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 Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 1:45 pm
The walk home was uncomfortable, and silent. He couldn't think of a single thing to say. And what could he?
She knew about the Game. A lot of kids did. But she didn't know. He'd slipped up, had made it too obvious what a monster he really was, as a Player.
So he carried her, all the way back home, unable to even look her in the eye. This was such a mess - he knew she wanted to go home, now. And he'd have to call up her mother, work the woman through this, explain that yes, he had failed--
It left a bitter taste in his mouth. He gently set her down on the couch, ruffling her hair tentatively.
"I v'ill get your things, okay?" He confirmed, turning to the stairs to round up kitten and clothes alike. "And then I v'ill call your mother." He was listing now, trying to sort out his thoughts in between his upset. "Ee't v'ill take a few more minutes, but you can be home soon, do not v'orry."
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Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 3:20 pm
The couch felt rough against her skin-- rougher than she had ever remembered it. The entire house seemed foreign-- it wasn’t cozy and nice, a house run by a kind man. It was some sort of secret hideout, a place to hide away from the violence of his everyday existence.
“I’m not going back!” She called up to him, unwilling to leave her spot on the couch. She didn’t want to see him, not after the violence and hate she had seem emanating from him, like tendrils of pure darkness. That wasn’t what she knew her Varu to be.
No matter what he might think, she wouldn’t go back. Not after being initiated into the game, and not after what her mother had said.
Her mother didn’t want her, and as a player, she couldn’t stay there… especially not while that huge change Mixcoatl had mentioned was looming like a dark shadow before her.
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Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 4:01 pm
"Tepin," he started, sighed, stepped off the stairs to kneel in front of her, ears flicked back and finally looking her in the eyes. "I am sorry about today. That you had to see, to hear, that. Such a thing never should have happened. I should have protected you better."
His tail curled, slung low between his feet and look for all the world like the most remorseful kitty in the universe.
"Can you forgive me?"
The bitterness was quickly spreading down his throat. He couldn't believe his own audacity - of course she couldn't. He'd failed. She'd seen what he was. The minute he saw the other godling he should have grabbed her and run.
Should've, should've, should've. But his own curiosity and wrath had stopped him.
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Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 4:28 pm
She didn’t want to see him like this even worse… Sure, he was different from before…
But what happened to her promise to keep him smiling…?
How… how was she supposed to sort this out…?!
“I-I don’t know…” She looked at the floor, her cloudy eyes avoiding his sharp ones, “What…”
What was that!?
Why did you do that?!
Who was that guy!?
Why did you agree to fight!?
“I don’t understand…” She confessed, her head drooping low, “…Anything.”
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Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 4:37 pm
There was no use. Not anymore. Keeping it secret was a failed endeavor. Slinking up onto the couch, he pulled her into a careful hug, lounging comfortably.
"Ask. I v'ill answer anything, honestly." No, no more secrets. "Anything you don't understand. Anything you v'ant to know."
He didn't want to lose her. Maybe it was ridiculous of him - making this desperate ploy in hopes that she wouldn't look at him like a monster. Hoping that maybe she would understand.
He could try, he reasoned. He wanted to try. He didn't know what to do if she really decided he was inhuman.
He wanted her to believe in him.
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Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 5:00 pm
“What is The Game…” She could start simple, working her way up to the more complex questions… It wouldn’t be so suspicious, now that he had invited her to question him, “Really?”
There were so many questions rambling around in her head-- She wasn’t sure she could get to them all. But she had to start somewhere.
If the game was really as violent and dangerous as she thought… She might be in a very bad situation. But… There was a time bomb strapped to her chest-- as soon as she grew, he would come after her, just like he had that man earlier.
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Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 7:08 pm
He frowned, thoughtfully, running a hand through her hair and looking up at the ceiling speculatively.
"This might...sound a bit ee'nsane, but the Game ee's not...not created by man." He knew this sounded more than insane.
"Ee't, v'ell...ee't v'as created by gods. Ee'n order to decide v'hich of them v'ill rule from now until the next time they hold the Game. They are not allowed to participate as themselves, so they choose humans as their players. At least, as far I understand ee't."
Then again, Tezcatlipoca didn't tell him much.
"Ee'n the end, the v'inner ee's decided by last player standing. Ee't ee's like...a very long, very big battle royale, da?"
That was probably the best way to phrase it.
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Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 8:19 pm
Varu hadn’t really offered her any more information than Mixcoatl or the strange man from the first night had. If that was the case… Then the game really had to be as simple as they said it was. It was nothing but a violent battle over the fate of the world.
“I don’t like that.” She frowned, “Any God that wins through violence isn’t going to be a good God to the people.”
Her small body shifted, making herself more comfortable against him. The questions were barely beginning, and he seemed like he truly felt bad for what he had done… She would simply wait, and listen.
“Why do the humans play…? Why should they have to be put into danger for some God’s sake?”
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Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 9:26 pm
He more than gladly wrapped his arms more comfortably around her, willing to play the pillow.
"I know. Ee't does not seem to be the best outcome, but I suppose some gods can be both powerful and fair." Not his - no, not his. He knew exactly what Tezcatlipoca wanted; to wipe humanity's slate clean again and begin again with his own people. He'd heard enough about how the god had caused the destruction of the human race multiple times before.
Although the man was fair in his own right, righteous, even. Fickle as he may be, he wanted a humanity that was courageous and just. He could see humanity flourishing, then.
It just meant the destruction of everyone here and now.
He frowned, shaking his head at the thought, ears pricking forward at her next question.
"There are prizes. V'e get powers, for one. I v'anted the power to protect Sydni and care for her. And I think, the v'inner...at the end, I think the v'inner gets a v'ish." Not quite the right phrasing, but-- "I am not sure. I know I v'ant to make ee't so that girls like you and my sister can live ee'n a land v'ithout predators."
A land where canine beasts didn't rip apart innocent girls. Where muggers and rapists and kidnappers didn't exist - where innocence was protected, and cherished.
"Ee't ee's a bit of silly dream, I know," he hurriedly added, embarrassment flooding his cheeks. "But ee't ee's v'hat I v'ant. I am not sure about other godlings, v'hat they fight for, though. Some may just v'ant the power, or riches, or glory."
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Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 9:55 pm
Somehow… he had dipped right back into the Varu she knew. He had somehow found a way to take his horrible violence, his insistence on fighting… And find the one way that could make him seem like anything less than a bloodthirsty hound.
Her body began to relax more against him. Maybe he wasn’t so two-sided after all. He did become a monster only to protect others, after all.
“That sounds nice, really.” She could only try her best to reassure him, whether or not it worked. But she had to try her best. She couldn’t call herself a woman if she didn’t do that.
“The powers…. Is that what… that… was….?” She looked down now, eyes glued to her feet as she pulled them closer to her body. Even when he was acting so protective, remembering those images still brought a shiver to her body.
Was that horrible darkness how he planned on protecting everyone…?
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Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 10:08 pm
"I think so, too," he agreed, chancing a smile. Maybe, maybe she wasn't so scared anymore. She wasn't trying to run away, that was good.
"Yes," he confirmed, trying to sort out the mess that was her hair, now. "Those v'ere one of the powers my god, Tezcatlipoca, gave to me. I can control shadows, and form them ee'nto different shapes."
He noticed her shiver, and quickly jumped to reassure her.
"Ee't ee's really not that scary! See? They are just shadows." He pulled a bit at some of the shadows on the couch, the dark blobs condensing in his hand demonstratively, changing shapes - from spiraling figure to star to a tiny, black replica of Mr. Slinky that moved around on his palm. "Powers...powers are not always for attacking. They can be good, too."
He would never admit to using the smoke from his mirror to help lull Sydni to sleep when she was being particularly bratty, of course. Never.
Maybe once or twice.
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Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 10:25 pm
Her hands wrapped around his, pulling his upturned palm closer to her face as she watched the figures mold and change their form.
The cat moved about; she was awed! This was completely different from the dangerous, feral shadows that he had used when he met that man. This seemed like a completely different power altogether.
Tepin didn’t have a single power. Her god hardly even spoke with her.
“Do you have any other powers? Did you get them right after joining the game?” She was less hesitant now, brimming with curiosity. His answers would help her to determine if she was coming along okay in the game. Hopefully… Hopefully she too would get powers, when the time was right.
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Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 10:34 pm
He grinned, letting her have his hand, even as the palm-animal climbed atop her own fingers. It was a strange sensation - a slight pressure, like that of heavy air, that varied and changed as the creation shifted and melded with the shadows on her hands. It wasn't all that unpleasant at all, at least not to him - maybe a little bit chilly. Then again, he was used to it.
"Yes, a few. Tezcatlipoca picked these particular attributes to give me an edge vhen ee't comes to heightened senses--" He still remembered the time Sydni had pointed the flashlight straight into his new eyes. "And my mirror can release different kinds of smoke."
Walking can of Raid, indeed.
He shook his head. "No, I did not get any powers besides some physical change until he took me to train ee'n the jungle. Controlling shadows required a bit more formal training, I suppose."
Or his god just enjoyed throwing ten-year-old children into the wilderness to be eaten alive.
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Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 10:45 pm
The small shadow moved along her hands, which made every effort to accommodate its movements as if the creature were living and breathing. Moving upturned palm to upturned palm she let it continue to walk in an uninterrupted track as his words continued.
The little animal seemed so harmless-- how was this supposed to hurt anyone?
Well… Varu… Had powers… She was behind. She knew that. But it only really hit her so hard once she tried to compare herself to his many powers and abilities. How did her god expect her to do anything in the game if he didn’t give her powers to work with as well? What was he even a god of!? Nothing!?
“Physical change?” That sounded a lot more like what Mixcoatl had been talking about; he had called it a great change, “You mean the ears?”
While her hands never stopped moving to let his creation walk, her ever-changing eyes looked up at him with a stubborn curiosity.
If he hadn’t even gotten powers after his physical change… Oh, geez. She was way further behind than she could have thought. This was horrible!
But-- wait-- what?
“The jungle?!” She jumped as the realization hit her, finally dropping the shadow creature, “How did you go there? I thought there weren’t any after the attacks!”
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Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:05 pm
"Yeah. My god...did not exactly enter legally. I v'as just a bit older than you v'hen he chose me. One minute I v'as running through ghosts, and the next I had ears and a tail," he shrugged, thoughtfully. "The old babysitter noticed them before I did. She threw a phone at me."
And had run, screaming, into the streets. He'd never seen her after that, actually.
He blinked bemusedly at her when she jumped, losing his concentration and letting the shadows dissipate.
"My god's realm. One of them, at least. Ee't ee's a jungle of his creation." He smiled, finally able to get to a subject he particularly liked. "There are tall trees, many of them. Lots of plants, and many animals. Colorful and beautiful birds, more colorful frogs, and great temples that rise from the jungle. Covered in vines, made out of stone. And the sky!" Yes, he was on a roll, becoming more animated by the minute recalling his favorite place. "Ee's ee's so blue, and the air ee's unbelievably pure. Ee't v'as a bit difficult fending for myself there, but once you know v'hat to do - ee't ee's amazing. Even the jaguars are beautiful to see."
Yes, as long as they weren't out for your blood.
"I think...ee't might be like v'here he used to rule. Back v'hen there v'ere jungles, and stone temples, and rivers." Rain that wasn't acidic and bitter, but fresh; huge leaves that he could hold over his head for protection as the forest became wet and misty. Climbing up through the branches--
God, he missed it every day. He wished the land was real - not just to him.
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