E6T3

[I think I am here. he/him]

40 minutes ago, Stormlightsong said:

Feynah looked over at Tsyan, “would you like to join me for a drink?” They said, motioning to the door. “It’s on me.” 

He wasn't a social spinner, but even Tsyan could tell when someone was afraid. Their body stopped for a moment, or you could see their eyes widen or a twitch of their fingers. What had triggered it, he wondered? Ghostblood?

"Sure," he said. He didn't drink, but the stranger was good enough company. He stopped leaning on the wall, cracked his back.

"Not a Ghostblood any longer," he said to the stranger, in case it helped. "They changed, left some of us in the dirt."

[Stormlightsong]

21 minutes ago, I think I am here. said:

"Not a Ghostblood any longer," he said to the stranger, in case it helped. "They changed, left some of us in the dirt."

Well, that’s good, Feynah thought with relief, at least Clotho can be trusted.

They sat down at a nearby table inside and ordered two drinks with some of the boxings they got from cards. “So why are you working for her?” They motioned to the back room where Clotho was still unconscious. “Not to judge, but couldn’t someone like you work for a higher bidder.” Feynah still didn’t trust that Tsyan wasn’t here on official business, but knowing more about him would help future interactions.

”If I were you, I’d be as far away from this hellhole and be on my home planet.” Not that there would be anyone there for me. They thought.

[Mrs. Voidus she/her]

Valeria, The Grand Hotel, The Bind Point

 

Valeria smiled at Laurelai's ownership of her role as daughter, even as it was offered hesitatingly. In an ideal world, a mother would flinch at the thought of her daughter partaking of vices with her, but then, this woman was also just that. A woman with severe trauma, in need of some comfort, and Valeria was *not* about to ruin her best chance at connecting because of some false sense of prudence.

A little humour in the situation cant hurt, she thought, as she opened liquor cabinet and searched for an amber liquid. Selecting a tear shaped bottle of cerulean blown glass, she pulled the stopper and hoped for a honeyed scent, then let out a sigh of slight disappointment.

Lita said her good-byes and closed the door behind her.

"Oh Laurelai," Valeria bemoaned. "It saddens me that you will never know the sweet burn of our ambrosia nectar." She took a second sniff and picked up two crystal cups, moving to the bedroom.

"Come, come," she said over her shoulder. "You can't let me go out shopping in an outfit I have already worn. Perhaps you can show me that marvellous forging ability again. Oh, Parum Faba, the things I could tell you about the silks we had..." 

The rambling approach was a favourite tactic of hers to throw her clients out of their anxiety. So many people came to her for help, only to freeze up when the moment arrived. Expecting perhaps to be grilled about their life choices, the mistakes they had made, or to make yet more by revealing their worst nature.

But Valeria was practiced enough to know that what mattered most in a session, was breathing. Being present, and building trust.

And nothing had proven more effective so far, than getting a patient to try and impress, by way of listening, and finding opportunities to show their finest ability.

All the better that this was not just a patient, but someone Valeria desperately needed to feel loved. Even if Vivica would be more of a challenge professionally. No. 

Valeria had found her daughter, and within moments of mutual acceptance, she had found her next challenge. 

inveniet eam, sana eam, ama eam.

 

Translation: Little Bean; Find her, Heal her, Love her.

@Voidus

 

Edited May 22, 2023 by Mrs. Voidus
Weird double post

[Koloss17 She/They]

Clotho, Spiritual Realm

”Ah, there you are.” A voice said.

Turning towards the voice, Clotho looked. What horrors was she in for this time? Heart racing, She asked “Who are you? Where am I?”

The voice, a younger man in a prim suit answered “Clotho? Are you okay? Is this one of your memory episodes?”

He went to sit her down. “Let me go find your journal,” he said.

Clotho, now alone, looked about her surroundings. This appeared to be an office of sorts, the type you would find on Scadrial. Was she on Scadrial? This seemed familiar, in a way. It appeared to be a laboratory of sorts, with items safely in cases around the room. 
 

“Doctor Clotho, the dating came back!” A perky voice said. This one belonged to a younger woman, wearing a lab coat and rounded glasses. Her eyes were a nice shade of hazel. “The artifacts from last week’s dig seems to have come from early Final Empire. Your guesses were correct!” 
 

Clotho was barely paying attention. Where even was she? Looking around, she inspected the glass cases closer. There were swords, damaged pottery, and ancient cloth. However, there was one that caught her eye. A gigantic metal spike, like the one she saw in that creature. Clotho shivered.

”Uuh…doctor? Are you…okay?” The girl had noticed that Clotho wasn’t listening, and seemed concerned. “Are you having one of your…episodes? How can I help?”

The girl seemed to genuinely care for clitho. Who was this girl, and what was her relationship with Clotho? She seemed to be an assistant of sorts, but Clotho and her seemed…close, in a way.

Suddenly, a piercing buzz filled Clotho’s ears. Sinking to the floor, she clasped her hands over her ears. The ringing didn’t get quieter. 

“Clotho! What is happening?”

Clotho looked up, and a face came into view. The old woman from before. “You are not long for this realm. You must get out, before it is too late.”

Gritting her teeth, Clotho muttered “Not before I get what I came here for.”

“Clotho? What are you talking about? Someone! Help! Doctor Clotho is injured!”

The ringing only got louder. She slipped, falling on her side, and all she saw was light.

——————————————————

Edited June 10, 2023 by Koloss17

[Voidus]

Laurelai, stared after Lita as the door closed behind the redhead, a small part of her mind aware that she should be worried, though the emotion was suppressed by Lita's continued Soothing. Once again she longed to simply be able to return to her apartments and wait under a stream of cool water in the shower. But leaving... would not be a good idea. Not until she had a better grip of herself. Or she'd just end up causing even more problems.

"Oh Laurelai," Valeria said, interrupting her thoughts. "It saddens me that you will never know the sweet burn of our ambrosia nectar."

A new drink? She wondered, immediately curious as to how it might taste. But then other worlds can be a bit hit and miss. Might get stuck with a Roshar where they call that colored swill wine.

"Come, come," Valeria continued, moving for the bedroom. "You can't let me go out shopping in an outfit I have already worn. Perhaps you can show me that marvellous forging ability again. Oh, Parum Faba, the things I could tell you about the silks we had..." 

A slow smile appeared, actual enjoyment rather than the sort of ambiently pleasant vacant one she had been wearing. It would certainly be the most preferable distraction, a drink and a discussion of one of her favorite topics. And new silks... well perhaps if she could ask enough questions, she might even be able to reproduce some. Gods what could some of her favorite tailors do with a new fabric?

"Yes, please do. It was one of the first things I started studying by myself... fabrics. Have to study quite a bit to effectively Forge anything, and I always wanted new clothes." She smiled, moving to follow after her mother. "Wanted to learn how to do it on purpose, thought it might help to..."

To stop accidentally murdering everyone who tried to care for you. A dry voice whispered in her mind as she trailed off. How far you've come, now you just hurt them with every waking moment instead.

She shook her head to dismiss the voice, and the images that threatened to follow. The continued pleasant calm from Lita's soothing, a little more generalized now that she wasn't here to adjust it, but it helped her to calm once again. Forcing herself to divert the topic.

"Parum Faba... you call me that often. I... remember it, I think. But not what it actually means." She said, latching on to the moment of curiosity.

@Mrs. Voidus

[Mrs. Voidus she/her]

Valeria, The Grand Hotel, The Bind Point

 

Valeria smiled to herself as she busied about the expansive wardrobe, listening whilst collecting pieces of Lita's clothing that she could best draw a parallel from. 

Laurelai had followed her as planned and spoke excitedly as she did so. "I Wanted to learn how to do it on purpose," she said, before cutting of the next sentence that even unfinished, spoke volumes. Unintended consequences. I See. A fear? Foisted on her? or Caused by her? She certainly seems mistrustful of herself. No. Later.

Selecting two Silk blouses from the left most section, Valeria gave a quick smile of casual reassurance, and lay the pair down on the bed. 

Laurelai spoke again, "Parum Faba... you call me that often. I... remember it, I think. But not what it actually means." 

A small quirk of amusement came to Valeria as she noted the familiar gleam of excitement they all held when awaiting the answer to a puzzle.  

"Your father and I wanted children very badly. Well, we did and we didn't. We always knew we wanted them, but could never agree on when. He would have a project he would need to travel for, I would be moving my practice, or busy reaching to match his tenure. We argued about it constantly. He is a stubborn ass. Wonderful, but stubborn."

The women sat in the moment of silent agreement.

"He used to come home from his trips or his laboratory and bring me gifts, mostly they were fruits, and wines, and I would cook for him. I cooked most of our meals, but the ones after a fight? Those were special. The first time I made a feast like that, was a disaster. The soup was too salty, the Fish was to dry, I burned the cold pudding somehow, and the worst part of the meal was by far the six bean salad. Ask me how a person manages to rust up a salad."

Valeria waited only a beat, before continuing. "Really, I would love the answer to how I did that. Another mystery for the ages. Anyway, I set the table, put on my nicest dress, lit a few candles, and hoped beyond hope that, maaaybe if I dimmed the lights low enough, we wouldn't notice the flaws. Silly, I know, but we were very young."

Laurelai had sat on the edge of the bed, "what happened? What did he do?"

Valeria folded the woven overcoat in half and added it to a pile, then sat down beside her daughter. She closed her eyes and took a long, soothing breath. "He ate every single thing on his plate and asked for seconds. Well, everything but the salad. He told me that he didn't realise that beans could be both hard, and squishy at the same time. Every dinner since then I would wait until it was finished and produce a plate with a single bean on it. It was our squishy bean. Always got a laugh, and it always brought us together. Then, a few years later, our arguments got weaker, and our debates more frequent, until one day it was not a bean I presented on a plate, but an ultrasound picture. You werent even shaped like a human yet, but exactly like... Well, a squishy little bean. And you, and the nickname stuck."

 

@Voidus

Edited May 26, 2023 by Mrs. Voidus
spelling

[+ZincAboutIt she/her]

Lita, the Grand Hotel, the Bindpoint

It was both easier and more difficult to move down a hall that was, for all intents and purposes, entirely Lita’s. On the one hand, she didn’t have to worry too much about others overhearing. On the other, being covert was nearly impossible. 

So, Lita embraced it. She took a deep breath and walked with an easy step, sinking down into the knowledge that this entire floor belonged to her. Most of the employees here belonged to her too, in some fashion or another. Bribery, leverage, sheer force of charisma, all tools Lita wielded and wielded well. This was Lita’s first chance to prove herself the ideal tool. She needed to be quick, precise, effective. She couldn’t afford to fail.

Her step did not quicken at this knowledge, her breathing did not accelerate. Instead she felt herself… distill. This is what she was born for, what she had been improved for. The figure standing at the end of the hall had better be prepared for her. Which was unlikely; so few were actually prepared for Lita Attar.

Lita rounded a corner and her step slowed a fraction, green eyes narrowing as she took in the form of…Telian. A bellhop, and one in her specific employ. It wasn’t impossible that he’d decided to step wildly beyond the bounds of his duties and spy on her. Not impossible… but unlikely. Much more likely that Telian was not Telian at all. She smiled, an easy, sweet smile. The smile of a woman who was simply looking for an employee.

“Ah, Telian,” she called out. “Just who I was hoping to find. A little early for it, but I do enjoy promptness.”

@Voidus

Edited May 27, 2023 by ZincAboutIt

[EmulatonStromenkiin he/him]

The dust settled as wireframes flickered and faded away, and Balance stood over a still form. He winced. Another dead by his hand. He shuddered faintly as he felt the lines continue to spread across and through his body. He did not have much time before they consumed him completely. He bent over and carefully removed the motivator from the body. A swirl of lines, and it was reduced to dust and fragments. The wire frame lines, which now made up over half of his body, began to fade from the bright blue that they had been during the fight. His eyes, one still human, found Markus.

"Give my cloak to Demaren Technotic," he said in a clear voice. "He is the one you robbed. Also, give him the message 'Balance is dead, but the motivator is gone as well'." He grimaced as the lines advanced suddenly, creeping up his face. He fumbled at his belt, detaching a purse and tossing it to him. " There's something like 5,000 Crysts worth in there, though you might get a better deal on some of those rare coins." He coughed as blackness began to creep along the edges of his vision. "You can learn control, but you must learn acceptance." He smiled faintly. "You should also probably get some help for your multiple personalities." Blackness consumed his vision, and he was no more. On the street, his cloak and clothing fell, nothing remaining within to support them.

Balance opened his eyes, and looked down on Alleyplanet. He was dead. Finally. He looked and saw Alleycity, with the worldspike in the center, and a storm brewing on the horizon. 

"It will be fine without you," a voice behind him said. He turned and saw a figure made of stars and storms facing him. 

"Your people wait in the Beyond. You can go in peace," the figure continued. 

"Who are you?" Balance whispered hoarsely as he began to stretch. "What are you?"

"You can call me Strom." The figure replied as Balance faded away, finally free.

@Sorana

[I think I am here. he/him]

On 22/05/2023 at 1:11 AM, Stormlightsong said:

Well, that’s good, Feynah thought with relief, at least Clotho can be trusted.

They sat down at a nearby table inside and ordered two drinks with some of the boxings they got from cards. “So why are you working for her?” They motioned to the back room where Clotho was still unconscious. “Not to judge, but couldn’t someone like you work for a higher bidder.” Feynah still didn’t trust that Tsyan wasn’t here on official business, but knowing more about him would help future interactions.

”If I were you, I’d be as far away from this hellhole and be on my home planet.” Not that there would be anyone there for me. They thought.

"She bids pretty high," Tsyan said, watching a glass of something amber slide its way to him. He poked the patterned glass with his fingers, pensively took a sip.

"This is my home planet," he said to the stranger. "Could you imagine living your life somewhere else, surrounded by people who didn't know about other planets?"

He could see the novelty wearing off sometime between the first month and the first year. Hardly a place to live a life.

"And what's keeping you here anyway?" he said. "If you really think it's a hell-hole."

[Stormlightsong]

On 6/2/2023 at 10:16 AM, I think I am here. said:

"She bids pretty high," Tsyan said, watching a glass of something amber slide its way to him. He poked the patterned glass with his fingers, pensively took a sip.

"This is my home planet," he said to the stranger. "Could you imagine living your life somewhere else, surrounded by people who didn't know about other planets?"

He could see the novelty wearing off sometime between the first month and the first year. Hardly a place to live a life.

"And what's keeping you here anyway?" he said. "If you really think it's a hell-hole."

“there’s no one left for me at home” feynah said, truthfully. “i’ve been running from there ever since” here their accent started slipping “ and everywhere I went,I made a new me, reinvented myself. you know what I mean?” They looked up at Tsyan with teary eyes.

he doesn’t need to know this, they thought, im blowing my cover. “Sorry, I just need some air.” Feynah said, as she stood up and ran out the door their hair fluctuating Colors as started remembering.

she remembered her fifteenth birthday. She remembered all those nights in the basement touching different metals until something happened. She remembered her father yelling, asking why his daughter was suddenly an adult. She remembered her mother stabbing him through the heart.

all the memories she had been holding back came through as she cried her eyes out. Instinctively she reverted her age to 14. To forget what happened, to be papa’s little girl. 

she fell to the floor in a heap of oversized clothes and stopped crying, for no more tears would come out.

Edited June 6, 2023 by Stormlightsong

[Koloss17 She/They]

Clotho, Spiritual Realm

Clotho blinked her eyes open. Groaning, she got up.

”You are a stubborn girl. I remember when I had your spirit.”

Clotho looked at her surroundings, or lack thereof. She stood on an endless plane of white, with nothing stretching into eternity.

”Knowing what you were will only give you pain. Trust me.”

Turning, Clotho was face to face with her older self. “All I’ve ever had was fragments of other’s pasts. I deserve to know my own.”

She didn’t deserve this. She needed this.

”Please.”

Sighing, the woman said, “Fine. You want it? Here.”

 

Suddenly, images flashed in front of Clotho. Her family, eating dinner. Her brother, playing with her while their parents argued politics. 
 

Click.

Clotho, writing an essay. A man next to her, sharing a drink. She was lost in thought. She was drifting.

“Clotho, the class ended ten minutes ago. Are you okay?”

Click.

Clotho, humming to herself. Writing, in a room. This version took up cooking, with a side job of art. She was talent. Why aren’t I talented?

A tear went down her cheek.

Click.

“Father, no! Let me stay! I can get better! I’m sorry! I’m getting better!”

Her father sighed. 
 

“I know. But this house needs to be strong. Your other siblings are helping. They’re married, and are furthering this house’s reputation. What are you doing?”

”I’m trying! I really am!”
 

”I know. I know.”

Click.

“Judith. No, Rebecca. Come on, I can do this! I spent three years living with her! ….or was it two?”

Clotho kicked a wall, knocking over a nearby journal. A picture slid out. Her sister, graduating Tekiel University. 
 

Clotho fell, sobbing.

 

Click.

Five foot three. Nervous, but confident in her ability. A promising scientist, but not recognized by her peers.

Insomniac.

Clotho looked up, and something caught her eye. At the door, wedged between multiple journals, was a piece of paper.

Standing up from her bed, Clotho took it out. It was an envelope. 
 

Opening it, she began to read.

To Clotho Renoux, last remaining heir of House Renoux…

 

Click.

 

Clotho was looking at a chalkboard, with notes on it. 
 

There’s something I’m missing…

She looked over the lists of suspects again. Vincent Ladrian. Gabriel Erikeller. Sylvia Yomen. Tsyan Stainal. Aran Maren.

It has to have been one of them.

 

Click.

 

”Ferryman! I request passage.”

Clotho handed the man 20 boxings.

”These won’t work here. We only take broams and breaths. None of this non-Invested nonsense.”

Rusts.

”Do you at least know where Alleycity is?”

The man’s eyes widened a fraction. “What makes you want to go there?”

 

Why did she want to go there?

”I need to,” Clotho answered.

Click.

 

[Voidus]

SeKaan, the Grand Hotel, the Bindpoint

Picking out who they wanted to replace had been the hardest part. There were so many employees in this building, but who was the right one to overhear what they needed? But when yesterday evening they had gone out to one of the many bars in the city, a rather tasteless establishment, they had found a familiar face. Emboldened a little by their own irritation at the recent encounter with another of their own kind and somehow a surviving Inquisitor, SeKaan had seen about ensuring they were invited back to the gentleman's own house.

From there, a simple matter to ensure he was too sick to work today, and then to sneak in and take his uniform. Avoiding notice by anyone else had been a little more difficult, though not by much. But best that none of his fellows noticed that 'Telian' had worked today after all and decided to ask him about it. And infiltrating as a servant had always been a favored tactic, so few payed attention to the comings and goings of them, or which of them were nearby when discreet conversations were held. They were always an excellent method to find additional little secrets to support another role.

And oh had they discovered some secrets today. Their body practically thrummed with the satisfaction, a heady cocktail of pride, danger, and intrigue filled their veins as they pretended to busy themself. It was a risk, staying here as they heard, with particularly sensitive ears, the door open, the footsteps down the hallway. But some small chance of gaining even more information was worth it. And fleeing might only attract more attention, she was a watchful one this Lita. And interesting. Was she Lita LaPetit? Or Attar? Or something else entirely?

"Ah Telian" She called out, approaching with a casual smile. "Just who I was hoping to find. A little early for it, but I do enjoy promptness.”

"Of course." They provided quickly, slipping easily into the voice they had memorized last night. "Never polite to keep a lady waiting."

They gave a professional smile, with just the hint of the other that they had received themselves on first meeting Telian. A slight playfulness that SeKaan had enjoyed a great deal. The words were also an almost perfect repetition of those Telian had given when joining SeKaan to leave for more private quarters, and were paired with a casual glance down the hall as if looking to see who else may be watching.

Inwardly their mind raced, trying to fill in the gaps of this persona. Being caught in a temporary guise was always a frustration, and was the main other reason they had avoided any other employees. But some kind of pre-existing and seemingly personal relationship with the very person he was tailing? Deeply problematic. But still, they had centuries of experience with this, and should be able to play a vague enough line to let Lita take the lead without arousing any suspicions.

Besides, they were playing a servant right now, and while it was possible that she was simply very friendly and there was simply some personal errands that Telian ran for Miss LaPetit, SeKaan knew of a far more common reason for such familiarity. That would, if anything, only make things easier as this was one area of Telian that SeKaan had experienced personally in some detail. But for now, yes best to let her take the lead.

Laurelai, Lita's rooms in the Grand Hotel, the Bindpoint

Laurelai kept her hands deliberately in her lap as she listened, suppressing a fidget with only a little difficulty. Lita had moved far enough that the Soothing was only half as effective as it had been and she felt some of the worries slipping back in, her thoughts drifting from the conversation with her mother to the other recent events, and then back. She still caught enough to give a half-scandalized little choke as her mother called Voidus as stubborn ass, though really she retained enough memories from the Forgery to know it was quite an accurate assessment.

But really, did either of them know anything about him? Truly? Laurelai had memories that were entirely false, and some distant impressions she'd gained of him as her boss for several years. But none of him as an actual person. And Valeria... she knew him as he had been before. But time changed people, something a Forger knew all too well, and that much time... was he in any way the same person?

"A lovely story." She remarked with a small smile, one she even half-meant. "I haven't... known that he was my father for very long. I don't really know that much about him personally. It's still very strange sometimes, I had... well I had given up on ever meeting either of you."

Thought it would be best if they never came back. A small little returning voice whispered, though without its usual strength. Knew deep down why they left, and that you'd only hurt them if they came back.

@Mrs. Voidus @ZincAboutIt

[Mrs. Voidus she/her]

 

Valeria, Lita's Rooms in the Grand Hotel, the Bindpoint

 

For the brief amount of time that Valeria had begun to congratulate herself at her skills in putting her daughter at ease, an acheing sorrow had begun to burry in her gut. Whilst remembering the love filled moments of her life she was stuck with the severe disconnect that reminded her that it was a past life. Her intention had been to fill Laurelai's mind with intent and love and assertion that they were supposed to be together, but it had filled Valeria with a more pressient sense of the wrongness of this world. 

The heat of those feast nights was a different heat to the one here, the scent of the night flowers that drifted through the windows of her families home was one she had not sensed here at all. Even the way that the air landed on ones skin here was different. And the magic. 

But Valeria's subconscious unease was broken by Laurelai's admission.  "I haven't... known that he was my father for very long. I don't really know that much about him personally. It's still very strange sometimes, I had... well I had given up on ever meeting either of you."

A ghost of a whisper left Valeria's lips in response. "What, what do you mean puer meus?"

Valeria had been so delighted upon finding Laurelai, and then Lucien so quickly after that she had assumed that he had fulfilled his protection, his duty. 

"Laurelai," Valeria forced through gritted teeth. "What do you mean by this? Are you saying you have been alone?"

Rage filled her so swiftly then, that she did not allow Laurelai to speak the words that confirmed what her forlorn eyes already told. 

"Alone while he was here playing God? hoc est homo non accepit, quod monstrum vile tulit locum suum?" 

 

@Voidus

Translations: Puer meus - My child; hoc est homo non accepit, quod monstrum vile tulit locum suum? - that is not the man I married, what monster has taken his place?