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hdd8dve.jpg
Selene Yonescu​

|Location: S.S. Infinity Kitchen

The flustered Selene glanced at Red staring at him a bit uncertain. Her own focus not even catching onto Jin as he moved over almost robotically to make breakfast. The dhampir far too lost in her own little world of trouble focused on the red haired gentleman before her. The girl blinked seeming a bit taken back by his proposition. Training? The idea made her look on almost puzzled by it before blushing a little bit in response as he seemed quite content to split up the load giving her tasks of her own to compliment his. The eighteen year old staring at him with a light nod.

"Together?" She spoke as her eyes fixated on him. Her eyes couldn't help but lock on his neck as his coat was off. Her eyes fixating hungrily as if able to not just see but 'feel' the blood pulsating in his veins. The glow on her cheek only growing a bit brighter. Her thirst becoming more prominent as she simply stared at him. Selene had slowly followed as get her own ingredients. The girl half paying attention as she grabbed the hash browns and bread. Her head turning half paying attention as she cut the bread rather sloppily into slices, not even realizing she cut her fingers a bit in the process though it healed quick enough.


"Yes... yes... c... cook together... yes..." Selenes words spoke out as if to talk with him despite him not really saying anything more. The Dhampir girl clearly having fallen for him... or more realistic the blood his tasty neck might contain if she could have just a little bite... just a little one. How delicious it would be. Nice and fresh. Very sweet. Nourishing. Her stomach growling hungrily at the thought of having just a little.

As Red cooked Selene was beside him, looking at him and his neck quite longingly. Her hands working as she placed the food in the pans half paying attention throwing the awkwardly chopped up slices of bread in to be cooked as the hash browns were put on to the side. Her eyes unable to help but glance over fixating on Red over and over. Her little distraction leading her to not pay much attention to her food as it cooked. Whenever Red might glance her way she would look back fumbling with the pans as if paying attention before shyly peeking back over. Her tongue sticking out as she licked at her lips staring at him. Her thirst not having gotten much better as the smell of food continued to build up, and strangely a smell of... burning?

Naturally, her lack of attention became a bit more noticeable. The toast itself while looking okay on the one side was starting to burn. The smell of smoke slowly wafting up as she slowly started burning it to a crisp. The hash browns on the other hand were looking alright.... though even they started to burn a bit on the bottom, her little gestures to shake at the pan helping to mix them up slightly though not doing enough of a motion to move the shredded potatoes around enough to evenly cook it. The one side of the toast completely crisp as smoke was far more clearly rising through the air as Selene was clearly distracted looking at Red's neck oblivious to even the fact that Syrus had slipped in looking for food.


Interacting: Red Guppy Franz Guppy Franz
Mention: Nothingness Nothingness Historia Calamatium Historia Calamatium
 
Gaberial De'Sardet
"Red"
Interactions: Hanarei Hanarei
Mentions: JJae JJae Nothingness Nothingness​

"Blast," Red whispered under his breath as he removed the fifth burnt piece of bacon, another casualty in his attempts to create a simple breakfast. A small frown of displeasure slipped onto his face as he placed the burnt, thin strip of meat atop the other failed attempts, the sad and charred sight pitiably reminding him of his lack of ability to perform a simple task. Red had never needed to rely on himself when it came to feeding himself, his past life provided servants and experienced chefs to prepare his meals for the day. Even after his escape to freedom, he would use whatever coin he could muster to buy pre-made rations or rely on the dishes served in random taverns and bakeries he passed in his travels. When joining the Infinity it had become a small blessing to once again have the cooking talents of Dominique to provide him with decent meals. Though now as he failed to prepare the simplest of dishes it felt like an utter embarrassment, like a child who hasn't learned to tie his shoes yet. A small sigh escaped him as he shook off the failure and draped another strip of bacon onto the pan to try again.

Luckily his eggs seemed to be fairing better, though he was unsure if they had been seasoned properly. At a quick glance, he noticed quite a bit of black pepper covering the food, maybe a bit too much. He would even spot more than enough cayenne pepper flakes mixing with the eggs, an attempt to add spice to the meal but now giving a slight aura of menace. There was no going back now though as he slipped the portion of scrambled eggs onto the pristine plate on the counter, slightly proud at the fact they weren't as burnt as the bacon. As he finished with the eggs he spared a glance to his fellow cook in training, noticing for a split second the intense gaze Selene directed at him before swiftly re-directing her attention to something else. Red had caught on to Selene's odd behavior, but decided it to be rude to bring it up.

Though he did notice a bit of an odd expression he managed to see out of the corner of his eye, the... strange action of licking her lips as he recognized the look of hunger in her eyes as she stared at him. Did something smell good? Just how hungry was she? Was it the smell of Jins cooking? As he silently asked these questions he soon realized he forgot an important detail about his dhampir companion. Blood. Red mentally kicked himself for overlooking such an important detail, a small frown slipping onto his face as he focused on the pan of sizzling bacon before him. Red had no issue with her 'thirst', but it brought on a bit of guilt as he failed to consider that fact. He was still unsure of just how much of a struggle it was for her to handle her certain hunger, the two of them never talked much of the subject since Red did not want to seem intrusive. Regular food though he noticed seemed enough to stave off her hunger. Just another reason for the two of them to learn and improve their skills within the kitchen whenever the ships cook wasn't present.

As he continued to work on the bacon in his pan he glanced over to Selene, inspecting her own work with a curious gaze. The shredded potatoes for her hashbrowns seemed to be doing well, Red taking note of the gestures with her wrist as she attempted to stir the potatoes in the pan. Though the actions were not as smooth or experienced as Dominique's, at least her potatoes were not burning like his bacon. "Wonderful work Ms. Yonescu, I'm sure you'll perfect the art faster than I," he encouraged her with a small smile, his tone light and supportive as he tended to his own work. Though as he focused on his work the familiar smell of smoke reached his nose, making him narrow his eyes to see if his bacon was once again on the verge of turning to charcoal. When that wasn't the case, he looked back to Selene and her station to see smoke rising from her side. The toast!

Selene seemed distracted once again to notice so Red quickly hurried over to her side, hurriedly flipping the toast over to reveal the extra crispy side of the piece of toast. A small, yet nervous chuckle escaped him as he looked down at Selene with an amused smile. "I know it is not the most entertaining of tasks, but please keep an eye on your-" before he could finish he smelled the scent of burning bacon and snapped his gaze back to his station, seeing a light trail of smoke rise from his pan. "Oh blast," he muttered before swiftly brushing past her to hurry back to his station and save his bacon. A low hum of disappointment escaped him as he quickly removed the meat from the pan and onto the plate atop the counter. "Damn," he murmured under his breath as he inspected the outcome of his food. Though they weren't as burnt as his earlier attempts, they still did not look as appealing as he would wish.

"Well, it seems I should follow my own advice before preaching it to others," he chuckled bittersweetly as he glanced back at Selene. "Apologies Ms. Yonescu, it seems my half of breakfast will not be as good as I had hoped it would be," he apologized with a slightly ashamed smile, doing his best to hide it.
 
Quartermaster
Jin Aethor
Mood: Exhausted
S.S. Infinity | Kitchen

Interactions ||
Historia Calamatium Historia Calamatium Guppy Franz Guppy Franz Hanarei Hanarei

Mentions ||
N/A

Paying little mind to both Red and Selene as they had conversed while Jin had continued to prepare breakfast for himself as well as the rest of the crew since Dom did not seem to be back from wherever she had gone; it was clear enough that she was not on board since normally she would've been the one up earlier than others to prepare food for everyone, even with her drinking problem. With one egg after another being cooked splendidly, each one Jin had finished was slid onto a plate as sunny-side up with a few pieces of toast on the side. When cooking the bacon, he made sure to use a separate pan just so that he wouldn't end up darkening the eggs due to them both needing different levels of heat. Throughout this time, Jin silently took note of Red's request of intervening if he or Selene looked as though they were going to cause a disaster.

The idea of having more chefs on board would most likely be an improvement, as the number of the crew who actually knew how to cook was not many but it did not mean that it wouldn't be possible for there to be a situation in the near or far future that all of those capable of cooking would not be present at the same time. Because of this, although Jin hadn't responded to Red, from time to time, the silvery haired male would glance over towards his fellow crewmates from time to time by the corner of his eye to check on their progress. As expected, without any proper training, it was inevitable that simple mistakes were going to happen one after another. As the sight of smoke rising from Selene's pan came to Jin's attention, he lowered the flame on the several burners he had been using before heading over towards the far end of the kitchen simply to open up the large sliding windows along the wall, allowing the burning smell, and smoke to have a path to exit rather than linger around the kitchen and end up going into the food that was cooked properly.

Rather than speak up about what either of the two chefs in training should've done differently, Jin kept silent; in his own eyes, the best way to learn was through making mistakes and learning through it yourself, experiment and figure out what worked best.

Just as he turned to head back towards his own workstation, Jin's gaze soon found that of another crewmate who had just entered the room; Syrus. Jin hadn't seen the man all day yesterday, although he knew well enough that the man wasn't the type to be lazy either, rather than question the navigator, he motioned an open palm towards the countertop which had multiple large plates of all sorts of food that had already been cooked by this point. "Feel free to help yourself to anything Syrus. Just grab a plate and enjoy." With that said, Jin returned to the stovetop where he began to slowly raise the temperature on the flames beneath the multiple pans, being sure to use a spatula to check upon the doneness of the french toast on one side before flipping it onto its opposite side for further cooking.

From time to time, Jin would end up stepping onto several egg shells, crumbs of bread, and even bits and pieces of what he could only assume was bacon. There was no doubt that if the two had continued to cook then eventually the ship would end up running out of supplies faster than they could hunt for more. "Um...Red, Selene..? I think it would be best that you both probably stop for now. If anything, just feel free to eat to your hearts content. Next time we are at port, then it would be easier for both of you to practice, since we can resupply with a bit more ease." Finally, as Jin had decided to speak up, his gaze kept focused onto the pieces of sausages that sizzled and crackled in the pan full of oil, making sure to use a pair of tongs to keep them moving rather than allowing them to cook too long on one side. "If you have nothing to do...why not go check on Azure and see how the repairs are doing? The sooner we get off the island, the sooner we can see about the Captain.."
Code by Serobliss
 
CODE BY SEROBLISS
Timothy Drokblood
Half-Orc Mixologist


A horn sounded. Timothy opened his eyes. Panic coursed through his body. Leaping from the rug that was called his bed by the head overseer, he rushed to get dressed. He barely managed to get his pants on and his shirt on before a robust man, a foot shorter than Timothy, opened the hut.

"Good, you're awake," he said with a rusty voice. "I didn't want to report you."

This man was Jokeb. One of the humane overseers. He didn't take pleasure in the beating of slaves, and wouldn't give punishment for no reason. But he was a stickler for the rules. If one was broken. There would be punishment.

"However, it seems you have missed breakfast," the man said. "You can have this piece of bread. It's not much, but it's better than nothing."

Timothy took the bread and ate it in several bites. His stomach clenched as the bread fell into his hungry pit. It growled, wanting more, but he knew that there wouldn't be time for more. He had to go to work before he get beaten. The sun beat down on his back, and he felt the hunger threaten to tear his mind away from focusing on the work. Half way through a row a dizzy spell hit him and he kneeled down, everything spinning.

WHICASH

Pain laced up his back. Over all these years, the pain was just as sharp, just as real.

His eyes shot opened. His face was damp with sweat, his back ached with ghost pains. He sat up, peeling the sheets of from his body. Standing up, he stripped down before stepping into the shower. After washing his locks and rinsing off the sweat, he put on a pair of pants and boots. His stomach growled. A satisfied beast, not the monster from his youth. But still, it needed feeling. He frowned, before a smile crossed his face and he walked towards his desk. Pulling out a drawer, pushing a bottle of something aside, he grabbed a piece of parchment and another extremely small bottle. A flash of light sparked in his eyes as he walked towards his lab. He had some work to do before breakfast.

Walking out of the lab, he wore a loose smile before pulling on a button up shirt, leaving it unbuttoned, and walking towards the kitchen. Standing outside the kitchen he heard people in there. Peeking in, he saw a mess... and there was also Jin, Selene, Syrus, and Red. Rolling his eyes he walked in.

"Dom is going to throw her back when she sees the state of her pretty lil' kitchen," he smirked when he entered.

He looked up at the dhampir, and smiled widely. "I tweaked the Bloody Mary recipe, I think you'll like it!"

His gaze then turned towards the food. "My oh my, Jin seems like your hungry," he laughed. "If you want a drink later, I'll mix up a nice relaxer."

He grabbed a nice sized grilled ham, a loaf of bread, and a good size block of cheese. Grabbing a knife, he cut into the bread, make twelve slices. Then cutting six slices of ham and cheese, he started to make himself some sandwiches.



Interaction: Nothingness Nothingness Hanarei Hanarei

Mentioned/around: Guppy Franz Guppy Franz Historia Calamatium Historia Calamatium

 

Hush​
Going slightly deeper into the cave, Hush's flashlight showed the entrance of a mineshaft. Large wooden beams stabilized the passageway and showed no signs of weakening or falling, despite their apparent age. The same repetitive architecture extended a good way down, with bits of mined ore and off-shoot pathways extending into foreseeable dead ends. The cave was an excavation site. Some spare mining tools and long-degraded supplies were left behind, seemingly in a rush. Every so often, the beam's glow would land on odd claw marks that dragged through the gravelly walls of the mine's interior. Even so, Hush found it strange that no bodies were present, deteriorated or not.

Before she could proceed further, she was stopped by Aries' careful grip on her arm. The librarian spoke her mind, lecturing the scout on her reckless behavior. Hush hadn't paid attention until Aries forced her, taking her by the shoulders and swiveling her in their direction. The sudden motion caused a bit of bile to form in the young girl's throat, but she quickly swallowed it. Why were they so adamant about stopping her? Why were they mad? Why were they crying? These thoughts swirled in her mind until they coalesced into one feeling. Frustration.

It was too much. Everything was too much. Reflexively, Hush swatted away Aries' hold, the girl sluggishly falling back to create some distance. "Don't touch me," she said callously. A sensation of complete numbness overtook her body. Like her words and actions were put on cruise control. The reaction reminded Hush of her younger days when things were simpler. Back when she didn't have to think about others.

Perhaps Napoleon caught onto her shift, intervening once again. Their gazes locked, and unlike his snarl, she wore a deadpan expression. They often butted heads like this, but for some reason, his duty-bound fervor seemed more aggressive than usual. That was until his anger subsided, replaced by pity. She hated that look. It was the same phony benevolence that everyone displayed around her. To them, she was nothing more than a lost child. They forced their unreasonable charity on her without asking if she ever wanted it. It stemmed from a selfish desire to feel superior, similar to the clergy that sang their praises for equality while derisively placing themselves on a pedestal above others. It made her feel sick.

However, she couldn't muster the strength to fight against the beastfolk, grimacing as he swung her onto his back like a sack of potatoes. There she was, in an unsatisfactory position, bearing the same unfortunate lecture. No matter how much she disliked it, there was no fighting the wave of relief that washed over her body, her screaming muscles rejoicing in their much-needed break. The man led her over to Dominique, pressuring her to take one of the chef's impromptu snacks. The girl hesitantly took one and said nothing.

At Abraham's hopeful remark, the party seemed eager to push forward. Anika kept to herself, and as the priest began to spearhead the adventuring party's advance, she shifted in his grasp. Though annoyed, she had things to discuss with the large dog man. Subjects that nobody else should hear. Nearing his ear, she spoke softly.

"We need to talk."

Songstress Songstress Arvios Arvios JJae JJae AI10100 AI10100
 
ARIES DAINA
Interactions: TheImmortalDeity TheImmortalDeity Arvios Arvios AI10100 AI10100 JJae JJae

"Don't touch me."

The scout's words left her frozen. Aries could only watch as Hush tried to weakly escape her grasp. There were times where she couldn't comprehend the reason behind the young girl's actions. The librarian knew that the child has her own complex thoughts and feelings, and even though she was a handful at times, she never gave up her role as her sister figure. Aries wasn't the type to pry and force people to confide with her, but still, these were one of the moments where it made her frustrated. She wanted to understand, but she couldn't.

Although their voice was weak, almost inaudible, the words were simple and straightforward. It was enough to struck a chord of pain in her chest. She felt her own grip loosening then her arms eventually fell to her sides, freeing the young girl from herself.

Aries then took notice of a familiar presence approaching, his long heavy strides echoing throughout the cave. It was Father Napoleon. Quickly, she wiped her own tears and stood out of his way. There she saw the priest carry the scout on his back. She felt relieved. Seeing that the scout who was obviously suffering can finally rest. The librarian is truly thankful for them, as he is able to handle these situations well no matter how stubborn their scout is.

The corner of her eyes still red, she took a few sniffles before glancing back at the priest. "Thank you," Her misty eyes trailing to his wounds as she spoke. "You should also rest while you can Sir Napoleon. We'll never know how much longer we will be walking," There was another worry that formed on her face. With the group's current state, it was only fair to have their muscles take its much needed break. Given how much they strived to run for their lives just hours ago, for sure they can feel the throbbing pain and soreness in their body.

Perhaps what she stated was for herself too. Now that she noticed, there was discomfort in her feet. Blisters might've formed when she recklessly tried to escape the fiends, it stung with every step that she made. Still, she swallowed the pain away, not wanting it to be another matter for their tired doctor.

Following their steps, it only took a while before the whole group were complete once again. There she saw Dominique, able to make use of her gathered ingredients to satiate their hunger, and even though some of them wasn't, the group needed the energy for they still don't know what else lies in the depths of this cave. Hopefully, they can get past the exit without anymore unfortunate encounters.

Munching on the roots and leaves, the librarian wasn't a fan of bitter things but it was better than nothing. And even if the taste weren't as pleasing as her usual cooked meals, the warmth gave her comfort. If only she knew that this was the situation they'd end up in, she wouldn't have eaten the snacks that the chef brought for the expedition. She sighed at the thought, another guilt flashing on her face.

Unknown Island | Cave
 

It was a shameful site as he stared down at his failed attempt at breakfast, a small frown on his lips as his finger tapped impatiently on the counter. Maybe it tasted better than it looked. With a curious hum, he removed a pristinely shined fork from the cupboard and set his gaze on the plate of scrambled eggs, his newly acquired fork hovering over the food for a moment acquired as he noticed the large amount of cayenne peppers scattered along the meal. With one last push of resolve he sunk his fork in, brought a large bite to his mouth, and took the first taste of his creation. After taking a moment to chew it seemed rather bland, and unimpressive, but soon a great heat began to rise on his tongue before slowly spreading to the back of his throat. In mere seconds his mouth began to feel like it was on fire, no longer able to taste any hint of eggs. Even with the pain afflicted on him by his reckless seasoning with cayenne, Red tried to keep a calm composure, slowly chewing his food and ignoring the red tint showing on his pale cheeks.

He would clear his now scratchy throat and turn his attention to Jin as he addressed him and Selene, suggesting they'd stop for now and just dine on the meal he had prepared. Red attempted to speak, but all that escaped him was a strained and pained wheeze. Covering his mouth with a closed fist and holding up a finger, he quickly made his way over to the sink and filled up a glass of water, downing it in one fell swoop before letting out a heavy sigh of relief. "Good heavens," he muttered, silently vowing to never use cayenne peppers again. Though the stinging pain remained on his tongue, the red tint on his cheeks had somewhat faded and the urge to dunk his head into a barrel of ice subsided. Clearing his throat one last time he returned his attention to Jin as he suggested aiding Azure with the ship's repairs. A small frown slipped onto his face as he recalled yesterday's events and the reckless stunt Azure attempted. He had not yet checked in on him, still slightly concerned with the defeated state he had been in before he departed into the woods.

Recalling Azure's state, however, jogged his memory of another concern from yesterday's venture into the woods. Fiona's sudden breakdown. He had yet to inform anyone else of the scene, not yet sure if it was required to bring the incident to the crew's attention. At least not until he's obtained answers to his questions. With a slow nod, Red rolled his sleeves back down and cleaned his hands in the sink. "Of course, but first I need to do a wellness check on our newest members after yesterday's events. There are a few things I wish to go over with one of them before I continue on with the day," he said before drying his hands and turning back to Jin. "Afterwards I will gladly assist Mr. Hitch with the ship's repairs," he assured him before noticing a familiarly large figure enter the kitchen. Red winced slightly as he took a look around the mess they had made, mostly done by his hand, and rubbed the back of his neck as Timothy pointed it out.

"She will indeed have a fit if she were to return to her kitchen in such a state," he chuckled lightly. "At least it will provide Mr. Jiahao with something to do," he said before looking to Selene with a small smile. Though his attempts at breakfast had failed, his mood had not yet suffered from the defeat. "It was a pleasure to cook by your side Ms. Yonescu, but I must depart and get started on my to-do list for the day," he said before slipping past her and to the counter where his neatly folded coat waited for him. "And Mr. Dorkblood, I have a feeling I'll be paying your bar visit by the end of the day," he informed the large half-orc bartender with a firm nod before slipping the heavy layer of clothing over his body. As he buttoned his coat waist button and smoothed down his clothing he looked back to the small group within the kitchen and gave a quick nod before heading for the exit of the room.

"Good morning Mr. Andromedus, please enjoy your meal before the day begins. I have a feeling you'll need all the energy you can get," he said to Syrus as he passed him out of the kitchen. A slow breath left him as he gained some distance from the kitchen, silently understanding the mess he had left for the ship's janitor. It was a rather selfish decision, if not a lazy one, but Red wanted to get ahead of the day before it was too late. For what was to come as he made his way to the ships living quarters, that pleasant distraction in the kitchen may have been needed to lift his spirits. It didn't take much time for him to arrive in the ships living quarters and locate the room of the one he had planned to check on. Before he could knock on the door though he realized something. He forgot to make his coffee. A low sigh escaped him before taking in a slow breath and knocking his knuckles against the door in front of him.

"Ms. Shreka, are you awake? I was hoping to have a word with you," Red stated from behind the door, taking a step back and folding his arms behind his back as he awaited for Fiona to answer.
 
CODE BY SEROBLISS
FANG
Janitor


"What a nice long, steamy warm shower with a happy ending."

Fang dried his long black hair with his towel. It was rare for him to go around with his hair lose, but that was because he didn't want it to get some weird stain on it. Last time he had gum caught on the tip and he had to cut it off, but since he was no expert, it wasn't done correctly, so he cut more of it off. The though made him shudder, long hair was a symbol of experience in his culture, so cutting it off was like getting rid of your roots. He removed the elastic band from his wrist and quickly wrapped his hair into his iconic ponytail.

"Now, the ship is clean, so I should have time to get some training in. Hopefully my two masters are in. Otherwise, might as well hit the gym and pump out mister boom and bam!" He flexed his biceps as he looked at himself in a mirror, tower around his neck. "I love me."

Once he was done getting dressed, wearing a black jumpsuit, which he used when he knew he might get dirty, he hanged his katana over his back and his two new guns on his waist. Stepping out of the bathroom, Fang's nose couldn't help but pick up a scent. A scent that reminded him of breakfast, but this was different. Was Dom trying something new? Well, there was only one way to find out.

"Good morning! Man that smells..." Fang's eyes watched the scenery before him as he burst into the kitchen.

Hatred wasn't a word that was thrown around often, specially by someone like Fang. But the way his heart stopped beating, the blood in his veins began to boil and a voice screamed inside his head, he now knew why humanity had the necessity to kill each other sometimes. He knew his mouth was open from the impression of the junkyard these people had created on the once lovely kitchen, but his body refused to move. Why? Well, the current signals his brain was sending to the rest of him to do, were not that great. For the sake of everyone in view, it was better Fang didn't reach for his katana like he wanted to. He only had one way to express what he felt, one way to let them know how badly they had messed up.

Fang took a step forward, nodding at the others with an expression known only to the most deadly serial killers. He walked over to one of the cabinets, taking out a small bag with grounded granola in it, while still drilling a hole with his gaze upon the ones guilty for the current crime scene. He walked over to the fridge, getting out a gallon of milk and pouring some into his bowl of granola. Lastly, he grabbed a spoon and let it plop into his improvised breakfast, shaking his head at the ones present.

"I ain't cleaning this." Was his punishment for them. He knew that their fate now laid on Dom's hands, he would not be part of such a crime and he couldn't wait to watch them clean up the entire thing after. "Dom is gonna kill you all." He said as he walked backwards and out the door.

After having lived such a nightmare, Fang began to whistle joyfully as he walked towards the dock. The sun was bright, his crewmates were gonna get the suffering the deserve and he had a nice breakfast on his hands. He leaned over the rail, munching on his very delicious... he forgot to add honey to it.

 





  • /*title that will appear on top banner*/
    you attack one of us, you attack all of us.


    /*left box*/


    /*beginning of tabs*/

    • how are you feeling?


      distracted


    /*tab covers*/







    azure hitch


    /*blobs -- change filter to reveal gray blobs or use transform:hue code to change colour*/





    /*right side (scroll)*/


    Azure would have stared into the forest for a few moments longer before shaking their head and pulling out their phone, playing their go-to music choice of electric swing as they dug through the messy piles and pulled out a speaker which almost as soon as it turned on, would connect to his phone and begin blasting his music as he set to work.

    He wasn't a formal shipwright or anything but, he did cause a lot of damage to the ship to begin with and the first thing that needed to be fixed was the floorboards, which was as simple as grabbing a few good planks of wood, going up to the deck, marking the correct sizes, then going back down to make a cut. It was this type of back and forth until he had all the boards he needed to the corrected size, and let his mind focus on the job at hand. He couldn't be worrying still, he simply cannot be. Everyone else seemed fine enough, so he has to fake it at the very least.

    Maybe, if I can just fix her up by the end of today, tomorrow we can set out to find Gramps he thought, grabbing a hand full of nails and would go back up to the deck. Mails and planks in one hand and a hammer in the other. At this point, Azure had taken off his shirt, and was a sight to behold. Azure was only on the beautiful darker tan side like his father. And his muscles were well defined from all the working out over the past year or two, and to have more natural testosterone to achieve his more masculine physic he felt more confident it. That and scarring from various injuries, probably caused by himself on accident, and the two faint ones on his chest covered by his tattoo, sweat glimmering in the morning sun as Azure was hard at work.

    This was the life he always has known. The life that he was most comfortable in, and one he never wants to leave, no matter what. Born for the sea and skies, he loved every moment of it, the ups and the down. Those in the kitchen would hear the loud hammering of Azure fixing the deck, putting in maybe one too many nails but cleanly enough. It was a study at the very least. While they cooked, he cut and hammered, his stomach growling softly and he frowned a little.

    3 protein shakes was defiantly not enough. He stood up after putting in the last board, the easiest fix to do to the ship finished as he whipped his face, pulling his hair up and adjusting his bandana that had eventually been tied on at some point during the up and down on and off the ship. He looked around, not seeing many people around, and looked back to the forest again and shook his head. There was no time to worry about that, he had enough faith that the group would return back, eventually.

    There must have been a prayer Hush taught me...I forget. He took a step back at the deck now with no boards missing and smiled at his work. While the wood wasn't a perfect 1 to 1 match, it fits in as at this point, none of it was a one-to-one watch due to the number of times Azure had to fix it. Maybe a stain will fix it...if I remember to get some next town we end up in. He thought and let out a soft sigh before walking back to the edge of the deck and jumping down.





    /*do not remove credit*/
    girl, you know you shine.
    coded by weldherwings


 
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hdd8dve.jpg
Selene Yonescu​

|Location: S.S. Infinity Kitchen

Selene's glutenous gaze towards Red had only continued even as the food burned and she was clearly in her own dreamy world. The little dhampir picturing herself cuddled up against red as he laid there on the coach the too close together. A intimate air about the scene as the fire crackled as the two gently were embraced together. Her head peeking up looking at his eyes as he returned his gaze. A look that lingered on as if the two were speaking words yet without a single line of dialog exchanged. Selene's lips leaning in closer to Reds. The two close together... before Selene's lips slipped to his neck. Two eager fangs jutting out as her mouth opened wide taking a nice bite.

Mmm... the sweet juicy blood flowing out. The very taste filling her mouth and sustaining her. His body trembling as she drank away at him like a bloody marry. Just sipping at it nonstop even as he turned a bit pale as he said not a word of protest only allowing her to drink all she wanted as that soothing warm filled her stomach sating that thirst she had. Yes such a dreamy image... her tongue licking once more at her lips as she started to drool a little at the idea.

The reality struck her all at once. Her eyes on Red having lost track of him in her little hungry day dream as he seemed to move away to clean up as Jin's words finally slipped into mind. The girl glanced about her eyes finally catching sight of her well cooked toast letting out a sudden gasp as she suddenly flipped it over as the other side was practically charcoal. The girls shuffling about the other as it was a little more salvageable with the hash browns although only after picking out the bits that were perhaps a bit too toasty. The dhampir fumbled blushing as she pulled both from the stove as she bowed her head apologetically to Jin.

"S... s... sorry sorry!" She spoke fumbling a bit as she couldn't help but look at him staring a bit admiring his neck a bit as he cooked though the girl was quick to shake her head. Another voice quickly reaching her ears that was familiar with the word Bloody Marry uttered. The eighteen year old blushing heavily as if being called out looking to the large half-orc staring meekly at him. Her cheeks a bright red in color glancing at him shaking her head back and forth as if he was uttering dirt he had on her. The girl shivering a bit waving her hands embarrassed as if to shush him up. She was already in so much trouble, being called out for more even if it was perhaps something that wasn't in many ways a big deal.

"Shh... shh... th.. thanks... s.. sir..." She bowed her head meekly glowing quite red. Her eyes catching sight of the marks left behind on his neck as she glowed redder. Her tongue sticking out a bit in response to that particular attempt. The burning still lingering in her memory in a way far more then the Blood Marry, or a bit of their interaction in general. Her curiosity had been so strongly peeked to give a try behind everyone's back as if doing something she shouldn't of done. She was a silly teen after all. As much of a good girl she might act like she did have that teenage slightly rebellious side to her after all even if her meek demeanor might hide it.

Her eyes fell upon Red watching a bit taken back from her embarrassment only to be made more prevalent as she watched Fang wander in. Her cheeks turning bright red again very much as they had with Timmothy though with a far more recent and quite 'traumatizing' event. The flustered dhampir looked down as she tried to avoid eye contact as it felt as if she was really being ambushed with embarrassing things today. It helped keep her mind off being hungry though it felt as if she might just explode from sheer embarrassment.

"I... I'll go eat th... thank you Jin..." She spoke bowing her head lightly as if taking his permission as a means to partially escape. The girl grabbing some of the prepared food... a good amount as she shuffled off with it to sit at one of the tables as she began devouring it rather messily. The girl's face hiding away in the food as she began devouring it quite hungrily and eating far faster and far more then such a petite girl might be expected to eat... though it was the usual for Selene even if perhaps much more frantic trying to hide her blushing face.


Interacting: Red Guppy Franz Guppy Franz Nothingness Nothingness The Grand Fool The Grand Fool
Mention: Hecotoro Hecotoro
 
The Watchman.jpg

EIREN BRACKUS
STATUS: OPERATIONAL | BORED
LOCATION: DECK OF THE S.S. INFINITY

Nothing to do now. He's retrieved the journal, so that was about all he had in mind for the time being. He opens the journal and fetches a pen, dashing his name from the recorded information among the other contents. He felt nothing about this manner of deceit. It was a necessity. It was what must be done. Whatever the case, that was all she wrote in regards to the journal. He steps on down into the lower decks of the ship, making his way to the crews quarters.

The least that he could do was put it somewhere easy to be found. He approaches the kitchen and peeks inside. His hand slips through the crack in the door that he created, placing the journal upon a counter alongside a note that he wrote with a few moments of his spare time. There was no guarantee that anyone would find the note, but he left it at that.

Before he is noticed, he steps on back through the halls before wandering back onto the upper deck. There was another matter to look into this time around. The missing crew. He was unsure if anyone had departed to search for them. It was about time that someone made the first move in the search. He felt that he should be that person.

Though it was better to wander in a group, especially on this strange island, he felt that it would be safest for him to wander alone. As he had thought once before, he was less attractive as prey for the meat eating beasts of this island. Worst case scenario, he finds the missing crew as nothing but a torso and an arm left, but he was still capable of functioning even if that were the case. So long as nothing managed to damage the crystal in his chest.

Actually, an even worse scenario is that he is reduced to only a torso and he is left on the island to sit in one place forever. No, it probably wouldn't come to that. He was smart about his limits and when he had to play it safe. If he encountered a creature that he probably wouldn't be able to handle, then he could just fall to the ground and act like a skeleton.

He slings his rifle over a shoulder and ensures that his warhammer is still bound to his back before he approaches the edge of the ship and lowers himself down to the ground. He had to get moving before he was noticed. Otherwise he might be roped into some other job that was, needless to say, not apart of his function aboard the ship.

Well, not like he follows such functions all the time. Like now. He had a task that is... self assigned. Didn't seem like anyone was stepping up to the plate to give him orders anyways, so he was ultimately free to do what he thought best for the sake of the crew.

Now, he had to remember just who was missing since the night before. They had departed just after he had. Hush. The cook, Dominique. The librarian, Aries. The doctor, Abrahan. There was also the furred member of the crew, though he was less familiar with them. They seemed a bit antisocial, so he has had little to no interaction with them. However, he had cataloged the name. Napoleon.

He looked through the eyes he left aboard the ship before they began to disappear due to his distance from them at this point. Just one last check to ensure that he was not forgetting anyone.

When he was pleased with his search, he re-summons the eyes around him. The shadowy rats dance like dislocated shadows across sunbathed blades of grass. They begin to disperse into the area around him, slipping into the shade of trees. He wanted to get a clue or a trail to follow, if any were there to find. It was best that he be swift with his work. If the group had been occupied all night in their scouting, then surely they did not intend on being late to return. There must be a reason.

Unless they were abandoning ship, but he doubted that would happen. The Infinity was a home for them all. Where else would they have to go?


Mentions: TheImmortalDeity TheImmortalDeity AI10100 AI10100 JJae JJae Songstress Songstress Arvios Arvios
 
LINDSEY
Interactions: 606 606
Mentions: Hanarei Hanarei

After returning Jin his sword Lindsey went back to her room and went back to fixing her things that had been damage during the crash. At some point she ended up falling asleep at her desk. She woke up a little uncomfterble and stiff but all in all ok. She sat up and yawned and glanced around her room. She then looked at the time and seeing it was 5AM. Seeing it was super early Lindsey was about to go back to sleep until her stomach growled. Then in daze she stood up and went into her bathroom and washed up. After she was done she left her room and went to the kitchen. Lindsey made herself a bowl of cereal then sat at the bar and ate. Once she was finished she started to make her way back to her room. Suddenly she stopped when she thought about the fact her bed was a mess.

"I'll just go to the captain's quarters."

Lindsey changed directions and headed to gramps room. Many times Lindsey would sleep in his room it had pretty much became a regular thing. Lindsey opened the to door to gramps room and she didn't go in right away. She glanced around the room in silence and her face unreadable. She pushed away all thoughts and emotions she could feel coming and laid down on the bed and fell asleep. After a while Lindsey woke up from her slumber. She sat up and stretched out her arms with a big yawn. She then sat there figuring out what needed to be done today. Well for one thing there was the repairs and she needed to ask Marie about the engine room aaand that was it. She had finished fixing everything last night before she passed out. Linsey hopped out of bed and headed towards the deck. Once she made it. She glanced around looking for Azure. She spotted him getting off the ship and she followed.

"Hey Azure!"

Lindsey called out to him as she caught up to him. Once she did smiled at him.

"Hey Just wanted to see how far you are with repairs and to see if you needed my assistance."

Lindsey also wanted to ask how he was feeling after yesterday. But that was topic that could get emotional and Lindsey just couldn't deal with that.
coded by kaninchen
 
Quartermaster
Jin Aethor
Mood: Exhausted
S.S. Infinity | Kitchen

Interactions ||
N/A

Mentions ||
Guppy Franz Guppy Franz Hanarei Hanarei Hecotoro Hecotoro The Grand Fool The Grand Fool JJae JJae

As breakfast had continued to be prepared over time, Jin had taken mental notes regarding how much food he had been cooking and how much had been getting wasted away during Red and Selene's attempt at learning how to cook. While the ship had just been stocked at the previous port they had stopped at just yesterday, there was no telling how long the repairs were going to take let alone what was waiting for them when the crew would go in search of their Captain; because of this, there was a possible chance that the next time they would be able to stop at a port to restock on more supplies was going to still be quite a ways away and the idea of running out of vegetables, proteins and other essential foods only to rely on either just canned or dried food alone was a serious problem that no doubt none of the crew would want to deal with on top of the current problem of their missing Captain.
With his attention as divided as it was managing the final touches to preparing breakfast for the crew, Jin had been unaware of when Timothy had entered the kitchen. It wasn't until the orc had spoken did he turn his gaze from the food up towards the ship's bartender of sorts. Even though the orc had joked about Jin eating all the food on the table, Jin kept a rather stoic expression only to nod his head as a response while staring down at the variety of foods that littered the island countertop. The sight of Timothy alone was enough to remind Jin of the fact that the Captain would've been awake around this time of day as well and would've already been in the kitchen either to help Dom or Jin with preparing the food if not sitting down with some of the other crewmates to have breakfast together.

His thoughts were invasive enough that he hadn't even taken attention as to when Red had spoken up about getting a wellness check before heading to check upon the status of the ship nor when Fang entered the room stating that he wouldn't help with cleaning the mess in the kitchen. Even when Selene apologized for the burnt pieces of hashbrowns, Jin continued to keep silent while his gaze had been locked upon the cooked food on the countertop.
This trance-like state would last several minutes only for him to snap out of it when he had taken a step back before accidentally placing his palms onto the stovetop behind him. The instant his dying heat from the metal grates had touched the skin of his fingers, Jin was quickly forced out of his head as he winced and jolted away from the stovetop only to bring his hands up to his face to begin blowing on them to attempt and cool them down. Immediately, he headed over towards the sink to run his fingers under the ice cold water before sighing with relief at the burning sensation going away.

After making sure to dry his hands on one of the rags, once Jin had turned around to face the multiple stovetops, finally not being behind the actual stove itself and staring at it from a slight distance, it would only be then that he would take into notice just how large of a mess that Selene and Red had made while attempting to learn how to cook. Even without realizing that Fang stated he wouldn't clean the mess when he entered the room earlier, Jin wasn't about to leave the kitchen in the state it was within anyway. With a low sigh, the male rolled up his sleeves before grabbing multiple rags, running it under cold water and a bit of dish soap before he went to work with wiping the floors, pushing eggshells, crumbs, flour and other stuff off the countertops and into the trash bin, lifting off the grates from the stoves and scrubbing underneath them. There was no doubt that wherever Dom had been at the time, since she was not onboard, if she were to return to her kitchen only to see it inan the state it was, she was most likely going to lose it.

Spending what felt like an eternity cleaning the floors, stoves, the exterior of the fridge, and countertops, eventually he'd finish up only to toss the overly dirtied rags also into the trash bin. Stretching his arms over his head, even if he hadn't eaten yet, the work to prepare the food followed by cleaning up after had been enough to keep his mind off his hunger that he had even lost his appetite by this point. Maybe getting in some training in the gym would get his stomach growling again.
Code by Serobliss
 
Two Drifters, Off to See the World
A collab with Guppy Franz Guppy Franz
Passing mentions: Colorless Spectrum Colorless Spectrum Vexumin Vexumin TheImmortalDeity TheImmortalDeity JJae JJae 606 606 animegirl20 animegirl20​


It was strange how minor things could accentuate the difference between living inside a palace and a ship. For one, it would never be an issue if one was to accidentally forget their essential oils and luxury soaps for a bath in a castle setting. Servants would scamper and provide at the slightest ring of a bell. All one would ever need to do was sit back and enjoy the minty and soothing smell of eucalyptus, all while honeyed water caressed their skin with softness.

Alas, all these had eluded the dainty woman pensively drying her platinum locks in front of a vanity mirror. Earlier, the Princess had overlooked her necessities and couldnโ€™t call her Knight for assistance since she had left early. She had awoken to a bowl of biscuits, a kettle of hot tea, and a short message from Arden detailing how she went ahead to prepare for their lessons. Thus, the royaltyโ€™s morning had been anything but well.

She scratched an itching spot on her forearm as she let her eyes wander to her attire. It was strikingly different from her usual. The main thing was that instead of a well-embroidered dress, she was sporting dark long sleeves and a pair of black leggings. It was the closest she has to a workout outfit.

She took a brush and began combing her hair, wincing every now and then as its teeth encountered knots that would usually be off of her silky hair. It was times like this when sheโ€™d miss her home. If she was still there, her maids would be around her, braiding her hair and slipping beautiful ornaments in each twist. They would tell her how pretty she was and make sure that her dress was perfect before calling in her escort.

"Ms. Shreka, are you awake? I was hoping to have a word with you.โ€

A familiar voice called from the other side of the door, quickly followed by a series of knocks. The Princessโ€™s eyes widened with shock as she immediately sat down her brush and grabbed her amulet. She put it on as she stood up and headed for the door, each step accompanied by the loud beating of her heart as her features gradually changed into Fionaโ€™s.

Once the locks framing the sides of her head turned brown, she twisted the knob and gently swung the door open, peering through the crack to find Red with arms folded behind himself. โ€œGood morning, sir Red.โ€ A reluctant smile tugged on her lips before she widened the aperture and stepped to the side. โ€œWould you like to come in?โ€ She took a cursory glance for any other guests he might have brought with him but to no avail. It seemed like he came alone, and she already had a hunch regarding the nature of his visit. A small dread formed in her chest.

As the door finally opened before him, Red felt a slight sense of relief wash over him to see Fiona greet him, her condition seeming to have improved greatly since yesterday. The fresh memory of her episode and her unconscious form flashing in the back of his mind briefly, but before they could linger for too long he shrugged them off and bowed his head slightly as she invited him in. โ€œExcuse the intrusion,โ€ he apologized before calmly walking into the room, his arms still clasped behind his back as his eyes curiously examined his surroundings. From the corner of his eye he spotted a bowl of biscuits and a kettle, the scent of brewed tea lingering in the air, giving him a sense of light nostalgia. When was the last time he enjoyed a cup of tea? It had never been his favorite of drinks, but it would always be a calming beverage to enjoy.

Before he fell too deep into the thought, Red cleared his still slightly scratchy throat and turned to Fiona with a calm expression. โ€œI understand it is still early, but after yesterday'sโ€ฆโ€ pausing for a moment he held up a hand and slowly twirled his wrist in a circle as he tried to plan his words. โ€œEvents, I wished to both check on your health and perhaps, if you are willing or able, answer some questions that had been weighing on me since our venture on that Tree forsaken ship,โ€ his voice held a slight venom as he mentioned the ship they had explored, the lingering pain in his spine still stabbing away at him as he absentmindedly rubbed his back with his other hand to dull down the pain.

โ€œBut before I dare ask my questions, I believe it is more important to ask this; How are you feeling this morning?โ€ he questioned, his eyes softening slightly as he remembered the horrid scene of Fiona yelling and screaming as she was battling whatever had attacked her mind the other day. โ€œYou had given us quite a scare after you had fallen unconscious,โ€ he said as his eyes silently inspected her condition. She seemed to be stable now, but that could change at any moment. The thought of the angelic figure floating down to him in that accursed ship still lingered in the back of his head, making him even more concerned at the possibility of her being an unstable member of the crew after her episode. Hopefully she could shed some light on the doubts that hung over him, but he will be slow and patient for now, giving her a chance to openly explain what had transpired.

For a moment, the scholar merely stared at him; her red eyes were distant and dull, as though its owner was no longer in the same room but was instead back in the accursed ship - wandering in the nightmare. The journal, the paintings, and the monstrous truth that had been towering over her all these years - how long had she been living in its shadows? There were so many things she didnโ€™t know; so many answers waiting to be discovered.

Fionaโ€™s gaze flickered to Red and his expectant look. Something within her clashed as she took in the familiar sight of him looking at her patiently. She could still see the boy who would wait for her to sneak out of her social responsibilities during balls, so they could keep each other company somewhere solitary where they both preferred it. Away from prying eyes. Yet now, in their solitude, Fiona found the very gaze theyโ€™d been avoiding on her, burning with questions beneath a soft stare.

โ€œIโ€ฆ am embarrassed that my actions have warranted your concerns, albeit nonetheless grateful.โ€ She rubbed her elbow, cheeks flushing a pink tint of mortification. She would understand if he was here to scrutinize her psyche. She mustโ€™ve caused quite the scene. โ€œHowever, there is no need to worry about me. I am fortunately feeling well.โ€ A light smile fell on her lips, a taste of apprehension lingering at the corners of her mouth.

โ€œWould- would you like a cup of tea and some biscuits?โ€ Fiona gestured to the kettle, bowl, and cups atop a table beside the luxurious bed that occupied half of the room. โ€œApologies for the state of the room, Iโ€™ve yet to decorate properly. Do feel free to sit on the bed.โ€ There was but a single chair in the room, the one in front of the vanity which still had her beauty items scattered on its surface. Suddenly, Fionaโ€™s eyes caught sight of the brush she was using before he came. She subtly hitched a breath as she noticed the platinum strands tangled between its teeth. Nervously, she glanced at her guest.

A sense of concerned uncertainty still lingered over Red, unsure if Fiona herself thought her assurances were the truth, but he would not push too much on the subject. At least not this early into the conversation. He was happy enough to see her at least walking around and able to compose herself to interact with others. Though a sad fact, episodes like Fionas the other day were not something new to Red. A small frown briefly rested on his face as old memories slowly emerged from the back of his mind, like ghostly shadows within a dense fog, wailing out in defiance to be forgotten. Heโ€™s witnessed men and women crumble from mental anguish, reduced to drooling vegetables or empty husks of what they once were. Fiona on the other hand, to his great relief, seemed to have bounced back to her feet in a single night.

As she offered him tea and biscuits Red had realized he had been staring downwards at the floor and cleared his throat, returning his gaze to hers. โ€œOh I donโ€™t-โ€ before he could finish though the scratchy irritation in his throat returned, reminding him of the disaster that was his attempt at breakfast. Not only was he unable to enjoy a small meal, but he even forgot his damned coffee. After clearing his throat a second time he gave a small smile, a hint of embarrassment hiding behind his features as he smoothed down his coat. โ€œActually, that sounds lovely,โ€ he accepted before turning to the bed as she offered the spot for him to sit. A small chuckle escaped him as she apologized for the state of her room and shook his head as he unbuttoned the waist button of his coat and sat down with a sigh.

โ€œNo need Ms. Shreka, it's only natural that you are still settling in. It took me some time to do the same,โ€ he admitted with a small smile, though there was an emptiness behind his expression as he let his own words sink in. โ€œIn fact, I suppose I still am,โ€ he admitted again, his eyes turning a bit distant before he quickly forced himself to keep his attention on Fiona. โ€œBut nevermind that, thereโ€™s no rush. This is your room now after all, decorate it as you see fit,โ€ he assured her with a small smile before pointing to the door. โ€œThough I advise you to look into installing a lock or two for your door. Though there may be no dangers lurking amongst this fine ship, a few members of our crew can be ratherโ€ฆ spontaneous,โ€ his words slowly came to a pause as he recalled past disturbances from a few certain members of the ship, one in particular having blue hair and taking it upon themselves to ruin a few of his favorite pieces of clothing just for the fun of it. A small bitter frown rested on his face that could only be seen as a look of pouting as he silently stewed at the past crimes committed against him and his wardrobe.

The pitter-patter of warm tea filling the cup sounded in the room as Fiona carefully poured for Red and herself. Once the vessels were adequately filled, she glanced toward her sulking guest and allowed a mirthful smile to grace her lips. She knew that look all too well. โ€œI see your warning came from experience, sir Red. Iโ€™ll be sure to heed it.โ€ Both of her hands wrapped themselves around the cups, their warmth radiating through her palms. After a few dainty steps, the scholar stood in front of the hunter and offered him one of the drinks.

Fiona sat beside Red, a polite distance between them. โ€œSettling inโ€ฆโ€ She repeated his earlier words, almost unconsciously, before the apples of her cheeks rose with amusement. โ€œIs it strange that I find comfort in your confession? To tell you the truth, Iโ€™ve been feeling like a lost lamb ever since I left the Capital. Never knowing if Iโ€™d fit in the herd I squeezed myself in - if Iโ€™d be accepted.โ€ A clawed hand tugged at the bottom of her heart, reminding her of the mask she wore. As her smile turned bitter, she hid her lips behind the cup of tea and let its soothing warmth slide down her throat. The relaxing taste of chamomile swamped her senses, and she found herself closing her eyes as her mind gradually cleared. โ€œI suppose itโ€™s consoling to see a fellow drifter amidst an unpredictable ocean.โ€

Once the last of her words slipped out, she opened her eyes and stared at him with a mortified flush. โ€œOh! I apologize for being too presumptuous!โ€ Manners! How could she have let her mouth run wild again?

A slight smile rested on his lips as she acknowledged his warning and accepted the cup with a polite nod, his fingers finding a comforting warmth as they stretched around its surface. He took a moment to appreciate its soothing scent, quickly recognizing the smell of chamomile and closing his eyes as he felt his mind drift for a moment, not a single thought running through his head. As Fiona began to confess her comfort in his words, he kept his mild surprise hidden at the fact he had offered any type of comfort. It had not been his intention, but nonetheless he was happy to do so.

Taking a slow sip of the warm beverage offered to him, Red listened quietly as she admitted her sense of being lost since her departure from the Capital. As his lips parted from the rim of his cup his eyes remained fixated on soothing liquid within, his eyes meeting his own gaze in the bare reflection as he pondered her words. It was impossible to not relate to her plight, knowing all too well the feeling of being lost in this new world open to them. Confusion, curiosity, uncertainty, fear and frustration. It was all he could feel throughout the first leg of his โ€˜adventureโ€™. Even now those very emotions weighed on his shoulders from time to time, but all of them have been greatly outweighed with a new urge. An overwhelming sense of wanting. To go farther in this world, to learn and experience more. To grow farther from the chains that once confined him to the hell that was his home. For some odd reason though this great urge brought a sharp stab of pain to his chest, shame slowly gnawing away at his heart for wanting such a thing.

As Fiona gave a hurried apology, Red finally broke his gaze from his drink and looked up to her with a curious expression, a small smile slipping across his lips before letting a chuckle of amusement escape him from the look on her face. โ€œThere is no need to apologize, you are not wrong. โ€˜Drifterโ€™ is a fitting description I suppose,โ€ he assured her, his smile slightly growing larger as the word left his lips, finding amusement in the title. โ€œI have been to many places in such a short amount of time, never quite stopping in one place for too long. Be it by land, sea or air I have always remained on the move, always eager to reach the next unknown destination that awaited me,โ€ he said with a fond smile and warm tone as he recalled the many places or faces heโ€™s encountered in his travels.

His smile would slowly falter though, falling into a somber smile as the familiar gnawing of shame ate away at his chest. Many places, many faces. All of them leaving a lasting impression, but all still too close to what he was running from. His eyes slowly rose up to the ceiling, his thoughts gently turning and twisting to make sense of it. โ€œIt is normal to feel lost though, especially if this is your first time so far from home. With no plan or goal in mind you simply end up, well, drifting,โ€ a light chuckle escaped him, a heaviness behind it as he took another long sip of his tea. It helped soothe his mind for a brief moment, a pleasant taste to ground him from his plagued thoughts.

โ€œSometimes though, being lost is better than the alternative,โ€ he admitted in a hushed voice before a long sigh escaped him, the weight still present on his shoulders, but nothing he was already used to. After a moment he looked back down to Fiona and shook his head with a sheepish smile. โ€œForgive me, I am droning on. This tea seems to have loosened my tongue,โ€ he apologized with a small laugh as he silently ignored a strange feeling in his chest. This felt odd, almostโ€ฆ familiar. He felt calmer than usual, that his words did not need to be planned or thought out thoroughly. The only comparison he could think of to such a feeling was impossible to even consider, but even so memories of his past life rose from his mind. Rare, yet pleasant memories. He pushed the fond memories down, pain lingering behind them.

Fionaโ€™s eyes lingered on him, a warmth behind her lashes that was far too soft for an acquaintance. A light chuckle escaped her parted lips as she shifted the twinkle of her eyes to the cup she held. In the liquidโ€™s reflection, Fiona saw herself. In a way, something changed within her as she coursed through the world. Yet, she nonetheless still remained.

โ€œPerhapsโ€ฆ you and I are not so different after all.โ€ She murmured as she swirled the cup, watching her reflection blur out of recognition. โ€œJust two drifters, off to see the world.โ€ A pair of lost souls adrift in an expanse of uncertainty - all to see the world theyโ€™ve been born in, to find their place in it. Fionaโ€™s mind wandered back to the journal, the mention of Redโ€™s family plaguing her mind briefly. She wondered how far their similarities stretched. Was he too, just like her, tethered by the chains of the past? She wished to ask, but she knew she was but a stranger to him in this skin.

โ€œSir Red,โ€ her hand rubbed her left wrist where a certain bracelet hid beneath her sleeves, โ€œyou can call me Fiona if youโ€™d like.โ€ Pink dusted her cheeks as she offered. It felt like she was getting to know him all over again; compared to before, her youthful confidence seemed to have eluded her.

A still silence hung over Red as Fiona claimed the two of them to be similar, letting her words sink in as he took another sip of his tea. A small smile was still present on his face, the urge to chuckle halted by the rim of his cup at his lips. The thought felt oddly comforting in the moment. As he parted the cup from his lips his brows rose slightly in mild surprise as she gave him permission to address her by her first name. There were few amongst the crew he addressed in such a way, Hush and Dominique being the two he has spent the most time with in private he naturally has grown close with the two. Fiona however was still considered a pup of the crew along with Shiloh. For some strange reason though she was revealing herself to be quite likable to Red, somehow easy to talk to. Odd, very odd.

He pursed his lips in thought for a moment, a bit taken back by the gesture before giving a slow nod. โ€œVery well, if that is what you would prefer. Fiona it is,โ€ he said with a kind smile before clearing his throat as he smoothed down his coat. โ€œBy the way, you donโ€™t need to call me โ€˜Sir Redโ€™. Red will do just fine,โ€ he insisted as he crossed his leg over the other with an amused smile on his lips. โ€œMakes me sound like some noble knight, and I assure you I am far from such a thing,โ€ he stated, a genuine laugh escaping him at the thought. As his laugh gradually died down as a more calm expression came to his face as he lingered in his thoughts, gently twirling his tea as he prepared himself for what was to come. There was still a reason for his visit and could not let himself become distracted by pleasant conversation, no matter how much he welcomed it.

The silence seemed to have reminded the scholar of the same thing. She fidgeted with the handle of the cup, prying her eyes off him as she steeled herself. It was pleasantly nostalgic to share this moment with Red, especially to make him laugh. It was a pleasure that she once thought would never grace her ever again. However, that moment was already gone, and the same dread from earlier returned with a heavier knock and an unwanted companion. A voice at the back of her head laughed mockingly, and the bracelet that circled her wrist suddenly felt like the scales of a waiting serpent.

Indeed, he is no noble knight.

โ€œRed. It is an interesting name. Is it because of your fiery hair?โ€ She exhaled a quiet laugh of goodwill before settling the cup back on the table. It was time to put pleasantries aside and face his curiosity. โ€œJests aside, you mentioned you have questions for me?โ€

Red paused as Fiona's voice once again brought him out of his thoughts, glancing over to her as she questioned his name. A sense of curiosity lingered in his expression for a brief moment before looking at his hair. โ€œSure, let us go with that,โ€ he said in barely a whisper before watching Fiona place her tea onto the table. By the sudden change of mood in the room, it seemed it was finally time to get down to business. A small sigh escaped him as he finished his own tea and placed the cup on the table. โ€œYes I do, and I ask that you answer them honestly without fear of being judged or persecuted. I am simply here as a concerned member of the Infinity. I hold no authority over you and all that is discussed in this room will remain between both parties, that being you and I,โ€ he informed her as he sat up straighter on the bed, smoothing down his coat before turning to face her directly, meeting her gaze without fail and keeping a calm and neutral expression.

โ€œNow, with that said, what happened?โ€ he questioned firmly, his crimson eyes hardening slightly as he examined her features to spot any hints or faltering expressions. โ€œYesterday was a very hectic day, that I more than understand,โ€ he said as a dull pain flared in his spine. โ€œBut, throughout our venture through the woods and our dreadful exploration of that Tree damned ship, your composure remained steadfast. You may have not been in perfect condition with what had transpired, but you were stable enough to continue on with us,โ€ he pointed out before tilting his head, letting a bit of his confusion and curiosity show as he looked at her. โ€œThat all changed however when we, or rather I, discovered that room below the Navigators archive. All had been normal, even when you came to my aid, which I whole heartily thank you for, but the moment you discovered that forgotten journalโ€ฆโ€ he paused for a moment, holding back the urge to frown heavily as the still fresh memory lingered in his mind of Fiona desperately begging and screaming for help.

โ€œWhatever you had read in that journal was clearly the cause for such an episode, no doubts about it. I know Mr. Shiloh had also seen the contents of the material and I plan to question him as well, but with you having been the one to suffer the most, well, here I am,โ€ his hands gestured to himself before resting on his lap. โ€œWith that being said, I want you to tell me what was in that book. And keep in mind if Mr. Shiloh either refuses to answer or gives a different story than you, I will simply speak with Mr. Brakus and question him since I know heโ€™s seen the contents as well and will be a neutral party in this matter,โ€ he stated firmly before taking a slow breath, letting all that he said sink in for a moment before letting his gaze soften just barely enough to be seen.

โ€œNow, Fiona, what was in that book? And, do you still believe yourself to be capable enough to remain on the Infinity and serve both its captain and her crew?โ€ he questioned, his voice calm and patient, silently awaiting her answer while keeping his eyes open for any faltering signs in her expression.

Capable?

The word reverberated in her head like an approaching march of soldiers, their weapons drawn and pointed at her. She meekly fidgeted in her seat, sweat forming on her brow as she placed her gaze on anything but Red. Eventually, she found them on the mirror sitting at the vanity desk. She caught sight of her reflection - distressed like sheโ€™d always be whenever her loyal knight wasnโ€™t around to protect her.

Slowly, a figure materialized behind her. It was one she knew all too well. Platinum locks, soft countenance, and a smile of mockery. Fiona defeatedly watched in the mirror as the woman snaked her arms around her body as if it claimed possession of her.

โ€œI amโ€ฆ someone haunted by a monster so cruel and powerful. One I can never seem to get rid of, no matter how hard I try.โ€ She confessed as she remained lost in her own reflection. She felt the figure laugh against her ear mockingly. โ€œThe mere sight of her frightens me. The simplest sound of her voice shatters my soul. My feet burn to run, but how can one escape their memory?โ€ The scholar hung her head low as the hands on her lap curled into tight fists, each knuckle turning paper-white. It felt like a crown was being placed on her head, and the figureโ€™s hold on her tightened. โ€œ...The Crown Princess of Aradia is my curse.โ€

โ€œThe journal belonged to a madman who sought to make the Princess his. It detailed all sorts of things about her, from childhood to adulthood. The Royal family seemed to have caught wind of his obsession and sent a noble family after his tail. The De'Sardet.โ€ Finally, the woman raised her head to look at him, tears trailing down her misty eyes. โ€œThe madman stole a royal ship and crashed into this very isle. He wrote how this place is plagued by abominations resulting from a failed experiment. Some kind of wolves. Iโ€™m not sure. He seemed to have escaped a few months ago, but not without making it clear that he wants to find the Princess, kill her Knight and the nobles, then take the throne.โ€

She lightly sniffled against her wrist, shamefully looking away. โ€œThat is all Iโ€™ve gathered from what I read.โ€ It was a lie. She refused to mention the involvement of Eiren. She didnโ€™t have the heart to have Red doubt another member of his newfound family. โ€œAs for my capability,โ€ her hand lowered and her eyes locked with his, โ€œI desire to be strong. For everyone.โ€

Confusion and concern became clear in Red's expression as he listened to her speak of being haunted, his gaze growing harder as uncertainty began to rise into his chest. It all raised red flags within his mind as his fears for Fionaโ€™s mental health began to take a turn for the worse. When he believed it couldnโ€™t get worse his heart ceased for a moment, all thoughts pausing as Fiona uttered something he had to process a few times. โ€œPrincess?โ€ the title barely escaped his lips, no louder than a whisper. His eyes widened in shock, all intentions to keep his expressions neutral now out the window. The Princess was her curse? What did she mean!? Howโ€ฆ why?

His confusion only grew as she went on to tell him what she discovered in that book, speaking of some madman and his ill intentions towards the Princess. Towards Drielle. Waves of different emotions washed through him all at once, but before he had a chance to figure out what to do with them his blood ran cold as a vile, and a detestable name escaped Fionaโ€™s lips. His name, or the name he abandoned two years ago to be exact. Like a switch, every emotion froze over, his expression becoming void and his deep crimson eyes growing distant, even dull. A sudden sour, and putrid taste came to his tongue as he simply repeated the name within his mind. It has been two years since heโ€™s heard anyone so much as mutter that accursed name before him, but even now the memory of that damned household felt like an iron collar clamped around his throat.

His dull eyes slowly rose to meet Fionaโ€™s gaze, her teary eyes slowly bringing him back to solid ground. Soon his dull eyes returned to their usual light, recollecting his thoughts as he silently listened to her as she continued to explain the contents of the journal. A small frown came to his face as she mentioned abominations roaming the island, briefly thinking of the group still out there and fighting the urge to think of the worse. They were all capable individuals and he knew if anyone was to lead them back to safety, it would be Hush. Their many trips in the wilderness together have given her the skills and knowledge to adapt quickly to tough situations and ensure she knows how to traverse any environment around her. Even knowing that however, a slight hint of worry festered away in his gut, silently hoping his companion would return in one piece with the others.

By the time she finished a heavy frown rested on his face, the thought of some mad, power-hungry bastard setting his sights on Drielle made his gut twist and churn, frustration in being unable to prevent such a thing growing by the second. A long sigh escaped him as he rubbed the temple of his head, his mind now filled with even more questions and fears, making his head pound with discomfort. Red had figured this would be a difficult conversation to have, but thisโ€ฆ This has turned into such a sudden storm of, well, shit!

Looking back to Fiona he met her gaze once more, tears still lingering, but to his surprise, a sense of determination lingered behind her eyes as she declared her desire to become strong, not just for herself, but for others. Red remained silent, his steady gaze never leaving hers as he let her words hang in the air. Soon a softness came to his eyes, a sense of understanding coming over him before a small smile came to his lips. โ€œTo be strong you say?โ€ he questioned, turning his attention downwards to the floor, his hand unconsciously falling to the hilt of his sword, a familiar warmth traveling through his fingers as they danced along its surface.

โ€œI hope you are successful in achieving that desire. If you ever wish for assistance, do not hesitate to ask me or the others amongst our ranks to aid you,โ€ he assured her before reaching into one of his pockets in his coat to retrieve a neatly folded, and finely made handkerchief. โ€œIt is a long and hard road to discover one's own strength. It is a path many do not finish, or never get to finish. Trust me when I say it is better to walk that path with others, than alone like I did,โ€ he said before slowly handing her the handkerchief.

A slow breath left him before tilting his head slightly, concerned curiosity clear in his expression. โ€œI must ask though since your comment from earlier has left me, well, perplexed,โ€ he said before clasping his hands in his lap and narrowing his eyes. โ€œWhat did you mean when you said โ€˜The Crown Princess of Aradia is my curseโ€™? Are you or Mr. Shiloh somehow involved with any of what you have told me today?โ€

Fiona stared at the cloth she had received, unconsciously brushing its corner with her thumb. Red claimed that he had taken his journey alone, but he never had to. Wasnโ€™t she always there for him? It was his choice to leave - to abandon her. Anger reared its ugly head into the complex of emotions swirling inside her head. The neatly folded handkerchief began to crease in her tight hold.

โ€œThe Princess has done things that ruined my life.โ€ She bitterly chuckled, pain laced with each breath. โ€œAnd Shilohโ€ฆ He wouldโ€™ve been leading a better fate had he not met her.โ€ A single tear ran through her lashes, caught by the handkerchief that she eventually pressed against her hot cheek. In the end, perhaps Redโ€™s choice was the right one.

Eventually, she lightly shook her head and released a deep sigh. โ€œThe two of us knew nothing about the journalโ€™s contents nor whatever transpired on this island. I only speak of the pain of my past. Iโ€™m sorry, Red. I fear my wounds are still far too fresh for me to elaborate.โ€ She shifted to look at him with a knitted brow and glimmering eyes. โ€œHowever, when the moment comesโ€ฆ I promise to reveal everything to you. To everyone.โ€

A sudden heaviness gradually fell onto his shoulders as Fiona spoke of the Princess, claiming she was responsible for ruining both her and Shilohโ€™s life. The image of Drielleโ€™s kind smile flashed within his mind, her carefree and warm laugh echoing within his thoughts. His eyes fell to the floor as he swallowed his fear and doubt, unsure what to make of any of this. It couldnโ€™t be, there must be some mistake. Drielle was a kind soul, a once bright light within his life that brought only warmth and assurance. She wouldnโ€™t be capable of causing such harm, such pain to others. Fionaโ€™s words however held no deception, her words spoke true and her pain unhidden for him to witness. The tightness in his chest only grew more constricting as he forced himself to reveal nothing, unwilling to wear his current emotions on his sleeve.

As Fiona assured him she and Shiloh had nothing to do with anything from the journal, Red slowly returned from his racing mind, clasping his hands together and leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees. He looked to her as she promised to reveal everything in time, his gaze locked with her shining eyes. His brows furrowed as he saw her plight, her pain from just one look. Drielle, what did you do? A moment of silence hung over him as he kept his gaze on her, his voice mute as his mind wandered. Eventually he gave a slow nod, letting out a small breath before looking back to the floor, unable to remain keeping his gaze with her. โ€œI understand, forgive me for pushing the subject,โ€ he muttered as his clasped fingers tightened around each other, the weight he had been carrying for so long only adding to pressure of this new and disturbing knowledge given by Fiona, pinning him to the spot for a moment as he adjusted to the new weight.

โ€œIโ€ฆโ€ words could not come to him at the moment, his mind now muddled and strained. His head hung low, a heavy sigh of exhaustion escaping him as his gaze briefly revealed a tired expression, his eyes distant as he stared at the floor below his feet. Two years, two long years, but still he could feel the chains wrapped around him. His own wounds he thought had become somewhat healed had revealed themselves to be as fresh as the day he escaped. Red closed his eyes and took a slow breath, rolling his shoulders and lifting his head before opening his eyes as he now stared at the ceiling. โ€œThe wounds we carry Fiona, they may never heal. No matter how far you run or how much time passes, they may still bleed as bad as the day you received them,โ€ he stated with a small frown before looking at Fiona, dropping his mask to reveal an expression of exhaustion, his eyes heavy, but his small smile sad and genuine. โ€œI truly hope that is not the case for you or Mr. Shiloh. I pray your wounds heal so you may find peace from whatever unfortunate fate befell you,โ€ he expressed in a soft voice, his words as genuine as his smile.

When she looked at him, her eyes mirrored the same weariness although her smile held the same sincerity. โ€œYou are right, Red. There are wounds that do not heal. The least we can do is make sure we donโ€™t bleed on anyone.โ€ She clutched the bracelet on her clothed wrist and glanced at the mirror. She found that the figure who had ensnared her had disappeared, leaving nothing but empty air in its wake. She then returned her gaze on Red, silently wondering about the wounds he carried. She foolishly thought that she was the one who knew him the most out of everyone, but perhaps in the end she knew so little about him. When did he start hurting? And why didnโ€™t he tell her anything? What has the world done to you, Riri?

โ€œIn this tumultuous world, I pray that we find peace. I have faith that even drifters such as ourselves belong somewhere.โ€ She let out a final sniffle before lightly chuckling. A scene played at the back of her mind. Two children away from the bustles of the party; a little girl talking about grandiose adventures to a boy who patiently listened. A certain warmth spread across her chest at the memory. โ€œApologies. I know you just met me but if you ever find yourself in need of a helping hand or a friend, I hope youโ€™ll consider me.โ€ She inhaled deeply before sliding the handkerchief into her pocket. โ€œIโ€™ll be sure to wash and return it. Thank you for thisโ€ฆ and for everything.โ€ Her words held weight that she could only hope would reach him - the one beyond his towering walls, the one she held dearly in her heart.

A flicker of amusement danced across his worn expression, his small smile warming up as he chuckled along with her. Her hope that even they would find a place to call their own untangled the constricting knots in his heart, loosening the tightness in his chest enough to bear the weight that still hung onto his shoulders. It was a nice thought, one he had silently prayed for since he was a child. Again the odd and familiar warmth washed over him the longer they spoke, but instead of trying to figure it out he simply basked in it, enjoying the confusing sense of nostalgia. His smile grew slightly as she offered her friendship before promising to return the handkerchief.

An amused chuckle escaped him as he shook his head and held up his hand. โ€œNo need, I have about a dozen more waiting for me in my room. I find them to be handy to have when you least expect it so please, keep it,โ€ he insisted before letting out a low breath and forcing himself up from the bed, wincing slightly as the pain in his back once again reminded him of its presence. As he re-buttoned his coat's waist button he turned to Fiona, his smile calm and warm. โ€œAnd I will definitely consider you if I am ever in need of a helping hand or a friend. Know I offer the same if you ever wish for aid. Your company is most welcome and I hope the next time we speak it will be on a much lighter note,โ€ he expressed with a graceful bow of his head before smoothing down his coat.

As his hands ensured his coat was perfect however his eyes glanced to the mirror, seeing himself stand a bit taller with a small glow to him. It was a refreshing sight, but as he inspected himself he noticed from the corner of his view a brush that laid atop a nearby chair. His brow arched in curiosity for a moment, unsure if it was a trick of the light, but the hair that had seemed to be trapped in the bristles did not match the brush's owner. Were those strands of hairโ€ฆ platinum? Before he could think any further on it he realized he had been staring for a moment too long and cleared his throat, bowing his head once again towards Fiona.

โ€œNow, if you will excuse me, there is much to do today. Repairs must be made and the other party that had set out has yet to return. I must see to assisting with whatever needs to be done around the ship,โ€ he explained before turning to the door and making his way out of the room. As he gently closed the door a quiet sigh escaped him, his mind still somewhat worn from the talk with Fiona, but his body felt lighter than it did when he first entered. Though their meeting was brief and the subject less than pleasant, it had somehow ended on a good note. Something he was appreciative of. The new knowledge of the Princess, the dangers sheโ€™s currently facing and the potential harm she has done to others still lingered though. Silently Red hoped it was a mistake, that perhaps Fiona had meant someone else, but Red knew that was a very slim chance.

For now, he must push it all to the back of his mind and deal with it later. At this moment what mattered was seeing to his duties amongst the Infinity and her crew. There was still much to do and a lost captain to locate. With his priorities returned in his sights, Red rolled his shoulders and began to make his way to the top deck of the ship in search to assist Azure with his repairs to the Infinity.
 
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Alexander Sneave
LOCATION: just leaving sewers
TAGS: 606 606
MOOD: frustrated

The meeting was over and xander was frustrated with the news about the big take down on the revolution members.
he pulls out his broken phone after feeling it buzz in his pocket.
"its not going good man , they've been putting in overtime to take us down , we can barely do anything anymore . even talking to people about what were doing might get us killed."
xander exits the sewers into a dark hall before putting his phone in his pocket and starting to shift his arms slowly to make them more like claws so he can climb up one of the buildings.
 





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    you attack one of us, you attack all of us.


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    /*tab covers*/







    azure hitch


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    Azure was going through the various planks once again, sorting out what materials they had left still and the best way to use them for the time. He was no master but he certainly tries his best as his head jerks up to look at Lindsey as she called out to him.

    "Oh! Lindsey! Let me get back up!" He said, dropping the planks he held and would walk up to the side of the ship, deciding to use the rope ladder. In a few swift movements, Azure had reached the deck again, stretching his arms a little, his muscles flexing as he straighten his back, towering over the other with a soft grin. Up close, they would see that his eyes were still glassy and slightly puffed from the day before and perhaps the night but were attempting to be okay. "Deck and railing are all set. Just got some stuff on the side of the ship, and eventually, I'll need to get everyone off the ship so I can check the underside. I've asked Marie and Hush for help but..." He paused for a second and would look back to the forest. "Hush, Dom, who else, Abe, Aries, and Napoleon, they haven't returned yet." He said softly before turning towards Lindsey again. "Eiran said that he didn't see them when they came back...and I haven't gotten a text from Dom yet. I texted her this morning just in case." Azure sighed and would remove his bandana for the time and ran a hand through his hair.

    "They'll be fine, I'm sure of it uh...that's fine yes. Um, how...how are you?" He asked, looking down at Lindsey, leaning against the rail at this point, his mind beginning to wander once more now that he was no longer working to distract himself, his mind replaying all that has happened.

    They simply were trying to leave, but then got attacked, and Azure was simply, reacting. He heard Gramps give the order to get out of there and did as such, his body moving faster than his mind. As he thought, his fist would clench up into tight balls as the grin made to hide the pain the male was feeling would begin to frown. Was there anything he could have done better? Was there any way he could have been anything better? Stronger? Stronger. Maybe somehow he did need to be stronger. Many already see him as family strong, if not then probably the strongest. He did keep the ship from fully smashing into pieces, his strength was incomparable, and his ability to continually take damage and not feel a thing, to some extent. It's not enough. Clearly, it's not enough! Azure furrowed his brow as he felt his nails begging to dig into his palm, looking to Lindsey for something. Maybe guidance, maybe a distraction, Azure wasn't really sure but he needed something.





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    girl, you know you shine.
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Marie Caldewell​

|Location: S.S. Infinity Engine Room

A soft hum escaped from the lips of the engineer as the sound of metal being clanked together filled the engine room. A simple patch up job as she would call it. Truthfully she was half just banging metal against metal to patch up some dents created by her little accelerator. A very crude fix but a necessary one. Metal in the engine room was shaped in the particular way it was for a reason. Having the structures themselves effected even to a minor extent could cause unexpected problems. The more consist the system was, the less likely to have those problems be an issue.

Besides, the majority of her work had been already done! Her violet eyes glancing up admiring her own handiwork as the engine looked, well perhaps good as new would be overselling it, but it looked darn fine for the old hunk a junk it was that might of suffered a small fire the day before. Only the feintest smell of a burnt out grill lingered in the air. Even the scorch marks had been somewhat polished away or at the very least cleaned up to the point it wasn't as blatantly obvious the room had been ablaze the day before. The janitor could come in and clean things up further. I mean sure, if the ship was under normal hands only someone specialized would be allowed into such a dangerous place to clean it up, but he would be fine! Probably... so long as he didn't touch the wrong thing.

"Alright allll right! Took a bit o' grease and tinker'in, but I'd say she is as good as new! Even tweaked the booster so she will almost certain definently almost will not most likely not for certain almost indubitably shall not likely go bustin' up again! Maybe should tweak the ship controls a bit too though when I go add'in the button in on bridge. Little calibration and all might help make sure Azzy won't go crashing it... least blame not being able to be shrugged straight back onto yours truly." Marie gave a light nod to herself touching her hand up to her goggles as if to ensure they were in place.

Marie strutted over to the nearby console for the engine. Her hand placed upon it using her Hijack ability as she glanced through the materials. Perhaps it was a bit unnecessary given she was just accessing the terminal itself there but it was almost out of habit. Besides, she hadn't been bothered to include her modifications in the console itself. A perhaps bit careless act on her part for those who ever got hold of things she modified after the fact, though generally that wasn't an issue! Except when it was... and there were probably a few cases of people who had her work for them that it became a very big issue later on when they gave her a bit too much control of what goes on in the engine room or tinkering with something mechanical.

"Mayhaps I go warn the crew I'm tesin... nah, they ain't need to worry. Diagnosis be diagnosing! Sure they ain't that empty in the head to realize I'm checkin' the systems and all. Ship shouldn't go flying off either in the process. Well maybe... nah! It will be fine! I only boosted her effiecency a wee bit after all no major changes!" She shrugged off the worry. They weren't technically at a dock and were more so grounded but the process should be about the same. The engine throttle wouldn't be enough to move them very far on the ground if at all. Generally the test procedures were so fine tuned to minimize actual movement of the craft to ensure everything was working properly.

The sound of the ship's humming could be heard as the engines began to to run. A small flicker of lights cascading through the ship faintly dimming before returning back to normal light as the power redirected once more back to normal. The occasional loud creak or hiss able to be heard through the ship and the vents as Marie began to test out the various components of the engine. The engineer softly humming to herself bobbing her head back and forth working through the diagnosis using her power making it seem more as if she was simply leaning against the console in lala land singing to herself.

"Work it, make it. Do it, makes us. Harder better. Faster, stronger...."


Interacting: (Marie is testing the engine so... technically everyone can hear sounds to some extent that can just be considered some diagnosis work going on)
Mention: Hecotoro Hecotoro 606 606
 
Napoleon and Hush​


Location: Cave (of Floating Island) > Deeper into Cave​
In Group With: AI10100 AI10100 (Abraham), Songstress Songstress (Aries), JJae JJae (Dominique)


โ€œYes we do,โ€ Napoleon agreed with a returned grumble and obvious scowl aimed at her. He was seconds away from sternly lecturing her on the way she treated Aries. Had it been a stranger, or even himself, the spotted dog would have not batted an eye at the response. But to see her reaction aimed at someone who she met and built a relationship with on her own โ€” someone who truly made an attempt to connect with her as a budding friend might, different to that of a father figureโ€ฆ He very notably lets out a heavy sigh, as if releasing the energy that was about to chide the girl. Instead, he succumbed into a wistful silence that seemed to linger like dire news on a rainy day. It would be a lie if he would have admitted to not pitying her. But where there was pity, there was also hope for her. It might be a long while from now, but he had faith that she would one day understand or be capable of perceiving sympathy. It was only natural for the priest to save this conversation for another time, as more pressing matters were at play.

โ€œAnd Iโ€™m not letting you down,โ€ he growls, fully aware that he was performing a disservice to her duty bound ways. As if to make his point across, he readjusts his grip on her with a subtle lift, careful to not cause an overly excessive sway. After all, he didnโ€™t want to agitate whatever underlying issues that Hush was still suffering from. Instead, he feels a subtle burning on his own arm where the monster had tasted his flesh as its last meal. Abraham had done a phenomenal job healing the lot, given how rushed the treatments had been performed. But if he was still feeling this degree of discomfort, he couldnโ€™t help but imagine what Hush was going through right now.

โ€œWhat is it?โ€ he questions, his tone back to its plain fashion as if the priest was finally level headed. It was obvious that the conversation would center around whatever the hell they just went through โ€” between those abominations, the embedded eternum shards, and the eeriness of the cave that they continued deeper into. A lingering thought in the recess of his mind whispered that this was all connected somehow, an idea which he did not want to accept. Not to avoid the truth, but to escape from the horrors that lay before them.

Further and further they dove down the winding igneous path. A mindnumbing sense of dรฉjร  vu overtook Hushโ€™s perspective as the repetitive architecture stretched for miles, seemingly, before them. Archway, rock, repeat. Archway, rock, repeat. Every so often, the team came across eternum-powered machines attached to the top of the wooden arches. They blew out a steady stream of air, maintaining a constant level of ventilation that kept the airflow from becoming stagnant. Odd, given the evident rampage historically engraved on the caveโ€™s walls. While the claw markings were erratic throughout their voyage in the cavern, they appeared more as decoration rather than destructive, having left the machines purposefully untouched.

โ€œNobody asked for your help,โ€ came Hushโ€™s snappy comeback. The assassin stewed in her resentment, reaching a metaphorical boiling point, whether from her bitter emotions or a side effect of her waning health. This contest of conflicting expectations wasnโ€™t what she wished to discuss. Even now, with her senses impaired, she smelled the rank stench of tobacco that clung to Napoleonโ€™s dirtied jacket. She hated the scent, but it grounded her with the here and now. It was not the time for bickering.

As her arms draped loosely around the beast-manโ€™s collar, the girl acting as nothing more than a glorified backpack, she began to concentrate. The once ragged breathing, warm as a sweltering summer day against the holy fatherโ€™s fur, retreated into a calm and steady rhythm. To those around her, all noise created by Hush and Napoleon turned mute like a switch had turned off. It was sudden and all-encompassing. As for the duo, however, they could hear each other clearly, from the heavy footfalls of Napoleonโ€™s beastly feet slapping against cold stone to the discreet shift of Hushโ€™s form against the priestโ€™s broad back.

โ€œGrowl,โ€ she commanded. It was a code they used to test the efficacy of her ability. Hush could best explain this off-shoot form of her Tree-given skill by comparing it to a bubble of sound. Anything within its boundaries was subject to her muting ability, and with greater concentration, it functioned similarly to a soundproofed room. Anyone outside its bounds heard nothing, while those within could converse in secrecy. A ploy she often used when receiving orders from her caretakers in the Church of Eternity.

Napoleon clicks his tongue with a fierce gesture, mostly because he wanted to snap back at the spicy rucksack clinging to his shoulders. He recognized that there truly were more pressing matters to discuss, and that was what peeved him the most; she would have the last word on the matter, giving the impression that he did not have suitable verbage to contend against the assassin's remark.

With reluctance, and a final, heavy exhale, the priest emanates a growl that would have been strong enough to alert the rest of the crew, as if his sight had pierced through the murk of darkness past the flashlight's range, detecting a sign of danger ahead. But no one jumped at the sound, or even glanced at the duo โ€” a sure sign that Hush had successfully activated her ability.

"We're in the null," Napoleon confirmed with a furtive glance over his back. The important part now was to not make any obvious gestures that would betray their muted conversation.

โ€œMm,โ€ she responded curtly. Pretending to rest, Hush buried her face in Napoleonโ€™s coat. It was arduous to appear relaxed, of course, given the uncomfortable sweat permeating under her clothes and all along her pale skin, but she kept her complaints to herself. Anika refused to acknowledge that the cleric was correct about her declining health and instead decided to deviate from the harsh reality of her situation altogether.

โ€œThey were like tainted ones,โ€ she claimed. Though muffled, she knew her words would reach her fluffy compatriotโ€™s keen ears. They always did. โ€œYetโ€ฆ they still felt unnatural.โ€ The cut-throatโ€™s past bore many instances where subjugating tainted ones was the crux of her mission. Acting as a consistent thorn in the churchโ€™s side, she was all too aware of the many abhorrent forms the anomalies could take. While diverse and often nightmarish, the unexplained phenomenons still possessed identifiable patterns in how they functioned.

โ€œThe wolves were too weak.โ€ It was rich coming from someone left overwhelmed after encountering the pack, but Hush had her reasons. โ€œIf they were tainted wolvesโ€ฆ we would be dead,โ€ she said solemnly. Animals afflicted by the eternumโ€™s corruption were more dangerous than their human counterparts. Strong enough to where the assassin hesitated to face one without ideal conditions. What they fought, while bizarre, were still ultimately wolves with humanoid appendages; they felt artificial.

Anikaโ€™s understanding of tainted ones was still merely shallow at best. She wasnโ€™t smart enough to imply conclusive research on them, and her claims were based solely on experience. Despite this, her gut told her there was more to the story. It was perplexing enough to prompt her to ask another, ostensibly unrelated, question

โ€œDo you know Father Silas?โ€

While troubled by the disclosed information regarding the creatures, Napoleon kept a neutral profile with his eyes cast on the ceiling, as if studying the mechanics behind the air generators. In reality, his breath had grown heavy for a moment at the assassinโ€™s prospect at what could have been. To date, he had only heard of tainted creatures from past conversations with her, and had never actually seen one. The way she mentioned it so naturally, the priest couldnโ€™t help but wonder how many tainted she had exterminated to gauge that outcome. Still, he felt like her suspicions were driven by instinct, a force that should never be disregarded so casually.

Upon hearing the name โ€˜Silasโ€™, however, the stoic beastmanโ€™s gait shifts as if his movements became conscious, correcting itself from sudden error. While he avoids staggering and smoothly passes it off as if avoiding strewn about mining gear, he wonders on how to best answer her question.

โ€œHmm. Iโ€ฆ know him, but didnโ€™t talk to him much,โ€ he mumbles with his muzzle pointed low to the rocky path below, as if to watch where he was stepping. โ€œHe was always on the move, always meeting with people โ€” important people, from one church to the next.โ€

He lets the moment linger, as if the silence would provide an answer for him. When it said nothing, Napoleon spoke once more. โ€œWhy do you bring him up?โ€

โ€œI see,โ€ the girl said, disappointment in her tone. Shrugging off the sour feeling of another failure nipping at her heart, Hushโ€™s hold on Napoleon stiffened slightly, akin to a snake preparing for the kill. โ€œJin was acting weird earlierโ€ฆ Silasโ€™ name spooked him.โ€ The memory of Jinโ€™s breakdown in the forest stained her mind like ink spilled on a canvas. โ€œHe seemed wary of meโ€ฆ when he took my knives.โ€

With a sharp inhale, she spoke what had assailed her thoughts since yesterday. โ€œJin might know my past.โ€ Once the words passed her lips, an eerie silence followed. It was a contemplative calmness, one she entered during a mission. โ€œIf he digs deeper,โ€ she began to say, no louder than a whisper, โ€œIโ€™ll kill him.โ€ There was no doubt behind her claim. It was a fact, a promise.

Hushโ€™s solemn vow was cut short. Before the encroaching group, embedded into the walls of what wouldโ€™ve otherwise been a dead end, an out-of-place metallic doorway stood before them. Two heavy doors, made of steel, had been forcibly pried open, the slabs taken off their hinges and tossed to either side of the entryway. Inside, a long corridor stretched forth into a dark, unforeseeable unknown.

Immediately, the assassinโ€™s silencing wore off. โ€œBe careful moving forward,โ€ the girl ordered the others, though an obvious statement. โ€œSomething might be living here.โ€ Anxiety wracked her body, her position as dead weight crashing down on her. Helplessness, she realized, was a chilling experience. One that sent a person into the ravenous, clutching shadows of their deepest insecurities. With a shaky hand, she feebly clung to the priest.

โ€œKeep moving,โ€ she spoke, unable to mask the fatigue that stung her throat.

With the field of silence now removed, Napoleon was awkwardly left with his maw agape as he was about to respond to her morbid resolution. Not wanting to shatter the illusion of their secretive conversation, he instead did as she advised, following up with a distasteful grumble. He arms himself with focus once he enters past the sudden clashing of manmade structure against the backdrop of the natural caveโ€ฆ or at least, he did his best to do so. Even though their lives were in another potential bout of mortal danger, his thoughts could not help but focus on Hushโ€™s prior disheartened tone, and more recent deadly assertion.

As the spotted dog continued onward, he remained pensive, his round ears flattening as if regretful that he didn't know more about Father Silas, apart from rumors and reputation. He should have mentioned those โ€” more specifically, how the man had such an imperative level of notoriety, where he was able to bring an uneasy atmosphere, even to the other veteran priests. How he was tied with Jin, Napoleon could only guess. But something had to line up when so much was left in the dark. Perhaps they should conduct their own covert investigation on the man who was now helmed as the captain of the ship.

In an attempt to steer back onto the now, he alienates these thoughts, choosing to mention this at a better time. Another thing to bring up once they got back to the safety of the ship, it seemed. His eyes traced the outlines of the claw marks, then to that of the thrashed doors. While it appeared obvious that something broke out of this hidden bunker by the dented shape of the metallic slabs decorating the rocky floor, it was impossible to be certain about it without going further inside. Whether it was those tainted-like creatures or something else, perhaps they would find out sooner rather than later.

Napoleon smacks his jowls distastefully, his fangs momentarily on display as his lips twitch with the memory of them entering the bog the night before. The air had once again become heavy and humid, hinting on the possibility of them either being in the marshlands once again, or inside of a building riddled with water damage. Revealed by Hushโ€™s flashlight, the inside of the structure appeared like something similar to a clinic. Stainless steel plates ran across the walls, reinforcing the drywall from rolling tables and other mobile equipment. These, in tangent with scattered glass upon the white ceramic floor โ€” or at least the spots that didnโ€™t serve as a shrine for mildew and dust โ€” performed decently in scattering the deeper shadows away. Rubble and glass littered the floor, with unrecognizable tools and containers spilling long dried contents into the cracks of tile and torn rubber mats.

โ€œWhat type of place is this?โ€ Napoleon muttered to no one in particular. He wanted to reach for his shotgun, but was reminded by the damp spot on his back that he still had a passenger to prioritize.

Napoleonโ€™s words were left unanswered. Down the corridor, beyond the ruined vestiges of what was once a venue of great intellect, a gentle thrum echoed along its hollowed walls. It evoked the image of a generator in oneโ€™s mind, its rhythmic rattle betraying the lifelessness that the area assumed. With careful steps, the clamor led the party to a large, domed room. At their entry, various light fixtures came to life to welcome them, suffusing the area in a dusky golden hue, its contents laid bare for all to witness.

At the center, encased in a cylindrical stabilizer, was a massive chunk of raw eternum, reflecting a blueish complexion that hypnotically sparkled and glimmered. It pulsed an unchanneled energy that resonated in the nearby area, filled with unexplained power. Long cables were connected to the top of the stabilizer, running along the ceiling and stopping at ten separate chambers, five on each side. Filled with a similarly blueish solvent, save for one, the mysterious tankards bubbled, insinuating something sinister in their murky midsts. The chamber furthest from the entrance; destroyed, and its contents spilled; had an organic mass at its base, slouching and unmoving.

A closer inspection earned them a sight most unpleasant. Inside the contraptions, freely floating in the unnamed ichor, were bodies. Tainted ones. Each body was at varying stages of the process, some still human and possessing only a few animalistic qualities, while others had devolved to nothing more than masses of unidentifiable flesh. They were in a state of stasis, seemingly sleeping in a bed of ignorance, not knowing what atrocities they had become. Clothes resembling lab coats and worker wear adhered to the drenched forms of those that retained snippets of their humanity, also preserved in the liquidโ€™s command of endless time.

Off to the wall opposite the entrance, there was a metallic lift. Maintained well and seeing quite a bit of use, the elevator clung to a set of rails that ran upward. It was an exit. On top of it was the generator that obnoxiously clanged, powering the device indefinitely. There was also a simple cage next to it, the silhouette of an animal resting soundly inside. While small in shape, it was likely another one of those wolven beasts.

While many questions brewed in her mind, Hushโ€™s scrutiny always returned to the crystal that everything presumably revolved around. The gem continuously called out to her, like a parent wishing for their childโ€™s return. She began to shift and sway in Napoleonโ€™s hold, though sluggish and to no avail.

โ€œLet me down.โ€

The girlโ€™s memory flashed to their earlier spat, a subtle frown dressing her features. โ€œIโ€™ll be right back,โ€ she quickly added, reassuringly squeezing the manโ€™s shoulder. โ€œPromise.โ€

Napoleon feels the weak pressure of the small hand โ€” like what an impoverished, starving child working a fourth job as a masseuse might feel like if she tried to dig deep into his taut scapula, desperate to keep a future client pleased โ€” and he immediately denounced her plan in thought. Quite obviously, she was in zero condition to go about on her own, with zero reason to let her do as she asked. Although his feelings were for the most part in control, this doesnโ€™t stop his hackles from raising unintentionally, the coarse fur between her arms now more noticeable. He turns his neck silently, and slowly โ€” as if for the sole purpose of building dramatic effect, with an intense stare building behind his canine visage. The spotted dog would hope that once their eyes would meet, the gesture would be sharp enough to pierce through her stubbornness and apply reason into her, as if by lobotomy to calm the overly focused assassin. Butโ€ฆ upon hearing her say the magic word, the priest couldnโ€™t help but relax the well worn lines on his face. If it was one thing he could depend on, it was the fact that Anika was not the type to take promises lightly. It was as if it was another job for the assassin, one where failure was not an option. And sure enough, these contracts would always be fulfilled without a hitch.

Still, Napoleon didnโ€™t want to enable her one-track mind. What appeared to be a harmless promise was a means of justifying this rewired state of operation that was forced upon her. Denying her was the best response. He knew this was the only true answerโ€ฆ But she had never gone back on her word. Denying her might even rile her further. So what was he to do?

Sure enough, the beastfolk makes eye contact with her, his stare now lacking the once eristical gleam. With a deep exhale that seemed to further deflate his enthusiasm to deny her, the priest admits defeat as he kneels once more to let her down gently. Once he hears the gentle clacking of her boots against the tile underfoot, the priest stands at full height again, casting his gaze down to her. He did his best to not give a haughty impression, as if trying to be supportive. Instead, he gives a subtle smile at the girl.

โ€œAlright, promise. Donโ€™t take long; donโ€™t do anything stupid. I wonโ€™t be far.โ€ His dark brown eyes mirror the most fragile version of Hush he had seen to date, and it was because of this that he realized he felt more comfortable being able to grip Duskringer; if a threat would appear, he would have a better means of reaction, unlike when she was limiting his offensive options.

Without further delay, he leaves her to do her own inspection and walks around the laboratory. Napoleon observes the tanks with a twitch of his black nose, investigating the acrid scents that seemed to be distinct enough for him to detect. It was not something he had ever picked up before. However, at the same time, it was oddly familiar, as if the answer was right in front of him, yet not quite fully.

As if content with the smell that he undoubtedly memorized, the priest looks up to the giant eternum crystal in the center of the setting, and looks away as if appalled at the sight. On any other occasion, he would have given praise at the sheer size of the gem, the beautiful hues shining in true divine fashion. Instead, he casts a shameful gaze at his own weapon, rubbing a soft finger pad on the much smaller fragment encrusted on his rifle. As if reminded of something, he clasps both of his hands together and tucks his chin into his chest, murmuring a short prayer to himself, and only to himself. Once his quiet ramblings cease, an audible line can be heard:

โ€œMay these unfortunate souls follow the Divine Roots, back to the Iridiscent Canopyโ€ฆ Atree Arborauda.โ€

The priest seemed largely unaffected at the discovery of the experiments, as if not surprised that such levels of cruelty were capable. If younglings were used as child soldiers for accomplishing agendas, would it be so hard to believe that humans were being used as guinea pigs? Of course not, he reasoned. The thing to do in response was finding out who was responsible for this atrocity. And more importantly, whether it had to do with the Church of Eternity.

​
 

Hush​
Nearing the contraption that upheld the raw gemstone, her fixation turned to the work area at its base. Numerous computer screens flickered with information that was unintelligible to Hush. Under them, various knick-knacks and documents blanketed a long countertop. While the reports looked relatively new, a glance at the papers told the assassin that a great deal of the information was missing, various phrases and words blotched out with ink. It would take some time to decipher them, which she didnโ€™t have. Instead, her sticky fingers pocketed a few displaced eternum crystal shards, hoping to find some use for them later.

Looking up, she met the luminous blue glow of the jewel that sustained the forsaken workshop. Its brilliance was breathtaking as the unrefined and massive mineral continued to push forth unexplained energy into the area. Anikaโ€™s focus continued to swish and sway with every surge. It was there, in its glossy reflection, that she saw herself. Then it was there, at that moment, where she wondered who it was in her self-reflection.

Baggy, daunting eyes peered back heartlessly at her, like an icy tundra that chilled a person to their core. Gaunt, ghost-like skin overtook her complexion. Her frown, chiseled deeper than the planetโ€™s core, wore heavily on her chapped lips. An unsightly weariness radiated off her being, making the girl want to look away in shame. How far she had fallen.

Everything in her life changed the moment she left the Church of Eternity. Napoleon told her she was an orphan from a ravaged town called Aerilon and then raised by the clergy who took her parents from her. Then, she trained to become a mindless killer for their exploitative ways. Napoleon informed her that her childhood got stolen from her. When reading the documents he provided on the incident, it felt like she was reading someone elseโ€™s past. How was she supposed to feel?

Comparable to a dam that holds back water, her emotions were tucked away and shielded from her. Even now, when taught the immorality of her actions, she experienced nothing. There was no regret, nor was there any remorse for the lives she took. Everything was a blank slate. In her eyes, they were nothing more than enemies. That same black-and-white mentality plagued her to this day, festering her thoughts with doubt and distrust.

Enemies were everywhere she looked. It was only a matter of time before Napoleon turned on her, too. The trained killer couldnโ€™t even trust herself, all her opinions and choices becoming skewed to fit the churchโ€™s agenda. All she wanted was control. To be freed from the unseen chains that tethered her actions.

What am I supposed to do?

The question echoed inside her mind, reverberating across every inch of her body until sinking deep inside her soul. There was no answer. For all she knew, there was no changing what she had become. There was no redemption. No epiphany.

Her fever worsened.

Overcome by a sudden fit of dry retching, her hand went to her pained chest. It felt like a piece of her was being siphoned, a wave of fatigue crashing down on the teenager. Hushโ€™s knees buckled under her weight as she leaned against the counter, clutching the tableโ€™s edge to keep herself stable. After a few seconds, the sudden reaction began to simmer down. Her shut eyelids opened meekly, the troublesome ache in her head refusing to subside.

When her vision stabilized, a new silhouette towered over her. The reflection that once stared back at Hush in the crystal now stood before her. It peered down at the adolescent with the same mechanical visage it bore earlier, unwavering and resolute. It had no recognition written on its features, the figure acting as no more than a husk, a simulacrum. The replica did not move an inch, seemingly waiting for Anikaโ€™s next move.

While looking at it, Hush initially guessed it was an illusion. The scout thought her infection had caught up to her, playing tricks on her disoriented senses. Even then, it resonated with her. Much like her mute ability, which felt akin to her consciously breathing, taking control of a function of her body that existed innately, it held the same familiarity. Its feet shifted away some of the baubles that fell to the floor during her collapse, making Hush realize it was tangible. It was real, and it was a component of herself. Her admiration of this discovery, however, was cut short.

As if realizing she had no orders to give, the clone started disappearing, evaporating into a cloud of black smog. Hushโ€™s hand reached out to stop it but grasped emptiness. Eventually, the vapors turned into nothing. The entity disappeared as quickly as it appeared. As her arm slumped to her side, her lethargy took hold, the young lady feeling her strength on its last fumes.

Collecting herself by dragging her sleeve against her mouth, she wiped some of the phlegm that escaped. She was sick of this place. Hoisting herself up, she began to hobble back to Napoleon, her infected leg still unable to sustain her weight. Anika lifted her arms slightly, getting snatched up, and returned to Napoleonโ€™s backside. If anyone saw what happened, the girlโ€™s scowl told them she was not in the mood for questions or nagging. She was tired, and it was time to leave the laboratory behind them.

โ€œLetโ€™s go.โ€

Interactions: Arvios Arvios AI10100 AI10100 Songstress Songstress JJae JJae
 
LINDSEY
Interactions: 606 606
Mentions:
Lindsey for a half a second looked stunned when Azure said that Hush, Dommy, Abe, Aries, and Napoleon hadn't returned. She didn't even realized they left. She played off like she did though.

"Yeah...I'm sure they'll be fine. Anyway I'm fine. I'm just ready to get off this island so get looking for gramps. We really should of left yesterday but I suppose it can't be helped."

Lindsey said as she scratched the back of her head. She then noticed the look on Azure's face. Lindsey sighed before she spoke.

"Azure stop. I can tell you still some how blame yourself. Now look at me. This whole thing that happen with gramps ain't your fault. In fact you did everything you were suppose to do. Trust me if I thought it was your fault. I would tell you."

If anything she thought it was gramps own fault. But there was no point in going on and on about this. They needed to get off this island. Lindsey smiled at him.

"Hey want me to get everyone off the ship now so you can do what you need to do? If you want to find gramps we got to get a move on."
coded by kaninchen
 
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Alexander Sneave
LOCATION: rooftops
TAGS: 606 606 606 606
MOOD: frustrated

alex arrives on top of the building , he clenches his fist and his bones pop before slowly adjusting back to their normal position leaving scars and wholes in his skin.
"you still there? im coming over" he texts cypher . he starts running and jumping from rooftop to rooftop . "this doesnt make sense , none of it does , we hid the rebelion as much as we could how are they still taking us down , what powers do those batards have" alex says to himself .
he quickly jumps off of one of the roofs before turning his hand into a saw like object with the sharp part being made of his own bone. he quickly digs them to the side of the building and proceeds to slowly move down. the second he gets down to the floor and unsticks his hand whoever walks next to him will swear to you that he invented new swear words from the amount of pain. after his session of yelling he walks up to the garage that cypher was in before knocking on the large metal door with his cythe hand creating a strange sound.
​
 

R O Z A N T , A B R A H A M
Interacting with: Arvios Arvios TheImmortalDeity TheImmortalDeity Songstress Songstress JJae JJae Vexumin Vexumin
Location: Island​

Abraham kept his silence during the entire walk, barely awake as they moved through the twisting and turning path within the caves. He could have made observations about how the cave seemed unnaturally made, a reminder of mineshafts that he had watched his parents go into, but his mind was too addled by exhaustion to make sense of anything. However, as they continued down and came upon human-made metallic doors, his heart dropped and his senses sharpened as another shot of adrenaline coursed through his veins. Danger. Hush said as much.

As they continued to move in, it was less danger in the present and more of danger in the past. Morbidly curious at the scenery before him, he inspected the body closer. He had never seen such a thing happenโ€” eternum crystals seemingly growing out of an organic body and animalistic features replacing human ones. Extremely odd. He let his gaze wander across the laboratory and this wasn't the only body to be in this state. Whoever had been down here must have been observing these changes. Though even the scientists seemed to have surrendered themselves to this... disease? Condition?

He stood up and rummaged through the drawers and cabinets as more and more questions popped into his mind. Papers were scattered around, manila folders stained with blood and decay. He thumbed through the papers and cursed when they proved to be mostly illegible. It was torn and stained and wrinkled and... Abraham let out a sigh as he collected some papers and put them into the manila folder. He could continue studying it another time. Maybe he could have Fiona look over it with him. She was knowledgeable about a lot of things and science had been one of her strong suits. Among the papers, however, was a vial with some strange liquid inside and a key. He furrowed his brows before moving to Napoleon. "Father, do you think you can make sense of this? I'm not sure what it is but..." He handed the vial to the priest after he had spoken his rites. "I'll leave you to it for a while. I'm sorry, I still need to..." He gestured awkwardly to the rest of the laboratory before moving away.

The animal within the cage was some form of quadrupedal beast with eternum crystals growing out of its back, tail, and facial area. He knelt down and observed the beast's mannerisms. It seemed to still be alive despite it being all alone in this hidden laboratory. "There's one of those wolf-pups up here if you guys want to check it out. I'm thinking of bringing it back on the ship for further study but I understand if any of you are wary regarding that. I'll leave the key here for your decision." He placed the key inside the lock but didn't turn it. The noise seemed to jostle the animal awake and it peered at him curiously. Abraham stood up and made his way down once again.

He took a ripped-up curtain from an observation area and moved towards the dead body and wrapped it inside. "A sample would be good to cross-reference." As if that was a justification for carrying a corpse around but Abraham grew up with judging eyes, he could deal with a few more. He heaved the body onto his shoulder, surprised by its lighter weight than expected.

Hush returned to Napoleon's side and urged everyone to leave. "I'm ready." Abraham muttered as they all made their way to the elevator. By the good graces of whatever was looking out for them, power was still being maintained in the facility, and the elevator doors shuddered to a close. Inside the elevator was an emergency box that had been jammed open but the contents remained within. A handgun thrumming with eternum energy as well as ammunition for it for Dominique to claim.

The elevator came to a stop and the elevator doors opened to another cave. Abraham felt almost hopeless but they trudged forward. It wasn't a particularly long walk to find themselves face to face with thick vines hanging from the entrance of the cave, partially obscuring its presence from anyone looking from the outside. They pushed against the vines, finally smelling the fresh air of the island after spending hours within the labyrinth hidden within it.

They would have had to pick a direction and walk and hope they got to the ship had it not been for the appearance of Eirenโ€” the hardworking automaton watchman of the S.S. Infinity who had been drawn to the area due to the noise being produced by the elevator they had ridden. Had it not been for the state of its poor maintenance, Eiren might not have been able to hear it. The sight of the automaton had filled Abraham with such relief that his body almost mistakenly assumed that it was safe and collapsed right then and there. Thankfully, he managed to stop himself from doing so.

"Eiren! It's- it's great to see you. How did you-? Not important. Can you get us back to the ship? I think we all need to rest. Especially Hush over there." And yes, he was carrying something out of the ordinary but that wasn't the point. He could explain it all later. He just wanted to rest.

 




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you attack one of us, you attack all of us.


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/*tab covers*/







azure hitch


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As Lindsey spoke, a smile appeared on his face, taking a moment to close his eyes and take a deep breath. She was right, and in Azure's opinion, tended to be right, but also very blunt. The first mate had a point and while he understood that logically, that anoying voice in the back of his mind would say other wise. All he could do now was ignore it. "If you could do that, that would be great." he said, putting the bandana back on and woul go and jump down off the ship, landing with a soft thud, before turning to face the infinity. "I'll finish fixing you up, its the least I can do now." he said, placing a hand on the ship, letting out a soft sight. He was worried about the damge on the underside, which is why it was left till last.

As Lindsey would go and get everyone off the ship, one way or another, Azure would wait patiently, having grabbed a pencil and a notepad as he examined the side of the ship at the beautiful wood that made up the Infinity. At a closer look, you could easily see where she had been damaged before from the discoloration of wood here and there even though they would all receive the same stain so it would look the same from a distance. Head the multiple mismatched footsteps, soon everyone who was still around, would have gotten off the ship (some dragged off unwillingly by Jin and Lindsey if needed).

Azure decided to check the front of the ship first, walking up after having stretched a little. People like Jin, Lindsey, and Marie would know what was going to happen but those who were still new, like Fiona and and Shiloh, would be in for a bit of a surprise. Azure bent down and grabbed the bottom of the ship inhaling deeply before pushing up with his legs. Those who managed to get a good view could see all the muscles on Azure arms, legs, and back flexing as the boat creaked loudly Azure began to lift the front half of the boat up. As he was able to stand up with it, he exhaled all his breath but it wasnโ€™t enough for Azure to inspect the bottom. With another deep inhale and another very long exhale, if felt like every muscle in his body would be in use as Azure would push the front of the ship up more, a loud and questionable creaking and cracking of the ship could be heard until Azure was able to bend down a little and place the Infinity on his shoulder. The hard wood dug into his skin as he let all the weight fall onto his oneshoulder, knowing that he would regret it later. Now that he, and everyone else, could see the underside of the ship, he decided to screw writing down things, and pulled out his phone, grimacing at the landing he made as Azure inspected the damage. While it could be worse, it could definately be better.

There was no risk of the bottom of the ship falling off at least but much of the external framework and fins that help steer the ship were as good as broken. It would take having the ship to be in the air for him to fix it. But now that it was the only major damage but the rest was intact. A few minor holes to patch here and there from the landing probably from rocks or small trees and he snapped a few photos on his phone before half haphazardly tossing it aside. With 2 hands back on the bottom of the ship, Azure would take the weight of the ship off his poor shoulder and grunted as he lifted the ship up a bit more, feeling something wrong in his arms as he did so. He never really rested after stopping the ship initially so it was likely now that something in his arms was pulled or sprained at this point. However that would not be enough to stop the giant idiot as the pain followed down his back and to his legs. Slowly, but surely, Azure would gently sit the ship down back to the ground, and at the end, take a deep breath, rubbing his shoulder that the ship was resting on. It was clear that a bruise was beginning to develop there and a large one at that but from the look on Azureโ€™s face, it didnโ€™t seem to bother him too much.

โ€œAlright, you all can get back on. Sorry for the trouble! Iโ€™ll be hovering the ship so I can fix up the bottom then we will be good to go!โ€ He said, pulling off his bandana to wipe the sweat off his face and give everyone a small smile.

Everyone would end up filtering back onto the ship, returning to whatever they ended up doing (unless they choose not to. Either to help Azure or talk to each other or wait for the last group to come back), and finally followed by Azure last as he would get on board. At the helm, he started the ship up, the lights and everything hummed back to life once more as Marie would have done before checking the engines. Slowly, Azure would begin to raise the ship up, not wanting to push the Infinity too hard. Once it was mostly high enough (by guessing) he had made the ship go Idle for now, looking of the edge to make sure the long ramp could reach down to the gound, one the mostly used when needing to load alot of heavy materials. They did have a fancy ship after all. Azure would decide to jump off the ship instead of using a ramp and would go under the ship to collect the broken pieces.

From there, Azure would be able to do the rest of the repairs. He took the pieces that snapped off and would have not only to make a straight cut on the broken pieces but also where they broke off the ship, which was more of a hassle than Azure thought. However, with a lot of rope and roughly put-together pieces of board to act like a deck, he had made himself a handing platform so he could work easier on the under side. It was loud work along side some swearing from Azure but in time, he had managed to put the pieces back on nicely, after using a lot of nails, wood glue, and lots of metal bracks to keep it all in place. It wasnโ€™t pretty work but, it was functional at least. He was no professional so Azure was very proud of himself as he went to go work on the rudder area and make sure it was all aligned properly and no major damage was done. Azure really didnโ€™t know technical terms but he has figured out along the way what he had to check when making sure it was all aligned.

What felt like forever, the ship was finally back together in one piece. Azure would then use the loading ramp to help him drag everying back onto the ship as it hovered in place. All that was to left was to wait for the group that left to come back. He would disappear into the kitchen and grab handfuls of snacks before going to sit at the helm, knowing right now he wouldnโ€™t have time to rest. The best he could hope for was for Dom and Abe to come back to make him at least one large meal and give him a bit of healing boost. His shoulder now was throbbing in pain as he gentle would touch it and pain shot through his body as he inhaled sharply. Maybe letting the entire weight of the ship rest on his shoulder wasnโ€™t his best idea. But for now, Azure would partially eat out the left overs he took from the kitchen as he sat at the helm, looking out at the forest, now just, waiting.





/*do not remove credit*/
girl, you know you shine.
coded by weldherwings

 
d291131a14796ccadbed7c3e94e50109.jpg

EIREN BRACKUS
STATUS: OPERATIONAL | RELIEVED
LOCATION: CAVE EXIT

The sound of rattling metal was noise that could not easily escape Eiren's attention, especially on an island where there seemed to not be much of anything besides trees and wildlife. It didn't take the automaton long to locate the source. Or, rather, where the sound was directly coming from.

He would not be able to delve any further towards the source of the sound though, for seemingly out of nowhere, the missing crew emerged from a small, covered section of the rockface ahead. They were all ragged, likely extremely tired, if that wasn't already visible upon their faces.

He could only imagine the struggles that they faced out here.

AI10100 said:
"Eiren! It's- it's great to see you. How did you-? Not important. Can you get us back to the ship? I think we all need to rest. Especially Hush over there." And yes, he was carrying something out of the ordinary but that wasn't the point. He could explain it all later. He just wanted to rest.
Click to expand...

Though Abraham didn't quite make mention of what he had been carrying, Eiren payed very close attention to it. However, bringing it up then and there was not wise. He turns about, eyes still locked on the thing the doctor was carrying until his head had fully turned.

"Very well. Follow closely. I shall return you all to the ship, post-haste. I suggest not straying too far."

He would begin to walk, slowing his pace for any that were struggling to keep up due to injury or exhaustion. He could give people a break when it was necessary. He was a machine, not a monster. So he wasn't marching away without anyone.

He kept mostly quiet for the trip back, but he was relieved o have found the others in short order. Hopefully the repairs to the ship were nearly, if not fully completed by now. It would be a welcome change to put this island behind them. Eiren has been growing antsy. He needed to be back out in the open. Back on the Infinity with the ship just as active as it always has been.

The walk would not take too long fortunately. When the ship came into view, he would halt a bit, hanging back so that he could keep pace with the others, help them where needed so that the rest of the treck was not a difficult affair. He wanted to be of use.

"If anyone feels that their legs may give out on them, do not hesitate to tell me. I would be more than happy to provide assistance."


Interacting with: AI10100 AI10100 , TheImmortalDeity TheImmortalDeity , Arvios Arvios , Songstress Songstress , JJae JJae
 
Gaberial De'Sardet
"Red"
Mentions: 606 606 AI10100 AI10100 . D O V E . D O V E Colorless Spectrum Colorless Spectrum​

A long, weary breath escaped Red as he walked down to the lower parts of the newly repaired ship, his heavy coat slung over his right shoulder while his currently bleeding left hand was held up in the air, droplets of crimson blood rolling down his forearm and slightly staining the sleeves of his rolled up shirt. A slightly annoyed grimace covered his face, irritated from both the stinging pain that burned away in the palm of his hand and the foolishness that was his own doing. Just in a single morning much had been pilled onto his mind, questions now turning to concerns of the future, doubts and suspicions tormenting his thoughts with ruthless cruelty. With his mind besieged by a storm of uncertainty Red paid little attention to the task before him and ended up slicing the palm of his hand on one of Azure's tools he had tried to collect in attempts to help clean up after the repairs of the ship. Azure had taken on the much heavier load of the work, leaving Red to do much smaller tasks and following Azure's instructions when given. The work had been straining, a layer of sweat coated Red's pale skin by the end, his limbs sore and his already injured back growing more irritated from the lack of care he had spared it. He would also give little acknowledgment to others around him, to focus on his work or be chained by his thoughts.

But, as Red watched the ship rise from the island and drift back along the clouds a sense of satisfaction filled his chest. The sight of the Infinity back where it belonged had almost made this already worrying day bearable. Almost. As Azure had lowered the ramp to collect what tools or materials were left on the ground, Red had made the attempt to give one last push to help lighten the burden of the work for his fellow crewmate, even though he figured Azure could do just fine without him. Perhaps he should have let him finish, for if he did he wouldn't have lost his grip on a small crate of tools he had been carrying and sliced open his palm! The feeling of the wind once again blowing against his warm skin and through his hair caused him to drift into his mind, recalling all of the disturbing news from his talks with Fiona and Shiloh. 'Fool, fool, bloody daft-headed fool!' he would tell himself, his annoyance growing by the second as he slowly traveled through the halls of the ship and towards Abe's room, or better known as the infirmary.

Red's silent anger would be less directed at the wound in his hand, or the fact he hurt himself in the first place, but instead be directed at himself for allowing his mind to be so easily distracted. There would be times, yes, that he would be drowned in his own head by his own thoughts, but not over issues like these. Other peoples have burdens or scars. Yet, what was revealed to him by both Fiona and Shiloh had yet to leave him. Could it be because of what was said about the Princess, about Drielle? Was she truly in danger? Did she... really... A groan of irritation escaped Red as he hurried his steps down the hall, barely acknowledging the small trail of blood following him down the hall. He wouldn't become enveloped by his thoughts again, instead, he would just focus on the stinging in his hands, use the burning sharp pain as an anchor to the reality around him.

Soon enough Red would reach the infirmary, stopping outside the door and readying his uninjured hand to knock but paused as something dawned on him. "Oh bloody, granny soggy knickers," he muttered under his breath as he remembered that Abe was still gone, out with the departed group. With a heavy sigh, he gently tapped his forehead against the surface of the door before looking down both ends of the hallway. Well, he knew he couldn't just bleed out here, a small pathetic puddle of his own blood was starting to form below his boot. With a shrug, he entered the unmanned infirmary and began searching for the items to tend to his wound. Red had little idea of where to look for the proper items though so he would settle for a roll of gauze he found wrapped his wound with a few silent curses.
 
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