[Sandbox] Reflections

[Aethyrium]

Jacqueline Hyde

Ophelia Pane

S T O R Y T E L L E RNovember 27nd, Evening (~7pm) | Eastern Quarter Construction Site
Cutscene
They had left Thomas there on the ground. It was only by chance that Odo had found him, beaten, bloodied, and tailless. Maybe he should have called the OES, but what were they going to do? Thomas was a silenus, and Odo had no faith that he would get what he needed or what he deserved. Justice. It seemed unlikely, impossible even. So Odo called for the only help that a silenus could truly count on - the Red Fang. It wasn’t long before his friends, his silenus family, arrived. Half a dozen other members of the Fang. Together they loaded Thomas into a vehicle and shuttled him away, deeper into the eastern quarter. When he awoke - and he did wake thanks to medical care administered by the Fang, he did so to Satin Whyte sitting beside him. And he told her everything. Satin in turn gave very clear instructions to a couple of her enforcers.

Blood for blood, that’s what she had promised. Ten fold.

The girls stepped onto the construction site and peered around. It wasn’t hard to notice the same group of workers that Thomas had described. Regretfully their visages had been burned into his memory. Jacqueline smirked and bounced with a sort of giddy energy ahead of her partner, “I hear you have complaints about the silenus!” She called loudly across the space. Twirling, Jacqueline opened her arms like a hug to invite them in, “We’re with with POW and would just love to get a statement from all of you.”

Several of the men set aside their recreational drinks and slowly started getting up. They looked between one another and then at the two women approaching, both skeptical and eager for another fight. Cleetus took a step forward, hammer idly spinning in his grip, “Ain’t never heard of no POW, what’s that? Some dumb animal magazine?” The got a good set of barking laughs from the workers - except Gorshevich who remained quiet and watchful.

Jacqueline threw her hands across her heart and frowned, putting on her most hurt face, “How have you never heard of Pointless Opinions Weekly? You’re featured every week!”

Cleetus did not find it clever at all, “You little bitch,” he started toward her, backed up by the same group that had beaten Thomas. They slowly started to spread out, forming a half circle constrictly on the pair - who kept walking right toward its center. “Ain’t you heard? We don’t want your kind around here. What the fuck is you anyway?”

She turned to her partner and pointed at herself with two extended indexes, “They wanna know what I am!” She squealed, jittery with excitement. Spinning back around to face the workers, Jacqueline swayed woozy like, “I am what you call,” her steps staggered, and she spun her head in an exaggerated pantomime of drunk stumbling, “Trouble!” Jerking to a stop her gaze settled on the big guy and with a grin, Jacqueline’s body dissipated like steam in the wind - she was there, and then she wasn’t. There was so much room inside of Gorshevich! Soul speaking of course. Jacqueline made herself comfy inside of him. Her presence reached out and entangled with his. It was easy, he was weak and ill trained. In fact, possessing him went without even a fight. Almost immediately she rooted inside of him and felt control pass to her. She heard the terrified screams of his psyche rail against her, screaming internally to be let free from the cage it had been put into. But Jacqueline just laughed at him as she tilted back his beer and finished it off.

“Wha- Where’d she go?” The woman asked, looking around, whipping too and fro.

“Think I’m gonna get me some lucky rabbit ears this time,” the round man wearing Thomas’ tail as a belt said, lifting his heavy sledgehammer up by the throat and pointing at Ophelia, “Gonna do to you what we did to that other Red Fang.”

Pausing, Ophelia held up a finger to pause him, “His name is Thomas Kats, and he wasn’t part of the Red Fang.” She announced rather cordially, “My name is Ophelia Pane, and I am part of the Red Fang.” She continued with a neutral smile, “Thomas is going to recover from what you did to him. But you?” Her gaze swept across all of them, “None of you are going to recover from what we do to you. And since there are only five of you,” Ophelia put her hands in her pockets, “When we are done here, we will find five more people, those most important to you. And they will be made to know what you did, allowed to know why this is happening to them, and then they will share in the pain you caused Thomas.” One step after another, Ophelia came to a stop in the middle of all of them, “I hope you took joy in what you did, because I promise you it will be the last joy you ever experience.”

Gorshevich dropped his bottle on the ground and stood up. He rolled his massive shoulders and cracked his neck, slowly walking what seemed like toward Ophelia. His skin rippled and morphed into horror, his shoulders expanded. And then he turned and without warning launched a heavy haymaker at Cleetus, shattering his face. He was hit so hard that his eye popped, squirting its contents across the ground. He collapsed, wailing like a banshee.

“What the fuck?!” The tall man gasp-shouted as he watched the blow happen. As all eyes turned to that commotion, Ophelia sprung forward. A quick maneuver and his crowbar was in her hand. She swatted it back and forth across his face, causing a spray of teeth in both directions. He recoiled, but she pressed forward. Grabbing his hand, Ophelia brought the straight end of the crowbar down like a knife and rammed it through his forearm. She grabbed both ends and then wretched it brutally to the side, shattering his elbow.

Swinging the sledgehammer, the round man impacted Opehlia’s back and the telltale sparks of a manifested Soul shimmered around her. His eyes went wide, but not before Ophelia turned and grinned at him, undaunted by the blow. “I hope you beg so I can ignore you like you ignored Thomas,” she ducked down and spun, grabbing the tail from his waist and pulling it away from his pants. As she came back up, Ophelia leapt over him, stringing the tail around his throat. Landing on the far side, holding it over her shoulder like a rope, Ophelia leaned forward, garroting the man with Thomas’ tail, lifting him off his feet on her back. He flailed and choked, struggling to get free. Of course, he didn’t beg - or if he did, she couldn’t hear it over his sputters for air.

The woman turned to run, but Gorshevich reached out and grabbed her by the hair. He lifted her up by it. She shrieked and flailed. His shimmer-enhanced arm smashed into her face, over and and over, until it was little more than pulped meat she was breathing through.

Heavy legs twitched against Ophelia’s back as the last breaths left the heavier man’s lungs. His arms fell limp at his sides, and she discarded him, dead. The only fatality, though the others probably wished for it. Which only left Gorshevich. The man must have been so proud of his arm. What an interesting Shimmer! It probably helped him considerably in his work, Ophelia speculated. “Lay him down.” She called. Her partner complied, and Gorshevich sat on the ground and lay out. Jacqueline did some dust angels while she waited. Ophelia returned with the heavy jackhammer and lined it up with the deflating shoulder. When she turned it on the machine clobbered Gorshevich’s body, and tore through it, destroying his arm until it separated from his body.

Dropping the machine when she was done, Ophelia turned to leave them all. Jacqueline manifested back at her side, walking beside her. Gorshevich’s bellows of agony were their outro. “So, which one of their loved ones do we go see first?” the bat silenus inquired eagerly.

[Crash]

Character Name: Ginger Eloise Fizz
Date | Time: Six months ago
Location: Squad 10 Common Room
Wearing: This
Tagging | Mentioning: NPCs
Music: Loose Change
Eloise’s fingers danced over the strings of her new guitar. It was the only purchase, other than necessities, she had made solely for herself.  It was used and beaten up, but it had tuned up perfectly, and she just lost herself in it. Orosco was laying down a solid blues rhythm with his guitar, so Eloise let the joy of playing take over, freelancing as the music took her.  It was carefree blues, filled with happiness and light, and it soared through the barracks along with the hoops and hollers of Squad 10.  Four straight drill wins, and they have been given weekend leave as a reward. 

The reward was even more sweet, considering 6 months ago, Sgt. Payne had handed Eloise a large envelope.  Inside was a picture of an old man in a green apron and a birth certificate.  For a moment, Eloise thought it might be her birth certificate, but that had been burned up the first winter after her mom was gunned down.  They didn’t have money for power and burned everything flammable in the house, starting with all the paperwork.  They didn’t know it might be important. They were cold and didn’t want to freeze.

It wasn’t her name on the official-looking document, but one Effervescent Fizz.  Eloise had only known her mother as Effy or really just Mommy, but she knew when she saw it that it was hers.  The only other item in the envelope was a business card.  Dazzle & Dust.  Proprietor: Kola Fizz.  The same name was listed as the father of Effervescent.  Eloise’s grandfather.  It had taken some courage to meet her grandfather after all this time.  She asked Poppy about him and only learned that he and their mother didn’t talk, and she rarely mentioned him from what she remembered.

Whatever had come between Kola and Eloise’s mom obviously caused the man pain, but the news Eloise had to deliver about her mom, his daughter, was worse.  She expected her grandfather to disavow her.  Tell her to get lost and never come back.  He hadn’t.  He closed his shop and insisted on seeing Poppy and his great-granddaughter.  Whatever pain and anger that had existed between him and his daughter did not extend to his grandchildren.  It was a relief that he took an interest in them.  Poppy was not the most reliable person.  It was not entirely her fault, and she did try, but Eloise worried about Candice, and having someone who she grew to trust these last few months had been a weight off her shoulders.  Kola was there if Eloise couldn’t be.  Ellie had never had that before.

While Eloise played, she glanced up from where she sat to see Myx and Binx dancing in the middle of the barracks common room, along with a few of the cadets who weren’t clapping or stomping to the beat. Even Gunderson was dancing. She smiled as she slid up the frets and changed the tempo to the enjoyment of the others.  Eloise could have sat and played for her squad all night. However, Binx and Myx were not going to let that happen, and eventually, they made her put down the guitar and join them on the impromptu dance floor. 

Ellie didn’t really know how to dance, but her two friends did, and they tried to show her how.  It took a bit, but she began to feel the beat and sway with them. Myx gave a wink and twirled away. Eloise’s gaze followed her as she saddled up to Gunderson and slipped into quite possibly the sexiest dance Eloise had ever seen with its slithery snake-like movements.   Ellie felt a set of hands on her waist. She glanced down to see they were Binx’s, who stood behind her and swayed with the music, moving Ellie to match the low beat.  They were both watching Myx and a gobsmacked Gunderson.  Ellie looked over her shoulder and gave Binx a confused and curious look, nodding towards Myx.  Binx just laughed.

‘Oh, Ellie.  Sometimes you can be really dense, you know that?”

[Aethyrium]

S T O R Y T E L L E RDecember 9th, Afternoon (~2:10pm) | Onyx Public Broadcast
Cutscene
In the wake of several high-profile arcanite robberies and the Azkaban prison break that resulted in the escape of dangerous criminals, the Council of Onyx has deemed it necessary to take decisive action. These incidents have highlighted vulnerabilities in the current system, prompting the Council to prioritize the protection of both citizens and critical resources. The Council of Onyx has announced stringent new regulations concerning the supply and sale of arcanite, in response to recent security breaches. Effective immediately, these regulations aim to bolster the security of arcanite facilities and ensure the safety of the community.

Under the new regulations, all facilities involved in the processing, storage, and sale of arcanite must implement enhanced security measures. These measures include:

• 24/7 Surveillance: Mandatory installation of state-of-the-art surveillance systems to monitor all areas where arcanite is handled. This includes video cameras, motion detectors, and alarms connected to a central security hub.
• Access Control: Implementation of stringent access control protocols to restrict entry to authorized personnel only. Biometric authentication, keycard systems, and security checkpoints will be required at all entry points.
• Transport Security: Arcanite transport will be subjected to new regulations mandating armored vehicles, tracking, and security escorts. Transport routes must be pre-approved by the OES to ensure maximum safety.
• Personnel Training: Comprehensive training programs for all employees handling arcanite, focusing on security protocols, emergency response procedures, and recognizing potential threats. Regular drills and evaluations will be conducted to maintain high preparedness levels.
• Inventory Management: Introduction of a rigorous inventory management system to track arcanite from extraction to sale. This system will include real-time tracking, regular audits, and reporting requirements to prevent unauthorized access or loss.

The recent series of arcanite-related robberies has raised significant concerns about the current security measures in place. These thefts have not only resulted in substantial financial losses but also posed a significant threat to public safety due to the potential misuse of arcanite's powerful properties. Additionally, the recent prison break, orchestrated with the aid of stolen arcanite, has underscored the urgent need for stricter controls. The escaped individuals are considered highly dangerous, and the Council is committed to preventing similar incidents in the future.

General Apple Blossom emphasized the importance of these measures when questioned: "The safety of our citizens is our top priority. The new regulations are designed to create a robust security framework that will protect our community from the misuse of arcanite. We are taking these steps to ensure that arcanite remains a beneficial resource rather than a tool for criminal activity."

The Council of Onyx recognizes the importance of community support in the successful implementation of these regulations. Citizens are encouraged to report any suspicious activities related to arcanite and to cooperate with security personnel during inspections and checkpoints. To facilitate this, the Council has established a dedicated hotline and a data portal where individuals can report concerns anonymously. Public awareness campaigns will also be launched to educate citizens about the new regulations and the importance of arcanite security.

The Council of Onyx is committed to maintaining the safety and security of its community. The new regulations on the supply and sale of arcanite represent a proactive approach to addressing recent security challenges. By implementing these measures, the Council aims to safeguard the valuable resource of arcanite and ensure that it continues to contribute positively to the city's prosperity.

* * * * *

The recent regulations imposed by the Council of Onyx regarding arcanite had set the eastern quarter on edge.  The quarter now found itself grappling with prohibitively expensive arcanite, effectively strangling the local trade. In a small cafe on the edge of the eastern quarter, Alyssa and Marcus sat at a corner table, their conversation weighed down by frustration. Alyssa, a skilled artisan, sipped her tea, her brow furrowed. "Marcus, did you hear about the new arcanite regulations? They're making it nearly impossible for us here."

Marcus, a heating system technician, shook his head in agreement. "Yeah, it’s a mess. The prices have gone through the roof. It’s practically shut down the arcanite trade in our area. Meanwhile, the western quarter and central Onyx aren’t nearly as affected."

Alyssa sighed deeply. "It’s so unfair. I had to travel across the city just to get a small amount of arcanite for my workshop. It took half a day and cost me twice what it used to."

Marcus nodded, his expression one of shared exasperation. "I know the feeling. Last week, I took a whole day off just to get arcanite for my heating system. The travel time and cost are becoming a huge burden."

Their conversation turned to the broader impact. "It’s not just us, though," Alyssa said. "Local businesses are struggling. I overheard someone in the market saying they might have to close their shop if things don’t change. It’s not just a business issue; it’s affecting families too."

Marcus agreed. "I’ve seen the same. My neighbor had to cut back on their arcanite usage, and now they’re torn between heating their home and paying for other necessities."

Alyssa’s eyes narrowed in frustration. "It’s like the council didn’t even consider how this would impact us. It’s a quality of life issue that’s being completely ignored." As the cafe bustled around them, Alyssa and Marcus sat in quiet solidarity, their shared discontent a reminder of the disparity between Onyx’s quarters. The city’s recent decisions had cast a shadow over their lives, and the gap between the quarters seemed to grow ever wider.

[Crash]

Character Name: Ginger Eloise Fizz
Date | Time: 10.06 | Evening
Location: Barracks Floor Hallway -> Squad 10 Barracks
Wearing: This
Tagging | Mentioning: NPCs
"Poppy! Poppy!  Slow down.  What's going on?"  There had been ten messages on her phone when Elosie had remembered to turn it back on.  The squad was heading to the commons for movie night, a tradition they had started early after then had been formed as sort of a bonding thing.  Everyone took turns picking a movie and forced the rest of the squad to sit through it.  It usually devolved into a running commentary on whatever they were watching, which was fun in and of itself.  But the squad hadn't gotten more than halfway down the hall when Elosie noticed all the messages from her sister and quickly gave her a call.  She was beside herself, and Elosie wasn't having a lot of luck in calming her down enough to find out what had her so upset. 

"Is it Bug?"  That was a no, even though she could hear her niece crying in the background. Eloise's brow furrowed, and she held up a hand to Myx and Binx, who had slowed down when they heard the tenor of the conversation.  Ellie motioned to herself and then back to the room.  She didn't wait for her friends' reply; she just turned and left, missing the knowing look of concern on their faces.

"I'll go," Binx said, and, unknown to Ellie, followed behind while Myx called to the rest of the squad.  "Hey, hold up."

"Poppy…Poppy…Pop!" Ellie finally snapped at her sister.  There was a strangled eep on the other end of the line and a couple of loud, deep breaths.

"What's happening?"  Ellie said as she entered the dark interior of the barracks and walked through the common room towards their bunks.

"You haven't seen the news?!" The question was almost accusatory in tone. Eliie sighed. "Pop. You know I haven't.  I'm training all day.  What. Is. Going. On?  You said Bug is fine.

"Yes."

"You're fine?"

"DO I SOUND FINE?" Ellie had to hold her phone away from her eye for that one.

"Pop. Are you hurt?  Are you…"

"I'm not hurt… it's Kola.  Ginny, it's gone."

"What's gone?" Ellie wasn't following Poppy, and it was only made worse that Bug was still crying. 

"Dazzle and Dust.  It done got exploded! It's gone," Poppy exclaimed

"Wait, WHAT!?! what do you mean? Was Kola there?  Is he okay?"

"I don't know!  I don't know Ginny!"  Her sister was crying again, and she could hear her trying to shush Bug, but it wasn't helping.

"Fuck…fuck…shit." Ellie was swearing and casting around like there would be something in the dark room that would help her.  "Okay.  Okay.  Have you called the hospitals?"

"I tried.  They don't know.  He hasn't answered his phone, and I'm so scared.  We just found him, Ginny.  I can't lose anyone again; I can't," her sister was spiraling hard, and that never ended well.  "I'm scared, Ginny."

"I know, but you have to hold it together," Eloise said, trying to remain calm so her sister would, but it was a losing battle.

"Ginny, I need you.  I can't do this.  I can't.  I… I'm scared," Her older sister begged.

"Okay.  Okay, Poppy.  Just take care of Bug.  I'll fix it," Eloise was already filling her duffle with a change of clothes.  She would put her dress blacks on, and hopefully, she wouldn't be questioned on the way to the landing pad.  Confidence sells.  She would be gone and back before anyone noticed.  Yeah.  That would work, she told herself.

Ellie picked up a different phone she kept stashed in her bag and dialed the only number on it.  One she used only in absolute emergencies.  "Come on, come one…pick up," she begged the dialing phone.  It was a burner Cherry had sent her.  The one way they felt safe to talk.  Their last conversation had not gone well. Cherry had some big score planned and wanted Ellie to join her, but Ellie didn't want that life anymore and begged her sister to join her at the Academy.  That had not gone over well at all, but now…now…Ellie needed her.  Poppy needed her, and Ellie prayed that Kola was alive and needed her. 

Voicemail.  Fuck

“Cher.  It's Elle.  I'll do it, but I need your help…"

"Ellie."  The voice startled her.  She had been so caught up in her sister's panicked call and shoving her stuff in the bag that she hadn't noticed Binx.  "You can't," Binx said gently. 
“Binx…I…” Ellie froze.

"You can't.  Hang up, Ellie," she said again, stepping closer.

"Binx. You don't understand."

"That your family is in trouble, and you're about to do something really stupid because you feel you don't have any other choice?" Binx said, her hand reaching out to gently close the phone and take it from her hand.

"Binx…" There were tears of utter helplessness in Ellie's eyes.  "If I don't…."

"Your sister's gonna fall apart.  Get fucked up again?  Make you risk everything for her because you feel you owe her?"  Binx said with a hardness in her words that Ellie hadn't heard before. "That's not your fault."

"But there's been an accident. My grandfather…" Ellie was casting about, trying not to look at Binx, but she had cornered her between the bunks, and there was nowhere to go but past her. 

"I heard," Binx assured her, closing the distance between them to gather Ellie into her arms.  "But you can't fix that.  We can go to the sarge and see if he can help get word on your grandfather, but Ellie.  You can't leave."

Ellie couldn't muster the anger or energy to pull away and let herself be pulled into her friend's embrace.  A sudden sob wracked her body, and she fucking lost it.  She felt arms wrap around her and then another set.  Red-rimmed eyes looked up, and Myx was there holding her, too. 

"She's right, Elle.  You can't leave. But you aren't in this alone. We got your back," Elle turned.  It was Gunderson and the rest of the squad.  They were nodding somberly.

Ellie broke down, sobbing uncontrollably in the arms of her friends.

[Aethyrium]

Xin Vlad Dracos

Paige Turner

S T O R Y T E L L E RDecember 19th, Late Afternoon (~4:45pm) | Eastern Quarter - Korlin & Sons Arcanite
Cutscene
The deadline for implementing the new security measures had long since passed, marking the beginning of a troubling trend. Daily, the OES targeted Arcanite shops that had failed, for various reasons, to comply with the stringent new requirements. Each day, another shop in the eastern quarter faced closure, their supplies seized by the authorities. It was only a matter of time before there wouldn't be a single shop left operating in the area. The OES's operations were a well-coordinated effort. A large transport truck, flanked by two security vehicles, would arrive at the targeted shop, accompanied by the necessary personnel. This day was no different. They had come to a generational Arcanite shop that had been a staple in the community for decades. As the OES workers methodically packed up the shop's contents, loading crates and containers into the truck, Xin was outside on the street, dealing with the distraught owners.

If a place like Korlin & Sons, which was easily the largest arcanite business in the eastern quarter, couldn’t make it, who could?

Xin's role was to handle the compensation process, offering payments for the confiscated goods. Although the amounts offered were not particularly generous and certainly insufficient to sustain the shop owners for an extended period, they were considered fair market value for the on-hand supplies. This meager compensation did little to alleviate the growing sense of loss and despair among the shop owners, who saw their livelihoods being dismantled piece by piece. The eastern quarter was gradually being stripped of its livelihood, shop by shop, leaving a trail of empty storefronts and shattered dreams in the wake of the OES's enforcement campaign.

“Xin!” Paige shouted as she walked down the street toward him and the owners. “Put your pocket book away Xin, this Arcanite belongs to the eastern quarter.”

This was not the first time the Freebirds had made a scene at one of these events. But it was the first time Paige had arrived herself. Xin frowned, ripping the receipt from his book and holding it out toward the owners, “Miss Turner, I’m afraid it now belongs to the Onyx Military.”

Paige threw a hand forward. A small puff of red Arcanite filled the space in front of her fingers. She snapped in the cloud and it was consumed. The paper in Xin’s hand burst into flames, reduced to ash in a spiral of fiery consumption just as the owners were going to take it. Paige stopped, hand on her hip and lifted her brows behind her glasses, “Looks to me like these people haven’t been paid yet, and until they have been it’s their property.”

Wincing, Xin pulled his fingers back as the fire licked them. He hissed and turned on Paige, narrowing his eyes. He didn’t love being tested like that. “Are you trying to get arrested? You know that doesn’t change anything. I’ll write another one.” He held up the pad in his other hand, just in time for it to also burst into a bigger ball of flames. Xin growled, dropping it to the ground where it smoldered away. “Damnit Paige!” Xin shook his hand, while shouting her name, “You’re not going to make this situation better by doing this.”

She dropped her hand to her side, “Well I’m certainly not going to make it any worse than you are. This is wrong Xin, and you know it.”

By then the soldiers that had accompanied Xin were starting to gather, leaving what they were doing to approach and assess the commotion. A pair, however, remained in the transport, armed, guarding the Arcanite. “It doesn’t matter what I know, this is what is. And it’s happening. There’s nothing you can do about it. Are you really going to start a fight with me?” Xin asked, gesturing around at his dozen soldiers.

“I’ll do whatever I have to do to stop tyranny.” Paige said, flicking her wrists. Two spring loaded devices ejected from her sleeve and unfolded, snapping backward and popping open to form dual wrist mounted crossbows.

“This isn’t tyranny Paige…” Xin rolled his eyes at her dramatics. And the two started in on a heavy, very vocal, and loud debate. While the soldiers all watched on, waiting for escalation.

Meanwhile, in the narrow street behind the parked truck, a tense confrontation began to unfold between two men. The first, a towering figure with broad shoulders and a muscular build, loomed over his adversary. His opponent, though shorter and leaner, possessed a wiry strength and the seasoned look of middle age. At first, the altercation was limited to aggressive shoving, each man trying to assert dominance. The tall man pushed with the force of a battering ram, while the slimmer man responded with swift, sharp jabs of his own. The shoving match escalated rapidly, however, as tempers flared and restraint threatened to give way to fury. The escalation drew the two soldiers from the back of the transport, moving to break it up and sort it out. Even the attention of the security vehicle driver were drawn to the altercation.

This provided an opportunity for two of Paige’s associates to sneak into the truck. Of course, given that Kade allowed them to be invisible, it was really more of a distraction while Gwendolyn did her work. Cloaked by Kade’s shimmer, the pair moved to the front of the transport where supplies had been gathered. The small silenus reached out and touched container after container, and each, with a small ‘pop’ vanished from sight. In just minutes, she had disappeared everything that the OES had already loaded up. And the pair slipped out of the truck to head into Korlin & Sons to gather up the rest while the distraction was still going on.

With the fight broken up, the two soldiers returned to the truck to find it empty. They looked at one another with a brief ‘oh no’ expression and then jumped from the back of the truck to run to the unfolding scene on the sidewalk ahead. “Sir!” One of them shouted, “Sir it’s all gone!”

Xin was just in the middle of countering one of Paige’s points when the interruption came. He paused and looked back over his shoulder, “What?” He looked at Paige and scowled, “Watch her!” He commanded, running to the back of the truck to peer in and see what they were talking about. Xin’s heart sank as he saw it empty. The captain stormed back forward, “Paige, what have you done?”

Paige smirked. She flicked her hands again and the crossbows folded, pushed forward, and then retracted under her sleeves. “I don’t know what you mean Xin, I’ve been here with you the whole time.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, clapped it against her palm and held it up to pluck one free with her lips. She lit it with the lighter tucked in her palm against the pack and drew hard on it as she pocketed them again, “Is there a problem, captain?”

The elf’s face went red with frustration, “Don’t play games with me, Paige. I know you did this.”

She pulled hard on the filter. The cherry flared bright red, and the paper burned down almost a quarter of the way in a single puff. She held the smoke in her lungs and savored the flavor and the burn. Tilting her head back to the sky, Paige exhaled a long stream of smoke in a slow blow. She reached up and plucked her glasses from her face and met Xin’s gaze. Stepping forward to meet him, nearly face to face and said, “Prove it.”

[Crash]

Character Name: Ginger Eloise Fizz
Date | Time: 11.22 | Evening
Location: Military Academy Infirmary
Wearing: This
Tagging | Mentioning: NPCs (Closed)
This was all her fault.  It had been her idea. Donnelly wasn't hard to convince.  He enjoyed winning as much as the rest of them.  Cut across the boundary.  It wasn't that far, and they could flank Squad 3, taking them by surprise.  Sure, it was against orders, but a win's a win.  It was showing initiative and creativity.  What were the chances they would run into anything worse than a squirrel?

Pretty fucking good, apparently.

The hispo seemed to materialize from nowhere.  How could something that big hide so easily?  It hit her and Binxy like a truck. Eloise had the benefit of her soul.  The claw that racked her stomach as she pushed Binx aside would have disemboweled anyone else.  It was just a bruise for Eloise after a good night's sleep.  Binx wasn't so lucky.  Her soul shattered on impact, and the hispo's claw slashed her side up good.  It would have been much worse if it hadn't been for Eloise's shimmer and some quick thinking on Donnelly and Myx's part.  Their concentrated fire had driven the Hispo off of Ellie and Myx, and a few bites from Eloise's shimmer snake managed to hold it off until help arrived in the form of Sgt Payne and Squad 3. 

Ellie felt the body beside her stir and stood up to take Binx's hand.  She would make it.  She was tougher than she looked, but Ellie felt terrible.  She had fallen on the proverbial sword, and when asked what had happened.  Took full blame for it.  It was her idea.  Unfortunately, Donnelly was still stripped of his leadership position since it was ultimately his call.  Eloise had heard Myx was named squad leader.  She would be amazing at it. 

Ellie was in her dress blacks, but her rank stripes had been removed until disciplinary action could be assessed.  She knew she was being reassigned to another squad and had been asked to remove everything from her barracks this morning, so yeah, things were not looking good.

"Hey," She said softly when Binxy opened her eyes and was able to focus.  Ellie had been hovering around her bed since she had nothing else to do until word came down.

"Hi," came the reply.  There was a smile, too. Ellie thought it might have had a little to do with the drugs, but Binx insisted she was okay.

"I don't heal as fast as you, but I'm going to be okay," the silenus girl told her again. They chatted for a while.  Ellie told her about Donnelly and Myx's promotion, but it wasn't long before Binx said she was tired. 

"Okay, Binxy.  I will come back later," but a light touch on the back of her hand stopped her as Binxy mumbled something.

"What was that, Binx?" Eloise hadn't heard what she said, and her friend waved her closer, so she leaned over the bed and lowered her ear so Binx didn't have to raise her voice.  Ellie felt her fingers caress her chin, turning her face, and the softest lips followed, pressing against her own.

Ellie froze, her eyes wide open.  Binx's must have sensed her tension and opened her sleepy eyes. She chuckled.  "So dense," she said with that smile.

'"Binxy?  I… it's not that…"  Ellie was at a loss…it wasn't like she hadn't considered it. Just….

"You don't think you deserve to be happy.  You did things you aren't proud of and punish yourself for it like you deserve to be unhappy forever." her friend stated. 

"Wow," Ellie was stunned. 

"Oh, Lord of Light, Ellie.  You are not the mystery you think you are," Binxy laughed until she groaned.

"They're going to…." Ellie's voice choked on the emotion welling up inside.  She had been putting up a strong front, but she felt like she was losing her family again, and this time, it felt like it was her faunt..

"I know," Binx replied.  "Myx told me the last time she was here. Have you heard?"

"No," Ellie hadn't moved. Hovering over Binx, letting Binx’s fingers trace along her chin. She closed her eyes, tears welling in them.

“Wherever you go, Ellie. Don’t wait so long to open up, okay? You are so special and you might miss out on what’s right in front of you..” She felt those lips against hers again. This time she didn't resist. Salty tears fell, mingling with Binx’s and rolled down her cheeks.

It was the most bittersweet moment of her life and it was goodbye.

[shengami]

Character Name: Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 11.20| 7:05pm
Location: Eastern Quarter, Residential Neighborhood near Ahsbury Street
Wearing: Tracksuit, comfy shoes, Darklash is carried
Tagging | Mentioning: CLOSED | Siouxsie, Evageline, Aerie Wave, Bri, Roar, Koko, Thomas Katz
Note: Where There's a Will There's a Way
Chee's shoulders stabbed him as he hefted the paper bag and passed it to the woman as her husband held the door open. They were smiling through suspicion and worry. He flicked his ears and smiled. It hurt. The scrapes on the side of his face pulled. Even Chee had decided that training was a bit much that day.

"Daddy? Who's that?"

The man moved to grab a slight form, but she darted between his legs and stared up at Chee. He saw her rectangular eyes widen and her tiny horns just breaking through her hairline. He looked into the same features on the mother then at the man, the human man. Chee grabbed an apple out of the bag and crouched down. He wobbled a bit but steadied, "I'm a friend of Aunty Esther's. My name's Chee."

She looked up for permission then her tiny hands grabbed the shiny red orb and took it, "Thanks, Mr. Chee! Say hi to Aunty for me!" Chee's heart melted at the smile. He looked up at the parents. Their faces had softened. He rose up and nodded to them.

Chee stared at the form and grabbed the nub of pencil dangling by the string. He couldn't get here before 6. Not really. And he had to train, to be better. That was a promise he had to keep: to himself, to Far- Thessa, to Pat and the guys, to everyone. But every thing else? Nothing else mattered. He started scribbling his name in.

"Leave some time for yourself, Chee."

He turned to smile at Aerie. It'd been neat to see she also put time in here between gigs. "Nah, I never hold back."

"I recall. Always full steam ahead, eh?"

He ducked his head 'yes.' He turned and looked. He'd written his name in for most the week. He bit his lip then looked back at Aerie and then dropped the pencil. She nodded and he chuckled, "Best play it by ear a little, eh?"

"I think that'd be best. How were the Robins?"

Chee fell in beside her toward the kitchen, "Scared as a toad under foot of da Dark Broder."

She nodded, "Lotsa people are. Siouxsie and Eva are worried about our next few shows."

"Oh? If you all need some friends, call me? I'll get Roar and Bri and Kiki to help me if I gotta drag em by da ears."

She laughed and hit his shoulder. He staggered sideways and then laughed.

The kitchen was bustling with activity and good smells. Chee beamed as he saw Esther heading his way. Aerie waved and headed for the front and the soup line. Chee moved to the delivery table. It was slim and meager.

"Chee, a business called and asked to donate. But it's in the Wester Quarter and it's a lot. Could you call Sy or Dotty?"

He looked back to her and nodded, "Sure, Aunty. Tomorrow ok?"

She nodded affirmative and then grabbed a pair of paper bags off the counter and handed them to him, "The Sunderlands on 63rd. Address on the tag as usual. Be careful Chee."

"Ya, you betcha, Aunty. Hey Tom!" He greeted the cat-born Silenus as he came in from a delivery. The man waved. Chee grinned and headed out again.

Chee stomped down the stairs of the apartment building and turned to look up. Another family with food for a few days. They'd stretch it, for sure, but he or someone else would have to be back. He'd chatted with them a bit. A human family. The dad worked a job in the Western Quarter at a factory. The mom did domestic work in the Northern Quarter. Grandma looked after the two small kids. That was the story all over the place. People were trying, they were working. They put in honest effort, but it wasn't enough. Nobody in the Northern Quarter or on the council knew what it was like down here. He sighed and tucked his hands in his pockets.

Turning to walk away, he spotted a couple patrolmen on their beat. He waved. They waved back. His breath puffed in the chill air. He cupped his hands over his mouth and breathed slowly to warm them. Everyone down here was trying. And he had to do more, be better. He had to help people. He couldn't hold back a minute, a single cor, or an ounce of effort. He was a squire. He was going to be a champion. It was more than killing Hollow. He didn't care what anyone said. Champions were heroes and heroes helped people.

Huffing, he broke into a jog. There were more deliveries to be made and he needed to call Pat later.

[shengami]

Character Name: Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 11.21| 8:13pm~9:32pm
Location: Eastern Quarter, Residential Neighborhood near Ahsbury Street
Wearing: Tracksuit, comfy shoes, Darklash is carried
Tagging | Mentioning: CLOSED | 
Note: Grinding Away
Ol Blue growled angrily at him as he tried to get the truck in gear. The red arcanite engine under the hood howled. Chee smiled awkwardly at the workers that had helped him load her up as she kicked, reluctantly, into motion. He smacked her dashboard, "Knock dat off you! Makin a fuss!" But Chee felt the tightness in his chest that spoke to his own culpability. A nervous chuckled slipped out as the old truck crawled out of the parking lot and onto the roads of the Western Quarter.

Driving was not something Chee was good at. Sy had made him learn a couple years back when Dolly had finally reluctantly admitted her night vision was going and Sy needed someone else to run errands. For all his coordination and agility, working the three pedals, gear shift, and the steering wheel at the same time set his brain on fire. Taking a trembling breath, he upshifted the gears somewhat smoothly and relaxed in the seat. He squirmed atop the short stack of books there. A fire lit his cheeks at the comments Sy always made when he needed a booster. The dashboard was just so dang high! He huffed. It was a long drive back to the east. He settled in.

As the neat shops and clean streets of the Western Quarter slid past, he could help comparing them to the east. Superficially, there wasn't much difference. Same paving stones, same winding tendency, same most everything really. Maybe the roads tended to be a bit wider. Perhaps, he admitted, more of the branching alleyways were also paved instead of dirt. Maybe the trash receptacles and streetlights were clean of tags and had a fresh coat of paint, but they were the same makes and models.

No, the real differences came when you went up north. And even the East wasn't as bad as the south which was truly abandoned. Still, Chee bit his lip and shook his head. The differences were there though and they spoke loudly if you saw them.

Growling, he shifted up again. The engine revved dangerously for a second as he got the timing wrong. His fingers gripped the wheel. He looked in the rearview rather that outside. He didn't want to see the looks sent his way driving a rickety, complaining old truck down the streets of the quarter. Vehicles were more common here, but most were a bit nicer. No, he focused on his purpose. Swaying in the back, just at the bottom of the mirror's view, was a small army of bags, baskets, and boxes. Arnold's Grocery and Butchershop was owned by a modestly well-off family who wanted to either do their part or be seen doing something. Chee didn't really care which. What mattered was the families those things would help. Had he noticed some of the veg was a bit beyond wilted, the fruit bruised, the potatoes budding? Yeah. Ugly food still fed people and Esther would give it the once over before using it. The worst would disappear into soups. The best would go out to families.

Chee's chest swelled. He was helping. This was helping. Kids would go to bed without screaming bellies, mothers and fathers would goa  few days without worrying where the next meal was coming from, the elderly and homeless would have a bit more than they did yesterday. A little bit of tension slipped out of him through clenched teeth.

He downshifted and took a turn. Ol Blue didn't even complain too loudly.

Chee slammed on the brake. A second later he remembered to downshift. He hauled Ol Blue over to the side and a swearing rickshaw went past. But Chee was already moving, slipping out the door, sliding down to land on Maringy Street. A pair of human men were watching him warily. Chee's hand drifted back to where Darklash was in the small of his back, "What's goin on here fellas?" He didn't say it, but looting had been a thing.

"Don't want no trouble, mister. We're just trying to put the place back together s'all."

His eyes slid over the half-collapsed building. Something big had hit it. He stepped over and grabbed a brick. "What did her in?"

The men looked at one another then at Chee whose hands went up, "I work for Ester. Maybe we can help." Why he used that credential before the Hammer Academy one was hard to nail down. The men relaxed.

"No idea. We were in the basement, the whole world shook, then... this. Just lucky no one was hurt."

Chee moved in amongst the rubble and nudged what used to be a toilet with his foot, "Tank da Wild One for small miracles, eh? You got work?"

"I do. Guard at Astra Industries. Bob worked for them, too. At that one in the south that got bombed?"

Chee winced. Roar had told him all about that. "Ouch, dat was a bad one."

"Sure was." The men had come over to Chee and they all stood around looking down at the broken toilet. They took turns nudging it with their feet. "I spent the last two days in the hospital." Chee winced.

"You're alive. Dere's dat."

"Yeah, there's that. And the big fat bill to pay for the Gods' grace."

"Hey, Barn, Betty'd be beside herself without you."

"I spose, Fred. I spose."

"Is Betty workin? And..." He looked to the other man.

"Wilma. Yeah, she's a nurse. Betty worked at a restaurant, but it got demolished, too."

Chee kicked the toilet and winced as the half bowl shattered. He looked to the house with a careful eye as the last, fading amber rays of the day crawled along its shadows. "Ya know, if you had some tarp dere and dere. A bit of dat corrugated steel dere. You might make something of it, for now. Until Onyx Prairie or da Wild One himself gets to ya."

The men looked where he was pointing and nodded, "May be. But I'll pray to the Wild One before I wait for the City Council, that's for sure. I ain't got no house, but Ameldia Astra prolly had a bitty tree pried up in one of her three houses, so that takes priority, yeah?"

Chee winced. That reminded him that he wanted to talk to Maria. He'd gotten bits and pieces of what happened with her and Koko between the two women. Maybe doign some good might help her as well. Chee chewed his lip and then clapped Fred on the arm, "Tell you what, Fred. Barney. I'll talk ta Ester and some folks I know. See if we can't get you some supplies so at least you can live in your own property, ya?"

[Crash]

Character Name: Ginger Eloise Fizz
Date | Time: 2-½ years ago | Night
Location: Five Corners
Wearing: Pictured
Tagging | Mentioning: Sunny
Her lip hurt. Her spine was sore.  The John had been juiced on something that was for sure.  Baby couldn’t do much but hold on for dear life and claw at the guys’ eyes while he rammed her back against the wall trying to get her off of him.  Thankfully that had finally gotten Digs and Rigo’s attentions, the fucking jackasses.  It was all part of the job.  Watching over the girls.  She had just started her fucking shift too.  Baby had headed up the stairs and knew something was wrong, immediately.  She didn’t even know what girl was in trouble, but she heard a muffled cry for help and had shouldered her way through the makeshift barricade the asshole had thrown up.
 
'That's why my shoulder hurts. Damn.’ Baby thought as she closed the door softly and reached up to rub her sore shoulder.
 
She heard the half breath-half sob from the corner of the room before she could turn around.  This was the other part of her job, too. She was the one who sat with a girl when a John got too rough.  Thankfully Baby had worked her way up far enough in the gang that she rarely had to do it anymore, but she checked in from time to time, her sister being a whore and all.

“Hey, you’re safe now.”

‘Until the next time.’

She turned around to look at the girl and continued her speech.  It was rote by now.  That was why the gang liked having Baby around and why it had been hard for her to prove she had more value elsewhere.  Baby looked non-threatening and she knew what to say to get the girls back in action again.  She hated it with every fiber of her being. But the alternative was worse or that’s what she told herself to get by.  You could do a lot of terrible shit by telling yourself that.

Baby opened her mouth but her voice caught in her throat.  The young woman was hugging a pillow in her arms. She had pulled a sheer robe around her body, but it did little to conceal the toned legs that curled, revealing just the slightest hint of lace peeking from it.  While most Silenus retained your sort of standard skin tone hers was a dark avocado that lighted as it neared the delicate secrets hidden beneath her robe.  Her body was curved like a woman years older. It would make her very popular, Baby thought with a hint of sadness. The girl was about her age, maybe a little older. By the way her robe hugged her form, it was clear that she had filled out in ways that Baby never would.

The girl's frightened eyes were puffy with tears that glistened against her soft cheeks. She had glossy dark hair that dropped in waves around her face, the tips of her ears peaking through.  Small fangs protruded from her upper jaw glistening white against her ruby lips.

‘She’s beautiful.’

The girl sniffed back a tear and wiped her eye with the back of a hand that held the pillow tightly.  The gesture smeared the makeup already making dark paths from her eyes down her cheeks.  Baby realized that she had already broken the first rule.  Do not stare at the merchandise, especially after they’d been traumatized. 

“You…you’re Baby Doll right?” The girl asked. Hearing her name snapped her back into the moment, but she felt flush as if the room had suddenly gotten very warm.

‘God I hate that name.’

“Call me, Baby.” She said with a wave of her hand like she was swatting at some annoying gnat.

“I’m…I’m sorry.  The other girls…they said…I’m sorry.”

Baby knew she had come off too harsh. ‘Fuck, what are you doing?’ She was acting like she had never done this before.  Baby didn’t want to look at the girl again.  Didn’t want her to notice she had noticed how attractive she was or notice how it made her act.  It felt dirty, but if she didn’t do her job she was going to get herself and this girl into trouble and she didn’t want that for either of them.

“Its’ ok.  Baby is fine.” She found herself apologizing and flustered as she met the girl’s chocolate brown eyes.  Once again she found herself without the usual words. 

“What’s your name?”  she asked softly.  It was a good safe place to start.

“Sunny.” The girl answered.  At least she was no longer crying. She shifted on the old mattress that Digs or Rigo had tossed in the room for her to use and drew the clingy robe around her tight as she sat up still clutching the pillow to her.  She curled up her legs up close and hugged herself, her back propped up against the wall.

“That’s a pretty name.”  She replied and the girl nodded.

‘Get a grip sister.’  She told herself and pushed her attraction to the girl away for a moment.  The feelings stirring in Baby weren’t new.  Girls were kinda her thing. ‘Talk about bad timing.’ She thought with a sigh.  ‘Just take care of her.  Second rule: Do not get involved with the girls.’

“Are you hurt?”  She asked, not able to hide the genuine concern in her voice.  She hadn’t moved any closer to Sunny.  Girls could get jumpy the first time a John got rough with them and she didn’t know if Sunny was skittish or not.  She didn’t feel like getting shivved because the girl was feeling cornered.  She wasn’t acting like it, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t happen.

Sunny shook her head no, but she was shaking nonetheless.

“I brought you some water.” Baby said, pulling a bottle from her pack.  Normally this was the part where she would offer the girl something to calm her nerves, a little chemical induced bliss to take the edge off, but she couldn’t.  Not this time.  “Mind if I….?”  Baby Doll pointed to a spot on the floor next to the mattress.  She was still smarting from the fight and didn’t want to stand for the rest of the night.

“Oh, yeah. Sure.” Sunny answered. “Thank you.” Baby closed the distance between them and handed the girl the bottle.  Her arms, like her legs, were slim and toned, but the bottle still shook in her hand.

“Thanks.” Baby said, taking a seat on the floor next to Sunny’s mattress.  She extended her legs and crossed one stockinged leg over the other.  Baby often dressed in her older sister’s old clothes.  They would have looked way more provocative on her if she hadn’t been so much shorter and less well-endowed than Poppy was.  Instead the skirt she wore covered her to her lower thigh and the blouse she wore completely covered her midriff. Though cut low she wore a tight fitting tank top underneath to keep her from showing off her chest.  If you didn’t want to be just a girlfriend or another whore, you couldn’t go around dressing the part. She wore a pair of ragged tennis shoes and had recently cut her dark hair to her shoulders.  Once she had settled herself down, she let out a tired groan.  She was going to have bruises tomorrow.

Baby glanced over at Sunny.  “Do you like Music?” She asked, pulling out a set of headphones she had plugged into her phone.  Sunny nodded yes after taking a sip of water.  Somehow she managed to drink without spilling any around her small tusks.  Baby wasn’t sure how she managed that.
 
“Who’s your favorite...singer…band…whatever?”

“I like Christy Daee.” Sunny answered, handing the water back to Baby who shook her head.
 
“Really, I love her.”  Baby said with a grin.  “I’ve got her new album on here.” She said, holding out her hand to forestall taking the bottle back.  “Nah, you keep it.  I’m good.”

“No way.”  Sunny perked up at news, her round pretty face broke into a smile as she acquiesced and set the bottle down next to her on the mattress.

“Hell yeah.  Wanna listen with me?” She said,  Sunny’s smile gave her a warm feeling in her stomach and other places she shouldn’t be concentrating on right now. Sunny’s head bobbed up and down quickly and she clapped her hands together positively beaming.  So Baby handed her one side of the headphones and placed her ear on the other.  They had to lean close to one another so they could listen.  The closeness made Baby nervous and she glanced up as the music played to see Sunny looking back at her smiling.  She returned it but the heat in her cheeks became a blush so she looked away.

They sat there for hours.  After listening to one album they listened to another and after that they talked…about everything.  They talked about music and television.  They talked about places they had been (not many) and wanted to go (everywhere).  They talked about dreams and wishes and somewhere along the way they kissed. It was wonderful and sweet, so they did it again.
 
There were gentle, tentative touches, on the knee or the shoulder or a lock of hair plucked from a cheek.  Their laughter turned to whispers, the touches to caresses.  Eventually they were brave enough to cross the barrier.  Baby felt the light touch of Sunny’s questioning hand as she kissed softly at her avocado neck.  She slipped her hand inside the gossamer robe and felt the bare flesh of Sunny’s flat belly against her fingers and Sunny’s fingers dipped under her skirt.
 
Baby held her breath. She shook from nerves and excitement and fear, so much so that she stopped the gentle kisses and her own explorations until Sunny’s fingers pressed against her. She gasped and exhaled at the touch, free of the fear and nerves, Baby's kisses grew stronger, more passionate.  The dam of virgin nerves broken, their explorations growing intense and exciting.  Neither knew how to move or position and often their enjoyment was interrupted by bumps and giggles and half mumbled atonements.

A small fang pierced the soft flesh of Baby’s thigh as she climaxed. Sunny tried to apologize from between her thighs, but half-laughing half-gasping Baby had run delicate fingers through her black hair encouraging Sunny to keep going.

Their night was filled with moments of bumps and bruises, moans and cries, awkwardness and joy.  Eventually they were still, wrapped up in a warm glow on the old mattress.  Baby held the avocado skinned girl close, her body pressed against Sunny’s back as she gently stroked her long dark hair.

She had thought the girl asleep until she heard her say in that half-awake voice before one drifted off to sleep.  “Thank you, Baby Doll. I feel safe…with you.”

“Ellie.  Call me Ellie.” She whispered softly.

So much for the second rule.

“Ellie…I like that.” Sunny murmured before drifting off.

Ellie stayed awake as long as she could, gently running her fingers through Sunny’s hair.  She knew when the sun came up things would be different and she wasn’t ready for that moment to come, not yet anyway.

(Sunny died of an overdose 3 days later.)

~End Scene~

[shengami]

Character Name: Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 12.20 | 8:13pm
Location: Onyx Prairie - Central Quarter
Wearing: This. Darklash is Carried/Concealed.
Tagging | Mentioning: None | Hulta
Note: A Point of View
Chee watched the little girl chase the boy around the fountain. She shouted in broken elven syllables mixed with common words. Nearby, a slightly older girl plugged one nostril with her finger and blew bubbles out of the others. Nearby, he saw a trio of teenagers sat before someone in Jade Summer robes teaching Elvish. All of them had the tapered ears of elves and held chalkboards with flowing chalked script. He saw a mishmash of clothing styles but almost all of them had something on them that reminded him of Hulta. He supposed the Jade Summer would slowly provide articles and the Johtan stuff would become the minority. He frowned.

"Where did you find dem den?"

The man beside him cast a look at him and then took a breath, "Here and there. Lots of orphans in Toil."

Chee pressed his lips together and nodded. His thoughts race back to Willow and Rose. Berry and Luna followed them into his mind soon after. Toil was hard on families. He understood, too, that elves had a tendency to avoid the big human cities. Their history in the Great War had not been great either. Chee watched the girl blowing bubbles and smirked, "Shimmer?"

The man only nodded. Chee glanced at him. When he'd visited on assignment from Esther, they'd welcomed his visit. But he had a minder. He got it. Sentiment against elves wasn't at the same boil as for Silenus, but it existed. He watched the girl and giggled as she chased her own bubbles. It was a sort of silly thing to be able to do, but it showed the subtle difference even more than the ears. The girls was a little older than four or five at best.

Chee had awoken his shimmer young. Desperation or pressure, whatever the case, he recalled it manifesting around the age of eleven or twelve. But even that was later for most elves. And unlike humans or Silenus, it was an unusual elf that never awakened their shimmer. It was more a characteristic of their race than the ears. They also spoke a different language. He'd heard Lyra and Thessa speak it. The elves he grew up with had never spoken it though.

"So you'll take dem to da elven city?"

"Tabor, Yes. How else could they learn to be elves?"

It was a simple statement. The truth of it was palpable. It smacked him in the face like a hammer. He felt the impact between his eyes. His tail whipped; his ears flattened. He looked to the teenagers learning their own language and it settled on his shoulders. These orphans had, like him, been left in the care of humans. Just like his own brothers and sisters had. Mathilda had been loving and protective, but she wasn't an elf. He bit his lip and wondered if any of his family would also follow the Jade Summer elves. "I have brothers and sisters, in Seabreeze, who are elves."

The man raised an questioning eyebrow. Chee motioned at the children, "I'm an orphan, too." He noted the mans sad nod. He was used to people's pity when they knew. It wasn't like he had any other choice in it. It was a fact of his life. "Being raised by a human, it don't make me any less Silenus. People still see da ears and da tail. Dey still treat me like one. I expect Rose and Willow think of themselves as elves."

He saw the appraising look in the elven man's eyes. Chee noted the slow, hesitating nod. "Yes. They are. But there's more to it than pointy ears, words, and shimmers. But I think... you get that?"

It was Chee's turn to nod. As a person who'd been denied access to a heritage, he was keenly aware of its impact. He was Silenus. He'd acted on that fact. He'd experience it. He'd been judged for it and loved for it. It was a core to his identity. In a profound way, being Silenus and an Orphan were the only things his parents had ever given him other than his name. Velvet and Autumn had been the same and they'd all figured it out together. Sometimes Hazel or Sky, being a few years older, had some wisdom about it. What would it have been like to grow up with Silenus parents? To have not just studied and learned it but to have been immersed in it. To have absorbed it via osmosis from the very air? He bit his lip. The last two months had seen him learn a lot about what it meant to him to be Silenus.

Like, being looked down on for his rat features as if that was his heritage-ratness. Humans had a hard time, elves too probably, imagining children that looked nothing like them. They always assumed his parents were also rat-born. But that wasn't necessarily true. Chee had no idea if they were. His mother could have been. The trends sad as much. But nothing guaranteed it. One of his parents could have been an elf or human. Silenus traits bred true. But people saw he was a rat-born and assumed all the characteristics of a rat. He rankled. As if having these ears and this tail made him diseased, sneaky, and trash-loving?

Something hit his foot and he looked down at a rag-stuffed ball. Looking up, he saw a big-eyed elven kid about ten years old. Chee grinned and picked up the ball. He rolled it from palm along his fingers to back-of-hand then back to palm. He sent it rolling up his forearm to bounce off his bicep then caught it. He juggled it then sent it rolling along his shoulders, down his arm, and spun it on his finger. He crouched and motioned the kid forward. The boy shook his awe and looked to the minder first, who nodded, and then came close. Chee wasn't offended in the least; he grinned happily. Chee reached out and took the boy's hand, shaping it, and brought it up under the spinning ball. "Make your finger stiff like mine. Yes, almost, stronger, yes. Good. Hold still." Chee spun the ball up and then put it atop the finger. He held the hand, supported. The ball spun and the boy watched it with wonder before it fell.

Chee helped him do it two more times. The kid was laughing and others were watching. "You got it; now practice." He watched the kid walk away spinning the ball. He was followed by the two former tag-players begging to be taught. He saw the ten-year-old puff with importance. He stood and grinned at the minder. The man nodded.

He turned to look over the kids again and saw something good. They'd be shown their heritage, their past. They'd get access to something he could only dream about. They'd live peacefully among their own kind. He wasn't sure that sort of isolationism was good, but he understood it. It was why so many Silenus looked to Mirat. It was one of the things he'd loved about Meena. There was a sense of what it meant to be Silenus other than a history of racism, oppression, and slavery. There were grandmothers and Nakhans and more. Things that were theirs. Things he wanted to learn.

"Do you have children?"

Chee blinked at the question and blushed. He shook his head.  "Oh, you'd seemed really natural there."

Chee goggled and then laughed, "Cause I'm just a kid, still. I got a lot more growin up ta do." Chee chuckled and his tail laughed behind him. But the idea he might have children echoed in his head. He didn't think about it very often. Maybe never. He rarely remembered that he could, if he wanted to, have kids. That sort of required him to remember that sex was a thing he could do, too. He thought briefly about who, if anyone, he might want to do that with. There were a couple half-formed thoughts but nothing pulled him. He shook his head. He watched the girl blow more nose bubbles and chuckled, "Doubt it'll ever matter. Anyway, someone said you lot were trying ta off-load wagons, recoup costs, ta head overseas? Ya? Let's go see dem."

Chee turned from the atrium of the hotel that had rented off a couple floors of rooms to the Jade Summer for a good price. Transients in Toil were not overly common, so five hundred traveling elves meant dollars signs to Onyx Prairie's few hotels. He also knew more than a few soup kitchens and buffets helping them out as well. Some of the excess donation Chee had secured for Esther had found there way here in exchange for a wagon. A good price.

[Envious]

Character Name: Thessa Almentis
Date | Time: 11.23.1322 | Evening
Location: Dorm

The line between her dream and her reality was gone. She was aware of her surroundings. The room was dark. She could hear the soft breathing of her teammates - now two short - and the rustling of sheets, but there was another presence there, too. Every instinct within her screamed for her to move. She was in danger and needed to get up and respond, but her body was paralyzed. There was no resistance as a hand squeezed around her neck.

’Abomination.’

The word slithered into her ear as fingers dug into her skin. Despite her immobility, she could feel the pressure choking the air out of her, but she didn’t splutter. She couldn’t struggle. She sent commands to her extremities, but her body refused to obey. Why wasn’t her team waking up? Why wasn’t her Soul sparking to life?

’Cursed.’

The warmth of the grip started to intensify, radiating throughout her body. She could feel that death grip searing into her skin, burning so hot she could feel her body crackle and split as her flesh was cooked. She tried to scream and tried to struggle, but there was no movement. Only pain.

’Ruiner.’

The wrongness was overwhelming, but there was no whimper. No outwardly defiance. No relief. She was made helpless, smoldering to ash in her own bed. There was no one to save her. Farrah was dead. Orym was dead. Mila was dead. Meena had left. The people she was supposed to be closest to were all gone and some foul force had frozen her. She didn’t want to die. She needed to act! To wake up! This couldn’t be real. But she had no control over anything. Her body remained peacefully still as the flame writhed under her skin, consuming her from the inside out. She tried to pray, but even her thoughts refused to coalesce. There was only terror and grief and agony.

[shengami]

Character Name: Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 12.10 | 4:13-8:13pmpm
Location: Onyx Prairie - Western Quarter Arena
Wearing: Tracksuit Hero. Atheltics Bag. Darklash in bag.
Tagging | Mentioning: @Eye of Horus /Dariaq, @Rainbae /Koko |
Note: Only the Lonely
Chee felt that hollow thrum wash over him. It was a feeling that normally got him jazzed. His ears would flick, his tail would lash, he'd bounce, and his chest would fill with buzzing bees. He loved the feeling; it felt like progress. It felt like evolution.

But the feeling didn't come. His ears pinned back as a dull feeling invaded him instead. It was numb, gray, painful in that pressured sort of way. His neck felt stiff, hard. He popped it by rolling his head back and forth. But nothing helped. He slipped a hand into his bag and felt the cool handle of Darklash. But even that was hard comfort at the moment. The last few days had been hard days for Chee. He'd been forced to confront things, evolve rapidly, fight. He'd wallowed in a bit of self-pity, had his ass handed to him, and had brand new doubts about his place in the world.

All that and he still wasn't talking to Koko. It hurt just to think about it.

Cub and Roar were still there and more than plenty. He'd lost friends before. He'd lose friends again. But he'd never lost one that way. He'd never lot a friend he didn't want to. Not while they were still alive. It had been two weeks now and still nothing. If anything, she was even more distant. And he hated that. He hated that she was not here.

His ears flicked as he looked to the Neerfrosts tent seeking Dariaq. But the tall elf was also not present. Was Chee the only one here? Was he the only one that cared about this? He scanned briefly for Koko, but his heart wasn't in it. Chee never backed down. He'd given his ultimatum. It was on her now.

Except that felt bad, too. Shouldn't he be doing more, something.

His whole body visibly shook. A voice called from nearby and he grinned at a friend. He trotted over to the DJ booth and gave Aerie a high-five. "Hi, girl! Nice gig!" A bit of lighter air breathed into his form. He had many friends after all.

Chee collapsed.

His chest heaved and he felt sweat run along his hairline. He grinned and pointed at the ceiling as triumph and defiance flared within him. His muscles ached and his body felt light. His head spun. It was an athlete's high. His whole system was flooded with adrenaline, dopamine, and more chemicals. He blinked and tried to focus. Another ragged breath exploded out of him. He reigned it in to prevent hyperventilation.

Slowly, he rolled onto his shoulder and looked at the leader board. It was flickering and changing. He licked his lips as his a name shifted. Finally, it stopped and he threw his fist up. He crowed into the arena. The sound was drowned out by the roar of the crowd. Pressing at the floor, he gathered his rubber legs under him and thrust his form up. Standing, both his arms pumped into the air. Standing, he turned slowly. The crowd in the stands rose in a wave with him. It was the most applause anyone had ever gotten for fifth place.

There were no brackets at the start of his name. There was no '[NRFTS]' asterisking his performance. Every other name in the top ten had that caveat. Every single spot had been stolen by Neerfrosts. But not this one. Chee felt his form vibrate as eyes saw him. Scores, maybe hundreds, of people cheered and chanted his name. Tor-tious! Tor-tious! Tor-tious! He stopped turning and looked down at the black tent. A man glared back up at him. Chee represented a marring of a perfect run for the team and company. He stuck his tongue out and pulled an eyelid down. His tail whipped behind him. He watched the man retreat to the back of the tent to where various techs were scooping up readouts. He saw the man yelling at a young woman. His eyes narrowed.

Slowly, his gaze turned to the rolling logs challenge. There'd only been five non-Neerfrosts athletes in the final round. All but Chee had been eliminated there. If he had Koko here to monitor it, he'd bet she'd have some more damning video. Even he'd almost lost it there. The roller had suddenly reversed under him. Only his tail and speed had saved him. A quick pivot and some acrobatics and a lot of balance.

He jumped off the tower into the water below.

His body was sore, but Chee danced as he moved through the part. There was no prize, no money for fifth place, but he was exultant. He laughed happily. It was enough to snub the company ruining a thing he loved. Even without Koko, his other friends had been there for it. He huffed a heavy breath.

In that moment of silence, he heard footsteps. His ears perked up; his tail went still. He ducked into the bushes beside the walkway. A trio of men came along the path. They were looking for something. He noted the all-black, paramilitary looks. He grinned. He grabbed his tail to keep it still. His ears flicked happily. It seemed someone else was not happy with him.

He bit his lip. Then slowly, he produced his squeakers and started applying them. Three on one when he didn't know if they could wield Soul or Shimmer was risky. His body was hurting as well. He was also without armor or anything but Darklash. Discretion was the better part here. He'd have to consider this for next months' event and make sure he had allies.

[Aethyrium]

Apple Blossom

Ginger Fizz

S T O R Y T E L L E RDecember 23th, Early Evening (~7pm) | Apple’s Office, Hammer Academy
Cutscene
Ginger sure had a lot to say about the mission to Haymurk. Apple wasn’t keen on getting the one on one report, that’s what Shir, Moss, and Ettinus were for. But she also wasn’t so removed that when a squire came asking to speak to her she was going to deny them. It had been a bit of a transition. As General she was not so readily available to subordinates. There was a chain of command, and things needed a certain level of severity to require her individual attention. But as Headmaster she had to be a bit more accessible - even if she thought the Hammer students would probably have benefited from a slightly more rigid structure than they were given. She’d thought that when she was a Hammer student too though.

“So you’re displeased with the way Champions operate.” Apple said to confirm, getting a nod from the squire. Hearing about how disorganized the mission was didn’t surprise her, what did was how badly it seemed to be meshing with Ginger. She’d really expected a better level of adaptability from the young woman. “You miss the order of a unit.” she expressed to another affirming nod.

“My life before the academy was a mess,” Elle expressed, “The structure of the unit, I… It changed me. And I like what it did.” Apple could see that it was hard for her to admit. She suspected somewhere that Ginger felt like the conclusion she was coming to was a failing. “And the Hollow… Whatever that was. That was crazy. That’s not… I want to help, I want to serve. But I never wanted to be that. I don’t want to deal with that. I’ve got…”

“Your family,” Apple finished for her, adding her own nod to the conversation. “Well I won’t say that I’m not disappointed, but it’s your decision. I can’t make you stay, but Ginger, this opportunity isn’t going to come a second time. So be sure it’s really what you want.”

Ginger shrugged, “It never was. Champions are other people, they’re not me. I’m grateful, but I know where I belong, ma’am, and I’d like to go home. Maybe this works for them, but it’s not who I am.” Cut and dry, clear cut orders had saved her from the murky depths of gray. She didn’t need a new type of ambiguity to deal with.

Leaning back in her chair, Apple folded her arms and thought. “Well, I don’t think you need to finish out the academy. If you’re going to do this, I’ll have you given a permanent assignment.”

Elle’s eyes lit up some, “That would be great, but what about my old unit?”

Apple shrugged, “They’ll graduate soon enough. Maybe you’ll get stationed together. Either way, that’s not your concern. But Ginger, you should know you’re not everyone’s favorite. There were ruffled feathers when I pulled you away. If you’re going to go back into the service, you’ll probably face some challenges. And you’ll have some bridges to mend from your own behaviors.”

She swallowed and nodded, “With all due respect ma’am, fuck them. No one is going to scare me off from this, it’s what I need to do. Besides, I’ve had to prove myself to everyone my whole life, if I’m good at anything it’s that.”

Standing up, Apple extended a hand, “Very well. Pack your things and say your goodbyes, then report to Colonel Krask at military command, he’ll get you an assignment.” Their hands met and shook, “Good luck out there, private.” It was sad to lose potential, Apple had seen it in her. Maybe she was wrong though. In either case, losing an asset was disappointing, and that’s exactly what was happening. It also meant she suddenly had a short team again. Apple gave a final squeeze before letting Ginger turn and head for the door. Just before it opened, Apple cleared her throat, “Private, your sword.” Apple glanced at her desk. Ginger was on her own now, whatever came next. Apple had gone out for her, and this decision while maybe understandable, ensured the general wasn’t going to have her back the next time she fucked up. It was the last net she was going to provide Ginger.

Eloise blinked and looked down at the object that had become a fixture to her. She’d not even thought of it. It stung, the idea of giving it up. “Oh, right,” she murmured, pulling the scabbard from her hip. Strumming the strings, Eloise seemed like she might reconsider as she reapproached Apple’s desk. She set it down though and looked the general in the eyes. “Thank you ma’am, for everything.” She bowed her head and exited. As she headed off to tell Dariaq, there was a heavy part of her - but somehow she still felt lighter. Dari wasn’t the only one to talk to. Thessa needed it too. And then there was Estelle. That one left something wormy in the pit of her stomach.

And so Ginger did the only thing she could do - the rounds. She wasn’t abandoning them, she thought. These friends she had made, she’d be nearby. Lives had touched her - and she had touched them. It wasn’t the end, it was just the turning of a page or some dumb shit like that. She met with the people most important individually - except Thessa. Gravity got the announcement all at once, and she explained that it was her decision, but that she’d be around. She tried to explain that to everyone.

Except she wasn’t going to be, she just didn’t know it until much later. After all of her goodbyes, all of her talks, and all of her moments with people, Ginger met the colonel as instructed. “I heard you were coming,” Krask said from behind his desk, mouth wrapped around the thick butt of a cigar, “Heard all sorts of things about you, actually.” That was when Ginger noticed a picture of Colonel Krask and Lieutenant Commander Allister - along with a few others - hanging on the wall behind the colonel’s desk. “And now you’ve wasted the general’s time.” He puffed hard on the cigar, “Well, you’re in luck. I’ve got an immediate assignment opening.” Krask said, pulling the cigar from his mouth and crushing the cherry in a tray. He exhaled a cloud of smoke, “Sending you to The Thumb, already got your transport ready. You leave in thirty.” Her heart dropped. The Thumb was the assignment no one wanted. It was a base at the ankle of the Windspires, and oversaw the Onyx Military’s largest Arcanite harvest and processing operation. Far to the south, almost two hundred miles away from everyone she cared about, the friends she had made, and the family she wanted to be closer to.

Now she was farther than ever.

[Aethyrium]

Saint Valentine

Bri’elle Whitewater

S T O R Y T E L L E RDecember 25th, Late Evening (~10:30pm) | Unknown Residence, Western Quarter
Cutscene
Breathless, Bri’elle rolled to the side of the bed. A sheen of sweat clung to her, as did the odor of mingled bodies. She watched as Saint took a seat at the desk. All she wanted was to get lost in the drunkenness of the euphoria he induced in her. But he had other plans. “What does being a Champion mean to you, Ace?” He was fiddling with something in a drawer, but she couldn’t tell what.

The question was much more complex than she had been prepared to deal with. Half sitting up the sheet fell from her body and the young squire rested her shoulder on the headboard, “I don’t know, I never thought about it.” She admitted. It had been a duty, one she’d never questioned. It was what Whitewater’s did. She was no exception, and she had never wanted to be. “I told you before, I wanted to serve. This is how I do that.”

Given the circumstances there was something amusing to him about that remark, but he didn’t comment. “Yeah, I know that. But you don’t have to be a Champion for that. You could have joined the military. Could have grown food. Someone like you isn’t lacking for options.” He found whatever he was looking for and shut the drawer.

Bri shifted to get comfortable. She looked across the room at her shield leaning against the wall, a trail of clothing leading from it to the foot of the bed. Red from the rigorousness of their time together darkened even further on her features with the flickering memory of his treatment of her when she’d arrived. “Nothing wrong with growing good, that’s important work,” she knew, her mother had ensured that, insisted she understand the value of what their family did, “But I was made for action,” she grinned at him, but he was still facing away from her, “And I always planned to join the military, when I was done with Hammer.” She crossed her arms under her small breasts with a little huff of annoyance, “What’s this about?”

There was a strange pause between them. Longer than Saint had ever really allowed to exist before. He’d always been so upfront with her. It made her uncomfortable, but then that was his goal. “Because I’m going to ask you two questions, and the second one is reliant on the first and knowing if being a Champion is really what you want to do with your life.”

Her brow tightened. She wasn’t sure where this was going, but she hadn’t held back from Saint thus far she wasn’t about to start now. “I want to do good, I want to protect people, and this city. Being a Champion is the path that I’m on to do that, but it’s the means not the goal. So what’s the question?”

Saint started to stand. There was a click. A familiar chk-chk that came from in front of him. Bri’elle recognized it as the cocking of a gun. Confusion hit her as she tried to parse the situation. Her body started to hum with the activation of her shimmer. But she was caught so off guard that by the time she thought to move, Saint had already flown across the room. His hand wrapped around her throat and he shoved her back against the headboard. One leg kneeling on the bed, the other anchoring him to the floor. It was too late for her to run. He squeezed the throat so tightly that it pushed the air she already had out. And he lifted her up against the wall by her neck. Bri’elle kicked and flailed against it. Her hands went to his thick forearm and she struggled against him, eyes speaking her lack of understanding about what was happening. Saint lifted the gun with the other hand and pressed the tip of it to her eye until she was flinching underneath it. He stared hard into the other, “Who do you serve?” He growled, unblinking, “Onyx? Apple? The Whitewaters?” He nudged the gun painfully against her socket. “WHERE IS YOUR LOYALTY ACE?” His shout was booming, almost deafening.

She clawed at his arm, but it was too much. She wasn’t getting away from him. The disorientation of lack of air started to get to her. She felt her eyes start to roll back. Loyalty was a funny thing. For the longest time she would have said her family, and maybe she still should have. The connections there were deep and ran a lifetime, they had been deeply ingrained into her. But her time at Hammer was expanding her thoughts. Apple, of course, admired the woman. But loyalty there was more to her office than the woman herself per se. Ettinus hadn’t been on the list, but it was possible he should have been, there was some there. Onyx was a given, she loved this place, and in a roundabout way that was sort of the answer. But she had given her word, and that meant something - everything - to her. “Y… Y-... Y-o…Y-you” she choked out with the last bit of air in her lungs, pushed so forcefully past the hold of his hand that it hurt. Saint had promised her a better way to serve Onyx and protect it. In that way, serving him was being loyal to Onyx.

And he believed her. Saint pulled the gun away and released her. She dropped into a gasping puddle, head leaned against his bare chest. She stared down through tear filled eyes at the cock - apparently aroused all over again from his little display of power - she’d just taken, still fresh with her cream, waggling again, ready for her. “What… What… The fuck.” Bri’elle managed between breaths.

Scooting back, Saint casually pitched the gun onto the bed. “Had to be sure.”

If looks could kill her sneer would’ve been lethal, “Sure of what?!”

In another scenario he might have been playful. Might have teased her about this not being the first - or last - time he’d choked her. But this wasn’t a laughing matter. “That I can count on you.” He moved away from the bed and back to the desk. Another drawer opening gave Bri’elle anxiety and she watched like a hawk. But all he pulled out this time was a file. “There was a letter recovered, headed to Ruby, about a month ago. Ocean Specter was responsible,” Saint said, turning and tossing the file onto the bed before her. “Three Paladin’s were stolen. Somehow he knew where they’d be and when. One of those Paladin’s slipped into the Hammer Crater Base and bypassed military security, blowing open the wall and creating the Azkaban prison break. Another one was destroyed by your friends on team Gravity. The pilots of that unit were Red Fang operatives.” Saint followed the arc of the file and sat on the edge of the bed, near her, watching as she opened it and started to look at the contents. “But the only way to activate a Paladin is through a changing code generated by an officer, and no one outside the program has been trained to pilot the units. Plus, the pilots who were in the unit responsible for Azkaban had to be soldiers, or have credentials.”

One hand flipping papers, the other reached up and rubbed at her neck. She still didn’t understand what this had to do with her, her loyalty, or why it involved getting choked out. “So the military has been compromised.” She assessed.

“That’s right, and I’ve been tasked to find out who and how.” He revealed.

Looking up, Bri squinted, “What’s that got to do with me?”

Shifting to face her, “I need someone I can trust. Someone young enough to fit in and blend in. Someone new, that won’t be recognized. Someone that I can position inside the military, and can handle themselves if they get in trouble. You already have the skills needed to keep yourself safe, Ace. I want to pull you out of Hammer. That’s a valuable asset, but it doesn’t mean anything if Onyx falls apart. And this sort of cancer spreads best with the fresh meat.” Saint looked down at the folder, “I want you to get yourself recruited, so we can find the people responsible. No matter who they are, no matter how high it goes. You report to me, and only me.” There had been something else he’d grabbed the desk, hidden in his hand. He presented it then, a small black insignia, “I want you to be part of section thirty-one, and serve this city.”

It didn’t take her even a second to reach for it, “Where do we start, Sir?”

“You need to disappear. Subtly. Withdraw from Hammer, cite family reasons. You’re needed there. We’ll put together a cover for your family, and tell them you’ve been assigned to a classified mission. And that if anyone is looking for you, you’re away on family business.” Saint nodded toward the door, “We’ll cover details of your mission once that’s done.”

“And what about after we find the traitors, Sir?” Bri asked, closing the file.

“You’ll stay on and serve me full time.” Saint said with a smirk.

[Aethyrium]

Ettinus Maro Lin Oscoro

Maria Rex-Astra

S T O R Y T E L L E RDecember 24th, Midday (~4pm) | Ettinus’ Office, Hammer Academy
Cutscene
“I think I was wrong.” Maria admitted aloud for the first time as she took the seat offered to her by the once headmaster in his office atop the academy, “I think I made a mistake.” The thoughts were a jumble, because she didn’t want to believe them, but the longer she sat with it the more it felt true. “I don’t think I can do this.”

It was a lot to take in so suddenly, especially without any context. But Maria was not the first student to come to him in confusion, and he had a knack for getting to the bottom of things. Plus, Maria’s struggles recently hadn’t exactly been quiet. “If this is about that situation with Koko, give it time, it will heal.”

Maria frowned. “No, it’s not that.” She caught herself in the lie, and looked down, grappling with the lingering shame of her actions and the ways she had tried to excuse it. “Not exactly.” More than she wanted to admit, though. “It’s everything. It’s this whole Red Fang situation, and Apple becoming headmaster and us being used on military operations and…” Maria’s whole body tightened, “Astra Industries. It isn’t right, none of it is right and I want to… I want to do something about it!” It was the most animated she’d been since coming to Hammer - except, perhaps, while brutalizing Koko.

This was a struggle that Ettinus understood. He smiled kindly and sat back in his chair. “You became a Champion to do good, and make the world a better place. It’s only natural you’d want to do that.”

That was exactly it. Maria looked up at him with the light of fire in her eyes. “Yes! Exactly. So why can’t I? Why aren’t we?”

He smiled sympathetically, “If only fixing all the world’s problems was as simple as the will to do it. These things take time, Maria. You’re being trained, but that takes time.”

“But I can’t wait. We can’t wait.” Uncharacteristically dramatically she threw an arm to gesture at the wide open window overlooking Hammer. “There are problems now. Problems that aren’t being fixed. And some that aren’t even being acknowledged…” And maybe that’s really what this was about. The Red Fang situation still bothered her, it made her blood boil, but not so much as finding her mother’s secrets at Fort Kapsi. She swallowed, “I came to Hammer to get away from my mother, and to make a difference. But I’m starting to think that the things I want to make a difference on, I can’t do as a Champion. If we’re… If we’re so bound that we can’t stop people like Satin, then what are we doing?”

“We’re fighting the Hollow.” Ettinus cautioned.

“Why can’t we do both?” Maria countered.

There were reasons, and they were long and historical and complicated and muddy. Ettinus wisely decided not to dip into that, if only because he didn’t believe that’s really what she was looking for. “For starters, there aren’t enough of us.” There were already too few Champions for the things they were actually needed for. “And some of us do choose to take on social causes, but you’re not a Champion yet. That freedom is yours, but you have to earn it.”

She shook her head, “I don’t think I can wait four years. I want to make a change now. But I…” If she wasn’t a Champion, how would she do it? Under the pressure created by her mother’s name, how would she be anything but Ameldia’s shadow, if she wasn’t a Champion? “I’m lost.” It wounded her to admit it.

“You’re very passionate about this situation with the Red Fang,” Ettinus said thoughtfully, having heard not just of what she’d endured, but also her actions since. “But I fear your perspective on situations might be a little lacking.”

“What do you mean?” Maria looked up to the elf.

Ettinus’ smile was tired. “There is a call to problems like these that humans don’t understand.” As an elf he understood racial plights better than any human could. “But you lack so much of your own history, your heritage. It’s not your fault, it’s a choice made by your mother, and it robbed you of something that you feel inside your Soul.” It was a trait natural to the races of Toil who had suffered, if anything Ameldia’s distance from it was the oddity. “It’s not wrong to want to help and be a force for change, Maria.”

Those words spoke to her, and she felt it. Maria nodded and found herself sitting forward slightly in the seat, “What do I do?”

Sadly, Ettinus shrugged, “I don’t think there’s anything you can do as you are.”

Immediately the young silenus bristled. That was unacceptable to her. “I don’t think I can accept that.”

“I don’t think you should.” Ettinus replied with a small chuckle.

Then she was bewildered, blinking, and confused, her head tilted some. “I don’t understand.”

“You are as you are because of the choices made for you. Even the choices you’ve made are influenced by that. You came here, like you said, to get away from your mother. But not only did you not actually do that, is that the choice you’d have made if that wasn’t a pressure behind you?” He inquired. She had no answer, so she just stared waiting for more. “You’re missing a piece of yourself, a culture that you can’t get here. Maybe it’s time you get that.”

“But how?” Maria blurted, “My name… Even my likeness. I can’t escape who I am.”

With an inclination of his head he agreed, “Maybe not here, but there is a place where you can find what was denied to you, and you can find yourself. Mirat. And if it’s truly what you want, I know some people who can get you there.”

It was like the whole world was suddenly cracked open ahead of her. The idea of it, the possibility had never occurred to her. There she could learn what the Red Fang truly was. She could learn what it meant to be silenus. And she could even, maybe, learn who she was supposed to be. All beyond the reach and influence of her mother. For the first time the potential of being someone other than Ameldia Astra’s daughter was before her, and it quickened her heart and she all but lunged at it. “Will you help me?”

Losing another squire was no good for Hammer. It would hurt Swagger. But the world would not be served by a Champion who was not meant to be a Champion. And all that hurt paled beside doing what was right for her. “Of course.”

[Aethyrium]

Robyn Banks

Aurora Torvoe

S T O R Y T E L L E RDecember 27th, Early Afternoon (~3pm) | Rook’s Down Park - Western Quarter - Onyx
Cutscene
Roar sobbed. Their knees were dragged up to their chest, face buried in the twist of their arms. They’d forgotten how long they’d been here like this. At least a couple of hours. When they’d heard the news they just… Ran. Ran until their chest burned, until their legs didn’t want to keep going, and then further until there was no one around to see them break down.

“Aurora?” Robyn called, slightly frantic. She pushed through a series of bushes and stepped into the small space where her young pupil was holed up. Tracking her after the fact had been difficult, but Robyn was the determined sort. Immediately upon seeing her, Robyn’s heart broke. She frowned and pulled off her hat, dropping it to the ground. She all but rushed to the woman’s side and kneeled ahead of her. Throwing her arms around Roar, she pulled her close and stroked her hair, “I just heard, Roar.” Robyn squeezed her eyes shut, “I’m so sorry sweetie.”

What could they say? Roar trembled. The embrace was as familiar as it wasn’t, but it was very much needed. She threw her arms around her mentor and buried her face. The sobbing ramped to ten. And for whole minutes there was nothing but Roar’s pained wailing in the air. “How could this… How… How could this happen?” She managed out, once there was no breath left in her chest for anything else.

Of course Robyn had no good answer for her. No one did. That was just the pain of Toil. It was the sad, unfortunate reality. But even Robyn wasn’t so cold as to throw that in the poor girl’s face. She frowned more deeply, and clutched Roar close. “I don’t know,” Robyn admitted quietly. She wanted to tell her it would be okay, but that would, in all likelihood, be a lie.

“I have… I… I have to go. I have to…” Roar stammered.

Robyn winced. She’d been afraid of that. “No, Aurora, you need to stay where you are. The bes–”

“What?! How can you say that?” She pushed away from Robyn and stared at her in horror, “They said there were survivors… What if… What if they’re still alive? What if…”

Hope was dangerous. She wanted that for Roar, but there were no promises, and going was risky all on its own. “You made a choice to come here,” Robyn said as gently as she could manage, but there was no easy way to confront her with the fact that this had always been a possibility, “So you could stop things like this from happening.”

“But I wasn’t there! If… If I had been there, I—”

Robyn reached out and put her hands on the girl’s shoulders, “You could have maybe died too. If you hadn't been here, there’s probably nothing you could have done. Roar, don’t you see? This isn’t your fault, no matter how you cut it.” There was no winning, it was all losses, she understood that. The knowledge didn’t make it better, but it did set a groundwork. “And if they’re gone, you’ll give up everything for what? A chance to go see some ghosts? And if they are, then what? You’ll bring them here with nothing? You’re going to ferry little Marcus all the way across Johtan by yourself? Not to mention what might happen to you on the way there.”

Defiance and pain made terrible bedfellows, and Roar looked away, “You don’t get it, you’re used to the people you love dying!” She shouted in anger.

Sitting back on her heels, Robyn stared for a moment, then released a big sigh. “I can’t stop you, if this is what you want to do. But Roar, it’s not promising. Stay here where you can do some good. Where you’re needed… The team—”

“What team?!” She snapped, “Bri’elle left. Maria’s gone. There’s no Swagger anymore.”

A gloved hand came flying through the air, and Robyn struck Roar straight across the face. She glared hard at her. “You want to be mad at Maria and Bri’elle for leaving, so be it. But you will not talk about Hulta, Koko, and Dariaq that way. There is a Swagger so long as you stick together, which means they need you.”

Shocked, Roar lowered her eyes. She felt shameful. But also unconvinced. “So does my family.”

“Aurora, they’re gone. And if you’re wrong, joining them won’t do anyone any good.” Robyn attempted to plead with her.

“If they’re gone, I may as well be.” Roar said, pushing to her feet.

Following suit, Robyn watched as Roar took some retreating steps toward an exit. “If not for you, and not for your team, what about for Chee?” That put a pause in her step. She hesitated, eyes flickering rapidly side to side. She hadn’t considered it. “That’s right. I saw you two at the ball. I don’t think you, or he, just got there at random.”

She licked her lips. “If they’re gone, I won’t be the sort of person he deserves. And if they’re not, I have to be with them. Either way… He’ll understand.” Roar pushed forward, stepping away from Robyn and headed back toward Hammer to gather what little things she needed for a journey across Johtan.

[Aethyrium]

Shir Dhan

Vesper Cabello

S T O R Y T E L L E RDecember 30th, 8:54pm | Gravity Dormitory - Hammer Academy
Cutscene
Being back in the dorm felt a bit surreal. In the grand scheme of things he hadn’t been gone that long, but on a smaller scale six weeks felt like an eternity. Especially with what he had been through. On one hand he had learned so much. On the other he seemed to have missed even more. Meena’s plants were gone. And as he understood it even her replacement was already gone. The remainder of them would join them soon, and he was hopeful for that. Maybe Gravity had gotten their act together in the time he’d been away. For so long he had worried that they would congeal without him, and then he’d be the outsider again, and have to find his way back in all over. But now he was… Vesper hung his head and sighed, “I don’t even know where to start.”

Shir leaned against the wall, arms crossed watching the young man, “Go back to the beginning.”

That too felt so long ago, but it had all started with Ettinus. “Azkaban…” he recalled. Even though Shir knew most of the early details, Vesper recounted. At the very least it would be good practice for sharing it all with the team when they arrived. He explained that it had started with Ettinus, when the headmaster - former headmaster, gosh he had missed a lot - came to him and told him that someone was looking for an expert on Hollow and that they believed it was connected with Ocean. Since Ocean hadn’t seen him, and he had the skills to both be a believable knowledgeable individual and to defend himself, he was a uniquely qualified candidate. He’d been given a new identity - Anthem Sephedine - and then smuggled out of Onyx so he could be smuggled back in by the contacts. The whole thing was going to be arranged by the military. It was a thread created by the recovery of the missive Chee had carried, the secret operation carried out by Meena and Azir at the Rishi Valley.

From there he had met someone named Cherry Fizz, who had gotten him back into Onyx where he had met an elf. “Xaexyl, that’s what everyone called him.” A description of him finally put a name to the elf who had saved Ocean during the events of Dazzle & Dust, the same one that Shir had encountered on the rooftop the night of the Azkaban prison break. “There was another man who came around sometimes, but I never caught his name. But I think… I think he was the leader of the Red Fang. He wore a hood and a mask, I didn’t see him. However he kept talking about making Onyx pay. Xaexyl seemed to be in agreement.”

He went on to explain that they wanted him - Anthem - to find ways to guide Hollow. They were working with some kind of strobing light system. A way to attract Hollow and pull groups of them toward something. “I was working with a Hispo. I kept trying to tell them that Hollow didn’t respond like that, but they wanted me to find something they would respond to. I admit, I didn’t have much success.” Which he couldn’t decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing. “I don’t know why they wanted it, but I know they’re not very far on it.”

And that was sort of why he felt like that was the least important part of his mission’s findings, even if it had sort of been the mission itself. “Xaexyl and the masked man talked with Ocean sometimes. But… Not always.”

Tilting his head, Shir hummed thoughtfully. “What do you mean?”

Vesper shrugged a bit, not sure how to put it into words. Much of it was just a feeling, and it wasn’t something he could really confirm. “Whatever Xaexyl and the masked man want with the Hollow, I don’t think Ocean knows about it. I never saw him near the Hollow, and it was only Red Fang who were keeping them secure.” Unfortunately it was underground and he couldn’t say much more about the actual location because he had been given an escort to and from the location, and was blind folded on every journey to and from. “And there were others, people who seemed to be reporting to Xaexyl. A woman from Ruby, and a pair of men from Emerald…” and that’s where his heart wrenched. Vesper frowned deeply.

“What’s wrong?” Shir asked, stepping away from the wall and taking a step closer.

“Xaexyl asked them about Kato.” The words felt heavy on his lips.

Shir’s breath stilled. “Your missing brother.” He said as confirmation.

Nodding, Vesper pressed his thumbs together until they strained. “Yeah. They told him that the Heiress had him hunting Maple.” Vesper didn’t know what all that meant, but he knew one thing - it implied that Kato was alive and out there somewhere.

It did mean something to Shir though. He tensed up and narrowed his eyes. “Maple? You sure you heard that right?”

The squire nodded, suddenly eager and invested, “You know something?”

A difficult question. Shir grimaced. “During the Azkaban attack, I fought with Xaexyl. He was after a girl, Coral. Coral and Maple are… Sisters of a sort.” That was really all he could say, “I don’t know how your brother is tied up in all of this though.”

“Well… I’m going to find out.” Vesper said, resolutely. “If Kato is out there I can’t just… I know it wasn’t the plan, but if my brother is alive, I need to find him. I’ll need to get back soon.”

“Get back?” Shir shook his head, “No, it’s too dangerous. And you’ve been gone long enough, you need to come back here.”

But Vesper wasn’t going to be deterred here. “I’m not coming back, Shir.” He frowned slightly, “I’ve already made arrangements with Xaexyl. I’m going to go with his associates, back to Emerald. I’ll find out what they know about Kato and I’m going to track him down.” Vesper swallowed hard, “But I wanted… I wanted to say goodbye to everyone in person. I wanted to share what I had found. When I came to Hammer I expected to learn how to fill the hole left by Kato, but instead I found a path back to him… I have to know where it leads.” The door started to open - Gravity had arrived. “Maybe there I can find something useful for you all, if I do, I’ll try to send word. But now that I know Kato is involved somehow, I can’t just walk away from this.”

[shengami]

Character Name: Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 12.28 | 6pm
Location: Hammer Academy - Training Rooms
Wearing: Tracksuit Hero. Athletics Bag. Darklash in bag.
Tagging | Mentioning: Roar |
Note: 12 days
Chee tumbles like a log along the matt. Air oofed from his lungs as he hit the equally padded wall of the training room. The lights in his head went off for a second. He blinked until they came back on.

"Chee! I'm sorry!"

"Why?" He rolled and came to his feet. "It's my fault for lettin ya sucker me." His ears flicked as he looked at them. He saw the hurt in their eyes. His tail snapped. His hand came up to his jaw, "I meant da punch, Roar." But the hurt only faded a bit. He saw the self-doubt that had been there from the first day he met them. He hated that; he wanted to shake it from them. Scream at them how good and amazing they were. He wanted to beat belief in themself into themself. He sighed again. He brought his hands up into loose fists and bounced on his toes. "Try it again."

They'd sparred regularly since that first time. Even a few times since the Winter Battle Ball. Things had changed between them that night, important things. They still sparred all out. But there was a new kind of electricity in it. There was something deeper to it now; something more. They were friends, confidants, and more. They valued one another as people, mortals, partners. Chee grinned; they pushed one another to be better than they were before. He still felt the giddiness of it. Even if the news they'd broken should have snuffed it out.

He charged at them. The flurry of fists was blinding. Nearby, a pair of upperclassmen stopped to watch two people enthusiastically pummel one another. They blinked at the egging on and smack talk as they urged one another to faster, stronger, harder strikes. Each bruise, cut, and blow was welcomed with wide-eyed fervent glee. These two loved beating one another up; they thrived in pushing each other to their limits freely. Others didn't understand. They wanted to push the other higher, better, faster. Sometimes, now, they sparred in full kit. When they did, Chee won more than half the time. As often as that, they brawled. Roar won far more often than Chee did in full kit. As a brawler, they outclassed Chee.

He grinned and his tail snapped as he saw the feint this time. He moved to counter it, aiming for their ribs, but they caught him again. His chin whipped to the side. Even as it did, he felt himself react too slow. The damage had built up too far. He gasped for breath. The next two blows thudded into his diaphragm and kidneys. He crumpled.

A second later, he flopped onto his back and stared up at them. They looked concerned, "Wild One's breath Roar! I ain't broken. And if you keep looking at me like dat, I'll tink you've been lying ta me."

They looked confused. He rolled his eyes and patted the matt. Roar flopped near him. He reached out to grab their shirt and pulled them closer. They hesitated and he sent a dark look. They slid closer. Chee turned and slid his head onto their shoulder. His hand traced over their abs. "Right now, Roar, I believe dat we both-" He bit his lip, "Cared a lot for one anoder. No, care a lot for one anoder. And maybe, if we had time, more dan dat?"

"If we had time? More?" They searched his face.

He hesitated. He'd been trying to avoid this part. But he thought they deserved it, "I don't know. I'm not good wit feelins, Roar. I don't know what dis is, but I wanted ta find out."

"Sorry..."

He rabbit punched their ribs. "Shut up, You're not doin anytin wrong. It's your family. If I'd gotten da same call about Seabreeze..." Would he thought? Would you though? He bit his lip and left it alone. He splayed his fingers out over Roars abs now and felt them breath. "Stop bein sorry. I understand." He looked up at them. The movement made his ribs stretch and he winced. He saw the look, their lips moving, and he clapped his hand over them. "I said stop."

He pulled his hand away. Their lips started to move again. He climbed them and shut them up with a kiss. They looked startled. He pulled back a few centimeters, "Eleven days." They frowned at him. "Dat's officially da longest relationship I was ever in. Eleven days wit you. Honest, it's da only relationship I ever been in."

"Does it really count as-"

He shut them up again, the same way. He looked Roar in the eyes, "It does. It counts because we want it ta." He slid back into their side and felt their arm pull his shoulder in. It felt good. He wondered what it would have been like to keep going. They'd grow closer. More kisses. Snuggling. Falling asleep in one another's' arms. Sex. He flushed at the idea. He buried his face in their shoulder. The mere fact that he was doing what he was doing and didn't feel like his skin was crawling said everything to him. He was comfortable with them. It was like but different from Dawn. He smiled against their sweaty training clothes. It was a good smell.

They'd told him before they started. They'd said they understood if he didn't want to, but he'd seen the look in their eyes. It had been overwhelming for him. His brain had felt fuzzy, but running was the last thing to do. Not after Haymurk. Not after Tosser's. And the sparring had been the thing. He never thought better than when his body was pushing itself to the limits. He'd been distracted and pummeled, but that had helped. The numbing pain felt right. And he'd come to the conclusion that this was okay. Roar had to do what they had to do. They weren't running away either. He was proud of them. Even if that meant that maybe he'd never see them again, maybe, he was proud of them for defending their family. "Just, Roar? Be careful, please?"

He sat up and twisted to look down at them. They looked confused. As usual when they dealt with him, they expected him to behave like others. But Chee never had been like that. He took people for what they were, what they said. They said they needed to do this. They'd come to him, faced him, were honest with him. It hurt a bit, but that was okay, too. He wasn't angry. At least, he wasn't angry at them. He was a little angry at himself for being slightly relieved that he was saved from failing eventually. Roar was probably lucky that way. And he hated that he felt that way. But that was his problem, not theirs.

"I got an idea, Roar. A date. Our first and last. Sound good?" They looked at him like he was insane. Two weekends ago had been the Ball. Last weekend, they'd been on missions. There hadn't been a chance yet. He wasn't going to lose it to this. He nodded, "Sesame Street Nightmarket. Food. A dance. A sweet memory. Den we can break up in da morning, ok?" He smiled and laughed, [glow=violet]"Dat would make it twelve days, ya? Breakin our own record!"[/glow] He looked down at them. He saw their answer before it left their lips. He popped to his feet, grabbed their hand, and pulled them up grinning.

[Aethyrium]

Ettinus Maro Lin Oscoro

Shir Dhan

Apple Blossom

Robyn Banks

S T O R Y T E L L E RDecember 31th, 3:48am | Hammer Academy - Courtyard of Champions - Onyx Landing
Cutscene
Apple stood on the edge of the landing. The very edge. Her toes were half an inch extended over it. The wind blew at her knee-length coat, making the heavy whipping noise in the otherwise silence of the night. It was so late - or early, she’d stopped tracking it - that there was no one around. Stretched out beneath her was the whole of Onyx. Her jewel, her charge, her purpose. Protecting it seemed harder some days than others. Today was one of those days. All week, really. It had just been one thing after another. Crimson tresses danced in the wind, uncontained, like lashes soaked in the blood of her enemies. She stared into the dark, nursing a tremendous headache with only a glass clutched between her fingers and her thoughts - and honestly, only the former was really helping. It was the alone time she really valued though. The silence. The feeling of the wind, and the gentle glow of the stars. “If you’ve come to ambush me,” Apple called to the wind, lifting her drink, “You’ll have to try just a little harder.” She could hear three sets of footsteps approaching from the valley. No one was being particularly loud, but it was very quiet - and she was quite perceptive.

“Nothing so merciful, I’m afraid.” Ettinus replied. Shir and Robyn were three and four paces back respectively, but there was no mistaking that they were coming to Apple as a trio. “Heavy is the head that wears the crown, Apple. Is it starting to get to you?”

The headmaster ‘hmph’d’ and tilted back what little was left in her drink. The last remaining cube clinked against the glass as she lowered it and turned to see her guests. “You should know better than to underestimate my ability to press on, Ettinus.” It was a strange trio, at first. But as she allowed her thoughts to expand past their simple presence the connecting pieces started to fall easily into place. “I take it this isn’t a social call.”

Ettinus shook his head. “It’s been a taxing week. We’re down five squires.” He wasn’t calling her out, these things happened, but it was still a situation that couldn’t be ignored. It was a lot, and very quickly.

Her jaw clenched. She didn’t need reminding. Regardless that she had maintained Ettinus managing much of Hammer, Apple took her role seriously. The loss of any squire, for any reason, weighed on her. And some of those that were now gone did so even more heavily. “You didn’t come all the way out here to tell me something I already know.” Apple said dryly, she didn’t have the time for it.

“No, I came to offer you a solution to these problems.” Ettinus suggested.

She tilted her head, “And what problems are those?”

“Swagger is down to three people,” Robyn said, stepping forward. “While they wouldn’t be the first three person team in history, I have to admit, I am concerned about Koko’s lack of a partner. She’s undergoing a big change right now, and without the grounding of someone at her side, I worry she might spiral out.” Robyn frowned, “And frankly, I have an equal number of concerns about Hulta. Since Mugi’s death she hasn’t been the same. These new losses might not have been as tragic, but they still represent a big loss for her when she hasn’t even properly recovered from the one she just suffered.”

Green eyes flitted to Shir from Robyn, “I assume you have something to add?”

“Plenty,” Shir said sharply, approaching on the far side of Ettinus. “Gravity has suffered plenty already. Thessa…” Shir had to pause himself, “Two partners, and the loss of a fiance, and you slapped some bandaid on it. A bandaid that ripped itself off. Your quick fix created this new loss, and you’re going to make it right.” It wasn’t a request, it was a demand. “Lyreilynn can hardly find the time to connect because every time someone is around long enough for her to find comfort, they’re gone. And Chee was struggling with people abandoning him before his partner and girlfriend walked out on him.”

An outstretched hand signaled Shir to calm down, and Ettinus looked at Apple, “One could argue that losing comrades in battle is easier than losing them to their choices. The bonds that these squires built, in some cases, may feel like they’ve been cast aside. What lesson is learned from that? What is there to adapt to?”

The bitterness of Shir’s words made Apple’s blood boil. He spoke if she had such disregard for Thessa, as if she did not hold the squire in the highest praise. Ettinus was wise to ease him down. She’d thought to comment on the fact that teams lost people. That they adapted and grew, but Ettinus had preempted it. Where was he going with it? She couldn’t follow. “You said you had a solution?” Apple questioned.

“A merger. The dissolution of Gravity and Swagger, and the formation of an entirely new team.” Ettinus proposed. The only reason that neither Shir nor Robyn was overwhelmed with the idea was because in bringing their shared concerns to him, Ettinus had already discussed this idea with them.

But for Apple the idea was radical. Her eyes popped slightly as a wave of thoughts hit her. She clenched the empty glass at her side and looked away from the trio, trying to still the maddening flurry of questions, rebukes, and other analysis. “An entirely new team…” she muttered thoughtfully. It was outrageous as the idea of bringing in fresh blood when a squire was lost - it was unheard of. It had never been done. In a way it undermined exactly how teams were tracked. But that wasn’t even her primary concern. Thessa, Chee, Hulta, Dariaq, Marlowe, Lyreilynn, Koko. Seven. “A seven person team?” She shook her head. Who would be alone? Would they break up Dilemma or Wooshed? No, that didn’t make sense. Robyn cited concerns about Koko’s loneliness - she’d need to partner with Chee or Thessa. Which of those two would be better off alone? No new partner would address Shir’s concerns for Thessa, but Apple wasn’t keen to leave her prized squire alone - even if she was confident Thessa would say she had it. “It’s never been done. You want me to be like you and sanction breaking hundreds of years of precedent?” She wasn’t convinced.

However Ettinus took issue to that defense. “You didn’t seem to have an issue with my decisions when you used them to justify bringing people into Hammer to suit your own designs.” Ettinus countered sternly, “Or when you used it to justify starting an entirely new program, and bringing in yet another squire, an independent, a first in Hammer history.” He was unimpressed with her feeble defense. “And besides,” he eased back, “I’m not suggesting a seven person team. I’m suggesting an eight person team. I want you to fold Estelle into this new team as well. I don’t know why you brought her here Apple, but alone? Isolated from the others? There’s a reason the Academies were founded with squads and teams, and don’t operate with individuals.”

And she had no defense for his rebuttal. It was true, she had done those things. Apple soured and looked down in thought. The throbbing in the back of her head intensified. No amount of booze was going to fix this at this point. “Half of this wouldn’t even be a concern if you hadn’t started this mess,” Apple said, reaching up and rubbing the corners of her eyes, “And the other half wouldn’t have happened at all. This started with Meena and Vesper. You brought them in and they both made the choice to leave. You had a plan, and it failed Ettinus. You tried to shore it up, and it failed again. And, as you’ve said, I tried to make good on your idea and it failed as well. So tell me why I should keep making the same decisions.” Apple looked up, stone cold, “You want me to make the same mistakes, explain to me what you were thinking when you started this.”

It wasn’t like him to answer such demands, but she had a point he couldn’t ignore, and as the circumstances were he needed her on his side on this. The correct move was to open up on those decisions. “Because things are changing.” Ettinus said candidly. “The precedents of the past don’t apply to circumstances we’re facing. She’s moving, more than ever. The Heiress is active in a way we have never seen.” He grimaced and glanced at Shir.

The Gravity mentor was surprised to hear that this is what that was about. But not more surprised than Robyn who blinked and seemed entirely out of the loop, “Come again? The who?” But that was a question for another time, and Ettinus made it clear with a simple gesture.

“I’m not going to be around forever, Apple. None of us are. And this fight isn’t going to be won by things we’ve already tried. If she’s coming, it’s going to take something special to stand against her, something we haven’t seen before.” He said, stepping to the edge of the island right by Apple’s side, looking out over the city, “This fight, It’ll take more than any single Champion. It’ll take an extraordinary group of them.” Ettinus took a deep breath, “It’s always been a game of matching her moves, and if she’s going to make new ones, we have to as well.” A slight smirk made itself known on his face, “Besides, just because we’ve failed a few times doesn’t mean we will continue to do so. Didn’t you just tell me how hard it is to deter you from moving forward?”

Slowly, Apple turned around and looked back out over Onyx, soaking in Ettinus words. She nearly grunted at his observation about her. “And that’s what you see here?” She asked, quiet enough to exclude the other two.

“Not in the teams,” Ettinus answered, “But in the individuals.” If she needed he could point out the how and why of it, one by one. But Apple saw potential there too, he knew it because he had seen it in her actions.

Looking over her shoulder at the mentors, Apple took a deep breath, “Well since you all came here together, I assume we have a plan for which one of you is quitting.”

Shir and Robyn looked at one another, and then back at the headmaster…s. “Neither. An eight man team is larger than a single mentor could be expected to guide. If they were two separate four teams, we’d have two mentors. So Robyn and Shir will mentor this new team together. And they can work out those details, there’s no need for the headmaster to concern herself with those logistics.” Ettinus smiled at the pair, who having had time to digest the idea, both seemed content with the idea.

“Very well, how do we do this?” Apple inquired, focus returning to Ettinus.

Weary lips curled upward, “You’re the headmaster Apple, it is so simply by you saying it is.”

* * * * *

The remnants of Gravity and Swagger were gathered as they went for breakfast that morning. All of them rounded up by Shir and Robyn respectively, and brought to Silk’s classroom where the professor was absent, but Ettinus and Apple awaited them - and Estelle too, who Apple had gone to gather personally.

“Gravity has been through more in a few short months than most teams experience their entire tenure at Hammer.” Ettinus began, once everyone was situated. “Namid. Mila. Haimehen. Meena. Eloise. Vesper. Mila. More than a whole team lost, and yet Gravity is still here. You’re a testament to the name.” If there was anything in his tone, it was pride. Thessa, Lyreilynn, and Marlowe had endured and adapted to everything that had come their way. He thought them stronger for it. He saw strength in them. And even though he was newer than those three, he saw it in Chee as well - the resilience needed to survive.

Ettinus’ attention turned to the last three members of Swagger. “Mugi. Maria. Bri’elle. Aurora.” At this point they weren’t really that far behind Gravity. “Rather suddenly Swagger finds itself broken apart similarly. And not by the ravages of a Hollow, as these tragedies are often experienced, but by the choices of your friends.” Ettinus didn’t begrudge those who left their choices - except perhaps Bri’elle, but even then - as he recognized the importance of people following the path they needed for themselves. Yet his concern was what they left behind. “Which gives the seven of you more in common than you might think. You are those who chose to remain. Those who endured despite it all. And what could be my Championly than that?”

Apple looked at Estelle. There was silence as she appraised the girl. The girl. She was so much that hadn’t been intended, but now that she was there was no denying it. “When I brought Estelle to Hammer,” she started, looking at the others, “It was because I believe that we should not be anchored by the way things have been. What was doesn’t need to be what is. And I saw in her the promise of a new way to protect Onyx, and fight the Hollow. And now I see a chance to expand that.” It hadn’t been her idea, but at the end of the day it had been her decision. And Ettinus didn’t care about credit.

“Our people have been broken time and time again, and we have always been made stronger by forging back together the shattered pieces into a new whole. But we can’t do that, you can’t do that in the shadow of what was. So I’m going to invite the seven of you to join Estelle, in something new. Something unique. No more Gravity. No more Swagger. These teams need to be shed, to make way for this new one.” Apple explained.

“SAvAGeD.” Ettinus declared.

“One team, with four squads.” Shir added.

Robyn smiled, glancing across Swaggers remnants first, and then Gravity, “And eight extraordinary individuals.”

“You come together to form something new, never seen before in the history of Hammer, because as you have experienced something unprecedented, you must evolve to become something unprecedented.” He nodded first at Lolo and Lyra, “Marlowe and Lyreilynn will continue to grow as Dilemma.” And then he shifted to the elven pair, “And Hulta and Dariaq as Wooshed.”

Robyn finger gunned at Koko and Chee, “Koko and Chee will make up Glitchy.”

Shir nodded to Thessa, then turned his attention to Estelle, who got an accepting nod and the faintest outline of a smile, “Estelle and Thessa will come together as Adulate.”

Confirming it all, Apple simply nodded at each of their revelations. “And of this new team, Thessa will remain the leader. You will be assigned a new dormitory. And to complete this reforging, as neither team is whole without its mentor, Savaged will be guided by both Shir and Robyn, because a unique team requires a unique kind of direction.”

[TheFluffyOne]

Character Name: Hulta Elderfond
Date | Time:20th December | 11am
Location:Hammer Academy => Tower
Wearing: Uniform
Tagging | Mentioning: Smidge . CLOSED
“I know. They are being unreasonable!”

Red curls swung violently around as she spun towards the other open window. Her footsteps stomping through dropped straw and loosened feathers. Her hands were curled tightly into fists. “I told them. I said out right. Marlowe is my girlfriend.”  Hulta nodded to herself as every breath felt like it was only filling her chest. Expanding her until she could just float away. “I said it. She heard me. They heard me. Both of them. But you know what father is like” Hulta sent a look towards Smidge who was happily watching Hulta stomp about.

For she brought seeds and scritches. For Hulta, Smidge was everything. Her closest friend. Her safety. Someone she knew would listen to her and gave the best advice. Hulta’s voice rose a few octaves as she spoke outside the corner of her mouth. “Father is never truly happy.” “I know! I’m happy. I’m happy and doing my task. They should be happy for me.” Hulta spun again and started for the opposite window. Thankfully, the top of the tower was empty and she could always hear when the creaky wooden was opened at the base of the steps. She had come here so often that it felt like another element of Home at Hammer.

This happened frequently. Before she left home, she had many long conversations with Smidge. She came to visit her friend when Marlowe had kissed Thessa and she had spent many many hours here when Mugi passed. The conversation back was just to make Hulta feel like she wasn’t going insane. It helped her think. Smidge did always give her insight. Hulta dropped another few seeds before the bird and then returned to her stomping. “You should have seen how he looked at me…Like I had killed someone or gotten pregnant!”

Her hands were thrown up in the air as she spun. “The first one is likely. Second one. Not so much.” The voice sounded and Hulta gave her a pointed look as the bird bounced down and then back up again, seed in beak. “Okay. Only a little funny.” She smiled and felt a little sliver of her anger dissipate. Smidge settled down in her feathers and watched Hulta with a tilt of her head. “No. They got worse!” She answered an unspoken question. “Mother….S..She said…did Lyra say no..” Hulta stopped and her amber eyes bored a hole into the wooden floorboards.

“Well…you thought that..” “I know I did” She snapped back, her tone drifting from angry to upset. “I…I just didn’t think she would ss..say that.” “She was trying to get you angry. Trying to get under your skin.” Hulta nodded to the words and wiped her mouth harshly as she forced her gaze up to stare at the open window. “Dinner….was tense but afterwards. Afterwards they cornered me.” She scrunched her nose up with that strange mixture of emotion swirling in her chest. “And what? What did they say?” “T…That I am disappointing them.” That had a crackle in her voice. “That Marlowe cannot give me the children that they want for me. She is a distraction. She is not worthy. She is…human.” She said like the word was an insult.

Smidge chirped to gain Hulta’s true attention, and the elf drifted over to her friend. Her fingers brushing over the feathers that had fluffed up with her feeding frenzy. “Father did say that. That I should end things. It will only get worse.” Hulta waited a beat before putting on another voice. A mockery of her fathers cool yet somehow polite tone. “That girl will only bring you down, Hulta. When you finish here and return home, you do not think that this will hurt more. When you have spent…time with…that human. You need to end this now. That is not a request. An order, Hulta.” Her jaw tensed so hard that Smidge’s response came out in a squeak. “What a Cabrón“ Hulta nodded as her hands curled back to fists.

“You do not need to always do as he says…” The words continued to squeak but Hulta looked towards the bird that had closed its eyes to doze in her presence. “But….what if he is right? It will hurt. It will hurt now if I end things…but further down the line, It’ll break me.” Tears spring in her eyes as she leans down towards her friends. “I need you to tell me what to do. Tell me what I should say….please.” The bird remained silent and Hulta whimpered as she started to chew at her bottom lip.

End things with Marlowe when it would sting….or keep going, imagine that future and then watch it shatter when she finds out the truth? No answer came from Smidge and she rested her forehead against the cool stone window ledge and let silence cover them both.

[shengami]

Character Name: Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 12.2- & 12.26 | 11:23am & 11:56am
Location: Professor Whyte's Classroom
Wearing: Uniform. Weapons as CS
Tagging | Mentioning: Citrus Blend, Minnow Pond | Koko
Note: A Pair of Duels

Chee's Duel with Citrus Blend on 12.20, Second Duel of the Day

Che slapped Koko on the back. The match hadn't been pretty or exciting, but Koko had held her own and made Zoltan work his ass off. That was lightyears ahead of where she'd been just a month prior. He was just grinning, just about to congratulate her, when Silk called his name. A second later, Citrus was called. The short Silenus grinned at the human who was one of the few guys who didn't tower over him. He rolled his neck and felt it pop. The fighter swung his klaive off his shoulder with a smile.

Chee'd seen them fight before, they were flexible like him: range and close and switching between them with ease. He licked his lips and reached for Darlash. They stepped into the ring. Chee looked over his shoulder at Koko and grinned cheekily, "Lemme show ya!"

Then he looked to Citrus and inclined his head. He respected all his fellow squires, but Chee intended to win. They nodded back. The format of the duels wasn't entirely conducive to those who specialized in range, he'd heard Cub complain often enough to know, but it wasn't the worst for it either. The other's weapon's crossbow mode wouldn't be of absolute use. His ears flicked and his tail swayed lazily behind him. He felt the calm buzz slowly settle into his chest. It was comforting. He inhaled cool air and felt it rattled back out. Tension flowed out with it. This was his medium.

An idea occurred to Chee. He stepped even as his thumb activated the ring switch that sent Darklash's blade rattling out on its chain. He flicked the rope dart, it was parried, and he spun as if to send it again. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Citrus make to shift his weapon's mode. He acted. Instead of using momentum and a joint to use the rope dart again, he snapped it back into the hilt. A moment later, he was pushing off his toes. He saw Citrus clock the feint. The fighter fumbled the bolt he was just trying to load into the crossbow; it was a fatal error. Chee's luck. He darted in.

To Citrus' credit, they reacted well. They tried to knock aside Darklash, but Chee shifted his grip, switched hands, and spun to deliver a hard blow jut above their kidneys. Their Soul sparked and drained. Chee then felt the blow that sent him sliding back. His Soul sparked green. Wasting no time, Chee pressed the advantage luck had bought him. Inside was his domain. The klaive was a fascinating weapon: long, heavy, powerful, but flexible with its second handle along the blade's back. Chee used his off hand and feet as Roar had showed him, as he sometimes saw Marlowe do, to his aid. A nick here, a cut there, stab, slice, parry, switch hands, kick, jab his fingers between ribs: Chee fought light but fast. He pressed and pressed. Citrus' Soul drained to yellow.

And yet, the Duel had barely started. Chee's real luck here had been Citrus letting him set the pace. That's what the feint had bought him. It wasn't flashy or particularly noble, but it was effective. Chee waited for it to come. Citrus' melee style was not well-matched to Chee's. Those big wide swings that tried to create distance just gave him room. Chee's own style saw him dodge inward rather than out. It cost Chee bits of his Soul when the big weapon grazed him; but, each swing cost Citrus more of their Soul. Finally, Chee saw it, they swung hard again. Chee ducked the blade and slide along its underside. He felt the cool steel kiss his shoulder. A big swing like that needed a wide stance. Chee stepped it and jammed Darklash into their groin. Their Soul sputtered to orange. But the Silenus didn't stop. An enemy at your mercy was only defeated when they could not fight back. His arm caught their waist as they felt the pain and he used a hip-throw. A second later, he was atop them with his blade over their heart. Their Soul shattered.

Chee huffed a hot breath. He felt the sweat slicking his body. It vibrated as the focus left him. He grinned down into Citrus' face. His own Soul was sparking angry red where Citrus had jammed a crossbow bolt into his side. It was just holding. Chee bounced up and gave them a hand up, "If dat opening feint hadn't worked... tink dat might have been you. Ya?"

"But it did work, Chee. Good match." They shook hands and made room for the next pair. Chee looked at the clock; not even two minutes had passed. He approached Koko and smiled, "See?"

Chee's Duel with Minnow Pond on 12.26, Eighth Duel of The Day

Chee was grinning as electricity coursed through his short frame. Unlike a week ago, he'd been watching matches this time. Koko had won! He'd been so ecstatically happy for her. That Stella had to lose for it to happen was regrettable. He'd been conflicted about them matched against one another. The duel had not been flashy, but it had been down to the wire. that made it better. He'd cheered for Citrus against Reini and sent them a commiserating shrug at their loss. They'd had a couple conversations about the match the week prior to help them understand what happened. That was important. Chee'd dueled Reini's partner a while back s well.

Marlowe's duel with Ruan was fasntastic. Chee quickly added Ruan to his list of desired opponents. He also made notes about seeking more time with Marlowe. Another style of brawling practice couldn't hurt, yeah?

Then it was Dari and Lyra and it was yet another exciting, high-voltage fight. Lyra was getting better and better. Chee'd assumed that Dari's style might be an issue for her, and it was, but the results was fantastic and he thought Lyra was becoming a powerful fighter. He was just wondering if he'd get a chance this round when Silk called his name and then, a second later, Minnow's. He frowned as he popped to his feet. This would be their second match.

He stepped in and grinned at the fiery-headed human, "Second time's da charm, ya?" To which she grinned back and drew her knives. Chee eyed them; they hurt. More, she was almost as fast as him and wasn't afraid of mischief to win. They were a good match. He looked forward to the conversation in the aftermath.

Silk started the match and they both charged in. They met just to Minnow's side of the middle. It showed Chee's speed. His tail snapped behind him. Minnow swiped at his wrist with one of her hooked blades, trying to disarm him, but he sprang back. Crouched, they circled. They'd fought one another before. And since then, Chee had done what he always did. He'd studied the fight. He'd watched Minnow practice with AbSoLVe. He knew plenty of her tricks now. That made this fight vastly different from the first.

The room went silent as the circled. Each crouched low, watching, analyzing. Chee hoped this was working. He knew that Minnow liked to fight assertively, not cautiously. He hoped he was drawing her into his tempo.

A second later, she came again. The flurry of blows made the fight last week with Citrus look like slow-motion. Chee's focus was lasered in. She tried to trip him. He slashed at her eyes. Even with a Soul, the instinct was to flinch. She hooked his arm, so he switched hands and attacked her legs. Their Souls flashed and drained rapidly. If Chee had ever worried about his ability to damage in short order, this showed he could as their Souls both went from green, through yellow, and into violent orange.

Chee's chest burned with holding his breath though. Sweat beaded in the corner of his eye. But he saw it was the same for Minnow. Her red locks matted to her temples. Her chest moved heavily. It was getting hard to focus, but Chee was proud of his skill in high-tempo fights. Minnow went to hook his blade, Chee released the collar, grabbed the back of the blade, swung it around so the handle hit her temple. He recovered first. Exultation crowed within him. He darted behind her; he made a cut at her hamstring.

Her soul flashed red. Too late, Chee realized he'd made a mistake. When fighting against a Soul, precision and where the blow landed was less important before Soul-break. He should have gone for the heavier hit to the kidneys or spine. Minnow rounded on him, brought her knives up, and stabbed down into his Soul. It flared red, shuddered, then broke. The blades bit into his shoulders. She dragged him down to the matt. The air woofed out of him.

Silk called the match.

The sinking feeling of a broken Soul filled him, but Chee grinned. The only thing that taught you more than winning, was losing. Minnow stood over him and offered a hand up. He took it and sprang to his feet. "Dang. Good fight, Minnow. Got me again." Over her shoulder, he saw the still triumphant Koko waiting to rib him good for his loss.

[shengami]

Character Name: Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 12.30 | 11:53pm
Location: Courtyard of Champions - Ninmori's Statue
Wearing: Uniform. Darklash carried
Tagging | Mentioning: CLOSED | Many, many, many
Note: Tears + Blood = Chee?
Chee wept. His his chest burned, his eyes leaked, and his body shuddered. He staggered again and tried sucking the emotions back in, but they rushed out. It was utterly alien for him: to have his emotions run rampant like this. It was frustration, anger, angst. It was everything whelming up inside him and pouring out. He utterly hated it.

They'd come back to the dorms; Chee had been ecstatic to see Vesper. At first blush, upon opening the door, he'd felt high. The world had been building atop his shoulders a castle of cards that he had no idea how to juggle. Haymurk had been a disaster, but he'd apologized for that. And if that had been it, maybe he'd shoulder it. But El had left, then Maria, then Bri... and then, and then Roar. That was numb though. They'd said their goodbyes. They'd made a peace and Chee respected it. That final visit to the Night Market had been bitter and sweet and a fitting parting. It had been simple and sweet. And there'd been the night with the Headsmen and Koko.

He choked a sob back and shuddered into stillness as the memories played in the back of his skull. His face was a mess. He wiped snot all over his uniform sleeve. He noted a twig there and grunted at the evidence. He'd been running. As fast as he could, as hard as he could, and long as his legs could stand it through the campus. He'd collapse, heaved up his supper, then ran again. If he ran enough, he wouldn't run away. But Koko, they were close. Close as siblings now. He thought of her as his sister every bit as much as Velvet. He'd thought he had Koko and Roar. He'd thought he'd had more. But he'd been wrong. Again. He was always wrong when it came to people.

If you couldn't trust me, then you can't trust anyone.

He'd thought he and Thessa were comrades. He turned and leaned against the statue. They were comrades. he believed that. He felt its cool surface even through his uniform, but it wasn't enough. He tore at it. The jacket was flung over Ninmori's arm, the shirt on the feet. Chee pressed him burning cheek, neck, chest against the statue. The chill night air caressed his lithe frame. The metal was cold but hard; he pushed away. His biceps vibrated. What was he supposed to do!? He got that he'd been wrong in his actions. Even now, he wasn't quiet sure why. Why had he been on the edge of fighting against Thessa? With Koko. Paige didn't matter. He liked her; he was sympathetic to the Freebirds. But she didn't matter to this. His brain clumped up. The military didn't either. Chee'd been set to possibly attack the military from the word go, as soon as he'd agreed to Paige's request. Was it momentum? Was it the moment? Why had he been willing to go up against fellow Champions, his friends? Perhaps that didn't matter too much. He had been, it had been wrong, and he had to make it right. Even if it cost him his time at Hammer. Even if it cost him the friends.

How many times do you have to prove your worthless before you just accept it?

He smashed his head against the statue. "I want ta be a champion!" The growl was angry, dark, jagged. "Fuuuuuck!" He rammed his head again. And again. And again. And again. His head slipped on something wet. He felt the wetness trickle between his eyes. "I want it!" He flung himself at the foot of the statue. He stared up at Ninmori's face morosely.

"What're you lookin at? What do you know bout it? If I was a champion, den I'd be a real boy." He squeezed his eyes shut, "No, dat's not true. Never goin ta be true. But I can make sure no oder boys gotta be. Broken." He'd said that to Doya. It still felt solid.

He felt his forehead. He dug into the little split in his skin. The ache was dull and distant. If he pushed hard enough, he could touch his skull. He pulled bloody red fingers away and stared at them. He licked them: salty, metallic, bitter. He grunted. He raked his hand through the wound and then his hair. He felt a shock of it stick up. "Shir hates me. Thessa hates me. Again. And now- How was I supposed ta be selfish and beg him ta stay? It was family." He hiccupped and the tears kept coming unbidden, "Always alone~~!" But the sing-song notes tasted like acrid ash. He was wallowing.

And he knew that he wasn't alone. He knew it but he didn't trust it. Something rattled on his wrist and he looked at it. That had arrived that very morning from Seabreeze. It was a string of charms; it had taken him only moments to understand. The little anvil was Sage, the green leaf was Dawn, the red swirl Autumn, and each of the others took him nothing to recognize. He rolled the one shaped like a pair of glasses, "Mathilda." Then he touched the one that was a simple golden orb. That was him. His eyes. Mathilda had always said he had sad eyes. He cough-chuckled. He'd called her on Tuesday using the Academy's assets. It hadn't been long, maybe ten minutes, and he'd gotten to see Rose, Harry, Finn, and Rowan as they still lived there. They'd been nothing but happy. Mathilda had given him contact information for the others she had. He ought to call Dawn.

But will you?

He'd felt like a traitor the whole call.  He smiled and he laughed and he made the same motions others made, but it was all just skin deep. He rocked his head against the statue. The gritty grate of his skull beneath his skin sent pebbles of pain into his brain. That's what he always tried.

If you pretend you aren't trash long enough, will they believe it? Will you?

He looked up at Ninmori again, "I'm just set at tree. Maybe four sometimes. Like just den? Sorry bout dat anyway." He recalled last night and the fight with Adir and the moment after Shir had scolded him, "Maybe even as high as five. But other people, dey go from one ta ten. And if you don't flex a ten, dey don't see it. If it ain't ten, den it's not real. Dey always sayin it with deir eyes and deir looks. Be a ten and I'll believe you. But I don't got ten. I tink." He looked long and deep into the dark sky above. He searched inward. He loved Pat and Mathilda and Koko and Roar and Dawn once upon a time. Right? What he felt was love, right? He didn't know. Was what he felt supposed to look like Marlowe and Hulta? Thessa and Orym? Azir and Lyra? Dolly and Sy? He was certain it didn't. Did that mean it wasn't love? Thessa and Aerie and Vesper and Cub were his friends, right? He wanted to spend time with them, help them, would sacrifice for them. He wouldn't do that for other individuals. That was friendship, right? He'd felt shame and embarrassment last night. He'd just been frustrated and angry. It all felt real to him. He didn't know any other way to be.

His palm scrubbed his cheek of the caked tears. He felt an itch in the corner of his eye. He scrubbed the drying, flaking mess there. He stared at his palm. Tears and blood mingled. The saline solution refreshing the crimson flakes. He watched them streak and swirl. His twitched his palm to make them dance. He was made of tears and blood wasn't he? On impulse, he grabbed Darklash and jabbed at his knee. His Soul flared. He had a Soul, too. He laughed, he felt pain. He got excited. His form vibrated with anticipation and joy as he and Roar danced. He had felt the deep bond with Koko as she interacted with his family. Seeing Mathilda's smile had warmed him in a way that no other smile did. Why did it matter it was only a five? Five was a lot for him.

[shengami]

Character Name: Chee Tortious
Date | Time: Various | Various
Location: Various
Wearing: Uniform. Darklash carried
Tagging | Mentioning: CLOSED | Roar, Dari, Yoken Daobi, Fern, Lionel, Citrus, Mockery, Marlowe
Note: The Beginning Begins at the Beginning

12.20 - Onyx Prairie | Central Quarter- 9:15 pm

He spotted the shuttle terminal and smiled widely. He picked up his pace as he saw a shuttle arriving. Within five minutes he was dancing outside the doors as they opened. He wasn't the only one waiting. This time of night, lots of staff, soldiers, and students were heading back up. Chee jostled someone and set a startled look and muttered apology to an upperclasswoman. Then he jerked his head around as the shuttle doors dinged. He surged forward only to jerk back, hit someone behind him, pivot, sidle sideways, then slip between two women getting off. He sent a look of apology around him. He heard mutters of 'no matter' and 'watch it' and a few other replies. Blushing, he headed for a seat and plopped into it.

He stared up at the ceiling thinking about what he'd learned today. He blushed thinking about the man who'd suggested he might have kids. Chee wasn't sure what to think of that. Maybe he could be someone like Mathilda? That'd be nice, after he graduated, to help her out? He smirked at the idea of being the next Yoken Daobi. But he'd also secure a one oxamel cart for Esther's kitchen. She seemed thankful. Chee cringed as he considered the cost. He was planning to pay for the animal's stabling out of his stipend. Maybe he could take up a collection? It was worth it to help out, give back. A warmth radiated from his chest. His ears flicked and he rolled his head to the now-familiar view of Hammer growing on the front windshield of the shuttle.

First on, thought, ended up last off. Despite him bopping around to find a crevice to slip through, he hopped off the shuttle behind most. One person pushed past him as he stood on the landing and breathed in the slightly chillier air of Hammer Island. Grinning, he shoved his hands in his pocked and started along the path. He wanted to get back to the dorms, get out of his uniform, and get into bed. Sleep was important for your body.

He was halfway down the path when he stopped abruptly. He'd been playing with the corner of something heavy and papery in his pocket by digging the corner under his nail when it occurred to him that there shouldn't be anything in his pocket, let alone anything paper. Blinking, he pulled it out and turned over the square of folded parchment. He blinked. Across one side, in a spidery purple ink, was written 'Chee.' He spun to look up at the shuttle taking off. He spun again to catch the backs of the others who had arrived. He looked down at the paper again. "What in da Infinite Black?"

Then the half bell chimed and he started before hurrying for the dorms. The bit of paper went back into his pocket for now.

12.21 - Hammer Academy | Survival Classroom - 9:40am

Chee collapsed grinning into his chair and shot finger-guns at Dari. He'd won the corridor race this time. Chee was always up for that game and they'd dragged Dari into it this time. Not that it was hard to egg on the hyper-competitive elf. "I like my eggs scrambled but soft!" He hooted and then shifted to sit in the desk more properly. His fingers drummed on the desk part and he scanned the lectern for Professor Wilt.

Survival class was his jam. He felt like a dunce in Arcanite class and even in Logistics and History he had to work to keep up, but Survival? He hummed happily. "I tink we're doing herbs again today. Ya? We did ginger and turmeric yesterday. Didn't he say we're continuing anti-inflammatories today?" Chee grabbed his bag and opened it for his notebook. Searching, he looked to his pencil, ears dipping, then he gasped, "Right, pocket." He grinned sheepishly at Dari. He'd stuck the thing there after history so as to move faster.

He reached into his pocket, felt the hard shaft of the writing device, then froze. His fingers brushed the folded square of paper. His mouth made an 'O' and he pulled it out, "Forgot about dis."

Walking nearby, Cub darted in and snatched it, "Oh dang! Chee's getting love notes!" He called it out somewhat loudly and Chee's startled.

"You! Gimme dat!" Chee looked to Roar and blushed, "It's not, swear!" Cub had danced away a bit but seeing the look on Chee's face tossed it back with an apology. Chee's friend was a prankster, not an ass. He plopped into his seat again and turned it over a few times before opening it up. He held his breath as each layer of paper unfolded. He glanced to Roar; what if it was a confession? He bit his lip and opened the last fold.

He stared. The page was blank, "What in da Infinite-"

But then Professor Wilt blew into class and he shoved it in his bag to pay attention.

12.24 - Hammer Academy | Cafeteria - 12:51pm

Chee unfolded the newest note again and stared at the words. That had taken him a day to figure out. He flipped the page over and rubbed a finger across the black marks there. Writing with citrus was an old trick. He'd only figured it out because he'd had his face close to the original paper and picked up a whiff of it during Arcanite class. His face heated. Professor Lowed had chastised him for not paying attention. But a little bit of time with a lighter and the words had manifested. Luckily, Doc had taught him this trick ages ago. After that, it had been a series of inane tasks: climb a tree, break into Professor Beach's office, search a lab, ask to borrow a pencil from a very cute Master, then finally challenge a Knight to a duel. None had bene hard and most were done lickety-split. The duel had been fun that morning. Each had resulted in another note. The Knight herself had handed him this one and said, 'last one, kid.' That had ruffled his feathers a bit. Was she in the Nightshade Arena, too?

Sunday. Lunchtime.
Wait for the distraction.
One ladle from the kitchen.
Leave it on Ninmori's statue on Tuesday.
Nightshade is watching.

He frowned and sighed; every note had ended with the same phrase. His face came up scanning the crowd. Citrus caught his look and waved. He grinned and waved back at them then at Abating in general. He snatched his eyes away from Lionel to Fern and smiled. Then he looked down at his bowl of stew and played with a carrot with his spoon. The letter crept back into his mind.

He'd heard the rumors of the Nightshade Arena. He chewed his lip. Everyone had. A dueling organization run by the upperclassmen, the Adepts. They were third year students and lightyears ahead of any of them except maybe Doya. He looked to where members of Mockery were chatting. He waved again. He looked at his stew, "Needs cheese? What distraction?" He sat the letter down to eat a couple bites. It was good; it did need a slice of cheese.

Suddenly, a loud bang erupted into the air. Chee's ears zeroed in before his eyes. Fern was up waving her bag around; it was ablaze. Chee's eyes went wide. He was up and three steps towards the commotion when his eyes snapped to the note. He darted back and snatched it up. His eyes searched but everyone was moving toward Fern and Abating. His eyes darted to the lunch counter, the stew tray, the ladle.

One more time, he looked around then he snatched his napkins off his table and moved. Chee wasn't thinking. The idea of the Nightshade arena was exciting. He'd get to duel third years! Imagine how much eh could grow. He'd not set Fern's bag on fire; that wasn't on him. If he didn't take the ladle, then it was for nothing, right? He'd find a way to do right by her. Later. In one smooth maneuver, he grabbed the utensil, wrapped the head in tissues, then stuffed it in his own bag. Then he moved toward Abating to make noises with the rest of the crowd. "I can share my notes from Survival if you need Fern!"

Oh man, Lionel was right there! He looked for Roar.

12.26 - Hammer Academy | The Courtyard of Champions - 12:30pm

Chee stood a ways off from the statue. Everyone else was headed for the cafeteria, but he'd come straight here. From this distance, he could just make out the shiny, metallic glint of the ladle. Nothing in the note had said he couldn't stand around and watch. They probably knew, but that was fine. He felt giddy inside. It felt like something was happening. This felt like forward momentum. He bounced on his feet and his tail swished. He scanned the courtyard. There were people, not many, moving around. Some were upperclassmen, soem he recognized, but no one seemed suspicious. His ears flicked and he checked the ladle again.

Still there between Ninmori's feet. His face craned up to look at the legendary warrior. Shir's mentor. He clicked his tongue and checked the ladle again.

Movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention and he saw Dariaq coming straight for him. He frowned at the newest SWAGGER teammate. His gaze flicked to the utensil then back to the tall, dusky elf. It seemed unavoidable. He buzzed with frustration. But Dari was a good guy. Fast, strong, good fighter, pretty good at obstacle courses: the man was a friend. He didn't know Chee was trying to join a secret, shady organization. His ears flicked and he moved a couple steps as the man closed.

"Hallo, Dari? Marlowe makin a fuss I'm not at lunch wit da team or sometin?" The brawler could be touchy about those types of things. Chee got it. He could be touchy about stuff, too. He moved in close and clapped the much taller elf on the arm. Surreptitiously, he glanced sideways. His heart skipped. The Ladle was gone. Dari's reply pulled him back.

[Eye of Horus]

Character Name: Dariaq Syvanios
Date | Time: 21st December | 24th December | 26th December
Location: Hammer Island
Tagging | Mentioning: Chee
Dari backpedalled to slow himself, skidding dangerously on the polished wood floor as he thundered through the door half a second after Chee. The nimble silenus darted to his chair and shot finger-guns in Dari’s direction. Dari shook his head, his tongue pressed against his teeth as he smiled.

“Next time, short king!” he vowed, returning fire with a single dramatically pointed finger.

Dari was sitting down and pulling out his notebook when Cub, ever the prankster, snatched a piece of paper from Chee’s hand. "Oh dang! Chee's getting love notes!"

"You! Gimme dat!" Chee looked to Roar and blushed, "It's not, swear!"

Dari followed his gaze, raising an eyebrow. Aurora pulled a face that advised him to mind his own business. Dari shook his head and smiled again. Everyone had seen the two of them at the winter ball a few nights back, even if they had been playing it relatively cool since then. Dari leaned forward across his desk.

“So who is the secret admirer then, hm?”

Several others were also craning in to see as Chee teased apart the folded paper, only to reveal that both sides were completely blank.

Chee stared. "What in da Infinite-"

“Mystérieux.” Dari said, and nodded sagely. “Maybe they thought writing anything would spoil the surprise?”

“Pfft.” Cub huffed in affected disappointment, tossing his pale hair out of his eyes. “I might as well have kept it!”

At that moment professor Wilt strolled into the classroom with his usual unhurried stride, and the chatter settled down as everyone hurried back to their seats. Dari glanced at Aurora one final time, but if they really had slipped Chee the blank note, their poker face was excellent. Mystérieux indeed.

* * * * * *

Dari was on his way back from the common room, the weight of Ellie’s absence alleviated slightly by his talk with Lyra, when he ran into Torina coming the other way. The raven silenus looked much as Dari supposed Hulta’s former partner must have looked, a crown of dark feathers to match her all-black clothing, eyes bright and alert behind her round-frame glasses. Torina was known best for her eidetic memory, and Dari was yet to make good on his promise to beat her score in a History exam, but today the usually-chipper girl was flitting down the corridor like an anxious sparrow, her expression balanced somewhere between fear and anger.

“Hey, Torina.” Dari hailed her as their paths crossed, “Something up, jolie?”

“You didn’t hear?” Torina paused, pushing her glasses up her nose with a finger. “Fern’s backpack caught fire in the cafeteria.”

Dari frowned in surprise. “How? She walk too close to a stove?”

Torina turned her shoulders to face him, her features drawing down. “Someone put a letter bomb in her bag.”

Dari’s eyebrows shot up. “Surely not?”

“I know red arcanite when I see it. Maybe even she...” Torina shook away whatever thought she had been entertaining, and hugged her arms. “I know it’s probably ridiculous but…I was sitting right next to her. What if I was the target?”

Dari rubbed his shoulder, uncomfortably. Since the Red Fang had started their revenge killings, life for ordinary silenus down in Onyx had been getting harder by the day. But here, on Hammer Island? Was it possible? Dari wanted to believe that squires were better - more dedicated, more righteous; above the prejudices of the city below. He knew that it wasn’t true. Not even for the teachers, he thought, thinking of professor Whyte.

“I’m sure…” he began, and then broke off. Torina was a rational soul, and a gentle appeal to that felt less patronising than empty reassurance. “Think back.” he suggested, “How did everyone react?”

Torina cocked her head, thinking. “Lionel and Claire came running in to help. Citrus looked horrified. And Chee shouted something from the back, after he nabbed a spoon from the counter.”

Dari squinted. “A spoon?” He shook his head - bizarre as that was, he was focusing on the wrong detail. “Did anyone duck out? Or look a bit too eager to help?”

Torina considered for a moment. “No. They just wanted to make sure Fern was okay.” She pushed her glasses further up her nose and looked at the floor. “I know it’s silly. But it’s…different being a silenus here. It’s not like Mirat.”

Dari wished he knew what to say to that. “I’ve got your back if you need it.” he said after a moment. “Trust. In the meantime, stick close to Claire and Ruth. They wouldn’t let anything happen to you. Or to Fern.”

Torina looked away. “Right.” she said, with a ghost of her usual perky smile. “Thanks, Dariaq.”

As they went their separate ways, Dari’s frown deepened. Maybe it had just been a prank - harmless, if in bad taste. Or maybe the dangers of the city reached even as high as Hammer Island.

* * * * * *

The air of the courtyard was thin, but the chill in it was bracing, and helped to clear Dari’s head as he walked a circuit of the park. His attention was drawn by Chee stooping beside one of the statues, placing down - was that a spoon?

Chee spotted him and moved to intercept a little too quickly, as if to hide the strange gesture. "Hallo, Dari? Marlowe makin a fuss I'm not at lunch wit da team or sometin?"

Dari bit the inside of his cheek as Marlowe’s name reminded him of their earlier argument. He had been trying to play at being some kind of bridge between her and Hulta, and had blown it up rather spectacularly. Combat class had left him feeling slightly better, though - Lyra had put up a good fight, and they had been able to put on something of a show for the other squires, and so he was able to raise a smile.

“Nah. Though I’m sure they’ll wonder about your secret spoon.” he teased in reply. “Have you and your secret admirer got a code now, blank notes and silverware?”

He followed Chee’s sideways glance, and was perplexed to see that the spoon had somehow vanished from the statue’s plinth.

[Aethyrium]

Apple Blossom

Paige Turner

S T O R Y T E L L E RJanuary 1st, 1323, Early Afternoon (~1pm) | Hammer Island - Military Command - Containment Block
Cutscene
The hardlight shield dropped and Paige looked up from the bed - if you could call it that - that she’d been camped out on for a few days now. Swinging her feet over, the leader of the Freebirds found herself sitting up straight and meeting the gaze of Onyx’s General. “How are those girls? Koko, and the other one.”

“A little worse for wear, but they’ll survive.” Apple answered stoically.

Nodding, Paige sighed a bit of relief that had been built up in her. “Good, I’m glad to hear that.” It allowed her to turn her attention to other situations, more personal ones, “You can’t keep me here, Apple.”

Hands behind her back, alone, Apple stepped into the cell. “Says who?” She counted, glancing around the space, “You attacked a military convoy with the intent to steal Arcanite.”

Paige half smiled and stood up, dusting off her thighs, “I think we both know you can’t prove that.”

Apple’s gaze, emotionless, cold, glared into Paige’s. “I have squires who say otherwise.”

“If you had that, I’d be in Azkaban already.” Paige had doubts that either Chee or Koko were going to throw her under the bus like that. “Your squires can’t admit anything without also admitting what they were doing, and you can’t have that, can you? You don’t want the people of Onyx to know whatever you were up to with that Arcanite. Or that you’re using squires on military assignments? And if It’s Chee and Koko, same problem. You can’t talk about this situation without revealing whatever it is you’re up to.” Paige shook her head, “People are going to start asking questions, General. You can’t keep me here.”

Unwavering, Apple drew a breath. Paige was right on that. Ultimately it was why she was here. “Ocean Specter attacked the convoy you stopped. Killed seven and got away with the Arcanite. Because of you and your little stunt, Ms Turner. As far as I’m concerned, you’re responsible for those deaths and for what comes next from that lunatic.”

Paige frowned. Despite her determination she didn’t want to see anyone hurt. “I’m sorry for their loss. That was never the goal… But the responsibility lays at your feet, General. If that Arcanite had been where it belonged, in the hands of the people, this couldn’t have happened. What were you doing out there? Help me see this… This plan of yours. Explain to me where all of that Arcanite was going.” She was pleading, committed to hearing Apple out.

“That Arcanite was exactly where it needed to be. Contrary to your idealisms, you don’t get to determine what’s best for this city.” Apple scolded.

“And you do? You’re not all powerful, Apple. If you don’t want to tell me here, as a friend, I’ll find out another way. Because contrary to this power fantasy of yours, you still answer to the people of Onyx. And when they hear about all of this… Your mystery shipment out of Onyx of the arcanite taken from the eastern quarter. Soldiers dead in another loss to Ocean, Squires intermingling with military affairs…” Paige shook her head. “Keep me here, or let me out, doesn’t matter. Either way, I’m going to shine a light on all of this.”

“No you won’t.” Apple said with confidence. “No one is going to know anything about this. Not on either side.”

Tilting her head, a small laugh rumbling beneath Paige’s breast, “How’s that?”

Taking a step back, Apple motioned for Paige to follow out into the hall. She led her one cell down in front of another still active - with an exhausted, still tearful, Gwen sitting curled up on her bed. Apple turned to Paige and stepped right into her bubble, almost chest to chest with the woman, staring into her eyes, “I have this girl, and I suspect you want her back. Maybe you just stopped a convoy, but her? She committed an act of treason.”

“Even if you could prove it without revealing anything, what if she knew what she was getting into and I’m ready to let her stay here? I’ll get her back when I expose you.” Paige demanded back, not willing to back down.

“I don’t think you are, but I considered that too. In that case, there’s Koko and Chee. If you breathe a word of this, any of this, my first response will be to expel them from Hammer for their part in all of this. They will pay the price for what you’ve done. No matter what comes next, no one is going to excuse their actions.” Apple barely blinked, she was all force right then.

It was enough to make Paige consider. She had no immediate words. “I’ll take down your squires then.”

“You’ll try, but… They were following the instructions of their Headmaster. That will blow back on me. Their careers will probably survive. And even if they don’t, are you really willing to condemn four squires to removal?” Apple slightly shook her head, she didn’t believe it for a moment.

She felt the walls of a trap closing in around her. Apple was right on that front too. “Good people don’t cover things up. If what you were doing wasn’t a problem, this wouldn’t be a problem. I’ll see you stopped, Apple. One way or another.”

“Imagine what you could accomplish if you put that energy to work against Onyx’s real enemies.” The general shook her head, disappointed. “I don’t share what doesn’t need to be shared, because it is in the best interests of Onyx, and it is my prerogative to make those decisions. You don’t scare me, Ms Turner… Now,” she looked into the cell at Gwen who was looking at them now, wide eyed, uncertainly, “The way I see it, you have two options. You can take Gwendolyn home with you, forget all about this situation, and resume your poor attempt at a political campaign, jabbing feebly at my ankles.” She turned back to Paige, “Or you can take your chances fighting me in the public arena, weaponizing what you think you know and have no evidence to support. All while Gwendolyn rots in Azkaban and Chee and Koko lose their dreams. And while we’re fighting, and you’re trying to convince Onyx that I’m the bad guy, with nothing but a belief and a partial story about some Arcanite you don’t actually know what was going on with, I will be busy burning your entire world to the ground. I will dedicate every resource at my disposal to finding everyone in your orbit who has done something wrong, and stripping them away from you until the only support you have left is the ramshackle pedestal you’ve constructed under your feet. And by the end of it all, take me down, or more likely not, it will give way and you’ll die to a noose of your own making.” Apple took a breath, “The moment you put it out there, Ms Turner, nothing will stop me from making use of the squires accounts. The military’s actions were legitimate, yours though?” She shook her head.

Her tongue passed over her lips, and Paige swallowed slowly, considering. She measured the general up, peered into her eyes and considered, “That’s exactly the sort of compelling argument a good guy would make,” Paige said, thick with sarcasm.

“It’s your choice Ms Turner, and I have a busy day ahead of me. So what’s it going to be.”

“Things are going to change, Apple.” Paige relented, taking a step back. She wasn’t going to condemn Gwen, Chee, or Koko. No matter the bluster. She could do this another way and protect them all. No more casualties over this event, it had cost Onyx enough.

“I know they will.” Apple answered, clicking the buttons to deactivate the hard light screen. “You’re free to go, Ms Ramsy.” She turned and gave Paige one last look, “You’re becoming a voice for the people of Onyx. Make sure you don’t lead them to ruin.”

The message was clear. But Paige had a hard time taking it as anything but a challenge, “Don’t worry, I won’t.”