The Poet and the National Perfectionist

Thu Oct 23, 2014 8:22 pm

Iriko Crow

The Dragon of the North, Seiryuu

The male walked. He walked through pure air... and then suddenly, his hands reached out wide. a she did so, strange blue wings appeare don either side of his body, made otu of a bubble-liek substance that darkened, becoming ice. His eyes closed as he allowed himself to be carried as his body adopted similar traits all along his body to that of a dragon of the ice element. Strange scales appeared all over his limbs, his limbs themselves expanding and growing talons for nails. It was quite a peculiar sight for others, but for the male it represented... freedom.

But alas, it could not last forever, and he was well aware of that. However, before he entered the place without purpose, he stopped briefly, staring at the land mass high in the air, the clouds floating along with it while water poured off of the country, falling into the Indian Ocean below. "... And... What about your history...?" He asked empty space, gripping his talons and gritting his teeth before his body became consumed with a blue light...

His body vanished once more. An interesting sight, a rainbow would appear over the island, cascading over the entirety of it, and so long as the male was in the area, it would remain there. As he arrived, his presence was taken back down to that state it had been on the lowest point of his life. His power level was nearly disabled, his feet did not even touch the ground. He was like a specter, hanging there, with both eyes open. He had chosen to lower the order of his own existence down to almost nothing through his sheer willpower; so therefore, to almost all systems, it would appear that he did not... exist.

"Aah... haa..." The male breathed out as he slowly opened his right eye, unable to even speak while he was reduced to this state. Naturally, he felt the need to do this on account of the fact that he was frankly an uninvited guest. Now, while most would have sent a letter before entering... Iriko felt that dealing with a domestic visitor was not something that necessitated prior approval. A cloak covered his body, and a strange ninja mask was wrapped around the top of his head with the bandana cloth he had been wearing wrapped around his mouth, bandages covering his arms and legs. The only things which could bee seen were his left eye, a bit of dark hair from the front, and his toes. That was all.

"..." Like a specter, the male continued to walk through the city of what was once known as Switzerland. OF course, he knew where he was going. The blinding presence in the distance sensed by that right eye of his nearly blinded him with the sheer amount of pure light it was giving off; but at the same time, he was not one to simply look at what he thought he should. He forced that eye closed, before beginning to look around with the left.

"...The air... is sweet..." He muttered as he took a breath, and perhaps for the first time since arriving in this land felt his heart lose just a bit of that unease. Truly, that was the dominating emotion in his body; a strange kind of tension, an... unidentifiable disease. But this air...

It was sweet. The presence was calming. He encountered no stranger, free to walk in wht felt like a natural landscape. It... was beautiful, he had to admit. And yet.. there was something that felt... wrong about it, and all at once that disease coursed through his body, making it feel like his blood had run cold. "...Urgh..." Silently, the male's right hand turned into a small fire, his mouth opening as vomit poured from his mouth into the fire, so disgusted was he by what he had sensed. "...Even this... tastes better... than the fruit of knowledge..." The Poet remarked as he realized... this nature was unnatural.

"...A convenient, sustainable lie... Well, if you believe it, it is true. And why wouldn't you believe it? Is that so bad...? Is that what the system here is after? Why... Why doe that feel wrong? Is it because I'm old fashioned? ...Ah..." And then, a single thought took root in his mind, and he realized that that was the problem:

i]What's the value...? If i burnt this place to the ground... who would care? Does... does nature... has nature been made so cheap...?[/i] The male wondered, and he realized the source of the need to vomit as he turned his face back around, beginning to take those steps in his black sandals once more...

Finally, he arrived on the doorstep of where that ephemeral being he could sense lived. "...GREETINGS!!" The male called out as he raised his left hand to his mouth, using it to aid him in his call as he shouted outwards at the source, his mouth taking a breath as he allowed for his presence to return at last, and it felt like the Captain Commander truly was there, now...

"I am Iriko, the Poet of Soul Society. I have come to learn of your culture, as well as the thoughts of its designer! Would you spare me the time to learn more of a place the likes of which I have never thought possible? COuld you answer my questions, no matter how possibly inflammatory? I mean no disrespect, and if you wish it I shall leave." He called out, before reaching into his pocket, before taking out a strange black box.

"And I have not come empty handed... I have brought a gift for the owner of the house... But the contents are secret even to I." The male let out, letting out a small breath as he looked up at the sky, before lowering his head once more, wondering what this experience... and if he could get along with or would become an enemy of the leader of the Eldrazi...

Core Elements Devised by Aivee

Sun Oct 26, 2014 3:05 am

Artist: Rocket Science - Song: Flora

It was like a pebble dropping through the still surface of a lake, ripples cascading outwards in small waves. Deep within this metaphorical ocean, an eye opened, giving way to the clear red iris of its possessor. Nozomi was settled upon her silver throne, propped up over one of the armrests by her arm, just resting. Still, even in deep slumber, the woman's mind was far too active to be oblivious to subtle disturbances caused by the new arrival. Even without the sudden formation of a rainbow outside of her own control, the specter that had just overstepped the borders of Switzerland would be unable to enter the waters of Nozomi's land without signaling its approach. And once his existence became known, the true sight of the Omnidou would be able to pierce the veil of nonexistence that had been erected. The woman sat up in her seat, having trumped the illusion of the man in under a second. She still left only one eye open, and observed from the vast distance that she was able to, determining his identity and then recording his reactions to the new world around him. Funny thing, attracting the attention of the Gotei's Captain Commander only a month after she had met with the former. He was Iriko Crow, the archetype of tragedy and World's best bubble blower. There was an affair between him and the demoness Khala, and the overall intermingling of Shinigami and Demons that Nozomi wanted no part in dealing with. However, she had to admit that there were unfinished matters between her and the Soul Society that needed to be resolved, which is what she assumed the man was here for.

So sensitive are you to my changes, she remarked internally as she watched him react to the environment within her domain. She narrowed her eyes slightly, as the man become nauseous with the air around him. More disgusted are you with this that you would vomit, than when your home and your brethren were consumed by the Demon's War. You truly are the essence of sadness. The woman would have to withhold her animosity in their discussion; she would keep those opinions to herself, but you'd have to realize at one point that there was a reason the Quincy had joined the assault against the Soul Society in the first place. What Iriko saw, however, was most certainly not a lie. It may have been unnatural, but it was no illusion. The issue here was simply that such a paradise was unbelievable, a concept pulled from imagination and set in reality where it felt so out of place. It was something to get used to, and Nozomi was in the business of allowing for the easiest transition. She rose her hands up, poking and pulling at the invisible strings of Esper in the shadows of her temple, modifying the tune that played for the male. Iriko would sense the alterations of the aura, as Nozomi tinkered around for the best experience. It was slowly adjusting, her 'unnature' trying to find the best way to appeal to the Shinigami's senses, until finally hitting a sweet note. The Esper that filled him radiated an enchantment that would make him feel whole and pleasant.

Knowing him, the man would likely still know in his mind that such a feeling of absolute serenity would only last for as long as he remained within Eldrazi's borders, and he would also likely loathe that it was existing within him against his wishes, but... Nozomi cared not. He was going to be happy whether he enjoyed it or not. He was going to be energetic and he was going to feel powerful; all of these things came tailored along with the air of Eldrazi. Sickness was most certainly not allowed, especially not if caused by her own energy (the Esper would merely strengthen his immune system anywho). It was only once Nozomi had finely tuned the environment to accommodate her guest that she rose from her seat, hearing the call for her presence. One wave of her hand was all that was necessary to straighten her clothes as though they had been cleaned and ironed, and to have her hair freshly washed and brushed down to assume a soft and shiny look. She gave herself a wide smile and her teeth sparkled with a pure white. She was the most appropriate that she could be before she finally came to greet Iriko; her body crumpled into a single point of space with the sound of a vacuum, and then erupted into existence in front of the man. Into the vibrant sunlight she appeared, practically glowing in her state of perfection. A slight blast of wind would hit him at her arrival to blow about his hair a bit, but affront him no more. She came out of the rift floating, and then slowly touched down to the gilded surface that made up most of the area around her palace. Here, the woman looked different than she was anywhere else—the pale snow palette that her skin usually took on was replaced by a much healthier beige, and even tinges of red could be found coloring her cheeks to show that blood indeed ran through her body. She looked like a new person.

''Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, I welcome you to Mirrodin, the heart of Switzerland and city closest to heaven, literally. It is great to hear that you aren't here on hostile terms, and rather that you've come to learn of Eldrazi's prosperity. The answer is yes, of course I will teach you all that you wish to know of my nation... However, I must ask you that if you are only hear to listen and not learn, then to turn away. In order for me to respect your wish, you must be open to the concept of utopia, and that it can exist.'' This was indirectly addressing the words he spoke aloud before coming to her palace, for it was impossible for such words to not be taken as an insult to everything she's achieved, and will further accomplish. If Iriko has it in his mind to not accept Eldrazi, then their discussion will turn into nothing but pointless political schmoozing. ''I don't need more people wasting my time with their disbelief when I have a working reality beneath my feet...''

As for the gift, well by all means Nozomi could only accept it lest she insult her guest. There was not much left for the woman to desire, but still she would smile and hold out her hand. An invisible force levitated the black box out of Iriko's grasp and moved it toward Nozomi's. She would revolve the object on a tilted axis much like the Earth's, simply playing around with it for a while without touching it. ''Unknown to yours, but not to mine,'' she would jest, despite her words holding true merit. There were objects in this world that had unlocked their full potential, and could no longer advance any further, that Nozomi referred to as 'Marvels'. Such objects were the absolute best in one aspect; peerless. She believed one of these Marvels to be her eyes, the Omnidou. She had unparalleled sight, of which no secrets could be kept from. It might have been a killjoy, but determining the box's contents would be a piece of cake for her. It was simple due process for her; there was no way that the woman was going to accidentally open Pandora's box. She'd save her thanks for when she figured out what was inside the gift.

Thu Nov 20, 2014 9:54 pm

Iriko Crow

The Dragon of the North, Seiryuu

"...Go on and stare… see if you can figure me out… You probably will… ahahaha…"

The male laughed, as he came under the awareness that yes, he was being observed. As soon as this became obvious, he stopped with the lack of existence, his soul appearing on all channels. Now, it did not flare up. It did not shoot out like the raining of a thousand stars. It was rather unassuming, like a drop of rain that has dropped before a storm. However, this drop brought no storm with him, instead it brought a strange kind of… resignation. The thought of someone else looking at him brought a sarcastic feeling all across his body, made his wit whet with ire. Maybe some would call him self pitying. He knew his own ugliness, he knew how much he repulsed others, and he knew how much other people 'had to do' to tolerate him.

That was his belief, in any case.

"...Hmm… No welcoming committee? No bells and whistles? I'm disappointed. Where's my red carpet?" He asked the space around him, the Poet making his assertions sarcastically clear. He continued to observe the changes she had made, and wondered for a moment. …. He suddenly paused, turning his head around to look up at the sky. Normally, he would be pleasantly surprised the cool blue sky, taking in a clear breath and feeling the air pour down his throat like life giving water. In this case, however, it was like he was staring directly into a pair of gigantic eyes. "Excuse me. I got over my self repulsion enough to make sure that it wasn't a both for other people. I mean, I assume you do not want me contemplating my own life, and end up a grief-stricken wreck with tears forming a small lake beneath the ground I am currently standing on? I have already considered what a deplorable mortal I am, thank you, thank you." He spoke, feeling as if he had an audience around him while there truly was none.

"...Ugh…?" The male let out a sudden noise as he reached a hand up to his face, feeling tears beginning to form and pool as they poured down his face. This was caused by the simple fact of what had occurred. She had forced him to feel happiness, pleasantness, and the sensation of being whole. The only thing that had ever, ever in his entire life, made Iriko truly feel that way? Was the thought of his lost soul mate, Tiamat… So his body was having the reaction that was as if he were next to her again… and with that brought the emotions of being near her, of the sheer amount of emotion that flooded the male as he gripped his chest, bending over slightly as his mouth opened in a silent expression. What would it have produced? A whimper, a sigh, a scream? Only the untold abyss would know for sure, and it wasn't telling.

"Hold it… together…!" The male choked out finally as he pulled a cane out from underneath his garments, panting as he pushed it into the ground. Finally, he ended up slamming himself across the face several times, his flesh impacting against his flesh as the noise echoed throughout the area around his body. The tears gradually stopped, and he tried to ignore the bizarre sensation within his body as small golden sparks began crawling across his skin.

"Aw, man… and here I was hoping to find you in your natural environment… I wonder if even your… ah, too much sarcasm, this stupid… AHAHAHAHAHA… AHAHAHAHA!" He laughed like a fool, his head throwing itself back. Her strange concoction had created a peculiar effect upon the male. He could not use his sarcastic wit, whet his wit with ire due to the... emotion she had ejected into him. He was sensitive, to put it one way. To put it another, he could not even have a sarcastic thought or he would be reduced to that, and it took him a few moments to get over the sarcastic thoughts of his new situation as he held his hands up to his lips for a few moments, trying to suppress them the best that he could.

"…" He took her words gravely seriously, struck with this strange feeling still. He would have loved to comment on how yaknow, Iramasha Island was a thing next to literal heaven and it was right above his neighborhood, how ironic it was that she was greeting a Cane-Carrying Captain Commander, and how she should try to say that four times fast. Nope, all of these were denied, because otherwise the male would become unable to say what he wanted to say. As it was, he already was trying to focus on how he would be able to get out half of what he wanted while he was placed into this bizarre, artificial state.

"….People have been.. Denying your view, haven't they…?" The male's comment pierced through as he asked her the question directly, the laughing finally stopping as he was able to stand up straight with the cane, his chest held high as he looked at her. "Hmm… Fine then. I shall accept the Axiom that a Utopia can exist. I assume the Soul King's Realm or Nirvana should be something similar, so I'll accept that mortal hopes can strive towards that." He said I all seriousness. It was interesting; this strange state also meant that he could not joke around or beat around the bush, making all of his words direct. He really did not like it one bit.

"Belief… Belief alone should not determine if your reality can exist. I have seen… too much lately that depends on the beliefs of others. But… I honestly do not know what I want to believe, which is why I am here. As I said, I came to learn. That is, if you are willing to… AHAHA… AHAHAHAHAHAH!!" The gentle smile that normally would have formed on his face was instead turned into another fit of full blown laughing as his face contorted in near pain as he held his sides, doubling over and eventually taking deep, fast breaths.

"….You are no fun at all." He said, that serious tone returning once more as he looked at her, his head tilting a bit to the side. However, in that moment he had to hold up a finger, wagging it at her. "But tell me, can those eyes of yours see MEANING?!" He asked her, before turning into a joyous laugh, though this one was an honest one. After all, what was in the box but for a small chip of wood? And where did that wood come from? And why was it so important? It held importance, after all, but this was partly a test, and also partly the Crow himself trying to see if Nozomi understood her own limitations. After all, that was what he was most interested in. If perfection were to be taken as an axiom… what was the limit of perfection?

"...Now if you excuse me, I have to go back to fighting my true nature to stay sane…" He commented to her as he sat down where he was, leaning back slightly as the cane dissipated, his bubble blower showing as he gripped it with a hand, his legs crossed as he began to slowly blow bubbles, waiting to see what she would say next, or if she would allow for him to learn about this strange place she had set up, the Mirrodin with this Eldrazi.

Do your eyes see… or judge?

Core Elements Devised by Aivee

Sun Nov 23, 2014 1:47 pm

Artist: Rocket Science - Song: Flora

The blue-haired girl studied the box every which way and what, currently more concerned about the potential bombs that may go off as a result of her unwrapping of it, than anything else. Thankfully, the power of her eyes were certain eough to determine that it was safe. In fact, she'd say there truly wasn't anything remarkable about the present at all; it was but a wood chip from the Soul Realm, determined by the content of reishi that made it up. It was likely that it was from the shambles of the recently desolated hearth of the Seireitei, lucky itself to have made it away rather than incinerated from the heat of the battle. She double-checked it, and triple-checked it, but still there was nothing that stuck out to her—not a single property that stood out to her apart from it being just... wood. It was not the chip's seeming simplicity that enticed to her to study it so thoroughly, but rather Iriko's presentation of it that confused her. To be honest, she would not taken any more action than her normal once-over investigation if it had not been for him. And so, rather than pay attention to it, she would instead switch her focus to the Crow himself—her eyes did not move for they did not need to, there was no indication of this shift. However, she knew he knew more than he admitted. It was quite clear that he'd lied about being oblivious to the box's contents, and for that she realized that this was some sort of test of his. He wanted her to see some meaning that he himself had likely come to, and yet Nozomi had to admit she could not until she knew how Iriko thought. Significance held to each their own meaning, so she would not figure that out until she broke into his mind to discover that which could possibly be applied to this completely unremarkable chip of wood.

So, instead, she simply would seal the present away. The box would vanish into smoke, as though nothing more than a mirage, when it and its contents were stored into a mark upon the woman's silk white glove. There, she could analyze the chip a little more, just to try and deduce from what it had come apart from, but would not divert too much attention to the task—her mind was capable of achieving many different things at once, and so she utilize that. She didn't know quite how much satisfaction Iriko would get out of her decision, but she hoped that in some small part of him, he'd felt like he'd won something. ''I must thank you for the gift, Captain-Commander. You may not know what it is, but I can assure you that I will enjoy it. Tell the sender he has my gratitude.'' She bowed her head to him ever slightly, a calm smile on her face, but they both knew they were pretty much bullshitting each other. Ah, politics... Surely though, my land's air is impeccably fresh and the mood energizing? she continued in her chime-like voice, bringing matters back to the main topic. She knew that she was driving the emotions of wholesome contentedness and youthful liveliness into him, yet still he fought it with every fiber of himself. It was as though he thought that accepting this would poison him somehow, when in reality Nozomi had worked night and day to try and perfect this environment to be natural and easy to transition into. It was insulting in a way; she'd succeeded for millions upon billions of people as citizens of Eldrazi, and yet she could not do it for someone who needed it most. Tragic and ironic.

There was a darker side of Nozomi that took a guilty pleasure in seeing the man teeter on the verge of sanity's eclipse, a shard very well smothered by her dominant personality. He deserved every last bit of pain he caused himself for trying to resist, so that side thought. It was people like this one that existed to introduce chaos into what would otherwise be a well-oiled machine. They let their beliefs get in the way of the most optimal path, ruining it for others in addition to themselves. She hated that word, 'belief'—She was forced to use it in order to communicate with these people, for it was what they would listen to without being offended. She'd designed a new world that was better than everything else, that would solve the problems of the world and would bring its people a happier life... and yet at best Nozomi could only call it a belief, an option, a style. People who denied this utopia denied salvation, and it tortured Nozomi in a way, that humanity could be so against it. They only had to look inside the walls and see that those who had accepted Eldrazi now led great lives where everyone could be happy, everyone could be wealthy, and everyone could fulfill their dreams. There were no divine beings to pray to, or offerings to be made to mythical beasts; instead there was Nozomi, a living being actively trying to make Eldrazi the best place it could be! This dark side of her wanted to damn people to whatever hell they believed in for denying themselves of her gift, and to cut down those who would oppose such a world order... but thankfully, that side of her was very well smothered.

The woman would crouch low, balancing on her toes and bringing her knees up against her chest as she leveled her curious red hues with Iriko's. ''Belief is a weird word, and honestly not the one I'd prefer to use. Look around... do you see a bunch of beliefs here? A whole lot of notions and theories? Touch the ground here...'' Her palm moved down, fingers sliding against the sleek metal surface they stood upon. Sturdy, powerful, clearly of a quality not found in worldly metals. ''And how about those trees over there that stand tall and show off their vivid green leaves. Mere illusions, are they? No, Eldrazi was once just a concept, but not any longer. Utopia has been something discussed and written off as an impossibility so many times before, so you're right... people have rejected my views. So I became discontent with looking for allies who would work with me on the project, and so I took land. It is not something I was wholly proud of, but upon their foundations I would build something I could be. What you see, touch, hear, smell, and even taste here today are those... 'beliefs' realized. And, beliefs no more. And if a person still refuses to accept that this is not what it is, a utopia, then I have no interest in dealing with them for they are as delusional as they claim others to be.''

Even with these facts, the trial still persisted, and Nozomi knew that there was still work to be done. It was a point of debate on what utopia should look like, and again beliefs interfered with that. She would try to adjust to suit everyone as best as she could, and for this reason, this is why she did not associate her nation with the word ''perfect''. She knew perfection was unattainable except in a vacuum, so she did not bother trying to justify her work as such. It's what differentiated her from others in this achievement. ''I'm going to let it stand that I don't think Eldrazi is for everyone, and it is because I accept that this place is what it is. Its crime rate is so low that it registers at zero percent. That is because it does not harbor those of criminal mind, those lost of rationale, or mere monsters. When this nation officially was declared, a non-trivial number of people were thrust out of their homes here... before you assume, let me clarify that all of these people were judged and found guilty of such ill-intent. They were people with past transgressions, or people who would live on to commit indecencies. More than that, we maintain our walls, our security, and our defenses to keep them out, and others like them. Even if they do somehow manage to somehow pass into Eldrazi, then our defenses will no doubt eliminate the threat before it even becomes relevant. Are you starting to see a little bit into what you've seen on the way here...?''

Robotic drones patrolled the skies in surprising frequency, which would make one question why it was necessary to keep so many if it was your goal to create utopia. The truth was, that the people of Eldrazi were well-informed and understood what the drones were here for. When they saw one, they felt feelings of safety and even modest camaraderie. The drones could fulfill as both pets, guards, or even friends if necessary. They kept the cities clean, they helped guide and assist the citizens, they kept the wildlife in check, and they selflessly served Eldrazi. Iriko would have seen many of them on his way here, wondering about them just a little. Maybe he'd wonder why there were so few vehicles and only those that flew in the air. Maybe he'd wonder how nature and technology could intermingle so flawlessly. Maybe he'd wonder where Eldrazi's supplies came from, or where its acquired energy, or how its military worked... ''Iriko Crow, you need only to ask your questions, and I will answer them, show you if you want. Eldrazi is a whole new place, so what do you want to learn?'' She would reach out and cradle one of the bubbles he blew out, bringing it close to her where it stayed. It would not pop, and it would not drift away.

Thu Nov 27, 2014 5:07 pm

Iriko Crow

The Dragon of the North, Seiryuu

Iriko watched the present get sealed away, his eyes looking directly at her. He watched as the box was transformed into a mark, before his right hand flew over his right eye, wincing as he observed the breakdown of the material hundreds of times, the arcane art imprinting upon his memory. Divine Art: Pandora's Seal. The incantation ran through the Sorcerer's mind as he realized he had had some strange kind of… epiphany. It had just suddenly occurred to him while he was watching her work.

"Indeed, I'll send the floor of my office your regards." The male smiled, starting to get this odd… emotion under control as he bowed his head in deference as she mused over politics of things… and nearly cracked again under the irony. "Indeed. I gather it is a good thing I am not made of waste material, or I would well be eradicated by this point, hmm?" He asked her in reply, answering the question without… well, answering the question. She also seemed to believe that he was fighting the emotions that he was undergoing currently. While on the one hand, it was certainly true that this was unusual, it would be a lie to say that Iriko did not want this. Truly, he desired these emotions above all else. To feel alive, to feel that he was glad, wholesome, fulfilled. But it did not feel… satisfying, the way it was currently being done, in addition to the strange connotations that she was forcing him to go through as his body recalled by instinct the last time he had had something like this.

"…" It was also true, to the male, that this was not… right. It was like a practicing Catholic having pre-marital sex, at least to this man. It was as if it were true, good, and holy; but it was done improperly, without proper consent. It was insulting in a way; he'd succeeded for hundreds of years to try to keep himself from remembering these feelings, and yet she had gone and dragged them out of him at an occasion he would never have imagined it necessary. Tragic and ironic.

As that right eye looked back at her once more, he searched her face as he spoke. To say that she created a perfect face would be an understatement. She was absolutely shameless in the presentation of her own self, until finally the male let out a noise. "...Ugh… Can't you be truthful of what you think I am saying? For someone who so likes happiness, beauty, and the idea of utopia… you are not very clear with your own thoughts, are you? I can converse comfortably with the Divine, but that is only if they were willing to present themselves outwards as much as they are attempting to change." The male's words spoke as he looked her in the eye. If there was madness within her and she was able to totally smother it alone… ...That… is hell… The man thought to himself, though he did not know if this were true or false. If words he spoke were angering her and she was crushing those emotions… ...Truly there is no greater hell than feelings which can never be brought to the surface… Do I know that better than anyone else…? He wondered to himself as he recalled the days when he had first arrived back into the Soul society, that strange mix of hate and care that had permeated throughout his mind at the time.

"...Belief is what shapes our universe. To say there is one certain truth, after all, is to destroy the human imagination, to deny the possibility of Utopia, and to deny the work which you have done here." Iriko explained as his own hands went down and touched the metal as well, though his gave was not as filled with wonder as hers. "...The malleability of metals, that can be interacted with using human hands… Does this floor beneath my hands deny imagination? Is it impossible for others to change?" He inquired of her, listening carefully to what she had to say. "Is the cat in the box alive or dead?" He asked her, not snapping, but merely answering her question with the proverbial one. The trees over there may well be illusions, until Iriko himself went over and touched them and examined them. In that case, they would exist to him, but that would not mean they existed to all other beings.

"… " Iriko looked at her, even with this strange injected emotion, he felt an honest pang of sorrow for the woman that he was looking at. He could see that she was trying her best. She was leading, and she was putting the sum total of that leadership on herself. She believed that she had the capabilities to keep it up, and maybe she did. But… it seemed that more than anyone the Crow had met before, she was a slave to a belief. And it was not his place to judge her for that. Whereas with Khala, with Deveta, whose slavery to their concepts lead to destruction and pain and suffering… Nozomi seemed more as if she were doing this to give herself a purpose in life. It was not wholly evil, but… it saddened the male to realize that she was in the position where she had to reject all other forms of thought, to deny the Heart because of the Mind, to stop those who could possibly aid her because of a 'defect' she believed in. She seemed as though she were relentlessly seeking, pursuing results, as if the need to establish that they existed surpassed everything else. It reminded Iriko of the Prohibition the Americans had gone through. They wanted to prove through a Noble Experiment that they could change the world for the better, and in the end they were unable to do so. Nozomi, in fact, seemed to have the power to enforce her reality on others. However… she was doing as such alone. She had no one next to her in this palace that Iriko could see, none whom shared her vision from the beginning. She herself said that she could not find allies. All of this… made the Poet extraordinarily… sad.

"…" As she began speaking of the crime rate… Iriko's eyes suddenly and dramatically changed to far for a moment, before shifting back over to uncertainty. "…… So the concept of being able to go against, to defy, or to commit 'evil' have been denied…" As he heard her explain this, an absolutely intense darkness stole over the male's face, his lower lip shuddering as she asked if he was starting to see a little bit into what he had seen on his way to this location. "……………………………………………… How then… are you not a hypocrite…?" He asked her, looking directly in to the eyes as she had finished explaining that she had attempted to destroy human will.

"You yourself said that you are not wholly proud of takin this place from its former stewards, but are proud of the results. People cannot choose those kinds of actions if Eldrazi is as you say. The influence of people who act such as this are removed from their lives, and cannot gain the ideas from themselves. Newspeak put into practice… What's the point if you are not given the ability to overcome temptation, or even to reach redemption? Has not this very land your country is built upon been redeemed?"

Iriko's blue truths struck outwards, waiting for Nozomi's gray to likely cut them to pieces. In reality, he had the sinking suspicion that this is exactly what would occur. He watched her cradling one of the bubbles that he had blown out, and once again there was that wrenching feeling in his gut. "...What does Eldrazi stand for? What do the people here view as reality? What do they know of the outside world? How do you cooperate with the outside world? What does your society think of the actions of people such as Kin Iramasha and the attack on the Gotei 13? Is your goal worth the claiming of all the lands of the Earth? Do you ever plan to give your utopia over to a successor? What changes within Eldrazi? What satisfies the human impulses? What kind of a moral code is upheld? What kinds of punishment are considered - what is your justice system like? Are there accepted differences between men and women, for example, and are creatures such as Demons, Arrancar, and Vizard accepted? How do you deal with them if a part of them is ill-intended but the whole is not?"

Iriko's questions flew from his blazing soul, having been given the golden key of questioning. It was a strange privilege, not one that he was used to… Having the right to question about a reality without having to hold back, without having to deal with politics or how his questions may offend the other. He was being honest in his questioning, and from the devotion that Nozomi showed towards her project - he was beginning to think it was more like her child - he was certain, absolutely certain, that she would reply with honesty. That was the trust between questioner and asker that was being established between the two of them.

That was what was the most important part about this conversation, to the Captain Commander.

Core Elements Devised by Aivee

Tue Dec 02, 2014 6:35 pm

Artist: Phantasy Star - Song: Entry Into The Crater

''You misunderstand me.''

Devoid of the stridence Iriko's response took to her explanations, she responded in a soft voice. It had a quality to it that seemed to calm the tension in the air caused by his overwhelming emotion. It gripped Iriko as much as it did the environment around them, soothing and tranquil. Even the wind seemed to still at her obiter, allowing for a blanket of silence to fall over them. And Nozomi looked at him with a frown, her eyes searching him despite knowing she did not need to look further, for he was expressive as it was. She would allow her gaze to finally dip only after a considerable amount of time, letting those red hues fell upon the soapy globule in her hands, seeming downtrodden. She opened up her hearth and released the bubble back into the air where it would float away into the sky. The emotion on her face was not really one she wanted to show, and she was practiced in hiding it; but Eldrazi was like her child to her and it was what she had chosen to stand for. It was clear in every syllable the man spoke, every single shift in his muscles, and even down the fluctuations within his body betraying his emotions: Iriko was disgusted. Even as she cradled one of his bubbles, transfusing it with her magics to enhance it and invigorate it, he could only see it as perverse. His words told her he'd accept that utopia could exist, but from the very first moment he would be against every single thing she showed him.

''You've mistaken everything I said, twisting it as you wish to better suit your arguments against it. It is difficult to show you this new world when it is ingrained within you to fight it from the beginning... When a person becomes acquainted with a new concept, the best course of action is to handle it neutrally, to hear the whole of the story and then analyze the words for all their possible meanings and consequences. That is the mindset I would like people to possess when I teach them of Eldrazi, for I hope to see them come to the same conclusion I have in time; and doubtless, Utopia is not an concept that can fully form at the snap of a finger.'' Nozomi's eyes would darken, and she would rise to her feet again to make a point of standing above Iriko. With a sleight of hand he'd feel it—a yanking—the sudden and rough removal of Eldrazi's aura from him, replaced with the usual emptiness he was so used to. She would hold it away from his body, keeping him sincere in what was truly natural air. There was a distinct difference between the energetic warmth of Eldrazi and the plain empty atmosphere. ''I know... and there's no point in denying it from me, that this was not the mindset you carried. Instead, you are biased, as they all tend to be. You hear what I have to say but your mind immediately goes to the pessimistic side of things, formulating a negative and false opinion with only a minimum amount of thought.''

Needless to say she had been offended, and there was no point in masking this for she owed nothing to the Gotei or Soul Society, not even an apology. She had taken part in the invasion of their realm, and Iriko no doubt knew this. The fact that they were not allies was apparent and so far amends were not even on the menu. Even if he left this place today with his mind unchanged in any way, it would mean nothing to Nozomi for she had nothing to gain from teaching this specific man the ways of her new world. While there were no indications of such, there still could possibly be indoctrination within him, as he'd accepted the Demon's influence into the Soul Society and was no stranger to the physical touch of Khala; this could all easily be a waste of time, and yet she did it all out of good will. It was that good will that Nozomi continued to hold his audience, now taking care to more carefully word her statements so that it did not require too much thought to understand it.

''There is a colossal difference between 'belief' and 'imagination'... neither of which have anything to do with Eldrazi anyways. So let me explain all of those things to you. Belief is an accepted concept that stems from faith or ideology. It is no actual concrete object but a mere thought; a perception. Not only that but it holds no irrefutable truth to it. A belief can not be a belief if there is a fact, with a reality that supports an existence. When you believe in a god or religion you do so in faith and not because it is an unassailable truth. We call that science.'' She rose her hand up and balled it into a fist, feeling like she had to give him visual cues as well in order to keep him on track; albeit she was more doing it out of frustration. She stuck her index finger into the air, indicating the number one to him to show that she had completed the first part of her explanation. She'd count them off for him as she went through them. ''Imagination is wholly apart of a belief, an entirely different concept. It is one's general ability to formulate sensations within the mind whether they be original or inspired by the environment around them. Truly great things can take place because of the existence of imagination, and without it as a foundation nothing in this world would have ever come to exist, for never could a concept come to exist.''

Number two: Her middle finger straightened out and aligned with her first, meaning she was finished with her second explanation. ''Now that you have acquired these fundamental definitions, I can reiterate my intent. Never have I robbed a person of belief or imagination in Eldrazi. Never did I state to be doing so. What I told you is that Eldrazi was a belief no more, but a reality. It exists; it is part of science, part of truth. There is no denying the existence of Eldrazi because you are sitting on it. You, as a person, have the right to imagine whatever the hell you want about this place, and call it whatever the hell you want, but it will never change the undeniable tangibility of it, because I brought it into this world. It is sheer logic through which a person could come to understand what I've just told you, but with your bleak bias you'd distorted it, making issues where there should have been none.'' Her ring finger rose with the rest to total three—this one, strangely enough, was encircled by tenuous golden ring with an aquamarine gem seated within it, though it was only a small detail of Nozomi's attire.

''Moving on, let me clarify to you that I am not reaching into a person and robbing them of their will, as you may seem to believe. Like every other lawful land in existence, Eldrazi possesses rules so that it may be preserved. And if a person wishes to go against those rules, then they will lose their privilege of utopia. Most people punish a soul by jailing it, while others choose to execute their offenders. It is my choice to exile them, and is easily the most lenient of the three choices... Now, your problem seems to be that I have extracted people from Eldrazi before a crime has been committed. This is because I have the means to prevent the crime from ever occurring because I can foresee it within a person. Possessing such a power and choosing not to use it is more of an atrocity to me than the result. People are given their chance, their one single chance at redemption by my foresight—and if they fail, then they do not belong in a realm touted for its superiority.''

Every single person who wished to live in Nozomi's society had to be screened first by her telepathic sight. She would judge them, and if found guilty she would offer them one opportunity at proving themselves. They could stay so long as they heeded her rule, but the moment they incited unwanted chaos, she'd thrust them out without a second's hesitation. It was not the first crime that Nozomi counted, but the first intent, when she examined their mind. The act of a crime concluded a second intent. ''If you are looking for your own perfect world in my work, then you have come to the wrong place because that is something only you alone can create. You are bound to have problems with my utopia; a different view... I want to share with you what Eldrazi represents, but I can't if you are going to cling to your prejudice, Captain Commander. So before I continue I need to know if you will truly listen to my word.'' When the woman was finished with her speech, she looked down at him with a pang of sadness and disappointment in her eyes. The way she looked at him... showed that he'd already lost her trust. She'd continue educating him if he so wished to hear her out, but the amiability she began with was gone; forfeit.

Thu Jan 08, 2015 3:31 pm

Iriko Crow

The Dragon of the North, Seiryuu

The smile quickly left Iriko's face as he hear that soft tone, and he realized - he had crossed a line. His eyes slowly closed, his teeth clenching hard in his mouth as a tenseness returned to his body, feeling tht blanket of silence fall down along their bodies, looking back at that frown of hers. ...I… messed up… I misunderstood something…? Is that… a good thing, or a bad one, I wonder…? his thoughts rebounded inside of his mind.

She spoke to him. And for that, he was glad. She rejected his reality, for that… he was glad. Slowly, very slowly, he felt a strange hollow emptiness fill within his chest, where he believed his heart was roughly located. After all… it hurt to scrape at another's love. It did, it hurt. But Iriko scraped, and he wanted to scrape. He wanted her to have this reaction. He wanted to see her defense. He wanted to see that caring she held for it. He truly did… and that's why, even though seeing this… and having to be the one to inflict it, was painful… he did it. The tone that she replied with was one of denial… and Iriko did not believe there to be anything wrong with that. He listened calmly to her words, using his ears and attempting to not just hear, but to listen.

So he released a breath, and after regarding everything with who he was and showing Nozomi the reaction he had held, he released himself from himself. Deep within his own spirit, he felt as if his eyes were opening. The 'third eye' of Iriko was of this variety; it was one that would see without judgments, without bias. Painfully, he was reminded of his own sorry state, when he panged for someone to look this way for him. And the one person he had wanted to, the one single solitary person… the only one in all of existence that he begged, pleaded, humbled himself below what could even be called a man for… all of that wasn't enough. For him to do that to someone else… and seek never to change it, therefore… would be unforgiveable in his eyes.

So he took Nozomi's suggestion, trying as hard as he could to reach that neutral state of mind, his eyes slowly opening as he looked up at Nozomi almost.. Innocently. He could feel Eldrazi being ripped from him, and the last of the tears and strange emotions that he had been undergoing departed from his body. He slowly took a deep breath, not saying a word as he listened to what she said. He remained silent in deference to her as she explained about beliefs, his thoughts meditating silently upon them. ...Belief… doe not have to do with the Eldrazi… And after that thought passed through his mind, he decided to seek evidence supporting it through the rest of what she said, slowly watching her visual demonstration as she stuck her index finger into the sky. ...Fair enough… He was fine with what she said about Imagination; that seemed correct to him.

She was explaining it to him, and he appreciated that. She attacked his ethos, of having bleak bias, and while he did not agree that it was truly bleak in that manner, he nevertheless made no motion to attempt to defend himself. After all, he had to keep reminding himself… he was here to learn. ...I… made a mistake. He determined, feeling reminded of how Khala had come into the Soul Society. She had… been able to silence even that madness, that distorted view of the world. Could he really not do the same? So… he would try, noticing the ring and taking in the appearance of it. … However, that was not what they were focusing on, as his mind returned to her words.

...This is true… it is a very similar ideal to what I went through when I removed the Maggot's Nest… … Does that pressure create enough aid to…? And finally, she stated what his problem was. "…" Her explanation echoed within his mind, and she had not yet finished, but a single question had appeared within his mind. And… he believed that he had reached the answer to that question as he looked back up at her, falling to his hands and knees as he pushed his forehead into the ground.

"...I… Am weak."

Those were the words that emitted from his mouth as he sat back once more, though he was still looking at the ground. "I understand that… And I can fake at being strong, let my love of argument emerge… and it can cause conflict. And for that… I am sorry. It was not my intention to offend you." He told her, hanging his head. "...I… cannot deny that I am looking for a perfect would. I wonder if we all are. And you are correct. I was seeking out the weaknesses of your society. … But… you have refuted that." He told her honestly, his eyes blinking as he finally lifted his head, though his eyes were still downcast.

"...Out of curiosity, could I ask one question?" If he were denied, then he would simply fall silent once more, but if given permission would continue with the following: "With your power… is it possible to simulate for a person the feeling of failure, of having been a part of this society but then the emotion of being cut off? Can your powers convince them that that reality is the current one, is real?" From there, his line of thought would halt. He would not make any axioms following that question. He just wanted to ask it, and see her reaction to it.

Whether or not he had been denied, he would slowly draw out a scroll from his robes, a pen following in his right hand as he would look at it listlessly for a moment, before finally swallowing, blinking, and looking straight up at her. "...I can release my prejudice. Please… accept that release, and teach me so that I may evaluate them if they do hold strength or not." The strength of her will had shaken him, that was true. However, it had shaken him to the point where he realized that he had been using his mind incorrectly. She had shocked him. He had offended her. He still… could not release that feeling of wanting to learn more. The woman before him held such strength… he wanted to learn from it, so he would try.

He could promise that he would try.

Core Elements Devised by Aivee

The Poet and the National Perfectionist

The Poet and the National Perfectionist

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Re: The Poet and the National Perfectionist

Re: The Poet and the National Perfectionist

Re: The Poet and the National Perfectionist