[Sandbox] Onyx Prairie

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Shir Dhan
Date | Time: December 30th | Night (~9:10pm)
Location: Onyx Central - Tosser’s
Wearing: This
Tagging | Mentioning: Thessa |
Even if Shir had wanted to ignore their experience together, he couldn’t have. Not only did he not want to, it simply wasn’t in his nature. He was a man defined by his past, by the things that had happened. Shir looked back, always. So when he saw Thessa, at Tosser’s, in the dorms, at Hammer, or even in class, there was no escaping the memory of their night together. It was many things to Shir, several of them conflicting - none of them negative. If it had been anyone else, except maybe Marlowe, it would have come with shame. He could feel that somewhere inside, that maybe he should have been ashamed. But Shir hadn’t taken advantage of that situation - if anything, Thessa had pushed it forward. No, they had been equals that night, there was nothing shameful about it. So there was no regret - and if there was, it was that they’d not gone further. Some part of his brain had wanted more, even if he was in reflection quite satisfied with how things had played out.

It had an impact though. Shir was not a hormone-addled teen. A night of intimacy hadn’t turned him to goo, and he was not in love with Thessa. But there were things about her now that he appreciated more than he had before. And more than any of the little things, it was her in general, as a whole. If she had been looking to create a solid place in Shir’s life then she had succeeded in excess. She was a pupil, but she was something more too. He cared for her in a way that he couldn’t say about everyone. That was valuable. It was important. And it was a bit dangerous.

That night had brought a warmth that linger for a night or two after. He’d drank less, read more, and felt almost human. But it hadn’t lasted. Like any impression, as time wore on it faded into memory. The warmth of the fire dulled, its presence always visible, but no longer casting heat. And so Shir had returned to his rituals, increasing with distance from that time. The first time Thessa had found him after it at Tosser’s, there had been no expectation that anything would go on. There were no strings, no awkward needs. They met as people, and that was nice. It was comfortable - comforting. So Shir shared things about the day, even if mostly he listened. He could be that for her, he wanted to be. She’d given him something incredible, after all.

Seeing her slip across from him tonight was no different. Shir looked up from a drink far too many - deep into the third bottle of the night. It was inside of him, muddying his thoughts. But he was a career alcoholic, the night was young and there were plenty of thoughts to be smothered yet by the numb kiss of the bottles. He was not so dull that he couldn’t see, feel, the difference in her. Shir set aside his book, giving her his attention - though he was not at all prepared for the topic.

The ability she had discovered that night wasn’t news - but its connection to him was. Shir tilted his head slightly, wondering where she was going with this. It wasn’t the first time Thessa had pressed him about this. But that was a long time ago now. Things were different. Not just between them, but in Onyx, with her. “Coral,” he replied quietly. Apple had filled him in on the conversation she’d had with Gravity and what they knew. The only thing surprising that Thessa was coming back to it was that it hadn’t happened sooner. But he could see how things had changed, but not what he was going to do with it.

She was right though that this was not the place for it. Shir looked at his nightly ritual and exhaled, “Probably done enough for the night anyway.” A hand fell on his book and he slid it off the table, then out of the booth. He made a gesture to catch the eye of the bartender and then again at his table. He’d settle up later, he always did. An offered hand pulled her out of the booth, and Shir led them once more into the night. This felt familiar, and it wasn’t unfair to call it disarming.

If ever there was a time he needed to talk to Ettinus…

They weren’t more than a dozen paces from Tosser’s door when Shir spoke, assessing they were private enough. “I told you before, that’s a matter best left where it is.” It wasn’t scolding, but he had a vested interest in dissuading her from poking around on this - gentle though he wanted to be about it. “She’s safe, and not somewhere that Xaexyl can get to her.”

[Envious]

Character Name: Thessa
Date | Time: Tuesday, December 30 | Night (~9:10pm)
Location: Onyx Central - Tosser's
Wearing: this, shield, no earrings, Orym's ring
Tagging | Mentioning: Shir | Apple, Xaexyl, Coral, Ocean
”Ain’t none of us safe, Shir Dhan,” she responded quietly. She hadn’t meant to say something so depressing, but she was limited on what she could say. Part of her hated that, even if she understood it. She understood the need for secrecy. She understood Apple’s very clear instruction to keep what had happened strictly between those involved. She understood why it was important to do so. But she didn’t want to. What value was there in a world where you couldn’t trust people?

What value was there in a world where the people you thought you could trust could so easily break it?

There had been sabotage on many levels last night. Between her, Estelle, Koko, and Chee. Between the military and the Freebirds. Between the military and Ocean. The line separating friend from foe was becoming unreliable and that didn’t sit well with Thessa. But here she was, considering the same thing. What did it say to her opinion of Apple if she disregarded what she had said? If she didn’t trust that it was the best path forward? Sure, it wasn’t the same shade of betrayal, but any way she tried to justify it, Thessa knew exactly what it was.

”Know you don’t want me lookin’ inta it. But I is feelin’ so restless.” She dropped her braid and rubbed at her forehead. ”’n every time I is startin’ ta get settled in, somethin’ else happens-” there was an uneasy halt, as if she were about to say more, ”-’n it seemed ta me that Ocean was the thing ta catch, but then learnin’ that he here ‘cause of Xaexyl? That the man in the middle of all me problems? Do wanna see him caught, but the only thing I is knowin’ ‘bout him is he want this Coral. So much work fer a woman. Why?”

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Shir Dhan
Date | Time: December 30th | Night (~9:10pm)
Location: Onyx Central - Tosser’s
Wearing: This
Tagging | Mentioning: Thessa |
The depressing mark was strangely existential. Shir couldn’t help the nasally breath and half smile that formed behind it. She wasn’t wrong, it just wasn’t what he had meant. “No, I suppose we’re not.” But even with that, the Hollow would get to Coral before Xaexyl did as far as he could tell so despite it, it didn’t change anything.

Still, he could appreciate restlessness. Shir had lost a partner, members of his team, but their circumstances were different. For Defangs there had been no backfill. There had simply been the truth of loss and needing to live with that. In some ways it had brought who remained of the team closer together. Gravity had to keep reforming around new things. In some ways he imagined that would be harder. Especially when it came to partners. The circumstances there were different of course, but in a way they were both responsible for their partners deaths. Shir had actively killed Caelawyn, but Thessa had lost Mila and then had to be the one to bring her in.

It was - all the things were - happening around her. He could understand that restlessness. Still, the path she was headed down wasn’t one he wanted her to walk. There were things there. Forces. Truths that no one else needed. Not now, at least. Someday, someday Shir saw what Ettinus saw - Thessa would be a worthy addition to their cause. Others? Marlowe? Lyreilynn? Not so much. And with losing another, just hours before, Vesper making it known that he was leaving, Shir was hesitant to give her a firm no. But how to walk that line?

“Ocean is still worth catching,” Shir offered. “That man has caused no shortage of problems, working for someone else or not.” And there was his seeming personal vendetta against those who remained in Gravity. A quiet followed as they wandered through the night. He wasn’t ignoring her, she could see it if she looked at him. He was navigating, through the sluggishness of the alcohol, and through his obligations that went beyond Thessa. “I wonder how Ettinus would help you here.” Shir sighed.

“It wasn’t the first time that Xaexyl came after Coral,” That didn’t hurt anything to share, he didn’t think. His eyes narrowed on the street, “She has something valuable, something important.” Shir sighed. More failures on his part. “We knew someone was after her, but we didn’t know who. Ettinus sent me to find her. That’s what I was doing before this… But Johtan’s a big place.” That felt like an excuse. If he had done something else, maybe he would have gotten there sooner. Maybe he would have been able to prevent all of this. “I was too late. By the time I tracked her down, she was already being attacked. I interrupted, chased off her attacker. But not before…” Shir’s brows tightened, “He got some of it. He wants to find her, because he wants to get the rest of it.” If he had been quicker then they’d have Coral on their side, and Xaexyl wouldn’t be the threat that he was. “Now, because I failed to find her before Xaexyl did, Coral can’t defend herself. And we cannot let him get what he’s after.”

[Envious]

Character Name: Thessa
Date | Time: Tuesday, December 30 | Night (~9:10pm)
Location: Onyx Central - Tosser's
Wearing: this, shield, no earrings, Orym's ring
Tagging | Mentioning: Shir | Apple, Xaexyl, Coral, Ocean
The quiet didn’t bother her. Even in her agitated state, Shir’s presence was a balm. A comfort that allowed for patience in their interaction. She had her own conflicting agenda to sift through and she used the time to make peace with what she had decided.

”Ettinus a great man,” Thessa said honestly. Her gratitude for him ran deep. And she could have gone to him, or any other number of people for advice. ”But I is right where I wanna be.” The compliment wasn’t empty. She didn’t doubt Ettinus would have impeccable advice for how to advance, but seeking counsel had never been about finding the “right” answer to a singular problem for her. It had been more about working through her frustration, and that was difficult to do when the relationship felt so unbalanced. She did not have the ego to consider herself an equal of Shir, but the bridge between them because of other circumstances was much shorter and much more comfortable to walk. She could be Thessa, and not a Squire. Still, it was an interesting thing for Shir to muse aloud. Ettinus must have been who he went to when having moments like she was having now.

She looked at him as he spoke and for the most part, she tracked just fine. Until he got some of it. Arcanite? That didn’t make sense. There was criticism directed towards himself that made her frown, but she didn’t try to spin his failure into a positive by remarking on what he had accomplished and prevented. To him, it hadn’t been enough. ”Some of what?” she pressed gently. ”What Xaexyl take?” And how did it prevent Coral from defending herself?

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Shir Dhan
Date | Time: December 30th | Night (~9:10pm)
Location: Onyx Central - Tosser’s
Wearing: This
Tagging | Mentioning: Thessa |
Ettinus was a great man. Great enough that he probably wouldn’t have said anything that Shir had said. He would have found a way to navigate around the questions. To reassure Thessa of her place, and the stability that she was working toward, without giving away anything that he knew Thessa needn’t be involved in. The same things that Shir knew she needn’t be involved in. But he was glad that she had come to him. That wasn’t by accident, and he appreciated that, as a mentor. It pulled a smile to his lips.

One that dimmed with her much more specific question. That wasn’t as easy to dance around. Shir tightened up as they turned a corner. It was gentle, but it was too much. This wasn’t his story to tell. It wasn’t his secret to share. He didn’t want to lie, but what could he say? To tell her that it didn’t matter was dismissive and not true. Neither thing he wanted to be. On the other hand there was a lot of unknown there. How had he taken it? What exactly had he taken? These were existential questions that he didn’t truly have the answers to. But that felt like dancing too close to the edge of lying. “Xaexyl took… Coral is important, Thessa. She’s very important.”

A pivot, then. Shir looked over at the young elf, “Xaexyl took her freedom. Her ability to do good, to help.” She wasn’t a Champion, but she may as well have been. More or less, at least. And this wasn’t a lie, and it didn’t feel as deceptive. “Coral has been in a coma since I got to her. I brought her back here, but there’s no signs she’ll ever wake up. Apple has had her secured since. But we hope that’s not true, that she’ll recover.” And there he saw his path forward, “Xaexyl wants to make sure she can’t, and finish what he started. All that matters is that we don’t let that happen.”

[Envious]

Character Name: Thessa
Date | Time: Tuesday, December 30 | Night (~9:10pm)
Location: Onyx Central - Tosser's
Wearing: this, shield, no earrings, Orym's ring
Tagging | Mentioning: Shir | Apple, Xaexyl, Coral, Ocean
Thessa slowed to a stop and when Shir matched her, she stared at him. She knew it wasn’t entirely the alcohol. This wasn’t a brain fog he was fighting through. He was being intentionally careful. That made her start to tap her fingers against her thigh rhythmically in consideration. She must be feeling sensitive after last night, because she felt silly for taking his discretion personally. She knew he was being purposefully vague, and instead of accepting the boundary and moving on like she so frequently did, she wanted to press against it. He was leaving her with more questions and she was tired of having unanswered questions. She was tired of feeling like she was being swept up into the events of the world without any ability to take control of the situation.

She bit back the direct questions. ”Strange ta be threatened by a woman who ain’t likely ta wake up.” She looked down at the ground and scuffed the bottom of her foot along the road before turning and moving again. ”Don’t ask ‘cause I ain’t trustin’ that Apple ain’t got it handled. But do think it startin’ ta get away from ‘er. She… She got a vision, but the people she supposed ta trust-” she stopped, balling both fists, ”-her team? They-” she began to gesture wildly, punctuating random syllables with hand movements, ”-they ain’t got ‘er back. They ain’t trustworthy. They talk friendship ‘n teamwork ‘n savin’ folks ‘n then they-” she pressed her palms against her cheeks and took a deep breath. ”As soon as things get tough they flake. Turn sides. Hurt ya right in the heart.”

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Shir Dhan
Date | Time: December 30th | Night (~9:10pm)
Location: Onyx Central
Wearing: This
Tagging | Mentioning: Thessa |
She wasn’t wrong, and he didn’t have a good answer for her. What was he supposed to say? There were reasons, and this was chief among them, that he hadn’t wanted to get into this. “You should never have been involved,” he said. It wasn’t just her either. None of them. This whole situation was feeling bigger, and Apple wasn’t the only person things sometimes felt like they were getting away from. But he had to trust Ettinus, what else could he do really? The man had managed it this far. Shir understood why Alistair was so selective, and why it was bad news to have someone as young and inexperienced as Thessa involved. But on the other hand, she had come across it on her own - this situation had grinded up against her and her team.

But as Thessa continued, Shir wasn’t sure what exactly they were talking about. Apple was a lot of things, but careless with those she trusted wasn’t one of them. He supposed that she could be talking about the still unaccounted for military betrayals, and that was a problem of course, but it didn’t warrant all of those feelings. It was the mention of the team, and the failure to have her back that grounded him in it though. This was about… Meena? Vesper? Eloise? But had any of them turned sides? Or did she mean him? Was she suggesting that by not telling her, he was hurting her?

That thought bit more than the inquiry into the situation did. Shir grimaced deeply. The only thing he could be sure of was that they were definitely not talking about Apple or Coral anymore. He felt an unpleasant weight in his pocket. Guilt, regret, and then a bit more tugging him down. He was starting to miss his bottle. “Champions are… Taught at the Academies to work in teams. It’s safer that way, less likely for anyone to fall behind or have something happen to them.” Shir looked up into the sky at the gentle dancing lights of the heavens, before being drawn to the brighter than average star. “And it helps develop them. You learn from the instincts and techniques of the people around you, pushing you to refine your own skills and methods. But…” he shook his head, “But there are almost no instances of Champions working as teams. We gather to handle big threats sometimes, but mostly, we work independently.”

There were lots of reasons for that. Control was a big one. The work that a Champion did was not just important, it was dangerous, and evolving. The more you could control the better off a given scenario was. When you introduce things like partners and other forces, things could get out of hand. You might have differing goals, or differing tolerances to action. One Champion might be willing to sacrifice ten to protect the one hundred, and one might not. In those instances, the one who might sacrifice could end up dead if they were counting on the other to take action and they didn’t. “It’s lonely. And isolating, doing what we do.”

This was a core difference in various beliefs. Shir had always, at least since the day in the wilds with the chimes, preached that the team needed to stick together. That their greatest strength came from unity. But other mentors had other perspectives. Robyn of Swagger, for instance, acknowledged the value of the unit but focused almost entirely on promoting the growth and strength of the individuals beyond that. The unit, in her philosophy, was merely a tool to empower the individual.

“We learn that… It’s hard to count on others. We also learn that it’s hard to lose them, and that doing so we might lose part of ourselves.” He reached back and pulled the metal case from his pocket and held it out between them, looking down at it. “They can let us down. Or because… If we’re close to them, we might compromise ourselves for them.” If that sounded familiar, it was because Azir had once said something similar to her.

Could he offer her absolution? Advice on this front when he couldn’t give it to himself? It was different, he realized. “Mila wasn’t your fault, Thessa.” He looked up from the case, at her, and found the gold of her gaze. “And what happened to her in the end, I don’t think that was her. That was what happened to her. But that wasn’t your fault.” And Shir could see where the others might be pain points. To lose three partners. He had hardly survived losing one. “Meena left, not because she didn’t want to save people, or be a friend, or your partner, but because she realized this… Method wasn’t the way she could do it best. She went home for… For the same reason you decided to stay. Because there was something important that needed to be carried forward, and if she didn’t do it, it wouldn’t be.” Eloise was harder. “Eloise was a gamble,” he said, shaking his head, “A… Move by Apple that didn’t work out. As… Clever as she is, not everything goes the way she predicts.” They were rough words because Shir thought the whole exercise a mistake from the onset, but it was done now and not worth ripping apart.

There were others too. Namid and Vesper. A host of Swagger students who might’ve been friends that were now gone. But he wasn’t going to run the list unless that seemed like what she needed. “But you’ve gained others, I think.” Shir smiled slightly, “How many Meena’s would you endure, to have one Lolo?” Lifting his free hand, Shir reached for her chest and placed the face of a balled hand over her breast, atop her heart. “I’m not trying to hurt you Thessa, or keep you in the dark. I’m trying to keep you safe.” He tilted his head slightly, “And the people around you aren’t trying to hurt you either. They… Not all of them are as grown as you. Lyra. Chee. Even Lolo. They’re… Kids in a lot of ways. Don’t give up on them because they make mistakes, not when you have the power to show them the way.”

[Envious]

Character Name: Thessa
Date | Time: Tuesday, December 30 | Night (~9:10pm)
Location: Onyx Central - Tosser's
Wearing: this, shield, no earrings, Orym's ring
Tagging | Mentioning: Shir | squires
Chee’s name caused a visceral tensing of her body that she tried to hide by reaching with both hands for the one over her heart. Fingers curled around his wrist and her palm slid over the back of his hand, holding him to her. He was warm, and his skin against hers held pleasant memories that promised that they didn’t have to be lonely or isolated.

As she looked to him, Thessa was captured by the rawness of his gaze and it forced a bitter reflection. It wasn’t the first time her maturity had been remarked upon, but she found it unbelievably unfair that she had to continue to carry the burdens of their naivety. But she did believe that things happened for a reason and while continuously extending grace was exhausting, maybe that’s why the Brother’s had placed her in this situation. Despite all of the disappointment, forgiveness was still core to her identity and as difficult as it was becoming to give, she still did so because she didn’t think singular choices defined a person. The hope that filled her to see a stronger Toil was born of the faith that change could come. That the hollow could be defeated. That people could rise to the occasion. And her upbringing had her believe that moving forward meant moving together.

Why was that so hard?

She closed her eyes and sighed. She didn’t want to begrudge people for correcting their path, but she was working with so many people who didn’t understand themselves. Their unreliability had changed her. Made her less prone to impulse choices when working as a unit. Made her pause to think when facing difficult choices. Mila, Meena, and Eloise had changed her. So had Lyra, Marlowe, and Chee. She was being shaped by the people around her. She was being made into who she needed to be just as much as everyone else around her was and Shir’s kindness to think so highly of her that she had any power to show anyone the way was like wrapping a blanket around her. It made it easier to move forward with Chee and Koko.

When she opened her eyes, she searched his face. It was weathered with grief. It made her feel guilty for her next words, but she needed to advocate for herself. ”I is gunna go inta that unknown, Shir Dhan. Keep me safe by keepin’ me knowin’ what I should. Honor that I is grown ‘n trust that I got the discretion ta know what ta do with it.” As she had spoken, her fingers had curled into his fist to hold his hand. It lacked sensuality, but conveyed intimacy. ”Trouble gunna find me ‘n I need ta be prepared. Help me so I knows how ta help mine team when we is in it.”

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Shir Dhan
Date | Time: December 30th | Night (~9:10pm)
Location: Onyx Central
Wearing: This
Tagging | Mentioning: Thessa |
Shir looked down at the hands on his. How simple a gesture that could bring so much. It wasn’t the first time their hands had been linked, and it felt now impossible to see it without seeing everything else. Imagines of the woman before him danced like scenes from a movie on screens around the edges of his thoughts. It left him able to focus, but unable to not be aware. His hand opened, the fist uncurling, until the warmth of his palm was seeping into the material of her top.

He found that gaze of hers. The words that she said were true. They struck deep. He couldn’t bring himself to disagree with her, because he would have been asking much the same things. They were connecting again. Could he silence all of this with a kiss? Should that thought even have occurred to him? Shir felt a tight strumming in his chest, a weight of that moment and the doors it had unlocked - or not. Would it be easier to navigate embracing her again, than what it meant to betray the confidence instilled in him by others - by Ettinus? He liked Thessa, he wanted to mentor her, help her go far, but if push came to shove, where loyalties lie, there was no question. Shir didn’t want to choose though, how could he accomplish both?

Trust that she had the discretion. How could he do that if he didn’t have the discretion? As her fingers curled, his opened to lace them. Even he was enjoying the warmth of that intimate gesture. She wasn’t dismissed, even though there was silence as they stood there in the cold on the street. Shir was wrestling, or navigating, whatever he had to. His eyes didn’t search as much as they lingered in hers. A kiss would have been easier, but it probably wouldn’t have been right, he settled. “The lightning you saw,” Shir said carefully. Maybe he couldn’t tell her about Coral specifically, but there were things maybe he could share, things about Xaexyl, things that might at least illuminate the path, “It came from Xaexyl, but he took it from Coral. We don’t… Really understand how. He stole part of her, Thessa. Part of,” his fingers clutched slightly, rubbing her collar, “Her Soul. He took a piece of a power that belongs to her, and he wants the rest of it. That’s why he’s after her.”

[Envious]

Character Name: Thessa
Date | Time: Tuesday, December 30 | Night (~9:10pm)
Location: Onyx Central
Wearing: this, shield, no earrings, Orym's ring
Tagging | Mentioning: Shir | squires
Did he feel the quickening of her heart? The way he looked at her made Thessa wish she had come for pleasure instead of business. Her breath quickened as she watched him contemplate his fondness for her against his duty to things she did not yet understand. The warmth of desire tamped down the shame she felt over wondering if using her physicality was an option to wear him down and pull out the truth. She wasn’t fully aware that her fingers were trailing down his wrist, his forearm, rounding the curve of his elbow, and beginning the slow crawl up his arm.

She had found safety in those arms. She could again. She could allow him to talk her down and put the foolishness of chasing a man who had bested her repeatedly behind her. Instead of difficult and disappointing conversations, they could put their mouths to other uses that would end in smiles and sighs of contentment. Forget the truth - it was a blessing to find such peace in others and instead of manipulating it for gain, she should indulge in it as the opportunity allowed!

Her gaze flicked down to his mouth as he began to speak. Those lips pressed against her skin had been decadent. It would be such a welcome distraction to put the outrageous events of yesterday out of mind! Then she heard what he was saying and she snapped her head back up with an alertness that had chased away all the dreamy arousal.

The shock in her look had nothing to do with the outlandish idea that Soul had been stolen. In fact, there was a distinct lack of confusion over the absurd notion because it wasn’t absurd to Thessa. That shock melted away leaving Shir looking at someone who didn’t just have a new puzzle piece, but one that was familiar enough to slot into the larger picture.

What were the odds that two people were independently doing things with Soul that had never been heard of before? ”That-” She didn’t know how to finish the sentence without keeping the confidence she had been asked to, and she didn’t know if she wanted to. It wasn’t malice against Apple, it was the overwhelming urge that she needed Shir. Weren’t they all working towards the same purpose?

”Did Xaexyl steal ‘er Soul by his own hand, or was machinery used? When this happen?”

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Shir Dhan
Date | Time: December 30th | Night (~9:10pm)
Location: Onyx Central
Wearing: This
Tagging | Mentioning: Thessa |
Shock had been expected. Who wouldn’t be? What Shir had said was a sin. It was impossible. It was unheard of and unthinkable. And yet the shock that Thessa displayed was not the sort that had been anticipated. He believed her able to take new information and not run away with it. But this was cooler than he expected her - or anyone - to be. When Shir had been brought in and told what was going on, he had not been so collected, so understanding. But then this was perhaps a very small part of that picture, maybe it was okay. She was spiritual, maybe this aligned to something he didn’t know - after all, he was not. Not actively anyway. But even her collectedness paled beside how the idea of it wasn’t unheard of and abhorrent to her. Suddenly Shir had questions - though not ones that he could have put into words.

The biggest casualty of it all was the loss of those warm thoughts. They were serious again.

He recognized the hesitance on her end. It was the same kind he had been giving her. The difference was Shir could much more effectively analyze where it was coming from. Who did Thessa have access to that might give her something to keep confidential? Apple was of course the first name that came to mind. She was a big girl and could associate with who she pleased. He might not have liked it, but even Shir wasn’t foolish enough to call Apple a bad individual. And she’d make a strong ally to someone like Thessa. “I’m not sure how he did it, but I don’t think there was a machine involved. When she was attacked, somehow… On the road. Middle of nowhere. Didn’t see a machine. Don’t know what kind of machine could do that.” Shir blanked a bit and then lulled his head to the side, “Don’t know what kind of anything can do it.”

Timing also had no reason to be restricted. He’d gone this far anyway, so what did it hurt? “Coral was attacked back before this year’s squires were selected. Early September is when I found her. Spent the better part of the summer trying to track her down. I got back to Onyx with her… About three weeks before selections were made. The fifth or so. Why?”

[Envious]

Character Name: Thessa
Date | Time: Tuesday, December 30 | Night (~9:10pm)
Location: Onyx Central
Wearing: this, shield, no earrings, Orym's ring
Tagging | Mentioning: Shir | squires
He might not know what type of machine could tear out Soul, but Thessa did. Her eyes drifted to Shir’s exposed neck as he tilted his head and she pulled up the memory of her night in Gero’s lab. She had bought a miracle with a slice of her Soul. She had done what only the Brothers had done and created life! With help, of course.

But she hadn’t been sent into a coma over it.

As for the rest of it, Thessa had no idea how to piece it together. She wasn’t much of a question asker - especially when the answers didn’t manifest anything tangible for her to take action on. She wondered about many things. Had Apple and Gero been inspired to use Soul as a power source because of what had happened to Coral? Estelle was the sixteenth iteration of an experiment that required Soul to function. Apple had never shown herself to be anything less than pragmatic and Thessa found it odd that she was willing to dump any resources into the folly of harvesting Soul. It was, after all, an impossible thing.

Or it was supposed to be.

Had donating her Soul to Estelle inadvertently given her more pieces of Thessa than she had realized? No one had noticed her diminished survival yet. Maybe they never would. But they’d certainly notice if Estelle started yoinking things. Stealing a piece of Coral’s Soul had allowed Xaexyl to steal her… lightning attack? Her shimmer?

Something still tickled her head. The right question was still out of reach. Xaexyl had taken her freedom. Her ability to do good. Her ability to help. He had taken the obstacle away, so why go after a woman in a coma? Was it personal? Did he need the entirety of her Soul?

And that’s where her ability to imagine cut off. Why would he need her Soul for anything? It was a blasphemous thought. It was an unheard of thing. Xaexyl apparently wasn’t using it to power machinery. He was harvesting the gift of the Gods to empower himself? Experiencing one miracle did open her mind to the possibility of others, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t doubt and dismissiveness when it came to such nonsensical ideas. Even though she had seen the lightning with her own eyes, she had difficulty wrapping her brain around it.

The question of why was welcome - it pulled her out of the mire of her mind and back to Shir. ”Arcanite robberies started happenin’ ‘round the same time ya brought ‘er here. This trouble in Onyx is a means ta weaken it enough ta take Coral?” Without knowing Coral and understanding her role better, Thessa couldn’t help but feel a swelling of resentment. Was her life really more important than Orym and Mila’s? Was it more important than the misery of a city?

”Why her Soul?” She sounded tired. She felt exhausted. Those few seconds of mental gymnastics had left her weary and laden with more questions. She resisted the urge to lean into him, but she did shift her weight in a way that brought her closer to him and when she breathed deeply should smell his scent, warm and weathered and dusted with alcohol. ”Why ain’t anyone’s good nuff fer workin’?”

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Shir Dhan
Date | Time: December 30th | Night (~9:10pm)
Location: Onyx Central
Wearing: This
Tagging | Mentioning: Thessa |
Shir both felt and watched that slow shift toward him happen. Higher thought told him not to take it further, but he did it anyway. Where she didn’t step to lean into him, Shir stepped to support her anyway. The hand placed to her chest glided upward, slowly pulling away from hers as it brushed over her collar. His thumb stroked the front of her throat, and the inside of his index her neck. It went further still until it wrapped over her shoulder and the flat warmness pressed between her shoulders and pulled the young woman into the strength of his chest. It wasn’t the sort of comfort he’d have offered anyone else - a product of the evolution of their relationship. It wasn’t fair she had to be strong all of the time. That she had to be an adult, and that she needed to support those around her. Well, after what they had shared, he could support her sometimes. Give her that thing that she was missing. His other came up around her waist, hooking her against him. He lay his chin on the top of her head, staring forward down the street.

To anyone not them they probably looked like a couple. Lovers embracing in the cold, enjoying a simple moment of quiet and togetherness. What a thought to have, Shir squeezed his eyes shut. “If you had asked me that yesterday, I would have said yes.” The thought aligned with basically everything that they knew - learning that Ocean was working for Xaexyl made all of that fit neatly. “But now…” his hand at the small of her back rubbed. It was a circle, slow and wider than might have been appropriate - he wasn’t thinking about it as it drifted up toward the center of her back, nor when it went lower and brushed along the top of her buttocks. “Vesper said that he didn’t think Xaexyl was telling Ocean everything. They’re not partners.” Maybe the squire had been wrong, but without evidence to contradict it, Shir was inclined to believe and trust the assessment.

“And there’s more. The night of the Azkaban attack, Ocean made a big deal to Lyra about it not being about him. That it wasn’t for him.” At the time, Shir hadn’t thought much of it. Not beyond the fact that Ocean had some particular interest in Lyra and was trying to manipulate her. But with this added context, a different path seemed to reveal itself. “Now I’m not so sure. It’s possible they’re working together but their goals are different, and they’re gaining something else by cooperating.”

A small wind lifted her scent to his nostrils, and it stirred his memories. This closeness was… Complicated. Not unwelcome, but uncertain. Maybe he shouldn’t have stepped in. Didn’t stop his arms tightening against the chill though. “Ocean has been… Careful. He’s engaging the military, but he’s not endangering civilians if he can help it. His robberies were victimless,” until Dazzle & Dust when he’d been interrupted, “But Xaexyl doesn’t have the same regard. The way Meena and Lyra talked about the situation on the bridge, it’s almost like Ocean didn’t believe in what they were doing.”

The following questions were more direct and they once again made him unsure how to proceed. So Shir instead focused on holding her, on giving her a moment of reprieve. At best, if he were inclined, he could give her a partial answer. But the truth was that he - they, even - didn’t have those answers. This was new, and it was different. Very different. Vesper had said that Kato was working for them, and now tracking Maple. Was she a replacement for Coral, in addition to? There was too much unknown to speculate - beyond the simple fact that it was all bad. But telling her once more that Coral was important felt like a cop out. “Someday I hope I can tell you more,” Shir frowned slightly, “But tonight, the more people who know about Coral, the more danger she is in. The more danger we’re all in.” He tilted his head and kissed her crown, “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

[Envious]

Character Name: Thessa
Date | Time: Tuesday, December 30 | Night (~9:10pm)
Location: Onyx Central
Wearing: this, shield, no earrings, Orym's ring
Tagging | Mentioning: Shir | squires
Thessa had made a lot of assumptions with her limited pool of knowledge. It had never occurred to her that Ocean and Xaexyl were moving along the same path with different destinations in mind. It shifted her perspective and made her think broader as she fit herself into Shir’s embrace. While Ocean was making a big deal to the one bleeding heart who would listen that he wasn’t all that bad of a guy, Adir had been making a big deal about how he and his Heiress were going to cleanse the world of corruption. But there was nothing more foul and corrupt than sticking the loathsome essence of a Hollow to a person like a parasite. What had been allowed to happen to Mila was an unforgivable and Godless offense that still made her stomach twist in disgust. She should have been there when her partner died. She should have pressed the issue and forced her presence so that Mila wasn’t alone in her final moments. As Shir kissed her crown, she stopped holding back and melted into him.

”So many impossible things,” she murmured, resting her head on his shoulder. ”Stealin’ Soul’s, putin’ Hollow in people, and Heiress returned. Why can’t them impossible things be the good ‘uns? The Maiden’s callin’ the Brothers home. The star bringin’ the dragons back.” Her fingers found the hem of his shirt and she played with it, twirling the loose fabric and giving opportunity for her skin to touch his. That little dance they did of slowly invading each other’s space and filling it with the tension of anticipation was pleasant. She had come to Shir wanting to find a way to do something, but his answers, as appreciated as they were, gave her no path forward. Maybe she needed to change her destination. As frustrating as it was to have only a partial reveal, she did understand it was more than she should have received. She was grateful and would not continue pushing the issue.

”Don’t be,” she ordered gently, whispering the words against his neck. ”We all got secrets ta keep.” She ached to tell hers. She wanted a confidant. She could have had one - a husband - but that hadn’t been the life she had chosen. So she clung to the one thing she could, which was her sense of duty. ”Knowed your thoughts on the matter ‘n asked again anyway.” She might not have had the levels of confidence alcohol gave, but her ego was still rather large. She moved from playing with his shirt to hooking her pointer and middle digits into his waistband and following the elastic slowly around to his back to embrace him as she lifted her head to look into his bright blue eyes. ”Does mine persistence deserve reward?”

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Shir Dhan
Date | Time: December 30th | Night (~9:10pm)
Location: Onyx Central
Wearing: This
Tagging | Mentioning: Thessa |
It surprised him to hear her mention the Maidens. This legend was not a well known one, but maybe it made sense that she of all people would know it. No small part of him wanted to inquire more deeply about her knowledge, know what she knew of the Maidens - or what she believed. But he didn’t because giving her hope, or rather perhaps just renewing it, was more important. “They will. Someday, they will.” His words weren’t spoken like a man talking from faith, but with a surety that came with knowledge. But maybe that was just projected confidence. “And maybe then the dragons will come home too.” What sort of world would that be? Champions were the modern dragons. They had been the defenders against the Hollow initially, hadn’t they? A Toil where Champions could rest… Where he didn’t need to be this?

What would be, if not this?

He buried the errant depressing thought beneath something more confusing and immediate. He’d not press for her secrets, if she wanted - if she could - to share, she would. Shir wasn’t about to put her in that position. But it wasn’t that, it was the closeness she took for herself. The movement of her hand and the feeling of chill air created by the parting of his waistband. The hint of playfulness in touch and voice both. Shir looked down at her and wondered - it had finally come back up. What were they doing? They shouldn’t, probably. It was careless. But maybe that’s what made it so good, didn’t they both deserve to be careless for a while? And it wasn’t like he didn’t want it. Of course he did. That warmth, that renewed life, had been so… Freeing.

But there was an entire other side to it. What did it mean? What was it? There was no future here. Not for either of them. There was the gap in age - by the time Thessa had found her way in the world, Shir would be dead, or an old man. In her eyes he saw the reflection of the future she talked about - family, children. He couldn’t give her that. Shir knew himself too well to think himself capable of making a good father. But more than that, he wasn’t her kind. Of course none of that seemed to be what she was looking for, she’d certainly never suggested as much. But sex had a way of confusing things. What if ideas were born in continuing to do it? She was his student, what if it complicated that? What if it created issues with the others?

Still, his hand dropped lower and cupped the gracious curve of her backside. He was full of doubt, conflict, and wariness. That was his life, his existence all the time. Whatever this was, it was a reprieve. If that was the cold, bitter, unrelenting outside. Then this, whatever this was, was a warm, tender, peaceful shelter. What man wouldn’t take that every time? “Yes,” Shir replied quietly, leaning down to claim lips that offered themselves to him. He felt better about it right away. If it was wrong, then that was a future problem, and a small price to pay for what felt right.

- End Scene -

[Aethyrium]

[Rainbae]

Stats

Strength: 0
Stamina: 0
Speed: 0
Shimmer: 5
Soul: 0
Brawl: 0
Melee: 2
Ranged: 5
Preparation: 5

Terrain Affinity: Urban
Terrain Weakness: Artic
Element Affinity: Lightning
Element Weakness: Fire

Weapon Bonus:12

Character Name: Koko Gero
Date | Time: 01.20.1323 | ~2:00am
Location: Central Onyx Rooftops
Wearing:  Red Overalls, White Blouse, Faded Blue Leather Trench Coat, Goggles, Heavy Work Boots
Tagging | Mentioning: Chee
Notes: N/A
Koko stretched her neck and rubbed at the back of it over her shoulder as they walked. Each of her steps was punctuated with the clack of a roof tile underneath it. She was tired, her body sore and her back hurting. The day was late, or rather it was actually early at this point considering it was two in the morning. Glancing across the street she was above just now so she saw Chee land in a roll atop the rooftop to her left. She yawned, they had been stuck out here for hours doing rounds. Just another little bit of hazing the lieutenant had done to the pair of them since they had officially become under his purview. None of it was fun, but Koko took it all on the chin. She felt like she deserved it even. That was why when Yridan had told them they’d have to do some rounds this weekend Koko had even offered to do the night shift specifically.

Koko stretched her back a bit with her hands on her hips before taking a few long steps. She pushed forward into a jog that quickly became a sprint for a few more feet before jumping off the far end of the roof she was on. Midair she activated her shimmer and with her whips latched on to the church bell tower just infront of her and swung around it the long way. The momentum careened her off from the right side to whip around and launch over across the road to where Chee was. She landed with a thud that may or may not have woken up the residents inside. “Chiii-Chiiiiiii this is so dang boooooooring. Why in the hell did I ask for the night shift?! Ugggghhhhh” Koko slumped forwards as she slid in beside her partner and laid her chin on his shoulder from behind.

She studied his reaction, typical Chee really on the surface. Perhaps it was her lessons with Marlowe or perhaps Chee was just that easy to read but she saw it. Even with how close they had gotten, how much they had shared with one another, she could see the slight twinge of discomfort that popped onto his features. She shrugged internally, that's just kind of how he was she figured. Still, she wondered if there was more underneath now. She wasn’t good enough at reading people yet to tell but she had felt it recently. There was a small disconnect between them. Nothing major but just…different. Of course none of them had left unchanged after that night. The implant in her face suddenly felt itchy and uncomfortable as she thought about it. Some more literally than others she thought to herself.

Koko figured Chee would want to be free of her grabbing and touchy feelyness so after a moment she let him go with another yawn. “Part-a me almost wishes Ocean’d show up and blow somethin’ sky high right ‘bout now just to get some action.” She winked at her teammate, the joke obvious with Hammer island floating above them. Even if the obvious desire to get back at Ocean was also clearly evident in her voice. The pair of them came to one of the wider, more central streets as they continued to walk. This wasn’t the kind of gap either of them could cross alone. Without missing a beat Koko squatted with her hand together and gave Chee a boost. She flung him sideways halfway across the gap and snapped her lasher forwards for him to grab. Chee then pulled her across midair before she activated her shimmer and floated them both down onto the otherside of the large major intersection with the momentum.

[shengami]

Stats

Strength: 1
Stamina: 1
Speed: 5
Shimmer: 2
Soul: 1
Brawl: 1
Melee: 3
Ranged: 1
Preparation: 3

Terrain Affinity: Grassland/Forest
Terrain Weakness: Arctic/Aquatic
Element Affinity: Lightning
Element Weakness: Water

Weapon Bonus: 12+2

Character Name:  Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 01.20.1323 | ~2am
Location: Central Onyx Rooftops
Wearing: dark pants, dark shirt, puffer jacket, beanie, and dark trainers, gloves, Weapons per CS
Tagging | Mentioning: @Rainbae /Koko |
Notes: Central Glitchy
Even as He noted Koko was aiming at him, Chee waited for it. He loved Koko, so when her chin went for his shoulder, again, he braced. He even smiled. He knew that she knew that he wasn't comfortable with touch. He knew she respected it and didn't push things. He also knew that she liked touch, so he respected that. Of course he loved her; he'd not have tolerated it from anyone else. He smiled gently at her then released a tiny breath when they moved forward.

The rooftop they were on now was poured concrete. Tiny bits of grit ground beneath his shoes. "I'm a scout ta my bones, Kiki. Dis is normal mode." His ears pulsed beneath the cap he wore. It was January still and his breath puffed in front of him and he leaned over the edge to watch the streets.

Yridan had been a lot less annoying than Chee had expected him to be. But Chee also suspected that had something to do with his shift in attitudes. He was more even now? He cocked his head, seeing the bricks far below but actually looking inside. He'd become more cautious. He still did the things he had before, but he found himself thinking ahead more. Not back, only ahead. Back was still a place he had no interest in except as fuel for tomorrow.

He tail swished behind him as Koko came and boosted him out into the air. They'd been working on this combo relentless lately. It had proven ineffective against Shir and the man had given them tips on it. He grinned as he flew into the ether. It was good having Shir back in his corner. Chee was feeling more stable now. Glitchy was good, Savaged was good, he was getting on with Shir and Robyn. Even this military private stuff was not too bad. He still knew he didn't want it, but the extra pay was very nice. It had gone right to Esther, but it was nice to help her.

He felt the gravity shift and Koko reeled him in from the next rooftop. They'd crossed a few roofs tonight this way. The trick was getting smooth now, faster. They were even getting comfy trying new things with it, controlling movement midair. Chee and Koko were both good at controlling their weight and momentums. They used different techniques, but they paired well that way. Still, she was not a born scout like him who liked the quietness and alertness. It felt like vibrating in place. He thought about tomorrow.

He brushed off his pants and shook his head, "But I don't. Hope we find anytin? I don't. Da people doin dis are desperate. Dere's still a lot of damage in da Eastern Quarter from da Prison Break. Dere are still a lot of people who can't get enough money ta afford Red and feed demselves. Let alone deir children." Chee tasted the words, the felt acrid and slightly wrong. His tail snapped as they started walking again, "I'm not saying tearin up Central is da tin ta do. It's not. It's wrong. But I get deir desperation. It's hard ta tink about da future when you're starvin today." Chee got that. He'd made his own colossal error thinking that way. He knew someone had to stop these folk, but he hoped their patrol was preventative enough. He didn't want to have to arrest someone just trying to feed their family.

[Rainbae]

Stats

Strength: 0
Stamina: 0
Speed: 0
Shimmer: 5
Soul: 0
Brawl: 0
Melee: 2
Ranged: 5
Preparation: 5

Terrain Affinity: Urban
Terrain Weakness: Artic
Element Affinity: Lightning
Element Weakness: Fire

Weapon Bonus:12

Character Name: Koko Gero
Date | Time: 01.20.1323 | ~2:00am
Location: Central Onyx Rooftops
Wearing:  Red Overalls, White Blouse, Faded Blue Leather Trench Coat, Goggles, Heavy Work Boots
Tagging | Mentioning: Chee
Notes: N/A
Koko sighed as Chee brought up the obvious. Of course she agreed, she didn’t even feel the need to say that. Still, she didn’t like the tone or implications that went with Chee’s statement. It rubbed her the wrong way that he seemingly hadn’t taken the same thing away from the lesson as her from recent events. She clicked her tongue as he finished. “Chi-Chi I ain’t gon’ here none-a that business now.” She shook her head, “Look, I get it too. Shit we wouldn’t be in this dang mess if it ain’t been for our own matchin' worldview that got us to this point. ” A hand of hers went up to her hair, ruffling it as she tried to wrack her brain for how to eloquently explain what the heck she was trying to say. “But just…you know! Ignorin’ reality ain’t go help no one. Them damn people ain’t gon’ be able to feed their kids when they get thrown in lockup now are they?” She tried to explain with an example when meaning failed her.

Frustrated at her lack of skill with words Koko plopped down on to the side of the building, with her legs hanging out over the street. Just a few feet to her left was a small plaza, a roundabout that moved traffic in four different directions that just so happened to have a small park in the center of it. There was a large fountain that had lights underneath the water, that combined with the several sets of overhead lights actually kept the place well lit despite the witching hour it was out. Just off the central loop were numerous businesses and just past them was more dwellings, mostly probably owned by those that ran the businesses just adjacent. “‘Course folks ain’t able to think ‘bout the future all smart-like. I agree, I ain’t blame ‘em. That’s why we gotta be even better at it though.” She looked up at him from her seated position. “If we can’t make the right decisions, who can?” She dropped her head low now. “And if we don’t well…well we damn seen what happens when we don’t I ain’t need to tell you. You know what we did...” The names of the dead soldiers pounded at her head as she stared at the empty street below.

She stared out at the cobblestones below her hanging feet. She wondered if any of them had ever visited this park. Maybe with their families. It was all she could do lately. Wonder about how their lives might have been. It wasn’t fair, and it was their fault, her fault. “And anyways, who says they got the right to mess things up just cause their wishin’ for a helpin’ hand. Think ‘bout these folks too.” She tapped the building she was sitting on that probably contained the owner of the pizza parlor just past it down the road. “What’s Mom and Pop at the shop gonna do when folks can’t come by for a slice cause the road’s all torn up by gold diggers? They gon’ go hungry too? What about all the folks who gotta use these roads to get around, to do business, to live.” She shook her head again, this time much slower. Koko wasn’t a fool, she knew that she wasn’t exactly good at zooming out either, still she was trying to learn and Chee repeating the same kind of rhetoric that got them here wasn’t helping. Sentimentality was important, Koko was never going to throw that part of her away, but seeing the bigger picture had to become a part of her new makeup, or neither of them would amount to anything.

[shengami]

Stats

Strength: 1
Stamina: 1
Speed: 5
Shimmer: 2
Soul: 1
Brawl: 1
Melee: 3
Ranged: 1
Preparation: 3

Terrain Affinity: Grassland/Forest
Terrain Weakness: Arctic/Aquatic
Element Affinity: Lightning
Element Weakness: Water

Weapon Bonus: 12+2

Character Name:  Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 01.20.1323 | ~2am
Location: Central Onyx Rooftops
Wearing: dark pants, dark shirt, puffer jacket, beanie, and dark trainers, gloves, Weapons per CS
Tagging | Mentioning: @Rainbae /Koko |
Notes: Central Glitchy (2)
It was tempting for Chee to accuse Koko of not having the hunger he was talking about. But he pressed his lips around the hasty words. She had grown up in a home with financial and food security, but she'd had her own insecurities. He knew that. He felt his ears pulse and pull at his scalp. He focused on the relatively new sensation fixation a moment.

He looked sideways at her as she sat down. He looked along the route they'd been patrolling and then stepped to the edge of the building before crouching. His tail went out behind him and swayed silently. He pushed forward onto his toes and looked down into the alley. He ran his eyes along it to the fountain. He pressed his lips at what, to his eyes, was a sign of opulence, not beauty. The engineering and money that had gone into that could have helped a dozen families. Instead, a roundabout for traffic that barely existed had been the city's priority.

He looked back to Koko, "Dey got no right, eh? Ought ta pray ta gods what ain't listenin and starve peacefully?" Chee held up his hands to forestall Koko's rebuttal. It was a mostly unfair point to have made. He smiled apologetically, "I already said dat tearin up dese streets is wrong, Kiki. I said it point blank. And if I see people doin it, I'll stop dem. I'm just sayin I don't want ta spot anyone. I don't want ta be da one puttin dat hammer on folks. I will, but I don't want ta." That was part of his growing understanding of duty. Here and now, they were squires but also privates in the military. It was their duty to protect the city and all the people in it.

He bit his lip and frustration radiated from him. His relationship with the law was long and fraught. Chee didn't see law and order as the same things, he never had. They were related, fed on one another, but they weren't the same. "I'd rader not put more bad into da world. I'd rader help solve da source of dat desperation drivin dem." He bit his lip and thought about whether that was the best use of his resources. He wasn't sure. But he had coin and time and effort. He had privilege now that he hadn't when a child. He could sell his time, take money from Neerfrosts, open up a kitchen like Esthers, affordable housing, any number of things. But he had another path, the champion. Still, he could put some effort that way, exercise the option when he saw it, try. "If we do catch people, man I hope it's just some opportunistic Northerner driven by greed wit a family dat can protect dem wit money and power." He chuckled. Then sighed and looked at Koko. "But if we got ta put some desperate fader or moder or child who made a rash, risky choice in jail? Den I'll also do my best to help dem. Cause I know da harm dat will do, too." Because, to him, anything else meant you only cared about the law, not the order that it was meant to create. You only cared about the shield, not the people behind it.

He bit his lip and his ears flicked as he worked his hat more. He felt the tension in his shoulders. It was hard, learning wisdom, but he was trying. He was trying to see the bigger picture his own way. He shifted his stance and stared down the side of the building again. Riding the edge helped him focus. On the spur of the moment, he spat. He listened silently for a second until the ringing splat came back up. "Besides, if I truly believed dat dose who break da law deserved punishment absolutely? I'd have never taken da general's Amnesty. I'd be in da black ward right now." No matter what the General said, Chee had to trust what he believed was right. Even as he gained more wisdom to be more sure he knew what was right. If he couldn't trust himself, then he might as well sit down and stop moving.

[Rainbae]

Stats

Strength: 0
Stamina: 0
Speed: 0
Shimmer: 5
Soul: 0
Brawl: 0
Melee: 2
Ranged: 5
Preparation: 5

Terrain Affinity: Urban
Terrain Weakness: Artic
Element Affinity: Lightning
Element Weakness: Fire

Weapon Bonus:12

Character Name: Koko Gero
Date | Time: 01.20.1323 | ~2:00am
Location: Central Onyx Rooftops
Wearing:  Red Overalls, White Blouse, Faded Blue Leather Trench Coat, Goggles, Heavy Work Boots
Tagging | Mentioning: Chee
Notes: N/A
Koko listened as Chee continued, part of her hated this. She hated that they even had to have this kind of conversation at all. That small dumb part of her brain wanted to go back to the Koko who didn’t need to think about anything. To the Koko who could just act on her feelings and do things by instinct. But that was what had gotten her here, that was what had gotten Sayad and all those others killed…No that was not the way, she had to think about what she was doing. And overall she was happy that seemingly even if Chee and her didn’t see exactly eye to eye he was thinking now too. She did feel a slight snag at the idea that he would try ‘his best’ to help unfortunate souls they caught. There was a pit of worry in her gut that that would turn bad in future but she didn’t dwell on it. “I ain’t sure how I feel ‘bout that nowadays. In the past I woulda agreed with ya wholeheartedly. Cross my heart and swear it on the brother’s names I ain’t let no laws lead my life.” She sighed heavily. “But Chi-Chi, if we’d-a listened to them laws way back when we wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place, and what’s more seven good hard working folks’d still be alive ‘n kickin’.”

There was a pause as she processed her own words. They had just come out but she believed them. But what did that mean for her was what was stumping her here. She continued, “Or maybe not! Ya know we ain’t ever gon’ get the chance to know. But more than anythin’ just…who are we to decide who lives or dies ya know?” She blew a raspberry and shrugged, struggling a bit to word things. “Who says the folks makin’ the laws ain’t got more wisdom than us at the end of the day. Maybe it might seem wrong but…maybe a parent’s got some wisdom a child ain’t ever seen, ya know?” She gave him an honest look. An analogy had been the only way she could get across what she meant but she hoped it functioned in being understood. It had been a thought she’d had kicking around since Apple had shown them Sayad’s grave. She still, even after vocalizing it all, didn't really know where she stood. Koko felt like she had changed physically so many times before. And yet trying to change her thinking like this was so much harder for her.

Tired of heavy topic she reached over and poked Chee on the cheek. “And anyways, not like I woulda let you get put down in the blackward. I’d’ve accepted amnesty on both our parts for ya. One thing I do know for sure is you ain’t get to make no choices about any-a this crap while bein’ dead and far as I’m concerned being put down there is basically the same thing.” To someone like Koko that statement couldn’t be closer to the truth. That kind of restriction and loss of freedom was equivalent to death. She’d been chained to the floor for too long. Locked down, and unable to walk or even run. Now she was flying and there wasn’t any chance she was coming down to earth, even if it resulted in her actual death.

[Rainbae]

Stats

Strength: 0
Stamina: 0
Speed: 0
Shimmer: 5
Soul: 0
Brawl: 0
Melee: 2
Ranged: 5
Preparation: 5

Terrain Affinity: Urban
Terrain Weakness: Artic
Element Affinity: Lightning
Element Weakness: Fire

Weapon Bonus:12

[/left]

Character Name: Koko Gero

Date | Time: 01.07.1323 | Later Afternoon

Location: Hammer Island -> Fall From Ace Casino

Wearing:  Short Black Dress, Up Do Hair, Heeled Black Boots, Sheer Blue Nylons

Tagging | Mentioning: Lolo

Notes:

Continued From

As they walked in Koko couldn’t stop smelling her hair. In a maybe slightly unladylike way she kept grabbing at the loose bangs of hair that now made up the classy up do she was currently rocking. Marlowe had done her up nicely and made her normally messy hairful, tastefully messy now. And more importantly they smelled amazing after she had done a several step product routine. It literally almost felt like whatever she had done had brought out the colour in her highlights. She literally felt like she glowed. That was followed up by copious digging through Koko’s eclectic clothing collection until they had finally decided on an outfit. It was an overall transformation for the normally scrappy and dirty engineer. Such that she was already getting looks from those around them as they strutted into the casino. Really though she was pretty sure more than half of the people around them were staring at the gorgeous look Marlowe was serving.

To say that Marlow normally cared a lot about her looks was obvious. And so it sort of came as a thought of ‘Oh duh’ to Koko upon realizing that asking the girl to get dressed up was like polishing a diamond. And boy did she sparkle. Still, not a few of the glances being stolen at the duo were for Koko as well. The outfit she was wearing made her feel powerful in a way clothing never had before. She could see what Marlowe was saying beforehand, being presentable really had to be the first step. And she had taken it…or rather been pushed past it with Marlowe’s help.

She awed a bit as they stood in the lobby. “Shit this place’s ‘bout as fancy as they get eh? You’re rustlin’ to throw me into the deep end right off the bat ain’tcha? Alright fine, I’m gon’ learn how to swim today so help me.” The place they had decided on was a swanky casino, bar and lounge in the northern quarter. The kind of place Koko assumed Marlowe had frequented quite often in the past. The lavish building sported a sort of biblical, angelic theming with sheer white drapery and symbols of the brothers plastered around. She wondered about the legitimacy of the idols that were around the room. More than likely someone like Thessa probably would’ve gawked at the display here but it certainly gave the place a cool vibe. Although comparatively to Varanasi it wasn’t exactly special. Still the service was top notch. They were seated quickly as a tall thin Rabbit Silenus woman was up on a circular stage surrounded by tables. She had a bright spotlight pointing down on her that made the shadow she threw incredibly dramatic. She sang jazzy ballads and played the piano in a way that didn’t disrupt the quiet conversations around them but still gave an enjoyable show for those who were watching.

Koko grabbed at the napkin on her plate and unfurled it from the Swan shape it had been folded into and quickly stuffed the end of it into her cleavage before excitedly looking at Marlowe. “Oh mama the grub here’s gotta be the good stuff right?!” She began toying with the cutlery. “Why so many spoons? What’s the dang point-a ‘at?” She said quizzically for a moment before her overactive mind immediately jumped to another topic. “Okokok it don’t matter, we’re here on a mission. So what now? How do I…I don't know, do it?” Koko gestured forwards at Lolo. “Ya know we’re out here looking like a million bucks…” She paused for a moment. “Ok well a million and several million respectively.” She smirked at the woman at her own comment. “But what now?”

[Aethyrium]

Stats

Strength: 5
Stamina: 3
Speed: 2
Shimmer: 3
Soul: 1
Brawl: 5
Melee: 0
Ranged: 0
Preparation: 0

Terrain Affinity: Forest, Mountain
Terrain Weakness: Desert, Aquatic
Element Affinity: Earth
Element Weakness: Water

Weapon Bonus: 12+2

Character Name: Marlowe Ashe
Date | Time: 01.7.1323 | Later Afternoon
Location: Fall From Ace Casino
Wearing: Black offset suit w/ deep plunge flower bow choker, Simple black tophat
Tagging | Mentioning: Koko |
Notes:
Marlowe gracefully slipped into the seat across from Koko, smiling as she peered across the lounge at the woman on the stage. Lolo had never cared for the performers necessarily, but the ambiance that a place that had such an individual was definitely preferable to some - many - other places. Glancing around the place, taking in the people who were around, Marlowe still wasn’t sure what exactly it was that Koko wanted. People weren’t like fighting - that was relatively easy to teach simply because there was a definable flow to it all. People were different, interactions were different. Everytime. With every person. She hummed quietly, turning back to Koko just in time to see her stuff the napkin into her shirt. Lolo blinked a few times and shook her head.

As if this wasn’t going to be difficult enough, trying to teach a raccoon table manners seemed particularly impossible.

“I recommend the blue-cheese braised shank,” Lolo said, leaning forward on the table. Her fingers laced, and Lolo looked down at the spoons. Koko hadn’t asked about the intricacies of high society, but the spoons weren’t a terrible place to start, she thought. They all had a purpose, and that was, in some way, true of interaction too. “That one is for dinner,” Lolo said, indicating the middle one. “The one closest is for soup, because it’s deeper and more round.” Then she looked at the far side, “And that’s for dessert. It’s smaller, and rounded, not oval, for scooping things and savoring. They all have a point,” she drew her hands up, placing her elbows on the table and then resting her chin over a bridge of her fingers.

Nothing like a compliment to keep Lolo in the moment. She grinned. “Do what exactly? You said you wanted… Connect with people. What’s stopping you from just doing that.” Lolo made a small gesture at Koko, “You don’t need to do all this to look like you’re not a wild thing, but some effort into presentation will help no matter what. But I don’t… What are you trying to do? Cause if it’s just learning people, have you thought about not talking and just listening?” She tilted her head, “I don’t know what to help you with, because I don’t know.. What you want. Or what the problem is. Not really. You clearly can do stuff with people, so…” she trailed off.

[shengami]

Stats

Strength: 1
Stamina: 1
Speed: 5
Shimmer: 2
Soul: 1
Brawl: 1
Melee: 3
Ranged: 1
Preparation: 3

Terrain Affinity: Grassland/Forest
Terrain Weakness: Arctic/Aquatic
Element Affinity: Lightning
Element Weakness: Water

Weapon Bonus: 12+2

Character Name:  Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 01.20.1323 | ~2am
Location: Central Onyx Rooftops
Wearing: dark pants, dark shirt, puffer jacket, beanie, and dark trainers, gloves, Weapons per CS
Tagging | Mentioning: @Rainbae /Koko |  Thessa, Shir, Senja, Marlowe, Lindon
Notes: Central Glitchy (3)
Chee's mind was whirring; it processed a mile a minute as Koko spoke. He'd been doing that a lot lately. It wasn't anything as high-minded as thinking. The corner of his lip pulled up at that thought. No, thinking was something else. Chee was just putting experiences together, comparing them, looking for the patterns that told him how the world worked. Following or not following laws wasn't it. They were talking the same thing. He blinked as that occurred to him. Koko just didn't see the real lesson in Sayad's failure.

He was listening though. That was a lesson hard-learned from Thessa, Shir, Senja, Marlowe, and Lindon. Listen first, speak second.

Then Koko tripped over something that sent his brain sliding left. "Wouldn't have two fuckin clues what wisdom parents have!" He snapped. A second later, apology radiated from his eyes. The comment had been too close, too near to absolving the one parent Chee would never forgive. "Sometimes parents tink dey know, but dey don't know shit. Dey's just people. People get shit wrong!" There was bitterness in his voice now, but it was not directed at Koko. He stared it down at the cobbles. His muscles flowed and his tilted forward, far beyond where others would keep their balance, then tilted back. He huffed a trio of hard breaths. His knuckles were white.

He forced himself to think about Pat and Mathilda. Chee had learned much from them, tons. But the other figure in his life? No, that had been a mistake beyond acceptance. Nothing in his life was better for it. He hesitated. Everything he was flowed from that day. There was nothing else before it. There were no alternates. He slowly craned his face up to stare at the broken moon. It was the broken shards of his own self. Each chunk a piece he was trying to knit together. That day had done the breaking. How could it be anything but a mistake?

He softened and shuffled in place. He looked apologetically at Koko again, "Sorry, Kiki. Sorry. I know what you meant. Dat's da basis of autority. It is. I get dat. But autority isn't just given ta da wise. It's also given ta da corrupt. Ya? If Onyx and Emerald hadn't won da war? What would I be now? Hmm? But dat's da wisdom of Sapphire and Ruby, isn't it? And yet, even den, we saw da wisdom of Yunla, ya? It more complicated dan followin or not followin da laws and orders. I need da wisdom ta know when ta do what. After all, if I always follow da laws... den our little operation tonight? I'd stay home. Cause it's illegal. Our operation at da Hangar? Illegal. Our dealings with Da Scarecrow? Illegal. But what Councilor Switflen does? Legal. What Rex-Astra does? Legal. What Neerfrosts is doin? Legal." He looked at her. "You're already always pickin what laws ta follow and not follow. Da trick is ta get wise enough ta do it well. Better. Ya? 'Sides, even da general said we're squires and dat means we gotta make decisions."

Chee was speaking from his heart. Laws were good. They helped society stabilize, they allowed communities to knit together peacefully, they spelled out what society deemed good and bad. Order was important for security. But unquestioned order, dogmatic order was bad for freedom. There needed to be a balance between freedoms and securities. Was it any wonder that so many chose to leave the city and start doomed communities? They were sick of sacrificing their freedoms to a doom that seemed inevitable. He huffed and reached out to put a hand on Koko's shoulder. Chee rarely initiated contact outside sparring or sport. He beamed at Koko. "But whatever our difference on dat line? You're my sister, Kiki. Always. Family's forever." He searched her face. As long as they talked, it would be forever. So, he was glad they talked.

[Rainbae]

Stats

Strength: 0
Stamina: 0
Speed: 0
Shimmer: 5
Soul: 0
Brawl: 0
Melee: 2
Ranged: 5
Preparation: 5

Terrain Affinity: Urban
Terrain Weakness: Artic
Element Affinity: Lightning
Element Weakness: Fire

Weapon Bonus:12

[/left]

Character Name: Koko Gero
Date | Time: 01.07.1323 | Later Afternoon
Location: Hammer Island -> Fall From Ace Casino
Wearing:  Short Black Dress, Up Do Hair, Heeled Black Boots, Sheer Blue Nylons
Tagging | Mentioning: Lolo
Notes:

Koko immediately knew they were in a fancy place when upon opening the menu there was no price listed for any of the items. She was incredibly happy right now that she had earned a little bit of extra income from being a soldier recently. She doubted she could pay for this with just her stipend, especially not for two. But she was resolute about that, “I ain’t reckon I’ve ever had blue cheese but I’ll trust ya.” She said as she closed the menu and handed it over to the waiter. Koko didn’t admit it but part of the reason she took the recommendation as well was because she didn’t even know what half the menu items were.  “Order whatever you want by the by. Call it recompense for the lesson, or just a gift from a friend. Either or I got the bill.” She gave a nod to the waiter, him being close enough to catch what she had said as well.

Koko’s eyes perked up as several waiters began to circle around them and start placing plates down on their table. She was a bit confused considering they had literally just ordered but she didn’t complain as everything that was being served looked incredible. Several trays with just two or three small pieces of food were placed before them. All looked incredibly delicate and like they required exceptional skill from the chef to create. Koko took a big whiff as a beautifully golden crusted loaf of bread was placed before them. It was surrounded with several small ramekins of what looked to be different kinds of butters and oils. She broke into it as she spoke. “Huh, well I can understand that much. Ya ain’t usin’ a socket wrench to drive a nail.” Was all she said about the spoons. A maybe odd comparison but surprisingly apt for Koko.

As Lolo continued to speak Koko, all in all, just so happened to be doing a decent job of doing just as she had said, listening and not talking. Whether it was an intentional choice or she was just too happy to be filling her mouth with food instead of words was a different story. Either way she nodded in between bites as Marlowe spoke. She bit down on a one bite tart that was on the tray closest to her. It had some kind of creme fresh, and cheese mixture with a dollop of caviar on top to finish it off. Koko was nearly shocked out of saying anything for a moment at savoring the taste. She swallowed the thing and cooed happily at the lingering taste in her mouth before answering. “Brothers above, well I think my answer might be startin’ to add ‘cause the food’s damn good in the fancy places’ to it as well but uh, no, that ain’t it.” She giggled to herself.

She sat and thought for a moment before answering. “So, it's a hard thing to put my finger on is the truth. Kinda one-a them nebulous type things that folks do and I ain’t even pick up on till recent.” She sighed as she leaned back in her chair, taking a break from the ravenous eating she had been engaging in.  “Or maybe I did know but just chose to ignore it for too dang long.” She pursed her lips and wiggled her nose around as she thought about how to phrase things. “When people talk, they don’t always say what they mean right? Or, or like…there’s more to what they’re sayin’?” She phrased it like a question, hoping Marlowe might odd to confirm she knew what she was talking about. “I miss those things. When I look at fella’s face and he ain’t sayin’ he’s mad but then I find out later everyone else who was in the room thought he was hoppin’ furious I just…I ain’t get it.” There was a pause as she tried to formulate a final thought. “Its like other folks got x-ray glasses up here…” She tapped at her own temple, clicking against the augment around her eye. “...like they can read people’s minds.” She slouched a bit, feeling dejected at herself.