Completed [The Courtyard] I'm Sorry! (Mirage)

[Fubuki Kouri]

Fubuki Kouri The Courtyard, 12th of Bell, 51st of Summer 513 A.V The trip into the Citadel had been a whole new experience for the ghostly sisters. Kouri and Rena found themselves gawking and awing at the beautiful architectures, they didn't feel afraid anymore because Kriemhild was with them, she knew her way around this huge Citadel. The sisters were holding the Nuit maid's hands, Kouri holding her left, while Rena was holding her right. A cart filled with their belongings was being pulled by two of Kouri's tendrils, the black mist-like ethereal appendages wrapping around both of the cart's handles. They now arrived at the place Kriem warned her about, the Courtyard. Ominous fog filled the spooky landscape, tombs and gravestones filled dotted here and there. The trio could feel an obvious presence of soulmists there, because of their own ghostly state for the sisters, and spiritism talents for Kriemhild "This is the place, Mistress... the Courtyard..." The Nuit spoke in her usual emotionless tone. Rena was visibly afraid, she hugged the Nuit maid tight, as if never wanting to let go, whimpers of fear occasionally escaped her lips. Kouri, on the other hand, looked intimidated, but not to the point of whimpering as Rena. She knew what she would face here... Kriemhild told her that ethereal beings such as them would be trapped, along with the rest of the ghosts, if they attempted to cross here on their own. The solution? They would need help... from the caretaker of this place "U-uhm... who was her name again, Kriemhild? Madame W-wanda?" "Yes, Mistress..." Kriemhild knew of the centuries old woman, any Nuits in Sahova would, the master spiritist literally commanded a ghost army at her palms, she may be one of the few people who could truly stand up to her Mistress. They didn't come here to fight though, they were here to ask for permissions... for both of the sisters to pass safely and not be trapped. "S-so, Kriemhild... are you ready?" Kouri stood in front of the maid, crimson eyes asking for assurance. They obviously had planned something. "Yes, Mistress... I'm ready" With a nod, Kouri then began possessing the Nuit, trying to grab hold of Kriem's astral body and become one with it. Kriem herself just relaxed, fully relinquishing control to her Mistress. For all her powers, possession was Kouri's weak-point, this particular power of hers was far, far lagging behind the others, good thing the Nuit was a spiritist, less Kouri could fail in even attempting to possess. The ghost girl's body literally wriggled itself to the Nuit and finally vanishing into her. Rena just watched, her eyes worried as usual, the plan they were having involved the little sister staying here, keeping watch of the cart until Kouri and Kriem gained permission from the caretaker. If everything went well, they should be able to proceed normally, pulling the cart with them. After a few chimes, Kriem's pure black eyes slowly opened, a rare smile on her lips, indicating the possession had succeeded. The possessed Nuit then ruffled Rena's hair with her soulmist-smeared palms "Be good until I come back, okay?" "U-un... okay, Sis..." Rena nodded, she obediently sat on top of the cart, playing with their dollhouse to ease her worry and just spend her time. "Let's go, Kriem..." "As you wish, Mistress..." Kouri/Kriemhild walked forward, entering the courtyard and into the ominous fogged cemetery. They needed to be fast... less Kouri's limited ability in possession failed her and she was forced out of Kriemhild's body.

[Mirage]

That single step over the threshold into the courtyard brought with it a sudden and obvious change in the atmosphere. The ghost would feel a weight pressing down upon her, and even while she possessed her nuit maid Kouri would find it difficult to move. It was like she was swimming against the current, and above her the air was thick and heavy and threatened to push her down into the depths of the raging tides. If she had not taken refuge inside of the nuit she would have quickly been swept away before she could even fight back.

They walked down a narrow path, on either side iron bars lined the way like a fence. Beyond those bars there was an entirely new world. Spirits, ghosts of all shapes and sizes, some horribly deformed and others unnaturally beautiful filled the spaces between tombs and graves, and while they had all been lost in their own world before, now all eyes turned toward the pair as they made their way down through this otherworldly domain. The ghosts began to crowd against the barrier, reaching forward to grasp at the nuits clothing and hair before being flung back. At one point a hand brushed through the maids skin, touching Kouri's ethereal body and grasping at it desperately, trying to drag her out and replace her. Before it could the barrier threw it back and away from the pair before it could free the ghost child from her protective shell.

More and more ghosts blinked into existence, becoming visible and crowding the barrier until the world was eclipsed by ghostly white and grey. Soft moans and blood curling shrieks alike lit up the once peaceful courtyard as the spirits saw a dim, yet very close, chance for their escape.

"Be silent."

The words were soft, barely noticeable over the ruckus of the ghosts, but they came with an overwhelming presence that instantly silenced all sound.

"Be gone."

A windless gust blew through the courthard, strong enough to make Kouri shake and have to cling to her hold on the possession, and to send the other spirits scattering, disappearing from sight to hide from the voice that commanded them.

Directly ahead, kneeling before one of the largest tombs in the courtyard, was a woman dressed in black tattered robes. Moss and mold grew in her hair, turning it a sickly green color. She was the very picture of a rotting corpse, and when she turned her head to peer over her shoulder her eyes were hollow and void of life as well.

"Who has disturbed my peace?" she asked softly, but when her eyes met Kriemhild's it was obvious she was staring right at Kouri.

[Fubuki Kouri]

Fubuki Kouri "Kyaaaah?!" Kriemhild's body crouched down and screamed an out-of-character wail. The ghost controlling her body felt like as if she was blown by an intense Talderan blizzard. "Ah... uuh..." She whimpered and struggled to move, her feet trudging forward heavily. She felt like her maid's feet were made of immovable stones. Just keep going forward, Mistress, and don't look back... don't look to the side... just forward... Kriemhild warned her. The little girl might not be able to stomach what she could saw if she looked to the spirits and ghosts clamoring at them from the sides. It was ironic that the ghost who was feared even by veteran warriors and slaughtered a group of a slaver caravan was fearful of her own kind. Kouri got the urge to just lay down and forget everything, but the thought of being trapped here forever motivated her to keep going. Just keep going forward... just keep going forward... just keep going forward... She repeated that thought over and over in her mind, closing off herself from the outside world except for the narrow path forward. "N-no! Get away!" She slapped away a stray ethereal hand grasping her soulmist body, straight through Kriemhild's dead flesh. "Aaaaah!" She screamed in panic and forced Kriem's body to run, a bad move, she tripped and fell face-first to the dirt below. Her hold on Kriem was just this close of being severed. And then... her savior came, those two short commands were enough to send the spirits and ghosts scattering like leaves being blown by an ethereal breeze. It was by pure luck that she wasn't swept away by the ethereal gust. "Uuuh..." Kouri grasped the ground with her maid's hands and fumbling herself to a standing position. Mistress... she is here... It was obvious on who she was. Sahovan Master Spiritist, Wanda. "Eh... uh... ah... w-w-wait... I'm... I'm n-n-not r-ready y-y-e AAAAAAH!!! KYAAAAAH!!!" Her words was cut short followed by a scream filled with fear, a scream that would never be possible on the stoic Nuit, it was the Mistress that commanded her body to do so. Kouri stared in horror at the very old woman straight out of horror stories told to scare children into obedience. Kriemhild's pure black eyes widened in unbelievable fright. The woman asked her a question... and Kouri was stunned for a good fifteen ticks before even realizing that Wanda wasn't trying to eat her. "I... I... uhm.. I.. I... I I I I I..." If Kouri could sweat, she would fill the whole courtyard in it right now. She whimpered and Kriemhild fell down to her butt on the ground. "I...I'm uuh... I'm K-K-Kouri... M-m-madame W-w-wanda... K-k-k-k-kriemhild said that... that..." She didn't want to annoy Wanda, but she couldn't help the nagging fear in her heart. "t-that... w-w-we... n-need y-your p-permission to p-pass here... y-you see, m-me a-and my s-sister a-are... g-ghosts so... s-so... c-can you l-let us p-pass... s-safely?" There, she did it. Now, she could only hope that the spiritist understood her. Her soulmist aura was immense, powerful, and looked so very delicious. Kouri was frightened and allured by Wanda at the same time, her mouth slightly ajar, Kriemhild's eyes looking hungrily and Kouri didn't even realize it.

[Mirage]

Wanda stood slowly, hand on the stone to aid her rise. Her body seemed frail and weak, nearly falling apart yet somehow it still held at the seams. Carefully she stepped over the barrier and onto the path, and as she did so shapes began to shimmer into existence around her. Spirits, ghosts like before, but these were larger, and seemed much more powerful than the ones trapped. One was a great knight in full plate, a large broad sword drawn standing at Wanda's right shoulder, sword out out in front of her. Another appears on her right, a woman in black robes and slit pupils and a serpent like tongue that liked the air. Another appeared to be a cloaked and hooded man, testicles sweeping out from beneath his clothing and only his white eyes visible beneath the hood. Other ghosts began to appear, of all shapes and sizes, one towered over the rest, a giant of a man missing his head. The number grew until there were too many to easily count. All of them looked full of energy, strong and powerful unlike the wretches trapped in the courtyard. These were Mistress Wanda's guardians, those she had brought with her to Sahova. Those spirits pledged to her service.

Wanda stopped several strides from where Kriemhild sat upon the ground, and in cold tones she said, "Little wretch, do not glower with unrestrained hunger at me. You will have no offerings from me this day." She coughed, an awful sound deep in her throat before spitting out a wad of dried blood and phloem on the ground. Wiping her mouth on her sleeve she hissed, "Get up. Show some respect to that body. New ones are not so easily gotten that you can do as you please when you wear someone else's skin."

She glared at Kouri, mumbling under her breath before asking, "Why have you come here spirit." She said the last word as if she were chewing on something utterly disgusting.

[Fubuki Kouri]

Fubuki Kouri "W-wa... wa wa..." Kouri's eyes widened in again, she should had expected this, someone as powerful and ancient as Wanda would logically have powerful spirits at her side. Each of them was as powerful - if not more - as herself, Kouri was filled with a feeling of frustration, in her short time as a ghost, she always thought she was the most powerful spirit there was. She outclassed the thousands year old ancient spirit, Noaru, and she was just a twelve-year-old little girl. This viewpoint made her rather arrogant and prideful, thinking that no one could tell her on what to do, everyone took her seriously. She thought that Morwen blessed her with a powerful soul... but looks like she was not the only one. The sight of the knight comforted her, that spirit looked like a literal guardian, while... the rest, the snake woman uneased her, while the man with his private parts hanging out and pure white eyes and the headless giant frightened her to no end. She closed Kriemhild's eyes and curled up, hugging her knees. It was not until Wanda spoke to her as if she was trash that something clicked inside the little girl's mind. She began offsetting her fears with anger, she didn't do anything wrong yet this woman chastised her so, why? Her child-like mind couldn't understand the true meaning behind Wanda's words, all she knew that this old woman was being cold. Kouri commanded Kriem's body to get up, her fists trembling in barely held back childish anger. "W-why? I... I didn't do anything wrong! W-why are you being so mean to me? I... I just come here to visit Kriem's home and uuh... Kriem said that I might like Master Vick... so I want to visit him." She crossed Kriem's arms over her chest and pouted "M-maybe you t-think that I-I'm w-weak? I'm not weak! I-I can show you! M-maybe you will know o-once I d-defeat one of y-your companions!" She tried to sound tall and intimidating, but her stutters betrayed the fear that fueled her tantrum. Kouri wanted to leave Kriem's body and prove her strength by fighting one of Wanda's guardians, but she was afraid that if she got out, she would be trapped.

[Mirage]

The nuit's eyes darkened and a cold fury filled her expression. The spirits that surrounded her shifted, the knight lifting his sword higher while the tentacles reached around Wanda, toward the child that would speak so to his master. All of the ghosts that surrounded her made as if to strike, the giant of a man reaching over them all as if he wanted to smash her right there and then. Before any of them could act, however, Wanda shifted her hands into her sleeves and she hissed for all to be still. The spirits all responded instantly, falling back to their original positions as the Spiritist looked down at Kouri, "You fool. Learn your place."

From her sleeves she drew eight thin needles, nondescript and unassuming, but as they cleared the material of her robes she was already throwing them, each piercing directly through Kreim's chest and out the back. Kouri would feel a stabbing pain as they passed through her, and then a wrenching sensation as she was dragged from the nuits body and pinned to the ground, the needles holding her in place so that she could not move. The ghost would feel her power suddenly fading, and now exposed to the courtyard the weight pressing down on her would be immense even as a swift current passed over her, threatening to pull her past the barrier with the rest of the spirits were it not for the needles holding her in place. Eight holes now punctured through Kreim's body, white ichor beginning to flow freely in a slow, but steady stream.

Wanda stepped past the nuit, looking down at the damaged body with only minor pity, before turning her glaring eyes on Kouri. She stood over the ghosts, her spiritual guardians crowding around as she leaned over to look the little ghost girl in the eyes, "This is MY domain, and here my word is law. You have no power, and you are nothing when you stand among these tomb stones. You want to fight with one of my precious guardians? Do not insult them. You do not deserve such an honor." She straightened once more, looking down her nose at the girl, "Your foolish behavior has not hurt you, but now your maid will need a new body or she will die. Your selfish tantrum may have cost you the life of your companion, and your freedom. You shall be punished for your disrespect." She paused, "Where is your sister?"

[Fubuki Kouri]

Fubuki Kouri "Kyahah?!!" Time slowed down, everythin went red in her vision, immense pain wracked through her soulmist, so immense that she couldn't feel anything. Her crimson eyes went as wide as it could be, she felt her fragile hold on Kriemhild being severed in an instant, flying through the air, before falling to the ground, being pinned. It ironically became her savior as these darts were the only thing preventing her from being pulled to the barrier and be trapped here. W-what... is... s-soul..darts?! This was similar, yet so very different, from the spiritist that pinned her when she ambushed the slaver caravan with Razkar, Kaie, Solin, and the others. She had been hit by three souldart bolts from the spiritist's crossbow, but this... even though they were smaller, they were much much powerful and eight of them were lodged in her body. No Kaie or Razkar to save her right now... She felt her powers quickly fading away, she couldn't even materialize herself and at her level, it should be effortless. "Ah... n-no... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!! G-GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" She wailed like a banshee, usually her screams were enough to deter even veteran warriors, causing lesser men to cower in fear, but no... Madame Wanda didn't even flinch, looking at her with cold dead eyes. "K-kriem..." She saw her maid just sat there on the ground, her eyes closed, she seemed to be meditating to save her ichor. At times like this, Kouri could see that Kriemhild was a lot more than she appeared to be. She turned her shaking vision back to the approaaching Master Spiritist and her guardians. They all crowded her as if she was a naughty little girl being caught in the act. Wanda reprimanded her, saying that she was foolish and selfish, and it would cost her. Kouri gritted her teeth in pain, she want to shot back at the old hag. She didn't do anything wrong! Why was the hag so mean? She acted like as if she had all the power in the world. Wait... I... Immense guilt began flooding to her, she acted exactly the same way as what she accused the woman to be. The final nail on the coffin was when Wanda mentioned about her maid and... Rena. "N-no! No!!! D-don't hurt K-kriem, no... she didn't do anything! Aaaaah!" She screamed, struggling even to speak "A-and... w-why..." She went silent, she didn't want to reveal Rena's location, she didn't want her little sister to have anything to do with this monster anymore, but then again, she might be as well just testing her... with all these powers she had been displaying, her trouncing a powerful ghost such as herself in less than a tick, what is one weak ghost such as Rena to her? But still, as her older sister, it was Kouri's duty to keep her promise. "P-promise... me... you won't... hurt her... Or.... Or I... I will..." she would what? She couldn't do anything, but she would rather be shredded to pieces rather than giving up on Rena, she had lost her parents, she would not experience it again. If Wanda promised then she would say that Rena is waiting just outside the Courtyard's entrance. If she didn't, well... it would take other methods for Wanda to wrench the truth out of her.

[Mirage]

Those eyes that held such fury quickly faded to nothingness, turning hollow and empty once more as she stared down at Fubuki, "You will what? A lesson must be learned here, and punishment must be given... But not to you. You would never learn. So you shall not tell me where she is? Very well. You have chosen her fate." She extended one hand down to her side, "Mia." A ghostly hand flickered into the old nuit's, the hand belonging to another little girl who could not have been more than five years of age. Her eyes were blank white, long hair dragging the ground and she hugged a doll tightly to her chest, thumb in her mouth.

"Find her." Wanda ordered. Mia, the little ghost girl, look down at Fubuki, and she smiled a very cruel smile before blinking away. Several chimes passed, and none of the spirits moved, continuing to look down on Kouri as Wanda absently rummaged through the folds of her robes, taking out a jar and what looked like a very fine brush. Then giggling could be heard, and soft calls of "We can play together and have lots of fun!"

Mia came into view again, leading Rena by the hand and pulling her along with soft assurances and promises of fun times and playing. Neither of the girls seemed to notice the weight that Kouri felt, and as Mia and Rena drew closer the spirits surrounding Fubuki would open and encircle them as well. Wanda looked down at Fubuki, eyes cold once more, "If you have anything you wish to say to her, then say it now. Apologize to her for the punishment you have brought down upon her.""

OOCI did not really think about it before taking control of your NPC lol. If you would prefer to control Rena in the encounter with Mia then just let me know and I will edit my post so that we can RP it out. Mia basically convinced Rena that everything was OK, and that Kouri wanted her to come on in that she was busy talking with Wanda and sent her instead to get you. She is also whispering sweet lies of taking her to play with her dolls in the citadel as soon as the 'grown ups' finished talking

[Fubuki Kouri]

Fubuki Kouri OOCNaw, it's okay. "Grrrrrrrrr! Aaaaaagh!" Kouri futilely tried to struggle again, her form shimmering and shifting like disturbed patch of air. She gave "Mia" a very dangerous hateful look, but it was all empty, she couldn't do anything. Kouri didn't thought that a child much smaller than herself - or even Rena - could be one of Wanda's guardians. "N-nooooo! Noooo!! COME BACK!!! COME BAAAAAAAACK!!!" The girl's pure white eyes was the opposite of Kriem's pure black Chaktawe-like eyes. Kouri wasn't disturbed by that fact... she even had similar very long hairstyle. "......." Kouri felt like she was staring at her own reflection when Mia stared down at her. I... acted like her too, didn't I? S-so... t-this... She finally felt what it feels like to be helpless, stared down by an insane-looking little girl. She felt how those Drykas raiders must have felt before she killed them with impunity, she imagined the horrored look in their eyes, like the one she had to Mia right now, but it was not because of Mia... she dreaded the orders Wanda gave to her instead. What could this little ghost do to Rena? She was not going to... going to shred her soulmist to pieces, right? Like what she did to Kimi, Shiyami's companion. Kouri felt the full force of guilt and remorse, for every wrongdoings that she did, she didn't give the Drykas a chance to explain themselves, she attacked Shiyami and Kimi out of spite, she enjoyed the act of killing, not for a greater purpose, but the act itself. All those innocent animals she killed, animals that hadn't done anything wrong... all those trees she casually killed, trees that had lived for years "No... no..." She could only mumble those words, she couldn't blame Wanda for what she did to her, she deserved it. Crimson tears began flowing down her face, she felt like she failed everyone... Rena, Kriemhild, Razkar, Ama, Edreina, Shiyami, Noaru, Fallon, heck even Master Cyrus, everyone... They all told her what they thought was right... they all tried to tell the little girl on what is wrong and what is right. This moment made her remember about Razkar's whispered words that she would never change. Suddenly, it felt so heavy, like a soulmisted warhammer being slammed to her heart. She could only watch as Mia went away... doing Morwen knows what to Rena. "........" Kouri leaned her head to the ground, hands clutching her stomach. Immense pain continuously wracking through her as her soulmist futilely tried to reject the lodging darts. It was when Mia came back... pulling her beloved little sister with her, that Kouri found the strength to speak once more "R-renaaaaaa! No! D-don't... don't go with her!! N-nooooo! No..." But Rena couldn't seem to listen, she looked... empty, eyes glazed away. Kriemhild seemed to know that she would only make the situation worse by speaking so she just kept sitting there, doing the best she could to block her wounds using dirt. Punishment? What kind of punishment? Why did Rena deserve that punishment? All kinds of question swam in her head, no, Rena didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve this! She was just a little girl, younger than Kouri was. She would be breaking her promise of protecting Rena if she let this be. "N-no... P-please, M-mistress Wanda... p-please... d-don't hurt her... s-she d-didn't do anything wrong... I... I did.. p-please punish me i-instead..." She slowly turned her gaze to Rena "R-rena..." bloody tears streaming down her face like an open faucet "I... I'm sorry... I'm truly sorry... I... failed... you, I c-couldn't keep my promise... W-waaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!" She wailed, like a little girl full of fear and guilt. "P-pleaaase, M-Mistress Wanda!!! Gahak!!" If she was a normal little girl, she would be coughing blood right now "N-no, p-please! I'm the bad girl! I-I'm the evil one! R-rena didn't do anything! She didn't do anything! S-so... p-please..."

[Mirage]

The ghosts pleading words gave Madame Wanda pause for just a moment as she looked down at Fubuki, "Perhaps there is some remorse in you after all, but the time for pleads and bargains is over." She nodded to Mia to bring Rena closer so that Kouri would have a very clear view. The Spiritist placed a single hand on Rena's shoulder, looking down at her captured victim she did, "This day you will learn the price for your actions, and it will be Rena that pays for your wrong doings. All that is about to occur is because of you. You are the cause of this innocents suffering. Learn well from your mistake."

Wanda looked at Rena, grip tightening on her shoulder as the Spiritist plunged her hand into the little girl's chest. Rena would be racked with pain, like she was burning from the inside as Wanda took from her every ounce of soulmist that she had until her body shattered, falling to the ground as pure white ash which Wanda quickly swept into the jar she kept read. Capping the lid she would stand, showing the now dusted Rena to Fubuki, "For your punishment Rena will be trapped here with me while you will be given permission to pass on to the Citadel. While you are free to do as you wish, she shall suffer alone, confined and unable to move." Wanda took the jar and quickly stored it in one of the hidden pockets of her robes, then came to kneel beside Kouri once more, "I give you permission now to pass, and go about your business. Is that not what you wanted?"