[There we go, the barely-there polite facade of the man sliding off the moment Henry forcefully rejects him. He's nearly happy to see it -- the way that knife suddenly gleams in the daylight, and he can only think to himself: That's it?
But before he can make an effort to defend himself psionically, Amelia is prepared. The sharp point of the blade reflects off of shimmering green magic, and Henry actually laughs, light but a little more cruel than usual.
Seems like they've reached the point of no return. He's weirdly pleased that Amelia seems to be a woman who will do what it takes to get this done; just as she said she would.]
Both skull and man?
[He asks first, lightly, and probably a little ominously. But hey, if they don't wanna salvage this weird skull, either-]
[The man is bashing himself against the wards and staggering back every time. The contents of the skull spill some more and it appears to dissolve into smoke when it makes contact with her green magic.]
[Henry doesn't have to take very long at all. Even with his powers not at their full capacity, this part is easy: his focus becomes pointed, fixated on a certain part of the man's body. And then, with a tilt of his neck, the sound of bones snapping -- the man's, his neck cracking loud and hard.]
[The effect is instantaneous. Amelia's brow just makes the slightest furrow at the sickening crack of bone and the sight of the man's neck snapping at an angle. The skull drops and rolls away from the body as it falls, leaning against the erected barrier. The knife clatters on the wooden planks of the bridge.
The body is dead and useless but the skull is rolling back and forth and the oily substance is bubbling. If Henry tries to hone in on its thoughts there are no longer words, just gibberish.]
[It's a little disturbing, maybe -- Henry's smile as the body crumples to the ground, or the way he loses interest in it just as quickly, eyes slotting over to the skull and its gibberish reflecting in his mind.]
...Hm. Nothing but nonsense. Do you think I could delve into its memory?
It might give us more insight as to exactly what this skull wants. Nothing good, I'm sure, but why not indulge ourselves?
[A beat.]
My powers aren't what they should be, of course, so I might not be able to linger long. Keep an eye out, though, all right? I won't be able to tell what's going on around me physically.
Go ahead then. No one will be passing by here any time soon so I'll look after you.
[And Amelia will figure out what to do with the body. Burning it is probably the best option (or feeding it to the creature in the lake but it's not the season for it shhh).]
If there's nothing of note, I'll just lock it away and dispose of it later too.
Then it sees the Earth. Oh, the oceans are so blue, there are so many plants, flowers, animals, humans, and life. Colors, pain, joy, air, fire, so much paint, so much to play with. Only one thought prevails:
HOW DO I TAKE THIS?
"It's simple!"
Somehow it is able to meet with this world's overseer. The image is fuzzy, and hard to make out but it remembers red, such a vivid red, and eyes that are darker than the canvas of the stars beyond. Even in this faint memory, one can make out a smile, a laugh full of insincere mirth.
"You need to learn about them, about all of this."
"Learn?"
"Yes, learn."
"How do I learn?"
"However you wish."
"You would let me learn from your children?"
Everything is starting to fade but it remembers his words in their final moments. It remembers that smile, that self-satisfied smirk.
"If you don't learn, you wouldn't understand why this is all mine. Why they're all mine."
"I don't understand."
"Then learn! Oh, but..."
The final whisper sounds vicious but excited.
"You'll find that my children do not tolerate guests who take and give nothing in return."
And so the creature enters as a guest, trying to learn. It gets the most reaction in the form of fear, in the form of entering their bodies, warm and full of life. But his children and not even hers want nothing from it and reject what it has to give. Those who belong to neither are easier to compel but there is little to learn from them and they are too weak.
Those who reject, it will take their blood and learn from that instead.]
[It would never be able to take it all because it couldn't understand. It tried to understand but no one would give it anything because it didn't have anything to give in return.
It just wanted something of its own.
It wanted to understand what made this world beautiful.
To become something more, something whole—...]
... Mr. Creel? Henry. Henry?
[Amelia's voice tries to reach the psychic to see if he's done trying to probe for the creature's memories. The skull has stopped being active and there's nothing but still sludge that no longer has life in it.]
[He isn't sure what he's seeing at first, the memory unlike any he's experienced -- detached from the world below, teeming with life. Swirling with blue and wisps of white. But Henry can make out the sense of two... somethings speaking. Entities? The skull and another. A bright flash of crimson red.
One seeking to learn from "his" children. Who? The ones below? That other voice, so insincerely cheerful; in a way, he's reminded of himself, though perhaps to a lesser degree.
And that cannot mean anything good.
There's a sense of wanting to understand, to be whole again, but to always find everything and everyone lacking. And then, his name. ... Mr. Creel? Henry. Henry?
[With a concerned frown, Amelia gives him a once over. She surmises that he must have seen something puzzling.]
Are you alright? Did you see anything that was concerning?
[As for the skull she'll be kneeling down to briskly trace some runes around it. Her magic creates a cube to box it in so she can hold it in her hands without touching the oily sludge.]
I hope that wasn't too much effort to exert for you.
[He's fine, but there's a telltale warmth trickling down his left nostril, the bloody nose that comes part and parcel with excess strain. Must be because his powers aren't at their full capacity, and he brings a hand up to wipe it away, not terribly concerned.]
Maybe more than what's recommended until my powers return fully. But I really am fine. I've been through worse.
[He shakes his head.]
That skull... Was talking to someone else. Someone who claimed this Earth as his. I remember a flash of red.
[Whoops, she forgot that psychics can get nosebleeds. Reaching into her pocket, she produces a package of small tissues and offers it to Henry, listening to his reply.
And when he mentions 'a flash of red' she freezes.
For just a second she looks angry. But it isn't at him, no, it's certainly something else and Henry can pick up the harsh whisper of her thoughts that have escaped even through the constraints of her mind.]
It's always, ALWAYS, something with him.
[Her voice is calm. Controlled.]
I see. [And even though he's wiped his blood away, Amelia just presses the tissues into Henry's palm regardless.]
[He's keen on denying that pack of tissues, but it's suddenly in his hands with her expression flashing with anger, and that thought--small, but present--echoing in his mind.
His brow cinch. Calm and controlled isn't enough for him to let that go.]
"I see"? That's it?
[Ma'am, no.]
Did you recognize that [that what? person??] voice?
I do. [Surprisingly honest, yet again. But she also promptly makes her stance clear.]
Right now, I do not wish to talk about that person. I will not be offering an explanation at this time. It may come up later, but do not ask anything else about him until I decide if the timing is acceptable.
[She's holding her magic cube that has the skull boxed in, gripping its sides tightly as Henry questions her.]
Because Mr. Creel, when it comes to that person, he puts me in a bad mood.
[It's never as simple as that but she's not lying. She hardly does but Amelia does withhold and shorten her narratives for her own sake.]
I suppose depending on how long my whole endeavor to help you takes and based on what I'll be doing to achieve that, he may show up sooner or later. Ask your questions then. Not now.
[Almost funny how quickly the skull has become a non-issue. But then again, was it really ever, between the two of them? The "task" at hand was dealt with quickly and swiftly. No, now Henry is all too invested in the story behind just how this thing ended up on Earth.
Still, there is something about the bluntness of her honesty that Henry can bring himself to appreciate: talking about him puts her in a bad mood. Fine.]
Fine. Not now. But I don't want to wait until the last minute, when this stranger comes knocking at our proverbial door, to learn about him.
No, I want to know sometime before that. But I'll give you time to let this process, if that's what you need.
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sunfloras2023-04-20 07:42 pm
no subject
But before he can make an effort to defend himself psionically, Amelia is prepared. The sharp point of the blade reflects off of shimmering green magic, and Henry actually laughs, light but a little more cruel than usual.
Seems like they've reached the point of no return. He's weirdly pleased that Amelia seems to be a woman who will do what it takes to get this done; just as she said she would.]
Both skull and man?
[He asks first, lightly, and probably a little ominously. But hey, if they don't wanna salvage this weird skull, either-]
no subject
[The man is bashing himself against the wards and staggering back every time. The contents of the skull spill some more and it appears to dissolve into smoke when it makes contact with her green magic.]
But don't take too long.
no subject
[How one might act without the other.]
All right, then.
[Henry doesn't have to take very long at all. Even with his powers not at their full capacity, this part is easy: his focus becomes pointed, fixated on a certain part of the man's body. And then, with a tilt of his neck, the sound of bones snapping -- the man's, his neck cracking loud and hard.]
no subject
The body is dead and useless but the skull is rolling back and forth and the oily substance is bubbling. If Henry tries to hone in on its thoughts there are no longer words, just gibberish.]
𝟑ጎቻ𝟗𝟗𝟗𝟒;ቻረፏል𝟑;፪ልረዪፏረኡቻጮጮጮነ...ሠክፏረልቻኡጋፏቻፏⶴቻⶴፓ—...!!!
[Amelia walks to the bridge and gives Henry a nod of acknowledgement]
Good. It's better this way. Now as for this thing... Is there anything you can sense from it?
no subject
...Hm. Nothing but nonsense. Do you think I could delve into its memory?
no subject
[Amelia was just aware of the telekinesis and telepathy/mindreading. Memory diving though? His suggestion intrigues her.]
If you think it's worth it.
[With a wave of her hand, the barrier shrinks so that it encases the skull. The body it used drops and dangles halfway off of the bridge.]
no subject
[A beat.]
My powers aren't what they should be, of course, so I might not be able to linger long. Keep an eye out, though, all right? I won't be able to tell what's going on around me physically.
no subject
[And Amelia will figure out what to do with the body. Burning it is probably the best option (or feeding it to the creature in the lake but it's not the season for it shhh).]
If there's nothing of note, I'll just lock it away and dispose of it later too.
no subject
So he nods.]
Here goes, then.
[Ans then, closing his eyes, he tries to dive into the skull’s memory — if it has any to share.
How successful is he?]
1/2
Then it sees the Earth. Oh, the oceans are so blue, there are so many plants, flowers, animals, humans, and life. Colors, pain, joy, air, fire, so much paint, so much to play with. Only one thought prevails:
HOW DO I TAKE THIS?
"It's simple!"
Somehow it is able to meet with this world's overseer. The image is fuzzy, and hard to make out but it remembers red, such a vivid red, and eyes that are darker than the canvas of the stars beyond. Even in this faint memory, one can make out a smile, a laugh full of insincere mirth.
"You need to learn about them, about all of this."
"Learn?"
"Yes, learn."
"How do I learn?"
"However you wish."
"You would let me learn from your children?"
Everything is starting to fade but it remembers his words in their final moments. It remembers that smile, that self-satisfied smirk.
"If you don't learn, you wouldn't understand why this is all mine. Why they're all mine."
"I don't understand."
"Then learn! Oh, but..."
The final whisper sounds vicious but excited.
"You'll find that my children do not tolerate guests who take and give nothing in return."
And so the creature enters as a guest, trying to learn. It gets the most reaction in the form of fear, in the form of entering their bodies, warm and full of life. But his children and not even hers want nothing from it and reject what it has to give. Those who belong to neither are easier to compel but there is little to learn from them and they are too weak.
Those who reject, it will take their blood and learn from that instead.]
no subject
It just wanted something of its own.
It wanted to understand what made this world beautiful.
To become something more, something whole—...]
... Mr. Creel? Henry. Henry?
[Amelia's voice tries to reach the psychic to see if he's done trying to probe for the creature's memories. The skull has stopped being active and there's nothing but still sludge that no longer has life in it.]
no subject
One seeking to learn from "his" children. Who? The ones below? That other voice, so insincerely cheerful; in a way, he's reminded of himself, though perhaps to a lesser degree.
And that cannot mean anything good.
There's a sense of wanting to understand, to be whole again, but to always find everything and everyone lacking. And then, his name. ... Mr. Creel? Henry. Henry?
Henry opens his eyes. His brow is pinched.]
I'm... here. I'm fine.
[What the actual fuck was that.]
no subject
Are you alright? Did you see anything that was concerning?
[As for the skull she'll be kneeling down to briskly trace some runes around it. Her magic creates a cube to box it in so she can hold it in her hands without touching the oily sludge.]
I hope that wasn't too much effort to exert for you.
no subject
[He's fine, but there's a telltale warmth trickling down his left nostril, the bloody nose that comes part and parcel with excess strain. Must be because his powers aren't at their full capacity, and he brings a hand up to wipe it away, not terribly concerned.]
Maybe more than what's recommended until my powers return fully. But I really am fine. I've been through worse.
[He shakes his head.]
That skull... Was talking to someone else. Someone who claimed this Earth as his. I remember a flash of red.
no subject
And when he mentions 'a flash of red' she freezes.
For just a second she looks angry. But it isn't at him, no, it's certainly something else and Henry can pick up the harsh whisper of her thoughts that have escaped even through the constraints of her mind.]
It's always, ALWAYS, something with him.
[Her voice is calm. Controlled.]
I see. [And even though he's wiped his blood away, Amelia just presses the tissues into Henry's palm regardless.]
Let's go back. Thank you for your help.
no subject
His brow cinch. Calm and controlled isn't enough for him to let that go.]
"I see"? That's it?
[Ma'am, no.]
Did you recognize that [that what? person??] voice?
no subject
Right now, I do not wish to talk about that person. I will not be offering an explanation at this time. It may come up later, but do not ask anything else about him until I decide if the timing is acceptable.
[yeah, she's not budging.]
no subject
And why not? Does talking about it now put us in some kind of danger, or are your associations just that bad?
no subject
Because Mr. Creel, when it comes to that person, he puts me in a bad mood.
[It's never as simple as that but she's not lying. She hardly does but Amelia does withhold and shorten her narratives for her own sake.]
I suppose depending on how long my whole endeavor to help you takes and based on what I'll be doing to achieve that, he may show up sooner or later. Ask your questions then. Not now.
no subject
Still, there is something about the bluntness of her honesty that Henry can bring himself to appreciate: talking about him puts her in a bad mood. Fine.]
Fine. Not now. But I don't want to wait until the last minute, when this stranger comes knocking at our proverbial door, to learn about him.
No, I want to know sometime before that. But I'll give you time to let this process, if that's what you need.
no subject
Here's what you need to know if you're so curious. It's all you need to know. Everything that you and I are doing?
He probably just finds it all very, very, funny. We are free entertainment. And the less you think about it, the less we can continue unhindered.
[And without another word Amelia leaves.]