[Interlude 2] The Center of gRAVIty

[Aethyrium]

Apple Blossom

S T O R Y T E L L E R
November 23rd, Late Morning (~11am) | Onyx Prairie - Hammer Academy - Apple’s Office
Next Post: 8.1.24 | Thessa, Marlowe, Lyreilynn, Chee, Ginger
From the very start things for Gravity had been unbound. Quite the oxymoron if you asked Apple. She had once called the team cursed, Ettinus had called them important. She might not have been inclined to believe him, but there was a lot of supporting evidence. Not the least was Thessa, who the general regarded quite fondly. But it went beyond her too. Lyreilynn’s presence was not to be ignored. And that Mila had ended up there was quite fateful as well. Even Namid and Haimehen were relevant people. There was no accounting for Marlowe, but every team had a dud. Regardless, she had been convinced of Ettinus' opinion of them the more she reviewed their time at Hammer - and since coming to take charge of Hammer, they were one of the very first things she had begun to review.

Because once again they were short people.

Now when Ettinus had first brought Meena and Vesper on board, Apple had been one to question the wisdom of breaking long established traditions. It was the team's responsibility to figure out how to proceed short people - that was a thing that champions needed to know. When she had attended Hammer, about six months into her squire year, one of her teammates had been killed by a Hollow. Team BuLwaRK had continued on for the next three and a half years as a team of five. But now that she was in charge she was sort of glad he did, because it gave her room to do the same. On her desk she looked at the spread of pads that detailed each squire - Thessa, Chee, Vesper, Lyreilynn, Marlowe, Meena, Mila, Namid, and Haimehen. Plus one, a file not from Hammer, but from the military academy - Ginger Fizz.

Namid was off living her life, working for Geotech now last Apple had heard. Haimehen was still in coma, though apparently a target of the attacks. The fact that he wasn’t dead given the damage at the hospital was a miracle. Apple had ordered a round the clock guard until further notice, for Auguste’s sake. Mila was a complicated topic, but at least no longer a wild card. Then there was Meena, who made the sudden decision to depart and return home just a few days before, leaving her team leaderless and a person down. On top of that there was the Vesper situation. Vesper had vanished the morning after the Azkaban incident - gone before anyone else had woken up. There hadn’t been a story in place, only a small acknowledgement that he wasn’t there and a promise to give details when they were had.

One more thing to cover with them.

Apple looked up from her desk as the elevator door opened, and the four members of Gravity filed into the room. She stood and walked around the front of the desk to greet all of them individually. She leaned against her desk once that was done and lightly crossed her arms across her middle. It didn’t surprise her in the slightest that Marlowe was the one to speak up and ask what they were doing here. Apple smiled and glanced at the elevator, “We’re waiting. There’s someone not here yet.”

Almost as if on command, the doors opened again, and Ginger was shown in, just as Gravity had been, by Apple’s second assistant. “There, now we’re all here.” Apple stood up and beckoned Ginger forward. “Thank you for joining us,” the general said, offering a hand and shaking it. She returned to the edge of the desk. “This is senior cadet Ginger Fizz from the military academy,” Apple introduced, “And these are Thessa Almentis, Lyreilynn Myalis, Marlowe Ashe, and Chee Tortious, of the squire team Gravity.” She indicated to each of them respectively.

“We have a lot to talk about,” Apple began as she scanned across the gathered students. “Gravity has been through a lot.” If Eloise was confused, that was fine, Apple would make things clear soon enough. She glanced at the cadet, “You’ve lost friends, and undergone considerable change. Ettinus thinks this is a strength of yours.” Mostly she was referring to the original three - truth be told she wasn’t quite sold on Ettinus’ appointment of Chee, but she wasn’t about to undo it either. The silenus of the group got her attention next, “I am inclined to agree with him.” She nodded at him. “Which is why I have decided to continue his new policy of filling in vacancies in Hammer. Meena’s departure has left Gravity leaderless, and a member short.”

Apple pushed away from the desk and folded her hands behind her back, she turned and walked slightly away from the group, toward the large window that overlooked the courtyard. “Gravity has struggled for strong leadership. We solve that today. Effective immediately, Thessa will take responsibility for Gravity. I know under her guidance you will all thrive, and become the very fine Champions you came here to be.” Apple stopped at the window, “As for you, cadet, I am reassigning you to Hammer to begin your training as a squire beginning as of now. You will be joining team Gravity, and taking Meena’s place as Thessa’s partner as squad Regraft.”

[Crash]

Character Name: Ginger Eloise Fizz
Date | Time: 11.23 | Late Morning (~11am)
Location: Onyx Prairie - Hammer Academy - Apple’s Office
Wearing: Dress Uniform
Tagging | Mentioning:
Word had come down that General Apple was taking over leadership of Hammer Academy in addition to her duties as General of the Onyx military.  This would have been nothing more than passingly interesting to Eloise had she not been ordered to attend a meeting with the General this morning.  To say that Eloise was concerned was an understatement.  She had fucked up.  She knew that.  Binx got hurt.  It didn't matter that it wasn't ultimately her call. It had been her plan, and it had failed in the most devastating way possible.  She knew she would be reassigned at best, but if the General was involved, she had to figure it would be a lot worse than that. 

Eloise had been resigned to her fate, but that didn't mean she was going to go out like a punk bitch.  She had her pride. She put on her perfectly pressed dress uniform. Pinned her hair up like Myx had shown her well over a year ago now.  Brother of Light, it seemed like a lifetime ago. Placed her cap firmly on her head and left her temporary bunk with all of the somber dignity of the soldier she had become.

'Steady, Ginger. Steady.  Just hold it together a little longer,' she thought as the elevator ascended to the General's new office in Hammer Academy.  Eloise had never been on this side of the skyway.  Squires and Champions had always seemed so distant to her. It wasn't just the strict schedule Cadets were put on.  Squire and Champions were…well…heroes.  They were celebrities. Everyone knew them.  They weren't hard to spot.  Eloise simply wasn't one.  She was a criminal, a gutter rat, and a soldier.  Champions were so far off her radar that even thinking about them seemed silly. That was for other people. Better people.  Not her.  If Eloise had been an educated woman, she would have called all this surreal, but she had to settle on…weird.

The elevator slowed, and she gave herself a moment to take a deep breath.  Her back stiffened like iron, her face a mask of stoicism.  Years of pretending she didn't care and didn't need anyone made the look of casual cool slip into place with ease. When the elevator opened, she looked every bit the dutiful soldier.

With long, easy strides, the woman stepped from the elevator. She wasn't ripped like Thessa or full of voluptuousness like Marlowe, but she wasn't short or slender like Chee or Lyra. Dressed in the deep black of the Onyx military, her uniform cut a striking appearance.  She was certainly athletic. Lithe like a stalking cat, with the hint of a pear shape, accentuated by the way her uniform hugged her hips.  What little skin was visible was honey bronze, like her eyes. Her hair looked shaved on the sides, but it was hard to tell if the top was too under her cap. 

'Keepittogetherkeepittogetherkeepittogether.'

Seeing the general, the woman stepped into the room and remained at attention, saluting her.  When directed, she stepped forward and extended her hand.  The first flicker of anything other than professional soldier clouded her eyes, but she gave no other indication that anything was amiss.

"Of course, Madam General," Eloise replied, none of the confusion she felt entering her voice. She had noticed the others in the room, of course, but they were not her focus.  Perhaps this meeting was just a formality before judgment could be rendered, and the others in the room were here for something else entirely.  They did not look like Military after all. 

'Just breathe, and for the love of light, do not pass out!' she reminded herself, her heart beating like a drum in her chest.

Her given name elicited that tell-tale twitch in Eloise's right eye.  There were a lot of feelings wrapped up in that name.  Most of them bad. But at least she no longer felt the overwhelming desire to punch someone when they said it, so…look at me and my fucking growth. When introduced, Eloise nodded to each of them in turn. 

"It's a pleasure," she offered, but it was hard to tell if she actually meant it. She was confused about why an introduction was needed, but this whole thing was confusing. However, in the presence of someone as formidable as General Apple, it was best to keep your mouth shut and your eyes open.  A lesson from the streets that had done her well over the years.

Apple had not indicated she should be at ease, so Eloise stood at attention, looking over the group before her.  While squires and Champions held a status akin to folk heroes, Eloise had been too busy being broken and rebuilt by her training to focus on who was who at Hammer.  They were an eclectic mix, for sure. 

Her honey-brown eyes turned their attention to the General when she walked towards the large window and spoke of the changes to Gravity and her own fate. To Eloise's credit the only indication of what she was feeling was the widening of her eyes as the realization of what was happening dawned on her.

'WHAT THE FUCK? I'm being promoted!?!'

[shengami]

Character Name: Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 11.23| Late Morning (~11am)
Location: Onyx Prairie - Hammer Academy - Apple's Office?
Wearing: Uniform
Tagging | Mentioning: gRAVIty 4e | Mugi, Meena, Velvet, Cub, Arick, Torina, Soraya, Maria
Note: A New Day
The last few days had been harrowing. It had been four days since the prison break and it felt like most of the Academy was still recovering. Some physically, other mentally. SWAGger had lost a member, Mugi. Chee didn't have all the details, but it sounded brutal. Losing a friend was never easy. He glanced down the line to Thessa and bit his lip. But they were good, right? He rocked forward onto the balls of his feet. His tail swayed easily to keep his balance. Then he collapsed back to his heels.

This summons had to be expected. It smacked of the moment when Chee had been added to the team barely over two weeks ago. His eyes roamed the familiar, knickknack-obsessed interior decor. It seemed like this was a recurring theme for this team: the cursed team. He'd heard the rumors. Chee knew enough of Academy lore to know this was unprecedented: not the part of losing four members, but having the replaced. His ears laid flat against his skull as he looked at the flame-haired new Headmaster. Slowly, his hand came up to the breast pocket of his uniform. The faint outline of a rectangular object rested there. He traced an edge as he watched General Apple Blossom. Silently, his lips whispered the stats.

But here gRAVIty was again: Thessa, Lyra, Marlowe, and him. He felt the absence of the other two names. One was a mystery the other an understandable disappointment.

Vesper had disappeared the night after the attack. No word, no knowledge, no answers, and no body. Chee's chest tightened to think of Vesper returning home or in some cave or dark hole by himself. Maybe it hurt most that the man had disappeared without a word. Chee thought they were friends! But he'd disappeared without a single word. Had he done something? But he knew it wasn't his fault; but his ears laid flat for a second anyway. He looked down the line at Lyra. They'd all been pushed hard the other night; they'd had their hands full with a Paladin! His ears flicked as excitement raced through his heart. He wished he had been there.

His eyes flicked back to Thessa and he settled. He had been where he was needed. He bit his lip again.

Mind drifting, he wondered how Velvet was doing. She'd insisted that she was fine, that it hadn't been that serious, that she understood the call of family. But Chee had seen the way she got excited and happy when Meena's name was in the air. He wondered if that was true. But it was hard for him to understand. Chee had only ever been interested in one person, that way. That had been brief and he knew he didn't feel it anymore. That had been hard to admit, but he knew it was true. He didn't care for Dawn like that any more. He didn't think. So he wasn't sure what to make of Velvet's situation. He'd watch it. He'd be there for her. He glanced again at Thessa and a small smile played over his lips.

The elevator dinged again and he twisted to look. A military cadet exited and walked forward. Chee's tail lashed with interest. The new squire? That makes sense. He swiveled his eyes back to Blossom and weighed that. It made sense that the General would bring in a military cadet. Apple had graduated and entered the military right out of Hammer, rose through the ranks, and achieved what no one else ever had. It wasn't exactly the career of a champion, but it was impressive.  He expected some military discipline might get injected into Hammer. That didn't fuss him. He'd spent the last five years as a mercenary, he could manage that. Maybe. He eyed the heavy revolver she carried. His lips whispered silently again.

But the general was talking, so he focused. It was as he suspected. He looked aside at the newest member, Ginger Fizz, then back to Thessa when it was announced that she would be the elf's partner. His eyes were wide with the knowledge that Thessa would be the new team leader. That seemed daunting; he swallowed the chuckle of excitement. reGrAFT That was a good name for the new squad. He grinned and his tail swayed. It struck him that he was the only Silenus on gRAVIty now. And with Mugi and Meena gone, there were two less in their class. That left Soraya, Cub, Velvet, Him, and Maria. His ears flicked as something nagged him: Oh, and Arick! Er, and Torina? Was Fern a Silenus? No, elf.

That just meant each of them was going to need to be that much stronger!

He bounced on his feet and twisted to look at Ginger, "Nice ta meecha, Ginger! I'm Chee. Wild One! Did you get lucky in partners or what?" He pushed his hand out toward her in greeting.

[Envious]

Character Name: Thessa
Date | Time: 11.23 | ~11am
Location: Apple's Office
Wearing: uniform, no earrings
Tagging | Mentioning: Ginger, Chee, Apple | Gravity

As Apple spoke of continuing the policy of filling vacancies, Thessa gave Ginger proper attention beyond the cursory curious glance she had received when coming in. It had been a rough several days. Meena’s choice to leave had been met kindly; Thessa understood the consequences of relying on others to protect what you loved and she couldn’t argue with the leader’s choice. It was disappointing, but it only reaffirmed the dark suspicion that of all of gRAVIty, only she and Marlowe truly were truly here to be Champions. Vesper’s disappearance had not received the same understanding. No matter what, Thessa had always been honest with her team when it came to making choices whether she thought they’d agree with them or not. She always gave her partner, at minimum, a heads up to what she was doing. Vesper had done none of those things and it seemed… uncharacteristic. Worrying, really.

Being named leader didn’t seem to surprise Thessa. There was already precedent, so when Apple announced it, the elf dipped her head in respectful acknowledgement but didn’t give thanks over the new assignment. Namid had broken down at the pressure of the role. Haimehen had dramatically fumbled under the responsibility. Meena had struggled to understand her place and had quit. Two months in, four leaders deep, four members replaced.

The side-eye Thessa gave Chee threatened to suck the life out of the room. There was nothing lucky about being her partner. Rather than dampen the mood, Thessa returned her attention to Ginger. ”Third time the charm,” she said at a poor attempt at humor as Chee stuck out his hand. ”Will show you ‘round when we finish up here,” she promised and then turned her attention to Apple.

This didn’t really seem like the time or place to congratulate the General on her new appointment, either. While Ettinus was still around doing all the things he had been doing, he was no longer the Headmaster. Not since the Great War had Champions been soldiers. Their business had been the world-wide threat of Hollow. But Thessa was undecided on how she felt over the matter - especially after the prison break. It made sense to consolidate limited resources to protect in situations beyond the Hollow threat. Ettinus’ response had been to do just that, though. As much as she liked Apple, she still felt a strong loyalty towards Ettinus and how he had treated her.

”Just one?” Thessa questioned. There had been a promise of more details over Vesper’s disappearance and the decision to fill one and not two vacancies had the elf wonder if there was now news.

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: November 23rd | Late Morning
Location: Headmaster’s Office
Wearing: Pink lace corset mini dress with bell sleeves
Tagging | Mentioning: Thessa, Lyra, Chee, Eloise | Meena, Haimehen, Namid, Mila, Vesper
Marlowe was still not sure how to feel about Apple taking over Hammer. It seemed like everyone had an opinion about it, except her. Maybe it was because she didn’t really understand what Ettinus did, or what the role of the headmaster was except to make sure the mechanics of the academy were moving. But if that was all it was as she suspected, why did it matter who was doing it? Lolo’s interactions with Ettinus were all positive, she thought highly of the elderly elf, but his demotion didn’t stand out to her as anything more than the shifting of politics. These things happened. And Apple seemed capable and well regarded too, so really, were they, the students, any worse off? She greeted the general - because calling her headmaster didn’t feel right - with a warm smile and a firm handshake. Marlowe had even less exposure to Apple than she did Ettinus, but those too had been positive from her perspective.

There had been a moment of curiosity when they were waiting for one more. She hoped that it was Vesper making his return. Things on Gravity felt weird with the departure of her friends. But when the elevator opened and it wasn’t Vesper, but instead some unfamiliar military girl, Lolo turned to regard Lyra with a tilted head, hoping that she might show some signs of recognition or understanding. As if it were possible, the last few days Lolo had stuck closer to Lyra than ever before.

This week had really sucked.

Passing one more glance to the cadet, Lolo smiled brightly and offered a friendly wave when her name was called, “Hi,” she’d have lingered and said more but her attention was back on Apple quickly when she continued. Ginger’s presence didn’t fall from her mind though, there were too many questions. Most importantly, why was a member of the military here in Hammer? She’d never seen that before - but then, lots of things about Gravity were firsts. Was this what people were talking about when they were concerned that Apple’s appointment brought the military too close?

Meena’s departure had not been easy to accept. When Lolo had heard from Lyra that Vesper was missing, she’d panicked and had questions. But it seemed like a known situation. There had seemed to be a reason, even if she didn’t know it, and that suggested things were under control. Vesper wasn’t missing he just wasn’t here. That gave her comfort. But when it had come to Meena, what Marlowe felt was abandonment. No amount of the silenus trying to make her understand had gotten through to her - Lolo didn’t understand, and she didn’t want to understand. Meena had become a friend, a good friend, and her leaving was just another part of Gravity falling apart. She had people here that she had an obligation too, and she walked away from that. She was still mad about it. Maybe not as mad as some decisions made by others, but still mad. And Apple’s talking about it made it seem that much more final. “She’s really not coming back…” Lolo murmured sadly.

Not even Lolo was so clueless as to not follow what Apple was saying. Meena had left and this Ginger was going to take her spot. Now Lolo had heard of people from Hammer going and joining the military, but not vice versa. Bright scarlet eyes looked over the cadet and scanned her with renewed interest. The track record of appointing new people to gravity was, in Marlowe’s opinion, less than stellar. She was very fond of Vesper. He was a friend, and he fit in well. She had felt the same about Meena too, until recently, when all of that was called into question by her decision to leave. Were any of them really better off for having Meena among them, if she had come, established, just in time to rip herself away from them? That thought made her more angry, and she sighed, leaning into Lyra for support.

That left Chee, and Marlowe’s gaze flitted to him. Of all the replacements, he was both the most recent and the one she was the least certain about. Chee didn’t feel like part of Gravity. It felt like Gravity featuring Chee. He’d shown, and continued to show, that he wasn’t really with them. He was alongside them. Was Ginger going to be another Meena or Chee, or another Vesper? Was it worth investing when the chances seemed so skewed toward it not working? Namid, Mila, Haimehen, Meena, and Chee were all duds.

Lolo was really growing tired of trading friends.

Lyra would have been Marlowe’s choice for leader. Her partner was smart and thoughtful, and Lolo felt like that would make good decisions for them. But Farrah - Thessa - was an equally appealing option. Or she would have been any other time, any time before the lies had been revealed. Lolo had felt quite very close to Thessa before that, and the elf had certainly earned the busty brawler’s loyalty - Marlowe valued her considerably. But now? Now everything still stung. She was hurt by the deceit, even though she was trying not to be upset about it. One thing this appointment did was put the situation into perspective - she, they, needed to find a way past it. Marlowe didn’t know what that looked like right then, but she committed to figuring it out. For the first time since Thessa’s breakdown and confession, Marlowe leaned toward the elf and gave her a little nudge and a half smile. What was a name, really?

Marlowe missed her friend. Did a name really change anything?

[FyreFoxx]

Character Name: Lyreilynn "Lyra" Xyrven Myalis
Date | Time: November 23rd | Late Morning
Location: Headmaster’s Office
Wearing: White wrap dress with blue trim, dark blue sash, teal Arcanite necklace, rose-gold bracelet
Tagging | Mentioning: Marlowe, Thessa, Chee, Eloise | Meena, Haimehen, Namid, Mila, Vesper

Things had been a little crazy ever since the prison outbreak had happened a few days ago. She’d been split up from her partner, been knocked off a bridge, took a full blast from a Paladin, and still somehow walked away from it all with minimal injuries. It had boggled her mind for some time after that fight where she protected Kiba. It was still bewildering to her. But it had been pushed to the back of her mind, as there had been many other pressing concerns. Such as Marlowe being nearly killed while they were separated – Lyra had rushed to her side the moment they were back at the Academy and remained there until she had recovered, Azir going missing – very little had calmed her anxious heart down, Vesper leaving the next morning without a word, and there was even Meena’s departure from the team.
 
That last one hadn’t been easy to swallow. It had been unexpected, even. Meena had gotten along great with the team and Lyra was warming up to the large Silenus, but then suddenly, she was gone. First it had been Namid, the original captain, leaving the team, then Haim as interim – who eventually was removed from their team due to his current condition, then it had been Meena’s turn not long after she had been a replacement. Maybe Gravity really was a cursed team as the rumors said. Blue eyes shifted over towards her partner, taking a small step towards Marlowe, her shoulder brushing against the taller woman’s. Namid, Mila, Haimehen, Meena. All gone. Perhaps even Vesper! Who else were they going to lose? The thought made her stomach clench up uncomfortably, edging even closer to her partner. They were still the only squad not to have been replaced in any manner.
 
Speaking of replacements, Lyra turned her gaze towards the red-haired woman who had demanded their attention as they had walked into the office – formerly Ettinus’s office and now Apple Blossom’s. That had come as a shock, and only mildly displeasing. There had been something about Apple she hadn’t liked from the moment they met, but they had little interaction since then, and it was hard to get a read on the woman. Lyra smiled politely to the general – Ettinus was still Headmaster to her, although perhaps now he was simply Professor, as he preferred to be called anyway – and nodded her head in greeting to her, taking her hand only as a last resort if it got extended.
 
Hearing they were waiting on another meant there was hope that Vesper would be joining them, her blue eyes landing on the elevator doors right as they opened, but instead of their missing archer, it was an unknown woman. Lyra glanced up at her partner, her confused expression mirrored on the other woman’s face. Neither of them recognized the cadet who entered. Where was Vesper? There was obvious displeasure on her face as the little elf turned her attention back to the girl being introduced by the general, giving her much the same polite smile and nod of her head that she’d given Apple just moments before. “Hello.”
 
At the quiet murmur next to her, Lyra peered up at Marlowe with a frown, then quietly slipped her hand into her partner’s, giving it a soft squeeze. “I am still here,” she whispered to her with a tiny smile. “Dilemma is still here.” She nudged Marlowe’s shoulder with her own, before giving Apple and Eloise her attention again, but kept holding Marlowe’s hand. It was to comfort her partner as much as it was to ground herself in that moment. She didn’t want to lose anyone else, least of all Marlowe. If something were to happen to her, then… Lyra didn’t know what she’d do. She’d come close to losing her just days ago, and that had served only to make them that much more inseparable.
 
Still, bringing a military cadet to Hammer was unexpected, the little elf letting her eyes travel over the small woman’s form. She was a couple of inches taller than Lyra and far more muscular, although not as much as Farrah. No, Thessa. Blue eyes flicked over towards the giant elf. That had been another revelation, one that had irked Lyra at first. For all the lies Farr—Thessa had accused her of, she’d been keeping the biggest one of all to herself. She wasn’t even who she had said she was. Though a small part of her understood the want to keep a name to themselves, Lyra never rejected or hid her name – she simply didn’t flaunt it, not since the very first day. She never lied about it like Thessa did. But there was where the irritation ended. They’d already mended their relationship a week ago, and while she’d been hurt to know that Thessa kept something so important as that to herself, everything else about the woman had been genuine. It was just a name. And most importantly, she was still there. Still part of the team. And what’s more, Apple just named her leader. That had been expected, honestly, since the prior leader had been Meena, her former partner. It simply followed the policy laid out before them.
 
At the news that Eloise would be joining Gravity, hence her presence there, Lyra shot the girl another look, then turned her gaze to Apple, then back to Eloise. Another replacement? Cursed. That word kept coming back to haunt them. Why… Why were there so many replacements? When something like this had been unprecedented? That uncomfortable feeling in her stomach came again, her grip on Marlowe’s hand tightening slightly. Would she end up being another Namid or Meena? Someone who was there for a while and then decides to leave them of their own accord? Would she eventually disappear without a word like Mila or Vesper? Granted, one had been kidnapped and the other left for reasons unknown. Would she be like Chee, who seemed to struggle to feel like part of the team and still hadn’t taken to sleeping in his assigned bunk? Or would she be an outlier? Where did she fall into place on Gravity?
 
However, there was one thing that this introduction had made clear. One replacement. One mention of someone leaving. Not two. That meant Vesper was still considered as part of the team, only just not there. Thessa voiced the question before Lyra could, nodding along with her words. “If it is only Meena’s spot being replaced, then, does that mean there is word of Vesper? Do we know where he went? Is… is he okay?”

[Aethyrium]

Apple Blossom

S T O R Y T E L L E R
November 23rd, Late Morning (~11am) | Onyx Prairie - Hammer Academy - Apple’s Office
Next Post: 8.7.24 | Thessa, Marlowe, Lyreilynn, Chee, Ginger
“Ginger is a promising cadet,” Apple said, looking down into the largely empty courtyard. They were missing Silk’s class for this meeting. “She’s been with the academy for almost two years now. In that time, she has undergone a rather significant amount of growth.” Turning around to look at the, once again, reforged Gravity, the general’s eyes fell hard on the cadet, “There are some who believe that she is not cut out for service, and belongs back where she came from.” She didn’t elaborate, Eloise no doubt knew precisely those whom she was talking about, “But what I see is a talent that needs refining in a more proper environment.” Apple moved to stand in front of Eloise, “I am placing you on an extended leave, pending review at the time of your graduation from Hammer. Your time serving the Onyx military is, for now, done. You are hereby released from service, and all associated duties.”

Apple stepped back toward the desk and slowly moved around it, “This is not a vacation, squire. You will be pushed harder here than you’ve ever been before. And you are starting behind the curve. But I have no doubt your new team will get you up to speed, they’re a,” Apple sank into the chair and swiveled to face them all, “Spirited bunch.” The general had opinions on all of them. None of them were particularly disfavorable - except, perhaps, Chee. But that was born of questioning Ettinus’ judgment. She held the same uncertainty about Meena and Vesper, and more than any of them, Dariaq.

She nodded softly, “Just one.” Apple confirmed as the topic turned naturally toward the next topic she had to discuss with them. Shifting the chair, Apple turned to meet Lyra’s curiosity. The situation with Vesper was another one of those questionable situations like appointing Dariaq, but it too was already done and there was no changing it now. “I can’t speak to his exact condition at this moment, but yes, I believe he is okay.” Apple scanned the team, “I do know where he is, but at this time I can’t disclose that to you.”

Compartmentalization was no stranger to Apple. These things happened. But the situation, particularly given Gravity’s history, was hardly normal. Apple folded her hands on the desk and leaned onto its surface, “Vesper is not missing, he’s been given an assignment. After the attack on Azkaban, a narrow window of opportunity presented itself. Vesper was selected by Ettinus for this mission. I cannot give you details about it at this time, but we received confirmation last night that the mission is proceeding.” Apple sat back and leaned to the side, opening a drawer and withdrawing a small wooden box, “The situation is unfolding, so I cannot offer you a time frame on his return. Until he returns, Gravity will be operating a man short.” Setting the box on the table, Apple turned her attention more directly to Chee, “As Vesper’s partner, we are going to be making use of you as a point of contact. It’s unlikely you will interface with Vesper directly, but he will be leaving information for us. Shir is too recognizable to serve this role, and believes you will be up to task. The best way you,” she glanced across the group, “Any of you can help Vesper is to be discrete and patient. Whatever Vesper turns up, Gravity will be acting on. You’ll need to trust him, because he’ll be counting on you. Shir will be your point of contact on this going forward.”

The box glided easily across the desk toward Lyra, stopping just at the edge after Apple gave it a little shove. “I believe it’s time you had these back.” She nodded at it. Inside, Lyra would find her bracelets. “Your service,” a statement that was directed at all of them, “In the aftermath of the prison break were commendable. You distinguished yourselves, and have earned a little gratitude.”

Pulling one of the data pads from the collection, she set it forward and gave it a few taps. Lights flickered and projected a holographic bust of Mila facing them. “You know her as Mila Rios. But this is not her true identity. Her name is Mila Trinity,” her eyes danced around, “Yes, that Trinity.” Apple focused on Eloise for a moment, “Mila was one of Gravity’s original members, but she was captured by an enemy force and has been missing ever since. Until now.”

Lifting a hand, Apple directed the group's attention to a display on the wall which lit up. It was a camera feed, and sure enough, there was Mila, laying on a bed. It was a stark white room. She seemed to be strapped down, restrained. Imprisoned. Mila was unconscious, but looked to be in relatively good health. Except for the fact that there was something black with little spots of red light visible on the side of her neck closest to the camera that vanished down beneath her shirt. It was Hollow. “Thessa and Chee recovered Mila the night of the attack, working with the enemy. She’s currently being detained.”

[Crash]

Character Name: Ginger Eloise Fizz
Date | Time: 11.23 | Late Morning (~11am)
Location: Onyx Prairie - Hammer Academy - Apple’s Office
Wearing: Dress Uniform
Tagging | Mentioning: Gravity, General Blossom | Mila
There was that twitch again, but Eloise wasn't crazy enough to make a correction on name preference when General Blossom had just referred to her as Ginger, and her complete fate was still somewhat murky.  She was also still distracted from the revelation that she was being moved from the Onyx Military to Hammer Academy. So, one could probably forgive her for taking a moment to register the rat-eared silenus squire.  She was still at attention, having not been given permission to be "at ease" by the General.  To which she wasn't even sure she needed to be anymore.  The other squires certainly were not. 

Rather stiffly, Eloise took the offered hand and gave it a firm, if rather stiff, shake. Towing the line between military decorum and whatever the fuck this was.  The room was a mixture of tension and sadness, almost funerary in a way other than Chee's chipper greeting. 

"Chee," she acknowledged, uncertain of where to step in the sudden minefield of emotions running through the room. She couldn't process her emotions right now, let alone a room full of strangers, so she fell back on her training.

"Thank you, Ma'am," Eloise offered her new partner and team leader. The girl might have been the same age as she was, certainly no older, though with elves, that was often a hard thing to tell. Myx still hadn't told anyone how old she was. Eloise was pretty sure her only reason for not doing so was that she thought it was funny to keep her friends guessing. 

Eloise took a moment to look at the others in the room.  Really look.  Chee seemed to be the least affected by losing two team members.  Whereas the woman with the coal black coils of hair, Marlow was her name, seemed dejected.  Her hand was held by another white-haired elven woman, Lyra, who appeared to be comforting her.  Thessa, her partner, was more challenging to read.  Eloise had caught the look she shot the silenus's way, but she had hidden it well when offering to show her around. Duty sometimes requires true feelings to be turned aside for the greater good. 

'Was that what Binx and I had been doing?'  The stray thought was pushed aside like so many others.  Eloise felt no desire to talk. She learned hard lessons at a young age that it was best to listen and learn before opening your mouth and drawing unnecessary attention when in an unsafe position. 

At the mention of her name by the General, her attention snapped to the woman. The General had never seemed like someone who would hand out false platitudes, but how had she known about a simple cadet from Squad 10?  There was a hint of confusion around Eloise's eyes, which widened to surprise as she mentioned that some within the ranks thought she was not cut out for service. 

'Oh shit.'

The presence of the General did not allow Eloise to ruminate on these revelations.  Whatever sense of confusion or ease that had crept into her posture was wiped clean as the General stood in front of her.  The words spoken might have caused celebration in others.  Being moved from the Cadet Academy to the highly coveted position of Squire at Hammer Academy was nothing more than the greatest honor. Still, it was hard to hide the pain her dismissal from the military caused Eloise.  She had hoped at the very least to be reassigned to another squad, but to be released from service felt like a blow to the gut.  She hadn't realized how much she loved being a part of her squad until it was gone.  Eloise swallowed hard, doing her damnedest to hide the amount of pain her promotion caused her.

"Yes, General," She replied, because what else could she do?  Duty before self.  A mantra she had heard a million times at the Academy.  'Spirited.' There were more than a few who would call Eloise the very same. 

As the conversation turned to the other missing gRAVIty member, Eloise forced herself to pay attention and not get lost in the heart-aching realization that she would never be a member of Squad 10 again. Even if she returned to the military after graduation, the squad would already be scattered and assigned across Onyx.

The remaining member of gRAVIty was on assignment, and the team was to stand ready to act on Vesper's intel.  It was an order she understood in the most painful way: Follow it or people get hurt.

The name Trinity was one even a piece of gutter trash like Eloise knew.  Everyone in Onyx knew the name Trinity.  Eloise nodded her understanding as she met the General's eyes.  While Eloise had been training, drilling, and learning how to be a soldier. Squires had been thrust into the field with all its dangers and destruction, maybe before they had been prepared to face the consequences and mental strain of combat and trauma.  Eloise's life had been trauma.  It marred her in ways she couldn't even fathom and would take years, maybe a lifetime, to repair. Watching the video play before her, she felt bad for gRAVIty.  Not pity. No, there was no one here that deserved pity.  Just a deep sadness for those suffering in ways no one should have to suffer. The sight that played out before caused her to gasp. The first real break in her placid exterior was as she stared at the parasitic hollow attached to the woman in the video.

"How?" Was all she could say.

[shengami]

Character Name: Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 11.23| Late Morning (~11am)
Location: Onyx Prairie - Hammer Academy - Apple's Office?
Wearing: Uniform
Tagging | Mentioning: gRAVIty 4e | 
Note: A New Dawn
Chee pressed his lips together as he shook the woman's hand but the dark look that flashed over his features was directed back, behind him. Maybe it was his bias, but a person's past shouldn't be held against them. Well, that didn't function as an absolute statement. But he still thought Thessa was a strong, powerful person with integrity and willpower. He thought that she'd make a great leader and wonderful partner.

He lit up his smile again. It wasn't hard. They'd come through the darkness once more. That which didn't kill you made you stronger. They'd survived Rishi Valley and the Nevermore. They'd each survived the previous night. They were stronger and life only went in one direction. Chee's tail lashed softly. "Nice ta meecha, Fizz."

Yeah, he'd noticed that tick when her name had been mentioned. Some people had issues with names. He got that. They'd figure it out. He watched for a reaction to her surname.

Then he turned his attention around to slide a look along his team: Thessa, Marlowe, Lyra. Mentally he added Vesper to the lineup. They were all strong people. He grimaced. He needed to work harder on that front as well. He wasn't trying to be a champion for them, but maybe he should be. He wanted to help all people. And his team, HIS team, the team which he belonged to, needed help. They were struggling. He bit his lip and looked to Thessa. The team that was so strong it needed to be cursed to give others a fair shot! The smile crawled across his face. His ears flicked high and alert.

Then the general was talking about his partner. He turned to listen. He nodded silently as she revealed that the man had bene sent on some top-secret mission. Chee's heart skipped at the idea that he'd hear from the man eventually. Vesper had been Chee's strongest connection to gRAVIty so far. They operated on a similar wavelength at some level. It was good to know the man was just away for a time. He sighed heavily, tension escaping, and nodded. He even puffed when it appeared Shir had nominated him for the role. He almost bounced with energy. Shir believed in him! Even more reason to put work into being a better warrior, better champion, and better teammate. "I'll speak with Shir as soon as I can about it. Thank you, General." His tail betrayed his elation despite the pride he felt in his even words.

Then Lyra got her bracelets back and he grinned happily for her. He was fuzzy on the details of that exchange, but he was proud of Lyra for being the badass he knew she was. He gave her a thumbs up. But the General chugged onward.

He couldn't stop the low whistle at learning Mila was a Trinity. He regarded the screen and felt the wave of revulsion at seeing the parasitic Hollow again. He was even happier now that they had captured her rather than killed her. He looked to Fizz as she asked the question that plagued his mind. "Dunno. But when we tried to peel it off her, she screamed like the Wild One himself was gorin her. Was not pretty, dat. I was wonderin how much of what we fought dat night was her and how much was dat ting?" He looked to the General to see if she'd add anything at all to what they already knew. It'd been only a few days in military hands, but maybe they'd learned something. Perhaps they could free Mila? Though, if the Hollow had been controlling her to some extent, he pitied her waking up to what she'd done. He looked down at Thessa again. He doubted there was any forgiveness waiting for Mila Trinity.

[Envious]

Character Name: Thessa
Date | Time: 11.23 | ~11am
Location: Apple's Office
Wearing: uniform, no earrings
Tagging | Mentioning: Marlowe, Chee, Apple | Gravity

Marlowe’s gentle nudge caused Thessa to turn her head and smile fondly at the human. It had been a tense couple of days and Thessa hadn’t pushed it. Marlowe’s maiming. Meena’s moving. Vesper’s vanishing. Mugi’s murder. Farrah’s falsehoods. It had been a lot and Thessa gave the situation the patience it deserved. Some had taken her revelation in stride. Others had not. She could tolerate a cold shoulder and suffer in stride the hurt looks. It was deserved. Maybe this was the hint that Marlowe was ready. It gave Thessa hope.

”Vesper a good man. We’ll be seein’ him soon ‘nuff,” she said, mostly to Chee. Now knowing that Vesper had been selected for a mission put the elf at ease and she stopped worrying over him. She had confidence that he would return. She did give a thoughtful look to the rat, though. She knew what it felt like to be without a partner. Unmoored and vulnerable, it was its own type of scarlet letter. She grimly wondered if Ginger would last the month.

When the General displayed Mila, Thessa took a deep breath and crossed her arms. Thessa did not relish the thought of ending life, but whatever Mila was now was not natural. The blight of the Hollow stood out in stark contrast against the white of Mila’s skin. Was it spreading? Maybe it was her imagination, but it seemed as if the parasite was spreading.

”That ain’t no way ta live.” It was as close as she’d get to condemning the idea of detainment.

She didn’t answer Chee’s rhetorical, but she did piggy-back off of what he was saying. She had reported her mission details to Shir and told gRAVIty the pertinent information of the night of the attack, but she added more for Ginger’s sake.

”Chee ‘n me was sent out ta help with military gettin’ out the gate. Report of some person there who won’t from the Black Ward, but was keepin’ the gate blocked. Mila Trinity ‘n Adir Udan. Adir said he was some Herald fer this woman called the Heiress. She wanna end this world ‘n rebuild. Nut job.” She spoke calmly, but she could feel the itch starting at her hairline. She resisted the urge to scratch and curled her fingers into her bicep. ”Mine hope she do wake up soon ‘n be much more agreeable to chattin’.” She had so many questions.

”Do been wonderin’ - that Adir was most capable of doin’ more damage, but he ain’t do nothin’ but keep them gates shut. Ain’t heard tell of all that happened that night, but…” She furrowed her brows, uncertain of the words she wanted to say. ”What the point?”

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: November 23rd | Late Morning
Location: Headmaster’s Office
Wearing: Pink lace corset mini dress with bell sleeves
Tagging | Mentioning: Thessa, Lyra, Chee, Eloise |
In a way, all of the turbulence that Gravity had undergone had pushed Lyra and Lolo closer together. They were the last original squad remaining. That meant something, at least to her. No other squad anywhere in the Academy had to go through those kinds of trials. And it really hadn’t even been all that long. Lyra’s assurances did good work at untensing Marlowe, and she squeezed the small elf’s hand back. A little grin of confidence found its way to her face and she nodded at Lyra, “And not going anywhere.” A promise to Lyra, as much as a statement of fact.

The little tidbits that Apple offered about Ginger were maybe interesting, but all of it was sort of drowned out by her complete unreactivity to it. So instead, she focused on the news about Vesper - all of which made her feel a load better about things. The anxiety of his missing, contained by the general calm of people, relaxed. And it meant Gravity was doing something important. That was something she could get on board with. Lyra getting her weapons back was good, and Marlowe was thrilled for her, immediately detangling her hands and taking the box from her partner, “Here,” holding it out and open so the elf could put on the bracelets that she missed so much. It did prompt one thing though, and Lolo looked away to the general, “What… About me?” She had no weapons to return, but that would be fixed eventually. Or so was the plan.

Closing the box and offering it back to Lyra, Marlowe was drawn to the floating image of Mila. She glanced at Thessa, finally some answers. Or so she thought. But right away it was more lies. Lolo’s brow tightened, confused. Mila had been deceiving them too? Her heart sank. What was going on? Why did this…

She followed the gesture of attention, her thoughts ended by what she saw. Her mind struggled to process what she was seeing. Eloise articulated her confusion much more concisely than she could have. And where she expected to hear an answer from Apple, it was Chee who filled in information. “What…?” Lolo whispered, turning and looking back at him, brow furrowed. They had taken Mila because she had attacked them and killed a civilian. There were no answers about her behavior. That’s what had been said. They were just as confused, waiting for Apple. But they had known more. She really didn’t expect anything better from Chee, he wasn’t really part of the team. But Thessa… Lolo turned sad eyes to the elf. Why had she kept this from her? What else was being kept? Maybe it wasn’t Chee who wasn’t part of the team, maybe it was her.

Lolo turned back to the display. But she wasn’t paying attention anymore. Not to it, not to anything or anyone.

[FyreFoxx]

Character Name: Lyreilynn "Lyra" Xyrven Myalis
Date | Time: November 23rd | Late Morning
Location: Headmaster’s Office
Wearing: White wrap dress with blue trim, dark blue sash, teal Arcanite necklace, rose-gold bracelet
Tagging | Mentioning: Marlowe, Thessa, Chee, Eloise |

The moment that Apple confirmed that Vesper was, at least, alive and, hopefully, well, Lyra let out a sigh of relief, a hand moving to lay flat on her chest as she closed her eyes. He’d been gone without so much as a word the next morning after the attack and she feared he left like the others; like Namid had, scared and overwhelmed. He was still part of the team, specifically chosen for some kind of secret mission. Her lips twitched up in a half smile. Vesper must feel proud for having been selected for that. And with his partner, Chee, still on the team, they now also had a point of contact. And they needed to be ready to act upon whatever he found out.
 
As the box was slid across the table, Lyra looked at it curiously, glancing up from it to Apple in confusion. Hesitantly, she reached out for the box, wondering what it was, and hoping for something she’d been solely missing. Picking up the box with her free hand, she hugged it close to her chest, fingers clutched around it tightly. Her bracelets. She hadn’t spent a day without them since she had gotten them when she was only twelve, until she had come to Hammer and had them confiscated for disobeying orders. It’d been weeks since she’d been allowed to carry them outside of class or missions. Feeling Marlowe let go of her hand, she glanced at her partner as the taller woman reached for the box. Lyra offered her a grateful smile and a small thanks as she opened the box for her, giving the elf a chance to remove the bracelets from within one by one as she slipped them over her wrists. She rubbed her wrists gingerly, fingers dancing over the cool familiar metal. On one wrist, she wore another bracelet, one she’d have to remove later, but for now, it clinked against her bangles as she let her hands reach out to take the box back from Marlowe, resuming hugging it to her chest, hands crossed one over the other as she turned back to the general. Her eyes flicked to her partner as she asked about her own weapons. Marlowe had long thrown away her gloves and the ones Shir had given her were temporary replacements at best, not a true weapon she could wield.
 
Listening to Apple continue to debrief them, Lyra frowned as she furrowed her brows, studying the projection that the general brought up. It was Mila’s face looking back at them, their long missing teammate. As the revelation came that her name was not Rios but in fact Trinity, she glanced over towards Thessa for a moment. It seems more than one of them had been hiding their identity for reasons unknown. Although, the small elf couldn’t really say much for herself, either. While she didn’t hide her name – she had told Marlowe her full name that very first night and had never once denied who she was – she also didn’t flaunt it. But her team knew her full name, even if most others didn’t. Still, it bothered her a little bit to know it hadn’t only been Thessa lying to them, but Mila, too. And Mila was of similar status to Lyra herself, perhaps moreso. Even having come from a place so far away, even she knew the name Trinity.
 
That image of Mila being strapped down to a bed, unconscious, with something sickening attached to her made Lyra’s stomach tie itself into knots. “What… is that thing?” She suddenly felt nauseous, lifting a hand from the box held to her chest to cover her mouth as she looked away, even as Chee provided more details. Horrifying details. Something had taken hold of Mila, possibly controlling her? Was that what he meant? She glanced at the screen again, powder blue eyes wide in shock, before she had to look away again, lest she lose her breakfast.
 
“Herald… Heiress,” Lyra repeated softly, thinking. Neither Ocean nor Polly had said anything about those names during the attack. Were they working together? Or had it been just a coincidence? Were they just the distraction that Azir had warned her about? Or was the distraction the prison outbreak? She still hadn’t figured that puzzle piece out yet. But Ocean was definitely working for someone else, that much she could tell. Perhaps it was this Heiress? But she’d need more information to be sure.
 
Lyra sidled closer to Marlowe, lowering the hand from her face until it dropped to her side, slipping back into her partner’s grasp, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. Everyone around them was losing, or gaining, partners, but she still had Marlowe. Since the beginning, she still had her friend there. There were so many secrets on their team. So much she didn’t know, wasn’t privy to. She felt like an outsider more now than she ever did. The only constant was Marlowe. What else were they going to be subject to? How many more lies, how many more secrets, would they have to endure?
 
Would gRAVIty last until graduation? Would it last the year?

[Aethyrium]

Apple Blossom

S T O R Y T E L L E R
November 23rd, Late Morning (~11am) | Onyx Prairie - Hammer Academy - Apple’s Office
Next Post: 8.15.24 | Thessa, Marlowe, Lyreilynn, Chee, Ginger
Her attention flicked to Lolo as the question was asked, and the general half smiled. “As I understand things, you are currently without a weapon.” Apple said a bit gravely. Her attention, very briefly, shifted to Ginger. This was something new for her as well. “That’s a situation that you need to remedy, Marlowe. A Champion without a weapon is not a Champion. But your service has been acknowledged too, and once you have sorted that out, your privileges have also been restored.”

Shifting to be facing Ginger more fully, and she reached into her jacket, withdrawing the heavy revolver from its holster and setting it on the desk. “That’s a difference between being a Champion and being a soldier.” She looked down at Liberty, “Standard gear won’t do for what’s in your future. A Champion’s weapon is often as famous as its wielder. Champions do what they do because of their focus, they are their weapons. That signature elevates them higher.” This would be one of the biggest changes that Ginger faced. It wasn’t enough to be a good shot, or a resourceful fighter, to be a Champion. “Shir, the mentor of your new team, will be delivering something to you later. I believe we’ve found you something suitable. I hope it serves you well.”

How was a great question. Just not one that she had great answers for. Apple looked at the display with Mila, but her attention was ultimately paused as she felt the shift in attitudes among the team. “After they apprehended her,” Apple added to the end of Thessa’s revelation, “They contacted me because of what you see there. Given the nature of what you’re seeing, I made the decision that this was to be kept quiet until I had some more answers to give you.” She frowned, “Unfortunately, I don’t have many at this point. But Mila was part of your team, and I think you should know. So, for the time being, I’m going to ask you all to keep what we discuss here in this room contained to Gravity.”

Swiveling in the chair, Apple faced the display and folded her hands on her stomach, leaning back. Narrow eyes studied the picture. “We have confirmed that it’s Hollow. But it’s not like any Hollow we’ve ever seen before.” She gestured lightly in Chee’s direction, “As Chee indicated, it has fused with Mila on some level. It has access to her nervous system, and she has heightened levels of epinephrine and adrenaline. Interacting with the Hollow is the same as interacting with her. As for how distinct they are, we’re not sure.” Apple pushed out of the chair, snatching and reupholstering Liberty in the same movement, “It does seem to be Mila, she recognizes things. But we think the Hollow is making her… Angry. And volatile. So the theory is that she’s herself, as much as anyone is themselves when they are blinded by rage.” She stopped just ahead of the display, frowning at the image, “There’s not much we can do at this point without harming Mila. She’s resting now, preparing for us to try and remove it.”

Thessa (Sense Motive)

Apple doesn’t seem to believe her own words about the Heiress. And it’s likely she knows more about this Heiress than she is letting on.

Turning off the display, Apple faced the team. There were questions about Heiress and the Herald, which were clearly not surprising to her, but she did seem a little perturbed by them. “The Heiress is a folktale. A deity worshiped by a cult of doomsayers who believe Toil was left soulless when the Brother’s departed.” Shaking her head, Apple sighed, they didn’t need to be wrapped up in that, “And Adir is a bitter man, driven by revenge. He blames Ettinus for the death of his twin sister, Adria. And has a long history of wanting to see Hammer destroyed, and Champions done away with.” Though there was no denying that Adir had changed since last she’d seen him.

Which left Thessa’s very good question, and gave Apple a thankful path away from the Heiress. “Thessa is right though, this attack seems to have been a smokescreen.” Pivoting, Apple displayed a picture, a familiar face, “Ocean seems to be at the center of all of this. Shir encountered an elven man the night of the attack. His description matches the one you encountered the night Mila was taken. He used the chaos to penetrate a secure location, looking for a woman he believed was in the military’s protective custody. The entire prison break seems to have been to keep our eyes off this action. If Shir hadn't found him, we probably wouldn’t have known about it.” Apple grimaced, “Fortunately, Coral, the woman that he was looking for, wasn't there. Unfortunately, Shir did not capture the man, so we can assume he’s not done trying to find her.”

[Crash]

Character Name: Ginger Eloise Fizz
Date | Time: 11.23 | Late Morning (~11am)
Location: Onyx Prairie - Hammer Academy - Apple’s Office
Wearing: Dress Uniform
Tagging | Mentioning: Gravity, General Blossom
A champion without a weapon isn't a champion.  The words pulled Eloise's eyes away from the video of the parasitic hollow attached to the woman, who she now knew to be Mila Trinity, a former member of gRAVIty.  The utter horror of the scene playing out had been enough to break Eloise's military discipline, but with the General's attention focused on her once more, she snapped shut her open mouth and drew herself up again as the woman drew her pistol and set it on the desk in front of her. 

'How am I supposed to do that?' Eloise wondered.  As a cadet, adaptability had been key.  They were trained on every assault rifle, long arm, and pistol in the Onyx military arsenal, as well as hand-to-hand combat and various melee weapons, so when in battle, they could use whatever weapon available to them to protect the city and people of Onyx.   

"Yes, General," was her reply because what other option was there?  The formidable woman had chosen her for this task, which meant she expected nothing more than success, and Eloise was not about to let her down.  "Thank you, General," She added with the knowledge that a weapon had been chosen for her. How would anyone know what kind of weapon would be suitable for her?  How long had someone been keeping tabs on her?  The thoughts were a little unnerving, to say the least. 

The discussion quickly turned back to Mila, and Eloise listened closely.  It was clear there was history here that she did not have, so her mind went to work piecing together the information presented from the room.  Lolo and Lyra were mostly quiet, not offering much to the conversation.  Whether this was due to a lack of intel or battle fatigue, Eloise couldn't guess, so she focused on those talking; Chee, Thessa, and the General. 

"Ma'am.  Do you think this was some sort of proof of concept? A test run?" Eloise asked. It was hard not to stare at the image, but if there was one of these new hollows, why wouldn't there be more. "You said Mila and Adir were working together, right?" Eloise turned to Thessa and Chee, looking for confirmation.  "Do you think they could be part of the cult?" the General flipped off the display and seemed to downplay the idea of the Heiress, but it seemed awfully coincidental. "Or someone using the idea of the Heiress?"  Eloise knew of at least two stash houses in Five Corners that everyone in the neighborhood thought were haunted.  Using a legend as a cover for something illegal was sort of a time-honored criminal behavior. She wasn't about to press the questions as much as something about it bothered her.

The fact that the entire disastrous night, the jailbreak, the Red Fangs, the loss of life, and the hollow parasite could all have been a smokescreen for another op.  To find a woman? That just seemed nuts.  Who was that special?

"Ma'am, who is Coral, and why is she so important?" Eloise asked, looking at the other faces in the room to see if anyone else recognized the name.  "And if this elf and Ocean took Mila, doesn't that tie back into the Heiress if Mila was with Adir?"

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: November 23rd | Late Morning
Location: Headmaster’s Office
Wearing: Pink lace corset mini dress with bell sleeves
Tagging | Mentioning: Thessa, Lyra, Chee, Eloise |
Marlowe was beyond happy to hear that she’d be able to carry weapons again. Once she had them. That was a nagging problem that she really wanted to have had fixed already. She didn’t want the problem to begin with! Stupid Haimehen. Her teeth grinded at the thought, but she managed to keep it to herself. There were inklings of what she wanted, but she didn’t know how to execute any of them. With the broken remains of Heart of the Mountain now in her possession, part of her wanted to incorporate that. Part of her was far too mad at Meena to keep considering it.

Lolo was glad that people like Thessa and Lyra were able to track things like Heralds and Heiresses. It felt abstract to her. Distant and intangible. She was going to forget it, because these people didn’t matter to her. Except that, according to Apple, they circled back on Ocean. That wasn’t a name she was going to forget. Truth be told, when Eloise finally decided to speak, Lolo found herself appreciative of the breakdown that seemed to come to the same conclusion that Apple had stated more concisely. The extrapolation helped it make a bit more sense to her. She grinned at the newcomer and blew her a kiss, thanking her for the help and winked.

And while all of those questions seemed valid, none of them really touched the thing Marlowe was most interested in and concerned about. She looked back to the display, furrowed her brows and took a few steps toward it. The idea of that thing being attached to her was horrific. Lolo knew what it was to be blinded by rage. The idea of just existing like that was genuinely awful. So while questions like who was Coral were important, Lolo interrupted it all and looked at Apple, “Can we see her?” Whatever else was going on, Mila was their responsibility. She was their teammate. Lolo didn’t know what that meant at this point, but she did know that no small amount of energy and emotion had been poured into finding her.

She looked back at Thessa, “I know she…” Lolo swallowed, not finishing, and then looked back at the display, “But… We.” She bit her lip, a twinge of guilt from that night, “I…” Though she accepted that she’d been outclassed, some part of her in the back of her mind had never abandoned the guilt associated with the fact that she hadn’t stopped the elf from taking her. She had failed, and though it'd been hidden and buried, seeing Mila, it came raging back into her mind, “She needs to know we never stopped looking. I need to tell her that… I’m sorry.”

[shengami]

Character Name: Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 11.23| Late Morning (~11am)
Location: Onyx Prairie - Hammer Academy - Apple's Office?
Wearing: Uniform
Tagging | Mentioning: gRAVIty 4e |
Note: A New Dawn
Chee listened quietly as the meeting progressed. It seemed that most of the purpose of the moment was quickly being addressed without any need for prodding and poking by him.

He was glad of the news about Vesper in particular and he was eager to get going, to go see Shir, and get that sorted. But he wasn't so eager that he'd push the others. Mila meant a lot to Thessa, he knew. For multiple complex reasons now. It wasn't like she was devoid of meaning to him though. He watched until the screen went dark and listened to the information. Mila had turned villain, but she had been defeated now. He didn't wish ill or hurt on her. He didn't really wish that on anyone. He nodded as Thessa expressed hope that she woke up. He also smiled warmly as Marlowe mentioned wanting to see her and assure her they, gRAVIty, had done all they could. They were both noble sentiments.

That said, Mila's future seemed bleak by Apple's assessment. As long as that thing was on her, which seemed likely to be a long time, she would be blinded by rage and anger. Chee didn't envy anyone that existence. He'd been angry for as long as he could recall. There was one question he had though: "What name has dis new Hollow been given den? Oder dan 'top secret' dat is?"

He shook his head and listened with more curiosity about the undefeated villains: Adir, Ocean, this elven fellow, the other escaped inmates. This cult seemed added to the list. He wondered if the Oakisoba clan had any ties there? he glanced to where Meena wasn't then looked more evenly at Thessa. He'd need to talk to her later about that.

The rest he filed away. Adir might have some tragedy, but that didn't excuse what he'd done. That man needed to be stopped. And this heiress as well if she supported killing innocent folk. This elf and this Coral he knew nothing. But he knew a man that could be asked about it.

Speaking of Shir, he glanced down to Marlowe and then her fists. The conversation about weapons had reminded him of his own story. One that Shir had helped him with; one that he'd been given homework about. It occurred to him that Marlowe might be a prime candidate. The new girl, too, but he didn't know her well enough to invite her on a personal matter. He eyed Marlowe steadily and considered the matter.

Finally, he turned back to El with a nod, "Mila and dis Adir was... allies. For sure. Leastwise, dey knew one another and seemed familiar with one anoder's missions. But, friendly, not as much. He didn't seem to condone-" He glanced to Thessa, "And I don't tink Doya coulda really stopped him from stoppin us if he wanted ta. So..."

[FyreFoxx]

Character Name: Lyreilynn "Lyra" Xyrven Myalis
Date | Time: November 23rd | Late Morning
Location: Headmaster’s Office
Wearing: White wrap dress with blue trim, dark blue sash, teal Arcanite necklace, rose-gold bracelet
Tagging | Mentioning: Marlowe, Thessa, Chee, Eloise, Apple | Azir, Xiratana, Ocean

Lyra’s eyes flicked over towards Thessa as Apple made it clear that any details about this had been kept quiet. Well, that would certainly explain the lack of knowledge about the situation if Thessa had been told to keep it under wraps. She expected Chee was the same way, or else everyone in their dorm would have heard about it. Probably everyone down the hall, too. The dainty elf turned back towards the general and the display with her former teammate, a frown pulling at the corners of her lips. Could she have prevented all this? If she hadn’t stopped Marlowe from attacking all those months ago, could she had been able to rescue Mila right then?
 
She squeezed Marlowe’s hand tightly as Lyra adverted her eyes once more, that feeling of guilt nagging at the back of her subconscious. There was no way of knowing how that situation might have played out differently if she hadn’t intervened. Marlowe could have saved Mila, or maybe she couldn’t have. Maybe Marlowe would have been seriously hurt instead. Or even Lyra herself, without her partner there to take that blow from the strange elf. Any number of things could have happened that night, but it still didn’t stop her from feeling at fault somehow.
 
When the confirmation about the thing attached to Mila was said to be Hollow, Lyra’s eyes went wide again, that nauseating feeling returning as she let go of Marlowe’s hand, turning her body away from the screen as she clamped a hand over her mouth. A Hollow that could attach itself to a person was unheard of! And… Poor Mila, being subjected to that. A part of her wondered if it had been an accident, or if someone did that to her intentionally. Either case was a horrible outcome, especially as the general explained more on her condition – it was Mila as much as it wasn’t Mila, in an endless cycle of anger and rage.
 
As the conversation shifted from Mila and the Hollow to the Heiress, Lyra was glad for the change in topic, swallowing that bile that threatened to come up. It let her focus on something that didn’t turn her stomach. How could she become a Champion if something like that made her queasy? Letting her hands fall back to her sides, she took a deep breath, as deep as she could, then exhaled slowly, repeating the gesture one more time before turning back towards the general, her fingers curled into fists, gripping at her skirts. But something wasn’t adding up as she listened in. Apple was saying this Heiress was a folktale, but the way she’d been spoken about from her teammates didn’t make her seem like some fairytale. She wanted to question the general, even going so far as to open her mouth to say something, but quickly shut it. Her? Speak out against the general, who also happened to be the new headmaster? Those fingers clenched even tighter into her skirts.
 
Lyra had been thinking about this Adir person and his need for vengeance against Champions when a very familiar name came up. Ocean. She snapped her head back up, powder blue eyes focusing on Apple. Something else came to mind then, too. Meena was no longer part of their group, which meant the only person who knew about the conversation between herself and Ocean was… Well, herself. And what little information she could provide to her team in the aftermath. “Azir,” she mumbled softly, before finding her voice again. “That morning, when we all gathered, Azir pulled me aside. He said his mentor, Xiratana, had said this entire thing felt like a distraction, and Azir warned me as such. Ocean was on that bridge that we – that is, Meena, Vesper, and myself – were sent to. I, I reported on the aftermath with the Paladin, but… up on that bridge, he said he was not the center. That he was only one part of the performance.” Lyra furrowed her brows, her eyes wandering, like she was seeing something far off and trying to focus on it. “I… I did not think anything of it until now.”
 
Glancing up, Lyra looked rather lost, unable to put together the puzzle pieces she had been handed. “How did Xiratana know that it was a smokescreen, before we even left?” Eloise spoke up about this new mystery woman Coral that the blonde elf they met before had been after. There was a small nod of agreement, glancing at the cadet, before looking back at Apple. It was one hell of a smokescreen to cover the tracks of trying to capture just one woman. Was the performance Ocean spoke of the various places they were sent to? Thessa and Chee had encountered Adir and Mila. Meena, Vesper, and herself had come across Ocean and a Paladin. Swagger, she had heard, suffered losses and heavy hits. Even Mockery had their own share of difficult events, if Azir’s recount had been anything to go by. “All of that… That destruction. That loss of life… Just for one woman?” There was disbelief written all over her face. “If he did not find her this time, that means… He will try again, yes? What happens then? What more can we do?”
 

[Envious]

Her fingers slithered under the plait of her braid and she began to scratch at the base of her skull as she looked at Mila on the monitor. She had seen what her rage could do. Whatever had happened to Mila was awful, but letting her live was worse. The itching intensified, but Thessa stopped scratching and moved her fingers to rest against her temple, supported at the elbow by the arm she had crossed over her chest. There were questions. Stupid questions. Boring questions. Mila was strapped to a table with a Hollow inside of her and they were talking. She began to press against her temple with her fingernail. Mila had murdered Orym in cold blood and no one was saying anything worthwhile. She could feel her irritation beginning to color her mood and when Marlowe suggested going to see Mila, the look Thessa returned was glacial.

"That ain't Mila." It was tense and clipped and filled with pain. "Mila dead. That thing should be put out its misery! You wanna say sorry, pray fer the gods to deliver the message. That thing is abomination." It made her mad to see Mila. Mila the murderer. Mila the Hollow. Mila strapped helpless and unconscious to the table. She felt her anger rising. "This wrong. She ain't some science exp-" She abruptly stopped speaking and blew out her breath. Science experiment. Clarity came to her and she cleared her throat. "Am sad for what done to her," she said softly, changing her conversation. "S'cuse my language," she said as an apology before falling silent.

But the irritation was still there.

When Apple remarked upon the heiress, Thessa looked up to stare with unblinking eyes. It was very rare that the elf considered discretion when it came to her sixth sense, but to push for answers would have been to undermine the General for the sake of her curiosity and that curiosity paled when compared to her trust. As irritated as she was, she wouldn't do that.

"Seen the elf," she spat out, forcing participation to get out of her thoughts. "When me was lightning in the stars, did see Shir 'n the elf. If that Coral was in the base, Shir 'n his elf won't." That could have been for any reason, really. "'n that Xiratana know the same way I done knowed it. Whole thing was 'bout keepin' that OES 'n Champions busy. Didn't I say? Sure did. Fer what; this Coral? We needs ta find her first."

[Aethyrium]

Apple Blossom

S T O R Y T E L L E R
November 23rd, Late Morning (~11am) | Onyx Prairie - Hammer Academy - Apple’s Office
Next Post: 8.21.24 | Thessa, Marlowe, Lyreilynn, Chee, Ginger
Apple shook her head at Marlowe. The sentiment was something that she understood, but it just wasn’t something she could allow. “No, I’m afraid not. With as little as we understand what has happened to her and the nature of the Hollow, any excess exposure poses too great a risk.” Apple frowned, slightly. Thessa’s cut words drew her attention. The general saw the deeper pain in that situation, she couldn’t blame Thessa. What Mila had done was awful. “And Thessa is right,” she looked back to Marlowe, “Your friend is, likely, dead. Most of what we’ve done thus far was to try and understand what it’s doing to her, and isolate Mila from the Hollow. The goal has been to recover her from what’s been done to her. But there doesn’t seem to be a safe way to do it. We’re preparing for removal, but,” Apple looked across all of them, though she focused on the three original members with the closest ties, “The doctors don’t believe she will survive the procedure.” She gave Chee a look, it was a curious question, “We’re calling it a Ceti Eel.”

She let all of the questions about the Heiress, the connections, and the attack filter in. All of them were valid, though some of them - specifically those about the Heiress - seemed to draw more of a squint than others. She was glad, by the end of it, that she allowed them all to voice their thoughts and questions. Lyra, for instance, had provided valuable insight about Ocean that, while not known before, seemed to confirm exactly what they had believed about this being a distraction. “Xiratana’s insight is peculiar,” she mused idly, thinking on it, and ultimately filing it away.

“A test run? No, I think it was a live attempt to try and find Coral.” She between Eloise to Thessa, “Who doesn’t need to be found, we have her. She’s secure, just not where our enemy thought she was.” Which brought her attention back across the room to Lyra, “So yes, I do believe they will try again, if they can find her. However Coral’s location is known to only half a dozen individuals, and even if they could find her, it would take something much, much greater than a prison break to get to her.” Ettinus wouldn’t have approved of Apple sharing what she had, but Gravity already had pieces of the puzzle. She didn’t think keeping them arbitrarily in the dark smart, not when they had already proven both capable and willing to poke into matters. “As for the Adir’s belief in the Heiress, who’s to say. But it does seem obvious he’s working with Ocean. And based on Shir’s interaction with the elf, we know that he’s ultimately the one in charge. He admitted as much to Shir, though, as we’ve come to suspect, he’s doing it through Ocean. Ocean remains the central figure, all of the threads connect back to him.”

Which all, ultimately, brought them back to the lingering question about Coral - no doubt a central figure in everyone’s mind by this point. Unfortunately that matter was a bit beyond their paygrade, “Coral is a high value asset, and a good friend of Onyx. But I didn’t bring you here to talk about her, or even the prison break. Those are military matters.” Apple grimaced, “However, you’ve been given a glimpse into them, and become somewhat involved, because this team,” she looked across all of them, “Has unfortunately become rather entangled with Ocean. And as he is at the heart of this, it seems likely you will brush up against it again. It is my hope that you having a more complete picture may yield some insight in the future, because thus far, his rather problematic interest in Gravity seems to be his most glaring vulnerability. And, because of that very specific interest, I think it’s only fair you’re aware of the sort of man hunting you, and the things at his disposal, the connections that surround him.”

Turning off the picture of Ocean, Apple frowned, “And unfortunately, that’s not all. You have acquired another enemy.” She shook her head and sighed, “The news of Mila’s disappearance has made its way back to Sinnat, and to her father, Santiago Trinity. I’ve received word that he holds you, her team, responsible for her disappearance. This will be the second child the Trinity’s have lost, and Santiago is not known for his level headed demeanor. And, with the state of Mila, I cannot authorize releasing her, or even the knowledge that we’ve recovered her, to try and calm him.” Apple crossed her hands behind her back, “It’s possible nothing will come of this, but, I don’t believe you should be in the dark. Santiago is one of the most powerful men in Toil, and he knows your names, and he’s not your friend.”

Finally, Apple looked at Lyra, “Now that we understand Ocean’s connections better, we have a much better understanding of the danger you’re all in. For now, you need to be careful. You're the target of a man whose motives we don’t understand, whose goals aren’t clear, with the resources and connections to do what happened four nights ago.” The general met each of their gazes, “And if, or perhaps I should say when, you encounter Ocean next, I am empowering you to use any means, at any cost, to apprehend him. Without Ocean, his elven companion’s plans seem to fall apart, and even if they don’t, Ocean holds a more full understanding of what we’re dealing with.”

[shengami]

Character Name: Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 11.23| Late Morning (~11am)
Location: Onyx Prairie - Hammer Academy - Apple's Office?
Wearing: Uniform
Tagging | Mentioning: gRAVIty 4e |
Note: What It's Eel About
Chee tried to wrap his mind around it all. The part about Mila, he got. He felt sad for her, but he thought it was better to be dead than live like that or as an experiment. He bit his lip and slowly chewed it as he let that thought marinate in his brain for a moment. He turned to glance at Thessa and Marlowe. Mila's fate was sealed. He wondered how they would take it. A look on lyra's face had him including her in that wonder. He felt bad for Mila, he wished that she'd had a better fate, but this was what it was.

Coral was a newish name for him. And it seemed that she was under as secure a lock and key as it was possible to be. He wasn't arrogant, conceited, or delusional enough to believe that he could do any better or that adding his name to the list of those who knew her location would do any good. If and when that information was pertinent, he supposed it would find its way to them. There was little and nothing he could about it. That didn't stop him from wanting to know though. He felt the curiosity burning like acid in his stomach. It wasn't just his intuition that told him Shir was connected to that name. But his intuition did tell him that Shir was more connected that what had just been said. He was torn between his curiosity and his instinct to mind his own business.

Shir was a friend and mentor. His tail swished behind him and his ears flattened slightly. What would come would come.

Those ears flicked up curiously at the reveal of a new enemy and he clicked his tongue. Chee's relationship to family was missing pieces. They were things that he only understood by acknowledging his blind spots in other peoples' relationships. He didn't understand the bonds of blood. But he knew what it was to have family; he knew what it was like to have people. And he knew exactly what he would do if someone threatened that family. "Dat's sad, dat is. Maybe we'll get a chance ta talk some sense inta him, eh? But I get wantin ta hurt da people who hurt your people." He looked at the gathered members of gRAVity and cast his thoughts out to his own partner to be safe. They'd deal with Santiago Trinity when the time came. Even if they couldn't reveal to the man what happened to his daughter. IF General Blossom thought that best kept secret, so be it.

They had other priorities: like this elven fellow and Ocean. Ocean need a long bit of uncomfortable metal put right where the sun didn't shine. That was for sure. The man was a certified villain. He'd also done a job on Chee's friends. True, it was before he knew them, but it remained the case. Chee had some lines he could track down he ought to bring up with Thessa. He wondered if Hulta or that Ocareena lady might have a line on this elf guy. There weren't too many of them, right? He chuckled lightly and his tail whipped. "Sure ting. Dis Ocean fellow's goin ta come for us again. Gonna need ta teach dis guy once and for all dat gRAVity ain't his playting. Ayup, train and be ready for him, right?" He looked to Thessa then Marlowe. He didn't get along with the buxom brawler much, but she was gRAVity. And that meant that he'd put anyone who touched her into the ground like a rabid graboid. He'd do the same for Dawn or Sky or Velvet or Pat or Koko. He didn't think, even for a second, it amounted to waiting for the man. No, they'd track him down like a prize stag. Run him to ground like a stoat and skin him. Chee's tail lashed. His fingers balled tightly.

As for Adir and his cult, Chee wondered if that wasn't yet one more wayward bit of moon that fell into Ocean's orbit. Whatever the case, Chee wanted a rematch. He needed to get way stronger. Maybe his whole team would be needed. But he wanted to do it himself. He wanted to conquer that mountain. There wasn't a thing he could do to keep the grin of excitement off his face. The future was going to be hard and he might just die, but it was going to be one hell of a ride until it was done.

[Crash]

Character Name: Ginger Eloise Fizz
Date | Time: 11.23 | Late Morning (~11am)
Location: Onyx Prairie - Hammer Academy - Apple’s Office
Wearing: Dress Uniform
Tagging | Mentioning: Gravity, General Blossom
Eloise's head was swirling as she tried to process everything she had just heard with all the half-information and rumors that had swirled in the military academy in the few days since the jail break and chaos of that night.  Even the cadet squads had been mustered as a precaution and placed on standby.  That alone was enough to give her a headache.  It helped to talk it out, and at the risk of sounding like a complete idiot, that was what she did.  Sure, it was repeating much of what she had just been told, but it helped Eloise think.  As she spoke, she glanced around the room, looking for confirmation from her new team, until she landed on Marlowe as the statuesque squire did the most unexpected thing Eloise could think and blew her a kiss. 

Her eyes had been ready to glide over to her partner Lyra when her head whipped back fast enough that her cap might have fallen off if it had been as snuggly fit to her head as it was and caught her mouthed words and that devastating wink.  The lightest rose gold blush touched her golden bronze complexion, and she raised an eyebrow.  Eloise had no trouble attracting someone's eye, and the uniform certainly did it for the ladies, but in a meeting with the General.  Damn.  'Still got it, Elle. Still got it.' A light smirk touched her lips, and she puffed up a bit straighter.

"You're welcome," She mouthed in return before letting her gaze slip past Marlowe to Lyra as she spoke so Ellie could re-gather her suddenly scattered thoughts.  Still, her honey-brown eyes did a side-eye slide towards Marlowe once or twice as she listened to the others ask questions and the General's answers.  Pretty faces were a damn weakness she just couldn't deny.

Her brow furrowed at the sudden outburst from Thessa.  She looked at the others, seeing surprise and confusion in Marlowe. The sadness in Chee. Eloise didn't wholly agree with her new partner. If it had been her on that table, Eloise would want people to do everything possible to keep her alive until a solution could be found. Eloise had fought hard to just survive. Clawed with tooth and fucking nail to get where she was.  Nobody gave her nothing.  She wouldn't want anyone to make the decision to end her because she would fight for her life until her last breath. 

"I know I'd want that thing off me and take my chances on the surgery," Eloise said.  It might not have been a perspective anyone wanted to hear, but gRAVIty was going to have to get used to someone who spoke their mind even if they disagreed with it. "If there was a chance of being me again.  I would take it. No matter how small."

The General's word that Coral was safe was enough for Eloise and one less thing she had to put brain power to in an already overwhelming moment.  She cocked her hip and folded her arms. The fingers on her right hand drummed against her left biceps as she processed everything being piled on. Throwing Santiago Trinity onto the pile was just the topper of an already crazy situation.

"You all don't do things halfway, do you," Eloise observed wryly. There was something that was gnawing at her, though.  Something Lyra had said.  She heard a stolen Paladin unit had been used in the chaos, but Ellie's details were vague.  They just didn't add up for her unless... 

"The Paladin.  Was it fully functional?" Eloise knew that wasn't the correct wording, and her face scrunched a bit as she thought of a better way to put it.  "Were the movements smooth? Practiced?" She asked, and when her suspicions were affirmed, she looked back at the General, wondering if she was really going to say what she was about to say.

"Paladin's take months of training, maybe more." Ellie knew because she had wanted to pilot one so bad that she had already inquired on what it took to become a pilot to help prepare herself once she graduated from the academy.  "You can't just hop in one and make it go.  And they are coded for each pilot.  Those codes have to be authorized by someone. Ellie paused.  Troubled at where it all was leading her.  ”Those pilots were military, and so was the person who coded it for them. General. We…" Eloise caught herself. There was no we anymore. "...the military has been compromised.  Hammer, too. Hasn't it?  Otherwise, how could the precise location of the squire who was attacked been known to Ocean?"  That realization was sickening, but Eloise couldn't come up with anything else that made sense.

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: November 23rd | Late Morning
Location: Headmaster’s Office
Wearing: Pink lace corset mini dress with bell sleeves
Tagging | Mentioning: Thessa, Lyra, Chee, Eloise |
Marlowe never would have guessed that would be Thessa’s response. It didn’t compute. She was clearly alive, she was right there. Or she had been right there. There were a few blinks as the initial surprise hit her. It was hard to imagine her friend being so callous. Was this the new woman, part of what had been kept away from them? Lolo’s brows pushed together in frustrated confusion and she lowered her head. Apple’s rejection of the ability to see Mila didn’t help anything either. Marlowe crossed her arms and idly wandered back to Lyra’s side, pushing in against her.

The rest of it was kind of a blur. She was sure it was important, but Lolo only had enough space in her head for one thing, and right then it was her frustration, and sadness, about being denied access to Mila. Well, that and the impending idea of her dying. Lolo didn’t even know how to begin processing that, or what she should feel about it.

What did shift her focus was the idea that the military, that Hammer, might be compromised. Lolo looked at Lyra with concern, and then to Apple - what she wanted was for her to deny it, but it sure would make a lot of sense and she had the battle mark to prove it.

[FyreFoxx]

Character Name: Lyreilynn "Lyra" Xyrven Myalis
Date | Time: November 23rd | Late Morning
Location: Headmaster’s Office
Wearing: White wrap dress with blue trim, dark blue sash, teal Arcanite necklace, rose-gold bracelet
Tagging | Mentioning: Marlowe, Thessa, Chee, Eloise, Apple |

Lyra frowned as she listened to Apple, glancing at Marlowe from the corner of her eye. She knew her partner wanted to make amends, and the little elf couldn’t help but echo that sentiment. Even if she wasn’t directly involved in what happened to her, Lyra still felt guilty for letting Mila get captured in the first place. She had stopped Marlowe that night. Stopped her from potentially saving her from her fate, without even realizing Mila was there. Lyra wanted to let her know how sorry she was but they were being denied that chance.
 
But… was that girl in the video even Mila anymore?
 
Her fingers flexed at the mention of her possibly not surviving the procedure and Lyra tensed up. “Could we… give her a message then? If we cannot see her directly, then would that much be okay?” She shot her partner a smile, hoping to at least help ease some of that tension there. Lyra wasn’t sure how much of the message she’d understand, but the least they could do was try, wasn’t it? Though, her gaze was drawn to Thessa and her adamant stance that Mila was dead. While there was some logic to that, that whatever this Hollow was that had taken control of her, that the Mila they knew was certainly gone, that didn’t stop her from hoping it wasn’t the case, agreeing with Eloise’s stance. She adverted her gaze after that, listening quietly.
 
That Apple believed as much as she did that they would try again did not satisfy Lyra one bit. She had hoped that this would be the one time she was wrong. She wanted to be wrong. All this talk of Coral, a woman she had no information on, was nothing compared to the news that Ocean was a central figure in all of this. She let her hands fall to her sides as she gripped fistfuls of her skirt. Ocean still confused her. She couldn’t understand his motives or his next move. It was like every time she thought she understood the man, or figured out his next play, he was already two, three, a dozen steps ahead of her. And the thing that perplexed her most of all… Why hadn’t he ever gone after her? He hated Gravity with a passion, that much was clear. He’d taken Mila, attacked Namid and Haimehen, attacked Thessa, sent someone after Marlowe, tried to take out Meena and Kiba with the Paladin, but never her. It was always those around her. Was she not worth the effort? Or was there something else at play? And… could she use it to their advantage?
 
But a new name being added to the list of possible opponents made Lyra snapped her head back up, looking to the general with some mild shock, her blue eyes wide. Santiago Trinity. Mila’s father. A powerful man, and probably just as stubborn as her mother when it came to business. “Is there anything we can do regarding Mister Trinity?”
 
Apple’s gaze on her had Lyra tense up, but she took solace in Marlowe’s presence next to her, the taller woman leaning in slightly towards the elf. She welcomed that sense of touch, suddenly aware of how much she relied on her partner and how much she relied on her just being there for her. If Ocean was going to come after them again, Lyra refused to let him hurt Marlowe again, no matter the cost. He could do whatever he wanted to her, but the Gods be damned if he laid a finger on her partner. He had promised her, yet found a loophole in their bargain by sending a proxy. Next time, she wouldn’t be fooled by him, nor caught off guard. She felt her face heat up slightly, a pink hue darkening her cheeks. Next time, she would show him that she meant business.
 
Although, Eloise’s insight for the Paladin made her glance over to the cadet with mild interest. “Yes,” she replied softly to the first of the questions, as she’d been the one to encounter it. Without Meena or Kiba present, Lyra was now the only person with direct intel on it. She repeated her answer for the next ones, nodding her head slightly, wondering where Eloise was going with this line of questioning. Lyra herself had gotten an up close and personal view of a Paladin the day they had been revealed all those weeks ago. She remembered what Auguste had told them of its specs, of how much training was involved to pilot one after a few of their teammates had expressed interest in it. A spy in the military? Those Silenus pilots they had found dead after defeating the Paladin were military, traitors or defectors, but military nonetheless, part of the Red Fangs. Sympathizers? Or true believers?
 
But it was more than just that. It was something else the girl had said. Lyra glanced up at her partner as their eyes met, concerned written all over the elf’s face. Hammer was comprised, too. Eloise was right. Ocean knew where to send Loz to attack Marlowe, knew exactly how to get to her. He knew. But now the question was… for how long did he know? “There is something else,” Lyra spoke up finally, her voice soft and a bit shaky. “Ocean, he… He knew about Meena and Vesper. And Chee. He knew about Gravity like he’d been inside of Hammer to meet us. Mila… Mila could have given him the information about the rest of us, but them? They came after her. He, he admitted to having his sources. H-how did he know they were new squires? And on this specific team?” Was it possible there was a traitor amongst them?

[Aethyrium]

Apple Blossom

S T O R Y T E L L E R
November 23rd, Late Morning (~11am) | Onyx Prairie - Hammer Academy - Apple’s Office
Next Post: - | Thessa, Marlowe, Lyreilynn, Chee, Ginger
Apple nodded to Lyra as Lolo sank away, “I can deliver a message for you, yes.” Things regarding Santiago were, unfortunately, harder to deal with. Apple shook her head slightly, “I doubt it. Sinnat is a long way away, and though his reach is long, I don’t think there’s much he can do to you here. I just want you to be aware that it’s something happening. Once the situation with Mila is more dealt with…” Apple inclined her head slightly, “There may be a time when there’s something you can do. If it comes across my desk, I’ll let you know.”

As Eloise dug in, a level of irritation not common to the general began to creep into her shoulders. Not because Eloise was picking things apart, but because she was right and it frustrated her. “Yes, Ocean has clearly established allies within the military.” She closed her eyes, “And possibly even at Hammer.” She thought back to what Ettinus had said, the recovered data. She frowned.

“There’s something else you should know.” She was addressing them all, “Your mission to the Rishi Valley, it was a cover for another mission.” Apple looked at all of them, “The true reason you were sent was so that Meena and Azir could recover a message,” her gaze stopped on Chee, “A message containing critical information about Onyx that we know was being sent back to Ruby. Somehow the courier of this message knew we were coming, so they hired Chee to take it the rest of the way. When Meena and Azir discovered that, they recovered the message and brought it back here.” And thus how Chee had ultimately found his way into Hammer. “Thanks to Shir and Xirtana we apprehended a leak, however, we know they weren’t working alone. What we do know is that Ocean has the resources and charisma to convince good people to betray their oaths. One more reason we need him brought in.”

She took a deep breath, “And why, for now, until I can uncover who is working against us, why it is important that these details remain closely guarded. I’m going to need to count on Gravity while we deal with this threat to Onyx. We'll find Ocean, and we'll find everyone who has helped him. I know you won’t let me down.”