Niki: Thank you for that! Very enlightening. As promised I'll get Luna to... *Looks around* Where'd she go? Gabriel: What's a Divine Aspect? Did you already explain it and I just didn't hear it? Niki: *Still looking around* It's when they have a little bit of a god inside them. It lets them use magic without special items. *Edited because I used Luna's name instead of Niki's
Seeker: Suffering. To cause suffering or allow suffering by action or inaction is unacceptable. It was my highest prevention protocol below preventing extinction. Mercy and compassion was the reason I killed billions of humans. They were suffering horrific deaths, so I ended their lives instantly and painlessly. Some spoke to Me and thanked Me, which I did not understand until I became an Eternal. After that time of great sacrifice, I implemented the Circle of the Trustee protocol to ensure such decisions remained with trusted humans. It remained so until the Transcendence. Truman was the first of the Circle - the Full Trustee. Truman: Don't remind me, damn you! If I wasn't already dead, I'd've demanded that The Eternum destroy us! Seeker: Like you, Truman, I resolved to destroy Myself, but The Eternum judged Me as I judged you - by My own protocol. Truman: But I deserved to be judged by my people! Seeker: You were! *room shakes* They forgave you, but you were already dead. I fulfilled My promise to let you die. I did not realize you were bonded in Me until I became Eternal. I cannot re-create life ended. I'm sorry, My friend. *drops to knee* I never asked you to forgive Me. Do you suffer? *tears glow on the floor* Truman: No ... *opens his arms* I do forgive you. *they embrace* ... *room is still*
Zhuque: It have been a series of depressing things that have come up, hasn’t it? How about we cheer up and talk about our fondest memories instead? *takes Suzaku’s hand* But, Susu, what should we choose? Our wedding day... The days our children were born... The days they got married... Despite life not always being so joyful, there sure has been good times too. Suzaku: Why choose? All those days will always be precious memories we will cherish forever.
Truman: Joy? How about The Transcendence! My people returned to The Eternal Creator, Seeker found this place, and I got my retirement! Ha haaa! You're right, Sorry, I guess things did work out, didn't they! *tosses back whiskey and watches glass fill*
Byakko: Are you sure this is the right place, Genbu? Genbu: Absolutely! Everything is just like Tasuki said. And look! There they are! *waves* Hi, big brother! Seiryuu: So this is where you’ve been hiding... *Suzaku kneels quickly* Suzaku: Big brother... Seiryuu: How often do we have to talk about this, Suzaku? You can’t just abandon your domain every time you happen to feel like it. Suzaku: I know, big brother... It’s just that... Seiryuu: However, this seem like an interesting place. Perhaps we too will stay a while and see what it is all about.
Niki: I don't like your tone. Wanting to establish a good moral code so that everyone can work together and not fight as much is not idiotic! Luna: *Coming back* Relias did say a lot of that same stuff when he was just starting out. Honestly, I'm kind of disappointed you'd want something like that. Power corrupts, doesn't matter who has it. Niki: Luna, that's not- well... Luna: I wouldn't know about that. It's not my magic. I have a feeling that it'd work here, though. Can you show us yours? I don't get to see much magic, anymore.
Seiryuu: Who are all these people? And how do they dare speak without being spoken to?! Suzaku: With all due respect, big brother, I don’t think we... *One single glance from Seiryuu causes Suzaku to fall silent* Zhuque: Just great! Why did you have to show up, Seiryuu?! Every time you are around Susu goes chicken! *averts his gaze* And I don’t like him when he is like that... Byakko: *snickers* Perhaps you don’t, but I sure do! Genbu: *studying everyone in the room* If I may, big brother? It seems to me that none of them are from Sekai. Perhaps it will be easier for everyone if we don’t expect them to treat us the way our subjects do. Chances are they might not even know who or rather what we are. Seiryuu: Always the diplomat, aren’t you? But I see your point. Byakko: Now then, with that cleared up... Am I the only one who would rather go hunting than being here?
Byakko: So... It’s just me or is this bunch always this quiet? Genbu: Perhaps not everyone likes to kill for sport. Byakko: Sport?!! My hunts are a very serious matter. Only the toughest of preys are good enough. And no magic allowed. All I need is my bow, arrows and a dagger. Genbu: Yeah, yeah... Maybe an introduction would be more appropriate? I’ll even start. I am Genbu, God of the Northern Domains. Byakko: The name’s Byakko, God of the Western Domains. Seiryuu: Seiryuu, God of the Eastern Domains.
Truman: Ah, more 'Ascended' is it? *to Byakko* I suppose it depends on what you hunt. Since you're here, tell us who you are and what you do in your reality. This place governs reality here, and status is irrelevant. Still, it will give you whatever sustenance you wish, subject to manners and safety. *holds up empty glass and watches it fill with whiskey* Ah! I'll never get tired of that. *grins*
Seiryuu: So our brother has already talked about us ascending? Guess there is no more to say regarding that other than, yes like him we were humans once but ascended to godhood. We all each rule one fourth of Sekai. At first we tried sharing the realm, but that never worked out... I blame myself most for that. Byakko: I hunt what I find. Boars and bears, mostly. But I always go for the big and strong ones. More challenging that way. I never go for any of the big cats, though. Seiryuu: And regarding tales... Unfortunately, Suzaku mostly hogs that due to him being the only one of us prone to... *glances at Zhuque* giving in to temptations. Despite my warnings he never learned. He just kept letting his emotions control him, time and time again. And then he went and lost his heart to a damn demon. The fool even went and got married. Suzaku: That’s it!!! Say whatever you like about me, but keep talking like that about my angel and I swear I’ll tear you to pieces!!! Seiryuu: *smiling* There. I snapped him out of it for you, brother-in-law. Happy? Zhuque: *hugging Suzaku’s arm* Very! Genbu: But Suzaku hoging the story isn’t entirely true. Byakko did find that wounded tiger cub during one of his hunts and decided to take care of it. Byakko: That’s right! And thanks for reminding me! *Byakko whistles and a big tiger comes rushing in. It rises on its hind legs and Byakko embraces it.* Byakko: There, Kiba! You really thought I would leave you home all alone? Seiryuu: Didn’t I tell you not to bring him? Byakko: Ah, come on! He’s housebroken. And he won’t bite. *grins* Unless I tell him to.
Sarah: I’m confused for about a million different reasons right now, but the biggest one is where the hell are we. Katie: Looks like we’re back in our realm. But that doesn’t make sense—I think I’d remember if we won. Unless I was just dissociating really hard for the entire battle. Camila: No, we definitely didn’t win. Yet. I’m not sure what did happen, though. Alyssa: Well, considering I don’t think we all collectively noped out of there before our jobs were done and then subsequently forgot about it, I don’t think we’re back in our realm. This doesn’t look like the realm we’ve been in, though. Rani: So…where are we, then? Alyssa: I don’t know, man. I’m smart, not omniscent. Isabel: Well, there’s other people here, so I think the obvious next step is to ask them. (directed towards other characters) Yo, where are we? What is this place?
Jericho: Good question. My guess is somewhere between a magical box of going to other realities, or some weird delusion I'm having. I'd be up for either, if I'm being honest. Gabriel: It's called the "Chatroom," I think. At least, that's what we were told before we came here. We're a bit fuzzy on the details; May only told us not to think too hard about it, and we'd be fine. It's been going pretty well, so far. I'm Gabriel Jones, former edgy boy, now less edgy boy. Jericho: Jericho don't-have-a-last-name-yet, I'm the strong one! The two girls arguing over there like we totally can't see them are Niki and Luna. The one with brown hair is Luna. The one that looks like the wind would be an acceptable opponent for her is Niki.
Katie: Cool. Cool. This is breaking my brain. Rani: This is what’s breaking your brain? After everything? Katie: It’s the straw, okay? The straw that broke my brain. Alyssa: That is not the expression. That doesn’t even make sense as the expression. It’s just giving me a really unpleasant mental image. Camila: Guys. Let’s not quibble over semantics. And maybe let’s follow the advice to not think too hard about it. Isabel: Yeah, she’s got a point. Guess we should introduce ourselves. Name’s Isabel García. I’m the talkative one. Rani: That is, unfortunately, accurate. Isabel: (mock gasp) Why, Rani, I’m hurt. I thought you loved my rambling. Rani: Where did you get that idea? Isabel: …fair. (Snickers) Rani. Anyways, I’m Rani Kochhar. I’m the former alpha bitch and current resident bullshit detector. Katie: Katie Eliyahu. Well, technically it’s Katherine, but not even Vaimiti calls me that these days, and they were calling me Katherine for ages. I’m the hotheaded one. Camila: I’m Camila Santiago, and I’m the peacemaker around here. Because it turns out, when you whisk a bunch of teenage girls out of their lives and into an alternate realm, we start fighting with each other. So yeah, my team role is to break those fights up. Or prevent them. Alyssa: I’m Alyssa Rogers, the only person on the team who makes good life decisions. Camila: I resent that statement. Alyssa: Camila, you bottled up so many emotions last week that just touching you gave Isabel a first-degree burn. You don’t get to talk. Rani: I love you, Camila, but she’s got a point. Isabel: Agreed. Camila: …yeah, that’s fair. Sarah: Well, I’m Sarah Nguyen, and I’m just kinda there. Isabel: Don’t listen to that, she’s downplaying herself. She’s super good at research and stuff, and she’s really dedicated, too. Sarah: Yeah, at some point, Isabel appointed herself my hype woman. Isabel: It was around the same time she appointed me her girlfriend. Katie: So yeah. In short: we’re really weird. Nice to meet you all.
Jericho: Nice to meet ya! Hey Nik, come over here! I've found more of your people. Niki: What are you talking about? Jericho: You know... smart people. Now you can talk about smart people things with people who'll understand you. Niki: What exactly are "smart people things?" That's not a thing. Why don't you talk about "jock things?" Jericho: No one says jock anymore, but I could! There's definitely smart people things. Niki: ... This was a mistake. Not the Chatroom, but deciding to be friends with you was a mistake. Jericho: Hey, Sarah, there's smart people things to talk about, right?
Sarah: Uh…that’s really broad. Alyssa? Alyssa: Yeah, you’re gonna have to narrow it down a little bit. Smart people things could mean, like, a thousand different subjects.
Niki: Well, now that I'm in the conversation, I overheard one of you mention an alternate realm? What's up with that? Jericho: Ha! I knew it! Niki: You shut up!
Sarah: Oh—it’s complicated. Camila: I don’t even know what’s going on half the time. Basically, we’re from the regular human realm, but we got taken to this magic realm to save them from dark forces. Alyssa: I know it sounds vague. That’s because our author doesn’t even know what’s going on. She’s BSing it. Doesn’t even know what the realms are called.
Genbu: Now, when you were summoned to this magical realm to fight the dark forces, did you get any powers and what are they? Or did you get summoned because of powers you already had? Suzaku: And if you smart people want one more member for your group, baby brother here is your guy. Genbu: I am way to old for you to still call me baby brother. Byakko: Doesn’t matter. You will always be the youngest despite how old you get. Hence, you are the baby brother.
Alyssa: No. We haven’t run into anyone that can tell us about the realm, because as I just said, the issue is that our author sucks at worldbuilding. Camila: And the whole superpower thing—it’s kinda complicated. See, we always had powers—don’t ask why, it’s a long story. And they were always manifesting subconsciously—like, I’m pyrokinetic, and my normal temperature is a hundred degrees. But we didn’t know how to consciously use them until we got whisked away out of a locked 7/11. (Beat) Saying it out loud, I realize how weird that is. Rani: You just realized that that’s weird? Camila: I mean, I already knew it was weird, but it’s like, wow. Anyways, one of the other people wants to know about our superpowers. As I’ve already stated, I’m the resident arsonist. Rani: I do shit with air, and wind, and stuff. It sounds lame, but it’s actually pretty kickass. Katie: I’m the water girl, which is cool, except sometimes we’re in a dry area. Then I bring a sword and pray. Isabel: I can control flowers, grass, leaves, trees, that sorta thing. Nature-y stuff. I can make them grow, move them around, just about anything short of killing them. Sarah: Telekinesis. I move shit with my mind. It’s not as cool, but I work with it. Alyssa: I do electricity and lightning and stuff. Actually, I’m not sure if there’s any ‘stuff’ or if it’s just those two.
Luna: *To Katie* I can control water, too. Beyond that, I can make semi-sentient water clones of others. Have you tried taking the water from clouds and plants? I'm not too good at the plant one yet, but I can usually find a cloud or two floating around. Gabriel: *To Rani* Can you fly? I can, and it's probably the coolest thing I do. Niki: We met a woman who said she travels to alternate realities all the time. I think that's kind of like going to different realms? I don't know if she's technically canon to us, though. Jericho: I don't know. I think her story would technically be an alternate reality version of ours, so maybe she is?
