* TheStoryteller changes topic to '-= Chapter 69.1: Yin and Yang | Location: Crystal Spire | Pool: 27 MXP =- http://storen.rpgcafe.net/IoG/' >> [TALKING BETWEEN SAKI AND RACHEL GOES HERE] Lude Start and all that. >> It's the middle of the night in Meribia when Saki and Rachel, after taking some time to calm the Horam district down in the aftermath of the 'attack', finally reach a consensus and decide to visit the Spire. Jarringly, this means she arrives in bright daylight, and as she lands from the port Saki blinks at the sudden brightness while Rachel lets loose a torrent of invective. * Rachel even stumbles forwards, wincing in pain before rounding on Saki. "--you could have given me some damn warning! It fucking hurts like this!" * Saki looks completely non-plussed, looking straight at the lift as Rachel's yell echoes upwards. "... come on. We're short on time." The Crystal Spire stands serenely in the icy mountains, the sun glimmering off the light, fresh snowpack that dusts the aging , mysterious marble of the walkways. * Saki stomps inwards in some kind of sulky determination, with Rachel performing a spectral amble close behind. * Rachel huffs out a breath, mirrored by Saki a moment later, and steps onto the lift. Being incorporeal, it is unsurprisingly unwilling to move for her sake. "Onwards and upwards, then," she nods, and with an accompanying nod the younger one steps after her and sets the mechanism in motion. Saki ascends to the top of the Spire, the room of the four doors. Atop it, the vast stained glass window depicting the angel slaying the hydra destroyer is in full view. * Rachel whistles appreciatively, as appears to be expected. For her part, Saki glances around with a frown... then tries poking her head into the Blue Dragon Orb's room. But... carefully. It also happens that sitting on a nearby bench before the path to Lucia's crystal chamber sits a curled up Blue haired girl you instantly recognize. In fact, Saki almost thinks she looks a little like her when she'd do the same thing when confused and a little frightened. Thye sound of the footsteps causes Yuriko to lift her head up slowly. "...is it...?" * Rachel blinks once, snorts in amusement, and waves a hand airily. "... maybe, maybe not. About 50-50." * Saki points a glare Rachel's way, then nods to Yuriko. "It's me. Er, us. ... something." * Rachel adds quickly. "--Are you sane now? That really rather hurt, last time." The sight of the ethereal counterpart of her sparring partner makes the young woman look away briefly, partially in failure and partially in shame. Thankfully her body seems to be not too worse for wear after the battle. [Yuriko] ...yes, I'm myself now. The essence is utterly gone. But... the memories of what I did don't disappear so easily. * Rachel raises a bewildered eyebrow, then crosses her arms in perfect imitation of Saki. "--what's that look for? I got to get a walk, and see the sights on my own for a bit, and sure it hurt like hell but it's not like we haven't done it to ourselves before. Tch!" She snorts, turning away and taking two steps and leaving Saki to groan in her wake. * Saki runs at her face, sends an owlish glare Rachel's way, then just drops herself on the bench next to Yuriko, supplying a quick translation. "... That was 'it's fine'." «ooc: rubs » [Yuriko] So... you aren't angry at what I did? * Saki considers for a lengthy moment. "... it /did/ hurt like hell," she admits, smirk playing at her mouth, "But it's not like there were any lasting effects. ... it's pleasant to have had the chance to try this. Lazarus... isn't really an option for us, we think." [Yuriko] It wasn't the Blue Dragon doing it all... it was my desire to save you from yourself. But then I almost lost who I was in the process. However, it's a valuable lesson now I have learned -- that only you can decide who you really want to be. Not anyone else has that right, mm? * Rachel looks reproachfully around. "--hey! I don't need saving from myself. I need saving from her. ... herself. --ngg." * Saki shrugs one shoulder, leaning back and closing her eyes. "... mm, perhaps. Though... I wouldn't mind things being this way in the future, I admit. But if that happens it'll be by our hands, not that... thing." The uncharacteristically somber Yuriko seems to cheer up at the two's varying styles. * Saki lets the lighter air hang for a moment, then opens one eye in Yuriko's direction. "... are you back to fighting strength? Horam needs all the help it can get, right now." [Yuriko] ...uh... oh. Yes, I'm in well enough shape. This place has this remarkable healing effect if you rest here long enough... I don't even remember how long I dozed there in that room... Then her eyes become more serious and worried. "..is something going on?" * Rachel grins wide and shows her teeth. "--we've got an army of possibly-undead people things in armour marching on the city for some reason we don't know about, and a bunch of heroes doing their level best to screw everything up. Sounds like fun, right?" * Saki rolls her eyes, and supplies details by interjecting throughout Rachel's rant. "... from Bluetooth. ... the guard's going to be in disarray, but Horam's providing first-line defence. But there aren't enough leaders around to cover everyone." * Saki carefully looks to one side. "... ah... Mikayla may be dead." * Rachel helpfully mounts a silent 'very'. Yuriko clenches her fists a little unconsciously, the wrappings shifting. * Saki catches that, and there's a ghost of a smile that can't match Rachel's crazy grin. "... so, we've a job to do. That meant getting us patched up and yanking you back." * Trune is now known as Lucca [Yuriko] That's aweful. Here I have been chasing phantoms across the ocean, and beloved Horam now faces a great evil without Mayors and Astorians? [Yuriko] Of course I will come back! I can still fight, and my love for my homeland is the greatest power! She seems to be back to herself again, thankfully. * Saki closes her eyes and nods. "... alright. That's number one done. Number two..." She gazes at the stained glass ceiling in silence, and Rachel joins her in doing so before summarily breaking it. "--it'll hurt like hell, you understand." [Yuriko] But... how will you be... fixed? I thought my chi disruption was permanent. * Rachel blinks down at Yuriko. "We're stubborn." * Saki points at the ceiling with an amused air. "And we've got friends in high places." She heaves herself up, grabs Rachel by the shoulder, and drags the ghostly form towards the lift. Yuriko looks up at the taller woman/shadow. "...high places." Then a small chuckle. "Oh, that kind of high. Yes... Lucia's up there but I haven't tried speaking with her yet." * Rachel nods. "She's surprisingly talkative for an icecube." Still manhandling her, Saki groans. "--I apologise for my other half being a rude lout. ... come on," she adds, stepping onto the lift. The Horam kohai follows behind the duo, and the lfit obediently raises them into the pinnacle of the spire. A long walkway leads to the crystal chamber, suspended over a pit of pillars and the like that spirals downward. The form of Lucia is sleeping by the looks of it, and the monitoring equipment performs its duties. Her body is now almost completely unfrozen, and color is coming back. * Saki parades along the walkway with the other two in tow, and stops just short of the boundary of the crystal itself. "... we're a bit early." The activity rouses the Spire's master from her healing slumber, as the red and blue fabrics of her raiments cover her form where it is not still chilled. Her eyes open and seem surprised when they find the three guests before her. * Rachel stands to some more informal type of attention than Saki, nodding once. A ripple goes across the surface of the crystal like that of the top of a pond, liquid for bit an instant in her raising of a hand weekly in greeting. << weakly >> [Lucia] Saki... this is an unexpected surprise. * Saki tilts her head, Yuriko temporarily forgotten. It might be a bow. "... things came up. We didn't reach Lazarus yet, but... this is our decision, either way." Yuriko, confused by this introduction simply bows her head awkwardly in reverence. [Lucia] I had surmised as much. So, you've decided to remain a 'team' and fight the shadows together? Perhaps it's better this way... [Lucia] I can already feel the weakness you have standing there. It reminds me of a poem I once read... * Rachel cuts in with a snort. "--we're supposed to be sleeping before staving off an army. We might have to be quick about this." [Lucia] It was a tale of two angels. But they each were given only one wing by God. So that they must be a pair in order to truly fly. * Saki holds a wry smile on her face; Rachel spends time examining the image of her black armor the moment the word 'angels' is mentioned. Lucia sighs. "You're correct. This is a time for action, and the world is counting on you -- Both of you. If this is really the arrangement that you can live with, then I can make it as it was before." * Saki takes a long, deep breath; surprisingly, Rachel mirrors it. When they both just nod in response, the motions are eerily similar; perfectly timed, just this once. The sudden simalcrum of the gesture is not lost on a surprised Yuriko. [Lucia] ...I'll take that as a yes. Lucia looks a moment at both of her hands and frowns a moment. "I do wish I didn't have to do it this way, crude and possibly a little painful... but I cannot yet leave this crystal. Were I in better shape, this would be relatively simple."" * Saki nods. "... it's fine. We're used to painful." Frowning with some effort, the now mortal watcher of the Spire extends her unfrozen hands to the surface of the green spinning crystal. The ripples return and the gloves palms emerge. It appears to take great concentration just to do this simple task with her body against the nullifying chill that permeates it. After a moment both arms are half exposed into the air, and one meekly beckons both forward. * Saki makes a faint and possibly worried sigh, then they both step forward. [Lucia] ...I've actually healed many others with your problem. But none have ever wished for it to be like this. You are truly a brave person, Saki... and a possibly even braver rider of that body, mistress Rachel. * Rachel raises a skeptical eyebrow. "--stubborn," she repeats resolutely. [Lucia] Henceforth, you are no longer going to be a construct of the whims of fate... a supposed accident, but a team with a singular.. *slight smile* stubborness to get the job done. Lucia places both of the gloves each on the shoulder of the two respectfully. With the touch of the strangely soft yet protective suede surface there is the tingle of spiritual energy that begins to flow from Lucia. * Saki grits her teeth out of reflex; Rachel instinctively screws her eyes up, expecting the worst. Sets of runic markings appear above the heads and around Rachel and Saki. They form a ephemeral ward that instantly forms a barrier that only exists for them. The glowing sigils swirls around and soon morph into a set of chains that squeezes extremely tight -- it is a constricting pain felt equally by flesh and soul. [Lucia] ...last chance to... reconsider? Yuriko gasps slightly, and looks worried. * Saki yelps in pain, incoherent; Rachel, somewhat more cognisant, opts for a angry growl that rises in volume. She opens one eye and grits her teeth at Lucia, and nods. Lucia nods wordlessly, accepting and honoring their decision of their fate. And so she turns the gentle touch into a fierce grab at the shoulders now, as the chains that bound them turn from constricting each independently to wrapping about the two over and over. There's a terrible force that accompanies this, the sensation of being in the grip of a boa constrictor of light. Tighter and tighter it squeezes as the sense of who Rachel is and who Saki is blurs, the two forcibly melded back into a single space in reality. Mageguard and martial artist are one and the same, the light of Saki, swirling with the dark of Rachel until a balance restores itself once more. * There are more yells of pain; at this point, however, it's impossible to pick them apart. The chains seep into the skin of the entity and vanish one by one, the bonds of the soul and fate recombined for a reborn Saki. A few holy sigils remain around her as consciousness starts to return. * Saki wobbles fuzzily, then immediately decides that falling over would be the best plan ever. She lays prone for all of a second before something in her jerks and she's mouthing a string of archaic swearwords under her breath. * Rachel (~arpee@192.168.0.51) Quit (Quit: ) [Yuriko] Saki! * Lucca (~lucca@astound-66-234-193-219.ca.astound.net) Quit (Quit: Quote #198 We're all having an orgy! Except for me for once, because I'm impotent :| Ashton: Your prick is a pencil. :| ;_; No want prick.) Yuriko runs over and tries to catch her friend before she falls completely to the floor Lucia, meanwhile, looks extremely winded from what she had described as a simple matter. * Saki slumps on Yuriko. "--Not Saki," she mutters, then blinks twice trying to get her focus and examining a hand for any sign of the floor through it. "--she's still unconscious. Owww... Gods, you weren't kidding." [Lucia] It is done then. But the bond's not completely as strong as before.. you each had grown more distant in even this short time. * Saki stands; a bit wobbily, but she can manage, and she nods to Yuriko before visibly shifting back to Saki - it's easy to tell because she bites off the end of another yelp, and looks around wildly. "... ah... ... thank you." * Saki goes through the routine of checking herself for... well, herself all over again. * Saki sighs out, apparently approving. "... mm. 'More distant'... well, it's alright. I guess that's the point of it." Yuriko is definitely the only other person in the chamber now, and Saki's body is completely restored. When the pain subsides, she's as fit as she ever was. >> Normal stats restored! Lucia bows her head in response. "With your strength restored... please, help my daughter." * Saki breathes out one last time, and Rachel sends a lazy salute Lucia's way. "We'll let you sleep. We've a world to save. ... something like that," finishes Saki. [Yuriko] So, you're really yourself... or is that selves? * Saki turns on her heel and saunters off towards the lift, rotating one black-plate covered arm in thought. "Mmm... feels like it. Horam had better watch out." She blinks once, peers down at her gauntlet. "... right. I guess I didn't tell you. I'm an evil demon now, or something." She - probably Rachel - hops onto the lift, raises her arms, and makes the appropriate spooky noises. "Woo~." Lucia seems satisfied and slips completely back into the depths of the healing chamber. "There is only one true evil in this world... and there is always a little darkness in each of us. If you can accept that, you know the truth. And it will set this world free." >> And we can probably fade to black there as Yuriko and Satchel warp back to Horam because ye gods I need sleep. Session Close: Sun Feb 24 04:57:40 2008