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Post by Quod Ad Nox Noctis on Apr 10, 2021 18:29:01 GMT -5
( Oh, I see! Haha~ It's happened to me too! I get too invested and put all of my characters in there and then it's ??? For a bit )
( Yeah! RP really helps you develop your characters best because you can't really control everything, so you have to make them grow and adapt! ^^ That's part of why I try to do it whenever I get stuck on something, and also why I try to practice in romance plots, they can help me with my own OCs' relationships~ )
( Oh, I'm really flattered!! <3 They have a lot of different 'worlds' that they occupy, but i have a few drabbles and random information~ They're arranged from oldest to youngest and their names are supposed to spell out RAINBOW. Just keeping to the basics: Rasasvada, Red, Sin of Lust, Earth Element, Strength Adohira, Orange, Sin of Sloth, Ice/Water Element, Emotion Irsen, Yellow, Sin of Envy, Fire Element, Will Power Neamhni, Green, Sin of Wrath, Air Element, Healing Baelphegor, Blue, Sin of Gluttony, Electricity Element, Intelligence Orphaeos, Indigo, Sin of Greed, Darkness Element, Mind Control/Telepathy Wasurenagusa, Violet, Sin of Pride, Gravity Element, Clairvoyance )
( I really admire people who can make slice of life interesting- I have a short attention span- and deal with such serious topics! I was tentative at first but now I'm like, dark history for everyone! Handing 'em out like apples with razor blades! And angsty characters do make for the worst co-authors haha~ Especially when they give you ideas like, an hour before you have to get up for school- I'm looking at You Baelphegor - )
( That's what's important! Did you make the clan here? Are you familiar with the 'Old WCRP'? One of my friends was here first so I've heard about some of the ways it's different. Not that I remember much...Just that some things weren't as detailed and maybe there were more bullies? )
( Are You Sure About That? Lol Lust and Sloth were actually re-elegated to Irsen's parents in this plot buut I can change that if prompted? I warn you, Sophia would walk into a house of Madness. They have a detailed, Victorian-style family portrait, but Gluttony is depicted as a goat. It takes up space right across from the bed in one of their guest rooms. This picture was brought about by the fact that someone once captured & chained him up but he only ate the chains and asked for more. Lust has to be persuaded into keeping a modicum of decency because clothes are a suggestion, Pride likes to be the little devil on the shoulder of people who are Already Demons, Greed gets personally offended over poor fashion sense to the point that bad things may happen to you after he sees it, Wrath is a healer that would bring you from the brink of death by threatening to kill you...and so on and so forth lol Greed and Pride are already in the story as King Irsen's Secretary & Seneschal! )
( Same! Haha. Before i join a slice of life rp i tentatively ask something like, "so like we can keep everything the same but can the chef i play be a strigoi?" True story! Hmhm, so is Peter an old character too? And how was his story different from Winter's? And did you start out with slice-of-life and then move in to fantasy? )
( Also, coming to a post near you~ The boys are back! )
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Post by Quod Ad Nox Noctis on Apr 10, 2021 18:31:34 GMT -5
- - Mikazuki
It's not like having no idea what his next move should be is a foreign feeling, but it's always unwelcome. The brunette doesn't appear to know what had happened exactly, but she has somehow decided that his abrupt appearance isn't unsettling or strange. In fact, she speaks to him in a soft tone and extends her hand- at a safe distance, fortunately. Mikazuki would frown if he could. He wants to berate her for not having situational awareness. Sure she's familiar with him but that doesn't mean she knows him! He could be dangerous! His tail stops wagging and he gives her a soft 'whuff', unable to otherwise convey his displeasure. Still, he presses his head against the palm of her hand in a peace-making gesture. It takes a bit longer to stop his fur from bristling. His ears swivel anxiously in anticipation of another silent attack, and he once again looks to the night sky. Unable to remain still, Mikazuki slowly straightens so that he can support her as she gets up. Off the street first. That should be the first step. He can't speak to her yet- should he? This isn't any of his business. He's already fended off enough; she needs to continue living her life as a normal human should. With all of the pain and misfortune that comes with it. Even if that is of the supernatural variety. Why should he devote more time to her than anyone else in his vicinity? As an inugami, he is to serve only one master. His situation may be...unique but the matter stands; Mikazuki doesn't owe anyone anything else. In fact, he should be more concerned for himself in this situation. Though the human was the target, there's no guarantee that the...Thing won't alert anyone else to his presence.
Unless...he should...
While his mind churns away, Mikazuki somehow finds the ability to trot a few steps forward and turn to look at her expectantly. Her home should be safer. Or would at least offer the illusion of safety. He chases thoughts like he might his tail- not that he does! Anymore...- but somehow comes to the conclusion that he needs to learn more about her curse. Its presence was so sudden and brazen that it could actually be connected to his past in some way. And at the very least, he might be able to ensure that it can be exorcised before that becomes the case. At the very very least, he will have found something to warm up and kickstart his path to recovery. Though reservations still cloud his thoughts, Mikazuki slows his pace to walk alongside the woman, alert and occasionally brushing up against her in a silent gesture of reassurance. 'Almost there..'
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Post by Quod Ad Nox Noctis on Apr 10, 2021 18:39:18 GMT -5
- - Irsen
Inordinately pleased at getting his way, Irsen had followed Sophia to her uncle's office and exchanged cursory pleasantries before they began discussing business. The dragon tries not to be obvious with his favoritism, but it's a well-known secret. None of the Cordel family really mind, as it's only natural that he grow attached to a direct descendant of the man who saved him, and one around his age to boot. Still, he made a habit of making the rounds before seeing Sophia as he would inevitably be too distracted to visit anyone else. Visits to other family members are generally brief and discreet. Irsen inquires after their health and well-being while making note of anything he could do to make their lives a little easier. Perhaps a quick trip to an expensive healer, sternly 'talking' a competitor into leaving them alone, offering them a peek into his extensive information network...Well, technically it's Orpheo's but he works under Irsen so it's one and the same~ Orpheo is also the person who soundly lectured him into being less obvious about how he aided the Cordels. Word had begun to spread that they were suspiciously lucky in nearly all aspects and people were beginning to take notice.
Their success is now less obtrusive, but apparently Irsen's bias shows in other ways. The warehouse attendants gave him inscrutable looks as he led Sophia out by the hand. They're accustomed to him forgetting about the door, and those who are closely related to Jeord know him as ' Sophia's strange friend ', yet they still followed his passing with a smirk or wink. Her cousin even shook his head in sympathy when Irsen reflexively laced their fingers together upon lengthening his strides. Irsen narrowed his eyes at them but couldn't do much else. He's accustomed to what he assumes is some form of goodnatured ribbing, but he's utterly lost as to why. Well, it doesn't matter. Sophia is following closely behind him and his steps are light.
Their short journey around the back of the city is full of prompts for Sophia to share more of what she has been doing and plans to do. Irsen knows enough about her job to keep up with the conversation, though he'd listen avidly even if he didn't. He finds the way her mind works rather fascinating; she always appears composed and straightforward, with methodical consideration for the way she responds to things. (Irsen had once solemnly told her that she's the most stable person of all his friends.) He could tell that he had left her baffled by suggesting she'd look better without a mask. Sophia looked so adorably confused that he gave in to the desire to tug on a lock of her carefully styled hair. Orpheo had awkwardly- but earnestly- given him a lesson on societal etiquette when engaging with the opposite sex. Irsen finds it very hard to keep to his rules. They're easy to maintain when interacting with the many women he meets as both king and knight, but he wants to touch Sophia all the time. He'd actually wanted to nuzzle her in that moment, as he'd playfully done when they were younger. At that time, however, he could only bow his lips in a moue as he watched her mind work.
Irsen does much the same now as they crest the final hill in an orchard he'd 'rented' from its owner. The climb could be challenging in a dress and he'd wanted to simply carry her up but 'propriety' or whatever the word was, stayed him. Besides, if he had her in his arms he probably wouldn't put her down. He'd just sit her in his lap and feed her sweets. That's a tempting thought~ It's not like Orpheo would know. Probably... But Sophia is so practical that she might just want to sit on the ground and eat healthier foods instead.
Trying to keep this thought firmly in mind, Irsen steps away and reluctantly releases her hand to shake out a beautifully-sewn blanket that he'd received as a gift whilst questing. He then kneels to carefully set his satchel down and withdraws a variety of midday foods that had been persevered by Orpheo's enchantment spells. Irsen can't always be consistent, but he endeavors to provide Sophia with a variety of foreign foods to choose from when he can. They'd finished the apple, so this is a spread that he hopes she'd find more appetizing. He pats the ground beside him, leaning back against a sturdy tree. This position allows them to look down at the city with a few rows of apple trees flanking the buildings below.
"Come, have lunch and I will show you Spracia." Irsen had never really had an interest in drawing until he realized that they could augment the stories of his travels. Naturally, he took to it with his usual intense focus and was able to quickly produce results that he found satisfactory. He has improved greatly since he first presented Sophia with his poorly shaded dragon, and is always eager to help her see what he has. One leg bent to balance his sketchbook upon, Irsen flicks through a few pages until he finds an ivory-studded landscape at sunrise. Colors are provided by the fine chalks and paints that are folded into the pockets of his worn satchel.
"This is the Sea of Dandelions. I am not entirely sure how I came upon it...I believe that I was asleep on an unstable tree before I fell into it." He tilts his head pensively, considering. "There was an irksome amount of sneezing involved. Dragons are borderline allergic to dandelions, I suspect, so my stay was short. I wanted to show you what it was like at least. However, looking at the picture overlong makes my nose itch." He carefully removes the page from his book and places it before her. "Keep this."
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Apr 10, 2021 21:04:47 GMT -5
(It's super fun, if not chaotic. XD)
(Rp has helped me develop a lot of things for my characters. Not to mention it's just fun to see you characters making friends/enemies. XD)
(They are precious, and I want them all. They are my Pokemon now, and there's nothing they can do to change that.)
(Right?! It's like, you literally only have one job, and that's to help me write your life. Why are you procrastinating?
(No, it was back when I first joined the Old Forms, back in 2016, I believe. I haven't joined a Clan since. I figured out that I don't do well in big group rps. I was never on whenever everyone else was, so things moved along without me. So I switched to more one-on-one type rps. ^^ It works out much better.)
(Yes. Everything you just said as made me 100% sure that I want them in the rp. XD)
(Gosh yes. Either that, our I've got to be sure there's enough high school level drama going down to make things interesting. XD Peter never really had a story. He just sort of manifested and was used in many little rps whenever I needed to test out a story line or just wanted to try something different. Here, I have him attached to a plot where he gets amnesia, but I wouldn't exactly call it "his" story. Imaginary friend might be a more fitting role/title for the boy, lol. )
~ ~ ~
Destiny smiled as the dog pressed his head against her hand. It was brief, yes, but it only proved to her that he was friendly. Or, at the very least, not going to hurt her. She had just enough time to gently run her thumb along his forehead before he moved. Guess that was her cue to get up. The young woman rose to her feet, the strangeness of the situation already faded from her mind. "Was I not walking fast enough for you?" she asked gently, noticing that the crosswalk signal was green, allowing her to cross. "Come on, lets go get you something to eat." With a close eye on her companion, she crossed the street and continued the short trip to her apartment.
By now, the sun had long since set, and the shadows stretched out from between the streetlamps like claws. On a normal day, she would have been hurrying, trying to get back to her apartment before it got so late. Now, with the dog - she really needed to find a name for him - beside her, she didn't feel as bad about the walk. If anything was lurking, he would see it. She still felt better when her complex came into view, however. "I didn't pick up anything from the store for you this time," Destiny said, glancing down at him. "I'm sorry, but I have food in my home. I wonder if you'd be willing to follow up up there." She was more or less just thinking out loud, and doubt he would. Following her on the streets was one thing, but the confined spaces of a stairwell?
~ ~ ~
It didn't take much for Jeord to be on board for the plan. He himself had been looking into finding someone willing to find good shipments of wine, of any kind, and the opportunity presented to him was too good to pass up. He exchanged his greetings with Irsen as he signed all the paperwork needed, briefly catching up with the man. Sadly, that was all he could do, for work was not as light on him as it was for his niece.
With the paperwork signed and stored away for the journey, Sophia finally allowed Irsen to drag her from the warehouse. Drag was an overstatement. Lead was better, for her steps were eager to head out and catch up with her friend. So much so, that she completely missed the looks the others gave her as they walked, hand in hand, out the front door. It was such a common occurrence now, that she hardly even thought about the small gesture and how it would look to others.
Since she had grown up in the town, she knew exactly where her friend was leading her. If she seemed bothered by having to make such a trek out of town in her current wardrobe choice, she didn't show it. It was just nice to be out and about, breathing in the fresh air after so many hours in the office. Instead, she never ended the flow of answers and questions they sent back and forth to each other. Upon reaching their destination, Sophia was smiling and laughing, watching as Sen spread out the blanket. At his invitation, the woman took her place beside him.
"Hand it over. Your sketchbooks are what I live for," she told him, holding out her hand and making a grasping motion until he gives in. Merely looking over his shoulder was never enough. She had to have the pictures up close, so she could study every detail. What she got first, though, was the Sea of Dandelions. "And you're just being dramatic," she told him, putting the picture safely beside her so he wouldn't be tempted to tear it up, for good measure.
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Post by Quod Ad Nox Noctis on Apr 11, 2021 18:52:36 GMT -5
( Oh, definitely! ) ( lol there's actually a silly AU where they act as Celia's Pokémon! Not literal Pokémon, but to the same effect. she's like "Go Orange!" And he just laughs and goes to sleep right there on the battlefield. Yellow(Irsen) is eager to help but he trips over Orange and Indigo takes the opportunity to step on his neck...Ah, the enemy ends up just trying to get a word in while they fight amongst themselves... So they have 'Pokémon' on their resume' lol ) ( And then they want to change things without your say so! Like no I didn't give you permission to shift the plot? ) ( Oh, I see! I'm not sure where I stand on group rps but I had a problem with making too many, haha ^^" I also get busy so they get hard to maintain after a while. And I'm picky with one-on-ones because I've had a few dead end ones in the past, like not having compatible characters or problems with communication- I'm glad that I have the opportunity to write with you, though! ^^ It's fun and easy! ) ( Well, I tried to warn you... lol Okay! I did some thinking and managed to shift things around. I'll be adding a few new races in to accommodate them, as that's also important to their characters. I'm also keeping plot planning in the back of my mind. This is initially a romance plot, so I want to be sure Sophia and their relationship features prominently. But we're good right now! We still have things to get to, such as the ~ Dance ~ and Meet The (Robbin)Sins ~ ) ( Exactly! I already go to college, I can't just write about going to college on my day off, it gives me sad anime flashbacks lol Oh, a ~ manifestation ~ I've had a few of those too! I think one may be This Lovely named Argent. I don't remember where he came from, i just decided on the color scheme and said Make Him Beautiful. He's actually the nemesis of a character named Cicatrix. Long story short, they're competing rulers but also soulmates so they flirt on the side. And during battle. And whenever they accidentally share dreams...He tries to seduce her to the 'dark side' because he's a well meaning tyrant. If everyone would just cede control to him, he can make it so they all live happily~! ) ( Hm, I think I have a few for testing out plots and they're <3My Girls<3 So you don't have a definite profile for Peter? And how do you pick names? The Sins have gone through countless names until I finally decided on these haha )
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Post by Quod Ad Nox Noctis on Apr 11, 2021 19:00:38 GMT -5
-- Irsen
"You live for mere brush strokes on paper?" Irsen temporarily holds the book out of her reach. "How dare you say that to my face!" The words emerge as a laugh despite his best efforts to look royally affronted. "Hm." The king eyes her with exaggerated pique. "You will pay for that affront, but first I wish to show you the spear I bested." The book is relinquished so that she may look over it, but Irsen has to adjust his position so that he can see which page has caught her attention. He doesn't miss the fact that she moves the Sea of Dandelions out of reach, she must have sensed his desire to destroy it. Irsen huffs and mutters that he isn't dramatic but Sophia turns a page and his interest is diverted. They've established a routine for his visits. Though the setting and activity may change, Irsen always shares the contents of his sketchbook whilst he regales Sophia with tales of his exploits. Each page holds a story, and he's gotten better at telling them.
It always pleases him to see how much she enjoys their time together. Irsen never doubts this, but visual proof never fails to make him feel buoyant. His rare smiles become more common in Sophia's presence. "Ah, see. This is Jade Crescent- in common tongue." He runs a gloved finger along a charcoal drawing of a jaggedly broken spear. Even without color, its design is unique and its double blades are revealed to be formidable despite his simple materials. "The man who turned it against me is known simply as 'Han'. We met on a narrow dilapidated bridge, each wishing to pass but neither willing to stand down. I proposed a duel for supremacy, and was forced to draw my sword as a matter of courtesy; I cannot spite a true warrior by using a dagger blooded by common rabble, yes?"
With the introduction over, Irsen then goes into more details; illustrating the day, his surroundings, the battle itself, and its satisfactory conclusion. He had bested the man, of course. Whilst breaking the bridge in the process...he alerted the nearby town so that they would know to come along and fix it, at least. Irsen and Han also saw fit to work together and gather some of the materials necessary to make the process easier. They initially established a rapport- until Irsen demanded his unique and powerful weapon as reward. Their relationship quickly soured after that. Han asserted that it was imbued with magic and specially crafted to fit him; Irsen doesn't see why it can't be fit to use by a king as well. Seeing how upset the man was, the dragon offered to allow time for the weapon to be reforged. They will clash again, and if Irsen wins, he will have the spear. Han doesn't know his true identity, but it will be easy enough for Irsen to track him.
The next page suggests a less fraught story. The background isn't given much attention so that it may further highlight the central figure. Somehow, the eye is initially drawn to his tentative smile and warm chartreuse gaze framed by thick green lashes. The figure's face is heart-shaped, pale and delicate with an adorable wrinkle to his pointed nose. Windswept emerald hair that doesn't quite conceal pointed ears suggests that he is one of the sidhe. Lighter highlights thread through left-swept bangs kept neat by an ivory daisy-shaped clasp, and a low ponytail is thrown over one slender shoulder. The painting depicts him from the waist up, a diffident posture to match his shy smile. Gloved fingers thread into the hair cascading over his chest whilst his other hand is in the process of reaching for a wineglass to hide behind. Of course this is merely a captured moment; he'd quickly moved the drink in between himself and Irsen's intense gaze to protest at being drawn again. 'Nazaret' is penned into the white space above his head, along with the date and location. "I caught him in Dangan, lending his aid in the aftermath of a bandit attack." Irsen shifts his weight to one hand, gaze softening at the memory. "This is the night I finally managed to drag him away from the scent of blood and coerced him into drinking with me. Perhaps not the best decision, as his reactions to alcohol are much too...varied. But I know it will give him better sleep than he'd find nodding off at someone's bedside."
"I still paid for it, however~ Drunk Naz is...persuasive." Irsen laughs, twirling a finger in the air. "He insisted on 'tucking me in' but we were in a forest clearing, so he spent much of his time carefully making me a bed of various flora, leaves, and pine needles. Once he'd managed to kick me into it- the kicking was unnecessary but he felt that it was faster than waiting for me to move- I was sung a lullaby that suggested remaining awake was not an option. Any choice was further discounted when he promptly fell asleep on me, haha~!"
Irsen straightens, grin widening. "I can't wait for you to meet him! He'll be making his way toward Harthford, though his pace will be slower than ours. He can move quickly but it takes him a week to make a few days' journey. Nazaret can't resist even the slightest opportunity to lend a hand~"
Despite their long friendship, Sophia was never afforded the opportunity to officially meet his 'family'. He'd simply told all parties about each other and the best he could do was showcase his drawings so that they could learn what the other looked like or how they were doing. Orpheo and Wasure always just missed her whilst traveling, Nazaret could never stay in one place for long, and his other three brothers have a kingdom of their own to run. Irsen has plans to remedy this, of course~ The upcoming signing of a peace treaty and the terms to be set would provide both time and the necessity to bring everyone together. He has made the event a holiday so she'd be free to come along. Their scheduled journey together will help him further his goal. If Sophia feels that she can handle a comparatively small party such as the Duke's, it could make her more amenable to joining him for another one later.
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Post by Quod Ad Nox Noctis on Apr 11, 2021 19:03:12 GMT -5
- - Mikazuki
'Don't let strange dogs follow you home!' ...this does not apply to him as he's technically leading. The inugami had to fight the urge to circle her protectively; it would likely end in his knocking her over again. He occasionally glanced up when she began musing to herself, even going so far as to apologize for not bringing him food. Mikazuki hates to be ungrateful, so it's probably best she doesn't know that he's given the food she'd surreptitiously spread out to other strays; they need it more than he does. It has been a while since he's eaten a full meal but this isn't much of an inconvenience, his curse is to always be hungry so whether or when he eats doesn't matter to him. The thought of being subjected to actual dog food, even though he'd try it as a courtesy, isn't exactly appealing but he'll suffer through it for the time being. Shifts are still unpredictable, so he must take what he can get. At least he's recently learned the Art of Hunting Squirrels.
Mikazuki obligingly follows the brunette up the stairs to her apartment, faintly curious as to what it would look like. An abundance of books, he'd reckon. It's been a while since he's had the luxury of time and space for reading. Orders must be spoken to be effective, and no one but his recent master had seen fit to teach him to read English. He wonders if he's still capable...perhaps he can poke around once the woman goes to sleep. Mikazuki allows her to enter first, pacing restlessly at the threshold as he sorts through the variety of scents. Nothing to suggest danger. And yet, whether or not he'll actually be able to sleep is uncertain. Even lulled by the staid, warm feeling of entering a place used as a home.
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Apr 11, 2021 19:45:24 GMT -5
(Parker: Yes. If he loved this person, I'd have two asses to beat.)
Parker followed once more, looking between the scenery and the man before him. All in all, it was a nice day. One not too warm or cold, and the walking was easy. It was a moment when his eyes were studying something in the trees when Sol suddenly stopped. He almost bumped into him had his attention not turned back to Sol at the last moment. "What's wrong?" He asked.
~•~•~
"He showed a lot a promise," Bennett said. "Again, I regret leaving him in the hands of my brother. But he seems to have taken a liking to you, that's for sure."
(Oh, that is wonderful. XD I'd pay to see that.)
(Oh, all the time. Like, I'm glad you're participating, but run it by me first! Lol)
(Haha, yeah, I've had plenty if those too, but I think with the right people, if a plot reaches a dead end, then they're willing to switch plots/characters and find something that does work. Same here! We might not be far into our plots, but I'm liking what we have so far.)
(Yay! I just need them all giving ImSen a hard time with his not so girlfriend/offical girlfriend, depending on where they are with their relationship when she meets them.)
(Oooh, he is pretty! And sounds completely reasonable. I don't see what the problem is. Also, j must ask, do you draw these pictures? Or did someone else, because they're all so good!) (Nope, Peter's a freelancer, swapping plots whenever he wants, lol. Names are tricky. I'm the kind of person who likes to look up meanings of name and pick one that fights both the personality of a character and their role in the plot. That, and sometimes I'll hear a good name and then build a character around it. XD)
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Apr 11, 2021 20:36:00 GMT -5
-- Sophia
And so the day went. Sophia sat, sketchbook in her lap, as she listened to the tales Irsen spun. To anyone else, it might have felt that his skills of storytelling were a bit all over the place, but she had known him long enough to follow along and put together the entire scenes he told her of. They were detailed and amusing, no matter the subject. Yet more times than not, they were mostly about fighting. She didn't mind, or each fight was always different.
And then the tale of Nazaret began, which brought a softer smile to her face. Sophia loved the stories of people he knew and liked better than the ones of fighting. It wasn't often she herself git to speak with anyone other than humans. Occasionally traveling species would be found in towns she was at, but even then unless she shared business with them, she didn't get a chance to talk with them. "I look forward to the chance to meet him,"Sophia stated, glancing up at Sen. Then added teasingly, "It'll be nice to meet another person you don't want to automatically fight."
~ ~ ~
-- Destiny
There was only one way to find out if he would follow her, and that was to just go for it. Destiny walked slow as they approached the stairwell that would lead up to the second floor. She spoke softly, promising him that he'd be okay as she took the first step up. To her surprise, he showed no signs of fear or caution for the stairs. Well, that made things easier.
She lead the way up to the landing, turning down a hallway until she reached apartment 26B. There she stopped, pulled her key out of her pocket, and unlocked the door. The room inside wasn't grand. In the light she turned on, it was very simple in design and layout. The door opened into the kitchen, which then lead to a small living area. To the right was a door that lead to her room, and the left was the bathroom. It was enough room for one person, and she kept things fairly tidy. In the living area, there were two shelves, on either side of the TV, filled with books, and there were more stashed away in her room.
"Now, let me see what I did with those leftovers," Destiny mused, heading over to the fridge. Last night she had made barbecue chicken, but she had made plenty to have for the next few nights. She didn't enjoy cooking, so she often tried to have meals that would be easy to warm up. When she did cook, she dis so in bulk. She found the seal containers she had put the leftover chicken into and set it on the counter. Then fetched a plate. "I don't know if you'll like the sauce, but maybe you can forgive that," she spoke to the dog, regardless if he cared. When she had created a generous pile of the meat, she set it on the floor before him. "There you go. Eat up, and I'll get you some water."
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Post by Quod Ad Nox Noctis on Apr 11, 2021 20:49:58 GMT -5
( Oh they Definitely will. They will tease him until the end of time, including Sophia because she's part of the family regardless~ )
( Right?! Trixi should just join him in gentle world domination~ They are beautiful! Sometimes I just stare lovingly for a bit...but no, unfortunately! My drawing sucks so while I may have the idea, I ask (and pay) my artist friends to bring my kids to life~ Xiresias (my profile pic) for example, was initially a crayon drawing that someone didn't want so I had to snatch him up before they got rid of him. Then I got him a nice shiny headshot so I can look at him while I write lol ) ( Some of my characters were already designed, but the Sins came from my imagination~ I have yet to get suitable art for their demonic forms, however )
( Oh, I had the same process! I actually had a little...thing going where other writers would give me a name, phrase, a few words, etc and I'd build a character around it and give it to them ^^ Nowadays I build newer characters after preexisting art, again, like X. I had the art and the cheeky facial expression, so I needed a name and personality to match~ The sins were all created before their names, which is why there are so many iterations. Which meaning did you pick for the girls you're writing now? I already know that Sophia suggests wisdom~ )
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Apr 12, 2021 20:17:51 GMT -5
(Excellent! XD)
(How would anyone not want that boi! He's precious! Lol, but your friend does some amazing work! Maybe one day soon you'll be able to get the perfect pictures of them!)
(It's somehow easier to build a character with something already decided like that. Makes it feel more open, like you are free to shape the character however you want without having to worry about making them fit into a plot. I like making them and then finding a story for them to join/let them write their own story.)
(The girls for these plots feel into my older style of character making, where I would build personality first and then pick a name. For Destiny, I wanted something unique, that I didn't hear often, and that sound as shy and dainty as her personality. Dakota, I wanted something a little more tomboyish, a little more "I can handle myself." And Chloe, I don't know. She just felt like a Chloe, and I couldn't see her with a different name. And Sophia was just a clear choice. Not only for the wisdom, but the name feels feminine and sophisticated and patient. A perfect fit.)
(Parker: Than Sol is safe. The girl is not.)
"It?" Parker asked, confused before he remembered what they were on the lookout for from the start of the trek. "Oh! Are you sure? What do we need to do?"
~*~*~
Bennett nodded slightly. He watched for a moment longer, before stating, "Well, if this is going to be a while, could I offer you boys any lunch? I feel like I can at least do that for you all instead of just standing here."
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Post by Quod Ad Nox Noctis on Apr 12, 2021 21:09:34 GMT -5
( Just a heads up! Not only am I getting sick, but the forums aren't working for me? I don't know if it's our connection or not, but outside forces are conspiring against me ^^" I'll get back when I can! Right now though this cold or whatever is giving me a headache...stay healthy! It's too late for me haha )
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Apr 13, 2021 20:51:45 GMT -5
(Parker: Of course, wouldn't you?)
Parker had been looking around, searching for a sign of the creature through the undergrowth, but there was nothing there. Nothing to suggest they were being watched or followed. He didn't argue the order to keep walking. In fact, he did so willingly, moving to lead as he walked down the path.
"Alright then," Bennett said with a grin. "In fact, I think I could use some help. The more help, the more I'll be able to whip. Come on, you can help me figure out what exactly we'll be making."
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Apr 20, 2021 20:00:42 GMT -5
( Um... no. xD )
Sol lingered a moment, giving Parker a head start. He followed, moving slowly but confidentially, using every sense in his arsenal to try and pinpoint which direction the creature was coming from.
He had only covered a couple feet when his efforts became moot. The bushes behind him rustled loudly. Sol stopped and turned on his heel to face it.
"It" was a cat, a big one. It looked like a saber, but it was like no saber Sol had ever seen. Its pelt rippled and shifted like a chameleon, changing to blend with it's surroundings. It's eyes were much too intelligent for a mere predator. It looked right at Sol, curled its lips, and growled.
☆~☆~☆ Seth lost track of how long he was in that pen. He came out only briefly for lunch, but then got right back in and went back to work.
The rest of the afternoon passed smoothly. Seth stayed in the pen with Pixar while Aidan helped with lunch. It took a couple hours, but Seth got all the burrs out of Pixar's mane and tail and brushed both until they shone. Seth also brushed out the rest of his coat, clearing the mud and dirt and returning it to the lustrous brown-black it was supposed to be. Pixar drew the line at his hooves, though. He didn't mind Seth touching his legs, but as soon as he tried to pick a foot up, Pixar panicked. Seth didn't push him on it. It was enough that Pixar was clean. They could work on the hooves later.
Later would need to come tomorrow, however, for Pixar wouldn't let the halter come anywhere near him. Correction: he wouldn't let the lead rope anywhere near him. Took Seth a few minutes to discover the distinction. Still, Pixar wouldn't let him put the halter on. Seth could drape it over his back, or touch his neck or legs with it, but as soon as he tried to put it on his head, Pixar said the horse equivalent of "hell no" and threw a tantrum. So, they would need to work on that later too.
It was approaching dinnertime by the time Seth called it a day and climbed out of the round pen. "I'll come back tomorrow and work with him some more, if that's all right." He looked back to find Pixar peering at him through the fence slats. Seth smiled and reached through to pet his nose.
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Apr 20, 2021 20:19:11 GMT -5
(Parker: Tsk, you'll be losing your man then.)
Parker heard the rustling in the bushes and glanced back. He stopped when he saw Sol staring behind them the way they had come. That made his own steps halt. He started to call back to him, but the words died as the cat came into view. Okay, so know they knew what was following them. A predator, big as it was, but a little less scary now that they knew what they were up against. "Sol," the man gathered up the nerve to whisper-shout to him, trying not to spook the cat.
~*~*~
All day, Seth had an audience. Bennett and Felix stood a good distance away, watching him work and talking among themselves. Should he have taken the day off of his work? Probably not, but Bennett would make up for it tomorrow. Besides, no one hardly did anything in this town that needed a strict watch of law enforcement.
When Seth called it a day, he nodded. "Go right on ahead. I can't promise I'll be around, but you boys come back and help yourselves to the barn. Do what you need to. He's not in the way here, as I had planned on keeping him, but with everything that's happened, I'd rather see him in the hands of those who will have the time to properly work with him. So do what you must however long it takes. And if there's anything I can do to help, just let me know."
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Post by Quod Ad Nox Noctis on Apr 21, 2021 3:50:49 GMT -5
( Sorry for the wait! Everyone in my family got sick one by one haha Okay! I should have replies up tomorrow/today! I'm thinking I'll respond to your immediate posts and then timeskip a bit. My thought was to flash forward to a point where they're on route in Sophia & Sen's case? That way we can build on their relationship a bit more, as well as introduce the bandit threat- I plan to actually do something with them! I was thinking they'd actually be from his kingdom and sowing the seeds of sedition. Maybe one time they put Sophia in real danger and Sen snaps to the point where they suspect he isn't human? Just a thought~!
Also, while the kingdom would feel lied to and betrayed, the real problem is that he's a dragon to begin with because they have a bad history with dragons. Was my idea? But feel free to interject at any time! Also! I was thinking we could have things going on in the background first, so that focus will be on establishing the pair's relationship before we put it to the test? Right now Irsen is in the pre-courting stage. He has no idea what he's doing, but he's doing something. Maybe. Eventually he'll have to be like "Sophia, darling, I've proposed to you five times already." )
( As for Mika, I was thinking a mini-timeskip to later that night where Destiny probably finds him unexpectedly human lol And because he's ridiculous he'll probably be like "WAIT let me finish making your breakfast before you call the police-!"
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Apr 21, 2021 6:19:17 GMT -5
( Only if he lets himself get stolen. In which case, it'll be him getting his ass kicked. )
The cat snarled and flipped its gaze to Parker, until Sol shifted his stance, blocking Parker and gaining the cat's full attention again. "Easy," he told it, tone low and calm. "We're just passing through." He tilted his head. "But you already know that, don't you?"
The cat let out another snarl. Then... it spoke.
You have overstayed your welcome, human.
Sol went still. The voice wasn't spoken out loud, but it didn't speak to the mind exactly either. It was somehow something in between, almost as if they had suddenly gained the ability to speak cat.
"My ship will be here by morning," Sol said after a moment. At least, he hoped it would be.
As if sensing his doubt, the cat's lip curled in a sneer. You better hope it does, human, or this place will become your grave.
It turned to leave, but paused long enough to look pointedly past Sol to Parker. Then it was gone, vanishing almost completely the moment it jumped into the underbrush, its pelt blending seamlessly with its surroundings. Sol strained his eyes trying to watch it go.
☆~☆~☆ Seth nodded. "Thank you." He turned to Aidan. "You ready to head home?"
It took Aidan a minute to respond, as he finished slaying his imaginary enemies. He had spent his afternoon alternating between watching Seth and, when that got boring, playing make believe a few feet away. His last "kill" was extra dramatic — as if he knew he had an audience now — with big movements and sound effects. He completed his performance with a bow. "Yeah, I'm ready."
Seth chuckled. "Good to know, drama queen."
"Drama king," Aidan corrected.
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Apr 21, 2021 19:52:25 GMT -5
(It's okay, Nox! I hope you all are feeling better! Everything you just said sounds good to me! I like the idea of there being a threat to his throne. That might make all of Sen's traveling and getting to know the people of his kingdom worth something if he's able to show them he knows and respects their concerns and fears and plains to do right by them. Of course, it'll take more than that to convince them, but that's a good point of drama to keep things interesting.
And yes. We need to have several "dates" where Sen is all but confessing his love and Sophia's just not getting it. XD I will never say no to some background fluff. XD)
(And, yeah, I'm down for a mini skip to when she sees him human. If you'd like, I could make a starter for that, unless you're already in the progress of it. Lol. Whichever will work best for you. ^^ )
(Parker: Oh, I'd kick both their asses. Hers for trying to take something that doesn't belong to her, and his for being tempted to start with. If you're sending a message, be thorough.)
Parker was a little annoyed when Sol stepped between him and the cat. He did know how to handle large cats. It wasn't rare that a mountain lion would try to steal a sheep or two. However, he didn't have the time to dwell on the offense. Shock quickly replaced it as the voice of the beast filled the air. It wasn't like how Corrik had spoken to him in the few days they had spent together upon their return home. While Corrik's voice had been completely a mental presence, and a voice as he was still getting used to talking to people other than Anya, the cat's voice was everywhere. He heard it with his hears even though his eyes saw no movement of the mouth, nor a touch to his mind. It was strange to put it mildly.
While Sol watched the cat leave, Parker couldn't stop himself from looking back at the spot the beast last glanced to. He knew that by paying attention to an animal when it looks in a certain direction, it was usually because something had caught its eye. And whatever this creature noticed must be something that they should be aware of also.
~*~*~
Felix chuckled in amusement at the kid. "Well, I hope the drama king hasn't wasted all his energy in his fighting," he said. "We still have a few chores to finish when we get back home. If Dad hasn't grown impatient and done them himself. There's a tree down near one of the far pastures. Want to go with Corrik and me to move it?"
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Post by Quod Ad Nox Noctis on Apr 21, 2021 21:29:01 GMT -5
( Thanks! ^^ Yes, that's what I was thinking! ^^ They're so entrenched in tradition that he's kind of a shock, but a welcome one. Soon. Hopefully. I need to sprinkle at least a little more turmoil in...
On that note, I think the exact length of time that he's been king has slipped my mind...His aging is already weird and factoring in his brothers...hm. That's not something he can change overnight, even with his Shonen Sunshine UltMove. It could be that his brothers already had the kingdom in mind for takeover and they 'gave' it to him 'cause he's cute. It will have been a combination of Sen's straightforward strong-arming ways and the others working behind the scenes to ensure his crowning is somewhat smooth...Ah. He will have still been a kid (mentally) when crowned. Exact age uncertain for now. Maybe 15 but nobody knew lol I already planned for the pact he made with the Cordel family to have been made while under the prior queen's rule. As it was set up, the old queen was also toppled from her throne for poor leadership and Sen partly won over the kingdom the way he does friends. With endless gifts. He's both fearless and powerful enough to go 'dungeon-hopping' and acquiring a number of valuables, as well as the things he's learned from other cultures, so he was welcomed at first but now that he's been king for long enough maybe the public's favor is beginning to flag? We can probably add to that, but those were my initial thoughts! Especially considering that he left the old queen alive and allowed her to leave unmolested entirely as a flex. Like "I could kill you but I won't. And you have to live with that fact." )
( Also, we need a sideplot/character quest for Sophia too! I don't want her to fall by the wayside while Sen is reconfiguring his...everything. Whatever she wants to do or goes through he'll support her 100% ! Even if she decides that she wants to just. Observe swamp frogs or something. He'll be right there with her like "you're doing amazing babe! You found another frog? Effervescent~ Hold still while I paint you-!"
And got it! Let's have fun with Sophia accidentally stepping on his heart and saying "sorry did you drop this?" )
( Oh, feel free to draw up the starter if you have the chance! I'm just getting back to the keyboard and I'll start with Sen )
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Post by Quod Ad Nox Noctis on Apr 21, 2021 23:24:53 GMT -5
While far more slow-moving and less exciting than his own travels- they're So Slow- Sophia's caravan is soon well underway. Irsen flits about it as an unofficial member; He earnestly applies himself to whatever labor they experience- to the point where he barely allows anyone to do anything. He loads and unloads the goods & camping equipment, ventures out to catch them fresh meat when needed, scouts the road ahead and warns of weather changes...They've banned him from cooking, however... Those already acquainted with their boss's enthusiastic friend are merely continually amused at his antics; Such as a refusal to sleep in a 'civilized' manner, prowling around Sophia's sleeping quarters until he's good-naturedly chased off by a woman professing to 'protect her virtue'. In which case he sulks by the fire or in a nearby tree until he's forced to fumble his way into wakefulness so that he may orbit her once more. The dragon can never manage to wake as quickly or adroitly as people accustomed to travel on a time-schedule, but he usually finds his way to Sophia even whilst only partly awake. He'll collapse in her lap and spend as much time as he can there until he's prodded awake or pried from her person. The latter is less likely.
Though occasionally crooked, his hood stays on and the shadowed, serpentine gaze that flashes up at any who dare remove him usually keeps outsiders from disturbing his second morning nap. Irsen sits beside her at every opportunity, staring anyone else who dares into immediately evacuating their spot so that he can feed her breakfast while she looks over her paperwork. It may be a struggle at first, but Irsen wills himself to understand whatever business jargon she's speaking so that she will discuss it with him. Not that she can do so with him alone, as she has 'partners' who can better understand what she's saying, but he likes to be able to keep up at least.
Occasionally, his presence is so overbearing that they can manage to entice him away with the tried-and-true method of dares and duels. The morning that marks them a fortnight from Harthford is one such occasion. Irsen willingly leaves Sophia's side to follow one of the workers- partly lured by promise of the last strip of deer jerky- and is included in a series of games that would take the place of drawing lots for their accommodations. He ran out of money somewhere...
Irsen had sized the last man up with an excited bounce, praising the unfamiliar man for his courage and professing how much he looked forward to facing him with a weapon as well! But because his mind works in mysterious ways, the sound of Sophia's laughter softens his tone.
"It'll be nice to meet another person you don't want to automatically fight."
Though the conversation had long since passed, Irsen finds himself contemplating it as he helps the now crumpled man to his feet, slanting a look that would be sheepish on anyone else toward the woman in question. He tends to want to fight everyone- barring Sophia, of course...Yet even though her words were delivered in jest, it had given him pause. "Um, excuse me-" The man tentatively attempts to free himself from Irsen's grip on his hand, but the dragon is staring intently at his friend, head tilted as he puzzles it over. Hm. He doesn't want to fight Sophia. And he never has, has he? There are times where he wants to hold her aggressively but he supposes that can't be qualified as wrestling. Even when they were younger, he'd been careful not to play rough with her as he did others. Honestly that isn't a strange thing on its own...right? Why is he thinking about it now? "Sir if you would just-" She said 'another person' that he didn't want to automatically fight. So she knows that he doesn't want to fight her. Ever. Does she? It's suddenly important that she knows this. Irsen abruptly releases the wide-eyed man that he'd been armwrestling with and strides over to her, heedless of the cooking fire- he wills it to bow its flames before the ends of his cloak can meet it. "I don't want to fight you Sophia."
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Apr 22, 2021 22:13:07 GMT -5
(Lol, I'm sure you'll be able to think of something. )
(Having the kingdom in the hands of a child Sen is a terrifying thought. XD But I do like everything you mentioned. This is more based on your world and stuff you've already figured out, so I'm more than okay with you handling that side of things. I can help add things to the towns and the common people side of things, as well as trade. I figure while he's having his identity crisis, Sophia might have found herself in the sudden possession of the company? Perhaps Jeord falls sick and doesn't recover, or he is jumped by rouges and injured, never fully healing as he's supposed to. In result, he starts trying Sophia more in what he does so that she'll be ready to make a smooth transition from accountant to head of the business? That could also create a strain on their newly forming relationship, what with both being pulled in the opposite directions by their new responsibilities and whatnot. (However, the idea of her just having a mental breakdown and wish to spend her time catching frogs with Sen in the background is extremely hilarious. XD)
(Oh, I'm going to have fun with that. XD)
(Okay!)
She always looked forward to these trips. On the one hand, she enjoyed the chance to leave home and see the rest of the kingdom. Don't get her wrong, she loved her town, but there were times when Sophia grew tired of the same old scenery day in and day out. So the summer journeys were a welcomed respite from the mundane schedule she lived in. It was even better when Irsen was able to join her. During the days, they all spent a good portion of the day riding on horseback down dusty roads, through forests and open meadows. Whatever the landscape, she drank it in... whenever her friend wasn't around to pester and joke and showcase whatever antics he was currently thinking up.
During the nights, she would help the rest set up camp, tend to the animals, and share in the task of cooking. She was no professional at it herself, but she was still far better than Irsen had proven himself to be. The group would spend an hour in hearty conversation, bonding over their similar aches and weariness from the travel and casting playful banter back and forth before, one by one, retiring for the night. There were always a fun tasked with keeping a guard on watch, for there were carrying a good deal of goods with them. Most nights, however, that was not Sophia's job. She was not trained in fighting, so she wouldn't have been much help even if she did offer to keep watch. So, she would make her ben in the back of one of the caravans (a luxurary that came with being the one in charge), and slept.
In the mornings, she'd rise early to begin their day... Only to be collapsed upon by a tired Sen. Never annoyed, the woman will find herself sitting by the morning fire with her friend's head on her lap like an overgrown cat. To further keep with that analogy, she would often times even pet or play with his long hair while he dozed. She was more than aware of his sleeping habits and knew it would be pointless to try and wake him right away. So she let him doze, ignoring the stares some of the traveling party threw their way. To her, Sen's sleeping upon her was just a normal thing. She had grown used to it after spending so much time with him. Sophia found herself falling asleep sometimes leaning against him. There was nothing inappropriate about it, other than the opinions of others, and she actually liked having Irsen around like this. He was the one person who rarely cared of "proper" protocol, the only one who spoke to her how he wanted, when he wanted, and she could do the same. Theirs was a carefree and simple friendship. Their boundaries with each other were both non-existent and clearly defined, and neither one would do anything to change that.
On this current morning, however, while she was working over some of her paperwork her uncle had sent with her, she half listened to the sounds of the mock fights the guards of the caravan were having before breakfast. She didn't mind their fights, for it gave them some entertainment and a way to blow off some steam and get to know each other better. There was the risk of someone causing hurt feelings and having it escalate, so that was why she always kept an ear turned to their direction. The sounds of the fighting died away, and she assumed that this morning's battles were over. Sure enough, it wasn't long before the sound of footsteps could be heard approaching her. She didn't have to look up to guess who it was striding towards her.
"Well, I should hope not, otherwise things wouldn't be so good for me, now would they?" Sophia asked in amusement, lifting her gaze up to meet his with a small smile. "I don't even remember saying anything about wanting to try and fight. I'll leave that up to you and your friends."
~ ~ ~
With the good offered, Destiny went about making up a makeshift bed for her four-legged friend. It didn't seem right for her to just kick him back out after he was already in here, so she wanted to make him comfortable for the night. Sure, a bath for him might have been a good idea first, but she wasn't going to try and push her luck. So, she hunted down all the spare blankets she could find and made him a bed/nest in the living area of the apartment. Then went to go take care of herself.
After a shower, change of clothes, and dinner for herself, the woman was ready to turn in for the night. As much as she wanted to stay and tend to the dog, she did have work in the morning. Sleep was required. So, for that, she bid him a goodnight with a pat on his head and a promise that she would give him a good breakfast in the morning before heading to bed.
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Heterosexual
✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧
"You never have to prove yourself to anyone who doesn't accept you for who you are."
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Post by ✧☽ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴇʀ ☾✧ on Apr 23, 2021 16:40:05 GMT -5
( You're so violent underneath that innocent farm boy act you got going. xD )
Once the sense of danger faded, Sol finally turned away from where he'd last seen the cat and made his way to Parker's side. "Come on," he said. "Let's get back to the beach."
☆~☆~☆ Seth nodded at the same time Aidan shook his head empathetically, Seth answering Felix's question and Aidan responding to his comment. "I'm not tired, Felix. I can help with the chores."
Seth ruffled his hair. "Good. Let's go see what all still needs to be done."Morgan spun around quickly, as if afraid Callum would disappear within the half second it took him to turn. He didn't. In fact, he was actually making his way toward them. Morgan blinked. "Why aren't you trying to sneak away?"
Callum arched one brow as he stopped in front of them. "Do you want me to sneak away?"
"No," Morgan said quickly. "I was just... expecting you to. You haven't been very forthcoming lately."
"I'm never very forthcoming," Callum pointed out dryly.
Morgan couldn't argue that. "So what happened in there?" Morgan asked.
Callum slid his hands into his pockets. "I answered questions and got another reprimand from Lawrence for my disrespectful behavior."
Morgan sighed, exasperated. "What did you do, Callum?" He didn't clarify, didn't need to. He held Callum's stare, daring him to avoid another explanation.
After a minute, Callum let out a quiet breath. "Fine. Come on. I'm not talking about it here." He set off without a backward glance, no doubt uncaring if they followed or not.
Sparing a brief glance for Kyra, Morgan followed.
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Apr 23, 2021 21:50:05 GMT -5
(Parker: And I consider that provoking.)
"How did it get here?" Parker asked, glancing back to make sure they weren't being followed. "And how can it change colors? And speak?! Are they like dragons? In the way they use magic, at least."
~*~*~
(I can! I'll set the scene. >:3 )
The next day followed the same pattern as the last. They woke, took care of the chores around the house, and then starting training. It was the same routine as before, starting with the warm-ups and building off what they had been shown yesterday. The first half was for review of basic exercises and and moves that they could do on their own. Then, after a break, Anya was once more face to face with Seth in a sparing match. She did her best, trying different maneuvers and strategies that she hadn't tried before, all in hopes of landing more blows to the man. She managed to get him once more, but that was more dumb luck than any skill. Even with Corrik there, trying to give her advice (and trying to cheat unsuccessfully), she still couldn't best Seth. Not that she was too disappointed by that.
And like before, one of the Dorreh brothers had wandered down to the makeshift ring. Today, it was Ryner. He didn't interrupt, but rather spoke with Aidan in hushed tones, asking for a play by play and betting on what one fighter would do next. In all honesty, he might not have been as quiet as he was trying to be. At the same time, he didn't seem too bothered by it.
~*~*~
(lol, you're good. That last reply of mine was all I could wrangle out of Kyra. XD)
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Post by Quod Ad Nox Noctis on Apr 24, 2021 0:38:38 GMT -5
-- Irsen
Irsen matches Sophia's smile, lightly stroking her neatly pinned hair. "I'm sure you could do more if you applied yourself! However, you are the one person I do not wish to fight." He cants his head, "Hm..? Because you are different, I suppose." Even his brothers have, and would continue to, happily engage him in deadly battles that would destroy anyone else. They're rather enjoyable bonding experiences that he always looks forward to. A few of his sparse scars were earned in childhood, roughhousing with his parents as a form of play. Irsen is accustomed to violence that translates into bonding, and he has friends who aren't well-equipped to face dragons that he trains and spars with. Humans, women even. Strangely, he's never quite figured out why this isn't the same with Sophia. He wants to have fun with her the way that his instincts suggest. He wants her to be strong enough to defend herself when necessary- even though he doesn't see a reality in which he ever fails to protect her- but that is rather difficult to do when just the sound of her voice causes him to gentle even his naturally sharp tone.
He finds that he has kept these thoughts in mind for a while. The sudden rise in bandit activity has made him sensitive to this. Ah, he'll need to address that as well. The caravan's guards have already been successfully coerced into complying with his orders. Irsen would rather devote his free time to Sophia, but duty calls at the least opportune times. "Hmph." The dragon eyes Sophia for a minute before kneeling before her. "I do not wish to fight you, and I know that you are busy...so make haste. There is something I'd like you to see." He then gives a dismissive wave to the men who already know they've lost his interest, and receives one in turn. Irsen pivots on one knee, extending an arm for the blue jay that had been soaring toward them as he spoke. It flutters to a stop on his arm and he moves his body further so that it doesn't disturb Sophia. It's a familiar bird, the inky feathers framing its face pointing in a downward-facing arrow. Its eyes are a deep indigo with a glimmer of human-like intelligence.
"Ah hello brother, Sang." Irsen gently strokes its head before removing the spelled scroll from its leg. He habitually keeps treats on his person for 'emergencies' and is prepared to reward it with a small satchet of blackberries he'd picked that morning. The bird trills its thanks and hops onto a stone at his side to peck at the bag while he peruses his brother's letter. There is no need to hide its contents, as Orpheo writes in the dragon's forgotten language when communicating covertly. Irsen leans against one of Sophia's legs, expanding the parchment to its full size by giving it a shake.
"Orpheo has a contingent of nearby knights en route. Hmhm, good! A map as well, provided by Wasure." The latter is obvious, as the neat writing is interspersed with cute doodles to illustrate his brothers' points. There's a bobble-headed 'bandit' with circles above his head and crossed out eyes that suggest he's been defeated. This doodle is accompanied by a female knight with her axe raised in victory. The map is a smaller, updated version of the previous ones, with pictures depicting actively hazardous areas and words the nature of the danger. With this he can develop a plan of attack and ensure Sophia's caravan reaches its destination without issue. He may have to leave at certain points in the remainder of their journey, but this is where Sang comes in. Orpheo can see through his bird's eyes and will alert him to danger when he leaves Sophia's side.
The magic cannot always be in effect and is strained by distance, but Orpheo should be able to manage short bursts if Sang detects a disturbance. Irsen will have to earnestly thank his brother in person; Orpheo is strong and he's powerful even for one who specializes in intangible magic, but something like this would be taxing. He watches over Sophia at his older brother's behest even whilst taking care of other duties. His mind is halved and his magic is weakened, yet he persists. Irsen wants to hug him right now! His baby brother is truly amazing! The dragon finds his lips twitching into a grin, lightly skimming the tips of his fingers over the sharp lettering.
When Irsen reaches the end of the letter, he finds another doodle of Wasure, striking a pose and winking at him with a star-shaped eye shaded in violet. He laughs at that, carefully folding that edge of the parchment to be removed later. Irsen keeps a book of all the little doodles that he's collected. "See, here. This looks promising!" He tilts his head back to look up at Sophia. "I don't feel like moving so I will inform your underlings of the route's shift once I have finished with you. Now, hurry and complete your task so that I may assign you a new one!"
<^><^><^>
-- Mikazuki
The inugami waits until the door is closed and locked before familiarizing himself with the apartment. The woman mutters to herself in the background whilst he trots the perimeter, taking note of windows as possible modes of both exit & entrance. Ah, he'll have to position himself here and keep her to this side...the dearth of furniture is both a bane and a boon. No cover, no cover but plenty of room to move. Mikazuki circles the living room but comes to a stop when the woman approaches him with chicken. He never intends for it, but some form of politesse remains and he greets her with a wag before nudging her hand in quiet thanks. The food is welcome, especially given that it's 'human' food. Mikazuki attacks it with gusto but tries not to make a mess as he does so. He isn't sure he remembers how to get barbecue sauce out of carpet... Fresh, unpolluted water is also greatly welcomed, and he's so preoccupied with it that her return seems rather abrupt.
The woman provides him with a bed of blankets and indicates that it's for him. Mikazuki considers her with a tilt of his head. What is she doing? She's been trying to feed him for a while now- but to let him sleep in her home? What if he chewed her shoes over night? Or ran up her water bill? Or left her tv on all night? Or- He huffs at her, almost wanting to demand that she kick him out. Too kind for her own good. Who could possibly have anything against her? Something about this doesn't feel right. Everything about this doesn't feel right- but that's why he's here. To make it right, if only until he can regain his strength. He'll use her for palatable food and water then. A symbiotic relationship. If she's going to behave this way he might as well take advantage of it.
Mikazuki can't convey both irritation and gratitude, so he circles her with his nose in the air and deigns to sit in her nest of blankets with another huff. The human is unfazed, eating a quiet dinner at a reasonable distance before offering him a 'goodnight' and pat on the head. It's pathetic, but Mika freezes at that, blue eyes widening. He'd been allowing her to touch him for the night so that she'd feel safer. This shouldn't be any different but it reminds him of another time- a gentle brush of fingers and whispered 'goodnight' through cage bars. Like he was a person who would understand. Who mattered. Stupid. People did that with their pets all of the time. This isn't any different. She's only speaking to him like a dog. And he is. He just wishes-
-that he would shut up. Taking everything to heart. That's why he failed as an inugami. Mika studiously ignores her and occupies himself with tugging his bed into a more strategic corner of the room and nudging the stray blankets into place. 'Goodnight.' He says. To himself and nobody else. As it should be.
The inugami always sleeps light, tonight in particular. He wakes periodically to scan the room and scent the air before dozing again. He's prepared for another quick check when a familiar itch overtakes his body. Mika shivers in a sudden flash of cold and jolts upright, eyes widening when the movement is accompanied by the tinkle of bells. His whole body is flashing hot and cold in turns and he stares in silent disbelief as his paws become pale hands. Mikazuki wobbles onto his now human knees, flailing a bit to maintain his balance. Fortunately, his hands disappear into the wide sleeves of his short yukata-style attire and he's wearing his torn sable juban underneath so that he won't be forced to stumble around the apartment in his blankets. "That...was sudden." Mikazuki's voice is hoarse from disuse. The words are meaningless, but he speaks simply for the sake of speaking. It has been a long time since he'd last shifted. They continue to be unpredictable and rarely provide him with the ability to control them. This time...didn't hurt and that is the most surprising part. Perhaps it's the actual meal that did it.
Mikazuki falls back onto his heels before moving into a crouch and cautiously standing up. He trembles a bit, but manages to recall how to walk after a few tries. There's probably a ridiculously insipid smile on his face as he dances around the living room in his jika-tabi, wiggling his fingers and making various gestures that he was incapable of as a canine. Thumbs up! Peace sign! Middle finger! Spelling his name in ASL! He laughs to himself, muffling it with a sleeve as he finally comes to a stop so that he can compulsively set his hair aright. The inugami is somehow full of energy all of a sudden. He wants to try more ambitious things with his hands like- his curled fingers catch something flaky in his hair and he lowers his hand to see the dried blood on his palms. The pain had left, so he'd forgotten that he had been injured earlier.
Apparently, the most ambitious thing he should attempt is a shower. Bathing in fountains is barely 'good enough' in a human body. Mikazuki glances toward the woman's bedroom before his gaze shifts to the window. If he's quick, he may be able to manage a cursory wash without waking her. And he should be able to sense danger even with water running. That...thing felt much too disturbing and alien to be easily dismissed. He'll also have to wash his clothes without her notice as well...He can manage. Mikazuki looks down, curling his hands into fists and focusing on the 'inu' side of himself. There's a weak spark and then...nothing. He...may not be able to revert at will but he can always flee the apartment when needed. As long as he can retrieve his clothes or smuggle out a blanket...
Mikazuki returns to his 'bed' to find one large enough to cover his body and ties it loosely to the front door handle. That should serve as something to be utilized in a quick getaway; He can fold it into something vaguely resembling a garment for the time being. Mika then pokes around to find a way to wash his clothes. He's familiar with most modern appliances...and hm...he should wash hers as well, while he's at it. The shower is the final obstacle and he approaches it with quick, soft steps as if even the intention will awake her. 'Please be a deep sleeper. At least for tonight! On any other night please wake at the slightest sound.'
Mika closes the bathroom door with care and wastes a moment to just stare covetously at the soaps and various bath assortments~ Oh, hm, the shower has a few water stains...Hopefully she has vinegar so that he can take care of them- ah, focus! He nods decisively to himself with a 'hm!' And slowly begins turning the handle toward 'hot' if its low then she may not hear it...He just has to will himself out when needed. The thought of a hot shower sounds better than a table-full of his favorite meals. Mikazuki has to reach back to still his tail, which is wagging so quickly that it generates enough wind to flutter the shower curtains. ^><^
He does manage to act with relative unobtrusiveness and speed- no matter how displeased he is about the latter- and finds that he has time on his literal(!) hands that can be used constructively. The apartment is otherwise neat and organized, so Mika finds his attention drifting to the bookshelves framing the television. He's truly curious as to what she reads when not at work...She. He doesn't actually know her name, does he? In the little time they've spent together, Mikazuki can't recall an occasion where someone had addressed her by name. His fingers skim the cracked spine of a well-worn book. He wonders if she writes her name on the insides the way he had, once.
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