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Fantasy Code: Feral

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SilverFlight

SilverFlight

Tende altum, volare altius



Feral banner.jpg

Original thread by Calibutcher.

“We have a lead. The Feral haven’t been heard from in over a year, but yesterday, we received reports of strange activity in Singapore. We believe they’ve finally resurfaced, but…you’re going to need help.”
A pair of weathered hands slid the dossier over the smooth surface of the glass table to a young woman, straight-backed and serious in the chair across from them. Her dark hair was pinned up in a tight bun. The African civet in her lap looked over the pages as she flipped through them. Fixing the man across from them with a critical stare after the first three.
“Recruits? Some of these people haven’t even been through basic.” The woman’s voice sounded more than a little skeptical. “They’re inexperienced, and so are their companions.”

“There are some experienced agents, but I wouldn’t dismiss the other profiles out of hand.”
She paused at one profile, stiffening as she recognized the face in the photo.
“We don’t have time to do things by the book agent Strong. We’re not going to throw anyone into the fire, I need relief on recon first and foremost. They’re not helpless either, every one of those names belongs to a competent person. Send the call. Dismissed, Strong."


The woman stood swiftly, crisp white shirt and skirt not the slightest bit wrinkled from sitting. The civet transferred herself to the woman’s shoulder and together they left the office, the dossier tucked neatly under one arm.
“I don’t like it Amber,” The civet said in a low tone. “We’re gonna be put in charge of green horns and to do what? You know what happened last time we took a mission like this…in that place.”
The woman, Amber, didn’t even slow. “We’re not paid to question orders. Chief Darcy hasn’t been wrong so far. He must think an awful lot of these people. I just hope…I hope we can stop them for good this time.”


2018 is the opening year to a bright and progressive world: Humans, as far back as written history goes have been paired at the age of fifteen with intelligent and oftentimes quite articulate companions of every animal species. Once the bond is made the animal and girl or boy share a near-unbreakable friendship that lasts the entirety of the human’s life. You are recruited agents of The Watch, assigned to the ongoing investigation of a series of murders and the cases of companions turning on their human partners. You will make up an elite team that will spearhead investigations using all the resources The Watch has available.
This is going to be a modern spy rp with half the agents being talking animals with their own set of skills and abilities that compliment their human partners. We'll be going all over the world, using the most advanced technology present day has to offer. This will be a detailed rp so I will expect high writing quality and good length posts. Below I've written a little more about the organization and the special bond between human and animal companion.




  • The animals have no sapient thought before the process and it is not yet clear if all animals have the potential to bond. Once bound however the animal over the course of a few days gains complex thoughts and emotions and the power of speech. The animal will also match the lifespan of the human within days, regardless of what species the animal is. If the human dies however the animal slowly reverts back to it's original, simple brain patterns and loses the powers of speech and deep thought. It becomes just an animal again.
    Bonded animals have an intelligence equal to that of a human being and their cognitive abilities run on the same bell curve as humans. They can learn any skill a human can, provided they have the physical capacity to perform it and are competent agents in their own right.

    Occasionally humans will pair with an exceptionally rare creature, a mythical beast or an animal that had once been thought extinct, though these instances are most uncommon, and likewise reflect a very uncommon and powerful personality in the human. These characters will be in the story but I will not be permitting them as playable characters.


 
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Collab by Silverflight & zCrookedz

“You’re going in that?”
Amber stood in front of the mirror, trying to straighten out the blouse under her work suit. The thick, bulletproof threads of the form-fitting blazer tended to weigh a bit, wrinkling anything underneath almost immediately.
“We’re headed to HQ right afterwards. So yes.”
Calista raised her spotted shoulders in a shrug, not looking up from the screen she had been staring at since Amber walked into the room of their small apartment.
“I take it you’re not coming this time?”
“Normally, I’d love an excuse to drink, but I don’t really feel like watching you dance around your problems today, and specifically today, there’s going to be a lot more problems.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
The civet only shot her a critical look before snapping the laptop shut and leaping off the bed, taking a collar off the nightstand and slipping it on. The collar contained her ID chip and allowed her access to the top-secret facility they others had been called to that afternoon.
“All I’ll say is Simon’s not going to be thrilled when he finds out where you’re asking him to go. Besides, there are some newbies that should be waiting at HQ I wanna appraise before you get to them.”
“Well don’t be nasty. I need them willing, not crying.”
Calista gave her an astonished look of mock-hurt. “I can’t believe my own partner would think so little of me!” She said loudly, dodging the pillow aimed at her. “Ha! You throw like a quadruped.”

They left the apartment together, Amber letting Calista organize her own transport to the Lion’s Gate hotel, that served as their cover for the entrance to the facility. Amber, was headed to a different location entirely.

The bar wasn’t anything special to look at, but it was where she had been meeting Simon almost every time they talked. A feeling of dread welled up in the pit of her stomach. Singapore was a long time ago, but the hurt was still there, keen and sharp as always. It had to be Singapore…
Amber stood outside the doors, eyes closed, trying to bring back an iota of composure before Simon got there.

~~~

Stepping out of the bathroom as a thick plume of fog exited after him, Simon went over to the closet of the small bedroom and began to rummage through his small wardrobe of t-shirts, jeans, and the one nice shirt his mother had sent him a while back. Nearly all of his clothing had come from The Watch disguise ward, something Jean Claude had been furious about when he released Simon had wandered home with nearly a dozen shirts and pants he had been sent on mission in. In the end, he had told Simon to keep them saying that "You might as well keep them. No one can wear them after you've stretched them a mile wide."
Lumbering past the open door to SImons room, Jimbo stopped and cocked his head to the side as he notcied SImon slipping on a pretty casual looking shirt and jeans.
"Going to meet with Amber?"
Simon smirked as he pulled on his boots.
"Yup, meeting at Shakey's. Same as usual. Wanna come?"
Jimbo made a grunting noise
"Pass. I don't think the bar tender wants me back in there after I destroyed the 3rd booth. Besides, Calista told me she was heading down to meet the new recruits while ya'll talked. Must not be too important if she's not going."
Simon nodded in agreement, pulling his dark leather belt through the last loop and buckling it. The last thing he slipped on were a pair of shiny silver manacles, that latched around each wrist with a clasp and a snap. A gift from Nigel a few weeks back.
Simon turned to Jimbo and spread hsi arms out wide with his bushy, bearded grin.
"How do I look?"
Jimbo's eyes went up and down once and then he turned to leave the door frame.
"Like an idiot. Just go. I'll meet you in the training room when you two are done."

Simon strode down the crowded streets of NYC in a familiar pattern heading towards the meeting place he and Amber had become somewhat frequent with. He spotted her instantly as he rounded the corner of the street that Shakey's was on. She was much more heavily dressed than he was, instantly making him feel a bit uneasy. But with meeting the new recruits in only an hours time, Simon brushed it off and smiled wide as he stepped up. Her eyes were closed, and she had a grim expression on her face, which made Simon's smile fade slightly as he reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Amber? You all right?"

~~~

Amber nearly jumped a foot in the air. "Simon!" She said, a little too loudly. "...er, I'm fine..." Her eyes trailed him up and down, reminiscent of Jimbo's critical appraisal.
"You look...good."
They came to rest finally on his face and she smiled genuinely. "It's good to see you."

She sat down at her usual spot at the bar, ordering something uncharacteristically strong. She was going to need it.
"I guess Jimbo went to HQ already..." Her halfhearted attempt at small talk died as quick as she had thought of it. She only paused briefly after that. Might as well just have it out. How's this for dancing Calista?
"We've been called back to Singapore." Simon hadn't even had a chance to sit down beside her yet. "Darcy broke it to me yesterday."

~~~

Simon stopped in mid air, his hands planted firmly on the table before them and anything he had even remotely thought of bringing up as conversation had left his mind in an instant. It seemed as if Simon had frozen solid right then and there and would remain a petrified statue squatting over the table chair for the rest of eternity.
Slowly, Simon's head began to tilt upward towards where Amber had seated herself. His face was as solid as stone, and his eyes were cold and empty as they slowly drew themselves up to meet Ambers gaze. He was unreadable, and his stare was one that could cut through a steel beam. He searched Ambers face. For something, anything, that said that this was just some sick joke. But her face, her posture, her nervousness; it said it all.
The waitress walked up to the table, holding Ambers drink she had ordered, and the beer that Simon had ordered.
"Can I get you two anything.......else?"
The waitress stared at Simon as she slowly lowered the beer before him. Without moving a muscle, Simon muttered something that had the waitress lean down so she could here.
"Whiskey. The whole bottle."
The waitress bustled off quickly, and Simon finally began to lower himself back down onto the chair behind him. Once he had stopped, he grabbed tot he bottle before him and slowly pulled it closer to him. All the while, his eyes never leaving Amber. He sat there, until the waitress returned with the bottle and two shot glasses and hurried off once more. FInally, after the silence had become so thick you could cut it with a butter knife, Simon spoke.
".....Why......"

~~~

Amber tried not to shrink back in her chair. So far this was going exactly how she had imagined it. She had no right to ask Simon to go back. It was cruel. She didn't want to either, but, as she had told herself a hundred times since yesterday morning...it was her job. If they had a chance to put the Feral down for good...
"We have reports of Feral activity. They've been spotted stirring things up there again. It's low key for now, they've kidnapped companions, set bombs at bonding clinics..." It was evident Amber was uncomfortable but she did her best to reign in the storm of feelings flying through her. She didn't try for professionalism, or try hiding the pain in her expression or in her voice. They'd known each other too long for that.

"What happened last time...I can't undo it...Simon, I'd trade places with them in a heartbeat if I could. I know you'll probably never forgive me, and you'd be right not to..."
Saying that cut deeper than she thought it would an she forced herself to look down again, unable to meet his eyes.
"...but if we have another chance to stop them. Well, I think we owe it to our old team to take that chance."
After all this time, talking about their team, their friends who had died on that mission in Singapore still hurt like a knife in the heart.
"Darcy asked me to lead. I wanted to refuse. I almost did. I know I can't expect you to follow me to Singapore again, after what happened, and if you want to walk away right now, I wouldn't think any less of you."
She left it at that, wanting to say more, but afraid to. The question sat, unsaid between them:
'Will you come with me?'

~~~

Simon sat, and he listened. He listened more intently than he had listened to anything in his life. Every word from Amber held the same resignation, heartbreak, and loss that he felt every time he thought about Singapore. It was obvious that this was bothering her as much, or possibly more, than it was him. There were things he wanted to say to her, things he needed to say to her. Things that should have been said some time ago, but Simon had never known how to. He still didn't, and so they would have to wait.
Simon uncorked the bottle and tilted the lip to the rim of each glass. He slid it over to Amber, and let the other one rest between the tips of his fingers as if it could break with to much pressure. He sat and starred at the glass for a very long minute. He heard Amber loud and clear, and he let the unspoken question between the too hang like a thick cloud battering his thoughts like a storm.
Simon slammed the glass down on the table, shattering the little thing into several pieces and spilling the contents on the table that he had not drank. He looked to Amber, his cold eyes having changed to those of determination, acceptance, and fear. He would not hide the fear he had boiling inside him for this mission, but neither would he let it control him any more.
"When do we leave?"


The training hall was a wide, open, gym-like room, with no windows, and wide enough for a race track to run against its curved, white walls. This was where the newbies would be meeting the old..bies, and Duik wanted to be right there when they did.
"Have you seen Calista or Amber yet?" The hyena was stretching just off the track, surveying the number of obstacles that had been placed, everything from tires to water pits to agility poles. On the other side of the track he saw agents suiting up for the combat section. It was time to put his past year of training to good use.
"Hey Falarion! Wanna team up?" Duik cast about for the maned wolf, who'd always been good to hang and train with when they'd had time.
"I'll play the soooong!" The hyena was already bounding over to a portable mp3 player, hooked up to a nice set of speakers that he had brought specifically for the training session.

Up above them, the hotel lobby was bustling. The guests were not aware that there was a secret Watch facility right beneath their feet. They did not know that saying a pass phrase to one specific attendant at the front desk would get them escorted to an inconspicuous elevator that would take them down into one of the many state HQs the Watch had in that country. In the facility, aside from the training hall there were labs, classrooms, hangars and garages. Everything the modern organization needed to conduct operations under the radar. This face of the watch was a far cry from the bonding clinics it ran on its surface. The attendant would them leave them, at the edge of the training hall, where at least one, small civet would be waiting for them.

zCrookedz zCrookedz Lioness075 Lioness075 deer deer Brendanfp Brendanfp Killerclown Killerclown Flutterby Flutterby Bolts Bolts

Alec meanwhile was just coming out of one of the classrooms, notepad already tucked into a back pocket. He had been taking the class with another of the agents that had joined close to when he did, and waited for her just outside the door.
deer deer
 
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Simon had spent much of the remaining hour after departing from Amber at the bar, trying to find a secure line to Darcy in a discreet meeting room. Once he had, went in mildly infuriated, but left feeling as if he wanted to punch through a brick wall. He and Darcy had never been close, the man liked to keep his distance from his subordinates. But his tenor with The Watch made SImon feel as if the man could have come to him himself and met with both Amber and Simon about Singapore. He however, had thought differently. The long and short of the meeting that had taken place within the room had mostly been Simon venting his frustration at being told about Singapore the way he had (more or less putting AMber on the spot), How Singapore would affect both of them during this mission, and trying to squeeze as much info out of the man before the briefing. Anything he could get out of him that was more info than they would be privileged to in the dosier would be better than none. Simon wasn't about to go back to that place un prepared.
What he had gotten however, was a whole lot of nothing. No apology, not recognition, and no information. Darcy had been more than happy, almost exspectant, for Simon to finish his ranting and then go in for the attack. For attack he did. The recoil from Darcy's words still rattled within his mind like a rocks in a bucket. Darcy had not said what he said with malice, or retaliation for Simon's accusations and outbursts; the man had simply said what needed to be said. But that did not make Simon happy.

So Simon left the meeting room and began to think of several things that he would need or places he would need to go before meeting the new recruits in the training arena. The first place he went was to one of the labs where he picked up Jimbo's guns. He had asked Nigel to do some modification to them before they had left for NYC and had received a call the night prior that they were ready for him and delivered. No doubt, Nigel knew where they were going and put a rush on the weapons for Jimbos sake.
The second place he went was back to his and Jimbo's apartment a few blocks away. They had wanted to have some measure of privacy from The Watch during their stay, and had decided to rent a small place not to far from the hotel that most every else stayed at. There he grabbed his "bug-out-bag" which he kept for immediate deployment, Jimbo's phone and headphones, and the picture of his family that he kept on the nightstand.
The final thing he needed to do, was call home. As he walked down the street with his rucksack slung over his shoulder, Simon dialed up his mother from Jim's phone and called them. It was a short phone call; the exchanged pleasantries and SImon asked how everyone was doing. They were doing fine, school was difficult for his sisters who were both in college, and the twins had gotten into some kind of trouble with a art teacher at school. Something about trying to use a squirrel as a model for clay. Simon laughed and told his mother that he would be leaving for assignment soon. She could tell that there was something different about it this time.
"Well, I know its been a while since you wen't out last Simon. So just promise me that you and Jim will look after one another ok?"
Simon smiled and agreed letting her go as he entered the lobby of the hotel.


Jimbo lumbered around the final turn to the training room nearly startling someone coming down the opposite side as they wiped sweat from their face.
" 'S'cuse me." Was the only thing Jimbo could figure to say as he continued on.
After leaving Simon to meet with Amber, he hadn't gone straight to find Calista as he had said. He made a few stops, mostly in the cafeteria that sat below the hotels kitchen so that he could grab something to eat. He hated eating Simon's cooking, which is all they had left in their apartment at the moment. The man could do a great many things, but cooking was not one of them.
After that he wandered around the base for a while stopping by the hangar as he passed it. He noticed a transport was being loaded up with fuel and prepared for departure. He hadn't heard of any up comming departures. But then again, he barely paid any notice outside of what was going on with SImon and himself.
After that, he had headed for the training room. Where, at the end of the long hallway, he could see the civet Callista waiting patiently for the newbies to arrive. He gave he a half smile and siddled up next to where she was siting before letting himself sit with a furry thump.
"Saw the hangar is getting ready for something. You wanna fill me in on whats going on, or do I really have to wait for Simon and Amber to get back?"
SilverFlight SilverFlight
 
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Name: Leandra Sinciato Companion: Luness
Attire: Icy blue color eye contacts for both eyes, black tank top w/ kawaii baby tiger on front, tight black jeans, and black converse Location: The Watch Café
Tagged: deer deer (Xiao Hui and Laohu), SilverFlight SilverFlight (Alec)
Leandra had a pep in her step, as she practically skipped along her way to The Watch's café. It was a convenient location near the gym and Leandra had quickly become a regular once she learned about it. Her obsession with vanilla lattes had quickly led to Luness having to pay more attention to her since the caffeine did nothing to help keep Leandra in a calm mood. It was in fact a rarity for her to ever be calm unless she was practicing her self-defense or archery. While Luness had understood Leandra's desire to continue her self-defense practice with pressure points being the main focus, Luness could not understand the sudden obsession with archery. Leandra was a strong pacifist and arrows generally were meant to kill or at least injure someone. Leandra had come to the realization after past mission struggles that while she did not necessarily need a killing skill, she did need something that was long-range, else she still ended up being useless in most combat scenarios. Thus, she had opted to learn archery because there was a high likelihood of injury compared to death if she had good accuracy.

Luness had spent most of the past year helping Leandra in another training aspect, alchemy. While Leandra was far from adept at it, she was making progress and had learned how to successfully make a sleep-inducing poison to dip the points of her arrows with. She had to be careful, though, as it could drip off of the arrow within ten minutes and so she had to dip the arrow only when she was getting ready to use it. This could be time-consuming and lead to complications in the middle of a fight, so Leandra had also practiced doing it in a more timely manner. Luness was very useful with alchemy, as she had acute control over her body heat and flames. She was able to get to the perfect temperature for boiling the ingredients and water. Leandra had personally found it hilarious to test out the potency of her sleeping poisons on Laohu. She had to tone down the potency after that, though, because he ended up sound asleep for a solid twenty-four hours. Xiao Hui had surprised Leandra with how pleased and amused she had been instead of remotely upset. It had worked out with that reaction, though, because Leandra had doubled over with laughter once Laohu had slumped over. He looked too damn cute when he was asleep. The real struggle had been moving him to a bed once he had passed out in the gym. Leandra had not expected that workout and had swallowed her pride when she decided against asking Simon or Jimbo to help them out.

Leandra could now see the café in the distance and a wide smile appeared on her face. Luness was flying just to the side and above Leandra, and she matched Leandra's smile as best as she could with a beak. The two had made it a daily occurrence to enjoy drinks together and the best part was when Xiao Hui and Laohu were able to meet them there. Leandra absolutely loved hearing about Xiao Hui's day and the two gossiped about just about everything. Leandra was just as new to American culture as Xiao Hui was, and the two had marveled over each Marvel movie when they had a movie marathon to catch up (bah dum tss). Once they got to the Black Panther, Leandra's favorite Marvel character instantly became T'Challa. She also argued that his sister, Shuri, was a close second and that her superpower was her insanely high IQ. After all, who actually needs a superpower to be a superhero?

Shouting could be heard in the distance as Leandra began passing the gym. She looked through the glass doors and saw the obstacle course beyond. She could remember Falarion's first attempt at the obstacle course when they arrived here. Leandra had nearly died from laughter. The poor maned wolf was half-blind and had ran into so many things on the obstacle course that she had been surprised he did not have a concussion afterwards. A grin broke out on Leandra's face at the memories and then soon became a warm smile when she recalled how great Falarion had gotten at the obstacle course lately. Luness chirped happily as she glided beside Leandra. Since she was Leandra's companion and they had grown so close over the years, the two shared a mental link and Luness could experience Leandra's memories at the same time as she remembered them.

A few more minutes passed and Leandra grinned when she opened the door to the café with a faint jingle. Instantly, her mind shot back in time and she had just walked into the café nearly six months ago. It had just opened early in the morning and Leandra had arrived to meet her twin brother, Manjano for a coffee and light breakfast. Luness had stayed back in the bedroom to get some more sleep and Falarion was at the gym working on his workout montages with Duik. Leandra's heart was in her throat and she feared choking on it. Her brother had asked her through Falarion to meet him at the café this morning. That was the closest he had gotten to directly speaking with her since...that night. Over five years ago, the twins had a birthday party at one of their many foster parents' houses and Leandra's boyfriend at the time had attempted to get more intimate with Leandra than she was comfortable with. At the time, the twins had also shared an emotional link in addition to the link they had with their own companions. Manjano had felt that Leandra was in serious danger and had charged upstairs into Leandra's bedroom. He did not even stop to think before he had yanked Leandra's boyfriend away from her and thrown him to the ground. Rage had overwhelmed Manjano and he punched the guy in the face again, again, and again. He never stopped until he could no longer recognize the guy's face and finally was able to hear Leandra screaming at him in the background. Luness and Falarion had both witnessed this from the bedroom doorway, shock and fear in their expressions. Leandra had tears racing down her face as she had hugged her dead boyfriend to her chest. Manjano had stood up slowly, staring down at his bloodied fists. Later that night, the twins and their companions had been forced to flee their foster home only to later on join a gang. They could not return to foster care since Manjano had murdered someone. After this incident, the twins had stopped speaking to one another while Manjano had stopped speaking altogether except to Falarion in their mental link.

When Leandra met her brother six months ago at the café, the silence had ended.
Leandra tentatively walked up to the table, her hands shaking as she saw her brother calmly waiting for her. He already had his own black coffee and had somehow learned Leandra's custom coffee order since her own drink was already waiting for her. Gulping, she sat down across from him and felt at a loss for words. It was a weird feeling for Leandra and she could only gape when Manjano opened his mouth to speak to her. "I'm sorry. I should have spoken to you sooner, Lea," he said before starting to stare down at his hands on the table. "I didn't know how to start over with you."
Tears formed in Leandra's eyes as she covered her mouth with one of her hands. Manjano blushed now, not sure how to continue. Leandra took another moment to get over her shock and then she suddenly jumped up from her seat. Manjano followed suit, surprised and unsure of what was going to happen next. Not wasting a moment, Leandra dashed around the table and all but leapt at Manjano. Her arms went around his waist and suddenly she was hugging him tightly with tears rolling off her cheeks and onto his shoulder. She laughed with a melodious tone while Manjano finally relaxed and hugged her back with a warm smile. He whispered into her ear, "You have no idea how much I missed you, Lea." Full-blown crying now, Leandra shakily replied, "I missed you, too, Manny! You doofus, you just had to say 'hi' to me!"

Ever since they met up, Leandra had convinced Manjano to do the unthinkable: He was taking voice lessons on a weekly basis. He had felt horrible about avoiding Leandra for so many years and so it had not been too difficult to convince him to do it as his form of making up for the missed years. While he had never had a super amazing voice when he was younger, the twins used to sing songs together before they would fall asleep in their foster homes. Luness had been an impeccable singer with her mimicry and Falarion had been outright hilarious with his absolute lack of singing skills. Essentially, Leandra wanted Manjano to finally learn how to properly sing so the twins could sing together again. Leandra was confident in her own singing voice, but Manjano had been a work-in-progress at the beginning. The only reason Manjano had agreed to the voice lessons had been because Leandra and the twins' companions all vowed to never tell anyone. It was entirely up to Manjano to decide if he'd ever share it with anyone else.

Luness returned to Leandra's shoulder as they entered the café and snuggled against Leandra's cheek. "Dear, I absolutely love reliving that memory with Manny. I am so happy for him being able to open up. It took him so long, but I have to say, better late than never, yes?" Leandra smiled and pet Luness on the side, loving the soft feeling of Luness' primary feathers. "Yeah, I can't get enough of the memory myself. It still seems unreal to me each time he casually speaks with me." "I get that, dear. We got used to him avoiding us for so long, it is very odd when he willingly approaches us now." Leandra nodded in agreement before ordering their drinks and finding a table for four. Sitting down, Leandra helped Luness settle on a portable wooden perch for birds visiting the café. It was set up against the nearby window and was at the perfect angle for the sunlight to radiate off of Luness' white feathers. Leandra quickly looked away and jokingly said, "Hey, careful now. We don't want to blind Xiao Hui and Laohu!" Luness chortled and forced herself to tone down her own dazzling light that she had began giving off in the comfort of the sun's heat. "Sorry, dear." Leandra giggled and replied, "No worries! I hope those two get here soon. Knowing Xiao Hui, she's probably all caught up in Alec's awe-striking appearance and just can't get enough of him." Luness rolled her eyes at this and said, "Poor guy has to put up with your teasing all of the time, too." "Aw, come on, Lune. He surely finds it amusing by now!" "If you say so, dear." Leandra stuck her tongue out at Luness and then began anxiously looking out the window for Xiao Hui.

Suddenly, the speakers overhead began playing one of Leandra's favorite songs: Good Old Days by Macklemore, ft. Kesha. In a heartbeat, Leandra began drumming her fists on the table to the beat. Leandra grinned at Luness, whose head was already beginning to bob to the beat, swaying back and forth with a soft smile on her face. Once Kesha began singing, Leandra could not help herself and began singing along, "I wish somebody would have told me, babe, someday, these will be the good old days. All the love you won't forget, and all these reckless nights you won't regret. Someday soon, your whole life's gonna change. You'll soon miss the magic of these good old days." While Leandra sang the lyrics in her own voice, Luness was able to perfectly mimic Kesha's voice. As Macklemore began rapping, Leandra went back to drumming on the table, having the time of her life while waiting for her friends to join her.
 
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Name: Falarion Companion: Manjano
Attire: Short red and white striped scarf wrapped around his neck, one end hanging half a foot down his chest Location: The Training Hall
Tagged: SilverFlight SilverFlight (Duik)
Falarion all but towered over most companions near the track and tried to stifle a yawn as he leaned down into the downward dog stretch. He felt a satisfying pop in his back before he stood back up. As he began stretching out each of his ankles, Duik asked about Amber and Calista. Tilting his head to the side, Falarion responded, "No. I haven't seen either of them in a while now, actually." One thing that Falarion had improved on over the past year was not only his maturity in speaking and behaving, but also in better understanding the world around him. It had been very odd to Manjano at first, but he soon came to accept just how much reading the maned wolf was now commonly doing. He practically burned through a book a day. The irony of Manjano going to voice lessons for singing was that Falarion had almost instantly insisted on taking his own voice lessons to improve beyond his childish manner of speaking. It still sounded weird to his own ears, but Falarion had noticed others thinking more highly of him nowadays. Strangers no longer treated him like he was a pup and Falarion had quickly learned to like the different reaction. He still loved his ball and would fetch it in a heartbeat, but he was no longer as naive as he had first been.

Hopping in place a bit to warm up, Falarion stopped when Duik asked him to be his teammate. Nodding his head vigorously, Falarion bounded over to join his friend's side. "You know it, Duik!" Seeing Duik racing over to start their song, Falarion barked excitedly and then grinned as he leaned forward in what would appear to be a sprinter's position for the maned wolf. Yet another improvement Falarion had made over the year was his agility and overcoming his clumsiness. It had been a problem for him in past missions, as he had face planted a number of times and been quite useless at times. While he was half-blind and it was as good as an excuse as any for his clumsiness, it did not mean he could not learn to overcome it.

And now, Falarion waited for both the song to begin and for Duik to rejoin his side. Once Duik was ready, the pair would race forward and begin the obstacle course together.
 
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7 months ago
Beth sat strapped in her seat, a five point harness restricting her movement. Their aircraft, a big military thing, shuddered with a spot of turbulence. She waited until it had stopped to continue writing again. She had bought the postcard in Mexico, but she wasn't sure what country they were above now. She wasn't really sure what country they were going to, either. She just kept writing, hoping to finish quickly so she could get some rest. Her hand writing had become necessarily small; she had a lot she wanted to say on this one. It read:
"Manjano,
I'm so sorry that I haven't been in touch. I meant to call you, but I'm never sure what timezone I'm in, and I don't have a spare minute these days.
I've been told to expect to move more frequently now, and that Totus and I will be separated.. I don't know what to think about that. I'm beginning to hope this assignment is short- I'm already worried about burn out.
I hope you're still doing well, and the rest of the team, too. I'm sorry I'm gone, I wish I had chosen to stay and train.. I guess I thought this work was important to do. Please don't let yourself be lonely.
This work is more emotionally taxing than I thought. I'm not sure how much longer I'll be at it. But I do know this will be my last postcard for a while, because they're moving us and it's getting more dangerous. I'm sorry, I'll try to get word to your HQ that I'm okay when I can.
Say hi to everyone for me, especially Falarion.
Stay safe,
Beth"
She tucked it into her tactical vest, to send whenever she saw a mailbox next. She didn't realize it would be her last contact with her friends for 7 months.
Lioness075 Lioness075
~~~
One month ago
A twig cracked next to her head, and her escort snapped to the side, even though it had been his own foot that snapped it. Beth scowled, and wiped the back of her hand across her forehead. She glanced upward, but found nothing but tropical treetops and then empty air. She and Totus had been separated, again, so she was on her own.
"This way," She said to the agents with her, and motioned for them to follow her down the smuggler's trail. They had only taken a few steps, when gunfire started pouring out of the bushes in front of them. Beth pulled her rifle, and dropped to the ground.
~~~
One week ago
"Look, you've been moving and separating us too much. It's not healthy. We need a break. We will be taking it." The barn owl's voice was unusually heated, but Totus had had enough of this conversation. Beth had given up several minutes ago, letting Totus take on their new supervisor for a moment.
The blonde man threw his hands up and cursed. "Fine, but it's three weeks, not five. And you better be at the top of your game when you get back."
Beth snorted softly, already picking up her bag and walking out. Three weeks would have to work. Totus landed on her shoulder, and nibbled the back of her ear. She was too tired to be angry.
~~~
Three days ago
Beth turned another page of her book, glancing up from her table at the corner cafe to gaze at the familiar townhome of a well known canine pop star. She hadn't had the heart to actually visit Gigi, but she wasn't above indulging her own sentimentality. She took a sip of tea, wondering if she would rather be back at her hotel, napping. The bags under her eyes hadn't faded yet, but she didn't feel right wasting time sleeping while in France.
Rather suddenly, a barn owl landed on the table. Beth didn't jump, just looked up and shared a blink with him. Totus was all glowy and happy in the back of her mind- he must have had a nice hunt. She gave him a smile, and then returned to reading. His voice brought her out of it a few seconds later.
"Beth, you have like ten missed calls."
"I'm on vacation."
"They're not from Williams. It's HQ."
Beth looked up again, and the next time her phone rang, she picked up.
~~~
Today
Beth gave a sigh, and shouldered her bag. The flight had been long, but she hadn't slept well. Planes put her on edge, these days. And her choice of jeans and sneakers had been uncomfortable, even if they did go well with her cozy sweater. Totus clacked in her ear, bringing her back to the present in time to wave down a taxi.
As much as she would rather have finished her three weeks in France, she couldn't help but feel excited as the taxi pulled up in front of a half-familiar hotel front. She hadn't been to any HQ what felt like forever, and wasn't really sure why the Watch was reassigning her again.. but there were friends here. Beth's mind jumped to a particular person, and Totus politely blocked his mind off from hers. She could have her female-ness to herself, at least.
Beth stepped into the lobby, letting her eyes adjust to the dimmer light, and cast her bright blue eyes across the room. They didn't land on what she really expected, but it was a welcome sight nonetheless.
"Simon!" She called, with a small wave, as she jogged toward the hulking figure.
As they drew closer, Totus churred and added, "Fancy seeing you here."
zCrookedz zCrookedz
 
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Name: Manjano Companion: Falarion
Attire: Khaki beanie with most of his white hair showing above his forehead, khaki leather jacket, plain white t-shirt, light jeans, brown converse Location: The Lobby
Tagged: zCrookedz zCrookedz (Simon), Flutterby Flutterby (Beth and Totus)
While Falarion was preparing to take on the obstacle course with Duik, Manjano was making his way towards the lobby. Unlike the others, he had nothing on his plate today and once he had gotten the news of what was to come, he figured he might as well just head straight there. He had never been to Singapore before, but he had heard vague details about something going horribly wrong there for Simon and Amber in the past. He was not too sure how he felt about going there. What could the team truly expect once they arrived? Anarchy? Chaos? Ferals around every corner? Manjano at least felt better knowing that Falarion had vastly improved on his own in the past year.

As he walked passed the training hall, Manjano absentmindedly thought back to the last postcard he had received from Beth. It had arrived about seven months ago and he had not heard from Beth since. He had a nagging feeling that something was wrong, even though she had said that she was simply moving around too much to continue reaching out to him. It made him uncomfortable not hearing from her or knowing how she was faring. There was never a report of anything going wrong for her, but still. He always ended up thinking about her at some point each day. He just wished he could hear from her somehow and then he would not be so bothered by the silence. He had kept each of her postcards and hung them up on a thin wire hanging over his desk in his bedroom. He hung them in the order in which he received them and was deeply saddened once the flow had stopped suddenly. He loved to occasionally sit down and reread each of them. They always brought a smile to his face.

Entering the hotel, Manjano decided to take the stairs instead of the elevator to reach the lobby. He opened the door and soon walked into the lobby, bristling slightly when he saw it was a bit busy at the moment. While he had vastly improved in being more open and willing to speak to others over the past year, he had not overcome his fear and dislike of crowds, especially if they were mostly strangers. Hearing someone shout out Simon's name, Manjano's eyes widened when he saw who it was. Almost immediately after Totus had spoken, Manjano shouted out, "Beth!" It still sounded very weird for him to be loud at all and he cringed slightly after he had shouted. Too late now. He took up a brisk walk, trying to avoid looking too desperate, and smiled at Beth once he got close to her, Totus, and Simon.
 
The man coughed as he walked through the New York Streets. The lioness next to him looked up in concern and said as she rubbed up against him," I really wish you would quit smoking Jim, it's gonna kill you one day." Jim looked down and patted the lioness on the head as he said," Relax Artemis, smoking hasn't' killed me yet, and probably never will. Now keep an eye out for the hotel." Artemis sighed as she did so. Jim had always been a stubborn old goat. From the very first day they had met until now, Jim had always insisted on doing things his way, always ignoring or belittling the advice of others, even if that advice was something to be listened to. As Jim and Artemis continued to walk down the street, some people seemed to stop and stare at the well-suited man, who appeared to be in his sixties. Jim noticed this and grinned: it was good to be remembered. You see, Jim used to be an actor, and his most famous, most remembered role was that of the Jaguar, a well-known, beloved superhero that Jim played on a TV show that lasted 8 seasons. As Jim walked through the street, he looked up and smiled as he saw the Lion's Gate hotel in the distance. He looked down and said to Artemis," There's the hotel. Let's go." Jim then proceeded to jog lightly towards the hotel, Artemis in tow.

As Jim approached the hotel ,he repeatedly replayed the instructions he was given by The Watch in his head. He was to approach the hotel counter, tell the secret phrase to the clerk, board the elevator, reach the base, then get evaluated. As Jim walked towards the entrance, he grunted with annoyance when he saw the no smoking sign in front of the hotel. As they walked in, Artemis couldn't help but grin at her partner's annoyance. Her littler brother, as Artemis often called Jim, had been a avid smoker for 10 years and she had been trying to get him to quit. But, he never listened to her, stubbornly insisting that he would be fine. So, any opportunity to keep him away from his cigarettes was good in her book. As they approached the counter, Artemis noticed that Jim was trying to keep his head down to avoid being recognized, something Jim almost never does. When Jim arrived at the counter, he leaned over and whispered a phrase that Artemis couldn't hear into the ear of clerk. The clerk nodded at the two and ushered them into a nearby elevator, which took them to the base. After a ride that seemed to take forever, the elevator finally stopped and opened. Jim and Artemis looked at amazement at the base they had just arrived at. There was a shooting range, obstacle coarse, hell, even a cafe. Jim's eyes eventually rested on a civet at the very edge of the training course. Jim grinned and said to Artemis, " That must be who is evaluating us." Jim and Artemis then approached the civet, with Jim politely nodding and saying to it," Agent Jim Sterling Carswell at your service. I believe you are the one who is evaluating me, correct?"
SilverFlight SilverFlight
 
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The blond male strode the halls of the HQ with a watering can in hand. Ever since he got here, Barry took up the duties of keeping the plant life nice and strong in the rather empty walk ways. Tilting the can and letting a light rain come to the bushes, he started to think about the past year. After a rather messy start to his watch career he decided he needed more work before being ready to head out on another mission. While keeping up with the makeup department and personal sessions with BB, Barry made a point of training hard in hand to hand combat and overall dexterity. While he may not be on par with a larger team member he knows, he found more confidence in protecting himself when push comes to shove. He also took time to learn quicker ways to communicate. His signing got better as did his writing speed. A new development was his throat training that allowed him to make short words by breathing in. While it is painful when done in rapid succession and hardly audible unless in a quiet space, he could finally say something without BB or his voice box! Suddenly his reminiscing was cut short by the glugging of the watering can. Looks like my rounds are up. He thought as a peaceful smile rose on his face. He started to walk back to his makeshift work area to drop off the gardening tool.

The door slid open, as he walked up, to reveal a small lab area/ supply closet. Anything the watch needed could be found here which made him feel at home back at his green house. He rested the watering can next to a few small spades and gloves before turning to the desk he annexed. A few pallets for makeup, bottles for sugar water, and a pot of Daisies neatly stood before him. He didn't bring much of his belongings since he was in a bit of a hurry to get here. Barry had taken a few weeks to himself to go visit his family after so long. It went as well as he suspected since they haven't seen him since he was deployed and injured. His only saving grace was the normalcy his sister brought by treating him just the same as she did in the past. Annoying prodding and loving. During his trip, he got the message to head to the HQ for what he could only assume was for a new mission. From there, he gathered what he could and left with a quick goodbye. He continued to stare at the Daisies while letting out a small sigh. Alright, time to meet back up with every-- BARRRRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!! His thoughts were cut short by a familiar voice and he couldn't help but smirk.

--------------------------------

The huffing and puffing of the small humming bird could be heard through out the halls of the HQ as she made her rounds. BB had spent a good portion of the year helping the Watch with message relays as part of her "super secret training". The year had been rough for BB. Her first few missions were not the smoothest to say the least. Combat for a humming bird is not the easiest thing in the world. The watch came to understand this and found a good compromise to not only help her focus on tasks, increase her speed, and relay messages with ease. It was also helping her get pent up energy out during low periods so she wouldn't be nearly as extra on important missions. She had been separated with Barry on a mutual agreement that they would train as best they could in their respective downfalls while still meeting up here and there for a one sided talk about everything going on. Later in the year, she was offered to go on vacation with Barry to his family but she felt her work was too important. That and the fact she always gets funny looks from everyone while there. One morning, she got a message for herself saying she was being relocated and would meet up with her life long partner there. Gleefully, she shipped out.

BARRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!! She shouted as she skidded the corner and entered the room. Barry! Barry! It's you! OMG OMG OMG! Wait... It is you right? Not just someone you dressed up like you. Say something... HA IT IS YOU! I knew it all along. Can't pass one up on ol' BB. Anywho, you look dashing as ever if not a little nerdy. It suits you, never change buddy. Me? Oh, you know. Being a super secret agent spy and taking down governments. Just kidding, I have been doing that messenger thing lately. Just call me Hermes I guess. I am just so exicted though! WAIT! Don't think you can hide that sweet sweet elixir from me. I see it there! She announced as she hovered over a bottle of sugar water Barry always made for her. With a few good seconds of drinking, She was up and at it again. YESSSSSS! That's the good stuff. My complements to the chef. That's you by the way. Chef Barry... No, we will work on that. Now Chef BB! That is a chef anyone can get behind. Also, I can't help but see you're not in athletic gear Barry boy. Come on! It was in the instructions that we head to the training area! Take that jacket off and get that skin tight work out shirt on. I know I will like it, surly some guy, gal, or other will too. Now, get dressed soldier! I'll be at the gym doing reps! SEE YOU SOON!!!! Without another word she pecked Barry's head for a kiss and zipped out of the room.

Barry shook his head as he began to change and make his way to the training course. BB on the other hand zipped through the halls nearly ramming into people and animals alike. She saw a new set of faces of an older man and a tigress. HEY OLD MAN HEY MAJESTIC KITTY HOPE YOU LIKE YOUR STAY! She yelled while zooming over their heads. Killerclown Killerclown

She finally made her way to the training grounds and yelled. NO NEED TO WAIT, YOUR QUEEN HAS ARRIVED! SilverFlight SilverFlight Lioness075 Lioness075 zCrookedz zCrookedz
 
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Simon was sliding Jimbo's phone into his pocket and re adjusting his rucksack, when a familiar voice called out his name among the babel of the hotel lobby. Glancing around, it didn't take Simon long to find Beth and Tutus jogging up to him. His face broke out into a wide grin as the two got close. Without so much as a word Simon doped his bag, and wrapped his large arms around the girl, scooping her up into a big bear hug.
"Beth!! Totus!! Its so great to see you two again! Hahahaha! I wasn't sure who I might be seeing here today, but I am so glad you two are here!"
Simon let Beth down gently and placed his hands on his hips, looking over the pair with an inquisitive examination. He reached out and ruffled the feathers of Totus' head a little bit before sighing with content at the to of them.
"Word through the grape vine is that you two spent a good bit of time training with Agent Williams a few months back. I hope he didn't give you to much trouble, he can be a bit of a hard ass honestly."

Before Beth could reply however, Simon heard someone call out Beth's name. Simon smirked, it was a voice he had grown rather accustomed to if only but recently. He turned to see Manjano heading down the stairs waving. Simon smirked and thought back to the last few month since the young man had come to him and asked for some help with hand to hand. Simon had been more than happy to help him out and having seen how much progress he had made, both personally and in his abilities, had given Simon a little bit of pride in his progress.
Simon took a few steps away from Beth, allowing Manjano to approach without over crowding. However, there was another reason for the distance. Simon slowly wen't to Manjano's flank giving the two a moment to catch up, and without any warring other than a glance around to make sure no one else would get in the way, he spun his foot across the ground at Manjano's legs to sweep them out from underneath him. A simple enough gesture, one Simon was confident the young man would easily avoid after all of their training. But if he went where Simon anticipated he would go, there would be an open palm ready and waiting for him to bounce of his chest coming from Simon's right hand.
((short post full of fun ^^))
Flutterby Flutterby Lioness075 Lioness075
 
Totus saw the giant, squishy embrace coming at the same instant Beth did, and hopped into the air. He circled tightly just overhead until Simon released Beth, who was giggling uncontrollably and had comfortably snuggled into Simon's broad chest. This was exactly the greeting Beth had needed- it lightened her heart and almost seemed to erase the strain of the last 7 months. Totus settled back on her shoulder when Simon put her down, churring happily.
The pair shared a look when Simon mentioned Agent Williams, who Totus had begun to call Mr. Ambition, and Beth parted her lips to say something mild but indignant about him running them into the ground for the last several months. But then, she heard her name shouted. The voice rang a very distant bell, but she couldn't find the appropriate context in her memories for it. Totus flipped his head around quickly, and the pushed the appropriate name into her mind as she turned.
Manjano
Beth's smile widened before she turned all the way to see him, and her blue eyes landed on his face first. Not sallow, no obvious new scars. Good, healthy. She swept her eyes over his clothes, less black than before and a little more stylish. Great, coming out of his shell. And he had shouted her name, in the middle of a crowded lobby.
"Oh my gosh.." Beth whispered, and Totus finished her thought, "He looks great. A lot better than you." Beth blushed a little, and Totus hopped off her shoulder and onto the back of a nearby couch, with what would be a smirk if he didn't have a beak.

Beth waited where she was, as he sped-walked over, and glanced at Simon, who had partially turned away and backed up. When Manjano was close enough to hear her without being too loud, she said, "Oh my gosh, Manjano, look at you. You-you.." She trailed off, her hands a few inches from touching both of his forearms, and blinked several times rapid-fire. She stared at his face for a moment, and then dropped one hand completely to her side, and let the other touch his forearm lightly. "Hey, stranger."
She could feel Totus laughing at her, in the back of her mind, and politely closed him off. She was about to say something else, anything else, when a quick move from Simon made her jump away from Manjano, with a soft squeak.
Lioness075 Lioness075 zCrookedz zCrookedz
((All the funs!!))
 
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Name: Manjano Companion: Falarion
Attire: Khaki beanie with most of his white hair showing above his forehead, khaki leather jacket, plain white t-shirt, light jeans, brown converse Location: The Lobby
Tagged: zCrookedz zCrookedz (Simon), Flutterby Flutterby (Beth and Totus)
Manjano gave Simon a nod when the big guy began giving him some space to be with Beth and Totus. He had been surprised by how easygoing the guy ended up being once he had agreed to be Manjano's sparring partner. Manjano had surprised even himself when he had decided to ask Simon for the help in training. He had noticed the guy working out in the gym and training hall a number of times to see how good the guy was at close combat. It was surprising to Manjano given Jimbo's affinity for guns, but Manjano knew his personal training in a gang years ago was not enough to keep him going nowadays. He had learned that the hard way in the team's past missions. Manjano had gotten himself injured one too many times for his comfort. He doubted he would ever get over how weak he felt once he was injured and essentially useless to the team.

As Beth began greeting him, Manjano smiled warmly at her and at the same time that she was looking him up and down, Manjano reciprocated the action. Beth had an almost gaunt look about her. Not in the sense of being unhealthy so much as lacking sleep and looking like she was frankly, desperate for good company. What Manjano had briefly heard Simon saying about Beth's temporary superior had Manjano resisting the urge to frown while his smile faded slightly. The last thing Beth needed after those rough missions with their own team was a hard ass for a superior. Alas, there was nothing Manjano could do about it and if he was lucky, Beth would never have to work the guy again.

When Beth touched his forearm, Manjano's smile quickly returned and he suddenly realized that he felt a strong urge to hug Beth. He had seen Simon do it without Beth reacting too much, but Manjano knew that their relationships was different for him to suddenly do such a thing. Especially since he had never hugged her before she left. Leandra had insisted on hugging Manjano before the twins went to sleep each night after Manjano reconciled with her. Slowly but surely, he had gotten used to the touch again. Unless someone surprised him with a hug, he was more or less comfortable with it. Hesitant and then feeling awkward with his thoughts, Manjano rubbed the back of his neck. Old habits died hard.

Before he could even consider asking, Manjano noticed that Simon had not just given them space, but had not-so-casually sauntered off behind Manjano. Frowning at this, Manjano dropped his hand from his neck and turned slightly to see what Simon was up to. Just as Beth began laughing at Simon's attack, Manjano's eyes widened and he leapt to the side. He deftly leapt to the side where Simon had an open palm. Spinning around it in quick maneuver, Manjano grabbed Simon's wrist and yanked him forward, following his own momentum. Manjano then moved his other hand to Simon's elbow and pivoted him around before suddenly yanking down on Simon's arm to force him to trip over himself. After doing so, Manjano let go of Simon's arm to avoid any serious damage to the big guy. Looking down at Simon with a smirk, Manjano said softly, "Nice try, Simon."
 
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xiao hui & laohu

Her eyes focused on the words that lifted off the page before her as she read through the last few lines of the medical textbook Alec had lent to her. Although the class had let out a few minutes ago, Xiao Hui was usually the last one in the room, making sure she had all the information she needed as well as understood the materials assigned and lectured. However, if Xiao Hui didn't understand a certain topic, she would sit there for hours until she was able to grasp the concept. It didn't take long for her to get pried away from her books with Alec's aid whenever she got frustrated on a subject. But, Xiao Hui was grateful that she was in the same class as him, thankful for his help. If it wasn't for Alec, Xiao Hui would feel as if she failed herself for not keeping up with the course. Although knowledgeable, Xiao Hui never really 'studied' Western medicine, much less, thoroughly went through countless materials on different procedures. Some sounded tedious, but, if the results proved to be successful, then how could she question it. Though, she could already hear her father's constant scolding and distaste.

Soon, Xiao Hui finished her reading and finally closed her textbook as she slowly stretched her arms and legs, sighing softly to herself. As she began to pick up her items which included a calligraphy pen, medical textbook, and notepad, Xiao Hui stood still for a moment, furrowing her brows as she looked towards her arm, softly rubbing the area feeling a slight soreness. Xiao Hui felt a bruise forming and could only guess who the perpetrator was behind her feeling achy. "Laohu." Clicking her tongue, Xiao Hui could only imagine what happened to Laohu. Perhaps he fell off the bed. . . again. "Lazy housecat." A soft laugh escaped her lips as she shook her head once more, finding amusement in her companion's constant sleep patterns and antics. "What will I ever do with you, Laohu?' With a soft sigh, Xiao Hui glanced around the room to see if she missed any of her belongings or if anyone left anything behind. Out of habit, Xiao Hui walked around the room, pushing in the chairs as she hummed softly to herself. Once satisfied, Xiao Hui slowly made her way towards the doors only to be greeted by Alec.

Quite surprised to see him, though when is she not, despite getting used to his presence, Xiao Hui knew she would never be able to. It wasn't a bad thing, but she would never brush off the feeling of being waited on or even engaging enough to continue being around. Xiao Hui paused for a moment, taking in Alec's appearance, looking at him up and down before a wide smile displayed on her lips.

"Alec!" She addressed him vibrantly, her smile never wavering. "Are you waiting for someone?" Xiao Hui wondered out-loud, feigning innocence of not knowing why he was standing outside the classroom.

Gleefully grinning, Xiao Hui continued on her teasing as she peeked her head back inside the classroom, looking around. "Hm . . . everyone seems to have gone but I." Xiao Hui noted, turning her head back towards Alec, curiously gazing at him.

With her textbook and notepad in hand, Xiao Hui moved around to stand next to Alec, side-by-side, her attention still on him, "Will you be joining Lea and I at the Cafe today?"

location: outside The Watch classroom | with: Alec | mentions: Leandra and Laohu
tags: SilverFlight SilverFlight , Lioness075 Lioness075​

With a loud thump, the big cat groaned, waking up from his peaceful slumber. Shaking his head, Laohu opened his eyes, slightly chuffing as he slowly got off the ground, bones cracking in the process. Yawning loudly, the rumbling of his throat caused a small shake underneath his white paws as he moved himself around Xiao Hui's room. Although the both of them could have found a small apartment in the city, Xiao Hui decided it would just be easier on the both of them if they found a place at headquarters than moving around every so often. The plus side of staying was the food provided and boy did Laohu love the food. The cushion of the beds could be better, but he wasn't complaining knowing he could sleep practically anywhere.

Regardless, Laohu was glad that his human companion decided against living alone, separated from everyone. The last mission caused a strain on everyone, including himself, but he couldn't shake the feeling off that Xiao Hui was holding something back from him. Stretching, Laohu looked at himself in the mirror, making sure his coat was still pristine and shiny as ever. Once satisfied that he appeared presentable, Laohu made his way out the room. However, pausing for a moment, Laohu rolled his eyes, hearing his partner's voice in his head. "Insulting me already, Hui?" He mocked, trotting down the hallway before getting into the elevator. With a toothy grin, Laohu shook his head, some of his fur shedding as he walked. "Your 'lazy housecat' is headed towards the Cafe.

As Laohu effortlessly moved around the site, his thoughts wandered off as he sighed inwardly to himself. Although a year passed, to Laohu, it felt like yesterday they were back in Beijing. The kidnapping, fireworks, explosion, and chaos of being in China was engraved in his mind. From time to time, unconsciously, Laohu would wander off to see Leandra and Luness, watching them almost like a hawk as they practiced alchemy. Laohu had been more than willing to be Leandra's test subject as well as sparring partner when they got back from Beijing. He hadn't felt guilty, but rather more cautious and alert of his friends. Laohu didn't consider himself overbearing, but he did feel a paternal and protective instinct towards his teammates as their bonds grew closer.

Pulled out of his thoughts, Laohu's attention was drawn towards the training gym as he heard a loud, cheerful voice. With a low, guttural laugh, Laohu watched as BB announced her presence before he took a peek inside the room. Laohu's gaze went towards the two running on the obstacle course and the booming music. Not able to help himself, Laohu's tail swished from side to side as he moved himself to the rhythm of the music blaring.

"Hello to you too, Queen BB." Laohu chuckled, waving his right paw up at her before turning away to meet up with Leandra and Luness.

Quickly trotting towards the Cafe, Laohu tilted his head slightly before chuffing. He watched in awe, listening to Leandra's singing. With a small wave towards Luness, not wanting to interrupt Leandra, as quiet as a mouse and quick as a cat, he moved towards the empty seat next to Luness, slightly squinting from the light.

"How is it going today, Lune?" Laohu questioned, as he tried to elegantly get onto the chair. But, not realising how slippery the chair had been, Laohu ended up almost knocking over the wooden perch Luness she had been sitting on. "Excuse me." He apologetically whispered, sighing to himself. He was not fat.

However, Laohu nervously chuckled, his head whipping towards Leandra, "Care to help . . . this big cat out?" He asked, only to add on, "No sleeping arrows today?"

location: inside The Watch Cafe | with: Leandra and Luness | mentions: BB and Xiao Hui
tags: Bolts Bolts , Lioness075 Lioness075​
 
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Calista looked up as Jimbo came up beside her. She felt the floor reverberate as he sat.
"What's up Kong?"
When he asked about the mission she shot him a devilish grin. "You wanna know?" Letting the question hang in the air for just a few moments she added, "You'll see in the briefing."
Not long after that, the first of the recruits appeared, an elderly man with a lioness companion.
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The civet looked something like a raccoon, sitting back on her haunches, eyes shining out from a mask of black fur. though her body was long and slender like a cat's, the mottles black and brown fur on her shoulders seperating out down her back into distinct leopard-like spots, before finally morphing into stripes on her haunches.
Calista looked up at the pair with a bored expression. She raised a paw and pressed a button on the inconspicuous headset, hidden by her thick fur. Instantly a holographic projection of a list appeared in front of her.
"Carswell..." She searched for his name. "Ah, Carswell, James S. Skills include makeup, costume and undercover infiltration...former occupation...actor." She looked back up at him.
"Yeah sunshine, I'm the evaluator." She held out a stubby paw towards a closed set of double doors.
"Costume lab's in there." She stated simply, and a half smile crept onto her furry, black-masked face, showing the tips of pointed, white teeth.
"Impress me."
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Duik bounced in place three times behind the player before scrolling through the songlist. The attendants in the control booth, a small elevated room with two walls made of of bullet-proof glass, nestled in a corner of the hall went to work setting up the obstacle timers and outlining the usual parameters Duik and Falarion trained with.
The pair in the booth this time was a dingo and his human partner, both well-acquainted with the social butterfly of a hyena. Duik gave them an enthusiastic wave with one forelimb, the dingo waving back as his tongue lolled excitedly. You always got a show watching Duik.
Suddenly a familiar voice rang out and the hyena's head shot up. catching the little bird Duik squeaked with excitement.
"Oooooh B-bird! You're back?! It's great to see you!!!"
He bounded over to her, sliding to a halt and holding out his upturned paw for her to slap with one of her rapid-fire wings.
"Fal and I were just about to run the course. Lemme throw down the skill just for you K?"
Laohu poked his head in too and Duik gave him a mock salute. He respected the big tiger immensely.
Duik ran back to the player, his excitement churning into manic energy. He hit the switch with a flourish, a wide grin spread across his muzzle.
"Let. Us. Do. THIS."
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Xiao's voice snapped Alec out of his thoughts and he turned as she came out of the room.
"Who me?" He asked innocently, pressing fingers lightly to his vest. "Uh, yeah, as a matter of fact, there's this amazing girl, I've been studying with her for the past few months. She's ridiculously smart..."
When she double-checked the classroom, still feigning ignorance, he played along: "Huh? No one left? Oh, then guess it must be you."
He shot her a knowing smile.
"I should probably check up on Duik," He answered regretfully after she asked him to tea. "Make sure he's not making too much of a spectacle of himself you know? But...um...maybe later...if you've got an afternoon free or something...I could...we could..." He trailed off for a moment. Why was this so hard? He'd practiced this. The movies, dinner, anything. All he had to do was pick a place.
At length Alec sighed in defeat. "We could...go over the notes for this class...That last part about the endocrine system...it's pretty tricky."
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Annie Mei stared up into the clouds...

It was a postcard-perfect day in New York City. A week-long storm had washed every sidewalk and gutter clean and a tincture of freshness still lingered in the air despite the traffic fumes. Downtown the skyscrapers shone silver in the morning sun and the sky was an unbroken backdrop of blue. Commuters walked like shoals of fish in a myriad of directions, even the buses were running on time. Annie smiled vibrantly as she waded through the morning traffic atop her cherished pink motorcycle. Earlier in the day, she had arrived at the South Street Seaport. Due to her claustrophobia planes were difficult for her and cars were downright impossible, so instead Annie had taken a cruise ship up the east coast with her motorcycle in tow. The trip had lasted twelve hours, but finally, she had arrived.

Annie had never been to the Big Apple before, but navigating through the bustling streets was a breeze, this was her kind of city. Annie held her breath as the Lion's Gate hotel came into view. This was it she had made it. Although she had only been with Watch for the past few months, Annie had put in countless hours training at the Houston branch, and now she finally had the opportunity to show the fruits of her labor. The pink-haired agent parked her bike, aptly named CherryBomb, and made her way inside the hotel. A few moments and one secret phrase later, Annie was lead to the elevator, however, chose to take the stairs instead.

"Here we go," Annie chimed to herself.

The agent took the stairwell in leaps and bounds unable to contain her excitement. At the bottom of the stairwell sat a door, and without hesitation, Annie pushed through it entering the Watch facility. The instructions were clear, once she had arrived she was to report to the training center, but how could she in a place like this. Her heart swayed at the tempting scent of espresso wafting through the air. She started in that direction, but something caught her attention. A rustling came from beneath her bomber jacket, suddenly a furry head poked its way up through her collar.

"Ann," the Ernesto whimpered, "Let's not get distracted. Remeber this is Agent Strong we're talking about."

Annie paused for a moment to consider. She snorted before bursting into a fit of giggles, "Ernesto don't tell me you're scared of Agent Strong!" She tried to catch her breath as Ernesto crawled completely out of Annie's bomber and on to her shoulder. He wasn't laughing.

"Ann I'm serious! Have you ever looked into that ladies eyes? She is super intense, it's like staring into an abyss or something," Ernesto replied.

"Alright Alright," Annie said reluctantly, "Straight to the training hall."

Annie sighed as she walked past the cafe and onwards to the training facility, however, her disappointment was short lived as she entered the massive gymnasium style room, and at the end of the hall stood two agents. To the left sat a large hulking gorilla and beside him stood a... large raccoon? overgrown ferret? perhaps a mongoose? Oh well, the species hardly mattered to her. Annie cleared her throat in cartoonish fashion as she consolidated her thoughts. A formal greeting was probably in order.

"Morning Sirs, Agent Annie reporting for duty!"

"As well as Agent Ernesto..."

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Simon couldn't help himself but grin as he watched Manjano slide out of his swipe and grab his arm. Just like he had taught him, he used his oponents weight against him and Simon when toppeling over until he landed square on hsi back starring up into the chandalieer that hung from the lobby ceiling. His face was as light up as the light fixture itself. His broad grin streatched ear to ear as he saw Manjano and his smirk.
"HA!! Very good Manjano! Very good indeed! Your ready for the big game now bud!"
As Simon was lifting his torso off the ground, he couldn't help but notice the amount of attention their little stunt had attracted. Simon rubbed the back of his head and smiled. The most notable of the starres was comming from the front desk receptionist, who when finally caught Simon's attnetion, made several eye gestures from him towards the direction of the elevators. Simon could only guess what she was indicating.
So he gave her an apologetic smile and then lifted himself from the ground, scooping his rucksack up in the process and slinging it over his shoulder. He smiled to the trio before him and nodded at in the direction of the elveators.
"We should probably head down. If Strong hasn't made it down, and Calista hasnt eaten the new recruits alive, we might be able to get a quick practice in Manjano."
His eyes flashed to Beth and then back to him.
"Of course, if you have other plans. Don't let me stop you."

Simon did not wait for Manjano's retaliation, which he was certain their would be for the comment directed towards Beth. It was no secret to Simon what was going on. He had seen Manjano pouring over the post cards Beth had been sending him for months. It was nice to see the young man had finally opened up to people. If only just a little.
Simon flashed the man at the elevator a toothy grin, and he in return rolled his eyes a bit as he opened the door for Simon and the others if they followed him down. Simon felt the elevator jolt beneath him as it began to descend into the hidden HQ below.
After a few moments, the doors opened and the long hallways of the HQ stretched out before them. With practiced ease, Simon lead himself and any others who were with him towards the training room nestled within the HQ. As he turned the corner of the hallway leading to is, Simon caught sight of his gigantic fur covered partner sitting by the entrance with Calista. He also noticed a man with a lioness and a young woman with what looked like a small creature perched on her shoulder.
The sideways glance that Jimbo was giving the lioness was all he needed to understand, and so he approached with a smirk aimed at the big lug, and turned to greet the new comers stretching his hand out towards them as he moved beside Jimbo.
"Hi there! Welcome to the New York HQ. I'm Agent Simon Sinclair. This here is Jimbo, my partner, and Callista, Agent Amber Strong's partner. "
Simon gave Jimbo a slap on the giant shoulder at the mention of his name, and held out a fist for Calista to fist bump.
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Beth's face showed excited, happy surprise. She had never seen Manjano react and defend himself like that- clearly the last year had gone well for him. She had to take another step back to avoid Simon's flailing limbs. He must have trained so much while she was gone. They all must have.
"Guys, come on, we're still in public!" She said quickly, glancing around them. They hadn't actually gotten on the elevator and done down into the base yet, and they were drawing a little attention from the other people in the lobby. One attendant at the front desk, in particular, was watching them with a rather scolding look. Beth ducked her head, and turned back to the pair of men. They were alone, so were their companions down in HQ already?
Totus gave a tiny screech as Simon toppled over, finding the entire scene rather amusing. Manjano had gotten stronger since last he saw him.
Simon had also noticed the attention of the woman at the front desk, and picked himself up to leave. Beth had turned to say something to Manjano about his impressive action, when Simon spoke.. and made a comment she knew was teasing them, but it felt like it was almost an inside joke between them.
"Simon-" She started, but he was already walking away. Beth stuck her tongue out at his back, but then her focus turned to Manjano. She rolled her eyes, disguising her embarrassment a little, and hung back so they would be forced to take a different elevator than Simon and her owl.

Beth cleared her throat softly, and said, "I forgot how much teasing these people can do," She commented, with a smile. She blinked, dismissing Simon from her mind, and focused on him. Her fingertips rested on his forearm again, the only contact she was sure he would accept. "How are you? How have you been? What've you been up to? " The questions fell out, and then she reigned herself in, adding, "I mean, you look great, and you sound great. You have no idea how good it is to hear your voice again. But I- I have no idea whats been going on here this year.. We have so much to catch up on and make up for and.." She was babbling, and stopped herself, taking in a breath and smiling. She had been without a friend for a long time, and Manjano was her closest besides Totus.
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Totus hopped onto Beth's shoulder, while she was still blushing, and gave her a small snuggle before flying after Simon. He dipped into the elevator, and landed onto his large shoulder. "I think I'll ride down with you. Give Beth a little space." He could barely hide the amusement in his voice. The owl had known that this reunion would be as bumbling and awkward as the friendship had been. But Beth was happy, and they would be better cared for on this team, so he couldn't find fault in it.
He stayed on Simon's shoulder for the ride to the training room, a little more interested now in who might be new. Surely, there were old members not returning that would need replacing.
Sure enough, there was an older gentleman, with a lioness, and a young woman with a small bat. Simon introduced several of them, and Totus bobbed his head, and added, "My name is Totus, and my companion, Agent Beth Heartland, will be along shortly."
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Name: Manjano Companion: Falarion
Attire: Khaki beanie with most of his white hair showing above his forehead, khaki leather jacket, plain white t-shirt, light jeans, brown converse Location: The Lobby
Tagged: zCrookedz zCrookedz (Simon), Flutterby Flutterby (Beth and Totus)
Manjano was beyond pleased with himself when he saw how successful his counterattack had been against Simon. His heart raced with the adrenaline rush and when he glanced over to see Beth smiling, his heart only continued to pound with happiness. Hearing Simon’s praise, Manjano lessened his smile to a grin and nodded at the guy. He really had helped Manjano a lot over the past year and Manjano had been surprised when he had been so willing to help him out.
“Thank you, Simon.”
Alas, their little stunt did not go unnoticed, as per Beth’s shouted reminder, and Manjano did not take long to retreat within himself. Not so much so that he shut down, but he grew quieter and less reactive with the stares. Not all had changed over the course of the past year and that included Manjano’s dislikes of crowds and being the center of attention. The two combined together was not something Manjano enjoyed.
When Simon mentioned them heading downstairs, Manjano nodded, quickly liking the idea of getting out of this lobby as soon as possible. Manjano was certainly very curious about this new mission. They had not all been called out on missions for the past year and while Manjano had loved the downtime, he also grew anxious the longer they all sat around waiting for something to happen. Had they been stuck here for another year, Manjano would have considered volunteering for missions himself. He had not brought this up to Falarion yet, though and had a feeling it would have turned into an argument. Falarion loved it here and did not care about doing much else beyond his workout montages with Falarion or going for a swim in a pool.

Manjano’s thoughts were quickly interrupted by Simon’s teasing and he blanched at the guy, who had already turned away and was getting into an elevator accompanied by Totus now. Blinking and trying to recompose himself, Manjano turned around to face Beth once more. Seeing her stick her tongue out at Simon, the sides of sides of Manjano’s lips twitched in amusement, but did not become a grin. Some things never changed and Manjano felt in a sudden rush to get into the next elevator.

While they were stuck waiting, Manjano could not help but rub the back of his neck with his free hand, as his other forearm was being lightly touched by Beth now. He tried to relax under her kind touch, but felt as if everyone in the lobby was still staring at them. At this point, Manjano had long forgotten the idea of trying to hug Beth. She then began ranting, throwing one question afte another at him and he soon found himself relaxing a bit more. It was much easier to forget what was happening around him once she was with him. He soon was only seeing Beth and listening to her intently. Tilting his head to one side once she finally finished, he gave her a half-grin and replied, “You look like you could use some proper sleep and perhaps some of that hot chocolate my sis loves so much.”

After he finished speaking, there was a faint ding as the next elevator had arrived. Manjano stepped forward and politely held his hand in front of one side of the elevator doors to keep them from trying to close on the pair before both had entered. Once Beth was inside, Manjano joined her and pressed the proper button for the training hall. When the doors shut, he glanced over at Beth and quietly asked, “Why did you stop sending postcards? What happened?”
 
Jim was taken by surprise by the sudden hum of activity surrounding him. First, a humming bird zoomed by, welcoming both him and Artemis to the base. Also, more people started to show up and introduce themselves. Jim, getting over his surprise, turned to the Civet and said with a grin," Oh, i do intend to surprise you. Prepare to be amazed." Artemis just rolled her eyes as Jim strutted cockily passed the group towards the costume lab, stopping to shake Simon's hand as he did. Artemis just rolled her eyes and said to the group," Sorry, Jim just has a ego. 40 years of being a actor will do that to you." She then turned and followed Jim into the Costume lab. Artemis, when she got in, immediately saw Jim browsing through the many costumes the lab had in stock. Artemis went up to him and said," Why did you have to act like such a egotistical tool? Now, they probably think your a jerk." Jim turned and said to her with a grin on his face," They won't think that way once they see my newest persona. Now, get me some lipstick and other make-up." Artemis just raised her eyebrow and went to get the make-up, wondering what the hell jim was planning on doing with women's accessories.

When Artemis came back, carrying the make-up kit in her mouth, she saw that Jim had pulled a dress with yellow flowers on it, stockings, and a nice summer hat off the costume rack. Artemis gaped, dropping the make-up kit in the process. She then said," Are you planning on dressing like a woman?" Jim grinned and suddenly said to her in a warbly, almost feminine voice," Not just any lady dear. I am now portraying old Elsa Agatha, a widow from New Jersey." He then said in his normal, more masculine voice," Now, give me that make-up kit." As Artemis handed Jim the kit, she had her head tilted, wondering why in the hell her partner would choose something so weird as a evaluation disguise. Jim who seemed to read her thoughts, turned and said to her," The reason i created this persona on the fly is simple, i figured i didn't have enough time to make a more elaberate one. You see, i suspect that The Watch wants to know how quick i can make a disguise. Normally, my disguises take hours to make. With this one, i just gotta wear this old woman's clothing, put on some make-up and boom, instant disguise. I already look elderly so i wouldn't have to make a face mask either." Jim then cackled to himself as said," I can't wait to see the look on their faces when they see me come out as Agatha. It will be golden."

After what seemed like hours, but what was really ten minutes, the door to the Costume Lab opened. But, instead of the elderly actor, a old woman wearing a floral dress and sunhat came out. She was holding a cane and was walking with a limp. She turned towards Simon and the Civet and said to them in a warbly voice," Do any of you know where the cafe is? I want to get some coffee."
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Beth felt a rush of relief, as he gave her a half-smile, and spoke again. It hadn't been lost on her, the way her retreated again when people started to stare at them. That was the Manjano that she had first met. But the one that started to come back, once he focused on her, was almost an entirely new man. He was speaking now, not just to her, but to Simon, which meant he had probably talked to others, like Leandra. It made her heart warm, to think about him repairing the relationship with his twin.

She gave a soft snort at his statement, and said, "Mm.. I'm not gonna lie, I really could. I didn't sleep well on the plane." Or for the last 7 months.
The elevator gave a ding, and Manjano blocked the doors for her to get in. They slid shut, and Beth held her breath for a moment. Metal boxes had begun to disagree with her.
Now that they were out of the crowd, he seemed to relax more next to her. He asked her the question that she knew he would, but hoped he wouldn't. She sighed softly.

"About 7 months ago, our supervisor heard he might be up for a promotion, and started pushing for more results. We went from moving every 10 to 14 days working together, to moving every 4 to 7 days and working separately. The groups we went after started to get more and more dangerous.. I couldn't get a hold of a post card, because it started to be too risky for our team to go into the towns.. " Beth shook her head a little, bitterness rising in her voice.
She looked over at him again, and said, "It wasn't very pleasant. It was probably important, but not at all pleasant. It's been a hard year for us."

But Beth gave a small smile, and bumped her shoulder lightly against his. "But now we're here, with you guys. I'm really glad to be back." She didn't want to be sad or angry now- being back was a good thing. She and Totus could stay together, actually talk to other people, be around their old team, who knew them and would look out for them.
"I wonder what kind of newbies they got. You think any of them are as clueless as we were?" Her blue eyes mischievously matched her smile, as she glanced at him while the doors slid open and they stepped out toward the training hall.
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Name: Manjano Companion: Falarion
Attire: Khaki beanie with most of his white hair showing above his forehead, khaki leather jacket, plain white t-shirt, light jeans, brown converse Location: Front of the Training Hall
Tagged: zCrookedz zCrookedz (Simon and Jimbo), Flutterby Flutterby (Beth and Totus), SilverFlight SilverFlight (Calista), Bolts Bolts (BB), Killerclown Killerclown (Jim), Brendanfp Brendanfp (Annie and Ernesto)
Raising an eyebrow at Beth mentioning not sleeping well on the plane, Manjano resisted the urge to say that she probably had not slept well beyond just that flight. He figured it was a safe bet to assume she would do her best to get proper sleep now that she was back. If he chided her about it, it really would not solve the lack of sleep. It was hard to resist, though. He really cared for Beth and he felt bad that she had not slept well in a while, even if it was not something he could control.

Hearing Beth's sigh as her immediate response to his question, Manjano had to wonder if she had been expecting it. He supposed it was the elephant in the room anyways. It was unavoidable at the end of the day. Beth's supervisor frankly sounded like a dick to Manjano. If one is up for promotion, the last thing they should do is run their team to the ground. And separating Watch members from their companions was a surefire way to have them both physically and emotionally exhausted at the end of the day. Just after Beth shook her head, Manjano did the same and responded, "I hope he didn't get his promotion. That was a dick move to the team, separating you all from your companions and running all of you to the ground like that."

When Beth smiled at him, Manjano could not help but return it immediately. Despite everything, he really and truly was happy that she was back now. Nodding at her statement, Manjano then lightly bumped back into her shoulder in a lighthearted gesture. Tilting his head to the side at her question, Manjano smirked before replying, "I don't know, Beth. I can't imagine anyone topping you when it came to how clueless we were when we first started off." His time spent around Leandra for the past six months had begun to rub off on him and her teasing was becoming something he did more and more of. He had actually teased a lot more than Leandra did when they were younger, so it was more like he was just slowly reverting to his old self.

Walking alongside Beth, Manjano soon saw the small gathering just outside of the Training Hall. Joining the little party, he nodded at Simon and Jimbo before looking at the others present. Calista looked as critical as ever, though it bothered Manjano much less now that he had been around her for so long. There appeared to be a young woman present with what appeared to be a small bat clinging to her shoulder. The small flying mammal made Manjano think of BB, which was perfect timing since the hummingbird quickly made her own appearance, loud and proud. Manjano would not have expected any less from her. Still curious about who all was joining their team, Manjano's eyes glanced over towards an old woman walking up to the group and asking for directions to the cafe. Perplexed, Manjano looked at Calista for direction since she was technically the superior of this group in Manjano's eyes. While someone could simply give the old woman directions and she would be on her way, Manjano could not possibly understand how she had gotten into this area to begin with. Surely, the Watch did not hire such old individuals?
 
Calista's attention turned to the young girl that had come up to greet her. She gave the pair an up and down appraisal and then smiled. "I know who you are."
There was something attached to her ID collar and this she took in her small, hand-like paws. The flash drive was a tiny, silver square, so inconspicuous it could have been taken for a simple charm trinket.
"You got a computer with you right?"
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At Simon's loud entrance Calista smiled, an edge creeping into the look. "Yeah you're gonna lose points in your eval if you don't know who I am." It was a lie.
She looked up to Simon's shoulder. "What's shakin' owl? How was camp?"
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It didn't take long for Jim to work, almost to the point where Calista wasn't expecting him to leave the costume lab so soon. As the old lady strode toward them she tried to place her as one of the employees, but realization dawned on her as soon as he came near enough for her to assess the contours of his face. She gave a bark of a laugh. Clearly the disguise had caught her off guard, but it wasn't mockery in her eyes, she was impressed. She turned to Simon and thumbed in the old actor's direction.
"That could be your mom!"
Glancing back at Jim she added, "The civilian clothing gave you away in this setting, but if you were on the street I don't think I'd give you a second glance. Oh! Ohoh! There's one last appraisal I'll need to do." The way she snickered at the end of the sentence was unsettling.
Without another word she tapped on her head set, "Hey Amber? You close? Come down to the training hall, there's a lady here you should meet."
She glanced between Simon and Jim conspiratorially. "OK, play along. We're gonna convince her this Mrs Sinclair. Are you ready?" She was barely able to contain her laughter.
zCrookedz zCrookedz Killerclown Killerclown

In the background the music blared as Duik and Falarion began the course timer:


As the music begins playing, Falarion immediately perked up. He stomped a paw down to the beat, beginning to match it while Duik joined him at the line. Machinery clicked into place ahead of them, dummies popping up while other Watch members snapped magazines into their weapons. Clicks resonated down the obstacle course from the Watch members.
As the lyrics reached to their peak, Falarion shouted, “Go!” just as the speakers finished the line, “So tell me do you wanna go?” Racing forward, the pair reached their first obstacle, the classic rope swing. Falarion wasted no time in leaping at the rope on his side, his jaw clamping down on it while it swung him forward with his momentum. Once it began to climb into the air on the other side, Falarion let go and landed smoothly on all four paws. Not wasting a moment, he continued sprinting onwards to the next obstacle with his tongue lolling out of his mouth.

Duik felt the music coursing through him, as life-giving as his own blood. On the 'go' his muscles tensed and suddenly his ears folded back with the momentum.
He matched Falarion pace for pace, leaping for the rope beside his friend, grabbing it a heartbeat behind him. With the force from his leap he twisted in mid-air and at the end of the arc he let go, falling backwards, hitting the track hind paws first. He carried the move through by spinning and pushing off again, heading for the next obstacle. Duik let his tongue fly too. feeling the rhythm in his paws and loving every second.
The wall climb was 20 ft straight up, and a knotted rope was set on a holder 30ft before that, they would use it to climb together. Duik snatched one end up, tossing the other to Falarion.
They'd have to hit the wall at the exact same time.
The snap of claws on wood sounded as up they went, Duik felt gravity tugging at him, eating up the force of his leap. His claws scraped against the paint and, with his last bit of force, Duik swung his thick shoulders, feeling the rope snap tight and pulling Falarion up and above him, towards the top of the wall.

Falarion rushed towards the next obstacle with glee. He had always loved this one the most. Snatching the other end of the rope, Falarion joined Duik in leaping up at the wall. His lanky legs helped him bound up in nearly twice the distance Duik could cover in one bound. With one last boost from Duik, Falarion practically flew over the top of the wall and over to the other end. He quickly spun himself around and a resounding thud announced his landing on the other side of the wall. Bracing himself and straining backfrom the top, Falarion inhaled sharply with the strain of helping Duik join him on the other side. Once together again, Falarion let go of the rope and spun mid-air to land on all fours. With an excited bark, he lunged forward towards the third obstacle: combat dummies.

So, for this obstacle, I’m imagining the dummies look like these guys below. They’re what we shoot at when go to military ranges to qualify with our M16s. These guys pop up briefly before automatically going back down. I figure for Falarion and Duik, a quick lunge bite will count as taking them down. For the obstacle, they could just be choosing a side and then racing to beat a clock to “down” the bad guys.

Duik sailed over the wall just behind Falarion. Hitting the mat with a soft thud and nearly tripping in his excitement to catch up to his partner. The dummies popped up on the track and Duik didn't slow as he leapt for the first. His jaws closed about it's shoulder and the dummy flashed red, folding with his weight. He was at the next before the first had vanished back into its hidden compartment, tagging it with claws to the chest.
"Cross!" he shouted and that meant he and Falarion would switch targets. In a real combat situation this would fake out their opponents. The dummies never knew what hit them. Duik changed course and crossed the center of the track, aiming straight for the last dummy on the other side. He swept sideways and aimed a solid kick at it's midriff before racing on.
The next obstacle tested agility, a series of poles jutted up from the ground, forcing Duik and Falarion to weave tightly through them without bumping into one another.

Falarion matched Duik’s pace as they reached the dummy section, leaping at the same time to down his own dummy. Letting go of that dummy, Falarion raced forward to slam into the next dummy with one of his shoulders. Falarion was so tall compared to most canines that his shoulder struck the dummy in the face. Hearing Duik’s shout, Falarion yipped in response before sprinting across the area to take on his last dummy. He commited himself to a full-force headbutt this time, pausing briefly afterwards to shake his head. Maybe not the best idea. Blinking, Falarion scrambled forward to catch up to Duik before the next obstacle.

Seeing the poles, Falarion narrowed his eyes in concentration and immediately tilted his head to the right for maximum eyesight. This part had been his bane since the beginning of their training. Being half-blind meant missing most of the poles, but he was determined to make it through this time without getting himself lost and dazed.
"You got this man!" Duik barked, knowing his difficulties with the poles.
Bounding this way and that, Falarion expertly weaved through the poles, only bumping into two of them along the way and yelping once he had hit the second one. Yet, he made it through and excitedly began barking at Duik while doing a little jig. He finally did it!
In response Duik whooped his loudest and together they tore onward.
Just beyond them was the final obstacle, one focused on balance. Two wooden beams about twenty meters long each were parallel across a gap that was filled with water. It was only about three feet deep, but nobody enjoyed an unexpected bath.

Just as they approached the fountains flipped on, covering the beams with sheets of water, making them slippery and beyond that two agents in padded armour held foam sticks and rubber bullet guns.
Duik switched from claw to pad as he'd learned, helping him grip the slick surface as he went. He changed his gate and moved like a cat, one foot right in front of the other.
At the last meter he took a flying leap, a rubber bullet took him in the shoulder, but his momentum carried him forward. He tucked downward in mid air, grabbed the man's arm in his jaws and carried through with a twist that put him on his feet and the man slamming into the ground before him. The man's suit flashed red and the timer buzzed.
A new record.
 
Last edited:
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Name: Falarion Companion: Manjano
Attire: Short red and white striped scarf wrapped around his neck, one end hanging half a foot down his chest Location: The Training Hall
Tagged: SilverFlight SilverFlight (Duik)
Bounding after Duik once he was done with his brief victory dance, Falarion gulped at the sight of the soaked wooden beams. It had not been uncommon over the past year for Falarion to return to his room soaked from head to toe. Following Duik's lead, Falarion did his best to primarily use his pads for a proper grip on the wet wood. For Falarion, even with his head tilted to the side for better vision, he struggled between watching his footing on the beam and avoiding the eventual attack from the Watch member. When the guy swung the foam stick at Falarion, he quickly ducked and then lunged up with a headbutt to the guy's chest before he could recover from his swinging momentum. The movement threw the guy off-balance and he cried out in surprise as the pair tumbled off of the beam and past the finish line together. Just as Falarion had passed the line, so too had Duik, the pair finishing in record timing. Falarion clumsily rolled back onto his paws and then bounded over to Duik while shouting, "We did it! We did it! We did it!" Once at Duik's side, Falarion literally bounced in place and happily yipped at their accomplishment. It had been so much fun, too!
 
Jim grinned ear to ear when he heard the Civet suggesting that they pranks this Amber person. He then turned towards the muscular man who he now knew was Simon and said to him in the same warbly voice," What do ya say, sonny, wanna prank someone?" He then said to him," Can you tell me some things about you? So, i can get into character a bit more?"
SilverFlight SilverFlight
zCrookedz zCrookedz
 
Totus gave Calista a friendly nod, but ruffled his feathers at her questions. He didn't know if Agent Williams was well-connected or well-liked here, and he did know that Beth didn't want the team to know exactly how trying their year had been. He gave a gruff chuckle, and settled on a middle-of-the-road, non-informative response.
"I'm afraid there were not as many margaritas on the beach as one would hope, Calista," His voice held an affectionate churr; it was so relieving to be among friends again.
The owl watched as the older man disappeared.. and then didn't reappear. Instead, an old woman approached them and asked for directions for the cafe. It took him several moments, longer than Calista, to realize he was looking at the same person. That level of disguise was certainly impressive, and now his presence made more sense. gave a soft hoot when he caught on to the trick they were playing, bobbing his head with amusement.
SilverFlight SilverFlight

Beth gave a vague shrug in response to his criticism, not having the heart to tell him that she and Totus had been the only ones separated- the others on the team were gun-toting combat agents with well-trained companions. They had been the only trackers, and splitting them meant double the targets.
But, lucky for her, their conversation finally moved past her situation, and he shot back at her with a biting tease. She mock-gasped in offense, and placed a hand over her heart. "Well, I never! I will have you know, sir-" She exclaimed with a slight Southern twang. She couldn't keep a straight face though, and ended her sentence with full, bright laughter instead of words.
As they approached the group, Beth fell quiet and looked at the new additions critically. Or, new addition, singular. There was a young woman, with brightly dyed hair, and a bat companion. She didn't appear to be carrying many weapons, so Beth would guess.. disguises and makeup? Computers? Medical? Beth gave this person a friendly nod, but didn't introduce herself when they appeared to be in the middle of something.
The other unfamiliar person was an old woman, dressed in civilian clothing like Beth, and asking directions to the cafe. Beth glanced around, catching Totus's eye, with a question on her face.
Calista's response to her, though, made it clear that this was a masterful disguise of a new team-member. Beth snickered softly at the thought of convincing Strong it was Simon's mother, and grinned over at Totus.

The owl had watched his girl walk up with Manjano, laughing like she hadn't in months, and nudged at her mind to let him back in. When she did, it was all warm and fuzzy. With a small hop, he was off of Simon's shoulder, and gliding down to Beth's. He settled in on the opposite side of Manjano, talons gripping her shoulder gently. They both relaxed a little more, now that they were touching again. They shared a blink, and Totus leaned down to speak into her ear.
"You should see Falarion- He's a completely different little wolf," Beth glanced around, her eyes finally finding him over at the obstacle course. As she watched him and Duik complete it, her mouth actually hung open. Not only did the previously clumsy wolf complete it (with only one little fall), they did it faster than she thought possible. Beth cupped her hands around her mouth, and called, "GO FALARION AND DUIK!"
Lioness075 Lioness075 Brendanfp Brendanfp Killerclown Killerclown SilverFlight SilverFlight zCrookedz zCrookedz
 
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