{Animus}

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[There's the usual static hum on everyone's PCD, as the screen goes black. After a moment, a low flute tone starts up, continuing as a background melody throughout. For anyone who hears it, it would sound vaguely familiar, from their home world- though played inexpertly, as if they couldn't entirely remember how it was supposed to go.]


too soon, too early

not quickly enough

calm down, take a breath we're still setting up
we'll take it apart
you always do

we can carry it ourselves
is it really necessary

^finally, that's better
wait what's going on

Comments

[flameandpassion]

[Rei spends approximately two seconds feeling grossly insulted -- before she realizes her discovery.

One of them is affiliated with fire.

-- a disgrace, who the hell did this person think -- ]

You use fire?

Can you show me?

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you've done nothing but die

[flameandpassion]

[Rei is the embodiment of fire. To say such a thing to her -- it takes all of her reserve to not snap back. Instead she takes a deep breath.]

I don't choose to die.

But you work with fire. You've destroyed the world and rebuilt it.

[She needs Castiel for this.]

You aren't a spirit; you're a god.

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[flameandpassion]

[They're getting somewhere -- somewhere. Finally. Rei can almost ignore her injured pride in order to feel the tiniest shred of excitement.

Destroying. A thing with fire that destroys. It doesn't sit well in Rei's stomach and she scowls to herself.]

Fire is life.

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[flameandpassion]

I know -- but it isn't only destruction. Everything has an end, but everything has a beginning, too.

Saying that destruction is the most important part is a lie. It's just a means to an end -- it's no more important than the rebirth.

If you don't see that, then you don't deserve to control fire at all.

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[flameandpassion]

[So this thing isn't both -- it's destruction. She's briefly reminded of Saturn, before she shakes her head slightly to clear her thoughts.]

Fire burning me is like water drowning Mercury. It doesn't happen.

What did you do to rebirth?

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[flameandpassion]

Was Rebirth here?

[It's urgent.]

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rebirth would be useless

[flameandpassion]

[Destruction is present, but not Rebirth.]

... I can't see the signs, either.

Are you stuck here just like the rest of us? Who did this? Why is this place here?

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[The voice is hollow. Abruptly it cuts off. A recording of a violin plays- fragmented, stuttering, melancholic. Eventually that cuts off too, with a click-hum.]

[flameandpassion]

[Her heart lodges in her throat. She had said the same thing to Tyki Mikk, months ago, when they were wandering by the lake together. The stars are wrong. The sky isn't right. And she opens her mouth to answer, but the music causes her to stop.

Before a different voice -- ?

Somehow, that unsettles her.]

The scientists aren't here anymore. I don't know where they are. I can't talk to them like I can talk to you, because they aren't in the Inner City anymore -- we couldn't even find them in the tunnels.

What happened to the one who controls fire?

[adstring-npc.livejournal.com]

we tried flooding them out
but it didn't work

[flameandpassion]

[Holy. Shit.]

Are the scientists the ones that trapped you here?

[adstring-npc.livejournal.com]

couldn't control it

even accidents have consequences

[flameandpassion]

[She stares.]

So you were pulled here just like the rest of us, because of the experiment?

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parts

more fragments combine on occasion
we don't know what the rest is

[flameandpassion]

[She is silent for a long moment.]

If I come to see you, to talk to you -- could I find out what the rest is?

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...

[flameandpassion]

I used to be able to sense something from all of you -- and I can still sense something in that City. If anyone in this place can help you understand what happened, it's me. The worst that can happen is we're right back where we started, trying to figure out this place -- and the best is that I can try to figure out what happened so we can try to put you all back together.

[She narrows her eyes.]

It's just a talk. No weapons. No fights. No threats. Let me try to help you.

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[flameandpassion]

[Dammit. It was worth a shot.]

... fine. You said earlier that you hadn't heard that name in awhile -- is one of you Tiamat? Are you?