[HEADING=3]Dimension: Avatar Adventures Universe[/HEADING]
Location: Corrupted Forest | Corrupted Temple of Light | South America
Time: Midday | January 2nd
Airship Rising Dawn - The Canteen:
Aftan | Akane | Angelus | Cadolbolg | Caim | Gabrielle | Jake | Jenny | Kurumu | Mark | Puce | Ton Ton
If Angelus was in a good mood a moment ago, then Kurumu's words to Cadolbolg hit the air. Oh no, Kurumu forgot something very important, as fun as it was to tease Cadolbolg, his parents were forces to be reckoned with. Caim, being absorbed in the conversation with Jenny and the Sword Spirits, wasn't able to hear what was said, but when the dragon's glare turned to Kurumu; Caim knew instantly that something terrible must have been said. Every inch of her oozed fury and maternal instinct, and Caim felt overwhelmed by it's crushing waves on his mind. To any other man, they would have been terrified, but for Caim... Well, let's just say that were it not for the moment at hand, he would have found this view of her incredibly attractive.
But back to the aforementioned raging dragon in human form... Angelus kept her gaze upon the succubus; red eyes threatening to bore a hole into purple ones when Kurumu stared right back. However, there was something a little extra behind that stare; almost as if some of Caim's bloodlust had meddled in the dragon herself.
But, when she spoke, her voice remained very calm, and her tone did not waver,
"Disregard the words of the petty Succubus, Cadolbolg, for she only follows the way of the narrow-minded. A shame, really, for a being supposedly devoted to love. You see, she has fallen in with following a restrictive ideal for 'love', which demands that females tie themselves to their mates via an unnecessary ritual that has far too much monetary cost for the weak proclamation of devotion it supposedly stands for. In actuality, it is an affirmation against insecurity; for those who cling and force this 'ritual of devotion' upon those around them, they are in fact the ones who think they or their lovers faith is the weakest. To those who do not follow this norm, they and their children are mocked with terms such as 'bastard' to make them convert to their rituals.
The child-like Succubus doesn't realize that she has single-handedly insulted several persons in this group; myself and Caim included, by trying to force a norm upon us that does not truly matter. We are happy in the way we express our affections, and yet the succubus, of all creatures, is the one to tell us that we are wrong in the ways of love and loving. Because, and this is the saddest matter of all, if one feels love or affection for their mates, then rituals to proclaim this to the world or themselves are entirely unnecessary. They need only to look at their mate, and see it upon their face. Even words do not matter when the feelings are true enough.
So, my dear son, do not feel bad for yourself. Rather, pity the succubus here who needs the idea of a ritual to feel secure in herself."
No pause was given after that statement, as the dragon broke a bone in half with her teeth, and was easily chewing and swallowing the bits down.
Teri's Mindscape - The Grey:
Lucifer | Slindis | Teri < - Oh you rat bastard... Imma ALPHABETIZE, *****!
"Teri? What do you see?"
Teri struggled weakly against the Morning Star's grasp when they approached the mirror, [color=0E59E4]"No, keep that thing away from me! You won't like what's there! PLEASE! You'll let it escape!"[/color]
But Lucifer did not waver, and she found herself face to face with the mirror... At least, it was until she got to it. All the Cleric could see was an abyss in the gem; an all consuming darkness that threatened to eat everything in it's sight. All was quiet for a moment, and then the crystal began to move... Well, it didn't stay a crystal for long anyways. Growing and shifting, the inky black of the crystal began to concentrate towards and edge of one the points in the monolith, and began to literally seep out like the writing material it resembled. This process continued for another moment, and when it finished, the now blue-white crystal fell into it's original form as a clear pool. However, as opposed to the lifeless liquid it was before, this pool actually looked like pure, drinkable water.
Listen to this [http://endlessvideo.com/watch?v=c2PViOqKUUU]
But the darkness remained... The sludge shuddered, and then convalesced into a form, raising itself upwards into a humanlike shape, and ended with a perfect replica of the Cleric before them.... Sort of. Her face was the same, save for the Glasgow Smile cut deep into her cheeks, blood crystalized into little rubies around the wounds. Her eyes were the same color as her creator's, but remained wide in an eternal look of.. Joy? Shock? It was hard to tell, the rest of her face was so distracting from them. Holding a scapel in one hand, and a pencil in the other, the Disturbed!Teri looked to her creator, and gave a hysterical, [color=0E59E4]
"Hello there, Me!"[/color]
When she (it?) spoke, air could be heard hissing through the wounds; an unnerving sound for the stoutest of hearts.
Before Teri could object to it, it continued, [color=0E59E4]
"Well, it sure looks like we screwed up again, doesn't it? Trying so hard to remain cool and collected, even when under pressure or you know, big scary dudes threatening to kill us for the umpteenth time, or actually killing Angels! Boy, wasn't that a hoot? I mean, you always wondered what it was like, didn't you? No, the Fake Rugal didn't count, because you eventually learned that was a fake. Well, compared to how he acts now, it's not so fake anymore, now is it?"[/color]
Teri shook her head in horror, [color=0E59E4]"No! It was a fake!"[/color]
The bloody mockery laughed, the hissing noise even more maddening in this light, [color=0E59E4]
"Only cause the suit color was off. But we're getting off subject, aren't we, Me? As I was saying, 'the first kill is always satisfying', right? How powerful did you feel when the Angels fell to your spells and your Elemental? Wasn't it great finally having the power you've always craved? I mean, these were highly trained operatives; and here you were, fighting side by side with the best of em, healing wounds, slaughtering the Angels! It was great, right? Hey, even if he's a dick, your precious Bernstein even saved your ass when you were being shot at! Ripped a guy in half for you! Ain't that sweet, he might actually give a damn about your life... Unless he saw you as utility, like everyone else does. You are their best trained healer; baring Ms. Stabby over there. Hmn, Dunno if Paladins really count, they're more like warriors with healing skills..."[/color]
Balling her fists as the fake talked, Teri yelled at it as it pondered the authenticity of Paladins as healers, [color=0E59E4]"Shut up! That's not true at all! I hated having to kill those men! I hated it when Rugal tore them in half! It made me feel sick when I heard those bones break! I HATE FIGHTING!"[/color]
The False!Teri looked at the Cleric again, and shrugged, [color=0E59E4]
"Don't get snappy with me, Me. I only speak the truth around here. You're the one with the issues. I mean, why deny the fact that you felt a sense of belonging on the battlefield with your 'friends'? You like being able to help out where you've always wanted to be. You're happy being an efficient tool; just like a good portion of the human race. Hell, that's why you joined this Role Playing forum as Caim and Angelus. It was one giant power fantasy for a girl who had no better outlet at the time. That's probably why you get along with those other Writers so well, because you all understand what it's like to be helpless. Trapped in your little Southern hick town full of conservative thought when you were so progressive... That must have been hell. So, into the internet you dived, and found a place where you belonged; with the other freaks and geeks of the world. And together, you all found happiness in a computer screen!... Oh, if only that were so easy. Even with all of these 'friends' and allies, you can't help but feel alone because you have all these stinky feelings you don't want to deal with; and no human who wants to deal with you? Am I right?"[/color]
The real Teri was shaking at this point, unable to move from that spot she stood. Here she was, in her own mind, and she couldn't find sanctuary from her greatest insecurities being laid bare before two respectable (well, Lucifer was a variable) people she had some form of respect for, and there was nothing she could do to stop this being from showing everything else...
The fake gave another wheezing laugh, and limply gestured the scalpel at Teri, [color=0E59E4]
"See what I mean? You can't lie to them anymore. I've already hit too many nails on the head, and I've still a pocket full of em to go! Hmn, what should I tell them about next, hmn? How you're so desperate to save the souls of all the people on this ship? How your attachment to a terrible person started with a hollow promise for your life? Or, better yet, how about we talk about Bruiser? Everyone loves that one! You know, how you greenlighted EVERYTHING he did to Angelus? How you told Darren to keep him alive so you two could use his torture methods again and again and again... It's YOUR fault he still exists, remember? Darren wanted to get rid of him several times, but 'oh no, you'd cry, he still has potential! Let's keep him!' And look at you now? Unable to talk because he ALMOST took your nails out of you and left you in the cold. Kind of like now, eh? Funny, you were so close to your dorm when that happened... I wonder how many other girls were dragged off to that hellhole?"[/color]
The Cleric had sunk to her knees at this point, her eyes getting dull with the sheer agony of all of this being shoved in her face completely. The false Teri wandered to her creator and embraced her, [color=0E59E4]
"But, of course, the best thing about all of this is how you've tried so hard to keep up this facade of being happy. God you have every reason not to be, and yet you beat yourself up over frowning just a little. Isn't that right, Mr. Lucifer? Didn't you say that we had to be a shining light for us Authors? Keep a moral high ground and make sure we didn't blow up the world again?"[/color]
She laughed, pulling the Real closer to her being, [color=0E59E4]
"But it's okay. I'll make sure you don't have to deal with any of these nasty things ever again, Me. Come here, I'll show you how to feel nothing at all...."[/color]
The black sludge from before enveloped the Cleric into the fake's body, and the demented creature gave another dark laugh as Teri fell into it, the winds picking up snow, ice and water around it as it began to grow in size; the flesh and blood becoming ice, deep hazel eyes staring from a now towering body of ice.
Battle time! [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50QLQWhTDW8]
The false had become an enormous dragon of pure ice, but as was it's nature, it was a mockery of the noble creature. Jagged, cruel teeth; a translucent body that showed the Cleric curled up in it's chest; sharp claws; powerful wings; and a body covered in equally deadly looking crystals, the beast roared, and cried out, [color=0E59E4]
"And now for the pest control! You two are far too warm for this realm of ice! Perhaps I can freeze you and make you sculptures in a garden! Or maybe I'll let your warm blood trickle down my throat! I AM THE TRUE TERI GRAVEL! YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER ME IN MY REALM! NOW PERISH IN MY TUNDRA!"[/color]
