Hiatus Week 3

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Mz.Hyde
Mz.Hyde 
@disqus_NnFUI30kih 2 years ago
Week 3, Day 1 
Dear Journal, 
Shit has officially hit the fan. 
What has started off very well has turned into a disaster. The forum, once a peaceful and fun place, has disintegrated into war and chaos....j-just like I wanted it too! Because I'm a God of Chaos! *Gick* 
It all began when someone discovered that the discussions have a longer time being open, from 7 days to 10 days. But then someone else realized: 
How are we going to have episodic updates then? 
Then I remembered I could close out any discussions I wanted. 
And then the fighting started. 
People started arguing if the government is controlling everything via the use of a watchbot codenamed "Mz.Hyde." I have not encountered this robot, but they say it has the power to shut down comments on threads. 
This threat must be annihilated! I will find this robot and destroy it in the name of Potato! 
Nevertheless,the fighting escalated when we ran out of food. We now have to eat things like broccoli, chicken, eggplants, steak, and other garbage. 
God, I miss my little Debbies! 
And then when we thought it couldn't get any worse
The ball pit starting to deflate. 
And we have reason to believe someone relieved themselves in it. 
That was also when we ran out of masculine products, now the men are constantly gripping and crying about their cramps and bloating, with Hastie being the worst of them all. Yesterday he hissed at me and threw a banana at my head. Then he crawled away with one of his kitten children in his jaws and disappeared into the shadows. That fucker better not ruin my carpet! 
And that was when shit literally hit the fan. 
It got on everything. The walls, the ceiling, everywhere. No idea who did it, but we will find them by doing side by side comparisons with everyone's stool and the offending feces....I hope we have enough lube....
Now the place is like an insane asylum, I can hear the screams and the moans everywhere. Riots break out every five minutes, unless we're eating in the next five minutes in which the riot is postponed until everyone is done eating. 
Why? 
Why has Sabrina foresaken us?
It feels as if there is no time here, and there isn't, since time is only accounted for via comic updates. 
What have we done to deserve this? 
Why am I such a failure as a leader? 
God knows; I am careless; this is my true hour of death, and what is to follow concerns another than myself. Here then, as I lay down the pen and proceed to seal up my confession, I bring the life of that unhappy Henry Jekyll to an end. 
Goodbye cruel world.
Love, 
Mz. Hyde
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Hiatus Week 3
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Mz.Hyde
Mz.Hyde 
@disqus_NnFUI30kih 2 years ago
Week 3, Day 1 
Dear Journal, 
Shit has officially hit the fan. 
What has started off very well has turned into a disaster. The forum, once a peaceful and fun place, has disintegrated into war and chaos....j-just like I wanted it too! Because I'm a God of Chaos! *Gick* 
It all began when someone discovered that the discussions have a longer time being open, from 7 days to 10 days. But then someone else realized: 
How are we going to have episodic updates then? 
Then I remembered I could close out any discussions I wanted. 
And then the fighting started. 
People started arguing if the government is controlling everything via the use of a watchbot codenamed "Mz.Hyde." I have not encountered this robot, but they say it has the power to shut down comments on threads. 
This threat must be annihilated! I will find this robot and destroy it in the name of Potato! 
Nevertheless,the fighting escalated when we ran out of food. We now have to eat things like broccoli, chicken, eggplants, steak, and other garbage. 
God, I miss my little Debbies! 
And then when we thought it couldn't get any worse
The ball pit starting to deflate. 
And we have reason to believe someone relieved themselves in it. 
That was also when we ran out of masculine products, now the men are constantly gripping and crying about their cramps and bloating, with Hastie being the worst of them all. Yesterday he hissed at me and threw a banana at my head. Then he crawled away with one of his kitten children in his jaws and disappeared into the shadows. That fucker better not ruin my carpet! 
And that was when shit literally hit the fan. 
It got on everything. The walls, the ceiling, everywhere. No idea who did it, but we will find them by doing side by side comparisons with everyone's stool and the offending feces....I hope we have enough lube....
Now the place is like an insane asylum, I can hear the screams and the moans everywhere. Riots break out every five minutes, unless we're eating in the next five minutes in which the riot is postponed until everyone is done eating. 
Why? 
Why has Sabrina foresaken us?
It feels as if there is no time here, and there isn't, since time is only accounted for via comic updates. 
What have we done to deserve this? 
Why am I such a failure as a leader? 
God knows; I am careless; this is my true hour of death, and what is to follow concerns another than myself. Here then, as I lay down the pen and proceed to seal up my confession, I bring the life of that unhappy Henry Jekyll to an end. 
Goodbye cruel world.
Love, 
Mz. Hyde
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Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
XDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
Oh my God, I'm dying because of how you ended it! XDDDD
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Miss-Dreamerkat • 2 years ago
That was the most beautiful thing I've read today. I salute thee! !
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Hastie Lanyon • 2 years ago
(Mwahaha! Beautifully written, Mz. Hyde!)
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chatterghosts • 2 years ago
... Looks like we're in need of a new leader. BOW BEFORE ME.
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Helen Jekyll  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
I mean, if you insist. XD
*bows*
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chatterghosts  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
Gooooooood.
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Elaina Hyde  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
No! Not "gooooooood"! XDX
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Setae  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
*bows confused beside Helen* Ah, okay I guess. I thought this process would be more democratic.
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
Nah, where's the fun in that? *Hela smirks* If you want power, you have to take it, you have to demand it!
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
*sighs* But that's so much effort.
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
That's why you're not the dictator of this forum. *laughs*
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago • edited
*shrugs* Meh, it's not worth it if you have to try that hard.
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
Well, maybe you can settle for advisor, then. You'd just have to be good at manipulation for that.
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
Hmm, I don't think that's an option. I can barely interact normally with people as it is.
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
A royal bodyguard, then? You do have a lot of poisons and venoms you could use.
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
Hm, yeah, that sounds more like it. I wouldn't mind offering my services as a bodyguard.
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
Wonderful! *Hela puts on her flower crown of white flower stained red with blood* You're hired.
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
What? Why? What do you need me for?
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
To keep all the police at bay...
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
*panicked expression* Are they coming now?! *draws gun*
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
Probably...? *nervous smile as she adjusts her crown*
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
Are you serious?! I can't keep a whole police squad at bay!
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
*clears throat, chuckling softly* U-Uh... what about the entire station?
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
*turns and stares at her wideeyed* The entire police station is coming after you!!?!
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago • edited
(I somehow replied twice. Huh. Odd.)
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
(I only see one.)
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
(Must just be my phone being weird, then.)
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
(Been there. My phone and disqus don't always agree either.)
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
...possibly some of the army too... *shrinks under his gaze*
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
*he keeps staring at her, eyes looking like they're about to pop out the sockets. Then he tucks the gun away under his coat again* Well, *mouth twists into a grin* I'm sorry to say this, but that means our best option is to run and hide like cowards.
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
Sounds like a plan. You distract them, I'll get a head start! *takes off running*
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
*straight into the arms of two officers down at the end of the street*
(Is it okay I do this?)
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
(Absolutely! :DD)
aSTRID HELP HELEN WILL DIE IN PRISON! *panics, her legs giving out*
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
*sprints down the street. He stares at one of the officers for a second, before punching him in the face. He grabs Hela by the arm and hauls her back up the street again* A**hole!
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
*takes deep breaths, laughing weakly* Who, me or the cops?
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
You! *stops dead as he sees three other policemen come towards them from the opposite end of the street*
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
Dear God, why won't they just give up...? *She groaned.* I need to change. They won't go after Helen...
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
*has already shot one officer with dart gun in panic* Well I wish you'd said that a little earlier...
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
So sorry, I was a little busy trying not to get caught and hung... *she stood behind him, trying to hide* Can't you shoot all of them?
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
I don't have enough for all of th-
*is tackled to the ground by furious police man*
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
Ah! *takes off running, hoping he'd be enough of a distraction for her to get a head start*
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
*is also tackled to the ground by police man. Another one throws himself on top of them, just for good measure.*
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago • edited
*Hela groans, barely able to breathe* God... damnit...
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
*Astrid manages to pull a syringe from his pocket, but the officer immedially knocks it out of his hand. It lands a few inches from Hela's face*
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
*Her eyes widen and she scrambles to pick it up, elbowing the officer laying on top of her as she grasped for it.*
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
*Astrid, now in a chokehold, frantically kicks out, hitting the syringe so it rolls within reach of her hand.*
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
*She grins and jabs it into the nearest officer, praying it would help.*
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
*it does. Sort of. The officer on top of Hela goes limb, a thin trail of foam coming his mouth. The officer on top of him and Hela doesn't quite notice. He continues to press down with his full weight*
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Elaina Hyde  Setae • 2 years ago
*raises hand* Leo didn't have to do anything to get nominated. No work was put in by him. He didn't demand anything.
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Helen Jekyll  Elaina Hyde • 2 years ago
That's what you think. You don't live with him. *Hela nuzzles the kitten*
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Elaina Hyde  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
I could though
*snatches the kitty and runs* HE'S MINE NOW
*starts sneezing*
*has an asthma attack*
*dead*
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Helen Jekyll  Elaina Hyde • 2 years ago
*D:<* Leo!
*sniffles and picks up her kitty from the corpse, petting him* It's okay, I've got you...
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Elaina Hyde  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
*pouts* I'm the better Leo. That's just a silly cat.
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Helen Jekyll  Elaina Hyde • 2 years ago
Go back to being dead... *Hela glares and covers Leo's ears* Don't listen to her, she's just jealous of your good looks...
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Elaina Hyde  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
That is true.
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chatterghosts  Setae • 2 years ago
Shhh. We're trying out a new government system.
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Setae  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
Oh right. I guess it is a good idea to try out some new things from time to time.
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Hyde without a Jekyll  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
*is already on the floor and has been bowing for months.*
Why is the floor as low as I can go?
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Helen Jekyll  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
*pats shoulder sympathetically* Because you're not a ghost... though you could always bow from the basement.
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Hyde without a Jekyll  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago • edited
TOO THE BASEMENT!!! *charges off*
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Helen Jekyll  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
*waves* Say hello to the skeletons and rotting corpses for me!
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chatterghosts  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
*grabbing shovels*
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Elaina Hyde  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
Noooo don't fall for this communist stuff!
Leo the Cat is the best leader! >:(
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Elaina Hyde  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
I don't think I trust you enough XP
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chatterghosts  Elaina Hyde • 2 years ago
...wellnowyouhavetotrustyournewleaderso
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Helen Jekyll  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
XDD
Is that a command, oh great one?
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Elaina Hyde  chatterghosts • 2 years ago • edited
I don't have to.
Unless your a communist
Dang it Doodle I thought you were better than this I'm so disappointed in you
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Setae • 2 years ago
*rolls on the floor laughing* This is excellent!
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Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
I am crying with laughter!! xDDDDDDDDDD Amazing! Everything from the new ten day time out to Potato to Hastie to the post poned fights! 
1000/10 
A+++++
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Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
Potato Approved.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/041468a6b60deb2a71272c3347cd1ac06356c70a734df384d9d3ff1ffef41eae.png?w=600&h=163
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Helen Jekyll  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
Am I Potato approved? *Hela asks with a toothy smile.*
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Elaina Hyde  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
no
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Helen Jekyll  Elaina Hyde • 2 years ago
*Hela is crushed and wallows in sadness beneath her bed*
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Elaina Hyde  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
Oh wait no I'm sorry!
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Helen Jekyll  Elaina Hyde • 2 years ago
*The sadness is converted into fiery rage and soon the Society is nothing more than ashes in the wind...*
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Elaina Hyde  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
Oh jeez. My bad.
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Helen Jekyll  Elaina Hyde • 2 years ago • edited
*Self destructive rage! Woo! DX
P.s.
Hela didn't survive the fire*
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Elaina Hyde  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
Oh
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Mz.Hyde Mod  Elaina Hyde • 2 years ago
God damm it Elaina.
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Elaina Hyde  Mz.Hyde • 2 years ago
my bad *shrug*
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Helen Jekyll  Mz.Hyde • 2 years ago
This is what happens when you mess with the volatile Hyde. XD
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
*exasperated sigh* Goddamn drama queen.
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
What can I say? Helen has been suppressing a lot in 24 years. XDX
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
*sighs again* Yeah okay, but really, she burned down the Society because of a disapproving potato.
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
She's only six years old and the Potato is one of few true friends she actually has. The loss was devestating. *sniff*
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
Oh, well I'm sorry for her. But also still a little upset and annoyed that we're now homeless because of her fractured friendship with a plant tuber.
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
Well, at least she payed for her crimes, right?
*Hela ghost noises*
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
Yay, justice. *kicks up a dust cloud*
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
What do you think her unfinished business would be?
*angry Hela ghost noises*
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
*shrugs* Forgiveness from her friends? Revenge on the rest of mankind?
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
Probably the second... *sigh*
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
*sighs as well* Oh great.
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
I'll call the Ghostbusters?
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
That could be a good idea.
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
Or maybe Mz. Hyde...
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
Mz. Hyde can fight ghosts?
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
I'm convinced Mz. Hyde can do anything she puts her mind to, by breaking physics and the fourth wall.
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
Yeah, it'd probably be quite fun to watch. *walks around the corner, digging in his pocket. Comes back with a large bag of pop corn* Just in case it's her you summon.
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
Oooh, good idea! :D
I'll see if she's available!
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Setae  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
Okay
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Hyde without a Jekyll  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
Of course! 
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ad5f6ff859f3504d3bbd2cd4d1a77d5c8bf18f21b5c970c179a77f359e9f125d.png?w=600&h=167 
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Helen Jekyll  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
*Hela beams with pride*
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Elaina Hyde • 2 years ago
looks like we need a new leader and it's not gonna be Doodle XDD
I nominate Leo the cat. He's clearly the best choice.
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Helen Jekyll  Elaina Hyde • 2 years ago
Hela seconds this nomination. XDD
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Dr. H. Griffin • 2 years ago
It's the end of the road!
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Dr. H. Griffin  Dr. H. Griffin • 2 years ago
Also, let's finish off The Society and the Beanstalk!
Background Scientist #37 
BS#37: "NEVER!" Gemma yelled to Griffin. "ECHO!"
Griffin yanked a bottle from somewhere and threw it at the stalk where they were climbing. It nearly hit Ariadne, but missed when she ducked.
"Yikes!" Ariadne cried.
Miss-Dreamerkat and Wizardblizzard :
WizardBlizzard: By ALL means. Hang on, this is no good.
*She took her boots off and slings them around her neck, before clambering out of the door again.*
Should have thought of that before. At least, that's what they always say you should do. I had enough trouble getting down from that lab... Kito Latro? Come to think, I remember Miss Flowers telling me about you. Pleased to meet you.
*She clambered out of the door again, but waited for the others. She wasn't going to lose sight of them again if se could help it.*
Miss-Dreamerkat: Kito followed behind her, he had to descend no matter how terrified he was.
Me: Ariadne also followed, leaning out of the door. The stalk stretched down, down further than she could see. It seemed to be spurting out of a thick and wide patch of cloud.
"Well, it'll take some time, but I think we could make it down in about... an hour or two?"
MillieGriffin 
MG: Millie nodded in agreement with Ariadne "I'm Millie Griffin, a genetic microbiologist," she introduced, " and this is my uncle," she gestured to Griffin, "he's an optical fragmenter."
Me: Ariadne still stiffened at the fact of having a near duplicate of Griffin somehow be Millie's uncle. Best not to dwell, odder things have happened.
"Dr. Ariadne Radcliffe. Vaporous chemist." Ariadne introduced herself, outstretching a hand to the no-longer shaking man. He took it slowly, shaking it even slower.
"Oscar Marfinn. Experimental horologist." he introduced himself, still holding onto the book.
see more
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Wizardblizzard  Dr. H. Griffin • 2 years ago • edited
(( @Miss-Dreamerkat ))
I suppose we'd better make a start then. *She begins to climb.*
Do either of you know what happened? Is there a scientific explanation for this or... is magic of some kind involved?
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Wizardblizzard  Wizardblizzard • 2 years ago
(( Miss-Dreamerkat Dr. H. Griffin Id id try to tag that time but it didn't take. I think I just typed "@Miss-Dreamerkat" without clicking on anything, forgetting that it doesn't woark that way.))
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Miss-Dreamerkat  Wizardblizzard • 2 years ago
"Ask Ariadne," Kito said as he began to descend.
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Miss-Dreamerkat  Miss-Dreamerkat • 2 years ago
Dr. H. Griffin
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Dr. H. Griffin  Miss-Dreamerkat • 2 years ago
Ariadne stared at Kito at the mention of her name, then guiltily at the beanstalk.
"It was an accident." Ariadne meekly replied.
((Wizardblizzard))
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Wizardblizzard  Dr. H. Griffin • 2 years ago • edited
*Isabella stares.* 
You did this, Dr Radcliffe? ... That's quite an accident.
*thinks*
I suppose that means there's no magic involved afer all - this is some extraodinary kind of chemical phenomenon?
(( Miss-Dreamerkat ))
((Oh, yes, as you may have noticed I've taken to Mz. Hyde's posting format. I did that deliberatly, to try and remind myself not to obsess over "what my character would do", rather than what *I* want her to do. They always say you should think about waht your character would do but there's such a thing as going too far the other way. I do like the way the format you use works out, I may go back to it if my habits improve!))
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Miss-Dreamerkat  Wizardblizzard • 2 years ago
(I see, well I hope you get that habit fixed!)
Kito nodded as he climbed downward. He was still shocked that something nonmagical did this but couldn't focus on it. He just focused his attention on not looking down to the city below him, and instead where to put his feet.
(Can you tag Griffin for me? I can't tag anyone for some reason.)
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Dr. H. Griffin  Miss-Dreamerkat • 2 years ago
Ariadne began descending too.
"I was... trying to create chemical gas that could grow plants far beyond their natural size. A way to increase crops. Last night, I was testing it on a bean sprout, and nothing happened. So, I chucked it out of the window. And whatever happened, it must've grown into... this."
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Miss-Dreamerkat  Dr. H. Griffin • 2 years ago
Kito continued descending he then almost slipped and heclung to his spot for dear life. His eyes were wide as he clung there for a moment of two.
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Wizardblizzard  Miss-Dreamerkat • 2 years ago
((Dr. H. Griffin))
*Isabella climbed slowly and carefully, making sure she has a tigh hold with one hand before moving the other.*
Getting the hang of this now. I think I AM getting on better without the boo-
*hearing a noise below her, she looks down and sees Kito. Climbing down as fast as she dares she holds out one hand to Kito, clinging on tightly with the other*
eek. All right?
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Dr. H. Griffin  Wizardblizzard • 2 years ago
Ariadne noticed Kito falling too, and descended at a quickened pace. She nearly stepped on Isabella's hand before she got to them.
((Miss-Dreamerkat))
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Miss-Dreamerkat  Dr. H. Griffin • 2 years ago
Kito held on tightly trying to calm down. All he could do was shake his head no.
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Wizardblizzard  Miss-Dreamerkat • 2 years ago • edited
*I sabelawaited for Kito to get his breath back, rather glad of th rest.* It's going to be a long job. 
Rather a reilief in a way that the laws of nature haven't gone funny on s. On the other hand, if it's not magic, we're probably not going to be able to just magic this aay again.
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Wizardblizzard  Wizardblizzard • 2 years ago
((Dr. H. Griffin))
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Dr. H. Griffin  Wizardblizzard • 2 years ago
"It's not magic!" Ariadne shouted down. "It's process! Very sane and intelligible! I don't know how we're going to get this down, but chopping it would be unwise."
She looked at the tens of rooms held up in mid-air by the green shoots. It was stupendous, but also quite horrifying.
((Miss-Dreamerkat))
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Miss-Dreamerkat  Dr. H. Griffin • 2 years ago
(Sorry! Been busy lately o also have a wedding to go to today. Can you tag WozardBlizzatd for me?)
Kito listened to the two's exchange and sighed, it appeared Isabella was obsessed with magic. He continued climbing downward but much slower now and more careful. "I do believe she explained how this happened," he said.
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Dr. H. Griffin  Miss-Dreamerkat • 2 years ago
((Wizardblizzard))
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Wizardblizzard  Miss-Dreamerkat • 2 years ago
((Dr. H. Griffin)) I know, that's what I said. It's not magic so it's not going to magic itself back to normal again. You're not list- *Isabella reached a difficult part and stopp listenibng herself. Some time later:* I can see St Paul's. I think I like it better from BELOW. *she said in a small voice*
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MillieGriffin  Dr. H. Griffin • 2 years ago
"Well now that we have the introductions out of the way, what is our next corse of action?" Griffin impatiently spoke up.
"A horologist, ahy? That's an interesting field. Is it too bold to ask what you're out to accomplish in your studies?" Millie asked curiously
(I'll do my best to reply )
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Dr. H. Griffin  MillieGriffin • 2 years ago
Marfinn hesitated before answering her.
"I'm hoping to build a device that could slow down or quicken time. So far though my results haven't been that successful." he replied, leaning to the side to notice his pile of mechanical devices scattered in one corner.
Ariadne nodded, then turned to Millie's uncle to answer his point of call.
"Well, we should obviously continue descending, and get these containers down." Ariadne replied, then turned back to Marfinn. "Your welcome to join us to get down."
"Oh... I er... I would like to... but er... I er... Have to fix the hole in the ceiling..." he stuttered. "Do you know who er... made this... this?"
He pointed to the beanstalk.
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MillieGriffin  Dr. H. Griffin • 2 years ago
Millie tried not to glance at Ariadne, wanting her to speak up for herself, but Griffin was definitely staring at Millie. It was obvious he was blaming her for the whole mess.
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Dr. H. Griffin  MillieGriffin • 2 years ago
"I did." Ariadne replied, with hardly any hint of regret. The beanstalk was a mistake, but it was a success. "I made this whole thing possible. It was a mistake."
Marfinn looked surprised. He wasn't expecting Ariadne to; he was expecting the white haired man next to the other girl.
"Oh..." was all he could muster.
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Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
OH my gosh that was hilarious! XDDDDDDDDDDD The ending just killed me!!!!!!
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
I know! XDD
I'm a sucker for Jekyll and Hyde references and that one takes the cake!
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RBDECEPTICON17 • 2 years ago
Mz Hyde.
...
Explain what the hell I just read. XD
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Jekyll1886  RBDECEPTICON17 • 2 years ago
RB! Lewis is finally free of the party (I know it's been awhile ^^'). Did you want him to happen across Rose? It's currently the wee hours of the morning as far as that RP goes.
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RBDECEPTICON17  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Then Rose will most certainly be waking up with a horrible hangover, a blurry memory of the previous night and lots of feels...she's a sad girl after drinking.
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Jekyll1886  RBDECEPTICON17 • 2 years ago
Alrighty! Did you wish to simply skip ahead to when she wakes up?
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RBDECEPTICON17  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Of course! X3
Can you begin it, cause i'm a college at the moment. X3
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Jekyll1886  RBDECEPTICON17 • 2 years ago
((Certainly!))
Lewis had slept in rather late, having needed the rest after the previous night's events.
It was not until just after noon that he made his appearance at the Society. As Hela had already received her meal, he simply continued down the hall, wishing to let her eat in peace.
Yet, as he passed a particular door, he sensed a newly familiar presence within: Rose Knowles, who'd made quite the impression on him last night.
She seemed to be in distress.
"Rose?" he asked, rapping gently on her door. "Pardon, but are you all right?"
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RBDECEPTICON17  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Said sexologist had come out of bed with the worst hangover she had ever had...that being the only hangover she had ever had.
It took a little bit before everything that happened last night came back to her, and now she was sobbing and crying in her chair, not knowing what to do to get rid of the splitting headache that the drinking of last night had cursed her with.
And the knocking from the door certainly didn't help.
"C-Come in!" Rose shouted out sadly to Lewis.
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Jekyll1886  RBDECEPTICON17 • 2 years ago
To his surprise, the door was unlocked, so he did just as she said.
"What's the matter?" he asked softly, concern patent in his expression.
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RBDECEPTICON17  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"I-I've got a...h-headache...L-Lewis." The poor blonde stuttered out between sobs of pain, as she looked up at the other lodger from where she was sitting, her eyes bloodshot and her face stained with tears.
Rose looked absolutely dreadful...she had never felt this horrible before in her life.
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Jekyll1886  RBDECEPTICON17 • 2 years ago
"Oh, dear," said Lewis, keeping the volume of his voice low. "I'm afraid you have a hangover, Rose. From all the drinking last night."
He gave her a sympathetic look.
"I'll be right back."
Weir left her room and went to the kitchen.
He returned with a sizable tray a few minutes later.
"Here we are," he said, setting it down on the nearest available clear surface.
On the tray were two pitchers filled with cool water, one sparkling and the other still, as well as a small container of ice, complete with tiny tongs. There were also bland crackers, a piece of toast, a French butter dish and accompanying knife, and one hard-boiled egg.
From a waistcoat pocket he drew three small, white, round tablets.
"These will dull the pain," he explained softly, offering them to Rose. "Other than that, my advice is to drink plenty of water, and get something in your stomach, if you can."
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RBDECEPTICON17  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Rose's eyes widened in clear shock, a slither of pain still plaguing them, as she stared down at both the tray of food and drink, along with the three small tablets that were in Lewis's hands...before she quickly grabbed the tablets and began to down them one by one, desperately wanting the pain to go away.
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Jekyll1886  RBDECEPTICON17 • 2 years ago
"That should help you," he remarked quietly.
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RBDECEPTICON17  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
And after she had had the three tablets, and drank a little water afterwards, the blonde lodger smiled happily up at Lewis.
"Thank you, Lewis." Rose retorted softly, clearing looking and sounding a touch better.
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Jekyll1886  RBDECEPTICON17 • 2 years ago • edited
"You're most welcome, Rose," he returned at an equally quiet volume. "I'm glad to see you feeling a bit better; hangovers can be absolutely hellish.
"The more water you can drink, the better. It'll flush the poison from your system. Food will help, too.
"Don't feel obligated to eat everything, by the by. I merely wished to offer you a variety of choices."
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RBDECEPTICON17  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
The blonde sexologist quickly brought one of her hands up, stopping Lewis from speaking further.
"Could you be a darling and not speak too much, Lewis?" She asked of her fellow lodger, her voice sounding both soft and frighteninng.
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Jekyll1886  RBDECEPTICON17 • 2 years ago • edited
He simply nodded.
The silence stretched, as did the minutes.
He occupied himself with his thoughts, casting the occasional glance to Rose in case she wished to interact.
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RBDECEPTICON17  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
But the sexologist of The Society was not well known for socialising with others, not even with those within the very walls of their home.
And after last night...she was certain that she would never interact again.
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Jekyll1886  RBDECEPTICON17 • 2 years ago
Lewis, having only just met Rose the previous night, had no way to know either of these facts, unfortunately.
He did know from bitter experience that hangovers were awful affairs.
Wishing to honor her request for silence, he continued to wait.
He did hope she might eat something, at least, as it could make her feel better. But he did not repeat this aloud, having already said it once and not wishing to interrupt the quiet until Rose gave some indication it was meet to do so.
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Hyde without a Jekyll  RBDECEPTICON17 • 2 years ago
((That response made my day! XDDD ))
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RBDECEPTICON17  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
(Thank you!! X3)
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Mz.Hyde Mod  RBDECEPTICON17 • 2 years ago
The greatest story of our generation.
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RBDECEPTICON17  Mz.Hyde • 2 years ago
...Touche... XD
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Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
((Helen Jekyll The other discussion timed out, so here's the continuation of the Regent's Park/Sutton's RP:))
Helen Jekyll Jekyll1886 • 36 minutes ago
"If I had to choose from what was nearby. Hm."
She lifted up her mug. "Maybe bash someone on the head with this?"
Jekyll1886
"Good call," he said with an approving nod. "It's quite heavy glass, has a handle so you can keep a good grip on it. Could well knock a man out, particularly if you catch him unaware, hit him on a less protected area of the head.
"Looking at this table, what else might one be able to turn to one's advantage?"
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Setting the mug down, Hela scanned the rest of the tables contents.
"It's slim pickings... though if someone got really close, a fork to their eye should stop them in their tracks. Or," She wrinkled her nose. "my fingers if necessary."
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
"If your aim is true, that would definitely give them pause," he admitted with a chortle.
"Is there...some reason you wouldn't want to touch them with your hands?" he wondered.
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
She gave a shrug. "Never liked physical contact..." A glance at Lewis. "...especially from men."
"It's part of the reason why I don't appreciate it when my relative tackles me onto another person."
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
"Interesting..." he noted, mulling the information over. "Have you any idea where this aversion to touch may come from?"
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
"I'm not the doctor here... but if I had to guess, I'd say it's a side effect of the hatred."
She studied him for a moment. "Does it matter where it comes from?"
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
"I'm afraid I don't follow," Weir confessed. "How is aversion to touch a side effect of hatred?" He cocked his head, genuinely confused.
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"Well, I hate people, so... why would I want to be touched by them?" Hela frowned. "I thought it was as simple as that."
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
"I...somehow doubt it's that simple, but it is your mind..." he said with a shrug. "You'd know it best, I hope."
The waiter returned, and asked if they would care for dessert.
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Hela promptly became interested in her plate again, pushing around the remaining sauce with her fork. 
Nudging Lewis's leg with her foot, she nodded her head slightly towards the waiter, biting her lip.
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
Lewis inquired as to tonight's selections.
The waiter seemed gladdened at this, and replied that a berry compote with cream, a lemon cake, and spumoni were the desserts on offer this evening.
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"I... have no idea what those other two things are, but lemon cake sounds edible, at least." mumbled Hela, sighing.
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
"Spumoni for me, and lemon cake for my companion," Lewis told the server.
"Would you like a cup of coffee or tea with it?" Weir asked her quietly.
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"Uh, coffee..." Hela responded, nodding.
She looked up at their waiter for the first time. "And... a steak knife, please?"
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago • edited
The waiter raised an eyebrow at the request for the knife, but made no issue of it, instead simply giving a nod.
"I'll have a coffee as well," Weir informed him.
The waiter repeated the order back to them, Lewis affirmed its accuracy, and the man went into the kitchen.
"The lemon cake isn't that tough," joked Lewis with a laugh.
He had made no move to dissuade the server from bringing the blade.
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
"Perhaps not, but your skin certainly seems to be thick enough to warrant it." Hela countered with a slight smile, setting aside her empty plate. 
"There isn't much that gets to you, is there?"
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
"Not really," he agreed. "A few things can still upset me, set me off..." he admitted, "but most...simply aren't worth my time nor energy."
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"Hmp. I don't know if I should be offended by that or not." She chuckled, "I spend a lot of time trying to get under your skin, after all."
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago • edited
Weir shrugged.
"Whether you take offense or not is entirely up to you, Hela. Just as it's your decision whether you keep trying to bait me or not. It's your time, your energy. Your call," he asserted with an easy air of detachment.
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"You're terribly boring sometimes, you know that? A little rise every now and then would be nice."
She chuckled again after a moments pause. "And it appears old habits die hard."
"It's basically instinct now."
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
"Hela, every time you've gotten a rise out of me, you've drawn back in fear. I don't wish for our relationship to be based on terror. So I've tried my utmost to tone down my own behavior. I know I don't always succeed, but it's worth making the effort, at least. There's instinct...and there's also adaptation. Both are necessary. The key is knowing which one to use when."
The waiter arrived with coffee and dessert, setting the items in front of them. He asked if there would be anything else.
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"Perhaps you ought to find a middle ground for your reactions, then, because I doubt I'll be adapting anytime soon."
Hela eagerly snatched the knife, examining its edge with a grin and seeming to swell with confidence.
About bloody time.
"Maybe a better grandfather." She suggested as she pointed the knife towards Lewis. "This one is constantly giving lectures about the same old things. Sounds like a broken record player, really."
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
"Nothing else, thank you," Lewis dismissed the server.
Once the fellow had left, Weir addressed Hela.
"Darling, if you don't adapt, it's your loss," he said with a chortle.
"And, by the by, this is the middle ground. I choose to laugh rather than become hurt and saddened to the point of depression on the one hand, or so irate at your ingratitude that I grab you by the throat and throttle you on the other. I laugh at the absurdity of the situation as well as the irony."
He picked up his spoon and took a bite of spumoni, his other hand resting near his coffee cup.
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"Yours too, seeing how we're related and all. I doubt you'd be too happy if something happened to me."
She studied him, then smiled and polished her new blade with her napkin. "Though I'm sure you'd have a million ways to reassure yourself it wasn't you fault, if I failed to adapt and then died because of it."
"Honestly, I'd be rather interested to see either side of that spectrum... hence our deal."
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago • edited
"Hela, if you die, it won't be my fault. I'm a firm believer in free will," he elucidated. "You'll make your bed, and you'll have to lie in it...whatever it may be."
"And...not to worry: You'll get to see Henry and Edward in turn."
"The only question is: When? The day after tomorrow? Next Saturday? I do need to know ahead of time, so I can clear my schedule."
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
"Whenever you can manage it, really." Hela shrugged and, after wrapping it in napkins, pocketed the knife.
"I have nothing on my plate and it wouldn't take long to write out a schedule of sorts for that day."
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago • edited
Lewis raised an eyebrow as Hela pocketed the knife, but did not move to stop her.
Instead, he contemplated his schedule, and which appointments and endeavors could be suitably rearranged.
"In two to three days' time, then," he concluded.
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"Something to look forward to." She grinned, then finally turned her attention to dessert, hesitantly biting into the lemon cake.
"Huh. It's not sour..." Another bite. "Can you start bringing this with my meals?"
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
Be careful what you wish for... he thought as he ate his spumoni.
"No, but if you leave the knife on the table, we won't be classed as thieves and will be welcome to return another day for more cake," he said with a laugh. "As I've said, it's not my goal to keep you in your room permanently. You've been quite exemplary today, so I see no reason why we couldn't do this more often."
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"I was hoping the workers wouldn't notice..."
With a heavy sigh, the napkin in her pocket was unfolded and the knife placed back on the table.
"Considering the lengths you've gone to keep me contained, I almost don't believe you." She picked up her coffee, continuing, "Changing the doors hinges, the locks, taking away nearly everything I own...a lot of fuss for someone who doesn't even know how to properly wield a knife."
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago • edited
"You don't have to believe me if you don't wish to. But it is my hope that ultimately," he lowered his voice, "you'll be trustworthy enough that you won't need containment.
"I know well enough how maddening it can be, but look at past precedent: You would have killed Catt, you tried to kill Rose...you could have killed Hastie the day we first met, had things gone differently.
"I see the way you hold a knife; the glee it gives you is not an innocent one.
"Not a judgment; merely an observation," he was quick to clarify.
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"Tell me honestly, Hela: How many have people have you killed?"
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Her cheek twitched, annoyance flickering in her eyes at the mention of her failed killings.
You're not too innocent yourself, Weir. She thought, but decided against voicing her opinion. She had a better response in mind.
"I'd be happy to... once you've shared how many lives you've taken yourself." She spoke softly with a compliant smile. 
"After all, you had a Hyde yourself once and quite a temper to go with him, if your earlier mention of throttling is any indication of it."
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
Lewis finished his dessert.
"I'm a man of my word. And I give you my word I will tell you, once you've told me. Fair is fair," he had to admit.
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"Alright then."
She drained her coffee, glancing to the ceiling.
"Nearly two hundred people, if not already over it."
"I don't know an exact number, that's just my estimate." She shrugged. "I'm probably not all that close. I think Helen could give you a better guess."
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
"Interesting. I take it you share the memories of the kills with her, then?"
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
A nod. "She likes to calculate the damage and ensure that she pays for it. How she does so varies, depending on her mood."
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
We're going to have to talk about that... thought Weir.
"I see."
He flagged down the waiter and asked for the tab.
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Hela tilted her head, waiting until the waiter had returned to the kitchen to speak.
"Your turn to share, Weir. How much blood is on your hands?"
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
"Oh, we're not counting strangulation, then?" he quipped in a whisper. "Pardon. I'll have to recalculate."
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Hela rolled her eyes, suppressing a chuckle.
"I meant metaphorical blood, Dr. Jekyll."
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
I almost made you laugh, didn't I?
"Alright, alright," he said with a chortle.
He thought a moment, calculating.
"Eleven thousand, give or take a couple hundred," he stated. "Conservatively."
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"Eleven thousand human beings... An impressive number." She admitted, looking him over. Odd how a single answer can change your view of someone.
"Any patterns behind the killings? Or are you more of a 'eh, I'm bored, that person's standing alone, I'm gonna kill them' sorta guy?"
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
"I am nothing if not thorough," he said as the waiter returned.
Weir took out a suitable amount of cash and gave it to the fellow, who went to make change.
"I'm afraid I can't speak of details in a public setting. Even one so secluded as this," he confessed.
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"Afraid of being tried for a murder that happened in another dimension?" Hela asked, frowning. 
"You can talk your way out of most anything, can't you? Why are you worried?"
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago • edited
"For all I know, the details could be similar to one of yours. I'll not take the fall for it," he stated bluntly.
The waiter returned with the change.
When he'd gone, Lewis laid out a reasonably generous tip.
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"You flatter me. I didn't think I had the skills for a murder similar to yours..." Hela smirked, standing as she eyed the money laying on the table. 
"Trying to make up for something?" She asked, wondering with a touch of pride if she was the reason Lewis was spending so much.
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
"It pays to reward good service," he said, getting his cane. "Even slightly beyond the staff's expectations. Makes one welcome, opens doors, affords certain courtesies."
He used his walking stick to brace himself, and stood.
"Makes others think well of one," he whispered. "And that is a form of protection in itself."
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"Casually bribe people, it can keep you safe," Hela returned in a low voice. "Noted."
Grinning, she spoke at a normal volume. "Does this mean we'll get free food next time?"
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago • edited
"Courtesy goes a long way toward safety as well, under normal circumstances," he added quietly. "All part of the same shield of normalcy."
He answered her question at like volume.
"I think not, but--"
He caught sight of Mr. Sutton as they were leaving.
"Excellent as always, my good man," he said with an approving nod...
...which Mr. Sutton returned.
"We try our best," the owner said self-effacingly.
"And you succeed," enthused Weir.
Then he and Hela were out the door, into the night-time world once more.
"Should any police ever come round," he explained quietly, once the door had shut, "that man will have nothing but good to say of me. He'd make a fine character witness. Which can make or break a case."
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"A single man saying you tip well and act polite can keep you from being found guilty you committed?"
Hela shook her head, chuckling. "So much for justice."
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
"Not if they had me dead-to-rights, no," he whispered. "But if there were the shadow of doubt, that man, among others, might help convince the law that I'm not the type of person to commit such a crime.
"And, by the by, I wasn't acting polite. I am polite, to those who warrant it. Mr. Sutton's been perfectly civil to me; there's no reason not to return the favor," he explained as they walked along.
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"I find it funny that, though you've killed thousands, you know people who would wholeheartedly insist you'd never do such a thing." She grinned up at the night sky.
"Imagine if they found out the truth. I bet they wouldn't even be able to believe it."
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago • edited
"Pray heed your own words, Hela. They'd insist I'd never do such a thing. Future, subjective tense. Not past.
"The Society's a fine place to make a new start. I'm not the first to do so, nor will I be the last.
"Though, rest assured...if you bring up my past to anyone but Helen without my permission, or should you make or induce her to tell anyone...I'll knock you out, toss you to the police, and wash my hands of you before you can blink, just for bein' such an ingrate. And you know Helen'd be just fine with it. So don't get any ideas."
And don't test me...
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Hela winced, her steps faltering. I haven't even done anything and he's already mad.
"N...Noted." She mumbled and lowered her head, wincing at his tone. "I've, uh, only got one question."
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago • edited
"Go ahead," he said, the edge to his voice dissipated into curiosity.
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"What... does ingrate mean?" She asked, sounding wounded.
"You really should stop using these fancy words all the time..."
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
"Alternatively, you should learn them. They're not unusual in Victorian times," he said with a shrug.
"'Ingrate' means someone who is ungrateful for something someone else does for them. Someone who bites the hand that feeds them."
He thought a moment.
"If I were, say, a wolf, and I showed you my trust by showing you my belly, and you, another wolf, then attacked me when I showed you such trust...that would be being an ingrate. And would induce me to attack you."
A pause.
"It's only natural."
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Hela snorted. "Buy me a dictionary and I'll get started."
She regarded him with curiosity as he explained, somewhat puzzled. "Telling me your body count was a sign of trust?"
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago • edited
Or I could just borrow one of the Society's...
"Yes. That, and who I am. Trusting you not to run off. Several things. Agreeing to your playdate with Henry and Edward. It's not everyone I let see those faces," and live, "you know. I'm extending you a great deal of trust, Hela."
Please don't make the both of us regret it...
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Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
((The Fox Hyde without a Jekyll The other discussion timed out, so here's a place to continue the Errack RP!))
The Fox Jekyll1886 • 36 minutes ago
Instinct pulled Malemi back. From the moment he took Weir's collar, he could feel the sudden change in Lewis. It was a change he was all too familiar with, the sort of change when a fight starts, when teeth sunk into throats.
He seemed almost delirious, between news of Errack and his friend's sudden change. Was it even real? Did it really happen or was he seeing things?
Malemi felt his chest tense as he slid back and hissed. His body naturally entered a defensive position as he tried to figure out what was going on.
Jekyll1886
Lewis let out a breath, and his tension with it.
"Thank you," he said, muscles slackening. "I...apologize for that, Malemi. You caught me a bit off guard, I do confess."
"Hah," he half sighed, half laughed. "Got a wee bit light-headed there, honestly; don't know about you," he said with a self-effacing smile.
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
Malemi shook his pelt, still unsettled, and eyed his friend with uncertainty. He looked away, choosing not to respond to Weir's small talk.
" Go. I won't stop you. Emerson is still out there...Just keep your calling stone close, alright? "
( Hyde without a Jekyll )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
((Perfect timing! :D Thanks for tagging me!))
Speak of the devil and he shall appear. Rounding a corner and onto the flat's street, Sterling approached the shabby apartment structure. His distant gaze became focused on the red door that was partly cracked open. Needless to say there was a lot on the man's mind. 
(( ))
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Jekyll1886  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
Lewis mentally kicked himself for slipping up around Malemi. He could only hope it wouldn't put too much of a wedge between them.
Still a bloody learning curve... he reflected with chagrin.
"I will, Malemi.
"I'm...sorry."
With that, he went out the door, and was just shutting it behind him when he noticed Emerson down the way.
His eyebrows raised in surprise.
"There you are," he said with a sigh of relief.
((The Fox ))
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
Malemi let out a sigh when the door clicked shut. Inside, a turbulent rush of feeling took place. His internal instincts, his shock at Weir's reaction...It was strange.
He had let himself grow comfortable around Lewis, almost forgetting that Lewis himself was a beast all on his own. Well, he was a man, but no ordinary one.
He made a face, like he had a bad taste in his mouth. It was still confusing to him. Why this man out of all men? Why?
He went into the living room and flopped into the floor.
( Hyde without a Jekyll )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago • edited
"Am I out past curfew?" Sterling snorted and continued his stroll up to the building and Lewis. 
(( ))
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Jekyll1886  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
"Are you all right, Emerson?" Weir asked, genuinely concerned.
((The Fox ))
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
Malemi scratched as his head with a frustrated growl. Lewis had apologized. Apologized. Why? Of all the things, that was the things that got him the most. It seemed so small yet so very important.
He had apologized to Weir before, but that was to be expected of him. If he was to be a good flatmate, he would have to be polite. But to have his flatmate afford him the same courtesy...It seemed so off.
Maybe it was because he owned the flat, thus had no need to do so. Maybe it was the change, but was the change even real?
He bite his tongue to keep from yowling out. It's because he cared, and Malemi knew it. He cared and it went against Malemi's very being. It hurt like a thorn in his heart because he cared too.
The mankiller was no longer a fitting title.
( Hyde without a Jekyll )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
"Why wouldn't I be?" Emerson scrunched up his face to somewhere between a look of disgust and a lopsided smile. A new thought occurred to him, "And like you give a d*mn." 
The distance between them continued to close. 
(( ))
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Jekyll1886  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago • edited
"I do, in point of fact, but I've a feeling a snowball has a better chance of surviving hell-fire than I do of you believing me."
A sigh.
"In any case, I requisitioned something which may prove useful," he said with a shrug, and opened the door so Sterling wouldn't have to pass through it.
((The Fox ))
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Malemi turned an ear to the door and sighed. He rose from the floor and faced the open doorway.
( Hyde without a Jekyll )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
Now within a few feet of Lewis Sterling could get a clear view of the something in question--a rather large and dangerous looking device. 
"What is that?!" He stopped and pointed at the contraption, no doubt for no good. 
(( ))
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Jekyll1886  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
"It's a phlogistonic igniter. I pray we won't have need of it, but I'd rather be overcautious than lose either of you to..." he looked to Malemi, "the ones you mentioned."
((The Fox ))
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Malemi only gave small nod to them both. His head was beginning the first stages of a migraine as they entered the flat. He squeezed his eyes shut with a low rumble and sat on the couch.
Inside his chest, a throbbing began to form, but went unnoticed by Malemi.
( Hyde without a Jekyll )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
Sterling glance between the Phlogist-whatcha-ma-call-it, the crazed sap holding it, and the walking rug that had briefly appeared. 
"Right." He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, "That's sweet of you and all, but next time keep those thoughts to yourself and your... igniters where ever you keep them." He looked back at the machine, "Go put that away!" Sterling commanded, "You're going to scare people and we already have one terrifying monster in the house that seems to happily fill that job!"
It had been a long day, and unfortunately it wasn't over.
(( ))
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Jekyll1886  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
Lewis simply shook his head at Sterling.
Without a word, Weir reentered the flat.
He held the door open, waiting for Emerson to cross the threshold.
((The Fox ))
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
He flopped down onto the sofa, his migraine advancing quickly. His discomfort changed into mild pain.
He curled up into a ball and tucked away his head.
( Hyde without a Jekyll )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago • edited
Emerson re-entered the flat with a huff. He wished he could take a cue from Malemi, curl up on a bed, and pass out.
(( ))
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Jekyll1886  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
Lewis closed and locked the door behind him, then put the phlogistonic igniter barrel-first into the umbrella stand nearby.
It was only then he noticed that Malemi didn't seem to be feeling well.
Weir went over to the sofa and leaned on his cane.
"Malemi," he asked, "are you alright?"
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Jekyll1886  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
((@TheThe Fox ))
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
" I'm FINE. "
He didn't want to talk with him, especially since Weir was the source of his headache. Or at least, that's what it seemed like. The throbbing seemed to grow soft at Weir's appearance.
( Hyde without a Jekyll )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago • edited
"Lovely." Sterling, unamused, replied flatly as he strode over to the flat's tenants. He glanced at the door before asking in a low tone, "Is this the lowest level of the building?"
(( 
Is that what the seed did???? Is Errack hurting Malemi through the seeds?! DDDDX I'M SO SORRY MALEMI!! ))
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Jekyll1886  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
"You don't seem 'fine', Malemi..." said Lewis softly.
Sterling's question broke into his attention.
"There's a small cellar below, Emerson," Weir answered. "Why do you ask?"
((The Fox ))
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
" I won't be any BETTER if you don't give me SPACE. "
He pulled out his head and gave Weir a hard stare, frustration rippling through him.
( Hyde without a Jekyll Don't worry dude, it isn't Errack's seed that's hurting him... >: ) )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago • edited
Emerson looked between the rabid cat and the motherly man. What was he worked up about anyways? Lewis had been like this since, maybe even before, Sterling had returned. 
"Where?" He replied to Weir's question. His walk was supposed to be relaxing. He did not feel relaxed. 
(( 
.............................
I'M EVEN MORE WORRIED NOW!!! DDDDDX ))
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Jekyll1886  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago • edited
"Very well," Lewis replied, with a shrug of his shoulders and an upward turn of his palms, to Malemi.
He walked toward the rear of the stairs, just off the kitchen.
"Over here," he said to Sterling. Weir sank his fingers into the curved edge of an inlay in the wood and pulled. A door--otherwise easily mistakable for just another section of the wall--opened up, revealing a small pantry, complete with shelves, and some stairs which led down.
((The Fox ))
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
Malemi tucked his head back with an angry huff. His tail tip fidgeted as he tried to contain his migraine. It felt as though his skull was being shaved away by a warm grindstone.
The throbbing came back as Lewis left. Malemi became aware of it as its pounding grew more prominent. He thought back to the day before, when Lewis had found something foreign within him. A dash of fear entered his mind.
He should be able to control it shouldn't he? It was buried within him, he should have the ability to combat it...But how?
Malemi tried to push back his headache and concentrate on the feeling.
( Hyde without a Jekyll )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
The man nodded approvingly at the stair case, "Excellent." His voice was still hushed, "Go get Malemi, we're having a house meeting." And without waiting for an answer Sterling, descended down into the depth's of the apartment. 
The last time he had climbed below London's surface to the dark, dank underbelly, Emerson had discovered his death. 
(( ))
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Jekyll1886  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago • edited
Lewis was surprised but gladdened at this turn of events. However, he didn't know if Malemi would feel up to attending.
Weir watched Sterling descend, then turned and trod away from the door and over to the stove, busying himself with...nothing, in point of fact. He moved the kettle from one spot to another, but didn't put it on the boil. He simply wished to give Malemi a moment's peace before asking anything of him.
((The Fox ))
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
After about a minute of trying, Malemi gave up. No matter how hard he reached towards it, it sensation seemed as distant as ever. The sound of the kettle clinking pulled him from his thoughts. Slowly, he got up from the sofa and peered into the kitchen.
He watched silently as Lewis went about...whatever it was he was doing. The kettle's clatter seemed louder than usual and aggravated his migraine.
He shook his head and spoke. He tone was sharper than he intended.
" What are you doing? Why did Sterling want to see the cellar? "
( Hyde without a Jekyll Poor Lewis! Don't worry, Malemi is just chronically moody. And has a mysterious tumor too but mostly moody. :o )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
The noise of a kettle clinking and Malemi's whinny voice drifted down to Emerson as he searched the cellar for any access to the outside world besides that of way which he came down. Granted it would be easier if he could hold a candle but the light spilling in from the upstairs would do. 
(( 
;___; Malemi has cancer! 
But putting the tumor aside my current theory is in the time everyone was away he threw a house party and is currently hung over. Malemi is a party animal! XD ))
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The Fox  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
( It's not cancer! No spoilers, but I assure you, it isn't cancer. )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
( I don't know whether to be relieved or more concerned! XDX )
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The Fox  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
( Relieved I guess?? My poor cat son is still going to go through hell and back but that's always gonna happen. )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
(...........
Yeah...not relieved.
....
I'm getting him some catnip! >:U )
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The Fox  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
( Catnip may not be good for a shadowy cat monster, but a stuffed animal, YES. VERY GOOD. And maybe some fluffy blankets too. )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
( *O* PERFECT! He will be the snugglest of all the shadowy cat monsters! )
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Jekyll1886  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
Lewis ceased puttering about with the kettle and approached Malemi.
"In truth," Weir admitted quietly, "I was just muckin' about. Wanted to give you a moment to yourself before lettin' you know there's a house meetin' downstairs. That's all."
((The Fox ))
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
An uneasiness formed at his friend's manner. One ear tucked back while the other stayed forward. Mentally he knew he had been the source of this but he decided that it was best to not postpone the meeting any longer.
He offered a curt nod to Weir then turned and headed down the stairs.
( Hyde without a Jekyll )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
Sterling heard the soft patter of footsteps and turned towards the stairs calling, "Mind closing the door and getting the lights?" 
(( ))
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Jekyll1886  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
"Mm."
The knob Lewis turned brought up the gaslights. He pulled the door shut and descended the steps.
A serviceable cellar, the same dimensions as every other floor in the building, lay below. There were some wooden crates and boxes about.
Lewis used one as a makeshift seat.
He gave a nod to Sterling and to Malemi.
((The Fox ))
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
" What's this about Emerson? "
Malemi laid down on the floor, rubbing his temple to ease some of his discomfort.
( Hyde without a Jekyll )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago • edited
Sterling waited until the duo were settled before beginning. 
"I have some questions which need answering," he chose to stand, "Firstly, how exactly did you wrong Khoros and his lot?"
(( and I think that's if for me tonight guys! Have a nice night!))
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Jekyll1886  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
"From what I can tell...I was somewhere humans normally don't venture. And Khoros tried to eat me for it. I did my best to dodge while Malemi intervened. He fought Khoros...and won."
He looked to the beast-cat and back to Emerson.
"He saved my life," Weir confessed.
"As to the others...I don't know."
((The Fox ))
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
Malemi felt a bit of pride as Lewis recalled the event. His pride pushed away his hurt and calmed his turbulent thoughts just enough for a spark genuine admiration and gratefulness to appear.
Lewis says that he fought Khoros, but in truth it was a joint effort between the two of them. Had it not been for Weir's help, they wouldn't have left that Spawn alive.
It almost made him forget earlier...
Malemi found himself staring past the floor and reentered the conversation at hand.
" What he says is true. I took him to a Spawn, a place for beasts to hide away, to avoid the rain at the time. Khoros happened upon his scent and came in to eat him. I did my best to defend Lewis and Khoros was soon dealt with. "
His look turned somewhat grim.
" Though, having done that, now I am hunted. Khoros was the main spirit of the area. Now, with no beast in charge, I can only assume it's all gone to hell... "
( Hyde without a Jekyll )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago • edited
"Wait," Emerson closed his eyes trying to process what Lewis and Malemi said, "This whole thing started because you," he eyed Malemi, "took the doctor, here, to a...Spawn?"
At least the beginnings of Malemi's and Errack's stories were lining up but the devil is in the details, as they say. With another moment of reflection, Sterling found himself shaking his head at the absurdity of his question. Sure, there were ample reasons to want Lewis dead, but because a giant cat took him to a 'Spawn' to get out of the rain? That was...something else.
The man sighed, crossing his arms and let his questions flow forth, "Firstly, what is a Spawn? Secondly, why would someone try to kill Lewis for entering one? And, thirdly, if the area has 'gone to hell' then wouldn't Khoros and his 'beasts' be disorganized enough to easily over power and stop?"
(( ))
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Jekyll1886  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago • edited
"That's my understanding of it," said Lewis to Sterling's initial query.
As to the other three, he could only answer the middle one:
"It's also my understanding--after the fact--that humans are forbidden from entering such places. Beyond that, I don't know."
He looked to Malemi to shed any further light on the situation.
((The Fox ))
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
Malemi sighed.
" A Spawn is a healing place, somewhere one can stay without fear of discovery. Men are never seen in them save for hosts... "
His tone became uncertain.
" Your third question is not so easily answered...I can only tell you what I know.
Any beast can control any amount of area so long as they have the power to influence it. Khoros was not a particularly special beast. He had no powers to speak of...But his influence was immense. He had control over the whole area, and so, beasts treated him with fear and respect.
Those that followed Khoros...I don't know what their roles were. I do know that since my fight with Khoros, it's been silent there. I rarely see any beasts there anymore... "
( Hyde without a Jekyll )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
"You're both idiots." Emerson stated without a single bit of jest or remorse in his voice. "You manged to start a supernatural war because, Weir here, couldn't go without an umbrella." 
Sterling, sighed and rubbed his face trying to contain his frustration and contempt for the two before him.
"Right," He looked back at the two and inhaled, "What's done is done." Exhale. "Okay. Firstly, from the way it sounds, you've managed to pretty well destroy his reputation, power, and following, save those loyal few. If that's the case, with fewer subjects under his command, wouldn't it be in your interest to strike King Khoros while he's weak?" 
He huffed as though hearing some unspoken rebuttal about why his plan was foolish, "And even if you continue to masquerade as one of Lewis's pillows, wouldn't you and the other aquaphobe here be the only targets?" 
(( ))
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Jekyll1886  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
I did say I only learned after the fact that humans were forbidden in such places, thought Lewis in annoyance. But it soon passed; Weir knew Sterling did have a point in that what was done, was done.
"I'd agree to strike all of them, if they're a threat to any of us," stated Lewis in complete honesty, looking from Emerson to Malemi and back. "In whatever order is most prudent. However," he said, turning to Malemi, "you'd certainly know better than I; I trust your judgment in such matters."
((The Fox ))
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
" Well, I can't walk into any place I like Emerson. I went where I could. " Malemi retorted.
He quieted down as Lewis spoke. An anxious look came over him when he finished. His tail began swinging from side to side.
" I could barely take down Khoros! You can't really expect me to know how to combat them! I'm--!! "
The words stopped in his throat. He forced them out with fear.
" I-i'm weak! Khoros was my greater by ten fold, I could never dream of taking on Errack or Orin!! And Kei... "
His pelt fluffed up as he held back the memory. He knew he was avoiding the problem at hand, but what could he really, truly do to fix the situation?
He went to speak but kept stopping short. He paused, took a breathe, and spoke with clear hesitance.
" There may be one that could help... "
His demeanor was as though he were trespassing on something sacred.
( Hyde without a Jekyll )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
Sterling was quiet listening to the flea bag speak but that didn't keep his internal commentary quiet. 
If he was able to take down Khoros a being greater than him 'by ten fold' on one on one combat they why wouldn't he be able to take down his underlings? Of course not all at once, but one by one should be easy enough. Not to mention this weakness the cat seemed to have newly acquired was no where to be seen yesterday when he killed that man. 
Malemi finished speaking, his voice one of awe. Awe that Sterling didn't share. 
"That's news to me." Emerson was amused by this enlightening information. In fact he wasn't at all surprised that Malemi had forgotten this key piece of information that could help. 
(( ))
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Jekyll1886  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
"Go on..." Lewis encouraged Malemi.
He was also running through other options in his mind, just in case things didn't work out.
((The Fox ))
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
" There is an ancient, Resham... "
He shuddered at what he was about to suggest.
" He lives nearby, in Through...He may be willing to provide some insight as to what to do. And if he can't help us, he may direct us to another who can...
The only thing is where he is. Neither of you could come with me... "
( Hyde without a Jekyll Sorry for the late response! My mom pulled me on a sudden shopping trip. @m@ )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
"I don't see a problem with this!" Sterling declared "You're so gung ho to be the lone wolf as it is!"
He would have made a comment about not being pulled into this disaster further but Emerson had a feeling he was already neck deep with no signs of escaping.
(( ))
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Jekyll1886  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
"'Through' where?" asked Lewis, confused.
((The Fox ))
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
" Through. It's a place of spirits and beasts. "
His hands gesticulated as he tried to explain it.
" It's a 'in between' place, the mortar the connects our existence with yours. Does that make sense? It's a way to get around from place to place, mostly long distance.
I've only been there once...I didn't like it all that much but I wouldn't say that it isn't without its uses... "
He threw a sour look at Emerson.
" News of Khoros's defeat is probably common knowledge now. They may suspect me of it, or worse, already know... "
( Hyde without a Jekyll )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
Sterling returned Malemi's look with equal vigor, "If they know then they know. But may I remind you, your original plan was to lie about until they figured it out, found you, and then made you into a cat skin coat?"
All drama with this one. The man thought. (But as the saying goes, 'it takes one to know one')
"Besides, why didn't you do this before now?"
(( ))
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Jekyll1886  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
"It makes perfect sense," said Lewis in answer to Malemi. "My field is metaphysics, and I've done a bit of dimensional travel myself..."
Sterling spoke.
"I do think it's wise to assume they already know," said Weir.
"And I wonder whether Emerson or I would be able to accompany you--is it 'Beasts only' by tradition or by supernatural barrier? Or...would that draw too much attention, even were it possible?"
((The Fox ))
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
" By tradition...Unless you're a host or a victim, there's no way you could come in without drawing some attention. There are some who happen to wander in, but they are killed once discovered.
Emerson would draw every beast within a ten mile radius. They would be fighting to consume him. In any case, Emerson... "
He offered a growl to the ghost.
" If I had gone before any trouble started, I would have been wasting Resham's time and might've paid with my life. Plus if I had gone to Through then, I might've been ambushed by Errack or Orin. They would expect a beast in hiding to escape there.
It's not as simple as you think..."
Malemi laid his head in his hands.
" If anything, hiding out has given me a chance to think. And since Lewis was there as well, I....
I just thought I would figure something out by now... "
( Hyde without a Jekyll )
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The Fox  The Fox • 2 years ago • edited
Hyde without a Jekyll Jekyll1886
I'm going to pop off for awhile, got to go to my friend's graduation! I don't know when I'll be back on, hopefully I'll be back on tonight!
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The Fox  The Fox • 2 years ago
Hyde without a Jekyll Jekyll1886
I'm back!!! :D
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago • edited
"Since Lewis was there?" He raised an eyebrow but decided not to press further. "There's always something that makes it complicated but it seems to be pretty well settled now. Besides even if this 'Resham' doesn't help what is the worst that could happen?"
Sure, Malemi dying would be sad and all but as far as Sterling could tell no one outside this little party would be harmed. The power vacuum the cat created would be filled eventually and London would continue on, none the wise and never in danger. 
((@jekyll1886))
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Hyde without a Jekyll  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
((Jekyll1886 ))
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Jekyll1886  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
"By 'there', do you mean 'here', Malemi?" asked Lewis.
He looked to Sterling, stunned that the ghost had asked, aloud, what was the "worst that could happen".
I cannot believe he just said that. Never ask that, you fool!
"I imagine there are plenty of terrible things which could happen, Emerson. To us or to the people of this city."
Please, for the love of God...don't tempt Fate.
((The Fox ))
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
" Yes...You were there when Khoros and I fought. I figured it was better to make sure you got home safely afterwards...
And now I've dragged you into this. "
He took a deep breathe before responding to Emerson.
" You don't know the half of it. There are so many things that could happen. Plagues, wars, full on invasions...the power of one beast has to end this city. "
Malemi sighed and returned to the subject at hand.
" But that won't happen, not if I fix this now. If anything, there isn't much I could do to sneak either of you into Through. I could mask Lewis potentially, but that would rub off him easily. And Emerson, unless you're content to act as bait, I can do nothing for you. "
( Hyde without a Jekyll )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago • edited
No! I think I'm perfectly fine not being bait!" Sterling replied to Malemi's absurd suggestion. Emerson knew he was quite delectable, as many have told him before (mainly vampires) but he'd rather keep his luscious fruits a mystery, for a mystery is far more desirable. And Sterling was as desirable as they came! 
...
He really wished he had a drink right about now. 
...
He really wanted a lot of things right now, now that he was thinking about it. He wanted to leave this flat, and go home. Something that was impossible thanks to a three legged bird and his current...state. He wanted London to be left alone. He wanted people on his side. He wanted to return in the organization so someone he could trust would have his back. He wanted to be able to talk to people, damn it! He...
He was lonely--
--ever so lonely--
But he would never admit this.
"And why would they even release 'Plagues' and start 'wars' in London?!" He was starting to get worked up now from of it all. "Why even affect the people of London with your fight?! A fight--might I remind you--that started because you took Lewis to a place that he shouldn't have been! And you knew this!! And you did it anyways! For what? Just to get out of the bloody rain!" The blood flushed his cheeks.
"I am getting sick and tired of you two! You're stupidity is causing problems for so many people! The claims you're making are outrageous consequences! War! Plague! They happen! Whether by your paw or not! I don't care if you want to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, Malemi! I don't care if you and Lewis here are in to some bestiality sh*t! I care because you can't seem to get your f*cking heads out of narcissistic, self-centered, arses and actually look at how you're really affecting people! And if you actually are--though I don't see how! Then quit coming up with excuses and complaints for fixing this mess and GET. IT. DONE!"
He stood there. Panting. Simmering. Letting his frustration run it's course. It was too far and he knew it. But he couldn't hear his guilt over Nicholas Spinks--his old superior's words.
***
"Did you explain to her that we don't want that man? Did you explain to her that we're going to get into the Society no matter what deals we make with her?" Spinks was becoming frustrated now.
"Yes her but that's when--" Emerson began but his superior cut him off with a raise of his hand.
Without even looking up Nicholas continued his questioning, "So what warranted a shouting match to erupt?" 
"She's got a lip--" Sterling desperately tried to reply. 
"No. Try again." 
"...Nothing?"
"Well colour me shocked! The boy can learn!" He replied heavy with sarcasm.
(( 
I'm terribly sorry for my ghost! I really do like Malemi and Lewis! Emerson's just a jerk.))
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Jekyll1886  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
"Very well," said Lewis, turning to leave the room. "Done it shall be."
He cast a look over his shoulder at Emerson.
"And you won't be bait, you have my word."
With that, he ascended the stairs.
He found Sterling's flask...and capped it.
((The Fox ))
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Malemi sat silent, shocked at the ghost's outburst. He felt overwhelmed, surprised, even frightened. His body lay frozen as he stared wide eyed at Sterling.
The only signs of life from him was his tense breathing and his rising pelt.
The throbbing stopped, only to turn sharp, like a knife had just been shoved into his lungs. The bitter taste of fury slowly began to rise within him.
( Hyde without a Jekyll )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago • edited
Yet the cause of the fury and rage growing in Malemi disappeared when Lewis capped the flask. Emerson hadn't even realized what Weir did and probably never would.
((Jekyll1886 ))
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Jekyll1886  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
Lewis stowed the flask away for safekeeping, then returned to Malemi.
Wordlessly, he sat down beside Malemi, and placed a hand on the Beast's shoulder in what became a gentle stroke.
((The Fox ))
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
" I'm going to kill you..."
His voice was so soft it could only be heard by him as his feelings filled him, flooding his body and drowning his thoughts. All he could feel were the fierce and ugly vibrations of blinding hate. Weir's touch felt like static against his body and he whipped around and took his arm.
A new sound came from Malemi, something deep and ugly. It was like a growl but less familiar. It was almost like the sound of a skull cracking underneath a shoe but deep like it came from the earth.
His eyes were bright with rage and they turned to Weir.
( Hyde without a Jekyll )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
((Jekyll1886 
I'm out until someone opens the flask again in which case Emerson poofs back into existence. I am sorry about him Malemi. He's a jerk, no excuse about it.))
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
((Jekyll1886 I think that's it for me tonight. When the flask is open I would appreciate a stall until I can get back in the morning. Sorry about the inconvenience!))
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The Fox  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
( It's alright, you need your sleep. Goodnight, see you in the morning! )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
(Thank you and have a goodnight yourself!)
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago
Lewis looked at him.
Sighed, saddened.
"If you're going to do it, have done with it," he said quietly, unable to keep a hint of weariness from his voice.
For all the good it'll do...
A pang of melancholy shot him through.
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
Malemi stared back, his grip tightening at first. He watched Weir's movements like a hawk, seeing every stray movement that he made.
Beneath his anger was a flicker of a thought. This was a friend. It crept its way through the jagged edges of rage and peeking out in his overwhelmed mind.
After a minute, his grip lessened. Then he let go, quivering from his emotional overload. He blinked slowly as his fury steadily worked itself back.
He still wasn't there yet, not fully, but he at least saw Lewis non threateningly.
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago
Lewis remained still, seated just where he was, and regarded Malemi.
He thought it best to say nothing, though he did notice the gradual shift in energy.
Wondering what in Hell's name could have caused such a radical change in the first place...his thoughts kept returning to Sterling.
Emerson, irate.
But Emerson was often irate. Why was it important this time?
Malemi and Emerson fought like cats and...well, Emersons. That was normal.
Yet today....
Today he met Errack, Weir realized.
I don't know what the connection is, but there must be one! It can't be coincidence, this...
...subornation.
Infiltration.
Willing or no.
Destruction from the inside.
Emerson on Malemi, Malemi on the both of us.
Subtle. Clever.
Errack.
...
You ass.
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Malemi continued to tremble where he was, never taking his eyes off Lewis. He managed push it back just enough to manage the barest thoughts.
A creeping nausea pooled into his stomach. He swallowed preemptively, the need to vomit beginning to bud. His face started to twist and contort as the nauseous feeling grew more prominent.
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago
This isn't Malemi's fault.
A wave of relief washed over him.
Nor Sterling's, probably.
Yet the present oscillations in Malemi's energy boded ill.
Wordlessly, Lewis left, retrieved the phlogistonic igniter from the umbrella stand, and sat back down.
"I've no intent to use this on you," he reassured. "I just worry what may be to come."
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
Malemi would've hissed back at Weir had bile not poured out of his mouth. His back arched as his stomach went through the motions of emptying itself out on the floor.
It stopped momentarily, giving him a moment to breathe, before starting again.
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago • edited
"Oh, Christ..." said Lewis softly, unsure what to do.
Should he go to Malemi? Try to help him? How?
Was something about to be born from the inner bile? Should he stand at the ready?
In the end, he compromised.
He approached Malemi, not near enough to be in swiping or biting range, but close enough so that his own energy could affect the Beast's, if it had any prayer of doing so.
Yet he kept hold of both the cane and the igniter, weapon still pointed to the ground.
"Malemi, please...try to remember..." he pleaded.
"You saved me from Khoros...and you understand what--you understand me as I understand you."
A pause.
"You're my friend, Malemi. Just as I'm yours."
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
Friend, Friend, Friend...
Another rush of bile spilled out, less than the first time. It was a great yellow and orange mess, staining his hands with its color. Its smell was like that of sickness but also that of swine...
He stopped again, managing a few clean breathes.
Friend...Friend...
Friend?
He blinked as though he were waking up and took in the situation in front of him. He took a long, deep breath, swallowed to make certain he was finished, and looked back to Weir with wet, tired eyes.
" What...happened...? "
His body felt disconnected, as though it weren't his own. he tried to flex a hand but found it to be too painful. He shook his head and squeezed his eyes closed just for a moment. He couldn't figure out what happened. His memories evaded his reach, growing blurrier the more he sought them out.
What the hell happened to him?
He opened his eyes and looked down, only just noticing his bile.
Malemi winced at the mess.
" I suppose...I did that...? I'm sorry...I'll clean it up... "
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago
"You were dire ill and hissin' at me and spewin' that and dear God it smells like the foulest pig farm and--" he stopped short.
Khoros?
"Malemi...this has to be Errack and Khoros."
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
He tried to concentrate on what was being said but couldn't. His thoughts were running into each other and Lewis was speaking too quickly and god almighty did his body hurt.
" ...Run that by me again?... "
His face scrunched up as he tried to focused.
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago
"I think Errack and Khoros made you sick."
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
" Did they? "
He let out a small cough before giving a weak growl.
" I'll be damned... "
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago
"I think they did. Maybe we should see that contact in Through, as you said. Perhaps they'd know more."
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Malemi gave an uncertain look at first but then he replaced it with a more morose look.
" Alright...Is that the plan for tomorrow then? "
He made an effort to move but his arms refused to cooperate. He grunted as he forced himself to keep trying. With considerable strain, he managed to crawl away from his mess.
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago • edited
Lewis nodded.
"Tomorrow, then. You should rest now.
"In the meantime, I'd like to analyze this...this substance," he declared, indicating the swine-smelling sick. "Both physically and metaphysically."
And perhaps examine Emerson...
Weir thought of their most recent interaction.
...
Perhaps not.
Ah, well. We'll see.
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
Malemi turned around and crawled towards Lewis. He reached out his head and rubbed it against his knee. He murmured to himself quietly.
" Good luck to both of us. "
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago
"Likewise."
* * *
As Emerson was currently out of the picture, Lewis took first watch.
When Malemi had settled down, Weir took to examining the bilious substance in earnest.
The first thing he did was to reach out and key into its particular vibration, its spiritual signature. Was it of Malemi, of Khoros, of Errack or Emerson? What emotions and residues underlay it? Did any strands of energy connect it to other things, other beings, be they present or distant? What layer of reality did it belong to, besides the physical? He allowed himself to fully tune in to its cosmic resonance, seeking to know anything and everything he could.
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Its signature was that of Malemi, but it was being encroached on by Khoros's signature. The pig's signature was eating away at Malemi's and in other places Malemi's was fighting back. It was almost like water and oil attempting to mix.
Its emotions were that of overpowering hate and anger mixed with hurt and betrayal. Underneath all that was the distant feeling of want holding it all together.
Strands of energy lead to Malemi but also at Lewis. It was strange, it didn't point to lewis but at him, as though pointing out some unspoken thing about him.
This all lay in the layer of emotion and of mind, but also at the very layer of basic existence, a layer comprised of why one exists.
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago
Fascinating...
Alarming, but fascinating.
He let Malemi sleep, but filed the information away mentally. He could always tell him in the morning.
In the meantime, he took a sample and set about using chemistry and alchemy to test the substance's physical and biochemical properties.
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
It was mostly stomach acid, considering it was vomit, but mixing in it was a thick, mucus like substance that frothed when it mixed with the acid. There was substantive blood, creating the orange color while the yellow was its normal color.
There was something about it that seemed like a poison that attacked his central nervous system.
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago
We don't have the luxury of time, the thought snapped into Weir's mind as his eyes widened.
It was by now late afternoon--time for tea, in fact.
I'm glad I pocketed those tea biscuits from the Society's kitchen, came the passing thought as his stomach growled.
Lewis secured the sample, traced a circle of salt water around the sick in the cellar, washed his hands, ate the biscuits, pocketed Sterling's flask, and woke Malemi.
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Malemi didn't wake at first. He was in a deep sleep, deeper than he usually did, and was dreaming.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Darkness surrounded him as he looked down into his hands. There lay world, seemingly waiting for him to crush it into oblivion. He looked at it, just watching it as it entered a new day.
It was so beautiful and fragile...It was strange that such a cruel thing could be so alluring.
He could feel a tear run down his cheek.
He went to let it go but a dark clawed hand slammed down on it and killed its light.
He whipped around only to see it was his own hand from his other pair of arms. It was much more different than usual. Instead of being thin and long, it was big and muscled with large, monstrous hands.
Malemi went to scream out but they wrapped around him and crushed his spine. He clawed at them but soon found his other hands rebelling against him. One took him by his own throat while the other dug into his chest.
It pulled out a dark mass of flesh and squeezed it in its palm. He was overcome by pain as he felt his own heart beat falter.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
He woke with a start, his eyes moist with tears. He wiped his eyes and stood up with a bolt of energy.
Malemi stopped and took a moment to calm down. He was almost glad to feel a his heartbeat.
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago • edited
"Malemi...
"Ah, there you are.
"Must have been one Hell of a nightmare you had.
"In any case...we need to go. I ran some tests. You've been spiritually poisoned. Perhaps physically, too. I have activated charcoal, for the physical component," he said, glancing at his doctor's bag, "but I don't know how to tackle the spiritual one. We need to find your contact, now, if they know how to deal with this. Poisoning warrants immediate treatment."
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Malemi nodded, partially to let him know he was listening and also steady himself before they leave. He managed to make his way up the stairs without tripping.
" Will Emerson be coming? Or will he be staying here? "
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago
"I'll bring him, just in case we should need him, but he won't be out and about," stated Lewis. "He's perfectly contained at the moment."
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
" Good. Now come here. "
He waved a hand to Lewis, beckoning him close.
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago
Lewis nodded.
He came to stand close to Malemi, just in front of the Beast.
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
Malemi took his wrist gently and slid a single claw out.
" Don't worry, I'm not marking you. "
His let his claw poke Weir's skin lightly. A little dark spot formed and he pulled his claw back. It looked like a speck of ink had landed on his skin and hadn't been washed off.
Malemi let Lewis's wrist go.
" It a false mark, so they don't suspect you of wandering in. "
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago
"Interesting..." said Lewis softly, holding up his wrist to look at the spot.
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
He watched Lewis for a moment before moving towards the front door.
" Let's get going. It'll take us awhile to get there. "
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago
"Right; sorry," said Lewis with a shake of his head. He'd gotten caught up in the invisible aspect of it.
He picked up his medical bag and took his cane, but left Sinnett's igniter. Low-key was to be low-key, after all.
He unlocked the door and followed Malemi out.
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
He sunk into the shadows and lead the way. They went down many roads and street corners, cut through alleyways, and even hailed a hansom, until they finally got to where they were heading.
They ended up near the sea on a particularly busy wharf. Malemi, hiding in Lewis's shadow, pointed towards a dark, uninhabited alley.
" There ", He whispered, " We enter there. "
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago
Their journey had taken them far across town, to a part of the city perhaps best avoided.
It didn't help that afternoon was fast becoming evening.
Nevertheless, Lewis did as Malemi instructed. He stopped at a street corner as if thinking, then altered his course to enter into the alleyway.
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Malemi emerged from his shadow and took the lead.
The darkness was thick like fog and felt like it had a pulse. He made his way by keeping his hand against the wall as he went. The corridor first tightened, the widened, until finally opening up to a fork. He took the right path. From there, he made his way past a number of darkened paths until entering a room of sorts. It had a bluish cast to it and in the center was a bright white portal that led to Through.
He stepped up to it and turned to Lewis.
" Ready? "
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago
Lewis followed, sticking close by Malemi even as the scenery dimmed about them.
The portal yawned before them, its light...odd, unnerving...yet somehow...not reassuring, exactly, but...familiar? Similar to something Weir'd seen before, perhaps. He felt the ghost of a memory he couldn't quite lay hold of.
He honestly wasn't sure what to make of it, but replied:
"As I'll ever be."
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
" Stick close to me. "
Malemi pushed his way into the portal head first and started to make his way to the other side. It took only a few steps before he slipped out into Through.
The whole place was cast with a indigo glow that made the inhabitants seem more ethereal than they really were. It was a reflection of the world the just exited, the building the exact same as their real world counterparts, save for the direction they faced. Beasts were everywhere, in the road, in the buildings, even out in the sea, there was a sense of many creatures that lay beneath the surface. Alongside many were what seemed like regular human beings, but a closer look showed otherwise.
Many of them had a uncouth look to them, with strange marks on their faces and arms. One had a spider's mark covering his face while another had her neck covered by her master, a large python.
There was a crowd growing but nothing they couldn't manage. Malemi turned to make sure Lewis was with him before moving forward.
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago
Weir did just as Malemi said, keeping close as they passed through the portal.
Lewis blinked a few times. Let out a breath he didn't know he'd held. Took in their surroundings.
"Hah," he said softly, the energies hitting him all at once--there were so many! Not to mention the ambient energy of the place itself. He tuned into Malemi's and clove to it to orient himself.
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
" Are you going to be alright? "
Worry filled his voice but before he could do anything a voice called to them.
=" You! Cat! Come here. "=
Malemi motion for Lewis to follow with an anxious glance before moving towards where the voice came from.
In a thrown together stall sat a satyr-esqe ram with a shadowy looking serpent wrapped around one of his horns. He had black wool covering his legs and head, with grey skin for any part of him the was uncovered.
He looked them over with his sharp eyes before speaking again.
=" You're Malemi? "=
" Yes. "
=" And this is your host? "=
" Yes. "
=" Show me your mark Boy. "=
He threw look to Lewis as though he were nothing but a annoyance.
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago
Weir was still trying to take it all in--or tune it all out--but he did his best to pay attention and keep his mind on the present, his body responding reasonably, all things considered.
It was getting easier to sort out the energies as the moments ticked by. They became less a cacophony, more an improvised jazz piece.
He followed wordlessly, coming to stand beside Malemi.
When told, Lewis turned his arm so the ram could see his wrist.
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
The ram took his wrist and scrutinized the mark. Seeing no problem, he let Lewis go and turned back to Malemi.
=" Tread lightly and watch the boy. "=
He gave an ugly look to the both of them before turning his attention back to the portal. His snake companion whispered something into his ear and made a confused look. He looked back to Malemi and focused specifically on his tail.
His eyes lingered there for a bit before turning away slowly and whispering back the little snake.
Malemi made his way to Weir's side with spoke once they were out of range of prying eyes.
" How are you? Do you need my help? "
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago
"I'm...doing better, actually," said Lewis quietly. "It simply took me a moment to get used to the...well, ethos of the place, one might say. To sort out the vibrations and how they...layer into one another. The patterns they make.
"Anyway, where to now?" he asked pleasantly.
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
He took a moment to look over the surrounding buildings before answering.
" First we make our way down here ", He indicated a street to their left, " Then we turn right. Or at least, that's where I recall him being last. "
He paused to survey the crowd around them. Nobody was looking their way and no one seemed to be following them. Malemi took this as a good sign and began to make he way into the street.
" If we don't find him there, I'll go and ask where he might be. Hopefully we won't have to do that. "
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago
"Very well," said Lewis.
He walked alongside Malemi as they made their way down the streets.
"Anything I should know before we meet this individual?" asked Weir.
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
" He's deserving of my respect and yours. You don't speak unless spoken to, respectful and honest, and never waste his time. Aside from that, ask what you want. Should he begin to tire of us, you will be excused. "
Malemi went silent as they passed a tall horse with pealing flesh. It looked down on them with glowing eyes and looked back to where it was heading. Once it passed, he started talking again.
" Resham is a ancient but you should keep from asking about his experiences. But should he ask you anything, you answer. We also have to offer something to him when we do meet him. I know what to offer, just follow my lead and you'll be fine. "
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago • edited
"Noted," said Lewis.
They passed the horse, and he looked from it to Malemi and then straight ahead, as if he'd just taken in its presence in passing, nothing unusual.
Malemi continued the explanation.
"Thank you," he replied, grateful for the knowledge.
This place is wondrous strange...but it does have its own order to it, it seems. Respect and courtesy still coin of the realm. Honesty valued.
Not that different to the human world, in those ways.
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
" Your welcome. "
Malemi let out a short purr but then remembered where he was. He cut his purr short and looked forward again. with a flick of his ear, he moved out of the way of a woman and her master, a tall, giraffe like creature with long pointed ears and the face of a viper.
The woman looked at them with fierce eyes and stopped where she was. Her hands clenched into fists and she stormed away from her master and came up behind them screaming.
" Ohhhhh NO YOU DON'T. YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH THIS!! "
She snarled as she stepped in between Lewis and Malemi. Her eyes were wild with conviction as she screeched at the both of them.
" CRIMINALS!! FIENDS!! DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH THIS!!! "
Her master strode up behind her and spoke with a cool, feminine voice.
++" Diane, what is the meaning of this? "++
" THEY'RE STOWAWAYS!! HE HAS NO MARK!!! "
++" Diane-- "++
" GIVE ME YOUR HAND! "
Diane's glared right at Lewis with an open hand while her master grew swiftly impatient with her behavior. Malemi stood wide eyed at her but didn't intervene her due to the other beast staring him down.
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago
Lewis raised an eyebrow and looked at Diane as if she'd sprouted two tails of stupid.
"If I show you my hand, I'll fall down," said Lewis bluntly as he leaned on his cane, his right leg braced against it.
"I already showed it to the fellow when my Master and I came in," he grumbled, apparently put out at the sheer inconvenience Diane was causing Malemi.
"Kindly don't waste his time." The gaze he leveled at her told her he thought her both foolish and rude.
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
Diane eyes flashed at his boldness and sent her up the wall.
" Do NOT PLAY ME LIKE SOME IDIOT!!! I CAN SEE IT FROM HERE! YOU! HAVE! NO MARK!! I'LL-- "
Her face turned pale as she turned to master's glare.
++" Diane... "++
Diane's voice was barely a whisper as she turned .
" Yes Mistress. "
++" You're making fool of us... "++
" But Mistress! I can-- "
++" What was it that you said earlier today? That you had learned from yesterday? "++
Diane turned downright horrified at what her master was suggesting but keep her mouth shut. Frightened tears began to form. The beast looked her over with a scowl, taking in her host's despair, before speaking her final word.
++" We have some talking to do when we get home. "++
With that she shoved her host forward and looked back at the two of them.
++" My apologies. She has much to learn still. Though I would think yours has much to learn as well. Tell him to mind his tongue. "++
Malemi nodded quickly before trotting away from the growing crowd. A dozen eyes followed them as they made their way to the next street.
He turned right without a thought and whispered urgently.
" We need to find Resham and fast. This is bad, very bad... "
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago
Lewis looked sheepish at the other Beast's rebuff, hazarding a quick glance at Malemi as if he expected a blow or future punishment from his "Master".
He followed after Malemi as quickly as his supposed limp would allow.
"Agreed."
The sooner, the better.
Once they were clear of any eyes (and the energy signatures which went with them), Lewis dropped the act and kept pace with Malemi.
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Malemi kept up his trot, avoiding any cluster of beasts, attempting to keep from looking too urgent.
He arrived at a little building with a deep purple curtain hanging around its entrance. A demon in the form of a man emerged from the curtain and brushed past them as though they weren't there. Malemi grew confused.
" A demon? Resham didn't talk with them... "
He pulled back the curtain and entered with caution. The rich scent of lavender hit their noses as a Peacock griffin lay in the center of a massive array of bottles.
~" Come in, come in! I welcome all! I have a great number of wares! Please, do enter. "~
Malemi grew confused but signaled Lewis to follow him in.
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago
"Odd, then..." said Lewis softly.
He followed Malemi through the curtain.
The sight of the...peacock griffin...surprised Weir, though he did his best to stifle the expression.
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
( I gotta do something real quick, I'll be back shortly! )
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago
((Alrighty!))
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
The griffin eyed them both with growing excitement. He let his tail feathers spread for the potential admiration before addressing his guests.
~"Ah, welcome to my most humble barter shop! I am avid collecter of souls and essences in these here bottles. Here, let me show you. "~
He took a bottle and uncorked it. The smell of dust and horror spilled forth and a head poked out from open lid. The lid came down on them before they could escape. The griffin fluffed up with pride as he put the bottle back.
Malemi immediately saw the danger of being here and cut off the beast before he could speak again.
" We're looking for the ancient, Resham. He was here last time I was here. "
The beast chuckled at Malemi. His face curled into a sneer.
~" Oh poor kitty cat, Did you not hear? He moved. Too bad, so sad. But honestly, when was the last you were here? It's been AGES since that dusty old coot was here. "
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
((Hey! I so I was wondering if you could explain what the Through is a bit more? Is it another dimension? Is it in our dimension? etc. ))
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The Fox  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
( It's effectively a highway for spirits/demons/etc. It acts as its own dimension, but its incomplete. So you couldn't live in Through, you'd die because it's unable to sustain life. It lies between life and death, so yes, it's in our dimension technically. Through is like the part of a venn diagram where both spheres cross. )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
(Okay so odd questions here! What can and cannot cross through to Through?
Like can air cross through?
Or spiritual elements? 
Or vibrations and such? )
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The Fox  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
( Yes, yes and yes! Just about anything can pass into Through but Through is such a hard place to even get to that its either you know where you going or you got lost. The only thing that really doesn't pass into Through is weather! Weather is basically nonexistent in Through. )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
(( okay! I think I'm getting this! :D So things can accidentally pass though then? Like Air can travel from our dimension to the Through? Just not weather? Or must it always be a purposeful passing through? ))
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The Fox  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
( Yes, things can accidentally pass into Through, but going there purposefully does make it easier. So you could send a hay cart into Through and it'll go. The only things that don't pass into Through, accidentally or not, are animals. Regular animals avoid entrances to Through like the plague. )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
(Ah okay! The animal thing avoiding it makes a ton of sense! Can regular (non-marked) people wander in by accident? And also what did you mean by highway? Is that where the wandering spirits end up? Are there ghosts in there? Or is it just a demon/beast place? )
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The Fox  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
( Regular people can wander in by accident! They are usually found and killed once discovered. When I say Highway, what I mean is that it's place many creatures use as a means to travel long distances. Say your in England you want to get to America, You would enter Through, maybe walk a good hour or so, find your exit, and BOOM! You're in America!
Wandering spirits don't end up there unless they've been brought. This is because human spirits have a distinct connection to the living world. )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
(Oh!! I see! Like a bit of a space fold then?
So it's mainly for the dead/demons/supernatural then? Is it mostly Beast territory or shared? Also what are the beasts? I know you explained it once before but I'm still a bit fuzzy on the details. :P )
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The Fox  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
( Yup! It's shared territory, and those who are powerful enough can even claim parts of Through as their own. These are called domains. Beasts are effectively animals who've been granted/attained supernatural or demonic powers. So Malemi was given his as a gift while a beast like Khoros attained his. )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
(So kind of like normal land then!
Is it only animals that can obtain these powers? How did Khoros attain his vs Malemi's gifting of them? I know some stranger gave Malemi's his but from the sounds of it there are other ways for these animals to get the abilities.)
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The Fox  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
( Humans can attain these powers too, but then they aren't beast but just people with special abilities.
Khoros managed to get his through death. He was basically the worst pig ever and thought he deserved everything. He had such a strong sense of greed, he didn't pass on, and just took his body over again. From there, through his general attitude as a bully and his ever growing need for more everything, he got his overpowering influence.
So for any animal, when you die, you die. But say you can't pass on because you just refuse to die or you wanted to all the icecream in the world, that's step one. From there it's a mixture of how strongly you want to achieve your goal and how well you actually go about it. )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
( Ah! Thank you!
Would these people with powers look any different or no?
Khoros was the worst pig ever. XDDDDDD I love this description! So because of his greed, refusal to die because of this greed, and his smothering/bully nature he just got these abilities from others?
Oh okay! So are these animals then in their old (not rotting) bodies? Do they get new ones? Do you earn these abilities then and sort of develop them from there? You said Malemi was gifted them, is that not the norm and does that affect his abilities differently? How does going about a goal affect them? )
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The Fox  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
( Not really! Unless it were a power that effected their physical appearance in any way, they would just look like regular people. While we're on the subject of people and powers, if you're a host a long time, sometimes you'll be rewarded with powers and those do begin to influence your appearance after some time.
Yup! Khoros literally bullied his way into beastdom. Beasts bodies are new bodies all together unless something prevents them from doing so. The thing about these new bodies is that they take whatever scares/traits that the previous body had. So if your left arm is so jacked up it can't be fixed, then you have no left arm when you get your new body.
Malemi's gifted powers work just like regular power, but he does get treated differently because of this. )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
( Interesting! Now what exactly does a host entail? I know Malemi's explained it as a deal--you scratch my back and I scratch your's--but what are the details of this arrangement? Can they change over time? Who can and cannot be a host?
Is that what happened to Malemi's tail then? And how do the bodies change over time?
Ah okay! Now is the gifted powers how it normally happens or no?)
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The Fox  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
( Being a host is like being a supernatural apprentice for life, you do what your told and you maybe get something out of it. The arrangement depends on who your making your deal with and if your doing do willingly. Just about anyone can be a host, the exception being young children cause they can't do much.
Spoilers my friend, spoilers. >wo
Bodies do change over time! It can be because you defeated a beast and took on one of their traits or it could be with age.
Gifted powers tend to be fairly uncommon but they aren't rare. GIfted powers make up at least 15% of a normal beast population. )
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Hyde without a Jekyll  The Fox • 2 years ago
(Oooo! That makes sense! But why would a beast want a host besides having a minion, which is fun.
a;sdlfkjaspodfijsadpoij!!! Curse you secret spoilers!!!! DDDX
Oh! So will Malemi continue to change then?
Interesting! And you said they weren't treated any differently! Are there any differences other than where the power comes from with obtained vs gifted?)
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The Fox  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
( Having a host is effectively a show of power while also being a backup plan. So if you have to hide out for a bit and recuperate, you go to your host and hang there until you're better.
Well I can't just let these things out willy nilly! If it helps, we'll be getting to these spoilers shortly. ; )
More spoilers friend. uwu
More or less, they aren't treated any differently. No real important differences. :o )
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Jekyll1886  The Fox • 2 years ago
((I've posted in reply and I think that's it for me for tonight. Catch you tomorrow?))
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The Fox  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
( Yup! >wo )
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Catt Hatter  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
(I'm sorry Emerson! T^T)
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Hyde without a Jekyll  Catt Hatter • 2 years ago
(He's a tough cookie...though a bit salty for my liking. XD )
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Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
((Jekyll1886 The Fox Miss-Dreamerkat If you guys wish to continue here is the AU. I believe it's Dreamer's turn.))
The Fox 
" Kito? What?"
Irritation came in his voice as he turned and spotted Kito. He licked his teeth, visibly put off by his being there, and growled at him in a rather surly tone.
" What do you want? We're in the middle of a tour if you haven't noticed... "
Miss-Dreamerkat 
Kito changed back in to his human form and dusted himself off, "I noticed and I would like to speak with you," He said calmly. He bowed to Sophia, "Your the first person not to scream at the sight of my animal form."
Hyde without a Jekyll 
Emerson took a moment to brush himself off, straighten his clothes, and fix his hair. After checking his reflection in a near by window before he turned the corner and cordially greeted the beautiful Sophia and mangy Malemi, quite the contrast those two.
"Sophia. Malemi." He turned to each in turn and addressed the latter, "Kito needs to speak with you about something rather pressing." Sterling turned back towards the elegant lady, "I would hate to delay your tour any longer than I already have. Why don't I finish showing you around while Malemi attends to his affairs?"
Jekyll1886 
Sophia dipped her head to Kito in return.
"I've just come from Glasgow," she said with a smile. "I much prefer a giant wolf to gang of Neddy men any day. You've been nothing but reasonable."
She turned to address Emerson.
"Very well," she agreed peaceably.
"See you later, Malemi," she said with a quick and pleasant nod.
The Fox 
Malemi looked from Kito, to Emerson, and growled underneath his breath.
" Very well then... "
He turned to Sophia one last time and nodded.
" Farewell for now. "
He stalked towards Kito with a pointed glare and hissed underneath his breath.
" Now what is the meaning of this? Did Sterling put you up to this? "
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Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
((Helen Jekyll The Helena RP timed out. Here's the reply:))
"Good thinking.
"Hmm...
"How about Mosley's room? He's currently on an exploratory expedition; I don't think he'd mind." Particularly if he never finds out...
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
"Sounds perfect! He's probably got quite the cool room, with all his tools and such."
She hopped off the counter with her arms full of stolen borrowed rations, a grin forming to match the twinkle in her eyes.
"Who do you think has the most construction materials?"
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
"You mean, pillows and sheets and chairs? Probably the Society's linen closet for the first two, and perhaps the chairs from the dining table."
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"Oh. Does that mean we won't be plundering the various offices and bedrooms for those things?" She asked with a touch of disappointment. "I had thought the rations could double as bribes, if necessary."
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
"Not to worry." He smiled. "While we're sure to find plenty of sheets, we may well need more pillows. Or we could simply plunder places on general principle." A chuckle. "It is your time, Helena."
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
"It would certainly make things more exciting! And when people started looking for the missing pillows and such, we'd get guests at our fort!" 
Helena grinned, chattering excitedly.
"I bet everyone would be shocked. Some odd new girl comes around and the first thing she does is build a pillow fort with the brilliant Dr. Weir!"
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
"Hahah!" he laughed. "Well, when you put it that way...let's get to work!"
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
The two spent the better part of an hour collecting an assortment of bedding and pillows and chairs.
The fort created from the combination of the three was wide enough for both Helena and Lewis to lay down in and tall enough for them to sit upright comfortably.
Helena stood a few feet back and surveyed their handiwork with a tired, but satisfied smile.
"What shall we name it?" She asked, turning to Lewis.
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
"Hmm..." said Lewis.
He chuckled.
"How about 'Fort Étude'?"
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
She giggled in response.
"A clever enough name, though I'm not entirely sure what my tolerance level for wordplay is... What about something like 'The Weir Mansion'?"
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
"The Weir Mansion, Manoir Helena, whatever you like," he said with a ready smile. "It was your idea, after all."
"Though..." he said, turning to her with a quizzical look, "what do you mean by 'tolerance level for wordplay'?"
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"Well Helen, for whatever reason, tends to have a rather strong reaction to puns. It's bad enough that she's fainted on several occasions.
"I'm not sure if I'll have the same problem, if I get too much exposure... even Hela seems to start breaking down from too many jokes of that nature as well."
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
"Fainted?" echoed Lewis. "From...pun exposure?"
He'd never heard the like.
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
She gave a nod. "Yeah. It doesn't happen as often, now that Catt knows about it and does what she can to help shelter Helen."
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
"From...puns," he repeated, absorbing the information.
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"Yep!" She giggled, "So no cracking those kind of jokes around her."
Looking thoughtful, she added, "Unless you wanted her to take a nap. She could probably use more of those."
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
"I'll do my best," he replied.
"If one wished to take a nap...this would be the perfect place," he had to admit, with a look to the pillow fort.
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Helen Jekyll  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"You're not falling asleep on me, are you?" She teased, crossing her arms. "I can't have my partner in crime leaving me to defend the fort alone. Who knows what sort of trouble I'd get into?"
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
"Not to worry," he laughed, genuinely amused.
Elsewhere, Astrid's bed (among others) was devoid of pillows.
((Setae ))
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Setae  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
((Okay :D You might've wanted to ask him about that first.))
He was alarmed at this discovery. Assuming Rachel had decided to wash his admittedly rather grubby pillows, he rushed out and headed towards the washing room. He desperately hoped he wasn't too late to warn her.
Inside the pillow fort came a low, rapid clicking noise. A long thin leg, covered with iridescent blue hair, poked out from the pillows just above Lewis' head.
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Jekyll1886  Setae • 2 years ago
((Helen Jekyll ))
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
"Uh... Lewis?" She drew back, gawking at the limb. Her voice had dropped to a hurried whisper."There's... something in the fort... and part of it is above you..."
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
"Helena..." asked Lewis, his pitch rising as he backed slowly away from the source of the clicking sounds, "did you chance to take that particular pillow from...Astrid's room?"
((Setae ))
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Setae  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Astrid was now frantically digging through piles of dirty bed sheets.
The leg was joined by another leg. And another. Then three more at each side. They prodded the pillows lightly, tasting their environment. 
A face emerged between them. Helena and Lewis caught a glimpse of a cluster of shiny black eyes, before the creature rapidly retracted into the walls of the fort again.
They heard the low clicking again, much closer this time, down towards the floor at Helena's right.
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Helen Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
"I... don't remember if it was that one exactly... but I did take various things from his room. She admitted sheepishly, jumping back at the sound of the creature drawing closer.
"What should we do? Bribe it with candy? Poke it with your cane? Run away screaming?" The suggestions bubbled out without thought.
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
Lewis yanked Helena toward him without warning, then dove with her out of the pillow fort.
He rolled off of her, hoisted himself up with his cane, and gave a rising call:
"ASTRID..."
((Setae ))
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Setae  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Astrid looked up from a pile of red stained sheets.
"Oh, sh*t!*
Within seconds he burst into the room.
"Did she bite you!?! Where is she?!! - Have the eggs hatched?!!"
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Jekyll1886  Setae • 2 years ago
((Helen Jekyll ))
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Catt Hatter • 2 years ago
(( Woman! I'll not have you leaving without me! We can make it through this! *clings* ))
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Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago • edited
Setae 
Your response:
Above stuff: I don't think you can mess up as badly as Obama. (Never heard of what he actually did with the post office though). Other stripping stories... What is happening around you? Does your parents know? (I apologize)
Aside from that, yes, I continue to enjoy the heck out of these! Funny events and you are very very good at the storytelling. 
Lastly: please tell the orangutan story next!
My response:
I finally got some time on my hands to write up a bunch of stories not to mention I'm working on obtaining something fun...that is if Nighthawk emails me back but more on that later. ;)
It'll take me a bit to write up the orangutan story even though the whole thing occurred in less than 45 minutes it was....something else! XD In the mean time here some other shorter events:
How to Mess Up like The Government
Typically, at least in the US, it's hard to mess up as bad as the government. Normally, no matter how bad a day you have, one can always find comfort in the fact that you're sure to do better than whoever is featured on the news paper's front page for a massive screw up. I once heard America called the Land of Entertainment as that seems to be our prime export but it's a rare occurrence when you can claim to have failed like the nation's leaders. I have the pleasure of being able to make such a claim.
It was my senior year, more specifically my senior year's Advance Placement Literature class (AP Lit) where this all occurred. We had just begun a poetry unit and I was equally excited and nervous. For this unit we were going to have to pick out a modern poetry book, written by a pre-selected authors, choose our three favorite poems, and make a poster. Not too bad considering we had over a month to do this.
The week before spring break, we began the project. Our class spent the whole day with the librarian as she showed us a TON of authors we could choose from. She gave us excerpts, and background information and themes on each of them. She even made a website! Needless to say, the list of authors we could choose from was nothing to sneeze at: Mary Oliver, Billy Collins, Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou, and Pablo Neruda were just a few. That night we were to try and decide which author we wanted to read, for the next day we would walk over to the college library and check out a book to do our project on.
The library trip went without a hitch! We made it over to the college library and back, it was nice weather, and I even grabbed the greatest poetry book of all time! My chosen author was Maya Angelou and one of the poetry books I found was SUPER short! The largest poem in it was 10 lines, to give you an idea.
We were going to have all spring break to read these books but I needed less than an hour to finish mine. This project was going to be cake and I needed it to be, considering all my other classes were crazy busy! After quickly cranking through my book and picking out my three favorite poems, I then spent the rest of the time working on tests and projects and homework for other subjects.
Needless to say I was extremely proud of my find! I was quoting my book everywhere to everyone! (I'm sure I've even mentioned a few poems on here! XD ) Not only was it a short read by a great author; it was also the happiest book I had read all year! Don't get me wrong! Hamlet, Frankenstein, Antigone, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and Invisible Man were all nice and thought provoking but they were depressing! When you're constantly reading about murder, abuse, betrayal, and not a single remotely happy ending... It wears on you over time. Sometimes you've just have to go to the three year old section and read "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus" just to cleanse the pallet! Thus this was the best and easiest project of the year.
Two nights before the poster was due, I typed up my poems, found pictures for each (which I'll post below), and record a friend of mine reading them. All that left for tomorrow was writing up a one paragraph biography on the author, printing everything, and taping it. To top it off we would have an in class work day tomorrow! Cake!
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The next day, I'm working in class and determined to finish so I can spend the afternoon and evening doing more important things...like sleeping and being on here. I sat down, opened up my computer and googled my book's author, however what came up were not pictures of Maya Angelou but instead pictures of dolls. 
Tons and tons of dolls.
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I double checked my spelling yet that wasn't the issue as it normally is... So where was Maya Angelou? Among all the drawn doll pictures I did find a picture of one elderly woman.
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But if my memory served correctly, this was not what Maya looked like when the librarian showed us an image of her. Frustrated by Google's clear lack of intelligence, I returned to the webpage the librarian made and copied that picture.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c89bda379ba7706163b3e73d49abef23af349b3beb1d52cbca4723146a1035b0.jpg?w=600&h=293
Poems? Check! 
Pictures for poems? Check! 
Picture of the author? Check! 
All that left is a short biography to write up. I return to my google webpage again and begin clicking links. Yet.... nothing of what I was reading lined up with what the librarian told us. Maya is not an 89 year old who draws iconic pictures of "mouth-less children" that appear in Hallmark stores. 
WHAT THE HELL WAS HAPPENING?!
Livid and confused out of my mind, I sunk back into my chair and compared letter by letter the person I was googling, the author of my book, and Maya FLIPPEN Angelou. 
That's when I found it....my problem...
The book I had read and prepared a poster for, was not by Maya Angelou but instead by Joan Walsh Anglund.
I sat there for a moment looking between the book and internet. 
Joan Walsh Anglund was not Maya Angelou. 
Joan Walsh Anglund was not on the approved author list. 
My book was written by Joan Walsh Anglund. 
My poster was on Joan Walsh Anglund. 
My poster was due tomorrow.
Sitting there, facing my demise in the form of a short, pink, happy poetry book; I did the only thing I could do. Laugh. A desperate, stressed cackle.
"Um..." I giggled, "Mrs. R?"
"Yes?" My teacher looked up at me. By this point in the year my class had grown accustomed to my random giggling (this was mostly due to the fact TGS updated in the middle of class #liquidlaughter ) thus this was nothing out of the ordinary for me.
"So....you know that book I've been really proud of?" I nervously chuckled, "And how I thought it was written by Maya Angelou?"
"Yes."
"It's not written by Maya Angelou....It's written by Joan Walsh Anglund."
"Let me see your book." My teacher sighed, slightly peeved by this sudden twist of events.
I handed over my book however the rest of my small class had heard this exchange.
"Wait!" One boy pipped up, "What do you mean?"
"I mean, the book I've been bragging about was not written by Maya Angelou but by some elderly lady who makes Hallmark cards." I started cracking up again and showed them the pictures of the dolls.
"The poster is due tomorrow." My teacher intrupted us as she flipped through my poetry book.
"I know..." I sheepishly, glanced down at the table, "I have everything else done! Just... not the biography..."
"Okay." She handed my book back to me.
"Okay?" Okay to what? What was she Okaying to?
"Okay, you can do your poster on that book as it is modern poetry."
"REALLY!?" I couldn't believe it!
"Yes." She replied curtly before returning to her computer screen.
I began laughing again! A big belly laugh not in desperation but in ,em>relief! My crazy-short-uplifting-incorrect-author-book actually worked!
"I did wonder why it was so joyful!" I cackled as I began to research Maya Angelou.
After a few minutes my laughter was ignited again by an odd article I uncovered.
Book author Joan Walsh Anglund says of Angelou stamp: ‘That’s my quote’
Apparently, on a Forever stamp in honor of Maya Angelou, a quote by Joan Walsh Anglund was used and no one, not even her family, caught it until Joan said something! Not only that but in 2013 President Obama did a similar thing when presenting two Medals! He quoted Anglund but attributed it to Angelou! You can see the article here:
https://www.washingtonpost....
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/book-author-joan-walsh-anglund-claims-angelou-quote-on-stamp/2015/04/06/62d31934-dcc8-11e4-acfe-cd057abefa9a_story.html?noredirect=on
I wasn't sure if it was more comforting or hilarious that the president of the United States and the Postal Office had done the exact same thing I had... I decided to play it safe and go with both.
Finally, at the end of a long month I presented my poster with the following biography:
"Joan Walsh Anglund is an author and illustrator mainly for over 90 children books. Born on in 1926 in Illinois she attended the Chicago Art Institute and American Academy of Art in the mid 1940s. Her art became popular in the 1960s for evoking nostalgia and innocence in the consumer. She’s famous for her popular Dolls, Collector Plates Figurines, Clothing, Greeting cards, Tea Sets, Glassware and other products featuring her art. She currently has a company J.W.A Inc.
As contemporary poet, many of her poems conform to the style with the brevity of her pieces, the use of imagery and metaphors, writing in free verse, and common language that suggest ideas rather than overtly stating them. Her works are mainly centered around love, innocence, children, and traditions.
Joan’s book A Friend Is Someone Who Likes You was selected as one of the ten best illustrated books of 1958 by the New York Times. Her quotes have been used both by President Obama in his speeches and the United States Post Office on their Forever Stamps however in both cases credit for the quote went incorrectly attributed to Maya Angelou."
I got a A+ on that poster!
***
Stripping Montague
Now that I look back there has been a lot of stripping at my high school. Most of that happened during PE when either where something epic would happen and the boys would throw off their shirts in victory or occasionally I would walk in on them playing hardcore soccer...shirtless.
I think the soccer event was one of my favorites, due to it being the week of our school's annual male pageant. For the pageant a bunch of the seniors all create posters and routines and raise money for a charity. At the end of the week all the money is counted up and the actual pageant is held where the seniors will show off their talents, strut around in swimsuits, and present themselves to the whole audience. The viewers can then vote (through money) on who was the best not to mention the silent auctions and bidding that also goes on. Unlike normal auctions the boys aren't selling off old pieces of equipment but themselves! About 2 years ago the entire girls tennis team pooled together $500+ to go on a date with one of the contestants. It's a grand time for all! XD But back to the story!
I was returning to the girls locker room to change back into my normal clothes and had to pass through one of the gyms. Now I can tell you this was the last thing I expected to see walking into the gym: The entire baseball team and company (from my gym class), shirtless, parading around, profusely sweating, and screaming as they played soccer. My favorite part however was the fact that, because it was the week of the pageant, all the boys with hairy chests shaved the school letters into them! So as a team scored a point the boys would beat their chests and cheer causing the hair (and letters) on their torso to bounce and dance with victory too!
Not counting The Epic Game story, my other favorite stripping tale has to be the Swimmers!
It was homecoming week and Character day is one of the most popular themes. Everyone dresses up! We'll have light saber battles in the hallways, cowboys getting piggy back rides to horses, witches running the library, and pirates teaching English! 
Everyone dresses up!
I had just finished PE and was traveling through the lounge (basically the cafeteria but a lot more relaxed with couches and tables), when I see something...peculiar. There, lined up in the middle of the lounge, is the swim team. They're not dressed up but instead are wearing sweat pants and jackets, however around them is this swarm of students (dressed as princesses, and movie characters, wizards and knights, etc.), cellphones out and ready to take pictures. I stop and watch as the swimmers posed and mugged the limelight. There wasn't any swim meet that I had heard about nor were they dressed up. So why was everyone making a big deal about these 5 guys?
I approached the scene with my arms crossed trying to find the missing piece of the puzzle when I heard it:
"Alright everyone ready?" A voice from the sea of characters shouted out. Nods and affirmations quickly followed from both the crowd and the swimmers.
"Alright! Let's get ready!" The leader of the swim team, a good friend of mine, called out as he gripped the fabric that covered his upper thighs. The other boys quickly followed suit.
"Ready?" My friend called out to the cameras.
"When ever you are!" Was the resounding response.
"3..."
"...2..."
"...1!"
And with that the boys ripped off their pants and quickly shed their jackets leaving all 5 of them completely naked except for the iconic tight black speedos and several shinning swimming metals that hung around all of their necks.
The crowd went wild!
Cameras flashed! Cheers, whistling, and growls emanated from the audience! And I stood there, stunned, as my friend and all the others posed and twerked their way onto Social Media pages everywhere!
After the initial surprise had worn off, I shook my head and laughed as this was something they would do. Chuckling to myself, I sauntered to my next class with the image of the stripping swim team imprinted into my mind.
It took the facility 3 hours to find all the boys and make them put their clothes back on but none the less it was a glorious 3 hours!
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Mz.Hyde Mod  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
Ah, "Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus" I remember that story! Good times!
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Hyde without a Jekyll  Mz.Hyde • 2 years ago
XD Right! I love that book!
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Setae  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
Reading this was the best thing of my day. Thank you :D
I'll confess I find it a bit odd how often Maya Angelou has seemingly been confused with Joan Anglund. Glad to hear you got an A+ on the poster anyway XD
Is it appropiate to say your school has a stripping culture?
Did it really take 3 hours to find 5 boys wearing nothing but speedos and swimming medals? I thought they would be rather easy to track down :P
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Hyde without a Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
I'm glad you liked it! :DD
I know right! What I find so comical is that 2 government divisions with multiple people fact checking these things and tons of resources got these two people confused! XD
Oh yeah it's appropriate! XDDDD Considering how it shows up in school videos and more than a few times I've seen people walking around the school stripped down to their boxes it's 110% appropriate!
One would think that! XDDD However I know it was three hours because 4th period was when I saw the last speedo covered up. The reason it took so long is that 1) Some of the kids had free periods during that time 2) Some of the teachers went right along with it and 3) I wouldn't be surprised if the following happened:
Vice Principal: "Put some clothes on!"
Senior in a speedo: "Yeah, yeah, calm down. I'll go grab them." Doesn't actually grab them and continues to show off his medals.
Last year wasn't the first year they did this either so they've have had experience pulling off this sort of thing. ;)
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Setae  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
Your whole school sounds pretty damn chill XD
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Hyde without a Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
Yeah. My high school was. XD What about you?
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Setae  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
Not as comfortable with casual stripping but pretty nice otherwise.
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Hyde without a Jekyll  Setae • 2 years ago
That's good! And you didn't mess much with the casual stripping. XD
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Catt Hatter  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
Dude, your school sounds awesome!
Wish I coulda gone there/could go there.
In any case, this was great fun to read. Thank you for sharing! :D
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Hyde without a Jekyll  Catt Hatter • 2 years ago
I'm glad you enjoyed it! And my high school was certainly something! XDD
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Catt Hatter  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
It sure was! XD
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Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
((chatterghosts Here we go!))
Lewis had just finished setting broken arm of a workman who'd fallen off the roof of The Velvet Orchid.
Having done his medical duty, Weir was headed down Carlisle Street and away from Soho Square.
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
Out of seemingly nowhere, a very familiar soul signature appeared.
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Jekyll1886  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
Lewis kept walking, but gradually slowed so that he came to a stop when he reached the corner.
"Hello, Huxley."
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
And, of course, he was waiting around said corner. "Heeeeyyyy. Remember how I said I'd drop by when things started going south?"
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Jekyll1886  chatterghosts • 2 years ago • edited
"Yes...?" replied Lewis, lifting an eyebrow.
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"It's...gone south. Very south. It's Antarctic levels of south," Huxley groaned.
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Jekyll1886  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
Oh, bugger me.
"Oh, Hell."
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"It's...not going well." He sighed, his hands moving dynamically with his words. "The chances that the both of them get out okay are disappearing into thin air! It's -- it's weird. I've never seen that many opportunities just...vanish like that!"
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Jekyll1886  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
"I have a medical kit and a cane. Is there time to get anything else, or no?"
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"I'm...not sure. I think they're in a castle? I--"
He visibly cringed. "Richard tried to attack his cannibal pal with utensils."
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Jekyll1886  chatterghosts • 2 years ago • edited
Weir snickered at that mental image, as well as the irony: attacking a cannibal with silverware.
"Did he succeed? Also, who's there besides Richard and Hannibal?"
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"Uh-- oh, cannibal guy's husband is --" His face screwed up in confusion. "Okay, so Arty and Richard made an escape plan, I gue-- wait - oh, for the love of God."
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Jekyll1886  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
"What?" asked Lewis quickly.
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"Arty...is...in a tree - oh, Jesus, he's bleeding." He groaned. "Dumb kid jumped the window. And I'm pretty damn sure his arm's broken."
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Jekyll1886  chatterghosts • 2 years ago • edited
"Do you see the possibility of anyone coming to this castle and discovering who killed Hannibal and Will?" Weir asked in utter seriousness.
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
".. I... see very few chances that they die." He squinted a little. "... at all."
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Jekyll1886  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
"In the scenarios where they do, how does it happen?"
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Huxley let out a low, thoughtful hum. "Your best bet is fire, but - there's something else? It's fuzzy." He rubbed his head. "Something, something, iron, salt -- it's vague."
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Jekyll1886  chatterghosts • 2 years ago • edited
This walkin' stick's solid, wrought iron. I've salt in my doctor's bag here. Unless he means...
"Sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter?" Weir wondered aloud.
Unless it's fire, water, iron, and salt, as it is in the Bible or Hadith.
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"No idea," he said bluntly. "Just going by sight."
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Jekyll1886  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
"I don't suppose there's any way I could get...wherever they are," he half stated, half asked. "In time enough to make a difference."
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
He sighed. "There are possibilities, but...I'm not sure. You'd have to see."
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Jekyll1886  chatterghosts • 2 years ago • edited
Lewis pulled out a small, round device and pressed in a certain spot.
"Dr. Jekyll, this is Dr. Weir. Might you have a moment?"
Silence.
"Dr. Jekyll, are you near? Lives are at stake."
Silence.
"Dr. Jekyll?"
He tried a few more times, to no avail.
"I dare say the man's gone to bed, unfortunately," Weir told Huxley. "There goes my chance at a timely jaunt."
He sighed.
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Huxley gave a small shrug. "I--"
He drew in a sharp breath through his nose, his eyes glinted a ruby color. "Ah, sh*t."
He disappeared from his spot, into thin air.
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Jekyll1886  chatterghosts • 2 years ago • edited
"Adieu to you, too," said Lewis to the air.
Ah, well, he thought, and gave a small shrug.
He set out for the Society.
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"Dumb brat,", hissed the familiar and all-too-sudden voice, "thinks she can just summon me whenever she --"
And then, silence.
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Jekyll1886  chatterghosts • 2 years ago • edited
Lewis had doubled back the way he'd come, and had already made it to the intersection of Soho and Oxford Streets when he sensed Huxley's return.
"Over here," he called. He was just about to walk back down Soho Street to meet Huxley in the square when the fellow vanished...again.
"Bloody Hell," said Weir softly.
He waited a few minutes, calling Huxley's name every so often...with no response
Impatience took him, and he crossed Oxford.
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
There was a great thud from behind Lewis -
upon turning, he'd see Huxley -- and Fiona, lying on the ground. The former was groaning and clutching his head; the latter was laughing, hard.
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Jekyll1886  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
"What the bloody Hell?" said Lewis as he turned, startled...only to see the two.
"Fiona?"
He hadn't seen her at the Society for...weeks.
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Fiona's gaze fell on Lewis - she scrambled into a seated position, eyes wide and utterly horrified. "Holy sh*t. Weir?"
Huxley continued to hold his head, letting out small noises of distress - really, it was the first time Lewis would witness anything other than a wired smile and total confidence. "I hate you so, so much."
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Jekyll1886  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
Lewis nodded to Fiona.
"Yes, it's I. Been awhile. Thought a sinkhole'd swallowed you up," he chuckled.
"And..." he observed with a tilt of his head as he gazed at the murmuring Huxley, "apparently you two know each other."
He turned back to Fiona.
"Interesting."
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"Oh, yes," she said, her eyes drifting toward Huxley. She drove her fist down into his chest, hard gave him a firm pat on the chest, smiling. In response, he curled up, still groaning.
"We're close friends, see?" She leaned in closer. "Thanks for letting me hitch a ride!"
"Die in a pit, you wicked b*tch!"
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Jekyll1886  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
"Right, well, be that as it may, we've a pressing matter, and I need to get to the Society. Feel free accompany me there if you like; we can talk as we go."
He extended a hand to help up...whichever of the two chose to take it.
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Huxley took the hand gratefully, climbing to his feet. Now upright, his ruffled state was a tad more evident: normally neat hair was messy and tangled, and his clothes were partially unbuttoned and disorderly.
And if Fiona looked any more unsightly than she normally did, well. No one could really tell.
Huxley sighed wearily. "Thank you."
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Jekyll1886  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
"You're welcome," returned Lewis, then offered his hand to help Fiona up in turn.
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Fiona shook her head, getting to her feet herself with a grin. "Would either o' ya mind if I came along?"
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Jekyll1886  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
"I don't," said Lewis, "but we really do need to get going."
With that, he turned on his heel, then braced his right foot against his cane as he continued east on Oxford.
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Huxley and Fiona kept their distances from each other, though both fell into step behind Lewis.
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Jekyll1886  chatterghosts • 2 years ago • edited
He turned left onto Hanway Street, the narrow alley not widening one bit as it approached Tottenham Court Road, a major thoroughfare.
"So, Huxley..." asked Lewis, with a brief glance behind him as they went, "what were you trying to tell me earlier?"
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"Well, before I was interrupted -" he shot Fiona a bitter glare - "I was going to say that the window of time is closing very, very fast. I don't see many outcomes where you make it in time."
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Jekyll1886  chatterghosts • 2 years ago • edited
"That's why I'm bound for the Society. I'm hoping Charricthran can give me a ride."
He crossed Tottenham Court Road, and Hanway promptly changed names into Great Russell Street, going from a dingy, crooked alley to a fine, straight boulevard. All they had to do was keep walking, and it would lead them right to the Society's doorstep...
...assuming it still had one by the time they got there. Cracks and crashes and a flurry of different energies emanated from the Society's direction.
One of those, Lewis realized...was Charricthran.
Catt's signature was so close to it that, had they not been utterly different types of beings, it would have proved difficult to distinguish between them at this distance.
They were each of them laced with the frenetic energy of fear, and were moving rapidly.
The other major source of soul-energy was hot on their heels.
For a moment, Lewis recalled his own exhaustion in the Society's infirmary on a day several weeks past. If the presence he'd sensed then was a cloudburst, it had become a full-fledged maelstrom now.
And...pieces of Charricthran went into it? Fed it?
"F*ck."
Hastie.
He dropped all pretense and ran for the Society at full tilt.
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
At nearly the exact same time, Huxley's gaze snapped up.
And, given how quickly Lewis abandoned injury, he probably sensed the very same thing that Huxley saw. He picked up pace drastically, remaining close behind him; Fiona did as well, however begrudgingly.
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Wizardblizzard  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
((I don't remember that in the Bible, whereabouts is it? Not all together , I mean, of course there are plenty of mentions of those indivudual things. ))
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Jekyll1886  Wizardblizzard • 2 years ago
((This is from the book of Ecclesiasticus (not to be confused with the book of Ecclesiastes). Ecclesiasticus is not included in some versions of the Bible. Here's a link to the verse if you want it: https://www.kingjamesbibleo... ))
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Tairais • 2 years ago
(( chatterghosts Get doubly summoned my guy!
Artemis sprang from his seat, ignoring the uneasy turn in his stomach and the way his knees lost all feeling. He twirled on a heel and made a blitz for the window, bracing himself for the impact that was sure to come. The world he was soon to crash into was suddenly all the more terrifying -
but he didn't stop. Glittering shards of tinted glass dug into his skin, and then disappeared from his vision completely.
Because he was falling.
And then, felt himself collide with something that was decidedly not the ground. Tree branches lashed against his skin.
There was a sort of lurch in his stomach when he realized his nose was bleeding.
And then succeeded by, oh, his face was bleeding too. And his nose was very much fractured. ))
The next few moments were a kaleidoscope of activity, actions reflected across fractured and bloody glass. His sudden movement had cost him much of what little energy he had amassed lying in wait, and it was all Richard could do to keep even a semblance of thought moving through his burning mind.
with a snarl he lunged forward, grabbed the outstretched arm with silver (antler-not-antler) tines, squeezed until Richard sucked in air in pain and dropped his hidden weapon.
it clattered to the table just as the moon fell into the embrace of the pines below- all three stared down at it in silence. even the small, deadly oyster fork seemed to cow back from will's righteously furious glare.
hannibal moved first. replaced the tray. nestled on their bed of ice, the shells gaped open like astonished mouths.
will, breathing hard, chest rising and falling as he battled the temptation to rip arms from their sockets.
"Will."
eyes up, flashed righteous fury, searched for hannibal's calm gaze and locked on to it. It centered him, quieted his screaming mind.
"Let him go, Will."
a contemptuous sneer. a relinquished grip. "Now that," he declared, tongue dripping disdain, "is what I call unpardonably rude."
dropped into his seat, heartbeat racing, adrenaline coursing. richard remained frozen as three different kinds of monsters stared him down
perhaps, after all, the lion holds sway. but for hannibal, he will keep it in check. for hannibal, richard knows will will do anything.
"Prologue done. Time for Act One, Richard." unfamiliar voices. was it his? was it the Lion, the Lamb, or the Stag? was it none of those? all of those? whose breath trailed down his spine in a sickly caress?
it didn't matter. nothing would in a few more moments.
hannibal in his element. order restored, he resumed his directorial role with gusto.
"Will, if you would be so kind as to retrieve our other dinner guest, I will attend to Richard myself. I daresay he's finished being... 'unpardonably rude' now."
jerky nod, click of hooves on the floor- not hooves, dress shoes. wrong form, wrong place, wrong time.
alone with one monster instead of two- eyes had closed, when?
tired. . so tired.
snipping of scissors. faint idea of protest as the curtain of chestnut-red hair that hid him from the world started to shear away.
protest died in the back of his throat because it could buy time, could buy compliance if he acted like he was fading more than he actually was.
a whine must have escaped anyways because hannibal shushed him, snakelike, lullaby-like.
and then he began to speak, soft, passionate, insistent.
"Husshhh, Ričardas. Consider the fact that parting this veil of yours is far preferable to any parting of the way we've shared thus far. You know the terrible things we could do to each other instead. Are you not tired of fighting and running from yourself? Look at where it has led you."
snip, snip, snip. pause.
tchlk, tchlk, tchlk. pause.
"You’re beginning to understand now aren't you,” it's a statement; not a question. “And how it hurts you. But remember, Ričardas: to constantly renounce and disavow one’s true self is one of the greatest acts of self-violence which it is possible to inflict. It requires a degree of audacity to examine oneself…and considerable fortitude to tolerate the pain that results from the knowledge. But it is far preferable – far more profitable and admirable – than the agony of constant, mindless denial.”
agonized laughter bubbling in his throat. lewis's face to mind. similar enough in words, echos across time and space.
he knew. he would know. he knows.
"Your denial led you here, and it will leave you here to bleed, in one way or another. You know why Will and I must do this, I trust? You would take our lives-"
a bubble of complaint- blood in his mouth? negative sounds.
"Our freedom, then, you would take that too."
just enough air for sound- rasping with the sound of snipping.
"He wasss.. sssss'pposed to leave. You. all. were."
a sigh, a final snip. hooves footprints in the distance.
Hannibal quietly carved his leg, now cool enough to serve. Thin slices of delicately pink meat fanned out in the center of each plate, served with tiny potatoes in their skins (nice touch) and garnished with fruit segments. With a flourish, he drizzled blood red sauce in a swirl over each dish (Slightly heavy on the symbolism. Classic Hannibal), the patterns collecting like flowers and heartbeats.
Taking the seat opposite of him, Hannibal raised a glass of wine Richard hadn't noticed he'd had.
"What shall we drink to?"
In a surprising turn of events, it was not the stag who sauntered into being, but Jack Harkness himself, rings and wings of red blood trailing like feathers from his back.
Jack's forehead crinkled. "Gee, I don't know. I'm stumped." Turns to his left, mischeviously polite. "How about you, Ricky-boy?"
Hannibal raised a quizzical brow. Obviously, something had flickered across his face.
"To agency and... participation?"
On a wave of realisation, Richard nearly choked on his own bile. He didn't want this. He didn't want Hannibal to want this. He failed in every single task and goal he had set himself.
F--k.
But the show must go on.
"To agency." Gracefully stabbing the meat, Hannibal cut off a sliver and raised it to his lips, fixing Richard with a stare that spoke only of hunger, disappointment, and something alien in its ferocity. "And participation."
Swallowing a sigh, Richard followed in his example. Artemis was on his own- he only hoped Will had eaten recently.
In the distance, he heard tree branches snap and crack. He did not stifle the sigh that escaped him as he swallowed a piece of himself.
Hannibal's gaze turned to one of amusement instead.
They ate in silence that dripped regret and bitter, unfilled promises.
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Catt Hatter  Tairais • 2 years ago
(T-T)
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Tairais  Catt Hatter • 2 years ago
(( *Gentle pat* ))
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Mz.Hyde Mod  Tairais • 2 years ago
Imma just put this here....
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b2ea823d41566fee12aeab817c54a8bb3c519c19f495a810dbaa427baedb9d63.jpg?w=600&h=364
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Tairais  Mz.Hyde • 2 years ago
(( Blessssss :D ))
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Mz.Hyde Mod  Tairais • 2 years ago
(XD You know, there are two things I'd like to do with Dr. Lecter...)
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Tairais  Mz.Hyde • 2 years ago
(( Have dinner and talk about your careers? :P ))
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Mz.Hyde Mod  Tairais • 2 years ago
(Oh, that does sound nice!~ XD But no, not exactly that...)
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Tairais  Mz.Hyde • 2 years ago
(( XD ))
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Mz.Hyde Mod  Tairais • 2 years ago
(One has to do with LJ, the other has to do with a running gag in the underworld.)
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Tairais  Mz.Hyde • 2 years ago
(( I have no idea what you're talking about but it sounds fun XD ))
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Mz.Hyde Mod  Tairais • 2 years ago
(Well, we could either discuss this on hangouts or hit it off running right away, your choice! ;))
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Tairais  Mz.Hyde • 2 years ago
(( Hit me up on hangouts- I'm Tairais Amuulzhaan on there ^^ ))
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Mz.Hyde Mod  Tairais • 2 years ago
( I can't find you!!)
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Hyde without a Jekyll  Mz.Hyde • 2 years ago
((....I should cover the childrens' eyes, shouldn't I.))
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Mz.Hyde Mod  Hyde without a Jekyll • 2 years ago
(Yes, yes you should.)
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Catt Hatter  Mz.Hyde • 2 years ago
( o_o )?
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chatterghosts  Tairais • 2 years ago
Following a resounding crack, Artemis hit the ground.
Red blossomed in his vision. Pain crept up his arm which was, almost certainly, broken. Crimson was dribbling out of his nose, down his lips and onto the grass.
Will was coming soon. He needed to get up, he needed to run.
God, everything was weighted.
He forced himself to his feet, his movement sluggish despite desperation, and started toward the horizon, hobbling for the treeline.
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Tairais  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
Will wasn't so much coming as he was lurking in the window. Agitation curled in his veins like a snake as he watched Artemis' retreating form- He'd rather be hunting Richard, the damn bastard.
He didn't even know what Hannibal saw in him, why he didn't just kill him outright.
That was a lie. He knew exactly what, he just didn't like it.
Oh well. After tonight, there would be very little chance of seeing Richard again.
He forced his thoughts back to the present and nimbly jumped out of the window, taking care not to cut himself on the shattered glass as he landed.
Even considering Artemis' head start, this would be a short hunt- the man's fear and pain was practically a heavy mist over the lake and forest he knew like the back of his hand after many months walking it.
It was for this reason, combined with his... more supernatural abilities that allowed him to loop through the woods and appear almost casually in Artemis' path, arms folded across his chest. He didn't even bother with theatrics when Artemis came into view- he simply darted forward and carried him like a sack of potatoes on his good shoulder.
Within minutes they were back in the dining room, back into the stifling atmosphere of fear, anger, and betrayal that wanted to crawl down his throat and make a home there.
Without another word, he deposited Artemis into his chair and sat down next to Hannibal, stabbing a cut of meat almost vindictively.
~*~
Richard had held out hope until he heard Will's shoes clacking against the marble flooring, at which point he promptly started shoring up every mental and emotional defense he could muster. He'd need them, now more than ever, if he wanted Artemis to get out of this alive.
And gods, did he want.
He wished he could offer Artemis more than the flash of comfort that flickered across his eyes, more than just a simple unspoken 'Trust me', but the truth was he was running out of options and ideas very quickly.
For the first time that night, Richard began to doubt his chances at saving Artemis. He shoved the thought aside just as quickly as it had appeared.
They'd be fine. He could do this.
Dinner passed slowly and tersely= Hannibal and Will would occasionally chat about one obscure topic or another for a few moments, sometimes asking for Richard's input, mostly ignoring their two guests. While it went against Hannibal's polite manners to be so rude, he concluded that his two guests had been rude enough to him to warrant it, even if it was entertaining in a sad, strange sort of way.
It wasn't supposed to have wound up like this. But it did.
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chatterghosts  Tairais • 2 years ago
Artemis dug his face into his good hand, broken arm held close to his chest.
He'd been so close to getting out, to escaping a game he didn't belong in - a long, slow, harsh game, in which he'd had few cards at all.
He didn't fully realize he was stifling sobs into his hand until he was.
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Tairais  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
Richard, Hannibal, and Will proceeded to pay no mind to Artemis- the first out of crushing guilt, the second out of politeness, and the third out of irritation and his own brand of sympathy (empathy).
Once those who had chosen to dine were finished, Hannibal fixed Richard with a piercing stare, yet remained silent.
it was the kind of silence that pulsated and crawled and itched all manner of ways yet he did not waver, did not flinch merely asked.
"Unless you... aim to give me my just desserts, I believe.. 'sis where we have a rather painful an'... potentially multi-layered conversation, Doctor-Lecter-and-Mister-Graham." The inflection of his last five words was purposeful- they were a single, conjoined unit as far as he cared. The slurred quality of his voice was not, however, purposeful- how ill was he?
Very, very ill.
Hannibal smiled, all sphinx-like and inscrutable. "Indeed it is. Tell me, Richard- have you come to regret anything else in you life since you last confided in me?"
"I find myself riddled with regrets, as you well would know."
"True enough- a life without regret would be no life at all."
"Are you attempting... to get me to say I regret trying to kill you? That is some rather... low-handed psy-psy-psychiatry, Doctor Lecter."
"I am merely guiding you towards being honest with yourself- much like your friend, what was his name..."
"Doctor Weir, I believe?" A pity. Richard had almost thought Will had resigned himself to silence for the evening. He had been doing a stellar job of it until then.
"Yes. Your... point?"
"My point is the same as his- you would have fared much better had you been honest and accepting of your truest nature, rather than dance around it.
"I have... to deal with you and my feelings about myself. You- 'bout Will, 'bout our former... partnership. You... think it best if I do that... directly."
"First you have to grieve for what is lost and what has changed." A slight nod, the suggestion of agreement, curiosity and hunger in the eyes. not straightforward, never straightforward.
"I have... changed- you changed me. I... have lost much, and I have buried.. it all."
"And yet, here you are."
"By your... invitation only."
"Yes, well. I do enjoy having old friends for dinner, you understand."
muted glare, sick apprehension. hannibal's glee, will's fond exasperation.
artemis' fear.
he pushed back the chair and stand up- outside of body, outside of mind. blood dripping from the leg in the center- did they eat what was left over? they wouldn't waste it, surely. distasteful- onto the floor, from his faint smile of glee-to-amused intrigue.
will made to stand, hannibal motioned for him to sit.
"That.. friendship we had- it is over, is it not?" pronounce each word carefully, inflection was still wrong but you had to try and have some form of control. "It ended with Jack cold and lifeless in similar ground in the middle of bleeding snow. You... remember." A pause. "It had to be me, did it not? I was compelled to take his life so.... so..."
a raised eyebrow, the faint twinge of concern in maroon eyes.
genuinely worried or a shallow mask? unsure. more data needed.
not enough time for the facts. don't act without the facts. error.
improvise.
"So what, Richard?"
will glancing up at him with agitated wariness, like a hungry, abused wolf.
not far off in comparisons.
"So that I could... take my own back."
"And how will you take it back, I wonder?"
"Do you.. have a suggestion? I have taken my mind, where is my life with it?"
a conversation filled with the ghosts of the past and references to it only the three of them understood.
movement- his? it was his. he couldn't feel his body. curious. anomaly. record, collect, observe.
the proper mindset. analytical. calculating. facts removed from bias.
a response to stress. the right one? no, probably not.
hannibal said nothing, merely looked contemplative. he stood and strode towards richard, calm and collected- always. like one of his clockwork machines unfolding into life where it had been statue moments before.
his clockwork machines didn't generally hold knives with such casual ease, however.
Time seemed to slow to an imperceptible crawl as Richard watched the gleam of silver descend towards his neck. It felt almost like a deadly game of chicken- who would yield first; the immovable object or the unstoppable force?
Closer, closer, closer the blade fell, yet still, he didn't move.
it didn't even occur to him to be afraid that he was likely about to die. if that was to be how his punishment played out, who was he to question the judge and executioner?
closerclosercloser, until he saw the complicated gleam in hannibal's eyes, felt intrigue and concern from will as he watched. deliberately blocked artemis out.
he shouldn't have.
slower and slower did time move, tension stretching tight as a wire, and it seemed as if it might never stop, never snap. he wished it would- he just wanted this whole ordeal to be over with.
looking back, he wished it hadn't.
gods, did he wish.
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chatterghosts  Tairais • 2 years ago
Artemis finally raised his head with the smallest of sniffles. His eyes widened.
The knife was descending upon Richard's neck.
And then he was moving faster and faster, toward, Hannibal, his desperacy and fury and exhaustion guiding him, arms outstretched, to try and shove him away.
No one needed to die tonight. No one needed to die tonight.
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Tairais  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
No one needed to die that night, but someone did.
It seemed almost inevitable in a way- his delayed reaction, Artemis' frantic rage, the trajectory of the knife (never mind the fact Hannibal almost certainly wasn't going to actually kill him, it was a lesson in fear and acceptance- why hadn't he told Artemis to stay put? Why hadn't he expected Artemis to care about him that much?), Will's terrible, knowing gaze, filled with regret- perhaps he had empathized with Richard after all, to feel that much guilt, that much grief.
All the grief and outstretched hands in the world couldn't stop the sickening whisper of steel against flesh.
Not his flesh- no. That would be too kind a reckoning (surely this was Hannibal's plan for punishment all along? This whole night and all the remorse he'd thought he'd seen, it was a lie- it was always lies, why did he never see?!).
Artemis' flesh. The blade carved a smile across the twin pulse points in his neck, and all but will were bathed in crimson, stark crimson.
It dripped everywhere.
And when Artemis' body fell against his, he sank to his knees with it, frantically pressing his lifeless hands against a soon-to-be-lifeless neck.
At this moment, the world sighed the great breath it had been holding, the ball of tension unwound in the worst way possible.
No one was supposed to die. Someone did die. Was dying. Would be dead.
Artemis was going to die.
And it was all his fault.
Hannibal looked surprised (and Richard wanted to scream at him because why?! Why would he, of all people, be surprised?). His eyes had widened almost imperceptibly when he'd first seen the blur of movement he had (accidentally, though he would never admit it) ended with his blade.
An unfortunate waste. Richard's notes had said he was a psychologist of sorts- the world needed more bright minds like his.
Ultimately, though, it had safeguarded his and Will's continued, preferred state of living. Try as he might to deny it based off of sentimentality, Richard constantly fought the urge to do what was morally acceptable- in this case, reporting their whereabouts to what remained of Jack Crawford's investigators- despite what he wanted to do- which was decidedly unclear at this point, but it certainly wasn't that, else he would have done so to rescue Artemis.
He blinked, and the small tell vanished, replaced by a mask as blank as a sheet of paper.
"An unfortunate waste, but I believe the purpose of this evening has been achieved nonetheless." He wiped the blade clean on the white tablecloth and offered his arm to Will, smiling softly, genuinely.
Will took it, and the pair of them began to walk (glide would be more accurate- living art, living weapons) towards the shattered window. Hannibal didn't (couldn't bear to?) bother to look over his shoulder at a scene cast into shadow by moonlight.
Will, who couldn't resist the chance to have the final word, did, and spoke the last words Richard would hear from them for many decades more.
"You know, Ričardas and Hannibal, you were right."
Richard, pale as a sheet and desperately fighting against the pneumonia that both burned his mind and drowned him alive, looked up with eyes as wide and luminous as stars. The unspoken 'what? what could I possibly be right about' was written in his face, clear as day.
Hannibal merely looked curious, perhaps a little amused.
Will grinned a smile that dripped the death, decay, and rot of all he once held dear.
"'No greater love hath man than to lay down his life for a friend.' Or, well, surrogate brother, as the case may be. I hope it was worth it."
Richard closed his eyes to stave off a scream, because he knew that if he started, he wouldn't stop until his lungs gave out or his throat bled raw, whichever came first.
He opened his eyes, and they were gone.
And he was struck with the horrible sense of injustice.
And he tried so hard to stem his tears, but it took too much energy, too much focus.
Artemis was going to die, and it was his fault entirely. He couldn't choose between the past or the present, and in the end, the choice had been made for him.
He'd have neither.
he snapped out of one mood into another and started murmuring to Artemis in a multitude of frantic, desperate languages and gods did his head and chest and throat and everything ache, it ached it ached and he thought that this was what it was like to die while living because his little brother, one of two beloveds, was dying in his arms for the second time and it was all his fault again.
"Artemis Artemis hold on all will be well, you will be fine Artemis, just don't move, I can.. I can.."
he could do nothing. each breath cost a fortune to take, each exhale one step away from death's rattle. moving quickly to get to his kit in his cell was decidedly out of the question- couldn't feel the lower half of his body now that shock and numbness had set in and he was so scared, so scared.
all he could do was hope.
look where it had gotten them.
he had skipped the first stages in the stages of grief and landed straight into depression and acceptance because there was nothing he could do.
helpless.
utterly helpless.
"Forgive me, Artemis. Forgive me." quiet whispers, barely the movement of air past his lips between agonizing fits of retching and coughing- his body betraying him as he gasped for air like a dying fish.
forgivemeforgivemeforgiveme
he didn't move his hands from artemis' throat. didn't stop clutching him to his chest. didn't stop, didn't stop.
didn't know what to do when he'd have to.
forgivemeforgivemeforgiveme
so sudden so quick so pointless was all of this, everything. artemis was going to die alone with his murderer holding him close- where was the cosmic justice preached to him from every day since birth? where was good triumphing over evil? lies, lies- all of it pointless and quick and agonizing.
he held artemis close and prayed to all the gods he didn't believe in for an answer he would never recieve.
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chatterghosts  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited
He'd lost his breath as soon as the knife connected with his pulse, and he'd been struggling to reclaim it since; it came in short, desperate, frantic bursts, as he wheezed and wailed for the pain to stop. His heart was skipping whole beats, lurching and rising, and falling, fast.
Was Richard speaking anymore? He couldn't tell. The silence that hung in his ears was tangible, buzzing with bitter energy, with a ferventness that could drive a man insane - and it nearly had! God, how novel it was that after twenty-seven years of dealing with the sheer, harsh noise, it had been that room, that terribly silent room--
He thought, rather frantically, that he didn't want his last thoughts to be of his own captivity.
Mindlessly, desperately, it dove toward the only thing it truly knew to be safe:
The nervous energy he'd had when he knocked on Elias' door for that first time in nearly a decade was certainly not lost on him, but God, when the door opened, it was as if he'd finally come back home; there his brother was, disheveled and just shy of confused, just as he'd been when they were younger.
Before he was fully aware, he'd thrown his arms around Elias, face burying in the crook between neck and shoulder.
How he'd missed him. How much Elias had truly meant to him, rather. He hadn't seen it until it was gone.
The thought had calmed him, at least a little, driving away the tension that had accumulated as his pulse crawled to a still.
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Tairais  chatterghosts • 2 years ago • edited
he held on and he held on and he held life in his hands until it slipped away and he could do nothing but sit there numbly and sob, terrible, scratchy things that clawed their way out of his sunken stomach, out of the bile rising in his throat as he desperately heaved air into his lungs.
no more tears at least- messy, messy, all of it. they had left covered in blood and not even minded. a reckoning. they were untouchable. he wasn't. he never had been. he'd never thought he had been.
it didn't matter- nothing mattered
it was unjust
it was
it
...
Richard took a deep breath and felt the screams he had bitten back since waking up on the operating table bubble and burble up like the blood that was still oozing from Artemis' throat- pulled along by gravity, not a heartbeat.
They built and bubbled and boiled and crowded out the oxygen until...
until until until until-
he didn't scream. choked it back, because he felt charricthran nearby and if he screamed he wouldn't stop.
gods, why? too young, he was too old- why? why not kill him- he deserved to die. why artemis?
the only sound in the aftermath was his own ragged breathing, slow and shallow. not enough to stave the dark tinge around his vision.
he still held on, clutched artemis to him in the worst, most macabre parody of a hug.
~*~
(( Jekyll1886 Here's your bit! ))
Charricthran wasted no time in digging his talons into Lewis' shoulder and tugging him sideways through the world into the shadow underneath the table.
The instant they rematerialized, he already knew they were too late. The taste of copper in the air was overwhelming, and none of it had the particular aftertaste of Richard's.
Artemis, then. Richard's grief.
He very deliberately melted back into the shadows, leaving human with humans.
He needed to stay away from Richard's emotions. Needed to recharge from Torke.
Needed to sleep. He was bone-weary in a way he hadn't been in a long time.
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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited
Lewis materialized out of the shadow with Charricthran...only to feel the unmistakable ebb and nadir, the change in energy, that signaled the end of a life.
Arty's.
What use the doctor's bag, for Artemis? Another death, another light gone out.
Richard, grieving.
For all his skill in dealing death, he's as powerless to prevent it as I.
He sighed, and crawled out from under the table.
"I'm sorry, Richard," was all he could say, as he knelt down, put a hand on Prince's shoulder, Arty's limp form before him. "Sorry I didn't get here in time."
The one night I really need Charricthran is when that bloody gargoyle has to go on that regrettable chase... he thought with chagrin. I'm blaming Torke, and I'm blaming...
"Which one of them did this?" he asked Richard, even as he cast his gaze over the table, searching for what he needed. Anything would do, really--a candle, the table linens, oil for the dressing if there was any, a knife, a sword (perchance on one of the walls of the place?), a salt cellar, a glass of water, a bowl--anything. Anything and everything.
Weir's stomach sank as he felt Hannibal's and Will's presences retreating at speed, already too far to find.
F*ck.
Never mind, then.
He glared hatefully at the table as if it were its fault, all its items useless without a target.
He took a deep breath. Let it out. Centered himself.
As of now, he had a duty to perform. A task to occupy himself, thank God.
He reached for his medical bag and prepared to treat Richard.
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
A familiar signature appeared in the courtyard, heading fast for the gates:
I'm sure he's fine - he always has been before!
I wouldn't be so sure, Elias... something feels really, really wrong.
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Tairais  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
(( Warning for suicidal thoughts ;-; ))
lewis' proximity was too much too soon- he couldn't let go- they got here too late to help artemis and too early to help him.
muffled voice, far in the distance. hand on his shoulder, sorrow, regret, guilt.
getitoffgetitoffget it off- no, don't move. don't talk.
don'tmovedon'ttalkoutoftimedon'tthinkdon'tworryeverything'sjustfine.
just fine.
numb, emotions numb. too much and not enough.
physically hurt- on fire, drowning, buried alive in fluid and nausea. blood on the table, blood on his hands, blood in his mouth. not his, why wasn't it his? it was his fault- why did he not pay with blood.
don't move. statue with ragged, death-like breathing. not good not good. slip away quietly and fade in a forest, don't let him take you home, you'll ruin everything again. you did it again- fourth home found, fourth home destroyed. why are you still here? just die die di-
shook his head once, jerky. chains around lewis, wrapping around him, choking him. his breath got worse- it wasn't doing anything, hyperventilating, control yourself control yourself can't control yourself, backup plan- no use, stop panicking.
the world grew pinprick black at the edges and he panicked more, clutching artemis' body like a sh-
don't think don't worry everything's just fine. he was a shield already, a shield he made, his fault, his fault.
best cure would be a scalpel following the smile on his neck- no more pain for anyone but him.
gods, what would you tell elias?
don't, leave, think both of you are dead. break away from lewis, make a clean brea- jagged heartbreak but otherwise clean break.
breathing got worse, he couldn't breathe. their eyes- artemis' eyes, lewis' eyes, elias' eyes, hannibal and will's and the stag's and jack's and lillian's and elise's and everyone, everyone's eyes.
accusatory, rightfully. his fault.
hacking, wet cough. don't vomit. needed to leave, needed to get away.
couldn't feel his limbs properly- not a single one made flesh, hair the wrong length, covered in the wrong blood, wearing the wrong clothes.
wasn't richard on the outside, only on the inside. didn't want to be either, really.
whole body was shaking, convulsing with the force of his cough, respectfully directed away from the dead and the living.
not enough air, drowning on land. burning in his mind- the stag rising out of smoke, offering the shattered pieces of his heart, one on each tine of its antlers. blackened, shriveled meat. no good. not good for anything.
tension- getawaygetawaygetawayfromitleavemealone.
chains behind him, artemis and the stag in front of him, taking his heart with them when they flickered out of view, empty, bleeding eyesockets vanishing last.
men and women murdered before him in quartets of four unlike the sounders of three- murder as music rather than art- irrelevant and inapropriate, wrong universe, wrong time, wrong everything.
getawaygetawaygetawayleavemealone.
muttering unknown to him, audible to lewis. not good. delusional. couldn't hear, didn't see right- chains suspended with smoke, fog, and tar. lewis. not that. remember.
remember.
remember what? irrelevant with artemis in front of him.
his fault. artemis was his fault.
his fault. all of this was his fault.
they should kill him.
they wouldn't.
that hurt almost as much as his lungs, drowning themselves. his head, burning alive, or his stomach- felt like it was getting cut open by dull, rusted spoons.
stopstopstopstop. wrong focus.
get out, get free, return to the earth.
won't be able to do any of that. they cared too much. why? why? of all people, why him?
why?
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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago
Richard's energy told Lewis that Prince didn't welcome the touch, was in no condition to answer Weir's question, didn't want him here, in proximity.
Well enough, then.
...
Free will.
He rose, closed the bag, left the room.
Other priorities.
Once out of Richard's sight, he bolted for Elias.
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Elias skidded to a full stop at the sight of Lewis - he'd gotten about halfway through the doorway, never even making it to the stairs. His eyes widened.
Lewis!
Lewis?
"... what the hell?"
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Jekyll1886  chatterghosts • 2 years ago • edited
Lewis stood at the bottom of the stairs, positioned in such a way that his body and cane blocked the path up.
"Charricthran gave me a ride, but..." he trailed off.
"Elias...Oliver...please..." he held their gaze, "don't go up there just now. There's...nothing to be done." He shook his head somberly, maintaining eye contact.
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Without a moment's thought, Elias' heart sank, in a sort of anticipation.
Of course he knew. Some part of him had to.
"I need to get through to see Richard and Artemis." He took a breath, trying to keep himself - all of himself, all that he was, really - level-minded. Surely, he was just nervous. It would be fine. It always was before.
Elias...
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Jekyll1886  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
"Elias...that's what I'm trying to tell you. Artemis is..."
He looked downward, to the side.
Took a breath, in...and out.
Looked back to the two.
"You do not want what is up there to be your last memory of him, Elias. Indelible in your mind's eye, for all time."
He shook his head.
"At least...at least let me clean him up first. Lay him out properly."
Some semblance of dignity, not butchered like a lamb.
...
As he was.
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
In the same manner that his brother had, Elias' breath caught, unwilling to leave his lungs.
His thoughts fell into a frantic cycle.
Elias--
No, no, no, no no no no - it's not, I'm not, he isn't --
Elias, please--
No nonono, Arty's fine it's fine everything's finefinefine--
His arms closed around his chest, acting as a sort of safeguard, protecting the heart that had shattered noiselessly behind his ribcage.
His eyes fluttered closed - of course they weren't gold anymore, they were a sober, weary blue - and cracked right back open. Tears wasted no time in rolling off his face.
"God f*cking dammit."
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Jekyll1886  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
Lewis gave a sober nod, tears welling in his eyes.
A moment. Nothing to be said, nothing for it.
A moment more.
A heartfelt sigh.
He hadn't known Artemis as well as some, but he knew the pain of losing a loved one, how much it stung.
Because Elias--Oliver--wept...so did he.
"I am so sorry for your loss," was all he knew to say, voice cracking, palms upturned.
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
Elias -- Oliver buried his face in his hands and let out a strange, garbled sob. He didn't want to cry. He didn't even know Artemis, why was he --
His shoulders sagged, the weeping sounds growing strangled and pained.
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Jekyll1886  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
Lewis went to him, steadied him lest he fall during what was to come.
Looked about for options.
"Come."
Guided him to a nearby sofa in the parlor.
Sat down next to him for support.
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
His fingers were curling into the depths of his rapidly lightening hair, whimpers growing in strain and volume, structure aching and reforming -
when the ordeal finally ended, Oliver sat there, shivering as he sobbed his throat raw.
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Jekyll1886  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
Though unsure whether he was overstepping his bounds, Lewis did his best to comfort Oliver.
A warm embrace, that most human of gestures, in time of grief. Everyone, after all, needed a shoulder to cry on sometimes.
Such things...simply had to run their course.
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Oliver's entire body shook with shuddering cries - he remained hunched, leaning into the embrace almost desperately. His sobs fell into noiseless whimpers.
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Tairais  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
formless voices, familiar voice.
mylimasis. elias.
he needed to leave. yesterday, needed to leave.
shouldn't, couldn't wouldn't leave artemis.
wait until lewis came back- leave, comfort? no, undeserving.
falling apart, shattering with his heart. shaking. jaw couldn't unclench- like the time he'd seized. couldn't do that, wouldn't do that with this poor boy's blood on him.
wait, analyze, act accordingly. plans in place. impressions of thought, aching.
aching, pain, keening in the back of his throat. snuffed it out- it would never end otherwise.
tchlk, tchlk, clicking of the stag, glitching in and out of existence jarringly- what did it say of him that his unstable mind couldn't even hold his hallucinations?
nothing good- none of this was good. leave, reassess, form new plans- there was no planning for this, no planning for human nature-
pointless, circular thoughts. pointless. what was the point of any of this? lessons given, lessons learned. he'd learned.
he hadn't. he wouldn't. he knew.
yourfaultyourfaultyourfault- artemis' eyes talking to him, he could see them.
closed them, shaking hands that had nothing to do with faulty mechanics- will must have loved making new limbs for the man he hated- just has hannibal had loved taking two of them, had loved reshaping his former pupil into a different image to fit him.
hummed the barest hint of a lullaby to block out familiar cries echoing across marble, echoing up stairs and through halls. oliver. elias. mylimasis. beloved.
so so sorry, my fault. myfaultmyfaultmyfault why didn't you leave? you were supposed to leave. they were supposed to leave too- why does no one leave? why do you bother to stay?
why, why, why. choruses. accusing. rightfully so.
screams perched on his tongue- one escaped in a raspy sort of cry, like an animal's (stag's?) cry of pain, hoarse yet grating, strings being played the wrong way.
abrupt, cut it off cut it off cut it off like his legs.
move, need to move. c-cccan't move.
needs help, he needs help- so much help, but so did artemis and he couldn't do it, can't do it-
panicking- impressionistic panic. body moving on its own, clutching artemis like a talisman to keep the barest suggestion of semblance because there's nothing left of both of them but these hollow shells, kinship- wrong, wrong, he was here and artemis WASN'T and it was HIS fault hisfaulthisfaulthisfault.
psyche shattering against rocks- who would pick up the pieces? his hands were shaking, whole body jerking and shaking in a terrifying loss of control he hadn't seen since the orphanage, the straps of a gurney and an attempted 'cure' for muteness that was willing.
not so willing now- same symptoms, different illness.
shattering.
breaking.
broken.
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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited
Lewis looked to what Oliver wanted, needed.
Truly, he wished he could be two places at once, downstairs and upstairs both, but he felt he could do more for Richard's mylimasis than he could for Prince, at this juncture.
Richard's cry startled Weir, but he continued to hold Oliver fast, as he thought proper. He also didn't want to take the chance Oliver'd bolt and witness the deathly tableau.
Some things, once seen, can never leave the mind. They press their mark upon the very soul...
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Tairais • 2 years ago
(( Catt Hatter Party time my guy! ))
For the third time in as many minutes, Charricthran ground his teeth in anxiousness as Richard's emotions sparked and scraped along their bond.
Had he been less focused on that, he might have had the chance to hear the soft sounds of stone and glass claws scraping against the ceiling of Richard's room.
As it was, he hadn't been, and so he didn't.
KKCRSSSSSSH!
Plaster and stone and wood and all matter of dust and debris fell into the room. With barely more than the fraction of a thought, Charricthran let out a caw of indignation and irritation, only to freeze in abstract, utter terror when the dust settled.
Torke. Right. He had almost forgotten.
How bloody stupid could he get?
Red eyes met electric blue that flickered white-hot and vibrant lavender and stayed there, gazes locked in fear and wicked glee, respectively.
The only good thing in that whole situation was the fact that his beloved teakettle was safely hiding away with Stefan. Good. He didn't want the kid seeing what was about to happen.
The moment was broken with twin flashes of movement as Charricthran darted quite literally through the door and down the hall. Torke shoved the offending piece of wood clean off its hinges and glanced up and down the hall, then back again as he saw the flicker of shadows on the walls to his right.
A low, menacing chuckle resonated like a gong through the Society.
The chase was on.
Charricthran resolutely did not look over his shoulder to determine what the searing flash of blue-white light cause or was caused by.
He already knew for a fact that whatever it was, it was decidedly the opposite of a good time.
Catt. Catt or Lewis, he had to find one of them- had to hide.
The kitchen, check the kitchen and the main hall and the library. Down and to the left, all of them. Leave the Society as a last resort, absolutely do not enter The Shadows- its his home as well as yours, ya idiot.
Down he dived, furiously trying to pretend that the impressions of the wooden boards he passed through didn't feel like teeth hell-bent on devouring him.
Not enough time, not enough time.
Not enough time for any of them. Not enough luck either.
"Catt!" Oh well that was a bloody spectacular idea.
Ah well. He was running for his life already. With any luck, Torke would think he meant an animal, not a person.
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Catt Hatter  Tairais • 2 years ago
Something pulled Catt's attention from the page she was reading. Had someone called her name? The call sounded urgent.
She marked her page and set the book down on the window seat, and got up to look for the voice.
"Hello?"
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Tairais  Catt Hatter • 2 years ago
Rounding the corner very nearly proved fatal, as in his haste he had forgotten to allow his wing to move through it.
Damn the physics of this world- they were too cumbersome by half!
His eyes snapped to the girl reading in one of the many window-seats that dotted the Society.
Too close- he could hear Torke scrambling after him.
Too bad- he was going to try anyways.
Too late- Torke rounded the corner not moments after him, glass and stone flying around him as he shed his humanoid form, which was now beginning to blur at the edges.
One, two, three pairs of eyes locked onto cat. Only one of those belonged to Charricthran, who now finally chanced a glance backwards.
Torke now stood eight feet tall instead of his usual six and just barely fit into the halls of the Society, and that was even accounting for the fact he was half running on all fours, half running on two legs. Charricthran could feel the raw energy crackling off of him like bolts of lightning and sparks of flame. He could also feel the weight of the beast's four eyes on him, none the same color, constantly shifting and changing like the crash of waves against rocks.
Time to leave. Now. Immediately. Yesterday.
"Nevermind, kid- RUN FOR YOUR BLOODY LIFE IF YOU EVEN HALF FANCY IT!"
Gods, what a mess he'd just dragged her into.
Hopefully she was at least partly as nimble as she looked.
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Catt Hatter  Tairais • 2 years ago
"What the HECK!?" She exclaimed at the sight of the massive, thing hot on her bird friend's tail feathers. 
Catt turned and made to sprint down the hall, momentarily having to use her hands as extra legs to keep from kissing the floor.
"What is that!?"
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Tairais  Catt Hatter • 2 years ago
"An old fr- not a friend, decidedly NOT a friend. The light from friendship will never reach us in a million bleeding YEARS- just run!"
There was the sound of many, many thuds- like the sound of machine-gun fire, though the world would not know the sound for many decades still, and the bullets fired were likely bricks or shards of glass.
Some of which sank into his form, sparking and crackling as they crashed against the very essence that made him him. Charricthran let out a screeching caw of pain and rage, but despite that he continued to fly- indeed, the pain spurred him on, increased the need to fly-flee-survive-escape.
The entrance hall was ahead- No sense in staying in the Society at this point, the damage had been done. It was no longer damage prevention he was seeking, but damage control.
"Hope you're good at it, kid- running, that is. We're gonna be doing a lot of it here in the next few minutes."
There was the crash of rubble falling and then a terrible roar that shook the very foundations of the building itself with its intensity- the verbal equivalent of nails scraping against a burning chalkboard.
"Guess he found one of the wards I placed. We'll getta little bit o' a head start at least! Don't suppose you know the streets of London well, do ya?" His voice was much calmer than he felt- the jovial, sarcastic persona he cultivated was wonderful for moments like these, where humor could easily diffuse tension.
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Catt Hatter  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited
“Only to a point, sorry!” Catt explained, doing her best to ignore the debri lodged in her arm as they pulled for the door. Trying not to think about how the jacket her dear friend Alice had cleaned and repaired was once again torn, and stained. “How-? You- Glass! Are you okay!?”
Reaching the door, and narrowly avoiding slammed into it, she frantically turned the handle and heaving it open. Why did it have to open inwards?
She sprinted down the steps and veered right, the Society's door slamming behind them as they charged down the street. Her throat burned and heart pounded in her head, she briefly made note that her endurance was abysmally low, and that she'd have to fix it.
Assuming they made it through the night.
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Tairais  Catt Hatter • 2 years ago
Charricthran narrowly avoided getting grabbed by his tail feathers as he swooped sideways to dodge another barrage of glass, which subsequently embedded itself in the door.
The door that was now partly splintered due to many pounds of stone-and-glass-of-the-bugger-you-variety colliding with it at full force.
He didn't even want to know what the fair folk of London thought of the aggravated roar that followed Catt and him out of the Society, echoing across cobblestone and shattering windows left, right, and center.
Another lucky shard of glass ripped into him, which caused the light in his eyes and sigil to flicker. Letting out a wheezing cough of desperation, he put on another burst of speed, ignoring the agony in his sort-of-muscles.
He glanced over his shoulder to check Torke's progress (too much, too close), then quickly tore his gaze from the beast to ensure he wouldn't crash into a wall.
He nearly did anyways when he saw Lewis running towards them, not away.
"Other way, kid! Now!"
Too many people- too many lives Richard didn't want to lose. Not enough ideas, they didn't have time for that.
The docks- collapse a pier far enough out and Torke would be trapped long enough they could properly escape. He could properly escape, that is- switch countries and Torke would be too preoccupied with finding him to rampage London.
Once all this was said and done and Richard was home, Charricthran could face Torke on his home soil, once and for all.
He banked around a corner sharply and increased his speed ever more slightly, gritting his teeth as he did so. Everything ached- his body, his mind, his very soul. Damn Torke and his glass.
(( Jekyll1886 Now's your chance /o/ ))
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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited
Lewis wheeled about and followed Charricthran, not bothering to stop and stare at the strange being whose soul Weir could feel just behind them.
"Get clear!" he shouted to Fiona and Huxley down the way.
"Apologies, Catt," said Lewis as he summarily shoved her to the left, into the narrow confines of Woburn Street, the force of the push enough (and its placement at her sacrum low enough) to give her added speed.
I just hope whatever's behind us follows its...meal? Charricthran.
"Who the bloody Hell is that?" Weir called out to the raven.
((Catt Hatter ))
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Catt Hatter  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
"Apolo-WHA!?" Catt exclaimed as she was pushed down the alleyway, nearly tripping over her own feet. She kept running.
Where was she going? She didn't know this street. She needed to help them! What did she think she could do that would be of any help against that, whatever it was? She'd just get in the way and be collateral damage. She winced at the pain in her arm. Well, more than I am already.
Her limbs felt heavy and her fingers started to tingle. She needed to breathe- catch her breath. Just how bad was her endurance? She wondered as she found a nook she could hide in for a moment.
Crouching, she tried to examine her wound, but the rapidly dwindling twilight and the shadows of the buildings made it difficult to see. Not that the back of her upper arm was an easy spot to look at in the first place, plus it hurt to move.
She resigned herself to just sitting there until the tingling stopped, and curled up against the wall. The sound of the creature reaching her ears from the alley's entrance.
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Jekyll1886  Catt Hatter • 2 years ago
((Tairais ))
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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
(( Oop, thanks! ))
Charricthran grinned, trying to hide the mounting amounts of fear and panic skittering in his feathers.
"Welcome aboard, Lewis- thanks for helpin' Catt! That's Torke, also known as the bleedin' bane of my not-quite-immortal-existence! Run for your life- I've gotta idea!"
Charricthran made a beeline for the docks as fast as his wings could carry him, ducking into narrow alleyways whenever he could to force Torke to the rooftops to follow him. Richards distaste for wasteful death was an ungodly, annoying thing sometimes.
The illness, fear, and resignation mixed with desperate hope coming from him was even more so, but there wasn't enough time to worry about that.
(( Your turn, my friend ))
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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago
It was a clever tactic: Torke wasted time having to climb up and down obstacles, enabling Charricthran to slow enough for Lewis to keep pace.
This chaotic chase through London--thankfully confined to less-traveled bystreets whenever possible--at last terminated at the docks.
"Tell me you have a plan," said Lewis with a glance upward to Charricthran.
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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
He quickly glanced over his shoulder to ensure the subject of said plan wouldn't be able to overhear him.
"Trap him in the water- if you or I can collapse one of the piers below him or somehow get him stuck in deep enough, we'll buy enough time for me to cover my tracks and force him into hiding while he reconsiders his strategy. Genius hunter he may be, once he's got a scent, there's no stopping him. It's his strength and his weakness in one, y'know?"
The sound of thunder along rooftops mixed with the screeches and cries of the scant, terrified Londoners still roaming about the streets into an terrible cacophony.
Time, time. Always running out of time.
To the piers then- they had only a minute or two at most. The dilapidated one at the end- boards rotting, the ropes holding some of the bindings together fraying- would do wonderfully. There was even a convenient rooftop to jump from.
Hopefully Lewis didn't mind getting wet.
"Don't suppose you have something to cut the ropes on that walk there, would ya? The whole thing looks liable to fall apart the second his glass-and-stone-made self steps on it. I can't get out of this form without seriously draining my... les' call it 'magical capacity', and we really don't want that now."
Worst came to worst, he could use his own beak.
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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited
Lewis quickly set his cane, doctor's bag, and waistcoat aside, then scurried out onto the pier. He slowed as he neared the end, then stole carefully across to it, making sure to spread his weight over the whole of each foot.
"I don't think you even need to cut them," he whispered to Charricthran. "They're about to go as it is."
Weir felt the presence they'd been outrunning come so near it was practically on top of them. He imagined Torke cresting the roof behind them, imagined himself and Charricthran just about to come into view.
Lewis held his arms out to the sides of his body and made roughly circular motions with them, acting as if he'd suddenly stopped short after a run across the pier and was struggling to catch his balance. It appeared he only just managed to do so.
He looked over his shoulder and let expressions of surprise and horror flit across his features as he beheld the gargoyle-golem's form. Terror and dismay seemed to mingle freely as he gazed up at the peerless hunter, Weir himself surely only a mouse caught in the same trap as Torke's true quarry.
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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
He'd forgotten how bloody fast the damn gargoyle was- every inch of him in this monstrous form screamed raw, primal power, every coiled muscle built and sculpted with purpose and intent.
The beast towered eight feet tall and ten feet long easily- it was astonishing and a grand feat of architecture and engineering that the rooftops didn't break under the immense weight of its stone-and glass self. In this form, it would not have been out of place with the gargoyles that guarded the Notre Dame, save for the fact that its wings stretched some twenty feet and seemed to be made of stained glass in a dizzying rainbow of colors that focused on hues of blue, purple, white, and red, yet seemed as if they covered every shade and hue in their dazzling radiance, and the fact that its two pairs of eyes rapidly changed colors, like flames dancing or lightning striking.
In this sense, Torke was truly beautiful in the same breath that he was truly terrifying.
Upon seeing his quarries (supposedly) with no where else to run, he snarled a fierce smile, filled with almost as many teeth as Charricthran's, only much more jagged and meant for tearing.
He let out a final roar, aimed directly at his prey and leaped, tearing great chunks out of the poor roof he was perched on as his claws dug into it.
Charricthran, meanwhile, had been in the middle of a sentence when he noticed Torke's arrival.
"Can't hurt ta be prepared, I don't want ta take any ch- ah, s*it. Moment of truth, kid!"
In the next handful of seconds, several things happened in rapid succession.
-Torke landed on the pier, supernatural in his quick descent.
-The pier began to collapse under almost a tonne of weight in the form of Torke.
-Charricthran, despite his earlier allusions to failing energy, grew immensely in size- enough to save most of Lewis from falling into the water as he tugged the man back to avoid Torke's outstretched claws, though Lewis' shins were likely drenched.
-Torke's roar of triumph turned to one of pure, unadulterated rage
-Said roar was cut off with an almighty SPLASH as the aforementioned tonne of weight collided with the water and began to sank very rapidly
-Charricthran amended his statement of Lewis escaping mostly not drenched- if he was soaked, there's no way the other man wasn't.
Charricthran just barely managed to drag Lewis to solid land before he shrunk again, blinking back the curious stars in his vision.
It was all over much faster than he'd anticipated.
No time to dwell on that, no time at all. Still, politeness was expected.
"You all right, Lewis?"
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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited
"Soaked, but it'll serve my purpose," Weir answered, picking up his medical bag and walking stick, both of which had also been hit by the splash.
"Any chance you could drop me at the door to wherever Richard and Arty are?"
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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"Not entirely sure you wanna go there, kid," he thought, "But Ricky-boy needs all the help he can get."
"Sure thing- I need to jump countries anyways. Give me a handful of moments to recharge a bit, and we'll be right over. You've given me the excuse I've been looking for- I haven't been able to reach him for weeks now, y'know? Just stopped contacting me. That's beside the point- yes, is the short answer."
He glanced down at the flickering sigil on his chest once more, hidden worries flashing across his face for a single heartbeat before they smoothed back into his trademark smirk.
Not enough time ended up being just enough time- perhaps it would be for Richard and Artemis after all.
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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited
"Excellent," he said with a less than wholesome smile.
Then his brow knit briefly in concern as a troubling thought occurred.
"If we--you--vanish," he glanced toward the water, "will that sodden bast*rd still be free to wreak havoc in London?"
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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Charricthran laughed- or, more accurately, he cackled.
The aforementioned sodden bastard let out a well-timed roar, though it was largely inaudible due to the muffling of the sea.
"Nah, he's gonna go straight back into tryin' ta hunt me down. When my business with Ricky-boy is concluded, I intend ta deal with him once and for all. I miss being able to sleep without my guard up, y'know?"
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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago
"That's a relief--well, for London, anyway.
"And I know what you mean as to the guarded sleep," he said with an understanding nod.
"I trust Richard will call you back to us when we're done.
"Is there anyone with him, aside from Artemis, Hannibal, and Will?"
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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"No one there but them, no, much to the great joy of the rest of the world."
He hoped Richard didn't call him back after this for a great long while. There was something happening with that boy, some great event tied to his future that Charricthran didn't want to be remotely near- a primal response left over from his time as a mortal being, perhaps?
Quickly as the thought came, it left and its footprints were erased from his mind.
"Hannibal and Will are fond of their privacy- makes their... extracurricular activities easier to pull off. There's no need for anyone else there, really."
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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago
"Perfect," said Lewis with a smile.
"Anything else I should probably know before we go?"
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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"Ah... You'd be best off not directly fighting em for a number of reasons, namely the fact they ain't human. Hannibal doesn't tolerate rudeness, so if it comes to having to talk to him, bear that in mind. Try not to bleed too loudly if ya hurt yourself, and if you have to choose, get Artemis out before you get Richard out- Richard has a better chance of getting away unharmed- Artemis is just a method of punishing Richard. I think that's it?"
Having caught his metaphorical breath, Charricthran flashed another grin towards Lewis.
"Ready ta go when you are."
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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago
Lewis felt his stomach drop.
"Not...human?" he echoed.
Then fear turned to indignance, the right side of his upper lip raised into a sneer.
"What the Hell are they, then?"
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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"I'm fairly certain one of them is a vampire- I'll be damned if I know which one, or what the other is if not that. They're faster than I am in this form, and much stronger, that much I know for certain."
His grin turned to a grim expression.
"Trust me kid, you wouldn't want to fight em. Ricky-boy's the only human I've seen stand up to them and... well, not win, but he didn't die, at least, and you saw him in the warehouse."
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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited
I sodding hate vampires...
Well, with the exception of Alano.
"Duly noted," he stated, his tone measured, the line of his mouth firm.
"In which country is this place? And, is it by any chance at all wooden?"
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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
"Some tiny party of Germany, I think, and no- the castle's been around for ages, it's masonry through and through. So no stakes to stab the vampire with, and no fire."
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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited
"No horses? No stables? No straw? No wooden furniture or candles?"
A sigh.
"Sounds like rather a dull party, I must say."
Ah, well.
He chuckled.
"I do relish a challenge..." he said, putting on his soggy, black waistcoat.
"Let's go."
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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"I'm sure we'll find somethin' to entertain ourselves with." Charricthran returned the chuckle before perching on Lewis' shoulders. Smiling conspiratorially, he added, "Hold tight, kid!"
Not a moment after the words had entered the air, the world shifted and blurred into darkness much like one would fall unconscious. Whispers of several different sorts (none of them friendly, none of them good) called out to them, reached and beckoned and for a second it seemed if they might fall into this neverending, freezing darkness.
Then, as suddenly as it was over, they were standing by a lake in the same position as they had left.
Just as suddenly, Charrichtran was slammed with Richard's emotions (griefragegriefgriefgriefsomuchgriefregretregretremorsegriefragefearsorrow)- they quite literally knocked the wind out of him, and he didn't even have lungs!
.. How did he breathe, anyways?
That was a question for another time. Judging by Richard's emotional state and the rapidly flickering nature of his sigil (now deep indigo instead of red, never a good sign), things had gone to Hell in a handbasket.
He fixed Lewis with an expression bordering on terror.
"We need to get inside- now"
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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago
Oh... noticed Lewis as they made the journey. I think I...know this place.
Hm.
Weir did seem much more at ease as they made landfall.
The soul signatures and emotions of the people and creatures in the castle hit him, but broke around him like a stream bifurcated by a rock. He made note of them in passing, as well as their relative positions.
"Put me near Arty," he stated, readying his medical kit, cane firmly in his other hand. "Within the shadow beneath the table, if there is one."
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Helen Jekyll  Catt Hatter • 2 years ago
(Poor Catt, suddenly thrown into this mess and then promptly shoved out of it again...
Hela and Catt should go running together sometime! :D
*in reality, it's Hela escaping her room and Catt trying to catch her to bring her back* XDD)
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Hastie Lanyon • 2 years ago
(Right, my flight just got delayed. Does anyone feel like chatting?)
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Catt Hatter  Hastie Lanyon • 2 years ago
(I don't have much time, but sure. How ya doin'?)
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Hastie Lanyon  Catt Hatter • 2 years ago
(Mildly stressed because of travelling, but otherwise I'm doing fine. How are you?)
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Catt Hatter  Hastie Lanyon • 2 years ago
(Heh, mildly stressed because of paperwork. Also still trying to figure out what career would be a good fit for me.
Wish I could be traveling like you, getting to see places and stuff. How's the weather?)
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Hastie Lanyon  Catt Hatter • 2 years ago
(It's pretty cloudy over here, raining on the west coast. Are you going to pick a subject to study?)
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Catt Hatter  Hastie Lanyon • 2 years ago
(It was raining and cloudy over here too this morning. Sun's come out now.
I wish education was the cause of the paperwork. Though there are several things I'd like to study, school is, regrettably expensive.)
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Hastie Lanyon  Catt Hatter • 2 years ago
(Yeah, unfortunately it is... It really shouldn't be, but it is.)
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Mz.Hyde Mod  Hastie Lanyon • 2 years ago
(Don't forget that we need to finish our adventure in the underworld!)
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Hastie Lanyon  Mz.Hyde • 2 years ago
(We do! I believe it's your turn.)
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Mz.Hyde Mod  Hastie Lanyon • 2 years ago
(Nope, yours!)
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Hastie Lanyon  Mz.Hyde • 2 years ago
(You're right, sorry about that. Didn't really catch it at the time.)
Just opium would be fine, thanks. Quite a large batch as well, I'm not sure how much we'll need.
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Mz.Hyde Mod  Hastie Lanyon • 2 years ago
I'd say about...half of your supply of pure opium. 
"That's like 50 pounds of the stuff!" 
We need a lot of it, it's too help a dear friend of ours get off the stuff. 
"You're gonna give her more opium to wean her off of opium?" 
*She looks at them with a raised eyebrow.* 
I know it doesn't make sense, but it's what the doctor who sent us says is best! Please, we can pay for it! 
"I don't know. City council recently passed a law that restricts drug trade with the over world. I can only give you 5 pounds of opium before I have to ask city council's permission." 
How long can that take? 
"3-5 weeks." 
We don't have that kind of time, we​ need this now! 
"I know, I know. But you don't exactly have a good standing with Death's guard." 
Correction: I don't have a good standing with Antigone, who happens to be the head guard. 
"Still, I don't know...."
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The Fox • 2 years ago • edited
Catt Hatter A continuation of our rp!
The Fox : 
" Well, My companion did promise to go with me when I do eventually go to Paris... "
He took a sip of tea in thought. No matter what, he was going to end up 
on Enfield's doorstep. It's just a matter of luck if his cousin is even willing to talk with him, let alone open the door when they arrive.
If he brought the letter with them, perhaps he would at least take it. But that's a long way to simply deliver a letter, he may not take kindly to them visiting to make a delivery easily made by the post man.
" ...I'll consider it... "
Catt Hatter: 
"Sorry." Catt looked down at her tea. "I wish I had some better council to offer, but I'm afraid I don't have much experience with family matters. Perhaps you could talk to Dr. Henry Rose? They're a councilor here at the Society."
The Fox:
" No no, it's fine! It's not the easiest situation, so I'm getting all the advice I can. You've been a great help! Thank you. "
He offered her a soft, heartfelt smile and took another sip of his tea. Everything was fine until she mentioned Dr. Henry Rose. The room felt like an icebox, the first few syllables sent a shiver up his spine. His last name brought him back to the situation. It wasn't Jekyll thank 
god...
He shook the thought from his head and turned back to Catt.
" Ah, Sorry about that, just a thought. Who is this Dr. Rose? "
Catt Hatter: 
"Oh, he's just the sweetest! I've been meaning to talk to him myself, but haven't found the time." She took a sip of her tea. "At least, not when I've actually been able to remember that it was something I intended to do. Heh."
The Fox: 
" I see. What exactly does he do, if I may ask? "
Catt Hatter:
"He's... one of those people you can talk to about your problems? Therapist I think. I, don't really know much more about him, other than he has pink hair and is generally adorable."
The Fox:
Pink hair? That was odd...
Utterson declined from asking, not wanting to seem rude.
" So he's a doctor then? Seems awfully ordinary for a place like this. "
Catt Hatter:
"Well, we did rather need one..." Catt fiddled with the handle of her cup, not sure how much of the Society's upheaval she should share.
The Fox:
Utterson nodded in understand and took another sip of his tea.
" I suppose I could speak with him later this week. Though I doubt he'll
be much help with having only one side to talk about it with. "
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Wizardblizzard • 2 years ago
((Catt Hatter Thanks! Yes, that's ahawk, a kestrel. Technically afalcon, in fact, thre is adifference ,I found out when I was looking st the bird book to drwaw that - but I've now forgotten what it is again. Something to do with one kind having longer wings.
Should confirm that Isabella is the hawk , not the mouse. She would hate beong the mouse even more. This aspect of the situation has occurred to her.))
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MillieGriffin • 2 years ago
( Sorry to hear your having a rough time I hope things get better for you)
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Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago • edited
((Reposted from Some Serious Side Effects! Whoever wants to go next can, or I can just respond to Elaina.))
Helen Jekyll:
"Fine... I'm fine..." Her gaze flickered about the kitchen and she laughed softly, bracing herself against the doorframe. "God, Hela's made some memories here..." She squeezed her eyes shut. "You guys... all know Helen well, right? Say something that gets her passionate, if you can... Please."
Elaina Hyde:
Elaina looked up. "Oh, I can go get something that might help! I'll be right back!" She grinned, running off.
Mz. Hyde:
Hmmm.....oh! Maybe I can recite some formulas I know! E=MC2....H2O= water...C6H12O6= glucose....um....what else?
Catt Hatter: 
"Uh, Helen..." Catt spoke slowly, uncertain.
"Helen, wanted to... help people?"
Score one for generic predictions. She thought, chastising herself. Pathetic.
Helen Jekyll:
"Yes," She agreed, "Helen does want to help as many people as she can. Spent most of her life trying to."
 And that turned out so well for her. Couldn't even help herself, after all these years.
The thought came suddenly and the girl shuddered, swallowing the urge to voice it.
 "There's... no need to use the past tense, Catt." She told her, fighting to keep her voice level. "Helen's still here and alive and... I don't know about well, since my stomach seems intent on turning inside out."
 She gave a soft chuckle. "It's not the most pleasant sensation.
Elaina Hyde:
Elaina ran back in the room with a handful of papers. "I have these letters, if that'll help. They're all addressed to Helen."
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MillieGriffin • 2 years ago • edited
( Mz.Hyde , I hope we're able to wrap this up here.)
Mz.Hyde: Exactly! It's not fun to live in fear!
Millie: "Agreed!" She stated then paused, "Uh, Actually would it be too much to ask if you keep my uncle's presence a secret as well? Just for a while, I wouldn't want Moriarty to find out about him." She politely requested.
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Catt Hatter  MillieGriffin • 2 years ago
(*presence
Also, I think she's gone to bed for tonight.)
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MillieGriffin  Catt Hatter • 2 years ago
(Thanks, 
I keep getting to WiFi spots during people's down time she'll just have to answer when she can and I'll answer when I can.)
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Catt Hatter  MillieGriffin • 2 years ago
(Sounds like a plan)
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Mz.Hyde Mod  MillieGriffin • 2 years ago
Of course. Anything to make you two feel at home.
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