[Sandbox] Hammer Academy - Training Rooms

[CurvyKitten]

Character Name:  Aurora "Roar" Torvoe
Date | Time: 11.17 | 5:05pm
Location: Hammer Academy Training Gyms
Wearing: tights, binding sports bra, black hoodie, and sneakers of well worn sneakers
Tagging | Mentioning: OPEN, Chee |
Note: There's Something About Chee
Roar dances around Chee, each blow land held back enough to keep from doing the real damage.  As Roar didn’t want to wreck Chee, but they did want to win soooo. Roar smirked as Chee came in for more blows. She loved the challenge. Loved that he seemed to be giving all he got. 

But there was that little voice in the back of their head that said they would hurt him if they went all out. That they wouldn’t be able to stop themselves. That there was something dark within them. Roar shook their head as they pulled back from Chee and caught their breath.

One hand came up to wipe away a bit of blood from their busted lip. It was the. Chee Roared out their name and they couldn’t help but smile. They didn’t need a more open invitation than that. So with that in mind Roar moved back within striking distance, movements fast like lightening as they burned a circle on the floor around Chee before coming to a sudden stop. But as they did Chee came in to strike, the impact seeming to break the frozen state they seemed to be trapped in. After several exchanges and blows Roar has to do a barrel rollout to break free from Chee’s clutches. “Fast as fast can be,” she laughs softly reaches into her packets, and shakes a plastic tube filled with pull tabs. 

Roar smiled as realization struck hard, Chee wasn’t some random brawler. Roar knew this style, especially when he bravely rushed forward when the post would put distance between themselves and their enemies. Roar smiled, he wanted her to Roar….then so be it. There would be no more playing around. Roar shifted their weight just as Chee rushed in fist a powerhouse of a jab to the gut, then a knee to the face before the heated yet organized counterattack took place.

Roar had mixed emotions about what they were doing?  But now that they were realizing Chee could handle themselves, Roar was all for giving all they could give.

[shengami]

Character Name: Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 11.17 | 5:05pm
Location: Hammer Academy Training Gyms
Wearing: Tracksuit, comfy shoes, Darklash is carried
Tagging | Mentioning: OPEN, @CurvyKitten Aurora |
Note: There's Something About Aurora
The pressure coming from Roar increased again. Chee's grin was permanent. It was heavy, fierce. It was scary. When they really cut loose, let themselves go, they were terrible. When he was going, it was easy to keep the momentum. But any time he paused, he had to force himself to start again. Chee wasn't holding anything back either.

But it was different from his sparring with Shir. True, yes, he could tell that Roar was the more skilled brawler. But it wasn't like sparring light itself. That's how Shir felt. Like he was trying to grasp at it and it had to slow down for him to keep up. He could also tell that they were going all out. He was keeping up if just so. If this had been a real fight, where Darklash and his other tools factored in, they'd be a dead match. Maybe. It'd be a test of if his speed would let him out pace her advantages in strength and stamina.

And he hungered for it. He spun and swept her legs out from under her. Twisting again like a break dancer, he brought his heel down in an axe kick. But they were rolling away. Her own foot cam in over his. He 'oophd' as they stomped his guts. If she'd had more leverage, that'd've cost him his lunch. He flipped back. And kept flipping as they chased him.

He felt a hand grip an ankle as it moved through the air. He braced as he was hauled overhead and slammed into the mats. His eyes flew open.

He stared up into bright lights. The crowd roared. He felt the restricting binding of the hood. He was off balance; his tail not free. He did that sometimes to learn how to move without it. He rolled. The hollow floor of the ring vibrated under him. He flipped to face his opponent.

There was a deep hood, a half mask, but the stance was familiar. The way the shoulders moved, the way the fists and arms guarded vital areas. Chee blinked and the training room faded in again. Recognition lit a fire in his brain. His grin was a rictus snarl of glee. His tail snapped back and forth. His fingers gripped at the mat and his toes dug in. This was it; this was the last exchange. No words were needed though. He saw the way she looked at him. He tore forward.

Chee collapsed against the wall and sucked on the bottle like it contained life itself. Blasting a heated breath, he offered the slightly sour, slightly sweet drink to his friend. It was the sports drink he always made up himself when planning to work out. "Dat was some session, Roar. So, dat why you fight in dem pits, ya? Ta cut loose like dat? Dere's notin, not anytin, like it in da world." He waggled his head and smiled much more softly, "So, we're oh for two against you? I'll get you next time, ya?" He raised an eyebrow at them. There was no question or demand. There would be a next time and Chee would expect everything they had again.

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: November 18th | Late Evening (~10pm)
Location: 2nd Floor Training Room, Hall F
Wearing: White button down dress
Tagging | Mentioning: Hulta |
Hulta’s name had been written on the back of the simple card that Lolo had left for her. On the reverse face it said:

Let me surprise you.

Meet me in Hall D on the second floor.

Ten o’clock. Just us.

And when Hulta arrived in the hall, was Marlowe there? Nope! But she wasn’t late either. Like a wizard, Lolo arrived precisely when she meant to. Which was just shortly after Hulta. It had been her intent to sneak up on the elf, but Lolo had failed to anticipate just how hard sneaking down a wide open quiet hallway this deep in the night was. So before she could reach the redhead and throw her hands over her eyes, she was spotted. Lolo pouted slightly, but it didn’t deter her from walking right up to Hulta and slipping arms around her waist, “You came!” She grinned, squeezing the other woman close in a hug. “Come on, it’s all ready.”

Lolo took a step back, reached out and grabbed one of Hulta’s hands, and all but yanked her excitedly down the hall. She only paused to take a look at what the elf was wearing, which for some reason made Marlowe grin much wider. “You know, that outfit is going to look so good where it’s going,” she teased with a giggle. As they got to a corner, Lolo peeked around to make sure no one was there. What they were doing wasn’t allowed strictly speaking. “Close your eyes,” Lolo said, walking around the corner and dropping her hand. She slipped behind Hulta and reached around to cover the elf’s eyes, “No peeking.” Lolo peered past Hulta’s shoulder and gave her a little bump to walk forward. It wasn’t far to the door of the training hall, and Lolo nudged the pad to open the door with her hip. Once it closed behind them, she pulled her hands away from Hulta’s face. “Okay, you can look.”

The training halls in Hammer were each designed with a distinct purpose in mind, though they all served a general function. While some halls could replicate various environments, others were tailored for specific combat training. Hall F, in particular, was unique - it was specifically engineered to transform into an aquatic environment. Unlike the other environmental replication halls, the aquatic transformation required significant resources, particularly Arcanite, making it a rare occurrence. The transformation could only happen at designated times or with explicit permission from a professor. However, Marlowe had recently befriended one of the Masters who had access to the system and knew how to initiate the transformation, which had led to this rare opportunity to enjoy a large private body of water without ever leaving Hammer grounds.

The room was cloaked in darkness, with only a dim, central strip of light running the length of the hall above, casting a twilight-like glow across the vast space. Lolo had intentionally left the upper lights off, allowing the subdued illumination to create an atmosphere reminiscent of a moonlit night. Along the edges of the room, just above the water’s surface, a series of low lights added to the serene, almost otherworldly ambiance. The room itself was dominated by an enormous pool, stretching nearly the entire length and width of the hall - fifty feet long and around thirty feet wide. At the front of the room, a narrow ledge extended outward before abruptly descending into the expansive pool. The water’s edge began with a small, shallow section that mimicked the feel of a sandy beach, though it quickly gave way to a steep drop-off, plunging into a deep, thirty-foot abyss. The water was perfectly still, its surface undisturbed, though it didn’t have to remain that way. Hidden within the room were sophisticated devices capable of simulating stormy conditions, with wave machines and other mechanisms ready to create a tempest on demand.

Marlowe, still behind Hulta, wrapped her arms around the woman’s waist and pulled her into her chest. She leaned past her shoulder, and brushed her nose along the length of Hulta’s sharp elven ear, “Tonight I'm going to get you wet.” She whispered, continuing her forward nuzzle until she was brushing affectionately against Hulta’s cheek.

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Ettinus Maro Lin Oscoro
Date | Time: November 21st | Early Morning (~8:15am)
Location: 2nd Floor Training Room, Hall B
Wearing: Olive long coat, Black attire
Tagging | Mentioning: Koko |
The assumption had been that Koko would be late. By how long no one knew, but it didn’t really matter. Today that was being taken out of her hands. Professor Beach had been given instructions - if Koko wasn’t in class on the dot, she was to notify Moss. Which of course happened, and Moss was at Swagger’s door two minutes later. When there had been no answer, Moss overrode the door commands and let himself in. Awakening Koko, the deputy headmaster informed her that the actual headmaster wanted to see her. Immediately, in Hall B. A training room might have been a strange place to meet with Ettinus, but Moss didn’t elaborate. He just said that she was expected no later than a quarter after.

When the doors opened, Ettinus was turned away from her. His rapier was drawn and he was pointing it off into the distance, staring down its razor edge. “Your professors were worried that you didn’t know how to tell time,” Ettinus remarked, not looking back at her, “Of course I told them that was ridiculous, no one who likes to play with rockets doesn’t know how to work a clock.” Ettinus flourished his weapon, a number of fast swishes through the air, before he brought it back close to his face, standing straight up. He turned then to face her and smiled past the blade, “I’m glad you didn’t make me look like a fool.” He slashed the blade to the side, turned it upside down, and pressed the tip to the floor. He slightly leaned on it. The thin blade gently curved.

“But I can see their concerns. You’re here, but you’re supposed to be in professor Beach’s class right now with the rest of Swagger, and the other squires.” The elder elf frowned slightly, “Koko, there’s been a lot of concerns brought up about you.” Ettinus tilted his head, “I see you, and I see a young woman with all the potential needed to be here. And yet, I hear you’re squandering it. It makes me wonder, what’s going on with you.”

[TheFluffyOne]

Character Name: Hulta Elderfond
Date | Time: November 18th | Late Evening (~10pm)
Location: 2nd Floor Training Room, Hall F
Wearing: This
Tagging | Mentioning: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe|
Ten o’clock on the dot. Hulta had crept silently through the corridors and appeared in the centre of Hall D on the second floor. Her fingers played with the leaf leather belt that wrapped around her waist as she rocked back and forth on her heels. What did Marlowe want? She didn’t know. She didn’t even know what they were going to do. She continued to sway as Hulta kept her ears and eyes open. There was no real way to hide in the corridor, so Hulta spotted Marlowe promptly.  A wide grin covered her lips as Marlowe pouted about being spotted. So, when Marlowe got closer, Hulta let her slip her arms around her waist and hug her tightly. “What is ready?” Hulta asked with curiosity as Marlowe took her hand. 

“Are we going dancing?” Hulta asked innocently as she swung her hips to let the loose material sway from her legs. “Oh…Do I have to?” She was the one to pout now as she reluctantly closed her eyes. “I closed them!” She declared with another pout as Lolo’s fingers covered her eyes. Maybe she was going to peak a little but now it was impossible to see where they were going. A light squeak left her as Lolo near enough hip thrust her to moving. Each step was taken gingerly. The soft beep of a door pad alerted her that they were entering a room. Not going outside. No trees this night.

Blinking rapidly, she expected bright lights, but the darkness clung to her eyes like toffee. She vaguely recognised the room as one of the training halls. Hulta narrowed her eyes and realised that the floor was not in fact gently rippling but was in fact water. She took a small step forward to truly take in the water. It was like nothing she had seen before. The entire room felt like it was made for this, like the programming had changed every detail. It was only when Lolo slunk behind her, her arms sliding around her waist that Hulta realised how badly dressed she was.

A long light green skirt with embroidery along the hem, cinched in with a wide brown belt and a loose-fitting white shirt. Not suitable for swimming at all. Lolo’s words trickled past Hulta’s ear, and her cheeks started to burn lightly. “This was your plan all along wasn’t it.” She replied with a light chuckle, easily removing herself from Marlowe’s light grip. “You wanted to dunk me in the pool!!” Hulta replied as she turned towards the taller woman. Her fingers moved to her belt as she took a small step away from Lolo. Kicking her shoes off as she undid the clasp on her belt.

Hulta took another step backwards as the belt slipped from her waist to the floor. There was something wicked glinting in her eye. Something that looked unfamiliar. Hulta let a small puff of air blow the loose curls from her face and her shimmer dragged the breath to her hair. Untying the ribbon and forcing her hair to drop around her shoulders. With barely a brush of her thumbs, the fabric of her skirt dropped to the floor. Pooling around her ankles. Leaving her standing in an almost knee length white shirt. “Last in is a loser” She bolted away from Marlowe and swan dived into the water.

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: November 18th | Late Evening (~10pm)
Location: 2nd Floor Training Room, Hall F
Wearing: White button down dress, White strapless underwear set
Tagging | Mentioning: Hulta |
Grinning like a fool, Lolo nodded beside Hulta’s ear, “It was,” she admitted with no shame. While Lolo’s state of dress might have looked like it wasn’t prepared for this little evening adventure, she was hiding a second plot beneath the loose, easily removed dress. Marlowe bit her lip as Hulta moved and backed away. She was shameless about letting her eyes follow the elf’s hands and being excited to see the belt come undone. Dunk wasn’t what she had in mind, but it shared two letters with what did. She glanced up to see that playful wickedness, some new and exciting piece of the woman to learn about. The gentle flop of the skirt drew Marlowe’s attention. Everything about her was appealing. Now she just had to get that shirt off too.

Her fingers began pushing at the buttons of her dress, and peeled it away, dropping it behind herself. What remained was barely anything. A matching set planned for this evening. Black trimmed white garments that hugged her, and left her mostly bare. The panties clung to her hips, creating the perfect frame for the curvaceous lower half of her natural hourglass. The band that contained - if what it did could really be called containing - her breasts was tight, pressing her voluptuous mounds together in a way not dissimilar to the corset’s she favored. And with the same cleavage presenting push up to boot. Marlowe was not known for her modesty.

There was no doubt she was going to be the last one into the pool, but watching Hulta turn and race off, leap and enter the water? She certainly didn’t feel like a loser.

Lolo’s feet slapped across the ground. She hit the water’s edge and trudged through it, splashing and making a scene in the dim light, until she was about knee deep before she launched herself forward and dove in with far less grace. Marlowe kicked her feet and surged forward under the water. She angled down, swimming along the bottom. Holding her breath was, usefully, a skill she had a fair bit of practice with. Lolo twirled under the water, spinning with her eyes open to see where Hulta was above her. When she got into position, Lolo coiled up on the bottom and shoved off as hard as she could, catapulting herself to the surface. She tried to throw her arms around Hulta, but was seen, and missed. She erupted from the surface, sending a spray everywhere, and gasping for air. Her angle might have missed catching the elf, but as she flopped forward, she landed on Hulta and plunged them both, momentarily, beneath the surface.

When they were both up, Lolo was giggling, flailing around to get stable. She reached out and grabbed Hulta’s soaked shirt and gave it a tug, pulling the redhead close. “So tell me,” she tilted her head, “What’s your favorite way to get your heart racing?” Marlowe released her shirt and flung her arms wide. She sloshed water toward Hulta to push herself away, eager - and hopeful - to see if the elf would chase her, “I thought of a few ways, but I’m curious. Is this a good place to spend a long, hot evening together?” She certainly couldn’t be talking about the temperature, there was still snow on the ground! Lolo grinned.

[Eye of Horus]

Character Name: Dariaq Syvanios
Date | Time: 20th November | 6am
Location: Hammer Academy, combat training hall
Content: Silk and Satin
Tagging | Mentioning: Ettinus Oscoro, Silk Whyte, Maria Rex-Astra
Dari felt like he was floating, like his head had been untethered from his body. He wasn’t sure if it was the news or his lack of sleep, but he had to concentrate to not lose his bearings as headmaster Oscoro led him not back towards his room but to a plain wooden door that opened into a long gallery, lit by overhead strip-lights and by the first rays of dawn lancing in through the windows. They cast fans of red light across the floor, like splashes of blood. The floor itself was covered in strips of white tape, marking out circular arenas and oblong fencing pistes. Dari did not think it appropriate to ask why the headmaster had brought him here, but Ettinus must have read the question in his eyes.

“Professor Whyte wanted to test you herself.” he explained.

Dari nodded, not wanting to seem confused - or worse, apprehensive. “Sir.”

Movement drew his eye to a figure as it emerged from behind a stack of training gear. The figure was a silenus woman, clad in a white padded tunic, with white-blonde hair that was scraped back into a severe knot at the base of her skull. A pair of rabbit ears twitched up, almost incongruously, from the sides of her head. Dari reflected it was unfortunate that with silenus one’s mind sometimes went to the animal features first and the person behind them second, for there was nothing about the woman that suggested a soft and skittish nature. Her eyes were bright and hard despite the early hour, and she crossed the hall with a relentless, straight-ahead march. As she broke the red pools of dawnlight, her shadow cut across the room like a blade. Her gaze was fixed on Dari, and when the elf glanced to the side he realised that Ettinus had already withdrawn from the room.

“Madame.” he genuflected, bringing his palm to his chest in an elvish salute.

“Professor.” the silenus corrected tonelessly. She carried a glaive, similar to Dari’s Spitting Cobra but with a broader, hooked blade, and was holding it at the diagonal behind her back. She spun it upright and struck the butt against the floor with a clack that echoed around the empty gallery. “Your weapon. Show me.”

Obediently, Dari reached up to drag the two halves of the polearm from their crossbelt sheathes, screwing them together in a practiced motion so that they formed two and a half metres of elf-forged metal. Professor Whyte hmm’d, her eyes roving from the blade at one end to the arcanite caster at the other.

“Now,” she snapped, “Show me how well you use it!”

She didn’t wait to finish speaking before lashing her own glaive into a horizontal sweep aimed at his ribs. Instinctively, Dari spun his weapon vertical and blocked, the shafts striking together. He held it there, uncertain for a moment if she expected him to strike back or not. The silenus hmm’d again, yanked her glaive back in an attempt to hook his haft with the curved blade and drag him off balance, and struck again from another angle.

Dari wheeled around to parry, then spun horizontal as the professor dropped both hands to the butt of her weapon and slashed an overhead strike at his head. This time he countered, levering her blade down and then lunging up. The professor’s judgement of distance was perfect - she stepped back just enough for the bladepoint to halt six inches short of her face, then grappled it with one hand and stabbed again. Dari slid to the right to put open space at his back rather than the wall, and wrenched his weapon out of the professor’s grasp. The hooked glaive came at him again, the shafts ringing against each other three more times in rapid succession - clack, clack, clack. Dari crabbed back a few steps, bringing Spitting Cobra back to guard at his shoulder. His heart was drumming, and the lack of sleep was punishing him now as he had to scrunch his eyes to keep them from itching.

Professor Whyte resumed her own guard stance. “Not bad.” she allowed. She twirled her glaive in a cartwheel that swept behind her back, and as she brought it forward again the blade detached on the end of a long chain, whipping out faster than a striking snake. Before Dari could even blink the chain had lashed across his arm, the counterweight of the blade turning a scything circle that coiled the chain tight and caught him across the face with the edge of the blade. His barely-recovered Soul turned aside the steel kiss in a ripple of green sparks, but without it the glancing blow would have flayed his cheek to the bone.

Professor Whyte hauled on the chain with her staff, and sent Dari sprawling in a roll that both spooled the chain free and knocked Spitting Cobra out of his hand. The chain withdrew, a scraping metallic slither that locked Whyte’s glaive head back into place. Dari let the roll carry him back up onto one knee and reached for his weapon. Just as his fingertips brushed it, the professor skidded forward on one knee, her other foot sweeping outward to kick the polearm away, then lashing back to catch him across the jaw.

“Not good, either.” she pronounced as Dari rolled back and regained his feet, working his jaw to flex away the pain of the blow.

The words smarted, much worse than the kick. Dari’s face drew down as he cuffed his lips with a fist. He sidestepped, trying to weave around the professor and retrieve his weapon. She moved to block him, glaive extended to ward him away, face expressionless.

Never give up. Dari gritted his teeth. I am Dariaq Syvanios, and I am worthy of Hammer. Witness me.

He reached deep inside himself, resonating with his Shimmer, and reached out. The streak of ball lightning lanced across the floor, flashing an afterimage of Dari’s own form as it hooked Spitting Cobra off the ground with a toe, caught it in a glowing fist, and threw it. Already moving, Dari snatched the glaive out of the air and spun it back to guard as the Shimmer-echo flashed out of existence. He faced professor Whyte, panting heavily.

The silenus hmm’d.

[Rainbae]

Character Name: Koko Gero
Date | Time: 11.21 | Early Morning (~8:15am)
Location: 2nd Floor Training Room, Hall B
Wearing: Messy Cardigan, Thin white tank top, White board shorts, Slippers
Tagging | Ettinus @Aethyrium | none
Koko snored loudly. Moss could hear it from out in the hall as he approached the doors. It was like a jet engine by the time he actually made it into SWAGger’s shared room. All the other beds were of course vacant, except for Koko’s. She was hard to wake. Turning away from the shoves and nudges that Moss gave her. It wasn’t until he gave a rather forceful shove that she blinked awake. She was barely functioning as she groggily sat up in bed. She winced painfully as she put weight on her wrist to lift herself into a seated position. Koko reached blindly out for her gloves and found the side table empty. She sighed heavily as she instead grabbed for the braces nearby and strapped them to her wrist. She let out a breath of release as the tight fabric put compression on her aching joints.

She rushed through her morning routine as fast as she could, grumbling in pain the whole time. Downing pills as quickly as she could swallow them while throwing on whatever clothes she could find was not her idea of comfort but when the headmaster calls on you there's not much choice. Koko stepped into the training room right as the clock struck 8:15. She was barely together and incredibly tired but she made her way across the floor and went to ask a question before Ettinus interrupted her. She stood, silently resolute as the imposing man spoke. Anyone who was able to make it to Hammer could see the poise and skill that radiated off their headmaster just by looking at him holding his weapon. Koko zipped her jumpsuit up further as she looked away from the headmaster in front of her.

“I ain't squanderin’ nothin’. I get all my projects and reports in on time. So what if I don't show up to Miss B's lectures ‘bout what and whoever.” Koko bunched up her shoulders in annoyance but also anger. Not directed at Ettinus mind you. Despite her tone she had every respect for the man. Her displeasure was instead leveled at herself.. Her hate for the broken nature of her body had spiked since seeing her father and this conversation was only exacerbating it. She hated that she had to live this way. But she hadn't found another way that worked yet. She cracked her neck as the edges of the stiffness and pain started to dissipate. “I ain’t mean no disrespect sir. But I reckon my grades oughta still be better than some-a the other students, sir. Why come down on me?” Koko knew that her grades weren't the thing they were actually discussing here. Still she spewed out excuses before she could even think to stop herself.

“Is this cause I messed up on the mission? If you’re here to tell me my Pa was right and I oughta be outta here then just go on and get to it. I ain’t need no coddlin’. Respectfully.” Koko met his eyes now. There was a fierceness to them. Like an animal pushed into a corner. Koko’s frustration at what her father had said to her still hadn’t quite subsided and now it felt like even the school was turning against her. She dug her heel into the ground and stood her ground though. If this was going to go badly she was going to face it head on.

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Ettinus Maro Lin Oscoro
Date | Time: November 21st | Early Morning (~8:15am)
Location: 2nd Floor Training Room, Hall B
Wearing: Olive long coat, Black attire
Tagging | Mentioning: Koko |
Adjusting his stance, Ettinus lifted the blade and flicked it precisely through the air. His wrist bent and he gracefully curved it back, sliding it expertly into the sheathe at his side without the need to hold it steady. The guard softly clicked as it touched down against the sheathe. “Because Koko, there’s more to being a Champion than grades,” still he smiled, “And Miss B’s lectures about what and whoever are there to give you perspective on the past, to help inform the decision you will make in the future. And you are squandering it.” Excuses were not going to get her very far with Ettinus. But this was far from the firm crack down that someone like Moss or Silk might have delivered. The headmaster was firm, but he was also steady - he was tempered. This was not his first time doing this, and she was not his first wayward student.

A small smirk tugged on the corner of his lip. He tilted his head as she made such bold assumptions about the real intent. Clearly she didn’t know him very well. “Did you mess up on the mission?” Ettinus inquired with a raised brow, “My understanding of the situation is that you followed the instructions you were given, reported to where you were needed, assisted in the task you were given by the OES, and ultimately responsible for saving the lives of many soldiers who would likely have otherwise perished in that trap.” Watching carefully, Ettinus asked, “Is there something more you’d like to add to the record to dispute those facts?”

Standing straight, Ettinus shook his head lightly, “No, I’m not here to tell you that you shouldn’t be here Koko, quite the opposite. I think this is exactly where you belong. Which is why I want to know why you’re not here.” Clearly, he wasn't talking about physically.

[Totoro]

Character Name: Maria Rex-Astra
Date | Time: 20th November | 6am
Location: Hammer Academy, combat training hall
Content: Silk and Satin
Tagging | Mentioning: Silk Whyte, Dariaq Syvanios
Having your suspicions confirmed was often a mixed thing. Maria wasn't entirely sure they counted as suspicions but she did lack real proof and she hadn't heard it from Silk yet. Still, the Silenus she'd fought made it plainly clear that her mother worked for Hammer and she looked just like one professor in particular. She wasn't entirely sure what she wanted from Silk but she felt like she had to tell her, and to ask her. What, exactly, was the question? Why did your daughter try to kill me? What happens if we kill your daughter? Is there any way we can get through to her? It all felt so deeply personal, and painful, and something told her Silk would not be surprised.

As she neared the training hall Maria mused on whether it was better that Silk knew everything or nothing. The truth seemed most likely to lay somewhere in the mire between those two rocks. If it was the former, there was a reason Silk hadn't already talked to Maria about it and perhaps she would not appreciate her hand being forced. In turn, if the latter, Silk would be confronted with quite the shock and Maria wasn't entirely sure she wanted to be the one to throw that at the instructor.

Feeling some semblance of comfort in the fact that she and Silk had generally got along relatively well so far Maria pushed open the door to spy a mysterious sight. In her time at Hammer she'd come to recognise most students but this elf was unknown to her. Maria's sharp eyes were watchful and intrigued as she saw the dance unfold until it reached its conclusion and she let the gentle tap of her boots on hardwood announce her presence more loudly than the door she had closed so gently.

"Good morning Professor Whyte, and I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met" She greeted both in turn, though she didn't know the elf's name yet. "I'm sorry to interrupt your training. I was hoping to catch you before the first session, actually. I have something I need to talk to you about. It's important, or I'd leave you be," Maria offered, trying to be as gentle as she could as she doubted the intrusion was particularly welcome but she knew Silk was the kind of person who busied herself just about always, there wasn't going to be a good time for this. The whole time she spoke she drew closer until she was just a few paces from the pair, already feeling reproachful and wondering if this was going to prove to be a mistake.

[TheFluffyOne]

Character Name: Hulta Elderfond
Date | Time: November 18th | Late Evening (~10pm)
Location: 2nd Floor Training Room, Hall F
Wearing: This
Tagging | Mentioning: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe|
Her eyes had nearly bulged from her head when she saw Lolo’s dress drop. That was hiding under the material. Damn. It also very much looked like a swimsuit. The pest. Hulta didn’t care at that moment, she let her bare feet slap against the ground before she leapt into the air and spun. Gliding into the pool and immediately shivering from the cool temperature. The red curls clung to her shoulders and she wished she had tied it up before jumping in. She treaded water with her shirt slick to her form. Showing off the basic white underwear that she had on, though this pair had small pink bows on her hips and one nested between her breasts.

Spinning in the water, she watched the vision that was Lolo sink into the water. Hulta grinned like a mad woman when Lolo attempted to jump for her but she managed to slyly dodge out of the way. Hulta started to cackle but then she was promptly tugged under the water. Getting a mouth of the pool water as she tried to wriggle free from Lolo’s grip. When they surfaced, half her hair was covering her face as she coughed out the pool water. Slender fingers wrapped in her shirt and she was dragged closser. Peering at Lolo through the curtain of hair as her heart thumped in her throat. Was this the moment? Then the woman pushed herself back from her.

“Normally climbing.” She responded innocently…or perhaps just teasing the woman, it was difficult to tell. “I think this is perfect.” Hulta started to swim a little after Lolo, only when it became apparent that the woman wasn’t stopping did Hulta put effort in. Gliding through the water as she attempted to get close enough to launch herself at her. Marlowe seemed to keep just outta touch range so Hulta let a puff of air leave her lips. Her shimmer activated and sent a thin ribbon of air towards Marlowe. Picking up a loose strand and making it slap Lolo in the face. Hulta cackled again and then pounced. Dragging Lolo down with her into the depths, she tried her hardest to not touch the woman anywhere that was covered by thin material ready to slip away with barely a touch of her hands.

Hulta surfaced and let out another gleeful giggle. “Now you are it.” She slipped under the water again and started towards one of the walls of the pool. Kicking off it, she zoomed across the other side of the pool and surfaced…well, nearly surfaced. The weight of her shirt was starting to tug her down. Slipping her arms through the neck of her shirt, she wriggled it down and off. She was momentarily distracted as she hefted the shirt up and onto the side of the pool. Now she was as naked as Lolo, though her bra and knickers were not meant for swimming. So the white lace was a shade more see through than expected.

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: November 18th | Late Evening (~10pm)
Location: 2nd Floor Training Room, Hall F
Wearing: White button down dress, White strapless underwear set
Tagging | Mentioning: Hulta |
Getting dusted unexpectedly by her own hair was a perfect way to distract her. Lolo paused long enough to see what the cause was, never thinking of Hulta’s particular abilities, and right then got pounced and pulled down. Her eyes widened as she sunk beneath the surface. Her limbs scrambled wildly before they reached out and clung to Hulta, entwining herself with the other woman. Who was to say who ended up touching who where when they were so close. They twisted under the water for a moment before both ending up breaking back up top - Lolo had to detangle to keep herself up. Tag. She grinned, watching the elf start to peel away under the surface.

Fidgeting around, Lolo leaned forward and splashed across the top of the water, giving chase. A couple of times her hand slapped the surface and reached, almost touching Hulta, but coming up just short. She was sure she had her as they got to the edge, but Hulta was too quick, turning around and rocketing off in another direction. Catching herself on the edge, Lolo giggled excitedly. She watched for just a moment as Hulta made for the other side. Lolo pulled herself right up onto the thin edge and planted her feet on it, then launched herself through the air in a long arc. She hit the water like a torpedo, just inches away from Hulta, nearly missing, and sinking down toward the bottom. Twisted, she touched down and shot herself up, missing the nimble swimmer again and pouting as she flopped into the water away from Hulta.

It was worth missing her though, because when she finally reoriented on the surface and pulled all of the sopping wet hair out of her face, what she was left with was a much less covered elf. She let herself sink quietly beneath the water as Hulta wrestled with getting the shirt out of the water. A couple of strong strokes later she was right there, and when Hulta turned back, Lolo was rising right in front of her. She glided out of the water, legs wrapping around Hulta’s waist and clenching her. Reaching wide, Lolo held the edge of the pool to hold herself - both of them, really - up. It could have been the moment.

Marlowe leaned in and brushed her nose along Hulta’s cheek. Her thighs squeezed and her core clenched, lifting Hulta a bit further from the water. Lolo’s attention fell further toward her neck, nuzzling into it. She kissed the water that clung to her skin. “Got you,” she whispered, humming quietly as she brushed her lips over the woman’s shoulder. Lolo stopped at the ball of her shoulder and placed an actual kiss there, “I don’t think I’m going to let you go,” she murmured against Hulta’s skin - though if she was really talking about tag was anyone’s guess. “I was worried that we might miss the star shine in here,” she dipped down just slightly, brushing her lips across Hulta’s collar, “But I think the stars would have just been jealous of your glow.”

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Silk Whyte
Date | Time: November 20th | Early Morning (6am)
Location: Combat Training Hall
Wearing: Light plated armor
Tagging | Mentioning: Dariaq, Maria | Mila, Namid, Haimehen, Mugi, Meena, Vesper, Chee
Silk was perhaps the loudest champion against replacing holes created by circumstance among the squires. When Mila had been kidnapped, and Namid left, Silk had strongly disapproved of the recruitment of Meena and Vesper. When Haim was felled by the Nevermore, and Chee had been brought in, Silk had protested the decision to Ettinus loudly. And now, with the loss of Mugi, she was just as - if not even more - opposed to the recruitment of Dariaq. It wasn’t their fault, Silk had nothing against Meena, Vesper, Chee, or Dariaq personally. And it wasn’t like they weren’t perfectly capable of being squires. It was just that this wasn’t how it was done. Sometimes, squires were lost, and when they were, it was the responsibility of the team to carry on and figure out how to operate in a world where they were at a disadvantage. She saw this recruitment as coddling. In the real world, when these squires-to-be-Champions lost people, they weren’t going to have a convenient hand there to fill the void and make sure they were whole.

And as anyone who had spent more than a few minutes with Silk knew, she didn’t believe in coddling.

On top of that, the deeper into the year they got, the more behind these new recruits were. So while Meena, Vesper, and Chee had managed to avoid her focused disapproval, Dariaq was subject to her evaluation. Ettinus had agreed because she had a point - what he was doing was new, and no one was better suited to gauge if a new squire would be able to keep up and clear the gap than Silk. It would have been reckless to continue to ignore her, and he was anything but.

Dariaq was adequate, she was finding, in their little spar. She still didn’t like the idea of replacing Mugi, but if they were going to, at least it was going to be with someone she didn’t feel like was a world behind. Even though it had only been two months, the squires had already been pushed harder than most of them had ever been pushed before - and their growth was tangible for that effort. Silk set the haft of her glaive on her shoulder, head pointed off behind her, and sized Dari up as he got back to his feet and proved that, at the very least, he was willing to go the distance.

Her long ears twitched and perked at the sound of boots on the floor.

She lifted a finger to signal Dari to pause, and glanced in the direction of the entry. It was peculiar, someone up this early and wandering the Academy - let alone to see her. Peering at Maria, Silk assumed she must have come here right from the infirmary. The tolls of the prison break had not escaped her notice, even if the details of it hadn’t been of particular interest to her.

Pivoting away from Dari, but motioning for him to join and listen, Silk tilted her head, “Go on.”

[Rainbae]

Character Name: Koko Gero
Date | Time: 11.21 | Early Morning (~8:15am)
Location: 2nd Floor Training Room, Hall B
Wearing: Messy Cardigan, Thin white tank top, White board shorts, Slippers
Tagging | Ettinus @Aethyrium | none
Koko was a bit taken aback as the headmaster faced her squarely. His calm and tempered approach to the conversation left her confused. She wanted something to be angry about. She wanted to be rebuked and scorned for her actions and told she wasn’t good enough. She wanted fuel to make the frustration she was feeling burn hotter so she could power her eventual rebuttal. That was how Koko had always lived her life. She had fed off the negativity of others so that she could use it to empower herself. And yet standing before her, looking calm and poised was this man. He sought not to tear her down, but instead simply to inquire. His question rang out in her mind. His statement to her left her stunned.

Well…no I suppose not. You’re right in that’s what happened. That ain’t the full picture though! I mean Mares and I…” Koko trailed off and her voice became small as she realized that she was about to perpetuate exactly what her father had told her yesterday. That she was in danger. That she shouldn’t be doing this. That she had put her ‘delicate nature’ under too much stress. She didn’t believe that though. Her irritation at herself had just made everything get jumbled up in her brain. Still a small part of her believed it to be true. She had messed up bad. And the two of them could have easily died because of her actions. She knew that to be true. She just didn’t believe that she should take that second chance and run away. She never ran away from anything. She cleared her throat as she continued to speak.

“No, sir. Nothing to add.” Somehow Ettinus’ air about him had suffused into Koko. She felt she should stand straighter, speak clearer. The man’s aura seemed like it deserved it somehow. His admittance that she should be here once again diffused her temper without even facing it. She wanted to be angry but he was telling her what she wanted to hear. And so now she was left confused and faced with his question. And she knew she had no good answer. She knew it was because it was the only way she could find to handle things on her own. With her body in the state that it was just getting up was difficult for her. But she was already pushing her body to its limits to get by. Her self hatred flared and she clicked her tongue. Her father’s voice in the back of her mind telling her to quit threatened to poke through.

“I am here. I’m more here than most-a these sheltered high falutin’ types. The ones who was given strong bones and every genetic advantage you could think of. I scraped my way up to get here sir and I ain’t leavin’ even if you had told me to.” Koko's voice was strong and resolute now. But after a moment she faltered. The atmosphere of confidence she had dwindled and her voice shrunk once more. She looked deflated. “But in all honesty I ain’t sure how I can do more sir. I can’t get more outta myself if I tried. I feel like an orange that’s been squeezed of all its juice. I’m runnin’ on fumes.” She sighed heavily and looked up at the elf. She locked eyes with him and stared into them deeply for a moment. It was an imposing act but she needed to be sure. She decided in that moment however that if there was anyone to be honest with about this it was Ettinus.

“I get up late so my team don’t see me lookin’ so weak sir…that’s the truth of it all. It takes me a while to get up and goin’ in the mornings. My body just don’t listen to me when I’m wakin’. Movin’ quick and gettin’ to class just ain’t in the cards for me when my joints burn and my wrist shoot pain like I been stabbed through the heart.” She laid it out for him. She hid nothing. She knew it was a problem and she knew that the only way to fix it was to be honest with the man. But still she wouldn’t let him look down on her for it. “But that don’t mean I can’t fight Hollow like the rest off ‘em sir. Just cause I miss a class or two don’t mean I can’t hang ‘round here.”

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Ettinus Maro Lin Oscoro
Date | Time: November 21st | Early Morning (~8:15am)
Location: 2nd Floor Training Room, Hall B
Wearing: Olive long coat, Black attire
Tagging | Mentioning: Koko |
Ettinus had slightly leaned in when she began to counter what he was saying. He knew what had happened, all of those reports had come to him. Their time, Koko and Maria, in the infirmary had come to his desk for review. Already Maria’s quiet grumblings about Koko’s lack of belonging were heard. But Ettinus had a different mind for these things, and if she wanted to dig into that, he would have. He was waiting for it, for her to paint the picture of disaster. But when she didn’t, the elf just smiled. Whether that was because she understood, or because she didn’t think she could handle hearing what she feared might be said from another was unknown, but he wasn’t going to pry into it. As far as he was concerned, it was over unless she wanted to bring it up.

He appreciated the attention that she brought when she settled into talking with him. The respect that she seemed to ease into. It showed some of her character, and Ettinus found himself slightly nodding. But her words betrayed her. Still, Ettinus listened. Not just to some of it, but to all of it. And he heard her. Unfortunately he didn’t think she was really hearing herself - she was honest, but she wasn’t internalizing what she was saying. It was narrowly viewed. “In fact, it does mean that.” Ettinus said at the end of it all, and frowned slightly at her. “Will that be what you tell people, when you graduate and they come to count on you? The Hollow were attacking, but you just couldn’t move quick and get to their aid, because your joints burned and your wrist was in pain?” He lifted a brow.

“You’re making a lot of assumptions about other people. That you get better grades, or that you’re here more than some of them. You think they don’t have struggles?” Ettinus shook his head, “We’re not talking about others, Koko, we’re talking about you. Everyone has their burdens, and it’s their responsibility to figure out how to manage that. You’re no different. It doesn’t matter that your grades might be better than some others, or that you might be more present than others. Is that all you are, just maybe better than a handful of others?” He didn’t believe that, and he was pretty sure that she didn’t either.

“This is the life you’ve chosen for yourself. It’s not a life that cares that your joints are in pain. The Hollow won’t wait for you to slowly wake up each morning and tend to your pains until you’re ready to go. By the time you’ve done that, they’ll have destroyed everything you hoped to protect.” And that wasn’t just conjecture, it was an irrefutable fact demonstrated time and time again over decades. “And you seem to be under the impression, the mistaken impression, that all there is to the life that you’ve chosen to live is the destruction of Hollow. Do you think we would spend time teaching Champions history, and survival, and other things, if it was not crucial to what they do?”

The headmaster glanced at the door, “You’re telling me that you can’t get more out of yourself. That you cannot perform even the most basic tasks asked of a Champion, while also trying to convince me that you’re fit to be one.” He closed his eyes and thought for a moment in the quiet. “There are forty-eight positions in a Battle Academy class. Did you know that there were almost two-hundred candidates this year?” Ettinus looked at her, “You were not picked because you were the best, Koko. And I certainly didn’t select you so that you could skate by and hide behind your flaws. I selected you in spite of them. Because you know a hardship that few others do. But if you cannot turn that into a strength, then you have no place at my Academy.” He smiled, “And let me assure you, if this conversation ends with me telling you to leave, you will.”

[Totoro]

Character Name: Maria Rex-Astra
Date | Time: 20th November | 6am
Location: Hammer Academy, combat training hall
Content: Silk and Satin
Tagging | Mentioning: Silk Whyte, Dariaq Syvanios
Part of Maria wished Silk had dismissed her, insisted the training was more important. Now she had to actually walk down the road she'd set out on. With a sigh, and a slight swallow, she nodded. "It's sensitive. About the prison break, and the Red Fang," Maria began, trying to eye Silk for any reaction that might tell her to shut her mouth before Dariaq learned more than he should.

When nothing came to tell her to stop talking she marched on, knowing Silk wouldn't appreciate a long ramble. "When we were fighting the Red Fang we ran into someone I think you know," Maria continued, again trying to gauge a response before she said something Silk would want to be kept quiet. "Their leader was a young Silenus woman who said her mother worked at Hammer. She looked exactly like you." There it was. Maria felt like she'd pulled off the bandaid and she almost sighed at the relief but she held her composure.

"I haven't talked to anyone else about it except Robyn. I don't know if Koko has. I don't think so. I wanted to let you know as soon as possible," Maria explained, feeling as though Koko was not the ideal person to have your secret but not dwelling on that for now. Of course, now Dariaq knew too and Maria didn't know the first thing about him. Glancing his way she gave a gently apologetic look, understanding how odd an introduction this was. Niceties could come later.

Maria didn't have to do much pondering on what it was like to have a family member who you didn't align with, her mother was the definition of that and she knew just how much it hurt. At least it wasn't a surprise for her, though. Maria had grown grimly comfortable with it over the years. For all Maria knew, Silk might think her daughter was dead, or perhaps have been holding out hope that she hadn't joined the Red Fang. Unless Silk was on their side, too. That thought had crossed her mind but it felt far too conspiratorial to put stock in.

[Eye of Horus]

Character Name: Dariaq Syvanios
Date | Time: 20th November | 6am
Location: Hammer Academy, combat training hall
Content: Silk and Satin
Tagging | Mentioning: Silk Whyte, Maria Rex-Astra
“Good morning Professor Whyte,”

The prim, clipped voice made Dari aware of another figure who had sidled into the room while he and the professor had been sparring. She was another squire, or so Dari assumed - a silenus with tined horns curling from her hairline, who carried herself with easy confidence and a kind of unhurried grace that reminded Dari of a hunter loping across the sands outside the Oasis. Her pale eyes switched from professor Whyte to Dari.

“I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met.”

Dari put up his glaive as the professor beckoned him to join the two, signalling that the fight was over for now.

“Dariaq.” he introduced himself, formally. “Of Le Havre. Son of Ivleen Syvanios and her wife Jenevelle. And as of today,” He couldn’t help standing a little taller and puffing out his chest. “A squire of Hammer Academy.”

The silenus squire offered him a brief acknowledgement before delivering her message to Whyte in terse, formal language. Dari elected to stand completely still and smooth his face of all expression. The squire’s report was professional, but its content was grave. It sounded like the squire was implying that professor Whyte had a daughter in the Red Fang.

Red Fang. Officially the ruling body of the isolationist silenus city of Mirat - something Dari couldn’t fault without hypocrisy, given how many elves chose to hide themselves away in Tabor - they were also a pressure group for the silenus diaspora throughout the jewel cities. From what Dari understood, their methods were not always peaceful. Terrorists…when we should be fighting the Hollow.

Still keeping his thoughts carefully guarded, Dari looked to professor Whyte to see how she would take the news.

[TheFluffyOne]

Character Name: Hulta Elderfond
Date | Time: November 18th | Late Evening (~10pm)
Location: 2nd Floor Training Room, Hall F
Wearing: This
Tagging | Mentioning: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe|
Her fingers struggled to heave the wet piece of clothing out of the pool. Especially with her feet wriggling under her with no real support. She tried to balance herself but struggled. There was a loud sigh of annoyance as she hefted it over her head and onto the edge of the pool. Finally, she felt like she could really swim at her real speed now. A wide gremlin smile sat on her lips as she turned around to see where Lolo was. Oh. She didn’t expect that, those legs wrapped around her and she was easily hauled out of the water. Her hands flapped until they landed on Marlowe’s shoulders.

There was a beat of silence when she genuinely believed that the woman would drop her back into the pool. Another tactic in their game of tag. But then her nose brushed her cheek and Hulta felt colour gather on her cheeks and spread down her neck to dance over her collarbones. Yeah. Marlowe had her. Lips brushed over her neck and Hulta fought a sigh that tangled in her ribs. “Eventually you will need to let me go.” Hulta giggled gently and brushed some of Marlowe’s hair away from her shoulders. As Lolo’s lips continued to descend, Hulta became painfully aware of how naked she was.

The underwear was not meant to be swam in. She was glad that she had picked a nice pair but she had so many nice swimsuits to show off. Maybe next time. Hulta felt Lolo’s words caress her skin and she let out a nervous chuckle. “Wait.” She paused and used her fingers to tug Marlowe’s face back up to look at her. “I am not that pale.” She said with a matter of fact look clear on her features. This here. This could be the moment. Did she want it to be like this? While half naked as they played tag after curfew. Hulta’s amber eyes dragged from Lolo’s to her pert lips then back up.

Maybe. Something about it felt right but so much about it felt off. Like they needed to be on equal standing, under the stars or somewhere vaguely romantic. Maybe Hulta was building it up in her mind but she wanted it to be perfect. So she leaned forward, just enough that there was the suggestion of a kiss happening. Then she let out a soft hum as she smirked. Ribbons of air around her sunk to the sections of Lolo’s torso that lay out of the water and started to trace around her ribs. Just lightly enough to begin with that it felt like a feather being dragged there.

Then they sped up and truly attempted to tickle Marlowe. Her lips hovered mere inches away from Marlowe’s, so much that her words vibrated against Lolo’s soft lips. “You can’t trap the stars.” She winked before violently wriggling in Marlowe’s grip. Just enough that she should be able to drop back down through her wrapped legs to the bottom of the pool.

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Silk Whyte
Date | Time: November 20th | Early Morning (6am)
Location: Combat Training Hall
Wearing: Light plated armor
Tagging | Mentioning: Dariaq, Maria |
Silk was not known for her care when it came to sensitive topics. The squires weren’t Champions yet, but more than perhaps anyone else that worked at Hammer Silk treated them like they were. Just because they weren’t on the Index yet meant very little to her. They were just less experienced Champions, and the only way to get experience was to encounter things. So to that end, she wasn’t one for holding people’s hands or keeping them out of the loop. Face whatever life brought forward and deal with it, that was how she lived, and that’s how she’d like all of them to live. So Silk continued to look at Maria with that very neutral ‘why are you talking to me right now but not saying anything’ face that was present most of the time when people talked at her.

It was curious that Maria might intuit that she would know anyone in the Red Fang. The mention of the group did make her ears twitch, and she tilted her head ever so slightly, only signaling that Maria get on with it. The news didn’t provoke a strong reaction from the professor, but it was clearly not a surprise. Silk closed her eyes and put a bit more weight onto her glaive. “Satin.” She revealed, exhaling a slow breath. The silenus took a moment for herself, just a few seconds to let the myriad of thoughts run through her mind and settle.

When she opened her eyes she lifted her glaive and gave it a small twist. The blade made a soft shink and collapsed and then withdrew into the shaft, which likewise slipped down into itself leaving her with a roughly four and a half feet long rod. She whipped it around her back and attached it to the small magnetic harness. The fight was, apparently, over. He’d done well enough, but this would not be the last time he got her focused attention. “Dariaq, this is Maria Rex-Astra, team leader of Swagger. The team you’re joining,” Silk motioned at the elf, “Maria, Dariaq will be replacing Mugi.” Those were just the facts, and she wasn’t going to sugarcoat it for anyone.

Introductions out of the way, Silk moved to the edge of the dueling platform and hopped down to be level with Maria. “She’s my daughter.” Silk explained, “Not very many people know about her, but she’s not a secret.” If Robyn, or Koko, or even Dariaq wanted to gossip about it, Silk wasn’t bothered by it. “Sounds like she’s gone far,” Silk crossed her arms and her ears drooped slightly at the midway point, “I assume you have… Questions?” she looked at Maria, still unsure what she was doing here.

[Totoro]

Character Name: Maria Rex-Astra
Date | Time: 20th November | 6am
Location: Hammer Academy, combat training hall
Content: Silk and Satin
Tagging | Mentioning: Silk Whyte, Dariaq Syvanios
For all her social status in Onyx Maria didn't know so much of Elven houses. Not enough to know how much weight Dariaq's name ought to carry. For a brief second she quietly wondered if her own name would mean anything to him, in turn, or if they were both wholly from seperate worlds. All the same she nodded as Silk explained who he was to be. The replacement of Mugi hurt, Maria felt like she had barely gotten to know her former teammate. Part of her was glad for the replacement, another part felt like that was callous. "Dariaq. Pleased to meet you," She greeted him, gently, now that she had a name to remember.

Before she could linger any longer on the thoughts swirling in her head Silk confirmed what Maria had already near enough known. "She has. She was the one that destroyed the building. I tried to talk to her, I tried everything I could to get through to her. I wanted to believe the Red Fang were better than that but she's a zealot. There's no other word for what I saw and heard," Maria said, affirming what she had to imagine must be fears for Silk. Even the stoic professor surely had to worry for her own daughter.

"I do. I wanted to know if there's any chance of pulling her back from this path. You must know her better than anyone. Any insight you could give could save a lot of people. It could save Satin," She replied, her words emphatic and a good deal of concern in her eyes. Maria's desperate efforts at diplomacy weighed heavy on her at the time and she felt some kind of strange bond with Satin, not least after the other Silenus let Koko live when she had any reason not to. Despite despising her in many ways she felt a link there, perhaps clinging to some hope of redeeming the Red Fang.

Casting her eyes downward for a moment, Maria briefly chewed her lip before speaking up again. "You didn't know she'd gotten this deep into it all, then? Do you mind if I ask when you last saw her? If we could understand the Red Fang better it would help us to stop all this violence and this could be the most insight we can get," Maria questioned, still cautious of the topic even if she needed answers. The truth was that it seemed inevitable Hammer would come to clash with the Red Fang again and Silk had information nobody else did that could change things next time.

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: November 18th | Late Evening (~10pm)
Location: 2nd Floor Training Room, Hall F
Wearing: White button down dress, White strapless underwear set
Tagging | Mentioning: Hulta |
The touch and brush of her hair brought such a smile to her lips as she feathered her lips across Hulta’s collar. The elf was not the only one aware of her state of undress. In fact, Marlowe was quite enamored with it. “Will I?” She’d murmured in response, softly shaking her head, sweeping her plush touch back and forth over the same spot, “I don’t know about that,” she pressed forward kissing the spot, “I could hold you for long, long time,” her gaze glanced up at Hulta through the corners of her eyes, “I don’t think I want to let you go.” And she’d leave Hulta to ponder what she meant by that.

She’d just started to resume her trail toward Hulta’s center when her face was tugged up and she was bid to wait. She didn’t want to wait! She’d been waiting! Still she was all smiles as she gazed up at the woman. The argument was not convincing, and Lolo shifted all of her support to one arm, bringing her other in. She set her hand on Hulta’s chest, just above her breast, and splayed her fingers wide to look at the deep contrast between them. To Marlowe, Hulta really was that pale. But she liked that starkness. “Maybe not,” she whispered, as Hulta began to focus on her. Lolo’s heart did a little thundering. Were they finally done waiting? “But you are that beautiful,” she continued quietly as she inched for the kiss that was never going to happen.

Marlowe’s eyes went wide with surprise. The tickling sent her flailing. Legs released the elf and she  splashed around unceremoniously in the water, shoving herself backward in a fit of giggles that got washed out as the reverse surge of water pushed her face under water. She slapped and kicked the water to right herself, and had to push a mess of clinging waves from her face. Her star was gone! Lolo swished around in the pool, searching, until she saw the elf cruising away under the water, “Maybe,” she said, leaning forward to stroke after her, “But I can try.” Actually, her favorite thing about Hulta was that she didn’t feel like she needed to trap her. It always felt like Hulta wanted to be there with her. There was a value to that she couldn’t quantify, and defied explanation.

Though, in some ways, it did feel like she was the one chasing her. But maybe that was fine. She did enjoy the thrill of it.

When Hulta surfaced, Marlowe had tragically misaligned herself and was several feet back from where she thought she was going to rise. Her nose wrinkled, and she paddled over, but instead of grabbing at her, Lolo swam in as tight a circle as she could manage around her - like some kind of sea predator with a cape of black following her. “If we could go on a spontaneous adventure right now,” Lolo said as she worked back to in front of Hulta, “Where would you want to go with me?”

[Eye of Horus]

Character Name: Dariaq Syvanios
Date | Time: 20th November | 6am
Location: Hammer Academy, combat training hall
Content: Silk and Satin
Tagging | Mentioning: Silk Whyte, Maria Rex-Astra
Professor Whyte’s lapine ears twitched, but otherwise the silenus barely reacted to the news. She didn’t even address it at first - instead she introduced the newcomer for Dari’s benefit. Dari inclined his head. Rex Astra - it took him a moment to place why the name sounded familiar, then he remembered the word Astra being emblazoned on some of the vehicles and buildings around the city. Probably just a coincidence.

Silk motioned at the elf, “Maria, Dariaq will be replacing Mugi.”

Now there was a name Dari could place straight away - the name that a tearful senior squire had spoken when she stumbled up to the landing pad to deliver grave news. He looked to the squire named Maria. Mugi was no-one to him, beyond an uncomfortable parallel to someone else he had once stepped over for the chance to be a squire, but to their team leader? He wasn’t sure what to expect from Maria’s face. Grimness, grief, hostility towards the stranger trying to step into their place. Perhaps all three.

"Dariaq. Pleased to meet you," she greeted him, gently. There was regret there, certainly - but muted, turned inwards rather than out. Her pale eyes slid back to the professor as she resumed her report, elaborating on the encounter and putting forward her hopes for a peaceful resolution.

Like a true champion, Dari thought. Save not just the bystanders but the villain as well. Was that just her nature, he wondered, or was it because it was the professor’s daughter they were talking about? He stayed quiet.

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Silk Whyte
Date | Time: November 20th | Early Morning (6am)
Location: Combat Training Hall
Wearing: Light plated armor
Tagging | Mentioning: Dariaq, Maria |
If she were being honest about it, learning that Satin had risen through the ranks of the Red Fang was not particularly surprising. The younger Whyte had many of her mother’s qualities, leadership included. She just wished they were being used somewhere else. Actually, even that was unfair. Satin being a leader in the Fang didn’t bother Silk in the slightest. It was whatever the Fang was becoming that bothered her. But even then, her feelings on the matter were conflicted at best. She wondered if the word zealot was really applicable - she doubted someone as sheltered as Maria had the life experience to truly appreciate what was going on. Silk nodded, if only to give Maria an indication that she was listening and that the judgment wasn’t being held against her.

Silk’s ears twitched again, as she listened, and as she studied the concern Maria had about this topic. She understood, this must have been an awkward conversation to have. It didn’t need to be though. Silk wasn’t the type to be put off by difficult topics. “I don’t know about that,” maybe once upon a time she had known Satin better than anyone. But now? Her hands squeezed her biceps.

“The Red Fang is a silenus organization, they fight for the betterment of our people.” She addressed Dari in an effort to catch him up, “The Onyx Fang has been a needle in Onyx’s side for almost a year now,” Silk took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “But their… Efforts have become increasingly hostile lately. And they were at least involved with the attack on Azkaban last night.”

Heaving a great sigh, Silk shook her head. She wasn’t sure that she had what Maria wanted, at least, not from this first wave of questions. “Satin has been a member of the Fang since she was little. It was probably our first real disagreement.” The professor stretched her neck heavily to one side, causing a small little pop. “I believe in the Red Fang, and I think the work that they do is good, and necessary. But I never felt compelled to join their ranks, I never felt like I needed the Fang to fight my battles. I didn’t want that for Satin. But she had…” Silk opened her eyes, but squinted, “Conviction. She saw the struggles that I faced, endured her own hardships, and witnessed the adversity our brothers and sisters experienced. Satin always felt those things deeply, and she wanted to make a difference.” She grimaced, “The Fang was a good place for her,” even if she didn’t love to admit it.

“That first conflict between us became more as she grew older. Satin grew into a young woman with an iron will, and she didn’t want me to train her anymore than I already had,” one of her indexes began to lightly bounce against her arm. She rarely thought about this. “I pushed Satin, hard,” too hard, some would suggest, “So she left, and returned home. Got her training at Equinox. We didn’t speak after she left,” there was the slightest twinge of regret in her voice. Their distance had been Satin’s need to become her own person, outside of Silk’s shadow, she recognized that and she didn’t hold it against her. But she was her daughter, and she had always hoped that once Satin had grown they would come back together. “We didn’t speak for nearly eight years. Until about a year ago, when she came back to Onyx and sought me out. I know she spent some time in Mirat before coming here.” Which was good for her, Silk thought, and really she wished she had stayed there, “I didn’t know she was working for the Fang still, but I can’t say I’m surprised.”

Dropping her arms to her sides, Silk tightened her brow, “As for pulling her back, unless you can stop the suffering of our people, I doubt it. Satin is, like I said, strong willed, and filled with conviction. But she was never aggressively violent,” though Silk realized that eight years, especially the first adult eight years, was a long time to change. Still, upon reuniting with her daughter, that was not the vibe she had gotten from her. “Satin will do what she feels needs to be done, if it means the protection and betterment of our people. She’s not one to sit idle while she can make a difference.”

[TheFluffyOne]

Character Name: Hulta Elderfond
Date | Time: November 18th | Late Evening (~10pm)
Location: 2nd Floor Training Room, Hall F
Wearing: This
Tagging | Mentioning: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe|
Lips brushed against her skin and she slowly found herself overwhelmed. By the need to touch her, hold her, press kisses against Lolo’s neck and crash her lips against Lolo’s lips. To display her affection and feelings with a sealing kiss. The need felt like it was taking over her entire body. Forcing goosebumps to drift up over her arms and a flush to christen her cheeks. That sweet smile had her stomach twisting. She felt like she was a cloth being wrung out. The woman before her inspired so many things within her body and mind, it almost didn’t feel fair.

Lolo’s fingers splayed out on her pale skin and Hulta had to stop herself from glancing down. From seeing just how closer her fingertips brushed the top of her breasts, how intimate it felt and how the woman leaned in for something that would cement this…cement everything as different. The wide eyes helped to break the spell that Marlowe seemed to have on her. Hulta couldn’t stop the giggle that dragged from her lips in small bubbles as she hit the water. Words followed her and she grinned wildly as she kicked her long legs out to keep her from Marlowe’s touch. “You can always try.”

A playful squeal left her as Marlowe popped up to her right and started to circle her. She kicked out under her to keep herself afloat as she listened to the question that Marlowe posed. “Right now…I’d take you home.” She said sweetly with a smile as her hands moved to tug the wet locks of hair away from her face and neck. “I’d take you to meet my sister and my teachers and climb my favourite tree. Where we can rest on the wide branches and watch the light crackle through the leaves.”

Hulta’s face lit up with a warmth when talking about home. Her home. It was one of the places that she felt automatically safe and calm. Strangely, she was starting to feel that same feeling when her fingers were linked with Lolo’s. “And you…Where would you go? Tooooooo the rooftop maybe.” She bobbed herself up and down in the water, letting herself sink and rise with the water kissing her shoulders. “To Smoke and Mirrors…or somewhere else?”

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: November 18th | Late Evening (~10pm)
Location: 2nd Floor Training Room, Hall F
Wearing: White button down dress, White strapless underwear set
Tagging | Mentioning: Hulta |
Going in circles only felt fun for the first two or three laps while she listened. Then Lolo found herself positioning herself in front of Hulta, mimicking the gentle bobbing on the water’s surface. The way Hulta talked of home was always so inspiring. She wasn’t sure she knew anyone who talked about home the way she did. It almost made her jealous. Lolo could talk Onyx up, but even at her most excited, she doubted it came with the same sort of ingrained passion that Hulta had. Reverence. That’s what she saw in Hulta when she spoke of home. “I’d love to go with you,” Lolo said. Maybe Hulta’s home was as amazing as she made it sound, or maybe it was dull and boring, and out in the middle of nowhere. That honestly didn’t matter to her, because they’d have gone together. That was the part that interested her the most.

She couldn’t imagine wanting to introduce Hulta to her sister. Or her brother. Or anyone from Evergreen, really. Why would anyone be interested in a bunch of nobodies who were doing nothing? Besides, everyone liked her sister more. That triggered a weirdly jealous thought of Linnea taking Hulta away. Lolo’s brow creased and she looked down into the water, glaring at the depth. Lolo didn’t really think Linnea did those things purposefully, but she was just… More interesting. Or prettier. Or something that, somehow, people were drawn to. Hulta would probably be the same. No, the elf couldn’t meet her sister.

Marlowe didn’t know if they’d ever have the chance to climb Hulta’s favorite tree, but she was pretty sure that she could find a really good tree to climb where they could do just that. She tucked the idea away in the back of her head.

“I’m right where I want to be,” Lolo replied with a bright smile. She sloshed water and moved forward in the water, closer to Hulta. She didn’t necessarily mean the pool. “But,” wicked playfulness flashed across her face, and she inched closer, “There is an adventure I’d like to take you on…” Marlowe leaned forward and slipped past Hulta’s cheek, nuzzling up to her ear and whispering, “It’d take us all night, and it’ll make you gasp and see things you’ve never seen,” her tongue flicked light as a ghost over Hulta’s ear, “You’ll feel things that will leave you breathless. We’ll get lost in it, but you’ll still know exactly where you are, and it’ll drive you… Crazy.”