Fantasy Silent Rapture - The Solomon Files

[SilverFlight]

Location: Baci di Firenze Trattoria
Timing: Early September
Interaction: Harian & Gabriel

Harian grinned. "I usually make pretty good choices."
She considered his words about practice. Music was something that Harian wanted in her life as long as she could have it.
As the evening went on Harian told stories of her exploits during her time on earth, some of the stories were funny, others daring and dangerous. Harian learned that she liked telling stories, especially when she could get a good reaction out of Gabriel.
It wasn't long before the time for their concert was drawing near. Harian practically pulled Gabriel out of his seat.
"Come on! I don't want to miss a second of it!"
She pulled him to the entrance of the restaurant and then stopped, turning sheepishly.
"Um, which way?"
Naberius

 

[Naberius]

Location: Baci di Firenze Trattoria
Timing: Early September
Interaction: Harian & Gabriel

Gabriel gave her his undivided attention. He wanted to know as much about her as he could, and the more he knew the more he loved her. She had led an incredibly complex and interesting life up to this point, but he couldn't help but feel like during some of the more dangerous tales... He almost didn't have her at his side. One wrong turn, one misstep and he would never have known a happiness this potent.
He loved listening to her stories, and decided to tell her a few of his own sometime. Tonight, however was her night. And with their food finished, the bill paid, and the evening growing later, it was almost time to leave.
Gabriel stumbled a step or two as Harian pulled him along, laughing the whole time with just how excited she was. When she stopped and turned, he beamed at her, giving her a warm and loving smile.
"C'mon, I'll lead. You're going to love this, I just know it."
He took her by the hand gently, and lead her off down the street. In the distance, a large building stood by itself in a huge lot surrounded by hundreds of vehicles. The sky began to darken and the outside lights where turned on, lighting it up like a football stadium. Gabriel lead her straight to the main entrance where they showed the doorman their tickets and were ushered inside and down onto the center floor directly in front of the stage in the third row. Perfect seating for a concert. He squeezed her hand gently as they sat waiting for the show to begin and leaned over, planting a warm kiss on her cheek.
"Hope you've enjoyed your evening. It's the first of many. Be prepared, I plan on spoiling you every occasion I get. And.... Don't tell Jophiel about the larceny, please. The last thing I need is the disapproving stare of a literal archangel every time I walk by him at home."

SilverFlight

 

[KhazTheGiraffe]

Location: Home--- Kitchen
Timing: Sometime after returning from Paris
Interaction: Hino, Hayle, and Ayramis

"She. Her name's Volt," He responded, "Yes they tend to be hard to identify, they are incredibly rare. Most people go their lives without seeing one. You see there's only a handful, and they don't tend to stay in one place too long... Well except Volt." Volt was a very strange exception to 'normal' Thunderbird behaviour. While most of the other members of her species choose to spend their time dipping in and out of the spirit world, Volt seemed to enjoy staying by Hino's side. Though, Hino felt like he didn't deserve her sometimes. "I can bring her out if you like? She always likes meeting new people." He suggested. Out of the two of them, she was the extravert and certainly struggled when the pair were all alone in the woods.

Hino narrowed his eyes at Hayle after she shared a part of her story, "I don't think you would be here with this group of people if you were 'plain'," He could sense that there was more to her story, but as someone who valued keeping his past private he could appreciate why she would withhold information. "Besides, there's been nothing plain about the way you handle yourself in fights." He reassured.

"So what is it exactly were having again? Chicken Catch-atari?"

GamerCarrot andujarprime

 

[SilverFlight]

Location: Concert hall CA
Timing: Early September
Interaction: Harian & Gabriel

Harian bumped against him playfully as he lead her. She was near giddy with excitement when they reached the entrance to the concert stadium. Her smile grew with each row they passed until finally they were seated at the very front of the stadium.
"Wow." She exclaimed as they sat down. They were so close to the stage.
He kissed her cheek and she reached up to pull his forehead to hers. "This is the best time I've ever had." She said softly, "and...you're a big part of that..."
When asked not to tell Jophiel about the theft Harian giggled. Actually giggled. She was that excited.
"Moi? I wouldn't dream of it."
As the stadium began to darken and the seats fill the buzzing noise of voices filled her ears. She looked around, floored by the sheer volume of people.
"I think this is the first time I've seen so many people in one place and they weren't trying to kill each other."
She was still holding his hand and when the lights shut off the entire crowd hushed, then the resounding roar of cheers flooded the entire space.
Harian squeezed his hand tighter, an expression akin to awe on her face as the spot light focused on a small bespectacled man, standing beside a grand piano.
She looked around the stadium, as if she could feel the energy coming off the crowd as a solid thing. Harian closed her eyes and let the feeling wash over her.

Naberius

 

[Naberius]

Location: Concert hall CA
Timing: Early September
Interaction: Harian & Gabriel

Gabriel very nearly blushed when she spoke, but a different kind of blush. There was no embarrassment in his demeanor. He was simply overjoyed to have made the djinn he loved so happy, to see the pure joy in her face with no hint of that deeper suffering she had so often worn like a funeral veil. To see that gone, to see how much happier and full of life she had become over the short time they had been together was one of the greatest feelings in the world, second only to his undying love for her.
"Harian, every day with you has been the happiest day in my life. I've never known such a beautiful, powerful feeling. There are some things in life that are beyond question. One of those is this simple fact: I love you. I love you and I will never grow tired of saying it as much as possible."
Her giggling had his eyebrows raising a bit. It was a pure and lovely sound, a testament to just how much she was enjoying herself.
The lights went out towards the rear and sides of the stadium, and a hush went over the crowd as the man himself prepared for the show, before a booming explosion of raw joy and excitement echoed off the walls of the building, like a tidal wave of sound. Gabriel could feel Harian gripping his hand in anticipation, could feel the excitement in her. He squeezed her hand in return, trying to convey his feelings through that simple touch.
"Humans come in every size, shape and shade imaginable. We're social creatures by nature, and events like these show that off more than anything."
He watched her close her eyes, starting to just enjoy the atmosphere and the energy that permeated the crowd, their excitement nearly matching her own. He smiled at her, and it was warm and tender. The smile of someone so maddeningly in love that he would do anything for her.
As the man, the myth, the legend himself sat down and made ready, the entire stadium suddenly fell silent in a hushed anticipation. The opening bars of 'Bennie And The Jets' echoed throughout the space, and the show began.
The show lasted for nearly four hours, the crowd shifting between excitement and admiration, joy and sadness as appropriate for the miriad of songs and accompaniments that filled the night. It was well past midnight when the final notes began to fade out and the stadium was once more filled with a thunderous applause, a standing ovation befitting a musician of such talent.

SilverFlight

 

[KhazTheGiraffe]

Location: Home Base
Timing: After the Paris battle
Interaction: Hino and Kiyomi

Hino sat on the floor with his legs fully extended. In front of him sat John who was crawling towards him gurgling happily. It was his turn to babysit and he decided to do it in the living room of the massive home Jophiel had made for the team. Only a few days had passed since the fight and Paris and Hino was still keeping a close eye on the child. He was concerned for his safety in the presence of some of the other team members and of course, the general manager, Gabriel. John, on the other hand, was completely unbothered by the threat towards his wellbeing as he chewed a ring of keys.

From an outsider point of view, babysitting might appear to be a very boring task, but Hino found it quite enjoyable. He had no obligation to speak, he could curiously observe a baby, and he could listen to his music in peace (Hino put an end to the baby 'educational' music pretty quickly and replaced it with his own). As Landslide by Fleetwood Mac played over the boom box he had dragged out of his room, he reached out and picked up John and began bouncing him up and down on his lap.

Spoiler: Landslide

The Velveteen Rabbit

 

[GamerCarrot]

Location: Home--- Kitchen
Timing: Sometime after returning from Paris
Interaction: Hino, Hayle, and Ayramis

Hayle's eyes widen at the mention of meeting Volt, Hino's pet "I'd love to meet her!" she said with a slight excitement in her voice. She's never seen a thunderbird before so seeing one up close and personal would be incredible to her "How did you and Volt meet? Surely there's a story there." She said as she moved her hands so that she could rest her head on them.

Hearing both Hino's and Ayramis's words of encouragement when it came to her she couldn't help but smile, looking down at her almost empty glass of wine she moved one of her hands and waved it over the wine causing it to slowly freeze. There was so much that she was hiding from the group that she desperately wished she could tell them but she was just so scared about what they would say "Thank you, I'm glad you guys find me interesting. And anyway I've seen how both of you handle yourselves in fights and its incredible to watch." She chuckled. Concentrating a little harder than what she normally would she thawed out the wine in her glass, it took a little more energy than she was used to but at least she could drink it again. "You know what I actually really missed the vodka in Russia nothing compares to the homemade stuff trust me. One day I'll get my hands on the stuff and I can show you just how good Russian vodka can be." She chuckled after taking another sip of wine.
andujarprime KhazTheGiraffe

 

[SilverFlight]

Location: Concert hall CA
Timing: Early September
Interaction: Harian & Gabriel

Harian was entranced by every note, but throughout the concert she seemed to be waiting for something. She listened to the crowd in it's chaotic murmur, some knowing the words to the songs, some not, the hum of the crowd never abated, but it was when the Legend turned after the silence between songs and began to play the first few notes of one of his most well-known melodies. The crowd erupted. He began to sing the first few words but then he stopped and a broad grin appeared on the djinn's face. This is what she had been waiting for. The crowd, cued to the right pitch and momentum began to sing with one voice. Thousands of souls united.
Harian tried to wipe tears from her face, she could normally control them, djinn didn't cry...but perhaps it was an indication that she was perhaps, becoming just a bit more human.
"It's...just like home."

When the crowd applauded Harian stood with them, just as delighted, just as celebratory. Even after Elton John left the stage, and the people were filing out into the isles, she stood there, watching the place he had been.
"It was everything I hoped it would be." She turned to Gabriel and lifted her hand to brush his cheek. "Thank you. This has...been the best night I've ever had."

They walked out into the warm night air and Harian drew her arms about her, simply savouring the moment. She wanted to remember this day forever.
"I guess, we should find a door."

Naberius

 

[Naberius]

Location: Concert hall CA
Timing: Early September
Interaction: Harian & Gabriel

As the evening progressed, Gabriel kept a close on on Harian to gauge her reaction. Her excitement, her sheer joy nearly made him cry happy tears. She was like a pure and innocent child swept up in the rush of a crowd. He decided to let himself go a bit too, and joined in the revelry and raucous nature of the assembled masses. He cheered, sang along, and applauded right along with everyone else, letting the joy take over and spending one blissful night where the two of them were just a couple of lovestruck normal people out on an incredible date.
He pulled her close, trailing a finger beneath her beautiful eyes and wiping away the tears. The look her gave her was the purest affection and love. His hands rested on her waist and he just stood there for a moment, smiling and enjoying their evening together.
"I'm glad I was able to give this to you. All I want is to make you happy, and seeing the pure joy in your eyes is one of the most incredible feelings I've ever experienced. I did it because I love you. And I plan on making you feel every bit as special as I know you are."

She drew her arms about herself and Gabriel added his too, pulling her close in a warm embrace. He backed away after several seconds, taking her by the hand and gently leading her away from their seats, the last pair to leave the stadium.
"There will be other days like this. I promise. But for now, it's unfortunately time to go home."
He lead the way down a side hallway away from the exits and towards a janitorial closet he spotted on the way in and opened the door home. Their amazing night had come to an end, but they made memories that would last forever.

SilverFlight

 

[SilverFlight]

Location: Concert hall CA
Timing: Early September
Interaction: Harian & Gabriel

Harian drew in a breath as Gabriel put his arms about her. She leaned back into him with such a smile on her face that she wouldn't even have recognized herself if given a mirror.
As they walked, there was one last small shop open, the owner starting to pull the blinds. That's when Harian saw it: The guitar. It looked absolutely perfect: a black and white Stratocaster. There hadn't been many songs that called for one, but she'd seen it on stage. Objects had never held meaning for her, but this, the means to make the beautiful sounds she'd been brought here for. She had to try it.
The guitar was slung carefully across her back as they continued, Harian beaming. She new she'd need a bit more equipment for it, but for now, the simple feeling of holding it was enough for her.

She let him lead, and when they reached the door, she opened the way home. The house was exactly as they had left it, though the lights were dimmed. No one was around.
Harian stepped through the doorway, keeping hold of Gabriel's hand. Something in her expression fell just a little.
"Hey, I think...it's about time I showed you something."
Harian didn't speak as she lead him up the stairs, down the corridor containing the doors to all their rooms. She lead him straight past his door and stopped at her own; the strange room, filled with black mist and nothing else. No one had been inside this room save for Harian herself.
"Jophiel helped me with the magic of this room it's...special. Probably just better if I show you."
She turned the handle and the door swing in. The mist coiled about her ankles like a cat welcoming its master home.
There was only a small space of floor inside where the mist did not go. It was lit by an oil lamp sitting on a small wooden table. On the table was a framed photo. The one from Paris that Falarion had taken. Harian set the guitar tenderly against the table and turned to him, half a roguish smile on her face.
"Don't be afraid." She told him, and stepped backwards into the mist...and vanished.

The sensation when he crossed the threshold was like nothing he would have ever experienced. It was like being turned to air, he could feel himself drifting apart, and if he didn't consciously hold himself together he might drift into nothing. He couldn't feel his physical body, nothing was physical here.
Just when the world threatened to stretch him too thin to exist, Harian's consciousness was there, coiling about him, keeping him together.
Your will bends the reality of this place...think of it like a dream. There were no words, only thoughts that he could tell were not his own, but her presence could be recognized, as well as the love trickling through the thin connection. Picture yourself, picture a place, and it will make itself real.
Naberius

 

[Naberius]

Location: Home
Timing: Early September
Interaction: Harian & Gabriel

Gabriel noticed her gaze as they walked through the hall towards their way home and smiled brightly when he saw what she had settled her attention on. It was a simple matter of bribing the owner to keep his doors open for just a few more minutes and paying an extra 25% of the price as a thank you. After all, he was sure that the CEO wouldn't mind...and if he did, Gabriel really didn't care. The love of his life wanted a guitar and a guitar she would have.

Gabriel was intensely curious as Harian lead him through the house. He wasn't sure what to expect but when they walked past his room, he was more confused. She stopped outside her own door, and his expression went from confused and curious to pure shock. She had never let anyone in her room before, not that he knew of. His excitement began to build, though he had no real idea why until he actually thought about it. All they knew of her personal space was the wall of darkness and mist that was visible when the door was opened. It was impossible to see into it from the outside, making it only that much more interesting and mysterious.
The strange air about the room as he stood outside was...electrifying. He had no idea what to expect, the experience being a first for him. The exhilaration, foreboding and excitement flowing through his mind made it hard to think for a moment. The foreign, alien feeling permeating his entire being was frightening. He felt as though he may lose his grasp on physicality itself in this strange place, and his heart began to beat furiously, his fight or flight response not knowing which way to react. Fear. True, unbridled fear, primal and cold, tore through his consciousness. Harian's presence was panacea for his erratic mind and he seized upon her words, used them to focus his own thoughts and calm himself, trying to bring back his logical and calculating thought processes. Still, the fear prickled in the back of his mind. Escape. Flee. Eventually, he was calm enough to form coherent thoughts and managed to push the fear down deep and mostly ignore it.
'Picture yourself, picture a place, and it will make itself real.'
Her words finally began to make some sort of sense and he tried. He focused hard on his own physical appearance, something he had never consciously done before. He did precisely as she instructed, and he found himself standing in a large, ornate study. In the center was a large wooden desk, dark in color and covered with an array of books and writing implements. Towering shelves of books lined the walls, and a large brick fireplace, alight with smoldering flame, sat on the opposite wall away from the books. Two overstuffed armchairs sat at either side of the desk, old with Victorian styling. Gabriel collapsed to his knees in front of the desk, a fearful shiver sending tremors through his body for a brief moment as he sat there, arms wrapped around himself as though making sure he was truly real.

SilverFlight

 

[SilverFlight]

Location: Home base
Timing: Early September
Interaction: Harian & Gabriel

Harian lay curled in one of the leather chairs, elbow on one arm of it, chin in palm. She looked around the room at the familiar decor.
"I'm sensing a theme."
She wore a smile, almost enjoying how shaken Gabriel was by the new sensations. Her form was still that of the dark-haired Parisian, or almost: her features were slightly more pointed, her form moved with an inhuman grace. Her clothes had changed too: She wore a dark black, loose fitting sleeveless top, trimmed in gold. Her midriff was bare and the matching pants ballooned out from her hips only to be bunched again at her angles. She wore gold earrings and two gold bracelets, one on each wrist. Her eyes were just the same, vibrant, peridot green and they watched him carefully for a moment before she rose and went to kneel beside him.
"Shhh, it's okay." She soothed in a gentle voice. Her hand slid to the back of his neck and she drew him close to press her forehead to his. Her mind was still there, surrounding him, holding him, as if these conjured forms were just a tiny part of them now, and they were both much too big for any physical space.
"You did well."
She have him a kind smile and took his hands to help him stand. She felt he needed a bit more time to acclimatize.
"This is something of an existence half-way between ours. It's not entirely separate from the physical plane, but its not the same either. Here, whatever you think, you can create."
To demonstrate Harian conjured up a small plate of square sweets, covered in powdered sugar and smelling faintly of rose water.
"Try them. They'll taste pretty real."
After another moment she added, "Now, try to create something yourself."
Naberius

 

[Naberius]

Location: Home
Timing: Early September
Interaction: Harian & Gabriel

For a shocked moment, Gabriel didn't move. He just stayed there on the ground, eyes shut as tight as he could make them. Never had he known such an intense and primal fear. Since the beginning, man knew to fear the darkness. The endless, unknowable void of nothing that could contain anything and everything, or indeed nothing at all. He tried to calm himself, use her words to help anchor his mind, but it had limited success. That primal, ancient, instinctive part of his brain the said to run was a powerful force. In that moment, he was more akin to a helpless and fearful child than a hunter of monsters.
It was her touch that finally dispelled the looming claws of cold fear piercing his mind like shafts of ice. He regained a semblance of his usual composure as she pulled him close. He locked eyes with her for a moment, that calm and steady gaze. He knew she would never put him in danger, not purposefully. If she brought him here, there was nothing to fear. As they stood, he took a shaky, rattling breath and held it in before exhaling, letting a good portion of the tension in his posture go with it. He finally took in Harian's new appearance and smiled. It was smug, appreciative, and contained just a hint of that flame she had ignited within him earlier that day.
"You know, you pull off the Sexy Genie look really well."
As she explained the nature of the room, and the capabilities therein, he listened intently. At first he appeared lost in thought, amused and intrigued at the space. Then, he smiled that wolfish grin he had worn earlier in the day. He took a seat in the opposite chair, one leg over the other.
"But I have everything I could ever want right here with me."
Despite his tone, he was hesitant to try something so alien to him. This was not a place he was comfortable being in, and he did his best to hide his discomfort. Part of him realized just how wonderful a space like this could be, able to experience an endless number of things just by thinking of them. But he couldn't help but feel like he didn't belong, like any moment he would lose his grasp on his own self and cease to be. The familiar surroundings helped keep him calm and level headed, having spent years of his life in this very study. It was the first place he had ever felt safe. His mind swam with warm memories and his smile changed to one of fond remembrance. Looking back on parts of his past he didn't fear, parts where he didn't have to feel like an outcast, hated for simply existing. At last, he began to fully accept the place, easing himself down into familiar memories as a means of controlling and ultimately disregarding the baseless fear in the back of his mind entirely.
After a long minute of thought, Gabriel decided to try and follow her suggestion and focused his mind on a single image. Something he had always wanted but had never had a chance to have. Something that a part of him long forgotten had once longed for. He opened his hand and with a concentrated effort, materialized a simple GI Joe action figure. He stared down at it silently, his eyes swimming with the ghosts of his past, the good and the bad memories intertwined and coiled around each other marring his expression.
"After mom died...We weren't allowed to have toys. Dad always said they distracted us from the reality of how awful life was and we should ground ourselves in that fact...."

SilverFlight

 

[SilverFlight]

Location: Home base
Timing: Early September
Interaction: Harian & Gabriel

Harian narrowed her eyes at his attempted compliment. "You tell anyone and I'll set all your books on fire."
She watched him intently as he began to process being in such a different place. When the figurine appeared she examined it closely.
"Your dad sounded like a terrible parent...and that's coming from a race that doesn't have them."

She paused for a moment, wondering whether or not she should continue, wondering if simply taking him here was enough for the time being.
"Gabriel, I brought you here for a reason." Suddenly it was harder to speak. "There is a lot in my past...things that...well, you might think differently of me when you know. This place was created to mimic my home, so in a way, it can mimic everything about my home. Djinn communicate through thought, memory, idea. We don't have a language because we've never needed one...if you let me...I can build a connection like the one between djinn, only between you and me."
She held up her hand, palm facing him. "You'll be able to see my memories, the feelings that go with them. I want you to know exactly what I am Gabriel...I need you to know."
Naberius

 

[Naberius]

Location: Home
Timing: Early September
Interaction: Harian & Gabriel

Her words startled him at first, lost in his memories as he was.
"He didn't used to be that way..." It was a weak argument and he knew it. He himself could never forgive the man that was supposed to have protected and raised him, made sure he was ready for the world and instead beat and battered them to the point of breaking their spirits as well as their bodies.

When Harian mentioned the link that she was prepared to share with him, it was a shocking revelation. The action figure dropped from his hand, dissipating into tendrils of black smoke before hitting the ground and vanishing entirely. He rose to his feet and walked over to her, a gentle hand coming up to rest upon her cheek.
"You would open up your very being..for me?"
The expression he wore was a swirling mass of love, devotion, joy, excitement, and a slight hint of apprehension and fear. He had no idea what the details of such a union would entail, but he understood that she was offering him unbridled access to everything that she was. Her thoughts, memories, and experiences laid bare before him, playing out like a scene from a movie.
"You don't have to do this, you know. Your past is the past. Whatever you did, whoever you were...that's not you anymore. But if this is what you want, I won't refuse you. I suppose it will work both ways right? You'll see me just as I see you?"

SilverFlight

 

[andujarprime]

Location: Home--- Kitchen
Timing: Sometime after returning from Paris
Interaction: Hino, Hayle, and Ayramis

Ayramis nodded to Hino. "Cacciatore. catch-a-tory." He enunciated. "Hunter's chicken basically. It's just about done honestly, I'm just letting the sauce thicken a bit." He explained as he stepped away from the island and found three plates and sets of silverware. "I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I enjoy making it." He said as he lifted the lid. The aroma of the food instantly permeated the room and he breathed it in. With a satisfied sigh, he emptied the water from the pasta then plated it. Spooning the bits of chicken and veggies on top along with the tomatoes and sauce. He eyed the Jackal curiously, a mischievous smirk on his face. He pulled out a smaller bowl. "Hino, does Volt eat normal food? Err, nevermind." He said thinking better of it and slapping a palm to his face. "That's akin to cannibalism isn't it?" He asked with a nervous laugh as he brought the plates over to the island. The Jackal yipped and whined, pulling at Ayramis' pants leg. "Thanks Hayle, sadly theres been lots of cause for fighting and defending myself in my lifetime." He said with a bit of a sad tone. But that was quickly changed as the Jackal once more whined at him. "Oh, I'm sorry you want something from me?" Ayramis asked sarcastically looking down. "You're gonna have to use your words. You're also gonna have to give me a name. I been feeding you for years, and you have yet to grace me with it. I think it's fair to say I've earned it don't you think?" He asked in a joking manner. The Jackal let a small whine out. “Very well...” a deep solemn voice filled the room, the Jackal’s eyes glowing a pale green. Ayramis raises his eye brows in wonder, looking to both Hino and Hayle. “You guys hear him too now right?” He asked. “It’s never bothered you before.” The deep voice continued. “But I see it’s important to you. Amentotankhatra is my proper name.” It finished with it’s eyes resting on Ayramis. “Now if you please, you know I enjoy your cacciatore, so stop teasing.” It requested once more. Ayramis just smiled and nodded, filling the bowl mostly with chicken and veggies. “Some of the pasta too. I want the full effect.” Ayramis chuckles and nodded as he complied. Then placed the bowl down next to the Jackal. “That name is super complicated, and long. I’m just gonna call you-“ he began before the Jackal growled and interrupted “don’t do that human thing. Don’t shorten it for convenience.” The Jackal said with annoyance in it’s voice. But Ayramis ignores him and continues. “Tank! I dub thee, Tank the almighty Jackal!” He exclaimed using the sauce spoon to pretend to knight the Jackal. He laughed at his own joke and sat with the others.

GamerCarrot KhazTheGiraffe

 

[SilverFlight]

Location: Home base
Timing: Early September
Interaction: Harian & Gabriel

Harian looked sad for a moment.
"I know you want to believe that, but, I can't deny that there are still parts of me that are steeped pretty deeply in that past."
She took hold of his hand pressed to her cheek and squeezed it fondly. "The connection is less invasive than that, we'll experience only what the other does, you can lock away part of your mind that you would rather not share. I won't pry into them, you have my word...There are also some things I can't share, not if I want to keep my contract...and my life, but as far as my past goes, who I am...you'll know that."
Harian closed her eyes, and suddenly she was far more than the simple human figure standing with her fingers wrapped tightly about his hand. There was a sense of fire more than the appearance of it. A warmth that spread through the space, that could become a raging inferno if it so chose, but now, it was gentle and mild, like a candle flame.
Suddenly, the Harian standing before him was gone, and a door stood on the far end of the room.


The door opened onto a battlefield, where a dark, shape with the head of a lion cut through swathes of men. The screams were in ancient Egyptian, but their meaning was felt in that strange place of magic. They were screaming about the demon of Ramses, Sekmet's minion, that drew rivers of blood for the goddess to drink. Harian loved that title. Dark joy radiated through the space as she roared and warriors fled in terror. She wanted to be feared, hated. There was a liberation in that, even if it was only ephemeral.
The scene changed to a king on a throne, a green-eyed general with dark skin and a stone face. As the general was ordered, so he obeyed, and killed those who refused to bow.
There were many scenes, many memories. Casualties, many innocent. Harian closed herself off from their screams, swaddling herself in hatred and anger, using it to survive each and every enslavement.
Throughout all of those memories one thing became clear. Harian wanted to be seen as a monster...it was so much easier to kill something that could be made an enemy...
At the end of it all the mist finally swirled up again and covered everything in darkness. Harian's form appeared again, as it looked before, dark clothes, and a guilty expression. She looked at Gabriel then, as if awaiting judgement, prepared for the worst.
"I still hate...there's still so much of it left in me...I don't know if I can let it go, but...for you, I'd try..."

Naberius

 

[Naberius]

Location: Home base
Timing: Early September
Interaction: Harian & Gabriel

Gabriel watched the events unfold before him in utter silence, his face a blank mask betraying no emotion. As the images faded and his beloved returned, he simply stood staring at the empty space where there had once been a recap of her past deeds. Seconds ticked by. Minutes. Finally he turned back to her, his face still blank, and looked directly into her eyes. He saw the guilt there, the remorse. She was not the monster she lied to herself about being. He stepped close, his body language and face not betraying his true intentions or feelings. In a single fluid motion, his arms came up...And wrapped around her gently, pulling her close like he had done so often lately.
"You idiot..." He adopted the loving, teasing tone that she used for him so much.
"I don't say this as an insult, though to someone like you it may seem like it. You're more human than you ever realized. Though it's not surprising, given how long you've lived and dealt with us. I didn't see a monster there. I saw a trapped and scared person doing everything they could to survive, both physically and mentally. You did what you had to do in order to survive, but also to keep yourself sane. It's what any normal human would have done in your place. Cling to life with every fiber of your being, doing whatever it takes to do so. You're no more a monster than that highschool student you almost fried at Disneyland. You convinced yourself of a lie in order to save yourself. That is almost entirely what it means to be human."
He released her, giving her a warm, comforting smile and kissing her gently on the forehead before stepping back. His smile dropped for just a second, betraying the deep sadness inside. Not for her. For himself. For the things he had done.
"You're not the only one with innocent blood on their hands.." It was an ominous confession, tinted with regret and pain.
"You've shown me yours...So I'll show you mine.."
He waved a hand at the emptiness, and like a curtain rising on a play, a scene faded into view.

An ancient, crumbling temple stood in the middle of an overgrown valley, empty save for one lone person. Gabriel entered the temple and came upon a simple stone altar in the center of a circle of demolished seats carved from stone and placed in a circle surrounding it. Upon the altar rested an ornate statue of a woman. Regal, strong, proud. Adrestia. The scene shifted. Gabriel stood, fresh faced and eager, outside a rundown school in the middle of the night. He had been hunting a den of vampires. His first big mission. He was excited at the prospect of being able to make a positive impact on the world. Another shift, inside the building. Corpses lay strewn about the cafeteria, men and women. Some human, some not. Gabriel looked shocked. Scared. Guilty. The vampires had disguised several kidnapped townsfolk as their own, and he had killed them with his own hands.
Again the scene shifted. Years later. This Gabriel was far from the fresh faced youth. And far from the Gabriel she knew. He was robotic. Emotionless. The job had gotten to him so much that he had shut himself off from his emotions, turned himself into the weapon he believed he was.
"The monster that hunts monsters."
He held a sword in one hand, an old english bastard sword. In front of him stood...something. Humanity didn't have a word for what it was, no name for such a creature. He called it a Mimic, though it was far from the Dungeons and Dragons variety. This thing was from another place, another time. A different world altogether. It was a perfect ambush predator, able to mimic anything and everything right down to the smallest detail. Even their voices and mannerisms. He had fought the thing for days now, finally cornering it in its lair. Before him it stood, in a group of a dozen or more innocent people. Gabriel dropped the sword on the ground and the thing howled in triumphant laughter. Gabriel turned and walked back out the front door, closing it behind him.
'For the greater good."
He pulled a small metallic object from his jacket pocket. A white phosphorous grenade. He pulled the pin and threw it into an open window, directly towards the assembled group. The sounds of horrified, pained screams split the chill night air. An inhuman roar joined them as the thing burned right along side them. And still, Gabriel's face remained blank. A single phrase repeated in his mind: "For the greater good."
A final shift. Gabriel stood in a dark, abandoned subway tunnel sweeping a maglight back and forth as he walked further in, looking for something. His expression was tired. Defeated. Sad. Broken. He was hunting a doomsday cult hellbent on resurrecting a lich of immense power. He had made up his mind that this was to be his last mission. He had purchased a bottle of illegal sleeping pills from a street vendor two days before, and a bottle of everclear. That night, he would swallow the whole thing and drain the alcohol. He was tired. So tired.

Throughout the entire process, Gabriel laid bare his mind for her. He held nothing back. But still, there was something...off. As though there were parts of his mind that were sealed away without his doing. Thousands of separate shards of his mind cut off from the rest, isolated and unable to be viewed by himself or anyone else. And he seemed entirely unaware of it.

"You see...I can't judge you for what you did. Because I did exactly the same thing..."

SilverFlight

 

[GamerCarrot]

Location: Home--- Kitchen
Timing: Sometime after returning from Paris
Interaction: Hino, Hayle, and Ayramis

Hayle's eyes widen at the mention of meeting Volt, Hino's pet "I'd love to meet her!" she said with a slight excitement in her voice. She's never seen a thunderbird before so seeing one up close and personal would be incredible to her "How did you and Volt meet? Surely there's a story there." She said as she moved her hands so that she could rest her head on them.

She perked her head up as Ayramis spoke with a sad tone "I'm sorry to hear that I can't imagine what its like to go through that." she said with a sad tone as well, she was always there to listen to peoples problems whether it be about something current or something that happened in their past. Thankfully the conversation moved somewhere pleasant as the smell of wonderfully cooked food filled the room, Hayle sat up and watched as Ayramis plated up their food. She even noticed Ayramis's poor jackal practically begging for attention and food which made her chuckle. It was so cute to watch the two of them interact and see how close they were to each other, even Ayramis's teasing was hilarious. Although the thing that really shocked her was his jackal actually talking back to Ayramis "Uh.. yeah I can hear him." she was about to say it was strange to hear something like that but she wouldn't felt really stupid saying it considering her position. She sat in silence as the two went back and forth and hearing the jackal's anger when it came to its name being shortened she couldn't help but smile "Tank isn't such a bad name though, I mean its better than what some people call their animals." she knew her input didn't mean much but there was truth in what she had said.
KhazTheGiraffe andujarprime

 

[SilverFlight]

Location: Home base
Timing: Early September
Interaction: Harian & Gabriel

"More...human?" She looked up at him confused. As if it hadn't even occurred to her that that could be a commonality between their races.
Harian closed her eyes as he kissed her forehead, nearly holding onto him as he stepped away from her. She wanted him close, still, she watched carefully as he revealed his first memory...
She watched them all, feeling what he felt. Her heart went out to him. She understood, right down to the very core of her essence.
She was aware of the strange, locked at the back of his mind, she brushed it curiously but would not press it.
When the final memory faded Harian was right beside him, folding him into her arms.
With the link between them open, more drifted across the bond. Gabriel now knew that comparatively, Harian was young for a djinn, and her perspective was one of inexperience when she thought of herself measured against others. The most prominent thing that flowed however, was love. The love of a being older than any living civilization, a being who had seen kingdoms fall, and countless lives and deaths, and she chose to love him.
She let the emotion take over as she pulled him close. This was the feeling she never quite knew how to speak, but here, in her spell-made world, she didn't have to.
She was smiling into the collar of his jacket. A hand came up and fingers ran from his neck to tangle in the base of his hair. She regretted the things they had both done, but she wasn't going to punish herself anymore, nor would she let Gabriel punish himself.
"We make quite a pair huh?" The smile was in her thoughts and in her words.
Naberius

 

[Naberius]

Location: Home base
Timing: Early September
Interaction: Harian & Gabriel

The strangest thing about the situation, Gabriel decided, was the ease with which they accepted each others pasts. Logic would seem to indicate that they should at least be somewhat uncomfortable, even if just a small bit. But they were not, and no one ever accused love of being a logical emotion. They had both known great hardship and darkness over the course of their separate existences, she more than himself by default given her age. They both knew what true suffering was like, bond to serve another and forced to do things that sometimes went against their very natures. He felt more than saw her joy, her affection and loving touch. He was still adjusting to this new semi-reality he found himself occupying with her. He found himself wrapped in her arms, letting the pureness of her emotion wash over his entire being, letting his own feelings dance across their unique connection and wrap themselves around her like a blanket. Love. Hope. Determination. The soft touch on his neck sent a shiver down his spine. He locked his own arms around the small of her back, leaning his cheek against the top of her head.
"Discount Constantine and an angry shapeshifter from another world? Not exactly going to end up on the cover of a magazine anytime soon, I would imagine. Though that might be for the best, the last thing I need is the love of my life setting the paparazzi on fire."

SilverFlight

 

[SilverFlight]

Location: wherever Hino is
Timing: after the kidnapping
Interactions: Ayramis, Harian & Hino (Hayle??)

"Hey, Ayramis? Yeah, I found him." Harian gave him the gps point and hung up. It had been hard, she had to admit it, but Harian prided herself on being able to find anyone and anything on this dumb rock, and that included gods.
She jumped down and approached Hino slowly.
"Hey,"
The djinn didn't look at him directly, just drew her gaze in the direction he had. She wasn't entirely sure how he would react, her habit of turning up when least expected was irritating and she knew it, she even enjoyed it, but now called for a little less of her personal charm.
"Have fun pouting Diaper Baby?" Swing and a miss. Oh well. She tried to sober up.
"I get the feeling this is about more than losing the kid..."
KhazTheGiraffe andujarprime GamerCarrot

 

[KhazTheGiraffe]

Location: Cassiar Mountains
Timing: after the kidnapping
Interactions: Ayramis, Harian & Hino (Hayle??)

Immediately after the door slammed shut behind him, Hino wasted no time in leaving the area immediately. In a sudden flash of lightning, he was soon traveling through the clouds towards a new home. He certainly could not go back to his home in the Redwoods as Harian had already been there before. Instead, he would have to relocate yet again and go back for his things later. But for now, Hino was now walking alongside a secluded riverbank that wound around the Cassier mountains when Harian dropped from the sky. Until this very moment, it was a relatively remote place with no human, or diety for that matter, intervention due to how difficult it was to find this place. But clearly Harian didn't care that it was difficult to find, nor did she care about the several hints Hino left behind indicating he wished to be left alone.

"I told you not to follow me." Hino didn't even look up as he pushed past her, to be honest, he wasn't all that surprised to be seeing her in the first place. He sounded exhausted. The physical and emotional toll of the battle was really starting to have an effect on him. But mostly, he found that he was simply tired from being.

"Have fun pouting Diaper Baby?"

"Wow. You are remarkably bad at this." He scoffed and didn't bother answering her questions. He didn't owe anyone an explanation, and he certainly wasn't in the mood to be lectured again. "I would appreciate it greatly if you would just leave us alone. I don't want to be part of your ridiculous quest anymore."

SilverFlight andujarprime GamerCarrot

 

[KhazTheGiraffe]

Location: Home--- Kitchen
Timing: Sometime after returning from Paris
Interaction: Hino, Hayle, and Ayramis

"Very well," Hino let out a loud three-toned whistle. He turned his attention to the glass windows expecting her to blast through the window at any moment, but instead, the trio (and Tank) was met with silence and peace. "Ahh she must be in the spirit world. She'll only be a moment more, it takes a little longer to travel from there." By coincidence alone, blinding electric shocks started materializing a few feet from the kitchen in that very moment. Quite familiar with the process of her spirit-world shenanigans, Hino turned the opposite direction knowing full well the portal was far too bright to look at directly. When the lights stopped flashing out of the corner of his eye he turned around and there sat Volt who was squawking happily. With one thrust of her wings, she hopped up onto the counter and began surveying the small group.

"Well actually, she was a gift from my mother when I took on the responsibility of The Thunders. She was just a hatchling at the time, but we have been together ever since." He answered Hayle. He sometimes wished she wasn't so incredibly loyal and would go off to be her independent self because he felt he was weighing her down, but alas she never left and was fiercely protective of him. He then turned to Ayramis, "No, she doesn't have much of a taste for other birds. But she's more of a hunter anyway, she likes to find and cook her own food."

Volt approached Hayle first, beginning her inspection procedures, while ungracefully knocking over several glasses in the process. She was among the most majestic species in the world, and yet she was about as graceful as a newborn giraffe. "Just a heads up it's best not to resist her.. uhh.. process." Volt pressed her beak directly against Hayle's face and stared intensely into her eyes. After a few sceonds, she hopped onto Hayle's head and began pecking very gently at her hairline. Moving down to her shoulder, Volt let out a few puffs of air into Hayle's ear before once again returning to the counter and staring at her. Volt let out a piercing caw and then locked eyes onto Ayramis who was trying to finish making the food. With several short bursts of her wings, Volt sped towards the Egyptian at an alarming speed before pulling up at the last second and landing on his shoulder. She once again began a similar process, however, this one involved nibbling on Ayramis's ear and nose. When she was finished, she invaded his personal space as well and let out the same caw as she had for Hayle. Volt, now more than comfortable found her own stool and began chirping happily while staring curiously at the being now known as Tank. "Congratulations, you both passed the test."

At the sound of a mysterious booming voice, Hino turned his attention to Ayramis' Jackal. "Uhh yeah I heard it too. Can't say Volt's ever done that. But Tank is an excellent name, you should be proud of it."

andujarprime GamerCarrot

 

[andujarprime]

Location: Cassiar Mountains
Timing: after the kidnapping
Interactions: Ayramis, Harian & Hino (Hayle??)

Ayramis looked at the coordinates popping up on his phone. He let out a deep sigh. He knew what needed to be done, but he did not relish it. Heart to heart talks weren’t exactly his forte. But he had grown somewhat close to Hino since their adventure started. He understood like everyone else did, this was an all hands on deck situation. Hino was needed if they were to survive this. For the world to survive what’s coming. Tank pulled at his pants leg. He sent a quick text to Hayle. “Portal up in my doorway. Going to get Hino” He put the phone in his pocket and focused on the coordinates he received. He focused on the underworld, the Duat and linked the two spaces through his home. As he walked through, he stepped into the bleak darkness. A short distance away another doorway had appeared. The light coming from it blindingly bright in the darkness of the underworld. He looses a single Jackal guardian, to act as a protector to Hahle should she choose to step into the duat. And guide her to the portal.

Reaching the other doorway, bright blue sky and the tops of a mountain ridge filled his view. The sound of running water met his ears as he stepped out of the dark silence. The cacophony of souls that had been building in his head faded once more. Tank let out a tip as he ran out of the underworld. Ayramis smiled at the sound and took a look around. He spotted Hino and Harlan a short distance away. Both with backs turned to him, but he was certain they felt his arrival. He stepped through in time to hear the last of his words. Walking closer he looked around at the peaceful and serene area. “Our, ridiculous quest my friend. It’s our quest now. Especially if you wish to protect...” he waved his arm around at their setting. “All of this, this beautiful world.” Tank barked happily as he jumped into the river, swimming and splashing across to the other side.

GamerCarrot KhazTheGiraffe SilverFlight