Realistic or Modern // Ignite the Spark // open & accepting

[whitefoxkiller]

Ava Sebastian


11:00
​

As the day wore on and Ava began to feel more worn out, the party loomed closer and she dreaded going to it. She wished she could just stay in bed all day with Lilai, but unfortunately they were interrupted by the dress delivery. Ava never wore the same party outfit twice, so she always had to get a brand new dress for each party she went to. After it came and Lilai and Ava drooled over it for a second, Lilai helped Ava with her hair.

Spoiler

her hair:

the dress:

It was about 10:00 when they finished and Ava took the rest of the time doing her makeup and wishing she could invite Lilai to the party, but Rafael got pretty anal when it came to invite lists. But it wasn’t like Ava would get any work done at the party, and without any friends there she’d probably end up talking to some boring minister of some boring division. Problem was, everyone wanted to talk to Ava. Among the Diamond Idiots, Ava was like a superstar. She probably had one of the most glamorous jobs in the government (well, as glamourous as they get), and she had a reputation for always being the best dressed and best looking person in any given room of people.


Ava reluctantly appeared at the party with a seductive smile and a swing in her hip. The “bouncer” at the door -which really was just a spliced guard bot given new programing to ask for names of entering people- didn’t even ask Ava’s name and just let her pass right through. When she entered she was assaulted by flashing, colored lights and loud electronic music. It was Rafael’s apartment, but it had become unrecognizable. He’d installed new lights, changed his whole furniture scheme, expanded his bar, put in a dancefloor that lit up and had an optical illusion playing on it that looked like wherever you stepped the floor sinked. The floor’s tricks maybe were a tad too much because it seemed that it was genuinely confusing some of the more drunk party-goers. Among the sober, however, several eyes were cast upon Ava as she calmly sauntered over to the bar and ordered a whiskey sour. She sat there sipping it until the wave of people who wanted a piece of her time approached.

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Salix "Lex" Darinell

Tranquility | Alley behind Library of Unity


Scientist Pipette Operator
​

The day had been long, as all days were now.


Salix Darinell had woken, dressed, eaten a breakfast without tasting it, kissed his wife goodbye, and gone to the lab. For five hours he had done menial lab work, filling tray after tray with dilutions; he didn’t know what they were dilutions of, because whoever was in charge didn’t think it was important for him to know. He had eaten lunch, and then spent another five hours doing the same menial work that he had done every day of his life for the last nine years of his life.


He didn’t feel anything but a soul-crushing boredom. Every day was the same, every moment of his life felt identical and he couldn’t help but wish there was something more. When he tried to think, tried to remember if this was all life had ever been he couldn’t remember ever experiencing anything different—only feeling different. Every day had always been the same, but somehow they hadn’t always blurred together. Somehow the world hadn’t always seemed like he was looking at it through the bottom of a dirty glass. Somehow, though there had never been color in the world, he remembered being okay with that.


These days he was disillusioned. Something was missing; there was a great big gaping hole inside him that nothing could fill up. People had stopped talking to him so much. They tried not to catch his eye during work hours, and no one invited him to go see movies during off hours, anymore.


His wife smiled hesitantly and changed the subject when he mentioned the graffiti over dinner that night.


“Such nice weather we’re having, isn’t it?”


And he dropped the subject. Not speaking about it only made the hole inside him scream louder. He looked across the table at Sofia and wondered if she had a hole, too. After a moment he discarded the thought. Anyone who had a hole would need to talk about it, like he did. But there was no one to talk to, so he said nothing else. She prattled on nonsensically, talking about things that didn’t matter. Nothing mattered, so anything she spoke about was doomed from the start. It didn’t seem to bother her that he nodded silently, pushing food from one side of his plate to the other without taking more than a handful of bites.


Food was pointless. He’d tasted it, once, but now it turned to ash in his mouth, it made his stomach roll. He ate it to survive and sometimes wondered if he didn’t even want to do that. His stomach was always growling, always hungry, but the thought of actually eating made him feel nauseous.


Sofia went to bed. Lex sat up, staring out the window. There was a wall between them—between him and every single person. The last few years felt like he was stretching out, trying to reach people over an ever-expanding gap. For a while they reached back, once or twice he had touched a hand before everyone around him had stopped trying. And then Lex stopped trying. Now he stood on the precipice and looked around at everyone else; they were so far away now, with their backs turned, smiling huge fake smiles to each other. Now he stood on the precipice and looked down.


Now he stood on the precipice and wondered what it would be like if he took just one… more… step.


The clock on the wall chirped once, drawing his listless eyes. Eleven. How long had he been sitting there in that chair, staring out the window without seeing a single thing? He discarded the question as soon as he thought it; it didn’t matter how long he had been sitting there. Just one more pointless thing in his meaningless life. Still, the chime of eleven seemed to mean something to him. He stood up, as if he had been waiting for it, and went to the door.





Find the Pill


23:30


The thought was the only thing possessing him as he slipped out of the cookie-cutter house without bidding farewell to Sofia. She would only have tried to stop him—she cared more about the order of things than for him, as did everyone else in Tranquility. He cared more about himself than he did about her, so he didn’t hold it against her. Lex had no idea what the Pill was, but he seemed to be the only one around who noticed the graffiti. It was calling to him. If it wasn’t the answer to his questions, the block to fit inside the hole, then perhaps it was an end. Either way, he planned to never see Sofia again.


There was a blind spot in the Glass District, behind the Library of Unity. He’d played there as a child, thinking it was great fun to hide from the all-seeing eye of society when his parents thought he was studying. Perhaps there were closer ones, but that was the one he knew of. The last two times he had checked nothing had been there at the appointed time. This was the last time.


He kept close to the buildings as he moved out of the Stone District, through Grain, and into the Glass District. A part of him wondered what would happen to him if he was caught breaking curfew. The only thing that made him care was the possibility that tonight, just maybe, he would find the Pill.


The Library of Unity rose high overhead, an imposing sight, to be certain. Lex moved casually along the front of it before slipping around the corner, skirting along the side, and reaching the back alley. There he paused; everything was dark, but the alley seemed that much darker than Tranquility. When his eyes adjusted he could just make out a figure standing nonchalantly in the alley, hands in pockets. This was it. His last chance.


Lex pushed himself forward, down the alley; his face was blank and empty, like some ghoul or mindless drone. The man looked like most people—except his face was all wrong. It was alive. The only other thing about him that stood out was the pin on his shirt—it looked just like the symbol in the graffiti. Lex looked him over once, unable to find the energy to be curious about how strange and real his face looked. Instead he spoke a single sentence.


“I’m looking for the Pill.”

There is a hole inside me that nothing can fill. Lex

 

[Space Cowboy Ein]

Domenic L. Kader ~ Minister of Defense


Domenic arrived at the party early, opting to not be fashionably late for once. His tuxedo fit him better than ever and he could tell by the looks he was receiving. He elected to stick with the stubble for the time being, but he did make sure to trim up either way. He passed through the crowd in a manner that would have made his parents proud. He shook the hands of those who offered and required it and stayed to make a moment of small talk with the ones he liked. Nobody would be turned away, each would have their time. Before long he had made it to the party's host, Raphael with a glass of Chardonnay in one hand, an expensive cigar in the other, recently gifted by the Minister of Treasury. He tucked the cigar away into the inside pocket of his jacket and shook Raphael's hand.


"Glad to see you could make it!" the man said with a wide grin. Dom couldn't remember the last time he saw the man enjoy himself so much, maybe it was the alcohol.


"I couldn't miss this. Not with all my favorite people in one location!" he quipped back. He would stay to converse with the man over a number of topics, from the state of the city to food, drinks and the night's entertainment. Dom worked to avoid any pressing questions or details about the preceding night's security incident. The news he had so recently received was troubling to him, and as of now there was nobody he trusted the information to other than the President and Eve. And so, before he departed Raphael he asked that Eve be sent his way whenever she arrived and was available. If they could manage some privacy he would review what he had learned with her before having it taken directly to Luna herself.

 

[RZA]

Raphael Tores


Minister of Transportation


Raph surveyed his apartment, having just been fully renovated for the Gala and concluded the night was going ravishingly. He mingled with guests until his cheeks were numb and his wrist was sore from shaking hands. Sipping on his favorite brand of spirits, Raphael made quick work of scanning the room with his eyes and ears. Chit chat, small talk, and gossip flew out of alcohol laced mouths and he smiled. Catching the eye of one of his ladies, he nodded his head once indiscriminately. His ladies knew what they were to do and the payment they’d receive at the end of the night.


A quick stop at the bar for a refill and he was back to circling his apartment. Greeting those arriving, mingling with early arrivals, and waiting for when the real fun began. Halfway through his next drink, the Minister of Defense materialized in front of him. He wore a dapper tuxedo and held up a glass of Chardonnay. Raphael smiled broadly as he welcomed his fine guest, and consented to send Eve his way if she ever arrived.


More and more people gathered around the dance floor, if only to check out the illusion. Only the drunkards and a spare few were actually dancing, albeit a bit confusedly. Raphael finished his drink and laid it on the bar, refusing the offer for another one. He made his way to the shadowy corner he planned for very important people. With the aid of subtle light placement and an almost invisible optical illusion, his small vip area went unnoticed. If his hunch was correct, Miss Pacecco herself would be arriving and as a courteous host he would have a private area for her and people of her choice. Raph made sure the chair he ordered specifically for the President was where he wanted it placed, and then mingled his way back into the party with another drink.


It wasn’t long before the party arrived and his little gold minx arrived in her usual outlandish attire. Raph watched as Ava Sebastian made her way to the bar, hips a swinging with every step. She had barely taken a sip of her drink when a queue formed behind her. He waited until half the line was gone before crashing their Sebastian-party.


“Welcome to my gala Miss Sebastian,” Raphael said with a flashy smile, gesturing his arms around his apartment. “It’s nice to see you.”

 

[whitefoxkiller]

Ava Sebastian

​

Ava made nice with the people who constantly approached her at her station at the bar. They chatted, traded bad inside jokes, said things neither of them believed -things like, so good to see you again- and then a person would move on and someone else, seeing an opening and determined not to leave the party without talking to her, would mosey on over to Ava and get a few words. Ava was not enjoying it but soon the man of the hour arrived, Rafael. While the man could be annoying in large doses and his profession wasn’t the most savory, Ava liked his ambition and his lack of stuffy “propriety.” She greeted him with a huge smile and a peck on each kiss.


“Nice to see you as well, Torres,” Her smile twisted into something sly and cocky, “Though I’d hardly call this circus of a party a ‘gala,’” she joked. Ava, picking up her drink she’d barely gotten a sip of with all the talking, looped her arm into Raphael's arm and moved them away from the bar. “Listen Torres, you have to do me a favor,” Ava said in a very serious tone, leaning in and whispering in his ear. Only it wasn’t really whispering, it was talking but in comparison to the loudness of the room, it was as good as whispering. Before telling him what it was, Ava took a small sip of her drink and said with a cracking smile, “You have to get me away from those ravenous social climbers, they’ll bore me to death,” Ava was laughing gently now and was close enough to Rafael for him to smell her perfume.

 

[RZA]

Raphael Tores


Minister of Transportation


Raphael ignored her slight with a broad toothy smile, letting her kiss each of his cheeks and then steer him away from the bar. In truth Ava was a star within the Diamond and as beautiful as any in the night sky. He didn’t envy her though, he preferred his attention to be directed elsewhere. So he took pity on the Minister of Propaganda, walking the woman around his apartment, showing her all the renovations he made. Well aware of the eyes following them, he continued the tour, slower than what was usual. Slowly, one by one eyes drifted and Raph waited until the moment was right to slip in his little corner.


“Welcome to my little vip section Minister.” He said with a flourishing bow. “Take a seat anywhere but there.” He pointed to the white baroque chair he ordered specifically for the President.


Taking a seat himself he watched Ava take in his little shadowy corner before clearing his throat.


“I have a proposition for you.”

 

[whitefoxkiller]

Ava Sebastian

​

Ava followed Rafael around, noting to herself an estimation of what each renovation must have cost and she realized something: all of this must have come out of his drug income. He earned a lot at his normal job but with just some simple math in her head she knew that the cost of living in the Diamond District and running transportation must have eaten up most of his official income. And by the looks of his apartment, he was getting a lot of money from the drugs. Maybe Ava had underestimated the demand for illegal drugs in her Sector. She was impressed.


As he led her into his little separated room she was relieved to see it would effectively separate herself from the droves of people who could offer her nothing. She wondered who would be sitting in the big chair. She could think of only two people it could be for. Rafael or the President, who she was not aware would be joining them tonight. Ava made no comment about it as she sat down, but simmered at the exciting prospect of Luna joining them. She was slightly concerned at Rafael’s proposition. She was currently very pleased with their relationship and didn’t want any political complications. She payed him to transport her outside of the central district, and he didn’t ask questions. Simple. If he wanted to change their deal he would have a hard time convincing her.


All the same she received his pitch with an small interested expression, “Oh?” she asked.

 

[Zoola]

EVE SALEM


Raphael Tores's Residence | | Diamond Sector





The party was, surprisingly, a pleasant change in scenery. Although Eve had originally planned not to attend, Luna had requested her presence there - something about the importance of socializing with society's significant figures. Not that Eve could disagree, of course. The president was known for attending parties held by the socialites and politicians of the Diamond Sector to keep up to date on the current happenings in the district. She insisted that her assistant do the same. Eve was, admittedly, glad she was there. The event was a rare opportunity to both unwind from that week's stress and to get work done, as well. After all, any respected politician was expected to be there - just the crowd she needed to see, especially given the recent incident in Peace Park. She'd arrived a little late to the party, an unusual feat for a woman who was extremely meticulous about timeliness. Eve had never really fancied the fashion that hailed from the Diamond District, but she knew better than to arrive in a lackluster attire. For that reason she glamorously, yet elegantly, did herself up for the event. It was a rather drastic change from her usual wardrobe, but it certainly was an alluring look.


From the moment Eve set foot through the door, her senses were blasted with by flashing lights and extreme colors. An immediate headache throbbed in the back of her head, but she brushed it off and slipped her way through the ocean of drunk people. It appeared that Luna hadn't yet arrived, so she sat herself at the bar, bearing through the mindless small talk of those that approached her.





NOLAN SALEM





For a while, there was nothing but the noise of the wind whistling through the city. Nolan stood there in his place, patiently as he awaited the arrival of those in search of more than the restrictive life PaxCor allowed them. That, truly, was the reason Nolan had joined the Spark, why he clung onto their cause. He remembered the pure feeling of liberation he felt when he was free from PaxCor's grip. It was a feeling like no other, and he was from the Diamond Sector. He couldn't imagine the feeling the Tranquil felt when they took that Pill.


Then, there was a different noise, that of footsteps. Nolan immediately turned his head towards the footsteps, and he was approached by a man. "I'm looking for the Pill."





Nolan grinned. He'd been a scout long enough to recognize a Deviant, and he knew the man standing in front of him was one. He possessed that small, almost indiscernible fire in his eyes that the typical Tranquil drone lacked. "Let me guess - you're here because you've always felt like there was something more out there, right? You've noticed the graffiti that no one else did. You're right about there being more. PaxCor's been lying to you. I can't even begin to tell you what you're missing out on." he said, the speech so ingrained in his mind that it rolled off his tongue automatically. Still, he said it genuinely and always put a different twist on the words so that it seemed real to whoever it was he was speaking to. He opened his palm to reveal a pill. "Take the pill. Then you'll get it."

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Salix "Lex" Darinell

Tranquility | Alley behind Library of Unity


Scientist Pipette Operator
​

The unidentified man's words swirled around Lex's head; at that moment he was much concerned with the revelation that everything he had been told his entire life was a lie from PaxCor. His life had felt so empty of meaning for so long that it didn't seem to matter if whatever trite meaning had been given to it was false. But his eyes were drawn to the little red pill laying in the palm of the man's hand.


"...you've always felt like there was something more out there, right?"


Something that felt suspiciously like hope flickered in his chest. Was something so small and insignificant really the answer to everything that had plagued him for the last nine years? Was it really the missing piece of his soul, the block that fit in the hole?


Lex reached out his hand and took the pill. He looked at it, weighing his options with logic--it was the only tool he had available to him, so it was what he used. He could take the pill or he could walk away. He could continue living his meaningless life, or he could stop living any life at all. Living no life at all had begun to sound preferable to living the life he currently was, but this pill might truly make things... better. Was it possible that it might make them worse? Lex considered seriously. If his life was currently worse than death, he doubted that things could get much worse.


He shut his eyes, put the pill in his mouth, and swallowed. Then he waited. Waiting was something he had become exceptionally good at. His life was nothing but waiting; it was much easier without anticipation.


And yet, there was something rather like anticipation. A not-entirely-pleasant jumpy feel, flickering deep in his stomach. Lex's brow furrowed, but he continued waiting, uncertain exactly how long he stood in the alley with his eyes shit and that strange feeling building in the pit of his stomach. Eventually he thought to ask what was supposed to happen, he opened his eyes with the words on the tip of his tongue.


And stopped dead.


A tiny, startled gasp escaped his mouth. The world was clear. In front of him stood a man--a human--and for the first time in his life, Lex thought he could reach out and touch him. A myriad of unidentifiable feelings welled up inside of him and spilled from his eyes until they ran in a steady stream down his cheeks. He lifted his hands and ran them through his hair, looking left then right, then turning in a full circle taking in the dimly-lit alley with a mixture of marvel and panic. It was as if he had never seen this place at all before--never properly noticed how ominous it was that the bright street lights in the district didn't quite make it back here, never properly thought about how free it felt to know that no one was watching him.


When he had turned all the way in a circle he found himself facing the man who had given him the pill once again. There he was--just standing there like some sort of living being. Lex reached out and grabbed the man's shoulders; his whole world shook. The walls that had separated him from from every other person inside Tranquility came crashing down. Here he was, standing in an alley, alive, with another person who looked just as real as he felt.


"This - This is what you see? How you live? All the time?!"

I feel... alive. I feel alive. I feel. Lex

 

[Scottybird Corvus]

Diamond District - "Porcelain District" Cafe, 10:23a


Recording of User Klein.Tüftler


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


"P.C., give it a rest. A little tea isn't going kill me."

BRZZZZZZZT!!! Boo-boop wee-ee-ee bibip!!!



"... Yes, P.C. The tea does have slight traces of dextroproranolol in it. That I put in. P.C., if you're going to be worried about my health, then alert me to my irregular heartbeat before my hands start shaking enough to hinder my work next time."


Klein sighed, sipping the steaming liquid in his mug. The tea helped soothe his nerves, and the carefully measured doses of Propranolol in his tea would help keep his pulse slow. Between the jolt he got during the testing of the QMST-Spacial Displacement Device earlier that day and the upcoming social interactions he would be forced to go through during the supposedly highly regarded party of this Raphael character, Klein's heart rate was through the roof. Truly, social anxiety was the bane of his existence.


Klein closed his eyes, breathing deeply as he tried to calm himself. It was unfortunate that he was unable to sit outside and enjoy a chill wind with the way it was warming now. That always did comfort him. Although, perhaps he could discuss temporarily using the walk-in freezer he knew the old fashioned butcher down the street had... No, no. His freezer wasn't efficient enough. Klein had learned that all too well when he was trying to find a decent model to replicate in a smaller device the year prior. Although... Come to think of it, if he were to remove the initial combustion device and replace it with his OWN model, then he could maybe-


A series of blips and beeps from P.C. quickly caught Klein's attention, his eyes snapping open to look at his small floating friend in irritation.


"Is the message important enough to actually pay attention to? Think carefully before answering."

Doo-doo.



Klein groaned and let his head hit the back of his chair, not at all pleased that he was being disturbed during his designated hour of break. Of COURSE it was important. Why wouldn't it be? Perhaps he should have asked who it was from so that he could decide if he simply wanted to ignore it. No, that would have been foolish. Best to take P.C.'s word on the matter. He had been right so far about these kinds of things.

Boo-boop weet. Vrrrr.



Klein flailed into the upright position, his mug tipping dangerously on the table, threatening to spill its contents into his lap. His message was a CALL?!?! Why hadn't P.C. notified him sooner about that? Was the call still holding? Had they hung up? Oh, Klein prayed that they had and he that could just ignore it all...


Klein tore his phone out of his jacket pocket, glaring at P.C. as he stared obliviously at Klein. The boy shook his head, making a mental note that he would have to check and see what was taking up so much computing power that it was distracting him from aiding Klein like he was supposed to. Lifting the phone up, Klein's thumb slowly slid across the screen as he contemplated once again just ignoring it... No. It was important. Klein took one last deep breath before putting on his disinterested poker face.


"KLEIN!!! MEIN FAVORIT KIND!!! Wo bist du?" Despite being prepared for it, the sheer intensity of Klein's father's excitement took him by surprise, causing Klein to blink rapidly as he registered what had just happened.


"... Oh. Guten Abend, Vater. Wie gehts?" He responded, not wanting to admit that he wasn't working. He needed the break, but it seemed... Shameful, really.


"Ach! Nun, ich-"


"Can we do this in English, please? I'd like to understand what you're saying to my pupil..."


"Your pupil? HAH! Haven't you recognized who is the greater yet? I'm his FATHER and I accepted it years ago!"


"Vater, Dr. Newman is my professor." Klein took his spoon in his hand, slowly stirring his tea. "You may see me as genius, but Heinrich still approves my projects, so he is my superior."


Klein couldn't help but roll his eyes as his father laughed, letting out a small sigh to accompany his sarcastic ocular motions.


"Maybe not for long, eh?" He said with a verbal nudge, vaguely irritating Klein again about how much faith his father had in him. "Anyway, where are you?"


Klein hesitated, still not wanting to admit his relaxation time, but knowing this was probably important.


"That cafe on 31st street. The Porcelain District, I think is its name."


"Ah! I see, I see! Taking a good break, eh?" Klein groaned. He just had to make it sound like a good thing, didn't he? "Are you taking your pills, mein Kind?"


"Ja. Es gibt only a few hours until I should be Raphael's house for that party with the other bigwigs from the Diamond. I may need another dose during the party, but I forgot to take more with me." Klein admitted, hoping his father would bring him the medication when they arrived.


"Ooooooh ja! Do you want me to bring it to you? I have it right here. Okay, I'll bring them. Good plan." Klein exhaled in relief, only just realizing he had been holding his breath at all.


"Danke shen, Vater."


"Of course, Sohn. Are you excited?"


"Hah. Nein. I don't like people, papa."


"Don't worry, kiddo. I'll be there too, so me and your pop will keep an eye out for you. If it ever gets too much, just tell us and we'll get you out of there. Can't have you breaking down the day before the demonstration."


The voice of Dr. Newman was comforting, but what he said was strange to Klein.


"Ah... Herr Newman?" Klein began, putting down his spoon and furrowing his brow. "I know I will be at the demonstration, but as my senior, won't you be introducing it?"


"Yes, that is what the University wants me to do, but no, I won't be. It's your invention, and I'm not like my academic peers who steal the work of their students. I want you to be the speaker tomorrow. Besides, I know you have a whole presentation for it prepared anyway. I caught you practicing."


Well that was news. Klein blinked again, not quite comprehending.


"Oh." There was a moment of silence as Klein considered the idea, mulling over each of his various paths.

Brrrrp. Vree-dueep dueep.



Klein sighed at that - silently noting his unnatural tendency towards sighs in the last ten minutes or so - and stood up, downing the rest of his tea which had completely cooled down by then.


"Vater, Heinrich, I need to go and finish up my work at the lab. There are a few changes that need to be made to the calibrations, especially now now that I am presenting. If you will excuse me, I'll see you both at Raphael... Tores? I believe that was his name. Yes. I will see you there." Klein started to pull his phone away from his ear, but stopped as his father spoke again.


"Will your medication stay in effect? Will it be enough with the added responsibility?" The question made Klein chuckle, the Propranalol kicking in and his humors returning to him.


"Vater, Morgenregen dauert nicht lange."


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


Diamond District - Secure Warehouse #883, 10:42p


Recording of User Klein.Tüftler

Derb-ipp?



"Ah! Thank you, P.C. That's exactly what it needs."

WOO!








Klein smiled at his companion's vocalization of joy, amused by his reaction to praise. He shook his head gently, his focus turning back towards the screen he was working on in order to plug in the variable that Klein had somehow forgotten to put into the equation, which was strange since Klein was the one who INVENTED that particular formula. Oh well. It wasn't like it mattered in the end, just so long as it all worked.


With the basic mass and volume of the target object altered, Klein had finally completed his work for the night. FINALLY.


"Alright, P.C. That was it." He said, leaning back in his seat and shuffling to make himself comfortable. "I'm finished here. Wake me up four hours before we present, okay?"


Ah how good it felt to be done. Experiments, calculation checks, conversations with the officer from before who requested the demonstration... All in all, Klein's life had been hectic lately, so he was glad for the chance to rest. Finally, he could just relax for a little bi-

Bwee-oo. Mrr-rrr ree woop.



Klein cursed loudly, bolting upright. The PARTY!!! How could he forget about Raphael's stupid party? The very thing that almost gave him a panic attack just hours earlier had slipped his mind that easily? Maybe P.C. wasn't the only one being slow after all.


In one sweeping motion Klein stood up from his chair and grabbed the white jacket that he intended to wear - failing to notice the grease stain on the right side of his torso - and stepped onto a rolling cart with some of his tools on it, riding the impromptu mobile to the door before hopping off and grabbing the metal handles. He paused there, taking a deep breath slowly before opening the door, then waited for P.C. to make his exit first. As he watched the floating ball bob past him Klein took one final look around the room he was to demonstrate his invention in, soaking in all the details of the heavy machinery and complex parts that would need to work in perfect harmony in the morning.

Dwee-oop.



"I'm coming, P.C. I'm coming."

*CLICK*



​

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


Diamond District - Raphael Tores' Party, 11:07p


Recording of User Klein.Tüftler


Klein stepped out of the cab he had taken to get to Raphael's apartment hesitantly, already feeling his anxiety rising. Flashing lights through the windows distracted him easily, and the booming sounds of the music inside frankly intimidated the poor boy.


Why did I agree to this? Why did I ever-


"Ehem."


Klein spun on his heel to face the speaker, his adrenaline pumping as he prepared for an assault. There was a moment of confusion as all he saw was the taxi he hired, and then realization hit him like a brick.


"Ahah." He laughed nervously, his face relaxing for a moment and then hardening again into an impassive facade of annoyance and disgust. "My apologies, sir. What is the fee?"


"Fifty five and a quarter." The unseen man on the driver's side announced. "Although I'll pay you if you would be willing to part with that robot of yours."


"No." Klein smile politely, biting his tongue so he didn't lash out at the man. "I'm afraid that 'that robot' of mine is far more than other drones you can buy." P.C. was not some simple tool to be bartered. He was much too valuable to Klein.


"He is not for sale."


"Fine by me. That'll be the fifty five and quarter, then. And if you wouldn't mind hurrying up, I'd like to get home soon."


Klein smiled briefly with thinly veiled distaste, nodding to the bobbing orb by his head. "Very well. P.C., would you charge my account for this man?"

Woop!

*BING*

​

"What the- ???"


Klein smirked, turning around again and walking away from the cab and towards the door as his subtle grin quickly dissipated.


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


The guard bot that appeared to have been altered to be Raphael's personal bouncer slid in front of the doorstep, voice-box crackling as it prepared to demand to see identification. Klein merely stared at it blankly, waiting to be able to step inside as he watched it stall, clearly being assailed by information by P.C.. That bot did always did know how to share too much and make people wait while he did it. However, the moment passed quickly enough and the bot swept itself aside with the tinny declaration that Klein's entrance was permitted. Luckily it didn't register P.C. as a person, otherwise the encounter might have been a bit more... Frustrating, Klein realized. From what Klein had heard, this Raphael was rather stiff about his attendees.


The door opened and Klein blinked rapidly as he processed the sudden wave of sensory information. Lights strobed on and off in his field of vision, momentarily blinding him as he stepped forward to avoid the swinging slab of wood. The beat from the subwoofer slammed repeatedly into Klein's chest, eliciting a gasp and staggering him. The noises were too loud... The lights were too bright... People were EVERYWHERE... NonononononoNONONONONONONONONONO!!!


A large hand pressed down on Klein's shoulder, and the ultra-deep voice of Prof. Newman boomed over the noise of the music as he bent down to talk to Klein who had begun to crouch down into a ball in the doorway.


"HEY! KLEIN! JUST CALM DOWN, OKAY? I KNOW IT'S A LOT TO TAKE IN, BUT I NEED YOU TO STAY CALM, ALRIGHT? HERE." Klein looked up, opening his eyes to understand as Heinrich pressed a small blue pill into his hand, nodding at him to take it. Gratefully, Klein accepted the gift and downed the simple chemical device. It would be very useful, but it would also take a bit to kick in and in the meantime Klein's heart rate was through the roof.


"YOUR DAD COULDN'T MAKE IT," Heinrich continued, "HE SAID I'D HAVE TO HELP YOU OUT SINCE THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY WITH A WORKER THAT HE HAD TO ATTEND TO. HE WANTS YOU TO KNOW THAT HE'S SORRY. HOW'RE YOU FEELING?"


Klein shook his head rapidly, still balled up on the floor. Heinrich let out a breath slowly as he looked around for another room that might be quieter. Nothing. Just lights, party goers, a very concerned looking P.C. and the door. Heinrich momentarily considered taking Klein back outside, but... No. If he did that, Klein wouldn't want to return. He needed this to build his connections. These were the people that would be funding him soon, after all. Looking back down, Heinrich gripped Klein's shoulder and lifted him up onto his feet, pulling him under his arm to guide the child. He looked around, noting a taller man with slicked back dark hair standing in a tux, an air of belonging lingering about him.


"EXCUSE ME, SIR," Heinrich shouted to be heard as he tapped the man's shoulder to catch his attention. "IS THERE ANYWHERE QUIET I CAN TAKE THIS BOY?"


@Space Cowboy Ein

 

[Ashmorne]

On Love, Death, and Falling Asleep in Safe Places

part one


A Collaboration between @Rissa & @Ashmorne
​

“Sav, I’ll make us some tea in a minute. Just gonna put my stuff down,”


The door slipped shut behind them as Savina and Solara made their way into Sola’s studio. It had been a very long day of shopping, touring, and general socializing. They had left the Market after eating the cinnamon rolls, deciding it better to show Veda around The Ruins before purchasing new items in order to avoid carrying things all across the city. Sola’s arms were now laden with a random mishmash of things picked up from various vendors: a box of leftover cinnamon rolls, a bottle of wine, a pretty flowered dress, some assorted food items, one fine chain anklet a with small sun-shaped charm, and a canvas painting of the sun rising over water made by one of her artisan friends.


When they were meandering, she happened upon an interesting curved blade. It was half the length of her arm, found on a looting expedition. Sola purchased it on a whim, thinking that Kais could put it next to TechSupport. Maybe he’d name it something equally eccentric...like Customer Service or The Manager. She had also picked up one of Lugh’s leather journals for Shasta, hoping it would lift his spirits after an undoubtedly emotionally strenuous day of informing families. When Solara had learned about the losses, her heart constricted. She was grateful that Savina had agreed to come back to her studio. Being around Savi always helped her feel more at home. Sola deposited the items on her table, moving into the kitchen and retrieving the tea kettle. She filled it with water and set it on the stove to boil before joining Savi at the table.


“It’s so nice to have you back here, Sav. When you’re out on expeditions, there’s no one to really talk to about things. Shasta’s such a dad sometimes, and Kais isn’t much for words. I just really missed you,” Sola said with a smile. Savina knew that Sola had many loose friendships within The Spark, but they often were very surface-level. Sola had been eager for more in-depth conversation.








“Be thankful you have more than one person to talk to,” Savi said with a laugh. “And that that person ain’t Lugh.”


She sighed before getting serious. Savina knew Sola well enough to know that something was up, more than one something at that. There was a familiar protectiveness that radiated off Sola when it came to Veda, and though it was common for Scouts to form bonds with their recruits Savi knew something was different. If she had to guess, it would revolve around last night’s looter attack…


Savina stood up and stretched when Sola turned to put the kettle on the stovetop. The past twenty four hours had gone by slow, and she was more than ready for it to be over with. But she knew sleep would evade her until she found out what was bothering Sola.


Before breaching the subject, Savi reached down and unlaced her boots, kicking them off with a sigh of relief. Trekking through brush seemed a lot easier than the streets of Spark territory. Leaning back against the dining room chair, Savi stifled a yawn with the back of her hand and then crossed her arms; looking Sola dead in the eyes.





“So what’s up?” She asked seriously, “What’s all happened since I’ve been gone?”





Solara glanced at Savi with an unsure look on her face. She wasn’t exactly sure what to bring up first. Kais? The kiss? The datapad? Her solo mission? Hers and Veda’s experience with looter attack? A knot of worry twisted in her stomach as she remembered that Kais was currently in Tranquility without her. He had stopped by for a moment to quickly explain where he would be going. The anxious feeling simmering in her stomach made remorse flood her, regretting once again going to Tranquility without letting anyone know. How could she have been so impulsive? Kais was skilled and she trusted that he would come home safely, but that did nothing to ease her stress. A sigh escaped her lips. For the past few days, they seemed to be trapped in an endless cycle of worry. Solara crossed her legs, brushing hair out of her face as she met Savi’s serious gaze.





“So much shit has happened, Sav. You pick the first topic. Veda, Shasta, or Kais?”


Whatever Savi chose, that’s what she would broach first...the looter attack that resulted in an unexpected new friend/neighbor, the kiss from a man whom she’d cared about for a long while, or her solo mission and the datapad that sent Shasta out of The Ruins for the first time in years.








I knew it… Savina pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. She was too tired for this, but when she opened her eyes and looked at Sola, she knew she needed to muster up the energy. Sola needed her, the least she could do was listen.


Veda, Shasta, or Kais?





“Kais first, then Veda.” Savi breathed out, wondering what on earth she was getting herself into.


She stifled another yawn. This wasn’t her first all-nighter, nor would it be her last... but they were always different at home. Out there, out in the ruins, she’d spent many a night and days awake and rarely did she feel as foggy as she did now. Here, knowing her bed was only a floor away, it seemed much harder to keep her brain functioning, her ears open. Yet Savina managed to. The kettle whistled on the stove, and she waited happily for the tea, lids drooping but mind slowly waking up.





“How bad?” She asked quietly, “And don’t forget the sugar.”








“Like I’d forget the sugar,” she said with a smile as she stood to retrieve the kettle.


While she took her coffee black, both she and Savina took their tea with at least two spoons of sugar. She moved into the kitchen, picking items out of the cabinets as she tried to work out in her mind how to explain her new relationship. After a little searching around, she extracted the mugs, spoons, and sugar jar. Sola moved to the table and set them down in the center before going back to pick up the kettle and trivet. Handing the teapot to her friend, she took a moment to look at Savi. She noticed the tired eyes, the exhaustion clear on her face.


“Geez, Sav. You look really tired. Are you sure you’re up for this tonight?” she asked, sliding a mug over. “We can always talk in the morning. You did just get back to the city. Haven’t even gotten to see Mama C yet,”








Savi rolled her eyes before pouring herself some tea. The warmth of the mug was comforting and the scent of the tea calmed nerves she didn’t know she had. Reaching over with the spoon Sola set out for her, she got three spoonfuls from the sugar jar, and stirred her mug greedily. She took a hesitant sip before answering.


“Keep talking woman, I’ve been tireder.” She cast her eyes down to her mug and took another sip, “And I’ll see Mama Cat in the morning after Lugh and I talk to Shasta.”








Solara stirred her tea with a couple spoons of sugar, looking up at Savina with a shrug. She tasted some of the tea, studying the contents of her mug as she considered how to continue. She and Kais hadn’t even really defined their relationship, but it didn’t matter. She knew how she felt, and she was dying to tell Savina. All the emotions were building up inside her, waiting to be revealed. Sola had never been serious about a guy before. She’d never been in love, not until now. Taking a breath, she began talking.


“So, you’ve heard about the whole Keanu situation the other day. Well, Kais and I went back to his house after. I was so frustrated that he’d treated a newbie like that. It turns out that he was jealous. He...he kissed me,” Sola felt her heart beat a little faster. It was the first time that she’d said it out loud. “Can you believe it? Me and Kais! We haven’t gotten a chance to talk about what it means for us with all that’s happened since then...but it feels serious. I mean, nothing with Kais is ever halfway. But Sav, I...I’m in love with him. I am. I think I have been for a long time,”

 

[RZA]

On Love, Death, and Falling Asleep in Safe Places

part two


A Collaboration between @Rissa & @Ashmorne
​

Savina sat there in shock, momentarily forgetting her tea. “Err…”


She was expecting something along these lines, but… for her to say all that? Savi covered her face with her hands, lost in thought, wondering what on earth to say to that. Doing what she did best, Savi studied the situation with knowledge of knowing them both for decades. Well, she knew Sola, Kais was an entirely different matter. But nonetheless he was someone she’d interacted with for years, and the thought of them together? If she didn’t know how Sola felt, she would have laughed out loud. Them? In love? How?


“I uh- Damn Sola… you gotta give me a minute to swallow that.” Savi took a sip, trying to hide her owl-wide eyes with her mug of tea.


Sola was sunlight, strong and beautiful; always there for ones who needed it. There was a reason Solara was the best scout the Spark had - and it had nothing to do with the training she received. Sola was able to connect to people in ways not many could; especially when it came to the Tranquil, who were new to emotions and this way of life. Kais was… well Kais wasn’t any of that. He had his strengths of course; he protected the territory with every ounce of his being and cared for the Feivel’s like they were his own, but without any of the light Sola had.


She stopped there; it wasn’t her place to judge or decide, but Sola did expect her opinion. Her face was eager, sparkling with the same light she just described. Savi sighed and took a sip of her tea, it had cooled slightly and was much sweeter. She spared a few moments by sipping on it, trying not to catch Sola’s eye. It wasn’t as though Kais was some kind of monster, but could he handle Sola through the emotional ups and downs? Could someone as asocial as he reciprocate the emotional energy Sola will need? How will he react the next time someone states the obvious and calls her beautiful? Not to mention, who the hell threatens a day old deviant from Tranquility?


“I don’t know Sola,” Savina said shaking her head. “I don’t have much to say about you and Kais, not at the moment anyways. Honestly, I don’t think it’s going to work but that’s for you to prove me wrong.” She hesitated before finishing her reply. “You’re two totally different people, and sometimes that’s a good thing… To the heavens I don’t know Sola, this just seems like, like something you’re jumping into… but like I said, prove me wrong.”


She frowned before speaking again, wondering how to frame her next thought. “He needs to watch himself around the Tranquil, they don’t deserve that; I don’t care how jealous he might be. Each deviant we gain is another asset to our rebellion and he ought to remember that.”


Sola absorbed Savi’s words, her grip tightening around the mug that sat in her lap. It was clear that her friend had reservations and doubts. Solara couldn’t hold it against Savi for being honest with her. It was one of the reasons that they bonded together so well in the first place, they were always up front with each other. She would’ve been able to tell in a fraction of a second if Savi was sugarcoating it.


Sola took another sip of her tea, savoring the earthy sweetness of it as she mulled over what Savina had said. Yes, she and Kais were very different people. It was perfectly logical for Savi to not think that they would last, but that didn’t stop a stab of hurt from going through her. She pushed it away, however, and dwelt on the latter part of the statement.


Prove me wrong.


And they would. If Savi had been there to see how Kais had acted that night when she returned from the looter attack, after the Professional had subsided. If she had seen the way he had carefully made them cups of tea, the way he held her throughout the night, how he comforted her after the nightmare. He hadn’t given her words, but he had given her actions. That was enough. They would grow together, and learn to adapt to each other. Isn’t that what a good relationship was? They could do it, and prove everyone wrong.


“I agree that he shouldn’t have treated Keanu that way. Or any recruit that way. There’s a reason he’s a sniper. Let’s just give him a little bit of grace on that one. Please? And Sav...I think we will prove you wrong. There’s just something about him. He keeps me grounded. I’ve never felt this way before,” Sola said softly, smiling down into her tea. She looked back up, again noticing the drowsy look on her friend’s face. They would undoubtedly talk about this again, but not tonight. “Thanks for always being honest with me, Savi. Now I’ll be honest with you. You’re about to fall asleep and spill tea all over my floor. Go pass out on the couch before that happens. You know where I keep my sleepwear. I’ll probably take a walk and then come back,”


Savina nodded her head; there was no point in trying to lie to Sola, or anyone else for that matter. She was too used to being honest that it was obvious whenever she did lie. Savi learned a long time ago that she didn’t have the energy to lie to someone, nor the grace. She had to agree though, she did feel on the urge of collapse, and Sola’s couch was looking comfier and comfier.


Taking note of the smile on her friend’s face and the light that shone from her eyes whenever she said Kais’ name, she submitted to what it was. “I hope y’all do Sola, I really hope you do.”


She stood up, walked to her dresser and extracted a pair of sleeping shorts and an old t-shirt she usually wore when sleeping over. The trip to the bathroom to change was unnecessary, and she changed right there, thankful to be in something comfortable. She laid on the couch, sighing thankfully. Before closing her eyes, she voiced her last opinion of the night.


“I don’t think so Sola, he shouldn’t get any grace because of his position as a sniper. That’s one thing I’ve never liked about him,” Savi said through a yawn. “Taking a life has never bothered him…”


She rolled over, away from the light, and fell asleep almost at once.


Solara took the mugs and kettle to the kitchen, listening to Savi as she deposited the items in the sink. She walked to her dresser and extracted a dark grey hooded sweatshirt, pulling it on over her blouse. Savina was right when she said that Kais had never seemed bothered when he took a life. It was something that Solara hadn’t really thought about in a long while. He was always so attentive when she herself was broken about the loss of life, she hadn’t fully realized that he didn’t share the sentiment. She tucked the thought away in her head to bring up later as she retrieved her bag, slipping her new pencils and a sketchbook inside.


“You’re right. But we’ll talk about that later. Sweet dreams, Sav. See you in the morning,” Solara whispered, realizing that Savina had already drifted off to sleep. Adjusting the strap on her bag, she switched off the light and slipped from the room.

 

[Ashmorne]

LUNA PACECCO


President of Tranquility


Location: Tores Residence



​

Someone back in Pre-War times once said the leadership was influence. President Lunaria Pacecco had to agree. It was this sentiment that spurred her to do things that others might deem frivolous...such as attending a function thrown by sparkling Diamond party boy like Raphael Tores. But Luna knew that this wasn't just any party, but rather an opportunity to flex her influence. She knew this as clearly as she knew that Raphael wasn't just a ritzy socialite with too much time on his hands. He understood the value of social leverage just as well as she did...which meant that a party thrown by the Minister of Transportation is one that she would make time to attend.


She arrived at his apartment dressed in a classic black evening gown made of silk that skimmed her body like water, with creamy white pearls in her ears and looped elegantly around her neck. Her ebony locks were twisted back into a neat side-swept bun that framed her angular features, with not a hair out place. She was a woman of almost cruel beauty, and she played it to her advantage.


Four guards stood around her in a loose square formation, even more watching from a distance. With posture as straight as an arrow, she walked past the bot at the door without a second glance. Loud music and garish decor greeted her, causing her to stifle the desire to roll her eyes and scrunch her nose. Instead, she allowed a subtle but alluring smile to curve on her lips as she reached out a satin-gloved hand to begin greeting the endless barrage of easily-influenced Diamond residents. Malleable mannequins, most of these people...able to be won over with nothing but a convincing grin and a handshake. Luna cared little for them. She cared about power, and the people who knew how to wield it. The sooner she was able to reach the VIP room, the better. The sweet smile on her face gave away none of her disinterest as she interacted with one vapid partygoer after another, peripherally scanning the area for Raphael or Eve.

 

[Zoola]

NOLAN SALEM


Nolan watched as the man took the Pill, a feeling of warmness growing deep within his chest. It took him a moment to fully identify what he was feeling, and then he realized - hope. Every time he made it into Tranquility, every time a new person reached a revelation by taking the Pill, that ember of hope was ignited, growing bigger and bigger each time. It was truly an indescribable, invaluable experience to behold. They were getting there. Nol took pride in the fact that they were combating against PaxCor's oppression, something he'd only dreamed of since he was 15. He was actually doing something besides wasting his life away at the expense of the lives of the Tranquil in the outer sectors. Although he was notably less prosperous than before, he would trade his wealth for a clean conscience any day of his life. It simply wasn't worth it. That was the defining difference between Nolan and the rest of the Diamond drones - he empathized with the Tranquil. The fact that the rest of the didn't was the driving factor behind Nol's decision to leave the comfort of his sector for the Ruins. And was he glad he did.


There was a discernible change in the Tranquil's eyes when they took the Pill. Emotions rushed through their veins, and you could see it in their eyes. That was what was happening with the man in front of Nolan. Tears were flooding his eyes now, flowing down his cheeks, an expression of the emotions withheld for a lifetime by the Patch.


Nolan's grin softened to that of a warm, empathetic smile. Soon, the man's hands were on Nol's shoulders, practically shaking him for answers. "This - This is what you see? How you live? All the time?!" Nol nodded brightly in response, placing his own hand on the man's shoulder.


"Yes. This is what the Patch has been hiding from you, what PaxCor has been hiding from you. All of this. And there's still so much more, if you can believe it." Nolan said, grinning. He could hardly wait for this man to see how much more there was in store, "I'm Nolan. I'm with a group called The Spark. They've been fighting to take down PaxCor since before you and I were even born. Our base is outside of Tranquility. We have hundreds of people living there, Patch-free. This is how we live, all the time. We feel."

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Salix "Lex" Darinell

Tranquility | Alley behind Library of Unity


Scientist Pipette Operator
​

For a long time, Lex merely stared at the man, trying to comprehend everything he was hearing. There was more? More than feeling, more than seeing in color and everything? He could hardly process that possibility. And there were more people--more like him and this man--people made out of flesh and blood and emotions? So many more, living and thinking and feeling all the time? Lex was blown away, speechless, though the flow of tears down his face had begun to subside. He was overwhelmed, amazed, and in complete awe of the world--so many things he had never felt or thought he could feel or even known existed before that exact moment.


And it was the best thing he had ever experienced.


After a moment, Lex swallowed hard and seemed to gather his words about him. He made some sense of the man's--Nolan's--words, and formulated a coherent response. It felt so strange to think and feel at the same time. All these new emotions, fresh and raw, kept getting in the way of his thoughts. He couldn't fathom how people did this all day, every day, but he couldn't wait to find out because he never wanted to experience the alternative again.


"My name is... Salix Darinell," he said his name as if it was an unfamiliar thing to him, a coat that no longer fit after a long growth spurt. Then he gave Nolan a shaky smile, "But I'd rather be called Lex."


Lex took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. He dropped his hands from Nolan's shoulder and rubbed tears from his face and neck. In spite of that, he couldn't keep himself from grinning--it felt strange and unnatural on his face, but it felt good. Nolan had said they lived outside of Tranquility, but PaxCor had said there was nothing outside of Tranquility. For a brief moment he recalled Nolan's words from before he'd taken the pill--it had been minutes ago, but it felt like a lifetime--that PaxCor had been lying to them. Something angry and hot began to burn in his chest. Indignation. Outside of Tranquility people lived in color, and PaxCor had lied? His expression changed, becoming more tense and aggressive. Rage burned behind his eyes.


"Take me back with you; I can't spend another day in this place--I couldn't go back, having seen this, felt this, if I wanted to," Lex met Nolan's gaze with determination. He had left his house that night with the intention of never going back, no matter what. Whatever the end might be, he he couldn't bear another day of his meaningless life. But here, here were answers he had never known he wanted, freedom like he had never dreamed of, and more important than any of that, here was purpose.

I feel... alive. I feel alive. I feel. Lex

 

[RZA]

Raphael Tores

Minister of Transportation


Raph waited, gathering precise words for the proposition in his mind. Each would need depth that hinted at a greater picture without compromising his true intentions. As he opened his mouth to speak, a ripple of charged energy flowed throughout his apartment, and Raphael knew immediately that his guest of honor had arrived. It was unfortunate timing, but his proposition to Ava would have to wait. He was a patient man and had waited this long, silent and unmoving, a few more weeks wouldn’t hurt. He stood, looking at Ava who sat with a sultry but rather intrigued expression upon her face. Flashing her a sultry smile, he adjusted his suit and poised himself for the President.


“Excuse me Miss Sebastian,” He said with a bow. “But the woman of the hour is here.”


He left his vip section with a flourish, brushing his shoulders before making his way to the President. Around President Luna stood four of her best bodyguards; he scanned the room taking note of the uncover partygoers he knew were actual guards in disguise. Making his way through the throng of people surrounding the lovely woman clad in black, he made a mental note to tell his girls they needed to double down on the invitation list.


“Move along,” Raphael said, simmering with cold impatience.


Standing behind some minister or the other, Raphael waited for Luna’s satiny gloved hand to be free. The moment it was he put on his most dazzling smile and bowed. “Welcome to my abode Madam President.” Rising, he took in her satin waterfall of a dress and the opals that lined her throat and dotted her ears.


“Would you like an escort to a quieter area?”

 

[Zoola]

NOLAN SALEM


Nolan nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips as he listened to the man, who had introduced himself as Lex, beg him to take him back to the Ruins. His reaction hardly surprised him; most, if not all, newly-Patchless people refused to remain in Tranquility a minute longer, and who could blame them? It was a revelation to them; the corrupted veil was lifted from their eyes, and they could see the blatant oppression that they were once impervious to. It was a feeling Nol himself shared, since he had once been in the same position, after all. Nolan's only regret was not discovering The Spark sooner, having had to struggle through years of helpless observation, doing nothing in the face of oppression. "Alright, welcome to The Spark, my friend," Nolan said in a low voice so as not to be heard by anyone but Lex, though his tone was practically bursting with elation. Nol quickly glanced around the area, his eyes carefully scanning the area for anymore Deviants wanting to approach him about the Pill. His quick reconnaissance came up clear, and he turned his attention back to Lex.


"I think it's about time for us to head out, anyway," he said, sparing a glimpse up at the top of the building, where he knew Kais was watching. "My, uh..." Nol began, but quickly trailed off, unsure of the appropriate title to refer to Kais as. They weren't quite partners, as this was their first (and likely only, given Kais's position as Spark strategist) mission together, nor were they quite friends, for fairly obvious reasons. Nolan's brain failed to come up with any other usable alternatives, however, so he opted for the former option, "My partner's waiting up at the top of the building, scouting out." Nolan jerked his thumb upwards towards the building. "It's a few hours to get there. I'll explain more on the way, once we're out of Tranquility," He said, and with that, he cast his eyes towards the top of the building, where he knew Kais could see him, and gave a firm nod, signaling him that they were ready to depart.


EVE SALEM


Within moments, Eve was reminded of her least favorite aspect of the social-political scene: the inevitable social climbers and desperate politicians that approached her. While Eve's job wasn't particularly glamorous, unlike other jobs within the government, it certainly was one of power, as she was essentially second in command. With that power came the inescapable wave of people trying to climb their way up the power ladder. It was a tiresome ordeal to have to deal with those people, and before Eve had even taken a sip of her first drink, she had flocked by this minister or that director wanting to discuss mundane things Eve couldn't care less about at that moment. Though she was normally business-oriented, she'd switched herself off into a fairly more casual mode for the day and hardly felt like dealing with business matters. Still, she remained polite and poised as always, bearing through the idle chat and the insufferable brown nosing. Eventually, however, she was bored by the lack of intelligent conversation and found herself tuning out the babbling of those who approached her, replying with no more than a nod and a gentle smile. Excusing herself, she slipped through the small group of people around her, relieved to once again have her own breathing space.


She glanced around the room, tucking a loose strand of brown hair behind her ear. She'd yet to greet Raphael and Luna, both of whom she hadn't spotted so far. Though the lighting hindered her vision somewhat, she managed to catch sight of the very two people she was looking for through the crowd, and together, no less, which was luckily convenient for her. As graceful as ever, she strode over to them through the crowd, a task which felt comparable to parting to Red Sea. She approached the two, an elegant smile parting her lips. "I hope I'm not interrupting," she said, her voice unusually warm. She nodded cordially in acknowledgement to the both of them before extending her hand, "It's good to see you, Raphael, Luna."

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Kais Wiltchil

Spark Strategist

​

From the top of the library, Kais kept one eye on Nolan and one eye on their surroundings. He watched the Tranquil approach, take the Pill, and have a not-so-small emotional breakdown. It was something Kais had seen time and time ago; different people reacted differently, of course, but it was all more or less the same. For Kais it was commonplace. It wasn't stirring or touching or anything of the sort, it was just another delivery in Tranquility. The only difference was, usually it was Sola down there delivering the Pill. Kais knew nothing at all about the Patcher below, but he felt certain that Sola would have jumped at the chance to show him the world and welcome him to the cause.

Under normal circumstances, his stomach might have twisted with discomfort at the thought that he was in Tranquility without Sola; she had always been there when he went on a delivery in the past and he always knew that if things went south she would know exactly what to do. He could trust her to be where he expected her to be. Then there was the lingering fact that they had still not had a chance to discuss what they were to each other--what this new path for their relationship mean--and the fact that she was doubtless sitting in the Ruins worrying about him.


But, in spite of these facts crossing his mind, no accompanying twist followed in his stomach. He was focused--there was a job, and it needed to be done. At the moment, that was all the mattered. Everything else was background noise to him. It didn't distract him, it didn't call his mind to think about it, it merely flitted below his conscious mind and went back the way it had come. The Professional didn't get distracted.


When Nolan gave him the signal that they were ready to leave, Kais carefully switched Bane's safety on, casting one last look to ensure the area was clear, before sliding down the drain pipe. From up close the new recruit was a few inches shorter than Kais, but broader. Kais glanced over him without greeting, and motioned to Nolan to follow behind him.


Kais took point on the way out of the city. With one hand on his unclasped handgun, he kept to the shadows, avoiding the cameras that he knew were there. He kept a short distance ahead of Nolan and Lex, so that he could make certain the way was clear before they came after him. He was slightly less conspicuous than two people together--one of whom had no training in anything practical. Thankfully, they reached the exit without running into any guardbots or attracting the attention of any cameras. He opened the portal out, and took a stand beside it, waving Nolan and Lex inside and taking one last look around before ducking in himself.

Salix "Lex" Darinell

In Transit | Tranquility the Ruins


Scientist Pipette Operator Runaway
​

From there on out, things moved much faster--Lex thought he could hardly keep up. Nolan explained that he had a partner keeping watch from atop the library, and in the next moment another man was standing in the alley with them. When he looked Lex over, Lex was surprised--and a little unnerved. Nolan's partner looked much less alive than him, and he had the deepest eyes Lex had ever seen on a person. They looked glass, but in the dim light, the pupil seemed to swallow his whole iris--giving the impression that his eyes were entirely black. There was nothing on his face at all--it was the same robotic expression that he saw on most people in Tranquility, but Lex thought these people were all supposed to feel.


Before he had time to ponder the facts, they were off, keeping a few yards behind the unnamed partner with the startling eyes. Lex did his best to keep up with Nolan, but it was blatantly clear that the other two had much more experience with this than he. He managed to blunder his way through without getting anyone killed, and finally they reached the outer wall of Tranquility, The unnamed man pulled bushes aside to reveal a metal disk, which he pushed open. Hidden away in the wall, beneath brambles and and a heavy door, was what appeared to be a hole--an escape. Lex's heart pounded in his chest as the unnamed man waved them through. Fear, excitement, hope--so many emotions swirled around Lex's head, making it nearly impossible to think. It was all he could do to follow Nolan into the utter blackness.


Then there was nothing but darkness for a long time. He could hear Nolan in front of him, and the other man behind him, but his eyes were blind. How long had this tunnel been there? All along, under his nose, was an escape from the city? ...but without the little red pill it would have meant nothing at all. Before tonight he never even wanted to get away from the city... he just wanted to feel something.


After a long period of blindness, crawling on his hands and knees in the tunnel, they halted. There was a scrape of metal overhead and Lex felt fresh air on his face. It smelled so much cleaner and more crisp than before. In another moment he was standing outside of Tranquility for the first time in his life. He'd expected... he didn't know what. A wasteland. Sand and death, maybe long-forgotten skeletons of the old humans. But here was life. Just on the doorstep of Tranquility grew a forest, and into that they walked.


Lex marveled as they walked. There was so much he didn't understand, so many things to learn. The plain and simple fact that they were walking through a forest was exhilarating. Lex wanted to run and laugh, send a loud, cheerful whoop into the otherwise silent forest. But something held him back--they weren't out of danger, just yet.


As they walked, the unnamed man drifted farther behind, until he dropped out of sight. Lex tried to listen for him, to assure himself that the man really was still there, likely covering their retreat, but for all he tried he could come up with no proof that the other man was not a ghost at all. Eventually he stopped trying, instead doing his best to trust that these men knew what they were doing.


As he grew weary the excitement wore off--he had worked nearly fifteen hours that day, and he had never walked so far in his life. A frightening thought struck him somewhere along the way. He had no idea at all where he was going, or who he was going with. All he knew was that this man's name was Nolan, and he said that the people outside of Tranquility lived with emotions. It was little enough to go on, but, then again, he had been prepared to die rather than live his life for another day. Whatever awaited him in this forest, it couldn't possibly be worse.


They past the point where Lex thought he couldn't possibly take another step and kept walking. He was asleep on his feet before they spotted lights in the distance. He wondered for the first time what sort of place they were going to--some sort of rudimentary settlement? When the trees thinned the answer was presented to him.


They halted on the edge of a city. An honest-to-god city, with towering buildings and streets. The sight shocked Lex awake again.


There was a city outside of Tranquility, with people who felt emotions.

 

[Ashmorne]

S o l a r a || F e i v e l


spark scout





The Ruins never really slept. Even as Solara wandered around in the late hours of the night, or maybe the early hours of the morning, she saw people moving about. Some were guards, keeping eyes out on the city. Others were simply people who liked to be out at night...often musicians would play late at night, which usually gathered quite a crowd of both spectators and dancers at The Market Expo. Solara sometimes visited to listen to them play, and to maybe even dance a little herself, but not when she felt like this. Anxiety knotted her stomach. Now that she wasn't with Savi, she had to be alone with her thoughts. Feelings of nervousness at Savi's words coupled with worry regarding Kais' safe returned created an uncomfortable tension in Sola's chest. It snuffed out her usual desire to be around people.


She had been sitting alone on an old wooden bench on the cracked sidewalk, ankles crossed with her sketchbook resting on her knees. The bench was at the corner of a building just down the road from The Oak, right by the edge of the city. This was the way she anticipated that Kais, Nol, and any potential new recruits would be coming. Her pencil sat loosely in her hand as she drew an image of the ink-colored stray cat that was laying lazily under the street lamp. It peered up at her with bright golden eyes, not concerned at all. It didn't really have a care in the world.


Dark lines took shape on the page, capturing the casual calm of the lethargic animal. A smile touched her face as she drew, taking solace in the feeling of charcoal on paper. She was getting lost in it when sounds of people approaching from the forest caused her to freeze halfway into shading the raven fur of the cat. Jerking her head up, she saw two figures nearing the city. Relief flooded her as she recognized Nol's trademark baseball cap. Kais had to be with him. She snapped the sketchbook shut, pulling her bag over her shoulder and striding out to meet them. As she got closer, she realized that it was Nol and a new recruit...not Kais. A feeling of panic bubbled up in her. Where was he? She forced the anxiety down as she considered that he may following at a distance. That wouldn't be unlikely, all things considered.





"Nolan! Over here!" she called, waving her arm as she picked up her pace to meet them at the edge of the city. She glanced at the new recruit with what she hoped was a welcoming smile on her face. He had been gazing at the town with a look of awe that she so enjoyed seeing on the faces of those finally free of the Patch's effects.


"Welcome to The Ruins. Hopefully your trip back wasn't too tiring," she said easily, wanting to talk to him more but unable to ignore the feeling of stress that was gnawing at her. She felt her gaze slip towards the forest line and then back to Nol. "Wasn't Kais with you on this trip?"


Sola did her best to keep the concern off of her face. The last thing she wanted was to unsettle the newcomer. She hoped that she didn't come off as passive or disinterested, but she needed to know that Kais was alright before she could focus on anything else.

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Kais Wiltchil

Spark Strategist

​

It was a long trek back to the Ruins from Tranquility; Kais had motioned at Nolan should go on ahead while he fell behind. His reasons were twofold--firstly, if they were detected, he wanted to slip past notice so he could solve any problems that arose, and secondly, he didn't feel much like participating in the prattle that was always involved when a recruit fresh on the pill was first leaving Tranquility. So he dropped behind, keeping the other two just in sight--though he knew it would be impossible to pick him out from where they walked. He had engineered his wardrobe specifically for this purpose, and the fact that his face was still smeared with black grease did wonders at making him seem invisible. Kais chose his steps carefully, and eventually settled into the monotonous, but silent, walk back to the Ruins.

When they were halfway there he allowed himself to relax a little more; they had never been pursued into the forest before, but there was a first time for everything. By the time they were half an hour out from the Ruins, Kais was certain that there was no one behind him. He'd allowed himself to dip farther back, to make certain, then caught up again. He was confident enough with his own stealth to be certain no one was following him.


The professional fell away slowly, like stripping away clothing after a long day. And it had been a very long day. He remembered waking up that morning in Sola's bed, and a feeling somewhere between happiness and longing swelled in his stomach. Sola. Was she still awake, waiting for him? He had very little doubt that she was--she didn't sleep well at the best of times, he couldn't imagine that she would sleep soundly as she waited for him to come back from Tranquility after a potentially life-threatening mission. He had told her that afternoon that it might very well have been a trap.


But it hadn't been. His mind flicked over the full events of the night, the reason his back whole back was a solid knot, the monotony of watching guardbots... he was still reserving judgement on whether or not their information was good; he would have to check the datapad once they got back to the Ruins to confirm that the schedules matched up. Of course, there were a myriad of other ways that things could go wrong, but he was too tired to worry about them, just then.


By the time he saw the lights of the Ruins breaking through the forest, Nolan and the new recruit were already standing on the edge of the city. A moment later he heard a familiar voice.





"Nolan! Over here!"


Some semblance of a smile tweaked the corner of Kais' mouth upward. His surmise had been correct; she was still awake. He was simultaneously pleased and displeased. Pleased that he wouldn't have to go looking for her, and potentially disturb her sleep in so doing, and displeased that she likely hadn't gotten any sleep at all.


As he drew closer, he could hear Sola welcoming their newest member, and then--almost immediately--ask after him. Kais was close enough to the tree line at that point that he didn't even have to work for a dramatic entrance. He emerged from the forest, just as silently as he had crept through it, a few yards away from where the other three stood.


"I'm here, Sola," he said, and his voice sounded tired, even to him. He tried not to think how bad he looked--covered in grease and whatever else he had picked up while climbing a factory, ducking into a cramped cubby, and laying on the library roof--he desperately need a shower and a change of clothes.

 

[Ashmorne]

S o l a r a || F e i v e l


spark scout





Everything seemed incredibly still and unmoving as Sola waited for Nolan to answer. She felt impossibly tense as she stood there, frozen in time. The seconds stretched out, feeling much longer than they actually were. She couldn't think about what she would do if Kais hadn't it made it back, so she wouldn't think about anything at all. There was nothing to do but wait, trapped in this bubble of a moment that seemed never ending. Suddenly, a voice cut through her reverie and effectively shattered the tension that was making her feel as though she was slowly fossilizing. It said exactly what she needed to hear, what she had been waiting for.





"I'm here, Sola,"


Just like that, the anxiety began to dissolve. Kais materialized from the shadows, his voice causing waves of relief to rush through her. He had slipped from the woods unnoticed until then, seamlessly blending into the night with his dark attire and painted skin. She took a step towards him without thinking, concern evident on her face as she noticed how the exhausted timbre of his voice matched the weary look on his face.


Pushing down the urge to throw her arms around his neck and pull him close, she simply met his gaze with a small smile. Seeing him caused her to realize how intense her concern had been. She never had cause to worry about him like this before, because she was usually with him on trips into Tranquility. That worry made her recognize the depth of what she felt towards him. Something flickered behind her eyes as she looked at him, the worries of that day slipping from her memory.


I love you, she wanted to say.


"Welcome home," she said instead, relief evident in her voice. It was all she could manage to say without letting anything else slip out.





LUNA PACECCO


President of Tranquility





An effortless smile curved Luna's lips upwards as she considered Raphael. He knew how to entice a leader. Perhaps it was because he also knew what it felt like to be swarmed by copious amounts of mindless well-wishers, or maybe he just wanted to solidify his connection with her. Whatever his angle was, it would involve saving her from this sea of minnows...and escorting her to where the other sharks were. She inclined her head, the fluid motion revealing none of the eagerness to leave that simmered beneath the surface.


Almost immediately, Eve appeared by Raphael's side. The woman had waded through the throng of people with the ease and grace of a seasoned Tranquilian politician. Eve's professionalism in the face of such a raucous and overcrowded party was part of why Luna asked her to be there in the first place. There were so many dull socialites in The Diamond, it was important to keep those who rose far enough above that stereotype close. To Luna, everyone was unimportant until clearly proven otherwise. She gave a liquid smile to the woman, gesturing calmly towards their host.





"You've arrived just in time, Eve. Mr. Tores was just about to take us to a quieter room," she responded easily, directing her gaze back to Raphael.

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Kais Wiltchil

Spark Strategist

​

Kais watched as a variety of emotions slid across Sola's face: relief, concern--and then something deeper, shielded. The last puzzled Kais, as he watched her stop herself from taking more than a step toward him, and instead merely gave him a small smile. Usually Sola was so incredibly open with her emotions, he couldn't recall the last time she had so obviously stopped herself from acting on an impulse. He furrowed his brows at her instead of returning her smile. Has something happened while he was away? Something that made her rethink wanting to give him a hug? Something she couldn't explain while they were standing in front of Nolan and a new recruit?

Regardless of what had or has not happened, Kais was eager to get away--he wanted a moment alone with Sola, and a chance to wash off a solid inch of dirt and grim, and a chance to finally get some sleep. He glanced at Nolan and the Patcher--Nolan was a friendly sort, and he seemed to have been getting on well enough with the new bloke, anyway. And on top of that, he lived in the dorms and would be able to find the other man a place to sleep.


"I'll take what we found to Shasta--you can find him a place to sleep," Kais spoke to Nolan, his eyes flicking toward the new recruit when he said the word 'him'.


There. Division of labor. Now Kais could sleep.


He took a step in the direction of the Grand Oak and his eyes fell on Sola again, giving him cause to stop. Though he wanted her to come with him, something was bothering him about her uncharacteristic restraint. He could think of a number of possible reasons for it, most of them completely innocuous, but to his exhausted mind the more worrisome and less logical possibilities stood out. Shasta wouldn't have said anything to her--or at least, nothing that he hadn't already said to Kais--so that was out. But Sola had been in the market with her friends earlier in the day. Would one of them have said something that could change her mind? Kais couldn't think. In spite of the fact that it seemed terribly unlikely that anyone could ever say anything to make Sola change her mind in any way, at that precise moment, he worried.


Or he was just tired and had lost his ability to think rationally.


One thing was for certain; Kais wanted Sola alone, if only to sort this out, and he wasn't going to get that by standing on the edge of the forest staring at her blankly. He had already been staring at her for too long. And so he nodded his head in the general direction of the oak and raised his eyebrows: a question and an invitation, which she took him up on.


Kais fell into step beside her, resisting the desire to put a hand on her shoulder, and waited until the other two were out of earshot before and around a corner before speaking.


"Is everything alright?"

 

[Ashmorne]

S o l a r a || F e i v e l


spark scout





Silence wasn't something that Solara typically enjoyed when she was with another person, but right now it seemed sort of fitting. She was tired, and Kais had fatigue clearly painted on his face. For now, she was happy to simply be next to him...satisfied with the knowledge that he was back at The Ruins safely, or really, back with her. It felt a bit surreal. She wanted to hug him still, eager to wrap her arms around him to remind herself that he was really back, but then recalled how his arm had slipped from her shoulders when the soldier appeared on the rooftop the night of the looter attack.


Yes, Kais had spoken to Shasta since then...but they hadn't even really talked with each other, and she hadn't wanted to embarrass him. She smiled to herself, happy that she had controlled her impulses for once. If her solo mission had taught her anything, it was that she needed to learn a bit of self control. They had been walking at an easy pace when Kais spoke, his voice ending the comfortable silence that they shared.


"Is everything alright?"


His words caught her slightly off guard. She had thought that everything had been very relaxed until this moment. Her gaze shifted to Kais, one brow slightly arched. It was unlike him to misunderstand her, or to read too much into a situation. He must have been much more tired that she originally suspected. Suddenly, it didn't matter very much to Sola who was watching. Not hugging him was enough impulse control for one night. Sola reached for his hand, intertwining her fingers with his as she walked closely by his side.





"Everything is fine. I'm just glad you're back home. With me," she said quietly, content to be by his side as they approached the stairs of the Oak.

 

[RZA]

Raphael Tores

Minister of Transportation


Raphael bowed at Eve’s arrival, smiling back at Luna when she made eye contact and lazily outstretched his arm. “Allow me to escort you two lovely ladies.” He made note of the guards behind the President, realizing with a thump of his heart that only two would be able stand behind her baroque throne chair. He shrugged internally; Well I can’t get everything right, it’d be a crime.


He turned without waiting to see if Eve would take his arm as he severely doubted it, and searched for the Minister of Defense. He was the only other member of their selected ministry that he was interested in allowing behind private walls. Raphael scanned the room and the minister was nowhere to be seen. Though he didn’t expect him to be on the dance floor, Raph still glanced that way and was torn between rolling his eyes and choking out a laugh. The more drunken partygoers were making quite a scene on the holographic floor and more than one were finding themselves on their asses.


Passing by one of his ladies dressed as a hostess, he stopped to tap her lightly on the shoulder. When he spoke, Raphael made sure his voice would carry to the two ladies in his company. “Rubette, please find the Minister of Defense and escort him to the VIP section.”


Walking around two more gathered well-wishers and social climbers, Raphael made his way to the almost-hidden entrance of his VIP room. He stopped by the door, extending an arm for the ladies and the President’s guards. “Please, make yourself comfortable. Miss Sebastian is waiting patiently for our arrival. Is there anything I can get for you to drink Madam President? Miss Salem?”

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Kais Wiltchil

Spark Strategist

​

Her words eased the worry that had been building in his chest, but the feel of her hand against his, fingers interlacing, banished them completely. Kais let out a hardly audible sigh of relief and squeezed her hand. It was comforting and it was pleasing to know that she still wanted to be in contact with him--perhaps just as much as he wanted it. She hadn't avoided hugging him because she didn't want to, but because she didn't want to

in front of others.


In hindsight, this made much more sense than any of the alternatives, but when Kais was tired, even nonsensical things seemed perfectly plausible--it had to be an exceptional level of tired, but it did happen occasionally. He had been awake and active for eighteen hours straight thus far, and that on two nights of very little sleep. That in and of itself would have been enough to make most people tired, but Kais had also had one of the most emotionally exhausting conversations of his life with Shasta that morning, and been talking strategy with one person or another since then. Thus, he felt not at all sorry for his erroneous interpretation of Sola's actions.


Instead, Kais merely gave Sola's hand a firm squeeze, suddenly much happier to have her there with him as they climbed the stairs of the Grand Oak. His room in the Oak was a few doors down from Shasta's; he rarely ever used it, except for storage or for working when he needed to be on hand for Spark business. There was a bed, but as far as he could remember, he had only slept in it once. It was a nice enough room and it was nice to be close to Shasta and Sola, but he had never been able to convince himself to give up the little house in the woods--his father had built it himself, and somehow it felt like abandonment if he didn't continue to use it.


They reached his room in a now-comfortable silence, and Kais reached into his pocket for his ring of keys. There was no keyhole in the door, but there was black box with a blue red light above the handle. Kais swiped his keychain, which was in actuality an RFID tag; the light turned blue and the lock clicked open, allowing Kais to push the door open.


Inside, Kais' room was approximately backward L-shaped; it might have been a perfect rectangle if the bathroom hadn't been directly across from the entrance. As it was, Kais quite liked having running water and a hot shower whenever he wanted. To the right of the door was the kitchen, all in black and chrome, and a short bar with three stools. There was no kitchen table, and the bar was strewn with a variety of tools and electronics. Adjacent to the kitchen was what appeared to be a small workspace; there was a floor-to-ceiling window hidden behind vertical blinds, a metal work table, and a white dresser. In actuality it was a bedroom--or as close as one got to a bedroom in a studio--and the bed was folded away into the wall opposite his work table. When it wasn't retracted, the bed left just barely enough space for one person to pass between its foot and the table.


The only thing that hung on Kais' walls were weapons. There was a gun rack to the right of the door, sporting a pair of sniper rifles with varying barrel length. Near the bathroom door was a rack with several handguns, and below them a handful of submachine guns. In the work/sleep area there was a slightly more elaborate case, sporting one handgun--the pair to the gun he carried on his hip--above where the bed would have been was a black-steel, one-sided sword, and above the work table was a small collection of knives, with one spot empty for the one he carried.

Spoiler

<p><a href="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2016_06/bathroom.jpg.46fac57fd8d16065ba4c1caaa7011779.jpg" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="134290" src="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2016_06/bathroom.jpg.46fac57fd8d16065ba4c1caaa7011779.jpg" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p> <p><a href="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2016_06/bed.jpeg.dda1f3b8b5ff06859fb9b6b0e73e699c.jpeg" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="134291" src="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2016_06/bed.jpeg.dda1f3b8b5ff06859fb9b6b0e73e699c.jpeg" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p> <p><a href="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2016_06/kitchen.jpg.9c0abfc4564a53328affef4ad8803551.jpg" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="134292" src="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2016_06/kitchen.jpg.9c0abfc4564a53328affef4ad8803551.jpg" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>


"Make yourself comfortable--I'm dying for a shower," Kais said, once the door had shut behind them. There weren't many places to sit, but Sola had helped him pick out what little furniture he owned--she knew about the bed in the wall and could pull it out if she preferred that to the barstools. "I've no idea if there's any food, or even tea, but you're welcome to it if there is."

Spoiler