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 Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2009 1:43 am
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Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2009 8:15 am
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Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2009 7:05 pm
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Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2009 8:19 pm
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 4:20 pm
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 4:21 pm
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CH 18 JULY 20
OUTSIDER
The first thing Q did once he got into town was go to a specialty weapons store. He'd been meaning to do this for quite a while, but had been sidetracked once he found that huge stash of CDs on the outskirts of town. There were two things in his life that he loved: music, and guns. But he reminded himself that he couldn't think about music now. He had to restore Edmond's faith in him by killing the Phoenix as soon as possible.
When Q walked in the store, a little bell rang to signify a customer had entered. He winced slightly at the high pitched noise and waited for the owner to show himself. On the walls were hundreds of blades. Swords, daggers, knives, ninja gear... Almost everything someone could ever want. Then, in glass display cases that doubled as counter-tops, were the guns. Q was awed. This selection was more than he'd ever seen anywhere else. He guessed it helped that Dexterity was a country full of outlaws.
As the owner finally walked up to the counter, he took one look at Q and scowled a bit, no doubt thinking Q was someone who knew nothing and was only here to window shop. But the Talvian would prove him wrong- as soon as Q was done gawking at the selection, he walked to the other man and asked for two very specific weapons. The owner mulled the suggestions over before going in the back and retrieving the two items Q had requested: a special handgun and a very efficient knife. They were considered antiques, even for Dexterity, which was known for being behind the times in technology and equipment.
Q asked for a holster and sheath as well as ammo for the gun. He put both weapons on his belt and stuck the bullets in his pocket, thinking loading the gun wouldn't be the best decision before actually paying for it.
As the owner watched Q with distrusting eyes, the Talvian didn't take too long to open his wallet and begin to put the money he owed on the table. That was when things became interesting.
“What the hell is this?” The shop owner growled. “Play money?”
Q looked down at his bills and realized that the currency here could obviously be different from the other countries. The thought had slipped his mind until now. He tried to play it like he knew what he was doing while he internally began to panic.
“Sir, I can assure you the money is real. It's--”
Q was interrupted by a gun being cocked and aimed at the center of his face. He froze.
“No! I've been robbed twice this week, I ain't gonna let some punk try to fool me into taking some fake bills!”
Q swallowed, but tried to stay calm. “Sir, I'm sorry about the mistake. I will...”
The both of them looked over as the bell rang again to signify a new customer. It was an older man with long black hair and a trenchcoat. He held an umbrella as a cane, and the smile on his face quickly faded once he took in the current situation.
His blue eyes first looked over the Talvian, seeming a bit confused. Then as his eyes passed over the money on the counter, a look of realization sparked in them.
“Dave,” he said calmly as he approached the scene, a courtesy smile crossing his features.
“Don't worry about this; I'll pay.”
He came up near Q and the owner, Dave, reluctantly lowered the gun. The umbrella man took the foreign money in his hands and counted it, then replaced it on the counter with an entirely different set of bills. The local Dexterian currency, Q assumed. The stranger put Q's money in his waller, and spoke to Dave. “That covers the cost. Right?”
Dave grumbled a “Yeah.”
The man in the trenchcoat's smile widened. “Good.”
He then turned to Q, who had remained silent. “Come with me, boy,” the man ordered, walking out of the store.
Q reluctantly followed.
Once they were outside the store, Q didn't even get a chance to say thank you before the man started speaking again. “You look remarkably human for a Talvian,” the man said, looking over Q as he walked. “Is that why you were banished from your homeland?”
Q scowled. “Among other things,” he answered. “Who are you?” Q stopped walking, expecting an answer. The man halted as well, looking down at the Talvian, who was a few inches shorter than himself.
“My name is Kingsley,” he replied, beginning to walk once more. “Walk with me.”
Q's lip twitched, unsure if he should follow. But the man was interesting, so he trotted up to Kingsley and walked with him once he caught up.
“You should be careful who sees you with that money,” Kingsley continued. “There are many people who would kill you for being an outsider.”
Q scoffed. “The Heartlies? They're dead.”
Kingsley tried to hide his disappointment in the news as he replied, “There are others.”
After a pause in thought, he asked, “What is your name, boy?”
“Q,” Q answered.
Kingsley chuckled. “An alias? How impolite. I just bought you a very expensive gift, you know.”
Q looked down. He was about to argue how it couldn't have been a gift since Kingsley took his money, but decided to be truthful instead and just answer the question.
“Quatre,” he muttered, slightly ashamed.
Kingsley chuckled again. “I see why you prefer Q. A number for a name isn't very likable, is it?”
Quatre meant Four in the Talvian language. Q covered his surprise at Kingsley knowing such a thing.
“No, it's not,” he answered.
“May I ask why you were named such? Fourth son, perhaps?”
Q grunted. “Fourth in the tribe to be a mixblood.” The Talvian did not like this conversation, and was quick to reroute it. “How's someone in Dexterity know so much about Talvia?”
Kingsley gave a “heh” in response. “I used to be quite the traveler.” He stopped in front of a building. Q looked to Kingsley, waiting for an answer for the soon to come question.
“Where are we?” he muttered.
“Sinico,” Kingsley responded, opening the door.
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 4:22 pm
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CH 19 JULY 27
NEGATED BLUFF
Kingsley opened the door to what seemed like an abandoned factory. But as the man lead Q through another door, a whole new world was experienced. Inside the second door were a plethora of cubicles. Then, to the far right, a gun range inside the building. Q grated his teeth at the noise. He had sensitive hearing. All Talvians did.
Kingsley quickly led Q into an office, however, and inside, it was soundproofed. Two chairs and a desk with another chair, complete with person behind it was the setup of the room. When the office door closed, Q loosened up and looked to Mercain, the man behind the desk.
“Who is this, Kingsley?” Mercain questioned as he stood from his chair, looking to Q. Mercain had dyed his hair blue, but otherwise wore clothing very similar to Kingsley's.
“I thought I would show you something special today,” Kingsley said. “I stumbled over this boy on the street. If you'll notice, you can't feel his ki.”
Mercain looked to Q as the Talvian's face was overcome with dread. What had he gotten himself into? Dexterians weren't supposed to know what limiters were. This was a trap of somesort. He began to walk to the door. “Excuse me...” he said.
Kingsley's hand came out and shoved Q into the chair with a thud. “You stay there,” he commanded.
Q rubbed his shoulder in his chair as he waited. Kingsley was surprisingly strong.
“As I was saying,” Kingsley continued, “he's wearing a type of limiter. It's called a Negator. They only make them in Cybil. This boy is very important to us.”
Mercain quirked a brow. “Why? Because he has a connection to Cybil? Kingsley, please. Tell me you didn't come here just for that.”
He looked back to Q, wondering what he could do with outside technology. He didn't want to get back into the market with foreign tech just yet. This was an interesting development, sure, but Kingsley usually gave him better things. Things that he considered to be better than this.
Kingsley smirked. “There is more. He's Talvian, so his ki is much stronger than a normal human's. However, the main reason I brought him here is because this boy is the Soul Stealer.”
Kingsley looked to Q, who stood up out of his chair.
“Don't be ridiculous!” the Talvian shouted. “I am not that monster!”
Mercain watched Q for a moment, then turned to Kingsley, fingering a pen in his right hand idly. “The Soul Stealer's been missing for twenty years. Just because you found some stranger with a Negator doesn't mean he's it,” he said unenthusiastically, flipping the pen between his first two fingers and leaning back in his chair.
“Don't be stupid, Mercain. This boy is in his mid-twenties. The last Phoenix died in Talvia and the Soul Stealer's last known origin was near Talvia. This is a Talvian, obviously ejected from his tribe because of his looks and his Rez. This is not coincidence.”
“Hey!” Q shouted, insulted. Q couldn't be the Soul Stealer. He wasn't. And he certainly wouldn't believe someone was trying to convince another that he was.
“I was banished because I liked human culture more than Talvian. I couldn't even grasp the language too well. I am not the Soul Stealer!”
Mercain bit his lip, halting his pen spinning as he watched Q's reactions. “I know you're trustworthy Kingsley, but I am hard pressed to believe you this time.” Q seemed to believe what he was saying. Mercain considered himself a good judge of people's emotions. Q didn't appear to be lying.
He turned an eye to Kingsley, sitting up in his chair and pulling up to the desk, putting his pen down atop it. “If you can prove it to me...” He thought aloud, finally focusing all his attention on Kingsley, “...Possess him and show me.”
“Possess me?!” Q yelled. He looked to Kingsley in shock. “You're a Possessor?!”
The Talvian jumped forward, unsheathing his new knife. He had to get out of this place. They were going to take his limiter off- he couldn't allow that. And hell if he'd let himself be possessed.
He went to stab Kingsley in the gut, but the man easily sidestepped into Q's form and grabbed the Talvian's wrist, raising it high above his head. Kingsley then used his free hand to grasp Q's neck.
Q could still breathe, but barely. Luckily, his collar protected him somewhat, although the buckle was digging into his skin rather uncomfortably from the pressure of Kingsley's grip.
“Listen,” the Talvian wheezed. “If I really am the Soul Stealer, do you really want the Seekers to come here?”
Seekers were trained to seek out a specific person's ki signature. Different Resonance Souls felt differently. Almost always, there was a permanent hit out on two Resonants: The Soul Seeker and the Phoenix. If Q was the Soul Stealer, when his negator was taken off, the place would be crawling with Seekers within days or even hours.
“Don't be stupid,” Kingsley spat. “Nobody cares about Dexterity. If they did, the Monte Cristons would've come to kill the Phoenix long a go.”
Q coughed. He would've laughed at the irony if this had been a different situation.
“What if they want Dexterity to be destroyed by her?” He rasped.
“Of course they want that. The Monte Cristons are bigots. But that's why we have you, isn't it?” Kingsley sneered. “Now where's your Negator? In your clothes? Those sunglasses of yours?”
All limiters were essentially just microchips. They could be hidden anywhere.
But rather than reply, Q took his free hand and unholstered the gun he'd just bought, putting the muzzle to Kingsley's stomach.
The other man narrowed his blue eyes.
“Mercain, get this kid's glasses off.”
Q pulled back the hammer on the gun as Mercain came from around the desk. “Are you sure?” he questioned, eying the danger.
“It's a bluff,” Kingsley growled. “There's no way he loaded this before he bought it.”
Q's grip tightened in fear as Mercain came closer toward him, reaching for the sunglasses.
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 4:23 pm
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CH 20 AUG 3
THE PROPHECY
FIFTEEN YEARS PRIOR
“This is it, Eiki,” A Monte Criston said as he lay on his stomach, a large barrel gun in hand. He wore a black vest with gold trim over a black dress shirt. Even his hair was black. It went down to his shoulders. His name was Shoy Dantes.
“Remember the plan?”
Eiki, just a teenager, wore a blue dress shirt and khaki pants. He also had black hair, but it was short and cropped above his ears. He was not a Monte Criston. He had been paid by Shoy to be there because of his Resonance Soul. It had been a lot of money, too. But he was beginning to have doubts about his ability to do this.
“I don't think this is going to work,” the teen admitted.
Shoy looked through the scope of the Incinerator, a weapon specifically designed to blow up the Phoenix. Normally a Monte Criston would lure the Phoenix to a deserted area and then use the weapon. But Eiki had the ability to temporarily create separate dimensions within a set of barriers, so Shoy believed he could use this ability to blow up the Phoenix anywhere without harming anyone else and without wasting valuable time trying to lure the Phoenix away, which was often the hardest part of the job.
“Why not?” grumbled Shoy, fixating his gaze on the current Phoenix.
“I can't do it,” Eiki complained.
“Don't say that. Think about how long it took us to get here. To gain the Talvian's trust to be on their land. You can do this.”
Eiki shook his head. “No I can't!”
Typical rebellious teenager.
Shoy growled, his mood fouled.
“Eiki, I am going to shoot this Incinerator and when the bullet reaches the Phoenix, you are going to put up your walls to contain the explosion. And if you don't, then everyone will blame you for murdering half of Talvia,” Shoy spat.
His finger tightened on the trigger. “Now get ready.”
Eiki didn't think he could do this, but he didn't want to be considered a murderer. Shoy pulled on the trigger and when the Talvian Phoenix went down, Eiki put up his barriers. But as the Phoenix exploded, the walls collapsed. Shoy got up as the explosion came toward them and began to run. He tried to pull Eiki, but the boy was in shock and there wasn't enough time to save both himself and the boy.
One week later, Shoy found himself blamed for the attempted genocide of the Talvians. The Trisks, The League's version of a jury, said the most effective punishment for Shoy would be to banish his four year old son. Because of Shoy's failure and resulting punishment, his wife left him and he lost all respect he had in his home country. His younger brother, Edmond, inherited most of his property when Shoy's title was stripped.
Around that time, Shoy decided to leave his country. He did not believe in what the rest of the Monte Cristons did. Monte Cristo was a country with a strict religion. They believed in a prophecy that would destroy the world unless they prevented it. The Monte Cristons subscribed to the belief that the Phoenix Soul had a plan to kill every host body so Resonance Souls could roam free. The Phoenix was a martyr for the Resonants. And in order to protect the human race, the Monte Cristons killed the Phoenix host at every reincarnation, both to prevent the Phoenix Soul from finding a way to separate itself from its host, as well as to protect the cities that were reduced to rubble when a Phoenix finally destroyed its host body.
But then the Soul Stealer was discovered. And the Monte Cristons believed that this Resonant would find the Phoenix. And upon the Soul Stealer absorbing the Phoenix Soul into itself, the Phoenix would take control of the Soul Stealer's body and cause mass chaos by stealing every Resonance Soul on the planet. For, as it was believed, every Resonant stolen by the Soul Stealer was removed from the reincarnation cycle. So the Monte Cristons vowed to kill every Soul Stealer host too, for the good of the world.
This was where Shoy disagreed with the Prophecy. Shoy believed that, with training, the Soul Stealer could steal the Phoenix Soul and remove it from the reincarnation cycle forever. But everyone else disagreed. The Soul Stealer could use the power of every Rez it stole, said the others. But it was known for taking on personality traits of the stolen souls and going mad after absorbing too many.
Since the Phoenix was a Resonant with a personality unlike normal Resonants, surely the weak-minded Soul Stealer would succumb to the will of the Phoenix Soul. And should the Soul Stealer try to kill itself as past ones had, it would simply revive itself with the Phoenix Soul's power, bringing the Phoenix's personality closer to the surface.
Shoy eventually gave up on trying to convince the others, but he knew his theory was right. The Soul Stealer could end this trouble with the Phoenix forever, and he could make it happen.
The Monte Criston changed his name from Shoy to Kingsley and traveled the world looking for both the disappeared Soul Stealer and his banished son.
Eventually he wound up in Dexterity, and after he befriended Amigo, finally succumbed to the futility of the tasks of finding people who did not want to be found. He became a teacher, helped Amigo adopt Sim, and was living a pretty ordinary life as a Dexterian. That was, until fate graced him with the Soul Stealer, reviving his faith and drive to do what was right and kill the Phoenix once and for all. That mistake with Talvia would not happen again. He would succeed this time. And the world would thank him by giving him back his son.
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 4:24 pm
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CH 21 AUG 10
POSSESSOR
PRESENT DAY
Mercain grabbed the glasses and put them on the desk behind him, taking a few steps back. He didn't want to involve himself in this.
Kingsley was a Possessor. But in order to possess, he needed direct eye contact. Just as Mercain stepped back and Shoy's eyes caught Q's, the Talvian shut his green orbs and shoved the butt of the gun between Shoy's ribs. It may not have been loaded, but it could still do damage.
Shoy let go of Q's neck, grabbed the gun from the boy's grip and threw it across the room. When Q tried to use his knife hand again, Kingsley brought down the arm and spun around, throwing the Talvian off-balance. Right as Q was beginning to recollect himself, Kingsley got the knife in his grip and threw that to the other side of the office as well, the blade skillfully embedding itself into the far wall.
Q regained his balance and stood, quickly looked to the door Kingsley was blocking, and then went to sidekick the man. The former Monte Criston swiftly spun on his heels, avoiding the attack. When Q turned to try again with his other foot, Kingsley picked up the umbrella that had been leaning against the wall where he'd left it and stabbed Q in the back of the knee that was holding the Talvian's weight with the point of it. The knee buckled and Q was once again on the ground. This time, Kingsley took no chances and went forward to yank on the boy's tail. Q yowled in pain.
Kingsley set his umbrella down once more and brought his hand to Q's throat, glaring at the eyes that were shut tight. Shoy growled.
“Open your eyes, Q,” Kingsley commanded, bringing Q up to his knees.
The Talvian bared his teeth in some feeble attempt to growl.
“I'm not going to play this game with you. Open your eyes,” he said again.
Q did nothing. Shoy slammed Q's head against the chair. Mercain flinched, unaware Kingsley could be so violent. When Shoy brought Q's head back up, it seemed like the Talvian was in a daze. Kingsley used the opportunity to hold an eye open, but the pupil was rolling in the back of Q's head.
“Look at me,” Kingsley commanded. Q seemed to wearily be trying to follow Shoy's order. It wasn't perfect, but Shoy was able to begin slipping through the boy's memories. The ability came and went as the Negator made it difficult to maintain the faintest of a connection. But Shoy soon discovered that the chip was in the collar, and was quick to get the needless fashion accessory off the dog, tossing it to the floor.
Once it was off, Q began to become aware of his surroundings. His ki surged. There was a large heaviness in the room. Shoy felt a warmth as Q's eyes widened. The Talvian awoke from his daze in a horrified shock. But before anything could happen, Kingsley took advantage of the situation and took control of the Talvian's body. As his own went limp, Q's arms came out to catch it so it didn't harm itself as it crumpled to the ground as dead weight.
Q stood and looked to Mercain.
“I have him now,” Q's voice rang. But it was Kingsley that was the brain of the operation.
Mercain was still suspicious, his face laced with worry. “So is he the Soul Stealer?”
Q frowned. “Don't be stupid. Of course he is. Did you feel that heavy ki before?”
Mercain looked uneasy. “It certainly is a strong Negator that he has. But what does his memory say? What was it like, the first time he stole a soul?”
Kingsley, in Q's body, began to search the Talvian's memory banks once more.
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 4:24 pm
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CH 22 AUG 17
YECHT AND SVEN
TWENTY YEARS PRIOR
Sven and Yecht were paternal twins from the Jackal tribe. Yecht had the head of the tribe's namesake, while his brother Sven had only the characteristic long ears and neck. Sven had a much less pronounced muzzle, as his face attempted to appear more human in nature. The both of them were covered with tan fur. When they came to the tree Q was hiding under, their long necks sloped forward in unison as their beady eyes searched within the tall, arching roots for where Q was hiding. They eventually found him and glared, Yecht smirking.
“Den Mother says we have to speak human around you now,” Yecht barked.
“Den Mother says your tongue is slow,” mocked Sven.
“My tongue is not slow!” whined Q, his brown hair covering his face.
Sven and Yecht always teased him. His mother was human and his father was a halfblood. Q was as removed as the country would allow. He came from the Saluki tribe, an ancient pack of tamed canines. As such, they had a horrible reputation of taking on human mates.
“Den Mother is never wrong!” Yecht howled. “How dare you imply so!” His head went deeper into the roots, trying to scare Q out. It only made the Saluki crawl back into them further.
“Go away!” Q pleaded.
“Den Mother says your Soul will wake up today,” Sven said from behind Q. He had snuck behind the boy while Yecht had kept Q's attention. Q yelped in surprise, trapped between the two bodies in the huge roots of the tree.
Sven grinned.
“Den Mother says today,” Yecht sang, closing in on his prey.
“We want to know what Soul Quatre has,” Sven said, grabbing Q's tail. Q whimpered. The tail was the most sensitive part of him.
“Yecht must know what puny Soul Quatre has,” Yecht said, licking his lips as he crept forward, his long nose soon coming to touch Q's.
Sven pulled at Q's tail. Q yowled with pain.
“Oh Quatre's tail is very fragile! Quatre must tell us what his Soul is to stop pain,” Sven chuckled.
Yecht smacked his jaws together in front of Q, who was now shivering.
“Den Mother will punish you for this method of Awakening!” Q blurted out.
Yecht laughed. “Den Mother will not find out, will she?” He poked his nose to Q's forehead and pushed him back into Sven.
At that moment, there was a bright light and all of them felt a great, welcoming warmth. A warmth that would comfort but would also betray if held onto for too long. Q felt something pass through him. He would never be able to describe how it felt amazing and terrible at the same time. Sven and Yecht pulled away from Q as quickly as they could muster, and once they were no longer touching Q, the feelings and light vanished.
Sven glared at Q. “What did you do?!” he barked, but then his eyes were overcome with confusion.
He looked past Quatre to Yecht, who was not Yecht.
Sven was Yecht.
Yecht's body shivered for a moment before morphing into that of a traditional, ancient Jackal's and running off to tell Den Mother about the new Resonance Soul. Yecht, however, inside Sven's body, was angered. Because Sven looked more human he was lower in caste. This body was a prison and Sven had climbed many ranks in Yecht's body.
“Change me back!” Sven's body screamed.
Q's eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he went limp.
Sven's hands shook Quatre's unconscious form.
“Change me back!!” It was desperate, echoing through the trees as Sven's voice, although it was Yecht's mind behind it.
“Quatre!! Den Mother!! Someone?!!” He howled.
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 4:26 pm
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CH 23 AUG 24
CHANGE
PRESENT DAY
“Fortenra! I found you!” Tali tackle-hugged the boy, who was still in his suit.
Of course, it was ragged, wrinkled, and much dirtier now, but Tali still considered it to be formal. When she was done with her hug, she waved her hand around.
“Whew,” she said. “You smell a bit, you know?”
Fortenra rolled his eyes. It had been about a week, now. He needed a shower. Standing in the rain hadn't done much for him. But that was beside him. He eyed Tali.
“What... are you wearing?” he questioned.
Tali normally wore jeans and a tanktop. She was somewhat fashionable, at least. But right now, the sixteen year old was wearing some sort of oversized fire fighter suit, yellow reflectors and all.
“You like it?” Tali grinned and twirled around, her hands and feet covered by the material. “It's a fire resistant suit.”
“It's... Interesting....” Fortenra relented, quickly changing the subject. “Tali, we need to talk about what happened when--”
Hirun, who had been standing near the both of them, finally spoke up, interrupting Askasa.
“Yo, Tali, I heard what you did to the city! I think that's pretty cool, putting people in their place like that!”
Tali threw up her arms, “Oh yeah? I thought so too! It's terrible how they treat us. We're the future!”
She shoved Hikari, her hand to his shoulder playfully. “Especially you, Hikari. It's horrible how you have to live.”
Hirun looked down briefly before going in to hug Tali. “Yeah, well, you paid 'em back for me,” he said softly.
Fortenra reached over, but stopped himself from touching either of them when they released eachother from their embrace.
“So Fort!” Tali hopped. “I got us a house!”
Fortenra brought his hands back to his sides. “What?”
“A house! C'mon, you'll love it! You too, Hikari!”
Tali ushered the both of them into her new car and five minutes later she was in the driveway of a very fine looking house. There weren't even any burn marks. The fiery-haired girl led the two boys inside and started to show them around.
“And this is the living room, and the kitchen...” she began.
With each passing room, Hirun grew more excited while Fortenra became more withdrawn.
“... And this is my and Fort's room!” Tali finished, bringing them into a large bedroom.
Trying to get Askasa more involved, she said, “Look, I even bought you new clothes!” as she pulled her boyfriend over to the walk-in closet, which was filled with suits, all in Fortenra's size.
He gave her a weary, forced smile as she pulled him to the main room again, patting herself on the back for how she had decorated this room all by herself, just to impress Askasa.
“This is awesome, Tali,” Hikari replied, wishing he were as lucky as Fortenra. But Askasa was strangely silent on the matter.
“So,” Tali pried, looking to her boyfriend. “What do you think?”
Fortenra bit the inside of his lip, hesitating. “Tali,” he said softly. “You stole all of this.”
“Who cares?” Hikari interjected.
“But I did it all for you,” Tali whimpered. Fortenra took a step back.
“The apartment we had. That was ours. I paid for it. We earned it,” Askasa said.
“We earned this!” Tali pleaded.
Fortenra shook his head.
“I worked hard for that apartment. And you burned it all to the ground. This? You didn't work for this, Tali. You never work for anything. You took what other people worked for and claimed it as your own.”
“What?” Tali growled. “How can you say that? I worked for this! I did it for you! I changed who I was for you!”
Fortenra stepped back again again, full of remorse. “No you didn't, Tali. You didn't change at all. I'm sorry.”
And with that, he shoved his hands in his pockets and he left.
Tali jumped forward to rush after him, but Hirun grabbed her hand and pulled her back.
“He doesn't understand you,” he said, bending his neck to look into Tali's bright eyes. She needed someone.
“But--”
Hirun pulled Tali into his arms, hugging her tightly. “You don't need him.”
His eyes glared at the empty hallway Fortenra has used to exit the home.
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 4:27 pm
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CH 24 AUG 31
KICKBACK
Edmond threw the fifth computer to the floor.
“This is ridiculous!” he shouted.
Inside the castle, he was alone. Alone with no communication. He'd spent all day salvaging computer equipment and attempting to get a connection going to the outside world. He hadn't succeeded. How could Dexterians even survive among this trash? How could they live without even a simple phone? He could only thank fate he at least had electricity.
It had been a week with no progress. He couldn't just depend on Q to do everything. Q probably wasn't even doing what he said he was. He probably was out getting a damn music fix.
Edmond shook his head. Even if Q somehow did get the Phoenix and lure her away, how would he contact Edmond with no phone?! The Monte Criston kicked one of the computer monitors on the floor, causing it to roll forward a few times before wobbling to a halt a few feet away.
Edmond grunted and looked out a nearby window. Something didn't feel quite right. He didn't know why, but he had the urge to go into town and find Q to see how he was doing.
There was no harm in that.
He gave a final kick to one of the monitors before walking outside and taking the long road to town. It was time for a change of pace anyway.
Inside Sinico, Q's face was covered in confusion.
“I don't know,” Shoy said from within the Talvian's body. “His memory is missing a bunch of pieces. Things don't make sense. I think Q's memories of his Resonance Soul have been...” Q's eyes narrowed.
“Edmond...” he let out a guttural growl.
“Edmond?” Mercain questioned. “Who's that?”
Q's head shook. “Nobody important. But it appears that Q here is his adoptive son. They came to the kill the Phoenix.”
Mercain groaned and sat back in his chair, picking up his pen and fiddling with it as he propped his feet on his desk. “So you have no idea if he's the Soul Stealer.”
Kingsley growled again from within Q's body. “He is the Soul Stealer!”
“You just can't prove it,” Mercain mocked.
Q's hand reached over the office desk and grabbed Mercain's leg. Mercain was overcome with a warm feeling. As if he were about to pass out, but was happy about it. Another hand yanked the pen from the man's weakening fingertips and held it up, the pen morphing into a small gun. Q's hand let go of Mercain and dropped the gun on the desk as he stood back up straight.
Kingsley, inside of Q, glared at the other man, who was only vaguely aware of what had just happened.
“Soul Stealer,” Q's voice grumbled.
Mercain looked down at the gun that used to be a pen. His own resonance soul was the ability to mold metallics. Kingsley had just used it from within Q's body. He swallowed.
“Say I believe you,” he said quietly. “What could we--”
The man was interrupted by Q doubling over, his arms holding himself up on the desk.
Mercain jumped up. “Kingsley?!”
He shoved his chair back and grabbed Kingsley's body, lifting its head up and opening an eye. He looked over to Q, still struggling with the dead weight.
“Kingsley, over here!” he shouted.
Q, shaking and breathing abnormally, struggled to look over to Mercain and Shoy's original body. Once he had, Q's body immediately collapsed to its knees and Shoy's body gasped for air.
Mercain jumped backward. “Damnit, are you okay?”
Kingsley's hand went to his neck as he coughed a bit. He pointed to the collar on the floor. “Negator,” he hoarsed. “Put it back on him.”
Mercain reached over and grabbed the collar, tossing it to Q, who was dry heaving. He didn't react when the collar hit him and fell to the floor.
“Put it on him,” Kingsley forced, bringing himself up to a kneeling position. He was trying to get up, but his body wasn't fully complying.
Mercain swallowed and he grabbed the collar again nervously, then quickly wrapped it around Q's neck, pushing the Talvian over on his back in the process, where he finally passed out.
Mercain clasped the latch shut and turned to Kingsley, who had only just managed to get on his own feet.
“What the hell was that?” Mercain demanded as he stood back up.
Kingsley rubbed his throat again.”Kickback,” he admitted.
“From his Rez?” Mercain was confused. “Why the hell did you feel it?”
Shoy shook his head, clearing his throat.
“I felt it. The Soul Stealer. It has a personality, like a normal Soul. Like the Phoenix,” he rasped.
“Every time Q uses his Rez,” he coughed, “It tries to absorb Q. It tried to absorb me, while I was in there. That thing is....” He shook his head, his hand grasping his umbrella for support. “That Resonant is evil.”
The Monte Cristons had it right.
The Soul Stealer was bad news. No wonder Q had a negator. That Resonance Soul was an implosion waiting to happen. Kingsley understood now why Q was so afraid of his rez. But at the same time.... To use it... It was exhilarating. Kingsley wanted to try again. To steal a real soul. His knuckles tuned white as he gripped the umbrella. Why would he think that?
“Kingsley,” Mercain's voice ushered Shoy out of his thoughts.
“Yeah?” he answered, uneasily.
Mercain lifted a brow. He was going to ask what to do with Q, but instead a look of concern passed over his face. “Are you sure you're okay?”
Kingsley was shaking.
“Yeah...” He nodded. “Yeah. I'm fine. Let's, uh...” He looked around, swallowing. “Let's lock him up somewhere, before he wakes up.”
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 4:28 pm
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CH 25 SEPT 7
PRISONER
Hours later, Kingsley paced back and forth before the bars of a holding cell. Q was behind the bars, sitting on a metal cot attached to the wall with chains. He was quietly eating what Shoy had brought him from a plastic tray. It was only salad. Q hated salad. But he'd rather eat something he hated than starve for the day.
Finally, after minutes of agonizingly loud lettuce crunching, Kingsley spun on his heels and faced Q, his blue eyes staring through the bars at the other man.
“Can Edmond find you?” He asked.
Q didn't bother looking up, and answered with his mouth half full. “Probably.”
Most questions were useless. Kingsley had been inside Q's brain. He knew most of what Q knew, and Q hadn't known he was the Soul Stealer until Kingsley had used its power. There were so many questions Shoy wanted to ask, but he knew Q didn't know the answers. Why would Edmond erase Q's memory? And how would he? Kingsley knew that Nymphie had the ability, as he had gone to her to erase Sim's, but Nymphie was in Dexterity. Edmond couldn't have been here for long. Maybe a week at most. It would be stupid to erase Q's memory this late in the game. Before Shoy had even realized, he was pacing again.
Q finished his salad and put the plate and fork on the cot beside him, scratching his head. After a moment of watching Shoy, he finally spoke.
“What do you want with me, Shoy?”
The ex-Monte Criston stopped and stared at the Talvian. “How do you know that name?”
Q shrugged, refusing to answer.
Shoy threw himself on the bars, hands gripping them.
“I never told you that name!”
Q looked away, as if uninterested, casually tapping his tail on the cot like a contented cat. Shoy grabbed the keys to the cell, unlocking Q's hastily and rushing at the Talvian, grabbing his shirt collar and slamming him against the wall.
Q winced and closed his eyes. The sunglasses were one of the objects he wasn't allowed to have back, and he didn't want his thoughts read again.
“Shoy Dantes. Right?” Q smirked. “You lose your temper easily.”
Kingsley's lip quivered in anger, debating what to do with the man's smart mouth.
“Did Edmond tell you about me?”
“Nope,” Q smiled.
Shoy smacked his right hand in the middle of Q's chest, throwing out a surge of ki into Q's body. Some of it was negated by Q's limiter, but most of it pulsated through the Talvian. It caused great pain and would rattle the kid's insides.
Q froze for a second before gasping and coughing up a bit of blood.
“A ki master...?” Q hoarsed.
Ki masters were people who had studied the flow of ki well enough to use it separately from their resonance souls. It was something Shoy had taken the time to do while finding himself after leaving Monte Cristo.
“Quit being such a smartass and tell me what you know,” Shoy grunted.
Q hung his head and gave a light cough. “You know everything I do, Possessor. That's the whole point of your power, isn't it?” Q grinned.
Shoy yanked a few hairs out of Q's tail. Q howled with pain in response.
“I told you before, I'm not going to play this game with you,” Shoy whispered harshly.
He'd come too far to fall victim to some stupid mind game.
After a few heavy breaths through his nose, Q offered an explanation.
“That wall was a two-way mirror,” he rasped, referring to the wall in the mind that separated the possessor from the victim. “You searched my memories, I searched yours.”
Kingsley stepped back. “That's impossible. I would've felt--”
Q burst out laughing.
“Seriously?” Q scoffed. “Has any possessor ever been inside of a Soul Stealer, Shoy? Has any research been done on the effect of the souls being inside of him?” Q opened his eyes, green orbs piercing directly into Shoy's blue ones.
“Because I don't recall Resonant Philosophy ever having a chapter about that.”
Shoy's eyes narrowed, and he took the plastic fork from the plate and stabbed Q's chest with it.
Q yelped while Shoy turned around and stormed out.
A twenty five year old was intimidating him.
This stupid Q was freaking him out.
Nobody did that.
Nobody.
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 4:28 pm
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CH 26 SEPT 14
BROTHERS
Kingsley knew Edmond would come for Q. There was no way Edmond would spend the time to practically raise the Soul Stealer and then just dump him off in Dexterity. Kingsley wanted to at least control the outburst when Edmond showed up, so he waited outside the Sinico building, in plain view. He looked at the castle on the hill in the distance - no doubt where Edmond chose to sequester himself – and it wasn't soon enough when his dearest younger brother decided to show up.
Shoy looked over at the angry Monte Criston's form.
“So I see you're a Count, now,” he offered, eying the extra few gold swirls that attached Edmond's cape to his shoulders.
Edmond's eyes narrowed. “What did you do with Q?”
The promotion was honorary, for coming to Dexterity. Edmond thought little of it as he glared at his former role model. If Shoy were here, then he was sure he had Q. Although, for some reason, it did not surprise him in the least that Shoy had decided to hole up in this place.
It made sense that when something bad finally happened, Shoy was behind it.
“What? No formal greeting? I've missed you,” Shoy continued, ignoring Edmond's demand.
The Count of Monte Cristo stepped forward, close to Shoy. Edmond was a few inches shorter than his brother, but just as intimidating.
“You're not a Monte Criston anymore,” Edmond hissed.
“You don't deserve it. Now where's my Talvian?”
“Your Talvian?” Shoy growled, becoming defensive. “What is he, your pet?”
Edmond simply glared in reply.
“Fine,” Shoy was done with this.”I really did miss you.”
He turned around and opened up the doors, leading Edmond inside and to where Q was held. Once they got to the cell, however, all that was left was some blood, stray hairs, and a plastic plate with a bloodied fork on it. The door was open.
“Is this some kind of joke?” Edmond questioned.
Shoy just stood there, flabbergasted. Had that boy rattled him so much that he'd forgotten to lock the cell door when he'd left?
“This is all your fault!” Shoy shouted, quick to judge. He turned to Edmond shoved him back a step.
“My fault?” Edmond shot back, holding the hilt of his rapier rightly. “You're the one who had him held prisoner!”
Shoy grit his teeth. “You're the one who brought him here in the first place! Of course he'd try to get to the Phoenix any chance he got!”
“No he wouldn't-- I made sure of that!” Edmond yelled in retort.
“How? By erasing the memory that he was the Soul Stealer? Edmond, that is just like you, you never--”
Edmond interrupted him. “Never what Shoy? Never what? I'm sure when you found out what he was, you only caught him to claim the glory for yourself! To come back to Monte Cristo!”
“Like you weren't planning the same?!” Shoy shot back. “Great Edmond, who killed the Phoenix and the Soul Stealer in one foul swoop,” Shoy threw up his hands. “He finally proved he wasn't the failure his brother was!”
“You shut up, Shoy,” Edmond growled. “You don't know anything about what I had to go through--”
This time it was Edmond's turn to be interrupted by Shoy. “What you had to go through?! I lost EVERYTHING because of you! All you ever do is use people!” Shoy yelled, pointing to the ground. “You used me, you used Eiki, now you're going to use Q just so you don't have to do any of the damn work yourself!”
The two brothers glared at eachother, taking deep breaths through their noses, nostrils flaring like bulls. It appeared that, for the moment, the family dispute was over.
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 4:29 pm
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CH 27 SEPT 21
INTERRUPTION
It was late in the afternoon as Q walked down the sidewalk. There were cars coming up and down at a fair pace, but not like the rush hour it would've been back home. Q's eyes were squinting in the daylight. They were sensitive to the light. He considered himself nocturnal, and the sunglasses were simply to protect his eyes from anything that wasn't the moon.
His hands were in his jean pockets when someone walked by him, coincidentally wearing sunglasses. Q turned and swiftly kicked the back of the person's knee, causing the person's legs to buckle beneath them. Q swiftly grabbed the sunglasses from the stranger and put them on his own face while walking away as if nothing had happened. The glasses weren't his style, but they would do. He was in enough pain as it was. The stranger spoke a few choice words before considering it a lost cause, walking in the opposite direction of Q.
A few minutes later, Q let out a yawn and stopped to take a break on the bench, where he overheard an argument between two men. Q's hearing was superb, and he got most of his information by simply laying around and listening to what people around him said.
He couldn't see who was talking, nor did he care at the moment. But he knew one of the men's names was Sim. It seemed Sim was the younger of the two. Q closed his eyes, spread his arms and legs out over the bench and yawned again, leaning his head back as he listened to the show.
“Sim, quit following me!” The man said.
“No,” replied Sim. “You got a new order, right? I want in on it. I want to work with you!”
“I said no, Sim!”
Sim ran in front of his surrogate father, blocking his path.
“Why not? What is your obsession with not letting me kill? Everyone does it! You do it! Tali's been ******** up the town and you won't let me do anything--”
Amigo interrupted his son. “It's too dangerous and I don't want you to be a part of it! Don't make me hurt you Sim, because I will.”
The eighteen year old stepped back. “At least tell me who it is,” he said softly, seeming to calm down.
“You know I can't,” Amigo sighed.
“Is it Tali?!” Sim shouted.
“Sim, you know it's classified and--”
Q had gotten up by this time and was now staring at Amigo and Sim with his arms crossed over his chest, watching them.
“Who are you?” Amigo interrupted himself, sizing Q up. Q ignored Amigo however, and instead studied Sim. He could tell.... This boy was The Doppelganger. And Amigo was Atlaos, but not as important. Q could use the Doppelganger.
“Sim, right?” He said.
“I'll help you kill Tali.”
Sim quirked a brow and stepped back, unsure of what to do while his father stepped forward and in between them.
“Just who do you think you are?” the man growled defensively. “You don't talk to my son like that.”
Q gave a heh. “I'll talk to him as I please. You're not a part of this.”
Amigo narrowed his eyes and took a small step back, his hand gripping for something in his back pocket.
“I wouldn't do that if I were you,” Q offered, standing still.
Amigo raised his upper lip in disgust and pulled out a switchblade, flipping it open and going straight for Q's heart, where a blood stain from the prior fork incident in the cell with Shoy was.
Q sidestepped into Amigo's form, but it wasn't quite fast enough as the father ducked and gave a low kick to Q's gut, shoving the Talvian back a few steps as he tried to recover. Amigo came back with the switchblade to the back of Q's neck. Q, still hunched over, didn't even remember seeing the man move.
“Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you right here,” Amigo snarled.
“This,” grunted Q as he grabbed Amigo's leg, which was to his side.
It wasn't too firm a grip, but the touch was all Q needed to begin draining Amigo. The father became unaware of his surroundings as he was amassed in warmth. His eyes went wide and Q threw his own collar to the ground with a grunt in order to finish the process. Once Amigo's lifeless body fell to the ground, Q placed his eyes on Sim, who was making a copy of himself in anger.
Good.
That's just what the Soul Stealer wanted.
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![[Q]'s avatar](https://a1cdn.gaiaonline.com/dress-up/avatar/ava/23/15/1f06246f41523_flip.png?t=1465986572_6.00_11)
