._Aphismet's Raevan

[Anachrophobia]

Welcome to Rivener's journal! This is a journal for Aphismet, so please don't post without his permission unless otherwise stated.

[.Name] Rivener
[.Guardian] Aphismet
[.Gender] Male
[.Stage] Sigel
[.Alignment] Chaotic Neutral
[.D.O.B] 19th July 2006
[.Fel Essence] Nocturne Rock
[.Soul] Scorpion


[.Strength] 69
[.Endurance] 60
[.Intelligence] 58
[.Creativity] 62
[.Friendliness] 59
[.Charisma] 56
[.Humour] 52
[.Magic] 48  

[Aphismet]

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Cert and Raevan Information

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You are here.

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Family

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Rivener

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History

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The Source of it All

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Home

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Raevans

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Humans

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Galllery

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Links

 

[Aphismet]

[[GUARDIAN]]

::Name:: Aphismet Delaran
::Gender:: Male
::Birthday:: February 2nd, 1982

::Employment:: Sous-chef at the Crystal Carafe, a five-star restaurant on the top-most floor of Hotel Durem.
::Family:: Aphismet's parents died when he was young. Isikoro is his adopted brother.

::Eyes:: Chocolate brown
::Hair:: White from a shock of fear; originally dark brown-to-black.
: razz hysique:: Toned and muscled from practicing martial arts, but not bulky.
::Orientation:: Heterosexual
::Taken?:: In love irrevocably with Alexandria Vizcatti

: razz ersonality:: Aphismet used to be shy and terribly self-conscious, especially about his lack of education and his social standing. He's since blossomed into a proper man, responsible for a family of his own, holding down a job he is rather proud of, and raising Rivener. Confidence slowly grew, and Aphismet is now content and at peace with himself, although he still dislikes having the spotlight placed on him.
Friendly and warm, Aphismet meets anyone and everyone with open arms. He gives each person the benefit of the doubt, is very trusting, and would never say anything bad about a person unless they really truly did something terrible. The kind chef wears his heart on his sleeve and is quick to smile, so most who meet him have favorable opinions. He's not the type to ask for anything directly or want anything for himself, preferring to give. It sometimes means he won't argue for something he wants if he thinks someone else wants it too, or if someone else wants something different.
The once-shy Aphismet is strangely at his best under pressure and stress. When faced with situations that would send most into a panic, Aphismet becomes calm and composed, with steel resolve and dauntless courage. Still, he doesn't seek out this kind of thing! But when it does happen, the white-haired man steps up, especially when it comes to helping a friend.
Aphismet loves to dote on his closest friends and family, and adores feeling needed and appreciated. He will cook, bring gifts, make snacks for the people around him in the hopes of receiving a smile and a "thank you". Conversely, being alone quickly sends the man into a sad state of gloom.
::Likes:: Cooking, Movies, Rivener, Alex, Isikoro, Painting, his Job.
: biggrin islikes:: Hypocrisy, Arrogance, Rudeness, Fire.
::Strengths:: Cooking, painting, reciting his favorite movies by heart, singing in the shower.
::Weaknesses:: Fire, intimidation, paying bills, standing up for something he wants.  

[Aphismet]

::Name:: Rivener Delaran
::Gender:: Male
::Stage:: Sigel

: razz ost Color:: DarkRed
::Food Source:: starlight and moonlight at night
::Essence:: Nocturne Rock
::Soul:: Scorpion

::Eyes:: Red
::Hair:: Black and Red, mostly shoulder length with two longer locks in the front
::Rune:: -no meaning!-
::Orientation:: Bisexual, Multisexual
::Taken?:: By Zul!

: razz ersonality:: Rivener's alignment, Chaotic Neutral, is personified mostly by his selfish playboy nature. The boy can't help but want to be admired and fawned over, and he often ends up flirting shamelessly as a result, trying to get attention. Despite this, Riv likes to think of himself as rather mature and does his best to act that way; he fails most of the time, falling victim to his emotions and letting his temper control him.
Rivener is a creature ruled by passion, and will act however his instincts sway him. This may paint him as a mood-swinging kind of guy, but he hardly even notices this himself. He's very in-touch with his "animal" side, trusting his gut when it tells him something. He is a loyal friend, fiercely protective, and will not balk at resorting to violence to defend someone he cares about. He believes humans are inferior to Raevans in every way, and always puts the well-being and comfort of his kin far above that of any human. Conversely, he is rather attached to his own family although he would be loathe to admit it out loud.
Countless months watching TV when he was newly created have honed Rivener's observation skills far beyond that of a normal person. Rivener is himself a fairly good actor now, easily able to lie when needed. He can also read others' moods and see through lies unless the liar is good at what he does.
::Likes:: Movies, Coffee, Popcorn, Photography, Fashion, Money, Danger, Warm Summer Sand, Attention, Zul.
: biggrin islikes:: Cold Water, Winter, Being Ignored, Feeling Guilty.
::Strengths:: Photography, fashion sense, fighting, kissing, loyalty.
::Weaknesses:: Flirting, cold water, being given the cold shoulder, loneliness, Zul.

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=1= Poison Sting =1=
Rivener's wings look dangerous, and he isn't afraid to use them! The tips can pierce through most skin and thin cloth. Riv can produce at will any poison or antivenom he knows about, some of which simply came naturally. Ever since he's received blood from Lazarus, Rivener has gained a fiery fever-inducing poison. Similarly, ever since he's received blood from Eiry, Rivener has gained a poison that can affect ghosts. The strength of each compound, poison or antivenom, is ruled by the phases of the moon. The fuller the moon is, the more potent the compound! During eclipses, Rivener cannot produce any poison or antipoison at all.

=2= Astrological Premonitions =2=
After turning into a Sigel, Rivener discovered that he could hear voices at night. The stars speak to him, although what they say doesn't make much sense. Rivener can sometimes learn clues about the present or future by listening to what he calls the "Star-Speak", although it's really hit-or-miss. He has yet to learn to master this gift. The Speak is ruled by the phases of the moon: the fuller the moon is, the louder and clearer the voices. On a new moon Rivener can hardly make anything out at all.

::Stats::
~Rivener's Stats hover around the mid-range for Sigels. He has no outrageously high ones, but not many very low ones either.~

~Strength : 69~
Rivener is stronger that almost any human he's ever come across. He also believes he is stronger than any other Raevan so far...

~Creativity : 62~
Rivener enjoys the arts, and is himself a rather accomplished painter and photographer. He also tends to "think outside the box", coming up with solutions to problems that might seem complex. Thanks to his keen observation skills, Rivener can piece together someone's intentions and personality rather easily. It's thanks to this that he can understand Roux's cryptic words, Eiry's Shakespearean and new-fangled vocabulary, and some of the Star-Speak.

~Endurance : 60~
Not one to get sick easily, Rivener's Scorpion side has given him a high resistance to most toxins. He can drink most anyone under the table! The Sigel can also endure long bouts of physical exertion: while most Raevans can't fly for extended periods of time, Rivener often takes flight to go from town to town, unbothered by the long trip.

~Friendliness : 59~
Rivener is a rather social person, preferring the company of others. Being alone is depressing for him, so he often goes out seeking people to talk to. He's quick to meet and greet someone, but tends to judge them rather quickly; if he does not like a person, he can be rather mean. Thankfully, when he DOES like a person, it's normally a very strong bond. Friends can always count on Rivener to help them.

~Intelligence : 58~
While not book-smart by any stretch of the imagination, Rivener is intelligent enough to hold a decent conversation with someone. He might be lost when it comes to science and such, but he speaks eloquently and doesn't get confused easily. He can think for himself and plan things effectively when he puts his mind to it, although he prefers the planning to be left to someone else.

~Charisma : 56~
Rivener's animal magnetism accounts for most of this score. He is a flirt by nature, highly sensual, and isn't afraid to use this to his advantage. Affecting him both negatively and positively depending on who sees him, Rivener's sharp and dangerous appearance is a huge factor in people's first impressions. Rivener's Charisma might be higher if he cared a little more what people thought of him: he only cares about the opinions of those he considers Of Interest.

~Humour : 52~
One of Riv's lowest stats, but it still isn't very low. Rivener does indeed have a sense of humour, but he doesn't go out of his way to show it. Laughter and jokes are not part of the Sigel's daily routines, but he won't shy away from a chuckle when something amusing happens. He prefers action and horror to comedy movies, he prefers serious books to funny ones... And to be honest, his appreciation of "jokes" has dipped quite a bit since Eiry came into his life.

~Magic : 48~
Rivener's weakness is his magic stat. The Scorpion is much too physical to be considered good at magic. Even his power requires more than a little brute force to be of any use! Since the stat went up from Frei to Sigel but his poisons remained the same, he developed a new ability to explain the boost. However, that magic is very out of his control, occuring on its own and leaving him to try and figure it out on his own. Overall Rivener DOES have power, but it's all linked to him needing to physically use them instead of just willing them to be.  

[Aphismet]

The Game of Questions

What is your name? Do you have a nickname?
My name is Rivener Delaran, but most people call be Riv, or in a rare case, Riven.
I'm Aphismet Delaran, and I guess my nickname would be Aph or Aphi. Though I think this asked about nicknames like "T-Bone" or something, and neither of us have that.
Oh, well in that case people at work call me Scorpion sometimes.

What is your hair color? Eye color?
I've got black hair with red in it, and my eyes are ruby red.
I used to have dark brown hair, but since the whole ghost thing with Edgar, it's been white. It doesn't seem to go away. My eyes are dark brown.

What kind of distinguishing facial features do you have?
Well, I'm a Raevan so there's a lot of distinguishing things. I've got shiny black horns, my eyes are an uncommon color, and I've got sharp fangs.
I guess my face isn't really all that distinguishing. My eyebrows are still dark despite my white hair, so maybe that?

Do you have a birthmark? Where is it? What about scars? How did you get them?
I don't have any birthmarks, but I do have a few scars. There's a deviation in one of my wing-bones from where it was broken a few times. And on my left shoulder, near the chest, I've got a bullet wound.
I have a few birthmarks, but they're small and not really noticeable. There's two on my shoulderblade, the right one, and one on the back of one of my thighs, I forget which. As for scars, I have a bunch of small ones on my arms from work, knives and hot pans are always bound to leave a mark.

Who are your friends and family? Who do you surround herself with? Who are the people you are closest to? Who do you wish you were closest to?
This is a big question! My family is obviously Aphi, Isi, and Eiry. My friends are... well there are a lot. I can't list them all. I surround myself with my work colleagues most days, but the people I like being around most are Zul, Cordelia, and uhm, I'm starting to like being around Melisande a lot too. She's someone I wish I was closer to, but it's maybe best that I'm not, or I'm bound to repeat old mistakes. Anya is also someone I wish I was closer to, she feels... kin to me, like a blood-sister, but she's not the type to let anyone get to know her.
My family are Rivener, Isi, and Eiry. I hope Alex might one day... I guess I'll have to wait to find out if she'd want to. I mean, she couldn't live in a home with me, so it seems silly to consider marriage when... B-but time will tell. As for friends, there's Ebony, who's my closest friend after Alex. Work people are friends too, and lots of folks from the lab, but I don't think most of them are people I hang out with regularly. Lil and Ty, they're friends! Wish I were closer to... hm, Vivette, maybe. She seems a little french dynamo, and the world brightens around her. Being friends with her would be nice, I think. I'm sure I'm forgetting people, so I'm sorry if I missed anyone.

Where were you born? Where have you lived since then? Where do you call home?
I was born in July, 2006. Since then I've lived in a crummy apartment in Barton, an old house in the boonies around Durem, and now I live in a house in Durem suburbs. Soon I hope I'll be living in Durem itself, centrally...
I've lived in many places, since I was born. My birthday is February 2nd, 1982. That makes me thirty! Good god, time goes by so quick! Anyway, now we live in a house in Durem, and it's my favorite home to date, I think. It's cozy and close to the city which is convenient. Best of all, hardly any ghosts! If you don't count the ones Eiry brought with him.

Where do you go when you're angry?
I go to my room, or when I'm too mad to be in the house I go to the sky. I'm rarely THAT angry that I need to vent though, because most of my aggression I get to let loose with during work.
I don't think I've ever been truly mad. Maybe when Riv hacked into my paypal that one time, or when I learned he'd been shot while working for drug dealers. I don't really have a place to go for that, so I suppose the kitchen?

What is your biggest fear? Who have you told this to? Who would you never tell this to? Why?
My biggest fear is losing Zul again. After that first time, I thought I was going to just waste away from regret and heartbreak, and I never want to feel that again. I haven't specifically told him in those words, but I think he knows. There's no reason for me to ever tell anyone but him, so I didn't. It's not something that can be casually brought up in conversation with people.
Uh, it's kind of embarrassing, but my biggest fear is to not be needed. Or, I suppose at the core of it I'm afraid of being alone. Taking care of people makes me feel like I exist, makes me feel that they know I'm there, so I'm less alone. I've never told anyone, and I don't think I will, it's embarrassing and I don't want to seem weak or something.

Do you have a secret?
Yeeeaaahh, a few. And some of them are pretty, uhm... big. I won't list them here in case someone reads it.
...I think I may be responsible for my parents being dead when I was little, but I don't remember clearly. I'd rather not know for sure so I never looked into the incident.

What makes you laugh out loud?
I think I could count on my hand the number of times I've laughed out loud in my entire life. I'm not the kind who does that. Most recently it was at the Summer Garden Party, when I was in the maze with Melisande. The broken-jpegs in the maze cracked me up so bad.
A lot of things! Funny jokes about anything at all will get me laughing, and comedy movies with a lot of slapstick too. I just like to laugh.

When have you been in love? Had a broken heart?
Yes to both those questions. I was in love with Roux once, though it was a kind of puppy-love, now that I've got something else to compare it to. I'm deeply in love with Zul now. I've also had a broken heart, yes, when I thought Zul had had enough of me and my flirting with others. I'll never do that again.
I've had my share of both. Chloe was the first woman to break my heart, then Alex... But I managed to get Alex back and I won't ever let anything take her away from me again. I'm rarely selfish, but I love her too much to let her go a second time.

What is in your refrigerator right now? On the bedroom floor? On the nightstand? In the garbage can?
In the fridge, if I just count what's mine, there's coffee. That's about it. On the bedroom floor there are like three shirts and a leather jacket. Nightstand has my camera and a photo album, in the garbage is the bank statement I just got.
In the refrigerator there's a few cuts of steak, a chicken I'm thinking of roasting tomorrow, and a bunch of vegetables. There's a half-loaf of meatloaf leftovers and some cold mashed potatoes. Oh, and a pie Isi baked the other day. On the floor of my bedroom there's a pretty rug to keep my feet warm: the hardwood floors can get cold sometimes. On my nightstand is a copy of the first Harry potter book- I keep meaning to read it. And in the garbage can is the usual stuff, junk from the day-to-day life: junk mail, old sale flyers, snip-off from the food I cook, etc.

Look at your feet. Describe what you see there. Does you wear dress shoes, gym shoes, or none at all? Are you in socks that are ratty and full of holes? Or are you wearing a pair of blue and gold slippers knitted by your grandmother?
Oh this is easy. I have no feet.
Right now? I'm in the living room so I don't have any shoes on, it's just my usual gray socks. Sometimes I go barefoot, but the floors were cold today. Oh, details, um: the socks are heavy-gage wool things with red lines across the top hem, and white toe-and-heel pieces. They're pretty warm. When that's not enough though, I have a pair of slippers that look like cat's faces.

When you think of your childhood kitchen, what smell do you associate with it? Sauerkraut? Oatmeal cookies? Paint? Why is that smell so resonant for you?
I think of pizza. When I was born Aphi worked in a pizzeria so he often brought back pizza to eat.
My childhood kitchen... to be honest I don't remember it much. And after the... incident... I lived on the street for a while until I was old enough to get a job, so there's no kitchen smell there either. I try not to think about that time.

You are doing intense spring cleaning. What is easy for you to throw out? What is difficult for you to part with? Why?
Easy for me to throw out would be all my magazines. I buy fashion magazines and tattoo magazines by the armload, and they usually end up piled in a corner of my room for a while. Hardest to get rid of would be a toss-up between my collection of photo albums, my computer, or my clothes. I think I'll go with the computer, because I have back-ups of my photos on there and I can always get new clothes.
Oh, hmmm. I don't think there's anything easy for me to throw out. Maybe old clothes with holes in them, that sort of thing... Hardest to part with would be just about everything, because they make me think of my family and that is very reassuring when there's no one at home sometimes.

It’s Saturday at noon. What are you doing? Give details. If you're eating breakfast, what exactly do you eat? If you're stretching out in the backyard to sun, what kind of blanket or towel do you lie on?
I'm probably sleeping in my bed (or in Zul's) because I was up very late the night before. I work super late, and then sometimes I have to feed super late, and sometimes Zul just won't let me sleep until late. *sultry smirk*
On a typical Saturday at noon I'm sitting at the kitchen table eating lunch with Isikoro. Or sometimes it's a late breakfast. I'd still be wearing my pajamas, which is just a white t-shirt and some comfortable cotton pants, and my hair would be all askew. I usually have to work Saturday nights but mornings and early afternoons I get to see Isi, which is a bit rarer nowadays.

What is one strong memory that has stuck with you from childhood? Why is it so powerful and lasting?
Hmmm... That you can't know love until you have a stomach to feel it with. Aphismet told me that once when I admitted I might be in love with Roux. I'm pretty sure he was just trying to get me to give up, but it turns out he was right: it seems like only once you're a Sigel can you really understand what Love is like.
...The smell of fire. Burning things. My parents died when our house burned down.

You are getting ready for a night out. Where are you going? What do you wear? Who will you be with?
I go out MOST nights but it's for work. If we're talking about a special outing though, I'd be going to a rave with Zul, I think. I would wear a black sleeveless shirt and lots of jewelry: my usual counts as a "lot". Maybe my leather jacket if it's cold. And we'd stay out and dance and have fun all night long.
Ah, I'd likely be going to the movies with Alex. I'd wear the usual things, a fitted T-shirt with a v-neck, maybe. Blue or green or something, nice colors. Jeans and sneakers, and my usual pea-coat.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Hmmmm, probably killing Edgar with the ghost-poison. He didn't expect that, the lousy b*****d.
Becoming sous-chef at the Crystal Carafe! If you'd told me, five years ago, that I'd be a sous-chef at a five-star restaurant someday, I would have called you crazy.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Being in a bed with Zul for an entire week without interruption.
Knowing that everyone I love is perfectly happy.

What is your current state of mind?
I'm excited to be looking for an apartment with Zul, and nervous about how to break it to Aphi.
I'm ecstatic to have managed to get Alex back into my life! I'm on cloud nine, seriously, and I don't think I can stop grinning.

What is your favorite occupation?
I actually would have loved to learn how to be a tattoo artist. I do like being a bodyguard, but tattoo artist has to be my top choice.
My favorite occupation is being a chef, so I'm pretty much living my dream job.

What is your most treasured possession?
I have a hematite necklace Zul gave me, and a piece of glass he blew at his workplace. Both of those are my treasures. There's also a flower from Melisande's hair, which I keep in a glass-covered vase... the thing doesn't seem to ever wilt fully. Sometimes it's limper, but other days it brightens. Weird.
I have a cookbook signed by Randall Lechevre, the most celebrated chef in Gaia! And there's a picture of me and Alex by my bedside, I look at it whenever she's not around.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?
Zul, definitely. I love him with a fiery heat like the sun. It's almost scary sometimes how much I love that guy.
Alexandria. She's the only thing I ever actively went after and selfishly wanted back, even when I wasn't sure it would be what she wanted too.

What is your favorite journey?
I didn't go on it yet: I'll be going on vacation with Zul at some point, and it'll be the best thing ever. However, on a day to day basis, my favorite journey is flying into work at night. Durem's night skyline is really pretty.
My favorite journey is going to Alex's place or Alex's work, because I know I'll see her shortly.

What is your most marked characteristic?
My spiky wings. But if we're talking about personality, I'd say it's my absolute confidence. I've got swagger, what.
I am hoping most people would say it's my kindness. I think I have a big heart.

When and where were you the happiest?
I was the happiest when Zul came back from that trip of his as a Sigel, surprising me. And he told me he loved me that day, and for the first time I knew he could feel it like I did since he had the stomach for it.
I was happiest when Alex lived with us in Durem Caves North. I was probably naive and clueless, because I still don't understand why she wouldn't come back to live with us after the flood. I thought she'd been happy too. Now I regret that time, but at the moment itself I was happiest.

What is it that you most dislike?
Ugh, cold rain! And I dislike assholes with guns who won't just back down when they owe us money.
I dislike most being alone, and I dislike the house being empty for that reason. I also dislike how Rivener won't tell me where he works now, and I've got a sneaking suspicion he went right back to that underworld boss...

What is your greatest fear?
Losing Zul again. I think that question was asked above.
I think I answered this already, but I'm afraid of people not needing me anymore.

What is your greatest extravagance?
Clothes. I buy more clothes than a person needs. Also, my apartment is going to be an extravagance soon, because I am going to be living it up.
I don't really have extravagances. I never bought anything just for me.

Which living person do you most despise?
There's this damned jerk who keeps trying to push onto our territory at work- I wouldn't mind putting my stingers deep in his neck. I also hate Chloe for what she let happen to Roux, but I'm not sure she's still alive. Same deal with Julian, Gage's old guardian.
I don't despise anyone, I don't think.

What is your greatest regret?
I try not to live with regret, but stabbing Isi... if I could go back and NOT do that, I would.
Letting Alex leave that first time without discovering what I'd done wrong. I still don't know, but she won't tell me. There's another regret close to that: not being a better Guardian for Riv in the beginning. He basically raised himeslf and I can't help but think that's why he's not overly close to me now.

Which talent would you most like to have?
I would LOVE to be able to sing really well. I'd be in a rock band.
Uhm, I don't know! I'd love being able to discern what people are thinking, I guess? I feel like most of the world goes over my head.

Where would you like to live?
In a high-rise penthouse condo with Zul! With high floor-to-ceiling windows! And I'm going to HAVE it, too, just you watch.
I would like to live in Alex's house with her. It's a very nice place! But I could never leave Isi and the Raevans alone.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Ugh, being broke, and having a broken heart. That s**t hurts like hell.
Being absolutely alone and no one wanting to see me.

What is the quality you most like in a man?
Confidence! A mousy man is useless. Confidence is a must in a man!
I think for a man the most important quality is reliability. Be someone people can count on.

What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Hmm, in a woman I think the best quality would be understanding. A chick who gets me, nothing beats that.
For a woman, I find a sense of humor is the most important thing. Or at least that's what I look for, personally.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
I hate that I can't ******** stop flirting. When I see someone attractive I can't just keep it to myself, and it's such a bad habit.
I tend to accept too many things lying down, like a doormat.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Passiveness! If you won't stand up for yourself, don't expect anyone else to.
Selfishness, though that's a little hypocritical seeing as I've been a bit selfish myself lately.

What do you most value in your friends?
Loyalty is the most important thing. I am loyal to a fault and I expect the same from them.
Kindness. Someone being nice is the prime requisite of a friend, isn't it?

Who is your favorite hero of fiction?
Of fiction? Hmmmm... I'd have to say Ironman. He's awesome, smart and rich, and he doesn't take s**t from anyone or play to anyone else's fiddle. He's his own person. I like that.
I don't really have a favorite hero, but thinking on the most recent things I've seen, I'd say... Ugh, I really don't know!

Whose are your heroes in real life?
Felix, my boss, is a bit of a hero to me. He is his own man and does things his way. A lot to look up to!
I actually admire Dr. Kyou quite a lot. He invented an entire species! Talk about an accomplishment, a legacy! And I also worship Randall Lechevre, I aspire to be as good a chef as he is.

Which living person do you most admire?
Well that goes into the question before, so whatever. I look up to Felix.
As I said before, I think the admiration portion is mostly for Mr. Lechevre.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Hah, Temperance, hands down. Why not want more? Why not take whatever you can?
I don't think there's any overrated virtues! All are good.

On what occasions do you lie?
When it gets me out of trouble, duh.
To spare someone's feelings, and even then...

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
I don't really have a catchphrase or anything. Maybe my internal words could count: "DON'T FLIRT!"
I suppose I say "Well", "Um", and those kinds of words a lot.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Hmmm, I'd make myself able to understand the damned Star-Speak. Seriously, they jabber my ear off every night and I can't understand a thing they say.
I would make myself less oblivious. Or less afraid of asking questions and pressing for answers. I keep thinking if someone has a problem they'd just tell me, but I'm starting to realize they tend to keep it hidden.

What are your favorite names?
What a weird question! I don't know!
I like the name Lisbeth. And Aaron! If I ever have kids I'd name them that, I think.

How would you like to die?
I'd prefer NOT dying, but if I had to go it would be dying in the heat of a pitched battle defending my friends.
I would like to die peacefully in my sleep at a really old age, surrounded by my family and those I love.

If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be?
I'd like to come back as another Raevan if that were possible at all. Seems exciting but sad. Still, I'd have another chance at life!
Hmmm, I suppose I'd like to come back as a dog, maybe a German Shephard. Something someone could love and be happy to have around.

What is your motto?
I'd have to say: "Live like it's your last day", or something like that.
"Do onto others as you'd want them to do to you."  

[Aphismet]

::How the Sky Fell::


This small piece of stone reflects light and is smooth and polished, like a piece of black glassy rock. But when you actually look past the surface, small specks of white light shine, illuminating the rock from within. Strange! It looks like a piece of the night sky! During the Storm so long ago, if someone were to look up, it would seem as though they were watching the sky through a sheet of glass, right after the final cloud left, revealing the stars... And suddenly with a slight snap, a piece of that glass broke off a few feet above the ground and fell, capturing the sight within it. The rock remained hidden for ages, among other black stones, until Kyou one day discovered it.



This is Cuddles. I've had this scorpion as a pet since I've been living without my parents. I didn't even like scorpions; what I had really wanted was a snake. Those things are expensive, and hard to get your hands on... So my roommate went to the pet store looking for a snake, like I always wanted, but came back with this. Yep, you guessed it: Cuddles was a birthday present.

In the moment, I was disappointed, but the little bugger grows on you, you know? Soon enough I was talking to Cuddles, asking his opinion, treating him like a best friend. I've loved him dearly since.

Recently though, he hasn't been his usual self. He hardly skitters, doesn't move much when I put my face up against his tank... He's old, and the vet said he wouldn't last much longer. That was NOT good news. I was upset for a whole week.

Then this Lab 305 thing. Maybe that strange Bottle can do something to help Cuddles? The weird Doctor did say it had mysterious powers...

 

[Aphismet]

Durem City suburbs


**UNDER RENOVATION**

 

[Aphismet]

Last updated on 10/08/12

Rivener
I think I'm pretty damned cool.
My own Raevan. He seems to be going down a dark path, and though I try to get him off of it, he won't listen to me. How can I get through to him without being forcefully domineering of his own life?

Eirdirsceol
My little Brother. He's kind of weird to me lately. There's this growing gap between us, and I'm not sure why.
Isi's Raevan. He's a trickster, and arguably more of a handful than Riv at times.

Zul
My amazing Flower. I love him more than anything in the world, and he rocks like you wouldn't believe. He's so complex and fascinating, and-... I could go on, but to sum it up, he is the awesomest creature in the universe.
Alex's Raevan. Can't say I'm fond of him. As long as he stays out of my business and I stay out of his, I suppose we've got a tense truce going.

Vyn
She's like my little Sister! I love her tons. But I hate her dog.
Vyn is something of a soft spot for Riv, and I can easily see why. She's sweet and soft-spoken, very adorable.

Lucia
Haven't seen or heard from her in a long while. I'm not sure how I'd react to her anymore, but I'd hope we both moved on from that whole mess a while back.
I wonder how the kitten is doing? She's not been around any lab events in a while.

Lazarus
My best friend, and a really cool guy. I'd go to him for advice on almost anything.
Kyou's. As far as I've seen, he's a responsible and reliable sort.

Melisande
I-... Think maybe I like her. She's not at all what I thought. She's... fascinating.
So sweet and cute. She seems sad, though... I wish her good things in the future.

Roux
I regret what happened to him. He was complicated, but he had lost himself completely. He was a danger to everyone and everything. What Zul did was for the best, and I'd have done the same.
Roux always kind of scared me. After the whole debacle at the Lab, I can easily see why, and I was right to be afraid.

Sevilin
I miss the guy. Haven't seen him around much lately. I hope his guardian isn't treating him badly.
I honestly don't know how such a sweet little thing like Sev can be expected to live with someone like Werika... Sev deserves better. I hope he's not being corrupted!

Gage
I liked Gage. He's gone forever now, it's so awful... I wonder if he's resting in peace or if he's inside Domevlo?
Poor, poor Gage. Someone should have stopped it all before it got to this point.

Zavier
I can't believe he's gone. He was a good friend.
I don't know much about him, but he seemed a very smart and level-headed individual. A sad loss for the Lab.

Tariel
Very cute but very naive. Not sure if I'd use the term "ditzy", but it's damned close.
I've never met Tariel.

Sa'ida
I feel connected to her, kinda like with Vyn but different... Not sure why, she doesn't seem dark or scorpion-y. Anyway, she's awesome and I like her.
She's so colorful and bright, and against all odds Rivener liked her. She's a good girl.

Varun
He's kinda turning into a douche the more I interact with him...
Wow, another Raevan who seems to be a handful. Good luck, Kinsey.

Prajna
This girl or boy (not sure) is delicious. Like literally delicious. And also, a giant b!tch no matter the gender.
This one is so unpredictable and moody. It tends to get into trouble with Riv... I think I'd rather avoid this one.

Tangaroa
I've never really met this Tangaroa.
I've never met Tangaroa.

Iorek
Reks seems to have grown a lot more adult-like lately. He takes care of his humans very well, but they should really think about his well-being more.
Reks is so dutiful and responsible. I feel better leaving Lil and Ty alone, knowing he's there to watch over them.

Xiu
He's bookish and a bit reserved, but he's a great friend. I like him a lot. Against all odds he's going out with Laz! I have to admit that though I wish them happiness, I don't see any sparks between them ever. Are they just shy?
Xiu seems like a very smart and calm person. Rivener gets along well with him. Maybe some of his good behavior will rub off on Riv?

Lulu
She's such a little cutie. Makes me wanna pinch her cheeks and make her giggle.
Lulu is adorable incarnate. I hope she doesn't hate us!

Domevlo
He is Gage's soul and something else. He looks so much LIKE Gage it's disconcerting. I'm... not sure if I'd count him as a friend just yet.
Seems like Domevlo is still figuring things out... I can't really tell what he's like at this time.

Toshiaki
Very very briefly met. He's kinda cute I guess. Funny.
I've never met Toshiaki.

Cordelia
Dells grew on me so much. I love her like a sister, or a close cousin. She's lots of fun, I'll tell ya that, and I get the impression she wouldn't judge me for certain things I do.
Wow, was I ever wrong about her! She's the sweetest little thing, not dangerous at all!

Basil
I haven't met Basil yet.
I've never met Basil.

Xuelian
I only met her briefly, but she was a very soft-spoken and sweet little lady.
She seems misplaced in that cold doctor's office, but perhaps she can find a way to flourish.

Ripley
I respect someone with the strength to stand up to his guardian.
I've never met Ripley.

Ekundayo
I like Dayo. She's a little distracted at times, but she's cool.
She's a soft-spoken person, and kinda air-headed I think. Pretty harmless though.

Zurine
Zurine is a little icy at first, but once she melts she seems quite nice. I only met her briefly, but I'd like to think she warmed up to me a bit.
I've never met Zurine.

Anastacia
You know, the more I thought about Anastacia, the less I was attracted to her. She's Kin, like Vyn is, but closer still- a blood sister, maybe, or something close. I'd defend her against her enemies, but I don't think I'll flirt with her anymore.
She seemed a little.... intense. I will admit I'm a little leery of her.

Luka
I've not met Luka.
I've never met Luka.

Virgil
I've not met Virgil.
I've never met Virgil.

Ethiriel
She seemed so dainty and ladylike. A sweet girl.
She was a proper young woman.

Cruz
I've not met Cruz.
I've never met Cruz.

Rhedefre
First of all, that voice of his is so surprising! Secondly, he's really sharp for a Frei. And thirdly, he's really fun to be around and seems willing to try anything twice.
I've only seen him from across a party, but if he's anything like his guardian he'll be a delight.

Isobel
I've not met Isobel.
I've never met Isobel.

 

[Aphismet]

[[To be Redone - There's too many people! Placed here will be the humans who play a large part in Rivener's life, npcs Rivener knows, etc.]]

 

[Aphismet]

A Quick doodle of Rivener in Chibi style.
Gifts to others:





I had forgotten this pic on my laptop, having never uploaded it to this journal before! O: THIS was my very first fanart of Riv! XD RayKit was having a bit of fun with Rivener's first interaction with Lazzie... No wonder Lazzie avoids Riv! XD

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v188/kuraya/Lab305/RivenerSURPRISE.swf
[Follow link above to see Rivener come to life for the first time! :O ]


A Fanart from Graf! I'm so happy! heart 3nodding 4laugh


A gift from RayKit! It's friggin AWESOME! :O There's also a version without the rune, cause he'd forgotten it at first. LOL!


Here's one I made myself of Riv and his new baby brother, Eiry! Eiry's so scared of technology, and Riv's so in love with it. XD What a pair!


Another fanart done myself.... I like it. wink Now if only I would color it...


A headshot from Mystaira that I got for my birthday. ^_^ Thanks, girl!


A family portrait of my lovely Raevan family by Storei herself! :O Thank you, loves!


A small comic by Storei! XD They're adorable.


A little fanart by Rapidashtrainer! Thanks, Raps! It's the cutest Rivener yet; he looks like he wouldn't hurt a fly!


A fanart I did myself, at Chloe's request, of our two Raevans in the Tunnel of Love; Rivener being pushy and Roux being annoyed at it. (Notice his bare wings? o.O Don't kill me Roux!)


This is a small fanart Raykit drew when he was asking Kyou if Raevan hairstyles can change when they upgrade to Sigel. XD I doubt Rivener would enjoy his new hair if that turned out to be it! A Big Thanks goes to A.C Wings for finding the jpg, which I had never saved to my own comp! ^_^ Thanks, Wings!


A portrait I won while bumping the Moonstruck/Clockword Sorrows auction! It's Aphi! o.O Nice work by Silencieux! thanks!


Rivener during his Growth Quest phase, when the Lunar Eclipse was causing him to molt and lose his powers. He really DID think he was dying!


Scene from Rivener's Growth Quest, when Rivener has attacked Isikoro. Comissioned by Storei. biggrin <3!


Shushida was on a CuteChibi spree and made this one of Riv. Who knows where the birdies came from!? But they're so adorable, so it's ok! thanks Shu!


Tyson doodled Rivener. biggrin He looks so "above"! Is this really how Tyson sees Riv?


Tyson's doodle of Aphismet. He really had nice things to say, and this doodle is just darling! biggrin Thanks, Ty! (and Wingsy of course. >w<)

 

[Aphismet]

LINKS

 

[Aphismet]

::Aphismet Receives a Package::

<>


Aphismet ran a hand through his hair. He'd had another of those annoying nights on his friend's couch, being kept up by the neon sign across the street. He hated living here; he hoped that weird questionnaire he had filled out would land him somewhere to stay. All the other lodging offices he had applied with were either full, or told him outright that he wasn't qualified to live in the condos they represented. Apparently, being a pizza-maker wasn't a respectable profession.

Once again, his friend had been out partying all night, and was sleeping it off loudly in his room. The snoring could be heard throughout the small, dirty apartment. Aph pursed his lips, annoyed, and got up. If this was the kind of life College students lived, he was glad he didn't go.

For a minute, Aph pondered making breakfast, but a particularly loud snort from the bedroom startled him. Aph let out a loud sigh. He wouldn't be able to do anything with that racket. Seems it would be breakfast at the diner again. He'd be broke soon, having to eat out so much. Even though he paid no rent this month, all his money was sucked away by fast food.

He pulled on a pair of clean pants and a freshly washed shirt, the only two remaining clean objects in the whole apartment. With a final frown at his friend's closed bedroom, Aph walked to the front door.

He almost stepped on the box. He stumbled and fell against the hallway wall with a dull thud.

"Gaddamn neighbors leaving their crap all over the-"

Aphismet's muttered swearing slowed to a stop when he noticed that his name was on the box. He frowned in confusion and knelt.

"It's from that lodging office!" He mumbled with a slow smile spreading on his lips. It wasn't garbage! It was the most wonderful package he had ever seen! He wouldn't get a package if he wasn't accepted into one of their buildings!

Aph snatched up the box and carried it back inside to open it.



 

[Aphismet]

::Aphismet Chooses a Soul::

Aphismet sat on his “new” couch, looking at the package that lay on his “new” coffee table. The top flaps were open, and he could see the two glass objects inside, cushioned by foam peanuts. The book he’d found in the box was thrown onto the couch next to him, and had fallen open at a random page. The key to his new apartment, which he now found himself in, had been discarded carelessly onto the coffee table, and now sat a foot away from the box inside which it had first been found. Aph held in his hand the note that had been taped to the book, and he read it for the nth time.

“Welcome to your new home. Hope you like it. It’s not furnished since we didn’t know what kind of stuff you like, but feel free to go upstairs and see the building supervisor. He’ll let you into the storage room and you can pick yourself some stuff. Take as much as you want, but know that when you leave you won’t be allowed to take it with you.

So! Enjoy the apartment, don’t set fire to it-“ Aphismet had been outraged when he first read this. It hadn’t been HIS doing the first time! “-and take care of the gifts we’ve included. Read the book to find out what it is. –Dr. Kyou.”

Aphismet couldn’t help but frown. This was all a little too suspicious. Did these people think he set fire to the LAST place? That big form with the inane questions, was it all part of that Lab 305 thing? Was he being used like a lab rat in some experiment? All these questions were worrisome, enough that Aph had considered turning down the apartment, returning the box with its weird content, and trying to find some other place to live.

He hadn’t considered it for very long, though. This place was too nice to give up. It wasn’t particularly big or fancy… In fact, it would be considered rather small. There were only two rooms: one to serve as living room, bedroom and kitchen, and one bathroom. It wasn’t much, but it was all Aph wanted. He didn’t like to clean, so something small was better. Also, his apartment was in the basement, and would stay cool in the summer… Not only that, it was located close to Mario’s! He wouldn’t have to pay for the bus everyday, anymore!

With a sigh, Aphismet decided to simply go along with things. After all, whatever experiment they were conducting with him was probably not harmful… right?

The young man turned his attention to the book beside him on the couch. Picking it up, he turned it to the first page. Strangely, the book didn’t look like a professional thing; it looked more like something that was typed up by hand. There were even a few hand-scrawled notes in the margins!

“Owner’s manual for Raevan. By Doctor Kyou…” Aph frowned and snatched the note from the coffee table. Yep, same name. He blinked and put the note down, continuing in the book.

“You have received a vial of Fel Essence. Yours is Nocturne Stone.” This last had been a blank, filled in by hand with the strange name. “Keep it in a safe place. The nature of your Fel Essence will be explained in chapter 2.”

“You have also received an empty bottle of Soul-Glass. This bottle has mysterious powers that will be further explained in chapter 3. Keep this bottle close to something, and that object will become transformed thanks to the bottle. Once your bottle begins to glow, return to Lab 305’s main office with both the bottle and the vial, and Dr Kyou (that’s me) will assist you further from there.”

That was it. The first chapter consisted of two paragraphs. The rest of the pages for this section were blank. Well, except for a coffee stain on page 14.

Aphismet flipped the pages until he found chapter 2, and he began to read… But soon he sneered and flipped the pages to chapter 3. Chapter 2 was mostly mumbo-jumbo about history and science and things, none of it catching Aph’s attention. He wanted to know more about the “mysterious powers” of that bottle… It could transform things? Maybe… Maybe it could heal things, too? Aph glanced over at the terrarium near his bed.

He returned his gaze to the book, skimming through chapter 3. Once again it was pretty complicated. Big words, scientific processes, transmutations… What the hell is a transmutation anyway? Getting frustrated, Aphismet flipped another page, and just then, a sentence caught his eye.

“…will keep something alive after death shall claim it.”

His eyes widened. He closed the book. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know how that was possible, or what the consequences were. Looking over to the terrarium again, Aph wondered. Could it really…?

He put the book on the table, and lifted the soul-glass bottle out of the box. He walked over to his bed and sat on it, near the terrarium. Gently, he opened the top, and slid the large bottle in, wedging it in a corner very carefully.

“Hey, Cuddles,” he whispered to the large black scorpion within. “I know you’re tired and old, but this bottle might be able to help… So why don’t you go give it a look?” With careful fingers, Aph reached for Cuddles and nudged the scorpion, who only budged an inch or so closer to the bottle.

Aphismet retracted his hand and closed the lid. With a sad sigh he watched the old scorpion make its way slowly towards the new object. “I hope this works somehow,” the young man muttered.  

[Aphismet]

::The Soul Bottle is... ::

Aphismet rolled over, unwilling to wake up just yet. Sleep, however, had other plans. It was pulling away as resolutely as nighttime. It was barely morning, only 8am, Aph noted as he cracked open an eye to look at his alarm clock. He reached over to turn off the alarm before it went off, not having noticed that he'd left it on. His day off, and his alarm might have woken him at 8:30! Leave it to him to forget something as crucial as...

He frowned. Something was moving in Cuddles' tank.

Could it be that the scorpion had regained some life after all? Over the past week, Aph could have sworn the scorpion was getting worse, lying lethargic in a corner, away from the bottle... But the young man had been hesitant about removing the strange glass thing from the terrarium. After all, it was doing something. The small plastic leaves of the fake plants near the bottle were always flittering slightly as though a very light breeze was going by. It wouldn't be doing that if the bottle was normal, would it? It MUST be magical!

So Aph had left the bottle in the tank, waiting and hoping. And now...

"What the hell is that?" Aphismet whispered to himself as he sat up, flinging the blanket aside and reaching a hand towards the tank lid. He was almost sure he was seeing things. A weird black fog was rolling around inside the bottle. Black, tinged with red when the fog thinned enough for light to show its true color... Aphismet poked at the bottle's lid tentatively. No shock. With nimble, careful fingers, the young man lifted the bottle out. He looked at it another moment before placing it on the bed beside him and turning his eyes back to the tank, looking for Cuddles.

He easily spotted the black scorpion in the corner opposite the one the bottle had occupied. Cuddles' usually glistening body was lusterless. His great big claw rested on the ground at a strange angle, one that a living scorpion would not endure for long. He lay on his thorax with all his legs splayed out, no longer holding him up.

"Oh, NO!" Aph muttered, frowning. He reached in and prodded at the scorpion. Maybe he was just really weak? He wouldn't... He couldn't die. Cuddles could NOT die. Aph poked harder, pushing the scorpion sideways.

Nothing.

Aphismet didn't move for a long moment, his finger on Cuddles' chitinous back, his back curved forward and head held low as he stared dejectedly at the little black corpse. Then slowly, his arm feeling so very heavy, Aph pulled back his hand and closed the lid. He rolled back into his bed, staring at the ceiling, trying not to be a sissy about this. He fought back the knot in his throat. It was just a stupid scorpion, he told himself. Not even a proper kind of pet. You couldn't play with it, couldn't teach it tricks... Except that one trick where he would climb the plastic tree to get his food if I opened the lid and held it out for him... He choked, and frowned at himself, shaking his head to get the thoughts out of there. Turning onto his side, he pulled the blankets back onto himself, and felt the weight of the bottle against his foot. He'd forgotten about that bottle.

Sitting up, he glared at it. It was probably responsible for Cuddles' death! Well, we'll see about that! Those crazy people who gave him this thing would probably know how to fix it! Aph didn't care if Cuddles was old, and would have died soon anyway... He had robbed his precious friend of whatever life he had left.

Grabbing the bottle by the neck, Aphismet stalked over to his livingroom sofa, and snatched up the manual he'd received in the box.

"There has to be some kind of contact information in here somewhere... AH! Here we go."

There was an email adress, which would reach "The Staff". So, he couldn't talk to that Dr Kyou guy, whoever he was. Well, as long as he could get ahold of someone who knew how to bring poor Cuddles back!

Aphismet quickly got dressed, shoved the bottle and the vial into his backpack, and headed for the nearest cybercafe.




 

[Aphismet]

:: Aphismet Visits Lab 305 ::
(An RP with Dr Tsu)

Aphismet walked into the "shop", carrying his backpack carefully in his arms instead of slinging it over a shoulder as he normally would. The pack carried something precious this time; the weird bottle, the vial that came with it, as well as a shoebox with his dead scorpion inside. He'd made it halfway here without the latter, and had then realized that if the bottle could be "fixed", he might need the little black corpse there for the doctor to look at.

At first he wondered if he was at the right place; this looked more like a personal lab, or a branch of the university... Did the Dr Kyou person really have a shop? Aphismet's suspicions about being part of some experiment seemed to be confirmed.

"Hello?" Aph called out from near the entrance, hesistant to go further into this place without being invited. He could get in a lot of trouble for infiltrating a scientific office, even if he didn't do it knowingly. "Anyone here?"

Tsu looked up from his magazine while lounging in the front desk area at a young man carrying his backpack rather awkwardly. Granted it was awkward to carry a backpack in any place except your back, but that was a different story. "Can I help you?" Tsu asked a little more curtly than he meant to, but being stuck on secretary duty while Chloe, the main help, was out was something he's not used to.

Aphismet blinked and turned to the person he had failed to notice. He frowned just a bit at the curt reply, but more than one person snapped at him daily. He was used to it, knew it was best to act as though nothing was wrong.

"Oh, uh... Hello, I'm looking for a..." He reached clumsily into his pocket and took out the crumpled note, reading, "...Dr. Kyou. Do you know where I could find him? It's rather important..." At least, he thought it was important. Some weird experiment of that doc's seemed to have gone terribly wrong... That would be important, wouldn't it?


Tsu sighed inwardly at his failure to be polite to guests. If Kyou caught wind of this, he was gonna get a lecture again about proper human relations and the importance of it. Another lecture that would be ignored. Later.

"I'm sorry," Tsu said getting "Kyou has stepped out of the office for the day, but if it's alright, I can try and help you?"


Aphismet stuttered for a moment in confusion. Would someone else really be able to help him? Would he sound utterly crazy for mentioning a magic bottle and a dead scorpion? Or were all this place's employees in on it?

Taking a deep breath, Aph decided he had nothing more to lose. He put down his backpack and searched through it carefully for the bottle.

"Well, a while back I filled out a weird questionnaire to get a new apartment, and when I finally got a place to live in, this was waiting there for me," he said as he pulled out the soulglass, peering into it with one eye closed. "It was empty when I got it, but the manual it came with had something in it about magical properties and defying death and stuff like that, so I thought it could help my pet." He put down the bottle and fished out the shoebox, opening it to show the black scorpion carcass. He frowned up at the stranger. "But that damned bottle killed Cuddles! I'd like to know if there's some way to reverse it and make Cuddles Okay again."


A brief look of understanding spread across Tsu features, "Oh yeahhhh, I read the email from you the other day!" Then a realization of what exactly he was being asked. Now he knew why Kyou was going to be gone for the day. This was always the roughest and Tsu failed miserably at telling bad news to people.

"Welllllll... To start off, congratulations for capturing a soul. That's a big step in this project, but I'm sorry to hear that the bottle killed your...erm Cuddles. The issue is we can not make your pet better once it's dead and lost the soul. That means we cannot reverse the process unfortunately."

Tsu pauses for air and gives the customer a look of sympathy.

"The good news is that through technology and a little bit of magicks, Kyou should be able to use the soul of your comrade as well as the bottle that contains the stone to give you a new version of your pet. In this sense, you are cheating death."


Aph listened intently. He frowned darkly, but turned his gaze down at the poor Cuddles... He blamed himself for not reading that manual more closely. It probably said, in there, that this would happen. Cheat death indeed, he muttered to himself.

"So... What you're saying is that I WILL have Cuddles back? In some... form?" He swallowed his frustration and looked hopeful, cradling the shoebox pathetically. He wasn't sure what to make of all this, but he'd be willing to give just about anything a shot. Even if it DID sound a little farfetched. "What.. What am I supposed to do?"



Reading Aph's expression, Tsu had a feeling he knew what the other was thinking. "You shouldn't beat yourself up about the loss of your pet. The rules of life and death are tricky no matter how you look at it. If I had a chance to keep a pet alive that I loved and cared for... then I'd do it in a heartbeat, probably without reading the consequences."

"Now as for the process, yes, you'll have the soul of your Cuddles back. However, when he's a kid, Cuddles won't have any memories of his other life and so you'll have a relatively clean slate to work with. Later on, he should become more like your former pet with his soul. I'm not entirely sure as this process is still new."



"Ooo-kay..." Aphismet closed the shoebow and put it away again, his mind slowly wrapping around the idea that he'll have to give his beloved little poison-monger a proper burial. "He won't... be the same? And what do you mean, As a kid? You can't mean a KID kid, right? Not human? He'll be a scorpion again, won't he?"

Aph picked up the bottle again and gave it a careful swish. This was all pretty crazy. "And the process is New? How New? Have other people gone through this? Can I see any of these revived pets?" He looked at Tsu, suddenly very curious to see what something would look like if it was born from a bottle and a vial of mysterious matter... Surely, he wasn't going to see a human. A person. Right?...

"Hmmm... I wonder if I have any good pictures..." Tsu muttered rifling through the desk for some pictures of the past products, "I think there might be one of Lazarus, Kyou's first creation. Ah... here it is..." Tsu pulled out a picture of a white haired half body looking rather displeased to being photographed, "In any case... as you can see it's more a child you're going to have rather than a pet so much... but it is still a companion."

Aphismet gawked at the picture open-mouthed. It was a floating torso! With wings!! Would Cuddles look like that?

"Holy crap! That thing was someone's pet?!" The poor pizza-maker still hadn't caught on that any soul would do. "That's... That's a floating body! Where's its legs?! Oh god, does it hurt??" He snatched at the picture and looked at the disgruntled Lazarus, putting the soulglass bottle negligently on the edge of the desk. With fearful fingers, worrying of what he might have condemned Cuddles to, Aphismet caressed the picture. He had easily misinterpreted the look of annoyment for a look of utter misery. "He looks so sad! I... I'm not so sure I want Cuddles to suffer like that..."

"It's not so much that he's in pain, as that he's annoyed at us for taking the pictures. He can be rather... fussy... if he doesn't get his way from time to time... but that's every little kid, isn't it? Besides... when they grow older, they'll have legs and everything like others, so it's not like you're torturing the child. Unless you refuse to feed it or something. But that's another story, you seem like the kind that would actually take care of your pet/kid."

This was all a little much to take in. "This is a child? He... He already looks like a teen. And, erm.. Cuddles will turn into this? Or, something like this?" He ran a hand through his hair and put the photo back on the desk, taking his bottle again, looking at it. "All thanks to this thing... Cuddles' soul is inside? ...Whoa. This is a bit much. You're sure he'll be okay?"

Aphismet wondered what he'd have to do, how long it would take... Who knew this kind of thing existed? "So.... Do I give you this? Or do I keep it and feed it stuff? It's just a bottle... Oh, and I got a little vial with a rock in it, too. That has something to do with all this?"


"Oh, in order to make sure the process is successful, you will need to let us take care of your bottle and the vial with the rock in it. After some time we will contact you again to come and pick up your child. Even though he won't look exactly like Lazarus here, he will have certain similarities. I can assue you everything will be fine as long as you take good care of the child."

Tsu smiled, "I know this is a lot to take in all at once, but I'm sure you'll do fine. The items are in capable hands here until the time comes that you need to pick up your new version of Cuddles, and with a new start, you might consider a new name." Tsu couldn't imagine calling a kid cuddles.


"A... A new name? Oh, yeah, I suppose calling a kid Cuddles wouldn't... err, hehheh." Aphismet babbled, chuckling uneasily. He hadn't even thought of that. It wouldn't be his PET anymore... It would be his child. That set off a whole SLEW of alarm bells in his head. A DAD? You?! You're not ready for this! Run! RUN, DAMMIT! His head was yelling at him, and he was finding it difficult to stay in place. He shifted from foot to foot.

"So, erm, here," he said, putting the bottle on the desk and fishing the Vial out of his backpack, slipping it next to the soulglass. "I'll er... Well, you guys know where I live. I'll be, erm.. waiting? OH! How long does it take?"

What he really meant was: How long do I have before I have to decide if I'm gonna keep that thing or not?


"The reason I didn't tell you a set time to come back in, is the growth process seems to vary based on the item inside the vial. Ice took a couple months to form a body of the child, whereas fire grew fairly quickly. We'll make sure to call you when they are born and you can come see. If you're uncomfortable about being a dad... you can commiserate with me. I'm really not looking forward to that either with mine."

"Oh, you have one too? How... How long has it been? And if you didn't want it, how come you got roped into this thing? Were you tricked like I was?" Aph was starting to think this Dr Kyou person was quite the selfish trickster. Suddenly, it occured to him that he didn't know the other man's name.

"Oh, jeez, I'm sorry; I'm Aphismet. Pleased to meet you." He offered his hand hesitantly, never liking physical contact with other people.


"It's not that I don't want one.... I just can't think of it as a kid. My lifestyle kinda doesn't support the image of Father of the Year let's just say. Oh... I'm Tsu, medical doctor here, nice to meet you Aphismet." Tsu said quickly shaking the man's hand and letting it go. "However, I suggest you don't call my brother selfish or a trickster... I signed up knowing what I was getting into somewhat. Just not how much work I was gonna be putting into it."

Well, erm, it's nice to meet you, Tsu- I MEAN, Dr Tsu..." Aph's eyes were a tad wide. He'd thought this guy was just the receptionist! "I, er... I'm late for work, so I'll leave these here with you? Call me or something when the, kid or whatever... hatches." He hesitated at the last word, not really knowing what would be the proper term for the creation of this being. The word "hatch" even felt weird in his mouth as he said it, but it was too late to take it back. He didn't want to look too stupid in front of a doctor.

"So, I'll be off then. It was good to meet you Doctor."

"Take care at your job, and we'll let you know what happens. We at least have email for you after all!" Tsu called over to the figure leaving the building.

Picking up the bottle and essence that Aphismet left behind, Tsu went to the empty tank and dumped the contents into the machine like he was taught to by Kyou. Sure it looked unceremonius... but it worked. That's what mattered Tsu thought as he moved back to the front desk and picked up his porno mag once more.