tampered | Log: Ongoing

Log: Ongoing

When; Friday afternoon (07/11)
Rating; PG
Characters; Meta Knight

metastable, Sasha Nein

monochrome_mind
Summary; Sasha gives Meta a tour, and the two analytical thinkers share some musings and information about the City.
Log;

The City was much easier to traverse by air. All these immense creatures called 'humans' were roaming the ground. Most of them seemed to have no capability of flight, unfortunately crowding the ground far more than he had hoped. He wasn't the sort to go flying around and showing off his wings to everyone -- in fact, it could take any attackers off guard if they expected a land battle and he suddenly made it a ground-to-air battle. Unfortunately, in this sea of five- to six-foot sentients, his little two-foot frame was unfit for walking about in the crowds.

This City did seem like a world of its own, but the more likely possibility was some kind of control from a higher group of entities. Brainwashing, or mass deception, or some kind of magically induced compliance that produced all these legends about one-day curses and deities and so forth. Nightmare was close to a god, and presumably there were gods about, but it seemed so unlikely that here was a sequestered land hidden away from any possible universe and tucked out of the reach of space-time.

It would take a lot of convincing to prove that, say, this wasn't just one of Nightmare's slave-colonies-to-be. Simply him growing these creatures like mice in this false City, waiting to seize them in their prime.

But thoughts aside, the air currents were gentle today, easy on his bat's wings. Down below, amidst the crowd shuffling near the carousel, a man stood near its edge and calmly looked into the distance. His thin sunglasses hid his eyes -- well planned, Meta thought -- but the little lean of his head suggested he was idle for a reason. Though the bird's-eye-view didn't do him justice, he looked like the man in the images. Another human, or at least quite possibly human in some way.

Meta circled once, then dropped down vertically to land on the branch of a small tree near the man. He was slightly above Sasha's head level, putting him at comparable height to the humans now.

"Well met." He pulled his cape across himself and held it in place there. "This is a strange place for a carousel. But then, this entire City is nothing if not strange."

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As promised, Sasha stands only a short distance away from the carousel, keeping both hands stuffed in the pockets of his jacket. He considered smoking a cigarette while waiting, but for some reason, he felt that it would make him look less presentable in front of a knight. The habit could wait a few hours anyways.

He watches with intent eyes, as the two-foot knight lands on a nearby tree. It looks like the person he's supposed to be meeting with, and so, Sasha walks calmly towards the tree.

"Indeed. An honor to meet you in person, Sir Meta Knight." He nods in agreement to the other statement. "Yes, it is a strange place. But like you've just stated, the entire City can be strange at times. Perhaps nothing is really normal here."

"It appears not." He turns to survey the crowd, withdrawing his wings behind his cape, and motions to the crowd. They mill about as if they have always lived here, though there are some that look confused, and most are simply going about their day-to-day lives. Most of them were human-like, but there were many who weren't; it was as if someone decided to create sentients by drawing plans from a hat and then throwing the result into one community. Clearly, it wasn't any kind of native-populated place.

"The people here. Are they all here against their will?"

"Yes. Everyone that has come here was brought in against their own free will. There is a small explanation behind it though. The deities. They are the beings that brought us here. Most of the time, they provide us with the essentials, however...they also tend to curse the City. It's as if we are nothing more than mere playthings to a higher power."

He glances out at the City as well, almost frowning just a bit at the sights. This isn't home to him by a long shot, no mater how many things or people make it seem otherwise. "I think most people forget that after a while. To forget that we're all trapped in a City with no escape, a prison of sorts. I've thought about it for a long time, even though I've been stuck here for only a few months."

Edited 2008-07-11 19:01 (UTC)

More of the same that he had already heard and read. "Is it possible," his eyes shift down to watch the man, "that these deities are some kind of high-technology sentients? Or demigods, like Nightmare? My own theory is that this place is essentially enslavement...we are doing something for the benefit of our captors."

And if that were the case, he had to begin an escape plan at once, because he had to ensure that Kirby and the new resistance made it through the war alive. If they were defeated again, Nightmare would rule the entirely of the cosmos, and there would be no end to his power. He could turn the tables, as soon as he departed this strange upside-down city.

Like fleeing the Factory. One who can do that, can escape anything.

Sasha, even if the knowledge was already known by Meta Knight, still felt a need to tell him. After all, ignorance is bliss, but foolish in the City. "Your theory makes logical sense. As for the deities themselves, we know very little about them. I'm not even sure what type of being they are, and they show up very rarely to speak with us. Perhaps there is a way to get an audience with one, somehow."

He looks up at Meta Knight calmly. "The City also has another troubling problem. No one has ever escaped the City, unless taken back to their own world by the deities power. Considering they can control time and have enough power to pull us all here, I shouldn't expect anything less."

His hands tighten on his cape. Yes, it had been just a dream, perhaps a product of Cori -- who was Cori, anyway? -- and his evil dealings, but...it still reminds him. His gloves touch his face, or his mask, to most, but they don't have the invasive, mind-twisting nature that its hands did.

There are others much more powerful than he in this universe, and not all of them are benevolent. He often forgets, and he doesn't enjoy reminding himself. Nightmare, he can accept. But if these are demigod in nature...

They have not been seen outside this area. Therefore Nightmare is his personal threat, and that is all. He shoves the rest away into the back of his mind.

"No one has escaped." The words mean nothing to him. Not after what he has seen and done in his thousand or so years, and seeing the citizens here be so lazy about it doesn't encourage fear. "Nothing is perfect. No trap is gap-free. Given time and and a brain, one can always find the crack to slip through."

"I hope your words are true, since I myself have been unable to find a way back. She tells me not to worry, but I do so anyways, even if time has stopped outside of this City." Sasha sighs, before idly pulling out a cigarette from his jacket pocket. He just stares at it for a few minutes, unsure of whether to light it or not. "If you intend to look for a way out, I will do all I can to help you, meta Knight."

It may not seem obvious at first, but Sasha can sense that something is wrong with his companion. If only by his gestures and tone of voice. "Do you have anything else you wish to ask me? Or shall we explore the City a bit?"

"We can learn more if we explore, than if we stand here. I intend to leave, indeed. I have a war to which I must return, at home." With that, he flutters all the way to the ground -- for him, it's two and some body lengths down -- and follows alongside Sasha.

"Ah, of course. It seems like we both have reasons to get back home." He just nods lightly, before walking forward. Of course, he makes sure to keep up with the much-smaller Meta Knight. "For the most part, the City is divided up into three major areas: the overground, Xanadu, and the Underground. I would avoid the latter, since it's rumored to be a dangerous spot in town. There's also the twelve major housing units, which are positioned strangely around the City."

"A complex tunnel system? It may have resources of its own, even if it is dangerous." He keeps close to Sasha, as the human's personal-space bubble was somewhat larger than his own to those milling about, and its protection extends to him now. At least the humans won't step on him.

"Perhaps it does. I haven't ventured down there myself, but rumor has it the place is trouble." Sasha won't even dare let someone step on Meta Knight, although he highly doubts it'll happen. "This might sound like a foolish question, but..have you found a place to stay yet?"

"In a way. Currently, I'm staying with a man named Nicodemus. I am still unsure whether or not he intends to let me rent part of his apartment -- I don't need much room, as you can probably guess -- or whether he was simply letting me rest there until I found somewhere more permanent." He shrugs his wings, his mantle bobbing up once. They pass by a cafe, a high-tech place with brilliant lights and a stack of computers behind its windows. Perhaps that would be a good place to get on the network at large, when he wasn't voice-recording. "Though I currently have no way to pay anyone back for these favors. I looked for food earlier today, only to realize that my currency isn't valid here. I don't plan on staying here long, but in case something goes wrong, I should secure some line of work."

"Hmm...The name of that person sounds familiar. Regardless, residency in any of the 12 buildings is free, so I assume you could find yourself a place for the time being. As for currency, employment is possible around here, depending on what type of job you're looking for." He stops to glance at the cafe's bright lights, before turning to Meta knight once again. "I'm at your aid, if you so need it. I look for no sort of monetary repayment, instead, I enjoy a good conversation now and then. I trust you as a companion so far."

"You have my thanks, and my trust as well. It's not often I meet someone like myself. And someone with your skills." He glancs around, searching for the twelve buildings -- there are indeed several in a vaguely radial pattern about the center of the metropolis. They're all so immense -- he would have to fly just to open the doors. "Nicodemus is a benevolent man, seemingly impervious to fear or alarm. He claims to be from a holy land. Something called Palestine. Do you know of this place?"

(ooc: I'm sorry I fail and keep posting and deleting due to accidentally replying to your post instead of the thread ><)

"Ah, well...I appreciate your kind words. In the near future, perhaps I will show you my skills, as promised before." Sasha seems interested in the conversation, although something about the name rings in the back of his mind. "Palestine? No, I can't say that I've heard of it. However, I could look into the name later, with some research, of course. This man...Nicodemus, I think I've heard of him before, but I'm not sure what skills or talent he possesses."

((ooc: It's okay. I keep doing the same thing as well. ^^;))

"Tell me what you discover. The more I know about those around me, the better." He raises a hand to his mask for just a moment. "Dreams. Have you been having them lately, as well?" His eyes flicker green.

"I will." He shakes his head lightly to the second question. "No, I hardly dream anymore. I had a few in the past, but that was before I arrived in the City. Dreams can carry many meanings, or none at all. Why do you ask? Are you troubled, as of late?"

"There are many who are dreaming under the influence of a man here in the City. He can read into one's mind, and manipulate dreams, or so it appears." The green haze vanishes, and his eyes return their usual yellow. The tooth-eyed dream is still on his mind a little, but moreso the fact that there are many here who can peer into him. Information advantage is a well-won victory all its own, and those who trust him do so knowing that there is much to him they will never see.

Sasha, The Corinthian, so many here to open the soul and peer inside. "It is not something I encounter much in my world," is his only explanation. Avoiding mention of his own thoughts is the best way to avoid the delicate situations involved when commenting on himself.

Yes, many delicate situations...

"One who can delve into the subconscious and meddle with the dreams of others. I would normally admire one with such skill, but to abuse that power is disgraceful. Perhaps someone knows about this man, or can at least shed some light on his motives." The change in eye color doesn't startle Sasha, but instead, catches his attention more. "Be at ease around me. I will not try to pry into your mind for information. However, if you are still troubled by these dreams in the future, I will give assistance to you."

"It is understandable. In my world, psychics are rare, so it is hard to get used to things we don't understand."

"I've yet to confront him." Meta nods, a forward bob of his roughly spherical body. "As for you, fearing you would do me no good. If you were reading my mind, I wouldn't know, and so I assume you tell me truth until proven otherwise. Nevertheless, is it possible for you to teach me to shield myself from this sort of interference, as I've experienced?"

"If you do so, be careful. I fear that an opponent who can manipulate dreams can become a difficult challenger." He seems a bit embarrassed for making such an accusation, but Sasha hides it well. One hand goes to his glasses, pushing them up calmly. "Your senses can be sharpened. In fact, if you have a strong enough will, you can repel invaders in your mind, and those who try to read your thoughts. Considering that you aren't psychic, the way to do this would be astral projection. Strengthening your mental landscape and appearance there."

Edited 2008-07-12 05:54 (UTC)

"I plan to speak with him initially, not fight him. Information is more valuable than a dead demon in such an unorthodox place. Better others think I am a demon, than to lose a possible way out." His eyes slide sideways in his mask, the light redirecting as he looks up at Sasha. "Astral projection. Is that not separating the spirit from the body, and maneuvering via the ghost?"

"Ah...I should also let you know that the laws of death don't apply in this world. People who are killed come back after a few days. Also, I don't know if I've mentioned this, but in regards to your world...time has stopped there." He glances down at Meta Knight once more. "In a way, yes and no. Where I'm from, astral projection is literally creating a form for yourself in your own mind. From there, you can control your very thoughts, lock away deep memories, and begin to understand your own psyche."

He sighs for a moment. "Ach, now I wish I had the Brain Tumbler here. It would allow me to explain things better."

"The what?" The befuddled look on the knight's face -- one eye smaller than the other, both skewed up toward Sasha -- betrays his total confusion at the word.

Time has stopped. That means...I have time to search, to find a way out. I have no deadline. That especially was an immense relief. However it worked, and he was beginning to ignore the laws of nature as they applied to this place, it was working to his advantage.

The world always had another trick up its sleeve.

"Ah, my apologies if I've confused you. It's an invention that unfortunately, is stuck at home right allows. It allows a person to look within his or her own mind." He shrugs his shoulders lightly. "I guess I should explain, I spend most of my time investing new devices to help bridge the gap between science and the paranormal."

"In my world, magic is relatively normal." He focuses, and as he walks, a fresh breeze swirls about him and stirs the leaves in a vortex around his feet. They flutter up, over his head, and then down to where they lie still. "It sounds like many here aren't familiar with things like demon beasts. Nightmare is a demigod of sorts who lords over most of the known universe; to conquer what he does not own, he sends demons to fight for him. Both they and some of the resistance have all kinds of powers I don't see in many here: elemental ability, manipulating inner energy into weapons and strikes, and so forth. Our 'paranormal' is fairly common."

"Ah, I think I understand now. Where I'm from, magic doesn't exist, and neither does demigod-like creatures, such as this Nightmare character. I imagine you'll find quite a few people here that don't know about your world, or the battles that are going on there." The breeze feels calming, as Sasha places both hands back into his pockets. "You and me both have reasons to return home then. You have to stop Nightmare, and I have to save an old friend."

"It inclines one to ask the question...why are we here? Why us?" He stared up at the sky, as if asking the gods. "What do the masters of this city want, to bring us here?"

"We can all draw our own answers for that question, but we may never know the truth. I believe we are here to be observed and watched by the Deities. It sounds grim, but...I feel as if we have very little control over our lives." He looks skyward, before speaking up again. "Let us not dwell too much on the negative things. Tell me, Meta Knight, do you have things you enjoy in life?"

The sudden levity of the question amuses him. Perhaps it's for the better to think about these sorts of things at times, in such a situation. "Traveling the land by air at night, or simply traveling in itself. A well-brewed cup of tea. Intelligent conversation. I am not difficult to keep occupied. Yourself?"

Sasha can't help but smirk a bit at his companion's reaction to the question. But, he's being sincere about the change in discussion. After all, to be overly worried about the current situation is troubling. "Ah, I tend to drink coffee, read different types of books, and recently, I've been working on a few inventions." He nods lightly. "There is a decent cafe nearby. Shall we stop off there for a few minutes?"

"Indeed." He turns and heads out toward the cafe. "What inventions?"

"Different things. The Brain Tumbler I mentioned earlier was one of my greatest, and a few weeks ago, I got to test out a prototype tracking device. i try to invent non-practical devices, things that can be used for important matters." He follows Meta Knight calmly. "This is a first. Normally, people don't care or show very much interest in my hobbies. It's nice to have someone to discuss these things with."

He pushes hard against the cafe door and opens it enough to pass through, then shoves it farther until Sasha can enter. For such a small creature, he's quite strong, although the big door still requires more torque than his mass likes to provide.

"I'm no engineer, but I've yet to encounter an uninteresting one." He pushes a chair so far that its back touches a table, then jumps up onto the backrest so that he is of a decent height to communicate.

Sasha follows behind him, resting one hand on the door idly. He takes a seat across from Meta Knight, not in the least bit bothered by his companion's ways. "I see...Well then, perhaps you should stop by my semi-lab sometime. In fact, if you're looking for a temporarily place to stay, I can offer you the extra room in my apartment, for the time being. Given a few days, I could probably alter one of the current apartments to be more size understanding."

"The second offer is quite appealing. It will give Nicodemus some time alone -- until then, I'll stay with him." He requests a cup of tea when the waiter comes by.

"Ah, I understand. I'll look into starting on that project sometime this week. Is living in Building 12 okay with you?" He orders himself a cup of coffee instead of tea, but regardless, it seems like Sasha is going to pay the bill either way. "Beyond that, if there's anything else you need me to do within reason, I'll help."

"That's fine." He nods and allows Sasha to pay without protest, if only because he has no money. He needs a job. But what? He's small, so human manual labor is mostly out. The City may need defense soldiers -- that, he can do. "Do it at your own pace; it seems I won't have many time constraints here. I have little to do, if you discount the monster assault that just happened."

"I have too much free time here, it seems." He nods lightly, while resting both hands on the table. "Have you considered joining a team in regards to defending the City. I've spoken with a women who deals with investigations of the Underground."

His eyes light up. "The Underground. Who is this woman?" This could be the solution he was looking for.

"..I don't know if she deals a lot in the Underground, however, she does run a monster hunting business. If anything, that type of job seems to fit your personality, Meta Knight." He takes up his drink lightly. "I'll give you her network location, so you can send her a message sometime." A nearby pen floats off the table, and Sasha writes down the needed information (http://quamserena.livejournal.com/) on a blank piece of paper. Once finished, he hands the item over to Meta Knight.

His eyes follow the pen, widening a little as it hovers and writes. Psychic. It's an impressive feat, and he watches the pen return to the table as if watching a man lift and set down a heavy boulder far larger than his own size. Just moving that pen implies so much ability.

"I'll contact her." He takes the paper and stashes it away, removing his hand slowly from his cape's folds as he thinks. Is it futile to hunt monsters that come and go in a day? No, probably not. The City isn't so magical as to have endless matter for endless monsters. He will be doing some good.

"Thank you. I loathe being unproductive, especially in such a besieged place."

Lifting pens is nothing to Sasha, but he won't say that out loud. After all, it's just an old habit to do things with psychic powers, instead of acting like a normal person. He nods, calmly to Meta Knight's words, agreeing with the masked swordsman.

"Good luck. If anything, joining with a group can provide a great deal of information. Perhaps even a few answers to your questions. Like I said before, I trust you, and I will provide whatever assistance I can."

His voice, already fainter than many due to his size, grows faint as he deftly sips the tea from the bottom edge of the tilted mask. "Nicodemus. Do you know him?"

Sasha is quiet for a moment, staring into the his drink calmly. "I've heard things about him. Then again, you may not like what I have to say."

"My preferences are no matter at all. What I want to hear," his eyes turn an intense green, the color of his serious tone, "is the truth."

"The truth? Of course, Meta Knight." His gloved hand runs along the edge of his drink, thinking quietly for a few seconds. "I've heard that Nicodemus is a master at manipulation and perhaps even darkness itself. A good friend of mine was forced to attack the City with magic due to his influence. She was stopped, and passed on a warning to me about him."

Master of manipulation. Keep in mind that Sasha may be telling this for reasons unknown to you, and that this may or may not be true. But if it is, Nicodemus is one for me to watch. He sets his cup on the table and nonchalantly glances out of the corner of his eye to see if anyone is taking pains to observe them. No one. He hasn't tried anything yet. That must be why I can't sense it.

"If he is as you say," he looks up, and his eyes peer into Sasha's glasses, "then I should be on guard, but not obviously. Seeing as how I live with him, my running away would signal that I know something about him. I believe I should stay until the room in Building 12 is complete. If you were in my place, what would you do?"

Now he would be edgy while sleeping. The dangerous part of Nicodemus right now didn't seem to be his manipulation, or his magic if he had any, but his species. Larger and more suited to the area, Nicodemus would have an easier time cornering him and isolating him in the room. He would be able to easily reach all the locking mechanisms, the windows, anything that would slow him down. He could cut through them, but the problem was that it would take him time should something go wrong.

He would keep watch. And of course, he would follow up on Sasha to ensure that this man was who he said he was. He wasn't initially suspicious; it was just his standard practice to fetch information on anything and anyone in a new area.

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Log: Ongoing

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