Promised Rendezvous

[Titan]

"Very well." She locked the door. It was just the two of us inside. Setting aside my bag and stepping closer to her, I discarded my other glove before undoing the ties to her outfit. Afterwards did my fingers trickle down across what exposed flesh there was on her back, flowing over her dress afterwards to find a place high up on the small of her back. Holding her so, I began lowering her downward.
"Remain straight."

What I was soon to do would require time and concentration. It would also be easiest to achieve if she were laid still. So did I bring her to lay with head in my lap, I of course having sat down and crossed my legs. Around her cranium I gathered my fingers, using them as focusing rods to better guide my mind on its mission. With a subtle pressure simultaneously exerted across key points of her skull I incapacitated her, so that my work could begin.


Everything went quiet. The noises of the world fell upon deaf ears. The light of the air impotently struck at blind eyes. All I could see, was her. Even my own hand which I knew had just lain upon her body, just above her crossed arms, could not I see. Yet knew I that it was there. It was my focus. My guide. My tool. Through those fingers would my psyche channel its prowess, pressing like an impossibly thin blade into her flesh.

As long as my smallest finger yet even more slight than a strand of my hair was the cut, gradually making its way deeper through her skin to where she wished this gift of mine. Always to be in her heart.
My own right hand slid into the confines of my hood so as to brush away the beads of perspiration that had formed across my brow. How long now had I been focusing? Minutes passed like seconds to me. I pushed deeper inside, ensuring to keep perfect this true-honed blade during its journey. Finally, my first task was complete. I had found what heart this girl was given.


"This is more draining than I had thought." My work had to be carefully performed. Putting space between the two ribs my cut had passed while preventing them from cracking or breaking from the pressure. The stone had to fit between them. "There..."
Though visually I could take in my handiwork, I still had to remain mentally vigil on my hold so the whole thing would not be undone by a casual slip-up. Once in place, the stone began to sink into the wound, drawn inexoribly to the organ at the bottom of the wound. Like a stone in quicksand it was pulled to the depths.

My attention and effort was redoubled, for I had to ensure it was properly aligned as it was enclosed within its new home. Settled as the central core of Eroina's heart, the stone that had fallen dark after leaving my touch would find a new life of its own in the child. Like it would have if fused to her skull, the stone began to merge itself to her tissues so as to bond and become one with her body. As the fluxuations of power rose, might that I shaped with my mind, the part in her flesh would become undone, leaving again pristine her form.

As the strength disappeared from me, settling itself into the one it was meant for, I drifted into my own darkness. My last concious thought was how this placement would affect Eroina.

[Nayt]

She had to lay down. Remembering what happened the last time Tanis wanted her to lay down for something, Eroina felt just a bit hesitant, but she was on her guard this time! With her arms folded where they were and an outright unwillingness to let things get out of hand again, she felt confident that she'd be okay.

And so, she did as he asked, quietly. She lowered herself, not once moving her arms from their folded position, until she was laying straight out with the back of her head resting upon Tanis's lap. She didn't know exactly what he was doing when he pressed his fingers upon her forehead, but it felt relaxing. She was conscious, but felt unwilling to get up and move around for the time being, not while he was working on her, at least. Even still, she felt nervous once he placed his fingers upon the skin of her chest, right over where her heart should be--afraid that maybe this wouldn't go right, and that she'd need emergency help from her caretakers.

It was . . . uncomfortable. That was the best way to describe it. She felt intense pressure, but that was it--there was no pain. It wasn't as if he was scraping repeatedly at her internal tissue with a super heated brand; he was simply opening up a pathway into her chest cavity. She shut her eyes tightly and tensed up her arms, actually sort of expecting a bit of pain, but was treated only to discomfort. After a moment, she relaxed, half-opening her eyes and releasing the tension on her arms. This wasn't too bad at all. It wasn't a good feeling, but she could live with it for the time being. This was one of those moments where her minimal pain reactant nerves came in handy.

The process of the dreamstone becoming part of her--wedging itself into and assimilating with her heart--wasn't painful to the point of being noticed, but she didn't like it. It did remind her of the burning sensation from the pain sensor tests, and she didn't like that one bit . . .

But it was over soon after, and she released a content sigh once she was able to completely relax. The wound had been closed up, too! That, she hadn't noticed until she looked down at it. Everything else seemed fine, too. She didn't feel any different--not yet, at least. If there were going to be effects, then she wasn't going to feel them immediately. Soon, perhaps, if there were any to even notice on her own. What she did notice, once she looked up to him, was that Tanis was starting to lose consciousness.

"A-ah! Tanis!" she cried as she sat up quickly, grabbing for his shoulder with one hand, while leaving her other arm still cross over her breasts.

When his vision faded to black and he fell unconscious, he wound up leaning into her, leaving Eroina at quite a loss of what to do with him--and quite concerned, of course! People smoked themselves into unconsciousness, and even that was a big deal!

"T-Tanis, wake up!" Eroina cried as she shook him by the shoulder, only to lament as soon as she realized it was of no use: "Ohhhh . . . nooo~ . . ."

She was going to have to get him some help, probably find him a place to lay down for awhile, until he had the strength back to retain consciousness. Fortunately, there were plenty of places like that, it was just a matter of getting someone to help her carry him . . .

[Titan]

"Where....? Where am I?" This place felt strange and confusing, twisted and formless like some shifting mass into which I should never have strayed. Even more deceptive was the fact I had no idea what this place was. Eventually though, through the grim and foggy skies I caught sight of something moving. Only this too, had barely enough form to recognize it as humanoid.

More of them now, beginning to arise from out of the smoke of my vision, the cloud over my eyes explainable with such dust. It was as though some unseen construct had met its end and laid tumbled into so many dusty pieces. The newest group of shadow-men advanced not upon me but the first, as if I didn't even exist according to their senses.

I had no way to judge these beings, to determine which of them could be strongest and which might be the easiest to fell. It mattered not, for when within range of the first darkness the others began to fall, one after another. With each that dropped from existence the greater clarity the original took on, as if drawing substance from its counterparts.

As Tanis entered his state of laxity, the Dream Stone around his neck took to a violet hue. Rapidly though, a brightening red overtook the stone's surface, transforming it into a shining ruby.

I had begun to recognize who it was that was fighting against these formless adversaries; I began to realize what it was I was about to witness again. Like a dancing angel of death she slew those who would dare to attack, displaying true the grace and skill naturally possessed. It was inevitable that she couldn't see them all. Unavoidable was that fell blow that struck down upon her.

I had awoken almost delirious, screaming in pain, hatred and rage when first it had come to me. Pain at her loss. Hatred at myself for not being there to protect her. Rage at those who stole her from me. This time, I woke merely as though paralysed at first, a gradual sense of feeling overcoming the whole of my body as blue again developed dominance in my stone.

Though I couldn't be entirely sure, as time was lost to me during the Sight, I felt that very little time had actually passed during my lack of awareness. Eroina still was here with me. Yet, she definitely looked more concerned than she had before; before, when she had looked so peaceful and serene, calmed and quieted as I made one with her body the Dream Stone I had crafted.

I didn't know what to say and still my body felt sluggish and groggy. Instead then, as down had my hood slipped I was able to give her a faint, lop-sided smile.

[Nayt]

The first thing she saw as a change in Tanis was that of the dreamstone. It had changed color again, now one of a reddish tone, something which had Eroina quite confused! Would hers still change color, now that it was part of her body? Would this make her chest a vibrant hue, changing with each emotion? That would certainly be off, and completely noticeable! She wondered that only briefly.

She had only been given the chance for such, a temporary curiosity, unable to spiral into a concern, as Tanis once again took hold of her attention with a violent spasm and a shout of solemn rage. Eroina stared at him with wide eyes for a moment as she tensed up her arms on him, trying to squeeze him a bit, doing all she could to be a semblance of comfort, maybe let him know in that dream state that he'd be all right. But alas, he woke up soon after, and while she relaxed a bit (though still appeared quite concerned!), he had opened his eyes to look at her.

"T-Tanis . . ." she whispered his name as soon as he was awake.

That shouldn't have happened. He shouldn't have just . . . passed out like that, with little to no warning. Of course she was going to be concerned. It was especially strange how his dream seemed to become violent--or at least he had a violent reaction to his dream. The look he gave her wasn't enough to reassure her that he was okay.

Eroina whispered once more: "Are you . . . are you all right?"

[Titan]

"Breathe." I took in a deep and soothing breath, managing to move an arm enough to put it around Eroina and give her, in turn, a reassuring hug. It was very light, but the best I could muster effort-wise for the moment. Quckly now, though, I felt my strength returning to me. I had the desire to get up from my position on the floor, pulling the girl to her feet with me. Still was I using her for some support, preventing a display from my unsteady feet causing her even more alarm. I had the feeling if she felt any deeper of her emotions she might go into shock because of them. The thought broadened my smile, if only for a brief period.

"Yes. Yes, I am fine. It's just been a while since last I had to put so much effort into my thoughts." This brought upon me, though it would not be detectable by another individual, a feeling of disappointment in myself. Even if I had not the need to indulge my mind in extraneous use, it was still important that I do so in order to keep up my mental strength. If my body ever failed me, if would be the only thing I had. "If only these mon'keigh had such an advantage."

Breaking out of my minute self-distraction I put a bit more pressure on Eroina's shoulder with the hand of mine laid there. I didn't realize until this point that, as I helped bring her to her feet, I had redone the ties to her dress. Now finding that I was stable enough to keep myself up without help, I turned my attention more completely upon her. "What of you?" I felt a very slight and subtle variation in her body temperature, though it could have just been an effect of residual energy dissipating from her body. Even if it wasn't, I doubted these more sensation-dulled individuals would even notice.

[Nayt]

"I'm . . . I'm okay," Eroina whispered in response.

Relief was all over her face. She couldn't feel anything but. Tanis was all right! Well, for the most part. As they stood up (Tanis helping her stand more than she had helped him, admittedly), she could still feel that he was a little shaky. Was it a drain of the body's energy? She didn't know for sure, but it couldn't have been healthy! Despite her own obvious health problems (a lack of a true biological life, among other things), she only felt concern for the health of others--which hadn't been tested until now, and absolutely proven. The dreamstone now within her body ceased to matter to her while Tanis was in a state of physical duress.

Of course, that didn't mean that there weren't symptoms of the dreamstone's existence within her, but they weren't too terribly noticeable. First and foremost, that slight increase of body heat had been misconstrued as heat cause by a rush of adrenaline. Eroina's adrenal glands may or may not have even been functional--there had been no proof of it, since she had never been put into a state before this wherein they would see use. Endorphins certainly existed and pumped quite actively--her being on a constant high on life and all--but adrenaline may or may not have existed within her body. Nonetheless! The second symptom was that she was a tiny bit heavier, suddenly ten pounds heavier (quite a feat!), though that in itself was incomparable to the amount of temporary weight gain she'd receive from the feast that she would have on that kraken's eye in the next day or so!

"Are you sure you're okay?" asked Eroina, while still holding onto him, "I can get a place for you to rest--one is . . . one is probably even ready already! If you're just exhausted, laying down and maybe napping for a half an hour or so would really do the trick, right?"

It was just a guess. A good guess, though . . .

[Titan]

"Worry not of me. I merely was unprepared for the consequences of my actions." I rolled my neck to earn as a result a series of pops from the joints contained therein. Instinctively I lifted a hand to coil the fingers upon it around the yet again cerulean stone I wore. After another squeeze to her shoulder followed by a soft pat to it, I used that appendage to bring up once more my cloak's hood, shading my visage from the eyes of others. A readjustment done to my cloak momentarily allowed Eroina, if she were looking, to again see that of my body not covered by my pants. I was enjoying the feel of the ground on my bare feet.

I turned from her long enough to again take into possession my bag, slipping a single strap onto my right shoulder, while on her own I laid my other hand. "If we are done here, perhaps the best course of action would be returning to the others." I did not know what I would do when we had reached the main room where the two of us had first met. There were sure to be many that would wish some of Eroina's time. Some may even find me, this unknown and hidden individual, of interest enough to converse with as well. I felt I would have little care to answer what questions might be posed. I had at least promised the girl I would stay long enough to see if there was anything that could keep me here; I would not break that promise.

[Nayt]

"Okay . . ." she was still a little unsure.

It was true that she wanted to get back to the party, but it was also true that she was worried about Tanis. If he weren't all right, she'd have been ready and willing to take him to one of the many spare bedrooms to let him lay down and rest for as long as he needed. The last thing she wanted was for a guest on her re-birthday to go and get irreparably hurt! But alas, he seemed okay enough--just winded, it seemed. Eroina could only take his word for it when he said that he hadn't put that much effort into "thoughts" before (though, she didn't know what he meant when he said that, and although still curious, refrained from asking).

Before she even thought about unlocking the door, Eroina first had to make sure nothing was out of place on her person. Tanis had already tied the back of her dress up, so she was decent--and with the lack of bloodflow in her body, nothing such as hickeys or the like could appear on her skin. She was fine to go out into the party again--no one was going to notice that anything happened at all, 'less they could read her mind. If memory served her correctly, the stone that was now within her chest should dampen that ability when used upon her . . .

As she unlocked the door, Eroina thought about what to do next. They were going back to the party, of course. That was a given. But what to do there? She figured that general socializing would ensue, but with who . . . and then, she had it. There were several people here that she preferred over others (and Tanis, although causing much discomfort before, was one of them)--which wasn't to say that she disliked anyone, just wound up spending more time with others. If she could get all of them together . . .

"I think I have an idea! Just follow me~," she announced cheerfully, once again regaining her enthusiasm. It didn't take much to get her happy again, that much was for sure.

[Titan]

"Very well." Out from this place of treasures the two of us went, leaving behind the events that had transpired between us inside. Even the ever-so-hinted at They would be unable to find evidence of what I had done to her. "Unlike the primitive methods of the Mon'Keigh." What few psychic beings the Imperium founded were either trained in the arts of war or sacrificed to prolong the ebbing life of their failing Emperor. This thought momentarily gave me pause; it was strange indeed that the Imperium had no influence on this world. At least none that I had seen. It was as though this place were foreign to even they. Though it was understandable. "The short-sighted fools."

With each step we took towards the gathering of others, I became more and more distant, as though what personality Eroina had found in our time alone was being hidden away. When we reached the doorway barring us from the main room I was as stoic as had been when I'd found her with the other two men. Prepared then to once more be amongst other people, I opened that barrier for her so we could step again into the crowds.

[Nayt]

[Continued in this thread.]