Fantasy 𝕆𝕗 𝕄𝕠𝕟𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤 & 𝕄𝕖𝕟 - 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕒𝕣𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕤

[tyranna]

of monsters & men

episode one

Malta, an island known for its picturesque beaches and favorable climate. In the Hunter world it’s known for lacking a faction. More times than not factions from Greece or Italy take on missions in Malta, unfortunately for the Artemis faction all available nearby factions were busy with other missions. And everyone knows that Artemis does what others can’t or rather won’t.

So here they were on a beautiful island in the middle of May investigating a few drownings. That’s right, you heard correctly. Drownings.

Normally the Hunters Association would overlook a matter such as this, but there are far too many whispers that these three victims didn’t pass from accidental drownings, all three men were excellent swimmers, one of them was a fisherman for over two decades. It didn’t sit well with the locals, and the rumors about the Sea Seductress of St Paul’s Bay spread like wildfire.

The faction split into groups to further investigate, with Group Alpha visiting the Aquilina Residence. This family is well-known and incredibly wealthy, the matriarch is a socialite and the patriarch is an oil/fuel tycoon. Two of the three victims, Liam and Martin Aquilina are their sons. Group Alpha is to question the couple in hopes of uncovering more information about how this tragedy could have occurred.

Much like Group Alpha, Group Gamma was sent to question Mrs. Vella, she was Caspian Vella’s wife who according to police reports had expressed concerns about him acting strange. The fisherman not only left behind a loving wife, but a grieving son as well who is adamant there’s foul play.

The final three, Group Omega was sent to the fishing docks to speak with Mr. Vella’s former coworkers, with it being fishing season, the crew explained to Group Omega they would have to tag along on a fishing trip in order to get answers and the three hunters reluctantly agreed.

The first two groups have just arrived at their destination, they stand at the door waiting to be welcomed in, the last group are boarding the boat hoping for the best.

Kill or be killed.

♡design by riptide, coded by uxie♡

 

[tyranna]

GROUP ALPHA
Colt, Baiyen, and Matheo arrive at the Aquilina residence, they stand in front of a large Bocote wooden door that has what they assume to be hand-carved flowers and other foliage outlining the doorframe. After debating on who should knock, they see a doorbell and Baiyen rings it. A man dressed in semiformal attire answers the door and the group explained the reason for their visit. He nods his head in understanding, stating something like “The Madam is expecting you.” He then leads the group to a grossly large living room where a woman dressed in a silk co-ord set greets them and tells them to sit anywhere they like. “You three look a little young to be questioning anyone.” Mrs. Aquilina stated. The sunglasses that were situated perfectly on the bridge of her nose were removed and positioned atop her head. “My boys were certainly older than that one.” Her head bobbed in Matheo’s general direction. “My husband isn’t present, so you will have to question me until his arrival.”

GROUP GAMMA
Group Gamma arrive at the visibly aged home, and they are immediately greeted by Mrs. Vella who is working in her small vegetable garden, she calls out to her son that the visitors are here and asks him to make the group tea as they discuss her husband’s recent passing. “The police wouldn’t listen to me, but maybe you will.” She said with a groan as she stood erect, her knee made an audible pop that the group had silently decided to ignore until Mrs. Vella made a comment. “One of the many woes of aging, no oil in the joints.” she joked. Her son groaned, partially from embarrassment, the other half was this wasn’t his first time hearing this statement. After dusting herself off she beckons the group of four to follow her into her home. It's small, but charming, the perfect size for the former family of three. They are told to sit, with two of the hunters having to share a seating on a soft sofa only fit for two and the other two members plopping down in the remaining wooden chairs that creaked as they sat down. “So, what do you want to know?”

GROUP OMEGA
Today was the perfect day for fishing, and Group Omega wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing because they had to question fishermen, and a good day for them meant a bad day for questioning. Though one of the members of the group suggested they simply sabotage their boat forcing them to stay docked so they could question them, the other two members disapproved. So, they boarded the boat and were welcomed with the smell of fish and two sincere smiles. Mr. Vella’s former co-workers Aiden and Andre. They schooled the group on basic safety protocols and allowed them to ask any questions before they head into deeper waters. “We were actually scared to have you aboard,” Aiden admitted, and Andre gave him a nudge that could only be interpreted as urging his talkative cousin to remain silent. “Mr. V is dead because he fell off this boat.” he added. Andre emitted an agitated sigh, “We did the best we could to save him Aiden, drop it already.” Andre’s shoulders seem to drop, and he excused himself to work on the opposite side of the boat.

tag: Steve Jobs Uniko a z u l a peachiepalette Dicentra BakedBeansIsGood Danidify Plutoni Auda

NPC Post

 

[tyranna]

•
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Laith Kimani

"the unknown"

location

Vella household

interactions

Mrs. Vella and Luca

tags

a z u l a Uniko BakedBeansIsGood

Portal transport typically left an uneasy feeling in his stomach. Laith would’ve preferred a period of rest following their arrival; so that they or rather, he could get to know the locals on a personal level. That wasn’t going to happen, the group was already discussing splitting up and how they should divide themselves into the three groups required for the investigation. More occupied with his surroundings than his fellow hunters, Laith only heard snippets of the others' division suggestions.

Group by strength. Group by height. Rock, paper, scissors. Staring contest. A voice broke through the group, and the deciding method was to draw straws. Someone ran off to pick up enough sticks to use and returned with ten varying in height; long, medium, and short. The probability of being paired with Ziva was high, but Laith attempted to remain optimistic, because what was worse than being in a group with Ziva?

Being in a group with Ziva, Deva, and Elise. If a higher power did exist, they hated him. That he was certain of. He tried to trade, he thought he could trick Baiyen into swapping sticks, or maybe Blaire would want to be with the other three girls, but his efforts were fruitless. The groups said their goodbyes and agreed to meet at the hotel that was accommodating them for their stay in 6 hours.

They had taken a cab to the Vella home, and the driver knew of the family, there was a sadness that glossed over his eyes as the group informed him of their destination. The cab driver dropped them off about half a mile from the Vella home, and as they approached the small abode Laith noted the paint that was peeling off the front door and there was some plant that laced itself around the staircase that led to what he assumed to be their roof terrace.

Mrs. Vella’s voice cut through the air, followed by her son’s. A pair of hazel eyes gave both forms a quick once-over. ‘Good looks run in the family I see.’ Laith ducked as he passed through the entrance. ‘Guess they don’t get too many visitors taller than five feet.’ The floorboards creaked as they made their way to the living room. The couch was the roomiest, so he sat there, hoping the conjoined cousins would sit on top of each other and Elise would sit in the other remaining seat.

Luca set a cup of tea in front of Laith before heading back into the kitchen. Laith took a small sip before he spoke, hopefully, that wasn't poisoned. “We want to know what you told the police. You said something about your husband acting strange. Can you elaborate?”

© weldherwings.

 

[Auda]

Nathaniel Santos
tags: peachiepalette ; Steve Jobs location: On a boat near the docks. ; interactions: Andre and Aiden

Really, going through a portal shouldn’t bother Nathaniel this much. Well, maybe it wasn’t the portal per se, but the person behind it. He donned his poker face and stood as far as he can from Matheo without leaving the man’s range. The faster they get there the better.

When they arrived at their destination, Nathaniel immediately opened his mind to scan for any thoughts of hostility or malicious intent. When nothing seemed out of the ordinary, he stopped just in time for his turn to pick what group he’ll be a part of. Seriously, there’s a better way to divide their team than simply drawing straws, but it seemed like everyone already agreed on the chosen method. Once everyone was done picking, Nathaniel suppressed a sigh when he saw Khun be on the same group as him.

While Nathaniel would prefer not to be on a team with Khun, the rest had already decided, and every group went to their own respective places. It’s not that he had a personal vendetta against the man, it’s just that Nathaniel doesn’t particularly work well with him. Luckily Blaire was also in their team to balance things out. With both Khun and Blaire being on the same team before joining Artemis, they should have enough experience working together. Although, being in a group with the two only survivors of a previous one doesn’t really bode well for them.

When he was informed that they had to go on an impromptu fishing trip, a sense of dread filled his stomach. Really, being in an enclosed space, surrounded by bodies of water, and the sole reason they were even here was because of drownings, one can't blame Nathaniel for thinking that it wasn’t a good idea. Still, they had a job to do, and his feelings about the way things are didn’t matter at the end of the day. Maybe he's just overthinking things as per usual.

He carefully made his way onto the boat, limbs stiff and anxious. He tried to cover it up by acting nonchalantly, but no one was buying it. At least he doesn’t get seasick thanks to his abilities, or else this mission would end with him leaning over the edge most of the time. Nathaniel sees a lifebuoy at the corner of his eyes, and it helped him feel a little bit at ease. Although, that raised a few questions. Assuming that Mr. Vella was an excellent swimmer, and with the boat equipped for emergencies, it’s not likely that Mr. Vella would just drown.

As far as first impressions goes, the two fishermen seemed amiable enough. Nathaniel had a habit of browsing the surface thoughts of every single person he encounters. One can never be too sure, after all. When Nathaniel used his ability on the two fishermen, he didn’t see or sense any hostility, just regret and sadness over their lost friend, and a hint of wariness from having three strangers on their boat. He tried to figure out what happened right off the bat, hoping that the incident was still fresh in their minds, but Nathaniel could only see bits and pieces. They must have hidden the memory deep inside. While it was easy enough to extract it, he figured he should probably talk to them first.

Since Andre left, Nathaniel focused his attention and questions towards Aiden, carefully using his ability to calm the man down and loosen his tongue. He’s sure that the man in front of him didn’t have any abilities that will hinder his own, or else he would be a part of the association instead of a fisherman, so Nathaniel didn’t need to focus much for it to work.

“How did Mr. Vella drown exactly?” he asked, rather bluntly. “As far as I’m aware he should be able to swim back in case he falls, being a fisherman and all. Also, you do have the equipment if things go south.” Nathaniel gestured to the lifebuoy that’s hanging on the side.

coded by archangel_

 

[Steve Jobs]

khun narukami

the individualist

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  tag! Blaire peachiepalette Nathaniel Auda
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

suspicious

Fishing port, Malta

[/tab]

"Act fast or your prey will learn too much about you. They become the hunter, you become the prey."

Khun eyed the flock of seagulls perched on the docks, seeming to avoid both the sea in favor of picking at the food of nearby tourists. As much as birds preferred the empty calories that bread and packaged goods gave them it was unusual to see so few of them flying around. He didn't necessarily believe in superstitions nor could he speak bird (he generally depended on Elise to parse that type of thing), but animals acting strangely were never a good omen.

Dogs barking before earthquakes. Goats fleeing before a volcanic eruption. Rats moving inland to avoid a flood. So what, pray tell, did they know that he didn't?

He barely heard the results being announced, simply offering a shrug once he turned over to his teammates. As far as coworkers went Nathaniel was hardly the worst of the lot. As much as he would have preferred Laith or Matheo to be the third, he held no ill will towards the telepath. His powers covered ground that Khun and Blaire didn't, he knew how to stay out of trouble, and he rarely pushed back against Khun's outbursts.

Blaire he held in much higher regard. A friend, a buffer, a healer, there was no denying the relief of having someone on the team that would be on the same page as him. He could have very well dug into the other merits of having her there, but instead replied with a glib "works for me" once they were assigned to fishing duty.

Khun glanced at the boat for a few seconds before turning back to his squad mates. A crowbar materialized in his hand, red and translucent in form. He gestured towards the boat with some deviousness before being met with a prompt shake of the head.

Go figure that two of the calmest hunters would also be the most law abiding.

He dismissed the crowbar before the trio approached the fishermen who introduced themselves as Aiden and Andre. Though they seemed like honest men, Aiden's statement gave Khun some pause as Andrew did his best to assuage the other man. If they were well schooled enough to instruct the group how to stay safe on a boat then surely Vella would be just as cautious. Nathaniel seemed to share the sentiment as he asked Aiden the very same question on his mind.

Khun, admittedly, couldn't do much on his end. He was not ashamed to admit that he lacked the finesse required to fish for information and instead, sought to examine the waters before them. Were Elise here, he would have asked her to transform into a fish and work her away around the coast. Instead, he approached Blaire.

"Have you concocted any theories yet?"

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[peachiepalette]

blaire kato

filler

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• home (filler tab)
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  filler

  
  
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  location

  
  
  

  malta - fishing docks and on a boat

  
  

  
  

  
  

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  interactions

  
  
  

  andre and aiden

  
  

  
  

  
  

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  tags here

  
  
  

  Steve Jobs Auda

  
  

  
  

  
  

  filler

  
  
• home (filler tab)

florence + the machine

rabibt heart (raise it up)

Traveling via Matheo was always an… interesting feeling. Once upon a time, she used to get to missions via car or air, but now being teleported to places by a whole human made her the slightest bit woozy. Much like a plane ride, she chewed gum to keep her ears from popping and to subdue waves of nausea that might come around every once in a while but once on solid ground again uncomfortable feelings tended to ebb away.

There was the consistent squabble over who would pair with who like on all their missions that drove her out of her energy-drained state. Straws were drawn, groups were split up, and they were on their way (with only a slightly disappointed frown that she hadn’t been paired with Colt though had been spared the fright of being with Duchess on a boat). When Laith tried to trade her straws, she had admittedly considered swapping with him in order to be with the other women of the group, but in the end decided that perhaps this was a good chance for Ziva and Laith to have to work together.

‘Sorry, dude,’

she had uttered with an almost helpless shrug to Laith. Khun and Nathaniel were easily a tolerable pairing - though perhaps not to Khun, who might be cursing being paired with the two least likely fighters in the group - and she found herself rather pleased with the outcome. If they were lucky, there would be no fighting to be done, and nothing for Khun to complain about. In any case, Blaire was convinced that the trio could work quickly and get things taken care of in no time and she would get to spend some time working with her friends. Staring out at the vastness of the water, she eased a breath from her lungs all while hoping to herself that perhaps they would have time to sight-see after their work was done.

The trip over to the docks was a peaceful one, though the suggestion that arose when they got there brought a wave of silence. Consideration, maybe? The crowbar was a silent threat in Khun’s hand. Unfortunately, sabotaging the boat wasn’t the worst idea that could’ve come up, but the moral compass in Blaire gave a prompt

’Absolutely not,’

in return with the reasoning of boats costing a lot of money to repair.

“It just wouldn’t be practical and that would do almost too much damage.”

She was regretting those words. As soon as she stepped foot on the boat, Blaire was almost wishing they had gone with Khun’s plan.

Andre and Aiden were… characters. Catching something in the midst of their conversation made her brows furrow, and the nudge that Andre gave Aiden caused a sideways glance over at Nathaniel. Surely he had caught that as well and this was where his powers would be put to good use. Since her telepathic teammate had already gone on his way with questioning the cousins, Blaire decided to put some space between the group, hoping to leave the relatives a little loser lipped and less intimidated by the presence of strangers. She had sauntered her way to a side of the boat, peering over the edge at the water with decided tension. The rocking and shaking of the boat made her the slightest bit wobbly and her head threatened to turn with a headache despite the fact that they hadn’t gotten into deeper waters. That, and there was something disturbing about the fact that any little blips on the surface of the water could be more than a mere fish. Something was waiting for them, she felt almost sure of it. Dread bloomed and pooled in her stomach at the idea. Maybe it was all in her head! She was overreacting! Khun’s voice turned her head as he made his approach and she was quite thankful for the distraction.

“There’s no way he just fell. And the weather is perfect today, which means they shouldn’t be nervous to have us on board unless they think they’re in trouble or something unnatural happened.”

The girl cast a wary glance over her shoulder, surveying the situation. Half of her was trying to make sure that Nathaniel didn’t scare the wading pants off the fishers while the rest was deep in thought with concern ebbing and flowing through her brain like the roll of the tides.

“There’s definitely more they’re not telling us.”

Whatever it was, Nathan was sure to get it out of them – and in any case, she was sure Khun didn’t want to hear all of her musings over the odd behavior of the pair.

”What do you think?”

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[a z u l a]

ziva kang

the challenger

the Vella's house

annoyed

uniform

interactions

gamma group, the vellas tyranna Uniko BakedBeansIsGood

If Ziva were being completely honest, she wasn't quite sure what they were doing in Malta. There was no real proof of any supernatural involvement, and it wasn't uncommon for men to make up stories to blame their shortcomings on women. Even if there were actually sirens in these waters, it's not like she could blame them. Men were horribly annoying.

Even so, her competitive nature had her wanting to solve the case and move on as quickly as possible. A country as beautiful as Malta wasn't enough to distract her from the task at hand, the clock ticking the moment Matheo had portaled them to their destination. Ziva had argued to break groups up according to height, it wasn't her fault that the taller someone was the smaller their brain became. The 5'6 gang was simply superior, and she almost got her wish until Laith ruined things as usual, taking Nathaniel's rightful spot in the group.

She tried to intimidate Nathaniel into switch spots with her, not only to avoid working with Laith but also to get in on the real action happening at the docks. If anything was going to give them answers, going to the actual witnesses of the drownings near the sight of the incident would be the most helpful.

On the upside, she and Deva were a perfect pairing, and Elise was more tolerable than the others. A larger group meant that she could likely get away with not having to deal with Laith much, though his incessant pestering was near impossible to ignore. A rather active thorn in her side as opposed to those like Khun who didn't seem to take a sick kind of pleasure at her annoyance.

Unfortunately, the Vella household was rather quaint and didn't afford much room to spread out. Taking the seat positioned farthest from Laith, Ziva draped herself across the wooden chair as a well relaxed cat might. Keen eyes surveyed the room, searching for anything amiss, yet finding nothing worth being suspicious over.

Her eyes landed on the matron of the Vella household, a beautiful woman who had certainly seen better days. The grating sound of Laith's voice drew her attention and her glare briefly, before turning her focus back to Mrs. Vella with renewed interest. Hopefully she'd give them some insight into the mysterious drownings.

"We're sorry to hear about your husband, but anything you can recall might help us." Ziva spoke softly, in a gentle tone that was seldom fallen from her lips. While she preferred to use her fists to solve problems, she wasn't entirely averse to charming her way through, especially when it came to milfs.

coded by natasha.

 

[Dicentra]

Baiyen Suwan

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  Mood Lost in the beauty of wooden door frames.
  
  Location The Aquilina Manor.
  
  
  
  tag

  
  

  tyranna
  Plutoni
  Danidify
  
  
  
  outfit

  
  
  
  

Baiyen was a woman of simple tastes, easily distracted by the smallest things. Rarely did anything catch her attention for long, except for Laith's meal prep segments or Deva's rapping sessions to City Girls (though she was still trying to figure out what "snatched up" meant). But as soon as she received the details of the upcoming case that the Artemis members would handle, her interest was piqued. Usually, she didn't pay notice to what was going on and simply went with the flow, but this time was different. The investigation captured her curiosity, and she wanted to know more about it. But what made this investigation stand out? The answer was simple: the matter was all over her Tiktok 'for you' page. The algorithm had spoken, and apparently, true crime was the hot new thing. From videos of influencers visiting the city for mystery vlogs to true crime experts creating theories on what could be happening, it seemed like everyone was talking about this case.

After having her social media overwhelmed by the subject, the thing that primarily caught Baiyen's attention was the local legend of the Sea Seductress, which seemed to be a common thread in many of the videos. Although she wasn't quite sure what it meant, according to her questionable news sources, the story involved a singing creature that lured people into the water.

"A being whose voice is so magical that people follow them into the water?" Baiyen contemplated to herself as the rest of the team decided how to split up. "Do you think they would sound like Beyoncé? I'd go with her anywhere." She whispered to Laith before being asked to get straws to draw. And with that, Baiyen quickly went to the nearest CVS to get the necessary supplies for their game.

After the group contest, Baiyen was satisfied with her assigned crew. The opportunity not only provided fast travel and the chance to hang out with Dutchess, but also meant that Laith would be stuck with Ziva, and that was always a delight to watch. Despite Laith's efforts to persuade her to switch teams, Baiyen refused to give up her spot. And so as her squad, Group Alpha, set out towards the Aquilina household, Baiyen playfully called out "Have fun, you two!"

When it came to traveling, Baiyen was all about speed, and that's why she loved traveling with Matheo. With her short attention span, she needed to keep things moving, and there was no better way to do that than literally teleporting out of thin air to get to places. To be honest, the whole stomach-turning-inside-out thing was not exactly a fun side effect. But Baiyen was willing to endure a little discomfort for the sake of getting where she needed to be in record time. It wasn't until after she stared blankly at Matheo for a few minutes, waiting for him to activate his powers, that she realized he couldn't since he'd never seen the area. With a small tear in her eye, she grumbled "So like.. we gotta walk..?"

Turns out they did. But eventually, they made it to the Aquilina household - a gorgeous mansion decorated with exquisite wood foliage at the entrance. Baiyen couldn't resist leaning in closer to one of the ornate designs, hoping to catch a hint of a pleasant scent. Disappointingly, it was literally just wood that smelled like polish, but they were still beautiful to look at. Eventually, as Baiyen often does, she got lost in thought while trying to count how many were hanging from the doorframe.

As Matheo and Colt were going back and forth over who had the honor of knocking, Baiyen had already spotted the doorbell and couldn't resist giving it a press. To her surprise and happiness, the doorbell burst into the iconic Adams Family theme song melody. She bopped her head to the rhythm until the sound of the door opening interrupted her mini jam session. A man stood before them, ushering the team inside the stunning mansion. The trio followed the man deeper into the house, eventually arriving in what could only be described as the grandest living room Baiyen had ever laid eyes on. As she looked around, she couldn't help but marvel at the abundance of black decor, which was simultaneously impressive and eerie. Her thoughts were interrupted by Mrs. Aquilina, who gesticulated towards Matheo. "Older than him? But... we're all the same age."

Ignoring that the statement was directed at her as well, she turned towards Colt with a frown on her lips and said, "I think she's calling you old dude."

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[BakedBeansIsGood]

the achiever

location

Vella Household

mood

Focused

mentions

a z u l a tyranna Uniko

Elise Ashford

The hunters of Artemis had been called to investigate the three supposed drownings, rumors of the supernatural having consumed the population. Having been briefed on the situation, Elise could swiftly propose more logical explanations, some freak of nature of some kind, she wouldn’t rule out foul play either.

Still, she was a mere employee, she couldn’t exactly decide what jobs she dealt with no matter how aimless she believed they were. Arriving at the small country of Malta utilizing Matheo’s ability, she hastily moved away from the portal. Strangely, travelling via portal had always irked her, leaving her with an uneasy feeling she couldn’t exactly pinpoint.

Despite how much she would’ve liked to explore the small country, the hunters needed to investigate the deaths. Raucous suggestions burst out for how to sort the groups, no doubt ways that would ensure that the composition of their group would be favorable to them. In the end, she was assigned to one of three groups, group Gamma, the outcome of drawing straws to assign teams. The two cousins and Laith were her teammates, not her first choice of group members, exactly why she had frowned upon such an arbitrary way of picking group members. Perhaps Elise should’ve asked to swap despite how unprofessional that would be - it was rather hard for professionalism when you lived with your co-workers. However, she had bit her tongue when she had the chance to ask others, no different group for her.

It was fine though; she wasn’t going to let her own feelings interfere with her work. It had always been that way to the point it had become second nature, prioritizing her duties over everything else. Though, Eli thought with a sigh, she would much prefer being with Blaire. Something about the girl drew her in, an allure that had built up over time.

Shaking those thoughts away, she reprimanded herself to focus on the task at hand despite how fruitless she thought the investigation would be. Her group got into a cab, soon arriving at the Vella household. The first impression was the size of the house, on the smaller side yet it possessed a certain warmth to it. “Thank you for having us here.” Elise remarked upon seeing Mrs. Vella, getting pleasantries out of the way. Her eyes wandered around the house as her group made their way to the living room, observing the quaint home.

Elise sank into one of the rickety seats beside the couch, her posture firm as ever - back straight and head facing forwards. Turning to Mrs. Vella, now a widow, she nodded as Ziva spoke, reciprocating her sentiments. It would be weird not to feel at least some sort of sympathy for the family originally composed of three.

coded by natasha.

 

[Danidify]

mood

Vibing.

location

Fancy rich people house.

outfit

tba.

mentions

Plutoni Dicentra .

where's the epipen??

matheo bassett

“C’mon Malta, where did I put you..” Matheo rustled hastily through a tiny booklet, eyes running past dozens of pages scribbled with coordinates and locations. Possessing the memory of a worm, note-taking had for long been Theo’s go-to means of remembering valuable places. Association officials had once raised the concern that it may cause a security breach one day, but fear not: Matheo’s god-awful doctor-esque writing and abstract drawings made sure the page contents remained undecipherable, sometimes even to him.

After a few back-and-forths between the last hurdle of pages, Matheo finally found the right coördinates adorned by the small drawing of a sun with sunglasses. Professionality was ever-present. “Alright crew, group hug time. Let’s huddle up–and no pushing this time, please!” Theo targeted a playful glare towards certain troublemakers amongst the crowd before readying himself for take-off. It would be ideal if today didn't start with a person missing the teleport.

Gathering confidence in one final deep breath, Matheo stretched out his arms to either side, his brow furrowing above closed eyes as a badge of intense focus. Within moments, the monotonous dark of the inner eye began to brighten with meaning, revealing countless shapes and colours that rapidly phased to create picture after picture. Theo’s muscles tensed visibly at the tide of mystic energy suddenly washing over his body, rippling against his palms like volatile waves hitting a cliffside. “3.. 5.. 5.. 6..” Individual coordinate segments began to escape from his lips as hushed mumbles, steadily slowing down the endless montage of increasingly less blurry imagery. Forth came vibrant blue oceans, limestone roofs, and the warm glow of the Mediterranean sun. There it was, the inviting grounds of their new mission, clear as day.

Having the exact image now anchored firmly in his mind, Matheo’s body came to relax once again, seemingly giving in to the now manageable sway of whatever preternatural vitality gave rise to his ability. Familiar blue-green hues began to gleam from his palms, calling forth a circle of iridescent strings and ribbons interweaving to form a perimeter around the Hunters. With no further warning, the ground below their very feet felt as though it sank away, beckoning the start of a free-fall-esque sensation. Down the rabbit hole, we go.

Now, Theo wasn’t one to complain about his ability. His portals had given him opportunities that many wouldn’t even know to dream of, and he wouldn’t dare to take that for granted. Gratefulness did not, however, alleviate the slightly embarrassing aftertaste of complex teleportation. Long distances, new locations, and multiple ‘travellers’ were all difficult variables on their own. Put them all together and–well, you have Matheo sitting on the ground woozier than certain team members (you know who you are) after hotboxing.

With his entire neuronal system desperately scrambling to recalibrate, Matheo resorted to a technique he had long perfected: the smile and nod. Never mind the dazed look in his eyes or the unbalanced slight sway of his head, your plans all sound fantastic. Splitting up. Done deal. Making teams? Brilliant. Pulling a stick? Whatever floats your boat. By the time Theo came to his senses, everything seemed to have fallen into place! Not that he would expect anything less from this beautiful crew of.. mature–no, professional–well, only sometimes; how about high-potential hunters?

Speaking of high potential, the talent in his current team was certainly something to admire. Matheo was smiling from ear to ear upon hearing the news that he would pair up with Baiyen and Colt, two people who humanly couldn’t be more different. In the brief time she had been riding with the crew, Theo got to know Baiyen as a lovable mood-maker whose chaotic nature was wholeheartedly compensated for by good vibes and stomach-cramp-level hilarity. Given the not-so-joyous scenarios that their field of work regularly invited, the teleporter was always happy to be around a walking ray of sunshine like her. Granted, one couldn’t complete a mission on glee alone, and that’s precisely where the local zookeeper would come in to make the perfect counterweight. Disciplined, reliable and just a teensy bit intimidating, Theo could think of few people he’d trust more to keep a mission on track. Though Colton did admittedly carry himself as a rather imposing figure, time had taught Matheo that Colt was less of a murderous bloodhound and more akin to grumpy shellfish. Stern looks, blunt comments and monotonous outfits might make for an impressive barrier, but look through the cracks and you’ll find a surprisingly soft and tender soul. After all, it takes a special type of person to respond to a giant hell-spawn of a spider with admiration and nurture as opposed to shock and horror.

Following a nice scenic walk (yes, walk, sorry Baiyen), team Alpha finally arrived at their target location: the Aquilina residence. It was definitely a building to behold, but it didn’t seem to have the same effect on Theo as it had on a certain wood-sniffing enthusiast. “Sooo–who’s knocking? I could do it, but I feel like your knock has some ‘oomph’, you know?” Matheo looked up at Colt, waiting eagerly for an answer to his scientific hypothesis. The spirited extravert could often get lost in the decor of first impressions, including things as trivial as knocking. Fortunately, the sudden ringing of a doorbell cut short whatever discussion would’ve likely arisen.

Theo quickly regained his composure as the door began to creak open, revealing a neatly dressed man who was quick to chaperone them into a house bearing much of the same formality and flair. Walking through these halls reminded him of the first time he had laid eyes on Artemis’ home base, a sight so overstimulating it nearly sent him into anaphylactic shock. To say this family lived lavishly would be the understatement of the year, not that it mattered. Wealth could rarely fill the gaps left by occurrences that warranted a visit by Artemis, and today was no different.

In time, their half-marathon through the estate came to an end, crossing the finish line into an eerily large living room. Matheo couldn’t help but feel a little nervous once he laid eyes on the owner of the house, whose energy certainly matched the imposing grandiosity of the room itself. The immediate question of authority didn’t exactly inspire a homely feeling either. Theo sheepishly chuckled at the statements made by Mrs. Aquilina, unsure how else he could politely respond. He idled indecisively for a moment, waiting to gauge the responses of the other Hunters only to be swiftly reminded of the company he was with. Offering a slightly panicked look at joke-machine Baiyen, Theo awkwardly cleared his throat whilst carefully stepping towards the matriarch. Time to be professional.

“Thank you for welcoming us into your home, Mrs. Aquilina. We're very sorry for your loss.” Matheo spoke earnestly, a characteristic warmth and respect glowing behind his words.

“I promise that we'll keep our questions short. We wouldn't want to burden you in these difficult times.” He continued, hoping to make a polite impression in spite of their.. youthful appearances? Content with his response, Theo glanced over at his teammates in the hopes that Colt or Baiyen would take over.

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[Plutoni]

@ the aquilina residence

COLT

Colton squinted up into the vast morning sky as the parted door before them was at last swung open. The sun hung low and foreign, blueness and heat belonging to a stretch of planet that had been momentarily - unnaturally - dragged within reach. It always twisted something shapeless and primitive in his skull, some crude, nagging sense of disorientation that never failed to keep pulling his gaze back over and over his shoulder. He hung back, gesturing discreetly for Baiyen and Matheo to walk ahead.

Just one more look back.
Then he was done.

He had already rolled his sleeves neatly to his elbows, but the breeze was warm on his skin, tattoos stark in the sunlight, and Colt began to pull the gloves from his fingers as they were led inside. He kept his gaze fixed ahead as the door was pulled shut behind them, wood and black iron eclipsing the brightness and noise from outside. The air was cool in there, dimmer, the flagstone tiles reflecting a whitish sheen from each passing window that stretched all the way up to the foot of the sofa commanding the heart of the living room floor. There a woman sat, outlined in silk. Colt made his measure of Mrs. Aquilina before his eyes had even fully adjusted. An imperial face, unflustered, eyes hidden by sunglasses even within the mansion's shade - a small worry had bubbled at how conspicuous the holster on his leg suddenly felt inside such a residence, but now it died as quickly as it came. He tucked his now-divested gloves into his pocket, clasping one wrist before him, making no move to sit despite the offer of their host. As his gaze continued to slide, the knot in his stomach momentarily eased. Baiyen and Matheo.

It was some freak twist of fortune that they'd been put in a team together, he'd decided; he'd kept unusually quiet as the groups were divided, for once, and it had just so happened to reward him with two of the members he'd most like to keep within sight. He often wondered if he'd actually have a chance of going grey in his due time if he simply washed his hands of dealing with his teammates' chaos - Baiyen so often being chief culprit - and not a minute before. On a more fundamental level still, he already knew his follicles were screwed. He could rarely bring himself to look away. He'd grudgingly come to realise that he would rather know what she might be up to and be able to deal with it in due course.

“You three look a little young to be questioning anyone.”

And Matheo - the kid had already had quite the morning. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't sometimes half-prepared to catch the teleporter after such heavy feats as the one he'd just pulled. He was an odd blessing, too, though not one he always understood. Maybe he still didn't tread quite carefully enough.

"I think she's calling you old, dude."

Colt let out a slow exhale.
"Thank you, Baiyen."

And how he certainly appreciated his ability to slide into those teeth-grinding pleasantries.
He'd keep the questions short, alright.

"Liam and Martin. What business did they have in the bay the day they died?" Colt's voice broke the lull. He made no effort to modulate the flat slide of his tone, uncaring of how abruptly it cooled the warm trail of Matheo's condolences.
"They were alone?"

Dicentra Danidify tyranna

 

[Uniko]

the peacemaker

location

malta - the vella's home.

mood.

nostalgic.

outfit

current outfit

mentions

Laith tyranna Ziva @a z u l a Elise BakedBeansIsGood

deva hawea.

The island of Malta was absolutely gorgeous. The lush greenery, clean sands, and the crisp blue waters surrounding the shores was something the island native herself had to express appreciation for. Of course nothing could compare to the islands from where she was born and raised, but she could admit that the land and waters were in much better health in comparison to some places she's had the opportunity of visiting.

That was one of the most prevailing perks of the job. The (usually) all expenses paid trips to other countries was a positive aspect to an otherwise, mentally challenging, and very very dangerous job. Since she joined Artemis, she's been able to actualize dreams that she thought would never come to fruition. A small island girl who was treated like a alien amongst her peers, and now can say she's travelled several counties, met notable figures, and even sent back money to her island despite the bullying she's endured from her own community. She would never not try to contribute back something to her homeland. But she did make sure majority of any funds she issued back to her community actually went to care for the youth, and education. It wasn't much, but she allocated what she could.

When she was placed in the group with Leith, Ziva and Elise, Deva was pleased with the selection. The earth manipulator enjoyed any opportunity she could to work with directly with her cousin, Leith was always entertaining to be around and Elise did not say much but she was fairly easy to work with her opinion. The current case with the mysterious death of sea men definitely touched a different part of her. Being from a small island herself, she could understand Ms. Vella and her son must be feeling, including the rest of the community. These men were more than likely the main providers for their families, and working at sea was a typical mode of business for families that live by the sea. She's heard of many stories growing up of men who were lost at sea from catching fish and warning of 'sea witches'. Of course those were mostly just fables to deter the children from going out into the ocean but she couldn't help but think of how weirdly similar these stories were to the current situation happening in Malta.

Deva took her seat right next to Laith, much to his probable chagrin, considering Ziva and Elisa took the remaining lone chairs in the room. As the son brought bac refreshments, Deva appreciated the quant decorum of the small home, and immediately took to Mrs. Vella's naturally warm energy. A smile curved across her lips. It reminded her of her own tutu wahine(grandma) back home. Her groupmates already stated enough for their intentions, but she realized that they all forgot to mention the most important thing when you entering a strangers home. "Oh! We're sorry Mrs. Vella, it seems we forgot to properly introduce ourselves, no?" Deva gave Laith and Ziva pointed looks as she said that, before gesturing over to her cousin first, "That's Ziva, one of Artemis best combatants, Elise who is an amazing agent, and Laith, who is basically the leader of our group, and I'm Deva! Thank you so much for letting us into your home, it reminds me a lot of my own childhood home."

coded by natasha.

 

[tyranna]

GROUP ALPHA
As Baiyen’s voice bounced off the walls of the Aquilina residence the madam of the house focused her gaze on the only woman in the Alpha group. Good looks were wasted on this young woman, though wrong to assume, Mrs. Aquilina was certain that bright was not among the characteristics listed to describe the hunter. She then turned to Matheo, whose innocent appearance reminded her of the sweet boys she had recently lost. Her tear ducts seemed to turn against her as her gaze grew glossy in nature, she brushed it off with the wave of a fan that was situated on the small table positioned next to her. “Difficult times indeed, the natural order of things has been disrupted, my boys have gone before me.” The more innocent-looking hunters had a kindness to them that did not have to be explained, but the other one, Colt, was strictly business, a trait she knew all too well that oozed from every pore of her other half.

“Liam and Martin loved to take their father’s yacht out and about, anything to entertain their inner circle.” She shrugged before leaning in, her legs were crossed, her thin upper limbs lazily relaxed atop, and she rested her chin on her right palm as she spoke her next set of words. “They are never alone, and yet there was no one there to save them. They all say they both dove into the water, and neither resurfaced.” There was a smile offered at the end of her answer, one that seemed forced, one that was supposed to bring a sense of reassurance to not only herself but her guest. “Their friends waited four hours before notifying the police.” A sigh escaped her, this conversation was taking what little energy she had left in her.

Silence then filled the room, and just as Mrs. Aqualina parted her tinted lips to speak, a smooth greeting slithered into the room. “Hello, my love.” Mr. Aqualina walked over to the lady of the house, planting a gentle kiss atop her forehead. Mrs. Aqualina introduced the group, but Mr. Aqualina seemed anything but interested. “I’m afraid we’ll have to discontinue this little meeting.” With the wave of a hand, the man who had initially greeted the three at the door was now tasked with escorting them off the residence. Mr. Aquilina didn’t leave room to resist or argue, and it was best not to do so, for the sake of the associations' reputation. So, Group Alpha went, deciding they would head to the hotel before the others and discuss what little information they had gathered.

As the infamous wooden doors opened, the sound of several furious voices entered the ears of the three. A group of protesters were situated right outside the gates that surrounded the Aquilina residence, their signs accusing Mr. Aquilina of poisoning their pristine beaches and killing the wildlife that called those waters home. Mr. Aquilina stood in silence a sizable distance behind the three as he waited for them to leave his property, unmoved by the harsh words of those who despised him on the other side. Colt gave the man a look over the shoulder and an easy feeling swept over him. Yes, heading back to the hotel was a good idea, they needed to debrief.


tag: Dicentra Danidify Plutoni

NPC Post

 

[tyranna]

GROUP OMEGA

This boat used to be a place of warm and fond memories, Aiden could spend several hours aboard this vessel and never grow tired. That of course was before the incident, before he learned that the man who taught him everything was not immortal nor perfect. It was a hard truth, one he was still in the process of swallowing. But when Nathaniel spoke to him, there was a comfort he could not describe that cloaked him, he found his chest wasn’t as compressed as before. He was relieved, but also perplexed, given he didn't know the shorter male all too well, his presence alone shouldn’t have been enough to put him at ease, yet here he was preparing to open up to a man he had met an hour ago.

“He fell overboard, but we couldn’t see where, he didn’t shout for help or anything of the sort…..” his voice trailed as a wave of guilt washed over him. “Andre doesn’t think you three should know…” The younger of the two fishermen paused, the consequences of what he was about to say next played in his mind several times, Andre wouldn’t be pleased. “Mr. V wasn’t acting like himself that morning, he was so irritable, he got into an argument with Andre about the oil spill we discovered about three weeks ago.” There was more that needed to be said, that much was obvious, but Andre’s unsuspected advancement towards the two caused Aiden to cease his rambling.

As Andre drew closer, the aggravation could be felt with every step, Aiden seemed to tense, preparing for the worst. “ Didn’t I tell you to keep your mouth shut!” barked the brunette, his words seemed to paralyze Aiden. Andre’s anger caught the attention of Blaire and Khun, the healer made her way over to the three men first, hoping to aid Nathaniel in easing the tension. Khun began to follow suit but stopped in his tracks as a song sweet as honey poured through his ears. This tune was like that of a lullaby, comforting and angelic, it called to him as if it knew him, and Khun answered. His movements were so fluid and gentle that the others did not hear him join the waters.

The calm waters engulfed The Individualist’s form, and a delicate hand with lethal intent laced around his ankle dragging him down to the depths of the salty waters. He did not resist, not initially, for the song was serenading him in a hypnotic way, but then a voice called out to him, the voice of someone who had a shared history with him. Her voice broke the bewitching melody. Khun managed to conjure a weapon to break the hold of the creature attempting to drown him, but he had no more strength after that, which left his life in the hands of his teammates.

tag: Auda peachiepalette Steve Jobs

NPC Post

 

[Steve Jobs]

khun narukami

the individualist

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  tag! Blaire peachiepalette Nathaniel Auda
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

drowning

Spain with a silent S

[/tab]

"I went down to the river, I set down on the bank. I tried to think but couldn't, So I jumped in and sank."

Khun nodded in agreement with Blaire, a swath of possibilities forming in his mind. Kraken, sea serpents, iku-turso, lusca, and scylla were all malicious creatures, but none were active during perfect weather.

“...He fell overboard, but we couldn’t see where, he didn’t shout for help or anything of the sort…..”

"Sirens," he said finally. Aiden's statement gave the trio context regarding the relationship between Andre and Vella's, but were ancillary to the actual circumstances behind his fall. Nathaniel and Blaire could prod them all day, but it wouldn't do them any good compared to slaying whatever resided in the waters. He cared little for personal drama, but perhaps that was what made him so vulnerable to the hypnotic sounds coming from the edge of the boat.

Now stop your query and listen to our voices
All those who pass this way hear our honeyed song
seeking answers to their pain. The music soothes their soul
and they bathe in the sea, filled with closure.

The bait was enough for him to pull away from the group, their words getting lost in waves crashing against the boat. Far more seductive than any enchantress, was the promise of knowledge of what his future held. His actions would never be venerated, but foresight could prevent regret.

So he delved into the waters, a hand ever wrapped around his ankle. Patience, trust, pliability, and discipline were all obvious answers but he sought something deeper. Another hand stroked his cheek, whispering a tender "let go" before unhinging her maw.

"Khun where are you?"

I'm- Fuck, where was...how did he...Materializing a baseball bat, he struck the creature's mouth before swimming to the surface (bends be damned). Of course it would be him having to deal with the open waters. Of course it would be him falling victim to the sirens.

"Blai-Nath-"He banged his fist against the side of the boat, lungs too waterlogged to form sentences. "C'mon!" he coughed.

Of course, it would be him repaying his mortal debt.

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[Auda]

Nathaniel Santos
tags: peachiepalette ; Steve Jobs location: On a boat in the middle of the ocean. ; interactions: Andre and Aiden, Blaire and Khun

Nathaniel felt more at ease once Aiden started to speak. By the way things were going, they should be able to get the information they needed quickly and get off the boat just as fast. Khun’s assessment of the monster being a siren fit Aiden’s description of the incident. The oil spill also caught Nathan’s interest, but he’ll come back to that later. With information at hand, the best course of action would be to leave the ocean where they’re vulnerable and regroup with the rest.

What Nathaniel didn't account for was the sudden outburst from the other fisherman. He tried to calm Andre down like what he did with his brother, but the man’s mind was too chaotic. Anger from his brother’s revelation replaced sadness, and Andre’s regret was heightened from remembering his last conversation with Mr. Vella ending in an argument just before the man’s untimely death. With Andre’s current state, his mind would reject Nathan’s... gentler approach. The telepath was about to incapacitate the man before it escalates further, side-effects be damned, but luckily Blaire came in to try and help him calm the situation down. Although with both hunters occupied, they failed to notice their other companion was already missing before it was too late.

"Khun where are you?" Blaire asked, bringing his attention back to the man who was nowhere to be seen.

At first Nathaniel thought he was lounging at the front of the boat, far away from the conversation since it wasn’t really Khun’s ‘thing’. When the man was still absent, anxiety bubbled in the pit of his stomach. Immediately, Nathan tried to find the brash but familiar voice of Khun’s mind.

‘...and they bathe in the sea, filled with closure.’

Instead of the usual scathing remarks or sarcastic monologues, what greeted him was a melodic voice. A wave of calm washed over Nathan’s body but an uncomfortable shiver that made the hair on his skin stand followed soon after. While it was soothing, a sense of wrongness was hidden in the voice like an apple rotting from the inside out. Probably the most important part was that it didn’t sound like Khun.

“C'mon!” Now that, however, sounded like him. Nathaniel rushed over the boat’s railing to see Khun flail on the water’s surface.

Jumping in to help the man was the first thing Nathaniel thought of. Unfortunately, Nathan wasn't blessed in terms of stature nor strength like the other members of Artemis, and the one who's actually drowning. There was also the problem of the sirens beneath the surface. Nathaniel couldn't see how many of them there was, but he assumed the worst. He figured having two members of the most prestigious faction of the association die by drowning was too much of an embarrassment, so he scrapped the idea.

Fuck. Their group was probably the worst for the situation, and the only one who was able to somewhat handle the sirens was incapable to do so. The next time we’re on a mission I’m going to handle the grouping situation instead of letting Laith decide. Matheo’s portals would be useful, even Elise’s ability was better suited. But there was only the three of them and they must make do.

Nathaniel scanned the surface of the boat again, before his eyes landed on both Aiden and Andre. There were two able-bodied fishermen with them who spends all day in the ocean, hauling huge amounts of fish. Nathaniel had an idea, and he wasted no time grabbing the Lifebuoy that's tied to the railing he saw earlier before throwing it over to Khun.

"Khun! Grab this!" Nathaniel shouted, “Andre! Aiden! Grab the rope and pull him up!” The sight of Khun drowning should remind them of Mr. Vella, and that gives Nathaniel more than enough to work with. He browsed their mind and unlike the first time, Mr. Vella’s death was on the surface of their thoughts. It was easy enough to bring out their feeling of helplessness and desire to have done something more to help a dying friend. Albeit it was a little forceful and cruel to make them live through Mr. Vella’s death again, he figured the situation was dire enough to justify the means.

Still, there was the threat of the siren. He quickly turned to face his other companion.

“Do you have an idea on how to deal with the sirens?”

coded by archangel_