- Zodiac - [Inactive]

[Father Voltaire]

"A Zodiac, my dear Watson, is essentially a spirit with powers that bestows them upon those deserving. Ones who can make a change in this world of changes. Just... A different kinda change." Elijah saw her host wasn't grasping the concept so easily. Tis' typical. A regular human waking up in some spirit world, welcomed by a super powered spirit is nothing that someone would accept right away. Unless they've watched too many cartoons. Elijah bent down to Nikky's level, which wasn't by much. Their height difference was only 2 or so inches. "Nikky, I chose you because I like your spirit. You're adventurous, but also careful. You know your limits but you also take risks, fighting against those limits for the sake of pursuit. I like that. Plus, you've stood by enough. Time to take action! Time to get you off the sidelines. You're a deserving gal' you know that?" Elijah had patted Nikky's head, messing her hair up some. She turned around and returned to her instrument, re-tuning the thing, as if she was ready to go another round. "Oh... And just between you and me... I know you have the hots for that one kid. Lance's host? Just know your Zodiac-in-laws are going to be bickering a lot, yeah? Me and Lance have quite the history~ But don't you let us get in the way of your game. Hunt em' down my young, love starved Huntress!" Elijah advised will tugging on the cello's strings.

 

[The J]

James looked up from his bed, having heard weird noises in the night. Sitting up in bed, he realised that it was a full moon outside of the window. Was it that which had woken him up? He couldn't really ever sleep with much light, that was probably it.


Getting up in a rather lethargic manner, and with his eyes still a little blurry, James went over to the light switch. If he couldn't sleep, he might as well do something to fill the time.


Bracing his eyes against the wash of light, he flicked the switch.


Nothing.


Odd, he thought. He tried again, slicking it back and forth.


Still nothing. The power must have been out. He tried his computer, but of course, no response.


As he was tired, he decided it would probably be all fixed by morning, he pulled the curtain over his window, and flopped back into his bed, soon falling asleep.

 

[zombifiedkitt]

"What the--" Farra muttered, observing her surroundings. The lightbulb above flickered, leaving her in darkness for a moment in the humid room. It switched back on a moment later, and she wiped most of the cobwebs off of its surface. Unfortunately, that did nothing to help it stay on longer. "Well, at least I'm not afraid of the--" The light flickered and went out. "Dark. Might as well explore my prison a bit." She felt around on the table, and she jammed her finger on the dial on the radio. "Ow!" Farra cried out in pain. Her cry echoed through the room, but not in one area; it stopped in the doorway. The lights flickered on and confirmed her suspicions; there was indeed a door there. "Ooh, a way out," she mumbled, her middle finger throbbing in pain. Farra headed over to the door, passing ancient recruitment flyers. She entered the darkness beyond.


(crap post. it's 6:34 am here, so I'm barely awake anyways.)

 

[Kiosk]

The pheonix falls, only to rise again from its ashes...


A new resolve burned in Nikky's eyes. She's been through hell and back, and she was determined not to let this one moment be her downfall. She was a trooper afterall and Elijah could see it. Knowing that made the girl feel a lot more sure of herself.


"Oh and I know you got the hots for Lance's host-"


Nikky furrowed her eyebrows before the meaning of what the woman had just said hit her. There was really only one person she had in mind that Elijah could have meant and at that moment her acting skills failed her. Her face turned red; she looked off at a distance looking in random directions in a weak attempt to hide the fact that she was flustered. Nikky wasn't one that typically had to deal with these kinds of feelings and knowing that Elijah knew made them all the more real. Personal feelings, especially of the lovey dovey variety were simply not her forte. Well, just anything involving the word 'personal' made Nikky kind of shy away from the subject. It took her a moment but she finally gathered herself to face her Hostess again,


"Ahem, so anyways, I guess I'm your host now?"


Love, Tapatalk


//Not sure if the BBcode works, I'm 90% of the time always on my phone afterall >n<

 

[Father Voltaire]

Elijah's idle strumming began to evolve into a catchy beat. She almost got caught in trying to piece the sound bit together and making it into a complete song but her distraction was cut with Nikky's question. "Ah! Yes, you are. Now. Come with me. I oughta' show ya' how I work!" Elijah hoisted her large Cellobow in her arms and kicked open her front door and walked out into the prairie. It was early evening, it seemed, in Elijah's little world. There hadn't been anything else in sight. No other buildings, no other forms of life. Just grassy hillsides and the sky above. She stopped when she was at the decline of the land in front of her house. She lifted up the back of her fancy blouse and in between her trousers was her cello bow. She pulled it out and twirled it in her fingers and rested on the four strings on top of the instrument. "Now first..." She pulled back one of the tuning pegs and the wood stock contracted, revealing a handle to hold the device. Like the handle to a gun. From the revealed insides you can see that there were a lot more arrows stocked inside than the small hole showed. "Okay, this should be easier to hold now!" Elijah had turned around to face Nikky hoping she was paying attention to how she handled the weapon. "Okay, you ready?" Elijah asked with obvious excitement.

 

[Azukai]

???


|???|


| NIGHTMARE |


| Hoshino's Dream |


|Music|

​

As Hoshino would step across the threshold, the curtain would once again fall; an act which would seal her decision to the fate she had chosen and commence the show of nightmares much akin to taste of the dream's couturier. Despite the overpowering darkness, a distant flash of lightning would temporarily reveal the secrets of the room just before the crackle of thunder would explode through the area and tremor the platform atop which the girl stood.


Had Hoshino taken notice of her surroundings, modernesque would have been the easiest method of describing the high-end design which stood before her. Glass would have appeared to line the entirety of the runway on which she stood while a delicate marble would complement the adjacent surroundings of its design. Parallel with both sides of the walkway would run a line of chairs which could be described by the simplistic yet futuristic feel that could be brought about by the combination of polished glass and steel.


"Ladies and Gentleman--"


A familiar voice, dramatic as ever, would call out from the darkness, and as if the second ripple of thunder were his cue, a lone spotlight would reveal the man from before, situated at the end of the runway upon a tattered, out-of-place chair as if it were his throne.


"The girl chose her fate, so let the fashion show of one's existence...begin."


The third sequence of lightning and thunder would follow the man's conclusion just before the spotlight would fade, and the gentle sound of music would emanate from the renewed darkness. It would be the forth sequence of the storm that would entirely dispel the black surroundings to reveal the room in its entirety. Perhaps prior to its revelation, one could have believed the area to be a room, yet as its secrets laid bare, opinions were likely to have changed. In place of the roof, seemed to exist dark clouds of a storm which would have easily explained the incessant occurrences of lightning and thunder which seemed to timely tune themselves to the song. While the description of the immediate area would have remained mostly the same, the context of the environment would have entirely changed to be the upper level of a high rise complex whose depth could be ascertained by the seemingly endless drop that existed below the runway under her feet. Finally, now seated in each chair were grotesquely stitched mannequins wearing outfits akin to the upper echelon of society while they awkwardly attempted to turn their bodies and attention toward Hoshino as if she were the spectacle for the night. The actions of the dolls would be in perfect unison as tears in the shape of smiles would rip the fabric of their head and chuckles in the tone of her mother would echo from their makeshift mouth.

 

[Kiosk]

Nikky watched Eli work, keeping note of her facial expressions becoming relaxed and entranced then snap right back to her grinning self. Nikky couldn't help but smile back.


The girl was lead outside where there was nothing but green, she took a deep breath taking in as much of the fresh air as she could. The blades of grass and scattered wild flowers swayed with the gentle breeze; it was like a painting of a romanticized picture of nature. She'd be lying if she said she didn't miss this, the wide open space and freedom. It tugged at the heartstrings making her think of home. But her sentimentality was quickly overtaken by her curiosity. As much as she loved her home, her thirst for adventure was what she truly loved. Nikky watched closely as Eli activated a mechanism that revealed a handle. The zodiac woman then turned to Nikky to-


Kids always waited for that moment when some random force or being would come out of the blue and say, "Hey, you, yeah you. Come with us and save the world" then whisk you away and give you super powers or something. And then you're suddenly thrown into an eye opening journey where you learn the true meaning of life or some crap like that. Nikky wasn't one of those kids, she had figured she'd rather go and do something extrordinary than wait for something magical to happen. But deep down, she had always hoped for this moment. It was a bit overwhelming but overall, she was happy.


"Okay, you ready?"


The messy haired girl gave an affirmative nod, Heck yeah."


Love, Tapatalk


//Nobody saw that

 

[Crystalline]

((I have no idea what I'm doing.

xD ))
<p><a href="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2014_05/57a8bf505c5e6_HoshinoShiromiyaIcon2.png.e0787ab9dc2e63862ff21b39956547fb.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="19110" src="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2014_05/57a8bf505c5e6_HoshinoShiromiyaIcon2.png.e0787ab9dc2e63862ff21b39956547fb.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>


.::Hoshino Shiromiya::.

​

Hoshino's turquoise eyes widened as soon as she stepped through the curtain, and the lightning before her was illuminated deep within her shimmering irises. W-What.. What is this? She questioned in her mind. She could barely see anything, for she could only make out shapes and images when the lighting lit up the skies above them. Though, after a few bolts of lightning came what Hoshino was fearing - thunder. She quickly covered her ears with her soft, small hands, trying her best to drown out the sound. No matter how hard she tried though, the turbulent skies above kept roaring. She pursed her lips together as she resisted her urge to curl up into a trembling ball. Though she wanted to shut her eyes and pretend that nothing was happening, she couldn't remove her gaze from the beautiful, yet incredibly eerie place around her. She was definitely in a fashion show, but it was definitely no ordinary one. It was modern and urban, with a slight futuristic touch of class. She was stunned completely.


"Ladies and gentlemen," Hoshino heard the familiar voice from earlier begin to speak. A spotlight shone on him and the tattered chair he was placed upon, and another roar of thunder echoed through the place. Hoshino maintained a strong and unwavering facade to the best of her ability. Now was the time her stubbornness showed, for she's always been determined to not let her weakness of thunder show. It's just a dream, Hoshino. It's just a dream. She reminded herself before courageously removing her hands from her ears. She stood up straight, closed her eyes, and took in a deep breath before placing one hand on her hip and posing strongly. "The girl chose her fate, so let the fashion show of one's existence... begin." With his conclusion, another roar sounded through the skies, which made Hoshino shut her eyes tightly in resistance to her urge to crawl into a corner and hide. She didn't move, for she felt frozen in fear. She tried her best not to let it show, though it was extremely difficult.


I'm not going to let this flamboyant guy win. She thought, her determined side showing. She felt like she was being messed with, which was definitely not a nice feeling at all. She would much rather return to her dream of sweets and candy, but she knew that wasn't happening anytime soon. This was a nightmare. Still, with renewed resolve, Hoshino listened to the entrancing music that began playing. This is a fashion show, and apparently I'm the model.. So, let's model. She thought, taking in a deep breath as she straightened herself back out. She wasn't tall, though the lightning revealing the place gave her an eerie beauty all her own. Her white hair seemed to shine, and her outfit suited her physique perfectly. Whoever tailored this must have done a magnificent job, for it complimented all of Hoshino's qualities. Trying to muster up any confidence she held, she began walking with as much grace as she possibly could. She tried to ignore the frightfulness of her surroundings, though.. She made the mistake of looking down.


It seemed like an endless drop through the glass of the runway. Though Hoshino was never too scared of heights, it was quite the feat to behold. Still, she immediately looked back up and put back up her steadfast facade. Not many people know this, but when push comes to shove, Hoshino is quite a vigorous, determined, and undeniably strong person. Though she's not all that tough physically - emotionally, she can force herself through many endeavors. This, she figured, was just another one of them. Hoshino just kept her back straight as she walked down the runway, making her way to her perpetrator. She had no idea what would happen once she finished this walk, but she knew that it was definitely going to be... Interesting. Hoshino glanced towards all of the dolls - which were definitely creepy, indeed - but she showed no fear.


Hoshino felt pressure like no other, but something told her that she just had to tough it out. The thunder was terrifying, she wanted to hide away, and the darkness was engulfing her entire being...


But she wasn't going to give up.


That's just not her style.





Just walk, Hoshino.





Just walk.

 

[Father Voltaire]

"Heehee~ Get a load of this!" With a cocky smirk on her face she pulled the trigger and a single bolt let loose. Just as she pulled the trigger she played a tune in decrescendo, the bolt fired from the cello but stopped in mid air as the powerful soundwaves had commanded the bolt to slow in speed. It was as if Elijah had completely halted time around the bolt. There it remained suspending in the air, slowly moving forward but painfully so. "And nooooow~" Elijah played a tune in crescendo and like the snap of a finger, the bolts speed doubled and appeared to ignore all wind resistance! The bolts were subject to Elijah's plays. A deadly symphony one would call it. "Got it? I hope you at least know a thing or two about playing the strings." Elijah turned herself around and handed Nikky the Cellobow. It was remarkably lighter than it looked. Before it would've looked like Elijah was a lot stronger than she appeared. "Okay... So first, pull the trigger then IMMEDIATELY, immediately play a tune. You have to synchronize it or else the bolt will fly out of range of the sound. Can't manipulate the bolt lest you catch it in a wave. I say again, got it kiddo'?"

 

[Azukai]

???


|???|


| NIGHTMARE |


| Hoshino's Dream |

​

"Stunning, simply stunning."


The man's tone was in awe as he spoke his compliments just before breaking into a fit of mocking laughter as he reappeared behind Hoshino to wrap his arm around her shoulder with a pair of scissors in that hand and a mic in his other.


"This girl was chosen as a candidate on a whim of desperation, and although I originally believed her to be nothing more than a hopeless girl obsessed in the silliness of her childhood, it seems she has surprised us all with some pitiful attempt at strength."


His manner of speech very much resembled an attempt to pitch her existence to the crowd by giving them a short monologue for the understanding of their model which she had become for the night.


Crack


After forcing the girl into a twirl by his side, the loudest rumble of thunder boomed through the sky as a cue for the audience to begin awkwardly clapping in unison for the presentation by their host.


"Many of you lovely guests here tonight have expressed your favorite thread, and I must say...I wholly agree with your decision!"


The man ran one blade of the scissors in the air above the Hoshino's head, and though nothing would seem visible to the girl, the crowd would erupt into a symphony of applause and cheers for whatever act the man had performed.


"Ladies and gentleman, you have come to see the fashion of her existence, and she has come to show us her defiance for our show. So without further ado, what say we have this young girl display the design of her makings...however strong or fragile they might be."


Maniacal laughter would erupt from the host among the continuous cheers and applause from the crowd, as he would take hold of Hoshino's glasses, lightly blow on each lens, and place them upon her face once more. Skipping away from her figure, the man would give her a sweet, innocent smile from afar just before taking the scissors in his hand and snipping a thread which would now be visible and understood by Hoshino's eyes.


"My dear girl, show us your interpretation of existence."


The glass runway would shatter and erupt into shards that would soon never exist, leaving only the open space below Hoshino's feet and several clear threads which would begin their descent along with the girl. As the man watched her fall, the smile from before would remain on his as he would throw the pair of scissors toward her existence before disappearing entirely from the scene.

 

[Crystalline]

<p><a href="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2014_05/57a8bf506a473_HoshinoShiromiyaIcon2.png.330fc83a05a5a7b8b0430fd2796a0f64.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="19114" src="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2014_05/57a8bf506a473_HoshinoShiromiyaIcon2.png.330fc83a05a5a7b8b0430fd2796a0f64.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>


.::Hoshino Shiromiya::.

​

Hoshino held back her urge to glare at the man as he mocked her. She was trying so hard to get over her fear, but it was as though he saw right through her. "Stunning, simply stunning." She heard him laugh at her, which both embarrassed and enraged her. She kept on a cool expression, however, and simply allowed him to do what he wished. Her turquoise eyes were sharp as she looked over at him whenever he put his hand around her shoulder, though her eyes were drawn to the pair of scissors in his hand. What are those for? She couldn't help but wonder as she listened to him continue to speak. The thunder rolled, and the crowd cheered. It took all Hoshino had to not tremble in this mysterious man's arms, but in the end, she succeeded in resisting her fearful urges.


"Many of you lovely guests here tonight have expressed your favorite thread, and I must say...I wholly agree with your decision!" She heard him declare, which confused her. Favorite thread? She thought to herself in question. With a slightly puzzled expression, she watched as he ran the blades above her head. "Ladies and gentleman, you have come to see the fashion of her existence, and she has come to show us her defiance for our show. So without further ado, what say we have this young girl display the design of her makings...however strong or fragile they might be." She listened to him declare, which kept adding on and on to her confusion. Just as she was about to protest in questioning, she heard maniacal laughter coming from the man. For some reason, that hushed her.


She couldn't quite grasp what was going on... That was, until the man took her glasses, blew on the lens, and returned them to her. Suddenly, she could see what appeared to be threads. What is this? She wondered as she blinked a couple times in disbelief. "My dear girl, show us your interpretation of existence." He spoke with an impossibly innocent smile as he snipped one of the threads before her. It was then that she realized the meaning behind his words - existence. The threads are existence. Everything clicked together as soon as the glass shattered, though she was too shocked to do anything at first. A scream escaped from her lips, though her eyes were locked on the guy before her. He threw the scissors down towards her, and she quickly grasped a hold of them.


With that, the man completely disappeared.


In a panic, Hoshino's mind began rapidly thinking. Think, think, think! You're falling, Hoshino! You're going to die! She wanted to cry, but she tried her best to maintain a logical mind. Falling.. Falling... What makes you fall? She began thinking, which made her think back to her existence. "Gravity.. My weight!" She exclaimed, and she could see the threads coming from her own physique before her. In a stroke of what was probably sheer luck, she snipped the one she understood as weight, and suddenly.. She was suspended in the air. She wasn't falling anymore, and her hair began floating around her like a snow white veil. She was in a complete state of awe.





How.. Is this possible?

 

[Azukai]

???


|???|


| NIGHTMARE |


| Hoshino's Dream |

​

"No fear in snapping one's own thread, surprising but merely passable at best."


A familiar voice called out to the suspended existence, as the man seemed to be floating by her side with an amused expression upon his face. Taking the scissors from Hoshino's hand, the man walked around the area and collected a handful of threads that he subsequently snapped causing the entire environment to crumble into its true form. Rather than halting herself from an endless fall to her death, Hoshino was currently suspended a few inches from the floor of a dimly lit room that resembled a small worn down study rather than the high rise complex it once was.


"You chose to the reckless route in a desperate attempt to save your life when you in fact could have perished just as easily."


The man ran his hand along a particular thread which was red and held the blade of the scissors to its existence.


"If I were to snap this thread your heart would fail, and your physical existence would be eliminated from both this world and the other; however, your essence or more simply your spirit would fail to be destroyed by the unnatural, untimely death, hence disturbing the balance of existence as a whole. Living creatures are unbelievably complex and this is why my power should never be used upon them."


With his speech of admonishment complete, the man walked over to the tattered chair now situated behind a small glass desk where he seated himself atop its stitched covers and began rapidly snapping threads that surrounded his existence. The following scene would hold to be quite gruesome as his exterior outfit and skin slowly began to melt into nothing until only a small girl, dressed in tattered pajamas, topped with a teddy bear nightcap, and drenched in crimson blood, existed in his place. Snapping yet another thread, the blood covering her body seemed to vanish, revealing her unnaturally pale skin that seemed white even despite the room's orange glow.


With a wave of her hand, a small teddy bear popped out from behind the chair and began walking over to where Hoshino remained suspended in the air. Jumping up to chest level, the bear snatched a thread from her hand and with a needle in its own, began rapidly stitching her back and the air around her. Once its task was complete Hoshino would have fallen to the ground while the bear would give her a small bow before skipping back to its owner and hopping into her lap.


After wrapping her arms around the stuffed animal, the girl gave Hoshino a cunning smile in response to the feeling of curiosity that she noticed from her threads of existence.


"Speak your mind, girl. I suppose you appear smart enough to at least give me a few sensible questions."

 

[IAmEnzo]

???


| ??? |


| NIGHTMARE |


| Farra Rei |

​

The dark, abandoned establishment had seem some rough times. Through what was visible, the walls were cracked and blasted into by bombings and bullet impacts. On the bright side, there were still some lights that worked. From the angle at which Farra left, it seemed like the entire building was dark. Nonetheless, there was no clear exit.


Farra would have heard a fizzing noise just beyond a corner. A bright flashing blue would flicker somewhere out of sight, yet illuminated the wall with it's light. If and when she did approach the light, she would have been greeted with the sight of a damaged robot of sorts. A sleek, black orb with it's fair share of dents and loose compartments. A single circular line drew across it, fading in and out like a dying phone battery. Every so often, a few sparks would spurt out from that line and dissolve on the dirt stone floor.


The robot seemed to have crashed along the walls of the bunker, judging by the small impact craters it made on it's way down. It looked easy to fix, seeing as there was an odd-looking, out of place charger slot sticking out of the wall nearby. It looked to match the shape and size of the robot perfectly.

 

[zombifiedkitt]

A fizzing noise sounded from the corner ahead, followed by a bright blue light. She headed towards it, curious, and was struck by the sight of a damaged...robot? "What the hell is this?" Farra ran her hand over it's sleek surface, as a line faded in and out endlessly. Near the crashed bot was a charging port; it seemed as if she was supposed to plug it up. Farra picked it up to the best of her ability and lugged it over to the port. "Where's the hole?" she mumbled, scanning the surface for the charging slot. It was placed on the back of the machine, and she groaned. She had to turn it all the way around for her to be able to actually plug the thing in. Nonetheless, she lifted it up to where the hole was level with the port and she pushed it in. Nothing happened. "What now?" she said, thinking aloud.

 

[IAmEnzo]

???


| ??? |


| LIMBO |

​

"What do you think it is? You seem to be the most concerned here."


"I don't know yet. Whatever it is, it's affecting my city and depriving it of Hollows." Tyrik was clearly upset by it. Without another word she began tugging along the giant skull up the path. "I'm on my way to see Basti- Ink boy."


...


After hours of nothing but walking, Tyrik stood in front of the painted mansion, with or without her previous acquaintances. Letting go of the skull, she approached the double doors through the rain and banged on it with her fist. At first, there wasn't a response, then she tried again. One of the doors swung open, as a painted man peered through the gap at Tyrik. The girl gave off a wave through the brief period of silence.





"No."


The door slammed shut, leaving Tryik to stand in the rain. "Oh come on, Inky! You can't seriously still be mad?!"


"Go away."


Tyrik growled under her helmet. There was no way in hell she was going to be denied the ability to speak.


Meanwhile, the mansion itself felt emptier than usual. With the mask gone, only Bastion's will remained. His soul still connected to the home and the objects within. In a sense, he was the mansion. The painted man slithered his way back to his art room, where the countless failed replicas of his family resided. From there, he resumed his painting of an open country town. The paint that came from the brush floated off into the air to merge in it's appropriate spot. A clear sky high above a small town. Tiny, but lifelike students running and playing on their way out of a large school, named Armstrong.


A smile curved on the painted man's head. I can't thank you enough for this, Sh-


BOOM.





Since the front door didn't work, Tyrik created her own by tossing the large skull through the front side of the mansion. It crashed through the wall and even damaged the stairs a little. Clapping the dust off of her hands, she nodded. "I knew that skull would come in handy." On top of the stairs, Bastion's painted form stood, baffled by the destrution that Tyrik caused to get in. "You attention seeking w**re!" "You wouldn't open a door for a lady, so I made one."

 

[Crystalline]

<p><a href="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2014_05/57a8bf508be83_HoshinoShiromiyaIcon2.png.2b7318b0b47d0b11d74c97a9a1cada0d.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="19120" src="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2014_05/57a8bf508be83_HoshinoShiromiyaIcon2.png.2b7318b0b47d0b11d74c97a9a1cada0d.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>


.::Hoshino Shiromiya::.

​

Hoshino looked over at the flamboyant man who, once again, appeared before her. She was so tempted to just hand it to him and yell in frustration, but she kept quiet as he spoke to her. Perhaps he can tell me about what the heck just happened? She wondered hopefully, for this.. Nightmare was feeling more and more real by the minute. She listened as he gave her a little lecture about the threads, speaking of their purpose and uses. "If I were to snap this thread your heart would fail, and your physical existence would be eliminated from both this world and the other; however, your essence or more simply your spirit would fail to be destroyed by the unnatural, untimely death, hence disturbing the balance of existence as a whole. Living creatures are unbelievably complex and this is why my power should never be used upon them." He stated, and slowly, Hoshino was beginning to understand what the threads were.


It was terrifying and exciting all at the same time.


Hoshino opened her mouth as though she were about to say something, but, before she could utter a single word, the man began melting. Hoshino covered her mouth in sheer shock and awe, taking in the gruesome scene before her the best she could. She felt nauseous, though the feeling immediately disappeared as soon as a girl - completely coated in crimson - appeared before her. She snapped a thread, Hoshino noticed, which made the blood drenching her vanish completely. Hoshino watched her with eyes glistening in curiosity and confusion, her pale pink lips opened slightly in an astonished nature. She was completely taken aback by this dream - or whatever this actually was. It couldn't have been a dream, for whenever the bear stabbed her rudely in the back, she felt the pain.


"Ouch!" She complained, her voice coming out soft and tiny due to it having not been used. As soon as the bear finished stitching her up, Hoshino fell back to the ground, her weight having been returned to her. She landed on her feet, though she almost fell over from the sudden feeling of gravity washing over her. This.. Is incredible. Hoshino couldn't help but think. She was once completely afraid, but now, she was more astounded than anything else; completely awestruck. She simply stared at the girl before her in wonder, having finally found the mastermind behind this whole plot. "Speak your mind, girl. I suppose you appear smart enough to at least give me a few sensible questions." She spoke in a sharp tone, which immediately snapped Hoshino back to reality. She opened her mouth, only to close it once more.





Sensible questions. Not, "WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?!" .. Right, right.





She cleared her throat. "For starters.. Who are you, and where am I?" She began, wanting to get the obvious wondering out of the way. "I understand what these threads are, but.. How is.. Any of this even possible? Is this a dream?" She continued to question, all of her pondering finally having the chance to be answered.





"What.. What do you want from me?"

 

[IAmEnzo]

???


| ??? |


| NIGHTMARE |


| Clark Wilson |

​

Clark would have awoken with his back to the chilly grass. A night sky was above him, accompanied by stars that almost felt like they were watching him, judging him and his future actions. A gust of hot wind blew by, bringing Clark to his senses as he realizes that the sky was being polluted by smoke. Once he gained his senses, he would notice that he was next to a village raid. The Japanese-styled homes were razed, the flame quickly turning the entire area into an oven of sorts. Arrows rained down around Clark, and sounds of combat were being heard within the village.


The closest house was on fire, but even through the sounds of death and decay, a woman and child cried out for help. Their language was foreign - Japanese, but for some odd reason, Clark could understand it. There didn't seem to be anyone else around to help, leaving the option of saving the people to him.

 

[Kiosk]

"... Cool."


She wished she could’ve used a better word to describe her awe but diction wasn't one of her main priorities at the moment.


"I hope you know a thing or two about playing the strings"


Nikky tried to get the feel of the strange weapon/ instrument as the Zodiac handed it to her, lifting it up and down. Despite its mass, its weight said otherwise. She ran her hand across its smooth surface it was cold to the touch and polished to shine in even the faintest of lights. She moved her finger across the ridges of intricate carvings along the face of the Cellobow. There was a story in this weapon; she had never seen anything else like it, it was unique, sleek and beautiful in its own way.


"I... don't really know much to be honest..." Nikky admitted, there was no point in lying she was sure Elijah could tell if she was fibbing, just like her Aunt. They had similar eyes, the kinds that were perceptive of what went on and around them. She was at a disadvantage; she wasn't good with music, or sports or academics... She regretted not taking an interest now though. But it couldn't be too hard; you just pluck a few strings, play a nice tune then shoot a bolt. The least she could do was give it a try. Easy. Well, easier said than done.


Still, Nikky was determined to try. She steadied her arm and slowed her breathing as she attempted to focus. Counting down in her head,


10…


she tried to pick a tune that she could perform quickly and efficiently. The song, "Mary had a little lamb" came to mind. When she actually sat down and stayed still for once as a kid, she learned how to play the song on the piano.


9…


8..


As soon as she set her mind on the tune she played with the strings trying to gauge their sounds in comparison to piano keys, but the memory was blurry.


7..


"Okay... So first, pull the trigger then IMMEDIATELY, immediately play a tune. You have to synchronize it or else the bolt will fly out of range of the sound. Can't manipulate the bolt lest you catch it in a wave. I say again, got it kiddo'?"


6…


She nodded but still felt a bit uneasy, she looked over at Elijah watching with anticipation. She closed her eyes and smiled turning her head back towards a hidden point in the distance.


5…





4…





3…





2..


She squeezed the trigger and began playing, it was a strange feeling. As if she could feel the rhythm with each pluck of the strings. But her fingers fumbled at the last second and she played the wrong note.


1.


The bolt wavered a bit before shooting off towards the mountains and dropping into the valley below. Nikky lowered the weapon knowing she had failed. There was a moment of silence before the girl turned to face Elijah, "Like I said, I don't know much but-" she looked up at the Zodiac even though the woman herself wasn't much taller than the girl in comparison and grinned, big and wide.


"I'm willing to learn, I want to do your powers justice. Besides, I have to if I want to be of any use." Nikky lifted the weapon prompting the Zodiac to take it, it would've been in miuch better care with her anyways.


"Really... thank you." Nikky opened and closed her mouth and then added,


"So... who are you, exactly?"

 

[IAmEnzo]

???


| ??? |


| NIGHTMARE..? |


| Farra Rei |

​

The lights within the robot ceased it's fading. With power suddenly being transferred to the machine, the rest of the area seemed to brighten as well. From the robot, lines covered the walls, flooring ceiling, giving it all an unreal, futuristic feeling. The stone turned to black metal, illuminated by the light coming from the blue lines. The old war equipment faded from view as the robot powered up.


Several seconds later, with a fully charged system, the sphere shot out from it's slot in the wall, staggering a bit before hovering around Farra with uncomfortably close observation. "Farra Rei, a kind soul deep down - must add that into the database." The robot spoke in an English tone. It's voice sounded human, with emotion. Each word it spoke, a circular light lit up in the middle. The small orb floated around Farra, inspecting every spot as to confirm something. "You are indeed Farra Rei. Oh, where are my manners?" The orb shook left and right like a head. "I, am Nexus, your faithful companion for now on. Accept my honest apologizes for your surroundings - I can only do much for a base of operations."





In reality, the bunker wasn't 'old' anymore. It looked like something out of TRON. While her attention was direction towards Nexus, the 'base' rebuilt itself to resemble something more 'homely'. Luxury chairs, hologram TV on the wall, even a digital map of the known LIMBO world was there. "While I was charging, I took the liberty of installing the 'Home Improvement Mod' for you, as well as prepared your preferred beverages in the room you woke up in."

​

 

[Azukai]

???


| ??? |


| NIGHTMARE|


| Hoshino's Dream |




​

"Humph, sensible and blunt, I might actually get somewhere with this human."


The girl's tone was sarcastic as she spoke her mind with a lazy yawn before stuffing her hand down the teddy bear's throat and retrieving several multi-colored threads which she scattered across the floor. After she did so, the bear hopped onto the floor and with the needle in its hand, began stitching together the various threads into several chibi dolls that resembled the other zodiac spirits.


"These are the zodiacs or more simply explained, spirits which are for some god awful reason stuck in Limbo. This very existence you see, feel, and interact with is an example of Limbo, and it would be best understood as an alternate reality for a naive human such as you."


Taking hold of one of the dolls which resembled a white masquerade mask, the girl began stroking its existence before using her other hand to point and begin naming off the dolls one by one.


"--and this is Bastion, the most sensible of the spirits. If you need advice or a simply have an appreciation of the arts, he is quite the charming individual. In fact, I believe you are already somewhat friendly with his host...Shun was it?"


Tossing aside Bastion's doll, the girl returned to her reclined position in the chair, allowing for the bear to once again jump into her lap. Wrapping her arms around the stuffed animal, the girl began gently petting its head before continuing with the explanation she had purposely stalled.


"Among the spirits, I am known as the Couturier of Existence, and for gods sake please be smart enough to understand why. My actual name is Cecilia Albrecht, and this bear's name is Gom. Don't ask about my history because you don't care, and nor do I care about yours.


Now, I'm only going to explain this once so listen closely. You are the host, we are the spirits. Each of us spirits have a unique power that we bestow upon our hosts. Each of us spirits also have different selfish motives for you hosts to carry out, so don't trust everything the others say."


After handing the pair of scissors to Gom, the bear hopped onto the floor once more and walked over to Hoshino in delivery of its master's tool. As the bear undertook its task, Cecilia took hold of one of the dolls and tossed it over by her host's feet before explaining the purpose of such actions.


"You say you understand the threads of existence, but please don't get so full of yourself, girl. The pair of scissors and glasses are yours to keep and use. Without the glasses you won't be able to see the threads of existence, and even with them on, I cannot guarantee you will understand their purpose. That doll is relatively simple as it is made up of only three materials, cotton, polyester, and wool. If you snap the threads which comprise the object, then the doll can no longer exist and its composition is decomposed to the base materials, the threads themselves. This is where Gom comes to play. He will collect the threads for you, and he will also be capable of designing whatever you heart desires from the materials that he holds. Please note that Gom is not sentient so he can only design what you know how to create, so no fantasy dreams of making dragons and knights please."


Cecilia paused her explanation with a deep sigh in response to the amount she had said in such a short time. giving Hoshino time to contemplate her words, the spirit patiently sat in silence until a small smile came to her face as the dolls began awkwardly dancing across the floor.


"I suppose I forgot to mention that not only can you control Gom, but you can also control whatever you create to some degree. Like everything about my power though, it will take practice, so don't expect yourself to decompose a building and construct yourself a mansion."


Without rising from her chair, Cecilia simply waved her hand causing not only the dolls, but the entire room and its objects to temporarily collapse upon itself only to reconstruct in its original state just a few seconds later.


"You are not me so don't be stupid. Use your power wisely, and spend time studying the threads of existence. If you die from cutting something you shouldn't have, it's not my problem."


Rising from her chair, Cecilia crossed the distance to stand directly in front of Hoshino where she took hold of a particular thread connected to her host's body and held it out for the girl to see. While the spirit was busy with Hoshino's existence, Gom had been busy recollecting the threads of the dolls which failed to reassemble, and once he was done, jumped into Hoshino's arms to be carried home.


"I won't tell you what I want from you, so for now, simply enjoy life with your new power. You can contact me through Gom if you so need to, but please don't.


If you don't have any more questions then cut this thread and go back to sleep in your own world."

 

[Flabbysaurus]

Clark lazily opened his eyes. It wasn't until he could see the clear night sky that his eyes hot open. Did the roof disappear or... Clark's thoughts were cut off as he felt his hand brush against the cold grass. Realising that this was a dream (or at least he hoped it was) Clark sat up and rubbed his eyes. He glanced back up at the starry night sky above him, fascinated by the sea of stars. That was until he felt strange gust of hot air and saw the tendrils of smoke that clouded the otherwise clear night sky. Clark looked over to source of the smoke and heat. His eyes widened at the sight of the ravaged village, completely confused as to why he was dreaming this specifically. Clark stood up and looked at the village, trying to make out if he could see anyone but he only saw flames, smoke and buildings. Clark sighed, trying to process the situation until he heard the cries for help. He stood on the spot, both confused and amazed as he heard the Japanese cries for help ring out and sure enough he could understand it. Clark found himself smiling slightly at the his sudden fluency in understanding Japanese but he remembered the current situation, causing his face to quickly change to having a more worried look.


Normally Clark was quite selfish and was only considerate of himself. The only exception really being his parents or very close friends but the desperate cries of the mother and her child pulled at Clark's heartstrings and he couldn't bring himself to ignore their cries for help. Clark sighed and ran towards the village, pulling his pyjama shirt over his mouth and nose to prevent any smoke inhalation. He wasn't sure if that could happen in his dream but he didn't want to risk it.

 

[zombifiedkitt]

"I, am Nexus, your faithful companion for now on. Accept my honest apologizes for your surroundings - I can only do much for a base of operations." Farra blinked. Nexus? Like the phone? "Uhh...what?" She turned slowly, taking in her new surroundings. It was unreal; today's technology can't even touch this kind of stuff. "While I was charging, I took the liberty of installing the 'Home Improvement Mod' for you, as well as prepared your preferred beverages in the room you woke up in." Farra glanced at the orb that floated before her. It had transformed the entire area into this cool tech paradise on it's own; and suddenly, Farra knew what she was dealing with. "While I was charging, I took the liberty of installing the 'Home Improvement Mod' for you, as well as prepared your preferred beverages in the room you woke up in." Farra smiled at the thought of chilled Baja Blasts, waiting for her


to drink them...but they could wait. She had to ask this..thing. "Are you a Zodiac, by any chance?"

 

[IAmEnzo]

???


| ??? |


| NIGHTMARE |


| Clark Wilson |




​

Upon Clark's movement to the house, a man dressed in armor would have instantly stood in his way. His face was rugged, bloody from the people had already killed in his wake. Blood coated his sword and he was ready to end Clark's life with it as well.


Suddenly, Clark would have noticed a dagger in his right hand. Since when did he have a dagger? And to top it off, a wave of confidence would have flushed through him, like the man standing before him could never match Clark's prowess in battle. Even with the soldier's sword being bigger, and that he wore armor, Clark could somehow sense the nervousness in his eyes. His actions played into Clark's sudden predictions. His enemy became easily readable. Wait, when was that man a definite enemy?


The man charged, just as it was to be expected of the lowlife. A simple, barbaric charge with his sword ready for a thrust to Clark's chest. The man seemed slow in his execution. For some reason, the man had to die.

 

[Crystalline]

<p><a href="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2014_05/57a8bf50bd422_HoshinoShiromiyaIcon2.png.a1100b4a9ea1d439763abe0b80ecb89c.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="19129" src="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2014_05/57a8bf50bd422_HoshinoShiromiyaIcon2.png.a1100b4a9ea1d439763abe0b80ecb89c.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>


.::Hoshino Shiromiya::.

​

Hoshino looked at the girl and sat down crisscross on the floor, listening to her intently like a student in class. As the girl spoke about the spirits and limbo, Hoshino couldn't help but feel like she was in some fantasy movie. Is all of this real? She questioned internally with a slightly tilted head. She did feel the pain from earlier, so she knew it wasn't a dream, but.. All of the things this girl was telling her - Cecilia, she said her name was - were entirely unfeasible in Hoshino's mind. However, she decided to keep an open mind about it all. Hoshino got the vibe that Cecilia wouldn't bother lying to her; in fact, she seemed more blunt herself, and definitely not someone Hoshino should mess with. With slightly pursed lips, Hoshino continued to listen, though as she mentioned Shun, a hint of blush came over her cheeks. He almost saw my fear of thunder.. She remembered. I never did get to thank him for letting me into the club.. Wait a second--he's a host, too? Everything finally clicked. She wasn't the only one; there were other zodiacs, just like she said, and.. The movie. Dominic, Alice, everyone - the reason they freaked out about it all.


It all finally made sense.


With a thoughtful, "Hmm," Hoshino continued to pay attention to every single word Cecilia spoke. "You say you understand the threads of existence, but please don't get so full of yourself, girl. The pair of scissors and glasses are yours to keep and use. Without the glasses you won't be able to see the threads of existence, and even with them on, I cannot guarantee you will understand their purpose. That doll is relatively simple as it is made up of only three materials, cotton, polyester, and wool. If you snap the threads which comprise the object, then the doll can no longer exist and its composition is decomposed to the base materials, the threads themselves. This is where Gom comes to play. He will collect the threads for you, and he will also be capable of designing whatever you heart desires from the materials that he holds. Please note that Gom is not sentient so he can only design what you know how to create, so no fantasy dreams of making dragons and knights please." Hoshino wasn't fond of being treated like a child, but her words weren't wrong. With a nod, Hoshino acknowledged that she understood, and she listened as Cecilia went on.


"I suppose I forgot to mention that not only can you control Gom, but you can also control whatever you create to some degree. Like everything about my power it will take practice, so don't expect yourself to decompose a building and construct yourself a mansion. You are not me so don't be stupid. Use your power wisely, and spend time studying the threads of existence. If you die from cutting something you shouldn't have, its not my problem." She spoke, and Hoshino continuously felt like a child being scolded. Does she think I'm stupid or something? She thought stubbornly, but simply nodded in response to her. "I won't tell you what I want from you, so for now, simply enjoy life with your new power. You can contact me through Gom if you so need to, but please don't. If you don't have any more questions then cut this thread and go back to sleep in your own world." Cecilia concluded her lecture, and as she mentioned questions, Hoshino grew curious about the glasses. She knew she could reconstruct them with the threads should they break, but Hoshino has 20/20 vision, and she can be a little forgetful.


"I don't actually wear glasses," Hoshino began hesitantly as she looked over at them. "Is there any way I can do all this without them? I mean, I would hate to lose them or something."

 

[IAmEnzo]

???


| ??? |


| NIGHTMARE..? |


| Farra Rei |

​

"Are you a Zodiac, by any chance?"





The small light slimmed down, like the robot was trying to comprehend something, then resized itself. "No, but I'll play pretend if that's your wish." Nexus hovered over to a more spacious point in the room. "I've been given a single mission, Ms.Rei, and that is to aid you. That covers anything that is within my ability." A short pause fell between the two. "You are familiar with the term 'Zodiac', I've noticed. Lost souls who have sought out the life energy of teenagers - your 'friends', as you may call them. They do not concern me, nor should they concern you. I am merely here for your protection and pleasure - should you so accept my existence."