(Preshow) Preshow Facility

[Tearen Wover]

The Park

Tearen smiled softly as the sky in the park began to dim, rushing through the phases of sunset faster than such natural glory really deserved. It seemed as though this pocket dimension was fully artificial after all, but then again, the rest of the Omniverse could be construed as such as well. The eldritch human peered through his rectangular spectacles at the people milling around the idyllic enclosure. For a moment, it occurred to him that it was reminiscent of a pasture of sleep before being led to slaughter, but that was not really the case. No. No, here the sheep offered themselves. Syntech had taken great pains to explain that this year's event would not require the death of its participants, but the clause in the paperwork about explosive collars had not gone unnoticed by the Shadow. Tearen did not resent the facade; after all, Karl Jak's entire operation worked on the pretense of emotional volatility and chaos. The elder Prime was certain that no one here was really fooled by Syntech, but they were certainly capable of fooling themselves. It was a brilliant play, on Karl's part.

Only three of the people milling around the half-lit trees and grass registered as Primes on Tearen's senses. There was a pair of youthful girls, jubilant and playful as any human youth their age might be. Obviously, a moment's scrutiny revealed that they were much, much more, but then, so was Rebecca. Through his eyes, their bodies shimmered with the incandescence of a pool of Omnilium; walking figments of raw potential. Then there was the lonely girl, sitting over on a retaining wall at the far left edge of the park. The fading light in the sky caused her demure features to be illuminated by the humming Omnilium she was weaving in her lap. The ex-enigma could feel such...melancholy radiating from her, unmasked and unashamed. Within the haze of wistfulness was, however, a foundation of strength.

Though he had promised to follow up on his ominous warning in the lobby, the Syntech press had apparently been distracted by something else within the complex itself. Began to walk over to the Prime girl, but stopped himself. He should not be so presumptuous as to intrude on the girl while she was summoning. Only after Malon had finished her creation did Tearen move to make her acquaintance.

"You know, it might be to your benefit to make some friends before this all starts." Tearen said softly. Malon quirked an eyebrow at the ex-enigma.

"Uh huh. Is that what you're doing?" she snapped. The elder Prime laughed slightly and pulled his head back. He hadn't expected such a stand-offish response from this one, but perhaps he had been jumping to conclusions. Then, in the next instant, the red head seemed to catch herself.

"...I'm sorry. I tried to talk to some people already but they all seemed dangerous...and kinda mean. So..." Malon said, tilting her head to the side, indicating her decision to retreat here. He nodded knowingly. The amount of Omnilium potential in her body indicated that she hadn't been in the Omniverse terribly long, but long enough to have experience the brutal surrealities it had to offer.

"I can...relate. But to answer your previous question, yes. I suppose that is what I'm doing. Is that a problem?" he asked with a gleam in his green eyes. Was he being creepy? He couldn't tell.