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Post by Ziya on Feb 13, 2019 17:50:17 GMT -5
"Sláinte!" The three all raised their glasses and voices in unison to mirror Conrí, though the sisters both downed their mead in a single gulp. Jason just grinned as he sipped at his, knowing better than to even attempt to match them.
Lucia listened to her friend and Apprentice with a grin as she refilled both hers and Jen's glasses. "You forgot to show him the actual base? What, did you get distracted by his face and ass?"
Jason blushed, trying to hide it behind another sip, only to have his retort stopped before it began by Jen, who had just burst out giggling at Conrí's words.
Okay, I can't fault you for not knowing how to get out of it, but how in the nine realms did you not figure out how to move? Are you sure you weren't just making an excuse to end up on top of him?"
Jason finally had had enough, downing the rest of his mead in a flick before placing the glass on the table and pointing to Lucia. "Okay, you've got a point about being distracted, but I also haven't been down there in over a year. As for you," his finger moved to Jen, "you try skating through the air while consciously choosing when your feet interact with the air as if it were solid. I'm lucky I didn't get a second concussion."
The sisters looked at each other, shrugged, and then all three laughed it off. Once the laughter faded Lucia spoke up again. "If you're holding the wedding at the castle they've got a ballroom that they've converted into a club/concert hall of sorts that we can use. The Restoration Committee owes me a few favors anyhow."
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Post by Conrí on Feb 13, 2019 18:11:16 GMT -5
Conrí blushed when Lucia made her comment about his physique, but, he ended up laughing with the others. "It's true. He, um...flew good. Right into a wall." He chose to leave out exactly the concussion had been healed, and instead stared into his mead. He wondered when his sister and Rand would make another appearance, but, he kept it to himself. Just what is it about the bathhouse, anyway? Why does it make people...lose their wits that easily?
The wolf boy shook his head and chuckled, downing his glass, too. He nodded when Lucia mentioned the ballroom. "Thank you, Lucia, and, um...are you...I mean, would you please make our cake?" He looked at Jason nervously. "Are you okay with all of this? I'm not turning into Bridezilla or anything, right?" He reached his hand out to Jason.
The would be king sucked in a breath. "Right. Jen was awesome and recreated Tir Tairngirian kilts. From the sample from my mam's sash, so...it's like a part of her gets to be there, too." His eyes lit up at this and pulled out the kilt from Fen's realm to show Lucia. "I have explained that we might need to have a second ceremony to Jason as well, and, he must really love me, because he said he's marry me as many times as I wanted to." At this, he winked and stuck his tongue out.
Conrí leaned over to Jason and whispered, "Does that mean we get to have as many wedding nights as we want, too, mo chuisle mo chroí?" He smirked and poured everyone a second glass of mead.
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Post by Ziya on Feb 13, 2019 21:46:41 GMT -5
Lucia winced in sympathy as Conrí told them about how Jason got his concussion. She'd had a few of them in the past, and usually they took her out of commission for at least a week. She chose to ignore the memories and focus on happier things, smiling brightly at her friend. "I'd love to make the cake, Conrí. and I'm so happy for both of you."
Jason just chuckled at Conrí's concerns, choosing to answer them only after the whisper, and out loud at that. "You're doing just fine, lilulf. There's a difference between planning and micromanaging, and you're definitely not doing the second. Oh, and in my opinion every night should be our wedding night." He finished with a wink while Jen pretended to pout comically.
"Hmph, and you got on to Riley and me for going at it most nights. You're just as bad!" Jason raised a single eyebrow at her, to which she blushed and amended her statement. "Almost as bad." Despite her red cheeks, she still stuck her tongue out at him, making both he and Lucia laugh.
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Post by Conrí on Feb 13, 2019 22:36:58 GMT -5
Conrí found himself hugging Lucia. He wiped at his eyes, and he felt nothing but gratitude for his friend and Master. "Thank you, my dear friend and Master." He released his hug and walked back in time to sit next to his love as he made his reassurance and comeback. He nodded and breathed a sigh of relief.
The wolf boy nearly matched the color of Jason's eyes when he heard the quip. He chuckled, thinking quickly of his retort. He laughed harder when Jen made her input. He winked at Jay in return and found himself saying, "Jay, honey, maybe you should test your hypothesis out in the bedroom for a while before you set that in stone. Not that I would mind it. We do have all of eternity, after all."
The would be king kissed his love's hand, suddenly feeling tired. "Well, is all of the planning wrapped up, or, is there more to add? Please, input, because I've no idea what I'm doing." Suddenly, he felt nervous, and, he grimaced as he thought about the fact that his sister was still in the bath.
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Post by Ziya on Feb 15, 2019 22:57:01 GMT -5
Jen's blush faded as her thoughts turned back to the planning. "Well, there's still things like decorations and music, but the biggest thing now is the guests. Do you want anyone to come that isn't in this base already?" She doubted it, at least for the wedding here, but she still had to ask.
Lucia nodded as Jen explained that, only to smile as she rose form the table and stretched. "Well, what I really want is a bath, but seeing as that's not happening anytime soon I'm gonna head down to the showers on the bottom level. Anyone who wants to join is free too. And yes," she looked at Conrí with a smirk, "they have separated showers for privacy." Having said that, she headed toward the smithy.
Jason chuckled at her quip before turning to look at his love and Jen, the latter of which shook her head and smiled. "I'll head down, but I'm gonna work with the bags a bit first." Nodding, he turned his attention fully to the wolf king. "Would you like the proper tour then, dear?"
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Post by Conrí on Feb 15, 2019 23:22:33 GMT -5
Conrí looked at Jen and shook his head. "Unless the gods decide to come to this themselves, I think it's set for guests. As for music and decorations, it looks like we have a little bit more to talk about, Jay." He offered an easy smile and a wink. "Thank you, sis for helping us."
The wolf boy nodded when Lucia mentioned the bath, nearly growling when he remembered what was likely going on in there. He thought a shower sounded nice, so he rose with Lucia. He heard her quip, and smirked back. "Well, I think Jay and I could use some privacy, so, thanks for offering to seclude yourself, Lucia." He winked and stuck out his tongue.
The would be king looked at Jason and nodded. "Let's go. The more space I give them," he gestured down the hall, "the better." He took his love's hand easily in his and waited for someone to lead the way.
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Post by Ziya on Feb 15, 2019 23:52:04 GMT -5
Lucia looked back over her shoulder, still smirking, and quipped right back at her apprentice. "They're stalls, not individual rooms, and only the showers themselves have privacy. So, go ahead, if you're into that sort of thing." A wink ended the retort, followed by a wave as she entered the smithy, followed by Jen and Jason.
Once there she immediately moved to the only bare section of wall, then took a few more steps to the side and pulled a hook. It proved to be a hidden lever, allowing the wall to swing up and reveal a metal staircase leading down. It ended after going down only once, leading into a large gymnasium type room with concrete floors and various equipment strewn about.
Jen immediately moved to a chain hanging from the ceiling with several punching bags near it, putting one up before smiling at the others. "I'll hit the showers once I'm done here. Got to keep up with my skills, after all!" She turned and started laying into the bag, pushing it back several feet with each hit even without activating her Aura Celica.
Jason gave her a concerned look as the bag flew about, but said nothing as he followed Lucia into the next room. The room was filled with a large screen on two walls and a large holographic display in the center that appeared to be a full, three-dimensional map of the Realm of Light, complete with all the hidden worlds they had found in the old mansion at Twilight Town.
Seeing the map gave Jason an idea. "Hey, are any of those Tir Tairngire? You can zoom in by pulling your hands apart like this." He pinched his fingers together with his hands touching near a world that seemed to be one large city and pulled them apart, closing in on the world next to it until it filled the area. "That's Celderat, or at least, what's left of it." The world seemed to be a ruined wasteland, nothing growing but dust and rubble. "Once a month these get updated by gummi drones from Disney Castle, apparently. We just tap into their signal and copy the data. With permission, of course." He reversed the motion, returning the map to its original state.
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Post by Conrí on Feb 16, 2019 0:00:59 GMT -5
Conrí coughed and put up his free hand, admitting defeat. He shot Jen a doubly concerned look and shook his head, knowing full well he got the same way she did when he was nervous or tense. When he saw the room with the screens and the maps, he marveled at it for a moment.
The wolf boy stopped when Jason asked if Tir Tairngire had anything like that map. The would be king scratched his head. "My sister would be the one to ask, but, I can tell her this is here. If it's updated frequently, we can keep an eye out for anomalies. For right now, let me have a shower and see if I can remember anything."
In truth, he wasn't sure there was a map like that, but, he wanted to believe it could be a thing. He shrugged, and continued to follow the others around to the showers. He also tried to think of a comeback for Lucia.
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Post by Ziya on Feb 16, 2019 0:49:47 GMT -5
Jason nodded in understanding. Even as he was about to clarify about potential landmarks or familiar constellations the map suddenly closed in on itself, displaying a message stating that it was currently updating. Shrugging, he turned back to Lucia and nodded again.
She had been watching them with interest from the next doorway, but at his nod she turned and moved into the next room, which was simply a long, straight hallway with nothing in it but a few scattered tables and chairs. "This one's just a defensive room that's disguised as a common area for anyone staying in the rooms down here." Not pausing, she continued to the halfway point before turning from the door at the other end and walking through what appeared to be a solid wall.
"That's actually a variable state hologram," Jason explained as he followed her through it into another staircase. "These lower levels are built to withstand any sort of attack we could think of. That door back there opens up to a room with a barrier that only lets people cross it once, to trap any intruders."
At the bottom of the staircase was another room like the one above, only with several smaller televisions scattered throughout and more comfortable chairs at the tables. Clearly this was the actual common area, and it had four doors to the left and right each, with a single door opposite that Lucia was headed toward. "Those doors lead to rooms with a half bath and two bunk beds each. Not the comfiest, but it's better than nothing."
"And here," she announced as she opened the other door, "are the showers." The room was tiled in a plain grey, with darker grey shelves on the near wall. Matching dividers enclosed ten showers on the far wall, with drains in each and a gently sloping floor leading to them. Immediately she started pulling off her clothes and tossing them into one of the four machines on the walls between the shelves and showers.
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Post by Conrí on Feb 18, 2019 21:36:12 GMT -5
Conrí listened to Jason and nodded, somewhat thankful that the piece of technology had decided to update, so he didn't have to think about it too hard. He whistled when Jason explained about the barrier and suddenly decided that he knew where he could go hide and possibly pull shenanigans, if the computer was nice enough to let him. He kept all of this in his head, a coy smile spreading on his lips as he thought further on his schemes. "So, is this the dog house you'll send me to, then, when I misbehave?" He winked.
The wolf boy slowly walked around and observed the rest of his and Jay's house. When Lucia finally mentioned the showers, his face lit up, and he rushed into the shower room. Before he could think much, he'd already stripped. "Last one out of the shower is a rotten egg!" He stuck out his tongue at the doorway, so everyone could see before proudly putting his hands on his hips and striking a pose for his love. Let Lucia laugh at me, I don't care.
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Post by Ziya on Feb 19, 2019 0:07:06 GMT -5
Lucia did laugh, but mostly in surprise as Conrí stripped and posed comically. Already done unclothing herself, she walked over and gave him a tight hug while still giggling. "Seems like we're rubbing off on you already."
Jason nearly fell over laughing as he followed their lead, putting both his and his love's clothes into the same machine and started it, soap and water filling the space as it washed the clothes. Only now that he could see auras did he realize that there were several layers of magic involved as well. He assumed they sped up the process.
When he turned back to see his best friend hugging his love he had to try very, very hard not to fall over laughing. Especially given their height difference putting Conrí's face at just the right level to make anyone attracted to women happy. He crossed his arms in mock annoyance as he approached the pair from behind the wolf king. "Your seduction game has gotten batter Lucia, but this one's taken."
Lucia arched an eyebrow as she recognized the look on his face and decided to play along. "Oh? You sure he doesn't like us girls too? I'm pretty sure that Seamus wouldn't mind, given who he's friends with."
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Post by Conrí on Feb 19, 2019 0:30:29 GMT -5
Conrí forced a grin when Lucia hugged him. He suddenly remembered being forced to bathe with his sister and then kind of relaxed. Until Jason walked up behind him, that is. When he heard his love say that he was taken, the wolf boy started nodding, then forced himself to stop the second he realised where his head was in relation to Lucia's body. When he heard the quip, he yelped and all but jumped into a shower stall.
"I'm not into girleens because of me sister. Don't ask. You really don't want to know. Been told I created false memories just to cope." The would be king visibly shuddered. He forced himself to turn on the shower water and just got in before the water could even heat up. A yip echoed in the showers. "Bloody freezing..." He muttered.
Éirín slowly lowered herself into the bath water. She had a coy smile on her lips and snuggled herself close to Rand. She knew just about every inch of her needed the bath's warmth, if she had any hope of moving later. "I like it when you wash me, Rand." Her voice was low, and she looked at him with stars in her eyes before planting a kiss on his lips. Her arms wrapped around him and she laid her head on his shoulder.
The wolf girl sighed, thankful to be able to relax. "Did I...do okay, or, do you want me to try washing you again, arseling?" She dangerously stuck her tongue out at him as well, figuring that she might be safe, considering what they'd just been through. Still, a flash of pleading entered her features. Pleading for him to be gentle. Burn me and me fool tongue!
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Post by Ziya on Feb 19, 2019 23:16:32 GMT -5
Lucia immediately let Conrí go as soon as he yelped, making it that much easier for him to jump away. She shared a look of worry with Jason, briefly wondering what would happen to those false memories the next day. Jason just shrugged and turned on the shower next to the wolf king, pausing for a moment to let the water heat up.
Lucia followed suit, relaxing in the steaming water as she started washing her hair, only to hear the door open. Assuming it was Jen, she paid it no mind as another shower turned on, though it was odd that it was the farthest form the three currently occupied.
Mink walked into the shower quickly, hoping to be done before the others despite being the last to start. They wouldn't have even bothered, but travelling back to this exact time and place would have been more difficult that it was worth, and they were covered in Gummi dust and grease.
Rand's lazy smile grew larger as Éirín snuggled closer. The heat from the bath soothed his muscles, leaving him relaxed and content. At least, until she decided to call him names and stick her tongue out at him yet again. His smile slid into a smirk as he kissed her gently but still using his own tongue, grabbing her suddenly as he ended it nearly a full minute later. "You did amazing, dear. Though the counts reset, not stopped."
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Post by Conrí on Feb 20, 2019 12:13:01 GMT -5
Conrí's ears twitched when he heard footsteps in the shower area, but, he paid it little mind and turned off his water. It had barely started to warm up, and, he'd washed quickly. He hated feeling cold, especially during a shower. He dried himself off with a towel from Fen's dimension, and wrapped himself up in it.
The wolf boy sighed before bellowing out "Finished! I'll be in the bedroom, Jay, if that's okay, unless you needed me to do anything else down here." His voice echoed through the room. He started walking back to the upper levels, praying that his sister was at least decent again. As he strolled past the map, he looked again where Jason had mentioned their homeworld was, and saw an immense amount of growth overtop what had once been wasteland. "JAY, Lucia, there's something in the map room you need to see!" The volume of his yell caused him to wince.
This felt happy to Éirín, and right. Especially when Rand kissed her gently, but passionately. Her eyes lit up with desire, but the wince she tried to hide reminded her just how worn out he'd made her. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Rand." She went back to snuggling with him, hoping that the waters would relax her enough so that she wouldn't need to worry about what was coming for them tomorrow.
The wolf girl breathed in his scent and released a sigh that ended in a whimper. "Is there anything I could ever do to make you leave me? Because, I don't want that. Ever. I want to keep having moments like we are now. I want to live with you and hold you, tease you, and be with you as much as I can be without driving us crazy."
The priestess's heart leapt into her throat as soon as the words were out of her mouth. She felt nervous, but she forced herself to hold fast to the man she loved. That wasn't like me, but, he needed to know. Light, please don't let him get cold feet now. She yawned and stretched her arms up, which left her rather exposed.
"I'm probably going to bed soon. Should I still sleep on the floor, farm boy? Éirín's voice was clearly teasing, and, she winked to punctuate her meaning.
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Post by Ziya on Feb 20, 2019 13:45:18 GMT -5
Mink rushed through their shower, ending it within a few minutes despite being delayed by scrubbing the thick grease away. They exited the shower and immediately headed for the towels on the far wall, only to freeze as Conrí emerged from his moments later.
They stood there for a moment, dripping wet, before blushing heavily. "Um... Hi." Finally able to move, the blurred over to the towels and grabbed two, wrapping one around their waist and the other around their chest. "Well, now you know why I use neutral pronouns."
Still blushing, they followed Conrí into the map room and immediately knew what was happening. Once their ears quit ringing from his shout they pulled up the world even as the other two rushed into the room, each with a towel covering their waists. "What's going on? is there something wrong on Deep Jungle?"
Mink shook their head and pointed to the name of the world, at which point Jason's eyes widened. "That's Celderat!"
Lucia's eyes matched Jason's as she realized what he had. "Wait, how in the Nine Hells did that happen in under a month?"
Mink looked at them and simply said four words. "That's where Tamara is."
A sense of rightness enveloped Rand as they continued to snuggle. Her words only made him hold her tighter, whispering back his true feelings. "The only way you could make me leave is by ordering me to, and even then I might not listen. I want to be with you as well."
He was very tempted to continue where they left off earlier when she stretched, but the earlier wince stopped him. Instead he smiled at her tease, his own tone matching. "I think you'll need the bed tonight, card girl. Should I take the floor then?" His tone and grin made the tease more than evident.
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Post by Conrí on Feb 20, 2019 17:07:50 GMT -5
Conrí turned when he heard one of the shower doors open and saw Mink standing in the hall. Quickly, he dropped his eyes to the ground, blushing a bit. "No worries, Mink. It is what it is, and, as long as you're happy with yourself, I don't mind it." He nodded slowly and continued his way to the hallway.
The wolf boy noticed they had followed him into the map room. He felt bad for yelling and apologised to Mink quietly. When Lucia came out, he simply pointed at the screen and shook his head with his mouth open, but, he noticed that she'd only wrapped a towel around her waist. He nodded at Jason's exclamation. "Yes, so it seems, and, vegetation might mean Soul Cords after all. What does the vine look like, my heart?"
When the wolf king heard Lucia asked how it happened so quickly, he shrugged, and then nearly fell over when Mink explained that Tamara was there. "By Lugus's beard...what in Emain Ablach are we about to face?"
When Rand held her tighter, Éirín placed her head on his chest and sighed. She felt rather content right now. Still, her heart pounded as she waited to hear what the man holding her so close had to say. As the whispers clicked in her head, she shook and started to cry with relief. "I will never give you that order. Even if not forcing you away would cost me my life in some scenario." Three strong oaths in two days. A blush flourished on her face.
As the wolf girl watched Rand's eyes and aura, and a small smile formed on her lips. It seemed they still wanted each other, and, she wished her body wasn't so sore, but, she also didn't want to be healed, at least, not in Rand's way. She laughed at Rand's teasing, looked up at him and kissed his neck softly. Twice. "Oh, maybe, invisible magician. You seem to do some things like a dog, anyway." She winked and flashed a teasing smile. Her eyes were filled with the light of desire.
The priestess gently pulled herself out of the bath, dried herself with a small burst of warm air magic, and let her robe float over to her and fall over her shoulders. She tied the robe closed and flashed a suggestive look at the man she loved. "Bathing together was fun. Everything that it entailed." Another wink and a chuckle. "Maybe sleeping next to you is fun, too." With that, she walked out of the bathhouse and to the bedroom.
Éirín disrobed when she got to the bedroom and thought of what kind of pajamas she wanted to wear. She finally settled on a light nearly transparent short sleeved light blue top, with the area around her chest being in a darker blue silk, with a pair of airy, gauzy bottoms in a darker blue. Satisfied, she left the robe on the floor and crawled under the covers. She struggled to keep her eyes open.
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Post by Ziya on Feb 20, 2019 23:41:07 GMT -5
As Lucia processed the information Jason answered Conrí's first question. "They basically look like clear glass in the shape of a vine instead of an actual plant. They can also be found nearly anywhere, since they seem to feed off of the planet's core rather than any nutrients in the soil."
Mink nodded to confirm what they had said, adding in a proper explanation. "Tamara can grow plants by singing. I'm pretty sure that she's trying to access the core's energy to supercharge something to find Ailill, and she's too damn stubborn to listen to us unless we get her to fight us personally."
Lucia looked at her child in surprise. "Wait, so he's looking for her, and she's looking for him? Also, since when do you curse?"
Mink rolled their eyes. "Since a year ago, Mom."
"So when you were seventeen."
"That's two years after you started doing it anytime tour parents weren't looking."
"You aren't helping, Jason."
Mink just rolled their eyes again and nodded to the other room before looking at Conrí. "I'm gonna go get a drink. Wanna come with?" Without waiting for a reply they walked off, summoning an outfit to replace their towels as they went.
Éirín's reaction to his taunt made Rand laugh, even as his eyes matched hers with the light within. "Invisible magician? I'm fairly certain that you could learn to use saidar if we found a teacher. It wouldn't let you see my weaves, but you'd be able to do similar things. And," he rose out of the bath after her, channeling the water back into the walls to leave him dry, "if I do things like a dog, then it's a good thing I'm in love with a wolf."
He chuckled as he watched her go, remembering to grab his clothes before walking out the door. The instant he did he found himself grateful for the bundle, as he found himself face to face with Jennifer, damp from sweat and still breathing slightly heavier from an apparent workout.
"Oh, hey! I heard the door unseal from downstairs and really wanted a soak. Don't mind me!" With that, she was through the door, though not before one final comment. "Nice ass, by the way."
Rand entered the room still blushing lightly, though he quickly relaxed as the door shut behind him. With a sigh he placed his clothes on the dresser before climbing into the bed himself. He immediately noticed Éirín's sleeping clothes, though it did briefly amuse him that she would wear them. He chose not to get back out of bed to don smallclothes. Instead he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her lightly as his eyelids began to feel heavy. "I love you." The words were barely enough to be called a whisper, but they carried more feeling than a shout.
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Post by Conrí on Feb 21, 2019 0:38:38 GMT -5
Conrí nodded, taking in some of the information that Jason said. "Well, then, we can have one wish granted after all." He smiled, but there was something tense to it. He heard what Mink said and tried not to groan too loudly, though, he wondered why everything had to revolve around a fight. He sighed, then another thought occurred to him.
"So, if I'm to go to the castle tomorrow and Ailill is there, what do you suppose we do to handle Tamara? It just seems backwards. Shouldn't someone go deal with her first and then meet us at the castle, if we wanted to sort this effectively?" The wolf boy tapped his chin thoughtfully, right as Lucia started mothering her child, which, gave him an opportunity to laugh a little.
The would be king just stared at Mink as they said they were getting a drink and asking him if he wanted to follow them. He sighed, looked at Jason, shrugged, then nodded. "Sure, I guess," he said, a bit nervously. He followed after Mink quietly, hoping this had nothing to do with the awkwardness of the showers.
Éirín pondered what Rand said. She tapped her chin thoughtfully as she lay down trying to sleep. Could she really learn how to use a variant of his world's magic? She sighed and shrugged, staring at the door, wondering when Rand was going to make an appearance. When he finally arrived and crawled into bed next to her without wearing anything, she chuckled. "First the wolf comment and now this? If I didn't know any better, you're ready for the next round, my love."
The wolf girl returned his kiss with a slightly harder one. "If I can ever manage to keep up with you, something tells me we'd never leave the bedroom." She winked and whined as she winced. "But, tonight is not that night." She wrapped her arms around him and snuggled close. Her eyes closed and she had barely managed to murmur out "I love you too" before succumbing to sleep.
The priestess opened her eyes to find herself floating in an inky blackness. The one night I didn't want to dream like this... Her feet touched down on a stained glass platform that was completely surrounded by images of Rand and the flashes she had seen of him during their first spar. She groaned loudly. "It's time? Right now?" Her voice echoed into the nothingness.
Éirín forced herself to take one step forward when she heard something flying through the air toward her. She barely got her staff out in time and noticed a throwing knife sticking out of it. She turned, and found herself staring at a woman who looked a lot like she did. A second woman with reddish blonde hair and the absolute air of a queen appeared next to the first woman. The wolf girl was instantly wary of the second woman. She readied her staff and lowered into a fighting stance.
"What makes you think..." The first woman spoke evenly, making a chill run through the priestess.
"That you have any right to be around our Rand like that?"
Éirín panicked. This was her heart, right? So, these women here had to be figments of a sort, plus, one was missing. She breathed deeply. She looked at them both earnestly."I love him. The same as you, and, I will prove that to you however I must." She put her staff away and walked toward them, hoping it wouldn't come to a fight within her own heart. Éiriú, this is a really bad time for my repeat of this training. You said I couldn't physically pull the spear last time and pulled me out of this place, so, what brought me back?
Before she could think, the first woman threw another knife at her, and she moved, but, it still ended up sticking in her arm. The regal woman seemed to smile at her dangerously. The wolf girl tensed when the woman took a step forward, and, stretched out a hand. Without thought, the priestess jumped back, thinking that weaves were coming, and then, suddenly, she found herself able to see them. She supposed this made enough sense, if she were willing to think of her heart as a Dreamshard, and therefore something only she could control. Thinking quickly, she dashed forward herself and swept at the other woman's legs while wishing they would just disappear. Her staff creaked against another knife. "I barely understand how either of you are here in my heart, but, if I have committed some grave sin for following this heart, then, I'm not willing of the title I've worked so hard for. The future cards led me to him, and, no matter how I tried to deny it, he just appeared in front of me. If you are jealous, then, be that way, but, know that I likely saved him from death, because he couldn't...feel you anymore."
The regal woman snorted and waved her hand, which the priestess jumped out of the way of the weaves that likely would have frozen her in place. "How did you know where those would be? Hm, we must think on this. Come on, Min, it seems that her deity has no need for us to be here anymore. When you see Rand again, tell him that we are waiting, and, yes, we expect to properly marry him as well. These 'hearts' are quite easy to read."
The second woman smirked. "You look like me, so, I figured you couldn't be all bad, and, yes, it is the fact that you were honest that you can pass. We're waiting where the world sleeps. But, if that man destroys your world, then, we really be lost. I feel Rand so close to this place, so, we want to be gone before he starts slipping into this place on his own."
The women faded away, and the platform crumbled beneath her. She landed on an intricately designed panel, showing another picture of Rand, though he looked slightly crazed and like he was about to fight with Conrí. A shimmering white spear shaft stuck out of the middle of the floor.
"Come and dance the spears with me. It is the only way for you to overcome your toh to us. Besides, the one you follow tells me you failed this before."
The wolf girl looked into the third woman's eyes. She barely stopped the warrior's strike with her staff, which nearly snapped in two. She grunted, sliding back a step before pushing her attacker away, which caused her staff to snap into two, and reached out to the spear. The woman appeared behind her and kicked at her legs, which nearly caught Éirín off guard. She stopped reaching for the spear and completely went on the defensive, until she felt something dark pull at her heart. "I don't want to fight you. Please. Whatever toh I have with you three, let me find some other way to pay it. Rand wouldn't want us to fight like this. You know that." A red cord appeared around her wrist and seemed to travel out to where she suspected she would find Rand. She wondered if he could be in her heart somewhere.
Before she could think too much about the possibility, she barely managed to dodge some more weaves. She smirked and found herself holding not the white spear she needed to pull to end this, but one of Darkness. She danced in a flurry with the woman, who didn't seem to heed her wisdom and fought with her until she could barely stand. The priestess was breathing heavily when the woman suddenly disappeared, though she had a smile on her face. "It seems like you suit our group well. Tell Rand we love him. These wetlanders really have made me soft."
The woman may have vanished, but Ailill appeared in her place. He lifted the priestess into the air by that red cord, and suspended that arm above her head so that she was forced to hang in the air by the cord, which was starting to fray. He taunted her, then forced her to watch all the events that could befall Rand and her brother and asked her which she would choose. Tears started to fall to the platform and clink below her. Her wrist felt like it was about to break, and her arm felt like it was about to give a sickening pop in a few moments. Desperately, the priestess reached out with her mind to the spear in the panel. She also reached for it physically with her free hand. "Rand, I don't know if you can hear me. But, please, if you can...cut the cord. I'll only feel the pain for a moment. Besides, I need to let you go for a moment to complete this task ahead. We can be together still, but...even though it breaks me not only to ask you for help in my weakness, this is how it must be. But, only for one moment." Her whispers caused Ailill to laugh at her, but Éirín knew her heart was being judged more harshly than most. She started to plead with the spear, and her memories of the feeling of being with Rand, and, yes, even Conrí that Ailill would somehow go away before the cord snapped.
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Post by Ziya on Feb 21, 2019 23:34:47 GMT -5
Mink quickly made their way up to the top level, then into the kitchen. They noticed quickly that Conrí was indeed following, and the instant they were out of earshot of the others they spoke up while walking. "Don't worry. I get a little weirded out by people seeing me like that, but nothing too bad. I just want a drink and for all this to pass quickly."
They headed toward the pantry rather than the fridge once they arrived, returning with a small flask and a large bottle of dark cola. Two glasses with some ice followed, soon to be filled with the reddish liquid from the flask to the level of the ice and to the top with soda. "This isn't the last time we'll end up on that planet, and it's never for anything good." Without waiting they took a sip of the vaguely cherry flavored drink and sat down.
Jason and Lucia stared at the two as they left, having stopped their argument just after they left. "Well, that's a thing." Jason turned back to Lucia just in time to see her sigh. "They've grown up, I guess."
She opened her mouth again, only to look up and to the side sharply. Jason tried to sense whatever she did, but whatever it was was apparently heart based. "Something wrong with those two?"
Lucia nodded and ran for the stairs, leaving Jason alone in the room.
Rand's last thought before he fell asleep, holding his love close, was that he was happy. The only way he could have been happier was if three other people were there.
The next thing he knew was slowly drifting down in an empty abyss. He felt no fear, recognizing that he was no longer in the waking world. He fell for what seemed like minutes before he sensed more than saw the world flip, lending lightly on what he could only assume was the ground.
Cautiously he took a step, immediately recoiling as countless birds burst into flight from his movement to reveal that he was standing on a massive platform constructed entirely out of stained glass. The center was dominated by an image of himself, standing relaxed with an odd looking blade his hands. Over his shoulder were several portraits, four with hearts and the rest circles. He recognized nearly all of them, either as his family and friends from his world or the people he had met today, and the hearts held an obvious meaning given who was in them.
"Ever the popular one, Lews Therin." Rand spun sharply, already drawing his blade at the far too familiar voice. Behind him was a man with dark eyes and a hard mouth that Rand had never thought to see again.
"Elan. How are you here?"
The man looked Rand in the eyes before responding, sounding both tired and amused. "I can honestly say I do not know. I was simply plucked out of my reward by a deity not of our world and told to guide you. A cruel irony, that." He summoned a chair as he sat in it, a goblet appearing in his hand as he sipped from it. "Your heart, or whatever this place actually is, seems to function very similarly to a Dreamshard."
Rand frowned at his old friend turned bitter enemy, unsure of what to believe. He seemed to be telling the truth, and had no reason to lie, but what could he be guided to now? "My destiny is over, Elan. I am the Dragon no longer. Not until we are spun out once more, so what more is there?"
Elan grinned, a cruel expression to behold, as he stood once more. The goblet became a blade, and with a lazy flick Rand's blade was sent over the edge to tumble soundlessly. "You've gone soft, Lews Therin, and now you are unarmed." He advanced slowly, leisurely, with his blade held relaxed beside him.
Rand remained unfazed, reaching out to saidin to create a blade of Fire as he had done so many times before, only to be met with nothing. It was as if the Source didn't exist. Suddenly worried, he tried to draw upon the other magic, but didn't have enough of a grasp on it to do anything.
Lucia, still in her towel and nothing else, charged into the room without an apology, knowing full well that neither of the occupants would awaken. She blushed lightly at the obvious lack of clothing on one of the two as she pulled back the covers enough to grab their hands and trigger Heart Dive, falling into the heart of a man she thought fictional just two days before.
Elan was still approaching slowly, taunting Rand with his powerlessness all the while. Suddenly a blinding flash of light appeared, and from it emerged the violet haired woman Rand now knew as Master Lucia Talec. "Elan, I know you're here thanks to Éiriú, but we've got a situation in the other heart getting a Keyblade tonight. I'll take it from here."
The man was momentarily confused, but after a moment nodded and turned back to Rand. "It seems our final meeting has been cut shot, Lews Therin. Farewell, my old friend." A moment later he was gone.
Rand turned back to Lucia immediately, questions on his lips and in his eyes, but was cut off by the woman. "Look, you were supposed to figure out how to summon your keyblade by fighting against him, but Éirín's in trouble so I'm gonna give you a summary. Basically here's what you do..."
Ten minutes later the rushed explanation and demonstration was done, and Rand stared at his new weapon in awe. A name came to him as he took it in, whispered just loud enough for Lucia to hear. "Zavilat'a'Aman. Will of the Dragon."
Lucia gave him both a look of impatience and a familiar grin. "Welcome to the club. Now let's go save your girlfriend!"
Another flash of light brought the two of them to a different platform, where Rand immediately noted two things. The platform itself depicted him both deranged and attacking Conrí, and Éirín was above it, dangling by a red cord wrapped about both her wrist and his own as Ailill stood nearby. Instantly he charged forward with his new blade, channeling energy through it to summon twenty blasts of fire as the name Dragonfire came to both his mind and lips, firing them all at the man before dashing past him. Channeling Spirit into the keyblade he cut through not the cord as she had asked, but whatever was holding it aloft, catching his love as she fell.
Meanwhile Lucia stood between them and the man, now adorned in full armor and holding her own keyblade. Her voice was as hard and cold as ice, and her aura was completely unveiled. "You are trespassing in another's heart and interrupting a ceremony more ancient than time itself. Leave, or you will be removed."
In that moment Rand realized that appearances meant nothing in this new realm.
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Post by Conrí on Feb 22, 2019 14:31:51 GMT -5
Crack. Éirín did her best not to yelp outright when her wrist made the sickening noise. She continued to reach out with everything in her, because she refused to give any form of Ailill the satisfaction. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall down her cheeks anymore. The spear seemed so far away, and yet so close to her. If she could just feel it in her hand, then she could be free. Pop. A tiny gasp echoed through the chamber. That was all the more she could allow out of herself as she glared at Ailill.
Suddenly, the wolf girl started laughing lightly. The pain didn't feel so bad, and, something had finally clicked in her head. "I know how you will fail. Deranged, vile man. See, I've been hanging here, analysing exactly how I failed this before. At first, I thought she was displeased with me because I couldn't give it all up to protect others." She shook her head slowly and kept chuckling. "But, I realise now...I don't have to give anything up. Especially not my heart or my love." The spear winked out of existence right as Rand and Lucia appeared.
The priestess's eyes widened when she saw Rand holding a Keyblade. A moment or two later, she was falling and bracing for impact, only to find herself in Rand's arms. The spear had appeared in her hand as she stared into the red haired man's eyes. "You...you're here. This is...my heart, though...so..." She looked over to Lucia and smiled. She closed her eyes, wanting to stay in her lover's arms for a while longer, but, she knew she had to finish what she had started this time. "Rand, listen to me very carefully. They are waiting for you. Where your world sleeps. They love you and miss you." As she spoke, she stood to her feet and walked over to Lucia, putting her hand on the shoulder of the Master.
"Master Lucia, please, stand down. Your role here is done. This is my duty now. As a goddess. One who protects without asking questions, but, also one who can be true to herself without exception." Éirín stared icily at Ailill, who merely smirked at her when she spoke. "I have danced the spears and lived to tell the tale. I have seen the weaves of the magic your world uses and can evade it, and, with every breath in me still, I will face you and spit in your eye if I must." Her voice carried in a loud echo.
"Oh, how you remind me of her, child. I wonder what kind of child Tamara would have...but, enough of that. The armored one, as cute as it is that she thinks that could stop me, is right. I must be away." He took a moment to look at Rand. "I suppose I owe you a proper fight, at the very least." He left his words to hang in the air before vanishing with a chilling smirk.
Once he was gone, the wolf girl finally let herself grab her limp arm with a shudder. "No one touch me with healing of any kind. Let's...finish this, though, Rand, unless my heart is in grave--" Before she could say anything, the platform beneath them broke. She was falling for what felt like a full minute before her back slammed into the platform below her.
She rose with a cough and a groan, turning to look at the platform, and simply seeing Avalon and Éiriú on it. The final platform. The priestess immediately looked around for Rand and Lucia. She found Lucia next to Rand, who seemed to be dazed from the fall. That, or I also hit my head.
"Such a shame. You were so beautiful. So perfect, and, so secluded that only I could have access to you, but, I chose to wait to see what that bitch of mine would produce one last time. Then, she sent you away."
Éirín nearly dropped to her knees and wretched when she heard the voice and saw the old king with an eyepatch in front of her. The spear flashed into her hand, and she stood in front of Rand and Lucia protectively, choosing not to say anything in response. "Lucia," the godling growled out in a whisper, "Do. Nothing."
The old king seemed amused, and his eyes held a kind of callous light to this. "And now, I see someone has done the job of defiling you before I could have the chance." His gaze shifted to Rand. Before she could move, the old king had flashed in front of Rand and struck out at his chest in a move she knew well.
A wordless scream erupted from her, and, before she could think, a spear of Darkness flew at the man as she charged at him as fast as she could. "Not his heart! It's not yours. Nothing is yours anymore." With fury, she slashed her spear at the old king's back, who jumped over her. She spun, lashing out at him with another strike as she did so. "A goddess passes her judgement with fury. By Éiriú and Lugus, I accept that I have surpassed their trial and join their ranks. By the power in me, you will not have Rand's heart."
A snarl echoed from the old king. "You dare proclaim yourself a goddess?" He charged at her with the same strike he'd given to Rand, but, Éirín managed to tie him in weaves of Light from her heart.
"Hear me, Fallen King, for this is my will, represented by the threads of light that bind you now. When Conrí comes for you, and, he will know the truth, you will fall. By the power and will within me, I banish you from my heart forevermore. By the power of the Spear of Avalon, which I now hold, I will now seal this form of you in to a depths worse than the Darkness." She charged forward, aiming for the old king's chest. The spearhead found its mark, and in a blinding light everything faded away.
Éirín woke with a start. She looked over at Rand, concerned. She checked her arm, and sighed in relief that it wasn't broken. Tentatively, she held out her hand, and the white spear flashed into existence. We're coming for you. I won't rest until this is set right.
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