Futuristic Among Gods

[SnakyDragon]

Wow. How mean.


You know, for once? I agree with you.


Deciding that this civilian was not all she appeared (what would a civilian be doing in a Marauder camp?), Coils decides to introduce himself and his psychic friend.


"Well, that was rather rude of Elijah not to introduce us but my name is Coils, the talking and modifier-hearted snake, and this is Seih the young psion. You are?"

 

[a52]

W-R walks back to the Tower, looking for any of the heroes it met earlier along the way and in general watching the people milling about. When it reaches the Tower it searches for the Keeper, looking for a longer explanation of what world it is in, how it got there, and what it may do to help or return home. When it first arrived, this information had been sparse, due to its initial shyness and the arrival of the Tortured. Now its cogs and gears are whirring with with questions and possible hypotheses, and it wants answers on what is really going on.

 

[Lyro]

Seih represses a wince and his eyes dart down to look at the floor in embarrassment. He mutters something that could be interpreted as a greeting as he chastises Coils telepathically.


<That was a bit rude, Coils.>


<You could have let them finish, there is no apparent rush.>


<If you really are that curious, though, you could have asked me.>


<Her name is Danielle Sakharov, and I will know more in a few seconds.>


<Hopefully.>


<As a side note, I am hardly young - I'm almost twice Jaik's age.>

 

[SnakyDragon]

I have been sitting and waiting here for almost five minutes now. My life expectancy isn't very long - ten to fifteen years, max. I need to get shit done. Jaik can't survive on his own, in case you haven't noticed; the one time I leave him in the morning he goes waltzing off with you into the forest! If a Marauder had been watching or following you, you could be in the prison jails for sneaking off without authorization! So if this conversation does not get going and we don't figure out why this civilian is here, I MIGHT just up and go. I came here to get information and to see how Elijah's doing. If I'm not going to get either, then I don't see the point in dallying. Thanks for the name, though. I probably shouldn't mention it juuuust in case she gets freaked out.

 

[Illusionus]

Byron looks around for a moment with a sheepish look on his face. Sighing, he takes a step closer to the medic. "Um... Hello. I'm Byron. From yesterday." He rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. "Do you remember me? I was here with Miss Delphi. Have you noticed any thing here... that might have been lost yesterday? I think I might have lost something here."

 

[Bluesunnyday]

Kalos shrugs. "Well unless he's thought to protect them from air, I should hopefully be able to do some damage. Though my magic may react oddly to this place's magic. I couldn't say for certain."

 

[Seahorse]

"We can round up a party and head out with your orders. Although, our number may make maneuverability and stealth an issue... I'm not sure how I feel about having these newcomers with us, they're inexperienced, it's a hazard. It's possible the expedition could strenghten them, but depending on the strength of our enemies they may die before that point." Even when just speaking her mind, Meilikki's voice was clear and firm. She wasn't particularly amused at Elijah's lack of attentiveness or her general attitude in recent days. Since Elijah wouldn't talk about whatever was bothering her Mei was left in the dark and unable to help. Every interaction only served to frustrate her more although she did her best not to show it. Upon hearing Coil's voice she spun around, "Hello Coils, Seih. This is.. this is Danielle. She has information and will be assisting us henceforth." Meilikki quickly discovered that concealing the truth was another frustration she had to deal with.

 

[Lyro]

Seih bows once to Meilikki and another time to Danielle.


"Good morning Meilikki, and greetings Miss Sakharov. Nan-Aht-Seih, at your service."


As he is about to turn back, Seih spots Mei's modifier in her scythe and his interest is piqued. He reaches out to her mind's speech centres.


<Actually, do you mind talking a bit like this?>


<I am interested in learning more about your modifier.>


<If you feel it would distract you from your conversation, please do not let me interfere.>


<Who is this? What are you doing?> She scowls visibly and her eyes dart around but she doesn't move. Eventually her eyes settle on Seih.


Seih waves weakly at her, his face growing a bit afraid.


<It's just me!>


<I'm just talking to you like this so that we don't bother the others.>


<It can wait if this bothers you.>


<No. This is fine. Is this what you do? Speak into people's minds? What do you wish to know?> Mei's expression softened, only slightly (she was already grumpy before the mental interruption) and she returned her outward attention to the conversation.


<Sometimes.> Seih's features relax and his eyes turn back to look at his feet.


<But it is more tiresome than normal talk, so not too often.>


<But unless you want to learn more about keiric physiology, I would actually like to learn more about your modifier.>


<I keep seeing people with them, but no two modifiers seem to be the same.>


<What does yours do, and how does it work?>


<This was given to me when I arrived in this world, this planet. It was given to all of us at that time, by the Elder God Xenoth. And we were told that it could create anything.>


<I do not know how or why it works. I know it has a limited capacity but I do not know what fuels it. All I know is that, if I will something it will be.>


Seih marks a pause as he thinks about this.


<Anything at all?>


<So, if I were to ask you to make something for me, would you be willing to try?>


<I do not want to bother you - I can ask others if you would rather not.>


<Yes, most likely. I have made weapons for some of our troop here before. I am always careful to conserve energy, so as long as it isn't too complex I should be able to manage it.>


<How soon do you think you could manufacture something? I have an idea, and I don't think it should be too complex.>


<As soon as I finish here I shall see to your request.>


<But perhaps in the mean time you can tell me what this power of yours is.>


<Oh, wonderful!>


<It is actually tied to that.>


<But I am not sure how to explain it all without launching into an evolutionary lecture.>


<Essentially, what you consider a power is for us a natural thing which our species evolved over time.>


<My species always had to manually operate our brains all the time - no automatisms.>


<At some point in our evolution, that characteristic extended itself to apply to others: we could reach out and tweak others minds', provided they were willing.>


<Right now, I'm reaching into your speech and hearing centres to make you think I'm talking to you.>


<But I could also, say, soothe a headache or, as I did for Errg, adjust his breathing so that it's better suited to a land environment.>


<And there I go again - please stop me when I go on for too long.>


<That is rather intriguing. On my own world such abilities were mere myth. You said, "provided they were willing" but I will say this regardless, if you ever reach into my mind without my permission... well, I imagine I do not need to tell you the consequences of such action.>


Seih looks suddenly very nervous. The next few thoughts come in very rushed.


<Um.>


<Well, by willing, I mean not actively opposing or resisting it.>


<In our society, that is considered consent, since we can tell when somebody is intruding our minds.>


<And... I was not aware it was different here when I first arrived, so it... well...>


<What I mean to say is, I already looked inside your mind.>


<Yesterday, on the tower.>


<Along with just about everyone else who was there.>


<But very very briefly!>


<Just to get your name and um, general personality and... recent history and abilities...>


<...>


Meilikki's eyes quickly focused once again on Seih and her voice was silent for several moments.


<Then you know what I am capable of, yes? I will let this transgression pass, just this once. Know that I will not be so kind in the future. You may speak to me with your mind of course, I imagine this has its uses.>


<Now, as soon as this conversation ends I shall entertain your request.>


Seih looks up at Meilikki as he senses her movement and their eyes meet, Seih's face looking very worried. Then, very briefly, his features shift slightly, and an expression of jubilant glee replaces his fear.


<Wouldn't dream of it,> he says, albeit with a different, more cutting tone.


Just as the thought arrives in Mei's mind however, Seih blinks confusedly and his expression is normal once more, though still worried.


<Of course, of course,> he nearly stammers mentally.


<Thank you again for offering your help.>

 

[Bonzo]

"We will use a soft and slow approach, I think. The suspect may come willingly."

You do know you can speak plainly here, right? Also what're the chances anything will go smoothly here...



It's called being professional - it shows I care and think about what I do



Doing

what you do with thought and care show you think and care. Chill out a bit.



Why are you always such a black station?



A what?



Someone piggybacking on a wavelength to disrupt a broadcast with comment and... forget it.



Sorry, I've not much else to do in here - I'll take a walk.

Koyaanis lets his consciousness drift out of the confines of Danielle's skull. It's scary adrift, not having the anchor of a solid, living body. Keeping close to Danielle he almost thinks he feels the sunlight falling through his incorporeal formlessness. Is this what it's like to be a ghost? Maybe they've been real in this world the whole time. His mind unexpectedly comes across something new and different which passes straight through him and brushes against Danielle's thoughts. Wot? Always being ignored... Keep out of Dani's head, that's my job. This Seih's a Psion? Koya thinks back, but can't remember meeting psions as he sifts through the fragments of his memories. The stories, sure. Plenty of those. And the worlds where minds can flow into one another - singularities... if a ghost could shudder, Koyaanis would. He tries to feel out where the tendrils of Seih's psychic ability are passing - but they're diffused throughout space and are so abstract and alien to Koyaanis that he loses sight of the threads before they fully form. Nevertheless as they touch Danielle they flicker more substantially, in rhythm with the firing of her neurons. Koyaanis latches onto what he can and thinks;

Don't you knock? I'm Koyaanis the ever-so-spooky ghost. Who're you?

 

[Lyro]

Seih reins in his surprise at hearing a different voice than the one he expected, and he quickly stops exploring Danielle's mind, focusing instead on her speech centres. Who talked? he wonders, careful not to send out his musings to her mind. It obviously wasn't her. Maybe someone else was listening in.


Seih then begins projecting his thoughts as he usually does, with the difference that he tries to project them on to a layer just below Danielle's consciousness. Through this he hopes to talk directly to the other mind without being overheard by Danielle.


<Knock?>


<Knock on what, and why?>


<And my name is Seih, though that hardly begins to tell you who I am.>


<I was just trying to find out who Danielle is.>


<Are you another modifier-born creature, like Coils?>


<He guarded another mind much as you seem to be doing right now.>

 

[Bonzo]

Danielle - her world bereft of psychic phenomena and herself skeptical - remains oblivious to the ethereal communication in the mindspace around her. Were it not for the tenuous cloud that is Koya surrounding her brain, she would no doubt be completely open to Seih's probing. On the other hand, Koyaanis experiences something new and exciting - if a little disconcerting.

Danielle's nice enough - given her traumatic entry into this world she's doing great - helped or hindered by my presence is yet to be proved. I'm sure she'd tell you if you asked her - or maybe she'd do her name, rank and serial number routine... Buy her a drink first and have her home before ten.


No, Coils is partly from this world. I was - probably? - born outside of this world and arrived around the same time as Meilikki. I got a bit carried away and lost the body I... came in on, and

then

that so-called goddess Diana thought to stick me back here without Xenie's knowing, hence the low-profile no-body situation.



Is this how your lot usually talk? I'd say I'm getting a headache but I don't have one.




Koyaanis struggles a little, talking into non-space, where there seem to be no borders between himself, this psyion and the magical fabric of the world around him. Where he used to feel secure with a physical body as a fortress to house his sense of identity, he wonders with some concern if floating in the ether he could lose the sometimes shaky coherence of his self. Just like a drop of ink in a wind-blown sea... Koyaanis had never had a phobia of drowning, however...

How do you deal with having your head open to the outside? It's weird out here. How do you keep your thoughts yours?

 

[aquaInferno]

After entering the tent, Coatl is awestruck by all the weapons. His voracious thoughts of spreading corruption onto all of the gear and the endless possibilities of enchantment in his mind consume him until he eventually snaps out of it, hoping he wasn't seen. He notes the giant floating beast in the room but doesn't it as a potential threat nor anything to be worried about. Remembering the task at hand, Coatl tries to make himself look as regal like a True Pharaoh as possible in posture and attitude as he approaches Delphi and her group. "We are going to be fighting a war against Gods and I will not let anyone enter unprepared. I am here to provide whatever assistance is necessary Commander Delphi."


It's been a while since I've spoken like a true warrior, it's good to be back in action.


Delphi turns her head and raises a rather irritated Eyebrow at Coatl, it certainly looks as if /someone/ had recently angered her... "Are you here to waltz into my armory to try and give unauthorized weapons to people who'are going to just piss me off?" The cat woman growled, turning her head back to the strange flying Jelly thing and filling out the paper work in her hands, but it was obvious she was still listening.


Coatl finds himself leaning back but then eases back into a more relaxed yet upright pose and lets out a sly grin as he nonchalantly studies his nails. "Rough day? It mustn't be easy for you." Anticipating a 'what are you talking about' from Delphi, Coatl continues. "Yes, the Head Commander simply must exist while you are stuck with worrying about the civilians, the soldiers, the planning. I was in a similar position with my sister you know? But don't let me bore you, I am formerly offering to take up any burden you wish in order to ease yours."


Delphi turned her head back to Coatl again, this time however, not a look of anger, but rather a face that said to someone "Shut the fuck up until we take this somewhere else." She Stayed silent for a minute as she placed her clipboard and papers on a nearby table and crossed her arms at you, seemingly studying you.... which made you feel slightly uncomfortable as the Marauders in the Room as turned their heads towards you. "Do you REALLY know how to manage an entire community? Making sure we have enough supplies for everyone, keeping the dumbasses in check, and in general making sure we all survive on a basically a barren world? You still seem like a pompous rich kid to me, but you do seem to carry yourself as some sort of king..." She paused.... "And you know Elijah's just more then a figurehead, right?"





Coatl put aside his uncomfortable feelings as the Marauders stared and saw more opportunity, passing his charmed glance their way. "I am fully aware of Elijah's powers and Godhood and defending the world, but I am also fully aware of what happens when power is not kept in check by responsibility. Elijah and those modifier-god-children have almost nothing to worry about compared to us mortals who are practically defenseless before their enemies, and much more defenseless towards the modifier users themselves. I'm yet to fully trust this plan of thrusting Elijah into Elder God status while the rest of our soon to be Gods forget any of us little people or worse." Coatl grimaces at the close of his sentence but at the same time he hopes his subtle naga charm spell or his way with words had planted a seed of doubt within the group, at the very least some of the Marauders.


Coatl is no longer pushed back by Delphi's behavior. He's dealt with worse. "Now, I would not have offered such great assistance if I doubted my governing abilities and the such. I was a ruler of a kingdom in my time after all." Truthfully, Coatl had only dealt with such tasks within his military forces, never really on a kingdom of civilians, but how different could it be?





Delphi raised her eyebrow slowly at Coatl as he spoke, her arms still crossed, a frown started to cross over her face as Coatl finished off the last part of his speech. "These people Arn't defenseless you know, why do you think we have such a extensive armory and civilian grade weaponry available? When you live in a world that's litterally out to kill you in almost every corner, we either teach everyone to defend themselves or they're able to do it naturally. Do you have any idea how many assholes trying to kill eachother over petty disputes happen here? Becuase i think we're all doing just fine on our own so far, even if i'm basically the center of this shit-hole, The Marauders are not your typical Plebian sheep..." She then suddenly goes quite again, seeming to think for a minute as she rubs her chin with one of her black furred hands.... "And those guys with the modifiers are very clearly still mortal, even if they are Pretty much seem like they are Among Gods... Hell, i bet you they're just as squishy as any of us "mortals" when it comes to getting shot with a bullet from somebody competent enough to shoot a gun rather then some slow ass moving magic spell from some weird immortal and divine being... But you do have a point that we can't fight fucking gods becuase they're obviously Fucking Gods...." Delphi looked to be getting slightly more and more irritated by the minute, the charm spell didn't seem to be working on her, the unimpressed look on her face was likely telling you she's likely dealt with charm spells before or whatever the equivalents possibly were.... This situation was slowly crumbling around Coatl here....


Delphi looks like she noticed the charm. Coatl sighs to himself and the spell dissipates. "You know what? Forget what I said about Elijah. You've known these people longer than I have and certainly must know more than me on the matter." The truth was that Coatl still had doubts of these soon to be gods. "I'm not used to these lands. Hell, I charm myself half the time to avoid having a pistol shoved down my throat by some rancorous traveler who doesn't like or trust me because of my shifty appearance. I'll see myself out if that same urge overcomes you right now, but my offer still stands. I will still assist you in whatever way you demand."

 

[Lyro]

Seih attempts to diving the source of these foreign thoughts before quickly giving up. Like the shield around Elijah's mind, they are simply something beyond his understanding. He darts a quick look at Danielle to see if she seems to be noticing any of this, then goes back to looking at Elijah as he carries on with his conversation.


<No, we hardly ever talk like this, thankfully.>


<It's much harder to simulate speech in another's mind than to just talk yourself.>


<But at least it's discreet and lets me carry on several conversations at once.>


<I have trouble imagining how hard it must be for you, though.>


<Are you really completely incorporeal?>


<I wouldn't worry about your keeping your thoughts yours, then.>


<You are untouchable to me, so long as you don't project anything on to a physical mind, like Danielle's.>


<I see - I have to borrow Danielle's voice to speak out loud - it's odd hearing another's voice in place of one's own, and she won't let my try to sing...>


<This, however, isn't exactly hard, just new to me. This world does things to you that you'd never predict>


<I don't actually know what I am right now, apart from confused and aware. I think Diana may have neglected to brief me on what she made me into. Gods, eh? Not sure what the extent of my powers are, either. I don't want to risk anything with Danielle's body not being mine to play around with, more's the pity.>


<That's something of a relief. Not got a lot to hide, but I don't know what exposure to other minds would mean. On top of that - I'm guessing if I can exist like this, something else could too. No telling what I could run into around here.>


<So you can feel people's brains, huh? I feel like that would involve some stickiness - can't be hygienic. Do your people get mind-viruses?>


<In a way.>


<I am not sure how to describe it to you, but I think you may be able to grasp it better than most.>


<You can read what Danielle thinks can't you?>


<Or at least gain some understanding of her mind?>


<It is very much the same for me, except that I think my race's abilities operate at a much lower, much more basic level.>


<Which is why talking in this way is difficult - I have to think of which synapses to fire and when, where to send the information and where not to send it, and so on.>


<But in the end, it is just hardware, albeit hardware that has become self-aware.>


<My race took this self-awareness to an extreme, and as a result we are always aware of every part of our brain.>


<At least, most of us are, and that would be where your idea of a virus can come in.>


<It happens when you lose control, whether it is by voluntarily giving up your mind to someone else or by having a natural disease, like I do.>


<Parts of your mind start feeling like they are not yours anymore, and you cannot control them any more.>


<It is nothing sudden, though - it takes years to appear.>


<And it's certainly not a concern when I'm just lightly brushing against another mind, like I am right now.>


<But it is a concern when you truly open your mind for a long time.>


<And in fact, since we're talking about it, have you considered that perhaps you might not be intrinsically linked to Danielle?>


<Maybe you can't do it now, maybe you can, but if you can relay your thoughts through her, what is to stop you from doing it through someone else?>


<The mind is flexible, it can adapt to different hardware - some Keir (not many but a few) have achieved a limited form of immortality in this way, by moving into another's brain.>


<You have to think to _think_?!>


Koyaanis is silent for a moment, awed. That someone could have no subconscious to rely on. How did they know they were themselves?


<I've only ever seen anything like that in artificial life. I had no idea...>


<Danielle would just love to poke around in there. If she looks at you while holding a scalpel, don't say anything about how puny her human brain is. I'm joking. Sort of. Um.>


<Move between minds? I've felt the presence of others... thinking about it now their imprints on whatever I'm in now are not that different. I haven't tried - I didn't have a choice with Danielle but I think I'll ask first if I'm going head-hopping.>


<...did they share consciousnesses or just kick the incumbent out?>


Koyaanis feels a twinge of apprehension. The Keir may have more in common with him than he'd suspected.


<I can't conceive of any other way to function, even though I keep seeing other minds unlike mine.>


<You stop really thinking about it eventually... well not really, you're still thinking, but not really about the process itself.>


<It's how those who tried to leave their bodies did it I imagine.>


<They shared the load, so whenever someone was taking care of talking, the other would take care of respiration for example.>


<To kick the other mind out... I can't believe that would ever have happened.>


<It is just too horrible to think about.>


Seih lets himself shudder at the thought. It is not a pleasant line of thinking for a species of total consciousness.


<But you would not have to do that.>


<You would probably take up even less... well, "space" than a Keir mind would, because you're already used to working only within the realm of cognition.>


<Keirs who transferred themselves had to leave behind large swathes of their minds - the parts which were experienced with all bodily functions, since they weren't needed.>


<You need only bring your "self", if you see what I mean.>


<Do you want to try?>


<I am curious now, to see if you can do it, and I do not think you will find a more suitable partner for psychic experimentation.>


<Right, like muscle memory for your brain - you build your subconscious and not the other way around.>


Yeah, too horrible to think about, Koyaanis thinks bitterly, what if neither spirit had a say in the matter?


<If it's all the same to you I'll give it a shot later - there're a lot of gods and magic around and I've seen what Elijah's modifier does to loose souls. If we get a quiet moment, sure. How do you feel about doing a little cognitive espionage on a certain sorcerous reptile?>


<Oh... I'm not sure that would be a good idea.>


<People can get a bit... vexed when I do that.>


Seih quickly darts a glance at Mei; he can still remember feeling the iciness of her mind.


<I don't think I should use any of it to spy on people, not if I'm not ordered to.>


<It's one thing to just try to find out someone's name, but quite another to actually go in with malice aforethought.>


<That's fair enough - and don't go letting any of these derps give you orders to do things you don't think are ok, ever. That's an order.>


<Well, only a little bit of malice. I'd rather he not play around with bits of my modifier, that thing is, or was, or still is... probably will be; dangerous. And if something we try to do in this world can go buggeredwise, then it will. And that goes double for when scales are involved.>


Seih's interest piques once more upon hearing this.


<Bits of a modifier?>


<Is that why he's dangerous?>


<Oh wait, I assume that is what Danielle is talking about?>


<That sounds very interesting.>

 

[Ged Merrilin]

I pick up my bags and exit my room, hoping to find some fish or other food out where the smells are coming from. After heading out and getting breakfast, I wander over to the weapon tent to see if there is anything I could wield. Maybe a nicer few knives or a short sword.

 

[Neow46]

[media]
​

[/media]

Happy Third Anniversary Among Gods, and to everyone involved from the beginning!

It has been an amazing three years, and i've worked very long and hard for this and you guys, and i'm still so glad to have you all along with me here despite my numerous mistakes, delays due to real life, an immense exodus to another forum, and (almost) every single one of you has stayed with me all along....


I wish to sincerely thank each and every one of you for sticking with me for so long to help me create this immense, passionate, and amazing thing!

Together we will hopefully continue to thrive, grow, build upon, and enjoy Among Gods together for a much longer time to come!

Thank you, Thank you all for helping me continue this amazing dream for the past three years....




A Shoutout to my good friend Suka for helping me with linearting the Anniversary image! You're seriously the best Clint ;W; !!!


Now We will soon Return to Your (ir)regularly scheduled update!

Additionally, A link To the full sized versions of each individual Character through a Multi-user PM here on RpN, as well as a link in the Skype Group, will be provided very shortly!




In in-game celebration, Everybody spontaneously receives a Delicious Piece of cake of their choosing!


( @Veirrianna Valentine ) This is your Final inactive Warning, Please refer to Major update #4! You will be removed next update!

Spoiler

Total time taken: Waaaaaaaaay too damn long for this update (7+ hours)


Total word Count: ~1900, which doesn't feel right for some reason, feels this was more like 5000 words


Total Player count: 14 players.

 

[SnakyDragon]

(Phone update!)


Jaik:


He smirks.


"My area is not in planning or thinking. My area is in fighting and talking and killing. May I have the honor of volunteering for his hands-on mission first? Chris? Kalos? You with me?"





Coils:


Noticing that Seih has been... Quiet... And understanding that he was mentally sifting through Danielle's thoughts, he undergoes the logical assumption that he's still working.


"Hey. What've you found out so far? Also, universe to Seih, Elijah wants us to go on a mission to get away from these two idiot gods. I'm game. You?"

 

[Ferociousfeind]

(heheh, you have a burn mark? I didn't notice, I was too busy being inactive!)


Misfortune (after staring off into nothingness for some reason) jumps back a bit at the wizard's burn, "What was that!? Possibly the modifiers' warning to anything other than its original owner... this could be useful for fighting enemies, but what if it works differently?" Misfortune, inappropriately for the current situation, starts rambling to himself, his years of role-playing and, in general, strategy game playing, coming in handy, "Oh, sorry about that, I'm not sure why that happened, and you don't seem like a good person to just hand off a very useful piece of equipment, with the suspicious laughter and such, er, what was your name? I don't quite think I caught it." Misfortune waits for the suspicious (l/w)izard's answer. In all honesty, he doesn't really expect one, he really expects the (l/w)izard to give an excuse before running off suddenly, right before a giant, ugly, monster of a Tortured appears and attacks the camp for whatever reaso-- is that a slice of cake!?

 

[aquaInferno]

Coatl looks over at Ged and takes a bite out of his chocolate cake. It was rich and creamy. Coatl hasn't had anything this pompous in a while. It was about time too.


Coatl felt even though there were bumps in the conversation, converting this group to his side wasn't too big of a deal. There are plenty of metaphorical fish in the sea. Speaking of which, Coatl has never seen the sea before. He was going to do so yesterday but something came up. Maybe he'd take a stroll later but for now he would wait to see what the other cat had to say and for the original cat to possibly give him a specific order afterwards.

 

[Lyro]

Seih looks out of the corner of one eye at Coils and nods. A tiny bead of sweat starts to pearl on his forehead as he tries to maintain two mental conversations at the same time, and he has to sit down as a result.


<I am aware of what Elijah has been saying.>


<I will go, though I am not sure I can be of much assistance.>


<Hopefully, I can learn more about her and this... mission of hers.>


<As for Danielle, I got distracted.>


<She seems fine as far as I can tell, but what is really interesting about her is that she is not alone in her head.>


<Just like you intercepted me when I tried to read Jaik's mind, it seems someone called Koyaanis is somehow attached to her now.>


A burst of memory hits Coils as Seih transmits the gist of the conversation he has just had.


<It's really quite fascinating.>


<There are more exotic minds in this tiny room than I have encountered in my entire life.>


<...>


<Coils? Are you alright?>

 

[SnakyDragon]

Coils, about to take a bite out of his delicious cheesecake, drops it.


You fucking son of a bitch, Koya. You son. Of. A. Bitch.


He glares into Danielle's eyes, but then realizes that she's a separate entity, and therefor has no control over when Koya tells Coils that he's FUCKING ALIVE.


Coils gets up, takes his piece of cheesecake, and throws it into Danielle's face.


"WHEN WERE YOU GOING TO TELL ME YOU'RE ALIVE, YOU BASTARD?! You just BLOW UP the GOD DAMN WARDEN like, "Oh, no big deal, whatevs", and disappear! We thought you were dead! YOUR MODIFIER EXPLODED. What about all the conversations we had about how idiotic Jaik is and how we needed to keep an extra eye on him??? And you've just been sitting around in this poor civilian's head (Sorry about the cake, Danielle) like some sort of drunk hanging around his Mom's basement, and you never bothered to tell me OR Jaik that you're here?! Oh, yeah, Mei and Elijah can know, and this random psychic can know, and I imagine the Keeper can know, but when were you going to tell me?"


Fury etches lines in Coils's face as he finishes his rant and stares into Danielle's eyes, daring her to make a move.


"Let Koya take control for a second, please. I need to talk to him. Directly. In person."


Cheesecake still drips down to the floor.


Meanwhile, Jaik takes a nice, satisfying bite out of his ice cream cake.

 

[Seahorse]

"Coils! That was completely unnecessary. And you," Meilikki took a few steps in Seih's direction, "Just because you can pry into people's minds doesn't mean you should and you most certainly do not have to right to distribute information at your own whim. I'll have you all know that I only just found out a few minutes ago myself, and Elijah hadn't been informed," she quickly whispered an apology to Elijah, "Who to tell and when to tell them is up to Koya and Danielle, not me, not you." Mei angrily took a bite out of the rich chocolate cake that had suddenly appeared in an attempt to calm her nerves.

 

[Lyro]

Seih shrinks away from the towering figure of Meilikki, shaking as he steps back. His eyes keep quickly darting back and forth between Mei, Danielle, Coils and Elijah.


"I'm sorry," he whispers as Mei starts eating some brown, unappetizing pastry. "Koyaanis didn't tell me his presence was a secret, and he didn't seem to have any problems talking with me. I didn't mean to upset anyone, I just tried to answer Coils's question truthfully."


Feeling himself become nervous, Seih pulls back from Danielle and Coil's brains and starts softly but purposefully tapping his left foot regularly. As he does so, another, more calculating part of his brain muses on recent events.


Psychics must be uncommon here if everyone reacts in this way. But I think I'm starting to get a feel for these minds. Maybe if I could practice with someone, I could become completely inconspicuous, even when digging deeper. I should still be careful; there are a great many things I don't yet understand.


His eyes rest on Elijah momentarily before flitting away. Spying Mei's cake once more, as well as the remains of the cheesecake, Seih wonders if it is customary to eat something when the situation is tense. Unwilling to commit another social faux-pas, he quickly pulls out his breakfast phial, unstoppers it and takes another tiny sip, shuddering as his mind speeds up and his body feels reinvigorated, almost to a painful level. No more than two per day, social misstep or not.

 

[Bluesunnyday]

Kalos shrugs. "Look, as long as I don't have to get right in some undead monstrosity's face, I'm up for whatever. I figure helping you guys is better than doing nothing or, say, getting shot for insubordination or whatever."

 

[SnakyDragon]

Coils stares Mei in the eyes.


"Two things: Don't get angry at Seih for telling me my friend is alive, and if I had found out first that Koya was alive, the first thing I would have done is go and find you and Elijah to tell you. But you have been standing here talking to Elijah for longer than a few minutes, and you haven't told her OR me when I entered the room. But my beef isn't with you or anyone here, really. Because if Koya saw fit to keep his existence from me, he must have had a severely good reason for it. All I need to do is hear it."


He looks at Danielle, pleadingly.


"Please tell me I'm wrong. Please tell me that you were going to tell me right away, but SOMETHING - death threat, magic spell, whatever - kept you from doing that. Tell me our friendship meant at least that much."

 

[Illusionus]

Byron just stands there, in thought. Not sure if it would be okay to tell them or not. Realizing that he was leaving these two men without an answer, he blurts out his answer. "A glove. A right handed one. It's really important to me." The awkward look on his face made it obvious that he was either very uncomfortable or hiding something. Perhaps both. "Um... Was there, by chance, anybody else that might have come here last night? After me, that is." He tries to stuff his hand further into his pocket.