[Mini Event] TMI

"You should tell her that I can go into pocket dimensions."

The snarl of static that might have seemed nothing more than a trick of the light, buzzed near
Melita 's ear. Formless, the words were still formed through a smile and utter by an appropriately human number of tongues and teeth.

vox

I've done nothing wrong
Except for all the atrocities

No one said anything for a bit more, so Melita stood there, arms crossed, waiting for something to be decided upon, when the little voice rang in her ear. She turned her head, glancing out of the corner of her eye, when the buzz of static ricocheted and volleyed, and a chill ran down her spine. Something familiar grated, perhaps like when they’d had all those weird messages, and she presumed the news she was about to deliver wasn’t going to be well received. “Hey uh…you know all those times we heard those broadcasts…,” she started, as if uncertain and still looking over her shoulder. “One just told me they can go into pocket dimensions.”

the honeybee

Besides that
I'm innocent

Sah

Sah was about to cast his vote for staying where they were when Melita shared her disturbing news. "Well, fuck." His brow furrowed, "I wonder if they can reach Old God shrines too or if they are blocked from it." If a pocket dimension or out in the open wasn't safe from spying, it was the only place that the Wild Thunder could think of. Granted, the voice might speak out against the plan and claim that they can, regardless of the truth. It might be worth a shot on the off chance that the shrines were a safe place.

Overall, Sah hated that the Family was clearly spying on them.

I think therefore I am,
But what if all I do is bleed?

"You know your shrines are just...rocks..right?" The words weren't in their minds, but instead buzzed through the air like a pack of staticy-bees. "Some of them have flowers or little candles, sure, and those things are very nice, and I don't mean to brag or anything, but I am an interdimensional being with the ability to speak inside your thoughts, so...yeah. I can be around rocks."

vox

RONIN

THE WHITE KNIGHT

There's a lot that Ronin is willing to put up with, and he's about to gently mention that with Remi's magic blanketing them, it's probably easier to do whatever it is they're going to do all together, when a lick of pure chaos enters the situation. (And enters their minds, as it happens). Bristling and finding himself instantly on his feet, whilst the Knight knows well that his own abilities do nothing against the Family - and don't worry, he's still gnashing his teeth about it as well - he'll fight with his bare hands if he has to.

Glancing to Seren and reaching out to touch a hand to Remi's shoulder, he shakes his head to his daughter. "It doesn't matter where we are," he says. "And it clearly doesn't seem to be causing the Family any concern." Given that Vox isn't just in their heads right now, though, but feels very much present in a physical way, he's concerned that the staticy voice might not be the only one around.

now don’t you lose hope

I swear I never dream that we’re alone

I swear I still believe but I don’t know

are you really going to talk about timing in times like these?

As Ronin bristles, so too does the Bastion, whose knitting is suddenly discarded in his lap as he sits up and looks sharply around as if through the force his glare he might be able to force Vox to make itself visible. "Why are you telling us this?" Remi asks, his green stare still finding nothing to properly land on.

"Wouldn't it have been better to just...invisibly monitor? We let us know just how far you are able to go?"

Standing, Remi glances around only distantly to ensure that everyone around was still within the radius of his magic, but given there hadn't been much movement, he was sure they were. Content with his ability to keep them all protected should the voice decide to attack, Remi glanced at Ronin, his jaw feathering. Do you think it can hear this? He wonders through their bond, trying to look as nonchalant about his nonverbal communications as he could.

remi

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)

The air around Remi grows heavy with electricity, causing his hair to stand on end.

"Based on what I've seen, your kind normally thinks it's rude to do things like that." Vox replies toothfully. "But I can go back to that if you prefer. Just pretend I'm not here!" The sound of a zipper being done up is audible before the air grows still again.

vox

The waters rise above my eyes
I will breathe it in and go out with the tide

There was so much going on in this meeting that Noah just kept turning his head to each person that spoke. He took in their words silently, glacial in nature such that his Halovian roots were, and rolled them over and over and over. Even in the moments of silence when he had opportunity to speak, he gave no indication other than what was clear: Noah was in this, and he was not going anywhere. A firm nod towards Seren solidified that.

But then all hell broke loose. Frist with Melita, then in his own head. Ronin jumped to his feet and Noah mirrored his actions, turning to look around them with his back now facing Seren and the group. He could feel every muscle tighten and at his sides his hands were fists. Even with Remi's protection, something needed to happen. But Noah, admittedly, didn't know the answer. They couldn't stay here, he knew that at least, but what was the point in saying it?

this enemy was laughing in all of their faces, and they were powerless.

At least he was. And Ronin.

"Show us, Seren." He finally declared.

Because it didn't matter any more -- the family knew what they were here for, what they were doing, and would soon know next steps.

Noah wanted to throw up.

And when you think this is the end
You will find me there where I have always been

code by sky

when driving past your house, the taste of iron in my mouth
or the shame, that i have to look like mom

As static coats the air, the Flood doesn’t seem to be bothered by it. Instead, he doesn’t even notice initially until Melita speaks — too busy glaring at the lighthouse and listening as the conversation continues to go roundaboutly. But Melita speaks and his attention focuses while everyone starts to get onto the attack mode, and Sunjata sits up a little straighter with it.

Not because he wants to do anything about it (he doesn’t think there’s anything that can be done about it), but he’s watchful instead. Following the heels of everyone else, Sunjata remains silent and watchful, waiting until he’s directed into doing something. Until then, there’s nothing he can do or say that hasn’t been done before already.

So he sits and waits even more.

the flood

disgraced, i made me my father's son
you're still to close to me, i swear at night i feel your breath

Seren

Seren had just been about to dig for the item in her pocket space, when Melita spoke up again. The starchild froze as her father got to her feet, chills going up and down her spine. It felt awful. Not just the voice that spoke to them, but the idea that it could get into a space that had been made just for her. Worse than someone just peeping through the window into her bedroom, this was something that could make a home in her closet and move in and out as it pleased, and there was nothing she could do about it.

Fearful eyes sought Ronin, beyond all pretense of knowing what she was doing anymore; part of her just wanted to run, and the only thing stopping her was that... well... there wasn't really anywhere to run to. Not anymore.

With a suffocating sensation constricting around her throat, she did as she was told and dipped a hand shoulder deep into nothingness. What she brought out again was a ball of swirling black and purple energy, solid to the touch but cold and heavy. Without a word she passed it over to Ronin, and hoped that the awful sense of premonition would turn out to simply be a stomach ache after all.

---

Seren has given Ronin

Familial Sphere | A globe of swirling black and purple energy that fits in one hand. Comes from The Family's home world.

I'm ready to start the conquest of spaces
Reaching the starlight and silver fields

Hadama had listened, taking in Tal's caution and Melita's courage with equal gravitas. Both made points that he inclined his head to in quiet acknowledgment but in the end the unfortunate news that the Honeybee shared and the addition of the Voice of the Family to the gathering made the Messenger's paranoia both justified and pointless.

He remembered his goddess's voice as well, drawing in a slow breath and taking strength from that memory before he watched Seren hand the sphere to Ronin. It looked... familiar, in a vague, dreamlike sort of way. The energy was alien, bearing the family's colors, and emerald eyes narrowed as he looked at it. "Did Safrin say what it is?" he rumbled quietly to the starchild. "Exactly?"

Well they'd all been waffling along until the fucking static voice showed up and Tal jolted like he'd been stung, stifling a yelp as he clapped his hands over his ears.

Which, y'know, did exactly nothing to stop the words that were coming from inside his head.

He quickly took them away when he realized that others were speaking, however, though the old, familiar scowl was now firmly back on his face. He pulled his Goggles with their Void-sensing charm on as he glared around indiscriminately, trying to find a face to put with the zippy little voice that had an uncomfortable amount of teeth and tongues in it.

Totally normal? Sure. But normal for what?

"Yeah, well, if you're bein' so courteous how about y'just leave," he grumbled under his breath at Vox. Even though he was actually really hoping that the Family brainworm didn't have much more to say on the matter. Besides, how would they know if it had actually gone anywhere even if it said it did?

Just thinking about all the wheels within wheels was giving him a headache, which only made his scowl deepen.

---

Type: Grey | Style: Other | Level: Basic
Void Charm | A small charm attached to the See-Right Goggles that allow the wearer to see void-infected characters within 10ft. **Cannot identify members of the Family

RONIN

THE WHITE KNIGHT

Having been about to respond to Remi when they are interrupted, again, by the external version of the broadcasted voice they keep hearing, Ronin bites down on any response he might give and glares around the room for Vox. Before he can get any further in the seek-and-destroy aspect of this little meeting, he senses Seren's approach, glancing to his daughter as she silently hands him the artefact they've been waiting to examine.

With furrowed brows and only a vague understanding, Ronin accepts the item and lets his arm move around the girl, drawing her close against his side. "Alright," he says softly, taking a deep breath and letting it out again. "We're all here, our static friend included, apparently. This is the item Safrin gave to Seren. It's... as I understand it, it's a piece of the place the Family came from. We can use it to see if anything can hurt them."

At this point he might have set it down, but just because Vox isn't causing any active trouble doesn't mean he might not take the item, and if this is the only thing they have, he's not keen to lose it. "I thought we might take it in turns to attack it. We know celestial energy does nothing, but maybe something else."

now don’t you lose hope

I swear I never dream that we’re alone

I swear I still believe but I don’t know

are you really going to talk about timing in times like these?

Exhaling, Remi frowned at Vox 's reply. It sounded as if the speaker was trying to be polite, which seemed entirely at odds with everything he knew of the Family. Whether or not it was Talyson telling it to go away which had silenced it or something else, the Bastion didn't know, and it left him feeling uneasy.

"Well, I know I was able to knock Dahlia's soul from her body when I was on the island. It is the only reason I was able to get away, but I have no idea if it hurt her." Glancing at the orb, he shook his head. "And I cannot knock a soul out of an item, so..."

Turning to look at Deimos, the Bastion turned back to his husband before taking a seat. "Any other ability I have—life drain or fire—Deimos has as well. I will leave it to him so that I can keep my shield up around everyone."

---

Remi continues to shield so that he takes any damage.

remi

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)