Forsaken Mother Machine

[TakodaVega]

Harsh breath left her lips as she continued to run. Running from what she should have accepted a long time ago as she was soon left staring at a reflection of herself. Only the reflection looked at her with a slightly crazed look, and was far more sensual than her. Blue hazel eyes that were ringed in violet glared at the reflection staring back at her. The Chaos to her Order, and she had come to know now over the centuries that they couldn't live without the other but they each hated each other.

"Kitira," came the calm voice that left her lips, despite the lack of air she felt in her chest as her counterpart smiled slow and twisted. "Vega, why must you run from your fate? You know you cannot win without me." Her hands wrapped around her hair and tugged, hard, and started to pull her into a kiss...

That was when Vega shot up with a start, sweat covering her body as she panted softly and held her head in her hands. Blonde hair tumbled across her slim shoulders, showing her bare back. Seven emboldened scars danced along her back as she finally pulled her face from her hands, looking at herself at the mirror that stood above her vanity showing most of her topless form to her. She was thinner than she used to be, dark circles under her eyes from the nightmares that had started to plague her.

Shaking herself, she pulled herself from the sheets and made her way to the bathroom, washing her face as she stood in the middle, feeling the breeze from the window. Kitira's words echoing in her head as she took in a deep shattering breath. If it wasn't nightmares plagued by the Queen of Chaos it was flashbacks to when they had been once been whole. The memory of an idea. An idea that still stood standing to this day partially due to the fact she and Kitira were still in existence.

Not without Kitira's lack of trying.

Reaching for her robe that hung on the back of her door, wrapping it around herself as she walked out back into her room to stand out on the terrace that over looked the garden below. "I don't know if I can do this." She finally said, aloud. There were so many risks in doing this. And for once, Kitira was right. She did need her to win. Terra would never survive without them making the decision. Yet was their idea of their ideal world worth saving?

Her whole purpose for staying as long as she had was to see if it had been worth it. To save it if she could. Yet without Kitira she couldn't determine that. That was Judge, or Takoda's job. A being without conquest, who bowed to no one and was feared as well as adored by hundreds of people if they knew she still existed. But it had been quite some time since Vega had reinstated her authority. She needed to reform the Court.

Her gaze turned to the white roses that bloomed just outside her reach, "I'm the jury, and the Judge, and I've been the one who's committed all the crimes. How does that work for Karma?" She said dryly as she looked up into the predawn sky. Taking a deep breath she set about to going what she needed to do.

~*~

When Vega appeared on a semi-raised dais above the marble floors she was surprised so many answered the call to come together. Her feline guards stood silent next to her. Catalina with her loyal ebony staff Asar, the former priestess of Bast seemed focused on tonight's events but her emerald gaze would occasionally flick in her direction and to the other guard who stood on the other side of her. Despite both being female, this one seemed the more imposing of the two. Maybe it was the fact that unlike Catalina, Rose only had fans hanging at her hips.

Vega knew that if trouble came up the two would protect her.

Clearing her throat she turned attention back to the front. "As you may all know you've all been summoned here for one purpose. To escort me from here to the Navirene, or known to some of you as the Jewel of the World for it's wonders and port center. The journey won't be easy, but it will be made infinitely better thanks to the Sky Ship. I have asked most of you to join me based on either your clans realm of expertise or to provide beneficial trading ventures between us." Her look remained on the group. Those at the front had a good glimpse of her, a blue dress the curved from around her knees to touch the floor in the back, it left her shoulders bare and slid along her curves. Her blonde hair coiling along her shoulders and back. "Tell us who among you shall be joining us."

[Schafflyne]

Buretsu's voice elegantly cut short the silence following Vega's words.

"I am at your service!" The young heir said as he stepped forward, his eyes focused on those of Vega. "My name is Buretsu Schafflyne, heir to the Noble Schafflyne Crown and trading company of the same name. With my skills and wares, I hope to assist you in achieving the best possible outcome on this journey."

Silently, and still as a statue, G stood just behind Buretsu, to his right, appraising the people in the crowd, as well as Vega and her bodyguards. Her intensity could not be perceived outwardly, but it also could not be considered paranoia. Tempered caution was the best way to describe her state. Being trained so ruthlessly instilled such a thing, and appropriately so.

While Buretsu wore little in the way of containers and armor, G was clearly a pack-mule also obviously tasked with combat. Despite this, G was only marginally taller than Buretsu. What skin showed on G revealed not only battle scars, but solid muscle. Buretsu, on the other hand, had about what would be expected of a nobleman that took care of himself. If his firearms hadn't adorned his hips, it would be anyone's guess as to whether or not the young nobleman was combat efficient.

Despite G's position as bodyguard to Buretsu, the young master spared Vega of her introduction. He had originally intended to, if only to keep the lady in the know, but Arteslei knew better than divulge G's secret training. To avoid upsetting Vega, both Buretsu and G endured a lecture from the head of the Schafflyne family himself. "G is a bodyguard. That's all she needs to know." He had said. Buretsu hadn't perceived it as a big deal, but there was always the possibility of getting hurt or mistreated due to such knowledge becoming the reason of bias.

For now, Buretsu and G were a couple of helpers sent from House Schafflyne to assist Vega. G was a paid bodyguard and Buretsu was the one that hired her, or so the story would be told.

[TakodaVega]

"I have heard of your family," came that calm voice, though her eyes flickered with...something. Her feline bodyguards glanced at each other at the mention of G, and then turned towards their Queen who's subtle shake of head brought their heads back to the front. They knew that Vega could take care of herself plenty. The reason they were there was to keep things...tidy. So to speak.

"And I hope that this venture will bring you fortune as well Buretsu. And G," Her gaze looked at the woman beside him. She knew the signs, and more so she had connections where most people had no idea. Ghost whispers some said, actually most people tried to not hide things from Vega, the peace was too important to most of them to upset that heady balance and tip the tables.

It hadn't always been like that though, and Vega still had her networks no matter in times of War or Peace. "I know your services will be greatly appreciated to him." She remained seated when Rose's gaze eyed the room cautiously, there was something not right in the room. She couldn't pinpoint it but she just knew someone was here who shouldn't be. But who?

[Niketia]

Gazing up at the dais from the shadows Lillith and her small party of "guards" waited in silence. It hadn't been long ago when her clan and pack had been allied with Vega and hers but enough time had past that the treaties had fallen silent so to speak between them. Then again it had been years since anyone had even heard from her pack so Lillith kept her end of the bargin... most of the time.

Taking her time to study the two felines with Vega she gave a half smile, nearly unnoticeable from where she stood so far from the dais.

"Either speak up or we leave little one... We don't belong here."

The voice that whispered so close to her ear sent a shiver down Lillith's spine. Time was she would not have gotten such a response from the being behind her, but as with all things time had changed and so had the people she loved.

"Not yet... I want to see just who comes to serve their Queen. And if said Queen remembers old alliances. Silence and Sorrow have long waited in the shadows of the Wings of Fate. We have much more time than those around us to wait."

The name of her pack left her lips so easily as she declined revealing her intentions so soon. It was her choice now to step forward or to wait, and for now she wished only to observe. She only hoped Rose had lost some of her keen eyesight over the years. Settling further back into the shadows she curled her arms around her waist. Waiting and watching were things she was good at these days.

[CirindeFae]

It had been a long trip, one she hadn't exactly enjoyed. Traveling as a priestess was rough. Most of the time it was done by foot with no means of faster transportation. At least she'd had her...cousin with her. The man was much more used to traveling than she and had provided her with a good deal of amusement for the first part of their journey. It was moments like that that made her somewhat pleased to have him with her despite what the cost would be later. She was thankful, though, that her trip was done for now and she was ready to offer her services to those who needed them.

She stood in the back of the room as it was addressed by the woman in a blue dress, her arm linked with the tall man's beside her. He however stood there, a blank look upon his face as if he lacked a full brain. Haruko knew that her companion didn't lack any intelligence. In fact, he was smart than she was. Only problem with him, at least according to others, was that he never spoke. That wasn't true either, Arashi only spoke to her. Why, she had no idea but she wouldn't complain. Then the invitation to join was issued. Haruko wasn't the first to announce her desire to assist, for in fact she truly didn't wish to be there but since her entire clan had chosen her as the best representative she had no choice. A small sigh passed between her lips as a male spoke up. She was among some of the best known people, she knew that much, but no more. For all she knew, she could be a sheep among wolves. But that didn't matter. She was well protected.

Raising her hand, Haruko spoke once Blondie and the male were quiet. "I will serve you!" She thought about correcting herself and saying 'we' but decided against it since she'd end up with loud voices in her head yelling at her for pledging their allegiance when they were obedient to no one. A small blush rose to her cheeks as she thought about it. "Haruko Saruwatari, high priestess of the Reinōsha clan." That's all she could say in public. If Blondie wished to know more, she'd have to pull her aside and ask her one on one...or one on two since Arashi would never leave her side. She gave a small bow, a custom of her clan despite the fact it would hide her from view, then straightened and dragged herself and Arashi through the crowd some so they'd be easier to see. "I am at your service." She offered another bow, this time to all three women stationed above her.

At this close of a distance, she could only hope that none of them would act out of fear in regards to Arashi's otherworldly aura. The idea had her clinging to the tall man's arm in fear of combat. She couldn't afford to lose him now. He was her only friend...If indeed that was what he could be called. He might object to the term though. She smiled at the idea of him getting mad at her over it but quickly suppressed it and awaited word from Blondie.

[TakodaVega]

As the crowd started to gather, another group came to serve Vega, and Catalina couldn't help but eye the priestess with a curious glance. She was, after all, an Egyptian priestess so death was not something felt often. However it, as she eyed the companion next to the fellow priestess, didn't seem like the malevolent sort of servant so she let it be. Her attention turned to what Rose seemed to be looking for. The feline women standing guard in front of their Queen not expecting what happened next.

The sound of heels caught their attention as their Queen made their way from her dais to the priestess and her companion. "I have heard of your clan," came the soft comment, "And I am pleased that your people have answered the call. I know that they have chosen the best to suit this quest of sorts." Death held no sway over  Vega. Rather when she had pleaded with the entity once upon a time she was told that her time would come when it was right but from what she knew of Death, it had no intentions of letting her slip into the shadows just yet. There was still too much for her to do.

Like saving or destroying what was their world as of now, seeing these people come together to answer the call was far more than she had honestly expected. Especially since there was someone in the room that commanded her full attention. Someone she had not seen since the elements had come and gone from most history books. Her pace was simple as she walked past the priestess and through the throng of people that resided in the room. Until she found the very person she was looking for. What she hadn't expected was she brought a fraction of a pair of brothers with her.

"Daemon," came that calm voice acknowledging but she didn't spare him the attention he truly desired more than likely because her focus was on the woman in front of her. For too long she had stood idly by and watched this woman go through her trials, even if the reasons for not being there were different and difficult to explain this sole woman was the key to everything and nothing in concerns to the Queen that stood in front of the hybrid.

"Lillith," came the far softer voice. The woman was more than she appeared but they both knew that, "will Silence and Sorrow help on this journey as well?" Those eyes flickered, there was a far older alliance between the two women than what scratched the surface. "You know what this is truly about too, don't you?" While she waited for the answer to her questions to Lillith, her feline bodyguards moved then through the crowd. Rose glancing at the pair of the Scafflyne crown with distaste. Vega had offered her the freedom she needed at a price she would never be able to fully repay. Catalina was more interested in watching the Death clan, a single one of her claws running along the obsidian staff called Asar with a thoughtful look before moving further into the crowd on the look out for trouble, though she doubted anyone would willingly challenge Vega in her own home.

[Niketia]

Turning her head so that Vega could see only one of her emerald eyes she glanced up at Daemon as Rose and Catalina moved closer. She gave a faint shake of her head to him and the other two with her when they made to move closer. Each of the three who had come with her disliked letting her so close to the three before her but what choice did they have?

"Silence and Sorrow await only a command." Declining to answer Vega's other question she crossed her arms, debating her next course of action. "However..." Here her voice became cold, but also loud enough for those around her to hear. She had no secrets to keep in this place. Not about her next words. "Under who's command we wait is yet to be seen. We have been approached by someone else as well. Someone who came directly to our home. Someone who seeks to...delay your attempts."

To those who knew more about Vega's quest it would be clear enough who else was waiting word from Lillith. Daemon's faint smirk also gave a bit to the tale as he looked down at Vega's small frame. He knew better than most anyway what they could claim if they chose to go either way in this venture but he would say nothing here. This was Lillith's playing field for the moment. He only waited for the bloodshed and death that would come later on.

"Such a tempting offer at that..." Curling his arm around Lillith's waist his smirk turned to a grin. "It's almost too bad our Lily doesn't go that way." Speaking only to Vega his voice seemed to have lost the cruel edge it usually possessed, but that cruelty still stared out at her from crystal blue eyes. Or perhaps the softness of his voice was a reminder... A reminder of things that once were.

Truly he didn't need the acknowledgement she sought to deny him, but he couldn't resist the chance to bait her just a little. The small woman had caused him many problems over the years, but the one in his arms had more so. More than either woman knew the Queen before them was not why he was here. He and the two behind him had come soley for the silver haired hybrid that bridged so many different worlds thought sought to delay the end that was coming. He also waited to see what Vega would say now that she knew for sure that someone they knew well was waiting in the wings to stop her if she could.

[Schafflyne]

The young Buretsu's heart leapt at Vega's words. It seemed his family's secrets were nowhere in the nature of the word. Though Buretsu had heard stories about her, and grand ones at that, being in her presence was far more unnerving. This was especially true now that she revealed her knowledge of G's true purpose.

How could she know?

The question repeated itself a few times in Buretsu's head, while his exterior maintained its noble stance and calm demeanor. G, however, merely acknowledged Vega's less-than-subtle manner of outing her identity. Without a doubt, it would cause problems in the future. This perception was only solidified when Vega's bodyguard, Rose, gave her Master an unpleasant look.

Buretsu sighed. It seemed his road to glory was going to be more bumpy than he had anticipated. His eyes followed those of Rose, and then her rump as she passed. Something was happening, which only made him stroke the grip of his gun unconsciously.

[TakodaVega]

Vega closed her eyes, thought she had anticipated that the Chaos Queen had gotten a hold of someone she had once viewed so closely what she hadn't anticipated as to what extent the very essence of time had affected the woman in front of her. "I see," she said carefully before her eyes opened again. There was a light in those eyes, making them practically iridescent with the very power she contained in her delicate frame. She had been Queen for as long as anyone could remember, and for a very good reason. Peace had been neatly maintained for a majority of her reign, and the power she had used to keep it from collapsing was something very few rivaled. Those that did, outside of Kitira, were allies.

Or at least they had been.

"Please forgive me for the sorrow, and for the dreams we have to silence. Still..." Her hand reached to pull the female closer until they were eye to eye. "I will be that Hand that saves you, though you will not see that it is me." Power oozed through the room, rippling over those who were sensitive almost like a balm over a wound they didn't know existed. Kissing Lillith's cheek, she watched as the light spiraled under her and soon the hybrid woman whom Vega had viewed for so long disappeared into the pillar, leaving only her vampiric and demonic companions. Those iridescent hues flicked towards them, focusing on Daemon in particular.

"You will keep her from here, and if you value her, it would be best if you do not accept the offer the woman made you. It will only end in your lives as her new playthings in her game. As much as I despise you for what you have done," her eyes narrowed. There was a vicious past between Daemon and Vega, and there always would be. Thus why they only addressed themselves in passing and never directly. Both wanted nothing more than the other one to cease to exist. Particularly because it was Daemon that Kitira's madness had gotten so bloodthirsty and for so long. "This is the last of this Vega."

Vega's lips twitched into a small smile, "On contrary. It has only just begun." Those eyes glowed the bright iridescent light again only to make the group completely disappear, but not before one of the others had tried to kill the Queen, the blade slicing through the air. Only once the light had dissipated did the others see what had happened.

Rose stood in front of her Queen, bladed fan in hand snapping shut as the knife dropped. However her focus was not on the weapon or the fact her cheek now bled by the hairline hesitance the move had cost her but on the Queen herself. "My Queen," was all Rose said before she bowed politely. "In absence of Silence and Sorrow may I pledge myself to you on this journey instead?"

Vega's reverie of the moment was shattered at Rose's sudden act. Reaching out she gently brushed her thumb along the woman's cheek, healing the wound without a thought. "Of course." Now that she was back to the reality of the situation she took in a breath before facing the others. "As you can see, some things are more complicated than others on this journey. You will learn, undoubtedly, that some of your secrets are not so secret, and that some things will ultimately be understood by others you least expect." Glancing at Rose over her shoulder her gaze drifted to the few faces that had come forward.

"There are many things about this journey that I shall explain to you in due time. However, many of you have traveled far and wide to get here. For now, you should all rest and take refreshments and we can continue this discussion in the morning once everyone is up to their full potential." Catalina came forward and bowed to the others, "Please follow me, I will escort you to your rooms."

It would only after they had all left, and left to only Rose's full attention would Vega finally let the tears she had managed to suppress fall. There was nothing left to overcome that fight. All that was left, in all honesty, was this last journey. Vega knew this far better than she let on so when she felt Rose's hands pull her into a embrace she finally broke down and all the burden came flooding out into Rose's chest.

It was hard being the Judge.

[Schafflyne]

Buretsu's eyes flicked from Rose's rump to Lady Vega, as the Queen's form became surrounded by a strange, transparent aura. It was something he hadn't seen before, but one that he could almost... sense. His skin was overtaken by goosebumps, and the hair on the nape of his neck stood on end. Something was definitely off, and Buretsu could feel it. The young noble turned and G's eyes followed those of her Master, their eyes on Vega, as a pillar of light engulfed the woman in front of her.

The disappeared woman's escorts remained, and Buretsu could tell Vega was talking to them, but he couldn't hear the spoken words. G's eyes met those of her Master, his right hand slowly and silently unholstering one of his custom pistols. G's form didn't seem to change outwardly, but under her cloak, she had drawn a single throwing knife. Both were acting towards Vega's best interest, but neither had the best angle.

Before G and Buretsu could move closer, the pillar of light engulfed the three, forcing the young noble to shield his eyes. Ready to whip the throwing knife out from under her cloak, G closed one eye and squinted with the other, to no avail. A grunt escaped Buretsu's lips upon the dissipation of the light, not because of the brightness, but because of what it revealed.

Rose stood in front of Vega, snapping her bladed fan shut, while the clatter of a dagger hitting the marble floor resounded within Queen Vega's hall. The quest hadn't even begun, and Buretsu felt as though he had already failed in his duty. G's eyes darted around the hall, looking for any other threats, her Master's wellbeing now paramount in her mind. The pair approached Queen Vega, heeding her words, though they struck an unpleasant chord within Buretsu. He felt as though he was being admonished specifically, but her words were general enough to offer anonymity.

The gun-toting noble bit his lip, while his slave stood close behind. His emotions were running high, a mixture of frustration and wonder. This was not his element. He could shoot the wings off of a fly with either hand while blindfolded, but he couldn't protect someone he pledged his service to. It was causing a new sensation. Anxiety.

Buretsu holstered his gun roughly at the end of Queen Vega's words and quietly followed Catalina, G close behind. His ice-blue eyes were focused on Vega for a time, before they shifted to Catalina.

"What kinds of accommodations should my hired-hand and I expect, milady?" Buretsu asked Catalina, his eloquent tone lending a pleasant softness to his words.