Realistic or Modern // Ignite the Spark // open & accepting

[ambiguities]

Ryder Lawson

​

​

As Ryder reached the building his room was situated in, a frown made it way onto his face. He knew that there would be a possibility that everyone would have been asleep, although he wished that someone who knew the buildings better than he could would at least prolong their exhaustion for a few short minutes, just long enough for them to direct the girl to her new living quarters. The floor his room was on was full and he was sure the levels above him held the same status.


His steps were beginning to plod, his exhaustion settling in as he climbed up the stairs. Ryder's eyes widened slightly as a small body collided with his. He stared down at the tiny figure, blue orbs staring up at him with a sheepish smile tugging the corner of her lips. "Why are you awake?" He paused, "No, are you even aware of what time it is?"


"Sleep is for the weak." Ophelia replied, a bit too cheekily for Ryder's liking. The small girl's attention zeroed in on the figure behind him, her smile slightly faltering only to be replaced with a look of pure interest. "Is she new?" Ryder nodded, "I'm finding her a place to sleep."


"She can use my bed! Oh- We can have a slumber party!" He almost groaned, tuning out her endless rambling for a moment before abruptly cutting her off. "I'm sure she'd rather have her own room, but I'm sure she's thankful for the generous offer, Ophelia. Now go and sleep." Ryder pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing.

@Bhlow
​

 

[Bhlow]

Rosemarie Hayward

"I'm sure she can speak for herself" she said tiredly, shooting a look at Ryder as she crouched down next to the over joyous child and introduced herself. "Hi, I'm Rosemarie - you can call me Rose though".


"Cooool" the girl replied, drawing the word out longer than was necessary which earned a smile from Rosemarie despite herself, "I always wanted a name I could shorten but my name is just Ophelia - and it's short for Ophelia" she began before she got sidetracked. "You want to stay with us right, it'll be so much more fun" she continued her new train of thoughts and grabbed Ryder with one hand and Rose with the other. The small girl, who Rose judged to be around 8 or 9, managed to pull them with surprising force towards a room which was left unlocked.


Rose noted the small room, the couch, the mattress and a small bed - wanting to begin to protest that she could simply go back to the infirmary and find w bed there, not wanting to cause them inconvenience , but unlike what she had said moments ago, she was unable to speak up for herself with Ophelia sprouting out words.


Instead she watched as Ophelia started commanding Ryder and telling him what to do, and with the way he carried out each word, it was obvious he had love and caring for her and; and he would probably jump in front of a bullet if she so asked.


She watched as the result of Ophelia's dictatorship, created a place for her to sleep, and she cast a look at Ryder, not wanting to be totally intrusive into their domestic circle.


@ambiguities

 

[Ashmorne]

T I M E S K I P


10 AM NEXT MORNING


(TUESDAY)


S o l a r a || F e i v e l


spark scout





The one downside of having her bed angled to look outside of the window was the way the sun beat down on her in the mornings. At around 10 am the next morning, the light angled perfectly on her face. Sola covered her head in her arms and tried to curl up in a ball, sucking in a breath when her forgotten bullet wound protested at the movement. More awake because of the pain, she sat up in her bed and blinked. She had slept soundly through the night, which didn't often happen for her. Looking around, the events of last night came slowly streaming into her mind. Covering her face with her hands, she sighed. She had acted so irrationally in going to Tranquility alone. But such was life with her. She moved based on her impulses, and regretted it.


Glancing over, she saw Kais asleep on her chair. A small arsenal of weapons surrounded him, making Sola chuckle to herself. She clasped her hands in her lap, feeling suddenly emotional. Kais put up with a lot from her. She had really pissed him off yesterday and worried him, and yet he had still stayed with her. That's always how it went, ever since they were kids. Kais watched out for her.


Rolling out of bed, Sola moved quietly to her dresser and got out fresh clothes. Walking as quietly as she could out of the main area, she moved to the bathroom. She freshened up, taking some time to wash her face and brush her teeth. Satisfied, she slid on a pair of jeans and a plain black tank top. She walked back out to her small kitchen area, pinning part of her hair back as she moved barefoot across the floor.


If Kais could spend the night here, the least she could do was put together something for breakfast. Being able to cook well was a point of pride for her, even though she would never admit that to anyone. She suddenly thought that she may go down to the infirmary to check on the Tranquil that came in last night after making food. A pang of guilt went through her as she recalled how she uncharacteristically abandoned them in what was essentially a minor emotional melt down. Deciding that she had to go and find them after breakfast, she refocused on the task at hand.


There was a small mini fridge next to her sink, and she crouched down to peer inside. A basket of eggs, some blackberries, a tomato, a small dish of butter, and a raw potato. She could work with that. She moved as quietly as she could, wanting to finish cooking before Kais woke up. Eating in the Spark's dining hall wasn't something that Sola particularly enjoyed, so she was used to making meals in her small kitchen. She loved socializing with people...but the overcrowdedness of the mess hall stressed her out.


She heated up a pan on an electric stove with a bit of butter, letting it warm as she slowly beat some eggs with a bit of salt and pepper. Reaching in her pantry, she searched until she found an onion and diced it along with the tomato. Combining all the ingredients together, she poured the the egg mixture into the pan and cringed at the hissing sound it made. Using a spatula to push the edges inward, she tilted the pan to cook all the edges.


When the omelet was done cooking, she folded it in half and slid it onto a white plate. Letting it cool for a moment, she placed the pan in the sink to soak and began brewing coffee on the stovetop. She set the blackberries on the table along with the omelet. Nodding, satisfied with the small meal, she turned to glance back at Kais.


She moved to the chair that he slept in and sat on the arm of it. Nudging his shoulder slightly, she tried to wake him.





"Kais, wake up. I made breakfast. There's food," she whispered, pleasantly pleased with her simple breakfast spread.

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Kais Wiltchil

Spark Strategist

​

Kais slept fitfully. For all the comfort his handgun was in falling asleep, it didn't do much for undisturbed sleep. Outwardly, he merely slept--there was no sign that beneath his eyelids waged a silent war. Evidently, sleeping in a chair while he was already struggling with conflicting emotions and worrying about the following day was not conducive to a good rest.

A circular dream chased around his mind for nearly the full six hours. It centered around an obsession with needing to open the back of the datapad that Sola had brought back. Seemingly, the entire population of the Ruins was against him getting to his toolkit so that he could do so. Whenever he did get close he would waken, if only halfway, and the dream would begin anew.


For the last cycle, however, the datapad dream had faded into something darker.


Tranquility at night. The place was unusually active with guardbots. All of his usual perches were being watched, and Kais had resorted to flattening himself into the shadows cast by buildings. At first he didn't know what he was doing there--he just knew he needed to find something. Deeper and deeper into the city he crept, urged further on by some unknown need.


The farther he went the thicker the guard grew until the way back seemed as impossible as the way forward. He had already come too far--there was no turning back. But every corner, every crevice was being watched. There were cameras everywhere and no where to hide. Kais crouched in the last refuge, a sliver of shadow between two buildings, almost too narrow to fit him. He knew that any moment the guardbot on patrol would return; he was cornered and there was no where to advance, no where to retreat.


Something brushed his arm. He reached for Scorpion and found the gun already in his hand, ready and waiting. He swiveled in the darkness, gun raised--


"Kais, wake up."





--and found himself laying half-tangled in a blanket, with Scorpion pointed at Sola's chest. His eyes went wide; his brain was still blank of any reality except that from the dream, but he knew he did not want to shoot Sola. He put up his gun, letting out a breath he hadn't known he was holding in. Just a dream. It was all just a dream, and he was sleeping on the chaise in Sola's room because she had asked him to stay with her.

 

[Ashmorne]

S o l a r a || F e i v e l


spark scout





Sola inhaled quickly as Kais's eyes flew open and his gun rose to point at her chest. Her heart rate spiked up just on the sheer shock alone, causing her body to jerk out of reflexes. Her body instinctively flinched away...when a gun is aimed at you, you tend to try to get out of its way. Kais realized what was going on quickly enough, repositioning the weapon. It wasn't soon enough though.


The shock of the moment had caused her to jump, which had caused her to lose her balance on the arm of the chair. She teetered and slipped, falling relatively lightly on her ass. The movement jarred her slightly, causing a sharp stab of pain in her side. Swearing quickly, she glared up at Kais.


"Remind me again to never wake you up," she said, slowly getting up off of the floor. "Also remind me to never make you breakfast,"


She gestured towards the kitchen as she stood up. Moving towards it, she pulled two mugs from the cupboard above the sink. Setting one down on the table for Kais to use, she filled a separate mug with coffee for herself. She leaned against the counter, sipping the coffee black. She wasn't as irritated now, and more concerned about what had caused his minor slip up. She spoke lightly, not wanting to sound grating or prying.





"Were you having a nightmare or something? Because that's about the only reason that i could think of for you pointing Scorpion at me. Unless you're that mad at me for leaving yesterday,"

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Kais Wiltchil

Spark Strategist

​

Kais winced as he watched Sola fall off the arm of the lounge chair. he prided himself in having excellent impulse control. Apparently that didn't count for anything when he was woken up unexpectedly. In fact, being woken up by anyone in any way tended to be unexpected. He was usually such a light sleeper that he would wake well before anyone was close enough to touch him. Why hadn't he woken up? He must have been tired to sleep through her making breakfast like that. Not tired enough to prevent him from dreaming, though, apparently.

"I'm sorry!" he said, and meant it. He slid to the edge of the lounge, putting his feet on the floor and leaning over to make sure she was alright. She seemed to recover from the shock of having a gun pointed at her quickly enough and was no worse for the wear. That was something, at least. It didn't excuse him having pulled a gun on her, but that was another matter all together.


He sat forward, setting Scorpion on the chair beside him and burying his face in his hands. He remembered the sleepless night of circular dreams, waking only to chase ghosts again; he never slept so poorly. If he dreamed at all he usually had no recollection of it by the time he woke. Something about staying up for twenty four hours and sleeping in an unfamiliar place after an unusually stressful night had done a number on his imagination.


Sola's voice broke through his thoughts, asking if he'd been having a nightmare. That transparent, was he? He supposed there really was no other good explanation for waking up like that. He sighed, rubbing his face and trying to feel more well-rested than he did; he ran his hands through his hair--tangled, of course--and looked up at Sola.


"Yes." He stood up, hoping she wouldn't ask about the dream. He didn't think he could explain it if she did; sometimes things made sense in dreams that didn't make sense in retrospect. In the dream, Tranquility had been a maze of buildings and guardbots, littered with cameras. And yet, for all the danger, he had to press on, to get to the center. For answers. Answers to what, he still wasn't sure.


He shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck--it was just a dream. It didn't matter. Kais picked up the cup she had set out for him and filled it with coffee. Breakfast he wasn't sure about, but coffee might bring the world back into focus. He couldn't remember ever having slept so poorly.


"Are you alright?" He asked, looking her over. As far as he could tell she hadn't landed on anything particularly painful--he hoped he wasn't going to be the cause of that bullet wound opening again. He took a big gulp from his coffee, shaking his head again, as if that would clear it.

 

[Ashmorne]

S o l a r a || F e i v e l


spark scout





From above the edge of her coffee cup, Sola studied Kais. So he did have a nightmare after all. He didn't seem to want to elaborate on it, his one-word response making it obvious. It reminded Sola about what she had been thinking about previously, about how it often tended to be pointless for her to ask him what he was thinking because it so frequently ended in a hyper-concise answer. She felt as though the same principle applied here.


Did you have a nightmare? Yes.


No extrapolation at all. She would have liked to know more about the dream that caused him to point a gun at her, but she knew better than to pry when he clearly didn't want to discuss it. It usually bothered her when Kais was so enigmatic, but she understood it today. She was no stranger to having a fitful sleep, to bad dreams. Sola wasn't the type of person to dwell on the negatives when she was awake. That often wasn't the case for when she was asleep.





"Are you alright?"


Kaia's voice cut through her reverie. She blinked, refocusing. He was looking at her, his eyes searching for anything amiss. Sola moved to the table and set her mug down. Nodding, she popped a blackberry in her mouth.





"I'm fine. It was barely a fall. You've looked better though," she replied as she sat down, continuing to pick at the berries. He knew where all her spare items were around the space...soap, combs, toothbrushes, whatever. At least, she was pretty sure he knew. If not, she was sure that he'd have a relatively easy time finding them. She forced down the urge to ask him more about his dream. Not speaking directly what was on her mind proved to be a task for her, and she tried to think about something else.


Propping her elbow on the table, she rested her chin in the palm of her hand. She absentmindedly fiddled with a lock of her hair, focusing instead on her plans for the day.





"Whenever you feel up to it, would you want to come to the infirmary with me? I want to check in with the Tranquil from yesterday. Help get them settled. We kind of just left them there. I mean, I know Ryder was around to help them...but I still feel bad," Sola knew that Kais most likely couldn't care less about the people from last night. But she thought that maybe he would care that she cared. It was important to her to meet the newest recruits.


Plus, she wanted to put off seeing Shasta for as long as possible. She knew he had probably already gotten word of her return. She and Kais weren't exactly discreet in their fight yesterday. Someone had most likely seen them. Which meant it was only a matter of time until Shasta knew she was back, if he hadn't heard already. Sola had no problem arguing with Shasta, it just wasn't something she particularly enjoyed.

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Kais Wiltchil

Spark Strategist

​

He could see the curiosity burning in her eyes and wondered how much self control it was taking her to

not ask about the dream. But she didn't ask, and he was grateful for that. He offered no further explanation; he didn't want to talk about it, and if she didn't push the subject he wasn't going to labor the point. No matter how curious she looked. It was just a dream, anyway; telling her about it wouldn't really have explained anything. It wasn't the dream in and of itself that had troubled him, but there had been all sorts of emotions woven up inside and he didn't think he could explain that if he tried.


Sola had taken a seat at the table; his mind was brought back to the present. There was no use dwelling on the dream and, in any case, the longer he was awake the more it faded. In an hour it would be all but gone. Kais followed her to the table, taking a seat opposite her and setting his mug of coffee down in front of him. He curled his hands around it, feeling a bit better for the bitter caffeine, and took another drink. He smiled briefly at Sola's comment that he had looked better.


"Nothing caffeine and some target practice won't cure," he commented wryly. Caffeine for the sleep deprivation--in spite of having slept nearly six hours, he felt as if he'd been awake all night--and target practice for the demons. Some people liked to talk, others liked to walk, or write, or something--Kais just liked to shoot things.


A pang of guilt twinged in his stomach as he noted the breakfast she had laid out. It looked nice; it probably taste good. He wondered if she would be offended if he didn't eat anything. Breakfast wasn't really his thing--and that shot of adrenaline he'd had upon waking up had left his stomach feeling rather less hungry than usual. He glanced up at her as she asked if he wanted to go to the infirmary; he shook his head briefly, taking another drink of coffee.


"I'd better get that datapad dismantled--Shasta needs to know what's on it and I don't want to have to tell him without knowing exactly what it does." That and he'd spent the night dreaming about the damn thing. It made him a little more anxious to take it apart--as if that would give him some sort of peace after that night. Maybe he wouldn't find anything at all--but he would feel better for having checked.


Also, he didn't really care about the new comers, and he didn't much feel like dealing with emotional-infants who were just beginning to experience the world. They would need someone to be nice to them, to be patient and understanding; Kais wasn't any of those things. It was better if he just left them alone. They would integrate eventually and make themselves useful. They always did. Maybe he would even talk to one of them some time. But not today. He didn't even usually have the motivation to deal with people who weren't a raging ball of first-time emotions. As a Scout he had left that to Sola; his job was to get everyone out alive, she was the one who made sure everyone was happy and comfortable.

 

[Gabe]

Richard Davenport


Time Unknown - Keys Tower Infirmary


Richard woke up, feeling disoriented for a moment. He rose from the hospital bed, and turned on the light of the room he was in. After Keanu walked into the infirmary without saying a word and dropped flat on the bed in the previous night, he realized how tired he was as well, and after the girl's rejection for a medical checkup, he had no patients to check through the night, so he went to bed for a well deserved sleep.


He finally took a shower and put on a new set of clothes, thanks to the the nurse, Lucy. He was wearing a plain black social shirt and brown pants, and a pair of black shoes. Much different from the clothing in Tranquility. He stared at himself in the mirrir, checking the new clothes, and checking to see if he noticed any differences on his face and body. Still the same.


He recalled the past night's events, the way he handled Keanu, the incident with Solara, the distrust of the fainted girl before he went to bed. He breathed deep and smiled. Hopefully things would turn around in the day.


He walked out of the bedroom and checked on the patients, still sleeping in the infirmary beds. His gaze shifted up to keanu, still asleep in the same way he fell last night. Deciding to leave him alone for now, he went outside to explore, maybe find something to eat.

 

[Ashmorne]

S o l a r a || F e i v e l


spark scout





Sola figured Kais wasn't going to eat the eggs. She stood up, slightly disappointed but ultimately indifferent. As she looked at the omelette, she debated eating it herself. So far, the coffee and fruit had been enough. She wrapped up the plate and placed it in the fridge along with the remaining blackberries. The eggs were more likely to not get eaten, but she didn't want to throw away something she had just made. She listened as he talked about dismantling the datapad.





"That's probably a good idea. Speaking of that, I should find Shasta at some point. I'll walk out with you,"


Cracking her knuckles, she moved to her desk. Her worn chocolate boots lay on the floor. Sitting on the floor, she laced and tied them. After she stood up, she opened a desk drawer and pulled out the twin blades that she always kept on her outside of her room. They were a little longer than her hands, slender and elegant. The handles were smooth and made of swirling olive wood, the blade damascus carbon steel. Her father's knives, her favorite weapons. She slid them into the sides of her boots and lifted her leather messenger bag, putting it over her shoulder so that the strap went diagonally across her torso.


"Okay, I'm ready to go,"


Sola's mind was preoccupied with how exactly she was going to talk to Shasta as they left The Oak. The day greeted them with sunshine, murkier due to the past wars. The warmth made her feel happier nevertheless. As she looked at the bright weather, she made a mental not to try and take a walk in the forest today. If she wasn't going on delivery, she had some time on her hands. Sola hopped down the stone stairs of the hotel, pausing at the bottom. She debated her options. Crossing her arms, she meddled with her necklace as she considered what to do.


"Do you think I can get away with going to the infirmary first or should I go find Shasta before he finds me?"





She thought about putting off meeting him until Kais went to show him the datapad. Sola knew how to avoid being found. She didn't particularly want to face Shasta alone, but she also didn't want to drag Kais into the inevitable argument that she and her brother would have. Though, it wasn't like that would have been the first time that one of them had gotten sucked into the other's argument. She guessed that's just what happened when you've known someone for your entire life.

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Kais Wiltchil

Spark Strategist

​

It seemed he was

not going to be guilted into eating breakfast. That was the first good thing that had happened so far that morning. He still felt a bit guilty--had she really cooked just for him? It seemed unusual. Or perhaps he was just overthinking things. Probably that.


Kais finished off the rest of his coffee and stood up; if they were going to be off then he needed to put all his weapons back where they belonged. He moved back to the lounge chair, sitting down to pull his boots on and lace them up. He replaced his arsenal, one-by-one in reverse order: the ammo belt under his overshirt, the utility belt with knife snapped in place, Scorpion and Venom, and finally his trusty companion Bane. The sniper rifle went over one shoulder on it's strap; Kais didn't bother to fit it all the way onto his back, but he held on to either the stock or the strap with one hand to keep it stable while he walked. By the time he had finished Sola had armed herself and was ready to leave. He plucked the datapad from the chair, where he had left it the previous night, and stowed it in the pocket of his black canvas shirt.


There was little else to be said or done; he followed Sola out of her suite and down the hotel stairs into the daylight. Kais had nothing in particular against daylight, but it always made him feel so much more... exposed. In the dark he could hide easier--at least in the shadowy cover of the forest there were more possibilities. But here, in the broad daylight, out in the open, there was no where to hide. That's not to say he wanted to hide from something or someone in particular. But if you were a sniper and people could see you then you were doing something wrong.


"Do you think I can get away with going to the infirmary first or should I go find Shasta before he finds me?"


Kais considered Sola's question. Shasta was going to be mad at her, and sooner was likely better than later. The only reason Kais hadn't gone to Shasta the previous night was because... well, there were a couple. First of all, if Shasta had come to yell at Sola last night then no one would have gotten any sleep for even longer. Then there was the fact that if Kais had gone to tell Shasta that Sola had been shot before patching her up, he would likely have been met with similar ire--at least, Kais would have been mad in Shasta's place. And after... well, it was late and she asked him to stay. There was no easy answer, really.


But now it was daylight, Shasta would be awake and looking for Sola--or for both of them--and Sola was at least properly bandaged. She did need to go see Shasta, preferably sooner, rather than later. But there was the matter of the datapad; Kais wanted to have it taken apart before they told Shasta about it. Then again, likely the first half of Sola's meeting with her brother would be taken up with Shasta's scolding, and they wouldn't have time to discuss the datapad until after that was out of the way.


"Either you wait for me to take this thing apart," he pulled the datapad out of his pocket and held it up, "Or you go see him now and get the yelling over with before we discuss business with him."





He considered the possibility of asking her to wait, so that he could help calm the argument; someone needed to be the voice of reason in family feuds. But that, he ultimately decided, was up to Sola to decide.

 

[Bhlow]

Rosemarie Hayward

Ryder left the room for moments, managing to come back with towels, toiletries and some clothes. She took them gratefully and slipped into the toilet to wash her teeth and face, deciding to take a shower in the morning considering how tired she was.


As she washed her face, she stared at the reflection in the mirror, feeling slightly self conscious of her appearance. She had never before been insecure, considering that she has never looked at herself with an assessing eye, but the feeling left her stomach in knots.


She didn't wait any further to go back into the room and settle on the make shift bed from the mattress, finding the pyjamas she had been given itchy on her skin.


With the lights off they all settled in their sleeping spaces, tieredness finally seeping into little Ophelia as well. However, although Rose had believed herself to be tired until this point, her mind was on overdrive as she lay in the darkness, shifting on the mattress every few minutes until she finally slipped into troubled sleep. She dreamt of blood and death, people being dissected in the infirmary she saw in they keys tower, and the body parts being sent to Tranqulity to make people out of them, people without emotions, like herself. She woke up as in the nightmare a man reached for her hand, and she knew she was next. Rose gave a startled scream that resonated across the room and tried to even her breathing as sweat beaded down her chest at her first ever dream and nightmare. She thought she heard a reassuring voice soothe her but she was unable to process if this too was part of the dream, instead she slipped back into sleep.


She woke up the next morning, as the sun shone through a window on her side and sat up, seeing that the two of them were still sleeping. Rose considered this before deciding to leave the bed and headed for the shower in the bathroom, closing the door behind her - although there was no lock on the door as she began stripping.

 

[Skeleton]

KEANU FORRESTER



​

Keanu woke up feeling stiff. His body felt inelastic, frigid. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and rubbed his face in his hands. As he stood up, he stretched his arms over his head with a grunt. Something was different. Keanu rubbed his eyes, and blinked. Narrowing them, he pressed his hands against them again.


Spots cleared from his vision, and he could finally see again! He took a breath, something warm and elated filling him. Joy. This is what real joy felt like. Keanu grinned, taking in the sterile hospital setting. A grin flew on his face, and he began walking around. He found a bathroom, walked up to the mirror and stared at his face. It was like he was seeing it for the first time. Angular features, full lips, prominent bones, ink eyes. This was him. He had never felt more...like himself.


Keanu splashed water against his face and took his hair out of the tight knot that was giving him a dull headache. Raven locks spilled out, the ends falling mid-arm. He ran his hands through his hair and smiled at his reflection. He knew there was a reason he kept it long. It made him happy. He turned on his heel and strode out of the hospital. He needed to see his new home.


He ran down the stairs and flew out of the tower and looked around. The city rose up around him, the buildings rustic. It was less polished than Tranquility, but with much more character. People walked around. He heard someone singing. His heart surged. It was all so beautiful. He took in the laughter, the music, even a couple people arguing. It made him feel so alive. What was this feeling, this rapturous feeling? Was it that he was finally free?


He moved as fast as he could without running. All these buildings and feelings and everything were so new to him. He wanted to learn every emotion, feel everything there was to feel. He wanted to eat food that wasn't Tranquility rationed. He wanted to get a shirt that was red! He wanted to find some plants!


So immersed in within the world of his thoughts, Keanu didn't pay attention to the pair of people standing in front of him at the base of a large stone staircase. With a grunt, he collided roughly with a girl whose back was to him. He grunted, stumbling. There was a man there too, with long hair and a shadow of beard. His face got hot. So this is what it felt like to be embarrassed.

 

[Ashmorne]

S o l a r a || F e i v e l


spark scout





Neither of those options seemed particularly appealing to Solara. Either way, she'd be arguing with her brother. Fighting with Shasta was something that didn't happen incredibly often. Yes, they argued. But she had a nervous feeling that this would be much more than that. She and Shasta were incredibly different in many ways. He embodied composure, calmness, patience. It's why he was the Alpha. Only she and Kais really saw the less put together side of Shasta, the side that got angry and unsettled. She knew that seeing that side today was a clear and distinct possibility.


If she went with Kais, the fight might be generally less potent. He would be calm, mediate the conversation. Having his presence there could be something that would mitigate the tension of the situation. Sola also considered that he would probably very firmly be on Shasta's side. She wondered if Kais would truly be able to be impartial and arbitrate a conversation that he so clearly had a stance on. The last thing she wanted was to feel cornered.


The previous night's events played in her mind quickly...Kais folding her into his arms upon seeing her, later yelling at her as she retorted back. Even this morning, she had made him a guilt-inspired breakfast. They had both acted uncharacteristically. Everything about the situation had been uncharacteristic, save the fact that Sola had acted impetuously. That part was right on target.


Kais had blatantly cooled off though, and was back to his neutral demeanor. Maybe he would be able to be detached to an extent. He would obviously have an opinion, but he usually knew how to voice those calmly. It could go either way. The idea of disappearing in the forest for the day crossed her mind, but she knew she would only make it worse if she continued to be avoidant. Sola pondered these things, feeling conflicted.


She opened her mouth to voice her thoughts, when someone crashed into from behind. The body barreled into her, sending a sharp wave of pain up her side. The impact was strong enough to make her stumble, knocking her off her feet. First Kais, now a random person on the street. Getting caught off guard seemed to be the theme for today. She was at least aware enough to know how to break a fall, turning her body sideways to soften the impact.


Sola landed on the step relatively smoothly with a soft yelp, the angle of the stairs also helping to break her fall. She touched a hand to her side, which was now burning due to the jarring motions. Sola looked up, seeing a man standing there. It was one of the Tranquil from last night. His face had taken on a tomato colored hue in clear embarrassment. He had meant no harm. The look on his face was amusing. Sola raised her eyebrows, a small laugh escaping her lips. Agility was something she was trained in and for someone with that that tutorial, she was sure falling a lot today. To be fair, it was hard to be agile when someone collided into you from behind with literally no warning. It was funny in a kind of sardonic way.


"Sorry for laughing," she said as she waited a moment for the sharpness in her waist to subside. "I've just been falling a lot today,"


She knew that he would have no idea what she meant. It didn't stop her from saying it.

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Kais Wiltchil

Spark Strategist

​

Sola had just opened her mouth to respond--probably to tell him that she'd just as well rather

not be yelled at by Shasta in any case--when suddenly she wasn't there anymore. It took a moment for Kais to register exactly what had happened. Evidently, she had been knocked over by a bloke who wasn't pay any attention. His mind jumped to the bullet wound, hoping Sola hadn't landed on her hip; he looked down, noting that Sola had one hand clasped to her side. Kais' eyebrows furrowed. Whether she had landed on it or not, it must have hurt her. His eyes snapped back up to the man who had knocked her down; the ire in his gaze was clear.


Fool. You have eyes, use them, Kais wanted to say. He resisted the urge--Sola was laughing, which did something to take the edge off his annoyance. He couldn't fathom why she was laughing until she spoke; it had been the second time she had ended up on the floor so far this morning. Kais grimaced, remembering that the first time had been entirely his fault. Unless he wanted to could Sola as partially responsible, for thinking it was a good idea to wake him up by touching his shoulder. The only safe way to wake Kais up was to throw something at him. Or to shout at him from across the room. Then again, that had the possibility of waking him up in a panic, as well. And he had never yet taken anyone's head off for waking him up. He had never shot anyone who he didn't mean to.


Kais stooped, planting his feet and reaching down the haul Sola up off the ground. He did so with both efficiency and a great deal of care; he made certain not to twist her torso, and kept his hands on her arms only to avoid touching the injury. When Sola was back on her feet, he resisted the urge to take the newcomer's head off, and instead focused his attention on Sola.


"Are you alright? Did that graze reopen?" He asked, concern on his face and in his voice. He didn't add 'if that idiot reopened it, I will personally dismember him,' even though he wanted to. If the mere fact that it was Sola wasn't enough, there was the added annoyance that it had taken quite long enough to get the damn thing to stop bleeding the first time and he didn't want to do it a second time. He would--quite possibly after shooting someone--but he wouldn't be happy about it.

 

[Skeleton]

KEANU FORRESTER



​

​

The girl he had run into toppled quickly into the staircase, twisting her body away from him as she fell. Keanu reached his hands out, but it was too late. She had already landed relatively gracefully on the steps, as gracefully as anyone can fall anyway. Embarrassment was a terrible emotion, it made him feel like his stomach was going to literally explode. His guts felt like a balloon that was just about to pop. This was by far the worst feeling he had ever felt. It felt never ending. What if he was going to feel this burning humiliation for the rest of his life?!


And then she looked at him.


She had wide inky eyes set in bronze skin, eyes that seemed happy despite being hurt. Her hair was as dark as his own, falling softly against her face. Her lips curved up in a bright smile as she laughed at him.


Keanu had seen a lot of beautiful things in his life. Flowers, plants, sunshine in the evening time. He appreciated all of them.


This girl was the most beautiful thing of all of them.


That heavy humiliation was replaced with something else, something that he hadn't felt before. A new emotion. It made his mind blank, it made his heart beat faster, it made a his chest feel warm. He couldn't see anything else. He barely registered the man helping her up, or the way he glared fiercely at him.


All he could look at was this girl. He had seen her before he took the Pill, before his eyesight had faded. Now his vision was back, and it was like seeing something for the first time. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her face, even as her gaze moved from him to the angry looking man who helped her up.


He couldn't even manage to say sorry, he was so taken aback.


"You are beautiful," he said, the words coming out of his mouth as soon as found words. His voice sounded puzzled, as if he couldn't even comprehend it. There was no way he could say anything else, he was struck silent in this moment.


Emotions felt so far: Annoyed, Angry, Hopeful, Joyful, Embarrassed...


Enchanted.

 

[RZA]

Veda Creed Location: Spark Territory


The night passed quickly; absorbed with foreign thoughts, feelings, and emotions Veda hadn’t found the time to sleep. She witnessed a sliver of what PaxCor had created the patch for last night, when Solara and a man named Kais argued. Veda had never experienced a real argument before, quiet as though it was. Her mind swam with countless purchased stories from the file vendor, wondering how deep PaxCor’s brainwash went. Throughout the night she pondered her questions, and the thought of sleep never even crossed her mind. She walked through Sola’s labyrinthine city, breathing deep in the archaic air.


Snatches of conversation and ambient light permeated throughout the city. Tranquility was cold and silent at this time of night, it’s citizens having tucked themselves into their hypnotic beds when curfew struck. Night after night and the routine never wavered . How could she have been so mindless? So obedient in the dismissal of her humanity? How many lives were stolen without said lives even knowing? The red hot flowed fresh and strong through her veins the more she thought about PaxCor. Veda could feel her body stiffen, straighten, and her walk gradually lengthen into a stride. The soft light guided her way through Sola’s labyrinthine city -- her city from now on.


Things were different in the Spark Territory; there didn’t seem to be a curfew, as she saw throngs of people milling about here and there as she made her way through its labyrinth interior. Some of the buildings seemed to be under construction, and Veda wondered where they got their supplies from, and how often they were in need of them. A part of her wished she had an important job like Richard -- he probably brought a fortune worth of supplies when he ran back to the hospital the night before. The thought brought her back to herself. She could feel the now-light presence of the bag she’d been carrying all night. Veda made a mental note to stop by the Infirmary and leave it for him.


She looked around in mild surprise, dawn had arrived without her realizing. The sky painted a brilliant mosaic that brought her to tears. Veda touched her cheeks in astonishment. She felt like a child, crying for no apparent reason. But Veda shook her head, no, she didn’t believe that. There was always a reason. Studying the light pink and coral hues she wondered if one could cry from happiness. Veda wiped the tears away with a small smile, recognizing that there was as much for her to learn as there was for her to teach.


Veda continued her trek through her new city. With every step the world grew brighter, and she couldn’t help but think how easy it was going to be to relocate. Sure, she had just found out that her life was a lie and that she’d been enchanted at birth by PaxCor and it’s patch that emotions were the bane of humanity, but there was certain beauty and grace emanating from the Territory that Tranquility will never experience. She wasn’t quite sure what it was, but as she wiped her eyes for the final time she was determined to find out.


But first, she needed something to eat. She followed her nose to a building not too far from where she standing. It was large, broken into many separate buildings, and there were already a bunch of people walking in and out of it. Veda walked through the doors hesitantly, not entirely sure if she would need credits to purchase food. Her nose found the food before she did, and she walked to the thankfully short line.


Before she could speak, an elderly woman spoke to her from across the foodline. “You new sweetheart?”


Veda could feel her face flush. Thankful again that so few were in-line with her. She leaned in close and asked, “How did you know?”


“Oh I always recognize the newcomers. Always got a bemused look on their face.” She worked behind the foodline, preparing something that she couldn’t name but smelled wonderful all the same.


“So what do you do?” The woman asked, “We all find a way help out around here.”


Veda enjoyed the possibility of helping out, though the thought of another Placement Test had her second guessing breakfast.


“I’m a -- well I was a teacher in Tranquility… but I’m not sure what will be needed of me here.” Veda replied honestly. She didn’t bother trying to keep the worry out of her voice. The woman chef finished making her food in silence, probably chewing on Veda’s statement. The mess hall her nose brought her to was quickly filling up and an angst crept up her spine. She would take her food and leave, maybe find her way to the Infirmary and reunite Richard with his medical supplies.


“Here ya go darlin’, it’s a breakfast sandwich -- makes the task of walking and eating at the same time easier. The faster you get to the Infirmary, the better off you’ll be I think.”


Veda looked at her sharply, eyes squinted with suspicion. Could she read minds?


“Oh don’t look at me like that,” The woman said with a laugh. “By the looks of it, you haven’t slept and you probably won’t until you collapse. Go ask Doctor Glass for some medicine to sleep -- you’ll feel better I’m sure of it. You shouldn't get your tour half-asleep.” She handed Veda the sandwich, and after a thank you and goodbye, Veda made her way with haste outside.


The light was almost blinding. The sun had rose significantly since she had stepped inside, and she was rather unsure of where she was at. The labyrinthine looked completely different in the daytime. She took a bite of her breakfast sandwich, burning her tongue slightly. It was well worth it. She laughed as she started walking, taking more careful bites on the delicious egg and what she thought was ham sandwich. Veda walked on aimlessly; taking in the sights, making mental notes of what lead to where.


She was halfway done when she stumbled upon a strange scene. Kais, the man that embraced Solara before arguing with her last night, was helping her up off the ground. She walked closer, recognizing her fellow Deviant, Keanu. Something seemed to have happened, but by the sound of Sola's laugh it didn't seem to be too bad. Veda was curious though, and she was happy to have found familiar faces.


“Hey, is everything okay?”


@Ashmorne, @DrakeAlistair, @Skeleton

 

[Ashmorne]

S o l a r a || F e i v e l


spark scout





She had only been resting on the steps for a moment when Kais reached down to help her. He grasped her arms carefully, pulling her up as if she weighed nothing.For all his weapons and gear, he was incredibly gentle when dealing with her. Whether that was in the form of bandaging a wound or helping her up off of the ground. For a brief moment, she wondered what it would be like if Kais didn't care about her, if she didn't have the knowledge that he was always watching out for her. The thought was killing her mood exceptionally fast, and she quickly discarded it. That kind of life was one that she never wanted to imagine.


Standing again, she glanced at Kais. He had a clear look of disdain on his face towards the man. Keanu, she thought his name was. Kais was clearly more irritated at the incident than she was. When he looked back at her, his face moved from frustration to concern. Seeing the transition made something twist in her chest.


She nodded to answer his question. She skimmed her fingers over the stretch of shirt that covered her bandaging. It hadn't dampened. It hadn't felt like the wound had reopened. Aside from a slowly subsiding pulsing in her side, she was fine.


Sola was about to respond when she met the gaze of Keanu. He was staring at her openly, intensely. His eyes were widened, It was a peculiar expression, almost like shock or surprise. She glanced back at Kais, about to ask him if she had something on her face. She was about to make a joke about the blood on her face from the night, when Keanu suddenly talked.





"You are beautiful,"


His words caused her to falter. Sola had never been called beautiful by an essential stranger before, especially in such a strange tone. She looked at him, seeing that surprised expression etched across his face. This statement was made so out of the blue. It left her feeling confused. He thought she was beautiful.


"Oh. Um, thank you," she said, her voice hesitant.


She was working out whether to say anything else, when another woman from the night before approached them. She asked them if everything was okay. Sola looked between Kais, Keanu, and the woman. She smiled and nodded, suddenly feeling awkward and out of place. She typically loved being around people, but the compliment had unsettled her a bit, making it hard to find to words.

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Kais Wiltchil

Spark Strategist

​

Sola was fine and Kais very nearly breathed a sigh of relief. Nearly. That was, until he noticed the way that the newcomer was looking at her. His eyes narrowed at the man; he was staring at Sola like he had never seen a woman before. It wasn't until then that Kais realized this must have been one of the four who had come back with Sola last night. Impatience mixed with annoyance churned in his stomach. The newly-initiated were

always over-emotional. Sometimes they were irritable, snapping at everyone, others were just happy about everything--either extreme left Kais' nerves grating. Never before, though, had he experience such intense annoyance with someone who had a freshly neutralized patch. How dare he ogle Sola? They had more important things to deal with than this Pill-drunk Tranquilian's obsession with Sola.


He might have left things there. He might have turned and left Sola to deal with the people she always seemed to love so much. He might have washed his hands of the mess and gone about his business opening up the datapad. Then the newcomer spoke.


"You are beautiful."


Rage bubbled in Kais' stomach. The small muscles in the side of his jaw twitched as he ground his teeth together. His hands were suddenly fists, and the less restrained side of him briefly debated employing Scorpion to exterminate a pest. He restrained himself, but a single glance at Sola was enough to make the impulse resurface. The desire to leave her to deal with the fool vanished; she was looking nearly as uncomfortable as he was annoyed. Something ugly reared its head inside his chest.


What the hell do you think you're doing? He wanted to shout it. He wanted to grab the man's shoulders and shake him, force him to look as something beside Sola. Stop staring at her.





It wouldn't do. That wasn't the reaction that he needed. He didn't know why he needed to break the man's gaze, why he felt the need to pull Sola away, beyond that she was obviously uncomfortable, but he knew he did. And he knew that if he was going to do something, it needed to be done well. When the Pill-drunk fool came down from his high, Kais wanted him to remember. And Kais wanted him to fear.


That was no job for Casual Kais; he slipped into The Professional like shrugging into a coat. He was a tall enough man, usually, though of slight build. As he slid into his Professional persona, he grew a solid inch. His face shifted; the rage, annoyance, concern melted into nothingness. His eyes were glass orbs--lifeless, as if they belonged to a robot rather than a human.


The Professional moved in front of Sola; he moved, rather than stepped, like a shadow falling across empty space. The look he fixed the newcomer with was blank, devoid of emotion, inhuman. It was the look that had caused the children growing up with him to whisper behind his back--'he's not alive.... just a ghost.' He moved closer to the man, without seeming to pick his feet up off the ground. He paid no attention to the woman who had appeared, asking if everything was alright; his entire focus was on his target--his prey.





"You will not speak to her again, until you can control yourself, Patch," he spoke in little more than a whisper; it was calm, even, and deadly dangerous. He didn't threaten, he didn't move his hand to one of the numerous weapons on his person. But in his eyes was the plain truth: I will kill you and feel no remorse.





In the next instant he was back by Sola, still standing between her and the Patch-bearer, with his back turned. He spoke to Sola this time, his voice still robotically neutral.


"We need to dismantle this datapad as soon as possible." He held out one hand in the direction of the forest, gesturing that they should get a move on. He wasn't certain that Sola would come with him, but judging by the look on her face, she would be grateful for an out. And she had seen The Professional enough to not take his presence personally.

 

[Ashmorne]

S o l a r a || F e i v e l


spark scout





Everything happened so quickly. There was a look on Kais's face of little concealed anger, she could see it in the way the muscles in the face worked. The way he clenched his fists didn't go unnoticed. It was clear that Kais wasn't happy with Keanu's declaration. This wasn't a pleasant thing, but it didn't truly worry her. It wasn't until the emotions drained from Kais's face that a sense of fear rose up in her chest.


She wasn't scared of Kais. No, she knew without a doubt that he would never hurt her. Rather, she was fearful for Keanu. This side of Kais was the one that could do the real damage. Sola's stomach felt like it was knotting up. Kais was protective of her, this she knew. This seemed like it was going too far. Keanu had made her uncomfortable, but he was ultimately harmless. Professional Kai's was far from harmless. He stood in front of Sola like a shield. The way he moved so predatorily was like a snake closing in on his prey. He was deadly, he was accurate. When he spoke, his voice left no room for question. There was a venom to it that was a weapon all on its own.


Sola stared at Kais as he told Keanu to essentially fuck off in the scariest way possible. His reaction to Keanu's words was strong, and Sola wondered somewhere in the back of her mind where this was coming from. This was a different level of protectiveness. Surely Kais knew that Keanu didn't really pose a threat.


Sola was readying herself to say something when Kais turned back to her, talking about the datapad. He gestured to the forest, where his home was. So, meeting Shasta was going to have to wait. Sola didn't want to leave the woman who had just arrived alone, but she didn't want this tension to last any longer. Questions were already sprouting up in her head.


Sola didn't say anything to him, instead turning to the woman who had been at the wrong place at the wrong time. Kais knew better than to think that she would leave without saying anything. She put what she hoped looked like a reassuring smile on as she faced the woman.





"I hope you've found your way around alright. I'm Solara, if you don't remember. I was just about to look for the four of you to make sure you were settling in alright and show you around, but something's come up. I'm so sorry to leave again, but I'll find you later today. I can show you around some more, answer any questions you have. The infirmary is just down that way if you need any medical attention, or need to talk to someone who knows their way around the area. Again, I'm so sorry. We'll have a proper meeting soon enough,"


Sola tried to be comforting. She knew that anyone seeing Professional Kais for the first time may be a little rattled or afraid. The woman who had approached them seemed nice enough, and Sola did not want one of her first strong emotions to be terror. She wanted her to enjoy The Ruins. Smiling again, she shifted her gaze and nodded politely to Keanu while feeling guilty at what had transpired.


She turned back towards Kais and paused, lowering her voice.


"If you think we aren't talking about this as soon as we get into the forest, you're wrong," she whispered softly, so only he could hear her. With those words, she waved to the pair of new recruits and began walking towards the wooded land. Guilt settled in her belly, but she knew it was best to go with him for now. It wasn't unlike Kais to react when he thought she was in danger. This just wasn't a situation that constituted danger. Awkwardness, maybe. Discomfort, definitely. But not danger. She wanted answers.

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Kais Wiltchil

Spark Strategist

​

Kais didn't bother to turn and look at the woman when Sola spoke. He remained facing Sola, face stony and emotionless as before. He knew she wanted to make them comfortable. Perhaps she would scold him later and tell him he had overreacted to a little thing. Perhaps he had. But at the moment he didn't think about that--couldn't think about that. The Professional was concerned

only with getting the job done, not the motivations for it. And so he stood with one hand stretched out, waiting for Sola to move, as he hoped she would. Her whole hurried farewell to the woman sounded like she was desperately trying to cover up what had just happened. Kais hadn't tried to be discrete about it. In fact, he rather hoped both the newcomers would remember it distinctly. If they did, all the better; they would never cross him in the future if they understood that he didn't have scruples. Maybe they would tell their friends. The faster newcomers learned to leave him alone, all the better.


Finally, Sola turned her attention back to him. Her words confirmed his suspicions--she thought he had overreacted. But he merely fixed her with his blank gaze, not yet ready to drop The Professional, and murmured, "As you wish, " in his empty voice, just as quiet as she.


They took the fastest path toward the forest; cutting across the Ruins rather than skirting around. The Professional wasn't much for roads; in fact, Kais in any persona wasn't much for roads, but The Professional was more likely to take a short cut. What few Sparks they passed didn't bother them, though they might have waved or spoken some greeting to Sola. For the most part they averted their gaze from Kais--it was easy enough to spot when he should be given a very wide berth.


The forest, by contrast, was empty. Shadows blotted out the sunlight, leaving Kais feeling slightly more comfortable. Still, it took time to revert back to Casual Kais. The transformation in the other direction could happen much faster--it needed to, often times--but taking off his lifeless mask took more effort. And so he walked in silence, picking his way easily through the underbrush, following a path that wasn't really there to a house few knew still existed.


His mask came off piece by piece. First his stance relaxed, less poised, less perfect, and just a little more relaxed. Bit by bit his face came back to life--little pieces of expression flitting through. Finally, after several solid minutes, the ice around his eyes thawed; he looked alive again, rather than some 3D rendering of a person. By the time he had shed the layers, they had reached his house.


If it could be called that.


The ramshackle building had been built by his father, after his mother's death. It was the home he had grown up in, such as it was. Now it looked more like a shed than anything else. There were gaps in the siding, whatever insulation had once existed had been stolen by rodents. The only thing that was in decent shape was the roof--one couldn't have a leaky roof when their house contained guns and electronics.


Guns and electronics were about the only thing that the house did contain. Kais pushed the door open; it squeaked as it swung, crooked with one loose hinge. Inside was a single room and a small arsenal. The walls were lined with guns, a smattering of knives, and a distinct sword. The only furniture in the room was a sad-looking cot pressed up against one wall, and a tool chest opposite that. On the wall near the tool chest was mounted a computer monitor on a swivel, a keyboard tucked underneath it. Beyond that, nothing but dirt.

 

[RZA]

Veda Creed Location: Spark Territory


For the second time, Sola and Kais stormed off together. At least this time she had managed to say goodbye. Veda wondered if all new recruits were treated this way. Left alone and unsure of what to do next. She doubted it, but still -- she was entirely bemused on what just transpired.


She walked up to Keanu and took another bite before she spoke. Veda started to ask her fellow Deviant if the two were involved with each other, but remembered that it wasn't any of her business anyways.


"A bit scary that one, aint he? Do you know what happened?"


She couldn't exactly tell what he was thinking, but Veda wouldn't think less of him if he was afraid. The two times she'd been in Kais' presence, Veda could feel the eeriness that emanated from him. There was a gleam in those darkened eyes that promised demise. She knew nothing of this world -- the world the Patchless were raised in. That gut feeling returned, steering her away from danger -- away from Kais.


@Skeleton

 

[Gabe]

Richard Davenport


Time Unknown - Keys Tower Infirmary


The doctor managed to find a cantina. The people were kind enough to help, being a newcomer wasn't that hard enough without anyone helping. After getting his fill, he ended up helping the people in the cantina with the dishes as a way of saying thanks. He had to resort to that before officially starting working. He was impressed on how the people are kind to each other, not because they needed, but because they wanted. Life in tranquility was so dull, everyone only doing what they're told, when they're told, not caring about the others. All of that made him feel uneasy.


He walked along the place, not having a straight route. Knowing the place, its nooks and crannies, trying to get used to the environment, it made him feel calm about past night's events. Everything was so rushed, so dangerous, he was surprised that he didn't have a panic attack. Just when he was heading back to the clinic, he saw Solara and the man from last night, going to god-knows-where. He raised his hand to greet them, but they didn't even seen him. Maybe they were worried about something? He then saw a group together, looking at them as well. "Oh, they're the people from last night." He approached them, smiling. "Good morning! What was that all about?" He said, pointing at the couple just leaving.

 

[Ashmorne]

S o l a r a || F e i v e l


spark scout





It took some time for Kais to rescind back to his usual demeanor. Sola decide she would wait for him to get back to that before talking. Talking with this version of him always felt like getting some sort of automated response to her, and that's not what she was looking for. She wanted to speak to the less polished version of him, the side that did things like smile at her dumb jokes and yell at her when he thought she was being stupid. She could wait.


They wove through the forest in silence, Sola grateful to be in one of her favorite spaces. The wooded area was beautiful and lush, so filled with plant life. The trees created a lacy canopy, bits of light filtering down. Sola always felt immersed in something awe-inspiring when she came to the forest. It gave her perspective, forced her to be aware that she was just an infinitesimal piece of an vastly bigger picture. There was just so much life around every corner that it. Her gaze caught a flash of red as birds moved from tree to tree, her ears listening to the rustling of leaves as animals scampered around, hidden to them.


As she walked, she picked flowers...only the ones off of plants that had a surplus of blooms. There were always so many to choose from. She had been careful to snap the stems so that the roots were left intact and the shoots were still green on the inside. Within her grasp were daisies, wild roses, wood anemones, and some other flowers she didn't recognize. She had even found a sprig of bleeding heart. This was her absolute favorite type of bloom. The blossoms hung from their branches, heart-shaped with a cavity in the base that opened to more drop-shaped petals. It was a plant that made Sola think about mourning, loss...but also of love. The ones that were deep red-pink in color spoke to her the strongest.


Last time she had been to Kais's home, she had stowed a terra cotta pot in a corner. The shack he lived in was devoid of what she would call decoration...because she didn't really consider weapons to be decor. Kais had a room in the Grand Oak, but he still held onto this small cabin. She herself thought it was haunted. Every time she was there, she felt as though if she focused on one space hard enough, she would be able to see the ethereally translucent outline of people who had been there long before them. Last time she had been over, a chill had gone down her spine and it was then that she decided that it needed something. So, she picked flowers and hoped he wouldn't mind. Maybe adding a little more life into his arsenal of weaponry would ward away the ghosts, though she would never ever tell him of her superstitions.


By the time that they had reached his home, Sola's hands were curled tightly around a myriad of blooms. She shivered as she followed him inside, and picked up the small pot that sat against the wall and his tool chest. Carefully, she placed the flowers inside and arranged them. There was no table in his room, so she held on to it. She would leave it on top of his tool chest after they were done with the datapad. The happy blooms looked wildly out of place, surrounded by metal and steel. Sola took off her messenger bag and sat down on the corner of his cot, crossing her ankles as she set the bag down next to her. Shifting her gaze from the flowers in her hands back to Kais, she spoke softly and without anger, seeking.





"That guy was harmless. Why did you react so strongly?" she wanted to ask why he had been so enraged, but that wouldn't have been the right word to describe it. It didn't seem strong enough.


Sola wasn't angry herself. She was a little annoyed that Kais had probably scared the two newcomers. What sheltered new recruit wouldn't be terrified of a man who threatened death without even having to speak a word? No, anger wasn't what Sola was dominantly feeling. It was puzzlement. She was confused at his reaction, felt that it was uncalled for since there was no real danger to prompt it. She didn't understand what had snapped in him when Keanu talked.

 

[RZA]

Veda Creed Location: Spark Territory


Before her fellow Deviant could reply, another arrived -- the doctor whose bag she’d been holding all night. He bore a smile and a greeting, and Veda was relieved to see friendly familiar faces.


“Good morning,” She replied with a hesitant smile. “Doctor Richard right? I’m Veda, and I’ve been carrying your bag around all night.” She handed it over before answering his next question. “I’m not sure honestly, I just got here -- But I think Keanu might know.”


She looked around at the two, and then around at their new city.


“It sure is gunna be a big change, huh? There was a certain comfortability in Tranquility -- at least everything had a system, a schedule…” Veda snapped her mouth shut, surely they didn’t want to listen to the rambling of a woman who spent the night walking around the city instead of finding a comfortable place to sleep.


@Raizel, @Skeleton