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 Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2017 7:20 pm
First night
He stood, watching as those that came with him slowly gathered together and, as apparent as their resistance was, finally accepted the decision and walked away. It was quiet as the green light shown faintly in the distance as the hunters melted into the darkness, occasionally obscuring the light and causing it to flicker. After some time, when he couldn't hear hear the murmuring and echoes of their footsteps, he knew he was alone.
There were no sound here, and he slowly looked up to make out the faint reflections of the water above, like a softened light used to lull a small child to sleep against the canopy of their bed. It just lacked all the noise of the tides, the warmth of home, but it was calm and quiet. The heavy exhaustion of the day's events slowly started to seep in like cold water, and he breathed out slowly keeping his attention out.
The mission was a success, and he felt somehow giddy that despite the casualty of Creation, Atlantis had listened to them and did not strike anyone due to being disrespected or taking them hostages to demand more of Deus. That wasn't to say he felt particularly hysterical as well, having not had a full scope of what would happen and so his plans were to get to certain points and not what to do as said points as he didn't well know if it was truly been Atlantis and what they would want. In the future, he made a mental note that if he ever tried to quell anyone's wrath, he should at least bring a basket of presents. Something a lot better than a fruit basket. Still, he couldn't even believe that somehow things were as they were now, and he ran a hand through his hair, feeling that it was stuck with cold sweat still fresh on his brow, and he took deep breathes.
Slowly a warm light shown and Sophie returned, a fainter glimmer than she was, but not as massive or large, accompanied by the same fish. For some reason, the larger statue felt different to the one beside her, and he felt a comfort in her familiar size. He smiled as she thanked him, feeling both accepting of it but also humble, but that was soon taken by what she spoke of next.
Knights of Neptune. The security system was out of Sophie's control. There were seperate sections of Atlantis that acted independencly of each other, and whlie Sophie was here, she could not override the militia set up to protect Atlantis - or seek out revenge.
A year. The kingdom had enough reserve energy to push a full on attack for an entire year even at the expense of it's own city. There were set protocols that could not be called off is Atlantis was slighted in some way. This information was grim. If they had done nothing, if Kim had remained silent, then the rain would have never gone away. The attacks would have pressed on. Atlantis would have gotten to the point that something like being here to ask for an alliance wouldn't be possible any longer. Sophie could have crumbled before the Knights ever did. It could all be lost. Deus and Atlantis. Lives and Culture.
Somber, he followed, surprised to hear the mention of quarters and having it hit him more and more that he would be sleeping here, living here, and helping here. Atlantis felt vast in the darkness, lead to places he had never had a change to venture into, and taking turns and steps that left the glow of the door long behind them. There was no pretending he knew where he even was as he never had even walked the full perimeter of Atlantis to get the full scope of how large it was, only ever able to see the distant buildings towering behind others.
With light, his room was presented to him, and he took in the choice of how Atlantis decorated it's rooms for guests. The slim designs and a minimalism he had only been surrounded with when Lawr picked out furniture but far less white.
With a final word, Sophie left, somewhere becoming Atlantis again, and he somehow felt she was all around. Slowly he looked around, moving dream-like as he let his fingertips slid over every surface, moving over small sculptures and carvings about the furniture and counters, past a shell-like pitcher that had him pausing before he went to drink water. Then he peeled off his diving suit and set it to the side and worked to wash his hair and face, Wiping the water from his eyes, he looked at the aged mirror and breathed out.
With the rest of the room unexplored, he turned to what had his attention the most, and fell face down onto the bed, drained in too many ways to count. The place smelled of linens left to dry in the ocean breeze, and he took it in deep, remembered cabin visits at his Uncle's where they could take the boat out and where you could sleep out in the lawn on beach towels to the sound of the waves.
It was such a comforting thought, and before he even had time to smile, he drifted to sleep.
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Posted: Thu Oct 12, 2017 6:23 pm
Agreement
He slept hard, so deep that it felt like none of him dared to summon energy to move. As he sank into darkness, he found himself in the same room. He was neatly set in his chair, and curious, he looked about him. The place was dark outside. It wasn't somewhere he was familiar with. On the other end was a woman, and for a flicker of a moment he wondered what he was thinking for her to be summoned here. Alone, in a room. They both had cups, and as he reached for his, he saw there was no wine but just water. Clean. Fresh. The cup brass, and the cold metal had the same feeling of a prop. Something kids used to make believe they were kings - but not rich kings it seemed. It felt odd to see brass and not gold.
"The first thing I need you to know
She spoke.
...is that I am not a ghost. Not really. You know what real ghosts are, you've met them.
He looked at her, and tried to recall a ghost. A real ghost. Did she mean those of Halloween. Yet, he couldn't help think of Rin, but those all felt like fabrications or at least he told himself they were. Another crutch of his denial to escape a reality he hadn't wanted to face and had ruined who he was and what he had years ago.
But he still thought of the dream. He still thought of the blue lights.
Those sorts left here long ago. You can consider me an AI of sorts, that's the correct term your age uses, yes?
He didn't speak, not wanting to interrupt, still stunned this woman was here speaking to him.
But he nodded, just to show he was listening.
I was programmed as a copy of The Dragon, born Il'l Temple Vi Sorca, but most people called her The Dragon. Even Atlantis, before it fell, was prone to such things.
The Dragon. A title. A copy of a person worth making a copy of. Worth making an AI of, and worth being the one here. She gave the impression of authority and knowledge, and getting right to business. She wasn't hesitant as she spoke, and for that reason she held his attention. The Dragon, born Ill'l Temple Vi Sorca. Full name or was that part of a cultural addition somewhere? Who had she been? What had earned her a title as powerful as The Dragon? Why a dragon in a place that he associated so much with water? Was it the gold? Or was he being too obvious here and it was something else? A war hero? A great leader? A maker of peace? A great mind?
Please just think of me as Sorca, it goes well with Sophie, but without the gall of being named by a trespassing stranger who knows nothing about me.
He hunched his shoulders at that. "I'm sorry. I don't. I took you for just....something as barren as our golems are." And he felt both shame and guilt for acting very much like a long history of white men invading a rich culture he didn't know and naming things here and there to his own preference. It didn't reflect well on him or Avalon.
The water helped him clear his throat.
You will only be seeing me in your mind, of course. The only body I will manifest within being yours. I'll give you a few hours, every day, to have it back. Until we finish enough for you to get started.
He stared back at her, lost in the details of her face. The small lines when she spoke, the crease of a brow, the light pigmentation of her earlobe, and the inner details of her mouth as she spoke, all very much like his though female. She seemed real, and if she was a ghost, then was Avalon and Atlantis very similar in their designs? He had just assumed everyone would be more - mermaidish?
Boy did he sound ignorant as hell. If she was in his mind, he only hoped she couldn't hear his thoughts even though Atlantis had proven it could detect feelings and project thoughts very well.
He watched her and then looked at his own hands, his own body, aware of himself and her, and that she would be using him. He would be like her golem, being used to preform something.
Finish enough to get started?
He slowly nodded. "O...Okay." While unsure, he wanted to help and felt somehow safe. It would just be them after all.
"For as long as you need me."
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Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2017 4:23 pm
Sink
He stood in what was called the reception area stunned silent, staring at a spot that had, for nearly a week, been where Lawr had slept. Now all he saw were the comforts he had taken from Atlantis to make him be able to live as best he could down here left behind without the man or his equipment. There was nothing, and he wondered why Lawr had not given him any warning that he was going to leave yesterday. There would be no reason for him not to tell him, and he did not think Lawr was the type to put Melvin's own desires to stay here before his own needs to get back. If he couldn't stand it any longer, wouldn't he ask if he could take him back? He had been ademant that he could not make it back home, or had something triggered him? Did he get too afraid that something would happen to him here that he had to go back home? Had Atlantis' security finally told him to evacuate the premises and given him a timer. The place was not flooded. There was no signs of anything that could indicate damage.
As he moved closer, he noticed something.
Trash. A plastic bag that was empty and a small wrapper of individually wrapped biscuits. It was not something he brought, and considering the brand, he recognized it as some they kept at home. Their home. The ex-home. It was ones Lawr liked.
He sighed, picking them both up and then went to gather the blankets and pillow, the pitcher and wash-clothes, and frowned at the now vacant spot.
"Of course he'd show up." Rodney must have been tipped off, but at the end of the day, it was better and safer for Lawr to be back at home where he could take care of himself, be comfortable, and take his medication. He had noticed him slowly regress back to the Lawr from before, the one on his not great days, and he felt bad he couldn't do anything to help him. Part of him had hoped Atlantis would take pity on him and allow him to sleep inside, but that never happened and if anything a fight at the gates hadn't helped Lawr's case.
But it had been nice, to have someone there when he went for a walk. To have his time and be the only one down here with him. No one could touch them, and his other life was not here.
Not feeling to stick around to greet any visitors, he turned back and headed back into Atlantis, walking in the dark as he carried the wrinkled bundle and pitcher handle, one hand holding the trash, the other bundled into the fabrics. He knew the walk by heard now. Got used to walking the walkways. It would have been 2 more days before he had his phone working to get Lawr to call for help. Not that long, but it seemed too much for others. For a man who liked to think no one cared about him, there was something always there to pull him away. A family man. A husband. Obligations. His adopted responsibilities. Playing house with strings he plucked whenever he wanted to hear a pretty song of domesticity.
It was quiet here. He'd go to sleep early. Let Soarca have more hours to work. He didn't much care to waste time on himself. She could use it. She could use all of it.
He brought the blankets to his chin and took a brief breath.
It had been nice.
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