Character Lounge

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel softly said, "Angry people are never smart people. Is everyone going to be angry and kill each other before danger even arrives or are you going to let the anger pass and try to think about the problem?"

She paused and when no one interupted her she continued, "It looks like we have a mad scientist who may be coming to this location to capture Mr. Personality and perhaps Aisha and then conquer the planet for followup. He has an army of angels that are very hard to kill. Five of them were almost too much. Obviously something better than pounding on them is required. I am now asking those of you who were in the heart of the battle, what seemed most effective and how can we expand on it?"

[Snuggles]

*Snuggles walks in and looks around at everyone*

"Hi?" Kind of a shaky at the amount of people in here.

[Stygian]

Upstairs, blackness was swirling around stygian, flowing shadows and poison fumes circulating it around tendrils of liquid dark that floated freely, slithering into and out of its shape, a shadowy humanoid figure kneeling on the floor with its arms outstretched and its wings spread behind its back.
   Then, the swirling stopped, and the shadows began to draw into its body, flowing through and in under forming skin and fur. They gathered mainly at its wings, and when the rest of its body was nearly perfectly transformed, it pulled them back in along with the fluid darkness with a nauseating slithering and cracking sound, its backfur closing quickly and seamlessly after them. A few movements under its skin came as it settled, and then it was complete.

   Stygian rose to his feet, letting out a sigh of ease and looking down at his new form. Pleased, he let some darkness out of him again to form clothes in the traditional fashion he was used to. He cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders a bit, and then turned to the stairs, walking slowly against and down them. So, he thought, I guess I'll get back down and see if we can help that wolf boy at all, and then I'll see if they've actually bothered to check the cellar for something to eat.

[Gareeku]

Several minutes had passed since Gareeku had first encountered the voices who referred to him as the "walker of the veil".
"Make your desicion now, walker. Time is almost out." the voices said once more. By now Gareeku's eyes were closed, deep in thought. Opening them, the wolf looked once more at the vision of the medbay in front of him, a sad expression on his face.
"It seems you have made a decision, walker. By the look on your face, you wish to leave for the afterlife." the voices said.
"...Yes. That is correct." Gareeku replied, "...I would like to say goodbye..."

It was quiet once more in the medbay. Aisha, still sat on the end of the bed that Gareeku's body was lying on, would see something by the side of the bed; a transparent figure was appearing in the medbay. As the figure appeared, it could be seen who it was; Gareeku, or rather his spirit.
"I'm sorry Aisha, but I have to go," the spirit said, his voice almost like a whisper as he walked up to the pathress, before wrapping his arms around his friend, "Take care of yourself. I'm sure we'll see each other again some day."

Smiling at her softly, the wolf's spirit then began to away, before beginning to fade from view as he prepared for his journey to the afterlife.

"Are you ready?" the voices asked as Gareeku's spirit reappeared in the black void in which he woken to.
"Yes. I am." the wolf replied, before beginning to walk to a point of light which grew bigger and bigger by the second.
"It's a shame....but I will not allow thisssss..." the voices suddenly said as they seemingly changed, morphing into one hissing voice. A scarily familiar voice...

[Stygian]

Stygian had reached the downstairs corridor and was almost outside the infirmary, when he very vaguely felt something. It was neither a sound nor a smell, nor anything he could see. But it was a movement, the slightest shifting in the place's equilibrium, so small that he would not have heard it, had he not been on this slight power-high of his for the moment. Stopping, he concentrated, and stretched out his mind.

   His senses focused on the medbay, he quickly found the source. Gareeku's neural activity was going haywire. That was the only word he could find for it. There was something else, slightly shifting inside the wolf as well, but it was much like the Boogeyman; a thing that he could sense and point out, but knew nothing about. Altogether, it was worrying.
   
   Suddenly a thought came to him, seemingly out of nowhere and leaving him wondering where from. Übel herrscht nicht immer vor. Aber es verharrt wirklich sehr.
   He walked against the infirmary with hurried steps. He could not allow the wolf to go berserk one more time. He thought of an old saying from his homeworld; "Once is nothing. Twice is punishment. Thrice is death." And he muttered a short litany, hoping that he would not have to follow that saying.

((OOC: Translation for Stygian's thought; Evil does not always prevail. But it very much persists.))

[Aisha deCabre]

Aisha had sighed patiently, waiting still on the edge of the bed and watching everyone else talk and walk around.  She pricked her ears when her name was spoken by Mel, and then rolled her eyes at the inquiry.  "Nothing much had phased those--things (for she still felt wierd about referring to them as really angels)--in brute force...one had to be very quick though and..."

A disturbance in the air had interrupted her.  "And..." she tried to continue, but it seemed her throat had become mute.  It was by her choice.  She wondered suddenly if anyone else had seemed to notice the slight shimmering in the air bar for herself...they had to have.  It appeared next to the wolf's body, an apparition that took on a familiar form.

Aisha's eyes widened.  She told herself that it couldn't be.  It shouldn't have been.  A trick of the light?  Someone's magic, used to spite her?  But the sad demeanor and voice begged differently.  Gareeku.  It was really him.

She wanted to say something back, but words couldn't form.  Although as he hugged her, in her wide crimson orbs, tears did.  It was like he was still real.  But everything else that had belonged to his body was gone, like scent.  Everything.  She lingered there, trying to find something to say.  Once he started fading, her mind thought, don't go.

Her voice however whispered shakily back to the air, "descanses en paz, amigo.  Rest in peace."  After all, through her training and experience, it was near impossible to deny the possibility of death.  Still, that didn't make the pain disappear.

The apparition was gone.  Gareeku was gone.  Hard for her to believe, but he was.  She looked over to his body. 

Once the room was quiet again, she cast her gaze to the floor and fought her tears back.

But something happened to take her mind off of it for just a second.  Her tail ring in a split moment flashed ferociously.  "Oh what now...?" she growled.

[Gareeku]

"No!" Gareeku cried out. This couldn't be happening to him. It seemed that, even in death, he could not be rid of his dark side; his curse.
"We will live...we will not be denied our right to life!" the voice hissed, before Gareeku knocked to the "floor" by something, or someone. Looking to see who it was, his eyes widened as he came face to face with himself in his incubus form. The wolf had also noticed something else. The other version of himself used the term "we" instead of "I". It seemed that even his dark side included both sides of his psyche in self reference.

"Not if we have anything to say about it!" Gareeku growled, not aware that he used the same term as he pushed his darker self off of him, rising to his feet and turning back to the light. "It is too dangerous. Many people would be hurt."

Even though the wolf considered himself a danger, he had never contemplated suicide, instead relying on the hope that he could be cured. However, he was now essentially dead, and he wanted to use this opportunity to rid the world, to rid his family and friends, of such a danger. It seemed his darker self, however, was determined not to let that happen.
"NO!" the other Gareeku roared out in anger and desparation. before the wolf knew it, his darker self had grabbed him and locked him in a bearhug. Gareeku struggled as much as he could, but his efforts was in vain. This couldn't be happening! He had been so close to freeing himself of the darkness within. He could feeling himself falling in the other's grip, a sensation similar to that of drowning sweeping over him as he struggled for breath, the familiar feeling of unconsiousness sweeping over him once more. "...No..."

"We will live on...we...will...live..."

Back in the medbay, a soft glow surrounded Gareeku's body for a second, his eyes closing in the process, but it abruptly disappeared. It was then, however, that something began to beat in his chest...his heart...

[Aisha deCabre]

Aisha stared with a bit of slight confusion at her tail ring.  The flash was very quick, happening right after Gareeku's spirit left...could it have had something to do with him?

Or maybe it was Stygian that had set it off?  She could hear someone coming back into the medbay.

The panther shrugged it off and held her head in her paws.  Her ears were set back against her head, one tuned like a satellite behind her back to hear who was entering, and the other one aimed at Gareeku's body.  She hadn't noticed the glow that encompassed him at that minute, too preoccupied with the raging, guilty mind.

That ear twitched.  Slowly Aisha raised her head, narrowing her eyes at the seemingly dead wolf.  She could've sworn she heard a heartbeat.

"Okay...that's wierd..." she muttered with wonder and confusion.  "He's alive?  Alive..."

[e_voyager]

E register the apparition of Gareeku and sighed. on more warrior had chosen to die as a shield. he remember when he'd seen that before . it ha made he decided at the time that he lost his close friend that as long as he could fight the battle he would not let others suffer in his place. he was functionally immortal according to some theories but there were wrong he'd died before he just did not stay dead for long.  E closed his eyes sadden at the thought of losing the wolf and did not see the glow that took Gareeku's body. "would that i could have fought that battle for you friend.

[Stygian]

Then Aisha remembered something, and became more alert for it. For all she had listened before, she had not heard a single sound that could be called a step from Stygian, only a low slither at best. And despite her large boots, the girl he had been possessing had not sounded like this. This sound was not louder, but much heavier, with more of a low, solid tremor to it. It pounded with a quick steady rhythm as it reached the door...

The door to the infirmary swung open almost violently, and in stepped a... bat? That was a surprise. He was about six feet tall, golden blonde all over, except for a few thin black streaks, with hair the exact same shade as and blending in with his backfur and the fur across his bare chest under his open black shirt only slightly paler in tone. He also wore a pair of loose but heavy black trousers and boots, and his shirtsleeves were rolled up, exposing black wrapping that covered all of his arms. Muscular and heavy but lean, he looked hard, as if carved out of wood, and his long arms and edgy lines gave him an almost lanky streak. He moved with a smooth, hard efficiency as he walked closer to Gareeku and spoke:
   "Get away from him now, Aisha!"

The accent and voice she had heard before. Behind the sharp muzzle and pointed, ribbed bat-ears she could easily make out Stygian's hard, wedge-shaped lines. He was quite handsome, Aisha noticed now that he had a form she could relate to, and the parted cut of his blonde hair along with the pair of small rounded glasses he now wore gave him an almost scholarly character. But his mouth turned in a bitter grimace, accentuating a vicious streak, and his eyes sharp as acid-green awls when he looked at her, that piercing stare unmistakeable.

[Aisha deCabre]

Taken aback for a second by Stygian's new appearance, the panther quirked an eyebrow.  It seems that in his absence he had found a new form for himself.  She wanted to smirk...a bat.  The form seemed to fit him perfectly.  But things were too serious to have gotten out of her any facial expression remotely resembling happy.

His order was a serious one.  She stood up with confusion and anger, but not moving an inch away from where Gareeku lay.  She wanted to stay, to see what his condition was about...whether or not he really was alive or if it was a trick of her hopeful ears.  Her teeth clenched and as always she was prepared to have her hand dive to the weapons on her belt if need be.

"Get away?  What for?" she inquired with defiance, crimson eyes glaring into those of their almost polar opposite color.  "As long as there is a sign of life in him, the least I could do is keep on his guard."

[e_voyager]

e hearing Aisha's statement opens his eyes. he looks a Gareeku's form then looks deeper. the wolf... he was still in this world not banished form it but this energy... this was Gareeku's life force? it seemed different as if forced and partially suppressed. then a new entity burst into the bay. it was, E realized after a moment, Stygian in a new forum, it was then e realized what was going on with the wolf.
"Gareeku does not has a choice in this Aisha. He lives but not by his will in fact i think he's trying to die but he, his other self,  soul or whatever you call it , won't let him. that can happen where their are too many souls tied to one body or life force. " e shrives. "i've seen it before. worse i've gone through it we can only wait and hope that the Gareeku we know can come to terms with living for at least a little while longer else we my have a problem"
e whispers the name Ichiago  under his normal speaking voice as he feels for Gareeku who suffers like that poor kid he met a few years ago. Are you souls fight for dominance like mine Gareeku? Or are you in danger actually of devouring yourself form the inside out? E ask in mind as he watched. E  looks away his eyes glazing over as he in his hears the battle cries as he warped everyone away form his precious digital world  a fought a bitter battle. in the end he lost the struggle of wills wit the older versions of himself and was labeled a monster before he'd done anything wrong. how he had first been force to share his existence other others they he could only call himself. poor Gareeku what had he done to deserve such a battle? meer existence should not have so heavy a burden

[Stygian]

"His mind is in an uproar," Stygian said, his eyes locked with Aisha's. "Or, at least his nervous system is. And pay close attention to his smell. You should be able to sense it as well." He certainly could. It was weak, but sharp as a knife's edge, shifting between the scents he had come to know as hatred, sorrow, despair and even the trembling, darting smell of madness, and all tones in between. And it changed between them all faster than should have been possible for any one person.
   "The very fact that he revived proves that there is more magic in the works here. And unless that bracer of yours makes people angry and their hearts race, I don't believe that is a good thing."

   Stygian's eyes shifted to Gareeku. The wolf's heart was pounding now, faster than it should be for someone that large and fit. And he was not sure, but it looked like his face was just barely twitching, like he was having a nightmare.
   "I think he is waging a battle right now. And I don't think it will end until he actually wants it to."

[Aisha deCabre]

Aisha's glare was still defiant as she pried her gaze away from Stygian's...and that was a bit hard to do with how piercing that stare was.  Instead her mind focused on Gareeku's changed scent.  Indeed, something was raging within.  Far too familiar.  One was weakened and the other felt like it was pushing through.

She took a step backward.  "That feral incubus form of his.  It has to be."  She sighed.  This was a battled that only he needed to win, and hoped that he would.

The black jaguar shook her head, wresting her hands away from the stifling urge to take out her weapons in the case of trouble.  Outer demons, anyone worth their strength could handle; inner demons were much stronger.

"Fine..." she said begrudgingly.  "I'll be wary.  And maybe at least something can be done to keep him from wounding himself."  Her hands fumbled in the back of her cape for the bracer, suddenly reminded of it.  She had taken it off Gareeku long ago.  Carefully, she snapped it back on his wrist.  The light magic most likely wouldn't keep his feral form away, for she knew it to be too strong, but it would heal him if need be.

With a tired half-yawn, Aisha sat down on an opposite bed and glanced around at the others who were in the room.  E kept busy, perhaps monitoring the wolf's signs.  She hadn't heard a word from Mel, Karl, or Boogey, but it seems like they were pondering the mystery as well.

"So, by your new attire I'm guessing you plan on staying here for quite a while," the panther commented Stygian with a slight bit of humor; something she had to try and keep up with for the somber atmosphere of the infirmary.

[Gareeku]

((OOC: It was supposed to be that Gareeku's spirit was force back into his body, thus keeping him alive and in the mortal realm, but whatever, people have assumed things. I'll play along anyway.))

As the others talked, Gareeku's mouth opened slightly, taking a breath as if he had just been born into the world; a deep breath, before steadying into a more normal rate as his closed eyes twitched slightly and his brow furrowed, as if he were in deep concentration. In his subconscious, the darkness was almost overwhelming, as if it were hungry to be free. However, he was not about to let it overcome him again, and with a great mass concentration, the darkness began to subside until it was all but gone, although it would never truely disappear as long as he lived.

Opening his blue eyes a fraction, he squinted slightly as the light of the room made itself present, like he was the first time he had ever seen it. As his vision came into focus, he tried to sit forward, but grunted slightly a sharp pains washed over his body.

[Tapewolf]

However, he was not about to let it overcome him again, and with a great mass concentration, the darkness began to subside until it was all but gone, although it would never truely disappear as long as he lived.

(I don't know when this little sequence takes place relative to Gareeku's other adventures, but I'm assuming that means he's still like it in the FCRP.  It wasn't clear if he got 'cured' at the end of the original Furrae Chronicles story.)

[Gareeku]

However, he was not about to let it overcome him again, and with a great mass concentration, the darkness began to subside until it was all but gone, although it would never truely disappear as long as he lived.

(I don't know when this little sequence takes place relative to Gareeku's other adventures, but I'm assuming that means he's still like it in the FCRP.  It wasn't clear if he got 'cured' at the end of the original Furrae Chronicles story.)

This is, in my opinion, non-canon to the FC stories.

[Stygian]

Stygian's eyes stayed fixed on Gareeku for a moment. Then, they softened as he turned them to Aisha. She seemed to take things very much in stride... Was she not thinking that the wolf maybe actually wanted to die? But... His trail of thought was going nowhere, so he abruptly ended it. What had she said? Oh yes. Right. Smile.

   Stygian tilted his head slightly to the side and smiled a surprisingly warm and unintimidating smile, though his new fangs slightly ruined the impression, and he took a step and sat down on another bed.
   "It seemed inappropriate not to. This is by far the most interesting place I have seen until now, which is saying a lot. And if I am to avoid clashing with Neraux, this is a better form for it. He knows that I can shapechange, but I doubt he thinks that I will change altogether during the very chase. Besides," he added, "it seemed unneccessarily cruel to keep the girl in pain any longer, no matter how little of her was still left."

   Then, before anyone had the chance to speak further, Gareeku stirred. Stygian, who was rubbing his chin as if surprised at feeling the hairyness of it, turned his eyes to him and tested the air slightly. It was filled with different emotions and it was hard separating them all, but at least they were all steady now. That was a good sign.
   "Well well. Guess I was wrong after all. Or are you going to have another go, wolf boy?" he said, grinning slightly.

((OOC: Well... that was certainly easy. Now, many of my plans for drama go down the drain.))

[Tapewolf]

This is, in my opinion, non-canon to the FC stories.

(Okay, thanks for clearing it up.)

[Aisha deCabre]

((OOC: Sorry if I'm one of those who just assumed. ^^; It can be hard to post about a situation when the circumstances can be somewhat unclear.  It seemed clear to me. ))

"Well, how generous of you," Aisha replied to Stygian's comment about the girl with a mixture of seriousness and sarcasm.  "I hope at least we won't see too much of those angel-things anytime soon."  It was almost hard to believe that at the beginning of this wild chase, it was Stygian whom everyone was chasing about and fighting.  The events of the last...how many hours had it been?...were going around in her head.  And yet after such horrid battles, everyone was once again civilized.  "Well, trust me, things in this world are hardly boring.  Magic, demons, creatures and beings...you'll get used to it."

With that, Aisha turned her eyes back to Gareeku.  The dark energy was still there, but dwindling just a little.  He was calming.  Was he regaining control of his body?  Or was this still just a nervous aftermath of death?  In this time appearances were decieving and hope was easily lost.  He looked like he accepted his fate and wanted to leave the world, and she was in no position to stop him if that was his decision.

Suddenly, movement.  For the first time in what seemed like a long while, the wolf had drawn a breath and started to sit up.  Aisha abruptly stood up and walked over to where her friend still looked doubled over in pain...partly disbelieving that even after his spirit had seemed to cross over in front of her eyes...

"You're okay?" she asked with a pretty much amazed tone.

((Just curious, does anyone have any idea what time of day it would be by now in this story? o.O ))

[Stygian]

Seeing Gareeku's obvious pain, and paying heed to his blue eyes, Stygian barked a laugh and stood up.
   "Guess not then. Sorry for all the trouble. Also, I had to 'borrow' a bit of your DNA. Hope you don't mind."

((It would be mid-evening, I believe. I don't see things progressing that fast.))

[Gareeku]

((OOC: I have no idea. XP))

"Nnuughh..." Gareeku groaned in a croaky voice. The pain in his body was subsiding, but it was still an uncomfortable sensation nonetheless. Looking up at Aisha, a soft smile appeared on his face. "...I'll be fine."

It was then that his expression turned to one of subtle sadness, looking away from Aisha as he closed his eyes.
"Aisha...I...I'm sorry for what I've been putting you through...I'm a danger to you..." he said sadly.

Hearing Stygian's voice, Gareeku looked up at the creature, who had now taken the form of a bat. Getting off of the bed slightly, he then quickly swing his arm forward, his clenched fist catching Stygian in the jaw. As Stygian looked back from the initial shock of the hit, he could see Gareeku sitting back down on the bed, a smirk on his face.
"That's for being an asshole, and for putting me and the others through this shit." He said, such was his sense of humour.

[Stygian]

Stygian bent slightly forward, rubbing his jaw, and for a moment the dangerous sharpness returned to those eyes of his again. But then, his face cracked up in a broad smile, and he straightened and laughed loudly and with true warmth. He should have seen that coming. The wolf boy sure was fast for a recovering man. He guessed he either knew how to ignore pain, or that he was simply pissed off enough not to mind.

   "Hehehe... That's some arm you have there. Regardless, I feel I owe you that one," Stygian said, and slipped a flask out of his pocket, taking a quick sip before stretching it out to Gareeku. "It will help if you're feeling soar. And as for the danger, it's gone for the moment. I'm working to check on that right now, but I need a bit of help with that. If you're good enough, I think I'll even treat you to dinner for the bother." He grinned.

[Aisha deCabre]

Barking a laugh when she watched Gareeku punch Stygian in the jaw, the huntress regained her composure with slight difficulty and a snicker remaining.  Admittedly, the now-bat probably had that coming for a long time.  At least the guy was a good sport.

Aisha sat on the foot of the bed, having listened solemnly as Gareeku started coming back to himself again and getting used to the real world.  She was too relieved to hear that he would be fine.  Her gaze turned away for a minute as he apologized for what he had been doing the whole time, and she contemplated.  Yes, he was a danger.

She started to nod her agreement...but surprisingly she smiled softly back to him instead.

The panther reached out with a fist and gave his head a light noogie, the smile turning into a smirk.  "I'm not scared of you, loco lobo.  There's a lot worse things.  You've faced worse and so have I.  So it's a bit dangerous...but truth be told you've done a wondrous job protecting everyone.  And fighting.  And bar for Karl, who just got in your way, nobody good was hurt."  She rolled her eyes humorously.  "And truth be told I don't think your little dark side had an interest in hurting me."

Her eyes locked onto her friend's with sincerity and lighthearteness.  "By the gods, don't go scaring me like that again."

[Gareeku]

Listening to Aisha give her compliments on the way Gareeku had tried to protect those he cared for, the wolf could not help but blush slightly, his cheeks turning a slight shade of pink as he grinned at the slight noogie.

"I'll try my hardest." Gareeku said, the soft smile back on his face as he spoke.

[Stygian]

Stygian clapped his hands together with a loud snap, and then bunched his fingers, his claws clicking silently against each other. He peered over his hands.
   "Now, who here is up for something proper to eat? I was thinking that I might go to the cellar," he said, making an emphasis on the last word, "to look for some ingredients. Because you haven't been down there, now have you?" Not really waiting for a response, he heeled towards the door and slowly and with smooth, nearly silent steps walked against it, one hand raised and the other in his pocket.
   "Really... Let's go down and we'll make some tea while you wait. And you," he said, turning his head to Karl, "are going to come and help me with this one little thing." His last statement was neither an order nor a request, just simply a statement that in its very self expected to be fulfilled.

[Aisha deCabre]

"Then that's all that's needed of you, mi amigo," Aisha replied, chuckling with her lingering relief and at Gareeku's blush.  Finally, for now at least there was just a little bit of peace in the house.  Though, she wondered who would be charged with cleaning up the attic.  Whoever was the owner, or the host of the party, he wouldn't be very pleased upon getting back.

Oh yes, sir, an inter-dimensional battle went on in the attic and it's totally trashed, no bother.  We're out of pizza, that's the crisis.  Yeah, I'm sure they'll buy that.

Then, as soon as Stygian had said the word "eat", a growl erupted from somewhere in the room.  A few eyes turned to the source...the pantheress who was holding her stomach.  She nervously cleared her throat and resumed a serious face.  "Right, good idea, food.  Finally."

Note to self: Pretzels aren't very filling.

[Gareeku]

Hearing the growling of Aisha's stomach, Gareeku's cheek turned a shade of pink as his own stomach emitted a loud growling noise.
"Heh, guess you're not the only one." the wolf said to Aisha with a smile, before beginning to walk with her, wincing slightly as a series of dull aches made themselves present in his body.

[Stygian]

Stygian walked down the stairs with a slight swagger, apparrently not minding any of the other strange individuals that had appeared in the house. Once he reached the bottom floor, he crossed the large common room and went out into the kitchen. Well there, he simply planted his feet together, and crossed his arms across his chest. Now, let's get some practice, shall we? he thought.

   Cupboards and drawers snapped open, a teapot, cups, saucers and spoons flying through the air and settling on a silver tray, all the while the sink tap turned on full and the water bent through the air into a water boiler that switched on, seemingly by itself. Stygian loved every bit of it. It barely took any effort at all.

Once the water was boiling, he quickly passed out of the kitchen through a back door and vanished down into the house's cold, humid cellar. He found the three large freeze-fridges standing as they had when last he had been down there and opened them, picking out what he needed and then springing up the stairs into the kitchen again, setting a filter with tea and pouring water into the kettle, and throwing the things he had fetched beside the sink.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

"What, you're not going to warm the teapot first?" *slurp*