OOC: Where is everybody??

“BELONG?” Demon yowled, digging his claws into Page’s scalp and cutting off any answer he might have given. “I’m not a pet; I don’t BELONG to ANYONE!”

“Just get off my head!” Page yelled, grabbing Demon by the neck and throwing him across the room. The shapeshifter landed on a wall and dug in with his claws, hissing loudly. Shade and the kitten followed, the former raising his giant stick to swat the cat right off the wall.

“STOP!!” the creature screamed, causing Shade to stop his swing inches from the little black nose. “Do you have any idea what day it is?” Demon asked the confused pair, sounding as if he was on the edge of a panic attack. Without another word, he vaulted off the wall and raced out the door.

Across the bar, Ta-vora frowned. “That’s strange...even for him...”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Combing the last of the tangles out of her wet hair, Larra sighed contentedly. She was in the type of mood to just stay in one place and relax. Music would be good as well, but nothing loud and violent.

Wearing a red spaghetti strap shirt and worn stretch jeans, Larra made her way out of her small rooms, and opened the door leading to the only other area in her small ship, the control room. She barely had time to register that the exit door was open, when a little black blur caught her in the stomach, knocking her straight backwards.

“Do you have any idea what -” Demon began, but interrupted himself by stopping to sniff Larra’s hair. “New shampoo?”

She laughed. “Yes. You like?”

The cat nodded. “Yup...but...what was I about to say?”

“You were asking me if I have any idea-”

“Oh yeah! Do you have any idea what day it is?”

Larra rolled her eyes. “Obviously not, but I’m sure you’re about to tell me....”

“Well, it’s not exactly that day, but....,” Demon bounced up and down on her stomach in sheer excitement. “It’s almost Christmas!”

“Really?” Larra frowned. “Yeah, I guess it is...”

“We gotta get a tree, Larra,” the cat whined, showing his more extreme childish side, “We just gotta.”

The young Acaran smiled faintly. “Okay, well go find one. But only if you get off me!”

Still bouncing, Demon moved to the floor and waited, jumping around Larra’s feet as she got up and walked to her pilot’s chair. His actions resembled a little puppy so much he turned himself into one, and started barking excitedly.

“Holiday fever,” Larra muttered under her breath as she booted up the rarely-used computer and began searching the Override data for nearby forested planets. “Be patient!”

OOC: Remember last year’s chaotic Christmas festivities, Valence? (If you haven’t died, that is...)

OOC: The Great Day, eh? They don't have that one in Shade's culture. Work sucks your brains out, kids. IC:

"Then you have full responsibility for your actions, you malicious little wretch!" Shade yelled back. "Do I know what day it is?" it asked, once the shapeshifter had caromed out of the bar. " Kebet of Azh , I suppose..."

It sat down next to Page and extended a hand in greeting. "Does this sort of thing happen to you often?"

OOC: Couldn't think of anything more to add. And I have no idea whatsoever what the closest world to the Rock with forests is.

OOC: Nope, not dead, just got out of the bottomless pit I fell into last month, this time i'm back..

Page raised an eyebrow, and glanced to his left. He drew in a deep breat when he was about to startd and paused for a seccond.
"Come to think of it, Yes," He said finally, putting out his cigarette. "You have no idea..."
"So this isnt the craziest?" Shade asked eyeing the Palm Tree behind Page's motions carefully.
"###### no, where I come fro-" Page paused again, lowering his sunglasses. "You're not from around here either, Are you?"

"No, I'm afraid not," Shade replied, "I'm from Kaireigh, a goodly distance down south of here - South of the Proxima nebula, in fact. Name of Arkhinat. You can call me Shade."

OOC: Whoa, they keep getting shorter and shorter! Sorry about that. Each day of work kills off more brain cells, so I have less and less to write with ...

The Legend of the Voronov
Part XI

"We must leave immediately."

"Zathe! Why?"

The Ship Commander First Rank gave no answer and kept walking out of the Library, green book in hand.

Shek and Somm followed, wearing puzzled looks and whispering anxiously to one another.

"What the Modd is it?"

"Of this, I have no idea."

It would take at least two days to exit the Barrier Desert. Perhaps Zathe would say at least two words during the journey. Shek and Somm doubted it.

Isled Naval Research Institute, Isled System

Grand Admiral Arakev had returned, and Vice Admiral Irayev had good news for him.

"The shadowshields are ready?"

"Aye sir."

"How many fleets have yet to be refitted?"

"Perhaps...twenty seven."

"This is good. Emperor Zorokov shall sleep content tonight."

"Sir, is the timetable the same?"

"Yes. We launch Shadowstorm in one month. You shall lead the left wing of the assault."

Hall of the Light, Dur'ach

The revelation of Sorul's nonexistence had shaken Dur'achi society. It would take time for the people to realize that their enormous feats had been due to their own inherent abilities—as augmented by the Sorucytes—instead of due to the favor of a benevolent god.

There were signs that the people were adjusting. Already the five main research universities on Dur'ach had shifted their primary foci to a singular emphasis on understanding the Sorucytes. Even without the finds they knew to be forthcoming from the Voronov 's research expedition, they were making great progress.

Only two new archaeological finds had been located since the initial revelation, and only one of them was related to the Sorucytes. The other one...the Prophets didn't know what to make of it.

_It seems to be of our ancestors' technology.

Yes. But it dates even older than the Soru find. And yet the technology is more advanced.

This is most alarming. It would seem that we were doomed to spiral down into ever-increasing technological stupidity. What could have led the Ancients to condemn us to such a fate?

Perhaps the answer is before us, my friends. Are we, indeed, descendents of the Ancients? Or are we something else?

What are you suggesting?

I am suggesting that the Sorucytes are not a part of us. I am suggesting, instead, that we are a part of the Sorucytes._

OOC: sighs Me? Write? Why??:(
Shade: My chars don’t either, but you can easily guess why Demon wants to celebrate Christmas if you look at the holiday from the point of view of a childish prankster...
Solel: Interesting....

The doors to the No-Name suddenly crashed open with a resounding bang. A large evergreen tree floated in and propped itself up in one corner, closely followed by a very excited Demon. He was pushing several boxes and still bouncing around like a manic in between shoves.

Larra entered after the shapeshifter, looking exasperated and wearing several pine needles in her hair. “Hi Page, Hi Ta-vora,” she muttered, half-collapsing at the table and patting the palm tree behind her. “Never, ever, take Demon tree shopping. It’ll cost you much-needed sanity.”

“Is that.... thing...yours?” Shade questioned her, glaring in the shapeshifter’s direction. He was now decorating his tree with the contents of the boxes he had dragged in.

Judging by all the pudding it was wearing, Larra could guess why Shade was asking. “What he does is his problem,” she answered immediately, sending the blame back to where it belonged. “But I do have some tips for all three of you... around this time of year, keep one eye on the sky and be very suspicious of anything wrapped up and pretty.”

“Eye on the sky?” Page repeated, confused.

Larra winked. “Demon likes to hang mistletoe over innocent bystanders’ heads. You don’t want to get caught, do you?”

OOC: Sorry guys, I just...can’t...write....anymore....:(

Ta-vora grinned while watching Demon decorating the tree.
“Is that an Acaran tradition?” he asked.
“No, a human one. Don't you know Christmas?”
“I don't know any human traditions. The humans don't know that Karee or Ka-nuth exist.”
This made Shade chuckly.
“Looks like nobody in this bar is actually from 'around'.”
The Ka-nuth shrugged. “Probably. By the way, what is a mistle-toe and why does it catch people?”

Page brushed his hand through his mass of thick black hair.
Demon unfurled his evergreen tree and began festooning it with all soirts of useless ornaments. Page got up to go to the bar, brushing passed a very large heavyset woman, she must've stood 5 foot 3", and probably had the same sized girth.
Larra began laughing at the table.
"why are you laughing?" Ta-vora asked.
"When you walk under missletoe with another person you have to kiss them."
Ta-vora twisted his face, "so. Page has to kiss that behemoth?"
Page tuned his head and froze. He looked up and let out a shirll shriek.
"NO! NO! NO! NO!" Demon was rolling around on the floor laughing.
"Demon, once I get this over with I'm going to #####ing kill you."
Page turned on his heels, his head hung low and trudged over to the large woman's table.
She had just started eating a 2 foot hero, egg salad with onions and artichokes. Page whimpered slightly as the woman took a missive bite, small bits of egg spillin out of her mouth down her chin onto her leg.
"excuse me miss, We um walked under the missletoe and-" Page was cut off as the woman knocked Page in the jaw with a swift uppercut.
"You pig," She said in her deep voice, bits of egg and bread flying out of her mouth. Page hit the ground and stayed there.
"Demon," he said through clenched teeth, "You have 15 secconds before I break all of your legs."

OOC: Ugh! Haha!

Back at the table, Larra was laughing so hard she couldn’t breathe, and fell out of her chair as a result.

“He’s brave,” Ta-vora noted between chuckles.

Shade shook it’s head. “Just doesn’t seem all that smart to me.”

“And she....thought.....he was.....hitting.....on her,” Larra gasped from the floor, during the times when she could manage to speak. “Demon...don’t...even try.” At the mention of his name, the shapeshifter (in the form of a little monkey) growled from his spot on the roof, where he was attempting to hang mistletoe above her head.

Ta-vora glanced up. “I’d run if I were you,” he advised.

The monkey flicked it’s tail and hissed. “Larra will protect me.”

“As funny as that was,” the young Acaran admitted, having finally recovered to the point where she could talk, “I think you’re on your own for this one.”

Demon only grinned. “Then I’ll have to get you back later. Watch yourself...”

“DEMON!” Page screamed suddenly. The shapeshifter winked at the three. “I think my fifteen seconds are up.” With a quick movement, he leapt to the ground and raced for the door. The monkey was halfway there when suddenly he realized that, though his feet were moving, they were no longer touching the ground.

Checking carefully for any trick mistletoe, Page made his way towards the helpless shapeshifter, trapped hovering about two feet above the floor. “LARRA!!” Demon screeched, morphing into a variety of forms in a pathetic attempt to get away.

Receiving no answer, he immediately changed tactics. “I’m really, really sorry,” he insisted as Page walked closer. “Besides, you didn’t have to kiss her in the end! Don’t hurt me...I won’t play any tricks on you for the rest of the day....okay, week! Page! I’ll get anyone for you! Anyone!! Even Larra, since she won’t help me! Just don’t hurt me!”

Pathetic, yes, but when you’re Demon, perfectly acceptable.

OOC: Muahaha...

Humans sure have weird traditons Ta-vora thought, A celebration where one has to decorate a tree and lay kiss traps in order to get knocked out? No, I'm not going to ask, I'm not going to ask!!!
He grinned.
But at least I understand why Demon likes it. Somehow these humans give him perfect possibilities to play tricks.

Shade struggled to contain laughter - such things were funny, when they happened to somebody else. Human culture was certainly odd.

"So what is all this?" it asked Larra, hopelessly intrigued. "Did some strange annual conjunction of moons around Earth cause strange tidal effects during their evolution, causing humans to become insane for one day a year? Is it some kind of political event?"

OOC: Merry Christmas, all! Because of the time zones and whatnot, that's today here. Tomorrow for those of you in America; I hope you have fun!

OOC: crawls out of big hole Hmm...

Larra laughed. Not only at Shade's question, but the silly grin Ta-vora was wearing. Those two had no idea what they had been missing. "No, I think it's a holiday in the human religion. I don't really know what it's about, though. Demon just likes it, and he's insane all year round." Smiling, she pulled out her deck of cards and began absently shuffling them. "Anybody up for a game?"

Across the bar, Demon kept up his wimpering and whining until Page got close enough, then shapeshifted into a little elephant and blasted the Vellosian in the face with water from his trunk. Using the distraction, he became his usual big dog and raced out of the bar.

"NOT SO FAST!" Page boomed, his weaves flaring.
Demon, a mere 2 steps from the exit was flung into the air, and surrounded by a glowing blue shell. He looked around quickly, trying to find a way out of his prison, but much to his dislike he found the sphere was getting smaller.
Page's shrill meniacale laughter rang throughout the bar. Demon shifted to smaller and smaller animals to accomadate his quickly diminishing space.
Soon he was a small black gerbil in a pod with enough room so he could run up the walls and move like he was in a hamster wheel.
Page leapt up and grabbed the floating ball. he hurled it down to the ground and it bounced up back into the air. Page dribbled Demons prison a bit before tossing it into the air narrowly missing the worn basket ball hoop.
As demon bounced to a stop on the floor across the bar Page stomped and pouted.
"Damn, I could have sworn I had game!" Demon scurried across the floor still trapped in his inhumane prison.
-------------
The pale face frowned.
"I dont like him," He said as harsh as his soft voice would allow.
"What's to like?" the woman draped over his shoulder replied, "All he's done since he got here is ruin our worlds and satter the balance."
"What should we do about him?" The man said, even softer than before.
"Why not go say hello, tell him who we are?"
The man's wrinkle less face pouted, "I dont want to tell him anything, I want to hurt him."
"Well, lets go then, The woman replied running her fingers through the mans stark white hair.
"Yes, Let's go."

Larra snickered from her seat at the table. “Page,” she called in a too-cheerful tone, “That was pathetic!” Since neither Ta-vora nor Shade actually knew what the cards were, she pocketed them and stood up. “Let me show you how it’s done.”

Crawling under the tables on the opposite side of the bar, she finally found the ball-encased shapeshifter and brought him back to stand where Page had been when he shot. Carefully, Larra took aim and launched the bar into the air, Demon howling for mercy all the way. The blue orb spun slightly as it flew, hitting the rim and ricocheting across the bar. It smacked a patron in the back of the head, knocking him face-first into a plate of spaghetti.

The little gerbil laughing hysterically from where his prison had fallen. “Oops,” Larra laughed, hiding behind Page as the pasta-covered patron looked around for the culprit.

“Good idea, Larra, you can show me how to miss by more,” he joked.

She didn’t laugh. “Page...do you...” she seemed a little lost for words. “sense anything? Anything coming?”

“No,” the Vellosian answered hesitantly, mentally scanning as far as he could. “Are you saying I should?”

Larra shrugged, looking extremely nervous. “No...I don’t know...I mean I’m not picking up anything either, but...”

Page frowned impatiently. “But what? Spit it out.”

“Something’s going to happen,” she said quietly, looking up into his amber eyes. “And I don’t know what or when. The instinct I live by...it’s screaming at me to get out of here.”

By now Ta-vora had stood up and walked over to Larra and Page.
“I agree,” he said, “I have a distinct feeling of danger. My instinct tells me that we should leave.”
He grinned slightly, “How do they like to say – 'Something wicked this way comes'.”

The three stood together, scanning the bar slowly. Page couldnt see what was coming, because he had no idea what to look for. His breathing slowed, the cigarette hung in his mouth, burning slowly towards the end with no help from his lungs.
He felt it, something he hadnt felt for a long time, but after a few secconds of it, he knew that it was coming for Larra Ta-vora and even him. A telepathic mind that could ruin the lives of anyone and everyone in the bar in a heart beat.
"GET THE ###### OUT OF HERE!!" Page screamed stomping the ground with his worn cowboy boots. All the hardened patrons in the bar turned to look at Page, and began chuckling.
The blaster on Page's side, long since unused, came to life, Page's hand firing at will into the air.
What patrons didnt turn and run, drew their blasters and began firing. Page leapt a cross the bar, heaving the stragglers out of the door, and barricaded it with all the tables within arms reach.
Larra and Ta-vora still stood there awestruck. There was a long silence, and only Page's panting was heard.
The antique sales man sat at its table unsure of what to think of its new accomplaces, it took a swig of its sour tomato juice.
Larra's fear was proved instantly as a slight breeze blew through everyones hair. There was a thundercrack and a portal screamed open, the wind in the bar howling.
Page waited in anticipation for what would come out, blaster pointed forward. Larra's swords were drawn, and she stood on the balls of her feet anticipating the worst. Ta-vora stood ready, his sword handle in hand, and buzzing mind at rest.
And then Page felt it, he made a dash for his corner table, holstering his gun, arm outstretched for Antaries. He was stopped with a sharp blow to his stomach, and went sailing backwards into the bars far wall.
Larra sprang into action but soon even she was disarmed by the invisible foe. She felt a boot to her back and fell face first to the floor.
And Ta-vora too met the same fate.
Their attacker landed ontop a table and stood straight. He was as tall and as thin as Page, garbed in stranger clothes. His short blonde hair splayed out messily, with a small braid winding down his neck and over his shoulder under his left ear. His face was a stark white, hooded eyes surrounded with red paint, and a black symbol on his forehead. He wore all black bringing out the demonic air he had about him tenfold.
Page got to his feet, and cracked his neck, this was definately not over. And then a pair of white gloved hands clamped down on his shoulders and he was wrapped in the arms of another person Page began to reach for his blaster.
"No you dont," The woman said in Page's ear with her soft monotonous voice. Page nearly jumped when he saw the man who kicked him in the stomach not an inch away from him, a knife in his white teeth.
"Who the hell are you?" Page asked, staring down his attacker, and beginning to accept the womans arms draped over his shoulders.
"My name is Gaile, and I am the Meistro of this region," she replied.
Another set of arms, stronger ones, wrapped themselves over Page's broad shoulders, and a mans voice, soft and monotone, spoke in Page's other ear.
"And I am Myre, her older brother."
Larra got to her feet, her swords answered her call, and flew up into her hands. The Man with the knife in his mouth before Page smiled, and then dissappeared in a flurry of cartwheels. He popped up into the air, and struck Larra in the face, kicking both of her swords out of her hands. She fell agan, and he landed not far off on the bar.
Page's heart began beating faster, he decided this wouldnt go on for much longer. Larra moaned, and sat up only to be knocked down again by the man in black. He landed on the floor, sliding to a stop. There was something elegant about the way he moved, he almost danced around his enemies, like he was in a balet. Topped with his twisted smile, and strange make up he was indeed not from this universe.
"Who'se freakshow over there," Page asked, trying to stay calm.
The man laughed, taking his arms off Page and dancing into view. His makeup was similar but his eyes wre surrounded by a tan yellow and there were a few other marks The man in black lacked. He wore the same strange clothes, but in white, and there was the same elegance about him.
"That's my pet," the woman began, "Savage."
Savage leapt from the bar flipping into Myre, The two began sparring playfully, flipping over each other, and enjoying the dance of combat.
"What do you want?" Page asked spitting out his cigarette butt.
"Why we want you," She whispered.
"And her too," Myre mused, arms wrapped around a genuinely confused, sitting Larra.
Ta-vora spat out the blood in his mouth and stood. He calmly retracted his swords blade and stood there.
"And why?"
"Because I want more pets," she replied.
Page had enough of this. He slipped out from under the womans arms, and took to the air. He sailed over an expectant Savage, kicking off his shoulder, and landed lightly next to the potted palm tree. Antaries flipped into the air, freeing itself from its burlap prison, and into Page's hand. Savage was upon Page shortly there after, and the two began to dance in combat themselves. Savage blocked Page's furried attacks from Antaries with his small knife. Savage kicked one of Larra's swords ino his hands, and it became an all out sword fight. Page's speed was something neither Shade or Ta-vora had witnessed before. The two men flipped over eachother, wound around tables, always pushing for the kill. Neither took a hit, their bodies ducking away from the sharp blades. Suddenly Antaries went spinning into the air and landed point first into the steel tiled floor. Page threw Savage into the wall, and headbutted him, his skull bouncing off the steel wall behind him. Page grabbed his enemy by the throat and brought up his arm, dark energies swirling about it.
"Stop!" Page heard Myre say.
Page turned his head to see the man holing Larra's hair in his strong grip with a knife to her neck. She struggled, but this man had been hiding his own skills, eveidenly as capable as the freakshow, and the sharp knife he held at her neck made Page's advantage disappear.
Savage grabbed Page's arm , and threw his shoulder into the vellosian's stomach, Page had to move to the defensive, his weakest side, and slowly began losing steam.
-------------
OOC: Larra and Ta-vora's turn! Savage is an even match with Page, with the exception of being a better rounded fighter. Myre is near his match. The Gaile, is basically untouchable, she herself cant put up much of a fight, but both Myre and Savage will grab you before you even have a chance to do anything.
-------------
Edited because of too many typo's

This post has been edited by TrikkiSixx : 12 January 2005 - 01:21 AM

Finding herself failing to fight the powers holding her, Larra could only try to remain calm and logical. Carefully probing the strengths and weaknesses of the unknown type of telepathy, she attempted to find a weakness in it’s makeup, something that could be used to get away. She seemed to be quietly watched the fight between Page and Savage, all too aware of the knife at her neck. Retren’s voice whispered in the back of her mind, and Larra made a point of heeding his words.

Savage still had her sword, and was using it to his full advantage, keeping Page
on the defensive and away from Antaries. Larra watched the blade carefully, more aware of it’s presence than anything, other than it’s twin. The air around her thickened slightly, as Larra called her telepath advisor’s idea into action, setting off a chain reaction she had not predicted.

By now, Savage had Page’s defenses nearly worn down, when the sword immediately stopped, anchored to the spot. Violet lightning glowed at the tip, crackling as it raced swiftly down the length of the weapon, Savage releasing it just in time. The distraction was all Page needed, punching him hard in the face. Before he could recover and attack, the Vellosian once again had Antaries in his hands and was on the assault. That was where her plan ended.

“You should not have done that,” Myre said softly, breath tickling Larra’s ear. Slowly, he dragged the knife across her throat, barely deep enough to draw blood. She kept her composure with a mental picture of killing him slowly.

Hiding under a table across the bar, Demon, previously ignored or forgotten but now provoked, focused his eyes on Myre’s white clothing, easily igniting them in a burst of flame. Larra wasted no time in shattering his hold on her, wrenching his knife arm away, and escaping from the unwelcome embrace. Both her swords flew across the room to her grasp, but Myre left her no time to recover.

Then Ta-vora appeared out of almost nowhere, sword out and racing towards Gaile, who seemed unable to stop him. Sans-flames but looking a little scorched, Myre was forced to turn back immediately from his retaliation on Larra and go after the Ka-nuth, putting himself between the attacker and The Gaile.

Demon vanished from the bar as Larra swiftly opened a portal underneath him, and then closed it just as quickly, sending the terrified shapeshfiter to safety. She doubted her action had been caught. Making a silent promise not to be used as leverage again, Larra turned just as Ta-vora’s Crescent Sword went flying by her head, and immediately launched her attack on Myre.

The two fought quickly, not quite as fast as the Page/Savage match, but still much faster than Larra’s friends had expected of her. Myre seemed to be far under armed with only his knife, but he skillfully used it and his slightly superior speed to keep her swords from slashing him to pieces.

Larra made up her weaknesses by simply fighting with as many dirty tricks as she could. When Myre could get around her swords to attack, most times she would block telepathically and move around the barrier for a counter attack. Those little barriers always were showing up in Myre’s way; just where he wanted to dodge or attack.

But it was slowly wearing her down, and the freakish humanoid was relentless. Larra began planning an escape route.

OCC: Gah, I really wish I had time to write a little more. BTW.

“You better command your friends to stop!” Ta-vora said as he held his sword in front of Gaile.
The blade glowed slightly and left a blue trail in the air when it moved.
“Anything else?” she answered, grinning, “Do you really think you could defeat me?”
“Easily!”
“If you stand in our way, we'll kill you!”
“Then I'll return, stronger than ever. It happened before. Now stop talking and do what I told you!”
The air around her started to shimmer slightly and she felt an invisible force tighten around her.

OOC: LOOK WHAT I FOUND!!!! MY OLD ACCOUNT!
-----------------
Antaries shimmered a radient blue-black, Page's eyes went blank, and anyone with any telepathic sence felt his power rising above normal. Page exploded in black flame's. black lightning skipping across the floors. He began to lose what little color he wore, and soon he was a magnificant sillouhette. Page had ascended. The fight between Page and Savage soon becme hard to follow. Accented by whisps of dark flame with every strike the fight wa slowly becoming a spectacle.
And then quickly and suddenly, Page sank Antarie's tail blade's into savage's chest. Blood sputed from the wound, and Page tore up, the main blade swinging up to cut savage cleanly in half.
The shadows around Page quickly dispursed, and the yellow in Page's bandanna slowly followed. The vellosian's eye's rolled back into focus, and there he stood panting. dros of blood pitterpattered on the floor.
The Meistro began to clap. Myre twirled to a stop, and smiled at Larra.
"You were right Sister, we should have brought Savage all along," he said in his eeie tone.
"What the ###### are you talking about," Page panted, staring down the woman.
The meistro's eyes followed a drop of blood down Page's hand, and to the floor.
"Maybe Titus wasn't so innefective, yes? He did get a hit on him."
Myre smiled, and brushed back a strand of hair.
"WHO THE ###### IS TITUS!" Page roared, knuckles white under his torn gloves.
"Oh, sorry for the deception, but that was Titus, Savage's younger brother," Myre replied.
"SO WHERE THE ###### IS SAVAGE THEN?!"
As if on que Page senced something behind him. Before he had time to react, a knife whas at his neck, and the calm breathing of Savage was felt on his neck.
"You better come with us girl, or he's cut his throat," the Meistro mused. wrappeng her arms around Larra's shoulders.
She stared at Savage, he and his brother looked exactly the same, the only differance being that Savage looked twice as menacing.
And then suddenly, Savage and Page disappeared.
That's when Larra felt herself go under.
------------------
The room was well lit and covered in white cloth. Larra shook her had a few times, and blinked to accustom her eyes to the light. She looked over herself for wounds, but found none. She wasn't wearing her standard clothes but instead dressed in a soft white fabric. Long folds of fabric hung off her shoulders, that ended about elbow length, and underneath she wore a sort of dress.
"You're awake?" Ta-vora asked from across the room. They had put him in the same clothes. He sat on a stool onlooking a small pond between them. several small bright colored fish swam in schools beneath the glassy surface, and ducked around and under the many piles of smooth flat obsidian at the bottom.
Larra stood up and looked around. The room was collorless with the exception of the fish. White cloth covered the walls like an elegant curtain, and the marble floor shimmered. There were several peices of bizzarre comfortable looking furnature all over the strange room.
"Yeah," Larra replied, eyes still wandering. "You wouldn't happen to know where we are would you?"
Ta-vora shook his head.
The curtains parted on one side of the room and Page came sailing in. he landed in the small pool, sending the water into the air, and the fish scattering to what shelter he could find. Larra ran to the pool and knelt over Page, Ta-vora did the same. He was still in his normal clothes, though they were abit more torn than usual. His face was covered in dried blood and his eyes stared up at the ceiling. His normal amber faded to something grey.
"PAGE!" Lara yelped, "What did they do to you?"
"Oh nothing," The Meistro's voice replied. Larra turned to see Gaile standing in the parted curtain, Savage's head bent low over hers and shoulders towering behind her.
"Have him dressed for dinner soon," She said setting down a pile of black fabric, undoubtaedly the same style garb as what Larra wore.
"What did you do to him!" she yelled standing.
The meistro smiled and stepped backwards. The curtain closed before her.
"Page are you okay?" Ta-vora asked helping him to his feet.
"I'm okay," he said quietly, nursing his sore stomache.
He pulled his bandanna out from his back pocket and began wiping off the blood.
--------------
OOC: Somethings off eh? Page's drugged so he'll seem a little weird, we've got some time for dialogue and escape plans. The real Savage can and did whoop Page's ass so everyone should be a little hesitant around him. I'll post dinner later

OOC: curses loudly about midterms Ahh! ‘Valence’ is back! To celebrate, here’s a little man with a moustache and a funny hat! @:})

Head bowed slightly and eyes darker than usual, Larra stared at the spot where Gaile had disappeared. For a few moments, a wicked grin passed across her face, leaving a strong resemblance to Nevell. The look vanished into one of true concern as she turned back to her friends.

Page seemed to be having difficulty standing on his own, and was still leaning against Ta-vora. He was rubbing the same spots on his face over and over again, missing most of the blood. Wordlessly, Larra took the now red and yellow bandana from him and finished the job as gently as she could. Page didn’t suddenly flinch away in pain, so she assumed she did all right.

“What are you thinking?” Ta-vora asked quietly.

===============================

He was like a spot of black paint on an otherwise green canvas. Demon stood out among the leafy foliage like a sore thumb, but he wasn’t exactly trying to hide. Larra hadn’t picked a good world to send him to. It wasn’t exactly dangerous (yet), but it was wet and rainy, and Demon despised water. The large leaves of the most common plants seemed were like scoops, catching moisture from the recent rains and dumping it on his head whenever the shapeshifter accidentally brushed against one.

Fur slicked back and giving off the distinct scent of wet dog, Demon figured, wrongly, that most anywhere would be better than this. He was starting to think Larra had forgotten about him. Surely it wouldn’t have taken this long to deal with the freaky attackers. But he knew well that she wouldn't’ forget...The shapeshifter opened his jaws wide. “Pom-pom!” he screamed at the sky. “Here Pom-pom! C’mere boy!”

A pair of yellow eyes watched him from a tree, considering how much of a snack he would make. Then again, lunatics did tend to taste funny. The eyes went away, looking for more succulent prey.

===============================

“I don’t know,” Larra answered, her tone holding back most of her annoyance, but not all. “But I think we should do as that fiqui (**) Gaile says and get Page ready for this “dinner” crap. If we don’t, it’ll probably only cause him more pain.”

“No way,” Page insisted. “I’m not doing anything they want.”

“Hey, at least you get to wear black,” Larra countered as she went to retrieve the clothes the Meistro had left. “I’m in a white dress here. Last time I was in a white dress, it was a nightmare about a wedding.”

Ta-vora chuckled despite the situation, remembering that quite clearly. Page had made the drinking bet almost immediately after.

The strange black garments had been left, folded neatly, on top of a white pillow. Larra stared at it in disgust for a moment before picking it up. “White again.” Returning, she threw the pillow into the fish pond, hoping it would ruin.

Page just stared at her. “No #####in’ way.”

“I’ll think I’d better take care of this,” Ta-vora commented, seeing that Page clearly did not want to change clothes, and Larra, confronted with the situation, wasn’t exactly comfortable with making him.

“Thanks,” she said, relief showing on her face as she tossed the outfit to Ta-vora. Mind flying a mile a minute, Larra wandered off to check out the different kinds of seating arrangements. They were all white, of course. She would have almost paid Demon to start a paint fight here.

This was an interesting position she was in. Larra had decided not to mention her exact sentiments to her friends. They did not find life to be as much as a game as she did. She loved the thrill of escape, getting away with something when it was deemed impossible. Sometimes, Larra would get captured for that very reason.

Many times, she wouldn’t have been able come close to killing her captors in battle, but she always got away. Maybe not immediately, and sometimes after quite a while, but she always made it.

The Meistro and her followers had done an excellent job of making them think they had some freedom where they really had none. The room looked as though they could easily walk out, but she knew that wasn’t true. Many powerful barriers were erected around the area. No doubt they would only leave without permission.

Despite having so many points in the Override dimension to which her mind was easily and powerfully drawn to, like the blades on her sword and the pieces of the same metal embedded in Kamikaze’s hull, Larra could not locate any of them, nor use them to tell her location in the galaxy.

Aside from that, her connection with the dimensional makeup was blurred as well. She would have some serious barrier-breaking to do in order to leave, for sure. An exciting challenge.

As far as Larra was concerned, though, there was only one problem. She was not alone here. Her actions could very well cause her friends more pain instead of her. It was the only thing that would keep her from totally disobeying. It wasn’t a game to them. She needed to find a way to get out quickly.

Larra expanded her thoughts to new things, like her newfound connection with the telepaths in her head. Surely there was something she could access now that she couldn’t before, like the lighting trick she had tried on the man she now knew as Titus. Loosing Nevell on them would be fun, at least until she wanted control back.

The only thoughts Larra received from the voices in her head was a lewd comment from Desrin about what Gaile, Myre, and Savage probably liked to do together in their spare time. She was relieved that the huggy-touchy-feely thing was bothering someone other than her, but the nasty mental picture that came along with Desrin’s words was about ten times worse. Larra shoved both the thought and the sick-minded telepath to the back of her mind.

Surprisingly, one of the bland chairs caught her eye. It was shaped like a stretched-out sideways “S”, with no back or arms. Larra flung herself on it, sliding down into the lowest part and letting her legs dangle off the edge.

She remembered sitting on a chair just like it, though one with color. Larra ran a had gently down the chair, smiling faintly. There was one just like it in her favorite spot, across infinite dimensional barriers, barred away in the safety of Darbain’s fortress.

There was an idea. A message through the dimensional barriers would turn Darbain’s attention to her for sure. If she could break through to send the message. Larra chewed on her lower lip. She didn’t really like the idea of asking for help, but it might end up being her only option. But she couldn’t even mention it to Page and Ta-vora. They had no inkling that the place and it’s inhabitants existed, and Larra was required to keep it that way.

One thing was for sure. Gaile and co. were not going to find her to be a very polite dinner guest.

======================================

“Pom-pom!” Demon squealed in excitement, bouncing up and down. How the creature had heard his call was a new source of confusion, but the shapeshifter wasn’t about to complain.

A small sphere made completely of orange light hovered a few feet away, rays of light spread out around it like spikes, each rotating around the center in patterns that seemed completely unrelated to those of the others.

This was the infamous dimensional wormhole, Pom-pom. Larra despised it, for it showed affection by transporting people randomly through the dimensions. Even it’s touch would warp her perception of the dimensions, leaving her without her traveling abilities for at least a week, unless she could get help in straightening them out. Demon adored it. He wanted to keep it as a pet, and had given the wormhole it’s name. Pom-pom loved Demon, and even listened to him, to some degree.

“Listen carefully,” the shapeshifter explained, attempting to make himself seem calm and authorative. “I need to you take me to the dimension where you trapped me in a few months ago. You remember, where the big purple ship attacked you and Larra had to come save me?”

Some of the spikes reversed pattern, and the light gave off a disgustingly cute squeaky noise. “I’ll take that as a yes.” Demon whined, hesitating before leaping into the light.

His vision flashed, suddenly the dog found himself sitting in the middle of a clearing of a large, dark forest. Scantily clad natives danced around in a circle, chanting some eerie spell. Some had stopped to gawk at the creature that had suddenly appeared in their midst. “NOT HERE!” Demon howled. They looked aggressive. And hungry. “GET ME OUT OF H-” he was cut off as the orange light flashed blindingly bright, and he was sitting on the floor in the No Name bar.

“ERE...ere...ere”. The last bit of his yell echoed across the near-empty bar. Shade, confused about the latest events, started and glared at the source of the noise. “You again...” he reached for his staff.

“No!” Demon squealed, hiding under a table. Pom-pom hovered nearby. “Peace! Peace! What happened here, anyway?” He poked his head out into the open, glancing inquisitively at Shade, hoping he wasn’t about to get whacked in the head.

===========================

“Umm...Larra?”

Larra blinked and stared up at Ta-vora. “I don’t think it’s a good time to take a nap, as comfortable as that chair looks.”

“I wasn’t sleeping,” she insisted, “just thinking.”

“Think of anything, then?” Page asked, pacing impatiently. He was wearing the black robes.

“Not really. They’ve got the place pretty barred up. I guess you’re back to normal?”

“Somewhat,” Ta-vora broke in, settling into the chair beside Larra’s.

Page stopped walking looked confused. “You mean I wasn’t?”

“They must have done something to you. You were acting weird for awhile there.”

He frowned. “Oh yeah...really?”

“Back to escaping...”Ta-vora mentioned impatiently.

Larra reached behind her, grabbed the white cloth hanging there, and yanked hard. It came down, showing the wall behind. It was white. She exhaled heavily. “There are some damn good barriers around here, but with some work I can probably unravel or break them down. I don’t know it they’ll give me that much time, though. You guys have any ideas?”

OOC: Grrr, I’m done for now. So much work, so little time. sighs

Oh yeah, almost forgot:

** fiqui - Degrading Acaran name, usually used referring to someone female that the user has little or no respect for.

This post has been edited by Synesthesia : 15 February 2005 - 03:04 PM