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Č̶̝͕̺̫̩͍̫͍̰̠̇̚o̷̱̫͔̓̄̍͂n̷̝̦̯̓̂͒̓͐͊͆̂̕͠s̴̡̧̨͙͙̟̦͎͔̬͙̲̪̻̼̓͐̈́̌̈́͘͝u̸̥̜̥͈͕̇̽́m̷͕̹̘̱̭̼̙̬͙̞̗̈́̓̌̃̀̔̈̀̈́̉̎͘ê̸̛̜̪͍͇̎̂͐̏͝ ̶̡̹͉̯̠̰̙̣̭̝͆̓̈́̎̊́̃̈̾ţ̴̼̏͌̈́͛̆͛ḩ̵̱̘͓̮̳͓̈́̄͠͝į̶͓̖̞̼̈́̄͊̓͊̈́̔̇̂͗͛̉ŝ̴̺̼̹̋ ̵̦͝w̵̨̩̩̼̹̜̮̖̯͕̔̈́͌̽͆͋̌͐̌̐̐ͅȍ̴̤̤͉̭͇̩̲̽̃̓͋̔̈́ŗ̶̧̨̧̣̤̟̗͖̈́̐͂̈͛̋̔̑̐̓̇̌͂ļ̵̲̠̘̙͉̔̓d̶̟̼̘͎̩̞̫͙́̔̈́̿̎̎̀͋̕͝͝͝,̸͓̤̗̩̠͛͆̒̾͋̀̄͘͝ͅ ̴̖̖͈̯̪̱͙͇͍͖͖̯̀̒͑̌̏̀͌́̓̈́͝a̴̛̝̼̦̻̭͇̖̻̩̰̳̤̜͑͋͐̽̔͐͜͝ͅn̵̡̧̝̲̖̣̱̓̎͌͗̋̓̏d̶̨̛͈́̀̈́͒̄͌͋̋̏̔̀̾͝ ̶̼̩͚͇̙̺̜̖̜̋͌̉̀̆̏͑̆̍̆̚͝͠͝b̵̢͚̳͈̺̜͚̝̺̼͉̟̫̯̽̊͌͗́ͅe̵̡̠̲̱̺̔̓̍ ̵̨̛̻̲̬͐̀̊̎̈́͆͒̓̉̀c̵̨̫̃͐̉̊͐̿̌̌̈̚o̵̢͉͇̻͇̗̔̏͂n̸͚̟̖͇͗͂̒̒͒̓̆̆͛ś̵̨̡͇̪͚͈̺̞̖̯̪̆̔̀͋̀͆͂̚͠u̷͉̬͎͂̓̂̅̄͌͒͑͂̊͑͝͝͝ͅm̸͇̜̟͚̺̙̈̎́̇͠ę̴͙̝̤̖͕̔ḏ̶̢̨̡̯̹̠̥̖̞͈̘͍͎̒̃̌.̴̪̜͙̩̙̳̤͔̜̖̬̚
They Fall like rain.
Corpses sinking into the ethereal sea. Echoing pulses across the rippling tide of the conchfield. Falling on top of each other, as they turn to gray. Souls from all walks of life- Forming the great graveyard that is Terra. For all of what the star gods took from humanity- For as much as the course of human history had been irevokably changed from their conquest, they could not take this.
What they could not take, they instead despoiled. This Graveyard turned legion- as billions of souls still were fading away. Six Hundred years without final rest, without respite. Grasping, clawing. A psychic echo that would not stop screaming. A song that could not be silenced. Beyond this veil, was the pain of countless souls. Emotion so strong, that it could pierce the veil, and bleed into the world of the living. To reach for the living, so that they may yet stave off this fate.
Yet how can one understand what lies beyond the point of no return, whilst having yet to cross it?
That she could see this- was proof that Terra had accepted her. That one day, when she would cross that threshold, she would join this graveyard of the dead. No longer merely a visitor of the land, but rather a soul that belonged to this realm of billions. But today was not that day- Life would not leave the Black Cats body, The Baron would not have his due. No, she was brought here for a different purpose. A feminine giggle to echo through the rippling sea- her eyes would dart to where it could have possibly come from. From every angle, from every way it could come...
Nothing. Just a lingering expectation... and the scent of ripe cherries.
Instead, her eyes would look upon the great ball once more. The taste of sulfur danced upon her tongue- and her body felt as if would catch ablaze. The sensation was overwhelming- threatening to strike at her senses... but she was tougher then that. Stronger then that. Instead, it conjured memories. Memories that were an age ago, yet still were remembered with the veracity of a scar that never healed. That of another black cat. That of a sister in arms, whom gave her life- for her own.
Unending rage. Fury. Emotion swelled in her heart, as she reached out. Desperate to make amends. Desperate to bring her back- But strength alone could not change her fate. Guilt instead would be the prize- as something slipped from her hand. Flailing to grasp at it, she'd catch it right between her claws. A stone, of a strange shape. Engraved with beautiful symbiology- the duality of the masculine and feminine... These were stones they got from the hunters. Dawning realization crossed her features, as warmth coursed through her hand. Prana.
She couldn't do anything here... But if she could awaken. If she could get access to this stone again... Maybe.
Maybe she could reverse the whims of fate. Maybe she could bring her back. Bring them all back.Third of September
BloomsdayI was writing in my book when my door was violently assaulted by a hand. I should have heard the sound of boots on the ground, but with a busy base and many hands flowing through the corridors, that is a luxury that had faded a long time ago. Apparently, My Honor guard was nowhere to be found at the door too. That, or maybe this was pressing enough that whomever it was, wasn't being bothered to stop. Very well, with a flick of the button and a sharp hiss, I would grant the intruder an invitation."Come in. You dont need to pound my door."
Surging forth, Kaminyan would slam her hands on my desk- The passions clearly worn on her face like a veil. The force exerted was enough to echo impact throughout the room. Her haired was frazzled and her scars were visible- she clearly cared not for her appearance any more then the tribal bones and straps she cared for. Even as ebony black as she was- I could tell she was exhausted: Running on emotions rather then energy. Yet she still commanded enough force to make me jump in my seat- Her voice did not lack for that strength either."Capnyan, I've seen it-! I saw them!"
She was half practically yelling. Her ears flicked like daggers and her tail the conduit for motion that could not be contained in the body. Her hands gripped as if squeezing blood from a stone. It had... Had she taken her usual 'meditations' before coming here? I'd rise my hands, trying to ease her.
"Who? Who did you see? Take a breath Kami, Your going to get nowhere with this-"
"Our Claw Sisters! I saw the Atusid, Fleur... Roush! I saw them all!"
She doesn't wait to let me finish. Elation crosses her voice, as if in her mind she saw friends long past once more. But that's impossible... Or maybe it wasn't. Her head lowering as if to give the dead respect- it soon would flick back up to look me in the eyes. An expectation- a hunger. Something has taken hold of her, as soon she states the ridiculous. "Capnyan, I know where they are! I can bring them back!"
I blink incredulously. I have to fight the urge immediately to reprimand her for this prank- or to order our 'Master of Catweed' to cut off her supply, until she recovered. But I entertain the notion, as I shake my head with a sigh. "Kami... The dead don't come back. I know that you miss Roush. We
Both miss our sisters dearly, but-"
Again. She doesn't wait. Instead, she merely assaults my desk again- as if Im the one in the wrong. As if she was dictating terms and delivering punishment. "I
CAN!"
Her voice cracks, like a singular cut into glass. Her eyes betray somberness that has to be choked down. For the fiercest of warriors often have the softest of hearts- something that can be ill afforded on the field of battle. And in this case, I am her foe. But she would continue to speak- a light rumble to her cadence. "I just need those stones we're stockpiling- and brainers, and a room! Somewhere where I can have some space to-!"
"You want an entire section of the base, a portion of our staff and stone we don't fully understand- so you can practice Witchcraft to cheating the reaper?"
My tone grew dry- and incredulous. My temperance had limits- and whilst she was damn good warrior... I wasn't going to bend to her will. A dangerous stance to take, for someone clearly overwrought."Its NOT witchcraft!"
A flash of anger, driven by those passions cross her face. Our eyes meet in a duel of prides. Thank the Empress that we are in private conferance- We are leaving ourselves no way of saving face in a public space. Hells, there was likely listeners at the door from how loud Kaminyan is being. "Trust me Capnyan- don't you want to see them again?!"
She's not wrong. But we have to live in the here and now. I had to accept these realities an age ago, when I took command. And it is not her place to judicate to me how she handles her grief. To her words, I return a quiet growl. "Yes. I
would. But the dead
are dead, and I am not commiting what limited resources we have to a flight of fancy, that you may process your grief!" Poor choice of words, admittedly- but her energy was... overwhelming. I had to reassert control, even if it was in an antagonists role.
Im met with a growl- as she withdrew her hands. The first battle was that of words. The second was of pride. A stand off. Clenched hands soon bending- claws visible in light. She's sizing me up, and if I do not do the same, I will be seen as weak. There Will be a fight. So I slowly rise from my seat- joining her in this battle of wills. My own hand to match hers in the shape of a battle claw.She's about as big as I am- A testament to her survival on this planet, and her freakish nature as a Nekomimi. Scars mark her body, both fresh and old- I know her skill with arms and that one mistake could cost me. I know if she came here to fight, she has put herself into the headspace of a battlefield that she often does to deal with the stress... Leaving my only options to restrain her, or drop her. But that in itself is a weakness to be exploited. She's fatigued, and acting on impulse and emotion. I know her way of trounce- Mine is made to counter hers.
And above all, I'm growing my strength as a Saint. I can win this, should it come to it.Would there be space, we would circle each other. A clear stand off. WE don't want to make the first move- but it is clear that we wish for opposite things. This is not a glorious fight, it is a tragedy- and someone would be reduced for it. But such was the will of warriors- To see ones dream fulfilled, one had to suffer theirs not to. Perhaps our passions drove us so fiercely, that someone else would enter the room. The encroaching smell of Weed to fill my room- making my nose wrinkle and my senses violated- Kaminyan flinching as this was strong. Even for them.
Squirrelwizard would come in, calm and composed. A hand to her mouth to nurse a pipe that seemed to billow out smoke. Where two were not unlike fire, she was like a gentle... Strongly scented breeze. A light hum to her cadence, she'd hold up her other hand and speak. "Capnyan, Kaminyan. Calm yourselves- You might get hurt. That would be rather silly, wouldn't it?"
I would breathe in to address them, but their hand would raise again, clearing their voice. "I know what is going on. I... Have seen it as well. The seriousness of this situation..."
A breath. A ring of smoke to follow. A sastified smile from the serenity of their indulgence. "I understand your intentions. You speak with the burden of a crown... And you, speak with the burden of guilt."
That alone should have provoked a fight. I see Kaminyan's eye twitch, as if challenging her fight or flight response. They already didn't get along the best, so this was not helping. But they would speak, somehow to serenade the beast that flared in her heart. "Capnyan... I can give credence to her words. It
Is possible."
"See, I told you-!"
"But you cannot do it alone."
The Herbalist would step forward, as if to join us- eyeing us both. "...Yet, we cannot simply devote so much to this- that this may take months... years even..."
Another wiff of her pipe, before exhaling sharply. "...There must be a compromise. Capnyan, may I speak?"
I would nod. She may."I understand my relationship with her is strained... But I would ask you to trust me. I will share my room with her, and we will work on this project together. In return, grant us access to the Sivalinga Stones. Either we will succeed... or we will not."
But I knew her track record. The tone suggested that there was no one better qualified for this. Once more, my authority is challenged- but this one is undercut with kindness. With Politeness. And... She wasn't wrong. Out of anyone, she was the best qualified to oversee this project. There was also enough wisdom to put aside grievances, to see this project through.
After all, there was only one of us whom saw the other side.Looking over to Kamivax, seemingly draining of energy, I'd breathe in the misty airs- before nodding. "Fine. Granted. I will grant you two, to accomidate for mistakes. But no more."
"That is sufficient for our purposes."
A smile crept on the Herbalists face, content with the compromise- before nodding to Kaminyan. "Then when you are rested, come to my room. We will delve into your mystery together... This is rather exciting."
Her tail flicked contently- before she would move to stride out of the room. "And much more productive then those incident with the runts in the vents..."
Dont remind us. Looking to Kaminyan- now that the tension had died... Where there was a clash of ideals. Now it had turned to understanding, and a silent apology. For what it was worth, that was a sentiment shared by two. It was not as if I wished to deny her out of pragmatism, or cruel hearted desire. It was simply clashing realities. I motion for her to take a seat, so that she may take a break- and rest her head. Wordlessly, she'd collapse into the seat... and was out like a light.Understandable, Really. I follow suit- if only to continue writing my papers.Stream is Over!This might be too saucy. Please, notify me immediately if it is. I'll happily change it. It felt fitting, but I do NOT want to try the mods.Post Mortem
Hum de dum dum...
