Chapter 2

[thenine]

Who: OTA
Where: Quad
When: Week 2, Day 5 - Week 4, Day 6
Summary: Chapter 2 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.

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

The Nine: Poisoned Well

With the heir delivered and Lady Derrish returning to health, balance has been maintained amongst the Nine. Swift and efficient - and, some would say, unbelievable - medical attention administered may have steadied the Lady's life, but for those in the ruling houses, the atmosphere of tenuous peace only grows thicker. Land Kendry has launched an investigation - with particular focus on Land Hyponia - into the source of the 'attack' on Lady Derrish's health. Of course, that is only the surface, and some suggest, with hushed voices, that there may be more to Land Kendry's goals than to weed out an assailant. Land Hyponia has long since been in support of maintaining the Seventh Generation Accords, which it defends staunchly against any opposition. One of the most agitated among those in disagreement with the Accords is Land Kendry. Now is the perfect opportunity for them to rearrange the pieces in their favor, and with the information they've fabricated, they'll be able to replace the head of Land Hyponia with someone who is - at least hopefully - more pliable to their agenda. The Derrish have their own suspicions, the cure surfacing all too conveniently timed to have been a coincidence. When Land Kendry's investigation procures evidence pointing to Land Hyponia as the culprits, inflaming the crime with implied - yet vague - ties to the resistance, the Derrish publically accept the accusation. Behind closed doors, the solution seemed to have come as uncannily easily as the cure, and suspicions only rise. But for now, the two houses remain allied - ready to use one another for their own interests. For those among the nobility, it's the time to reevaluate alliances, assuring the old and gathering the new. The more support you have, the safer you are - unless, of course, you chose the wrong friend. Some turn to other members of the nobility, some to the RAC for hired guards, some to the Company to mandate investigations unsuitable for Killjoys, and some may even turn to the underbelly of society to accomplish anything necessary to stay on top. Or to simply stay alive.

The Company: Cleaning House

There will be no accolades, and no rest, for the hard working Company officials following the response to the True Leithan attacks. Assignments shift from one thing to the next, moving from bureaucratic nightmare to bureaucratic nightmare. While there’s always busy work to distract from the intrigue behind the scenes, it’s not liable to be any safer. Some officials will be charged with maintaining peace and order on Leith, as the outbreak of a pandemic slowly spreads over the moon. From helping the afflicted find their way to a place of treatment, to safe and efficient body disposal—burning corpses by the hundreds—to attempting to track down the source of the virus, it's best anyone assigned here take heed ‘lest they find themselves falling ill as well. Westerley, on the other hand, is a different kind of headache. With Harvest Week in swing, most company officials will be reaching for a drink of their own at the end of their shifts. Rowdy workers celebrating their time off, spending their hard earned Joy frivolously, and citizens whisked away by the atmosphere of celebration all mingle throughout Old Town. Property damage, fighting, less than subtle illegal activity, and crowding all become more of an issue than they usually are during this time. It's the perfect setting to lay down the law, or to not be noticed by it. On top of it all, each and every member of the Company's workforce can expect to have their documents double and triple-checked. Those with any suspected ties to Leith are likely to undergo a more serious investigation. One-on-one interrogations become common practice, and whether you're trusted or suspect, you may come face to face with a companion in your duties. True Leithan sympathizers are what the Company review is after, but anything else unturned will surely not be ignored. Cover your bases.

Westies: Harvest Week

Harvest week is in full swing throughout Westerley - visa workers have been shuttled back in droves from their time on Leithian farms, many of whom were willing to take some of their observations to information brokers for a price. Most had superficial information to sell (the state of unease on the average farm due to the impending Accords, the increased suspicion that the migrant workers were forced to endure, the fear of retaliation by the rebellion for the True Leithian attacks), others with reports of increased security and weapons caches on the farms of those whose sympathies lie with the “heroes” of the attack in Old Town. Old Town, however, is even more of a chaotic mesh of humanity with the mass influx of returning bodies. Bars stay busy day and night, the hokk and ale flow almost faster than most can keep up, and many Enforcers and Killjoys alike can make a good bit of extra joy (or free drinks) by moonlighting as security at the more popular locations. Despite all of the fun to be had, there is still the undercurrent of unrest, because Company checks have increased even more and Intake has become a revolving door of petty criminals being held for the smallest infractions. Everyone is on edge as the Resistance grumbles and the Nine search the shadows for something or perhaps someone. The unrest only worsens once Leith is placed under quarantine. And through it all, criminal activity is on the rise. Somehow, despite the strict regulation and transport of migrant workers, there is an increased access to Jakk and Bliss. Norn has an ever growing market, and weapons dealers are in high demand both in Eulogy and by private buyers alike. Something is brewing beneath the revelry, and no one wants to be caught unable to defend themselves, it seems. Not that any amount of firepower can defend against disease when P43X shows up on W3D7--but it can certainly make the symptoms worse.

True Leithians: Second Stage

Wounded and pressed to a corner, the beast rears its head and bares a maw of teeth and ruthless pursuit. The True Leithian organization does not take pause to mend wounds left in the wake of last week’s retaliation, no. They do not seek the comfort of safe haven and recovery. Instead they turn their anger and fear inward, sacrificing their own for what they believe to be the greater good. On Week 2, Day 6, three individuals slip into the crowds of Leith, mingling with the revelers and the families celebrating Harvest Week. They share smiles and laughter, they share conversation and drinks, but most importantly, they share infection. Each of the three is responsible for disseminating P43X, a viral bioweapon designed by Zan Nikora on behalf of the military in years past. During its conception, the aim of P43X was simple: to create a weapon which could demoralize and destabilize an entire population within a matter of days. To create madness that builds in the blood and eats into the brain, spreading through every tier of society. And though its use has long been out of commission, its engineer has lingered. Zan Nikora, kidnapped and held under threat of death not to himself but to those he holds dearest, is made to choose between the lives of his family on Westerley or the strangers on Leith. His choice is obvious, though far from easy. Reassembling the buried curse takes time, supplies, and testing. He is provided amply with the last two but scarcely with the first. But still he complies. When his madness maker is complete and his existence becomes a potential loose end, it’s not freedom that Zan Nikora tastes, but the poison of his own medicine. Only once the voices in his head have risen above whispers and turned to screams, when his mind can no longer hold secrets worth sharing, does he see his family again. It takes six days*. Six days and Zan Nikora stumbles through Old Town, eyes unseeing, mind riddled with disease—infection spreading. Mod Note: *W3D6. Cure and vaccines will be developed and disseminated beginning on W4D3, but will not be fully administered to all locations until W4D5.

Leith: Pocket Posies

Harvest Week in Leith marks a period of joy and relief. Bazaars are open longer, the ordinary bustle of the business day replaced with celebration and festivities throughout the evening hours. Vendors offer games for adults and children alike, the sky is a constant wash of soft pinks, purples, and greens from holographic firework shows, and music fills the air from different stages. All walks of life are welcome to join in the merriment, just so long as they have the right to be there. Anyone suspected of an invalid visa or citizenship papers are dealt with harshly, but quietly. Tucked away into the darkness of a holding cell like all of Leith’s more problematic elements. It is a time of peace and relief, this week, and they will not abide disruption. But within the hallowed days of celebration, a sickness grows, incubating. Spreading. First, it begins with an ache deep within the muscles. The body tires too quickly, the flesh burns with a blanket of rising fever. Whispers skirt at the edge of hearing, unintelligible but audible, filling the audio cortex with illusions and lies. Food loses its appeal, though the body yearns dearly for energy it cannot hold, and breathing becomes tighter, harder. Next the tide of high fevers, of lethargy. The brain devolves into paranoia and mania, the mind races with delusions and hallucinations. Pain follows, a pain that seems to emanate from every nerve without relief or pause, seeping through the muscles and aching within the very bones of a person. Some may wish for death, and for many, that wish will be granted in an unending sleep when the fatigue pulls darkness across the mind, plunges the last thoughts of a person into static slumber. But not all will succumb so readily, and therein is the weakness that ultimately shelved P43X during its initial creation. Its impacts are not uniform—while much of the population suffers dearly, most are sustained with timely medical interventions, and many others recover with the prowess of their own immune system. For Leith, bountiful in money and supplies, most of P43X’s more fatal properties are circumvented or delayed. But even in this lush world of affluence and peace, there are the poor, the underprivileged, and the weak. They are not afforded the same haste of care, the same salvation. Instead, they’re given graves of sanitizing fires, and their bodies turn to ash.

Resistance: Sleeping Dogs

The chaos of the festivities that go along with Harvest Week provides the perfect cover for the Resistance to begin moving once again. New cells need to be formed in the wake of so many executions and new members need to be recruited. Info brokers with Resistance-leaning sympathies have an opportunity to make a little extra joy by putting the disconnected sympathizers in contact with one another, aiding the vetting of Company insiders that need new handlers within the organization. For Resistance members already embedded within, they need to work now to find new locations to store what supplies remain and to begin rebuilding the stockpiles of weapons and supplies re-confiscated by the Company. Some may have heard of abandoned mines or facilities that can be retrofitted out in the Badlands while others are needed to track down rumors of Company made fallout shelters located within the under-city tunnels. For this, Company moles are essential - the only hope of accessing these shelters is with long forgotten Company passcodes. And the Scarbacks, well. Everyone’s heard rumors that there are many within their ranks willing to help with recruitment and contraband transportation, though there’s little the Company can do to restrict their movements at this time. Because of this, Scarbacks may also be the only ones that have a chance of getting into Leith once the quarantines go into effect. Those already aligned with the rebellion will be tasked with coordinating supply movements, making a deal or three with the devil on behalf of those unwilling to back down from the promises of the Accords. Caution and purpose should drive their movements because if the True Leithian attack is any indication… those nationalists are not going to let go of their precious land and status without a long, bloody fight.

The RAC: Holding Pattern

Warrants still flow in with a regular consistency - enough to keep the average team or agent quite busy. Every harvest season there are visa jumpers that need to be caught and low-level warrants claiming petty theft from farms by Westie migrants. The increasing number of disturbances and crimes in Old Town guarantee a plethora of local warrants to capture criminals across the moon or those that managed to escape an Enforcer’s arrest. Some, however, have either been requested by Seyah Kendry herself or volentold by their seniors within the RAC to conduct investigations into the attack on the Nine. And not all of these investigations are on the Lady’s behest. Some of the Nine aren’t quite willing to take Land Kendry’s word as law and have quietly requested their own investigations into the attack in Old Town and the Land Derrish misfortunes. (MOD NOTE: There will be a comment thread for teams to sign up for the specialized plot related warrants on the monthly warrant post, located HERE. Once teams have posted for a plot warrant, the mods will give them a location and focused assignment.)

Comments

[oneirism]

Well, I have been singing since this afternoon.

[Luckily she doesn't mind singing for so long, but she's ready to be done now.

And while she's glad he accepts the offer, the 'cute girl' part gets a rather flat look as she stands. Almost as if she was judging for a moment. But then she's back to neutral, nodding as she steps back towards the stage.]

Good, I'll be back soon then.

[So back onto the stage she goes. Despite having been singing for hours, she still sings clearly and loudly - once again not appearing at all tired once she's done. Simply hopping off the stage, waving over to the bartender, before making her way back to Crowley.]

Alright, ready to go?

[eusford]

[ Her expression earns a tilt of his head, lips remaining curled into a smile as wide red eyes look to her curiously. He's silently asking--teasing, really--her if what he said was wrong, but whether or not she realizes that or even acknowledges it will be left unknown to the both of them. Instead when she leaves Crowley only releases a small breath before turning his attention to the stage once more, ignoring the drunkard man that places a hand to his shoulder that slurs an insult in his direction. (Which turns out to be a good decision because the man soon enough leaves.)

It's all too easy for him to focus on her, being able to indicate her presence by her heartbeat as half-lidded eyes watch her perform from his table. He's happy to know that he wasn't wrong; surrounded by all these people, men and women alike, he notices that Lapis has a distinct smell about her that makes her absolutely appetizing.

His features return to his usual wide-eyes and neutral smile once she returns, rising from his seat. ]

You really did great out there~ [ Said genuinely, giving her a short round of applause. ] Ready as I'll ever be.

[oneirism]

[She sees that look! And really, she thinks he's just saying that for the sake of saying it - it sounded like something he's just so used to saying, that she doesn't put much importance into it. It's more she's just wondering why he even said it in the first place, it's not like she'll abandon him if he doesn't flatter her or something!!

But those thoughts are gone from her mind the moment she departs from the table. Now her main concerns are singing, and the figuring how to start this tour off. Gold eyes focusing on him once he stands, before smiling faintly at his words and that round of applause - giving a brief and playful bow in response.]

Thank you, I'm glad you think so. [Since he's ready, she'll lead the way out the bar - expecting that he can easily keep up with her through the crowds. Coming to a stop once they're outside, absently looking around, before looking up at Crowley.]

First question is, where are you staying? I don't want to lead you too far from your hotel, since it's late.

[eusford]

[ It's refreshing leaving the bar, but he simply believes that's because the heavy smells all mixing together were giving him a light headache.

People all celebrating and drinking together... that's 'fun', right? The last time he had done something similar felt so far away--far, far away.

He blinks. ] There's no need to worry, I'll be able to find my way back without any trouble. [ It's said with confidence because Crowley has marked the location in his head, and if he happened to get lost he has an incredible talent of climbing up tall landscapes that he'll keep a secret from Lapis for now. ] Unless you want to go where I'm staying?

[oneirism]

[He's not the only one glad to be leaving the bar, the fresh air and lack of closed-in crowd is a relief. Sighing quietly in relief once they're out, gold eyes still watching Crowley, blinking in return.]

Well, that's good. I won't worry then. [Since it wouldn't really be a great visit to Westerly if he got completely lost here. Though she then blinks even more at what he says next, not hesitating to shake her head.]

Nope, wouldn't be much of a tour if we went to where you're staying. [With that said, she takes a glance around - humming softly in thought. Then she leads the way up the street, glancing over her shoulder at him as they walk.]

You'll mostly find bars and places to eat along this street. They're all more or less the same, though one has a karaoke corner if you're a fan of that.

[eusford]

[ It's not the first time that his teasing has been rejected--or just went completely over the other person's head--but for some reason Lapis' tone of voice and usual composure causes him to breathe out a small sound, something similar to that of laughter. ]

Not really, I'll leave any singing to you. I didn't really take any interest in the arts while growing up... unless you wanna call swordsmanship an art.

[ In his case he took it up as a hobby to fill his boredom. Days on Qresh felt much longer than usual now that he no longer had a mentor and continued to teach himself, but that could also be because he had no reason to sleep any longer. ]

How long did you say you've been living here?

[oneirism]

[Knowing Lapis, it was probably a mix of both. And her composure remains unchanging even as she hears him make that small sound - though there is a change when he mentions swordsmanship. Her brows raising for a moment as she tilts her head, a curious look in her eyes.]

Well, I imagine some people might. But I wasn't expecting you to do something like swordsmanship, that's pretty cool. How long have you been practicing that?

[Part of her is starting to note that swords seems to be a rather popular weapon still, in this day and age. That makes three swordsman she knows.]

About just over two years, now. So not for that long. [As she speaks, she leads the way around the corner to another street - this one full of a variety of stalls, with vendors trying to lure customers over.]

i nearly went to sleep because i closed out of the tab

[eusford]

Is it because I'm a Nine? Or do I just not look the part. [ The former is only asked due to experience, Crowley realizes that most people think that all members of the Nine can't life a finger unless it's to point around orders. ]

Since I could stand, at least that's what I've been told. I never meshed well with the other kids and just started learning, guess it just decided to stick with me since I haven't given up on it since.

[ Turning the corner and wandering into the next street Crowley is met with an unfamiliar scenery, a sort of liveliness that he wouldn't see in the festivities on Qresh where everything is organized and more about presentation than anything else. However he takes this all in as a breath of fresh air. Refreshing in a way he can't describe before he's being dragged in by a vendor.

Lapis might be able to catch a glimpse of an evident frown that sticks with his features.

Even as he tries to walk away the vendor pulls him back, desperation evident, and soon enough Crowley is purchasing something just so he can get the hell out of there. It's not done reluctantly or with hesitation, he's ready to turn and leave without even taking what he had bought. ]

Here. [ She'll be handed a few hair pins. ] They're cheap so if you threw them out I wouldn't blame you.

cries that's the worst feeling

[oneirism]

Definitely because you're a Nine. But then again, you've been completely different from a Nine in general, so I probably shouldn't have been too surprised.

[Because what Nine would willing come down to Westerly? Or not be completely horrified someone from Leith chose to live here? Crowley has pretty much been the exact opposite of a typical Nine since the moment she met him.]

Huh, you must be pretty good at it then. Kinda wished I learned something like that when I was young.

[Instead she just mostly sat alone and honed the use of her AI. Fun times.

Her eyes focus on Crowley once more as they turn around the corner, tilting her head as she waits for his reaction - only to blink when he gets dragged in. Blinking when she catches a glimpse of that frown, guessing he probably isn't impressed with being badgered by some random vendor.

Though she stands back, letting him handle this - not too surprised he ends up buying something just to get away. But what is surprising is that he hands it to her, gold eyes blinking owlishly at the pins in her hands. Her eyes still wide as she looks up at him, quietly processing what just happened. Then without a word, she turns and shifts to slide the pins into her hair, so that her hair is now pinned half-up. Luckily not taking too long, soon quietly pleased with how her hair looks, before she speaks once more.]

Thank you. [With that, she starts leading the way again, glancing over her shoulder at him once more - amusement showing in her eyes as she smiles softly.] We'll go through here quickly so that you don't get dragged in again. I think they can smell the money coming from you.

[eusford]

[ He places a hand to his hip, shifting his weight onto one foot as he watches her actions briefly before looking elsewhere. There's dozens of stalls with different vendors and items provided, some with food which isn't delectable in his perspective, and others being a source of temporary entertainment. ]

Huh? You don't have to thank me. [ Crowley thought nothing of his gesture, completely indifferent. His thoughts focus on getting out of their current location and less on the fact that he just gifted her something. In fact that's being tossed on the back burner. ]

Was that supposed to be a joke? Haha. [ Flatly. ] You know I actually do smell something good.

[oneirism]

[Lapis doesn't care either way if this gesture was anything that remotely mattered to him or not - she's happy with what he's given her, so she's going to wear it.]

I wanted to. [And that's that. At least she's nice enough to weave a path through the crowds that stops him from being a victim of the vendors once more. The street soon curving around into one that contains actual stores, rather than stalls - though there's a few still spotted about.]

I know, I'm hilarious. [Just as flatly. But what he says next gets her attention, and she peeks over her shoulder at him once more.]

Hmm, what is it?

[eusford]

[ Why is she... the way that she is?

Not a question Crowley really wants answered, considering what he's here for, but one that crosses his thoughts briefly. If he found the answer as to why he found Lapis interesting then he'd be bored, for now he concentrates on this little tour for just awhile longer before she entertains his own words with a response of her own.

Finally. ]

Here. [ He lifts his hand from his side, fingers delicately placing themselves at the nape of her neck and slowly moving around. Massaging, almost comforting, her skin before lifting his thumb and forefinger to help guide her attention elsewhere. An empty alleyway, clear of other people, he dips down to whisper into her ear: ] Go through there.

[ It's not a request, but a demand. ]

[oneirism]

[That's a question many people ask when they meet Lapis.

At least now she stops the tour as she focuses on him, turning to face him a bit more as she listens to what he has to say. And out of all the things she was expecting, she wasn't expecting, well, this.

The only reaction to the touch to her neck is her breath catching for a moment - the only sign of surprise as she blinks up at him. The touch is strange, even if almost comforting, and her eyes stay firmly focused on him - only glancing away to look to where he points for a second.

Her brows furrow at the whispered demand, and for a moment she's quiet and still, watching him carefully. This is clearly a sketchy situation, how can it not be, but she's still curious. Which is why, with a quiet sigh, she turns towards that alleyway - stepping far enough in so they're out of sight, before turning to him once more. Quietly waiting for an explanation, since before he said it was her?? She thinks??? This entire situation is getting weird.]

[eusford]

[ He's a little surprised, partially because he made this decision rashly, and of course Lapis has all the reason to motion against his decision. It's not that his grasp on her was anything tight, she could easily wiggle and run away if she so wanted to so the fact that she doesn't earn an amused hum to vibrate in his throat.

She follows through with his instructions, Crowley resumes with his usual smile and strides beside her. To everyone else this may seem normal, or perhaps they'd think it was odd, it doesn't quite matter when none of them do anything to stop them. ]

You actually listened. [ Said with a drawl, not surprise. But moving on-- ] Are you good at keeping secrets?

[oneirism]

[Lapis realizes that her easy acceptance of this is probably strange, but she sees nothing wrong with satisfying her curiosity - it's certainly a sketchy situation, but it doesn't seem dangerous. It's why she's so calm once they're further in the ally, giving a slight tilt of her head at his words.]

Because I'm curious. [A secret, though? Now she's even more curious.] I've been keeping a few for a couple of years now, so I would say I'm pretty good at it. So, what is it?

[eusford]

[ It doesn't seem dangerous... really... ]

Alright. That's good. [ But even she answered with something else his response would be the same to an extent. Actually, her life is completely on the balance depending on how she answers, and even then he still hasn't bitten her yet so Lapis, completely unaware, is still in dangerous waters. ] Hey, would you say someone that drinks blood is human?

[oneirism]

[Look he hasn't stabbed her yet, so it registers as not dangerous. Doesn't mean she thinks this is any less sketchy, so she just keeps watching him carefully. Though that question is... one she wasn't expecting. Haha what??]

Well, hmm... [This is such a weird question, why is he even asking something like this... But either way she is actually thinking about this.]

I guess so, I mean cannibals are still considered human. I guess it would depend if there was anything else that would be considered not normal about them... [She's like a walking computer, she isn't qualified to answer this. But her words trail off as she remembers what he said and did earlier, and her eyes squint at him...

Oh, he... He's basically implying he drinks blood. Well okay then.]

... Oh, I see.

[eusford]

[ no offense but who lets lapis go outside ]

But cannibals are frowned upon, are they not? You don't see anyone introducing themselves as one and not being apprehended. [ Because in this day and age, even with the Nine being registered as the most selfish and demanding people in the Quad, anyone who needs another human being to survive wasn't human at all. In fact that's what lead Crowley to believe why the Simms placed him in his own home, hand picked the maids that would accompany him, and basically locked him away from the rest of society.

It's fine to starve and fatten cattle, but when it's no longer livestock suddenly you're a monster. Perhaps they're not too far off the mark but to Crowley the opinions of those unlike him did not matter much.

However, Lapis' response and overall aura reads differently. Satisfying so. It makes the process and explanation that much easier; he certainly made a wise choice in thinking that she was interesting, a convenience to keep for drinking purposes. ]

That's right. [ He nods his head. ] I'm a little thirsty, so... do you mind?

[ This is probably the smoothest way he's ever asked for blood she should feel glad. ]

[oneirism]

[this is what happens when her voices of reason aren't around]

You asked if they could be considered human, not if they were accepted. [There's a difference in Lapis' mind, at least. But Lapis herself doesn't feel repelled or disgusted at this new discovery - if anything, she's simply curious. She doubts this was something he wanted, so how did this happen? Maybe it's something she'll look into later, if only to satisfy her curiosity.

But for now, Crowley still very much remains as that one strange Nine in her mind. The fact he needs to drink blood hasn't really changed much. Plus it's nice that he actually asks.]

I don't mind at all. [As long as he doesn't like, drink too much of it.] Though where do you need to take it from?

[Is there like... a procedure for this? It's not like she's done anything like this before!]

[eusford]

[ It's certainly he never asked for, something that he's been frustrated over for the past few years. Stuck in a body that would never age, unable to indulge himself in the fine dining that was an everyday occurrence on Qresh, and while he can sleep it wasn't necessary. So many activities that labeled someone as human were stripped away from him and now he has no idea what to call himself--other than a bloodsucker.

But that doesn't matter. Today he isn't drinking blood for survival but rather because he's curious of what she'll taste like. Is she sweet? Bitter? ... Bland?

It'd honestly be hilarious if she tasted bland. ]

Your neck, that's where I prefer it.