Introduction
"Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere."
Albert Einstein
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/search_resul ... mooy27G.99
The Six
Six young kids once played together, the best of friends. They were young, and their imaginations were uninhibited, and their games mainly concerned both their made up world, and their own imaginary friends.
They had such wonderful adventures then, with their six imaginary companions following too.
But, like all children, they grew up, and most of them forgot about their games.
They also ended up growing apart. Each fell into different crowds and stopped talking. As they reached the age of seventeen, none had had anything to do with one another.
But they had something in common. They were having nightmares. Terrible nightmares that were keeping them awake at night, of the characters they semi-remembered, but twisted into terrible mockeries of their former selves, set out to torment them.
One sets about to reunite the six of them together in order to face this threat, these would bring the six back to Otherworld, their imaginary realm...all now frighteningly and dangerously real.
The Imaginaries are creatures borne of the dreams of people. They are bonded to their creators, and seek to protect them and help them. Imaginaries come in all sorts of forms, though often will gradually change to match their human. They are visible to all in Otherworld, but outside it are only visible to their human, and those they choose to reveal themselves to...if the humans wishes them to be there. They can only remain in the real world if willed to.
In Otherworld, Imaginaries are powerful, like nobility even. They have powers, and when they work together with their creator they can accomplish wondrous things..
The bond between a human and an Imaginary is what allows them to survive. If the human creator forgets entirely about their Imaginary the Imaginary will die. Because of this, most will eventually take a dark turn. As their creator begins to forget about them, still bonded to their Human, their affection would gradually turn into a possessive hatred, a desperation to have their human back combined with a deep and terrible contempt towards them. Their mind would alter, and so would their body, getting more twisted and terrible.
Like a star burning out its last it would become enormously powerful, able to reach into the real world and take their human back with them...forever.
Otherworld is the world that Imaginaries and other creatures inhabit. It was borne from the imaginations of the Six and was the setting for all their games. In the ten years it has been neglected, left to fall into corruption, and the wicked creatures that they once fought in their stories had gotten a foothold in the absence, as each imaginary became a monster.
It is divided into seven realms, six being home to each Imaginary, and one in the centre, on that has gotten a new owner. The new King of Otherworld. The realms reflect the Imaginary they represent and as such differ greatly, and all but one are rotten and dark.
Six young people who had once been the closest friends. Having lived on the same street, they had spent all their Summers playing in a forest next to their houses. They promised back then that they would stay friends for ever and ever, but things don't always turn out as planned. They still go to the same school as one another, but they don't talk a lot. Some even vehemently dislike one another.
1 - The Believer - Female - Helena Norrevinter
A rather strange girl. Socially awkward, no friends... always seeming to daydream. Her actions were often bizarre, though particularly in recent months.
The Believer never gave up on their friend. She never stopped believing in Otherworld, and as such her imaginary never made the same turn as the others. Unfortunately however this.. has problems as her own link has made her first in the line of fire, and she is unable to protect herself and her own companion.
1's Imaginary - Kimchi Klockwerk
The Believer's unwaivering companion, this Imaginary has avoided the degradation that its fellows have suffered, and retains its impish, joke-loving attitudes, still retaining its own, uncorrupted realm. However this safe haven was never going to remain forever, and its realm has become the target of constant attacks from other Imaginaries. Now it and The Beleiver are faced with a constant fight for survival.
2 -The Gifted - Female - River Morris
Always highly talented and intelligent, but with a very pushy, domineering family, The Gifted used Otherworld to escape the pressure and responsibility that came with her position.
Now, older, she has set aside the games as the foolish, childish things that everything she has learned has told her that they were and concentrates on more productive things. The dreams are only dreams, after all.
2's Imaginary - Rain
3 -The Beauty- Female - Sabrina Valiant
Once upon a time, the Beauty was the heart of the group, a kind and compassionate individual who could see the good in the most hideous monsters Otherworld had to offer.
But the real world has ways of changing that sort of thing. Once a princess of the wild creatures, she is now a different type of princess. She is well on her way to a career in modelling, a face that can stop most in their tracks... hiding a heart grown frosty through lack of use. One of the most popular and desired individuals in school, she's grown cold to the plight of those around her. Her days with the Otherworld group now serve as more of an embarrassment to her, and the The Believer's continued attempts to contact her have unsettled her for entirely different reasons that the Believer would like. She does not want to ruin her reputation, and as a result the relationship between the two has gotten hostile.
3's Imaginary - Basil the Beast
4- The Artist - Male - Nathan Synn
The Artist was always a creative type, and on growing up he had learned to channel his memories of the Otherworld into artistic ability, creating many strange, intricate paintings. However, two years previous, he suffered a bereavement, losing someone very close to him. Since then, the artist has not lifted a brush, letting his creative side got to ruin. His grades have also suffered greatly.
Nearly having given up on anything productive, the dreams are one of the few things that have given him cause for surprise in a long time.
4's Imaginary - Jack O' Frost
5 - The Delinquent- Male- OPEN ._.
Poor grades, poor attitude, no money and little in the way of friends, The Delinquent is someone most people happily avoid, and he is fine with that.
Once upon the time he believed in The Otherworld, and he believed his Imaginary would protect him from anything. Then, he suffered terrible mistreatment by someone in the real world. When the being he'd grown to have so much trust in never appeared to save him, he abandoned his dream, and developed a hatred of the world.
5's Imaginary- Cadriel
6 - The Joker - Male - Aaron
This young man does not take life seriously. A mercurial type, friendly, flirty, but unreliable, he is both well liked by many, and trusted by very few. Few think he will amount to anything...secretly he's inclined to believe them. Deep inside he longs for the time when everything was so filled with importance and meaning, but he wouldn't like to admit to it.
6's Imaginary - Reserved for RPGNerdette
Also accepting apps for inhabitants of Otherworld!
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The Story So Far... Write a Post » as written by 6 authors
Helena planted her feet, the divided toes of her boots sliding across the marshy ground as she held the blade up as a guard across her chest.
Something slithered around in the fog, just out of sight, undulating slate coloured coils coated in a layer of slime. It attempted to shift behind her, and with a sudden lunged shot forwards, two pairs of eyes and snapping jaws making for one of her legs.
The blade sliced downwards impacting at the top of its neck, slicing through scales and bone, causing it to shriek and convulse, wriggling around the blade in a disgusting arc that threw bits into her face and made her cringe. Only as the thrashing ceased and the water began to tint an unnatural hue did she place a foot on top of it and tear her sword free.
Clearing the blade off with a cloth she returned it to the covering on her back, and continued to walk. After continuing for some way, her senses wired up for any sort of sound or motion in the mists, she hit a patch of moss. Her foot slipped and she collapsed forward into a pool of deep water. Helena splashed, coughed, reaching out to try and find a handhold but she was being pulled downward, something catching her foot.
Dammit dammit dammit.
Someone was calling. A noise in the distance. Getting closer-
"Helena! It's eight thirty, get a move on!"
The young woman pulled her head up from the pillow, falling onto her back and giving a groan, her bright red hair spread round her like the tentacles of some beached see creature. She remained there for a moment, trying to acclimatize to the bed over the dark marsh-ground, before looking over at the small, stuffed toy next to her.
"Today is the day." she told it.
"Today we're going to get them, right? It cannot carry on."
Her room was untidy at best. Books strewn across the floor and on a borken shelf at one wall. Stuffed animals all over the place, and heaps of drawings, maps, notes and assorted material relating to...her work.
Pulling herself to her feet, Helena Norrevinter stumbled out into the bathroom, showering off the imaginary mud and snake-slime from her body, before returning to dry her hair off and get some clothes. An aubergine skirt, indigo leggings, sheepskin boots, and an over-sized sweater of an indisputable level of ugliness were pulled on, and a messenger bag was fished out of a pile of stuff, allowing a small hollow for her toy to sit in with its head out.
Ready to face the day. As much as she faced real world days.
Twenty minutes later, thanks to a ride from her mother, She made her way through the front gate, with bag, toy, and a blank expression. She spent a lot of time at school staring into space. Mostly, planning. Trying to set out the moves for the next night. Wondering where she might get dropped. At least she had woken up before drowning in the marsh. But she knew eventually she was not going to be able to rely on that. They wanted to trap them there... and it was going to be Helena who got that before any of them. So...
"We have to get them back." the young woman mused as she walked.
"Reunite the group. They can turn things back."
Something slithered around in the fog, just out of sight, undulating slate coloured coils coated in a layer of slime. It attempted to shift behind her, and with a sudden lunged shot forwards, two pairs of eyes and snapping jaws making for one of her legs.
The blade sliced downwards impacting at the top of its neck, slicing through scales and bone, causing it to shriek and convulse, wriggling around the blade in a disgusting arc that threw bits into her face and made her cringe. Only as the thrashing ceased and the water began to tint an unnatural hue did she place a foot on top of it and tear her sword free.
Clearing the blade off with a cloth she returned it to the covering on her back, and continued to walk. After continuing for some way, her senses wired up for any sort of sound or motion in the mists, she hit a patch of moss. Her foot slipped and she collapsed forward into a pool of deep water. Helena splashed, coughed, reaching out to try and find a handhold but she was being pulled downward, something catching her foot.
Dammit dammit dammit.
Someone was calling. A noise in the distance. Getting closer-
"Helena! It's eight thirty, get a move on!"
The young woman pulled her head up from the pillow, falling onto her back and giving a groan, her bright red hair spread round her like the tentacles of some beached see creature. She remained there for a moment, trying to acclimatize to the bed over the dark marsh-ground, before looking over at the small, stuffed toy next to her.
"Today is the day." she told it.
"Today we're going to get them, right? It cannot carry on."
Her room was untidy at best. Books strewn across the floor and on a borken shelf at one wall. Stuffed animals all over the place, and heaps of drawings, maps, notes and assorted material relating to...her work.
Pulling herself to her feet, Helena Norrevinter stumbled out into the bathroom, showering off the imaginary mud and snake-slime from her body, before returning to dry her hair off and get some clothes. An aubergine skirt, indigo leggings, sheepskin boots, and an over-sized sweater of an indisputable level of ugliness were pulled on, and a messenger bag was fished out of a pile of stuff, allowing a small hollow for her toy to sit in with its head out.
Ready to face the day. As much as she faced real world days.
Twenty minutes later, thanks to a ride from her mother, She made her way through the front gate, with bag, toy, and a blank expression. She spent a lot of time at school staring into space. Mostly, planning. Trying to set out the moves for the next night. Wondering where she might get dropped. At least she had woken up before drowning in the marsh. But she knew eventually she was not going to be able to rely on that. They wanted to trap them there... and it was going to be Helena who got that before any of them. So...
"We have to get them back." the young woman mused as she walked.
"Reunite the group. They can turn things back."
On the highest floor of the clock tower, Kimchi sat steadily breathing by the barred door.
"tic tic tic tic tic tic." Kimchi repeated until a familiar tome struck through the tower. She tried to keep from smiling as she counted them off. One by one, different parts of the tower resonated in the same warming tones. Kimchi drank in each one until the final one stopped vibrating.
"Nine tomes! Nine o' clock! On this Monday." Kimchi fluttered over to the framed calendar page hanged carefully next to her makeshift nest. Surrounded by a carefully drawn circle was today's date; the day that her and Helena decided to finally gather back the other kids. According to plan, Helena had started approximately thirty minutes ago. Meanwhile Kimchi would out and prepare the imaginaries for the reunion. Kimchi froze as she realized her excitement was wasting precious seconds.
"Maintenance check. No time for malfunctions today." Kimchi hurried through her normal morning routine of polishing and oiling, but spent the saved seconds inspecting every gear in the clock tower. Twice. Kimchi counted the tics on the base gear, and stopped it 3 times before being satisfied that it was on tempo. Before flying away, Kimchi closed her eyes once more just to be sure. tic tic tic tic tic tic "Perfect." Kimchi smiled flying up to her closet.
Kimchi landed with a thud and quickly scurried to the pile of supplies she had prepared the previous night. As she walked she checked the clock on her wing. On schedule, as usual. Kimchi looked over the pile at her feet. Laid out on a plaid blanket, was a oil can, a metronome, a scrap book and a scrawled out land schedule. Kimchi ear twitched. Surely she planned to pack more than that. Kimchi compiled a quick list of supplies before scouring around the orderly room to find them. She had planned extensively for this ever since the first time Helena suggested getting the gang back together. She had planned right down to which imaginary she would visit first. She threw a scarf around herself. She would visit basil last for safety reasons and while she would love to visit Caddie next. Kim paused a moment before throwing some custom fitted snow-tires over her back. Caddie could be...unpredicatable especially If E got involved. And there was no way she could plan for visiting Rain. Rain had a way of dismantling even her most carefully laid plans. Some part of her longed to see each of them, but still Kimchi shivered at the thought how she would eventually have to face them. No she would visit Jack first. Experience would tell that he was the most reasonable of her friends. If anything he would be helpful in helping her persuade the others. Or protecting her from them.
"No no no." Kimchi darted toward her bag to distract herself from the dark thought. She bundled up the blanket and shortly admired her bindle. Her friends were corrupted admittedly, but not dangerous. On her way out of the room she passed her sword. A long, double edged minute hand with a donut handle. Jet black, pristine, and (despite her meticulous cleaning) telling of the last time she used it. Today was a day to be prepared , she reason shoving the blade carefully into the bindle. She flew up to the top of the tower and undid the top hatch.
She could see almost every realm from up here. This is really happening. she thought her happiness and enthusiasm returning.
"Don't worry everyone! The kids are coming," She took off and began flying toward Cyratana's castle. "And I am too!" She yelled back over her shoulder.
"tic tic tic tic tic tic." Kimchi repeated until a familiar tome struck through the tower. She tried to keep from smiling as she counted them off. One by one, different parts of the tower resonated in the same warming tones. Kimchi drank in each one until the final one stopped vibrating.
"Nine tomes! Nine o' clock! On this Monday." Kimchi fluttered over to the framed calendar page hanged carefully next to her makeshift nest. Surrounded by a carefully drawn circle was today's date; the day that her and Helena decided to finally gather back the other kids. According to plan, Helena had started approximately thirty minutes ago. Meanwhile Kimchi would out and prepare the imaginaries for the reunion. Kimchi froze as she realized her excitement was wasting precious seconds.
"Maintenance check. No time for malfunctions today." Kimchi hurried through her normal morning routine of polishing and oiling, but spent the saved seconds inspecting every gear in the clock tower. Twice. Kimchi counted the tics on the base gear, and stopped it 3 times before being satisfied that it was on tempo. Before flying away, Kimchi closed her eyes once more just to be sure. tic tic tic tic tic tic "Perfect." Kimchi smiled flying up to her closet.
Kimchi landed with a thud and quickly scurried to the pile of supplies she had prepared the previous night. As she walked she checked the clock on her wing. On schedule, as usual. Kimchi looked over the pile at her feet. Laid out on a plaid blanket, was a oil can, a metronome, a scrap book and a scrawled out land schedule. Kimchi ear twitched. Surely she planned to pack more than that. Kimchi compiled a quick list of supplies before scouring around the orderly room to find them. She had planned extensively for this ever since the first time Helena suggested getting the gang back together. She had planned right down to which imaginary she would visit first. She threw a scarf around herself. She would visit basil last for safety reasons and while she would love to visit Caddie next. Kim paused a moment before throwing some custom fitted snow-tires over her back. Caddie could be...unpredicatable especially If E got involved. And there was no way she could plan for visiting Rain. Rain had a way of dismantling even her most carefully laid plans. Some part of her longed to see each of them, but still Kimchi shivered at the thought how she would eventually have to face them. No she would visit Jack first. Experience would tell that he was the most reasonable of her friends. If anything he would be helpful in helping her persuade the others. Or protecting her from them.
"No no no." Kimchi darted toward her bag to distract herself from the dark thought. She bundled up the blanket and shortly admired her bindle. Her friends were corrupted admittedly, but not dangerous. On her way out of the room she passed her sword. A long, double edged minute hand with a donut handle. Jet black, pristine, and (despite her meticulous cleaning) telling of the last time she used it. Today was a day to be prepared , she reason shoving the blade carefully into the bindle. She flew up to the top of the tower and undid the top hatch.
She could see almost every realm from up here. This is really happening. she thought her happiness and enthusiasm returning.
"Don't worry everyone! The kids are coming," She took off and began flying toward Cyratana's castle. "And I am too!" She yelled back over her shoulder.
He hadn't slept well. He never really slept well anymore, actually. Glancing over at the clock on his nightstand he saw that only three minutes had passed since he last looked at it. He glared at for a moment before looking back at the ceiling.
"I swear, it's being slow just to annoy me. Stupid clock," he muttered, despite knowing it wasn't in fact the clocks fault. He was just so bored. Bored of not sleeping, bored of laying there waiting. But even when he finally did anything he was still bored. It was like he was on autopilot, going through the motions of getting up, getting ready, going to school, sitting in classes, going home, avoiding his parents, and attempting a few hours of sleep before he started over. The worst part was he always felt as if he was waiting. He constantly found himself watching clocks, as if he had something important to do. But he never did anything.
Nathan headed to the bathroom, trying to ignore the soundtrack of The Phantom of the Opera playing rather loudly from the kitchen, where his mother was no doubt making a ridiculously large breakfast for only three people. She loved that movie for some reason.
After a quick shower and getting dressed, Nathan eventually wandered to the kitchen, where his mom was currently loading bacon onto a large dish and placing said dish on their kitchen table. There were also eggs, toast, and a whole box of cereal arranged in the middle of the table. Nathan felt slightly ill looking at all the food but forced a smile when his mom turned to look at him. "Good morning honey," she said, beaming at him before hurrying to a cupboard to get plates.
"It looks great mom," he said softly, taking his seat at the table. He glanced over at the clock. Breakfast usually lasted twenty minutes, ten on a good day. He began to put some food on the plate in front of him, knowing if he didn't she would do it herself with about ten times more food. His dad came in not long after, not saying anything as usual as both parents took a seat. They ate in blissful silence for awhile, and Nathan wondered if it was going to be a decent morning.
"So, haven't heard anything from any of your friends lately. Aren't you talking to them?"
Nope. He finally looked up at her. What she was really asking was do you still have friends? He tried not to glare as he spoke. "Yeah, we're talking. I think we're ditching first hour to go do drugs, actually," he told her, staring at her blank faced as he lied his ass off. He loved his mom, he did. But he couldn't stand when she tried to dig into his life. I don't want a new friend, he thought bitterly, and she needed to stop asking about it.
His mom sputtered, her mouth falling open as she tried to think of something to say. His dad just glanced between them, continuing to eat. He almost liked his dad's indifference- he never pushed him to do anything. His mom got a glint her eye- the look she gets when she's angry. Shit. Nathan abruptly stood up, pushing in his chair and grabbing his school bag. "I'm done," he mumbled, before rushing out of the house without giving his mom a chance to yell at him. He had provoked it, but that didn't mean he was going to deal with it if he didn't have to.
He actually went straight to school for once- he wasn't sure why. There wasn't anything for him there. But something just made him show up with out really thinking about it.
"I swear, it's being slow just to annoy me. Stupid clock," he muttered, despite knowing it wasn't in fact the clocks fault. He was just so bored. Bored of not sleeping, bored of laying there waiting. But even when he finally did anything he was still bored. It was like he was on autopilot, going through the motions of getting up, getting ready, going to school, sitting in classes, going home, avoiding his parents, and attempting a few hours of sleep before he started over. The worst part was he always felt as if he was waiting. He constantly found himself watching clocks, as if he had something important to do. But he never did anything.
Nathan headed to the bathroom, trying to ignore the soundtrack of The Phantom of the Opera playing rather loudly from the kitchen, where his mother was no doubt making a ridiculously large breakfast for only three people. She loved that movie for some reason.
After a quick shower and getting dressed, Nathan eventually wandered to the kitchen, where his mom was currently loading bacon onto a large dish and placing said dish on their kitchen table. There were also eggs, toast, and a whole box of cereal arranged in the middle of the table. Nathan felt slightly ill looking at all the food but forced a smile when his mom turned to look at him. "Good morning honey," she said, beaming at him before hurrying to a cupboard to get plates.
"It looks great mom," he said softly, taking his seat at the table. He glanced over at the clock. Breakfast usually lasted twenty minutes, ten on a good day. He began to put some food on the plate in front of him, knowing if he didn't she would do it herself with about ten times more food. His dad came in not long after, not saying anything as usual as both parents took a seat. They ate in blissful silence for awhile, and Nathan wondered if it was going to be a decent morning.
"So, haven't heard anything from any of your friends lately. Aren't you talking to them?"
Nope. He finally looked up at her. What she was really asking was do you still have friends? He tried not to glare as he spoke. "Yeah, we're talking. I think we're ditching first hour to go do drugs, actually," he told her, staring at her blank faced as he lied his ass off. He loved his mom, he did. But he couldn't stand when she tried to dig into his life. I don't want a new friend, he thought bitterly, and she needed to stop asking about it.
His mom sputtered, her mouth falling open as she tried to think of something to say. His dad just glanced between them, continuing to eat. He almost liked his dad's indifference- he never pushed him to do anything. His mom got a glint her eye- the look she gets when she's angry. Shit. Nathan abruptly stood up, pushing in his chair and grabbing his school bag. "I'm done," he mumbled, before rushing out of the house without giving his mom a chance to yell at him. He had provoked it, but that didn't mean he was going to deal with it if he didn't have to.
He actually went straight to school for once- he wasn't sure why. There wasn't anything for him there. But something just made him show up with out really thinking about it.
Despite his ability to fly or slither, running continued to be the fastest way through the forest for him. It certainly might not be for anyone else - anyone who didn't know the realm as well or wasn't accustomed to the vegetation. The Beast knew every tree and vine, every patch of sinking sand, mud, or slippery moss.
He knew when there was an intruder in his realm, too. Word spread quickly when it wasn't literal word at all, but the cries of birds that called across the canopy, the avian equivalent of gossip. There was someone in the swamp. Someone from the World, someone who had been here before, but it was not Rina… and, thus, was not welcome here.
By the time the Beast reached the swamp, however, whoever it had been was gone. The smell of blood had begun to permeate the odors of water and mud, though, so he followed it to the scene. The intruder had slain something. Basil bent his head by the body, sniffing despite that his skull-like visage had no visible, or at least no fleshy, nose. He was in his most monstrous shape - the nightmarish creature built from fury and obsession.
The scent was difficult to make out of the water. Blood was one thing, but most all other scents were easily lost in the swamp between its water and its stench of decay. Still, the birds had told him it was someone from the World. Just not Rina. A low hiss crept from the Beast's toothy maw before breaking into a short, canine snarl of frustration. Another hiss, before he shut his mouth to sniff at the serpentine body again. Amphibian was not the most tasty of meats, but the race here had roused his hunger. He snatched up the sleek carcass of the creature in his jaws, settling on the soft, wet earth to start on his meal right there.
He knew when there was an intruder in his realm, too. Word spread quickly when it wasn't literal word at all, but the cries of birds that called across the canopy, the avian equivalent of gossip. There was someone in the swamp. Someone from the World, someone who had been here before, but it was not Rina… and, thus, was not welcome here.
By the time the Beast reached the swamp, however, whoever it had been was gone. The smell of blood had begun to permeate the odors of water and mud, though, so he followed it to the scene. The intruder had slain something. Basil bent his head by the body, sniffing despite that his skull-like visage had no visible, or at least no fleshy, nose. He was in his most monstrous shape - the nightmarish creature built from fury and obsession.
The scent was difficult to make out of the water. Blood was one thing, but most all other scents were easily lost in the swamp between its water and its stench of decay. Still, the birds had told him it was someone from the World. Just not Rina. A low hiss crept from the Beast's toothy maw before breaking into a short, canine snarl of frustration. Another hiss, before he shut his mouth to sniff at the serpentine body again. Amphibian was not the most tasty of meats, but the race here had roused his hunger. He snatched up the sleek carcass of the creature in his jaws, settling on the soft, wet earth to start on his meal right there.
He huffed, sitting lazily on in his throne, a leg laying over the arm of the throne, his hand holding his resting chin.
"My Lord, the castle is already falling to ruin, Perhaps, you should keep your voice down." said a wrinkly old blue skinned rabbit dressed in a petticoat. "I'll do as I PLEEEAAASSEE!!" Jack shouted again and another large icicle fell and shattered on the ground.
"I am bored, there's nothing for me to do, What's a King without a Kingdom." He asked with a sigh. "I wasn't always so bored, what changed?" He asked the rabbit.
"You used to be nicer..." The rabbit whispered only to have a snowball hit him in the side of the head.
"I heard that." Jack groaned.
"Well you were." the rabbit said. Jack rolled his eyes. "No, there was something...." He frowned. "Some...one? Oh! Who was the lad I used to pow around with, Oh he was fun, we fought and danced. He laughed at all my jokes," Jack stood on his throne, play fencing with the shadow.
"What was his name?" Jack asked the rabbit still standing on his throne.
The rabbit sighed, "I don't know, Mylord."
"Oh Blast, He was so much fun, What was his NAME?!" He shouted into the sky, ringing the ice and causing more icicles to fall. Jack and the Rabbit dodged falling ice for a moment and Jack sat back in his throne.
"What was his name?"
It was then that fluttering wings could be heard from not far from the throne room which was nearest the entrance of the castle.
Jack looked down at the rabbit who shrugged.
Jack then stood, his booted feet padded in the light snow the covered the smooth but icy rocks beneath him, white hair flow behind him, though it once was blue, pale pink eyes narrowed at the door as he shoved the large doors open, allowing the cold wind from the outside whip around him, frost touching his ice white skin.
He rose a hand over his eyes as he looked out at the sky.
"Kimichi....What does she want...?"
Sabrina watched her door open in the mirror, where she had most of her attention focused on her makeup. Carefully applying mascara to her long lashes, the girl blinked a few times to make sure her makeup was perfect, and then turned to the figure in the door. "Good morning, mum. Is something the matter?" Sabrina always spoke very politely to her mom, partially because it was mostly natural, and partly because her mom bought her everything and a rude outburst would be quite the unfortunate drop in budget for clothes and makeup. Which, she reminded herself, needed to be replenished- she'd used quite a bit of concealer trying to cover up her sleepless, nightmarish nights lately. "Oh, no dear. I just asked the phone company to please block this Helena who keeps calling our house." Sabrina nearly dropped her mascara. "Helena Norrevinter? She's been calling us?"
Sabrina gulped down a lump in her throat. Her childhood friend, now a creepy, reclusive teenager who constantly carried around a toy from when they were little. She had a sneaking suspicion that Helena was behind the nightmares. The redhead bothered her enough during the day, and her 'Otherworld' haunted her at night. Images of a creature wrapped in bones and twine gruesomely followed her dreams and though there was something familiar about the monster, Sabrina could never place it before she woke. Thankfully. She'd hate to know the beast who haunted her.
Standing up, Sabrina regained her straight face and gathered her tattered nerves. Her mother handed her a letter from her company, and after a hug, left Sabrina alone with her thoughts and a letter. Opening the document like it was an explosive, she read the lines of text quickly. A photoshoot on Thursday. New models, new hairstylist. Placing the fancy parchment onto her desk, Sabrina picked up her messenger bag for school, neatly packed her homework, and took the elevator just outside her door down to the foyer. Walking out into the driveway, she stepped into the white limo belonging to her family. Today she needed something extra special to calm her nerves. Starting the car, Sabrina ran through today's schedule. A project due- done. One test- studied for when she couldn't get any sleep. Driving through Starbucks, she picked up a small coffee for the caffeine. Normally, she wasn't allowed to get coffee for her teeth, but today, she was nearly falling asleep at the wheel.
As she pulled into the parking lot, she drank the rest of the coffee and unwrapped a piece of peppermint gum. Popping it in her mouth and putting the wrapper into the empty cup, she shouldered her bag and walked into school.
Sabrina gulped down a lump in her throat. Her childhood friend, now a creepy, reclusive teenager who constantly carried around a toy from when they were little. She had a sneaking suspicion that Helena was behind the nightmares. The redhead bothered her enough during the day, and her 'Otherworld' haunted her at night. Images of a creature wrapped in bones and twine gruesomely followed her dreams and though there was something familiar about the monster, Sabrina could never place it before she woke. Thankfully. She'd hate to know the beast who haunted her.
Standing up, Sabrina regained her straight face and gathered her tattered nerves. Her mother handed her a letter from her company, and after a hug, left Sabrina alone with her thoughts and a letter. Opening the document like it was an explosive, she read the lines of text quickly. A photoshoot on Thursday. New models, new hairstylist. Placing the fancy parchment onto her desk, Sabrina picked up her messenger bag for school, neatly packed her homework, and took the elevator just outside her door down to the foyer. Walking out into the driveway, she stepped into the white limo belonging to her family. Today she needed something extra special to calm her nerves. Starting the car, Sabrina ran through today's schedule. A project due- done. One test- studied for when she couldn't get any sleep. Driving through Starbucks, she picked up a small coffee for the caffeine. Normally, she wasn't allowed to get coffee for her teeth, but today, she was nearly falling asleep at the wheel.
As she pulled into the parking lot, she drank the rest of the coffee and unwrapped a piece of peppermint gum. Popping it in her mouth and putting the wrapper into the empty cup, she shouldered her bag and walked into school.
"Hey Jack! How's the weather?" Kimchi considered the joke as she said it. "No he wouldn't possibly laugh at that." She raised her voice to be heard over the wind and her own rhythmic flapping.
The weather was particularly nice for flying. She had planned to walk part of the way but the castle's surroundings were more rocky than they were during her last visit. The plan could be amended if it saved her time.
"What're you doing Jack? Just chilling?" Kimchi groaned at her own joke. So opening with a joke didn't seem like it would work. She had of course planned what she was going to say. Surely, right after ..... Her flapping skipped a beat and she had to flap twice in the next to keep from plummeting. How had she forgotten something so important! Her persuasiveness was essential to the plan! Perhaps she could just turn back and plan for later? But she was already on course and today was the day she and Helena had agreed upon. What would Helena say? She'd tell her to Wing it. Right. She had wings, she could do that. She could feel herself ticking faster in disbelief.
Kimchi shook her head. Stay calm. ti ti ti ti ti ti tic tic tic. She smiled at the return to rhythm. Now, Helena would say- Helena did say that she should remind them of the past. She had the scrapbook and her memories. It wouldn't be hard. She breathed out a sigh of relief. She was back on rhythm. Kimchi squinted. A short distance away she saw a door to the castle open and Jack stand outside. She smiled and quickened her pace. He's being welcoming. This will be easy. she thought as she flew faster toward the now open door.
A couple of minutes later, she flapped faster and landed on a rock a short distance away from Jack. She looked down and dug her talons into the rock to keep from slipping on the snow.
"Hey Jack, just dropping in. Dropping like the temperature." Kimchi said as she looked up and smiled. Gosh so bad.
The weather was particularly nice for flying. She had planned to walk part of the way but the castle's surroundings were more rocky than they were during her last visit. The plan could be amended if it saved her time.
"What're you doing Jack? Just chilling?" Kimchi groaned at her own joke. So opening with a joke didn't seem like it would work. She had of course planned what she was going to say. Surely, right after ..... Her flapping skipped a beat and she had to flap twice in the next to keep from plummeting. How had she forgotten something so important! Her persuasiveness was essential to the plan! Perhaps she could just turn back and plan for later? But she was already on course and today was the day she and Helena had agreed upon. What would Helena say? She'd tell her to Wing it. Right. She had wings, she could do that. She could feel herself ticking faster in disbelief.
Kimchi shook her head. Stay calm. ti ti ti ti ti ti tic tic tic. She smiled at the return to rhythm. Now, Helena would say- Helena did say that she should remind them of the past. She had the scrapbook and her memories. It wouldn't be hard. She breathed out a sigh of relief. She was back on rhythm. Kimchi squinted. A short distance away she saw a door to the castle open and Jack stand outside. She smiled and quickened her pace. He's being welcoming. This will be easy. she thought as she flew faster toward the now open door.
A couple of minutes later, she flapped faster and landed on a rock a short distance away from Jack. She looked down and dug her talons into the rock to keep from slipping on the snow.
"Hey Jack, just dropping in. Dropping like the temperature." Kimchi said as she looked up and smiled. Gosh so bad.
Jack's brow, which was originally set in high, dropped low. "If you are going to use puns, Kimichi, atleast make them good ones..."Jack tutted, as if he were addressing a small child.
"Like, if it were me, I would have said something like, like..."Jack twirled his hand, near his head, a thoughtful look on his plae face. "Oh like, The wind is so cold up here, it really blows." He said and laughed unnecessarily hard at his joke, Rabbit rolled his eyes at Jack's pun.
"That as no better then hers...." the rabbit grumbled only to have snow kicked in his direction, while the rabbit brush the snow from his face, Jack looked back at Kimichi,
"What is it that you want, Kimichi? I can't imagine you came all the way here, just to tell me that little joke of yours? Hmm?" He asked, before smiling brightly.
"I know, you've come to pledge fealty to Prince Chill!" He chimed, grinning proudly.
(Sorry it's so short, it'll get longer, promise)
"The wind is so cold up here, it really blows." Jack laughed probably more than his joke warranted.
"Right that is better." She mumbled under her breath with only slight aversion of her eyes.
Okay conversation has started. Time to wing it. She knew what she needed to say, now all she had to do was say it. Come with me, were going to see our dreamers again! Without being too blunt about it! Kimchi breathed a mental sigh. Find a subtle way to tell him why you're here.
"What is it that you want, Kimichi? I can't imagine you came all the way here, just to tell me that little joke of yours? Hmm?" asked Jack.
That's it! That's exactly what you're waiting for! Kimchi almost slipped off her rock in excitement as she started to approach.
"Thank goodness, you asked. I wasn't sure how-" Kimchi started.
"I know, you've come to pledge fealty to Prince Chill!"
Kimchi paused midstep. tictictictictictic. She almost had it. All she had to do was respond! She was standing mouth agape on one foot. No no. She was trying to plan this. I am winging it. One flap at a time. She cleared her throat and put her foot down. Her clock jerked back into motion.
"No not really. Crytana's a bit too," She tapped a talon as she searched for the word. I can't do to offend him. "Unpredictable, for my taste." A metaphorical light bulb went off in her head.
"But you know who would be willing to swear fealty?"
A 3 second pause for effect.
3 seconds could be a long time for someone who appreciated time like Kimchi. For example now she considered the hundreds of possibilities that could result from what she was to say next. Anger, sadness, despair, rage and many other emotional responses she wasn't prepared to deal with. Good thing she was winging it.
"Your dreamer!" She jutted out her wings to frame her enthusiastic smile.
"Right that is better." She mumbled under her breath with only slight aversion of her eyes.
Okay conversation has started. Time to wing it. She knew what she needed to say, now all she had to do was say it. Come with me, were going to see our dreamers again! Without being too blunt about it! Kimchi breathed a mental sigh. Find a subtle way to tell him why you're here.
"What is it that you want, Kimichi? I can't imagine you came all the way here, just to tell me that little joke of yours? Hmm?" asked Jack.
That's it! That's exactly what you're waiting for! Kimchi almost slipped off her rock in excitement as she started to approach.
"Thank goodness, you asked. I wasn't sure how-" Kimchi started.
"I know, you've come to pledge fealty to Prince Chill!"
Kimchi paused midstep. tictictictictictic. She almost had it. All she had to do was respond! She was standing mouth agape on one foot. No no. She was trying to plan this. I am winging it. One flap at a time. She cleared her throat and put her foot down. Her clock jerked back into motion.
"No not really. Crytana's a bit too," She tapped a talon as she searched for the word. I can't do to offend him. "Unpredictable, for my taste." A metaphorical light bulb went off in her head.
"But you know who would be willing to swear fealty?"
A 3 second pause for effect.
3 seconds could be a long time for someone who appreciated time like Kimchi. For example now she considered the hundreds of possibilities that could result from what she was to say next. Anger, sadness, despair, rage and many other emotional responses she wasn't prepared to deal with. Good thing she was winging it.
"Your dreamer!" She jutted out her wings to frame her enthusiastic smile.
"But you know who would be willing to swear fealty?"
Both Jack and Rabbit looked at her then, with a matching expression.
"Oh?"Jack mused. He called himself Prince Chill, but it was rare that anyone treated him like royalty, anymore beyond Rabbit, but that was only because Rabbit lived in Crytana, not alot of things did these days, so this was something he hadn't expected. Someone actually wanted to pledge their loyalty to him, now. That was an exciting concept.
"Your dreamer!" Kimichi exclaimed, her wings exalted proudly.
Jack's expression dropped. His dreamer....
While he missed him, and wished it to be true. He knew it was. His dreamer forgot about him, left him alone and bored. Jack hated to be bored, his dreamer knew that.
In rebellion, Jack tried to forget about him, but, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't, not entirely. Jack had friends like Kimchi because of his dreamer.... All he managed to forget, was his name.
"You insult me, Kimichi...."Jack said darkly, the wind atop the mountain castle, whipping around them more violently now.
"Dreamers have forgotten about us, they do not care about us, and the last thing any one of them would do is, pledge fealty..." He said and turned his back to her, so not to show that it actually saddened him. Rabbit's little pink nose twitched, big blue eyes were sadly looking up at him.
"Oh Prince, Chill...."Rabbit said and Jack turned his head. Rabbit knew better than anyone, Jack was still a child, mentally about the same age as he dreamer had been, he didn't look it, but in his heart, he was still like a child, sad and alone.
Kimchi held her pose as she tried to read his changed expression. He's not angry, thank goodness. But he's certainly not happy anymore either. If she had to place it, it was somewhere between discomfort and sadness. Kimchi dropped her wings back to her side and steeled herself with past memories. Back when the kids dreamers came every day, she spent as much time as possible fighting any sadness they could have been feeling. Between her jokes and goofy antics, she seldom allowed sadness to persist for long. Very subtly she puffed up her chest. She could deal with sadness.
"You insult me, Kimichi...." said Jack coldly. As she was about to respond that she didn't intend to be insulting, the wind started to pick up. Its temperature was mostly lost on her but she dug in her feet to keep her light frame from lifting off unintentionally. She pressed her wings tighter to her sides, despite the wind silently beckoning her to fly. She lowered her head into her chest to insure her scarf didn't blow off. As much as she could though she tried not to move too drastically under Jack's gaze.
"Dreamers have forgotten about us, they do not care about us, and the last thing any one of them would do is, pledge fealty..." said Jack as he turned away from her.
"Oh, but you're wrong. Helena has-" Kimchi cut herself off before she continued. Her friends didn't always act the best at the mention of Kimchi's dreamer. The question of why Helena kept coming back when the others stayed away for so long was commonly thrown at Kimchi by her friends. She couldn't help but agree with the quandary, but Helena had never been clear in her answers. Because she loved me more was hardly an answer she could pass on to her friends. Helena was special and Kimchi didn't want to imagine herself if Helena had left her like the others.
Kimchi had been practicing her act over the past few days as she tried to prepare for when everyone was back. Her wheels were oiled for dancing and her music box was prime for playing. Kimchi craned her head to see the rabbit's expression. Perhaps her music box wasn't the kind cheering Jack needed. Turning her back to jack she took her scrapbook from her bindle before carefully retying it. She laid the whole bindle down before turning back to the task at hand.
Kimchi carefully picked her way over stones to stand beside Jack.
"Jack," she said, looking up to him before nudging him somewhat affectionately as she remembered a fun detail. "Snow miser." She looked up at his forlorn face. Not joking time, comfort time.
She continued more softly. "I can't imagine what these past few years have been like for you. I can only imagine what's it like to have been (glances toward rabbit) mostly alone." Alright stop reminding him of sadness. Kimchi revealed the scrapbook and placed it at Jack's feet. she held it closed with a toe before the wind could rip at the pages and loose images.
"Things used to be better... for all of us," she assured. Now to reveal the plan. " I know that and your dreamer knows that too."
"Which is why Helena and I have come up up with a plan." She said puffing up with a mischievous smile.
"You insult me, Kimichi...." said Jack coldly. As she was about to respond that she didn't intend to be insulting, the wind started to pick up. Its temperature was mostly lost on her but she dug in her feet to keep her light frame from lifting off unintentionally. She pressed her wings tighter to her sides, despite the wind silently beckoning her to fly. She lowered her head into her chest to insure her scarf didn't blow off. As much as she could though she tried not to move too drastically under Jack's gaze.
"Dreamers have forgotten about us, they do not care about us, and the last thing any one of them would do is, pledge fealty..." said Jack as he turned away from her.
"Oh, but you're wrong. Helena has-" Kimchi cut herself off before she continued. Her friends didn't always act the best at the mention of Kimchi's dreamer. The question of why Helena kept coming back when the others stayed away for so long was commonly thrown at Kimchi by her friends. She couldn't help but agree with the quandary, but Helena had never been clear in her answers. Because she loved me more was hardly an answer she could pass on to her friends. Helena was special and Kimchi didn't want to imagine herself if Helena had left her like the others.
Kimchi had been practicing her act over the past few days as she tried to prepare for when everyone was back. Her wheels were oiled for dancing and her music box was prime for playing. Kimchi craned her head to see the rabbit's expression. Perhaps her music box wasn't the kind cheering Jack needed. Turning her back to jack she took her scrapbook from her bindle before carefully retying it. She laid the whole bindle down before turning back to the task at hand.
Kimchi carefully picked her way over stones to stand beside Jack.
"Jack," she said, looking up to him before nudging him somewhat affectionately as she remembered a fun detail. "Snow miser." She looked up at his forlorn face. Not joking time, comfort time.
She continued more softly. "I can't imagine what these past few years have been like for you. I can only imagine what's it like to have been (glances toward rabbit) mostly alone." Alright stop reminding him of sadness. Kimchi revealed the scrapbook and placed it at Jack's feet. she held it closed with a toe before the wind could rip at the pages and loose images.
"Things used to be better... for all of us," she assured. Now to reveal the plan. " I know that and your dreamer knows that too."
"Which is why Helena and I have come up up with a plan." She said puffing up with a mischievous smile.
Jack,"
Kimichi ticked toward him, and nudged him playfully. "Snow miser." She looked up at him, a small grin tugged at the corner of his pale lips. "I can't imagine what these past few years have been like for you. I can only imagine what's it like to have been-- mostly alone." She said and that did nothing for Jack's mood. He and his dreamer used to have so much fun together, sword fighting in the trees of Whim, snow ball fights in Cryatana, or simply sitting, Jack telling him wild tales of his imaginary adventures, while the boy sketched them all down in his little book.
Kimichi then set down a book, a scrapbook to be precise and Jack arched a silver brow. "Things used to be better... for all of us," she assured him and Jack clicked his teeth, easy for her to say, she still had her dreamer. " I know that and your dreamer knows that too." She said and Jack turned to her fully then, his arms still folding, and incredulous look on his face.
"Which is why Helena and I have come up up with a plan. Kimichi said and the ticking toy looked proud. Jack picked up the book, he calmed the winds so not to blow the pages away, and began thumbing through them. His fingers smooth over a few images of days gone and his heart ached. He wanted it back.
"You've piqued my interest, My Lady of Klockwerk, Tell me more about this plan..." He said. He wanted to see his dreamer, he didn't want to be bored again.
"and what I can do to help."
"Pre-Cal at 3, Ballet from 4-7, Dinner at 8, Meds at 8: 30, Homework at 9, Bed at 10" River recited her schedule in her head, and a few times out loud to keep in memorized, her morning medication sometimes made her forgetful.
Her life since the incident had been planned out to the minute. School, Dance, Home, Bed. That was all she did. She had no friends, not anymore, not like she used to.
As she walked down the hall, her books clutched to her chest like it was the only thing keeping her tethered to this world, her dark stringy hair hanging down over her face, her head down watching her feet mostly, she recalled a time when she was different, better, sane.
They said she was kidnapped, taken away for three days and it must have been so horrible that her mind turned the ordeal into a fun, fantastical place she called Whims. She was so convinced that, that's where she was, that they placed her in a home, institutionalized her, put her on drugs that for a long time she didn't feel like she needed, but now she dependent on them. Then the thoughts of the rainbow haired girl entered her thoughts.
She had friends before, she saw them as she strode down the hall, they were there, or at least she thought they were there, the only person who still believed was Helena, but people thought she needed to be on the same drugs River was on as well. Helena was the only one to believe her, back her up, but River's parents decided that, she wasn't allowed to speak to Helena, for fear of a relapse.
River always liked Helena.
Then there was Nathan, he was always nice, a wonderful artist, they believed that it was partially his art that fueled River's fantasy, she wasn't really allowed to speak with him either, beyond the occasionally hello, and then there was Sabrina, who was as normal as they come, sure she had an imaginary friend as a child but she grew out of it, like any normal child would. Her parents liked Sabrina but she was always busy, and so was River, since she came back home, she didn't have time for friends and things like that. She had to stay focus.
She made her way to her locker and began switching out books and notebooks, reciting her schedule a few more times, thought she cast a few longing looks toward her old friends
She missed them.
Lena walked in through the corridor, with her shapeless sweater and untidy hair, bag slung over her shoulder and deliberately left open so as to allow the little avian toy to 'see' out. She looked over to catch sight of a few of her "targets" some of the people she was going to reclaim for Otherworld.
She took a very worn out looking book from her bag and turned her attention to that, deciding not to dwell too much on the whole thing right then, not in the least because she felt a tiny little grudge in spite of herself.
The redhead was quite intelligent, but her grades rarely seemed to reflect it. She tended to coast along on passable but not exceptional by any stretch. Creative writing was something she tended to score well in, but her readings were outlandish enough to draw the derision of most of her classmates.
Not that nearly any other aspect of Helena didn't already draw derision.
As she was juggling her books, the girl could hear a few giggles from behind her, as a couple of other students stood against the opposite wall, whispering and making pointed looks in her direction.
And, like always, Helena shrugged it off. You had to make sacrifices, after all. And, soon it was going to change. They would come back. She believed it. She had to.
Lena was walking past the lockers when she caught sight of River, standing there getting out some books. In some awkward effort to appear personable, the young redhead lifted her hand and waved, a little more enthusiastically than perhaps was needed.
---
On an edge of Otherworld where the trees began to die away to rocks and waste and the sky became streaked with oranges and reds, stood the border of the Mechanized Minster, home of the angel Cadriel....or at least whatever that creature might have become.
On the horizon was the cathedral, dark and towering. Before it stood a chaotic sprawl of smokestacks and blast furnaces bathed in a red, demonic glow. The workers, mechanical figures with bird-like heads, guided the molten metal from the base of the furnace into molds, under the grim, sightless gaze of the statues and grotesques now perches precariously amongst the twisted iron.
For all the hellish light and noise outside, within the Cathedral it was dark and cold, the stone walls rising high up into a smoky gloom near the roof. Some light peaked in through the breaks in the stained glass windows, but it seemed to do little to permeate it over all. The place seemed to absorb the light that touched it.
The wing of the owl hung from the frame by some copper wire and hooks. The Angel crouched before it, staring at it and looking between that and the twisted amalgamation hung from the ceiling. It didn't look right. How very frustrating. E hopped down from her perch and walked across the stone flags, watched nervously by the Gargoyles. These creatures, flawed results of her own attempts to craft working wings, were hideous-looking chimeras of flesh and machinery, once Otherworld residents before taken away by Cadriel's mechanical men. Now they stood bound to the Angel's will, and as such were also permanently subject to her unpredictable whims.
"It's wrong. Again." she muttered irritably.
"Madam, you summoned me?"
Her gaze snapped round to the long walkway from the main door, catching sight of the bloom of fiery light of the Sentinel's eyes in her periphery. The strange, spindly, equine thing stood as tall as at least two of her, its pike even greater in height, though upon being certain it had garnered her full attention, it bent forwards in a rather theatrical bow.
"I believe I have an appointment with someone that your....counterpart wanted to arrange."
Her hollow grey eyes regarded the thing was puzzlement for a long moment before something seemed to click.
"Yes. Yes...I..I think I know.."
She scrambled over to the far wall, where an envelope had been deftly pinned straight though the flag by a rusted splinter of metal. Gingerly Cadriel pulled it free, and held it out to the thing, which delicately opened it up, nodded, and strolled back towards the exit.
Cadriel, for her part, had no interest or curiosity in regards to what it said, even if, in a technical sense, she was the one who wrote it. She lost time, and things would happen. The less she had to do with it, the easier things tended to be overall. She wouldn't imagine she would do anything particularly untoward anyway...and she had far too much to do.
The Sentinel meanwhile, walked with purpose along the cracked roadway with the letter in its hand, mulling over the details on e more time.
Horsey
It's time to send a message.
I've made some very special arrangements for you.
When you get this make your way to the Stormtrap Flats as quickly as you can.
You will find someone there that I know you've been very keen to spend some time with.
Love, E.
She took a very worn out looking book from her bag and turned her attention to that, deciding not to dwell too much on the whole thing right then, not in the least because she felt a tiny little grudge in spite of herself.
The redhead was quite intelligent, but her grades rarely seemed to reflect it. She tended to coast along on passable but not exceptional by any stretch. Creative writing was something she tended to score well in, but her readings were outlandish enough to draw the derision of most of her classmates.
Not that nearly any other aspect of Helena didn't already draw derision.
As she was juggling her books, the girl could hear a few giggles from behind her, as a couple of other students stood against the opposite wall, whispering and making pointed looks in her direction.
And, like always, Helena shrugged it off. You had to make sacrifices, after all. And, soon it was going to change. They would come back. She believed it. She had to.
Lena was walking past the lockers when she caught sight of River, standing there getting out some books. In some awkward effort to appear personable, the young redhead lifted her hand and waved, a little more enthusiastically than perhaps was needed.
---
On an edge of Otherworld where the trees began to die away to rocks and waste and the sky became streaked with oranges and reds, stood the border of the Mechanized Minster, home of the angel Cadriel....or at least whatever that creature might have become.
On the horizon was the cathedral, dark and towering. Before it stood a chaotic sprawl of smokestacks and blast furnaces bathed in a red, demonic glow. The workers, mechanical figures with bird-like heads, guided the molten metal from the base of the furnace into molds, under the grim, sightless gaze of the statues and grotesques now perches precariously amongst the twisted iron.
For all the hellish light and noise outside, within the Cathedral it was dark and cold, the stone walls rising high up into a smoky gloom near the roof. Some light peaked in through the breaks in the stained glass windows, but it seemed to do little to permeate it over all. The place seemed to absorb the light that touched it.
The wing of the owl hung from the frame by some copper wire and hooks. The Angel crouched before it, staring at it and looking between that and the twisted amalgamation hung from the ceiling. It didn't look right. How very frustrating. E hopped down from her perch and walked across the stone flags, watched nervously by the Gargoyles. These creatures, flawed results of her own attempts to craft working wings, were hideous-looking chimeras of flesh and machinery, once Otherworld residents before taken away by Cadriel's mechanical men. Now they stood bound to the Angel's will, and as such were also permanently subject to her unpredictable whims.
"It's wrong. Again." she muttered irritably.
"Madam, you summoned me?"
Her gaze snapped round to the long walkway from the main door, catching sight of the bloom of fiery light of the Sentinel's eyes in her periphery. The strange, spindly, equine thing stood as tall as at least two of her, its pike even greater in height, though upon being certain it had garnered her full attention, it bent forwards in a rather theatrical bow.
"I believe I have an appointment with someone that your....counterpart wanted to arrange."
Her hollow grey eyes regarded the thing was puzzlement for a long moment before something seemed to click.
"Yes. Yes...I..I think I know.."
She scrambled over to the far wall, where an envelope had been deftly pinned straight though the flag by a rusted splinter of metal. Gingerly Cadriel pulled it free, and held it out to the thing, which delicately opened it up, nodded, and strolled back towards the exit.
Cadriel, for her part, had no interest or curiosity in regards to what it said, even if, in a technical sense, she was the one who wrote it. She lost time, and things would happen. The less she had to do with it, the easier things tended to be overall. She wouldn't imagine she would do anything particularly untoward anyway...and she had far too much to do.
The Sentinel meanwhile, walked with purpose along the cracked roadway with the letter in its hand, mulling over the details on e more time.
Horsey
It's time to send a message.
I've made some very special arrangements for you.
When you get this make your way to the Stormtrap Flats as quickly as you can.
You will find someone there that I know you've been very keen to spend some time with.
Love, E.
Rain
"I'm walkin' on sunshine, oooh," a bright, cheery voice sang. "I'm walkin' on sunshine, and don't it feel good!" Rain was skipping along, singing at the top of her lungs. Where had she heard this song before? She kept singing, the question bouncing around in her head as she turned a corner and bumped into someone. She abruptly stopped singing, staring down at whatever creature had blocked her path. It was a small dog-like creature, but it's fur was bright blue. She smiled a bit. More creatures had inhabited her realm after her Dreamer had called it empty. Her smile dropped, now glaring at the creature in front of her. She remembered where the song had come from now. Her dreamer's world.
"River," she hissed the name, not in anger but as if saying it actually hurt her. Ever since the girl had stopped talking to her, nothing was right. Sending the dog a glare, she picked it up by the scruff of its neck and carried it to the edge of the hovering land. Her world had once seemed whole, but now was cracking and broken. Cliffs were everywhere, dropping off into nothingness. She didn't even know what was at the end of the nothing, if there was an end. The dog whimpered in her grip. Rain blinked, looking at the poor creature and the cliff, for a moment feeling horrified at her previous action. She had been about to toss the thing off. Why?
Startled, she took a step back, before remembering that the creature only existed because of River. And River was gone. How dare it stay when the reason for its existence had abandoned it? In a split second, the cold deadliness in Rain's eyes was back as she swung her arm and tossed the thing off into the abyss.
"Sayonara!" she yelled, her voice happy as every despite the coldness in her eyes. Feeling pleased, Rain wiped her hands off on her pants and went back to strolling through her land. She was bored now. Boredom wasn't right. Frowning, she tilted her head, looking around. Oh, I know! she thought, eyes widening. I can sing a song! That's always fun.
Without a second thought, Rain began to sing again, completely forgetting her actions in the past few minutes. "I'm walkin' on sunshine, oooh!"
~~~~~~
Nathan
Being at school on time wasn't really something he did anymore. So now, standing in the hallway, he wasn't sure what to do. Locker. That's where people usually go. He started to walk to where his locker was, before realizing he didn't remember what number it was. Even if he could just spot it by memory, he had no idea what the combination was. He hadn't used his locker all year.
"Wonderful..." he muttered, standing off to the side and out of the way of the mass of students roaming the halls. He still felt awkward. He considered just walking back out the way he came, but what good would that do? Sighing, he wandered off, trying to find something to occupy his time. When did classes start? There were a lot of students now, so it had to be soon. Hugging the wall, Nathan made his way to the school library. As expected, no one was there. Nathan actually sighed in relief after settling in a chair in the corner of the library, hiding away from the world. The librarian was no where in sight, and he'd rather keep it that way. While he was sure as hell used to being scolded, he liked to avoid it when possible.
Nathan leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. He wasn't even sure what he was doing anymore. He felt constantly numb and bored, yet did nothing to change it. It was like having a war inside him, one side demanding he do something and the other stopping him from even trying. Why was he even doing this anymore?
His thoughts drifted to his old group of friends, and how much they'd changed. He kind of missed them. No, he really missed them. But for some reason he couldn't bring himself to talk to them. Things felt different now than when he was younger. Nathan knew why, but he didn't want to think about it. Instead he wondered where the others were, what they might be doing. Sabrina was probably surrounded by people who adored her. Helena and River probably kept to themselves, like he did. He felt kind of bad for them though. While for the most part he had inflicted his solitude on himself, he was pretty sure that wasn't the case for them. Then there was Aaron, who seemed to be as goofy and bold as he used to be. Though Nathan did notice something was off with him whenever he saw him.
Frowning, Nathan realized he'd been paying a lot more attention to his old friends than he realized. He thought he'd ignored them completely, cutting them out of his life. But some part of him must still be attached, because he seemed to remember little things about them that he noticed without even realizing it.
Suddenly the bell rang, causing Nathan to look up from his slouched position and get up. For once, he was going to go to class on time.
"I'm walkin' on sunshine, oooh," a bright, cheery voice sang. "I'm walkin' on sunshine, and don't it feel good!" Rain was skipping along, singing at the top of her lungs. Where had she heard this song before? She kept singing, the question bouncing around in her head as she turned a corner and bumped into someone. She abruptly stopped singing, staring down at whatever creature had blocked her path. It was a small dog-like creature, but it's fur was bright blue. She smiled a bit. More creatures had inhabited her realm after her Dreamer had called it empty. Her smile dropped, now glaring at the creature in front of her. She remembered where the song had come from now. Her dreamer's world.
"River," she hissed the name, not in anger but as if saying it actually hurt her. Ever since the girl had stopped talking to her, nothing was right. Sending the dog a glare, she picked it up by the scruff of its neck and carried it to the edge of the hovering land. Her world had once seemed whole, but now was cracking and broken. Cliffs were everywhere, dropping off into nothingness. She didn't even know what was at the end of the nothing, if there was an end. The dog whimpered in her grip. Rain blinked, looking at the poor creature and the cliff, for a moment feeling horrified at her previous action. She had been about to toss the thing off. Why?
Startled, she took a step back, before remembering that the creature only existed because of River. And River was gone. How dare it stay when the reason for its existence had abandoned it? In a split second, the cold deadliness in Rain's eyes was back as she swung her arm and tossed the thing off into the abyss.
"Sayonara!" she yelled, her voice happy as every despite the coldness in her eyes. Feeling pleased, Rain wiped her hands off on her pants and went back to strolling through her land. She was bored now. Boredom wasn't right. Frowning, she tilted her head, looking around. Oh, I know! she thought, eyes widening. I can sing a song! That's always fun.
Without a second thought, Rain began to sing again, completely forgetting her actions in the past few minutes. "I'm walkin' on sunshine, oooh!"
~~~~~~
Nathan
Being at school on time wasn't really something he did anymore. So now, standing in the hallway, he wasn't sure what to do. Locker. That's where people usually go. He started to walk to where his locker was, before realizing he didn't remember what number it was. Even if he could just spot it by memory, he had no idea what the combination was. He hadn't used his locker all year.
"Wonderful..." he muttered, standing off to the side and out of the way of the mass of students roaming the halls. He still felt awkward. He considered just walking back out the way he came, but what good would that do? Sighing, he wandered off, trying to find something to occupy his time. When did classes start? There were a lot of students now, so it had to be soon. Hugging the wall, Nathan made his way to the school library. As expected, no one was there. Nathan actually sighed in relief after settling in a chair in the corner of the library, hiding away from the world. The librarian was no where in sight, and he'd rather keep it that way. While he was sure as hell used to being scolded, he liked to avoid it when possible.
Nathan leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. He wasn't even sure what he was doing anymore. He felt constantly numb and bored, yet did nothing to change it. It was like having a war inside him, one side demanding he do something and the other stopping him from even trying. Why was he even doing this anymore?
His thoughts drifted to his old group of friends, and how much they'd changed. He kind of missed them. No, he really missed them. But for some reason he couldn't bring himself to talk to them. Things felt different now than when he was younger. Nathan knew why, but he didn't want to think about it. Instead he wondered where the others were, what they might be doing. Sabrina was probably surrounded by people who adored her. Helena and River probably kept to themselves, like he did. He felt kind of bad for them though. While for the most part he had inflicted his solitude on himself, he was pretty sure that wasn't the case for them. Then there was Aaron, who seemed to be as goofy and bold as he used to be. Though Nathan did notice something was off with him whenever he saw him.
Frowning, Nathan realized he'd been paying a lot more attention to his old friends than he realized. He thought he'd ignored them completely, cutting them out of his life. But some part of him must still be attached, because he seemed to remember little things about them that he noticed without even realizing it.
Suddenly the bell rang, causing Nathan to look up from his slouched position and get up. For once, he was going to go to class on time.
River noticed Helena's excited wave, and a small barely visible smile touched her lips. Her hand rose up but then she stopped herself. She wasn't allowed to speak to Helena. She had to put away all things childish. River's hand dropped and she turned away as the bell rang.
CRASH!
Schizoid." laughed a group of kids, after they knocked River's books from her hands as she was making her way towards class. The tiny girl only reached down gathering her books in a neat pile as they teased her some more. "I heard she went nuts and killed a bunch of people, but couldn't remember any of it that's why they let her go." said a blonde girl with too much make up. "I heard she was kidnapped and killed the guy that did it." said boy with enough product in his hair to fill a hole in a dam.
River tried to ignore them as she gathered her books, clutching them closely to her chest. With her head down she tried to walk by them but they blocked her path.
"Hey, are you bulimic? You are skinny." said another girl, pinching River's arm.
River winced. "Please stop." She said quietly as she tried to maneuver out of the way.
"What's that, Psycho?" said the boy, pushing her back against her locker.
"Is that what the mental hospital gave you to wear?" said the blonde girl. "Because you must be crazy to wear something like that?" They all laughed.
River was dressed in a cream knit dress, that hung just below her knees, a long pink tank top underneath and her favorite brown riding boots. River was really skinny but not due to lack of eating, she just was. "Excuse me, I have to get to class." she whispered as another girl grabbed her hair. "Ew, Why is your hair all stringy, two words, Shampoo and Conditioner." They all laughed again. River pulled her head away, getting fidgety. An anxiety attack was well on it's way. She reached in to the messenger bag she wore and fumbled for her medication. "Oh, Psycho needs her meds!" Said another boy, bleach blonde. He snatched her bag from her and dug inside, finding the medication bottle. "Whoa, I can't even pronounced this." He laughed, the blonde girl grabbed the bottle from her. River started to panic. "I need those, please give them back!" she cried, tears and sweat brimming her eyes and moistening her cheeks. "If you can catch them!" The blonde girl shouted, and the began playing 'hot potato' with her medication. River whimpered, trying to catch the bottle, but to no avail. She didn't have time for this, this would throw her schedule off severely.
Down the hall from the commotion with River, Sam stood at an opened locker, glancing over only briefly enough for his gaze to flit between Helena and River before he returned his attention to what he was doing without any change in his blank expression.
It was easy to predict where that was going. Helena was as soft-hearted as ever.
He lifted onto his toes to peer into the top compartment of the locker, then stood flat again to rummage through the backpack hung inside. Only, this wasn't Sam's locker or his backpack. During the quietest hours of the school, he took the opportunity to test rows of lockers for whichever locks were broken. There were always plenty, and many students didn't report when they were assigned a broken lock because they assumed no one would bother to test the locks. But Sam tested them.
When he picked out a locker to pilfer through, no one paid attention to which locker was actually his enough to know any better, and checking a locker after the bell rang almost guaranteed he wouldn't be caught by the locker's real owner. By then, a majority of students had taken their seats in class to avoid the risk of being late.
So he worked nonchalantly - and unhurriedly, despite having only a minute or so before he would be late. He didn't look concerned.
Sam drew out a paper bag lunch, opening the top to glance inside at the contents and then rolling it closed again to drop it into his own backpack, which sat discreetly on the floor at his feet. This was his routine for obtaining lunch most days. He tried not to hit up the same locker more than once, though, so as not for the theft to become such a consistent problem that the victim would care enough to want to catch him.
It was easy to predict where that was going. Helena was as soft-hearted as ever.
He lifted onto his toes to peer into the top compartment of the locker, then stood flat again to rummage through the backpack hung inside. Only, this wasn't Sam's locker or his backpack. During the quietest hours of the school, he took the opportunity to test rows of lockers for whichever locks were broken. There were always plenty, and many students didn't report when they were assigned a broken lock because they assumed no one would bother to test the locks. But Sam tested them.
When he picked out a locker to pilfer through, no one paid attention to which locker was actually his enough to know any better, and checking a locker after the bell rang almost guaranteed he wouldn't be caught by the locker's real owner. By then, a majority of students had taken their seats in class to avoid the risk of being late.
So he worked nonchalantly - and unhurriedly, despite having only a minute or so before he would be late. He didn't look concerned.
Sam drew out a paper bag lunch, opening the top to glance inside at the contents and then rolling it closed again to drop it into his own backpack, which sat discreetly on the floor at his feet. This was his routine for obtaining lunch most days. He tried not to hit up the same locker more than once, though, so as not for the theft to become such a consistent problem that the victim would care enough to want to catch him.
Life wasn't easy, was it? Nathan came to this conclusion on the way to his class, when he spotted River getting harassed by some kids. At first he didn't think much of the small group until he heard psycho being thrown around. Not long after that he'd spotted River, looking on the verge of panic.
"This is my life," he mumbled, walking away from his classroom. So much for being on time. Something like a smile popped up on Nathan's face, the thought being genuinely funny to him. 'Cause god forbid I'm late. No one really paid him any mind as he walked up to the group. Even standing right next to some sneering blonde girl, he got no recognition. He worked hard to not be noticeable, but really, this was ridiculous.
River started digging in her bag, kind of frantically really, but whatever she had grabbed was quickly snatched from her hands. "Oh, Psycho needs her meds!" some boy said, sounding thoroughly amused with himself. Nathan felt slightly annoyed, but was more concerned with getting these kids to break up whatever bully circle this was. When River started asking for her medication back though, he felt something in him snap. Maybe it was just the fact they used to be friends and she was crying, maybe it was because he hated bullies- considering he was bullied himself up until recently. Pills were tossed. The blond girl beside him caught them. Before she had a chance to toss them to someone else, Nathan snatched her wrist, 'calmly' prying the pills from her hands.
"Leave the girl alone," Nathan hissed. Yes, he actually hissed it. He wasn't very good at social norms anymore but an upside was he was good at being unnerving. The blond girl looked startled to say the least, as if Nathan had just popped up out of no where. Really? When blondie finally seemed to catch up to what had happened, she nodded, seemingly ready to back off. But one of the guys of the group suddenly spoke. "What, you're friends with this psycho?" he half yelled, obviously meaning it as an insult. Nathan paused, not sure how to reply to that.
"No," he finally said, turning to look at the guy who spoke. "I'm not. Now get lost." The guy looked at him like he had two heads. He would have laughed, in not for the fact he knew why the guy was gawking. For one, while they were about the same height, the guy obviously was a lot stronger than him. And on top of that, Nathan was alone. Nathan tossed River her pills back before flipping off the guy who'd spoken to him, grinning when he saw the guys outraged face. Until said outraged guy started walking towards him. Then Nathan bolted, only running faster when he heard the guy running after him. Shit.
"This is my life," he mumbled, walking away from his classroom. So much for being on time. Something like a smile popped up on Nathan's face, the thought being genuinely funny to him. 'Cause god forbid I'm late. No one really paid him any mind as he walked up to the group. Even standing right next to some sneering blonde girl, he got no recognition. He worked hard to not be noticeable, but really, this was ridiculous.
River started digging in her bag, kind of frantically really, but whatever she had grabbed was quickly snatched from her hands. "Oh, Psycho needs her meds!" some boy said, sounding thoroughly amused with himself. Nathan felt slightly annoyed, but was more concerned with getting these kids to break up whatever bully circle this was. When River started asking for her medication back though, he felt something in him snap. Maybe it was just the fact they used to be friends and she was crying, maybe it was because he hated bullies- considering he was bullied himself up until recently. Pills were tossed. The blond girl beside him caught them. Before she had a chance to toss them to someone else, Nathan snatched her wrist, 'calmly' prying the pills from her hands.
"Leave the girl alone," Nathan hissed. Yes, he actually hissed it. He wasn't very good at social norms anymore but an upside was he was good at being unnerving. The blond girl looked startled to say the least, as if Nathan had just popped up out of no where. Really? When blondie finally seemed to catch up to what had happened, she nodded, seemingly ready to back off. But one of the guys of the group suddenly spoke. "What, you're friends with this psycho?" he half yelled, obviously meaning it as an insult. Nathan paused, not sure how to reply to that.
"No," he finally said, turning to look at the guy who spoke. "I'm not. Now get lost." The guy looked at him like he had two heads. He would have laughed, in not for the fact he knew why the guy was gawking. For one, while they were about the same height, the guy obviously was a lot stronger than him. And on top of that, Nathan was alone. Nathan tossed River her pills back before flipping off the guy who'd spoken to him, grinning when he saw the guys outraged face. Until said outraged guy started walking towards him. Then Nathan bolted, only running faster when he heard the guy running after him. Shit.
Even after zipping up his bag and slinging it over his shoulder, Sam lingered, watching expressionlessly. A boy had slipped closer to the scene - probably half the weight of the biggest guy of the group harassing River. The boy looked familiar, but Sam didn't look closely enough to bother trying to recognize him.
He shut the locker door and leaned against it to watch the scene, looking like he could use some popcorn. It was only a couple of minutes before the boy who had moved past was sent running in the direction he had come. Sam's dark eyes followed after him - then shifted for the next runner in line, the much larger boy.
With a lazy couple of strides from the lockers, Sam stuck his foot out just enough to catch the stranger's, dropping him to the floor. "Oops." There was zero concern in his tone, and it came in little more than a murmur. He only took a single, casual step back before the other boy had scrambled back to his feet, grabbing Sam by the collar of his shirt and pushing forward to shove him against the lockers - to which Sam made no effort to flee or retaliate. His newfound captor was much taller and larger than him.
Yet, a small smile crept across his lips as he stared up into said captor's face.
"What the fuck was that, you little shit?" But Sam made no reply, only smiling like there was something he found funny about being pinned to the lockers.
He shut the locker door and leaned against it to watch the scene, looking like he could use some popcorn. It was only a couple of minutes before the boy who had moved past was sent running in the direction he had come. Sam's dark eyes followed after him - then shifted for the next runner in line, the much larger boy.
With a lazy couple of strides from the lockers, Sam stuck his foot out just enough to catch the stranger's, dropping him to the floor. "Oops." There was zero concern in his tone, and it came in little more than a murmur. He only took a single, casual step back before the other boy had scrambled back to his feet, grabbing Sam by the collar of his shirt and pushing forward to shove him against the lockers - to which Sam made no effort to flee or retaliate. His newfound captor was much taller and larger than him.
Yet, a small smile crept across his lips as he stared up into said captor's face.
"What the fuck was that, you little shit?" But Sam made no reply, only smiling like there was something he found funny about being pinned to the lockers.
"You've piqued my interest, My Lady of Klockwerk, Tell me more about this plan and what I can do to help. "
Had Kimchi been a real bird with real blood, most of it might have flushed to her cheeks as she blushed. While her work in the clock tower was very important -to her anyway-, it was hardly worthy of such a moniker. Instead her only response was the shuffling of her wings as she straightened and prepared to deliver her side of the plan. She was done winging it, thank goodness. Everything else she had to say had been carefully selected beforehand. She took a quick peek at her clock. 9:37. She was still making good time.
"Well to put it simply. The plan is for me to gather all of our friends from this world together at the clock tower while Helena gathers all of the dreamers to meet us there. Then we all sit, talk, party, become friends again, and most importantly party." Kimchi explained coolly. Kimchi explained it calmly. Kimchi explained it as if it would be much easier than she actually assumed it to be. During their planning period, Kimchi was very adamant in pointing out the different holes she noticed in the plan before Helena finally decided that Kimchi should probably handle most of the scheming. Which she did through much consideration and scheduling to a point where she believed everything could be accounted for. People always proved to be variables though.
"Now I'm so glad you've offered your help because I need it." Kimchi responded, smiling awkwardly. Kimchi turned and paced away from Jack.
"Now there's a couple of ways I can imagine us proceeding from here. Option 1, we both go and inform slash persuade Basil on the plan." She stopped and turned to make sure Jack was following her train of thought.
"You know how Basil can be nowadays. Insan-...Protective over his territory. Not to mention the danger of the territory itself," She cast a knowing glance toward the ground before turning again. "That said we are probably best off not entering the territory alone."
Kimchi picked her way across a rock before turning back to Jack. Still looking toward her feet she continued pacing.
"Option 2 is that we split up and meet Rain and Caddie on our own before going to meet basil as one big happy family. I don't know how easy it'll be to find basil if he doesn't want to be found, so searching as a big group may be better." Kimchi looked up as she exited that train of thought. She had stopped pacing only a short distance from Jack, and started trying to read his reaction. Option 3 was that he ignored the first two options and decided to wait at the clock tower. While she'd made plans to accommodate that choice, she decided to leave that out of her list.
Kimchi blinked as she finished her rehearsed spiel. She felt that she had explained it to the best of her ability, but she knew that she already knew she understood.
"Any questions?"
Had Kimchi been a real bird with real blood, most of it might have flushed to her cheeks as she blushed. While her work in the clock tower was very important -to her anyway-, it was hardly worthy of such a moniker. Instead her only response was the shuffling of her wings as she straightened and prepared to deliver her side of the plan. She was done winging it, thank goodness. Everything else she had to say had been carefully selected beforehand. She took a quick peek at her clock. 9:37. She was still making good time.
"Well to put it simply. The plan is for me to gather all of our friends from this world together at the clock tower while Helena gathers all of the dreamers to meet us there. Then we all sit, talk, party, become friends again, and most importantly party." Kimchi explained coolly. Kimchi explained it calmly. Kimchi explained it as if it would be much easier than she actually assumed it to be. During their planning period, Kimchi was very adamant in pointing out the different holes she noticed in the plan before Helena finally decided that Kimchi should probably handle most of the scheming. Which she did through much consideration and scheduling to a point where she believed everything could be accounted for. People always proved to be variables though.
"Now I'm so glad you've offered your help because I need it." Kimchi responded, smiling awkwardly. Kimchi turned and paced away from Jack.
"Now there's a couple of ways I can imagine us proceeding from here. Option 1, we both go and inform slash persuade Basil on the plan." She stopped and turned to make sure Jack was following her train of thought.
"You know how Basil can be nowadays. Insan-...Protective over his territory. Not to mention the danger of the territory itself," She cast a knowing glance toward the ground before turning again. "That said we are probably best off not entering the territory alone."
Kimchi picked her way across a rock before turning back to Jack. Still looking toward her feet she continued pacing.
"Option 2 is that we split up and meet Rain and Caddie on our own before going to meet basil as one big happy family. I don't know how easy it'll be to find basil if he doesn't want to be found, so searching as a big group may be better." Kimchi looked up as she exited that train of thought. She had stopped pacing only a short distance from Jack, and started trying to read his reaction. Option 3 was that he ignored the first two options and decided to wait at the clock tower. While she'd made plans to accommodate that choice, she decided to leave that out of her list.
Kimchi blinked as she finished her rehearsed spiel. She felt that she had explained it to the best of her ability, but she knew that she already knew she understood.
"Any questions?"
He's thinking. That's a good sign. Kimchi continued analyzing. He....hasn't said no. She hoped he wouldn't say no. But what if he didn't want to leave his castle undefended? Kimchi cast a quick glance at the rabbit. She didn't think it would do so well protecting the castle. But maybe jack wasn't under attack? Crytanna frozen landscape was hardly prime real estate. Of course neither was the "confusing" nature of the clock tower and yet she still battled the odd trespasser. Now she was the trespasser. She chose not to hypothesize how trespassers would be treated in the other realms. Jacks company would be appreciated...assuming he said yes.
Kimchi checked her wing. Hardly 2 seconds has passed and she was already biting her talons awaiting jacks answer.
"Tic Tic Tic Tic Tic," she shook her head to clear the habit. "Sorry."
She had no intention of sounding impatient, so long as she got her answer. In a timely manner. And stayed on schedule. Or ahead of it.
Ooc: Hey guys just a filler post to see if anyone is still watching this rp. I'd really like to continue.
Kimchi checked her wing. Hardly 2 seconds has passed and she was already biting her talons awaiting jacks answer.
"Tic Tic Tic Tic Tic," she shook her head to clear the habit. "Sorry."
She had no intention of sounding impatient, so long as she got her answer. In a timely manner. And stayed on schedule. Or ahead of it.
Ooc: Hey guys just a filler post to see if anyone is still watching this rp. I'd really like to continue.
Setting
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There weren't that many things that Helena excelled in. She was clever enough, but spent more time doodling and daydreaming than actually applying herself in lessons, and so her grades sort of drew along the bottom of the realm of acceptability. Her athletic ability was questionable. Her charisma was definitely lacking.
There was perhaps one thing that Helena did that she was able to apply to this situation that she was both well known for , and was able to outdo pretty much everyone in the school at.
And that was being really really weird.
So, when she found herself dealing with this rather tense situation, she decided to handle it with what talents were available to her at the time.
That was she padded over to the blond girl, urging on the guy currently towering over Sam, stood beside her, and in a single deft movement pulled a yoghurt out of her bag ripped it open, and poured the contents into the student's bag, in full view.
The scream of the reaction was quite enough to draw the attention of most of the individuals in the corridor..and, if it wasn't, the part where Helena was hit across the face with the offending bag, probably was.
----
The Sentinel was on the move. A tall figure striding purposefully across the waste ground, a trail of smoke rising into the charged air from the empty sockets of its eyes. The lightning on the horizon glinted in parts off its metal carapace. It moved with purpose. Toward a goal.
What was it after?
On the jagged overlook at the edge of the flats, Archer crouched in a tree fork, the breeze blowing in from the wastes billowing her green cloak about her shoulders.
The Sentinel knew she was there, she had no doubt of it, but it rarely saw fit to bother with the hare and her motives...even if broadly they were on different sides.
The Sentinel hunted Dreamers. Nearly exclusively. It tended to follow those that arrived. And yet none had passed that way.
Archer huffed. She didnt know why it should concern her of course. Dreamers were not worth the trouble. It was their fault that everything had ended up this way. They who had been too selfish to care what their own actions...or inactions would do to Otherworld. How long until the last one left too? Better to manage without them. Better to wipe out the Imaginaries entirely that be subject to their whims.
Evenso, she couldn't quite shake off a feeling of...concern.
There was perhaps one thing that Helena did that she was able to apply to this situation that she was both well known for , and was able to outdo pretty much everyone in the school at.
And that was being really really weird.
So, when she found herself dealing with this rather tense situation, she decided to handle it with what talents were available to her at the time.
That was she padded over to the blond girl, urging on the guy currently towering over Sam, stood beside her, and in a single deft movement pulled a yoghurt out of her bag ripped it open, and poured the contents into the student's bag, in full view.
The scream of the reaction was quite enough to draw the attention of most of the individuals in the corridor..and, if it wasn't, the part where Helena was hit across the face with the offending bag, probably was.
----
The Sentinel was on the move. A tall figure striding purposefully across the waste ground, a trail of smoke rising into the charged air from the empty sockets of its eyes. The lightning on the horizon glinted in parts off its metal carapace. It moved with purpose. Toward a goal.
What was it after?
On the jagged overlook at the edge of the flats, Archer crouched in a tree fork, the breeze blowing in from the wastes billowing her green cloak about her shoulders.
The Sentinel knew she was there, she had no doubt of it, but it rarely saw fit to bother with the hare and her motives...even if broadly they were on different sides.
The Sentinel hunted Dreamers. Nearly exclusively. It tended to follow those that arrived. And yet none had passed that way.
Archer huffed. She didnt know why it should concern her of course. Dreamers were not worth the trouble. It was their fault that everything had ended up this way. They who had been too selfish to care what their own actions...or inactions would do to Otherworld. How long until the last one left too? Better to manage without them. Better to wipe out the Imaginaries entirely that be subject to their whims.
Evenso, she couldn't quite shake off a feeling of...concern.
- 22 posts here • Page 1 of 1
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View All » Add Character » 12 Characters to follow in this universe
Newest
Sam Owens
A mental train wreck wrapped in bad boy appeal.
Kimchi Klockwerk
"Oh I've been waiting for this moment."
Rain
Don't be dull, it's unbecoming!
Aaron Bradbury
"Run boy run, this world is not made for you."
Nathan Synn
The world's filled with endless possibilities... Joy.
Jack' O Frost
"I'm Mister White Christmas, I'm Mister Snow, I'm Mister Icicle, I'm Mister Ten Below, Friends call me Snow Miser, What ever I touch, Turns to snow in my clutch, I'm too much!"
River Morris
"It wasn't real, I made it up...."
Basil the Beast
A shapeshifting boy turned shapeshifting monster.
Helena Norrevinter
"Someone told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn."
Trending
Aaron Bradbury
"Run boy run, this world is not made for you."
Helena Norrevinter
"Someone told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn."
Nathan Synn
The world's filled with endless possibilities... Joy.
Basil the Beast
A shapeshifting boy turned shapeshifting monster.
Jack' O Frost
"I'm Mister White Christmas, I'm Mister Snow, I'm Mister Icicle, I'm Mister Ten Below, Friends call me Snow Miser, What ever I touch, Turns to snow in my clutch, I'm too much!"
Kimchi Klockwerk
"Oh I've been waiting for this moment."
Sam Owens
A mental train wreck wrapped in bad boy appeal.
River Morris
"It wasn't real, I made it up...."
Rain
Don't be dull, it's unbecoming!
Most Followed
Aaron Bradbury
"Run boy run, this world is not made for you."
Jack' O Frost
"I'm Mister White Christmas, I'm Mister Snow, I'm Mister Icicle, I'm Mister Ten Below, Friends call me Snow Miser, What ever I touch, Turns to snow in my clutch, I'm too much!"
Kimchi Klockwerk
"Oh I've been waiting for this moment."
Rain
Don't be dull, it's unbecoming!
Nathan Synn
The world's filled with endless possibilities... Joy.
River Morris
"It wasn't real, I made it up...."
Sam Owens
A mental train wreck wrapped in bad boy appeal.
Helena Norrevinter
"Someone told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn."
Basil the Beast
A shapeshifting boy turned shapeshifting monster.
Fullscreen Chat » Create Topic » Imaginary: Dreamers of the Otherworld: Out of Character
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Imaginary: Dreamers of the Otherworld
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The World of the Other
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Imaginary Friend Adoption Thread
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