[Chapter 1.01] Side Effects May Include: Explosions

[Aethyrium]

Dazzle & Dust

S T O R Y T E L L E R
October 6th, Late Evening (~8pm) | Onyx - Dazzle & Dust | Urban - No Elemental Resonance
Next Post: 10.25.23 | Namid, Farrah, Marlowe, Lyreilynn, Mila, Haimehen, Ettinus, Sandie, Douglas, Silk, Locken, Clover, Jericho, Shir
New students expected that Monday was going to be the introduction to classes, older students knew better. Monday brought the Team Challenge, an event where the twenty-four newly joined pairs were dumped into another section of Hammer’s Wilds, and tasked with the retrieval of a vague relic from the clutches of a Hollow guardian. At the end of that challenge, eight shiny new six person teams were born; splitting the pack, team 4, gRAVIty - Farrah Tinkerspan, Haimehen De Temps Infini, Lyreilynn Xyrven Myalis, Marlowe Ashe, Mila Rios, and Namid Valentine. When brought together the headmaster had seemed intrigued at the gathering of these six, sharing a smirk with them that wasn’t present with anyone else. Another oddity had been his naming of team leader. With the other seven teams, Ettinus had been decisive and quick about the decision. With Gravity though, he had seemed to take his time, appearing to be uncertain. Mila had seemed like his choice, initially, because he’d paused before her like he did before all the leaders. But when he finally opened his mouth to make the proclamation, his attention shifted to Namid, and she was named team leader. In the days following, the squires were introduced to their classes. This first week was, largely, meant for introductions and settling in. Professor Sandie Beach, a ram-horned Silenus with a severe caffeine addiction, who talked entirely too fast taught them history. Next up was Professor Douglas Wilt, an older gentleman with an anecdote for everything, revealed the mysteries of Toil in wilderness survival. Combat and technique training was handled by professor Silk Whyte, a cold and merciless rabbit Silenus with a spartan complex. A newer, younger professor, Locken Lowed, taught Arcanite, despite his stuttering and anxious presentation. Clover Field taught the squire favorite class, Hollowology, who encouraged the curious minds by invoking more questions from the class than anyone else. Finally, there was team logistics, which was officially taught by professor Jericho Swain, but overseen by each team's mentor - Shir Dahn, in the case of gravity. Most students seemed glad about that, because professor Swain was far from hospitable, more demanding than professor Whyte, with a sense of fairness that bordered on cruel.

Finally Friday, all the squires were promised that things would begin to ramp up next week. One week was all the training wheels they were going to get. So after classes and sparring, the teams made their way to the mess and enjoyed a delightful ham dinner, served with two sides and oven fresh rolls. Eating together seemed the way of things; the older teams seemed to go and do nearly everything together - and rarely outside of their squad partnerships outside of that. So needless to say the newer teams followed suit, taking every opportunity to become familiar and comfortable with the people they were going to be counting on for the next four years - a situation that no team had seemed to master just yet; with only four days as teams, most people were still in that awkward adjustment and familiarizing stage. And that didn’t even begin to cover the ever more uncertain relationships between teams. As dinner finished, gravity was approached by Shir, who had slid in next to Haimehen and leaned in, beckoning the whole team to mimic him. He wouldn’t say exactly what they were going to be doing next week, but he did inform them that they were going to need some excess Arcanite, and suggested that they should take the night to head down to Onyx and stock up. As quickly as he came, he left, giving the distinct impression that he was giving them a headstart on whatever was coming.

Once the decision was reached to take Shir up on his advice, and a list of wants written up, gravity left the mess and made their way to Onyx Landing, boarded a shuttle, and enjoyed a quick trip down to Hammer Tower. Disembarking from the jet, the six made their way to the streets of Onyx. It was late enough upon their arrival that the hustle and bustle of the city had, mostly, died down. Some cars here and there, the odd pedestrian, and the occasional military patrol. They walked past shops, diners, and homes while following the directions on someone’s phone for the closest Arcanite vendor - Skoll’s Glitter and Trade. Unfortunately, like so many other businesses, by the time they arrived they found it closed. Not wanting to waste the trip, they ended up directed to Dazzle & Dust - a fair walk, taking them out of the heart of Onyx and into the eastern quarter. As they made further and further away from the booming heart of the city, they strayed into parts of the city less and less well off - full of more and more military patrols. Eventually, their destination was in sight, and as promised, it was open. Bright light shone through large bay windows that flanked the business’ entrance.

Dazzle & Dust certainly didn’t seem like the sort of location that belonged where it was located. A simple, quaint bell chimes upon entry. The room is filled with a huge assortment of Arcanite products. Six large tubes containing the common colors of powder stand in a line against the right wall, each filled to varying degrees of product - small spigots about waist high connect to canisters to fill them. There are tables with raw crystals, processed crystals, and more on display. An old man stands behind a glass countertop which features choice product within the case. “Ahhh, welcome, welcome.” He calls as the group enters, smiling lopsidedly as he scans over them taking in how each presents themselves. “...Five, six. Must be from Hammer.” He chuckled heartily, “I don’t get many customers from the academy all the way out here.” Brushing down the green apron he wears with one hand, he waves the other at the shop for all of them, “Take a look around, always happy to do business with Champions. Is there anything I can help you find, or get together for you?” The shop is easily thrice the size of the one they had intended to go to. There are towering shelves that form curving aisles that can’t be seen from the front lobby area, giving plenty of space for anyone to explore if they’re so inclined - looking for goodies, or waiting for their order to be gathered.

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: October 6th | Late Evening (~8pm)
Location: Dazzle & Dust
Wearing: Crisp white button down, pressed grey and black pinstripe vest, pressed black pants, Low heeled boot, Black low-rise top hat
Tagging | Mentioning: Farrah, Lyra, Haimehen, Namid, Mila | Sandie, Douglas, Silk, Locken, Clove, Jericho, Shir
For Lolo, who had nothing that resembled a formal education, classes were different. When she was growing up, lessons were short and practical, and largely happened in little bursts between chores and other duties - with ever less playtime between them as she got older and older. But Evergreen wasn’t big enough to have a gathering of children for group learning, so this environment was a little odd. Not disliked so much as they were a degree of difficult - anyone paying attention to her probably could have clocked that she was going to struggle in the academics portion of Hammer. Professor Beach was a lot for many people to take in first thing in the morning, but Lolo didn’t seem to mind her so much - except the speed at which she taught made history that much harder for her to connect with. Survival was easier for Lolo, and she’d have liked professor Wilt’s style more except his storytelling often confused the actual lesson, and that again made it difficult. Despite being particularly good at combat training, Lolo was positive that professor Whyte disliked her - Lolo was frilly and extra, while the professor was basic and practical. Arcanite was boring to begin with, and professor Lowed certainly didn’t help matters being the stuttering mess that he was, leaving Lolo struggling to comprehend the class. Professor Field had the benefit of teaching the class Lolo was most interested in and being - by her accounting - the most reasonable professor. She still struggled, but it seemed like she might actually stay afloat in that one on her own. And then there was team logistics. It wasn’t that Lolo didn’t want to work with the team, she just also had a bit - or more - of a star complex. This meant Lolo was prone to biting off more than she could chew, or trying to be in too many places. Things had been much simpler when she was working with just Lyreilynn - and professor Swain had, in four days of classes, reprimanded her four times for her behavior. She wasn’t a bad fighter, nor did she really end up being particularly disruptive. But she absolutely did struggle to find her flow with the team, and since that was what mattered as far as that class was concerned, she was failing. By the end of classes, Lolo was frustrated at having been pulled aside by Jericho again. So when self-directed sparring came about, Lolo took out her frustrations on a punching bag, alone, giving it a good, noisy wallop while ignoring everyone around her.

At least, until she was collected for dinner and she rejoined the group. By that point she was, mostly, back to her normal self. Needless to say she was very much looking forward to the weekend… Until Shir joined them. Their mentor, unlike the professors, she hadn’t gotten a good read on. How could she have, since they’d only had two or three, very brief, interactions with the man. It made her question what his role in their little team was, but even that there hadn’t been a good opportunity to inquire about. Getting the heads up about the Arcanite requirements didn’t excite Lolo nearly as much as the chance to take the team into Onyx and get away from the academy much. She was the first person to suggest that they should go, “Tonight!” She grinned and scanned her teammates, “Let’s go tonight.”

Walking around Onyx never got old. Even though she’d been in the city for a few years now, it was still a marvel compared to the sleepy village she was from. There was no disappointment from her when their first destination proved to be closed and they opted to go elsewhere. When they arrived at Dazzle & Dust, even Marlowe was awed by the presentation. “Wow.” She murmured, passing third through the door, after Namid, but before Lyra. Taking a few steps in, Lolo pivoted in her step and looked to see if her partner was glowing as she expected her to be, “Might need your chain, Farrah.” She grinned, “We might have to leash Lyra in here.”

Lolo looked at the shopkeep once everyone was inside and he greeted them, waving, but leaving those details to Namid… Or maybe Haimehen. She was the leader, but if anyone was going to have a curated list, it was her partner. Shrugging, “You’ve got this, right?” Lolo reached for Lyra’s hand, “Come on, let’s see what kind of toys you like.” She glanced at Mila and nudged toward the back, past the large walls of goods, “Coming?”

[Envious]

Character Name: Farrah
Date | Time: October 6th | 8:00pm ish
Location: Dazzle & Dust
Wearing: This. Hat has the school logo on it. Shield is strapped to her back.
Tagging | Mentioning: Lyra, Lolo, Haimehen, Namid, Mila

Success was the best revenge and Farrah was placing the entirety of her energy into thriving at the academy. From the outside perspective, it may have seemed like she was pleasantly coasting along and had integrated seamlessly into her role as a student. Nothing seemed to phase her, but perhaps it was her constant vigilance. She seemed to be observant of her surroundings as if she were waiting for something to happen. And stuff certainly happened. Get launched off of a pad? Sure thing. Be dropped into Hollow-infested territory to retrieve an artifact? Can do. Read this chapter, write this assignment, listen to this lecture, achieve this expectation? Alright. Head into the city for arcanite? Sounds good. She was an uncomplicated yes woman who seemed unworried over any aspects of her education and certainly had no reason to question seniors or negotiate tasks. It was a calm and pleasant demeanor that might have almost seemed robotic if not for her partner Mila. Together, Farrah’s attitude shifted from someone of her position agreeing to a reasonable ask to someone who also fucked around just to find out. If nothing else, it made their teamwork incredibly experimental and innovative!


Farrah had been easy company, even if not entirely desired company, the past four days. If she couldn’t be with Mila, she found some reason to be next to her teammates. Her warmth and wit were met with mixed reactions and just like everything else so far, it had not phased her. With them eating, sleeping, and schooling together, she had no need for immediate gratification. Companionship would come when earned and she had all the time in the world to do it. She had assumed that their bond would be immediate - things with Mila had come so easy! - but that wasn’t the case. They might have all shared the same vision of being a Champion, but they were very different personalities. It was incredibly interesting to Farrah who was still deep in her honeymoon phase with Academy life. She was living a dream.


She had started out near the front of the pack. She was completely aware that her physicality gave her certain privileges and she used them politely to have people cut a path around the group. There was a confidence born of it, too, when people paused in what they were doing to stare appreciatively at her exposed arms or unusual height. But over time, she fell to the back of the pack. Twice she had stopped to stare at an establishment. The last had been a restaurant with a wait line that extended down the sidewalk. Farrah looked into the open doors, the interior intimately lit with rock music quietly playing in the background. She blinked rapidly, catching on to the tune to hum as she took a few long strides to catch back up with her companions and set her observations to the world around them again.


Entering last into the building, Farrah looked around with wide eyes. There had never been a shortage of arcanite, but she had never seen an excess like this before! City life was bigger in every aspect, it seemed. She kept her thoughts to herself and turned her golden gaze to the shopkeeper.


“You hit the nail on the head,” she said, unable to pass on the opportunity. She watched as her teammates looked around, happy that Marlowe was just as wowed as she was by the display.


“Can do,” Farrah responded to Lolo, thrusting her hands in the pocket of her hoodie, “but I’m sure Lyra will prefer being tied up to be a private affair.” It might not have been the intended use of Legacy, but there had never been any doubt in Farrah’s mind that the shield strapped comfortably to her back would be seeing more action than herself. Her only response to Lyra’s reaction would be a good-natured grin. She nodded to Mila as Lolo included her, not as permission to go, but as an acknowledgement that they’d be in separate areas of the store. Farrah had not declared herself attached to the hip of her teammates, but she did seem to have some innate need to have them in her presence. She stayed with Haimehen and Namid while making an attempt to keep the other three at least in the peripheral of her vision.


“The other students are missing out,” Farrah told the shopkeeper kindly. This was certainly worth the travel. Even though they hadn’t made it inside the other shop, Farrah was quite sure that this one was much larger. “One question for ya, mister. What’s your coolest product? I can’t afford it on a squire’s salary, but it’s nice to have a goal to work towards!”

[shengami]

Character Name: Haimehen
Date Oct. 6 | Time: Morning (~8p.m.)|
Location: Dazzle and Dust
Wearing: Orange sythetic fabric shorts, (shirt, button up, gauche sweater combo), puffer jacket, and woolen knit cap. Carrying a large duffle over his shoulders like a backpack.
Tagging: Open| Mentioning: All| All

The classes were slightly different, but the feel was mostly the safe as the university. Haim was aware enough that attending a university was a headily rare thing. It was reserved for families with clout, money, or both. Usually, both. Haim had gotten in on clout and talent, mostly. There had also been the trust fund left by his grandfather long dead before he was born. Still, the experience meant that the Hammer Academy was not new environs.

The history professor hashed old topics, for Haim, but there was always opportunity to learn something if you paid attention. So, he reviewed what he knew of history. In particular, he was an avid student whenever history and technology overlapped. Then there was wilderness survival. A topic that he was familiar with, having a semi-rural background, but much to be learned about wilderness deeper than his grandparents' farm infested with Hollow. He did his best to acquire the skills. He would need to schedule a time to study and practice. His mind was up in the air about that being a group activity or solor endeavor. He had similar thoughts about the merciless silenus taught combat class. It was a fiedl in which he was far behind but his natural talents lent themselves to, in ways. Lateral thinking would be the key to that class. Lowed's arcanite class was a refresher at best. Calibrated to students who had no knowledge of arcanite, or minimal, it was infuriatingly rudimentary to Haim. His own studies had not been too far behind PRofessor Lowed's. He would need to seek the man out and ask for more advanced material or permission to study at his own pace. Tactics, though, he excelled at in theory. Practice, of course, was contingent on his Team and they were still adjusting. He was still observing, collecting information, analyzing. Eventually, they would click.

For instance, while others were worried about grades, Haim knew that grades were not his goal. He wanted to acquire the skills and knowledge available, to excel at the abilities he would need to hunt Hollow. The grade he earned in class was pro forma, just a thing he needed to maintain to 'graduate' and earn the place he desired. There were other routes forward, true, but this was the one he had chosen.

He trailed the forms of Lolo and Lyra as they headed into the shelves and raised an eyebrow at Mila to see if she was accepting their invitation. He then followed Farrah towards the counter. The tall, tan elf was an interesting conundrum to him. In some ways, she reminded him of his mother. Celeste de Temps Infini had also been a career warrior and a direct person. Farrah also had very, very nice ears. He bit his lip lightly as his imagination temporarily ran wild trying to decide if Lyra or Farrah had the nicest ears. His hand trailed up a tiny amount as he became aware of his own, somewhat uppointed ears, and felt a bit awkward. They both had much nicer ears than he did, for sure. Long, nicely pointed, and sweeping back from the face than up toward their crowns: he blushed. He switched his gaze to Namid to cool down, her ears were mundanely round even if her frame was petite, and then the proprietor, "Good evening, do you object to me observing the quality of your dusts? We'll need several cannisters of varying colors." Hai, shrugged his duffel off his shoulders and pulled a crisply foled but slightly rumpled slip of paper from a side pocket. The duffel had made a suspiciously soft sound as it was set down and his teammates would know that his pistols, wrapped heavily in cloth and foam, were tucked inside along with various cannisters for transporting arcanite safely. Haim was, after all, an expert. He looked to Namid with a bright smie expecting her own contribution to the order they were purchasing while the otehrs explored. It was an apt and economical division of duties.

Out of another pocket, Haim produced his own device for testing and measuring the purity and potency of arcanite. The product should have official readings available, but testing for yourself prevented shading deals. And they were in the eastern ward of Onyx. Haim knew the place's reputation far more than he knew its streets seeing as he had grown up running the streets of the western quarter. Albeit, him and Connie ahd found their way into the east more often than his parents liked, but that had been long ago. Best not to make assumptions on information a decade and more old.

[Dove]

Character Name: Mila Rios
Date | Time: October 6 | Late Evening
Location: Dazzle & Dust
Wearing: Skater Girl Chic
Tagging | Mentioning: All

Mila was spoiled. Not in a silver spoon kind of way, but perhaps in a more desirable way. While she had since turned away from her Sinnat background, her parents had ensured that she had the very best education available in her youth. How else would their child be well suited enough to take on the reigns of the Trinity legacy? With that education, she was maybe just a tiny bit too smart for her own good. It wasn't something she nurtured pointedly. But without those smarts, she wouldn't have made it as far as she did. And... it also meant that classes were a breeze.

The truth was, she couldn't figure out who it upset more - her fellow hardworking students or her teachers. She wasn't exactly an outright troublemaker. To call her a troll would be exaggeration and unfair. She was simply blunt and despite putting almost no extra time in her studies, she was passing with flying colors. When a professor thought she might not be listening and call on her for an answer, she seemed to pull that very answer from thin air. How did she do it? How was it possible? She'd show up late to class, maybe from oversleeping or exploring or... who knows what? Passing notes in class, kicking back in her seat and putting her feet up on her chair. She was probably the very opposite of what someone might imagine an aspiring 'Champion' to look like.

All of that being said, it wasn't that she didn't warrant respect when it came down to it. She is a fantastic judge of character and seems to always find the best in people. It's quite difficult to annoy her - unless someone was an outright buzzkill. But besides that? Everything was right as rain. There were a couple folks in the group that she was still trying to get a read on. Lyra and Haim, that duo... hmm. She'd have to find a way to help them let loose. In her mind, everyone deserved to have some fun. Lolo was a riot. Her energy was chaotic and that jived plenty well with Mila. Namid seemed interesting. Another gal from Sinnat. All she could do was cross her fingers that she didn't have enough knowledge of Trinity to pick her out as the prodigal daughter of the tech royal family. And Farrah? There was no doubt in her mind that they'd be good friends in no time. If she was going to be stuck in this Champion program and grind, she was glad to have someone like Farrah on her team.

Mila didn't think twice before agreeing to head out to fetch some Arcanite. Fact was, she wasn't really big into the stuff. Some people swore by it. Some people died by it. Maybe that was one of the few things she was curious to learn more about here at Hammer. The walk over, she spent some time with Farrah towards the back of the group. But eventually, she had grown a bit too slow for Mila. So she'd squeeze the taller woman's shoulders and leapfrog right over her, a laugh echoing through the streets as she bounded forward towards the group. She fell into step ahead of them, kicking off the side of a wall and flipping forwards in a speedy blur of movement. She kept ahead long enough to be the first one inside the shop. She cast a big grin in the direction of the shop keep, a hand raising to match his own in greeting. But that was about where she stopped. If this was any other shop, she might have been the first to the counter, but instead she lingered near the entrance and scanned a plaque on the wall engraved with the shop's name. Pursing her lips, she perused the window display, a beautifully colored collection of some bits and bobs and powders and liquids. Weird.

She couldn't help but chortle at the teasing Farrah and Lolo were poking at Lyra. The girl needed to loosen up. If Arcanite could be the answer, she was all for it. Hell, maybe she should take up snorting the stuff. Lolo was inviting her deeper into the shop, and Mila let a smirk paint her features, shrugging nonchalantly before taking an exaggerated step in their direction. She'd stay mostly quiet, letting Haim outline their purpose for being here. But she couldn't help but chime in with Farrah's questions, her curiosity and adrenaline burning, "And what about your most dangerous?" She kept the look on her face quite innocent, a pout of her lips as she rocked back and forth on her heels, arms folding behind her back as if playing the angel.

[CurvyKitten]

Character Name: Namid Valentine
Date Oct. 6 | Time: 8pm
Location: Dazzle and Dust
Wearing: This
Tagging: Open| Mentioning: All| All






Team leader, it still felt odd to even think it as she walked down the sidewalk, hands in her pockets. Namid hadn't expected her week to go as it had. Difficult, and enlightening sure, but life changing...no she'd never expected that so early. How she'd gained the position was beyond her, but she was determined to rise to the occasion. She had people depending on her so letting them down just wasn't an option.

Namid walked towards Dazzle and Dust with a steady pace as she thought about the past week. They had met all their new teachers and begun their training at the academy. Some classes seemed as if they were more difficult than others, but they all seemed exciting. At least to her they did. It was a start to a new life, freedom was before her and the possibilities were endless. Dare she even think it, Hope, yes she had hope for the future. It was a strange feeling for sure, but it was one she could get used to. Her unit was to be with her for the next four years. Four years of being by their side would no doubt demolish any barriers between them, or so she thought after watching some of the older teams. Not that she expected Gravity to just simply fall into that state overnight. It would take work, thankfully Namid was no stranger to work. Not to mention she had the dedication and desire to bring them together as a solid unit. No, dare she say family? Maybe not yet but someday?

Smiling softly Namid and her team reached the store in question. Finding it thankfully open they quickly made their way through the front door. Dazzle and Dust, a quaint little shop nestled in a not so impressive part of town. But Namid found herself pleasantly surprised as they walked in. The little bell ringing signaling their entrance and gaining the store keeps attention.

Namid opened her mouth to speak, but her fellow students chimed in before she could even get a word out. It wasn't surprising though. Speaking out had always been an issue for Namid. After all in her house it would most likely just gain you a great deal of pain in the end. But Namid knew she was going to have to find her voice if she wanted to make it at the academy and lead her team. "Hello," she spoke up softly and nodded towards the man that seemed to run the place. "Yes we will be needing to stock up on supplies." she looked around and took a deep breath. Words...yeah words those would be harder than expected as she stood there balancing on the heels of her shoes. "I believe we have a list of what we might be looking for. As Hamehen said we will be needing a fair sum of Arcanite." she explained as her eyes fell upon some of what seemed the finer selection.

Seeing the coolest thing was interesting, but seemed a bit off the mark. Buying some fancy gadget seemed silly, but Namid had to admit she was curious. "What sort of things do you carry?" she asked again, her voice gentle and unimposing as she stepped forward. Money would be a bit of an issue as her family hadn't given her a single cent. Not that she was expecting anything from them. But it would have been nice to have some funds at their disposal. Though considering where the store was located Namid believed they'd be able to work out some sort of deal. After all, the shop owner already admitted he didn't get many people from the academy. Perhaps they would work out some sort of deal. Exclusively buying from him, or maybe sending more students his way if business was slow. They'd have to wait and see what they could all afford. No matter what was promised Namid knew they needed to stoke up. She needed to make sure her team had what they needed to reach their goals. It was after all on her to make sure of that. And she wasn't about to start off by letting them down. As Mila spoke up Namid frowned. But the most dangerous wasn't a good idea. Specially since they were just starting out, but Namid remained quiet. After all looking couldn't hurt...right? 

[FyreFoxx]

Character Name: Lyreilynn "Lyra" Xyrven Myalis
Date | Time: October 6 | Late Evening
Location: Dazzle & Dust
Wearing: Pale blue blouse with open shoulders, long teal skirt with lighter blue panels underneath, wide cloth belt, ankle boots, worn leather crossbody bag
Tagging | Mentioning: Farrah, Marlowe, Haimehen, Namid, Mila | Sandie, Douglas, Silk, Locken, Clove, Jericho, Shir

The hustle and bustle of the academy was a far cry from what Lyreilynn had been used to in the past. Private tutors and self-study made poor experience to ready her for this type of environment, but she wasn’t about to let that get to her, or to let it affect her plans. No, if her siblings could do it, then she could as well. She had to. Silver spoon or not, it seemed that didn’t matter much here in Hammer, where everyone was treated equally. Part of that mentality relieved her, for it meant that it might be a tad easier to blend in and forget the Myalis name hovering over her, forget the pressure to excel beyond her peers, and forget, just for a little while, that she had to be perfect.
 
Classes were a mixed bag of results. Professor Beach, a caffeine-addicted Silenus, rattled off history facts like it was nothing to them. Having had many tutors in the past that spoke at such speeds, Lyra had little difficulty keeping pace with the lectures. The content, however, varied between things she knew well enough and a sprinkle of things she was unaware of. Growing up in Unovia, there were, of course, some regional differences to what history entailed. Professor Wilt’s class was a bit unexpected but not unwelcomed. The wilderness in Johtan was a far cry from the desert airy lands of Unovia. It was certainly a learning experience. Professor Whyte’s class, however, was a lost cause on her. Another Silenus like Beach, the woman was near ruthless in teaching her students, even first-years like them. This was definitely going to be a class she struggled the most in, having barely met the basic physical requirements to even attend the academy. At least Professor Lowed’s class was a subject she looked forward to, although much too short in her opinion. Arcanite had been a source of a great deal of self-study back home, and while her knowledge sometimes exceeded what she was being taught, he also knew things she didn’t, a give and take structure. Perhaps she might approach him after class one day and see if he might be willing to offer some additional tutoring or advanced materials to study? In Professor Field’s class, it became more of a Q&A than anything else, excited murmurs and theories being tossed around. With her homeland being so small compared to many of the other land masses, they didn’t see the number of Hollows as other places did. But then again, it had been roughly the same size of Kalanos and that land had been lost to them nearly a century ago, something her family liked to bring up every now and then in reminiscing. Much like Whyte’s class, the one taught by Swain wasn’t much better, perhaps even worse given the man’s personality, but it was centered around their team and mentor, someone Lyra was curious about but had little time meeting beforehand beyond exchanging of pleasantries when initially introduced. Now, they would be spending more time together as a group. If Shir Dahn was a mystery, then her teammates were moreso.
 
Classes were one thing, but the giant mess hall was completely alien to her, eyeing the forms of other students moving to and fro, sticking to their own little teams either by choice or because no one else seemed to bother associating outside their circles. It was vastly different than the meals back home, where her family was gathered around a long dining table, spaced out so that there was at least one chair’s width between each person, unless they were hosting more family or guests. It was still a strange situation to her, but she greeted it much like she did with anything else; with grace, poise, and a smile plastered on her face, however fake it may be. On Friday, Shir had joined them for the first time, quietly giving them a hint to some upcoming event planned that necessitated the acquisition of arcanite. There was a gleam in her eyes that had otherwise not been present before, entirely intrigued by this notion, and she found herself nodding along to Marlowe’s suggestion of going that night.
 
It didn’t take the group long to gather up their belongings for the short jaunt into town, Lyra idly hanging back as she peered around at all the shops. Having come from Unovia, she had been in Onyx all of about two weeks before her official acceptance to Hammer, so things were all very new to her. However, she kept her curiosity reeled in, trying to keep pace with her teammates as they first tried with standard voiced directions, but when that failed, Lyra had pulled out her phone and offered to use GPS to locate the store in question, keeping to the front of the pack now. When the first store, Glitter and Trade, was found to be closed, having arrived just a touch too late, that smile faltered on her face, but she quickly tapped on her device a few more times to locate a second option, albeit much further away. Using that as a guide, they continued on to Dazzle & Dust, where Lyra was less comfortable the further they got, her steps uneasy and unsteady. She didn’t like urban settings like this. And this was certainly not a well-off portion of the town, either.
 
Once they arrived, Lyra turned off her phone and slipped it inside of the large leather bag that was slung across her body, the worn leather a stark contrast to the flowy silks she generally wore. By then, she was near the last to enter, with just Farrah left to catch up after having been distracted by another establishment. Once inside, the poor elf was nearly vibrating with excitement, her silver eyes widening and her smile growing, still noticeable even after trying to contain her excitement and conceal her emotions. There was just so much arcanite! At Marlowe’s comment, Lyra quickly turned her head in her direction, her cheeks flushed only slightly as she tilted her head to the side in confusion. “W-what? Why would you say such a thing?” She didn’t have many more chances to speak before Lolo took ahold of her hand and dragged her off further into the store. Namid and Haimehen were left to deal with the shop keeper directly.
 
She stumbled along after Lolo, but didn’t pull her hand away immediately. After that first day with her, Lyra was slowly coming to realize that this was just how Lolo was. Instead, she waited a few steps while she regained her balance and composure, slipping her hand from Lolo’s grasp as she peered up at all the shelves around her. Fingers idly brushed against the cloth belt around her waist, a smaller leather one hidden underneath that held a few vials of colored powder tucked away, but most of the loops were empty. She needed to restock her personal collection, but it couldn’t hurt to see what else this store had to offer! It was certainly bigger than the one they had originally tried to visit, so perhaps it was best they had been closed, even if this one was in a particularly unsavory district. Maybe they had some refined crystals that would suit her purposes? Or maybe some raw product was better? She let her fingers trail gently over one table in particular that held an assortment of colored crystals, her mind reeling with possibilities as she paused in front of each one, her other hand raising to tuck a few loose strands of silvery blue hair behind her long slender ears.

[Aethyrium]

S T O R Y T E L L E ROctober 6th, Late Evening (~8pm) | Onyx - Dazzle & Dust | Urban - No Elemental Resonance
Next Post: 10.30.23 | Namid, Farrah, Marlowe, Lyreilynn, Mila, Haimehen
It seemed almost immediately clear that the old shopkeep was not used to the youthful energy that gravity brought into his otherwise quiet business. He tried to keep up with it, remain aware and engaged with the lot of them, but that wasn’t going to happen. He looked the tired sort; he was at an age where his eyes had lost their passionate sheen, and deep wrinkles had formed a series of permanent waves on his forehead even when he wasn’t scrunching his brows. He wore a full, bushy beard of deep grey that connected in lengthy burns to his hair, which was clearly styled messily and likely by a hand brushing through it. Yet deep dimples also made a showing on his face, and indicated that he’d lived a full life of laughter and smiles. In short, he was exactly the type of person that you would expect to find - utterly average, if perhaps well seasoned by age. The varied, but overly present, levels of enthusiasm about the shop seemed to bring him some measure of joy - and pride. He smiled. Dull blue-grey eyes turned to Farrah, and he nodded enthusiastically - losing Lyra and Lolo to the focus. “Coolest, well, hrmm… I think I just got the stuff.” He turned and shuffled over to a cabinet behind the counter. Opening a sliding panel, he produced a small, completely opaque canister.

Lyreilynn (Legend Lore)
Haimehen (History)

Sunny Mote was a famous arcanite engineer roughly thirty years ago. He was a renowned master of imbuements that created several one off objects that are considered collectors items these days. He was most well known for having created technology-mimicking effects out of pure arcanite - though impractical, an impressive feat that has been speculated to be superior to the infinitely more common hybrid arcanite-tech that is commonly used.

Returning to the front counter he struggled for a second before popping the screw-on lid, with a notably loud pop sound. Turning it upside down it took a second before a ball of some kind of transparent, bubbly, gel plopped out. It smacked the glass with a light thud, but strangely didn’t deform. “It’s a new product they’re calling Zapform. It interacts with black arcanite powder, just a pinch softens it and allows it to mold into any shape, before hardening back up.” His mustache wiggled in thought and then he turned his attention… upward! Lifting a slightly shaky hand, he pointed toward the central domed part of the ceiling where, on high shelves, a number of items stood. But his finger was pointed at a little model airplane that was hanging slightly lower than the shelves by three cables. “But if you ask me, I’d say that’s the coolest piece.” He smiled and dropped his hand, “Designed by Sunny Mote, even. It’s imbued with white arcanite that lets it fly with no engine, just control and discipline. Supposed to help refine soul control.”

The shopkeeper's attention turned to Hai, and for a moment both the question and the production of the testing device seemed to put him off. While the practice was - required to be by law - allowed, it was also a good way to offend people. While it wasn’t bad practice - especially at unfamiliar businesses - it was a lot like rubbing your chopsticks together in Japan; bad manners and considered disrespectful, as it implies cheapness on the owners part. Fortunately for Hai and the rest of gravity, whatever annoyance he did have about it melted away fairly quickly and he shook his head, answering pleasantly, “Of course not. I should be able to provide all the dust you need.” And he waved Hai toward the dispensers along the wall, taking the actual note to look over what all they were looking to acquire.

Turning his attention to Mila, just as Lyra and Lolo vanished behind an aisle, he chuckled. “Well that’s much easier.” And with another gesture he directed Mila to a two or so foot tall metal cylinder sitting on the flat of the front window nearest her. It looked like a mechanical spool - metal top and bottom, with six ‘v’ shaped arms that connected to the outermost edge of the spool, bent inward to connect to a bracket at the middle of the central frosted glass tube. “Load that with red and green arcanite, activate it, and you’ve got a magma bomb. Fully loaded it can fill this whole room about a foot deep with molten rock.”

Waggling the note at Namid, the man smiled at her, “Well all of this for certain.” Gently he set it on the table and looked around. “I suppose a bit of everything. I get all my arcanite from a supplier from Pearl. Powder, crystals, even some unprocessed stuff if that’s what you’re looking for. Everything else, well, I’ve picked up most of that here and there over time.” Taking a big breath, he swiveled slowly and pointed in the general direction Lolo and Lyra had headed, “Arcanite is the primary business I do, but I also work with a local weaponsmith and sell his pieces. They’re back that way.”

Mila (Streetwise)

The red tie striped with white paired with red lens sunglasses and a suit is the official uniform of the Crimson Jackals - an Onyx based gang. Largely thugs, they’ve got a reputation for harassing people who wander too far off the beaten path, or too late. The eastern quarter is assumed to be their turf, though there aren’t enough of them to actually cover it. Their numbers are considered to be pretty small in the grand scheme of things, and because of their general disorganization they aren’t thought of as a big threat. It isn’t unusual for them to wear their colors at all times, even when alone. Reputation suggests that they’re a bunch of rowdy, tactless brutes - this guy doesn’t have the right vibe, and seems particularly measured and restrained.

As they were talking the door opened, heralded by the delicate chiming of the bell. A man, probably as tall as Farrah, stepped in. He was wearing a thigh length coat over a crisp business shirt that was centered by a bright red tie with diagonal white stripes. Even more noticeable - because of the time - were the pair of red lensed sunglasses that he wore. Aviator style with sleek bright silver frames. Upon entering he scanned around, reaching up and pulling his glasses down his nose so he could get a look at everyone in the room. Then, shoving the glasses back up his nose, he diverted away from the counter, to the left - away from the dispensers. He shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out a phone widget and flicked on the holo-screen, starting a call. “Found one…” Was all that could be heard by those in the general vicinity of the entryway as he rounded into one of the aisles out of sight of the counter.

[Dove]

Character Name: Mila Rios
Date | Time: October 6 | Late Evening
Location: Dazzle & Dust
Wearing: Skater Girl Chic
Tagging | Mentioning: All

Mila craned her neck, peering around Farrah in front of her to watch the shopkeep try to keep up with their many queries and comments. While she wasn’t necessarily impatient, she was, however, prone to losing interest in a topic or task at any given moment. ADHD? Maybe a little. But she was able to keep a hold of herself as he answered Farrah first. She squinted in the direction of the loud pop, not flinching even an inch. Zapform, the shopkeep introduced. She looked from the gel to the shopkeep and back again, her face scrunching at the description. This is what he thought was the coolest thing in the shop? She couldn’t hide the subtle look of disappointment on my face. But luckily he made up for the less than impressive gel by introducing the next piece. Flying without an engine? This was closer to her speed. She hummed a bit in thought, clearly falling victim to her imagination.

Eventually after catering to Haim, he was on to her favorite topic. Danger! The gesture had her turning to look over her shoulder at the metal cylinder. Brows rising, she tapped her fingers from either hand together mischievously as she turned on her heel and crouched next to the thing. ”A magma bomb, huh?” Her eyes lit up, plopping herself down on the floor and sitting cross legged next to the thing. While the gentleman was now met with Namid’s conversation, she was absolutely entranced by this Arcanite bomb. ”Just think… how awesome this could be. We could… hell, I don’t even know.” She turned her head, arms extending to any of her teammates that might listen. ”This bomb is a must. We need this!” Her voice was pleading, the emphasis on the word need sounding incredibly genuine even for such a ridiculous request.

Sitting practically alongside the entrance to the shop, she was immediately fascinated by the man that entered after them. The smile stayed on her face, a single brow arched over one of her bright eyes as she swept her gaze over him. From the outside, it might have looked like an innocent look. Hell, she’d be lying if she said he wasn’t attractive. But she knew those colors. The tie. The suit. The blood red fabric that caused a subtle tingle in the back of her head. This guy? He was not good news.
Found one.

Found what? She popped up to her feet, hand reaching up to adjust her beanie as she curiously let her tongue sit in the corner of her mouth. She peeked towards Farrah and Namid, unsure if anyone else would know who this guy was. Luckily, she knew how to keep her cool. She stepped quickly in the direction of this fellow, not interrupting any of her teammates if they were still investigating the arcanite or other goods in the shop. She’d follow in the stranger’s wake, stepping right alongside him and taking one more large step to come in front of him.

”Well, hey there. You found me, hmm?” She let a playful, charming smile wash over her features. And then, as if only just realizing the holo-screen, she gasped, eyes going wide in an exaggerated expression. ”Oh gosh, I’m sorry. That’s awfully embarrassing. I thought you were talking to me.” She let a sheepish look cross her face, lips twisting and then once again curling up in a grin. "I had thought we shared a little look when you came in… you know?” She let her arms wrap around herself, leaning up against one of the shelving units nearby.

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: October 6th | Late Evening (~8pm)
Location: Dazzle & Dust
Wearing: Crisp white button down, pressed grey and black pinstripe vest, pressed black pants, Low heeled boot, Black low-rise top hat
Tagging | Mentioning: Lyra | Farrah, Mila
A less than innocent smirk curled on Lolo’s lips at Farrah’s joined in commentary, “Well,” Lolo began, blinking quizzically at Lyra, “Is that true? Do you want me to tie you up in private?” Only once they had rounded the corner of the aisle, cutting them off from the others did she answer Lyra’s befuddled question, “Oh I don’t know, because I have seen you in Lowed’s class and this is the candy store for you?” She paused in her step right as Lyra got her hand free, letting the elf’s next nearly bump them into one another. Lolo pulled a slender finger to her lips and tapped them thoughtfully, “Or,” Her red hues scanned over Lyra with a quickness, “Maybe I just like the way you look when I say such things.” Winking, Lolo turned and gave Lyra back some space, grinning and running her hand across a shelf.

Somewhere behind them, Lolo heard Mila’s commentary about needing a bomb, and she looked back over her shoulder, squinting and shaking her head. “That one is going to get us all killed.” She murmured to Lyra in good spirits. What use could they possibly have for a magma bomb?! Walking along the curve of the shelf they were at, Lolo barely managed to hear the distant chime of the entrance bell - how many people could be looking for Arcanite this late? Then again, the man was probably not open right now because he wanted to be. Lolo peered at the various arcanite baubles, but found herself drawn more to the different shaped and sized crystals. “What would you even do with a crystal this big?” She questioned, reaching out and picking up a green crystal that was about as wide as a soccer ball. The elemental energy within felt familiar to her. “Seems excessive, doesn’t it?” Taking a deep breath she carefully set it back down where it had come from. “Think you could handle it?” Lolo gave Lyra a pointed, amused glance.

Another couple of steps saw the shelving behind them open up to a little staircase that dropped down into a half-circle pit that featured the collection of weapons that the shopkeep had mentioned. Unfortunately, weapons were only of a passing interest to Lolo, so as she gazed across them nothing jumped out at her - and given what she knew of Lyra, she figured they’d hold just as little, or less, interest to her partner. Across the way, though, there was a rack that had books and what looked like magazines - all of it arcanite related. Lolo scanned for a way to get there from here without hopping the railing, “So,” She turned back to Lyra and gestured at all the goodies, “What do you look for in a place like this?” Speaking of, she glanced past Lolo the way they had come, “How long do you think they’ll take?”

[shengami]

Character Name: Haimehen
Date Oct. 6 | Time: Morning (~8p.m.)|
Location: Dazzle and Dust
Wearing: Orange sythetic fabric shorts, (shirt, button up, gauche sweater combo), puffer jacket, and woolen knit cap. Carrying a large duffle over his shoulders like a backpack.
Tagging: Open| Mentioning: All| All
"What possible need for a bomb?" Despite his words, Haim eyed the device. His curiosity was less founded in its destructive power or its aesthetic appeal but rather the ingenuity and talent it took to design such things. Haim had yet been able to reliably stabilize a combined effect in arcanite devices. He could reproduce known machinery that combined effects, but had yet been able to adapt any such technology or technique to his own designs, i.e. the arcanite ammunition he used in his weapons. Some part of him wanted to purchase the bomb, yes, but to take it apart and study its component. He shook his head at the, now, distracted Mila. It seemed that the matter had been resolved in the way of the unfocused. Sighing heavily, he turned back to the proprietor.

He eyed the man warily. He had not meant to insult the man's wares, but this was the east district. And while the man seemed reputable and his collection diverse and well-stocked, Haim knew the area too well not to be wary of a scam. Feeling slightly bad about it would not stop him testing the purity though. After all, purity dictated the use. And his designs had very specific needs. Letting his eyes slide up, he looked to the aircraft again and he felt his heart yearn for it. Not only was it a design by one of the universally recognized geniuses of the craft but it used his own elemental affinity. He licked dry lips and stared hungrily even as his brain rationalized his inability to secure it by considering both its monetary worth and sentimental value. Another heavy sigh escaped the garishly dressed young man.

"Unprocessed? Hmmm, I have been considering an experiment with it. The volatility lends itself to certain ideas. I am, myself, a weaponsmith. Ranged weapons primarily." Haim spoke as he moved towards the large tubes filled with the arcanite powder. "I'd love to look at your stock. For now, it might be out of my price range. Poor students, I am sure you understand? But, I am always interested in studying the work of others. I was also wonderig if you carried any weave; or, specifically, the dyes? I know some of the large suppliers carry them, but you typically need a benefactor or license to deal with them. We've a comrade who practices 'sorcery,' so the unrefined arcanite might of interest to her as well. At least, I think sorcerous types are into that stuff. It's hard to know with those who claim to practice 'sorcery.'" Without saying anything, Haim started to remove cannisters from his bag to have them filled. He even moved to fill some himself. These were larger cannisters than were typically carried on person. Easier to fill, they could be divied up when they got back to the dorms. Notably, though he had asked, he did not actually test the powders. To his mind, the ones that refused were the ones to watch. Those that got visibly offended tended to be honest.

As he did so, he tried to make small talk, "So, how did you locate the Mote piece? I am an avid fan, but I have had only one chance prior to this to study his actual work. I've seen a few of his blueprints, but they never do the real thing justice." Again, he glanced up to the delicate plane and his mind whirled wondering how it worked. He wondered if it was somewhat similar to how his own weapons worked, using sonic arcanite a propulsion method. Oh, the glory if he had managed to accomplish soething even remotely similar to a Mote design. Haim was not one given to bragging, ever, but that mgiht just be something worth mentioning.

[Envious]

Character Name: Farrah
Date | Time: October 6th | 8:00pm ish
Location: Dazzle & Dust
Wearing: This. Hat has the school logo on it. Shield is strapped to her back.
Tagging | Mentioning: Lyra, Lolo, Haimehen, Namid, Mila

She followed the shopkeeper a polite distance away, stopping short to give him space at the counter. When he brought out the Zapform, she watched with a gentle fascination as it plopped on the counter and its use was explained. "My father-- Well, nevermind about him. I think of the utility a product like this in the Junkyard would bring. To craft the part you need to immediately fit the moment rather than waiting on manufacturing or shipping? Very cool," she confirmed, but the old man wasn't done yet. When he pointed upwards, she followed his vision to the plane. She had no idea who Sunny Mote was, but she could hear the pride. She would have assumed everything in a store had a price, but she had the feeling the airplane might not. Or maybe that was her own over-sentimentality leaking out.

Truthfully, she had a very touch-and-go relationship with arcanite. She used it frequently at her job, but as far as personal experimentation? It had been an activity she had done with her mother. To the eyes of a child, Farrah had thought her mother to be a master in its use! When their lessons had stopped at 14 years of age, Farrah hadn't stopped using it, but the passion for experimentation had died down. She thought she saw some of the spark of curiosity of how far something could be taken when watching the old man point out the plane and it made her smile fondly.

"It sounds like an elegant device with a practical use." They both turned at Haimehen's question. Her smile flattened into a neutral expression. She considered him a moment before looking pointedly at the canisters against the wall, then the shopkeeper, and finally back at her teammate. She didn't reveal her thoughts and when Mila piped up about the most dangerous object, Farrah snapped and pointed a finger-gun at her partner. "Better watch out for that one," she teased as the need for a bomb was articulated, distancing herself from Haimehen to bring herself directly under the plane. She gazed up at it as the conversation continued around her and placed her hands in the front pocket of her hoodie. A magma bomb did indeed sound dangerous. That would be a lot of clean-up after the battle. She glanced over at the newest arrival and would have dismissed the well-dressed man entirely if it had not been for Mila's interest. 

Farrah hadn't known Mila enough to know her, but there just wasn't a world where she thought Mila would have an actual romantic interest in such a joyless looking dude. She divided her attention between the plane and the duo; she couldn't help peeking over at intervals to watch their interaction. She had to admit, the man wasn't ugly. Maybe it wasn't romance that pulled Mila in, but something a little more physical. She found herself nodding her head in lieu of cheering Mila on, silently singing her partner praises to get it! She searched out Lolo, the only other person who would likely participate in gawking with her, but she seemed fully engaged in teasing Lyra. It was hard for Farrah to know for sure at this distance, but it was a safe bet.

With Namid focused on business and Haimehen interested in Mote, Farrah stood around without much to do. Why had Shir sent them to get arcanite? She had added her own request of lightning, fire, and sound arcanite to the list - a crystal and two vials of dust respectively - to increase her current inventory and hopefully be prepared for whatever may come, but she wondered what it might be. 

[CurvyKitten]

Character Name: Namid Valentine
Date Oct. 6 | Time: 8pm
Location: Dazzle and Dust
Wearing: This
Tagging: Open| Mentioning: All| All



Namid listened with honest interest as the shopkeeper described what he had within the store. It was surprising to say the least considering where the shop was located. It made her leery of the man before them, if only to expect that he'd try to swindle them when it came to haggling over prices. No doubt he'd be expecting them to be fat with cash so to speak. When honestly they were still being paid at a Squires level. And Namid had no help from her family. They honestly could care less about her well being. She figured they'd written her off the moment her feet left the driveway of what had once been her home. Thankfully though she had expected nothing less and had managed to collect a decent savings before leaving them and their hatred behind.

"What is the strength of the Zapfoam when it hardens? What would you compare it to?" she asked wondering what the substance The magma bomb was self explanatory but dangerous, "That would most likely work against us as well. We'd have to set up a way to avoid the magma." she shrugged a bit thinking the idea of a magma bomb rather ridiculous.

The mention of weapons perked her curiosity, "Do you have any Arcanite imbued ammo?" she asked and began making her way towards the back. She would need some raw and processed Arcanite for her inventions of course. But what she needed most at the moment was more ammo. And if she could avoid having to make it all herself that would be amazing. And would allow her to have more free time for her other projects.

[FyreFoxx]

Character Name: Lyreilynn "Lyra" Xyrven Myalis
Date | Time: October 6 | Late Evening
Location: Dazzle & Dust
Wearing: Pale blue blouse with open shoulders, long teal skirt with lighter blue panels underneath, wide cloth belt, ankle boots, worn leather crossbody bag
Tagging | Mentioning: Marlowe, Haimehen | Mila

With still flushed cheeks, Lyra narrowed her eyes just slightly at Lolo, trying in vain to keep that subtle smile across her lips. The taller woman seemed to enjoy poking fun at the smaller elf and it was becoming harder and harder to decipher the meaning behind those words. Were they simply in jest? Was she actively trying to get a rise out of her? Or did she actually mean what she was saying? Everything confused her, so for the moment, to preserve what little sanity she had left at the moment, Lyra just pushed all those thoughts to the back of her mind.

Somewhere near the front of the store was a short conversation about bombs and planes. While the magma bomb actually quite intrigued Lyra, wondering briefly if maybe she could construct such a thing on her own or something similar, it was the mention of the plane by Mote that caught her attention the most. While she couldn’t see the shopkeeper or the items he brought out to show the others, it was obvious that the plane was elsewhere. Taking a step back from the rounded shelves, Lyra glanced at the far shelves over the top and kept her gaze going higher. There! Just barely, those silver eyes caught sight of the small construct held aloft by wires from the ceiling.

Making a note to herself to get a better view later, Lyra was pulled back to what was happening around her when Lolo questioned her about a particular crystal. Blinking in surprise, she tilted her head to one side, studying the large green arcanite crystal, easily the size of her head. “Yes, it does seem a bit…excessive. Handle it? Ah, no, earth magic is not my specialty. Actually, I have little affinity for it at all.” Whether Lolo’s innocent question held a deeper meaning or not, it went right over Lyra’s head.

The steps that went further down were given a cursory glance at best, seeing a few weapons as she walked by, but they were left mostly ignored, continuing her path along the round shelf as she reached the end until she could go no further, deciding she would instead backtrack and take a second look to see if she missed anything of value. “Crystals, usually. Arcanite that is refined is ideal, but raw arcanite is acceptable. It is the purity or potency that matters the most. I would like to purchase at least one, if I am able, but I suppose I shall settle with just restocking on powder for the time being.” Lyra had jotted down a small list of the powders she needed when the group had started discussing what kind of arcanite they would be needing for this task, leaving it with Haimehen as he had the large bag to carry everything. She would just collect her share of it later at their dormitory. It was mostly for personal use, but some of it was indeed meant for whatever use their mentor had for them.

At some point during her second inspection of the goods for sale, Lyra was aware of another presence in the store. The chime hadn’t even registered to her, but there was a deeper voice and Mila seemed to be talking to someone not in their small group. As far as she could remember, they were the only customers in the store when they first arrived. Curiosity got the best of her as she edged closer to the beginning of the isle she was in, fingers curling around the shelf as she peered around the edge towards the direction of Mila and the unknown man. Not exactly the most ladylike thing to do, so she slowly stepped out from behind the shelf, finding herself back near the storefront where they first started, fingers spayed across her skirt as she smoothed it out in a gesture of dusting it off.

[Aethyrium]

Crimson Jackal

Ocean Specter

S T O R Y T E L L E ROctober 6th, Late Evening (~8pm) | Onyx - Dazzle & Dust | Urban - No Elemental Resonance
Next Post: 11.04.23 | Namid, Farrah, Marlowe, Lyreilynn, Mila, Haimehen
True to his kindly nature, when the first jackal entered Dazzle & Dust, the shopkeeper looked up to meet his sweeping gaze. Sure he didn’t offer the same vocal welcome that he had for gravity, but only because the man seemed to have a purpose about him and had quickly wandered off. He thought nothing of it, nor the call, and went right back to answering the flurry of questions. “That’s what it was made for originally,” He replied to Farrah, “I think.” A light, uncertain chuckle followed.

He seemed genuinely surprised to hear Mila’s interest in the bomb. Though he couldn’t begin to imagine what a bunch of kids - by his accounting, anyway - would need with such a devastating device, he was not in the business of questioning purchases. Especially such expensive devices that, while he had ended up with it, he didn’t have a good way to offload - as it turned out, there wasn’t high demand for those kinds of things among civilians. “Sure,” He said to Haim with a bit of a nod, “I don’t get much in the way of requests for it, but I’ve got a routine customer who comes in looking for it a couple times a month. Like you said, dangerous stuff. Don’t know anything about working with it, but I’ve got great storage for it.” He said that like it was a boast of some kind, “Well of course I understand.” Reaching up, he idly scratched at his beard, “Everyone’s a bit tight these days, but you’re welcome to look.” Exhaling a bit, the man’s whole face tightened up and his myriad of wrinkles become more pronounced, “Weave? Hrm, maybe…” He glanced around over his shoulder, trying to get his bearings, “A piece or two around here somewhere.” With a mild gesture he pointed off the rear right corner of the shop, “Things I’ve picked up over the years. Don’t carry it normally though. Kind of old fashioned for a youngin’.”

As Haim was moving to the dispensers to fill the canisters - a simple port connection which would activate the dispensers to eject until paused - the chime over the door sounded again. Another man entered, right about the time Lyra popped back into the front entry area. He wore suspiciously similar attire to the first - a decent suit, complete with candy cane striped tie and red lens aviator sunglasses that served no immediate purpose at this time of night. Unlike the other, he didn’t look around, just immediately veered off to the right, toward the dispensers. He stopped beside Haim and looked over and down at him, seeming to examine the process of filling the container; despite the innocence of the action, it had a weird vibe to it, like one dude looking down at another and staring while they were using adjacent urinals - awkward and uncomfortable. Complete with a weird, toothy grin as he met Haim’s gaze.

Around the curved shelves, mostly separated from the rest of the group, the original jackal blinked at Mila as she boldly entered his orbit. His nose wrinkled, “Huh?” He grunted, confused at first. Behind his glasses he sized her from head to toe, then looked a little awkwardly around the area - missing Farrah in the brief scan. Focusing on Mila, he tongued his teeth and stuffed his hands into his pockets. “Wasn’t then, but am now.” He chuckled, mimicking her lean against the shelf. “You know, I got that vibe too.”

Barely having the chance to acknowledge that guy, the shopkeeper looked back up at the hanging plane and smiled, “He gave it to me.” The old man said with pride, “Oh it’s been years now, but he came right in here and traded the piece to me for some refined yellow arcanite I happened to have. He probably got the better end of that trade,” He smiled wide, “But it was worth it.”

Farrah (Motive Sense)

As crimson jackal’s three and four enter the building, Farrah has the distinct impression that these people are casing the store. They’re spreading out and all of them are taking notice of who is around - they’re filling gaps in the shop and taking stock of who all is present. They seem to be waiting for something, and she can be pretty confident that it’s more. These aren’t patrons, they’re people getting ready to cause a problem. Of those present, the short one is clearly, to Farrah, the leader - not just to the tall one, but there’s something about him that she’s positive puts him higher rank than the other two as well.

Another chime, and this time two more men dressed in outfits that would have made them impossible to tell apart if they didn’t look physically different. One of these guys was oddly short - even shorter than Namid - and the other especially lanky. The long armed one waved at the shopkeeper, and the short one grunted and back handed his partner's forearm. The pair of them brushed past Lyra and turned down the aisle Lolo was still lurking in. The old man paid a bit more attention to these two, but only because he seemed to be surprised that he was so busy. He waved back, offered a quick, “Welcome.” He followed their movements only long enough that his attention naturally fell back to the Zapfoam ball and he waddled toward it, picking it up. “I’m told it’s comparable to brass.” He held the ball out to Namid for her to examine if she was so inclined. His hands looked so thin and frail when on display, his skin was tight against his bone, and his knuckles were nubby.

“What’s a pretty thing like you need with Arcanite?” The jackal asked Mila, he reached up and hooked his index around the middle of his glasses, sliding them down a little to look at her over the top of them, “Tell you what, how about you run on home and get into something nicer than that jacket.” He grinned wide, “I’ll give you my number, and by the time you’re done I’ll be all wrapped up here ‘n I’ll come get ya.”

The pair that had entered together circled around until they saw Lolo. The short one abandoned his partner’s side right away, quickly stepping into the pit with the weapons. The tall one gave her a little acknowledging nod, a wide smile, and then followed into the pit.

If anyone was looking outside, they’d see the approach of a handful more people. Their presence was announced like everyone’s, a little chime as the door opened. A small pause and two more red suited men entered. But following them was a different kind of man entirely. He was slick in his fancy attire that gave Lolo’s wardrobe a run for its money. Dark hair with a long bang, and shaggy rear length, sides combed back. His ear was pierced with a large and small black stud. He wore a precisely manicured goatee and mustache. All his dark hair the perfect shadow to his bright, almost neon, yellow eyes. He walked with a cane of twisted, polished dark wood capped by an exquisitely crafted octopus. Stepping out of the way of the door, four more men in red entered Dazzle & Dust. Two of them spread out to either side and vanished around the back of the curved aisle each, the remaining four drifted out around the entry - except one who stayed close to the man and the door. Ocean leaned on his cane and reached up, straightening the bow tie on his neck, “Do you know how hard it is to find an Arcanite shop open this late?” He laughed, turning and looking at all the kids. His eyes landed heavily on Farrah, “Busy this time of night.” He clicked his tongue, as if considering something, and stepped toward the counter. He leaned over the glass and peered at all the crystals within, “Lovely. Listen old man, I have some business.” Glancing at Namid, he frowned, “And I don’t think anyone else needs to be involved.” Ocean set his gloved hand on the glass and leaned in toward the shopkeeper, “Let’s send them on their way, shall we?”

[Envious]

Character Name: Farrah
Date | Time: October 6th | 8:00pm ish
Location: Dazzle & Dust
Wearing: This. Hat has the school logo on it. Shield is strapped to her back.
Tagging | Mentioning: Lyra, Lolo, Haimehen, Namid, Mila
Notes: Punched goon at the door. Used powers on Ocean to pull him away from the counter towards Farrah at the door and then she gunna punch him in the back.


She hadn’t thought Haimenhen would be interested in something as retro as weave, but that’s what she got for judging a book by its cover. Maybe he was looking for a new outfit? With all of her imagination used up on thinking of the possibilities for what they would need the arcanite for, she thought about more practical things. She wondered if she should assist the elf in filling the canisters. She wondered if that noodle shop would still be open on the way back to school. She wondered if her team wanted to do anything fun tomorrow. She gave a sly look in Mila’s direction and wondered if her partner would even be available. Her lip curled up in amusement and she was about to look away to be helpful when the door opened.

If it weren’t for the sunglasses, Farrah wouldn’t have immediately noticed that they were wearing the same outfit. She wouldn’t even have picked it out as something odd with the way the new entrant completely disregarded the other man and walked with intention across the shop, but when both men were in her line of sight she had a feeling. It was as if the two together resonated a foul intention.

Farrah gave a distracted smile of acknowledgment to the shopkeeper over his fondness for Mote’s creation, but she didn’t pursue the conversation and let Haimehen’s questions keep the old man’s attention. She had learned long ago to trust her gut and act immediately, but what would her teammates think if she just started laying waste because some instinct told her to? This wasn’t her home village - she was sure to get in trouble for acting out in such a manner. It had taken many years and unpleasant consequences before she had established enough of a rapport to not get in immediate trouble when going with her gut and even when she was right about the intentions of the offending party, that didn’t mean her response was right. The only thing that kept her from going for it was the fear of being expelled from school for violating a code of conduct.

Although she was loathe to do it, she moved away from Mila and towards the shopkeeper. “Hey,” she whispered to grab Namid's attention before she browsed the aisles and Lyra's now that she had moved closer. She interrupted the conversation. “I think you’re about to get robbed. Can you call the police?” The bell chimed again and Farrah’s stomach dropped as she turned towards the door. More uniformed men entered the building and there was no question in Farrah’s mind that they were on the verge of trouble. Her back straightened as her eyes landed on the sore thumb who stood out with his style. The way their gaze met rankled the elf. The smug self-assuredness begged to be taken down a notch. That’s what heroes did. That’s what she would do, right?

Wrong.

Farrah knew she would do it because she’d never leave a person to face danger alone and her own intentions weren’t as pure. There was no way in hell she was about to unpack that here, though. She hadn’t joined Hammer to talk about her feelings, but to avoid them.

When the leader of the merry little band suggested that they be on their way, Farrah turned on her heel like a robot and made as if to leave. With heavy steps and eyes on the door, she moved closer and reached out as if to open the door and then -- wham! -- Farrah had balled up her fist and clocked the goon at the door with her right hand. As the momentum took her in full spin, she didn’t wait to see what happened to the man; she turned and with her outstretched arm she splayed open her fingers towards Ocean and reached out with her shimmer to pull the man towards her, ass first, with the intention of clasping her fingers together to form a club and hit the smug bastard as soon as he neared.

She had hesitated earlier. She had almost considered hesitating now and going with the flow of her team. She was fully aware she was taking the decision away from them with this action, but waiting had never been her strategy.

[shengami]

Character Name: Haimehen
Date Oct. 6 | Time: Evening (~8p.m.)|
Location: Dazzle and Dust
Wearing: Orange sythetic fabric shorts, (shirt, button up, gauche sweater combo), puffer jacket, and woolen knit cap. Carrying a large duffle over his shoulders like a backpack.
Tagging: Open| Mentioning: All| All
It wouldn't have been the first time that Haim had attracted male attention. There was even a remote possibility that it wouldn't need to be the first time he reciprocated. The other man wasn't actually his type though. And there was a palpable tension in the air as the man creeped on him. It felt like he was fumbling with his cock rather than filling the cannister with black arcanite.

All that said, though, Haim was prepared to ignore it. People were, occasionally, rude and you simply needed to have a thick skin. Even if the man's vibrations were nausea inducing and that similar waves were now thick within the shop, Haim was willing to let things stay quiet and complain about it later in the dorm. He was sure that Namid or Lolo would be happy to make some less that complimentary remarks about the assholes in the suits.

He turned off the spigot and leaned down to replace the cannister in his large duffle. Suddenly, from the front of the shop, a jagged spike of sound erupted from just out of sight around the corner. That was near the door. Blinking, he recognized the telltale waves that Farrah emitted overlapping what he knew was a sound of flesh striking flesh. His eyes widened. And then something unusual happened. Some kind of effect which distorted and warped the sound waves. He expeted that was Farrah's pull. He'd seen it in their combat class this week. he wasn't certain, he'd only seen it once or twice and didn't have its waves and permutations memorized yet, but it looked right. "Merde. Que est-ce qu'elle fait?"

He let the empty cannister that had been meant for yellow arcanite fall back into the bag and his hand drifted to the handle of Feu. He felt the smooth, worn wood and sighed. Without preamble, he stood. The long, sleek weapon slowly emerged from the bag and, with a practice flick of his wrist, the breech snapped open. With practiced ease, Haim slipped a blue round into the barrel and snapped it shut. He smirked at the man and then pulled his phone out of his pocket and, while looking towards the front of the store, dialed the emergency code. The loaded and ready weapon hung at his side, Haim monitored the waves of sound coming off the man near him, and clenched his teeth as he worried about what was coming.

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: October 6th | Late Evening (~8pm)
Location: Dazzle & Dust
Wearing: Crisp white button down, pressed grey and black pinstripe vest, pressed black pants, Low heeled boot, Black low-rise top hat
Tagging | Mentioning:  | Lyra
Lyra’s silent refusal to answer the questions and play along - or show actual interest - wasn’t terribly surprising at this point. In the last week she’d had plenty of opportunities to come to realize that’s just how her partner was - reserved? That didn’t stop it from being just a little disappointing though. Lolo pursed her lips and pouted just a smidge before moving right along. At the crystal, Lolo made a mental note - at least she tried to, chances were that it’d fall out of her head sooner rather than later - about Lyra’s disinterest in green crystals. Sad, because she liked them a fair bit. “Isn’t raw super dangerous?” Lolo questioned, just in time to see Lyra wandering away. Her brows furrowed a bit and she huffed. For a moment she debated following, but after figuring that she’d just be in everyone’s way while they collected their goods, she decided to just stick to where she was.

Lolo swung around and put her back to Lyra, meandering to the pit stairs and running her hand along the railing as she gracefully took half the steps down to better peek at everything inside. She saw a blade near enough that vaguely looked like Namid’s - a sword with a revolver baked in. Nothing that reminded her of Mila or Farrah’s weapons, though. Plenty of guns, even a couple sets that might’ve appealed to Haim. And nothing that screamed like it would fit Lyra - of course she knew that Lyra didn’t need a weapon, but it felt a bit out of place that she didn’t have one. Even if it was just something defensive. Then again, Lolo glanced down at her hands, turning them palm up, and wiggled her fingers - did she even really have a weapon? Her gloves in her back pocket didn’t exactly scream ‘I’m protected’. Then again, that was part of what appealed to her about them.

She probably would have stayed thoughtful until someone came to collect her, if it hadn’t been for the shorter jackal brushing past her. “Hm?” She blinked and looked up as he carried on, immediately going for something that looked like a grenade launcher. The taller one was bigger than Farrah even, and Lolo looked up at him and his weird, strangely directed smile and nod - offering an awkward one back to him. “Hello.” She offered, accompanied by a small wave. When he turned and silently followed after the other, Lolo tilted her head questioningly - what was that about? She wouldn’t have thought anything more of it, until they turned to face one another and she got a chance to catch the similarity of their outfits - because of course she would notice something like that. Bizarre. Glancing over her shoulder, Lyra was out of view - and the bell chimed again. “Busy place…” Lolo muttered, taking the last few steps into the pit and heading for a broadsword to inspect - blissfully unaware of the action starting to unfold beyond the shelves.

[FyreFoxx]

Character Name: Lyreilynn "Lyra" Xyrven Myalis
Date | Time: October 6 | Late Evening
Location: Dazzle & Dust
Wearing: Pale blue blouse with open shoulders, long teal skirt with lighter blue panels underneath, wide cloth belt, ankle boots, worn leather crossbody bag
Tagging | Mentioning: Farrah | Lolo
It didn’t take long before the delicate chime of the door opening rang out again, and again, and again. More men were entering the store and something about it felt off to her. They were all dressed similarly and that usually meant one of two things. Either something bad was about to happen, or it could also be simply someone of such a high rank about to show up that wanted complete privacy while shopping, something Lyra was often present for when her mother took her to town and shooed away other customers. Her gentle smile faltered as she peered over to the men moving further inside, silver eyes going from them to the men closest to the door as they entered the shop. There were even more of them now.

This late at night, and all these men in similar suits were showing up, with one in particular standing out among the crowd, dressed much more elaborately than the rest. Two men had passed her by as they walked in Lolo’s direction, giving them just a slight nod as they went out of politeness but kept her gaze focused on the front of the store. She had left her partner alone after the crystal discussion, although she never intended to outright ignore her. Her interest had just been drawn elsewhere and she tended to wander when arcanite was involved.

There was just something about the well-dressed man that drew her attention. No, it was more than that. He commanded it, his mere presence drawing her in. There was a slight flush to her cheeks as she admired him from afar. He must have been the wealthy sort, if his garb was any indication of his status. If not that, then the simple fact of how many bodyguards had shown up and were spreading around the store, as if they were anticipating something. She didn’t quite get the feeling that something was wrong, but she knew status and power when she saw it, and this man with the cane meant business.

Something about the way the man addressed the shopkeeper caught her attention more than the manner he was dressed. He certainly had good taste, in clothing and in products, but the way he was dismissing the rest of the students gathered as if they meant nothing was a bit off-putting. Then again, those in high society often did the same thing, snubbing those they deemed unworthy or beneath them with little regards to feelings. It wasn’t uncommon to see back home, but it surprised her to witness such a sight here, of all places. Send them on their way? They were still in the process of shopping and getting the powder they needed. While it was true that they could certainly come back another time, they were already there and Haim had already started to fill canisters for them.

Lyra took a step forward, about to open her mouth and speak up, but was quickly silenced when Farrah made the first move instead. Apparently, the burly woman did not take kindly to being told to leave, even if indirectly, and her fist connected with the face of one of the men at the door. A gasp left her lips as her eyes widened in shock. They were students, for goodness sakes! STUDENTS! She was not about to get expelled in her first week because of something an idiot teammate of hers did! “Stultus! Quid es tilla facis?!”

Another step forward, then another, before Lyra utilized her small frame and speed to place herself directly between Farrah and the well-dressed man that the taller elf had suddenly decided to try and yank towards herself. “Farrah, stop!” She was glad she had started moving the second Farrah had made to punch the other guy or she might not have had the reaction time to make it. With her back to Farrah, she placed herself between Ocean and the other elf, effectively using her own body to block the motion, hopefully without any harm coming to either party.

Lyra lowered her head slightly as she gripped her skirts, pulling them outward as she dipped low into a curtesy. “I am so sorry, sir! Please excuse my,” she started, but hesitated a moment, trying to formulate the proper word. “Acquaintance here,” she finished without missing another beat. “She knows not what she is doing.” A quick glance was tossed over her shoulder at the tall elf with those words, her eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Was she mad? Annoyed? Concerned? Worried? All those emotions were possible but hard to read on her face. Those long pale silvery blue locks slipped forward over exposed shoulders as she then looked down at the floor in a polite bow of her head, before lifting her head a moment later to gaze at the man before her. “Please do forgive her this discourtesy.” Whether these men were here on business or something else, she couldn’t believe that Farrah would punch first and ask questions later.

[Aethyrium]

Crimson Jackal

Ocean Specter

S T O R Y T E L L E ROctober 6th, Late Evening (~8pm) | Onyx - Dazzle & Dust | Urban - No Elemental Resonance
Next Post: 11.10.23 | Farrah, Lyreilynn, Mila, Haimehen, Namid, Lolo
It wasn’t Farrah’s interruption that got the shopkeeper to raise his fuzzy brows in confusion, but the words she spoke when she did interrupt. Robbed? Based on what? The very notion of it seemed to fill him with anxiety. “W-What ar-” He began, as the door chimed again and stole his attention from her warning. There were a lot more people in here at one time than usual, which did not help calm his nerves that were now particularly primed thanks to Farrah. Seeing Ocean follow in, the old man swallowed hard - was it Farrah’s warning, or this man’s presence that made him jitter. “W-Welcome.” He stammered, casting a sidelong glance at Farrah and Namid, then back to Ocean. Was this who she had been talking about? Uncertain, the old man froze, watching the new client approach the case and comment on his supply. “They’ll…” He began, hesitantly watching Farrah as she began to circle toward the door. Too many people, and he had not nearly enough eyes to track them all - and Ocean had a magnetism that lured his gaze. “They’ll be done soon.” He commented, “I think I’ll be closing soon. We can do business… Another day?” A timid, unsure offer.

Arms crossed over his chest, scoping the whole situation of the shop, the Jackal at the door turned his head just enough to acknowledge Farrah as she got closer. He had weirdly thin lips, with a little scar that ran over the right side of the lower one and onto his chin. They quirked at the corner with smugness, but he seemed polite enough that he was going to let her exit - as it seemed she was intending. He started to shift, not catching her pull back in time to do anything about her attack, “Wha-” He began, only to be immediately silenced when her first connected with his jaw. The impact lifted him off the ground several inches and sent him sprawling back into the door frame with a heavy and obvious thud. He slid down it sloppily, unconscious.

Having been in a prime position to watch Farrah move toward the exit, the Jackal closest to Namid stepped in toward the tiny girl as her companion moved to leave. And being the only person actually facing the door, he got to see Farrah’s attack as it happened. As if that were a cue, he reached out wide and bear hug Namid from behind and restrain her - but she proved to be too slippery for his sluggish movements and managed to avoid the grab.

Ocean, who had legitimately been looking at the wares of the shop and engaged with the owner, barely had time to register the situation. He was not so unawares as to not have clocked Farrah’s movement, but he too assumed she was leaving after his words - exactly what he had wanted. He heard the thud, but didn’t have time enough to react to it. Not that he would have known how to react to a strange, invisible force latching onto him and dragging him backward away from the counter. His eyes widened a little and he clutched at the top his cane. For a moment it looked like he might wheel around with it, at least, until he bumped unexpectedly soon into Lyra and she shouted for things to stop - which to her credit, and Ocean’s thankfulness, did seem to end the puppet string that had decided to dictate his movement.

On her rush forward toward Ocean, Lyra had brushed against the Jackal between them. He grunted, and sneered, turning around and followed after her when it looked like she wasn’t heading immediately for the door. But he paused when she called for a stop, at least until he could get a better read on the situation - almost frantic he looked between Ocean, Lyra, and Farrah, trying to anticipate what was coming next.

Of course it was too late to stop other things from happening. Haim was on the move, and the Jackal beside him was as well. As Haim put the canister away and drew a pistol, the Jackal beside him flicked a telescoping baton out of his sleeve into his hand. It extended with an impressively loud snap. The baton passed over, not in a swing, but a bar blocking Haim from raising his wrist after he dialed - preventing him from putting the phone to his ear. “Nuh uh.” He grunted, shaking his head.

Beyond the gentle curve of the shelves, the Jackal hitting on - or being hit on by, depending on your perspective - Mila took note of the commotion. Between his compatriot hitting the wall and Lyra’s shouting, there was plenty to notice. “Next time, precious. You should get going.” He flashed her a toothy, sinister smirk, and started to move around her to get back to the entry area.

Further back, in the pit, the shouting was more distant and the thud unhearable at all. But enough that both the tall and short man looked at each other and then at Lolo. The taller of the two separated off and began back up the stairs, blocking the exit toward the rest of the group - intent to not let her leave, if she tried.

Stepping forward and out of Lyra’s immediate bubble, Ocean tossed up his cane and held it somewhere in the middle, holding it and his other hand both up. A small chuckle echoed past his lips and he spun slowly around to take in everything. He glanced at the Jackal closest to him and Lyra before looking past him at Haim and the other. Finally he came to see Farrah and her victim. “He’s right, you know.” Ocean said smugly, taking a step backward away from Lyra, glancing her over, “What will the authorities think of your behavior if you call them right now?” He lowered his cane, centering it with his body and leaning on its head with both hands. Peering past Lyra, Ocean took in Farrah, “Discourtesy?” He chewed on the word, “Well that hardly seems…” Drawing a deep breath, he looked back at Lyra. “You know what, Silver? I’m a generous man. How about you take your… Acquaintances,” With little tongue clicks he gestured with bobs of his head in Haim’s, Namid’s, and Farrah’s directions, “And we can forget all about this.” He smiled wide. “The old man said you were almost done, right?” Ocean glanced over his shoulder, getting barely more than a paralyzed nod from the shopkeeper, “Take what you have, I’ll add it to my tab.”

R E C A PMarlowe has 2 dots of her Shimmer.
Farrah attacked a Crimson Jackal (surprise bonus). Success; knocked him out.
A Jackal attempted to grab Namid. Failed; Namid out sped him.

[Dove]

Character Name: Mila Rios
Date | Time: October 6 | Late Evening
Location: Dazzle & Dust
Wearing: Skater Girl Chic
Tagging | Mentioning: All

Part of her was surprised when she got closer to the Jackal, her head tilting as she looked up at the man. He was grinning down towards her after a small bout of confusion. She had come out of nowhere after all. She'd hoped that distracting the guy might serve to stall until her group could get out of the shop. It couldn't take too long to stock up on Arcanite, could it? It was just weird powder or liquid or... who the hell knew what it was really? "Well, now, don't flatter me," she practically purred, cheeks rising at the compliment as a hand rose to wave it away. "The truth is, I don't need Arcanite. Not at all, in fact. My friends, however, do. I am at their mercy, coming out all this way so they can get powder to snort. I hear a couple of them like to sleep with a vial of it for good measure. It's like a pacifier."

The word vomit was real, trying to maintain his attention despite not wanting the flirtation to continue necessarily. He was... well... not her type. His comment about the jacket warranted a slight narrowing of her eyes, and there was a short sound of a laugh that reverberated off the shelves around them. She heard the jingle of the front door's bell a couple of times, but was too far removed to take note of who was entering. "You don't like my jacket?" she nearly whined, fingers running along the edges of her jacket before pulling it further around herself. She stepped in closer to him just as Lyra's voice rang out through the shop. What the hell? Her brows furrowed, looking over her shoulder to try to catch sight of any of her friends. But now the Jackal was moving around her. That wouldn't do.

She took a quick step in front of him, grinning back his way with a little wiggle of her rear to keep her faux innocence up. "Well, don't leave me behind. I want in on the drama, hm?" She took a few larger steps around the shelving so she could catch sight of the store's entrance and counter. There were a hell of a lot more people - no, Jackals - in here than there were before. Her brows furrowed as eyes settled on the man with the cane. That was one heck of an accessory. And he was offering to buy the things they needed? "Well, goodness, Lyra... didn't strike me as the type to make friends in low places." Mila let her tongue slide over lower lip, arms folding over herself as she placed herself right in the aisle. While she was small in stature, with her legs spread slightly at shoulder length, she was blocking enough of the aisle that it wouldn't be easy for the Jackal to get out from behind her. At least, not without slipping past her sideways. 

Her eyes settled in on this supposed leader of the group. That cane alone set him apart. And with the way that he was speaking as if he ran the room, she was sure that he was some head honcho. "Wouldn't you rather pick on someone your own size? Dazzle & Dust, really? Are your Crimson Jackals that bruised and battered that you can't go for a larger shop closer to the center of town?" She called them out, really landing on the name of their little group here. She picked a piece of lint off her shoulder, flicking it away as she pursed her lips and stepped in closer. "Lyra, you really shouldn't be apologizing to this guy. He's just some schmuck that has a few brutes help him do his dirty work. How about you pick another night and another shop?" Her arms extended outward then, brows raising as she looked across the entryway towards the man with the cane. She peeked right and left, trying to catch the eyes of her teammates, her voice and posture never wavering.

[shengami]

Character Name: Haimehen
Date Oct. 6 | Time: Evening (~8p.m.)|
Location: Dazzle and Dust
Wearing: Orange synthetic fabric shorts, (shirt, button up, gauche sweater combo), puffer jacket, and woolen knit cap. Carrying a large duffle over his shoulders like a backpack.
Tagging: Open| Mentioning: All| All
Haim watched Named slip from a man's grip and he felt his teeth grind. This was turning into a mess fast. He didn't mind, but they were not in a good position to make the mess go their way. And Lyra, frail Lyra, was right in the middle of things shouting some entitled nonsense at Farrah. Not that Farrah hadn't deserved it, but tensions were only raising. These guys had an obvious plan, or goal, but he was not sure what. There was a small fortune in the shop, but arcanite was heavily regulated. Several members of gRAVIty were from prominent families, but how could these know that? There was a piece of the puzzle he was missing.

What had Mila just said. He focused on her and replayed it. He felt the cold metal of the baton on his wrist like a branding iron. It irked him but did not break the icy calm of his face. Crimson Jackals? Sounded like a military outfit or ruffians. He'd known of a few criminal outfits when he was a latchkey kid. He felt the pressure of a choice building up inside him. His eyes flicked again to the other members of his team. But, ultimately, to Lyra who he was certain would be caught both flat-footed and surprised. He could imagine her being held against their actions. He clicked his tongue. He would not attack, but he needed to do something.

"I don't appreciate threats, sir." His weapon came up. The sound of the metallic clink as barrel met baton was sharp and brief. He pushed it against the rob gently, apply strength slowly, so as to make it harder to whack his wrist. "If you do it again or attempt to attack me, I will put a hole in you the size of a walnut. But don't worry, I'll aim for your thigh or bicep so as to only cripple you." Haim then switched his gaze to the leader, "Well, we are students at Hammer Academy. All from upstanding families. You are ruffians. I expect that you'd be arrested even if we'd bring a bit of embarrassment on ourselves. But, considering that we are trained to battle Hollow and you make a living frightening old men and the weak? What do you think will happen if you don't leave?"

He didn't expect Lyra would like that much, but Haim glanced at Namid instead. Then Farrah. Finally, his thumb flicked to turn on the speakerphone and he hit the send button. He never looked at the screen to make sure the rattling phone icon appeared. He didn't have to. He saw the tiny ripples of sound coming off the device as it activated just before the first rattling ring erupted into the store. He tensed slightly, prepared for either the man next to him to strike or sudden diffusing of the situation.

[FyreFoxx]

Character Name: Lyreilynn "Lyra" Xyrven Myalis
Date | Time: October 6 | Late Evening
Location: Dazzle & Dust
Wearing: Pale blue blouse with open shoulders, long teal skirt with lighter blue panels underneath, wide cloth belt, ankle boots, worn leather crossbody bag
Tagging | Mentioning: Haimehen, Mila | Farrah
Lyra’s tightened her balled up fists just slightly, the color of her knuckles going white with the pressure as the fabric of her skirt was bunched up further. She took a moment bowed in her curtesy position before straightening out her back, using those same fists to smooth out the now wrinkled silks, fingers splayed over her thighs as she brushed imaginary dirt from her clothing. That gentle smile was permanently plastered upon her face as she kept a steady gaze with the well-dressed gentleman. Did he seriously just call her ‘Silver’?! Because of her hair, perhaps? Or maybe it was her eyes? While one was a silvery pale blue, the other was truly silver, so either was as likely as the other. “I am very thankful for your… generosity.”

She stole a quick glance behind her at Farrah, then to the side at Haimehen, who had been the one gathering up their supplies of powder. He appeared to have been in the process of calling someone, but had been halted by another of the man’s goons. And then the weapon came out and Lyra could feel the headache already coming. Were all her teammates hotheads that resorted to violence immediately or something? Sure, it was one thing in self-defense, it was another when there was no need for it.

Even Mila finally got in on the action, placing herself in the center of an isle on the other side of the store, effectively blocking one of the jackals behind her. “It is only manners to apologize when one has done something they should not have,” she muttered in response to Mila. While true these men may be ruffians, they had not done anything to the students, nor the shopkeeper, and the well-dressed man was merely shopping. At least, that is the impression Lyra got from the man. Just another rich guy wanting complete privacy of a small establishment where he would be unlikely to be disturbed. But something about what Mila had said bothered her. Crimson Jackals? Being new to the town meant she wasn’t familiar with names like that, but it didn’t sound good either way.

Another glance at Haim off to her side as he raised one of his guns to the man trying to stop him from making a phonecall, threatening him with violence, as she knew he would. Like Farrah had done. And Mila. And it was giving her pause about whether or not the headmaster knew what he was doing when he stuck the six of them together. Was it really just chance? Did Haim have any sense of preservation or decorum? Yes, they were students. Yes, some of them, maybe all, were from reputable families. Yes, they were technically trained to fight Hollows. But these men did not need to know they were merely students, nor their backgrounds, and they had only just begun their training. It wasn’t like they were veterans. Either he was trying to bluff, or was very stupid in playing cards he did not have. There was a small shake of her head as she focused her gaze on his hand with the phone, silently telling him to stop.

Lyra then ignored him, instead looking back towards Ocean in front of her, keeping that same sweet gentle curve of her lips poised on her face, a slightly tilt of her head as she reached up to tuck a few of those loose strands of hair behind a long slender ear, as she normally did when focusing on something. “I am sure we can come to an understanding? We were simply… not finished yet. My acquaintances apparently do not have manners. Since we have come all this way, much like yourself, certainly it would not be too much to ask to allow us to finish getting what we came for?” She took a moment to gesture towards the powder canisters against the wall, where Haimehen had been bottling it. “We will not be long. As you have said, we were almost done. We will certainly be out of your hair after that, sir.” She held his gaze as long as she could, not backing down from his intimidating nature.

[CurvyKitten]

Character Name: Namid Valentine
Date Oct. 6 | Time: 8pm
Location: Dazzle and Dust
Wearing: This
Tagging: Open| Mentioning: All| All




Namid was no fool, she'd known danger for years now. Known men that just seemed to drip in it. And as the door to the bell chimed and another well dressed man stepped into the shop. She'd seen the look of an almost sinister glee before. This man was up to no good. His words only proved that fact. Namid stood her hands on a small blade that was on display. Her fingers tracing over the cool metal as she watched her surroundings with a sideways glance.

It was hard to tell what her teammates were thinking about the situation. At least it was before Ferrah made her move. With a groan Namid turned one hand on the release to her weapon. Her other hand held up as Lyra stepped forward to try and smooth things over before they got out of hand. Namid kicked herself for not seeing Farrah's movement before it happened. She was their leader and she was standing there silent. God what was wrong with her?! Say something!! She screamed in her head but her voice refused to come.

It was then Namid saw movement out the corner of her eye. One of the men was coming toward her, his arms attempting to incircle her. Thankfully before he could get her within his arms she was one the move. Shifting her stance quickly enough to escape she turned and stood with sword handle in hand. A dark glare to her eyes, the man that tried to grab her was pissed. But her concern shifted to the others around her. Namid knew she could take a hit, she always could. Pain was just her world, but it was her power as well. "We won't be adding anything to your tab." she stiffly said. Owing a man like this was not something she thought was a good idea. He reminded her of the men her father always had around him. Always looking for any chance to get something over on you. "We aren't looking for trouble either. So maybe we take ourselves, and you take your man," Namid looked to the one that had been clocked all to hell. "And we can all leave this salesman to his evening." they would all leave empty handed, but hopefully that was enough to placate the goons before them. The last thing she wanted was a fight to break out with so much arcanite around them. The raw forms around them alone would cause a hell of a bang if given half the chance. Were they the right words?! Fuck, she had no idea. But she stood firmly still, words might be difficult for her, but being ready to protect her teammates wasn't

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: October 6th | Late Evening (~8pm)
Location: Dazzle & Dust
Wearing: Crisp white button down, pressed grey and black pinstripe vest, pressed black pants, Low heeled boot, Black low-rise top hat
Tagging | Mentioning:  | Lyra, Mila, Farrah
Marlowe was just getting her hands on the blade when the shouting started. Her head snapped in the direction of the noise more than any chime had managed to do. That was… Lyra? She blinked. If there was one thing that Lolo felt absolutely certain about, it was that if Lyra was making a scene, nothing good could be going on. It was almost as confusing as the name - if anyone was going to be causing trouble, Lolo would have bet good money that it would be Mila, not Farrah. Particularly after her commentary about acquiring the bomb. Setting the blade back to its stand, before ever really getting the chance to give it a good inspection, Lolo turned around to find that the men had shifted position. She couldn’t have mistaken the stance the tall man had taken - her head lulled to the side, ‘really’?

Sauntering toward the stairs, Lolo reached out and placed a delicate hand on the railing. She looked up at the man with soft, dainty eyes. “Excuse me.” She cooed, taking the first two steps up before he held out his hand and shook his head at her. Taking a deep breath, she pointed past the shelving she was facing, “Did you hear that?” Lolo smiled at him, “That was my friend. Her name is Lyra.” Her hand turned inward and she pointed at herself, “I’m Lolo. Lovely to meet you.” She took another step up, almost bumping into his hand. “Now you see, Lyra? She’s mine. So I’m going to go check on her. And I would very much like to use this aisle,” Her finger swept side to side, indicating the space he was blocking access to, “Right here to get to her. It’s a whole thing. We’re new, it’s that awkward,” Lolo made a face while gently swaying her head, “New relationship phase? She needs to know she can depend on me. You know how it is.” Drifting to the side, she tried to weave past him, “So if I could just get past…”

When the man took another step to cut her off, Lolo grimaced. She back pedaled down a step and frowned. “You know, usually I’d like the attention.” A hand drifted behind her and she snagged the pair of gloves from her back pocket, “But like I said,” She grimaced, dropping the hand to her side and squeezing the cloth gently, “Spoken for. Now,” With her other hand she gestured at him in his - pathetic - suit, “You look like a fine gentleman, so why not help a girl out and let me get where I need to go without making a scene.”