|
Post by Lillith on Jun 14, 2009 22:20:32 GMT -5
::In the dead of night, Lillith leads Julie into the courtyard::
Alright Julie... I mean Anya, damn that's going to be confusing. Can you turn that disguise off for just a second? It's just me and Shaft out here.
::Shaft stands in the center of the courtyard tapping his foot impatiently as the two of them make their way to the cobblestone center between the circle of stone pillars::
Shaft: 'Bout time you two showed up. We're burning moonlight here.
Just fire it up.
::Shaft shakes his head and pulls his spear from behind his back. He slams it point down into the ground. The stones beneat their feet rumble and Lillith pulls Julie back as they start to fold away. A large object rises from the dirt to stand at about seven feet tall. It's a flat round looking-glass with a surface that becomes brightly polished as the dirt falls away from it. The moonlight shining on it makes it glow with a strange raidiance::
What do you think? Just an artifact we recovered from Madain Sari. It only works during a full moon, and as luck would have it, that's tonight. You ready?
|
|
|
Post by Julie Loire on Jun 14, 2009 22:44:22 GMT -5
"It's confusing for you? You should try being two different people someday."
:: She looks up at the sky, and sighs. ::
"Alright, why not?"
:: Her hair and eyes quickly shift back to their natural states. She's still wearing Anya's clothes, equipment, and even makeup - but she's at least recognizable as Julie Loire. While Shaft begins some kind of ritual with a spear, Julie wraps her arms tightly around herself, glancing about self-consciously. She almost expects Clive to jump out of nowhere and shout "Ah-ha!" ::
"Yeah, sure. Um... what am I ready for, exactly?"
'This really isn't anything like the Balamb exam...'
|
|
|
Post by Lillith on Jun 14, 2009 22:57:26 GMT -5
::Lillith and Shaft exchange a glance::
Just step through. I promise it'll make sense.
|
|
|
Post by Julie Loire on Jun 14, 2009 23:20:28 GMT -5
"Okay..." :: It doesn't make any sense at the moment, but Julie gets the idea that Lillith isn't going to be any more forthcoming on the mechanics of the test. So she takes a few steps forward, and reaches out experimentally to touch the surface of the "artifact". She's only mildly suprised when her hand passes straight through. :: "Just so you know, Lillith... this is really weird." :: Not wanting to delay things any further, Julie takes a deep breath and walks forward into the looking-glass. :: ((OOC - Just call me Alice. : )
|
|
|
Post by Lillith on Jun 14, 2009 23:32:04 GMT -5
(OOC: I don't think I will. You've got enough aliases as it is)
::Lillith watches with a cheeky grin as Julie vanishes into the shimmering surface of the mirror. A shrill cry from the garden doorway makes her and Shaft whip their heads around::
Rose: NOOOOOOOOOO!!!
::Rose is sprinting towards them at full speed, her white nightgown fluttering in the night breeze and her long dark locks hanging loosely around her shoulders. Lillith glowers at Shaft::
I thought you said she was asleep.
Shaft: She was... I thought.
::Rose reaches them and has to lean on Lillith to catch her breath, heaving a few deep sighs while stooped over::
Rose: Tell me... you didn't... send Julie... through that mirror.
Alright, I'll tell you I didn't send Julie through the mirror.
Rose: How could you? We haven't even tested it yet!
Well no time like the present. Relax, she's tougher than you think.
Rose: But you don't even know what it does! We haven't finished translating the runes yet!
We got a general idea. Besides if we didn't do it tonight, we'd have to wait a whole month before we could use it again.
Rose: I just hope you know what you're doing. And you mister... the couch!
Shaft: The couch?!
Rose: For a week!
Shaft: A week?! Come on baby, don't be hasty about this!
Rose: Don't "come on baby" me! I told you to talk her out of this! If one hair on that girl's head is harmed, I'm going to... to..
::Lillith groans::
Oh Rose don't threaten to withold poker night again. You know you're the first one to cave.
::Rose just folds her arms and glowers::
|
|
|
Post by Julie Loire on Jun 15, 2009 0:38:56 GMT -5
:: Julie squeezes her eyes shut as she steps through the mirror. She feels a wave of... something pass over her, and then all is quiet. As she begins to open her eyes, she can detect faint echoes of sounds. ::
"Hello?"
:: The darkness around her is constantly shifting, with patches of color looking as if they're trying to break through. A spectre nearby begins to solidify into the image of a young boy. Julie regards him curiously. ::
"Um..."
'Is this part of the test?'
:: The boy runs straight at her, and Julie takes a step back - only for the boy to run straight through her. She stares at the space in front of her in shock, letting out a gasp once she realizes she's been holding her breath. Slowly, she turns around to see where the boy went... ::
-*-*-*-*-
:: Julie suddenly finds herself standing in the middle of a crowded town square. She frowns, and turns to look behind her. The empty space she was in is gone. ::
"Okay... where am I now?"
:: She turns to a random passerby. ::
"Excuse me? What town is this?"
:: The man walks right past her, not even acknowledging her existence. ::
'How... rude!'
:: She steps forward, towards another townsperson. ::
"Pardon me, I was just wondering..."
:: The girl turns to face her and smiles. Then, in a completely unexpected turn, rushes forward - passing right through Julie - into the arms of a smiling young man. Julie just stands there, with an utterly bemused expression. ::
'Are they... ghosts?
"Hello! Can anyone hear me?"
:: Julie waves her arms around, but nobody notices. ::
'Uh-oh... am I a ghost?! What kind of test is this?!'
:: She wanders around a little bit, but the townspeople are all just as ignorant of her existence as the first two. She can't even understand anything they're saying. Slowly, panic starts to settle in. ::
'Wait a minute. What if I'm stuck here?! No... Lillith wouldn't do that. But what if she didn't know?'
:: Julie starts frantically searching around for the mirror. She tries retracing her steps, back to the point where she appeared, but nothing happens. ::
"Lillith! Can you hear me? I think something went wrong!"
:: She waits for an answer, but all she hears is the incoherent echoes of the townspeople. ::
"Lillith? Shaft? Anybody?!"
'Oh, God... I might never see them again. I might never see anybody again...'
:: She slowly sinks down into a seated position, cradling her head in her hands while tears threaten to form. She speaks in a soft whimper. ::
"Will someone just... please... notice me?"
|
|
|
Post by Natalia on Jun 15, 2009 0:45:17 GMT -5
::A pair of feet clad in black boots stops directly in front of her. When she looks up, the lighting completely shadows the woman's face, but it's clear that she's female::
What's wrong? Are you lost? It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you.
::She reaches her black gloved hand out for her, but Julie doesn't respond::
I don't understand. What are you so afraid of?
|
|
|
Post by Julie Loire on Jun 15, 2009 0:55:05 GMT -5
:: Through the echoes, Julie hears one clear voice speaking, and sees a mysterious woman standing in front of her. ::
'Huh?'
"You... you can see me?"
:: Julie scrambles to her feet. ::
"Do you know where I am? I walked through this mirror and..."
:: She suddenly frowns. ::
"Wait... who are you?"
|
|
|
Post by Natalia on Jun 15, 2009 0:57:04 GMT -5
Answer my question first. What are you afraid of?
::The wind blows through the woman's dark hair, echoing in a chilling manner along the walls::
Say it out loud.
|
|
|
Post by Julie Loire on Jun 15, 2009 1:09:11 GMT -5
"What am I afraid of? Lots of things. Little things, you know? But why...?"
:: Catching a glimpse of a couple of the townspeople laughing together out of the corner of her eye, Julie realizes what the woman means. ::
"Oh. Um... I guess... I'm afraid of losing everyone. Rainii, Dad, all of my friends. I never had anything like that before they found me."
:: Her eyes start to well up a bit again. For a moment, everything is clear and apparent. ::
"... I don't want to be invisible again. Ever."
:: She looks up at the woman, and her voice gains a bit of an edge. ::
"Does that answer your question?"
|
|
|
Post by Natalia on Jun 15, 2009 1:13:06 GMT -5
::Julie can see the woman's eyes, a shadowy amethyst color. They glow and cut through the shadows around her face, illuminating her features::
How silly. No one is going to make you disappear. They're always reaching for you. So long as you reach back, they'll always be there. And as long as you understand that, you'll be able to move forward.
|
|
|
Post by Julie Loire on Jun 15, 2009 1:40:35 GMT -5
:: Julie's eyes widen, and she takes a step backward. ::
"No... but... you're dead!"
:: She just blurts out what she's thinking, even though in the back of her mind she considers how impolite it is to tell someone standing in front of you that they're dead. She quickly looks over her shoulder at the townspeople, then back at Natalia. ::
"You're not really... her, are you? This is part of the test, isn't it?"
:: It takes a moment, but Natalia's words do settle in, causing Julie to wonder what the real point is behind the enigmatic metaphors. ::
"So, is that how I'm supposed to get out of here? What does that even mean?"
|
|
|
Post by Natalia on Jun 15, 2009 1:49:18 GMT -5
::Natalia steps out of the darkness and allows Julie to see her in full profile, dressed in her knee length trench coat she wore for travel::
You are correct. I am not Natalia. I am simply borrowing her face. These past years you have strived to follow in the footsteps of your sister. In life, Natalia was your sister's teacher. She's a face you associate with guidance as well as your aspirations. So as your guide I took on her appearance.
::She indicates their surroundings::
This you see before you is the first stage of the test. In an older time it was used for a clan of mages when they came of age to take their place among their elders. It seems it's purpose has been renewed in a different location. The test is three-fold: Maiden, Mother, and Crone. They can appear in any order at random. You have just completed the first. This was the Crone. It reflects what you fear. Realizing your fear opens the gate to the next stage.
::Behind Natalia, a sliver of light shines. It grows into a diagonal slit like someone has cut a hole in reality::
Follow me.
::The woman steps through the light, vanishing from Julie's view::
|
|
|
Post by Julie Loire on Jun 15, 2009 2:02:11 GMT -5
:: While listening to "Natalia", Julie steadily calms herself down. It was all part of the test, and a part that is now over. She's not sure yet if she should be looking forward to the rest of the exam. For all she knows, it could be worse. ::
"I'd like to ask what the next stage is, but you probably can't tell me anyway."
:: She watches Natalia disappear through what she assumes is some kind of portal. With a long sigh, she follows. ::
|
|
|
Post by Julie Loire on Jun 16, 2009 1:49:12 GMT -5
:: On the "other side", Julie finds herself seated at a small vanity table. Her clothes have somehow changed into an elegant dark blue evening gown, and her reflection is made up as if she were getting ready for a formal event of some kind. She looks down at herself, then back at her reflection. Absently fidgeting with her chandelier earrings to make sure that they're real, she speaks her thoughts aloud. ::
"... Is this part of the test?"
:: She stands up, and turns around. Natalia, or whoever her mysterious "guide" really is, has disappeared. ::
"Natalia?"
:: She lets out a small "eep" as an arm wraps around her waist from behind, spinning her around and pulling her in. Before she knows what's happening, she feels a pair of lips against her own. ::
"Mmph!"
:: Shocked and repulsed, her first instinct is to shove the intruder away. But, at the same time, something about it feels so... right. Her confusion delays her for a moment before she finally manages to push away, and gets a good look at her molester. ::
"... Clerian?!"
:: Her heartbeat quickens, and she feels heat rising in her face. She had dreamed of that moment for years, and now she had ruined it. Clerian, however, doesn't seem bothered at all, beaming at her with a very un-Clerian-like smile. ::
Clerian: "Come on, Jules. Afraid to smudge your lipstick again?"
:: Julie snaps back before she even realizes that she's supposed to think, and then speak. ::
"Shut up! You surprised me, that's all."
:: For some reason, Julie feels compelled to look at her hands. A diamond ring sits on her left ring finger. Upon closer examination, she finds an inscription hidden in the etched pattern - "Clerian & Julie Soulflare". ::
?????: "Mommy?"
:: The small voice speaks from the open doorway. Julie turns to see a little girl, no more than four or five years old, standing there. Even at first glance, Julie can see traces of both herself and Clerian in the girl's features. Her blue-green eyes are almost exactly like her father's, and she has wavy, strawberry blonde hair tied up in pigtails. Julie once again finds herself reacting before she can think. ::
"Allie, honey, what's wrong? You should be in bed."
:: The girl rubs her eyes and nods. ::
Allie: "Uh-huh. But, I heard a monster in my closet."
:: Clerian kneels down next to the child. ::
Clerian: "Now, Allie, you know there aren't any monsters in your room. And you know why?"
Allie: "Because... monsters are afraid of you and Mommy?"
:: Clerian smiles. ::
Clerian: "That's right. We'd never let them near you, and they know it."
:: Julie takes a step backward, trying to sort her thoughts before events sweep her along with them again. ::
'This isn't real. It's... wonderful, but it isn't real. That's not Clerian... not even close. He'd never stop being that dense soldier, even if he did manage to settle down.'
"... This isn't right."
:: Clerian turns to face her, frowning. ::
Clerian: "Jules? What do you mean?"
:: Julie takes another step backward. ::
"That! Right there! Clerian would never call me that. Even if we were..."
:: She can't bring herself to finish the sentence, afraid that the non-reality of this whole thing will drive her to tears. ::
Allie: "Mommy?"
:: The little girl's plaintive wail manages to bring out a few tears. ::
"Look, just... go away. You're not my husband, and that's not our daughter. This is just that stupid test again."
:: The scenery around her starts to twist and distort, including Clerian and Allie. Her head reeling from the optical assault, Julie blacks out. ::
((OOC - This is a long enough post as-is. I'll finish this part after a short break to prevent blindness.))
|
|
|
Post by Julie Loire on Jun 17, 2009 1:04:24 GMT -5
:: As Julie returns to consciousness, the first thing she notices is the familiar feeling of being carried. She tries to remember what happened, but after she stepped through the portal was a blur. All she can manage to recall is a pair of vaguely human shapes - one large, one small - in a distorted room, speaking in the same unintelligible echo of the ghost townspeople. As she feels herself being gently set down against a large rock, she slowly opens her eyes. Clerian Soulflare looks back down at her. ::
Clerian: "You alright, Julie?"
:: Julie blinks once, having a strange sense of deja-vu. Without knowing why, she glances at her bare left ring finger. ::
"Uh, yeah. I'm fine."
:: Curiously, she peeks over the rock. Hordes of golden-eyed sorceresses can be seen in the distance. Then, with a similar curiosity, she looks back at Clerian. ::
"You came back?"
:: Clerian gives her his usual slight smile. ::
Clerian: "I said I would, didn't I?"
:: He faces the advancing sorceresses, gunblades at the ready. ::
Clerian: "You'd better get out of here, Julie. I can hold them off for now. If you can reach the airship..."
:: Julie pulls herself up against the rock, using it for cover as she repositions herself for battle. The thought of leaving Clerian somehow fills her with a sense of determination - and a faint echo of the possibility of loss. ::
"I'm not leaving you again, you thick-headed brute. These sorceresses aren't that powerful. We can at least drive them back."
:: Clerian shrugs, tightening his grip on his blades. ::
Clerian: "I guess I can't make you go. You're as stubborn as your sister."
:: With a faint smirk, he continues. ::
Clerian: "At least tell me your father has reinforcements on the way."
:: Julie shakes her head. ::
"No... I couldn't get through on the comm. It's just us."
:: At that, Clerian takes a deep breath, shakes his head, and charges into battle. Meanwhile, Julie covers him with elementally-charged bullets from the safety of her rock. They start out well, taking out a large number of sorceresses. But, more keep coming - and, eventually, some of them start throwing up protective barriers that prevent Julie's gunshots from getting through. Grabbing her stun knife - and strangely feeling as if she shouldn't have it at the moment - she leaps over the rock and runs to Clerian's side. The two stand almost back-to-back, Clerian charging through their opponents with his gunblades, and Julie executing her dancelike knife-fighting attacks. But, inevitably, they get overrun. Clerian speaks calmly, but with an almost sad undertone. ::
Clerian: "... Looks like we might not make it out this time."
:: Julie lets out a grunt as she fends off a particularly powerful magical attack from one of the sorceresses. ::
"Don't say that... don't ever say that! We can still get through. We just need to cut a path, right?"
:: Gasping for breath, Clerian draws closer to Julie. ::
Clerian: "... Sorry. I don't think I can make it."
:: He pauses for a moment. ::
Clerian: "Julie... I just want you to know..."
:: Julie's eyes widen slightly. ::
'Clerian... not like this...'
:: Clerian smiles - for once, without reservation. ::
Clerian: "I think... I lo-"
:: His voice is abruptly cut off, becoming a stifled gurgle. One of the sorceresses' ice projectiles has stabbed him straight through the midsection. ::
:: Suddenly, the scenery around them and the sorceresses disappear. Julie simply doesn't notice them anymore, and so they don't exist. All that exists is Clerian's lifeless body next to her. Through her own sobs, she forces herself to speak. ::
"Cl... Clerian?"
:: Even though she's crying, she gets a feeling that she should have a much deeper sense of loss. She kneels down, reaching out to cradle Clerian's head... and her arm passes through. The body dissipates as if it were made of smoke. ::
"It... wasn't real..."
:: Her tone is a complex mixture of emotions. Confusion about the whole ordeal, sadness at Clerian's continued absence, a pleasant feeling that he's still alive out there somewhere, anger at whatever caused her to live through that... among many, many others. But, above all, she regrets not being able to hear Clerian say what she really wanted to hear. Even if it wasn't real, she still wants to hear it. She wants to convince herself that it's true. ::
|
|
|
Post by Natalia on Jun 17, 2009 1:35:44 GMT -5
I suppose this means your Maiden is harder to attain than most others.
::Her guide is standing over her again in the same uncanny likeness of Natalia::
This phase of the test is the Maiden. It reflects your wants and desires. Some never return from this. They prefer to stay in their fantasies. I myself am a little surprised that you were able to overcome this one. You've wanted it for so long, and it's something more than all the treasure in the physical world.
|
|
|
Post by Julie Loire on Jun 17, 2009 1:44:52 GMT -5
:: Julie sighs deeply. Real or not, the intensity of that experience is likely to stick for a very long time. ::
"... Yeah. I guess it is, huh?"
:: With a sniff and an ironic chuckle, she continues. ::
"I probably wouldn't have made it if he had finished that sentence..."
|
|
|
Post by Natalia on Jun 17, 2009 1:52:36 GMT -5
I understand. It's a powerful thing.
::She turns and brings her hand down in a slicing motion, cutting open another gateway::
Come. The final phase of your test awaits. You shouldn't linger here in your fantasies. They'll only bring more pain.
|
|
|
Post by Julie Loire on Jun 17, 2009 2:01:55 GMT -5
'Can't argue that...'
:: Julie takes one final look over her shoulder, and sees a faint image of Clerian again for a moment. The figure shifts, becoming vague images of other men before disappearing entirely. ::
'Maybe someday... for real.'
:: Hesitating once more, in anticipation of the next test, Julie cautiously follows "Natalia". ::
|
|