Realistic or Modern T R U S T: The Game

[Amerikia1126]

Tori Crawford

Location: Destination Cable Car Station

"I hope it was a real rager. Did you contain yourself or did you embrace the intoxicating throes of festivity?"

Tori had playfully rolled her eyes at that one. Of course he'd bring it up. He wasn't one to let that opportunity slip by. After all, what better time to remind her of her questionable decisions at a party than right between two parties?

"If we fall to our death, know that I have no regrets. Not one."

She had opened her mouth to answer but thought of nothing. Perhaps that was the wrong wording, she thought a lot of things, none of them quite forming a sentence. From there, the rest of the journey up the mountain was both peacefully quiet and annoyingly cold. She did manage to get a few shots of the view out the window. They weren't of the best quality,

Soon, the ride to the top had ended and they had arrived at the other station. It seemed those who had already arrived were talking. One of them looked familiar..

"What are they doing out in the cold?", she asked herself.

Around: Le Main Gang

 

[Rhaine]

Michael "Mick" Breen
Interacting with: Amerikia1126 Volfy Diminium The Empress of Ice allure

"Beats me." Mick replied. The quiet, airy manner of the question told him it had only been intended for herself, yet he answered all the same. Without words to fill the void, there was only the thunder whispering all manner of chaotic intention, of calamity, or something more primal even than release in its low, archaic voice. Better that it be legible, more mundane words. There was comfort in the conceivable.

Michael stepped out of the cable car with uncertainty in his hands, yet not in his form or his face. There was a secureness there that he did not feel, and on his face a grin that settled finely and promised a statement with a shine. His dark eyes looked each individual over briefly, though his mind draped over the fleeting moments with significance. He saw the tall, blonde one with the cigar first. The way he stood, quite fluid, quite effortless, and the curve of his mouth sung of elegance that Mick was familiar with only from old films his dad used to watch. His clothes favored this impression further - it was as if he had walked right out of a sepia-toned feature.

The blonde man had his gaze trained on a petite girl with a quizzical green brow and wide, dark eyes. There was movement in her even in stagnation, and her striking gaze was fixed on the cable car he had just exited with a look that suggested all her hopes were pinned to its cold, shifting bearings. He found himself fearful of disappointing her.

He had seen the blonde man and the dark-eyed girl before, only he couldn't pin down one specific moment in his mind. Familiar, yet altogether distant. The same could be said for the other blonde. She looked small in stature, though the next moment he couldn't be quite sure of that, as there was something to her visage, the strength to her shoulders or perhaps a sharpness to her expression that made her seem tall.

Then there was Ted, and of course Ted was altogether too close in his mind for ease. In another time, he would have crossed the distance with haste, pulled the taller boy into a tight hug, and referred to him affectionately as 'Teddie Bear.' Yet that time was too long passed. There was a small, faint scar above Mick's top lip from where Ted had split it with a brutal blow. His eyes lingered on him longer than they should have, and he could feel the wound for a fleeting moment as if it had just been dealt. Ted had grown, and on his handsome, sharp-featured face, Mick could easily picture the ugly shiner his own fist had left on him. Mick's gaze fell, doing his damnedest to conceal the slip in his composure, the fleeting moment where his mask had drawn away, and his heart had so obviously been in his throat.

He glanced briefly to Tori at his side, his smile now perfectly renewed, and no sign of distress in his expression.

"Did I miss a memo? Is the party happening out here?" His question was open, not entirely directed at Tori, more so directed at anyone who heard. He cheekily blew a dark strand of his hair from his face.

 

[Svadilfari]

Location: Somewhere on the Rockies
Time: 6:28 P.M.
Date: 31st of October​

Alexei Dahmer felt the first drops of rain fall on his cold-kissed cheeks as he stared up at the now charcoal grey sky. It had previously been a slate-grey colour only fifteen minutes ago, the sudden change in hue announcing what can only be the end of the calm before the storm. The brunet shifted his weight from one foot to another. His light brown eyes darted between the gate and the rocky path to the Cable Car Port. Thunder boomed overhead, as a lone streak of lightning lit up the darkening skies.

On one hand, there is shelter. A sure safety from the coming storm.
And on the other...
Alexei turned his attention back to the Port. He could have sworn he heard voices, but the rumbling thunder echoing between the ice capped mountains drowned out the sounds. Another flash of lightning, this time closer to the ground, finally sent his nerves on edge. He felt blood rush inside him, as heat surged from the tips of his calloused fingers to his sun-spotted cheeks. Once again, he found himself buzzing with the excitement he felt when he stared up at the mountains hours ago. And despite the cool howl of wind nipping at his exposed arms and tousling his already rumpled hair, to him, the temperature appeared to have gone up a couple of degrees. He can feel the heat of the Summer again, amidst the frigid October air. He has to do something, anything, to satisfy his buzz and the growing curiosity in him. From the beginning, the brunet had always found himself living between the Devil and the danger, so as he grew up, he simply learned how to love it. But more than that, he also began to crave it.


Without giving any more thought to the worsening weather, Alexei hastily picked up his bag with a gloved hand, and swung the pack over his shoulder in one swift motion. As he jogged down the slope leading to the Port, a cool gust of wind stole Emmie's note from between his fingers. The brunet watched as the small, yellow paper danced with the wind, before slowly falling to the blue waters below.

It doesn't matter. They'll just have to trust his word then.

-----

"Did I miss a memo? Is the party happening out here?"

"I was wondering the same thing," he replied to the stranger's question.

He felt odd amidst the small crowd that gathered at the foot of the slope. For one thing, he is definitely dressed differently from them. He has a beanie, where others has fur-trimmed hats, a plain white sweater (rolled at the sleeves) where others donned layers, and simple cargo pants paired with hiking boots, where others wore more weather-appropriate clothing. He has a forest green jacket tied around his waist, that he's quite sure he wouldn't use, which serves as his only respite from the cold. He eyed the sea of faces before him, certain that he had never met these people before. Although some of the faces did look familiar, as if he had caught their eye once or twice in a crowded place.
All unfamiliar. All but one. When Kat met his gaze, Alexei winked at her direction. He will catch up with her soon enough.

The brunet figured that if he's going to crash his cousin's party, he might as well introduce himself first. As nicely as he can. After all, he did remember reading somewhere about the importance of first impressions.

"Hello to everyone," he offered them a small smile, "except to the jerk smoking at the far back." Alexei rubbed his nose as the faint scent of smoke mingled with the breeze. He remembered the time he craved the scent of burning pine and menthol, but that was a long time ago, and he grew to hate some things he loved. "I'm Emmie's cousin. Has anyone heard from her lately?"​

 

[Human__Ramen]

Jacob Matthews
Time: 6:52 PM
Interacting with:
​

"I'm so late, I'm so late, I'm so late-" Jake kept repeating to himself like a mantra as he hurried his way up the mountain. His boots crunched every time they pressed against the snow, making a rather delightful sound. Unfortunately, the noise was drowned out by the howling wind, whistling and slapping the dead tree branches against its trunks. Jake shifted his bag, trying to get it to rest more comfortably on his back.
The snow and the black clouds created a special kind of smokescreen: Jake could not see anything. He reached into his jeans' right pocket and pulled out his phone. He toggled the flashlight option on, and everything became so clear.
"And God said, let there be light." Jacob mumbled, his eyes darting from left to right, taking in the unnerving scenery around him.
He wasn't usually scared. He's the kind of guy that liked to be spooked. Why was he feeling nervous now?
As he contemplated the question at hand, Jacob arrived at the cable car station. He got on the platform a few inches off of the ground and opened the station's door, stepping in.
Height was a beautiful thing. The wind got worse - there was certain to be a blizzard anytime soon. As he took in his environments, Jacob turned the flashlight option off and pocketed his phone. There were a few lights in the station, he didn't need it anymore.
Jake saw the cable car struggling it's way down to him. He figured it'd take a while before it actually got to him - or fall on its way down. He walked over to the safety rail that separated the criminally insane that came up to this place from the abyss down below. He stared at the beast's pit, watching the snowflakes daintily fall down.
"I'm getting some serious Until Dawn vibes from all of this..." Jake told himself.

// I DID IT, I MADE THE REFERENCE #PROUD

 

[allure]

YUNA OH

interacting with: Diminium The Empress of Ice Volfy Svadilfari Rhaine Amerikia1126​

woahthe woman was looking at her with not an angry expression as she had feared, but rather one that yuna easily recognized. oh. "alright, kat it is then. but i can think of a lot of other things i could call you," she replied, letting the implication of her words sink in with a coquettish smile. her flirtations seemed to be for naught, however, as kat immediately latched onto eli the moment he was mentioned. yuna tried not to be too butthurt about it even as she narrowed her eyes at the interaction; the frenchman could be considered goodlooking to anyone who didn't know he was a closeminded culture snob, but she herself was definitely hotter. teddy's baritone and the telltale creak of the cable car drew her from her judgment.
woah"do you know anyone else who is coming then?" teddy asked her. she shook her head.
woah"just one other person. i have no idea who else is coming other than him. emmie told me she wanted to get quote unquote 'the gang' from high school back together, but i'm sure her definition of the gang and mine are very different." at that moment the true cold of the place seemed to hit her like a wall, causing a dramatic full-body shiver to run down her spine. yuna bounced a little in place, puffing her cheeks out and shoving her hands deep into the pockets of her parka. it was a good thing she was wearing the parka - she was nipping so hard.
woah"did i miss a memo? is the party happening out here?" she heard the man who had exited the cable car ask, and she scoffed.
woah"seriously, i didn't sign up to be part of the fucking welcome committee. can we please move along, preferably to a place where the temperature isn't in the negatives?" she complained. suddenly there was different voice, and wow, everyone just really wanted to meet out on satan's freezing tit instead of, say, indoors like normal people. it was thundering too. the building storm gave her a bad feeling in her gut.
woah"hello to everyone except to the jerk smoking at the far back," the newcomer greeted. she stifled a laugh. "i'm emmie's cousin. has anyone heard from her lately?" yuna chose not to answer as she hadn't tried to contact emmie since the initial invite.

code by hoseok​

 

[Corgi]

.

Before the boy in front of her could answer, a large flash shot through the sky, quaking thunder rumbling overhead, catching her off guard. Suddenly, her eyes widened as she remembered a conversation Karin and Kat had back in their Sophmore year of high school.

Karin's 16th birthday was coming fast, and while normally she never celebrates her birthday, Kat was not letting her sweet 16 come and go without a little mischief.

Kat rolled her eyes, tugging at Rein's arm relentlessly. "Come on~," she almost sang, trying to get her to relent, "you know you want to!" A few minutes prior, she had brought up the idea of getting fake IDs and sneaking into a club, which Karin immediately shot down, "What? No! I-I mean... What if we get caught? Plus, it's not even my birthday yet..." She explained, a part of her kind of wanting to do it. She hadn't had many friends that she could do these kinds of things with, and now she had a really good one and... She wanted to take advantage of it while she could. Youth finally taking the reigns of her underaged mind, she took a deep breath, "You know what, let's do it! If you can get the... uh," She cleared her throat and whispered, "fake IDs," Going back to her normal tone, she smiled, "then I'll join you... As long as if afterward we can crash at my house. I don't want to wake up on the streets with a hangover..."

A shrill squeal left Kat, as she bounced around the room, grinning as she reached into her jeans' pocket, throwing an id at her oh-so-innocent friend. "These take time you know," she teased as she turned to rummage Rein's wardrobe.

"Girl... Baby... Lapoushka... You need to get some new shit, really. I don't see a single black dress in here and it's worrisome," Kat raised her eyebrows, grabbed a cute jacket and threw it at Rein, "We're going to my house. ASAP. Ladies' get free entry before midnight and we only got two hours to find you some clothes."

(A/N : They took an UBER home, do not drive while under the influence- or drink if you're underage )

And so they left to Kat's house, time flying by- as soon as they were getting ready for a bar, they were back at Karin's house, sneaking- or more like stumbling up the stairs to Rein's room, giggling like the drunken messes they were till they reached her bed, immediately bursting out into fits of laughter as soon as they laid down, going over the nights events. "Oh...My God!" Karin yelled, trying to contain herself, "The m-m-man had to be at l-least 6'8"! H-He was so n-nice though a-and he thought we were- we were- 21!" She laughed, covering her mouth as Kat spoke, "Spe-", Katya had to remind herself to take deep breathes, imagining Karin's father's glare in fear of her parents waking up, but it didn't help much as she laughed just as furiously, "S-speak for yourself! You a-a-almost put the poor fucker in the sex offender registry!"

Kat threw her braids to the side, turning over with tears in her eyes, an amused smirk grazing her lips, "Who would've known little miss goodie-two-shoes Karin Aiza would seduce her way to free s-s-shOTS!"

"Oh ho, don't put this all on me! Y-You little miss... uh... trickster you! You s-somehow convinced th-the BARTENDER to let you t-take over," With tears in her eyes, she lightly his Kat's shoulders, "Y-You also somehow managed to get t-the DJ to play o-our favorites AND "I'm B-Blue" by those E-Eiffle kids! BUT WAIT- You a-also got the club owner to take a picture of use a-and hang it up o-on the WALL!" Karin squealed, about to go on more about their adventures until-

BEEP

Rein quickly sat up, looking around in mild confusion, "What was that...?" She slurred, running a hand through her hair before glancing at Katiana to see her fishing her phone out of her bag and seeing her expression change from confusion to horror. Her lip started to quiver slightly, her eyes widening as they took in the news in front of her.

THUNDERSTORM DETECTED FIVE MILES AWAY.

She blinked once. Twice. It was crazy what fear did to a person, and nearly instantly Katiana reached for Rein's hand, a nervous laugh spilling out of her. "D-d-did," the stutter wasn't caused by laughter this time and her voice, which usually was loud and boisterous, was now barely audible, "I don't like thunder?"

Katiana scooted over, covering herself with blankets and dragging Rein underneath, her eyes watering heavily. "B-because I r-really...", her breaths were coming in shorter intervals, her pulse so quick that for a second Karin thought she could hear her friend's raging heartbeat, "I really fucking don't."

Karin's eyes widened, quickly sobering up at the sight of her friend suddenly crying and the feeling of her stomach drop. "Yagodka..." She murmured, not caring if she pronounced the word wrong as she wrapped her arms around Kat's trembling body. She had picked up a couple terms of endearment from Kat while they've been friends, "Do you need me to do anything?" She asked, trying to protect Kat from the sudden crackling of thunder.

Kat was barely listening but as the first rumble reached her ears, she all but jumped and clinged onto her friend. At the moment, Karin was not Karin, but Kat's lifeline, the bane of her existence. For the first time, Kat's real age was not questionable, as 'old' as her soul was, the tiny being in Karin's arms was but a little girl, quivering in fear, body wracked with sobs.

"Make it stop, makeitstop, makeitstopmakeitstiopmakeitsopmaitsto," the words blurred together, as Katiana's words became intangible.

Even she, who never thought twice about any challenge, had fears. Karin knew, but she never guessed the intensity of it.

That night, the two were interlocked, Karin cradling her and mumbling comforting words as Kat eventually fell asleep, her hands covering her ears and her face streaked with tears.
.
Oh, hell no. She never wanted to have Kat go through that again.

Shakily, she looked at the boy in front of her and then the cable car as well as the stranger boarding it. Grasping Kenji's wrist, she sprinted to the boarding station, throwing herself into the car and getting Kenji situated in the very cramped car. Karin tried her best to ignore the squeaking and the rocking of the cart itself, as well as the dinginess of it. While she was definitely afraid of the cable snapping and the three of them falling into the abyss of the clear waters, she was more afraid of the horrible panic attack her friend would be going through in a few moments.

As a side note, Karin is a very optimistic fellow, but when it comes to her friends physical and mental safety, she can get easily upset or even have anxiety shoot through the roof.

Suddenly very worried and slightly agitated at the fact the car was going so slow, she let out a frustrated sigh and looked around as they began to move, "Can this car go any slower?" She asked sarcastically, biting her lip as her leg bounced up and down from anxiousness, glancing at Kenji and seeing that she was clenching onto his wrist, "O-oh..." She whispered sheepishly, "Ah, s-sorry. I hope that didn't hurt..."

Her head turned to the other boy, giving an apologetic smile, "Sorry for pushing you out of the way... I'm in a bit of a hurry."

​

(scroll for more)
code/design by Fable
interracting : n u n c h i Human__Ramen
mention : The Empress of Ice​

 

[Human__Ramen]

Jacob Matthews
Time: 6:59 PM
Interacting with: Corgi
​

"Yeah, no it's ah..." Jake quickly replied to her apology. He saw how she was unnerved, similar to him as he trudged up the mountain, and he didn't want her to feel worse. "It's fine. Doesn't bother me."

Jacob glanced over to his left, with the empty seats, and sat down. He shrugged off the small snow piles that had formed on his shoulders, the snow falling onto the spaces to his sides. Jake wore a black jacket over a pale yellow turtleneck and a gray undershirt. His jeans were pale blue and his Timberland boots were brown. He wore no gloves, which was a mistake he was really regretting right about now.

As he rubbed his hands so that they wouldn't die of frostbite, he looked out the car's windows. It was really snowing right about now, and there were some distant flashes of thunder. Jacob looked behind him, at the cable car station. He wanted to make sure they didn't leave anyone behind.

They didn't.

He looked back at the two individuals in front of him up and down and shot Karin a question.

"So uh... How did you meet Em?"

​

​

 

[Geozaki]

Lilly marched through the thick snow with purpose. She was late. Lilly sighed, it seemed as if she were cursed to be late for everything. She was wearing a light brown parka, a pair of jeans a scarf and a pair of brown boots. Her scarf was blue and adorned with white dolphins, she had pulled it up so that it covered her mouth, she had joked about wearing a mask to the party in her email to Emmie, but since she didn't really own a mask, her scarf would have to do. On her back she carried a backpack, it was plain and black but appeared to be covered in badges and patches most of which were from some game or program while others were just quotes or designs that she liked.

If she wasn't so late, Lilly would probably have slowed down or even stopped to play in the snow. Snow was her favourite weather, there was something rather magical about it. However, she was late so she resisted the urge to play and continued to push on. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, she pressed a button, illuminating the screen. There was no service but right now she didn't care, she hadn't turned her phone on to contact anyone. She entered her pass code and opened her music app, she pressed 'Shuffle All' before holding the volume button until her phone was playing full blast. It wasn't hugely loud, or very good quality, at all, but she needed something to fill the silence and calm her nerves. She seemed to speed up a little under the influence of the music, now dancing her way up the mountain more than she was walking, she also sang along, she knew pretty much all the words to almost every song on her phone.

Lilly was excited to see Emmie again, it had been a while since they'd last hung out together. What Lilly wasn't looking forward to so much, was meeting everyone else. As far as she was aware, Emmie had invited 10 people in total, so that was 9 complete strangers that Lilly would have to spend the duration of the party with. She knew she'd be fine as soon as she started to get to know them but it still terrified her.

Eventually, Lilly reached a small building which seemed to connect to a cable car system. The cable car was ready and waiting for her, and as far as she could tell, no-one was around. She climbed into the car beginning her ascent further up the mountain. Now that she could focus on something other than propelling herself forwards as quickly as possible, Lilly looked out of the car's window properly taking in the view for the first time. It was beautiful!

There was a loud, aggressive rumble which made Lilly jump, catching her off guard. She looked up at the sky, the storm that Emmie had promised seemed to have arrived. Lilly thought about how only a few years ago, being suspended this high up in the air would have caused her to freak out, but thankfully, she'd managed to pretty much conquer her fear of heights, and she'd always loved storms, she didn't know why, she just did, maybe it was because she found them exciting?

As the cable car neared its destination, Lilly managed to make out the silhouettes of a few people through the window. She quickly switched her music off, understanding that her music was a bit of an 'acquired taste', and she really didn't really want to get on anyone's nerves, especially not so soon. The car came to a stop and she slowly stepped out, the cart then slowly made its descent back down the mountain. Lilly slowly walked towards the group of people, scanning them in search of Emmie, who didn;t seem to be here. Maybe these were some of the other people she'd invited and they were making their way up to the house as well. Maybe Emmie was waiting for them at the house already. Lilly felt like she should ask someone to see if her theory was correct, but she couldn't build up the courage to do so. So she loitered awkwardly a few feet away from the group.

Diminium The Empress of Ice Volfy Svadilfari Rhaine Amerikia1126 allure

 

[The Empress of Ice]

.

.

Katiana V. Salkova

| Fear Doesn't Exist Anywhere Except In The Mind ~ D. Carnegie |
| location: hilltop by the cable car station | mood: terrified | currently: having an internal panic attack |

There was beauty to be found in utter devastation, in the theft of hope from Kat's eyes as the cable car door flew open and let out yet another petite girl, this one with red hair. The cable car's doors closed. Rein was not on it and the sky was getting darker by the second, stirring the fear brewing in her already knotted guts.

We've been through this before, Kat, just...breathe. BREATHE.

She let her eyes drift close as the wind shifted, whistling a tune she knew was a warning and then watched the stranger with the familiar scent come closer. For a second she wondered if he was godsent despite believing in no gods, and as he introduced himself, she all but jumped him, her body shifting towards him as the cigar smoke rose to the clouds.

Her therapist did say to distract herself during a panic attack...

She also said that Kat had an unhealthy attachment to the concept of safety in others when it came to irrational fears but that part she gladly ignored, almost as well as she ignored her best friend. He would notice the strangeness in her behavior; Kat was very often jokingly flirty but not an obvious vixen. Not unless she felt she had to be, and while she would´ve gladly seeked comfort in his arms, the lingering scent of the cigar was far more tempting.

"Delighted to make your acquaintance, Eli," She let her palm slide onto his, a sweet smile on her lips, "I'm not sure we've ever met before, I'm Katiana Salkova but please, call me Kat.

"I wouldn't mind taking that awful, awful cigar off your hands," a playful glimt lurked in her eyes, "and your company for that matter."

As she stepped closer, Katiana could swear she felt calm. But then it happened.

She felt it before it even occured, as there was a split second's utter silence, the quiet of the howling wind as all animals turned mute, and then the first rumble of thunder as lightning struck. It took all her strength not to crouch and turn into a sobbing mess. She felt nauesous, but her smile didn't falter as her eyes teared up, nor when she turned to take in the returning cable car, this time letting out a girl with what looked like a camera case and a vaguely familiar face. Her gaze shifted towards Teddy, attempting to distract herself by watching him as she tried to piece together where she'd seen the long haired fella before.

Her mind was too fuzzy though.

And the beast in the sky roared once again, and Katya could see the few birds still in the vicinity fly away, their small bodies blending into the gray of the clouds. A sense of complete jealousy overcame her as she let her thoughts follow the crows, completely ignoring her surroundings.

Maybe if she ignored everything and everyone enough, she'd find herself at peace.

You know that isn't how it works, just fucking face the music, what's the worse thing that can happen?

Having a closed casket motherfucking funeral because you got fried to death by fuckin' lightning, she immediately answered herself, and if she wasn't trying so damn hard not to break down, she might've laughed at her own absurdity. Or even returned Alexei's wink as he appeared, like magic, reminding Kat why she was in this situation in the first place; why she wasn't at home in her very safe, very soundproof bedroom.

Emm.

And as the cable car turned around once more, yet another rumble reaching her ears, she questioned if it all was worth it after all.

Interactions: Diminium
Mentions: Corgi Volfy Geozaki allure Rhaine Svadilfari Amerikia1126

code by spookie

 

[Diminium]

Elijah Valentine

Location: Hilltop
Mood: Pleasantly surprised
Condition: Hand Kissin'
Tags: The Empress of Ice allure Svadilfari

The woman who introduced herself as Katiana Salkova talked in a manner he agreed with. She carried her words well and as she slipped her hand into his. He wasn't above noticing how her eyes would flick to the tumultuous landscape behind him before looking back to him, as if she couldn't decide whether to stay or to flee far, far away from the gray blooming clouds that coated the sky in great tufts. She tucked in closer, just a step or two, shutting her eyes for half a second. "Maybe we haven't met," he contemplated, the cut of her words leading him to smirk as he plucked the half-burned cigar from his lips with one last great cedar puff of smoke and pressed it in between her coloured ones.

"Fan of cedar?" He asked, a mostly rhetorical question as he finally brushed his lips against the back of her hand, making sure cable-car girl was in full view of his actions as if to advertise himself and his greetings with a flaunt, metaphorically extending a taunting finger in her direction. "O, cable-car girl, you could've had this! My roses-and-clover lips pressed against the back of your dainty hand! But no!"

A few last wisps of smoke trailed down the corners of his mouth as he spoke. "I'll gladly extend my company to anybody who seeks it." He smiled, but the sky behind him rumbled violently, derailing his train of thought momentarily as he turned his head over his shoulder to witness an illuminating flash of lighting futher away from the mountain followed by another, quieter boom. He turned back around, ready to quip something about enjoying this kind of weather indoors but the look of frozen horror on Kat's face he was met with sent him barrelling down a different path. The witty, cheery gleam in her eyes had vacated for the undeniable shine of tears. An emotion removed from pity twisted his heart: empathy.

He lowered his voice, crouching down to her height and wrapping a long arm around her shoulder to comfort her. Seeing a crying woman was high on the list of things he hated seeing, and he would comfort Kat any way he could, his thumb swiping away a tear that dared go any further than her cheeks. "Mon canard..." he whispered. "Are you alright?" The answer was obviously not yes, and he'd be damned if it wasn't the thunder or lighting that made her this way. "Fear of storms?" He asked, continuing to keep her close at hand.

She would've had his full attention, but a man a small ways away called a greeting to everyone "except the jerk smoking in the back." He turned his head again, pinpointing the man, where his first thought was of his plain, frumpy haircut and how, at least in Elijah's opinion, it left quite a lot to be desired, being a far cry from his own well-cared for golden locks. The words were most definitely directed at him, his assumptions being that 1) The cigar had only very recently changed lips, and he had been the one to light it 2) No self respecting gentleman would ever insult a lady in such a way. He made eye contact, narrowing his eyes to emerald shards that gleamed with mild contempt as he momentarily extended to his full height. "Come share a cigar, mon amie, I have all kinds of scents!" His words and tone were far too casual and light-hearted for his expression, and if anyone spent a good five seconds assessing the situation, they would most likely be able to deduce that his words were near a call to challenge. He turned away from the man and settled back down closer to Kat.

 

[Corgi]

.

"Yeah, no it's ah... It's fine. Doesn't bother me." The trembling girl nodded, appreciating his kind words. She had already worked herself up so much that she felt sick with worry, her stomach doing flips and she felt uncomfortably hot despite the cold air engulfing her. The rocking of the cable car may have been calming to some people but it only made her nauseous.

What if Kat was going through the same thing she went through at her sleep over? Sure, she had gotten help for her fear, but that doesn't mean that she can't default to a melt down. Plus, she's with a bunch of strangers, right? What if she can't get to safety?

Tears pricked the girls eyes at her emmense worrying. She needed Kat to be okay.

"She'll be okay." Karin thought in an attempt to calm herself down, "She always had gotten through this and she will again."

"But what if she hates me for not being there? It's my fault I woke up late and didn't arrive here in time. I pretty much left her- abandoned her."

"No what ifs. You know Kat. She isn't like that. Stop thinking to much and just-"

Pain shot through her lip as she realized she had clamped down on it. Blood slowly oozed out of the wound, snapping her out of her downhill spiral. "Ow..." She muttered, realizing how stiff her muscles were and how much her fingers ached from the scraping on the worn, metal chairs.

Dabbing at her lip with her blue mittens, she made sure to keep the blood out of her sight, not wanting to give herself more trouble than she already had. A voice suddenly made her jump, her eyes shooting up to the boy who she had just apologized to. "Oh, right..." She thought, glancing out the window at the ominous black that covered the sky.

"W-We met during my Freshman year. She kind of saved me from some unkind boys." She murmured, continuing to gaze out the window. In any other situation, Karin would've been glad to talk to someone, but when she's filled with this much dread, she kind of shuts down.

Cutting their already failing conversation short was a loud bang, one that made the cable car quit moving. Hopping out of her seat and rushing to the doors that squeaked open, she bolted out of the car and came face to face with how cold the mountains were yet again. Her eyes frantically searching for the braids that she had come to know, she saw her sister sitting with a man she had come to know back in high school.

Running as fast as she could, she wrapped her arms around her skinny friend, frantically spouting out nonsense words, "Oh, my god- are you okay, Kat? I am so, so sorry that it took me this long I woke up late and if I didn't then I would've been here and everything would've been fine butImesseditallupbycomingherelateandit'salmyfault-" Running out of breath, she realized she needed ot pull herself together, she took in plenty of oxygen before kneeling in front of her friend, "Are you going to be okay?"

​

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code/design by Fable
interracting : n u n c h i Human__Ramen The Empress of Ice
mention : Diminium​

 

[Rhaine]

Michael "Mick" Breen
Tags, darlings: Svadilfari Amerikia1126 Volfy Diminium The Empress of Ice allure Corgi Geozaki Human__Ramen

Mick's dusky, warbling gaze was fixed on the sky with a damp sense of unease that didn't reach his expression. It had bloomed a different shade, darker. It was a great stone hanging just above his head, and every now and again lightning would split the mineral's surface, shattering it fleetingly, weakening its foundation. The air was scorched, and the faint scent of smoke didn't just arise from the tall, blonde's cigar - the white plumes drifting from between his lips like a dragon fixing to breathe fire. The notion that the stone might fall briefly touched Michael's mind, and he brushed it away with a bit of embarrassment in his wake. He worked with stone, knew its shape in his ruined hands - knew it before he had ever touched it, in every one of his father's scars. A stone was nothing to fear, yet the sky curled and moved, didn't mind being split - wasn't marred for good. That was not something he knew, not truly. It was more like his mother to be so unfazed.

A stranger arrived with a response to the question he had posed lightly, and Mick's gaze fell on the man. He was a bit disheveled in an almost endearing manner, and seemed just about as protected from the cold as he was, if not more so. Mick briefly met his whiskey gaze. That particular shade in varying guises seemed to rule his life. A few small, cold splashes of water fell into his dark, coal worn hair. He refrained the slight urge to look up again. It would only serve to instill a deeper sense of disparity.

The man's question made him pause, though it didn't deter the inherently present smile that wasn't so easily shaken from his features. Did he suspect that something had happened to her? To Emmie? Mick shivered. He shifted, scuffing his black boot against the frigid ground, tightening his grip on his pack to the dismay of his skin. He assured himself that he only asked out of custom. There were a multitude of reasons that Emmie may not respond to a call, or send out a word. The reception, perhaps, or maybe she intended to add to the decided macabre of the season. Still, all he could do was worry, floundering silently under the burnt, weeping, stone sky.

"I haven't heard from Tabby cat. Figured she was waiting for us to get moving and have a proper reunion in person." He gave a small shrug of his broad shoulders, and a brief grin. No one else seemed to want to speak up on the matter, and he could only assume it meant that they were all in the same boat in this respect. The thought did not ease him.

The wind was picking up speed further every minute, its sharp teeth bared. The reoccurring sound of thunder was like the release of a bullet from the barrel of a gun. Mick hardly noticed when the cable car reappeared. A sunset-kissed girl shot forward with desperation in her gait, panic in her limbs as she embraced the girl with the wide, dark gaze. Mick watched on briefly with relative interest and concern, wondering what had occurred, wondering if there was something he had missed.

The display of closeness stirred something in him. He tucked a wind-blown strand of his hair behind his ear, almost restraining himself from taking off. It wasn't just the storm weighing over him. Now that Emmie's silence was brought to his attention, there wasn't much else he could think of, and further than that, standing in Ted's immediate vicinity and refraining from looking his way was a bit trying. He wanted to reach the estate with little delay, and he found his heart beat picking up considerably right under his focus.

His heavy, downturned eyes looked to the man he had spoken to once more.

"You got a name, 'Emmie's cousin?'" His features wore an impish flare, though the low, clipped timber of his voice turned the inquiry roguish. He lifted his dark pack, slinging it over his shoulder.

 

[Geozaki]

Lilly was standing in a vast forest. Sunlight filtered through the trees, illuminating the leaves which danced in the calm breeze. The faint sound of running water could be heard in the distance. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, she turned around briskly, scanning the trees around her. She didn't see anyone, but she still wasn't comfortable with the whole scenario. She started walking in the direction of the sound of running water. She took a deep breath, this place always reminded her of home. She finally reached a stream which flowed away from a small waterfall. A tree had fallen, making an unstable bridge across the water. Lilly climbed onto the log making her way over the wobbly log, spreading her arms out for balance. She leapt off the other side, landing safely on the ground. Suddenly, there was a loud rumbling sound which echoed throughout the trees.

The rumbling thunder bought Lilly back to reality. She was still standing a small distance away from the group of people who had gathered in response to Emmie's invites. Lilly looked up at the sky towards the dark grey clouds that blocked out most of the light that should be coming from the sun behind them. Lilly turned to look over the edge of the mountain, the view was just as amazing as it had been from inside the cable car. Her thoughts turned to Emmie. The gathering was pretty normal, invite friends for a party, somewhere secluded so that there weren't any neighbours to disturb, then there'd probably be alcohol involved at some point. It all made sense if you thought about it. What didn't make sense, however, was why Lilly was here. When she received the email, she'd jumped at the chance to see Emmitt again, but now she was thinking about it, why would Emmie have invited her? Sure, they'd been good friends but Lilly wasn't exactly a 'party animal' and she was sure that there were probably other people that Ennis would have much rather have there. Lilly sighed, maybe her nerves were just getting to her?

 

[Volfy]

'Ted' Reece
-Interactions-
allure Svadilfari ​

-Mentions-
The Empress of Ice Diminium Amerikia1126 Rhaine
​

Ted's face was one of bemusement, a half smile gracing his lips as he listened to the others talk. Kat's interest swaying from Yuna, to to Eli, despite the casual flirtatious comments coming from the blonde. Indeed, they didn't seem to stick at all as Kat quickly headed off towards the smoking figure, leaving Teddy and Yuna by themselves briefly. A state of affairs he was hardly going to complain about.

"Uhmm. I think Emmie's 'gang' includes more than most peoples." Ted said. As if to prove his point, the cable car groaned again, unloading two more passengers onto the top of the mountain. At first glance he didn't recognize either of them. But as he squinted a little, he face shifted. 'Is that.. Tori?' he thought, but the woman didn't hold his attention for long. Standing next to her was Micheal. Ted's face instantly soured, as if to mirror the dark clouds filling the sky, now drawing closer. His fists tighten a little in his pockets as he watched Mick. He'd gotten bigger, but it was defiantly Micheal. Teddy could still recall the pain of when his nose had broken under Mick's fist. He made no move to acknowledge the greeting addressed to the group.

A rumble of thunder came in overhead, the only thing to break Ted's distaste for the new arrival being his concern for Kat. Looking over, she appeared to be okay. Seeking comfort in her new friend with the cigar. He was about to excuse himself from Yuna before a voice carried over to them.

"I was wondering the same thing," he replied to the stranger's question. Hello to everyone, I'm Emmie's cousin. Has anyone heard from her lately?"

Mick's spoke out a second later, while Ted glanced at Yuna, who remained silent. He took in the appearance of Em's cousin. His impractical clothes, brunette hair. It was an interesting outfit, considering the environment.

"You haven't heard from her recently then? Join the group." he responded, his tone casual, but a little clipped. His usual demeanor off-set by his former friends presence. "I haven't gotten anything from her since the email."

 

[The Empress of Ice]

.

.

Katiana V. Salkova

| location: hilltop by the cable car station | mood: slightly relieved, scared, worried | currently: acting calm |

It was the sudden, gentle arm wrapped around Kat's shoulders that broke her from her trance, a single tear escaping from her eye as she turned her head towards Elijah, who was slightly unsettlingly close. He must've noticed her distress, and before she had the chance to gather her wits, he had wiped away the stray tear that'd betrayed her. It put a soft smile on Kat's lips, the cigar nestled between her fingers. Few people were ever that caring to strangers but then again it wasn't everyday one encountered someone having phobic reactions to thunder, while being on a damn mountain during a fucking storm.

She could only blame it on herself, really.

And Emmie, but that was up for debate. Her baboushka, her dear grandmother, would've told her that 'only a coward blames his actions on others', and right now Kat felt like the biggest coward of 'em all.

To stay calm, act calm, to stay calm, act calm, to stay calm...

Putting on a big girl act, Kat let a reassuring smile slip on as the gentle giant whispered to her, but before she could even get a word in, he turned toward Alexei. She let a soft, shaky chuckle out at his challenge, grasping at whatever amusement she could find at the moment and took a drag, letting the toxic smoke fill her lungs, sending an apologetic look towards Emm's cousin. She rarely smoked, ever, if not for fun and would've avoided doing so in Alex's presence any other day but today wasn't like any other day.

And as the gentle giant settled back down next to her, she let small clouds out along with her voice, "I... I'm fine. I... Just... Less fear of storms and more like you couldn't pay me a million dollars to listen to a two second audio clip of thunder."

Fear was funny like that, unreasonable. Thunder was not the issue here but then again it instilled such dread in Kat that she barely functioned. But she wouldn't let that show, her eyes glistened, but she wouldn't sob, and while she passed the cigar between her fingers, fidgetting, she wouldn't shake or fall down. A year of treatment had made sure of that.

Oh, who are you kidding...

Katya flinched as another rumble came through and took yet another drag as everyone else conversed. "Wait... Alex," Kat's interest was piqued, and her brows furrowed as she took in the path which Alex had just emerged out of, "She's not at the mansion?"

It was hard not to miss the soft russian lilt to her words as Kat stretched her hand towards Elijah to pass back the cigar, but before she had the chance, the now familiar creak of the cable car returning to the station caught her attention.

Thank the fuckin' devil, Kat released her hitched breath, a wave of relief washing through her the second her friend was in her arms, the cigar in her hand falling onto the dirty ground. "Fuck...sorry 'bout that," Kat murmured to Elijah, who Rein all but pushed aside.

Any and all annoyance and anger she had felt towards the girl went away the instant she had seen her, like always. Her first genuine laugh of the day escaping her as her friend blubbered on. Kat never held grudges and forgave others easily, it was a bit of weakness of hers according to Teddy but she didn't see how she could or why she should stay mad at anyone. It would only hurt her, in the long run.

Albeit this wouldn't be exactly 'grudge-worthy' for Teddy, Kat knew.

"I'm fine, I'm fine! I'm a-okay. I'm fucking dandy, now that you're here," her eyes hadn't lost their teary glister but she could feel the trickle of fear slowing down, as she was a step closer to safety. In fact, Kat didn't care much for anything else but before she could suggest getting their butts inside, her eyes caught onto Karin's lips. More specifically, the dried blood on them and as Kat gaze took Rein in she noticed the red stained blue mittens.

"Lapoushka... What happened, why are you bleeding?"

Kat started to dig in her pockets, she, unlike everyone else it seemed, had not brought with her a backpack. All she had was her pockets, and they were filled with her make-up essentials. Among those essentials, were wet-wipes. Her fingers grasped at one and she softly took hold of her Rein's face and started dabbing at the wound. "I haven't seen you in ages and you come back bleeding, isn't that just the greatest thing ever."

The sarcasm wasn't hard to detect.

Interactions: Diminium , Corgi Svadilfari
Mentions: Volfy

code by spookie

 

[Human__Ramen]

Jacob Matthews
Time: 7:03 PM
Interacting with: Everyone
​

Jacob was left in the dust as the girl he was in the cable car with blasted off faster than lightning towards another chick in a surprisingly large group. Jacob figured that everyone who was invited - and bothered to show up - was in that little group gathering.
Jake trudged towards them, his steps blending in with the many other footsteps on the snow. Jacob noticed another girl that was keeping her distance from the main hub. She seemed a bit uneasy. He made a mental note to greet her later.
"Yo, whassup guys." Jacob said as he approached the gathering, hands in his pockets. His eyes skimmed over the integrants of the group, noticing a bit of variety. A few people nodded back, others said "Hi". But Jacob was expecting everyone there to be inside. But when he got off the car and noticed everyone outside, he was at least expecting Emmie to be there, ready to lead everyone up to the lodge-mansion, whatever it was. But she wasn't.
He removed his phone from his pocket, pressing the turn on button. The screen illuminated with life, displaying the time and his background, a photo of the family dog. He glanced at the time.
19:05
He pocketed his phone, slightly frowning due to the increase in snowfall. Jake was confused, to say the least. Why was everyone freezing out here? And more importantly, where was Em?
"Have you guys heard anything from Emmie?" He asked, getting annoyed by the snowfall.

 

[Svadilfari]

His dreams are made of ice.


He dreamed of rain falling down from the grey skies.

He dreamed of the cold and the storm it brought.

He dreamed of water that slowly turned to frost.

He dreamed of a lake and its rocky depths.

And he dreamed of a house on a mountain.

A house engulfed in flames.

What had happened, he couldn't tell. But the burning house is a lonely sight, and he couldn't bear to look at it. So he closed his eyes, and carried on.


It is cold. So cold.
Teddy shivered against the howling wind. He is looking for something. What it is, he doesn't know. All he knows is that he's getting closer. Dangerously close. Ice crunched beneath the soles of his boots as he trudged across the frozen lake. He watched in silent apprehension as hairline cracks spread like cobwebs upon each step he took. It made him remember the sharp, jagged edges underneath, and the slender neck that once broke from it. Without a second thought, he quickened his careful pace. If the frostbite doesn't kill him, the rocks would. Upon reaching steady ground, the blizzard slowly picked up. A sudden gust of wind caused him to pull his hat down farther, and wound his scarf tighter around his chaffed neck. The red and yellow knitted scarf danced dangerously in the air, offering the only splotch of warm colors against the stark white snow. Teddy tucked the rough fabric inside his jacket, not daring to lose his wife's birthday present to him. If Robby was here, he'd have laughed at him for being too sentimental. But he isn't. Robby is dead. He died sometime ago, in a box hanging from the air.

From the distance, a tall, imposing gate slowly came into focus; its silver color almost blending in with the chill, the latticework stained with a stark contrast of a deep reddish hue. Something happened here, the redhead decided. As he got closer, the gate swung open, as if it had been unbarred by the wind. Beyond the entryway, a figure waited. Its fur is as black as night, mottled in shades of greys and blues by the winter's frost. It watched him with its dark, beady eyes as he slowly walked past it. Teddy always loved animals, but something told him that this one is different. Perhaps it is because of the strange daub of crimson on its muzzle. Or perhaps it is because of the way it looks at him. How its dark brown eyes gleam under the light, making it appear almost human. He remembered seeing those eyes before. From a photograph perhaps, but he couldn't recall. He closed his eyes in an attempt to recollect the memory, but nothing came. Only the scent of smoke and burning wood did.


Before him stood the burning house. Clouds of smoke drifted into the air as the bright, sunset flames greedily tear and eat away at the foundation. As the timbers groaned and threatened to fall, a figure stepped outside, shrouded in an inky haze of ashes and smoke. It has sad eyes that didn't quite belong to the rest of it. "You've been here for a while," the figure said. Teddy couldn't decide if the voice belonged to a man or a woman. "It's time to wake up Teddy boy," it smiled-- "--ed!" --showing rows of sharp--
"---ke up Ted!" --jagged teeth, "before you forget how to." The redhead stood transfixed, as the figure stepped closer to him. Underneath the jet-black hood, "----ious?" is a scared, freckled face.

"Teddy!"

Theodore Mulaney jerked awake, his breathing deep and ragged. His bright green eyes slowly dilated as it adjusted to the dim light. A small, fluorescent lamp served as the only light source in the dim office space, illuminating a young, clean-shaven face of a blue-eyed man staring at him."And the Sleeping Beauty finally awakens," Robby announced in amusement, his voice high and carrying. It annoyed Teddy. He pressed his palms to his tired face, attempting to rub the sleep off his eyes. "What time is it?" he mumbled behind his hands. "Nine-oh-five. As in, After Hours. As in, why are we still here?" Robby answered, before slamming a folder down on Teddy's desk. The older officer raised a brow at the congested, beige file. "Because of this." Robby flipped to the first page. A photo of a beautiful, red-haired young woman stared back at them with her sultry ocean-blue eyes.





"Ambrosia Starin. Our main girl." Teddy stared back at her. The pale blue reminded him of the dream he had already forgotten. He remembered only fragments of it, but it still felt as if it was a part of a distant memory in life he once had. "What makes you say so?" he asked the brunet, his eyes still fixed on the young woman's unwavering gaze. "Everyone else's alibis checked out. I ran the info through the comp twice. She's the only other person last seen with Alessia. That, and she's still missing." The redhead flipped through the rest of the paperworks, before dumping the folder in the equally congested crate beside his desk. "Still doesn't prove that she did it," he grumbled, as he ran a weary hand through his balding head.

Teddy sighed and gestured to his partner. The man has an obnoxious smirk plastered on his irksome baby-face, and it is annoying him to no end. "Spill." Robby pulled a folded sheet of paper from his back pocket, and tossed it over to him. "What's this?" Teddy asked, his brows furrowed in interest. "Exactly what it is. Proof. Blood-soaked hair we found in the crime scene? Turns out it isn't blood. It's just plain red. Forensics matched it to our fiery vixen here. But that's not all. Guess what they also matched?" The redhead dropped the report on his desk in disbelief. "The... dental records." A thought kept tugging at Teddy's mind, but he couldn't put a finger on it. He felt the start of a terrible headache coming. "The dental records," Robby enunciated. "Now we just have to find her. Should be easy enough, considering the millions the Big Guys waste on surveillance." the brunet shrugged.

Something about the whole thing seems wrong to Teddy, but he couldn't bring himself to tell the younger officer about it. Because it involved the dream he had, and a gut feeling. The very same intuition that had elevated and kept him in his position for thirty years, and never failed him once. And somehow, it told him that Ambrosia is already dead. He doesn't know why, or how the thought came to him, but it felt all too real. Though hunches are nothing compared to hard facts, so the older man kept his mouth shut. "By the way, I did all the paperworks for you. Happy Birthday buddy." Robby smiled as he tossed him a wrapped, rectangular box, before heading for the door. "And that came in the mail. It's from your wife I guess. Pity you guys don't see each other often." Happy Birthday. He had almost forgotten. Time goes by so fast, it's getting harder and harder to keep track of it. When his partner left, Teddy tore open the golden packaging, and stopped dead in the middle of it. Within the box, a long, familiar, knitted cloth of checkered red and yellow colors greeted him. Teddy suddenly shivered, remembering the cold.

--



Smoke.

His dreams are filled with it.


The love of his life stared back at him through cold eyes, taunting him to make the move. They first met at the back of a convenience store back in '09, and she had held him by the collar ever since. She played with him, controlled him, made him do all sorts of things he thought he'd never do, and say things he didn't know that can even pass from his lips. She wanted his attention (always), and he willingly gave it without even putting up a fight. It made his stepmother disappointed, and his stepfather furious. Bella, his stepmother, once said, "Fiul meu, ea te va ucide. I know she will." But he never listened, even when Bella broke down in tears, and Lawrence, his father, looked at him like he just set fire to the world. And now, she wants him again, and he'll be damned if he didn't admit that he wanted her too. With a sigh and a heavy heart, Alexei Dahmer got up from his seat and grabbed her by the neck, tilting her to his lips.

The cigarette sent a streak of heat burning down his throat, and at the back of his nose. It took more than half of the pack before the effects started to kick in, but when it did, he felt invincible. He felt light-headed, and euphoric. But most of all, he felt content. The small piece of burning paper nestled between his teeth was like an anchor to a sure safety he had never known existed. It told him again and again that things are going to be just fine.
And it was, until it wasn't.


"Are you sure this is okay?"

"You're gonna be fine. I've done this a hundred times, yeah?"

"You're not saying this just to make yourself look cool aren't you?"

"Guilty as charged."


Laughter.


"Come on. Just once."


A spark of tiny flame crackled in the dimly lit room.


"Alright, James Dean. I trust you."

"Then, let there be light."


---

"Come share a cigar, mon amie, I have all kinds of scents!"

The man with the golden hair irked him. He dislikes the way his bright eyes narrowed into emerald slits, and how his voice rose to a mocking amusement. He knows that assertion all too well. In fact, he used to do the same thing a long time ago, back when he busied himself with books and grades and harmless games. There once was a time when he'd have taken the bait, and shown the man that he's no stranger to provocations. Especially when it comes to vices. But that moment had long passed, and now he can only look in envy at the white smoke dancing between his lips. He wondered what it tasted like, and whether the man felt the same altered sense of mock contentment he once did. He had already forgotten what it was like. Nine years is a long while, but without the familiar taste of vapor running above his tongue, and the heavy anchor weighing him back down to ground, time has been agonizingly longer.

Despite the trying jab, the brunet was ready to let it go. He had promised himself that he wouldn't dare give in to his inclinations again. And he kept on that promise. But the sight of Kat ignoring him for the other man's company ticked him off even further. She is the only sense of familiarity in the crowd of foreign faces, and he kept her from him. The anchor and the smoke; the man surely can't be that greedy. If he hadn't been lost in thought moments ago, he would have noticed the sudden change in the young woman's mood when the thunder worsened, and the lightning lit up the somber sky. But the instant passed, and he missed it in its entirety. "Oh, no thanks," he replied using the same light-hearted tone, intent on having the last word at the very least, "Enjoy your lung cancer, mon amie." It amused him to see Goldilocks shift to his full height; the man somehow reminded him of a Giraffe he once saw.

As the wind slowly picked up, and the distant rumbling inch closer, their small group gradually grew in size. New figures appeared from the developing haze, all sporting an odd sort of expression on their cold-kissed faces.

"I haven't heard from Tabby cat. Figured she was waiting for us to get moving and have a proper reunion in person."

"You haven't heard from her recently then? Join the group." he responded, his tone casual, but a little clipped. His usual demeanor off-set by his former friends presence. "I haven't gotten anything from her since the email."

It was confusion.

Alexei turned to face the two young men who addressed him. Both were standing ways away and ignored each other's presence, as if a deep stretch of ocean stood between the two of them. The brunet thought little of it, his mind more preoccupied by his cousin's apparent silence. "Email?" Alexei raised a brow at the word. His cousin might be the poster girl for patience, but he knows for a fact that she dislikes getting late replies. She always sends texts. Not emails. "Well I got no service right now, so I guess that's why she's unavailable, yeah? Or maybe this is some sort of suspense to get you guys into the Halloween mood." He shrugged. "Just seems like something she'll do." He then gestured towards the path to the gate. "Only one way to find out."

---

EVENT 1: BEYOND THE GATE

OPTION CHOSEN: SAFER WAY || SCALING THE GATE
​

"You got a name, 'Emmie's cousin?'"

The brunet looked over his shoulder, and returned the man's mischievous gaze. "Doesn't everyone?" he smirked. "It's Alexei. And you are?" Before them, the entrance to the Layton's Lodge stood waiting in silence. The gate gleamed under the muted light, its metallic silver a sharp contrast to the somber hues of the shabby path it blocked.

"Emmie left a note earlier. Said the damn thing is jammed." The start of a smile crept slowly to the brunet's pale lips as he stuck one foot to a broken portion of the latticework. "But-" His gloved hand gripped a metal segment higher up as he began to pull his weight. "We can always--" He swung a leg over the top of the structure, carefully maneuvering his body aside so the fabrics wouldn't get caught between the sharpened arrowheads. "---climb over it." He finally loosened his grip on the frame, and landed with a soft squelch on the muddy ground. His dark brown eyes has a playful glint in them, having felt a small form of exhilaration from the simple challenge. He nodded towards the man in the green parka. He is the closest to the gate, and the brunet found amusement in the way how he is heavily protected from the cold. "I'll help you up, yeah?" He showed him the niches where it is best to grab hold, and once he got to the other side, he offered him a hand safely down. Alexei offered him a small smile. "You looked like a felon escaping from a robbery by the way. Must be the mask," he gestured to the balaclava.

EVENT RESULTS:

Teddy's weight snaps off pieces of rusted metal from the gate. These are from the 'safe holds' Alexei previously used. Because of this:
Character after Teddy (Kat) will attempt to use the same hold, but will cut themselves in the process (will have consequence in the future).
Last character to scale the gate will slip and fall off (due to worn out metal), developing a sprain (will have consequence in the future).
The rest are safe.

---

Curiosity getting ahead of him, Alexei continued on to the path without waiting for the rest of the group. A faint ticking sound hummed in the air, but was washed away by the howling wind. The brunet hardly noticed it. "You guys sure put a lot of trust in a stranger." he wondered out loud as his eyes adjusted to the swelling darkness. Once again, he felt a few drops of rain fall from the skies. "For all you know, I could be a serial killer."

Suddenly, a dark figure appeared from one of the dead bushes that littered the waterlogged path. Its dark brown eyes gazed at the group, as it sat on its haunches directly before them, blocking the way. Alexei stopped on his tracks, his breath slowly taking form as the cold suddenly worsened. "Guys, did anybody bring their dog with them?" he asked. The dog stared back at him, its great form buried in a fur as dark as night.

​

 

[Volfy]

'Ted' Reece
-Interactions-
Svadilfari

-Mentions-
​

Ted shrugged vaguely at Alex's comment. He'd be inclined to agree, and assumed Emmie's lack of communication with anyone was her idea of setting an 'atmosphere' for their gathering. Yet he didn't have time to think on it much, as the newcomer began to scale the gate, commenting that his cousin had left a note for them to follow. Teddy watched him hop over the pointed arrow tops guarding the gate, before he dropped down to the other side.

"Sure." Ted responded to Alexei's offer of help, making a move forward and gripping the metal of the gate. His hands found the holds and places with the aid of the other man, and he quickly pulled himself up, carefully avoiding the top before joining Alex on the other side of the gate, grunting slightly as he hit the gerund.

"Must be." Ted said, smiling slightly as he glanced back at all the others. However, his answer seemed of little note, as Emmie cousin began up the path, not waiting for the others. His serial killer comment draw a look from Ted, and he answered, voice natural. "Nothing. But who's to say one of us isn't as well?" The slight smirk he had was replaced with curiosity as he saw Alex pause.

"Dog? I don't think-" Ted caught sight of the animal and stopped. "I don't think so. Didn't see anyone come with one." Walking closer, Ted looked at the animal, and frowned. It had to belong to someone, right? Didn't seem likely a dog could survive up here alone. He crouched down a bit, gauging the dogs reaction to the presence of humans before he attempted to touch it. Not that the idea of rabies didn't thrill him to his core.

"How do you think think it got here? Does Emmie have a dog now?"

 

[The Empress of Ice]

.

.

Katiana V. Salkova

| "Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Tick Tock Went The Fuckin´ Clock, So You Better Hurry The Fuck Up. " ~ K. Salkova |
| location: layton lodge gate | mood: determined, scared, in pain | currently: trying to get to safety |

Kat and Karin seemed to be in their own world for a good while, so much so that Kat all but forgot the slight confrontation between Alex, her banter buddy, and Elijah, the gentle giant that frequented her closest female friend´s old photos.

Elijah had laughed, airy and light as the smoke that lingered in the air at the man´s response. "Pourquoi êtes-vous si amer, amie?" He had asked, a very calm-yet-smug smile pulling at his lips. He read the man's posture, the look on his face, and all he got from it was the man restraining himself from harsher words. He perked his ears as the shorter man turned to talk with others, hearing his name. Alexei... He held back a chuckle. "Such a feminine name."

The comment hadn´t quite sat right with Katiana, but before she had the chance to intervene, she had already been suffocated by Karin.

Which Elijah had the honor of seeing unfold: Kat had outstretched a hand with his cigar, cedar wafting from the tip, but before he could reclaim it, a familiar person had shot from the cable car, practically tackling the woman as she seemed to cry with concern with her. He stepped back, eyebrows slightly raised at Kat's cuss over something as small as a dropped cigar. The "It's not a problem, Cherie," died on his lips as the newly arrived girl began fussing like a mother over Kat, before, in under a second, their roles switched.

Suddenly Kat was the one acting like a mother hen, despite still slightly shaking in fear of the thunder, as Rein winced at the pressure being applied to her lip and looked away.

Karin was a horrendous liar, everyone knew but Kat in particular could always tell: mostly due to the many times she's watched her try, and fail miserably, at telling her ´rents where she's been ¨at such late hours of the night¨, when they were younger. It was all quite amusing really, but Kat had a hard time finding anything fun while the sky darkened by the second.

Fucking storms

"I may or may not have gotten into a tussle with a bear on the way up here." The taller girl joked, glancing back at Kat to see if she'd settle for a silly answer, "But if you think that this looks bad, you should see the bear."

It wasn´t hard to guess the true reason for the trickling blood, and Kat openly rolled her eyes, "Riight," she dragged the word out, a weak smirk on her lips, as she leaned in for a teasing whisper to lighten the mood, "worrywart."

It was a very sweet scene but when Elijah realized just who the new woman was, his eyebrows shot up even further than when he heard Kat´s soft voice turn harsh as she cussed.

He adjusted his hat, thrilled at seeing his old friend. "Karin, ma dame! Ça fait trop longtemps!" he extended his arms, unsure whether to pluck Karin off of Katiana into a hug or to simply embrace both of them; they were practically joined at the hip. Luckily for him, Kat was all but done playing doctor, putting the dirty wetwipe back into her pocket as she stepped to the side, her eyes going between the two.

Oh right... Gentle giant´s the one in the ol´ pictures...

Realization hit her straight in the face, as Karin's attention was directed to her right when Elijah spoke, confusion riddling her face at the French words before opening up into a smile, "Est-ce... Elijah?" The brown eyed girl got up and hugged the Frenchman with a squeal, "Vous êtes les cheveux trop long! Vous devrez me laisser tresser! Bien, ça a été pour toujours! Comment avez-vous été?"

"Je vais bien!" He laughed noisily, lifting the small girl who had jumped at him up into a hug. Using his native language was a relief, and his shoulders slackened as he realised exactly how much he had missed his library-friend. He had indeed grown out his hair a fair bit from when it barely brushed his shoulders, and he laughed again at her excited desire to braid it. "Oui, oui, you certainly may." He agreed, leaning in to momentarily kiss her rosy-red cheek in greeting before putting her back down beside Kat, who was staring at the clouds up ahead. His heart swelled with a certain happiness that was rare outside of a perfectly roasted coffee in between messy divorce cases or seeing Emmie in his inbox.

"Je vous ai manqué, Karin."

~ ~ ~​

All the while, the rest of the group discussed Emm´s weird disappearance, and it was only when Alex had led the group quite a bit ahead of the three, that Kat decided to interrupt the movie-worthy reunion. "I don´t know about you guys, but I´m not spending another fuckin´ minute in this cold."

~ ~ ~​

Kat, admittedly, hasn´t lived a long life; she´d argue that she´s lived a short, awfully intriguing and adventurous life, but not a long one. Yet, as short as her life has been, she can´t count how many times she´s jumped a gate - there was simply far too many. In fact, if the one thing standing between her and all her dreams was just the answer of that, just the approximate, not exact, amount of times she´s jumped a gate... Well, she´d give up instantenously. A hopeless cause, she´d call it, and Kat wasn´t the type to believe that any one shitty thing or person is hopeless. Especially herself.

So when Alexei hopped on over, she rolled her eyes and got behind Teddy, almost instinctively, her mood lifting up by the tiniest of fractions as slight amusement rushed through her at the two men. "A robber and a serial killer, how original~"

Her gaze was locked on to the the lodge as she jumped up, clinging onto the bars slightly underneath the sharp arrowhead edges, the sight of her reminding one of a small monkey. She was too short to heave herself over in one go, and as followig Teddy´s moves was practically reflexes at this point, she reached for the same holds he went for before her.

Kat could feel the metal give away slightly as she pushed herself upwards, and manuevered her way over the arrowheads but the rusty safe holds was against her and she hissed as she felt the metal cut into her palms, as she fell to the other side. "SHI-", she felt the air leave her lungs as her side met the ground, and groaned.

Her next two sentences were incomprehensible as she swore quietly in russian: this wasn´t the first time Kat had hurt herself, and usually she´d shrug it off, but some rusty metal piece was stuck in her palm as it bled out. It was a nasty cut, and it hurt like fuckin´hell.

Eto no moya zhizn´!

Interactions: Diminium , Corgi Svadilfari Volfy
Mentions: Nobody
Collab: Diminium Corgi

code by spookie

 

[Corgi]

.

"Je vous ai manqué, Karin."

At the words, an even brighter smile (if that was possible) was plastered onto her visage as she looked up at the taller man.

"Tu m'as manqué...uhm... erm... I missed you, too!" She laughed, shyly tucking her hair behind her ear before quickly getting back to the conversation, "Ce que vous avez fait depuis que vous êtes allé à Paris?"

With the excitement of seeing her long-distance friend, she didn't notice Kat going to scale the gate. In fact, because she was so eager to find Kat, she didn't even notice how many people were waiting to enter nor that they were stuck because of the gate being closed. It wasn't until she heard a scream of surprise and the screeching of metal that her attention was drawn to all of the other people. The scream sounded all too familiar and a chill ran down her spine, quickly glancing at Elijah and then at the gate.

"R-retenir..." She attempted to say, but her mind couldn't really say what she wanted, "Later..." She mumbled, quickly taking off towards the gate and pushing her way through. By the time she started climbing it, someone else had climbed over and she say Kat, lying there with some metal stuck in her hand. Quickly jumping over and kneeling next to her, she glanced at Kat, with the hope of lightening the mood and calming both of them down, she shakily spoke, "I haven't seen you in forever and you come back to be bleeding, isn't that the greatest thing ever?"

With a fake laugh, she looked at the wound and suddenly felt woozy. Blood and her had never combined well. Anytime she sees it, her stomach flips and she begins to feel nauseous. In some cases, especially if it's an excess of blood, she faints. So, as she stared at the wound, her throat clenched and she looked away, undoing her large puffy jacket and taking off the thinner one underneath, using it to cover her hand around the metal, making sure to apply pressure.

Looking around at the other people, that had crossed the gate, she noticed a boy, whose name had been said but she wasn't paying attention at that point, point out a dog. Her worried expression softened at the sight of the dog. She didn't see anyone with a dog and the only people that had crossed the gate didn't haul a dog over with them, so she looked at the boy and shook her head, "I don't think it's anyone's dog... Does it look malnourished or cold?" She asked, concern riddling her face.
​

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code/design by Fable
interracting : Diminium Svadilfari The Empress of Ice​

 

[Svadilfari]

FIRST DAY
(post tomorrow) !​