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 Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 10:41 pm
Oh. Of course, the igor and the dragon. Once Malodore mentioned her death, she realized just how obvious it was. Dying broke the contract.. of course she couldn't feel Andeon. Or any of her other contracts.
She felt foolish for not realizing it before.
She looked vaguely worried at Jericho's disappearance, but the next question threw her off guard. Hunters? Humans who prey upon animals for sport or food?
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Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 10:47 pm
"Ah... si. It is a bit more complicated than that." It looked at her soberly. "What I am about to tell you is a sort of... a secret knowledge, one treated as a child's tale or the rambling of fools, but it is true. The Bogeymen want to keep it hidden, but we know the truth..." It opened its mind again and let the memories flow.
The Island; stumbling in the fog. She carried it; they clung to each other as they were forced to dissipate by the traps. They had not known it then, but that was the home of the Hunters, the same place it had just returned from. It showed her that, the humans in white coats, a subthread of thought carrying information: they bond to us, compress us into weapon form. A flicker of such, from the Trials of the Four Clans. They hate us, they want to destroy us. They destroyed the Horsemens' home lands, and many of their people. That, too, was vividly illustrated from Malodore's own memories. It showed her Caelius; it could not show her the blow that felled her and punched a hole through her torso, but it could and did tell her.
It took some time to communicate all of this, and it left itself open for her to chase each memory to the fullest should she wish to do so.
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Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 11:14 pm
Chase she did, with detail. Riley soaked in every single moment that Malodore had suffered at the hands of the Hunters, and her heart quickened once more, only this time with rage. But she wanted more, more information, more secrets, more. She delved herself completely into it's mind, flooding it with her enraged curiosity until there was nothing left to give.
When the torrent of Hunter memories stopped, concluding at last with a lovely image of Malodore dissecting one of their fingers, she slowly slid back down onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling with foggy eyes.
I need time. She whispered hoarsely. To process all of this.
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Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 10:22 pm
"Of course-" Malodore shifted, holding her, still dazed itself as if it had just emerged from sleep. It had been vaguely able to tell what Riley had been accessing within its memories, but it had the sense that the mindflayer had been able to extract more depth than it was consciously aware of recording. It would have to ask her about that... later. Its head felt strangely empty and dull without her nestled into its thoughts like a spider in her web.
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Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 12:03 am
She took the words to mean that Malodore understood and accepted what she needed, but was willing to simply remain with her despite her lack of interaction. So when it held her, she shifted to accomodate it beside her, and curled up quietly into it's arms. She had a lot to think about, and it would take time - even for her, this was too much to process at once. But she couldn't think of a single more wonderful place for her to spend her time thinking about it in, than Malodore's arms.
When she was ready, she would speak. But it would take time, and a long period of silence followed. She couldn't tell exactly how much time passed, and she might have been asleep for a small part of it, but her mind still worked at full speed, turning Malodore's memories into her own, and coming to conclusions based on all that she now knew.
It was a lot to think about.
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Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 8:20 pm
Malodore did not mind - indeed, it was somewhat of a blessing to have time for it to recover as well, for the process was tiring for plague doctor as well as mindflayer. Possibly moreso, for it, given that such mental acrobatics were not common to its race... and it had grown out of practice over the past months. Hah. Strange, to think about, but true... there was so much it had forgotten until this moment. So much that pain had washed away, or simply muted.
When it felt the time might be right, it cleared its throat, gently. "May I get you anything, mia cara? A drink, perhaps?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 8:45 pm
Riley was only mildly disturbed by Malodore's voice penetrating the silence, and it's offer tempered the disturbance with sweetness. She blinked her eyes until they were focused, and turned them back to the plague doctor, curving slightly. Her embrace shifted, though the movement was of no real use - it was simply to feel the brush of it's robes against her skin. No. She answered rather suddenly, bending her head to press against it's beak. That would require you moving. I'm not sure if it's obvious, but I don't really want you to move, right now. No liquid in the world is worth that.
She kept her eyes on the plague doctor, regarding it fondly. You are a remarkable creature. Have I ever told you that before? She'd seen the world through Malodore's eyes, but with her own mind to judge, and there was no doubt left as to why she'd fallen in love with it the first time around. The memories had come with horrors, and worries, but now that she'd had a few minutes to process things, her proximity with Malodore kept her returning to that one, same thought. You're simply marvelous.
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Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 9:28 pm
It ducked its head, almost shyly. "Ah... grazie. I feel much the same about you, mia cara... as if that weren't utterly obvious, from all the searching through my mind you have recently enjoyed." It chuckled.
"I would, later, like to tell you several more stories... we once spent nearly a day in just such reverie, as I shared my past with you. I would like to do so again, if you are willing, that you can know such things once more. Such strange and secret things."
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Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 10:47 pm
Malodore's chuckle was echoed by her own. But when it offered so freely to share it's past with her, even if it had done so before, the thrill overwhelmed her. This was something she knew she wanted, very badly, and her emotional and physical responses were easily readable.
Yes, she breathed out sharply. I would absolutely love that. I want to know everything. She sounded hungry, and desperate for what it offered, just as she had before. When can we do this? Are you prepared now? Apparently, break time was over.
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Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 11:29 pm
"Hah! I have your measure - I have only to mention secret knowledge, and your interest is mine," it said, teasingly. "And si... though. There is the other matter." It sobered once more. "Now that you know of Hunters... you must know that just prior to your return, I and many others went to their home Island, led by Medea, leader of the Horsemen." It hoped she had accessed information on them, as well - Hunters and Horsemen were so tightly intertwined in the memories of the Four Isles that it would have been hard not to.
(Though that made it wonder if she had seen her own death, as well.)
"... I went, but only to pursue one of my Insanity, ah, 'patients'. And I have had no report of him." It took a deep breath. "And now Jericho seems to be missing as well."
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Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 11:40 pm
Riley's expression turned coy as it called her out on her desires, but it was right - it had no idea just how right it truly was. She snuggled in closer, waiting, hoping.. but it was diverting to another topic, and she was forced to follow. She understood what it was saying, and in truth the topic of the Hunters worried her immensely, but she had been enjoying the moment..
..And it seemed to be expecting something of her.
There was a long moment of silence after it mentioned Jericho, where their eyes remained locked in wait. Finally, she broke the silence with a nod.
You mentioned he is missing. We will do what we can to find him, I presume?
There was a distinct lack of panic in her voice.
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Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 11:47 pm
It felt the pang deep within, but covered it; she did not need to know, it would only hut her. "No, no - I do not even know that he went, in truth. I need answers... but I wished to inform you, in case you had sent him a message as well. I know he would rush to your side were he able, but neither I nor any of those I have spoken to have seen him since that day. I would not... what Insanity does is..."
It bit the words off, then shook its head, irritated. "I detest being so blunt, but... did you see, in my memories, what happened to you? What... prompted your 'death'?"
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Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 12:37 am
I haven't sent him anything. She paused, and her brow furrowed. Should I have?
He was her best friend. That much she'd been told, and she'd seen it in Malodore's memories. Perhaps she should have been more observant about him.. she was certainly worried about his levels of Insanity. She'd seen what had happened to her - it was simple.
Death. She murmured quietly. Or maybe just dissipation. Either way, Jericho might be in great danger if he is killed. Perhaps we should look into this more deeply tomorrow. We can visit his room, perhaps. Look for clues.
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Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2012 11:03 pm
"Should you have? I don't know - that is something between you and him," Malodore said, with a quiet shrug. "It is not my place to interject into such things..." It fell silent at her quick words. It was no master of emotion or voice, but it seemed as though she might not have looked closely at the circumstances of her 'death'.
And, really, could it blame her?
"Si... I have no real evidence," it admitted, with a sigh. "He has withdrawn, some, after everything that has happened..."
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Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 4:40 am
Then his room is a good place to start. She brushed her hand up against the plague doctor's beak, a light touch. And tomorrow is a good time to do it. You will accompany me, I hope? She didn't even know where his room was..
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