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

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

To those who asked, Owen speaks out generally to them.


“I’ve been a private investigator for seventeen years, running Calliburn Investigations. Over the course of that time, I’ve had multiple cases where the Administration seems to be involved. Kidnappings or manipulation of young girls to turn them into Witches, family ‘going missing’ or ‘died tragically’ the usual cause. For Meryl up there, her parents sold her for drug money and she just happened to end up in an Administration run orphanage. I interviewed her shortly after her arrival, trying to build a case against her parents, when she ‘was adopted’ by the Administration the very next day and disappeared into their Witch program. I have dozens of cases tied in similar ways to the Administration.”

He leans against a wall.

“Beyond that, my mother told me stories. Old things, things she had seen while on missions. She couldn’t remember everything, as part of her ‘retirement’, but enough came back that made me very, very suspicious of Ruin, the Administration, and what they tell us. Part of the reason I’m freelance instead of a cop.”

He pauses, then smiles slightly.

“In case you missed it, my mother was a Witch. And you know how odd, or downright impossible, one living long enough to ‘retire’ is. Well she did, and the Administration left her very much alone for good reason.”

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

".....Safest thing for me would be a bullet in the side of your head..." Mulvric replied, eyeing a vial in his hand. "But the safest thing isn't always the right thing...."

Moving to his table, the man sets to work measuring and mixing components. "......So tell me, will I be calling ya witch killer for the rest of your time here....or do you have an name....."

"Idle threats do one no favors," the Dragon teased, before falling silent for awhile to consider the ask. Name? Now when was the last time I had that... Hrm. It took some time, but she eventually had an answer.

"W-why... Arx...iros?"

"Arxiros. I think."

Or close enough.

Omu raised another Kakuren Scroll, sticking his head through it. Another popped up, not to far from Xia, where his head emerged as the rest of his body remained coiled in the corner.

"Oh, so you can feel remorse! Whoda thunk it?" He shrugged with a few of his legs. "Not judgin' or nothin'. Just coulda sworn you were the cold shoulder type..."

Like that, the memory faded; and a question took its place. "Hey Mulvric. Do you have any Soy Sauce?"

[Yun Lao]

Well, wasn't she the inquisitive one?

"Where to begin...," started the ponderous mask, pressing a finger to those stilled lips as if to hush the observer dumb.

"I come from a land of wild beasts, warrior-poets, and kings. Standing opposed to the feral things that settle beneath the thunderplains, it is a place of great plenty and cruel scarcity, for opportunity exists only for those with strength enough to seize it."

"Here, where the mighty rule, the greatest are made to answer only to their own power. Should one King fall, another shall swiftly take their place and with it the honours and glories."

"But there are those who exist that are blinded by ambition and consumed with thoughts of vengeance, who seek primacy atop the natural order by any means necessary...but they too were deceived, by the one who controls the King. Which brings me...here."

Stopping the recitation of her saga for a moment, Kinu paused briefly to make sure she hadn't completely lost her listener.

"...let me ask you this: If a chick is smothered by the eggshell, it will die without being born. Can somethin' be alive without truly having begun to live?"

It would become quite apparent relatively quickly that Sigourney had gotten lost with Kinu's explanation. With all of her experiences of the outside world coming from books, she had little of certainty whether or not Kinu was telling the truth or weaving a tale for whatever reason. Still, one could catch the gleam of curiosity in her eyes as the masked woman went on about beasts, warriors, and kings.

As for the cryptic question at the end, the girl paused for a moment before her response, "To die is to have lived, regardless of how short and meaningless its life was?"

[Tami]

"Don't be a dumbass.....If ruin really did take A-9, there were a hell of a lot of people stronger then you who didn't fair any better..." Ange stabbed a wire into a piece of equipment. "The world doesn't revolve around your own failures.....they no more died because of you then because of me......"

"We're all told from a young age that the Ruin is the cause for the downfall of mankind. That it is what lurks beyond the walls, a dangerous monster that would consume us all if not for the Administration." His tone of voice made it clear he did not believe this either.

Tear streaks still on her cheeks, Selma scowled at Ange as she said "I don't believe I asked you in regards to how I should feel in regards to my loss. Especially since it seems I've got the Administratum witches after me and now have to hide out here with the people-eating lizard woman."

"You are not alone, in this or any regard. You deserve the right to mourn your family. Many I have known, including our hosts, have also lost people close to them. In their case, it has made them hard to the world, so don't judge them too harshly."

"We have lived this way for far too long, for generations. I have seen the outside, I have seen what remains of the world that once existed. But I have no answers as to why. Why Urban areas collapse, why people die, and what is truly behind this."

[MrSandman]

Tear streaks still on her cheeks, Selma scowled at Ange as she said "I don't believe I asked you in regards to how I should feel in regards to my loss. Especially since it seems I've got the Administratum witches after me and now have to hide out here with the people-eating lizard woman."

"No...I suppose you didn't." Ange remained stonefaced and continued working at her electronics. ".....I'd tell you to keep your distance from her....but you didn't ask me about that either...."

"C'mon Ange, lighten up.....Its just a..." Mercer paused, remembering the ear full he got earlier. "She's already been through hell...."

".....you know I suck with kids..." Ange muttered under her breath.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Xia returned, arms full of the supplies she needed. She had to dismantle a few things for the wire grate and the wood, but it was probably stuff they didn't need. Probably. She also found some tongs in one of the drawers, which was great.

She took out a knife and started cutting up the chicken into smaller pieces. Meat cooked faster when it was in smaller chucks, she found. There was nothing worse than biting into meat and still raw blood dripped down her chin. She decided to keep the carrots and corn whole. She set those aside, and stacked the wood up in an out of the way area, then set the wire grate on top of them, balanced on two cylinders she found during her rummaging. She lit the fire, then placed the chicken pieces and vegetables on top of the grate.

Squatting down next to her makeshit fire pit, she tended to everything with the knife and waited.

[grampagen]

It would become quite apparent relatively quickly that Sigourney had gotten lost with Kinu's explanation. With all of her experiences of the outside world coming from books, she had little of certainty whether or not Kinu was telling the truth or weaving a tale for whatever reason. Still, one could catch the gleam of curiosity in her eyes as the masked woman went on about beasts, warriors, and kings.

As for the cryptic question at the end, the girl paused for a moment before her response, "To die is to have lived, regardless of how short and meaningless its life was?"

At Sigourney's response, the Warrior of the Wasteland quaked with a surprisngly bright-sounding laughter.

"That's a pretty good answer," maybe a little morbid. "But you've overlooked something."

"The baby bird's entire world is the space inside the shell. End to end, that's all it knows. When it gets too big, even without knowing it, the bird needs to make a choice."

"Suffer and die, safe in the only place it knows? Or break out of the shell, shatter its entire world, and find something outside of its protective, little bubble?" As she posed the question, Kinu suddenly clapped her hands together and flattened a fly.

"Some little birdies don't even know they're stuck until they've had a peek of the outside." she said. "I'm interested in findin' out why it is they wanna keep it that way."

Xia returned, arms full of the supplies she needed. She had to dismantle a few things for the wire grate and the wood, but it was probably stuff they didn't need. Probably. She also found some tongs in one of the drawers, which was great.

She took out a knife and started cutting up the chicken into smaller pieces. Meat cooked faster when it was in smaller chucks, she found. There was nothing worse than biting into meat and still raw blood dripped down her chin. She decided to keep the carrots and corn whole. She set those aside, and stacked the wood up in an out of the way area, then set the wire grate on top of them, balanced on two cylinders she found during her rummaging. She lit the fire, then placed the chicken pieces and vegetables on top of the grate.

Squatting down next to her makeshit fire pit, she tended to everything with the knife and waited.

"...speaking of cracking eggs, sounds like someone's got a fire cookin'," Kinu concluded to Sigourney. "Ange said she had some grub, I'm gonna go investigate. You do you though. Come with if you want a bite to eat, or just chill backstage, and I'll bring something back."

Passing by Xia on the way in, Kinu's mask lingered on the firepit perhaps overlong, like a bear hovering behind a wolf diving in on a fresh kill.

"...that's a nice setup," she murmured, "they got any cabbage in there?"

[KingofPie]

Like that, the memory faded; and a question took its place. "Hey Mulvric. Do you have any Soy Sauce?"

" Don't you got better things to eat than a poor 'ol centipede, lady? " Omg asked, curiously. "What the hell's yer deal anyway?"

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"...speaking of cracking eggs, sounds like someone's got a fire cookin'," Kinu concluded to Sigourney. "Ange said she had some grub, I'm gonna go investigate. You do you though. Come with if you want a bite to eat, or just chill backstage, and I'll bring something back."

Passing by Xia on the way in, Kinu's mask lingered on the firepit perhaps overlong, like a bear hovering behind a wolf diving in on a fresh kill.

"...that's a nice setup," she murmured, "they got any cabbage in there?"

Xia heard Mask as she walked in and commented, but didn't look up from the fire. If she looked away for a second, it could get out of control. She wasn't trying to hear Woman's mouth if she burned down the entire compound trying to make some food.

"Cabbage? Probably. They had a lot of stuff in there," she answered. She flipped over the chicken pieces with the knife, then did the same with the carrots and corn. "Got a name, Mask?"

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

" Don't you got better things to eat than a poor 'ol centipede, lady? " Omg asked, curiously. "What the hell's yer deal anyway?"

Arxiros turned, and quirked an eyebrow at the Centipede.

"Hm, the Mascot. Curious." Stretching the Dragon considered how to respond, before shrugging her shoulders and picking the remnants of Vivienne's shoulder from her teeth. "You're more magic, than meat. I eat magic." She responded simply. "Think of it like how a plant needs water, and sunlight."

[Tami]

To those who asked, Owen speaks out generally to them.


“I’ve been a private investigator for seventeen years, running Calliburn Investigations. Over the course of that time, I’ve had multiple cases where the Administration seems to be involved. Kidnappings or manipulation of young girls to turn them into Witches, family ‘going missing’ or ‘died tragically’ the usual cause. For Meryl up there, her parents sold her for drug money and she just happened to end up in an Administration run orphanage. I interviewed her shortly after her arrival, trying to build a case against her parents, when she ‘was adopted’ by the Administration the very next day and disappeared into their Witch program. I have dozens of cases tied in similar ways to the Administration.”

He leans against a wall.

“Beyond that, my mother told me stories. Old things, things she had seen while on missions. She couldn’t remember everything, as part of her ‘retirement’, but enough came back that made me very, very suspicious of Ruin, the Administration, and what they tell us. Part of the reason I’m freelance instead of a cop.”

He pauses, then smiles slightly.

“In case you missed it, my mother was a Witch. And you know how odd, or downright impossible, one living long enough to ‘retire’ is. Well she did, and the Administration left her very much alone for good reason.”

Overhearing this, Matt looks at him for a few moments, surprised by what he said. Taking a few steps towards him and responding, "From the looks of you, I had initially assumed you were from the towers. those with wealth and privilege who never interact with those of the slums unless it was for personal gain. Yet, you did not turn us in to the Authorities. It seems you have much in common with the lower class than I first expected. You share with us the same cynicism."

"And that you are a Witches' child makes your actions more understandable."

"However, your willingness to open up to strangers, to reveal your life story, your secrets so easily, normally would get a man killed just as easily."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Overhearing this, Matt looks at him for a few moments, surprised by what he said. Taking a few steps towards him and responding, "From the looks of you, I had initially assumed you were from the towers. those with wealth and privilege who never interact with those of the slums unless it was for personal gain. Yet, you did not turn us in to the Authorities. It seems you have much in common with the lower class than I first expected. You share with us the same cynicism."

"And that you are a Witches' child makes your actions more understandable."

"However, your willingness to open up to strangers, to reveal your life story, your secrets so easily, normally would get a man killed just as easily."

Owen shrugs slightly.

“The Administration knows about me. Knows where I live, where my business is. My heritage, as it were, is also common knowledge with a simple check at the courthouse for my birth record. I have some protections, a few favors that keep me mostly safe, and I am well versed in the Law and how to stay just out of their reach.”

He shakes his head.

“Meryl’s partner, Vivienne, will no doubt report my presence from our scuffle. However, I technically broke no laws and I doubt Meryl will turn me in just yet. At worst, I’ll have to use a big favor to get out of their clutches. As to secrets, well, trust can’t grow if the truth isn’t known. I can’t stand drama for no reason, and keeping secrets from potential allies is not a smart play.”

[Tami]

Owen shrugs slightly.

“The Administration knows about me. Knows where I live, where my business is. My heritage, as it were, is also common knowledge with a simple check at the courthouse for my birth record. I have some protections, a few favors that keep me mostly safe, and I am well versed in the Law and how to stay just out of their reach.”

He shakes his head.

“Meryl’s partner, Vivienne, will no doubt report my presence from our scuffle. However, I technically broke no laws and I doubt Meryl will turn me in just yet. At worst, I’ll have to use a big favor to get out of their clutches. As to secrets, well, trust can’t grow if the truth isn’t known. I can’t stand drama for no reason, and keeping secrets from potential allies is not a smart play.”

"Allies, not a word I have heard used often." he crossed his arms as she spoke, "Being on good terms with others is always a worthwhile goal, but more than that is survival. You have already said, in so many words, that you could leave right now and go straight to the Administration and tell them everything without retribution. They would not arrest you, or if they did you could call on those favors you speak of."

"Why then should we trust you? Simply because we know who you are."

His hands dropped back to his sides, "It takes more than words to create trust. Your actions back at the terminal lend themselves to some measure of trust, but I have known of plants. People sent to gain the trust of others, only to turn them in to the authorities."

[grampagen]

Xia heard Mask as she walked in and commented, but didn't look up from the fire. If she looked away for a second, it could get out of control. She wasn't trying to hear Woman's mouth if she burned down the entire compound trying to make some food.

"Cabbage? Probably. They had a lot of stuff in there," she answered. She flipped over the chicken pieces with the knife, then did the same with the carrots and corn. "Got a name, Mask?"

The Mask nodded slowly, admiring the fighter's concentration in tending the fire. Just hot enough to grill, but the black smoke kept to a minimum. Seemed that she had a high level of skill...and exceptional focus.

"You may call me...the Great Kinu, Airwalk," she replied, "...and hold that thought, I'll be right back..."

For about five minutes, the sound of rummaging and chopping sounded out behind them in the kitchen. When she came back, she shuffled over across the makeshift wire firepit with a giant bowl of battered, shredded cabbage, a griddle pan, and a bunch of unlabelled cans.

Eyeing Xia's fire, Kinu wordlessly raised the pan in one hand. In the other she had an aersol of cooking oil. She pressed the nozzle...

...pfft...

"..."

Setting the griddle down with a clatter, she clamped her other hand over the top of the can, and twist it open with the greatest of ease like a pickle jar. Once it was greased up, Kinu - rather presumptuously - set it up a little over half of the fire and wait for it to heat up.

"That little box in there ain't gonna cook squat, fuh-fuh-fuh," she said, slowly unfurling her coat and letting it fall to her waist where she sat. "This is the real deal."

[The Dog]

"You are not alone, in this or any regard. You deserve the right to mourn your family. Many I have known, including our hosts, have also lost people close to them. In their case, it has made them hard to the world, so don't judge them too harshly."

"We have lived this way for far too long, for generations. I have seen the outside, I have seen what remains of the world that once existed. But I have no answers as to why. Why Urban areas collapse, why people die, and what is truly behind this."

"I may not know what was behind the destruction of A-11, but I do know why urban areas collapse and people die. Because the world is a cold, cruel place without mercy or compassion. That if you want to see compassion, mercy, or kindness you can't expect the world to give it to you, you've got to give it to others and hope to get it in return." Selma said.

"No...I suppose you didn't." Ange remained stonefaced and continued working at her electronics. ".....I'd tell you to keep your distance from her....but you didn't ask me about that either...."

"C'mon Ange, lighten up.....Its just a..." Mercer paused, remembering the ear full he got earlier. "She's already been through hell...."

".....you know I suck with kids..." Ange muttered under her breath.

"Thanks..." Selma began, then frowned as she thought about something. After a few seconds, she said "I don't think we've been introduced. And my mom always told me to introduce myself before asking someone's name, so allow me to start by saying that name is Selma St. Johns."


OT: How old is Ange? Because she's calling Selma, who is 28, a kid.