Chapter 3

[thenine]

Who: OTA
Where: Quad
When: Week IV, Day VII - Week VI, Day VI
Summary: Chapter 3 prompts!
Restrictions/Warnings: Violence, blood, et cetera. For anything surpassing 'R' on a rating scale, please create your own log.
Notes: Please title your subject line in the following format -- Open / Closed | Date. OOC event information can be found here. Calendar information/dates can be found here.

Quick Navigation
The Nine
The Company
Westies
True Leithians
Leith
Resistance
The RAC

The Nine: Promises Unmade

Using the increase in unrest, as so many opportunists do, those within the Nine who seek to pursue their own agendas - whether that be family prestige, personal gain, or systematic upheaval - will find bountiful footholds to secure their positions. Land Kendry continues to assert itself as a leader in these troubling times, with Land Derrish falling in tow. Their first target, Land Hyponia, is shaken, careful not to make any mistakes that could crumble the already cracked mortar holding them together with the nobility. Aggressive though Land Derrish may have been, their sights have moved elsewhere, now focusing on driving forward oppressive legislation to replace the Seventh Generation Accords, rather than further eroding the power of Land Hyponia. Kendry is looking to control a functioning oligarchy, not cause a war over the territory that would be up for grabs should Land Hyponia fall. With the announcement of the Seventh Generation accords confirming already widespread rumors, those within the Nine are careful to place blame for the decision on the activities of the Resistance. For many, this is a believable conclusion, as the attacks by the True Leithans shook society at its core on both Westerley and Leith. Being a radical group, their intentions have been conflated with those of the Resistance in the eyes of many. Discourse on the subject isn't uncommon, but any within the Nine who seek a different target of blame best do so quietly, as dissent from within could quickly have one labeled a sympathizer of the unjust cause of the Resistance. On the surface a harmless placating measure taken by the Nine, the new PDDs being distributed through the Quad are touted as the pinnacle of communication technology. While some higher ranking Company officials and members of the nobility may already have access to quick and reliable network connection, these capabilities are now universal with the installation of the Meshwork. The Meshwork will enable all characters to interact in real time via text, video, or voice, but it isn't without side effects. For some reason, characters who frequently use their PDDs or who are in areas of heavily concentrated network use may suffer from headaches, nosebleeds, blurred vision, and/or dizziness, with more severe side effects including temporary blindness, loss of balance, short-term memory loss, and hallucinations. Connection of these symptoms to the PDDs is not the most common diagnosis, as many think the afflictions are a result of the aftershocks of P43X.

The Company: Balancing Act

With clean up from the P43X attack not yet completed, all Company officials should expect to have no singular responsibility, and little time for sleep, as they find the expectations levied upon them to only grow. Frayed nerves can create a hostile working environment, though anyone could be on the receiving end of any outbursts. The streets have returned from their throes of death with new life, but the city's usual clamor is being overtaken by the roar of protest. Some are peaceful demonstrations; some are violent riots, every display a reaction to the repeal of the Seventh Generation Accords. …At least, that’s what it says on paper, the docket that many Company officials receive outlining simple but brutal crowd control and suppression tasks. Whether a bar has been taken over as a hub of dissent, a street corner filled with unmoving protestors, or a Company affiliated storehouse raided, there's plenty to do for those tasked with keeping the peace. You may simply wish to make arrests, or you may welcome the chance to get your hands dirty - the law is on your side, and all voices daring to oppose the order of things need silenced. Those who don't take to the streets will likely find themselves on border control duty, checking the identification and supply dossiers of all incoming and outgoing ships. No one gets in, or out, without the proper clearance. Ship-wide searches have become standard practice, producing storerooms overflowing with contraband. Some may welcome the chance for banal organization, while others may take some 'bonus compensation' for themselves. With the tightening of rules comes the increase of bribery, and Company officials looking to line their pockets will find their opportunities in surplus. Get caught, however, and there's no second-chances. Although the Company audits have concluded, tensions only grow, and anyone found helping those with diverging agendas will be punished swiftly, cast in with the rest of the dissenters.

Westies: Tidal Force

Bereavement weighs heavy in the wake of the P43X attack on Westerley. Burdened by being both the last location of infection and the last to receive medicinal aid, Westies are entrenched in the solemn task of burying their fallen while the merciless machine of the economy marches on. Whether it’s the result of a lost loved one or the continued illness of primary caretakers, the end result is the same: families all across Old Town struggle to feed their children and make ends meet. It’s always been a guiding principle of Westerley—if you can’t work, you can’t eat—but with so many who can do neither, the situation in Old Town begins to grow dire. But there’s hope, albeit in the form of a double-edged blade: with the newly distributed PDDs and Meshwork installation, nonprofit organizations are able to conduct themselves on a wider scale, drawing in more donors from outside of Westerley. While their efforts are ultimately but a drop in the ocean, the renewed spirit of community and altruism provides relief—as well as nourishment—for many who might very well die without it. That same tool which allows the people to come together is also used to rend it; rumors begin to circulate through encrypted bulletins about the emergency meeting held on (Week IV, Day VII). Some of the rumors are wild speculation and fanciful daydreams, but in the mire of them, a grain of truth slips through. The Accords have fallen, they say. Be ready. Most people disregard the rumors, writing them off as the idle machinations of conspiracy theorists. They cling to their hope that soon their children will walk a planet that is bountiful in food and sunshine, that the land promised on Leith will deliver them from the hell they current endure. It’s those people who shout the loudest when the official announcement confirms the rumor. The Accords have been repealed. (Week V, Day III) At first, protestors gather in small, grumbling groups, little more than angry drunks. But as more and more people take to the Meshwork, the wrath of the few awakens the desperation of the many, and over the course of the night, the peaceful protest swells into an unruly riot. Workers strike, but without any legal protection, they swiftly find themselves rebuked by unemployment. Now with nothing to lose and everything to gain, the riots expand, filling the streets of Old Town with anger and tension. Company personnel become popular targets, and within the next day, all travel permits to and from Westerley are temporarily revoked. The moon closes its docks in an attempt to smother the flames of the rebellion. What starts as a movement for change shifts into a violent cataclysm, homes and businesses burned down, families torn apart by dissent within and outside of themselves. The Company seems content to let Old Town destroy itself, to let them “get it out of their system”, but all too soon that stance changes as well. With the death of a distant cousin of the Derrish, Company orders shift. Lethal force is authorized, and all too eagerly, used. Once the death toll begins to climb, the protests decline. The riots soften, though they do not disappear outright. Company and Westie optimists take to podiums in a desperate attempt to bid their fellow compatriots once more into peace. But something else awakens in the fires of those riots. Something far more dangerous than the chaos of anger: something controlled, methodical. They call themselves Hyperion, and they are the new faces of the Resistance.

True Leithians: Rested Laurels

For this faction, the time to scatter is nigh. Their work is complete: the Accords are no more, and the militant leaders order the reintegration of their soldiers into civilian life. Leith’s rightful owners retain the precious land that was once threatened, and although their methods were extreme, they are justified by the end result. But while the True Leithians see this as only a rested pause in their work, their benefactors—those who provided the resource and information that allowed their wicked deeds to see fruition—see this time as the closing of a chapter. Loose ends that might later lead to Qreshi officials or even potentially the Nine themselves are dealt with severely and harshly, albeit quietly. Several prominent figures of Leith’s highest echelon of society simply disappear, and curiously, those around them don’t seem to remember that they were ever there in the first place. Their benefactors are not the only group that would see the True Leithians burn. Among the first wave of missions delegated beneath the Resistance is the assassination of known True Leithian sympathizers. Unlike the Company, the members of Hyperion are ordered to perform their tasks loudly, to send a message written in the blood of the True Leithians. The citizens of Westerley will no longer be the gutless pawns of the Quad. They will strike back, and they will uncover the source of the True Leithian’s funding and information. If the True Leithians thought themselves ruthless, they’ll soon learn a new measure of savagery when Hyperion converges on their trail.

Leith: Olive Branch

The atmosphere of Leith is one of both hope and mourning. Recovery on Leith proceeds more efficiently than that on Westerley, their infrastructure and resources better able to accommodate those that were felled in the P43X attack. But although agency has the streets of Leith cleaner and the surfaces shining, the spirit of the moon itself suffers a devastating blow in the wake of the attack, the people of Leith unprepared and unseasoned to deal with the psychological ramifications of so much death. But they are not yet hardened by the experience, drawing together in the spirit of cooperation to restore not just the physical aspects of their homes, but the mental fortitude of their people. Charity drives and galas proceed in extravagant fashion, as if by the display of their assets they might rebel against the somber circumstances on which they’re hosted. For most on Leith, the fall of the Accords arrives as welcomed news, the citizens of the moon long since opposed to sharing their land with those of Westerley. But although the sense of satisfaction with the ends is high, there’s also an undercurrent of regret for the means which provided it. Unlike the True Leithians, most of the citizens of Leith are not radical or extreme, and they offer their sympathies—but only their sympathies—to those Westies in their midst. News of the riots results in tighter security around the Westies still stationed on the moon, and for the days that the violent storm on Westerley builds, Leith in turn becomes markedly quieter and more conscientious. Moderates come together over the Meshwork and propose a Peace Summit, a meeting of both delegation and charity, once the riots and dangers of traveling have passed. The summit is sanctioned by Leithian officials, as well as the allocation of surplus resources to aid their sister moon in her recovery. While many citizens of Leith eagerly await the news of lands once lost to their families for the Accords, many more donate their time and hands as part of the newly created Good Will Corps, a coalition of both political pundits and regular people devoted to strengthening the connection between the moons rather than sowing division. Volunteers—and some individuals who are voluntold, join the Good Will Corps on a trip to Old Town where the Peace Summit is scheduled (Week VI, Day III), lending their time, their labor, and their technology as a gesture of good faith. But whether or not that’s sufficient to see the Peace Summit garner any steps towards system stability is another matter altogether.

Resistance: Sacred Grove

The people of the Quad barely have time to remove the packaging from their new PDDs before a new voice of dissent begins to worm its way down the feed. Encrypted messages, quick flashes of imagery begin appearing at random on open networks and closed channels alike, pitting the harsh realities of the suffering, suffocating Westerley against the excess and decadence on display by both Leithians and the Nine, showcasing the disparity in the starkest of lights. All of it aimed at one purpose, to spread one solemn truth: the branches of the Mother Tree are burning… and the Nine seem to be holding the matches. The name whispered, the one goading dissent, echoes through the Quad - Hyperion - followed slowly with the murmur of hope. Of an intellect so profound that not even the Nine themselves will be able to stop it. With an artful ease, this new force begins to reach out, to commandeer the discordant efforts of the Resistance and reforge it into something stronger, faster. Deadlier. It starts with a select few receiving instructions directing them to safe houses already stocked with equipment and supplies, each with tech tailored to that cell's purpose and loaded with dossiers far too complete to have been compiled by the average citizen. Some of the background information appears to come directly from the records of the Company, or the Nine themselves, while still more from planets outside the Quad. Some even hint at records long since sealed by the RAC. Nothing points to one faction over another. Nothing reveals the how or why this Hyperion has decided to play these particular cards now, but one thing is quite clear. There's a deep laid plan being set into motion, and neither the Company or the Nine will see it coming. All these leaders have to do is gather their forces...

The RAC: New Grade

The citizens of the Quad were not the only ones affected by the P43X - the upper ranks of the RAC's field agents is notably thinner - and with tensions shifting yet again between the moons, they cannot afford to be ill-prepared and understaffed. In order to bolster their ranks, the decision comes down the pipe of a new assessment system: Peer Evaluations. Many of those that have been in their current ranks - those between Levels I - III - will be eligible to receive a two-part assessment of their capabilities to operate efficiently at the next level through successful completion of live warrants. These field evaluations can be conducted by any Level IV agent and turned into Central Command for compilation and rank change approval. Unlike the lower level agents, Level IV assessments will still be conducted by RAC's Central Command, once all of the subordinate assessments have been completed and processed. These agents should take note - part of their own evaluations for Level V will be the efficiency with which they're able to evaluate those below them. During this time, warrants will still flow in and agents sent to answer - especially once the travel bans go into effect on Westerley, as those agents alone bearing active warrants will be able to enter and leave the atmosphere, though their docking point will be limited to the Prisoner Intake facilities.

Comments

[fledges]

[Kate opens her mouth to fire back, but the protest dies on her lips when he pulls her into another hug. She hugs him back, arms wrapped tightly around him as she relaxes. She hadn't realized how tense and upset she was, but she feels safe around Lavi, and that surety is enough to let her emotions catch up with her. She's exhausted, and she feels like she's not doing nearly enough, and she thinks she might scream with the senselessness of it. Kate buries her face in his shoulder, letting out a shaky breath of her own, her voice slightly muffled into his shirt.]

What are you doing here? Is there a warrant for helping or something?

[inksplashes]

[ Some part of him realizes the danger they're in, that this isn't the time or place for reunions and they're just as well sitting ducks here, but he doesn't care.

Not right now. Right now, he loosens his hold on her just enough to make it, hopefully, more comfortable, and runs a hand across her crown, gently stroking her hair while she breathes out her exhaustion.

--ah, a warrant. Yes. It's such an easy lie to tell that he's certain she's offering it expressly for that reason.

Something moves in his peripheral, a dark blot in the corner of his eye. He has his side arm drawn within seconds, safety switched to stun, Lavi turns away just enough to get a clean shot.

The rioter is downed immediately. ]

Come on, let's find some cover while we figure out what to do.

[ It's not an answer for what brought him here, maybe, but it's certainly an answer for what's keeping him. ]

[fledges]

[Kate flinches instinctively when he draws the gun, but of course it's set to stun. There's been so much death today that she can't help her initial reaction, but this is Lavi. It's fine. They're both fine, at least for now.

That pointed use of the word "we" doesn't escape her notice, though, and she studies him for a second before reaching for his hand, lacing her fingers with his. He's not as neutral as he claims, and they both know it, but at least he's not lying to her. She can deal with this, she thinks, as long as he doesn't really view her as just a source or a pawn. So she gives him a little tug.]

Come on. I know somewhere.

[The rioting has taken over the city, but it's mostly restricted to the main streets, so Kate leads them down a few back alleys until they find a steel door set into the brick of an old building. There's a small, faded sign next to it that marks it as some crappy little bar, and when she unlocks the door, it's clear why she picked it. There are no windows or any other exits, and it's quiet. When the door shuts behind them, it's almost as though the rest of the city has disappeared.]

The owner asked me to keep an eye on it.

[oneirism]

[Lapis was about to nod in agreement, only to then freeze when he has a coughing fit - stepping closer to see if he's okay, before freezing when she sees that mark.

She can see why she has his hair down now, and her brows furrow as she lets her hand rest on his back. Patting gently to help him ride out the rest of the coughing fit.]

What's that mark, Julius?

[inksplashes]

[ He doesn't holster his weapon--too battle wary and paranoid to allow himself that luxury--but he accepts the loss of a free hand willingly, squeezing her hand and keeping watch behind them as they move.

(Everyone is just an enemy waiting to happen, but here and now, there's not much waiting involved. People they might've shared drinks with yesterday could turn on them in a moment's notice.

Monsters hiding in human skin, he thinks, but blessedly doesn't have the time to reflect on why those words in particular appeared.)

Before the bar door can shut, he's let go of her and began security sweeps, clearing each alcove and darkened corner meticulously, checking under the faintly molted rug for any hidden doors. ]

Clear. You get the lights, I'll see if your friend left behind any inventory.

[iuramentum]

[ ....really, Lavi.

Saber somehow manages to radiate faint disapproval despite not moving an inch or changing her expression, although the crossed arms over her chest does help to enhance the effect somewhat. ]

Should I come back later?

[ Seeing as he's clearly in no shape for a spar... ]

[fledges]

[Something about it nags at her, the methodical way he clears the bar, and she gets that sweeping sense of deja vu again, although she can't place it. She's exhausted, and she feels a little like she's losing her mind. Kate scrubs her hands over her face for a minute, then starts checking behind the bar.]

Looks like he just cut and run. He didn't take anything with him.

[lacuscular]

[ She doesn't immediately notice the lack of movement, much less resistance, from the person below her. Juvia lets him talk, both out of the immediate desire to know what he's going to say and from not knowing where to even start with a response.

For a second, she's confused, woefully trying to piece together what he means by not important but still stopping to ogle at her apprehension. It clicks the more she listens and slowly, she feels slightly colder. She reminds herself that this isn't the first time she's been so close to a murderer-- just the first time she's unknowingly caught one. ]

What did they do? [ And, even more.. ] Why wouldn't there be a warrant? [ Curiously, she uses her free hand to try and position the head of the criminal beneath her to where she can get a better look. ] Regardless, if Juvia takes them in, they will be coming through you. One way or another.

[lacuscular]

[ Her water stops mid-motion, floating around her in blobs as she spins to face Giorno. She feels foolish to consider being offended during a time like this at such an offhand comment, so she focuses on one thing.. ]

By being here, you're in danger as well.

[ Getting him to listen to her!!! ]

So if you're not a Westie, then you've already heard my warning.

flexes smugly

[instalock]

[ It's the wrong decision, but Genji has already laid out the facts. That's why he doesn't attempt to repeats himself, instead moving to take much of the weight. Silence reigns supreme for a moment, broken by distance sounds of bloodshed and the labored breathing of the man slung between them. ]

I admire your spirit.

[ Genji murmurs, choosing to focus on the positive rather than highlight the kid's naivete. He's already taken the lead, pushing past the chaos with the surety of someone who knows these streets intimately. ]

It's something we all need, in times like this. I am Genji.

[ He wouldn't introduce himself so easily in any other situation, but the riots have quickly divided shades of gray into black and white. He'd only needed a glance into the kid's eyes to know that he stood beside Genji on the fundamentals. The rest would come with experience. ]

[lacuscular]

[ Oh. Well, witch isn't so bad of a word, but the venom used behind it makes her a bit nervous. Almost a bit hesitant to actually go through with her statement-- but watching him throw that man just puts a terrible feeling in her belly. For once, she feels uncomfortable.

The bystanders suspended in her water are unceremoniously dropped to the ground, after she's moved her bubble some ways away. While faint, there is the sound of water rushing back in their direction, among the shouts and yells of civilians. ]

Fenris, they never ordered us to kill.

[ She will admit, the order was broad. Very broad, but she's positive the Company wouldn't want this! ]

The Company wants us enforcers to save as much of this place, and people, as we can.

[lotusmesenpai]

[Cool rage cuts through him at the sight of Lapis doubling over, the image overlayed by a golden-eyed, dark-haired man standing before him, threatening to cause further harm to an already weakened Lenalee.

That face again, this time with shorn hair and bandages covering her legs, pain reflected in her violet eyes and he remembers

Not the thready ghost borne of delusion, but with the full force of a memory evoked in it's entirety.

And it's enough to have him tightening his grip on the sword in his hand, lifting the blade as if it were a true extension of himself, his gaze narrowing on the attackers before him, rather than the pink swarm of butterflies he'd recalled.]

First Illusion: Kaichū Ichigen

[The words ring cold, familiar, but the result feels... off. Something not quite right. The 'hell's insects' that spring forth look solid, seem solid, as they cut through the air towards the startled men - enough for them to fall back with alarmed shouts - but they feel insubstantial rather than something he can control to devastating effect.

Still, it's an opening he needs and he lunges forward, lands protectively before Lapis, knees bent as he draws his sword back. It's there in his face, the fierce anger, the unhesitating intent to kill them all.]

[instalock]

[ A kind heart in the Resistance. Despite the apparent nobility of their cause, he's come to recognize its rarity.

Genji isn't unsympathetic. He does what he does for a myriad of reasons, but morality is fractionate compared to everything else. Still, her question is enough to give him pause. ]

They would not welcome it, from a stranger.

[ is what he finally settles upon. The truth is worse: much of these people won't have the funds to leave the planet, and if any of them are deemed to have connections to the Resistance, the Enforcers will kill them on sight. Their hideout is only a temporary one.

But he has a feeling that won't go about well if he mentions it, so he keeps it to himself. Better to change the subject. ]

Why were you at square today?

hawke | ota + closed prompts | westerley + rac cruiser

[kirkwalled]

[ Hawke, for all intents and purposes, is trying to keep out of everything. The RAC is a neutral party, aren't they? That's her whole reason for joining them -- a place where she could do things but didn't need to commit to any one ideology either way.

Now, as she watches what happens on Westerley, she wonders how long that will last. ]

WEEK FIVE, DAY THREE

[ As the protests begin to tip into something more dangerous, Hawke can't help but worry for the welfare of her dog. It seems kind of frivolous but she hasn't been able to find him for what feels like longer than normal and it's even more dangerous to be wandering around Westerley than usual.

So, she takes advantage of the meshwork. ]

WEEK FIVE, DAY FOUR - FIVE

[ Hawke can be found over the course of these two days wandering around Westerley in search of her dog. She just wants to make sure he's not dead really. That would be -- well, it would be inconvenient. During this time, she keeps an eye on the crowd, breaking up fights when they get too out there or calling out anyone who tries to incite anything. Violence won't help this, for crying out loud.

In the evenings, she can be found at any of the local bars, looking a little stressed and trying to keep her head on straight. On day five, she's so tired she ends up falling asleep with her head on the counter. Aw, geez. ]

WEEK FIVE, DAY SEVEN

[ Once the travel ban is lifted -- Hawke immediately books it to the cruiser. It'll be better, not being in the thick of it and she doesn't want to have to deal with what might happen now. For the next few days, anyone can find Hawke wandering around there -- sparring, eating, or taking cat naps in quiet spots with no one to linger. She still hasn't found her dog, and that's pretty upsetting!

Then the RAC evals are announced and Hawke can only feel more annoyed with, well, everything. She's likely to hit harder and make a few darker/more cutting jokes over this time. She also plans to throw the whole thing. Flying under the radar would be nice, she thinks.

What also sucks is she has a warrant to do, doesn't she? Ugh, immediate post-agreement regret here. ]

WILDCARD

[ And anything else that might be happening to Hawke over this chapter is open too! Hit me up at claptrap if you'd like to plot something out. ]

riots!!

[kirkwalled]

[ Hawke's wandering, of a sort. She doesn't want to commit to watching the crowd, doesn't want to pick a side -- protector or protected -- and doesn't want to feign support when she can't. So, she is wandering on the periphery of the riots and keeping her eyes fixed for. Something. For reason, perhaps. It's cowardly, really, but she isn't quite sure how to change just yet.

When she spots Fenris, she hesitates, feet caught in a half step because Fenris is always a strange sight to see. He is familiar but also not and she doesn't understand why. She never knew him before she came to the Quad and even here, she barely knows him still. Maybe it's the strange markings on his skin, maybe that's what always catches her when she doesn't want it to. Like it's inappropriate to stare and she just can't help it -- she chides herself in response but still feels... hesitant. Should she approach? Say hello? He probably wouldn't like that.

She's caught so firmly in indecision that she doesn't realize what he's doing until he's almost done, then she is stumbling forward, eyes wide and desperate as she shouts -- ]

Fenris!

[ But no, it's too late. The man at his feet is dead and she can't believe she let it happen because -- because of course, she let this happen, didn't she? If she wasn't so caught up in her own head, she would've been able to stop it. She's always able to stop things, to help people, if she at least tries and her stomach drops as she realizes she didn't.

She can't dwell though -- the emotion shifts and she is no longer helpless, but furious. She catches her stumble and forces her way over, hands balled into fists. ]

Fenris! You animal, [ The reprimand makes her wince and she hates it. If anyone deserved that, it's Fenris, right? ] What in Maker's name do you think you're doing?

[brokeassgoing]

[a scowl]

Man fuck you, that was awful. Try again.

[brokeassgoing]

[alright now he's got Badou's attention. Is he happy about this? His expression is unreadable as he watches Giovanni, hackles halfway to rising.]

You mean you look at these boards when you're not fucking people over? [he whistles] It's good to have a hobby. Keeps you well rounded.

[fledges]

[Kate has been trying to keep both sides calm, but it's impossible. Following Fenris is maybe less useful, but Leo had told her that people like Fenris end up puppets to the Company, and Kate needs to know. He's unnecessarily rough with the man, and Kate can't help the involuntary breath she sucks in when Fenris jabs his elbow into the man's throat. It takes her a second to step out of the shadows, but when she does, it's with her bow out, an arrow drawn and ready. It's one of her electric arrows, essentially a taser she can shoot, but he doesn't need to know that.]

Let him go.

[impulsors]

It is now. Something must've dragged them out here first.

[ Westerley didn't just jump out of its beds this morning all fists and railing, he means -- and his gaze snaps back to Royce, quick and sharp, flint striking flint. In the conversation's little stutter, he folds his arms. ]

Was anyone in the crowd carrying anything?

[ Ignoring the question? Of course he is. ]

blows kisses

[fledges]

[Kate has been trying desperately to keep things from getting out of hand, but they get out of hand anyway, of course. Royce is lucky that Kate is moving through the crowd as the explosion goes off, and she's close enough to yank him to his feet and pull him to the side, pulling him into a doorway. It's a close thing, but they both squish in, out of the way. And then she recognizes him.]

Duster? What are you doing here?

[inksplashes]

Guard duty.

[ Scratching at his nape (a tick of a kind, though it's manufactured in origin), Lavi flashes a sheepish grin, looking at the boxes at her feet with a slight air of apprehension. Carrying them wouldn't be troublesome, it's just the picking up and putting down part--unfortunately crucial aspects in transit, the end and beginning--that spells trouble.

For now, he stalls, happy to take a break from his own internal record of observations. Allie's perspective on things would be a welcome change from the somewhat cynical, jade-eyed scroll furling inside his head.

Not that she's especially made of sunshine, mind, unless one were referring to sunshine's propensity to burn and char things. (But it is, as always, a feature that charms him rather than rebukes him, as it's no doubt intended to do.)

Holding his hand beside his mouth and leaning forward, he lowers his voice, a conspirator's tone: ]

Hiding from guard duty. The guy we're watching is freaky. Long white hair like a witch. And the way he looks at you..

[ Melodramatic shiver followed by hands clasped together as if in prayer. ]

It's like he can see right through you. Save me, my fair maiden? I'll do anything to get away.

[ Lavi looks to the boxes, face painted in tones of pleading.

(Headstrong people never like to accept help, but they usually like to give it, in his experience.) ]

[inksplashes]

[ Did Badou just invite him to looting...? Is he the getaway driver in a crime?!

Lavi's eyebrows furrow together in muted horror, frown tugging at half his mouth. He's pretty sure that wasn't an invitation to rob the smoke shop in question, but even so..

Nervous laughter ensues, the tease ready on his lips, but there's a clattering noise, the crash of metal and brick tumbling behind him, and he has his sidearm up and aimed before he's fully finished turning around.

Shit. Tunnel collapsed.

Normally not a problem unless you're caught in the collapse, but hrn. There hadn't been any signs of structural issues when they'd passed by it just a moment ago, which leaves two options: ]

Either you're a bad luck charm or we're about to have some company, Nailly.

[ New nickname. He isn't sure if he likes it, but it's an experimental process. (Aren't all human interactions?) ]

[brokeassgoing]

[HE KNOWS

he huffs right back at her, arms crossed.]

I don't care if they shittalked your mom with one of those yo mama jokes. You got a death wish? Is that it?

....Yeah no problem.

[digophelia]

[ The sun would do the little girl some good, Alice thought, who was starting to tail behind Alice, grabbing a stick as she followed Alice. It's on odd thing to play with as Alice looks back at to see her drawing in the dirt.

As Alice turns her head to resume walking, she catches sight of Takasugi, stealing herself slightly. ]

I suppose so.

[ The little girl doesn't respond, she continues to play in the dirt. But back to her guest, Alice wasn't sure what to think. No one really came to her home aside from bringing important news. She hated to think what it could be this time. Alice is surprisingly more confident when she asks him. ]

To what do I owe the pleasure?

Hijikata Toushirou | Closed

[mayora13]

[ ✘ catch all for chapter 3 ✘ contact: fromgilbo ]