LuckyBlackCat

The Zephyr Extinct

✾ Steel Rose ✾

With a strained chuckle, Rose rolled her eyes at Fluke's comments. At least he was in good spirits, and maybe this was his idea of lightening the mood - even if it might not be everyone else's. "Don't ya worry, we're heading round the other way," she reassured him. She hoped Listener was going along with that plan, anyway. "We're just close by enough that we can reach each other quickly if we have to..."

At Fluke's next words, and the trace of tension in Cedar's response, Rose's grin vanished. It sounded like they did indeed have to. Without hesitation, she rushed towards the alleyway. "Scratch that, Fluke, change of plan," she announced. "It's ok Cedar, backup's on its way!"

Ignoring the smell, she hurried down the alleyway as fast as the narrow space would allow. It wasn't long until the grey-cloaked figure came into view, his new halberd pointed at a moving shadow. Right away, Rose drew Thorn. "Heads up!" Remembering Archer's warning about bright lights, she narrowed her eyes and pressed the trigger. An energy bullet illuminated the space like lightning as it shot past the Nox, denting the wall instead.

"Oops..." She gave a hidden grimace. If nothing else, hopefully she'd distracted the Nox.

Be my Sanctuary

Jessamyn "Jess" Bailey

"You don't have to be sorry," Jess replied, turning and treading water. "Like I said, you're not the one to blame here." An easy thing to do, blame oneself, as she knew all too well. No matter how much she swam, her own guilt lingered in the back of her mind. Still, if she and Roxy kept putting the blame on themselves, it wouldn't help either of them. Better to remember the one - or rather, the two - unambiguously at fault. "He is. They both are."

She resumed the leisurely pace of her swim. "I'm good either way, just let me know when you want to stop." She'd pick up on it anyway, but right now she could tell Roxy would happily stay in the water a while longer - for a given value of "happily". A longer swim wasn't something Jess would complain about. As things were, this was the closest to relaxed the two would get any time soon.

Alt-Earth: To Find a Haven in Hell

Gonna have a reply up soon!

The Marchand Academy of Sorcery

Darnell aka Simulacrum

Full Name: Darnell Aldaine

Nicknames/Aliases: Dee, Dee-Ceiver, Ninja, Chameleon are common nicknames. As for aliases, he goes by Simulacrum.

Age: 17

Gender: Male

Primary: Trickery

Secondaries of Interest: Tracking, Shadow Step. Some may find it odd that he's interested in both light and shadow magic, but he sees them as two sides of a coin, as well as useful for his investigation goals.

Description: Darnell stands at 5'11", with a lean lanky frame more suited to agility than brute force. He has messy white-blond hair, and often wears nondescript grey or black clothing that make him look like just another face in the crowd. His green eyes often have a mischievous glint to them.

Personality: Quiet with a playful streak, Darnell seems like a class clown at first glance, which isn't an entirely inaccurate assumption. He likes to sneak around, pulling pranks on unsuspecting people and staying up after curfew. Still, when he wants to be, he can be a serious student, keeping up with his studies and training. The occasional harmless trick, after all, could be considered a form of practice.

Although he appears confident - and he does indeed have a lot of faith in his skill with trickery, magical and mundane alike - his pranks and slight annoying tendencies are partly to hide social awkwardness from having been overprotected as a child. He simply refuses to show any sign of nervousness, or anything that's bothering him, concealment being his speciality.

Crush: None for now

Skills: Stealth, basic combat, observation

Weaknesses: As well as overconfidence, at his current level his illusions and concealments sometimes "flicker" when he's startled or distracted.


Brief History: During the war, which Darnell was born just before the start of, many of his family members served as investigators and combatants. His grandfather, a respected mage, died during the conflict, and Darnell's grieving father became increasingly protective of his remaining loved ones, especially him. Even after the war ended, and his father returned to his regular job as a police officer for the magic community, he remained just as strict, wanting to shield the child from a world rife with uncertainty.

Darnell, especially in his early teens, was having none of it. Using his magic, he'd frequently go behind his dad's back, or at least try to. This led to a great deal of arguments, the friction between them growing over the years... Until the day his dad set out to investigate the disappearances, and went missing himself. Four years went by, with no trace of him. Out of realisation of his respect for him, guilt at not having shown that respect, and a desire to eventually find him, Darnell decided to follow in his footsteps and go the investigation route. The rest of his family agreed that the best way for him to do this, while keeping safe throughout, would be to attend the newly founded Marchand Academy of Sorcery.

Other: As a child, due to social unrest he was too young to fully understand, he'd suffer from frequent nightmares. His dad would go to him and calm him with comforting illusions he called "sweet dreams". Once he displayed a talent for magic, he started making mild ones of his own - the sound of the sea, for example, or a purring kitten. This is something he does to this day when he's stressed, although he doesn't let anyone know.

The Marchand Academy of Sorcery

Yay, thanks! I hope it's ok that he's the son of someone who disappeared. Given how sheltered he is, he'd be unlikely to know about the other disappearances.

The Marchand Academy of Sorcery

@EchoicChamber Here's the class goofball:

Darnell aka Simulacrum

Full Name: Darnell Aldaine

Nicknames/Aliases: Dee, Dee-Ceiver, Ninja, Chameleon are common nicknames. As for aliases, he goes by Simulacrum.

Age: 17

Gender: Male

Primary: Trickery

Secondaries of Interest: Tracking, Shadow Step. Some may find it odd that he's interested in both light and shadow magic, but he sees them as two sides of a coin, as well as useful for his investigation goals.

Description: Darnell stands at 5'11", with a lean lanky frame more suited to agility than brute force. He has messy white-blond hair, and often wears nondescript grey or black clothing that make him look like just another face in the crowd. His green eyes often have a mischievous glint to them.

Personality: Quiet with a playful streak, Darnell seems like a class clown at first glance, which isn't an entirely inaccurate assumption. He likes to sneak around, pulling pranks on unsuspecting people and staying up after curfew. Still, when he wants to be, he can be a serious student, keeping up with his studies and training. The occasional harmless trick, after all, could be considered a form of practice.

Although he appears confident - and he does indeed have a lot of faith in his skill with trickery, magical and mundane alike - his pranks and slight annoying tendencies are partly to hide social awkwardness from having been overprotected as a child. He simply refuses to show any sign of nervousness, or anything that's bothering him, concealment being his speciality.

Crush: None for now

Skills: Stealth, basic combat, observation

Weaknesses: As well as overconfidence, at his current level his illusions and concealments sometimes "flicker" when he's startled or distracted.


Brief History: During the war, which Darnell was born just before the start of, many of his family members served as investigators and combatants. His grandfather, a respected mage, died during the conflict, and Darnell's grieving father became increasingly protective of his remaining loved ones, especially him. Even after the war ended, and his father returned to his regular job as a police officer for the magic community, he remained just as strict, wanting to shield the child from a world rife with uncertainty.

Darnell, especially in his early teens, was having none of it. Using his magic, he'd frequently go behind his dad's back, or at least try to. This led to a great deal of arguments, the friction between them growing over the years... Until the day his dad set out to investigate the disappearances, and went missing himself. Four years went by, with no trace of him. Out of realisation of his respect for him, guilt at not having shown that respect, and a desire to eventually find him, Darnell decided to follow in his footsteps and go the investigation route. The rest of his family agreed that the best way for him to do this, while keeping safe throughout, would be to attend the newly founded Marchand Academy of Sorcery.

Other: As a child, due to social unrest he was too young to fully understand, he'd suffer from frequent nightmares. His dad would go to him and calm him with comforting illusions he called "sweet dreams". Once he displayed a talent for magic, he started making mild ones of his own - the sound of the sea, for example, or a purring kitten. This is something he does to this day when he's stressed, although he doesn't let anyone know.

Alt-Earth: To Find a Haven in Hell

@Asesina Don't worry, I can help you heal up when it's time to come in!

Be my Sanctuary

Jessamyn "Jess" Bailey

Some of the frustration fizzled away from Roxy's vigorous swimming, but not all - most of it left was probably Jess' own anger at herself, and at the men who'd trapped them in this situation. Staring blankly at the ceiling, she sighed. Floating wasn't as soothing as she'd thought it would be. Instead, she felt helpless, like a leaf drifting in a river. She turned over and sped up into a proper swim, from one end of the pool to the other, her movements not furious like Roxy's but slow and rhythmic. Controlled. One of the few kinds of control that were possible right now.

"Glad it's helping," she said, moving a little closer to show Roxy she didn't have to worry about bothering her. By now, they'd both reached a similar pace. "As much as it can, anyway."

Pokemon Spiral

Amber Pine

Mesalon Gym

@Typical

As Aedre stood, so did Amber. "We'll watch a battle some other time, ok?" she said to her Pokemon, recalling Chalcedony and Larimar. Tacita, who'd been perched on the ledge next to Little, gave a hoot of disappointment and fluttered down, nestling in Amber's pocket. "I'm told there's a gym in Vareena... And speaking of Vareena," Amber added, following Aedre down the stairs, "from what Lan and Sophia said, Oscar's already heading there." If Sophia caught up with him en route, knowing those two, an argument would be all but guaranteed. Still, it was clear Sophia was much more concerned than she let on.

Amber headed over to Lan alongside Aedre. Noting her hesitant tone and understandable awkwardness, she took a deep breath and looked the gym leader in the eyes. "There was an incident yesterday," she began. "We've already alerted the police, but it seemed best to report it to you too... A theft. And we think it was a Pokemon who was stolen."

Notes

Pokemon Party: Kabuto "Chalcedony" lv11, Yanma "Aeshna" lv9, Rockruff "Kyra" lv13, Rowlet "Tacita" lv11, Anorith "Larimar" lv13, Sableye "Almandine" lv12
Pokemon in PC:
Inventory: Pokeball x1, Potion x2, Dusk Ball x1

---

Lan Sohai

Mesalon Gym

@Typical

Despite Sophia's outburst and subsequent exit, Lan kept as composed as always. Nonetheless, a furrow appeared in his brow as the two trainers approached and brought an issue to light - more criminal activity, in the usually peaceful town of Mesalon. Given that it had happened so soon after the Team Noble attack and the agent's threat, there was a decent chance it was no coincidence.

"A stolen Pokemon? How exactly did it happen?" he asked.

---

Sophia Danvers

Start of Route 2

Gritting her teeth, Sophia straightened her posture. Maybe she shouldn't have stormed ahead like that. Then again, she shouldn't be this woozy before midday either. Yesterday's overexertion was still taking its toll. It didn't matter, though. Not when she had someone to catch up with, give a good talking to... and make sure was safe.

"I'm ok," she muttered to Clarus, who floated over, offering sturdy support. "And I hope he is." That annoyance burned out, leaving nothing but concern, and it was only when she picked up on a nearing otherworldly presence that she realised why. "Fanto, I said I'm ok!" She turned round, her irritation welling back up as Fantoccino stopped draining it. The Shuppet drifted to the side, sulking like a Lillipup who'd been caught eating something it shouldn't. "Ugh, I guess you'd know better..." Sophia mumbled. "But still! Sometimes I have every reason to get mad. Especially at him."

Notes

Pokemon Party: Gothita "Lacey" lv14, Purrloin "Grimalkin" lv13, Staryu "Arcturus" lv13, Darumaka "Lumas" lv11, Shuppet "Fantoccino" lv11, Bronzor "Clarus" lv11
Pokemon in PC:
Inventory: Pokeball x1, TM33 (Reflect), Oran Berry x3

Be my Sanctuary

Feeling better now? Rest up if you need to. As for whether to timeskip, we could do a post or two each of that awkward swim before moving on to the next day.