OPEN POST: THE ANNIVERSARY

[gentleidealist]

THE ANNIVERSARY

[It's been exactly two years since Mithos took over Paradisa. That's two years of delightful massacres, scaring people into the Dead Zone, and manipulating former friends with the ageless face of a Kharlan hero. Two years of your character struggling to hold onto life as they know it while under the shadow of a fearsome ruler from another world. Two years of scraping to get by, cowering in the Dead Zone, waiting for a chance to go home or a death that Paradisa can't-- won't-- give.

There is nothing planned for today, though there are a few whimsical sort of changes that Mithos called for. The angels are on security detail as usual, policing the grounds; however, Mithos and his closest subordinates may be stepping outside. There is a grand feast set up in the ballroom... but angels don't eat, so it's really just for show. The place has the air of a graveyard party where even the dead decide not to attend.

There is an undercurrent of anxiety tonight, a breath held in anticipation. Something is about to happen, and even the insects are quiet.]

CASTLE GROUNDS
INSIDE THE WALLS
THRONE ROOM
BASEMENT
THE OUTSKIRTS
TOWN
DANY'S CAVE
DEAD ZONE SETTLEMENT
THE FOREST

[ooc: HUGE OPEN MINGLING POST for characters who either reside in the castle as angelic little zombies, or people who are returning for whatever reason. Please don't threadjack something without notifying the muns in advance!

You are free to make your own sections if you'd like and I'll add them to this post :)]

Comments

[whichwayyoulean]

Well, sorry, but if it comes between having her stuck in there with Captain Crazyface and actually being able to be free, I'd do it a hundred times over. I don't care how angry he is, maybe now he can learn he can't have everything he wants.

[Oh gosh there's some bitter anger there isn't there. His fists clench, just slightly. Martel, after all would always be something of s sensitive subject with him]

You know he kept her in chains? Like a dog.

[wilder]

[It's rare for Zelos to show his anger. Years of being in the vile noble courts, of working under the Renegades and Cruxis- places where showing the wrong emotion could get you killed had taught him to always keep it inside, to show that you're nothing but water on the surface.]

[Yet even so, he still has a temper. Things that set him off when pushed enough. The years under Mithos's control only served to give more triggers to bring that temper out. And Once-ler just frolicked over one]

[So the man may found himself suddenly grabbed by his shirt and slammed up against a wall, a single hand holding him there even though Zelos is much shorter than him. ]

Yeah, Once-ler! I knew that! I had to be near that throne room, day after day after all! I mean, unless Lord Yggdrasil had someone for me to kill!

Do you really wanna act like you know more about that place than me?

[whichwayyoulean]

[Well, if it's one thing the Once-ler is good at, it's pissing people off. He really wasn't expecting Zelos to move, after all, angry as he was, he'd let his guard down. He hits the wall with a grunt, one hand gripping rather ineffectually at Zelos' wrist.

It sure did suck to be a regular human sometimes.

Still, he glares down at Zelos, little seen anger in his own eyes]

So you've seen all that and you still think it was better that I left her there? For what? So that we could have an easier time out here?

Sorry that my rescuing our friend has been such an inconvenience to you all.

[wilder]

No you idiot!

[Yep, slowly going to yelling now]

So we could have an easier time getting other people out of there! Like Colette and the others!

At least Martel was the one person who wouldn't have be harmed! Now there's no telling what'll happen to them!

[whichwayyoulean]

[Oh great, yelling is always a good thing. That stubborn streak of the Once-ler's is doing him no favours right now]

Then work out a way to get them back. Whichever way we would have gone about it, he would have noticed and upped the patrols. [With his free hand he reaches over to tap Zelos on the forehead]

Think about it. With Martel out, he'll want her back. He'll be focused on that and people who are focused on one thing make mistakes. We could actually take advantage of him like this.

[Then, a little more calmly] Not that I did it as a tactical move. I did it because I didn't want her locked up there any more, regardless of if he'd ever hurt her or not.

[wilder]

[And tapping on his forehead and talking down to him? Earns him to be let go...before getting punched across the face]

Yeah. He'll be crazy looking for his sister and send out all the people he's got that I care about into the line of fire. So now not only are all the people in the Resistance in more danger, but all the angels too.

Don't try to play your selfish move as something brilliant. Even Martel would've wanted at least Colette saved before herself.

[whichwayyoulean]

[He grimaces at that punch, but is still held fast. After all, Zelos has a lot more power than he does, even on a good day]

Ow, yeah great way to get your point across, thanks man. Real eloquent.

[Ow. Yeah, that's going to bruise, if he's lucky. That'll be a fun thing to try and explain to Ino]

I already told you I didn't plan it that way. Because hey, news flash, because you guys never seem to get it: I'm a selfish guy. I'm sorry your friends are still trapped in there, but I wasn't going to let another year go by and have her still stuck there.

I'm not going to regret getting her out of there, Zelos. Not now, not ever.

[wilder]

...Whatever.

[Zelos is still pissed off, but he can tell arguing with Once-ler is like arguing with a very chatty wall. And with the fact he rarely shows his anger? Zelos isn't very good at knowing what to do, and two years of pretty much no social interaction really doesn't help with that.]

[So instead, he's turning to leave before he decides to make things worse.]

[whichwayyoulean]

[He's glad to have his feet back on solid ground again. He even resists the urge to call after him.

Easier to have things like this, after all. Before he says something REALLY hurtful. So, picking up his fallen things, he goes back to foraging around]