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 Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 7:43 pm
Where Jubs had gone the high road, Vale had gone the low, leaning against the alley wall of a closely neighboring apartment, half covered by the shadows. From here he could observe their conversation, and was close enough to help Koa if he needed back up.
Though he doubted the man that appeared at the door would be too much trouble.
Really, Halloween?
The wall was gritty against his back - it seemed it was a requirement for every alleyway. The brick always had to be gritty and uncomfortable, just in case you ended up getting in a fight and slammed up against it. He knew from experience.
He hoped Koa would make this short; talking to this guy could be too much of a delay, and it was hard not to remember the burden looming above their heads. Too much time spent dithering, and two people might end up dead at the hands of the government. The thought just made the brick and the cold all the more discomfiting, and he frowned.
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 8:13 pm
Perched on the roof, Jubs couldn't hear what what the man said. The fact that it was a man though, and not Persy, gave him pause for alarm. Did they have the wrong apartment? Or did someone get there first? If they had, and that man was in on it, it could be an ambush. All sorts of horrible senarios went through his head, and he decided he couldn't just wait on the roof.
Pushing off hard, he flew to the ground, landing hard on the pavement. He straightened up, gripping his staff tightly with both hands. "Where's Miss Persy?" His voice was terse. Now wasn't the time for pleasantries.
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 8:35 pm
The tall man got a glare for his joke. Koa, like the others, had been expecting someone of the more female variety. However, before he had a chance to speak up, Jubs made his entrance, as dramatic as his flying trick.
Koa faltered a beat before turning back on the tall, dark-haired man with a determined scowl and folded his arms, attempting to retake control of the situation. "Yeah! We've got questions for her, and the note said this was where she'd be! Who're you?" he demanded, as if Des was the one who didn't belong there.
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Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 3:38 am
Des, who had not been joking, frowned in confusion. "I'm Des," he said pointedly. "Persy's asleep - she's not feeling well." What the heck did these kids want with her anyway? He knew there were kids who went in and out of the shop from time to time, but he couldn't fathom why. Running errands and that sort of junk, he always figured.
The kids looked like they were about to punch his face in. The frown deepened to one of concern.
"I haven't got a clue about any of this," he said.
He wondered if it had to do with the three-headed dog?
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Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 8:28 am
Face meets palm.
At the way they were going, that door would be slammed in their faces in less than thirty seconds.
Now, Vale had a good deal of experience knowing what it took to persuade adults. After several failed attempts (and more than a few resulted in being bodily thrown from a shop), he'd found that being sassy, pushy, immature, demanding, and hostile was not the way to go. Especially when you were on their ground, wanting something from them. Such as a job, or a donation, or even day-old bread. And the baker was stronger than he appeared.
So it was with a disgruntled scowl that he stepped out of the shadows to join the two at the man's door (so much for keeping cover). Time to play diplomat, he supposed.
"Unfortunately, v'e do not have any time to spare to explain. Ee't ee's ee'mperative v'e talk to Mee'ss Persy, sir," sir was always a good word to use - very mollifying, especially when spoken in a polite and respectful tone (as he'd also learned - sarcasm didn't go over very well either), "V'e hate to ee'nterupt her v'hen she ee's s'eeck and sleeping, but v'ould you please v'ake her up? I promise v'e v'on't keep her long." He would've said that Anubis had sent them, but that was dangerous - the man himself said he didn't know anything about this, and Vale wasn't so foolish as to mention a judge of the Game around him, even if the man was staying with this Persy woman.
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Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2008 8:59 am
For a while, she'd been able to delude herself that it wouldn't happen, that autumn had been a fluke, or a mortal sickness, and that she would have been back on her feet sooner. Unfortunately, Persy soon realized that this would not be the case.
She had withered, little more than feeble sticks and dark hair, each movement painful, every breath taking effort. Not only was she forced to spend her winter locked away once again, but she did so with an added suffering that made her very existence as bleak as the season. She was a goddess, daughter of divine blood, and yet, here she lay, cold and decrepit on an old, dingy couch.
Granted, Des had treated her well during her sickness; he had provided for her in a way far beyond what she had formerly expected. However, the fact remained that if it weren't for him, she could remain at Seasons. If it weren't for him, she wouldn't even be forced into this mortal form. In fact, the only reason she'd even agreed to be scorekeeper was to get away, and to have all her efforts go for nothing--
She heard the knock at the door, though her eyes refused to open. She had neither the strength nor willpower to move, to scowl at one of Des's late-night visits from a friend. The possibility never occurred to her that the door could have been for her.
"Where's Miss Persy?"
Persy used what little energy she had to grimace in her feigned sleep, her eyebrows curling into an angered expression. There were godlings at the door? They had dared to come find her? She knew that leaving an address at the shop had been a bad idea, and knowing the menial problems she'd dealt with in the past, it was probably some newbie that wanted to get a first hand look at what a goddess looked like.
Well, they'd get to see one pissed off goddess, that's for sure.
The remainder of the conversation was a blur to her, familiar voices mixed with those she'd never heard before, and with shaking hands, she pushed herself up, her eyelids slowly retreating from her listless pupils. She soon lost the strength in her arms, and slumped back into the cushions, her body not used to exertion for some weeks now. She gritted her teeth, then tried again, and with another feeble attempt she wobbled into a sitting position, and with a third she found herself on her feet, close to stumbling but standing nonetheless.
Not even Persy was sure how she made it to the door, but as she saw Des's figure, her gaze narrowed. "Des," she whispered, surprised at how small her voice had become. She tried saying his name again, but had no such luck a second time, and resorted to quietly walking behind him, reaching out and grabbing his arm gently for support.'
"Des, I can handle this."
Her voice was somewhat stronger, but nothing in comparison to what she'd been in summer, or even in autumn. As she walked past the tall man out into the cold air, for the first time her height made her appear fragile in comparison to others, her skin pale and her frame thin. However, she managed to give the group a glare that was almost as potent as before, if not even more frightening coming from her dead eyes.
There were three of them; the cat-eared child, a pig she'd never seen before, and a familiar teenager...Jubs, that's who he was. She shuddered in the wind, suddenly a tad self-conscious; she didn't know what Hermes would think, much less the other two gods. She had to maintain some semblance of toughness, though; she couldn't let them know how weak she was.
"...What do you want? This had better be good."
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Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:23 pm
Jubs' ears twitched when he heard Persy from inside the apartment. He was shocked though, at how frail she looked. Like she might collase at any moment. She still managed to look scary though. he decided it would be best to stick to the task at hand, and avoid the subject of her health.
"That other guy at seasons sent us. One of the players and some other guy, Rabbit or something, got captured by blacksuits."
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Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:16 am
Koa maintained his aggressive attitude as he stood back and let Vale step in - he didn't want the guy thinking he could push them around just because they were kids.
He had to admit, Vale was pretty good at smooth-talking adults. Maybe he should get the guy to talk to his parents... Koa dismissed the idea. He was in the Game, he shouldn't worry about his parents. Like Kamapua'a said, he had to be tough, he was on his own. The only ones who'd help him were his fellow 'brothers', like these guys.
A victorious look flashed in Koa's eyes at the sound of the small, yet distinctly female voice. He'd found her! However, the smile quickly faded at the sight of the shriveled little lady that presented herself. She was taller than he was, but she was so thin (in an unhealthy kinda way), Koa was sure he could knock her over with a strong sneeze. He stared in outright dismay. SHE was the game-master? SHE was this goddess that knew everything?!
To hell with the mission!
"Wait! What the hell!" He gestured angrily to emphasize each word. "SHE'S the one who's supposed to be in charge? I thought we were supposed to be looking for some powerful goddess, not some sick girl!"
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Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 12:56 pm
Well, this certainly wasn't what he was expecting. The face, the scent, the attitude - everything except the colors matched the florist that he'd met before. Her change in appearance was disconcerting, and she certainly didn't look at all healthy, but he knew she was still one not to be trifled with.
For some reason, it was a pleasant thought that now he had a name to match to the grumpy, hostile, but kind-way-way-way-deep-down-inside face of the florist.
Although, wasn't Persy a boy's name?
Either way, the second Koa opened his mouth with that expression on his face, Vale knew there'd be trouble. That was definitely not how one talked to this woman, as he suspected, and Koa's outburst was received with a pointed look and an interposing scowl as the self-ordained diplomat attempted to keep the situation civil and quick.
Didn't he know the Iron Law of Ages? Never, ever confront a woman about her appearance.
"That ee's no v'ay to talk to a v'oman, let alone a goddess," he retorted vehemently, determined to cut Koa off before he got them all smited to dust or struck by a bolt of lightning, "She ee's who she ee's, no matter her appearance. The other judge said that she has v'hat v'e need to know about thee's Abbot man, so treat her v'ee'th respect."
Plus, from the way Jubs reacted to her, he wouldn't be surprised if the older boy would get offended from Koa's comments as well - they didn't need group disunity at this point. Or bruised, beaten, bloody teammates.
Although bacon did sound good for breakfast.
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Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 12:05 pm
Of all the receptions Persy expected to receive from any godling who dared to look for her in the wintertime, the one given to her by Koa was rather unexpected. Entirely unexpected, to be truthful, and her eyes narrowed as his voice grew. Obviously, he hadn't heard the stories.
With quiet footsteps she approached the raging godling, and without a word she rested a hand on his shoulder, her frigid fingers digging into his skin as she looked him in the eye. She let him feel the chill of the underworld, the wails of the souls of Tartarus, and hardened her grip, making sure he felt every bit of dread that she was suffering.
"Listen, boy," she grumbled, her voice never growing louder than a whisper. "You must not know who I am, so I will forgive your transgression for now, but if you ever show your level of disrespect again--" She squeezed his shoulder tighter, allowing the wails to increase in volume, then let go. "I believe I've made my point."
The pig was no longer of her concern, so she turned to the two she knew better, and her eyes widened as she listened to Jubs's message. "Blacksuits? How?"
Things only got worse when Vale clarified who it really was.
"...Maybe you should come inside and clarify things further. I need to know how this all happened." With a final motion of her head, she looked up to Des. "You might want to leave for a while. This is going to get really complicated in about five minutes, and you won't want to hear it."
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Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 7:20 pm
Before Persy could lower her gaze again, Des made his move. "Goddess?" he asked. And what were pig nose, cat ears, and cheetah feet doing at his door in the middle of the night?
"Why don't you let me deal with the delinquents and go back to bed?" he suggested, honestly thinking he was being helpful. "Or at least can't it wait until morning?"
He was disoriented by the conversation. What Game? Why were they calling Persy a goddess? Blacksuits? Monastic leaders? Small, furry animals with twitchy noses? It didn't seem to make any sense or cohere at all. But still, Persy had invited the animals inside, and even if it was his apartment, he knew better than to disagree with her.
"Don't track mud on the carpet," he warned the boys as he vacated the doorway.
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Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:02 pm
When Persy moved forward, Jubs gave her a wide berth. With a couple backsteps, Jubs was standing well behind Vale in a blink, skidding on the pavement from moving so fast. As soon as Koa had spoken, he knew there was going to be trouble. And he didn't want any part of it. He had tried to warn Koa, but there was only so much he could do.
From where he was standing, he couldn't hear what Persy said, but he got a look at her eyes, and shuddered. He doubted Koa would make that mistake again. With Persy's command to go inside, he did as he was told, studiously avoiding looking at Koa as he walked past. Jubs also made sure to wipe his feet off before going in. Making that guy angry might well make Persy angry.
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Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 8:51 pm
Koa turned on Vale, looking about ready to shove the kid. He didn't take kindly to being scolded, especially by someone roughly his size and age. That was grounds for a fight in most cases. The pig-boy looked about ready to shove the cat-eared wise-mouth, but didn't get the chance.
All the others saw was Persy rest a hand on Koa's shoulder. What Koa felt was like being instantly submersed in water freshly melted from a glacier. Every particle of hair on his body stood on edge, not just because of the cold. There were screams. Not the kind you'd hear in horror movies even. Real, brain-numbing screams-of-otherworldly agony wails. Persy caught and held his eyes, her look even colder than her grip. Everything seemed to grow distant. Outwardly, Koa's eyes glazed over. He could barely make out Persy's words over the rush of everything else, but he nodded, unusually mellowed.
It wasn't until Persy let go that he breathed again. Koa gasped like someone surfacing from underwater. He shot Persy a look, but didn't dare speak up. He rubbed at his hands, which, along with his other extremities, had gone numb in the brief contact, and followed the others inside.
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Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 7:28 pm
Although Vale didn't know what sort of goddess Persy might be, he got a clue from the look that crossed Koa's face at her touch. Curiosity gnawed at him to ask, but he wisely refrained - he'd be a dead man for sure if he did, and he certainly didn't want to remind Koa that he had a beating coming (as the boy had seemed ready to do so before Persy's warning touch). He didn't feel like getting into a fist-fight at this point in time. So he simply let himself wonder if Koa had seen or heard the things he himself had seen and heard. Sights and sounds not meant for mortal ears or mortal minds.
Things not even meant for children, really.
He entertained that thought as he unwound the scarf from around his neck upon entering the apartment, folding it into the pocket of his jacket and looking about the place with mild curiosity - and clean soles. He wasn't about to track mud in all over the place. But, really, really, what kind of higher beings would choose (mostly) innocent children to fight for them? To put them to that sort of slaughter, that sort of trauma, what was humanity in the eyes of gods?
It was the same question he'd asked himself over and over again, but it still never failed to get a ripple of black amusement that echoed in his mind - a silent, dark chuckle that came from that heavy mirror around his neck.
The god's response always brought a scowl to his face, and discontentedly he shoved his hands back into his front pockets as he stood in the front room. He hoped Persy had good and useful news for them - he wanted both Vlad and Abbot to survive this, if only to spite Tezcatlipoca's twisted expectancy for their deaths that he could feel through their link.
Clearly, the man hadn't gotten enough love as a child.
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Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2008 12:38 pm
Persy felt a twinge of pain as Des questioned her, and grabbed her side as she winced, nearly buckling over. The look she gave him was twice as venomous as the one she'd given to Koa only moments ago, and yet, she said nothing. As the children filed inside, she shook her head, rubbing her temples. "Des, I'll explain things in the morning, but right now, I'm in a life-or-death situation. Kids could die."
Having said her bit of information, she followed the godlings inside, and leaned against the wall as she crossed her arms, hiding the fact that she could barely stand.
"Now all of you, tell me what you know."
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