Fantasy Magic ☆ is Dead

[One Mean Ghost]

There really was no talking his way out of this one. He had options, of course, but none that had a good possibility of him walking away from this with his secret still a secret. Short of basically starting a riot, there was no way he would talk his way out of this one. Sure, he could call Pallas on her assertion that witness statements were needed. After all, she had spoken to him after the second incident and no such mention was made. If he was feeling particularly malicious, he could call her on that in front of everyone gathered and highlight yet another instance in which the Peaceguard contradicted themselves and further destroy the public image of the Peaceguard


Given public opinion of the Peaceguard right now, he could probably easily turn the entire crowd against these two. But what would that accomplish? They'd most certainly hunt him down and try to kill him after a stunt like that. Not to mention the innocent people that could get hurt or worse in that... Besides, it seemed that, at the very least, Peaceguard Girl(Pallas) actually was interested in securing the Peace.


What he didn't realize is that these two Peaceguard ladies were taking everything he did as a slap in the face. A yawn, mostly beyond his control, was considered an insult. His comment regarding Peaceguard training, ironically enough, hadn't been intended as an insult. IT had been a genuine question. Too often you saw Peaceguard officers immediately resort to weapons or proceed to bludgeon a suspect into a bloody mess rather than using techniques that minimized injury to those involved. With that in mind, it was a perfectly legitimate question.


"Very well... Please, let's try and make this quick. I had a long shift at work and I'm rather tired..." He finally relented with a soft sigh. He watched as the girls tried to help up the would-be attackers and shook his head. Chivalry wasn't dead, but at this rate, it was going to get him killed...


He walked up to Elina first, crouching down and picking up that suspect on one shoulder without a word. He walked over to Pallas next, doing the same to carry this suspect over his other shoulder. "If they wake up in a fighting mood, my appearance will serve as a better deterrent to further violence than yours would. It's clear they have no reservations about striking a woman, but they may just think twice about striking someone bigger than them." he explained calmly. Given they had actually made it into the Peaceguard, he knew they could likely handle themselves, but that damn sense of chivalry he had wouldn't allow them to do the heavy lifting while he was capable to provide aid.


He didnt' seem to struggle under the weight as he started walking without another word. Without a doubt, he was certainly strong.


This just wasn't his day... At this point, if he lived to see the next sunrise he'd be counting his blessings... At least thus far, the Peaceguard had nothing on him other than suspicions. If he could keep it that way, he might just make it through this alive....

 

[sorrow made you]

“Ahh, Orpheus. What an interesting name.” Cassandra repled, amusement filling her voice for a moment as she looked over the man, observing his entire build now. Tall, average looking. However, his face told her that he was everything but. How that smiled curled on his face. Surely he did enjoy the idea of holding onto her little secret.


Oh and how bold of him to directly ask Cassandra of her intentions! Now that was someone admirable. She wondered just what kind of personality this forward questioning man was. She knew that as a peaceguard herself, with some level of authority, she couldn't possibly disclose information for why she was moseying about the crowd, listening into the conversations around her. Especially to someone she didn’t know for sure wasn’t a guard himself.


“I do enjoy my strolls every so often. However, today has a bit more of an important matter.” She took in a breath and let it out in a huff as she rolled her head, as if her cause was somehow bothersome to her. “I assume you had heard the announcement about the toxin in the water, yes?” Her eyes flickered; intensity and an underlying seriousness met her words. “Well there has to be a reason why of all places, the chosen location was here, hmmm?” Her tone raised slightly, as if she were asking a question. Speculation, even. She didn’t need to continue further with her explanation. Even if she did, she wasn’t going to.


Just about ready to turn her shoulder to Orpheus, Cassandra felt something, yet again, ram into her shoulder. By the way the man had been barreling through the crowd, it wasn’t uncertain that Cassandra felt like a boulder had ran into her. With a quiet grunt, she spread her feet just enough to hold her ground. Now, not very amused by the second run, in, Cassandra quickly grabbed out at Franco and curled her fingers into the material of his jacket, right where hit hood would connect. She roughly pulled the man back. Whether it would stop him or not, she didn’t know. But she sure hoped he would get the hint to pay attention to her.


“Not even going to apologize? Pity.” She said, her tone hardened slightly, yet still airy, holding some kind of authority. That jacket, the iconic hood. This man most certainly was the executioner she had been observing not too long ago. “What happens to have your bundles in a bunch, Franco Griy?” It was a fair guess that this was indeed the infamous Griy. Surely he had at least seen her before, even if it had been so many years ago. The last time she visited Highmere in regards to the Peaceguard.


@Oreocookies @BlightGiver

 

[Saccharine Cyanide]

Tale was not quite sure how to react to being pulled through the crowd by the sleeve of his coat. He had been trying to decipher what the strange young man was trying to tell him through gestures when the aforementioned suddenly seized him and started dragging him along like a new toy.


"H-hold on..." he protested. Tale's first thoughts brought on panic, assuming that he was being led into a trap, until the young man stopped and Tale realized he simply wanted to watch the spectacle that was unfolding. And he had, for reasons unknown to Tale, decided to bring his newfound "friend" along.


So. It seemed Pallas and Elina had found their man. Tale watched the whole debacle unfold with intense concentration. He watched Dante de la Cruz in particular. Perhaps Pallas's suspicions were correct, and he was a mage, or a sympathizer. There was no way of telling for certain through nothing but observation.


The man was quite persuasive in his attempts to weasel out of the situation. But finally, his spirit seemed to break and he gave in to the insistence that he be escorted to Blackgate. It was only under pretensions that he would serve as a witness, Tale presumed. Pallas was planning on interrogating the man, Tale was almost certain.


Tale bit his lip, thinking for a moment, then came to a decision. He shouldered his way through the crowd, with an apology here and there, and fell into step beside Pallas and Elina and their entire company.


He cleared his throat rather loudly.


"Pardon me. Pallas. Elina. I don't mean to bother you, but would you allow me to escort this man to Blackgate? I can escort the other witness as well," he nodded toward Celia. "I know I'm adding onto the pile at this point, he said, addressing her, "but I apologize for your treatment. This isn't the sort of reputation the Peaceguard should be building around ourselves, but a few bad apples here and there can't be helped, I suppose. I hope this doesn't cause you to think poorly on our whole organization.


"Anyhow," he continued on, "I was planning on heading back to Blackgate myself in any case. The higher-ups simply won't let me have a day off. Can you believe it?" He shook his head in mock reproach. "I work at Blackgate's research facility," he explained politely for Dante and Celia's benefit.


He addressed Pallas and Elina solemnly this time. "The Peaceguard could use you out here. If another one of these fights break out, I'm afraid our reputation may be damaged irreparably. I know for a fact that you're both capable and trustworthy, and we need someone to stay behind to watch this rabble. And you know me," he said with a sheepish smile, "I'm no good at damage control. But escorting two people is something I'm sure I can handle."


He turned toward Dante de la Cruz, studying the man with unreadable blue eyes. Quickly and subtly, so much that it could have been mistaken for a twitch, he nodded his head, just once.


"Mister...de la Cruz, was it? And I'm afraid I don't know your name," he said to Celia. "Does that sound agreeable to you? If you'd rather be escorted by these officers, that's alright as well. I'd understand. "

 

[ChiaRoseKuro]

Altair Payne :: Peaceguard




Things were getting decidedly tense in the dying brawl near the execution platform, if Altair's eyes weren't deceiving him, but to his muted displeasure it seemed to smooth over without a fuss when one of the girls picked up an unconscious attacker and gave some sort of signal to move out. Slouching a little as he leant more heavily on his cane and observed the male hefting the two attackers from the Peaceguard pair with hardly any effort, he couldn't help the little laugh that escaped him at his chivalry, nor the almost reluctantly amused "Your former guide is quite the charmer, I'll give him that~" at his actions. However, he'd barely gotten those few words out when he'd felt a most unsettling feeling washing over him, somewhere off to his side, and a slight tilt of his head was enough to ascertain its source. He'd been so absorbed in watching the finale of that little brawl that he'd completely forgotten about his companion-- not that she was exactly important to him or anything, given that he had, after all, only decided to use her as protection of sorts on a very light whim-- but her unnaturally stiff posture, not to mention her piercing gaze, was enough to make her known to him again.


This was far better than watching a far-off altercation, though, because a close view of people gave Altair all the entertainment he needed to live from day to day. Rather than indifference, he had somehow sparked... was it fear? Was it rage?? They were so intertwined that it was hard to pick out either-- but whatever it was, it was certainly enough to make his eyes crack open a smidgen to commit her reactions to memory. Now this-- this tense tone, this bristling attitude, this rather interesting fixation on his clothing rather than his face (and what was that supposed to mean? He slotted it away in his mind for a rainy day, never losing the bright smile on his face for an instant)-- was far more interesting than deadpan nonchalance. This almost made him break out of the careful public image he always wore around him, because fear and rage? If he hadn't been human, he could've probably subsisted off those for the rest of his life.


Being human and very much aware of his flaws, though, Altair raised a placating hand from his cane and dimmed down his smile accordingly as he laughed a little sheepishly at her response. "I'm terribly sorry for startling you, my dear citizen," he apologetically uttered, rubbing the back of his head with said hand and depositing it back down on his cane seconds later. "I'll keep my hands to myself from hereon in, then~" It didn't seem as though she'd heard him, though, what with her sudden stillness and the intruging position she was in (that dragon necklace... was there some significance to it? What was it to her that she could calm down so quickly after displaying such an aversion to touch??), but when she opened her eyes again he was back to how he was before. Much like the crowd around him, it was all back to business as usual; bright smile, closed eyes and an air of warmth around his being.


But then it all just froze in place when the girl responded to his query.


Despite the strange reaction he had gotten from her, despite the fact he'd just triggered her in some way and was, most probably, not on her list of favourite people, this girl wanted him, a rather conspicuous and not entirely professional Peaceguard, to escort her around? Altair couldn't help the way his eyes opened fractionally at her suggestion, nor the way he'd tilted his head a little to the side to observe her better, but at the mention of those others as his 'friends' he found himself shifting from mild curiosity to something else entirely. Those girls, unappreciative of anything but brute force and straight-out intimidation, as his 'friends'? Granted, he hardly recalled their names and knew practically nothing about them, but 'friends' was a bit of a gross misgeneralisation. Colleagues was fine, comrades was barely tolerable and acquaintances would be just about as close to unbearable as he could get... but friends. Friends. Pity the Peaceguards were seen as such a homogenous group by the public, really.


"That... is a very interesting idea indeed," Altair cheerfully uttered, closing his eyes again and straightening up to a more respectable position, so that he was a little less dependent on his cane than before (not that he needed to depend on it as it were, though, but slouching was fun while it lasted). "This area isn't too far from the Shopping District, where I'm sure you'll find a place to cater for all those things, but seeing as there's so much unrest and all..." He waved rather vaguely at the crowd slowly dispersing from the execution platform, along with the cluster of Peaceguards and detained citizens (was that yet another uniformed individual? It really was turning into a clusterfuck, wasn't it??), before he turned back to her and continued lightly, "...I'll be more than happy to escort you there. After all, who knows whether something else will break out? And it'd be such a shame if you got injured because of my careless assumptions~


"So, my dear citizen, shall we go then?" Altair made a sweeping motion to the nearest road leading to the Shopping District, before he grinned broadly at the girl. "Let me play tour guide for your afternoon, to make up for your terrible loss at the hands of my... colleagues."


@Falling Nebula // @Oreocookies (obliquely, a passing mention) // @One Mean Ghost (obliquely, a passing mention) // @Saccharine Cyanide (obliquely, a passing mention) // @Spazzycat101 (obliquely, a passing mention)

 

[Auricula]

Elina Dalca :: Peaceguard




Elina held her tongue knowing a sarcastic remark would do them no good now. At least the duo had agreed to come with them. It was a pity they had to move the unconscious assailants to a medical center though. But one had to play the role of a reasonable Peaceguard and Elina would play it to the finish. Or until she got tired of it.


"Thank you for cooperating," she said cordially.


Just as it seemed like they could finally get a move on, someone fell into step with them. Elina's eyes flicked over and landed on Tale. What did he want? Then he spoke and she silently uttered an ah in her mind. She dryly wondered if exposing he worked at the research facility was wise but kept her mouth shut on it. Still, she couldn't really agree with what he said.


Biting back a "It's precisely because you're no good at damage control" remark, Elina turned to Pallas. Subtly, she inclined her head towards the trio knowing her best friend would get what she meant. Elina wasn't terribly intent on sending Tale off alone and it would be best if someone went with him. But there was no way she could voice that without being straightforward-- curse her lack of tact.





@HeartsAbyss @One Mean Ghost @Saccharine Cyanide @Spazzycat101

 

[Spazzycat101]

Celia Graye

​

Leah was bit startled if anything at the still unnamed man's insistence to helping by taking the assailants on one shoulder each, but she was even more surprised at the rather sudden appearance of Stroud. If anything, his interjection seemed awkward, like he was unaware of the tension that hung between the four like a thick web. She was only able to nod in reply to his apology, because he continued to speak. Celia's mind dawdled a little bit. Unless years of research and practice in impractical trades could be manifested into a powerful, tangible force, then crowd control was probably a better job for the two Peaceguard girls-- Pallas and Elina, apparently were their names. Though she was sure that whomever could achieve such a feat would be shot in the streets and called a mage.


Celia stood passively as the researcher hurriedly spoke to his associates until she and-- Dante, was it?-- were addressed. Finally then she took her eyes from wandering the sides of the streets rather longingly as if she, like Dante, regretted a bit compromising today's freedom. Her shockingly coloured eyes narrowed in mock offense.





'My name, you don't know it? After numerous indirect, half-hearted fly-by introductions, the latest of which... the gillotine! The commission for the gillotine.' If it couldn't be told already that she was joking, the amused grin she had been trying to suppress broke across her face and her gaze averted itself back to staring about at the small details of the road.





'Hard to blame you, though. Your name, mister Tale Stroud, is far more important than mine. It's less often heard.' Her grin faded slowly, back into the blend of boredom and longing to finally get to wherever they were going. Her appearance was so, but it hid from the few others the sudden realization that she was near to saying something she could live without saying. Of course, it wouldn't do much harm, and someone from Blackgate would probably already know. She officially did work with the Peaceguard on 'her brother's behalf,' because he was too sickly. Most everyone aside from the civilians were aware of the facade and treated it casually (seeing as they knew of his execution, probably), and her official excuse was to keep from being mobbed in the streets. It also kept her own name less important. An unimportant name for a mage was something she believed to be useful.





@Saccharine Cyanide @One Mean Ghost ~~~


@Oreocookies @HeartsAbyss


(Sorry for the delayed post, long day of being obligated to watch Captain America movies. )

 

[BlightGiver]

Franco Griy: Executioner


Being curtly turned around was not something Franco expected right now, neither was being addressed by his full name. Of course, his reputation wasn't a secret one, so it's no surprise that many people knew it. Even so, being called by his name in the middle of the street was quite surprising nonetheless.


Apparently, the person that wanted his attention was the woman of clearly high authority. Her words seemed to have an air of patronization to them. She was the kind of person that should be followed and listened to; and she expected that from everyone. To her, anyone below her rank of command was to show her the utmost respect, whether they be a PeaceGuard officer, or a lowly dock worker.


Unfortunately for him, Franco has no recognition of who this person was; he viewed her as just another high class citizen, and promptly spoke to her as such. "Apologize? Look, citizen. I have a job to do that is of high priority." Franco could see past this woman that in the direction he came from, there was a clear line of annoyed citizens; plenty of which were trying to snag nasty looks at him, yet being discrete about doing so. "Oh, have I been bumping into people? I figured that with all this commotion lately, a little bump would be the last of everyone's worries." His attempt at a joke was amusing to him alone, and his faced showed it.


The gentleman behind the woman appeared to be listening to the latter part of this conversation. He had just been talking with her and learned what kind of person she was. Franco's ignorance of her position issued a facepalm from him. "And don't tell me you want to listen to my troubles, too? I've had one person too many inquire about my personal work, so any question related to said subject will be immediately disregarded." He flatly told her. Franco should have acted less carefree about the situation, but his job was the only thing on his mind right now. Anything unrelated was just excess baggage that he needn't deal with.


@CRiTiCAL ERR0R @Oreocookies (only mentioned, but still there)

 

[M03M03]

“My name is Mirage, not citizen, thank you very much.” Mir replied to the man’s galant sweep of the hand as she started to walk in the direction he had indicated. Still experiencing raging emotions below the surface Mirage was not in the mood, nor did she have the energy, to acknowledge the man’s good manners. In fact, at this point, it was starting to creep Mir out that the only two people she had met in the capital city had kept a constant smile on their faces...something about that seemed a trifle suspicious or just plain creepy considering the hurried steps, or the cautious even fearful looks of most citizens of the city.


Even though Mirage not in the mood to really listen to her escort, at this point she just wanted to lock herself in a nice isolated room away from the overwhelming crowds of the city, the female did notice the man’s emphasis on the word colleagues. “ The way you say that word makes me think I should call them enemies...but I will use your word for fear of the waves it would make if another peacegaurd heard me say that.”


Sorely tempted to make a comment about his relationship with the two women Mirage managed to hold her tongue just in the nick of time...the influx of new information was draining her energy faster than usual, a problem for the female who depended on every ounce of energy she could gather. “I apologize for my silence...I’m new to the hustle and bustle of the capital and I’m afraid the journey along with the new setting has combined to make me rather tired.”


@HeartsAbyss


(Sorry for the shorter post...tired, have to do homework, and I wanted to give you something to work with instead of making a longer post late in the day tomarrow.)

 

[Auricula]

Orpheus Izar-Hatysa




A light huff left him. He had expected something more out of her answer but this was fine too. There was no need to try and pick apart someone when there were already much to be seen out in the streets today. She spoke further and he took her words in. What was she trying to get at? His eyes narrowed and as he was carefully thinking through his response, someone else ran into her.


His eyes flicked over and observed the way she reacted. Hn. What a nice little trio they made for, Orpheus thought dryly as he regarded Franco. Already, his interest in the conversation was disappearing. He did wonder where Franco was heading to though. He briefly entertained the thought of staying with them but his attention had already drifted and he found himself looking in Altair's direction.


Deciding there was no need for a farewell, Orpheus simply slipped off and vanished into the crowd. He surged forward in the direction of Altair and was pleased to see his best friend hadn't moved much.


"Colour me surprised." He stepped in front of the duo, taking in the appearance of the woman next to Altair. "What're you doing, Tair?" Orpheus asked him not even bothering to give the slightest nod of acknowledge to Mirage.


@CRiTiCAL ERR0R @BlightGiver @Falling Nebula @HeartsAbyss

 

[ChiaRoseKuro]

Pallas Katsaros :: Peaceguard




Perhaps it was Elina's far more intimidating presence by her side, the sheer number of onlookers or some other sort of semi-divine and purely lucky coincidence-- but whatever the reason was, Pallas was definitely more than relieved to find both the victim and their quarry putting up little resistance to her and her comrade's demands. Granted, it would be illogical (not to mention mildly suicidal) to confront them in public; despite the number of onlookers who would be more than happy to testify for this Dante character's chivalry and good deeds, it did not mean he was outside of the law or formal procedures for incident reports. Co-operation of the citizens aside, though, what astounded (and, honestly, relieved) her more than anything else was the way in which her partner was conducting herself, especially when she saw her smiling at the two conscious participants in the brawl. Years spent on patrols and other so-called 'grunt' work had quickly allowed her to familiarize herself with the things that Elina found characteristic and uncharacteristic-- and, needless to say, it was often quite terrible to see a smile, especially one that looked so warm and inviting, on her face. Many people had been gutted before she'd realized that the warm fuzzies did not entirely translate to her partner's true feelings when she smiled just so.


Thankfully for both Pallas and her fellow Peaceguard, though, it didn't seem as the other citizens had picked up on her rather contrary facial expressions-- but then again, they probably didn't see her on a regular basis like she herself did, so there was that too. If anything, they simply followed along, the victim drifting over to help Elina with her much larger burden and their quarry sighing softly before succumbing to the inevitable. ...But then, of course, there is simply no such thing as 'succumbing quietly', is there? was the weary thought that ran through her head as she watched him heft her partner's unconscious assailant onto his shoulder and walked over to do the same with hers. "Thank you for your chivalry, citizen," she began with a slight smile, more than aware of the way her eyes wanted to narrow and her mouth thin at his actions and explanation alike, "yet, given my comrade's and my abilities in combat, we would fare perfectly well were these men to attack us. For all our femininity, we do not carry swords by our sides or go about in our uniform for show."


Seeing as he'd began walking away before Pallas could really vent her spleen about her usefulness and more than capable combat skills, though, she swallowed down the rest of her words and followed along, ensuring that she stayed on the side with the lighter assailant (should he, say, decide to throw the closest one at her, or something to that effect). Indeed, she had just been calculating whether it would be worth filing extra paperwork and, most probably, going through some sort of misconduct hearing if she decided that cutting through the unconscious assailant would be far more effective than dodging the body, had it been thrown at her, when a rather loud noise caught her attention. Instead of ignoring it, like she might've done had she been any deeper in thought, she decided to turn around and see why someone was clearing their throat right behind her back.


It didn't take long for the regret to settle in after that.


Peaceguard were known to interfere in affairs their colleagues were involved in; it was something Pallas had gotten used to as a new recruit and it was something that never really stopped, no matter how far you ascended in the ranks. There were people who wanted to take over the dominant position of power for a variety of reasons, some of which revolved around good publicity and most of which were entirely selfish, so seeing the bespectacled researcher from before coming over to take charge was... well, not exactly the best thing in the world, really. Unable to keep the the hardened look from her eyes or the flatness of her lips from her face at the sound of her name (now her quarry knew what she was called-- not that he couldn't have figured it out later, really, but still!) and Tale's apology for the victim's conduct (what sort of reputation? Typical self-demeaning...), she inclined her head a little as he continued to ramble on. By the time he was done, she had gleaned two very important things about his intentions: he was practically manhandling them off the case, and he clearly didn't see this Dante character as the threat that she and Elina did, having been privy to his earlier incidents.


For obvious reasons, Pallas wasn't exactly jumping for joy at either of those realizations. It was only small comfort that Elina didn't exactly look the picture of happiness at their fellow Peaceguard's interference, either, though that quickly changed when she noted the way she tilted her head in the citizens' directions.


Now, Pallas was no mind-reader (and if she was, she'd rather gut herself than let someone discover that she was a mage), but working with Elina for years was certainly enough for her to garner the significance of that simple action. Glossing over the victim's banter with Tale as a result of her focus upon her partner's head-tilt, and completely ignoring whatever their quarry's reaction might be to this sudden turn of events, she closed her eyes briefly and watched as the options flashed before her eyes.


There was the obvious one of Pallas obeying her comrade's orders, despite her uncertainty of his ranking within the Peaceguards-- but then, just as obviously, came her distaste towards that particular path. He was terrible at combat, he had admitted to it in front of someone who was clearly very well-versed in it, and yet he felt as though he could escort them without mishap? Surreptitiously checking the sky for winged pigs, in case he really could do such a thing, she found the skies lacking and moved onto the other obvious choice presented to her-- which, in essence, was disobedience. Elina clearly felt that having at least one of them continue playing escort was a good idea-- but then that raised the question of, well, who would play escort and who would be left behind? Then there was the question of Tale's reactions to their disobedience, the very true statement he'd made about the possible need for law reinforcement in the unsettled Central District and a myriad other little things that made her second-guess her initial disposition.


Truly, Pallas grumbled internally, as she slowly opened her eyes, decisions were troublesome things to make.


One look at Elina's steadiness was enough to calm down the tumultuous ramble of Pallas' thoughts, though, and with a faint smile she came to her decision. Flicking her gaze to Elina, she gave a significant glance to the nearest alleyway and shook her free hand, almost as though she were attempting to instil life into it (were it not for the fact that her fingers briefly pointed to herself, then Tale, then Elina and finally said alleway before repeating it around three or four times). With that done, she turned to the other Peaceguard with her own solemn nod and replied with a curt, "Be that as it may, comrade Tale, neither I nor my partner are willing to allow you to escort these citizens without a Peaceguard well-versed in combat." Impatiently sweeping her hand back to the execution platform and the milling (and mildly nosy) citizens hanging about, she added a faintly reproachful, "There is always the possibility that more citizens may attempt to launch assaults upon either you or these citizens, either as a result of the earlier announcement or either as a result of some other, inexplicable reason-- and it would do no good for the Peaceguards to allow its members or citizens to come to possible harm while under our care.


"So the long and short of the matter is that I will continue to accompany you," Pallas concluded, as she turned to Elina and uttered a short, "while my colleague stays behind, as per your directions." This was, of course, not the arrangement that she and her comrade had agreed of-- but neither Tale nor the other citizens needed to know this. After all, as much as the male Peaceguard had a point, their quarry was simply too much of an unstable factor to dismiss and simply err on the side of optimism over, and she'd be damned if he escaped or did anything of the sort because of her and Elina's complacency. Now that her response had been placed out there (and now that she had made it absolutely clear that this response was not up for negotiation), she moved to Tale's side and looked expectantly at him for his next directions.


So long as they weren't anything to do with forcing her off this case or doing something stupid, like stand on her head and bark like a dog, Pallas would be content to follow along... for now, anyway.


@Saccharine Cyanide // @Oreocookies // @One Mean Ghost (obliquely, offhand mentions) // @Spazzycat101 (obliquely, offhand mentions)


...I'll write a summary if it's too long orz

 

[Guydaguy]

Remi took the money with a small thankful wave, tucked it into his pocket, and headed back to his kitchen to make the apple turnover. Remi kneeled down to the cupboard, and started taking out the ingredients. When he stood up, he felt a warm sensation in his chest, and his face immediately showed signs of alarm. This was the sign of his magic removal giving away. His mind told him to run away, so the customer doesn't see it give way, but it was too late.


In not even a second, his magic was restored with a short, bright blue flash, and he fell down to the ground with a grunt. Please don't notice, please don't notice.. he started repeating in his mind. All he could do was wait and hope that the girl waiting for her turnover didn't notice..


@BlightGiver (briefly), @Namie

 

[One Mean Ghost]

"yet, given my comrade's and my abilities in combat, we would fair perfectly well were these men to attack us. For all our femininity, we do not carry swords by our sides or go about in our uniform for show."


Dante chuckled softly. "You misunderstand me. I never once thought to second guess your abilities in combat. I have little doubt you'd make short work of these so-called men if they chose to get rough with you. All I was trying to say is that my presence would serve as a better deterrent to further violence. Cowards who would use superior numbers against a lady seldom show the same bravado when faced with a challenger bigger than themselves. My only intent is to try and prevent more violence and bloodshed if it can be avoided. Of course, even still, there's a chance a cornered dog may still try to bite..." he explained himself before a male's voice caught his attention and abruptly ended the conversation


Dante's gaze turned to the man that showed up out of nowhere, listening quietly as he introduced himself. A researcher? Something about that made Dante's skin crawl. "It doesn't matter to me one way or the other who takes me in to get my statements. As long as it gets done expeditiously so I can get my shopping done before sundown, whoever takes my statements does not matter." he remarked shrugging his broad, powerful shoulders despite the weight they bore.


Given both men were slung like ragdolls over each shoulder, he couldn't see that the male that had been kicked in the face was starting to come to. Bleary eyes looked around, seeing not one, not two, but three Peaceguards, his head turned slowly, seeing his partner in crime incapacitated while they were both being carried by, he undoubtedly assumed, was a fourth Peaceguard officer. About that point, panic set in. No rational man would even consider trying to get away, but this man was far from rational... He reached up one of his sleeves, producing a curved dagger. As a last ditch attempt to get free and escape, he held up the fickle blade and aimed it for the base of Dante's spine.


Dante stiffened up, feeling the man move to attack, but no matter how fast he moved, there was no possible way he could avoid the attack. All he could do is hold his breath and wait for the inevitable sting... Chivalry wasn't dead, but it seemed intent on getting him killed..

 

[ChiaRoseKuro]

Altair Payne :: Peaceguard




The human mind was a fickle thing, if Altair's examination of it and its working manifestations were anything to go by, and the strange ritual of name-giving was just one of the quirks he loved observing in people. Often, given a direct query for one's name, people would instinctively grow wary, shy from direct answers and simply fend off the questioner with a series of pointed, incredibly barbed retorts that forced one to either continue tactlessly or retreat tactfully. Given a complete avoidance of any questions or, indeed, any interest in the topic, and the unnamed person would often find themselves blurting it out after very little prompting-- which was far more profitable than, say, dancing around a name without ever getting it. He really had to hand it to one of his colleagues for giving him the idea; her snobbiness was such that she rarely, if ever, deigned to use names with citizens and her so-called 'comrades' alike, and yet she managed to wrangle out more names than he did with his direct questions by the very virtue of her refusal for it! Granted, there was nothing else worthy of note about her, especially since she probably had a tree-trunk shoved up her behind, but her unconscious success in extracting names without any sort of query was really quite ingenious.


Even if using 'citizen' for people made Altair feel like he was sticking his cane up his own behind.


Musings on the human psyche and the proverbial stick up one's arse aside, though, Altair found his grin growing a little in volume as he replied to the citizen-- or Mirage, rather-- with an easy "Noted, Mirage~ And you may call me Tair, if you'd like." The name substitution was flimsy, at best (after all, it would only take another Peaceguard who wasn't familiar with his nickname to alert his current companion to his deception) but it would have to do for now, seeing as he wasn't exactly keen on giving his full name out. That, and pretty much nobody approached him of their own volition, unless they happened to be Orphy. But those were semantics, really, and nobody was taking note of his actions anyway, so who cared?


But his thoughts were abruptly broken by a rather amusing comment from Mirage, and Altair couldn't help the way a tinkling bout of laughter slipped past his lips. "Enemies? My, aren't you a funny one~" he chortled, wiping a stray tear from the corner of one closed eye. "I only happen to... disagree on some points with them. For all intents and purposes, we're as chummy as chums can be, my dear Mirage!" Subsiding into soft snorts and little shaking fits as the silence grew between them, he continued to walk on in relative peace, leaving behind the execution platform and all its fading chaos, and found himself nodding along to the girl's awkward apologies for said silence's existence. Why she'd bother apologizing for such a thing when they were hardly acquainted and she was very clearly unused to the capital was beyond him, but people did what they did to sleep at night, really, and he had spent enough time around people to understand as much.


"Ah well, no matter; Highmere does take some time to get used to, I'll give you that." Smiling warmly at her as he swung his cane a little flamboyantly in his hands (what? He needed his own little entertainment too, you know!), Altair was just about to make some other sort of comment when a rather familiar voice stopped him in his tracks. Opening his eyes to a slit and drinking in the features of the man before him, he gave a pleased, "Well, well, if it isn't Orphy~" before he launched himself at the taller male and hugged him around the middle, faintly murmuring "She's touch-averse, by the way," into his ear when he leant up for a rather dramatic kiss to his cheek.


With those pleasantries done and dusted, Altair skipped backwards and turned to Mirage, before he swept a hand at his slightly more ruffled-looking friend and introduced him with an effusive, "Mirage, this is Orphy; he knows the city like the back of his hand and would be most pleased to escort you and I to where you need to go." Turning back to his friend with a beaming smile, he chirped out a bright "Isn't that right, Orphy? Oh, and as for what this dear citizen needs-- she requires a place to sell her furs, a place to eat and drink, and possible lodgings for the night." Now that he'd gotten all those introductory things out of the way, though, he began to move forward again.


Time was a-wasting, after all, and Mirage needed to go places, see sights and do what she needed to do. Never did the thought of what Orphy need cross his mind-- but it didn't really matter anyway. He was probably slacking off anyway, seeing as he wasn't in uniform.


Typical Orphy, really.


@Falling Nebula // @Oreocookies


Apologies for the rushed post, I misjudged how long I'd need to type this orz

 

[ChiaRoseKuro]

Pallas Katsaros :: Peaceguard




Much to Pallas' surprise, her current target for all her suspicions wasn't preferencing Tale's presence as an escort over her own; here he was with the perfect opportunity to shake her, someone who he'd already run into and who was already somewhat familiar with his penchant for participating in violent altercations, off-- and yet he hadn't. Surely he had noticed her comrade's slightness-- one born not from constant exercise, but from shutting oneself in a room and doing goodness knew what in fluorescent rooms (or so she guessed; research had never been her forte and she had no need to indulge in it, seeing as it was unnecessary for her line of work)-- and his almost refined appearance, as compared to the rather visible sheath hanging by her hip and her not entirely secret knowledge of combat moves. Surely it would make more sense for him to jump on Tale's offer to dismiss herself and Elina from guarding them back to Blackgate... or, perhaps, he was exercising caution in a way that she hadn't expected him to. There is clearly the mind of a thinker hidden beneath his obvious brawn, she grudgingly admitted to herself, as her attention uncharacteristically wandered and her gaze drifted back to the tallest person in their motley little company. That, or he happens to be innocent-- but I will neither pronounce him innocent nor guilty until concrete evidence is established. And yet my convictions of his guilt are...


Whatever Pallas had been thinking about this Dante character's position as a potential mage sympathiser (or, worse, mage) quickly disintegrated when she caught an unusual flash from his direction. It had taken her mere milliseconds to pinpoint its source-- years of combat training, both in and out of the Peaceguards, had taught her enough about blades to identify them through fleeting glances alone-- and a single second to leap forward, but she couldn't help the way her sword cut through a good portion of her quarry's coat (and possibly a bit of his shirt) as her blade met the would-be serial assailant's blade with a tinny clang. Ripped clothing was nothing compared to a severed spine, though, if her opinion was anything to go by, and so she saved her apologies for later when she darted forward, spun her hastily unsheathed sword around to smash the assailant's wrist with the hilt, and send him back into unconsciousness with a harsh prod of his collarbone.


Thank goodness Pallas had paid attention in her defensive combat lessons to recall the existence of soft cartilage in the hollow of one's collarbone-- otherwise, she would've been forced to smash the butt of her sword against the assailant's head to incapacitate them.


With that particular danger dealt with, Pallas knelt down to retrieve the assailant's dagger and slide it into her belt, before she turned to her quarry and uttered a short "Apologies for the damage to your cloak." Smiling slightly (and a little wryly) as she leant up to frisk the man for any other concealed weaponry, she couldn't help the faintly amused "I suppose you wouldn't mind as much as you would've minded a dagger to your spine, though," that slipped past her lips, against her better judgement, or the unwanted intimacy she had created because of the disparate heights of herself and the unconscious men she was attempting to frisk. As much as she could've asked the potential mage sympathiser to unload the men from his shoulders so that she could conduct her searches a little easier, she wasn't prepared to run the risk of either one of them awakening as a result of the rude jolts they'd certainly get from this Dante character's movements. A blow to the collarbone's hollow was only a temporary fix, at best; with any luck, though, it would keep the now-unarmed assailant unconscious for its full course of an hour or so, long enough for them to enter Blackgate and place them within a secure holding cell. The other assailant was an entirely different question-- but, hopefully, they weren't well-versed in pressure points or any other defensive unarmed combat style which would incapacitate her quarry, should he awake and find himself weaponless.


It wasn't a bad haul, considering the fact that these were (most likely) petty criminals; apart from the curved dagger the assailant she'd incapacitated had concealed in his sleeve, Pallas had found herself with a rather nasty serrated blade and two canisters of questionable identity, along with other bits and bobs that weren't exactly weaponry, but weren't exactly harmless either. Tucking the other blade into her belt and palming a canister thoughtfully, she stepped back from the suspected mage sympathiser with a thoughtful expression, before she handed one off to Tale. "Perhaps you may be able to identify their contents," she uttered as an explanation, though she kept a hold of her own one for now. She was no medical or scientific expert, but even she knew that this was fishy stuff.


With that out of the way, though, Pallas couldn't help the rather flat "My presence is definitely needed for these sorts of incidents, comrade Tale," or her reluctance to sheath her sword. However, after some internal debate, she slowly slid it back into its scabbard and rested one wary hand on its hilt, before she carefully eyed the canister now in Tale's possession. Honestly, what was supposed to be inside...?


@One Mean Ghost // @Saccharine Cyanide // @Oreocookies (obliquely, a passing mention) // @Spazzycat101 (in the background)


I'd merge this with Altair's post, but it'd make it too bloody long orz

 

[Spazzycat101]

Celia Graye



​

Celia's gaze was dancing about the streets, hopping from person to person and building to building, watching with a removed and dull demeanor. Ordinarily, had she been going about her own errands, she might have had her mood set straight by watching the scenes change from an anxious torrent of tension washing about people to little more than a stream of mild discomfort. The anticipation of doing something productive also might have lightened her step. She listened with ambiance at the Peaceguard's disagreement, at the shock of feet striking the ground mostly in the direction opposite the city's central. Or was it the direction opposite them? Civilians would very likely take discomfort in recognizing the face or voice of Tale in the light of that morning's announcement, but Leah wasn't aware. Her vivid eyes portrayed a confused and lazy curiosity, but like her earlier grin, it faded into the assumption that it was from the unusual amount of Peaceguard colours that strode around in their little corner of the street. Celia turned her gaze from the shifty people to the constant things, like the unlit lamps that lined the road upon which people were trotting, or the doors that locked little shuttered-up houses and those with windows thrown open and welcome to whatever breeze. There were both the busy energies of the street and the unmoving, consistent pleasures that all would have escaped her eyes entirely were she not being lead down the too-cheerful path to Blackgate.





Celia jumped with alarm at the sound of metal clashing against metal. Her head snapped up and her feet stumbled momentarily, and she only managed to witness about half the scene. The sudden tension painfully reminded her of the bruises that she had nearly forgotten about, and also subconsciously hoisted her back back onto her shoulder from where it had been slipping. She had been vaguely distracted, letting her mind wander and paying no attention to the small group about them. Leah didn't quite catch the glint of the man's dagger, and the momentary shock of adrenaline of seeing the Peacguard escorting her strike the other-- or, no, the assailant-- put her on edge like a cat prepared to flee. She caught on vaguely about what happened though when Pallas took from the apparently very persistent person more weaponry. The edge of the serrated blade looked like it could bite without a hand to wield it and sent shivers down the mechanic's spine, and it occurred to her that perhaps, when the two made their comment about her acting like a Mage, they weren't the oblivious people she had made them out to be. They certainly seemed a bit radical.


But her attention came fully and with eagerness when she saw the canisters. Her bright eyes widened and began flicking from Pallas to Tale, each of whom now had one, as if to devise which one would be more likely to give her the one they had. Celia didn't suppose that the one with a stiffer everyday posture then she herself had with a bruised ribcage would simply hand over a mysterious artifact, even if she knew he as the Peaceguard's unofficial engineer, and so approached Stroud.


'Looks like they were more serious about mage-hunting then I first made them out to be. Any idea what those ought to be?' While she spoke at a rapid pace, Leah pointed to the canister in Tale's hands, her own feeling rather eager to inspect the object herself.





@Saccharine Cyanide ~~~~ @One Mean Ghost @HeartsAbyss

 

[M03M03]

“Chummy as Chums….that's good I suppose.” This man...apparently called Tair of all names, if that could be considered a name…was certainly unique. Perhaps, though, Mirage was making too quick of a judgement...perhaps all the people that inhabited, what Mirage was quickly concluding was a crazy city, acted in such away. Spirits knew that the behavior Mirage had encountered here was a lot different from the direct attitude of the people who inhabited small villages that dotted the countryside.


Tired eyes looked around at the people moving around her and Tair, noting the different sizes and shapes. There were people dressed lavishly, people dressed averagely, people dressed in what could only be described as rags. Never before had Mirage been so grateful for her clothing, especially her duster which would teleport to her when she wished it to.


Mirage was distracted by her musings when another man...Orphy apparently... (The names in this city were weird as well….) came upon Mirage and her escort. That was when Tair, with even more cheerfulness and enthusiasm than he had already displayed in large amounts, launched himself at the man hugging him close and giving him a big kiss on the cheek.


Mirage shuddered involuntarily deeply hoping that this was not how friends were greeted in this mental city and that instead this Orphy was a relative or a lover. If another greeted her in such a way she might just snap...not a good thing when instinct demanded she call on her magic to change her into a large mountain cat. Perhaps no one would notice if that happened. Yep, Mirage was ready to believe no one in this city would notice considering the mental health that had so far been displayed.


It was not that the cheerfulness and helpful attitude was odd to Mirage itself...after all villagers were known for welcoming attitudes and a lending hand once they accepted you as their own. It was the obvious show of violence in the streets that had just been demonstrated...and which had been ignored by most people signalling an acute familiarity with the behavior...not to mention the wary glances and quick steps of the crowds. Could a person really blame Mirage if she felt that the cheerful attitude of the two men she had so far met was akin to the smile of a snake or a rat? A mask to hide behind and who knew what lived beneath that surface.


Personally Mirage did not want to find out right now….all she wanted was to finish her business...get a good night's rest and perhaps than she would be ready to mess with the mysteries of the city.


“And a place to get a map.” Mirage said while running a cloth wrapped hand through her hair. “Though right now that place to eat and spend the night is greatly increasing in importance.” It was already past noon and time was slipping by with almost abnormal speed...it would not be that long until night fell….or at least it seemed that way to Mirage herself.


@HeartsAbyss


@Oreocookies


(Everyone can tell if I am really tired when I put up a post...cause my characters are always tired as well cause I can not imagine not being tired at that moment...and cause of spelling.)

 

[One Mean Ghost]

Dante tensed up as he heard the clang out of his sight. It was some moments before he dared to move, and when he did, he felt a fresh breeze through the new slit in the back of his clothing.


"Apologies for the damage to your cloak."


"I suppose you wouldn't mind as much as you would've minded a dagger to your spine, though,"


Dante couldn't help a soft laugh as he let out the breath he had been holding. "You're right about that... I'd rather have to stitch my clothing back together than stitch myself together. Come to think of it, I'm not sure exactly how I'd manage to patch myself up if I got stabbed back there...." He remarked thoughtfully. He certainly owed Pallas now. After all, had she not intervened, he'd have a second asshole to contend with. Even then, that would have been the best case scenario. Had that blade hit home, it easily could have severed his spine and likely paralyzed him. That attack wasn't the work of someone unfamiliar with fighting. No, there was something off about these two. He just couldn't quite figure out what.


Dante adjusted the men on his powerful shoulders, still showing no sign of fatigue despite carrying the two men. His gaze peeked over his shoulder as he saw the various items the men had in their possession. "Looks like these two meant business, doesn't it?" He asked as he kept moving rather easily through the crowds. Why would these two have been so armed and then just picked a fight with a random girl? Too many questions, not enough answers. Odds are, he'd never get those answers. The Peaceguard would no doubt find answers, but, assuming Dante somehow came out of Blackgate with his head still attached, he still would likely never find out what came of the investigation.


It wasn't long before the imposing walls of Blackgate came into view. "Pallas, is there any particular place I need to drop these two, or can I make like a lazy bellboy and just drop them anywhere there's some floor space?" Dante asked with a light, playful smirk. He knew full well Peaceguard Girl hadn't wanted him to know her name given her reluctance to just tell it to him, but her associate had been kind enough to speak it for him. Whether she liked it or not, he knew her name now. There was no malice in the use of her name, more like a subtle sense of triumph in that he had found out her name despite her best efforts to keep it from him.


He did take note, as they drew closer to Blackgate's imposing doors, that Pallas had made no move to confiscate the one weapon Dante kept on his person. A long dagger more closely resembling a tanto blade sat prominently on his back hip. The handle was quite elegantly wrapped in the traditional style with red ribbon, and it had a simple metal hoop protruding from the bottom of the hilt that seemed to serve little true purpose. It was, as anyone versed in swords could attest, expertly made. The Mekugi that held the blade in the handle was designed as a silver dragon staring through the wrap. Just from the hilt alone, it was clear the blade was of exceptional quality. Given Dante seemed more than capable of fighting unarmed, there was a good possibility Dante carried it more as a status symbol or as a deterrent rather than because he had any actual intention of using it.

 

[Auricula]

Orpheus Izar-Hatysa




Orpheus' arms reflexively went around Altair, pulling him close and returning the kiss to the cheek. Throughout it all, he was stone-faced. But his eyes had brightened a little when he heard what Altair whispered to him. Then Altair skipped back to the female and introduced him. Orpheus shot him a mildly amused look. Knows the city like the back of his hand? He couldn't deny that though.


Touch-averse... He briefly debated over his options before settling on one.


Taking up her hand gently but gripping it roughly, he brought it to his lips in a false show of gentlemanliness. Then he dropped it. A soft smile rested on his lips but it wasn't warm.


"It's my pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mirage. I'll be more than delighted to bring you around," he said calmly. His crystal blue eyes flicked over to Altair and he grinned at him knowing his best friend would be on the same wavelength as him.


@HeartsAbyss @Falling Nebula (Orphy is terrible I'm sorry)


Elina Dalca :: Peaceguard




Trust Pallas to be the voice of reason. Or, well, go about things far more tactfully than she would (lord knows she would have insulted their witnesses if it were up to her). Casually, she stretched and her eyes flicked down to Pallas' hands, their motion not going unnoticed. She didn't bother gesturing anything in response feeling that anymore could draw attention. Besides, there was no point. They had already agreed on what to do and years of working closely with Pallas granted them an unparalleled connection.


"That will be the arrangement," Elina added to back up Pallas.


Then she saw one of the captive assailants rouse and aim to attack. But Pallas reacted quickly. The ordeal, if it could even be called that, was over quickly and Elina relaxed. Her bottom lip trembled a little. She pressed her lips into a thin line and adopted a look of severity. It was a pity their quarry couldn't be harmed. She would have acted herself if not for Pallas getting there before her. Which might have been for the best since Elina was starting to get a little restless and would like very much to see some blood.


Watching them go, Elina stepped back into the crowd and let them swallow her up. She went about on the pretence of patrolling but her eyes were still on Dante's tall figure. Then her eyes flicked away having ascertained the route they were using. She spent another half a minute or so dawdling about in her patrol route before breaking off and heading down another street.


Striding widely and quickly, she effortlessly caught up with the quartet, their figures disappearing and appearing from buildings. She still left some distance behind them, using the buildings between them to block their sight of her should they look behind.

 

[Namie]

Svana wrung her hands as the man walked past without so much as a thought towards her. Well I'll be. I suppose these days with all the hunts and to-do people don't have time for niceties anymore. She thought to herself, feeling a bit off-put. She turned around and watched the man toss his coin on the counter where the shopkeep hurried to fulfill the order. As the man one again passed her on the way out, Svana stepped back towards her table, pausing in the middle of the shop not yet over her shock.


"Well.." She murmured wondering what kind of event had the man rushing out with such a mood. Suddenly a thought came to her. What if it had something to do with a mage? Had they caught another one so soon? Svana felt fear touch her, a whisper on her mind before she pushed it away, hoping her emotions didn't show on her face. The small girl turned away from he door to further conceal her expression only to be blinded by a blue flash on light.


"Aargh!" She yelped, shielding her gaze from the light. When it was gone she ran over and peered over the counter, eyes wide. "What the..." She gasped, freezing realizing what she had seen. It was then she immediately turned around and ran up to the front door and turned the sign to closed. Once done, she rushed back and leaped the counter coming to squat next to the fallen man. "Are you okay? Oh my lord. What are you doing? Are you crazy, mister? What if that guy had seen? Both of could be killed. You could have gotten me caught you crazy shopkeep!" Her hands shook as they hovered over the man, unsure whether to touch him or even where to assist if he was injured.


"Do you need me to get something? What happened there? What was that light? Do you do that a lot?" She rambled, obviously scared and definitely in shock.


Interacting With

@Guydaguy

 

[Guydaguy]

Remi was bombarded by the mass of questions coming at him. The good news were that the woman wasn't rushing off to call the Peaceguards to put him in cuffs and toss him into Blackgate. Actually, she helped; turned the sign to closed on the front of the bakery. Remi stood up, patted the dust off his pants, and looked at her quizically. "Gotten you caught? What, are you a mage as well?" Remi asked. He figured there was no use hiding anything from this woman anymore. She basically already knew. And the fact that she didn't freak out and run away only gave him a bit more hope that she was a sympathizer.


"It was involuntary. I don't control it when my magic escapes," Remi explained. I should really stick to my schedule..


@Namie

 

[Namie]

Svana backed off the man as he stood and brushed himself off. She felt herself wringing her hands again and shook her hands, trying to shake off her unease. The small mage-girl looked towards the front of the store where windows looked out onto the street side. She bit her lip, wondering if anyone had seen and was off running to find a peace guard. She didn't know a way out unless it was the front door and with her powers, she'd be lucky to take care of her own behind much less help another mage even if she wanted to.


The baker questioned her, "Gotten you caught? What, are you a mage as well?"


Svana looked up at him with wide eyes, lips sealed shut. She could hear her mother scolding her in the back of her head, ready to give her a good walloping for even getting herself in the situation. "Well..." Svana started, cringing slightly at her awkwardness and yet still managing to don a grin. The man filled in while she remained silent. "It was involuntary. I don't control it when my magic escapes," He explained and Svana glanced towards the front windows again, her uneasiness coming back the more the two spoke about it. "I am a mage. But I'd like that piece of information real hush hush. Although you should be more careful. If that guy had seen he might have reported you in a hurry." She murmured softly before adding curiously, "What kind of magic was that? All I saw was a flash of light."


As Svana waited for his reply she casually made her way to the front of the store and pointed to the sign. "Want me to turn this back around?" She interjected.


Interacting With

@Guydaguy

 

[M03M03]

The minute the man,Orphy, gripped her hand Mirage felt her muscles tighten and her stomach roil...it was the last straw. Despite the fact her hand had been released Mirage yanked it back toward her and started forward stomping on the Orphy’s foot with her combat boot. Her vision was starting to change, starting to waver….not a good sign at all. “You know what boys? I think I can take care of myself. It was NOT a pleasure to meet you.” Emotions roiled within the woman and Mirage could not help, but compare Orphy to a snake...which she quickly regretted as that would be offensive to said snake. Despite that, he was a predator, they both were, some version of it at least. A person could be judged by his or her friends and that did not speak well for Tair. Either way they were uniforms and if she stayed one more second both she, and they would be doomed. Mirage knew there was a good chance they would follow...would see her retreat as a predator might. Stepping toward a group of pretty women Mirage nodded toward Tair and Orphy…”They told me they wanted to talk to you, guys..I think they see you all as attractive.” Slipping behind the barrier of color and perfume Mirage turned a corner into an alleyway, then ran. It was more than fear of being touched that sped her feet...it was the fact her instincts were taking over...fight or flight and her body always reverted to fight. Which was why magic was swirling inside of her...which was why she ran. Instinct, and practice had Mirage yank off her duster, her pack and her weapons the moment she spotted the huge garbage can filled to the brim. Wincing internally the female rolled her possessions into a tight bundle then stuffed the under several bags of garbage. Looking back Mirage wondered if the two would actually follow...then remembered all the times she had questioned her judgement before when it came to their kind...they would follow, whether now or later, they would follow. A spike of dizziness clouded Mirage’s eyes, colors, shapes changed, fear, anger, defensiveness, instinct, roiled. Run, Run far and fast and hope they did not see...and dear god do not change into the mountain cat. Chanting dog under her breath Mirage ran, and ran fast taking a few turns but slowing down as confusion started to whisper its way through her mind. Spotting a dingy inn Mirage stumbled in and asked one question. “Lady’s room?”

 

[Guydaguy]

Remi silently sighed with relief. Not a sympathizer, but a mage herself.. He's never met another mage before.


Remi tried ignoring the rush of thoughts and ideas swimming around in his brain, and the girl asked something. "What kind of magic was that? All I saw was a flash of light."


"I can remove or grant powers to myself. Probably other people too, but I've never actually tried," Remi explained. "That flash was the result of my magic releasing. I remove my powers daily so I can live normally," Remi filled her in. When asked whether to flip the sign around, he nodded. "Yes, please." Remi walked over from behind the counter. "I've never actually met another mage before.. What's your specialty?"


@Namie

 

[Gilzar]

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​

Aaron Lloyd


"Hold still. I'm just about finished..." Aaron's grizzled voice rang out as he slowly stitched the wound of some stranger he cared nothing about other than her money. The wound was deep, the lady claimed it was the result of a shifting crowd. It required fine work, with delicate fingers, something that Aaron possessed. Stroke after stroke, Aaron weaved his string through the sides of the wound, closing it tighter and tighter, and fine line reflecting his years of experience with the human body. A doctor was the perfect cover for him afterall, switching bodies and constantly being aware of your own physical state makes you keen about the body. Truth be told, he probably knew more than the doctors that actually went to school for such things.


The woman shuttered with each weave, until Aaron made one final stroke. With fingers still gripped on the line, Aaron leaned down and grabbed his cutting tools. "Tell me." he said in a curious notion, "how did you get this wound?".


"There was an execution today sir." the woman replied, she was probably no higher than a commoner. "A lot happened."





With curiosity striking him, Aaron raised his greying right brow. "Such as?"


"Well..." She replied. "There was this big street fight. A man, very handsome mind you, took down this big peace guard. I mean he dropped him with one hit, it was remarkable!" The peasant than paused, as if to collect her thoughts. "Then...before they dropped some poor bloke' on the noose this strange peace guard fellow stands up and announces that the City is on lockdown and..."





"And?" Aaron impatiently questioned while trimming down the stitch line.


"The fellow also said that they'd poisoned the water with some kind of poison that only works on the mages...And now I'm worried about me' kids! So I tried turning and running when I fell and..."





Abruptly she was interrupted by Aaron's hysterical laugh. "T-they...what? They said they poisoned the water?! Really? And they would just announce that in front of everyone?"


"Sir, what if this poison hurts my kids!"





"Depends...." Aaron asked in an antagonizing tone. "Are your kids..." He gasped in a dramatic fashion. "MAGES?"


The woman's face showed she had taken offense to such remarks, "No, absolutely not! My children and I aren't filthy mages!".





"Oh, really? Then I suppose you have nothing to worry about...Except paying me." With that Aaron turned around, adjusting his coat and writing up a bill. Since most found it rude to say what was owed out loud, he simply wrote it out. "There you are."


She read it in silence. "What?" Aaron asked. "You can read, right?"


"Yes I can read, thank you very much sir! This is just expensive"





"Don't call me sir, I'm not a bloody peace guard. Plus, this is cheaper than if you went over to one of those 'healers' in the high districts"


"I'm not even a real doctor..." He mumbled softly. The woman fussed no more, and paid upfront the lump sum of coin she owed. She then rolled down her sleeves and left. Good riddence, Aaron thought to himself as he slowly opened the door out of his moving office. Unlike most offices, Aaron's was mobile. Simply putting it, he operated his store in the back of a covered cart. Now, all that talk of poisoned water and fights gave him a hankering curiosity to head down to the higher districts, and so he loaded up, got his horse ready, and was off.


Poisoned water, was this the Peace Guard's next big claim to scare the mages? While moving his cart through the city Aaron gave such wild claims a good think over. If the Peace Guard really had poisoned water that killed only mages, why would they announce it to everyone? Wouldn't it be much more effective if it wasn't known about so that mages kept drinking the cities water? Furthermore, wouldn't such an action be extremely expensive? It would probably take massive budget cuts to undermine such a project...All these facts made Aaron very doubtful that the water was actually poisoned. Most likely he figured it was just a scare tactic to get mages to stop drinking water so it's easier to spot them out. Also, in the slightest chance, IF the water was actually poisoned, Aaron would surely have time to swap bodies with someone before it would take his life. So in otherwords, he had no plans to stop drinking the water anytime soon.


He'd had enough of thinking about lies and propaganda from the tyrannous peaceguard however. Aaron was too damn old in spirit to think about such things, and this body probably was as well. Plus, he'd already made good time and his small caravan was already entering the small area where the execution stage was. Now, where were the wounded from these brawls? Surely they would need a cheap doctor...


(Open for interaction!)