Chaper 14: The Blessed

[Dinari Dollar]

to Calithin and Tuesday

Dinari can't believe that Tuvi is really going to help him out...usually she seems more sarcastic and reluctant to touch him. He thinks that maybe he is wearing her down. She puts up a good resistance, but since he is wealthy, charming, and good looking...he knows she can't keep it up forever.

"Sure, we'll find a spare room." Dinari says to Tuvi with a wink...then he leads her upstairs. He opens a door, but instead of a bedroom...he sees Calithin and Tuesday with puzzle pieces.

"Did you guys see me ride the mammoth?" Dinari asks. "It was pretty awesome. I impressed Tuvi so much that she wants to give me a massage now." Dinari says proudly.

[Jumala Keitoleinen]

Keitoleinen laughs when Anthony launches the spear into the mammoth's ear. He laughs as the beast lumbers from side to side, now impaled in the head. It doesn't kill the mammoth, but instead seems to make it go crazy. It now is stomping around the living room, breaking the furnishings and threatening the party goers. Keitoleinen is delighted.

The mammoth rams its horns into the wall, causing a great puncture. Finally after a few minutes of mammoth rampage, the creature falls dead.

It dies just in time for Anthony to show off the last creature...the one he has been talking about all along.

However, the strange circus that Keitoleinen hired is now at the party as well. It is their turn to perform, so Anthony's creature will have to be shown quickly.

[Jack Kruschev]

I pull fairly hard to get the creature inside and within site.

Hauling it on stage and clapping my hands to pull everyone's attention from the beast of the mammoth, I announce my latest creature and invention.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" I say in a loud, proud voice, "Never once in history has a creature of liquid survived on this Earth. Never has it lived to see sunlight or moonlight. But I, Anthony West of Genetech Lab Systems, have created such a creature."

I pull the cloth off the tank to reveal my latest creature.

It fills about half of the tank and is a brownish-red color. You occasionally hear a popping sound from the bubbles. In reality, the animal is simply breathing even though it looks as if it is boiling.

"Try killing this one, I'll give you a clue, knives, spears, and other physical weapons won't kill it."

[Dr. Lonnrot Kukkanen]

I grin and smile as I close my eyes and keep the liquid creature in line. Dr. West has asked me to use my mind control abilities to control the creature and prevent it from harming any guests.

The creature is angry, but I won't allow it to get out of control, my control.

[Bambi Engel]

Bambi hadn't exactly prepared herself to meet face to face with Annette right away, but she still attempts to keep her cool. She debates on commenting about how the dress wasn't her idea as she doubts the woman would hardly approve of it. In the end, she keeps her mouth shut about it.

"Of course, how could I not attend?" She decides to keep a neutral expression as she felt any smile she could muster would be more of a grimace. She focuses on Annette instead of anything else in the mansion, as she knows the kind of things The Blessed consider 'entertainment'.

The sight of Annika 25 comes as a comfort despite Bambi's dislike of creditors. When the pink haired nods at her, she actually offers a small smile in return. Once Annette questions her, she turns her attention back to her. She was used to her boss's coughing.

"Hard as I always do, Miss Rosenthal. I enjoy my work." She replies pleasantly.

[Frieda Artz Lehrer]

Frieda stands near one of the walls of the mansion, having been invited to the party only because her father owns a company. She knows her brother is also here, as she had left only a few moments after him. All of the unfamiliar faces and chatter make her feel horridly uncomfortable.

She keeps her arms crossed, pressing her sweaty palms against her upper arms. Despite it being a party of The Blessed, she sees a few people whom she thinks look like they would be kind. She imagines herself walking up to a few of them, befriending them... but remains standing against the wall.

When they start killing the animals, she finally forces herself to move, wandering down a random hallway. She only really liked the unicorn and tiger, but she didn't want to see any of the animals butchered.

She stops halfway down the hallway, part of her wanting to get far away enough to hear nothing and the other part scared to, since the sounds of people actually comforted her despite her nervousness.

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

To Frieda

"It must be frustrating to have all of those cars, but not be able to drive them. It would be interesting to see them. Like visiting a museum. I've never seen a car from the Oil Age." I reply to Max Alexander. I find that he is alright to talk to. Although he is wealthy, and generally, I dislike wealthy people, he is not snobbish. He is friendly and seems to treat me well enough, even though I am not one of the Blessed.

I pause for a moment to think of something else for us to discuss. From the corner of my eye, I catch a young woman with pretty violet eyes down the hall, away from us a little. She seems shy and maybe put off by the animal slaughter as well. This is only a guess, but something about her expression makes her appear ill at ease with the party.

"Hi there.." I call out to her. "You can join us if you like." I offer. I guess I shouldn't talk to strangers, but, for some reason I feel like reaching out.

[Jumala Keitoleinen]

"Impressive Anthony. But what if we freeze it..or try to make it evaporate? Wouldn't that kill your liquid creation?" Keitoleinen asks. He glances at Dr. Lonrott and smiles. He wonders what would happen if the doctor lost control. He thinks it could be amusing.

"And what would happen if the good doctor lost control of the creature?" He inquires eagerly. He folds his arms and looks back at the other guests, some of which are trying to move the mammoth to the back yard so it can be butchered.

Keitoleinen's maid is cleaning up the unicorn mess.

[Tristan Tuzanic]

To Ronja

Tristan retreats to the kitchen after Lonrott becomes busy with the creature. He will attempt to talk to him again later.

When Tristan enters the kitchen, he notices Ronja, who he has seen around Scrag. He hates Scrag and wonders why this woman would choose to work so closely with him...or if she even had a choice in the matter.

Tristan looks her over, gets a glass of water, takes a sip, than glances back at her. He is reluctant to talk to her.

"So, I've seen you around. You assist The Master, right?" He finally says. The only reason he decided to talk to her is because she has nice hair and eyes. Anyway, if they both work for the Manalists, perhaps they have some common ground.

[Max Alexander]

"Yep, well, maybe i'll see you around the party. Im going to go get some food."

Max head off in the other direction.

((leaving town to go to south dakota, ill be back in a couple days.))

[Malak Al-Dabaran]

Malak was not invited to the party, but managed to snag an invitation from some connection the party had. So, he was allowed into the party with the wrong invitation...with the purpose of doing some investigative reporting for the party's newspaper. The article will be about the wastefulness of the Banquet of the Blessed. He remains seated in a corner, taking notes in a small notebook.

The Blessed had a show of animals created by Genetech. After the show, these expensive animals were wasted in a senseless slaughter. Their exotic meat was to be consumed later, but as a whole, it was a complete waste. While the rest of the world starves or eats smeet, these elite and powerful few can feast on rare and expensive creations. It is unjust and angering.

[Annette Rosenthal]

"The Manala-mas season is almost upon us. I was thinking that perhaps this year the Global Bank could host a Manala-mas party. With the economy as it is, I was also thinking that we should have a special meeting of the Economic Council. I was going to run it past the Moderator, but I see that he is not here. I think if we all work together...we could improve spending this Manala-mas season." Annette rambles on. She assumes that Bambi must be entirely enamored with this economic banter.

"Yes, after the party, it would be a good idea to have a special meeting of the Economic Council. You don't need to worry about that, but if you would like to attend, you are certainly welcome."

She crosses her arms and makes a mental list of some things. She even moves her lips as if saying to herself what is on this mental list.

"Since you did a good job with the London bank situation, I think I would like you to plan out the Manala-mas party this year. I'm sure you would be honored to have such a responsibilty. It only goes to show that I have a lot of faith in you, even if you did show up to the party dressed like a skank." Annette insults...and compliments...at the same time.

[Sidapa Amparo]

Sidapa watches the slaughter of the animals and is very interested in the creature that Anthony West has created. He thinks such a creature might be a good addition to the Invisible Hand. He watches carefully to see what it does and how powerful it is.

He also pays close attention to what people are wearing at the party. He overhears Annette call Bambi a skank and wants to say something, since he liked her dress. Instead, he just frowns. He wouldn't want to stick his neck out. He minds his own business and decides he will quietly watch the animal show.

[Bonifaz Artz-Lehrer]

Bonifaz notices that his sister is lurking around, but for now he pays her no attention. He has a unicorn to skin. He takes the carcass to the backyard of the mansion, where he skins it with some help. He then chops off the legs and head and begins butchering the meat. He is too caught up with the work to care much for socializing or tormenting Frieda. When the unicorn has been properly butchered, some cooking staff takes over the work.

Bonifaz then turns his attention to the Wooley Mammoth. That will be quite a lot of work and he isn't even sure it will be worth it.

[Lumina & Tibor]

Lumbor, (the woman pictured in the center) enters the party by kicking open a side door. The door is ripped from its hinges and lands a few feet from the frame. She is scantly clad in a barbarian outfit and makes her presance known with an authoritative growl accumpanied by a series of flexing poses to show off her amazing body.

"Sorry guys, but I just couldn't wait any longer!!

*Flexes a bit more*

"I'm the last creature Genetech has to show off. But I just couldn't bear waiting ANY longer."

Lumbor flexes a couple more poses and walks over to a couple of the guests, picks them up and starts to lift them in the air like weights.