Tania la Fey
Tania sipped her drink slowly so as to let the flavors linger and mix on her tongue. She hated the way that the Bloody Mary tasted after it warmed in her mouth, it was thick, salty, a little sour and a little bitter, and worst of all had the consistency of spoiled cream. Though, she enjoyed the feeling when it trickled down her throat. She liked the burn, the salt, the way that a little bit got stuck in her throat and left a warm salty residue that made her feel like her throat and mouth had been rubbed raw. Miki didn't like Bloody Maries much, it actually used to be a hobby of Tania's to dunk the tiny retainer in vats of the briny tomato paste when she was just a child attending the court of dreams.
It was hard to remember whether Miki's distaste of the drink came before or after Tania's increased affinity for the beverage.
Tania shrugged. The moon outside had risen to it's peak. The shine of the light filtered into the canteen. Eddie the Dead was sitting in the corner moping to himself - harboring some sort of unquenched anger - not that Tania could care at all. She was always skeptical of new gods. They often kept the petty short-sighted nature of mortal souls to pair sourly with their newfound strength. It was the lack of a sense of scale that got to Tania. Too much like Oberon, too much like Puck, constantly living in a state of now, wanting and waiting.
You speak as if you were not the same until recently. Tania tutted and gently stroked Miki's hair. The voice within spoke true and internalized the insecurities that came with her new eyes, inherited from some goddess of an old world. A true goddess, one unbound by the same rules that sank it's hooks into her pale flesh. Perspective, I have that now. She could see the past and the future now, and feel the way that she would feel then and the way she had once felt. It was a notion of clarity that was simultaneously insultingly simple and so utterly incomprehensible that she balked at the idea of ever losing this newfound wisdom.
"Live as you do now, as you wished for in the past, and live as you do now as you wish to live in years to come," she stirred her drink with the lonely stalk of celery in the cup. "Isn't that right Miki?"
Miki simple nodded.
Tania smiled. She pulled the celery out of its red-stained prison and bit into the stalk. It was salty with the residue from it's blood-bath, but still held the unmistakable spice of the plant itself. You may become similar to your surroundings, and you may even become comfortable. But it is difficult to lose the features that make you, you. She chewed absentmindedly on the tough fibrous stalk. Each crunch let loose another small mist of the burning leafy spice that burned her nose and excited her taste buds.
The moon was astoundingly beautiful tonight, as on all nights. Would that it bore in full nakedness the stark white flesh that it was given so graciously by the timeless lords, Tania would have been most grateful. Though even in it's crescent notion, hiding it's beauty beneath the veil of shadow the same way Deborah would cover her bosom with a blanket, she could see the full roundness of it's majesty. Against the blue-lit background of the night sky, the deepest darkness of the moon's silhouette bore itself in gentle contrast. In that way it was even more alluring than when the moon was full. Now she could close her eyes and imagine a moon in golden splendor, cast in corrupting darkness and preserving her virtue against all odds. A brilliant ideal image. Between the rock in the sky and the goddess that inhabited her daydreams, the moon had been christened both things. It slipped in and out of reality and fantasy with Tania as much as it did with every other creature that would look up toward the moon with eyes closed and hearts open to receive the gentle kindness of the white-gold goddess of the sleepless sky.
Deborah swung her seat around to face Tania, her red eyes gleamed excitedly. "Wasn't that something?" Deborah grinned.
"It... was indeed something." Tania closed her eyes and rested her chin on her hands. Miki made way to clean up the abandoned droplets of liquid she had left on the counter top.
"I'm sure Anjali will make a great member of the Dawn. I'm sure of it." She patted her grimoire, her breasts were as animated as her body language. Tania felt her face redden. It wouldn't kill her to wear a bra would it? Otherwise the Liturgist was rather proud of herself.
"Indeed," Tania said, "it must be a refreshing change of pace to be the teacher for once." She returned her gaze to the moon outside. It must have been lonely all those years, gazing longingly at the Earth below. Knowing all, but unable to speak, an unblinking eye that was witness to times immemorial.
Deborah nodded and turned to look at Anjali talking to Luke. "Well mannered for an undead don't you think? And that snake-spirit inside of her - don't you think it means well?"
"If only she would find her raison d'etre." Tania answered. She tipped her hat over her eyes. She knew how they looked right now, like coals, flitting with the sprite-like embers that served as proof of her agency. Something that she now knew Deborah had tried to borrow for a short amount of time. But in the time that Tania slept, the darkness had grown around them in a way that was impossible to predict prior.
It was like a labyrinth. A hundred thousand timelines were collapsed into a single timeline, rewound a million times over to achieve one result. There was little free will here, and even less likely a reason to be. But for now whatever entity had constructed the barrier seemed to have grown disinterested, or had been distracted by things elsewhere.
You are like the moon. You see, but cannot act. A bound observer for all eternity. A sad fate. Titania smiled. "Yet, does not the moon pull upon the Earth with countless invisible threads? The tides, the beasts, and even human hearts bend at her invisible call."
"Huh? That's kinda out of the blue Tania." Deborah looked concerned.
Titania smiled, "Ah, don't mind me. I was just thinking out loud."
---
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Lonely Nightmare
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[i]elizabeth's story[/i]At times it's hard to remember the distinction between reality and a waking nightmare
I leaned back against the bed. The comforter was soft as sin, stuffed with feathers and stitched between large sheets of cool silk. The mattress itself was made of some sort of firm foam. I let myself sink into the softness and held the picture that Rhodes had given to me. It was distressing to see the Lieutenant in her childhood. She had a strange kind quality to her that made even me want to abuse her. She had gentle kind eyes and a peaceful smile that spoke of genuine and sincere trust. She was pure in every sense of the word. It was a goodness that brewed hate within the souls of men. I traced her outline with one of my fingers. Dolo - no, Lolita Selmy. She looked different back then. Those fearful green eyes and inconsistent demeanor were absent. She was beautiful, serene, and genuine. It was as close to perfection as I could think of. An infuriating type of perfection. Then I realized it. The desire to harm this beautiful girl. It was envy in it's purest form. A wrathful, cowardly envy that churned deep below the civilized visage of human kind was kindled by this girl.
I closed my eyes.
Immaculate conception. That's what Rhodes had told me. She was born to Rhodes Selmy, but they were not related by blood. Though she and her sisters were. The troublesome Laeta and Saren, both touched with the same divine quality as their older sister Lolita. I could see why their father was driven to insanity by this girl.
"Venia," the name danced upon my lips. I couldn't remember where I had heard the name, but looking at the young Lolita, I came to hear the name again and again. It means forgiveness, Rhodes had said off-handedly when I mentioned it. A word from the old tongue that Lolita seemed to speak fluently since childhood. Lingua Perpetua. She's just like me.
I rolled over. My phone rang.
"Hello"
The crackle of static answered first, only after a few moments did an old accented voice make itself known in the sea of noise. "Captain Donnell."
"Yes, this is Captain Donnell."
"Captain Donnell, Lieutenant Selmy is in dire straits." There was a crackle, "she's suffered severe injuries and needs organ transplants."
"Don't we have stored tissue for that?" I yawned. I was tired. With no sun to tell time with, it was hard to know what time it was. Rhodes and I had talked for the better part of six hours.
"She's rejected," another interruption, "we have given. We need to know if she has family."
I looked over at the picture Rhodes had given me. Two brunette sisters with sterling blue eyes. Different from the crimson eye'd albino that held them both in a tight embrace. "There are two. They should be on the ship right now. Look for them. Laeta and Saren."
There was a legitimate pause. "Amazing work... how do you know absolutely everything Captain Donnell?"
"It's my job," I hung up before I finished, "I guess."
I kept the picture close to me as I sank into sleep. Who knows the nightmares that would come for me tonight. Whether in my dreams or in reality, that inky darkness that bids itself BlackHarte seems to shadow my every step.
---
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Deus Ex Machina
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Phenomena Intervention - Prime Unit SolomonSaren stared at Farber. He looked a bit impish. A little furryish. A little humanish. In fact, he was just that... ish. Nothing quite exact that Saren had seen before, a little wishy-washy. So she grinned, "Farber the Ish." She was quite proud of that name. It was written quite plainly on her face, that pride.
Laeta smiled, "I'm Laeta, and this is my little sister Saren."
"That's all you need to know about us." Saren said quite suddenly. She fiddled with the black bow that kept her hair in place. It had come loose when she had taken the time to vent her frustrations on Cortex's head earlier.
"You must excuse Saren," Laeta said, "she's a little rough around the edges."
"And you have to excuse Laeta," Saren echoed sarcastically, "she's a big-breasted brainless whore that hasn't been able to get the most desperate men to fuck her."
"LANGUAGE. You are in the presence of children!" Losko demanded. Laeta smiled. It was good to see him back to his usual self.
Laeta smacked Saren on the back of the head in response. Then Saren stomped on Laeta's shoes. The two seemed rather good-spirited about the whole ordeal. They grinned at each other mischievously. "And aren't you just saying that because you've got a huge sis-con thing going on Saren?"
"Like fuck I am!" Losko was starting to glow red. Vettya hastened is ponderous plodding down the hallway toward the Canteen.
Laeta leaned over to Saren and pressed her chest against her back, "Then you won't mind me when I do this?" Laeta bit gently on Saren's ear. The younger girl turned red.
"I see... that you... are lacking both the concepts... of shame and personal space!" Saren pulled away from Laeta and stumbled forward. Laeta grinned, looking rather smug at her small victory.
In the end it was Losko that had to answer Farber's question. "These two incestuous idiots are Laeta and Saren Selmy respectively. They are visiting their elder sister who is stationed aboard this vessel as a support officer. In their youth they were Ruby's friends. Indeed, Saren was one of Ruby's classmates during her time in the primary school system. Laeta is a gifted martial artist and a talented painter by nature. Saren is a natural technophile and loves nothing more than stirring up trouble for others to fix."
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Venia Pariemi
There was a lot of commotion going around the medical bay today. In fact, there is currently a lot of activity in the medical bay today. There are people running around, and lots of people dying. But even more so, there are even two emissaries of the afterlife coming to and fro! It's absurd really because usually there isn't even one! Or maybe it's because I've never paid attention.
Death usually doesn't happen around this place. People just disappear. They don't, ah, die?
Now though, their souls run through the aether like a sea of liquid light. It's warm to the touch, filled with the virtue of humanity and the vigor of life. It sure is busy today isn't it? Mercury-san and Mr. Raven King? Though why is it that you have become a figure of power, O Mr. Raven King? It seems so strange to have a mortal become immortal. And Mercury-san too! For mortal to become immortal...
Hm... It is true though, you two are probably more empathetic to human nature that a divine figure would be. To know the fear of death and the visceral selfish desire to live. In fact, looking down, it looks like my body is expiring too! It's such a shame. I've had so much more to give with that body. It was a nice body.
But light and forgiveness stem from the soul. Don't you agree Mercury-san, Mr. Raven King? It'd really be a shame to actually pass them on to another life to be reborn. The cycle really is kind of cruel! What do you think about release from the cycle of sin and virtue? The fight of good and evil, right and wrong?
I'm naive because I'm young, but I think that everyone can get along! Don't you agree?
Look at this! Gospodin Georgie is working so hard to save my body, a psychopathic sadist works his hardest to preserve my life! In his heart he holds his values, just as everyone else holds their own. Though his sins are great, does he not deserve to be forgiven? He has lived as God has bid him, and his sins are done in God's name. And there, who stand by the window looking in, Ms. Molli Faust and Monsieur Langley wish for all their heart that my body continues to live! Such selfless devotion deserves to be rewarded, right?
If even these mortals can put aside their vices to save me, then why not you immortals forgive and learn? You were once mortal too, Mr. Raven King, Mercury-san, isn't it better to let go? Though I wonder, what would it be like for an immortal to suddenly become mortal? What would they be like?
Hmm?
Can you hear me? Is the glass to thick? Or the stream of souls too dense?
Mercury-san! Mr. Raven King! Hello~?
