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

[ambiguities]

Ryder Lawson

​

​

Ryder muttered a small 'good morning' to Rose before snatching his white T-shirt that was draped along the arm of the couch. He pulled it over his head, averting his focus on Rose as she shuffled through her items. "So what do you do here on a daily basis?" Her soft voice broke through the harsh silence. Ryder didn't know how to answer her and make what he did seem interesting.


Clearing his voice, he shrugged. "I wake up, get breakfast for me and Ophelia," And now you I suppose, "Train a bit with the soldiers and get ready for the delivery for tonight." He didn't know if Shasta would have cancelled it due to the events that happened last night, but he assumed he didn't for the time being.


"I'm guessing you're hungry, right?"



​

@Bhlow

​

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Kais Wiltchil

Spark Strategist

​

Kais waited for Shasta to make a decision on the information he had provided; he leaned against the tool chest again, bracing himself on one elbow with the open datapad in one hand. When Shasta did decide what to do, Kais wasn't surprised to hear that he planned to go, himself. Kais glanced sideways at Sola--she had been annoyed with him earlier for telling her that Shasta would never let her go--would she try to fight Shasta' decision? Something told him she wouldn't; there had been enough fighting between them so far, and for as much as Sola wanted to go, Kais didn't think she would tempt her brother's anger a second time.

In spite of having more or less predicted Shasta' reaction last night, when they first opened the datapad, he was still somewhat irate to find himself left behind. It made sense--with Shasta gone, someone needed to be in control, especially if this message turned out to be a trap. What if they intended to lure Shasta away so they could have a shot at the ruins? It was a distinct possibility. Still, Kais disliked the idea of letting Shasta go without him; he wanted to be there as backup, in case something happened on that end. But he couldn't be in both places at once, and Shasta wanted him here.


Though the line of his jaw tensed, giving lie to his annoyance, Kais made no objection; he nodded his acceptance. His mind flicked forward to the possibility of an ambush and he looked up at Shasta, face tight. "You had better take the best with you--we'll manage with the rest for the night. I don't expect trouble here; without a gps there's no way for them to know where this message went--but you could be walking into an ambush."





Kais turned his attention back to the datapad to get the coordinates from the message. He pressed the power button and the device beeped to life, in spite of the absence of its back cover, and the transmitter than he had cut out. Neither of those things interfered with its primary function--so long as no one licked the exposed wires, things should be fine. He made sure not to put his hand across them when he turned it over to read the coordinates out to Shasta.


"41.721554, -88.100739," he read levelly, then paused, looking back up at his friend. "And Shasta--be careful, brother."

 

[whitefoxkiller]

Ava Sebastian: @ the End of Scene One

​

Ava was in her robe clutching a glass of watered-down whiskey when Lilai calmly looked up from her work (corresponding with the propaganda team on their schedule, likely) and told Ava the message had been read. “Good. Thank-you Lilai” Ava responded coldly, trying to hide the nerves that were bubbling up in her chest. Ava was normally very cool-headed when it came to her acts of resistance, but this one was bigger than the most. “Alert Raphael that we will be needing his services, then you may go home.” She said, walking into the hallway and into her unnecessarily lavish bedroom. She laid down to sleep but it didn’t come. Eventually she heard her door open and close. Lilai had gone. She laid there in her bed for a long time, but it didn’t feel right. Too soft, too yielding. She angrily got up and went into the bathroom. She opened her medicine cabinet, took some sleeping aid and went back to bed.

The Next Morning, 1:00

​

The next day she was woken up by Lilai as she laid Ava’s outfit on a chair by her bed. “I have organized everything for you Ava, you just need to meet up with Raphael’s contact and he’ll take you to the transport.” Lilai stood up straight and put her hands behind her back as Ava got out of bed painfully. Sleeping aid always made her head hurt, but she had to use it more and more nowadays. “Do you need anything else, Ava?” She asked clear and bright. Ava wondered how long she’d been awake.


“No that’ll do Lilai. Leave me” She responded as she walked towards the outfit. It was a orange chameleon hounds-tooth jumper with an olive trench coat and a pair of steady boots with low chunky heels. Originally, she wanted to wear the same plain clothes everyone in tranquility wore but she was advised that ordering those clothes would bring undue attention towards herself. So she had Lilai pick a jumper and coat that weren’t too flashy. Chameleon fabric was a little over-the-top, but would do fine. She dressed quickly and then put her hair into a low bun, clipping it with a gold holder.

Spoiler

She walked out into the hallway and then to the kitchen. Lilai began listing off what Ava would have to do today. “Okay, there is only a couple things today, I cleared the second half of your day for... “ She hesitated, “For your meeting at twelve.” She continued steadily, “In an hour we have to go meet Mr. Pime to discuss the payment of the animators for the latest film,” Ava looked at the clock; it was one o’clock. She opened the cupboards and forced some dried fruit and nut protein bars down. “After that we’re going to a late lunch with Ms. Lenard, and at five we have to go to an concept meeting for theatre re-designs. After that, we’ll meet up with Rafael’s contact.” Ava nodded. It was a much lighter day than normal.


She went through the schedule with dutiful charm. The meeting with Pime took much longer than it needed to, which was expected (Pime was a very long-winded fellow). Ava got to her lunch perfectly on time and her and Ms. Leonard enjoyed Crevettes Sauce Boursin with wine. It tasted sour and every bite guilted Ava, but that was her life. Everyday. After lunch, Ava went to the place where she supposedly worked (although she was almost never there) and attended a very droll meeting. They discussed what color walls and what shade of light would make the Tranquil most… well, tranquil. After the meeting, Ava met up with Lilai and they took a transport to the shopping quarter of the diamond sector and ducked into a shop titled “Warch’s Fine Fabrics and Embellishments.” the store was empty, without any objects to sell or any person at the front desk.


Ava went over the plan in her mind. She would hide among a transport bus leaving the Diamond District heading to the Rust District on a supply run. She’d hide in the roof of the van where the AC unit is usually stored (Rafael should have assured the AC unit on her bus was removed). Then, after the security checkpoint, when the bus driver stopped in the Rust District Ava will get out and, using a delicately planned route, leave on an automated waste tram that takes waste exit all the unusable waste to a landfill outside the city. She’d get off at the landfill and walk to the checkpoint on foot, about two hours. When she was done, she’d walk back and wait for another waste tram, which she’d take back to the city. Then she’d take the same route back to the transport buses where hers would still be waiting. The bus driver is instructed not to leave the bus, not to look around, and to stop and not move until they were instructed. Then the bus would take her back into Tranquility. It was a complicated plan, but the exit out of the Diamond sector children used was actually monitored and she desperately needed to not be seen, and this was the least visible way to get out of the city.


Ava and Lilai followed the shop to the back door and out, where a clean-looking girl who looked to be about nineteen wearing all white clothes stood. They were in a back ally, much dirtier than the rest of the Diamond District, that was only for the transportation of goods. These alleys ran all throughout the Diamond District, but they were never meant to be seen. “Ms. Sebastian?” The girl politely inquired. Ava nodded hesitantly. The girl tapped a few things out on her personal pad then disappeared into the shop. Ava was puzzled. She wasn’t sure how Rafael was getting everyone to go along with this. Although Rafael was on Ava’s side, she knew he was a slimeball and probably threatened them with something big.


After a moment a transport bus with the Paxcor logo plastered on the side arrived. Lilai smiled comfortingly and handed Ava a data pad with a map on it. It would help Ava get out of Tranquility and to the rendezvous point. She was also given a small backpack with a few survival items and food, just in case. With that done, Ava climbed in the back of the bus and into the AC cavity. After another moment the bus spooled up and she waited a long and bumpy ride, with one long stop at the security checkpoint. She heard the back being opened up but security going out of the Diamond District was more lax than it was going in, so the search was not invasive. Eventually it stopped for good and Ava climbed back out. She carefully navigated the disgusting industrial complex that was the Rust District, using her map to weave her way through unmanned underpasses and alleys. She saw no one. Finally, she reached the waste station. It wasn’t like what she’d imagined. It looked like a train station, but hot, dark, and cramped. Trash came out of a chute that opened to release the waste into the tram cars for 15 seconds at a time, then the tram would inch forward, putting the next car in front of the chute. Then the cycle would start all over. Ava walked to the end of the train where there was a metal-rod ladder and climbed up. She’d have to hold onto this ladder till the tram got out of the city and jump off.


Suddenly Ava got the feeling that she wasn’t at all prepared for this. Panic started to bubble up in her chest and she suggested to herself that she jump off and just head back home but before she actually could make that decision, the train picked up speed: it was done collecting the city waste. Ava took a deep breath (which turned out to be an awful idea) and tried to calm herself. This was what she’d always wanted to do. She noted that next time she do anything like this though she’d need some different clothes.


The train ride to the landfill was quicker than the bus ride, and was there in no time. Ava built up her strength and let go as the train began to slow down to dump its waste. Ava fell on her hip, so the fall was nicely taken. She checked quickly, however, to make sure the data pad was still intact, which it was. Ava consulted the thing and headed off in the direction of the rendezvous.


Ava trudged through the woods and was surprised to find her boots actually served her very well in the brush. She was also surprised at the woods themselves. They were… breathtaking. Ava had seen beautiful settings, the whole of the Diamond District was beautiful, but this was a kind of beauty she’d never experienced. Pictures and the real thing were very different. After about halfway through the walk Ava encountered another amazing thing. It was a doe and several of her fawn. Ava held her breath as they stood by a stream to drink. She was in awe. They were incredible, so graceful and so winsome. She tried to approach them but they heard and ran quickly away. The rest of her walk was spent in contemplation of her life after Paxcor was taken down. She decided that she’d live there in the woods.

9:35

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Ava reached the rendezvous as the dark was fading. She got out her backpack that Lilai had stuffed with bread, jerky and water. She was surprised at the jerky, it was rare in the Diamond District. She ate it up gratefully all the same. Then she sat in wait of whoever came to meet her.

 

[Ashmorne]

S C E N E || T W O


"progress"



​

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


spark alpha


11:30 p.m.





It had been a hectic day of preparation for Shasta. He had spent the remainder of the afternoon with Kais, organizing things for the time that he would be away. He had given Kais his updated notes on the current Spark state, alerting him about any protocol that he may find useful for when Shasta wasn't there. It was probably all repetition for his friend, but he wanted to be as prepared as possible.


After the debriefing had been completed, Kais had helped him pick out some weapons to strap underneath his gear. They had spent the end of the afternoon planning possible scenarios, plotting tactics, brainstorming potential escape routes. There was only so much that could be done before going. Shasta felt a little bit like he was going into something blind, but they had prepared as much as they could have given the little information provided.





Powerful friends.


He only hoped that was true. He had picked a sniper named Roux to come with him. His top choice would have obviously been Kais, but he didn't trust leaving The Ruins in anyone else's hands. Along with Ryder and his back up partner, Shasta and Roux had left for the meeting point. He was dressed for travel and fitted with a GPS tracker, which is something he hadn't done in a long while.


Partway through their trek, they had split ways. Shasta and Roux moved towards the coordinates. When they were close, Shasta allowed some space between him and Roux. He moved through the forest, his hand at gun holstered on his hip. His other hand was closed around a second small GPS device. He would be prepared, and he trusted Roux to watch his back. Even with his knowledge, he could feel his heart rate pick up as adrenaline course through his veins.


In between the branches, he could see a figure. He crept closer, squinting his eyes in the dark. This was not who he was expecting. It was a thin woman, dressed not in military gear but in a patterned outfit. She looked like she was going to some sort of event, not out to hide in the woods. She looked relatively harmless, but he knew he couldn't let his guard down. He whistled low, letting Roux know that he had found their target.


He stood still for a moment or two, situating himself. He ran through the possible outcomes, mentally revising his action plans. He needed to be prepared. Still shrouded in the branches, Shasta called out with a hand at his gun.


"Are you our powerful friend?"


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


spark scout


11:30 p.m.





Sola had spent the afternoon helping out in the Infirmary. It was work that she was used to doing, talking and spending time with people. She rotated around the different areas, introducing herself to the new recruits she hadn't met yet and answering any questions. Things there were relatively fast paced, and it helped her keep her mind off the fact that Shasta would soon be going near Tranquility for the first time in a while. Feeling the way that her worry knotted up at him being gone, she mentally kicked herself. If this was anything like what Shasta was feeling last night, she completely understood his outburst. She went so far as to wonder how he had even calmed down so quickly. Sola was still angry at herself...even more so now that she was feeling a similar anxiety.


By the time she had gotten done at the Infirmary, Shasta had already gone. They had said their goodbyes that morning when he had gone with Kais, Sola hugging her brother tightly before going to the clinic. Still, she had wished she could have seen him just one more time before his departure. Now, as she stood in the lobby of the Keys Tower, she knew that Shasta was the last thing she could focus on at this second. Quickly deciding she would find Kais and wait with him, she moved towards the stairs. He would most likely be at the top of the tower. If not there, she would check the Grand Oak.


As she climbed the stairs, a different sense of anxiety came over her. Just hours before, she had been standing in Kais's house...being kissed by him. It felt surreal, as if it was just a fabricated memory. But no, it has impacted her too much to be false. She touched the side of her face, remembering how Kais's fingers had grazed her cheek before moving down her neck to rest on her shoulder. It caused heat to spread in her face, a fluttering feeling expanding in her stomach. It was like there was literal sunlight locked away in her chest.


This wasn't what was causing her anxiety. With a creeping feeling, she wondered if it had just been a one time thing. Had Kais regretted what he had done? Was he wishing that it hadn't happened? They hadn't gotten any opportunity to speak after Shasta arrived, and the loose ends caused a tense feeling to fill her. She had felt so peaceful in the moment, like everything would be okay. She thought he felt the same way, but what if she had read him wrong? He hadn't actually said anything. Had she projected her own emotions into him? She suddenly felt relieved that she hadn't told him about her true feelings right then. What if he hadn't felt the same? She would've been so unprepared for that. They needed to talk before she would say anything. Her previous bravery had vanished, replaced by nerves.


As she climbed the last set of ladder-like stairs to the roof door, she hesitated. A hand at the door, she took a deep breath. Maybe it was her stress at Shasta being gone that made her more on edge, but she was actually nervous to see Kais. She felt like a teenager again, silly and unsure.


In the back of her mind, she mentally chastised herself. Her brother was out in the wilderness, and she was still worried about whether or not someone liked her. Maybe she wouldn't bring up the kiss to Kais. Maybe he would bring it up himself, though she doubted that. It was very clear that he wasn't much for words....despite the fact that words were very much what Sola needed. Concrete, solid, reassuring words to smooth out her fears. Even if she never worked up the courage to ask him about the kiss, they could at least talk about Shasta. Satisfied with her decision, she pressed her hand against the side of the door and stepped out onto the rooftop.

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Kais Wiltchil

Spark Strategist

​

Night had fallen, and for the moment things seemed calm enough in the Ruins. Kais sat atop the Keys Tower, his feet hanging over the edge with nothing but air between him and a sheer drop to the ground. His hands rested on the dusty rooftop behind him and he half-reclined, looking out over the Ruins but not really seeing anything. The day had passed so quickly he had hardly any time to think about it as it happened. Shasta had pulled him along from place to place, going over plans, contingency plans, and backup plans to the contingency plan. That was after they had gone over the current events for the Sparks, and nightly protocol. In hindsight, it seemed like the whole day had been a backup plan--Shasta, making sure that someone knew how to take charge if he didn't come back...

The small muscles on the side of Kais' jaw twitched as he ground his teeth together and tried not to think. Shasta would come back. Kais had loaded him with so much damn firepower he could probably have blown a hole in Tranquility. He'd brought a sniper for backup, and Kais had to accept that that would be enough. He hoped it would be enough. He hoped Shasta wouldn't have to use anything he'd brought along. But he didn't expect it.


Kais kicked his feet, restless, as he looked down over the Ruins--truly seeing them this time. Could he do it? Could he possibly take Shasta's place, if Shasta didn't come back? Painful as it was to think about, from a practical standpoint it needed to be thought. Kais wasn't much of a leader. If he hadn't put down roots in the Ruins, he probably wouldn't have stayed. But he had roots--Shasta, Sola... they kept him grounded, kept him in the Ruins. But he didn't think he could take Shasta's job. An Alpha needed to care about the people, care about the rebellion. Kais didn't, not really, not like Shasta and Sola and so many others. If Shasta didn't come back... Sola would be a better Alpha than he would.


Sola.


Kais' mind flicked back to that morning, alone in his house. He remembered the feel of her lips against hers, the warm happy look on her face, and he smiled. Suddenly the world seemed a little warmer, a little more comfortable. Shasta would come back, and all his worries would be for naught. Until then, Kais would watch the Ruins, as Shasta had told him to.


The door to the roof creaked open, cutting through Kais' thoughts. He twisted his head to look over his shoulder, but didn't move his body. It was Sola. For a moment he feared someone had come looking for him, to tell him something was wrong; Sola had come looking for him, but not because anything was wrong--or at least not more wrong than he already knew about.


"Sola," he said her name softly, feeling it in his mouth, and he smiled.

 

[whitefoxkiller]

Ava Sebastian

​

Ava was sitting on a rock in the meeting place when she began to hear cracking branches. She stood up quickly and faced the approaching noises. What came out of the woods was a man who looked to be a little older than herself. The majority of his facial features,however, were hidden by the lack of light, although the moon was shining incredibly bright. He whistled and Ava stood up straighter, who or what was he whistling at? She figured he must have backup, how much she couldn’t imagine. In any case, she rested easy knowing he probably wouldn’t call upon it. When you live in the woods and struggle to pluck a slim few Tranquil every night or so, why would you turn up help from the inside?


Ava noticed he was looking at her with a slightly incredulous look and she surmised it was because of her outfit. He’d probably never seen someone wear clothes like hers. If was the first time in her life she felt obliged to apologize for over dressing. Instead she greeted him with a small smile and discerning eyes.


“Are you our powerful friend?” He called out. Ava liked the question. She wasn’t quite sure why but it was kind of a funny thing to ask. She wondered what he expected as the response. Even if she wasn’t, if this was some kind of trap, it’s not like she would let him know.


“My name is Ava Sebastian,” Ava called back in a humorously raunchy voice. She opted for a non-answer, just because of the rhetorical nature of his ridiculous question, “And who might you be?” She knew it was a cop-out but she just couldn’t help it, suddenly she found the whole situation very funny. There she was, dressed like she was going to a Diamond District dinner with a couple of her lavish friends and the man across from her looked like he was ready at any moment for the trees to pull out weapons and wage war on the resistance. It was right out of one of her films!


At the comfortable prospect of conversation, Ava’s apprehension melted away. This was her specialty, and she had fun with it. She had a feeling this man wouldn’t appreciate her skill with words, though, so she’d try her best to stay as ornery as she could.

 

[Ashmorne]

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


spark alpha


The woman in the woods seemed to find the whole situation very amusing, which slightly irritated Shasta. Did she think their life's work to be a game? Ava Sebastian was her name, and she said it as though it brought her great joy. Shasta narrowed his eyes, seeing that she had picked him out from the shadows.


Her question was reasonable enough, though it seemed like it was avoiding his questions. He crept closer, standing a few feet away with his hand never leaving his holster. This would not be the way he died. While the situation did not seem particularly threatening, he needed to be alert and prepared for anything.


Either way, there was absolutely no scenario in which he told this woman that he was the Spark Alpha right away. That was something he wasn't going to risk. Sure, it was just one woman in the woods right now...but Shasta had no idea what could be lurking in the foliage beyond his vision.





"My name is Shasta," he responded in an easygoing tone that concealed his emotions, purposefully omitting his last name. "I work with the agent who brought back your datapad. Assuming it was your datapad."


Shasta looked at her. Ava had a certain way of talking. It was bizarre to him. Her words were light, and she spoke in a humorous tone. But it was obvious that what was happening wasn't funny. It was like she was playing a game. This would be interesting.


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


spark scout





She had been right about his location. Kais was sitting at the top of the tower. He was perched on the very edge of the roof, his legs thrown over the edge. He seemed to enjoy flirting with death in that way. When he said her name, his voice was soft. He said it as though it was something special, an important word. His tone, and the way he smiled after, had a certain calming effect on her. The bundle of nerves in her gut, while not gone, had certainly loosened. He didn't appear as though he was regretting anything.


"Hi, Kais" she said, a smile spreading on her face. "Can I sit with you?"


She didn't wait for his answer as she began losing the roof door behind her. Sola had no particular love for heights. It was not as though she deeply feared them, but she didn't go out to find them. She didn't enjoy them in the same way that she thought Kais did, as he was one of the only few people that ever came out onto this rooftop.


She moved across the roof and slowly sat down next to him so that their shoulders touched. The ground seemed suddenly very far away. Her mind was blanking now, sitting next to him. She had no idea what to say, or how to say it, or even begin to breech discussion about the earlier kiss. It wasn't the right moment.


Instead, she leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed. It was contented, happy. For a moment, she could ignore the broiling nerves. It wasn't often that Sola didn't have words for something. She almost always had something to say. Now she was beginning to understand the concept being speechless, about why Kais had chosen to kiss her rather than tell her how he felt. There were so many feelings darting about in her mind, in her heart. They were just outside her verbal reach. She couldn't describe it.


There were the obvious words, the ones that she knew how to articulate, the one that she had no spine to say. She had been so prepared to say them earlier, wanting nothing more than to force them out of her system. Now, outside of that adrenaline rush, she was feeling more shy and timid about discussing it.


Resting her head against his shoulder would suffice for this moment, until she worked up the nerve to ask what was really on her mind. She had been wanting to be close to him again since this morning, ever since they had broken apart. For now, just being next to him was enough. Maybe he would still bring the topic himself, though that option was fairly unlikely. She decided to go a different route for the time being.


"How does it feel to be in charge of the Spark for the night?" Sola asked, genuinely wanting to know his thoughts. If she couldn't bring herself to ask about their relationship, she could ask about him. She toyed with her necklace as she considered these things and waited for him to respond. Maybe there would be a more natural opportunity for her to ask what she had no words for now.

 

[whitefoxkiller]

Ava Sebastian

​

As the man came closer Ava smiled wider. As skilled as she was in the art of people, she was genuinely thrilled to meet someone like him. He wasn’t like everyone else in the city, obviously, but it was interesting to see how he acted. The people in the Diamond District acted like birds, flaunting and singing and absolutely not caring at all. This man acted more like a… a wolf? Either way he was very protective of himself and very… gruff might have been the right word.


He introduced himself as Shasta, a very odd name to Ava. She liked it all the same because it matched his demeanor so fully. She chose not to respond, yet again, to his second comment because it was a silly thing to say. If it wasn’t actually her data pad she wouldn’t freely admit it, and it wasn’t as if simply telling him would convince him of anything. Ava was confused as to the purpose of all these rhetorics, but quickly remembered that she had much more experience in precise word choice than him, and that he probably wasn’t dissecting each syllable like she was.


“Well, it’s good to see an unmasked face of your shadowy organization, even if it’s only one.” She shot him a look that was meant to be read as I know there are others and I know they’re close but she wondered if he’d catch on, “But I’m sorry, I’m not going to reveal any more info until you do.” She began to walk to her left slowly, intending to begin circling him. It was an old tactic she used on Diamond Idiots to assert dominance. She squared her shoulders and gave a cheeky smile. Again, tactics that just ate the Idiots up inside. She wondered if it would work on him, she was normally very good at intimidation.


What she wasn’t going to let on is that she really had no problem with sharing more info with the man. She knew what Tranquility guards looked like, even out of uniform. They tended to hang out in rich parties wearing party clothes, but they never looked quite right in costume. Something about the what they did with their hands. Shasta wasn’t in costume, it was obvious. He’s been wearing and washing his current outfit for years and his hands, or at least one of them, was on his holster. The real reason she was concealing info is because she knew if she made him work for it he’d one: respect her more and two: be a little bit more vulnerable.

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Kais Wiltchil

Spark Strategist

​

"Can I sit with you?"


She moved without waiting for his response; it was a silly question anyway--of course she could sit with him, and of course he wanted her to. When she rested her head against his shoulder, he shifted his weight slightly, supporting himself with one arm so he could move the other; his free arm wrapped casually around her waist. It felt like the most natural thing in the world to him, at that moment, as if nothing had truly changed between them, they had merely uncovered something that had been there all along. And perhaps they had. When Kais tried to put his finger on it, tried to determine exactly where the feeling had started, he couldn't. One emotion blurred into another in their past together and it was impossible for him to say definitively when things had begun to change. All he could say for sure was that since that morning he had felt a strange peace, like something that he hadn't even known was troubling him had suddenly been resolved. It had been, he supposed.


Once more Sola's voice brought him back to the present, asking him about the very thing he had been pondering before she arrived. He turned his head toward her, though he knew he couldn't see her face with her head resting on his shoulder, and considered for a silent moment. He considered his doubts and his worries, his internal admittance that she and Shasta were the only reason he was there at all. But these were deeper, darker thoughts than she had asked for and she was worried enough as it was. Of course she was worried. Her only brother had just wandered off into the unknown with only one other Spark for backup. Company was comfort, though, and talking was something to do--something to fill the time until Shasta came back.


"It doesn't feel like anything," Kais admitted. "There is little to do unless something goes awry. But I wouldn't want the position full-time."


For the moment, at least, things moved smoothly as they did, night-by-night, without any guidance. Everything was the same as usual; people knew their places, their duties, and there was nothing for him to do. Leadership was more of an overall guidance, he suspected, than an incremental pushing. The framework had been set long ago and the only jobs left to do were the very big ones. Tonight, Shasta was doing the big job--following up a lead that might give them a huge step forward--while Kais sat by and idly hoped the gears didn't jam while the mechanic was away.


His mind drifted back to Shasta, wondering if he ought to broach the subject with Sola. She was, doubtless, as worried as he, but he was skeptical that mentioning it would bring either of them peace. Then again, knowing that someone else shared your worries and concerns, having someone to suffer with often lessened the pain.





"I'm worried about him, too," he said softly, squeezing her gently into a one-armed hug. His lips brushed against her hair and he kissed the top of her head. "He'll come back."


He had to come back.

 

[Ashmorne]

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


spark alpha





As soon as Ava began to move, Shasta knew what was going on. He wasn't raised by his veritable politician of a father just to grow up and not know an intimidation tactic when he saw one. So, she wasn't just some bored Diamond socialite with too much time on her hands. Though, he didn't think that of her to begin with. This would just make things all the more interesting. It was safe to say that she was used to intimidation. It seemed to fit her.


Shasta stood up taller, a seemingly impassive expression on his face. He moved in the same direction, so that she wouldn't have the chance to circle him like a snake looking at its prey. It was like a dance of wit. The way that they moved intrigued Shasta. It had been a while since he had been engaged in such a way, and he would have been lying if he said that there wasn't some thrill along with the irritation.


"It seems as though we've reached an impasse. I'm not feeling very talkative either," he responded with dry humor. She seemed to think this was a game, and he would accommodate that for now...but he wasn't going to give up information that could harm his city and play into this Ava's hands. She would have been stupid to think that he would just speak freely. What she didn't know was something he could play off of.


"Though I will say, it's just one face, for now," he hadn't missed what she said. She seemed to know that there were other people nearby. However, she didn't know that it was just him and Roux. Let her think that there were plenty. The rouse would help him. "I'm sure I'll feel more like talking once I know what business you have with my people,"


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


spark scout





For a bit, Solara just savored the moment of peace in knowing that she wasn't alone in her fears. Kais had looped his arm loosely around around her, pulling her close as he kissed her hair. It was interesting. She felt as though she ought to feel surprised at the sudden shift in their interactions, but she didn't. Of course she was sitting here with her head resting on his shoulder, and of course he would wrap his arm around her...how else would they be sitting?


Yesterday, this wouldn't have happened...but today, everything had changed. Nothing about it felt forced or unnatural. It was very new to Sola to be close in this way to someone else, but somehow very familiar at the same time...paradoxical as that was, true nonetheless. This just felt like the way things were supposed to be. Part of her wondered why it had taken her so long to realize, but it was what it was. They were there together now, in a new chapter of their relationship. What it was called, Sola didn't know. She wasn't thinking about that right now. Just seconds before, she had been a bundle of nerves. All it took was a rooftop and his arm around her to calm them.


Sola leaned into Kais and considered his words regarding her brother. Of course Shasta would come back. She couldn't imagine a reality without him in it, so she wouldn't try to unless there were no other options. He was a leader in every sense of the word...calm, involved, seemingly fearless. The Spark wouldn't be able to function without him overseeing things, meticulously organizing all of the minute details at crafting the larger vision. It was much more strategy and detailed planning that Sola ever cared to do. Give her some gear and throw her at the front lines. She'd pick being out in the field than organizing things at The Ruins any day. Shasta enjoyed his job though, she thought. And he was good at it. So he absolutely needed to come back.





"Of course he would decide to go. I mean, I get it. I really do. He's the Alpha, and this situation needed him. If he would have let me, I would've been on that trip in a heartbeat. Now is one of the only times that I've felt Shasta and I have understood each other, but it's under these hazy circumstances where we can't know for sure if he'll be back or not. It's been years since Shasta has done any sort of delivery, and even then it was with either our mom or dad and I was usually there once I was old enough. I didn't know what it felt like to be the one waiting here, hoping that the people I love would come home safely. Now I do, but I hate that I know how it feels like. I hate it," Sola sighed, brushing hair out of her face and then resting her hand on Kais's knee. "Sorry. I'm talking a lot, I know. But if the way you felt yesterday when I was gone is in any way similar to what I'm feeling right now, I'm just so sorry. This is the fucking worst,"


Sola dangled her feet a bit after her monologue, looking at the Ruins from their perch. For a moment, Sola suddenly thought of the small music player that had been found on one of the looting excursions and brought back. There had been a charger wrapped with it, and it was relatively intact. She had remembered her delight at finding that it was functional. Sola remembered listening to the songs on that device over and over again, completely enamored by the music.


One of the songs on the player was called "Such Great Heights." The lyrics ran through her head as they sat together at the top of the tower, and she couldn't have imagined a better song. Everything really did look perfect from far away. From up here, no one would be able to tell that anything was wrong. Their town was perfect and beautiful and there was nothing to fear. It was just her and Kais and the city, and nothing else. It was ignorantly blissful to let herself think that for a moment. Maybe eventually someone would need her to come down, but for now, she would stay.

 

[whitefoxkiller]

Ava Sebastian

​

Ava kept smiling her cheeky smile as Shasta obviously wouldn’t be so easily taken in with such a simple tactic on Ava’s part. She was glad he wasn’t so easily manipulated, she’d want strong allies. Plus, if the incredibly elusive Pill People (or whatever they called themselves) were as dumb as to fall for the simplest of Ava’s cons she would be very surprised and disappointed. Ava stopped walking and instead opted to sit down on a nearby rock, crossing her legs and looking over at Shasta through relaxed, half-lidded eyes.


"It seems as though we've reached an impasse. I'm not feeling very talkative either” He responded cooly. With that Ava rested her elbow on her knee and her chin on her knuckles. Her ornery act was failing miserably; she hated being ornery, and she was just so excited right then. "Though I will say, it's just one face, for now. I'm sure I'll feel more like talking once I know what business you have with my people,"


Ava let her smile rest for a moment, taking on a more serious tone. She decided it wasn’t likely he would give her any info on whoever it was giving out the pill without a reason she was there, which was fair. Ava hadn’t given him much. Nearly nothing, in fact. It was only fair she’d give him her purpose, at least. She wouldn’t give him any concrete details though.


“Well we’re on the same side if that’s what you’re worried about,” She reassured him, using his favored rhetoric, “I’ve been quite anti-Paxcor for…” Ava thought for a moment, then broke out again into her winning smile, “Well since I was 11 I suppose,” She gave him a long look. She knew this meager info wouldn’t be enough, it didn’t really tell him anything. She dropped her smile again, “I have a way to influence every Tranquil in the city,” she declared with magnetism and a hint of mystery.


“Now, Shasta, if I don’t have more information that tells me I can in fact trust you or use you and your friends, I can’t -no I won't- share my power with you. I was under the impression you wanted to take down Paxcor. If I was wrong…” She trailed off, looking into the woods, “Well. Then I’ll just head back the way I came,” She finished off as she stood up and rested her hands on her hips, looking ready to leave any second.

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Kais Wiltchil

Spark Strategist

​

Kais listened to Sola's words, but could think of nothing to respond to them. Part of him thought she didn't even expect a response; more likely she just wanted to voice her feelings. It wasn't something that Kais really understood, strictly speaking, but he understood that Sola did it, so he accepted it. Instead he merely nodded in silence, letting his eyes wander over the expanse of the Ruins while his thoughts drifted. He tried not to think of Shasta; surely there was

something he could do to take the edge off this horrible waiting. So far, this night was fixing to be just as sleepless as the last one.


Before Kais had a chance to think of anything besides Shasta, however, the door to the roof flung open again--this time with a lot more force. Kais released his grip on Sola's waist--if Sola was here it was obviously not her who had opened the door this time and considering that not even her brother yet knew about what had passed between them that morning, Kais deemed it prudent to keep the whole thing below the general radar. Gossip spread like a virus in the Ruins; if anyone saw him sitting with Sola's head on his shoulder, Shasta would know before tomorrow. It was probably best not to let him find out from someone else. With this in mind, he half-turned to see who had come up to the roof, presumably in search or him.





"Kais--looters to the south!" It was Reina--one of the soldiers posted on watch for the night. She looked distinctly out of breath and more than a little bit frazzled. While it wasn't unheard of for looters to try their luck at hitting The Spark, it was rare enough that it was always a surprise. The last group who had hit the Ruins had retreated, leaving only a few for dead--Kais had hoped the survivors would spread word to leave them alone. Evidently not. Or they had forgotten.


Kais was on his feet nearly before Reina had finished speaking. His mind clicked into gear and, almost unconsciously, The Professional appeared. His face was calm and decisive, with no hint of the worry that the soldier wore. They may not have expected the raid, precisely, but the professional in him was always ready for them. In fact, the professional side of Kais was always secretly hoping they would come.


"Go back to your post. You have the training for this," Kais said, voice cold eyes inhuman. "No warning shots."





Reina turned back toward the door, but hesitated at that last. She met his eye and knew he meant it, knew he wasn't likely to take it back or forgive her for disobeying.


"Yes, sir," She mumbled, before disappearing down the stairs again.


Kais turned back toward Sola, all the warmth and feeling from a moment ago drained from his face. "The alarm needs to be sounded."


Sola was perfectly capable of doing that by herself, but the part of his mind that was still human loathed asking her to do so. Not because he was giving her a task, but because he suspected that she was going to arm herself and join the fray afterwards. If there was one thing he did not want, it was Sola fighting after being injured.





"No way to convince you to stay out of this, is there?"





For his part, Kais was already in the best possible place. The top of the Tower gave the best view of the Ruins; there was nothing he needed but a high place and his trusted companion, Bane, to become a force to be reckoned with.

 

[Ashmorne]

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


spark scout





Looters to the South.


And just like that, everything wasn't perfect anymore. Not even from far away. Sola felt Kais's arm slip from her waist as soon as the door slammed open, before Reina told him about the incoming visitors. She swung her legs back onto the roof and stood up, instantly alert and on edge at the mention of looters. It wasn't a common occurrence. Every time they tried to approach Spark territory, Sola wondered if she would find a missing piece to the puzzle that was her parents' disappearance. Of course, she hadn't found anything so far. It gave her all the more reason to be on the front lines.


Adrenaline coursed through her veins. This part, the part where she got to spring into action...this was what she lived for. The pure excitement and thrill of it was something she was addicted to, it was part of why she chose to be a Scout to begin with. She tied her hair up in a ponytail as Kais spoke with Reina.


When he turned back to face her as Reina left, it was clear that he meant business. She stood, already mentally checking off the things she needed to do before heading to the afflicted area in the South. The alarm needed to be turned on. The closest switch was probably in one of the conference rooms on the third floor. She had to arm herself, which wasn't a problem since she had stowed some things in Shasta's office. Knives wouldn't be enough against looters. Then she needed to get out to her post and help.


Like she predicted, Kais brought up the alarm. He added a piece about whether he would be able to convince her to stay out of the fight. Sola couldn't help but give a small, dry laugh. There wasn't really a question about it. Trying to stop her would be useless, as she would just go anyway. Kais would probably stay here, working the long-range angle.





"Just try and stop me,"


Sola paused for a moment in front of him. She had seen Professional Kais enough to know that he was in an entirely different mindset than the man who had loosely wrapped his arm around her waist. It didn't stop her from grasping his hand and squeezing it.





"I'll see you after the threat is cleared," she placed her free hand on his shoulder and kissed his cheek before letting go and disappearing down the stairs.


She flew down steps, taking them two or three at a time. She ran into the conference room on the meeting floor, where a large switch sat encased on a wall. Sola flipped up the plastic casing and pulled the switch down. Instantly, the loud shriek of alarms began to wail. Her pulling the switch here would trigger alarms all across the major parts of The Ruins within the next 60 seconds. Civilians would know to head to their safe spaces, to clear the streets. Soldiers would know where their duties were.


After that, she made her stop in Shasta's office. There was a box near his desk where she stowed some of her things in case of emergency. She zipped up long sleeved hooded black sweatshirt over her tank top, donning a bulletproof vest above it. Strapping a holster around her waist, she tucked a Remington pistol in the side. She stowed a second pistol in her waistband for good measure. Her knives were safe in her boots if things got even closer in range. Pulling a worn black baseball cap over her head , she hurried from the room. This was all she had time for right now.


As she left the tower, she saw other close-combat personnel moving towards the south end of the city. She recognized many of them, as they had trained alongside each other. They each knew their place and the proper protocol, moving sure-footedly to where they were to be posted depending on which angle the looters were coming from. Sola moved towards her region...the corner of Elim University. One of the dorms was closest to the edge of the city, and she would keep an eye out there. If any intruders came past, she would do what she needed to do. As she ran, she saw Mara, a woman who had been one of the guards on post.


"A band of about 30 from what we can tell so far. Maybe more," she told Sola. "They're armed, be careful."


Sola moved through the city at a steady pace. She knew that Kais and any other snipers would take care of as many as they could from afar. Her job was to disable the remaining that got into the city limits. It was strange to see the town quieting, people not trained in combat protocol locking themselves away in their homes and workspaces. Eventually she made it to her post, just past the southernmost dorm building. Other soldiers would be somewhat close by, each with their own plot of land to cover. This is exactly what they trained for.


The area was marked with trees and piles of rubble that had been excavated from the city. There was one tall pile of crumbling bricks and debris, making a small wall of sorts. Its tallest point came up to her shoulders, slowly tapering down to nothing. Sola crouched behind it, waiting from behind the rocks to see if any Looters would be coming in her direction. She would stop them before they got farther than these woods.


Her heart was pounding, and she could hear it beating in her ears. So far, it looked like she was alone. She would be here until she got word that the threat had been cleared.

 

[RZA]

Veda Creed Location: Woods near Elim University


The woods sang a song of it's very own: crickets chimed, insects harmonized, and the wind whistled through the trees. Veda found peace in the music, a feeling washed over her tired body that released her tense muscles and soothed her worrying heart. She slept fretfully in the Infirmary and woke to twilight blues and hues. She had asked a passersby where she could get a bite to eat and Veda was directed to Elim University, where she ate slow and savored every bite like it was her last meal.


Surrounded by the melody of nature, Veda could think deeply and freely, it was quite easy to get lost in thought. Breakfast, or rather dinner seemed so long ago, and as she walked down the small path she thought of PaxCor and the lives they usurped from millions of Tranquility citizens. Something needed to be done, and she wanted to be apart of it. The red hot in her wanted nothing more than to see them overthrown. There was an urge -- a fixation coursing through her veins. It called for retribution. She didn't know how much she could do on the front lines, but she was a fast learner and Veda was willing to do anything she could to help her liberators.


She turned around with a sigh, and began her trek back down the small path, back to Spark Territory. Though she enjoyed her newfound freedom, something still nagged at her. Thankful though she was, she was still bit with an impatience she wasn’t accustomed to. It was rather frustrating to say the least; running away from home only to find yourself in a surreal world that you were brainwashed to believe did not exist and then receive no further explanations on their movement, or the crimson pill that neutralized the implanted Patch she’s worn since birth. Veda wanted to know if they had the capabilities to safely remove her Patch, if their principles held any credence and if their intentions were truly for the good... She hoped they were, because she wanted to be apart of it. She wanted her Patch removed, and sh—


Veda stopped dead as sirens blared through the night. Mind and body immobile until her gut spoke and told her to go. She walked quickly, keeping an eye on her footing. Moonlight filtered through the trees, and her eyes were well adjusted to it. What’s going on? Veda wondered, while a ball of nerves formed in the bottom of her gut. She picked up her pace ever so slightly, and then almost immediately came to a halt. Veda turned her head to the right, ever so slightly. She could have sworn she had just heard the crunch of footfalls out in the bush, off the beaten path she traveled.


Crack. It sounded like small branches off a green tree breaking, but Veda didn’t stay to find out. She ran, as fast as she could down the path. She didn’t want to put two and two together -- she didn’t want to think the sounds she just heard had anything to do with why Spark sirens were currently blaring.


If she ever got the chance, she would thank her mother for all those runs they took in the park. Fear made her fast, but muscle memory kept her going. Veda chastised herself for being so cavalier, so reckless to go out wandering in unknown woods at night. She almost cried with relief when Elim University blossomed into her line of sight. She gravitated towards the bright lights as fast as her legs would take her. Just as the path turned into something solid, she saw Sola crouched near a debris pile she hadn’t noticed before. She slowed down as she neared the familiar face.


“Sola, what the hell is go—”

 

[Cruor Flumine]

Doctor Marcus H. Glass


Keys Towers: Infirmary





Marcus, as normally calm and collected as he was, damn near jumped out of his skin as he heard sirens blare. Acting quickly, he reached into a drawer of his desk, which he had just been finishing reports on, and withdrew a rather large handgun. He wasn't sure exactly what it was called other than having something to do with a bird, but it sure did have a helluva kick to it. He found that out the hard way when he first shot the weapon. Damn near broke his nose and wrist. The upside to the gun was its armor penetration was rather superb, which was why it was his favorite. Rushing down to the lobby, he slid into place behind the reception desk, where Nurse Lucy (was it now?) was hiding. She was about to speak, but he held a finger to his lips, telling her to be quiet. He would be ready for any soldier that would come through that door. He hoped that Doctor Davenport was safe and, hopefully, armed.

 

[Bhlow]

Rosemarie (Rose) Hayward

Rosemarie had agreed that breakfast would be the best plan in the morning, and the two of them left for an area that served as a canteen and offered food to all those living them while Ophelia remained sleeping. Barely speaking they ate, a tense silence between them and Rose tried to figure out what she had done to tick him off so much. She considered his earlier words too; if he trained with soldiers, that meant he was one himself, and if he left for deliveries then he was like Sola - surely it was dangerous?


Rose tried to keep her mind free of judgement about Ryder, but it was slowly becoming harder to with the way he treated her and the dislike between them was growing to be all but apparent. She looked up as a figure approached Ryder and informed him that he had to go with Kais. He shrugged at her as if apologetically and wondered off behind the woman. And so she sat with a bowl of fruit in front of her, the emotions that had been released within her still swirling around her mind and clouding it. The young female played with her engagement ring, wringing it around her finger, before finally deciding to stand up from her food, surprised to find annoyment cursing through her at the thought that she was all alone in the spark. She made her way back to the room she had slept in, remembering the route perfectly, and sat down at the mattress she had slept on, going back to the neurotransmitter she had been working on. Grabbing a piece of paper and a pen from Ryder's desk, she decoded the genomes that had been activated upon the termination of the patch, noting that it was only a temporary change in her system - would she have to take another pill soon? Was there a time frame when it would stop working, and more importantly was it possible that the patch would adapt itself and become resistant to the pill, or was it purely a mechanical object. Her thoughts ran wild until the little figure on the bed shifted and awoke.


Rose stuffed her notes in her pocket, and the neuro transmitter underneath the pillow, and smiled at Ophelia. She spent the rest of the day, being dragged along by Ophelia, who made it her mission to show her every part of the Spark, and Rose complied, enjoying every part of it. The whole of Spark was decorated, vivid with colours, as if to emphasize that every being had put a piece of emotion into each drawing on every wall. "Are you married?" asked the girl while holding onto her hand as they walked through what Ophelia called the Market Square. Rose's surprise must have been evident at the question, as Ophelia elaborated, mentioning the ring she wore on her index finger. Rose crouched down in front of Ophelia, and took the plain engagement ring off her finger, surprised at how strange she felt without it. "I was engaged once, but I don't think that matters now, so how about you look after this for me" she said lightly, placing the ring into Ophelia's small hand and closing her hand into a fist. She was about to stand up when an alarm started blaring across the Market. "Ophelia what was that?" she asked, but the girl couldn't offer much information, instead Rose watched as anyone in the Market, began immediately clearing out, and it wasn't hard to piece together that sirens in this place meant danger.


"Come on" she said loudly, over the shrill alarm, lifting Ophelia into her arms. Their sleeping quarters were too far away, so Rose spun around in a circle, analysing their situation for a moment. She noticed that people with guns were exiting out of the Keys tower the place where the infirmary had been on the second floor. If there was ever a safe place to take Ophelia, it would be where there was military equipment as well as Doctors. She pushed past some soldiers on the first floor of the power, and ran up the stairs, soothing Ophelia on the way until she reached the door to the Infirmary. She pushed it open with one hand, only to freeze as she saw a man, her mind supplied that it was a doctor from yesterday, pointing a large gun at her and she ceased breathing, mentally hoping that if he did shoot out of instinct, he would shoot at her and not at the girl she was carrying in her arms.


@ambiguities @Cruor Flumine

 

[Cruor Flumine]

Doctor Marcus H. Glass


Keys Tower: Infirmary





Marcus released the tension on the trigger of the hand cannon and lowered it. Quickly, he ushered the two inside. "Stay quiet, stay low, wait for the alarms." He turned towards Rose and gestured up the stairs. "Theres another gun in my room, 143. It should be locked so here's the key. The gun is under the bed." He explained after pressing the key into her hand. "Now go, if anyone comes, I'll be ready."





@Bhlow

 

[Bhlow]

Rosemarie (Rose) Hayward

Rose released the breath she was holding and set Ophelia down onto the floor gently. Silently she took the key, nodding gratefully, and went up the stairs he had gestured, holding onto Ophelia's hand. Why do we needs guns? And more importantly who would be using them against?


Rose unlocked the door marked 143 on the third floor and strode into the neat room, everything seemed organised except a pile of papers lying on the desk. Ignoring it she bent down on her knees and grabbed a small gun that was clipped underneath the edge, tucking it in the waistband of her pants underneath the cardigan, unsure of what else she could possibly do with it. "Rose?" Ophelia's voice called out, slightly louder than she would want, and she winced at the sound. "Yes little pea?", Rose whispered, crouching down and motioning to keep quiet. "Don't leave me here". Rose stared as the words left her mouth and she lifted Ophelia back into her arms. "Wouldn't dream of it" she finally said, before leaving the room, and locking the door with her free hand. For some reason, the contact she had with Ophelia wasn't uncomfortable, it was almost natural, but that didn't mean it wasn't tiring considering how heavy Ophelia was.


She tiptoed back down the stairs, to the doctor and wondering if the Doctor had wanted her to stay upstairs, but just like Ophelia, she wasn't about to let herself be locked up - that, and she needed answers.


"Now can someone bloody tell me why the alarms are blaring and why we need guns?" She whispered to the doctor once she was near enough.


@Cruor Flumine

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Damien Altaire


Location || Tranquility - Peace Park Blind Spot


Time || 11:30PM

Strictly speaking it was Sola's night to do a Pill run; the schedule dictated that tonight would have been her first night doing the run with Ryder. But, seeing as she had taken his place last night--and gotten herself into a lot of trouble, if the rumors were anything to go by--it was only fair that he took her job tonight. So nine-thirty found him leaving the Ruins with Ryder, Shasta, and Roux. Shasta had given them a brief explanation of where he and Roux were going; something about a potential contact within Tranquility. It sounded risky to Damien, but he wasn't in charge and he trusted Shasta to know what he was doing.​

As such, when the time came for them to part ways, he bid goodbye to Shasta and Roux and continued on to Tranquility, slipping through the tunnel and disappearing into the city as if he had always been there. Damien had done enough deliveries to know the routine; his put on his best Patch-face as he moved past security cameras, a sort of happy blankness. It was the face he saw mirrored around him whenever he came to Tranquility.





Damien wore plain Tranquilian clothes; they rarely had a shortage of suitable disguises, since all of their new recruits came with them. Unsurprisingly, most people were reluctant to continue wearing their Tranquility clothing once they joined the Spark, so such things were stored and reserved for Scouts. Tonight, Damien wore a black long-sleeved T-shirt and a pair of jeans. On his chest, the only thing that marked him as someone different--the Spark symbol.





He reached the blind spot in Peace Park, situating himself casually out of reach of the cameras, half-obscured by shadow. He crossed his arms and leaned back into his chosen corner; a wry smile came to his lips as he drew the parallel between his current job and a drug dealer. In fact, he literally


was


lurking in shadows, handing out a drug. The only difference was, this drug was free.

















https://www.rpnation.com/profile/31879-ambiguities/https://www.rpnation.com/profile/31879-ambiguities/https://www.rpnation.com/profile/31879-ambiguities/@ambiguities

https://www.rpnation.com/profile/31879-ambiguities/https://www.rpnation.com/profile/31879-ambiguities/https://www.rpnation.com/profile/31879-ambiguities/


https://www.rpnation.com/profile/33796-getthree/https://www.rpnation.com/profile/33796-getthree/https://www.rpnation.com/profile/33796-getthree/@GetThree

https://www.rpnation.com/profile/33796-getthree/https://www.rpnation.com/profile/33796-getthree/https://www.rpnation.com/profile/33796-getthree/

 

[Cruor Flumine]

Doctor Marcus H. Glass


Keys Towers: Infirmary


"Hell if I know right now. The alarms are in place to warn us of outside threats. Whether it be looters or soldiers, we must remain vigilant. I'm not about to take chances with this." He turned to her and looked her up and down. "Where's the gun? Actually, nevermind that, do you even know how to use one?" He asked her. If worse comes to worse, she would need to fight alongside him. The smaller caliber M1911 handgun that she had wasn't too powerful, but it was decently accurate. It didn't have too much of a kick to it either. Hell, it might be perfect for her considering her size.


@Bhlow

 

[DrakeAlistair]

Kais Wiltchil

Spark Strategist

​

"Just try and stop me,"


That was the answer Kais had expected from her, but it didn't mean he liked it anymore. Regardless, his face remained neutral and he merely nodded in silence, hardly reacting when she kissed his cheek and bid him goodbye. If he didn't pack away his emotions, he would probably do something stupid... like actually try to stop her. To be fair, it was physically possible. She would probably hate him after, but it was possible. In any case, it wasn't worth the effort right now; there were important things that needed to be done.


Bane was resting against one of the raised vent stacks on the roof, Kais retrieved it, checking the clip even though he knew it was full. He took a quick inventory of what he had with him while he moved to the south side of the building. The top of the Tower was an ideal place for a sniper and as such, Kais had left everything he needed up there a long time ago. There was a maintenance closet near the access stair; inside looked more like a soldier's locker than anything else. There was a kevlar vest and helmet--Kais rarely bothered with those, but it was nice to have them just in case--an urban gilly suit that he had made himself, a canister of black grease paint, a crate of extra ammo for Bane, a small radio with a transmitter and receiver, and a sock full of sand. The gilly suit he left--it was dark, and with his back clothes he doubted it was necessary--besides, time was of the essence. Instead he unrolled the sleeves of his over shirt and grabbed the can of grease paint. This he smeared haphazardly over his face and neck, blackening out any visible skin; his hands were already in half-gloves. Once he was suitably dirty, he grabbed the sock and the radio, and shut the door. As he moved back to the south side of the building, where he had set Bane, he heard the first shot.


Ours or theirs, I wonder...


There wasn't much time to wonder. He flipped the radio on, tuning it deftly to the frequency they kept open for emergency talk. The alarm was still going and, however grating it was, Kais decided to let it ring. The radio crackled to life, sporadic voices coming to life. He picked up the microphone, hitting the button and speaking into it.


"This is Kais, all units hold guard positions--looters are coming from the south, repeat, the south, do we have a visual?"


He released the button and flattened himself on the roof, waiting for the reply. It came promptly as he arranged Bane and fixed his eyes southward.


"Affirmative, Sir, estimates at thirty units, one down," crackled the radio in response.


Kais settled the sock full of sand under Bane, supporting the barrel. He scanned for movement in the area, finding what he was looking for before peering down through the scope. They were moving through the forest, still, in poor formation. The looters were, more often than not, more well-armed than the Sparks, but they were poorly disciplined. They cared about themselves and didn't work well as a team. He reached for the microphone again.





"Pick off the stragglers, they have no formation. Stay out of sight, don't waste your ammo--they probably have good armor, so aim for the head."





Once again he settled his eye against Bane's scope; through it he was able to see people fairly clearly. One looter had gotten ahead of the pack, looking a bit to excited for the end he was about to meet. Kais followed him with his crosshairs, leading just a touch, and waited for the perfect moment. The looter hesitated, turning back and realizing the others were well behind. Kais took a breath, held it, and squeezed the trigger.

 

[Ashmorne]

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


spark scout





The sound of the first two gunshots rang through the air, making everything feel electric. The air crackled. Sola couldn't think about the person that was on the receiving end of the bullets. Not now. When she was in this space, when she was in the role of protector rather than protected...she couldn't let herself concentrate on the part of her heart that ached at the loss of life. Sola loved the thrill of being in action, but never the potential cost of it. She only realized how much it impacted her when it was in the moment. She could only let herself think about the people she was keeping safe. She was doing this for them. This is what made it acceptable. At least, that's what she told herself.


The noise of those first couple shots put Sola on high alert. One of them sounded close by. She leaned forward and lifted her head to peer over the edge of the rubble, her hand slipping a gun from her holster. She could hear the sound of feet pounding against the ground, which was strange. Looters weren't typically so loud, they didn't just come rushing in with absolutely no formation. They were people of the wilderness, they knew how to move through nature without this much noise.


Then she saw who it was. It was one of the women that she had brought from Tranquility the night prior, running towards her from the woods. What the hell was she doing in the woods alone in the first place? Solara wondered with some guilt if anyone had gotten to initiate this woman, or if she had been wandering aimlessly since last night. The woman ran from the clearing, moving completely unprotected and vulnerable in the darkness. She was like a beacon, drawing attention to herself. She began to slow as she realized that Sola was there.


Sola was about to whisper to the woman to move when she noticed something. It was a shadowy movement, a flitting through the branches. Nearly imperceptible. But she saw it. Sola sucked in a breath through her teeth.


Shit.


“Sola, what the hell is go—”


She didn't get to finish her sentence. Sola was out from behind the rubble in a second, running and then sailing through open air. She dove to where the woman was standing, tackling her to the ground just as a bullet shot by just over their heads. Their bodies hit the ground hard, and Sola bit back a groan at the sharp pain that stabbed through her side, undoubtedly from her previous injury. On the ground, she ignored the ache as she quickly got her bearings and began to rush back towards her post.





"Come on!" she hissed, jerking her head towards the pile of rubble. She was back behind the post, crouching and pulling the second gun out of her waistband. She hoped that in the darkness, the assailants hadn't seen which direction they went it.


"Take this," she said, sliding the pistol towards the woman. "You've probably never used one before. It's simple. Point, and shoot. Use it if you need to, and stay down. Hold it tightly, there's a bit of a kick,"


Sola didn't expect her to actually hit anything, it was more about the empowering sentiment behind it. Having a gun in your hand was something that could easily make someone feel more safe in these circumstances. She hoped it wouldn't have a reverse effect, and that the woman would be able to pull the trigger if that's what it came down to.


Sola's eyes moved towards the woods, narrowing as she tried to pick out people. It was dark, and she could just barely make out shapes from this far away. If she had to guess, she would wager that there would be three looters. Maybe four, if they were unlucky. She tensed, holding the gun up from behind the rubble, waiting for a moment to strike. She knew that the looters were hostile; they already had tried to shoot her and the new recruit down. Did her shooting them back make her any different?





Don't think about it. Don't think about it. Don't think about what you're actually doing.


The rustling sound intensified, as the first two looters emerged into the clearing. A third followed close behind. It looked like two men and a woman. They were dressed in full gear, guns up as they moved forward. They didn't seem to know where she was crouched. One of them pointed towards the dorm building, causing her heart to pound. Mara had told her that it was a band of around 30. The smaller number made it most likely a scavenging mission, or theft. Or...someone was trying to find out more about them. The last option would be a much larger cause for concern. Sola's world narrowed, focused. The looters were still too far away for her to get a good shot. When they came closer...she would do what she needed to do for her people.

 

[RZA]

Veda Creed Location: Elim’s Southernmost Dorms


At first Veda didn’t understand what happened; one minute she was slowing down to ask Solara what was going on and the next the world was wrenched from beneath her. She landed square on her back, head whipping backwards to kiss the ground as a gunshot tore through the night sky. The electrically charged air seeped into her bones, and it took a moment too long for her to catch her breath. Sola rolled off her into a crouch, already making her way back to her impromptu post.


“Come on!” She hissed, and Veda scrambled her way towards the pile of rubble on hands and knees.


Besides a dull throb where her head met the ground, she seemed physically fine. Besides the shake of her hands and the blinding speed of her beating heart that is.


“Take this,” Sola said, sliding a weapon towards her. “You’ve probably never used one before. It’s simple. Point, and shoot. Use it if you need to, and stay down. Hold it tightly, there’s a bit of a kick.”


Veda hesitated -- she had no planning for a situation like this. She had scarcely thought of the possibility of combat training since her arrival in the Territory, and here she was thrusted into a situation where it called for all hands on deck. Veda swallowed, mouth dry and itchy. A new, unknown feeling crawled the length of her spine and stuck itself in the bottom of her throat. She grabbed the weapon with surprisingly steady hands and sent a prayer to whatever Higher Powers that might be listening. Please don’t let me have to use this…


Closing her eyes, she let her remaining senses expand as she stole precious moments to compose herself. For a second all she could hear was the pounding of her heart in her ears and the short gasps of air escaping her mouth. But as her breathing slowed she could focus on the faint sounds emanating from the woods she had just fled. Veda could smell the fresh earth and even her own fear. Her sweaty palms against the grip of the gun felt unusually comfortable. Her gripped tightened as a new feeling washed through her. It was similar to the red hot but without any of the red.


A dark realization hit her and she inhaled sharply. Veda looked over at her liberator who was scanning the woods and whatever trouble moved within it. “Sola…” She whispered suddenly, “Do I give them time to shoot first?”


“What’s your name?” Sola asked softly.


“My name is Veda.”


“Veda,” She said reassuringly “All life has worth. All of our different circumstances have brought us to this point. We are not any more valuable than them. All lives are of equal importance. But if these looters see you, they will kill you. So don't let them see you. If they do… shoot, but remember that we’re all just trying to do what we have to, to survive. Hold on to your humanity. I'll watch your back as much as I can.”


Veda nodded her head, taking her words to heart. She knew what she had to do, and she stared at her hands, wondering if they’d be able to do it -- if her fingers would comply and pull the trigger. She really hoped she didn’t have to use the gun she held on to for dear life. Veda didn’t want to find out what would happen if she couldn’t pull the trigger. A hysteric giggle welled up her throat and threatened to spill out. She didn’t sign up for this, not at all -- but if she died tonight, at least she knew what freedom tastes like.

 

[ambiguities]

Ryder Lawson

​

​

As they neared the colossal structure of the tranquility, the four of them split into half and parted ways. Shasta had briefly informed Ryder and Damien about his side mission leaving Ryder confused for a moment upon hearing the vague details. Although he kept his questions to himself, he had trusted Shasta as a leader enough to know what he was doing. Ryder stepped back from the familiar entrance to the Tranquility and let Damian enter first, silently trailing behind the lanky boy.


When they found themselves inside Ryder resisted urge to cringe. He felt the atmosphere change anytime he entered. It felt drastically different from outside the confined walls. He couldn't understand how the tranquils could live there for so long without cracking, breaking the norm. But then he realized that they were almost programmed that way -- much like robots. They were void of little emotion and whatever humanity and uniqueness was.


Peace park was exactly what the name proposed at that time, peaceful. It was quiet, the guard bots that usually patrolled were no where in sight. Ryder had hoped that there would be no use of the pistol that was securely tucked into the waistband of his pants. Although there was rarely a time where he actually needed it, the safety precaution still needed to be present. He walked towards Damien, standing beside him while still leaving a good distance between them. The minutes would pass by and he could sense the increasing reluctance by the tranquils who had caught sight of the messages. It was understandable that they could be contemplating their choices, the tranquils repressed emotion but at least they weren't lacking sense.

 

[Bhlow]

Rosemarie (Rose) Hayward

Rose chewed over this piece of information - looters or soldiers. Either way, she considered whether taking Ophelia to the keys tower had been the best option. If she was a looter, then she would go for the military unit first and loot armour and weapons, and if she was a soldier, she would do the same thing. She chewed on her lip, holding onto Ophelia a little tighter, until the doctor next to her brought her out of her thoughts.


"Where's the gun? Actually, nevermind that, do you even know how to use one?". Rosemarie looked at him incredulously. "Of course I don't know how to use a gun" she snapped, "I'm a scientist not a killer". She thought back to Tranquillity, there guns had only been carried by the bots to keep order, whereas the textbooks taught the dangers of weapons in the hands of humans, because when humans had emotions they sought power, glory, wealth, and as she heard a shot ring out somewhere outside, not too far away, she thoughts back to her textbooks, surely they weren't wrong considering the situation she was in now. She shivered, terrified as another shot echoed outside, and winced at the sound as they continued.


@Cruor Flumine