[IC] The Runes (In Need of Players!)

[Daemanis]

As silvarae noticed that the girl who had shattered the door seemed more interested in the food than the others she relaxed slightly. Her attention leaving the girl she started taking note of everything else going on in the room and the fact that Isa and Clifton, a guy she had met all but once when he finalized the paperwork with father, were seeming very apprehensive about the new girl she would walk over towards them positioning herself beside the new girl.
”Hey now, can we all relax.” she would say though she watched the girl from the corner of her eye. There were no standing orders at this point so she was making a strategic move to attempt to disarm the situation ”I mean, she managed to get into one of the most secure locations on the planet, does anyone think she’d be just able to do that?” her question was aimed directly at Clifton. If Clifton had watched any of her training videos he would know she had taken a position that would let her subdue a potential threat quickly by stepping behind. Though anyone unfamiliar with her abilities might think that she was actually siding with the girl.
While it was true she had no desire to kill this girl, in fact she had no desire to kill anyone she simply wanted to make sure no one got hurt, and to her knowledge the girl in most danger of getting hurt right now was the one who slid through the window.

[EchoicChamber]

The next to enter the room was a crisp, rather sharply-dressed man that even Dawn could smell from where she stood. He gave her the impression of a blooming politician, or a cars’ salesmen, or some odd fusion of the two. Like Isa, he seemed to work within the facility, if the knowledge of who they were and the striking professionalism was any indication.

And, like Isa, he immediately honed in on the intruder as someone who didn’t seem to belong.

The woman seemed content to deflect any question when it came to her identity, or, at the very least, give responses that were decidedly vague at best. Much to Dawn’s surprise, one of her fellow Runes, Silvarae, had chosen to defend the stranger’s appearance there. The excuse was a bit hard to swallow, but Dawn decided to simply let the staff handle it for the time being and sidled over to the side of the room. There was little else for her to do now, after all, but to wait and see what would happen.

Pouring herself another cup of coffee, Dawn stepped over to Helena, who was currently standing off by herself and looking fairly uncomfortable by everything. Understandably so. Dawn sipped at her coffee as she watched the scene play out before her, then, still keeping it within her gaze, turned towards Helena.

“I’m guessing that something this doesn’t happen often, by the looks of it?” Her voice was kept soft, unassuming. Her “polite office secretary” voice, used for soothing particularly aggressive interviewees. She took another gulp from her cup, before going on.

“Your name is Helena, right? I’m Dawn. Thank you for bringing the coffee, by the way.”

@VitoftheVoid

[Prinz]

Amity stood in the back of the room, eyes trained directly on the pale girl suddenly surrounded by a trio of people. She'd keep her mouth shut for now, unless anything really happened.

Kana caught Amity's gaze for a moment and poked her tongue out, winking cheekily before looking over at Oren and shrugging her shoulders. "Ah well, bird lady, I didn't forget your question. I was just ignoring it, really." As the blonde moved over to her and mentioned how getting into the building was a feat in itself. Kana felt herself smiling a little.
It was far too easy, honestly.
Shrugging to herself, she crouched down and picked up the pen and paper from the floor. Looking around the room, she figured she'd go draw her rune on the table- so she did. Moving away from the uncomfortably close girl who was probably going to shank her in the back with her knives or something, Kana crouched down and put the paper down, drawing a crude circle on it before nodding to herself in admiration and standing back up, handing the paper to Oren. If the lady didn't take it, Kana just stuffed it against her chest and let the paper go.
Humming to herself, she took another look around the room and reached up, putting her hands on her head and then remembering her muffin. Biting into it greedily, she took a bite that could be described at least as 'worryingly large' and then chewed about three times before swallowing the food in her mouth easily.
"Sure is a nice place here, really. I imagined they'd have bigger walls or thicker doors, but getting in here was a bit stupid easy." She clicked her fingers, nodding to herself as she spun back around to face the two obviously higher-up people in the room.
"I go by the name of Kana Cerulean, if you're really that curious. So you're the new, fancy rune guys everyone's been talking about, huh? Can't say I'm not surprised. I figured you'd all look flashy and cool, but you're all awfully normal lookin'. No offense, really."

Shrugging to herself, Kana gave everyone a small bow.
"Gotta admit, a few of you little cuties really made it hard for me. I guess since the gig's up I can come clean. Technically, I'm your superior. I was sent in here to mess with a few of you and see if you'd catch on. Luckily for you, you have your bird-like friend here to do all the work for you." She gestured to Oren, giving her a thumbs up. "Good job. Nice security." Leaning back against the wall behind her, she idly cracked her neck and crossed her legs.
"Now we wait, I suppose. Don't we, handshake man?"

She was lying through her teeth again, but now she'd given herself plenty of wiggle room. Questions could be deflected, and Kana introducing herself by name was bound to make it just a little more believable.
Of course, the biggest clue sat in Kana's circle drawing, but she doubted anyone would be that insightful- or really put a circle to her name.
Still, the blonde girl naming her sword after her gave her a good chuckle.
She supposed it was a pretty alright lie, especially since she could always drag that voice in suit boy's ear into the equation.
Having such good hearing was a bit annoying most of the time since it made music a bit painful, but it came in handy.
Kana took another deep breath, licking her lips.
She caught a scent.
Beyond the special scent filling the room, another scent.
She closed her eyes and grinned.
It smelled great.

[xXSINXx]

@Kuroakuma
"You may fool them..." He spoke with no emotion behind his voice. "Simple remarks and quick actions wont trick me.." He glances at Kana, popping another marshmallow. " You're a rune, but you have something about you, you're mischievous, deceitful, better yet." He pauses, swallowing the marshmallow. "You're a snake." With this deduction, he cracks a smile, that kind of awkward smile that freaks you out, yet seems normal to him, though normally, he doesn't smile. This did not strike fear in him, in truth, he just became that more interested in Kana.

Volkir patiently waited to see how Kana would react to his deduction, for it would grant him that confirmation he needed. Another lie or even her trying to prove she wasn't would just make his discovery much more accurate, all he had to do is listen and watch. The others may believe her, but Volkir thinks in great detail. He has also studied everyone, including Kana, how they've acted thus far, the way they carry themselves, even they way their face does when they speak. The only Rune he hasn't figured out was Amity, though he believes he will catch on soon enough.

[VitoftheVoid]

"Oh! No problem. Sorry for running late. It's been pretty full-on today."

Helena was somewhat relieved to have the young woman carry on conversation with her. It lightened the charged atmosphere a bit. Helena hadn't been totally sure if she should stick around in light of what was going on. If it was alright she didn't really need to be waiting round. On the other hand if it turned out to not be alright, the fact that she wandered off mid-questioning wouldn't exactly look good.

The young woman opened up the box of donuts.
She figured as everyone else was already eating muffins they probably wouldn't be needed, so reached in and took one with chocolate frosting from the box as she watched the rather tense situation across the room. She hadn't gotten breakfast...and well it wasn't like the situation would progress differently if she wasn't eating a donut.

"Pleased to meet you Dawn, I'm Helena. Don't worry, I'm not like, a rune or a valkyie or anything. I work round the office. Get coffee, make copies, get lunch orders...that kind of thing." she explained.
"Someone's got to do that sort of thing whilst the others are..."
She gestured in the general direction of the confrontation.

Oren was still watching Kana with narrowed eyes, apparently not convinced by her assertions that it had been a test of their ability. Not so much that she couldn't forsee The Blessed trying such a thing, more than she'd hope if they did they'd seek to inform Clifton about it beforehand lest someone end up getting shot.

You didn't live very long in a world of shapeshifting monsters without a healthy amount of suspicion of others, and she hadn't any intention of speaking about any operations until this had been dealt with.

And then Tiwaz was speaking.

Oren didn't do the best job of hiding the irritability in her words. Mostly at his tone. As if he was the only person 'on to' the individual she'd been grilling for about ten minutes.

"Tiwaz, if you want to try and proclaim your superior intellect to the rest of us, being aware that there is no 'snake' rune, that no runes in the elder futhark are circular, they don't even curve, and that the grouping is supposed to be divided evenly between each of the aetts, would be a good start. Because otherwise you risk looking like someone who has no idea what he's talking about." Oren shot back, already irritated by Algiz's staunch defence of the potential intruder. She didn't really welcome someone else sticking their oar in.

She raised her voice sufficiently to speak to all assembled.

"I feel like maybe this is a good time to announce to all of you that I've been in the employ of The Blessed for nearly five years at this point. I have spent much of that time researching runes, the runic abilities, devourer species, and the lore associated with them. If I know nothing else, it is runes, and if you are going to listen to nothing else about what I say, do at least pay some attention to what I have to tell you in regard to those topics."

[LorelleQuips]

Careful. Cool to the touch. If she meant them immediate harm, she was hiding it well. But then why was she here? Because if she was a spy of some kind, she was perhaps the worst one he had ever met. He gathered from the runes' comments that she had entered through the window. What kind of spy would choose such a flimsy and easily disproven cover as 'I'm a rune'?

"How rude of me. Clifton is the name."

He made no visual response to the voice in his ear, as though he didn't hear it at all, but his actions proved he read Mitch loud and clear. He had been here long enough to know that when Mitch made a suggestion, you wanted to follow that advice.

Clifton feigned relief at Kana's explanation, which he wouldn't have bought even without the bluetooth in his ear. He was no entry-level flunky. He knew who his superiors were.
"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Kana. My apologies. I wasn't made aware of such an exercise."

He could see what Silvarae was doing as she positioned herself. He made eye contact with her and turned his head ever so slightly. No, implied the subtle, momentary narrowing twitch of his eyes. Don't engage. He had a similar subtle look for Oren, whose hostile interrogation, though not at all off-point, was lowering the temperature of the room to uncomfortable degrees, and he needed this Kana Cerulean comfortable.

Snakes, suggested Volkir. Perhaps he was onto something, there, if in no other way than in the metaphor of the snake in the grass.

Clifton addressed the room at large. "Oh, I'm sorry, would you all enjoy the refreshments and each other's company a moment longer?" he asked. "Cut Mr. Moons some slack, Miss Oren. Not all of us have your impressive dedication on the subject! You are correct, of course. Perhaps you can give the others the, ah, spark notes crash course on basic runes. While you're here, Miss Kana, I believe Mr. Jamesons had some documents about the Jotuns near base 5 that he wanted to pass up the chain of command in person. His break begins in a moment, so would you mind taking a detour to his office before we begin here?" He placed a friendly, light hand on Kana's elbow and gestured toward the gaping doorway, taking a step as though to guide her into the hallway. "Mr. Jamesons and his classified information. One can hardly blame him after what happened in Chicago, though, can they?" He laughed, the picture of ease.

[VitoftheVoid]

Oren was absolutely not happy with the situation and didn't believe for a second that anything good could come of letting this go. She would have been quite happy to keep her line of questioning going until she got what she wanted....but Clifton was giving her a look. An almost imperceptible look, but enough to demonstrate to her that he wanted her to back off.

And she was going to...grudgingly comply.

Oren folded her arms and side-eyed the man. Regardless of what he had in mind about dealing with this intruder, she didn't really appreciate being undermined so early in the proceedings, united front and all.

"I have no problem with informing people Clifton. I just take issue with anyone attempting to state their opinion as fact. Especially when they don't have any data to back it up." she replied, in regards to his mild rebuke.
"If we want to teach these people anything about runic powers then stamping out the propagation of uniformed bullshit is a pretty vital first step."

[Prinz]

Kana turned to Clifton and gave him a warm, happy smile.
"Of course. Chicago certainly got to him, didn't it?"
Well, this was interesting. Of course, getting away from that owl lady would be good.
On the downside, it seemed her observation was getting cut short.
On the upside, this would turn out much more interesting, Kana believed.
"I understand. I was under orders to keep quite a way away from everyone else in the staff, actually, so not even someone in your position would've known." She chuckled softly, looking down at the pocket his other hand had been in during their handshake briefly before flicking back up and matching his gaze with hers.
"Shame it almost got me killed, really. Near death aside, it's a pleasure to meet you, Cliffy." Taking Clifton's cue to exit the room, as she left, she paused and turned to Volkir. Giving him a grin, Kana hissed at him before taking her leave from the room and beginning to hum to herself as she walked.
The scent had gotten closer, and that's where she began to wander to. With both herself and Clifton alone, Kana let out a long, loud sigh and reached up to cross her arms on top of her head. When she was sure that nobody else was nearby, she spoke again, her tone almost musical
"Man, I thought security was super duper lax since I basically just walked in here, but you and that angry owl lady sure made things difficult, didn't ya?"
Spinning to look at Clifton, she looked him up and down with a smirk that grew into her trademark cheshire grin- just a little too big and a little too wide, showcasing off her jagged fangs that glinted in the light gently.
"I'm sure you've realised that if anyone was going to die today they'd be already dead, so let's not start killing each other just yet, cutie." She adjusted the scarf around her neck, licking her lips quickly as she did so and pouting a little. Her scarf just refused to sit comfortably. She'd learned to ignore it, but sometimes it was just.. ugh, annoying.
"So how many people have you killed, anyway? You absolutely reek of cleaning products. It's a bit gross, actually. Makes my nose itch. People only smell that bad if they're either a massive clean freak or if they're a massive mass murderer. I think I'll go with the latter."
Spinning around in place, Kana stared around the halls they walked down with almost childlike curiosity and humming to herself in an off-pitch tune the entire time. Excitement bubbled up inside her chest and it visibly showed, the girl becoming much more fluid and momentous as she moved around and investigated everything- Clifton included. She kept constantly poking and prodding him, nodding to herself in satisfaction every time she did so. It was utterly meaningless, but she wanted to at least mess with the man a teensy bit.
It made waiting a bit less boring. Plus, she'd already spoken enough to warrant a few replies. No need to overload the poor escort.
She wondered if he would garotte her or put a bullet in the back of her head.
That'd be fun.

---

Meanwhile, back inside the room, Amity reached up and rubbed the bridge of her nose in something resembling annoyance. She hadn't slept, and then all of a sudden that girl had popped up and started causing a mess. She wasn't a Rune, even Amity knew that.
Somehow Amity doubted that the CEO of KanaTech herself would come here with no reason, however, and that made her worried.
Her features betrayed her thoughts none, however, just a slightly annoyed, tired girl who leaned against the wall. Kana being gone was good. Great, even. She could actually focus and not be on edge for one.

She really should've brought her sword. Even if it was just to enforce peace or something like that. Clifton had been right, however. With Kana gone and Oren no longer grilling her, the mood in the room was sure to improve immensely.
She hoped.
Dropping her arms to her side, Amity leaned her head back and closed her eyes, groaning to herself before moving over to Helena and Dawn, grabbing a cup of coffee. She downed it in a few gulps, her dead eyes shifting over the other two girls present.
"Sorry. Didn't sleep last night so I'm a bit out of it. Barely got a shower in before I got dragged here. Now that our creepy friend is out of our hair, what're your names? Figure being friendly would be great even if I'm half dead." Amity gave a small smile, although the bags under her eyes still remained.
She couldn't complain though, really. She would've woken up several times in the night even if she had slept.
Nightmares were kind of a bitch.

[Daemanis]

She had been watching Clifton extremely closely, he of all people, she figured would recognize her positioning and she hadn’t been wrong, the slightest of signals, if she hadn’t been paying close attention she would have missed it a simple flick of the eyes a contraction of otherwise benign facial muscles. ‘do not engage’ a message received she would subtly adjust her stance almost imperceivably but enough to show she no was no longer engaging. Clifton seemed to handle the situation with all the diplomacy and skill of his station as he soon had her out of the room and seeing the girl whom clearly did not belong amongst the leave she relaxed quite notably walking back to the position she had previously occupied against the wall.
She eyed Isa with something akin to disdain in her eyes, she wondered how someone who so clearly had been here such a long time had not recognized the true danger of the situation. Wondering if the woman had any true combat training at all she would ask as much.
“Hey.. Isa… have you ever actually been outside the city walls?” her questions while seeming to question her abilities were said with such a tone that it would seem to be conversational, as if attempting to find a common ground between the two.
Silvarae wondered what good this meeting would do as they were wasting precious time where they could be learning more about their runes and how to better use them for practical purposes. Not sitting around in an office growing soft while the monsters that lurk the within the shadows of the city grew ever stronger. It annoyed her that she had been interrupted for this, but that was what they wanted her to do so here she was. She was also curious as to when she would finally get to start training with the other runes, like she’s seen a couple of the training but it had always been individual, she much desired to work with the others as well to learn better ways to fight creatures that might just use powers similar to theirs.
The primary concern on her mind though was why they hadn’t even given her the briefest of clues as to why she was here, other than the fact that she had the Algiz rune, a branching tree like rune, that appeared on the back of her left hand. If that was the only reason she would be better off out there helping people, protecting those that purchased her skills. But Cliffton had struck a deal with father and she was here now.
Listening to Isa speak her curiosity was piqued, she spoke as though she knew everything there was to know about the runes, she would then hold her hand up showing off her own rune.
“Say, what does this do?” she knew the premise behind it, but she wanted to see if the woman who claimed to know everything about runes knew what she was capable of and not just what the books said. She would not be guising the challenge at this point, she wanted to call Isa out on this little facet of her own tirade.
@VitoftheVoid

[Magister]

"Never bothered me Maeve, I was banned from where you work. Something about an unpaid tab and property damage. Makorai held a single finger up, and moved to grab them both a cup of coffee. Suffice to say, the situation unfolding beside them had deescalated to a level where his attention was no longer warranted.

"Thanks for the coffee" He flashed Helena a winning smile, followed by a small head nod. "Dig the sweater. Makorai returned to his seat, and offered Maeve a coffee, after quickly, and discretely emptying the scotch into their morning brews.

"Took the liberty of giving you a pick me up, if it ain't your think. Well. More for me. Aloha."

He nodded in the direction of Silvarae and Oren, who, despite the former's benign tone, seemed to be making a point with her questioning in regards to going outside of the city walls.

"Lot of pent up aggression there. They might benefit from a massage, I bet ol' iron hands knows a thing or two about massages.

More loudly this time, loud enough for the room to hear.

"Maybe we should all go on a bonding field trip out of the city limits. Maybe bring some food, drinks. Music. Oh, and a chaperone because we aren't allowed out there alone.

Makorai wasn't insulting either woman, rather, he was taking a playful jab at one of the more draconian policies he'd been forced to accept as a Rune bearer.

[GoodLuckTuck]

-snip-

[VitoftheVoid]

"I've already said this once today. I don't need to see what your rune is. Algiz. Also known as Ehlaz. Elk. Protection. Shield Power." Oren responded. Whilst she couldn't help but feel that this paltry challenge was demeaning all concerned, she also couldn't help recite by rote.
"And as far as my history I don't see why I should tell you either way. It has negligible value to talk about and also imply that I needed to prove myself to you." she replied in regard to the question about the leaving the city. She wasn't going to play that kind of game. Not in the least because she had little interest in the approval of others. Well, certainly not the approval of people who were effectively five years junior to her in the organisation.

She also hadn't any particular desire to go into her own past. She was moving forwards.

Her avian gaze flickered over to Ansuz.
"We're certainly going to have some field trips beyond the borders eventually. Hopefully after bonding. Anything we'd be looking for out there is not something we'd want to half-ass."

There were a number of things she could name, but that was, perhaps, for a later date. Most people present didn't necessarily need to hear about some of the more obscure and nasty things in the wilderness. Mareitt, draugen, nokken, the plague-carrying Pesta. If she'd never had to leave the city she would have counted herself as lucky.

---

Helena gave a warm smile of greeting as she and Dawn were addressed by another young woman. Well, she had been there a little while, but up til that point, consuming a fair quantity of coffee in a short period of time.
"Oh no, it's fine.... I'm Helena... not a rune or anything. Not a hundred percent sure I need to be here...but also I sort of should try and be here in case everything gets weird with that person I'm not totally sure should be there...so I'm still here. Also no-one's going to eat the donuts and I don't want them to go to waste."
She took another one out of the box, before blushing alittle at the compliment Makorai had given on her dinosaur attire. She had hoped that it would give the best first impression.

And it was clearly working out wonderfully.

[Daemanis]

Silvarae would listen as the bird like Isa spoke her impression of her getting less and less as the woman continued to speak. ‘book smarts’ she thought to herself as she considered whether or not to push the subject of the womans own superiority complex. Though the one thing that she found to be impossible to bite her tongue with was when the woman answered whether or not she had been outside the walls with a non-comital ” It has negligible value to talk about" Silvarae breathed and lived the world outside the city and she immediately would frown at this.
She let Isa finish talking before she would speak again her eyes watching her for any small give or detail that others might not notice, this wasn’t the first time she had watched the ice user but now she was wondering what it was that made her so confident in her book smarts.
”you think that your books will protect you against the things that lurk in the shadows?” she all but spat this, her hand would stray to her dagger grasping the handle tightly, her knuckles would turn white from the force of her grip while her heart beat a million miles an hour with in her breast. ”this here is a waste of time if you think the things that hide within the shadows are negligible, while we sit around here chatting and making cozy there are far darker things out there that grow stronger.”
She would push off the wall, turning and walking towards the door ”when you’re serious about actually doing something I’ll listen, till then.” She threw a hand up turning to face the door before adding ”And Isa, you know the name of my rune true, you don’t know what I’m capable of it, unlike you, I’ve seen you can bend ice to your will, and prefer mobility over force of power.” she added the last as she walked out the room towards the gym. Her nerves were rattled and the moment she left the immediate area she would lean against the wall panting for several seconds. ‘stupid stupid, stupid.’ She thought to herself slowly pushing off the wall again her heart still beating well above normal and her hands slightly shaking.

[LorelleQuips]

Clifton made sure they had made it some distance from the rune bearers before he allowed them to stop. He didn't flinch at the sight of Kana's rows of fangs, merely raising an eyebrow. He'd seen stranger things. It seemed that now should be the moment that his cordial demeanor would vanish, with the pretenses dropping and all that. But apparently the politeness wasn't a pretense at all, because it didn't go away.

Clifton's lips twitched at Kana's implication that he smelled like cleaning products. It was just hand sanitizer. (Or...maybe she caught a whiff of that bleach from yesterday?) Then again, he knew she wasn't wrong about the clean freak bit, and... to be honest, she was only a stone's through away on the mass murderer thing.

He elaborated on none of this.

"Cleanliness is next to godliness, they say," said Clifton simply. He did not offer a reply to her query about how many people he'd killed.

Rather personal question, that.

"I have no intention to incite violence, Miss Kana, if that is indeed your name. But now may be the prudent time to ask who you are and what you are doing here, as well as to request an explanation of precisely what you are, if you'll forgive the rather coarse inquiry."

[ScoundrelQueen]

Maeve's brow furrowed as Makorai handed her the cup, and she took a cautious sniff, followed by a pucker-lipped sip of the steaming hot liquid. Her tongue troughed inside her mouth as a reflex to the expected burn, but the flavor underlying the temperature could not be mistaken. Her mouth quirked into an approving grin, and she took a more considerable swig. "How did you know I took two sugars?" she replied, and nodded her agreement with his choice. "Here's to mornings, if they're all like this."

Her line of vision then followed Saika's, and her smile almost turned down into a look of admonishment.

Or, at least, a furrow-browed, lopsided-smirk followed by a one-handed shrug that could have passed for disapproval in some circles in regard to some situations. "I don't want to assume things, now, being unchivalrous or the like," she started to him alone, but perked up at his suggestion. "That's not a bad idea, you know? Do some camping, make a small fire? We could all fit in just a couple of tents if- Hey!"

Maeve didn't know a lot, but she was pretty sure you couldn't just leave meetings held by your Benevolent But Mysterious Hosts (trademark.) "Hey, Blondie! You can't just bounce on- Hold that thought, Isa. I'm gonna go- She can't do that, right?" Maeve shook her head, downed her cup, and trotted out into the hall after the woman.

"Blondie?" Her voice was softer than usual. She had not expected Zero to be shaking.

"Uh- Sorry stuff got tense with the two of you or whatever, but I think we should probably go back, soon. I'm not big into rules, but they're going to ride your ass if you just blow them off like that." She cleared her throat. "I mean. I can't twist your arm."

-----

If anyone around could read minds, the constant stream of thoughts pouring from Mitch's head would have sounded a bit like a blaring alarm bell accompanied by a never-ending, full-lunged sigh of disappointment. Not quite enough energy to be mad, just disappointed.

Maybe an expletive or nine.

She turned a corner, and she could hear the clip of CLifton's footfalls, plus one. "He's killed multiple people, and done worse to far larger beings," she greeted, her line of would-be vision directed to the bit of air directly between the both of them. I've got it from here, Mr. Clifton. Thank you so much for your help! And, if you would, save me a donut?"

The size of the thing was wrong. And the sound, too. All of it. But it was, and what was simply was.

"My name is Mitch Ingram, head security officer," she said, and extended a hand forward. "I handle most of everything here, including who soever comes in and out of these doors. And windows. I will be managing your case from here forward."

She turned about on the soles of her flat black loafers, and gestured with one hand for the guest to follow. "Or you could kill me. I can't do much about it, but somebody eventually might. Or not. It would be messy, and I advise against it, in the long-run. I don't actually know what would happen."

"Will you take tea, or coffee?"

[EchoicChamber]

“I can imagine.” Dawn smiled, taking a moment to stir in a touch of milk into her coffee. She took a hefty gulp of the stuff, the heat of it stinging her throat as it went down. “It seems like it’s been a rather hectic day here so far. People, ah, suddenly crawling through windows aside. And the pleasure’s mine.”

Interestingly enough, the woman, ‘Kana Cerulean’, had quickly changed gears upon Clifton’s entrance- reintroducting herself as a superior instead of a rune, and saying that the whole thing had just been a test. A means of seeing their reactions in the face of...well, all that she had been pulling so far. Dawn took the whole thing a bit hard to swallow, and, if Volkir’s reaction was of any indication, a few of her fellow runes did, too. Clifton, however, seemed to take in stride. He ushered Kana out of the room, chatting amiably in the meanwhile.

At least that had been resolved, by the looks of it.

Soon after the pair had left, Amity, the woman who had broken the door on her arrival, had wandered over with coffee in hand. Dawn nodded at her in greeting, returning the smile without pause.

“It’s alright. You, ah, can’t really help insomnia, really.” Her fingers twitched slightly, as if the impulse to offer her hand to shake was present, but very well restrained. “I’m Dawn. It’s been...quite a day, hasn’t it?”

She gazed down at the nearly-full box of donuts, and then back up again. “Well, if you’ve been running around all day, I don’t see anything wrong with taking a little break, anyway.” A sip, a pause. “How long have you been working here, Helena? If you, ah, don’t mind my asking, that is.”

Dawn’s attention was stolen momentarily at the suggestion of an “outside city bonding trip”, and then held fast as Silvarae began to snarl at Isa about what lurked within said area. The woman stomped out soon after, followed by Maeve, who seemed just as surprised by the whole thing as Dawn felt.

As the sound of footsteps gradually faded, she glanced over to her company, brow raised. It seemed redundant to follow the two runes out, but it also wasn’t an event that could go wholly without acknowledgement.

@VitoftheVoid@Kuroakuma

[Daemanis]

So shaken had Silvarae she hadn’t heard Maeve approaching her, when she finally heard her voice she froze up her body going stiff. Her head would slowly turn, stiff, mechanical and her eyes would be wide as if a dear caught in the headlights.
"Blondie?"
"Uh- Sorry stuff got tense with the two of you or whatever, but I think we should probably go back, soon. I'm not big into rules, but they're going to ride your ass if you just blow them off like that."
"I mean. I can't twist your arm."
Maeve may have been speaking in gibberish for all that Silvarae could process at this point. She had seen something that no one had seen in twenty some years, Her brain arguing between fight or flight as she looked at the other rune user. It would happen in an instant what made her mind might have been as imperceptible as a simple breath from the fire user but she bolted sprinting at top speed unable to process anything other than escaping those eyes.
‘stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, showing them you’re weak, you’re pathetic.’ She heard her fathers voice in her head ‘stupid little bitch’ it would add berating her as she finally found herself outside the mansion heading relatively quickly for the city. All thoughts of training gone now she was sprinting anywhere, that wasn’t here at this point.

[Prinz]

"Cleanliness is next to godliness, huh? Remind me to stop showering from now on."
Kana once again turned to the man, nodding to herself cheerfully.
"Ah, well, I do go by Kana, so that's one question down. I don't think you'd exactly react well to the answer to your second question- well, maybe. I'm just a cute, lost albino girl who wandered into the wrong neighbourhood while looking for something of hers that's gone missing, is all~"
Shrugging to herself, Kana sat down on the floor as the delicious scent grew even stronger than before. Her smile widened just a teensy bit.
And by that I mean a lot because Kana has a problem. Several, actually.
"As for that explanation.. that'll elicit the exact same response, really. Shame. I don't want this place trying to kill me just for coming here, y'know, my well dressed new friendo?"
As the fancy new smell turned the corner, Kana looked over. Pretty plain, honestly. Practically a regular human.
Which really made sense for someone who smelled how they smelled. Kana slowly stood up again, cracking her neck loudly and flicking her forked tongue out to grab yet another scent from the person before her.
"Far worse, huh? I doubt our lovely serial killer friend could really hurt lil' old me, though. I'm a special case." She turned to Clifton and gave him a wink and poking her tongue out like she was some sort of anime girl.
Turning back to the delicious one, Kana grinned, putting her tongue back in her mouth with her finger.
"Mitch Ingram. Plain name. A bit too plain, really. I'll forgive you since you smell absolutely delectable, though, Head of Security who has eyesight worse than mine if your glasses and cane are anything to go by~"
Kana paused, putting her hands over her mouth.
"Ah, that was mean of me, wasn't it? Darnie, I'm still figuring out how to do the hooman to hooman speaky thingy, ya feel me, Mitchy-witchy?"
Kana shook Mitch's hand the same way she shook Clifton's- namely without digging her nails into them and crushing their hands- and offered a slightly smaller grin.
"I dun mean to be mean, I just don't do the braining all too well, if'ya catch me drift, mate." Kana should show off her boomerang skills sometime, but inside probably wasn't the best place.
"My case, huh? I didn't even bring a suitcase or briefcase! Am I getting a cool new case!? Gosh, a nice little gifty for the adorable Kana-chan has been acquired!" She leaned over and wrapped her right arm around Mitch's waist, pulling her close and chuckling.
She ignored the remark about killing her.
"I'll have a vanilla coke, friendo. In a can. None of that 'drug the drink and replace the cap' sneaky snake stuff, ya feel me, comrade Mitch?"
She followed Mitch as she'd been told to, leaning up to lick the woman's cheek- by leaning up I mean extending her tongue like an absolute creep and making weird 'rerorerorero' noises while doing so.
This would be fun.
Mitch tasted great.

---

"Amity. Amity Veil. The day hasn't even started and it's been a blast, am I right?" She gave a respectful nod to both Dawn and Helena. "I always thought dinosaurs were pretty cool, myself. Nice sweater." Reaching down to grab a donut, inspect it and then stuff it into her mouth, Amity gave Helena a thumbs up. "Goosh donush." Swallowing it all in apparently one gulp, Amity chuckled and looked back at Dawn. "Not insomnia so much as spending the whole night figuring out if I could use a shield with my sword at all, really." She didn't mention the approximate size of her weapon being equal to the length of a van.
That might worry her new associates like her strength had terrified the blonde.

Watching said blonde angrily go off at Oren, Amity raised an eyebrow. It's not like being outside the walls was exactly a field trip, but getting that angry at someone over it was..
Amity didn't really know, honestly. Her brain wasn't functioning one bit.
Outside the city wasn't exactly the most popular topic by any means. Plenty of people had suffered out there and rushed in here soon after to escape the.. things.
Amity's grip on the cup of covfefe in her hand tightened hard, causing it to overflow a little before she relaxed her grip to avoid exploding coffee everywhere.
"So.. is our meeting on hold now since two of us decided to vanish, or..?" She turned to Oren as she spoke, taking a large gulp of coffee- she didn't want to drink it that quickly per se, but she'd rather not get her drink all over herself and everyone nearby. She awaited Oren's reply, but she swore she heard something out in the hallway, too. She would go check, but she'd wait until the others came back inside. If anything was going down, they'd notify the others, Amity hoped.

[LorelleQuips]

Clifton showed the first sign of being off-put when Kana called him a serial killer. She just wouldn't drop the murder thing, would she?

That was demeaning. He would never kill for pleasure.
Serial killers were despicable.
Killing without being paid for it.
How base.

He recovered his cool, externally anyway, though he felt himself breaking into a cold sweat just watching Kana sweep her serpentine tongue over Mitch's face. Mitch had so confidently dismissed him that he didn't intervene, merely taking half a pace back toward the room where the rune bearers waited. But he couldn't just leave if the girl might actually try to devour her. "I will be certaim to save you one, Miss Ingram." And he gave her one last questioning look to make sure she was still confident she had this thing under control.

[VitoftheVoid]

Oren regarded Algiz with a dull contempt. She wasn't offended as such, as much of this apparent dissection of her had entirely missed the mark, but the principle of these attempts to antagonise her when she was trying to get to talking about other things was starting to grate on her nerves. Well, not starting to.
"Just about everything you just said was you constructing a strawman. May we continue?"

But she'd run off. And to make it even better, so had Sowilo. Wonderful. Brilliant.

That was going to make the following talk quite a bit more difficult, and there wasn't much that could be done to avoid it, seeing as Uruz was already asking about how things were proceeding given they were already down two people.

"Well the meeting was supposed to be about assigning you all your teams based on your Aett. These are invaluable to your runic usage, as being around others in your Aett will boost your own abilities.

Freyr's Aett consists of Kenaz, Ansuz and Uruz."

She indicated each of the constituents of the first team.

"Knowledge, Vision and Strength. One can only reach its full potential with the others.

Next, Tyr's Aett. Tiwaz, Berkano, Laguz. "

Oren pointed all of them out to each other.

"Wind. Flora. Healing. Creation and destruction.

Finally I would be pointing out Heimdall's Aett. Isa, Sowilo, Algiz. However it appears both members of my team have run off without good reason. So that sets a brilliant precedent for the future.

As far as the rest of you go, it's been arranged for you to commence some training as part of your Aett as means for you to get an understanding of the people you will be working with. Make the most of this time, as it will be very important to your abilities. A rune alone is a blunt instrument.

Before we continue, any questions?"