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March 23, 2003
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Trump call from Mictlantecuhtle
...
To the image of
Mictlantecuhtli, Yosannah studies him intently. She waits.
The image of Mictlantecuhtli says, not
grasping her hand yet, "You would not come here?"
To the image of Mictlantecuhtli, Yosannah
says "No. I have something you want. You'll have to deal where I feel
safest."
The image of Mictlantecuhtli nods once,
standing reaching a hand out towards her.
Pasture behind Webbers - Banished Sun
...
Yosannah drops his hand abruptly at the
full sight of him, "What do you want." She steps back,
absent-mindedly.
Mictlantecuhtli gives a glance around
before saying, "Wait." his face contorting a bit. He then bows his
head, starting to grow in height, face pulsing and distending as well
- transforming into Anubis.
Yosannah furrows her brow and turns away
briefly, regarding the mare in the pasture.
Anubis eventually raises his masked head,
"Now -I-, Anubis, Guide of the Dead, would speak with Pestilence." he
says, voice of windblown sand.
Gaunt and hollow eyed, this
seven foot tall skeletal figure is clad in a long skirt, tied tight
around his waist and wrapped midway up his chest. On his feet are
sandals and around his boney wrists are long golden bracelets. He
carries with him a long thin pole as a staff. His face is hidden from
view, covered by a mask of jet black that depicts a dogs head, ears
raised high. In inside of the ears and the eyes are golden as is the
back of the mask that trails down around his shoulder to the center
of his back. When he speaks, his voice sounds like sand blowing over
a rock in a high wind.
Yosannah closes her eyes and exhales, "I
don't suppose if I say pretty-please, you'll just leave me alone
about it."
Anubis shakes his head
solemnly.
Yosannah nods and breaths deeply and then
slowly exhales. She closes her eyes, making her breath come more
regularly. After a long moment her head droops, she raises it slowly.
Color having drained from her eyes, Pestilence regards him cooly.
Anubis nods in greeting. He then says, "I
would speak to you of Death."
"I understand that there has been a
division of sorts."
Anubis nods, "There has. And we wish it
rectified. The problem, however, is that I cannot go to the other
half. That land of Hell's Kitchen is forbidden to me."
Pestilence considers, "I have been to the
shadow you are speaking of. I have spoken to an avatar who claims
know us." She shakes her head, "But she holds now only a tiny piece
of you. I do not understand entirely what has happened but it appears
to be linked to our last presence there." She shrugs, "In any event,
you seem to have something in mind?"
Anubis replies, "You can speak to it.
Death has been ... shattered ... for too long. It, at least, needs to
be made whole again."
"I can. I am not certain how you propose
to correct the problem," She shrugs, "I do not have the ability to
bend shadow, howver. None of us do." She considers, "Perhaps one of
the Church."
Anubis tilts his head with interest,
"Explain." he says.
"The church of Chaos," She offers, "I
have long felt the urge to ascertain how we became manifest again
following our currumption at the hands of that Amberite." She turns
her gaze toward the mists hovering about the forest, "I have found a
'welcoming' and understanding with the Chaosian church. As has my
avatar. They might be willing to aid us."
Anubis nods, "Death too has been in
contact with them. In various guises. Do you believe it wise to
approach them on this? I am not sure of this Pope, having heard
questionable things of his nature."
Pestilence furrows a brow, "We have a
very thin list of allies," she smiles, "Perhaps their prelate?"
Anubis considers, "Who is that? I admit
to knowing few of the Church in this day and age."
"Mistress, Ada-Shazandra. An intelligent
and skillful woman."
Anubis nods, "Death has encountered her.
Has she acknowledged us?"
Pestilence furrows a brow, "In a manner
of speaking. She would not know recognize you in sight as we do one
another. She did welcome me by my avatar, yes."
Anubis nods, "I shall endeavour to
introduce myself to her then." He pauses and asks, "And the others?
Famine? War? What of them?"
Pestilence shrugs, "I do not know.
Something went terribly awry a year ago in Hell's Kitchen. Since
then, our contact has been virtually non-existant."
Anubis hmms, a small sandstorm noise, "We
should remedy this." he notes, perhaps to himself as well as
her.
"Absolutly," She adds, "The remnant of
you in the Kitchen carriers your Steed. I will attempt to acquire it
from the host." She shrugs, "Unfortunately, she is quite insane and
unstable. I'll see what I can do."
Anubis suggests, "You could always just
kill her." He adds, "Or bring her to me. And I shall devour her
soul."
Pestilence offers a light smile to escape
the corner of her lips, "And that piece of you still lingering there
would continue to be trapped. Perhaps finding another being to drive
mad." She chuckles, "What point would that serve? Other then to
ammuse you, of course?"
Anubis says "If she is brought to me this
would not happen. This form devoured Death to become Death."
Pestilence nods, "As I said, I will see
what I can do."
Anubis nods. He then says, "Thank you.
And I shall try to contact the others as well. Though I, to date,
have had poor relations with Famine's host."
Pestilence nods knowingly, "I can
sympathize with that. On a number of levels in fact."
Anubis nods and then adds, "And War as
well. I have encountered his current host. He seems willing but
focused to much on politics and agendas. Though perhaps it is my own
ignorance in less spiritual matters that makes it seem
so."
Pestilence hmms, "I tend to agree with
you. Though, I am not one to say."
Anubis considers before saying, "Have we
more to discuss then? Or shall we go forth to do these things and
meet later to speak of our successes?"
Pestilence nods, "For now, that is all
the information I have. We will meet again soon."
Anubis nods and then turns, sand blowing
around him as he walks off, vanishing into the storm formed.
Later... Pasture behind Webbers -
Banished Sun ...
Nestled behind the Inn amidst
wild flowers and the dark woods of Banished sun is the pasture of a
glorious white mare. Her head lifts abruptly to momentarily regard
you before dropping it back to a patch of clover. The wooden fence
disappears through the tattered necklace of virgin trees that
surround the open field and a ghostlike mist hangs over the hills
beyond - blending grey and green together.
Yosannah asks, "So. I hear there's to be
a rip roaring shin-dig in Avalon next week. Anybody going?"
Damen quirks an eyebrow up. "Corwin is
opening up Avalon?"
Riva shrugs. "I may."
Yosannah shrugs, "I dunno who is open'n
it up, Damen. I just heard there was a party."
Michael says "Tell me if you like the
wine."
Riva nods. "Apparently. Celebrating
bridget as empress, I heard."
Damen frowns, "It took me years to get a
trump in....and now he opens the freak'n front door."
Michael says "That's life."
Riva says "You shoulda asked me for one,
I've had one for a while."
Yosannah rolls her eyes, "Okay, trump
junkies... I can't take it." She Damen, "You got that trump on
you?"
Damen nods. "Always."
"May I see it?"
Riva arches an eyebrow and leans down to
crush out her cigarette, placing the butt in a nearly empty
pack.
Damen says "Sure." He crosses his arms
and leans back against the fence.
Yosannah rolls her eyes,
"Now?"
Damen says "Later."
Yosannah scawfs, "Damen!"
Damen says "So anything new going on in
your life, Riva?"
Riva shrugs. "Quiet, except for an
annoying two-bit merc wanting me dead."
Damen chuckles, "Anyone I
know?"
"Oh, I'm certain of it.
Mr.Smith."
Riva looks irritated and fishes out
another smoke and a lighter. "Stone's trying to play babysitter and
arrange a showdown."
Damen laughs, "As in the old western
type?"
Riva says "Not excactly, but something
similar. I think he wants to make sure I don't blow up a city or two
here trying to get Smith."
"What's wrong with Smith? He put a nice
fish tank together for us in Gideon. Nice man."
Just then, Stone arrives, exiting the
rear entrance of the Inn.
Damen says "Touched in the head, if you
ask me."
Riva says"He threw two grenades at me.
He's toast if I find him, plain and simple. Sides, not like he's
competition, but close enough to that to make it killing two birds
with one stone."
Stone wanders in and says, "He runs
guns." with a cold Diet Coke in his hand, "Got this from the no Stone
zone." he tells Yosannah.
Yosannah rolls her eyes, "If I've told
you once, I've told you hundred times! Stay out of the
cooler!"
Riva grins at Stone. "Hey."
Michael smiles, "Hey Stone."
Stone says to Riva, "Lets not be killing
anyone with Stones. We make lousy projectiles. We're all soft and
squishy and stuff."
Damen says "But what an interesting
splotch on a wall, no?"
Riva says "With you trying to play
babysitter, you're lucky I don't strap c-4 to your chest and toss you
at the twit."
Yosannah adds, "Lucky for stone, unlucky
for the rest of us."
Michael watches the dialogue between Riva
and Stone.
Stone gives waves all around and then
says to Damen, "Twice in one day? Somone finally sign your release
papers?"
Damen grins, "The prozac wore
off."
Stone then says to Michael, "You slumming
today?"
Yosannah asks Stone, "So what if he's
running guns?" She shrugs as she wrapps up a bag of carrots and
tucksk them under her arm.
Stonee then shrugs at Yosannah, "Doesn't
matter to me either. Just saying he sells pretty colored fish and
guns. Man has to make a living."
Yosannah nods, "I can sympathize with
that."
Riva shrugs. "Is his main pad
here?"
Yosannah regards Riva, "Smith? His place
is in ..." She pauses, "Or maybe you shouldn't know that. Seeing as
Stone is all anti-squish and what not."
Riva rolls her eyes. "It's not like I'm
not gonna find out. This is kinda what I do for a living, save the
more work I have to do to spank this fucker the more likely I am to
blow stuff up. I'm sour enough as it is, without having to waste time
I could be doing something more enjoyable."
Yosannah looks to Stone at
that.
Stone tells Riva, "Damen, being Lord High
King Almighty of Banished Sun does not wish you destroy his property
and would like you to blow Smith up somewhere else." He looks at
Damen saying, "Right? Right."
Yosannah laughs, looking away slightly so
as not to offend.
Damen says "Well...." He looks to Riva,
"Would you leave a big hole?"
Riva grins without humor. "Alright, fair
enough. Short of blowing things up, what are my limits?"
Yosannah says, "Apparently, big
holes."
Riva shrugs. "I can set up explosives
that will blow up only his aparment, might be a bit of a fire, but if
you have fire fighters here his apartment would be the only with any
real damage. It takes more finesse than blowing up an entire
building, but I got the equipment.
Damen says "And I do like
finesse."
Riva says "Or a car bomb, or I could play
sniper...there's all sorts of other options."
Stone tells Riva, "Don't do anything I'll
have to clean up. I still don't see what's wrong with shooting him in
Hell's Kitchen. I mean, that's what it's there for. Calis shoots it
up all the time. Or at least he used to."
Yosannah laughs again, "Come on, you
guys. I'm sure Smith is a swell guy."
Michael looks to Yosannah.
Riva says "Hell's kitchen is possessed,
and Death has a grudge against me. Sides, I see no reason I should
even the playing field. Do you?"
Riva says "I don't care if he's
mr.roger's here. He's seriously ticked me off, and he's a
threat."
Stone says to Riva, "Because you are the
mighty peerless Riva, warrior princess and he is Smith, that guy who
sold Yosannah some goldfish."
"Exactly! Do you guys have any idea what
I'm paying him to take care of that tank?"
Stone asks Yosannah, "You should just buy
those little scum sucker fish. They're cheaper and fun to
watch."
Damen nods, "He does have a point
there."
Yosannah shrugs, matter of factly,
"Plycostomuses? But they get big and disgusting looking after about a
year."
Stone tells Yosannah, "Then you cook them
up and feed them to hungry guests in your inn." he thumbs back
towards the building.
Michael chuckles.
Yosannah sighs dramatically.
Riva rolls her eyes. "I don't know anyone
who wouldn't be a little miffed to have grenades lobbed at them out
of the blue, folks. I will find you a fish that cleans it's own damn
tank and will do your taxes if that's all he is to you.
Eesgh."
Yosannah shrugs, "I don't know. I just
don't see what the hubalub is all about. Lot's of people threaten and
insult Stone, and you don't see him shooting at anyone." She regards
Stone, "Do you even know how to use a gun?"
Riva says "I'm sure if someone lobbed
explososives and made it clear they intended to continue doing so
he'd at least hire someone to take care of the problem"
Stone nods, "Sure. You hold it and point
the end with the hole and pull that hangy thing. Oh. I think they
need loading too. Somehow." He nods to Riva, "That is true. I'd say
'Yosannah, cook that man some dinner.' They'd be dead inside of 48
hours." He adds, "But in all serious, yes I'd not only made sure they
stopped, but I'd find out why they were doing it and have them
stopped too. Probably order their family holdings decimated and if I
was really irritated turn their entire Shadow into a pile of floating
refuse."
Yosannah should be insulted, but she
laughs instead.
Riva chuckles and ashes her smoke.
Michael laughs.
Yosannah Reaches a hand under her jacket
and to her back, pulling out a silver glock. She holds it out to
Stone, "Okay, show me."
Riva looks around, perhaps scanning the
area for possible cover, just in case.
Stone steps back from the gun exclaiming
at Yosannah, "Gah! Who gave you a weapon?"
Michael looks at Yosannah, "Don't let a
pretty face deceive you."
Yosannah shakes it in Stone's direction,
"Go on."
Riva winces. "I hope that think has a
safty. For the love ancestors, Yo, don't *point* that thing at
people, point the nose to the ground so you don't shoot
someone."
Damen grins, "Sad to say....I gave her
the glock."
Stone looks at Michael, "My face deceives
everyone." he tells him. He steps around to the side of the held
weapon, "Riva makes everyone angry." He finally says to Damen, "Then
you're the one getting shot, pal."
Damen smirks, "Wouldn't be the first
time."
Yosanah smirks, "Just what I thought,"
She retracts the weapon and moves to slide it under her jacket. "Good
lord."
Stone looks relieved to see the gun away.
He gives Damen a glance and says, "Momentary lapse of
reason?"
Yosannah asks "Isn't that a Pink Floyd
song?"
Michael smiles, "I like that
group."
Stone says "My favorite is the one that
goes 'Are there any Amberites in the theatre tonight? Get them up
against the wall!" He points at Damen saying, "There's one in the
spotlight! He don't look right to me. Get him up against the wall!"
Yosannah laughs. Loudly.
Riva says "You gave her a gun and didn't
show her how to use it?"
Yosannah says, "Of course I know how to
use it. Goodness sake."
Riva says "Just checking."
Damen grins at Stone, "Is there ever a
time I only lost my mind for a moment?"
Stone says "That's true. You tend to lose
it for a good long time. I stand corrected." He then says to Michael,
"By the way. We may sound like a stupid bunch, but what should scare
you is each of us is unfortunately amazingly dangerous. Dangerous and
stupid should always strike you as a bad combination. Run. While
youhave the chance."
Michael tells Stone, "I'd run, but my
legs are tired."
Riva pops her neck and her eyes
unfocuses. She mutters. "That's me. Later's, all."
Damen nods, "See you Riva."
Stone waves to Riva, "Later."
Riva moves forward and vanishes, leaving
behind a rapidly fading afterimage.
Damen says "Hey...when I grow up I want
to be a ninja."
"Ninja. We're more dangerous then Ninjas.
Don't sell yourself short."
Stone says "When I grow up I want to be
Peter Lorre, I want to stalk the streets of Dusseldorf and
Paree."
Michael says "When I grow up I want to be
an accountant. They are more dangerous then all them
combined."
Yosannah hops off the fence and shakes
her head, "I can't take all this wit."
Stone chuckles, saying to Yosannah, "Back
to work, eh? Slinging that hash?"
Michael chuckles.
Damen glances at Yosannah.
"Leaving?"
"It's getting cold out here." She
stretches, "I have people to sling hash for me. I'm not working here
much. Spending more time on Earth."
Stone says "Earth, why's
that?"
Yosannah shrugs, "Prosecuting again. I've
been caught up here too long." She crosses her arms over her chest
and shivers lightly, "Might even try to waive into the bar in
California." She smiles, "Palm trees and the like."
Michael says "There are a lot of bars in
California."
Stone chuckles, telling Yosannah, "So you
-can- go home again?"
Yosannah nods at Stone but then offers
for Michael's sake, "Not as far as I'm concerned. There can be only
one."
Michael asks, "Which one is that? Does
it have a name?"
Stone tells Damen, "I should try that
sometime."
Yosannah shrugs, "How the heck should I
know. Earth. Earth, earth earth."
Damen looks to Stone, "You should try
going home? Whatever for?"
Michael shakes his head, "It's clear I'm
going to get nothing out of you." He grins.
Yosannah nods, insistantly, at Michael
and then regards Stone, "I thought you were from the same place as
me. Right?"
Stone looks back and forth. He then says,
"I dunno. Maybe I'll look up that guy that always used to call me Ben
Dover back in high school and drop him in the middle of Jesby during
mating season." He grins. He then says to Yosannah, "To paraphrase
Einstein, I am a citizen of Shadow."
Yosannah raises a brow and mutters, "Ben
Dover... Oh! I get it."
Damen rolls his eyes, "She's great coming
out of the stables folks...but no stamina."
Yosannah humphs.
Stone snickers at Damen. He then says to
Damen, "How about you? Ever miss those days of that place ... Trollon
was it? And you in that Phantom mask?"
Damen smiles, "I miss the voices.....and
my people....yes."
Yosannah laughs, "Guys, we're talking
like we're ancient. It's scare'n me."
Michael grins.
Damen winks, "Some of us are."
Stone says "I'm not. I'm still in my ...
forties? Fifties? I've spent alot of time in Metropolis is my
problem. Damn fast time Shadows."
Michael asks, "What's it like there?"
Stone says "Hi tech. Demons in the
Shadows. Great stimsims."
Michael asks, "Stimsims?"
Yosannah smirks.
Stone tells Michael, "Full sensory input
theatre. You liked Lord of the Rings? Now imagine walking alongside
Frodo and Gollum or fighting orcs, albiet safely, with that dwarf and
that faggy elvish guy."
Yosannah protests, "He was not
faggy!"
Damen nods, "He was pretty
faggy."
"Was not." She turns to Michael, "Stone
only goes there for the erotica. Don't let him kid you."
Michael chuckles, "Figured."
Stone grins, "No, if we were talking
about that I'd have brought up Lord of the G-strings. It's got
Throbitts in Diddle Earth."
Michael smiles, "I haven't heard of Lord
of the Rings but it sounds fun."
Stone says to Michael, "You don't get out
much do you."
Yosannah shivers again, "Guys, I gotta go
inside."
Damen nods, regarding
Yosannah.
Michael nods, "See ya."
Yosannah strolls inside the
Inn...
Obscurely lit Chamber, Webbers -
Banished Sun ...
Damen smiles faintly.
"Warmer?"
Yosannah is sitting on the end of the
bed, shoes off, book in her lap. She looks up, "It was getting
late."
Damen ahs, "Should I leave you be then?"
Yosannah shakes her head, "Uh, no. If you
wanted to visit a little longer." She closes the book.
Damen's jaw clenches. Barely perceptible
in the shadows. "Visit. Yes."
Yosannah pat a spot next to her on the
bed, "Have a seat."
Damen nods and sits.
"You left the guys outside then?"
Damen nods, "I did."
Yosannah smiles, "How come? You guys are
a hoot and a half."
Damen shrugs, "I prefer your company to
theirs."
Yosannah lowers her gaze with a smile.
She runs her hand over the text, "What's on your mind,
Damen."
Damen shakes his head. "We seem to be
spending many evenings apart, Yo."
Yosannah purses her lips,
"Mmm."
Damen nods. "Yes, well....that seems to
sum it up. I should go."
"Damen.." She sighs, "I'm not sure what
you're looking for me to say."
Damen shrugs, standing up. "Say what you
feel, Yosannah. That's all I have ever
asked of you."
Yosannah looks about the room as if
searching for a reply, "I did that during out talk the other day. If
you're looking for more, I'm not sure I can help you." And then, "If
this is because you want to stay, by all means, stay."
Damen turns to regard you. His gaze
borders upon melancholy, but for the most part it is his usual
eexpressionlessness. "I don't want you to tell me to stay because I
want to stay, Yosannah. I want you to tell me to stay because you
want me to stay." He smiles then. "That is the subtle difference,
and you know it."
Yosannah clasps her fingers around the
edges of the book, "I wouldn't want to be accused of leading some on.
You understand?"
Damen narrows his eyes, "What does that
mean?"
Yosannah closes her eyes and sighs, "Did
you forget our discussion the other day? Or are you only remembering
the parts that suit you."
Damen nods, "Then you wish to stand with
your resolve of not being together? Even though you say you love
me."
Yosannah swallows, "I stand by my resolve
that we are no longer betrothed. Even though I still love you. Yes."
She scratches at her knee, "And if you think that by having you stay
here changes that, you'd be mistaken. As long as you understand
that."
Damen says "Not being betrothed and not
being together are two separate things."
Yosannah rubs her temple, "When you take
a step backward like this, it's hard to be sure."
Damen studies you. "We *are* still
together, right?"
"We are something." She is obviously
fatigued. Whether it is due to the conversation or something else is
uncertain, "We are. I'm figuring that out as I go along."
Damen nods, "I see."
Yosannah chuckles, "You do? At least
someone does."
Damen manages a smile. It's forced. He
nods, "Well...you look tired. I'll let you get some
sleep."
Yosannah plays with the bracelet at her
wrist and bites at her lip, "Okay."
Damen nods again. Pauses. Almost turns
back, but then fades away.
Yosannah falls back on her bed, stares up
at the ceiling with arms wide.