Oblitus Magia: Verse 1 - Fateful Encounter in the City of Fools

[MrSandman]

I remember screaming...

Like a dream that lingers only long enough to leave an imprint in the back of ones mind, when I awoke I felt as though I heard screaming....but there was nothing to hear now but my own breathing and the soft hum of the walls. something cold and metal lay against my back, but try as I might I couldn't push myself forward....restraints kept me secure at the arms, legs and waist.

"Your awake.....good." A voice whispered in my ears. "You can see, you are aware." The voice sounded muffled, like it was spoken through a wall. "Now look..."

An object stood on a pedestal in front of me. I stared...as the voice instructed me. The object was ugly, geometrically and physically, and it gave me a headache to look at...perhaps something about it didn't sit right with my brain.

I blinked.

The object was gone...or rather, or was now on the floor. Nothing had moved it, nothing could have...not in the moment between a blink. I gasped....I blinked.

The object was against the far wall.

I blinked.

The object was on my chest. I took the air into my lungs as I prepared to scream....but a voice whispered and the air held in my lungs. A single, delicate hand reached out and lifted the object...and a figure stepped in front of me, cradling the artifact in her arm as a mother would a child. She was a odd woman, eyes like deep pits and some sort of muzzle strapped across her face. I knew who she was.....of course I did......I had been dreading this moment, this meeting.

"An interesting sample....." Baba Yaga asked me as she held the rock up level to my eyes. Her eyes locked with mine, seen my confusion, and she turned. "It comes from a place no human has ever seen....no, living human.....It exists in a state of Quantum Flux. It stabilizes when observed, and slips into an unstable state when not observed.....where it exists in all possible positions simultaneously. It attunes itself to the perceptions of a entity with conscious observation...seeking stability within that beings observable window. Look....this one has already grown fond of you."

Baba Yaga crushed the rock with her hand, the powder dissipating into nothingness. She turned to me, her hand sliding up my arm....and with a flick, the table tilts backwards until I am lying on my back, facing upwards at another frightended looking figure on the ceiling above.....it only takes me a moment to understand that the person is me.

"In this procedure, we will be infusing your bone, muscle, organ and skin issue with this element....the process is entirely automated, to achieve the desired results only you must observe the procedure. The material must attune itself to you and to you alone."

no...

"You will be fitted with special eyewear to limit your ability to blink, and apply liquid at specific intervals.....remember, you must maintain eye contact with your reflection for the entire procedure. No blinking, do no turn away, do no lose conscious observation of your reflection....if you do, quantum instability will trigger a shift on only the tissues and organs that have been infused. I don't have to explain that this will be a messy and painful end....."

..No please...

"The procedure will take around 14 hours....save your energy and do not scream, the pain will keep you conscious and alert. Remember....do no blink, you must keep your body in sight....every bone, every muscle....everything....."

I didn't ask for this....stop....

"We will begin with a lateral incision along the left leg....."

The horrible sounds of the rotating saws overwhelmed my senses....searing pain took the rest. My eyes stared unblinking as the first cut went deep....deeper......until I could hear the saw scrap bone and...

"NOOOO!"

~~~~

The Grey Ghost lurched upwards, sweat and tears staining her face.

It was a nightmare.....she was having a nightmare.

She must have dozed off while reading....it was already early morning.

At dawn, Morgen 'woke' from her 'sleep'. The assault she experienced in the elevator came back in the morning as waves of pain pulsing through her body -- she felt stiff and sore, as though she'd slept a pile of gravel, and her sensitive nose had still yet to become accustomed to the pungent odor of the slums. Her sincere, down-to-earth disposition from the last night all but vanished, replaced by an overwhelming sense of irritability.

"Marie!" she called, forcefully combing her fingers through her hair. "Marie, what is this--"
She blinked. Oh. Right, she was somewhere else now. Groggily, she recalled the events of the night before, laying motionless for a while. But she steadily began to feel increasingly heated as the embarrassment of her crying tantrum came to mind and she suddenly found the energy to pull herself out of bed in one swift motion. Morgen held a palm to her forehead and grit her teeth.

I am leaving this rotten place as soon as possible.

"Who's Marie, your Maid?" Ange asked, eyeing the rich girl with a small level of amusement at her confusion.

[MrSandman]

Making a show up bending over slowly due to a bad back and knees, a performance Owen has done before several times, he starts helping her pick up the flyers.

“Oh dear or dear, be careful young miss.”

He makes sure he doesn’t look like he has actually seen the papers as he helps her gather them up.

“I’m sorry, child. My darn knees aren’t very cooperative. You said you had a picture of your mother, hmm?”

"Yeah...." She quickly snatches the ones in his hands and folds them all together, then rifles through them quickly and produces the one with Ange face.

"Uhh....I know what it looks like....But my mama is older then she looks." The young girl smiles disarmingly. "Have you seen her?"

Back at Mulvric’s base, another Owen simply appears and looks around for Mulvric.

“Hey, we got an issue here. Where’s Mulvric?”

"Eh, whats going on?" Mulvric stuck his head out from the workshop area.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Yeah...." She quickly snatches the ones in his hands and folds them all together, then rifles through them quickly and produces the one with Ange face.

"Uhh....I know what it looks like....But my mama is older then she looks." The young girl smiles disarmingly. "Have you seen her?"




"Eh, whats going on?" Mulvric stuck his head out from the workshop area.

Owen takes a moment to study the image of Ange, as if thinking hard, frowning in concentration.

“I....Hmm, I’m so sorry child. I can’t say that I’ve seen her.”

—————

Stark nods to Mulvric.

“Administration hunter already looking around for you. Short young girl showing your picture around, and Ange’s and a lot of others, claiming to be your daughter. Getting a real big danger ping from her.”

[MrSandman]

Stark nods to Mulvric.

“Administration hunter already looking around for you. Short young girl showing your picture around, and Ange’s and a lot of others, claiming to be your daughter. Getting a real big danger ping from her.”

Mulvric raised an eyebrow. "....I only have one daughter....and she ain't even by blood. Best case, you were talking to a plant....worse case....a witch. Either way, we're running low on time....."

Owen takes a moment to study the image of Ange, as if thinking hard, frowning in concentration.

“I....Hmm, I’m so sorry child. I can’t say that I’ve seen her.”

"Oh...That's ok...." The girl looks at him curiously, almost gleefully suspicious, before pulling the paper out of his hand.



"Make sure to come find me if you see them....."The girl smiles, turns, and completely absent the fear and sadness a girl missing her parents though have....skips away into the crowd.

[Melon God]

"Who's Marie, your Maid?" Ange asked, eyeing the rich girl with a small level of amusement at her confusion.

Morgen glanced back, silent for a short while.

"Marie is no one," she dismissed with a scowl forming at the corner of her mouth, taking out her mirror and observing her reflection. "Tell me when you're ready to go. I don't want to stay here any longer than I have to."
Her eyes were looking a little dark... didn't seem like Gee Gee over there got a good night's sleep, either. Everything would be better once she took a nice, hot bath, and rested in a real bed.

[KingofPie]

Pouring the last of the cabbage batter onto the griddle, Kinu smiled as she considered the Centipede's words.

"Well, believe it or not, this isn't the first time I've had the pleasure of multi-legs for company," she replied. Pulling flaccid strips of meat out of a can, she arranged them in coiled circles on the surface over top such that they looked almost like curled shrimp. The gravied batter hissed and bubbled. "Also not in the traditional sense. But they weren't the best conversationalists, know what I mean?"

"Probably do. Had my fair share of 'an for company myself," Omu chuckled slyly. Centipede were never that picky, mascots even less so. Though as the years went by, the massive ninja liked to think he would have refined his palette .

Kinu's eyes drift from Omu's face for a moment as she saw the little paper square ghost itself across the bottom of the room. How long've you been in the kitchen?

"...to catch a shinobi with this level of skill? If you're as good as your fee, had to have come from familiar company, someone from the inside," she replied. "Seems like the Administration is always watchin', even if you think they're not."

Like what the Gumshoe had dug up on Meryl, people would sell their own kids for a new house. Seems the rich ones had their eyes on other prizes. Maybe a shot to move inside the Inner Wall...

"Your people. You mean other mascots, or other ninjas?"

"Ha! Mascots? They ain't..." Omg guffawed, almost caught by surprise at this inquiry. "I don't get along too much with my brethren, fer the most parr. Nah, my ninja clan is my people. Been around longer than you've strut across this world I wager. "

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Jacob spent most of his time next morning looking for a psychologist. Meanwhile, Rhea was roaming around. "I hope a psychologist can get more out of Jacob than I could. I wonder how long I'm going to have to keep making up stories in front of him," Rhea said

" If he caught on to what I was doing, he would never trust me again. I mean, the spirit realm, this goddess of death, and said contract I said had with Jacob doesn't exist. I made all that stuff up based on the knowledge of a place I took from Jacob's mind. However, it seems that Jacob doesn't know the details of said place," Rhea said.

"The person I was referring to when I was with Jacob. Was just the closest approximation I knew of to something from Jacob's past, due to my share connection with him," Rhea said.

Jacob is still roaming around, looking for a psychologist." Seriously doesn't anyone know a psychologist? I need one to help me with a memory problem I have," Jacob said.

[The Dog]

The Night passes without incident, with the group eating and catching what sleep they can given the situation. With Dawn.....En gave the group leave to go out and perform any remaining tasks they have in the city before departure, as long as they keep a low profile.

*Free Time*
Go explore the Slums and get up to your own small adventures for a bit while the next part is cooking.

Part 1: I Hear Voices

Selma walked through the slums, taking everything in as she walked. It was similar to her home in A-11 in some ways, but different to it in others. As she looked around, she could almost see those under her group's protection going about their lives, not exactly the happiest, because the "dumpster fire" part of A-11 wasn't conducive to 'happy' lives. But they were content due to the safety Selma's group provided from those seeking to prey on them, and contentment was considered good enough there.

If she closed her eyes and concentrated, she could even hear the voices of those she considered friends and family now.

"Seeeelma..."

Her eyes snapped open, and she turned as she looked for the source of the voice calling her name.

"Seeeeeelma..."

Selma felt a twinge of anxiety in her chest as the voice called her name again. And it sounded like a voice she recognized.

"Seeeeeeelma... You let us die... You let me die..."

"N-no, no I didn't! I didn't!" Selma called, the twinge of anxiety blossoming into full-blown panic as the recognizable voice spoke again, condemning her.

"You left us to the Ruin..."

"No I didn't! I don't remember what happened, but I know I didn't leave you to the ruin!" Selma yelled, backing up until her back bumped into a wall.

"You are a coward... You forsook us to save yourself..."

"That's not true!" Selma cried out, placing her hands over her ears to try and block out the familiar voice condemning her for something that she didn't even remember.

"You let us die when you promised that we'd be safe following you?"

Selma slid to a seated position on the ground, curling up with her eyes clenched shut and tears flowing freely down her cheeks as she whispered "I'm sorry. I'm sorry Jamie. I'm sorry..."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Mulvric raised an eyebrow. "....I only have one daughter....and she ain't even by blood. Best case, you were talking to a plant....worse case....a witch. Either way, we're running low on time....."



"Oh...That's ok...." The girl looks at him curiously, almost gleefully suspicious, before pulling the paper out of his hand.



"Make sure to come find me if you see them....."The girl smiles, turns, and completely absent the fear and sadness a girl missing her parents though have....skips away into the crowd.

“Best of luck, child.”

Owen grunts as he stands up, his knees popping as he does so. He starts patting his chest, as if looking for something, before pulling out a small handkerchief and he coughs into it, before blowing his nose.

He keeps the act up of an older, slightly sick, man, making sure to keep his senses on point for her presence.

—————

Stark closes his eyes, than opens them.

“She’s dangerous. I’d suggest getting people back here as soon as possible, Mulvric.”

[MrSandman]

Morgen glanced back, silent for a short while.

"Marie is no one," she dismissed with a scowl forming at the corner of her mouth, taking out her mirror and observing her reflection. "Tell me when you're ready to go. I don't want to stay here any longer than I have to."
Her eyes were looking a little dark... didn't seem like Gee Gee over there got a good night's sleep, either. Everything would be better once she took a nice, hot bath, and rested in a real bed.

(Note: This takes places before Owen or Saint comes back....so no chance to stop em. Kekekee)

"Ready to go now." Ange motioned towards the exit.

~~~

After finishing whatever the rich kid needed to do before leaving....powdering her nose or something, Ange escorted her topside and took a moment to survey the area outside before letting her come out.

"....We're gonna take a few short cuts, nothing impressive." Ange took a step back and eyed the nearest rooftop, then as casual as she could.....swept Morgan off her feet, and broke into a spread with the noble cradled in her arms. She performed a tiny top, feet barely off the ground....and yet when they landed the two were on the nearest roof. The transition was so fast it took a moment for Morgan to refocus on her surroundings...but by then they had moved to the next jump...and then next.

Ange shortcuts were no joke.....and it wasn't long before the two had left the slums, passed through the middle class section and came to a spot somewhere just outside of Morgans home.

The Grey Ghost let Morgan down slowly, then fiddled with something and passed it along. "Communicator, keep it hidden.....if you need anything, send me a message. I'll....stay close for a bit, just in case. Ange nodded. "Got to find that shop that sells the ice cream anyways...."

[MrSandman]

“Best of luck, child.”

Owen grunts as he stands up, his knees popping as he does so. He starts patting his chest, as if looking for something, before pulling out a small handkerchief and he coughs into it, before blowing his nose.

He keeps the act up of an older, slightly sick, man, making sure to keep his senses on point for her presence.

—————

Stark closes his eyes, than opens them.

“She’s dangerous. I’d suggest getting people back here as soon as possible, Mulvric.”

"I'll send a message to En.....we're just about ready to head out." Mulvric nodded, and then started towards the radio equipment. "Everyone should have a communicator....so rounding them up will be no problem.....Hey Saint." Mulvric turned, eyeing Mathias near the exit. "You've done this run a few times....maybe not as many people. Counting on your skills again."

[Tami]

"I'll send a message to En.....we're just about ready to head out." Mulvric nodded, and then started towards the radio equipment. "Everyone should have a communicator....so rounding them up will be no problem.....Hey Saint." Mulvric turned, eyeing Mathias near the exit. "You've done this run a few times....maybe not as many people. Counting on your skills again."

The curl on the side of his mouth indicated mild amusement, "Yes, I have, though, as you said, rarely with so many." Matthias then became more serious, "I'll have to work fast, considering the risk they're in." With a step towards him, "Just waiting on your word."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"I'll send a message to En.....we're just about ready to head out." Mulvric nodded, and then started towards the radio equipment. "Everyone should have a communicator....so rounding them up will be no problem.....Hey Saint." Mulvric turned, eyeing Mathias near the exit. "You've done this run a few times....maybe not as many people. Counting on your skills again."

OT: Using his senses, does Owen feel like the girl isn’t following him?

[MrSandman]

OT: Using his senses, does Owen feel like the girl isn’t following him?

OT: Nothing from the girl, she seems to have moved on for the moment. You DO feel the feint trace of magic from somewhere though...but nothing you can put your finger on. To weak.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

OT: Nothing from the girl, she seems to have moved on for the moment. You DO feel the feint trace of magic from somewhere though...but nothing you can put your finger on. To weak.

If he starts weaving his way back to the Base, using back alleys and the like, does the feeling remain?