"Static On The TV" (663 hits)
Category: NoneLabels: A_Complicated_Divine
Rating: 1.86 on 40 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by kaos-king (antius777) (View user info) at 2007-02-28 12:38:19 EST
The two men on the couch exchanged worried glances before the elder appearing of the two coughed lightly and shrugged.
"Kylee," he spoke in gentle tones, "What are you doing?"
"I think I'm watching this television," replied the naked girl on the floor.
The digital box flickered silent white static.
Draimanus clinked together the silver rings on his left fingers rhythmically, a nervous habit he had picked up but was unaware of. Ophediel watched this behavior out of the corner of eye, brow raised slightly. He watched as Draimanus grew more and more agitated in the silence, eventually running his unoccupied hand across his shaven bald head.
Ophediel merely tugged at his long gray beard and waited.
The younger finally broke when he exclaimed, "Kylee, there's nothing ON the television! You're suppose to watch moving images of reality capture by digital means!"
"That seems terribly... complex," stated the naked girl without turning around.
Draimanus fell back against the cushions in defeat. Ophediel felt bad for his associate; he had taken the failure of this particular case hard. Personally, almost. Now here they sat with her in a dark Chicago apartment, watching her try to understand a TV.
"Kylee," asked Ophediel, "Would you like a glass of water?"
"That would imply thirst on my part, correct?"
"That's right," said Ophediel.
"What does water taste like?" asked the naked girl, still not turning to them.
"Uh..." tried Ophediel looking at Draimanus for help.
"It tastes wet," Draimanus replied, throwing his arms in the air.
"Ooh," said Kylee slowly. "Well, that might be pleasant."
Draimanus's face was turning interesting colors as he idly tapped at the three silver rings that pierced through his lower lip.
"I'll get you some water, my dear," said Ophediel rising from the couch.
He walked into the kitchen and began routing through the fully stocked cupboards. His hand found a glass, but then he thought better of that. Putting it back, he found a small plastic cup instead. Turning to the sink, it was quickly filled with cool tap water. Ophediel looked at the clear liquid inside the container and sighed. He took a quick sip, smiling as he drew the cup away.
Yes, water tasted wet.
"This is never going to work," came Draimanus's voice from the doorway.
Ophediel was embarrassed to be caught indulging himself, but he said nothing about it. Instead he glanced over to peer at his associate. Draimanus looked to be in his late twenties, completely clean shaven in the face and head. His lower lip and ears all had identical triple silver ring piercings and he had remarkably long, almost feminine eyelashes. He wore an intricate black leather tunic over leather pants, talismans of his order stitched and branded in various key locations.
These symbols stood out even more with the dried blood caked around them.
Ophediel sat the cup down on the counter. "It's worked out fine before."
"Yes, when it was Elders and that was eons ago. Even the few since then have had eternity to learn and study the ways. This one... this is like throwing a child to the forrest and expecting it to survive."
"She still must grow accustomed to her new..." tried Ophediel.
"She? She! You speak of Kylelial as a lesser thing already," sneered Draimanus. "The student should have been allowed to remain with the Order below. It was obviously what she was suited for, despite your attempts to..."
Ophediel slammed his fist on the counter, causing the cup to slosh water over.
"Kylelial was an Acolytical and born of the Light," said Ophediel with a quiet sternness. "And not possessing the properties of we Elders, regardless of your desires, would not have been able to withstand a prolonged emmersion into your society. You are so fond of this being, and I understand... truly. Perhaps better than you would know. But, would you see this entity so tainted, so perverted by the stain of your realm? Would it still be Kylelial then?"
Draimanus blinked at him, surprised by the emotional outburst of his former comrade.
"No," whispered the Demon. "Kylelial would not have been the same creature at all."
"Draimanus, please don't..."
"No, you are right. In the Acolytical I just saw such a... passion... for our trade. An excitement that we have not witnessed Below in millennia. It was, oh I don't know... infectious," Draimanus trailed off.
"She," said Ophediel catching Draimanus's eye, "Yes, SHE, made her choice, she wrote her own tale in The Book."
The Archangel and the Demon stood there in silence for a moment, each consumed by their own thoughts.
"I will take the water to Kylee," said Draimanus simply.
Ophediel nodded and handed the cup over.
Back in the living room, Draimanus hovered over the naked girl who was once Divine, unsure how to present the virtually newborn creature with the drink. She was still sitting cross-legged in front of a television that blared nothing but static, the white noise illuminating her delicate dark features. She had been made painfully thin, her black hair shoulder length and crooked. On her back...
And on her back...
"Kylee, here is your water," mumbled Draimanus.
"Hmmm..." said the girl taking it with both hands.
"Do you know how to..." started Ophediel, but Kylee slurped back the whole cup.
"Wet, indeed!" she smiled as a little excess water trickled down her lips.
Ophediel bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing, more at Draimanus's expression than Kylee's proclamation.
"Kylee," said the Demon kneeling down beside her, "Do you know me?"
"Of course, Drai," Kylee replied, finally looking away from the television, "You were one of my teachers."
Draimanus smiled, but Ophediel stepped forward. "You said 'were,' Kylee. So you know we are not your instructors any more?"
"Hello O. I know that you can't teach me any more. I'm not in Hell any longer. Or Heaven. It would seem I'm on Earth, that I'm Fallen."
The Archangel and the Demon stared at each other wide-eyed.
"You, eh... your taking this all quite well," said Draimanus.
Kylee shrugged. "I knew when I succeeded there would be re, re... repercussion? Is that the right word?"
"I believe so," replied Draimanus, quite confused.
"How did you 'succeed,' Kylee? What did you do?" quizzed Ophediel.
"I proved them wrong, O. The Acolytical were a new batch of Divine, both tribes of Angelic and Demonic. There was an... oh, what do you call it, an exchange program. Yes, that sounds good. Anyhow, it was to show that Good and Evil were immutable."
"How did she know that last part?" whispered Draimanus. "That was suppose..."
"Hush Drai, " said Kylee, running a small fragile hand across his chin, "I'm talking now."
Shocked into silence, he let the naked girl continue; "I was one of the Angelic students sent to reside among the Damned in Hell. We were to be taught in the ways of the Morningstar, the Unholy Arts. We were told to hold our basic natures at bay and to envelop ourselves in the Infernal."
Kylee sighed, glanced into the plastic cup then shook it a few times, spilling a few drops on her bare leg.
"We were always meant to fail," she concluded.
"But you didn't fail, did you Kylelial?" whispered Ophediel in awe.
"Nope!" smiled the Fallen One. "I understood what was happening. We were just a test, an experiment. And I was ever so good at the atrocious!"
She got suddenly very serious. "I didn't get anyone else in trouble, did I?"
Draimanus roared with laughter at this, but Ophediel looked on in discomfort.
"How did this Acolytical figure out..." the Archangel whispered out loud.
"So you knew?" interrupted Draimanus, "You knew you would most likely Fall?"
"Oh yes. I was quite fine with that. I don't think I belonged in the Divine Realms. This flesh is just... awkward. Takes some getting used to. I'm actually feeling better every moment that passes."
The Demon just chuckled while Ophediel looked on in wonder.
"The only thing," said Kylee, "Is I think I miss my wings. I feel like they're still a part of me, but I can't... I can't move them."
Draimanus ran his fingertips across the bare skin of her slim back. "Even the Divinities can not fully strip you of your wings, Kylee. A part of them will always be with you."
Ophediel watched as Draimanus traced the outlines of the black, ashen wing tattoos that adorned the back of Kylee. He watched as the Demon flipped an actual channel on the television, and the Fallen clap her little hands in delight at the moving pictures. He watched and felt a growing sense of unease...
User Reviews
Submitted by Fey (user info) at 2007-04-17 13:04:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I liked.
Submitted by Merlina (user info) at 2007-04-16 15:07:17 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by maiorano84 (user info) at 2007-04-16 14:56:13 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I fucking loved this.
Submitted by AshK (user info) at 2007-04-16 14:34:01 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Catching up. Been gone too long, and the prize is an entire series start to fin.
Submitted by eric_the_bread (user info) at 2007-04-11 01:38:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Benny (user info) at 2007-03-07 01:23:34 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Very cool. Sorry I missed this when it was first posted.
Submitted by sideshow (user info) at 2007-03-06 16:28:14 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Awesome.
Submitted by DCWoody (user info) at 2007-03-05 17:30:04 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
Submitted by DrogoRoch (user info) at 2007-03-02 11:17:51 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Very good; how did I miss this?
Submitted by St_Jimmy (user info) at 2007-03-01 13:29:55 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2007-02-28 16:15:50 (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by DesolateMisanthrope (user info) at 2007-02-28 13:55:32 (#)
Ranking: -2
7 letter word, spelled p-r-o-n-o-u-n, entirely foreign to you.
--
If we ever find this asshole I'm gonna garotte him with my cock.
______________
I don't mean to sound like a queer or nothing, but I think I'd pay money to see that.
Cool story by the way.
Submitted by Circe (user info) at 2007-03-01 09:39:15 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Ok. I don't often rate your posts, because our styles are very dissimilar and just because something doesn't appeal to ME, doesn't mean it isn't good.
This, I liked. I like the setting, the characters, the story behind it. It's intriguing.
But there remains something about your style that makes me feel a little cranky - you get these awesome ideas and I know you can see it in your head, and I want to see you really put it across, with authority and confidence and a light, clever touch. Your writing is consistently heavy-handed, when the ideas are so strong and clear in and of themselves that they don't NEED to be dealt with like this... they'd stand out more strongly if you reined yourself in, developed a little more subtlety.
In my opinion. Which is worth exactly one-third the weight of a vacuum.
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2007-03-01 09:15:50 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
This made me think of Will Ferrell dressed as the devil with Garth Brooks.
Submitted by Dead_0hi0_Sky (user info) at 2007-02-28 22:27:21 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
fuckin aces my man
Submitted by Snare (user info) at 2007-02-28 21:57:44 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Uhhm.
This is fucking cool.
Reminds me of "Lucifer" on Vertigo.
But this..
'prolonged emmersion into'
..
ouch. A misspelled tautology? My frontal lobes want to piss down your throat for that one. Don't worry, they're just having a bad day - they miss their alcohol.
Oh, and extra plussage for Jack's review.
This Desolate prick is really beginning to get under my skin.
Which, of course, is his entire raison d'etre.
Submitted by Cyrus (user info) at 2007-02-28 19:57:10 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
that was interesting
Submitted by Zebra (user info) at 2007-02-28 17:34:52 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
I liked this okay.
Nicely handled reveal.
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2007-02-28 17:25:03 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Fucking
Rocks.
Submitted by Crystle (user info) at 2007-02-28 16:50:58 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
.....sigh....
Submitted by Crystle (user info) at 2007-02-28 16:46:30 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
</3
Submitted by Crystle (user info) at 2007-02-28 16:39:15 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
at least it was -2'd in love, not hate?
Right?
right?
guys?
kaos?
*SOB*
Submitted by Crystle (user info) at 2007-02-28 16:38:32 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
that's the second review in the last 10 min. that's totally messed up for me.
One posted twice (slightly altered, even) on another post..
DANG! Either my pc or I am off today!
Submitted by Crystle (user info) at 2007-02-28 16:37:24 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
emoticon'd
Submitted by Crystle (user info) at 2007-02-28 16:37:08 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
:-(
Submitted by Crystle (user info) at 2007-02-28 16:36:52 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
damn it.. that was supposed to be a +2!
sorry, Kaos..
Submitted by Crystle (user info) at 2007-02-28 16:36:22 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
Jack... *THIS* is what turns you on?!?!?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2007-02-28 16:15:50 (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by DesolateMisanthrope (user info) at 2007-02-28 13:55:32 (#)
Ranking: -2
7 letter word, spelled p-r-o-n-o-u-n, entirely foreign to you.
--
If we ever find this asshole I'm gonna garotte him with my cock.
Submitted by Alcoholocaust (user info) at 2007-02-28 16:34:51 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
reminds me of a series you did a year or two back. this was also good
Submitted by GodChicken (user info) at 2007-02-28 16:26:19 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
I wasn't particularly taken with this one, if you'd put in some thoughts of hers at the beginning and then had the other two come in and interrupt her, it would have been a bit better.
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2007-02-28 16:15:50 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by DesolateMisanthrope (user info) at 2007-02-28 13:55:32 (#)
Ranking: -2
7 letter word, spelled p-r-o-n-o-u-n, entirely foreign to you.
--
If we ever find this asshole I'm gonna garotte him with my cock.
I've gotten the same complaint kk. Fucking assholes can't handle playing with style.
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2007-02-28 15:46:28 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
black, ashen wing tattoos that adorned the back of Kylee
------
fuck, how cool would THAT be, dude?
Submitted by DesolateMisanthrope (user info) at 2007-02-28 13:55:32 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
7 letter word, spelled p-r-o-n-o-u-n, entirely foreign to you.
Submitted by Amontillado (user info) at 2007-02-28 13:38:14 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Charlton_H (user info) at 2007-02-28 13:26:59 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Soylent Green is people!
Submitted by CaptainThorns (user info) at 2007-02-28 13:25:30 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Just a hair too repetitive for my tastes. Despite that emphasis, it was still quite surreal, I'll give you that. Have another +2 for a good piece.
Submitted by kaos-king (user info) at 2007-02-28 13:22:50 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Hmmm... interesting call Thorny.
I guess I was trying to paint how surreal the how scene was.
Never occurred to me the repetitive nature of some of the phrases.
Thanks. man...
Submitted by goferforhire (user info) at 2007-02-28 13:22:02 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
birfday to me
Submitted by darien_redd (user info) at 2007-02-28 13:15:58 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
i like the development here
Submitted by CaptainThorns (user info) at 2007-02-28 13:09:23 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
No Comment
Submitted by CaptainThorns (user info) at 2007-02-28 13:09:17 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
1.5 only because I felt the "naked" point was emphasized too much. Otherwise, solid writing.
Submitted by Susie_Derkins (user info) at 2007-02-28 12:57:23 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Interesting. I like how you reveal important information a little at a time in this.
Submitted by Crystle (user info) at 2007-02-28 12:48:24 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I like it.. will there be more?