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Post by Tenacity on Aug 15, 2018 16:15:00 GMT
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Post by Tenacity on Aug 15, 2018 16:23:23 GMT
This was like the worst hangover ever.
Her head felt like it was going to explode, rendering the usually healthy woman to a pathetic state. Curled in on herself in the soft loam, hands mussing dyed violet locks as index digits pressed against each temple, the woman known as The Obsidian Butterfly fought through each start burst of pain, memory flashing as each wave crested and crashed through an already overtaxed mind.
What the hell even possessed her to give traveling the Aether a thought? Granted she was just fine on short term trips, say-- from her loft to the corner bodega or maybe to the next continent or world over, but this trip... this trip had been long and arduous. Dangerous for the lack of a better term. She had traveled far, farther than she even had riding the Aether, and now her body was punishing itself for her folly.
"Gods above, I could use some Motrin."
After spending another ten minutes breathing deep, she found that the breaths were helping to ease back the headache. Ten more minutes found her the conqueror of her body, breathing nice, deep, even breaths to keep the painful throbbing to a minimum. This wasn't so bad, she could operate like this, so long as she remembered to breathe.
The Obsidian Butterfly was a woman of above average height by a scant two inches. Her body was a pleasing shade of mocha, strong and nimble, curved dramatically at the waist to accompany wide hips. Her hair was a solid natural onyx at the roots, but through the power of cosmetology, she was now sporting bright violet locks that dramatically framed her sweetheart face, trailing over her shoulders to terminate just below her shoulder blades. She was dressed her signature seamless olive colored jumpsuit, the collar open to expose more of that soft mocha flesh and the hint of white sports bra beneath; her feet displayed black ankle length combat boots. Flecked hazel amber orbs began to take stock of her surroundings, dulled by the headache but alert all the same.
What her eyes fell on was an endless valley plagued by beautiful sunshine. It seemed like it was shortly after dawn, what with the way the sun was slowly creeping away from the horizon to follow its heavenly trail. Just at the end of the valley, it gave way to a brilliantly azure sea, glittering like sapphires beneath the morning light. Nestled in the large cove was a sleepy little city that was just beginning to stir from slumber, the buildings (some no more than five stories high) sporting pagoda style rooftops. The entire set up was romantic and serene, putting Olivia in mind of a sleepy Japanese fishing town from her own home plane. Just off the coast a massive castle sat, isolated save for the thin bridge that stretched out from the mainland to the island. "Pretty," The woman murmured to herself, obviously lacking the proper prose to describe the beauty of the city with the castle standing sentinel. Jaded, who her?
Calloused hands slipped into the pocket openings at her waist, rummaging and coming up empty. "Figures I ain't remember them," Olivia grumbled to herself as her hands patted along her body, looking for her ever elusive pack of smokes. When none could be found, Olivia sighed. "Not like I need one anyway." Darkly uttered, she set off from her landing spot, following the barely discernible trail down into the city proper.
For such a pretty city, it stank to high heaven. Olivia was starting to form a new headache the closer to the city she got. It smelled like fish, fish allowed to sit out and bake in the sun for weeks on end, forgotten until their heavy stench permeated what should have been a soft salty tang wafting through her nostrils. Was the fish not edible until it was half rotted or was there another reason for it? The Butterfly did not know nor care, finding herself gawking like a tourist instead at the piebald people tht roamed the streets. Specked with every color they were, putting her in mind of calico cats. It did not help the natives case that they also sported ears or tail, and much less commonly both. Some looked at her in idle curiosity, most ignored her, content on going about their day.
Language had become somewhat of an issue as well. When The Butterfly stopped to ask for directions from a fruit vendor, he answered her in kind in a series of clicks and whistles, following by long yammering lines of gibberish. The vendor was quite friendly and helpful once he realized she was at a loss. Giving her a fruit that resembled an orange except for its navy coloring, she told her in a series of pantomimes that this was a harbor city, the first stop to the wider world beyond. He pointed out the castle, made it seem as if someone very important resided there--then the tavern. After another session of pantomime it was further explained that she may be able to find someone who spoke her language. Thanking the man, Olivia dug around in her pockets until she came up with a gold coin--a souvenir from another adventure- and tried giving it to the man. He shook his head kindly and sent her off with a friendly swat to her rear.
Handsy bastard.
The fruit vendor proved to be helpful. Olivia found the tavern fifteen minutes later, tucked on its own corner of the cobblestone streets. The only other building occupying the block was a small barrel making shop. Making her way in found her adjusting to the extremely dim light, the place illuminated by the roaring hearth that took up one wall, where foodstuffs and pots hung over a spit to cook. Candles dotted the various tables scattered within, providing each with only enough light so that the drinking patrons can see each other. All the rest was left to fend for themselves at the bar, which was actually the least crowded space within the tavern. Behind it dominated a woman who was just as small--if not smaller-- than Olivia. Her hair was a combination of rust red and cotton candy pink, braided back into a sensible braid. The woman's face held a no nonsense attitude as her stocky form flitted behind the counter. Olivia shrugged and made her way over to the counter, taking up a seat to await her turn with the bartender.
Soon the woman acknowledged her, curling a rather fluffy tail around her waist as she walked over to where Olivia sat. "Order?" She spoke, her voice heavily accented.
Blinking, Olivia lips mold into a bright smile. "Gods above, you understand me!" Slapping an arm onto the counter, she leaned in. "I'm just looking for some information. I'm.. I found myself in the valley above this city a couple hours ago. Woke up, more like." Clearing her throat, she scanned the intelligible labels of the bottles behind the bartender and sighed. "Can I have a glass of water please?" As the woman fulfilled her request, Olivia continued on after a long pull of the cool liquid. "That's good, anyway-- I haven't the faintest idea where I am. Mind telling me?"
Olivia did not realize that the woman had remained silent throughout the one-sided exchange. She remained such until Olivia's vision began to grow blurry, until the cup was dropped from paralyzed fingers, until darkness came to claim her again in full...
"Nnngh...," The hangover like headache returned with a vengeance, hands already clutching her pounding cranium. "What the hell?" Flecked orbs looked out into the dark and the dank, to the sole torch ensconced on the other side of bars some eight feet away from where she laid. A simple cell then, she can break out easily and be on her way. Again The Butterfly waited for the headache to fade some before walking on over to the bars. Standard steel--nothing that she couldn't bend out of shape and walk through. Rubbing her hands together, she placed them on the bars.
And experienced agony.
It felt like every injury she had ever taken was inflicted on her all at once. A scream of pain rolled from between parted lips as she let go of the bars, collapsing in on herself on the hay-strewn floor. Pain was everywhere, causing her to sob softly, to wonder how she managed to find herself in this situation. A short barking laugh echoed in the silent dungeon, ringing mockingly in Olivia's ears. "Aye, tha' gets me er'time!" The figured that emerged in the doorway of her cell was large--at least six inches over six feet and extremely round as he was tall. On his head he sported horns that put her in mind of a large, angry bull. "So rare that we 'av ta put new brides down 'ere to awai tha laird's pleasure but even wit' th' sedative, you pu' up a fight, girl!"
"Where the fuck am I?" Olivia demanded, slowly rising to her feet.
The guard chuckled and moved his hand to a device strapped to the belt around his waist. "Tha's no way a lady shoul'be talkin'."
"I'l talk however the fuck I--" Another burst of pain spread throughout her body, dropping her where she stood.
"Now missy, this cell? It has bee' programmed to yer very soul signature. This is yer new home, for however long it take ya ta comply."
Olivia groaned and gritted her teeth against the pain. Darkness was rushing up around the edges, threatening to pull her under again. "C-Comply, to what?" She managed to ask, speech slurred.
"Fer ye t'wed my laird! Girl haventcha paid any attention?" Sucking his teeth, the nameless guard loomed closer, his black grin decorated by the steel bars on either side. "Methinks Laird Okuda will have a time breakin' ya. If he can't break ya well... us guards will surely enjoy the pleasure." Licking his lips lewdly, the guard began to walk off, a merry little lilt in his gruff voice.
"I suggest ya start actin' real nice girl, if ya knows what is good fer you."
With that Olivia slid back into the deep terrifying dark, one last thought to comfort her.
Fuck me.
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Post by Hero on Aug 16, 2018 21:31:16 GMT
till was the God Dragon that reviewed the doctrine left behind by the savant of The Eternals. Though precocious, the dragon's complex mind was befuddled. Through tenacious observation the polymath struggled against the ceaseless ocean of time to uncover the the methodology behind the Book of Prophecies and the hypothesis left behind by the celestials. For how long? The world of alabaster reflected through limitless mirrors encapsulating his isolated laboratory was the antithesis of his then mechanical mind. The complex matrix array supplementing his fortified mental faculties remained puzzled by the cryptic shortcomings of The Eternals guide. Regal, ostentatious, The Lord of Infinity had long since reached the apex of existence and affluence. The Nibiru Alliance, the Kingdom of Fabrolias, everything he ever desired was reduced to things he could count on a mere hand; yet they all remained out of his reach perpetually. It stirred a rancorous riot within him: he had become infinite, yet what did it really mean if he was still limited? Finally the sun-blessed savant sighed. For how long had he spent his life struggling against the impossible? The unification of the cosmic serpents, turning back the entirety of existence's hand of time back to the beginning of creation, every desire he truly were absurd to even think of. Inconceivable though? Adell Illiandes Laemington refused to believe that. It was for this reason that he spent much of eternity in a place outside of time where he could formulate the necessities needed to defy futility. The Book of Prophecies was infinite in its wisdom, yet so convoluted that it could not answer the questions that he desired most: so continued the ambivalent struggle. Finally, however, for a moment isolated from the others, he decided to end the struggle in favor of another matter on his agenda. The book of aggregated knowledge dissolved into nihility, leaving his cosmic eyes to observe his callous hands with indifference. “...the genesis project will take longer than I expected…” the sage whispered to himself. In a situation where even the Ten Wise Men were useless, he knew that time would not remain still forever to solve the quandary in question. “Lord Adell...” a soft voice echoed beyond the veil of translucent mirrors. “Enter,” the loud thunderclap demanded with realm shaking command. A pale woman entered, her naked hips switching pridefully with every bare footed step against ivory. The ethereal platform that held them high above the clouds was mystical as it were divine, and every step of the bare woman bounced succulent breasts atop her chest. The culture of Fabrolias was one of exposure, raw, to admire the flesh of one self below the solar. Only the Lord of Infinity could defy the religion for reasons that didn't take much understanding. “The metadata of the Babel Tower has been indexed...information on the grim lord was ascertained through the repository.” the thick-thigh'ed woman only five feet tall knelt before the throne, its back turned to her to face the sky beyond. “A location as well?” “He resides in Shiyama, Ur'xura...” There was a silence where only the quaking heart of The God Dragon and the servant could be heard, for entirely different reasons however. Ur'xura was the primogenitor of the artistry of which had been the point of no return for the once follower of Katsujinken. It was a culmination of thousands of cultures, a hotbed for the esoteric and the primitive; and it was also a place that he had no desire to return to, not in this life, or the next. The last time he had stepped foot there was to kill the emperor, and even that hadn't gone in accordance with his desires. With a mere thought he pulled the information from the Babel Tower and assimilated it into his mind, sifting through the modified information deciphered by those who swore fealty to the scholar and dragons alike, and it took five microseconds for him to compile the reports altogether. The throne of white rock shattered into particles of sand, just as Adell rose from it, the ivory-suited scholar grunting in dismay. The dark lord had been allowed to wander for too long, a scion of The Chaos Star for which the king sought any and all connections to. Were he to deal a fatal blow to the arbiter of evil, The Lord of Infinity would have to dissect all associations to the ancient chaos. Even after he stood and the scintillating flecks of sand ephemeral though blessed dissolved into enigma, there was silent for a few moments before he spoke once more. “All matters of importance to be delegated by Zion, my son. I will be gone for some time, guide him well...” he commanded of his servant. The red-haired servant replied with impetus, “Yes God-King, forevermore.” In that very same moment he was no more, nor was the platform, and nor was she. Everything dissolved into the very white that was the sky above, and like that, The God Dragon was gone.
hether or not the political atmosphere of Ur'xura had changed or not was of little consequence. Every region was divided into prefectures ruled by lords with their own separate legislation and deceitful way of doing things. The Shiyama province was no different and by the meticulous information discerned by Babel, a change of lords had occurred earlier in their calendar year, and for the first time in their history it wasn't someone within a royal bloodline. No, this time it was someone who had led the people to revolt, a civil war against the lord and the shoguns throughout— and unfortunately, with the military that Shiyama boasted as a peaceful locale they were unable to stand up to someone who manipulated chaos and sin the way someone as adroit as a scion of Menahem could. This was particularly troublesome to the integrity of Ur'xura's congress, which was already dilapidated and in need of serious reform. Even with all of these variables and more in a convoluted lattice of spanning problems, none of it meant anything to Adell Illiandes Laemington. Rather instead, his only concern was apprehending and killing the demon lord who had been allowed to wander and grow stronger for far too long. Not for the lives that would be taken otherwise, although a worthwhile incentive to his philosophy of Satsujinken, and not just for the sake of the debt that he owed this world left in destruction after times of his past life, but for the true end game: The Chaos Star. So a man of solar hair appeared in the sky just above Shiyama, an ivory-suit clinging tightly to the chiseled muscles of the paragon contrasted by the white sun above. An effigy much like a deity than he were a being, the martial-artist walked horizontally above, slowly observing Shiyama from above. The Yangan [soul's eye ] allowed him to feel the world below, all conventional and unconventional senses exposed for his careful dissection. It was quiet for a place that had just underwent social reform, but it was also a false serenity that didn't quite match the harmony of the blowing wind or the nebulous clouds underneath his lacquered black soles. Then there seemed to be preparation of some sorts, he could feel bodies moving in and out, orchestrating a ceremony of sorts with the way sculptures of stone feminism were being carved and supplies in wooden crates were being amassed in the palace just off of the shore of the beach. “...” The sun-kissed effigy remained silent, and only a moment would pass where he was there, and then gone. If one would know better, they'd think he had left the world altogether. This was only the beginning.
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Post by Tenacity on Aug 25, 2018 5:13:59 GMT
For being a captive, Olivia was strangely comfortable. After the brief verbal row with the guardsmen, someone much more civilized happened to stop by her personally tailored cell. The one time Fight Club owner had came to quicker this time, and with the added bonus of only a dull throbbing in her head instead of a sharp one. She came back a little wiser too, opting to remain silence and focus the full force of her flecked hazel amber gaze on the high-ranked male. His furry bits an odd shade of molten bronze that did not accompany his deeply cobalt flesh. He was dressed in somber black doublet and hose, with a dashing off the shoulder cape. Against the black background of his attire gold and jewels winked across every available surface, so gaudy it was fashionable.
The vaguely feline male stepped closer to the cell, peering within. "Well... how bad could the barbarian be?"
"Barbarian? Barbarian?!?! Mister, I don't--"
He rolled his eyes, cutting her off with a foppish wave of his claws beneath his nose. "It speaks. I see what the guard was on about."
Not accustomed to being ignored, Olivia opened her mouth to speak again only to be abruptly cut off. Piercing gold orbs the same color as his fur stared holes into her.
"You are human, yes? Of Earth?"
Olivia shrugged. Human was relative, with her. "I was born on Earth." No need to explain that it was her fourth or fifth time doing so. To say she came with baggage would be an understatement.
"And you possess powers that brought you here, to Shimaya?"
"Strange how that happened. Now if I could just be on my way..."
The being continued on as if she hadn't spoken. How rude. He did make up for it by flowing into a very graceful bow on the other side of the bars, revealing long, silky hair that spilled over both shoulders. Ah, the perfect evil little henchman. "I am Si'dran, the Demon Lord's chief minister. It was my duty--and pleasure-- to prepare you for your upcoming nuptials to my Lord Okuda."
Olivia thought her hearing sounded off. "Come again?"
The minister--Si'dran, grinned. Holding up his other clawed hand, he opened it to reveal a small slim card of sorts. "You've two choices girl. You can stay in here locked up until the day of the wedding, or you can live the next three days in comfort. You will be afforded every amenity, and escorted around by a platoon of guards should you wish to take exercise outside. I hope you choose wisely girl. Lord Okuda enjoys them obedient."
Crossing her arms, Olivia leveled the full weight of her 'serious' gaze on the beast man. If she rebelled and raised some hell perhaps they would help her depart this life much sooner. Or they could turn up the power on the wards keeping her captive. If she was compliant....perhaps she could find out exactly what the hell was going on around here. Why she was kidnapped, and find out who the hell Lord Okuda is. Then and only then would she decide if it was prudent to raise some hell.
"Fiiiiiine," Olivia made a great show of resting back on her heels, crossing her arms over her abundant chest. The minister seemed to notice, those odd eyes of his boring a hole through her cleavage. Godsdamned lech. "I'll play nice. Pretty sure you can subdue me as easily as the first time."
"Smart girl," The Minister Si'dran reached through the bars of the gate and stroked her cheek. It took everything in The Obsidian Butterfly to not turn her cheek and sever several digits with teeth. "I'll send someone to fetch you in a couple of hours to see you properly bathed and attired like a Lady. I am sure you must be hungry too." Back away from the bars, the beastman folded his hands into his sleeves and gave her another, deeper bow. He seemed pleased as punch.
Olivia couldn't wait for a chance to knock that smirk right off of his ugly face. And that was how Olivia went from being Lord Okuda's captive bride to honored wife to be. Sitting in a massive marble tub full of steaming water, The Obsidian Butterfly gave way to the small army of attendants to serve her every need, not bothering to move unless necessary. The opulent bathing room was surrounded by delicate pink marble on three sides, with an open air garden providing a view from the tub from the absent fourth. Olivia could gaze upon flowers she had no name for and beyond the jeweled richness of the sea, stretching out as far as her eye could spy the horizon. Truly this plane was a beautiful one, one she probably would've been able to visit unmolested if she were a man.
A huff tore her away from the breathtaking sight and rather focused on the attendants. They were beastmen all, though there were others were their beast heritage was not so clearly written on their bodies. They all avoided holding her gaze for longer than necessary and went about their tasks with a quiet effectiveness. It was their silence that bothered her--not for lack of trying--an underlying contempt for the purely 'human' woman. If they would only talk to her she could tell them that she didn't want this either. All she wanted to do was curl up with a tall glass of bourbon, her guitar, and make sweet cacophonous music well into the night. Sighing, Olivia sank deeper into the tub up to her nose, closing her eyes to relax.
Sometime later, she stood in front of a full-length mirror wrapped in yards of soft linen to dry. One by one the attendants that had catered to her bath were now parading attire before her, a riot of silks and linens and satin in just about every color underneath the two suns. The clothing ran high to flowy and altogether difficult to move in, with no pair of pants or trousers in sight. Damn but that Minister dude was determined to keep her here. Sighing, Olivia chose one at random--a flowing saffron robe that complemented the hints of gold in her eyes. Donning the garb, she was put in mind of Japan again because the robe resembled a kimono without the complicated Obi. At least that is what she thought until the silent servants began to wrap a wide crimson cloth around her waist to keep the robe closed.
"Curioser and curioser..." Olivia said aloud as she turned this way and that in the mirror. Gone was the careless tomboy in the face of someone who was...alluring. How odd: when was the last time she felt like that? The memory came to her easily as if she had thought of his name. Of sanguine hair intermingled with dyed violet while sanguine eyes held the world and her in their gaze. The look of love and peace he gave her as she drove Faust through his betraying heart. Averting her glance, she waved off the serving girls and began to pace the moderately sized bedroom she was given. Again it was outfitted with more pink marble and gilt, looking all the more tempting for a bull to trample through.
What was wrong with her? Why was she even thinking about Raje--Ashton, now? That traitor...her one and only. Collapsing on a divan, Olivia hugged herself tight, tight enough that her freshly manicured nails bit through the soft silk and dug bloody half moons into her arm. "Fuck!" She hissed when she saw the first of her blood splotch the garment. Over a year and her dead almost-husband still affected her to this degree. Maybe she was starting to get cabin fever? If so, she quickly remedied it, getting up from the divan to pull on the heavy cord that hung by the orgy-sized bed dominated by blankets and pillows. Several minutes later an attendant arrived in her chambers, bowing low so as not to meet her gaze.
"How may I be of the Lady's service?" The beastman asked, dipping into an exaggerated bow that made her brow rise as high as he went low. What the hell had she done to deserve the enmity of these people? That was a mystery for later, one she could hopefully solve and use to her advantage within three days. For now Olivia put on her most regal expression (at least she hoped it was regal) and looked down at the nameless beastman, a feat in itself considering the near foot and a half he had on her.
"I wish to tour the castle and all of its grounds." The words seemed strange floating from her mouth, having trained for a noblewoman's haughty speech patterns but never putting it to active practice. "Muster a guard and one who knows well of this sanctuary."
The beast man looked surprised, which coaxed him into a more genuine bow, a hand crashing against his doublet'd chest. "As you command, Lady. I shall see an escort mustered forthwith." With that he took his leave, not daring to glance into the face of the Demon Lord's bride to be. That was a good thing, for The Obsidian Butterfly grinned from ear to ear, delighted in what would surely become the greatest fall of a monarch in this world's history.
Now to get all ready for tonight...This place… Shiyama, was as odd a plane as they came yet there was that same disdain she felt from home. Jumpsuit or kimono, she was recognizing by very few as other, troublesome. The hard stares made her uncomfortable, a none too subtle nudge back home that made her start looking into these ‘pockets’ as more than storage. Strolling through the gardens with the small escort of four at cardinal points of her personal ward. Interesting, how they covered her so that they would be ready to counter her if she was to make a sudden movement. Maybe that holding cell in the basement did more than hinder her abilities…
A couple strolled past Olivia and her escort. The only way she was able to pick them out as noble was that they shared the same taste in gaudy jewelry as the Minister earlier, but done in almost tasteful striation against their rich attire. The first honest smile passed from the female’s lips to hers, her coloring orange and cream; uniquely citrusy coloring. It took The Butterfly by surprise for a moment, a twitch of her left eye giving the faintest tell.
Like that, the moment passed. Olivia had an inkling it would not be the last. Turning to her guard at her north and east, she asked him: “Can we go down to the shore?” His partner just to the back and right of her answered for him.
“I am afraid that will not be possible ma’am.” Seeing the crestfallen look on his Lord’s bride-to-be, he offered up merrily, “there is an overlook, however! Would you like us to escort you there.”
Damn, winsome and helpless won on this plane. It made Olivia suspicious if they were merely indulging her or were truly this naive. Her shoulders flowed into an ambiguous shrug, trying to show less interest in what she was truly about. The guard’s grin grew broader and the pleasant satisfaction of service sent a ripple through the guards, bringing a string to their step as they continued to navigate her through the endless garden. One thing was for sure: Lord Okuda enjoyed his myriad comforts. The space was absent of the Zen it projected, though brought a sense of complacantment through the riotous affair of flowers. Where once her nose was overwhelmed it was now calm, nary a twinge to it. Odd thing, that.
Her first glimpse of the overlook wasn’t what she expected. The view gave her a 360 degree frame of the castle, the small city beyond, and the surrounding ocean on almost all sides. Easily through years of training she charted outline of the garden, now smaller from the brief walk they took to the edge. Lucky there was also an untainined view of some of the harder to find rooms of the castle, gaining her interest as she tried to puzzle out which room would lead her to them. Once she was done causing some chaos, it would be there she would escape from.
Filing away a mental note to explore that section of castle later she returned her attention to the various noble persons strolling the garden, easily pinning the older couple that had bumped into her earlier. They could prove to be useful, or a pawn to further Lord Okuda’s plan by giving her false hope. Again, the calculations of her current situation churned through her mind, hidden behind a face full of ennui.
Olivia could not wait for tonight.
A sudden brush of power tingled over the back of her neck, her hand raising to touch the spot where the fine hairs rose on stilts. A confused flecked gaze was turned upwards to the diurnal heavens, seeking the source that plucked at her soul.
Shrugging off the odd feeling, the captive Butterfly turned to her guard and requested they return her to her rooms for lunch. She had learned all she could for the moment. Tonight would yield questions or answers, either or would be a start into figuring out jut what the heck was going on around here.
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Post by Hero on Aug 30, 2018 17:37:35 GMT
here Adell walked did the light follow. While he vanished from the Shiyama skies he hadn't disappeared from Ur'xura altogether and opted instead to investigate. Through the violent zephyrs of the spring countryside he breasted a downtrodden road with cosmic eyes and titanic sharp shoulders that captured the gaze of farmers and gatherers alike. Generations of persistence saw this world unable to remove itself from its roots or tradition— the bare feet, callous hands, and squinted eyes were results of their irrational fears. Still, the ivory-haired sage cared not for the self-inflicted plight of mortals, or the wonder in their eyes when they observed the paragon descend onto their realm as he had generations ago. There was not one who lived in this world that was not told the story of The God Dragon and the fall of the old guard, led by Emperor Tenkai and the Ogetsuhime (or so it was told), and he was...exactly as the legends told them. It didn't surprise him that dozens of people unused to foreigners halted their speak and their backbreaking jobs to meet his ethereal presence with their very eyes. Were he the myth himself then they knew there was nothing they could do to save themselves should he want their life...but the mere sight of his presence was perhaps the most beautiful thing they would ever see.
Still, he had not come to the backwaters of Nojiko merely to watch the halcyon gestures of nature or the struggle of feeble, limited men. Instead, a famous shop of tea known as Sho-Hoshigaromate, a dilapidated place with brown cloth draped across the entrance and novice oakwood construction, made for a place that he had visited countless times even in the past. How it had remained was as large of a mystery as the other sights across the world but it was a place that never failed to have what he wanted. Before long he was before the two-story cabin and stepped through the cloth without using his hand to snap it to the side.
And much to his expectation, everyone there had their eyes trained on him— likely before he had even entered.
There were seven patrons but none of them honestly mattered, some were bigger and larger, obviously more formidable, a woman, and even the elderly. Not a single one of them meant anything to him, and scattered across oval tables that littered the establishment with loose tile beneath it, Adell's lacquered black dress shoes took one even step after another towards the store counter at the back where an unfamiliar face, a young woman with loose black hair but a well-matured body and a mole above the right side of her lip stared just as everyone else did.
“Is Kyo in?”
The girl struggled to speak. It was obvious that the name he inquired about was something not often spoken here, which only added to the mystery of his being.
“H-how do you...”
“Tell him Ganryu X wants to catch up on old times.”
“Somehow I highly doubt that!” an older, broken voice laughed from behind the curtain far to the left of the counter top where the ostentatious man himself appeared. His hair was black as midnight, but his eyes swimming with blood and his upper body bare of anything but mountains of jewelry of all kinds, necklaces, watches, and rings along every finger. Still it all set on thick, heavy, dense muscle that was larger but not quite as dense as the muscle of The God Dragon himself. Standing a few inches shorter, the old man stroked his coarse beard with his left hand and stumbled comically while adjusting his plain black slacks with his right along the way. Somehow Adell didn't doubt that he worked in the very attire that he presented himself in, it was odd however that his feet were bare and his body was littered with superfluous jewelry. This was par the course for Kyo, however.
“Don't tell me I gotta' save your ass again senpai!” the old man sniped, whipping his left hand out whereas Adell accepted it with a mental eye-roll.
“You know why I am here.” Adell replied with the usual thunderous boom of his deafening bass voice, unable to help smirking at the sight of the man who had persisted and managed to live for hundreds of years at a time. There was a secret to it, but that was a story for another time.
“Let's head to the back before these people kill' ya with their stares,” Kyo whipped his hand towards teal curtain that Adell disappeared through, and with a bow to the patrons he soon followed.
“Eh? I mean...” Kyo had a habit of glancing to the side and taking a sip of his drink when he approached a subject that he didn't want to speak of. They happened to be in the back where a multitude of official government documents were scattered along both the ground and his gunmetal desk, and the only thing that lit the room was a neon green lantern of trapped faireflies. At this point they had been talking for a few hours about the current state of affairs, most of which Adell was already aware of due to the informational observation structure capabilities of Babel. Still telling it from the perspective of someone who was there was a lot more gratifying than analyzing the details from a supercomputer.
“The capital has been up to some weird things lately, but Shiyama always had their own way of doing things...especially since the pact between us as human beings and the other races in Ur'xura after the multiple civil rights wars...but...”
“That doesn't explain how an anonymous dictator from the stars has worked his way through the political system and to the head of the regime. Whether he killed the shogunate and all associated there or not, it doesn't add up.” Adell retorted, his cosmic eyes remaining on Kyo the entire time.
“Honestly there's more to it than Lord Okuda. It's hard to believe he by himself was able to do what he's done, he seems to have everyone under his control without questioning his motivations or whatever it is that he's after...I even hear he's planning a wedding soon.”
“A wedding? That's a unity custom of humans.”
“You could call it more of a ceremony but many of the innate purposes are the same. He's after the flesh of a beautiful woman, and I think that it's the last step for him to...achieve something. The truth is...I had three spies there not too long ago, as you know is my trademark in the network of information sourcing and gatherin' but...none of them have reported back. I went to do my own investigation but I felt...my mind going dark, my vision becoming hazy. Is it possible that this man has some ability of natural hypnosis? I wasn't able to confirm whether my spies are dead or captured but...”
This was all valuable information. Adell's eyes squinted for a moment. Kyo looked down into his green tea and there was a silence for a few seconds.
“I am going to kill Okuda, and I am likely going to kill your spies as well. Are you okay with this?”
“Do I have a choice? You do what you want anyway, what does my opinion matter?”
“If you are reckless enough to show up, you could die too...or this could get a lot more difficult to deal with. I need to be sure you will stay out of my way and let me do us both a favor.”
Kyo burst into laughter, leaning back in his wooden chair. His left hand swung up to slap his forehead while his right remained wrapped around his ceramic cup almost empty of the tea he ha been drinking throughout the night. Adell could only smirk at his reaction. In the past they had fought many times, and at some point Kyo had certainly been able to beat him. Was such the case now? Doubtful, infact, the truth was it was impossible. Still his presence would complicate things unnecessarily.
“According to my original sources, the woman he's set to marry is a damsel in distress, and quite the looker too...was thinking of making her my wife.”
Slowly the titan rose from his chair, the tiles beneath his feet shifting audibly with the rise of his dense frame. His smirk never left his thick lips. “Should I save her for you if I can?”
“Nah I'll leave her to you...the way you're acting, maybe she can loosen you up...” Kyo continued to laugh heartily, but when he found that Adell hadn't responded he knew that he was already gone. That and the insurmountable presence taking up a quarter of his office felt like his sinuses had cleared and his head didn't feel woozy anymore. It seemed he had all the information he needed. What was next? Kyo had stopped laughing but he was still smiling. The God Dragon once again set out to play hero, even if for his own selfish gain. How would this end though?
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