[Chapter 1.03] Quoth the Heroes "Forevermore"

[Aethyrium]

Shir Dhan

Xiratana Keldeo

S T O R Y T E L L E R
November 5th, (~8pm) | Johtan Wilderness | Grassland - Air Resonance
Next Post: 3.11.24 | Farrah, Marlowe, Lyreilynn, Haimehen, Meena, Vesper, Azir, Artanis, Velvet, Doya, Irona, Cub
Saturday, November 4th, Early Morning (~6:45am)

When the intercom system went off across Hammer, there were exactly two alarming things. First was that it was so damn early, and on a weekend no less. Second, was that it existed at all - in the month since attending Hammer, it had never been used - and was apparently, much to everyone’s general shock, also unknowingly routed into each dormitory. The familiar voice of Ettinus sounded easily through the speakers. “Attention Hammer. All squire team leaders are to report to gallery C in fifteen minutes for further instruction. Thank you.” The transmission ended there.

Fifteen minutes later, less in some cases, all of the squire team leaders were gathered - Meena, Azir, Soraya, Falkner and the others. Also present were the eight mentors, a fascinating collection of veteran champions. And then there was the headmaster himself. “Good morning captains. Apologies for the early morning summons, but there is business to attend. There are a handful of assignments that are to be handed out and your teams are to take care of.” He gestured back at the mentors, “Your mentors will have additional details for you. Prowler,” Ettinus turned to Falkner, “Our friends in the military have requested assistance looking into the recent Hollow attack on the wall. You’ll be meeting with Colonel Brighton.” And like that, Prowler’s mentor hopped down off the little stage and joined the team leader. But they didn’t leave until Ettinus was through. Team by team he handed out assignments - some that would take students away from Onyx for days or longer.

Eventually only two teams were left waiting, Mockery and Gravity. Ettinus dismissed the other leaders, and their mentors. He glanced at Azir, and then Meena and nodded at them. “Good luck.” He wished them before assigning them anything, and then departed.

Once they were alone with Shir and Xiratana, the two mentors approached the front of the stage and beckoned the two team leaders forward. Shir got down and sat on the edge of the stage. “Gravity and Mockery have been assigned a special mission, and a joint task at that.” Xiratana loomed over Shir, looking down at the two students from beneath her drawn hood and nearly ever present face covering. “It’s a simple escort, really, but the location is dangerous.”

Xiratana added, “You’ll be joining and then escorting two convoys through the Rishi Valley.” The Rishi Valley had recently been discussed in Professor Wilt’s class. The valley is split by a great chasm that drops thousands of feet into the surface of Toil. It’s located forty-five miles - two days or so - from Onyx, to the southwest. Stretching nearly hundred miles from the great northern woods into the mid-plains of Johtan, the Rishi Valley is a dangerous, Hollow infested scar on the land itself. There is a single land bridge that spans the three-hundred yard chasm, called the Needleway. No more than eight feet wide, it is a rail thin stretch of solid earth that can shorten the distance to the other side by nearly a week if you can make it through the valley - of course, wandering its perimeter isn’t safe, either.

“You’ll be traveling together until you reach the edge of Anachem. Gravity will stop there,” He held a map out to Meena, marked with not just the path they were to take, but where they were to stop, and then into the valley itself, and where they were going from there. “And wait to rendezvous with the convoy coming out of Anachem. Mockery,” He pulled out another map and handed it to Azir, “Will continue further and meet the second convoy. From there you will both escort your individual charges to the Needleway. Barring any complications, you should both arrive at roughly the same time from two different roads. Now, traveling through the Rishi Valley is dangerous, but crossing the Needleway will be where you’re most vulnerable. It’s a narrow bridge, the convoys won’t be able to move more than single file across. Once you’re across though, it’s a pretty straight shot through a pass to get out of the valley. Once on the other side, you can return home.” Any questions they had from there, Shir answered.

When it seemed like it should be all done, Xiratana crouched beside Shir on the edge of the stage. “Beyond this mission, you two are being charged with an additional mission.” Shir took a breath. “We know there is a document being transported on the convoy that Mockery will be escorting. This man,” She provided them both a photo, “Is its courier. He may or may not keep it on his person, it will be located in a small brass tube, no bigger than your palm. The document is to be retrieved and returned here, and the courier to be eliminated.” Xiratana’s bright blue gaze flickered between them, “We suggest you use the crossing at the Needleway to facilitate this, but any moment of sufficient chaos will do if the opportunity presents itself. And if one does not, you will need to create one.” She stood back up and looked down on them, “Because make no mistake, this is the true mission, and no one outside of this room can know about it.”

Licking his lips, Shir added, “The courier's demise is important, but it is secondary to retrieving the document, and ensuring that what you’re doing isn’t discovered. Now go,” He nodded toward the doors, “Prepare your teams. You leave after lunch.”

* * * * *

Acquiring all of the supplies for the nearly week-long trip had been simple. Both teams had been allowed to take everything they needed from Hammer - tents, food stuff, and more. As promised they were expected to set out after lunch on Saturday. They traveled through the city, to the southern wall and exited Onyx into the vast wilderness of Johtan. It had been over thirty hours since then, and the twelve squires had hiked together the whole way. There had been two small Hollow encounters on the first day, both easily dispatched. The first had been a small group of Hispo that Artanis and Haimehen had come across while playing forward scouts for the group. The second hit the rear, a very angry Ursoc - a bear like Hollow - that Farrah and Irona were able to dispatch while surveying the area during a break.

Watches through the first night had been divided into hour and a half long stints, each watched over by a pair composed of one member from each team: Farrah and Doya took first, Haimehen and Azir second, Lyreilynn and Cub third, Meena and Artanis fourth, Marlowe and Velvet fifth, and the final was handled by Vesper and Irona. Fortunately, the night was uneventful. Day two of travel was a lot like the first, but so much further from the safety of Onyx, they engaged the Hollow more commonly - it felt like every couple of hours they came across Hollow they had to fight off.

The crackling of the campfire was like a song whispering in the stillness of the night, live with its own performance as shadows danced on the faces of weary squires gathered near it. Velvet had taken to making dinner for everyone, which was just being finished by the slowest of the twelve. The air is cool and crisp, and carries the scent of pine and earth as it blows out of Anachem a bit further to the south. Above, the vastness of Toil’s night sky is on display, an endless expanse of darkness illuminated by the soft glow of countless stars and the gentle light of the moon. Both teams sat together, sharing in the adventure, tired of travel, and tending to minor wounds from the day.

[Envious]

Character Name: Farrah Tinkerspan
Date | Time: 11.05 | 8:02pm
Location: Campfire | The Wilds | Grassland - Air Resonance
Wearing: as pictured
Tagging | Mentioning: | Velvet, Meena

”Do like the twinkle,” Farrah murmured with a soft sigh of contentment. She had stretched out on the ground, just beyond the ring of warmth and light provided by the campfire to gaze up at the stars. She had shared bits and pieces of her constellation knowledge and the stories that went along with them to entertain the group and had been pleased to hear some new stories in return before the conversation drifted elsewhere.

She stretched noisily and pleasantly. The day had been long and her body was weary, but she felt good. There was such a deep satisfaction in successfully working with her team to survive the countryside and carry out a mission. That tension she carried when between safe spaces was still present, but she carried it differently. Things had changed so dramatically since she had first journeyed to Onyx. This excursion beyond the wall was nothing like before and she hadn’t realized how much she had changed until after that first Hollow attack. While she still had a healthy fear of the creatures, she also had a confidence that had been granted by the rigorous Academy training.

With a groan, she sat up, reached for her discarded paper plate, and stood up. The elf could have fallen asleep on the ground, but she didn’t want to be the first. It was too nice being together like this to sleep it all away. So instead she moved up to the flame and tossed her plate in. It immediately caught fire and was reduced to black ash within moments.

”Many thanks, Velvet,” Farrah said for the second time that night. ”Good grub.” She gave the Silenus a thumbs up before spying the pop-up tub of neatly packed cookware that was waiting to be cleaned. The elf meandered over to it and plopped down cross-legged and then fiddled with her bracers to pull out small vials of dust. A shake of the blue caused a splash of cold water to erupt upwards before sloshing into the bucket and then a pinch of red sparked between her fingers and fell into the water to heat it. Farrah dipped her fingers into the mixture to test it out before snatching her hand back quickly. That pinch of red arcanite had been too much, causing the water to scald.

”Wowee, that be hotter than a 2 cor pistol,” she stated, shaking her hand as if to rid it of the heat. ”But I be fine!” she added with a quick grin to Meena before the Silenus could charge over and play nurse. Having a pocket healer had been incredibly helpful and maybe, just maybe Farrah had been convinced that those plants Meena meticulously managed may have been more useful than the elf had initially realized. Her golden eyes lingered on her partner. The team leader had shared privately that something hadn’t felt right about their mission and Farrah had wanted to press. The elf lived by her gut feelings, so she took Meena’s claim very seriously, but the Silenus had been reluctant to share further. The elf had mixed feelings about it and was still deciding whether or not to pull Meena aside later to interrogate her further.

”Consider it practice fer when I hang up mine shield to take up the apron n all the duties that come with domestic bliss. Sure half my day will be spent washin dishes with mine 5 of littles running round,” she said dreamily. By her last account, she was on 3, so she had seemingly acquired two more. She took up the sponge that had been left nearby and dipped it in the water before adding soap and picking her first dish to wash. "Twins," she explained, even though no one asked. By now, all of gRAVIty was aware of Farrah’s future family fantasy. "Marsh and Mallow! Look just like they daddy, but act just like they mama." 

[Aethyrium]

Azir Venris Kil-Mitter

Wearing
As pictured

Cub Coran

Wearing
This

11.05, 8:02pm | Johtan Wilderness - Camp
Farrah, Velvet, Lyra

Once camp had been made, the very first thing that Azir had done was start doffing his plate. While he was thankful for the protection it offered during the encounters with the Hollow, hiking in it all day was an exhausting task - and there was no way in hell he was going to relax in it, even if at times it felt like a second skin to him. He had been thrilled that Velvet was cooking again, if only because he had come to look forward to the meals she prepared for the team. His Silenus teammate had a way of making anything more delicious than it might otherwise have been, and that had proven true on the road as well. In some small way that made him look forward to more adventures with Mockery.

Cub, on the other hand, had dropped his things as soon as a site had been found, and wandered away nearly forgetting they were there. Not that he had been carrying much, Azir was lugging most of his burdens as well. The rationale was that Cub was quick and best when unburdened, and while traveling it made sense for some people to be free to respond if something happened to them. The uglier truth was that Cub was more than a little lazy and wasn’t into that little thing called responsibility. Somehow he also avoided when Velvet asked for help, and got Irona to tend to whatever it was she needed. That freed him up to count stars, a much better use of his time.

Azir looked back over his shoulder when Farrah hissed at the scalding water. He went to ask if she was fine, but she beat him to the answer. Smiling, he looked back at his own plate and finished the last bite, mimicking Farrah and tossing it into the fire. “You never fail to impress, Velvet.” He offered with a nod of satisfaction, “Thank you.”

Wandering back toward the flames, having eaten slightly detached from the group to watch a swarm of nearby glitterbugs dancing, Cub tilted his head, “Why would you ever pay two cor for a pistol? Might as well just buy your target lunch, you’re more likely to hit them.” Disposing of his plate nearly simultaneously to Azir, Cub ignored as the fire flared and reduced them to ash. He offered two thumbs up to Velvet, “Thanks mom.” He laughed and bounded two quick steps back to avoid whatever retaliation she might dream up, which always seemed to come when he teased her like that.

Gravity might be familiar, but Farrah’s tale of the after caught Azir’s attention. Five children? He glanced over his shoulder at her and smiled. It was hard to see when that might happen, but Azir hoped that someday he would have a family. He swiveled his gaze back across the flames and subtly glanced in Lyra’s direction. “Well then, based on what I’ve seen you won’t need to worry much about those two.” He commented. Crossing his arms, Azir peered into the dancing flames and relaxed under the beating warmth that rolled off of it. “Do you really think you’ll be able to walk away from all of this someday, Farrah?” He questioned. It was something that had been on his mind lately, too. Through the orange glow he looked at Lyra again. What would a slower life even look like, he wondered, “I come from a family of four siblings, where I am the second son. I can hardly imagine a life without them. I don’t think it would be so simple for me to not do this, but if I were so fortunate, five seems a good number to start.”

With a heavy eye roll, Cub shook his head, “You think that, but pass. Take it as the youngest of eight, no one wants that. Be gracious and give your kid that only child life.”

[shengami]

Character Name: Haimehen
Date: Nov. 5 | Time: 20:02 |
Location: Johtan Wilderness Camp
Wearing:  Outfit, orange toque, bandolier of cartridges, Feu and Fureur, Boots
Tagging: All | Mentioning:  |
"I think that most of us who have them would agree that siblings are the most important people in our lives? But, twin elves? If the lamentations of my parents was any indication, twin elves is a handful." He looked across the fire at Farrah and grinned then shot a teasing smirk at Cub. Effortlessly, he flicked his wrist and set the paper plate gliding into the fire. It bumped into a log and then settled into the growing stack of plate ashes softly, "I've no idea how Lyra, Farrah, or Azir were as kids with their shimmers, but me and Connie were... problems. A five year old who could hear even the tiniest whispers across the house and another that could see connections but didn't have the filter to not just blurt them?" He chuckled and shook his head, "But two toddlers that could 'pull' anything they see to themselves or turn water into ice and back? Can you imagine?"

He then turned his face to Velvet and nodded silent thanks for her efforts at the camp fire as well.

Sighing, he pulled his bag to him and rummaged to pull out his toolkit. As it unrolled, his eyes fell on the two stabilizers that now held places of honor. He traced a finger down one and smiled. He was still figuring that one out but it was good so far. Haim still had no plans for kids. His gaze traveled back to Farrah and he wondered just who her imaginary twins looked like in her imagination. Maybe he'd ask later? Or leave it alone? He smirked and pulled out a series of small tubes as well as a meter. But while kids were not part of his plan, he had a plan beyond suiciding himself again Hollow. He bit his lip and considered how thoroughly he was familiar with mortality. He had no intentions of dying any time soon though. And for that, he needed to maintain his weapons.

Taking three cartridges out from his bandolier. He had tried his hardest not to use his limited supply of arcanite ammunition today, but he'd ended up using an incendiary, longshot, and wave round in their brief skirmishes. He started going through the process of checking the arcanite load of the three used that day, refiling them from the prepared tubes when needed. He kept a running tally of how many refills he still had left. His hands moved almost automatically.

"But that's an interesting questions, isn't it? The only people who are champions forever are those that fall along the way. Eventually, the rest retire, right? So, what's the plan everyone?" MoCKerY was mildly familiar to him and he'd been getting to know them better these last two days. Scouting with Artimus had bene interesting. The man's style was vastly different from Haim's and worth taking notes on. The hispo encounter the day before had been bracing. Haim had felt a bit of dust shaking off. There was a different feel to tackling Hollow in the wilds. Sitting witch last night with Azir had been truly interesting though. The knight was almost as interesting as Doya in many ways. Not the least of which were the looks he had noted between him and Lyra. Since their conversation the other day at Arkameedi's, he'd had a warmed outlook on the Unovian elf and was glad she was maybe finding some connection as well. Something better than what he'd been to her at the least. His forefinger stroke the stabilizer a bit as he used it to hold a bullet while transferring in some red arcanite. "For me? Fixing tractors on the farm. Maybe. Or my own lab at a civilian corporation? I'd also considered something philanthropic: repurposing outdated Goliath units for use in... remote areas. But a family? Not really. No matter what Auguste says." He waggled comic eyebrows at Farrah: both because of the suggestions of his father regarding Farrah but also that Haim had plans extending beyond Hammer Academy. Then he glanced toward Vesper and beamed. He had been slowly growing to adore the idea of trying to help the man's village be safer. But the idea of a defense force for Cordes sur-Ciel had also been born from that. He knew what Hollow could do and the idea that someday, inevitably, the Hollow would find that village terrified him.

He replaced the now empty tubes and placed the cartridges in his bandolier. Then he started to break down and clean his weapons as he waited for others to chime in.

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: November 5th | Night (~8pm)
Location: Johtan Wilderness Campsite
Wearing: White button down, Plaid slacks, Suspenders, w/ glossy purple bowtie, Simple black beret
Tagging | Mentioning: Farrah, Meena, Lyra | Velvet, Haim, Apple, Ettinus
Lolo found it hard to even imagine having seven older siblings - she had barely handled two. “No way,” Lolo responded to Haim, shaking her head. “I’m with Cub on this one. If I had gotten the choice between my brother and sister, and being an only child? No contest, only child.” Her family wasn’t even particularly dysfunctional. But Lolo craved that attention. Attention that, by the time she had come around, was really wrapped up in her older siblings. And they definitely did not qualify, not even remotely, as the most important people in her life. But on the other hand of that very same thought, that was about Lolo and what she wanted for herself. So while what Cub made sense from one side of her perspective, the other side argued that if she wanted multiple kids, she’d have them because that’s what she wanted - kid’s preferences be damned! “But, that’s for them to worry about.” She added, looking over at Farrah with a big, firelit smirk “And if you need practice for when you’re ready to set the shield up, I can think of a few exercises!”

It was starting to get too cold in general for Lolo’s typical attire. She really should have brought a jacket. But not doing so had turned into a very convenient excuse to cuddle. Unsurprisingly, Lolo had thought of Lyra first - but almost entirely because she was concerned for the tiny elf’s comfort in the chill. When she had approached Lyra and insinuated that she could keep her warm, what Lolo had been expecting was a swift rejection. It had never occurred to her that in front of all these people that Lyra was going to let her get all touchy, even if her intentions were entirely chaste. So when Lyra had agreed - reluctantly - Lolo had been shocked. But also thrilled. She settled in behind Lyra and stretched her legs out beside her, leaning into her back and sharing warmth while sitting beside the fire. Still picking at her food, Lolo turned and quietly offered her thanks to Velvet while Haim continued. The meal was nothing fancy, but it was certainly a lot better than trail food could have been.

At this point, Marlowe doubted anyone didn’t know what she was planning to do with her status. It certainly wasn’t returning to the simple life. Even if it wasn’t her life, she hated that for Haim, and frowned at him as he said it. It seemed to her such a waste. He didn’t need to be a Champion to do that. At least in Farrah’s situation, she was planning to stop to have a family. That had a purpose, it was necessary, even if it wasn’t necessarily something she wanted for herself. Marlowe would argue that she could have a family and be larger than life. “Anything I want.” She said over Lyra’s shoulder, leaning her head against the waterfall of white hair. “I’m going to buy a mansion in the northern quarter and everyone is going to want to be there.” Of course, for those paying attention, there was a flaw in Lolo’s logic in that being a Champion wasn’t a well paying - or paying at all - career. So how she planned to bridge that gap, if she realized it existed at all, was anyone’s guess. “I’ll have dinners with people like Apple and Ettinus, and they’ll want my opinions on everything.” Closing her eyes, Lolo smiled at the dream. “People will want me to teach them, and my opinion will matter.” And if all of this sounded nebulous and unspecific, that’s because it was. Lolo had a very clear vision of what her life was supposed - needed - to look like, but not necessarily how she got from where she was to there.

Simply being a Champion would get her there, or so she had been led to believe.

“What about you, Meena? Will you go back home?” She inquired about reopening her eyes and setting her chin on Lyra’s shoulder, “Be the only champion in the Tors? You could stay with me, you know.” Of course, that drew her attention much closer. She leaned a little more into Lyra, and setting her plate aside wrapped her arms around the smaller woman’s torso. “Do you think,” She posed both at Lyra specifically, but toward everyone in general, “We’ll still be partners after we’re done at Hammer?” Lolo dropped her head to the side and rest it on Lyra’s shoulder, looking up at her and answering her own question much more quietly, “I’d stay with you.”

[Envious]

Character Name: Farrah Tinkerspan
Date | Time: 11.05 | 8:02pm
Location: Campfire | The Wilds | Grassland - Air Resonance
Wearing: as pictured
Tagging | Mentioning: Azir, Cub, Haim, Lolo |
"Isn't that just sense!" she replied to Cub. "I'd rather put mine own fist to the face of a disagreeable fool. Much more gratification than makin a point at ranged." She said it with such a satisfied nod that it was clear she had participated in both ranged and melee "dispatching" of targets and had a preference.

"But don't you bark no sass at that sweet Velvet you mangy mutt else she might not grace us with that good cookin. You aim to be the next disagreeable fool on mine list? Come dry this here pot," she demanded as an act of penitence despite her rude and derogatory response. She held up the freshly rinsed pot as if she were ready to throw it at the Silenus target, but Azir's compliment made her forget about her sudden burst of irritation and she lowered the pot back into the water.

"Bless, you done took a notice of me, Azir?" she asked sweetly. Being noticed by her own team members was akin to a mother giving her child a pat on the head in her eyes, but someone outside their team taking notice? It made her smile at the acknowledgement. "Part of your big picture, am I?" Farrah gave a grin at Doya - the comment was made for her more than Azir, throwing back to an earlier conversation they had shared.

But she paused in her dish washing to stare at Azir's back. What an interesting question. "Dunno if it is walkin away," she said slowly, uncertainly. "I be at a season in life where my participatin in changin the world look like this. Can fight. Will fight. But I ain't fightin for the sake of it." She gave a pointed look at Haim as she said it before looking around the campfire to those who were listening. "There gunna be a point when mine season change again n mine use will be better suited elsewhere. Mine hope is that we'll be done fightin the good fight. Hollow gone. Territories at peace. But it'd be my joy to raise a new generation of youngins ready to improve the world they livin in. We livin in the now, but should always have an eye towards the future." It seemed at odds with how she acted for immediate gratification, but her idealization of her future family was so strong that it transcended normal behaviors. Her desire for a family was so transparent that it was a wonder why she put off starting as early as possible with the complications that usually plagued elves.

To Cub she stuck out her tongue. "Grass always greener, huh?" She turned to Marlowe just in time to see that beautiful grin. "Oh yes, miss. Gotta acquaint you with the customs of the Elves. Undivided attention," she said with just as large a grin.

The ease at which humans and Silenus seemed to continue their genetic line fascinated her. She planned for abundance, but she knew the reality. "Need whatever water them mama's of Azir n Lyra be drinkin. What wonder." She paused in her scrubbing, giving Azir a new, considering look that had nothing to do with being a Champion. What was the likelihood that those good baby-making genetics were passed down? It was a line of thinking she had never considered before and would have considered further if not for Haim's over-sharing. She immediately turned to watch Lyra's response.

"Care to add mine full name and blood type?" she asked Haim snarkily. She had half a mind to cut into him for sharing such an intimate detail, but let it go. She was never going to be sneaky about it, so other than some initial shock, there wasn't much reason to be angry. Lyra, though? Irritation aside, Farrah was glad that Haim was even thinking of the future after their last conversation.

"Am surprised that Champions do not stay with their partner," Farrah confessed. She wondered if it stemmed from too much guilt over jobs gone wrong. The mortality rate was not a pleasant statistic for Champions. "Or try out a new partner. Do agree with ol' Ettinus that it good to have someone at your back. Who else gunna be my plus one fer Marlowe's fancy parties?"

[Aethyrium]

Velvet Smoke

Wearing
This

Artanis Mellow

Wearing
This

11.05, ~8pm | Johtan Wilderness - Camp
Marlowe, Farrah, Haimehen, Meena

The praise was, of course, entirely unnecessary. Velvet cooked because she had the skills and she enjoyed it. Especially after hearing about the troubles that gravity had been facing, sharing some of her bonding techniques she’d forced on mockery just seemed right. But she took it all graciously and offered everyone who gave it her appreciation. Her teammates knew to not get in her way, she was happy to serve them. But that was news to gravity, so when Meena had tried to help, Velvet had to swat her away with a laugh and tell her to sit back and just enjoy it - she had this. Velvet had relented enough to allow Meena help serve things up once it was all ready.

Once camp had been made, Artanis found himself his spot and set up his things. That was the way he liked it. He took care of himself, and relied on no one to carry him. He didn’t offer help, but he didn’t demand it either. This entire excursion was a giant pain. They should have left separately. The last thing he wanted was multiple days hovering around Lolo, who’s very presence made his teeth grind. Neither day had been absent of his idle barking at her - or literally anyone who invoked it. Velvet had been on her very best alert, keeping him contained. And where she was unsuccessful, Farrah had taken to biting back at Artanis - but that was an awkward showing that was more like a boy and girl on the playground picking on one another because they liked each other, than it was genuine growling. Regardless, it did seem to help reel him in. But in the end none were truly spared bitter Artanis ribbing.

Technically an only child, Velvet didn’t really relate the same way as everyone did. But she did appreciate Haim’s comment. Her family was the most important thing in her life - and slowly that was extending to her team. But then Velvet’s definition of family was perhaps looser than most people’s. She had a comment but it fell out of her head when Farrah called Cub a mangy mutt. As sweet as the reasoning was, she couldn’t help but cringe at the decidedly racist nature of the comment. It was a comment that felt more at home in Artanis’ mouth, but then with the way those two seemed to be feeding off one another lately… Already responsible for one, Velvet shot a glance at Meena, hoping that she would take it upon herself to handle that.

Instead, Velvet turned her attention to Lolo. “Oh come on, Lolo. You can’t tell me there aren’t things you’d miss, or regret not having done with your siblings. I think all of my best stories involve one or more of my brothers and sisters.”

“Not like you could believe her even if she did tell you.” Artanis muttered to himself, away from the fire and the rest of them. He finished his food as well, pushed to his feet and strode to the center of camp to deposit his plate also into the fire. “You’re not exactly qualified.” He shot at Velvet as the plate started smoking. “Just because you call that gaggle of misfits your siblings doesn’t make them so.” No, not even Velvet was spared Artanis’ iresome commentary. Artanis turned his palms to the fire and crouched down nearer Azir for a moment to warm up. He had absolutely no intention of sharing any of his plans with these people - but Farrah’s continued talking did make him scoff. “You don’t need any special water. Just ask Marlowe for some pointers, and then do it better. Shouldn’t be hard, considering.”

Across the fire, Velvet glared at Artanis and bared her fangs. She was gonna pounce that boy and stick a rock in his mouth if he didn’t watch it. “Well I think wanting to have a big family is a wonderful goal, Farrah.” Velvet immediately followed up, trying to put distance between everyone and Azir’s remarks as quickly as possible. “Actually I like all of that.” Well, not the Silenus bigotry, but the outlook on life and seasons? That all spoke to Velvet and felt a whole lot like her own life. She even like what Haim planned to do, and gave the elf an enthusiastic nod, “If you could manage that, it would be incredible. I know that it’s impractical for the great cities to spread their resources on those that want to go elsewhere, but… Repurposing resources not in use anymore? That’s a noble idea! I’d help with that.” For as little as she probably could. But she grinned and looked at Lolo, “But by the sounds of it, Lolo will be all the help you’ll need to get that up and running.”

Velvet saw the dissonance in what Lolo wanted, but she wasn’t the type to crush dreams. If being some kind of queen bee gave Marlowe hope, who was she to take it away from her? Artanis, on the other hand, scoffed. “Don’t feed her delusions. She’ll never be any of that.” He stood back up and glanced at Lolo past Lyra, “She’s not even smart enough to realize the people around her are busy playing her for a fool.” He backed away from the fire and started toward his sleeping arrangement, “Good news is you won’t need to find a plus one.” He called to Farrah.

Reaching up and rubbing her forehead, Velvet sighed deeply. “I couldn’t say. A lot can change in four years. But I’d like to think so.” Velvet answered Lolo’s question. It was about the nicest way she could share her thoughts, because no, there was absolutely no chance Velvet envisioned herself staying shackled to Artanis once she no longer needed to be. Even the thought of four years with him was a dreadful anchor on her outlook of life. Despite that though, Velvet was optimistic that in that time she could change Artanis for the better and maybe that would make him more tolerable. And even if not him, she couldn’t imagine giving up the others.

[shengami]

Character Name: Haimehen
Date: Nov. 5 | Time: 20:02 |
Location: Johtan Wilderness Camp
Wearing:  Outfit, orange toque, bandolier of cartridges, Feu and Fureur, Boots
Tagging: All | Mentioning:  |
Haim listened but didn't feel a need to respond to the various opinions on siblings. Sometimes, though, he was not sure exactly what it was that bonded him and Lolo. He'd give just about anything in the world, anything, to get Connie back. She was his twin and the other part of his soul. Life without her was a confusing, less interesting mess. But, then again, Haim wasn't aware that Lolo had actually lost anyone like that. He found it hard to believe that she didn't have memories shared with her siblings. But perhaps that was a gulf between them they could not cross?

Whatever the case, Lolo was one of his people though and he was far to busy glaring at Artanis from below hooded eyes to notice any looks prompted by his talk of shimmer. Frankly, he couldn't understand why it mattered. Well, he knew intellectually, but not really. He was aware that many Champions saw the shimmers as trump cards. But he'd never thought of his that way. His was so intrinsic to his daily operations that he often forgot it was there until people reminded him that they didn't see the same things.

He broke his glare to smile at Velvet and nod, "It's just a notion I got right now. We got a chance to see the Paladin units up close a bit back. And it made me wonder if there might be more Goliath units decommissioned or if labor mechs might be repurposed. That led to other technologies that the cities tend to monopolize. Older stuff that has been replaced. That sort of thing. After all, I've seen how hard those communities word to scratch a living and livelihood from rock and dirt and swamp. I respect it." He smirked at Lolo and chuckled. Haim made very little secret of his general low opinion of the Northern Quarter and its denizens. The term 'leeches' was a favorite epithet of his.

There were a lot of reason he tended not to comment on her dreams of pomp and luxury. He didn't think she'd actually know what to do with it should she ever really get it. He knew that the simple life he loved wasn't her speed, but he expected she'd be a Champion for life.

He glared at Artanis again but held his peace. Instead, he redirected his attention to the new topic, "Well, I already said I'd like to help Vesper's people. But, like, working together as a squad after graduation? Ain't so sure. Mayhap. It's not objectionable. I'd not object to gRAVIty staying together. But, like I said, there's a lot of paths for Champions to walk." He shrugged. "We'll damned sure still be friends though." He chuckled and glanced at his team then winked at Lolo, "I'd be Lolo's plus one any day or babysit for Farrah at the drop of a hat. I think I'd rather like being an uncle!"

[Crash]

Character Name: Meena Tor
Date | Time: 11.05.1322 | Night
Location: Johtan Wilderness Campsite
Wearing: Green camo cargo pants, black long-sleeved synthetic weave zip-up over a black crop top and puffy black vest with snap on fur trimmed hood and hidden pockets, and Black combat boots
Tagging | Mentioning: Artanis, Azir, Cub, Farah, Irona, Lolo, Velvet | Shir, Xiratana, Ettinus
To say Meena had been less than thrilled with the mission was an understatement readily apparent to any of her teammates. She had stayed behind with Azir to further probe the reason behind the sudden need for her to murder this courier, and the answers had been non-existent and unsatisfying.

The only thing she knew for sure was that Shir was about as happy about it as she was. He answered the questions he could with the posture and enthusiasm of someone who had already lost the argument. Even after Azir and Xiratana left, Meena had stuck around to get Shir's thoughts unencumbered by anyone outside of Gravity. The whys were still disappointingly unclear, but she had garnered that the order had come from Ettinus and was Academy business. 

When they were done, Meena didn't feel any better about the mission, but she felt oddly better about Shir. He didn't like what they were asked to do and had clearly argued against it. It might not have changed the result, but it mattered that he had tried.

Once the teams were on the road, it was easier for Meena to put the actual mission at the back of her mind. It never entirely left, but her moral quandary took a back seat to the very real danger they faced in the Hollow-infested wildlands outside the city. To make matters worse, the tug of the wind against her face as they traveled held the familiar nuisance of air resonance in ascendance. Despite the weighty issues of resonance and reticence, Meena was proud of the way Gravity acquitted themselves. Farrah and Haimehen had faced their first Hollow and, along with Mockery, had dispatched them with relative ease and nothing more than bumps and scrapes. 

Today had been much more difficult. The Hollow attacks came every couple of hours, but the teams of squires had weathered it all in relatively good shape. Meena tended to the wounds that needed tending and spent much of the time after camp had been set, checking on them, and any others she had deemed could wait. After which, Meena set about cleaning Hollow gore off her Heart of the Mountain. 

Meena unleashed was a sight to behold. She left crushed skulls and bone in her wake. Pulverizing Hollow flesh in the most gruesome of ways. There was a part of Meena that had held back at the Academy. She worried about hurting her fellow squires, even with the souls that protected them. That hesitancy was nowhere to be seen when facing the Hollow. The amount of destruction she could reap with Heart of the Mountain in her hands was truly frightening. 

Once dinner had started and Meena had been shooed away from helping, she returned to check on the wounded. Irona had a nasty gash that needed a bandage change and a salve against the potential of Hollow-borne toxins. Farrah had a nasty bruise on her side that would probably heal by morning, but some pain relievers would allow her to sleep comfortably. The rest of the other's wounds were superficial, but Meena checked on them anyway until Velvet asked her to help serve. This was the Meena most of her team had come to know. The caring, almost mothering woman who tried to put others before herself.

When the rest of the teams were throwing plates in the fire, Meena was just sitting down to start her meal. She thanked Velvet for the food and gave her a wink to boot, patting the spot next to her for Velvet to take if she wished.

Meena gave her partner a grin as she spoke of children. The number continued to grow every time Farrah talked about the idea. Marsh and Mallow were perfectly Farrah, and Meena dearly hoped fate had that in the cards for her. Haim's question was a curious one. Meena's entire drive had been to get to this very point. In her relentless pursuit of it, she hadn't thought of looking beyond her goal. So she didn't speak, listening to the others. Unlike some, Meena didn't find Lolo's goal unplanned or silly. They were discussing goals and dreams; the pathway was uncertain for any of them. Lolo's desire was perfectly Lolo, making Meena smile affectionately at her. Meena had grown up in some of the harshest lands on Toil, but that didn't mean she looked down on creature comforts. Quite the contrary, Meena enjoyed them immensely because she knew what it was like to go without. 

When Lolo lobbed the question to her, she didn't answer immediately, thinking about the question in a way she never had before. A part of her always thought she would do precisely what Lolo suggested. A champion in the Tors, but now she wasn't sure.

"I want to visit my people again," Meena admitted. She had been gone for so long. "But I am a champion. It's all I ever wanted." There was a pause as she thought her way through the winding roads of the future. "I want to travel the world. Help those that need it," she mused out loud. This would come as no surprise to her team. She had said as much many times, but perhaps the next part would surprise a few. "I think I want to be a Mentor. At the Academy," She finally admitted, looking up and focusing on the group around the fire. "So, I guess I could come to stay with you," She smiled a sly smile at her friend across the fire. "Depends on how good you are at keeping your promises." Meena might have said more, but Farrah's voice cut through the conversation, causing her head to snap around.

"Farrah! Cut that racist sh….stuff right now!" The anger and utter disappointment in her voice cut across camp even if the volume did not. "You have never heard me utter a single derogatory word about your people. I darn well expect never to hear another one from you."

Ever since the Fangs attacked a military shipment, the tension in Onyx had been raised, and the number of hate crimes against Silenus increased. She had spent an afternoon covering up racist slurs on the front of the Clay Pot just the other day, and the intolerance was wearing thin. Farrah should have known better, and that was the part that really hurt.

Meena flashed an apologetic glance at Cub and Velvet and a frustrated shake of her head. She was still annoyed enough when the prospect of remaining with her partner and team after the Academy came up, she was conspicuously silent.

Artanis's childish tirade was more than she wanted to deal with, and she looked toward Azir. "Are you going to do something about that, or do I need to?" She asked while Artanis berated her friend, her eyes narrowing as he cowardly walked away. Velvet's refusal to acknowledge that she would rather be anyone else's partner, but Artanis's got her a look like, "Really?"

[FyreFoxx]

Character Name: Lyreilynn "Lyra" Xyrven Myalis
Date | Time: November 5th | Evening (~8pm)
Location: Johtan Wilderness Campsite
Wearing: White wrap blouse with floral design, silver trip, and with sleeves wrapped and bound to her wrists, wide black belt, long white skirt with similar floral design, black laced boots
Tagging | Mentioning: Marlowe | Haimehen, Farrah, Velvet, Azir, Artanis, Shir

Lyra had been silent for most of the trip out of Onyx, and even far into the wilderness. Idly rubbing her wrists, she was glad for the familiar feel of her bracelets once more. It’s a strange feeling to be so accustomed to something that when it’s taken away, you become keenly aware of its absence and how much you miss the familiarity that when you have it again, it feels so foreign and strange. Those precious circles of arcanite and metal had been a part of her for nearly a decade and being without them the past week, except for small intervals, had been an unwelcomed change.

She didn’t question their mission, but she did notice the slight change in Meena’s demeanor, as if she were uneasy about something. The tall Silenus was not very good at hiding things. There was something more going on, but Lyra was not about to press her for any further information. If it was something that not even Shir shared with them, then there was a good reason for it. Meena was the captain now, and it was up to her whether to divulge the extra info or not. Other than two incidents with some Hollow – including one that reminded her of the squire trials with Marlowe – things were relatively quiet, her more than most. Lyra was not exactly known to be a great conversationalist.

At dinner, when Farrah had started working on dishes to clean and made the water too hot, Lyra nearly offered her assistance. Controlling the temperature was her specialty, after all, although she rarely used that side of her Shimmer. But when the giant elf waved off any help, even from her own partner, Lyra settled back down, a slight frown on her face. Tossing her plate into the fire like many others, the dainty elf gave Velvet a small smile. “I appreciate the food, Velvet. Your skills are rather good. It was delicious.” Even if the woman had thoroughly trounced her on dueling day, she held no animosity towards the small Silenus.

There was a quick glance over towards Azir before she retreated to her spot next to her partner. Lyra had been secretly glad that Mockery had been assigned to this as a joint mission, but at the same time, it made her nervous. This wasn’t like back at the academy where they had their dorms and the comforts provided by the facilities. This was camping outdoors, with the other team ever present, for nearly a week. Ever since that day she had asked Azir to accompany her and share some saguaro, things had changed between them, but she still couldn’t tell if it was a good change or bad.

Farrah rambled off about kids again and Lyra couldn’t help but smile at it. Large elven families were rare, after all, and most had dreams of numerous children but few got to turn that into reality. Although, it did surprise her to hear that Azir had four siblings. He was one of five? She felt a blush creep onto her cheeks, lowering her eyes as a smile twitched to life upon her lips. So, there was another thing about him that was similar to her. “I have four older siblings and a younger brother,” she quietly added, raising her gaze to meet the others. After the meeting with Auguste and Apple, this was old news to her team, but it would be new to Mockery. “I think every elf dreams of a large family.” Her eyes found those of Azir’s and her face darkened in color, looking away, where they landed on Haimehen for a moment. “Well, most elves.”

Lyra let her head roll back, looking up at the darkening sky. “I do not think I could imagine my life as an only child, or one for my own child.” Her childhood was not exactly a happy one, but the presence of her siblings was what molded her into what she was today. What would she even be like without them? Would her mother have focused more attention on her? Would she have been pushed to be more like Chetan or Anamaris?

Her fantasies were interrupted by Haimehen blurting out something about how Farrah or her would have been like as toddlers, outing their shimmers for the others. While it was no surprise Gravity knew, it was a closely guarded secret to most others. There was a narrowing of her eyes as she gave her teammate a scalding look, none too pleased with him. Sure, they had mostly mended their issues, but he kept opening his mouth and inserting his foot for further damage.

Lolo sidled up close to her and offered to warm her up, there was a moment of hesitation, looking up at her partner with apprehension and disbelief written all over her face. But Marlowe insisted she had the purest of intentions and was merely worried about her well-being, Lyra begrudgingly agreed. While the cold did not really bother her all that much – neither did the heat, really, probably due to her shimmer – she could see the effects it was having on her partner, so it was more for Marlowe’s sake than her own.

However, with the way her taller partner decided to settle down behind her, Lyra was having second thoughts about agreeing to this, her face growing hot as she scooted up away from Marlowe a few inches, shooting a quick glance over towards Azir across the flames. Of course she was trying to cuddle. This was Marlowe! What did she really expect? With a defeated sigh, Lyra shook her head slowly, resigned to her fate with a small chuckle to herself, a faint smile dancing across her face. Marlowe was going to be Marlowe, after all, and she accepted her for who she was.

Velvet and Artanis chiming in caused her to look over towards the pair. It was common knowledge that Artanis was a bit of a nuisance and that Velvet was the one reigning him in, if at all. This night with the other team was certainly turning out rather interesting. Lyra agreed with Velvet about Haimehen’s proposal of repurposing older mechs, something she had not even thought of before, or heard him mention in the past, either. “That is certainly a grand idea. Perhaps I—” she trailed off, closing her mouth as she let the rest of her words die on the tip of her tongue. She wasn’t a native to Johtan, so would it even be right to help out? Biting down on her lower lip softly, she mulled over the subject, before shaking her head and simply offered them a faint smile instead.

At Marlowe’s declaration of future plans, Lyra’s smile widened a bit. “I am sure you will, one day.” Even if there were flaws in her plan, Lyra was certain Marlowe would barrel through them one by one. She even shot Artanis a look that said to be quiet. Though the way Marlowe quieted down with her final question had the elf lean her head to the side as she glanced over her shoulder towards her partner. “I… do not know. Perhaps?” There had been a similar conversation with Azir a few weeks ago, about what she would do if she wasn’t a Champion or perhaps after she graduated. There was another glance in his direction, a thought of something more crossing her mind, before looking back to Marlowe, that soft smile returning.

Carefully, she unwrapped Marlowe’s arms from around her torso, shifting in such a way that she was sitting sideways, her feet tucked under her away from her partner. That had been a bit too intimate of a feeling for the small elf, but she did not want to completely disentangle herself from the brawler. “I do not know what the future holds, but I will gladly continue being your partner, Lolo. Who else will teach you about high society if not me?” She took that moment to lean against Marlowe, bumping her shoulder against the taller woman’s, before righting herself again. A lot could change in four years, but she had a feeling that Marlowe wouldn’t.

[Envious]

Character Name: Farrah Tinkerspan
Date | Time: 11.05 | 8:02pm
Location: Campfire | The Wilds | Grassland - Air Resonance
Wearing: as pictured
Tagging | Mentioning: Cub, Meena, Artanis | Velvet, Azir, Haim, Lyra, Lolo
To her surprise, Cub had scampered over like a good boi to assist in dishes. She started to say something but straightened up in response to Meena’s scolding. Golden eyes snapped to her partner as Farrah immediately responded. ”Do suppose it wasn’t the kindest thing ta come outta me mouth,” she said contritely. ”Many apologies for my offense.” No false promises that it wouldn’t happen again - she was experienced enough to know that she just said awful things sometimes, but the frequency would reduce to eventual nonexistence over time.

To Cub, she continued quieter. Not so quiet that others couldn’t hear, but following up her public apology with a private one… in her own way. ”Shouldn’t have said what was said. You ain’t no you-know-what…” she gave him a grin, ”’n ya provin’ me wrong in thinkin you’s a lazy sunnuva-” she realized her upcoming error mid sentence and corrected on the fly, ”bih-astard.”

As stories were shared of siblings, Farrah and Cub finished up the last of the scant dishes. She almost considered patting Cub on the head for a job well done - a chance to feel those ears! - but decided not to push her luck yet. One arm went behind her head and the other reached for the stars as she stretched, turning from her dishwashing companion to Artanis’ back as he crouched next to Azir. She nudged Cub with her elbow and then mimed (hopefully without his notice) pushing the bitter human into the fire with a dramatic, comedic flair. But as he turned his ridicule to Lolo, she narrowed her eyes.

”Considerin’ what?” she asked Artanis, reaching out to tussle his hair and give his head a rough, but harmless push forward to piss him off. She backed off before his hand could swat at hers. ”Seems ta me you so well acquainted with what Marlowe knows and eager to let us know it, I might as well be askin you.” Their calculated escalations had been incremental at first, as if to feel out boundaries. Snide one-liners had turned into unkind banter, but Artanis had received as good as he gave and he hadn’t seemed offended by a single foul thing that had come out of her mouth when meeting his behavior. It had started out as an effort to draw his attention away from Lolo, but had settled into effortless bickering that was surely obnoxious to others, but typically heatless between them. Not now, though. If he had been an equal opportunity asshole, she might have let it go, but he wouldn’t let up on Marlowe.

When Velvet attempted to smother the conversation with kindness, it made Farrah want to preen at the praise, but she couldn’t give the Silenus the attention she deserved. Artanis shamelessly plowed on, attempting to tear Marlowe down.

Velvet sighed as if her partner gave her a headache.

Haim glared, refusing to give the human attention.

Meena deferred to Azir who promptly put the ball back in her court, both refusing to take immediate action.

Lyra even gave a look, but no condemnation came.

Farrah didn’t even bother to wait to see what Marlowe would do and take her lead. She didn’t let Meena step in to be the peacemaker, either. Something had clicked for Farrah out on that Trial field with Shir. He had been targetted in his language. He had said things meant to evoke doubt and divide. Farrah had the sneaking suspicion that Marlowe didn’t do anything because no one else did. She wanted to be liked - to be someone who had an opinion that mattered - and that didn’t come with punching people. Worse, Farrah was starting to think Marlowe might think no one else did anything because it was true.

She didn’t care that everyone else was willing to ignore it. She wasn’t! This wasn’t indiscriminate heckling - it was targeted, degrading remarks.

”Got some nerve keepin’ on with yer nonsense. What kinda Champion you aiming to be? The kind that can’t do nothin’ more than cut down? The kind that ready to watch a bad thing happen ‘cause it ain’t they business?” She didn’t need to say it - it was perfectly clear she was calling everyone out. ”Ain’t givin you another opportunity to change that choice of yers, Artanis. Ain’t got nothin nice to say about Marlowe? Then that lyin mouth of yers can stay shut of yer own self control or with mine unfriendly assistance.” This was not the sibling-like back-and-forth of earlier. This was Farrah drawing a line in the sand and squaring up to defend it.

[Intimate Ink]

Character Name: Vesper Cabello
Date | Time: November 5th, ~20:00
Location: Johtan Wiliderness Camp
Wearing: As pictured
Tagging: Artanis, Farrah, Haimehen, Lolo, Everyone | | Mentioning: Family (generalized), Irona, Linden


Vesper was of two minds about the mission. On one hand his own questions about it gnawed at him, and the fact that people who knew more than him seemed unsettled by it did nothing to help his unease. On the other hand, he couldn’t shake the feeling of nostalgia and a greater sense of familiarity in the tasks – giant cities were strange, elaborate training grounds and formal classes were strange, the opportunity to meet new people was strange, and so was the ability to have the resources of the library and Illuminati at his fingertips. None of these were unwelcome, and some aspects of his new life Vesper had been quite enthusiastic about… But they were new and almost surreal at times to interact with.

Traveling on foot was not odd, watching for the signs of Hollow was not odd, dividing up and maintaining vigils in the night was not odd. It was these aspects of the mission so far that felt almost like slipping back into well-worn slippers for Vesper, even if wearing those slippers was not without the occasional longing to return to what was new. He’d been concerned – perhaps overly concerned - about tending to Irona’s injuries during their shared time together, which given he was far from a medic wasn’t altogether helpful. 

Talk of family didn’t help Vesper’s current mood. No, the voiced certainty that so many people had about having planned to go to the Academy for years and returning to their life afterwards twisted in Vesper’s gut like an unsatisfied parasite. Talk of the incredible strength of bonds between siblings… Well, it didn’t fucking help, either. Vesper wore his discontent with a certain level of stoicism not just because it was natural for him, but because he believed that being out in the open with tasks at hand and Hollows at your metaphorical – and potentially literal – back was not the place to make yourself vulnerable. That was how he was raised.

”I confess I’m not too sure what my plans would be anymore after this is over. Other than helping Gorren’s Point, of course, which I have already acquired quite the valuable alley in.” Vesper nodded and smiled to Haimehen. He felt some respite in the certainty of that statement, in how he’d love to see that plan manifest. It lightened Vesper’s mood, albeit it did require a certain level of tunnel vision to not ask connected questions: How well would his family accept him after this was all over? Would he be ‘forgiven’ if his time away led to the better of the settlement through the aid of technology? Did Vesper even want to be forgiven for what felt like an act of loyalty and belief in his brother’s honor?

Even something that should be as personal as the subject of progeny felt like a strangely distant concept to Vesper now. Children were what you had as obligation to continue the work, to continue the settlement, to have something to hand down to…. What would Vesper have to hand down?

The dissonance around the campfire agitated Vesper more. If he had the presence of mind to speak in between Artanis and Farrah, he reasoned he might, but at this point Vesper did not like where this was going. This kind of discussion didn’t seem smart to him when these were the people that they were to be working with; they were surrounded by Hollow, and while they were not the same level of threat as those in the Crescent Swamp, the cumulative wounds proved that they didn’t need to muddling the lines between ally and foe. They certainly didn’t need to be fighting with another team when their lack of synchronicity in training already put them at a disadvantage.

Half expecting Lindon to show up and throw around another set of picnic baskets for people to fight over, Vesper tightened his jaw and glanced towards Lolo and forced a smile. He used a soft tone that seemed natural to him but in the moment was a test of willpower to fall upon. ”I look forward to visiting you at your estate and asking your advice upon many a thing.”

”As for ‘assistance’ in the present, maybe that’s something that can be best offered back at the Academy. Several appropriate venues there come to mind.” Vesper glanced between everyone evenly; he didn’t want to pick sides right now. Picking a fight at night in the middle of a Hollow-infested area when they were supposed to be leaning on each other for survival and success of the mission just felt immensely dumb to him. Creating noise, discontent, and potential wounds when you were the potential surrounded ones.. yeah, again, immensely dumb.

He stood up and took long glances into the darkness beyond the fires; honestly, he didn’t expect he’d see anything. Maybe it would prove as a reminder where they were, though, and at the very least he hoped it would distract his psyche that was already raw from the discussion topics. Vesper needed the distraction to refrain from engaging further in activities that he felt only poisoned the well of their safety and success. Yes, Artanis had been the first to drop the metaphorical vial in, but adding poison on top of poison was a foolish antidote.

[Aethyrium]

Velvet Smoke

Wearing
This

Artanis Mellow

Wearing
This

11.05, ~8pm | Johtan Wilderness - Camp
Farrah, Haimehen, Marlowe, Lyreilynn, Meena, Azir, Doya, Mir

Artanis’ lips had quirked at Farrah’s clapback. He rocked forward under the pressure of her shove. A hand came up to swat at hers, but met air, and Artanis turned glance back in her direction. His jaw tightened and his lips parted, like he was about to answer her. But he bit it back. All of these people might think him tactless, but they had literally no concept of how much restraint he showed at any given moment. Artanis’ lips curled into half smirk, half snarl. It quivered with the effort of holding back. There would be a time and a place for him to tear apart Marlowe’s faux-persona and put her whimpering truth on display for everyone. And the simple knowledge of it made him salivate, he was hungry for it, in a way that he craved very little else. But that time wasn’t here and now, even he knew that. “Considering her extensive track record of failure in that regard.” He settled on, because there was no way she was going to get away with no retort at all.

Even as Artanis moved away, he found humor in Velvet’s unwillingness to call it like she saw it. “It’s alright Velvet, you can tell them how you really feel.” Artanis slowly spun around holding his arms wide at his sides, T-posing as he whirled, “I’m a shitty partner, and your life would be better if I never stumbled into it. You can’t stand me, and the very instant you can be rid of me, you will be glad to be. Own it. I don’t need your decorum.” He said, acid toned, before resuming his departure from this bonding moment.

Velvet physically winced. His words weren’t untrue, but she wasn’t good at stirring the pot unnecessarily. Saying that aloud didn’t help anyone, and even though she was reasonably sure she couldn’t hurt Artanis there was no good reason to behave like he did. She met Meena’s questioning gaze and grimaced in the face of it, looking down. Unfortunately, she knew how the question to Azir would go. In the early days of mockery, Azir had tried to convince Artanis to conduct himself less brashly. The only thing it had accomplished was temporarily making Azir the target of Artanis’ biting remarks. Sometimes Doya could wrangle him, but Artanis responded best to Velvet - well, and increasingly Farrah.

Stalking away, Artanis’ ears burned as Meena remarked about doing something. As if he needed to be handled. As if Azir, or Meena herself, had any damn right whatsoever to do something about him. His nose twitched in the darkness, he let it slide. They were upset. He had that effect on people, and Meena was a sensitive one. Despite them, Artanis had already taken it upon himself to remove himself from the situation so that they could enjoy their moment or whatever. His fingers danced at his side, anxious, daring anyone to pull him back into it, even though his own intent was to leave it alone.

But then Farrah had to go and push the wrong button.

His boot hit the ground hard and he froze in place, and he saw red in the blackness of night. He whipped around with a speed that would impress a Hispo. If ever there was a time for Farrah to realize that she had fucked up, it was right then. He took an undeniably aggressive step in her direction, lifted his hand and jabbed a finger toward her, “I’ve never spoken a lie in my LIFE.” He barked, every syllable escalating in volume until his punctuating word was shouted into the air, deafening all other noise. Whatever restraint he had before then was gone. He seethed, entirely unable to put that genie back in the bottle.

Eyes widening, Velvet put her hands onto the ground and lifted herself up. She’d seen Artanis act out worse than really anyone here, but she’d never seen him like this. Part of her was concerned for him… The rest of her was concerned for everything else. She moved to take a step toward him, but froze midstep under the intensity of Artanis’ jabbed finger as it turned on her. “No, you stay right there. If Farrah wants me to do right by Marlowe, so be it.”

Sneering, he turned his attention back to his playmate. “You want to talk about lies? That’s rich coming from the girl who’s been lying since the day she set foot in Onyx. You didn’t seem to have much desire to shut your own lying mouth when you were busy deceiving her, Farrah.” He quirked her name, he knew. “There you go Lolo, since day one she’s been dishonest with you. Don’t take it too personally though, at least she was doing it to everyone.”

That brought his gaze across the gathering, past the fire, to Haimehen. “Unlike Haimehen, everyone’s favorite predator.” His eyes widened and he nodded knowingly at the elf, “Heart of the team, Lolo, that’s what he called you, right? That matters to him, because it serves him and the team. But your heart? Fuck that!” Artanis continued to shout into the night, “While he was preaching to you about how he’d do anything for you, despite your feelings toward Lyra being plain as day and obvious to him, did he bother to admit to you that not even forty-eight hours after calling you the glue that held everyone together and giving you advice on your ability to date an elf, he pinned her to the door and forced himself on her?” Artanis licked his lips and took another step toward the camp gathering, “That’s right, he didn’t just stumble into a situation where he might hurt you, he actively forced it to happen. That’s family, am I right, Haim?” Azir slow-clapped thrice.

“Of course, let’s not forget Lyra!” Artanis dropped his hands to his sides and shook his head, amused in a bitter sort of way, “We can all agree that she’s clueless, but she’s had enough awareness to keep you at bay since day one, Lolo, never missing an opportunity to pivot or shut you down. But when Haimehen assaulted her, how many fingers did she lift to stop it? Not enough to stop it from happening. Denying you, her first and perhaps only friend, the simplest of touches? Paramount of importance! Denying, or fuck, doing anything at all about the man who violated and stole a precious moment from her? Well that can slide.” He scoffed loudly and rolled his eyes.

Swiping his tongue across his lips, Artanis took a second to chuckle darkly. “And since I’m such a generous guy, here’s a bonus round. Just in case you,” Artanis focused on Lyra, “Bought his whole apology and that he didn’t know how he felt, and oh, maybe you are smart, creative, and beautiful, or thought maybe you were special? You should probably know that just before he forced himself on you, he did the exact same thing to Mir the day before.”

Artanis shot cold eyes at Meena, “Here’s piece of unsolicited advice for the uncertain, newly anointed leader. Maybe instead of worrying about me being mildly inconvenient and infuriating, you concern yourself with the dysfunction in your house. Because my words may hurt you, but” He gestured at Haim, “Dicks and stones? They’ll break you.”

Rant over, and voice lowering, Artanis returned his gaze to Farrah. He opened his arms again and flourished them like a performer, crossed one foot over the other and took a bow, “There you go, I’m not watching bad things happen anymore, I did right by her. Happy now?” He sharply cocked his head as he stood up straight, “In the future, you might consider not being the source of her hurt feelings before judging me for cluing her into what’s going on around her.”

[FyreFoxx]

Character Name: Lyreilynn "Lyra" Xyrven Myalis
Date | Time: November 5th | Evening (~8pm)
Location: Johtan Wilderness Campsite
Wearing: White wrap blouse with floral design, silver trip, and with sleeves wrapped and bound to her wrists, wide black belt, long white skirt with similar floral design, black laced boots
Tagging | Mentioning: Haimehen | Artanis, Marlowe, Mir

Artanis’s words cut her deep, ripping open a wound that had only just begun healing. Lyra grew very still, the color draining from her already pale face. Her eyes were wide, focused on his face as he kept speaking about that night in the dormitory. How did he know that? How? They were behind closed doors, in the privacy of their dorm, and she certainly never said a word about it to anyone. She was fairly certain that neither had Haimehen, if their conversation that day in Onyx was any indication. So how? Why? And why bring it up now? What did it have to do with what Farrah said?
 
The way he worded things made her feel sick, lifting her arms to cross over her body to hug herself tightly, fingers trembling as they dug into opposite arms. She bent forward a bit, silvery blue tresses falling over her shoulders to create a curtain obscuring her face. She was shaking all over. They knew. Everyone knew now. She could feel their eyes on her without even looking up. She could feel their disappointment in her rising just beneath the surface. She could imagine the looks on their faces.
 
She felt angry. And repulsed. Disgusted. Forced. Assaulted. Violated. She felt dirty hearing those words, filthy even. Every word he said was wrong, but also rang true. How could something so wrong also be the truth? “No…” she managed to get out, her eyes focused on the ground just beyond her folded legs. “That is not… what happened.” No, she had to reason with herself. That is exactly what happened. But his word choice made it seem so much worse. But was he really wrong?
 
“I… I really did try. To push him away. I-I did.” She had felt so powerless in that moment, her mind reeling and confused, but maybe she should have tried harder. She’d been so shocked that day that when she did attempt to push him back, there was no strength in her body. “But he…” He had kissed her again. So instead, she ended up clinging to him for support lest she fall backwards. Perhaps it would have been better that way if she had just let her legs give out and collapse instead. Perhaps she should have just walked out of that room like she intended instead of turning around to face him one last time. Maybe it would have been better if he had just continued to hate her.
 
Her fingers dug further into her arms, feeling the biting pain of her nails digging into her flesh beneath the thin fabric. ‘Clueless.’ That word alone hit her like a ton of bricks. Sure, her social awareness was pretty lacking and emotions still confused her, but clueless? Maybe she was. She was still confused about that day. Even after their talk, she still didn’t know what to make of Haimehen or his actions. Lyra tilted her head ever so slightly, peering up at Marlowe from between the strands of her hair, almost as if she were afraid to see the look on her face. Would she hate her now, too? She didn’t normally like being touched. Marlowe knew this, after their day in town. That was why she was always shying away from her partner’s touches, unable to comprehend her intentions behind them.
 
Her eyes flickered back to Artanis as he spoke directly to her. What more could he add to this already disastrous revelation? Hearing him reiterate the things Haimehen had said to her made her feel worse. She had craved hearing that once upon a time, but those words leaving his lips left a bitter taste. His little ‘bonus round’ wasn’t at all what she expected, either. “…Mir, too?” She captured her bottom lip between her teeth, biting down softly at first, then harder, almost to the point of drawing blood, dropping her gaze to look at anything other than those around her. Had anything Haimehen said to her been true?
 
First Mir, then her. That’s what Artanis had said. If that was true, then what did that mean? That his confused feelings about her was just some pent-up frustrations over someone else? That she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time? That he used her to relieve some stress? Or merely a way to silence their argument? Just what had he been thinking? Finally, she found her voice again, lifting her head enough to level a glare at Haimehen, those silver eyes tinged red and glossy with unshed tears. “You… You used me? Did you even mean any of it? No, it-it does not matter if you did or-or not. It was uncalled for!” There was a sort of bitter short laugh that came from her. “A sudden passion… Was it truly? We had been arguing just moments before that. Or was it merely a way to… to ‘shut me up’?” She emphasized those last three words very strongly. It had been something he had said to her that day in Onyx and it never sat right with her.
 
Lyra was angry. At him. At herself. At the whole situation. She had believed him, believed his lies. She still didn’t forgive him, but she had believed him. And she wasn’t sure if she should hate him or hate herself more. She had taken that moment, put it in a box, and stashed it somewhere she thought was safe. It was like opening Pandora’s Box when Artanis got a hold of it. Would things have gone better had she dealt with this then, instead of suffering in silence alone, as she was wont to do? “Was I just a convenient replacement for someone you could not have? Was your apology that day… Was it for me? Or for you, Haimehen? To feel better about yourself? So that you could say that you said sorry and move on, but did not really mean it? Were you ever truly sorry?” Those unshed tears finally fell, red-hot on her face, but halfway down her cheeks they sort of just… vanished. Evaporated. As if they never existed, only to be replaced by more falling in their wake, just to have the same thing happen, again and again. Her lips trembled even as she spoke, her voice unsteady, but strong. “And what about Mir? Did you even think about what you had done to him? W-what you had done to me?!” Lyra found his own words ringing in her mind and she wasn’t about to bite them back this time. “What makes a man do that? What makes a man like that, Haimehen?! What drives a person to such heinous acts?! Answer me!”

[shengami]

Character Name: Haimehen
Date: Nov. 5 | Time: 20:02 |
Location: Johtan Wilderness Camp
Wearing:  Outfit, orange toque, bandolier of cartridges, Feu and Fureur, Boots
Tagging: All | Mentioning: All |
Haim slowly and deliberately rolled up his tool kit. When Artanis had started in, Haim had been too shocked to do much aside from stare, gap-mouthed. Slowly, his jaw had gone from slack to clenched. Then he had started to put his things away. It wasn’t like he hadn’t had this matter at a constant low boil in the back of his mind for the last three weeks. He’d played out scenarios where things went badly. Maybe not this bad, but if this was what was going to happen now, he needed to maintain his own pace. So as Lyra was processing and turning on him, understandably, even as his ears burned and his neck felt like it was on fire, he took calming breaths and organized his things. Blowing up, shouting, violence were not tools he needed right now. Anyone, even one as socially inept as him, could read the room. Even though his fingers itched for Feu, for an incendiary round, even though his brain shouted to attack Artanis, he forced his hands to attend to his things. Anything to keep them busy.

“What makes a man do that? What makes a man like that, Haimehen?! What drives a person to such heinous acts?! Answer me!”

He flinched and his fingers fumbled. The stabilizer slid from them and fell into the dust of the camp. He looked down at them and then up at Lyra. He glared. He wrestled his face and pulled it back under his control. He reached down and picked them up and placed them delicately in their place next to their twin. As he rolled the kit up, he finally spoke, ”What is between me and Mir is none of your business. Just like with you, I have agonized and tortured myself over what I’ve done to him. I’ve apologized to him. And I’m working to make amends with him. I told you that I didn’t know how I was feeling at that time, that I was confused. I was under no obligation to inform you about Mir.” Mir was not here to have his piece. Haim would need to tell him all of this now. That was likely to cost him, but it would be better for Mir to find out from him than anyone else. ”I will tell him about this when we get back though and if you two wish to talk… well, I leave it to you and him.” It was simply no person present’s right to talk about how Mir felt. His words were calm, clipped, concise.

This was going to be hard enough already. He needed to guard against a slip of his tongue. He set the kit aside and stared at his hands. His fingers curled.. He took a trio of deep, slow breaths and squeezed his eyes shut to keep the calm that was allowing him to say what he needed to say. He opened his bi-colored gaze and scanned. Predictably, eyes were on him. He saw Azir’s flat look. The corner of his lip twitched. The rest of MoCKerY were holding back. Why was Artanis watching Farrah so closely? He hesitated. He expected to see disgust, revulsion, and abhorrence from gRAVIty. But he didn’t. Not even Lyra really. Disappointment, anger, expectation. Farrah wanted answers, he saw it in how her fists twitched. Meena looked angry but was holding back. Vesper seemed annoyed at the whole mess. Lolo looked stunned. Did she really love Lyra? He chalked up yet more hurt he had caused. He looked to Artanis again, briefly. Haim was not alone in causing injury, but that wasn’t important right now. Right now, Haim needed to focus on Lyra and Lolo and, by extension, Vesper, Meena, and Farrah. Even if he must suffer a deserved suffering, he would do what he needed to make sure Lyra and Lolo could heal. He owed them that.

”That said, since you now know, no. Of course not. You are no one’s replacement. You are you. I stand by my words: smart, beautiful, creative. I will not let anyone twist that and take it from you. But I treated you as a means to an end that night. Which is not okay. It- it wasn’t just to ‘shut you up.’ I’ve played and replayed it and I can say that much.” He looked around again and took a deep, lung-filling, heart-cooling breath, ”Yes, on the morning of October fifteenth I kissed Mir in the engineering labs without his permission. Not a tiny peck, I- I assaulted him. And on the evening of the sixteenth, I did it again to Lyra. I assaulted her by kissing her without her consent. How I was feeling or what confusion I was experiencing don’t matter. What I did was wrong and it has harmed those that I admire.” He blushed and looked off. Admire wasn’t the right word really, but it was a mean between how he felt for Lyra and Mir and mixed in and acknowledged how he felt about the others. ”I have apologized to both and am trying to make amends.” He took another bracing breath and looked down at the dirt. His face was flushed, again. He slapped both his cheeks sharply and forced himself to meet each person’s gaze who wanted to. Shame, regret, and guilt shone from him, yes, but desperation was present as well.

He looked at Lyra. He tried to silently communicate his actual feelings. But that wasn’t enough. He had needed to say what he did out loud without equivocation. He had to admit to the harm he had done to them and to himself. ”I apologized to you in sincerity. But of course I was seeking redemption. What good man could do something like that, witness the harm it caused, and not feel harmed himself? So, yes, I wanted to be forgiven. Not to feel some type of perverse pleasure in performing some socially acceptable contrition. I wanted to-” He clawed for the word in the air, ”Repair what was broken bet- Repair what I broke. For me, yes, but for you as well. And for-” He looked to Lolo. Then the others. It was likely that the harm to himself probably should not have been mentioned, but maybe it was important that he admit that he harmed himself as well. It paled to the harm to Lyra and Mir, but he wouldn’t heal himself if it was ignored. If he deserved to heal.

He frowned darkly and his eyes flicked to the darkness. He scanned slowly for anything out there. His mind drifted to his weapons. His thoughts flew through the aether at Artanis. But that was probably more misdirected anger than anything, right? Ultimately, if Haim could make himself understood, he believed that gRAVIty would heal. Perhaps without him, but they would heal. He could accept that, hope that it wasn’t the case, but accept it if needed. He licked his lips.

He turned back and felt the feelings welling up inside him. He focused on them and pushed them down, but he knew it was only time. Chief among them, rivaling the desperation he felt for helping his friends, was panic. The panic that some of the most important people in his life might reject him. He closed his eyes and he saw ghosts of the cords that Connie used to always talk about. He felt them connecting him to these people and he felt how thin they were. Part of him was perversely desperate to just sever them and end the pain. He wanted to run into the darkness and flail against it until he fell. It was the same impulse he’d had when Connie had died. To spend himself in penance. To hurl himself into the chasm inside. To become Hollow. A Hollow didn’t have to feel the wrong it had committed. A bigger part of him was desperate to know what needed to be said or done or thought to save those precious threads of fate.

Finally, he shifted his view to Lolo and he frowned deeply. Lyra had not been focused on that part, understandably, but Haim remembered it. He didn’t know what to make of it. He barely understood it. It honestly floored him. Had he been so near-sighted and selfish? He recalled the conversation about elves and dating and families. He’d assumed it was general curiosity or maybe a mild interest in him, but he’d failed to consider this. His brow beetled down. Lolo had always been physically affectionate with the team. He glanced at Lyra and then back to Lolo. He wanted to ask her if it was true. He wanted to understand that accusation. Artanis had been eerily accurate in his other observations, too accurate. The man had known things no one should know. His mouth dipped into a frown at the implications of the gross violations of privacy. But, again, Artanis didn’t matter right now, his team did. He would find a time to investigate that, but he needed to give Lyra and the others time to process what had been said.

He shifted back to Lyra, ”I’ve said what I can. I’ve apologized. I will continue to do so with no expectation of forgiveness. It’s the truth in the best words that I can muster.” He looked down at the dirt, ”I’ll speak to what I can if anyone has questions about that which I have a right to speak on.”

[Envious]

Character Name: Farrah Tinkerspan
Date | Time: 11.05 | 8:02pm
Location: Campfire | The Wilds | Grassland - Air Resonance
Wearing: as pictured
Tagging | Mentioning:
She knew it as soon as his boot hit the ground - she had finally found that boundary she hadn’t thought existed. As he jabbed a finger towards her, she lifted her arms at the elbow and curled her fingers to beckon him towards her in a taunt for him to try it.

“I’ve never spoken a lie in my LIFE.”

Farrah stopped in her posturing, her body freezing. She thought he’d bite into her for physically threatening him, but he was passionately doubling down that the bullshit coming out of his mouth was true. The fucking nerve! She opened her mouth, but when he shot down Velvet’s interference with the intention to do right by Marlowe, she clenched her teeth shut.

Again, he did the unexpected. Instead of talking about Marlowe, he turned his vitriol  onto her. She didn’t care. She could take it! Wasn’t that what she had been trying to achieve with her constant antagonizing anywa--

The content of what he was saying cut through her self-righteous internal ranting as he said her name and accused her of lying. Her arms drop to her side and she felt that insatiable itch deep beneath the skin of her scalp so strong that she flinched, but she refused to back down. He wasn’t truly indignant - he was just using it as ammunition and she wasn’t going to let him! She balled her fists and gave a half-step towards him as close as the campfire would allow to do something, but he wasn’t done yet.

As he tore into Haimehen, Farrah whipped around at the confusing, disgusting allegation. She could feel the mood of the camp shift again as Artanis twisted the emotional knife and Haim and Lyra responded to its truth. The elf was shocked into silence, but movement from Artanis had her slowly turn to look back at him as he bowed.

He had been kind to her, she realized.

“No…” Lyra uttered the word, drawing Farrah’s attention back. It sounded so weak. She looked so ashamed. Farrah had never understood what it meant to be in a calm rage. Anger to her was loud and full-bodied. It made her stamp her feet and huff in frustration and inspired obscene gestures. This anger was nothing like it. A creeping frost traveled through her veins, cooling that impulsive response into something icy and vengeful.

She had spoken with Haim about Lyra - that day she and Lyra had reconciled, she had taken notice of Lyra’s reaction of Haim’s arrival and after her hasty departure, had called Haim out on it. She had been irritated that he had ignored her, but now she was seeing it differently. Maybe it wasn’t so much that he had ignored her, but had actively worked to hide his assault?

And what about Mir? She wasn’t sure exactly when October fifteenth was, but she was absolutely sure Haim had been noticeably staring and broadcasting his crush over the man long after the initial assault. She had encouraged his interest, thinking it would help him out of his vengeful depression.

”I’ve said what I can. Farrah started laughing, turning back to Artanis.

”Mine apologies, oh noble knight!” It was a bitter blend of scathing sincerity. ”Such gladness in mine heart that you finally find yer voice fer somethin’ useful two weeks later.” She wasn’t actually sure of how much time had passed, but she would use her boot to smash the face of the person who chose to be pedantic in the moment. ”n you know what? I is happy.” She didn’t look it. ”I approve,” she said, looking him in the eye. She was serious!

Then she reached out to Haim in a familiar gesture. One he would recognize from all of that sparring they had done to improve his melee abilities. She saw that look of shocked recognition in his eyes as her shimmer activated, pulling him from his position by the chest to her outstretched arm. She caught him by the neck and responded to that defiant gaze.

”Got us a Ronun,” she said, golden eyes narrowing. It was an unkind comparison. A Ronun wasn’t an ordinary Hollow. It stood out due to its hint of malicious awareness; it took trophies from its victims to adorn itself with and was known for attacking other Hollow. Her fingers gripped painfully into his neck. Haim’s hands rose even as his eyes sunk down - another familiar gesture to indicate he would accept what was coming. The poor man was volunteering before understanding the assignment.

”Collectin stolen kisses at a selfish whim. Mine ears heard enough foolishness outta you to believe your imagination of that apology was lacking. Seeking redemption? Feelin’ harmed? What nerve you got to make that ‘sincere sorry’ about your feelins! That ain’t sorry you did it. It sorry that you get consequences for doin’ it. Don’t you lie! You is comin’ with greed in yer heart wantin Lyra to give you - mayhaps not forgiveness - but certainly permission to stay. What you got left? gRAVIty.” She threw his own words back at him.

He didn’t fight her and she didn’t squeeze the life out of him, but there was a mean bluntness that none of gRAVIty were strangers to by now. The rawness of her assessment was the only kindness she gave.

”Do not need an admission of guilt, Haim. Don’t need you to repair the things you broke. Don’t need you piggybackin off the pain you caused. But it ain’t really bout what I need.” She gave him a not-so-gentle push of a release. ”It sound ta me like this bout what Lyra need ‘n I reckon it starts with a better apology. Do it proper.”

[shengami]

Character Name: Haimehen
Date: Nov. 5 | Time: 20:02 |
Location: Johtan Wilderness Camp
Wearing:  Outfit, orange toque, bandolier of cartridges, Feu and Fureur, Boots
Tagging: All | Mentioning: All |
Haim blinked at Farrah’s face and then blinked again. His head twisted awkwardly to catch Lyra in the corner of his eyes. His mouth slowly formed an ‘O’ and then he blinked at Farrah again. ”Oh!” He’d been so caught up in trying to admit his guilt that he’d forgotten the actual apology. He frowned and shook his head. There was also the little bit of mixup in that he’d apologized to Lyra before. He felt the presence of his apology more palpably than them, and he’d lost track of the words. There’d been so much going on, so much flying around his head. ”Oh no… merde merde merde!” How could he have lost track of something so important? It seemed impossible but he reviewed it in panic and he could not find the words.

He struggled, ”Alright alright, I’m going, you oaf!” His hands collapsed from spread out and fended off her push as he twisted. It was more from their sparring sessions. Every time Farrah pinned him or forced his hand, he flashed mock anger. Everytime Haim realized he’d made an error. But ‘oaf’ was a word laced with kindness and fondness. Or it had been, there was an edge to it this time. There was a pain in Haim’s eyes when they locked with hers briefly.

The minute he was under his own power, he rubbed his throat and turned away from Farrah. He looked across the fire at Lyra and there was pain in his eyes, ”I am no Hollow. I know when I’ve done wrong. But, like a Hollow, I am willing to remain unforgiven. Unforgivable.” He glared back at Farrah. ”So, with no expectation of such but a wish to redeem myself., I’m sorry Lyra. I caused you harm that night in the dorm. More harm has come to you tonight. Some of it at my hands again. For that as well, I apologize. I will continue to apologize.”

He stood still for a moment and wrestled internally. He scanned the group there slowly and then added, ”I owe more apologies to more people. And I will get to them in time. That includes others here. I’ve not been the best friend” He looked to Lolo with guilt and concern. Then he looked to Vesper, ”Nor a great partner.” He turned to look toward Meena, ”A poor member of the team. And a sorry excuse for a Squire.” He scanned MoCKerY’s faces.

He moved then. Slowly. He moved to his pack and rummaged for a moment silently. FInally, he pulled out a small box. He bounced off his calves to stand and moved toward Lolo and Lyra. His gaze was steady, grim. He moved in front of them and opened the box. Inside was a spent shell casing, a small framed portrait of two people, a dried strip of orange peel, a single golden bar of rank, a hair tie, a tarnished steel ring, and a single playing card from a nondescript pack. Haim grabbed the playing card and flipped it loudly in his fingers a few times. He looked at Lyra and then sighed, ”Sorry. Terribly, endlessly sorry. Here.” He offered the card to Lyra; it was the ace of diamonds.

[Aethyrium]

Hispo

S T O R Y T E L L E R
November 5th, (~8pm) | Johtan Wilderness | Grassland - Air Resonance
Next Post: 3.21.24 | Farrah, Marlowe, Lyreilynn, Haimehen, Meena, Vesper, Azir, Artanis, Velvet, Doya, Irona, Cub
The campfire crackled behind Haimehen’s offering, a subtle backdrop to the momentary silence of the camp. Nearly a dozen illuminated faces watching this chaos unfold in the warm glow of the flames. And beyond that glow, in the darkness that dulled the senses, dozens more watched, drawn - most likely - by the noise of it all. Behind the camp the squires had set up, the way they had come, a field of tall grass they had had to pass through swayed in the night breeze, and concealed an ominous presence within.

Eyes as crimson as blood, the shadowy, wolf-like forms for hispo emerged from the grass. Their bodies so dark that they nearly blended into the darkness of the night, if not for the bright silver sheen of moonlight cast upon Toil. Sinewy bodies tore forward, charging across the plains toward the camp. And where there was at first only one set of eyes that registers to Vesper - who had his gaze turned beyond the inner chaos - it was quickly followed by a second, and then a third. Their gazes filled with the gleam of malevolent hunger, their predatory instincts drove them forward with relentless determination. With each step their pace quickened, the sound of their approach muffled by the thick carpet of grass that their terrible claws tore up with each bounding movement. In the pale moonlight, they were steaks of ink poised like blades, thrusting toward the gathering of life.

And then they were joined by others. The grass opened up with not a dozen, but two - more - sets of eyes. A veritable herd of hispo charged at the camp, silently save the thrumming of their paws on earth. Like specters of death, jaws agape and claws bared, they lunged toward squires - ready or not - with terrifying ferocity and savage intent. It was little more than the blink of an eye before the first of them were upon the camp, and just moments following before the entire wave of dark silhouette crashed against them like a wave of death on a stormy night.

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: November 5th | Night (~8pm)
Location: Johtan Wilderness Campsite
Wearing: White button down, Plaid slacks, Suspenders, w/ glossy purple bowtie, Simple black beret
Tagging | Mentioning: | Haim, Lyra, Farrah, Vesper
It was a lot. So much that Lolo could barely fit it all inside of her simple little mind. She felt as though she’d have an easier time drinking a lake than processing everything that was going on around her. Lolo watched Artanis, and spent a moment focusing on Farrah. Whatever dishonesty was there was merely a chink in her armor to be exploited by everything that came next. It fell out of her skull like water pushed over the rim of a bowl filled beyond capacity. She regarded Lyra, and she was stunned to hear the words coming out of her mouth. Shocked, her attention fell to Haim. She waited for something - a reason, a denial, an explanation, anything.

”...I assaulted her…”

Those words were the giant rock dropped in the bowl. Everything that had been in it before splashed out. There was precious little room for anything that came after. She wanted to choke on her own breath. The thoughts in her head were a storm: How had she missed it? How could he? Why hadn’t Lyra told her? How dare he, how dare he hurt her partner. Her. Partner. She’d failed to have her back. Was it because like Artanis said, she was a pretender? Lolo trembled in fury. She pushed herself to her feet in a hurry and glared at Haimehen. Something ugly boiled up in her. A wicked desire to punish and to show him what having someone bigger and stronger force themselves on him felt like. She wanted to hurt him. Once he wanted to know about her breaking toys. Now she wanted to show him. She wanted to break him. “You…” She muttered through clenched teeth. But her step stopped, because Haimehen moved. Lolo’s body tensed, defensive, reactive, ready to throw down without a second thought. Only then did she realize the movement wasn’t of his own volition.

Words. Words! WORDS!

She expected more from Farrah. Every second the woman spent reprimanding Haim was a second that he was not paying for it. He hit the ground, and Lolo took another step toward him. Oaf. That was how he chose to address Farrah in this moment? It boiled her already roiling blood. What stopped her from moving forward right then was not a desire to hear his apology - no words could undo his admission - but a glimpse in the corner of her eye, of Lyra, listening and hearing this. The words mattered to her, Lolo could see it. She wanted to get her hands on him, but she wouldn’t deny Lyra that. It took more self control than Marlowe knew that she had not to attack. She strained against herself. Her feet grinded against the grass, digging in and anchoring herself, as if she could make herself heavier to keep herself from moving. Her nails bit into her palms, and she quivered with the strain that restraint took.

Haimehen approached and Marlowe shifted, aggressively, to block his path toward Lyra. She couldn’t hardly breathe as she glared at him. Watching the box open, she was ready to knock his hand away when it reached for Lyra, it didn’t matter what he had, he was never going to get that close to her again. What kept her from doing it was something beyond him. She narrowed her eyes past his shoulder, just long enough for him to offer his playing card - though it may as well have been a joker for all the meaning it apparently had to him - only to see the crimson glow of Hollow eyes in the distance.

“Hollow.” Marlowe threw an arm forward, uncaring for the gesture, if it was accepted, grabbed Haim’s closest shoulder and shoved him to the side - unconcerned if he stabilized or fell into the fire. Lolo lunged forward, sprinting full speed past the edge of the camp, past Vesper, and into the plains to meet the Hollow head on. She shouted something, not a word but a furious outburst, as she charged the lead Hollow and met it. The shadowy creature lunged at her and Marlowe slammed into its chest, throwing her arms around it. It’s claws wrapped around her. The green energy of her Soul sparked, a flash in the night. She kept running, carrying the frantic creature in her arms. She squeezed tighter, and tighter, and tighter, and when she had no strength left to squeeze, her Shimmer uncorked and flooded her with energy. Her hair blew around her as if in a slight breeze and her eyes took a dull glow as her strength multiplied. The creature's chest cracked and crushed in her grasp. Her nails tore through its flesh, and her hands plunged into its insides. She grabbed what amounted to its rib cage and pulled in opposite directions, twisting the flailing creature until she wrenched it into two pieces across the middle, “AAAGGGH!” Her arms flew wide, front half in one hand, bottom in the other, and flung the rended pieces of Hispo aside. Another from the larger pack was right upon her, leaping to tackle her. Open palms, still infused with energy, came flying together in a terrible clap that sandwiched the creature’s head smashing it so completely that she still managed to touch skin on skin, leaving it dead at her feet.

The energy faded, but Lolo did not. She turned and lunged at another of the pack, irregardless that she was rapidly becoming surrounded, and tackled it to the ground so that she might go about beating that one to death with her bare, unprotected hands as well.

[Intimate Ink]

Character Name: Vesper Cabello
Date | Time: November 5th, ~20:00
Location: Johtan Wiliderness Camp
Wearing: As pictured
Tagging: Artanis, Farrah, Haimehen, Lolo, Lyra, Everyone | Mentioning: Family (multiple; mother, uncle, brother)


When Artanis had gone on… And on… Vesper’s mind first lingered on agitation. He focused on his own suppressed anger that this was occurring against the current backdrop. It wasn’t that Vesper was so callous to miss the severity of the charges. It was that he doubted the charges themselves when they came from a popped-off elf whose once-repressed venom now fizzled and overflowed from his lips like a vigorously shaken champagne bottle. (Vesper wasn’t so biased to not acknowledge that his own team had done the shaking. Unfortunately, screaming at the shaker nor the fizzing champagne would bring the contents back within the bottle.)

It was Lyra’s voice, her reactions that sliced through the armor of irritation Vesper wore. For a moment he still felt disbelief; Haimehen – his partner – was a good man, a gentle man. Haimehen was a man that moments ago Vesper dreamt of welcoming to his village, introducing him to the most vulnerable among them, having all faith that he would help those vulnerable in ways Vesper was ill-equipped to. Even beyond that altruism, that sense of goodness, Vesper knew that Haimehen and himself shared a love of strategy. Every one of the countless morals aside, proverbially shitting in one’s own bed in the form of gRAVIty - in the form of the entire academy - was so immensely… Fucking… Terribly… Stupid. Think of the vulnerabilities, think of the way it would surface in moments like now and potentially get people killed. These were no acts of Haimehen, the kind-hearted strategist!

Except they were. With every whisper, pause, stumble, and bite-back from Lyra, Vesper felt the faith in his partner’s integrity disintegrate. Vesper swallowed hard; he didn’t turn his attention back to the group; he didn’t look at Lyra. He didn’t look at Farrah nor Haimehen, nor anyone else in the moments after. Bearing witness to these initial raw interactions felt exploitative; this was something he was supposed to hear in sanctioned walls, cleaned up for the dignity of the victims, and with those victims safely tended to. Once more it felt dangerous of all places to bubble forth here, to apparently have been festering and now be released like a poison. Vesper’s head ached with questions: What if all this was a beacon in the darkness for the Hollow? How would they manage Haimehen’s presence until their return when now, eyes that should be looking for threats from without would have to be split looking for threats within? How will these fractures affect each person’s ability to fight in battle, to trust, to communicate…

It wasn’t that Vesper was blind to the larger issues. It wasn’t that his gut was not twisting, that he didn’t feel sick, foolish, and simply…. Hurt. But every ounce of his training, formal and informal, since birth told him that what mattered in the field was in the field. He was back to a moment when he was a mere twelve, and he could smell the heady magnolia on his mother’s skin. She was scolding him for airing his grievances about a half-cocked peer on patrols rather than voicing it at a better time, a safe time. He is already a liability. You should have been better than him. What were you thinking?

Vesper swallowed hard. He’d stay in control. He’d make all the right choices. Every move needed to be the right one.

”Hollow!” Vesper cried out, echoing Lolo’s shouting. His heart sank as he saw her untethered and running into the darkness; would she be a casualty of this truly terrible timing? How much damage would be sustained from bad choice after bad choice?

No. Vesper couldn’t think like that. He had to focus… Today had to feel now just like yesterday and the day before: another round, another fight where the heart was a perfect metronome, the hand meticulously steady, and the mind clear to focus on what was before him and not what laid behind.

A group of Hispo were approaching. Stupid. Common. Fucking. Hispo. Vesper reached for his equally common arrows worthy of the foe; pawn arrows for pawn Hollow. His hand waivered. If the life of your teammates were depending on that steady hand, they’d be dead now, Vesper. It was now his uncle’s voice ringing in his ears.

Shut up, shut up, shut up. Vesper wanted to scream and grip his hair as he watched seconds tick by and the Hispo get closer.

If the arrows befitting the Hispo were pawns, Vesper reached for a pair of queens. They were among his most precious, the most difficult and time-consuming to make. Every fighter is a gambler, and every gambler needs an ace in their pocket. (Fucking Kato, he always wanted to spoil Vesper’s chess metaphors with ones more suitable to drunken gambling.)

Vesper told himself to grab his pawn arrows again. His hand shook; he tried to grab them, but it was like they slipped through his fingers. He ripped the queens ((or the ACES, what the fuck ever, Kato!)) out and aimed them at the wretched, measly foes. Vesper released them. The pair of arrows struck the incoming group; it was a smart, well-reasoned start. That was the correct match of force to force. Then, however, the space around the arrows crackled with something ancient and something not yet wholly forgotten. The fire took hold first, an explosion erupting – singeing and then flash-cooking the flesh of the Hollow, indecipherable crunching happening as viscera popped and melted. Some of the Hispo stopped there, already at their undoing… then the air from the twin arrow erupted. It fed the flames like gossip and ill-decisions spread through the academy dorms. It formed and shaped the fire, creating a spiral of flame through the Hispo and then coiling above their heads. Vesper caught himself staring at the flames that flicked and looked like wagging tongues to him. He felt relief for a moment, only to feel a twist of his gut in disappointment as the bodies of the Holllow predictably vanished: at the moment he would have given up yet another of his precious reserve arrows to see something wither, die, and suffer through the physical stages of becoming ash.

“I want to go home.” Vesper stated softly, but not fully a whisper, to the void of bodies. It was a passing thought; it was one that was untrue again the moment after it had been spoken, but Vesper now was stuck with the cursed memory of whimpering it and actually meaning it along with everything fucking else that was wrong with this night.

Vesper, you foolish boy. Vesper’s mother’s voice echoed in his ears once more.

[Crash]

Character Name: Meena Tor
Date | Time: 11.05.1322 | Night
Location: Johtan Wilderness Campsite
Wearing: Green camo cargo pants, black long-sleeved synthetic weave zip-up over a black crop top and puffy black vest with snap on fur trimmed hood and hidden pockets, and Black combat boots
Tagging | Mentioning: This fucking team, Velvet | Artanis, Azir
Meena wasn’t thrilled.

She knew Artanis was a problem. At the academy, he was annoying and cruel but ignorable. In the field, where there were threats all around them, Artanis’s toxicity was a danger. She loathed his cruelty, and she was annoyed at Azir’s unwillingness to see the danger it caused. Maybe it would have rolled off her back easier if the mission hadn’t felt so wrong to begin with. Maybe she would have asked Farrah to leave it alone and that Lolo could knock his teeth in if she wanted to. Maybe didn’t help. Maybe was a second guess on a frustration. A frustration that seemed so pathetically small when Artanis dropped his viral bomb in their midst. 

Meena’s first instinct wasn’t to believe Artanis. The entire thing had seemed so outrageous that, for a moment, she wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all. Farrah seemed almost as guileless as Meena. Her blunt truths often focused as much on her own failings as they did on others. And Haim assaulting Lyra was just ridiculous. Lyra was no whimpering kitten. She was a champion like any other here. Was she as physically strong as Lolo or Farrah? Of course not, but Meena would have bet she would have frozen Haim’s balls off if he so much as touched her incorrectly. That didn’t even speak to the fact that Lolo would murder him if he ever found out.

Who would risk such a stupid, vile act? It was just….

And then Meena’s eyes fell on Lyra, and she froze. She saw the truth in her face. Heard it in her voice. Meena’s body slumped, and every feature on her face dropped. Ears drooped like an unhappy puppy. It was all true. Meena’s heart ached for Lyra at that moment. She had to relive that in front of her team and keep it to herself while everyone else went on around her, unknowingly.  How had she not seen it? She looked at Lolo. The anger in her face told Meena she hadn’t known either. And finally, she looked at Haim. Her eyes registered sadness, confusion, and hurt, but as he spoke, she felt the anger welling up in her.
 
Meena hadn’t realized she was standing off her stump, Heart of the Mountain in hand, until she felt a gentle touch on her arm. Orange eyes flecked with gold blinked. She turned he head towards the diminutive form of Velvet standing next to her.

“Careful,” Velvet said, squeezing the bunched muscle of Meena’s arm. Not hard. Just enough to break through the sudden rush of emotion and rash potential. Hard eyes softened as they met a gaze filled with concern and worry. Meena took one deep breath and nodded. Only then did the hand release her. Which was probably best, as Farrah had already yanked Haim to her.

“Oh no,” Meena breathed. There was no doubt Haim deserved what she felt was coming to him. She had wanted to rap his little noggin against Heart of the Mountain and let him get a close-up and personal view of its crystal arcanite head. But that one moment of calm, that one break in the sea of wild emotion, had offered her clarity.

Voices had been raised, a clarion call of anger and frustration in the still night air. Meena hadn’t seen them and couldn’t have even if she tried. She had been looking across the fire at the altercation, and all outside the camp light was darkness until her sight adjusted, but she didn’t have to see.

Hollows. Vesper and Lolo’s cry confirmed it. 

An explosion ripped into the Hollows as Vesper unleashed his arrows, briefly lighting up the night. Long enough to see Lolo rip apart a hispo with nothing but her bare hands and crackling rage before hollow after hollow swarmed her under. “Farrah! Help Lolo!” She yelled. “Keep them off our people,” Meena shouted over her shoulder to the others as Vesper unleashed pinpoint death on the shadow wolves. Hispo lept over the pile of shadow fur and crackling soul, charging into camp towards the other as Farrah waded toward their swarmed teammate.

Meena took one loping stride forward, then another, gaining enough swinging distance away from Lyra, Vesper, and Haim to not affect their lines of fire but close enough to put herself between them and any hispo that dared try to get past her. Shir’s words rang in her head as she hefted Heart of the Mountain, spinning it in her hands once, then twice. 

“Protect…”

A leaping hollow’s ribs caved, the force of the blow sending its broken form sailing off to the left, slamming onto another, sending them both into the fire. Scattering embers and hollow ash with the impact. 

“Your back…”

Another broken form pinwheeled off into the darkness to the right. Sharp yelp cut off by its impact against some tree or stone. A mass of smoky death charged forth from the darkness, larger than the others. Shoulders as tall as Meena and twice as broad. It chuffed smoke like a locomotive, leaving torn and dying soil in its wake. Meena squared up the beast. Her shoulders shrugged as she twisted her grip around Heart of the Mountain. She set her feet into the earth, waiting as the dire beast closed faster and faster….

“LINE!”

Heart of the Mountain swung.

Gravity shifted.

The hammer fell with the weight of a sun. In an instant, the momentum of the beast stopped as Heart of the Mountain slammed its skull two feet into the ground. The monster’s body cartwheeled over itself and tore free at the neck, engulfing Meena in ashy darkness, the cloud of the enormous hispo inking out the light around her. Dust settled, and Meena stood alone.

Nothing else was getting past her tonight.

[FyreFoxx]

Character Name: Lyreilynn "Lyra" Xyrven Myalis
Date | Time: November 5th | Evening (~8pm)
Location: Johtan Wilderness Campsite
Wearing: White wrap blouse with floral design, silver trip, and with sleeves wrapped and bound to her wrists, wide black belt, long white skirt with similar floral design, black laced boots
Tagging | Mentioning: Haimehen, Marlowe, Gravity | Vesper, Meena

Lyra kept silent as Haim finally reacted to it all. He had been conspicuously quiet ever since Artanis had let loose, even when she unleashed her anger and tears. She was angry at him, angry at the situation. They hadn’t quite resolved things between them but it had been enough to push it out of her mind and move on, for the sake of the team. Just like in the Wilds, she didn’t need to like someone to work with them. But his words felt bitter and insincere.
 
She had no business knowing? While that may be true for the particulars, she never asked for details regarding the Prowler member. And frankly, she didn’t want them. Her situation being outed like this publicly was already too much for her, so she could only imagine what it’d feel like for Mir, who wasn’t even here to defend himself, or get any type of closure. Lyra bit her bottom lip again, already swollen from the first time, tearing her gaze from Haimehen. She couldn’t look at him right now, not with her emotions a mess.
 
There were those words again: smart, beautiful, creative. Why did they sound like poison now? She had never let go of her arms, digging her nails further into her upper arms. The pain was the only thing that kept her grounded right now. His words hurt, like a slap in the face. A means to an end. Did she really mean so little? She had liked Haimehen, even just a little, but now? She wasn’t sure anymore. That bridge that had only just started being repaired had fallen apart again, with only the barest of ropes crossing the gap.
 
It took Farrah literally grabbing him by the throat and shoving him forward for Haimehen to utter a true apology to her. This time, it wasn’t for a stolen moment, it wasn’t for losing her first kiss to someone confused about his feelings and using her. It was for kissing her that night in the dorm, and another followed suit for the outburst tonight. Lyra lifted her head to look up at him as he approached, but not before she regarded the way Marlowe stood up from behind her, ready to pounce on the male elf. Her unbridled fury was nearly palpable. Her partner stood as a barrier in that moment and Lyra’s heart broke. Even after everything, Marlowe still wanted to protect her. She didn’t hate her and she wasn’t disappointed in her. She was angry, not at Lyra, but on her behalf. Marlowe had always been on her side. How could she have ever thought, even for a moment, that her partner would, in any way, shape, or form, hate her or be disappointed in her?
 
More tears started falling, but like the time earlier, they vanished halfway down her cheeks, teardrops freezing and breaking away from her skin, like tiny ice crystals dropping into her lap. Lyra instinctively recoiled as Haimehen reached out to her, leaning away from his outstretched hand as she peered up at him warily. She still felt raw and exposed and him being so close to her right now was a bit unsettling, but with Marlowe there standing guard, her nerves weren’t as unsettled as they could have been.
 
She still didn’t forgive him, but at least there was that apology. “I accept your apology,” she muttered quietly, letting her gaze drop down to the playing card in his hand, offering it to her. “But I still do not forgive you.” Hadn’t she said that once before? That she wasn’t sure if she ever could? Lyra eyed the card, confusion clear on her face as she studied the ace of diamonds. It seemed to hold some kind of value to him, factoring in the other items within that box of it. Then, it dawned on her; gRAVIty had formed when each set of partners had retrieved a stone tablet with the ace of diamonds inscribed on it. She remembered that because Marlowe had been so happy to yank it free from the ruins after pummeling a Hollow for it.
 
Was he offering it to her as some kind of sign of good faith? Or perhaps it was more like turning in a letter of resignation? Believing it more on the latter, she didn’t reach for the card, instead lifting her gaze to Haimehen and simply shaking her head. She was refusing his offer. “No,” was all she said, and all she could say before the alert was called out.
 
Hollow! They were under attack. All of the shouting and arguing had made them the giant flame that the moths of Hollow were drawn to.
 
Marlowe unceremoniously shoved Haimehen aside as she threw herself into the fray. “Lolo!” Lyra lunged forward on her hands and knees, scrambling to get up and follow after her partner. She wasn’t about to let her go off on her own, not after everything that had happened. She was frantic in her movements, looking around her wildly to assess the situation. Vesper had unleashed a series of arrows in the pack of Hispo that were barreling down on them, small explosions and a whirlwind of fire taking out a good amount of them. Even kind-hearted Meena shifted gears and smashed one into the ground with all her might.
 
Lyra had to get a handle of herself, taking a large steadying breath. She reached up to dash the tears from her eyes and knocked a few more crystalline teardrops from her cheeks. Now was not the time for confusing emotions to surface. She had to shove those back down to deal with later. Right now, she had to think. Logic was her wheelhouse. This is what she was good at. Think, Lyra. Think! Think! Fingers traced over the sash around her waist, but she soon dropped her hand. No, not yet. She couldn’t risk that yet.
 
Stumbling forward a step, Lyra kept moving towards Marlowe’s position, and as soon as she regained her balance, she bolted forward towards the little bucket Farrah had used earlier to wash dishes. She silently uttered an apology to the giant elf for any remaining dishes inside that would now need a rewash as she sent the thing tumbling over, dumping its contents and all the water onto the ground. Dropping down to a crouch, Lyra sunk her fingers into the wet earth, quickly taking control of the liquid as it stretched forward towards a pair of approaching Hispos. The water shot upwards in a flash, freezing instantly to form ice spikes that impaled the two Hispos nearby that were trying to flank members of her team. They let out piercing yelps as they were prevented from moving further, limbs desperately seeking to gain ground but found nothing before finally coming to a halt. As they became nothing but inky shadows dissolving into the night, she looked around her to locate who was doing what and where.
 
Ranged had taken up positions of safety closer to the inner ring of the camp while melee had started to beat back the pack of Hollow advancing. But really, her eyes were searching for the smokey woman that had run off into enemy territory to blow off some steam. “Where did you go…?”
 
They had already dealt with Hollow on their journey a few times already, but never in this number, nor this close to camp, and especially not unprepared as they were. This certainly was not the time to be distracted by vicious creatures trying to rip them apart when they had enough of ripping each other apart without them.
 
Lyra focused on the battle around them, trying to follow the path Marlowe had taken with her eyes, looking for any sign of the brawler. What she did see was the way a bunch of Hispo were circling a particular area, right in the direction her partner had rushed off into. Gritting her teeth, Lyra took a few steps forward in her direction, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her from advancing forward. She wasn’t a melee fighter and her place was in the back lines supporting those up front. But… what about Marlowe?
 
If she couldn’t go to her, then at least she could help clear the path for someone more suited. Ripping her shoulder free, she shoved past them and took a few more steps. With her bracelets still encircling her wrists, it took a little more effort to draw forth their powers, tracing a negalu in the air as she focused on the black Arcanite within the right bangle. It started small, sparking around her fingertips, then little crackles. Another symbol drawn, redirecting the flow, and a bolt of lightning shot forth to shock first one, then two, and finally three Hispo grouped together off in the distance. They shuddered in place, shaking with the force of the electrocution, before toppling over stunned, but not completely out, their harsh growling reduced to mere whimpers. A second strike, this time much more powerful than the first, turned their prone forms into nothing but smokey wisps.
 
This time, it was enough.

[shengami]

Character Name: Haimehen
Date: Nov. 5 | Time: 20:02 |
Location: Johtan Wilderness Camp
Wearing:  Outfit, orange toque, bandolier of cartridges, Feu and Fureur, Boots
Tagging: All | Mentioning: All |
Haim stumbled and caught himself as Lolo tore past. He whipped around to see the shapes moving in the dark. They were like beacons to him; each shone through the waves of sound they gave off. He watched Lyra spring into action as well and his eyes glanced to where his pistols laid near his seat. Then he looked down at the card in his hand and to the box in his other. He heaved a sigh. At once, a weight was lifting and a terrible bitterness was settling in. There was a patch, however temporary, on the newly opened wound. But there were new wounds now and he felt them. He licked his lips and gazed across the fire to where Farrah stood.

Without thinking, he flicked the playing card to send it sailing into the fire. They had no reason to ever trust him again. Or, at least, not in time to become what they needed. But, Haim also felt the cord tearing free on his end. Lyra had said 'no' and he appreciated it, he did, but he wasn't sure it was enough.

Then he moved. Whatever else might be true, they were his friends and there were Hollow. He tossed the box delicately onto his pack and then snatched up his weapons. Turning, his hands moved loading them without thought as he shot forward. Something recklessly numb was filling up his chest. He knew it all too well. It had filled him that night in the kitchen as he listened to Auguste tell him Connie was gone. It had sent him out into the dark of that night, ignoring Nicialan's sleeping presence, and it had ended up with him in front of the Academy building. But, then, Haliy and Nici had been there and pulled him back somewhat.

There would be none of that now.

He charged into the dark along the line that Lyra had opened. He felt the charged air, flinched, and felt something crawl along his arm. He put on more speed to leap the three ash piles and headed for Lolo. The battle was as plain as facts on a chalkboard to him. He counted the Hispo, saw Lolo in their midst, watched Meena destroying others, and saw the bloom of Vesper's arrows. He saw passion and rage flaring. He understood that, while it was bleeding into the night, much of it was sourced in what had been broken. Broken beyond repair.

But Haim was just cold, calm destruction. He dashed into a knot of three Hispo coming in on Lolo's left. One turned to snarl at him and he fed it the barrel of Fureur as he pulled the trigger. The Incendiary round make an unpleasant end to it as its body bloated then burst into a fireball that briefly illuminated the night and drew eyes. Stepping aside deftly, he put Feu's barrel against a Hispo's temple and sent a shieldbreaker round into it. A round designed to pierce thick armor made gory work of a Hispo skull. He felt the hot blood splatter his face. The third came in, and he spun along its flank. He felt something rake his ribs and he hissed even as his fingers reloaded. He brought Fureur online and fired a regular round into the back of its head. The thing took two more steps and collapsed. Haim almost turned to grin victory at Lolo. Almost. He caught himself and then turned to the dark.

Automatically, he reloaded his weapons. The dark was no stranger to him. It was a riot of sounds. His eyes made sense of it as easily as anyone else might a magic eye poster. He just had to focus a bit. But, back to the fire, it was no advantage. He grit his teeth and charged headlong into the dark. He would get behind them, where they could not see him as well as he could them. He ducked a leaping attacker and sent a round into its heart. He reloaded. Another was making for Meena's backside, so he sent a round into its eye. He reloaded. He skidded, stopped, spun. The remaining Hispo were between him and the fire now. He moved then like a dancer. Slow, sliding, easy steps that kept him level. His breath slid in and out. Each exhale was a shot. Each inhale a reload. He focused on taking out targets heading for backs or trying to break lines. Each shot wasn't always a kill, not with heads hard to hit from the angle, but knees were easy for him. Shoulders, backs, ribs. He could make them hesitate or cripple them and set them up for one of the others.

[Envious]

Character Name: Farrah Tinkerspan
Date | Time: 11.05 | 8:02pm
Location: Campfire | The Wilds | Grassland - Air Resonance
Wearing: as pictured
Tagging | Mentioning: Artanis, Lolo | Meena, Gravity
Her fingers twitched in anger as Haim dared to call her an oaf. Did he not appreciate how she had respected Lyra’s wishes for diplomacy over violence? Did he not understand how she had stuck her neck out for him by placing him in her bubble of protection? Did he never listen to her that words were important and oaf was not a term of endearment?

She should have just punched him. Words may have been important, but sometimes they were just stupid. She did not miss how Haim put the onus on Lyra rather than take responsibility to change his behavior or even account for it beyond confusing feelings. That was probably the worst part. It was an assault based on the selfish whimsy of the moment rather than any true desire. At least it was a solvable problem. She heard her knuckles pop - at some point in time she had started pushing a fist into her palm… probably thinking of the easiest way to solve the aforementioned problem.

She saw Lolo step towards Haim and immediately thought the worst and found herself fine with it. But to Farrah’s secret surprise and Marlowe’s unpraised restraint, the elf watched as Haim was allowed to continue his efforts. Farrah didn’t understand the gesture with the card and it didn’t matter as Lyra rejected it. An uneasy feeling was starting to overcome her as she saw the dynamics of her team shift again. Would they ever be anything more than the embarrassment of Hammer Academy?

Vesper and Marlowe declaring Hollow had Farrah turn dumbly. Not to the oncoming herd, but to Meena. Her instinct was to run headfirst into the fray, but the elf had promised to show discipline and that meant participation in coordinated efforts. If there was ever a time to show control in battle, it was during a surprise attack! Those brief seconds cost her; her team dispersed into action as the perfect opportunity to vent frustration appeared. Shield off of her back and Meena’s direction given, Farrah turned to Artanis.

”All that hysterical screamin’ you done did got us all biscuit ‘n no gravy ya damned fool,” she said hastily, looking for Lolo. ”Make right  ‘n watch mine back!” She would rather have had Meena, but her fearless leader was correct - the back line had to be protected and since Lolo and Haim had abandoned their partners, it was up to the Silenus. Shir should have went harder when using Lyra and Vesper as an example to hammer in the consequences of acting so rashly, but she felt confident that Meena would keep them safe.

She didn’t leave room for Artanis to argue the wisdom in charging away from the safety of the group, not that she was sure he would. But she bolted as fast as her feet would take her to force Artanis into action. He would either follow her into the night and have her back or he would yell mean things at her as she dashed after Lolo. Probably both.

Knowing her line of sight was clear, Farrah reached out with a hand behind her. There was a whoosh as her battle axe came flying through the air. It connected with a Hispo that had intersected its path and the elf felt the resistance as the blade sunk into flesh, but she merely pulled harder forcing her weapon to hand. It tore through flesh, the Hollow dispersing into ash before the body of the axe had finished flying through the creature. As it connected, she gripped tight and swung the heavy blade in an arc in front of her just in time to meet another of the menacing creatures lunging toward her while acutely aware that Artanis was near her dealing with another.

She heard Meena’s warcry and it spurred her own shout as she raised her shield to block an attack. She kicked out to put distance between her and the Hispo and then chopped down in a maneuver she had learned from Doya. To her right a whirl of fire erupted from Vesper’s attack, brightening the area enough to see just what she was up against. So many. She hadn’t heard Vesper’s lament on wanting to go home, but she felt something similar. She was a child pretending at Champion in a foreign land surrounded by people who couldn’t get along.

She punched out with her shield and its bladed tip impaled a beast through its eye. She could hear Artanis in combat near her, but she didn’t turn back. She moved forward, but Haim moved faster down the path Lyra had cleared. It made her unreasonably angry to see Haim there, grinning as if he was Lolo’s savior. He was a liability chasing after the person who was most likely to break his hands and ensure he never made a shot again!

A Hispo vaulted towards her from the left and she swung her axe to meet it just as another Hollow emerged from the darkness of the night to capitalize on her distraction. Faster than the blink of an eye, she saw what could happen - one of those beasts would be butting up against her Soul and possibly getting through. How to stop it? Could she abandon the attack and go into a duck and roll? Could she push the spin into the attack and come full circle to block the frontal assault with her shield? Could she rely on her Soul to eat the attack from the front and then retaliate?

That last one wasn’t a bad thought.

As she committed to her attack she saw a flash of light leap up into the air. Artanis with his weapons glowing bright in the night had sommersaulted above her and had sunk his bladed fists into the back of the Hollow attacking her as her own axe thunked deeply into the chest of the other. Artanis twisted his body and with his downward momentum he flung the Hispo off of his weapon and into the night air. It crunched against the ground and did not move again.

”It’s a wonder any of you have survived this long.”

”Ya mean “thank you, Farrah, fer clearin’ mine path,’” she shot back as the fallen Hispos evaporated. Ahead, Haim was only visible due to the flash of his weapon. Lolo was engaged with another Hispo. ”Thanks. Got this one,” she said in dismissal. Artanis was probably the second to last person Lolo wanted to see, but Farrah wouldn't forget his presence.

The elf charged in loudly, but Lolo had broken the creature apart before she made it. There was a heartbeat of stillness between them where Farrah took Marlowe in. Wild, furious, pained.

”Was mine mistake to not hold him down. Will rectify,” she suggested somberly. She was serious.

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: November 5th | Night (~8pm)
Location: Johtan Wilderness Campsite
Wearing: White button down, Plaid slacks, Suspenders, w/ glossy purple bowtie, Simple black beret
Tagging | Mentioning: Farrah | Doya, Haim, Artanis, Meena
Things were quieter. The attack was mostly over. The young Hollow were already disintegrating into nothing, slowly erasing every trace that they had ever been there in the first place. One of the last Hispo remaining lunged at Farrah, but Lolo came in and caught it from behind. Holding it aloft it struggled, but only long enough for the tall elf to whirl around and behead it with the edge of her shield. Marlowe dropped the body into the dirt. She breathed out and looked around. Doya was taking care of another. The gun shots quieted, but they were not done. They drew Marlowe’s attention into the dark distance, where Haim had run off to. And in the dark Marlowe found all of her anger still there, unaddressed, unrelieved by the opportunity to destroy the Hollow. Artanis wasn’t far, finishing off one more. The tension in her neck was actually starting to hurt. Jaw clenched, Marlowe took a step or two in that direction as the last shot rang out. Her fingers twitched.

There was so much in her head that she couldn’t process it. “I want you too.” She murmured, voice trembling. More than anything she wanted to stride into the darkness and give Haimehen what he deserved. If Farrah wanted to hold him down, that was fine, it only meant that she could spend more time focusing on detailing punishment rather than wrestling him to take it. “I want… To. Hurt. Him.” And she hated that, really. It broke her heart more than a little. Haim had called her family, and she had wanted to believe that. Worse, she had let herself. Angry, hot tears pooled in her eyes, “You should have taken the chime.” Heart of the team? What a stupid, ridiculous dream that had been.

These feelings weren’t new to her, though it had been years since she had felt them. Fortunately for Haimehen - for everyone, really - she was older now, and tempered by the life that she had come to try to live. Those things were the anchors to which she was able to secure her restraint. But it wouldn’t last, it couldn’t. Marlowe lacked that level of self control, and she knew it. “He shouldn’t be allowed back.” She condemned. But he was going to be, she knew it. Meena was entirely too nice to banish someone into the darkness of a Hollow filled wilderness alone. “I… Can’t.” She glanced back at the camp. If this attack was the cost of the initial argument, then her returning to camp would just put everyone in danger. She exhaled so hard that her whole form lurched forward. “I can’t.” She repeated, there was just too much there for her right now.

Marlowe started to turn away from Farrah, paused, then looked back. She took a wheeling step toward her and lifted a shaky finger, “If he… Looks at her.” She bared her teeth. At this point it wasn’t even about protecting Lyra so much as it was that Haimehen didn’t deserve the opportunity. “You don’t stop until he can’t do it again.” She tasked Farrah with what she couldn’t be there to do right now. Everything about her marching back into camp with them was a disaster waiting to happen. She would want to inflict pain on Haim, and no one needed that. She would want to hold Lyra, and she wouldn’t want that. And none of that dealt with what anything meant for her. She looked past Farrah at Artanis. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to throttle him, or thank him. Just more conflict that she couldn’t resolve, that she didn’t know what to do with. “I need to…” She didn’t even know, just that whatever it was couldn’t happen here. She turned, almost walking in Haim’s direction, before she stopped herself, pivoted further to the east and… Walked away.