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 Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 2:50 pm
What kind of gift was this when there was a missing piece? Viola'i frowned at the empty bag that she had been given, idly listening as more instructions were rattled off to her. She perked up at the mention of a heart and her head tilted to the side. A heart? Why was a heart needed and why was it missing in the first place? That seemed like a rather critical part of anything. And it was missing.
But then again, perhaps this was where she came in. Her task. "Okay." And it was as simple as that. None of her other concerned voiced, even though there were so many that surfaced through her thoughts. Just one word and she was already off, fingers slipping through the scissors and playing with them. Open, closed, open, closed, open, closed. Shink shink shink She did this all the way to the tiny thin opening, slipping through it with ease without thinking much of the noise that greeted her.
Because it wasn't as impressive as the three doors. Even her scissor play had stopped and she stood in awe. "Wow..." They were so different in their design and symbol and she took a moment to stare at each of them. Did she have to pick one? She wondered. It would probably be pretty difficult to pass through them all. So, she went with the best solution she could muster.
She went through door number one.
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Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 4:03 pm
Pumpkins were the first thing she saw and the soft hum filled her ears. The door closed behind her with a soft shutter but it didn't even phase her. Because this place pulled all her attention. The already present smile upon her face seemed to lift even higher, maybe even glow as the visions of smiling pumpkins played in front of her.
There were voices too, fading in and out. So many familiar ones, ones she couldn't place and ones that seemed like she had heard them just yesterday. Maybe she even had. But there was also this sense, that she would be reunited with someone here.
Maybe this is what she had forgotten.
She could find it here, along with the heart to complete her task.
Viola'i felt resolved in this, picking up speed in her stride and stepped into a pumpkin field, almost like the ones that had flashed before her. Glowing, smiling, leading her to her destination.
A tombstone in the midst of glowing orange flowers. So serene but so lonely at the end of this path. Her grey fingers delicately traced the letters etched on the piece of stone, glowing as much of this place did. It was pretty.
Here Lies Augustus
And nothing else. Nothing to explain who or what this person was. Did she know this person or was this someone who had been simply picked at random for her to exhume?
Further investigation, in the form of leaning, lead her to a new sound. Viola'i leaned in closer, nearly with her ear to the ground as the soft rhythmic pulsed vibrated the site briefly.
Thump-thump
This was what she needed, she realized in an instant and got to work. Fingers pulled at the flowers, pulled at the ground. Almost feverishly for her task at hand. The heart was right there for her to grab. And actually it really was. Just pulling things away and it was sitting right there for the taking.
So easy!
Viola'i grabbed at the steady yellow pulsing heart.
"And who is this pretty lady?" The funny looking man leaned in, getting a better look over his bi-focal glasses. His eyes were blue, aglow like everyone else's but seemed... old and wise, his beard unkept and his hair straggly. This man had the same complexion as well, they were all so pale except for their hands. His was reaching up to play with her hair. She just stared at him.
"This is Olivia." Another voice joined in, gently with a hand rested upon her shoulder to calm the nerves she didn't know had risen. She always knew, or perhaps mother's intuition foresaw a timid nature on her first time out of the house. "She finally came to, so I decided to take her about and meet the others."
The man hummed, still smiling as he stood up properly. His head tilted slightly and her's followed suit. It seemed to amuse him, this simply mimic and he chuckled softly. "You keeping this one, I assume?"
"Yes," her mother nodded. Yes, this was her mother now, she had been told as much. Someone who would raise her, protect her and guide her. Someone safe. "She just seemed like such a lost lamb when we found her, I hope we can raise her well." There was such caring in that voice, even as she tugged at a few strands of hair.
"And maybe get her into the Academy."
"We can only hope."
That she didn't understand. But she did the hand that was held out to her and she slowly took it. "Well Olivia, its nice to meet you. I'm Augustus."
So this was who this man was. Who once possessed this heart. He looked nice, and hopefully the Goddess would find this in him as well when she brought him back.
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Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 4:49 pm
Well, this was a pickle. Huh, what a weird expression. But it was. A wall, a dead end. No where else to go. Viola'i tapped at it with her scissors wondering if it would give way from the sharp pointy bit. It didn't.
Worth a shot.
- wait, was that a? Her head turned suddenly when a peculiar noise reached her. She blinked for a moment, staring at the nothing and the darkness.
Finding no other alternative, Viola'i moved and took another path. Or what she hoped was another path and not just a circle.
The sloshing from before seemed to have returned, added with her own as water from somewhere started to rise around her. How troubling this would be, she had to wonder. Water didn't seem too familiar with her but at the same time not too troubling or a problem.
"Please give it back."
She suddenly heard, causing her to pause. But when she turned, like before, there was nothing there. Cautiously, she took another step into the depth of the water. One foot after the other with her grip on the bag tight in one hand and the other the scissors. She might have to fight in this, like in so many places in these realms.
"Please give me back my-"
That same voice. It sounded.. familiar. And when she turned this time, the hands caught her off guard. She gasped, a bad mistake as she was suddenly pushed under leaving her very little air as the hands held her under. They were so strong against her small frame, keeping her in place under the liquid. She couldn't do anything but stare up at her capture and look into those hollow eyes.
"Give me back my heart."
"You really got in?" Augustus sounded so proud, enough to put down the books he was cleaning in his very humble home.
"A field trip," she corrected him in so few words as she looked around his other wares. This man she had come to know had so many neat things. Books, tables, lamps, nick knacks and do-dads. Every inch of his home seemed to be covered with something and she very much liked to come over to look at it all.
Thankfully he didn't mind. He had become a very nice friend.
"Well, that seems still like a nice way to get noticed by them." He chuckled, closing the distance between them to affectionately play with her hair. Everyone seemed to like to, the curls were able to go through so much and her older sister always told her they just wanted to be played with; its why everyone liked it.
"I guess." She nodded, tone soft. "Think it'll be fun?" He hands went to tap as a little statue of a foxfire that he had that was playing with some mushrooms.
"Of course, even though I don't know the details."
"Don't either."
"I'm sure you'll meet lots of nice creeple and make some nice friends." He assured her. "You've come a long way, Olivia." And she had. Conversing and everything, even though she only spoke so few words and hardly any full sentences. Something even uttering odd things. But none of them minded, because they knew it was progress and that she could only grow from there. Her parents had such hope for her to go to school.
"I like others."
"I know, we all do." It was in their nature to group together and now she would be meeting others not of her kind. It did excite her, even though she didn't express it in full but her mother told her she could see it in her smile and the way her eyes glowed when the trip was mentioned.
The ghoul turned her attention to any item next to those on the table, black like so many of their things. But, upon closer inspection she realized what it was. A finger. And her head tilted in curiosity.
"Fell off a few days ago." He chuckled. "Can never tell how much we can push ourselves." It was true really, they as a species were rather new and their extent was still uncertain. Still, Augustus seemed well despite missing a piece. "Have nine others anyways." He joked, saddling up next to her as she continued to look at it.
He watched her for a moment. "I know its odd, but would you like it?" She looked at him, puzzled. "Maybe a good luck charm for this trip." He suggested, "Or a start to an amazing collection of odds and ends." Now he was laughing, jesting with himself or even her.
But she took it all in seriousness. "Really?" Her hands were already around it.
"Sure. Again, nine others."
"Thank you."
"Of course, Olivia."
He really was a good friend. Augustus, found in August. Her neighbor and collector extraordinaire.
Oh. So she did know him.
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Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 5:06 pm
He had been such a good friend, she had seen it in the memory. She had felt it, willing enough to give her one of the fingers that he had lost. An odd gift really. But couldn't he also give her his heart? He seemed fine without it. And she had a task at hand and time was running out. Her air was running out.
Viola'i pushed as hard as she could against his body, trying to break his grip but nothing seemed to work. She had to do this. She had to finish this! There would be a way to repay him when she became a Goddess, she could feel it. Like the scissors in her - oh!
With a foot, she kicked as hard she could, breaking hold on her intended hand. Her arm swung out, an elegant arc and finally she got to used what she had been given, plunging it into the place where this heart used to beat. "I have to do this!" She told him. "Your heart will help me!" She dug it in deeper, his screams getting louder, blood curdling. He convulsed. And then he was done along with the vast water. Leaving here there with the bag.
"Thank you." She smiled softly, a little sad. "You seemed like a nice man and I'll put this to good use." Viola'i pushed herself off the ground, clutching the bag tightly and turned to leave.
She didn't catch the figure in the distance holding the weapon she had used against him.
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Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 12:46 am
[ b e g i n . d a y . t w o ]
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Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 1:03 am
Eat or Eaten, Viola'i wasn't sure she liked either option really. They both sounded... odd. But if she had to chose one, she oped her mouth to speak but the Goddess approached her. Judged her, circled her.
Apparently she was supposed to find out. And with a shiny dagger. Would she be able to keep this, she wondered. It was light, it was pretty, it had so many gems. Yes, this was something she would want.
But she needed to use it first, for a challenge. Sacrifice, to become stronger. To answer the Goddess' question about where she fell into the natural order of things and to face the fears that might be lingering somewhere in her heart.
Viola'i nodded, still looking at the dagger even after it had turned a rusty color. She would find the answer to this question, and to find out if she was able to keep this shiny new item.
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Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 1:13 am
She didn't mind the cold. She couldn't explain why, but it wasn't terribly unsettling, not as much as waking up from something when she didn't remember even falling asleep in the first place. It was weird. And waking up in a very white room that lacked any other color was rather unsettling. The world she had come to know was very grey, but it at least held splashes of color. Not like this place. She didn't really like it. Even if it was a little cleaner.
Viola'i hopped off the table and made it to the door with ease, happy to find it unlocked and easy to pass through. The hallway, she found, was in a similar state. Empty, white and boring. Sterile seemed like a good word to use. Unsettling was the one she liked best. But the best way to get away was just to leave.
Her ears perked up at the sudden noise, curiosity getting to her as she turned around to see what it could be. But she found nothing, the door she had gone through was still open like she left it. Weird.
She continued walking, her fingers sliding against the side of the wall as she seemed to be stuck in the maze of endless white halls and walls. It was boring and the girl wanted out. And then she saw it. A possible exit. Finally.
Thud
Another noise. She turned. Nothing was there the first time.
Thud
But something was there the second time. A darkened figure standing there, watching her with hollow eyes and in one hand a pair of rusted scissors. For a moment Viola'i watched it, wondering what it could possibly be. It was something she had never seen before. And it seemed to want to get closer, taking staggered steps. Getting closer.
She watched, she stared. It was so close. A chill seemed to be radiating from it.
Perhaps she should run. Viola'i gave it a small wave, turned and ran towards where she had seen that exit not too far away. Only to find that it needed some sort of code to unlock. Bummer.
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chirigami rolled 1 4-sided dice:
3
Total: 3 (1-4)
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Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 1:16 am
The door didn't seem to want to move no matter how she banged on it and pushed at it. And pressing random codes into the keypad hadn't worked. This door was very stubborn.
Could barely register the world when we first saw you She heard behind her along with the steady sounds of his thud and shink. He was getting closer to her. Couldn't help the Horsemen when they lost their home.
Can't get within five feet of Andrew, and you call him your friend. He just kept going, rattling off weird statements.
Nothing but a burden, hiding behind all those smiles.
She chose to ignore him.
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chirigami rolled 1 4-sided dice:
2
Total: 2 (1-4)
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Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 1:25 am
How was she supposed to open a code when she didn't know what kind of code it needed? There wasn't even a hint! That didn't seem very fair. Voila'i turned her attention from the door and to the rest of the area around her. Perhaps there was something left behind to help her.
She eyes finally settled on something. It seemed like a code. She grabbed at it, noting the red stains that seemed to soak it.
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chirigami rolled 1 4-sided dice:
3
Total: 3 (1-4)
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Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 1:34 am
Maybe if she... started jabbing at the keypad again? She had some sort of clue with her now. But it didn't seem to be working.
You let Molan slip away from you in that other world, will he in all of them? He snickered at her.
Are they really your friends, or do they simply just put up with you?
Ignoring, she was still ignoring.
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chirigami rolled 1 4-sided dice:
4
Total: 4 (1-4)
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Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 1:36 am
Something caught her eyes and her hand was instantly out to grab it. She was tired of what he was saying, she didn't get any of it and she wanted out. What she grabbed seemed to be some sort of cipher to the other piece of paper in her hand.
A way out. She keyed it in 0, 2, 4 5
There was a soft click, the door slide open and Viola'i was out, for some reason she found herself running.
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chirigami rolled 1 4-sided dice:
2
Total: 2 (1-4)
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Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 1:39 am
Ideally in a not so horror movie world, she would have been skipping through this field of trees that she found herself in. Even as decrepit they looked, covered in fog and making it the perfect murder place. She was running through them, not for the sake of terror but because she was just tired of listening to that guy. He was getting really annoying.
And the only way away from him now seemed to be a very not in good shape bridge, hanging so close on its last thread and ready to break. She was small though, maybe she would make it across? Carefully as much as she could manage - because he was getting close again, yelling at her and calling her by a weird name as well - she took a step. It squeaked under the pressure of her foot and when she put her full weight upon it, it snapped beneath her. Viola'i fell hard on the rest of the bridge, it creaked, swinging with the wind and her added weight. And no matter how hard she tugged at her foot, it didn't seem to want to get loose. And there was nothing to pry the broken bits of board off.
Wait.
Yes she did.
She held it up, a little worried as she looked at the rusted blade of the knife she had been holding this whole time. It wasn't ... the best idea, but it was one. That or be stabbed or cut badly by those scissors. The only way it seemed to free herself. Voila'i took in a breath, found herself shaking and held the blade to her leg and began to cut. She inhaled sharply, tried not to scream and just let the tears roll as she cut into her flesh to free herself.
It was the only way, she told herself.
And some gruesome amount of time later, she had managed to get herself free, hobbling the rest of the way with tears down her cheeks but able to continue on.
Thankfully, law of the land proclaimed her foot would regenerate.
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chirigami rolled 1 6-sided dice:
3
Total: 3 (1-6)
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Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 1:52 am
Running was made a little easier when her foot was magically fully restored with each passing step. But it seemed luck would be running out on her when the passage straight thought was suddenly blocked by a looming building, a shadow stretching out over her in various directions.
Was this the last step? Was this where it ended?
Now or Never
A voice whispered in her mind. She felt the dagger in her hand, really felt it like it had an actual weight to it and when she looked down she finally saw red runes glow. A beacon. Instructing her. This was it. A final show down between it and her.
It clanged its way closer, its scissors seeming to be at the ready.
My heart, it whispered and gurgled, or yours.
She didn't like the second option. She rather liked her heart. She was going to defend it and held the dagger up with two steady hands and a narrowed gaze. She would keep it. It belonged to her and she honestly had no idea why he would even want it. What did he have against her anyways?
She probably wouldn't find out as it suddenly picked up a burst of speed, heading straight at her. It screamed, scissors our and ready. She held up her blade.
One of the very few times he had seen her in a truly sullen and sunken state was when he first laid eyes on her. So lost when they brought her to Halloween, another one of them. Another with a blank look on their face, not understanding, so disconnected from the world. She looked like she wanted to cry, to add to the stains that were already on her cheeks, the last ones she would ever feel upon them. Because they didn't cry, they didn't have the ability to, dried up and congealed.
Her clothing was dirty, torn and the fabric at her chest seemed to be blown away, caked with the blood that used to pump through her system before it had drained to her hands and legs upon reanimation. There was a soft glow at her chest, where her heart might have been, now probably in pieces.
He held pity for her and wondered which direction she would take when she finally came to. Hopefully she would make it, the female that had a firm hand on her shoulder seemed to hope so. "Yes, she just needs a little looking after," she said with a soft hopeful little smile on her face as she talked to one of their other neighbors. The girl stared at the ground with eyes unfocused, unclear.
"We're hoping for the best," he heard. He had other doubts.
Viola'i gasped, feeling the blade piece into her chest, inches from her very own heart. But that hadn't been the target. No, he wanted it and she was no where close in hitting him. There was something that stopped her. The memory? She was unsure. But he hadn't faltered from his own task, holding her down and leering down at her with an empty face. There was a grin in there, she could be sure. Especially as he took the first cut. snip And then the second one.
She didn't scream. Maybe too bothered by this whole thing. She had come so far after all. This really sucked. She wanted to reach out as he pulled out her pulsing glowing heart, wanted to snatch it back. It was hers....
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Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 12:52 am
[ b e g i n . d a y . t w o ] Tea Log
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Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 1:05 am
There was no shame, Viola'i took a few cookies from the tray. It felt like she hadn't eaten in years, and besides she was offering! It felt rude to pass them up, not with that smile. The girl liked that smile. She couldn't say for certain if she really loved this Goddess, or that she was her favorite - after all, she hadn't finished her trial - but she could at least say she was preferred. Because she gave her cookies and a happy feeling.
And was offering her more, and a tea party. The girl's eyes brightened at the idea, having not gotten a chance to spend proper time with others, only seeing them in passing in battles and scouring the land. This seemed like fun, and without hesitation, she walked into the next room.
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