[Sandbox] Hammer Academy - Courtyard of Champions

[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: 01.15.1323 | Later Afternoon
Location: Courtyard of Champions
Wearing:  Her Usual Jumpsuit
Tagging | Mentioning: Dari
Notes:
“The trees aren’t gon’ aren’t answer you know that right?” Koko said as she leaned around the base of the tree. Her long blonde hair was spilling down as her face appeared in Dari’s upturned view. She smirked at her friend and took a few steps to get out from behind the tree. “Although it's fun to imagine if they could, I’ll give ya that.” She poked his forehead playfully as she came around. With a giggle she turned so her back was to him and let herself fall, catching herself with her shimmer just a few inches above Dari’s lap before letting herself softly land such that her head and shoulders were on his lap and she was looking up at him.

“So you gonna tell me what’s got you thinkin’ about lyin’ to your Ma? Err, Ma’s.” She added for clarification. Her hair felt soft in his lap and it didn’t have its usual frizzle of ends that looked like they had been singed by sparks and flames. She looked at his face, trying her best to read him. She’d only really had one lesson with Lolo at this point but she could tell he was conflicted at the least. Her eyes darted to his closed up hand.

“Whatchya got there?” She said as she grabbed at his wrist. She pulled it in towards her face and looked up at him expectantly. Waiting for him to open his hand. Once revealed she’d whistle at the shine of the gemstone. “Aaaaah that the one Yunla left ya eh?” She poked playfully at his face once more. This time softer though as she pushed into the fat of his cheek back and forth. “So is that what’s got you lookin’ like a angry toad? Thinking about your Pa?” She said with a knowing smirk. Koko was trying her best to keep things light. Dari hadn’t exactly reacted intensely as far as she could remember to Yunla’s admission when everything had gone down. But she was sure it wasn’t pleasant news for him. Still, she wasn’t going to treat him like some wounded lamb. She’d be as playful as she always was.

[Eye of Horus]

Stats

Strength: 1
Stamina: 3
Speed: 3
Shimmer: 2
Soul: 3
Brawl: 1
Melee: 4
Ranged: 1
Preparation: 1

Terrain Affinity: Desert
Terrain Weakness: Aquatic, Swamp
Element Affinity: Lightning (black arcanite)
Element Weakness: Earth (green arcanite)

Weapon Bonus:12

Character Name: Dariaq Syvanios
Date | Time: 12.01.1323 | Afternoon
Location: Courtyard of Champions, Hammer Island
Wearing: Hammer uniform
Tagging | Mentioning: Koko Gero
Notes: After Blood and Water
Dari only just managed to get his hand - and the ruby chain fisted in it - out of the way before Koko flopped into his lap. Thanks to her Shimmer, she landed softly.

"Lying?" he repeated, half scandalised. "I wasn't planning to lie to them about anything."

He considered his extended period of drifting about the city, trying for a second chance of entry into Hammer, and realised that his words might not be strictly true. Luckily Koko was quick to change the subject. "Whatcha got there?"

Dari opened his hand and let the chain unspool, the gem reaching the end of its length just short of splatting into Koko's face. He found himself chuckling as she went slightly cross-eyed looking up at it.

"Aaaaah. That the one Yunla left ya, eh?"

Dari shifted his legs slightly to give her a more comfortable pillow. "Mhm. I'm still not sure what to make of what she said."

"So is that what's got you lookin' like an angry toad? Thinking about your Pa?"

Dari tried not to flinch at the armour-piercing question. "Better than looking like a toad every single day." he volleyed back instead, batting away her prodding finger. "Speaking of, something's different. You look less slimy than usual."

He plucked up a lock of her unusually wispy hair and laid it under her nose, like a long blonde moustache.

"Have you upgraded your hair now as well?"

[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: 01.15.1323 | Later Afternoon
Location: Courtyard of Champions
Wearing:  Her Usual Jumpsuit
Tagging | Mentioning: Dari
Notes:
Koko shimmied her shoulders as Dari shifted his legs so she could get nice and snug. She enjoyed being close like this. She’d never had friends who she could lean on and having that in both the metaphysical and literal sense made her smile. She giggled as Dari swatted at her finger and tried to juke his hand to poke back at his face a few times before giving him a break. Instead she let her hand wander down to gently hold the shimmering piece of jewelry that still hung in front of her face. She narrowed her eyes on it. It almost seemed like she could see glitter inside, although that was probably the light. She was entranced with it and so nearly missed the jab from her friend.

“Hey! That is horrible of you. How could you go and insult me so…I was clearly a trash racoon thank you very much!!” She feigned a look of horror as if the insult had hit like a bullet right in her heart. She peaked at him through an eye to see how he was reacting. She stuck her tongue out coyly and immediately dropped the act with a wink. There was a moment where Koko let a few fingers raise up and feel along the length of hair Dari was pushing to her face. She could tell the difference in texture really strongly now that it was against her lip. It felt good.

“Eh, just followin’ some advice I got.” She tried to be nonchalant but she couldn't hide a smile. She hummed and stretched her arms over her head. “Thanks for noticin’ though.” Happy that someone had noticed the effort she’d been putting in. She held two strands of her hair now, lightly swatting them together, just sort of playing with them. She let silence fall over them for a moment before pressing the issue.

“Soooo, I’m gon’ take that as your ‘I’m a macho man’ way of avoiding my question and just guess I was right yea?” She looked at him with a discerning eye now. It wasn’t harsh, nor upset at his avoidance. She just looked at him with an honest face. “You can tell me to shut up if you want. Buuut somethin’ tells me you actually want me to press the issue, don’tchya? Err. Don’t you?” She shrugged in his lap, accidentally elbowing him in the gut a tiny bit. “Shit, sorry. Uh look ok. It’s…I don’t know what you’re feeling, I can’t unless you tell me but…” She stopped for a moment and craned her neck a bit. Shifting so that her head could look straight backwards without hurting too much. She was pointed right at the military compound doors now. She stared at them. “I know you didn’t know your Pa Dar. And I know this ain’t the same thing even if sometimes it feels like I don’t even know mine. But if mine was gone I’d wanna talk to someone about it. So I'm here to listen, if you want that.” She balled the fist closest to her friend and pushed it against his chest. She wasn’t trying to hurt him but she wasn’t gentle either. She wanted him to feel it there, right over his heart. She'd gone out on a limb here. She wasn't confident it was the right thing to do, or the right thing to say. But she was trying to listen to what Lolo had said. And doing some listening was the first step. 

[TheFluffyOne]

Stats

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

Terrain Affinity: Forest
Terrain Weakness: Aquatic
Element Affinity: Air
Element Weakness: Water

Weapon Bonus: 12+2

Character Name: Hulta Elderfond
Date | Time: 01.16.1323| Early evening (5pm)
Location: Courtyard - Up the big oak tree.
Wearing: Basic Uniform. No shoes.
Tagging | Mentioning: Marlowe Ashe
Content: Coming clean
Her fingers were warm against Marlowe’s skin as Hulta searched those crimson eyes for something. Anything that would read of more than just general acceptance. She didn’t want Marlowe to leave and resent her. To hate her. For that hatred would just slowly eat at her and they would never be the same again. Hulta nodded gently as Lolo agreed once again to make it special. She slipped her fingers from Lolo to trace along her jaw line then drop to her lap. It didn’t feel like acceptance, more like she was pushing that thought back. Like Lolo didn’t want that part of the conversation to taint the future interaction.

What other parts? Who? Hulta curled her fingers into the hem of her shirt and gulped away the immediate response of  ‘It doesn’t matter’. No more lies. She had promised no more lies. She could try and dance around the question. Say that it was just some random that Marlowe didn’t know. “Um…Do you remember the dagger that the Doctor gave me?” She started before promptly snapping her next sentence. “It wasn’t him. I promise” Hulta felt the need to get that out there, Ares was bad but someone that Marlowe had introduced her to and brought her to see…that was a whole other kettle of fish.

“My parents wanted me to find out how to use the dagger and I didn’t really know who to ask…So I kinda went to speak to Professor Halo.” She paused for a moment, swallowing down another mouthful of fear. “Lyra came with me…but he doesn’t normally help out random students…just friends.” She told Lolo but her gaze was still on the bangle that rested on Lolo’s wrist. “I wanted to…it was mostly just kissing and touching...then I did somethings with him. But yknow...Nothing big.” She tried to fib lightly, a good fib. A little white lie to make it so that Marlowe didn’t think that she was banging professors left right and centre.

Another pause as she brought her amber eyes up to Lolo’s crimson again. “I need to go back and get some more information…like..he didn’t really touch me so I think that might happen…then.” A blush was picking up on her cheeks, burning all the way up to the tips of her ears. “I can tell you more..if you want?” She was sheepish now, almost trying to hide behind vague comments instead of telling Marlowe exactly what she had done.

[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: 1.16.1323 | Early Evening (~5pm)
Location: Big Oak Tree
Wearing: Dark vested suit with flared pants and bright undershirt
Tagging | Mentioning: Hulta |
Notes:
Lolo looked… Something. Not hurt, but confused. She was trying to understand. On one hand she understood that whatever Hulta had done didn’t matter. They weren’t together. Physical things didn’t equal emotional things. But on the other hand, why did it need to be special with her, but not with someone else? That was where her hangup was. Why, if Hulta ultimately didn’t care about it being special and the right moment, had she not been willing - and in fact, reluctant - to engage with Lolo on that level. A confusion that was born out of that same understanding of separation. Because to Marlowe, physical didn’t mean emotional. Parsing that with Ares it hadn’t for Hulta, but with her it did, seemed impossible. To Lolo, it either mattered or it didn’t. That confusion was reflected in her eyes. Eyes that closed slightly at the tender touch. Her chin lifted and she bathed in the feeling of it.

Hulta’s quick correction made the situation feel more dire than it was. Honestly she wouldn’t have guessed it was the Doctor anyway. The Doctor had never shown interest in that sort of thing before, not to her or that she’d ever seen. And while Hulta was attractive, Lolo had a hard time picturing anyone would want someone - anyone - but not her. So it wasn’t that that made her bristle, but knowledge of her parents certainly atagoniozed the situation. Lolo’s brow creased deeply as this revelation added to the confusion. “Your… Parents?” That hurt. Something stabbed into her chest. “They wanted you to…” After they were opposed to her? A Professor? “They… Hate me that much?” she said slowly, dropping her eyes.

The woman had said she’d stand against them, but if their dislike was that intense, was that reasonable? With how important Hulta felt about family? Lolo fidgeted awkwardly. She’d been disliked before, sure, but never… That felt spiteful. “They really don’t want us together.” She murmured. And Hulta had just… Given in and done what they wanted? The bangle felt like an anchor all of a sudden. Like it might pull her out of the tree. “Lyra?” Her too? After all… Lolo fidgeted awkwardly in the tree. Did Azir know? That didn’t sound like her. But maybe she’d missed something. This wouldn’t be the first time. Her heart sank. This was now becoming a lot to process. “You wanted to. With… Professor Halo,” but not with her.

Her nostrils flared with a heavy exhale.

And then there was a smack. Needed to go back? She was going to… Do it again? “Because… Your parents want you to find out how to use the dagger.” she repeated for her own benefit. Lolo didn’t hate the idea that Hulta - anyone - would have sex for the sake of getting something. But doing it because her parents wanted. Because she wanted to. If it was so easy to break something she’d cared about, then why not again when they pushed against her in the future? “You want to have sex with me, so you feel better about having sex with Professor Halo?” she pieced together. That felt… Dirty. Lolo didn’t need much - or any - excuse to sleep with someone. But doing it because it somehow freed Hulta to do a thing that her parents were willing her to do, to drive a wedge between them was enough to blank her brain. There were probably a lot of questions that she had, but they couldn’t stick under that downpour of confusion. “So it won’t be special… And you’re fine with that. But you weren’t…” so it hadn’t mattered enough to do before? She was about one step away from working herself up into that anger that Hulta had been worried about - even if the reasons for it were very different. Her frustration started to mount on her face.

[TheFluffyOne]

Stats

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

Terrain Affinity: Forest
Terrain Weakness: Aquatic
Element Affinity: Air
Element Weakness: Water

Weapon Bonus: 12+2

Character Name: Hulta Elderfond
Date | Time: 01.16.1323| Early evening (5pm)
Location: Courtyard - Up the big oak tree.
Wearing: Basic Uniform. No shoes.
Tagging | Mentioning: Marlowe Ashe
Content: Coming clean
Confusion ate through those crimson eyes and Hulta kept a sheepish smile firm on her lips. Hoping that realisation would flicker next. A crystal clear look of understanding why she had done what she did. She didn’t chase away her touch, instead leaning into it…that was good, right? It was like the confusion was not dissipated but instead transferred. It trickled into Hulta’s gaze and etched into her forehead. Her parents didn’t make her do that because they hated Marlowe that much. Her lips opened to protest but Lolo fidgeted on the spot and Hulta didn’t know how to react. This was Marlowe Ashe. The woman who radiated confidence everywhere that she strutted.
And she was fidgeting.

“Um..No..It’s not like that.” She tried to iron out the clustering of fabric in her mind. “No..Lyra didn’t…She doesn’t know. Please don’t tell her.” It was like only dribbles of Marlowe’s thoughts were escaping from her skull. “Well yes.” She felt like she was losing control of the situation. Marlowe’s anger felt like it was ribbons slipping between her fingertips. She could try to keep a hold of her emotions if she just had the right words. The right answer that Marlowe was desperately searching for. “N..No…I didn’t explain properly.” She tried to diffuse the situation but Marlowe’s words shattered through her like bullets piercing her lungs.

“Marlowe…Please.” She dug her fignernails into the fabric of her own shirt. “My parents do not know anything of this. I wanted to get them answers. Professor Halo was the best place for those answers.” Hulta traced over the fat flesh of her tongue with her front teeth. “N…No..I want to…have sex with you…because it is all I could ever think about since you chased me up that tree.” Her gaze dropped to her hands, watching how the tips of her fingers went white. “I was scared…that I would mean nothing to you after…and you would stay meaning everything to me.”

She couldn’t bring herself to look at Marlowe. Not while she bared herself for this woman. “I told my parents that if there was one thing I was certain about…it was you.” She didn’t want to imagine Marlowe with anyone else which is why she was expecting this kind of reaction. “I…didn’t want to imagine anyone elses fingers on me but yours…I don’t get to make many choices myself…but I choose you.”

[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: 1.16.1323 | Early Evening (~5pm)
Location: Big Oak Tree
Wearing: Dark vested suit with flared pants and bright undershirt
Tagging | Mentioning: Hulta |
Notes:
Asking Marlowe to keep secrets was objectively a bad idea. Even if she agreed and had the best intentions to keep it, she was prone to just talking to people, and things came out without a thought. This was probably especially true for Lyreilynn. Of course, Lolo couldn’t imagine when this would come up between them, so it was relatively easy for her to offer Hulta a small nod of assurance that she wouldn’t. Though keeping things from Lyra wasn’t exactly something she liked the idea of, Lolo could reason this really wasn’t any of her business. There was no reason for her to know.

Hulta’s plea was desperate, and it drew Lolo in. Out of her growing frustration. She wanted to give Hulta the benefit of the doubt here - she always did. But finding that path on her own wasn’t always particularly easy. And Hulta’s mixed story didn’t help that. “But you said they wanted you to find out how to use the dagger… But you wanted to get them answers?” Those were different, weren’t they? Lolo swallowed the tension in her throat. This felt like… Lolo’s hands set on her knees and clutched, everything going stiff. This felt like another lie. And how could she know now? She could feel her heartbeat kicking up. This was stressful. More than she felt like it should have been.

If Hulta wanted to keep her from being angry, hitting her repeatedly with the confusion bat wasn’t the worst option. Of course it would only work for so long, but in the immediate it was effective. Lolo blinked and shook her head, double taking on this revelation of desire. “Why would you think that?” Marlowe tilted her head, lost entirely how anything she had ever done might show Hulta that somehow she’d stop mattering to her.

That choice didn’t feel like a lie, and that framed everything else. It suggested she was missing something. Lolo held up her hand which wore the bangle she’d been given - the one that hadn’t come off since. She reached for it with her hand and wrapped around it, twisting it slowly back and forth against her stomach. These words felt like they matched those the day Hulta had given this to her. If that was true, and she had to believe it was, then what did it mean about the rest?

She began to run through what she knew: Hulta’s parents wanted the dagger to be known. Hulta wanted to get them answers. Lyra had taken her to professor Halo. “Why him?” she asked, blinking and looking up at Hulta. The question was blurted, “Why professor Halo. To learn about the dagger, I mean. And how did…” Ares didn’t teach random students, but he did give benefits to friends. Lolo understood that transaction intimately. But weren’t there other avenues? Maybe that didn’t matter, Lolo had seen first hand the sort of craze that came over Hulta in an effort to appease her parents. That made her questions empty, and she shook her head. Those weren’t the things she actually wanted answers to.

“He didn’t really touch you?” Lolo said - it wasn’t even about the action. She didn’t care. It was about what Hulta had done, and what she was now planning to do. Lolo was slow in her speech, working through it - or something - in her head. “What does that mean? Does…” The right question eluded her. Did Hulta want it, didn’t feel right. “Why is this important? Do you want to… Do this?” Her parents didn’t know, if that was true, but that didn’t mean that Hulta wasn’t feeling pressure to do it. “I don’t understand what’s happening.” she admitted defeat, in trying to find her question. “Why…” she just trailed off and closed her eyes, brain hot with effort.

[Eye of Horus]

Stats

Strength: 1
Stamina: 3
Speed: 3
Shimmer: 2
Soul: 3
Brawl: 1
Melee: 4
Ranged: 1
Preparation: 1

Terrain Affinity: Desert
Terrain Weakness: Aquatic, Swamp
Element Affinity: Lightning (black arcanite)
Element Weakness: Earth (green arcanite)

Weapon Bonus:12

Character Name: Dariaq Syvanios
Date | Time: 12.01.1323 | Afternoon
Location: Courtyard of Champions, Hammer Island
Wearing: Hammer uniform
Tagging | Mentioning: Koko Gero
Notes: After Blood and Water
“I’ve never seen a racoon.” Dari shrugged, then grinned wickedly. “But I hear they’re clever as well as hideous, so I suppose that tracks.” He sat up a little straighter. “So what did you do with your hair?”

“Eh, just followin’ some advice I got. Thanks for noticin’ though.”

Dari’s smile softened slightly at Koko’s attempts to hide her pleasure. There were few girls Dari had met - elf, silenus or human - who didn’t secretly enjoy being called pretty. And after all, he had never shied away from hyping up one of his team-mates when they pushed themselves to do something out of their comfort zone.

Koko was playing with her hair, pressing two locks together so that the ends bowed. “Soooo, I’m gon’ take that as your ‘I’m a macho man’ way of avoiding my question and just guess I was right yea?” … “So I'm here to listen, if you want that.”

Gone. Dari was still processing what that meant to him. In a sense, nothing had changed - his father had been gone for a long time. And at the same time, everything had changed. No sense now in making vague plans to go to Seabreeze. No chance to meet his father as a champion. That door was shut now, and locked for good.

“Thanks, Ko.” he said quietly. For a few moments, he wasn’t sure what to add.

“Mother never talked about him.” he said at last. “And I mean never talked about him. I thought it was for Mum’s sake - you know, don’t bring up the ex…but I knew there had to be more to it. And I never asked her why.”

I wasn’t brave enough. The thought was needle-sharp.

“So the only story I’ve got to go on is Yunla’s.” The one who attacked us, and then swore a debt. His lips pulled to one side. “He lived with someone called Olia. He helped people. It sounds like he wanted me to go to Tabor.” He looked at the ruby again, turning the chain over in his fingers. “And that’s it, that’s all I know about him. How am I supposed to write that in a history book?”

He paused.

“And,” he finally admitted, “Shouldn’t I be feeling…well…more? Even if I didn’t know him. He was still a good man. He was still my dad.”

[TheFluffyOne]

Stats

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

Terrain Affinity: Forest
Terrain Weakness: Aquatic
Element Affinity: Air
Element Weakness: Water

Weapon Bonus: 12+2

Character Name: Hulta Elderfond
Date | Time: 01.16.1323| Early evening (5pm)
Location: Courtyard - Up the big oak tree.
Wearing: Basic Uniform. No shoes.
Tagging | Mentioning: Marlowe Ashe
Content: Coming clean
It felt like her fingernails were close to sheering through her shirt with how tightly she was clinging to it. Hulta knew that she was seconds away from flinging herself from the branch and accepting whatever pain followed. It might feel better than what she was currently feeling. Her gaze was fixed to the bracelet on Lolo’s wrist. “They wanted answers…and I…I needed to get them answers. I am not used to them being disappointed in me. T..This was something I could do for them.” It was to prove to them that she could actually do things as they instructed. “I told them that I wasn’t going to stop spending time…seeing you…I wanted to give them answers at the same time.”

An exuberant level of effort was required but Hulta finally dragged her gaze back up to Marlowe. Looking her in the eye and immediately regretting it. She looked confused and yet like a beaten puppy. “Well...I saw you with the others, flirting for you isn’t the same as it is for me. I worried that maybe you would just treat me like a friend after.” Even with her gaze fixed on Lolo’s eyes, she could sense the woman fidgeting with the bangle. Wringing it back and forth, almost like she was contemplating taking it off.

Hulta had a perfect answer for why she went to Professor Halo. It had been burning into her mind since the moment that she lingered outside his office. “I knew he would have a better idea of the arcanite usage within the dagger. My parents would also be pleased with me asking a Professor.” Another note about her parents. She was willing to rebel against them for Marlowe but there had been that additional note that she needed ‘good news’ to go along with the ‘bad’. “I think he wanted to look at the dagger anyway…It is really unique.”

Hulta’s fingers tensed so tight that the imprint of her fingernails dug into her palm. She had hoped that Lolo wouldn’t ask for specifics. “N..Not fully.” She stumbled a little, her eyes closing as she tried to figure out how to word herself. “It is a family item. It could be useful as a weapon for me…It could be useful even back home to show our family history…I…gave them some news and they wanted more answers. I..I think they …think I am paying for it. I wanted to pay…it would be easier.” She dragged a deep breath in through her nose. “T..The things I did with him…felt transactional. I touched him, he touched me…kinda. It was different than anything I’ve ever done with you.”

Her pupils flicked back and forth across the back of her eyelids. She had already contemplated ways that she could restrict herself from going back and giving him anything else. There was an inkling that he wanted more than what they did last time and she didn’t think she was ready for that…ever…with anyone but Marlowe. “I’m sorry Lolo…I was just trying to keep my parents happy...I..I keep doing that...I..I'm so stupid” Her fingers started to wring in the fabric of her shirt before they snapped out quickly to take Marlowe’s hands in hers. “Ask me whatever question is eating at you…please.” She leaned forward, her eyes flicking open so that she could attempt to rest her forehead against Marlowe’s. “I…I am being honest that I want you. If I…I could take it back, I would.” Her words vibrated the air before Lolo’s face.

[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: 1.16.1323 | Early Evening (~5pm)
Location: Big Oak Tree
Wearing: Dark vested suit with flared pants and bright undershirt
Tagging | Mentioning: Hulta |
Notes:
Marlowe couldn’t understand what Hulta’s parents could possibly be disappointed about. Hadn’t they sent her here to become a Champion? Wasn’t she succeeding at the things they wanted? But Hulta’s words slowly made things fall into place, puzzle pieces finding their way together. They were disappointed in Hulta, not because of what she was doing, but because of her - Lolo. What had she done to deserve that kind of scorn? Had she not been good to - for - Hulta? It was hard, impossible even, to keep the dark thoughts born of Haymurk from clouding her mind. Marlowe was, objectively, a failure. Had been since coming to Onyx. Everything was pretend.

Still, she tried to look past them. It wasn’t about her - as much as she hated such a thing - right now. It was about understanding. Hulta had tried to find the dagger, as some sort of trade with her parents. They didn’t like one thing, but would like the other. That clicked into place, and it made Hulta’s actions seem much more understandable. Her attention snapped up though, “What do other people have to do with you?” She didn’t understand, and her nose wrinkled. How could Hulta think that of her? That things were just… Didn’t she get this was different? Lolo had failed to make that clear, too? She shrank more against the branch. She shook her head, twisting the bangle more.

What Hulta described didn’t sound like a thing she wanted. It sounded like something she felt she needed to do. And this tracked for Marlowe, it made sense with what she’d seen when the elder Elderfond’s had been in Onyx, and how that had warped Hulta’s behavior. It fit with the notion that she wasn’t used to being a disappointment. Lolo knew what it was like to feel the need to correct something - at its core, wasn’t that often what her anger was about? “You’re not stupid,” Lolo said, barely a whisper, looking down at her hand in Hulta’s.

Did she even know what was eating at her?

Lolo stared at the joining of their hands, and she was silent for what must have felt like a long time. She was slow to think. And this required review of what she knew - what she felt. Lolo knew she didn’t want Hulta to feel this way. She knew that she didn’t want her parents to be disappointed in her. She knew that family, to Hulta, was important, and so she didn’t want her parents to hate her. She knew that Ares had done this out of transaction - sex for a reward. Somewhere, she didn’t feel like she really wanted Ares to touch her, but that was more nebulous, and harder to pin down - she understood the nature of it, and that was fine with her. But something gnawed on her about it.

As she reviewed, something came to mind. Another clicking of pieces. “The dagger will make your parents happy?” she asked. That wasn’t the burning question in her - though she wasn't sure she had a burning question to ask - that had been paused for, but it was what came to mind. She said it slowly, like she was tasting the words, and working something out behind them. “Ares just wanted to trade for the knowledge…” she continued, slowly working through the thought, “And you don’t want to…?” Lolo looked up to find the answer in the woman’s eyes.

It all snapped together. “Let me do it.” She said, leaning forward slightly. “I’ll… Get the information. Then, your parents might like me. And you don’t have to do it.” She could protect Hulta from what she didn’t want, and made a stride to get into her parents' good graces? This seemed like a universal win to her.

[TheFluffyOne]

Stats

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

Terrain Affinity: Forest
Terrain Weakness: Aquatic
Element Affinity: Air
Element Weakness: Water

Weapon Bonus: 12+2

Character Name: Hulta Elderfond
Date | Time: 01.16.1323| Early evening (5pm)
Location: Courtyard - Up the big oak tree.
Wearing: Basic Uniform. No shoes.
Tagging | Mentioning: Marlowe Ashe | Thessa (M)
Content: Coming clean
“T…They have everything to do with me.” She told Lolo as her voice clawed back into her body. They were better than her. Thessa was bigger, stronger, attractive, they had worked together for longer, she never seemed to shy away from kisses or touching Marlowe. She could be good for Marlowe….and yet Lolo wanted Hulta. That made her worry that it was only a matter of time before someone better caught Marlowe and took her away from her.

A small timid smile curled onto her lips, she was stupid. In so many more ways that Marlowe knew. She was stupid for letting herself fall for someone that was not going to be able to follow the destiny that her parents had planned for her. She was stupid for thinking that it could work. For thinking that she would be ‘okay’ with giving up everything she knew for a woman she had known for months.

But for Lolo, Hulta would be stupid every time.

Hulta could almost feel the ticking hands of the clock as Lolo stayed silent. Her hands in hers. She wasn’t pulling back. That was good, right? She was looking at the bangle and their linked fingers. Hulta nodded gently. “It already has…They are ecstatic with what I have given them already.” Her cheeks burned as Lolo broke everything down to a simple explanation. One that she had skirted around as neatly as she could and Marlowe cut straight to the chase as she always did. “I think…next time he will want to..yknow.“ She couldn’t look at Marlowe for a moment, how could she say ‘that’ to her girlfriend?!

Amber eyes latched to crimson ones as she nodded. “I don’t…don’t want to do that with anyone but you.” Her response was quiet, barely above a whisper. She didn’t want to have him fuck her in that way, she could only imagine Marlowe taking her that way. ‘Let me do it’ Her eyes snapped wider and all colour left her face. Marlowe was offering to do that…with Ares…for her. As soon as the colour left, it came rushing back and immediately filled all pale skin including all the way up to the tips of her ears.

“You want to do it?” Hulta looked at her eager gaze. “I…I don’t want you to have to do that for me.” She was aware that Lolo was no blushing virgin but this was her…doing a sexual trade on Hulta’s behalf. Hulta couldn’t even try to lie and pretend that her parents didn’t ‘hate’ Lolo. She knew. She knew full well that the elvish parents were not fond of her at all. “I…It could work..but…are you sure?”

[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: 1.16.1323 | Early Evening (~5pm)
Location: Big Oak Tree
Wearing: Dark vested suit with flared pants and bright undershirt
Tagging | Mentioning: Hulta |
Notes:
The affirmation that it wasn’t what Hulta wanted, that she hadn’t wanted it before, and didn’t want it again, solidified this idea in Lolo’s head. “I want to make you happy,” Lolo said. If that meant sleeping with Ares, what did that matter to her? “And I want your parents to think I’m good for you,” she admitted. If getting them something they thought was valuable would assist in that, a tumble in the sheets wasn’t going to hurt her. It would hardly be the first time Lolo slept with someone to elevate her status in the eyes of another - in fact this was effectively her default. Her body had value to the Elderfond’s, even if they didn’t know it explicitly.


It wasn’t like Lolo wanted to sound like nothing mattered, but she did. Agreeing to this was easy for her, effortless even. “You need this,” she said, “And I don’t care.” Lolo shrugged. It wasn’t going to change anything, it wouldn’t mean anything. Hell, maybe she’d even have a good time. But at the end of the day it wasn’t about any of that. “We should take care of each other, right?” That’s what partners did, and she didn’t see how that was any different from girlfriends. Those were partners of a sort, weren’t they? “I can’t…” Lolo’s jaw shifted, “I can’t be smart, or… Have nice ears… Or… Understand,” whatever Hulta had meant by that, when it had been said in anger, “Or be what your parents want for you. But I can do this.”

[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: 01.15.1323 | Later Afternoon
Location: Courtyard of Champions
Wearing:  Her Usual Jumpsuit
Tagging | Mentioning: Dari
Notes:
Koko was anxious, she didn’t know what to think really. Worried she’d over stepped a line and so she just sat there with a hand against Dari’s chest. She really didn’t want to mess up in this instance, step on a landmine or something. She knew at the very least that her friend was conflicted about this topic. Making that worse was not something she aimed to do. After a moment that felt far too long for her his features softened though and he thanked her. She sighed a bit in relief and a tension she didn’t realize she was holding in her shoulders dropped. She smirked at him and then flicked a finger up at his nose as he looked down at her hand before sliding back into her position on his lap. She giggled a bit and stuck her tongue out with a wink but didn’t interrupt him.

Koko nodded as he spoke. She had done…something similar. Not quite. But it was true she had never really asked her Dad about her Mom. Not in some attempt to shelter him from bad feelings or anything. She just hadn’t really ever had time. That thought made her a bit sad. How little she truly knew about her father seemed to be something Koko was being forced to confront constantly lately it seemed. The rare times she’d actually gotten to spend a day with him when she was young she’d asked about his work, about her augments, ideas she’d had. They’d had seldom few deep conversations in her lifetime. She hung her head back over Dari’s lap a bit as the thought ruminated in her mind. Meanwhile he friend caught on something that sparked her brain to fire up its engine.

“You can’t make yourself feel stuff Dar. You feel what you feel. Just like you can’t pretend to be someone you ain’t.” She nearly cringed at her own comment. It was almost more for herself than Dariaq. “Sounds like you got leads though.” That was more than she could say. She poked him in the belly to get his attention to refocus on her. “This Olia is still out there ain’t she? I mean you can’t go now, not unless you’re thinkin’ of leaving us behind, in which case I’m gonna have to beat your ass cause how dare you do that to Twigs." She raised a fist at him, mostly as a joke. Not that she wasn't serious on the statement though. "But I mean shit Dar, there’s a lady out there that might very well be your step mother…err your other step mother.” She raised an eyebrow for a moment, trying to process if she’d said that right before just shrugging. “And even if not she surely knew ‘im.” She looked down at the ruby in his hand as well. “And I mean hell, who says you can’t find out somethin’ about him from someone else too?” Koko put a hand to her chin and thought for a moment. “Actually hold on now.”

After a moment more Koko shot up into a seated position beside her friend. “I mean we just got a hold load-a elves in the city recently right?” Koko scurried to her feet, using Dari's head shoulder to push off to her feet before offering Dari a hand too. “And I mean even if none of them there might be some folk who been through sea breeze bouncin’ around. I’m sure we can find someone, who knows something.” She lifted her friend up with a shimmer boosted pulled that pulled him to his feet rather suddenly. “Let’s go for a walk through the town Dar. Ask around, see what folks know. Can’t hurt.” She shrugged again smiling at him and pulling him off towards the tram station.

[TheFluffyOne]

Stats

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

Terrain Affinity: Forest
Terrain Weakness: Aquatic
Element Affinity: Air
Element Weakness: Water

Weapon Bonus: 12+2

Character Name: Hulta Elderfond
Date | Time: 01.16.1323| Early evening (5pm)
Location: Courtyard - Up the big oak tree.
Wearing: Basic Uniform. No shoes.
Tagging | Mentioning: Marlowe Ashe | Thessa (M)
Content: Coming clean
The thought that Lolo wanted to do ‘that’ to make Huta happy and get her parents praise, left a sour taste in her mouth. She had an inkling that Marlowe thought herself only useful for her looks from the moment that they went on their first date. That she could be one of the people playing into that insecurity for her own selfish needs…it felt worse than the times she had ‘lied’ to Marlowe combined.  She didn’t care. Hulta tightened her grip around Marlowe’s hands as she kept talking. Every word not helping. They should take care of each other...which meant not throwing her girlfriend under a professor because she wanted something. It meant helping her work through those insecurities…not feed them.

“We should.” She looked down at their clasped hands again. The eagerness in Lolo’s voice to help in the ‘only way’ she thought she could made Hulta’s stomach drop to the ground. “You have nice ears.” Hulta commented gently as she leaned in towards Marlowe, resting her forehead against Lolo’s. “I…I will ask Professor Halo.” Her words were quiet, almost like she didn’t want to say it out loud. One hand left Marlowe’s and moved to trace her fingertips lightly around the shell of Marlowe’s ear. “I want to take care of you, Marlowe…and for you to take care of me…But this only happens once….yeah?” Those amber eyes settled back on Lolo as she searched for an answer.

This couldn’t become a pattern. When they had the answer about the dagger from Ares, this would never happen again. She wouldn’t be getting her into any of these situations again for sure. But would Marlowe? “Promise me….After this…It’s just you and I.”

End Scene

[Eye of Horus]

Stats

Strength: 1
Stamina: 3
Speed: 3
Shimmer: 2
Soul: 3
Brawl: 1
Melee: 4
Ranged: 1
Preparation: 1

Terrain Affinity: Desert
Terrain Weakness: Aquatic, Swamp
Element Affinity: Lightning (black arcanite)
Element Weakness: Earth (green arcanite)

Weapon Bonus:12

Character Name: Dariaq Syvanios
Date | Time: 12.01.1323 | Afternoon
Location: Courtyard of Champions, Hammer Island
Wearing: Hammer uniform
Tagging | Mentioning: Koko Gero
Notes: After Blood and Water
“You can’t make yourself feel stuff Dar. You feel what you feel.”

Dari bit the inside of his cheek. He supposed that was true enough.

“Just like you can’t pretend to be someone you ain’t.”

Oh yes you can. Dari thought, but he didn’t say it aloud - something in the slight twitch of Koko’s cheek warned him to let it pass.

“Sounds like you got leads though.”

Dari let her think aloud, the blurry thoughts crystallising into the air. Olia was a lead - but Seabreeze might as well be Ruby for all the chance he had of reaching it anytime soon.

“Don’t worry.” he cut his squad-mate off. “I’m not planning on running off to Seabreeze. There’s far too much still to do here.” He tagged a grin onto the words, as if it were simply the camaraderie and competition of Hammer anchoring him here, and not all of the city’s other festering problems as well. No, he couldn’t justify that kind of selfishness - and he wouldn’t throw away his chance at becoming a champion either. For his own sake, just as much as for Hulta’s, as Koko claimed.

Koko sat up rather suddenly, remembering the recent influx of elves.

“Most of them left on Solidarity.” Dari reminded her. “And they were from Cordes-sur-Ciel, not Seabreeze.”

He thought of the other elvish squires at Hammer - Khaedra, Azir, Raeni, Umber - but if they had known something about his dad, surely they would have mentioned it by now. He hadn’t exactly been shy about telling them all about his family.

“I’m sure we can find someone, who knows something.” She lifted her friend up with a shimmer boosted pulled that pulled him to his feet rather suddenly. “Let’s go for a walk through the town Dar. Ask around, see what folks know. Can’t hurt.”

Can’t hurt. That’s what he was afraid of. If anything, that was what he should be feeling. Was it stupid and self-indulgent to pull at the thread until he did? He sighed, letting the ruby dangle from his hand again. The red gem caught the light, like a bead of blood. Dari exhaled slowly.

“Alright.”