Fantasy Conatus - The Great War

[Fred Colon]

"Ha!" Rena barked a laugh, "If I need money I'll just get it myself. There are easy, less embarrasing ways than that. I've got better things to do than romance."
Rena tossed a handful of crackers over Avalines pillow, as if she missed, and then used her Ern to cause them to come pelting downwards like little edible meteors, while holding crackers in her hand ready to toss if Avaline adjusted the pillow to block her falling projectiles. Maybe they fell a bit too fast and she threw a bit too hard, Rena wasn't sure. She wasn't used to this playfulness. Her first instinct was to tear the pillow away from Avaline and toss the crackers in her face.
Success.
That's what she wanted. But she'd long learned that success like that wasn't usually actual success.

 

[KingofAesir]

Aveline
Shit. Aveline hadn't been prepared for Rena using her Ern. Why had she no thought about that, well, two could play at that game. Aveline laughed, and moved her shield to the top of her head to protect from the falling crackers. Rena was prepared with another handful but Aveline was quick to use her own Ern to disintegrate the crackers into a useless and moldy mess. Gross. She then made a show of falling back onto the couch dramatically as if she'd been wounded, clutching her hand to her head and sighing.

"You've wounded me. I shall surely bleed out." She kept her laugh at bay, "Oh, the agony. Spare me, cracker god." Aveline could not prevent her laughter this time, and it came rolling out in peals that were a little on the loud side. Once she'd composed herself she didn't bother to move from her position, "But, seriously, spare me. I think you gave me a concussion with fucking crackers."

Fred Colon​

 

[Fred Colon]

Rena would win the cracker war.

She was preparing another Salvo, scanning the room to see what she could use against Avaline, analyzing the the terrain and how she could surprise her opponent before she could disintegrate her ammo when Avaline called for a cease fire.

"Oh. Yea. Sure. Sorry." She shoved the crackers in her mouth.

Rena laughed a little as well. Mostly because Avaline was laughing.
"Eh. Maybe this trip won't be so bad. I'm just wondering when those other two are going to show."

 

[KingofAesir]

Aveline
"Me too." Aveline stood up from the couch and made her way back over to the window, peering out of it curiously before shrugging, "I mean this is our first assignment." She moved back to her spot on the couch, "I know I was rushing this morning. I don't want to disappoint, you know?" No, Rena probably didn't know, she wasn't the type to be too terribly concerned about what others thought of her. But Aveline wanted to make sure the people who picked her for this were proud of their choice. She didn't have too many people who could be proud of her. She could assume her mother and Zedrick would be, but she needed that confirmation that she was doing okay for some reason. Confirmation that what she was doing mattered. Maybe she hadn't joined the academy just because of Zedrick, maybe she really did want to do something that mattered.

"Ah, who am I kidding. They probably won't even remember our names." Oh well, she was used to not being known. "Anyway, they are taking a long ass time. I would like to get this show on the road before I fall asleep."

Fred Colon​

 

[Fred Colon]

"Ha! You're with me." Rena said, wiping the crumbs off her lap before standing up and going to the window. "I wouldn't worry about your name not being remembered. One way or another I'm going down in history. So at the very least you'll be remembered as that gal who was in Rena Tollman's cohort, even if you don't do anything. The fucks who put us on this mission are going to know who did this job and just how goddamn well we did it."

 

[KingofAesir]

Aveline
Rena was confident almost to a fault. Aveline could admire that. But there was something about that kind of overwhelming confidence that made her curious as to where it had come from. Rena had all the reason in the world not to so sure of herself. They'd grown up in a shit hole, surrounded by shit people, with shit luck. Both of them could've easily just given up like so many people where they were from had. Those people that have been stuck in that place for generations because no one could seem to find the motivation to try anymore. Aveline supposed she and Rena had been at least a little lucky, maybe that was cause enough to be sure that they would succeed, but Aveline wasn't so convinced. The whole process of putting together cohorts had always put her a bit on edge. She didn't know half her team, people that she was supposed to work with for close to the rest of her life. It was just now hitting her that it was possible that this was a very extended long-term commitment with them. She looked over at Rena in the window and found herself wondering how different she would be in ten years, twenty, whay she herself would be like. Aveline shivered at the thought of the future, all it ever brought her was worry. No, she wouldn't worry. There was nothing to worry about, they would do this mission and they would do it the best they could. Rena was right. No one was going to forget them. But....dammit they could just as easily get slaughtered in the damn wilds.

"We're going to be doing this until we're ancient." Aveline admonished, "I hope ancient me isn't senile." She grimaced, "Do you think this kinda stuff will make us all stuck up? I don't wanna end up haughty. Look at me, I'm a Titan, wee fucking doo."

Fred Colon​

 

[Fred Colon]

"Ha! Maybe. Hell, I don't know. Astrid didn't seem stuck up or senile. She seemed like a fighter to me, even if she was old."

 

[Enolx]

After leaving the testing area Rosaria rode hard and fast around the city with a childlike joy bursting out from his chest. The cool demeanor of Astrid was exactly like the stories he had been told. As he rode he imagined the infiltration of SenBratfa and the escape from Kalimantan. Lost in his thoughts he barley noticed that he had ran out of ern, until the secondary engine kicked in to maintain his speed.

As he returned to the manor he left his bike where he had the day before and gave a bright smile to the guard. “How was your test Adele,” Rosaria asked.

“It went well sir,” Adele answered “Your father has sent word that we both have passed. You are in 157 and I am 161. Information about your team and mission will be delivered in the morning. Your official paper should arrive in a weeks time. Is there anything I can do for you sir?”

“No Adele, you are free to enjoy yourself, this is your dream after all. Thank you for your service, I look forward to collecting your cards. Now don’t get into too much trouble.”

Adele saluted him and held a casual at ease position until Rosaria made his way inside. Just as Adele relaxed, Rosaria poked his head back outside. “If you want to play a game of Titan though, let me know. That is all.”

“Night Sir,” Adele said with a smile as he watched the door close behind Rosaria “Time to celebrate, now where can I get into trouble.”

Adele had been a member of this family for some time now. Not of the main line, but one of the minor houses. On his last trip to the city years ago he had helped him, and his father in order to keep Rosaria abilities secret, had the boy shipped away to a distant land of one of his minor family members. He was given a new identity and kept there until the world forgot about him and Rosaria was no longer a secret. The kid used this as a chance to better himself and even showed promise with Ern. He asked the family to be able to test to be a Titan and, after a viewing for father, was sent to take the test with Rosaria and guard him while he was in Onyxport. While still his lesser, he was the closest thing to a friend he was allowed to have.

Without any commands from his father, Rosaria had decided that he was going to ignore his normal lights out time. He decided that he would spend his night doing whatever he wanted. He made his way to the sitting room and stripped down just like yesterday. He turned the radio to his favorite IronSite station and let the funky chopped machine rock play through the manor. His father believed this type of music the be the first step to lesser thought and only allowed the classics to be played at home. Rosaria loved it, to him it felt wild, untamed, and fresh. It was all that he listened to when he went on his bike rides. The rapid heart grabbing notes always seemed to spur him on to greater feats. With music on he opened his pack and began reading through the books his father recommended. After getting half way he decided to take a bath and before he knew it he had fallen asleep, forty minutes into lights out.

Rosaria woke the next day fresh and ready to live this day to the fullest. The night before, Adele had fortunately woken him up so he started his day in a bed and not in a tub. With no idea where his day would take him, Rosaria woke up and, after brushing his teeth and the like, Rosaria began his morning workout regiment. He worked his body to failure and then healed himself before taking a shower, having breakfast, and starting his ride. After he hit Ern failure he returned back for lunch. He went through a few different books on various world studies, before moving on to the reports about his new team and their mission. He used the time up until dinner to learn about his team, and after he had his nightly workout before finally medical studies, a bath, and lights out.

The only thing that changed from Rosaria’s strict schedule for the next week, was that occasionally he would play a game of Titan or go into town to help in various medical facilities. So the only thing that actually changed in Rosaria’s normal day, was the location.

“This was a needed vacation,” Rosaria said with a smile a he read a book and curled a weight “A guy needs a chance to change up his life ever once and a while.”

At the end of his week, his father had called for the two to return to home and upon their return it was business as usual. Morning workout, shower, breakfast , Ern workout, lunch, lessons and independent study, dinner, second workout, Ern research, bath, and lights out. His father would of course add games of Titan in every so often or some other event, but the regiment never really changed. It didn’t take long for Rosaria to start to miss his time at Onyxport.

His month leading up his mission was surprisingly busy. If he wasn’t with his father being introduced to foreign leaders, he was using his alternate persona, Whisper, to assist with or take on various missions for his brother. He had been using this persona for a while, but now that Rosaria was a Titan, it was less of an issue if his identity was figured out, so he was being sent out more. Rosaria felt that he was starting to see his fathers plan a bit more clearly with every passing day, but he still felt that he was far away from understanding.

On the day of the mission, Rosaria lost another game of Titan with his father, but beat his brother as he usually did. They let him know that he would have more work when he returned and he left them with a bow to fulfill his mission. As he was not permitted to use his bike, due to its connection with Whisper, he was driven to the airship by Bittlesworth. Upon arrival, Rosaria gathered his pack and triple checked everything as Bittlesworth made his way onto the airship with a long cart.

Bittlesworth examined the airship and found it unsatisfactory. He gave the two women a nod before he set up a table in front of an empty section of seating. He prepared tea, set up a lunch for Rosaria, and cleaned the area before taking his cart and making his way out. He gave another nod to the two women, but didn’t say anything as he made his way out of the ship with his cart.

“Thank you Bittlesworth,” Rosaria said as he walked past the man “ Unnecessary, but much appreciated.

“You are very welcome,” Bittlesworth answered “Enjoy your mission. I made extra if you wished to share.”

Rosaria nodded and made his way into the ship. He wore his normal clothes, but left off his armor and weapons. Those were attached to the large backpack that he had slung over one shoulder. He looked around and only saw two people, Aveline Beck and Rena Tollman. They seemed to be getting along well, which was a good thing his his opinion. By their files, Rosaria assumed that these two would be the biggest conflict of the group and already had plans for them. “Hello Rene, Aveline,” Rosaria said nodding at one and then the other as he said their names “As you probably guessed, I’m Rosaria. Pleasure to meet you both.”

Rosaria put his pack down in the area Bittlesworth prepared for him and pulled out a book. “Would either of you like a drink,” Rosaria asked as he poured himself a cup of tea.

 

[KingofAesir]

Aveline
Aveline was doing fine just talking with Rena. Everything seemed to be going well and she could feel herself becoming more relaxed by the minute. She was about to respond to Rena's comment that Astrid didn't seem senile to her with a comment about sticks up asses when an older man blew his way into the airship. Aveline was surprised by the sudden and unannounced entrance. The man only nodded to the both of them and Aveline cast a questioning glance in Rena's direction. This couldn't be Rosaria, could it? He seemed a little too old to just have taken the test. As far as Aveline had known, people were rarely over eighteen when they joined and this guy looked well into his forties. He was also sitting up some weird table thing with...that was a rather expensive meal. She watched him with even more curiosity as he finished setting the table up and then promptly left without so much as a word. It was then that a considerably younger man entered the ship. Aveline was far less confused as she now assumed that this was Rosaria. Which made much more sense, the rather pricey meal only made her think this even more. Rosaria greeted them rather cordially and confirmed her assumption and then he proceeded to offer them tea. Aveline was rather taken aback. Rosaria's whole meal would cost almost a weeks pay for people like Aveline and Rena, but here Rosaria was offering some to them. Aveline didn't know whether to accept or not. Was this just a pleasantry or was she actually supposed to take some? Back home, people hardly ever shared their things, it was hard enough to get as it was. The last time Aveline had tea was a while ago, and it was something she had made herself. She could only imagine what a rich mans tea tasted like. She was far too curious to decline.

"If I could." Aveline spoke, attempting a smile, "Good to meet you too. They said that you just showed up for test day? I didn't even know that was possible. How did you do something like that?" She was rambling a bit, but she honestly was curious, "If you don't mind me asking, that is."

Enolx Fred Colon​

 

[Enolx]

Rosaria gave Aveline a warm smile after she accepted his offer of tea. He pulled out another cup from under the table and filled it as he listened to the rest of her questions. He patted the spot next to him as an offer for her to sit with him and moved over a bit for if Rena wished to join them as well.

"Curious, straight forward, and not overly cautious," Rosaria thought to himself as he moved her tea to a spot in front of her "Good to know some of my assumptions from the reports have been correct."

Rosaria took a sip of his tea and let the warmth run through him. The flavors of a smoked Kafel blend were truly something that could not be rivaled. While he did enjoy the earthy flavors of the Pendral Vale, the smoking process of the Kafel people was hard to compete with. It was a process steeped in tradition and history, and that was something the Atavanti understood and respected.

After letting her savor the tea Rosaria set himself to the task of answering her questions. "Yes, I only showed up for test day. My father deemed that the teaching of the Academy was not up to the Atavanti standards so I was instructed at home. Since the test is required to become a Titan though, I still had to go to the school for that. How did I do that, connections I would assume. My father is a lead figure of the Council and his reach even before that extended across most regions. I'm quite sure he could make the sky green if he really wanted to."

Rosaria then took another casual sip of his tea. "So Aveline, if I may ask a question of my own. If I told you that you had a year, do you believe that you can be S rank?

 

[KingofAesir]

Aveline
Rosaria's answer was what Aveline had expected. It was hard to think anything but status could get someone to that point. If someone like Aveline had just shown up at testing day saying she'd been trained by someone else, she probably wouldn't get let past the front door. It was interesting though, and Aveline wondered what might have been different between the teaching they'd both received. It didn't matter much to her though. All that Aveline knew is that they'd all passed their tests and had been put together for a reason by people more experienced than them. That was all Aveline needed to know at the moment. Besides, this Rosaria guy didn't seem too stuck up at the moment. He might be alright. She wouldn't make that decision yet though. If she'd learned anything from people more wealthy than her in her past, it's that if they wanted something from you, everyone was nice at first. She would hold out on her judgement yet. Her questions seemed to spur Rosaria to ask one of his own that caught Aveline slightly off guard. Did she think she could be S rank in a year? Truth be told, Aveline was entirely to unsure of herself to know something like that with certainty. But she couldn't just tell him no, could she? Was he looking for foolhardy confidence or was he looking for truth? Aveline found it hard to distinguish what Rosaria's motives were behind asking that question. But she needed an answer none-the-less.

"Rena probably does." Aveline poked jokingly at the other girl, "But, if everything else I've done in my life has any influence on me, I would say that stuff like that would take time and hard work for me. I'm not some exceedingly powerful person, but I'm not useless either, so I guess my answer is that I do think I can be S rank but not in a year. I think if you hold yourself to such an impossibly high standard, you're never going to be happy with who you are. I'm happy with climbing ranks with the good work that I do, not flying to the top and leaving my head spinning. S rank takes experience and I don't think a year is enough to have that experience. Even if you're powerful." Satisfied with her answer, Aveline took another long drink of the tea Rosaria had given her and took a deep inhale through her nose. It was really good tea. Better than anything she'd ever had, at least. She hoped he could make more. As long as he had this stuff, Aveline didn't think she'd mind being in a cohort with him.

"What about you, Mister Fancy Pants? Do you think you could be S rank in a year?" Aveline turned the question back on the asker with a curious raise of her eyebrow.

Enolx​

 

[Fred Colon]

Rena cocked an eyebrow at the newcomer.
"I only drink water." Rena said, "I don't need any liquid you just dumped a bunch of plant bits into."
She didn't take the spot that Rosaria left for her. She sat across from him and propped her elbows up on the table. She eyed Rosaria up and down.
"I am astounded. Goddamn, but I am." Rena shook her head, grinning.
"You even had a servant come in and set up tea for you. Is there some sort of handbook on how to be fancy? Cuz this has matched every possible stereotype I could have imagined. Oh wait, your pinky. Stick it in the air and we could take a picture and put it in one of those pulpy books that pathetic people read to pretend like their rich and their lives don't suck."
She looked down at the lunch spread.
"I'll take any veggies you got. If you've got chicken or something I'll eat that too. I try not to pollute my body with unescessary shit. Sugars, unescessary fats. It's how you get these babies. Not an ounce of fat on me." She waggled her eyebrows and flexed her muscles, trained from years being violent on the street, followed by years being violent in prison, followed by years spent under the harsh, ascetic discipline of the martial arts master Terrik.
She snatched a little sandwich off of the spread and began to pull it apart, removing the bread and cheese and only leaving the lettuce and some meat.
"I'm gonna need more than that." She began grabbing more food and pulling it to bits, piling the food she wanted on one side, and the unhealthy bits on the other.
"As for your question? Obviously we're getting to S rank by the end of the year. At least, if you guys don't mess up." She grinned at Aveline. "Don't worry, ill pick up your slack if need be."

 

[Enolx]

Rosaria found himself inwardly sighing at Aveline’s answer. It was a reasonable answer and, as far as Rosaria could tell, a honest evaluation of herself. Rosaria liked that about the woman, but worried about what would happen if her self evaluation was correct. His father had made it quite clear that he would need to be S-rank in a year or so. If his cohort was holding him back his father would have them removed to make space for Rosaria to have the team more fitting the Atavanti name.

As his mind went through various situations, Rena came over. He couldn’t help but chuckle at the woman. If he was one stereotype, she was another. When she talked of polluting her body with his lunch, Rosaria grinned. As one of his lessers, he was not surprised that the woman would not understand the nutritional balance of the meal. As if an Atavanti would not have tailored his meal for maximum mental and physical benefits. As she picked apart the food Rosaria couldn’t help but see her as one of the little animals of the forest. He grabbed a sandwich for himself and let the woman continue to scavenge. At her answer to his question he smiled. "I like the confidence," Rosaria thought "I hope she is able to back that up, a gravity ern is something I could work with." He then gave a sideways glance at Aveline and noticed her cup was almost empty. "And her, she could be something spectacular. My opposite basically." As he poured he began to think of these two in terms of Titan pieces. Without the limits of personality, he could see the promise of this team. Two assault pieces with back up flex healers, it was a good team indeed.

After finishing his first pour, Rosaria poured himself another glass. He then pulled out another cup and filled it up from a water pitcher before pushing it to Rena. Then with his cup in his hand he locked eyes with Rena extended his pinky and to a sip without breaking eye contact. He put his cup down with a smug grin.

“I don’t think I could,” Rosaria finally answered Aveline “It is what will happen. There is no other option. I was given an order and that order will be completed.” He then turned his head towards Rena and addressed her. “Good to hear, I look forward to seeing you back up your claim. Now for the both of you. What do you believe are your greatest weakness, both in Ern and in your personalities. Please provide three for each, and then tell me your what is the best thing you believe your Ern and personality provide. It is good to know of the faults of your teammates so that you can see if there is a way another can cover for it. I also want to see how well you can self evaluate, it will be important for our future growth. Also, before you ask, I will participate as well but since I have already done this exercise it is better to not insert bias into the exercise. Take you time and speak whenever you are ready.”
Rosaria then took another drink and ate his sandwich as he waited.

 

[Fred Colon]

"Alright! That's what I like to see!" Rena laughed as Rosaria stuck out his pinky, though her smile was brittle. She didn't like the way Roasaria was looking at her. She'd seen that look before, on the faces of everyone who thought she was just some savage. On the faces of most of the teachers at the academy, her fellow students when she revealed her lack of education in class. On the faces of the men and women in the better parts of town when they saw her on the rare occasions her crew had run through. She hated that expression.
She accepted the cup of water and drank it all down.
"Well, one of my weaknesses." Rena said slowly, "And just a warning, it's a doozy,"
She put the cup down and then took a deep breath, but instead of banishing her anger, the breath only cooled it, turning it cold. Then she smashed the cup with her fist, using her Ern to strengthen the blow so bits of it scattered far across the room.
"Is that I don't think I like the look on your goddamn face. You aren't my teacher. You aren't my boss, my leader. Yout don't get to come in here and talk like you are. I don't give a fuck about your father's mother fucking orders, or your name."
Rena knew she wasnt exactly fostering team unity. She knew that it would be best to work with Rosaria and do what he asked, but the idea of answering this rich kids questions like a good little girl, after he came in here like he owned the place, name dropping his rich daddy, made her blood boil.
She made an effort with Avaline. She'd reward herself now by letting herself get mad now.
"My strength is that I'm the goddamn best. And if in not? I can become the best." She stood up and gave him a mock curtsy.
"Ah, I seem to have broken my cup. Silly peasant me. I'll just excuse myself. Please do have a good day, sir." She said, the sarcasm in her voice bordering on malice, before she walked to one of the windows to glower at the birds that were sitting on a power line.

 

[Enolx]

Rosaria’s expression remained a constant unflinching smirk even as one of the shards of the porcelain cups cut through his cheek and ear. He remained motionless, as his cut healed and the dripping blood was transformed into a silver wisp. His eyes remained locked on hers as she raged and proclaimed her strength. He had almost given up on the girl, but her addition saved what little respect he had for her.

When she curtsied insincerely apologized for breaking the cup, Rosaria casually swept the pieces off the table in one practiced motion. With the table back in proper order and Rena brooding off on her own, Rosaria pulled out another cup and placed it on the table where the broken cup had been before. He then filled the cup up with water. “Take your time and speak whenever you are ready,” He declared casually as if the events didn’t just happen. He then returned to finishing his sandwich.

After eating Rosaria picked up the book that he brought, The Puzzle of Personality by Brian Little, and began reading it while he gave the others time to themselves and gave himself time to digest before beginning his post lunch workouts. He took another sip of tea and let himself relax into his seat as he removed his bookmark and continued through the book.

 

[Fred Colon]

"Alright." Rena said, her head snapping in Rosaria's direction. "I know what you're thinking. 'She'll come around eventually. She has to talk to me sometime!' Well. You're right. I do have to talk to you sometime. We've got to work together, and I will. But I'm not going to 'see the error of my ways' and contritely come back to sit with you, answer your questions and drink your damn water, so you can just put that cup away. Or, better yet,"
She clenched a fist and crushed the new cup into powder with her Ern, by making a gravitational well that was a little too big and yanked part of the table up and out of place as it tried to force it and the cup into a point the size of a pinhead.
"Please, put out another cup for me if you'd like. I really enjoy smashing stuff, but I've been trying to hold back out of respect for other people's property. This is a good opportunity to indulge. Tea cups make such a nice sound when they shatter."
Rena sat down on the ground and put her fists together in a meditative stance. She thought about what Terrik would say.
"What an obnoxious little shit" he said in her mind. He probably wouldn't have said that in reality, but the follow up was more his speed. "But anger won't help you here. You've always been to prone to anger, Little Badger. Ferocious like your name sake."
One breath, two breathes, three breathes and the anger retreated into her diamond core. The center of her that was hard and angry and proud and beautiful. She visualized it like Terrik had taught her. An immutable red gem that couldn't be broken or altered by the whims and opinions of those around her.

And then she did something petty. But that was part of her, too. No real gem was flawless, and she was real. She etched the intention never to answer the questions he had asked into her core.

She started her ritual excersizes. She'd already done them this morning, but if he was going to read that stupid book, then she was going to something too.

Pose Dedicated to the Sage, palms on the ground, elbows locked into her sides, legs stuck horizontally in the air at right angles, shifting into a Forearm Stand, shifting into Peacock Pose.
Rena did these because they were amazing for your core and arm strength, and had looked quite impossible to do until Terrik had taught her how. But Terrik claimed that they were good for meditation as well. She'd found it to be true usually. The movement of her body had never stopped the thoughts like Terrik said they should have, but they cooled everything down. The anger seeming to transfer into the burn she felt throughout her body.

The Puzzle of Personality? Had he carried that around specifically as an insult? If so.... Well, Rena could appreciate the dedication at least. She wished she'd thought of it, though to be fair she didn't even know that book had existed. Just break that book out whenever someone started acting funny, and if they had half a brain they'd get even angrier.

She morphed into One Handed Tree Pose, and then decided to show off a little by doing the Wounded Peacock.

And then Avaline. How was she reacting to this? Rena could work with someone she hated, she did it all the time. But could Avaline work with two people feuding? She could count on one hand the amount of people she actually liked, although she needed to be careful. First Terrik, now Avaline? All in a short, four year span. She'd have to watch it or she'd need a second hand to count her friends, and she didn't want that.
Rena resolved not to make Avaline pick sides. Rena wouldn't begrudge her sucking up or making friends with him. It was the logical thing to do.
Finally she shifted into Shavasana. Her favorite pose, as it was basically just lying down and going to sleep, mindfully relaxing each muscle, one at a time. It felt a little weird doing it on an airship, but she'd done this weirder places. On a roof, in the bathroom, in a broom closet when she was hiding from the cafeteria cooks after stealing a bunch of cooking oil she used to win a prank war by filling the other students room up to the ankles in the stuff.

 

[KingofAesir]

Well. The begrudging tolerance they'd had going for a solid....three minutes? Was completely blown to smithereens by Rena's....not so subtle distaste for Rosaria and his prodding questions. The first question had been okay, she was alright with answering it because she wanted to at least make an effort to get along, but this one seemed a little too personal for her. Asking people what they thought their worst qualities were was a little to pushy for the first meeting. Rosaria was now coming off to her as a bit nosey and condescending with his book and his tea. But Aveline wasn't about to explode his tea cup. Rena dealt with being angry a whole lot different than her. She supposed that was a good thing, she didn't think this group could cope well with more than one hothead. Despite her want to make an effort, Aveline wasn't about to answer those questions until she knew a little more about Rosaria and why he wanted to know those things. That would take time, so she would have to wait for now. But that was okay. Aveline was patient. It seemed like Rosaria was too. Rena was not patient.

"I'll have to think on it. That's kind of a loaded question." And that was all Aveline had to say on the matter. She would find other things to occupy her whole Rosaria was occupied with his newly shattered tea cup and partly broken table. Aveline did have the decency to pick up the pieces of the cup for him though. After which, she moved to the corner of the ship as far away as she could get from Rosaria. There was a plant on the table that she'd taken up and brought to her corner, fiddling with the leaves and shriveling them up with her Ern one by one. Death was a fascinating thing. Especially when you could manipulate it so easily. She only stopped in her fiddling when she noticed Rena had stopped doing her...whatever she was doing, and was now just laying on the floor. Aveline couldn't help her grin.

"Are you gonna take a nap, Rena?" Sue prodded, "I didn't know you slept, you always seem too full of energy."

Fred Colon Enolx

 

[Fred Colon]

"It's called Shavasana. Corpse Pose." Rena said "It's a yoga pose. You lie there till all your muscles are loosened up. But its a lot harder with you yapping at me." Rena said without any heat. "It's harder than it looks. The first year I did it I just fell asleep before I finished."

 

[KingofAesir]

Aveline cocked her head curiously as Rena continued to do her corpse pose and hummed with understanding. She hadn't pegged Rena as the type to do something like that, she seemed a little too faced paced for this Shavasana thing. The more you know, Aveline supposed. But that didn't mean that she was going to let Rena do it in peace, that was entirely too boring. Besides, if it got too quiet in here Aveline was sure the air would catch fire because of the white hot tension between Rosaria, better to fill it up with mindless conversation.

"Oh, so you do sleep?" Aveline nodded, "I mean, I supposed you have to have ample energy for all that crazy you have going on, after all." Aveline had so easily fallen back into joking around, hoping it was enough to keep the wolves at bay for the time being.

Fred Colon (I totally fell asleep before I could respond again)

 

[Fred Colon]

"I wish I didn't have to, to be honest." Rena said, trying to relax her trapezius muscle, but it was being stubborn and Aveline wasn't helping.
"I could get a lot more done in a day. Practice more. Do a whole host of more productive things than sleep." She finally managed to get it to relax and moved on to another muscle. This wasn't how Terrik did it. Terrik just kind of... Flowed his body into relaxation. Rena had to bully all of her bits into relaxing submission.
"You all could try yoga with me, if you wanted. It actually feels pretty good, once you get past all the twisting your body into knots. "

(Haha. It's alright. Im heading to bed now actually.)

 

[KingofAesir]

"The laying down thing seems alright." Aveline lifted a leaf up to her eyes and watched it crumble away between her fingers. She had tried to reverse her Ern so many times before. If she had power over decay, Aveline thought it shouldn't be so hard to just...un-decay. That made sense, right? Maybe if she could've done that, Zedrick would still be alive and she wouldn't be here right now. She'd probably be in prison like the rest of Rena's lackeys but that was something she was willing to endure if it meant she still had her friend. But she wasn't able to do that and as far as she was concerned, no one could travel back in time. Even if Aveline was ever able to accomplish something like that, it would be far too late. So for now, she would watch this plant die under her hand.

"What do you think the practical purpose of my Ern is?" Aveline questioned suddenly, "Like if I hadn't passed the test would I be quick decaying people for a cemetery or something. Is that a thing? I don't even know. I can't imagine decay has many practical purposes."

(Have a good sleep!)

 

[Enolx]

As the second glass shattered, so did Rosaria’s faith in his lessers. He had hoped that his mother’s view of the world would be true when he finally got to see the world for himself, but once again he was proven his father’s lesser. Every time he tried to hope that maybe his father would be wrong, people revealed themselves to be exactly as faulted as he was told. He wished so badly for the common understanding and camaraderie that his mother had told him about many years ago, but clearly that was a chance fluke. The universe sometimes did have moments where people could put themselves aside, but clearly his father's ideology was the norm. He realized he was a fool for even trying. Even his hopefulness upon talking to Aveline was shattered by her blatant avoidance of his question and him. Those who are less would rather pull others down to their level so that they can experience momentary grandness above what they are capable of. They waste not only their own potential, but scorn the potential of others. They are the ever present illness of society and should be acknowledged as such. "These people are the lesser," Rosaria heard in his father's voice as he softly said the words to himself.

With his decision to give up on working together Rosaria closed the book that he had brought. He had first decided to pick up the book because he believed it would be the first step to understanding his different teammates, and it was highly recommended by Bittlesworth when he asked about the subject. He had enjoyed the book so far, but clearly it was unneeded now. Maybe in the future his heart would be willing to try again, but for now he would let Rosaria die and become Whisper once again.

He ignored the conversation of the other two and pulled out another book along with and a set of fifty pound weights. He then turned the remaining food into silver flame and pulled it into his body leaving the table clean of everything but the dishes. He tied the weights and book around his waist before climbing one of the metal supports up to the top of the ship. Hanging from one of the beams, he began doing one armed pull ups while he read his other book Translational Regenerative Medicine by Anthony Atala and Julie Allickson.

 

[Fred Colon]

Rena thought about it, further interupting Shavasana. Decay was making things go away, more or less. Speeding up natural processes.

"Construction work, maybe. They need to take things down as much as they need to build em up. I bet you'd be great in a farm, too."

Rosarias closed the book and Rena couldn't help but crack an eye open as he began climbing the walls with heavy weights tied to him.
"I knew that book was just to piss people off." Rena said aloud.

 

[KingofAesir]

Aveline shook her head as Rosaria packed himself up and disappeared from the passenger area they were settled in. Maybe he wasn't quite as patient as she'd thought moments ago. It was alright, she supposed they'd have to learn to get along one way or another if he wanted to reach that S status that his father so simply demanded. She couldn't imagine having a parent that was so demanding of you. It had to be quite taxing on him, but that didn't mean he was allowed to come in here with his fancy tea and books and try to psychoanalyze her the second they met. Aveline didn't particularly feel like being psychoanalyzed. She assumed that no one would upon first meeting. Even if he seemed a little pompous, she would give him the benefit of the doubt for now. After all, Rena had shattered his cups. Twice. That called for some benefit.

"Give him time. You two clash too much. It will be difficult to reach his goal, and yours, if we can't get along." Aveline commented after Rena's remark about the book. She lowered herself to the floor, sitting cross-legged with the plant still in her hands. She was trying so desperately to reverse the effects she had put on it.

"We have to figure something out, even if he's got his nose in the air."

Fred Colon

 

[enterelysium]

Alias awoke late in the day, her alarm clock had been going since 8 am, the time she set it for, but she had seemingly slept through it. She slid out of bed, her sock covered feet gently impacting the floor. slapping her alarm clock with one of her lethargic achy arms she turned to her cupboard, putting on her freshly cleaned outfit, a salmon pink tank top allowing for maximum skin coverage so she wouldn't damage her clothes while training, and baggy pants to keep her legs cool. She took her pills and then crept out of her room towards the noise of the other students.

As she entered the common room she saw rosaries presence leaving the room, the social tension in the room easing when he left, and tightening back up halfway when she entered. She waved at the two girls sitting together and made her way across the floor gracefully towards them. She is taller than average, and her saber is strapped at her hip. she carries herself with a regality similar in nature to rosaria's but born not from nobility, from indifference. she radiates the aura of someone who has experienced rock bottom but clawed their way back from it. She speaks in an accent common to the people of the quartz planes (think South African). "Hello you two, it seems that noble boy has left yes?" Her smile is evident in her voice and on her face, her generally icy demeanor foregone for the purpose of potential friendship.