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 Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 11:07 pm
It took longer than they thought to get cleaned up, and once they did it took even longer to get the courage to get up. They both knew what they had to do and how hard it would be, and nothing was going to make it any easier, especially not sitting there in silence. It was Amrita who had gotten up first, sliding her hand into Calder's to encourage him to stand as well; if it had to be done, it might as well approach it like ripping off a bandaid! Not that she knew what that felt like, but it seemed like a good metaphor to use.
What normally took a minute seemed to drag on for hours, and the dread only grew as they approached that familiar old door with the char marks along the bottom. Now all they had to do was open it---
Nope. Locked.
"Uuughhh..." Amrita whined in both frustration and relief. He wasn't home, which was great because she really didn't want to have to tell him, but it was bad because now she had to find a different metaphor for getting it over with simply because now she had to actually find him. That became her new goal; what started as Go to Christof's room. Make sure he won't hit you. Tell him the bad news. turned into Find Christof. Try not to hit him for not being home. Make sure he won't hit you. Tell him the bad news.
A brief discussion ensued, and then they were off to the Demon dorms. Again the stretch of campus felt like a painful eternity, and the whole while that jackdamn white noise of voices never gave her a break. Again she just wanted to run back to her dorm and cry or scream or just go comatose for a month, but she continued to stubbornly put one backwards foot in front of the other, determined to see this through to the end no matter what.
Well, until she saw the ladder, anyway; Calder informed her of it's purpose and all the things attached to it, but the fact remained that it was a ladder. No matter how brave she was feeling, she was not going up there first. Ladders meant there would be no ground under her feet, and ladders were the human's toys. Evil. Pure evil.
"Yoou fiirsst~" She urged the Kelpie, her voice shaking from both the ruined vocal cords, the androgynous dual voice she acquired because of it, and now from fear.
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Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 11:16 pm
The only reason he suggested the ladder was because he knew Christof used this way. There was some sort of Igor taboo about using doors, and ever since he first met Christof and was then introduced to Barth, he knew the Igor used this method. The fact they actually had to go to Riley's dorm seemed - wrong. Despite not being there, it was still HER room, and now that she would not be returning, it seemed permanently off limited. They had no permission, and because they would never get permission, he felt it was disrespectful. Of course, Christof had no idea the gravity of sitting in the room of a now gone Riley meant, and he didn't want there to be an argument or misunderstanding happing over hurt feelings should someone find him here among her things.
Still, it was the only place he could guess the patchwork would be. When in doubt, check if he was at Amrita's. It was either there or Barth's and....well, Calder wanted to talk to Christof before collapsing at the sloth demon's dorm.
The ladder just wasn't something he was up for doing, but it was there, and he knew it was only one way but up. One could only hope no one though he was trying to break into Riley's room and taken offense. Every action now seemed deeply personal and off limited.
Having one more than than Amrita, he lifted the ladder, set it in place against the sill of Riley's window, shook it to make sure it was secure, and VERY slowly went up it. Ladder rungs and hooves were not friends, but he managed, and one could only hope Amrita was comfortable discovering Calder's "tradionalism" when warning a kilt.
At the top, he peered in, before knocking. For a split second, he felt hsi stomach turn in a panic that Riley would open the window and say something sarcastic and clever at him ascending a ladder to peek through her window.
But she wouldn't...
..and his stomach didn't feel better for the reminder.
"Christof?" He said, tapping on the glass. He hoped he was there or else he didn't now where else to check but next door.
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Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 11:31 pm
It was dark. Mistress had liked the dark, and when she returned, he wanted her at ease. They could talk about this. What ever it was... it had to have been a misunderstanding. Barth didn't like his mixed loyalties, but... it was instinctual.
When the mark had vanished, he hadn't said a word, feeling it burn away to leave an abject terror in his gut. She had called off the contract. Something had happened while she was abroad to make her cut her ties with him.
Alright, alright, he had... he had been spending a lot of time with the Sloth, but she hadn't summoned him in ages, and he did need more care and he and Barth just... The Sloth was his best friend, not just a Master. It made it different. Professional. This was strictly professional and he had waited until they were all due to return. He saw the portal, and bodies gathering. She would be too busy. Always popular, Mistress, always flitting amongst the masses like a good queen. Igors were low priority. Wait until needed. Part of the ambiance.
The ladder had been neglected for some time, covered in vines and weeds when he had fished it out. They could talk privately. He could help make sure she was comfortable after her long journey. Show what a good Igor he was and then let her rest and it would all be alright again.
He could go back to Barth's room next door without worry.
And so he waited, standing until his legs grew tired before sitting just beside the sofa out of the way.
His name being called made him jump with a startled noise in his throat.
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Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:45 am
((Skipping only because Amrita is...sorta stuck below Calder.))
Calder pressed his ear to the window, but couldn't hear anything just yet. Regretably, he felt they'd have to walk in and check to make sure. Christof wasn't exactly able to call out to them even if was in there, and tapping on a window could be anything.
"We'll just pek in and if he's noot there, well climb back doon before anyone notices." He called down to Amrita, before feeling dizzy at looking down and gripping the window sill. You'd think after spending a week in the War clan, he'd be used to heights. Apparently not.
Pressing his hands to the window, he pushed up, hoping it wouldn't come to breaking something to enter. That would be pushing what he already felt was rather taboo and disrespectful, before the window shuttered and stiffly rose. "Yas." Gripping the window frame, he shoved it up and stepped in, turning over to offer his hand to Amrita and help her in.
Standing in Riley's bedroom, he looked about. It was exactly here at this windowsill that he and demon finally had a peaceful sit-down and just talked. It was the last time they spoke here in Amityville as he had talked to her very little in the clans. In fact, things had been so busy he didn't even give much of a passing word.
"Christof?" He called.
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Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 10:33 pm
Amrita stayed quiet as Calder climbed and tried to investigate, once more forgetting that Christof couldn't actually talk; she never really had a problem communicating with him, and it still slipped her mind that he didn't use actual speech. Her feet stayed firmly on the ground until Calder called down to her, and even then she lingered until he had the window open; at least her trip up the ladder wouldn't be completely in vain.
She only nodded to his little plan, still not wanting to talk unless she had to, especially in such an open space. The ladder received an unhappy stare before she even put her backward foot on the first rung, trembling as she climbed; ladders were difficult normally, but she was also down one hand, which certainly wasn't helping anyone, especially when Calder offered her his.
If she took his hand, that meant she couldn't grip the ladder. But if she didn't grip his hand, she'd probably never get off the ladder. Either she stay planted on the ladder until someone lifted her off of it, or she fell. Hrm. Tough choice! Eventually she took a leap of faith in Calder, grabbing his hand in a crushing grip until she was safely in the room.
This room...so many memories in this room. Lessons learned, words exchanged, pride expressed; if it weren't for Riley and this room, she wouldn't be in the body she was now. She'd still be a rotting little child with no concept of anything...though right now, as she looked around in the dark, trying to distinguish item from item, she imagined that wouldn't be so bad. A rotten brain to dull her senses, and dulled senses to not feel the weight of her emotions.
That would be bliss.
Amrita felt heavy again, crushed by overwhelming sadness and a distinct feeling of dread. The urge to fidget rose as it always did, and this time she put it to work readjusting the red-lined black shawl that she had wrapped around her torso, hiding the wounds and gaping holes that Calder couldn't fix on the surface. This was done one-handed, the other hiding behind her back in case he was here; she didn't want him to worry about her. Especially not now.
"Weee need to taalk to you..." The ghoul struggled to keep her voice even, but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't stop the wheezing noise accompanied by broken vocal cords, nor could she stop the hint of a dual but androgynous voice from making it into her speech. But she tried her best for him.
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Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 1:49 pm
Christof shifted, brows furrowed as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing. What were Calder and Amrita doing here? Mistress would be displeased by visitors coming unannounced.
He should have moved the ladder.
With a whine, he wobbled to his feet, drifting to try to shoo them back towards the window. They could talk later.
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Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 6:44 pm
Forever oblivious to what was staring him in the face. Both he and Amrita looked terrile, and yet he was shooing them away. No concern. For that, Calder wanted to reach out and punch his friend over and over for being this heartless, but the real blow would come with words in the end, and adding injury before insult wouldn't be good.
Clenching his teeth, he stepped forward to keep Christof from shooing them away, and then took both of his hands in his and looked at him dead in the eyes. "Christof....stop." He breathed deep. "We need to talk to you right now." He knew that the Igor would continue to shoo them away. "It's about Riley."
He released his hands, feeling that the Igor would become animated very soon, and wanting to keep him more still. "We need you to sit down so we can tell you something VERY IMPORTANT about her, okay? Amrita and I are VERY tired and she needs to tell you this VERY important thing." He was saying his words slowly in order to keep the Igor calm ....or maybe for himself. The kelpie knew how much of Christof's world and being was made up on Riley and their relationship, and he wasn't sure how he would handle it. The patchwork could barely handle simple troubles without breaking down. This was going to crush him, and he was going to be here to help deliver it.
"Amrita." He said, gesturing to the nearby couch and then to the chair across it. "Christof."
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Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 9:44 pm
Christof squinted in the darkness, trying to figure out what in Halloween Calder could be talking about. Talk to them about Mistress? Had she been offered a position of power in the Horseman isles? That was ridiculous, she had unfinished business here. And if that as the case, why call off her contract with him? If she was suddenly Queen of Horsemen, she would need her Igor more than ever. It didn't make sense.
With a grunt, he lurched towards one of the lamps to turn it on so they could read his hands.
"Be-quick," He signed irritably, "Mistress-will-be-back-any-moment. Must-see-why-angry-with-me." That 'said', his hands went to his hips and he glowered at both.
Until he saw the sorry state of a few of Amrita's torn stitches poking out around the shawl. With a concerned whine, his hands lifted again, limping towards her, "What-happened! Bad-care. Should-be-less-careless, need-fresh-stitches! If-other-patchworks-saw-you-like-that, would-laugh!"
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Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2012 9:11 pm
Before she could do anything about the shooing, Calder stepped in the way and took hold of the situation, so she stayed quiet and let him do his thing, ordering them into seats...or at least trying to. Neither she nor Christof seemed intent on sitting, and before she knew it the lights were on. For a moment she blinked to adjust to the light, and then she tried hard to focus on what he was signing.
His dependence on her wasn't a surprise, but it wasn't nice for her to see, either. It reminded her how much influence Riley had on other people's lives, especially his; he probably wouldn't sit in her room waiting for her to come home if he thought she was mad at him. No, that treatment was only for Riley...which made this even harder for both of them; her to say it, and him to hear it.
"Sheee is not..." Amrita started, but was cut off as he started signing about her stitches. For a moment she thought her shawl had some undone and she pat herself down to ensure it was in place, and once she was assured of that she touched the weak stitches up her throat and to her chin. "Caaalder did his besst-- Nooh --- Iii doon't care whaat --- Chrisstoff!" Her attempts to cut him off failed, and she settled for a short and wet hiss, her hands coming up to grab both of his before he could touch or fuss over her. Her intention was to 'silence' him, but she didn't realize how well she had accomplished that; her ghostly hand had sunk into his, possessing it with a static-like buzz.
"Pleeease...listenn." She pleaded, squeezing her eye closed and biting down on what was left of her lip. Okay, this was it. This was the moment, if she didn't tell him now, she wouldn't be able to. Come on Amrita, it's just three words. "Weee wanted to telll youu fiirst..." Three little words and you're over this one hurtle and onto the next. "Befooore you heeard iit elsewheere..." Three little, painful words closer to locking yourself in your room and screaming at the top of your separated lungs. No matter how hard she tried at first, those words just wouldn't form. Saying it out loud would make it final, and she wasn't ready for that yet. She still wanted that last lingering hope that Riley was still alive and able to come back to them; in three words, that hope would be gone forever...
"Riiiley..." Amrita started, pushing the name forward with great pain. "Chrisstoff...Riiley is...sheee is..." Her voice was breaking again, and this time not from ruined vocal cords; she began to tremble, her small form shaking, Three words; two down, just one more. One more, one more terrible horrible word and it's over. She could do this. She could do this! For Christof. She had to. The Vetala steeled herself, mentally shoving all of her heartache and pain into the little dark recesses of her mind, forcing it out of her focus so she could do this one little thing. When she managed to speak again it was soft, still congested with the overwhelming sadness.
"Riley is dead."
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Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2012 10:16 pm
Christof flinched at the buzzing, numbing sensation of his hand being possessed, jerking back with a look of violation before trying to make sense of her stammering.
His brows furrowed.
Riley is dead.
The idea was... laughable. Insulting. Riley couldn't be dead, she was Mistress. What in Halloween could stop her? He almost laughed outright until his gaze danced over Amrita's trembling expression.
"Impossible," He signed, his own hands starting to shake as the feeling came back into the previously possessed one. "Impossible!" He signed again with more fervor.
Mistress was STRONG, the STRONGEST of all of them! A mere Hunter couldn't take her down, it was insulting to think of that possibility. She would come back and make them all look foolish. She would rule Halloween with a glorious iron fist, riding on Dragon Back in a field of fire and blood with her loyal Igor by her side and he and Barth would build her the doomsday devices needed to make those stupid humans bow at her feet as well, kiss her toes as they aught to be.
If she was dead...
But she COULDN'T be, his patchworked brain couldn't accept- refused to accept the concept.
"Dishonor-Mistress!" he signed in sharp, violent motions, "Angry-with-me. Upset-I-stayed-with-Sloth. Instead-of-helping-her. Important-trip. Chose-to-stay-behind. Must-explain. Yes." He was babbling now in sign, his hands nervously forming the words in front of his chest as he paced, pausing only to stare at her extensive fish tank with glittering, flitting, color shifting tentacled creatures within.
"Make-Mistress-happy-again," His head tilted to one side as he watched them, mind feeling muddy.
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Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2012 11:08 pm
Proxy for MK:
It was much a torture for Amrita as it would be for Chrsitof, but Amrita had the luxury of seeing it for herself and now had to come to terms with such an idea. Christof didn't have that. He hadn't seen it right in front of his face. Had seen Malodore holding on to what it held dear as the Boogeymen swarmed. Hadn't seen the plants swarm and turn her gray before she vanished in the chaos of Hunters and Students clashing. Hadn't seen the entire four islands of a great and powerful civilization be blasted to bits. She wasn't lucky, but she didn't have the crutch of denial to lean on. Christof did, and he was quick to grab for it.
It hurt him to see Amrita have to be the one to deliver such a message, but it worked both ways. From this point on, she could work to accept. To deliver it to Christof, she would be there to give him the news instead of feeling some sort of betrayal from hearing it from word of mouth. Amrita was the best source. As much as Calder wanted to be a friend, he had never been close to Riley. They had been rivals in a loose sense for a long time - petty in the end really now that he thought about it, and Amrita was closer to Christof in her own way. That didn't mean he was going to not take the responsibly of helping that message be delivered. The poor ghoul was as crushed as the others, and Calder could only feel guilty in that he didn't know Riley enough to be as hurt as all those around him who had been very close to the demoness. As Amrita did her part, Calder continued to do his. Letting the message stick, and with Chrsitof, it would be hard.
Placing a hand on the ghoul's head, he whispered into her hair. "It's okay. You did good." He whispered, and gestured for her to sit. Amrita was a strong one, and he had seen that here and in battle. Feeling closer to the ghoul, he could only feel angry that the Igor dismissed her words despite how hard they were to deliver. Stepping forward, he glared down at the Igor. "We didn't come all the way here to play some prank on you Christof. For once, just stop and pay attention. Just look..." He frowned, glancing at Amrita who was visibly crushed from the burden of the message she had to speak aloud, before looking at Chrsitof. "Riley didn't hate you." He paused, thinking about it. "She liked you a lot, Christof." He knew from how he had pleaded to her to be his friend, and how she had actually made that attempt. I was getting to you in the end, wasn't I? Just when I started to like you too........
He breathed deep. "She's not coming back." He didn't remove his eyes from the patchworks. "She's gone."
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Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2012 11:11 pm
Christof's face contorted as he turned to face the kelpie, face twitching and trembling with bottled emotion before he stepped forward, signing a simple "Liar!" fists clenched before swinging at the Kelpie as hard as he could.
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Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2012 11:41 am
He stumbled back, gasping hard as he held his stomach where a tremendous force was sent straight into his tender gut. Despite standing, Calder was not well, and after what he had gone through back on the islands, he was not up for playing soft with Christof much longer. If he was going to resort to violence to run away from understanding, Calder would resort to it to pummel it back in.
Glaring back, he rose up. "I am NOT!" He cried, and using his own training, he threw his own aggressive weight into a punch at the Igor.
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Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2012 6:59 pm
Christof staggered backward from the blow, his back hitting the fish tank and the whole thing teetered precariously until he whirled around to try to steady it.
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Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2012 8:55 pm
Amrita fell silent as Christof signed his disbelief. She understood to some degree; he hadn't seen her in the vine room, he hadn't seen the stone version of her surrounded by boogeymen. The static voices continued all around her and all she could do to stay sane was to repeat 'It's okay. That's normal. Understandable' over and over again to try and get it to stick.
"Yoou were nott the onlyy frieend who did not gooh" Amrita said in a near-whine, trying hard to not plead with him, but also trying hard to refute what he was saying. As long as she'd known him, he'd been loyal to Riley. Even going as far as practically stepping over her when she was injured to attend the Mindflayer instead. She knew that, she understood she would always be second best - at best. But this...no matter what had happened she wasn't aware of, she couldn't let him think like this. He had to accept the truth, he just---
A punch was thrown at Calder.
"Nooh, sstooop--!" She pleaded the boils; yet she doubted her broken voice would be enough to break the beginnings of a brawl here. So she did the next best thing; she tried to get in the middle of it, trying to put herself between---
The fishtank was knocked, and something snapped.
"JAACK DAMNIIT! BOOTH OF YOOU SSTOP!" She demanded loudly, her hand curling into a tight fist; she didn't get the chance to get between them, but she was still close enough should anything happen. "Thiiss is NOT the time - oor plaace - for fiightss!"
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