[Sandbox] SAvAGeD Dormitory

[Aethyrium]

[Aethyrium]

[Eye of Horus]

Stats

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

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

Weapon Bonus:12

Character Name:Dariaq Syvanios
Date | Time: 05.01.1323 | Early morning
Location: Savaged dorm
Wearing: T-shirt and sleep shorts
Tagging | Mentioning: Koko Gero
Notes: Trust
“Shhh.” Dari hushed. “Okay now your other leg. Hey, don’t squirm, it’s not that ticklish.”

Getting up early and straight to work was, Dari was relieved to discover, a good antidote to the tumult of feelings that still dogged him after the Pinewatch mission. Being able to busy himself helping someone else worked even better - after all, when you felt you had something to prove after being torn down by a pack of hispo, you needed to hammer out weak links wherever you found them. That, and they were friends.

Helping Koko get her things in order for the day was becoming a well-worn routine. Dari’s circadian rhythm had adjusted to the early rise, so that now he didn’t even need to muffle the alarm clock under his pillow before tiptoeing past the gently-snoring Hulta and into Chee and Koko’s room. Chee already knew, or so Dari suspected - he was always tactfully up and gone by the time Dari arrived. He shook Koko awake, held her head and the glass of water for her while she choked down her pills, and did his best to silently hoist her up and carry her through to the bathroom. He still wasn’t exactly used to seeing her near-naked every morning, but familiarity was beginning to dispel any lingering awkwardness or eroticism from the act. If anything, he was developing a new respect for Koko at the intimacy of it - it was no easy thing to let someone else be your arms and legs while you waited for the meds to kick in. To let them see your scarred skin and touch you, while you were pain-wracked and helpless. Dari wasn’t sure if he could have brought himself to do the same, were the roles reversed. But he could help, and so he did.

Unfortunately, the new dormitory was interfering with his efforts. They had only been there a few nights, but Dari was already keenly aware of how small the shared bathroom was, despite it being their only real option for privacy. He currently had Koko wedged awkwardly into the shower cubicle, her back to the wall while he used the detachable showerhead to hose down her limbs one at a time.

“Okay.” he whispered as he stood, water spattered across his sleep shirt and shorts, to turn off the spray and hang the showerhead back in its cradle. Stretches were next. “Hands up.” He gently took Koko’s wrists to support them as she lifted them slowly above her head, grimacing all the while. “Ah, sorry!” he added as he accidentally poked her in the face with his elbow.

[Rainbae]

Stats

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

Terrain Affinity: Urban
Terrain Weakness: Artic
Element Affinity: Lightning
Element Weakness: Fire

Weapon Bonus:12

Character Name: Koko Gero
Date | Time: 01.05.1323 |
Location: Dorms
Wearing:  Undies -> Nothing -> Towel
Tagging | Mentioning: Dari
Notes: Trust
Koko groaned awake as her eyes shakily opened. There was crust around her eyes and as she reached to rub at them she felt the usual searing pain race up her forearm. It wasn’t even shocking for her anymore, not that she didn’t still hiss at the feeling. She scrubbed the sleep from her eyes to look up at the also drowsy looking Elven man beginning to hold her head. Wordlessly she took her pills and downed her pills unceremoniously. The monotony of it all had become numb to her in a way that she almost felt scared of. The fact that she was able to let this man lift her up and carry her like this had become comfortable and that was what scared her. She tried her best to keep her grunts of pain low as Dari picked her up off the bed. With all the internal hardware she was heavy but he tended to manage pretty good. Koko was always impressed with that. She tried her best to help here and there but every exertion of her muscles made shooting pain go up like it was slicing through her bones lengthwise.

Once they were in the bathroom Koko finally stopped holding her breath. Chee was never even around when they began this new ritual of theirs but still she felt like she had to keep quiet. There was an extra bit of awkwardness for Koko over Dari when it came to the bathing. She'd tried to do it herself when they'd first begun this ritual but they hadn't made it to class on time once when she did that. Eventually she acquiesced to the idea and let Dari help. Still, having him see her, all of her, while she felt like a meat sack. It wasn’t on the top of her list of favourite things to do. But to his credit he'd only been respectful, and she appreciated it. Not only did he not make it any more awkward than it needed to be, he more importantly never made her feel bad for needing the help. That part really stuck with her.

“Aaaahh- Fuck!! God dangit Curly wouldya watch where you're aimin’ those things?!” Koko breathed through clenched teeth as her arms were screaming at her like they were being ripped off. “Stop. Stop, stop, stop!! Let my arms down. This ain't gon’ work.” Koko hissed once more as Dari slowly lowered her arms. She rubbed at the flesh between her wrist bones. Anything to soothe the pain. She looked up at her friend, still only in a towel and sighed. “We gotta come up with somethin’ new. This just ain't big enough for us.” She groaned as she leaned herself forward a bit, reaching out towards Dari. She signaled for him to support her with an extended arm. Using his shoulder she lifted herself up wrapped in just her towel still. “Carry me on back to my room and I'll get some clothes on while we figure out a solution.” She almost grumbled the words at her frustration. Her mind burned with anger. Not at Dari, or the bathroom really. It was all aimed at herself. The fact that they had to go to such lengths and ridiculous methods just to get her up in the mornings made her blood boil. It made her feel useless and less than her teammates. She hung her head as she limped back to her bunk with Dariaq's help.

[Eye of Horus]

Stats

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

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

Weapon Bonus:12

Character Name:Dariaq Syvanios
Date | Time: 05.01.1323 | Early morning
Location: Savaged dorm
Wearing: T-shirt and sleep shorts
Tagging | Mentioning: Koko Gero
Notes: Trust
Dari backed off a step, biting the inside of his cheek as he dropped down onto his haunches and folded his forearms over his knees.

“We gotta come up with somethin’ new. This just ain't big enough for us.” Koko groaned as she leaned herself forward a bit, reaching out towards Dari. She signaled for him to support her with an extended arm. “Carry me on back to my room and I'll get some clothes on while we figure out a solution.”

As Dari did so, he couldn’t help but notice the rustles and bumps that denoted the other squires beginning to stir. Marlowe was no doubt already in the other bathroom, putting in the effort for the effortless look she would parade around for the rest of the day. Hulta would be rubbing the sleep from her eyes. He wondered vaguely what Thessa was doing.

Easing Koko down onto the bed and then stepping back to lean against the door, Dari chewed his cheek again. Between the bunk bed and the small wardrobe, there wasn’t much room in the bedroom either, even with Chee absent. More importantly, it didn’t have a lock - Dari had often caught Koko’s eyes flicking nervously towards the door whenever there was a sound from outside. He knew the feeling. A few days ago, stuck in the infirmary, it hadn’t mattered if the visitors were friends - he had had to bite back yelling at them to go away. Knowing you had failed was one thing, but having it reflected back in someone else’s eyes was always worse. Right now, he half expected Koko to shoo him out.

“Alright.” he said quietly, hoping a solution would come to him to follow the word, and finding himself disappointed. He shrugged, awkwardly sympathetic. “I dunno, Ko - looks like it’s either here or the common room.”

He stepped forward again and knelt down beside the bunk.

“Either way, squad still needs you.”

[Rainbae]

Stats

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

Terrain Affinity: Urban
Terrain Weakness: Artic
Element Affinity: Lightning
Element Weakness: Fire

Weapon Bonus:12

Character Name: Koko Gero
Date | Time: 01.05.1323 |
Location: Dorms
Wearing:  Towel -> Short Shorts and a Tank Top
Tagging | Mentioning: Dari
Notes: Trust
Koko sighed heavily as she rose from her bed shakily and shuffled over to her drawers. She slipped on a pair of panties before letting her towel fall and pulling one of her usual sports bras over her head. As she pulled her large swath of hair out from under the straps delicately she turned her head with a groan to look at him. She plopped back down onto the bed and clicked her tongue as Dari knelt beside her. His sympathetic look practically burned a hole through her chest. It made her simmer and shake. It was meant to be a kindness but it just felt like poison to her. She grimaced at his words. But he was right. With a nod Koko just added, “Yea, and I already made my peace with this. New team, new start. I ‘spose it ain’t do well to take that new start and try ‘n hide stuff.” Koko held the back of her neck as she rolled her head around. The drugs had begun to kick in and she could feel some level of relief coming to her but it would take a while still until she had a full range of non painful movement.

There was a moment where Koko laid back on her bed and splayed out. Her wild mane of hair fanning out like an umbrella around her on the bed. She stared at the bottom of Chee’s bunk above. What would he think? What would the others think? Marlowe? Lyra? Hulta? Especially Thessa and Estelle. She was certain there was an amount of something in the two of them that would be fine with her off the team. Seeing her this useless she wouldn’t be surprised if those two wondered why she was allowed to stay and others had to go. She couldn’t really blame them. But no, as quickly as the thought came she realized that wouldn’t happen. They weren’t those kinds of people. She wouldn’t abide by it anyways. She’d be shamed for a long time, probably forever for what she did the other night. Something told her the names of those seven soldiers would never leave her mind. They’d be constant reminders of what she’d done. She could swallow that, she had to. But she wouldn’t let anyone call her useless. If they thought lesser of her after seeing her like this she’d just have to prove them wrong, again and again if she had to.

Putting a hand on Dari’s crouched shoulder she used him like an anchor point to pull herself up off the bed once more. Once sitting upright again she just nodded to him. It was funny how she didn’t even consider what Dari would do. His support seemed unflinching no matter what. He would be putting himself out there too for helping her. That wasn’t lost on her. She ruffled his morning bed head into an even messier sort and then pushed up to stand. “Heh well I’d race you to the common room, but even I ain’t funny enough to make that a scene that just don’t look sad. Help me find some clothes though. I’m showin’ them my weakness, not my nudeness.” With Dari’s help Koko slipped on some athletic shorts and a loose fitting tank top. As Dari walked her over to the door he reached for the knob to open it for her but she stopped him. Grabbing his wrist gentle she pulled it away. She needed to be the one to do this. And so slowly she gripped it herself.

Her fingers touched against the cold steel knob. There was a moment of pause as the heat of her hand transferred into the metal, warming it. Her breath was shaky as she stared down at it. If she turned this knob there was no going back. Her hand shook, and more violently than normal even as her meds kicked in. “Never thought goin’ out to see my friends’d be so scary. Just shows how little I know'bout friendsain’t it? Haaa, alright let’s do it.” And with that Koko turned the knob and opened the door. There was sound coming from all the rooms around them as the others stirred for the morning. Koko instantly felt her body tense and then hissed in pain at the exertion. The common room was empty for the most part. Chee was off for his morning run. And it seemed like the rest of the team was busy getting dressed and what not but they would be out soon enough. She nodded to Dari. “Well let’s get it over with then.” As he helped her over to the large open space in between all the rooms.

[Eye of Horus]

Stats

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

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

Weapon Bonus:12

Character Name:Dariaq Syvanios
Date | Time: 05.01.1323 | Early morning
Location: Savaged dorm
Wearing: T-shirt and sleep shorts
Tagging | Mentioning: Koko Gero
Notes: Trust
Dari saw the spark of anger flash in Koko’s eyes, and immediately knew why. How dare he look at her like that? Like she was broken and deserving of pity? A bird with a broken wing, needing to be cradled? It wasn’t what she wanted people to see. It wasn’t what she was. She was as strong as any of them. She’s a champion who took down an Alpha, not the one who got buried under hispo thirty seconds later. He looked away, knowing he deserved the rebuke.

“Yea, and I already made my peace with this. New team, new start. I ‘spose it ain’t do well to take that new start and try ‘n hide stuff.”

Her words surprised Dari. He turned back as Koko slumped back onto the bed, her scarred arms and legs laid out. She went very quiet, just staring at the slats of Chee’s bunk above her head.

“Hey,” he warned, giving her ribs a very gentle punch. “Stop that. Sometimes your brain isn’t the one to listen to.” He smiled thinly. “Trust.”

Koko reached up and put a hand on his shoulder, levering her small frame back up into a sitting position.

“Are you sure?” Dari probed. “About not hiding, I mean?”

It sounded like a stupid question once it was out in the air. Who wouldn’t take it as a challenge? And yet, if he was honest with himself - Dari wasn’t sure if he would have had the determination to do the same, if it were him in Koko’s position. After all, hadn’t he dreaded the simple thought of anyone visiting him and Marlowe in the recovery room? Perhaps Koko wasn’t just as strong as he was, but stronger.

He would have to rectify that.

“Heh well I’d race you to the common room, but even I ain’t funny enough to make that a scene that just don’t look sad. Help me find some clothes though. I’m showin’ them my weakness, not my nudeness.”

Dari matched her ironic smile with one of his own. He let Koko’s hand slip from his shoulder as he went to the wardrobe and manoeuvred the door open. “Certainly.” he quipped, shunting aside some hangers and picking up some folded sportswear. “Will you be wearing the red and blue today or the blue and red?”

He helped her dress, and didn’t stop her when she pushed his hand away from the door knob. She had already proved her strength to him - now she needed the space to prove it to herself. He could see her hand trembling.

“Never thought goin’ out to see my friends’d be so scary. Just shows how little I know'bout friends ain’t it?”

It made Dari wonder just how much he himself knew. He parted his lips, then closed them again, realising that she probably didn’t want to hear Proud of you, Ko or any of that sappy shit. Presence was enough.

She nodded to Dari. “Well, let’s get it over with then.”

END SCENE

[Eye of Horus]

Stats

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

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

Weapon Bonus:12

Character Name:Dariaq Syvanios
Date | Time: 06.01.1323 | Evening
Location: Hammer Academy
Wearing: Hammer tracksuit
Tagging | Mentioning: Hulta Elderfond
Notes: Air mail
Dari’s trainers scrunched against the gravel path. His breath wrote white puffs into the air, streaming past his face as he fought with the thin air above the city. He kept the curtain wall as a solid grey cliff on his right side, the night wind screeching over it three metres above his head. Everything burned as he ran his circuit of the island - his chest, his legs - but the healing wounds on his neck and shoulders were the worst; gnawing as if the hispo were still on him, leaping and tearing at his back as he ran.

Dari hadn’t surrendered to them then. He wouldn’t surrender to their ghosts. He pushed himself to run faster, but as he approached the dormitory block he had to concede that the effort might be doing more harm than good. He slowed, cursing his own limits, and as he did so he spotted a familiar round, fluffy pigeon perched on one of the window sills. Smidge was hopping back and forth, occasionally flailing his wings for balance, and tapping at the glass with his beak.

“What the-?” Dari began to ask, then clapped a hand to his forehead as he realised the obvious - they had moved into their new dorm barely a week ago, quite possibly after Hulta had sent Smidge away with her last letter. He halted, panting, and put out his arm.

“Come on!” he called to the bird, wiggling his fingers. “I’ll take you to her.”

Smidge paused, his neck stretching one way and then the other as he appraised Dari from different angles. Dari rolled his eyes and fished the protein bar he had been planning to eat after the run out of his pocket. He broke off one end, and extended his arm again. Smidge watched him for a moment more, fluffed his feathers, and then flurried over with a noisy whistling of wings. He weighed almost nothing, his tiny claws barely pricking as he clung to Dari’s hand and began to attack the bar. As he did so, Dari noticed the small roll of paper attached to the bird’s leg.

“Hulta?” he called as he jogged into the Savaged squad dormitory a few minutes later, passing Chee and Koko who were playing a rowdy card game in the common room. “You here, ma biche?”

He shrugged his clasped dreadlocks over one shoulder and shunted open their bedroom door with the hand that wasn’t still holding Smidge. The visit from Hulta’s parents had gone…well, there were definitely ways it could have gone better, but if they were writing back with theories about the Mithril she was trying so hard to solve, it was sure to raise Hulta’s spirits. And together with the recent new equilibrium she seemed to have found with Marlowe, Dari was hopeful that it would drag his wing-partner out of the slump she had been in for the last few days.

“Special post!” he announced proudly as he toed the bedroom door closed behind him and held up Smidge like some kind of prize.

[Rainbae]

Stats

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

Terrain Affinity: Urban
Terrain Weakness: Artic
Element Affinity: Lightning
Element Weakness: Fire

Weapon Bonus:12

Character Name: Koko Gero
Date | Time: 01.07.1323 | Around Noon
Location: Dilemma's Door, Savaged Dorms
Wearing:  Comfy Weekend Clothes
Tagging | Mentioning: Lolo
Notes: Crazy Bed Head
Koko rubbed her neck as she paced in the common room. Her hair was a mess and generally she just wasn’t really put together. That was because she had spent the better part of the morning laying in bed thinking about this topic. She'd been thinking further than that even. For a few days she’d been thinking long and hard about this but it just wasn’t an easy thing to do. She felt embarrassed and anxious to be asking for this kind of thing but it felt necessary. She just didn't know Lolo like that yet was all. Still, Koko was determined. The whole team had seen her at this point, stretching in the mornings. She'd let that wall fall and be revealed to them. She had to keep making those steps. And so she slapped her own cheeks twice and approached the door to Dillemna's dorm room. She hesitated for just a moment before wrapping her nuckles twice on the wooden door. She wasn't sure if Lyra was out or not but she really hoped Marlowe answered the door. And much to her relief the dark skinned woman appeared as the door swung open.

Koko’s shoulder visibly relaxed for a moment before she scratched at the back of her head. “Uh hey there Lolo, fancy seein’ you here, ha…” Koko cringed at her own awkwardness. There was a small uncomfortable pause. It lasted a tiny bit too long until Koko cut in again. “Dang it, no. Look, I came by cause I need help and I reckon you specialize in exactly what I need.” She rubbed her neck, trying to push through every fibre of her being telling her to run, that showing weakness like this was bad. She had to unlearn that behaviour, that's all that was going through her head. “I…well it ain't no secret I don't talk so good. That much is evident. I'm about as charismatic as a bucket-a nails.” She expelled a short breath of air. “But I'm rustlin’ to change that. It's as clear as a bright summer's day you know how-ta talk to folks. Get ‘em likin’ you and such ya know? ‘Specially strangers and the like.” She offered a small smile with the compliment secretly hoping it might help with her offer. “I was hoping you might give me a pointer or two. Maybe teach me a couple-a moves to try out? If that ain't too much trouble…” Koko sighed heavily and slumped a bit, just happy to have gotten everything out properly.

She searched Marlowe's expression for a reaction but found herself coming up short. It just never made sense to her. “That and try and help figure folks out a bit more. I reckon I could read Dari's notes better than a person's face and them notes ain't pretty! I promise!” Koko giggled slightly. She didn't know the woman well enough to know how she'd react to this kind of thing. Their paths just hadn't crossed enough times for Koko to get closer to her. And that was part of the reason she was here too. So many of the things that interested Marlowe confounded Koko. She wanted to see it from her view too. That fact that it also was a chance for her to get closer to the woman was just a cherry on top. “Whaddya say?”

[Aethyrium]

Stats

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

Terrain Affinity: Forest, Mountain
Terrain Weakness: Desert, Aquatic
Element Affinity: Earth
Element Weakness: Water

Weapon Bonus: 12+2

Character Name: Marlowe Ashe
Date | Time: 01.7.1323 | Noonish
Location: Dilemma’s Room
Wearing: Black classy loungewear
Tagging | Mentioning: Koko |
Notes:
Lolo lay on her upper bunk, eyes closed, but not sleeping. Thoughts from the night before rumbled around in her head - and then more beyond them. Lyra had left sometime ago, to find Azir no doubt. It wasn’t like her to be lounging around, but there was a lot on her brain. It made her feel heavy and drained the will she typically had to go live life. Nothing was going to drag her out of it. Until there was a knocking on the door. Hulta? Lolo slipped from the bed, tossing herself effortlessly to the floor and opened the door to find… Not her whatever Hulta was. Lolo’s big red eyes flickered shut a few times in rapid blinks as she stared at Koko, “Hey,” she replied, curiously with a gentle head tilt.

“Me?” That was even more curious. What did she specialize in that Koko couldn’t get elsewhere? Probably better to. In a terribly untactful way, Lolo nodded in complete agreement with Koko’s self-assessment. If anything she had things to add! It was one of - mostly the - reasons that Lolo hadn’t put much effort into Koko. She was… Well she was a lot of things. But maybe worse was the things she wasn’t. “A move?” She blinked, brow tightening, “It’s not dancing, Koko.” Well, actually, it was, she realized, but not the way Koko was making it out to be. Lolo straightened up in the door frame, she reached high above her read with one hand and gripped the frame, giving her body a subtle arch that stretched her core and pulled open the front just a little to show off - not necessarily intentionally, but definitely in a Lolo behaves sexily as default sort of way.

While it was plenty curious, Lolo saw in Koko that deflated, defeated sigh. This was genuine. It was as much an opportunity to do what she wanted to do with Savaged as she could hope for, and so Lolo smiled and reached out with her free hand, brushing the smaller girl’s bare shoulder - even for someone like Koko, Lolo spoke in physical action. “Are they really that bad?” Lolo asked with a grin. Her fingers extended over the hump of Koko’s shoulder, and in answer she took the blonde by the shoulder and gave her a tug into the room, shutting the door behind them. All but throwing Koko into the center of the - well organized - room, Lolo spun Koko around so she could get a better eye of her. Immediately she was drawn to her hair.

“If you really want to change,” Lolo said, taking a few sauntering steps toward Koko, “You could put some effort into yourself.” She reached out and gave some of the tangled strands and flick, “People care about what they see. If you show them you don’t care, that’s what they’re going to think.” Her fingers pushed into some of the tangles and brushed gently back against them until they were caught, and Lolo lifted a brow at her teammate. “Haven’t you ever wanted everyone to stop and stare when you look into a room?”

[TheFluffyOne]

Stats

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

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

Weapon Bonus: 12+2

Character Name: Hulta Elderfond
Date | Time:06.01.1323 | Evening
Location: Hammer Academy
Wearing: Comfy clothes
Tagging | Mentioning: Dariaq Syvanios
The evening jog had been wearily rejected by a wave of her hand from the cluster of bedding. Her arms still stung from the deep bite but that wasn't her reason for missing the jog. She hadn't slept that night. A letter had arrived two days earlier, someone had found it with the other undelivered letters. Smidge had obviously headed home in silent protest that Hulta hadn't greeted her and given her treats. 

She had told them of what happened at the year's end and also snuck in that she had mending the burnt bridge with Marlowe. The reply hadn't been what she wanted. She knew their individual handwriting. While it was normally her mother who wrote the letters with her father normally signing his name. She knew that he was busy, far too busy to write back but her mother told her that she would read the letters to her father every time they arrived. She liked to imagine them sitting down for morning cake and reading her words out loud. Making notes together of how to reply or other questions they had. But those nice ideas were now crowded with anger looks and disapproving tuts.

She could hear someone calling her name. It was muffled by the pile of covers that hid her from the rest of the world. She needed the time hidden away in her own little cocoon. The door to their room opened and Dari's voice sliced through the darkness. With a faint grumble, she caterpillar shuffled out of the covers and a mess of red curls sprung to life. "Oh" Her eyes lit up as she stretched out towards Smidge. Leaving her resting in Daris hand as she unthread the note and scratched a single finger at Smidge's neck.

"There are some sunflower seeds in the pouch by the mirror...can you give her some?" Normally, she would be bouncing off the bed. Covering the desk in seeds and then greedily reading her letter on the edge of the bed. Not now. Now, she was flumped on her side. The letter still in its rolled form as if she didn't want to read it. Hulta stared at the ceiling and counted the pattern of diamonds, she could see in the cracks. Anything was better than more disappointing words.

[Rainbae]

Stats

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

Terrain Affinity: Urban
Terrain Weakness: Artic
Element Affinity: Lightning
Element Weakness: Fire

Weapon Bonus:12

Character Name: Koko Gero
Date | Time: 01.07.1323 | Around Noon
Location: Dilemma's Door, Savaged Dorms
Wearing:  Comfy Weekend Clothes
Tagging | Mentioning: Lolo
Notes: Crazy Bed Head
Koko was confused at Marlowe’s surprise. It genuinely boggled her brain. Was there something there that also was going over her head? Koko could honestly say she didn’t know anyone better for this kind of thing. Why Marlowe would be surprised at Koko coming to her from this evaded the girl. Still, she didn’t seem immediately turned off from the notion and that filled Koko with a bit of relief. “Yea you. Why not you? Have you met you? You is pretty good at this far as I reckon.” Koko smiled that kind of half smile half smirk that betrayed it was meant to be a bit teasing but also was a genuine compliment. It was met with hopeful eyes that perked up even further as the taller woman put a hand on her shoulder. There was much discordance between Koko and Lolo on a lot of things but one thing they were truly aligned on was their ability to feel and speak through physicality. She let her shoulders slump as Marlowe’s fingers curled around it and pulled her into the room. A lot of the stress of the situation fell away as she took the invitation as acceptance.

“Ya ain’t ready for them I promise you! You’d think the boy spoke a different language or somethin'…which I guess is actually true.” Koko said with a giggle as she was led into the room. She noted the cleanliness of their room once she stepped inside. She wondered if it was due to Lyra or Lolo’s influence, both she supposed could be true. Her immediate thought would be the smaller elf as nothing about her seemed out of place ever. Still, the same could be said about Marlowe as well Koko thought. The thought came right as Lolo’s words rang out in her ears and she processed them. She looked down at herself, hand reaching up to pull the bottoms of a few stray strands of hair into her view. Her split ends were bad, and her hair dye was messy and uneven. Her hair hadn’t been washed in a few days and the last time a comb or a brush had graced it was lost to her memory. Probably the ball if she had to guess, before that she had no idea. The contrast between that and Marlowe’s well groomed luscious locks was stark.

She nodded slowly at what Marlowe said, “I…I definitely have. Shit if I had to guess ‘bout seventy percent of what makes me up is there to get folks lookin’.” She twirled the strands a few times before dropping them and giving a half hearted shrug. “Guess I just never stopped to think exactly what kind-a attention I was rustlin’ up.” She sucked in a breath as Marlowe’s fingers pulled on her knotted hair slightly. There was a small twinge of pain but really it was more so just the embarrassment at the incredibly obvious demonstration of how bad her self care had been. “It ain’t that I don’t care though. I just find it hard to think people will really see me an’ all, I guess?” She said the statement like a question, not even really sure herself. Her brow furrowed as she tried her best to communicate the idea. “Ya know I focus on the big wow! The brightest thing that’ll get people in and lookin’. It sort of uh…helps ‘em skip over the usual barriers to entry so to speak.” She scratched at her cheek realizing this was probably a prime example of exactly why she was here seeking this advice. She was no communicating incredibly effectively.

“I just ain’t really know how to do things the normal way too? I reckon that probably don’t help none. Only time I’ve looked nice is when her highness over yonder gave me a hand with it for the ball.” She jerked her head to the side to gesture towards Lyra’s bunk just beside them. Koko really took Marlowe in now and considered things. Even in both of their casual staying in attire Marlow looked like a thousand bucks. Meanwhile Koko was probably a buck fifty on a good day. That was good though, she could work with that advice. A bit of energy surged into Koko at the thought, maybe this wasn’t going to be as daunting of a task as she had thought. “So alright, buy a comb, get to usin’ it. That I can do. What’s next, oh wise mentor?” Koko giggled and did a bow with her hand pressed together jokingly as she spoke in a silly voice. She gave the brawler a wink and stood much more relaxed, clearly a lot of the jitters had shaken free even if Koko was generally feeling down about herself.

[Eye of Horus]

Stats

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

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

Weapon Bonus:12

Character Name:Dariaq Syvanios
Date | Time: 06.01.1323 | Evening
Location: Hammer Academy
Wearing: Hammer tracksuit
Tagging | Mentioning: Hulta Elderfond
Notes: Remembering
"There are some sunflower seeds in the pouch by the mirror...can you give her some?"

Dari turned away to do so, hiding his frown. Normally Hulta would jump to do such a thing herself. Then again, they were partners now - perhaps she knew she could trust him with her feathered companion. Or perhaps she was just tired.

Smidge hopped down onto the table as he opened the seed packet, flapping her wings for balance. Dari palmed a few of the bright black seeds onto the table.

“I wonder if she’d like the toasted ones.” he joked as the pigeon began to peck up the food. Puffed sunflower seeds glazed in honey were available in bodegas all over Onyx, and Dari hadn’t been able to get enough of them since his arrival in the city.

He looked back at Hulta, and saw his partner staring listlessly at the ceiling, the letter unopened in her hand. Dari left Smidge to her grazing and crossed the small room to lean his folded arms on the upper bunk.

“You know,” he said, “I used to worry that I’d failed my parents all the time. When I was nine, I cut my palm open on a training blade, trying to copy a manoeuvre I saw Mother do once. We were still training with staffs then; I wasn’t even supposed to be near the blades. I bled all over the floor, but it wasn’t the pain or the blood that scared me - it was the thought of That’s it, Mother’s going to look at me and think I’m a screw-up. Weak. Can’t follow instructions. Not worth the name.”

He rested his chin on his arms as he looked at Hulta.

“But you know what Mother said? You’re not a warrior yet, Dariaq. You’re still learning how to stand. And then she taught me how to hold the glaive right. After she’d finished yelling at me, of course.” He smiled. “They’re hard on us sometimes, parents. But they do love us. And they will show it, in the end.”

[Aethyrium]

Stats

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

Terrain Affinity: Forest, Mountain
Terrain Weakness: Desert, Aquatic
Element Affinity: Earth
Element Weakness: Water

Weapon Bonus: 12+2

Character Name: Marlowe Ashe
Date | Time: 01.7.1323 | Noonish
Location: Dilemma’s Room
Wearing: Black classy loungewear
Tagging | Mentioning: Koko |
Notes:
“You really shouldn’t call her that,” Lolo said, glancing back at the bed Koko motioned to. Lyra’s reaction to such nicknames had never gone well. “The ball might have been a little fancy for daily doing, but it’s probably going to take more than just a comb.” She swayed in place and gave Koko another once over. She couldn’t track exactly what the blonde had meant by ‘usual barriers to entry’ or why she’d think people wouldn’t really see her. Lolo hummed quietly.

“You can’t do big things all of the time, Koko.” It was unsustainable, even she recognized that. “And that kind of thing is just as likely to scare people off as it is to draw them in.” How could she put this in a more grokable way? Unfortunately, explanation was rarely Lolo’s strong suit. “It’s like, shooting a gun all wild. Maybe you hit your target, maybe you hit your friends. You’ve got no control.” She shrugged, it was the best she was going to come up with.

Lolo took a slow step to the side and began to circle Koko, putting out a hand to make sure the hairbrain in her didn’t try to follow her as she did so. “If you want people to look, you need to make them want to look. You’ve got everything you need to make them do it, just got to put in the effort.” And maybe stop some of her more annoying habits. “Well, if you really want to learn, the best place to do it is out on a date.” She said with a nod.

“Take off your clothes,” Lolo said, and without missing a beat she reached up to the tie that held her strained shirt together. A little pluck undid the gentle knot and the two halves fell open, bearing her chest to Koko. Without even a second thought, Lolo rolled her shoulders and let the shirt start to fall off of them, but she had to tug the sleeves off over each of her wrists deliberately to get it off and give it a toss toward her bed.

[Rainbae]

Stats

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

Terrain Affinity: Urban
Terrain Weakness: Artic
Element Affinity: Lightning
Element Weakness: Fire

Weapon Bonus:12

Character Name: Koko Gero
Date | Time: 01.07.1323 | Around Noon
Location: Dilemma's Door, Savaged Dorms
Wearing:  Comfy Weekend Clothes -> Topless -> Nothing
Tagging | Mentioning: Lolo
Notes: Crazy Bed Head
Koko stood with hands on her hips as Marlowe looked her over. The eyes of such a pretty girl taking such a dissecting look at her body would normally have done a number on her. But within the context of the scenario she at least understood why Lolo was appraising her in such a way, keeping the blush at bay for now. She had literally asked for it after all. And so she tried her best to exude confidence even while her methods and usual demeanor were being torn to shreds. She let out a mournful sigh as Marlowe hit the nail on the head. “Yea, I ‘spose I’ve fired that gun a few times. Few times too many I reckon.” She gave a small mock salute that actually looked a bit more realistic now that she had been forced to learn how to actually do a salute recently. “But that’s why I’m here, reportin’ for duty at Lolo’s trainin’ camp!” She giggled, “And I’m hopin’ target practice is on the menu?” She said , taking the analogy all the way to its silly conclusion. She ended it with a slight raise in her voice, posing it as a question.

Marlowe’s hand had been needed as Koko almost went to follow her gaze. Seeing the universal sign for stand still wasn’t exactly something Koko always abided by but she stood still and let herself be studied. She nodded and made ‘Mmm’ sounds of acknowledgement as she continued. “And I’m willin’! Just need me a guidebook so to speak.” She continued to nod her head along as she closed her eyes now. “Oh yea? That sounds like a treat! So target practice it is! I can take a few practice shots out there in the real world. Try an’ land a shot with supervision.” She said, still nodding. “Right, right. Take off my…Wait what!?!” Koko, suddenly knocked from her reverie of continued acknowledgement, shot her eyes open and was suddenly shocked to have a face full of dark coloured breasts. She shook her head frantically, and blinked rapidly, trying to see if she was seeing things.

“Hey!! Woah now! I-...Isn’t this supposed to happen after the date?!” She said, very confused and deflecting with a joke as was usual for her. On a normal day Koko was very fine and unbothered by nudity. But the surprise attack had taken her…well by surprise. She rubbed at her cheeks and chuckled a bit, trying to regain her cool. “Shit, I know I said target practice but warn a girl before you bring out the big guns next time.” After a few moments of gathering up the composure she had spilled all over the floor and reattaching her jaw that had also fallen down there Koko let out an amused puff of air and followed suit.

The fluster had faded and a bright smile returned to her face. Not being shy either, Koko pulled her big heavy sweater up over her head. She had to tug a bit in a few directions to get her giant mop of hair through. Once off Koko too was naked from the waist up. Her chest wasn’t the most impressive thing, Marlowe definitely had her beat, but it fit her frame nicely. And they definitely weren’t big enough to distract from the other thing that became visible. The various access panels and mechanical implants on Koko’s body could be seen now shining in the light of the room. Almost certainly not the first time Lolo had caught a glimpse of them but probably the first time she had seen them so bared. They drew your eye even if you didn’t want them to.

Koko stood confident showing her chest off. She was proud of it. There was even part of her that liked having people see her. She had grown the damn things herself, they better be worth looking at, she thought to herself. Then her eyes dipped lower and she froze. “Uh…were ya wantin’ the whole thing? That’s um…” She paused, her voice faltering. Part of her thought back to Lyra now that she was in this predicament. She had remembered the girl recalling to her that Marlowe had seen her scars first. She had been positive about the interaction. That Lolo had broached the topic well and hadn’t turned her nose up at her. She wondered if she would do the same for her. To say Lyra and Lolo’s relationship was different than the one her and Lolo shared was an understatement. Part of her was really telling her to cut her losses and run here. But there was a stronger part that wanted to change. And this was a trial she had to push through to change so be it. Anyways, she had bared this part of her for all of Swagger to see once upon a time. If anything this was overdue.

And so much more timidly and slowly Koko shimmied her pants down her legs, kicking them off as they bunched around her ankles. Her hands went up to hover just below her panties and try to hide things, but it was futile. She let out a shaky and anxious breath as she took a few more deeper ones. She paused to look up at Marlowe before dropping her vision again and looping her thumbs into her waistband and pulling her panties down too. The mutilation Koko had done to herself once upon a time as a child was plain for Marlowe to see now. The surgical cuts and the bubbled burn scars around the tops of her thighs reaching around towards her groin were hard to miss. “Sorry if uh…its not a pretty sight an’ all.” She scratched at the back of her head and slouched, the confidence from earlier having been all but sapped away.

[Aethyrium]

Stats

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

Terrain Affinity: Forest, Mountain
Terrain Weakness: Desert, Aquatic
Element Affinity: Earth
Element Weakness: Water

Weapon Bonus: 12+2

Character Name: Marlowe Ashe
Date | Time: 01.7.1323 | Noonish
Location: Dilemma’s Room
Wearing: Black classy loungewear
Tagging | Mentioning: Koko |
Notes:
Marlowe smirked at Koko. It’d be easy to say that Koko wasn’t her type, but that implied that Marlowe’s type was deeper than ‘has a pulse’. She couldn’t help herself when the corners of her lips curled upward, not just at the appreciation Koko showed by gawking at her body, but also in amusement. “Happens whenever I want,” she taunted, taking a step closer. In the zone, Lolo was terribly easy to provoke into action. Lolo didn’t back off at all as Koko pulled her shirt off, and instead dropped her scarlet gaze downward to peer down Koko’s chest and front. Before Koko even asked the question, Lolo’s fingers were already at the edge of her pants and she was working them past the wide curve of her hips. “Yes,” she said with a little nod, “The whole thing.”

Hooking both thumbs into the waistband, she gave a slow tug, peeling the stubborn stretch of fabric away from her hips. The motion exaggerated the swell of her hourglass figure, the fabric clinging for a moment before sliding over the curve of her lower back. Her fingers traced downward along her sides as she worked the pants lower - not just dropping them, but guiding them, controlling the descent like a slow tease. She began to lower herself in front of Koko, gradually, deliberately. For a breathless moment, it looked like she might sink to her knees. The air shifted, tight with heat and suggestion. Her eyes stayed locked on Koko’s face, daring her to assume anything.

Then, just as the curve of her ass arched backward, framing her silhouette like the edge of a dark horizon at dusk, she straightened up again - smooth as a tide coming in. Pants in hand, she tossed them carelessly aside to join the shirt she’d already discarded. “Come on now,” she said, stepping in close - too close. The words were low, almost playful, but carried a weight behind them. No invitation, just expectation. She pressed in, breast to breast, the warmth of her skin a deliberate boundary-breaker. Her voice dropped a note, dark and coaxing, with a hint of challenge, “Take them off.”

When finally freed from the shackles of clothing, Lolo blinked at the apology. A step backward, and she really took in Koko’s form - which had not actually been the purpose, just a perk. As her eyes drifted over her, very slightly, smaller teammate, Lolo absorbed what she was seeing. It wasn’t like Koko hid her adaptations, but this was Lolo’s first time really seeing them - and the scars that came with them. She wanted to compare Koko to Lyra, and immediately she could understand why Koko might feel like people might not want to see her.

But it wasn’t the battered body that stunned Marlowe. It was the penis.

Lolo couldn’t help herself. She stared. And she blinked. Many times in Marlowe’s life she had been confused, but she had never been this confused. There were all sorts of questions in her head - and none of them were graceful. Which was delightful irony, even if she wasn’t aware enough to acknowledge it. Marlowe tilted her head to the side, transfixed, like her brain was short circuiting - just an absolute failure to compute. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t find a way to ask… Anything. And did it matter? Anything she said was likely to make Koko feel more out of place than she clearly already was - and that went against Lolo’s whole agenda. The reason she accepted helping Koko in the first place was to bring her in, to be that thing she didn’t want to be called anymore.

“Let’s go,” Lolo announced, breaking the ‘trans-fixing’ spell the revelation had cast over her. She reached and took Koko’s wrist, and marched her right out of the room, and into the associated bathroom, locking them inside. Lolo leaned up against the door for a moment, hands tucked behind her, and she once more peered over Koko and then all of her things. “Okay,” she said, pushing off and starting the shower. “Your hair isn’t that much different from mine,” she commented once the water was going, “So we’ll start with this,” Lolo went for a wide toothed comb and turned Koko around to face the mirror, taking up position behind her so she could start to brush it out. “What brought all of this on, anyway?” Lolo peeked past Koko and looked at her in the mirror, “You’ve always seemed happy just doing your own thing.”

[TheFluffyOne]

Stats

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

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

Weapon Bonus: 12+2

Character Name: Hulta Elderfond
Date | Time:06.01.1323 | Evening
Location: Hammer Academy
Wearing: Comfy clothes
Tagging | Mentioning: Dariaq Syvanios
Hulta kept her eyes on the ceiling, tracing over the paint strokes that she swore she could see. She could hear the movement. The opening of the packet, the clattering of Smidge’s claws on the wooden table and Dari’s pondering. Toasted ones. Smidge would attempt to eat anything that she could. With Hulta having to frequently wrestle pastries out of her mouth when she snatched them from Hulta, thinking that the red headed elf wasn’t looking. Like Hulta was every truly not looking when sweet treats were involved.

The letter felt like a weight in her hand. She didn’t want to lift it. She didn’t even want to acknowledge it. Slowly, Dari crept a little closer and Hulta let her head lol towards him. Like it was controlled by a string. She listened. Carefully. It almost felt like a pop quiz was going to come after this. She blinked slowly. Perhaps there was another meaning to the story. ‘You’re still learning how to stand’ That would have been nice to hear from time to time as a child. She wasn’t steady on her feet yet. She needs to stand properly before she can fight. So many expectations were placed on her shoulders.

‘They do love us. And they will show it, in the end’. Hulta hummed a soft note as he smiled at her. “I know. I…I just wish that it didn’t feel so difficult all the time.” Sighing deeply, she pulled the letter up to her face. The seal was still intact. Smidge had bounced over one of the small boxes on the desk and was now searching for more sunflower seeds. Hulta broke the seal and scanned over the letters. She did sometimes read them out to Dari. She wanted to check this one first before reading it aloud.

As she unfurled it, another small fluttering white piece of paper landed on her chest. Another letter. She hummed a note of annoyance but read out snippets of the letter. “Smidge has been ever so hungry when she arrived, I do think she would appreciate some more seed in her daily diet. Regarding your previous letter, we will take it into consideration but please do not wait for that letter of approval, Hulta. It may never come, I will discuss things with your father again.” Hulta’s jaw tensed as she skipped over a few more sentences.

“Oh” She tutted and turned her head towards Dari. “Please do tell Dariaq that we have written to his mothers and told them of how gloriously he is progressing.” Hulta flicked the letter a little. “He is such a pleasant young elf and will do brilliantly as a Champion. We have informed his parents of such” Hulta rolled her head back to the place it had been originally. The other letter resting on her chest. “The last letter was all about Thessa.”

[Rainbae]

Stats

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

Terrain Affinity: Urban
Terrain Weakness: Artic
Element Affinity: Lightning
Element Weakness: Fire

Weapon Bonus:12

Character Name: Koko Gero
Date | Time: 01.07.1323 | Around Noon
Location: Dilemma's Door, Savaged Dorms
Wearing:  Comfy Weekend Clothes -> Topless -> Nothing
Tagging | Mentioning: Lolo
Notes: Crazy Bed Head
Koko gulped in anticipation as Marlowe seductively slipped out of her pants as well. The woman was a snake charmer no doubt and the woefully inexperienced engineer her reptile to toy with. Her eyes were wide with amazement as she tried all she could not to stare, unsuccessfully. She almost yelped as the fabric of Lolo’s pants stuck and then jumped down her curves, revealing the swell of her rear suddenly and all at once. And despite her attempt to be very professional there was nothing she could do to stop her body from reacting as Lolo descended practically to kneel in front of her as she stood there naked. It was only by the grace of the brothers, or perhaps the fact that her blood had run completely cold, that she didn’t pop a full on boner right then and there, even if her cock did twitch slightly under her baggy fluffy pants. It was the movement of Lolo’s hair falling over her shoulders that snapped her from her reverie and brought her up to lock eyes with the woman. Not that staring into her deep, tempting and alluring gaze was much better for her but at least she was no longer staring at the luscious curve of her naked hips.

The reprieve she found only lasted a moment however. As Lolo broke the space between them like it wasn’t even there. The space Koko hadn’t even realized had been holding all her cool headedness. She shivered at the sultry tones of the curvy woman’s voice. Her face went red as her body touched Lolo’s. It was only by coming to the realization of what revealing her whole body would mean that the blush left her face. The colour faded from her quickly as arousal flipped on its head to become fear and anxiety. Suddenly the pressing of Lolo's breasts against her own paled in comparison to the spotlight her brain imagined at the gruesome sight Koko viewed her legs as. She saw the look of confusion dawn on Lolo’s face. Despite what this entire encounter was for, Koko’s lack of ability to spot such things, being ever present it was the fact that she was watching for exactly that kind of expression to form upon the woman’s face. She felt cold, so very cold, despite the incredible heat Lolo’s naked form gave off beside her.

Her hand went up to scratch at her cheek. “If uh, you’re wondering what in the hell happened I can tell you the story.” She said as she let one of her hands go down and begin tracing a line across one of her scars, feeling the bumps of the bubbles caused by the burns. “I told everyone in Swagger, all yall from Gravity got a right to know far as I’m concerned. Not that I’m goin’ ‘round all willy nilly lookin’ to share it but…if we’re gon’ be teammates an’ all I gotta be able to trust this much right?” She posed it as a question but wasn’t really expecting or hoping for an answer. And so instead of giving space to do so she pushed forward. “Maybe another time though. We got us a full bingo card for the night I reckon eh?” Koko said with a smile, trying to make light of the feelings she was having at the moment. “Soooo what now?” Koko said before Lolo answered by grabbing her wrist, not missing a beat, and whisked her away.

Once in the bathroom Koko’s heart had slowed down considerably. The freight train of her mind had been chugging at RPMs not matched in her in a while. And while she was trying to think around the situation in every possible way there was, there were pretty much only two reasons a girl asked you to get naked she could realistically think of. It let escape a sigh of relief as she realized getting dolled up was the answer. It was odd, how teasing from Lolo made her brain move faster and somehow Mir’s advances slowed it to a crawl. However thoughts of why that was certainly fell into the category of ‘thoughts for future Koko’. She brushed them aside as she grabbed at her hair in the mirror as Marlowe closed the door, and subsequently took another full bodied stare down of Koko. It really was a rat's nest in the morning like this. She couldn’t stop a smile from forming on her lips as Marlowe took her hair in her hand and began combing through it. The gesture was so friendly and chummy that Koko instantly felt any kind of reservations she had slip away.

“Welllll…A few reasons I reckon. I ‘spose the situation with the convoy really put ‘er up front n’ center for me though.” She cringed at both having to mention her failure and at the tinge of pain caused as the comb got stuck in one of her endless knots. “If I had just been able to see her…see more than what I thought I was seein’...” ᴱˡᵉⁿᵃ⁻ᶠˡᶦⁿᵗ⁻ˢᶦˡᵃˢ⁻ᶜᵉˡᵉˢᵗᵉ⁻ᴮʳᵃⁿᵈᵒⁿ⁻ᴺᶦⁿᵃ⁻ᴱᶻʳᵃ played on repeat in her mind as she trailed off, not finishing the thought. “But uh, yea its been in my rear view for too long now. So many times I end up causing a scene or making a thing that coulda been nothin’ into somethin’ just cause I can’t get what people are thinkin’.” Memories of Koko bulldozing her way through the back and forth that Maria and Satin had been developing came to the forefront of her mind. “I just…I don’t wanna be such a fool no more. Especially when its now threatenin’ to take things I care ‘bout away…” She fought not to let any tears fall as images of Estelle’s lifeless body falling from the truck just before she herself passed out came to her mind.

After a moment she pressed the conversation forwards. “You say I like doin’ my own thing but you ain’t seen me longer than a few months right? I reckon this is my thing. ‘Mount-a times I went and reinvented myself can’t be counted on just two hands.” She turned to look at Marlowe now, a rather sincere look on her face. “But this the first time I’ve gon’ an’ tried to get me some help. So uh, thanks for agreein ‘n all” She blushed a bit at being so straight forward with the woman. No deflection and no trying to talk around the issue. Even if her way of speaking was practically deflecting enough as it was. “‘Spose I can ask you the same question. This all…” She gestured around at the various beauty products and tools that freely took up most of the space in the Dilemma-Adulate bathroom. “...don’t seem like something you just come upon. You just born with a predisposition to bein’ perfect all the time? Or there somethin’ else there?” As they spoke steam began to waft from the small shower cubicle that had been heating up.

[Aethyrium]

Stats

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

Terrain Affinity: Forest, Mountain
Terrain Weakness: Desert, Aquatic
Element Affinity: Earth
Element Weakness: Water

Weapon Bonus: 12+2

Character Name: Marlowe Ashe
Date | Time: 01.7.1323 | Noonish
Location: Dilemma’s Room
Wearing: Black classy loungewear
Tagging | Mentioning: Koko | Chee
Notes:
One of the worst things about Lolo was, sometimes, one of the best. It wasn’t that she wasn’t curious, but Marlowe very seldom cared enough to pry about anything. If Koko wanted to share, if she had just volunteered the information because she wanted to? Lolo would have listened and that probably would have been fine. But since Koko didn’t, Lolo let it be just as easy as that. Besides the scars really were the least quizzical part of what she had witnessed.

As the comb hit a tangle that she couldn’t just power through, Lolo paused and reached up with her other hand to begin manually plucking it aside. This was going to take forever. “You need to do this everyday,” Lolo said with a small huff, “It’ll be easy, once you keep up on it.” Hair could only get so tangled in one day - she should know! She reached past and grabbed a bottle, spritzing Koko’s hair with a water based product to give it some moisture and continued her combing.

Hearing about the convoy situation had not done Koko - or Chee - any favors in Lolo’s book. But not because they had done something everyone described as wrong, but because they had stood in opposition to Thessa. Not that Lolo felt like Thessa could never be wrong, or go unchallenged, but the situation had been presented very black and white - or at least she had taken it that way. Thessa and Estelle were doing good, Koko and Chee were doing bad, ergo they should have listened to Thessa. Leave it to Lolo to boil the world down to such simplicity. “I can’t teach you to be a mind reader,” Lolo remarked quietly, not sure she was following what Koko was saying. Learning how to socialize wasn’t going to magically make her better under pressure.

The idea that this was how Koko was going about living hadn’t occurred to her. Lolo paused for a moment and thought about that. She supposed it was true that she only knew Koko from mostly distant observation in a short time. But people didn’t regularly change either. “That sounds…” Lolo resumed combing, tightening her brow, “Maybe people don’t see you, because they don’t know what they’re looking at.” Lolo shrugged slightly. “We’re a team,” she cooed affectionately.

Stage one of combing complete, Lolo set the bottle down and gave Koko a nudge toward the shower. “I’m not sure what you mean,” Lolo said, following Koko into the shower and beneath the streams of water. She immediately pushed Koko’s head beneath and pointed her fingers, giving it a slow rub to make sure it all got nice and saturated. “Before I came to Hammer, I was living with Onyx’s elite. Can’t go around having bad hair when you’re dining with some of the most important people in the city.” Though there was more truth to it - Koko had kinda nailed it. “Besides, who wants to look or be average? I could have stayed in Evergreen if that’s what I wanted.”

Lolo found a bottle of product - an expensive product that she wasn’t sure how she was going to replace - and dumped some of the precious little left in the bottle into her hands, and went to work on Koko’s head. “I don’t think I understand how making people like you is going to fix the problem you’re talking about,” Lolo continued, “But we’ll figure it out.” She smiled and leaned over, past Koko’s shoulder, and kissed her cheek.

[Eye of Horus]

Stats

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

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

Weapon Bonus:12

Character Name:Dariaq Syvanios
Date | Time: 06.01.1323 | Evening
Location: Hammer Academy
Wearing: Hammer tracksuit
Tagging | Mentioning: Hulta Elderfond
Notes: Are ye dancin’?
She hmm’d. She spoke with more courage than faith. She sighed. But she did open the letter.

“Please do tell Dariaq that we have written to his mothers and told them of how gloriously he is progressing.”

Dari felt a flush prickle his cheeks. He had tried very hard to present himself well to Hulta’s parents, and by extension make her look good too. Knowing that he had succeeded, and that Mother and Mum knew it too, made him feel shy in a way that he wasn’t used to.

“As if there was any doubt!” he smiled, covered his discomfort by preening. As he swept imaginary dust off his sleeve, Hulta followed up with:

“The last letter was all about Thessa.”

Dari gave her a sharp look. They wrote back about Thessa first!?

“Are you messing with me?” he demanded, narrowing his eyes. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time. He turned to make sure that Smidge had enough sunflower seeds. “Thessa can be charming, I suppose.” he allowed as he turned back. And then, because a champion shouldn’t tell half-truths: “A fine traditional elf.”

Perhaps it was the wrong truth for the occasion, he considered as he looked down at the strip of parchment lying flat on Hulta’s stomach, her thumb toying with the end while she lay looking at the ceiling. Thessa was indeed a fine elf. And Dariaq Syvanios of course was the finest elf of all. But who wanted to hear that when their letters were full of admonitions?

Smidge needs some more seed in her diet, as if she couldn’t be trusted to look after her own pet. Do not wait for that letter of approval, as if she should calibrate her expectations of herself. Was it Marlowe they spoke of, Dari wondered. Or something else dear to Hulta’s heart? He knew instinctively that now was not the time for such a question. Now was the time to remind his partner that she, too, was a fine traditional elf.

Dari’s ears pricked up as he realised: it was Saturday. He looked down at Hulta, who had arched a gull-wing eyebrow at the smile spreading across his face like a dastardly promise.

“We’re going out.” he declared. “You and me. Thirty minutes. Wear something…” He paused, considering what wouldn’t give the game away too completely. “...floaty.”

Continued here

[Rainbae]

Stats

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

Terrain Affinity: Urban
Terrain Weakness: Artic
Element Affinity: Lightning
Element Weakness: Fire

Weapon Bonus:12

[/left]

Character Name: Koko Gero
Date | Time: 01.07.1323 | Later Afternoon
Location: Hammer Island -> Fall From Ace Casino
Wearing:  Short Black Dress, Up Do Hair, Heeled Black Boots, Sheer Blue Nylons
Tagging | Mentioning: Lolo
Notes:
After a few more minutes fooling around in the bathroom and some more of Lolo’s teasing and touching the girls had dressed and made their way out of Hammer. She had winked at a couple of squires who had stared confusedly at the two of them as they exited the island. It made her giggle that they all either couldn’t even recognize her or were just dumb founded to see her so well done up. She had probably been dressed more nicely for the ball if they were being serious here but with so many well dressed people around her most had just not noticed her look. They noticed it now though as she strutted on Lolo’s arm down to the tram. Koko was very fond of taking ‘the short way down’ as she liked to call it but not in a skirt like this. They traveled in relative silence just making small talk until they finally arrived at their destination.

Continued at