|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2009 9:38 pm
Solo Sixteen [The Difference Between You and Me: A Talk With Tezcatlipoca]
Three days of waking frights. Three nights of tormented dreams. That was how long it had been since he'd woken to his growth and found himself a murderer and man-eater.
Seventy-two hours of terror, misery, and hatred. The only good thing in those terrible hours was Tepin. She'd stood by his side during the times when he could barely function, let him hold her when the day and night terrors became too much.
But enough was enough. Valeriu was sick and tired of it. He was the adult here, not her. He should be stronger than this. He was stronger than this.
And he knew what was holding him back.
While Tepin slept, he pulled away silently, retreating to the shadows of the alleyway. He'd never tried this before, and the idea had not occurred to him until his god had been so obstinately missing.
He needed answers. Now. If his god would not come to him - well. He would go to his god.
The shadows curled, coiled, rose up and twisted into a strange sort of hole in the wall. The first time he pressed his hand against them, all he met was resistance.
No, no, when his god abducted him, it had felt different: like stepping through the surface of a mirror.
He concentrated on that, and was rewarded with his fingers dipping past the shadows. Then his wrist, his arm, his elbow - soon enough he pressed on into Tezcatlipoca's grey realm.
The god was waiting for him, in his throne of skeletons. They stared at each other - godling and god, silently eyeing the other.
"V'hy?" he finally breathed out, glaring openly at the god before him.
Tezcatlipoca inspected his godling, and then inspected the skull seated beneath his hand, turning a strangely patient yet mocking gaze to Valeriu.
"You asked for my help. Do you regret it?" he asked. It was a question Valeriu had heard often from the god on issues like this, and one he had answered without hesitation.
He hesitated now.
"This is the price to be my godling," the god continued. "And it is too late for regret. Against my personal judgment, I have let you decide on your own." The sneering curl to his lips belied exactly what Tezcatlipoca's personal judgment was. "I continue to let you decide on your own."
Valeriu could acknowledge that. For all that the god had dissented and punished, he had never forced Valeriu into a decision. Warning prickles and biting claws were the farthest the god had ever gone - and they stopped when Valeriu made his choice.
He stayed silent, though.
The god rested his chin in the crook of his palm, the tell-tale curl to his lip that told Valeriu he knew very well how correct his points had been. Yes, his god was vicious. Yes, the man was facetious. But, considering all else, he had been fair to his godling. Valeriu had asked, for everything: asked for the training, asked for the power. And he had given, and taken his price, each time.
This time, Valeriu had been about to die, and he had saved him.
"It is too late to turn back now," the god repeated, cocking his head arrogantly. "Your price is the hunger. If you do not feed it, you will die."
He understood, nodding numbly. The killing, the eating - it was not a one-time occurrence. It would have to happen again, and again, and again. Like a vampire, in the stories; mere food alone would not sustain him any longer, now that he had reached this level.
He wondered what price Ciro had to pay; Writ, and Fish (the latter of which still had not left his mind nor vengeance).
"I v'ill fight ee't," he affirmed, frowning at the god defiantly.
"You will lose," Tezcatlipoca smiled back, a Cheshire grin upon his face.
He refused. He wasn't - he wasn't a monster. Tepin had told him that. And as long as he tried, as long as he fought, he wouldn't become one. The day that he could look his victims in the eye and smile was the day he lost his humanity.
He would make sure that day never came.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 6:29 pm
[Late Night Message: Shenanigans with Writ]
Went out and set off a few explosions to a government building with Ciro's arch-nemesis.
It was actually really fun (sorry Ciro)!
Down with the government! Or just their mailboxes and windows.
Man, I feel good after that.
Points: 20.57
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 6:31 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 12:20 am
[All For You: Tepin Grows! Vale Is Not Pleased]
What! No!
I don't even know. Does sleeping next to me cause godlings to spontaneously grow? This isn't--!
Of course I'm upset. Who wouldn't be? But she's Tepin. I couldn't ever -- no matter how mad I was. No matter how much I hated myself. Sydni and Tepin, they're immune. I don't want to think about how this will affect the Game. I know I could never raise a hand against her.
Although I can lift mattresses. Against her. Or something--
I don't know! And she's confused, to top it all off. But she's still my little stray. Why does this always happen to me?
Tezcatlipoca is laughing. I'm not. Damn it, god-!
Points: 16.30
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 03, 2009 5:32 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 12:16 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 8:31 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 6:54 am
[Ripples in the Water: Tepin Meets Jungle]
Hm. For some reason, Tepin's been really testy lately. And it's not that horrible, horrible time of the month, either. I don't know what could be wrong! She doesn't seem to be enjoying anything.
A shame. I'd really hoped --- really hoped she'd like it. It's nice, having company here.
But that's just how it goes, right? I'm strange in the first place for liking a place so much. Poor Tepin; I'll take her back home tomorrow or the day after. No need to drag this out the full week.
I'll see if I can't find her some tubers. She seems pretty set on becoming a vegetarian.
Points: 81.45
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 2:01 am
[You Win Some, You Lose Some: Confronted by Mixcoatl]
Met Mix. "Talked" with Mix. Am left bleeding and in severe pain and mental discomfort.
I can fix up most of the stuff, but I think I've got some internal damage. I've never dealt with that before, and it's not like I can walk up to the hospital nonchalantly. Even if I had the money for that--it's not going to happen.
I can deal with it for now. All that blood loss is making me really tired.
Hm. I don't think Tepin liked my joke.
I was serious about the roots.
Points: 26.42
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri May 29, 2009 11:32 pm
[Closer Than You Think: Meeting Nathan]
Another weird way to wake up. Found myself in a room in Downers, with a doctor who fixed me up and Quinn's dad.
Very strange.
He seemed pretty anxious to get me back home, but I figure he just didn't want Quinn to know where he was. It's amazing who the twins know!
My chest feels better, which is very good, and I've got some more information about my parents. Turns out they weren't doing anything bad! I'm more relieved than I should be. Now I just have to keep trying to find them - going to have to check out all the delivery and bartering companies in the City.
Hm, I still feel dizzy though. I wonder what I got drugged with?
This stupid doorknob won't turn for me!
I didn't mean it, door. I didn't. Just let me in.
Please?
Wait. Why am I arguing with a door?
Points: 24.79
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 1:06 am
[Anesthetic Confessions: High as a Kite]
An elevator in the house would be pretty cool.
I'm sort of nervous - just because I'm on some sort of sedative doesn't mean I'll forget anything! But...was Mixcoatl right? Am I making the right choice, here?
Of course I'm not. This is the most selfish thing I've ever done. I rejected her, didn't I?
Just a lonely, selfish monster. I don't want her to leave.
Damn Nathan, and damn these drugs - maybe, maybe I should never have said any of this to her.
I...I really hope she doesn't regret this.
Points: 28.55
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 11:25 pm
[Raise it Up: Ignorance is Bliss]
She didn't remind me.
I wish I had more control over the shadows, like my god does. Then I could literally sink down into the floor.
Mixcoatl was wrong, very wrong. Gods can be wrong sometimes, too.
I don't find this as reassuring as I would have once.
I wish she had reminded me.
Points: 13.51
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 12:05 am
Solo Seventeen
[Feed Me Seymour: Part of a Well-Balanced Diet]
First day.
He was hungry.
This was not an uncommon experience for Valeriu. As a teenage boy, he found his stomach had transformed into a black hole when his back was turned. Morning, noon, and night, his waking thoughts oftentimes focused upon the next meal and the next snack.
Lucky for him, there was a hoagie with his name on it.
An hour later, and he was still hungry.
Second day.
Hunger had turned to a pit in his stomach. Gnawing, twisting, grinding – it was uncomfortable. He rubbed a hand across his stomach to sooth the angered beast, even as he quickly emptied out the fridge throughout the day. He ate until he thought he would be sick, where his mouth had given up on chewing and his throat was contemplating spitting everything back upon the plate.
His mirror sat heavy upon his chest, and seemed to be colder than before.
He went to bed, and he was still hungry.
Third day.
He was agitated. Short of temper, impatient, prone to pacing and jerky movements. People seemed to talk for too long; rather than distracting him from the pain in his stomach, he could only think about how they were impeding his way to the sandwich shop. The fridge was empty; even the leftovers were gone.
His head and his eyes hurt, and he couldn’t get comfortable.
He sat upon his Tower, and he was still hungry.
By the end of the week, he didn’t think he’d ever been in a worse state.
He was weak. Weak and tired, nauseous and in pain every minute of every hour. His vision was constantly blurry, and he slept. He slept during breaks, he slept during free time, he slept through his normal morning routine until his cheeks were rough and unshaven.
Nothing satisfied him. He’d eaten, and eaten, and eaten until he’d just about burst – but it wasn’t enough. He was still hungry.
He grit his teeth, and ground his fist into the windowpane as he stared down at the night.
He knew what was wrong, now. Knew this had been coming. Knew of Tezcatlipoca’s trap, of his warnings, of the price he would have to pay. At this rate, he would starve to death. Or he’d go mad, and…
His eyes flashed to where Tepin lay sleeping, to the wall he shared with Sydni’s room. In the same moment, he opened the window with a quiet creak, stepping out upon the fire escape. His arms trembled, and he knew he was going to be sick again.
But he had to. He had to. This was what he was. This was how he had to survive.
To protect the innocent, he had to condemn the guilty.
Early in the morning, he slipped back in through the window, soundlessly. Ghosted through the room, out to the hall, and into the bathroom. He washed his hands and arms, his face; threw soaked clothes into the shower, shut the door.
Clean, clean, clean. Everything had to be cleaned. Everything had to be spotless – she couldn’t know. She said – she said he wasn’t a monster.
She was wrong.
She couldn’t know that she was wrong. He couldn’t stand to see the look on her face, if she knew. He’d suffered one rejection already; he didn’t want her to start seeing him as monster as well. He couldn’t tell her. Couldn’t go to her like he had the first night, seeking some form of forgiveness.
If she knew this time, that he was in his right mind. This time, he had made the choice. This time, he hadn’t been attacked.
That night, when everything was clean and dry, he crowded back into the bathtub, wrapped his arms around himself, and wished he could sleep again.
He wasn’t hungry.
For now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2009 2:34 pm
Solo Eighteen
[Promotions and Play: Valeriu Is In a Good Mood]
He didn't care for the recent changes; nor did he pay them much heed. One suit, ten suits, a hundred - they blocked the borders, milled around certain shops, but none came to bother him. Of course they wouldn't; he was careful not to let his uncommon nightly activities see daylight.
When he had to get into Downers, he simply skipped across the buildings. Simply walked through the shadows. No ID necessary - for all the good that his would do, seeing as it said he was currently eleven years old, coming up on twelve all too quickly.
All in all, it was safe to say he had more pressing matters to worry about.
He'd gotten an internship.
It took him a while to digest this. An internship, with the company's contracted architectural engineer. An internship, where he, Valeriu, would learn the art and trade of architecture. For reals.
No more fumbling through things on his own - he had someone to teach him. No more staring at his drawings, wondering where the flaws were hidden from his inexperienced eyes - he had someone to point them out. Someone to tell him to read these books, draw this building, evaluate this, analyze that, draft and draft and draft until his fingers bled at night as he hunched over his desk.
He had an internship.
Sure, it was another responsibility hefted onto his shoulders. Juggling his job, Sydni and Tepin, taking care of the house, being part of the Game - it was already a lot.
But this? This was worth it. This was worth the hours of lost sleep as he studied after work, his newly-found mentor's critical gaze boring into him as she decided day by day if he deserved this, if he was worthy.
He wanted it. He would keep it. He would show her that, despite his appearance, she would never have another student as dedicated or determined as he was. He would show her.
That is, if he didn't go to prison for sororicide.
Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.
"Sydni, knock it off," he growled, fingers digging into the wooden desk he was attempting to study at. He was met with giggles, as the little girl continued to shove at the back of his chair, jolting the poor boy every few seconds. "Sydni!" He snapped, twisted, hand shooting off of his draftwork to snatch at his sister. Nimbly she ducked out of reach, running out the door with a gleeful screech, appearing at the jamb a second later to squint at him and giggle further.
Terrible twos, his mind intoned morosely. This is going to be the v'orst year of my life.
He stared down his sister for a few seconds, and she quieted, staring back just as tensely. Then with another shriek of laughter, she took off, with him chasing after her into the hall as the siblings raced circles around the old couch.
When it boiled down to it - he could take a break for a few minutes.
His little sister was still more important.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
