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Post by Luka on Jul 29, 2008 2:32:57 GMT -5
"Ah!" he said suddenly, straightening up as he shook a finger at her. "It's a secret! I can't just go and blab my secret to everyone! Besides...it would take away from the mystique...the dark, mysterious atmosphere that surrounds my reputation." He laughed then, amused with his own words.
"Besides," he said, "It isn't what you are, it's what you DO. And it isn't what you do, it's HOW you do it." The young man snickered, "Of course in some cases it can just be who you do but that's something else entirely..."
He raised his brows, "So what exactly did you think of Lord Cain? I met him a long, long time ago." Dietrich jutted a thumb over his shoulder, "Way back in the day when I was younger." Of course, some might say he was still only just a child. "What was your first impression of him? He's a pretty great guy, wouldn't you say?"
++++
Isaak listened to the being talk, his thin, heavy-lidded eyes gazing out into the distance. "Maybe I'm a sucker for alternate endings. Maybe my priorities aren't what you think they are...One thing I would like to know though is why you seem to take interest in this particular arrangement. I mean, it's just another conflict, isn't it? Just another little thing to jostle the world around...it isn't the first time this has happened."
The man smirked, "Or do you think that things just might be for real this time? The world just might be jostled upside down..."
Of course both of them knew that the mage wasn't one to leave things to 'mights' and 'maybes'.
"Besides, if I took care of everything now, the entertainment value would plummet. I want everything to be perfect..."
Isaak turned suddenly then to face Esser fully, his eyes widening slightly as an almost ecstatic expression shaded his face. A look that only a madman would have when faced with danger. "And everything is moving closer to perfect, isn't it? Certain people are closing in on their true potentials, aren't they? If I were to waltz in right now...that would ruin it. It might even end up a little embarassing for some..."
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Post by Adrian on Jul 29, 2008 3:14:01 GMT -5
Samantha listened to Dietrich give out a rather long answer to a simple question. Part of her almost wanted to have Isaak back. But then again Dietrich might give her a tour with much more interesting commentary than the Panzer Magier. Would Cain find out about the switcheroo & become angry? Then again the need for having him around might surpass just about any amount of trouble he could get himself into with others.
He sure talks a lot.
Inspite of it all, when Cain was mentioned her attention returned to Dietrich in full. He had really known the Contra Mundi for that long? What an honor it must have been to be around such a unique individual. More than anything else it meant that the Puppetmaster had a rather decent knowledge of how the Lord behaved. However she also realized that aside from knowing they were senior members, Samantha knew nothing of how long any of the other members had been, well. . . members.
"I think he's just wonderful. especially with how kindly he's treated me on just my first day. I suppose it might have to do with how I can help others. Especially someone like him."
At that moment in a completely unrelated thought, she realized something about Dietrich & Cain. Both had called Isaak; Isaak-ou. Did that mean he truly disliked her despite how nice she tried to be to him? What could she have possibly done to offend him in a way that would repulse him from wanting to be her friend? This worried her for a few brief moments before looking up at Dietrich with a serious expression.
"Do you think I belong here?"
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
Silently, the robed figure floated nearby Isaak with a blue-eyed blank gaze. One that seemed to inspire Death itself whether by natural causes, murder, suicide, or misadventure by toothpick. But he had one small intejection to be given during the Panzer Magier's speech. It was spoken with no motion as always, even less than a man named Adrian. Less than something that only appeared to be a man, named Tres.
"Or maybe you just aren't ready for them yet."
Deathly silence followed.
"During the beginning participating in these conflicts were of interest to my master more than myself for several reasons. Due to that. . .I have never taken my own stake in them. But this time the spectrum of personalities along with motivations and most of all abilities are to say the least spectacular. They've come from different ages, including yourself. You're a perfectionist when it comes to the things I've seen. . .so perhaps seeing you get involved means something a bit more."
One more pause followed.
"Or perhaps not being alive leaves one with too much time on their hands."
It was then he decided to change the subject to something even more current. A phenomenon which had particularly grabbed gim by the frayed edges of his white robe to drag him out here to this place. Something special was going on today that could change everything beyond the most wild expectations. Just one more result of the choices Isaak had made, a product of the choices made by others as well.
"But it seems even a simple girl can upset your grasp upon things. Such a fearsome creature of chaos tossed right into your lap. How long will you let THAT ONE live?"
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Post by Luka on Jul 29, 2008 3:45:16 GMT -5
The boy brushed past Samantha then, his hands folded behind his head in an entirely casual way, leaving it up to her to follow. "Well it really isn't up to me whether or not you belong. I'm not the boss afterall. Besides, if he likes you, what can I do about it other than make you life a living hell? But really, I think you just might make things a little more interesting around here..."
He paused then in front of the room that Isaak had disappeared into. Reaching down he ushered Samantha to stand beside him so that the unveiling could be as grand as possible. Swinging the door open with gusto...only resulted in the brooms inside rattling in a lonely way.
"...huh. Well that wasn't what I expected."
++++
A low sound escaped Isaak that could be called a laugh. "Maybe I'm not ready for them yet..but will they ever be ready for me?" After a moment he tilted his head down, "Ah, your words are too kind...but in a way, I am only a spectator as well. My involvement was requested...my services paid for...my interest piqued."
Panzer Magier's smile seemed to fade then as he turned his attention back out to the horizon, the thin cigar in his mouth shifting slightly as a thin trail of smoke leeched from between his lips.
"Yes, she is a bit of a wild card, isn't she..."
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Post by Adrian on Jul 29, 2008 4:01:22 GMT -5
The girl seemed to take Dietrich's words as a half-hearted attempt at humor or making a blunt point. But perhaps a small part of her understood their real meaning. For that reason, she gave off the aura of being just about to do something. Yet she never went through with it while the Puppetmaster continued to treat her not only with kindness, but vaguely threatening words as well.
"Yeah. . .but at least I know where it goes now. Unless there's a switch hidden in there? Are there any secret passages in this place?. . .It just doesn't seem fair, how I know these things sometimes. Isaak said it isn't normal for someone like me. The truth is I was just born today."
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"I should know, I helped place her into the deck along with the other one. As a favour to you."
His word implied something much greater than what their emotionless tone let one. The sheer power to help with some event such as that. Did Esser speak the truth on such a delicate matter? Just what reason would he have to be involved with the creation of some being. It did not fight the job description at all really, which made one wonder if he were only an observer in the game being played.
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Post by Luka on Jul 29, 2008 4:25:41 GMT -5
He rubbed at his nose with the back of his hand as he shut the door. "Not so much there being hidden switches but more like people making their own...or that what you see really isn't what you think it is." Dietrich looked at her then, "Just born today? Well I guess that's better than being 'born again'. Don't you think it's kind of unfair for people to just push aside all their past misdeeds as if they hadn't ever happened?"
Von Lohengrin moved past her again as he continued down the hall. "Nothing in the world is fair. I know things that I shouldn't know. No one is as normal as they think they are. Everyone has that little thought that shocks them...the completely unexpected suggestion that they punch someone in the face or push someone into traffic just for being annoying."
He laughed, "I don't have thoughts like that though. Maybe that's what makes *me* weird. Because to do things like that would be predictable and not as much fun..."
++++
He was silent for a moment. "A favor, eh? And how exactly is it a favor?...I don't recall asking you for any such thing. Particularly inconvenient ones like that." Isaak scoffed. "More like meddling...and I know you're beyond meddling. Aren't you? Or is this one of your quirks."
Indeed if Esser really was some sort of imaginary part of Isaak's psyche it would fit. Something so completely unexpected and irrational certainly didn't suit the magician's methods of precision.
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Post by Adrian on Jul 29, 2008 10:57:56 GMT -5
"I've never had thoughts like that. . .maybe I'll turn out to be weird like you are."
The Green-haired girl replied as she chose to follow Dietrich further on down the hall. Her normally budding amount of questions had dwindled away in hs presence rather unexpectedly. If Dietrich had known her longer than what he did. . .it might cause him to grow bit suspicious. All kinds of thoughts might be swimming in her head about certain things. But she repressed them as best she could most likely. Unfortunately that led to around four glowing green orbs to form around her body, only further giving her an aura of being a Force of Nature.
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+--+-+-+
"When you silenced a certain being, you expressed a small wish to study his little friend. In exchange for ridding the world of such a creature. . .I decided to do you a favor. Perhaps from your point of view it might be a quirk. But it falls within the rules I am bound to follow."
Corruption could not be allowed by Death in any suboordinate through an outside force. The authority Esser was only a fraction of could not dissolve into anarchy lest it have dire consequences upon the world that would cause irrepairable damage. Nightmare of fantasy, untrue reality. Perhaps a whole 'nother dimension would have to be created as a copy pre-existing the destruction would have to be created. A phenomenon that already might have happened in the Earth's past, if this were even the original one in the first place.
"That creature was going to ressurect anyway due to its nature. I only allowed it to filter into halves. One with all the purity. . .and the other with every last shred of corruption. Keeping her innocent was a matter of deciding what she would know. Everything else went to the other."
Esser spoke with a tone that held such little care for anything it seemed vocally impossible. It had the capability of speaking about any subject in the same manner. Volume fluctuated from time to time only when absolutely neccesary. Perhaps the Mysterious Reaper was attempting to lure Isaak into revealing whether or not he knew what the girl had originated from. A small lesson of be careful what you wish for.
"But I would reccomend keeping them apart as a piece of friendly advice. The other one knows what you have done to the corrupting influence through a blood-bound connection. An unavoidable side-effect of the seperation. For that reason he will contain a high probabilty of attempting to hunt you down."
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Post by Luka on Jul 29, 2008 23:38:42 GMT -5
"If you don't wanna be called weird, you shouldn't call yourself weird."
The girl's sudden silence either pleased Dietrich or didn't even occur to him as strange. But knowing him, he was probably smiling smugly to himself. That was probably why he had said so much to her, got close and asked her such questions and payed close attention to her reactions. In that brief a moment he likely knew much more about her than she thought.
"Well let's see where this one goes." Dietrich muttered as he pulled open a door only to hear a feminine shriek and what sounded like a struggle before he slammed it shut again.
"...just another broom closet."
++++
"Is maintaining her innocence also one of your priorities?" Isaak gazed up at the sky thoughtfully as he faced away from Esser. "In that case...I wonder what they would do if they saw their previous master then. Of course, what he's become might just be a case of fruit falling too far from the tree to be recognizable..."
As for this 'other half' wanting to hunt him down...when had someone NOT wanted to hunt him down?
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Post by Adrian on Jul 30, 2008 0:53:55 GMT -5
Samantha shook her head ever so slightly at both his comments as she followed him in her custom uniform. a set of clothing which had been provided to her in normal condition. Yet it was slowly changing if anyone cared to pay attention. If they were not too busy looking in broom closets that housed women. Her clothing seemed to gain an aura of life if it were at all possible. Little bits of black growth embroidered itself upon the cloth in a way that resembled stylish vine-work.
"Do you have to try to be funny?"
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Esser began to hold one of the staffs in his hand rather than letting them float about. Just how might this impact the situation? For all Isaak knew, the robed figure was planning an assualt upon another. Perhaphs he knew how strongly the Panzer Magier would react to the realization of fact.
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Post by Luka on Jul 30, 2008 2:43:32 GMT -5
Dietrich turned quickly to face the girl, whipping around so fast that his hair moved. An emotion glittered in his dark eyes but the rest of his face remained a mask of slight amusement.
"Why?" the boy asked with a hint of spite. "Does it bother you? Do I make you uncomfortable or something?" The smile on his face disappeared. "Maybe I should be the one being angry though. This is the only home I have...and to have someone like you, who I don't even know anything about, come in here and settle down so quickly...Well, it's hardly a nice feeling."
He looked down his nose at the girl as he placed a hand on his hip. "People come and go in this place all the time. I bet if you disappeared right now no one would even question it. I could just say you changed your mind and decided to leave." A thin smile twisted the corners of his lips, "But then people would get angry with me, wouldn't they? I'd be a bad Dietrich...real bad."
++++
Isaak laughed again as he removed his cigarillo from his lips and dropped it to the ground, letting the hot end of it send up a small shower of sparks as it was extinguished.
"That's probably why you thought I silenced him..." He paused, as if gathering his words. "Which really isn't far from the truth. There was such little left when I finished that, well, it's hard to say that he's even the same person anymore."
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Post by Adrian on Jul 31, 2008 9:25:04 GMT -5
The green-haired girl watched this technically older boy behave in a way she had never truly seen before. Only that wasn't entirely true. Isaak had behaved this way before the first time he had appeared before her eyes what hardly seemed like twenty minutes ago. Dietrich had that same streak in him underneath the human-looking exterior. But it did not shock her completely, considering the uneasy feeling she continued to get from him.
"I want to be nice to you Dietrich. I want to be your friend. So why you're talking like this I don't really understand. Are you afraid of me? Would it make you feel better if I gave you a flower or something?"
A few steps were being taken back from her substitute tour guide as each sentence went by with some type of strange undertone. Just who had Isaak left her with? Dietrich seemed like someone who could try making one of those English Guards that never moved, to cry. Terrible feelings started to slowly well up inside of her, wondering what he would do right now. And repressing that fear only seemed to intensify the life that had started to come into being about her uniform. Might Dietrich finally start to notice that? Would he be afraid of her mystery power which no one else in the RKO commanded?
"You don't need to be bad. All I want is to have a friends. But I won't let myself just dissapear."
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For once Isaak was about to find his somewhat confident remarks re-buffed by the figured robed in white. The color white, while he held an hour glass in his disturbingly metallic hand. A Mysterious Reaper who could likely unleash a torrent of power if not bound back by the rules governing his existence. One 'opponent' the Panzer Magier could not rid himself of until he understood the only weakness which could bring him down.
"Don't imply I thought he had died, you're forgetting I would be there if that had occurred. I use words when they are appropriate, Isaak. My duty is to be present at such events whether I allow you to sense my presence there or not. But if you're going to elaborate on what has become of him, by all means. . ."
Esser did not seem quite so easy to fool as the others.
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Post by Luka on Jul 31, 2008 20:50:32 GMT -5
Dietrich laughed slightly under his breath, "Oh, I want to be your friend, too. But I'm sure you know where I'm coming from. You'd probably act the same way as me if you were in the same position..." It was then that the young man's personality took a turn. He turned his gaze down to the floor, his voice dropping until it was almost inaudible like he might cry at any moment. "You have no idea how hard it was in the beginning...what kind of life I had before this. If Lord Cain and Isaak hadn't come into my life when they did...who knows where I might have ended up...probably dead."
Was Marionettenspieler actually confessing to Samantha? It certainly was a sad-sounding story, like something someone might hear on Oprah before she interrupted to give her audience members their own lear jets.
"I don't WANT to be bad..." he said, "And it isn't YOU I'm afraid of...just what you might end up doing."
++++
Isaak's immediate reply to Esser was a pleasant smile. "Oh, there's no need to elaborate right now. He'll be unveiled soon enough." He raised a hand then, "And please, there's no need to get so serious...Besides, I wouldn't dare try to do anything to you. That would be rash and stupid, qualities I'm sure we would both appreciate being left out of this whole affair."
"You're also the only person I can talk to who doesn't immediately try to do something unpleasant. It's a refreshing change and I appreciate each one of your visits...except, of course, our last one. Whenever it happens."
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Post by Adrian on Jul 31, 2008 21:36:05 GMT -5
Samantha was unsure of just how to temporarily classify this young man before her. No past wisdom gained through the years was with her to help make any definite judgments. Or to corrupt them for that matter. He seemed to be a mystery to her, though not quite the one she wanted to solve anytime soon. The curiousity that often bounded around inside of her seemed to still in his presence so far. But then again he was still a stranger to the girl.
"Well I. . ."
Brief steps were taken toward the young man, taking her back a few feet toward him. One might suspect she was considering the option of physically consoling him. Not with kisses or anything sinful. Rather in the manner someone with a matronly siposition might do. . . even if she was still rather immature. Anyone would be on their first day.
". . .What are you afraid of me doing?"
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
"Indeed."
The Mysterious Reaper replied before vanishing entirely from any method of detection.
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Post by Luka on Jul 31, 2008 22:55:13 GMT -5
He continued to gaze down at the ground, his long hair hiding most of his expression. But what parts of his face were visible seemed to be filled with a mixture of sadness and regret. It was a look any normal child would give if faced with insecurity that they truly didn't wish to feel. On the surface it was a basic enough sentiment, one that Samantha should have been able to understand in some way.
The young man's hands balled into fists at his sides, "I don't want Lord Cain to think I'm useless...I don't want to be replaced."
++++
After the Reaper's image vanished, Isaak raised a hand in farewell. Flicking his wrist as he brought it back down, a fresh cigarillo appeared in his fingers. The roll of tobacco was placed between his lips as he turned his attention back out to the horizon and the last remnants of the sun sinking below the sloping hills. Aside from the fact of who exactly was gazing out on it, it was a fairly beautiful scene. One he almost hated to ruin by going back inside...
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Post by Adrian on Jul 31, 2008 23:05:44 GMT -5
Samantha let her first, tiny frown appear as her delicate looking hand reached out toward the Marionettenspieler. However she stopped herself a few inches shy of the mark. A small amount of understanding of his current state was being fathomed by her inexpierenced psyche. Perhaps someone in his situation wouldn't want to be touched by the person they felt unhappy around.
"I don't think I'm replacing you at all. . .if anyone at all I would be replacing Isaak. Lord Cain only expressed wishes that I would take up the duty of helping to fix his damaged body. You really shouldn't worry Dietrich."
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Post by Luka on Aug 7, 2008 0:58:22 GMT -5
Despite the girl's hesitation, Dietrich's own hands snapped out to grasp her own. Aside from being dressed casually, he was gloveless tonight. And unlike Helga or Isaak or any of the other Methuselah, his hands gave of a real warmth. The kind of warmth that came from something living.
"The Magician, eh?..." He looked into Samantha's eyes then, a wide close-lipped smile spreading over his lips as he gave her hands a small squeeze. "Well thank you for clearing that up for me then." His hands seperated from hers in a sort of snapping motion, like a clamshell coming open. "I appreciate it."
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