We Are Our Avatars IX: Act V: The Sabotage of the Scandolous Saurian Scoundrels (Open)

[Random berk]

When Detective Stone told Joanna to kill herself, Steve's cheerful expression soured, and he unfolded his arms.
"Hang on a minute, Sara." He said, half apologetically, and quickly eased his way through whatever crowd remained before marching towards Stone. Reaching him, he caught him by the shoulder and spun him around hard enough to knock him into the wall.

"That's enough of that! Who the hell do you think you are, telling her she should kill herself?" He barked, jabbing an index finger in Stone's chest. "I don't care what this girl's done, or what you think she's done! I won't stand for any more harassment of that kind, understand?"

Joanna had looked shocked and hurt by Stone's suggestion.
"I've thought of it." She admitted with difficulty. "But I can't. I can't even die with dignity, or peace." She relaxed some bit when Steve took the detective's attention away, but still looked dejected at the suggestion.

 

[Demonjazz]

"You people make me sick! You just feel sorry cause she died! Well every goddamn person dies! These people get a second chance at life and squander it! They try and ruin everyone's life because they feel sorry for themselves! They want too live! They don't think of everyone's natural life they have!"

 

[Chungus]

Upon the hearing representative's answer, Elm was quiet for a moment as it calculated how it could best respond. Eventually, it answered with, "Fears that our operations might have compromised the stability of a region - however speculative - are understandable." It said, then paused. "Would your agency be more willing to considder the terms more carefully if our organization agrees to more transparancy on past operations?"

Sam continued moving around the room for a moment, but stopped when he heard the turn the negotiations took, expecting them to be finished shortly. When Elm spoke, however, Sam rolled his eyes. [color=edc393]God, we're still not done? Much more of this, and I might die all over again.[/color]

 

[Zepherus14]

"Oh, is it?" Sophia answered back, a bit absent minded. "Would it be alright if I used it after Matilda then?" She asked politely before taking another look at the foreboding ocean, and letting out a groan as she rubbed her temple.

 

[Outisakanobody]

"Maybe we should just leave the ship for now?" Faro said to Joanna as he stood by the door.

 

[Drakmorg]

Looking for an excuse to move away from Seras, Vicky went down into the space-ship to change into her swimsuit. Once she was done, she strolled out onto the beach and took a more casual observation of the surroundings.

 

[Random berk]

Joanna nodded hurriedly at Faro's suggestion, no longer caring whether she felt safe with the others as long as she was away from Stone. She crossed the room, snatching up her bandoliers and swords as she went, before following him outside.

"You sound sick to begin with." Steve snapped at Stone. "You're right, it sounds like she's got a second chance. At a terrible price, but it's all she's got to make do with. Who are you to decide whether she gets to use it or not? Who are you to say that suicide is the only answer?" Steve shook his head in disgust and stepped away from the detective.
"You know what? I'm not sure I even want to hear an answer to that. Just don't hound the kid any more while I'm around."

 

[ShindoL Shill]

As Vicky looked around, she would see Joel sitting near the ship, blowing some sand out of the joints of his left hand.

 

[Demonjazz]

"And who are you to decide who's soul she can eat! You just gonna let her go through her unlife killing who ever she decides isn't worthy of their natural life!"
I lit up a cigarette. Blowing out it's pungent air in Cap's face
"You were a favorite hero of mine as a kid Cap. You never were tough enough for the real world though."

 

[Outisakanobody]

Faro leads Joanna out of the room and out of the ship. "I'd avoid him for a bit. Let him calm down some, or let someone talk him down." he said.

"I'm...sorry..." Seras said as Vicky hastily left, feeling pretty bad about how the whole thing went.

 

[Random berk]

"Too much of what he says is true." Joanna said glumly. "I told the truth when I said that I cannot kill myself even if I wanted to, for I cannot truly die. But if I were to try to live and let live, the curse would consume me entirely. I would become an empty shell, devoid of human cares and compassion, driven by pure instinct to devour the souls of the living, and I would be lost forever. Only by consuming souls now can I preserve my mind, remember who I once was. I wish I had a more selfless reason to try and continue to exist, something to throw back in the faces of those who condemn me, like him. But I do not. I may be able to pick and choose the people or creatures that I hunt, while something remains of my soul, but in the end, I must consume souls because I am afraid of what will happen if I do not."

Steve gritted his teeth, about to snarl a reply at Stone, but then he bit it back. He could have pointed out that he had been through some of the very toughest experiences that the real world had to offer. He could have told of how he had been forged in the furnace of war in Nazi-controlled Europe. He could have boasted of how he had stood in defence of Earth itself alongside it's mightiest heroes. And he could have recounted how his deepest faith in the noblest of American values had been shaken by the modern world and all its shades of grey. But in the end, he didn't. He knew well enough that some men could never be shaken of their convictions, no matter how deranged. Stone may well have been one of them.

"Sorry to disappoint you." He spat, stepping back from Stone with a shake of his head, before striding out of the room.

 

[Drakmorg]

Spotting Joel, Vicky walked over and watched him clean his arm for a moment.

"Hey, how's it going?"

 

[Outisakanobody]

Faro looked at Joanna and sighed a little. "I know what you mean. I'm...kind of like you..." he said before looking away.

 

[Random berk]

Joanna was silent for a moment, before looking up at Faro.

"You are? What do you mean?"

 

[Outisakanobody]

"Well, I mean...I have to...drink human blood to survive. Vampire." Faro said, wondering if she would know the word.

 

[ShindoL Shill]

[color=003399]"Pretty good. How about you?"[/color] Joel replied, looking up at Vicky.

 

[Drakmorg]

"Been better, but not too bad."

Vicky replied. She rubbed at her left shoulder and rolled it around in the joint a bit to work out what little soreness was still lingering for the moment.

 

[Random berk]

From the expression on Joanna's face, it was clear that she was not familiar with the term vampire, or the nature of the beast.

"Were you cursed as well? Or... were are you something different? Were you born like this?" She asked curiously, before shaking her head slightly. "No, how could you be born that way? You must have at least begun life as a human, or how could you look like one?"

OOC: @Outis: I really can't afford to stay up any longer tonight. Could we time-bubble this conversation and pick it up tomorrow?

 

[Outisakanobody]

"Well, it's a bit of a story..." Faro said.

OOC: Sure.

 

[Kirke]

The representative considered for a moment, then replied. [color=000066]"I believe we can come to an amicable solution. Perhaps a cooperative measure to retrieve extra-terrestrial objects."[/color] After formulating what would come next, he continued. [color=000066]"I suggest this: An operative of your organization accompanies one representing our interests. On Earth, they are transported using means that we can reliably track, and they... acquire extra-terrestrial objects using your advanced technology to pin-point their location. After a period of time - perhaps a month - we reconvene and have the objects divided fairly between our organisations. Further negotiations can be held then to make sure we both get the objects most relevant for our research."[/color]