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 Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 2:53 pm
Emery was wandering, lost in the fog. She clutched at her memories, trying in vain to hold them together and piece some coherency out of the fog and haphazard memories. Through the fog, and her haze of remembrance, she heard the call. A horn in the distance, shouting, the sound of war and battle. Cries, screams. Metal against metal. She jerked at the sounds, spinning to try and peg where the battle was coming from, but it was all around her in the fog, the peaceful white fog that hid the brutality on its other side.
The white bled away, to dismal dirty grey, and then suddenly Emery was in a large hallway. Red, gold, and green carpet glided along the floor, leading her into the center of the hallway. There were nine doors around her, sealed, and a fountain in the center, calling her forth. She looked up slowly as a bright light hovered in front of her. The Great King, more restored than he had been at their last visit. She smiled slightly, bowing her head for the Great King as he spoke, his voice rumbling over and around her.
You have returned. I vowed to help you, and I will continue to do so. Do you remember why?
She shook her head slightly, shoulders falling in dismay. She still couldn’t grasp those memories. They hovered, just out of reach, there but not there. She looked up, swallowing, as he spoke again. I did not expect so, not quite yet. Emery relaxed slightly at that, swallowing, and looked to the box in his hand, covered in ornate chains and eight heavy locks of various colors.
Only one was smoking, the Red lock. Someone spoke behind her, and Emery turned slightly, watching as they walked through her, leaving her unnoticed, and then knelt before him. They were of opposite coloration; one gold and ornate, like a gilded peacock, and the other green and simplistic, wearing only the colors of his kind and the runes of nature. Emery felt as though this was something out of a book; a ceremony for Knights.
Have your desires been fulfilled? Are you ready to return to slumber?
If this is your wish, and your story continues…
If this is your wish, and there are those who can still carry what I have left behind…
Emery watched as the two agreed to sleep, and the Great King strode forward. The knights faded, then, becoming only glowing orbs of light that slowly drifted back, before disappearing. The box had changed as they faded, and now two more locks were undone; the Gold of Pride and Green of Creation. She smiled slightly, watching as the Great King pointed at the seals in kind. He reminded her of the task; once all eight were unlocked, she would remember who she was properly. The Great King looked tired after his reminding, and sank down into the throne. Around her, like before, the castle was rusting away.
She came forward slightly, swallowing, and nodded at his instructions. “I will, my lord.” She said gently, tilting her head for him. She swallowed as he exhaled once more, relishing in the warmth that settled around her. As the warmth settled in, so did the feeling of belonging. Of family. Of someone important.
Jackson.
But it wasn’t just a memory of a person. Following it quickly, too, was the fragmented and strange memory of before, somehow more complete but not quite. I will consume this world because YOU DID NOT MAKE THIS CHOICE. NO, YOU LET SOMEONE ELSE---
She sucked in a breath as the memory faded, teetering on the edge of her conscious thought, and reached up, rubbing her temples as everything began to fade away. Only two things remained, the Fountain and the Dungeon. She swallowed hard as she looked them over, and stepped forward to the fountain.
A lonely choice… A choice that has no reward, and simply exists.
This was what she wanted.
Suddenly, there was a spark of light. Emery jerked awake as it encompassed her, almost like the fog but not quite. The warm, white glow urged her forward, encouraging her to walk an unseen trail. She walked along it, relaxing as the atmosphere sunk into her. It was surreal, enchanted. Mist covered the ground, but it wasn’t the terrible grey fog from before, this was a gentle, peaceful mist. There was music coming from somewhere, but it drifted all around her, gentle and lulling.
As she walked, guided by the wisps and floating white orbs, eventually trees began to appear around her. They were tall, silver trees, barren of leaves or fruit and thin, more or less the same size. Save for one. Emery stopped in front of the silver tree, looking up at it. This, too, was barren, but it was large, and beneath the silvery bark there was something warm here. A heartbeat; weak but there.
 At last…
Emery jerked as the voice echoed around her, looking up at the tree. At last, someone has arrived to hear my tale. Emery nodded her agreement, stepping forward and placing a hand on the tree gently, listening to its sad, lonely tale.
Help me fulfill my last desire.
“I will.” Emery promised, pressing her hand flat against the trunk of the tree before stepping away. “I promise.”
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Duke of Donut rolled 2 10-sided dice:
2, 1
Total: 3 (2-20)
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Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 3:40 pm
After leaving the tree, Emery wandered through the forest, until it cleared at last and she was standing in front of a lake. Light and glowing orbs danced over the surface, giving it the illusion of being pure white. She could see trees in the distance on all sides, but the lake was what was important here. She stepped forward, drawn in by the soft music that seemed to come from the lake itself.
Crouching down, she leaned in, pressing her ear to the water and giggling softly at the way it felt. Taking a breath, she dunked her head under the calm, glassy lake. The water was cool and refreshing, and now she could hear the voice clearly, looking around as it called out around her from the lake.
Heal my children, and when you do, I will give you a gift of immeasurable value. That is my only wish and my only desire. Take these waters and carry them to my children.
The orbs around her began dancing, and pulled Emery up, making her gasp for air as she came up from the lake. She brushed the water back off her face, shaking her head a little and sending droplets floating down to the ground beneath her. Glancing around, she couldn’t make anything out that would work for carrying water. So she cupped her hands, and gathered water in it, then got up, following the orbs carefully.
Soon, they were in front of a sickly tree. She crouched down, settling on her knees by the roots of the tree, and gently poured the water onto the bark of the tree, watching as it flowed down into the roots of the tree. The trunk shuddered slightly, and Emery looked up, blinking as an acorn spawned in front of her eyes before falling down. She caught it, looking up as the tree withered, and her shoulders slumped sadly.
Thank you, it murmured, as she picked up the acorn gently. It was small, only 3mm big, but it was enough. She held the seed gently, careful not to crush it but not letting go of it either, and wandered to find a place to plant it. After finding a place, she buried the acorn, piling the dirt on top of it in a mound. “There y’go, little guy.” She smiled gently, and got up, brushing her hands off and looking around.
“Right, then.” Time to carry on.
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Duke of Donut rolled 1 10-sided dice:
7
Total: 7 (1-10)
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Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 3:47 pm
Emery followed the orbs again, walking through the silvery trees until they broke out onto the shore of the lake again. She smiled slightly at the humming, and this time she walked into the lake slowly, swimming forward into the lake before she dove under, listening to the voice as it gave her instructions for helping her tree grow.
Feed them each unique memories…
Emery saw the shadowy forms as they began to appear, creating large, dark blue bubbles. With stunning clarity, she realized what they were. Memories. Her memories. But they weren’t quite right, were they? These were unusual, foreign, strange memories. Some were her, clearly, but others were almost like shadow versions of herself. Not quite right, not quite wrong, but definitely hers. She swam forward, and pulled one of the shadowy orbs in.
As if lightning struck her, a memory rang through, clear and crystal in her mind’s eye as she recalled being a student at Pigfarts…[color=white]OOC Nerves bundled tightly in her stomach. Emery had been accepted to Pigfarts three months ago, on the day of her eleventh birthday. She’d considered offers from other schools, but Pigfarts was by far the best she’d had, and her parents had encouraged her to go for the gold as it were. She spent months agonizing over school supplies and making friends and being away for so long, but on the train ride to the school, a new worry was made evident by other students on the train.
What house would she belong to?
She hadn’t considered this a problem, before. Surely all students would be nice to one another, right? It’d be just like any other school she went to. Except, apparently, not. The school was divided into four factions: Serpentarius, the worst of the houses, filled with slimy snakes and oily families with rich histories and even richer bank accounts, Pegasi, the hardworking but not very intelligent, Leo, the brave and noble house, and Capricorns, the intelligent house. And the divide was a deep, treacherous one.
She’d made a few friends on the train, who were fairly certain what house they’d wind up in, and what one they absolutely did not want to belong to, but Emery hadn’t considered this all summer. What if she wound up in Serpentarius, with a bunch of snooty rich kids causing trouble and getting slapped on the wrist because of Daddy’s donations? The train pulled up to the school, and Emery was shuffled along with other First Year students, heading into the great cafeteria for the sorting ceremony.
One by one, she watched as students were sorted into one or another. Some were obvious; some surprising. Most seemed to know where they were going, and only two burst into tears: A girl sorted into Capricorn who wanted Serpentarius, and a boy sorted into Pegasi instead of Leo. Finally, it was her turn. She jerked when the Headmistress yelled across the hall from the scroll: “Emery Algernon!”
Emery stumbled up to the stool, sitting down, and swallowed as the goblet was handed to her. She reached in slowly, closing her hand around the paper inside, and wished so very hard to be anywhere, anywhere, but Serpentarius. She pulled the paper out of the goblet carefully, swallowing, and opened it slowly.
Letters burned across the paper in bright blue. Capricorn. Emery held the paper up, lighting up as she shouted her house name proudly: “Capricorn!” A roar came from the table, and Emery ran over to it, joining her fellow Capricorns happily.
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Duke of Donut rolled 1 10-sided dice:
6
Total: 6 (1-10)
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Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 3:48 pm
Shaking off the previous memory, Emery saw another within grasping distance, and pulled it in, watching as the memory popped and flooded into her mind. This was much, much different, featuring a much older, more… savvy? Emery. Definitely weirder. Everything seemed so grainy and grey…OOC The phone ringing off the hook was the first sign that Em’s day was about to get much, much worse. Grunting, she flipped the phone off the cradle, catching it before it could crack onto the ground, and shouldered it tiredly. “Mmlo?” She mumbled into the receiver, rubbing her eyes tiredly as she settled back in on the couch across from her desk. The divorce went through, and she’d been delegated to sleeping in her office for the time being. Suited her just fine, really; fewer bills to pay and less baggage.
“Emery, we’ve got a case for you, kid. You interested?”
“Y’know, I’m really wondering what you officers do, exactly, given all the cases I take off your incapable hands, Gleeson.” She smirked tiredly, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. “What’s the case, then? Old man beatin’ on his wife, car dumped downtown, what am I lookin’ at?” She got up, grabbing the bottle of Scotch to the side and taking a swig.
“Nothin’ like that. This one’s a weird’un, Em, it’s why I called you. We got a name for you, y’know. PI Em. Paranormal Investigator.” There was a rough laugh from the other side of the line, and Em rolled her eyes.
“Listen, Gleeson. You and me go way back. Way back. But if this case is a dingy joke that you and yours can’t be bothered to take care of, I’ll take my card back and you can find some other two bit flatfoot to handle your throwaways.” She warned, grimacing as the scotch burned her throat on the way down. She set it down, snorting. “Where is it, then?”
“Corner of 12th and Main. You’ll see the cruiser. I’ll meet you there, okay? I wasn’t kiddin’, Em. This is a weird one.”
Emery grunted at that, and hung up the phone, looking around tiredly. As much as she’d like to turn the job away – and she would, she’d love to leave old Jack Gleeson knotted up without a crumb to nibble on – the bills had to be paid. She had clothes to clean, debts to pay off, and Tommy Two-Tone wasn’t a patient man.
Sighing, she grabbed her notepad and headed out, hailing a cab out to 12th and Main Street. The block had been blocked off by cops, making her wonder just how ‘on the corner’ this was if they had to take the whole block out. She got out of the cab, fished out a tenner, and told him to keep the change, then headed into the tall brick warehouse on the corner. Jack Gleeson was waiting for her, a mountain of a main in an ill-fitting suit.
“How’s it goin’, doll?”
“You doll me this early in the mornin’ and you won’t be seeing straight, Jacky.” Emery leaned up, kissing his cheek and letting him get a quick hug in, before she pulled away, slipping into the building. “So where’s the body?” She asked, heading up the stairs where Jack pointed. At the top of the stairs, Emery had to stop at the stench. It smelled like the body had been left to decay for weeks. “How did no one notice this?” She gagged, covering her mouth and making a face.
Bodies, she could handle.
The rotting smell was a bit much, though. Jack grunted at that. “She was killed last night.”
Emery looked over, lifting an eyebrow slowly. “Look, Jack, I can’t help you if you’re gonna lie to me.” She said, going over to the half-decayed body and crouching down. “She’s been dead at least a month. Look at this.” She waved her hand at it. “She’s half-gone, Jack.”
“I know.” Jack held up a hand. “But we got her name. This is Ida Noble. Wife of that politician, you know the one. Avery Noble.” He snorted a bit. “She was at a benefit last night, in that dress. We got pictures and witnesses. Then Avery calls about, eh, three hours ago, six am on the dot, says she never came home last night. We found her here, like that.”
“So you’re telling me somehow, this body was alive less than a day ago?” Emery looked up, incredulous. “Y’know, Jack.” She got up, pointing her pencil at him, then at the body. “This? Ain’t my ********, yeah? I’m a PI. Private investigator. The P does not stand for ‘Paranormal’. Find some spook to handle this.” She snorted, walking past him and heading down the stairs.
The medical examiner looked over, sighing. “Back to us, then?” Jack watched after her, lighting up a cigarette, and shook his head. “Nah. She’ll be back in an hour.”
And Emery was.
She couldn’t really afford to let this case go.
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Duke of Donut rolled 1 10-sided dice:
5
Total: 5 (1-10)
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Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 3:51 pm
Emery picked up a third bubble, moving her hand to make it float closer to her, and peered into it, frowning. This was much weirder than the other two; she wasn’t even a person in this one! Squinting, she peered deeper into the memory, as images of minipets battling in the Arena swirled around her, and a single little brown pup was left in the background. Kill or be killed.OOC Emery had grown up in a family full of fighters. Her parents encouraged her to go to the Minipet Battle School, but this only ended in disaster. Try as she might to be the best she could be, she was bullied relentlessly, and forced into running away. After running from the school, Emery found herself in the Black Market, bought up by an owner who sent her to the very place her parents had urged her to go: The Battle Arena.
Here, she would find a purpose. She fought long, and hard, building herself up, seeing her bullies and rubbing their noses in her wins. One day, she was taken out of the arena, and once she was out of the arena, Emery met him: Her future mate, a strong, handsome minipet. Their first meeting was in the Arena, where she fought and won.
The next day, they were having beautiful puppies together. She, like her parents, encouraged these pups to do great things, things she never could do. Things she could only dream off. And she and her mate continued fighting in the Arena, winning and losing but never drifting apart. Happiness. She had found her happiness.
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Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 3:54 pm
A fourth bubble floated forward, and this one seemed similar to the last, though Emery was thankfully not a dog again. She watched the memory, watching her Other Self sitting on a dirty floor in front of a bloody, rusted blade. Her face scrunched together. What was this…? An Arena…?OOC So close. She was so close. The slave Emery sat on the dirty ground, sword across from her, watching as feet walked past her, not lifting her head. She had won her 98th fight; tomorrow would be her last, and she would win her freedom. The victim was randomized; lots would be drawn the next morning. It didn’t matter what name the other gladiator had been given. They would die as the others had died before them. She was too close to fail. She’d fought too hard to go home, to win her freedom and be on her way, out of this life of death and blood and betrayal.
She could recall the fights bitterly in the beginning. She had trusted a select few, those who promised to protect her, keep her alive for as long as she kept them alive. But eventually, as the lots were drawn and there were more and more close calls, her promises turned to dust. Her would-be protectors would have killed her if she had not done so first. She recalled her first proper win. She’d taken his head clean off with this blade: for her trouble, her Sponsor saw fit to let her keep it. A token, he had said, for a beautiful win.
After Roman’s death, it became oddly easy. She would wake in the morning, wash up, eat and train, prepare for the fight that evening. Her lot would be drawn, she would be placed on the slot behind someone else. They would usually fight in the evening, during or after dinner, when the Coliseum opened up and allowed others to join them. She would end things quickly, to the sometimes disappointment of the crowd. There was no point in drawing out a death. She was not a monster, and she would not succumb to their will.
Tomorrow would be no different. She would wake up. She would go forward. She would kill whoever it was.
The next morning, Emery went through her routine in an odd sort of numbness that made her feel as though she were dreaming. She should have felt excited; after this, she would win her laurels and her freedom. But for some reason, dread pitted into her stomach. Something wasn’t quite right, today. Perhaps instead of freedom, she would be killed. There was a shadow over her as she went through the motions. Finally, following their meal, it was time for the lots.
Emery’s name was drawn. The second was a name she hadn’t seen since her first day at the Coliseum. Jackson. But it wasn’t her father. No, her father had died years ago. This was Junior. She would be fighting Junior. The word spread quickly: Brother VS. Sister in a fight to the death. The fights before hers went quickly, all gearing up to see Emery take down or be taken down by Junior. The two entered the ring when their time came from opposite sides: Emery with her sword drawn, Junior with a spear in hand.
He stopped a few yards from her, shoulders crunching forward. Emery’s were straight and back. She held her hand up to him, hailing her brother with three fingers. He returned the salute.
“Gladiators, fight!”
Kill or be killed. That was the way of the Arena.
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Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 4:04 pm
Shuddering as the realization hit her that her Other Self in the Arena would have either died, or killed her own brother, Emery drew one finally bubble to her to feed the plant. This one seemed familiar; it looked like her, the real her, but soon she realized that this was another alternate level of memory. This girl seemed morose, even as others around her celebrated. She leaned in closer, watching as the memory played out in her mind’s eye.
OOC She’d been eleven for four whole months. Her parents were concerned; maybe their daughter wouldn’t have a Companion. Maybe she’d just live forever without that warm, familiar whisper in her ear, guiding her on the right path. Emery watched from the porch on the backyard as her friends swam in their pool, swinging her feet on the swing. She smiled at her Dad, waving from the swing, and got up to go around the front. It was hard, watching everyone and their Companions, when hers still hadn’t revealed itself.
Dad had tried to make her calm down, assuring that her aunt Milly hadn’t gotten her companion until she was sixteen. She didn’t want to wait that long. Emery kicked her shoes off and sank down onto the front lawn, looking out at the world around her. Meh. Miserably, she’d asked her Mom to take her to the library. Her friends would understand.
And if they didn’t, they had their companions to fall back on.
It was a Saturday; the library was empty, quiet and encouraging the curious imagination of Emery as she wandered through the stacks on the second floor. She came out to the railing that overlooked the library’s first floor atrium, leaning over curiously, watching the librarian read her book from the center island.
“I like books, too.”
Emery jerked at the sound, looking around sharply. There was no one there. She frowned a little, leaning back, looking around the stacks… But no. Just her and the Librarian. She snorted softly, and headed to the fantasy section. “Especially fairy tales.”
“Who’s there?” Emery said sharply, spinning around. “This isn’t funny, y’know. It’s creepy, and weird, and I’ll scream if you don’t come out!” She warned, squinting as she came around the corner.
“Down here!” The voice insisted. Emery looked down, crouching and moving a pile of books. There, curled up comfortably on a book… Was a ferret. “I’ve been waiting for you.” He grinned, straightening up as his tail wagged slightly. Emery stared. “… I’m Everett.” He added, leaning forward to nuzzle at her hand.
“… My companion.” She lit up. “Oh my god. Ohmigod you’re real, and you’re here, and I’m not gonna be companionless forever!” She squealed happily, holding her arm out to scoop up the ferret.
“You really should’ve been here ages ago.” He chided, climbing up the outstretched arm and settling around her neck. Emery laughed, picking up the book he’d been on, and kissed the top of the ferret’s head. “Dad’s gonna freak. You’re like roadkill.”
“I am not roadkill.” He chastised, as Emery carried him out. “I mean it. No one is allowed to eat me ever.”
“Relax. Dad likes venison.”
“Oh, that’s assuring.”
Emery grinned, carrying her Companion out happily. Four months was nothing. At least she hadn’t had to wait until she was 16 like Aunt Milly.
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Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 9:38 am
Emery returned to the tree after her memories, and smiled at the budding tree in front of her. It was almost grown, but not quite, and it swayed delicately with the life it had been given. She stepped forward, putting her hand against the trunk with a smile. “Almost there, little one.” She muttered, leaning forward and resting her forehead against the trunk.
Not quite.
Emery nodded her agreement, and withdrew from her tree, returning to the lake once more. She passed through the line of trees onto the shore, expecting to see her calm, glassy lake, but it had changed. Her lake was gone, and in its place was a castle? Further in the distance. Emery considered stepping forward, going to the castle, finding out what happened to her beautiful lake, but it was so far and her tree didn’t have that time to wait.
Water poured from the multifaceted rocks in tiers and layers, creating from one lake, many smaller pools of various colors. She could hear a voice prickling at her mind. The voice from the lake. Take some of this water, and my blessing. This is my last request. Show my children your world so they will grow each unique and different.
Emery nodded slightly, and stepped forward, eying each pool in turn. Which would she use to feed her tree? The dark pool gleamed to her left; the light was on its opposite side. There was an empty pool, which made her wonder exactly how she would transport water from it. One of them was cold, and another gave off little wisps of steam; obviously very warm to the touch.
For a while, Emery sat, considering each pool on its own and what it might do for her tree. Finally, she made her choice. Emery scooped up a handful of warm, steamy water, and nearly dropped it for the sudden memory assaulting her mind’s eye. But it was a calm, caring memory. [color=white]OOC It was a cool winter’s night. The pack had gone out hunting, leaving Emery home with the pups and her Mum. They all sat around a fire, poking and prodding at it, but Emery still felt cold inside. Her father had been gone for almost a week, hunting to bring in food. She sniffled slightly against her blanket, which was really just hiding the shirt she’d snuck down from Jackson’s room.
Her mother caught the sniffling, and smiled a little, going over and scooping up the toddler. “Ah, little one.” She rubbed her nose against the top of Emery’s head, smiling. “It’s okay. He’ll be home soon.” She sat back with Emery, arms wrapped around the pup, and started to hum slightly.
The warmth of the fire was nothing to the warmth of her mother’s arms, and the pup snuggled in, clinging to her father’s shirt for the pleasant mix of Mom-and-Dad smells surrounding her. Warm and content, Emery drifted off. When she woke up, Jackson would be home. It’d be fine. Mom had said so.
Are you satisfied with what I have become?
Emery squinted at the bright wisps that floated around the tree, smiling slightly, and nodded. “I am.” She got up, stepping back. As she looked up at the tree, a heavy feeling settled over her shoulders. This wasn’t the first time she had cared for something.[color=white]OOC They’d been out in the woods when it happened. One of her cousins had tripped on a root and gone down hard. Bone poked out of his leg. Emery cringed at the shrill cry of pain, ears flattening against her head, and she came down the hill quickly, landing beside him. “Okay okay!” She said, trying to shush him and at the same time, moving his leg gingerly from the root of the tree. “It’s okay, it’s not that bad, it’s okay.”
Her other cousins had slid down after her, and at the sight of blood and bone, some of them panicked. Emery let out a sharp snarl, getting the pups back in order. “Okay! One of you needs to go back to the house and get Dad.” She said, pointing. “Macy, you run fastest, hurry okay?”
“Okay.” Macy mumbled, scrambling backward. She was the smallest, but Em often lost track of that cousin because of how quick she was. She turned back to the cousin, grimacing, and sat down with him. “She’s getting Dad, okay? We’ll be okay, you’ll get home soon and Mom can fix this.” She smiled crookedly at him, reaching up and rubbing Michael’s cheek. One of the older cousins came over too, followed by a third, and soon they were all huddling around Michael, mindful of the leg and keeping him warm and snuggled up.
It felt like hours had passed before Jackson came. The pups helped get Michael home, and taken care of. After the ordeal, Emery sat up in her room, waiting for the lecture. She’d been the one who encouraged the cousins to go out with her to play Hunt. She was sure Jackson’d be up to yell at her soon. She heard the feet tapping on the floor as he came to her room, and looked up, grimacing slightly. “’m sorry.” She mumbled when he opened the door.
Jackson eyed Emery, she could feel the scrutiny, before crossing and sitting on the bed with her. “You did good, pup.” He said finally, setting a heavy hand on her shoulder. “You kept your cousins calm and together, and you made sure he didn’t make it worse trying to stand.” He kissed the top of her head… “But you’re still grounded.”
Emery sighed. “No good deed goes unpunished, right?”
Jackson grinned at that. “Nah. You still broke the rules.” Getting up again, he looked over. “You really ought to learn how to sneak better, pup.” Emery grinned at that, swallowing the warm fuzzy feeling of being told she’d done good, and flopped back on the bed as Jackson left.
She had done good.
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