The Long and Winding Road: Finale

The Long and Winding Road: Finale
Date of Scene:	18 June 2014
Location:	Detroit of Darkness
Synopsis:	Beautiful Rose Petal, Promethean of the Galateid Lineage, has become human. This is the story of her transformation.
Cast of Characters:	37, Staren, 83, 113, 127, 269

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Rose Petal (113) has posed:
Belle Isle Park, Detroit-411811

Beautiful Rose Petal is here. It's the middle of the night. The moon is full - and also an impressively orange shade. The littlest Promethean seems to have constructed a bonfire by herself, although it isn't lit.

She's dressed in possibly the prettiest clothes anyone has ever seen her in. A white dress, similar to her usual one, but it looks brand new. Her hair is tied up into two pigtails rather than just being allowed to hang down freely. And, most surprising, she's actually wearing -shoes-. Black ones, with little buckles, and white ankle socks to go with them.

She's waiting for... something.

Staren has posed:
Friday the 13th. A weird moon. Staren, rational man of SCIENCE, knows that both of those things...

...Can be really important. Seriously, he comes from a huge magitech city and everyone knows the power plant running the whole thing puts out like twice as much on solstices and don't even get started on how much power you get from eclipses and planetary alignments!

So, something big is going down for Rose. Given that she recently discovered a ritual needed to achieve her lifelong dream for herself and her daughter, Staren figures that the extra power available tonight is going to be used for it. He doesn't know if he'll be able or even needed to help, but he's kind of honored that at the very least, Rose wants him there for this.

Staren shows up in his usual clothes -- teleporting into an alley somewhere nearby then creeping through the night. "Rose." He smiles slightly. "Good to see you again. Tonight's the night, huh? Everything you wanted?" He hopes so. It's nice to see people's dreams come true in the multiverse, in between all the terrible schemes and evil monsters and whatnot killing countless innocents a day. It's one of the things that makes leaving your home universe now and then worthwhile (the other big one is punching those schemers and monsters and saving the people that are left).

Dracula Vlad Tepes (83) has posed:
The middle of the night, a full orange moon, and a life-changing transformation. This is such a perfect night.

Dracula arrives without much flair, save for the usual imposing air he carries with him. Tall and upright, robes and cloak gently flowing behind him, arms folded behind his back; he treats the situation with calm respect, for once not letting his pomp get in the way of someone else's situation. He only pauses mid-stride once to look up and appreciate the beautiful, ominous moon, a small smile curving his lips. Yes, a perfect night indeed.

The Lord of Darkness gives a slight bow of his head to Rose when he reaches her, his eyes fixed on her for the moment as he addresses the Promethean. His tone is polite, at least devoid of the harsh roughness he addresses so many other people with. "Rose. You have my congratulations on your progress. I hope that the results of this are to your satisfaction."

Serori (37) has posed:
Serori arrives alongside Dracula, no doubt taking advantage of whatever swift transport method he's utilized. Unlike Rose Petal -- who's dressed up for the occasion -- she arrives looking unusually dressed /down/, her t-shirt, jeans, and scuffed sneakers not exactly an outfit meant to impose and amaze. At least her outfit proves she's not here to fight; if that was the case, she'd probably have put on some armor. No, the only armament she's got on tonight is a pair of dark sunglasses settled firmly over her eyes.
That's a full moon, and she /is/ a were-monkey, you know.
Dracula might stop to appreciate that moon, but it's /Staren/ who Serori regards for awhile before she proceeds toward Rose. Staren -- the only one here to represent Union interests -- is someone she's never gotten to know very well despite his name coming up quite frequently in various reports. He's the type to take interest in any significant event, so she supposes it's not too weird to find him here on a night like this, but...what does he care about Rose, anyway? Is he here for the information, or because he's actually Rose Petal's friend?
Serori smiles gently at Rose. "Aah...you look so pretty tonight, Rosie. I'm so proud of you for making it this far!"

Kirikou (127) has posed:
This is ... a bit of a mixed thing for Kirikou. He can certainly appreciate his young friend's goal of becoming human. He'd like to say there's nothing wrong with her the way she is currently of course, but that's not entirely the truth. Intellectually he accepts her as she is. His gut unease though, that's outside his control. He likes her despite that creepy magic vibe of course. It does show though, that her state of humanity does actually matter somehow.

It's just that Rose seemed so... so accepting of this. Like it was something that would kill her. That she'd at least be unfit for duty following the procedure. Maybe it'll kill her to become mortal. Maybe it'll just strip her of her abilities somehow. That's cause to be saddened... but it's still Rose's goal. For that, Kilik's going to be here to support her.

He strides into the park, one of the Twins on each arm. Not as weapons, just as kids. They're heavy of course, too heavy for any normal person to lift for long, but that doesn't seem to slow the youth any. He only sets the sleepy-eyed children down when they come into sight of Rose and the others. They rub their eyes then wave cheerfully to the Promethean, though they don't immediately rush in. Subdued, perhaps, by the sight of who else is here. Kilik is somewhat surprised to see the Marshal himself taking the field for this, but of course this is momentous. After a moment of surprise, he nods his head respectfully. Not a bow, but Kilik would only do that if protocol demanded... and if so, he suspects protocol would demand more than just a bow. He's at least being respectful. Serori gets a similar nod, and no less respect from the young Meister.

Kilik's reaction towards Rose is more friendly, less formal. He grins cheerfully, and as he glances to Staren that grin doesn't fade. "Good to see you." he says, returning his gaze to Rose. The greeting was for her, but he doesn't seem to be actively excluding Staren. Science Cat has earned his respect, somewhat, for the aid given a month ago. He has friends among Union people after all, and sees no reason to show contempt merely because of the side a person chooses. He'd rather judge by actions than by sides.

No. 9 (269) has posed:
Nine is here, wandering in with a quiet, hushed air about him. He's not in his hideous tuxedo, or his blood-spattered workgear, or even his casual. He's here in a set of... monk's robes? It's what it looks like. Monks robes. They're rather big on him, leaving him enough room to hide, the sleeves volumous enough to swallow his overlong arms and the hood deep enough to swallow his ugly face. But it's back for now, the eyes a-gleam and the leathery features hesitent and uncertain. Nine is here to support his friend in every way he can, but he's a bit torn on what's happening. On the one hand, it's the ultimate dream of a good close friend of his. On the other hand... it might be a friend he might well be losing because of it.

But he can't be selfish here. This is her moment, and for that he's clean and clipped, his hair cut carefully and his skin scrubbed, metal polished till it's gleaming and wearing that faint cologne that mitigates his natural odor down to a mostly neutral haze. He's here, clean and presentable, here to watch his friend realize her dream, and he'll stand by her, no matter what.

It's Friday the 13th, and Nine might be about to lose yet another friend. His eyes are heavy with it, but his ugly face is caught in a small, almost hopeful little smile, an odd expression to see on a guy like him.

When it's his turn to approach her, he does just that, approaches her... and falls to one knee with a clang. Careful to avoid mussing her pretty dress, those long arms wrap around her, crushing her softly to him and, in a thick, weak little voice, he almost growls the words, "No matter what..." but can't seem to say the rest. Maybe he doesn't have to. There's hope there, in amongst all the rest of it.

Rising he'd make his way towards the others; a deep respectful nod for his boss, a soft hug for Serori and a somewhat more brusque one for Kilik, a hand on either shoulder for the sleepy-eyed twins, and a nod, slow and silent for Staren, before turning back to Rose with a deep, old look in his eyes.

Rose Petal (113) has posed:
There's a faint taste of salt.

Beautiful Rose Petal remains stoic as more and more people arrive - although she's visibly surprised by Dracula's arrival - but Nine's hug causes her to completely lose her composure, clinging her arms to him and holding on as though he were a life preserver and she a woman swept off a ship in a storm. "I won't. I won't forget," she insists, breathing in the golem's scent. "I... I wish you'd been my dad. Or... or maybe my brother. You know? I've always... always enjoyed being around you, Mist-" Pause. "...Nine. Always."

Finally, the two part, and Beautiful Rose Petal takes a deep breath. She stoops down, picking up a stick. She places her left hand over the tip - there's a brief flash of power, and the stick is alight with flame. Rose Petal turns to the bonfire, and carefully places the burning stick amidst the tinder.

She then approaches Dracula, first. "Lord Dracula. I... apologise for no longer being able to offer my services to the Confederacy." She chews on her lip, then produces a small USB stick. "This contains all of my alchemical research. It may come in useful in the future."

Then, to Serori. Rose Petal hesitates for a moment, almost looking like she wants to go in for a hug, but she restrains herself. "I'm sorry I haven't been able to support you as much as I would have liked, Miss Serori." She reaches under her skirt, removing the tanto strapped to her thigh and holding it up to the Saiyan. "Please look after this. It was a gift from Miss Miaka, but I dont think it would be appropriate for a little girl to keep it." She also produces a letter in a sealed envelope! "And... this is for my daughter. Please make sure it reaches her."

Kilik and the Twins next! "...I don't... have anything to give you. Um." She looks a little uneasy. "...I promise we'll always be friends?" she attempts, wincing slightly.

Moving swiftly on! Staren! "Staren. Thank you for believing in me. Even after that... incident... with the Pandorans..." She trails off after a moment. Then... another USB stick! "This contains... um. -Some- of my alchemical research. I, uh. I can't exactly give the Union free access to alcehmical weapons, but... it should be useful if you ever need to help another Promethean."

Staren has posed:
Staren is expecting some... shady? No, that's not the word... /dark/ people to show up. Rose is in the Confederacy, after all, and it's a sad truth about the Union that few of its members view such things as Prometheans must deal with in a positive light. Staren will never forget his allies insensitively ruining Rose's first attempt to create a daughter, resulting in the creation of monsters, and THEN they had the gall to shoot at her dad too, which he had to put a stop to and got quite an earful for later.

The shooter later apologized to him, though.

But when Dracula shows up, Staren offers a brief polite nod... then double-takes and STARES for a second when he realizes the Confederate Field Marshal is here. And so is former Field Marshal or at least General, Staren wasn't really paying attention back then, Serori. He recovers, though he's a bit shaken briefly, before he reassures himself that they are all here out of friendship to Rose. It would be disrespectful to their friend to try anything, just as it would be for /him/ to try anything. Still, not every day you attend a social gathering with folks like that.

Although, how many social gatherings do you go to by the night of the full moon around a bonfire on Friday the 13th?

Kirikou, Staren doesn't know except that he was here last time. Another polite nod.

And then hey, it's Nine! Everyone's favorite mental case and bloody massacre waiting to happen! But also way more familiar to Staren than most of the people here, so he gets a smile. "Hey, Nine."

Why is Staren so cheerful? See, the thing is, Staren did /not/ see the message on the Fed boards about Rose having to step down. He has no reason to expect anything bad to happen. Sure, Rose will become a 'normal' human, so what? She can still fight in powered armor, or with magic and created constructs, or become a science officer.

The reason she joined the Feds was so sad. Because the Union would see her as a monster. Early on, he might have hoped that becoming human would give her a chance to join the 'heroes'. But now, seeing her Confederate friends here to support her... No. He would never expect her to turn on them. Now that he thinks about it, he supposes that's why Nine has just been driven crazier, instead of turning, thanks to the effort of Unionites to be nice. Well, that's a sad thought. Staren wonders if any of the feds are actually /friends/ to Jinx(el)... But, that's getting rather far from the topic at hand.

And /then/ Rose announces she's retiring. Wait, /what/!? This is completely our of left field. "What?!" He sort of stammers a bit, but doesn't want to interrupt Rose's goodbyes... but /why is she saying goodbye?!/

Staren accepts the USB stick, nodding. "I'd be glad to use it for that..."

"But what is /going on/?" Staren finally asks, confused. "You're acting like you're /dying/ or something! Becoming human is your greatest wish, your lifelong dream! Why... why are you talking like you're getting ready for your funeral rather than your graduation?"

Serori (37) has posed:
The gravity is beginning to weigh on Serori. At first, she'd come in like nothing was the matter at all, exuding her usual energy and sass. The Twins were greeted by an enthusiastic wave and her toothy smirk, and Kilik was given a sarcastic sketch of a salute in response to his respectful nod. Nine's hug was taken, smiled at, the big golem patted roughly on the arm. Everything was the same it had always been!
As the others gather around Rose Petal and the girl begins to distribute her gifts, however...Serori starts to understand how very /permanent/ Rose Petal's change will be. Some of her energy flags, and she clutches the gifted tanto in a grip that's tighter than it should be. Above the rims of her sunglasses, Serori's eyebrows peak toward one another, etching shallow, troubled furrows into her brow. Although this is quickly smoothed out by her emotional control, the fur along her tail stays a little too flat, and the waving appendage coils tightly around her waist.
"You were always supportive even if you weren't always on the field. But -- you really won't remember anything?" Serori asks. Despite the other signs she is having some difficulty, her voice remains mostly strong and level. "S-saa...I will keep this safe..." The letter, too; she presses it to her chest.
She frowns, and drops her gaze. The end of her tail flicks in discomfort.

Dracula Vlad Tepes (83) has posed:
The nods of greeting are returned to Kilik and Nine when they arrive, but soon Dracula's attention is taken back to Rose Petal. Dracula extends his hand once Rose approaches him with the stick, smiling in a remarkably friendly manner as he accepts it in his grasp. "First of all, Rose Petal, you served well while you were in the Confederacy, and for that I am grateful. I hope, then, that whatever you make of your new life will be worthwhile. Do not waste it."

He then lifts the stick to his eyes for a moment before tucking it in a pocket in his robes. "I will keep this safe. Perhaps it will be a fitting supplement to my own alchemical research. I am sure it will be useful, regardless; you have my thanks. Should you have need of it, Castlevania's followers will be willing to assist you in your new life."

His arms fold behind his back, then, as he stands aside and lets Rose meet with the others. A glance out of the corner of his eye is given to Staren, but he remains quiet for the moment. It shouldn't go by too roughly, he thinks.

Kirikou (127) has posed:
Kilik isn't interested in gifts. Indeed, those few gifts Rose gives out aren't the slightest bit interesting to him. Research is cool and all, but not anything he covets. He offers a wry smile though at the gift she does offer him. Friendship. Why would he want anything more than that? Of course the girl's wince makes the offer rather bittersweet... the unspoken implication rather clear to Kirikou. This isn't a transformation... this is goodbye.

He's not sure if he should offer a hug to Rose or not. She's a kid, sure, but she's not as physically-demonstrative as the Twins are. Kilik certainly wouldn't mind giving the poor kid a hug, but he has no idea what's involved. If it's the sort of thing she'd appreciate or if it'd only make things more awkward. He's bad at social relationships that aren't warrior-to-warrior, not because he lacks empathy but because he's simply not very perceptive. And likewise, he'd probably like to cry. Well, maybe he wouldn't LIKE to cry, but he feels like it anyways. But he's stoic... partly because he figures a guy like him should be, and because he thinks showing tears might only make Rose rethink her intentions. "Friends, always." he answers her, sounding choked up nonetheless. He catches some of Serori's words and ... well, he's not sure. It sounds like that's the sort of thing that explains things. Memory loss rather than actual death. Surely that's better, but he can't quite decide what it'll mean. Not yet.

Turns out though, Kilik doesn't need to decide whether or not he should hug Rose. The Twins, in tune with their Meister and far more demonstrative than he is, take matters into their own chubby hands. Should Nine back off, they'll wade in and give unabashed hugs. Should Nine keep clinging to Rose, they'll make it a group-hug, grabbing onto the Golem's legs and the Promethean at the same time, clinging with affection and dismay both.

No. 9 (269) has posed:
Nine would've clung to her, (and might or might not be caught up in collateral hugs), and his voice would've been choked as he whispered, "I wish I could've too, but I'll always be your friend, no matter what happens. No matter the storm, no matter how the wind howls or the rain lashes, there will be a dawn, and we will stand together and watch the sun rise on a new day. No matter what, Rosey, no matter /what/." His hand, so big and clunky around her own, closing, and he'd move back, letting others take their moments.

Those dim-glowing eyes turn to Staren at his questions, and his lips part, but hesitate; it's not his story to give, and his words would be unkind and unwarrantedly so, without his leave or wish for them to be, his tension bleeding tension into words where no tension should lair. So he keeps his damn fool mouth shut, letting Rose explain the rest. For now. His resolve would probably crumble like wet corn flakes all too soon anyway, as it normally does.

Rose Petal (113) has posed:
There's a sensation not unlike being watched by many pairs of eyes...

Rose Petal isn't saying no to hugs. Sure, she was going to face this with stoicism, but apparently her friends aren't going to let her do that. She actually laughs. "Oh, man... I would feel -so- embarassed if I-"

Suddenly, beyond the bonfire, a shaft of light shines down from the sky. The light looks simultaneously like sunlight and like firelight. The taste of salt intensifies, for a moment, before vanishing again. There's a multitude of eyes, circling, forming two interlocking rings...

And then... that -woman- is standing there, shoulders alight with wings of flame for a moment before she goes back to looking normal again. Rose Petal wheels around, eyes wide. "LILITHIM! How DARE you-"

The woman raises a hand. "Quiet, little torch. The Principle only requires that I observe." She smiiiles a slightly worrying smile, then looks over towards Staren! "... Tell me, kitten. If you were to forget everything - lose all the memories that define you as -you-... would you still exist? Or would you be dead?"

Dracula Vlad Tepes (83) has posed:
Dracula is treating this very calmly and pleasantly for the most part until a BRIGHT PILLAR OF ANGEL appears out of nowhere. He doesn't hiss and snarl and slink away behind a tree or anything, but...the Quashmallim's appearance certainly doesn't spark anything resembling /friendliness/ in the Lord of Darkness.

Still. This is Rose Petal's event, and the angel seems uninterested in causing problems. In fact, she seems almost interested in helping. So all she gets is a distasteful curl of his lip as he turns his head to the side, looking at something other than the /hideous angel/ standing right over there. Ugh.

Staren has posed:
Of course, even as he asks, Staren's brain runs a mile a minute, and pretty quickly comes to the most obvious conclusion. Serori's words confirm his fears. He glances at her, then back to Rose. This isn't a transformation -- this /is/ death! Death, with the birth of a new being in her place! Memories are who you are!

But what can he say? Apparently, to die like this was her lifelong wish. What she's worked so hard for.

He can't take that away from her.

His eyes start to water. But what can he say?

Fortunately, his having to sat something is cut off by a PILLAR OF LIGHT and a freaking angel or something showing up. Staren turns, and with Rose's hostile reaction his pistol is drawn but not aimed, not just yet. "Who is this?!" he asks, only for the fire... salt... angel... thing to address him.

The question requires no further thought. He considered life and death in much detail long ago. So the answer is immediate. "I'd die." He answers, directly. "Maybe my soul would still be around, but that's not what makes me /me/. People who reincarnate don't live the same life over and over again. Why?" As in, why does she ask.

Serori (37) has posed:
Lilithim!
The Qashmallim's appearance gets Serori bristling. Wishing she'd thought to wear her armor after all, she takes a bold step forward, putting herself in a position slightly between Rose Petal and the sanctimonious lightbulb. All the unsettling /feelings/ conjured by Rosie's farewell are expressed in angry, whipcracky words directed at the angel. "I expect you to keep your word. You will /not/ interfere."

No. 9 (269) has posed:
A grumble from the Golem. "Great, it's that salty wench again." He actually sticks his /tongue/ out at her, a sneering jeering snarl on his face. Nyer. But from her own accounts he's not going to get his face burnt off by holy fire trying to beat up an angel, so he sort of slinks down, sulking and tapping his feet under his robes, eyeing the woman-not-woman like she was gonna bust out and cover them all in silly string. Ooooor his mind is slipping a little. Might be that latter bit.

There's sort of a sidelong glance at Staren, and the Golem coughs. "Actually happened t' a friend a mine. Had his personality totally re-mapped because he was afraid of like, hurting the people he cared about? Still counts though. I like the guy who he is now, but he's not th' same person annamore, not one little bit."

The angel-thing-lady-person is eyed in distaste and the Golem chuffs, "Lady you here with honest intentions I applaud you, but you cause a ruckus n' we'll have t' have a giant-ass spatula custom-made t' scrape yer feathery butt up off th' floor, y'hear me?" Don't mess with the Confederacy and all that. "This is a very special moment." Serious time is back. "...For all of us." His jaw works, tensing. He swallows. "...I just..." the eyes close, and he's rubbing his face, "...I'm glad for you Rosey, I really am. This is a shining moment. The final steps. It's time."

Kirikou (127) has posed:
Kilik recovers the twins, but only after the three youngsters have made it clear they would stop on their own. And if his hands should lie extra-heavy on their shoulders now, they don't seem to mind one bit. It's the job of Meisters and Weapons both to help each other, to do what the other can't. And of course to support one another at all times.

He would probably have reacted rather precipitously to the Qashmallim's presence if he weren't actually resting some of his weight on the Twins. Kilik doesn't fear the Angel exactly, nor does he hate her. He just dislikes her, that's all. The sudden appearance would make him jump back, but he's not about to hide behind Fire and Thunder so long as they're not in Weapon form. Instead he steps forward between them, gritting his teeth so that the muscles of his neck clench with his frown. He doesn't raise his hands though, or summon the Weapons. He might be belligerent, but he's not being completely aggressive.

"I'm surprised you got the guts to show up here!" Kilik says in greeting to the Qashmal. mocking greeting perhaps. "After saying she'd never be pure. If you're gonna stick around, I think you'd better apologize to her!" he declares. It beats answering the Angel's question at least. He'd hate to be put on the spot like that. But no, he can't deny it. Like Staren says, to give up memory is to give up life... but so what? Kilik would give his life for what he believes in, and it seems Rose Petal is likewise willing to face death in her quest. Nothing wrong with that!

Rose Petal (113) has posed:
Rose Petal glares at the Qashmal, then turns to Staren. "...Look, it's not... I've done the research. Nobody ever forgets -everything-! But... nobody ever -remembers- everything either. I just don't know how much I'll lose, so I'm... I'm just trying to prepare for the worst, okay?" She looks like she's pleading with him, for whatever reason.

The Qashmal ignores everyone but Rose Petal, now. "...Tick-tock, little torch."

Rose Petal glares at her again... but then sits down in front of the fire. She closes her eyes, seemingly trying to clear her thoughts... while she picks up a jagged rock, and splits her left hand open, throwing the resultant blood into the fire.

The fire suddenly takes on an otherworldly, bright orange-white glow. It seems to be somehow more... fire-y than normal fire.

Staren has posed:
The angel... doesn't do anything threatening, so Staren looks to Rose. Still sadly, but feeling /slightly/ better in the wake of her clarification. "I see... then... Good luck, and see you on the other side." He can only hope for the best. "I'm sorry we couldn't make the process more reliable..." actually, /could/ they have? She never contacted him... But the ritual is starting, now. Staren lifts his mage-punk goggles over his eyes, and his labcoat pulls itself closed, in case of flying embers or something.

The more-fire-than-fire reflects in the lenses.

No. 9 (269) has posed:
And oh he tenses at that. It's always hard to watch someone hurt themselves, especially someone you care about, even for a good reason. Even for the best reason in the world, it's hard. But then all of this is hard. He's behind her, a hundred percent, but that doesn't make it any easier. It just makes it possible at all, and the Golem, though he's a coiled, tight thing, cracking out a low animal charrl of stress, doesn't do anything or say anything to muss the ritual or interrupt his friend on her most important moment.

Serori (37) has posed:
"Tch." The single spat syllable is like a slap in the angel's perfect face -- or it would be, if Lilithim had any care for Serori's derision. Serori never has liked to be ignored, least of all by someone she's threatened; neither her temper nor her pride can bear to be dismissed, so it's no wonder she gets testy in reaction to the angel's beatific serenity. Yet, the irritation lacks a certain /something/. Serori can't seem to muster the same spark she might have if circumstances were more...typical. Hardly more than a flash in the pan, the temperamental display fades as quickly as it'd come on, and Serori's attention returns to Rose Petal.
Tightness returns to her chest and throat. Serori stands a little straighter, body and head held up like she means to take flight at any moment. In addition to the letter, she brings the tonfa to her chest, both items squeezed until the wood creaks and the paper starts to crumple. Serori looks deep into the altered bonfire, then looks at Rose again, then to the bonfire, then to Kilik and the twins -- she looks all around all the time, stealing only the quickest glimpses of Rose Petal, like she's afraid to really /look/ at what's happening.
Taking a deep breath, she picks up her chin, plants her feet, steels her nerves, and...watches. Though it's very hard to breathe, isn't it?
She doesn't like this.

Kirikou (127) has posed:
If anything that relieves Kilik somewhat. Rose isn't outright killing herself to become human. She might forget some things... maybe even a LOT of things, if he can assume by her expression. But she'll still be herself, right? Even without her memories, she'd still be the same sort of person... right?

Kilik decides, for now, he might as well ignore the angel. She's not going to answer his challenge, not going to apologize for her rudeness to Rose. Well, to hell with her then. Maybe not literally, but still.

Instead of the angel, Kilik watches Rose intently. He should've brought shades, it seems. Not only to protect his eyes, but because he looks badass in shades. Oh well. He squints instead, and shuffles around slightly. Partly to get away from the angel and keep half an eye on her, partly to be closer to Serori. And to Dracula too, by extension. It's not clear why he'd do that. Not likely to be looking for protection, or offering it either. He probably wouldn't say, even if asked.

Rose Petal (113) has posed:
There's not a huge light show. No angelic chorus, no mandalas of divine fire spelling out the true name of God or anything like that. There's just a girl, sitting in front of a fire, watched over by her loved ones and an angel... Then, the girl speaks four, small words in a soft voice...

The bonfire is suddenly out, snuffed out like a candle. The 'angel' is gone, as well. The girl has fallen to her side, a weird, semi-visible 'smoke' trailing off her body for a split second...

Her hair is black. And her skin isn't quite so pale.

Serori (37) has posed:
"Rosie...?"
Serori takes one slow, careful step, before fear sends her bounding across the remaining distance in an urgent rush. It isn't more than an instant before she's kneeling beside the fallen girl and seeking out signs of life. "Rose...!"

Staren has posed:
Staren holsters his laser pistol since it's clear the angel isn't goint to attack, and watches. He's not sure what else to do, and he /is/ interested academically as well as emotionally in what's happening. Of course, the sights and sounds are recorded for posterity. Staren doesn't intend to forget about this, however long he lives.

And then his ears twitch at the words, and the fire goes out, and Rose falls over... clearly alive now. "Rose!" he rushes over to kneel by her side. "Are you alright? How much do you remember?"

Dracula Vlad Tepes (83) has posed:
Dracula will at least get over his distaste with the angel once he notices Rose beginning the change. His expression becomes more serious, then; he knows very well how grave and uncertain this entire thing is, and he intends to treat it with the respect it deserves. No time for petty flaunting now.

He, unlike possibly everyone else here, will not rush over to Rose. Dracula merely stands where he is, watching thoughtfully and silently from a distance as the others check to see if she's okay.

Kirikou (127) has posed:
Yes, Kilik does rush over. Unlike others perhaps, he hesitates at the last moment, getting passed up by Serori. He might have just deferred thoughtfully to her, or maybe he was hit by doubt at the last moment. Either way he ends up lagging behind, and just sort of hovering worriedly as Serori seeks out life signs.

He also gives a weak glare Staren's way. Asking about her memories at a time like this. Well, okay, he's not really upset. At least Staren asked if she was okay, first. His priorities are straight even if he's a bit tactless. But then, Kilik's not about to make an issue over tact. That'd just be hypocritical.

No. 9 (269) has posed:
Nine's down, literally down, dashing forward on all fours, his eyes wide and his noises all animal at the moment, worry and stress having momentarily snuffed the more thinky bits out in his sudden apprehension and fear. He'd slink near Serori and Staren, making little low mucky worried noises. And then Kilik is sort of getting leaned against, the Golem worried enough he's forgetting a bit of social etiquette and personal space in his <:( moment.

Rose Petal (113) has posed:
The girl opens her green eyes.

Her features are... different. Not strikingly so - she could still pass as a relative of Beautiful Rose Petal's, if not exactly her twin. But... it's noticeable.

She looks up at Serori confusedly, then glances back to Staren. "...Wuh...?"

She yawns. "...Wh't time is it...? Sleepy..." Murmur...

She then just sort of slumps, and curls up. One hand is placed over her heart, clenching and bunching up the front of her dress. She's... asleep.

Staren has posed:
Staren's ears perk up. She's awake!

And then... she's asleep. His ears and tail kind of droop. After staring at her for a moment, he stands up. "...Take good care of her." He then looks around at the assembled Confederates. "Can I see her, when she wakes up?" He figures they're going to take her to Confederate Medical for rest and a medical evaluation, or something along those lines.

Serori (37) has posed:
Distress briefly afflicts Serori's expression, but one glance at Staren sets a hard mask over her features once more. Looking up brings her eyes briefly to Dracula's; she shakes her head, the small gesture meant for his understanding alone.
"Nine, will you carry her? I think she would have liked that." For someone who can be so harsh and savage, she can sound remarkably gentle sometimes. Apparently, keeping her face blank is easy enough, but to hide all the signs of her true feelings is a much more difficult act. "Yes, we'll take her to the Citadel for now. We will see she's well before making more neutral arrangements. Don't worry; we don't have much to gain by influencing the upbringing of a little girl who sacrificed so much to experience a true, free life." She can't help reaching down to smooth back the dark hair from Rose's peaceful face.
Then, Serori stands and turns her attention to Kilik and the Twins. "I'm sure we'll all want to take turns watching over her..." Finally, to Staren: "Even you. If you two were friends before, I won't get in the way of you two being friends again."

Dracula Vlad Tepes (83) has posed:
The Confederate Fachead merely offers a slight nod back to Serori in response. Nothing more is said there; there are other things to address for now, besides.

Dracula takes a fwe steps closer to the group, then, turning his attention toward Staren. "As Serori says, you may visit her if you desire. She will not be a direct member of the Confederacy any longer, after all. You will be informed of what happens with her." He takes a breath, then lets it out steadily. His own demeanor is rather neutral, all things considered, if a little more serious than usual. "Yes, Nine, if you would. Let us get her to safety, please, just in case there are any side effects to take care of."

Kirikou (127) has posed:
The different-yet-similar features throw Kilik off slightly. It's clear something's changed. Did it work? He supposes it must have worked... but he's not sure what it means. Obviously the girl's achieved something. What she'd wanted...? He can only hope.

He can also, probably surprising no one present, prop Nine up. At least somewhat. Kilik's not big, but he's strong for his size. And it's not like Nine's TRYING to crush him or anything. Besides, he knows how the big guy feels. Or at least he thinks he does. Probably he's a little better at guessing Nine's feelings than someone like Rose's.

After a moment he reaches around to guide Nine forward. He nods to Serori. "We'll share watches. She deserves to wake up to see a friend. Maybe more than one." Then he turns to Staren. "Gimme your comm code." he insists. "I'll pass it on to her the next time I see her awake. Can't say when she might be able to come see you, but at least you can talk soon that way."

Staren has posed:
Staren frowns slightly at Serori's comment about how the Confederates won't corrupt her. "I don't think /that/ lowly of you. Well, at least not those of you who are here." He looks at Rose. "She was just a girl with a dream, and the will to reach for it without the desire to hurt others. Helping her was just the right thing to do. I'm sorry my allies couldn't see that. At least she found friends to help her." His voice becomes increasingly choked. "I... friends... we'll see. If... this new Rose... wants to. I don't think I can help raise a child... but perhaps I can teach her something..." He nods to Kirikou, though it's a bit hard to speak. Well, if he's unclear giving the code, Nine already has it anyway.

Staren turns and starts to walk away, then stops and looks back. It's not like he's in a hurry to get anywhere.

No. 9 (269) has posed:
The Golem nods as Kilik guides him forward, slinks up, head down, eyes worried before Serori speaks to him. He looks up. He nods. And then he bends down even further, till he's near the ground, his arms sliiiding under her carefully, before drawing her with a hushed, fragile sort of reverence to his chest. Holding her with the care one would a newborn bird, he rises up, gathering her in the robes. "...Let's go. She's had a... long day. She needs her rest."

Serori (37) has posed:
"Thank you, Staren. I will make sure your contributions don't go overlooked." Serori's murmur is probably not the kind of comfort Staren requires at this time, but it's all she can offer to someone like him. "Please contact me if you do not hear from Kilik or Nine in the next day or two. I will send along our medical reports for your review...if you will find it helpful."
Once Nine lifts Rose from the ground, she backs off slightly to survey the group and make certain all is well. The remains of the fire are considered, and she wonders briefly where the Qashmal has gone, and then wonders if it really matters. It's over, isn't it?
Serori swallows and blinks a few rapid times, but it's hard to see, the angle of her head and body both working to keep her face hidden.
It's over.
"Let's go."