[LN] A Waheela Arrives [Closed to Alex, Azula]

[laceandcarnage]

In a small, frozen town in Canada inundated with ice and snow, Istas was growling.

Normally this would cause people to freeze, or step back, or perhaps even consider running very far away. Because while Istas appeared to be a plump young woman of the First Nations of Canada dressed in elaborate Gothic Lolita style, people could usually sense that for all her unthreatening apparel, she was a predator and they should react accordingly. Usually. Not one human seemed to even be aware of her insistent growl, which demanded that she be immediately returned to New York. Istas did not know how she came to be here, but she did not like it and she would immediately disembowel whoever was responsible for this. As soon as she identified who that person was.

She could only conclude that they must be one of the many humans who were irritatingly ignoring her presence.

"You will return me!" She demanded, her speech growing distorted as her canines enlarged, growing sharp and deadly. The fingernails which gripped her dark green parasol with pretty white ruffles elongated into sharp claws. But she did not transform further. Not yet. To transform she would have to discard her lovely black bustle jacket, and she had not yet found her enemy. She would find the enemy first. Then, she would transform into her beastly form. "You will return me now, or I will tear out your intestines and decorate my handbag with them!"

Curse her enemy, for refusing to appear in front of her so that she might tear them limb from limb...

[[OOC: For reference, Istas's outfit]]

Comments

[makeadragonwannaretire]

Azula steps back for now, perfectly content to abandon Istas and Alex in front of this creature. A chill prickles along her skin and she can feel the hairs on the back of her neck rising.

She hates those things.

Still she manages to keep a strangle hold on her composure and observes for the time being. She may still yet be needed, and even if she isn't...well what else does she have to do but watch the day to day drama of this group unfold?

[laceandcarnage]

Istas fixed her eyes, unmoving, upon the faceless shadow before her. If need be she would transform, defend herself with tooth and claw, but she had no false assumptions about how successful she would be. No - if this predator decided to attack, she would die.

Which made his 'request' all the more ludicrous. There could be nothing freely given, not to a demand backed up by threat of force. No, only the illusion of freedom was possible here.

But a calm stillness washed over her. She was afraid - of yes, she was certainly afraid - but now there were only two possibilities. She would live, or she would die. With that fact accepted, all that was left to do was whatever action would best increase her chances of survival.

So she would allow Kuk this illusion of choice, of freely given. In return, she may - she hoped - keep her life.

"I am Istas."

[fearasaurusrex]

"I am Kuk. I am the Void given form. If you have been brought to me, my agents have already explained my offer. This means you must have questions. Ask them of me and I shall do my best to answer."

[laceandcarnage]

They were question that Istas was not so sure would be safe to ask, now that she stood before Kuk in person. But to say nothing now would be to show weakness. That would be even riskier.

"You wish to eat this world, but you promise our own worlds will be spared, in return for our assistance. But a Hunger that demands to eat an entire world is a Hunger that could never be sated. I know this, for I am Waheela. We are creatures of ice and snow and cruelty, and our Hunger is unending. And yet, it is not so great as yours. What proof can you offer that your Hunger would never turn against us?"

Istas doubted that such proof could ever be provided. Except, perhaps, sparing this world...which was obviously not what Kuk wished to do.

[fearasaurusrex]

"I can prove nothing. You know this. But I can explain that this is not normal hunger. This is not all-consuming desire. This world - and this world only - was once a part of me. I was the void, the crucible where this universe formed. When it was made in the dawn of this universe by the beings that shaped it, they did not create it wholly of their own power out of nothing. It was carved out of me. I only seek to devour what was once a part of my form. What can other worlds do to fill this need? To make me complete? Nothing. Devouring them will not return the parts of my body that were stolen. Only this world can make me whole. Only this world was taken from me."

The avatar tilted its head.

"Imagine, Waheela, that your hunger came of parts of you being carved out and stolen. Imagine that a single meal of them would make you whole, make it so you never hungered again. That is why I seek to devour this world and no others. And since it is the matter of this world, the earth and the stone and the stars that are the only things that are mine, I can even spare the life on this little planet. When I break through, I will be like a god again, like I once was. I will have the power to move all sentient living things to other worlds and take back what is mine. The earth and the star stuff and the things that are still. They were what was taken from me. The life was created by other things, by the beings that stole my body. They are...distasteful to me. I would rather pick them off my plate. They can live elsewhere, but this world is mine."

[laceandcarnage]

Was this the truth? Istas did not know. While Kuk had no proof that he was, she also had no proof that he was lying. But if he was...if all Istas had to do to be free of her Hunger forever was kill and eat one innocent, sentient being, would she be right? If it would spare her a life living with a constant gaping hole in her belly, would that make it right?

No, she realised. It would not. It would be understandable, perhaps even justified, if it would prefer her from senseless killing in the future. But it would not be right. And if she did such an act, how could she ever be worthy of Ryan, of being a member of civilisation, ever again?

But she could say none of this to Kuk. To do so would be foolish. If he was weaving falsehoods, she would perhaps find herself enchased in crystal. If he was not, if he genuinely wished to eat the world but spare the people...well. She would be no worse off for hiding her thoughts.

"I see," she said, appearing to be full of still, icy, contemplation. But her eyes still watched Kuk's avatar, as any animal watches a threat. "You are correct, proof is impossible. But your arguments have given me much to think about. I must contemplate this further."