Achronum

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

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Location: The Glitter Factory
Skills: Healing Factor

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---

James sighed. Maybe they should just carry something around for Casper in the future, just in case they ran into any more conveniently inconvenient pieces of his boyfriend’s color, and apparently patchy, history. James smiled as he got a kiss on the cheek, following Casper into the club. He was overwhelmed immediately. Strobe lights flashed, music was blaring, and James really didn’t know where to put his eyes. They guys pole dancing were practically Greek statues come to life and James would have to be blind not to be very, very appreciative of that but he also had his boyfriend right here and while Casper wasn’t exactly shy in his admiration for other guys, James would rather talk about all that and get those ducks in a row before he even considered toeing that line. Casper was amazing and fun and James knew he wasn’t as experienced as him in any part of a relationship and he’d be devastated if he lost Casper because he was stupid.

However, as James looked around, he definitely felt like this was a wild goose chase. No one was sick, nothing was on fire, and no one was panicking so the troublesome duo couldn’t be stumbling around in here. He could only imagine Sunshine suddenly popping up in here and releasing all hell on everyone because she was pissed at Max. He was about to say so when Echo ame running out, yelling it’s a trap, and then the gunshot went off. James’ hand immediately when to his ICER, fumbling a bit when he realized he didn’t have one, and watched as Waverly thankfully knocked it out of his hands. “Knock him and out restrain him! If we can get him alive, we can figure out if anyone else knows the MU’s information lines.” James shouted over the commotion, doing a quick headcount in the meantime.

“Oh shit, babes!” James hit his knees as soon as he realized Casper was on the ground, clutching at his chest. He gently took Casper’s hand, giving him a weary, reassuring smile. He placed his other near the wound and he was very distinctly reminded of the time he and Jack both showed up half dead on the MU’s doorstep. “We really gotta stop meeting like this, sweetheart. Give me a second and we’ll have you back on your feet.” James took a breath and let himself fall into the familiar rhythm of Casper’s heartbeat. It should have been a simple thing, nights nestled against each other chests under the covers as they chuckled before they drifted off to sleep made him intimately familiar with the feeling. But something was wrong. The music and the screaming and most of all, the exhaustion clinging to him after the morning wouldn’t let him settle. He tried again and again and again and he felt the room start spinning. He opened his eyes with a gasp, clawing air back into his lungs. He hadn’t even realized he’d been holding his breath.

“What the fuck?" His words slurred even as he shouted. He felt weak and worn and overwhelmed. The last time it hadn’t worked, the last time he failed, someone died. He failed again. Casper couldn’t die. It was just a gunshot wound, right? A haze of panic settled over him and he scrambled out of his shirt, not quickly enough, and pressed it to Casper’s wound. His words wouldn’t come out right, slurred and panicked, but still he shouted. “Jack! Jack, I can’t―”

Of Blood and Magic

_{December 7th, 6:45am - The Sinnenodel Dorm}

“The frivolity of youth indeed. Perhaps your aspirations would have found traction a millenia ago when the world was still wild and chaotic and utterly untamed. It is fascinating to contemplate what could have been if our predecessors hadn’t stagnated our society so. I’ve always wondered what we could have done with such limitless potential at our fingertips. What we could change, what we could improve, but it’s all an exercise in futility. We can only work with what we’re given I suppose.” Varis sipped again at the blood, setting it down and leaving it. It wasn’t his favorite but at least it wasn’t awful enough to compel him to toss it on Eris.

“But forgive me, you must feel as if I’m interrogating you. I’ve barely given you a moment’s rest.” Varis laughed as he relaxed into his chair. The Eve was an interesting specimen. The “modernist leanings” were an absolute gem; Count Benjamin practically handed him everything he needed to a silver platter. Varis didn’t bother hiding the sly little smirk on his face. They all expected him to be plotting and everything was falling into place so perfectly that he felt justified letting everyone know he’s gotten exactly what he wanted. “You have an entire noble’s court interested in you right now; certainly you must have some pressing questions on the tip of your tongue. Or anyone really. While I could easily talk the rest of the morning away, what host would I be to steal away your opportunities to mingle?”

---

A professor attacked a student? That alarmed Maddie more than a little but clearly he was fine so it must have been for educational purposes. She hoped. Hopefully, she wouldn’t ever be in that position. She’d run as fast as she could. At least Lilie’s seemed normal―anyone could be forgetful after all even if it was shocking―and Aaron clearly hadn’t had any issues. That was reassuring for the future. Hopefully, she wouldn’t get anything crazier than singing a song for safety.

“Well, that certainly must have been shocking but at least that’s the extent of it!” Maddie said cheerfully. “Not really interested in having our professors try and impale us so I’ll try to steer clear of that. Maybe they’ll calm down as we get into our majors, maybe. Hopefully.” Maddie was at a bit of a loss as to where to move the conversation next. They’d kinda touched most of the surface level stuff at this point and sitting around in silence didn’t much appeal to her honestly.

“So I have to ask but did anyone else have a… strange time during the practical?” Maddie asked, perhaps a little hesitantly. Honestly, she made the decision to move past it but people liked to talk about weird things so maybe this would push things along a little. “I wasn’t sure how much was an illusion and how much was real but when I was stuck in a box at the bottom of the ocean or a lake with a crack in the ceiling and water rushing in, I didn’t care much about the difference.” Nor did she appreciate Ari's enthusiasm for the whole thing but she wasn't about to admit to that little detail.

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

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Location: The Glitter Factory
Skills: Hide in Plain Sight

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James nodded his understanding of the plan. Get in, sweep the building, get out. Hopefully, this party would give them enough cover to avoid the trap everyone thought this would be. James cast a quick glance over the line. There were a lot of civilians. No matter the truth, mutants involved in any altercation here would be media fuel against them and considering the rest of the hell going on in the world, the MU didn’t need any additional heat coming out of this. As mortifying for the pair as this may be, he really hoped they’d find them here and quickly. He felt oddly out of place, not quite able to pinpoint why but he felt like an awkward teenager again, not quite comfortable in his skin. He was more than ready to grab the two and get the hell out of here. If anything, this just confirmed clubs, gay or not, weren’t really his scene.

The bouner’s didn’t even offer a token resistance as they passed by, more a formality than anything James hazarded a guess, and that would have been his queue to slip into a few of the spots Wav’s mentioned when heard his boyfriend’s name suddenly growled. Casper dated a guy named Hot Daga and now he was about to walk back into his apparently successful ex-boyfriend’s place to look for their missing family members. James wanted to be a little jealous but honestly, someone named Hot Daga, really? The fact that Casper couldn’t even remember who they were talking about definitely didn’t do anything at all to keep that jealousy from flaring up at all, no way, but James would admit that it was at least consistent with Casper’s wild and colorful history. James wasn’t really sure how to handle this (he sincerely doubted the new boyfriend of the guy who broke their boss’s heart could make the situation better) but Callie saved the day and instead he turned to Jack.

“Well, this is going to be a little bit of a problem. Do we have anything to hide Casper’s face at all?” James asked quietly as they waited for Casper to join them. “Regardless of what happens, I doubt intervention from Casper’s past is going to help us much.”

Held Roll because I’m paranoid

Reactive Adaptation if attacked please!

Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess

---

Wonderful. Bumbling idiots one and two took to stride with barely a breath’s hesitation. She’d foolishly hoped two years apart would have matured their behavior somewhat; perhaps she still had some penchant for fantasy after all. Clarissa rubbed lightly at her temples as Raimund finally took his seat once more, praying to the Goddess that the instructors would have the foresight to limit Jorah and Raimund’s activity before they bullied the entire grounds into it.

But she turned away from the inevitable chaos as the other House’s spoke up. There would be time to mourn the loss of her sanity later. Her greatest concern were the other House Leaders. Auberon Galatea’s directness left little to the imagination and she appreciated that greatly. She’d need to get to know him sooner rather than later; his piousness was refreshing and a conversation with someone outside the Church about their beliefs would be a wonderful way to pass an afternoon. The Imperial Prince was another story altogether. A proper introduction gave way to informality startlingly quick and it was all she could do to not to roll her eyes. What was with boys at this age? They all wanted to drink, dance, and make merry with their pointy toys and ignore the weight on their shoulders. She felt a pang of sympathy for Auberon who, although still wanted to play with his weapons, seemed to have a reasonable head on his shoulders. Cethlean, Cichol, Indech, and Macuil guide the lot of them.

Clarissa enjoyed the other Blue Lions as well. Kellen’s awkwardness was charming in it’s own way, reminding her of a child on their first day at Roundtable. Hopefully this year would ease the tension out of his nerves, poor thing. Lienna Ornheart struck her immediately as a survivor; she moved like she wasn’t entirely comfortable with her own skin, or more likely the trappings she now found herself in, and her closing point focused on creating relationships. Clarissa made a mental note to find out about her goals. Jorah may find himself stuck in the very thing he ran away from if he suddenly became sweet on her. She didn’t have much to go on with Derek. He hadn’t put much personality on display with his introduction and while it certainly could have been a strange case of the nerves or that he simply had no personality, she wasn’t ready to settle on that.

The Black Eagles continued the trend the Blue Lions set. She didn’t particularly care for them, much like their leader. The siblings seemed less real and more a comedic relief from a play as extremely different as their personalities were. Valerian seemed eager to prove her point about all boys only caring about playing with their toys and she didn’t bother hiding the exasperated sigh at the whole ordeal. Another idiot, wonderful. At least she wouldn’t be partially responsible for this one. Of course, her wandering attention snapped back when the Princess Consort introduced herself and if she thought Lienna was a survivor, Clarissa knew Veronica was a shark. Another one to keep an eye on. Maybe she could find a way to rope the three of them into some activities so she could get a better sense of what was behind them.

Although the professors and introductions left Clarissa with plenty of food for thought, none of it mattered in the face of the bubbling excitement at attending a sermon from Lord Ioannis himself. Even her furious disapproval at the idiot twosome was mostly forgotten. She barely made her goodbyes to the other Deers and was out the door as quickly as she could muster without running, absolutely beaming. It was such a blessed experience, having others who found comfort and solace and peace in the teachings of the Goddess. The Leicester Alliance wasn’t particularly faithful and while at home she could easily find companions in faith, her travels often kept her away for months and the Leicester Alliance was not known for its faithfulness to the Church.

A gasp tore out of her throat as she froze. She’d known, objectively, about the Cathedral's splendor of course but seeing how the midday sun glowed through the stained glass, the Goddess a myriad of ethereal colors, in person was more beautiful than she’d imagined. And the people. Seeing so many, all here for the same purpose, united in their beliefs, basking in the sacred divinity that rose from the very stones was almost too much for her. It felt like an affirmation for all the things she;d worked towards, everything she’d done so far was correct, like a reward for the blood, sweat, and tears she’d poured into her life’s calling and it almost overwhelmed her. She could feel the tears prickle at her eyes so she wiped them away hurriedly and took her seat, letting the enthusiasm of the sermon sweep her away.

Afterwards, she took a moment to compose herself. The rest of the day was theirs to settle in but she wasn’t quite ready to leave the Cathedral yet. She kept to the pews a moment, watching the others mingle as she just basked in the feeling of holiness that permeated the air, but that came to a quick end when she noticed the Archbishop wandering among the people. Again, she froze and she repeated some of Jorah’s more colorful language internally (because if he ever knew she sometimes slipped, she’d never hear the end of it and she couldn’t and wouldn’t deal with that). This was an amazing opportunity not just politically but also just for her. The chance to speak with the Archbishop? When would she ever have that again? With that thought, she forced herself to her feet and wove through the crowd to catch him.

“Archbishop, your sermon was inspired! I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything like it!” Clarissa gushed as soon as she caught up with him, forgetting her manners in her excitement. “Back home, the Church doesn’t have much of a presence and having the opportunity to attend something like this… I can’t even begin to express how grateful I am! This is just absolutely wonderful!” Clarissa’s energy didn’t fade but she managed to reign herself in with a mortified look and then curtsied.

“My apologies, I let myself get carried away. Clarissa von Edmund, at your service. I have the honor of attending the Officer’s Academy this year; although, I supposed since you hand picked us, you must already know that.” Clarissa considered after her introduction.

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

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Location: Outside the Glitter
Skills: N/A

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For most of the ride, James napped. Casper had propeed his head on his shoulder and James followed suit, holding his hand and laying his cheek on Casper’s head. The warmth of his boyfriend and the vibrations in the car made everything feel so peaceful, the euphoria from before fading in the face of the fatigue still lingering after their confrontation with Magneto and company. The subsequent conversations slipped past him as he dozed, dreams of happier times covering the worry and the mess. Everyone featured in his dream; Casper, Jack, Vei, Lunal… even Sapphire and she was happy. It was so surprising that James jolted from his sleep, though that may have been the car stopping.

He stretched as they clambered out and nodded along with Casper’s explanation. He trusted his boyfriend’s judgement on this. This was Casper’s specialty after all. James followed and got in line, looking at the presents. “Going in the front door? That’s a first for us.” James chuckled, thinking about all the other disasters the Underground had gotten into over the months he’d been with them. “So what’s our plan once we’re inside? Put anything together on the ride here?”

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

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Location: The car
Skills: N/A

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Yeah, there was absolutely zero percent chance this wasn’t a trap. James didn’t appreciate the position they were in―they’d been twisted into dancing along to someone’s tune, again―but on the off chance the bait was the troublesome twosome, they had to spring it. They had absolutely nothing to go off of. James made a mental note to discuss with Veil what kind of tech they could lift and cobble together to help facilitate that. Every time the MU went on an excursion, James’ mutation was pushed to the brink and Magik proved there was a limit. A little information, a little planning, would go a long way in reducing the risks the MU were subjected to.

He was pulled out of his contemplations when Casper used “Sunshine” and “bottomless alcohol” in the same sentence. James frowned as he considered why in the world Sunshine would have ever said that. Sunshine was as guarded as guarded came and didn’t care for anything that would impair her ability to defend herself and alcohol would do just that. She must have been teasing Casper about it or something. “How about we consider alcohol after we maneuver the guaranteed hail of bullets we’re walking into.” James suggested as he climbed into the car. “Also, I’ve never been to a strip club. I’m not really sure what the layout of this place is like. Are we going to be able to sneak through or is it kinda open?”

The Gifted - Concluded

James Kingston

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Location: Dining Room
Skills: N/A

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James shot Echo an unimpressed look at his comment. There were absolutely no extra kisses for Echo; all of his were Casper's and Casper's only. Echo probably meant it "all in good fun" kinda way but James knew it was only a matter of time until everyone else saw Casper the way he did. Quirky, energetic, loyal, and attractive as fuck, James found his boyfriend, wierd and traumatic past included, absolutely adorable. The man woke up everyday and faced his literal fears without relying on his self destructive crutches and most of Mutant Underground treated him like a carnival show. Bravest one out of all of them, in James' opinion. James wasn’t certain he’d have the same perseverance in his shoes. James still woke up in the middle of the night sobbing because his own ghosts crept in when he was most vulnerable. Fuck what Wanda made him into.

James focused on the issue at hand, pushing that mess of emotions out of the way. No time like the present to ignore your problems. He frowned as he counted the people who joined Veil's team. Sapphire and Luna and two of the new girls all jumped on after James decided. James definitely wasn't comfortable letting two unknowns, or lesser known considering their tussle this morning, run on a mission involving the Hellfire but he trusted Veil and if she trusted them to figure themselves out, he'd roll with that. Still, they'd overshot Veil's original numbers. The group had to prioritize stealth over numbers so James reconsidered. Since Sapphire followed the only one who tolerated her like a stray puppy, that would be two sets of skills on one team. That left the others without a patcher upper and that was dangerous too.

“Since the other group's filled up, I'll swap over to the rescue mission. Don't want to leave you guys without a medic." James decided, untangling himself from Casper now that they were ready to set out. He leaned over and hugged Luna tight. “Congrats on being cured. Let’s hang out now that you aren’t dying once everyone gets back. Stay safe please.” James let her go and slipped his hand into Casper’s, tugging him out after Spark Plug.

Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess

---

Clarissa permitted herself a moment to bask in the tolling of the bells. Hearing them was always a comfort, like a brief moment of sunshine on days the cold seeped wet and bitter deep into the bones. The sound drew her attention skyward. Her smile softened involuntarily from polite and pleasant to something smaller, more personal and warm. As a child, she always imagined the voice of the Goddess whispering in the bells of her church at home. It was a comforting belief and despite having put that away as childish fantasy, the security and relief it provided still crept back in. Now she just heard it as the soul of the church, an extension of everything it stood for to offer those who needed it most a moment of respite in the chaos and confusion of the everyday monotony.

She only lingered a moment though. Once she’d collected herself again, she briskly settled at the front of the classroom. She found she didn’t quite know what to make of Professor Roland. He seemed soft and absent headed but the solemnity with which he opened the class stuck with her. He spoke of impending discord and instability in the same breath as unity and togetherness and it was quite the emotional back and forth. She did strongly agree on one point; the time for tradition was over. As they entered new territory, they would have to adapt and grow and shed the trappings of yesterday for the sake of the future. And if the Church believed something darkened the horizon, then the sooner they embraced it, the better.

Though she wondered why the Archbishop himself felt the need to organize this unit. If fostering unity between the nations was the Professor’s goal and he already admitted there were several heirs and royals in attendance, it would have made sense for the Professor to put anyone would would have even the slightest impact on national policy in the same unit. Why did the Archbishop feel it necessary to intervene? The question bothered her but she’d put it aside for now. She’d ask Professor Roland after class.

The other professor proved an interesting collection. While she didn’t get much other than a growing distaste for being here from Professor Malathice, she certainly agreed with his sentiments about Professor Michail. Boisterous and sophomoric, she would prefer to impale herself on her own sword than allow him to treat her like a six year old on her first social outing. He was not her parents and she certainly didn’t need him facilitating her social connections anymore than she needed a horse panicking while she tried to bush it. She’d hoped any of the other Professors would have shut it down but each one fell dutifully in step with one another despite the jabs taken at Michail. She sighed and stood, smoothing her skirt to collect her thoughts before she spoke.

“Clarissa von Edmund, heiress to the Margravate of Edmund of the Leicester Alliance. I enjoy horseback riding, scripture reading, and debating over evening tea but I despise liars and the indecisive. I fully believe that whatever distresses our Professors, the Goddess has put us all here for a reason and I am honored to have the opportunity to grow into those expectations with all of you.” Clarissa bowed her head and curtsied as she finished, settling back into her seat for the next person to introduce themselves.

Of Blood and Magic

_{December 7th, 6:35am - The Sinnenodel Dorm}

Out with the old and in with the new. How fascinating. Varis approved of the Count’s departure from typical Eve indecisiveness, despite his overwhelming lack of confidence in his own ability to direct the family he would have taken over in the direction he wanted. If he hadn’t the allies to support his position, or the foresight to protect himself, his tenure as Lord would be short indeed, revolutionary ideals aside. Varis couldn’t resist a chuckle at the absurdity of the Eve’s concerns, however. Varis boasted a target of his own as he sat swapping pleasantries and this child balked at the thought of assassination in the future. He wouldn’t get far with that attitude.

Some odd 70 years later and Count Benjamin’s story still struck an irritably familiar chord in Varis. Many of his most pleasant memories revolved around the mage who birthed him despite how infrequently he recalled them. Of course he had a few tokens from her time in this world but he considered that out of appreciation for his overall existence rather than any sentimental desire to cherish those moments. Still, it was all he could do not to grind his fangs together as he realized he could… relate. Disgusting.

“I hadn’t known you held modernist leanings; I doubt a traditionalist considers mages an appropriate motivator. But I suppose you aren’t wrong entirely. Change has been long overdue.” Varis agreed, sipping at the blood in the glass. The fact he didn’t immediately vomit at the taste brought out a hum of approval. “So if you haven't used these long nights to educate yourself nor have you established a considerable presence among your family and peers, what have you spent your life doing so far Count? I can’t imagine you brood quietly at your windows and compose pretty words on paper in an ivory tower. You don’t seem the sheltered kind.”

---

Maddie chuckled at Max’s sarcastic reply. She supposed thinking about what could have been was an exercise in futility but it didn’t mean the occasional daydream wouldn’t insist on it. She nodded at Lilie as she excused herself, sending her a reassuring smile before returning her attention to Salem. She chuckled again. “Are you saying you think our Professors are just here for show? Most of the ones I’ve had are good. Weird but good. Though, I’m starting to think mages as a group are just a little strange. Maybe we’ll all be like that after getting a better grip on our abilities. My affinity mastery professor for my Life Magic training has me sing like a two minute song while I stretch just so I can sit at a chair and direct my magic around a dummy and I have no idea why. I asked and she said it's for safety purposes and that’s about it. Still don’t know why I do it.”

Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess

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@Kestrel@Hero@Eleven

Surprise and curiosity, and a touch of guilt at that, bloomed at Isolde’s introduction. House Ordelia’s disastrous fall happened before Clarissa stepped fully onto the political stage so she’d only really known Jorah at the time. They’d crossed paths of course but only briefly at Roundtable and even then, she’d normally spend her time with her childhood friend. She only remembered Isolde being the child that hid behind her father’s legs whenever she could. Perhaps she ought to have committed more to memory; Clarissa felt awful she hadn’t even remembered her name, had no passing twinge of recognition.

Honestly, Clarissa hadn’t thought about the other at all since she was eleven at least but now that she had an Ordelia in front of her, she couldn’t help but be curious about their circumstances. Was she here to learn tactics and warfare to be useful to her family? She seemed shy and withdrawn but it didn’t mean she didn’t have potential; she could just need to adjust to shine. Or was she here to find a marriage partner? Clarissa seriously doubted that the family’s official innocence shone brightly enough to distract from the blemish on their recent history but someone outside the Alliance would likely focus on the connections they could offer, especially if Isolde commanded a crest. What better time to cultivate an arrangement than a year of forced proximity to potential suitors?

“It’ll be an interesting experience learning together, Isolde, Imogen.” Clarissa kept the questions that were burning on the tip of her tongue at bay. No need to pry so early on but she was so, so curious. Imogen, on the other hand, inspired none of that. The pink haired girl dispelled her earlier thought that she may belong with the Gonriels with her informal introduction and Clarissa commended herself for resisting the urge to frown. They were classmates but they hadn’t even known each other for half a day. Nicknames already? And what kind of nonsense was she spewing? Of course they weren’t eating Wyverns. Clarissa could feel future headaches coming already; it was a different shade of Jorah and one already made her consider a long walk off a short pier sometimes.

“Thank you. Father recommended it as a way to clear my head when I couldn’t afford a few hours of riding but I’ve found it more enjoyable than I thought I would.” Clarissa nodded her appreciation at the observation. This group would prove… interesting this year. Clarissa was confident that they could overcome anything that the other House threw at them but she also hoped that the Goddess blessed the Black Eagles and the Blue Lions with some airheads of their own. Preferably several.