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The Gypsy Queen
02-26-2010, 05:43 AM
Another day, another credit.

Branwen hadn't been doing the guide thing long, but it was by far the best gig she'd had in Sitchel. It beat working the street corners in Section 18 by far, and it even beat swinging around a poll at the Lounge. The hours were good and the pay was excellent and there were even benefits.

But she hated this part.

She was still new, fresh off her training and years long apprenticeship to an older guide, so the groups she got were small. As a matter of fact, there was only one being in the Awakening room, and his form was stark against the dull gray floor. Branwen hurried past him to the protection circle, pressing a button on her earset.

" Initiate security sequence four, full body restraint and gag." she intoned softly, eyes on the sleeping being's form, biting back memories of her own arrival.

It had not been nearly so neat or clean.

She tested the shield around her as it came up, shifting nervously as the floor hummed to life beneath her, magically ensnaring the being so that he would be unable to move or speak, and any magic or abilities he had would be rendered useless. She pressed another button on her earset.

" Guide number 656, requesting Awakening Sequence initiation."

" You are go for initiation in five mins, Guide. What are initial readouts?" A woman's voice responded in a bored tone.

Branwen squinted as she tried to focus on her holographic screen as it spread from her earset.

" Bio scan indicates one bipedal vertebrate, apparent male..." Branwen blinked as the screen blipped and the data suddenly went blank. " Uh... Dispatch, I'm getting an error in the read out."

" I'm also getting an error, Guide. System is unable to successfully log being type. Logging this one as unique. Handle with extreme caution."

Branwen gulped a bit. That was never encouraging to hear. She knew of Guides who had lost appendages after hearing that.

She winces as the telepathic broadcast began, as it was always like nails on a chalkboard to her. As it wound down she took a deep breath and prepared herself.

The room seemed to electrify with tension, and she knew he was awake.

“ Welcome.” She spoke in a loud, clear voice, thanking the Gizmos for translator microbes in her head. “ Please remain calm.” The scripts they made her read were truly dreadful. “ You have been absorbed by the plane called Sitchel. You are being restrained for your safety, as well as mine and those around us. You will be released momentarily, after I am certain you understand your situation fully. I am your Guide. My name is Branwen, and I am charged with your protection and education in this plane until the time comes that you are fit to provide for yourself. I am your ally in this plane. We are in this together."

“ I will now release the gag on you and return your ability to speak. For your safety, you will still not be able to move. I must remind you to please remain calm and be considerate. I will do my best to assist you in any way and answer all of your questions.”

" Lapse to security sequence code three."

Branwen bit her lip, waiting for the response. She was in a dangerous situation. A being like this had never been detected in Sitchel, and there was no telling what he could do.

Lerouge
02-26-2010, 07:13 AM
Stribog stood quietly on the cliffs overlaying the ocean on his home planet, his back leaning quietly against the bark of a nearby tree. His eyes were closed and he was allowing the wind to blow against him, it was comforting and cooling and caused his robe to flow slowly. One of his favorite pastimes was to play with the wind, it had always been his favorite element ever since his birth and would spends days on end simply controlling the the wind. His favorite title given to him by the few visitors of his lonely planet was by a fellow in a green who called him "Windwaker." Sadly that was the last time he had seen that fellow, he seemed to be a very musical fellow.

It was nice to be able to relax and the solitude was rather comforting, yet his restless side was starting to get annoyed and begged for some excitement. "Hush you..." Was the last thing he remembered saying before it happened. One may ask "what happened?" but the truth is it was impossible to explain, the atmosphere around him seemed to vanish leaving him in a state of nothing. One now might say what could nothing feel like something but honestly the more you think about it the more you truly understand the feeling of it. The feeling lasted only a moment before it vanished and the nothing became a very tight and restricting something.

Stribog was trapped, his body unable to move at all even after all the force he was using to squirm. Darkness was all he felt and one could say this was the first time he felt like he would die in his entire being. It was a welcoming feeling and his body transformed uncontrollably from one form to the other at the thought of it until he finally retained his human form and stilled. "This isn't so bad..." he thought to himself and simply waited.

Welcome. Please remain calm. You have been absorbed by the plane called Sitchel. You are being restrained for your safety, as well as mine and those around us. You will be released momentarily, after I am certain you understand your situation fully. I am your Guide. My name is Branwen, and I am charged with your protection and education in this plane until the time comes that you are fit to provide for yourself. I am your ally in this plane. We are in this together.

The bindings around his eyes and mouth vanished allowing him to blink them open and gaze around the room. His eyes gazed at the woman in front of him, a form he hadn't seen in... well come to think of it he couldn't remember seeing any like her. How strange... how did he come to be here? Where did he come from? His body retracted in fear his size changing into the feline form and his blue eyes gazed at the one called Branwen. "I am Stribog... Where am I? How did you bring me here? You called yourself Branwen correct... where did I come from?" He added the last in a hush whisper as he stared at her.

The Gypsy Queen
02-26-2010, 07:47 AM
Branwen didn't move immediately, watching the being change forms. He didn't seem intimidating yet, and shapechangers were nothing new, but she knew better than to trust everything she saw.

It was the hushed whisper, the tone of fear and sadness, that struck her.

She'd been in Sitchel for a long time... longer than nearly anyone else. And she had a special place in her heart for the newcomers, as vulnerable as they were. But long years exposed to the constant dangers had hardened her some.

Maybe not enough though.

She knelt to her knees. The new form was that of a large white cat with stripes, and although it was beautiful, she was grateful for the shield. It looked like he could do some damage.

" Yes, my name is Branwen. You are on a plane called Sitchel now, and I did not bring you here. And I don't know where you came from any more than I do. We all lose our memories when we are absorbed. I'm sorry."

Lerouge
02-26-2010, 09:28 AM
Stribog watched her quietly for a few moments and looked around him eyeing the security bubble surrounding him, wherever he was there was someone very powerful that created all this. His inner self was crying, he could feel the tears in his own eyes from fear something he hadn't felt in a while during his solitude. This form protected him, it was his security blanket that kept him safe even in the most dangerous of situations. He took a deep breathe and closed his eyes before he spoke.

"So I am assuming I am trapped here until you have determined how dangerous I am? It is quite obvious I am no threat to you, so would you kindly release me and let me go?" He spoke slowly a sense of pleading in his voice, he wanted nothing more than to just be alone again. Old habits died hard he suppose, but he cared nothing of this Sitchel he simply wanted to no longer be afraid.

The Gypsy Queen
02-26-2010, 09:41 AM
" You aren't trapped here. I'm your Guide now. It's my job to teach you how to survive here." Branwen touched a button on her earset and the shield dropped. She stood and approached the being, Stribog, slowly.

She wasn't sure why, but she didn't think he'd attack her. She thought he might be even more frightened of her than she was of him. But some of the most beautiful beings she'd seen in Sitchel had the most vicious bites, so she remained cautious.

He wasn't her first arrival to guide but she'd not done very well with the last two... they'd not made it far before one committed suicide and the other disappeared. She wanted this one to work very badly, not just to keep her job, but to prove she could do it at all, even just to herself.

" I'm supposed to be the person you can rely on here... and I'll take you anywhere you want to go."

Lerouge
02-26-2010, 06:54 PM
As the shield dropped be felt the wind blow into the previously still bubble calming him gently as he took a few deep breathes. His tiger form was dangerous and if he wanted to he could have killed her at that spot, but he assumed his death would be soon to follow. "I wonder what happens when you die..." He muttered softly to himself.

I'm supposed to be the person you can rely on here... and I'll take you anywhere you want to go.

"Person I can rely on? Please... you couldn't even tell me why I am here how could you even hope to gain my trust like that?" Something inside him clicked as he talked to this being his normal desire to attack and kill was rather subdued, although it might be due to the bindings he had. Although something else seemed different to him as well, his inner form was being comforted by her voice and presence and they almost connected. "This guide business you are doing, I am going to assume you are new at this because of how you act around me. You need to be more brave and strong when you talk to people otherwise you aren't going to live in this world too long."

The Gypsy Queen
02-26-2010, 07:58 PM
Branwen sat down, cross-legged, in front of Stribog, smiling. He was right, she did need to be more confident...

But she wasn't going to be bullied.

" I have told why you're here. You were absorbed by this plane. Sitchel absorbs beings everyday. It absorbed me, you and everyone else in this world." She paused to smile again, feeling more confident by the moment. " And yeah, I'm new at being a Guide. But I'm not new in Sitchel. I've survived here for almost a hundred years. You won't find many others who've been here that long. And I know you won't find anyone who knows more about Sitchel than me. So you could be worse off than being stuck with me, I think."

Lerouge
03-02-2010, 03:29 AM
Stribog stared at Branwen for a moment raising an eyebrow before laying on the ground before her, his tail waving in the air behind him. This world was interesting to say the least, but his kind were not allowed acquaintances let alone someone similar to a friend. His mind was screaming on the inside yet his body remained perfectly calm for now arching down against the ground, the perfect position to dive for an attack.

"What if I don't want a guide?" He said gently to her closing his eyes and trying to relax his inter-self which was trying to claw at his own chest trying to escape. "I'd much rather just leave if it is all the same to you, so would you mind releasing me?" His eyes opened and looked up at her his claws digging into the ground under him slightly still trying to retain the desire to attack. "Or I could make you."

The Gypsy Queen
03-02-2010, 05:12 AM
Branwen stood up, dusting her pants off as she did, reaching back to tie her long black hair into a pony tail.

" Sure. Let's go." she said, moving to open the invisible door in the gray wall. " But stay close, okay? Lots of big nasties with super munchies out here."

Branwen led Stribog out of the Awakening room, and into the maze of high ceiling, bright white halls of the Guild. After several minutes of sudden turns and fast walking, she led him out to the lobby, waved to the one eyed, purple receptionist, and out onto the busy street.

She almost immediately backed up again, practically tripping over her feline charge in her effort to avoid a swooping Venetian moss carpet.

" Like those. Don't touch them." She muttered, grabbing the door to keep from sitting on him. She then led him out and darted to the left, keeping close to the rows of buildings and shops.

She could sense her charge was uncomfortable. She wanted this one to work. She needed it to. And she only knew one way to make people around her calm. She tried to exude confidence and calm.

" So, you hungry? I figure we can grab some lunch, maybe check out the Edge. You a carnivore, herbivore, or little of both?"

Lerouge
03-04-2010, 01:14 AM
Stribog stared after her for a moment as she walked toward the entrance of the roomed and opened the door, this seemed like it was too easy. He could have ran past her by now and been gone into the world around him yet something about this girl was keeping him her. He stood up and followed her, his curiosity getting the better of him as he followed the guide out into the streets of Sitchel.

His eyes widened in amazement as he looked around the streets his jaw dropping as his eyes looked up and down the street. This was completely different than his home planet, which consisted of mostly trees and plants, but now he was surrounded by buildings as tall as the biggest trees he had ever seen. The creatures walking the streets were nothing short of frightening to amazing, each one different than the last. However, the one thing that caught Stribog's attention the most was how many people there were on this "planet." The streets were filled with creatures of all shapes and sizes rushing past each other determined to get to their destination.

Suddenly he felt her body almost pressing against him and he looked up at her confused seeing her staring at a carpet flying by at their feet and cocked his head curiously. "This place is interesting..." He muttered as they continued their way down the various alleys that the city help.

"So, you hungry? I figure we can grab some lunch, maybe check out the Edge. You a carnivore, herbivore, or little of both?"

He stopped and blinked at her as if she had spoken to him in an unknown language and cocked his head to the side. "Loonch? Carnevoore? I'm sorry I don't understand what you mean."

The Gypsy Queen
03-04-2010, 03:34 AM
Branwen kept walking, gnawing on her lip a bit. This was the trouble with inconclusive bioscans. She had no idea how her new charge ate. She assumed he had to have some kind of nutrient needs and some way to meet those needs... every being she'd ever met had.

" You know, like nutrition? Do you just need sunlight?" she received a blank stare. " Or maybe you're the one being in all Sitchel that doesn't consume at all." she muttered. " Um, okay. If you need anything, let me know, but in the mean time, let's go check out the Edge."

She had noted Stribog was rather shy and opted to walk with him to the Edge. The crowds stuck to the main roads and it gave her a chance to walk him through some of the less populated areas of Sitchel, past some of the more interesting landmarks, including a giant ball of yarn, a coral reef in a tree, and a meadow, full of purple grass, so pristine and pretty she could almost feel the sun.

But the colorful landscape gave way to bare rock and gray sand as they drew closer to the Edge. Finally, an end to the horizon appeared, staring out into blackness.

" So this is the Edge." she announced. " I never really got Sitchel till I saw this, so I think it's important. All you've got to do is walk up and look over. If you get dizzy, step back... and try not to freak out."

Branwen waited to see what he would do when he stared out into the unblinking gaze of infinity and creation.

Lerouge
03-13-2010, 08:51 PM
Stribog blinked curiously at her as she explained nutrition to him and simply cocked his head to the side to stare at her. "My kind don't need anything to survive... to be quite honest I'm not entirely sure how I survive... or came to be. My memories are fuzzy.." He sighed as he run a paw to his head and rubbed softly his body calming and transforming back into his human form as they left the main streets of the city. His paws changed to fingers as the rest of his body arched up losing the fur from his skin. He ran his fingers through his silver hair and secured it behind his ear before looking at her. "This losing my memories thing is frustrating... I wish I knew more about myself."

"The Edge?" He asked as she continued walking and only received no answer as they walked by a large ball of yarn. His eyes widened at the sight of it and his hand reached out to swat at it softly. His curiosity in this place called Sitchel was growing every moment and his mind was slowly spinning. "So... Sitchel absorbed this? Why would it do that... does this absorption serve any purpose?" He turned to face Branwen and found her already a few steps away waving her arm for him to follow.

"Come on." She muttered and smiled at him. He sighed softly and shrugged before following her. She was right Sitchel was amazing and the Edge was something he would have never fathomed.

All you've got to do is walk up and look over. If you get dizzy, step back... and try not to freak out.

He blinked at her curiously as he stepped forward and looked over the edge and simply gave a gasp. It was incredible to see something so big and seemingly endless trapped in this world with him. "The power of Sitchel..." he turned toward Branwen and looked into her eyes. "Why are we here? Why did we get absorbed... what is this place?"

The Gypsy Queen
03-13-2010, 09:41 PM
" Sitchel..." Branwen began slowly, sitting next to her feline charge. " Sitchel is like the hall monitor of planes. The Church says that it was created by the gods to monitor the expansion of every plane in existence. If a plane gets too big, Sitchel absorbs parts of it to get back within size requirements." She paused, to make sure Stribog was following her. " Sometimes we get buildings or plants or even landmarks... but sometimes we get beings. Like me, like you, like almost everyone on Sitchel. And when we get absorbed, we lose all but a few of our memories. So no one knows really who they are." She looked back out over the edge.

" The Church says it's a fresh start. That we all get absorbed for a reason, even if we don't remember what that reason was." She pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them, the wind ruffling her long black hair. " I think it's all random." she remarked casually, smiling at Stribog. " But, we all go through the Arrivals Guild, to help us adjust. Well, I didn't. There was no Guild when I arrived. And it really is an improvement."

Lerouge
03-13-2010, 10:05 PM
Stribog sat down next to her and dangled his legs over the side and kicked them back and forth against the wall behind his ankles. Few pieces of soil gave at his touch and fell into the space below vanishing into the darkness never to be seen again. He was listening very carefully to Branwen as she spoke yet he was busy exploring Sitchel in his own way. His hands rested on the ground below him and his heartbeat sent a pulse of energy through his body and into the ground below him. At first everything felt normal until his energy seemed to vanish into nothing, could this world have another level underneath?

"The Church?" He asked at once his attention finally sparked. The concept of religion seemed odd to him, many people following on set of rules at the command of some unseen being. It was very... fluid in his mind and didn't seem to fit how he thought... must be cause of the rules of his kind which he was breaking by being next to this guide. "How can a place with so many different kind of people believe in a Church... it doesn't make sense?"

His curiosity with this world and particularly with Branwen was rising quickly, he wasn't used to having a conversation with anyone but the wind. "A fresh start huh? Well... maybe this is what this is going to be for me?" For the first time in centuries he smiled at someone else. "So we are stuck here? Well... I guess I can't help it. So... do I need to see someone about my arrival or am I free to just be?"

The Gypsy Queen
03-13-2010, 10:39 PM
" The Church worships Sitchel itself and is devoted to the aid of the beings in Sitchel." Branwen rattled off. " At least, that's what I'm supposed to say. The Arrivals Guild is owned by the Church." she added with a grin.

She listened to Stribog speak and felt magic moving beneath her... she'd never felt magic like this before. Returning his smile, she opened her hand and released a few glowing pixies into the air, letting them dance just over the edge.

" We're all stuck here... and you are free. I'm just here to help you."

Lerouge
03-14-2010, 01:27 AM
Stribog smiled once again, he had never really been free before just alone. His eyes turned toward the space in front of him and with a shout of joy he leaned forward and dived into the abyss below feeling the wind blowing against him as his body straightened into a straight line increasing his speed. He could hear the frightened scream of the guide he had just left behind but he simply ignored it ass he leaned his body back and did a kicking motion with his legs that allowed him to shoot up out of the abyss and into the air above the opening. His body spinned in circles as he flew over Branwen and stared at the horizon of Sitchel.

It was an interesting feeling not being alone and it was more interesting that his body wasn't rejecting it and killing everyone he saw. Perhaps this lose of memories had broken the tie he had to his race? He thought about it a moment as he floated there before shrugging and floating down toward the guide and stopped in front of her still levitating over the empty abyss.

"Fine I have decided." He announced proudly as his arms wrapped in front of his chest. "You can help me and I'll help you, I'm assuming there is a reasoning you are so intent on not letting me just go so I shall stay with you." Suddenly he held his hand out to her and smiled once again. "Friends?"

The Gypsy Queen
03-14-2010, 01:48 AM
Branwen rested her hand over her pounding heart, panting lightly as Stribog landed. A thousand outrages were flying through her head and she opened her mouth to tear into him, but nothing came out. Instead, she shook her head and took his hand in hers, gripping it.

" Don't scare me like that." she muttered, raising her eyes to meet his.

And it happened quicker than it usually did. She'd never had a name for it, it was just something that happened when she looked into the eyes of other beings. It always started with a pulling feeling in the back of her neck and usually she could stop it, but this time it happened too fast.

A before she knew it she was swirling in the ethereal sensation of another being's soul, feeling was was perfectly and in total essence Stribog. It was a big, overwhelming feeling, and at first it was good and electrified, like amazing sex, but underneath there was a darkness that was forever pulling her inward. An ugly, angry darkness that was trying to smother her and she couldn't quite...

She stumbled a little bit, feeling heavy and exhausted. And suddenly fearful. She glanced up at Stribog. She'd seen into him, and by default, he had seen into her... and everything that lurked within her as well.

Lerouge
03-19-2010, 07:20 PM
Stribog was comforted by her presence, something about this guide was making him completely lower his guard. It was both thrilling and utterly frightening and the way his body moved closer toward her as she expressed her concern just confused him. Instincts I suppose take over, no matter what type of creature you are you always yearn for that one carnal desire. "Sorry..." he began saying but the word vanished almost as quickly as it came out as the feeling of a hook wrapping around his neck and tugging him overwhelmed his thoughts. He felt as though he was going to fly forward against her and at once changed at the feeling, but not physically. His body remained human yet the mind that explored her was of his beast form.

He had never before known the feeling of pleasure and if he had to guess this is was how it felt, like there was no air around you just this wrapping of another being. He felt warm and safe and yet intrigued so as flashes of images came into his eyes. A younger Branwen arriving in Sitchel, fighting, running.... flesh... there was so much of her. It was as if he was getting a life story presented to him but more so than that... it was as if he was becoming part of her. Then it was gone and he was back on solid ground staring into the eyes of Branwen, his breathe coming in short gasps as his legs trembled under him threatening to collapse.

"You... have been here a while..." was the one thing he could think of saying at the moment wondering if that entire situation was intentional or not. "Why... how? Wow..."

The Gypsy Queen
03-19-2010, 07:45 PM
Branwen put her hand on Stribog's shoulder to keep them both upright. It was always like this. Sometimes good, sometimes bad, but it had always left her shaking.

" I don't... know what it is. It's just always happened. None of the other Sidhe here in Sitchel can do it. Maybe it's cause I'm half Sidhe but..." she took a deep breath to calm her rambling. " I've been here for almost a century. Things were a lot different back then." she stepped back from Stribog reluctantly, testing her legs out beneath her, before smiling up at him. " You know, I like the cat form too, but you're pretty handsome like this."

She could look into his eyes without any fear now. He'd seen her for what she truly was, and whatever magic lay in her eyes had no more pull on him.