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 Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 5:29 pm
↪ ｍ ｅ ｔ ａ : ｃ ｒ ｅ ｄ ｅ ｎ ｃ ｅ
ｗｅｅｋ ｓｉｘ It had been quite the few days. Shati had returned to her farm to find it clearly upset. Some of the chickens and Daisy had gone missing, escaped or slaughtered was beyond the young woman; the fence was knocked down in big sections and seemed somewhat scorched in places. Most of the crops had rotted on the vine and replanting was needed, someone must have used her land to feed themselves as well, considering how much food was gone from the fields and from within the house. Part of the roof had been destroyed, windows smashed and doors knocked down... but there was one little ray of hope.
When she and Fillin returned, Kitty say with her tail twitching on the broken front steps.
Shati counted herself lucky, considering the state of most of Imisus. She had lived brutal winters in a shack, she could survive in her home with a few broken windows. She had draped blankets in doorways as she worked to repair the homestead, and worked day and night.
As of the moment, she was planting new seeds in near pitch-blackness. She reached forward, waving her torch over the land, and found something reflecting the light. Tentatively she reached out and picked it up, feeling cool glass in her fingers. It was... something black in a bottle, and turning the tag attached to the neck revealed nothing at all. Still, something in Shati told her that it was important, that it needed keeping. She would take it inside and lock it in her chest, perhaps wrapped in one of her handkerchiefs. She couldn't be certain what it was, if it was dangerous or potentially helpful, but she knew somewhere deep inside her that it needed safe-keeping.
As she righted herself, she found a figure placed between her and the horizon, darker than the night and strangely ominous. She stepped forward, a hand drawing out, and managed a slight "How can I--?" before he interrupted.
"It was a pleasure to get to know you these past six weeks, but I'm afraid it's my time to go. The Plague Doctor has a new competitor-- I am him, and it looks like you and your Plague might have to get used to more visits with your new ally."
As soon as he was finished, he was whisked away on the night breeze like so many ashes. Shati would not notice the crow until morning, at which point she would panic and shovel it into the compost before performing a ritual in the area.
For now, she only screamed.
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Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 11:35 am
↪ ｍ ｅ ｔ ａ : ｃ ｒ ｅ ｄ ｅ ｎ ｃ ｅ
ｕｎｗａｖｅｒｉｎｇ ｆａｒｍｅｒ
There was only more horror when Shati heard a crow's caw just by her head. The noise itself had become something she connected with horrible circumstances. A panicky glance to the side, though, showed that although likely related, this was not one of the death-crows sent earlier in the last month. She reached out to it, frightened reasonably even as it hopped away. She reached forward further and the crow took to the air, leaving a fluttering of feathers and the parchment it held behind. The farmer plucked the beribboned roll from the dirt, noticing how old the paper felt, and tugged the black ribbon. It unwrapped with a whispering laugh and Shati's breath caught.
"What a successful trial this was. I must say, all you Grimms are a troubled lot."
Shati's face turned up, as if she could see the source of the voice as she let the parchment crumble to dust between her fingers. She did not notice the ribbon's advance at first, until it was perhaps two feet high. Even being a woman with eccentric spiritual beliefs and a walking embodiment of the Plague living with her, she was horrified.
"You see, I've learned something from all of you, what two-thousand and growing lot there are, and what few hundred have seemingly passed my trials alive. This aura, this Furvus Elixir, it's truly what you make of it... and I've been deceived all along, and so have you. Welcome to my world of smoke and mirrors."
The ribbon, or elixir as it appeared to be, was now human-sized. Shati began to back away, intent on escaping but drawn in by the pale opalescent eyes staring back at her. As the surface of the blackness roiled, she realized that this face, this awful pitch-black, dead face was one she recognized. Her mother, who she had not seen in years, loomed before her as a monster straight out of legend. Shati opened her mouth to speak, but her voice was choked and failing. Her sisters loomed up around her mother, her grandmother followed, and from them emerged other tribesmen, all grinning horribly, all threatening in their silence. They spread out like arms and wrapped around, trapping the farmer within their numbers and preventing her escape. Some little voice in the back of her head told her that she could probably burst through, but she found herself paralyzed with fear like a startled rabbit.
"Shati Pac," her mother began, "Shati Pac, why did you leave us? We've suffered so much since you were gone... don't you believe us?"
It had been so long since Shati had heard her real name used it came as something of a shock. Her breath came in desperate pants as the tribesmen spoke as well, nearly in total unison as they moved unnaturally toward her.
"Don't you want to come back? Little Shati."
Horrified and feeling ill, Shati finally let a strangled peep escape. The figures loomed closer, moving in around her... and then all of a sudden, they were gone. They floated and melted away into a ring of blackness. Her family was gone too, become a puddle lying in the grass before her. Gasping for air, she hesitantly crawled toward the puddle. She saw Uque reflected there, and the Ta'axta tribelands. A deer lifted its head in a corpse of trees, and she thought she saw her family's cabin silhouetted against the horizon. Sunsets didn't look like that any more, not so untouched by smog and buildings. Her lungs emptied in a long, slow exhale.
Home.
Shati heard the sound before she realized the origin. She had thrown her head back and howled mournfully, wailing at the sky. Home called to her, still secure and untouched by raids and enemies. She clutched desperately at her chest, her heart hurting, and didn't stop until she felt a tiny hand on her thigh. She inhaled sharply and looked down to see the glowing face of her Plague staring up at her. Fillin had no idea what had just gone on, being rather fond of naps, himself. He had heard his Grimm scream, though, and that was more than enough to send him running.
"Are you alright...?" he asked, voice unusually soft. Shati shook her head, eyes snapping shut against tears. "What happened, then?" Considering the events in the last few weeks, Fillin would not doubt much. Shati did not offer the truth, though, only a vague explanation.
"Home calls to me, Fillin," she said, opening her eyes and turning sadly toward the Plague, "It was an illusion, I think; a lie, but it hurts, Little One."
Fillin's eyes narrowed nearly accusingly in response, and he drew his arms up to cross them. He had been told stories of his Grimm's homeland and of her travel to Panymium, of the farm she had created from a few spare coins. He also remembered his time as a beast on her property, her undeniable warmth and confidence. These past months had broken her, and he didn't like it. To see someone he respected so weakened was a disappointment.
"Your home is here," he defended, "You worked for this, all children leave, you said so yourself. Are you going to give this all up because you feel bad? Your responsibilities are here. I am here." Fillin was clearly upset by the change in mood, eyes narrowed and mouth set in a straight line. Shati mirrored his expression, but her brows were furrowed in thought. She had never had a doubt that her family was fine without her. She had been another set of hands, but one of many, and they were strong men and women who had lived long before her. Seldom was it she got a letter or any news at all, but she had never doubted their survival or their strength. Why did she care so deeply for an illusion? Certainly her family prayed for her as she did for them... so what of this reflection? This guilt? She turned from the puddle of blackness to Fillin and shook her head. She would remain... at least for now.
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 4:56 pm
↪ ｒ ｏ ｌ ｅ ｐ ｌ ａ ｙ "To the regards of you, a fellow Grimm, leader of the Council of Sciences Sire Sedgwyck Kirkaldy and his Plague Sire Erasmus requests your presence, alongside your Plague, be they Putesco, Excito, or Anhelo. The messenger that has henceforth delivered you this message has thereby signed his services completely to the Council of Sciences, and forthwith shall escort you to the nearest Council headquarters in your area with the assitance of Guardsmen, whom are in the service of the Empire of Panymium.
Such escort will prove to you that this letter is indeed written by the Council of Sciences, and consequently the messenger shall ask in place of Sire Kirkaldy for your cooperation in attending this meeting; if agreed upon, a mage Council member with knowledge of teleportation magics shall send you immediately to the location of said meeting, which is in a neutralized zone at Helios. A monetary reward of 50 Shillings as well as teleportation back to your original location shall be provided after the meeting.
The subject of discussion is classified and should not be discussed with other citizens of Panymium, nor any Grimm or Plague other than your own. Sir Kirkaldy thanks you in advance for your cooperation. This message hereby has been approved by the Empire of Panymium, its Holy Eye and Emperor Rine VIII, and the Audience."Shati read through the note as it was spoken, rubbing the paper between her fingers and thumbs. The last time she had received an anonymous letter, the events that had transpired following had not been enjoyable at all. With her brow furrowed she turned her face up to the messenger and nodded. She had not done much concerning the Council beyond her assigned work what with the repairs needed to her homestead and the dying embers of political unrest. She felt as if she owed it to them.
With a soft bow she rolled up the letter, "Thank you. If I could just have one moment...?" The messenger gave another bow in response and Shati hesitantly turned her back to him to enter the house again.
Kitty appeared then and sat at the threshold, more wary of strangers lately. Green-gold eyes blinked up at him until Shati reappeared, at which point the feline fairly disappeared.
Now a sleepy, glaring Plague sat nestled in Shati's shirt as the Grimm readjusted a bag on her shoulder. It was always best to be prepared. She appeared a bit nervous, if not only because she had never been teleported before.
"If you were to lead us astray..." Fillin warned, voice rumbling. It was a fairly empty threat, but he felt it needed to happen. Shati gave him something of a look.
"Would an approved letter from the Council arrive with an enemy?"
"Pah! So trusting. One would think you had learned."
"Is there any more information you can give me, Sir?" Shati asked, her brow furrowing again. The damned Plague had made her wary as well, but the messenger simply shook his head. "There is nothing I can offer. Should you like to leave now?"
"Yes..." Shati sighed, "Yes, please lead the way..." What was the worst that could happen? Nobody was going to be raiding and destroying her home as she was gone. Death would be preferable. Fillin glared at the young man's back as they followed.
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Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 4:38 pm
↪ ｒ ｏ ｌ ｅ ｐ ｌ ａ ｙGadding About
Shati makes an appointment to meet with the Counselor over a bundle of arugula
and has the great honor of meeting his Stunted. Fillin is less enthused.
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Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 6:22 pm
↪ ｒ ｏ ｌ ｅ ｐ ｌ ａ ｙRainy Day Reservations
Shati and Fillin meet with the Councillor of Sciences to address their roles.
Fillin feels a mite useless, and is confused that it seems to bother him.
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Posted: Sat Aug 24, 2013 2:23 pm
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