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

[Ashmorne]

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


spark scout





Hearing what Shasta had told Kais only confirmed what Solara had speculated. He had reacted in more or less the same way that Savi had, which didn't exactly surprise her. Shasta and Savi were similar in many ways. If anything, talking to Sav had prepared her to listen to her brother's response. He had reacted in a typical older brother fashion...protective, worried, and probably a little afraid. This was part of why she never introduced anyone she was interested in to him. She was never serious about them, but she also knew that Shasta would respond in the only way he knew how...not from the lens of Kais' best friend but through the eyes of an analyst, a planner, and a brother.


A troubled expression had worked its way across Kais' face as he spoke, eliciting a slow bloom of concern to expand within Sola's chest. Kais typically wasn't one to take things personally, to react emotionally. Even though it was in regards to what Shasta thought of him, Solara was still surprised. Hearing the vulnerability in his voice caught her off guard. It was a rare moment for him to be so verbally open and forthcoming with how he felt. He didn't attempt to conceal the sadness that weighted his speech. His tone didn't carry its typical neutral glaze, but rather was more tender...it sloped downwards, tinged with disappointment. She heard the soft edges of his voice, noticed the way he distractedly pulled at the ends of his hair. For a moment, her mind drifted to being wrapped in his arms as she cried herself to sleep. Kais wasn't a man of many words, and that's not how he comforted. So now, she would try and console him in the same way.


Silently, Solara reached her arms across the counter. Slipping her hands underneath his, she held his hands firmly. Drawing them closer to her, she tilted her chin up to meet his gaze.


"He does know you better. This is just new territory for him. You and I both know that Shasta is a compartmentalized thinker. He can't really view it from the position as your best friend. Right now, he's only viewing it from the position of a stressed older brother. Don't take it to heart. Shasta will come around. Just give him time," she gripped his hands a little tighter. "I love you, Kais. That's gotta be enough for now?"


A hesitant smile appeared on her face, something she hoped was maybe a little bit comforting. She knew it must hurt for his best friend to react adversely to this news. It hadn't exactly been pleasant to hear Sav's honest opinion either...but they were family, and they spoke in what they thought out of care. It was just a matter of time before she and Kais proved them wrong.

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Salix "Lex" Darinell

The Ruins | Outside the Dorms


Scientist Pipette Operator Runaway ????
​

Lex considered Keanu's explanation and took note. Compliments should be paid with care in this place; even something as innocuous as telling someone they were beautiful could backfire. Perhaps it was even rude in such a place to outright tell someone they were beautiful. In Tranquility there were fewer manners--people didn't care what you said, because they didn't feel anything--of course, there were more rules about what could be discussed. In Tranquility, one never expressed that they felt anything at all, unless they wanted to watch everyone turn their backs on them. Lex had learned that the hard way.


Here he was determined to do better. He wasn't put off by the idea of different rules--rather, he was thrilled by them. Rules meant new things to explore--new things to learn--and Lex was excited to learn where he fit among them. So far, things were going well. But so far he had only interacted with someone like him--someone brand new. He was eager to meet someone who belonged in this strange world and see what the natives were like, so to speak.


Luckily, Lex didn't have long to wait for that.


Nearly before Keanu had finished speaking, a woman with hair even more magnificent than Keanu's appeared. Lex considered her, face bright, as she questioned them without preamble. It seemed a sensible question, but he was a little disappointed at how very neutral she was. Surely the forest-city natives weren't all as blank as the Tranquil, otherwise what was the point? Or maybe it was frowned upon to wear your emotions openly, here, like it had been in Tranquility. Or maybe the people here were many and varied beyond his imagination. People in Tranquility were all quite monochromatic, the idea that people could be different boggled and thrilled him. He thought back to the previous night, to Nolan and the blank-faced man, to the woman who had greeted them when they arrived. Nolan and the woman were both different from the dark man, and all of them were different from Keanu, as far as he could tell so far. And none of them were anything like what he was inside. There were no other possible conclusions than that people could be different--truly unique.


But here was the chance Lex had been wanting--his first chance to speak to someone from the forest-city since truly waking up. He kept in mind that this person wouldn't necessarily be like any of the other forest-city people, but he wanted to talk to her, anyway. So he started with a sunny smile--a genuine smile that reached his eyes, but only showed the barest glint of teeth.


"I'm Lex," Since Keanu had given a response that applied to both of them, he felt no need to add any extras. He looked back at Keanu; he hadn't gotten a chance to respond to his story. "I don't know anyone else's name--except Nolan, who gave me the Pill. The only other people I've met were a man with a painted-black face and cold eyes, and a friendly woman with brown hair. So far, everyone has been beautiful! But perhaps we'll have to learn the correct way to tell them."


Lex's voice was pensive, but a boyish eagerness sparkled in his eyes. He gave Keanu a friendly smile before another thought struck him.





"What do people do around here?" It was a general question, addressed to both Keanu and the yet-unnamed woman. Both had been there longer than he, although admittedly not by much in Keanu's case.


While Lex was content to just wander and meet new people, it had occurred to him that any self-sufficient civilization had to have some sort of structure. And the furniture in his room proved that people worked. He was curious to know how people were assigned jobs, here. Was there a test like in Tranquility? Surely not--everything here was different. Everything was emotions--and tests were the anti-emotion. Or maybe he only thought that because tests were so prevalent in Tranquility.

I'm alive.... I'm alive! Lex

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Kais Wiltchil

Spark Strategist

​

Kais' thoughts and concerns about Shasta were interrupted by Sola leaning across the bar to take his hands. Her words didn't entirely erase his doubts, but they did assuage them; he knew she was right--Shasta couldn't simultaneously view him as a best friend and Sola's partner. Not yet, anyway. And no matter how much Kais felt like he

should be able to do that, it didn't change the facts. It didn't change Shasta. While he was still irked that Shasta would reduce him to a flat stereotype, he took comfort in the feel of her hands wrapped around his. They loved each other, and that was enough.


"You're right." He gave her a somewhat tentative smile and set his worries aside for the moment, squeezing her hands back, then releasing them. For now he would let Shasta sort out his doubts on his own; Kais would focus his own attention on Sola. It wasn't worth the effort to try to convince Shasta that he was being narrow-minded.


With the hot water poured in their mugs, Kais returned the kettle to the stove and took his own cup in hand before moving around to the other side of the bar. There was one downside to having limited sitting space in his apartment, which he hadn't considered in the past. He remembered how very comfortable it had been to sleep with her at his side the previous night, and briefly considered the benefits of a couch--if there had been a couch then he might have sat with one arm across Sola's shoulders. With only bar stools to sit on he would have to be content with merely sitting near her. Kais reached out and touched her hair, twining a lock of it around his fingers, then releasing it before sliding his hand across her shoulders and pulling her into a one-armed hug. He kissed the top of her head, then released her, reluctantly taking a seat on a stool. He wasn't content, but there was no couch and so no alternative.


It was strange to him to crave physical contact so much. Never before had he experienced a need to be close to anyone--and certainly not so frequently. He thought of the night she had gone to Tranquility on her own, how the first thought on his mind had been to hold her, to make certain she was safe and whole. Only she hadn't been, and in his fear he had lashed out. Surprisingly, things had not gone as badly as they might have, from that point.


Kais took a sip of his tea and pulled the box of cinnamon rolls toward him, brushing a half-dismantled circuit board aside as he did so. He picked out a cinnamon roll and considered it with a very nearly quizzical expression on his face. It wasn't that he'd never experienced a cinnamon roll before--Sola was enamored enough of them that she would never have let him live that way--but, rather, that he was trying to remember the last time he did have one.


"...I don't actually remember when the last time I ate was," Kais admitted, a bit sheepish.

 

[rubelline]

Aisha Rose Mifsud


spark soldier





The first man to speak--Keanu, he said his name was, described his experience so far in a way that was simple, but resonated with Aisha because she could so easily empathize. Overwhelming. She understood, and nodded in agreement with him on the statement.


Then the next man spoke. His voice held excitement, and an almost childish joy in discovering a new world previously unknown to him. He spoke of the new people he'd met: Nolan, a man she could only guess to be Kais, as he was with Nolan on the mission, and Sola. Nolan was a man that endlessly amused Aisha; he was short-tempered, emotional and loud. He was strong in his beliefs, which she respected. While she had not qualms with Kais and Solara, she had known for a while that there was something between the two, and that something was more than likely unresolved sexual tension that Aisha had spoken of on more than one occasion. Apparently, they didn't agree with her. 'Just friends'. Yeah, right. They could tell themselves that all they wanted, but it would never be true.


"What do people do around here?" The man who introduced himself as Lex asked.


"Good question," she raised an eyebrow and grinned a bit at him. "I'm Aisha, by the way. Spark soldier."


Aisha eyed the two men and noted that both were, in her opinion, rather attractive. Keanu was a man with prominent freckles and hair past his shoulders. His voice was very soft and kind, and she bet that those adjectives could describe his personality as well. Lex, on the other hand, gave off an 'I'm a complete goofball' kind of vibe. He commented that everyone was beautiful around here, but that they needed to figure out how to better tell people that. She wondered if that meant they'd already had a run-in with inappropriate compliments in the short time they'd been with emotions. Honestly, Aisha had never truly understood the same thing. Why were some compliments considered rude? If it's something nice, there's nothing rude about it. People could be so sensitive sometimes. And she would make a point to tell them that.


"Today, at least, we're having a little welcoming party for the new recruits. You'll get to figure out how you're gonna be useful to The Spark. Like I said, I'm a soldier." She patted the machete on her thigh, before folding her arms in front of her chest. "Neither of you look like wimps, so I'm sure you'll find something to do."


The fact of the matter was that it didn't matter if they were the weakest, most ineffectual people on the face of the planet; Shasta would find something for them to do. It most likely wouldn't be anything enjoyable. It wasn't like they could just decide they didn't want to have feelings anymore either, so they didn't have much of a choice other than find a place in The Spark.





They were, more or less, stuck here.

 

[Ashmorne]

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


spark scout





The way Kais moved caused a light, buzzing feeling to flutter within Solara. He touched her hair, her hand, her shoulder. She loved how it seemed like he didn't want to create any extra space in between them. So, this is what it felt like to be in a real relationship. Sleeping in together, eating breakfast for once, and being able to kiss him whenever she wanted. This was something she could get used to. Sola's gaze shifted to him as he spoke, and instantly a furrow appeared in her brow.





"Please don't tell me you're planning on eating that cold. We're not animals," Sola replied, cringing. She took the roll from his hand and stood up, retrieving a plate from one of the cabinets.


Setting the pastry on the dish, she added three more before slipping them into the microwave to heat up. As she waited, she planned out her day. After breakfast, she'd need to find Veda. There would be lots of setting up for the festival, and Sola didn't even know if her new neighbor knew it was going on. She mentally winced as she considered how she needed to focus more on actually being helpful. Festival prep would be a good place to begin.


She'd heard somewhere that Sapphira would be playing music and singing at the dance, which excited Sola. Saph's voice was something that no one ever forgot. If Saph was singing, that meant Shiva would probably be dancing as well. The talent shared between the two of them was something that always amazed Solara. She continued going down her mental checklist when the ding of the microwave pulled her out of her thoughts. When she retrieved the pastries, the warm smell of cinnamon began to waft through the air. Sola turned around with an excited grin on her face, sliding the plate towards Kais.





"There you go. Warm, the way nature intended them to be," she grinned before skirting the bar and hopping up to sit on the counter. She rested her feet on the empty barstool in front of her and took a pastry. Savoring her first bite slowly, she turned her gaze back to Kais.





"Can you take one to Shasta too? I won't have time to see him before going. I have to leave in the next few minutes so I can get to set up," she asked in between bites. A cinnamon roll wasn't going to fix the hurt and stress that was between Shasta and Kais...but as far as Sola was concerned, it was a damn good place to start.

 

[RZA]

Raphael Torres

Minister of Transportation


Raphael Torres was a man of many talents but controlling his face was not one. The Minister of Defense arrived promptly, with a child at his side. Raph gave him a quizzical look before his face turned dark. He half turned and listened to the hellos and introductions before making his own. When Ava finished speaking and sat down Raph decided it was clear to speak.


“Well Minister,” Raph said with a harsh undertone in his usually suave voice. “I recall requesting your presence, not… his. I must have a chat with my girls.” Raphael turned to the woman who ushered the Minister and spoke over the hyperventilating boy. “Two glasses of red wine for the President and her personal assistant, my usual, whatever the Minister here would like, and please call a transport for him.” He pointed to the kid with disdain. “Matters of the government are for governmental officials.”


He turned from his girl and back into his VIP room, focused on removing the furrow between his brows. Raphael definitely needed to have a chat with his girls regarding his invitation lists.

 

[Zoola]

NOLAN SALEM


As he exited the dorm building, Nolan recognized two newly familiar faces, as well as one that he knew slightly better than the other two. It was Lex, the new recruit Nolan had brought in from Tranquility just the night before; Keanu, also a fairly new member that Nol had met for a very brief time in the Market Expo the previous day; and Aisha, a Spark soldier who had been there for as long as Nolan had, and whose company Nol admittedly quite enjoyed, though they hadn't talked all too often. He knew some people found her outright bluntness to be rather harsh, but he appreciated her candor, especially since Nolan himself was a person who needed constant honesty to keep his ego in check. Overall, Nol admired the woman, especially her strength in spirit. Admittedly, he didn't know the other two men nearly as well, or at all, for that matter, being that they were both newcomers. Always eager for the opportunity to meet and interact with new members of The Spark, he meandered his way over to the small group, a grin breaking out on his otherwise fatigued face. Within moments, though, all traces of exhaustion melted away from his face - save for the dark circles underlining his bright eyes - and instead were replaced by his usual jovial expression.


"Hey," he called out as he approached, his voice warm and bright, "Aisha, Lex, good to see you guys. How's it going? How're you adjusting, Lex? I hope your first night was alright." Nol briefly recalled his first night out in the Ruins, and it was an admittedly less than pleasurable experience. As a Diamond brat, he hadn't spent one day out of the luxuries of the rich sector up until that point, and the world outside of it felt absolutely foreign to him. Though he was hesitant to admit it even to himself, he felt almost alienated at first, unable to rid himself of the nagging in his conscience that told him everyone else would despise a Rich Boy from the Diamond. In fact, it took him a week before he could sleep soundly. Thankfully, those days were far in the past, and he was glad to say that he could now comfortably call The Ruins his true home. After addressing the other two people, Nol then turned to the long-haired man, who he recalled meeting for a brief moment before in the Market Expo. "And - Keanu, right? I think we met in the market a little while ago."

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Kais Wiltchil

Spark Strategist

​

The cinnamon roll was gone before Kais could take a bite of it and Sola was giving him a look that was half-reproach, half-disgust. Apparently it was not acceptable to eat a cinnamon roll before it had been microwaved. Not even if you hadn't eaten in a day and a half. Kais gave Sola a playful glare and strummed his fingers on the counter top while he waited for the cinnamon rolls to meet her temperature standards. When she finally pulled them out and slid the plate toward him, he continued to stare at her suspiciously. Not because the cinnamon rolls were warm, but because he wanted to be quite certain she wasn't going to take them away again before he tried to eat one.

Kais watched her hop up to sit on the bar and take a pastry for herself. He smiled, looking up at her, and finally decided it would be safe to eat uninterrupted. Sola, he knew, liked to wax poetic about cinnamon rolls; personally, Kais wasn’t much of a foodie—and he cared even less for sweets. The cinnamon rolls were good, for a sweet, he supposed, but he didn’t go out of his way to eat them. Still, Sola was always so excited about them that he had to smile; he didn’t mind sharing some with her, if it brought her that much joy.


At her suggestion that he take one to Shasta, Kais grimaced. For a moment, he had forgotten that he had responsibilities, and that those responsibilities involved a man who no longer trusted him to look after his sister. Kais pushed his annoyance aside, remembering Sola’s words, and nodded.





“Sure, but if you think I can sweeten his disposition with sweets, I think you’re doomed to be disappointed.” Kais finished off his cinnamon roll, licking sticky-sweet icing from his fingers, and taking a long drink of tea. "You're recruiting scouts today, you said? Might not see you again until tonight--not sure if Shasta's going to want me to attend or not."





Given the choice, Kais would have chosen 'not attending,' but sometimes there were things to do, regardless of his personal feelings.

 

[Ashmorne]

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


spark scout





"Attend the jobs fair portion or the dance?" Sola asked, finishing off her cinnamon roll before hopping off the counter to rinse off her hands.


She remembered that in the brief time she saw Shasta, he informed her that he'd be going back into the outskirts of Tranquility again this evening. Her brother usually attended both halves of the induction festival, both the fair and the dance. Shasta kept an eye on things, met with new recruits to introduce himself, and made himself available to resolve any hitches or disputes. Though Solara couldn't see Kais willingly introducing himself to any new recruits he hadn't met, she could easily see Shasta asking him to make sure that things went ran well from a more mechanical aspect. Sola waited for a moment before she begin speaking again, answering her own questions.


"He's probably going to ask you to make sure things go smoothly, since he's not going to be there. And we already agreed that you're coming to the dance," Sola said brightly, looking over her shoulder as she washed her hands. Drying them off quickly, she turned back towards Kais and slipped keys from her pocket. She looped an arm easily around his waist in a side hug, kissing his cheek and lingering for a moment before letting go to turn towards the door.


"Anyway, I've got to head out now. You've monopolized my time long enough," she said with a laugh, excited for the day though reluctant to leave his company. "I'll see you tonight,"


It was already a little later than she expected, and she wondered if Veda was already awake. Sola was looking forward to talking with her about the event. The other woman had asked about Patch removal as well, which needed to be done. Dr. Vi would probably be at the set up, readying the clinic booth with an appointment sign up sheet for the removal. Maybe they'd run into her, and Veda would be able to schedule a time even sooner. Sola knew that even if Violette wasn't there, Savi would probably know where she was. Eagerness began to set in. She couldn't wait for this day to begin. Induction festivals were often her favorite days out of the month. Today, the Ruins would be buzzing with activity.

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Kais Wiltchil

Spark Strategist

​

Kais was saved the trouble of answering Sola's questions when she did so herself. He had, of course, meant the jobs fair, since they'd already agreed he would come to the dance--which Sola lost no time in reminding him. He nodded idly in response to her comment about Shasta's likely instructions. Though he wasn't really looking forward to it, at least he would have some way to make himself useful, and perhaps it meant he would see Sola at the fair, as well.

When she lingered to give him a hug and a kiss, Kais wrapped one arm around her, letting his fingers glide across her back as she moved away. As much as he didn't want to see her go, he knew they both had things that needed to be done. There had been a time when the two of them might set up for the fair together, and both end up working the scout booth--in as much as, Sola properly interacted with new recruits while he sat around and looked surly. But these days they each had their own respective responsibilities, and Kais' involved Shasta more than Sola.





"Don't forget your half of the bargain," Kais called after her as she headed for the door. He had promised to dance with her under the assumption that they could both leave early--he knew Sola liked to stay for the duration, given her own way, she probably would have danced all night at these parties. Kais was keen to replace that with some quiet time together, instead.


After she left the room, Kais collected his thoughts. There were things to be organized with Shasta--Kais needed to report on what had happened the previous night (nothing), and compare notes, and deliver a cinnamon roll. Then there was the question of what Shasta needed him to do while he was away. Kais slid off the stool and put everything in order: remaining cinnamon rolls in the box, plate cleaned and put away, hands washed. His eyes lighted on the blade laying on the bar and he considered where he would hang it. He needed supplies to mount it, anyway--it couldn't be done, now--though he smiled when he recalled Sola's name suggestions.


All that could be dealt with later. For now he picked up the box and headed out the door toward Shasta's room. It was a short walk, just down the hall from Kais' room; he knocked on the door and waited, trying not to think as he pushed away his worries and misgivings.

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Salix "Lex" Darinell

The Ruins | Outside the Dorms


Scientist Pipette Operator Runaway ????
​

Things were happening almost faster than Lex could respond to them. The woman introduced herself as Aisha--a soldier. Exactly what it means to be a soldier, Lex hadn't a clue. He knew that back before PaxCor people had fought and waged wars with soldiers, but all that was in the past, now. Or, at least, he had been told that it was all in the past. Now that he considered, all that information came from PaxCor, and how was he to trust anything he'd learned from them, now? It was troubling to think that all the knowledge he had previously taken for granted might all be false.


She answered his question--explaining that today was some sort of event that would help them figure out how to help the Spark. Lex wasn't entirely sure what that meant, either, but was eager to learn. The whole thing sounded like great fun, and great potential for learning. Before Lex could ask about the welcome-party, Nolan joined them.


"Nolan!" Lex greeted the other man with a cheerful grin, "Doing alright--though I admit to thinking it was all a dream when I first woke up, here. Everything is so foreign!"


He ran his finger through his quickly-drying curls and then stuffed his hands in his pockets; the smile lingered on his face. "Aisha was just explaining that there's to be some sort of welcome event--are we going to get jobs, like in Tranquility? Whatever we're best at? Only I'm not much good at much, and nothing at all practical."


There was a tiny spot of nervousness in his stomach as he considered. These people were practical people: people who worked with their hands and made things, people who thought for themselves and made a difference. Lex had never done anything at all except what he was told. Now that he was able, he wasn't sure that he could think for himself.

I'm alive.... I'm alive! Lex

 

[Ashmorne]

S H A S T A || F E I V E L


Spark Alpha





Sunrise never ceased to be Shasta's favorite time of day. Even when he was a child, he enjoyed being up in the early hours with his father...rising before everyone else in order to see the sun peek over the trees and bring light to the Ruins. He had been up for several hours now, doing various tasks that were involved in maintaining Spark life. His day would be full of a myriad of preparations, though he needed to wait for Kais before wading too deeply into planning for his second meeting with Ava Sebastian. Shasta had heard that that Kais and Nolan had made it back to The Ruins in one piece, along with a new recruit.


The thought of a new addition caused his thoughts to move to how the induction festival was this evening, and a feeling of regret bounced around in his mind as he knew he would be missing it. They'd gotten in several new recruits, and Shasta hadn't been able to meet any of them yet. He typically got the chance to at every induction festival, and enjoyed the time spent familiarizing himself with their latest members. There was one recruit in particular that he wanted to meet...the one that had been in the clearing with Sola. He needed to talk to both of them to get their reports to put on record, but he also wanted to introduce himself to the girl that had gone through something so significant with his sister that Sola chose to be with her rather than come talk to him after the attack.


He sat as his desk quietly as he considered it, organizing papers and forms into different piles. He was adding the names of the new recruits on file when a knock sounded at the door. Shasta looked up, closing the ledger of names and leaning back in his chair.





"Come in," he called, moving the book towards the corner of his desk.


Papers were organized into three neat stacks in front of him. One was for reports of the attack. Soldiers and guards involved had been streaming in readily to give him their accounts. Another was planning sheets for the induction festival. The third was a stack of miscellaneous pages still waiting to be sorted.

 

[Ashmorne]

Introducing the Induction Festival


part 1 of 2


a collaboration between @Rissa, @Zoola, and @Ashmorne



​

The Oak would be a hub of activity. Even from the staircase, Solara could feel the excited energy that emanated from the lobby. Her hair had pretty much dried, french-braided and hanging like a rope over her shoulder. For a brief moment, she considered what she wanted to wear for the actual dance. It was fleeting, and she instead focused on the task at hand. When they reached the lobby, most of the tables had been set up. They were arranged in aisles, all in the large expanse of the Grand Oak’s foyer. It really was a thing of Old World beauty, the natural light reflecting off the vaulted ceiling and filling the entryway with a warm glow. People hummed about, some tables already laden with sign up sheets for interviews, information cards, and other things.


Solara held a clipboard in one of her hands, a sign and blank appointment sheets clasped within it. In her free arm, she had a large bowl of caramels made in The Ruins. She usually liked to set those out for incentive, beckoning people to their scout table. A quick glance around the room showed that Nolan wasn’t yet there, so she was able to begin setting up wherever. Stopping at a free table, Sola set down the clipboard and candy to look over at Veda.


“Alright. I’m going to be disappointed if you don’t consider some sort of training in combat,” she said with a grin.


She propped up the sign at the front of the table facing out: “SCOUTS: DELIVERING THE PILL.”


At that moment, Nolan all but stumbled into the scene, clearly looking out of breath and quite a bit disheveled, as if he had suddenly remembered his commitment to be at the job's fair and had raced his way across the Ruins. And that, in fact, was exactly what had happened. Upon reaching the table, a sheepish, crooked smile snaked its way across Nolan's face, and he scratched the back of his neck in an attempt to play off his lateness in a casual manner.





"Hey, Sola," he chuckled, walking up to the table. He leaned against it, glancing around at the set up and nodding approvingly.


After he had parted ways with Aisha, Lex, and Keanu earlier that day, Nol opted to prepare himself for the festival that night. After all, the event was the single thing he looked forward to each month. Who wouldn't? Between the dance and chatting up the new recruits, Nol enjoyed the festival and met it with an eager enthusiasm each month. He'd returned to his room and rummaged through the piles of laundry that littered his bedroom floor for something acceptable and eventually decided upon a short sleeve button down shirt and a pair of jeans, accompanied by his baseball cap, as usual. Glancing at the clock, he'd decided he had enough time until the festival to sit back and relax - his first error. The fatigue from the previous night engulfing him like a wave, and before he knew it, he was asleep. What he had intended to be a five minute leisure period had accidentally turned into an admittedly rather lengthy nap. He'd jolted awake just in time to realize he was late, bringing him to his current situation.


Redness flushed his cheeks for a brief moment, and he adjusted his cap to conceal it. He cleared his throat, straightening his shoulders. "So," he clapped his hands, rubbing them together vigorously, "we ready to go?"


It took Veda a few minutes to decide whether or not she truly wanted to take combat lessons. Her mind flashed to the clearing, to the pain in her wrist after she pulled the trigger… and the pain of what came after. Before she could reply however, Nolan - the scout Lugh introduced her to - arrived slightly out of breath and spoke to Sola. He wore a grey cap and a sheepish expression.


Sola looked over at Nol with a wry smile as Veda left to wander the induction festival. She hadn’t missed the blooming blush on his face before he’d tucked his trademark cap to hide it. Choosing not to comment on his red face, she instead pushed the bowl of caramels towards Nol before circling the table and sitting down behind it.


“Hey, Rich Boy. Nice of you to join me,” she said with a cheeky grin. “I’m surprised that you and I haven’t been scheduled for the table together before. I use the caramels to lure unsuspecting prey into the life of a scout,”


She had added the last part with a small laugh, taking a candy and popping it in her mouth as she waited for Nol’s response.


Nol chuckled as Sola greeted him, and he made his way around the table to join her behind it. “Sorry, I, ah… got caught up. My bed was extra comfy today for some reason.” he said before taking a few caramels from the bowl. “I know - you’d think they’d pair up the two best scouts for the job, right?” he joked. Nol nodded in playful approval when Sola mentioned her use of the caramels to bribe recruits into becoming scouts, popping one of the candies into his mouth. “Ah, bribery, that's smart,”


For the first time, Nol took a moment to glance about the induction festival, falling silent for a brief moment as he did so. “So,” he said, popping another caramel in his mouth before continuing, “have you met anyone you think might become a scout? What about your friend? The one I met in the Market Expo?”


“Veda?” Sola asked, tapping her chin as she thought.


That night in the clearing, Veda had shown some clear promise with combat. She’d handled the gun naturally, given that she’d never held one before. The woman also seemed to be quick on her feet, a faster learner. She’d make a good scout, in Sola’s opinion. Either that, or a soldier. With a start, Solara realized that she hadn’t even found out exactly what Veda’s Tranquility profession had been. Might’ve been good to know, in order to discern job status.





“You know, I think she’d make a great scout. Don’t know that she will become one though. Keanu might be a little too easily spooked for the job, if I’m honest. What about you? I saw that there was someone else with you and Kais on your last Pill delivery. Good fit for the scouting life?”

 

[Zoola]

Introducing the Induction Festival


part 2 of 2


a collaboration between @Rissa, @Zoola, and @Ashmorne



​

Nolan nodded thoughtfully as Sola spoke, his own thoughts drifting to consider possible contenders for the scout job. Soon enough, however, Sola asked the question that Nolan had already been quietly pondering. “Yeah, that was Lex. I didn’t really get a chance to know him too well yet, since we got back from that last Pill delivery pretty late and all, but from what I saw, yeah, maybe.” He paused, thinking back to that night. It was a mostly silent journey back to the Ruins from Tranquility, a highly unusual occurrence whenever Nol was on duty. Usually, he was busy chatting up the new recruits for the duration of the entire journey. “Also, I’m pretty sure Kais is plotting to shoot me in the head at some point.” he chuckled.


Nol cleared his throat, shifting in his seat. He glanced at Sola, a sudden thought crossing his mind. “That reminds me - last night on delivery, when Kais, Lex, and I came back - what were you doing up so late? The rest of the Ruins was pretty much asleep by then.”


Sola took another caramel, chewing it as she listened to Nol. At the mention of Kais potentially shooting him in the head, Sola chuckled despite the fact that she was a little wary. The casual side of Kais would’ve been saying that as a joke, the professional would not have been. Neither of those sides were particularly fond of anyone outside of herself and Shasta.


Solara looked back over at Nol as he cleared his throat and mentioned her being up late. A smile had appeared on his face. If he only knew the struggle she had with sleep. The nightmares she had often made it so the rest that she did get wasn’t very restful at all. Sometimes it was just easier to sleep when there was light outside.


“Well, in that instance, I was waiting for Kais to get back. But honestly, I don’t really get much sleep most nights. I’m a bit of an insomniac,” she shrugged, settling her chin in the palm of her hand. “I usually wind up wandering around the Ruins more often than not,”


“Really?” Nolan inquired, his brows raised as Sola told him that, much like himself, she was an insomniac. He nodded understandingly. “I’m actually kind of an insomniac myself,” he admitted, wringing his fingers and lacing them, as he usually did whenever he was idle. He preferred activity - he needed to be moving around most of the time, and restlessness was a habit that plagued him often. “Me, too. Whenever I can’t sleep, I just go for a walk around the Ruins. It’s pretty terrible to be exhausted all the time, but at least I get to see the sunrise every morning,” he shrugged, a mildly optimistic smile warming his face. Then, his face lit up and he turned to face Sola. “Hey, if you ever can’t sleep or anything, you should come and find me. It gets pretty lonely at night, and if you’re gonna wander the Ruins at midnight, it’s better with a friend, right?”


At the mention of seeing the sunrise every morning, Sola smiled and nodded. She thought about how she often was getting to bed right as Shasta was waking up for the day. As he talked, Sola was struck by how similar they seemed to be. She didn’t know anyone else in the Ruins who wandered around at night. He was sort of fidgety too, just like her. While they were talking, her hand had moved to toy with her necklace.


“Sure,” she said as she returned his grin. “Honestly, I’m surprised we haven’t run into each other before. It does get pretty isolated. Sounds much more fun with an insomnia buddy,”


"Yeah, me, too," Nol agreed with a nod. It was rather strange that the two hadn't encountered each other by chance. He was out wandering the Ruins nearly every night, and he guessed Sola was the same way. They must've had different routes. Instinctively, he reached up to take off his cap, ruffling the hair underneath before once again securing the hat onto his head. He was pleased to hear that Sola agree to be his "insomnia buddy," as she'd labeled it; his nights would hopefully be much less lonely with company around, especially with a friend whose company he quite enjoyed. "I guess I'll be seeing you around, then, insomnia buddy," he joked, a playful smile brightening his face.


With that, Nolan leaned back into his seat as he briefly scanned the room. He glanced at the bowl of caramels in front of him, tempted to take another but refraining himself from doing so. After all, they were there to coax any new Spark recruits into the wonderful life of a scout. He sat there decorously, his Diamond upbringing coming into play as he sat looking welcoming to anyone wanting to approach their table.

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Salix "Lex" Darinell

The Ruins | The Grand Oak Lobby


Scientist Pipette Operator Runaway ????
​

The remainder of the day had been just as packed full of new experiences and faces as the morning had been. After parting ways with Keanu, Nolan, and Aisha, Lex had continued his exploration. The forest-city, which (Lex learned) its inhabitants called "The Ruins" was a veritable civilization in itself; he spent the better part of the morning just wandering and greeting anyone who crossed his path. Most were perfectly friendly, some were even willing to take a moment out of their day to talk with him, others were more withdrawn--once or twice people merely stared at him when he greeted them. This was even more exciting than the people who were willing to talk to him. There was so much variety, here. Not even the people could be predicted.


Lex was still working out how someone might approach one of the quiet-stare people for a more favorable result when he remembered he was supposed to go to a jobs fair at the Grand Oak Hotel. He had passed the building in question earlier--it was conspicuous in his memory because people had been hurrying in and out of the double doors, evidently preparing for the event. That and the building itself was quite a beauty. Lex had never noticed buildings before, but there was no denying this one was aesthetically pleasing. In any case, he knew--in theory--where the building was. The problem was he wasn't entirely sure where he was. Certainly not in relation to the Grand Oak.


So he continued wandering, not worried in the least. Eventually he would find some landmark he remembered, stumble on the building itself, or run into someone who could point him in the correct direction. And so he did; within a few minutes of his decision to wander his way back to the Grand Oak, he met a young woman who pointed him in the correct direction.


Within half an hour of that he found the hotel itself, bustling with activity. He made his way up the steps and through the propped-open double doors. Then he stopped a few feet inside and marveled.


There were so many people of all flavors. He spotted smiling faces, laughing faces, embarrassed faces, nervous faces, people with blank faces or furrowed brows, people deep in discussion, people leaning closer together to talk quietly over the din. He spotted Nolan behind a table labelled 'SCOUTS: DELIVERING THE PILL.' Beside him was a woman who looked vaguely familiar, but it took him a few minutes to remember where he had seen her--she had been the one who greeted them at the edge of the forest, last night. He was tempted to go say hello, but he had already met both of them, and there were so many new people here that he hadn't met, yet.


Lex would have been pleased to stand there in the doorway all day and just watch them. Except if he stood there he couldn't very well talk to them--unless they ran into him, which a few people had already done on their way in.


After the fifth, Lex decided the doorway was likely a bad place to stand.

So many PEOPLE! Lex

 

[rubelline]

Aisha Rose Mifsud


spark soldier





There were three things Aisha loathed more than anything else in this world: having to pretend to be 'warm' and 'friendly', indecisive people, and paperwork.


Needless to say, running the soldiers' booth wasn't exactly her idea of a good time.


Though she always dreaded this part of the initiation process, she had to admit that walking into the lobby was always a magnificent feeling. Endless streams of chatter provided a constant background noise, and the air smelled of freshly printed paper and the faintest scent of candy, though Aisha could only help but assume Solara was the cause of the latter. Paper that had filtered its way onto the floor crinkled underneath her steps, and a warm breeze made its way through the room. Overall, one cold sum up the atmosphere as a pleasant one, with both new recruits and familiar faces milling about aimlessly, taking in the sights. Some seemed almost wary of their surroundings, as if they didn’t know what to do with themselves.


The difference between most people and Aisha was that she was always, 100%, completely sure of herself. Each footstep held purpose, and anyone could see such from just the way she walked, and how she held herself. It was practically impossible to break her stride or catch her with her shoulders hunched or head low. Such a thing was almost unheard of. And, in response, most people found it in their best interest to move out of her way when she was in a crowded place, favoring that option over whatever they thought would happen if they didn’t. She had a booth to run, and she intended to get there before the crowd was too heavy to navigate.


Finally, at the sight of her booth, she sat the box of final supplies needed down on the soldiers table and began the process of organizing all of the paperwork, forms and cards needed. Aisha had already hung the sign on the table that read “SOLDIER” in bold red letters, with the subtitle underneath in smaller print “DEFENDERS OF THE RUINS”. The bottom of it brushed the floor, waving slightly in the breeze.


“Hm.” She pursed her lips in thought as three neat stacks of paper formed on the table. One for the general requirements of a soldier, another of interview forms, and one more stack of sign-up sheets for a basic combat course. She unpacked a clipboard and a couple pens last, laying three down on the table for recruits and keeping one for herself, rounding the table and taking a seat in one of the two chairs and placing the now empty box in the other.


The hotel had grown far busier than it had when she first entered. She sighed in contempt, ready to get all human interaction over with. Be nice, she reminded herself, don’t look like you’re ready to murder the first person to talk to you.


So, she tucked a strand of hair that had gotten in her face under the white bandana that was acting as her headband for the night, put on her best vaguely-happy-but-neutral expression, and mentally prepared herself for any person that might approach.

 

[Skeleton]

Keanu Forrester



​

​

Keanu had spent the day in the forest. The calm of the woods helped to settle him, giving him the energy he needed to go to the event that was happening. When he arrived at the place that was called The Grand Oak, he was surprised to be caught up within a sea of people. The market had been truly crowded, so he wasn't rightly sure why he had expected this to be any different. There was an air of excitement to this place, like the Sparks were eager to share their lives with newcomers like him. It caused a glimmering feeling to spread across him, for once excited to be in the midst of a crowd.


He cut his way through the churning mob of people, his eyes resting on all the different options. Before really exploring though, he wanted more than anything to find a familiar face. He ambled through the lobby area, suddenly spotting Sola and Nolan at the scout table. They were talking easily between each other, and he felt a twitchy feeling as he observed the comfort that was clearly between the two. There were wide smiles plastered on both of their faces. He wanted to be able to talk to someone like that, to laugh like that. A grin split his face as he approached them, his eyes darting between the two scouts and the bowl of what seemed to be candy. First cinnamon rolls, and now this? Nolan and Solara seemed to be harbingers of sweet things wherever they went.


"Hi guys...do you know if there's some sort of doctor's table I could find? I was a medic back in Tranquility...I don't know...maybe that'd be a good fit for me here too," he asked, looking at the two of them. He pointed down at the bowl at the table. "Those things smell really sweet. What are they?

 

[Zoola]

NOLAN SALEM

​

There was something oddly calming about seeing all the members of the Spark, both new and old, congregated in one area. It was like an unspoken reassurance; they were all there for one purpose, striving towards one goal. Some people felt uneasy in crowds, but Nolan felt more comfortable surrounded by many different people. Perhaps that was why he enjoyed the Market Expo so much. Being the social butterfly that he was, he was always one to prefer more people rather than less. As such, he greatly enjoyed the social festivities that took place in the Ruins, particularly the Induction Festival. Nolan's favorite part of the festival was still yet to come - the dance. Though, he couldn't say that he was particularly fond of the dressing up; it reminded him too much of the extravagant Diamond parties that he despised so much, of which he was usually forced to attend by his family. The rest of the Salem family truly embodied and embraced the Diamond lifestyle: they were poised, masters of propriety, ruled by appearances, and, of course, fake as hell. The Diamond idiots, as Nol not-so-affectionately referred to the residents of the sector as (much to his sister's annoyance) preferred certain qualities that Nolan himself didn't possess. Nolan simply didn't fit into the Diamond mold, and his deviance from those societal norms was what led him to the Spark. He was eternally grateful for that. He'd take the lively Spark festivals over the ridiculously ornate Diamond galas any day.


Soon, Nolan spotted a familiar face approaching the table. "Hey," Nolan greeted, grinning welcomingly as Keanu made his way over to their booth, though for a moment he recalled what Solara had said about him earlier; he was too timid for the scout life. He did seem a bit meek and fainthearted to handle the intensity of the frequent journeys to Tranquility. A small sense of relief washed over him when he instead asked about the medic booth. He scanned the area, spotting Dr. Violette seated at a booth across the room that was labeled "MEDIC". "Yeah, Dr. Acotas is over there at the medic booth," he said, jerking his thumb in the direction of the table. He wasn't surprised that Keanu sought to fall back on a familiar occupation; many new recruits did. It brought a sense of comfort and familiarity in the midst of such turbulent change. The first few days were a dramatic roller coaster, to say the least. Maybe that was why he decided upon the life of a scout - so that he could occasionally return to the familiar. Though he despised Tranquility with a passionate fire, there was something oddly soothing about going back. Nol raised his brows in surprise when Keanu asked what the caramels were, shaking his head in mock disappointment as he picked up the bowl. "You've never tried caramel? Man, you've never lived," he said, holding the bowl up to Keanu as he offered him a piece.

 

[SlowInfect]

Aaron Miller


The New Recruit
​

Smoke curled from Aaron's mouth as his cigarette burned to the butt. Three and counting. The nicotine high was all he wanted to focus on, but he knew he needed to enter the foyer soon. Since the crowd entering had begun to thin out, he knew things would be in full swing soon. So many people...


Ever since his injury which nullified his patch, Aaron's head throbbed-- which made the noise associated with groups almost unbearable. His escape from Tranquility wasn't without impairment either, but the generous amount of pain pills Aaron received for his burns was aiding his headache as well. The doctor... Aaron tried to remember her name... Doctor Acotas wanted to study how his patch was rendered ineffective. However, time had restricted that to another day. "Maybe that's for the best" Aaron thought, as he was still leery of the organization. Sure, he needed Spark and everyone was nice enough-- yet, he wouldn't complain about more time to analyze his new allies.


When the ember of his fourth cigarette kissed his fingers, Aaron flicked the stub to ground and snuffed it with his foot. "On to the main event" he said with tepid laughter. Entering the bustling room, Aaron already knew which career he wanted to join-- The Scouts. After all, he still had unfinished business in Tranquility. His family was still there. Unfortunately, he didn't know where the booth was located. Aaron stepped lightly around the mass of people, taking great care to avoid bumping his bandaged arm into anyone.


With each step, he scanned each kiosk for his objective. Booth managers beckoned him in passing, but Aaron quickly turned his head, pretending not to notice. However, discretion wasn't his forte-- so his blatant avoidance was met with scowls as he walked by. Hunters, looters, and scientists.... he passed them all. Where was it? Musicians, cooks, soldiers.... Soldiers? Losing focus of his goal, Aaron found himself picking up a paper of general requirements. He thought back to his time at the Old World Museum, and a sense of wonderment came over him. Wars were a horror of the past, but here it was revived. Staring at the page, Aaron could hardly process what he was reading, but it excited him. Sweat filled his palms and his hands began to tremor.


It would be several moments before he even registered the woman in front him. Forgetting that a person would even be there, he flinched when he noticed his proximity. "Sorry, I'm looking for the scout booth" he apologized, feeling embarrassed. Hands still shaky, Aaron attempted to place the paper back on the table, but the sweat glued the parchment to his thumb. An awkward flick of his wrist left the paper to glide slowly to the floor.

 

[rubelline]

Aisha Rose Mifsud


spark soldier





It’d been less than five minutes and Aisha was bored already. The truth was that becoming a soldier wasn’t the most appealing of all the careers one could choose once they entered the job fair. Your life was put on the line, constantly, when you donned the title. It was a risk she was willing to take, but she was unfortunately one of few. Not many people were willing to gamble with fate, scared they were going to pull the death card, but it was her philosophy that you can’t win if you just wait for destiny to choose for you. She scanned the throng of people, pondering if she should maybe actually try to start conversations with anyone. The idea was unpleasant, but perhaps necessary.


Aisha remembered her first job fair as a new recruit, sixteen years old and a bit more animated than she was now. She’d been young and unsure of where she’d wanted to make her home in the Spark, but the end it had all worked out with becoming a soldier. To her own surprise, her detached attitude and realistic outlook was perfect for the military, making her level-headed in high pressure situations. Usually these were flaws, not strengths. It was refreshing to have a place where she could be herself, be useful and not be looked at like some sort of failure or faulty machine; which was the way it had been during her time in Tranquility.


When a man approached her booth, she was a bit surprised. He did not speak to her, so she did not speak to him. Instead he picked up a paper, seemingly engrossed in the information it provided. To her, it was as bland as an unsalted cracker, but he was more than interested. Tranquility tended to keep their citizens in the dark about…well, everything, which in turn made most new recruits uneducated about the majority of subjects. They were always so curious, so eager to lap up the unfamiliar.


The man startled when he noticed Aisha had been sitting there the whole time, stating he was looking for the scout booth. In his embarrassment, the man tried to set the paper back down but dropped it instead. A cold eye raked him down, taking in every detail. His hands were shaking. He was sweating. Both signs of nervousness, but she could already tell that from his voice. “The scout booth is down that way,” she pointed to her left, “down the aisle, on your right side.”


With her boot, she slid the fallen paper closer to her and picked it up, placing it back on the stack after brushing off tiny specks of dirt. “Everyone wants to be a scout. I did too, at first, but they want a certain personality for that profession and it wasn’t me. I’m too unapproachable.” Aisha leaned forward as she talked, hoping the man could hear her voice. “What’s your name?” She asked, raising an eyebrow.

 

[whitefoxkiller]

Ava Sebastian

​

Ava wasn’t too keen on the presence of a boy in the VIP lounge, but she really was surprised at Rafael’s reaction at first. But, given a second, Ava realized that of course that’s how Rafael would react. He never tolerates stuff like a scared kid invading his personal space. Not that that normally happened, Tores just didn’t like stuff like that. Nevertheless, he might have been civil enough to keep the sharp tone directed at the Minister of Defence under control. Dominic would be a powerful enemy if you got on his shit list. Ava shifted in her seat -not uncomfortably, but casually; like she was settling in- as the kid was pulled away from the scene and away from his escort(?), Mr. Kader. She followed his exit with her gaze, watching the poor kid get sent to the exit. Pretty much everyone else in the apartment was also looking at him. When Rafael turned back around, Ava gave a smile that resembled a sigh and scanned the small audience.


She supposed she was a good a candidate as any to break the tension and to get all the drawn-out pleasantries out of the way. Ava’s first inclination was to ask Dominic about his job and whether he got any more info on the people who broke into the park. Unfortunately, due to Eve’s suspicion of Ava, that conversation topic would probably put Ava officially under the lamp. So instead she would make small talk with Rafael, maybe somehow get him into a position where he could leave his guests with her.


“I think I speak for all of us when I say your renovations are incredible, Tores. How long did all this take? I mean, having contruction in your apartment too long is bound to have an impact on your sleep, right?” Ava did a gape-mouthed and sweet smile, looking at him admirably, like a few nights without as much sleep as you would normally get was the worst thing that could happen, and for braving such obstacles Rafael was nothing less than a hero.

 

[Zoola]

Eve Salem



​

If there was one thing Raphael was lacked, it was the ability to keep his emotions concealed. That was one obvious area where Eve and the minister differed. In a flash, Raphael's face darkened and it was at that moment Eve decided that she would refrain from getting on his bad side. It seemed the man had a bit of a darker side and a temper, one that he didn't completely reign in. Still, Eve understood his frustration; such a blunder, especially in the presence of the president, of all people, could potentially lead to negative political consequences. She figured that, at that moment, he'd do anything to save face in front of the president. A fleeting thought crossed her mind as to how a child could've ended up at one of Raphael's infamous galas in the first place; after all, his events were anything but child-friendly. Soon, the boy was being escorted out of the room, all eyes fixated on the kid. Eve almost pitied the poor man or woman who would surely be punished over the incident. Almost. Such errors deserved penalty, after all. Raphael's anger seemed to be directed at Domenic, evident in the sharpness in his voice as he regarded him, though the Minister of Defense was hardly to blame; his actions were the result of someone else's oversight. Eve shot a Dom a facetiously chiding look, her brow raised in an expression of faux disapproval. In the back of her mind, she hoped they would be able to steal a few moment alone. She was curious as to what information he discovered regarding the Peace Park incident.


Ava was the one to ease the tension in the room, sparking an idle discussion about Raphael's renovations. Eve wasn't one to enjoy small talk - quite frankly, she found the empty chit-chatting boring and dull - though it seemed to be the Diamond's favored type of conversation, so naturally, she engaged in it. "The place does look wonderful, Raphael. I bet you're the envy of the Diamond," Eve smiled lightly. Unlike Ava, Eve refrained from becoming doe-eyed and fawning over Raphael's brave actions of powering through some missed sleep, instead maintaining an elegant air of mild intrigue. "I imagine it was frustrating to have your home constantly occupied during the construction, as well," she added, her arms crossed daintily. Naturally, she was inclined to ask Raphael about his work, but she refrained for the time being, not wanting him to bombard him with too many questions at once.

 

[Space Cowboy Ein]

Domenic L. Kader ~ Minister of Defense


Dom took Rapheal's miniature tirade in stride. He didn't necessarily feel responsible for whatever trouble the boy had caused the minister. It was, after all, his fault the boy ended up here in the first place. One would always have to be thorough when constructing a guest list. Domenic only did what was right, it was better to bring him to a quiet room rather than keep him on the floor, lost among the power elite of Tranquility. He'd take Raph's comments as a response to a bruised ego rather than a deliberate attempt to antagonize the Minister of Defense. His gaze followed the pair as they were led from the room and left the group in a sudden, awkward, silence. He caught the disappointed glance from Eve and questioned its validity. Did she really think less of him for this little faux pas? It was a question that he hoped to have answered in private, between the two of them later in the evening.


Dom was keen to break the silence in the room, but it seemed that Miss Sebastian would beat her to the punch, choosing to compliment Raph's choice of decor. Eve was quick to chime in as well and in doing so, fully shifted the conversation away from him, which he was grateful for. He debated joining in, but didn't like the idea of tacking on any other bits of conversation that weren't really needed. Still, he needed a way to strike back for the attempted shaming from the Transportation Minister. "I do have to give you some credit. Despite the amount of construction you had to endure, you never did look worse for wear." He was unimpressed by Raph's feats of powering through a lack of sleep but didn't want to be openly antagonistic to him either. He'd aim for sounding mild disinterested instead. Really he was ready to discuss more pressing matters this evening, but it was likely better to wait until the wine arrived for everyone else first.

 

[SlowInfect]

Aaron Miller


The New Recruit
​

Aaron grimaced and wiped his hands on his trousers before turning his head towards the scout booth. He had almost made a full loop... just walking in the opposite direction would have saved him this trouble. Still, he was entranced. The simple word "soldier" filled his head with gunpowder dreams, and the awe of seventy-ton machines rolling on steel tracks. Oh, the engineering that the old world had! He wondered if anything like that even survived the ruins, or was at least salvageable. What Aaron wouldn't give to crawl around in those steel leviathans.


Remembering his personal duty, the enchantment in his eyes dissipated and he returned his gaze to the woman. He kept a flat smile as she spoke, which pressed into a small frown at the mention of an unapproachable personality. She was direct. That was certain, but Aaron couldn't bring himself to call her unapproachable. Maybe, it was simply because he was already in her proximity. Whatever barrier that keeps people away had already been passed. Possibly, it was because what others would have called a cold stare, Aaron would have called an analytical eye.


He remained silent, pressing his lips tight, until a fair moment after she asked for his name. "Aaron... Miller" he answered with a pause, conflicted about sticking around. However, he found himself still engaging in conversation. "Everyone, huh? Is scouting such a grand career?"


Aaron didn't imagine anyone else's reasons being that far from his. Certainly everyone had left something behind in Tranquility. Altruism was most likely destroyed with the patch, and an inherent cynicism would make him skeptical of anyone who said otherwise. His eyes narrowed as he looked back at the scouting booth. There was an entire group chatting away happily, and Aaron sighed deeply. I guess they wouldn't want anyone without that facade, he though bitterly.


Adjusting himself, he slumped against side of the booth while digging through his crumpled box of cigarettes. Peering in the box, he scowled at the nearly empty container. Aaron was down to field tobacco at this point. It never did have quite the same effect as the manufactured stuff, but it was better than nothing. He pressed a hand rolled cigarette between his lips as he searched his pockets for a lighter. "What about you, kid? What's your name?" Aaron said muffled, taking care not to drop the smoke from his mouth.

 

[rubelline]

Aisha Rose Mifsud


spark soldier


“Aisha Mifsud. And don’t call me kid.”


Following his gaze, Aisha noticed that one of new recruits she’d spoken to earlier today was at the scout booth, which was currently ran by Nolan and Solara. Solara was someone Aisha was not extremely fond of, as she thought that the woman, while a year older than her, was too immature, as well as too…nice, but that was just a personal bias. Their bowl of candies seemed to attract new recruits like moths to a light, as though even the simplest of things their new culture had to offer was intriguing.


“People like familiarity.” She shrugged, her attention turning back to Aaron. “The first person you met was a scout, right? Their job is simple; go back to Tranquility and deliver the pill. Easy.” She used her hands to emphasize her last word. “I wouldn’t call it grand; more like rewarding, or reliable.” It was a tough transition from Tranquility to the Spark. She would know. She’d had the upperhand in deciding to leave for herself, and that was a privilege most had not been given. They were swept away into an alien landscape they hadn’t even known existed beforehand, with its own foreign society and culture that was so new and strange and completely different than their own previous home. As jarring as it had been for her, it must be even more so for people like Aaron.


Aisha had heard that one of the new recruits had been a doctor back when he’d lived in Tranquility, so there would probably be a new face in the Spark’s medical field, but that was the only hint she had in what the newbies would choose as their new occupation. Lex seemed like a wildcard, so guessing on him would be about as accurate as betting in a game of roulette. Then there was the subject of the man in front of her. She narrowed her eyes slightly at his cigarette, but said nothing; she had no complaints with smoking other than it cost too much for her taste. He’d come to examine the soldier booth, but that said little. He could just be scoping out all the careers before choosing one; that’s what she had done, after all. New soldiers, while certainly not rare, weren’t #1 on the list of ‘common happenings in the Spark’. It was more likely for people to choose a profession similar to the one they held before, and the average citizen that the scouts brought back was usually not a member of the military. Still, she wondered if he was truly interested in their military or was just cycling through all the booths, though at the moment he didn’t look like he planned on the latter. "What about you? You got any ideas on a job yet, or are you still just wandering around?"