Raewyn could see from the 'arrivals' electronic board that Liryc's plane had landed more than half an hour ago and she could also see that the flow of people from that particular flight had lessened to a trickle and appeared to be slowing to a stop.
Hopefully, she hasn't changed her appearance too much. Or she isn't wearing something that will hide her.
"I'm sure I could recognise her." Raewyn murmured.
What is this Liryc like?
Sad. Libys and Raewyn thought simultaneously.
Sad? That seems somewhat vague.
"It fits her." Before she could elaborate, she spotted her. Liryc walked slowly, carrying a large wooden casing for her lyre. Raewyn could just make out the outline of her sharp nose and the glint of her emerald eyes. In her other hand, Liryc held a little girl's hand. The girl was small and petite, seeming on the verge of puberty, not much older than thirteen, Raewyn guessed. She wore a slightly mud-stained dress and appeared to be timid and frightened by the surroudings.
But what shocked Raewyn was what she saw following her, whispering into her ears. She could see a tall human woman whose eyes had lines leading down her cheeks, trails of innumerable previous tears. Bloodshot eyes and scarred arms, Raewyn could see very clearly who she was, thanks to Evolution's gift of sight.
"Melancholy." Raewyn cursed.
No wonder... I always thought that she was far too emotional for any mortal. So Melancholy has been affecting her all this time...
Raewyn strode forward, undeterred by the presence of the Persona. At worst, she would call upon Evolution, but she doubted that Melancholy would do much to her.
"Liryc."
Liryc's head jerked up, woken from her reverie. She looked about and caught sight of Raewyn. She let go of the girl's hand just as Raewyn caught her in a tight embrace.
"Raewyn! You.. you..." Her voice started to quaver and diminished in volume. "You came back." Those three words were so full of hurt and accusation that Raewyn could not think of something to reply.
Instead, she glared at Melancholy and said, "Get the hell away from my friend."
"Wind, who are you talking to?" She asked, a confused expression settling on her face.
"I'll explain later." She looked at the Persona. The Persona stared back at her.
"You can see me?" Melancholy asked softly.
"Yes. Begone from my friend."
"No." Melancholy whispered. "No. She is of me, she is my own, you cannot take me away from her. I will stay. But... I see that you know the other Personas. I will stay silent with her for now."
"Better than nothing, I guess." Raewyn muttered.
"What's wrong with you, Raewyn? You disappear and don't even leave a message for several years and suddenly you find me and then start talking to the air." Her tone was like a silent shout, soft yet accusatory. Liryc took hold of the little girl's hand once more, even as the girl started shivering. "Don't worry, Rika, I'll play for you soon, just hold on. Raewyn, I don't care what your explanation is, I cannot talk with you now."
Liryc immediately seemed so much more assertive the moment Melancholy had ceased her sibilant whispers. She brought the girl away, leaving Raewyn to keep up with her.
"I'll follow you back to your home, Liryc. I can wait."
"Wait if you want, but it is better if you do not follow us directly. I will explain. And so will you."
What an odd woman.
"She was more depressed before. I wonder who that Rika is." Raewyn walked back to her car and followed slowly as the pair took a taxi.
Who was that woman with the black and purple hair? She had started talking to the air and hugged Liryc, and it was obvious that she was Liryc's friend. But... being around so many people is making me so hungry. I try to stop myself from shivering, but I know that I can't stop it. First sign. I close my eyes and try not to think about Liryc's warm arms around me. It's so hard not to think about them. My stomach hurts so badly. Second sign. I want to, I have to. But I hear her melodic voice telling me to endure for a while more. A while more. Just some more time. The driver is speeding up in response to her command. The driver is so tempting as well. I want to, but I mustn't. I keel over in my seat, the pain growing. It's so cold. Just like back in Necropolis. At least there, they let me... But I must control myself. My teeth are chattering. Third sign. Please, driver, if you value your life, hurry.
"Liryc," I murmur weakly, "third sign... Hurry.."
She nods and tells me that we're almost there, just hang on a little more. Just a little more...
And we arrive. She pasts the driver several notes and tells him to keep the change. She carries me out of the car. Oh, her warm hands about my small body, so inviting, so horribly delicious-looking...
No... I blink and I realise that I'm already in her room. She lays me on a bed and quickly removes her lyre. Thank goodness... She starts to play a haunting tune, eerily captivating me. The pain slowly fades away as I listen to her beautiful and enchanting voice and I forget my pain and urges.
Raewyn had let herself in behind Liryc and waited in the living room. The house wasn't too shabby and was decorated with the dark and depressing colour scheme so characteristic of her. At least now Raewyn knew that it was due to Melancholy's presence. Not that she could do much about it. She heard Liryc's muted singing coming from a floor above.
Still singing the same tunes.
"Yeah. She is a dirge-singer after all. She sings the funeral songs and others of that genre." Raewyn said, explaining to Aida.
After a while, Liryc's singing stopped and she came down the stairs.
"She's worn out, the poor girl." Liryc said.
"Who is she?"
"No, before that, you answer me. What the hell are you doing here, Wind?"
"I've come to... what's the word.. patch up any hurts I may have caused you. I miss our friendship."
"So only now you come to find me. After all this time."
"I know. I am sorry."
"Did you even care about what I felt when you left?"
"I did. But at the time, my own priorities dictated that I leave."
"You don't sound very sorry about it."
"But I am, Liryc. I truly am sorry. I was inconsiderate and failed to think about how you'd feel."
"I was... I am heartbroken, Raewyn. You meant the world to me."
"I'm sorry. Please forgive me."
"What the hell was all that about at the airport? Are you mad now?"
"Personas. I can see them. It's a long story."
Raewyn explained. When she finished, Rika was walking down the stairs, her hair slightly messy. She announced, "I'm feeling hungry, Liryc."
"Signs gone?"
"Yeap." The girl was more energetic and lively now. Also, she was less afraid of Raewyn. She went into the kitchen to look for something to eat.
"So. You were telling me who she was?"
"Enrika."
"Who is?"
"That girl."
"You are infuriating."
"And you are a bitch."
"Since when did you get so angry?"
"I.. don't know. I don't know nor do I particularly care."
"So who is Enrika?" Raewyn pressed.
"I was in Necropolis, city of the undead. I was engaged for my services and I did the wedding of this undead bigshot. So after the whole thing, I decided to stay there for a time. I decided to perform on the streets, to see their reaction. I was quite popular. That's when I found Enrika. Or rather, when Enrika found me." Liryc paused to get two cups of coffee. She sipped and continued. "She came to me after one of my performances. She asked me for my help. Enrika is addicted to fresh human flesh. I have no idea whether she can stomach other humanoids'. But apparently my music had taken away her desire for flesh, albeit temporarily as she felt the signs coming back after a time. I agreed as I needed a guide. But she wanted to stick with me. I was rather attached to her by that time and so I brought her back with me."
"That is one screwed up child."
Be glad I never drove you to such extremes. Libys' voice echoed through her mind.
"Yes. But I don't mind."
"Liryc!" Enrika called out. "There's no food in here!"
"Of course there isn't! I left this house for several months! Why would I have left perishables in there! We'll go out and eat something, okay?"
"I'm just worried that I'll feel like eating people again. It hurts whenever I try to resist, you know." Enrika walked back into the living room and caught sight of Raewyn. "Oops, I forgot that we had a visitor."
"She knows, Rika. Raewyn, this is Enrika, Rika, Raewyn."
"Hello." Enrika immediately turned back to Liryc. "Do you have a knife around here? My hair's growing long again and I don't wanna be licing."
"You won't have lice on you. Not if you bathe."
"Bathing and using that weird soap makes me smell weird and feel raw."
"You'll get used to it."
"Never! What do I do about my hair then? It's getting in my eyes."
"Tie it up."
"How?"
Liryc sighed. "You know, Raewyn, I never anticipated these problems."
"So only Slanel, possibly Necros, the Shifter and I don't have children." Raewyn remarked with a smile.
"And, Liryc, must I really wear a dress? It's really annoying!" Enrika cut in.
"And so are you, Rika. I should never have adopted you."
"I know! Back in Necropolis, at least I had human flesh to eat almost everyday. The undead there are quite nice, you know."
"You don't have any of the signs yet, right?"
"Yeah. But still. Human flesh is quite sweet. Especially raw." Enrika shivered slightly, remembering the delightful taste it left in her mouth.
"I should be going now, Liryc." Raewyn hugged her tightly.
"Goodbye then. Take care of yourself. Drop by often."
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Plot Hooks
Darkness shrouds my view like a black fog. I hear a cold sharp voice through the thick mist.
"Shock, trauma to the head, disorientation, amnesia, immense blood loss past fatal levels, radiation poisoning, broken bones in eighteen different places including but not limited to the head, left and right arms, left and right kneecaps, pelvic bone, spine and ribs, stab wounds to the lungs and heart, frostbite in the lower half of the body, chemical burns to the eye, twenty-four bullets lodged between the shoulder blades, eight pieces of shrapnel in the liver and kidney, extreme amounts of cyanide found in the throat and stomach, cerebral compression, tetanus infection in the chest, gangrene spread in the right leg slowed by third-degree burns over fourty-one percent of his body, secondary drowning, tissue necrosis over ten percent of the flesh and spreading and severed tendons in the left arm. Summary, he should have died yesterday. The subject will do nicely."
The piercing and clinical voice is amused. Strange. The voice seems to be describing me. But I don't feel any pain. Just numbness. Heavy. My body is heavy. A figure passes over me, a silhouette of black upon black. The figure has too many limbs to be right. It exhales upon me and its cold breath makes me shiver. My eyelids feel heavy and, as if guessing my thoughts, he reaches and closes my eyes. Just before my eyes shut, I see-
You see nothing.
I see nothing. The world goes black.
"Here." Death passed the paper across the table. Life frowned as he read it.
"Experimental necromancy?"
"What else would you have me name it? This is not traditional necromancy where the caster raises the dead. The subject is typically alive, but dying. This magic is strangely murky, even to our senses. It is hard to detect its functions."
"What should we do about this then?"
"I am pondering that. It violates the unspoken rules. Traditional necromancy involved both of us giving the subject our blessings but this... I cannot tell if the subject is dead or alive. It is as if they are neither."
Chaos' eyes widened. "If Death herself cannot feel whether a target is dead or alive, then this is surely cause for alarm. Who is this necromancer?"
"I... do not know." This was stunning news. Death could not tell who was committing these unnatural acts. "I am increasing my search, but it is difficult to do, what with the plague reaching a climax. The number of souls that I collect each day is getting more and more."
"Are you having trouble collecting them?" Chaos asked softly.
"I.." She rubbed her head. "Yes. I left a few on the streets because I... could not cope." She paused, unwilling to admit her inability.
Death looked ready to break down, if that was possible.
"Do you need help? We could always resort to..." He trailed off, leaving the sentence hanging.
"No. No. I will cope. I have in previous disasters. I have grown lax." She stood up. "I will go now. If I do not collect them soon, I fear that I will have to hunt them down. And that will be even worse."
The other Personas nodded as she disappeared. Evolution sighed.
"I think, if this carries on, whichever of us have too heavy a burden, perhaps we could bring mortals in to aid us. Willing mortals? Or perhaps, our progeny could aid us. After all, they have nothing much to do."
Chaos inclined his head. "That was my intention. Who here requires an assistant?"
Decay raised a gnarled and withered hand. He looked like a mummy, just without bandages. Desiccated and dry, he looked horrible to mortal perception.
"I require some help." He croaked out. "The Kylmiri people are too sick to take care of their dead and burn them and now the amount of decay I need to enable is overwhelming. But a single assistant would do."
"Of course. Anyone else?"
"I think the Mistress ought to have an assistant, whether she wishes it or no. She is far too prideful to accept one, even though it is quite obvious that she needs one." Evolution commented.
"I shall go and meet the children and see which of them are willing. Hopefully we will not have to find regular mortals." Chaos disappeared.
Seeing their de facto leader leave, the Personas left after several conversations with each other. Their work was eternal.
Hey. Stop drinking. You've already drunk too much. You need your wits about you.
"What? Why?"
Because we're going to meet Alice.
"Since when!"
I just decided. Libys' voice was stern and brooked no argument.
"Well, you're not the one controlling this body." Raewyn replied sullenly and not just slightly drowsily.
How much are you willing to bet on that? Libys suddenly jerked up Raewyn's right hand. As she stared, she suddenly felt what equated to a mental scuffle.
Foul daemon! Do not take possession of her! She may be bonded to you, but she is still the one in control!
Yeah? You can take your blessed words and stick them up your-
"Damn it, will you two knock it off!" She took another long draught of her oru wine.
The taint had already spread to her chin, her waist and reaching her elbows. She had spent many days brooding and just drinking through. She had tried to apply Nova's salve, despite Evolution's words and the salve had no effect on the taint.
Raewyn. His voice was gentler now. When are we going to see Alice? We have to. Soon.
"I don't know." She spoke forcefully. She suddenly felt very tired. "Not today. Soon." She lay down to sleep, knowing that it would do little to ease her emotions. And at the thought of emotions,
"Liryc." She jolted awake and reached for her phone. She sent a quick message to Arguil, asking for details of her arrival. Liryc was the saddest woman Raewyn had ever seen. The most beautiful voice, singing the saddest tunes, plucking her exquisite lyre to accompany the melancholic song. Raewyn missed her the most, of the entire guild.
"Shock, trauma to the head, disorientation, amnesia, immense blood loss past fatal levels, radiation poisoning, broken bones in eighteen different places including but not limited to the head, left and right arms, left and right kneecaps, pelvic bone, spine and ribs, stab wounds to the lungs and heart, frostbite in the lower half of the body, chemical burns to the eye, twenty-four bullets lodged between the shoulder blades, eight pieces of shrapnel in the liver and kidney, extreme amounts of cyanide found in the throat and stomach, cerebral compression, tetanus infection in the chest, gangrene spread in the right leg slowed by third-degree burns over fourty-one percent of his body, secondary drowning, tissue necrosis over ten percent of the flesh and spreading and severed tendons in the left arm. Summary, he should have died yesterday. The subject will do nicely."
The piercing and clinical voice is amused. Strange. The voice seems to be describing me. But I don't feel any pain. Just numbness. Heavy. My body is heavy. A figure passes over me, a silhouette of black upon black. The figure has too many limbs to be right. It exhales upon me and its cold breath makes me shiver. My eyelids feel heavy and, as if guessing my thoughts, he reaches and closes my eyes. Just before my eyes shut, I see-
You see nothing.
I see nothing. The world goes black.
"Here." Death passed the paper across the table. Life frowned as he read it.
"Experimental necromancy?"
"What else would you have me name it? This is not traditional necromancy where the caster raises the dead. The subject is typically alive, but dying. This magic is strangely murky, even to our senses. It is hard to detect its functions."
"What should we do about this then?"
"I am pondering that. It violates the unspoken rules. Traditional necromancy involved both of us giving the subject our blessings but this... I cannot tell if the subject is dead or alive. It is as if they are neither."
Chaos' eyes widened. "If Death herself cannot feel whether a target is dead or alive, then this is surely cause for alarm. Who is this necromancer?"
"I... do not know." This was stunning news. Death could not tell who was committing these unnatural acts. "I am increasing my search, but it is difficult to do, what with the plague reaching a climax. The number of souls that I collect each day is getting more and more."
"Are you having trouble collecting them?" Chaos asked softly.
"I.." She rubbed her head. "Yes. I left a few on the streets because I... could not cope." She paused, unwilling to admit her inability.
Death looked ready to break down, if that was possible.
"Do you need help? We could always resort to..." He trailed off, leaving the sentence hanging.
"No. No. I will cope. I have in previous disasters. I have grown lax." She stood up. "I will go now. If I do not collect them soon, I fear that I will have to hunt them down. And that will be even worse."
The other Personas nodded as she disappeared. Evolution sighed.
"I think, if this carries on, whichever of us have too heavy a burden, perhaps we could bring mortals in to aid us. Willing mortals? Or perhaps, our progeny could aid us. After all, they have nothing much to do."
Chaos inclined his head. "That was my intention. Who here requires an assistant?"
Decay raised a gnarled and withered hand. He looked like a mummy, just without bandages. Desiccated and dry, he looked horrible to mortal perception.
"I require some help." He croaked out. "The Kylmiri people are too sick to take care of their dead and burn them and now the amount of decay I need to enable is overwhelming. But a single assistant would do."
"Of course. Anyone else?"
"I think the Mistress ought to have an assistant, whether she wishes it or no. She is far too prideful to accept one, even though it is quite obvious that she needs one." Evolution commented.
"I shall go and meet the children and see which of them are willing. Hopefully we will not have to find regular mortals." Chaos disappeared.
Seeing their de facto leader leave, the Personas left after several conversations with each other. Their work was eternal.
Hey. Stop drinking. You've already drunk too much. You need your wits about you.
"What? Why?"
Because we're going to meet Alice.
"Since when!"
I just decided. Libys' voice was stern and brooked no argument.
"Well, you're not the one controlling this body." Raewyn replied sullenly and not just slightly drowsily.
How much are you willing to bet on that? Libys suddenly jerked up Raewyn's right hand. As she stared, she suddenly felt what equated to a mental scuffle.
Foul daemon! Do not take possession of her! She may be bonded to you, but she is still the one in control!
Yeah? You can take your blessed words and stick them up your-
"Damn it, will you two knock it off!" She took another long draught of her oru wine.
The taint had already spread to her chin, her waist and reaching her elbows. She had spent many days brooding and just drinking through. She had tried to apply Nova's salve, despite Evolution's words and the salve had no effect on the taint.
Raewyn. His voice was gentler now. When are we going to see Alice? We have to. Soon.
"I don't know." She spoke forcefully. She suddenly felt very tired. "Not today. Soon." She lay down to sleep, knowing that it would do little to ease her emotions. And at the thought of emotions,
"Liryc." She jolted awake and reached for her phone. She sent a quick message to Arguil, asking for details of her arrival. Liryc was the saddest woman Raewyn had ever seen. The most beautiful voice, singing the saddest tunes, plucking her exquisite lyre to accompany the melancholic song. Raewyn missed her the most, of the entire guild.
Friday, February 4, 2011
More Characters!?
"Brother, seriously, how could you? You and Del were away for so long! And you're the most sensible among us three!"
Irus' face was flustered. He wasn't used to being reprimanded by his sisters. "Okay, I'm sorry..."
"You'd better be!"
"Okay, okay, sure, jeez, no need to be so uptight about it." He mumbled.
"You had us all worried, you know. Inconsiderate git." Iria threw a snowball at him. They were standing out in the snow fort that the village children always played in.
"And the teacher was wondering where you were and we had to fake an excuse for you."
Blue sent his children to the village school to be taught by the mortals.
"Your cover story is that you were sick."
"What, for a year?"
"Something like that."
"We said you were sent to some fancy pansy hospital."
"And was treated for the semi-terminal illness."
"Something like cancer."
Irus shook his head. "You mean the teacher actually believed that?"
"Of course."
"We're so innocent."
"No one suspects us of anything."
"Because we didn't do anything."
"Which gives us the freedom to do what we want."
Iria and Iris behaved more like twins than Irus and Iris, adding on to each other's sentences, completing them, even their behaviour. Both were wickedly mischievious and acted innocently most of the time. The odd thing was that everyone seemed to believe them.
"Iris, how's dad doing?"
"Oh, he's just blue."
"Seriously?"
"Nope. He's fine."
"Okay."
"By the way, I think Linea's got a crush on you that's intensified with your disappearance."
"Yeah, she's been asking for daily updates on how your 'illness' was."
"I can't believe she didn't get over you in one year."
"She kept wanting to visit you."
"But we told her it was contagious."
"Stop talking so quickly! I can't keep up! It's been so long since I've talked to you two." Iris interrupted before they could continue. "Linea? You kid me not?"
Both of them groaned and said simultaneously, "Drop the accent, bro."
"But are you serious? Linea? She.. uh.. I never knew she liked me!"
"Yes. She did and she still does. Apparently she started liking you even more after you left."
"I think she wish she made her intentions clear before you got sick."
"Sick with a terminal disease."
"Sick in the brain."
Irus continued smoothening the snow fort's edges. He lifted a gloved hand to taste some of the pristine frost.
"Irus! That's disgusting!" Iris exclaimed, smacking his hand down. She then took some of the snow and proceeded to eat it too.
"Hey! That's unfair! You're really annoying, sister! I can't believe I returned home for this sort of treatment."
She surprised him by hugging him and Iria joined them.
"We missed you, vakhi." Iris said, using the term for brother. "I missed you."
"I missed you too, vakha."
Iria, being the younger child, said nothing and just buried her head in his jacket.
"First you two try to irritate me, now you're all lovey-dovey. I'll never understand women." Despite his words, he knew how they felt. He felt the same way too. He broke the hug first.
"Come, we're gonna be late for school."
"Vakhi, you've already not attended for almost a year. What does a few minutes matter?"
"What about you two then? Let's just go." He pushed them on.
"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, Irus, you're back!"
"Gah! Linea, back off, I can't breathe!" He scrambled back against his chair, his sisters smirking at the side.
"Told you, vakhi." Iris whispered into his ear.
"Irus! It's been so long!"
"Uh, yeah, it has."
"That's all you have to say?" Linea hit him lightly, indignant.
"Mmf. Yes. What do you want me to say?"
Linea sighed contentedly and murmured to herself, "Even more handsome than I remembered."
Irus heard her statement and blanched to himself. Wind was their godmother and the three siblings always heard what others said.
"Hey, Lin, teacher's here." Iris quickly intervened before Irus got even more flustered and said something he shouldn't.
"Alright." Linea walked back to her seat and looked at him dreamily.
Irus shuddered and looked forward at the whiteboard, determined to avoid eye contact.
"Vakhi, don't you think she always was somewhat of a bimbo?"
"You're closer to her, you should know."
"Ah, but vakhi, you're the one she's crushing on." Iris took off her blue sweater and laid it onto her desk and lay her head onto it.
"Vakha, has anyone ever told you that you look really pretty?"
"Thank you, but are you practising on me before you start the compliments on her?"
"I never! I was just complimenting you, is there something wrong with that?" He mimicked her actions and lay onto the table as well, their heads touching one another.
"Irus? Welcome back to class, Irus. It's been almost a year, hasn't it?" The teacher smiled.
"Yes, sir."
"I hope you're feeling better."
"Yes, sir, the illness has been treated."
"That's good. Now, class, today I will be teaching....."
They were walking back home, to the House of Del.
"-so then Mariko also comes along and kills the last guy. Then Aunt Death appeared and scolded them."
"No wonder Arrt didn't look all that happy."
"He never is, vakhi. And I would expect nothing more from him."
"You don't like him, do you."
"I definitely dislike him."
"I can tell."
"Oh, look, your crush is coming over."
"Why's does she like me?" Irus exclaimed, exasperated as Iris and Iria waved. Bound by social ethics, he waved back too.
"Didn't anyone tell you that you're as dashing and handsome as I am pretty? We share the same immortal genes, brother. It's a pity we're only half-immortal. If only dad had chosen-"
"Don't you badmouth mother! She may have been only mortal, but she was our mother and I won't let you tarnish her memory!"
"Hey, relax, I was just kidding."
"Don't kid about this, okay?"
"Alright, alright. Look, here she is."
"Hi! Irus, you've recovered from your sickness?" Linea said cheerily.
"Yes." Otherwise what would I be doing here, he added silently.
"Good, good. What were you down with anyway?"
"He had a severe, reemergent form of meningitis." Iris said quickly.
"Oh."
"Yes, his brain lining was inflammed."
Irus kept quiet, content to let Iris talk. Linea nudged him.
"Why're you so quiet? You were much more talkative before."
He shrugged. "I talk less now."
"Come on, you were so lively then!"
"Then is then. Now is distinctly different."
"Your wit's coming back!" Linea smiled in what she apparently thought was a flirtatious manner. Irus, however, didn't know what in the world she was doing.
"I suppose so, yes."
"Why so gloomy?"
Because my dad, who is one of the Colour Personas, is so gonna kill me for not being home in nine months, he thought. But he shrugged once more and said, "Just worried. I have nine months worth of work to catch up on."
"Oh, don't you worry, it was mostly revision."
"Good to know." He tilted his head down and quickened his pace. "Vakha, I think we'd better get back quick."
"Yeah. I've got some stuff to clear before dad gets back."
They had reached the other end of the village.
"Well, I guess goodbye, Linea. It was good to see you again."
"You too, Irus!" She blew him a kiss and ran back down the slope.
"Ugh."
"Your single syllable says it all, vakhi."
"Brother?"
"Yes, Iria?"
"How're you going to explain to dad?"
"Um. Yes. About that..."
"Yes?"
"I have absolutely no idea."
"Oh. You're dead."
"I would tell you not to be disrespectful, little sister, but yes, you're right. I'm dead."
Irus' face was flustered. He wasn't used to being reprimanded by his sisters. "Okay, I'm sorry..."
"You'd better be!"
"Okay, okay, sure, jeez, no need to be so uptight about it." He mumbled.
"You had us all worried, you know. Inconsiderate git." Iria threw a snowball at him. They were standing out in the snow fort that the village children always played in.
"And the teacher was wondering where you were and we had to fake an excuse for you."
Blue sent his children to the village school to be taught by the mortals.
"Your cover story is that you were sick."
"What, for a year?"
"Something like that."
"We said you were sent to some fancy pansy hospital."
"And was treated for the semi-terminal illness."
"Something like cancer."
Irus shook his head. "You mean the teacher actually believed that?"
"Of course."
"We're so innocent."
"No one suspects us of anything."
"Because we didn't do anything."
"Which gives us the freedom to do what we want."
Iria and Iris behaved more like twins than Irus and Iris, adding on to each other's sentences, completing them, even their behaviour. Both were wickedly mischievious and acted innocently most of the time. The odd thing was that everyone seemed to believe them.
"Iris, how's dad doing?"
"Oh, he's just blue."
"Seriously?"
"Nope. He's fine."
"Okay."
"By the way, I think Linea's got a crush on you that's intensified with your disappearance."
"Yeah, she's been asking for daily updates on how your 'illness' was."
"I can't believe she didn't get over you in one year."
"She kept wanting to visit you."
"But we told her it was contagious."
"Stop talking so quickly! I can't keep up! It's been so long since I've talked to you two." Iris interrupted before they could continue. "Linea? You kid me not?"
Both of them groaned and said simultaneously, "Drop the accent, bro."
"But are you serious? Linea? She.. uh.. I never knew she liked me!"
"Yes. She did and she still does. Apparently she started liking you even more after you left."
"I think she wish she made her intentions clear before you got sick."
"Sick with a terminal disease."
"Sick in the brain."
Irus continued smoothening the snow fort's edges. He lifted a gloved hand to taste some of the pristine frost.
"Irus! That's disgusting!" Iris exclaimed, smacking his hand down. She then took some of the snow and proceeded to eat it too.
"Hey! That's unfair! You're really annoying, sister! I can't believe I returned home for this sort of treatment."
She surprised him by hugging him and Iria joined them.
"We missed you, vakhi." Iris said, using the term for brother. "I missed you."
"I missed you too, vakha."
Iria, being the younger child, said nothing and just buried her head in his jacket.
"First you two try to irritate me, now you're all lovey-dovey. I'll never understand women." Despite his words, he knew how they felt. He felt the same way too. He broke the hug first.
"Come, we're gonna be late for school."
"Vakhi, you've already not attended for almost a year. What does a few minutes matter?"
"What about you two then? Let's just go." He pushed them on.
"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, Irus, you're back!"
"Gah! Linea, back off, I can't breathe!" He scrambled back against his chair, his sisters smirking at the side.
"Told you, vakhi." Iris whispered into his ear.
"Irus! It's been so long!"
"Uh, yeah, it has."
"That's all you have to say?" Linea hit him lightly, indignant.
"Mmf. Yes. What do you want me to say?"
Linea sighed contentedly and murmured to herself, "Even more handsome than I remembered."
Irus heard her statement and blanched to himself. Wind was their godmother and the three siblings always heard what others said.
"Hey, Lin, teacher's here." Iris quickly intervened before Irus got even more flustered and said something he shouldn't.
"Alright." Linea walked back to her seat and looked at him dreamily.
Irus shuddered and looked forward at the whiteboard, determined to avoid eye contact.
"Vakhi, don't you think she always was somewhat of a bimbo?"
"You're closer to her, you should know."
"Ah, but vakhi, you're the one she's crushing on." Iris took off her blue sweater and laid it onto her desk and lay her head onto it.
"Vakha, has anyone ever told you that you look really pretty?"
"Thank you, but are you practising on me before you start the compliments on her?"
"I never! I was just complimenting you, is there something wrong with that?" He mimicked her actions and lay onto the table as well, their heads touching one another.
"Irus? Welcome back to class, Irus. It's been almost a year, hasn't it?" The teacher smiled.
"Yes, sir."
"I hope you're feeling better."
"Yes, sir, the illness has been treated."
"That's good. Now, class, today I will be teaching....."
They were walking back home, to the House of Del.
"-so then Mariko also comes along and kills the last guy. Then Aunt Death appeared and scolded them."
"No wonder Arrt didn't look all that happy."
"He never is, vakhi. And I would expect nothing more from him."
"You don't like him, do you."
"I definitely dislike him."
"I can tell."
"Oh, look, your crush is coming over."
"Why's does she like me?" Irus exclaimed, exasperated as Iris and Iria waved. Bound by social ethics, he waved back too.
"Didn't anyone tell you that you're as dashing and handsome as I am pretty? We share the same immortal genes, brother. It's a pity we're only half-immortal. If only dad had chosen-"
"Don't you badmouth mother! She may have been only mortal, but she was our mother and I won't let you tarnish her memory!"
"Hey, relax, I was just kidding."
"Don't kid about this, okay?"
"Alright, alright. Look, here she is."
"Hi! Irus, you've recovered from your sickness?" Linea said cheerily.
"Yes." Otherwise what would I be doing here, he added silently.
"Good, good. What were you down with anyway?"
"He had a severe, reemergent form of meningitis." Iris said quickly.
"Oh."
"Yes, his brain lining was inflammed."
Irus kept quiet, content to let Iris talk. Linea nudged him.
"Why're you so quiet? You were much more talkative before."
He shrugged. "I talk less now."
"Come on, you were so lively then!"
"Then is then. Now is distinctly different."
"Your wit's coming back!" Linea smiled in what she apparently thought was a flirtatious manner. Irus, however, didn't know what in the world she was doing.
"I suppose so, yes."
"Why so gloomy?"
Because my dad, who is one of the Colour Personas, is so gonna kill me for not being home in nine months, he thought. But he shrugged once more and said, "Just worried. I have nine months worth of work to catch up on."
"Oh, don't you worry, it was mostly revision."
"Good to know." He tilted his head down and quickened his pace. "Vakha, I think we'd better get back quick."
"Yeah. I've got some stuff to clear before dad gets back."
They had reached the other end of the village.
"Well, I guess goodbye, Linea. It was good to see you again."
"You too, Irus!" She blew him a kiss and ran back down the slope.
"Ugh."
"Your single syllable says it all, vakhi."
"Brother?"
"Yes, Iria?"
"How're you going to explain to dad?"
"Um. Yes. About that..."
"Yes?"
"I have absolutely no idea."
"Oh. You're dead."
"I would tell you not to be disrespectful, little sister, but yes, you're right. I'm dead."
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Hot Spring
The Personas were more like the mortals than the mortals knew. They assumed that Personas were aloof, uncaring, arrogant, immortal and immune to disease and age. They were wrong on four counts. Personas did care, just not for what mortals cared about. They weren't too aloof and did have emotions. They weren't so arrogant that they didn't admit their mistakes, for if they didn't, the other Personas would pester them about it until they did admit it. And while they were immortal, they weren't immune to illness and age, though in a different manner. Personas aged slowly. Slow enough that millions of years was just a blink of an eye to them, though their children aged faster, still slower than mortals however. And Personas could get sick. They got sick whenever they got out of balance. For example, Life got sick whenever there was too little life or too much. It was a balance between actual sickness and overwork which in turn would cause sickness. Immortal though they were, they could still get stressed, just as Death was now.
Death coughed heavily.
"Mistress, that was bone-rattling. I could hear it all the way from Eden." Evolution said, appearing beside her.
Death glared at her, refusing to dignify that statement with a response. It was true, though. When Death coughs, everyone jumps, even the mortals though they don't know why. It doesn't bode well.
"Mistress, wouldn't it be better if, you know, you just wipe out those already infected? It'd save you a lot of time and effort and you could relax."
"Evvy, you know very well that some of the plague victims have a chance to live. I will not take that away from them. Besides, I'd just make Life sick."
"Oh yeah, that's right. Dead right."
Death threw a femur at her.
"Ow, okay, fine, I'll stop with the jokes, sheesh, talk about no sense of humour. Especially because dead people don't have any of the four humours." She muttered under her breath.
"I heard that. Make another joke and I'll stake your shins backwards to the ground."
"Mmm. Chaos is feeling kinda down. He apologises for stressing you out."
"It's ok. We've all got our respective parts to play. He probably should relax."
"No, you should relax. He is relaxing already, slacking out in Eden. You, on the other hand, should go to the Librarium. Tallis didn't ban you too, did he?"
"Nope, only Growth, Decay, Chaos and all of the Emotions."
Tallis was the librarian. He had once been a mortal, but when a pirate raid had threatened his beloved store of knowledge, he had pledged himself to the service of the Personas for all of eternity if only they would save the knowledge. Life had rescued him, brought him up to their plane and he became their librarian, in charge of every single literary work that was being made or had been written. Not just that, but also sculptures, works of arts, music scores, he organised and managed everything with an efficiency that put the Personas to shame. He had made certain rules, banning three of the seven Natural Personas from entering as their presence would destroy his life's, his existence's work. The Emotional Personas were also banned, except for Joy and Love. Until one day, Tallis had discovered Joy and Love both had the joy of sharing. He had then banned them both too, no exceptions. Years of working with the Personas had given him a degree of familiarity with them that bordered on irreverence, but he was certainly entitled to it.
Death nodded. She did need a break and she did love reading. She appeared outside the Librarium, unable to appear directly inside thanks to the wards that Chaos had put up at the request of Tallis. She steppedd into the dry air, perfectly conditioned for the preservation of the the books.
"Lady Death." Tallis was tall but hunched over, brown skin slightly wrinkled but considering everything, extremely well-preserved. He came from the same time period as Chaos' Chinese though slightly older. Death remembered that his race had been what was known as Persian. Tallis wore gold bangles around his neck, around his arms, had gold ear rings, nose rings and it was a wonder that he didn't collapse with the sheer weight of his accessories.
"Tallis." She smiled. "I hope I have not been banned as well."
"No, Lady." He treated her with a greater amount of respect than the others, she being Life's wife. He never forgot his gratitude towards Life and never let Life forget it either. "Unless you intend to borrow some books and pass them to Decay, Growth, or the Emotional ones."
"What about Chaos then?"
"To tell you the truth, Lady, I don't mind him reading. What I mind is that his presence will mess up all the ordering. You can take him some books if you want, just not any of the more volatile ones. They react badly to presences. I fear that the words might get jumbled."
"I see."
"And take care not to get that scythe in something." He warned, turning back to his organising.
She shook her head and headed towards the fiction section. She really found it quite interesting what mortals could think of and write about.
Death wouldn't like this. But never mind her. Like Chaos always said, there were five things the mortal plane had that here on their plane didn't. Wine, drugs, hot baths, technology and, as a result, fried food. This time, their sojourn down was for the third.
Evolution appeared at Chaos' side, along with Growth and Mariko. Pity Creation couldn't make it.
"Settled Death?" Growth asked softly, vines perpetually growing about him as well as flowers in the bloom.
"She's at the Librarium." Evolution changed her appearance to that of an elf, hiding all aspects of her Personality. "Growth, try to look more regular."
"Sure. I don't understand why she doesn't like going down for recreation."
"Beats me. Mariko, what're you doing here?"
"I brought her along. Del, Arrt, Iria, Iris and Irus didn't want to come." Chaos said.
"I like the hot springs." Mariko said brightly. "But is that all we're going to do?"
"Pretty much, unless you guys want to walk around a little." Chaos held up an inky triangular piece of blackness.
"Ooh, what's that?"
"It's nothing. Literally. Don't touch it, Mariko." He drew a long vertical line in the air with the scale. The air ripped apart lightly, forming a tear to the mortal plane. They stepped through one by one, coming out onto a side alley off a busy street.
"Come on. I know a bathhouse."
Settling into the burning water slowly, Evolution gave a sigh of satisfaction. Chaos had just plunged right in to his neck, looking for all the world to be an eager young boy. Mariko had followed suit and squealed at the temperature, though she didn't rise out of the water. Growth still tested the water tentatively, this being his first time. He didn't usually join the other Personas in their sojourns to the mortal plane and knew little about mortals.
"Mariko! What are you doing? Why're you stripping? This is a public spring, we didn't get a private one!"
"There's no one else around, is there? No one comes at this hour."
"Why would you want to strip under the water anyway?"
"I want to be fully in contact with the water."
"It's against the rules to strip, Mariko. You have to at least wear your your bra and panties."
"Oh fine."
"And I'm surprised you can still chew bubblegum here. Won't it be soggy?"
"Apparently not." She blew a bubble, just to prove her point.
Chaos moved over beside her and whispered, "Mariko's just like her mother. No point lecturing her, really."
"Pink would go nude if she could." Evolution replied. "How'd you know what Mariko's like anyway? You visit the House Of Del often?"
"Once in a while. It's fun there. Not much to do up in our side of things, you know."
"Maybe we should bring more mortals up. Like Tallis."
"No, please, considering the way Tallis turned out, I'd say that the only mortals who call upon us for help are either mad, or dry and humourless."
The door leading outside slid open and Evolution groaned. How unlucky could she get? Hopefully, the mortal wouldn't recognise her in this form- No, she'd granted her the sight, of course she would recognise them. Raewyn and the six teens came in with her. Not just her pet project, but her main work too! She should have checked if the mortals knew each other.
"-Lune's sick so Sol's taking care of h-" She stopped and stared. "Is that... Are you... Evolution, is that you?"
Evolution sank deeper into the water, up to her bottom lip, muttering, "I'm not here, you don't know me, I don't know what you're talking about."
Raewyn stepped closer. "Evolution?"
"Evolution? Ev, how's this mortal know about you? How can she recognise you?" Chaos asked.
Evolution groaned. "Why couldn't you just have kept quiet a little, Chaos..." She sighed and turned. "Raewyn. Hello."
"Evolution, what are you doing here?"
"What do you think I'm doing, mortal? I'm enjoying a good, long soak."
"Congratulations, Ev, you must be the only one in history to have ever said that line."
"I... uh, right. Of course." Raewyn said, not sure how to respond.
"Raewyn? Who's she?" Cocytus asked.
"Um." Raewyn looked towards Evolution. "Can I tell?"
"Go ahead. I guess it doesn't matter anymore. Chaos, that one with the odd skin formation, that's Raewyn. She's my pe-, uh, one of my projects. I'll tell you more later."
"That's Evolution, the Natural Persona. She's interested in me thanks to this taint I have." Raewyn explained to the group as they sank into the hot pool beside the Personas.
"What? The Personas have kept to themselves for ages and out of nowhere Evolution likes you becau-"
"She doesn't like me, curse you, Styx! I meant interested, literally! Ugh, I'll tell you guys about it later, okay? What are you smiling at?" Raewyn snapped at Chaos.
"Ev, you gave her the sight, didn't you? Hey, Raewyn, is it? Do you recognise me?"
"I don't know you, boy..." She trailed off uncertainly. He felt familiar. He was very... so very familiar. He was... Chaos. The word came unbidden. Chaos. "Chaos. You're Chaos. But, you're the oldest, aren't you?"
"Yes. And so?"
"Why're you appear the youngest then?"
"How'd you know this is my natural humanoid form?"
"I didn't know. So this is how you look like normally. Huh. So the oldest looks to be the youngest. You Personas are weird." Raewyn looked at Growth. "Um. I assume that you're a Natural Persona too?"
"Growth doesn't really like talking to mortals that much." Chaos cut in. "He's just here for the hot spring."
"Oh. Then you must be Pink?"
"Oh no, that's my mum. I'm Mariko, pleased to meet you."
"Raewyn Aesiflay, glad to make your acquaintance. I didn't know Personas could have children. So who's your dad, then?"
"My dad was some mortal from a long time back. So I'm only half Persona, not like Del or Arrt."
"Mariko, ah yes, Evvy mentioned your name to me. Something about baby-sitt-" Evolution jabbed her with a talon quickly formed on her hand. "Ow. Okay. Who's Del and Arrt?"
"Del's Death's and Black's daughter, she's quite nice and Arrt's Wrath's and Impulse's son."
"Death and Black are together?"
"Oh, that was a long time ago. Now Death and Life are together."
"So, what's the House Of Del?"
"It's where we go. By we, I mean all the children of the Personas. It's our home."
"The House Of Del? Wait, isn't that where Delirious came from?" Phlegyas cut in.
"Delirious?"
"Um. Delirus."
"Del and Blue's children, Iria, Iris and Irus have the odd ability to merge together. Del and Irus must have come together, yes?" Chaos said.
"I think so, according to the papers. Then it said that he got sent to the asylum."
"Oh yeah. We brought them out and separated them."
"And scolded them, don't forget." Mariko reminded him.
"Yes. The scolding was deserved. They weren't supposed to be merged for so long or be out there."
"I can't believe we were taught Magic by the children of the Personas." Styx said.
"I did like their lessons though." Cocytus said wistfully. "I wonder if they'd still remember us."
"Seeing as how we're now all acquaintances, I'm willing to bring you mortals to the House Of Del sometime." Chaos offered.
"Psst. Don't. Please." Evolution whispered to him. "It's not just Raewyn who's my project. Those five are the ones you and the rest disapproved of. That other girl is his girlfriend."
"Really? Interesting. I will make use of this opportunity then." Chaos said, thinking deeply.
"I'd rather not get closer to them more than I have to."
"If you'll forgive my impertinence, may I ask why you Personas are suddenly more active down here?" Lethe asked.
"What makes you think that?"
"There's been no record of any form of contact, all that stuff, I'm sure you've heard of it before."
"We're not any more active than we have been in the past. You folks just never knew."
"I see. It's weird, sharing a hot spring with immortals. I wonder if my... No, I doubt so."
"Lethe. Don't try." Kestrel warned.
"I know. I'm not mad." Lethe got out of the water, the rest following in turn.
"Don't you Personas have to get out after fif- Right. I forget what I'm saying. Of course you immortals don't have to get out after fifteen minutes. You're not affected."
"But we do find it relaxing. The mortal plane has five things that we don't."
"Wine, drugs, hot baths, technology and fried food." Mariko and Evolution chorused. "Yes Chaos, we know."
"Something's wrong, when Chaos gets to be predictable. I think I will have to do some work." He said, rubbing his chin.
Death coughed heavily.
"Mistress, that was bone-rattling. I could hear it all the way from Eden." Evolution said, appearing beside her.
Death glared at her, refusing to dignify that statement with a response. It was true, though. When Death coughs, everyone jumps, even the mortals though they don't know why. It doesn't bode well.
"Mistress, wouldn't it be better if, you know, you just wipe out those already infected? It'd save you a lot of time and effort and you could relax."
"Evvy, you know very well that some of the plague victims have a chance to live. I will not take that away from them. Besides, I'd just make Life sick."
"Oh yeah, that's right. Dead right."
Death threw a femur at her.
"Ow, okay, fine, I'll stop with the jokes, sheesh, talk about no sense of humour. Especially because dead people don't have any of the four humours." She muttered under her breath.
"I heard that. Make another joke and I'll stake your shins backwards to the ground."
"Mmm. Chaos is feeling kinda down. He apologises for stressing you out."
"It's ok. We've all got our respective parts to play. He probably should relax."
"No, you should relax. He is relaxing already, slacking out in Eden. You, on the other hand, should go to the Librarium. Tallis didn't ban you too, did he?"
"Nope, only Growth, Decay, Chaos and all of the Emotions."
Tallis was the librarian. He had once been a mortal, but when a pirate raid had threatened his beloved store of knowledge, he had pledged himself to the service of the Personas for all of eternity if only they would save the knowledge. Life had rescued him, brought him up to their plane and he became their librarian, in charge of every single literary work that was being made or had been written. Not just that, but also sculptures, works of arts, music scores, he organised and managed everything with an efficiency that put the Personas to shame. He had made certain rules, banning three of the seven Natural Personas from entering as their presence would destroy his life's, his existence's work. The Emotional Personas were also banned, except for Joy and Love. Until one day, Tallis had discovered Joy and Love both had the joy of sharing. He had then banned them both too, no exceptions. Years of working with the Personas had given him a degree of familiarity with them that bordered on irreverence, but he was certainly entitled to it.
Death nodded. She did need a break and she did love reading. She appeared outside the Librarium, unable to appear directly inside thanks to the wards that Chaos had put up at the request of Tallis. She steppedd into the dry air, perfectly conditioned for the preservation of the the books.
"Lady Death." Tallis was tall but hunched over, brown skin slightly wrinkled but considering everything, extremely well-preserved. He came from the same time period as Chaos' Chinese though slightly older. Death remembered that his race had been what was known as Persian. Tallis wore gold bangles around his neck, around his arms, had gold ear rings, nose rings and it was a wonder that he didn't collapse with the sheer weight of his accessories.
"Tallis." She smiled. "I hope I have not been banned as well."
"No, Lady." He treated her with a greater amount of respect than the others, she being Life's wife. He never forgot his gratitude towards Life and never let Life forget it either. "Unless you intend to borrow some books and pass them to Decay, Growth, or the Emotional ones."
"What about Chaos then?"
"To tell you the truth, Lady, I don't mind him reading. What I mind is that his presence will mess up all the ordering. You can take him some books if you want, just not any of the more volatile ones. They react badly to presences. I fear that the words might get jumbled."
"I see."
"And take care not to get that scythe in something." He warned, turning back to his organising.
She shook her head and headed towards the fiction section. She really found it quite interesting what mortals could think of and write about.
Death wouldn't like this. But never mind her. Like Chaos always said, there were five things the mortal plane had that here on their plane didn't. Wine, drugs, hot baths, technology and, as a result, fried food. This time, their sojourn down was for the third.
Evolution appeared at Chaos' side, along with Growth and Mariko. Pity Creation couldn't make it.
"Settled Death?" Growth asked softly, vines perpetually growing about him as well as flowers in the bloom.
"She's at the Librarium." Evolution changed her appearance to that of an elf, hiding all aspects of her Personality. "Growth, try to look more regular."
"Sure. I don't understand why she doesn't like going down for recreation."
"Beats me. Mariko, what're you doing here?"
"I brought her along. Del, Arrt, Iria, Iris and Irus didn't want to come." Chaos said.
"I like the hot springs." Mariko said brightly. "But is that all we're going to do?"
"Pretty much, unless you guys want to walk around a little." Chaos held up an inky triangular piece of blackness.
"Ooh, what's that?"
"It's nothing. Literally. Don't touch it, Mariko." He drew a long vertical line in the air with the scale. The air ripped apart lightly, forming a tear to the mortal plane. They stepped through one by one, coming out onto a side alley off a busy street.
"Come on. I know a bathhouse."
Settling into the burning water slowly, Evolution gave a sigh of satisfaction. Chaos had just plunged right in to his neck, looking for all the world to be an eager young boy. Mariko had followed suit and squealed at the temperature, though she didn't rise out of the water. Growth still tested the water tentatively, this being his first time. He didn't usually join the other Personas in their sojourns to the mortal plane and knew little about mortals.
"Mariko! What are you doing? Why're you stripping? This is a public spring, we didn't get a private one!"
"There's no one else around, is there? No one comes at this hour."
"Why would you want to strip under the water anyway?"
"I want to be fully in contact with the water."
"It's against the rules to strip, Mariko. You have to at least wear your your bra and panties."
"Oh fine."
"And I'm surprised you can still chew bubblegum here. Won't it be soggy?"
"Apparently not." She blew a bubble, just to prove her point.
Chaos moved over beside her and whispered, "Mariko's just like her mother. No point lecturing her, really."
"Pink would go nude if she could." Evolution replied. "How'd you know what Mariko's like anyway? You visit the House Of Del often?"
"Once in a while. It's fun there. Not much to do up in our side of things, you know."
"Maybe we should bring more mortals up. Like Tallis."
"No, please, considering the way Tallis turned out, I'd say that the only mortals who call upon us for help are either mad, or dry and humourless."
The door leading outside slid open and Evolution groaned. How unlucky could she get? Hopefully, the mortal wouldn't recognise her in this form- No, she'd granted her the sight, of course she would recognise them. Raewyn and the six teens came in with her. Not just her pet project, but her main work too! She should have checked if the mortals knew each other.
"-Lune's sick so Sol's taking care of h-" She stopped and stared. "Is that... Are you... Evolution, is that you?"
Evolution sank deeper into the water, up to her bottom lip, muttering, "I'm not here, you don't know me, I don't know what you're talking about."
Raewyn stepped closer. "Evolution?"
"Evolution? Ev, how's this mortal know about you? How can she recognise you?" Chaos asked.
Evolution groaned. "Why couldn't you just have kept quiet a little, Chaos..." She sighed and turned. "Raewyn. Hello."
"Evolution, what are you doing here?"
"What do you think I'm doing, mortal? I'm enjoying a good, long soak."
"Congratulations, Ev, you must be the only one in history to have ever said that line."
"I... uh, right. Of course." Raewyn said, not sure how to respond.
"Raewyn? Who's she?" Cocytus asked.
"Um." Raewyn looked towards Evolution. "Can I tell?"
"Go ahead. I guess it doesn't matter anymore. Chaos, that one with the odd skin formation, that's Raewyn. She's my pe-, uh, one of my projects. I'll tell you more later."
"That's Evolution, the Natural Persona. She's interested in me thanks to this taint I have." Raewyn explained to the group as they sank into the hot pool beside the Personas.
"What? The Personas have kept to themselves for ages and out of nowhere Evolution likes you becau-"
"She doesn't like me, curse you, Styx! I meant interested, literally! Ugh, I'll tell you guys about it later, okay? What are you smiling at?" Raewyn snapped at Chaos.
"Ev, you gave her the sight, didn't you? Hey, Raewyn, is it? Do you recognise me?"
"I don't know you, boy..." She trailed off uncertainly. He felt familiar. He was very... so very familiar. He was... Chaos. The word came unbidden. Chaos. "Chaos. You're Chaos. But, you're the oldest, aren't you?"
"Yes. And so?"
"Why're you appear the youngest then?"
"How'd you know this is my natural humanoid form?"
"I didn't know. So this is how you look like normally. Huh. So the oldest looks to be the youngest. You Personas are weird." Raewyn looked at Growth. "Um. I assume that you're a Natural Persona too?"
"Growth doesn't really like talking to mortals that much." Chaos cut in. "He's just here for the hot spring."
"Oh. Then you must be Pink?"
"Oh no, that's my mum. I'm Mariko, pleased to meet you."
"Raewyn Aesiflay, glad to make your acquaintance. I didn't know Personas could have children. So who's your dad, then?"
"My dad was some mortal from a long time back. So I'm only half Persona, not like Del or Arrt."
"Mariko, ah yes, Evvy mentioned your name to me. Something about baby-sitt-" Evolution jabbed her with a talon quickly formed on her hand. "Ow. Okay. Who's Del and Arrt?"
"Del's Death's and Black's daughter, she's quite nice and Arrt's Wrath's and Impulse's son."
"Death and Black are together?"
"Oh, that was a long time ago. Now Death and Life are together."
"So, what's the House Of Del?"
"It's where we go. By we, I mean all the children of the Personas. It's our home."
"The House Of Del? Wait, isn't that where Delirious came from?" Phlegyas cut in.
"Delirious?"
"Um. Delirus."
"Del and Blue's children, Iria, Iris and Irus have the odd ability to merge together. Del and Irus must have come together, yes?" Chaos said.
"I think so, according to the papers. Then it said that he got sent to the asylum."
"Oh yeah. We brought them out and separated them."
"And scolded them, don't forget." Mariko reminded him.
"Yes. The scolding was deserved. They weren't supposed to be merged for so long or be out there."
"I can't believe we were taught Magic by the children of the Personas." Styx said.
"I did like their lessons though." Cocytus said wistfully. "I wonder if they'd still remember us."
"Seeing as how we're now all acquaintances, I'm willing to bring you mortals to the House Of Del sometime." Chaos offered.
"Psst. Don't. Please." Evolution whispered to him. "It's not just Raewyn who's my project. Those five are the ones you and the rest disapproved of. That other girl is his girlfriend."
"Really? Interesting. I will make use of this opportunity then." Chaos said, thinking deeply.
"I'd rather not get closer to them more than I have to."
"If you'll forgive my impertinence, may I ask why you Personas are suddenly more active down here?" Lethe asked.
"What makes you think that?"
"There's been no record of any form of contact, all that stuff, I'm sure you've heard of it before."
"We're not any more active than we have been in the past. You folks just never knew."
"I see. It's weird, sharing a hot spring with immortals. I wonder if my... No, I doubt so."
"Lethe. Don't try." Kestrel warned.
"I know. I'm not mad." Lethe got out of the water, the rest following in turn.
"Don't you Personas have to get out after fif- Right. I forget what I'm saying. Of course you immortals don't have to get out after fifteen minutes. You're not affected."
"But we do find it relaxing. The mortal plane has five things that we don't."
"Wine, drugs, hot baths, technology and fried food." Mariko and Evolution chorused. "Yes Chaos, we know."
"Something's wrong, when Chaos gets to be predictable. I think I will have to do some work." He said, rubbing his chin.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
No Wonder
Death was getting really cranky these days. Still, Evolution thought, I've got my own work to do. Though Evolution worked over extreme periods of time, she still had to work. She had been encouraging a group of mortal bloodlines to grow and develop and recently the fruits of her labour had emerged in the form of these five teens. Most of the other Personas disapproved, especially the Mistress, but Creation had helped her, though it was more of meddling rather than helping. He had caused the appearance of several new 'virgin' genes, never before seen, giving these teens certain abilities.
And then there was also that other mortal she was keeping an eye on. More than one if she had to. The mortal had somehow bonded her skin to a demon and recently an odd formation had been developing on her skin that she was so desperately trying to remove. Artificial evolution, so to speak. She would have to ask Growth about it sometime. But it would be interesting to block the effects of whatever medication the mortal used just to see what would happen. She probably should just warn her first. But then, the mortal would likely get angry and hateful and, as the Mistress loved to say so much, the relationship between the Personas and the mortals wasn't exactly rosy. Evolution was partially afraid that her project with the teens might draw too much attention and lead to another Meeting. The last time a Meeting occurred, Creation had been proposing this new race of humanoids which he called Cain. Now, uncountable years later, the Cain were still nomadic and sparse, though they were starting to integrate into society.
When a Persona came up with such an idea, all Emotional and Natural Personas had to give their blessings, otherwise the whole plan would just fall apart. Without Death, there'd be overpopulation. Without Life, they wouldn't be. Without Chaos, they wouldn't have that spark of creativity and individuality. Without Growth... The list goes on. The Elemental Personas generally didn't care and the Colour Personas were considered to be secondary. Either way, Evolution decided, it was pretty scary to be presenting an idea to all of the others.
Raewyn yelped in surprise as a woman appeared in front of her. The woman's form was decidedly humanoid, but contained an amalgamation of other creatures. Her head was that of a hawk, her left arm covered in scales, her right arm in fur, a snake coming out from the back of her neck, her legs ending in a paw on the left and a talon on the right and other numerous minute mixtures of animals. Raewyn fumbled to cover her own nude form as she grabbed Utrennyaya and got off her bed.
"What th-"
"Stay your hand, mortal, I do not wish to hurt you." The woman's voice was recognisably human, but in the same way that Acheron's voice seemed to echo and fold on itself, so this woman's voice contained hints of bestial roars, avian squawks, deep growls and sinuous hisses.
"Who and what the hell are you?" Raewyn didn't let her guard down and held Utrennyaya up menacingly.
"I am," She paused dramatically," Evolution."
No way. No blessed way. It's not possible. Libys thought.
"You can't be. The Personas haven't had contact with us mortals in ages."
"Yes, we have." Evolution corrected. Now, her voice was as normal as Raewyn's own. "Haven't used that dramatic, snobby, holier-than-thou voice in quite awhile." Evolution said to herself, rubbing her throat. "Yes, we've had contact with mortals. You just didn't know. The public was never told."
"What are you doing here then?"
Evolution idly pulled away the blanket Raewyn was using to cover herself. She blushed furiously as Evoution laid a furred hand on her taint-covered breast. Evolution either didn't realise what she was doing was causing Raewyn some discomfort or she didn't care. Most likely, she probably enjoyed watching Raewyn squirmed.
"This. I intend to let this anomalous formation grow over you."
"What!" Raewyn nearly spluttered in indignation and outrage. "I'm trying to get rid of it!"
"Yes, I know. I've seen your efforts. But it would be for the greater good. By observing this anomaly, I will be able to further the development of you mortals." Evolution said, in what she fully intended to be a soothing voice. It didn't work.
"No!" She angrily swung Utrennyaya at her, but the motorised morningstar went straight through Evolution. "I will not be your guinea pig, you bitch!"
"You might as well save your energy, mortal, your weapons can't hurt me. And," Evolution sniffed at her, though it didn't really seem possible with that avian head, "I have a name, you know. Most mortals call me Lady Evolution and fall over bowing to me but for you, I think I'm willing to make an exception. You can call me Evvy."
She was starting to get a headache. She'd forgotten how annoying and unreasonable mortals could be.
"Get out of my house!" Raewyn yelled, throwing Aida through her and the sword, like the mace, went through Evolution without harming her. The sword slammed into a wall and shattered some glass ornaments.
Evolution rolled her cat eyes.
"Please, Raewyn, we both know that you can't forcibly evict me from anywhere." Evolution groaned as Raewyn started bolts of magic at her. Now she knew what Death felt like, having to deal with disobedient children.
"You know, Raewyn, you could just ask me nicely to leave. And have you considered what you look like, a naked woman attacking the air?"
She responded by throwing more powerful spells at Evolution. The magic splashed against the walls of her room harmlessly, though Evolution could see that the protective runes on the wall were starting to glow a dangerous cherry red in response to the ever-increasing strength of Raewyn's spells. The wards weren't going to hold.
"Surely you can see that if you keep flinging spells everywhere, your runes are going to overload and no doubt start a fire?"
Raewyn breathed heavily, sweat lining her face. She hadn't used that much magic that fast in a long time and she was out of practice. She sullenly began to dress herself.
"Good. I'm glad that you have stopped acting like a spoilt child. Baby-sitting Mariko was bad enough. This visit was purely to inform you of what I will be doing. I would have carried out my plan regardless of your consent." She informed Raewyn bluntly. "Aren't you glad for my consideration? Now, contrary to popular belief, I do actually have work to be done. However, if you have need of me, just make a lewd joke involving Creation and I. Whichever Persona around that hears it will pass the message on to me, just because they think it's funny. Actually, I'll just give you the ability to see the other Personas, that'd make things easier."
Evolution lifted a clawed finger and scratched something on Raewyn's eyes. She was so surprised that she didn't even react until Evolution had finished. She also felt no pain, as if Evolution had been drawing on the air. She blinked a couple of times. Nothing really seemed to have changed. Except, in everything. In everything she saw a hint of something and the something was a Persona. Everything held a small part of the various Personas. She blinked again. Evolution was gone. The whole experience was so surreal and felt like a dream, except that dreams didn't leave her with a whole new perspective. And she didn't even get to ask who Mariko was nor express her incredulity at Evolution's relationship with Creation.
She found Chaos as she was walking through Eden, the garden of the Personas made by her and Creation as a joint effort, reviewing her plans for the genome of the world.
"Hello, Chaos." Chaos was the eldest of the Natural Personas. Eldest in terms of wisdom and maturity, since all the Personas had came about at more or less the same time. Ironically, he had the youngest form of all the Personas, appearing as a disinterested lad of no more than fourteen winters with a wild shock of black hair.
"Hullo, Ev." He said warmly. Despite his seniority, he didn't flaunt it over others except when circumstances forced. "I hear Grandmother Death's been wearing herself out. Lucky she's got you to take care of her."
"Thanks, Chaos." She couldn't help but feel a small bit of pride. Chaos had a way of making people feel important. "Grandmother?" Evolution chuckled. "She'd stake your shins backwards to the ground if she knew you called her that. She doesn't like the idea of Arrt and Del getting together."
"That's her incentive for you to get things done? Funny. How go your plans?"
"I doubt you'd like them, they're too orderly."
"Hai, you're a sharp one, Ev." His sallow face smiled lightly. He turned to the crimson flowers, staring deep.
"Something troubling you, Chaos?"
He sighed ruefully, rubbing his rounder nose, compared to the other Personas. "I shouldn't be troubled by it, really." He started talking softly in that language he often used, an odd language that nobody else knew about. When Evolution asked him once what it was, he had replied that it was 'Chinese'. When asked how he learnt it, he had shrugged and said, 'I get everywhere'. If Evolution wasn't wrong, Chinese had been one of the languages of the old times, tens of thousands of years back before the various countries had been wiped out and the continents had changed as a result of certain natural disasters. Civilisation had been set back to primitive times and the world took just as much time to recover. Apparently Chaos had liked the language and retained it through the ages. It wasn't too surprising. He did look a lot like one of the extinct Chinese. None of the human races at that time had survived and it was due to the intervention of the Personas that the world itself had survived, let alone prospered to it's current state.
He shook himself. "Pardon me. I meant, I just don't like how the way I work affects the rest of you negatively. I'm sort of an anathema to the rest of you. I feel like I upset the balance."
Evolution put her hand on his shoulder. "No worries, Chaos. You maintain the balance. Too much order and things go wrong." While Chaos always knew how to praise people, he tended to be a little irrational on occasion.
"I know. It's just that being me, I don't usually think logically. I should take a break. I've been causing too much chaos recently. The mortal plane is in upheaval. Suicide cults, plague, increase of crime, I've been stressing out the others."
"Yeah. The Mistress could really do with a timeout."
"I'll see what I can do. Help me tell Death that I'm sorry, will you?"
"Of course. She'll understand, I'm sure."
"We're all tired." He started singing in a low and melodic voice, using that language no one knew.
And then there was also that other mortal she was keeping an eye on. More than one if she had to. The mortal had somehow bonded her skin to a demon and recently an odd formation had been developing on her skin that she was so desperately trying to remove. Artificial evolution, so to speak. She would have to ask Growth about it sometime. But it would be interesting to block the effects of whatever medication the mortal used just to see what would happen. She probably should just warn her first. But then, the mortal would likely get angry and hateful and, as the Mistress loved to say so much, the relationship between the Personas and the mortals wasn't exactly rosy. Evolution was partially afraid that her project with the teens might draw too much attention and lead to another Meeting. The last time a Meeting occurred, Creation had been proposing this new race of humanoids which he called Cain. Now, uncountable years later, the Cain were still nomadic and sparse, though they were starting to integrate into society.
When a Persona came up with such an idea, all Emotional and Natural Personas had to give their blessings, otherwise the whole plan would just fall apart. Without Death, there'd be overpopulation. Without Life, they wouldn't be. Without Chaos, they wouldn't have that spark of creativity and individuality. Without Growth... The list goes on. The Elemental Personas generally didn't care and the Colour Personas were considered to be secondary. Either way, Evolution decided, it was pretty scary to be presenting an idea to all of the others.
Raewyn yelped in surprise as a woman appeared in front of her. The woman's form was decidedly humanoid, but contained an amalgamation of other creatures. Her head was that of a hawk, her left arm covered in scales, her right arm in fur, a snake coming out from the back of her neck, her legs ending in a paw on the left and a talon on the right and other numerous minute mixtures of animals. Raewyn fumbled to cover her own nude form as she grabbed Utrennyaya and got off her bed.
"What th-"
"Stay your hand, mortal, I do not wish to hurt you." The woman's voice was recognisably human, but in the same way that Acheron's voice seemed to echo and fold on itself, so this woman's voice contained hints of bestial roars, avian squawks, deep growls and sinuous hisses.
"Who and what the hell are you?" Raewyn didn't let her guard down and held Utrennyaya up menacingly.
"I am," She paused dramatically," Evolution."
No way. No blessed way. It's not possible. Libys thought.
"You can't be. The Personas haven't had contact with us mortals in ages."
"Yes, we have." Evolution corrected. Now, her voice was as normal as Raewyn's own. "Haven't used that dramatic, snobby, holier-than-thou voice in quite awhile." Evolution said to herself, rubbing her throat. "Yes, we've had contact with mortals. You just didn't know. The public was never told."
"What are you doing here then?"
Evolution idly pulled away the blanket Raewyn was using to cover herself. She blushed furiously as Evoution laid a furred hand on her taint-covered breast. Evolution either didn't realise what she was doing was causing Raewyn some discomfort or she didn't care. Most likely, she probably enjoyed watching Raewyn squirmed.
"This. I intend to let this anomalous formation grow over you."
"What!" Raewyn nearly spluttered in indignation and outrage. "I'm trying to get rid of it!"
"Yes, I know. I've seen your efforts. But it would be for the greater good. By observing this anomaly, I will be able to further the development of you mortals." Evolution said, in what she fully intended to be a soothing voice. It didn't work.
"No!" She angrily swung Utrennyaya at her, but the motorised morningstar went straight through Evolution. "I will not be your guinea pig, you bitch!"
"You might as well save your energy, mortal, your weapons can't hurt me. And," Evolution sniffed at her, though it didn't really seem possible with that avian head, "I have a name, you know. Most mortals call me Lady Evolution and fall over bowing to me but for you, I think I'm willing to make an exception. You can call me Evvy."
She was starting to get a headache. She'd forgotten how annoying and unreasonable mortals could be.
"Get out of my house!" Raewyn yelled, throwing Aida through her and the sword, like the mace, went through Evolution without harming her. The sword slammed into a wall and shattered some glass ornaments.
Evolution rolled her cat eyes.
"Please, Raewyn, we both know that you can't forcibly evict me from anywhere." Evolution groaned as Raewyn started bolts of magic at her. Now she knew what Death felt like, having to deal with disobedient children.
"You know, Raewyn, you could just ask me nicely to leave. And have you considered what you look like, a naked woman attacking the air?"
She responded by throwing more powerful spells at Evolution. The magic splashed against the walls of her room harmlessly, though Evolution could see that the protective runes on the wall were starting to glow a dangerous cherry red in response to the ever-increasing strength of Raewyn's spells. The wards weren't going to hold.
"Surely you can see that if you keep flinging spells everywhere, your runes are going to overload and no doubt start a fire?"
Raewyn breathed heavily, sweat lining her face. She hadn't used that much magic that fast in a long time and she was out of practice. She sullenly began to dress herself.
"Good. I'm glad that you have stopped acting like a spoilt child. Baby-sitting Mariko was bad enough. This visit was purely to inform you of what I will be doing. I would have carried out my plan regardless of your consent." She informed Raewyn bluntly. "Aren't you glad for my consideration? Now, contrary to popular belief, I do actually have work to be done. However, if you have need of me, just make a lewd joke involving Creation and I. Whichever Persona around that hears it will pass the message on to me, just because they think it's funny. Actually, I'll just give you the ability to see the other Personas, that'd make things easier."
Evolution lifted a clawed finger and scratched something on Raewyn's eyes. She was so surprised that she didn't even react until Evolution had finished. She also felt no pain, as if Evolution had been drawing on the air. She blinked a couple of times. Nothing really seemed to have changed. Except, in everything. In everything she saw a hint of something and the something was a Persona. Everything held a small part of the various Personas. She blinked again. Evolution was gone. The whole experience was so surreal and felt like a dream, except that dreams didn't leave her with a whole new perspective. And she didn't even get to ask who Mariko was nor express her incredulity at Evolution's relationship with Creation.
She found Chaos as she was walking through Eden, the garden of the Personas made by her and Creation as a joint effort, reviewing her plans for the genome of the world.
"Hello, Chaos." Chaos was the eldest of the Natural Personas. Eldest in terms of wisdom and maturity, since all the Personas had came about at more or less the same time. Ironically, he had the youngest form of all the Personas, appearing as a disinterested lad of no more than fourteen winters with a wild shock of black hair.
"Hullo, Ev." He said warmly. Despite his seniority, he didn't flaunt it over others except when circumstances forced. "I hear Grandmother Death's been wearing herself out. Lucky she's got you to take care of her."
"Thanks, Chaos." She couldn't help but feel a small bit of pride. Chaos had a way of making people feel important. "Grandmother?" Evolution chuckled. "She'd stake your shins backwards to the ground if she knew you called her that. She doesn't like the idea of Arrt and Del getting together."
"That's her incentive for you to get things done? Funny. How go your plans?"
"I doubt you'd like them, they're too orderly."
"Hai, you're a sharp one, Ev." His sallow face smiled lightly. He turned to the crimson flowers, staring deep.
"Something troubling you, Chaos?"
He sighed ruefully, rubbing his rounder nose, compared to the other Personas. "I shouldn't be troubled by it, really." He started talking softly in that language he often used, an odd language that nobody else knew about. When Evolution asked him once what it was, he had replied that it was 'Chinese'. When asked how he learnt it, he had shrugged and said, 'I get everywhere'. If Evolution wasn't wrong, Chinese had been one of the languages of the old times, tens of thousands of years back before the various countries had been wiped out and the continents had changed as a result of certain natural disasters. Civilisation had been set back to primitive times and the world took just as much time to recover. Apparently Chaos had liked the language and retained it through the ages. It wasn't too surprising. He did look a lot like one of the extinct Chinese. None of the human races at that time had survived and it was due to the intervention of the Personas that the world itself had survived, let alone prospered to it's current state.
He shook himself. "Pardon me. I meant, I just don't like how the way I work affects the rest of you negatively. I'm sort of an anathema to the rest of you. I feel like I upset the balance."
Evolution put her hand on his shoulder. "No worries, Chaos. You maintain the balance. Too much order and things go wrong." While Chaos always knew how to praise people, he tended to be a little irrational on occasion.
"I know. It's just that being me, I don't usually think logically. I should take a break. I've been causing too much chaos recently. The mortal plane is in upheaval. Suicide cults, plague, increase of crime, I've been stressing out the others."
"Yeah. The Mistress could really do with a timeout."
"I'll see what I can do. Help me tell Death that I'm sorry, will you?"
"Of course. She'll understand, I'm sure."
"We're all tired." He started singing in a low and melodic voice, using that language no one knew.
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