Character Lounge

[Stygian]

Sathariel's already red cheeks deepened in colour under the snow-white fur, and she looked down on her feet. She stood to the side, silently, and listened. Part of that red on her cheeks though was not from a sense of embarrassment, but rather anger. They acted like she wasn't there at all, or just some kid that couldn't behave or a pet that wasn't housebroken yet! She knew that was not how they meant, but having learned so much in her short time around she had trouble processing the information. She sat down in another chair, not caring as it seemed she did otherwise, that it was the one Stygian seemed to have reserved for himself, and put her hands on her knees and listened.
   Then, Stygian came in from the door out into the hallway, in half-done pants and drying his still wet fur on his upper body with a satin red towel. He stopped, took one look at what was going on, and then sighed and spoke.
   "Right. You people enjoy your meal. I'm gonna go get a nap," he said, watching the large clock that ticked softly against one wall of the room. He frowned a bit to it. "Half past midnight, twenty-four hours... Try to get some sleep in you too. You look like you've been thrown in a blender." With those words, he left them and walked back out into the entrance hall, where the fox was still watching the place with big eyes. Stygian walked up behind him as he stood examining some sort of suit of armor.
   "Allright. You wanted that extra money?" he said. The fox jumped a bit, and then gave him another suspicious look when he turned around.
   "Yeah. What's the d..."
   "It's nothing, really. I hope you don't mind being away for a day or so. You'll probably be a bit tired." Stygian flung that towel over his shoulders. The fox stepped just a bit back.
   "I have school and things, man. I gotta..."
   "Twice what we said and a bonus of three hundred and sixty credits. That's six hundred total." The fox's eyes went big, but he didn't react as much as he should have.
   "Man, I don't know what you're up to, but I've gotta get out of here." That response was what Stygian had expected. The fox started to turn and walk, but he didn't raise his voice or sound angry when he spoke after him.
   "I also won't tell anyone you're Fae."
   The fox made a dead halt, his shoulders rising up. Then he turned around to face Stygian, still with an angry expression and with his tail swishing behind him.
   "You sure as Hell won't..." he said, and started raising a hand against the bat. Stygian's eyes narrowed, and the shadows of the room seemed to grow darker and more pronounced. He whispered something, and then a large green pattern, similar to the one he had used on the crowd in the simulation but larger and more complex, with rings rotating inside each other, appeared before him. The fox's eyes widened, and then he froze as something, several somethings made out of concentrated shadow, reached up and grabbed him, holding him fast.
   "Always have to be so clumsy... Sorry, but I really am not going to hurt you. I just want something from you..." Stygian said in that crawling voice, his eyes now having turned into those burning green-centred pits and his skin cracking and turning grayish as he exerted his power. He closed with the now squirming fox, who stared at him with panic in his eyes, antennae having made themselves present atop his head.
   "You won't remember a thing afterwards, I promise..." Stygian said, reaching out a clawed black hand...

   Inside the main lounge, Aisha's tail ring suddenly started to glow and pulse violently. Though no one in there could either see or hear what happened when the two figures left for the inner regions of the house...

[Aisha deCabre]

While listening for Gareeku's reply, Aisha had glanced to where Mel had sat with Sath.  She gave the girl an impressed smile when hearing about what she had done, adding to the compliments others gave her.  "Well done, chica.  I daresay you might be quite the heroine."  Quite the child, she is, she thought with a bit of amusement at her excitement.  Then, Aisha watched Stygian leave, Sath go to speak with Boogey, and Mel go as well...leaving her and the wolf together on the sofa once again.

The pantheress smiled, having heard Gareeku's soft reply to her question.  The reassured and even strong tone was starting to return to his loving voice.  As long as she knew that he would recover from his ordeal...that he was okay...that was all that Aisha needed at that moment.  Her face became warm at his words and his kiss...she returned it with the same tenderness, holding the silent meaning behind it of contentment, love, and true care for him.

It was a funny thought in Aisha's mind; once she thought that she had nothing left in her life to fear losing.  Now, she had one...

She chuckled softly after breaking the kiss.  "You've done well without me before...but, I'm glad to have helped...you mean too much to me, for me to do otherwise."

Finally it seemed a moment of peace was observed in the lounge for the time being.  She comfortably embraced Gareeku while watching the goings-on with slightly tired eyes...Aisha could have taken a nap right then and there if she wanted.  A few others seemed to have the same idea.  The only thing that made her jerk out of her seat was when her tail ring pulsed and flashed brightly.  "What in h..." she started, then muttered beneath her breath, relaxing again.  "Three guesses to what that might be..."

[Joat]

"Three guesses? Well, if it's not an evil spirit, a dark wizard, or the Spongebob Squarepants theme song, I need more guesses," May says, "God, that theme song alone is the reason I never watched that show."

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel picked a little at the food before deciding she was more tired than hungry. When she had been outside a few minutes ago she had seen the perfect spot for a cold-loving dragon to sleep without being bothered. Near the front door was a tiny gazebo, more decorative than anything. She slipped outside and found the gazebo full of snow, just like she hoped. She sized herself down to housecat size and curled up comfortably in the drift and with a happy sigh fell asleep.

[KarlOmega1]

Karl: Let me guess, Aisha...either Styggy or someone else that has Dark Energy went Shadowform (darkform) again?

*Karl then attempted to find Stygian...only to find the bat doing Shadowform shifting again. He taps him on the shoulder*

Karl: Just what in Inferno are you doing?

[Joat]

“Shadowform? What’s that?” May asks.

“Shadowform. Ah, beautiful. It is too bad you will never be able to experience it. It is a state where you let the darkness flow through you and…” a voice in May’s head begins.

“Just go away, already!” May yells, her eyes now closed out of fear.

“Your fear. I can taste your fear. Your fear is what brings you closer to me, May. Until later, I bid you adeu.”

[Stygian]

Stygian was nowhere to be found, at least not in the regular quarters or any of the lower rooms. A visit to the attic yielded no results either. The darkness that emanated from him seemed to have vanished without a trace, the only lingering effect a chill feeling and a sort of murkiness that held the entry hall, quickly fading. Either he had left for the far part of the house and made an effort to hide, or he simply was not anywhere near to be found.

   Stygian licked his lips, delighting in the sweet, metallic taste of the fox's blood. Despite being a Creature, this one had come quite easily, and he was enjoying this latest catch slowly. A pity he'd have to return him unscathed. There was a certain thing about not really finishing your meals... But he had to savor it while it lasted. He would make concessions so as not to harm anyone, and make sure not to leave traces. But that did not mean that he couldn't have a bit of fun...

(OOC: Sorry, story and character concern. I will ignore that statement until proper story has taken place.)

[e_voyager]

E having raided the kitchen sits down at a table  with a bowl of chili and some polish with a few slices of cheese. it was not healthy bu then no one ever accused him of doing things that were conductive to long life. still he would barely be flesh and blood long enough to digest this meal and if he was going to eat he may as well enjoy it.

[Aisha deCabre]

There was a snicker from Aisha as people offered their guesses as to the cause of the flash of light from her tail...apparently, she would have to practice whispering under her breath just a little more, as they heard her.  "You're halfway right, and you ARE right," she commented respectively to May and Karl, before watching him walk off.  It was at that moment that her tired eyes blinked open and noticed the food that was on the table.

Casting a wary glance to her ring once again, her tail flipped around to between her legs where she couldn't see it and be distracted.  It couldn't be something dangerous to the whole of the group, so soon after coming back.  There were many she knew who gave off that signature and weren't.

The panther only paused upon hearing May shout, then with a questioning look and a shrug, poked into the open bags, licking her lips lightly upon smelling the food...she figured a good snack would do well before she decided to fall asleep...whenever that would be.

That was when she looked back at Gareeku with a smile while taking the food out.  "Still hungry?"

[Joat]

May blushes, realizing how loud she was. "Um... sorry 'bout that."

[Stygian]

Time was going slowly. By the towering clock to the wall, which ticked faintly and seemingly with a sort of chill disregard for everything else, one could tell that it was almost one in the morning. The snow had stopped falling outside, and the pallid glow of the moon reflected in the perfect white of the cold blanket lain over the ground. It watched the sleeping dragon in the gazebo outside ruefully, peeked in through the tall, arched windows, balanced on the treetops on the ridge past the lake below. The food was still warm in its packaging, small whisps of steam rising from the hot soup and starter courses to be eaten before the sushi, but the rest of the world seemed to have gone cold and still. It was peaceful. Quiet.
   Shapes trodded in the distance at the edge of the forest, just underneath the darkness, and one would have thought they could hear a howl. It was answered by a dim, almost inaudible growl from somwhere on the other side of the house, almost a whisper to all their ears. Except Aisha's, who were more acute, and recognized the crawling, seething undertone to it.

[Boog]

Boogey had wolfed down his meal and went to sleep, on the basis that both were pleasant activities. Of course, insomnia decreed that this only lasted a couple of hours, so he was just lying awake debating whether or not to peek on a few dreams.

[Gareeku]

Contently snuggling Aisha, the wolf then noticed the panthress' tail ring glow. Growling and guessing who it could be, Gareeku was about to go and investigate, were it not for his tiredness prohibiting him to do so.

Noticing the food and hearing Aisha's question, Gareeku smiled and nodded.
"You bet." he replied, before his stomach growled softly, the wolf blushing slightly as it did so.

[e_voyager]

having worn himself out  e returns the the couch lays down for a  rest.  he sighs rubbing his belly. it's have been a while since he's actually eaten something other then ice cream and here in on day he's had both pizza and chili cheese dogs. now however he was tired  and as an organic being he needed sleep.

[Aisha deCabre]

"It's alright, May," Aisha responded to the youngster's apology kindly, though her eyes were set towards the table.  The panther nodded at Gareeku's response and handed him a portion of the food and set one for herself as well.  The smell of the sushi and appetizers were just too tempting to consider putting sleep before the meal.  She was certain that the wolf had the same thoughts, smirking when she heard his growling stomach.  Her own made a grumbling reply, to which she just laughed.  "Comemos, then."

While she ate, she watched and listened as the mansion became progressively quiet until the life seemed to have just walked out of it, save for those she could see still hanging around.  The size of the place, the gargantuan presence made by the building itself, it only made the quiet all the stronger and encompassing, like it was the only element that could cover the great amount of space other than light, air, and shadow.  It would create a lonely feeling, if it weren't also peaceful.  That was certainly evident when E had comfortably fallen asleep on another couch nearby.

She swallowed quietly and hummed.  "Quiet..." then her ears swiveled on her head, independent of each other like sattelites, upon catching those sounds well within her range of hearing that never failed to send a chill down one's spine, until one recognized it.  "Mostly," she added, "but then again, that's quite a welcome sign after today."  Aisha sat back on the couch when she finished her food.  "Peace..." she smiled, her eyes closing briefly at the sense that came with the word...certainly present when she was with Gareeku.

[Stygian]

Time flew, or at least it seemed so. The mansion lay still and dormant for the time, accompanied only by the forest and the moon. Its empty rooms, still and dark as ever, held its inhabitants close in their grasp. The kitchen was silent, the bedrooms empty. Only in the atrium was there any movement, still resting bats occasionally moving as they settled on branches in the hanging trees. It seemed that someone had forgotten to turn up the heating, for a chill began to spread over stone and hardwood floors. The fire in the hearth in the main lounge had faded, unattended to, and the only lighting now came from live candles whose flames burned perfectly in the still air.
   A couple of hours passed, before a dark figure appeared on the outside of the house, as it clambered across a wall and up over the sloped roof and made its way up a top spire. It sat hunched over on the point of it for a few seconds, and then unfurled a pair of huge leathery and clawed wings, too big for the size of its figure as it had been before. It gently leapt off the roof, and spread those wings, quickly gaining altitude as it beat them and almost snaked its way through the night sky, tail streaming behind it.
   Not much later, the creature returned to above the house. It circled once, looking down and assessing the place below. Then, it dove quickly, plummeting through the air and only spreading its wings once it was almost down on the ground. It slowed instantly, and then with just a barely audible thump set its clawed feet on the roof of the gazebo. Then, it seethed with shadow as it changed...
   Stygian shot a head down to look at the white dragon under him, laying in the mound of snow she had made for herself. He cocked his head to the side a bit, and then slid smoothly and silently down, turning so that he could sit on the side, just above the dragon's head, looking curiously at her.

((OOC: *Takes out a freshly polished cluebat*  Now, unless people actually do something, this cannot progress. I already know your perspective and feelings, since you've expressed it. But when are you going to go to sleep like normal people?!))

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Something disturbed Mel's nap. More of a shift in the flow of energies than a sound or vibration. She slitted sleepy eyes partly open and after a moment found Stygian above her. She yawned and stretched like the housecat whose size she currently matched, tiny claws scoring the snow. "Out for a midnight stroll? Nice night for it."

[Stygian]

"And you? Sleeping in the snow. I thought dragons were fiery and liked mountains, caverns, volcanoes or such," he said, and slid down from his perch just a bit. He sat down more comfortably and eyed the dragoness somewhat curiously. "I never could sleep very well. And now that I've eaten, I thought that moving a bit could be good for me." It wasn't as simple as that, but...
   Stygian sat silently for a while, leaning his head back out and looking at the starry sky. Though he looked as if he breathed, there came no mist from those breaths. And there was no heartbeat to be heard either in his chest. All was still as the night.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

"Dragons have adapted to all sorts of conditions; glaciers as well as volcanoes. My ancestors happened to have adapted to survive in frozen wastelands. My home is a place of ice and snow. The original fort walls were made of ice blocks since it is so reliably cold there." Mel wiggled deeper into the drift of snow. "This temperature is more natural to me than that indoors."

[Boog]

(OOC: Stygian, how many normal people do we have here?)

[Stygian]

Stygian had no idea what relevant thing he could say to respond to that, so instead he sighed and jumped topics quiclky.
   "I didn't hurt him that bad, but they seem pretty pissed with me..." he said to Mel, not really expecting her to listen. "Why he keeps that attitude against me and those demons of his, I don't know. It's like he's fighting all the time, like he wants to fight the darkness outside because he can't face the one within." That was not such an easy insight as he made it sound, but he didn't care. He thought it was right. He turned his head, and scratched his neck.
   "Thankfully, he's not set on destroying me or something. If that was the case, this would probably get ugly," he said, and then shrugged a bit. "But then, what do I know?"

   Sathariel had tired of all the happenings in the house. Even with Aisha's and Gareeku's passion in the back of her head, and the curious feeling of the others, especially the Boogeyman, she had gotten wearied. Now, those emotions were just tiring her more. So she got up, and walked out into the corridor and up to find a hopefully ready bedroom.
   Only when she was outside the lounge and already heading up the stairs to the second floor did she start to feel uncomfortable. There was a presence from the other end of the house, a dark emptiness that could only be Stygian. It was masked from her enough that she could barely tell the direction of it, but she knew. She could also feel just a hint of excitement and arousal on his end, like the scent of a hunting beast, but darker. She sped her steps, and searched.
   When she entered a bedroom to an end of the house that must have been pretty much on top of the lounge, she could tell that the darkness had moved. It wasn't as "on end" as before, but that didn't make it better. She undressed hastily and slipped under the cold but smooth bedsheets. Stygian was going further off, Mel had fallen asleep, and Aisha was fee...
   Sathariel forced her mind shut. She had to, or otherwise she wouldn't have been able to sleep. The sensations of the others around still played over the surface of her mind, but she didn't take part in them, held them out. Slowly, she drifted into a troubled sleep...

(OOC: Let me rephrase that... as any kind of creature that needs sleep. I for one can't very well do anything until you've had your turns. A few hours don't just pass like that unless everyone agrees that they do.)

[Joat]

“Do you guys have any guest rooms around here? I’m really tired,” May says.

*OOC: Like normal people, Stygian? The one normal entity around here (Valencia) isn’t even looking at a bed.*

[Aisha deCabre]

((Even not-so-normal people need sleep.    Except for 'Cubi and insomniacs...))

Aisha opened her eyes again and set her empty plate aside, having almost been caught by the peace and quiet of the house.  It had become slightly dark on the inside now, and the place looked even more medieval with the candles and the grand atmosphere.  But the panther hadn't much energy with a full stomach to even appreciate the dark beauty of it.

She stood and stretched her limbs out for a moment, her eyes wandering towards the stairs, and then to those in the room.  "I would think there would be plenty of places to sleep in this place," Aisha answered May, and then eyed Sath to see if she had fallen asleep as well, only to notice that she had left.  "Should be easy to find a bed for those of us that need it."

I know I'll need one after that ordeal... Aisha thought with a final yawn, before pausing and casting a sudden glance to Gareeku with a warm face.

After that ordeal...I don't feel like leaving him alone...

[Joat]

*OOC: Of course, ICJoat decided to sleep anyway.*

“I’ll search, then,” May says. She then wanders off in search of a room. She very quietly begins to sing the song from earlier as she searches.

[e_voyager]

( i kind of skirt the line. i have power and abilities that in many cases i must work to achieve and master. also rely heavily on tech that does not always change over well as if go form world to world.)

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel blinked herself fully awake at the sudden change to seriousness. "I hope you don't expect an answer from me. His power is nothing odd or unique so I don't understand his horror over it." She began making designs in the snow with her claws. "At home Grandmother regularly has visitors whose power shimmers around them like a cloud, so maybe I just have an unrealistic view of power. But it is something Gareeku needs to come to terms with within himself. I only hope he can."

[Stygian]

Stygian raised an eyebrow at Mel's response. He would find out more about her family, somehow. That much power must not be left alive. Then again, with people like that...
   "Why would anyone want power to shimmer around them? Doesn't that make you a target? And I can't imagine what the polarized glasses would cost..." he said, just to be silly. Still, he didn't smile, or even think his joke was that funny. "Heh. As for me, I don't think he has a fair shot... The longer he goes, the more it is repressed, and the more he hates it. Even if he would just settle with it, he'd still see it as a weakness, and while that may stop its growth it doesn't remove the problem..." He sighed. "Or maybe it does. I don't know for sure. All I know is that he throws it in my face how much he hates the darkness, and that as long as he thinks and does as he does he won't improve."
   Stygian hummed, and stretched his fingers. He should have stayed in bed. This was sort of meaningless...
   "You don't see power shimmering around me, do you, Shivers?" he asked, another silly question.

[Boog]

Eventually giving in to insomnia, Boogey got up and went over to the fridge to see if something to eat would help him sleep. As he went, he grabbed a book that had been casually left out on an end table to read; cookies, warm milk, and information always made for pleasant dreams.
As he reached into the refridgerator for the desired foods, book clutched under one arm, he gave a start as if someone had poked him sharply in the ribs. Which someone had.
"Oh! Forgot you two for a minute," he muttered to himself, reaching into his coat and rummaging around, "You both must be starving, I'll get you something." Pulling out a bit more food from the fridge, a majority of it meat, he stuffed it into the coat. There was a slight sound of something moving about, but not a line showed on the garment. Downing the cookies and milk quickly, he was flipping through what had turned out to be The Picture of Dorian Gray when he overheard noise from outside; Stygian and Mel's conversation. He paused momentarily, and eventually reached a conclusion. I've read this before. What these two are saying are new theories and concepts. The snack will help me sleep. The thought-entity settled down by aforementioned window to listen in, smiling to nothing in particular.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel snorted at Stygian's response. "Target? Most of them are clan leaders come for negotiations. If they weren't puffed up like the magical equivalent of peacocks they'd make their whole clan look like targets. I hope they're smart enough to not put on such a show elsewhere."

Then she heard Stygian's last question, "Shimmer? Not, not really a shimmer. But you do have a weird effect on the energy paths near you." Mel shrugged, "But the magical energy in this mansion is so screwed up that it could be an isolated effect."

[e_voyager]

E's sleep is less the restful as he looks about his recent memories. so much clutter. In the spans of a few hours that lasted like a few years. taking great care he isolates and compacts the leas necessary memories and pushed them into external storage. his body gives light in the inferred spectrum as he goes through this. with out meaning to he rolls off the couch. not quite waking up as he lands.