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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2017 8:51:53 GMT -5
Daemons. An external manifestation of one's inner-self. It's unheard of to not have one.
Muse A has been the subject of shunning and teasing, bullied for their lack of a visible daemon. Scholars think it's possible that daemons can be invisible in some realms, but not in this one. The fact that theirs is not visible is too strange, and their past is even stranger; they turned up, one day, to a grieving couple. The couple took them in, sure that the child's daemon would eventually appear; but it did not.
Entering adult-life without a daemon is hard, makes it hard for employers to take them seriously, gets questions from children with their ever-shifting daemons, and more importantly, it makes them an outcast. Because society won't accept them, Muse A finds their life turning to crime, following a path to the underground just to be able to make a living.
It is on a job that they meet Muse B. Completely ordinary, from the looks of it, with their daemon at their side and nothing generally interesting about them. They work for the same organisation that Muse A has just started, and they're forced into becoming Muse A's mentor. It is not unmissed by Muse B that Muse A has no visible daemon, but they mention, vaguely, that they can sense that it is there.
- In which Muse A is daemon-less and Muse B can sense invisible daemons, their crossed paths may mean more answers; or, possibly, more questions.
Muse A - The DaemonlessJasper Blackburn ♠ 21 years old ♠ male ♠ shoutsofwarJasper is a small little fellow, barely reaching five foot three, although he claims he's at least five foot six, and weighs about one hundred and seventy pounds. He's a little on the chubby side, even if he'd never admit it. He has slightly long, wild curly hair that he's dyed a bright crimson red, but is naturally black. His eyes are a grassy green and rather big, and his skin is slightly pale, and covered in freckles.goofy. feisty. reckless.Muse B - The Daemon-SensorSacha Halkias ♣ 28 years old ♣ male ♣ amariCleopatra ♣ Silver FoxLean and lithe. 5'6'', light brown skin, freckles dotted over his nose and cheeks. Large almond eyes, light brown-amber in colour, usually likes to wear double-winged eyeliner. Tousled brown hair, somewhere between wavy and curly, reddish hues here and there. Small mole at the left corner of his lips, usually wears dark clothing. Labret piercing, lobes of ears are pierces twice and industrial bar to the left. Tongue is also pierced, but rarely seen.quick-thinking. adaptable. impulsive. things to know: - yes, the concept of daemons is taken from his dark materials. however, you do not need to have read the series or, in general, know anything about it. this is not at all based from the books, and it solely takes the concept of daemons. twists will likely be put here and there. - the plot is very open-ended! various plot points can happen, it's up to both of us to decide where we want it to go. the current basis is "someone without a daemon has to survive in a world made up of daemons", and it follows their general life, i suppose. - it is not slice-of-life. this is a crime roleplay. it can follow murders, with either our characters being the murderers or the investigators. either way, they aren't police; no matter what actions they take, they're criminals in their own ways, especially in the organisation they work for. - it would be preferable that muse a were above 18, simply because they need to be an adult. any age from there is completely fine. - i consider myself semi-advanced, and if you want a general look at my roleplay posts, feel free to check my recent posts. i, personally, recommend "needed: alive", as that can give you a good look at how my posts can be if i'm given material. that said, i tend to settle for about four paragraphs, and i'd enjoy for more material. - i'm currently on the forums on a semi-regular basis. some days i might not reply, but i will generally try to give a reply once a day. usually more! - the two "mains" aren't the limit. side-characters are welcomed and encouraged, 'cus hell knows i'm gonna end up with a bunch of them. they are my children whom i love. - the time period is modern. 2016/2017, we don't really need to set a specific date. our hearts may go where we desire - i am in no way formal and i encourage chatting because how else will we communicate my bro ;v; - please roleplay with me im a weak babyman. - while i'd prefer this to be a 1x1, i wouldn't mind it being a small group of sorts considering it can rely heavily on character interactions but hey bro, whatever happens amirite.
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Post by cιnnaмon roll on May 26, 2017 10:04:31 GMT -5
》》 OOC 《《 Ooo, this seems interesting. I cannot resist a good plot. Could I claim the other muse? :3
》》 IC 《《
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2017 10:08:32 GMT -5
that is one (1) spicy meme right there
absolutely yes (':
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Post by cιnnaмon roll on May 26, 2017 10:16:12 GMT -5
》》 OOC 《《 Would you prefer if I used a male or female character? I'm fine with either, so it's really up to you. C:
》》 IC 《《
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2017 10:17:24 GMT -5
LUL i really dont mind? whatever fits the situation is chill w me (': do whatever your heart desires
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Post by cιnnaмon roll on May 26, 2017 10:20:36 GMT -5
》》 OOC 《《 Alright, just checking. I'll have my form finished in just a second.
》》 IC 《《
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2017 10:24:24 GMT -5
naisu naisu (': sorry if im slow @ responding im just a terrible person who gets distracted
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Post by cιnnaмon roll on May 26, 2017 10:25:53 GMT -5
》》 OOC 《《 It's fine, don't worry. I'm the same way.
》》 IC 《《
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2017 10:30:45 GMT -5
when u wanna give smth ur undivided attention but also u find something that fascinates u to no end....gotta lov it
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Post by cιnnaмon roll on May 26, 2017 10:36:16 GMT -5
Muse A - The Daemonless Jasper Blackburn ♠ 21 ♠ male ♠ shoutsofwar Jasper is a small little fellow, barely reaching five foot three, although he claims he's at least five foot six, and weighs about one hundred and seventy pounds. He's a little on the chubby side, even if he'd never admit it. He has slightly long, wild curly hair that he's dyed a bright crimson red, but is naturally black. His eyes are a grassy green and rather big and his skin is slightly pale, but is covered in freckles. Goofy. Fiesty. Reckless.
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2017 10:42:33 GMT -5
aw man he seems. adorable. 10/10 (':
if you want me to n give me a lil time i can write out a starter to set out the scene?
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Post by cιnnaмon roll on May 26, 2017 10:59:48 GMT -5
》》 OOC 《《 Thank you. :3
And sure, take all the time you need. ^^
》》 IC 《《
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2017 11:14:52 GMT -5
"What do you see?"
No response. The fox daemon tilted her head and twitched an ear, listening intently to the sounds around them. Paper shuffling, a daemon snoring under a desk, footsteps. Her senses were not quite overloaded, but she was certainly getting there. Cleopatra's body was held stiffly and she scented the ground one more time, before turning her head back to look at her companion.
"Well?"
"Nothing, Cleo," though he was not quite frustrated, Sacha was certainly getting there. His voice was soft, however, tinged with a hint of his original accent. It was hard to pick up, nowadays. He glanced down to his daemon and reached over to gently flick her ear, before resting one hand over his thigh and leaning against the wall. They had been scouting this place for months, now, with little luck. He was supposed to find and capture the boss of the place, but he never showed up. From murmurs and whispers, he'd heard that the boss had never showed up without a huge armed guard, full of massive wolf daemons, or something similar. Either way, they were unnerving. "I think we should fall back into the tunnel, for now."
She gave a soft growl, lip curling at the thought of leaving the fresh air. She had never done well with the stuffiness of the underground, had never really enjoyed being unable to enjoy the sky and freedom. If anything, Cleo was a free spirit; a subtle part of Sacha, whom had given up long, long ago. The two stared at each-other for the barest hint of a second, and then they moved away and walked calmly, smiling vaguely at those passing by. Cleo stayed close to his feet, all but getting tangled around his legs. It would've been easier for her to rest over his shoulders, but she wasn't feeling too lazy today. He could tell. She was restless and more annoyed than he was.
"We always fall back," she grumbled quietly, so soft that even Sacha had to strain actively to hear her.
Of course, Sacha didn't respond.
It took them ten minutes to find the entrance, although 'find' was not the correct word. Ensuring that they were not being tailed was better. Once they were in, the cold, stale air hit them. Cleo growled low in her throat, finally climbing over Sacha's body until she was resting around his neck much like a scarf. Her head hung low, and, to be quite honest, it was easy to miss that she was there. His dark clothing helped with that. Sacha did not speak to her, and she did not speak to him. Instead, they chose to make their way in silence. Gingerly, he brought up one hand to pass over the mossy wall, keeping a check of how far he was. Another turn here...hop over the water...turn left here.
Eventually, he made his way into something more clean, something that resembled sophistication.
"Ah, Halkias," a smooth voice almost purred, causing him to glance down. A slender cat stood there, elegance in a single form. "So good for you to finally turn up."
"Go away, Solomon," he said.
"Very well," the cat all but chuckled, hopping onto a small box and sitting down, tail curling over his paws gently. He was strange. Always had been. Actively interacted with other people, always tried to tease people's daemons. Cleo did not like him, and he could understand that. "Just wanted to tell you that you're supposed to be meeting your apprentice."
"Apprentice," repeated Sacha, a slender eyebrow raising. "'Kay."
"I'm serious, dear," Solomon slowly tilted his head until he was staring at Cleo, clearly not minding if he was ignoring the person he was actually speaking to. Then again, they were one. It didn't really matter. "Should be in the room. You know the one? Pretty furnishings."
Sacha stared blankly, before walking away. There wasn't much else to do when it came to Solomon - the cat was all sly words and slow smiles, too far from his human and too close to others. Cleo had once voiced her distaste about it to Sacha, and he had to admit, she had a point to not enjoy him. He was rather spooky. However, he couldn't bring himself to care, because it wasn't his place to care. If Madame enjoyed her cat daemon wandering around in the underground, then so be it. It was her pain if a rogue daemon decided to kill him. Well. It was her death, he supposed, and that would be unfortunate. He didn't know. He didn't care. People died, got injured. The world kept turning. Nobody cared about those who struggled, those who fell into the underground through debt or something similar. Sacha, himself, had chosen this life. One of a few, to be honest. Most had taken out loans, and had to work the rest of the money away. Some had even wronged Madame, though he felt like that was a rarer case.
He was brought back to reality when Cleo slipped from around his shoulders, all but slithering down onto the floor. She then began to hop forward, pausing every few bounds to ensure that he was following. It was she who reached the door first, with a keen grin on her face and her tail waving back and forth. He rolled his eyes but smiled faintly, tapping the door once, then twice, before he opened it with his foot. Instead of darting in first, the silver fox waited patiently as he entered the room, and slid in behind his legs as the door closed behind him.
"Hello," said Sacha, in a voice that did not convey any real emotion, "I've been told that I am to be your mentor."
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Post by cιnnaмon roll on May 26, 2017 11:47:36 GMT -5
》》 OOC 《《 Sorry it's not as long.
》》 IC 《《 "Oh, what joy," Jasper responded in a bored, albeit not too unfriendly, tone. "How nice of you to show up. A little birdie told me you were probably gonna ditch me."
The man was small for his age, but he held himself in a way that showed his height didn't matter much. He was clearly confident, with his chin raised, his shoulders squared but relaxed. Not intimidating at all, but at least he wasn't afriad of him. There was no real reason for him to be afraid of his "new mentor" or his pretty little fox daemon. In all honesty, he wasn't a big fan of daemons of any kind. Cats, foxes, wolves, you name it. Most likely because he had never had one of his own.
They weren't scary, exactly, but they were unusual. He hadn't had a lifetime to get used to their presences by interacting with one on a daily basis. Oh well, as he usually said, because there was nothing to be done about it.
Sitting sideways on the couch, Jasper moved to rest his arms on the couch's armrest, before laying his head on them in a carefree manner. "So what? I'm I just supposed to follow you around twenty-four seven? Like a lost puppy?" He asked, not bothering to try and seem less rude. He hadn't wanted a mentor. He hadn't even wanted this potential job, but no one would hire a daemonless outcast like himself. "'Cause that's gonna get real boring, real fast."
Jasper hadn't been having any fun waiting for him, either. He'd spent the time occupying himself by playing a game in his head-----counting random things-----or by messing around in the room. Hence why, shoved in the corner, there was a rather expensive glass vase laying in broken shards. Jasper hadn't even bothered to hide it.
"Name's Jasper Blackburn, by the way. If you're nice to me, you can even call me Jazz." Jasper let very few people call him by his nickname and only the ones he really liked. He was hoping Sacha wouldn't be so bad.
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2017 16:54:16 GMT -5
[ don't worry abt it my dude ]
Impetulant.
It was the first thing to come to mind at the man's - no, child's - appearance an general matter. If Sacha was surprised at this, he didn't show it; but he did know that the attitude would change, eventually. Whether it was through a hard or easy way, nobody survived by being like this - destructive and insubordinate. It wasn't how things worked around here, wasn't how people made their money and survived.
The next thing was the lack of a daemon. Sacha had not noticed until he had looked around that there was not a daemon in the room, despite the presence certainly being there. Cleo glanced around sharply before she slowly slid away from him, keeping to the wall of the room with the fur along her back raised. She peeked under objects (even poked at the broken vase), but found nothing. She conveyed so to Sacha with subtle movements, and so the man simply raised an eyebrow. He said nothing. It wasn't too important.
"Don't worry," he said idly. It was clear, from how calm he was, that nothing intimidated him about this little display. If anything, it bored him. "You'll be dead within the hour, considering your attitude."
A hard, cold truth.
His daemon bounced lightly so that she stood next to him again, ears perks as she kept a track of those passing the room. Her tail waved lazily back and forth, her posture suggesting that she was alert, but certainly not threatened. They had dealt with worse, and an impetuous child wasn't going to break their stride, really. It happened from time to time, someone falling into something far, far bigger.
"Play nice with me and I'll play nice with you," Sacha stated firmly, crossing his arms. "Sacha Halkias. This is Cleopatra. Unsurprisingly, we will not break as easily as the vase you decided to destroy."
To be quite honest, the man did not care what he was called. There were many things others had called him, not all of them good. Cleo, however, was quite picky with her nicknames. Made it clear to Sacha, perhaps, but never spoke to others. He'd have to reinforce that she wouldn't want to be called by any short form of her name until Jasper proved himself. Honestly, Sacha, himself, had no plans on calling the boy 'Jazz'. It was decent in theory but he didn't quite care about shaving off a syllable. Maybe one day. Not today.
"Your daemon," he said, "it's hiding."
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Post by cιnnaмon roll on May 26, 2017 17:28:02 GMT -5
》》 OOC 《《
》》 IC 《《 Jasper was a little taken back by that blunt, direct response. That...wasn't what he'd been expecting. Most people were at least a little more affected by his attitude, but Sacha made it clear he didn't really care. That it didn't bother him. Pulling himself together and regaining his composure quickly, Jasper scowled at him. "Oh well. I'm not afraid of death," he replied haughtily, sticking up his nose. It was a very impetuous thing to do-----both rude and overconfident as well. "I think I'll be just fine, anyway. Don't be such a downer."
Cleopatra and Sacha. What a strange pair, Jasper thought, though not the strangest he'd ever met. The city was crawling with odd combinations of people and daemons. However, as much as his first instinct was to admire Cleo-----she was a very pretty fox and foxes had always been lovely to him-----he barely looked at her.
Play nice? How old did he think Jasper was? Four? Rising to his feet, Jasper crossed his arms and sneered up at Sacha. His height made it hard for him to truly express his displeasure, but he at least put in some effort to. "I don't play well with others, Sacha. Don't get on my nerves and maybe we'll get along."
All that sass and anger quickly melted away when Sacha said...his daemon was hiding. That wasn't even remotely funny and Jasper felt his face go white. "That's...that's not funny," he told Sacha in a low voice. "I don't have a daemon. Never have. It's not hiding, it's nonexistent. Didn't anyone tell you I'm the guy with no daemon?" He spoke as if it didn't bother him, but deep down in his stomach, there was that constant feeling of sadness and anger. "And I don't need one. They're useless to me."
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2017 18:00:55 GMT -5
Edgy definitely had to be a word to describe this kid. Had he never actually been underground before? Felt like it. He certainly hadn't met Madame; she would've scared this attitude right out of him. Then again, it was likely that that was why Sacha had been chosen to mentor him. A few hours with Sacha, people said, and the life would be sucked right out of anyone who even tried to break him.
Really, it wasn't like that. He was just resistant, adapted to how others acted and acted accordingly. He treated others as they treated him, and so if he was treated terribly? He could be equally terrible. He had been. Rumours still went around about a man, twice Sacha's size, whom had left the underground solely because of how awfully he'd been treated. But hey, rumours were just rumours, and he did not confirm nor deny them. Simply left them be, because they helped, sometimes. The darker and scarier a rumour in the underground, the better.
"Mmm," he said lazily, "you are not in control of this situation, Jasper. Let it go. Behave yourself."
Again, he spoke much like he would've spoken to a stuck-up child, though not in a condescending manner. More in an almost parental way, telling off their child because they were going to get hurt because of it. It wasn't concern, but rather self-preservation. If Jasper got him in trouble, then it wasn't just his life on the line; it was the newcomer's, too.
I don't have a daemon.
Sacha almost snorted at that, reached down to help Cleo so that she could lounge across his shoulders again. She stared at Jasper, equal parts bored and dangerous. She twitched one ear and remained unblinking. She was an immovable force, impossible to break. She was Sacha's everything and she was his, and though the two could remain a surprisingly far distance from each-other, they didn't do it.
"Everyone has a daemon," he said softly, eyes narrowing, "not everyone's is visible."
Cleo glanced to her other half briefly, before her gaze refocused on Jasper. If she had opinions on this, she'd wait until later to voice them. She, herself, wasn't too sure if Sacha was messing with the poor kid or if he was being serious. To a degree, she could certainly sense a shift in the air; more as if the daemon just wasn't split from Jasper, but instead part of him. That was a concept she was unfamiliar with.
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Post by cιnnaмon roll on May 26, 2017 18:34:34 GMT -5
》》 OOC 《《
》》 IC 《《 All these parental-like mannerisms had Jasper wanting to throw up. He hated people whose personalities clashed with his own-----those people like Sacha, who were calm and could deal with his attitude quite easily. The ones who brushed off his comments like they were just dust in the wind. The ones who looked down at him like that, like he was a child.
It made Jasper feel like a scolded child.
He was not a child.
"And you might be my mentor, but you're not the boss of me," Jasper responded, his face scrunched up sourly. His attitude was getting downright nasty at this point, even if he wasn't doing it intentionally. It was just something that happened when he was angry-----he had an attitude problem and everyone who knew him was well aware of it. "I'm here because there's no where else for me to go. This was my last choice for a career, believe me. I'd rather be doing anything else but this." His words were as bitter as a lemon and just as sour, but they were true.
"Everyone except me," Jasper spat back at him, narrowing his eyes. If this was a joke, the young man found it cruel and heartless; a good way to upset him, not to earn his friendship. "So drop it. I don't have a daemon, I never have, and I never will. Can we get to the point here? Aren't you gonna, I dunno, give me a tour, tell me the stupid rules or whatever? Y'know, mentor me?"
Anything to change the subject. Please, anything to change it. Jasper didn't care what they talked about, as long as it wasn't this. Not something that haunted him every day and every night, every memory of his young life. Everything he couldn't bear to face about himself, his one biggest insecurity.
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2017 23:25:51 GMT -5
[ srryyyy lul it got super warm in my room so i went to make a daiquiri but ended up making too much so naturally i drank it all and then i had to sleep (': ]
"I hate to break it to you," said the Greek man, without missing a beat, "but I am one of your superiors."
A simple, solid fact. Sacha was not going to deny being a higher role just because someone decided to have a temper-tantrum. If anything, this boy was something of a problem already; he needed to rein in that temper. He glanced to Cleo as she shifted her weight, watched as she curled her lips into something like a snarl towards Jasper. Ah. Looked like the pretty little thing was starting to lose her patience, though he was quite fine with this situation. The angrier someone got, the less rational they were - he lived from working from that.
"Calm down," he exhaled slowly, crossing his arms. "I was just stating what I can sense. You don't need to lash out at me. We can, however, drop the subject - we are going to talk about it later," there was no way this kid was blind enough to miss that his daemon existed, right? It was such a faint aura, such a quiet presence, he would've almost believed that it had taken the form of a flea or something similar but that wasn't it, it was moreso a thing of it not being in this realm, which was an interesting thing to take note of. Even Cleo, he realised, had noticed, for she was now sliding down from her perch and slinking across the floor, skirting a wide circle past Jasper. She was careful not to touch, but she was exploring.
Truth be told, he saw a little of himself in this kid. Once, he, too, had been angry and impatient, snapping at every little thing. The older he got, the more patient he became, because he had realised that being loud and boisterous was not a way to get what he wanted. Before she had settled, Cleo had most often taken the form of a Goliath Birdeater, had excelled at scaring people. She had turned into a fox once, and then she had settled. Ten years, he noted. It had been ten years since she'd settled into this form, and he still didn't know how she predicted what he would become.
"I'm not going to give you a tour," he smiled faintly and raised an eyebrow, "you don't need one. I'm sure you can find things out for yourself. There aren't really any rules, either. I'm rather sure it goes unsaid that we don't talk about what happens down here. I don't think you want to listen to me talk, so you can learn by watching and doing."
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Post by cιnnaмon roll on May 27, 2017 10:32:42 GMT -5
》》 OOC 《《 Lol, it's fine, don't worry.
》》 IC 《《 Jasper was in a foul mood now, not that he hadn't been in a bad mood before, but now it was worse. Why did everyone always have to mention him not having a daemon? Couldn't they just leave him alone? Ignore it? He wasn't a bad person-----not having one didn't make him a bad person. Yet that's how the world had treated him, every person he walked by and wondered:
Where is his daemon? Everyone has a daemon. There's no such thing as not having one, so where is it?
Most people settled for giving Jasper odd looks, a glare here or there, though there were some that tended to be a little more direct. They'd ask him questions, prod and poke and even tease until Jasper couldn't take it anymore. Sacha was neither insulting nor teasing, yet the way he approached the subject still hurt.
Was it too much to ask for to be left alone?
Jasper hated to acknowledge that Sacha was, indeed, his superior. Without Sacha, he would have no job at all-----he had been informed that this would truly be his one and only chance. If he failed, that was it. No more chances, no more options. Unwilling to give Sacha any satisfaction by agreeing with him, the young Jasper merely ignored his statement, though he did glare up at the Greek man a little more fiercely now.
I was just stating what I can sense.
You don't need to lash out at me.
What did the even mean, he could sense Jasper's daemon? What waa there to sense when Jasper didn't have one at all? It was a statement that made him wonder, and wondering would lead to hope, but hope always lead to heartache. So it was better not to hope at all. Those words, however true, set him on edge, although Sacha was right. He didn't need to lash out at him, even if the heavy, sad feeling weighing down his chest had been brought by the whole situation. It hadn't been Sacha's intention, as far as Jasper knew.
It didn't help that Cleo was circling Jasper like a measly, weak piece of prey. At least, that's how the daemonless man saw it, even if it was in truth just an act of harmless exploration. His heart was pounding in his chest as he took a few slow, cautious steps away from Cleo, as opposed to the quick, panicked ones he felt like taking.
"Please keep your daemon-----Cleopatra away from me," Jasper said quietly, his face pale and white as he stared at the fox. Pretty, but no doubt deadly when she needed to be. He didn't say it nicely, nor rudely, but almost fearfully. "And can we please just get started, then?" The sooner they began, the sooner he could get away from them.
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Post by Deleted on May 27, 2017 12:17:15 GMT -5
There were various people in this world.
Sacha had never met someone without a daemon, but he had met some with weaker presences. Some that could be easily overlooked, no matter their size. It was just a case of knowing where they were rather than what they were. Cleopatra helped, too. Her sharp nose could sniff out any daemon - it helped in this line of work. Knowing where a daemon was meant knowing where the person was. It made them useful hunters. It made them excellent to chase down debts that those above held to those underground.
She glanced back to him and twitched an ear lightly, and a vague gesture meant that she returned to his side. She murmured in the faintest hint of Greek, so soft that it was barely a sound, really. She had never been good at speaking in front of others.
"I can't control her actions," he told Jasper firmly, "you might want to tell her yourself, if she does it again."
Interesting. No daemon visible, and then a...fear? Was it a fear? Or something similar of other daemons. He knew that Cleopatra was unnerving, but he'd never considered her to be worthy of that sort of reaction. With her reddish eyes and pointed nose, she was a beautiful creature and people tended to compliment him on her settled form rather than consider what her appearance meant for Sacha. More subtlety, he supposed, in being able to double-cross people. If they didn't consider that the man with a fox daemon would be cunning and sly, then they had another thing coming.
"Alright," he exhaled, finally taking pity on the boy. He made a gesture as he turned on his heel and began to walk, adjusting his jacket without much of a thought. Cleo waited a few seconds as she stared blankly at Jasper, before she ran after Sacha and jumped upwards in an elegant arc, landing rough on his shoulder. He barely shifted from the new weight, so accustomed to it that it didn't even phase him. He simply reached over a hand to help her settle over his shoulders, until she was dozing peacefully. "I'm just going to collect a debt, right now. No violence unless it's needed."
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Post by cιnnaмon roll on May 27, 2017 13:13:34 GMT -5
》》OOC《《
》》 IC 《《 Needless to say, Jasper was more than a little relieved when Cleo returned to being close to Sacha. He was even more relieved when she made herself comfortable on his shoulders, because it meant there was less of a chance she would bother him from there. A small part of him felt bad-----Cleo had done nothing wrong to him and, daemon or not, she still had feelings. But a bigger part of him just wanted her to stay away and he wouldn't ignore that feeling. However, that didn't mean he had to act like such a huge jerk. "I don't mean to sound rude," he informed Cleo, in a much more polite way than he planned on speaking to Sacha. "But please stay away from me." He doubted it would hurt her feelings, although he tried not to care too much.
Jasper was kind of a softie when it came to other people's emotions, but he hadn't been too considerate as of late. With small, tenative steps, he followed behind of the older man, sticking close but also keeping a very obvious distance between them. No violence? That was easy. A simple request. "It's not like I planned to go around punching and killing everyone I see," he snapped in annoyance. "I don't care what you think, but I'm not stupid."
Moody, short-tempered and maybe, just maybe, a little accident prone, but definitely not stupid. Okay, maybe he tended to make some dumb decisions sometimes, but everyone made mistakes. His mistakes were just a little more...troublesome.
Walking with his hands in his pockets, his body rather stiff and awkward, he tried to force himself to relax and calm down. Deep breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth... It was his first day and if he lost him temper too much, it would be his last for sure. Sacha already didn't like him and he didn't like Sacha very much, either, but they were stuck with each other.
On a different note, Jasper was curious to find out how collecting a debt usually went if violence wasn't involved. Like a naïve child, he'd always thought it consisted of a lot of sharp knives, other weapons and threatening. "Soooo... How do we do this? Are we just gonna, I dunno, walk in and ask them to pay their debts? 'Cause that doesn't seem too effective." Then, in a rude and teasing way, he mocked, "I bet you just scare them into it with that ugly mug of yours."
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Post by Deleted on May 27, 2017 14:03:03 GMT -5
In a lazy motion, Cleo turned her head to look at Jasper from the corner of her eye. If she was surprised at the more polite tone of voice, she didn't show it; instead, she dipped her head to acknowledge him, and then went back to sleep. She was untouchable, never offended. She simply didn't care enough to be offended by the actions of some silly human, really.
Sacha, on the other hand, was rethinking his entire life.
"Sometimes violence is necessary," he told the other calmly, "hence why I said unless needed. I don't think you're a violent person, I just need you to know the plan."
He wondered if the kid had ever even seen the underground before. Hm. Probably not - the mobster movies had it all wrong, and he was quite sure that he, personally, was nothing like that. Debt collecting was one of the smallest parts of his job. Assassination was a bigger part, but he didn't think that Jasper would be able to handle that - for now.
"It's a start," he didn't seem to notice that he was being called ugly or anything; frankly, he didn't seem to notice much of what the boy was saying. "Knock on the door. Remind them of their debt. Sometimes, it works. It's worked in the past. Sometimes they need to be...coaxed."
As if on cue, Cleo shifted on his shoulder and growled low in her throat, more like an animal than most daemons. She'd always been that way; very rarely did she speak (though she was talkative, to Sacha), and she made all the sounds that intimidated others. She could attack, she could do...a lot, actually. If anything, she was a more major part of this than Sacha himself was.
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Post by cιnnaмon roll on May 27, 2017 14:30:11 GMT -5
》OOC《
》IC《 "Oh, right." Jasper hadn't known the plan beforehand, had he? It was only logical for Sacha to share it with him, so he didn't mess up this job too badly. It was a good thing Jasper was only here to watch and learn so far, otherwise it was almost certain he would mess something up with his carelessness. Even now, it was likely he would do something wrong. Confronted with the thought of potentially having to use violence was...a little intimidating, to say the least. "I think I can handle this. I can be very persuasive. Collecting debts sounds like a piece of cake."
Persuasive? Not really, very few people took a man of his height and body build seriously. Obstinate and hard-headed? Definitely, so hopefully persistence counted for something in this line of work. It was about all he had that might be useful.
Cleo's growl spooked Jasper enough to make him jump and yelp like an injured puppy. He'd tensed up and flinched back, too, arms raised to defend himself if necessary. It was unfortunate that he realized a little too late why Cleo had made that noise. She'd been making a point, not preparing to attack him, yet he'd acted on pure instinct anyway. Feeling his cheeks turn red and begin to burn from an unpleasant combination of shame and embarrassment, he hung his head down low. Avoided eye contact and refused to look at anything other than his feet as he resumed walking, shoving his hands back down into his pockets. "I thought I saw something, but I guess I was just imagining things," he lied weakly. It was the best excuse he could come up with, but even then, it didn't make his reaction look any better.
Jasper didn't fit in here. Attitude problem and temper aside, his personality was just not compatible with this kind, or any kind, of underground work. In his defense, he'd never pictured himself where he was now, so desperate for a job that this was all he could even hope to do. He'd never wanted this, and as much as he knew that thinking this way would never help things get better, he couldn't help it. How else was he supposed to feel when he literally only had one option for making a living?
"So...how long have you been doing this? A few years?" Jasper asked curiously. Quietly. His heart was racing, slamming against his own chest, trying to break free. Wanting out, out, out, no matter how hard he tried to keep it in. For all the confidence he tried to show, he was nervous, his palms sweating and his lips tight, and he was scared. There was no turning back after this, he tried to tell himself. No way to go back after Sacha walked him through how he collected debts from those people above that everyone thought were so great, because no one ever knew what happened just beneath the surface. Just under their noses.
But who was Jasper trying to fool? There'd been no turning back from this the moment he realized he would never have a daemon.
No one wanted to hire a walking taboo.
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Post by Deleted on May 27, 2017 14:47:19 GMT -5
It was out of politeness that Sacha simply nodded to Jasper's words, simply accepted it. He didn't question the boy on why he'd jumped (he knew), but instead reached up to tap his daemon's head. She flicked an ear but otherwise did not show any signs of waking up. With any sort of luck, this collection would go well; otherwise, Jasper was about to see a much scarier side of the silver fox. Oh well. It was whatever.
"Most of my life," he replied, turning his head to look at the other man from the corner of his eye. "Debt collection is not my main job."
Of course, it was easy to tell that he wasn't about to disclose was he usually did. Instead, he began to walk up the stairs that led to the subway, which would lead him up to the normal life of the city above - being in the underground had a few perks, most of which included being hidden most of the time. He put his hands in his pockets and exhaled slowly.
"Why are you doing this?" he asked, after a few moments. It was rare that the Greek ever really showed curiosity - but hey, everybody had to show something eventually. "I've met many types of people, some of them so soft you wouldn't think they'd harm a hair on a person's head, but you..." he squinted in front of himself as he thought of words, some way to phrase this without sounding like he was belittling Jasper. "You don't seem the type," he settled on eventually.
[ oop short post i apologise ]
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Post by cιnnaмon roll on May 27, 2017 15:07:31 GMT -5
》OOC《 It's cool.
》IC《 Most of his life. Of course Sacha would be used to collecting debts to the point where it was only natural. Jasper hadn't expected much else from his new mentor, and while he might have been curious as to what his main job entailed, he didn't voice his questions. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he already had an idea as to what it might be, or rather, was it most likely was. He was already scared as it was. There was no reason to spook himself even further before the day was over.
Jasper didn't seem the type. Truer words had most definitely never been spoken, as he was certainly not the type. He wasn't the type for anything close to this, wasn't made for these shady, secretive jobs that he had never once thought about prior to chasing after one. "I wanted to be a chef," he admitted, trying not to let his sadness show through. That's all he really was nowadays, sad. Just sad. "But they wouldn't hire me. They thought I was going to poison their food or something. Like not having a daemon automatically makes me untrustworthy."
The college that he had dreamed of going to since he was a boy had accepted him, too...up until he'd had to meet the dean in person. They'd revoked his offer entirely, his scholarships, everything. No school wanted him after that. He'd still tried, though, to get a job-----but he'd failed miserably. Jasper had been so desperate that he'd literally tried everything before this.
"It's their loss," Jasper stated cheerily, turning up his nose as he followed Sacha out of the underground and into the, well, somewhat fresh air. "I would've been an awesome employee, so they're just missing out. I don't need a daemon to be this awesome."
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Post by Deleted on May 27, 2017 15:23:03 GMT -5
As they emerged into the streets, Cleo raised her head, now awake and alert. She watched the people they passed, gave sharp glares to daemons and generally caused unrest. She was unnerving, in a quiet way. She knew how to hold herself to be intimidating.
Sacha, on the other hand, listened to Jasper's story quietly, before sighing softly. That made sense. If you didn't have a daemon, you were supposed to be soulless. It wasn't very nice, but it was how society saw those without - though he had to admit, he hadn't heard it happening in anything other than stories. The stories often had the daemonless as the antagonists, too.
"I see," he said lightly, because he did. "I'm not going to say I understand because I don't, but know that if you prove yourself, daemon or not, people will trust you here."
Because they were all outcasts, in different ways. Sacha had found his family here, chosen because they trusted each-other and protected each-other. He could, to a degree, see Jasper as part of that; though he wanted that attitude to change. He didn't like how the boy had been acting so far, but he also couldn't speak against it. As a teenager, he, himself, had been...less than great.
"The underground is small, so people will know who you are eventually. It might take some time, but eventually, they'll get used to it. They won't care," he turned his head to look at the other, his lips in the ghost of a smile. "It's just a matter of whether you want people to trust you or not."
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Post by cιnnaмon roll on May 27, 2017 15:49:06 GMT -5
》OOC《
》IC《 Trust and, perhaps in the long run, even friendship. A family, however dysfunctional it might have been. That was something that, typically, he hadn't associated with the underground. Jasper had never imagined anyone down there trusting each other more than they had to... But if they didn't trust each other, he realized, none of this would work. The whole organization was built around trust and it would all come crashing down without it. "Prove myself, huh?" He sounded a little distant. In a words of daemons, how did the boy with no "soul" prove himself? Hardwork and dedication?
Jasper allowed his eyes to roam around, watching as people passed them by, oblivious and careless. Humans with their daemons at their sides, on their shoulders and heads. Some carried their companions in their arms, a few annoyingly bubbly girls even had theirs in purses like designer dogs. A world of daemons...there were so many, all different and unique.
"I think it's strange, don't you? There are millions of daemons, all over the world," he said thoughtfully, observing them with a blank expression. "But there was never one for me. Doesn't that seem weird? That everyone here has one, except for me?"
Jasper desperately wanted that trust, and seeing Sacha's faint smile, he had a brief flash of hope. Maybe he could earn everyone's trust, like his mentor said. Become one of them. But then he remembered how he'd always been treated and it seemed like a distant dream. He wanted to say something nasty back, crush his own hopes, but he just couldn't. Despite everything, Jasper was persistent and he just wouldn't give up. No matter how much it hurt. "I'd like to be trusted. It's a shame no one else thinks it's a good idea-----I'm a good conversationalist and I'm a wonderful friend."
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Post by Deleted on May 27, 2017 16:28:25 GMT -5
"I think it's proof that you're not the only one in the entire world without a daemon."
Sacha's words were blunt, to the point. He didn't really care when people pitied themselves, and he very rarely pitied others. He walked up the steps to a large apartment complex and entered, holding the door open for Jasper and tapping his foot lightly. His daemon slowly slid from his shoulder and began to pace absently, scenting the air as if to check for any dangers.
"You have to prove that you're worth being trusted," he glanced to the younger man and raised an eyebrow. "It's not something you can ask for and get given. You could be the world's greatest friend and still not be trusted."
He, himself, was not a very trustworthy person; and yet he'd proven himself time and time again to be worth trusting for the right people. It was just a matter of finding where he fit in. He began to walk up the stairs, glancing down at Cleopatra as she bounced up beside him. In the darkness of the staircase, her white tail-tip was a stark contrast against everything else.
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Post by cιnnaмon roll on May 27, 2017 17:16:30 GMT -5
》OOC《
》IC《 Not the only daemonless human? That was a wonderful thought, that he wasn't entirely alone in his strange and unusual situation. He wasn't sure he belived it, but it was nice to think about nonetheless. Jasper was a skeptic, however; he would have to see it to believe it, if he ever saw it at all.
Self-pity was something, unfortunately, he was good at. He did do his best not to succumb to it, but of course that wasn't as easy as it sounded. Some days were better than others, some not so much. It did help to be around someone like Sacha, however, who wouldn't support Jasper's bad tendencies and wouldn't comfort him about it. It was a bad habit that he didn't need to be encouraged to continue.
"Okay," he agreed, rather eagerly, and without any snarky remarks this time. Just pure confirmation. He wanted to do this-----he could do this, definitely. Earn their trust and a position in this hidden world of Sacha's. "I'll do my best, at least. I mean, I don't have any other options, so it's worth a shot."
Jasper could feel himself growing more anxious as they entered the building, eyeing it warily as he stepped through the doorway and glancing around. Even his voice grew softer as he spoke, instinctively, until it was almost a whisper but not quite. "Do...you usually have to resort to violence? Or is that a, uh, rare occurence?"
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