Dec 06, 2011 13:36
Auditors appeared in the lobby of the art gallery, stopping Myria's progress through the room. As they did so, it seemed that they had never reallynot been there. Six figures took shape, blinked and opened their eyes. Three of the figures were male, three were female and they were dressed in human-sized equivalents of the Auditors' robes.
They will observe the end of this world with you. They will not eat or breathe.
Hah! thought one of the little voices that made up Myria's thinking.
One of the figures whimpered.
"The body will breathe," she said. "You will not persuade it that air is not required."
She was aware of the choking noises. "You are thinking, yes, we can exchange necessary materials with the outside world, and this is true," she went on. "But the body does not know that. It thinks it is dying. Let it breathe."
There was a series of gasps.
"And you will feel better shortly," Myria added and was enthralled to hear the inner voice think: These are your jailers, and you are already stronger than them.
One of the figures felt its face with a clumsy hand and, panting, said, "Whom do you speak to with your mouth?"
"You," Myria said.
"Us?"
"This will take some explaining-"
"No," the Auditor said. "Danger lies that way. We believe the body imposes a method of thought on the brain. No blame attaches. It is a... malfunction. We will accompany you around the island. We will do this now."
"Not in those clothes," Myria said. "You will frighten them. It may lead to irrational actions."
There was a moment of silence. The Auditors-made-flesh looked hopelessly at one another.
"You have to talk with your mouth," Myria prompted. "The minds stay inside the head."
One said, "What is wrong with these clothes? It is a simple shape found in many human cultures."
Myria walked to the window. "See the people out there?" she said. "You must dress in appropriate fashions."
Reluctantly the Auditors did so, and, while they retained the grayness, they did give themselves clothes that would pass unnoticed in the street. Up to a point, anyway.
"Only those of female appearance should wear dresses," Myria pointed out.
A hovering gray shape said,Warning. Danger. The one calling itself Lady LeJean may give unsafe advice. Warning.
"Understood," said one of the incarnate ones. "We will lead."
It walked into the door.
The Auditors clustered around the door for a while, and then one of them glared at Myria, who smiled.
"Doorknob," she said.
The Auditor turned back to the door, stared at the brass knob, and then looked the door up and down. It dissolved into dust.
"Doorknob was simpler," Myria replied.
[OOC: Not for interaction!]