Fantasy &nbsp; New Oasis: Four Heavenly Kings — The B-Sides

SCENE:

Teashop

TIME:

2013

LOCATION:

白春花茶莊, East District

PARTICIPANTS:

Isaiah, Kairong, Ruriko, Shen, Shuwei

TEASHOP

In just one month, he'd lost everything. His father was gone. His place to be was gone. When all the dark secrets were exposed and he was brought before the Dragons to face judgment, he expected to lose his life as well. However, his punishment never came. He was still here, washing dishes in the back of a tea shop. It still didn't feel real to him.

For some reason, an elderly member of the Dragons offered to take him in. He was just as confused now as he was then, struggling to understand Lin Kairong's motivations. The man and his wife showed him nothing but kindness, but that only made it more difficult for him to understand. He had nothing of value to offer them, only able to pay back their generosity by working in their shop. That hardly seemed like a fair exchange.

Regardless of the circumstances that led him to that point, he was still someone who disrupted the Dragons' peace by committing various crimes behind their backs. There may have been times when he assisted with missions given to his father by the gang, but it didn't cancel out everything else he'd done. No matter how much he thought about it, being in this place made no sense. He should've been rotting in a cell or worse. However, when the aged veteran offered to take him in despite being a potential threat, he stopped thinking about all of that. If there was a place for him in the world, he'd go there. If he could survive, nothing else mattered. It was that simple.

He was still adjusting to his new life. He'd been through this before, having to adapt to a new environment when he lost his mother and moved in with his father. However, that experience didn't make things any easier for him. Living and working in the tea shop was drastically different from everything else he'd been exposed to in the past few years. There was a sense of normalcy that felt foreign to him, and getting used to it was proving to be somewhat difficult. The only thing he hadn't struggled with was being in the kitchen.

He was used to cooking and cleaning. As a child, he started learning how to look after the house and prepare simple meals so he could help lessen his mother's burden. When living with his father, he needed to be able to take care of things on his own, and that included being able to feed himself. This was his first normal job, but he already had plenty of experience. However, when it came to making tea, there was definitely room for improvement. He couldn't compete with the owners, both of them being masters of their craft.

As he set a clean teacup on the counter, a loud voice brought him out of his thoughts. Aside from its volume, there was another reason the shout caught his attention. He'd heard this voice before, but he couldn't remember who it belonged to. Most of the people his father worked with were either dead or paying for their crimes, so he doubted it was one of them.

While he tried to put a face to the exuberant voice, he heard Mrs. Lin call out to him. Turning to see her walk through the partition, Isaiah dried his hands and went to follow. Like her husband, the elderly woman had been very kind to him since he arrived here. In many ways, she reminded him of his mother and his aunt. He was grateful to her, but it had been a very long time since he was exposed to that kind of warmth. He was still trying to get used to it.

As he stepped outside, Isaiah finally got a good look at the visitors who claimed they'd drink everything the shop had. Connecting the voices to the three faces, he immediately remembered where he knew these people from. They were Dragons. The short, cheery woman was most familiar to him. She was present at his trial, but unbeknownst to her, they'd met many times before then.

Realizing they were Dragons, Isaiah's first thought was that Mr. Lin had changed his mind, calling for other members of the gang to bring him in to face the punishment he avoided before. With that in mind, he wondered if he could escape. He could erase his presence, but he had limited knowledge of everyone's abilities. He knew that the woman his father referred to as Portal Keeper could create portals, but the two men at her side were a mystery. If it came down to it, beating them all by himself would be difficult. He had the advantage when it came to height, but that mattered little when it came to HPs. What mattered most was Potential and training. His father taught him many things, but would that be enough? Could he escape? Could he beat them? Would he have to kill? Would they kill him? Where could he go? What would he do after? How would he live?

"Welcome. Please follow me." After offering the trio a polite bow and grabbing three menus, he ushered them to the seating area. Hundreds of questions went through his mind at that moment, but his expression remained neutral. That was how his father trained him, teaching him to always remain calm. In the end, thinking about it was pointless. This was most likely just a simple visit. The other option didn't make much sense, especially when he considered Mr. Lin's personality.

Stopping at one of the tables, Isaiah held out a hand, inviting them to take a seat. Once everyone was settled, he placed a menu in front of each of them. "Can I get you anything to start with?" He treated them just like any other customers, ignoring the part of his brain that was thinking of ways to handle the situation if it took a turn for the worse. If they really intended to empty the shop's stock, it would be a very busy day.

simj26

Beann

Elenion Aura

Roda the Red · Mar 25, 2022

Charlie Hughes

http://www.google.com

SCENE:

Anime Convention!!

LOCATION:

Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Charlie, Jesper, Tenebrosity, Tri, Kasumi, Others.

Anime Convention!!

"...Wait, Tenebrosity, it's you! I haven't seen you in a while!"

Charlie was already thinking that the DJ looked somewhat familiar, the different clothes were probably what didn't make it as evident. He has known Tenebrosity for a few months now, they're a good friend of Helva, and the two met on a few occasions whenever both happened to visit Helva's place, although admitedly Charlie could not claim he knew Ten all that well, it was more of a "friend of a friend" situation.

Charlie listened to what Jesper had to say, apparently she was trying to get an exclusive figure or a certain show or game, Juniper's Tale? He couldn't remember anything going by that name, in fact, all of these new things he knew nothing about gave Charlie a bit of a renewed interest in anime, perhaps I should binge some new shows after the event! he thought to himself. He also noticed Jesper purchasing one piece of merchandise they had available, so Charlie thought to himself that it would be nice to support his acquaintance's booth. He leaned over to the displayed products and grabbed the first two volumes of the series.

"I'd like to get these myself please, I'll make sure to buy the others eventually if it hooks me"

As he prepared to hand out the money, the thought it wouldn't hurt to do a little bit of small talk with Ten.

"Honestly I didn't expect to meet you here, but it's nice seeing you, we should catch up if you're available later, love the selection of music by the way"

Lucem · Mar 26, 2022

Ezra Knight

SCENE:

Midnight Breather

TIME:

September 18th, 2021, 12:30 AM

LOCATION:

West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Ezra, Isobel

Saturn_moon , August

MIDNIGHT BREATHER

Ezra planned on waiting until he got home to give his father his report, but dropping off Callahan and checking on the Tigers at the casino took longer than expected. Knowing that it wasn't wise to keep Silas Knight waiting, he made the call from an underground parking lot and prepared himself for a lengthy discussion. However, their conversation was very brief.

After recounting the night's events to his father, the older man advised him to continue on his current path, making the most out of his close proximity to the King and Jack. That was it. Even when Ezra mentioned the chaos at the casino and the moment he'd been torn apart by slugs fired from an autocannon, there was no comment. If he had to guess, his father probably didn't see the need to ask about his condition when he sounded perfectly healthy over the phone. It would've just been wasted time.

For all the effort he put in that night, Ezra received two words he'd never heard before. "Good work". That was his prize. Two little words followed by the sound of the line disconnecting. He was sure his father meant what he said, but it didn't feel like actual praise. It was what a boss said to their employee after the latter accomplished the task given to them. There was no emotion in it, but Ezra was used to it at this point. He was an employee, and this was his job. That's all there was to it.

Since the call ended, he'd been waiting in the dark, empty parking lot, trying to relax now that there was a moment of silence. Sinking deeper into his seat, he unbuttoned his jacket and loosened his tie. Nobody else was around, so there was no need to keep up a professional image. He felt exhausted, both physically and mentally. All he could think about was getting home and falling asleep as soon as his head hit a pillow. Unfortunately, some people weren't ready to let him call it a night.

Hearing his phone ring, he let out a sigh. When he looked to see who was calling, he let out an even deeper breath and wondered if he should even bother answering. Considering that the person on the other end might actually have something important to say for a change, he decided against ignoring them and swiped at the screen. It didn't take long for him to regret making that choice.

"So he is alive! It's been a while since I heard from you, Ezra. Oh, that's wrong, isn't it? My mistake. I meant to say that it's been a while, Z. That's what you're calling yourself now, right? To think that you'd use the nickname your dear big brother gave you as an alias. I'm touched."

Pressing his forehead against the steering wheel, Ezra's thumb hovered over the button to end the call. He could feel his cheeks warming from embarrassment as Elliott called him by his nickname. There wasn't a single moment he didn't regret using it as his alias, but nothing else came to mind when he had to make a decision. Who even told him about that?

"What do you want?" He didn't even try to hide his annoyance. Elliott had always been this way, and Ezra was used to all the teasing. However, after everything he'd been through, he wasn't in the mood to deal with his older brother.

"Can't I just call in to check on my brother after his first big job as a little gangster? I heard there was a commotion at one of the Tiger's casinos tonight, and I remembered that you were supposed to be doing some gambling. Although, I'm guessing you didn't win it big, considering the mess that was made."

Ezra wasn't sure if Elliott heard the details from their father or some other source, but his brother seemed to be well-informed. "I guess you could say that..." Unless Titus counted, he left the casino empty-handed. Well, it's not like the Tigers would've let him keep any of the money they won back from the large man.

"A real shame. Well, at least you have your health. Or do you? I have to say, you don't sound very chipper. What's got you down? Catch a cold? Get nervous in front of one of the big cats and lose your lunch? I'm a kind, loving soul, so I'll lend you an ear. How are you feeling, tiger?" There was a brief pause before he continued, as if he was expecting to hear something specific in response to his next question. "Anything feel off?"

"Well, I'm still breathing..." He wasn't feeling too great, but after getting attacked by an armed group of HPs, that was to be expected. Although, things could've ended up a lot worse. Still being able to breathe was an accomplishment in many ways.

There was another moment of silence. All was quiet, leaving only the sound of the car's engine until Elliott spoke up once again. "Make sure it stays that way, baby brother." The playful tone was gone from his voice.

"Huh?" Raising his head, Ezra looked at his phone. He didn't get a response, as his brother was quick to end the call after that last comment, leaving him staring at the screen in confusion. "What was that all about?"

Deciding to save his questions until he got some proper sleep, Ezra turned off his phone and slid it into his pocket. Sadly, right as it touched his thigh, he felt a vibration, letting him know that someone else wanted a turn with him. Groaning, he fished out his phone again. When will it end?

When he read the text, Ezra was surprised to see that it was from the Jack of the Albino Tigers. He hadn't expected to hear from her so soon. Was this about the upcoming mission? Considering how she worded her message, that seemed unlikely. He didn't want to jump straight into a brainstorming session right after leaving HQ, so that was a bit of a relief. Although, he had to wonder what she could've needed him for if it didn't have anything to do with the claw.

Honestly, he didn't want to go. He wanted to turn off his phone and drive straight home. He just wanted to rest. However, turning Isobel down wasn't an option. His father told him to stay close to the gang's leadership, making the most out of the terrible position he'd been forced into. He never would've heard the end of it if he wasted this opportunity. Much to his displeasure, he also had a conscience, and he would've had to think about how he just abandoned Isobel if something bad happened to her after she asked for his help.

"I can help. Where do you need me?"

After sending Isobel a response, Ezra closed his eyes and saw a vision of his bed drifting far away. This was going to be a long night.

Damafaud · Mar 26, 2022

TRI

SCENE:

Anime Convention!!

LOCATION:

Anime Convention, Central District

TIME:

August 22nd, 2021 | Pre-Arc 1

PARTICIPANTS:

Jesper, Charlie, Tenebrosity, Lucy, Tri, Others

Anime Convention!!

Nice gun, where is it from?

To Tri's disappointment, no one asked him questions like that. Like before, most people just watched and stared at him, even as he swung the gun masterfully in one hand and dropping it to the floor constantly.

Maybe Lewis was right. He should have cosplayed a popular anime character. He had been going around, posing and styling with Savior of 2D Humanity, and not one person had asked to take a picture with him. Or took a picture of him.

Tri scratched his chin. As expected, OCs weren't popular. Oh well. After Plan Delta, everyone would know the name of his OC Cool Chimpanzee, the Savior of Humanity, and his cool gun Savior of 2D Humanity.

As Tri strolled around, looking for an entry point for his Plan Delta, the woman manning the magical girl booth he passed about five times went for a break. It was a chance. As she headed for the bathroom, Tri deployed his green gas bomb in the corridor.

"What the-"

"Hup." Tri grabbed the woman's head.

CRACK

The woman's neck twisted with a sickening crunch. Skin and muscles tore, tainting the porcelain floor red. She was definitely dead. Tri sighed internally. He knew it wouldn't work like in anime, but he had that sliver of hope... oh well. He should add 'bloodless neck twist' to anime move impossible to perform in real life.

While people were still too flustered to run into or away from the colored gas spreading, Tri opened the breastfeeding room and threw the woman's body there. Now the body was pregnant women's problem. He escaped far enough before he could hear screams about seeing blood from the restroom area.

"Hm. What a tragedy," said Tri with a shrug of his shoulder. Cool Chimpanzee isn't interest in small accidents. He had a bigger plan.

The magical group stall had one more person, right?

---

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE STILL FUCKING KILLED SOMEONE?!"

"I-I'm sorry, sir. He was too fast. We weren't able to stop him."

"Fuckfuckfuck! Clean that shit up, cover it, stop the police at least until the end of the convention! It's going to be annoying if Dad wants to host his own convention because this one gets cancelled or something bullshit like that."

The assistant nodded furiously and started making calls. It was good that most of Cohen Cleaning Crew were at the convention. They acted fast to cover the murder, at least for now. Erasing the blood, cleaning some memories, hiding the body.

Paris downed an aspirin. It was good that he postponed the testing of Jeremy-strain influenza until the evening. If he was hearing this in the middle of an experiment, he would be feeling half-dead right now. "Where is Dad now?"

"He... he seems to be heading toward the magical girl stall, sir."

"...well?"

"I already asked our people to intervene, sir. One to distract Doctoral with taking a picture, another to remove the stall owner peacefully from the premise."

Paris grunted. "Good work. Get to the end of this day without a disaster, and you can get an extra thousand."

"T-thank you, sir." The assistant was sweating bullets. No accident? With the doctor roaming around wildly with a plan? He secretly emailed his mother goodbye. He probably would die today.

Saturn_moon · Mar 26, 2022

ISOBEL PHAM

Scene: Midnight Breather
Location: West District
Time: 18 September 2021, 12:30AM | Post-Arc 1
Participants:

Doctor Llamabean (August),

Lucem (Ezra)

August's sudden impassioned response to her nudge caused Isobel to likewise jump and stumble back. Paranoid, she glanced around once more, checking if something might have snuck up behind her and she hadn't noticed, but it was still just the two of them up on that roof. All was quiet and still. Even the streets below were devoid of any traffic in this part of the district.

At the mention of his nickname for her, the young woman habitually shot August an annoyed look which immediately softened as she watched him try and disguise his pain beneath his usual sarcastic chatter. Their friendship was an odd one. Despite starting out as more of a business relationship, August had become one of the two Tigers that Isobel had come to genuinely befriend. She wasn't going to trust him to not throw her under the bus if it came down to that, she knew him well enough to know that he was always going to put himself first, but they had an understanding at the very least.

A buzz from her phone alerted her to Ezra's response. Checking it she breathed a sigh of relief before sending her address back to him. "Fifth floor. Door with flowers painted on it."

Taking in August's tattered clothes she shrugged off her jacket and tossed it over to him. All she had on was a white t-shirt underneath and the chilled night air raised goosebumps on her skin. Thankfully, her apartment wasn't too far away and he definitely needed the jacket more than she did. Standing up, she extended a hand out for August to take then jerked her head in a motion that asked him to follow. I have your real knight in shining armor on his way. A small smirk crept its way across her mouth at the joke she had just made even though no one else had heard it.

Taigakitt · Mar 28, 2022

Jay
Responding to Meirin (

QuirkyAngel )

Jay was hanging out in the garden, shirtless of course, when he felt his phone buzz.

SWALLOWTAIL!?

He pulled his phone from his pocket, seeing the other familiar number that buzzed him.

OH RIGHT!

Well, she was at a temple, he didn’t want to bother her.

He looked at what could have possibly spurned her to message him and remembered.

“Hah. Right.”

He plopped down on a log that was situated by a beautiful bundle of lavender flowers.

He texted Meirin back, “ill be around!

-Jay”

Elenion Aura · Mar 28, 2022

RAPHAEL SHAW

SCENE:

Unlikely Encounter

TIME:

Post Arc 1/Pre Arc 2 — Sometime After September 17th, 2021

LOCATION:

Geronimos, Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Raphael, August (

UNLIKELY ENCOUNTER

What the fuck are you doing? Was the thought that ran through Raph's mind as he watched the Tiger lean forward, bouncing his head and making a simply ridiculous expression before he said something that Raph supposed passed for 'clever', somewhere... Maybe.

The thought sprang to mind every once in a while. Typically when he's done something particularly... Regrettable. Though, usually Raph didn't regret his actions until after he'd taken them, so... This experience was, at least, a little novel. He supposed...

Normally, he would've said something 'clever'—more likely it'd have been something rude, or hurtful, or crass (maybe even all three at once)—in response. But he didn't have it in him to be rude right now. Wait... What was that last part?

... To Raph's supreme suprise, he found it to be true. He just... After everything that'd happened over the last few days, it felt like his head was constantly on fire, but in a good way? Paradoxical, he knew.

“I see,” Raph purred before he turned his attention back to his drink—how many are you, hm? Doesn't matter - down you go—before setting the empty glass down on the bar top with a bang. “That must take a while. Do you wake up early?” He asked, without ever expecting or caring to hear an answer. Sometimes it was okay to let a joke die.

Raph was about to help himself to another generous pour when he heard the sounds of a garbled conversation growing quickly louder. He was suddenly on edge again, his grip on the neck of the bottle threatening to shatter the distressed glass beneath the vice of his grip. Again, the thought needled him.

What the fuck are you doing?

The truth was he didn't know. He felt like he was in free fall without a parachute. It was strangely liberating, if utterly terrifying... Then again, the prospect of being trapped alone with, by his count, four Tigers—he could only assume that his white-haired acquaintance had come here with friends—made him long a little for a bit more stability.

Raph turned to look as August did, in time to see the hand clap down on the other boy's back. This... This was different, Raph thought to himself as he took the measure of the three much older men who'd approached them. He couldn't say he particularly recognized any of them, but at least Raph wasn't drunk enough to miss that little nugget of insight. Son, hm? As—who Raph could only presume was—dad leered at him in a way that could've been innocuous, but most certainly wasn't, Raph leered back, choosing for his part to forego the fox's smile.

He could totally see the resemblance.

Raph had to stifle a smile as the older man ruffled his son's hair. It was such a familiar gesture that he almost felt sick for having witnessed it. He was a stranger, after all, peering through a porthole into his enemy's secret life. And then, as if to punctuate the thought, one of the men said a name.

August.

Raph looked at him. August... He tilted his head one way, as if trying to work it out. August didn't look like an August to him. Then again, he didn't not look like one, either. What does an August look like?

August was looking at him now, looking like he was about to say something. Raph smirked, imagining what sort of clever diversion he was cooking up to distract his enemy from the recent revelation. Only he never got the chance, interrupted by the man who'd tried to kick Raph out not so long ago. He'd returned bearing the truly god-awful sounding concoction that one August had ordered. Raph had been looking forward to this.

“No, no,” Raph said, waving the manager away with the neck of the half-drunk liquor bottle he'd pilfered from behind the bar. “I think I'm good.”

Then he turned his attention back on the situation at hand, glancing expectantly at the drink that the manager had produced. “Well, August, aren't you going to try it?” Raph asked, watching and waiting expectantly.

FabulousTrash · Mar 29, 2022

Kasumi Katsura - Azure Dragons - Veteran [CS LINK]
Scene - [B Side] Anime Convention | Pre Arc 1
Location - Convention Center
Mentions/Interactions - Charlie Hughes (

Roda the Red ), Jesper Albrecht (@Ari Number Two), Tenebrosity (

gxxberkit ), others

"Nice to meet you, 'Aldus'."

Kasumi smiled at Charlie, watching as Jesper introduced himself as well. Before she could ask what was going on before her arrival, Charlie brought up asking for guidance and promptly went over to one of the nearby booths. Kasumi glanced at Jesper, as the two walked after their new friend.

She giggled some more at the fact that it was Tina's idea for Jesper to wear the maid outfit, then recomposed herself before answering his question.

"I did have something, yes. Though it didn't take a long as I thought it would, so I wanted to come down here and surprise you."

Kasumi nodded at Jesper's compliment about her outfit. She wasn't going to say it out loud, or at least not in public, but she thought that Jesper looked cute in a way. If anything, she found it admirable that he was sticking with it instead of trying to hide.

"Thank you. All things considered, I think you look good as well."

As the two approached the booth that Charlie was at, Kasumi listened in on the conversation they were having.

Tenebrosity...Interesting name.

She continued to listen, letting Charlie and Jesper do all the talking, while at the same time eyeing the merch that was laid out on the table. Kasumi could hear the music that was playing as well. Whoever was picking the songs had good taste. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Jesper and Charlie each pick something from the booth to purchase. Her eyes darted back to the selection, picking out a lanyard with the franchise's logo and title printed on it.

Kasumi took it to the check out and paid, then slipped the new lanyard in her bag. She didnt want to use it right away, plus her keys were on a different one at the moment and it would be a pain to move them all to the new one.

Unlike Jesper, Kasumi wasn't exactly interested in the limited edition figures that Jesper was after. Instead, she was more interested in an event going on later in the day. An open concert where groups of people could perform various music, usually covers and adaptations of anime themes or soundtracks. In a way it was like a talent show, but there were many known musicians that would be showing up today that were well known within the community.

She remained in the area, waiting for Charlie and Jesper to finish up with what they were doing, as well as to see if Tenebrosity knew where the Juniper's Tale booth was.

Doctor Llamabean · Mar 29, 2022

TAZZ (August August)

SCENE:

Midnight Breather

TIME:

Post-Arc 1: September 18th, 2021: 12:30 AM

LOCATION:

Central 🡆West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Isobel, Ezra ( Saturn_moon Lucem )

MIDNIGHT BREATHER

August looked up when Isobel tossed him her jacket—for a moment, blinking curiously.

It was a kind gesture, so he took it. Selfish, maybe, but he was cold. Though a bit small, taut around the armpits, he made it work and took the hand that the woman offered.

Once he’d gotten to his feet, he gathered his things and followed Isobel from the rooftop.

“Really divin’ into ya role, he’ah,” he teased. “Say, how’s about we go the extra mile an’ ‘ave ya carry me, too?” All of the sudden, August adopted a limp and leaned on Isobel with an arm, bearing strain on the cheap stitching of her jacket where it was at its tightest.

He didn’t lean for long, however, and even abandoned the fake limp to walk normally.

Upon arriving at Isobel’s apartment, August, who made it to the door first, stepped up to view the painted flowers, and he touched a hand to his heart with a fake pout. “Gets me-” A yawn interrupted him, and he held up a finger until it was gone before repeating himself. “Gets me every toime.”

Following that, he knocked on the door, knowing there was no one inside, wiggled the knob, and waited for Isobel to let him in.

His neck still hurt and he was beyond tired, and he didn’t really know where the night was going, but one thing was for certain… He planned on camping out on Isobel’s couch whether she wanted him to or not, as he didn’t think he could fight sleep for much longer. It was calling to him with all the allure of a siren’s song.

Already, he began to formulate an argument for why it’d be a matter of life and death that she let him stay.

After all, what if, in his tired stupor, he stepped out into oncoming traffic just trying to get home?

Couldn’t have that, now, could we?

Doctor Llamabean · Mar 30, 2022

TAZZ (August August)

SCENE:

Unlikely Encounter

TIME:

Post-Arc 1/Pre-Arc 2 — Sometime After September 17th, 2021

LOCATION:

Geronimos, Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Raphael ( Elenion Aura )

UNLIKELY ENCOUNTER

Well… there was that.

Hearing his name slip from the Serpent’s mouth felt… strange. It sounded different… or maybe he was paying it too much mind, like when a correctly-spelled word appears all-of-the-sudden foreign.

Looking down at the undoubtedly unpleasant drink, August contemplated with a sour expression. He stared at it then held up a hand, “No, no- I… got it fuh you.”

The smile that showed on his face next was all-tooth and easily forced, but he didn’t intend for it to seem genuine, so it worked.

However…

Seeing as the Serpent was already well doused in alcohol, the thought of attempting to push more onto him left a bad taste in August’s mouth; though, probably not as bad as what the drink, itself, would have.

And so…

August pushed the drink away, deciding to make small-talk.

He’d noticed before but said nothing—the small scars on the Serpent’s hands, somewhat reminding of a tiger’s stripes, only thinner and less in quantity. Such a comparison, he figured, might be insulting, and chose not to voice it.

“You… manipulate ya blood, yeh?...” August wiggled the fingers of one of his hands. A short pause before he inhaled sharply and said, “Y’know, some o’ tha coolest charactah designs in movies an’ comics an’ games… uh, boast… scahs.” He gave a quick, subtle gesturing toward the Serpent’s hands, hoping not to offend. “They- uh, theh-... theh cool. In fact, theh’s this charactah- dunno if ya know’im- his name’s Alduron from Alduron’s Wrath.”

August took a moment to pull up an image of the character on his phone. Making sure the other could clearly see the picture, he zoomed in on one of the character’s arms to show the numerous, pale markings that lined them up and down.

“It’s a comic ‘at ah’m into… And- Oh! Actu’lly, theh’s a charactah who displays somethin’ quite akin to wotchu did that-... That… day…” Just then, an image from the fateful night at Mach Sling penetrated his mind—of the Serpent suspended in the air, seemingly void of all grasp on reality, a look of drunken invigoration plastered on his face as blood ran from his eyes—and August fell silent.

He knew nothing about this man—

“...Tha weapon… thatchu made. It was cool. Ya snagged me pretty good withit. Had to throw away mah shuht.”

—Barely-familiar faces at the fore of something so much more complex. The mystery of it all tugged at something inside him. As if each little secret or story could be viewed as the earning of a new achievement in a video game, or the acquiring of a new collectible.

He didn’t usually subscribe to such abstract meditations… But now that it was there, he couldn’t dismiss it.

Lucem · Mar 30, 2022

Ezra Knight

SCENE:

Midnight Breather

TIME:

September 18th, 2021, 12:30 AM

LOCATION:

West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Ezra, Isobel

Saturn_moon , August

MIDNIGHT BREATHER

Before arriving at the address Isobel sent him, Ezra had been preparing for the worst. The Jack never mentioned what she needed help with, and her message didn't make it seem like it was urgent, but he couldn't help but imagine that a terrible situation was waiting for him. In a way, he was right. However, instead of having to fight off a group of enemy HPs looking for a rematch, he had to battle four flights of stairs.

Honestly, the climb up to the fifth floor wasn't that bad. If he couldn't manage that, he never would've survived the night. He just didn't like having to do a little extra exercise when he was already exhausted. It also reminded him of how unlucky he'd been today. The elevator being out of order was just the cherry on top.

So far, he hadn't noticed anything unusual. Everything was quiet, but that was probably just because everyone who wasn't a superpowered gangster got to sleep at this time. Still, he wouldn't let his guard down until he met up with Isobel.

As he looked for the door the Jack described, Ezra kept one hand inside his jacket, prepared to draw one of his weapons if needed. Thankfully, there was no fight waiting for him. He eventually found the door marked with painted flowers, but that wasn't what let him know he had the right room. Isobel was already there, looking as if she'd just arrived. There was also someone he didn't recognize.

When he saw the white-haired young man, his gaze immediately went to the injuries on his neck. His skin was cracked, and some of the blood was still fresh, as if the wound had recently been opened. His clothes had also been ruined, torn and stained from what Ezra assumed was a brutal fight. After seeing the man's condition, it was easy to figure out why Isobel asked for his help.

Taking his hand out of his jacket, Ezra slowly approached the pair, not wanting to risk the stranger mistaking him for an enemy. When he got close enough, he stopped and slightly bowed his head. He still didn't know how he was supposed to act in front of Isobel now that she'd been promoted, but he thought it would be best to show some respect. "I got here as fast as I could."

Raising his head, he turned to the mute Tiger's companion. "I'm Z. It's a pleasure to meet you." Trying not to think about his phone call with Elliott, he greeted his patient by giving out his alias. He doubted that the man cared about some nobody's name while he was bleeding out of his neck, so Ezra didn't waste too much time on introductions before moving things along.

"Um, if it's okay with you, I'd like to go inside before get started. It probably wouldn't be good if one of the neighbors saw us like this." The last thing he wanted was someone misunderstanding the situation and calling the cops.

Elenion Aura · Apr 2, 2022

RAPHAEL SHAW

SCENE:

Unlikely Encounter

TIME:

Post Arc 1/Pre Arc 2 — Sometime After September 17th, 2021

LOCATION:

Geronimos, Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Raphael, August (

UNLIKELY ENCOUNTER

His head was starting to feel heavy. Just a little. Just a taste. Enough to suggest that he might’ve had enough. Maybe. Possibly… Raph’s thoughts had become just muddy enough to let slide, or fail to notice entirely, the fact that August had tried to foist his own hideous concoction onto him.

That’s right! August, wasn’t it? It felt good to put a name to the face that had haunted his dreams these past nights. Bash and August… That day… They’d both humiliated him. And one day, he would make them regret. Both of them. Come to think… Who ever said that day had to be far off?

Right here, right now… I ought to make you regret everything before I—

August asked him a peculiar question. It was peculiar for a few reasons. For one, You saw what I can do with your own eyes, did you not? I thought this answer would be obvious, and for another, what the hell? Where did this come from all of a sudden?

Raph’s brain, being sorely incapable of chasing both trains of thought at once, settled squarely on… Cordiality? Hm. Weird. ~

“That’s right,” Raph confirmed without considering the possibility that he was feeding an enemy intelligence on his capabilities. And? Why should he consider that? Just because you know a snake is venomous, you’ll still succumb to its bite if you stray too close, darling…

“Really? Is that so?”

Raph only half-heard the scars comment, as he was by this point somewhat preoccupied with trying to reach for the sickly-looking glass of pepper-wine that August had offered him. His bottle was tapped out, and he had come to the drinker’s crossroads… Already he could feel a headache pricking along the line of his forehead. From here, he could either stop drinking, or…

“They are quite something,” he added, holding up his free hand for the other man to inspect. Some consider scars unsightly, but not him. Not these, for what they represented. Power. Evolution. No. Raph was not self-conscious about his marks. In fact, he welcomed anyone to look upon them without shame.. After all, all of his ugliest wounds lurked deep beneath the skin.

It was at approximately this point that Raph realized August was still talking. Not only that, he was also apparently showing him something on his phone. Raph squinted to make out the images illuminated on the screen… Some kind of fantastical character. As he zoomed, the connection became clear, by virtue of those tiny, criss-crossing white lines etched into this Alduron’s skin.

Raph scoffed.

“Hmph! Mine tell a story,” he sneered at August, resting his chin in his hands. “Do his?” It was true. Raph’s scars did tell a story. But a story of what?

Raph had apparently missed it when August switched away from discussing Alduron to another character. Raph, at some point, had either given up or thought better of pursuing the malted peppermint red that gurgled just out of reach like a witch’s brew.

Saturn_moon · Apr 2, 2022

Isobel Pham

Scene: Midnight Breather
Time: Post Arc-1: September 18, 2021, 01:00AM
Location: Isobel's Apartment, West District
Participants:

Doctor Llamabean (August),

Lucem (Ezra)

As the minutes ticked on later into the night, the sounds of New Oasis slowly began to fade. One by one, lights in windows flickered out as residents retreated beneath the covers and slipped into the world of dreams. Unfortunately for a certain trio, their night was far from over. Standing in front of her apartment, August barely staying awake next to her, Isobel heard another set of footsteps come up the stairs behind them. She had not expected Ezra to show up as fast as he did but was grateful nonetheless and gave the boy a nod of thanks.

Opening the door, August and Ezra were greeted by shelves upon shelves of random objects and knick-knacks. Upon closer inspection, they would notice that while there were no labels, everything had been neatly arranged according to type, size, and color. From chipped ceramics to secondhand books and old timepieces that no longer worked. Whatever space on the wall that wasn't blocked by a shelf was occupied by old posters, colorful tapestries, and some paintings of her own. It might have been overwhelming to some but it was an oasis to her. From under one of the shelves, a little grey furry face poked its head out, stretched, and slinked its way over to them. Curling around Isobel's ankle Aristotle sniffed at August before doing the same. Remembering his allergies, Isobel quickly shooed the cat away with her feet before half-dragging August's exhausted body over to the couch.

With everyone safely inside, Isobel walked over to the tiny kitchen and set the kettle to boil before taking out the box of Zyrtec from her medicine drawer and popping out two pills. Handing those over to August along with a glass of water, she then turned to Ezra and was about to take out her phone when she remembered him signing to her back in the boardroom.

Cautiously, in case he wasn't especially fluent, she signed "You can sign? Can you help him?"

Doctor Llamabean · Apr 3, 2022

TAZZ (August August)

SCENE:

Unlikely Encounter

TIME:

Post-Arc 1/Pre-Arc 2 — Sometime After September 17th, 2021

LOCATION:

Geronimos, Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Raphael ( Elenion Aura )

UNLIKELY ENCOUNTER

As Raphael reached for the likely foul-tasting, minty concoction of beverage, the hem of his jacket rode up slightly, and August unspokenly noted the continuation of scars up his pale arm.

For a moment more, he carried on about the character from his favorite comic before the Serpent’s words caught up to him and he paused, “Wait, wot? Wot’dju say? Do they tell a story?” The gears turned on their own without the other having to repeat himself.

“Not a real one,” said August. “But yeh… It’s rathah captivatin’, actu’lly. Think yours can beat it?”

As confidently as the question slipped from his lips, he doubted the Serpent would be so easy to manipulate. And as curious as he now was, he wouldn’t probe too desperately, nor did he want to give the indication of eagerness, for this one struck him as the type to play with others should he suspect what they wanted.

“Actu’lly, lemme guess… Ya’ve got cats? Gonna say three, each prone t’ foightin’ for attention. One’s a tabby. Anothah’s a calico. Last one’s naked.” These were, by no means, intellectual guesses on August’s part, but rather a continued display of his sarcastic nature. “One o’ ya mates took a lazah pointer up ya arm an’ th’ little kitties followed as little kitties do, leavin’ those little love mahks as they ah now.”

On that last part, August walked his fingers down Raphael’s arm just above the leather of his jacket, then added with a pinched-lip, squinty-eyed smile, “How’d ah do?”

Before the other could answer, however, he leaned up off the counter with his elbows, “Wait, don’t answah that- Lemme go aga-” and in the same motion as him straightening up, he backed into the unsuspecting, drink-wielding member of a party of four. They’d just come from the VIP division, each boasting their wealth by the cut of their cloth, and seemed to have been taking their leave for the night.

When August bumped into the shortest of them—three men and one woman—the man’s drink soaked his suit, partly wetting the back of August’s shirt as well, and August shot a quick glance over his shoulder in surprise, “Whoop- Sorry, ma-” A glint of realization shone in his eyes as he recognized a face or two to be members of the Albino Tigers, and abruptly his mouth clamped shut; though, he doubted any of them would recognize him.

“Fucking shit, man, what the fuck!? Watch where the fuck you’re going!” The shorter man yelled, giving August a hateful shove, which caused him to stumble forward into the counter.

Clothes Reference

Doctor Llamabean · Apr 5, 2022

TAZZ (August August)

SCENE:

Midnight Breather

TIME:

Post-Arc 1: September 18th, 2021: 1:00 AM

LOCATION:

West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Isobel, Ezra ( Saturn_moon Lucem )

MIDNIGHT BREATHER

While waiting for Isobel to unlock and open the door, August eyed the approaching stranger, eyebrows knit, and sized him up. He was still on edge. Tired. Aching. And in the back of his mind, he settled on letting Isobel protect him, as he couldn’t imagine throwing a punch right now—much less, moving his whole body enough to dodge one.

Fortunately…

“I got here as fast as I could,” said the stranger. It seemed he was of no threat, and August relaxed, paying no concern to the fact that he wasn’t wearing his mask.

To fret took energy that he didn’t have to spare.

"I'm Z. It's a pleasure to meet you."

August looked at Isobel, then at Ezra. “...Uh… Yeh. You, too, mate.” Then confusion overtook his face at Ezra’s next words. He was unaware that they’d be meeting with someone... Perhaps a fellow Tiger whose belongings had come up missing; though, it was a little late to be conducting business, he felt.

They entered the apartment and, as he slipped his shoes off at the door, Aristotle, Isobel’s cat, came to welcome him. His heart fluttered warmly and he reached for the feline with both hands. But alas… Isobel knew better, and she shooed Aristotle away before dragging August over to the couch.

He sat and waited, all the while staring at Ezra. It wasn’t that he was trying to intimidate him… but rather he’d reached such a point of exhaustion that he was practically sleeping with his eyes open.

When Isobel reached him with a glass of water and two zyrtecs, he took them without a second thought, evidently accustomed to the procedure. He swallowed the pills before the glass touched his lips, then chugged the water dry. Once finished, still looking at Ezra, he asked oddly, “So, do ya loike alahm clocks? Bel’s got some cool ones. Won’t tell ya wot toime it is butchu can can see ya reflection in tha glass. Maybe, if ya stare just long enough, you’ll embahk on a spiritual journey an’ foind wotchu truly value in loife.” He paused for a while and waited. “Then again, maybe not. Hasn’t worked foh me yet. Just end up holdin’ mah eyes open foh too long. Doctah says I moight develop dry-eye.”

Running his mouth, he’d nearly forgotten about the injury of his neck until tucking his chin in an attempt to lie down. The sting held nothing back in reminding him of its presence, causing him to suck air violently through his teeth. And in a mild writhing fit, he scooted his bottom onto the floor before relaxing with his head reclined back on the cushion where he’d previously been sitting. Sluggardly, his hands came up and covered his face, elbows high, and from then he was quiet. Just accepting the moment. No more trying to distract himself with words. He just wanted to sleep now.

Lucem · Apr 7, 2022

Ezra Knight

SCENE:

Midnight Breather

TIME:

September 18th, 2021, 12:30 AM

LOCATION:

West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Ezra, Isobel, August

MIDNIGHT BREATHER

Ezra wasn't sure what he expected the inside of the Jack's home to look like, but it definitely wasn't this. It could only be described as controlled chaos, several shelves lined with a random assortment of items that seemed to be organized in a specific way. He couldn't even tell what color the walls were because of all the posters and paintings. It was very different from the apartment his father moved him into two years ago, and all the clutter made him wonder if someone could really live here. Although, Isobel seemed to be doing just fine. The same went for the furry friend who came to greet them before being sent away.

When Isobel moved to the kitchen, Ezra stayed behind with the injured man. He didn't know where to sit, so he just stood in front of the couch, hoping that the host would come back soon. He wanted things to move along quickly, but it wasn't just because he needed to get some rest. The other guest was just quietly staring at him, and it was getting really awkward.

He was counting the seconds, each one feeling longer than the last. The intense gaze, uncomfortable silence, and overall awkwardness of the situation were getting to him. Was he being sized up right now? What was he supposed to say? Who was this person? A big-shot Tiger? Did he already get on his bad side somehow?

Thankfully, Isobel returned before all the questions running through Ezra's mind could make him feel worse. After she handed the white-haired man a few pills, she turned to him and started signing. Seeing that got rid of one of his earlier concerns. So she is mute. That's good. Well, it wasn't good that she was mute. It was just a relief that he didn't misunderstand earlier and look like an idiot for using sign language. He didn't mean anything bad by it. Why am I trying to explain myself to myself?

Clearing away all the useless thoughts, Ezra nodded. "Yes, I can do that. I'll start right away." As he thought, Isobel called him here to tend to the man's wounds. It was a quick and simple task, and helping out the Jack was in line with his mission. Although, he wondered how she even knew he could heal injuries. Did the King tell her how he saved Titus? Maybe she just got a good look at him getting shredded by bullets earlier when she was in the helicopter.

Moving closer to the couch, Ezra turned his attention back to his patient. After the intense staredown, he was a little worried about how the man would react, but any tension immediately faded when he opened his mouth. All he could do was raise a brow and force a smile when the guy started rambling about alarm clocks. "Uh, they're okay, I guess?" What was this guy talking about? Was he delirious? Was this some kind of test for rookies?

Kneeling down, Ezra raised an arm. "I'm gonna patch you up now. You don't have to move, it'll just take a second." Just in case the man was one of those people who reacted badly to suddenly being touched by strangers, he gave him a word of warning before getting closer. He really didn't want to get slugged because he accidentally triggered a reflex.

As soon as he laid his hand on the man's shoulder, Ezra activated his Potential and watched as time went in reverse. The cracked skin was restored, and not a single scar was left behind. The dried blood returned to a flowing crimson liquid, entering the body once again through the openings in the closing wounds. The stains and tears on the clothing had completely disappeared, making the outfit look as new as the day it was bought. If there were any injuries that weren't immediately visible to him, they would've been gone by now. It was as if whatever ordeal the man went through never took place.

Ezra meant it when he said the process would just take a second. The restoration happened in an instant, and once it was over, he stood up. "That should do it. Let me know if there's something else bothering you and I'll take care of it. Although, I can't do anything about exhaustion." If he could have done that, he would've been feeling well-rested by now.

Hands at his sides, Ezra turned back to Isobel. "Was that everything? Anything else you wanted me to take a look at?" He was looking forward to going home, but his father probably would've told him he wasted a golden opportunity if he left now. He had to get closer to the leaders and make a name for himself.

"I noticed that some of the things on your shelves are broken. Did you want me to fix those?" Unfortunately, there wasn't much he could do to boost his reputation. All he could really do was repair the Jack's broken knickknacks. He was starting to feel more like a handyman than a gangster.

Saturn_moon

Elenion Aura · Apr 7, 2022

RAPHAEL SHAW

SCENE:

Unlikely Encounter

TIME:

Post Arc 1/Pre Arc 2 — Sometime After September 17th, 2021

LOCATION:

Geronimos, Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Raphael, August (

UNLIKELY ENCOUNTER

Raph looked at August like he had three heads.

“Does what tell a story?” He'd already lost the thread, but that didn't stop him from listening to August intently as he spun a yarn of his own. The way he spoke such utter nonsense with such easy confidence was mesmerizing. And that accent... It was all starting to seem so... So very... Funny.

“... Pfff—”

Raph had to clap a hand over his mouth to keep the laughter from escaping. His shoulders bounced with the effort it took to keep it contained. “... What the fuck are you talking about?!” Something about... Cats? Where did he pull that from? Raph was fighting to keep a smile off his face, mostly because he had no idea what he was smiling about. But it wasn't done yet. Now there was a laser pointer in the mix, and August looked like he was reaching for something; Raph came to realize that he was pantomiming a cat with his fingers, waltzing down through the air above his exposed forearm. Raph didn't know why he did it, but he lifted his hand a little until he felt the press of skin against skin. It was a fleeting, nonsensical thing, here and then gone in an instant, as August straightened, apparently keen on taking another swing at the possible origins of Raph's tiny, crisscrossing scars...

Raph found that he was daydreaming when he heard a clatter of glassware and the splash of liquid from behind them. He snapped himself back to reality in time to catch a glimpse of August glancing over his shoulder at a foursome of strangers who'd apparently emerged from somewhere further within the establishment. Raph's upper lip curled instinctively. He didn't know they were Tigers, per se... Though, maybe he did? Maybe he could smell it on them. It was like the stench of overpriced cologne mixed with a misplaced sense of superiority. Maybe they all smelled like that, he thought, then thought better of it. Well, maybe not all.

Still, the way the man raised his voice was setting off warning sirens in Raph's mind. He was starting to feel like he ought to cause a scene. Raph was standing before he realized it. The peppermint wine glass was in his hand. What was he going to do? Throw it in his face? The impulse was there, he couldn't deny it. It was the thing he would do, normally. And, oh, did he want to. But, then he looked at August, and was suddenly struck with fresh, peculiar inspiration.

“Sincerest apologies on behalf of my... Friend, here,” Raph said, pausing to steady himself on something before the drunkenness stole his footing out from beneath him. As his free hand found purchase on a steady enough perch, he extended the peppermint nightmare of a drink out for the other to take. “Please, have this! He was meaning to bring it back to you guys, anyway. Something about business associates, or other? Anyway, it's yours! Take it.”

Raph didn't know what had come over him. All he knew was that this—this ludicrous thing he was doing—was fun!

Doctor Llamabean · Apr 8, 2022

TAZZ (August August)

SCENE:

Unlikely Encounter

TIME:

Post-Arc 1/Pre-Arc 2 — Sometime After September 17th, 2021

LOCATION:

Geronimos, Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Raphael ( Elenion Aura )

UNLIKELY ENCOUNTER

Within Raphael’s hand, a glass of minty red he offered. Quite deceiving it was, both the action and the drink itself, as the aroma wafting from its rim was of a pleasant quality, but the same could not be said for taste.

August followed the gesture with lidded eyes, a twitch of uncertainty shooting through his long fingers as they gripped the counter’s edge behind him. It seemed they would be taking the difficult route around this predicament.

As the glass came within reach, the unknowing Tiger took it with tightly knit eyebrows and a skeptical positioning. Meanwhile August swallowed a knot of anticipation, the Tiger inspected the drink—sniffing it; holding it up to peer through its transparent bottom.

“Business associates, huh?” Briefly forgetting the beverage for the moment, his eyes landed on August, who tipped his head in greeting. “I ain’t ever met you before. Who are ya?”

The female of the foursome—one hand on her hip, inspecting the white nails of her other—chimed in matter-of-factly. “Isn’t it obvious?” Slowly, she, too, directed a pair of golden-hues at August. “He means Albino-”

All of the sudden, August flung his arm up—surprising all, including himself—and he swatted the minty red refreshment into the air. Raining vermilion freckled everything in the immediate vicinity, staining clothes, wetting the counter, stools, and floor, and an awed silence settled over the party.

That… wasn’t his plan. An involuntary, panicked reaction.

Four pairs of eyes went from dumbfounded shock to collective hostility within seconds.

The short Tiger lurched toward August, hands for his neck, but August evaded him with a quick fall, rolling backwards across the bar counter to duck on the other side. In the same instance, he grabbed a bottle from a shelf and tossed it at his aggressor with lacking effort, and so it was knocked away with an easy lift of the aggressor’s arm, who then sprung into a hot pursuit.

The barmaid squealed and ran.

While a second Tiger darted for August, who raced along the length of the bar counter with ‘oh shit’ plastered across his face, the woman and another man stayed behind with Raphael.

“Is your little buddy often the type to gamble with his life!?” asked the woman as she took a guarding stance with fingers sprawled.

As much as August would normally answer that question with a ‘no’, in hindsight, he was beginning to think it was quite like him of late.

He ran circles around the tables of the dining zone, tossing chairs behind him as he did. The short Tiger was on his tail, dodging and traversing the obstacles with catlike agility. At some point, he took to traveling by way of tabletop instead, and that greatly closed the gap between him and August.

“WHAT IS HAPPENING?!” cried the manager from before, ripping desperately at his hair.

August faced both of his palms behind himself. His pursuer cocked a brow, barely time to react, and took a rough blast of air to the face. As August flew toward the manager, who melted to the floor—pure trauma sagging in his features—adopting newfound speed, the short Tiger who’d been chasing him was slung back into his own comrade.

“Mates, if we could just talk it out~”

“THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL PLAN, YOU DIPSHIT!”

August pursed his lips. “Oh. Then, how’s about doublin’ back?”

“FUCK YOU!” the two Tigers screamed in unison.

“Fair enough.” August turned and, once more, scurried off.
Clothes Reference

Doctor Llamabean · Apr 9, 2022

TAZZ (August August)

SCENE:

Midnight Breather

TIME:

Post-Arc 1: September 18th, 2021: 1:10 AM

LOCATION:

West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Isobel, Ezra ( Saturn_moon Lucem )

MIDNIGHT BREATHER

August was sitting on the floor with his head back on the couch when Ezra stepped closer, hands covering his face, so he missed the short interaction that took place before Ezra vocally obliged to something Isobel had signed.

Even then, by the leech of exhaustion sucking him dry of all surrounding-awareness, August showed no indication of having been listening.

In fact, one would even reason that he’d already fallen asleep.

However, once that hand touched his shoulder, August flinched and regained some grasp of alertness, uncovering his face to quickly see what was going on.

As the wound on his neck pulled together, and his clothes mended, teal-blue eyes glanced drowsily about, stopping on Ezra’s, who stood once the process was finished.

“That should do it,” he said, and August rubbed down his neck, upturned chin. The skin was smooth again, no longer rough and dry, and the pain had ceased. “Let me know if there's something else bothering you and I'll take care of it. Although, I can't do anything about exhaustion.”

August was quiet. Dazed.

Rather than speak, not even a thank you, his eyes fluttered weakly. Then they closed.

He slumped. His arms relaxed slowly, hands in his lap, and his head lolled to the side, resting on his shoulder.

It was now safe to assume he was asleep.

He would thank Ezra later.

Saturn_moon · Apr 10, 2022

ISOBEL PHAM

Scene: Midnight Breather
Time: Post Arc-1: September 18, 2021, 01:10AM
Location: Isobel's Apartment, West District
Participants:

Doctor Llamabean (August),

Lucem (Ezra)

For a moment, time seemed to morph as Isobel watched Ezra work his potential on August. Had she blinked she would have missed the sight of dried blood turning back into crimson droplets and traveling back up August's neck before getting reabsorbed into the wound. The angry blistered skin faded from red to pink then a familiar sun-kissed tan, the cracks smoothed out like parched earth seeing rain for the first time in months. When he was done, there was no trace left of the wound that had been there before. It was fascinating and she found herself glancing over to the clock hanging on the wall, a working clock, to check if they had indeed taken a step back into the past. But time continued to tick steadily forward, never missing a beat.

By the time she had joined the two by the couch, August had already fallen back asleep, half sprawled on her floor. Tossing a blanket over him, she let out a long exhale. "Thank you." She signed to Ezra. Exhaustion was finally catching up to her and she felt it reach deep into her bones. When the boy offered to fix the things on her shelf she couldn't help but give a small tired smile. Shaking her head she looked him in the eye and replied "Not everything broken is meant to be fixed." People often confused the items she collected for junk. What they didn't realize was every object she placed on her shelves had a story and even if they ended up broken and discarded, there was always love somewhere in there. A child's favorite toy abandoned in the process of growing up, a set of dishes that once saw a family through numerous dinners, a tarnished pocket watch - its hands long stopped turning - inscribed with the words 'Until the end of time, J.L.'. It was their brokenness that made her treasure them all the more.

"I'm sorry for calling you at this hour. There isn't much space, but if you need a place to rest it would appear I have a couch available. It's the least I can do."

Doctor Llamabean · Apr 10, 2022

BLITZ (Boltius Beckman)

SCENE:

Lost on Bourbon

TIME:

Pre-Arc 1, 10:00 PM on a Friday

LOCATION:

Lower Central, Some Club

PARTICIPANTS:

Boltius, Hector

LOST ON BOURBON

OONTZ OONTZ OONTZ

A bass-boosted mashup of hit songs rattled the speakers above the sea of habitual partiers, their wacky movements convulsing in intervals of rapid illuminations of interchanging colors—strobe lights flashing to the beat of the music.

Celebrate today like every tomorrow will be your last.

That’s what the chain-hung sign above the men’s restroom said, and Boltius rummaged through his mind for the relevance, some relation between such wisdom and place where guys go to relieve themselves.

A drunken stagger, he whipped his head around and gazed over the heads of roughhousing partygoers to look at the serving counter. There, another sign was hung.

Take a break, it said.

Boltius squinted his eyes, puzzled.

“What?” he asked himself aloud.

Someone scooched around him, grazing his shoulder, and shrugged, “I ‘unno.”

“SHaddUp, yO, I ain’t tAlkin’ t’ youu~” Bolt slurred. A quick glance around; the person was already gone.

For a few more minutes, the stupefied Phoenix stood slumped in front of the men’s bathroom door, staring up at the sign with annoyed perplexity as people came and went, maneuvering around him.

He couldn’t deal with this. Those signs needed to be swapped, and somewhere in the back of his mind he’d already decided that a long time ago.

“I’mma do it,” he told himself.

“Do what?” a woman’s voice caught his attention, and he looked at her slowly.

“What are you gonna do?” she asked again.

Boltius studied her a second, then pointed at the phone in her hand, “Are you recordin’ me?”

She giggled, “Only for eight minutes so far.” A cute smile. Blonde. Tattoo down her arm. Boltius checked her out without a thought to hide it; however, rather than spring into flirtation, a shadow was cast over his eyes instead, and his demeanor became suddenly hostile.

“Fuck you think you are, huuUUH? Recordin’ meE?” He drew closer to her, twisting his head every which way as he did, hands in his pockets. Stunned, panic overtook her features, and she held up her hands in submission.

“I- I- I’m sorry! I’ll- I’ll delete it! It was just cute, is all! I thought you were cute!”

“Bro, you look like my mom. Fuck outta here.”

A short pause as that statement set in, then… “That-... That’s not my fault!”

“Delete the video.”

“Okay! Jeez!”

“Delete it.”

“I am!”

Once all of that was said and done, Boltius and the woman went their separate ways, with the woman stewing in embarrassment, and Boltius surfing the dance floor for his partner for the night, Hector Moses, Ace of the Scarlet Phoenixes.

They’d gotten separated when Boltius scampered off to use the bathroom, claiming he would be quick. Well, you saw how that turned out.

“HEEEECTOOOOOOR!!!!” Boltius screamed through cupped hands, navigating the crowd on autopilot, only half searching for his friend while the other half of his mind was still stuck on those signs. He made a mental promise to himself to swap them before the night was over, and if there’s one thing Boltius doesn’t do, it’s break a promise, especially one to himself.

Tonight was bourbon-night at the club, when all bourbon was half-price and every fifth shot was free, and by his guilty pleasure Boltius wasn’t going to miss it. Tomorrow was Saturday, which meant no work and no gym, so he could party without restraint. And party he would~

…After finding Hector, that is.

Elenion Aura · Apr 10, 2022

RAPHAEL SHAW

SCENE:

Unlikely Encounter

TIME:

Post Arc 1/Pre Arc 2 — Sometime After September 17th, 2021

LOCATION:

Geronimos, Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Raphael, August (

UNLIKELY ENCOUNTER

Raph lied. He thought he'd been having fun before, but this latest turn of events was really more his speed. Too much talking and he was liable to act out... Though, strangely enough, he hadn't exactly minded this little chance encounter of theirs. Not as much as he thought he would've, at least. Probably he had the booze to thank for that.

Though, even Raph could admit that he was surprised by August's choice to suddenly smack the drink out of the other man's hand. He couldn't quite work out the logic behind it, but then, perhaps August was not the kind of person who operated in a strictly logical fashion. Raph could appreciate that, perhaps more than most. Though it was equally likely, if not more so, that there was something going on that he didn't quite grasp, yet. In either case, Raph surmised that August's reasons for acting out in the way that he did were now in the past, albeit the very recent past, and were no longer relevant to the present, where actual things happened.

This time, Raph didn't bother to stifle his laughter. The sight of the gaggle of Tigers splattered with a red wine concoction was just too damn good. He'd be thinking about this sight for a good long while. If only he'd had a camera... Ah, well. And then, before Raph had a chance to clap him on the back for the great show, August was gone. “Oh?” Raph blinked, wondering briefly where he had gone before he caught sight of the now-becoming-familiar shock of silvery-white hair hauling ass away from a pair of angry, wine-stained Tigers. As he watched August take them both on a grand, merry chase, Raph nonchalantly slipped out of his worn, dusty leather jacket, one arm at a time. Letting it rest on one of the barstools, Raph hopped his behind up on the bar-top and reached behind, feeling around for another bottle of booze. With everything that was now going on inside, he doubted the proprietors would mind if he indulged himself just a little more. He let out a little, “Ooh!” of delight as he pulled some top-shelf stuff before becoming mutely aware that he was not exactly alone here.

He leered back at the female Tiger who'd addressed him. Rather than deign to answer her question right away, Raph stared for a few moments more before he uncorked the bottle with his teeth. He took a swig after he spat the cork to the floor, wiping the whiskey from his lips with the back of his free hand. He didn't quite know how to answer her question, for... Several reasons. Firstly, 'buddy'? Were they buddies, now, he and August? Certainly not. After all, they had only tried to kill one another, what, like, one week ago? Did that seem like 'buddy' material? Well, did it? And then there was the rest of her question. How should I know how that guy gets his sick kicks?

“Hm, I don't know.” Raph shrugged, scooting his behind back down from the bar. When his feet were, if not exactly steady, at least on the floor again, Raph posited a question of his own, looking from one pair of Tiger eyes to the other.

“Are you?”

As he asked it, Raph took the liquor bottle by the neck and with a violent swing, shattered it to smithereens on the wooden bar-top, before turning the remnants of the now jagged glass onto the Tigers where they stood. Hm, he thought with a flickering smile, Time to tell a new story ~

With that, he used the pointed end of the bottle to draw a long, red line across the top of his forearm, from which the blood sprang forth.

gxxberkit · Apr 11, 2022

TENEBROSITY

FabulousTrash @Ari Number Two

SCENE:

Anime-Con!!

TIME:

Pre-Arc 1— August 22nd, 2021

LOCATION:

Anime Convention, Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Jesper, Charlie, Kasumi, others

Anime-Con!!

Ten stopped leaning over the table, nodding in thought towards Charlie and Jesper. As Ten thought about the whereabouts of the booth, they listened to Charlie’s small talk. They took the merchandise and amestriyen being handed to them and handed it over to the other half of the booth. “Yeah! Definitely, definitely. I- It- It’d be- It’d be nice to really get--- to know a friend of- a friend of- a- a friend of a friend. A- and thanks, Charlie! I picked out the- the selection myself,” they giggled.

Tenebrosity slightly adjusted their hood, face seeming to scan the area for the booth. It didn’t necessarily help at all, because 1, they’re blind, and 2, the Juniper’s Tale booth didn’t have letter signs that spelled out “JUNIPER’S TALE” that was also coincidentally right in front of a light source. Damn.

“Hummm…” While Ten tried to keep focused on figuring out where the booth was, their mind began to wander, wondering what was so cool about the figurine they were searching for. Ten didn't necessarily get figurines. As far as they were aware, most people just put them on their shelves —not even taking them out of their packages— and probably only remember they exist biannually, if at all. Unless they were weird and obsessive over it. The kind of people that’d clean their figurines every hour of every day, taking care of them like they'd actually die if less than a speck of dust got on them. “My precious~,” those people would whisper, as if the figurine was a source of power no one else should get their hands on. They’d probably kill someone if they even breathed in the same room as the—

—Tankōbon lightly tapped the side of Ten’s arm, making them jolt out of their daydream. They turned their head to face the man that tapped them with the manga, taking it —and the bracelet that was on top of it— from him and handing them to Charlie and Jesper. “Kentaro,” they smiled, “my friends here need- n- need- they- they need h—elp with- with finding the- um- the Juniper’s Tale booth! D- do- do you have a- do- do you know where it is? A- and- um- I- I know I- I know I just now took a- a bathroom break but- can- can I take a- another break and go with them?”

The man —Kentaro— thought for a moment, before nodding. “Sure. I can lead your group there. Hold on a second.”

He turned around, leaning down to his husband and kissing him on the forehead with a mumble. The man sitting down nodded and gave a thumbs up to Kentaro, who then went around the booth to the group.

“Yeah, so, It should be somewhere over here.” The man pointed in a direction and began walking towards it. Ten smiled at the three, gesturing for them to follow closely behind, and trailed after him.

Roda the Red

gxxberkit · Apr 11, 2022

TENEBROSITY

SCENE:

It's The Thought That Counts

LOCATION:

Darius' Apartment, North District

TIME:

September 17 2021, Post-Arc 1

PARTICIPANTS:

Darius, Ten

IT'S THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS

Ten blinked in confusion as Darius pulled away from them and dug his nails into the couch. Their eyes looked over him, questioning his actions, their smile still wide on their face. His reaction seemed to be quite the opposite of what they had expected. It looked more anxious than happy. For a moment, they had hoped that the excitement was simply a lot for Darius, and that he was just trying to hold it in. They hoped that he'd look back at Ten with the biggest, most excited little quirky smile on his face. They hoped that his pretty eyes would brighten up in just a moment with pure love and happiness.

Those hopes were very quickly shot down when Darius’ next words came out of his mouth.

"You're not joining the Serpents. Why the fuck- What were you thinking? You can't join them."

It wasn't the words. It was the way he said those words. Darius’ sharp tone and anxious movements were unexpected. Frustrating. Why was he angry? This is a good thing. Their eyebrows furrowed at this turn of events. As Darius stood up, Tenebrosity grasped at his shirt. “Dairy? Wha- Wh- What- What's the problem?” They gave the shirt a light tug, face already softening. Maybe this was just a misunderstanding. Misunderstandings can be cleared up. “Of- of- of- of- of course I’m joining! We.. so.. So we can hang— out more, Dairy!”

They used Darius to pull themself off the couch. “We- we can- we can do Ssss-Serpent things together! Keep- keep- keep- keep- keep eachother s- safe and stuff! R—ight? Yeah!” Ten nodded, answering their own question. They moved in between Darius and the television, looking up at him to see his face. “Dairy? Isn't it exciting?"

WhiskeyMarten

WhiskeyMarten · Apr 12, 2022

HECTOR MOSES

SCENE:

Lost on Bourbon

TIME:

Pre-Arc 1, 10:00PM, Friday

LOCATION:

??? Club, Lower Central

PARTICIPANTS:

Hector, Boltius