|
|
Post by Atticus Batman on Nov 2, 2017 10:56:22 GMT
Belle took a deep breath and let out a huge sigh before continuing, "In my travels through over thirty galaxies, I ran into many monuments left millennia ago on many planets by many lost civilizations but on one was written something I think Erika would whole heartily agree with. It read: All things must happen. All things will occur. Somewhere, elsewhere, or in the hereafter. So ends the testament of the Korvax." *
As Belle sat back down, a Castithan serving girl came up to Lady and whispered, "Mr. Dameron is at the door saying they are ready for you at the Vigilant and that he will take you there when you are ready."
Lady nodded her white tousled head in assent merely saying, "Ready now" before standing up, hugging her husband from behind before leaving to have her damaged EGO device replaced with Erika's own before the Irathient funeral ritual for Erika that afternoon so that Erika's EGO psyche, Amber, could attend.
As Lady hugged me from behind I held my rum bottle in front of my face as I whispered to her, "Snow Angel, you know I was going to take you. Besides Dinara is anxious to see Amber as well."
Lady kissed my cheek as she continued the hug a little long and reached forward to give my hand a reassuring squeeze, and whispered, "Stay. Will be back soon."
Then she left to meet Poe Dameron, who was waiting in the shuttle "Eagle" to take her back to the Vigilant for her minor medical procedure, before he would then bring her back.
I silently watched Lady go, then I turned my attention back to the room. As I surveyed the room, feeling that they were watching and judging me more now than ever before, I remained silent. Even more uncomfortable at the moment for while I still was very uncomfortable with social gatherings being a loner most of my life, I was even more so in this particular gathering that I was currently a (silent) part of, now that Lady left to go see Haele and Amber aboard the Vigilant. Another big factor for it probably being that: I am completely unaccustomed to handling the death of a loved one, for I had never had any loved ones before nor had I ever been one of the bereaved before.
On the contrary, I was always the killer and cause of others' bereavements. So I was in completely undiscovered territory for me. So I treated it the same way I do most things that bothered me; I remained stoic about the whole situation. In this case I also remained completely silent and only gestured if somebody expected a response from me. Nothing against the people in the room that I call friends and family, it's just that I was in absolutely NO mood to talk to anybody except my wife at the moment. So f anyone talked to me, I would respond non-verbally as much as possible.
However I did raise my bottle to show that I felt Erika would indeed agree with what Belle had said.
Then after somebody else also gave a toast in Erika's honor, (although I couldn't tell you which breakfast guest it was,) I down the rest of my bottle of rum. Then I held it up in a gesture to the serving staff that I needed another. One of the serving girls immediately appeared by my side, with a fresh bottle of Irathient rum, which she opened and handed to me. I calmly took it and handed her the empty and she left to dispose of it. Then, as Lady had left, I once again leant my chair against the back wall and went back to my silent brooding and stoically watching my friends, as the others continued their breakfasting and socializing.
However, it wasn't long after Lady's departure, before I could no longer handle being in the 'crowded' room. Even if the only people in the room (excluding the Palace staff) were friends and family that I usually was fine being around, and sometimes even enjoyed the company of, even if I rarely ever told them as much. Besides most of them would probably understand, given the scope of today's upcoming 'events', and knowing me as well as several of them do. So after I finished the fresh bottle of rum, I silently grabbed my helm from the table in front of me, and put it on. Next I calmly stood and re-secured it and my sniper rifle, which had been resting against the wall within my reach. then I stalked out of the Banquet hall and continued until I had walked out of the palace.
Once outside, I made my way to the palace's outside target range. Upon arriving there, and seeing that I was alone (even if for just a minute or two), I clicked off my sniper rifle's safety and loaded it. Then (without drawing a breathe first, for I learned long go, that or blinking could easily be the difference between life and death,) I took aim at the furthest target from me and fired, putting a bullet right in the dead center of it's 'brain', then quickly re-chambered my gun and fired another. Every shot I made at that target, hitting the exact same spot as the previous.
The Shootist - How do you come out on top? (Video link)
|
|
|
|
Post by Belle Starr on Nov 2, 2017 21:29:23 GMT
After speaking her eulogy on Erika Widowmaker, Belle Starr watched Atticus Batman with concern while still discussing politics with the Synth Envoy Ruby. She thought the young girl a bit naive in her trust in government but then laughed mentally thinking that Ruby probably thought the same thing about her and her unrelenting support for individual freedoms. Belle could always multi-task well, so even while deep in her intellectual debate, she observed what was going on around her with some notable tableaus etched into her mind. Also with her Volge genes spliced to her own while in her mother's womb, she had always had acute hearing so heard most of which that was said around her as well. Lena Marr looked out of sorts - well, more out sorts than normal. Maybe the food didn't set well with her, but from the pretty pout on her chalk white face Belle thought it might be something more. Right after Belle gave her eulogy, Lena stood up grabbing a bottle of wine off the table and gave a eulogy for Erika of her own sort exclaiming before taking a swig from the bottle, "I once heard an old human toast to the departed in a bar in Dallas and it goes like this: To our dear departed, that the devil mightn't hear of her death, till she's safe inside the walls of heaven!" Then Lena turned on her heel grabbing her lover Marcel Lestrange's hand muttering, "I need a good shag" as she dragged him presumably to their rooms in the guest wing of the Chancellor's Palace.. Many of the others around the State dining room table looked upset although nobody looked very surprised over Lena's outrageous behavior but Sandy Bell looked angry and Atticus - well, thought Belle, it's hard to tell what he was thinking behind his armor's helmet. Sandy stood up soon after Lena left hoisting her Mimosa and saying, "There is a better toast to the departed, especially to such a solid soldier and good friend as Erika. Time cuts down all, both great and small; and without a doubt, Erika was one of the great ones!" Sandy drained her Mimosa glass than sat down next to her husband Volodja Uljanov leaning comfortably into him. Definitely, thought Belle, their relationship had become more cozy then when she saw them last over 300 years ago her time. As others made their own reminiscences about Erika, Belle glanced at the other Synth sisters who she had never met before. The blonde strong-woman Yvette sat on the far side of Ruby, obviously playing the part of body guard but still looking towards the Dining Room's entrance as if expecting someone - or maybe several someones. The pale white haired beauty Whitney sat next to her but her ice blue eyes seemed to stay on the diabolical duo until they left then seemed to occupy herself painting her fingernails with a colorless nail polish. The feline Synth Brooke was most interesting for she didn't sit with her sisters but instead sat on the far side of the diminutive Liberata Count as the old Psychiatrist sat on his other side as she asked innocently with large amber eyes and black cat-like ears twitching nervously, "I'm covered with fur too. Being different from everyone else is... difficult at times... but I have to ask... why do you shave your fur off your face?" Belle would have loved to have heard his response but just then Atticus suddenly stood up and left the dining room. Belle followed at a discrete distance wondering where he was going but knowing it was away from the guest wing of the Chancellor's Palace. Belle wasn't terribly surprised when Atticus ended up at an outside shooting range for she remembered that he often worked out his anxieties either by working on his weapons in and armory or shooting them at a target range. Once Atticus arriving there, he clicked off his sniper rifle's safety and loaded it. Then he took aim at the furthest target from him and fired, putting a bullet right in the dead center of it's 'brain', then quickly re-chambered his gun and fired another. Every shot he made at that target, hitting the exact same spot as the previous. Suddenly there was large bang from behind him and the head of the target disappeared is a cloud of slowly dissipating smoke. When her turned to see the source of the shot, he saw a smiling Belle Starr standing there holding a strange weapon prominently adorned with teeth like protuberances and glowing green stones. "I picked this baby up on a radioactive desert planet," Commented Belle still smiling warmly, "It's alien even to the three dominant alien races I met everywhere I traveled but nobody seems to know anything else about this gun! It's a multi-tool that I modded out to be a scatter blaster! Even without my modifications it is the most powerful weapon I've ever seen in my long life! What's even cooler is it also is a scanner and a mining tool - both aspects really, really useful where I was, but that is neither here nor there," The smile faded from Belle's beautiful freckled face as her blue diamond eyes narrowed with concern as she opined, "You know, you still have a sister! Y'all know that if you need me for anything, I'm there for you, right?"  |
|
|
|
Post by Volodja Uljanov on Nov 3, 2017 8:34:43 GMT
In the middle of the Nineteenth Century an American crook and self proclaimed son of the king Louis XVI gave a speech about late Peter Wilkes and he went a-mooning on and on, liking to hear himself talk, and every little while he fetched in his funeral orgies instead of obsequies. That moment was perfectly described in "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain and helped to plant term "funeral orgies" into minds of people who bothered themselves with reading. And yet King's explanation, although it was Greek and Hebrew based, felt somewhat anaemic, until true Frenchman Marcel Lestrange who preferred deeds to words transformed the word into flesh and with the help of Lena Marr showed what one decent sample of funeral orgies should be. It was a true hymn to life, an ode to joy which was filled with moans, bed squeaks and sweat and different poses... "Answer, Count, when pretty girl asks you something," said Wolfram von Eschen. "Did you even heard her question or should she repeat it?" Diminutive Count Giacomo Casannuendo rose his glance away from his untouched breakfast and told: "Young lady said that she is covered with fur too. And that being different from everyone else is difficult at times but she still felt like asking why do I shave your fur off my face? It's my pleasure to answer to that question. It's true that as a Liberata I could try some very sophisticated facial hair styling to satisfy my vanity..."  Count made a small pause and Brooke could see tiny wrinkles around his eyes appear for a brief moment as he was smiling. Then the smile disappeared but Count continued talking: "But it's not...me, dear girl. I am Count Giacomo Casannuendo and I follow examples of my predecessors who shaved their faces, like the Great Count Casannundo who was a dwarf who gave up his beard to follow his destiny as an adventurer and highwayman and...I read about him from a book and discovered that this is the life which is meant for me to live. Even if shaving makes me un-Liberata or anti-Liberata because our species are know for hushy lushy hair, I prefer to be different and that is why I turned the norm - because in Eighteenth Century every decent male shaved himself - into something unusual these days. That makes me one unique Liberata, dear girl. And uniqueness is something you shouldn't be ashamed of. Quite opposite. You should feel proud that you have something which makes you one of a kind. Especially when your looks suit you so well just like mine suit me! And may I add that your looks reflect your unique and rich inner world as well? The same inner world which makes you ask intelligent questions." |
|
|
|
Post by Atticus Batman on Nov 3, 2017 12:08:19 GMT
Suddenly there was large bang from behind me and the head of the target disappeared in a cloud of slowly dissipating smoke. When I turned to see the source of the shot, I saw a smiling Belle Starr standing there holding a strange weapon prominently adorned with teeth like protuberances and glowing green stones.
I growled, "I was shooting that!"
"I picked this baby up on a radioactive desert planet," Commented Belle still smiling warmly, "It's alien even to the three dominant alien races I met everywhere I traveled but nobody seems to know anything else about this gun! It's a multi-tool that I modded out to be a scatter blaster! Even without my modifications it is the most powerful weapon I've ever seen in my long life! What's even cooler is it also is a scanner and a mining tool - both aspects really, really useful where I was, but that is neither here nor there," The smile faded from Belle's beautiful freckled face as her blue diamond eyes narrowed with concern as she opined, "You know, you still have a sister! Y'all know that if you need me for anything, I'm there for you, right?"
I sighed as I slung my rifle back over my shoulder and responded quietly with, "I know, Belle. I know, just as Lady and some of the others are, and I am glad that you still consider me a brother, as I still consider you a sister..."
Then my aura started growing very dark blue with my anger and emotional distress, as I snapped, bleakly and angrily, "BUT WHAT GOOD DOES THAT DO?! I TOLD ERIKA THE SAME DAKING THING, YET I WASN'T THERE WHEN SHE DAKING NEEDED ME MOST! HOW THE DAKING HELL CAN I BE THE HERO THAT EVERYBODY INCLUDING ERIKA WANTS ME TO BE WHEN I CAN'T BE THERE WHEN THEY NEED ME MOST?!?!"
Then I turned back towards the targets as I started to focus and channel my innate rage and current emotional stress. As I continued channeling it and harnessing it, my aura turned white hot (which Belle knew meant that I was close to giving in completely to my demonic instincts, if I haven't already) Then I raised both hands and hurled a volley of electric bolts at the targets until I had spent some of my excess energy and calmed some.
As my aura slowly dissipated again and the dust (that my attacks had stirred up) had died down, we saw that all the targets were either badly scorched or completely gone. Then I turned back to Belle and stated matter-of-factly, "I honestly do NOT know how I am supposed to deal with any of this Starr Eyes. I am not a mourner! I have always been the cause of everyone else's mourning! Yet in the last several month's I have mourned Tianna's death. Not sure if you know or remember it, but the last time was so bad that it temporarily left me partially paralyzed because of how much I hated myself for not being able to prevent it. Now I have lost Erika and ... even though you probably won't believe me, .... I talked to Erika in the afterlife and SAW her move on. So I know she is NOT coming back! So all I can do is respect her wishes and make sure that the Sinking Ritual happens and I am there for her after her death, since I couldn't be there to prevent it. However I can't help but wonder .....
How the dak am I supposed to be a hero if I constantly cause the deaths of those I care about, and can never do anything to prevent it, even with my intimate connection with the Dead Man himself?!
...And do NOT tell me that I need to talk to Wolfram about hallucinations! Erika already did that not long ago, when she discovered I talk with Death! ..... At least my Snow Angel believes me, even if nobody else does. So there is that. So instead ...how about we find more targets and you let me try that gun? All the target practice will at least give me something to focus on and keep me focused, until Tianna returns."
Meanwhile back in the Banquet hall the Constantines talked to Yvette as they really did enjoy spending time with her and wanted to keep their newfound friendship with her, and hoped they could also become good friends with her sisters as well. Even if it was strictly friendship with them. Although Brooke had hinted to Attila that she may want the same type of intimate relationship with him and his sister that Yvette has. So the possibilities were at least there.
|
|
|
|
Post by Belle Starr on Nov 5, 2017 0:46:45 GMT
At the shooting range, Atticus Batman grumbled, "How the dak am I supposed to be a hero if I constantly cause the deaths of those I care about, and can never do anything to prevent it, even with my intimate connection with the Dead Man himself?!
...And do NOT tell me that I need to talk to Wolfram about hallucinations! Erika already did that not long ago, when she discovered I talk with Death! ..... At least my Snow Angel believes me, even if nobody else does. So there is that. So instead ...how about we find more targets and you let me try that gun? All the target practice will at least give me something to focus on and keep me focused, until Tianna returns."
Belle Starr narrowed her blue diamond eyes as her unusual gun mysteriously adhered to her right leg and she crossed her thin muscular arms under her breasts unconsciously striking a confident pose while saying sincerely, "After the things I've seen after the last couple of hundred years, I'd be the last person to talk about hallucinations! Some of them could be explained by science but most couldn't still... one thing I've always believed in since knee high to a caterpillar is God and that he has a plan for each and every one of us! We may not know what the plan is or when we think we do, find out we are wrong, or in your case, know what it is but can't figure out why! But just think about it, I brought you into the Protectors as a stranger with a deal just we two knew of to kill me if the monster within me made me go rogue! Not long after everyone was turning to you for leadership in this do-gooder group! How improbable is that, yet it's the truth! I tell you it's your destiny and God's plan! Furthermore when Erika died, you were just where you needed to be as the Leader of the Protectors and she wouldn't have had it any other way!"
Belle put her two pale hands on his shoulders as she stared hard into the eye-holes of his helmet as she stated in a matter-of-fact way, "I can't tell you how often Erika would tell me how proud she was of the man you have become! Of our road trip crew, she was always the quiet sober one - our designated driver so to speak - but when we were all safe in our rooms for the night and I got her to relax and have a few drinks, you and your leadership role in the the Protectors was all she could talk about! Other than her kids and grandchildren of course!"
Belle smiled warmly placing her hands on her hips in an all too familiar pose as she remarked, "Anywho, Erika told me she always knew ever since surviving the Pale Wars and her husband's and infant daughter's deaths afterwards that she was living on borrowed time and she was okay with that! She confessed that to me back when I first thought Vo... had died! She told me that Vo and me would be reunited when the Gods deemed it right, whether here or in the hereafter. She told me she could never be fully happy until the Gods had reunited her with her dead loved ones but that she would persevere until the Gods deemed it the appropriate time which I reckon it finally was! She said all the Protectors were living on borrowed time - or at least until when we fulfilled whatever destiny the Gods have for us! When it come right down to it, both of us believed in a higher power with a plan!"
Belle hugged him tightly and silently for several minutes before releasing him and staring intently at him once again.
"Soooooo... y'all keep practicing your shooting till you get it right," Belle giggled melodiously sounding like an Angel's wind chimes before she turned on her heel and sashayed back to the residential halls of the Chancellor's Palace saying over her shoulder as she left, "I'll see you later at the ceremony Commander Batman! Got to spruce up a mite!"
|
|
|
|
Post by Attila Constantine on Nov 6, 2017 11:29:44 GMT
In the Banquet hall Attila and Atika talked to Yvette awhile longer. Then Atika said, "You know, since the ceremony isn't until this afternoon, we have a few hours to do what we want. Apparently the shops are already open for business again. So I think we should go shopping!"
Attila responded with, "Really Tik? Why would I want to go shopping?"
Atika smiled and winked at Yvette as she quipped, "Well you would be accompanying several hot women, if you came with us."
Attila ran his hand through his hair and responded with, "Well when you put it that way .... lead the way sexy ladies!"
Yvette and Atika both chuckled at his response. Then Atika addressed the room saying, "Hey who wants to join us for a shopping tour to waste a few hours until the Sinking Ceremony?"
After everyone in the room responded, everyone that decided to go with the Constantines accompanied them as they headed out the front doors to go on their little shopping tour, as they left the palace grounds and walked from shop to shop around Palace area.
Meanwhile Belle hugged Atticus tightly and silently for several minutes before releasing him and staring intently at him once again.
"Soooooo... y'all keep practicing your shooting till you get it right," Belle giggled melodiously sounding like an Angel's wind chimes before she turned on her heel and sashayed back to the residential halls of the Chancellor's Palace saying over her shoulder as she left, "I'll see you later at the ceremony Commander Batman! Got to spruce up a mite!"
After Atticus watched Belle walk back into the Palace, he muttered to himself, "I am no daking hero. I just do what needs done because nobody else has the balls to do so! Damn it!"
Then he drew his Amakune blade and quickly beheaded one of the few remaining and still smoldering targets. Once the 'head' hit the ground, he kicked it hard into the air and across the palace yard. He watched it soar into the air and across the yard until it landed. After it landed and rolled a couple more feet before stopping, he went to find one of the Palace guards. After finding one not far away, Atticus asked him where the spare training dummies were kept.
After he pointed towards a shed, Atticus walked to it and opened it. Then he walked in and looked around until he found the dummies. After finding them, he began carrying them to the target area two at a time, where he took down the ones that he had destroyed, and replaced them with the new ones. Then he disposed of the destroyed ones. After Atticus was satisfied with the setup and arrangement of all of the new practice dummies, he moved a decent distance away. Then the expert Sniper once again unslung his Calling Bird sniper rifle from his back. Once it was back in his hands, he once again reloaded it and resumed the shooting that he had been doing when Belle had first come outside to talk to him.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sandy Bell on Nov 6, 2017 16:50:56 GMT
Atika Constantine addressed the room saying, "Hey who wants to join us for a shopping tour to waste a few hours until the Sinking Ceremony?" Sandy Bell begged off with a nod and a smile, but thought it really inappropriate to have a fun shopping spree considering Erika was dead and all. But then she realized how young the Constantine twins were and how they probably had not experienced death much in their short lifetimes so this was their coping mechanism. Sandy was just as young as them but because of a temporal mishap she had lived and died through the Pale Wars where they had been born in a time of relative peace. Anyhow, she didn't need to shop for clothes for Erika's funeral rites, for she knew exactly what she would wear. Sandy watched all the Synth Sisters but Ruby happily agree to go shopping with the twins reasoning that considering their recent birth date they had probably never been shopping at all before. Ruby said she had a previous engagement with Chancellor Cael about setting up a Synth Empire Embassy in Capital City and about repatriating the Synths who wished to return to Synth City. Sandy hoped that the Votan Collective could come to a peaceful accord with the Synth Empire, which might be hard to do considering the latter had tried to conquer the former through Governor Skarr's machinations. Soon afterward Sandy excused herself to her and Volodja's room at the Chancellor's Palace. Once there she quickly found her duffel bag stashed under their bed and placed it on top before opening it. She rifled through it finally dunping the contents on the bed's covering quilt then smiled as she found what she was looking for: Her EMC officer's dress uniform. Sandy had been a Captain in the EMC's army enlisting when she was fresh out of college, joining to fight the "good" fight for humans everywhere against the Votan alien menace - as the war was hyped by the EMC! Sandy realized now it was a foolish war - as most wars are only occurring when diplomacy failed - but was still proud of her service but even more so the service of the men who served and some of whom who had died under her leadership in the trenches. Hence the reason she still had the uniform, although this was a copy she had commissioned to a seamstress in Paradise since the original was long in tatters because of old age. Sandy pulled the handsome uniform out of the pile of clothes on the bed then frowned noticing the wrinkles in it from being stored in the duffel bag for so long. With a sudden thought Sandy snapped her fingers smiling once more, then called one of the Castithan serving girls in the Palace and asking her to please find Sandy an iron so that Sandy could press the uniform into it's normal neat and pleated self. The Castithan girl offered to do it for Sandy but taking care of her gear personally was also a way for Sandy to keep true to her humble roots as a soldier. So she ironed while whistling a tune of a long gone military unit which she kept whistling even through her showering and then dressing in the formal uniform of the EMC only stopping once as she looked in the mirror and smiled appreciatively at herself.  |
|
|
|
Post by Volodja Uljanov on Nov 7, 2017 17:00:10 GMT
Volodja Uljanov rubbed his temples. Their breakfast club scattered it's members all over the Capital. Lena and Marcel were first to go. Atticus left the table as well and Belle followed. Synths and youngsters rushed out for a shopping spree. Sandy left the table to dress. Wolfram von Eschen dragged Count Casannuendo somewhere to have tête-à-tête with him. No there was only Volodja Uljanov and a breakfast table which reminded him an abandoned battlefield. Empty plates, half full plates, bottles, forks, knives and spoons were laying there like weapons left behind after fighting armies retreated to their positions.
Volodja thought about changing but as it happens sometimes, there was a but...His only suitable set of strict and decently dark clothing suffered from battle wounds because he wore it during the Palace siege. Shopping seemed like an option to him but he wasn't sure that he should wear Votan fashion.
"Vo0tan suit might be too big for me, just like Chancellor's was," thought Volodja with a smile while his elegant fingers lifted empty dishes and put them on each other. As a result he created a plate tower, ready to be transported into dish washer. That simple work helped him gather his thoughts.
"Mr. Uljanov!" said familiar voice. Volodja turned his head and saw smiling Mr. Sulu.
"Quite a philosophical illustration," Sulu said. "From the throne to the kitchen sink."
"Sic transit gloria mundi, Dominus."
"I know my Latin, Mr, Uljanov," grinned Sulu. "Thus passes the glory of the world. Would you prefer to carry those dishes into the kitchen yourself or should I arrange some help? Or is there anything else, I can help you with?"
"Ironically that phrase was used as a part of Papal coronation ceremony as a reminder of the transitory nature of earthly honors for a quite a long time. Centuries. From the beginning of Fifteenth to the mid Twentieth century to be more precise," confirmed Volodja. "I do need some help and since you offer it so kindly...I need some decent clothes, Mr. Sulu. I trust your taste and ability to find suitable suit for me. I'll explain on the way but first...Let me deliver those dishes into the kitchen indeed. I believe that people have whole palace to clean up after the siege and I would like to make my part...No matter how tiny it is."
|
|
|
|
Post by Atika Constantine on Nov 8, 2017 12:49:15 GMT
Once outside the palace, Atika and her group headed to the nearby shops that some of the palace servant girls had recommended to them. Attila stopped and looked at several of the different hunting knives that an Irathient merchant was selling. After browsing and examining a few of them, he saw one that caught his eye and bought it, while the girls were browsing the merchant's other wares that may have caught their eye.
After they were done there, they browsed several other stores and merchant carts, until the girls spotted the place that Atika was looking for ... a Seamstress shop. Upon seeing the shop that had been recommended to them, all four girls grabbed Attila and drug him along with them into the clothing shop. He may have been reluctant to go shopping, however there was no way he was going to turn down or upset 4 beautiful women, especially his sister. So he willingly let them drag him into the shop. Once inside the girls all started browsing and an Irathient woman came over to ask if they needed help with anything.
Attila smiled and responded with, "Yes, thank you! I need something for tradition a 'Sinking Ritual'. Perhaps some traditional attire?"
The seamstress chuckled and responded with, "Well Miss, as this is my shop, we do specialize in Irathient attire, so you are in the right place. However as you and your friends can see, we do make and carry clothing of all types. If I have a pattern and it has been requested, I have probably made it at least once. Follow me, and I am sure we can find some Sinking ritual appropriate outfits for you to try on. I assume that means you will need them for Miss Widowmaker's Sinking Ritual this afternoon?"
Atika nodded, so the seamstress responded with, "She was a great woman, and will be missed. So in that case, we better go find you an outfit soon. That way I can make sure I have it adjusted to your exact size in time for the ritual."
She quickly moved to some racks and looked through them and pulled out several appropriate outfits that she thought were about Atika's size, then directed her to a dressing room to try them on. Then while Atika was in the dressing room, looking through and trying on the outfits, the Seamstress helped the Synth sisters find outfits to try on as well, in the styles they requested, or as similar to them as she had in her store. Once all the girls were busy in the dressing rooms, she turned to Attila and said, "And what about you young man? Obviously you will want an outfit for the Sinking Ritual as well. I assume you also want some traditional Irathient attire?"
Attila responded with, "Well actually, I would prefer some Mongolian funeral attire, if you have any."
The Seamstress responded with, "Aw that would explain the accents you and the young Irathient lady with you have. Anyway, I don't actually have any Mongolian specific outfits, however I have seen some pictures of them. Several do look similar to some Irathient attire. So perhaps we could find an Irathient outfit that you like, and then we could put some sort of Mongolian twist on it, to make it more your style."
Attila agreed that would work, so she went about finding him some outfits to try on. Once she found some that she thought might fit what he had in mind, she handed them to him and sent him into the last empty changing room. Then she went to see how the girls were doing. Atika asked for help with some of the suggested outfits. So the Seamstress helped her. Then when Atika found the one she liked most, the Seamstress marked where she would need to make some minor adjustments. Then Atika changed back to her own clothes, and paid for the outfit. The seamstress then sat at her worktable and started the adjustments, while waiting to see if Attila or the other girls needed help with anything. Fortunately the Seamstress's assistant had returned from an errand. So when the other girls had finished making their choices, she looked them over to see if any adjustments would be made. Then as she sat down to do some of the adjustments as well, Attila came out wearing the outfit he liked most. So the seamstress went over and marked where it would need adjusted, while her and Attila discussed what alterations he wanted to add a Mongolian flair to the outfit.
Once everything was paid for and all adjustments were marked, the Seamstress asked if the group wanted to sit and wait, as the adjustments turned out to be relatively minor and would not take much time to do, or if they would like the outfits delivered somewhere.
Atika responded with, "Oh I think we will be having a light lunch soon, if you can recommend a nearby café or restaurant to try. So we can come back in here after lunch to see how it is going. That way, we can try on our clothes again at that time, to see if any more adjustments need to be made, before we have you deliver them to the Chancellor's Palace for us."
The seamstress and her assistant both thought that was a good idea, so they agreed with Atika. Then they told Atika and her group of a little restaurant nearby that had all kinds of delicious Votan delicacies that could be sampled, before they order their meals.
So Atika's group of shoppers went to lunch at the recommended place. They tried various different Votan delicacies, before deciding what to order. Then they made their orders and sat down to eat and chat. After they had their meals, they checked out some more shops before returning to the Seamstress shop where their new outfits were being adjusted for them. After trying on their outfits again, and any last minute adjustments were made, the Seamstress's assistant began carefully bagging their new outfits and 'funeral' attire so that she could safely deliver them to the Chancellor's Palace as requested.
After leaving the Seamstress shop, the group looked around for a little longer before returning to the palace. Upon arriving, one of the servants informed them that all their packages had arrived. So they got their packages, and asked if there were two rooms they could use to freshen up and change. So a servant girl showed them to some available rooms, then returned to her duties once she was certain they didn't need anything else at the moment. Once she left, Atika and Attila told the sisters that they would see them again soon. Then the two Irathient sibling/lovers went into one of the available rooms together to shower and change, while the Synth sisters went into their room, presumably to do the same.
After Atika and Attila had showered, they put on their new 'Sinking Ritual' appropriate outfits and adjusted them. Then Atika sat down and went about doing her hair, while Attila just watched and admired her.
 
|
|
|
|
Post by Sandy Bell on Nov 10, 2017 14:50:44 GMT
Hi Taffer. I know you would prefer to be here at Erika's sinking ritual in-person but somebody has to keep the home fires burning back at Fortress Kshaa. I would be sending you a visual along with this audio but Irathiant tradition doesn't allow recordings of any sort at their sinking rituals so I'm sending you this after-the-fact report of what I saw and I guess what I felt at the funeral. From what I gather, actual recordings of the rituals would disturb the spiritual ether or something so that's why it's taboo. Being more of an agnostic myself, I can't begin to understand the religious mumbo-jumbo explanation for forbidding recordings but I'm respecting the Votan traditions for Erika's sake even though I'm pretty sure I could sneak one by using my EGO. Not only that, I don't want to risk all the diplomatic inroads the Protectors have made here by one rash action so you'll just have to do with my retrospective ramblings about the proceedings. First, let me describe the setting. We were ushered into a large bare room under the Chancellor's Palace with a mostly Irathiant crowd although there were a few representatives of the other Votan races there too. Marcel Lestrange, Dr. Von Eschen, Volodja and I were the only humans there but I guess we got a special disposition because normally humans are forbidden from attending such ceremonies. Chancellor Cael met us at the door shaking each of our hands as we entered. I noted that his sister Kara was there with her two children and stood quietly next to him but he must have flew her in on a supersonic jet to get her here so quickly. I was a little worried they might not let me in wearing my EMC dress uniform but as I hoped they understood that I wore it out of respect from one Pale Wars' veteran to another. The room was empty of furniture and decorations except for a simple but very old looking worn wooden table where Erika laid wrapped in a rather plain shroud of subdued colors and next to her a large vat of oily liquid that smelled awful. The room was lit by a few burning torches but once the guards outside the door closed and locked it the torches went out replaced with bright sunlight. Instead of the bare room we found ourselves in the middle of a primitive Irathiant village surrounded by a pristine forest of Earth. My best guess is that the room was some kind of holo-room like we have in Fortress Kshaa but such a good one that I really had to remind myself more than once that it was an illusion. I really could feel a warm breeze on my skin as I saw the branches of the trees wave from the wind and I could smell the aromatic food cooking over hot campfires that made my mouth water and my stomach growl. The only thing that remained from before the holograms were triggered were Cael and his guests, the vat of greasy liquid and the table holding Erika's shrouded body.  I guess I should describe what people were wearing because that's part of the overall optics. The Irathiants, including Cael and even Atika Constantine were wearing rather plain clothing in subdued reds, greens and blues matching the colors in Erika's shroud. The Sensoth and Liberata guests were in rather bland business attire although as you might guess the Castithans were richly dressed more like for a party than a funeral but I guess that's just their way. Unlike his sister, Attila was dressed more colorfully then everybody else with the possible exception of Belle. He was attired in some outfit out of a Chinese opera but with a leather cowboy hat. I don't know, it must be some Mongolian thing! My niece, Belle Starr, somehow got her hands on her trademark Liberty Trooper outfit which she must have spent a day and a can of Shinola polishing it to a bright sheen. I swear the virtual sunlight made the red, white, and blue armor glisten so brightly that it was almost blinding and which - don't think me crazy - created a halo effect around her blonde haired head like around the angel's in the stained glass window in the Catholic church of old Miami I went to as a kid with my parents. However, if Belle was an angel, it was a very sad angel for her habitual smile was absent and the look in her blue eyes was...well, was just so woebegone. Belle looked like she had just lost her best friend which... I guess she had when Erika died. Speaking of sad, it was hard to tell what Atticus was thinking behind his helmeted head. Erika was his sister and they had just rediscovered each other but I could tell that in a short time they had gotten really close. His eyes were glowing behind those eerie eye slits of his but aren't they always? Lady was by his side as always, but she looked to me to be in a state of shock. I'd say if she was human she looked inordinately pale however as a Castithan she always has snow white skin but this time it looked kind of waxy. Her pink eyes were wider than usual and she just stared without expression out into space the whole time of the ceremony. I guess as a teenager she hasn't seen much death particularly of loved ones. I'm afraid I've seen way too much of it that funerals don't affect me much anymore, lucky me. Volodja looked handsome in a new finely tailored suit standing next to me but he looked so impassive during the whole ceremony. I guess my new hubby is like me in that we just have seen so much death during war that it doesn't affect us anymore, at least outwardly. In reality, I'm not sure what any of us are going to do without Erika in our lives, particularly as Protectors. She was our logistics expert and kept our organization running smoothly albeit behind the scenes. I've looked over her records and we can keep going for a few more months but without finding a management expert or five to do her job I'm not sure how long the Protectors can keep going as a viable enterprise. I mean, I'll give it a good old college trial but I don't think that's where my skills lie. I guess I should describe the attire of the outriders of our little group as I like to call them. The Synth Sisters all wore pristine white robes which I guess is the official dress garb for Synths and were all very somber during the ceremony. To me they looked like technicians in a clean room but that's just me. Our friend the Liberata Count was dressed in his usual clothing looking like he had slept in them if he had slept at all the poor thing. I know he had pash for Erika and was possibly the only one looking sadder than Belle and Erika's family over her death. Wolfram stood behind him and I suspect it was the good doctor that kept the poor little guy standing upright. Now our diabolical duo are a different matter. Marcel was dressed dapper but then he is always dressed dapper. Lena was bit more subdued that usual in a black outfit trimmed in red but with a diamond cut in the front showing her cleavage to the utmost and still maddeningly grinning like a gargoyle through the whole event. I swear I saw Chancellor Cael glancing her way every so often focusing on the center of that diamond with a smile like I used to imagine sharks had watching me back when I was a surfer. Maybe his other personality "Fakebule" was in control of his mind at those times - or maybe not!  Erika's sinking ritual was a bit austere for my tastes and to be frank, a bit boring but I think Erika would have appreciated it because I'm sure it was all done according to Irathiant tradition. Some old weathered Irathiant woman who had more wrinkles than I could count stood over Erika's body and just droned on and on in her native language. My EGO translated the speech to me and I guess she was some kind of High Priestess for Erika's tribe. It was Gods this and Gods that and soon I was zoned out to it. Did I mention I'm an agnostic? Anyway as soon as the old lady was finished speaking several brawny Irathiant men including Cael and Commander Batman respectfully lifted Erika's body and dropped it into the vat filled with some kind of acid I guess and soon Erika was gone and the ceremony was over. To tell the truth, there may be parts of the ceremony I missed for it all became a bit of blur. Maybe I am in a bit of a state of shock after all... Anyway, we'll all be back at Fortress Kshaa soon and I for one can't wait to get back to Paradise. As they say, there's no place like home. I hope your search for Vo and Lu are going well. I've apprised Belle of the situation with Vo but she's... well, she's different now and in more ways then just physical. She just seemed so unemotional and even fatalistic when I told her that Vo was missing. I don't know... anyway you'll understand when you see her for yourself when we get back. Umm... one last thing. Nothing bad... I think. I was expecting Skarr to rise from the dead or one more futile attack by his minions during the ceremony but nothing happened like that! But... but... I don't know maybe I'm going crazy or maybe it's wishful thinking on my part but I swear that just before the holo-room went black at the end of the ceremony and the torches flickered back on I saw Erika standing in the back of the crowd with those vivid jade eyes of hers and that slight smile she'd always get on her scarred face when she was happy or amused! Maybe I'm not as Agnostic as I thought I was. I'll talk to Wolfram on the flight back home about it. Until then, put a light in the kitchen window because we are headed home! |
|
