Venetian Mystery Part 1 (First Task)

Eris had done as Hades ordered. To her most disgust.
Rose had numbered the masks and Eris had brought them with her. She also brought Cloaks.
She sent out a signal through the forest. Making sure it would only reach those people who were chosen by Hades, Though she was not aware of what Hades was planning. But it would sure mean no good. Eris decided it was time to leave.

Laying the masks on a wooden block together with the cloaks. Hades had ordered her to write a letter but that was In Eris her thoughts of no use since most of them couldn't even read. Laying down the letter. She vanished in air.

Letter:
Hello my dear pets,

How about we play a little game.
Before you, you see masks. Choose wisely, Every mask holds a different number.
What this number will do..Is to be a mystery, Keep the mask with you. And take a cloak with you to.
We don't want you to freeze to death do we?

Megara slowly walked through the trees to find the old oasis she once stayed at. Where was that voice coming from? She suddenly saw a large wooden block in the middle of the field distant from the surrounding water. She carefully walked towards it and examined the note on top. She read it carefully, trying to understand each word.
Megara sighed and slammed the letter back on the wood. Of course Eris was behind this, how could I have been so stupid to follow? She looked around to see if anyone else was there but she was alone. There were seven masks and cloaks so there had to be six more people coming.
She stared at the cloaks and masks considering which one to take. She finally picked up the violet colored mask, the one that appealed to her the most. What could these masks mean?

Jane walked along the dark forest. A voice had awaken her early in the morning and kept her from sleeping. After being split up with Pocahontas, she had found the cave. It got destroyed on the one half, but she had slept in it and could make a fire to keep her warm for once.

Suddenly she stopped. A woman stood near to her on a free place surrounded by trees and a lake. Jane tilted her head. She remembered the woman, who was holding a mask. Slowly and as quiet as she could, she walked to her and further to the stone on which some other masks where lying. Jane took up the notice and read it once, twice a time. Seemed like...

Well, it seemed like there was another game to play. Jane sighed and played with a strain of her hair. Then she took the blue mask with her and went a bit away to sit down on a different stone.

Megara followed Jane as she sat down on a stone. "Jane," Megara finally said quietly. "I've..missed you." Meg hadn't seen Jane in days. It was almost awkward between them. But she still longed to rekindle the friendship they once had. After a silence, Meg spoke again. "I'm guessing you were called here also?"
Meg walked closer to Jane and leaned on the stone beside her. Meg took a look at her, Jane looked the exact same since she last saw her. Megara winced when she thought about herself, or about the last time she ate...

Jane turned her head to Meg. She felt tired and exhausted. Just hadn't slept well and the early awakening. Jane yawned and hold her hand before her mouth. "I'm sorry...", she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Well, yes it seems that way... And it seems like we aren't the only ones.", she smiled softly at Meg.

Esmeralda was exhausted. She had barely been able to sleep and her meal (made of coconuts and... well coconuts) hadn't been able to help her to gain her whole strengh back. But this voice she had heard at dawn had awaken her curiosity. Maybe Odette and her were not alone in this lost island. She had try to awake Odette for that both of them go and see where the voice was coming from but couldn't. The blond lady was probably to tired, she had thought.

So Esmeralda left Odette to look for that strange voice. She arrived in a small oasis when she noticed the presence of two other women. Who were they? And why every single people she had met on this damned island were women? Was it some kind of harem? she thought. They seemed to be reading something. Esmeralda went closer to them, paying attention not to make any noise (like when she used to steal before all those crazy events happened). Hidden behind a tree, she squinted to see what was written on the paper.

The woman with the purple dress started talking and, appearently, she and the other woman knew each other. But what most cought Esmeralda's attention was when that woman said that they had been "called here". Called? By who? Could it be possible that they knew what was happening? Or something about this starnge letter? Her head was full of questions but she hesitated to go and ask them for the answers.

She then looked at the masks lying on the piece of wood. One thing was sure, if she had to choose one color, that would be red: the color of anger, revange and blood, she thought as memories of what had happened to her back when she was in Paris came back to her.

Megara turned around to see what Jane was talking about. A woman who she had never seen before slowly approached them. She had long beautiful black hair that hung delicately down her back. Megara smiled. The girl looked uncertain and uncomfortable as she chose a mask.

Meg walked up to her and extended her hand. "I'm Megara, and you are?" As Meg awaited her reply, she studied the girl. She was quite beautiful, stunning really. Megara almost had a twinge of jealousy. How could one look that flawless after being on the island for so long? But then Meg thought again. What if she was new? What if she just arrived on the island?

Meg turned her head towards Jane and tilted it a bit as if she were confused. Hopefully Jane got the message. They weren't the only ones on the island. What if there were a whole other population of people on the other side of the island, right under their noses.

Jane smiled softly. "Hello.", she said quietly. "I'm Jane. Sorry, I won't stay up right now...", she sighed again. After this long sleep it seemed, she should've been full of energy. But since Pocahontas left... Jane closed her eyes. She had felt her body going weaker and weaker. When did she ate something the last time? Not yesterday, not even today.

"Where are you from?", she opened her eyes again and gave the black-haired another soft smile. "Well... I'd more like to ask how you got here."

When she heard the girl with a purple dress introducing herself, the red mask disapeared from Esmeralda's hand. After all this time she had spent stealing, she had come to master this technic which had now become a reflex.

She slowly turned around to face the woman and looked at her hand, then at her face with a suspicious look. Could she trust her? She didn't know but she had no real choice. She needed answeres and they might be able to give them to her.

Her green eyes looking straight into the other woman's, as if she would want to read her deeper thoughts, she shook her hand. She answered her with her melt of franch and latin accent "My name is Esmeralda."

She percieved the silent exchange between that Megara and her friend and wondered what was going on.

The other woman started talking too. And Esmeralda wondered wether she should tell them the truth. She tended to be a very secret person, except with her friend (friends she hadn't anymore unfortunatly). But, well, if she wanted to get answers, she had to give some too. "I'm French. And got here on boat. The problem is that I don't know where is 'here'. Does any of you know what is this whole 'game' thing about?" she asked, still keeping her calm and serious expression she had when she was wary.

"None of us know, really." Megara said, taking a look around. "We were just brought here, each one of us." She stared at the water. They had to stay hydrated. "We should start a fire then boil the water from the oasis to cleanse it." She walked over to Jane and put her hand against her forehead. It was warm and clammy. "You're most likely dehydrated.." Meg said her voice trailing off. She started to walk towards the water, when she turned and motioned Esmeralda to follow her. "Why don't you help me?"

Meg was unsure if Esmeralda was a friend or foe but she didn't care, all she wanted was to survive. She looked around and gathered wood to start a fire. She placed it next to Jane. "This should keep you warm, it got strangely colder since we were last here." Meg remembered when ping, Jane, John and her all tried to survive here about a month ago. Or maybe longer, meg seemed to lose the time. "So what do you think the masks are for?" Meg asked both Esmeralda and Jane. She took Jane's cloak and wrapped it loosely around her.

Jane nodded. "We came here on boat as well. How long is it? 2 months? Longer, I don't know anymore.", she smiled softly at Meg. "Thank you dear. I'm sorry I cause you trouble again.", Jane lowered her head. "I should've been there when you need me.", she slipped from the stone and took the wood out of Meg's hands. "Let me make a fire. Do you have something we can boil the water in?", even if she felt tired, she wasn't dead.

Jane shook her head. "I don't know... But, I guess we'll figure it out soon. Eris won't disappoint us I think. We'll be having a lot of fun soon.", her voice was almost sarcastic, though Jane felt the need to cry. What happened to her? While trying to calm down she finally made a fire. Small but it worked.

"You've been here for two months?!" said Esmeralda, astonished. She took into account all those informations and started trying to find a logic in it. But something was bothering her. Two shipwrecks in two months, that was hugely improbable. Another thing was strange in what Megara had said: 'we were brought'. By who? Who could cause two shipwrecks and be sure that everyone would end on this precise island? That didn't make any sense. And if those woman had been here for so long, how long would it take for her to leave this island, she worried.

She stopped thinking about it when Megara mentioned a way to make the water all around them drinkable. Truth was she was really thirsty (cocomilk had nothing in common with fresh water and she would have killed to drink a whole pitcher of water right now.). She silently nodded when she was asked for help and started helping gathering wood for the fire. But she had no idea in what they could put the water.

She was bringing back the wood she had gathered when she heard Jane talking about someone. "Who's Eris?" she asked.

Megara looked at Jane and smiled. "That is in the past," she said softly, playing with a strand of Jane's hair. "We shall not speak of it." Meg loved Jane, like a best friend or a sister. It pained her deeply to see Jane sad. Meg often wondered if Jane still loved Shan-Yu. That was one difference they had. How could someone so sweet love such a monster?

Megara looked up at Esmeralda when she spoke. "Yes," Meg said quietly. "Maybe even longer." It felt like forever after everything Meg and the other people on the island have been through. But she had been sleeping and woke up in a new place randomly. I wonder how long we've been asleep?

Meg focused back on collecting water. She looked down by the trees and saw some empty coconut shells that had been recently broken. She picked a few up and emptied out the sweet, spoiled substance that was left inside. She squatted down by the flowing lake and collected as much water as she could. She carried them to the fire. She placed a few stones in alignment to make a small table towering over the fire, mimicking a stove. She placed the coconuts over the fire carefully.

Meg listened to Esmeralda's question and couldn't help to laugh. "It's better if you don't know.." She said locking eyes with her. "But if you insist.. she's an evil godess who guards the island." Meg made emphasis on the word 'evil' hoping Eris would hear her.

Jane nodded slowly. "The past...", she mumbled. What if nothing of this had happened? She would still be alone. Traveling around to avoid meeting people. Jane looked at Meg as she put the shells over the fire. She tightened the cloak around her and shivered. "But she's not as evil as Hades. Though they are both really interesting.", Jane bit her lower lip. "I wonder if they caused the ice and coldness around here? I'm sure one of them is involved in it.", she moved closer to the fire, then looked at Meg and pulled her next to her, wrapping the cloak around her as well. Jane layed her head on Meg's shoulder and closed her eyes. "I wonder if the others are still alive and alright..."

Those two seemed really close, thought Esmeralda. 'I wonder how long has it been since the last time someone was so kind to me.' she wondered, gazing into space and lighly sighting. When Megara started to talk about Eris being some godess, Esmeralda exploded in laughing. A godess! Why not aliens? It had been a long time since she last laughed; it felt so good.

But when Jane confirmed Megara's story, Esmeralda immidiatly stopped laughing. Were they mad? Or could it be... that this story was true. After all, that would explain everything. Esmeralda started to feel dizzy. Eventhough she was strong, it was too much for her.

She went to the wood piece and got the Megara's cloak and hers with a blank look. She then brought them back to her new mates, and gave Megara her cloak. She then sat around the fire with the two other women and wrapped her own cloak around her shoulders. She was tired and her distrust finally seemed useless for now. Her instinct told her that she had nothing to fear from those two; at least for now.

Jane mentioned 'others'. And Esmeralda couldn't help asking: "How many poeple are there on this island?"

Megara winced when Esmeralda laughed at her. "Believe me, they're real.. Hades, who is also guarding the island, used to be close to me. Even before I was brought here." Meg shuddered thinking about her past. When Jane put her head on Meg's shoulder she smiled. She awfully missed having a friend there to comfort her. Meg sighed when Jane spoke about the others. "I'm not sure to be honest. I woke up in the altar with Hades and Eris and I think I heard John and Rose's voice too." Meg shook her head. "I sure do hope they are all right. I smelt smoke in the air earlier, I fear Eris or Hades have burned down the tree." She couldn't talk much about it for her eyes were already swelling with tears.

She watched as Esmeralda got Meg and her cloaks. She took it, nodding at her in appreciation. "Thank you," she said, pulling it around her body. "There are many actually, last time I counted I believe there were about 20.. Men and woman, it's funny though no children.. It's like Eris hand picked us to go to this island."

Jane smiled. "So there are at least some of us who survived. Pocahontas is fine as well. She remembers me of someone...", she yawned. "A big coward to be true. No emotions, just orders.", Jane snuggled closer to Meg. "I'm so tired... Maybe I'll be feeling better after a nap...", Jane's eyes flutter, before she slowly fell asleep.

[OOC: Sorry, sweethearts, I would love to continue rping, but I need to do some stuff and then go in bed. Good Night! <3]

Isabella popped out from the jungle without know where she was going.. just following that voice.. as it was safe to follow unknow voices from a jungle! She blinkeds as she saw where it brought her.. the Oasis! The second place that she visited on the Island.. she couldn't help but smiled, the poor figures she did here were amazing!
She looked around and saw that there were some mask on a wooden block and some cloaks, with them a letter.. she read it.. who was Eris? Why did she want to play with her? She read it again.. wait! There were more people involved in this 'game'! She looked around.. how couldn't she see those girls before?! She facepalmed and took the first mask she found, the yellow one, and a cloak and walked quickly towards them.. she was so happy to meet people again! Stay all alone in the swamp wasn't great.. hopefully she followed the voice..
"Hello there.." she said almost whispering..

[OOC: Have a good night! ^^ ]

"You're welcome" lightly answered Esmeralda.

Hearing Megara and Jane's talk, Esmeralda felt more and more lonely. She felt surprise to notice that she was actually missing Odette. Not that she really liked her but, at least, she could talk with her. The fact that both of them had to find a way to survive when they actually didn't know anything obout this island had given them a common point.

During the last months, she had learn to consider lonliness as a friend but it had been hard since she had spend most part of her life with her people. She couldn't help smiling aat the tenderness between Jane and Megara. She'd have given everything to be able to have this kind of relationship with someone again.

Esmeralda waited a moment (for that Jane could go to sleep quietly) before whispering: "Why is Eris doing that? I mean, bringing people here? What does she want from us?" She felt defenceless not knowing anything about what was going on and she hated it.

Esmeralda jumped hearing a voice behind her. That was unusual for her to not have noticed her presence before. She really must be tired. Looking at the newcomer, she sighted. Her happy greeting reminded her of Odette. She looked at Megara to know whether she knew her or not.

Megara watched Jane slowly fall asleep in her arms then looked up at Esmeralda and sighed. "I ask myself that all the time. I thought I was put here for great reason but the only thing I've gotten here is torture and heartbreak." Meg shook her head and stared at Esmeralda. "Be careful what you do with her. I became on her bad side and have had scars from it."

Suddenly Isabella appeared in front of them. "Ahh," Meg sighed, smiling. "Isa, welcome. This is my acquaintance Esmeralda." Meg extended her arm towards her. "She's french and became shipwrecked her a could days ago." Megara then turned to Esmeralda. "This is Isabella, she was also on the ship when it crashed."

Isabella jumped as the dark skinned woman jumped too at her arrival.. she smiled awkwardly and watched the two gilrs.. she smiled of relief when she saw that one was Megara..
Isa come closer to them and smiled as Meg was introducing Esmeralda to her.. "Hi!" she smiled and waved her hand.. "You can call me Isa.. it's better!" she chuckled as she sat down near them and noticed that also Jane was there too.. She yawned, in effect that little trip to the Oasis and the smell of the swamp got her tired.. "I'm really!" she said alarmed as hse covered her mouth.. not good education to yawn in front of people but she couldn't help it.. "I think I'll do a little nap.. just to recover some energy.." she said it and fell suddenly asleep..

((Actually I've to go to bed too! XD Sorry! ^\\\^ See you tomorrow! ^^))

Odette swatted a low hanging branch out of her way, and hiked up her skirts to step over a rotting log. Granted, she should've stayed in the cave and waited for Esmerelda to return, but she'd been worried about her new companion. So, she'd set out, even if a little voice in the back of her mind told her it was a stupid thing to do. But something seemed to be pulling her in a certain direction. Odette hoped she wasn't going crazy.

A shiver ran up her spine, and she rubbed her arms to warm them up. Had it suddenly gotten colder? Up ahead, she spied a pile of cloaks next to some masks. She looked around to make sure no one was waiting to pounce. Even she knew that a pile of clothes in a forest was suspicious. But there was nothing she could see. Quickly, she grabbed one and put it around her, glad for the protection from the cold. When a note fluttered to the floor, she picked it up and read it. Her gut twisted nervously. Something about the message seemed...just plain twisted. Who was this mysterious host of this 'game'? She surveyed the masks, each beautiful in their own way. She picked the green mask up, since she had always loved green. It reminded her of spring, and flowers, and all the lovely growing things.

When she heard voices, Odette nearly jumped out of her skin. Her fear turned to relief when she recognized one, however, and she looked around for the source. A little ways off, she saw cloaked figures. She took off, glad to have found other people again.

"Esmerelda! Je suis si content de vous avoir trouvé! Vous n'étiez pas là quand je me suis réveillé et j'ai eu tellement peur que quelque chose de terrible était arrivé à vous!" she called out, stopping just short of the small group.

[OOC: If anyone would like, I'm going to the old chatroom (client01(.)chat.mibbit(.)com/ - #Pandora) if anyone wants to talk/plot/etc. ^^]

"Well, nice to meet you Isabella" calmly said Esmeralda with a forced smile. This situation was becoming more and more akward and she really didn't feel at her place surrounded by all those women who knew each other and was acting a bit as if living in an unknown island with a twisted godess playing with you as toys was something absolutely normal. 'I gess that after such a long time they had gotten used to it' she thought wondering if the same thing was going to happen to her.

Esmeralda sighted smiling when Isabella fell asleep almost right after greeting everyone. This girl sure was special.

She gasped and let out a short and light laugh when she heard Odette's voice. She turned around and smiled at her. She didn't really know why she was acting so nice with her right now when she actually treated her a bit harshly the day before. Maybe it was because Odette was what was the closest to a familiar face on this island. "Je suis désolée. J'ai bien essayé de te reveiller mais tu dormais trop profondément. Viens t'assoire." she lightly said (not to wake up Isabella and Jane), waving at the others. "Je te présente Megara, Jane et Isabella." she added. "Megara, she's Odette; we were on the same ship and we ended up on the same beech."

Megara watched Isabella fall asleep along with Jane. It was strange. Meg wasn't tired at all, she was alert and didn't want to risk being asleep while Eris played tricks.

Suddenly a girl with beautiful blonde hair appeared. Esmeralda introduced the girl, Odette, to her. "Bonjour heureux de vous rencontrer," she said awkwardly and not at all in a french accent. Megara had roughly studied french in the college she attended in Greece. Even the language sounded bitter on her tongue. "Excuse my french, I'm obviously not well-spoken as you young ladies."

After an awkward pause, Meg leaned toward the fire and carefully took the shells of water off the hot stone. "This should be clean enough, it just needs to sit out awhile so it isn't hot when we drink it." She placed all the shells on the ground allowing the cold air to drown it. Meg wrapped her cloak tightly around her and adjusted Jane so she was laying on her lap instead of on her shoulders.

"Join us, *Odette," Meg called. "You must be freezing." She picked up a loose stick and poked the wood under the fire. "Hopefully this lasts us the night." She looked up at the sky. The sun no longer peaked from the earth, the moon was now shining gleefully upon the women.

[OOC: *I had Esmeralda but I meant Odette sorry >.<]