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 Posted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 7:58 pm
The child turned to address Walter as he appeared, folding her hands again and bowing politely as any well-mannered child should. Despite the coldness of her appearance before the child now seemed bright, cheerful, and even smiling.
Billions of years of practice, and her acting was nothing but flawless.
"Good afternoon, sir." Joshua, on the other hand, grinned most mischievously and took a few sidelong steps towards the child. He plopped one hand down on top of the ruffled bow at the back of her head and patted it slowly and firmly. "Yes, actually," he replied to Walter's inquiry, "Little D-" The child did nothing but retain that plastic smile, though as if she had eyes in the back of her head there was a deadly stare directed towards the man standing beside her.
If looks could kill - and this one might have been the one to do it if he were to utter one more syllable. "d-J-hennifer..." Joshua coughed, pounding his chest loudly, "Little Jennifer would like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich." "No." "On white bread." "I." "With the crusts cut off." "Won't." Joshua leaned in, using his hand beside his mouth to cartoonishly whisper towards the stoic Butler. " She doesn't like the crusts." The girl remained as well-mannered and brightly smiling as ever. She curtsied politely when Walter slunk out, beaming with childlike exuberance... though the moment that he had turned his back she turned that cold stare towards Joshua.
"There is no way that I will ever-" [ One sudden scene cut later: ] 'Jennifer' sat at the end of the long dining table in a high-chair; her legs swinging back and forth just like any good eight-year-old might as she munched on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich cut into the shape of a bat.
'I hate you so much.' ' But you're so dedicated to that innocent act, I couldn't help myself.' he thought in reply to the words that had been sent into his mind. 'One of these days you're going to die. Nothing will make me happier than that day.' Joshua grinned. He was not nearly as good an actor as the child. ' I'll be sure to follow you around for an eon once the rules no longer apply.' 'I hate you.'
The child squeezed the sandwich until jelly squirted out the end.
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Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 12:50 am
The child sat as politely as any little girl should. Though her cold stare was far from polite; staring straight ahead as if the eyes were truly useless things after all, still no breath drawn save for that used to speak, still not a bat of the eye to prove that there was any life in her at all.
She had begun eating in that act, to keep up the appearances for Walter. Though now Walter had gone, off somewhere distant so that he could not see, nor hear any of what transpired in that dining hall, and there was no need to continue.
"Uriel is here."
The child spoke with a taunting twinge to her voice, as if she intended to torture her adversary with the information. "From the south, I know..." Joshua muttered, the rim of the hat tipped over his eyes as he leaned back in one of the dining chairs. "...do you recognize the one in the north?" "It's not one of ours, it doesn't matter."
The child dismissed it. "I do. I recognize that one." The child sat in silence, not inquiring, only the slightest bit curious. The information would take only a second to gather if she wished for it, though there was no hurry, no rush, or no need to know. She had all the time in the world to deal with that one... It was not yet his time, nor would it be for centuries to come.
"Pick me up." "...huh?" A finger lifted the edge of the hat as a lazy eye focused on the child. He wouldn't have bothered if it were anyone else, he would have just sensed their movements through the motion of their spirit energy... but this child had no spirit energy. "I said pick me up! Get me out of this!"
The girl rocked back and forth, unable to free herself from the highchair. "Aye, aye, whatever you wish your freaking holiness..." Slowly enough he pulled himself out of the chair and walked over behind the girl at the other end of the table; without much effort he grasped her under the arms and pulled her up, out of the chair, before setting her back upon the ground. "Happy?" The girl immediately spun around and kicked him in the left shin with the toe of her polished little shoe. On that blank face, there was then the slightest hint of a smile.
"I'm getting there."
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Eloquent Conversationalist
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Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 5:29 pm
Maximos LAAAAAAAAND HOO!!::The sailor shouted from the bow as the ship approached a rather large island. It extended out several hundred feet in all directions and atop the island was a large red stripped windmill, just gently chugging along. The rest of the islands surface was a beautifully manicured garden. Not a single leaf seemed out of place. Maximos whipped around leaning over the edge of the boat and pointing like a little kid would. He just about as giddy as can be, with a smile spread across his face like butter on toast.:: Thats it! ::Slowly the boat came to a stop, and the dock was extended to an open stretch of land so as not to crush the begonia's. Maximos ran to the edge of the boat, insisting that since it was his home, his guests board the island first, by briskly waving his hand.:: --20 minutes earlier-- ::The main manor door opened revealing a charred Walter. He had been gone roughly an hour, and without delay made his way to his room for a fresh change of clothes, and then made his way to the dining room from where he could hear conversation brewing between the little girl, and Joshua.:: My apologies young maiden, Sir Joshua...::He would bow to each one in cue with their names.:: I had a bit of personal business to attend to. Is everything to your liking? Ryugi stepped off the boat as Maximos allowed them to exit first. He wobbled a bit down the gangplank, but stepped firmly onto the ground of the island. Looking around a bit, he realized that this place seemed oddly familiar... The windmill, the well-tended gardens... So... It looks like your flying island decided to finally land out here on the ocean, Max. Heh, it's been a while since I was last here.
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Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 5:46 pm
Yep!
::Maximos said as he hopped down the dock, skipped really. It was good to be home, he paused at the end of the dock, just before touching the island soil to look back and wave goodbye to the crew. He was just wierd that way.::
When I left this plane I assume the connection to the runes power source was lost...I just have to figure a---waaaaah!!
::Casually, not really expecting any adverse effects, Maximos spoke and stepped onto the island. The very moment his foot touched the ground, a spark could be seen jumping from his foot, to the soil. And then the rumbling began.
The boat hadnt even been given a chance to sail away before, the island began to shake uncontrollably, the sea's picked up lashing the shoreline as if caught in a wild storm...and then Shadow Island began to rise.
The oceans parted as the massive chunk of land lifted. Barnacles and various chunks of coral falling off of its surface as the waves smashed in to fill in the gap where the island once stood. The very large set of runes which kept the thing afloat were more than visible to any bystanders.
The inaugeral flight wasnt all that pleasant, part of some of the runes had been washed away, and while they were slowly reforming the disturbance in the flow caused quite a bit of turbulance until finally the island reached its soaring altitude of 6000ft.
Maximos just sort of picked himself up, and dusted off his jacket and grinned somewhat nervously.::
Well...um...indeed!
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Eloquent Conversationalist
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Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 5:55 pm
After the rocky starting of the island, Ryugi had fallen onto his bum with a thump. After a bit, he worked his way back into a standing position, brushed himself off, scratched his neck, and spoke again.
Well, I guess we found out why it decided to land.
It was then that grumbling was heard, or a rumbling, whichever one prefers. It was a strange noise, and it came from Ryugi's stomach. And then it hit him. He hadn't eaten since he left the Fire Plane. And all those months of going without food had finally caught up to him. With a sheepish grin on his face, he turned and spoke to Maximos.
Heh... I... don't suppose you have any food on this floating paradise would you?
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Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 8:24 pm
"Everything's fine, Walter, thanks for the concern." The island then violently shook, clearly indicating that everything was not fine. The entire structure shook, seeing as it was inside of the lopsided island that was slowly getting itself into gear, and almost turned itself entirely sideways at one point as half the island seemed to jerk out of the water sooner than the other. Dishes slid from the table, objects poised on shelves rocked precariously and tipped on their sides, and unlatched doors swung open on their hinges. Everything was so sudden that Joshua had to catch himself on the edge of the dining table before he acclimated to the sudden rocking of the room. The child, now that Walter had returned, walked quietly beside him and tugged at his cuff with one hand.
"Oh dear, what a mess this place has become." Joshua stood upright, pulling the rim of the hat down over his brow. "...daddy's home."
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Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 4:34 am
Whilst everyone else appeared to be falling over and losing balance as the island started to rise, Ruuvan widened his stance and lowered his posture to stay firmly attached to the ground through the whole endeavour. Not many people could say they had seen an island rise from the sea and start floating in the air, but the crew of that ship and all those present could definitely vouch for it now.
"Nice..." With the island back to its position in the sky, Ruu was met with a pleasant view of the sky and the ocean below; one step closer to Heaven, he supposed.
"No doubt Walter has some things laid out for us, Ryugi." Ruuvan smiled and pat their new companion on the shoulder, starting off towards same place he entered once landing on this island before. Not that their party needed anyone to scout ahead, but old habits died hard.
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Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 2:44 pm
Very good s--
::Was all Walter could really get out before the shaking began. This was the second time that happened and the second time he had to fix the entirety of the house, as fervent as he was about doing his job he had no intention of performing an unecessary task. With a slam of his foot, he activated minimal elemental control, on a large scale. This entire house was filled with endless black, a low level of shadow manipulation would let the Butler rescue the majority of the more irreplacable artifacts before they were shattered into nothingness against the wood panelling.
Catching his footing was no issue, it was trying to catch a few of his favorite place settings that was an issue.
As the rumbling finally came to a stop, Walter let out a long sigh...He turned to the girl with a sort of fatherly smile on his face::
Indeed it has...the Master always makes such a mess....
::And then there was a ding from the kitchen, it took a few hours, but dinner was done!::
---
:: Up above Maximos, had well overcome the suprise of suddenly being thrust airborne, and was making his way to the windmill door. He nodded in cue with Ruuvan, sort of verifying that what he said was true.::
The garden wasnt even half this size when I left...wow...Walters been busy.
::There was a lovely stone path now, leading to the door so people wouldnt trample the grass, and Maximos followed it, peeling open the door to reveal...black.
Ruuvan's eyes were meant to see, at all times, through anything. Darkvision was a definite, but he already knew that. For Maximos not to be able to peer through Shadow would Maximos something other than himself. As for Ryugi...Ryugi would see a wall of endless black. It was as if staring into an the open mouth of an abyss which fed on the warmth of light letting none escape.
Pretty intense really.
Or rather it would have been intense if the smell of literally thousands of sorts of foods swirling together didnt gush through the doorway the moment it was opened. It seemed like a feast of unspeakable and mouth gushing goodness.
Maximos smiled, took a nice long whiff, and walked right in, the clip clop of feet on ground was heard as he vanished ito the black.::
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Eloquent Conversationalist
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Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 2:57 pm
On a far away planet known as Earth, there was once a man who lived there named Ivan Pavlov. This Russian scientist was most famous for his experiment in condition of animals to a stimulus and their response to said stimulus. In his experiments, he would give a few dogs some food, and measure the amount of saliva that was created when they saw the food. Thus, he concluded that the stimulus of the food triggered the dog's natural response to salivate in anticipation of the meal he was about to receive.
Now, millions of light-years away on Gaia, where no one had ever heard of Pavlov and his dogs, the same thing would happen as the sweet delighting smells of dozens of different foods wafted into Ryugi's highly sensitive nose. And thus, Ryugi could feel himself drooling in anticipation as his stomach grumbled. Of course he was polite and kept his mouth closed, but attempted to follow Maximos and Ruuvan into the back door, only to find that there was a massive wall of nothing but black in front of him.
Cautiously, Ryugi put a hand out and saw it disappear into the darkness as if it was being submerged in a wall of black paint. He pulled it out and inspected his hand to find it was unharmed. However, Ryugi couldn't see into it at all, and this would prove to be a problem.
I could use a hand if one of you wouldn't mind helping me. I...heh...can't see anything past the door.
Ryugi's eyes were among the best of all the creatures on planet Gaia, and were able to see in more clarity than any human could imagine, however, all natural vision for dragons required light, and since the house was made of shadow, there was no light to speak of. This essentially meant that Ryugi would be completely unable to see anything once he entered unless someone helped him.
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Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 3:06 pm
::So with pitter-patter two galloping feet ran by, jumping and clinging to Ryugi's hand, and then tugging him into the doorway. Ryugi would still be blind, especially as he was the last one in, and the door shut behind him, but D was a good guide...unless there candy...or shinies...::
I'll take yuu mistwer Wyugi! Be caewrful, der are stairs....
::He said, carefully, taking the starirs one by...one. With his tiny six year old legs...And the lucious smell of delicious food waffing in.::
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Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 3:19 pm
Elemengal eyes were great, hell he didn't know how he dealt with darkness and seeing in general before he got them; one was good, but two were even better!
Following after Maximos, and turning in time to see D leading Ryugi down the stairs as if he had never seen them before, or not being able to see as the case was, Ruuvan made his way down the stairway until he came to that same hall that Walter had set the food out in earlier. No doubt there'd be a bunch of Elemengal delights for him to feast on, and feast he would.
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Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 3:23 pm
Ryugi smiled as D took his hand.
Thank you D.
Ryugi did his best to go slowly and to feel for each step with his foot. If there was a railing, his hand would search around until he found it, and if he did, he'd use it to help steady himself in the case that he missed a step and teetered. He continued on down the stairs, the smell growing stronger by the minute.
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Eloquent Conversationalist
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Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 4:04 pm
::The dining room was inside the house, past the giant double doors. And across 50ft of cave, all of which Maximos traversed. He moved through the main room, and toward the sound of voices. Voices he believed to be Walter perhaps talking to himself until he cracked open the dinning room doors and saw the kind little girl, Joshua, and Walter.
Walter was currently holding a stack of dishes as he and his shadow clones were serving dinner...he nearly dropped the dishes. But formality, formality was key, he couldnt lose his cool or his nerve, or his manners. So trying his best to hold back and exhuberant smile he said.::
Good Evening Master Maximos...
::Maximos smiled back, quite honestly not expecting much more than just that. He knew Walter would keep his strict formal code and soon they're be having their long talks about nothing and everything into the wee hours of the morning. So he smiled and responded with a warm.::
And a good evening to you Walter. I'd like you to meet Ryugi Kazamaru, he'll be joining us today.
:: Maximos's eyes scanned across the table, passing Joshua as they were drawn to the absolute void. She had no visible energy, no visible soul, she wasnt breathing normally...this little girl was NOT human. Infact Maximos had only seen that sort of life force, or lack there of in one other being and he had assumed the being had good reason for masking its identity so he chose not to expose it.
Ruuvan however, would see this girl as impossible. His elemengal eye picked up all the same things as Maximos, on all magical frequencies this girl did not exist, only right here in the physical. Any attempt to peer deeper were smacked down as if staring through a black so thick even Maximos couldnt not dream of producing it. She was nothing...
And yet she was sitting so kindly in the chair with her pretty dress acting perfectly kind.
After setting the last place settling Walter spoke up.::
Master Maximos, I'd like to introduce you to Sir Joshua and the Lady Jhennifer, they will be joining us for dinner this evening.
::He had to hold back a snort...Jhennifer, nice one. She put fake names with her fake bodies too huh? Maximos took a bow.::
A pleasure to meet you both...you know Joshua, you look familiar...have we me...t..
::Before he could finish his sentence the memory hit him, kicking the hat, the man falling in. The memories were foggy, but present!::
...you...you survived, wonderful! I'm really very sorry for all the trouble when last we met, I hope your stay here hasnt been too inhospitable...
::Formalities first, Walter always brought out the best in him. And it would be rude to start off a conversation by asking for something. As Maximos moved about his introductions Walter and directed Ruuvan and Ryugi to their seats.
Ryugi might notice that the mark on the back of his neck had begun to do more than itch, it was beginning to burn, and the burn was progressively getting more, and more and more intense.::
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Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 4:12 pm
Ryugi winced and placed his spare hand on the back of his neck to try and see what was happening. Bad timing on his part...
Um, hello everyone. Ah.. I'd wave but I can't exactly see where any of you a--!!
And down he went as his foot missed the last step as he did a face-plant onto the floor, or what he expected was the floor since he couldn't see anything at all. His face hurt, the back of his neck was burning, and he couldn't see where he was going. This little adventure was slowly becoming more and more awkward.
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Eloquent Conversationalist
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Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 4:14 pm
Ruuvan bowed his head to both Walter and Joshua, pausing slightly before giving the girl the same treatment. Never before had he seen such a thing, not that he could recall at this moment anyway, but it was something he did not wish to look at for too long in case he got lost in it.
As the seat was offered he took it, sitting down and trying not to make too much noise with the armour whilst trying to get into a comfortable position. It took a while but he got there in the end and was able to relax.
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