WHO: Nina & Tezcatlipoca WHEN: Sunday afternoon WHERE: The Temple WHAT: Daddy! WARNINGS: tba, but mentions of cannibalism at least. There was a nervousness under everything that Nina did these days, knowing that her biological father was in the city. This was the god who had made her not only the horrible monster that had stolen her old life, but also this new stronger different self she'd now found. She wasn't entirely sure if this life was preferable - this one where she missed her parents (even though they'd never shared blood), and was wanted by the police, and ate the hearts of men to live. But it was the life she had whether she liked it or not, and it was Aztec blood that made her capable.
When she wasn't working at the strip club, Nina had taken to spending more of her time at the temple in the hopes that she'd run into her father. Sooner or later she had to. Until then she continue to offer up the proper sacrifices to him and kept out of the way of the serpent.
Today, though, was the first time that she'd felt the strange pull inside her, something calling out from far away and deep inside. Tezcatlipoca. She knew it had to be.
Running a hand through her curls she made her way downstairs, excited and terrified all at once.
obsidianmirror 2012-05-20 11:47 am (local) (link) Tezcatlipoca had been spending a lot of time at the Temple recently, soaking up the energy he felt there. It made him feel more vibrant than he had in a long time, and he hadn't realized how much he'd missed that until now.
He was wandering the rooms, glancing in at random, when he felt a presence at the back of his mind. It reminded him of himself, but at the same time, weaker than he had ever been. One of the children. That had to be it. He straightened and started walking slowly toward the source. (Reply to this)(Thread)
awaitingstorms 2012-05-20 12:03 pm (local) (link) When Nina laid eyes on the man she had no doubt that it was her father. They looked a little alike, she thought. She'd expected some massive family resemblance but Nina didn't think there was much more to it now than a few shared features, or perhaps it was only that she didn't recognize it.
He felt like a storm rumbling in the distance, like static in the air, like darkness sliding across her skin, like suggestions of things both arcane and physical. Nina didn't even know how to describe it to herself, but she wondered if she felt anything like that to people. (She thought of Dio, but she could never tell what he felt like. Dio was part of her. Dio had always been there and he just felt like Dio.)
Nina didn't shy away from Tezcatlipoca now that she'd come to stand before him. "Hello," was what she said, not entirely sure what to follow that with. (Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)
obsidianmirror 2012-05-20 12:46 pm (local) (link) Perhaps there wasn't any overwhelming family resemblance, but there was no doubt in his mind that this was his child. She didn't have the power, or the pull in his mind that those from his home did, but that was only to be expected, he thought. He thought of his conversation with the Hummingbird, about testing her to see if she had any natural talent for magic. He had a hunch he'd been right in that respect.
"Hello," he said in return. "You must be Nina." (Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)
awaitingstorms 2012-05-20 12:51 pm (local) (link) "That I am," Nina told him, eyes on his. There had to be some subtle line between defiant and respectful but she didn't quite know yet where it lay. Already she wanted to test herself against him, but those ways she pushed mortal men with the undercurrents within her wasn't going to work on the man who had given them to her in the first place.
"And you're Tezcatlipoca. The serpent told me you were here now." The slightest curl of her lip happened at the mention of Quetzalcoatl. (Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)
obsidianmirror 2012-05-20 02:48 pm (local) (link) He noticed her reaction at talking about Quetzalcoatl, and it pleased him. "I am indeed," he told her, inclining his head in acknowledgment. "And I've been waiting to meet you and your brother. I've heard things from the Hummingbird. I wanted to see if they were true." (Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)
awaitingstorms 2012-05-20 11:37 pm (local) (link) That is had been Huitzi who had spoken of her made Nina worry. She'd tried to keep up with his warriors but at the end of every day she'd only been covered in cuts and bruises (and once a pair of broken fingers). She was too short and too little to stand as a proper warrior and now her father knew that. She straightened up to hide the shame she felt. "All good things, I hope."
She wished that Dio was there with her. She would have felt stronger and more capable with her brother at her side. (Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)
obsidianmirror 2012-05-21 12:39 am (local) (link) "He said you submitted yourself to his warrior's training, but the fit was never quite right," he replied. "And I told him you wouldn't have been a child of mine if you had not even tried to keep up. I thought we might see if your talents lie more in sorcery instead. Perhaps you'll take to it better." (Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)
awaitingstorms 2012-05-21 12:49 am (local) (link) "I can bend men to my will," Nina said, too quickly, too obviously trying to impress. She bit down on her tongue; it had sounded childish and attention-seeking. "The powers of temptation and discord," she said a little more carefully. "I use them to lure men in and take their hearts. I'm still half-human so it's weak, but I can do it."
The mention of 'half human' made her consider - not for the first time - who her real mother had been. Nina didn't want to ask the god though. Maybe one day she would and maybe there would be a story, but that wasn't today. (Besides, there was the possibility that Tezcatlipoca didn't know or care about whoever that woman had been. It might be better to keep her own fantasies.) (Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)
obsidianmirror 2012-07-08 03:41 am (local) (link) He saw the words for what they were, but they were no less pleasing in any case. "Can you?" he asked, interested. "That's certainly a good start. The Serpent at least told the truth in one respect."
He rose and walked over to her, doing a slow circuit around the girl. "Your brother can continue with his warrior training, but I think it would be a worthwhile endeavor to encourage the discord and temptation within you," he said, tapping a finger to his lips. "They say twins are two halves of a person. Perhaps it only makes sense that your gifts lie in separate realms." (Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)
awaitingstorms 2012-07-08 04:57 am (local) (link) "He's a lying sack of shit in most respects," Nina said with an eyeroll. Just being around her father seemed to bring out her feelings against the serpent more strongly. "No offense," she added quickly, just in case.
Nina couldn't help but smile when Dio was spoken of as her other half, because that's exactly what he was. "He's a good warrior, strong. Sometimes we go out hunting together. I bring them to us and he kills them." She straightened again, fixing her eyes on her father. "I want you to teach me more." (Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)
obsidianmirror 2012-07-08 05:30 am (local) (link) Tezcatlipoca waved a hand, dismissing her words. "None taken, because you'll find I completely agree. We do not get along, and that is putting it lightly."
He didn't smile, exactly, but a pleased expression could be seen in his eyes. "And again, the two halves work together to achieve their goal. I would like to watch him train soon, I'll need to speak with him." He eyed her again, watching her spine straighten and her eyes meet his. "I think that could be arranged. What, exactly, are you wishing to learn?" (Reply to this)(Parent) (Thread)
awaitingstorms 2012-07-09 03:35 am (local) (link) "You'll like him," Nina said with assurance. "He's more like a god than I've ever been. He's always been better at violence and that sort of thing."
"Power," Nina told her father. "Strength. I want to be everything that it's possible for me to be. I know that I'll only ever be this half-human thing but there are so many parts of you I think I can find in myself, I just need to know how."
She didn't say, I want you to like me. I want you to be proud of me. I need you to be my father. But that was all true as well.
"I've been making offerings of my blood to your shrine the way Elena taught me."