[Sandbox] Onyx Prairie - Western Quarter

[TheFluffyOne]

Character Name: Hulta Elderfond
Date | Time: November 17th | Early morning
Location: The communications tower -> Small dovecot
Wearing: This
Tagging | Mentioning: Lolo |
“I’ll write them for you. I can do the loopiest of letters.” Hulta sent a broad smile to Lolo, offering up her services in any way to the woman. Stretching herself back to her full height, Hulta placed her hands in the small of her back and stretched her back. “Oh…It means remember…find mama.” Hulta didn’t blush at calling her mother ‘mama’, it was just something that she did on occasion. The elf wanted to wrap her arm around Lolo and pull her closer so that they could watch the bird until it was barely visible against the horizon.

Hulta’s forehead crinkled as Lolo admitted that her parents didn’t even know she was attending Hammer. She couldn’t fathom a time or place that she wouldn’t tell her parents the truth. The box of treats was a distraction. Hulta knew it well, her parents had used it on her many times before. Now, that didn’t mean that it did not work every single time. Inching her fingers out to the powered sugary goodness, Hulta nodded a little too violently. Plucking one free, she let it land on her fingers and stay there. She didn’t need to get sugar all over the dovecot.

“Oh” Hulta’s sugar cravings suddenly disappeared when Lolo admitted that she doesn’t have a family anymore. “You have us.” She said quickly, moving into that small pause trying to ebb away the sadness before it could gather in Lolo’s chest. “I know your name!...Lala right?” Hulta winked and narrowly missed the potential playful flick that came her way. “We shall eat these downstairs. Away from the birds who are currently thinking me an easy target.” Sugar treatless hand in Lolo’s, the elf tugged her down the spiral staircase back out to the courtyard. There, multiple stone benches and tables littered the leaf covered ground.

The journey gave Hulta the much needed time to think through her story. “I’ve wanted to be a champion for as long as I can remember.” Truth. “I just knew that I needed to be here.” Also true. “It was difficult but my parents accepted me coming here.” Lie. They were ready to push her from the door. It was Hulta’s choice to leave the night before. Not have to say that big goodbye and arrive at the Academy with red eyes from crying. “One day, I’ll take you to my home.” She raised the treat to ‘cheers’ with Lolo. “It may be a while but I will make sure that every single soul back home is gonna know your name.” Hulta gave Lolo a sweet almost love struck smile before starting to devour the sweet Danish.

[Envious]

Character Name: Farrah Tinkerspan
Date | Time: November 11 | 10:38pm
Location: Western Quarter - Pour Decisions
Wearing: as pictured, shield on bac, boomerangs on belt
Tagging | Mentioning: Bri'elle, two nameless military cadets | Dariaq

Farrah watched as the dart Bri’elle had thrown hit dead center and she laughed loudly before slapping the human on the back in congratulations. ”’ey there fellas! That there,” she said pointing to the board and then pointing back at the military academy students, ”be the difference ‘tween grunts like you ‘n squires like us! General Blossom ought be mighty embarrassed over you lot!” Truthfully, the game had been closer than Farrah would have liked, but it made their win all the more sweet! ”Lookin’ forward to bendin’ you lot over another barrel. Go again?” she asked sweetly, but the way her golden eyes narrowed was anything but friendly. It was rarely appreciated that Farrah did not use her physicality to be as threatening as she had the potential to be. The two boys gave each other a meaningful look as they considered their options. She could see the tension in their body; they weren’t happy to suffer this very minor humiliation and they were certainly sick of Farrah’s endless mocking.

”Nah. But,” he looked from Bri’elle to Farrah, matching the elf for intensity, ”we’ll catch you later.” He picked up his cup and downed the last of the beer as if he was in no hurry to leave, but he slammed it down on the standing table a little too hard. It drew no notice from the other patrons in the noisy establishment, but a waitress glanced their way to take stock of the situation. He slapped the back of his hand against the chest of his silent partner and took a step back before turning and leaving. Farrah watched the duo moved away from the exposed brick wall that had metal accent signs and dart boards affixed to it, thread their way past past the standing tables surrounding a filled dance space, tap the top of a jukebox that was playing some sort of rock two decibels too loud, and out the door. Farrah had been in quite a few bars in Onyx, but Pour Decisions was now her favorite.

”’ey!” shouted with a smile, thumping a hand to her chest and then tossing it up victorious into the air. ”Ain’t nothin’ better than beatin’ a bully at their own game. You is twice the punch they is in half the package!” she praised, grabbing her own beer to hold out in honor towards the squire before chugging the last of its contents. She burped in a very unladylike fashion as she set the glass down, murmured and excuse me, and held her empty cup to her heart and looked up at the ceiling.

"Another victory fer gRAVIty 'n SWAGger on the books. Let them two think thrice before actin' a fool the next time!" She took a step back so she didn't have to look so far down at Bri and smiled with very flushed cheeks; the alcohol was definitely working its charms on her, but the elf was still alert. "What you say to another round between us?"

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: November 17th | Early Morning
Location: The Communications Tower -> Small Dovecot
Wearing: Black turtle neck, Sleeveless brown coat, Matching beret
Tagging | Mentioning: Hulta |
Lolo had the benefit of being around a few elves. Farrah didn’t make much use of her native language, at least, not around her. Haimehen let the occasional word or phrase slip out. And then there was Lyra, who sometimes felt like she forgot she was speaking one language and started in the other. It wasn’t really that bad, but she did have a penchant for speaking in ways that Marlowe couldn’t understand. What had surprised her about elvish was how it sounded different. She had three elves and each one of them spoke their language differently. She, almost immediately, compared Hulta’s to Farrah’s. It was the one she was least familiar with, but she knew for certain it didn’t sound much like Lyra’s at all. She mouthed words, trying to silently recreate them, even though learning the singular elven phrase that she knew had taken her the better part of two weeks and she still wasn’t sure that she had gotten it right. If there was any awkwardness about Hulta’s actual word choice, it was lost on Lolo entirely.

“It sounds different,” she remarked, “How come?” When people spoke the common tongue it just sounded like the common tongue. Meena didn’t sound any different than Lolo did, she didn’t think, “Lyra speaks in elvish a lot. I don’t understand her either,” Lolo snickered gently, but shook her head, “But the words don’t sound like yours. Are they different?” Though she wondered about that, too, because she had definitely heard Haimehen and Lyra talking despite it. Her head started to hurt even before Hulta explained.

It was interesting to think of the squires like family. She supposed in a way her team did feel like that. They were certainly dysfunctional enough. Grinning wide, “That’s my smart twin. You’d like her a lot, you can talk to her about anything and she always understands.” Lolo followed down the stairs, happy to be away from the birds and their gloop. Smidge was chubby and cute, but Lolo probably wasn’t going to make friends with the birds and come to visit any time soon… Unless of course she kept accidentally following a certain elf to them.

Out in the courtyard, they found a nice table, and Lolo took a seat beside Hulta, setting her box of treats in front of her and finally freeing her hands. Though, now, she couldn’t figure out how to use either of her hands to unobtrusively touch Hulta. So instead, she slightly pivoted in the seat so she was kind of facing her, and their knees were brushing. And then a hand reached, laying across her leg, finger tips stretched out to set on Hulta’s knee anyway! It wasn’t so shocking to hear that it had been forever, Lolo had found that to be a common theme among the Hammer students. It wasn’t universal, but it was very normal. She felt a bit outcast because of it, Lolo’s goals were much newer compared to most, and largely she thought them to be the most selfish. “But they still supported you,” that was what mattered, she thought. It never occurred to her that there was a deception involved - if nothing else, Lolo wanted to believe everything Hulta said. “I bet they love getting your letters. What do you tell them about? Let me guess, that letter you just sent was all about our date. And you told them you met a wonderful me, and we’re going to get statues made of us!” The giggle spilled right out, she couldn’t contain it.

“Will you?” She softened up, smiling. If she could have inched closer, she would have. “I would like to see it someday. I’d take you to Evergreen, but there’s nothing to see. A hill, a couple trees, a farm.” Marlowe rolled her eyes. If there was one quick way to her heart, it was to stroke her ego and desire for fame. Lolo lit up like a small sun, “You really think you can do that?” She fixated on the way Hulta looked at her. It was so… Intense. And real. Lolo blushed very slightly, and her fingers danced, “We’re going to have to go on all sorts of adventures, so you have plenty to tell your parents and everyone else.”

[Eye of Horus]

Character Name: Dariaq Syvanios
Date | Time: 12th November | 1pm
Location: Western Quarter, Rhonda Wolff Coliseum
Content: Enter Dari...and the Black Lotus
Tagging | Mentioning: @shengami Chee Tortious, @Rainbae Koko Gero
As the midday sun beat down on the melting pot of Western Quarter, Alvin Zhent was glad of the Neerfrosts-emblazoned canopy that shaded him and his fellow reps from the unseasonable heat. The competitors jostling past on their way to the warm-up area had no such luxury, and many of them were gratefully accepting the branded water bottles that the reps were handing out. They moved in twos and threes - the teammates psyching each other up with jokes and gentle punches, the pro athletes moving with their physios and coaches.

A lot of people had questioned the social value of throwing down a stadium in one of Onyx’s poorer districts, but the city planners’ gamble seemed to have paid off. Now they called it The Ninja Academy, and made no secret of the other academy they were trying to evoke. It worked, for the events drew thousands on a good day, and regularly attracted squires from Hammer - as well as aspiring squires, and plenty of ordinary athletes who simply wanted to play at being squires. The events were high profile…which meant they were influential, for the people who knew how to work them.

Alvin scanned the competitors as they entered, looking for people walking alone. The poorer kids, the wide-eyed and the impressionable. He found what he was looking for in a young, copper-skinned elf, who despite his obvious youth overtopped most of the crowd by several inches. He walked alone, and his clothes were obviously cheap, but there was an intensity about him - a drive. There was obvious lean muscle beneath his loose clothes, and he had wound linen climbing wraps around his palms and wrists and up his forearms. His hair was red-brown under the sun and tightly curled, razored short around the sides and back, bound in dreadlocks between his shoulder blades. His eyes were storm-grey, the shape of small spear blades. He had them fixed on the wood and metal scaffolding of the course, and as he looked on, Alvin saw him smile to himself and punch a fist into his open palm.

A poor kid with big dreams, and maybe even enough talent to back it up. Perfect.

“Hey kid!” he hailed the elf, holding up a water bottle. “It’s warm out there, you’ll be needing one of these!”

The elf stopped, turned, and threaded his way back through the crowd. He looked from Alvin to the tent behind him and back again. “That’s kind of you sir, but I don’t actually have any money on me.”

“Free of charge.” Alvin insisted, handing over the bottle.

The elf took it, and tossed it in his hand, the water inside sloshing against the plastic. “Thanks sir, I appreciate it.”

“What’s your name, kid?”

“Dariaq.” the young elf said, shooting a finger gun in Alvin’s direction. “Dariaq Syvanios. Remember the name sir, it’ll be a big one before long.”

Alvin smiled tolerantly. “I dunno, kid, we’ve already got a sponsored athlete or two in this competition, and you ain’t seen them run yet.”

The elf grinned, rolling his shoulders as he bounced on the balls of his feet. “They haven’t seen me run yet, sir.”

Alvin laughed. This kid is a fool. “Tell you what, master Syvanios, why don’t you take one of our jerseys. It’ll keep you cooler and slow you down less in the water.” He took a neatly-folded t-shirt from the merch table behind him and presented it to the elf. “And when you’ve finished your run, come find us.”

The elf took the Neerfrosts-branded gear, running a thumb over the material before looking back up at him. “Thanks, mister…?”

“Zhent.” Alvin smiled, and returned the kid’s asinine finger guns with both hands. “We’ll be watching for you, Dari!”

His smile curdled as the elf hurried away, turning into a sneer.

* * * * * *

Chee stepped through the doors into the din of the arena. It thrummed into him. He felt alive. his pace picked up a step or two. The other competitors spacing out towards the starting marks seemed to share in the energy. A couple of them seemed nervous, channelling the tension into bouncing feet and huffs of breath. Others were revelling in it, or at least hiding behind bravado. There was a rangy elf standing right next to Brutus and Velda, shadow-boxing the air. He had a dancer’s lean musculature, evident in the bare arms that he had bound up to the wrists with climbing wraps. His skintight t-shirt bore the Neerfrosts owlbear prominently across its front and back.

“Woo!” the elf shouted suddenly to no-one in particular, circling a fist in the air. “This course is going down!”

[TheFluffyOne]

Character Name: Hulta Elderfond
Date | Time: November 17th | Early morning
Location: The communications tower -> Small dovecot
Wearing: This
Tagging | Mentioning: Lolo |
“How come?” Hulta stopped mid step as she looked at Lolo. “Um…I guess it’s because of where I’m from. I sound like my mother and father.” She smiled, hoping that her explanation was enough. Some of the leaves on the cobbles moved under her feet and she pushed some to one side to create a small path. “I think they are the same. Have you heard her say mother before?” Hulta asked as she smooshed some more leaves to one side, creating the perfect path for Lolo. Smart twin. That was a warming way to say it. Hulta grinned at Lolo, feeling the same about Mugi, her bunk mate.

Hulta slipped one leg under her backside as she sat down. Powdered sugar rained from her fingers as she happily munched on the Danish. She didn’t flinch when Lolo placed her hand on her knee, only the slightest tinge of pink hit her cheeks. But thank god for the pastry filling her mouth. Hulta nodded violently. Of course, they supported her. It was their idea after all. Licking her fingers free of sugary goodness, Hulta hummed lightly. “Oh I write about everything. That isn’t yknow…confidentially” She said giving air bunnies to highlight her meaning. “You were in my letter there. They already know you though. I told them about everyone.” She said with a wide grin as she swayed to emphasis the everyone.

She was starting to pick up on the moments that Lolo needed her to be serious and the moments that were silly. When the woman needed a little confirmation versus a joke. “Of course.” She placed her hand that was not covered in sugar on Lolos’ arm. “Trees. There are trees. Then that is tons to see!!” The red headed elf beamed at Marlowe and scrunched up her nose at Lolo’s next question. “Look at me.” She waited until the woman let her gaze land on Hulta. “I will make it happen. Give me enough sugar and your name will never stop leaving my lips.”

Her sugary hand started to creep over the stone table towards the paper box that Lolo had brought the treats in. “I tell them everything! They already know every bakery to visit when they come.” Hulta paused and glanced at Lolo. “Would you want to meet them?”

[Eye of Horus]

Character Name: Dariaq Syvanios
Date | Time: 11th November | 10:40pm
Location: Western Quarter, Pour Decisions bar
Content: The whole nine yards
Tagging | Mentioning: @Envious Farrah Tinkerspan, @Lyrical Bri’elle Whitewater
As the two cadets made their grumbling exit, a young elf who had emerged from the basement stairs crossed their path. Despite having an empty keg over each shoulder, he manoeuvred deftly past the cadets and dropped his cargo outside the door, before threading his way back to the bar, smiling at several drunken dancers whose eye he caught along the way.

“That’s the last of them changed, boss.” he reported to the swarthy, barrel-chested human who was manning the bar.

“Good lad.” the barman nodded gruffly. “Thanks for the extra pair of hands tonight, I appreciate it…” His brow creased. “...Dari, was it?”

“Yes sir.” the elf called Dari confirmed with a smile.

“You’re a good lad, Dari. I’ll sort your payment out at the end of the night, once things quiet down a bit. You’re welcome to have a free drink while you wait.”

“Thanks, boss.” the young elf beamed.

The barman jerked a thumb towards the chalkboard menu hanging behind the bar. While the elf craned his neck to read it, he took up a towel and a half-dried glass and scanned the room for trouble.

“Couple’a squires in here tonight.” he observed, glancing over Dari’s shoulder.

The elf’s pointed ears visibly pricked up as he turned to look. Standing near the darts alley were two young women - one a tall, muscular elf with tawny skin and white hair bound down her back in an elegant plait; the other a shorter, slenderer human whose ink-black hair fell in waves across one of her dark eyes.

“You’re sure they’re squires?” Dari asked with poorly-feigned nonchalance.

The barman jerked his head. “You see anyone else in here wi’ weapons?” He said, and tapped his palm on the bar top to bring Dari’s attention back to him. “Anyway. Your free drink. What can I get you?”

Dari’s eyes flickered back up to the chalkboard. He ducked his head, like a cat sighting prey, and smiled. “A yard of ale…is that what I think it is?”

The barman frowned. “I said one drink.”

“Does it come in one glass?” The elf grinned, his gull-wing eyebrows flickering up and down.

“Technically yes.” the barman conceded. He paused in thought for a moment, then shrugged. “Your funeral, Dari.”

The elf watched intently, grey eyes wide as the barman drew up a fluted glass that was more than half his own height, with a broad globe at the bottom that could easily hold a litre by itself. With expert care he tilted it under the tap and filled it, until the monster receptacle was full to the brim with gently fizzing amber liquid. It was too tall to pass over the bar, and so he carried it around. The elf took it almost reverently.

“Hey,” the barman warned as Dari turned to start looking for a seat among the crowded tables. “I’ve only got one of those glasses. If you damage it, I’m taking it out of your pay for tonight.”

The elf took a supporting hand off the bottom of the globe - which did not fill the barman with confidence - and saluted casually, cocking two fingers to his forehead. “Gentle as a kitten, boss. I can hold my liquor with the best of them.”

“Sure.” the barman mumbled doubtfully, having met a lot of famously lightweight elves in his time.

"Another victory fer gRAVIty 'n SWAGger on the books. Let them two think thrice before actin' a fool the next time!" Farrah took a step back so she didn't have to look so far down at Bri and smiled with very flushed cheeks; the alcohol was definitely working its charms on her, but the elf was still alert. "What you say to another round between us?"

“Whoops!” an elvish-accented voice piped up behind Farrah, and she felt a steadying hand against her back as someone walking behind her stopped them both from colliding as she backed up. A brown-skinned elf with tightly-curled hair and almond-shaped grey eyes circled around her, smiling affably. He was carrying a conical flask half as tall as he was, filled with ale. “Sorry, I couldn’t help overhearing you were both in need of another round, and I just so happen to have enough for three here.”

He took a measured sip from the top of the flask, to lessen the risk of spillage as other patrons bumped past them on their way to the dance floor.

“I also couldn’t help noticing that they let you in here armed.” he added, cocking a finger gun towards the engraved shield that Farrah had slung over her shoulders. He leaned an elbow up against their table with exaggerated casualness. “Yoooou...fine ladies wouldn’t happen to be from Hammer, would you?”

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: November 17th | Early Morning
Location: The Communications Tower -> Small Dovecot
Wearing: Black turtle neck, Sleeveless brown coat, Matching beret
Tagging | Mentioning: Hulta |
That made sense of course, and somewhere in the back of her head little connections started to get made. Hulta sounded like her parents, which was based on where she was from. She also sounded like Farrah, which suggested they were from the same place. Lolo blinked before she could finish the thought, her mind turned to a new task. “I don’t… Think so.” It wasn’t really that surprising though, Lyra didn’t particularly enjoy talking about her family. Plus, if she had heard it, there was no way for her to know. As fun as it was to ask for translations, Lolo often got the feeling that people didn’t enjoy doing it. If they had wanted her to know what was being said they would have talked in common. She shrugged it off, but that little kernel of an idea kept rooting in the back of her mind.

“I was? Really?” She seemed genuinely stricken by the revelation. Maybe it wasn’t as important because Hulta had talked about everyone. But certainly not in every letter, and she had been in at least two! That was exciting. Lolo swayed slightly, happy to have learned that. People talking about her was sort of the goal after all, she just wasn’t sure that it really happened right now. Except, it apparently was. That warmed her heart, which warmed the rest of her. If her relationship with her parents had survived her moving to Onyx, she imagined that she would have shared things with her mother like Hulta did. They had been close, of a sort, once upon a time. Never like her and her sister of course, but they had a bond. “Well tell them I said hello next time you write.” Was that a silly ploy to be in a third letter? Yes it was.

“The woods are pretty,” she admitted. Maybe that was enough of a reason to see them, “Actually, it’s when you see them from up above. The hill, where the mine is, if you go stand up on the top of it, you can see the whole woods from there. They’re called the crescent woods, because it’s shaped like the moon’s crescent, when all of the shards are dark. And Evergreen is right in the middle, near the inner curve. But looking over all the trees is really pretty.”

Hulta’s instruction was the easiest to follow as any she had ever received. Scarlet eyes flicked to her and refused to leave. She could have looked at Hulta’s graceful features all day, she was gorgeous. They fluttered from Hulta’s eyes to her lips as she spoke, and she caught just a little bit of the powdered sugar beneath the corner of her lip. Mischief danced in her gaze and she leaned in towards Hulta, “I can think of reasons I’d like you to not stop calling my name.” She moved in like she might kiss her right there. Pausing only inches back, and Lolo reached up quickly between them and brushed her finger over the sugar mark. She pulled it back and lightly sucked it from her finger tip while sitting back.

Glancing to the box and Hulta’s hand, Lolo laughed and grabbed the box, turning it toward her and lifting the lid, sliding it to meet her hand. She could eat both the remaining ones, for all she cared. If it meant they got to sit here a little while longer, she’d go get her more. “Building them a guide huh?” That would be useful. She wished she had had one when she had first come, that would have saved her all sorts of headaches.

The pivot in question made her pause. She blinked, losing herself in Hulta’s eyes again. She remembered the time that Roderic - her brother - had brought home the woman that would go on to become his wife. They had been together for some time before her parents met the girl. Even here in Onyx, that seemed like a special thing. Maybe it shouldn’t have, but Lolo was familiar with not being allowed to meet people. Family, friends, or otherwise. Associates and things, sure. But often not personal people. Parents counted as personal people, and being asked to meet them felt like it should matter. Which made the question feel weighty, “Really?” She asked again, blinking, “Would… You want me to? I mean, yes I would like to.” That was a no brainer, but her words tumbled faster than she figured out how to organize them. “I’d like that very much.” She didn’t need to know Hulta anymore than she already did to recognize that her parents were important to her, and since Hulta was growing in importance to her, that extended to those things that were important for her. She blinked, again, realizing that this was not the first time she had felt that particular instinct. “Since you tell them all about us, I can tell them all about you.” She grinned.

[TheFluffyOne]

Character Name: Hulta Elderfond
Date | Time: November 17th | Early morning
Location: The communications tower -> Small dovecot
Wearing: This
Tagging | Mentioning: Lolo |
Hulta clawed the box of treats closer to her, small tugs to try and not get Marlowe paying attention to the slowly depleted box. “I shall.” Her fingers slipped into the box and she rescued a lemon Danish that was asking to be eaten. A sugar covered thumb was pushed past her lips as she listened to Lolo talk about her home. “It sounds beautiful” She beamed at the woman, freeing her thumb from her vacuum like grip. Her tongue slowly dragged every dusting of sugar off her fingertips when Lolo snapped her gaze to hers. Her fingers dropped to her lap as Lolo leaned forward. That light pink blush travelled up to the tips of her ears as Lolo teased her.

A finger brushed over the bottom corner of her lip and then Lolo dragged her finger back to suck at it. There was a brief frown that flashed over her features. Was it annoyance that Lolo had teased her…or was it annoyance that she had missed a small morsel of sugar on her face?! Cramming part of the Danish past her lips, she nodded violently. “Yessum” She said through her bite of the Danish. “I cannot get lost while showing them around.” Hulta shovelled the rest of the Danish past her lips and then grinned at Lolo. The hesitation in Lolo’s voice had Hulta frantically wiping all last remnants of sugar off her face, so that she could look serious at least.

“Of course.” Hulta let her fingers land lightly on her thigh, close to Lolo’s fingers. “They need to see the soul that I have been rabbiting on about.” There was a small bell ringing in the back of her mind. A mental reminder that it seemed that Lolo saw the gesture as severely important. So she made a mental promise to not screw it up. “I tell them everything…So…They will quiz you.” She gave the woman a cheeky grin as she hauled her other leg up onto the bench and sat cross legged across from the woman. “I don’t know when they will arrive. But I’m sure it’ll be soon.” There was hope in her voice. It had been not much time at all but she still missed them something fiercely. “Then, we go visit them at home.” Hulta said rather matter of fact. Everything was shaping up to the plan that she had dreamed up after last nights fun.

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: November 17th | Early Morning
Location: The Communications Tower -> Small Dovecot
Wearing: Black turtle neck, Sleeveless brown coat, Matching beret
Tagging | Mentioning: Hulta |
Turning to mirror Hulta’s position, Lolo pulled her legs up onto the bench and crossed them. She scooted close so their calves met. Her hands dropped between them and landed on Hulta’s, her leaning slightly forward. Lolo’s fingers kneaded firmly, absently working the muscle in the elf’s legs. “I’m not very good at tests,” there was a note of playfulness in her voice as she said it. Her shoulders rolled slightly, and a tiny grin tugged on her features, “Maybe you can help me study.”

In her mind she had been thinking this meeting of the parents was somewhere down the road. It didn’t bother her as much as it confused her once it was more spelt out. “Are your parents Champions?” Lolo tilted her head. If they were, and it stood to reason since Hulta was here they may be, then it wasn’t as concerning. And that seemed to match Hulta’s eagerness to have them travel. It was those thoughts, of travel, and then Hulta’s declaration that they would visit her home, that made that inkling of a thought that had been manifesting the back of her head take shape.

It was about where she was from. That made sense, because Lyra was from Unovia and sounded one way. Haimehen was from Johtan, and sounded another. Farrah was from Kantos and sounded a third. Hulta sounded like Farrah, and Farrah had not come from close. At least, not in a way that Marlowe was capable of recognizing. The world was so big to her. Traveling continents had never even been a thought in her head, until she had started meeting some of the brave few who had and being a Champion opened that door for her. “Are you from…” Lolo trailed off, squinting and lowering her gaze into Hulta’s lap as she tried to recall that name Farrah had said. “Nowhere,” she muttered under her breath, “Nasal,” she continued, working through words, “Nosehair,” her assumption was flawed of course. Two elves from Kantos? Clearly they were from the exact same place. But Lolo’s critical thinking skills weren’t always that great. “Nothmor…” Marlowe shook her head and puffed her cheeks, groaning quietly at her own ineptitude.

Now she might not have landed on the right word, but Hulta knew a town that sounded a whole lot like what she was saying - Nosmar. A small settlement that had broken away from her own home of Tabor, and then more recently started to become reintegrated into it. It might not have been where Hulta was from, but it was about as close as a person could possibly get without knowing about the hidden city. “Farrah’s from there,” she looked up, frowning, “But that’s all the way in Kantos.” To Lolo that might as well have been a whole other world. None of that was an unwillingness, because Lolo was like a dog that way, if pulled, she’d follow, but conceptualizing it was hard. “Did you come all the way here too?”

[Lyrical]

Character Name: Bri'elle "Bri" Whitewater
Date | Time:  November 11 | 10:38pm
Location:  Western Quarter | Pour Decisions (Bar)
Wearing:  full kit
Tagging | Mentioning:  Farah, Dariaq ( @Eye of Horus )
They were an unlikely pair around the bar, with Farah over a foot taller than Bri but Bri was slowly learning to loosen up and was having a good time playing some games and getting rowdy with her Hammer Academy classmate - Farrah. However there happened to be a group of military brats on hand that recognized Bri and were opting to antagonize her as they all played the games.

Bri tossed a dart and it landed dead of center on her target. Leaping up she pumped a fist in celebration then stood by with her hands on her hips nodding along as Farrah trash talked the grunts and challenged them to more. As they left wearing sour expressions, Bri started to chuckle and looked at up Farrah then burst out in a guffaw.

"I don't think they liked that very much," Bri said while her shoulders shook with mirth. Then took in the praise from Farrah before grabbing her drink and raising it in toast and cheers for gRAVIty 'n SWAGger from Farrah.

<Farrah said,> "What you say to another round between us?"

"I"ll take one more before we call it a night," Bri said laughing still. "And maybe lets shoot a quick set again. I better not stay too late or you're going to have to carry me back to the dorms. You know I'm too much of a straight edge to miss a work out or not work on our assignments in the morning."

An Elvish accented voice chimed into the conversation with a sudden..

"Whoops!" <from Dariaq>

He was a tall dark Elf with broad shoulders and a drink in his hand that looked almost as big as Bri's sword... well not quite, but it was enormous. He then asked about their weapons and if they were from the Hammer Academy.

This was an opportunity that Bri's slightly buzzing brain couldn't resist...

"'ello gov'na," Bri said to Dariaq in the worst non-regional specific accent possible. "This is 'ere is my Champion and I be 'er personal att... az... I work for her. She's an instructor at H'ammer.. .yes she iz. Best and youngest there be." Her head turned to look up Farrah. "Ain't that right, Mizzus?"

Her head turned to look back at Dariaq, "I be, Bri'elle and who might you be?"

[Envious]

Character Name: Farrah Tinkerspan
Date | Time: November 11 | 10:38pm
Location: Western Quarter - Pour Decisions
Wearing: as pictured, shield on bac, boomerangs on belt
Tagging | Mentioning: Bri'elle, Dariaq |
There was a moment of shock as an unexpected hand touched her, but no tension as she froze with wide eyes and proclaimed ”Oopsy daisy!” She kept her body still, not wanting to further impede on whatever space she had invaded and turned her head to meet the smiling gaze of the man. She returned the smile and opened her mouth - maybe to apologize - but the flask caught her attention.

”Bless! What in tarnation is that!” she asked in awe. That was a proper cup! She elbowed Bri - a gesture she immediately regretted once she realized where it would hit, yet embarrassingly followed through with by squatting slightly to hit elbow to shoulder instead of the side of Bri’s face. ”This fine gentleman gunna make sure me carryin’ you home tonight!” the elf said enthusiastically, setting her empty cup on the table.

As Bri’elle introduced them, Farrah could not help the mischievous grin that spread across her face. She nodded with bright, golden eyes at Bri’elle, immediately playing along with such a playful energy that her deception was not convincing. ”Mizzus Champion Farrah Tinkerspan, Hero Extraordinaire!” she said with a flourished bow.

Once Dariaq introduced himself, Farrah gestured to the shield he had noticed. ”Won’t mine intention ta always be armed, but me did learn the hard way that a Champion must always be prepared,” she said soberly. She was silent a moment before perking back up. ”That one of the things I be teachin’ this fine, young student o’ mine!” she said, keeping the bit up. She pushed her empty cup over to Dariaq, inviting him to pour her a cup.

”You is not from Hammer…” she said while stepping backwards to the dartboard. She raised her voice to be heard over the music and continued the conversation as she pulled the projectiles off the board. ”Is you hopin’ to attend or you know someone who is?” She placed the red darts in front of Bri’elle and held out the blue darts to Dariaq, inviting him to take her spot at the game as they chat.

[Rainbae]

Character Name: Koko Gero
Date | Time: 11.12 | ~13:00
Location: Onyx Prairie, Western Quarter, Rhonda Wolff Coliseum
Wearing: Blue Sports Bra, Red Workout Pants and Blue Sneakers
Tagging | Chee @shengami, Dariaq @Eye of Horus  | none
Koko practically chased Chee into the arena. The two had met up at a cafe a few blocks away and Koko had decided that it’d be a nice warm up to race to the event location. Of course the smaller Silenus had beaten her in a pure footrace but she’d been close on his tail…literally. It whipped up and out of the way as the boy stopped and stared up at the large structure in front of them. Koko took a second more to realize what Chee was staring at as the pair made their way through the doors. She grinned devilishly up at the monumental challenge in front of them. She pulled on the edges of gloves, bringing them taught against her fingers as she formed her hands into fists and shot one forwards towards the course and then the other towards Chee in an offer of a fist bump.

“You bet’cher yer little fluffy butt I’m ready for this Chi-Chi! You ready to kiss my boots when Momma Koko brings in the top prize?” Her smug expression was both taunting and uplifting towards Chee. She wanted to beat her friend but she also really wanted it to be a fight. Competing with Chee had become one of her simple pleasures and this was the ultimate test of it. Koko was almost certainly doing this entire thing for self improvement. That was why she’d started doing the TNA courses in the first place. But as she’d continued it’d stroked her competitive side and meeting Chee had been the cherry on top. She wasn’t just here to compete today, she really wanted to win. And moreover, she wanted to beat Chee to do it.

Seeing the monstrosity of a course before them immediately made Koko want to get into some stretches. She knew this wasn’t going to be an easy time and so she dropped down into some squat which she shifted from side to side. She stretched her legs and made sure she really felt the burn. Her steel plates clicked and whined as she stretched her body in ways that pulled on the implants. She hopped back up to her full height as Chee offered to go say hello to their friends. Koko wasn’t always happy to mingle in the crowd of these events but the competitors for such a high profile course were all veterans and so she wasn’t really worried about the pair of them getting dogged. With a nod she skipped along beside Chee. She sped up her walk just a tiny bit as they moved. She moved faster getting ahead of him hoping she could egg him on to race with her down to their friends as well.

Reaching the small crowd of mostly familiar faces Koko whistled a greeting. She gave out high fives to the people she knew and without warning swiveled around at Dariaq’s shout and jumped up towards him. She lifted off the ground a bit higher than her jump should have taken her to reach up above Dariaq and offer him a double handed high five. She swung her hands down at him like a slam dunk hoping for a double handed landing pad to slap into. “WOO IS RIGHT MI AMIGO! I don’t know who in the heck you are but I’m likin’ your spirit curlycues!” After the high five whether it was reciprocated or not Koko floated down to the ground and crossed her arms across her chest. She leaned back and put on the most superior, smug look she could manage while still keeping a goofy smile and leered up at the man. “Spirit ‘lone ain’t gon’ help you beat me though! You’re talkin’ to a future first place prize winner after all. I reckon you should just be happy you got to have this talksie talk in the first place ya hear? Go on and hope that some of my juju rubbed off on ya with that hi-ten there moment ago. You gon need it!” Koko turned to the small crowd and leered once more. “As for the rest of ya! Gimme yer best shots! That goes for you too Chi-Chi.”

[Eye of Horus]

Character Name: Dariaq Syvanios
Date | Time: 11th November | 10:40pm
Location: Western Quarter, Pour Decisions bar
Content: The whole nine yards
Tagging | Mentioning: @Envious Farrah Tinkerspan, @Lyrical Bri’elle Whitewater
“Bless! What in tarnation is that!” she asked in awe.

“This, my good lady, is a yard of ale.” the young elf said proudly, waving a hand up and down the span of the flask like a salesman trying to entice her with a mysterious new product. “What can I say, I just had to share.”

She elbowed Bri - a gesture she immediately regretted once she realized where it would hit, yet embarrassingly followed through with by squatting slightly to hit elbow to shoulder instead of the side of Bri’s face. “This fine gentleman gunna make sure me carryin’ you home tonight!” the elf said enthusiastically, setting her empty cup on the table.

The young elf looked between the two, appraising the tall, broad-shouldered Farrah against the small, whippet-like Bri. “You certainly look like you could sling her over your shoulder if the occasion called for it.” he agreed. “But,” he added as his eyes roved over the blade strapped to Bri’elle’s back, and the ornate hilt that overtopped her head by a good thirty centimetres. “That thing isn’t for show, I’m sure. What’s the story?”

"'ello gov'na," Bri said to Dariaq in the worst non-regional specific accent possible. "This 'ere is my Champion and I be 'er personal att... az…”

The young elf cocked his head in puzzlement. “You’re her ass?”

“I work for her. She's an instructor at H'ammer...yes she iz. Best and youngest there be." Her head turned to look up Farrah. "Ain't that right, Mizzus?"

“An instructor…” The young elf bought the ridiculous lie at face value. He leaned in a little closer, clearly attempting to play it cool and failing. “Wow. Really?”

Farrah could not help the mischievous grin that spread across her face. She nodded with bright, golden eyes at Bri’elle, immediately playing along with such a playful energy that her deception was not convincing. “Mizzus Champion Farrah Tinkerspan, Hero Extraordinaire!” she said with a flourished bow.

“Wow.” the elf said again. “Well then, I’m in exalted company!”

He executed a matching bow, sweeping one foot back and spreading his arms. Somehow, he managed to complete the manoeuvre without spilling any drink from the yard glass in his hand.

“And an exalted instructor must have an exalted student?” he added as he rose, balancing the yard glass carefully against the table and turning to Bri.

"I be, Bri'elle and who might you be?"

The young elf puffed out his chest and tucked his hands into his armpits. “I would be Dariaq, from the line of Syvanios, of the Oasis.” He paused to grin. “But friends, champions and beautiful ladies, of which both of you qualify for all three, can call me Dari.”

He hefted up the yard flask and slowly tipped it over their two empty glasses. Despite his care, a small amount spilled over the rims and onto the table.

“You is not from Hammer…” Farrah said while stepping backwards to the dartboard.

“Alas, no.” the elf called Dari confirmed, and his long ears almost seemed to droop slightly, even though his smile held. “I am going to be in the TNA competition tomorrow though.” He blinked. “The Ninja Academy competition, that is, not the tits n’ ass competition. Although…”

He squinted back over his own shoulder, contemplating, and gave his backside a gentle slap.

“Is you hopin’ to attend or you know someone who is?” She placed the red darts in front of Bri’elle and held out the blue darts to Dariaq, inviting him to take her spot at the game as they chatted.

“Well, now that you mention it…” Dari admitted, before looking down at the proffered darts. “Trade?” he suggested, holding out the flask whose contents were now reduced by half. “Guard that with your life, champion!”

He stepped round to the painted line on the floor in front of the dart board, and paused to assess the challenge. He tilted his head slightly for a better view, one eye squinted shut, tongue pressed up against his top lip. Satisfied with his appraisal of the board, he looked over his shoulder to Farrah and Bri.

“I am actually hoping to get accepted to Hammer.” he confided to the two squires.

Turning back, he hefted the darts in his hand for a moment, tossing one of the weighted spikes upward where it turned end over end before he snatched it out of the air.

“Easy.” he declared, nodding to himself. He sprang into a flurry of motion, executing a full spin before hurling a dart at the board. To his credit, it did actually hit the target - albeit in the top-right quadrant, landing on a four.

“Huh.” he grunted, frowning.

[Eye of Horus]

Character Name: Dariaq Syvanios
Date | Time: 12th November | 1pm
Location: Western Quarter, Rhonda Wolff Coliseum
Content: Enter Dari...and the Black Lotus
Tagging | Mentioning: @shengami Chee Tortious, @Rainbae Koko Gero
Koko swung her hands down at him like a slam dunk hoping for a double handed landing pad to slap into. Instead he leapt up to meet her, her leather-gloved palms colliding with his linen-wrapped ones. The young elf dropped, and immediately looked confused when Koko took a little longer to do the same than gravity would suggest.

“WOO IS RIGHT MI AMIGO! I don’t know who in the heck you are but I’m likin’ your spirit curlycues!”

The elf’s smile hitched back up. “You can call me Dariaq.” he introduced himself, bumping his fist against Koko’s gauntlet. “And it sounds best when you’re cheering it.”

His eyes flicked down, drawn automatically towards the riot of metal patches and glass dials studded into her gloves, and then to the metal and wires grafted directly into her body. Clearly, he had never seen anything like it before.

When Koko adopted her best confrontational pose and suggested that he would need more than spirit to beat her, the elf laughed, his eyes narrowing. “Oh yeah?” he challenged, cuffing his knuckles gently off Koko’s folded arms.

“You’re talkin’ to a future first place prize winner after all. I reckon you should just be happy you got to have this talksie talk in the first place yahear? Go on and hope that some of my juju rubbed off on ya with that hi-ten there moment ago. You gon need it!”

The elf named Dariaq made a dismissive noise. “Real winners need no juju from cyborg midgets!” he proclaimed, clenching a fist in the air.

He glanced at her gloves again. “What kind of high-tech, high-ten juju is that, anyway?” There seemed to be genuine curiosity behind the barb - perhaps he was wondering how she didn’t short circuit herself in the water-based events.

[TheFluffyOne]

Character Name: Hulta Elderfond
Date | Time: November 17th | Early morning
Location: The communications tower -> Small dovecot
Wearing: This
Tagging | Mentioning: Lolo |
Hulta flicked her gaze down to the fingers that travelled to her calf. Kneading the skin lightly as the elf cocked an eyebrow. “I am certain you will pass this one.” She said as her gaze returned to Lolo. Hulta watched the woman as she tilted her head and then asked that question. The laugh that bubbled up her throat and shot past her lips might have sounded rude if it wasn’t coming from Hulta. “Oh, giddy gosh. No. They are not champions.” She grinned widely and wiped away a stray tear that had appeared with her laughter. “They are like…” Hulta paused and there was a tiny visible snap as she needed to jump a little more serious.

“My father works with an education group back home and my mother helps at home.” There. Practised. She had said the words over and over again on her journey here. She knew every single lie. The correct ones to say. The ones to stick to so that no one would call her out on any mistakes. Hulta let her fingers drop to take Lolo’s. A subtle distraction to keep her attention off her words and on her touch. Are you from…Hulta waited and tilted her head to one side. The elf leaned forward and placed her fingers lightly on her puffed-out cheeks. “Nosmar?” She said and when the woman nodded, Hulta said it again.

“Nosmar.” She said it slowly and let her thumb brush over Lolo’s lips. “Try it again.” She said with a small smile as her fingers dropped from Lolo’s face back to her lap. “Yeah. You could say I’ve come from there.” There was a knowing look on Hulta’s face. “It took quite a while to get here. How far away is your home?” Hulta swayed side to side as she watched Lolo with a grin. “Would it take us long to go visit?”

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: November 17th | Early Morning
Location: The Communications Tower -> Small Dovecot
Wearing: Black turtle neck, Sleeveless brown coat, Matching beret
Tagging | Mentioning: Hulta |
Traditionally Marlowe was very good with social cues. If you asked her to spot the difference between two pictures, she very likely wouldn’t have been able to find even the easiest variances unless they were quite obvious. But when it came to people and their behaviors, she had a talent - or, rather, a well developed skill. Part of her own facade had been learning how to read people so that she could make the best of every moment that she got. So she probably should have gotten that little demeanor shift in Hulta, but she was quite distracted, and not looking for it. Like the date a few nights prior, Lolo was quite at ease with the elf. So she heard the laugh, and smiled at the humored tear, confused why it was so funny, but focused on that. “So like one of the professors? Well no wonder you’re so smart.”

Her hands fell easily into Hulta’s and instead of kneading they curled around them and her thumbs pressed into her palms, rubbing there instead. The only reason they paused was because the touch on her cheek was thoroughly distracting, even drawing her thoughts away from trying to find the name that she was never going to find. At least, not until Hulta said it. Lolo jerked excitedly and nodded, “That’s the one!” Her lips parted for the stroke, and it took her actual restraint not to lean in and claim the thumb for her tongue. The gentle touch was pleasing - she really did love those little affectionate things. “Nosmar.” She repeated, slowly. If everyone who wanted to teach her something only took the route of anchoring the knowledge with something sweet like that stroke of her lips they’d probably all have a better success rate!

Lolo scooped Hulta’s hands together in her lap, flattening hers on the outside and rubbing them softly to warm them - and a bit to warm her own. She didn’t know how far it was, but she knew it involved a boat. At least, that’s how Farrah had come. “Does Farrah know you’re from there? Lyra was really happy to learn that Azir was from her home,” Lolo tilted her head, “I bet if you told her, Farrah, I mean, well, it’d be like having a piece of home here for both of you.”

Shaking her head, Lolo looked off into the distance, lifting a hand and pointing, “No, it’s not that far. A couple of days north of Onyx,” which might have been confusing because she was actually pointing east. “I think it’s the closest village to the city.” She dropped her hand back to her lap, and pushed both up Hulta’s forearms, curling her fingers around them and squeezing gently as she pulled back down toward her wrists, “Wait, so Smidge is going to fly all the way to Kantos?!” It clicked, and she looked stunned.

[shengami]

Character Name: Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 11.12 | ~13:00
Location | Resonance: Onyx Prairie, Western Quarter, Rhonda Wolff Coliseum | Urban - Sound
Wearing: Black track suit and white running shoes
Tagging | Mentioning: @Rainbae  Koko Gero, @Eye of Horus /Dariaq, OPEN? | none
Note: Setting the Stage
Chee stopped himself from dodging the swat, "Sure! I would be ready, if dat is what'll happen. But it won't." He laughed openly as he followed Kiki down the steps and toward the gathered competitors. The electric hum of the event was already priming him. His tail simply would not stop snapping back and forth. His ears were on permanent swivel. He recalled from their last attendance that Koko liked a quiet place off to the side to warm up. Chee did as well. But he wanted to reconnect with a few people he knew.

He left her to crow at some rando while he clasped arms with Velda. The big human woman and her husband were common sights at these things. He shook Brutus' hand. "Nice ta see you two. Everytin good wit you?"

Brutus smiled and shrugged but Velda glared at the big black tent, "Would be if they weren't here. They're already acting like assholes."

Chee shifted his view to the tent and its cordon of guards. Inside, he saw a bank of hi-tech machines and a group of athletes training. He bit his lip. He didn't mind the gear and the training. If he did, he'd also have to take umbridge with Koko's augments. No, he didn't mind people using whatever tools were at their disposal. You used what you had. But he didn't like that the athletes were on retainers and paid to train. That struck him as a corruption of what it meant to be a competitor. "Well, we just need to prove dem wrong, dat's all. Dey'll go away."

Brutus looked doubtful and Velda growled, but Chee was distracted by Kiki getting boisterous. He smiled at his friends and moved up behind her as the tall, dark elf asked his question, "Dat's Koko Gero. Squire at da oder academy. But I won't give away more den dat." He chuckled and eyed the guy. His eyes fell on the Neerfrosts logo on his jersey and lingered. But Chee didn't begrudge anyone doing what they needed. There was a line, there was cheating, but training and all that was just pushing yourself to be better.

His eyes slid off the tall elf to the monstrous course. As the season finale, it was truly impressive. He recognized some of the hardest obstacles. He also saw very few platforms. That meant not even a few seconds of rest between sends. He whistled long and low. His ears laid back as he ran through the first section trying to find the optimal path. "Dat's goin ta be one hell of a day, dat is. Sheesh! My arms might fall off. Eh, Koko? How's your charge? Don't want you complainin about dat when I whoop you. No excuses." He shifted his eyes back to the logo then up to the elf's face, "We're all here ta do our mightiest best. Ta give it all. Push ourselves. Not whine about fairness or advantages. Ya?"

Chee pulled his backpack off and fished around to pull out a canteen and took a sip. eh offered it to Koko and the new guy then. It contained a homemade sports drink good for hydration and energy. Chee did not believe in trying hamper others. He wanted everyone at their best. That was the only way he'd value the win: if everyone there was a true obstacle to it.

[Eye of Horus]

Character Name: Dariaq Syvanios
Date | Time: 12th November | 1pm
Location: Western Quarter, Rhonda Wolff Coliseum
Content: Enter Dari...and the Black Lotus
Tagging | Mentioning: @shengami Chee Tortious, @Rainbae Koko Gero
"We're all here ta do our mightiest best. Ta give it all. Push ourselves. Not whine about fairness or advantages. Ya?"

There was a brief moment where the elf’s eyes crinkled, as if he thought Chee was rebuking him for prying into Koko’s implants, but then he just shrugged.

“No whining.” he agreed. He brighted back up a little when Chee offered round his canteen. “Thanks.” he said, picking up a bottle near his feet that was also emblazoned with the Neerfrosts owlbear, “But I’ve already got some.”

A fanfare and a swell of noise from the tiered seats around the coliseum told them that the first event was imminent. Staff began calling out names and waving people forward. Dariaq grinned like a hungry wolf, cupping his fists together and squeezing until the knuckles cracked.

“Watch and learn, short kings!” he called back over his shoulder to Chee and Koko, before jogging towards the starting line. Just before he got there, they saw a sharply-dressed Neerfrosts rep intercept him, putting a hand on the tall elf’s shoulder to pause him and leaning close to say something to him. The elf said something back, looking confused. The rep replied, nodded and clapped him on the shoulder, before walking away.

Up ahead, the first obstacle rose above the track - a wooden climbing wall ten metres high and made of interlocking discs, with handholds hammered into them at irregular intervals. As they watched there was a grinding of released brake levers, and the circular sections began to rotate - some clockwise, some the opposite. One of the competitors near Chee and Koko cursed quietly under their breath.

An announcer with an arcanite-powered voice caster took a minute to work up the crowd, and then boomed the name of the first competitor - a young, coltish human who raised her arms in response to the crowd’s applause. She sprinted across the crash mats that had been laid down, and threw herself onto the wall. She crabbed her way along the wheeling sections, sometimes seeming to go sideways more than up, but eventually she got an elbow over the top and scrambled onto the ledge to the cheers of the crowd. A silenus with twitching fox ears was next and he made a strong start, racing up the first section only to hesitate just a little too long on the second - he shimmied frantically against the wheel’s movement but the rotation was faster, and within a few seconds he lost his grip and plummeted to the crash mat. The crowd applauded and the announcer commiserated, but the young man’s frustration was palpable as he laced his fingers behind his head, looking up at the wall.

“Next up - Dariaq Syvanios!”

Chee and Koko saw their new acquaintance kiss his fingers and raise them towards the stands as he took position. As he dipped his head and ran at the wall, they heard him yell “Syvaaniooooos!”

He leapt at the wall and secured a hold, letting the rotation carry him higher before hoisting himself up to the next section. His long limbs were an advantage, and the Neerfrosts logo on the back of his shirt was plainly visible as he scrambled up the wall. Near the centre they saw him pause before shifting right, taking the longer route across two discs instead of the shorter path to the left. It almost cost him as he reached for a turning handhold and missed his grip, just as the one supporting his right foot slipped away and left him dangling by one hand. Somehow he recovered, bracing a foot against the sheer wall and throwing himself up to the next hold as it swung round, and the crowd cheered as he rode the last disc all the way to the top platform and scrambled over.

The elf lingered for a moment, grinning, arms spread wide to soak up the applause. Just before he disappeared down the ladder on the wall’s rearside, he extended a hand down towards Koko and Chee, as if to say your turn.

[TheFluffyOne]

Character Name: Hulta Elderfond
Date | Time: November 17th | Early morning
Location: The communications tower -> Small dovecot
Wearing: This
Tagging | Mentioning: Lolo |
Hulta heard the comment but chose not to respond to it. Distract, move away from the topic. Do anything to get the thought out their mind. Her fathers words brushed her skull as she focused on Lolo. This was her first real challenge. The others had all been pretty easy lies. It felt strange to lie to Lolo. It felt wrong. Hulta beamed at Lolo when she pronounced the word correctly. She nodded twice and let Lolo take her hands, rubbing them to keep them warm. Not that the cold air was affecting her just yet, but she wouldn’t tell Lolo to stop.

“Yeah. Farrah knows I’m from there. We talked about it a while back.” Hulta said thinking about that trip to find plants that the two had met on. “A couple of days…Well, we can do that whenever.” She said with an exaggerated roll of her hands and swayed on her cross legs. Lolo’s fingers brushed up her forearm and neared her elbows which elicited a sharp giggle from Hulta as she dragged her arms back to her chest. There was a pause and she tried to continue as if she hadn’t revealed herself as ticklish to Lolo.

“Smidge can fly real fast…It’s why she is the Champion of the pigeons!” Hulta declared as she tugged her sleeves back down to hide her elbows again. “When Smidge gets back, I let her rest for a week or so and then she does the next letters. I could train her to drop one at your parents…Even just a little one. Like a postcard. OH!” She shuffled forward, even more pressing her knees against Marlowe’s. “I could help you write it and we can get a picture of you in your finest hat!” She declared and then blinked twice. “Or…You can write me a letter…with the hat picture. I need the hat picture.”

[Lyrical]

Character Name: Bri'elle "Bri" Whitewater
Date | Time:  November 11 | 10:38pm
Location:  Western Quarter | Pour Decisions (Bar)
Wearing:  full kit
Tagging | Mentioning:  Farah, Dariaq ( @Eye of Horus )
Chuckling the entire time, Bri could hardly stop herself from laughing because her accent was just so awful and having Farrah play along with her was enough to send her over the top. Thankfully Dari was playing along with them as well, she didn't know if he was taking them seriously at all but the story must be maintained! Even after Farah just about took out her eye with an elbow then practically knocked her down with a good natures elbow to the shoulder. Bri laughed at the shove.

Bri said to Farrah, "Fine.. you can carra' mah home Prof. But ya iz explaining to the other instructors why I'm 'ung over."

Turning to Dariaq... "Plea'sha to make 'ur acquaintances, Mista Dari," Bri said in her terrible accent. "You be tellin' them when you apply to Hammer that Mizzus Tinkerspan 'ere sent ya." She had to bite her lip as she said, glancing over at Farrah and stifling a giggle.

Bri took up the darts and watched as Dari gave his first attempt some flourish and a spin.

"Not bad shot, eh," Bri said before she casually tossed her own dart at the board and making a fair good show of it while only half paying attention to the board. "What is this 'ere Tits and Ass competition that you be caterwauling about? Will this get ya's into Hammer? If i didn't have an assignment tommorra I'd come cheerz ya on."

At this point it started to dawn on her that if this guy got into Hammer she'd have a lot of explaining to do... But what were the chances of that happening? Lots of people want to get into Hammer but very few actually get accepted. He was cute but cute didn't get you into Hammer.

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: November 17th | Early Morning
Location: The Communications Tower -> Small Dovecot
Wearing: Black turtle neck, Sleeveless brown coat, Matching beret
Tagging | Mentioning: Hulta |
Lolo was not sure of the logistics of taking a trip back home. She thought about the hassle that had ensued in leaving home and making her way to Onyx. The good news was that in this hypothetical trip she’d have Hulta, and she had complete faith that the elf could get them there without incident. But she couldn’t imagine why she’d want to. There was so much more fun to be had here in Onyx. So much more that they could do together. If it was really something that Hulta wanted to do though, Lolo wouldn’t pass up the opportunity. It would be together, and Marlowe liked the way that sounded. She liked the way that it felt when she said it, and the way she warmed when she thought about it. “Whenever,” she agreed, grinning at the ticklish reveal. Her eyes lit up playfully, and she stashed that knowledge in the back of her mind.

It was very difficult to separate the idea of a champion from the role that they were supposed to play fighting Hollow and protecting people. So, when Hulta reiterated it, and Lolo had an idea of the distance required, it was only natural that her mind filled with the chubby pigeon having epic races and aerial encounters with small flying Hollow in an attempt to protect the mail. She giggled at the idea. “You could?” Lolo tilted her head. She couldn’t even imagine what the training for that would look like, but it might be fun to watch. Certainly more fun than sending her family a letter, even a little postcard.

The elf’s sudden closeness drew Lolo in. She leaned to mirror it, much more excited by the second prospect. “Write you a letter? What would I say that I couldn’t tell you right here?” She chewed her lip thoughtfully, looking slightly down. Her whole body swayed, like a cat ready to pounce, “Actually, don’t tell me.” She didn’t have an idea, but she bet if she sat long enough she could come up with one. “Tell me more about this picture you want instead.” Marlowe grinned, lifting her brows and glancing up at Hulta from beneath them.

[TheFluffyOne]

Character Name: Hulta Elderfond
Date | Time: November 17th | Early morning
Location: The communications tower -> Small dovecot
Wearing: This
Tagging | Mentioning: Lolo |
Hulta beamed at Lolo and started to mentally plot out their trip. It wouldn’t take them that long. They could set out early on the Friday and be there for Sunday. Then spend all Monday on a tour which ends with them climbing the largest tree. Tuesday, start the journey home via as many local bakeries as they can cram in. Simples. It was all plotted out as Lolo watched her with a playful glint. “Yeah. Of course.” Hulta nodded as she agreed to training smidge. “It would only really take one time of her going back and forth with us for her to get used to it. She is a very smart bird.” Another knowing nod as if this was common knowledge.

Slowly, she matched the playful look that Lolo held in her eye. “I’m sure you could think of many a thing to tell me that you don’t wanna say in person.” She wriggled her eyebrows with a small cackle. Lolo swayed towards her and Hulta raised a finger to bop it lightly on the end of Lolo’s nose. “Your hat yesterday was glorious…but I sense that you can do better.” A stray leaf fluttered down between them and Hulta let a puff of air out her lips to send a ribbon of air to tempt the leaf away from them.

The air ribbon returned and moved to the loose curl by her cheek. Curling it with tenderness and a faint hum. “I am making it a personal challenge to see every one of the hats in your collection.” Her fingertips moved up to hover over the brim of Lolo’s beret. “This is pretty high up there on the cuteness scale.” Hulta’s fingers drop and brushed something from Lolo’s cheek with her thumb. Was there something there? No one will know as Hulta smiled at the other woman. “I can even return the favour. Take pictures of my favourite bakeries!” She nodded with a proud smile.

[Aethyrium]

Character Name: Marlowe “Lolo” Ashe
Date | Time: November 17th | Early Morning
Location: The Communications Tower -> Small Dovecot
Wearing: Black turtle neck, Sleeveless brown coat, Matching beret
Tagging | Mentioning: Hulta |
For a moment or two, Marlowe looked impressed that Smidge could be trained so easily. Then she looked a bit embarrassed and lowered her gaze away from Hulta directly and down to where their hands sat on their legs. She wasn’t sure what to think about a bird being smarter than her. Nor was she sure that she could - or should - express that. It was one thing to accept that you weren’t as smart as your peers, or even other people in general. But a bird? Intelligence wasn’t a trait that she attributed to the creatures. How smart could they be, they didn’t have plumbing. And yet a bird could make the trip back to her home like that, just being shown? She wasn’t sure she could make the trip back without help. In fact, that was the problem, she was sure that she couldn’t. She’d not even managed to make the one here without incident. “Wow, she must be incredible.” Lolo said, a tad deflated. What was Hulta - hell, what was anyone - going to think of her once they realized she wasn’t even bird smart.

Other topics restored her joy, though, and Lolo was able to tuck her feelings away for later. No one had to know Smidge was smarter than her if she didn’t tell anyone! After all, who was going to randomly ask? Artanis. She put that out of her mind too. It was a funny statement, because she really couldn’t think of anything. That was a benefit to being shameless. But also in being comfortable. Talking to Hulta, today, their date, and the day on the tree, had all come so easily. She felt at home with the elf, a comfort that she seldom felt outside of being with herself. Their energies just… Matched. But she figured if she dug deep enough she could find something. Or at least come up with something fun to start and then talk about in person.

Her nose wiggled behind the boop, and she smiled. Her brows lifted and she tilted her head slightly in a ‘welllll…’ gesture. “It is a very cute hat,” she agreed, but she was nodding the whole time, “But I do have much better ones.” They were her favorite accessory by far, though corsets were up there too. Lolo blinked, watching the leaf fly, confused for a moment, until she felt the delicate caress of… Something. A twitch of air, alive and holding her somehow. Her eyes widened as she looked at Hulta, trying to identify what - and how - she was doing what she was doing. “Well we’re going to have to spend a lot of time together if you want to see them all,” which was fine by her, because if these last few days were proof of anything, she couldn’t get enough time with this woman. “You like it? I bet it’d be cute on you.”

Lolo titled opposite the brush, pushing her cheek into Hulta’s thumb, smiling back at her. “Well that’s not fair,” she said in protest, “Then you’ll have pictures of me, and I’ll have pictures of places. Nope, if you want hat pics, you need to give me pictures of you with your favorite treats from each bakery.” Would she then turn around and make a list of things to entice the redhead with? Yes. Of course.

[Rainbae]

Character Name: Koko Gero
Date | Time: 11.12 | ~13:00
Location: Onyx Prairie, Western Quarter, Rhonda Wolff Coliseum
Wearing: Blue Sports Bra, Red Workout Pants and Blue Sneakers
Tagging | Chee @shengami, Dariaq @Eye of Horus  | none
Koko beamed with a smirk as the torrent of groans and jeers came flooding in from the crowd of participants. Most were familiar with Koko or simply just good sports and so no one got really mad and among the booing was a good bit of laughter. Koko turned her smug expression back to Dariaq as he questioned her. She chuckled with a very self satisfied, “Hehehe” as Chee introduced her. She'd somehow taken on an evil villain routine now and wasn't entirely sure how. It was probably her fault but either way she was running with it. She looked up at Dariaq and locked eye contact with him, not scared of the much taller elf. She crossed her arms and leaned in towards him a bit.

“Yea well just go on and be careful out there. Make sure you don't bang yer head on the startin’ gate Mr. Beanpole. Wouldn't want ya to get dizzy and fall inta that there pool and all with a doo like ‘at.” Koko jumped up again with her shimmer but this time instead of a high five she reached atop his head to ruffle his hair. She gave it a little tussle before landing down in front of him again with her hands on her hips now. “I mean, yer Ma clearly worked real hard on it this mornin’ and all. How long'd ‘at take ‘er? Two hours? Three? Wonder if she had time to pack yer lunch too?” Koko had a devilish look on her face as she grinned wide at Dariaq. Koko almost never read anyone well when it came to conversation. She could nearly never tell people's motives or intentions when they spoke and she never ‘got the vibe’. That being said a baked potato would’ve understood that Dariaq was the quipping type. And she was able to already tell just from barely interacting that a few jokes between them was fine. The pair shared one more devious look before Dariaq was called off for his run that was up soon.

“Little bit of elixir ‘fore a run. Don't mind if I do!” Koko happily and readily took the offer from Chee and downed several big gulps from his canteen. She didn't feel much but it tasted good. Everything Chee made seemed to taste good she'd discovered. “Ah that's good stuff Chi-Chi ya ought to bring that stuff ‘round to class every now and ‘en. Also don't you worry one lil bit Miss Koko came juiced right on up. Ain't gon let nothin’ ruin today.” She gave her friend back his canteen before turning towards the course.

She watched as runner after runner tried to make it up the wall. She was surprised with how much difficulty the field was having with the course. It was certainly hard but nothing most of these veterans couldn't bang out normally. And yet still she watched as some of the ninjas she knew the best had terrible times or failed altogether. Strange, she thought, perhaps the pressure of this being the finale was getting to them. Still there were a few shining through. And she was happy to see that Dariaq was one of them. It was much more fun for her when someone wasn't just all talk. His technique was solid and the way he used his body impressed her. And despite her earlier jabs she even cheered him on and got the crowd roaring with a chant of “Sy-va-ni-os! Sy-va-ni-os! Sy-va-ni-os!” And with the cheer she and Chee watched as he placed with the best time of the day so far.

“Hoooweee that boy can move. He’s got the reach of a monkey I tell you what. You gon be ok out there Chi-Chi? You reckon them lil arms of yours gon reach the spinners?” Koko continued to poke fun at her friend casually as they watched a few more runners go. Koko enjoyed immensely how easily she'd fallen in with Chee. It'd been less than a month that she'd known him and yet already she felt like they were two peas in a pod. She went to rib him some more but before she could get a word out her name was called. “Ah! Ready to witness greatness Chi-Chi? See you on the other side” Koko waved over her shoulder as she ran up to the start line.

Koko was always one to play up the crowd and today was no different. She did jumps and flips with the help of her shimmer to get them excited. She started a ‘Stomp Stomp, Clap” cheer among the audience by using her shimmer to make her stomps heavy and loud. The practically shook the steel structure that housed the course as she waited on the start platform. She was pumped and as the whistle went she burst out on to the course.

Koko wasn't the tallest, nor the fastest, nor the strongest. But the one advantage she did have on this course over all the other athletes was her experience with omnidirectional movement. Koko practically spent half her life floating in odd directions and traveling upside down. So when it came to swapping between the wheels not only did Koko not get disoriented as they moved but she also allowed them to bring her around and flip her upside down as they spun. She hooked another hold with her foot as she continued to use the wheel's rotations to her advantage. She was soaring up the wall when suddenly a grip she was sure she was timing correctly suddenly jerked back and she missed it. She stumbled a little bit but quickly recovered and finished her run. She took in deep breaths as her arms burned and she hit the buzzer. She looked up at the leaderboard, second only behind the elf from the earlier. Koko through her hands into her hair in frustration. What was worse was she was only a second behind him. If she hadn't messed up she would've won. Brushing off the defeat Koko cannonballed down into the water below and swam to shore to meet up with Chee.

[TheFluffyOne]

Character Name: Hulta Elderfond
Date | Time: November 17th | Early morning
Location: The communications tower -> Small dovecot
Wearing: This
Tagging | Mentioning: Lolo |
“She is. Very much a bird of mine, motivated by food…like her mama.” She grinned though her smile slipped an inch. Lolo seemed to shy in on herself, her gaze landing on her legs as she seemed to breeze over the conversation. The nose boop brought her back to life, maybe that was the trick. Hulta nodded violently as Lolo tapped her hat. “Better!” She gave Lolo a look of mock shock. “Of course. I need to see every last one…and then them all again.” The elf smirked and then her fingertips hovered over her hair. “I do not think a hat could rest on my head for long.”

Her hand against Lolo’s face held steadfast. Even as the woman push her cheek further into the soft brushes of her thumb. The temptation to just pinch her cheek like you would a baby, was growing with every second that she held her hand there. “I can do that….This better not be a plot to get me on a sugar rush.” She playfully narrowed her eyes and leaned towards Lolo. “You wouldn’t be able to keep up with me on that rush…I am speed.” Her eyebrows twitched once and Hulta let her fingers drift from Lolo’s face.

As much as she wanted to spend the entire day with Lolo, they still had classes to attend. Amber eyes flicked past Lolo towards the heavy-duty clock that sat high on the wall of the building across the courtyard. “You are in Professor Silk’s class with me, yeah?” Hulta asked, already knowing the answer. “Shall we walk together? You can describe the very best hat in your collection for me?” The red head swiveled on the bench and let her fingers move to Lolo’s, tugging her from the bench with an eager smile. She looped her arm with Marlowe's and the sound of crinkled leaves danced along with them to the class.

End Scene