Private Episode 1 - The Pairing Ceremony

[Auspex]

T H E A R K​

T A G: Architect
The Pairing

The Inferior decks of the Ark were all abuzz with chatter and gossip. It wasn't necessarily that it was an especially rare phenomenon, we had a ceremony like this every few decades or so. Still, it was exciting.

Pixrunduresasa Inferior are given this opportunity when a group of adolescents reach adulthood. I'd dreamed about my ceremony for years, and I couldn't believe that it was finally here. Not every Inferior is chosen, mind, no, nothing like that. In fact, we were taught not to expect to be chosen. Sometimes no one was chosen. Our elders told us not to despair, but instead simply enjoy the chance to mingle with the Superior for a time.

But I couldn't shake this feeling; this deep, primal excitement deep in my gut, a girlish glee that I couldn't shake.

I didn't tell anyone, of course. That would be fruitless. I tried to tell myself that it was just nerves for the big day, and maybe it was. But something inside me didn't sit right with that answer, as if, one way or another, this day was going to shape the rest of my life.

We didn't know which of the Superior was selecting a companion, we never do. I knew a few of them by association, and my elders knew many in person. What would he or she be like? Would they approve of us? Were they strict, like Matron, or humble and sweet like Nurse?

"Auspex." I told myself, staring into the mirror, "Pull yourself together. You're going to go out there, walk up to the Superior Deck, stand where they tell you to stand, and try not to make a fool of yourself, okay?"

My reflection gazed back at me, an expectant glare upon her face. I rolled my eyes and turned around. She was useless.

From beyond my room I heard the bell toll over the intercom. With a huff, I hurriedly gave myself a once-over and slipped out of my room, joining the steadily growing stream of people heading for the Superior Deck. I didn't know exactly where to go, but I knew that they would have some sort of area set up for the ceremony. My heart was racing in my chest, blood pounding in my ears. It wasn't a humble or helpful thought that filled my mind as I hurried through the corridors...

But I hoped whomever it was picked me.

 

[Architect]

T H E A R K​

T A G: Auspex
The Pairing

Architect stood still upon the Superior Deck, his arms folded, his brown trench coat blowing gently as his hair blew eerily in a draft from the air conditioning. It was a hot day. Unusually hot. Strangely enough, it was always cold when Architect attended other selections.

He was not one of the most well-respected. Among his Superior peers, of course. After all. disrespect from the Inferiors was unheard of, and on the very, most extremely rare occasion that it did, it rarely spread faster a seed set upon a stone. That being, it remained where it originated, and was soon stomped out. Crushed. Withered away. Extinguished.

That was the way it was meant to be. The Inferiors served the Superiors, who in-turn graced them with gifts and positions for their long-standing service. Failure was punished, Success was appreciated, and Rewards were for those who went above and beyond.

He was not one the most long-standing Superiors, and he doubted this was his first body, nor that he was the first of his name, only that he was it's current occupier. He only presumed that, in a past incarnation, he had designed this ship and directed it's construction.

It made the most sense, given his name.

He held domain in all matters regarding to the upkeep and improvement of The Ark. It was a lesser job, as he often involved himself in the maintenance of the ship's most vital of systems, and supervised over all other work worthy of his watch. He was not a proclaimed healer, such as Doctor, nor as wealthy and snobbish as Banker.

Yet he was just as important. Without him, there would be no Ark to live on. With no Ark to live on, there would be no Pixrunduresasa Superior, and with no Pixrunduresasa Superior, there would be no Pixrunduresasa Inferior.

This was, indeed, not his first selection. Rather, his second. Though fortunately, not even the Eldest of Elders were alive to remember it. And it was not the business of his fellow Superiors to share information amongst the Inferiors. They were a lower class, afterall. Hardly worth batting an eye over. They were not as pure as the Superiors. They did not reincarnate. They were new people, every birthing.

Architect's hearts pumped in unison, his four lungs converting the filtered air into energy to keep his body moving. He looked down from his place upon the stage. To his left stood a gathering of three Elders. Technician, Engineer and Mechanic. To his right stood Speaker, the formal announcer and presiding party of all ceremonies and gatherings of note.

"Inferiors! Servants! Adolescents! Bow your heads in respect to Architect, Preserver of The Ark!"

His own eyes shone a faint cyan, looking down upon the floor as the Inferiors began to filter in, lining up in orderly lines, their shoulders pressed together as they crammed to fill the space provided. The Elders descended from the stage, and began to sort the Adolescent Inferiors into neater lines, not looking back at Architect, his face unwavering, his mouth untwitching, his eyes gliding across the gathering whilst his hair continued to blow in the draft.

He looked every bit the visage of a God. Just as he was supposed to.

 

[Auspex]

T H E A R K​

T A G: Architect
My hearts thudded wildly as I followed the other Inferior out onto the space on the Superior deck.

I couldn't help but gaze up as I did; the ceiling here was so high! You could fit two, maybe even three whole decks in that space! How luxurious! Hearing the other Inferior whispering around me, I quickly bowed my head again and followed them. There was such a swirling of excitement and anticipation around me, the hearts and minds of every Inferior all focused wholly on the event.

For a moment I stopped, halting and pulling myself out of line to lean against a wall and drop my head into my hands. It was too much... so, so much. My own trepidation was one thing, but to be bombarded by everyone else's was... almost overwhelming.

With a squeak, I jumped with a start at the sensation of a hand grabbing my arm.

"Scribe!" I gasped, as my childhood friend pulled me back into line. He just turned and raised an eyebrow at me.

I opened my mouth to thank him for pulling me from my thoughts but closed it again as the elders began to sort us out. Instead, I merely clenched my jaw and stared at the ground while I was shuffled into place.

Then I saw him.

Well, I felt him first. That cold, even gaze; superiority and command, complete control - not only of us, but of himself. I couldn't help but glance up as the sensation overcame me like a wave.

There he stood; just a moment before he was announced:

Architect.

That was our Superior, the one making the selection. He looked every bit like what I had dreamed about; tall, commanding, calm but with a power that none dare question, a true paragon of our people.

I stared at him, drinking in that feeling, studying it, wanting to know it as completely as I knew myself. A sharp jab to my ribs from Scribe, however, and I hastily bowed my head, both hearts sending a hot flush directly to my cheeks. Swallowing, I stared at my feet. Why was it so hard to let go of that deep, intense desire to be chosen?

How could I recover if he passed me over?

 

[Architect]

T H E A R K​

T A G: Auspex
The Pairing

He stood still upon his stage, looking down on the Inferiors. His gaze was cold, unnerving, steely. Icier than the room they stood in, which had had it's thermostat lowered considerably to accommodate for Architect's sudden feeling of heat. Even though he still felt as hot as he had when he'd woken up, if not more so now, surprisingly.

Infact, he felt as if the heat grew slightly as the Inferiors entered the Superior Deck. Almost as if they brought the heat with them. That only confirmed the abnormality of the temperature Architect felt, along with the lack of sweat, or physical body temperature.

Some might argue that it was brought on by his coat, calling him a fool for wearing it when he felt so hot. But they just didn't understand fashion, and the feeling he had.

Architect watched as they all bowed their heads, one of them being slightly slower than the rest. His eyes lingered on her for a moment, seeing the pale skin of her face blush lightly. He suppressed a smirk and chuckle, turning his stare away, to the other side of the room as Speaker began to do what his name implied he should.

"Inferiors, you stand before Architect, Preserver of The Ark! It is by His Grace's Will that you are gathered here in this deck, to participate in the honour that is the Pairing Ceremony! The lucky one who is chosen will be granted the extreme gift of accompanying Architect, assisting him in any duties and performing any tasks that he deems fit. You will learn his ways and become more than you were originally made!"

"You have, every one of you, been explicitly chosen for your qualities or characteristics! The combination of your Inferior Prowess and Skill, once paired with the Excellence and Divine Power of the Superiors, will create a useful combination that will greatly benefit The Ark, and the Pixrunduresasa species! Prostrate yourselves, for addre-"

A singular sound rung out from the top of the stage, from where Architect stood. A rough growl, a low grumble, a coarse rumble. He raised a hand, silencing Speaker before speaking with his own words, unfolding his arms and pushing his coat back, sliding them into the pockets of his pants.

"That's jolly good and all, Speaker, but there's just one problem with it... I've heard it all before. Many times. I think they've gotten the gist of it, though."

He turned suddenly, quite casually infact, and looked in the general direction of the Inferior gathering.

"Have you lot gotten the general idea of what's going on here? Yes? Wonderful!"

He turned on his heel, walking over to the stairs and hurrying down them, his hands leaving his pockets, his coat trailing behind him from the sudden movements he had been making. He then marched up and down the front of the line of Inferiors, staring each and every one of them down. He appeared most impatient, occasionally moving his head, craning it to get a better look at some of them.

He then, once again, suddenly came to a stop, looking around and putting a hand to his head, seeming confused. He spun around, holding his hand up, and hovering it around near the group, waving it in all directions. He finally settled in one direction, walking towards it.

He stepped into the line of inferiors, sliding inbetween inferiors, and parting the rest with his sheer presence. He was headed directly towards... something.

It was the source of the heat, that was all he knew. As he approached it, he began to realise it wasn't an it, it was a she. An Inferior. The one with pale skin that couldn't control her blushing, or bow her head on time. One with silver hair and eyes a shade of pale blue.

It took him a moment to recognise the feeling, the sensation he hadn't been able to place. It wasn't heat, not of the conventional type. No, this was something he hadn't felt in centuries, not since his first apprentice...

He stopped a few feet short of her, staring her down, his face expressionless in a serious manner. His hair and coat blew gently from that same draft that seemed to follow him around everywhere he went, adding dramatic flair.

 

[Auspex]

T H E A R K​

T A G: Architect
I could feel a gaze on me; cold, as cold as the void beyond the hull of our ark.

It didn't last long, but I felt it linger, as the eyes of a king might linger curiously upon an intruding insect into his throne room. It took all my willpower to keep from releashing the shiver that threatened to take my shoulders. It wasn't that we feared the Superiors, not any more than a sheep would fear the hound that guards it. They were our betters, but they also protected us.

Still, it was very unsettling to be suddenly confronted with their notice.

Speaker opened the proceedings offically, introducing the man with the cold stare. Architect. I silently repeated his name to myself, feeling a rush briefly steal my sense as I did. Was that... supposed to mean something? Matron had spent the last three years helping me separate the prophecies from projections, but when I was personally involved it was... so much harder to tell.

Suddenly the Superior was interrupted.

Forgetting myself, I glanced up. Architect himself had uttered a growl, a low sound to cut off Speaker from the - admittedly, somehwat worn-out - opening speech. They were old words, words of tradition, unnecessary but repeated for ritual's sake. Except, not this time. Architect himself took over, voicing those same thoughts, as he began to move to inspect us.

My hearts both raced in my chest, lungs fluttering unevenly as I fought to control my breaths. That was the first time I heard his voice, and it had the same effect as the feel of his gaze. Surely it had to mean something, right? Surely I wouldn't overreact so much just out of mere excitement and hope...

I swallowed, forcing back the thoughts. Instead, I stayed as still as I could, hearing, sensing, feeling him move through our ranks, drawing nearer and nearer.

Then he stopped.

I saw his shoes before anything else, felt that silhouette seemingly envelope me, as if stealing me out of the moment, out of the ark, and suspending me in an entirely different reality; one with just the two of us. My eyes slowly raised as I took in his visage; tall, lean, long brown coat falling from his shoulders. Then that intense gaze, that seemed to not so much see me as burrow into me, studying, scrutinising every part of me.

My hearts were racing so hard I felt my chest might burst. My breaths were shallow and rapid; both pairs fighting each other for control. Blood pounded in my ears, my entire being seemingly suspended in this moment, standing before this old, powerful Superior. I clenched my jaw, fighting to open my mouth and speak despite the overwhelming sensations.

"You're early."

 

[Architect]

T H E A R K​

T A G: Auspex
The Pairing

The man breathed heavy for a moment, his head looking the woman before him up and down, barely registering that she spoke. His chest heaved softly, his hands shaking, the heat he felt radiated from this woman as if she was a white-hot flame. He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but closed it, raising a hand halfway, then dropping it. He stared at the woman, perplexed by her words for the briefest of moments, before speaking once again.

"On the contrary, miss, you're late. I've been expecting an Apprentice for atleast three centuries."

"If, however, you'd prefer me to arrive a bit later, I can go have a cup of tea and come back and we'll do this all over again. I wouldn't want to be a bother."

He then stopped speaking, calming his breathing, the heaving of his lungs returning to normal as he spoke those final words, so carefully and casually woven into conversation and without any grandiose or significance given to them above any other word. Moreover, he seemed to put more effort into responding to her blunt statement.

He then made a show of raising his arm and checking the time on his wristwatch. He then pulled the sleeve back over it, and placed his hands back into his pockets. He hunched over slightly, staring at the much-smaller woman, his gently-glowing eyes glaring at her, clearly perturbed by something about her.

Perhaps it was her blunt statement that did it, the assumption that he functioned to any expectations other than the ones he set for himself. Or it might, by chance, be the extreme discomfort she had placed him in.

The way he spoke had been described as disrespectful and lacking in politeness or culture by many intellectuals, particularly those who specialised in analysing speech, and members of high-society.

The ones that wanted to correct, however, could use one word to describe it far better. Eccentric.

Architect was, in every meaning of the word, eccentric. Not in an unattractive way, either. Infact, it only seemed to lend to his personality, increasing the factor of interest he held. The very next moment he leaned back, rolling his neck and allowing it to crack and pop before he opened his mouth to speak again.

"Either way, I'm going to have a cup of tea. Doesn't matter much to me when I have it, so long as it's hot. Would you like to join me? It might give us a chance to go over some things."

 

[Auspex]

T H E A R K​

T A G: Architect
Why did I say that?!

How presumptuous could I be? I could feel Scribe and the other Inferior's within earshot stiffen in shock and disapproval. How could I say sometihng so... demanding, of a Superior, no less?!

But rather than reprimand me, drag me before Speaker and the others to make an example, or indeed get angry at all... he replied. As if we were friends, correcting me with a quip in that voice that held my attention utterly captivated. Despite myself, I could feel something of a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. It wasn't a cheeky, immature smile of having gotten away with cheek, nor was it a self-righteous smile. No, it was... the embodiment of a feeling. I thought for a few moments as Architect spoke, discussing tea and looking at the time.

Perfect. It was perfect. He was perfect.

He didn't fit... not completely. He didn't conform to the rituals of the other Superiors, he didn't conform to tradition. He didn't even conform to time itself. It was exactly as it should be. I could within the inner-most core of my being, in those moments, everything was exactly as it should be.

I answered Architect's offer first with a curtsey,

"I would be delighted."

It was only then that my attention was pulled from our exclusive reality and back to the Ark, glancing around briefly at the Inferiors on either side of me and the Superiors standing a ways back, all watching us intently. This was not how the ritual was supposed to go. Would they disapprove? Would I be disqualified for messing everything up? Suddenly the possibility of being disbarred from being chosen by Architect hit me square in the face, and the eyes that flashed briefly up to his were filled with fear.

"I don't think I've done this properly." I confessed sheepishly, "I am so sorry."

I lingered for a moment, yearning, but not quite daring to say Architect's name out loud. He was perfect, but he was intimidating, and even aside from all of that, he was a Superior, and they commanded our upmost respect. So instead, I bowed my head once more, submitting with a sigh to whatever fate our interruption wrought.