Amelie
Youngling
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Posts: 19
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Post by Amelie on Jan 30, 2013 21:26:50 GMT -6
Amelie didn't know what to think. They were in her head...it could read her mind! She did her best to think of Amelie- concentrate on Amelie- Amelie, who was nervous and excitable and owed her allegiance to no House.
Not Procella, whose instincts for self preservation even now made her back off and practically snarl at Khai and the mechanical fox:
"What is that? How are you doing this? I don't want any trouble, I swear. Leave me alone."
Ice and lemons and ice and lemons and ice and lemons...
She'd never done this before. She'd buried her personality, sure; but not to this degree. But there had to be some way to hide. She concentrated on those two words.
Ice and lemons and ice and lemons and ice and lemons...
And who is Khai to call me strange? Ice and lemons and ice and lemons and...no, Stabbity. Not yet. Not unless they make us.
Oh heck.
Ice and lemons.
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Khai Thorne
Parliament
Head Sorceress[M:0]
Played by { o p a l }
Posts: 33
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Post by Khai Thorne on Jan 31, 2013 6:47:26 GMT -6
"Ice and lemons. A strange thing to concentrate on, Procella."
"You're making me want lemonade, stop it. We're not about to harm you. If we were, we would've already." Khai trotted over to a desk, placed the books and papers on top of it, then jumped into the swivel chair behind it and lounged. She gestured to a seat. "You might as well sit down for the job interview. Something about courtesy and whatnot."
"She's not shown to be one for courtesy."
"Shush, Titu. Be nice to the poor girl. Interview, yes?"
"Don't call me Titu."
"Of course not, Titu," Khai replied sweetly. "Now, Amelie or Procella or whoever.. Care for some tea? I can ring one up."
The mechanical fox hopped along the ground, fluttering its wings, staring at their guest inquisitively. "Now, you. What's up with the coat?"
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Amelie
Youngling
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Posts: 19
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Post by Amelie on Jan 31, 2013 14:28:14 GMT -6
"Umm..."
Amelie (or Procella, or whatever) was actually shaking. She lowered herself into the seat that Khai had indicated and, still bristling slightly, took in their surroundings. For one of the first times in her life, she didn't know what to do. The feeling was not a nice one. She hadn't been expecting that psychic trick. She'd never met a sorcerer who could do that- let alone one who appeared to be a tiny mechanical fox. Was it some kind of...what did they call it...automaton? But it seemed sentient.
Then there was the Khai lookalike suspended in the tube. What was that all about? The sight didn't exactly sit well with her. Perhaps they were using it for some terrible experiment...
"I...well no, thank you, please," she said, at the mention of tea. While she was indeed thirsty, she knew better than to accept offerings from strangers. And such unusual strangers at that...
She looked at the little mechanical fox. Had it heard that?
"I just..." she began, and then trailed off. She had no words. There was no keeping things from these people. No keeping...no. Yes. Don't think about it.
"Hmm?" she said aloud, as the machine's question entered her thoughts. "It was cold outside. I don't usually wear this- it's pretty warm, though."
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Khai Thorne
Parliament
Head Sorceress[M:0]
Played by { o p a l }
Posts: 33
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Post by Khai Thorne on Jan 31, 2013 17:01:26 GMT -6
"Hmm. Interesting. I forget where I was going with that coat question."
"I didn't know in the first place."
"However, I must say that while either of us could easily poison you, we would've killed you long ago if we wanted to. Now, let's see here... oooh! What's this? A dagger?" The mechanical fox tilted its head, peering inquisitively at her as he seemed to mentally search through her belongings. "Memories, memories all over this dagger. It is beloved, yes." A strange humming sound came from the fox as it whirled its wings. "Yes. Your mind, it is in layers... there are your fake personalities, the walls you hide behind, then there is your true self... are you scared, Procella? You are among unknown beings of power unlike anything you've encountered. Are you scared?"
"You're a wolf among foxes, that much I can tell."
"Hush, sister, and let the girl speak." The mechanical fox looked at her with its dark flecks of eyes, unreadable and alien. It seemed full of curiosity and intrigue.
Khai was not looking at Procella, her gaze lay on the tank at the end of the room, her gaze full of a sadness rarely seen in the Head Sorceress' visage. She sighed heavily, then turned to the coat-covered Amelie, her eyes hard and unreadable.
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Amelie
Youngling
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Posts: 19
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Post by Amelie on Jan 31, 2013 18:26:18 GMT -6
Procella could feel him analysing her being, layer by layer, and she felt afraid- terrified, even. But, for whatever reason, Amelie did not go away. The mannerisms she used as she toyed with the hem of her robe and flicked her ears were Amelie's and, when at last she spoke; the accent- though maybe not the style- was that of her fox persona.
"I am scared, yes. But you already know that, I'm sure."
It had called Khai "sister". Procella wondered at this, wondered even as she feared and attempted to keep the machine from delving deeper into her mind. Her subconscious. Places that ought to be hers and hers alone. It had no right to be there!
In desperation she focused on the first thing that came to mind- Stabbity- and concentrated on his form. The iron, the rust, the blade. It wasn't going to work. Her mind was dancing from one thought to another, leaping like a frightened rabbit.
Khai's eyes were hard now, lacking anything even remotely playful or friendly. Amelie felt her hackles rise- say what they might, it could be that they were only playing with their food- perhaps she would have to fight her way out after all. The thought was nauseating. There was no way she could take them on and survive...
"I'm not, though," she snapped. "Not a wolf, I mean. I can be what I like."
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Khai Thorne
Parliament
Head Sorceress[M:0]
Played by { o p a l }
Posts: 33
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Post by Khai Thorne on Jan 31, 2013 19:27:50 GMT -6
Suddenly, both twins burst out laughing. One's laughter came through telepathy, the other was vocal.
"Oh, please. We don't eat canines, foxes, or felines."
"I can assure you that when we mentioned Khai's last secretary being eaten alive, we did not mean it that way."
The Head Sorceress seemed to sober up a little. "Anyway. Ah, yes. Interview. Might I be able to meet this Mr. Stabbity of yours?" She smiled politely. "I would be ever so honored."
"I must apologize for my sister, Procella... and Mr. Stabbity. She's been a little unstable ever since my incident. However, I would like to inform you that she's already quite set on having you as a secretary. We can provide you with quarters, food, shelter, drink, amusement, and a good group of lads and lasses, with side courses of adventure and far too many insurance salesmen. You'll also get a good salary-"
"Titu, let me at least meet Mr. Stabbity first."
"Khai, you're slowly removing every last shred of my dignity."
"Oh, and a fat lot of that you had in the first place. Now." She turned to Amelie again. "May I please meet Mr. Stabbity?"
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Amelie
Youngling
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Posts: 19
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Post by Amelie on Jan 31, 2013 19:43:26 GMT -6
"Incident. Ti...," suddenly, it made sense. In a crazy, almost nonsensical way.
"Oh. You're her brother?"
More than a little offput by this revelation, and by the siblings' sudden change in mood, Procella hesitantly reached for Stabbity. Perhaps...no, Khai could have hurt her in so many other ways, if she'd wanted to do so. But the thought of giving up the dagger made her feel even more vulnerable.
Procella carefully drew the weapon and placed him lengthways on the table, keeping one hand on his surface at all times in case Khai tried to snatch him away. The small mechanical fox was still whirring about, probably- definitely- still prying into her thoughts; and this knowledge didn't exactly endear him to her. It wasn't fair, and probably not legal. It shouldn't be legal, in any case.
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Khai Thorne
Parliament
Head Sorceress[M:0]
Played by { o p a l }
Posts: 33
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Post by Khai Thorne on Jan 31, 2013 20:09:22 GMT -6
Khai lowered her head to look at the old, rusty dagger with big green eyes. "Oh, who's a cute little Mr. Stabbity? Yes, yes you are. Oh, yes, yes you are!" On the last word, her voice increased in pitch, like a new mother cooing over a child. Reaching up with a paw, she gently pet the dagger's surface, a grin spreading across her face.
"Khai."
"Look at 'im, Titu! Isn't he so cute? Yes, yes you are! Oh, yes. Who's a cute little dagger now!"
"Khai. You are sitting in a flying ship's hull, right next to your semi-dead brother who is currently floating in a vat and watching through the eyes of a mechanical fox, with tentacles sticking out of your back, petting the dagger of an animal of ambiguous origin who was and probably will continue being a con and a thief. Does anything there seem preposterous to you?"
"Who's a cute dagger? That's right, you are! Little Stabbity-wabbity." She raised her head to look at Amelie with a wide grin, looking like a happy child and perhaps a little frightening. "I think that you are your dagger will fit in just fine on my boat of a brother!"
There was a telepathic sigh, and a slight feeling of embarrassment. "Again, I'm really sorry about my sister-"
"Shush, Titu. But yes. Will you take the job? I do believe Stabbity likes it here."
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Amelie
Youngling
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Posts: 19
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Post by Amelie on Jan 31, 2013 20:29:18 GMT -6
Amelie carefully sheathed Stabbity, keeping her eyes on Khai the whole time. Despite what either of them said, it almost seemed that Tiberius was the less dangerous of the two. He knew everything about her and, aside from making a few cringe inducing remarks; appeared to make no move to harm her. Khai, on the other hand...
Irritated, mad, happy...freakishly so...; her moods seemed to shift so quickly and without real influence.
Like currents of air
She was seriously considering turning down the job. Would it really be worth it? Having her mind poked at by mechanical sorcerers...what if there were other mind-readers about? What if Khai or the machine told others that she was a wolf? Despite their claims, other foxes might not be so forgiving...then again, hadn't she heard something about a truce of sorts? Perhaps she would just be returned to the wolven forces...and then she would be back at square one.
But there would be money- Tiberius himself had said that. True, her original plans were now out of the question; but she could still do well for herself here.
She had to weigh it up: setback against gain.
"I have to think about it, if that's okay," she said.
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Khai Thorne
Parliament
Head Sorceress[M:0]
Played by { o p a l }
Posts: 33
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Post by Khai Thorne on Jan 31, 2013 20:39:27 GMT -6
"Great! Welcome aboa-" The air was suddenly reversed around Khai's mouth, and the chair began to tip backward as she struggled against the rebel currents that tried to force themselves into her mouth.
"Of course we'll give you some time to think about it. Now that you know the full extent of our strangeness, you'll probably have to rethink the offer. I don't blame you." Tiberus fluttered up onto the table, looking at her from inside his mechanical fox. "I also must apologize from searching your mind- we perform that on every possible crew member, as a sort of infallible background check. If you do decide to join, both Khai and I- as well as our crew- will respect your privacy."
"Mmph! Mmmm!"
"Yes, sister," replied Tiberus in a monotone. "Of course, sister." He sighed as the Head Sorceress continued to flail. "You do remember, of course, that you are stronger than me in magic."
The chair flipped back into its former position, Khai back in her dignified mode, paws laid primly over each other on the desk. "Oh, right."
"You're going to a psychiatrist if you keep acting like this."
Khai coughed politely. "As I was saying, you are welcome back, should you decide to accept the position. However, please do keep in mind that it is not open indefinitely. Should you have questions or would like to accept, contact me at my office or pay another visit to Tiberus. Have a nice day!"
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Amelie
Youngling
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Posts: 19
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Post by Amelie on Jan 31, 2013 20:55:08 GMT -6
"Thank you both."
She'd hoped that she wouldn't have to actually ask aloud, but Tiberius' last statement to her had been annoyingly cryptic. Procella sighed softly through her nose- another occasionally explored mannerism of Amelie's- and looked up.
"You know what I'm going to say. Would you...tell them? That I'm a wolf, I mean."
But I'm not a wolf. She smacked the thought aside, remembering how they'd reacted last time; and waited anxiously for a reply.
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Khai Thorne
Parliament
Head Sorceress[M:0]
Played by { o p a l }
Posts: 33
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Post by Khai Thorne on Jan 31, 2013 21:04:39 GMT -6
Khai paused for a moment, head tilted in thought. "If you would prefer that to be kept a secret, we would hold our peace unless it endangered the crew as a whole, or the Fox Commonwealth as a whole. However, as I doubt it would, you may consider our lips sealed. I will say that our crew is fairly open-minded, and you may eventually desire to give them the news yourself."
The mechanical fox nodded. "Aye. You have my word, and the word of my sister."
"Do you think she'll accept?" Khai asked her brother telepathically, keeping Amelie out of their link.
His response was slow and measured. "I... do not know." The fox turned to her and frowned. "What special interest do you have in her?"
"She intrigues me. You know that I like things that intrigue me."
"Of course. Only reason you've kept me around."
"Oh, shush, Titu," Khai replied aloud with a grin, not realizing that the sentence would be completely non sequiteur for poor Amelie.
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