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Round 3 of 5 completed and at the end of it, Evelina conducted a little meeting before the beginning of round four. Checking in and handing out some reminders. "When we time jump, we are to do NOTHING to draw attention to ourselves. Please remember this, do nothing that would be out of place for the time. What we do can create a butterfly effect. Even if we are not seen, damaging the land, leaving pollutants in the air that would not normally occur, killing for no reason, this can throw off what would have happened in the future. Our job is to protect, not put in jeopardy, the past, present, and future, as best we could. Do not allow yourselves to become the very thing we are fighting again. The Destruere destroy not only by killing and destruction but by making small changes that have larger effects later on. Now, onto new matters..."

It was the end of four months and time to start anew. Paradoxes were shifted to new trainers. As per last round, we are breaking this down into 2 parts. Part 1 - Skills. Part 2 - Next Round. This will be round 4 of 5.

Skills: Here are the skills your characters picked up over the last 4 months of training. The dice came up as 4 months for the last round as they did before.

You have 48 hours from this post to edit your Cs. Copy and paste your new skills into place under skills if you have new ones to add. I would make sure you get these in post haste. If it turns out you received a skill your character already learned, well, you are out of luck - just means you got more training in it. Place a * next to it. If you got a new Language - place it under Native Languages.

• Sophia:
  • Photography - The ability to use both still and modern cameras including developing of film and trick of light
  • Acting - The ability to play a role for an audience in an entertaining manner
  • Late Egyptian
  • Scottish Gaelic
• Andromeda:
  • Alertness - Ability to notice things that otherwise might go unnoticed.
  • Spear - Fighting with a Spear
  • Whip - Ability to fight and utilize a whip
  • Occult History - Knowledge of the History of Practices
• Faith:
  • Knife - Ability to fight with an item with a blade 12in or less
  • Submachine Gun - Firing and caring for automatic weapons that fire pistol ammunition, otherwise known as machine pistols
  • Court Etiquette - Knowledge of the intricacies of politics in medieval and ancient courts
  • Charioteering - Knowledge of how to handle a chariot
• Bart:
  • Mycenaean
  • Club - Ability to fight with a wooden stick, metal tube, or metal bar. Allows use of European and Oriental staves, as well as clubs and other implements of bludgeoning, as well as axes and hatchets.
  • Heraldry - An Archaic Skill involving the design, description, and recording of coats of arms
  • Juggling - The ability to perform juggling acts with balls, clubs, hoops, or other various objects
• Alexandra:
  • Spear - Skilled at using a spear/javelin. This includes the ability to throw, stab, slash, and use defensively.
  • Knife - Ability to fight with an item with a blade 12in or less
  • Bow - The ability to fire long and short bows, composite bows, and crossbows
  • Assyrian
• James:
  • 2nd Special Ability Activated
  • Diplomacy - The art of negotiation, which encompasses the talents of tact and cleverness to reach a mutually agreeable end between parties in a dispute.
  • Breakaway - The ability to twist out of someone's grasp.
  • Bow - The ability to fire long and short bows, composite bows, and crossbows

Cases: Now, time to rinse and repeat, again. Round three of five. Clean cup, clean cup, clean cup, move down, move down, move down.

As a reminder - remember as trainers, change to meet each character - so review their current Cs and their characters Cs from before. It will help.











*This is a repeat message from before but it still holds true.
Now, you have 10 days to get your case done. Once counter hits 11, you are over. So keep that in mind. I suggest you collab these out in PM with each other or on Si to make things easier than trying to post back and forth. At the end of this case I will post again, and again, until every character has gotten a decent amount of training. At the end of each Case, once it is posted and I have reviewed it, I will roll to see what skills ~stuck~, if secondary abilities came forth, the amount of control you gained, and so forth. This is going to allow us to cover a lot of time and Rping quickly. Once Training is done, then you will go on to full assignments.

The day will start like any other day at Camp, weather is the same, layout is the same. No need to worry about much to start. Letters are left and slipped under your room doors on where to go come morning instructing you to meet your trainer at the starting location. A bell will toll over the grounds at 5:50 AM to start the day, time to be at the starting location will be listed as 6:00 AM. Start your posts waking up OR there, however you wish.

Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor. (I will be pming my students shortly.)

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Today was going to be different. Evelina had had an interesting four months with James and he had witnessed something she had taken no other Paradox to see. It probably would have been an interesting scene for Andromeda as well but she was not one to repeat herself, and the child had already been exposed to the Destruere. It was time for something different but that would still push the young woman. Taking a breath she pulled at the collar of the habit she was wearing. Blending in was key and dressing like a nun... had to be part of it. This was stiff dressing even for her. On the stool next to her lay another habit and a rosary as she waited for Andromeda to arrive.

Andromeda had enjoyed her time with Belladonna, finding that it helped her to center herself. She didn't know if she had truly let go of the ghosts of her past - the family she had left behind - but she had started to understand the bond to this new family that Belladonna spoke of. As she looked at the note underneath her door, she realized she would be working with the Dice and she couldn't help but feel a bit nervous. While the other Emendators and the Senior Paradox were impressive, Belladonna felt more intimidating to her. She was the head of the family, after all. "Good morning," Andromeda greeted, once she arrived and spotted Evelina dressed as a nun. She felt a bit confused, wondering where exactly they'd be going - and her mind was just conjuring images of the convent from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Motioning over towards the pile of clothing that was folded up neatly she gave a somber expression towards Andromeda. "Good morning my child, there is your attire for this day. Please do ensure your hair is neatly tucked beneath your habit. Careful with the crucifix, it is quite ancient." The woman was without her pipe for the first time since the new Paradoxes had a arrived, her fingers running along the rosary as if she was doing a silent prayer and counting them off as she went.

Andromeda looked at it, glad that at least the habit would hide her hair. White hair wasn't the most common in earlier time periods for young women and she didn't want to draw unneeded attention to herself. That and she hoped the nickname Pasty wouldn't catch on here. Her death had been the only thing to stop it from continuing to trend amongst her friends in her own timeline. Stepping into one of the stalls of the barn, Andromeda changed into the ensemble, ensuring her hair didn't stick out as Evelina requested. She then stepped out of the stall and looked at Evelina with expectation.

There was a look of approval from Evelina before it faded and she stepped closer to Andromeda. "There is an intuition in me. It says that of all the Paradoxes I needn't have to remind you that we have to be careful when away from the grounds. That being said, I am going to reiterate it. Where we are going is dangerous, on many levels. Not only for our kind, not only because of the Destruere, not only because of our gender, our beliefs. We are going to a part of the world, during a specific time that I purposefully avoided having to live though by tucking myself away in Scotland for the next four centuries. It was Eden compared to the Inquisition."

Her eyes widened slightly and Andromeda nodded. The last few trips seemed to have had a theme - first the Salem Witch Trials and now the Inquisition. "I did not expect that," Andromeda couldn't help but admit. Yet at the same time, she was curious as to why they were purposefully going somewhere filled with danger - a place that an Emendator would avoid. Her inquisitive nature was already trying to anticipate the lesson Evelina was going to teach her.

"No one expects the Inquisition," Evelina said in a morose tone before turning and heading for the portal. Stepping through the wall of decay hit nearly as hard as the blood curdling screams bouncing off the stone walls that surrounded them on three sides. Evelina glanced around her eyes darting this way and that as she stepped forward. She didn't let her nose even wrinkle as the stench burned her nostril hairs and made her eyes water. Nothing but a single finger coming to her lips as she gave the sign to remain silent.

Andromeda held her breath, squinting and plugging her nose with the stench that infiltrated this place. Salem had least been largely an outdoor adventure in the woods - but this was an established area, a torture dungeon from what she could tell where the stench had no chance of being eliminated. At Evelina's signal, Andromeda kept her mouth shut, looking around her to get some sort of idea as to why she had been brought here. As a history major, it was thrilling - but as a Paradox, it was frightening. History always was so much safer when learned about from the comfort of a dormitory study lounge.

Working her way through the narrow stone corridors one had to be careful not to touch them. It might be what one would believe a horror house might have been like if the bricks had been made from the mud from the Bog Of Eternal Stench. One touch and you might believe you would forever smell as this dungeon did. Eventually Evelina turned a corner and fell into a line of nuns walking, acting as if she had always been part of this line. A single finger pointed behind her for Andromeda to follow. Men, hungry and crazed reached through grotesque bars trying to grab the women as they passed.

Andromeda nodded, falling into line with the rest of the nuns. Without tilting her head towards them, she looked at the men behind the bars through the corner of her eye. Her heart went out to them - they looked like they were in horrible shape. For work supposedly done in the name of religion and salvation, it was pure and plain torture. Trapped in this putrid madhouse, she wondered how many of them would ever glimpse daylight again, but she kept her silence and followed the line, blending in as best as she could.

As they walked, they had to pass through the main dungeon, along a high wall that over looked the pit below. There, standing in center and making orders in Spanish the man himself, Torquemada. He was a smaller man, dressed in friar robes, his head shaved bald save for a thin circle of hair that rain around his hair line. When he went quiet, he looked like nothing one would ever worry about but when he spoke, his eyes darkened, he looked possessed. It was a terrifying sight to say the least. The nuns kept walking, silent, behind him and out the door of the main dungeon before starting to make their way up a long and rather narrow set of stairs.

Although Andromeda didn't speak Spanish, she couldn't help but feel wary about Torquemada. She remembered dimly lessons taught about him in her courses, yet they were nothing compared with the intense madness and darkness that seemed to claw its way out of his eyes. A shudder ran down her back, yet she forced herself to keep on moving, remaining in the row of nuns. Yet her heart trembled with anticipation and some nervousness as they began to walk upwards. She didn't remember what happened to nuns in this time period - it wasn't something she could have expected herself to remember, even before her previous life had become more dreamlike and fuzzy in her memories. Yet she trusted Evelina. She had to.

The door at the top of the stairs opened and guards, or were their worse, started pushing men and women alike down the stairs. The line of nuns tried to press against the narrow stretch but there was nothing to keep people from brushing and pressing against one another and the walls, the passage was just far too narrow. They were screaming, pawing, trying to grab the nuns, begging it seemed even if their words were in a language that Andromeda couldn't understand. In truth, neither could Evelina. She had never learned Spanish properly. There was reason for it. Her stern gaze however seemed to make them keep their hands off her, yet Andromeda was the last in line, their last chance, their last hope. So they grabbed as they were shoved further down. One refused to let go.

Andromeda turned her eyes to look at the man, seeing how gruesome and terrible he looked. He reminded her of Torquemada, yet his horridness was entirely different than his. She tried to pry his hand off of her, but he had a death grip on her. She would have told him to let go, but it was no use - she doubted he spoke any language she did. Maybe someone here would speak Latin - yet she found it unlikely. Instead, her eyes widened for a moment as she kept trying to get his grip off of her, only to watch as something dark seemed to push up against her veins, before it transferred into the man, spreading rapidly. Her breath caught in her throat, uncertain as to what had just happened, but she tried to keep calm. She didn't want a tornado to appear here.

Evelina reached down subtlety, her quick movement wrenching Andromeda free from the man before moving Andromeda ahead of her and back behind the nuns. The man screamed and started running down the stairs as the guards got to him. The nuns said nothing, not even looking as they made their way up the stairs and out into the light of day. Evelina made her Andromeda was away from any of the others moving down the stairs. While the smell of the air out in the main part of the prison was better, it was still horrid but in comparison it was like a field of daisies. One could breath without choking. It wasn't until they made the streets and Evelina found a chance for them to duck into another alleyway did they finally break away from the group of nuns. Quietly Evelina began to examine Andromeda where she had been grabbed. "Did he hurt you?"

Andromeda drew herself back from Evelina slightly. She didn't know what exactly had happened to him, but it had caused him to let go of her and the darkening of the veins creeped her out. "No, but...I'm not sure you should touch me..." Andromeda said softly. She didn't want Evelina to get hurt. "...I think I did something to him, actually..." She was trying her best to take calming and steadying breaths, thinking of Evelina's advice to her when her first ability had emerged at Ville au Camp.

Evelina gave her a look and grabbed her hands again to take a look, checking her arms and just overly being cautious at this point. "You gave him the Black Plague," she said in a calm voice and slowly let go. "And no, you can't give it to me. We are immune to disease. I've seen similar in other Paradoxes. You wouldn't be the first to induce an illness. Just breath deeply and let's go home. I know where another portal is," she said as she pulled at the neck of her habit and glanced around. This thing was stiffling, even for Evelina who always dressed prim and proper.

Andromeda nodded, taking in a deep breath as she looked back at Evelina. She appreciated her caution for her - it was motherly and her thoughts drifted for a split second back towards Belladonna's words many months ago. And at the same time, of when she was seven and had scraped her arms playing on the slide, her mother checking her over and cleaning the injuries. "...Alright, thank you," Andromeda said, taking another breath. It was a relief to know that she wouldn't be able to hurt others that she lived with - she didn't want to accidentally kill the Dice or wound the Cards or cause the Hat or the Watch to succumb to disease.

There was a nod from the Emendator. Turning she lead Andromeda through the streets. Things were not much better on the streets than they were in the dungeon. Finally they reached the edge of town and moved into a deep ravine where a river ran low. Under a bridge and then back through another portal that was hidden. Coming out Evelina wasted no time pulling the habit off her head. "How about tomorrow we go to the beach? I know a lovely hotel off the coast of Africa."

Andromeda matched Evelina's motions, pulling her own habit off and exposing her white locks to the light of day. She was grateful that the loop hadn't been put in weather that would give her a semi-permanent sunburn. The October day was practically as perfect as it could be for someone of her complexion. "...Beach sounds fun," Andromeda said, making a mental note to bathe in as much sunscreen as would be humanly possible before heading out the next day. Even if it didn't last the entire trip, it was better than nothing. "...Thank you, by the way, for giving me a second chance..." Andromeda added, not expecting Evelina to reply to it or say anything else, but she felt a need to say it - for whatever reason, Evelina had brought her back to life what felt like months ago now. Something she was grateful for.

There was a quirk of the brow. Evelina had never been thanked for bringing someone back, at least not with this type of genuine appreciation. Most either thought of it as a punishment or a way to get what they wanted in their previous life. The Emendator wasn't exactly sure what to say to that, it was an unfamiliar experience, which was saying something considering everything she had lived through during her existence. There was a bit of a smile to her lips and she nodded, before the stoic look she normally carried returned. "Do dress warm tomorrow, it will be frigid where we are going." That was an odd statement perhaps, island off the coast of Africa and she needed a jacket?

Andromeda looked at Evelina with confusion. She had been mentally imagining something loose and airy, in order to protect herself from the sun but also not overheat herself. Andromeda instantly started to imagine what sort of place they would be going and all she could imagine was perhaps a visit that took place during the ice age - or during one of them, at least. But for there to be a hotel? It just perplexed her more and more. "A cold African island? Sounds like a paradox," Andromeda said with a grin, making a subtle reference as well.

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Nancy was quite excited that morning. She was wearing a black dress and matching hat. Both of them looked new and just slightly out of place for 1943 - it'd be Alexandra's first visual clue that they wouldn't be traveling too far. The 'young' Emendator was hopping from foot to foot, waiting for Alexandra to show up. She had enjoyed her time with Sophia, but she had concocted a beautiful plan for Alexandra. It'd be a trying mental test for her.

As Alexandra made her way down to the swamp, she was filled with conflicting emotions, which was strange considering the fact that she had been mostly excited the last times she had gotten a new trainer. Perhaps she was just weary after training under Gilbert for four months. He always seemed to be two steps ahead of her, which honestly had left her feeling a tad paranoid on more than one occasion. You know, wondering when he was going to pull out his next arsehole move out of his hat. Nevertheless, she had learned a lot of valuable, lifesaving skills from the man, and for that, she was grateful. Surely, Nancy couldn't be any vorse than him, right? Yeah, just my luck, I vill probably rue the day I ever thought that, she thought to herself as Nancy came into view.

She looked the woman, who was all decked out in black, over, before arching a brow quizzically. "Vho died?" she commented sarcastically.

"You," Nancy said plainly, pulling out her camera and taking a picture of Alexandra. She'd develop the film for it later. She enjoyed taking pictures of the Paradoxes, as something by which to mark the passage of time but also to have some sort of record. Sometimes she'd give them to the Paradoxes. Sometimes they'd go to one of the Emendators. In other occasions, Nancy just tucked them underneath her bed. "Get out all of your sarcasm now. This is your only chance - so be thorough. You'll have to bite your tongue soon."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Alexandra retorted with a snicker. She then blinked and shook her head lightly when Nancy took a picture of her. She followed that up by arching a brow at her last statement. "Oh, vhat vas that? I am avesome? Yes, yes I am," she retorted, leaning towards her and cupping a hand over her ear for added effect. A playful twinkle came to her eyes as she straightened back up. "Vhat do I look like, sarcasm on demand? If I give avay too much, I may have to start charging," she quipped with a wink, before continuing in a more serious manner. "As tantalizing as that offer is, vhy don't ve just get this shov on the road, before one of us is the first person inside a loop to grov a grey hair?"

Nancy was playing with her camera throughout Alex's sarcasm rant, just waiting for her to get it out of her system. She then raised an eyebrow as Alex told her that they should leave. Nancy normally wasn't one for rules and decorum, but being told be a chatty Paradox to get a move on? That irked her and she stared at Alex, before she decided on the best way to deal with her. "You don't make the rules and whatever sense of humor you think you're displaying, you don't have it," Nancy said a bit coldly. While it was normally easy to mistake her for a young girl, her demeanor hinted at her true age in this moment. "You are learning from me for the conceivable future, until it's time for you to switch trainers. So try not to get on my nerves on the first reset."

Alexandra's eyes widened in surprise, and her mouth opened and closed as if trying to form words."But you said--" she began in protest before quickly stopping herself. "You knov, never mind. I'll just shut my big mouth nov. Sorry." She looked away sheepishly and scratched the back of her head, feeling all kinds of awkward now. Apparently, the woman didn't take her brand of sarcasm well. Crap, I'm dead meat.

Nancy nodded, about to say something before she got the tell tale tingle on her fingers meaning that it was time to do a card reading. She held up a finger to Alexandra, pulling out her deck of cards and shuffling them. Everything else could wait. And the longer she put this off, the more unbearable it would become. She first drew the Three of Cups, then the Devil, and lastly the Two of Swords. Her eyes flickered up at Alexandra as she considered their meaning. The first card dealt with friendship, revealing Alexandra's past. The Devil - she usually saw this card with addicts of some sorts - and then the Two of Swords alluded to compromise. "I have a policy that I will only do one personal reading per Paradox, generally at their request," Nancy began, putting her cards away. "This reading is about you, as it turns out," her eyes flickered over towards her. "You drew the Devil card - if you don't change your ways in the future, it'll stick around. Your mouth and attitude needs to change."

Alexandra hesitantly glanced back over Nancy, as if doing so could possibly cause her to burst into flames. She ended up doing a doubletake when she caught Nancy's gesture followed by the Emendator pulling out The Cards. A look of curiosity now crossed her features unbidden, and she started to take a step over to the woman to take a peek at The Cards but quickly stopped herself. Yeah, she probably vouldn't like that. She arched a brow when she was told that the reading was about her, and her brows then shot up at the woman's next statement. Me? Stop being sarcastic? She does realize that that is just vho I am? Asking me to stop being sarcastic is like asking a fish to breathe on dry land. It just doesn't happen, she thought to herself, brows furrowing slightly. Granted, I could tone it dovn a bit. Maybe that's vhat she meant, surely? "I can try to tone it dovn," she finally proclaimed with an affirmative nod of her head.

"Follow me," Nancy then said, not giving Alexandra a choice in the matter as she stepped through a portal, emerging in a dingy room. The lights were flickering and Alexandra would be able to hear the sound of screams echoing through the halls.

With long strides, Alexandra quickly followed after Nancy through the portal. She immediately glanced around, taking everything in once she stepped through to the other side. Her head snapped to the side, eyes widening when she heard the screams, before she eventually grimaced. Great. Another one of those adventures that only lead to mental trauma, no doubt.

"Something not to your liking?" Nancy asked, noticing the grimace. She pulled out something small and numerous from her pocket, clicking them through her fingers as she exited the small room and went into a hallway. Somehow, the stench only became worse out here. The hallway was lined with cells - most of them occupied, all with an individual out of their mind. As they passed, they shrunk away from Nancy and Alex, fearful of human contact. "The nuns run a strict operation here," Nancy explained. "Fortunately for us, they'll be busy performing electroshock therapy...Or any other form of torture that they deem reparative."

"Ты умрешь здесь!" a voice screamed. "О, не слушай его, он здесь слишком долго...Мы просто хотим выйти..." Nancy didn't turn to react. Though given their surroundings and the fact that Russian was one of the few languages the Emendator did not speak, it was not altogether surprising.

Alexandra glanced over at Nancy, biting back a snarky reply. Her lips thinned as she then cautiously followed after the Emendator. This place already had a bad vibe going for it, and Nancy's words mostly certainly didn't ease her mind either. Her breath came in and out a bit sharply as she took in the caged people with wide eyes. Her heart went out to them, and yet she knew that she could not intervene as it could have unforeseen cataclysmic effects. And that was it's own form of torture all in itself. She flinched as a scream pierced through the air, and her eyes squeezed shut for a moment at the poor soul's words. While Nancy didn't seem to understand the person's words, Alexandra very much did. As she forced her eyes open again, she uncomfortably rubbed her arms.

Nancy rounded a corner, stepping to the side to make way for a girl with black braids. The girl locked eyes with Alexandra for a moment. "It's not your time yet. Shame," she told Alexandra, a sharp knife in her hand as she went the other direction. The brief moment's distraction had been a moment too long, as Nancy seemed to have vanished from sight. Alexandra could either go back the way they had come, continue heading down the hallway forward, or take either corridor heading to the left or the right.

Alexandra followed after Nancy with brisk steps. However, as a girl wielding a knife came around the corner at the same time as them, she found herself coming to an abrupt stop, her eyes widening. She nervously eyed the knife as she tried to gauge the girl's intentions, while her muscles tensed with a flight or fight reaction that was brought to the forefront. "Good to knov," she replied, more as a question than a statement at the girl's proclamation. She then hurriedly rushed around the girl after Nancy, just to find out that she had lost sight of the Emendator altogether! "Дерьмо!" she exclaimed as her gaze looked around wildly for Nancy. "Нет нет нет!"

After a relatively short deliberation, she chose to head right down the corridor, thinking that that was the general direction they were headed. As she walked down the hallway, it became more and more crowded as patients, nuns, nurses, and doctors seemed to pour in from all directions. The sounds of people walking and talking slightly muffled the sounds of screaming voices. She tried to keep her head down, but nevertheless, she felt more and more out of place. Not to mention the fact that the room was quickly becoming exceedingly claustrophobic for her.

A hand shot out and grabbed Alexandra, yanking her into the nearest room. There was what looked like a surgical bed and on the side was a variety of instruments. "Do you want to learn how to torture someone, Alex?" Nancy asked, but her voice would sound strangely distorted. She pulled out the very things she had been fiddling with earlier - and although her image would begin to drift out of focus, they'd appear to be Eve's dice. "If I roll even, I poisoned you. If I roll odd, you're fine," Nancy explained, rolling the dice. Nancy rolled a natural 20 and she smiled at Alexandra. "Here - antidote," she said, pulling out a vial and handing it to Alex.

Alexandra let out a startled yelp as she was suddenly grabbed and forcibly pulled into a room. She turned in the person's grasp, preparing to defend herself but stopped short when she saw that it was only Nancy. "Don't scare me like that," she exclaimed in a high pitched voice. She then shook her head in disbelief at the woman's words. "Excuse me?" she questioned. Had she heard the woman correctly? The distorted quality to the sound of her voice would beg to differ. Looking over the Emendator's shoulders to see the surgical bed only served to unnerve her further. "Not particularly," she stated, but even the sound of her own voice seemed a bit off now. Her vision was blurring, and she was seeing double. However, she was able to just make out what looked like dice in Nancy's hands. The woman's next words would have freaked her out even more if it weren't for the fact that she was having a hard time focusing, mentally and visually. Her heart beat wildly in her chest as just then she could hear the sound of heavy breathing behind her.

Nancy shrugged, setting the antidote on the table and sliding it on the table towards Alexandra. In one moment, it looked like the Emendator was smirking and in the next, Nancy had an expressionless face. "It's up to you if you take the antidote - you could just let the effects happen," she mused. There was a large banging on the door, as if someone was trying to get inside and more screams vibrated throughout the place, the lights flickering. "What are you afraid of, Alexandra? That's the first step - figuring out a person's fears..."

Alexandra fumbled for the antidote, as she tried to calm her rapidly increasing nerves. The blurry, double vision. The heavy breathing down her neck. The screams outside. The flickering lights. The Emendator trying to freaking kill her! It was like a total sensory overload right then. "Dying again" she retorted sharply, before hurriedly taking the antidote.

The door shrieked as it was thrust open, as if someone dragged their nails down a chalkboard. "Mother sends her regrets that she couldn't be here, Ailith," the same girl from before said. She set her knife down on the table, the blade gleaming amongst the flickering lights. "But even I know that's not what you're truly afraid of," she finished curtly, shutting the door behind her with a resounding clang. She had heard Alex's declaration of her fear - dying again. Nancy just chuckled slightly, picking up the dice and letting them fall on the table, over and over again. "Tetradyi, play nice," Nancy chided. "I can just keep on rolling for you, Alex, if you'd like...Eve won't know the dice are gone for another hour. After living in the loop with her long enough, you memorize the schedule."

Alexandra gagged as the vile taste of the so-called antidote filled her mouth and went down her throat. She sputtered and coughed before clamping a hand over her mouth as she tried not to vomit it back up. Vhat the hell vas that? Piss?! she thought. She spun around as the door was suddenly thrown open to reveal the knife wielding girl from earlier. She backed up a few steps, nearly running into Nancy. She looked sharply between the two. At this point, she wasn't sure who to trust or if she was even safe anymore. She looked wide-eyed at Nancy, gulping slightly. "Vhat do you want from me? Vhat kind of sick training is this?" she questioned, shaking her head.

Nancy cackled, looking at Alex's attempt to not regurgitate the liquid. She let the dice fall one last time and the twenty sider showed a one, which Nancy picked up and looked at with amusement. "What do you think, Alexandra?" she asked at first, using her full name. The knife wielding girl seemingly vanished amongst the flickering lights. Whether she had left the room or was merely lurking in the shadows, it was hard to say. She was as quiet as a corpse. "I mean surely, you are quite the expert when it comes to training?" Nancy added, picking up the dice and letting them fall again. The lights finally gave out, sparking a bit as the bulbs blew, plunging them into darkness.

Alexandra eyed Nancy and those damned dice she kept rolling. Sweat beaded on her brows as her gaze nervously flitted between Nancy, the dice, and then at her surroundings upon realizing that the knife wielding girl had up and vanished. Her gaze eventually gravitated back to Nancy, her mouth opening and closing but ultimately unable to form words apparently. What was there to say anyways? Don't kill me? Or maim me? Or do whatever it is you planned to accomplish with this nightmare worthy training session? However, she wasn't able to think much on the matter of word formation as the lights suddenly went out. One could hear an audible gasp leaving Alexandra's lips as everything went dark.

As the lights flickered back on, the dice were sitting on the table. Alexandra could reach out and grab them if she wanted to. Nancy was just smirking at her, before she nodded behind her. The knife wielding girl from before was there, but her eyes looked like they had been gouged out and her skin was stained with blood. "You'd be prettier if you smiled," the girl said simply, holding up a bloody knife as she walked towards Alexandra. Nancy didn't make a move to stop her. There was a reason she was doing this - and she hadn't even showed off her final surprise just yet. Alexandra's only hope of defense would be those dice.

"Oh, how rude of me to forget to introduce Tetradyi to you," Nancy said, shaking her head slightly. "You know her mother."

Alexandra's eyes blinked as they readjusted to the light. The hairs on the back of her neck rose up as she had that odd sensation that someone was behind her, or at least watching her. At Nancy's gesture, she spun around, letting out a strangled cry when her gaze landed on the sight that had been behind her. "I think you better get that checked out," she managed to rasp. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the dice sitting on the table conveniently within reach. She really didn't want to play with the fates, but what choice did she have? "Forgive me, Evelina," she muttered under her breath before she quickly dove for the dice. She glanced sharply in Nancy's direction at her comment, but it gave her little pause, as at the moment, it seemed rather inconsequential given the fight or flight response that was warring inside her.

"In order to be forgiven, you need to apologize first," Nancy said sharply. "Namely, to Gilbert. Who do you think you are, Alexandra? To behave like that to an Emendator. We've walked the Earth long before you were born and we will continue to walk it long after you have died. Whatever talent or fantasy that you've deluded yourself with, it doesn't exist. It's time that you learn," Nancy said, patting Alexandra's cheek, "that I'm the only Emendator you ought to have nightmares about."

Alexandra blinked, her face going slack as her mind worked furiously to process what Nancy was saying. Recognition seemed to dawn in her eyes as she put two and two together. She began shaking her head. "You mean the flirting? I vas joking. I didn't actually mean any of it. I vas just fishing for a reaction, foolishly so apparently. Besides, I vasn't even quite myself at the time. I'm still not, being infected by a Soulless and all. Please believe me," she pleaded with the Emendator.

"In fact, I'll let you in on a secret, though I doubt you'll keep it to yourself. Each of us has a secondary ability. I'm about to show you mine," Nancy said, as the other girl opened up the door and stepped out, enough to let Nancy by yet not enough to let Alexandra have room to escape. Nancy raised her hand, pointing at Alexandra. "Don't worry, I'll come back for you...eventually. You need to spend some time to think about your behavior - and know that if you ever make comments like that about Gilbert again, I'll kill you." A tingling sensation spread throughout her finger tips as Nancy used her secondary ability: Psychosis.

She attempted to follow after the woman, dropping the dice on the ground as she rushed forward. "No no no, please don't leave me here," she cried out. But it was too late as the door shut in her face.

"Don't worry, I'll be here," Tetradyi called through the door. Throughout the next month from Alexandra's perspective, she was confined to the single room in the asylum. Tetradyi ensured that food was sent to her and limited Alexandra from human contact, just in case the psychosis Nancy had caused in her would cause her to harm someone. Nancy didn't particularly care when it would wear off nor did she feel a great swell of pity for Alex. Instead, the Emendator went on 'vacation' of sorts.

Eventually, the door opened and Nancy looked at Alexandra. "You look terrible," Nancy observed. There was a portal waiting for them down the hallway. "Come on, it's time to get home. You seriously need to bathe."

While Nancy enjoyed her "vacation," Alexandra was in a pit of hell all on her own. She didn't know where and when she was or truly have any concept on the passage of time that occurred. All she knew was this anger that the psychosis dredged up and the strange sights and sounds of her own mind's creation. By the time, it had worn off she was a mere shell of herself, whether that was due to pure exhaustion, mental damage, or all of the above was to be determined. She just sort of stared blankly at Nancy when the Emendator finally returned. She didn't even make a sarcastic retort to the other woman's remarks, which to everyone else was probably an improvement but for a person like Alexandra that meant everything.

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Any era where Belladonna did not have to change out of her preferred corseted hobble style dress was a good time for the elder Paradox. Today was such a day. Though she did have to admit her time with Andromeda had been enchanting, she had taken a shine to the pale Paradox. It was time to see how dealing with a pair of paradoxes would go. She had two bags hanging from the tree next to where Peters Grave was still fresh. One was a potato sack filled with worn out and torn wool clothing. It was labeled: Male. Then there was a garment bag filled with a dress and under garments, including a bone corset. It was pink but god, it was going to cinch that waist.

Faith awoke to the day like all the ones before. She had to hand it to herself, she was getting used to the constant ritual. Training with Gio was interesting, but she was excited now. The only ones left to train with were Evelina and Belladonna, two she had been most looking forward to. So when she got up to go read the note, seeing she would be with the senior Paradox, she almost jumped for joy. She had a feeling she would be training with Bart still, which she had gotten used to. She still didn't like the little nerd, but he was proving to be useful. Faith got ready and went out to meet with Belladonna at Peter's grave. She noted the two bags, "Let me guess, clothing change?" She walked up to inspect the other bag and saw the dress, corset, and underwear. God, women had to wear these then? "Oh, that's gonna hurt, isn't it? I'll go get changed then." She had gotten used to the demands placed on her. Blending in with the time so as to not stick out. If she had to suffer with a corset choking the breath out of her, so be it.

A new day had dawned, and with it came a new trainer, as Bart quickly discovered upon waking. Belladonna... He was a bit surprised that a paradox would be teaching them, but he didn't know how long she'd been around. He supposed if she would be training him, she must be rather experienced. At this point, he assumed he'd still be training with Faith. He didn't mind her so much anymore, and she seemed more than capable of holding her own, so he was fine with that. He quickly got himself down to Peter's grave site, and saw Belladonna, along with Faith, along with a bag clearly labeled "Male" Taking the initiative, he strode up to it, took the bag, and said, "I'll get right changed then so we can start the day." If there was one thing he'd learned by now, it was to not waste the time of the trainers. It seemed most of them didn't care much for formalities. Giving a nod of acknowledgement to Faith, he turned back towards the house to change into his new attire.

Oh Belladonna was having none of this. They were on a clock and she had been influenced enough by Evelina to wish to stay on it. "We will not delay while you dawdle. You behind the tree, you other side of the tree. No peaking. I'll help with the corset," she said as she took a hold of the corset and moved into position. As soon as Faith was ready she started lacing it up with an unnatural speed before leaning over the womans shoulder from behind. "Breath out and brace against the tree pulling forward. Three, two." She hadn't even reached one when she pulled back tight, the corset cutting in at the waist and flattening the poor woman's chest. This obviously wasn't a corset designed to accent the breasts. "One." There was a slight grin on her features as she helped with anything else that was needed and motioned towards the portal."Come now, we have death to witness."

Faith stepped back into place, as she had originally attempted to follow Bart back to the house. Changing outside wasn't ideal, but then again the quicker she got changed the quicker they could proceed with their training. Though she at least was happy her attire had pink on it, though the corset left little to be desired. She went back behind her designated tree and waited for Belladonna to help her. She did as she was told and braced herself against the tree as she waited for the count. Before she knew it, she felt her breasts push back against her as if attempting to strangle her through her inside. She felt her waist tighten as the corset was set on her body. She breathed out again, though somewhat strained. She didn't let go of the tree until she managed a steady rhythm. Once done, she turned to face the other Paradox. "Please tell me its whoever decided to make this corset? If not, I'll happily deal out death myself. The world will thank me for it, one day."

There was a bit of mirth in Belladonnas ebony eyes as a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Oh darling a woman should always train in a corset. Wonderful invention, if one can proceed with their breath taken away, imagine what one can do when it is cut free. It is truly liberating," she said in a cool voice. Then she followed up, "Especially when a debonair man when a hot dagger assists."

Bart stopped in his stride, and turned red. He didn't like the idea of changing outside, much less where people might catch a peek. Not wanting to argue with Bella though, he stepped behind his tree and reached into the bag, and pulled out his rags. He frowned, as he was at least used to dressing up a bit when he went off camp.He slipped into the wool clothes, and scratched himself. He wasn't a fan of these to say the least, and stepped out after Faith was dressed, and dryly said, "Should I rub a bit of dirt on my face too? I look like a pauper." He was surprised with himself at that. It was unlike him. He considered that maybe Faith was rubbing off on him a little. He positioned himself next to Faith, and looked quizzically at Belladonna, wondering who's death they'd be witnessing.

"Do not be silly, two women of peerage would never allow their boy to accompany them in filth," the Elder paradox stated as she held up a single finger. Turning, she walked smoothly towards the portal and stepped through. On the other side, clouds of gray rose into the air from smoke stacks down the street. There was a divide and it was painfully obvious. A handful of people with far too much money walked past crowds of poor and starving. "Ireland, during what you would call the Great Potato Famine. In truth, what you are witnessing is Genocide."

Faith smirked at Belladonna's comment. It was true, to an extent. Plus, it added a bit of sexiness to look good and be badass doing it. Still, she felt snug while Bart was dressed in what looked like drab, but somewhat comfortable clothing. It wasn't until Bella mentioned that he was their "boy". Now it made sense. They were members of the upper crust, dressed as such, and Bart was part of the lower sect, probably one who worked for them. Now she was happy. She followed Bella through the portal and noticed immediately the difference between the classes here. She was happy she didn't have to appear like a pauper, but wasn't that a danger also? Didn't royalty often get killed for having too much? And now they were here during a horrible time in Ireland's history. "Are we to merely observe this?" She didn't know if she relished watching a group get killed off.

Bart kept himself from glaring at Belladonna. He didn't at all like the role she had decided to give him, but he did know better than to argue with her. That, and he was confident nothing would come of it. It was just the cover she choose. If there was one upside, there was no way Faith was more comfortable than him, even if the wool irritated his skin, at least he could breath easy. He followed her and Faith through the portal. He shuffled uncomfortably near his companions, looking upon the crowds of poor people. He didn't quite understand the point Belladonna was trying to make by having them bear witness to this. Genocide was an odd word for it, in Bartholomew's opinion, as one considers the word to typically describe death via some kind of active choice, rather than from the mere staying from action, but it was horrible nevertheless. "We're not to interfere." He reminded Faith, a touch of bitterness in his voice.

Belladonna nodded slightly to Bartholomew's words but she did not look at him or address him. Lacing her fingers together below her breast as she walked, she kept Faith to her right and Bart to her back left. Yet she did make sure that when she spoke she could be heard by him without straining. "There are some things even if we were to interfere it would not change much. What you are witnessing is systematic genocide. Water mold began this but.." she stopped speaking as a man stumbled into their path, his mouth was green. Bright green and his skin pallid, clammy. He dropped to his knees and fell dead at their feet. Belladonna looked at him with pity. "Cholera, Typhoid. It is wiping this village off the face of the earth. In his belly, he could not even find rotting water molded potatoes to fill it. Grass from the field to stop the pains caused by that had not seen food in far too long."

Faith felt her anger get the best of her after Bart's stupid comment. "I know that, boy, learn to speak when spoken to." Hey, she had to get into character right? She knew that they were not to get involved, but were they merely here to observe as a large number of people just perished? Or was there more to this they needed to see and understand. As they walked, a man stumbled forward and fell before them, dead. She felt more pity for him than she would have imagined. These people were slowly dying. People like she was pretending to be didn't suffer. "And I don't suppose the wealthy elite did much to aid them? Sitting in their towers as the lower class slowly died?" She would be the first to admit she was spoiled in her past life, but she liked to think that if she knew of people outside dying, she would have tried to help. The apocolypse changed that dynamic though.

"What a bitch." Bart thought to himself. He was used to Faith's attitude by now, but being talked down to in that way really ground his gears. He clenched his jaw, and took a surprised step backward when the man stumbled in front of them. The anger in his eyes was instantly replaced with what could only be described at pity. He was surely a revolting sight, and Bart did quickly avert his gaze, but it was something very sad as well. Death by starvation was not an easy way to go, and that topped with Cholera and Typhoid must've made it all the more painful. He thought to speak to respond to Faith, but in tune with his role he kept quiet. He disagreed with her sentiment though, information didn't travel the same way it did when he was alive. If a family was well off, there's a good chance they either didn't know the extent of the problem, or were only effective at helping out near where they lived. That was just his speculation anyway.

"For some it will. They will be able to buy their way over the borders that are closed. There is plenty of food but the potatoes cannot be sold. It is what these farmers pay their English Landlords with. They are tossed off their lands, out of their homes, into the streets, the poor houses, and the coffin ships to the New World where even if they survive to that point will be pushed aside and signs will hang in windows - No Irish Allowed." Belladonna kept walking as she spoke. The further into the village they progressed the worse it looked. The harder it was to breath because of the smell of rotting dead that were in piles in alleyways before they could be taken to mass graves. Children in work houses looked out of stone buildings with dirt and blood on their faces. They were skeletons with skin wasting away.

This was a feeling that Faith had not experienced before. It was like her stomach wanted to be anywhere else but there and then. She felt warm in her chest. Was she having a heart attack? COULD she have a heart attack? God she still didn't understand this whole Paradox process. No, this was something else. She felt...sad. Depressed even. She walked along with Bart and Bella and watched as death claimed another after another, and they could do nothing about it. History had already claimed them. "I hate this. I'd rather have Walker encounters day after day than watch these people perish from something that could have been aided."

Bart watched on as Faith began to audibly freak out. He frowned and averted his eyes. It was incredibly sad, and, from Bella's last comment, completely unfair. He looked at the town around him, and sputtered at the smell. His lip quivered for a second as his eyes lingered on one of the children, somebody obviously already consigned to death. He ripped his eyes away and stared at the ground, struggling to follow his companions. He agreed with Faith, this was repulsive on every level. He swallowed hard, trying to keep himself from throwing up at the sight.

The walk continued and Belladonna lead them out of the town. A mother was curled up on the side of the road, holding her child and singing to the baby weakly. The childs lips were purple and the body rigid. The mother was still singing to her long dead offspring. No words exchanged but she gave the woman a look. The two seemed to understand each other. Mother to mother. The road broke off and then Bella turned and lead them far into a field, up a hill, and stopped as they came to the top. On the other side was something far worse. A potters field newly dug. Hundreds of bodies laid out, rotting, flies were swarming. "Is what we have endured anything compared to this? Petty squabbles. Hurt feelings. Attitude. No, all must be pushed aside for mark my words young ones. Should we fail at our jobs, at what we have been chosen for, this will not just be a moment in time. Our entire world will be a grave and we too shall lay festering."

It was a shitty lesson to learn, but probably one Faith needed most of all. If she were to do this new job of hers, she would have to change. So far she had been operating as if this was a do=over. A way for her to try again. Hell, she even still hoped that she would be able to go back to her world. It seemed like it would not be the case and now she had to stand here and watch as people died and she could do nothing. But Bella was right. The work that they did was important and it was needed. Saving history and those in it meant that others got to continue to live. As much as she would love to heal these people or put a bullet in Hitler, it would ruin history and the world. "I understand. Thank you for showing this to me. I have....a lot to think about, it seems."

Bart's eyes locked on Bella as she spoke, and for once he think he got it. These people's duty, his duty was to make sure that the world didn't turn to this. He drew breath, and exhaled, looking at the pestilence and death strewn around him, he nodded. He just didn't understand why it was him chosen to protect this world. He felt a twinge of anger, knowing that that was a secret never to be known to him. It felt unfair, being saddled with such responsibility without knowing why, but at the same time, this wasn't something he could shirk off. For whatever reason, he was here, and for as long as he was, this was the work in front of him. Bart nodded along with Faith. "Thank you Belladonna, I think I needed this." He said, lowering his head towards her.

Belladonna gave a long gaze across the mass of bodies. A wagon starting up the hill behind them, filled with more bodies. Turning she started back down the hill with her arms crossed and pulling her shawl closer as the winds kicked up around them. It was a long silence on the trek back from the elder Paradox. Then as they neared the portal she began to speak in her velvet voice, quoting something very dear to her heart. It could be heard in each syllable that slipped passed her lips. "Was there a man dismayed? Not though the soldier knew someone had blundered. Theirs not to make reply, theirs not to reason why, theirs but to do and die." Stopping at the portal there was a slight tug at the corner of her lips. "Into the valley of Death my darlings."

Faith followed Bella closely, eager to leave this place. She had a lot of thinking to do. She made note to remember this time period. It would be a reminder that she had an important job. That, above all, the balance of time was important. Even if it meant watching a people die. It was a harsh truth, but a truth that needed to be learned none the less. She stepped into the portal without a word. What could she say really?

Bartholomew walked towards the portal along with Bella, and was quiet as could be on the trip. When Bella finally spoke, it brought a small, melancholy smile to his face. He thought on the words, about how they applied to the Paradoxes. Soldiers recruited for reasons that they knew not, to fight in a battle that they would almost certainly never see the end of. He might have once thought such a sentiment to be foolish, but now he understood. This was bigger than him. Keeping history intact was something far more important than his continued survival. Even if he didn't want to take on everything that admission meant. He stepped through the portal, letting to moment hang without comment.

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This morning, Gio was standing by the tree as usual, and for a change he was actually wearing his usual set of clothes and didn't have any immediately visible gear or props to hand out. It was just him standing underneath that tree, patiently waiting for his new student to show up. But today was a bit different, he was humming a little tune to himself, tapping his foot in time. Everyone else so far had done a passable job of being punctual, he could only hope that Sophia would do the same.

Sophia got up rather easily as she stood up from her bed, seeing the letter from Gio, telling her to meet him at the Oak Tree at the center of the grounds. She got dressed for the day, and started to head out of her room and the main house. There she spotted Gio in front of the Oak Tree there and quickly made her way over towards him. "Good morning, how are you doing this morning?" Sophia asked Gio and gave him a friendly smile.

"I'm doing quite fine. Thank you very much for asking, Ms. Harris." Gio returned Sophia's smile in kind. Effortlessly, he produced the Watch and opened up a time portal on the tree behind him. "For this test, you'll mostly be needing your body, grit and wits, so there's no need for an extended introduction. Furthermore, we're going to a time merely a decade in the future, so you don't even need to make a change of clothes. Lady's first." The Emendator stepped aside and gestured for Sophia to make her entrance through the portal.

"That's good to hear." Sophia said, as she looked at the time portal that was set up behind him, and then her attention turned towards Gio once more. They wouldn't be going that far which was a good thing then it would save time for her having to change into something else, she smiled towards him and nodded. "Thank you." She said, before stepping forward through the portal once more and turned around to look at Gio once he stepped through.

And stepped out in what was clearly an urbanized area. Solid concrete was beneath her feet, buildings towered far above her head in every visible direction, piercing the cloudy red skies. On the ground level, people were panicking all around Sophia, running past her to some unknown destination. The streets were packed with cars, stuck in bumper to bumper traffic, unable to leave their position. There was much honking, and some people decided it was better to try their luck on foot, abandoning their vehicles.

"Welcome to Tokyo," Gio's voice chimed from behind her, the calm cutting through the chaos that surrounded them. He weaved through the crowd to step in front of Sophia. "Your task today is to deliver a particular item to a particular place and drop it off." From his vest he produced a green, translucent disc for Sophia to take. On the side she couldn't see, when she grabbed the item, there would be a folded up map of the area, translated in English.

"Take this disc to Chinzan-so and place it under the fifth bench to your right from the entrance then make your way back, then you'll be done."

Sophia looked at her surroundings for a bit, she had always wanted to go to Tokyo though not in this time but still it was always somewhere she would have liked to go to. She noticed that there were a lot of people panicking and cars were gridlocked, when Gio stepped in front of her, she stopped and looked at the green translucent disk for a moment and inspected it. And then accepted the map that was given to her. "Why are the people panicking right now?" Sophia asked, the task itself seemed fairly simple, get the disk to its destination then return. "Also is there any sort of time limit on this as well?" Sophia asked wanting to make sure she did it right.

"No time limit, although if you end up taking too long I might have to assume you're dead," Gio replied to Sophia "So let's put a maximum limit of 6 hours. Any longer than that and I'll return to Camp. It begins when you decide to leave this spot. Try to avoid getting hopelessly lost. You do have a map." If Sophia took another look at the map, she'd see circled in marker both her starting location and the destination, but it was kind of hard to make out in the current lighting.

Sophia looked towards Gio for a moment raising an eyebrow slightly at his comment, but didn't say anything she didn't want to make him angry or anything. "Six hours than got it, i'll meet you back here before then." Sophia said as she took another look at the map once more squinting slightly, before turning around and started to make her way towards the marked location on the map. She also remained alert as she tried to avoid the panicking people that were running about.

Sophia was able to weave through the crowd pretty easily, and looking at the map, she could see that there were about 3 viable routes to the garden. She could go ahead and follow the main roads, which were the simplest to follow, but had the most number of people around. Then there was down through the subway tunnels. They probably weren't running at the moment given the chaos, and they cut through the buildings in a way the roads couldn't, but she'd need to go a bit out of her way to get there. Finally, she could weave through the alleyways and side streets. They were the least direct route and the one for her to most likely get lost in, but they potentially had the fewest things to get in the way.

She occasionally looked down at the map, noting the three routes that were there that she could go to she noted the subway tunnels, but she doubt that they would have enough light down there for her to see, and it was a bit off the trail. Then the various alleyways that could take her there, however they would be considerably longer and she didn't want to end up becoming lost. So she then just simply opted to go for the most easiest going down the main streets, she would rather deal with the chaos of the people than getting lost.

Sophia managed to work her way through the crowd, but there were lots of people, and she had to spend almost more time moving out of the way than going forward. The garden was maybe half an hour away unobstructed if she looked purely at distances on the map, but it could end up taking double the time if things kept up like that.

Sophia rubbed her eyes for a moment as she continued to weave in between the group of people she took out the weird disk again and eyed it once more wondering what was on it exactly or what it was used for. She simply continued to move as quickly as she could occasionally bumping into people and apologized to those she bumped into she wondered what exactly was the lesson for the task she didn't really get it.

While she was making her way down the street, she could see some movement just ahead through the crowd, but not actually apart of that. It was only when she started to hear even louder yelling that things came into focus: someone in their car decided to stop waiting in line and pulled up onto the sidewalk and gun it. Sophia was able to just get out of the way, but she lost hold of the disk, which slid off into the road and out of direct sight.

Sophia instantly started to regret taking the disk out again to look at it, when the driver decided to drive over the sidewalk, more concern for her own safety than the disk itself she rolled out of the way. When she dusted herself off she realized that she had dropped it, looking around she quickly started to look around. "God damnit." Sophia muttered to herself as she desperately started to look around now she needed to find it which would be a lot harder now.

With a couple sweeps of her eyes, Sophia was able to cut through the chaos around her and locate the disk. It was laying right underneath (within arm's reach even) the car right next to her, which unlike the guy who'd just rushed past her, remained perfectly still. With a look inside she could see it was actually abandoned, the door left ajar, and the keys still in the ignition.

Seeing the disk there under the car Sophia took a deep breath and knelt down and quickly grabbed it with her good hand before getting back up to her feet dusting herself off slightly. Seeing the door wide open and the cars still left in the ignition, looking over her shoulder slightly. She was tempted to take the car, but Sophia had a feeling that it wouldn't be blending in if she took the same route driving along the sidewalk to her destination. And she didn't want to hurt anyone at all either or even worse possibly killing someone and quickly turned around and made her way back to the sidewalk as she opened her map up once more, and continued going forward towards the destination.

With disc in hand, Sophia was able to begin making progress once more, although it was slow going. After crossing the street, she had to stop from a sudden shudder through the ground, but that was it for the moment. She still had to shove her way through a river of people down her current route, but if she checked the map she's see that she was roughly halfway there.

Sophia quickly tucked the disk safely away so that it wouldn't end up falling out of her hands again, she was grateful that it didn't end up falling down a sewer drain. She stopped for a few seconds when she felt the ground shake suddenly, but stopped as quickly as it happened, deciding that it was better to move a little bit quicker occasionally pushing her way through some people as she tried to get to her destination faster.

Sophia was able to push through the crowd more quickly than before and still maintain a grip on the disc. It seemed that the number of people were starting to thin out, creating less resistance. In the span of about 10 minutes she got to where her destination was in sight indicated by a large break in the building line. To her left were a line of cherry blossoms and out from the garden a tower poked out looking quite anachronistic from the rest of the city with its multiple layers of curved, tiled roofs and wooden walls.

Seeing her primary objective now finally in sight she noticed the crowd had finally thinned out and quickly entered the area, looking around her right, until she was finally there at the fifth bench. Sophia looked around for a few seconds, it seemed that no one was interested in her just yet. Not wasting anymore time then she needed to now Sophia quickly stashed the disk under the bench, and then turned around making her way back the same exact route that she had just came.

Leaving the park, there were no more people to get in her way. At least as far as she could see. The Paradox was free to move about as she please. But there were other things that drew her attention. Sophia felt the shudder again. A few moments passed. And then again. Stronger. Closer. And then a sound. It was not heard as much as it was felt. She could feel it all through her legs, chest and neck. Another shudder. Even closer. It was coming her way.

She stopped when she started to feel the shaking around her, she turned around trying to find out where it was coming from, but it felt like it was going for her. The people were all gone it seemed and it started to worry her quiet a bit and decided that she needed to get back to Gio right away. Now as she started to run now going as fast as her feet would take her looking back at the map once more to make sure she was going in the right direction.

Pushing as hard as her feet would propel her, Sophia was able to dash through the city streets back the way she came. The shuddering in the distance continued to grow closer, and she could begin to hear distinct noises of destruction from behind her. If she turned around, she would be able to see clouds of debris maybe one thousand yards behind her, and through the fog the silhouette of something gargantuan. An entity that dwarfed many of the skyscrapers that surrounded her. Hauling ass as she was and unimpeded, Sophia had managed to make it about halfway back.

Sophia wasn't even sure what she was even seeing as the ground continued to shake rather violently seeing and hearing the destruction coming just behind her. Seeing the cloud and debris everywhere now, she could see something huge hidden behind all of the smoke, but Sophia didn't want to stop and see whatever the hell it was as she ran forward. Feeling her sides hurt slightly from all of the running seeing that she was just about halfway from where she had started. And instead just focused on going forward rather than looking back to whatever the thing was.

Fueled by adrenaline, Sophia was able to push herself beyond her normal limits and sprint the rest of the way to the starting point, the whole time, the shuddering and noises grew stronger, as if whatever the source of the problem was chasing after her specifically. But like a beacon of saftey Gio stood tall in the middle of the sidewalk, tapping his foot to a rhythm only he was privy to.

"Ah, good to see you've returned, Sophia. Well before the 6 hour time limit, if I might add."

Sophia leaned forward slightly as she took a few seconds to take a breath as she looked up at Gio and then back towards the way that she had came from. "Theres something big coming this way we should head back, the disk or whatever it is now where it should be." Sophia said as she finally started to relax a bit now.

When Sophia looked back, she could see more: smooth, slimy flesh, long grasping arms, flailing tentacles each thicker than a train, and a single beady eye looking right her way.

"That would be what you'd call a kaiju. Real pest in this timeline." Gio opened up a portal and beckoned Sophia to step through. "Wouldn't want to stick around, she's going to level the entire city. No point in staying to see it all. Unless you've some hidden misanthropic streak."

"Yeah not to keen on being food for Godzilla junior or anything like that.." Sophia said, seeing the thing looking directly at her, just as Gio opened up the portal once more back to their home. She couldn't help but shudder slightly if she ever did end up getting killed by one of those things. "Thanks for holding the door by the way." She said before quickly going through the portal itself.

Gio followed behind Sophia back into the morning light of Ville Au Camp. He looked as if he was about to say something, but then stopped himself and paused for a moment, looking over the woman.

"You know, you look quite dreadful. I wouldn't be surprised if you suddenly started feeling quite worse given a bit of time to calm down. Why don't you return to your room, wash-up and relax. You did well enough for the day, a bit of rest would do you good. Unless of course you want to keep going?"

When they got back she turned around to look at the tree then turned to face Gio once more, she certainly did need a little bit of time to rest. "You are probably right, I am going to take a few hours to relax. I think i'm good enough for the day though, i'll see you later, thank you for the training by the way." Sophia said, before turning around she certainly did have enough for the day running as fast and hard as she could and started to head back towards her room.

---

---

---

James lay among the clover of the ground, staring up at the clouds far above. They were enchanting, wispy things, clouds. The new Paradox had not taken a good look at passing clouds since he was a child, and as such, he was pleasantly surprised to note that they in fact appeared in exact doubles, yet slowly the twins would come together even as the little details around him came into greater clarity then they were a mere moment ago. The unfortunate man blinked away forming tears and, upon suddenly remembering that he was going to require oxygen later on that day, painfully sucked in a lungful of sweet, precious air.

"How many times does that make, James? Fifteen?" asked Gilbert, offering the newer Paradox a hand up.

"Seventeen." he grunted, finally able to breathe with something akin to normality. "That is, 'less you wanna spot me a couple, huh?"

Waving away James's obvious attempt to make his win/loss record slightly less embarrassing, he instead channeled the conversation to something more along the lines of education or training. "Take a minute. Catch your breath. Now, think: How did I beat you? What happened?"

"What happened was, you a seven thousand year old epic badass and I forgot everything I knew 'bout beatin' folks down a few months ago."

Gilbert didn't phrase his question in a form that was sarcasm-proof, apparently, and had drawn a Paradox that spoke it fluently. "Are you saying that, were you to have the knowledge of your previous lives, you would win?"

Such an assumption was ludicrous at best, and James was wise enough to know it. "Aw, hells to the naw!" he returned, eyes widening at the prospect. It was not a matter of pride for James. He didn't feel that he had to prove anything. "You 'member that part where I mention thousands of years an' 'Epic Badass'? Hmm? No sir - all I'm sayin' is, even if I know me some hard hittin' Bruce Leroy shit, I still ain't gonna stand toe-to-toe with someone like you. Not if'n I got options."

A slight breeze ruffled the longish hair that peeked from beneath Gilbert's hat. He nodded slowly, seeming to understand what his new Paradox was getting at. He walked over to a nearby table and retrieved James's cowboy hat for him, handing it over with raised eyebrow. "Tactics. Surprise attack. Inferior force defeating a superior one using intelligence and terrain advantage. I can respect that. Know where, when, and how to attack in such a way as to win without strenuous engagement."

"Yeah! That's goddamn exactly what I'm talkin' 'bout! I can't 'member much from my Hog Huntin' days, but a phrase has stuck with me: 'You don't go runnin' after the hog. You make it come runnin' to you." James seemed very proud of himself just then. Of course, he was also fairly certain that this was all a hypothetical conversation anyway.

Not so, according to the Emendator. "I accept."

"Wait, huh?" replied a confused and increasingly worried James.

"I accept. I will give you the remainder of the day and some of tomorrow morning to set up the grounds. And then, I will come after you." clarified Gilbert.

"Wait, huh?" James said again, not really asking a question so much as trying to figure out how all this went horribly awry so quickly. "I didn't mean to -"

James was cut off by the forceful yet highly optimistic vocalizations of The Hat. "No, this is a great idea! James, you have demonstrated a level of ambition and creativity that I rarely see in Paradoxes so young." He was laying it on extremely thick. "I must admit, given the state in which you joined us I did not think you would surprise me in this way. Bravo, sir! Bravo!"

The reluctant wereboar seemed to shrink a foot or two, his eyes widening and face contorting in such a way as to make one think he was about to vomit. In truth, it was within the realm of possibility. "Um, Mr. Hat, sir? I don't think..."

"Absolutely!" Gilbert interrupted, undaunted by the obvious discomfort he was putting James through. "There must be rules! First, nothing directly lethal. You use deadly force, and I use deadly force. Agreed? Second, there must be a clear, decisive win here. I need you to lay a hand on me. Clear, open-palm connection. Just do it once, signifying that you have penetrated my defenses. Whether it actually hurts me is of lesser importance. Finally, I will come after you. If I get you before you get me, something ...unpleasant... will happen. Very." He let the mood hang in the air for a moment. "Good. The other Emendators and Paradoxes are out training, so the grounds are ours. I shall stay in my room until tomorrow. You make the most of your time."

Finally able to get an intelligent thought out, James blurted out, "An' what if I win? What do I get if I win?"

It was a fair question. "You've had your eye on one of my knives for a while, right? The Bowie/Seax hybrid? How about that?"

Smiling, James recovered some more of his wits, giving the counteroffer of, "How 'bout that spiffy, black blade sword y'all got little bit ago? That's some hardcore shit right there, yessir!"

Gilbert was not amused in the slightest. "A knife, James. Don't turn this into a joke. Any of the blades I have personally summoned or created here on premises. Including the hybrid we discussed. Understood?"

James dipped his head a little, realizing that he was close to pissing off an immortal. The consequences could be dire. "Yeah. Understood, Mr. Hat, sir." He rubbed his hands together, simultaneously trying to avoid tomorrow somehow and yet plotting strategy as if anxiously awaiting his opportunity to cross swords with Gilgamesh, the Eternal Warrior.

"Then, excepting our nightly festivities, I shall see you tomorrow. Best of luck." The expression left on the face of the usually optimistic Mr. Grady left nothing to interpretation. He was certain he was going to get his ass kicked.

---

The sun rose upon a laboring James, taking to his plans as best he could considering the fact that his plans, such as they were, seemed to lack what the New Agers of his time period referred to as "organic flowthrough". From the Main House to the Kitchen House, and a couple points beyond, the ebon-skinned Wereboar sought to ready the field of battle with that which he would require to claim victory over a man who was, quite possibly, the most dangerous combatant in the history of civilized humankind.

He had a plan, you see. A plan so secretive and daring, yet so amazingly, utterly simple that it was bound to work. It had to. It was ingenious in its seeming stupidity that Gilbert would never see it coming. All he had to do was touch the palm of his hand to the imposing Emendator, and he won. James had this. It was in the bag.

Gilbert awoke later than he generally did. It was a special day, of course, but so long as everybody was off doing other things he would use the opportunity to sleep in. It was rare that he be treated to a lack of spoilers in the day's events, and so long as he consciously tried not to process the recent history of the location, he might be able to maintain surprise at whatever James was going to throw his way. Well, first things first: To the Kitchen House to make himself a decent kettle of tea, wait for it to cool every so slightly, and then consume the entire kettle himself. Secondly: Go hunt James. Ironically, if he had a truffle hog it would have been so much easier.

Stepping out of the front door, Gil strode confidently from the deck of the main building and into the fuller light of the day. He almost didn't catch what happened next.

James had perched himself precariously upon the floor above, hanging onto the guard rail, he was tentatively reaching out his hand, attempting to use his newfound gift of Animal Empathy to communicate with the squirrels of Ville au Camp, telling them to provide a distraction. Or maybe just one of them. He could command the rest like a diminutive general. Unfortunately, he didn't get but the faintest of instinctive feedback before losing even that entirely. His opportunity was literally beginning to walk away, so James gave into his desperation and, hoping that his risk was calculable as acceptable, jumped.

It was a wild, swinging leap from the balcony, his arms flailing and teeth bared, the fledgling Paradox screaming a wild battlecry of "CRACKA!!!" as he rode gravity's solid embrace downward.

The decidedly not pale of complexion Emendator, could see this coming a mile off. At the last possible instant, he turned and swiftly snatched James from the air. The act stopped his downward inertia, but Gilbert still took the occasion to turn him end over end and slam him into the ground, driving the air from his lungs. As James struggled to breathe, Gilbert admonished his actions. "That was a poor attempt, James. You could have previously injured yourself. It was badky planned and I expected much better of you. I am going to have my morning tea. When I am done, I expect something much better from you. Do you understand?"

From the ground, James gave a hearty thumbs up. Okay, better. He was working toward something. Just open palm grab the man, and he won. The squirrels weren't any help at all, then again he was so very new to this ability, maybe it was best not to make an attempt during what amounted to test time. It was for the best. But anything that could help him against the likes of Gil? Maybe the risk was worth it.

When Gilbert disappeared into the Kitchen House, James sprung up and got to work. He had already prepared the building blocks for his next gambit, now was simply a matter of setting it up and playing a waiting game. Deciding to take the risk, he attempted to enlist the aid of his squirrel commandos again. In hindsight, it might not have been the best idea ever.

The Hat emerged from the Kitchen House to what appeared to be abandoned grounds. James was nowhere in sight. The air itself seemed stilled somehow. Yet oddly, in the middle of the clearing between the building and the Oak, there sat a stool, upon which was a plate of waffles. Hot, buttery, syrupy waffles that looked like they were cooked by a grade schooler with a shaky hand. "James?" called Gil, "This is pathetic. This is really beneath the both of us, James. I has hoped you were better than this. If such an obvio..."

The Emendator's critique of the awfully staged trap was silenced by a curious noise coming from the side of the Kitchen House. It was the sound of a man going through immense stress and strain, possibly losing some sort of internal struggle. Curious, even worried about what that might mean, Gilbert cautiously stepped around the building.

James was there. He was holding his head in his hands and was crouched down, mumbling frenzied but otherwise unintelligible ramblings. Nearby, a couple of squirrels dashed about, doing that which squirrels might in the morning. Another seemed curious in the goings on of the humans of the former plantation. James kept looking to the small animals as speaking as if insane. "Naw, you don't! I done said naw you don't! Nuh uh. Stop it! You ain't tellin' me what's up, I'm tellin' you, that's why! God damn you, General Fuzzy! Get out my head! Get out my head! No! Stop shootin' them squirrelly freak beams in my brain"

Curiosity from Gilbert turned to worry. He had heard of James's budding Empathy ability, but this was not the proper application of it. It would not be the first time that a Paradox was unable to control their abilities, often putting themselves and others in serious peril. Cautiously, he approached. To hell with the test, James might actually be in danger here, and he did not wish to be responsible for a recently ressurected werehog with the brain of a squirrel.

James barely seemed to notice his approach, slobbering and snarling and making little in the way of sense. The mental overload of a villain named General Fuzzy was of paramount, if garbled discussion. Gilbert stepped closer to James, unsure of what do do next but at this time fully willing to stomp a tree rodent to death if it meant saving James.

The instant Gilbert's eyes went to the squirrels, James went into action. It seemed like slow motion to him, watching his hand travel in a fluid arc, and the last nanosecond of understanding from The Hat as somehow, impossibly, every piece of James's hand made connection with Gilbert's face with a loud snapping sound.

Amazement washed over James, followed by elation. He couldn't help himself. "GOTCHA BITCH!" He cried out, before realizing the implications of his actions. "...oh my gentle Jesus..." he whispered, just before running like hell to lock himself inside of his room.

---

---

Evelina sat down with the Emendators and the Elder Paradox to compare note as they did at the end of each training session. "It seems we have some concerns. I have stopped this training session. A month, I know, is a short time to spend with a Paradox and train them but I feel it is for the best. We will take care of things after the rest of training is complete." This last round of training only lasted a single month. Evelina was not happy with the results, though she did not blame the Emendators. She knew their tactics well, some had even double checked with her and gotten her opinions before the training fully started.

The Dice had given her thoughts on the matter. She felt the Emendators were going too easy on the Paradoxes. Far to easy. "Our job is to break, mold, rebuild, and teach. It is better it is done by us in controlled environments than out there. The Destruere will not hold back, they won't have compassion, they won't be teaching a lesson. Remember what happened to Peter, to other Paradoxes. To..." she felt her voice start to crack and paused as she regained her composure. "To Drem. This is our last training session with them before they go out there, alone. If we do not prepare them, we have failed. It's time to stop holding back. This session we take them over the cliff."

As per last round, we are breaking this down into 2 parts. Part 1 - Skills. Part 2 - Next Round. This will be the final round.

Skills: Here are the skills your characters picked up over the last month of training. The dice came up as 1 month for the last round.

You have 48 hours from this post to edit your Cs. Copy and paste your new skills into place under skills if you have new ones to add. I would make sure you get these in post haste. If it turns out you received a skill your character already learned, well, you are out of luck - just means you got more training in it. Place a * next to it. If you got a new Language - place it under Native Languages.

• Sophia:
  • Tracking - The ability to follow a trail or recognize tracks of humans or animals. Can determine passage of time, direction, number of creatures, etc.
• Andromeda:
  • Second Primary Skill has activated
• Faith:
  • Diplomacy - The art of negotiation, which encompasses the talents of tact and cleverness to reach a mutually agreeable end between parties in a dispute.
• Bart:
  • Alertness - Ability to notice things that otherwise might go unnoticed.
• Alexandra:
  • Torture - Knowledge of the pain centers of the body, and how to apply pain to extract information from a person
• James:
  • Hand 2 Hand - Basic skill used to strike another person in unarmed combat. This includes striking, grabbing, tackling, shoving, tripping, and choking.

Cases: Now, time to rinse and repeat, again. Round five of five. Break them.

As a reminder - remember as trainers, change to meet each character - so review their current Cs and their characters Cs from before. It will help.











*This is a repeat message from before but it still holds true.
Now, you have 10 days to get your case done. Once counter hits 11, you are over. So keep that in mind. I suggest you collab these out in PM with each other or on Si to make things easier than trying to post back and forth. At the end of this case I will post again, and again, until every character has gotten a decent amount of training. At the end of each Case, once it is posted and I have reviewed it, I will roll to see what skills ~stuck~, if secondary abilities came forth, the amount of control you gained, and so forth. This is going to allow us to cover a lot of time and Rping quickly. Once Training is done, then you will go on to full assignments.

The day will start like any other day at Camp, weather is the same, layout is the same. No need to worry about much to start. Letters are left and slipped under your room doors on where to go come morning instructing you to meet your trainer at the starting location. A bell will toll over the grounds at 5:50 AM to start the day, time to be at the starting location will be listed as 6:00 AM. Start your posts waking up OR there, however you wish.

Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor. (I will be pming my students shortly.)

---

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---

Nancy was smoking a cigarette as she waited for James at the swamp. She didn't usually smoke, but the last Paradox had gotten on her nerves. She didn't regret anything she did to Alexandra. If anything, she regretted that she hadn't pushed her farther. The chaotic Emendator, often mistaken for Loki, the Norse God of Mischief, had grinned hearing Evelina's words before. Living without restraint, training without a limit...She could get used to that.

Dressed in grunge, Nancy took another drag of the cigarette. She was beginning to understand why Evelina always had that pipe with her. "Good morning, James - or do ya prefer Jim? Jimothy?" Nancy asked with a slight smirk. "Or...what was it...Black James? Feels a bit odd, that one, I've got to say."

"Well, mornin' to you too, Miss Nancy." James regarded the clothing choice of the younger-looking Emendator. His first impression was that this training session would be someplace where he was familiar with the culture and language, which was optimistic. "Jimothy now? Oh, that's a good'n. James is fine. As I'm sure you well know ('cause y'all Emendators seem ta know everythang), that's James Mandingo Grady, name from birth. But ah, there was a lot of Jameses where I was, an' I mostly hung around with the paler, rednecky types, so yeah. Black James! I don't think they meant no insult by it; stuck with me."

He was starting to ramble. In truth, James was a bit nervous. He had heard of the "Cuckoo's Nest" treatment that her last Paradox got. Rumors anyway, and reasons for it. James had open-palm slapped The Hat, though he suspected that the guy let it through. Nonetheless, there was some concern. He held his hat in his hands and spoke politely, "James is fine, ma'am."

That was perhaps James' first mistake - agreeing that Jimothy was a good name. And as Nancy looked at him, it clicked into place. She wasn't sure if he was acting incredibly formal around her if that was because of his personality or if Alexandra had shared her training experience with him. "I'm going to stick with Jimothy - and please, don't call me ma'am. It makes me feel like you're about to ask if you can help me cross the street in order to earn a merit badge." She then tossed him a bag of clothing - the pieces were pretty much what James had been accustomed to wearing in Newnan. "Also, ditch the Miss Nancy. That'll just make me want to tell the other Emendators I've decided to go by Violet now."

"Sorry ma'a... Mis.. Sorry, Nancy. It's my southern upbringin', y'understand. Hard habit to break, ma... damnit." He kicked a nonexistent rock on the ground, and looked into the bag that his latest (and final) teacher had tossed to him. Briefly looking around, he didn't quite find a good spot to go into or walk behind to change, so he just shrugged, removed his hat, and started stripping down to his boxers. "My 'pologies for the ungentlemanlyness, Mi... um, Nancy. Not related to me gettin' to my fundies in front of ya, but if'n it's alright I'd be obliged if we could keep the 'Jimothy' bit to just this one road trip." He quickly replaced his button down for a flannel, his overalls for alternate overalls, his cowboy hat for a remarkably similar stetson, and his work boots for another set of work boots. Shrugging, he just accepted that there was a reason for the likeness and went with it. "Nancy? Is it aight if I bring my new knife?"

Nancy stared at James for a moment, before she pulled her cigarette away from her mouth, holding it in her hands, and she laughed. It was incredibly cathartic, even more than her training session with Alexandra had been. "Aww, you're cute," she said, not even trying to stop laughing yet. "But if you like that knife, Jimothy, I must recommend that you don't take it with you," she warned. She didn't bat an eye as he undressed and dressed in front of her. She had seen too much over the course of her lifetime to be phased by that. And she was certain Giouse would admire the efficiency.

Taking another drag of the cigarette, Nancy motioned for James to follow her as she walked through a portal. On the other side, the pair would find themselves on the edge of an English quarry. There was a fence that seemed to be in decent shape along the perimeter, made out of wooden stakes and some wire. It wouldn't be immediately obvious as to which timeline they were in - or if walkers could be lurking in the midst. At any rate, Nancy put out her cigarette, grinding it with the toe of her boot.

Wincing at the use of his apparent codename for this upcoming adventure, "Jimothy" kept his knife sheathed and placed it in the bag with the rest of his clothes. It was a fair enough assessment of the upcoming training, he reasoned, that he should leave it behind, especially if the likelihood of it going missing was high. Of course, that just made him question the nature of the training session. Losing a sheathed item on his person took a little doing, by either himself or someone else. It raised vague concerns. Well, he wasn't there to make waffles, he was there to learn valuable things from an Emendator. Wincing yet again at the thought of the last time he tried to make waffles (and the culinary abortion that resulted), James followed Nancy through the portal and emerged to a fresh new scene. His intelligent eyes regarded the cigarette butt dropped on the ground and snuffed out. Wherever they were, the locals would recognize what it was, another hint that it might be a time period relatively close to the one from his previous life in the beginning of the 21st century. Softly, he whispered to Nancy, "Hey, can we talk? Or is 'The Quiet Game' one o' them life savin' decisions right now?"

Nancy froze for a moment. A Paradox from the twenty first century had once offered to teach her a new game. And Nancy had prided herself on winning it. She could go decades at a time without a single slip up, yet in that moment, it came rushing back to her and she swore, cussing a bit as she stomped her foot on the ground. "Damn it, ya made me lose the Game!" Nancy informed James. If he wasn't playing the Game before, he was now. She hoped that he'd lose as well. She took a moment, shaking her head, before she started to walk forward. "And yeah, we can talk. Now, ya see the slope here?" Nancy said, motioning for James to follow. As soon as he looked where she indicated, he'd see a sign that said WARNING - QUICKSAND! and Nancy gave him a good shove, sending the Paradox tumbling into the quicksand pit.

There was confusion at first, then the sudden realization that he was actually falling end over end down a hill toward something that, while he hasn't really experienced it in person, had been an irrational fear since childhood. Somehow, during the rolling waltz with ground and gravity, the thought slipped into his head, "The Game? I remember that! Oh..." Survival instinct kicked in; experience while alive directed James to silence, even as he splatted into the shifting ground below.

"If it helps, I don't think talking will improve or worsen your current situation," Nancy called down to him.

"Aw, well thank you, Miss Nancy!" screamed Jimothy from below, his voice tinged with fear, sarcasm dripping from every syllable. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to be learning right then, but he did partially figure out the situation with the change of clothes - if was in the event that he soiled himself, which admittedly was a possibility.

Nancy perched on the edge, her knees bent and hugged to her chest as she peered down at him with a shit-eating grin on her face. "You are quite welcome, Jimothy," she called down to him. The last Paradox to treat her with disrespect had ended up being locked in an asylum for a month. Yet of course, Alexandra's treatment had been without provocation and had treated her as less than an Emendator. James just seemed to be furious at having to encounter one of his worst fears and while she didn't like being called Miss Nancy, it was part of his upbringing. People reverted to that in times of peril.

"So, are you ready for this to escalate or would you like some more time to comprehend your predicament as it currently stands?" Nancy asked. James would be able to see Nancy pull something that had been hidden amongst a small patch of grass closer towards her.

Short of making "quicksand angels" and sinking even faster into the muck and slag he had tumbled into, James had little in the way of options. The concept of rational thought was difficult, but not entirely fleeting; he understood what Nancy had said and wasn't particularly looking forward to it. Besides, with her reputation as of late, James was eighty-eight percent sure that if he told her NO, she would march along to the music of his screams anyway. With short breaths, so as to make as little movement as possible and delay his eventual descent into the quicksand, he replied, "Ain't likin'... that word... Escalate." He could feel his heartbeat throb in his face. "If Escalate... mean... 'done sooner'..." He nodded an affirmation, more to himself than to Nancy, "Then bring it." The tremor in his voice aside, he still spoke with more conviction than he actually felt. The Emendator knew what scared him. There were only a couple more options available, short of watching his friends from his former life die, again. If he had a drink, he would raise a toast to not blowing out the back of his pants with whatever came next.

"What are you in such a rush to get to?" Nancy asked, raising an eyebrow. "We'll arrive back at the loop the same time we would if we spent an hour here or a week - provided we don't miss the portal, but I imagine Giouse would notice I hadn't come back and he'd come to fetch me. Not sure about you though. I give it fifty fifty chance," she added, standing up from her crouched position as she took up the object she had hidden in the grass - a bow. Notching an arrow on it, she aimed down into the quicksand pit.

"Have you ever heard of Cambyses II? You see, once when he was drunk, one of his men decided to tell him off for his drinking habits...And to prove that he was just as fit as ever, he grabbed his bow - like I am doing now - and sent for the man's son. If he were too drunk to function, he'd miss," she explained. Cambyses and Smerdis, those two had been odd. "He killed the son, piercing his heart with the arrow - a perfect shot..."

This training session was not quite going to the ideal that James (Jimothy) had hoped. Behind the sinking feeling that he was getting, both metaphorical and literal now that he was laying in a pit of quicksand, he was beginning to foster doubts that this was a training session at all. In fact, he had the beginnings of doubts as to whether this was just something that Nancy liked to do in her spare time, not unlike some of the younger generations enjoyed frying ants with a magnifying glass or throwing rocks at stray dogs. He even considered his chances were he to shift into his Peccary Form and make some attempt to free himself from his situation. But he would still be stuck in this hole, still sinking; probably even faster than before. "Uh, I'm 'fraid I don't know no Cambecles, second, third, or fourth, y'understand," he began, unable to keep the anxiety out of his voice as he slowly sunk into something he was pretty sure was filled with asphyxiating, oozy tendrils of swallowing dirt and decay, "but I'm thinkin' I gots me that lesson! Whoo doggie, was that a good Paradox lesson! I'm all learned out fo' the day, maybe you could toss me a rope or somethin'? Hot damn, learned me a lot today! All good now. All good..."

"Jimothy, if you've learned the lesson, then tell me what it is," Nancy challenged. She kept a steady hand on the bow, having not pulled the bowstring back completely yet. Of course, she wasn't entirely surprised that he was reacting like this - it was rather what she expected. There was some moderate irritation that he was proclaiming the lesson to be other as well. "Your lesson ends when you get yourself out of the pits," Nancy explained, emphasizing the use of the plural as a hint. "If you'd like, I can escalate things again. I am a crack shot if I say so myself, however."

Oh, but James was a tiny and suckling pig, treated to the hind teat of the situation. He could readily figure out that Nancy's intent to fire upon him was largely (he hoped) more of a motivating factor than anything truly aggressive. Then again, the backwoods wereboar knew about as much about Emendator psychology as he did nuclear physics, with the exception that there was a time when he might have glimpsed a book or read an article about the more scientific pursuit, whereas there was zero possibility that he knew what was going on in the head of someone who had been aware of their existence for millennia. "Lesson is, I gotta get my black ass outta here on the muthafuckin' quick!" His voice was still a touch higher than it ordinarily was, but to his credit James had established enough mental wherewithal to access the part of his brain that contained sardonicism. It was something.

Reaching out to his left, James was able to grasp his newly acquired hat that had come off during the unpleasant tumble. A man ought not go without his hat when he was able. He then began his first graceless, flopping motions toward the steepish hillside that was his point of entry.

"Actually, that's not how you escape quicksand," Nancy pointed out to him. "So if that were your lesson, you ought to be afraid since the quicker and more erratic movements will actually increase your chances of death - and I'm not in the mood to kill a Paradox, not now anyways," Nancy said, laughing a bit at the end but it wasn't all too clear as to whether or not she was joking. She then sent off the arrow she had, the arrow landing about seven feet away from James in the quicksand. "I'll tell you a secret - the only way out is to calm down," she advised.

Telling James to calm down for any lasting amount of time was more than a touch unlikely, though the prospect of dying by means of being suffocated in wet sand was something that he'd really rather avoid if at all possible. And by "avoid", he would just as soon lather up in bacon grease and dance naked through a Cannibals Anonymous meeting, with or without a platter full of "fixin's" tenuously in his grasp. "Calm! Yes'm, that there's real likely while I'm inna bigass puddle o' death mud an' some real nice lady's firin' pointy sticks at me! Hells yeah!" Sarcasm notwithstanding, James did take her advice and slow his movements, adopting more of a tortoise-y sort of backstroke instead of the wiggling and grunting he was attempting previously. Given the solution, aside from the potentially pant-soiling predicament he was literally thrown into, he was willing to effect a change in tactic.

"Is that what they called arrows in Newnan - pointy sticks?" Nancy asked curiously. She was regretting not bringing a book with her to read, given James' predicament. James' switch in technique, at least, was promising as Nancy saw him getting close to the edge of the quicksand pit. She couldn't help but grin, a bit proud of the Paradox. "Now once you get to the edge of the pit, you want to roll - kinda like a dog," Nancy said, setting aside her bow. She didn't feel the need to fire another arrow off at him - yet anyways.

As much as Nancy was openly taunting him, James was glad for the conversation. Even something adversarial was a thing to occupy his mind and keep it, at least in part, away from the fact that he was very slowly being consumed by the ground beneath him. The struggle to move to the edge of the pit was going a hell of a lot slower than he had hoped it would, and this whole "being calm" business was weighing on him. If there was any one good thing about this ordeal, being exposed to actual quicksand and not just something he saw on television or in stories was blunting the edge a little. At least for now. Boredom and fear simultaneously was a new experience for James. Still, he kept talking, even as he inched toward the side. "Oh yeah! Arrows was pointy sticks, hogs was fo'legged bacon, an' gettin' shot at while sinkin' in the mud was called flirtin'! You wanna get a drink afters? Or is that gettin' me shot at again?" The tone suggested sarcasm rather than an actual proposition, but that didn't stop the Paradoxical Blackneck from thinking he probably crossed a line.

James would manage to awkwardly roll himself out of the quicksand pit, finding himself on solid ground once more. Nancy glanced at him, contemplating what he had said for a moment. On the inside, she could feel the anger boiling to the surface. And had he not just suggested it, she would have shot at him. The same frustrations were coming back to the surface - would he have made a comment like that at Eve? At Giouse? At Gilbert? (Though if he did at Gilbert, he'd at least have Alex for company). "...Sure, let's go get a drink, come on." She clenched her fist slightly.

The Paradox-in-Training stood clumsily. His limbs were still shaking from before and he was covered with dirt and grime. The good news was that he hadn't died (again), but he bone tired from the effort and the departing adrenaline birthed of core fear wasn't helping. With unsteady swats, he succeeded in knocking just about zero dirt from his hat, not that it stopped him from putting it back on his head and awkwardly walking alongside Nancy. He didn't expect that his trainer would actually him seriously about the drink, and in fact it scared him just a bit. Coupled with the fact that he figured he stepped over some boundary of propriety earlier, he very nervously responded with, "Wait, huh? Oh! Um... Okay, Ma'a... ah, Miss Na... damnit. Yes'm." Figuring damage was done one way or another, he attempted injecting a touch of humor into a situation that was quickly beginning to feel like its own little variation of quicksand, "Just a drink though, aight? I know I'm lookin' all available an' such, but I'm savin' myself for the next lady what takes a shot at me. K?"

She looked at him for a moment and although her face didn't show it, her attitude changed. Instead of tricking him into drinking cow blood, as she had been intending, Nancy took off her leather jacket and held it in between her knees, pulling up on her left sleeve to reveal a lengthy scar. She very rarely showed it to Paradoxes. The Emendators themselves had likely only seen it a handful of times, typically when the disguise for the day demanded bare shoulders. "Courtesy of my husband on the night of my wedding...And a few of his friends," she said, her voice a monotone. She tapped the scar once before she pulled down the sleeve and replaced her leather jacket. "Emendators bleed too."

It turned out that he had crossed a line, just not the one he thought he did. "Damn, girl." he responded quietly. He wasn't looking at some universal power right then, nor a few millennia old worldly wise matron and trainer. He saw a woman who was once treated as horribly as anyone ever had been, and still lived. A survivor. The same kind of person that, even denied her abilities as an Emendator, might have prospered in his clearest former timeline. A big part of him wanted to give her a hug, but a bigger part wanted to keep breathing unencumbered. Instead, he removed his soiled hat and held it in front of him with bowed head, saying, "I'm sorry, Nancy. Won't go tellin' nobody. Let's get us outta here, if'n that's aight by you."

Belladonna stood by the tree. If one wasn't careful they might not recognize her. The womans skin was darker, her hair wavy, no make up, no corset, no dress. Tan natural clothing, it looked rough. She looked at her nails and scowled. They were no longer long and no longer painted. A bag hung containing similar clothing. Looked like something out of a an old western movie or like something someone would have worn during an archeological dig. "The things I do when I come home," she said to herself before glancing around for her trainee this time. "Time to change my dear, today we visit the dead."

Sophia started to get up that morning and stretched slightly it was like the other training sessions with the other Emendators she however was curious and interested in working with Belladonna. She looked at the location on the letter they would be meeting at Peter's grave, she started to get changed and made her way out of the main building and over towards where Peter's grave was. She stopped for a moment seeing Belladonna she didn't recognize the woman at first. "Good morning, I didn't even recognize you for a moment." Sophia said giving the woman a slight smile seeing the bag of clothes there. "Whats the plan for the day anyway?" Sophia asked as she accepted the clothes and started to get changed into them.

There was a slight smile tugging at the corner of the womans lips as she motioned for Sophia to follow her once she was changed. "My job is self discovery. I find the best way to do that is to face ones fears," she said as she reached the portal and then stepped through. When they came out the heat was sweltering and the air was thick. Insects buzzed around and somewhere deep in the jungle they were now standing in, one could hear screams. Belladonna glanced around. "Central America in the summer, completely hellish."

Sophia gave Belladonna a friendly smile and nod, before following shortly behind the woman to the portal and stepped through the moment she stepped out into the other end she was bombarded with the sweltering heat. She ran a hand through her hair as she shifted uncomfortably where she stood. Sophia jumped slightly when she heard a distant scream, which didn't sound all that good at all they were in Central America and in the summer. When the woman said that she would be facing her fears she felt a little bit nervous she had three major fears that instantly came to mind right away. Being abandoned, spiders and ghosts, she hated all three and would be scared if any of it if that was what she was facing. "The heat and humidity certainly doesn't do wonders here.." Sophia said towards Belladonna as she looked around the jungle.

Belladonna nodded slightly and started pushing through the thick growth of the jungle. It wasn't too far but it felt like a long travel before it finally gave way to an road of sorts. At least it seemed as if it had once been a road. Ancient in making, as it was just stones that had been cut and laid into the ground, they were shifted this way and that from vines and roots growing through them. Sharp walls came up on either side further down. Everything was over grown but it looked to be an abandoned city deep in the jungle. Every so often as they walked, there would be a rush of wind or a chill in the air, a scream that sounded hollow before it went back to heat and humidity.

Sophia followed shortly behind Belladonna as they pushed through the thick jungle, eventually they made it to an old looking road of some kind. She shifted slightly as she started to look around seeing the vines overgrown and then hearing the occasional scream and the small gust of wind every now and then. "So what year are we in right now exactly?" Sophia asked as she lightly kicked a small rock here and there, then looking at the Paradox.

"Oh eighth century, roughly." To one side there was a set of stairs that led far into the jungle and down deep into the mountain side. They reached a terrace of sorts and Belladonna looked around. Then she kept moving and started pushing into the actual side of the mountain this area had been built into, or at least it seemed it was. The air was thick and stagnate and the way began becoming darker. Stopping Belladonna reached into a bag she had and pulled out two torches. Lighting them and then handing Sophia one before moving further in to where there was no more sunlight. "This is the Lost City of the Tairona, it's abandoned now," she said as she kept walking, being careful on the overgrown floor slick with moss.

Sophia nodded slightly as Belladonna answered her question as she looked among some of the stone structures until they were in front of the main structure that was in the side of the mountain. As they entered Sophia would take the torch that Belladonna had handed her as they walked deeper. "Thanks for the light." Sophia said, as she suddenly turned around feeling her skin starting to crawl as she heard voices coming from some of the hallways and rooms that were there. "Is this place haunted at all or something?" Sophia asked rubbing her arms a bit as she started to get nervous.

Other than the flickering of the flames the place was dark but one could hear the storm setting in outside, beating at the entrance and echoing through the abandoned city built into the side of the mountain. Belladonna stopped and turned, looking at Sophia and quirking a brow. "Now, don't tell me that a Paradox is scared of ghosts." A smile started to creep across her lips as a crack of thunder shook the place and a wind pushed through, causing the torches to nearly flicker out fully before righting themselves. Problem was, between light, no light, and light again. Belladonna had vanished, her torch hit the ground, and a thick fog rolled over the stone floor.

"Well everyone is scared of something, I just happen to be scared of anything to do with ghosts." Sophia said she could hear a storm now starting outside as she looked up at Belladonna. Then she jumped slightly when she heard a loud crash of thunder and then a gust of wind as it came through nearly taking out the torches that they held. When she turned around to look she couldn't see Belladonna anywhere, and knelt down to look at the torch that Belladonna had dropped feeling even more panicked now. "Bella are you okay?" Sophia yelled out.

There was no answer from Belladonna, the fog rolling over Sophias feet was all. Behind her, the way they had come from suddenly shifted and a wall dropped to block the path back. It sealing Sophia within the abandoned city with nothing more than torches to show the way. They flickered and grew in size slightly, lighting the hallway. There were other torches there, hanging from the wall, unused. Or were they torches? They looked like it but they were oddly connected somehow on the wall, a line on the wall ran between each of them as they dripped with a thick substance.

Letting out a sigh as she started to look down at her feet seeing the strange fog going over her feet, she was starting to get worried seeing that Belladonna was nowhere to be seen at all anywhere. She then started to hear the entrance closing behind her, as she went to try and find a way to open it again. Sophia wasn't able to, taking a few deep breathes as the hallways started to light up, she wasn't sure what to do exactly it seemed that they wanted her to move forward and headed down the hallway noticing the strange thick substance occasionally dropping from the torches.

The fog came up to Sophias wrist. It thickened and wrapped around it, pulling the arm with the torch over to the ones lining the wall and forcing one to collide with the other. It held there until the wall torch burned brightly. As it pulled away the wall torch set off the black substance, it shooting both ways down the hallway. As it did other torches lit until the place was illuminated. This was both a good and a bad thing. Good, because one would see. Bad because... one could see - that the whole place was encased in spider webs and large spiders scurrying about.

Sophia felt the fog coming up to her wrist that held the torch letting out a yelp as she was suddenly dragged over towards the nearby wall. She was now abandoned by Belladonna and now she was being held down by spiderwebs as she watched the hallways starting to light up even more seeing giant spiders. As she started to hyperventilate and started to shake a bit as Sophia tried to get her wrist free, she wanted to get out now or find a way out as soon as possible.

The webs caught on fire as a murder of crows broke out of the fog. Their claws digging into Sophia's clothing and hair, grabbing her and lifting her off the ground. They seemed to wrap around her as the webs burned and the spiders burst into flames. They were moving so quickly one couldn't tell what was happening. That was until they broke from around her and dropped her on the ground. It wasn't a far fall but a fall onto her back nonetheless. It was a soft landing though, on grass with the sun beating down on her face. Slowly the crows came together and melded until Belladonna was standing there. "Breathe my child, your safe," she said as she knelt down next to her and wrapped her arms around the young Paradox.

She closed her eyes as she tried not to look at the various spiders as they seemed to come over towards her, that's when she could hear a bunch of crows. And then felt them all grabbing her by either her hair or her clothes, feeling herself being lifted up and quickly dragged out of the Lost City. Sophia laid down on her back as she tried to calm herself down, then Belladonna finally appeared in front of her as the crows came back. Sophia quickly sat up and returned the hug, nothing more than she hated was a bunch of ghosts, spiders and being left alone. "Thank you.." Sophia said breathing heavily, as she calmed down.

Belladonna held her closely and rocked her gently like she would a child. "It's okay, you were never in any real danger. I was there, you were never alone." Her voice was gentle as she spoke. Pulling away she helped Sophia up and wrapped an arm around her as they started to walk back to the portal. "Training is never easy but we have to push you. So you can handle yourself when we can't be there. We will keep working, one day those fears will be a distant memory. Sadly new fears will come. They always do. There isn't a one of us that doesn't have them. Even The Dice has fears, deep ones. We face them, together."

Sophia just stayed still a little bit longer as she started to finally calm herself down now that they were out of the creepy abandoned city, she dusted herself off slightly as Belladonna helped her back up to her feet. She nodded slightly as she understood the lesson and would have to get over them at some point as well. "I understand that, just wondering though, what are you scared of then?" She asked, since she knew her own fears rather easily as they walked back towards the portal.

Taking a breath Belladonna kept walking. "Losing my beloved daughter for one." Her voice was quiet as she spoke. The thought of losing Mercurial always made her heart ache and not in a sweet way. There were not many things that Belladonna feared but that was at the top of the list. Coming to the portal she stopped and looked over at Sophia. "And Debbie." With that she stepped back through the portal so they could return home.

Sophia looked towards Belladonna when she told her one of her fears, she thought she wouldn't be able to get that bit of information out of her. She could understand losing a daughter would be the absolutely worse thing that could happen, then they were at the portal and watched her step through first. "Thank you for telling me." She said as she stepped through the portal as well shortly after Belladonna did.

---

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The Mill looked the same as always, still and serene in the morning light. The trees that surrounded it tended to give a quiet, dappled effect of light, enhanced by gentle breeze every so often. But on the inside, Gilbert's demeanor as neither still nor serene. No coffee or pastry greeted his charge on this day of training, no words of quiet encouragement. No, this was the first day of the last Paradox, and it needed to make a hard statement.

Gilbert was hurriedly getting the last of his gear together, making sure his plans were mapped out to the second. Gio would have laughed to see the ordinarily laid-back Emendator taking such actions. He even remembered to bring his watch. "Andromeda, I am going to apologize in advance. This is not the way I would have preferred to start your combat training." He took up a spear from a rack with respectable selection, eyed Andromeda, and tossed it to her. "You know how to use one of these, correct?"

Andromeda didn't quite know what to expect as she arrived at the Mill. Each of the trainings she had undergone thus far had matched, in at least one way, the style of the Emendator (or Elder Paradox). At first, when the thought occurred to her late last night, she had imagined it would be learning to sword fight with crudely made wooden sticks. Yet as the night progressed, her imagination ran wild until she had an image of him chasing her over a volcano, while bellowing "FIGHT ME, NOW!" as she held - for whatever reason - a crude copy of Captain America's shield.

She caught the spear as he tossed it, nodding. Belladonna had taught her how to use a spear - and a whip. Now that had been an interesting series of lessons. "Yes, I do," Andromeda answered promptly, seeing that they were going straight to business. Most Emendators had begun with some sort of exchange of pleasantries, but this was the last session. She supposed they needed to make the time count.

"Good." he responded gruffly. He quickly nodded his head and repeated himself, "Good." He walked over to a large mass of rough leather that happened to be a long coat. He threw it on and then paused, looking to Andromeda's style of clothing. "You will want to change out of that dress. There is a chest with things that would fit you over there." He pointed toward one side of the Mill where a handful of said containers lay, "Ash wood with the black iron fittings. You will want pants, and something more appropriate than those heels. When you are done, pick a knife. I will give you the speech about that later." As if to give a modicum of privacy during the transition, Gilbert turned away. He looked to the rack of spears, gave it a mote of consideration, and selected one for himself.

Andromeda couldn't have been happier to get to change out of a dress. She never wore them in life and she went over to the chest that Gil indicated. She looked through it quickly, finding a sturdy looking pair of jeans, a long sleeved shirt and jacket, as well as some boots. She couldn't help but wish this would be a clothing option for every day spent in the loop. Glad that Gil looked away, Andromeda changed into her new outfit, before she selected a knife from the pile that seemed rather simple and sturdy. "Done," she told Gil, indicating that he could turn around.

Gilbert turned around. He had been busy while Andromeda changed her clothing. One such note of busy involved locating and laying a hooded long coat on a table before the pale Paradox. "You may keep this, after we are done. It is cold where we are going. And it washes easily. That last point is important."

Andromeda nodded, taking the coat. She couldn't help but be a bit thrilled to have a coat like this - it was closer to her own sense of fashion than the pink dress was. She undid the buttons quickly and slid it on, before refastening them. If she had had a mirror to gaze into, she would have taken a moment to admire the stark contrast between her pale features and the noir coat.

He buttoned up his own long coat of coarse leather and pulled up its hood. Using his spear like a staff, he walked to the back door and pushed it open. The telltale shimmering within the doorframe indicated that this was indeed a portal. Gilbert looked back to Andromeda and sighed, then stepped through. He emerged to a bleak and heavily overcast setting. It was a white, sandy beach, but a frigid wind blew in from the water that threatened to shove the temperature down even more. Up the beach a little ways there were a series of prefabricated buildings set up as temporary shelters. Unfortunately, the fencing around them had gone down; from the looks of it a while ago. The beach itself was overlooked by what used to be a bustling city behind an inviting park, but now appeared abandoned. A lifeguard tower built to resemble a squat lighthouse was the only other structure on the beach, aside from the hastily assembled shelters. Though if one looked, one might see a long, long line of slowly moving humanoid figures advancing upon their position through the trees. "This is a timeline that Alicia Gonzalez, James Grady and Sophia Harris all shared. Faith too, but she didn't know them. We are on Lighthouse Beach in Evanston, Illinois. This body of water is Lake Michigan, and you..." Gilbert sighed again, "...you are here because you need to shed a dark inhibition. There is no other way to do it. You are going to have to trust me, and be prepared to make a hard choice to stay alive."

She took a moment to take in her surroundings. She had heard a bit about the timeline a majority of the Paradoxes had come from - infested with zombies. It reminded her as something from a comic book - yet she knew how easily her own world could have turned out like this. Did every timeline have its potential for an apocalyptic event? And how many of them were averted? Andromeda was tempted to ask the questions, yet Gilbert's unease and tone of voice advised her not to. She sensed there was some grave reason as to why they were in Zombieland. "...Okay, I trust you," Andromeda said, not lying. After the various training sessions and experiences she had had with the other trainers, she truly had developed a trust - at least for the Emendators and Elder Paradox. Yet it didn't mean that she wasn't riddled with nervousness. What dark inhibition could an ancient warrior be referring to? She doubted it was anything good...

"Come with me." Gilbert said quietly. He moved quickly and quietly, down the beach to the rundown prefab shelters. Just on the outside of a section of downed chainlink fence, he addressed Andromeda at a whisper. "This timeline and others like it produced an Undead Uprising that spanned the entire globe. There was no stopping it. It expressed from within the people themselves after their natural death - they came back as horrible mockeries of human life that existed purely to kill and eat. That movement in the trees, beyond the beach there? That is a massive horde - an arm of the Undead that used to be the population of Chicago. They came north following the sounds of a thunderstorm a few days ago."

His look became serious even more serious. "There are survivors in these shelters. They are sick. Starving. They will not last for very long, but even less so when that horde finds them. This timeline's history had dictated that they die. All accounts, no matter what. They are most likely dead within the half hour. Here is your question: Do they starve to death? Does the fluid in their lungs eventually choke them away? Will they die a horrifying, tearing death at the claws of rotting and stinking corpses?" He stared at her hard, but his voice softened, "Or do we do a terrible thing and show them mercy?" Gilbert looked to Andromeda's spear, then back into her eyes.

Andromeda's knee jerk reaction was to come up with a solution that didn't involve loss of life. If all timeline accounts dictated that they died, why not use a portal to send them somewhere else? Put them on a habitable planet that is devoid of life, tell them to never explain where they came from, check to make sure that the timeline doesn't implode...Or even just give them a reprieve in Ville au Camp. "If they're supposed to die, why not take them to a location where their actions won't have an impact on the course of events?" Andromeda asked. She didn't want to kill them. "There's got to be somewhere in all of time and history where they could go...Like what about a timeline where humanity never took root on Earth? Or maybe another planet capable of sustaining life? If they're inconsequential enough that we can kill them...can't we find someplace to take them to live in peace that would be of no temporal consequence?"

There were so many reasons. So many that could not be adequately explained in the time provided. They could hear the collective sounds of the wall of Undead nearing their position, hungry and otherwise unfeeling, lacking even the baseline curiosity to wonder why they were in the state that they were. "This is their time and place in history. Putting them elsewhere, including the Loop, is dangerous. Not every human who dies can become a Paradox, but they will all die. Everyone who is born is fated to die. They have accomplished the task of their lives, influenced who they needed to, did what their purpose was to do." Gilbert nodded his head knowingly.

He knew how she felt. Despite the blood and carnage of his earliest conscious memory, there were times when he wanted to fall to his knees and scream at the utter and complete unfairness of it all. But the goal was clear on this day. "Now let me tell you what is going to happen next: The few of these people who have the ability to stand will come out, drawn by the sounds of those dead people over there." He pointed at the steadily nearing horde. "They will see us. They will attack, certain we mean them harm. They will not ask questions nor accept our help. If we are killed or driven off, they will attempt to reinforce the downed fencing here before the horde takes them, and they will fail. Even if the fences were whole, they will fail. These people will be ripped to shreds, and there is nothing to be done about it except to give them a clean passing." Gilbert stood, unbuttoning the top two buttons of his coat and hefting his spear. "Here we are in the middle. Act or perish."

Her breath caught in her throat. Every trick that came to her mind as to a way to help these people - Gilbert effortlessly countered them. She supposed she shouldn't have expected anything different - she hadn't even lived a small fraction of his lifespan. The situation reminded her of the Kobayashi Maru - mostly due to the difficult choice it prevented. Either way, these people were going to die - Gilbert had been incredibly clear of that. The spear felt incredibly heavy in her hand. They'd never done anything to hurt her - and to think of death as a mercy...Was she capable of doing that? She honestly didn't know. "...I don't know if I can..." Andromeda admitted quietly, biting down on the inside of her cheek. "But....I will try..."

"Yes." It was an acknowledgment of her statement rather than a affirmation. Gilbert moved aside the corroded and downed portion of chainlink fence before him and beckoned for Andromeda to follow. The sounds of the dead behind them were much clearer now, the rising volume serving as the sands of an apocalyptic hourglass. There were few things like it to provide motivation, most especially to those who attempted survival in this world. Already the first few ambled slowly onto the sands of the beach, thankfully farther up.

Gilbert led his Paradox student to the nearest ruined structure. There was enough of wall and roof for it to be considered a shelter of sorts, so as to keep the worst of weather from off one's back. As they approached along one stretch of wall, a single living man stepped around the corner, partially leaning on the building for support. To say that he was living was a perilous statement; he was on the cusp of collapse. In his hand was a large bore revolver, which he raised with some effort at the two timeline hopping interlopers. As he opened his mouth to call for help, Gil sprang into action, knocking the man's arm down with the blunt end of his spear. He continued the arc to catch him at the knee, upending the poor soul an taking him flatly upon the ground. The fallen man barely seemed to notice the spearpoint enter his ribcage; by the time it was withdrawn and pierced his skull, life had already left his form. "The next one is on the other side of this building, facing more or less in our direction. You may take him by surprise if you go around the back way, hugging the walls." This was much to ask. Gilbert had to prepare his students mentally as well as physically, however, and this was a hangup that they couldn't afford. "I will be right on the other side, Andromeda. It will not take much. They are almost dead already. Go."

Andromeda was taking deep and quick breaths, in through the mouth and out her nostrils in a near huff like sound. It was already a terrible act to consider in the abstract - yet seeing it in front of her, it was almost too much to bear. She could barely keep a grip on her spear and she wanted to sink to the ground and place her head between her knees. The slight food she had eaten before heading to see Gilbert was threatening to come up. She took another panicked breath, looking at Gilbert as she opened her mouth to utter some excuse - before she changed her mind and hobbled slowly around the back of the building as he had indicated. It helped that she hugged the walls, as her knees were wobbling and her eyes were watery.

"I'm so so sorry..." she mumbled, feeling numb and simultaneously on fire as she used her spear on the unfortunate soul. He was a man in his early thirties, with though stress, illness, and starvation he might have passed for fifty. He had a revolver in his hand, but was unable to pull the trigger before the attack hit. Andromeda's spear entered his body and he fell, to his knees at first. A line of drool fell from his mouth, tinged in red, and as he slumped forward one could hear the weakest of cries issue from him; the last ounce of survival instinct he had left.

Gilbert came from around the corner in front of Andromeda. He looked at the man on the ground in between them and he saw the expression that his Paradox student had. This was a line crossed for her. It would require a significant amount of discussion and workthrough later on. Understanding could be heard from the elder Emendator as he spoke, "You have taken a human life. It is never something to celebrate. But understand, there is a difference between killing - and being a killer. If you wish it, we may leave this place now. The horde of Undead will be along in a few minutes and finish the job for us anyway. What do you think we should do?" This was an uncertain moment for the young Paradox. Gilbert stood braced for many eventualities, his mind already working on what was to happen next.

Andromeda didn't know what she thought. She wished that Gilbert had gone and stood in front of the corpse, to block it from her view, yet the image was burned into her mind anyways. She took another shuddery and panicked breath, leaning against the wall behind her for support. She hadn't even had the heart to pull the spear out of him. It all just felt cruel and senseless and meaningless. "I think....I-I-....um...." Andromeda stammered, feeling light headed as she collapsed to the ground on her knees and her back arched almost catlike as she proceeded to vomit.

That was one of the possible eventualities that Gilbert had predicted. It ranged from an odd, psychopathic sense of delight to being outright attacked, but emptying one's stomach was right up there. One of the more common ones, actually. A common, natural response to something that was simultaneously against human nature yet enmeshed in human history. "Take a minute. Absorb what just happened. Do not take too long though, Andromeda. There is so much that I have to tutor you in that I cannot do if we are consumed by that army of corpses outside of the ruined fence. Gather yourself, and make a decision."

"If....If there's....oh god...." Andromeda muttered, dry heaving this time. She coughed, trying her best to wipe her mouth so that way she didn't look entirely disgusting as she sat back on her heels. She didn't think she'd be quite up to stand and talk about this. It had been hard enough a few seconds ago to just stand and think about this. "If there's only a few minutes...I don't think I could do it, get them all..." she managed to say, her voice sounding hoarse. Her body's natural response had also resulted in watery eyes.

"It is okay, Andromeda. Everything is fine. It is a good decision. A considered decision. It shows that you understand your own limits right now. Limits I intend to push during our time together. You will emerge from this a stronger, wiser person for it. And you are correct, time is a factor - we need to move. If you are unable to run, I will carry you." His voice remained calm and understanding, but there was a sense of urgency to his words. "It will be alright. We should go." Gilbert offered his hand down to Andromeda, nodding slowly.

Truthfully, she didn't know if she could run at the moment. And while she had just vomited in front of one of the oldest beings alive, she still had a slight sense of pride left in her. She would try to run, before asking for Gilbert to carry her back to wherever the portal had been stashed. She understood he was attempting to keep her calm with those words and she knew she didn't appreciate it then, but she would later. "I'll see if I can run," she mumbled, wiping off her hand on the coat just in case - she didn't want to get vomit on Gilbert's hand - as she rose to her feet, her knees still trembling and shaking.

Gilbert took a step back, his hand still available to Andromeda and supportive. He merely wished to give her room. Crowding did hazardous things for a person already feeling physically ill, in his experience. "Follow me closely behind, if you can. If you stumble or if you cannot keep up, shout for me. We will start at a jog." Gilbert walked them back to the aperture in the fence. The living dead had already found their way onto the beach in numbers, which was problematic for Gilbert. "Here," said the Emendator, handing over his spear to Andromeda to hold along her own. "Please take this, if you would." He reached into his rawhide greatcoat and pulled out two 45 caliber hand cannons, and stepped boldly onto the open beach. "Lifeguard tower. That is where our portal is located. Stay close and when we get there, run ahead of me. Do you understand?" A fire burned in Gilbert's eyes. He seemed to dip back into the kind of man that he used to be, thousands of years ago. Gone was the laid-back Emendator of Ville au Camp, replaced with the last traces of a wizened and powerful Gilgamesh set against an enemy.

The sounds of gunfire reported across the sands and trees of what used to be a lakefront park in Evanston, Illinois. The noise kept the foul creatures at bay, even as it drew the greater attention of the main horde. They were coming anyway. It changed nothing. The moment that the two of them crossed the threshold of the lifeguard tower, they ceased to be in the overcast, chill air of the northern United States in the 21st century, instead finding themselves in a very familiar workshop located in an old Mill in rural Louisiana, some many decades earlier. Within the safety of the Time Loop, Gilbert motioned to the spear Andromeda used earlier. "You used that tool to take your first human life. If you wish to keep it you may; it is a good weapon and may also serve nicely as a focal point for your meditations on the subjects of combat and death. Otherwise I will destroy it or put it back into the armory, at your discretion."

She took deep yet somehow shallow breaths as soon as they made it back to Ville au Camp, having surprised herself that she had managed to run largely without stumbling. She had anticipated that after a few steps, she would have fallen to the ground as easily as the Titanic quaked beneath the power of ice. "...C-could you destroy it?" Andromeda requested quietly. Despite having spent her previous life as a collector of sorts, this was one thing she didn't want to collect. She was having trouble with the deed she had just committed and although it wasn't the case, it felt too much like a trophy that a serial killer might keep. "U-unless you n-need it or something, of course..."

"No. We have several more. I will disarticulate and burn the shaft, then reforge the blade into something clean and new. We are done for the day, Andromeda." He accepted the weapon from her, reassuring, "You did very well."

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This morning began as all the others for the past couple hundred or so loops had, with Gio waiting underneath the oak tree, his face as impassive as ever. This time he had no fanciful outfits or gear. He wasn't doing any little thing to keep himself preoccupied. No coin flipping, foot tapping or humming. He simply stood there, waiting for Alexandra to show up. He hadn't seen her at all in quite some time, and from the sound of it, Nancy had done quite a number on her. He was curious to see how she'd conduct herself, and pitied her a smidgen. But no more than that.

Alexandra trudged her way to the oak tree, wringing her hands in a nervous fashion. She had dark bags under her eyes as she hadn't gotten much sleep over the last month, to say the least. Psychosis didn't give one much leeway when it came to getting a proper night's sleep, and even with the effects of Nancy's torturous ability having since worn off, she was left riddled with regular nightmares, among other things. She had no chipper words as she approached Gio, instead she eyed him warily.

"Good morning, Ms. Andonova." Gio spoke with the same vivacious tone of voice as he did normally. He stepped aside, revealing a time portal that he had been hiding behind him. "Would you like to go ahead and get started on it immediately, or would you prefer more niceties first?" He knew that she wasn't necessarily in a state that he could really interact with like a person. It was there in her eyes and her body language. So he'd leave it to her, to a degree.

Alexandra simply blinked at Gio's greeting. When he stepped aside to reveal a time portal, her body visibly tensed. She took a step backwards, her gaze apprehensively flitting between the Emendator and the portal. The last time she had stepped through a time portal she had walked into some sort of hellish mental asylum. Who was she kidding, maybe it was hell?! After all, she was never made aware of when or where she had been. Needless to say, the whole experience was extremely traumatic for her, rivaling even that of the untimely death of her parents by Yagababa a lifetime ago. She rubbed her arms as she took in a shaky breath, trying to calm her nerves. She finally pried her gaze away from the portal to meet Gio's gaze. "Are you going to lock me up too?" she asked, her voice almost a whisper.

"Lock you up? No." Gio replied impassively. Nancy really did a number on her, calling her an entirely different person wasn't the correct description for the girl's current state. She was more like a cornered prey animal. Wild eyed, surrounded by the threat of death, looking for any way out. He recalled her mentioning off-hand what had gone down at some point during the month, but he forgot exactly what she had done. He'd have to ask her again later. But for the time being, he'd handle the girl with some degree of care. It would do no good if she were too frightened to ever go on any kind of mission. He was supposed to train her, not have her break down before she even started anything dangerous.

Alexandra let out a shaky exhale and relaxed a bit. It gave her some relief to hear him say out loud that he wasn't going to lock her up. Granted, he could still be conning her, such had been done to her before. She eyed him skeptically. Before recent events, she had believed that no matter how hard the lesson they threw at you, the Emendators were ultimately looking out for your wellbeing. However, given what Nancy had done to her, her trust in them, or really anyone or anything at the moment, wavered. It seemed to her that Nancy's "lesson" had done more harm than good. "Okay," she stated, straightening her posture in an attempt to emulate the confidence she didn't feel. "Let's get this--I mean I'm ready."

"If you're ready, then the portal's right there. You simply need to step through it." Gio didn't move a centimeter from where he stood. He stayed there and watched Alexandra. She would have to be the one to initiate the mission, not him. If she couldn't face her fears enough to simply walk ahead, there would be nothing for him to do today. Any remaining training would have to revolve around getting her into the damn bus, and that would all be dreadfully dull. Not to mention an inefficient use of all his time.

"Right," she replied, nodding her head and looking back at the portal. I got this. I got this, she tried to reassure herself as she took a deep, hopefully calming, breath. She raised her chin and then forced herself to walk towards it. "Here goes nothing," she murmured, hesitating a bit before stepping through the portal. All one could really do now was to just hope for the best.

When Alexandra stepped through the portal she was engulfed in black. It was different from the darkness before dawn she had just previously inhabited. The sky was a sheet of coal colored clouds, the ground was charred even darker. The only light was an ambient orange glow that came from cracks in the surface small and large that traversed the land like the web of a spider deranged. This light alone allowed her to barely make out the silhouettes of buildings rendered in a style surprisingly similar to that of Camp Au Ville's.

"Welcome to the planet of Theseus, Ms. Andonova." Gio's voice cut through from behind. "We don't have much time, so walk with me." She could feel his presence walk past her and continue forward, the light framing his silhouette press onward.

Alexandra let out a small gasp when she stepped through the portal to reveal something--unearthly. In this instance, it wasn't really fear that gave her pause. No, she felt a twinge of something that came more naturally to her: wonder. She tentatively yet nonetheless curiously took everything in, shaking her head lightly in astonishment. This place was like nothing she had ever seen, and as such, a part of her wondered if she was having another psychotic trip. Or maybe she had never actually left that state of mind? She bit her lip as she turned to face Gio, or rather his silhouette and the sound of his voice. Another planet? she thought to herself skeptically, brows furrowing a bit. Nevertheless, she obligatorily nodded her head and followed in behind him.

"Theseus wouldn't even constitute a footnote on the history of The Verse, that's what they call the universe in a few centuries' time, it was a world discovered on the Outer Rim that appeared to have some promise as a mining world." As Gio spoke, Alex's eyes grew accustomed to the dim light and formerly imperceptible details sprang to the forefront. All the buildings that surrounded them were completely abandoned, and none of them were quite level. Even the squattest of structures were sitting on crooked ground. Some of them had been swallowed halfway or more by the earth.

Alexandra glanced in Gio's direction ever so often as he spoke, before she would continue her cautiously curious surveillance of the area as they trekked onward. As her eyes adjusted to darkness, she quickly realized that the planet, or at least this part of it, appeared to be abandoned. It gave off an eerily calm vibe that kept her a bit on edge.

As they continued, they began to walk along side an especially long ravine. And at one point, she stepped forward and felt the ground give way underneath it, and then her other foot. Her body registered the sensation of falling before it could occur to her conscious thought that that was the case. However, whether by luck or instinct, not 2 seconds after beginning her descent, her hand managed to catch a handhold down in the ravine. An ill-advised look down would reveal to Alex that below was an immeasurable drop into the red light and up above was the dark sky above, the top maybe 20 to 30 meters ahead.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion for Alexandra. The ground giving way. Her heart instictively leaping into her throat a moment before she even realized that she was in fact falling. A strangled scream left her lips as soon her mind registered what was happening. As she began to rapidly plummet, potentially to her death, she managed to grab a hold of the side of the ravine. She took a glance downwards and quickly regretted that as she saw the sheer drop. "Get me up, get me up, get me up!" she cried out to Gio as she began to panic. She mentally scrambled to try to remember what Evelina had taught her about staying cool under pressure, but every conscious thought seemed just out of her reach as she was on the edge of a panic attack. Perhaps it wasn't the fear of falling to her death that brought out such a visceral reaction in her as much as it was the feeling of helplessness that had become all too familiar as of late.

At first it appeared that Alex's screams for help had gone completely unheard and that she'd remain alone in the ravine, after mere seconds that in her panicked state felt like minutes, she managed to see way up at the top Gio. She couldn't make out his face or anything specific about what he was doing, but he was there.

"Gio?!" she called out in a shrill voice when she didn't get an immediate reply. Her heart thudded in her chest before finally sinking as a thought occurred to her. Had he ditched her?! No no no no, it's happening again! she thought, letting out a small sob. The edges of her vision started to blur as unsavory memories of the last tortuous month creeped forward in her mind, threatening to overwhelm her. She let out a strangled sob, as her breaths came in and out sharply. I have to keep myself together, she thought, or rather pleaded, with herself.

"Well this is quite the pickle," he called out down below. "I had an entirely different mission in mind for you, Ms. Andonova, but evidently you had other things in mind. Well it's too late for me to, never mind. If you want to make it out of here, you're going to have to climb. And you're going to have to be efficient about it. If you panic too much or take too long, either your strength, or the planet will give out. Understand?"

Her gaze shot back up when she heard Gio's voice. She let out a small breath. Vell, at least I von't die alone nov, she thought to herself. She then took in a shaky breath at his words and nodded her head. She scanned the face of the rock that she was desperately clinging to, looking for any hand and/or footholds. She stretched her arm up, tentatively reaching for a part of the rock that jutted out slightly above her. She grimaced slightly at how loose the rock felt as she precariously hoisted herself up. She reached for a foothold, only to let out a yelp as her foot slipped. She franticly searched for another spot for her foot before she eventually found one. She then continued to repeat the slow, grueling process up the cliff face.

"That's it," Gio encouraged from the top of the cliff, "keep an even head. Just take this one step at a time. Get too focused on the totality of your mission and you're likely to miss an important detail, or become overwhelmed by it all. When broken down into manageable pieces, you can overcome the odds." He paced from side to side, keeping an eagle eye on Alex. She was far too high up to catch anymore than that. She had managed to scale up roughly a meter so far, and luckily enough she still had plenty of 'gas' left in the tank.

"Easier said than done," Alexandra squeaked out, glancing up at him before focusing back on her task. She let out another shaky breath before biting her lip as she focused on finding the next handhold. It seemed to take a fair amount of trial and error, testing to see if it would hold her weight and praying that she didn't miscalculate it as she hoisted herself up. On the upside, she was only minorly freaking out now.

"So since we're not going anything, would you like to hear the rest of this planet's history?" Gio asked. As nerve wracking as it was to see Alex so close to the edge of death, it seemed to actually be doing her good. And yet, he thought, perhaps taking her mind off of the direness of the situation was allowing her mental faculties to function better. But if she needed to focus, he wasn't going to be the one to come back to camp with a dead Paradox if he could help it.

Down below, the light began to grow brighter, which on the positive end allowed Alexandra to see the wall better, but she also noticed a marked increase in the temperature. Perhaps 3 degrees Celsius or so. Going was slow, but she was at least a fifth of the way up by now.

"Oh, I'm just on the cusp of dying here, so sure, let's have a little chat," she retorted sarcastically. She then paled slightly at her outburst. The last she checked her mouth was what had gotten her locked up in the first place, at least that's what Nancy had said. "I meant that with kindness!" she shrieked. Her hands shook a bit as she fumbled for the next handhold and foothold. She was making progress, albeit very slowly. Her brows furrowed slightly though as her surroundings seemed to be getting oddly brighter. And hotter for that matter. She took a quick glance downward. Holy crap! she thought, eyes bugging out slightly before she attempted to climb faster.

"So Theseus," Gio began in response to Alexandra, completely skipping over the sarcasm and her shirking from it. "despite being quite rich soon found itself being disregarded. The place is rather inhospitable. Naturally you can't grow any food, and there's not any water. You'd have to import it. And the settlers couldn't terraform it; change the planet's surface to make it livable with what you might consider to be an advanced form of landscaping technologies, or use more industrial means of extracting its resources. At least not without considerable risk of losing all their expensive equipment in doing so."

Perhaps she was getting the hang of it, or maybe she just found a place more suitable for climbing, but Alex was having much better luck scaling the sheer cliff. The light was very incrementally growing brighter now, and the temperature slowly raising, but she wouldn't notice any difference unless she was specifically looking out for it. Now she had managed to reach about the halfway mark, and she had gotten close enough to the top to actually be able to start to see details on Gio other than his silhouette.

Alexandra just sort of nodded her head in reply, despite the fact that nothing of what the Emendator had just said had really stuck in her head. His words just sort of went in one ear and out the other. What could she say, she was a little preoccupied at the moment. You know, on not dying. Fortunately, the climb up was becoming increasingly easier. Thank God. As she glanced upwards to get an idea of how much further she had left to climb, she could finally make out Gio more clearly. She let out a small sigh of relief. Almost there. You got this, she reassured herself as she pressed onwards. The mental pep-talk was possibly what was keeping her sane at the moment. Or maybe it was a sign that she had already gone off the deep end? Who knows.

"The problem being primarily that Theseus is a highly unstable planet. It's slowly collapsing, and too much stress would be liable to sink an entire mining site into the earth." Alex suddenly felt the place she'd been resting her right foot give way despite feeling solid not a few seconds ago. And along with it came a large chunk of the wall tumbling down into the red glow below. "Like that. And they happened to find it at a point rather late into its life cycle. In fact right now, we're within roughly an hour of its final death so to speak. We're due for something akin to a planet wide series of volcanic eruptions followed by the thing imploding on itself, turning into something of an oversized asteroid."

This time around Gio's words registered with her, and her eyes widened in horror at what he was implying. She let out a strangled sound, but that was quickly cut off by the scream that left her parted lips as one of her footholds gave way followed by a large portion of the freaking wall! "Not helping!!" she shrieked as Gio explained what was happening in more detail. She tried to pick up the pace, but her shaking limbs coupled with the cliff face slowly falling apart were making things a tad difficult for her.

In her haste to get to the top, Alex struggled a bit to much and accidentally ended up throwing down most of the section of wall she was holding onto at that point. She was left with one hand holding onto a small lump of black stone while the rest of her limbs dangled freely.

"Even head, Alex. Remember what Evelina taught you about remaining cool under stress. You're under a considerable time crunch right now, but it'll only catch up to you if you let it. Calm down. Even breaths. Try to work smoothly more than quickly. Efficient work yields greater results than rushed work." As dire a situation as she was in, at the moment, hope was in sight. She was less than ten meters from the top of the cliff, and good thing too. She was really starting to feel the strain of climbing in her muscles, especially those of her hands.

Another scream was ripped from Alexandra's lungs as much of the cliff wall fell apart, leaving her clinging to a measly little rock by one hand. She breathed in and out sharply as she franticly fumbled for another handhold and scrambled to find traction against the slick rock. She nodded her head curtly in reply to Gio, taking in several shaky inhales and exhales to try to calm herself once she had managed to find purchase. At this point, her muscles were screaming in protest, and her hands felt terribly sore and raw, but glancing upwards, she could see the top of the cliff wasn't too much farther. She could see the light at the end of the tunnel so to speak.

"Alright, now focus on your goal. Above all other things it should be what you're aiming at. If you keep your goal in mind and aim at it with your entire being, you'll have the greatest possible chances of achieving it. But make sure you're aiming for the right thin. And once you've set your target never stray from it without proper reason for doing so. Take your mission as seriously as you are now." Alex was able to use her other arm to get another handhold and resume her slow ascent even without the use of her legs for the next few pulls. She was so close, only a few more meters and she'd be back on flat ground.

Alexandra took Gio's words to heart, focusing all her strength and wit on the goal she had set, to reach the top of the cliff. She surprised even herself as she willed up enough strength to climb higher with just her hands alone until she could find an adequate foothold. I've got this. I've got this, she reassured herself.

By the end, Alexandra was barely able to pull herself up, forcing her limbs to move through willpower. It had taken more than an hour, but she was finally able to put her hand on the surface of the ground. And then the unthinkable occurred. Right as she did so, the entirety of the cliff side shattered, sending the Russian down towards the raging heat of magma far below.

And everything stopped. Alex stopped falling. The planet stopped turning. The system's Sun stopped burning. The Verse stopped expanding. And from this moment of complete stillness, everything began to reverse. It was a minor reverse, a few seconds really, but it was enough. Alexandra was back on the cliff, completely unaware that she had just fallen off. She reached up once again, but this time found her hand taken by Giosue, pocket watch open in his other hand. With a grunt and a pull, he got the Russian onto a safe patch of land before shutting the clock he had on hand.

"Thanks," she murmured as Gio pulled her up to safety. She took a true of sigh of relief when her feet were on solid ground. Well, for the time being. Rhe planet was still rapidly dying, so she couldn't exactly relish in the moment for too long. But hey, she was no longer hanging precariously over a dark, fiery abyss, so it's still a cause for celebration. Voo! she thought halfheartedly to herself, before wearily looking over at the Emendator. "Thank you for--not ditching me. C-can we please go home now?" she asked a bit quietly.

"Well even if I wanted to still go through with my original plan, we don't have nearly enough time." Not to mention she was in no shape to go through it anyways. He was surprised she could even stand right now. There was no use sticking around a dying husk of a planet anyways. Gio opened up a time portal and stepped aside to let Alex go through.

Alexandra was glad they wouldn't be sticking around as she was absolutely exhausted, physically and mentally. She simply nodded her head in response. When he opened up the portal for her, she stepped through it without hesitation this time around. The moment she was on the other side, she promptly collapsed into the grass, letting out a tired groan.

"Be sure to rest up. In the morning we're still going to continue training as planned," Gio said as he stepped around Alex's body and walked off back to the Main House. All in all, an unexpected occurrence, but hopefully she learned something useful other than fear. But for now, he was going to grab a book to read.

Alexandra rolled over onto her back to stare up at the early morning sky through the branches of the oak tree. She raised up an arm and gave Gio a thumbs up as her reply. She let her arm fall back down to her side once she heard the Emendator walk off. She laid there for she didn't know how long, the cool breeze threatening to lull her to sleep. If she was exhausted before training, she was most certainly exhausted now. She eventually pried herself off the ground and trudged back to the Main House with every intention to catch some more shuteye.

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Sitting down on a stool in the barn, Evelina lit up a cigarette and took a long pull from it. The woman looked remarkably different than normal. Usually she was dressed properly, tailored, well groomed. Right now? She looked as though she was recovering from a three day bender. Torn black jeans, dirty biker boots, her hair was mussed and dirty, her make up running, a worn leather jacket on her thin frame that hung far to big on her. Pieces of spiked jewelry and even what looked like a safety pin through not only her nose but her ears as well. "Your bags are inside the barn, change quickly."

Faith knew the drill by now. Got up, checked note, either complained or complimented what they would possibly be doing, and then left. She was finally with the Emendator she asked for. Saving the best for last, hopefully. Or the most intense. Scariest? All applied, as far as she knew. So she got ready and left for the Barn. Once there, much like Bella had, there were packs with clothes. This time was different though, as Evalina did not look like her normal put-together self. Instead, if she had to wager a guess, she was like some punk or grunge rocker she had seen before. It made Faith somewhat excited to open her pack. From the colors, she guessed it was more punk rocker than goth. "I guess we have little time, also? I'll get changed here then." Faith found a private area in the Barn (or as best as she could get) so Bart's eyes didn't wander and got ready. She took the hair out and applied it as she was naked. Happy it was pink, she aired it out and, once dired, put on the clothes. She was familiar with piercings, but she only ever had her ears pierced. This has a nose ring and an eyebrow ring. Happy it was fake, at least, she applied and stepped back out. "Ready. Where are we going?"

Today was the day Bartholomew would start his final round of training, and there wasn't much he could say. He'd be with Evelina and, as always, Faith. He didn't know what to expect from The Dice as a teacher, really only seeing her as a figure that and ran the show and commanded respect. Definitely somebody to keep his cool around, not only because he figured she would take no kind of nonsense, but because he thought he could learn a lot from her. Once he reached the Barn, he saw Evelina and almost did a double take. That was the last way he'd ever expect to see her dressed. Honestly, she reminded him of his own mother after a bender, even if a bit more extreme, given that safety pin like bit of jewelry. Wordlessly, his own bag, and got to finding his own private section to change in. Upon seeing it, he raised a surprised eyebrow. He was cool with dressing like this, but did hope they'd be going somewhere cooler than Louisiana. Even as he slipped on the jacket, the leather clung to his skin uncomfortably. All dressed, he stepped back out, and tried his best to look like he belonged in the clothes he was in, knowing that wherever he was going, he'd need to blend in. Bart nodded at Faith's question, and leaned back against the Barn wall, waiting for an answer.

Evelina flicked the butt of her cigarette, blowing the smoke roughly as she stepped towards Faith and Bart. Giving them the one over and then nodding in approval once she was sure they passed muster with the look. They would fit in well enough. "To meet an old friend of mine. I suggest you be on your best behavior, more so than ever. Where we are going, if you screw up, they will turn you into a meal. I would educate you further but I believe that I will leave that to my friend. After which, we are going on a bit of a field trip beyond that. Today will be busy, so keep up. Keep your eyes peeled, and don't get seduced," she said in a warning tone before making her way out of the barn and to the portal. Stepping through, she came out in a dark alleyway. The smell of garbage and rotting material heavy in the nostrils, the sound of cars blaring horns and people moving filling the ears, and deep neon lights could be seen on the bustling street at the opening of the alley. "Welcome to the Deadlight District, New York. 1980's."

Faith had a feeling it would be in the 80s if the outfits were any indication. The ominous warning though left a sinking feeling in her gut. Was thing going to be harder than anything they faced before? She didn't know if that was a good thing or bad. Still, she followed Evelina through the portal. The smell was what hit her first and it was not pleasant. How she would ever be seduced here was beyond her, but she hadn't seen anything. She always wanted to see New York and now, after death, she was getting her chance. But she would not mess it up. If Bella taught her anything, it was that they had a job to do. So she stuck by Evelina and walked the streets of the Deadlight District. One thing was for sure: they were definitely dressed for the part.

Bart raised a curious eyebrow at Evelina's comment. Turn him into a meal? What on earth did she mean by that? He kept himself from rolling his eyes on the instruction to not be seduced. He considered himself above that, not being prone to philandering. He followed after The Dice, and gagged at the scent that assaulted his nostrils as he stepped through the portal. He quickly recomposed himself, and nodded at Evelina informing them of where they were. He'd always wanted to see New York, and even though he knew he was here for the mission and the mission alone, he could at least take joy in the fact that he finally did make it here. Breathing as little as possible to mitigate the scent flowing into his nose, he readied himself to follow The Dice.

Evelina shoved her hands into her pockets and stepped out into New York City proper. The cars were rushing by and people were walking this way and that. Keeping the cigarette tight between her lips she started walking down the sidewalk. Hookers and drug dealers were by every pole they passed. That was until a long line started to form outside of a club. Club After Dark. Above the front door hung a sign that said "Bleacher Seats". Evelina passed it without looking and turned down the next alleyway. Walking down the side of the building she came to another door. "No Herd Allowed," was spray painted on the worn door. Evelina pulled her hand from her pocket and knocked. A slit in the door opened and two very amber eyes looked through. The slit closed and the door opened. What appeared filling the door-frame was different. It was a man, or man like. A very large humanoid creature was standing there with tusks coming out of his mouth. He was as tall as the door frame and nearly as a wide, dressed in a blue velvet suit with a pompadour hair style. "Well shit, Miss Eve! Whatcha be doin' here?" the man asked as he reached out his grotesque warted hand.

"Here to see Golly, got some herd that needs an education. Don't worry, they're under my umbrella," she said as she shook the mans hand. "Faith, Bartholomew, meet Freddy. Freddy, these are my students. They love Elvis, don't you?" she said as Freddy held his hand out to them. The tone of her voice was that of "even if you don't say you do."

Faith kept walking along the streets of New York. It was definitely not as glamorous as TV and moves led her to believe, but then again she had always known that there was darkness to every light. This was only cementing that fact. She watched Eve, who seemed to be milling about as if she knew the place. Just how long HAS she been around? Faith ignored the hookers and the drug dealing. That was commonplace in any big city, really. She passed by a few signs, taking some notice in them, but otherwise, they were worn and not worth her attention. What did command her attention was the club.

Sparked by some excitement at entering the club, she was met with disappointment when Eve kept walking towards a different door that said: "No Herds Allowed". Curious as to what it meant, she was given an answer when Eve knocked and the door opened to some large manlike beast with teeth jutting from its mouth. Faith took a step back, unsure if this thing was normal, but Eve and the thing greeted each other like they were old friends. Faith stepped back up and shook the creature's hand. She took note of Eve's face. She didn't dislike Elvis. Far from it, he had good music. "Yeah, I love Elvis. It's nice to meet you, Freddy."

Bart clenched his teeth as they walked past Club After Dark. He knew they were literally on the other side of the country, but he felt a kind of tightness in his chest at being reminded of the place he visited the day he died. Drawing deep breaths, he just focused his eyes ahead, but it wasn't going away. His head felt light, and he was finding it hard to focus on the task ahead of him. Knowing that his distress would matter very little in this situation, he just tried to go with it. After all, he was in New York, far away from Justice, before he was even born. Everything would be fine.

While rationalizing his safety to himself, he was brought out of his thought by being introduced to the monstrosity in front of him. He glanced Evelina, uncertain, but quickly nodded along to her question. "Elvis rocks." He grunted in reply, trying to keep the character he was supposed to be playing in mind. He'd never seen anybody like Freddy before, and found himself staring at the long tusks coming out of his mouth. What on earth was he? Were they even in his original time line, or was this some alternate universe with animal people?

Freddy snorted and grinned, his yellow teeth and tusks shining in the alleyway light. "Hey, was worried for a second there but these herd be okay with me Miss Eve. Go on in, Golly's at his table," he said, patting Barts back with a heavy hand and stepping aside so they could enter. Evelina nodded and stepped in, tossing her smoke on the ground and putting it out with her boot as she went. Once they were inside there was another door in front of them and the sound of hard core punk metal was playing. Resting a hand on the door she pushed it open and the music blared. Inside was something out of a motion picture. It was a large run down room filled with people. Where they people though? Most looked human enough but then there was a girl with bat like wings and horns coming out of her head. She was dancing seductively against a man who looked like mummy without the bandages. A woman with pale skin walked passed them and she looked normal enough for a punk. That was until one caught of a glimpse of her back side. It was open and looked to house rotting forest floor debris. "Welcome to After Dark."

It was hard to surprise Faith, or so she liked to think. After all, she lived in a world where the dead came back and attacked the living, so one would assume nothing else could phase her. That is, until she stepped into the club. Despite her best efforts, she had never actually set foot in a club, but this was about how she pictured a punk club to be. Except for the....human-like people around. Faith entered and took a deep inhale that was quickly cut off. She spotted things she never saw before and it was both wild and freaky. It was like something out of a fantasy movie or a book.

Faith was hard-pressed to stay near Evelina, since the woman seemed familiar with this setting. Even though she looked the part, and could act it if need be, this was still very unsettling. "So, I hate to sound like this, but what are these people? I mean bat wings? Tusks?" she said in a whisper close to Evelina's ear so she could hear over the pumping music. If they were gonna blend in here, they would need to do a LOT better, it seemed.

Stopping Evelina looked over towards the woman and nodded. "This is the Kindred timeline. Freddy is a Magnadon kind of like a smart ogre. She is a Daemon, she is dancing with a Wyght. They are from the Twisted Dimensions. That is a White Woman, and that," she said as she pointed over at the bar. There was a man in a top hat cleaning glasses behind the bar. It was a look that was familiar to Faith but not like this. "Phil's a Zombie, a Walker in your old time line, but don't worry, he can talk. Don't try to kill him," she said before turning and continuing to walk. She stopped at a booth. Sitting behind it was a large bald man who had pointy ears and skin the color of copper. He stood up slowly as Evelina approached, he had to be over seven feet tall and weigh at least 300 pounds. His shirt had a large smiley face on and said Don't Worry Be Happy. His fangs glistened in the light of the room. "And this is Golgotha."

"I'm a Vampyre, you two are Paradoxes, and she is an Emendator." he said wrapping his arm around Evelina and grinning before sitting back down and Evelina taking a seat next to him. He motioned for Bart and Faith to join them. "Please, have a seat. I am sure you have plenty of questions. Unlike my tight lipped friend, I do usually answer them." Evelina smirked a bit as she slipped off her jacket and got comfortable. "Don't give me that look Eve. It took a thousand years for you to finally tell me your name," he laughed heartily.

Bart stumbled a bit when he was slapped on the back, but stuck close to Evelina. He gave uncertain looks at the people around them. This was unlike anything he'd ever seen before, not only because of the people, but the atmosphere in general. Loud music and perversity weren't really his thing, that combined with learning about this new timeline totally put him on edge. He tried to relax, to calm himself for the mission, but this was hard. Really though, this wasn't any more stressful than the battle field he saw with The Hat,so he was fine for now.

He gave an interested look at Golgotha, and nodded as he sat down across from The Dice, resting his hands on the table. He was surprised by how much he knew about them, but was very surprised at the promise of answers. Glancing at Evelina, he figured he might as well. "Well uh, you've met Paradoxes in the past I take it? How'd that happen?" He's assumed that their work wasn't the type of thing that they shared openly, but he could be wrong. Then again, this was training, maybe it was like a rite of passage to come here, for whatever reason.

Golgotha eyed Bart. "You weren't lying," he said to Evelina before looking back at him. "Not many. Belladonna mostly, she is special as is her daughter. Only a handful of my kind know of you all. Elders. Conretes. You're secrets are far more important than even mine," he said before taking a sip from the glass in front of him, it shimmered red in the low light of the place.

Faith took a tentative seat across from the...man? This was all going around in her head, she probably looked high. Which, given the environment, may not be a bad thing. He seemed friendly enough, but then again, didn't most people before they stuck a knife in your back? Plus, Eve did tell them not to be seduced. Faith imagined Golgotha was rather good at that. "So, most of my vampire lore may be wrong, so is the common trends true? Stake to the heart? Need to be invited? Et cetera, et cetera?" Faith was really interested in figuring all of this out before they were subjecgted to whatever torture....she meant test, Eve had planned for them.

Golgotha laughed. "Well who wouldn't that kill? But as far as the rest go, would you go out telling people how to best kill you?" he asked and Evelina smirked a bit. "But no my dear. I don't need an invitation. I do prefer one though. It's just good manners. Miss Eve here knows what I am speaking about, why she asked before showing up with you two. I know her well enough to not have come if I had said no." Evelina nodded as she glanced around and then sighed. "What?" Golgotha asked before another caught his eye. "Oh her..."

A tall curvy woman came over, dressed in a silk emerald green suit. She was astonishingly sultry. Behind her were two twin blondes. She slithered over and into the seat next to Golgotha. "Darling, why must you constantly slum it with the..." the woman began to say before spotting Evelina. "Oh now I understand."

"Wo," Evelina said with a nod.

"Woah indeed." Bartholomew said, his attention quickly enraptured by their new visitor. She was absolutely stunning, beyond anything Bartholomew had ever seen before. Forgetting completely about the rest of them, he smiled at her and said, "Would you like to join us?" His voice obviously hopeful. He couldn't get up at the moment, as Faith was blocking him from getting up and out, but that didn't stop him from trying to get closer to her. He scooted himself closer to her, which inadvertently put him closer to Faith, but hey, he didn't really care about that right now.

Faith was transfixed on Golgotha so much she almost didn't notice the woman who stepped up with some rather rude words for Eve. As Faith turned to give the bitch what for she was stunned. Truly, Faith had never seen someone so beautiful before. All she could say was, "Muh..." She could feel Bart pushing against her, she glared at him and pushed him back farther into the seat. "Move over, loser. Let the lovely lady sit. Here." she said with a smile, scooching to give her some room. Eyes fixated on Wo, she wanted her to speak more. Say more mean things so long as it came out of those lovely lips.

Evelina cleared her throat. "Wo, not Whoa..." Evelina corrected. Golgotha just chuckled.

"Oh she's good," Golgotha muttered.

"Considering my age I should be darling. Are these the muppets you wanted me to entertain this evening?" Wo asked as she glanced towards Evelina. The motherly Emendator nodded and she grinned and leaned against Faith, wrapping an arm around her and flicking the back of Barts neck with her finger lightly. "How marvelous."

"They are NOT to become addicted, they are under my umbrella and if you should I warn you Miss Babylon I will roll my dice on you," Evelina warned in a voice that made even Golgothas skin crawl. Wo nodded but slipped out of the seat and edged both Faith and Bart with her.

"Come you lovely creatures, I have a little surprise for you," she said as she ushered them with an arm around each towards the back of the club to a door marked Private. The twin vampyers with Wo following along giggling. "I have a lovely little field trip planned for us. I promise, it will be something you will never forget," she purred.

Bart gave an annoyed look at Faith as he was shoved back. He grinned dumbly as the back of his neck was flicked, and found himself being easily led wherever Wo wanted to take him. "Awesome." He said lightly. Wasn't he already on a field trip with Eve? Maybe she was just dropping them off to spend time with this lovely woman. For once, he found himself shutting up, and just happily taking in what was happening. He looked over at the two blonde vampyres coming along with them, and found himself laughing along with them.

Faith ignored Eve's comments as she watched Wo. She stood up and followed the woman, inching ever closer as they walked the line. It didn't matter what they did. Faith was now, more so than ever, willing to go to the ends of the Earth if it meant spending time with this woman. Even if Bart had to come with, it still was worth it, in her opinion. "Wherever you want to go, baby, I'm there." Faith giggled like a school girl in return.

The door opened and Wo lead them through, the vampire girls shutting the door and remaining there. A set of stairs started leading down, steeply. Making them walk in a single line. Wo situated herself in the middle of this Paradox sandwich, teasing them until they reached the bottom. Another door. She opened it and pulled them through, the door shut on its own behind them. The light was low until Wo clapped her hands. As it lit up there were glass rooms one could see into, in each one - a body hung. Not a whole body mind you, just the trunk. Head, arms, and legs removed. They were attached to life support systems with tubes running in and out of them. "Come on darlings, this way," she teased, running her tongue along her lips.

Bart was absolutely enthralled by Wo as she led them down the steps. His mouth was even open a little as he found himself staring at her, his eyes always going back to her more curvy features. He normally liked to think himself better than this, but she was too hot to handle. A tiny bit of drool even dribbled out the side of his mouth, which he did manage to dry of with his sleeve. As he was led into the room, he paid no mind to the cavalcade of horrors in front of him, Wo completely eating up his attention. "Yes Ma'am." He said, having no intention on stopping following her.

To someone not seduced by the lovely vixen leading them deeper and deeper into the spider's web, seeing the various body parts in glass rooms would put anyone off. Faith, however, was not paying attention to that. With Wo behind her as she crept down the stairs, feeling the warm breath on her and knowing that a touch was not far off left her feeling free. So she kept following despite the room saying "Go away!". To hell with you room! Faith wanted nothing more than to please Wo.

Through another door and to another set of stairs. Down they went, down, down down. Wo keeping them seduced as the walls changed from concrete to rock. From man made to natural. They had made their way into the subterranean world far far below New York City. Caverns, sprawling wide and long. She worked them even deeper. As she did, her look shifted. She dropped her Alter form as easily as The Hate changed his form. Yet she didn't look human anymore. Long horns sprouted from her temples, curling high above her skull. Bat like wings emerged from her back, stretched fully that would easily cover twenty feet. Her feet shifted into hooves and her skin darkened to a rustic aubergine. Oddly, despite all this, she was still remarkably attractive. They were miles below the surface now and she dropped the Seduction. "Welcome to the Worm Holes darlings."

Bart took no notice on the changing of the rock, still very enthused by Wo, that is, up until he wasn't. As if waking from a trance, he found his head clearing, a look of shock crossing his face. He shook his head, and said, "Work Homes? Wha- where are we? What's going on?" He remembered everything that he had done, but he didn't understand what he was thinking to just let her take him here. He looked upon her new form, "What are you?" He asked, never having seen anything like this, "Why are we here?" He knew Eve wouldn't just let them stroll off to mortal danger, so he was pretty sure he was safe, but still, he must've been very deep underground. He gave a look at the stone walls around him, and returned his focus on Wo, not liking the ide of being this deep underground.

As soon as the facade broke, Faith took in her surroundings. What was once pleasure was now pain. What was once lust was now loss. The room itself cried in terror as Faith took in Wo's appearance. She was drastically different than the sultry seductress she had followed. Faith wanted to leave. Now! Panicked and confused, Faith stumbled backwards. Surely Eve wouldn't put them through something like this. She wanted them to live right? Faith stood up and turned and ran, but she had no idea where she was going and she stumbled over and fell into a liquid. It looked like water, but it felt like ooze and slime. Faith felt for a way out, but none came as of yet. "What the hell is this? What are you?"

A sinister smile came to Wo's lips as she watched them. "I am a Daemon. That is Day-mon," she said before giving a wink and vanishing from site. She reappeared half a heart beat later next to Faith and picked her up like she was a weather. "And that is the slim trail of that," she said as she pointed over to a horrid looking creature slithering slowly along the ground. It was three feet long and two feet high. It was white and slimy and looked like a larvae, and it had a face of man. It wasn't so much frightful as downright disgusting. "Not harmful so much but they are a nasty feed if you have to eat on."

"Rather eat dirt," a voice said from behind a stalagmite. Stepping out from behind it could only be described as a six foot tall mummy without the wrappings. Dressed in ripped jeans, a leather vest, biker boots, and a worn in stetson. "Oh Wo, did you bring me dinner?" he said as the muscles on his face pulled back to show the bones of his jagged teeth.

Faith fought as best she could, but with all the things going on, it was not working. She glanced at the creature with disgust before she looked at where the voice came from. She had fought the dead before. However, this was beyond evenn them. Plus, it talked. And more, it wanted food. Faith struggled. "No, let me go! Fuck you!" hidden amonst the threats were panic-stricken tears. She wanted to go home. Whatever home that was mattered little, she just wanted to get the hell out of there.

Bart had a small snort at Faith's reaction, not usually taking her for scaring easier than him. What he very much did not like, was her claiming herself to be a a Daemon, which he could only assume was this timeline's version of a demon. Now he was not a very religious person, but he figured daemon's weren't the best of folk because of this. He cringed at the sight of the massive larval monster, finding the being repulsive. What the hell was Eve thinking sending them out with this person? Just when he thought they were through with all of this, a fucking mummy staggered out from behind a rock. "Okay. Nope, this is too fucking much." He said, his heart pounding at the grotesque being in front of them. On top of all of this, Faith of all people had lost her cool. He didn't like the girl much, but this was some fucked shit. He approached Wo, and tried to get Faith free, clumsily grabbing at the demon's hands, hoping to pry her away. "Put her down. Now."

"Alexander, be nice," Wo said as she stood there holding Faith. Wo looked over at Bart and her eyes widened.

"Kids?" Alexander asked as he came closer. Wo nodded and grinned as she looked down at his hand at hers.

"As you wish," she said and then she vanished from sight, Faith dropping to the ground. Was she gone? No. Bart's body took on a life of it's own and he could hear Wo inside his head. He couldn't control his own body as Wo had possessed him. "Dance young one," the voice in his head said, and he did. Doing the Thriller Dance and his mouth open and he spoke but it was Wo's voice. "Cause this is Thriller! Thriller night! And no one’s gonna save you from the beast about to strike. You know it’s thriller! Thriller night! You’re fighting for your life inside a killer thriller tonight, yeah! Ahahahahahahahaha. I'm gonna bring it tonight!"

Alexander rushed over and scooped Faith up laughing. "You're a Paradox bitch, we can't Drain you, chill the fuck out," he said shaking his head before putting her down lightly. "Now, watch your step, that shits..." he stopped as he heard a noise and claws started growing out of the tips of his fingers. "Wo, stop playing around! We got company!" She materialized outside of Bart, leaving him standing there in mid dance as her skin deepened in color. There was good reason for their sudden shift. Coming quickly down the cave was something from a nightmare. It was a good twenty feet long, with legs like a spider, claws like a scorpion, sucking tubes coming out of the sides of its large head that had two huge black orb eyes and a mouth that was surrounded by fangs.

Faith hated all of this, but what made matters worse was the fact this was not planned. How is it a surprise that a creature like that was roaming free down here? Alex gripped her and, sure, maybe they were afraid of Eve and wouldn't hurt them, but Faith wasn't about to stand around and find out for sure. Beofre she could fight off Alex, he set her down and commanded Wo to stop as they all turned to the noise. What came out was like a spider/scorpion hybrid out of a Cthulhu novel. Faith wasn't not as scared this time. Perhaps it was adrenaline pumping, but she knew she would not stand around and fight this thing, especially if Alex and Wo were hesitant.

Instead, Faith turned and sprinted past Wo, pushing the girl as she ran, "Fuck you bitch." She ran to Bart as the creature came forward, "Don't know about you, but I don't want to stay around and find out what that thing plans to do. Ready to get out of here?"

Bart felt his muscles move, as if a puppet master were moving his limbs for him. He was pissed, as his body acted ridiculously, singing and dancing. Oddly enough, it wasn't his own voice that he heard while doing it. Soon enough, Wo was out and in front of him again. Breathing roughly, and ready to yell at the Daemon, he was about to give her hell, when he saw the monster that had made it's way towards them. Deciding his humiliation wasn't worth his head, he nodded as Faith neared him. "That thing's above our pay grade, let's book it." Having a duty to keep time safe was one thing, suicide was another. He ran back towards the way they came in. He hoped the way through would be straight forward enough, since he couldn't really remember how they got down here in the first place.

Wo's fangs grew in length as she stepped towards the creature. "Lessons not over," Wo mutter under her breath and Alexander gave her a look and nodded. Wo flapped her wings and rose into the air. Her mouth opening as a rush of fire escaped setting the slime on fire and creating a wall between them and the creature. Alexander moved with such speed he turned into a blur. Picking up Bart and tossing him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He kept running and stopped the blur in the body room out of the cave and up the stairs. Wo, took a slower method, flying and picking up Faith by the hair on the back of her head. "Watch what you say and who you say it to child. I have been in this plane since before even your dear Miss Evelina knew what she was. You were here to learn a lesson and obviously you haven't." She stopped in the body room and dropped her. The door slamming behind her with a flap of her wing.

"A bitch darling would have left your ass there to be drained by that creature. She would have fed you to it. Don't ever shove what is there to protect from death because trust me child, death comes and that was it. And it comes in many more forms. Things you cannot even see," she said and as she spoke she shifted into Faith, a mirror image of her. "I suggest you adjust your attitude or next time you look in the mirror you won't see this," she said and then shifted again."You'll see this," she said as she appeared as a rotting corpse version of Faith.

Alexander sighed and shook his head, glancing over towards Bart before looking at Faith. "Next time, use your brain. You really think Miss Evelina would turn you over to be killed? If she wanted you dead, all she would have to do is," he said before snapping his fingers."Come on Wo, let's get a drink," he said as he walked over to the door and opened it to head back up to the Club."Think we need to tell Eve she needs to up the stakes next time."

Bart gave a yelp as he was tossed over the mummy's shoulder and moved a speed he'd previously only experienced in the comfort of a car. His head felt dizzy from the sudden motion, but soon enough he was back on the ground. He stumbled for a second, before Wo and Alexandra started lecturing them. He didn't really hear what they were saying though, he was too terrified by the corpses adorning the room. Quickly, he bolted away, not taking the time to reply or process what was being said to him. This was probably the most grotesque thing he'd ever seen in his life, and it was everything he had not to throw up on the spot. He made his way up the stairs only to find the door locked there. With the bodies at least out of sight, he did have a chance to calm himself down, which he took.

Alexander quirked a wiry brow and shook his head. Looking over at Wo he shrugged and started to make his way up the stairs. He figured he leaves the girls to do whatever they would do. Though that might not have been the best choice. As he spotted Bart he slowed his pace. "Take a breath boy, ain't no one gonna hurt anything but your pride around here. Least while Miss Evelina is around," he said as he approached. Reaching the door he pulled out a key and unlocked it, pushing it open and stepping through. "Phil, could use some drinks over here," he yelled as he wandered over to the table where Eve and Golgotha were sitting. He held up his hand before Evelina could say a word. "They ain't ready." There was a raise of the brow from the Emendator as she glanced towards the door.

Faith was probably more embarassed than anything, but really could one blame her? She was thrusted into a world she had not known about, led to some creepy room by a fricken' daemon (whatever the hell that meant, it was probably not good), brought down to the lower levels where corpses rested along with slimy creatures and ones even their captors were not prepared to face, and they were what? Expected to handle that with grace? No, Faith was pissed. She had been looking forward to training with Eve and this is where she put her?

Faith walked into the corpse room and panicked again, seeing the bodies deformed, running like her life depended on it to the other stairs and up. Thankfully, they had unlocked the door already, but upstairs was not much better. Faith could tell disappointment was on the menu and she hated that she played a part. But, she would remain firm. She strolled up along with Bart, feeling something like a kinship with the boy after they had both fell prey to this, and waited for Eve to more than likely chew them out.

Wo made her way back up the stairs and caught up with Alexander. No words were exchanged between Evelina and Wo but they held this intense gaze towards each other. The longer it held to darker the Emendators eyes became, narrowing as her fingers curled into her palms as they rested on the table. Slowly she pushed herself to a standing position and addressed both Alexander and Wo. I see. Thank you for your time, I apologize for their actions and attitude. It does not represent my feelings towards the Kindred in any way shape or form." Her voice was flat as it always was but as she looked over towards Faith and Bart it was obvious she was displeased. "Move," she said. A voice cold and angry as she stepped out from her seat and made a beeline for the door. It slammed open as she went through it and then the next, past Freddy who took a step back.

Bartholomew couldn't bring himself to make eye contact with Evelina. He hated failing, and this was the first time he'd failed on one of these training missions. If he messed up here, what did that say about how he'd perform when there're actual stakes on his performance. But above all that, he was legitimately scared of how The Dice would deal with him and Faith. He could tell by the tone of her voice that she was far from happy, and he shuddered a bit at the slam of the door opening. Thinking it wise not to speak, and too scared to do so in the first place, he quietly followed after Evelina, giving a nervous look to Faith, hoping that she was as worried as he was.

And indeed, Faith was just as worried. She had no expected to botch a mission so much as she did today, especially considering she had been looking forward to this for weeks now. She had confidence in her abilities far greater than today showed and she was dissapointed in herself. But she would remain firm. If Eve was going to chastise them she would bear it, but she would not like it. She was not some child that needed to be punished. She was a Paradox, tasked with the sorts of things others couldn't imagine and today's events showed there was more to learn.

Hand lit a cigarette quickly as her feet pounded the pavement, lighting it and nearly destroying it in a single inhilation. The pride, the ego, the self importance, all of it left a foul taste in the Emendators mouth like acid. She could understand it a year ago but a year of training to have not learned the most important lesson, humility, was mind boggling. Evelina stopped by the portal and turned to face them both. There was a darkness about her face, seeming to be covered by shadows as she spoke. "I do not know where this sense of entitlement comes to either of you but it is disgusting. I owe you nothing. No one does. You were given a second chance at life. A chance to live when you should have died. Hand chosen. Yet that isn't enough. Apparently that makes you feel as if you are better than others. Better than those that were not chosen. Better than those that have survived hundreds and thousands of years. You could have just said thank you. I have never been so disappointed with a group of Paradoxes in my existence.

I brought you here to learn, to train, to handle yourself under pressure. You failed and yet you seem to feel as if that failure is not on you and your flaws but others. How do I know? Neither of you had presented with your second abilities yet. It has been nearly a year. I brought you here to be read. They can do that. Read you. What you are, what abilities lay locked with in you. The eldest of the elders can. Their sight is far stronger than the young ones. They also can read thoughts some of them. So I brought you to to learn, to meet three elders. Some of my oldest acquaintances.

I didn't tell you why because that is not how this works. Because I did not want that knowledge to cloud what you did. To see how you reacted from the heart and from the head. You reacted without caring and spoke without thinking. You are to learn, not to be coddled and made to feel special. You AREN'T! You are worth no more than that prostitute working the corner. Neither am I! None of us are worth more than anyone. The sooner you learn that the better.

You want to know something? I know both your abilities now. Faith yours is Shunting. It is the ability to move life from one to another just be touch. To be able to unlock that you must be able to give yourself in to absorbing from another and then passing it on to the next. You are a wall that refuses to absorb anything but what you want for yourself, selfishly. How many lives could you save if you could just stop being so selfish? Bart, yours is Possession. Like what Wo did to you. To be able to unlock that you must be willing to give into another, wrap your mind around their thoughts and feelings. You cannot control anything if you cannot be willing to understand and accept how others feel. You refuse to accept anything and give nothing. How much pain could you stop if you could just think about others for once?"

It was harsh as she spoke but by the time she was done, her face was nearly black with shadow. It was a far more terrifying thing than anything yet and completely unplanned. Turning Evelina moved quickly through the portal. As soon as she was through she stormed towards the house, she needed to calm down before she rolled The Dice again because if she did now, it would be death no matter what.

Faith stood there and took it all. Really, what could she say? She did blow it. Though she was adamant that this whole thing was not entirely their fault, it was in large part due to them. She felt like a child who got caught sneaking cookies after midnight and Faith wanted nothing more than to sulk away, but she knew that Eve's words were right. She had an attitude and while it helped her in some capacity before, it seemed it would not be the case for the rest. She hated the fact she disappointed Eve, but she was disappointed too. She would have to strive better and change some things. First of which was Bart. Once Eve stepped away, Faith touched Bart's arm. "Hey look. I think you trying to help me back there was...pretty cool. So thank you." After that, she stepped through the portal and towards the house, where she would step into her room, unleash some frustration on a pillow or a wall, and then get back into it.

Bart's face hardened at first, once Eve let them have it, but quickly softened. As he listened to her, he understood she was right. Even after his training with Bella, he still thought that, given he had this newfound duty, he was more important than regular people. He still held himself above others. In his eyes, his life was too important, and nothing scared him more than losing that again. He meekly nodded at Eve when she finished. He hoped that by the time he finished training with Evelina, he might be a better person. He had to be. What shocked him most of all though, was that Faith actually acting like a person for once, and he stood still for a moment as she walked on, and quietly said. "No prob." He then walked slowly though the portal. He had a lot of thinking to do, he had to learn how he was going to make himself better.

---

---

Evelina got darker and darker as the days ran into weeks and then turned into months. Five months of it. Thing was she didn't push any harder, in fact she was barely phoning it in. Her mind elsewhere. Each day she took them and trained them. Fighting, language. Different times and places. Always alone. Always away from anyone else they could interact with. Each evening she would get together with the other trainers like she had before. Instead of her usual break down she would inform her fellow trainers she had nothing new to report. She never bothered to tell them what happened in Club Afterdark. They could go find out if they wished.The last day of training, Evelina hugged both Faith and Bart and walked to her room. Locking the door behind her. She refused to answer it. Training was over.

Next morning, same as always each paradox would find a note at their door, Emendators and Elder Paradox did as well - Report to the Study

Skills: Here are the skills your characters picked up over the last month of training. The dice came up as 5 months for the last round.

You have 48 hours from this post to edit your Cs. Copy and paste your new skills into place under skills if you have new ones to add. I would make sure you get these in post haste. If it turns out you received a skill your character already learned, well, you are out of luck - just means you got more training in it. Place a * next to it. If you got a new Language - place it under Native Languages.

Also, we have relations to update and Trainers, you have your PM. Relations get 7 day counter from today to update. Remember, this is not discussion but pure character gut feeling. Please, for the love of your characters drop your personal feelings off before you do this.... (Relations MUST be done before you post - if you post before relations are done it is null and void.)

• Sophia:
  • Alertness - Ability to notice things that otherwise might go unnoticed.
  • Etiquette - General skill that makes one able to fall into the basic proper behavior for various situations.
  • Sword - Fighting with a blade over 12in in length
  • Streetfighting - Knowledge of techniques of dirty fighting. This includes unarmed combat, using unconventional weapons.
  • Breakaway - The ability to twist out of someone's grasp.
• Andromeda:
  • Club - Ability to fight with a wooden stick, metal tube, or metal bar. Allows use of European and Oriental staves, as well as clubs and other implements of bludgeoning, as well as axes and hatchets.
  • Pistol - This skill allows a character to use revolvers and semiautomatic pistols
  • Sword - Fighting with a blade over 12in in length
  • Throwing - The skill of propelling an object of small size at a target, such as a rock, grenade, or knife
  • Soft Martial Arts - The art of striking nerve bundles, ganglia, and other vulnerable areas of the body, as well as performing holds and throws
• Alexandra:
  • Club - Ability to fight with a wooden stick, metal tube, or metal bar. Allows use of European and Oriental staves, as well as clubs and other implements of bludgeoning, as well as axes and hatchets.
  • Knife - Ability to fight with an item with a blade 12in or less
  • Sword - Fighting with a blade over 12in in length
  • Hand 2 Hand - Basic skill used to strike another person in unarmed combat. This includes striking, grabbing, tackling, shoving, tripping, and choking.
  • Court Etiquette - Knowledge of the intricacies of politics in medieval and ancient courts
• Bart:
  • Second Ability Activated
  • Bow - The ability to fire long and short bows, composite bows, and crossbows
  • Breakaway - The ability to twist out of someone's grasp.
  • Charioteering - Knowledge of how to handle a chariot.
  • Horsemanship - The ability to ride and care for horses.
• Faith:
  • Second Ability Activated
  • Bow - The ability to fire long and short bows, composite bows, and crossbows
  • Breakaway - The ability to twist out of someone's grasp.
  • Charioteering - Knowledge of how to handle a chariot.
  • Horsemanship - The ability to ride and care for horses.
• James:
  • Bow - The ability to fire long and short bows, composite bows, and crossbows
  • Breakaway - The ability to twist out of someone's grasp.
  • Spear - Skilled at using a spear/javelin. This includes the ability to throw, stab, slash, and use defensively
  • Torture - Knowledge of the pain centers of the body, and how to apply pain to extract information from a person
  • Bicycles - The ability to ride a bicycle with a high proficiency, including tricks - double normal movement rate vs those unskilled

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Stepping into the room, Alicia made her first appearance in sometime. She had been on mission and returned late the night before. Reporting into Evelina as per the norm. What wasn't the norm was the fact that the first morning after training people finished it was not Evelina addressing the group as a whole for summations and reviews. It was Alicia. Looking through a stack of paper the girl seemed really out of her element. "Fuck, okay. Um, four month, four month, one month, five months. So that's um. Shit. Math. Fifteen months of training. Four Emendators, one elder paradox... Damn."

Dropping the paper, she picked them up again and then finally found the one she was looking for. "Okay, right here we are. Training is done. You are supposed to go on missions now. Um, that isn't happening. At least not for a fucking week. Last order I was given was that everyone was to take a week off before you were sent out. Something about fucking down time." Putting the paper down Alicia looked at each of the Paradoxes and Emendators slowly. "No fucking wonder. Right, weeks break."

Shuffling back through the disorganized stack on the desk she picked up the smaller envelopes. "Right, these are normally read out loud but I had a damn look at them and you don't want this shit public." Walking over to each of the Paradoxes in turn, Alicia handed over an envelope. On it were two words - Personal Reviews "Right, you will want to read these. I suggest you do it alone. I'll be here to talk if ya need it, chances are you will. Don't think you can do it alone for fucks sake."

Walking over to the Emendators and the elder Paradox Alicia rubbed her face. "Um, she left... Last night." Looking around Alicia crossed her hands over her chest, her hips swaying left and right a bit as she rocked from one boot to another. "And I can't find the bitch on the vid. It's like, the channel was canceled?" Alicia said, not being able to figure out a better way to phrase it. Pulling a folded up sheet of paper out of her back pocket she handed it over to the first one of the Emendators or Elder Paradox that wanted to take it.

Belladonna didn't even try, she just stood there and placed a single red finger nail to the side of her mouth. "Oh dear..."

(Pm's coming short about those envelopes and such.)

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It had come as a bit of a shock to Andromeda that after so long, training was finally done. She didn't know if she felt prepared to take on real missions and challenges - not yet, at least. As much as she respected herself, she simply wasn't certain if she was up for the task - but she would do her best and try her hardest. It was the rule that she lived by, along with a simple rule of showing respect for those who deserve it and considering all viewpoints. But nerves aside, she was curious as she entered the study-library that morning. As Andromeda looked around observing the gathering, she saw Nancy sitting on a desk, eating one of those caramel chews.

Even Emendators had a sweet tooth at times, something she had realized during her first training session with the Cards. She had taken away lessons from all of her sessions, finding that Evelina and Gilbert were her favorite trainers. As much as she loved her time with Belladonna, she was aware that she had a problem, as the same woman pointed out to her - she was attached to the past - a past that Belladonna had some connection to.

She raised a slight eyebrow as Alicia mentioned a few deviations from routine. It struck her as odd. From what she'd seen, Eve (and Gio too) were both very much creatures of routine. Add to the fact that Eve wasn't there and....she had to assume that something had happened. But they would have been told if it was something serious, right?

Andromeda took the paper from Alicia once it was handed to her, gravitating towards a free spot in the study as she opened it up and read over the comments. Criticism was never especially easy to take and she was bracing herself for the worst after what Alicia had said - she knew she wasn't perfect, but she was human. Well, a human Paradox. She took another deep breath, reading the comments over in a skimming fashion at first before going through all of them individually. It stung a bit to see the repeated mention of attachment issues - but she had been made aware of them by Belladonna and had been trying her best to work through them....

Confidence, control, emotions...Andromeda took another breath, reading the letter over again. It was easy to zero in on the negative comments, but there were some positives as well. Keen. Potential. Open to anything. She smiled slightly at those ones, as much as the criticisms weighed on her....But she was a person. Everyone had things that they needed to work towards. And now, now she knew what she had to do.

...But where was Eve?

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"Yeah, you really don't want to read them aloud," Nancy muttered to herself. Usually, she would have found one or two Paradoxes that she could bond with - ones that she took under her wing and thought of fondly. There hadn't been any kindred spirits she found in this batch, which was a shame, what with George and Alicia both being off on missions. As Alicia came over, Nancy expected to hear some explanation as to where Eve was - perhaps she had to do damage control elsewhere, but wouldn't Eve had said something to them before? No, Nancy figured it was more likely just a hard morning, especially after Drem...She doubted Eve would ever leave the grounds without a word and some company.

As Alicia came over to them, Nancy noticed her apprehension and the way she rocked slightly. "What do you mean the channel was canceled?" Nancy asked, hoping that it was just Alicia having trouble working the machine - though she doubted it. Add into that the fact that Eve had left....It wasn't sitting right with Nancy and she took the paper, reading it over quickly. Her eyes widened slightly and she almost instantly shoved the paper to Giouse, taking out her Cards and doing a reading in record time.

"Κενό ... Οι κάρτες είναι κενές ... Έχουν υπάρξει μόνο έτσι όταν ... καλά, Drem ...," Nancy explained to her fellow Emendators, shoving the cards back into her pocket. "Πρέπει να κρατήσουμε τα Παράδοξα απασχολημένα και να φτάσουμε στο κατώτατο σημείο ... Ειδικά λαμβάνοντας υπόψη τη συμπεριφορά της Εύας το τελευταίο ..." Her eyes darted over at the Paradoxes, focusing on a few of them in particular. Some of them had to know something.

"Ίσως μερικοί από αυτούς ξέρουν κάτι, επίσης, μπορώ να τους πάρω με τον ένα ή τον άλλο τρόπο ... Τι γίνεται με το τελευταίο ζευγάρι με το οποίο συνεργάστηκε?"

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Sophia had woken up like any other day, as she got out of her bed she looked down at the letter set under her door they had just finally finished their last day of training which was good. Though she still felt like she was really ready either but she would have to anyway as Sophia read through the letter that simply said meet at the study. Sophia went to get herself changed and then opened the door, making sure that her room was locked before turning around and made her way over towards the study. Her eyes started to scan the room seeing the others there, and Alicia for the first time in awhile and went to take her seat.

Sophia leaned back in her seat as she looked around, she was expecting to see Evelina to be the one holding the meeting, but instead it was actually Alicia who was. She started to wonder where Eve was but she didn't say anything as Alicia started the little meeting, being just a little over a year since this all started was a bit jarring for her. Sophia watched as Alicia started to hand everyone letters and accepted hers, she of course wouldn't read her own out loud at all since it was very personal and all.

Sophia opened the letter and started to read through it, some of it was pretty bad while others she was in agreement to there was a lot of things she needed to work on. The bit of training time she had with Gilbert helped a little with her confidence, after Sophia had finished reading the review over how her training went. She was eager to get things started, but she also wasn't opposed to taking a week off as well as Sophia shifted in her seat. Her eyes wondered over towards Alicia and then Belladonna as well as Nancy she couldn't understand what Nancy said. Sophia then decided to speak up, remembering that the rules weren't really to leave the loop alone without anyone else unless you were experienced. "Shouldn't we maybe go and try to look for her?" Sophia finally asked looking over towards the Emendators and other Paradoxes.

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"Like fucking Firefly but worse okay? Can't even find the original season and there is no follow up movie for closure if you get my jist," Alicia said rubbing the back of her neck. It was confusing as fuck to her. Granted a lot of things about being part of this world was but somethings you just accepted. The vid was one of them. Sure you didn't know how it worked but you knew how to work it, or at least she did. It wasn't. "Someone not pay the fucking cable bill?" she said cracking a bad joke.

It was all Greek to her, in other words Alicia had no idea what the Emendators were saying. Despite that she did not get angry that they were speaking in a language she couldn't understand. Or at least Nancy was currently. Thing was, if she was using something besides English, chances were she was making sure not to say something the Paradoxes didn't need to hear right then. One of the Paradoxes did understand however and it wasn't surprising. Belladonna was the oldest living Paradox, it figured that she spoke the language that Eve slipped to most often when she was speaking to people.

Belladonna shook her head slightly. "Αυτό είναι ατυχές αλλά ναι, μιλήστε μαζί τους. Ήταν μάλλον αναστατωμένος μετά το ταξίδι για να δει το Γολγοθά. Δεν την είχα δει ποτέ τόσο διακεκομμένη. Ακόμη και για κάποιον που βρίσκει βασανισμό και πόνο τόσο ευχάριστο όσο εγώ, δεν ήταν ένα ευχάριστο θέαμα." There was a pause in her words as Sophia mentioned finding Eve. A Paradox stepping up, especially one so young. It was either bravery or naivety. Perhaps it was both. "Θα πάω και θα ενημερώσω τα υπόλοιπα παλαιότερα Παράδοξα τι έχει συμβεί. Θα επιστρέψω το συντομότερο δυνατό." Turning she looked over at Sophia. "Not to worry little one, she wouldn't be the first Emendator to go on an unannounced vacation," she added in English in a reassuring voice before moving off and heading for the main portal. She had things to tend to.

Alicia huffed slightly. "Maldita sea, esto no es parte de la maldita descripción de mi trabajo. Alguien más juega a Eva," the Latina said as she looked at Gilbert. "Por el amor de Dios, no ella." There was a glance towards Nancy and then the rest of the group. "I need a fucking drink. Where's the tequila?"

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The journey up until the point she stepped food into the library was...curious. Not shortly after she finished training with Evelina (and hoping to mop up the disappointment she caused after the club) that Eve came to her and...hugged her. It was unexpected considering she was sure that Eve hated her. But yet, she showed her emotion and care that Faith hadn't felt before. It was almost like a mother hugging her child. Faith didn't want it to end.

But it did. And that was the last time Faith saw her.

So sitting in the library, Faith took the envelope that Alicia handed out and she opened it and looked at the comments to her weeks of training. She expected bad news. She almost yearned for it, but to her surprise, the words were...kind. More kind than she deserved. True, there were comments about her attitude and her ability to work with others. She knew it was coming. She glanced at Bart, aware that the boy and her had grown together during training. That was progress. It wouldn't happen overnight, of course, but she would work on herself. She had to be better than she was. Wasn't that what all of this was for anyway?

She put her list away as others talked about Evelina, she noted that the Emendators and Belladonna spoke in languages she didn't understand. "Look, we're all concerned about where she went, but do you think you could talk about it in languages we all understand? Secret keeping is not something we should be doing now if we hope to find out what's going on. Like..the last time I saw her she hugged me randomly after our last training session and then...walked off. She seemed all right though, but then again she rarely showed that kind of emotion with me."

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Alexandra rubbed her arms as she made her way through the main house towards the study. It was a nervous tic that she had developed. Though through her training with Gio she had regained some of her confidence and was more stable mentally, she wasn't completely healed and wouldn't be for some time. But, it was something more particular that brought forth a smothering amount of anxiety to the forefront just then. It was having to see a certain--She stopped dead in her tracks as she entered the study and her gaze landed on Nancy. She knew logically that the Emendator would be here, but nevertheless, that knowledge did little to sway the visceral reaction she had at seeing the woman again. She had mostly managed to avoid the woman over the last five months, but she knew that sooner or later she would have to face her again. However, she was right to think that no amount of time would be enough to make it any easier.

She felt her heart beating erratically, and her breaths came in and out sharply. She quickly ripped her gaze away from Nancy. Everyone else likely saw the Emendator as a carefree spirit as she sat there eating her caramel chews, but all Alexandra could see was the woman's face just before she shut the door in her face. It was a month of hell, locked away in that mental asylum under the effects of psychosis. She would never be able to forget what she had undergone, no matter how much she so desperately wanted to. She closed her eyes for a moment, taking in a deep exhale followed by a shaky exhale. She then silently found a vacant spot in the room, all the while with downcast eyes and a diminutive demeanor. She was still truly a shell of her former self.

She took a seat in one of the vacant spots, not directly acknowledging anyone's presence. She would take occasional glances around the room from under her dark lashes and her leg bounced slightly, but that was basically it as far as outward appearances go. Despite her nervousness, she did note the blatant absence of Evelina. Wasn't she usually the one who led these types of meetings? Curious. She didn't think too much of it apart from that. She figured that there was some suitable explanation. She finally made direct eye contact with someone, namely Alicia, as the elder paradox adjourned the meeting. The woman sort of fumbled through it all, but Alexandra supposed the woman wasn't used to doing this sort of thing. A week off? She wasn't so sure she liked the sound of that. It essentially meant a week alone to her thoughts. No, she needed to keep her mind busy. Her brows rose slightly as Alicia handed out some envelopes along with some grim words. The bouncing of her leg stopped as she gingerly took the envelope from Alicia, and her heart sank at the words written on it. Personal Reviews. That most certainly won't be good.

She sat there for awhile, just staring down at the unopened envelope. She was scared to open it and even more afraid to read what it had to say. She finally just slipped it under her thigh. She would read it at a later time when she was properly alone. She didn't want to break down in front of these people. Besides, this was just something she felt that she had to do alone, something she would need to meditate on. No more handholding. She had to learn to be strong on her own. As she pulled herself out of her ruminations, she caught the tail end of the Emendators and Elder Paradoxes' conversation, or at least what she understood of it. As a few of the other paradoxes spoke up, she finally understood what was going on. Eve was missing?

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The first thing that he noticed was that Evelina was gone. It wasn't like her. This was the first day following the last Paradox training session, one of the things where they all had a session discussing things as a group, most definitely some things privately, and spent a good amount of time in reflection. That last part was important - reflection. Some feedback was going to be good, other was going to be ...not as good. Yet they were all part of the same team, and so had to move past their little difficulties (their big ones, too) and work as a team. Emendators and Paradoxes joined together with singular purpose.

Except they could not be of a singular purpose. The lady known as The Dice was gone. Which brought him to the second thing that he noticed: He couldn't feel her anywhere, either. Not in the collective history of humankind, not in the recent history of the Destrehan Plantation grounds. Now he learned from Alicia that she wasn't appearing on the vid. That was troubling to the extreme. The sudden switch to Greek was also troubling, though not because of the language itself. What the words conveyed were harrowing, both what was written and what was said aloud. Being as he was in the region while the language was evolving, Gilbert felt very comfortable joining the conversation. An air of calm confidence settled over him; it was not what he actually felt, but it most certainly was what he needed to project to the others. Only Alicia might know the truth of him.

"Συμφωνώ με τη Νανσύ. Τα Παράδοξα χρειάζονται εκτροπές. Τίποτα όμως μαζικό, αυτό πρέπει να είναι ο χρόνος τους." He looked around everyone, Emendators and Paradoxes both. Giving Nancy an even gaze, he cracked a little smile and continued, "Μην κάνετε τίποτα φρικτό ή μόνιμο σε αυτά. Όχι μέχρι να γυρίσω, ούτως ή άλλως. Ξέρω ότι μπορείς να είσαι λεπτός και υποτιμημένος." He even gave her a little wink, his smile broadening.

When Belladonna spoke, it immediately snapped his head around with rapt attention. He took in her words and nodded in agreement. At least he knew where to start. "Επιστρέψτε το συντομότερο δυνατόν, αν θέλετε. Πρέπει τώρα να περιφέρουμε τα βαγόνια μας. Οι σκοτεινές ώρες μπορεί να πλησιάζουν, και όχι με το διασκεδαστικό τρόπο. Θα ήθελες να επιστρέψεις σε μας με ασφάλεια, κοπέλα κυρία."

Finally, to Alicia, who seemed to want to get in on the differing language action (and selecting one that only she and Gilbert knew out of this group), "Por ahora, solo sea su voz. Las otras Paradojas confían en ti. Lo mismo hacen los Emendadores. Trabajaré con el resto. ¿Bueno?"

There were questions from the other Paradoxes, to be sure, but the totality of the Emendators' conversation was not for their ears. Not yet, anyway. Nonetheless, ignoring them might lead to panic. Panic was counterproductive. "My apologies, really. Some concepts must be discussed among those who have experienced them. Too much knowledge too quickly can be as troubling as blind ignorance. It comes down to a common frame of reference more than anything else. For right now, unless we need something of you, let us do exactly as Evie (ahem) as The Dice ordered: One week. Take the time off. Look back on your training. Reflect. Until one of us says otherwise, let us handle the issue at hand. One moment more, please?"

Gilbert addressed the other two Emendators, switching back to Greek, "Έχουμε ακόμα ένα Παράδοξο εκεί έξω που δεν ξέρει τι συνέβη. Δεν θα είναι στη λίστα του Παλαιού Παράδοξου. Νάνσυ, νιώθεις να πηγαίνεις στην Αίγυπτο; Ίσως καλύτερα να προέρχεται από εσάς." A sudden change back to the language of the time and place had him speaking with optimistic syllables, "And Giosue, if you would be as kind, I need to take a field trip of my own. New York's Deadlight District, 1980's. I believe that The Dice wished to show one of our pupils the area's nightlife. I can at least take care of that for her." In a more serious tone, he concluded with, "Τη στιγμή που την άφησε τελευταία. Χρειάζομαι απαντήσεις."

The smile reappeared on his face as he made for the door. "Andromeda? It's time for some Extra Credit work. I need you to join me at The Mill. And bring your new coat. It looks good on you."

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Time was up already? Why, it had only seemed like a year and a half since he's died, been brought back, and then sent through a series of ongoing tortures spanning the gamut of time, space, and alternate realities beyond his previous imaginings. He even got notecards telling him how he did, at the estimation of his Emendator teachers. Scanning over them, he was surprised. Shocked, even. There were certain words used to describe him that he weren't sure were accurate. Good words, but he wasn't sure about the veracity thereof. Things about leadership qualities and good instincts. Other words were used to describe him, too. Less flattering ones. Words like rage, guilt, and darkness. Phrases like "waiting to explode", among others.

There were recommendations for further training, which he was actually okay with. James had learned a ton over the past several months. While it was not effortless, there was really nothing else quite like the forced, accelerated learning that he was getting with these people. He could eat this stuff up, if it didn't kill him anyway. That was a very real possibility. Past the recommendations for further training was a sort of prognosis about his future as a Paradox. Depending upon how it was read, it could be very good, or very bad. Hopeful he would assume, looking at the positive feedback, but he had a ways to go, obviously. And he had a LOT to work on within himself. He probably always would. James knew there was a darkness inside of himself. Sometimes it was even a damn useful tool, so long as he could put it back away.

The moment that he finished reading the letters and had his happy little introspective moment, he realized that something very off was going on. And it wasn't just because they were all speaking in that strange language that they spoke in the Spanakopita joint around this one place he used to love to visit in Texas, but that didn't help matters much.

James had used the phrase more than a few times before, "This one wacky game show", but somehow the level of sarcasm necessary for it to fit this particular set of circumstances was beyond his ability to summon. There was joy at being done with his initial training, followed by immediate concern. The Dice was missing? Yeah, that didn't set right. She was the reason they were all there. What happened if they needed another Paradox? What happened to all of those necessary things she did to make the world right? Hell, what was going to happen to this place without her keeping things in order, and who was going to step up? Certainly not him. Looking over to Alicia, James spoke, "Hey girl... I got lots to talk about, long as you're offerin' an ear. Fore we get to it, I'll be happy as a pig in shit, help you find that 'quila. Afters though, what do you all need from me?" That last part was directed to the room as a whole, rather than to any one Paradox or Emendator.

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Gio remained stone faced, hand on his chin throughout the events that had gone down rapidly over the course of the morning. Whether it was Alicia's crude announcements, the following information of Evelina's evident disappearance, Nancy's reading and the ensuing confusion, his expression maintained impassive neutrality. Part of this was due to simply his emotional state, but more importantly, he was thinking. He read the note. He listened to what the others were saying, Emendator and Paradox alike. In his head, he replayed the events of the past few months over and over again, looking for errant details that he either didn't bother to bring up or might have missed entirely at the time. All the while he tried to mull over the various possibilities of their situation and what this actually meant.

"Εάν κάποιο από τα Παράδοξα ξέρει πραγματικά κάτι," He finally spoke up, yet not looking up from where he'd kept his gaze transfixed. He spoke in an even more measured manner than usual, as if every syllable were timed with a metronome. "θα έρθει στο φως δεδομένου του χρόνου και της πίεσης. Προς το παρόν, ας μην αναγκάσουμε το ζήτημα, διότι έτσι μπορούμε να αποκαλύψουμε το χέρι μας. Ίσως απομακρύνθηκε από το στρατόπεδο ως μονάδα. Όσον αφορά τη λειτουργία της ομάδας, θα μείνω εδώ. Το κάμπιγκ πρέπει να παρακολουθείται και θα έχετε την πιο δυνατή πρόσβαση σε ένα ευρύ φάσμα επιλογών διερεύνησης, αν είμαι αυτός που μένει."

"...Αφού εκτελέσετε τις αρχικές έρευνες σας, έχω μια υπόθεση ότι έχω δουλέψει σε αυτό που πρέπει να μοιραστούν μαζί μας. Θα ήθελα να δω αν ισχύει για περαιτέρω δεδομένα." After that last pair of sentences, Gio blinked and it was if he had been freed of the Medusa's curse. From his pocket he produced The Watch and flipped it open.

"Ah yes, should be a trifle. I'll set a portal at your usual spot." And not 10 seconds later it was so. Then he directed his attention to the Paradoxes in the room. "I realize you think you might be trying to be help by offering suggestions, but you're not. You're simply being uppity and making nuisances of yourself. Especially you, Faith. Know your place. An abbreviated training cycle does not mean that you all are on the same footing as us or even Alicia."