Fantasy Come Winter's Light

[Epiphany]

"Assuming he speaks a language I can understand." Anne winks at Singhit. "Yeah, that's fine. Though Bran's not going to care if I bring a group. Having a backup is nice but I wouldn't mind having along whoever wants to come. I'd like to get to know you guys better. After all, we already have each other's lives in our hands, right? But if you already have plans, that's cool. Just giving people the option."

 

[FeMChara]

Kosche smiled a bit awkwardly. "Cool. So uh. Where's this Bran person taking you to dinner at?"


======================================>


Jiji laughed. "They're rarely alike, but yes. Many young Solars are very much like this bunch." He answers Mizu.

 

[Shining Lotus Sage]

Singhit blushes and downs the last of the tray of sandwiches to give his mouth something to do other than stammer. But then, he'd retreated from the conversation a while ago, as soon as it got chaotic. He nods as though asked a question, before Anne looks away.

 

[FeMChara]

(Pause for session)

 

[FeMChara]

The no-room was plain, grey walls, a stone floor and a stone ceiling all seemingly of the same materials. It almost seemed to absorb the light, leaving colors almost muted-yet the brightest colore seemed even more intense, particularly the star-filled eye colors of the Sidereals. The stars in their eyes seemed even more intense. On a closer examination of the wall, a similar starry pattern was seen, light refracting in the five colors of the Maidens: blue, yellow, red, green and purple. The man slumped over had a much abused azure book on his chest and his eyes fluttered as he groaned. He pulled himself up. "Nn. Wwwwuuut." He slurred. "Pretty room. Prrrrreet-ty people. Wheeeeerre'zz da party?" He was obviously still affected by the drugs.


Kosche flushed and Jiji's mask hid any emotion. "What's your name, young man?"


"Ssssstupid. I'm Bran. Bran Aniołród. It's. Huh, who are you? Whhhhy do you sound familiar?" He rubbed his eyes and clumsily pulled off his jacket. "Wherrrre's Anne. She'll set you rrrright."

 

[Arynne]

In the end, Trina found the siren song of new knowledge drew her more than anything. She finds excuses not to go, either back to her apartment for her lonely dinner, or to the restaurant with the others. Instead she finds herself opening doors until she comes to the library. Her regular excitement when she encounters the leather-and-wood smell of a room of books is heightened.

 

[Flowing Ink Words]

Mizu looks at the recovering 'Chosen of St. Cellia' who is currently not in his right mind. "... St. Cellia's Corsetlet, I'm not drunk enough for this." She mutters just loud enough to be heard. "Yes, she said you were a friend and had a bit of a moment with something to drink." Mizu frowns as she considers her words. That's honest -enough- for all intents and purposes. "You'll have to excuse us if we're seeming a bit cautious. It's been a looong day."

 

[Mei]

Morena just sighs and rolls her shoulder that previously had a Bran over it. "I'm gonna take a breather. I'm not interested in what he'll say or whatever. I need a glass of water, anyway."


With that, she walks out of the room and into the kitchen.

 

[Epiphany]

"Hey Bran."


Anne's followed the group in. She gives Morena an appreciative pat on the shoulder before turning her full attention back to the still-hazy probable-Infernal. The green-haired Zenith folds her arms, then impulsively takes a seat next to her best friend. "I'm here, buddy. Looks like someone fucked you over. I don't suppose you have any new enemies you want to mention to me? Or new allies for that matter. I'm sorry I wasn't here for the last few years, Bran. I'm not sorry I served my country but I wish I'd been here for you. Now, do me a favor. Do yourself a favor. Tell me what's really going on with you."

 

[FeMChara]

Bran was unfocused. "Anne, don't be sorry. Wasn't your fault. Worst. Timing. Ever. You know?" He rambled. "And you know. I jus'. Wanted to straighten up. Started goin' back to church. Workin' with the lady bishop. Ssssaid she had something special to show me. Asked a bunch of questions aaaand showed me into the back. I was... good. A good man. Reminded them of someone. My name, my family name. Something about it. I was... a compromise. Couldn't run. I heard the lock turn in the door." He rambles.


"And. Julio. Julio was pounding at the door, saw me come on in. He didn't like what he sssaw. So uh. They dragged him in and the guy with the greenest eyes I've ever seen... just. Burned him up. Right there. Had a... thing with him. Go in or get the same and I thought."


"She'll want to see me again. I can't just... go out this way. Gotta live to see her again. Show her I've gotten better. I was so stupid. A choice. Not a choice at all. Stepped in and... everything goes dark. And. I saw. I saw so much." He squeezes his eyes shut. "Didn't want it. I came out and saw a... woman made of sand. You remember Julio. Julio's just. And I was." He stopped. "I didn't like it but they didn't care. Long as I played along just enough. She just..." He paused. "I feel funny, Anne. You know I'll never hurt you, right? Never. Not ever. You're the little sister I'm so fucking proud of. I'm gonna..."


There was a brief pause. His forehead shined a dull yellow but a brief aura of radioactive green washed around him, sickening and with a vague sense of wrong-but nowhere as wrong as Heck's had been. An hourglass was visible even as the aura faded on his forehead, rather than the symbols of the sun or stars they all wore. He seemed to sober up. "Oh, heaven. I didn't think... well. This just... beats all." He looks at the old man. "I'd always thought I'd be picked up by



. I never thought I'd get picked up by someone I love and trust." He sounds sad and bitter. "So what now, Anne?"

 

[Epiphany]

Anne sits up straight as the revelations keep pouring in. Then she puts her arm around his shoulders and his admission of pride earns him a teary hug.


Of course, when his Caste Mark flares, she leans back a little. Her eyes trace the outline of that symbol. Then the green-haired Zenith flinches and looks away when Bran accuses her of exploiting their relationship to snatch him. The truth hurts, after all.


At last, she looks up and her eyes are full of fire. "What now? Right now, I say I'm sorry. For what you went through, because you couldn't tell me and maybe I couldn't have handled it then. I'm handling it now, though. You're my bro, my best friend and some hourglass on your forehead doesn't change any of that. I know who you are, Bran. Not just who you are to me, but who you really are. You're more than the kid I grew up with. You're a good man. Maybe you do some bad things now and then, I sure can't talk. I shot people when I was in the army. But you're a good man."


"You see, I learned something recently." Anne's Caste Mark flares to life, the brilliant golden sun shining cleanly and radiantly in contrast to the dull green-limed yellow of Bran's. "I'm more than my gun. That's what the Sun said to me. He told me there was a rot in Meruvia that has to be healed." The Zenith grips her best friend's hands in hers. "Well, I'm here to heal it. I don't know what you've heard or what you've learned but you know me, Bran. Like I know you. And you can trust me, like I trust you. I brought you here because I'm going to fix the world so that no one has to go through the shit we did, okay? We can do that, together we can do that. For Julio. For Christine. For everything they could have been, for their honor, for their memory, you and me are going to heal the land and set the people free."


Anne smiles at last. "You with me, handsome?"


OOC: Charisma 5 + Presence 5 + Giving Orders Specialty 2 + 1st Presence Excellency 10 + Stunt 3 = 25 dice. Irresistible Salesman Spirit doubles 15 successes to 30 successes before hitting MDV.


[dice]935[/dice]


[dice]936[/dice]

 

[FeMChara]

There was a moment where his guard clearly dropped. His expression was like a child's as tears fell down his face without shame. "Yes-you are way more. I've known that for a long time-and don't be ashamed. I was never ashamed of you, Anne." He hugged her. "Let's do it."


Congratulations, you've just gained an Infernal ally.


Jiji sighs. "It begins." He pulls out a mirror and shows Anne her reflection. "Behold the Priest-Queen; and her first subject. You likely have this man as your faithful subject for life." He stated. "Thus is the power and natural charisma of the Solar Host. You cannot help it-but understand your power over others."

 

[Mei]

All the while Morena raids the fridge to make a sandwich to go with her water, which may be upgraded to juice if there's any. Peace and quiet definitely pleases Morena after all the craziness.


"...I left Zoey at the block party. Whoops."

 

[Epiphany]

"...Queen? I'm no queen." Anne blinks at her reflection, then literally hops backwards, bumping against Bran who she's sitting with. "Isidor Reclaimed, has that been on my head the whole time?" She tries to rub her Caste Mark off with the heel of her palm.


Then she swaps looks with Bran. "I'm not interested in a 'faithful subject for life', buddy. You're my friend. You and me, we're on the same level, you know?"


Glancing back at Jiji, the green-haired Zenith looks a bit humbled and maybe a bit overwhelmed. "So, like, I'm supernaturally persuasive or some shit? Cool. I mean, I know the Sun asked me to free the people and it's great that He gave me the power to do that. But I'm really not ready for being the next Black Jade Emperor."


Last, Anne looks around the room at everyone still there, everyone who have stood by mutely silent to this point. "You guys good? With me, with Bran, with how things have gone down?"

 

[Flowing Ink Words]

Mizu shrugs. "What will be, will be." She notes softly. "I"m just wondering how many more 'interesting people' we already know and didn't know were interesting." Mizu shrugs again.

 

[Shining Lotus Sage]

Singhit blinks rapidly, as though clearing something out of his eyes.


"Comparing the amount of... well, I suppose it's magic. But regardless, you were quite ablaze, and he was not. I am convinced you have not ushered a spy into our confidence." He nods sharply, making the shimmering mark on his forehead glitter aggressively. "I am not persuaded that he could have lied to you, and so, he will not betray us, for now."

 

[FeMChara]

Jiji looks towards Bran, who has released Anne from the hug. The young Infernal spoke up. "No. Not now, not ever. Even when we were kids and I was at my wildest, I never would hurt Anne and her friends are mine. We'll see if that still is but we are still brother and sister, blood without blood. That's equals. I can turn some of what I have done to you-you've come in an interesting time, Anne." He noted. "I did work alone of my kind, but I kept up appearances well enough. I have ties to a local church. Of sorts. If you're loose about what church means. I can pull a few strings for you, Anne. I can get away with that much, I think." He muses.


Jiji harrumphed. "I will allow you to leave this room escorted at any time and enter at any time. I have tea to go get." He stalked out to make a rendezvous with a sleepy and troubled Twilight.


"Is it me or did he just make this my timeout corner? Probably just as well." He mused.

 

[Flowing Ink Words]

"He did." Mizu notes with a sigh. "I'll ask you stupid questions later." She says towards Bran. "... I'm going to try to get a little rest before morning comes... assuming nobody has more surprises for me tonight. I'm hoping by then Kip will be able to tell me where the hell he got himself off to." She shakes her head as she slips out of the room and heads out into the dojo area... she doesn't even go up stairs as she sits against a wall, and half-closes her eyes. "I think I'm going to need to invest in an ibuprofen company..." she muses softly to herself.

 

[Epiphany]

"Kip..."


Anne looks slightly pale and she shakes her head. "I can't believe I forgot about him. Well, we can talk about that in the morning. I don't think there's much to do at this hour of the evening."


"I think I'll crash here with you, Bran," the green-haired Zenith offers. "Maybe have one or two of those drinks I promised you." There's a twinkle in her eye as she winks.

 

[Esbilon]

"We're more than your prejudices, old man," Sophia says with annoyance, bordering on contempt. She is leaning against the wall of the room, having observed Anne and Bran reconnecting in silence. "We're people, not titles."


Turning to Anne, she says, "I'm not entirely happy about how this has all transpired, but the results seem to be pretty decent, so I don't see much of a reason to quibble now."


"As for Kip," she says addressing Mizu and the rest as well, "I still think I have a decent shot at tracking him through his phone if you'll give me the number."

 

[Flowing Ink Words]

"... This is going to sound stupid, but I'm going to end up asking him that one." Mizu finally states as she looks up from where she's sitting out in the Dojo, half asleep. "I didn't give him everyone else's number, nor do I intend to do vice versa without asking. Trust is a funny thing sometimes."

 

[FeMChara]

Bran grins crookedly at Anne. "I don't need to sleep much any more, but I get what you mean." He motions and ran a hand through his thicket of black hair, looking at each of them. He speaks openly to them all "Your friend-maybe I can help get him back to you-in one piece." He heard Sophia's comment to Jiji. "And well. Nothing to say on that. And Sophia-yeah, I didn't want Anne involved in any of this crap. I've seen enough into it that she damn well has a point saying it's a festering sore. Meruvia isn't the only country in Creation but honestly, it's not for a lack of trying. Things have stabilized for now. I can make a few phone calls in the morning that you can monitor if you like. I can call in a few favours and help figure out where on the Isle they are." He looked thoughtful and addressed them all again. "For now... I can use one of my phones and arrange for uh. Well. Call it my church. It's going to help Anne and one of you can come-but you probably are going to find it weird and kinda messed up. It is, but it's a useful kind of messed up and honestly, in this situation? Anything to help your group to survive's going to be pretty damn necessary."


He looked a bit grim. "Most people don't give a shit about St. Celia's church-but I have been working on something. The more you help me, the further I can spread the subversion. The Sharing. You know the youth club, right?" It had been recent; in the last three years they'd spread as a combination boy's and girl's club or Szoreny Scouts, cleaning up urban blight and randomly helping people fix up their homes. It was said when they moved in, most gangs started moving out-but they had no reach into the rural areas. The senior membership was a bit mum on who'd started the whole thing-it was a big mystery, sort of like an odd Santa Claus. "I started that through dissatisfied St. Celia folks. Doing good for ourselves, doing good for others.." He quoted their big motto.


"But I can help you in other ways, too. Just let me know how. Money. Contacts. Weapons. I can get you into Heaven, too. Not particularly useful right now, but maybe someday, yeah? Our forebears fought them once... maybe we could fight again. Up to you guys-but first, we can focus on local stuff. You've gotta be... real green at this thing. You know you can tell with just a little effort, you're more accurate than a Rolex? You could learn magic, necromancy, martial arts." He grins. "Maybe I could teach you Green Sun Hero Style. That would be hilarious."

BDB's Personal Log

It's been a while since my last personal log. We are still short-handed for what is intended for the future but my team isn't too embarrassing. The youngest is a fearsome warrior for all that she still wears her glasses. Does she even need them still? Perhaps she means them as a distraction. My subordinates have formed a worthy, if small circle. So many of my colleagues are utterly out of touch and I am using this town-as much as a shithole it is next to home-as my headquarters.


The Althing dickers on our requests still and ignores our plight. I tire of the endless bureaucratic red tape. I found a sweet little spy who sang me a good, useful song. I will be going to a certain little science experiment's house. Eclipses are always useful, after all and if I can deputize this one-har har-it'll be one more who can reach farther than the rest of my subordinates. They were doubtful, saying he's a mad one. They were seeking one of the last glass orbs so they can kill him. What a waste that would be, the masters could rebuild.


Or the ones I have found could. They are... almost unspeakable. The ones who abide in the dark. I slit the sweet little spy's throat over one of the places where the darkness was thin and saw with my own eyes the darkness deepen as their hungry ghost rose and dissipated. That isn't supposed to happen. I buried the body there, not even stripping it. I cannot say why I even did it but the voices that I have heard so much eased in that moment.


They whisper such delightful things. I do believe the plan goes ahead. It is a warning to them, what they owe to us all for our duty, what we have sacrificed.


There will be a tribute in waiting for them-and easier to gain forgiveness than permission.


Unless we don't bother to get it at all. -but are we ready? Am I ready to betray the masters and the Masters? First, I go to meet this mad Eclipse.


What a wonderful night for a drink.

 

[Mei]

Morena comes back to the room with a glass of orange juice and a plate with a half-eaten tuna sandwich on it. She kind of just stands in the doorway and half-listens. "What did I miss, people? The room is intact, so I'm guessing things went well."


She casually takes a bite of her sandwich.

 

[Shining Lotus Sage]

Morena comes back to the room with a glass of orange juice and a plate with a half-eaten tuna sandwich on it. She kind of just stands in the doorway and half-listens. "What did I miss, people? The room is intact, so I'm guessing things went well."
She casually takes a bite of her sandwich.

"Our prisoner," Singhit sighs. He hadn't liked the idea of drugging Bran, and seems to still be sulking about it. "...is more loyal to friends than to country, which means we shouldn't be expecting ninja assassins to rappel in until tomorrow, at the earliest. So I am going to sleep."


He waits until she moves enough to let him squeeze past without touching her, and curls up in the second-nicest chair he can find.

 

[Mei]

"Oh, cool." Morena moves out of the Twilight's way and takes a sip of her juice. "In Morena news, I made a sandwich. It is good. And before you ask: make your own gods damned sandwich."


She leans agains the door frame and watches the group still there. "...So, what does he do? Anything useful?"