Let the games begin

[thefirstuchiha]

Characters:  Uchiha Madara and the Animus
When: August 29th, during the day
Where: Inner City where the Animus live
Rating:  PG-13
Summary:  Madara goes into the Inner City to strike up a deal with the Animus.

Comments

[adstring_npc]

As Madara walked into the city, the path behind him closed.

It was quiet there, and there were no traps, no life at all to greet him. This wasn't the first time the man had come to 'visit' the Animus; they weren't in the same condition now, but they remembered. And they allowed him entrance; cries of wind followed, and even as it was hardly an encouragement, they cut the way behind to pieces, leaving a sense of utter void behind him. Their territory was being invaded, but they only watched.

The entire Inner City was theirs now, but their original 'room' still felt like some sort of centerpoint. If there was any place where the spirits could be their most coherent, it was probably there- the rest of the city subject to reverberations, echoes of power and little else. And even that was enough to change reality, so what was conscious in that room was nearly suffocating.

"A proposition, does he? Didn't have any of that before."Red feathers fluttered past Madara's ear- the voice clear, precise, each word a carefully tuned note. A bird

[thefirstuchiha]

"Yes, I'm quite aware of what happened to me the last time we came in contact. But this time is different," Madara said while glancing at the flickering bird. "I'm not trying to kill you this time."

He paused for a moment, taking in the area around him. His memories from the last time he was here were fuzzy at best. He knew where the room was and that he talked to the Animus, but he couldn't remember if the room was like this the last time. Or if there was a bird or not.

Not that it mattered, in the long run.

"I actually want to work together. My plan will benefit us both, I believe."

[adstring_npc]

"Idiocy. You only want to work for yourself. We know groups. You're not a group."

A fish- part of, one of Thalatte- flowed out from the murk, passionless eyes matching the countless others blinking around the room. There's a low murmur of agreement. "We don't trust you. We want to go outside. We don't want you here." The walls were like a body; a body made of eyes and scales, a body that breathed and never quite held still.

"For what it's worth, I agree with her. Sorry." Preening, scattering feathers, twin snakes hiding among a tail that nearly brushed the floor. "So what do we do take time? Maybe both eyes." The bird paused; in a blink, it was on the other side of the room- or maybe the room itself moved?

"Can we swallow him this time? You can take what you want after."

A low, rolling noise; the approach of thunder. Multicolored lights flickered between the scales of the wall.

"Wait. Human - what do you think you can do?"

[thefirstuchiha]

His face remained emotionless, even as most parts of the Animus began to contemplate how they would kill him this time and just what they would take. They hadn't killed him yet, so that meant there was still a chance he could get out of here alive...and with a piece of the Animus sealed up inside of him.

"This could be the chance for you all to take back Adstringendum...and I can help you with that. If I can seal even part of you inside of me, I can cast a genjutsu upon the moon and put the entire city under my control...our control."

[adstring_npc]

Small dragonflies pushed their way from the wall, flitted about its surface. Then, through the fish another body pushed. Small and catlike, it hit the ground noiselessly, though as it walked slowly around Madara- never looking at him, not really seeming to acknowledge him- its six diamond-shaped wings scraped the ground, the noise metallic. A long tail was curled up, wrapping around its throat, barbed tip dangling.

"You think I need your help?"

The fish blinked, in ripples, interrupting.

"You can sew him up again afterward. I want to eat him now."

"Sew both eyes this time, you know? One wasn't good enough." Wings spread, the bird flapped.

"No. No, go away, I'll handle it on my own." Still without looking towards Madara, the creature- the voice colder, though more prone to lilting and snapping than the others- continued to him, "We can influence the city whenever we want. What more could your control offer?"

"You can't be considering- she'll never-"

"It's my decision. Now, continue, human."

[thefirstuchiha]

One of these creatures was interested in the very least, but that was enough for Madara. Even if it was just one part of the Animus, it was sure to give him immense power. Perhaps a fragment could even be as powerful as one of the tailed demons from his own world.

"You said it yourself, you want to go outside. You can cause as much chaos in the city as you want, but you can't be there yourselves, can you? If you agreed, I would become your vessel and anywhere I went you would go as well.

You could have your fun and leave the Inner City all at the same time. It seems to me this could be a win-win situation for us both."

[adstring_npc]

"I don't want chaos, I want-"

All at once, the eyes blinked off. The walls stilled. Far overhead, rocks moved, shifted- the cat looked up, stared. Unretracted claws dug into the ground, and for a moment there's an impression of something more- geometric shapes, pillars of glass, equations stretching on. Lines and measurements, constantly reworking, fixing, repairing itself with symbols that stretch to forever, but aren't quite enough. Anger, despair, confusion-

Then there's nothing but the clouded presence in the room, and a cat with too-large dragonfly wings. It sits, inspecting Madara, ears tilted towards him.

"It doesn't concern you. Though for someone who wants to be my vessel, you don't show the proper respect. Where's the offerings, the sacrifices? Still... well, it's a better method than Thalatte's. Find something nice for us while you're outside."

It stretched; its wings creaked open.

SO SORRY THIS IS LATE

[thefirstuchiha]

All of a sudden there was so much movement, so much activity in the room, Madara didn't know what was going on. Then, just as suddenly as it all appeared, it was gone and just one of the parts remained.

He listened as the cat like creature spoke to him, cautious as to what it might be saying. When it finished and opened its wings, Madara held in a smirk.

"So, I take that as your acceptance."

IT'S OKAY! <33

[adstring_npc]

A panel on a wing shattered, the dust glittering, hovering in mid air. From it, there was a soft thrum, the beat of a thousand tiny wings. Dragonflies grew from the shards of dust, multi-colored and gently creaking, their bodies made of glass.

As one they moved towards Madara, humming and whistling, covering him, digging sharpened feet into him, through him, pulling his eyes open and crawling through them. Each healed every tiny point of damage at once, melding into him, reconstructing everything they needed.

The mental voice spoke among the soft, cutting beat of wings.

"You'll do to start. My name is Teleos. If you're going to serve me, you should know it!"

<3<3<3

[thefirstuchiha]

Madara really was tired of the Animus messing with his eyes and this time, like all the others, there was no way he could stop them. He had asked for this, after all.

It was some of the most excruciating pain of his life. He hadn't expected the Animus to merge with him like this, but perhaps this was their way of getting back at him. He let out a wailing scream of pain as they ripped through and clawed at his eyes, gaining access to his entire being. He wasn't sure how long it lasted, but he was aware of the voice speaking to him.

Teleos...a name he had not heard before from the Animus. He would remember that one, even if he didn't voice that he had heard it.

[adstring_npc]

When the process finished, the voice vanished, the room emptied- at least to sight. That presence remained was unmistakable, but it had fallen silent.

If it had been an audience, it was apparently at an end.

[thefirstuchiha]

It took a few moments for the pain to fade, since it had been healed just moments after the Animus had entered him. The room was empty, but Madara knew he was not alone. The Animus had merged with him and he had successfully become its vessel.

The city was his now. All he had to do was go out and claim it.

OOC: I take it the log is over now :)