Promised Rendezvous

[Nayt]

Eroina had to struggle a bit to get the ties done on the back of her dress. Her face contorted as she fumbled around where she could barely reach, and simply could not see. The girl had really been hoping that Tanis might help her out a bit, but after her disappointing him, she should have figured that he wouldn't want to do her any favors. Finally, after minutes of struggling, she managed to finish the ties so that the dress was once more somewhat taught upon her body. That was all she had needed to do, really. Walking around with the dress half on wasn't an option, and walking around naked was certainly even less of an option!

Just as she got out of bed, Eroina realized that she did have one more thing to do: fix her hair. It didn't take much, but she used her hands to flatten out her hair, making it seem as if she hadn't been laying in bed . . . or fooling around with anyone, for that matter. It helped that she had no blood flow, too, if only because she couldn't receive hickey marks on her skin--not that she knew what they were. Had she, she'd have been a bit more cautious when he was kissing and nibbling and suckling on her neck.

All this taken care of, Eroina walked to the door, a bit solemn. She really did feel terrible for disappointing him! That feeling only worsened once they were outside, and Tanis declared that he didn't feel like going back to the party--rather, that he felt like he wanted to leave.

"Ohhhh . . . b-but . . . but . . ." Eroina whimpered.

Any semblance of a good mood had left her, now. The little girl, a walking, cleaned up, stitched up corpse as she was, was sad. She hung her head and didn't say anything for a long time, and before she brought herself to speak, she acted: standing close to Tanis, the eternally youthful Eroina wrapped her arms around him. She especially didn't want him to leave if it was her fault.

"Please don't leave because of me . . ." She whimpered again, "I'm sorry--I'm sorry . . ."

[Titan]

Once again, I sighed. There was an inkling of fear that had begun to develop as I saw more and more of Eroina, discovering first hand her naivety and the way in which she could be so easily manipulated. Her future could be greatly troubled if she was not properly taught of the world and its machinations before she was further exposed to the toxins of the outside. Here, despite the despicable taint of this land, was safer for her because she was amongst those that understood and took care of her. Eventually, though, I felt its safety would grow wan. Hopefully by then, Eroina would be more assertive and sure of herself, able to survive the rigors of the world.

After a moment of hesitation after she'd hugged me, this minor blur of time in which it took me to reflect on the girl and my feelings for her, I returned the embrace. An arm looped around her shoulders and my other hand's digits began gliding through her hair, finger-combing it. This was brief though, and afterwards I put slight distance between us two by pressing lightly on her shoulders. I bothered sharing with her no facial expressions for I was so used to not giving them. My hood casting shadows over my visage was the main reason for their uselessness in this situation, though.

In all, though I did not feel beholden to this girl, sharing no true emotional attachments, I chose to act in her favor. My staying was obviously of some form of importance to her, so I would not disappoint and dishearten her, leaving her more vulnerable to the other guests present. "I shall stay until such time I find no reason for my presence here. Is this satisfactory?" My hands were removed from her and placed on my hips, I leaning back in time with this motion. This was a more neutral stance that could prepare me for whatever her reaction might be. I wished to be ready, so that when presented with the option I could ask her,

"Where is the stone I gifted to you?"

[Nayt]

The stone . . . right. Eroina looked down a bit, hesitant to reply. She had it, yes--of course she did! It just wasn't on her person at the moment. Would he be angry with her? This seemed like maybe it would be a sensitive subject. Eroina really loved his gift! She didn't mean disrespect by not having it on her person at the moment, but she just had nowhere to hold it--not with this attire, at least.

"I . . . I didn't have anywhere to keep it . . ."

It was true--she didn't have pockets or anything, nothing with which to store something like a valuable, shining stone, but all of her gifts were really quite safe! All stored and stashed away where no one else would get to them, and she could go through them later and try on all the dresses and jewelry, observe all the interesting stones and remember the stories and songs she had heard. She could also eat some of the things she had been given, but those were kept in a different place, somewhere they could be kept chilled . . . like that eye, that delicious kraken's eye that she wanted to prepare a dinner with as soon as unlivingly possible.

Of course, this didn't mean that she felt good about storing her gifts away for the moment. She wanted to have Tanis's gift on hand or maybe Baleron's necklace, but she had so many necklaces and pieces of jewelry by this point, and she couldn't hold the stone anywhere--there were no pockets on her dress.

"I-it's with all my other presents at the moment," she whispered, hoping that Tanis wouldn't be disappointed with her again--if she thought it might help to beg for him not to feel that disappointment again, possibly even cry that she'd go and get it right now, she would have.

[Titan]

I nodded. "So long as it is safe." Moving to stand by her right side and place in the crook of my left arm her closest hand, I began to walk and lead her back in the party's direction. It would seem that even the one time Eroina had led me through here was enough that I could know my way.

I wasn't dissappointed so much as I was slightly disconcerted that she had not the stone with her. I understood. She had been given many things, undoubtedly a high count of jewelry pieces. In the minds of these mon'keigh it wouldn't be right for me to declare my gift the most precious of all and demand she wear it above-all-else. Very luckily for myself, I did not have the mind of these people.

"The Dreamstone is an artefact unique to my people. Because of the material it is formed of, the affects of psionic skills are vasty reduced in ability against it. Similarly, the one that wears the gem is provided a measure of its defense, shielding them from the rigors of mental attack and limiting the effects of outside influences." When saying this last part I motioned to the palace with my free hand, as if indicating that I saw this place as an interferring stimuli.

"It is very important that you keep it with you always. It can protect your young mind and keep you safe."

We hadn't been walking for very long by this point. If Eroina was aware of our surroundings though, she would find our path had deviated. No longer would we reach the party by continuing on this trail; instead it would seem as if something else was guiding my way through the castle, bringing me closer to that gift of her's I had made. "If you wish, I have a means to ensure you never lose it.

[Nayt]

Incidentally, that would also reduce the effects of drugs upon Eroina. This would theoretically require her to take sixteen hits from an opium hookah rather than eight to have her mind in the stars. That wouldn't be too problematic, as the girl hadn't done much recreational drug use in her short un-life, and didn't really intend to, unless she had friends that were also doing it. Then, it would just be a matter of participating for the sake of enjoying something with companions--much like when she smoked opium with Fifteen.

Psionics . . .

"Tanis, what are psionics?" she asked curiously.

By this point, the effects on her dress that Fifteen had caused had all but stopped. It had been some time since the magic was used, and it took time to wear off--but it inevitably had. She was fortunately unable to be disappointed by this, as the effects wore off whilst she was not wearing the sun dress.

They were, indeed, headed away from the party--towards it for a good while, but then they took a corner before reaching it. Eroina didn't pay much attention to the party itself at the moment, as her curiosity was much stronger than her want to socialize, if only for a moment: just what was psionics, anyways? She'd never heard of the word, or even the concepts of what it entailed.

[Titan]

"Psionics. The use of psychic, or mental, energies to achieve an effect on ones surroundings. Life is ruled by the mind. The body is moved because the mind demands it. A stronger mind can command the world. Or even the stars." I didn't really think when I gave my answer. It just came to me naturally. It was an inherant part of my people. Which almost made me pause.

Even the most simple of functions in my people's culture required inhuman psionic skill. Merely firing a weapon demanded a psionic command. Yet here, so many of these people knew nothing at all about such capabilities. Again I was reminded of the differences between these people and I. Again I fearfully thought of the daemonic implications. Just because they were ignorant of psychic skill didn't mean they were immune to it.

Coming out of my reverie, I felt that we had drawn close indeed to the location of Eroina's dear goodies. It was now that I stopped, bringing her to a halt with me so I could turn and look at her. Found by my hand, down came the hood off my head. I wanted to take a moment and talk with her, before we had actually found the Dream Stone.

"Now. As before I told you, there is certainly a way to ensure you have it always. This process can be slightly painful. Never, though, will you have worry of losing it.
Afterwards, giving her a moment to collect her thoughts, whether or not she then made her decision I would begin leading us on again. My face again in shadow. Letting her mull things over during the walk.

[Nayt]

Well, that sounded pretty cool! Eriona looked up in thought, wondering what it would be like to move something with her mind. Would it hurt? And how much would she be able to lift? A rock? A boulder? The whole palace of vice? Perhaps if she could, she'd be able to take everyone for a nice flight-like stroll through the clouds! But alas, she could do no such thing, and if this made her resistant to it (for some reason which she could not personally understand, as she didn't understand why anyone would want to maliciously cause anyone harm), it would likely also make it impossible for her to use.

"Painful?" she asked, "How painful?"

If the pain wasn't close to her head, it wasn't able to be felt--this was, for the most part, a blessing. She couldn't feel any semblance of pain unless it was so intense that it bordered on extremely aggressive and intentional torture, which they had put her last leg through, just to tell what he pain threshold was, and it took them nearly an hour of trying different things (from breaking toes and smashing her ankle) before skinning the bottom half of her leg and repeatedly prodding her exposed calf muscle with super-heated brands. Then, they got her to do a bit more than wince, but not too much more. She had called out a loud "ouch!," whimpered and whined, and asked them very politely to stop, and they did--and they also replaced her leg shortly thereafter.

Anything else probably wouldn't feel nearly as bad, and Eroina might actually be willing to commit to it, primarily because she probably wouldn't feel it, 'less it was on her head. She still had normal pain receptors there, as dulling those would have required dulling her brain.

Eroina's gifts were kept in a fairly large and well lit room--and by the time she had been able to get up, move around, and socialize, there had been quite a lot--much to sort through, but they were all well taken care of, and she appreciated them all equally. Well . . . maybe the eye (which was currently in a large refrigerator in the kitchen, as per her request) a little more than everything else, because it was so darn tasty! Better than any of the food that was cooked for her rebirthday party, and better tasting than everything else altogether--not to say that everything else food-wise tasted bad. It all tasted great to her! Just vastly inferior to the deliciousness of the kraken's eye.

Aside from her gifts, all kept neat and undamaged, with jewelry arranged in one spot, clothes in another, necklaces in another, and so on and so forth, so they didn't get mismatched and lost or broken (or both!), it wouldn't be too difficult for Tanis to find the stone he had given her, especially with that crazy mojo sense he had that was somewhat similar to what some of the natives here had with opium.

[Titan]

Note: Making a modification to my text coloring that better fits.
Speech
Thoughts
Telepathy
Narration
_____________________________________________

"I believe the entirety of it would depend on whom the process was performed. Most Mon'K.. those few of mankind blessed with the privilege have, after returning to consciousness, explaining it as a painful burning sensation. Indeed." By this point we had reached her little prize-room, and as if drawn to the stone like a moth to the flame I found it's chillingly smooth surface softly heat, then brighten to a radiant blue matching the gem at my neck merely by my touch. When I returned to her I kept my right, now ungloved hand closed around the object. My other moved to stroke at her forehead with a single digit.

"Infused into the forehead, merging the Dreamstone with the skull enables proximity and maximizes its caring protection." I had realized this would be a rather big decision for her. Not so much because it was painful; I was sure she could overcome it in the end. Mostly, though, because she would be permanently marked with an object she didn't fully understand by someone she knew even less of. I wasn't about to force her to do this, but I would insist she did keep it with her.
Tanis took no notice of the way his fingers lingered upon young Eroina's forehead, brushing at her skin through the interference of his thin silken gloves.

[Nayt]

The head? The forehead, specifically. Eroina looked up with her eyes only, and when Tanis removed his finger, she put her hand up to move her bangs a bit. If it was in her forehead, it would certainly be noticeable. Then, she'd be in super huge trouble with the people that took care of her. They'd probably scold her endlessly, sedate her, and take it out, even if they had to go so far as to cut the bone of the forehead away and fashion a different but similar bone harvested from another corpse. Then, the stone would be lost, and she'd have squandered a very thoughtful gift which seemed to have a world full of uses!

Eroina shook her head. "They'd see it."

Not to mention it was her head: she could feel that. Because of her (almost) inability to feel pain from the neck down, she had a fairly low threshold for pain. Just a scratch on the cheek could make her cry. Some sort of burning (and she remembered that sensation from the brands) would have been horrifyingly painful. There had to be some other way, though, some other place on her body that it could go and not be seen. After all, if it could be seen, it could be removed, and it was fairly difficult for her caretakers to keep track of everything that was inside of her body, if only because that was all for effect--some of it worked, but only for looks, so she didn't appear to be too outlandish when she was with other people, and that was all.

Then, she had an idea. Eroina poked at her chest with her index finger, indicating the area of the upper left side of her chest--where a human heart should be located.

"What about . . . here?" Eroina asked, "On the inside."

If it left a scar normally, it wouldn't there--and if there was a mark of incision, then it wasn't like she couldn't "accidentally" trip and fall down the stairs, and claim it to be an injury that was obtained via that, and if she accidentally broke her neck or something, she'd especially feel nothing, and be all back to normal the next day. She knew how it worked already--there had to be a reason for her injuries, or else she'd be scolded. Self mutilation wasn't something they were going to approve of, even if she could barely feel any pain from the neck down.

"It's not like my heart actually works . . ." Eroina whispered.

If I even have one. She didn't know. She never asked.

"A-and . . . e-even if . . . even if I wasn't wearing this," she tugged on her dress a bit, "No one would see it if it was on the inside."

[Titan]

"They..." I knew who they were. The mysterious individuals who'd worked their magic in bringing back to functionality the precious girl standing before me. Already I held distain for them and their secrecy. Now though, Eroina seemed afraid of doing something that might upset them; it made me angry. Only momentarily, though. Both of the stones would reflect this inner conflict by taking a soft red hue before settling back into a peaceful blue.

I stood there before Eroina for a moment, as if lost in thought. There were likely very few, if any, that could hope to withstand the rush of ideas blurring through my mind presently. A fraction of time later and I stood straight, gloved hand laying on the girl's shoulder absentmindedly. "It is your choice. If it's something you would want, they," and that I said with a note of contempt creeping into my voice, "should have no say in the matter. Unless..." Though I gave her a curious look, my hood would prevent her knowing it.

"You don't want anyone else to see it?

[Nayt]

"W-well . . . u-um . . ."

There was some truth to that. If it was on her forehead, it would stick out glaringly unless she wore a hood like Tanis, and she rather enjoyed wearing just a sun dress or something frilly and covering, but still not so much that she couldn't feel cool breeze. That was amongst a large list of her favorite things in life: the breeze. When she felt it, it became such a fantastic sensation that she could bring up the will to dance with it all morning, noon, and night, if permitted--but breezes were fickle dance partners, unable to keep a partner for much longer than a few seconds.

She didn't want to say that, though, in fear that it might hurt Tanis's feelings. She wanted the gift for all it was worth--inside of her if that was what he wanted, just not on her forehead or anywhere it could be seen. If she could get it inside of her heart (if she had one--in the chest cavity in general if she did not), it would fit her needs better.

"I-it doesn't matter what I want when it comes to my body," she answered, "They said they will keep it this way at all time, s-so . . . they'll cut it out if they see it . . ."

Which wasn't a lie at all--it just wasn't the primary reason behind her decision. Certainly it was a good reason, and one of the factors into her decision to have it placed in her heart instead of in her forehead, but the deciding factor was the ability to function normally. She didn't want to be anymore outlandish than she already was; a glowing gem in her forehead would simply make her stand out even more--a walking corpse with a glowing forehead. That would attract more attention than she really wanted.

"C-can it be done? In the heart?"

[Titan]

"....I am unsure." My position had changed. The two of us were walking again, I because I had chosen to, Eroina because I had slipped my arm around her shoulders and drew her against me. "I have heard only of the stone being fused to the skull, where best it can interact with the mind. Insufficient is my anatomical knowledge of humanity to accurately determine proper focal points to which it could bond."

This was actually only partially true. I knew enough of humanity that, if I chose to, I could doctor moderate inner wounds one might receive; were another Eldar injured, I had the skill to administer live-saving treatment. Still did I only know of the forehead being a key location for the Dream Stone. Had I not the necklace given by my mother on which to wear my own, I would have had her perform the process. Too late though, was it now. Yet honestly, all of this was just a side-track of my thoughts. I was thinking more upon these they.

"I'm sure if we asked them we could find a most suitable place for the gem." Eroina spoke of these individuals as some kind of overbearing masters who dictated what she did with her life. If the girl were opposed to the idea of we all coming face-to-face then I would have to be more pressing of the matter. Or find another way to locate them. I was now determined not to leave this place until once, at least, had I spoken to them.

[Nayt]

It didn't take long for Eroina to realize that they were walking. This was problematic, as she didn't want to face the issue of him wanting to speak with her caretakers. She didn't want to face that issue with anyone, even. That was simply a road she didn't want to go down. Already, she had explained that she wasn't supposed to talk about them in much detail, and that sort of included having people meet them. She came to a stop before they could leave the room. She wasn't ready to leave, not yet--she still had a bit to say.

"Could we try it . . .?" Eroina asked, pausing a moment before she clung to his arm, "Please?"

This was how the gift was supposed to go, right? It was to be embedded into her body somewhere so she'd never lose it, and it would always effect her. Her forehead wasn't a good idea for obvious reasons, but someplace where it wasn't visible was perfect, and that's exactly what she wanted. It wasn't to have him go meet her caretakers--or anyone to meet them, for that matter--it was to get the most out of the gifts that everyone at the party so generously donated to her, because she appreciated every last one of them, and wouldn't feel right if more could be done. Everything she had by this point would keep her occupied for so long, but she'd get to them all!

There was something else about it, too. She didn't was to disappoint Tanis, for one, but that was quickly becoming less of a reason than one of her own self-conscious woes. This was probably the only chance she'd get for there to be any use in her heart.

"I . . . I want something there to work," she whispered, trying not to sound disappointed with her own anatomy--the lack of a functional heart, specifically, if only because she didn't want to think about that sort of disappointment too much--it was never a pleasant subject, and always served to make her a little sad.

[Titan]

Like a deflating balloon, my lungs gradually emptied themselves of air. I looked over my shoulder at the girl. Refilling with a fresh and slow breath, I turned fully to face her again. On her shoulder was my hand again, I stooped somewhat to be more level with Eroina. Then I opened my other hand palm-up, to let her see closer the gem smaller than my own. I knew with the process performed, it would enlarge in size.

"Very well. If that is what you wish, then we need to find someplace private and quiet to perform this deed." I stood up tall again and took another deep breath, already beginning to focus and clear my mind so as to be ready for this undertaking laid before me. If I was going to do things this way, I would have to be careful. Though she may technically be dead, I had no idea if it was entirely impossible for me to end her.

Because this was what she wanted, I was going to leave the decision on where we would go up to her.

[Nayt]

"Okay, umm . . . n-no one should find us in here . . ." Eroina replied.

Just in case, though, she moved away from Tanis and to the door. They were already inside the large room that would've been bare were it not for her presents, and there was absolutely no one else within other than them. Eroina first placed her ear to the door, checking for voices, and content that there were none nearby, she locked the door from the inside.

No one was going to walk in, anyways--this was where all her presents were, and unless someone was going in there to steal some of them (which she didn't even consider, let alone suspect--there really was no need to steal here in Persistencia, even if one could ascend to a higher "economic" class, it wouldn't increase social standing, and all the pleasures in the world were offered to all, regardless of status, social or economic). She was perfectly content just leaving the door locked for the time being, until they were done in here--then they could leave. Well, after she was decent again. There was a pretty good chance that there would be a scar left after this, too, so it was even more imperative that she be fully dressed before they were outside again.

"There!" she exclaimed, trying to become cheery again.

Which was unnervingly difficult, as Tanis made her nervous in more ways than one. There was regret, anxiety, excitement, and fear all at once--and earlier, a new feeling she couldn't even begin to name. For her to be at least a little nervous around him should be expected by now . . .

Eroina, with her arms folded over her breasts, stood with her back to Tanis. He'd be able to untie the back of the sun dress, where it tied behind her neck, and let the cloth fall over before her--which, of course, she'd keep from going too far, with her arms crossed and all. That also meant he wasn't going to see anything intimate about her again, which she felt a bit reluctant to allow, now. Nonetheless, once that was done, he'd have the skin of her upper chest unveiled, and could begin the process of embedding the jewel into her heart--or, if she had no heart, as she suspected, embedding it into the empty space where a heart should be.