A Matter of Time - Galen's Report to Bala

[19:55] [user]Retkan[/user]: The next time Galen stepped into his disappearing act, strands of energy thickened and warped about him in a brilliant pink hue. Upon opening his eyes, he would find himself standing at a small nexuses of a dimension clear of Twins. Bala slowly lowered her hands as the pink hued glow about them faded, allowing her to settle back into a white chair behind her. There was another chair, which she gestured to, with a table and tea set up between them. [color=pink]"I hope you don't mind but it seems some.. privacy was needed. The Twins are a bit too enthusiastic and dare I say [b]hyper[/b] right now..."[/color]


[20:04] *[user]Galen Striker[/user] smiled softly and gave a respectful bow of his head to Bala as he found himself in the space, approaching the table and settling down, preparing a couple of cups of tea for the two of them. "[color=blue]I apologize for sending the twins that candy, but it was the best I could do because of Retkan's current state.[/color]"

He lets out a little sigh and takes a sip of the tea. "[color=blue]On one hand, Retkan is safe. She is not damaging the timeline and for the first time... I have seen her actually be happy... Genuinely happy and she has friends. On the other... Something has happened to her memory. She does not remember me or the twins, or the Sands as far as I can tell.. And her friends are a group of other demons, but for the most part they seem.... nice enough, if not a bit brash and not overtly evil... I passed on your message to her, that she was not required to come back and that I would not force her, but that she was invited to come. I think it helped some. Nitmer and his girlfriend informed me that she thought I was going to bring her back by force...[/color]"


[20:15] [user]Retkan[/user]: [color=pink]"Well, that was your bargaining chip and exchange with them for being released from the Fragment should it come to it... While you're on their good side, I assure you Galen.. mine has waned along with my patience due to hyper-active Guardians gallivanting about and meddling in our messages. They requests for [b]more candy[/b] have certainly not been mine!"[/color] Bala's hair was a wreck, sticking up every which way in wild strands from her bun. Her hands even had a slight shake as she reached for her own cup upon its making. With a nod to Galen, she sipped and listened. [color=pink]"More demons?... Well.. As long as she is happy and no damage has been done, it doesn't sound that bad. It's not as if she's managed to draw the attention of any Time Breakers or Fu or anyone else we may have to worry about. Hopefully they all believe she's just one of them and are unaware she's perhaps more and not from their time or world. That could be most damaging.  And Nitmer has a girlfriend?.. I [b]knew[/b] that boy would be trouble. He's no doubt responsible for some of this. At least he's not with Retkan in [b]that[/b] manner. However this.. bit about her memory does concern me. Has she been injured? Cursed? Is there anything else wrong?"[/color]


[20:22] [user]Galen Striker[/user]: "[color=blue].... Fu is aware of her existance but to what he knows of her existence I am uncertain... I ran into him while looking for her, he already knew who she was, but not where she was at the time.[/color]" He rubbed his forhead for a moment. "[color=blue] and I didn't consider the possibility of the Time Breakers being active in that timeline... I fear I [b]may[/b] have outed her existence as an external demon then during the conversations I had with her... I hope I have not caused too much damage. As far as being injured or cursed... I don't think she has been cursed... but she does have a scar on her face that was not there before. I am not certain when or how it happened but it is possible that it happened during her fight with Meta when the timelines collapsed. Nitmer seems rather... adamant that she be in her current state for some reason. He's hiding information, of that much I am sure.[/color]"


[20:33] [user]Retkan[/user]: Bala's eyes widened as she [b]choked[/b] and coughed, spitting her tea out across the table at Galen as the cup slipped from her grip and dangled there by the handle upon a digit. The tea from within it just poured onto the table as she [b]stared[/b] at Galen. [color=pink]"[b]Dear great Zeno...[/b]"[/color] She all but froze, staring at Galen with pure shock upon her features as her shoulders gained [b][i]more[/i][/b] of a shake. In a not-so-calm-but-desperate-to-be manner, she shakily pulled the cup free of her finger and set it to the table with a rattling clink. [color=pink]"Where there is Fu, there is.. Fu.. and what Fu brings and leaves behind.. If anyone would know Retkan is not of that world or time, it would be him. Not knowing where she is.. is in our favor."[/color] The empty tea cup was nudged towards Galen expectantly as Bala tried to regain her composure a bit. [color=pink]"[i]That Nitmer[/i].. well.. he is going to get not so much as an offer as more of.. something he cannot refuse. You are to bring him to me unless you are able to get him to confess whatever it is that he is hiding. [i]..By any means necessary.[/i] These demons that Retkan is with, do you know of them or their names?"[/color]


[20:38] *[user]Galen Striker[/user] 's eyes also widened at her response and sighed a bit. [color=blue]"I should probably clarify then... the way he spoke of her, is that he simply didn't know at that specific time that I asked him or he did not wish to tell me. I get the feeling he is generally in contact with her on a regular basis. It does not sound good, and I have done what I could to avoid Fu's attention for the most part except for the time he located me because of my use of time magic to try to get away from him. As far as the name of the others..."[/color]

He takes a moment to get up and start cleaning the table almost automatically, as well as making another cup of tea for Bala as if it were natural for him to do so. [color=blue]"I believe one of them was a female demon named Rhoswhen, A male demon with a scythe that referred to himself as a death god by the name of Shroomy or Shroom, and another male demon by the name of "Beelze". He was particularly protective of her, and she went straight to him and hid behind him upon seeing me. I believe the two of them may be a couple of sorts, and she stated rather clearly that she would not come home unless he was allowed to come with."[/color]


[20:52] [user]Retkan[/user]: As Galen went on to explain about Fu and Fu's [i]apparent interest and involvement[/i], Bala just watched him. Again with the staring, her hands lowering to curl fingers against her lap with deep, forced breaths taken. In and out.. trying to remember to breathe. [color=pink]"G-galen.. One does not.. [i]get away from Fu[/i]... That is simply not how it works. He serves his own interests and at least even Chorona counts herself and us all [b]lucky[/b] that Fu has seemingly no interest in outright destruction and damage... You must be careful, lest you wind up a [b]subject of interest[/b] and thus one of his... actual science subjects.."[/color]

Once the tea was poured, Bala quickly cradled it up, taking a deep sip to held calm her nerves. But the moment Shroom was mentioned.. [b]gag[/b]  [i]COUGH[/i] [b][i]SPLUTTERED TEA FLEW INTO THE CUP AND EVERYWHERE.[/i][/b]

[color=pink]"G-g-galen... I.. [b]Oh Great Zeno![/b]"[/color]

She heaved in a breath, just dropping the cup into[b] yet another mess on the table.[/b] [color=pink]"Shroom is of the Time Breakers. He is THE grim reaper of the Dark Empire, the left hand, death's hand of Mechikabura himself! He.. he.. he is so unstable that even his own team members are leery of him due to the fact he stops at nothing to score his kill, no matter who may be in his way... Beelze.. if this is.. Beelzebub... is.. ..Tell me what he looks like.. and.. if you have heard him called Beelzebub or.. even perhaps [i]Prince?[/i].."[/color]


[20:59] *[user]Galen Striker[/user] closes his eyes and takes a moment to calm himself from Bala's news.... what in the [b]ever loving fuck[/b] did he get himself into.... The oncoming stress was then mentally pushed aside, to be dealt with later, and he resumed cleaning up the table. As he did, he gave Bala the best description that he could. They had not mentioned "prince" or "Beelzebub" directly... but he mentioned that Shroom had called the demon "Beelzekitty" and "Beelzebubba". The demon in question seemed to be a bit of a blowhard as well.


[21:15] [user]Retkan[/user]: [color=pink]"...That Beelze.. is [i]Prince Beelzebub of SandLand[/i] and.. even a Prince of the Demon Realm beyond that territory of time.. He is the son of Dabura.. and Dabura is the brother of Towa, last known leader of the Time Breakers in Mechikabura's absence... The whole of the Dark Empire.. I.. this..."[/color]

Bala nearly hyperventilated as she abruptly stood, hands hitting the table and chair falling back behind her. [color=pink]"The only good thing is that Beelzebub is perhaps the least likely to harm Retkan or care where she is even from or what she can do... He, much like Fu, is beyond the group of Time Breakers and tends to focus upon his own thing which.. tends to not actually be malicious? Nor does he meddle in time or conquest as there have been no reports of such.. There's no warnings of him circulating but his relation by blood is certainly known. He simply hasn't done anything that warrants alert or watching... at least that is enough to inform the Time Patrol and those who watch over Time's aspects.."[/color] She began to pace. Wrinkled hands were held behind her back, each step more heavy than intended as the weight of things was a heavy burden to bare.

[color=pink]"[i]Existing under a guise in time and observing is one thing[/i].. but to be so.. so.. dangerously integrated?!"[/color]


[21:22] *[user]Galen Striker[/user] maintained his calm demeanor, and moved to gently rest a hand on her shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze. [color=blue]"Lady Bala... We can not change what has already occurred. Whatever the circumstances Miss Retkan has found herself in, need to be dealt with. For the time being she is safe, and she is happy, even surrounded by a number of dangerous people. Miss Retkan refuses to return for the time being as she does not trust me, and does not remember either of us. Give me time to earn her trust, and get her to visit us willingly along with Beelzebub. He seems content to protect her and does not seem to wish her harm. I will also continue to track down Nitmer and get the truth of the information that he is hiding, preferably without force. Following "Any means neccessary" could very well end up with us getting false information, and resentment from both him and Retkan, which is certain to make things harder for us going forward."[/color]


[21:34] [user]Retkan[/user]: [color=pink]"Once again Galen, you are as usual.. [i]quite correct[/i]."[/color] A hand rose to pat and rest over his upon her shoulder. Bala took in a breath, nodding. [color=pink]"I mustn't be rash and try to rush this... [sub]but that girl needs a serious grounding eventually.[/sub] You must observe them, gather whatever information you can. While I think Nitmer is a dolt and his lying attempts upon others are feeble at best, the resentment isn't something we want to garner. You.. would be best be an unassuming human buuuut I think it's gone beyond that at this point.. These are ever dangerous waters. Perhaps.. try to rekindle the bond you had with Retkan prior to.. to.. whatever has happened.. [sub]For all we know, Fu himself could have randomly plucked her up and erased what she knew... [b]Oh by Zeno! This mess![/b][/sub]  Retkan's curiosity and eagerness to learn has always been a blessing and a curse for her being so distracted.. Perhaps that still exists and can be utilized."[/color]


[21:40] [user]Galen Striker[/user]: "I think it still exists and is still quite strong. I will do what I can to re-kindle her trust and I will keep you up to date, assuming the twin's do not intercept and alter my scrolls any longer I will continue to send updates via them for as long as I am capable of. Thank you for the additional information on the demons that Retkan is running with... It should be useful."


[21:58] [user]Retkan[/user]: [color=pink]"I think instead of scrolls, meeting like this would be best.. if not merely a question here or there. The Twins are.. quite interested in what is transpiring and all but obsessed on the prospect of more sweets.. [sub]You are in trouble for that, by the way. Sending them sweets while I alone must deal with the two. Tsk tsk... Wait until you get put on their watch and i take a much needed vacation.[/sub]"[/color] Bala [b]cringed [/b]at the phrase pertaining to Retkan running with demons. She took a moment to right her chair and slouch down into it, hand rising to rub the bridge of her nose with a deep breath. [color=pink]"That is an ever dangerous time... and I can only imagine the [b]chaos[/b] occurring. ..A congregation of demons...."[/color] The sarcasm became strong. [color=pink]"What next? Shall the dark wizards join? Perhaps Towa will throw a tea party and Demigra will bring dumplings while Fu introduces a new flavor he's concocted and Putine shows off her latest shade of nail polish..... I know! Let's put Mira in an apron in the background with a plate of cookies and Gravy trying to raid the fridge while Shroom and Chamel rage over a game of checkers."[/color]


[22:05] [user]Galen Striker[/user]: He moved up behind Bala, resting both hands on her shoulders gently as he started to rub and massage, fingers working carefully against her bit by bit for the time being as she went off on that tangent of an imagined tea party with a cavalcade of demons. "For what it is worth, I overhead Shroom asking Fu if Demigra "still had the chill going on"... so its possible that Demigra is currently disabled in some way. Either way... we will get through this one way or another...."