Avatar of Thayr

Status

Recent Statuses

8 mos ago
Current Don't be a part of the problem, be the whole problem.
3 likes

Bio

User has no bio, yet

Most Recent Posts




⛼ A7 - Encounter at the Crossroads ⛼

The walk had not been especially long, by all means it hadn’t, and though the day was relatively early the streets already bore far too many people. He couldn’t tell how many yet would die soon, though the gravekeep supposed such might be due to the people, might be due to the fact that most seemed to be far more interested in dying of unnatural causes than the natural ones. Such mercenary souls weren’t long for the world, and they willingly took up the challenge in exchange for the coin or the thrills. His two faithful kept close, close despite their looks saying that few were interested in stealing what meager things the trio had upon them.

And yet…and yet he felt a tug, an entirely different tug. Something…connecting, together, something else. He’d never felt the concept before, that feeling, and it was altogether different to what he had felt of the dead. What was it? There was no specific point to it, no direction, and he could instead perhaps liken the feeling to…the spider at the center of the web, feeling another pluck against the silk. What…was it? The gravekeep couldn’t tell, though as his eyes scanned over the heads of the crowd in wonder a brief pang thundered against his heart and soul at the sight of another.

They seemed like him in a way not physical, not in stance, not in origin. They seemed like him in a way Lethe could not place. Their feet, booted, covered…walking a path. The image of the path came before the gravekeep in a flash. Were they touched as well? It may well be so. He had not met another before. They approached.

"Good day to you. I am Acolyte Cantor of Ordo Benevolence. Would you mind if I ask you some questions?”

He considered them for a moment, and the question, looking down at the man. He didn’t seem to offer up violence to the gravekeep, not at all, but instead seemed to bear a genuine curiosity. Nevertheless, it would not do to become unguarded. It would not do at all. The ghost of a smile yet played about the corners of the tall man’s mouth as he spoke. “I would not, Cantor of the Ordo Benevolence.”
Isla Gill

Location: Ancient Grove
Mentions: @Pyromania99


Isla watched, listened, taking each piece as it came. She could tell right off that the woman wasn’t entirely normal, not by any means, and wasn’t entirely present in the moment. She was distant, she was thinking of something else, or she simply had to think of something else by compulsion. It was an off putting sort of thing, for someone to look at you and yet not look at you, almost as though they were staring off at another just behind. A shiver ran up the young girl’s spine at that thought, that another might simply be there and she wouldn’t be aware. Nonetheless, she listened as well as may be; some hint of what might be going on could be found in the words, and again, it did nothing to be so confrontational.

“...ah, sorry. My mind was elsewhere. Forgive me, I wasn’t expecting guests. I am Leah. What are you three doing here?”

Guests. She wasn’t expecting…Guests. The woman couldn't live at the shrine…could she? Eyes scanned over the destruction of it, the ruin of it. No, that couldn’t be. Guests…looking out beyond all of them. What did she see, what was there? And her name, Leah…Isla knew that Celebi was something of a traveler, moving through and among time wherever it may be. Could she be one of those caught among one of those journeys? Could Celebi even make such a mistake? Isla wasn’t sure. There were too many questions and knowledge that could only be found among a native of the region. If that was true, unlikely as could be…would she act in such a way?

In any case, Yasu responded, saying that something was lost…she’d said before that she was looking for Celebi, now says it is…’something’. Yasu was being ambiguous, vague. She didn’t want to reveal the reason. Why? Did she know of this woman, this Leah? The tone given by the priestess was deliberately brief, as brief as may be. Isla swallowed, staring more.

“Did you now? Well, perhaps we should consider this lucky. I do not believe in chance meetings. Perhaps you three could entertain an old ladies question? Do you have any…particular dreams? Or perhaps, desires, wants, it doesn’t matter. Something you wish to accomplish.”

Deams. Dreams and guests and a name, Leah. What…what did she want to know of the thing? Why did she want to know about dreams? It almost matched certain trainers Isla had met at Trainer Tower, that style, that attitude, the distance and contemplation and wonder. She knew them as psychics, ones who could lift Pokéballs with concentrated gestures, who asked so much and put all off so much. And yet…something was more about this woman, about Leah. There was something beyond even those cursory contemplations, those gestures. It was the tone, true, and the distant eyes, and the words here and there.

Again, Yasu responded. Weird old hag. She wasn’t as guarded as before. There was something there, some friction, some question that didn’t want to be answered. The thoughts and wonders came and went as Leah turned her attention to Camila and Isla with a single question.

“No? Well isn’t that sad…what about you two?”

“I am living my dream, as well as I could.” Isla didn’t want to answer it, not fully, not when there was still that question of why. She remembered psychics who could glean the loud thoughts…what could something else do with greater focus, or a different set of talents? The worry was there, sure, and a thought of a question in return gathered about to distract herself. Her tone was far less solid than that of Yasu, distinctly so. “When ah…when do you expect ‘guests’, if you ah…if you don’t mind my asking? Ma’am?”




Isla Gill

Location: Ancient Grove
Mentions: @Pyromania99


The rest of the journey through the worn path was fairly peaceful despite Yasu's love of complaint. She wasn't built for Pokémon stuff...Isla snorted long and harsh through her nose at the thought. She wasn’t either, had handled herself relatively well, though Camila was probably right. The trick was half-baked, desperate, and really could have gone sideways yet any and all of the reasons the young girl had from the moment seemed somehow impotent as Isla thought through them. It hadn't been a great plan, but it had halfway been something. Such battles were definitely outside of her usual routine, and she couldn't help but scratch at the two on her shoulders in that subconscious reminder. No, the rest of the walk was fairly calm and Isla struggled to catch a glimpse of any other Pokémon in the brush.

Isla stopped in her tracks at the sight of the grove itself. It would have looked beautiful, magical, wondrous…had it ever been maintained. Markers dotted the clearing, something she recognized from older traditions in Johto, many crowned with moss and vine as they jutted out from the growth underfoot. The shrine itself reminded Isla of the temple, and the crumpled roof was in one way or another heartbreaking. It could have been better. It could be made to become far better. The inside of the shrine was as barren as could be…were there supposed to be objects inside for Celebi? Would such items annoy the Pokémon? Isla most definitely didn’t know. Other bits and pieces brought the worry further to the forefront, burn marks and a recently cut down pillar.

Of course, the woman standing there among all the history and ruins, standing there in front of the shrine, completed the image of unease. The woman most definitely did not seem to be among the faithful, nor among those concerned with the restoration of the shrine. Something about her clothing and posture gave that sense. Hatty wasn't enthralled by the woman, either…the psychic feeling might be off? Isla wasn't sure on that either.

“...uh. Hatty doesn’t like that lady...Someone go say something to her, I'm not good at people."

"Excuse me, Miss. How do you do? My name is Camila. The others are Yasu and Isla. May I ask for your name? And perhaps if you know what might have caused these burn marks here?”

Well, there's someone, she ruely observed, letting Dancing and Swiper jump down off her shoulders. Something definitely wasn't right, not at all, though Isla didn't want to bombard the woman with questions. That sort of thing surely could be annoying and if there was a way to talk through things with the strange lady then annoying her wouldn't work towards it. No, better to wait and see.




⛼ A7 - The Ever-Burning Mausoleum ⛼

In some ways, the desire had haunted the gravekeep as he had slumbered. The reason for his journey to the central city, the city with the Abyss at its heart, had been one easily enough thought through when he had not yet been there, but now that he was there, he could not deny that some part of the soul yearned for that Abyss. Some part wanted to see what was there, what others had left behind, what others had searched for and failed to find, searched for and failed to bring, or had simply…failed to come back. The hole there shifted eternally, broken eternally, and yet some slight portion of the gravekeep’s soul yearned to see the whole of that place.

Some part of the soul wanted to go there, some part that would not be satisfied by the tales of others. He wanted to go out, in any case, and the reason for such could be easily thought through and reasoned through by simple methods. The gravekeep wanted to get away from the heat of the mausoleum, the heat of the fires that seemed to permeate any and all. He had kept true to his word, though, true enough that he had not allowed the embers to touch his tome, true enough that he would leave some of his faithful at the mausoleum to pay for a place to sleep, to eat, should the other methods fail. Three men he left behind to work those fires, to perhaps speak to others should they find time to breathe, to perhaps convert some few others. It was a slight hope, and one that carried the risks inherent in those of one faith speaking to those of another, yet was a hope nonetheless.

He and the other two, however, made their way to the edge of the Abyss, to the land where men who ventured there gathered. In one occasion, the gravekeep thought that they might find a group to work alongside, yet on another…perhaps a group that would give them a distraction, a pause enough in the treading of monsters there by the clamor of the group. Perhaps, perhaps. He would need to see something or another there.
Isla Gill

Location: Route 1 - Ancient Grove
Mentions: @Pyromania99


Isla breathed out a long, long sigh as she watched the Heracross flee, moving through the foliage to quickly disappear among the forest. A moment passed there before a realization hit, she took a deep breath in for it all. The whole of that encounter was over, sure, and there the bug Pokémon was, fleeing off and away, but…her own had just sort of jumped in with no regards for it. Isla breathed out again, long and hard, eyes flickering up at the pair of Pokémon among the settling mud and dust and shrubbery. No, not just a pair of Pokémon…a pair of her Pokémon. Hers, who had jumped up in their defense, who hadn’t needed the question or the command, who had moved forward. Hers.

Was this what Pokémon trainers felt?

A wave of pride, joy washed over Isla, kneeling down as the pair made their way back to her. Both seemed fairly nervous about the whole event, facing the forest to walk back a moment before turning about. Swiper practically began to run back while Dancing…didn't. She watched with a far more concerned eye. Had…had more attacks landed than she'd thought? As the two returned, Yasu started to talk, breathless almost.

“Ha…I-I’ll be fine. I’m just…really not fond of wild pokemon.”

“I wonder what made it so hostile…Hatty can heal your pokemon if you need it. Thankfully it seems to have fled for now…”

Of course, that was right about when Swiper ran into her left arm and, a little while later, Dancing to her right. Hoisting them up on her shoulders and slowly, perhaps a little unsteadily getting to her feet, Isla suddenly….well, she stopped feeling the whole of that pride with the mention that it had fled for now. They hadn’t gone all the way through and the Heracross somehow didn't seem to be the sort to take that and move on. They could see it again, especially just on the way back.

Of course, doom and gloom was set aside as both of her Pokémon cuddled in close about her head, leaning in and threatening her precocious balance. She stopped moving again, leaning down a moment to let it pass, trying not to smile.

Then though the young girl thought of the actual question. Well, what had made the bug type so angry, what had made it suddenly attack. It seemed to be…protecting something, maybe? Dissuade them from pushing on? It wasn’t trying to actively harm the trainers or steal something, and really didn't seem to be the sort to try to steal…Isla’s eyes went to the side of her vision at Swiper with that thought…but it did seem to be trying to stop them from going on to the grove. Something connected to Celebi, to the grove, to that central worry that had brought them there. She looked at Yasu, head half-hidden by her fluffy Pokémon.

“Probably the same thing that makes you concerned about Celebi. Something happened. Also, thanks.”



Don Remo Lattanzi, Julia Kray, Xiang Min Purnama
Co-Written between Thayr, Silver Carrot, Kumbaris


He smiled as she made her way over, not stopping for any sort of invitation before seating herself down in a free seat at the table. The Don hadn’t brought quite so many as to take a whole table, and some hadn’t seated themselves, though made men's eyes drilled into the woman as she did so. They knew who the lady was, generally speaking. Associates of Black Maria, and more specifically Regia Maria, were told to carry themselves a certain way, talk a certain way, and she didn’t fit the profile at all. Of course, meeting with an associate would never have been done by the Don himself, so that pointed the way from such a possibility easily enough. He stared, too, smiling thinly as she spoke.

A pause passed, Remo motioning with a casual enough gesture, and those men seated stood, took a few steps away. He didn’t need them for the conversation, that was true enough. Only his Capo remained seated, hands hidden under the table.

“It has, it has. I’d always hoped we would find ourselves in a situation like this. Talking like this. It would mean someone has finally won, or at least won enough. And…thank you. The promotion has been most interesting.”

He studied her again, taking a sip of his wine. It wasn’t great, but also wasn’t odious. The smile remained on Remo’s lips as he considered her. “How’s the real world, ragazza? Good?”

Julia’s smile was strained. She wasn’t just pissed off because he’d stated that them talking like this was a sign he’d won their blood feud. She was even more pissed off because he was absolutely right. He was the winner. He is even more powerful now than he was then. Julia may be much better off after reaping the rewards of her deal than she ever had been, but she no longer had power within E-street hierarchy, and was short two limbs. Even so, she was a strong believer in respect, even among once-enemies, so she answered cordially.

"Considering the Spire as the real world is still novel to me. Compared to prison, it’s….very quiet at night," was her hesitant, bizarre answer. Trying to make small talk with Remo was seemingly a challenge to her.

Meanwhile, Xiang Min was silently observing the situation as it unfolded. The Don and Julia meet each other, seemingly sizing themselves up, before sitting down and talking, the CEO silently commands her gauntlets to be on standby mode, in case anything were ever to happen that demands her intervention, but she doesn’t think Julia nor the Black Maria Mafioso are stupid enough to start a conflict in the Spire out of all places.

Still, while she has dealt with her fair share of gangsters, she hasn’t dealt with one with this much prestige and position. She’s dealt with some mercenaries and E-Street thugs that rivals hired to kill her, and she tended to be on the winning end of that situation. She was a little bit surprised though when some Black Maria gangsters left the tables in Vivian’s, she never even thought that there were more Black Maria gangsters here, the muscle near the man in the White Coat is still sitting there however, unmoving and a rock, most likely insurance in case things go south.

The blonde-haired woman could only give Julia Kray a nod as she stood by. So, a bunch of gangsters, and a muscle right next to the head. Would need a distraction to keep the other gangsters occupied while I gun for the Muscle, a uppercut with my gun firing should knock him out for good, and at that point, the rest of the gangsters should be easy pickings. Hopefully the old man wouldn’t choose to fight himself, but if it’s necessary, a sharp knock on the head could KO him for the moment while we do a fiery escape. Xiang Min thought as her mind wracked over potential exit strategies for the current situation.

Normally she would have Mingfan and some SDS personnel assisting in this situation, but she doesn’t have time to call for assistance should things go south, and she doesn’t want to take her attention off just to call for help.

”I imagine so. Bars aren't good for souls. It breaks them down too much…and what is left is bleeding.” He paused, considering, contemplating, taking a sip of his wine. There sat a former foe who could fight no longer, knew it, and though he understood and knew that the feeling one should feel was elation, the Don struggled to grasp at that emotion. No, instead he just saw a broken, broken woman who lacked strength. In a way, there was pity to be found in that image. In a way, there was pride. He had done this and no other, no other could claim it as their war to be won. No, Remo couldn't crow over the victory like a child, but he could at least quietly appreciate it.

His gaze wandered a shade to the distance, to the woman standing some ways away in fine Spire clothing. The way she was studying his bodyguards and the Don clicked in the man's mind, a careful enough study for issues and threats. A thought sent and received over his link and he knew one of his men had already tensed, ready, waiting to put a bullet in the woman's skull. An issue or another would be stupid, but so would not taking precautions. He made a point to look long enough before looking again at Julia. ”The Spire isn't quite real either, that is true, but I am glad you are making not quite real friends in it.”

Julia’s jaw clenched and the muscles in her neck visibly tightened. She was staring at the table in front of her. She could not listen to what he was saying. Especially not him being the one saying it. She had made friends. A lot of them. Some of them died by his command. Other deaths were her own fault. She couldn’t think of any retort that wouldn’t get guns drawn on her, and not make her look pathetic. She had to resist both the urge to jump over this table and snap his neck, and had to hold back tears.

”You’re better than making remarks like that. Or, you used to be.” was her eventual, quiet, serious response. Her mouth was dry. The look in her eyes when she raised her head to meet his gaze again would be a familiar one. Hate. A flame betraying her explosive, violent nature. So, the fire hadn’t entirely gone out after all.

He watched the immediate reactions, the hate, the movement. Clearly enough, there was something to be had there as she bore holes down into the table, and as the woman spoke Remo let out a long, long breath. There was flint there in that voice, flint and the taut wire about the neck. The Don's eyes didn't leave from her as he watched the performance, calculating over it.

”I'm sorry - you misunderstand me. New friends is what I mean. New friends like the one you have over there. Your old friends…” He paused, letting the words hang as he considered the next well. There wasn’t any more pity to be found there, that was for certain. She still had a fight in her, a fire in her, not quite fully beaten down and away. ”They were good people. They really were. Honest enough, skilled enough. Worthy opponents to the end.”

Xiang Min continued studying her opponents, from their clothes, their weapons, everything. The situation was so tense that one could pull out a knife and cut the tension wide open, one wrong move from either of them could spell disaster, and Xiang Min was pretty sure everyone knew it.

And so the woman, already assessing her threats, decided to do something unexpected, her weapons were still kept on standby, but she relaxed her body, outstretched her arms forwards and then upwards, and just continued watching the conversation unfold with her hands, her arms grabbing her tea and then drinking it. A silent nod towards the Mafiosi that she meant no harm, but a message that, if they did anything. Xiang Min would protect her erstwhile Gym Partner from whatever aggression they would inflict upon her.

I could only hope the Black Maria received my message. Xiang Min thought, silently drinking her tea as she still watched Julia and Remo talk in the distance.

Julia sighed, her anger dissipating as she realises that he’s trying to cheer her up. This was a weird situation. She didn’t want to fight. She wasn’t prepared for the consequences. But every second in front of this man was a test of her self-restraint. And she definitely didn’t want to bury the hatchet and become friends. Hearing him overcorrect and start praising her friends brought out a single snort of laughter from her, though she still wasn’t smiling.

”They were punks. Gangsters. Kids who shot other kids. I appreciate you calling them skilled and worthy, though.”

There was a thoughtful look in her eyes. All the bloodshed on the streets of Metro City and now look at them both; Old, alive ,rich and talking peacefully over drinks in the Spire. She didn’t know whether to give credit to the blood she spilled to get her this far, or wonder what it was all for.

”If they weren't skilled, my men wouldn't have died to them. If they weren't honest, I would have bought them. It is just the truth. You were the same. There's a reason you have chrome instead of a suit.” He frowned, then, tapping briefly against the table. A number of thoughts came and went, though none of them were solid enough to wholly grasp. Some part of him still wanted to relish in the victory, other parts of him wanted to talk more candidly in one way or another. A question still tickled at the man's curiosity since she'd mentioned such people. ”Do you visit them?”

Julia looked down at her arm. She could have gotten something shiny and fashionable, but she wasn’t an heir. It would in some way have felt like a betrayal of herself. Maybe that’s what he meant by honest. E street would lie, cheat and steal, but they knew who they were. They knew that they were street scum given value by pledging loyalty to Heir benefactors. That’s why they had a strong sense of respect, and lived by the mantra of ‘E street for life’.

She looked back up when she was asked if she visited her old friends. She shook her head with a deflated face. ”From time to time. The new blood don’t want me to work for them, but they still respect me. It’s a strange position. E street members never stop being E street.”

Remo snorted, that thin smile finally reaching up to twinkle in his eyes. The ragazza still didn't understand, didn't always reach his full meaning about the facts, about life, about all of it. He spoke of the living, new friends, and she thought he spoke of the dead. He spoke of the dead, friends made and lost during that feud, and she thought he spoke of the living. The girl was right, though, right about all of it. E Street never did stop being what they were, enforcers given meaning by what they offered up to those in the high towers who wouldn't know loyalty or sacrifice or decision if it was choking them awake. They were enforcers who didn't grasp that whole picture, built from the decisions of those before, their blood and skill, who saw only the next day. That new blood, if they were smart, wouldn't waste someone with experience…but they weren't smart because, E Street never changing, never learning, didn't know. They saw her failures against the whirlwind Remo had once unleashed that so many had been torn by, not the successes she had born which forced his hand to create such monsters. They were, in short…E Street. It amused him, that grand joke.

”Maybe so, maybe so. Maybe one day you'll find something that better fits you, here, now. Maybe one day a seat will welcome you with open arms. I hope you'll find it.” A glance at a watch, then, casual as may be in the motion. That brief frown visited the Don's face as he looked back up. He spoke as he rose, fixing his coat as Iacopo strode off to pay the bill. ”I hope every visit might be as pleasant as this one, but I must cut it short. Other business to attend to. If you are ever in the neighbourhood…please, I'm sure the Star can find a table for you. Good night, Julia.”

Don Remo Lattanzi

Location: Vivian’s, E Street Territory, Spire District
Mentions: @Silver Carrot @Kumbaris


The bouncer hadn't been much trouble; like many of the Spire denizens, his loyalty and actions were tied to others who were far, far more indecisive than any member of the Black Maria. As such, the man hadn't asked many questions when Remo had entered into his view. He hadn't asked much of anything, just shifting out of the way for the Don and his entourage to atride past the line as a whole. It wasn't hard to tell the man's concern about a good lot of things. Remo thought little of it.

Enter into the bar, pause and take a good breath in while eyes scan the residents. He spotted her, unsurprising really considering the description Remo had received and the lack of obvious prosthetics in Vivian's. Those others who had such things were the sort to embellish their metal, blacks and golds mainly in muted wealth, while hers was suspiciously clean, basic. Otherwise…he tried to connect the face with his memories. The lady looked about as old as might be expected, though far more well worn compared to Remo. Time hadn't been gentle to her, not at all. She sat with another occupant of the Spire, though the Don didn't quite recognize her. The other was young enough she couldn't be an old one, one from back in the day. A new friend, really Julia? Remo chuckled freely at the thought.

The group was seated some ways across the floor, Remo ordering a bottle of white wine for himself and his, a bottle of red for the woman across the way. It was cheap to be generous, and the Don somewhat smiled at that thought.

⛼ A7 - The Ever-Burning Mausoleum ⛼
Co-Written with ERode

"The Black Ledger."

The man nodded, but only in understanding.

"Those who bring such bodies, their family or their companions, remember such deeds. As for us, Flame grants purification so that an unshackled soul may rejoin the cycle without regret."

The gravekeep stared for but a moment, nodding when he was finished with such brief internal deliberations. It was clear, to some degree or another, how such an order - the believers of the Flame-Face - treated with death. They saw it as another part of their cycle, a cycle of souls from one life to another to another. They saw souls as malleable, that they would come back into life after a moment in the black sea beyond. He had not considered this, for souls had always seemed evidently abounding in that sea beyond. It did not seem that the soul of a screaming hellion might find themselves transformed from one state to another, to that of a peaceful being, yet then again they had passed through the veil of the most severe transformation of all, that of death.

And yet, it did not seen to change his holy writ. The recording of those who had passed was a holy mission by its association with those who were living, those who would read the names and the deeds and be able to know again the dead. Thus would the soul be kept and saved, not forced to be left abandoned in the sea beyond.

"Who writes in the Black Ledger? What do they record?"

“Of its record, one takes the name and the dates, the cause and perhaps their occupation.” He peered closer towards Lethe. “Are you not of that flock? Few concern themselves otherwise, except those personally involved.”

"I am a recorder of the dead. My ledger is my own. In recording those who have passed, their souls are preserved and protected from oblivion, and the living profit by knowing those who have come before. This is what I have held for truth. Should you be correct, or should I, it does not alter the impact of the record. Do those who so record in your Black Ledger want for aid in their holy task?"

"Curious."

The older man folded his arms.

"The Black Ledger is a denomination separate from this Mausoleum, though their work finds greater purchase with those who have lineages storied or wealthy." He gestured at Lethe's appearance. "If you wish to join them, they can be found in the Royal Road...though I suppose their practice is not one that aligns well with your faith."

A slow cock of the head followed, questioning, contemplating, marionette-like almost. That the older man did not comment on the clashes of his own reasoning with the gravekeep, yet felt the need to do so when comparing the man with the Black Ledger, was something of an insinuation which he did not enjoy. "Why so?"

"Their's is a belief that there are lesser and greater lives. Through records, legends past dwell within the present, while the chaff are scattered and left behind."

A quirking of the lips. The flames consign all to equal oblivion, whilst the ledger separates those with pasts forgotten and pasts treasured.

"You don't strike me as the type to extoll the virtues of an unbroken lineage, though your work resembles theirs."

A snort came as the response, a mouth wry with the sour thoughts that came from such blasphemous statements. The Black Ledger truly did not sound like an institution which would agree with the gravekeep. "All souls have worth. Those who could accomplish greatness have been snuffed away in childhood while those who do not stretch their lives away. I make no judgements to the dead, only service so that they may be spared oblivion."

He paused, considering. "Would the Flame-Face give men toil? Would it patron a ledger in exchange for men at the fire?"

"We worship but differing Faces of the same Deity, who dwells amongst us even past their demise. So long as your labour is honest, I've no reason to refuse you and yours. Mind that the pages don't burn though."
© 2007-2024
BBCode Cheatsheet