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 Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 11:02 pm
Malodore could always be trusted to react just as Riley was hoping. When it turned to pick up the samples, she heaved her chest in a long, relieved sigh. She moved to the other side of the table, and examined the samples with a renewed fascination.
I'm surprised you managed to carry all of this back with you. I wondered how it would react to being away from it's typically JOYful environment. How have they been changing, exactly? She didn't want to pick any of them up just yet, fearful that just her touch would turn it into a pile of dust.
She focused on the pink fluff, leaning in to give it a good look. Her eyes crinkled slightly in amusement. Though my sample has remained unfettered by it's new environment, in my dorm. It even managed to last through a fitful chewing by my hazmutt, without dissipating. Whatever these things were made of, they were made well.
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Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 11:13 pm
"They radiated a small aura of JOY, though the effect was clearly masked in Christmas Town," Malodore explained. "When we were transported back here, it was much more obvious. The JOY is less intense now... and there are a few other effects." Malodore plucked a set of tweezers from the table and flipped over the fluff, revealing that the back was turning grey, almost as if it was molding. "There is significant rust patina forming on the metalwork as well, far more than would form in the time elapsed. I believe our own world is corrupting it... which makes me wish for a counter-experiment in that benighted Christmas Town. If we left something FEARful there..."
The thought of doing that to a living Halloween being both horrified and delighted it.
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Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 11:33 pm
Riley cringed back as Malodore turned the specimen over to show it's rot. She was glad she hadn't touched them after all. I'm not surprised, although what does surprise me is that I haven't noticed any such mold on my own half. Unless my hazmutt actually ate the molded part.. she shuddered visibly. I'll have to check it over when I get back. Have you attempted to place any part of the samples in a preservative? Or perhaps even a formaldehyde solution? She found a set of tweezers for herself, and checked on the spring. When she picked it up, it even seemed less springy. Though slowing down the decaying process would only give us more time to study them. I have to wonder if this would have been our fate, had we been trapped in that place.
She wouldn't put it past the headmistress to abandon any strays.
Have any of them shown any further signs of life, or are they all still inanimate?
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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 3:46 pm
"Indeed so." The plague doctor opened its beak in a grin. It was enjoying this - while it hadn't had much chance to experiment on the samples, what it had managed to observe was fascinating indeed. "The discoloration is not actually a contaminant... observe..."
It slowly dangled the tweezers over the grayed fluff - a moment later the gray fibers twitched upwards, shifting from their usual fluffy state into a series of jagged, wire-like filaments that jabbed at the tweezers. They fell idle again as soon as Malodore removed the tweezers from their range. "I believe the natural FEAR of our environment is 'corrupting' them... exactly as happened with the gifts we were given. Or haven't any of yours grown teeth and tried to bite?" Malodore thoroughly approved of the changes. If only they could make all of Christmas Town so delightful!
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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 4:19 pm
Riley's eyes opened wide as saucers at the actual transformative reaction the graying fluff had accomplished. A low whistling sound was emitted, before she finally peeled her eyes away to look up at Malodore. Her voice was filled with awed excitement. Malodore, this is beyond wonderful. This means that our environment could technically change anything for the better. The better, of course, being the frightful bliss that was Halloweentown's true spirit. What could be better than that? Imagine how we could corrupt the other towns. Imagine how we could corrupt the human world. Her voice had a growling edge to it as she purred out the word 'human'.
I haven't really checked any of the gifts I received when we were in that wretched place. I presume I would have been more interested in them, if the elephant doll I still have would have reacted this way. It hasn't.. yet. She almost wanted to leave, right then and there, and go check on it. She surpressed the urge.
I want to see what's happening to all of these samples. She whispered excitedly, while prodding the tree bark. I wonder if any of them will come to life once they've been completely corrupted. Especially this one.. shall we see a little sproutling soon? She flipped it over, looking for any little nubs of legs. All she got were some angry splinter pokes. She pulled away and looked at her punctured finger with detached interest.
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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 4:36 pm
"It also means their environment could change us... in theory. Perhaps the misfit creatures were originally from Halloween Town. The elves could be transformed gnomes. If I only had a proper subject... with funding and transport, that would be a fascinating experiment," Malodore said, its tone wistful. Forced transformation and the medical effects thereof were extremely interesting.
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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 4:51 pm
Riley surpressed the urge to check herself for any malformations that could have occurred while she was in Christmastown. She didn't think to check non-physical ones, or she would have blamed some of her recent emotions on it instantly. That's dreadful.. those poor gnomes. Her voice sounded like it only had a drop of pity in it. She didn't dislike gnomes, but.. who could really have a fondness for them? Still, to have the awful fate of turning into an elf.. she shuddered. No one deserved that.
She blinked up at Malodore in surprise, before her eyes crinkled in amusement. You would willingly go back to that place? Your determination to discover the truth despite the consequences astounds me. It's very heroic. I'm not sure I could say the same about myself. That place was a living nightmare. The tiny drop of blood on her finger had congealed, and she rubbed it quickly as she thought about it. Would she go back, in the interests of research? No. Even if Malodore needed her help?, she heard a quiet voice in the back of her mind ask. The answer was obvious. Well, She hedged, maybe once we've had further instruction in access to controlling our FEAR as weapons, it might not be such a bad idea.
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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 4:57 pm
"Oh, I wouldn't be the subject." Malodore's tone had a slightly wicked edge to it. "Find an appropriate subject... perhaps a convicted criminal of some variety? Then create an escape-proof containment unit, along with a nutrition delivery system and other devices to tend to the most basic needs. Deliver contained subject... then wait. Depart and come back later, of course, otherwise we would become subjects, inadvertently... not an ideal scenario for experimentation, but given the potential dangers..."
It put down the tweezers and rubbed its hands together. "What would we find on our return, I wonder? The shifts in physiology could be extreme."
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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 5:05 pm
Rilodore listened in rapture to the plan that Malodore weaved out. She put the tweezers down, and placed her elbows on the table, resting her head between her hands. She looked up at him much like a devoted child might look up at their most precious of mentors.
I had never even considered that. It's brilliant. Inspired, even. And yes, she couldn't help it, she was picturing Sin in that compartment right now. She sighed happily. What a pretty picture it painted. Malodore, how exactly did I manage before I met you?
The spring on the table jiggled dangerously in her direction, and she took her elbows off of it. Clearly, that was not the most intelligent place to rest upon.
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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 5:16 pm
"Of course, we would need someone with an eye for mechanics. Alas, my specialty is and likely always will be medicine and physiology," Malodore said with a sigh. "Though the body could be said to be a complex device, it would really need someone with a true gift for gearwork..."
It seemed somewhat oblivious to Riley's compliment, so caught up in ideas.
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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 5:31 pm
Mechanics? Rileys face scrunged up slightly. And that is a good example of the kind of knowledge we sorely lack. There is no information on modern mechanics in the elder brain, she mumbled distantly, even as she checked to make sure. Her eyes looked unfocused, but she continued speech easily. Our last known structure commentary was on catapults. Primitive times, to say the least.
She refocused, once she'd quit searching, and tried to remember each individual she'd met in her short time here. I'd love to meet someone with knowledge on modern mechanics. Theirs would be a fresh and innovative mind to pick. I haven't met any students with that talent as of yet. I wonder, have you?
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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 7:59 pm
"I have not, alas - but surely someone will come along. It will be quite some time before we'll have the authority... and by then, we may have even better methods." The plague doctor opened its beak in a wide smile.
"A pleasant distraction, however... tertiary to my own plans it may be. Healing and scaring are my primary goals, after all... and yours?" It tilted its head at Riley. "Knowledge for your great communal mind?"
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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 8:38 pm
Malodore made a good point. Yet, Riley was still wary that they might never meet someone with the capacity of information necessary for the endeavor. Mechanical know-how had now become one of the top priorities in her list of qualities she was looking for in a minion.
At his next question, Riley paused, looking hesitant. Her primary goals were her own, private information - and it had been shared with no one. No one. Riley prided herself in keeping her plans well beneath the surface, where no one would see. She'd managed to keep every devious, manipulative motive deep within when dealing with every student she'd met - and she'd done it without breaking a sweat. Hiding the truth was easy to do.
Except.
I want.. control, Malodore. She whispered, her voice a fierce, but quiet, thought. I want to be in control. Her hands lifted, the fingers of one touching against the fingers of the other. They lifted to rest against her chin in a contemplative pose. The world is chaos. Beautiful chaos. I find it lacking in leaders who can manage it efficiently. I want to fill that void. There was something desperate, almost craving, in her voice, as she stared at her fingers. She had never shared this information with anyone, and she had been sure she never would. Her eyes flickered up at him, a ghost of worry passing through her gaze.
You said it yourself, knowledge is power. My lust for knowledge satiates my desire for power. Her brow furrowed deeply. I hope this does not disturb you in any fashion.
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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 9:07 pm
"If the school trip was any indication, we are indeed sorely lacking in decent leadership," Malodore said dryly (though it would never ever say that to Professor Hellma's face!). It straightened and nodded seriously at Riley, though. "An admirable goal, provided you never stagnate in a a void of your own making. ... Personal experience." It shook its head.
"Efficiency, control... yes, perhaps my scale is smaller than yours. But you saw that mockery of a triage ward." The plague doctor could not scowl, but its distaste was evident in its tone. "My kingdoms will be small, but no less powerful. Efficient."
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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 9:31 pm
Riley was pleased at the doctors response. And yet.. she could sense that the personal experience he spoke of may be something that he wasn't yet ready to share. It instantly piqued her curiosity, but she stifled it - for now.
If I were in control of this town, no, of all the towns combined, I would see to it that in the field of medical design, your council would reign supreme. You can be certain of that. She clenched her hands into fists, before visibly trying to relax and opening them up again. All this talk of controlling the world had her a little wound up.
Let us.. return to our task at hand, however. One step at a time, as they say. She forced her attentions back to the samples in front of them, previously forgotten. I wonder what would happen if they were placed in an organic solution of amino acids. She murmured thoughtfully to herself. Now that I think about it.. these toys in particular had a life to them that most toys don't normally contain. What sparked that life in the first place? I highly doubt Christmastown alone has the power to bring the inanimate to life.
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