GBG: Prologue

<Darkling> Silence consumes your surroundings in the void. Dark blue tendrils flash on occasion, illuminating the rubble of the Aesir and the crumpled bodies of the fallen.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja seems rather relaxed with this, reclining... so much as she can. Or maybe she's just tired. She is leaking some red stuff now.
Rasia rises, her heavy plugsuit torn a bit, carrying something in her hands. "Find Lit."
<Darkling> Another flash of blue lights up the ground. Something else moved in the light.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Find Lit?" Lahja asks weakly, bloody scissors in her own hand. She sounds like she finds the idea rather absurd at first, but then she ponders it. "I've got a message to finish writing."
<Rasia> Whether Lahja feels like finding Lit or not... The Israeli seems to resolve for her, grabbing the young woman and lifting her to her feet by the front of her plugsuit. It's plain to see that the girl's only moving to distract herself...
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Her already turn suit tears a little more, her chest seeming to be the most bloodied spot. "Fine. But I want a favor from you afterwards."
<Darkling> Something moves between the girls feet in the dark, twisting and writhing around Ivy's corpse.
<Rasia> "Okay." A feeble smile, if only because this is the longest conversation they've had today. "--! Stop!" Rasia dashes towards it, of course.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Well, that interferes with her plans. Lahja goes off too, tightening her grip on the scissors, though she stumbles, feeling her self-inflicted blood loss.
<Darkling> Another flash of blue light reveals the roots have wrapped their way around Ivy's body, nearly encasing her like a cocoon.
<Rasia> Without even thinking, she tries to pull them off, panicking, lashing out to resist...anything this hostile land does.
<Darkling> The roots stand fast, undamaged by her attempts, but not retaliating in any way. They simply continue to wind around the body.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Oh screw it all!" Lahja says, managing to sound as sharp as ever as she stabs at some roots.
<Darkling> The scissors merely break, not leaving a scratch. An instant later as another streak of light passes them Ivy is gone, pulled down into the roots.
Rasia grinds her teeth, resorting to punching the ground to let out her frustration and anger. "Rraaaaagh!"
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja looks at what's left of her scissors, fighting off the urge to scream herself. But then she managed to force a deep breath and almost giggles. "Well, I managed to bleed all over the body anyway. Did you get to bleed over Wilhelm's?"
<Rasia> ...was Rasia even capable of bleeding? Had she even been hurt through this whole venture? Think hard, Lahja. The Israeli just stares at her, on the verge of tears all over again.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Maybe that's what's going to happen to Wilhelm if it hasn't already. If that matters to you."
<Rasia> "...find Lit." It's more sullen this time, and she doesn't get to her feet right away. Dogged thing.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Lit it is." she says, seeming disinterested. "I don't need that favor anymore. Can't do a horror movie death pose with just one."
<Darkling> The flashes of light seem to be coming more frequent now. In the distance there is a groan of something vastly enormous moving.
<Rasia> How long could they wander down here? Would the roots get them, too, when they began to starve and dehydrate? Or would an errant creature simply eat them? Falling prey to a termite in the Worldtree...hard to say if that's an honor or not.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "I don't think it matters anymore. It's just the end."
<Rasia> "Family matters." One foot in front of the other...
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Family." A weak and distinctly bitter giggle.
<Rasia> "Family." Rasia's grip on Lahja's hand tightens. Hmn~ Is that really what she thought?
<Darkling> ========Elsewhere========
<Darkling> "The operation is underway sir, but, there's been a problem."
<Darkling> "Do tell."
<Darkling> "The clones, all of them, have disintegrated ahead of schedule, they're already in the system."
<Darkling> "Well." He paused, seeming to consider his choices. "We have no choice but to proceed, things are out of our hands now."
<Darkling> "Of course, sir."
<Darkling> ========Elsewhere========
<Darkling> Time seems to have no consequence in Yggdrasil. However long you've been walking, or where you've been walking for that matter, has had no change on your surroundings.
<Darkling> The only thing that could be measured is the light coming from the roots has sped up to nearly every other second, and the roots have been moving, rearranging themselves, occasionally trying to pluck at Rasia and Lahja.
Rasia growls whenever they approach, her urge to find Lit, somehow, seemingly interminable.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja looks about, more interested in the tree roots. She actually manages to put on a smile again, though she's still not very energetic.
<Darkling> A muffled cry from behind you both.
<Rasia> "!"
<Lahja_Ilvainen> She looks behind.
<Darkling> Through a wall of roots there's a feminine hand outstretched, a knee poking out farther down and even some dark hair sprouting from it.
<Rasia> "A-ah!" Rasia acts predictably.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja goes along, attempting to assist so much as her condition allows.
<Darkling> The hand clasps at anything that touches it, the cries becoming more frantic.
<Rasia> Pull! Pull!
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "We're here." Lahja says as she works.
<Darkling> Just as before, the roots have no give.
<Rasia> "Rrraaa!"
<Darkling> A root moves to wrap around the hand, twisting around Rasia's at the same time.
<Rasia> Looks like she intends to wait until the last seconds before giving up.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja on the other hand doesn't move fast enough, either lacking the inclination or the reaction time.
<Darkling> The root worms it's way around Rasia up to her shoulder in no time, pulling her hard against the wall of roots. Lahja isn't left alone either, the roots starting to work their way up her legs.
<Rasia> "Augh!" Even now...just anger. Thrashing and kicking and even biting a root once, it isn't until she can't fight at all that it sinks in. The despair.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> In contrast Lahja doesn't even bother to struggle, seeming largely resigned to whatever is happening.
<Darkling> soon enough Rasia is hugged against the other roots as her body is entagled more and more, and Lahja is slowly being turned into a pillar of roots as they twist around her.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Any last words, Rasia?"
<Rasia> Tears flow, and she howls into the darkness. "Not last!"
<Darkling> Then darkness.
<Darkling> =======================
<Darkling> Lit's cleaning up in the kitchen, it's fairly early in the morning and Danika is out. Today is the big day. Their house is about to get turned upside down as three more people come to live with them for an indefinite amount of time.
<Rasia> "Mngh." The snakebite piercing her lower lip gives her something to fidget with, but it barely contains her agitation.
<Darkling> "I'm sure you'll get along fine!" Lit calls fro mthe kitchen, trying to be reassuring.
<Rasia> "I know, Dad, that's what you said ten minutes ago. S'not like I'm gonna stab 'em or anything."
<Darkling> The doorbell rings. "Can you get that then?"
<Rasia> "I'm on it." Rasia hops up, pulling her pants up a little on her way to the door. No need to scar them with an immediate view of her boxers. Aaand open.
<Darkling> A fiery rehead in a business suit stands in the doorway. You know this woman, she's been around a few times the past months. Freyja. She casts a fake smile at Rasia.
<Rasia> "What do you want?"
<Darkling> "I'm here on business of course. Wilhelm?" She looks behind her.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> He looks up from whatever he was doing and looks to Rasia, hood already pulled up. Pretty sure something was moving around in it too. "H-hey..." is his reply, a sketchpad clutched in one hand.
Rasia puts a hand on her hip. Why did this kid tickle the back of her mind...
<Darkling> "Have you got your things dear?" Freyja asks.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Yeah." And he's back to looking nervous or uncomfortable, maybe both, as he pulls at strawberry blonde bangs.
<Rasia> "Hmf." Rasia steps aside, a token gesture of welcome.
<Darkling> "Great, well, I'll just leave you to your temporary home." She leans down and gives the boy a kiss on the cheek before striding away.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> He grabs his dufflebag and slinks in past Rasia, not before eyeing her with bright blue eyes as he passes.
<Rasia> Her own mismatched gaze follows him in, and she closes the door behind him without so much as a 'bye' for Freyja.
<Darkling> As if a coincidence, a jeep pulls up into the driveway, Danika waving to Rasia.
<Rasia> Geez... Leaving Wilhelm to his own devices, Rasia jogs on out to greet the jeep, sparing a smile for her adoptive mother.
<Darkling> "That anxious to meet our guests that you were waiting at the door?" She jokes as she climbs out of the jeep.
<Rasia> "Poor timing." Raz is, at least, kind enough to grab luggage, probably able to heft both Corrin's and Lahja's suitcases.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja exits the jeep, giving the house a cursory glance, keeping her thoughts on it well hidden. She's still wearing a stupidly expensive and elaborate dress, too.
<Darkling> The house isn't meager by any means. Big enough to house everyone comfortably, though drab enough looking in the cities customary concrete and steel construction. At least they weren't in a tiny apartment in the poor quarter of the dome.
<Corrin> "I've got it, thanks." Corrin insists, heading over. A grin. "Hi."
<Rasia> "Yeah." Dropping Lahja's suitcase at the growing pile of luggage in the main room, she turns around and stuffs her hands in her pockets, watching the two of them.
<Darkling> "Come make yourselves at home," Danika says as she heads in past Rasia.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "I am Lahja Ilvainen. A pleasure." she says as she dips into a curtsey, her Finnish accent far less noticeable than before, but not entirely gone, either.  If she didn't look like she was daydreaming before, she does now. It must be a nice daydream with how she's smiling.
<Rasia> Then why is it so creepy to look at? Rasia chews her thumbnail, realizing she lost track of Wilhelm. "Better not be fuckin' with my stuff..."
<Darkling> "Language," Lit says, rounding a corner to greet the kids. "Welcome!"
<Wilhelm_Faustus> Nope, there he is. Easy to miss sometimes with how quiet he is.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Probably because she's imagining you naked, Rasia. And dead or dying.  She slowly turns toward Lit, curtseying for him, too.
<Rasia> "Tch." She kicks at the carpet a little.
Corrin stops looking from side to side, having retrieved his luggage. Still grinning. It seems to be his default expression. "Thanks, sir." he replies, head jerking around to Lit.
<Darkling> "Come in, come in." He picks up any straggling luggage and taking it inside. "There's quite a few open rooms upstairs, so pick one and get settled and then come down to the living room so we can get acquainted."
<Darkling>=====================
<Darkling> Everyone's gathered in the living room now. "Well, I'm sure you've all been told who I am, but I'll introduce myself anyway. I'm Lit, the Operations Director of this facility and your commanding officer. I'll be watching over you during your stay here. This is my wife Danika, and our daughter Rasia who you'll be working with.
Rasia purses her lips, surveying the trio predatorially.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Hard to tell if Lahja is entranced or just spaced out there. Either way, she speaks up after a while. "How long are we going to stay here?"
<Darkling> "Hard to say. Likely until the war is won." The war, of course, was against the Jotunn. The horrific monsters seemingly sent against them from the bowels of the earth.
Corrin nods to Lit, suddenly sober. "Understood, sir." He looks between the others for a moment, then listens to Lit's reply, with a tiny, unconscious bob of the head.
<Darkling> "Or until you die." He says with a laugh, but why did that feel like a personal jab at you Corrin?
<Rasia> "Hmf. I don't have any plans on dying."
Corrin suppresses a wince, ease suddenly a bit forced. He manages a grin. "We'll try not to get eaten too soon, sir."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja considers the prospect of a suicide just to spite the world at large and deprive them of a soldier against the horrific monsters. She giggles at the thought.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> Hard to tell if the other boy is even paying attention.
<Corrin> "Right?" he looks around.
<Darkling> There's a white ball of fur sniffing at your hood Wilhelm.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> He scoots to the side a little.
<Darkling> It swats at your head. "Rrrrrr..."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> He ducks away and moves further from the angry ball of white.
Rasia gets up, reaching for the cat. "Leave him alone, Hel."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "I have no comment on the matter." Lahja says to Corrin.
<Darkling> The cat starts to purr, appeased by the attention. "So," Lit speaks up again. "Anyone want to introduce themselves better?"
Rasia cradles the white fuzz close, looking Wilhelm up and down.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> He's doing his best not to look at anyone.
<Rasia> "Make this one do it, Lit." She uses her boot's sole to nudge the boy's shoulder. "C'mon, talk."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Pass."
<Darkling> "Aww, someone's shy." Danika chides.
<Rasia> "Do it."
<Corrin> Corrin decides to step up, and forwards a half-step. He looks up. "I'm Corrin." A pause. "I guess...I'm ready and willing to do my part of our duty?" He's mentally kicking himself right after he speaks, realizing how stupid that sounded. Never using that wording again. Must have taken in more of what he'd been exposed to than he thought.
<Darkling> "Well, you'll have time for that later. You're from, Texas, right?"
<Corrin> "Yes, sir."
<Corrin> "Austin dome, born and raised."
<Darkling> "What do you think of our patch of ice?"
Rasia glares down Wilhelm while the conversation's going on.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> He doesn't stare back, only glancing now and then to confirm that she is...indeed...still staring at him.
<Corrin> "I'm not sure yet, sir." Corrin replies after a while, attention partly on the stand-off. "But it's good to be here."
<Darkling> "Good." His beeper goes off. "I've got to go make a phone call, you entertain yourselves." Then he's out of the room, Danika in tow.
<Rasia> "Hmf. And what's your story?" That one's aimed at Lahja.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> Phew. He visably relaxes a bit with the stare off of him.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "I'm originally from Finland. I shot my father for being a jerk and poked around in his bullet wounds." she says with a smile. "I'm starting to associate all of you with movies now."
<Rasia> "..."
<Darkling> Even Hel stops cleaning herself and stares.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "He's Full Metal Jacket." she points at Corrin, then Wilhelm. "And that one is E.T., because he's obviously an alien or a test tube baby trying to hide its true nature."
[12:46.49] * Corrin looks to Lahja. "Ah." he says, grin looking a bit forced again. "Metal jacket?" he echoes, train of thought abruptly derailed and cars crushing the metaphorical refugees along the tracks. "But that'd be too heavy to run in..." He trails off. Even he got the reference to E.T.
<Rasia> "You're missing one."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Suspiria." she says in response to Rasia.
<Rasia> "The hell?"
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Pre-impact movie."
<Corrin> "So you're from Finland too?" Corrin throws out, trying to get a response.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> He shakes his head.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Did you have a favorite death scene?" she asks Wilhelm.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Stabbed repeatedly then left to dangle out in the night air? Memorable, if graphic." He pulls at his bangs some more.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "It's what makes it memorable."
<Rasia> "..."
<Darkling> =========END=========