2014.09.16 - Vengeance Delayed

The tiny chipmunk spirit is only too aware of the food that was provided in winter, paid for by an anonymous donor that wasn't so anonymous. It skitters through the woods until it finds Emma and begins chittering furiously. Its hard to understand since its a spirit.

Emira was not the sort to regularly speak directly to nature. She spoke to her own potted plants every now and then, and maybe had one-sided conversations with small animals in the park... and so, it was certainly a surprise to hear the chittering of a chipmunk nearby. "Mmn...?" The blind woman turned her attention from something in the distance to focus it in the direction of the chipmunk sounds. "...Well hello there." She gives a small smile, something that might not have been so reassuring to a small woodland creature. "Looking for something to eat?" She asked curiously, clearly unable to understand the fast-paced chittering.

The spirit chitters, trying to make her understand. It tries again and moves back and forth. It comes near and then far. It then goes up on her shoulder and chitters in her ear, desperately alarmed as it whispers in her ear, nuzzling a bit but then moving down and chittering. It might be pulling a Lassie asking her to follow it.

The fact that the creature was so urgent caused the smile to fade from Emira's lips. She tilted her head slightly, then stood to her feet. "...Alright then, lead the way I suppose..." She suggests, perhaps slightly confused by the actions of the small animal, and maybe feeling a little silly for thinking to follow it at all.

Through the woods they move, the trees gladly moving out of their way. They step sideways for a moment and she can feel it. Nature is more powerful here, the animals and plants easier to understand here. "He's in terrible danger! He's in such danger! They're so so angry!"

It rushes up ahead and they can hear roaring and tremendous crashing up ahead. Something crashes into wood and there is a second roar of pain.

This was... different. Emira had not been in a place where she could FEEL the power of nature before, let alone understand plants or animals. Her brow furrowed slightly with the sensation, coupled with the sudden understanding of the animal leading her forward. "...Who's in danger? What do you -- "

And then there's the sound of roaring... pain... and Emira is looking in multiple directions, searching for another sign of life that might be making such sounds in the area...

"Its over the hill! They're so angry, so terribly angry. It didn't happen you see, the surge, they're trying to kill him but it's not not his fault. You must stop them! They'll listen to you! They like you!"

There is shouting in the distance, a human speaking about not his fault and a giant bellow, a tree like voice shouting rage and something about unfair.

Emira frowns slightly and nods. There was nothing else to say, something was going on, and apparently she was able to help... so that meant that she had to help... right? "I see. Lead the way then, I'll do what I can to help..."

Emira can't SEE the spirit world so the details might escape her but they don't escape Kilroy and he knows he's not home. It's Central Park but its not. The moon is high and crystal clear. He is still sparkling with the powerful magic from the statue he experienced with Lunair, unsure of what it has done to him but he resonates and smells good. But the more powerful smell here is earth, the primal smell of a forest untouched by man with animal spirits and plants and trees and grass watching with hundreds of eyes as a giant willow hundreds of feet tall is shouting at Kilroy who is dodging left and right, not well, with a giant stone with carvings on it smashing through the branches that get too close. From time to time, bullets appear and then disappear with a small flash of fire and the tree roars more.

"The surge was supposed to happen! The Green had to suffer! The Red Had to Suffer! And the Gold must as well!"

"The coin is gone! I can't sense it. Without the coin the surge never happens. I know its wrong, but every time I investigate..."

"What? What happens filthy traitor!" The branches surge down and try to crash into him again ripping the earth and wounding it.

"That's e-NOUGH!" Emira slams her cane into the ground, to minimal effect, given that the ground is well padded by soil and grass and not much in the way of stone to make a loud noise on. But her stern voice is... hopefully enough. She could sense life. Plant life mostly, which is odd given that plant life is not usually strong enough to show up to her lifesight, but there was also various degrees of animal life in the area.

"What exactly is going on here?" She adopts a distinctly displeased expression, her brow creased, and her lips set into a small, but firm frown.

It might seem that the cane has no effect, but Emira doesn't know that she is revered by both the Green, Red and Grey. Spirits of all kinds heed her and honor her, both because of her potent power, but also because quite frankly, she's responsible in how she uses it. The ground ripples and there is a crack of stone as the Rai stone falls to the ground as the earth itself listens to her here. The tree stops and Kilroy himself is silent though he has a shield of plastic coins ready if need be.

The tree looks shocked. "How...how did you get here?"

The chipmunk says,"HA! I told you to stop! I told you!"

Kilroy takes a breath and then looks at Emira, "Er...that's a long story. Have you heard of the Gold? or Green or Grey or Red?"

Emira's frown does not fade, but her brow creases more, "That is not an answer to my question." She turns her attention towards Kilroy, her expression easing up slightly. She didn't recognize the voice... but he was human. "...I have never heard of any of those things, no." She sighs a bit, "I think you'll find me a bit out of the loop on this one... I only came because this one here said that there was someone in trouble." She turns her attention back to the chipmunk, as if to acknowledge his presence, then turns her attention back to the crowd as a whole, instead of any one target in particular. "But before I get to trying to set things right... I have to know what's going on.

Kilroy says, "The world is full of magic. And where there are magics, there are spirits. There is a spirit of everything. Animals. Plants. Dawn. Time. Toes. Cars. Rocks. You name it, there is a spirit for it, but the first group of spirits to get together was called the Green, plant spirits that formed a parliament. The Red, animal spirits followed shortly after. Around 13000 years ago, fungus spirits invaded, and a pattern of magical apocalypse started every thousand years. One of the spirit groups always had to take the duty. This time it was the spirit of the Gold." He walks closer, keeping an eye on the tree that looks like it wants to smash him, "That's the spirits of commerce and trade. I'm a priest of the Economy, the anthropamorphization of the economy everywhere. I was to guide this apocalypse...minimize its effects, only it never happened. No idea why. There are a lot of people not happy about that fact. Like Enty over here."

"Whisperblood." The tree snarls."

Emira is silent as she listens to the explanation. It seemed straightforward enough... and didn't leave much room for questions. "Exactly why does this apocalypse have to happen?" She turns her attention to the tree spirit, blind eyes unfocused... though she was clearly watching this Whisperblood. "On the surface, it appears that there is no damage caused by the lack of this... apocalypse. Only good can come of it passing without effect from my point of view."

She is silent and thoughtful for a moment then continues, "Also... You say that this person... This priest, is a traitor. Why?" Her head tilts to the side, snow white hair falling over her shoulder as she adopts a curious expression.

There's silence at that. There are a few mutters of "cycle of magic" and "Great good can come" but everyone knows the bad is almost always worse than the good. Bubonic plague anyone?

Finally Whisperblood speaks. Honored or not, he still hates Kilroy, "Because we have suffered. Suffered in ways you cannot imagine honored one. But the Gold? They are responsible for so much suffering as it is. The highways and the fences. The cities and the burning, but now, now when it is their turn to suffer...NOTHING? This is not right. He has done something to cheat fate."

Emira considers this for a moment, "So you are upset because this time, these... Fungal spirits did not strike, and it was during a time when The Gold was set to be attacked." She states, as if trying to recap the events for herself. "If it is indeed the case that somehow the Gold has cheated fate... then it seems as though they have been wildly successful in doing just what they were supposed to do, in minimizing it's effect. Are you saying that it would have been preferable for them to allow their own destruction, rather than find a way to avert it entirely?"

She watches the tree spirit. "I do agree, that they have caused much suffering. But so have other spirits. The Green themselves have caused suffering as well, have they not, Whisperblood? Why... Just a year ago, I recall hearing on the news of four city blocks in New York City being suddenly overrun by plants, causing billions of dollars in property damage -- damage that no doubt was done to the Gold. So you can hardly call your own parliaments blameless."

The trees and animals kind of look at each other at that. And Kilroy smiles. He doesn't quite go, "AHA!" but the look on his face clearly says that. He's smart enough not to say a damned thing.

Whisperblood snarls even as the others start to disburse, "It isn't right!"

Emira gives the tree a stern expression, "You are acting like a spoiled child. Forgive me for using a human example, but you're acting as if you're angry because someone else got a better present on their birthday than you yourself did. If there was no damage done by the fungal spirits, you should be rejoicing. Damage done to the Gold could result in them damaging the Green, the Red, or any number of OTHER spiritual parliaments in an attempt to repair the damage done. This way, nobody suffers any undue damage. The only one here who seems strangely unhappy about this is YOU." She points an accusing finger. "What proof do you have, beyond speculation that the Gold has done anything wrong? How do you know that the magical apocalypse hasn't simply run it's course? Perhaps it wont happen again. Or perhaps it will hit in the near future, and simply hasn't arrived yet." She takes a deep breath.

"Either way, this does not do any damage to you yourself. It does no damage to anyone, and the lot of you should go on with your lives... existences... whatever it is you want to call it... Unless you can give me one good reason to the contrary?" She raises a brow.

The spirit in Whisperblood wants to yell at her and call her foolish but the tree at the core of its being can't, and lierally wont. After a solid minute of trying futilely, it grunts, turns around and walks away.

Kilroy smiles,"thankyou. I appreciate that. My name is Kilroy."

Emira breathes heavily through her nose before turning her attention back toward Kilroy, "...Emira." She gives a small smile, "And... it was nothing. I suspect that they would have attempted to kill you, had I not interfered... Nature is cruel, and not always fair... and prone to kill indiscriminately, unfortunately." She gives a small bow, "Now then... I suppose that's that!" She smiles brightly, "I don't suppose you'd be able to lead me back to somewhere that I might be able to find my way home from? I get the feeling that I'm not somewhere that I could just walk home from if I tried."

Kilroy says, "oh he was trying to kill me, make no mistake, and it would gave been a very tough fight. to sw you saved my life is not unreasonable. I can't lead you back but I imagine our mutual friend the chipmunk spirit can."

Emira gives a short nod, "Either will work, really~" She turns back to where she had left the chipmunk spirit. "I really should be getting back now though... So if you'll be so kind?" She asks the chipmunk. "Back to where you found me would be best... I can find my way back from there."

The chipmunk wrinkles its nose and the world feels right again.

Kilroy can tell Emira isnt really lavking for funds, so he asks,"If you could havr a great windfall benefit a cause of your choice, what would it be? The gold owes you a debt.

Emira blinks a little, then considers, "Mmn..." She takes a moment, "I mentioned those city blocks that were destroyed by catastrophic plant growth in New York... Many of those people are still without a home after their old homes were destroyed. Something going towards those people would be wonderful... Especially since I feel I was partially responsible for the destruction."

Kilroy nods,"Consider it done." He dmiles and has the perfect two bird solution in mind. "Have a fantastic night Emira."