eyes of Bella, of Akumu, and her mind was made up. She was going to continue onward despite Topaz's warnings. To think on a positive note, at least Topaz hadn't wasted his blood at all. Again, from over her shoulder he peeked, his arm stretching outward so that his hand was over the pre-creature. A single cell was all it would take, so the large volume of red fluid was unnecessary, only done to clarify his stance on the matter.

A drop, only one, fell from the streams running across the top of his hand which curled underneath to his palm which now faced the ground. Through the air it fell, almost in slow motion as their eyes would watch. It would then connect with the created flesh, absorbing nearly on impact into the skin, disappearing. Without surprise, the body would snap awake, instantly snapping up into a sitting position, a living body, though not yet finished. She would need to absorb the light which was floating above her, the gift from the human in the waking world.

But before the spirit engulfed her, Topaz's bloody hand which was still stretched outward, grasped the light as if it were solid, such as a beast. He held it, preventing it from entering the new being, his eyes looking to the girl, then to Nightmare. Nightmare would be too shocked to react, or, perhaps too weak.

"You make it all too easy, girl. Have you not yet learned? I am a merchant by heart, and forever will be." He smiled a devilish smile. "Why did you not consider this?" He was thinking now, but not enough to pull his attention. "I could absorb this spirit myself, gaining everything he is. It would destroy him. It would destroy you. I would have no enemy searching for vengeance, and nobody would know. The dreamland would still exist, led by a fractured girl..." he pointed to the offspring, "...who would remember nothing of this... just as we remember nothing of our birth."

The same evil smile looked to Nightmare. "...but luckily for you..." he let it loose, the orb of light flowing into the girl, "...I kind of like the idea of being a daddy." He looked once more to the girl... "She'll be named Tilsk." He then turned his back to the both of them and began to walk away... away from his mate... away from his child. He'd be back, but for now... he had other things to attend to.

=||~:~||= What a Beautiful Soul. =||~:~||=

[LemonStarShine]

☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ⋮ Π ɨ ɠ ӈ ȶ ϻ ɐ ɾ ε ⋮ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆



☁ Narrowed eyes watched Topez. How naive had she been acting to not have thought of him betraying her. He had no particular gain from creating a child, other than having one. And when had Topez been selfless when he could gain so much by being selfish. Her heart was stopped for the moment, and although that meant nothing in this world it meant something to her mentally. But in the end he let it go. Let the spirit move back towards the form of her daughter that was still incomplete. As he moved away she turned away from him and back towards the alter. "And what a father you will be...." With that her eyes shut as she slowly pulled Akumu and Bella out of their small prisons. Together they all moved to hold hands out over the girl, Tilsk. Eyes shut they slowly began to fill the girl with the main contribute, the very essence of the dream kingdom. There was to much at stake to let her mind move to Topez and his words. If the process was interrupted for to long tragedy would step in and destroy all that she had been working so hard to create. ☁




ℳóóḍ: ◕ ◡ ◕
ℒóḉαłìóἠ: My World
Ѡìłḫ: Topez

[count_zantara]

As soon as Topaz took grasp of the soul piece given from Zantara to Nightmare he would find an odd reaction happening. The sense of a pair of deep violet serpentine eyes opening as the touch of someone taking grasp of a piece of a piece awoken the Primera, the creature behind the Aspects of Zantara.

And because a Soul Piece was in the dreaming, IT was in the Dreaming.

And the eyes watched, filled with mirth as the man gave the Primera exactly what he wanted in the first place, someone besides Nightmare to try to take what was freely given. She was of this place to much to allow him access. But this Topaz.... he was different. He had a connection to the Real World that was in his bones, that the Primera could use to move between the two realms for a time.

And Topaz would hear whispering in his ear, a soft hissing voice as he walked away.

"Oh you are an amusing one. You think that by trying to take that little morsel of my soul, you can take everything? I like you, I think.... and I think I will enjoy when my Aspect finds you."

And with that, the Primera's spiritual pressure vanished further into the Dreaming, out looking for something that had been lost in these lands by another Primera long ago.

A person.

A soul-mate if you will.

What Nightmare was doing was an interesting distraction and the Aspect that resided within the Stray Cat would keep her company for a time. But the Primera had a greater purpose here.... and she'd let him in to find that which was hidden from him.

[Hazel_Membranes]

=||~:~||= Topaz =||~:~||=

There was a voice in his ear as he wondered his thoughts. His mind's voice was interrupted by the mystery voice, a dry sounding voice which confused Topaz for the moment. Aspect? What the hell was that? Whatever it was, it was apparently coming to find him, which didn't really matter as Topaz feared no spirit, no man, and no God. He only had one fear, and not many knew what it was. Instead, Topaz invited the wandering voice to listen to his response.

Speaking aloud, Topaz replied, "No offense my fine sir, but I get what I want, and if it is everything I want, it's everything I get. I'm looking forward to meeting your Aspect, though I warn I am not to be trifled with... I hope he doesn't disappoint." Once his reply had ended, his mind fell back on his initial plot, only mildly distracted by the lingering thought of the voice.

His feet led him even further from Nightmare. Soon, her creation would awaken, and Topaz had little interest to meet her... right now. This was not the time... she needed to grow and learn first. A new mind, a baby to this realm... she offered nothing. Topaz was her father, in a sense, or maybe she was a partial-clone. Either way, maturing was needed before he could continue.

=||~:~||= What a Beautiful Soul. =||~:~||=

[LemonStarShine]

☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ⋮ Π ɨ ɠ ӈ ȶ ϻ ɐ ɾ ε ⋮ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆



☁ She could feel herself being to drain. It was to be expected as she was pouring most of what made her into this new being. She would be a majority of her with the other two males mixed in. As the end of the process began to near a small amount of triumph enter her. She had done it. Everything was perfect and had gone rather smoothly. Cutting of the last bit she took a step back from the alter and had to brace herself from falling over. Looking over the table she took not of the weaker conditions of her other two forms, Bella more so while Akumu was less. But they had done it. If anything was to have gone wrong it would have already. A small sigh escaped her lips as she watched the young girl on the table sit up. Tilsk was complete. A girl that looked to be in the age range of about 18 or so. Long pale hair with dark skin seemed to meld together beautifully. She had the looks of her grandfather gone. He would have been proud. Moving to stand once more at full attention Nightmare was about to speak when an odd sensation began to pass over her. Something was wrong. Something was very very wrong. Looking down to her hand she began to feel a slight tingle as she watched her skin begin to crack. Her eyes quickly moved to her counterparts as they too began to show cracking all over their form. Nightmare was at a loss as to what exactly was happening. This should not be happening now. The only explanation was that it was someone's doing. Right? She had followed the steps her father left perfectly. But her mind could not linger on that fact as a flash of terror shook her being. The shell of herself shattered to pieces, just as Bella and Akumu. The spirits that made them up slowly began to raise in the air, being watched by a pair of unsure and worried orbs. As they entered the air the spirits broke off into many little pieces. Then in one final flash they shot off out of the roof of the room and into so many different directions, scattered over the dream world. ☁




ℳóóḍ: ◕ ◡ ◕
ℒóḉαłìóἠ: My World
Ѡìłḫ: Tilsk, me, myself and I

[count_zantara]

Within the Dreaming

Laughter was all that Topaz heard as the Primera turned away from him entirely. The man was...inconsequential. A mere King peon among peons.

It stopped for a moment as it sensed the disturbance of the Soul shard being disrupted in some fashion. The pair of violet eyes tilted to the left slightly as it somehow looked to be listening for something. With a small mental shrug, the Primera continued, searching for a woman who had been lost within the Dreaming a long time ago,

Within the Stray Cat

Waking up with a start from his prone position, Zantara had to take a deep intake of air as he felt the same disturbance within his own soul. Holding his chest for a moment, he looked down at the prone body of Nightmare here in the real realm.

He wondered what the hell the Primera was up to. It couldn't be anything good.

Damn it... why was his isolated from the rest of the Hive Mind?

Rubbing his forehead for a few moment, he held Nightmares body up with one hand as he sat up, letting his feet rest on either side of her body, her head still resting against his thigh.

He stared down at her, lost in thought.

[LemonStarShine]

☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ⋮ Π ɨ ɠ ӈ ȶ ϻ ɐ ɾ ε ⋮ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆



☁ Without a soul tied to the body in the waking world it would have no more function. Within his arms Zantara would feel the form start to grow cold as life left it. Then slowly a small pulse of light would consume the body. On one final pule the body would vanish, as if never being there in the first place. IT would be more clue to the disturbance in the dreaming world. It would mirror the same thing that happened when Topez once stole Nightmares soul from with-in a dream. ☁




ℳóóḍ: ◕ ◡ ◕
ℒóḉαłìóἠ: The Hotel
Ѡìłḫ: Nothing

[LemonStarShine]

✫•✫•✫• Ϯϊʆȿӄ •✫•✫•✫

☾ Her eyes opened for the first time but at the same time felt like such a normal thing that she had done time and time again. Sitting up she took in her surroundings. It was clear where she was, from her mother's memories she knew that she was in the alter room. Turning her head to the side she watched as her mother stood right again. She knew hew, knew her past, knew her present but what she didn't know was her future. And that was made all to clear as she watched her mother and her other two beings shatter and split. Wide orbs followed the event, clearly worried. Then it was over and there was nothing else she could do. Well except enlist help and hunt down those pieces to put back together. Jumping of the alter a simple Greek style dress adored her body as her feet touched the ground. It seemed that her grandfather had great influence in her fashion as gold bangles appeared on her feet, wrist and upper arms.Turning she began to move after the being she knew to be one of her fathers. ☽

❝ξɳʇℯɹ ℳɣ ώѻɹℓɗ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ɪ ɗɒɹℯ үѻʊ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ❞

[count_zantara]

As the body vanished, Zantara simply raised an single eyebrow at this. He seemed to be in one piece, his Soul Shard was still vaguely a piece of himself....at the very least it hadn't been destroyed.

Shaking his head, he stood up, dusting off his black jeans and picked up his pipe and empty beer bottle.

'Well....that was bloody well uneventful. You'd think she'd at least left something of her body. But it wasn't really here was it? I need a damn drink."

Shaking his head, he flipped his braid back over his shoulder before heading inside towards the bar, dropping the beer bottle in a nearby ashtray on his way, humming a little tune to himself as he went looking for a bartender.

He'd probably never figure out what that was all about.

Perhaps the Primera would fill him in one day.... perhaps not.

[count_zantara]

Within the Dreaming

Finding what he was looking for, the Primera had a lovely conversation with that which he was looking for. At the end of said conversation, he opened a portal back into the real world for her to travel through.

He would not be following her, just leading her to a Aspect that was supposed to help.

Within the Real World

Stopping for a moment as the portal opened behind him and the Primera reconnected him to the Hive Mind and spoke to him on what was happening, Zantara just raised an eyebrow as he waited to see exactly who was coming through the portal.

Tanith?

Well that was a blast out of the past.

Pulling out a pack of smokes, he lit one up and just leaned against the doorjam staring into the small garden area, waiting for her to make her presence known as he was updated on all that had gone on within the Dreaming.

[Flightless Butterfly]

count_zantara

She closed her eyes, letting the emotions of the Dreaming swirl around her until they formed into a reality that she could walk through. She opened her slitted nostrils, drinking in the fresh scent of growing green things. She blinked furiously, looking around herself with bewilderment.

This was far away from where she had awoken from her long slumber. Her long spade tipped tail wagged slowly behind her, while she adjusted to her new surroundings.

The smoke was a dead give away for the Count.

"Count?" she asked softly, her voice dancing in the air that separated them while the sound nestled in his ear intimately.

[count_zantara]

Flightless Butterfly

Wincing slightly at the sound of her voice, Zantara ran his gloved fingers through his hair as he took the cigarette from his mouth, tapping the ashes into the nearby standing tray.

"In a fashion. It seems that the Primera has put you in my hands, Tanith."

He said, still somewhat unsettled about the previous woman he had been tasked to watch over vanishing from between his fingertips. Blowing a smoke ring into the air, he pushed off of the doorjam as he began to walk towards her, his red and black garments changing from red to pure white. As he came up to her, he clicked his heels together and gave her a small bow of his head.

"Call me Zantara, I would suppose. But come on dear... it's been a while since you've been in the real world hasn't it? You hungry?"

Putting the smoke back in the corner of his mouth, he smirked ever so slightly, remembering exactly why the Zantara's always liked the Tanith in whatever form she took.

She was always good to look at.

And no matter what people say, that was an important aspect of every relationship. You had to be able to enjoy that which you associated with physically and mentally, spiritually even.