Home 18 - Where Everybody Knows Your Name

[Lost_Deep]

Hadlin's House

"Uh... no. Is it somehow related to realital travel? Because that's what went wrong to put me here."the woman looks around a bit. "I'm sorry if I'm interrupting something, but this is a first for me."


Kate's Mindscape

Kate moves over and wraps Eric in a hug if he lets her. "Thank you."

Trick's Home

"I think we're done!"

"Yeah!"

It might be worth noting they forgot shoes. Or underwear of any sort.

[OrchestraHc]

The Hidden Mansion

"Good. You can help out by taking the books I mark down to the piles of appropriate color. The titles should appear on the list in front of them if you can't figure it out."
The pages he left in front of each pile are from his Book, which he has complete control over. Which means he can pull some shenanigans for writing on them.
Romeo may have to work fast though, because suddenly unsaddled with the need to transfer the books from shelf to pile, Tep's pace is going to increase dramatically the more he gets focused on his work and less cognizant of Romeo's maximum transfer speed.

The Hidden Manor:

Tep won't be hearing any complaints, not vocally anyway. Romeo is a hard worker, to say little else. Competent and quick, not so much, but definitely a hard worker, and he takes directions well.

As Tep steps it up faster and faster, he continues not complaining but a sense of being overwhelmed may speak p for him.

[Arkhosia]

[Khyli's Paradise]

Magnificent curtains are had! That's just one of the many benefits of having a passionate and powerful "goddess" of lust as a girlfriend.

As soon as the curtains are finished, Khyli will attempt to teleport Celica back to her home. Of course, she conveniently teleports herself with Celica because she doesn't want to leave Celica's side ever again. She remembered that Celica has a daughter to take care of and probably distorted time so that Celica could tuck her daughter in in a couple of minutes, or so she believes.

Celica might feel even more powerful than she did before the curtains began since Khyli will attempt to transfer even more of her own power to Celica during the curtains.

Celica probably has gained superpowers of some sort if Khyli was successful in her power transfer attempt! How cool!

There may be some difficulty with that, as Celica is currently fast asleep!

"What, you get the richest place you can buy till the money runs out?" It's clear he finds that more than a bit frivolous, although he's never really thought about how people live in the cities.
He turns to give her a not-quite-disbelieving smile.
"Not doing so well right now then? Sorry we didn't find anything worth much in that place. Well, to you, anyway. You still get your pay, but there's the hope, you know? That's gotta be pretty tough, not having a place to go back to. You got no family around here?"

hehe, sort of. Not the best I can buy asap, cuz I have to consider food and stuff.
Yeah, sadly no. It's fine. I'm afraid not....
Felia replies

[Recaiden]

[Village, Felix's House]

"Gotta ask, why? Like, if food's that much of a worry, you can't get that great a place anyway, can you?"
Felix moves a tiny amount closer, and goes to put an arm around Felia.
"There's got to be a better way than that, right? You got any plans."

[Arkhosia]

[Village, Felix's House]

"Gotta ask, why? Like, if food's that much of a worry, you can't get that great a place anyway, can you?"
Felix moves a tiny amount closer, and goes to put an arm around Felia.
"There's got to be a better way than that, right? You got any plans."

Félix succeeds!
Well, it's really just saving up to get a better home. There probably is, but I dunno really...
She replies, sighing as she looks upwards.

[Recaiden]

"Ah, I'd pictured you going up and down, rogue. Worse places, better places."

He tilts to look at the guest.

"You could stay out here. Fit your house to your needs, right?"

[Arkhosia]

"Ah, I'd pictured you going up and down, rogue. Worse places, better places."

He tilts to look at the guest.

"You could stay out here. Fit your house to your needs, right?"

Felia grins, and leans over to kiss Felix on the cheek!
"Really? Thank you so much!"

[Recaiden]

Felix smiles at that and hugs her a bit closer.

"We'll be, well, I know I'll be glad to have you here, Felia."

"To be clear, you'll have to work like all of us do, and you'd need to be one of us. See, I could talk so well to 'that crocodile' because he's a person. He's only sometimes a crocodile. We're all that way." A slight tile to indicate the two people in the other room.

[The Alexandrian]

[Celica's Cabin?]

There may be some difficulty with that, as Celica is currently fast asleep!

Shhh! Sleepy Celica is sleeping! Do not disturb!

As one might predict, Khyli will not rise from their bed tonight either as her need for sleep is dire. Instead, she shall cuddle up to Celica and snooze, keeping her nice and toasty until dawn breaks. She wakes as the morning sun peeks over the horizon. She'll then hop out of bed and begin to cook a breakfast fit for three kings consisting of chocolate chip pancakes caked in peanut butter and bananas and smothered in maple syrup, diced fried potatoes with bell peppers, bacon, ham, eggs, and assorted fresh fruits. In addition, she'll conjure up fresh-squeezed orange juice and milk. She'll then attempt to reenter Celica's room with a tray of tasty food before attempting to rouse her.

"Good morning, starshine! The earth says hello!"

[Deathkeeper]

The Hidden Manor:

Tep won't be hearing any complaints, not vocally anyway. Romeo is a hard worker, to say little else. Competent and quick, not so much, but definitely a hard worker, and he takes directions well.

As Tep steps it up faster and faster, he continues not complaining but a sense of being overwhelmed may speak p for him.

The Hidden Manor

By the time that starts filtering through the bond Tep's ears twitch and he grumbles something as he slows down a bit for Romeo, not really annoyed really.
They'll likely be doing little else for the next few hours, though. The library is huge, and Tep has a long attention span.

[Arkhosia]

Felix smiles at that and hugs her a bit closer.

"We'll be, well, I know I'll be glad to have you here, Felia."

"To be clear, you'll have to work like all of us do, and you'd need to be one of us. See, I could talk so well to 'that crocodile' because he's a person. He's only sometimes a crocodile. We're all that way." A slight tile to indicate the two people in the other room.

Oh, I see. I'm fine with it, Félix. Besides, it won't be much of a problem, right?
Felia replies, smiling.

[Celica's Cabin?]



Shhh! Sleepy Celica is sleeping! Do not disturb!

As one might predict, Khyli will not rise from their bed tonight either as her need for sleep is dire. Instead, she shall cuddle up to Celica and snooze, keeping her nice and toasty until dawn breaks. She wakes as the morning sun peeks over the horizon. She'll then hop out of bed and begin to cook a breakfast fit for three kings consisting of chocolate chip pancakes caked in peanut butter and bananas and smothered in maple syrup, diced fried potatoes with bell peppers, bacon, ham, eggs, and assorted fresh fruits. In addition, she'll conjure up fresh-squeezed orange juice and milk. She'll then attempt to reenter Celica's room with a tray of tasty food before attempting to rouse her.

"Good morning, starshine! The earth says hello!"

Celica sleepily wakes up.
Morning, hon! Sleep well?
She inquires, smiling up at Khyli as she sits up in her bed.

[UncleWolf]

Pepper Oni's

"Well, your current cut looks plenty fine to me." says Jace with the utmost sincerity. He doesn't show it, but he's almost surprised how much he means it. But what's he to argue with his mouth? It does. He imagines a long cut would not be the best to have waving in the wind while flying. And it might cover up those little feathers sticking out behind her ears, which are rather cute. Erp.
"Well, yeah, but after a certain point I think I just sound like I'm showing off. Don't want to be arrogant. Or romanticize violence and such." he says, rubbing the back of his neck.

Pepper Oni's

Veronica smiles at the praise and blushes a bit before going for a bite of her food as her siblings do the same. "To be fair, I think simply living in a world like this makes us all at least somewhat jaded in regards to violence and loss of life." The Harpy says with a shrug. "I've actually poured a significant chunk of money into getting my apartment warded against all sorts of things simply because so much has happened." She admits with a sigh, propping her cheek on a wing and toying with her food with her fork.

Wait, the food has arrived? When did the waiter stop b- oh, that's right. Veronica did say it would just suddenly appear.

"I don't think you'd really romanticize the violence, at least that's not how I'd react to it." She points out. "But I do understand that there should be pride in surviving violent and/or life/death situations. Everyone is programmed that way really."

[Deathkeeper]

Pepper Oni's

Jace rolls his eyes.
"My place is warded, some of which I've made myself, and the only thing that's ever broken in have used teleports that somehow weren't blocked or were just too omnipotent to care much."
he says, grumpily taking a bite of his pizza. Zebes daintily chews on his meat pastry, taking small bites and wiping his mouth at regular intervals. It would look rather classy if he wasn't using his wing as a napkin.
"Still, if you're cool with stuff I don't mind sharing. Any subjects you'd like to hear about in particular?" he asks after swallowing his current bite of food.

[Recaiden]

Oh, I see. I'm fine with it, Félix. Besides, it won't be much of a problem, right?
Felia replies, smiling.

"Much of a problem? To be properly on the middle path? Won't be a problem at all."

Felix closes his eyes, and starts drifting off to sleep.

[Arkhosia]

"Much of a problem? To be properly on the middle path? Won't be a problem at all."

Felix closes his eyes, and starts drifting off to sleep.

Felia follows siit!

[Recaiden]

[Feli* House]

It's relatively early the next day that Felix wakes up, and sees if Felia is still there asleep, trying to rise without waking her, and preparing for the day, if so.
The curtains were left closed around that sleeping wedge, but are otherwise open. The fire is covered, and as cold as it gets, but outside, a few people are stirring, and the mill functions as always.

[UncleWolf]

Pepper Oni's

"Can you blow stuff up?" Richard asks, leaning forward across his plate, rather interested in what Jace was going to say next even as Veronica rolled her eyes. "It's not polite to ask something like that." She points out before giving Jace an apologetic look. "Really, you don't have to answer that if you don't want to. I was just going to ask you to share whatever you felt like. I'm not one to pry too deeply. I'm not that kind of reporter."

[Deathkeeper]

Pepper Oni's

Jace waves her off. "Relax, it's not like my magic specialties are something you wouldn't find out anyway. So yes, yes I can; evocation is something I specialize in along with making things and such." he says pleasantly to both of them.

[The Alexandrian]

Celica sleepily wakes up.
Morning, hon! Sleep well?
She inquires, smiling up at Khyli as she sits up in her bed.

[Celica's Cabin]

"Very."

Khyli warmly answers, attempting to gently place a large tray with a sizable portion of hearty breakfast food upon it onto Celica's lap.

"Our exercise session last night really tuckered me out."

"Speaking of which, I figured that you'd have worked up quite an appetite by now, so I cooked breakfast for you, your daughter, and I."

[Beans]

[Clarissa's Manor - Secret Chamber]

Eo walks in, expecting... well... not quite this. Darkness, sure, but the strange emptiness is surprising. Usually a secret chamber is secret because there's something in it to keep secret. Somewhat confused, she looks around, as if stuff will be there the second or third time she passes her vision over it.
... Admittedly not all that unreasonable a notion in the Nexus.

[The Alexandrian]

[Clarissa's Manor - Secret Chamber]

'Tis all to reasonable a notion given the creator of this chamber's chaotic nature, in fact.

And lo and behold, when Eo scans the room again, her eyes shall stumble upon a azure crystal in the dead center of the circular space. Through the inky, tenebrous shadows formless, intangible shades anxiously dart hither and thither about the crystal in a courtly dance without beginning and without end. From the icy crystal a frosty wind flows. In one moment it rushes away from the crystal and in the next toward as though the quartz-like crystal itself breathes.

[Beans]

[Clarissa's Manor - Secret Chamber]

'Tis all to reasonable a notion given the creator of this chamber's chaotic nature, in fact.

And lo and behold, when Eo scans the room again, her eyes shall stumble upon a azure crystal in the dead center of the circular space. Through the inky, tenebrous shadows formless, intangible shades anxiously dart hither and thither about the crystal in a courtly dance without beginning and without end. From the icy crystal a frosty wind flows. In one moment it rushes away from the crystal and in the next toward as though the quartz-like crystal itself breathes.

Eo looks at it for a long while. On one hand, impulsively pawing all over the eerie gem would be pretty stupid, given the possible consequences.
On the other hand... she decides to edge closer, seeing if her proximity causes anything to happen.

[Arkhosia]

[Celica's Cabin]

"Very."

Khyli warmly answers, attempting to gently place a large tray with a sizable portion of hearty breakfast food upon it onto Celica's lap.

"Our exercise session last night really tuckered me out."

"Speaking of which, I figured that you'd have worked up quite an appetite by now, so I cooked breakfast for you, your daughter, and I."

Celica blushes.
Aw, thanks darling! Is Cheasadh up yet?
She asks, smiling as she does so.

[Feli* House]

It's relatively early the next day that Felix wakes up, and sees if Felia is still there asleep, trying to rise without waking her, and preparing for the day, if so.
The curtains were left closed around that sleeping wedge, but are otherwise open. The fire is covered, and as cold as it gets, but outside, a few people are stirring, and the mill functions as always.

Felia will be asleep for a while, being a heavy sleeper.

[Recaiden]

[Stone Village]

Felia will be left asleep for now, so whenever she wakes up and finds herself alone in the bed, say what happens.
By the time she's up, there will likely be audible the roar of an industrial fire, the sound of hammering and clinking and breaking stone, saws sawing, and a child laughing, the smell of meat boiling in a stew, and a bunch of bright purple flowers with tiny petals left on the bed.

[The Alexandrian]

[Celica's Cabin]

"I dunno."

A shrugging Khyli sedately replies as she majestically seats herself atop the bed near Celica's feet.

"I deemed it best to do everything in my power to avoid her until you were up and about. Meeting a random stranger lazing around the house in the early hours of the morning would probably freak her out. It'd definitely freak me out...which isn't becoming of a Smith according to my sisters, but one of them loves to lure people into her territory so that she can eat them, so I always ignore their advice."

-------
[Clarissa's Manor - Secret Chamber]

At this distance, Eo might be able to barely distinguish the outline of a person trapped within the crystal. The curvy silhouette of this imprisoned person closely resembles Clarissa's own. When Eo realizes this, the dancing shades are instantly stayed. At once, the wind dies away as if the room itself is holding its breath. This chilling stillness is not, however, accompanied by the silence of a tomb as one might expect but by an pained weeping so soft that Eo might at first believe that it is only imagined and nothing more.

[Beans]

[Clarissa's Manor - Secret Chamber]
Eo isn't too slow in piecing it together. Coming closer, she looks at her hands; she's been practicing her pyromancy, and has gotten quite precise with it. No fire comes to her palms, only warmth; hesitating just a second, she tries to put her hands on the prison-crystal, as if in some small way, her warmth will ease the crying within.

[Arkhosia]

[Stone Village]

Felia will be left asleep for now, so whenever she wakes up and finds herself alone in the bed, say what happens.
By the time she's up, there will likely be audible the roar of an industrial fire, the sound of hammering and clinking and breaking stone, saws sawing, and a child laughing, the smell of meat boiling in a stew, and a bunch of bright purple flowers with tiny petals left on the bed.

Felia exits the room and looks about.

[Celica's Cabin]

"I dunno."

A shrugging Khyli sedately replies as she majestically seats herself atop the bed near Celica's feet.

"I deemed it best to do everything in my power to avoid her until you were up and about. Meeting a random stranger lazing around the house in the early hours of the morning would probably freak her out. It'd definitely freak me out...which isn't becoming of a Smith according to my sisters, but one of them loves to lure people into her territory so that she can eat them, so I always ignore their advice."

-------
[Clarissa's Manor - Secret Chamber]

At this distance, Eo might be able to barely distinguish the outline of a person trapped within the crystal. The curvy silhouette of this imprisoned person closely resembles Clarissa's own. When Eo realizes this, the dancing shades are instantly stayed. At once, the wind dies away as if the room itself is holding its breath. This chilling stillness is not, however, accompanied by the silence of a tomb as one might expect but by an pained weeping so soft that Eo might at first believe that it is only imagined and nothing more.

Celica nods in understanding, chuckling.
I can understand why. Speaking of which, will I get to meet your family soon?
She inquires

[Recaiden]

Felia exits the room and looks about.

She finds herself in the same building she was in yesterday!

[Earl of Purple]

Celica's Cabin

From an adjacent bedroom, or possibly a seperate part of the cabin entirely- I've not been following the scene, as I'd forgotten the relationship between Cheasadh & Celica- a gnome girl enters. She looks to be about eight, with black, shoulder-length hair and green eyes. She's wearing a set of pink pyjamas and she's cradling a red, two-headed wolf toy in her arms as she's followed by a young Teddiursa sucking its paw. She looks tired, but also as though she's been up a while.

I don't know if Khyli can sense such, but Cheasadh's soul is stained by frequent worship of an evil deity. She's not an active participant in the religion by any means; she is, however, devout enough to pray usually once a day. The deity in question is Bane, the Faerunian God of Tyranny, Hatred and Fear.

[The Alexandrian]

[Celica's Cabin]

Tensing up somewhat, the protective Khyli subconsciously bites her bottom lip. Just the thought of Nicole meeting Celica makes her feel ill at ease. She may have acted as though introducing Celica to Nicole wasn't such a big deal last night, but...

"Nicole will be dropping by later, I'm sure. Mother literally isn't herself, and all of my other siblings aren't exactly keen on the idea of visiting me since they're either too busy with their own things or I've battled and banished 'em from other realities I've lived in before. I'm cool with most of my brothers and sisters but Greed always tries to convince me to fund one of his imbecilic get-richer quick schemes, Sloth eats all of the junk food in my possession, and Envy..."

"I have a sneaking suspicion that Envy just wants to murder everyone! I can't stand her! She's so weird!"

"Anyway, just...be careful when Nicole visits. She'll probably try to test you somehow. Just remember that you don't have to play her games if you don't want to."

And then, Cheasadh enters! Or maybe Cheasadh entered the room during Khyli's "my kinfolk are nutters" dialogue and Khyli only now spotted her!

The demonic/angelic Khyli may be able to detect that Cheasadh is a crazy cultist kiddie, but she doesn't outwardly show any signs of noticing this.

Khyli, with the friendliest of smiles, merely quietly waves at Cheasadh as she waits for Celica to introduce her to her daughter and her daughter to her!

-------
[Clarissa's Manor - Secret Chamber]

As the merciful Eo compassionately touches the icy crystal, her mind may be bombarded by memories long since forgotten by all but Clarissa. The walls of the chamber seem to stretch away from Eo, time and space bending and warping until the walls are no more. Should Eo raise her eyes unto the heavens, she shall gaze into an infinite expanse of blackness. Below her feet, the ground too dissolves into evanescent swirls of silver dust which stream away from her occupying the space surrounding her as though they were distant stars. Eo should feel the sensation of weightlessness. She's floating far from anywhere she likely recognizes.

The crystal clears.

Eo's eyes might first settle on the angelic blood trickling out of the prisoner trapped within or perhaps the deep gashes and cruel lacerations carved into her flesh by jagged blades. Maybe the broken wing or the arm which hangs limply at the woman's side will catch her eye. Maybe it will be the shocked, horrified, and frightened expression transfixed upon her face forevermore.

Only then may she bear witness to the mystifying sight of the crystal's captive walking free in the midst of an Olympian palace. Only then may she hear she who was named Clarissa calling to her.

"Eo..."

"I have brought you here so that you may know me unlike anyone has known me before."

As though this memory was so ancient that father time were but a babe which could only crawl forward upon all fours, a scene unfolds before Eo.

"I remember the age before there was even darkness and light. I remember the loneliness, and I remember the emptiness."

All manner of supernatural beings begin to teleport into the area, encircling Clarissa. Their eyes gleam with murderous intent. Brandishing enchanted weapons after assembling armies of trillions in strength, they charge toward the lone Clarissa, who emotionlessly draws a white, virgin blade at her side from its scabbard that it might taste blood for the first and the last time.

"I created."

"I created the gods to assist me as advisers. I created light, and I created dark. I created people and gave them the gift of free will and emotion that they might learn to live, love, and create as I did. I allowed the gods to reign over them and care for them while I slept."

"But it always ended the same way."

The bloodcurdling shrieks of the dying, the clatter of swords crashing against each other, the thud of boots and the scrape of claws upon the ground, and the deafening roar of alien machinery swiftly fall upon Eo's ears.

Clarissa slashes and slices with her sword, splitting flesh and rending bone with brutal efficiency. Mortals and gods and angels and infernals lie at her feet until men and beasts are forced to climb over the bodies of the dead and dying to reach the untouchable Clarissa.

"They would kill each other. They would inflict unspeakably loathsome horrors upon each other. The gods would egg them on and laugh at the depraved crimes they committed."

"They were beyond redemption. I was forced to destroy them. They forced me to destroy them."

"They never saw it coming. It was as humane as I could make it. And I did not destroy them entirely. I cleansed their souls of evil and sent them back into the world again and again, but the result never changed."

"Until the day they discovered that I planned to cleanse them within a week's time."

"They attacked me. Everything I had created turned against me."

"I killed millions of them. They suffered as I ended their lives."

"I had become the very thing that I abhorred."

Clarissa begins to cry as even more creatures are cleft in twain by her hand. Soaked in blood from head to toe, she eventually lets go of her sword and falls to her knees, tears streaming from her eyes as she gasps for air.

"And they took advantage of that."

The remaining gods and goddesses descend upon Clarissa like vultures, stabbing and hacking and kicking and casting for what seems like hours.

"Even then, they could not kill me, for I was the beginning of existence itself. Instead, they sealed me within the crystal you see before you."

"But they failed to imprison all of me."

A single feather of Clarissa's broken wing is stolen away by the wind as the triumphant gods and goddesses carry Clarissa's bloody body to an altar and, with merry ritualistic chanting, trap her within the icy quartz-like crystal.

"I was in agony. I felt the pain of what would have been fatal wounds were I not immortal - open wounds which would never heal. I felt my body freezing forever. Every second of every day I felt it."

"When the remaining gods learned that I had escaped, they foolishly laughed at my fate. I was no threat to them. They thought it would be funny to torture me further. If I were to commit the very crimes I had condemned realities for, my pain would abate for a time."

"I accepted their offer, and to this day, I hate myself for doing so."

The room begins to return its normal condition, particles coalescing in brilliant flashes of violet light.

"I want you to know me as I wish to know you, and I want to know what you feel about all of this."