The Knights Next Prequel

[+Sorana]

3 hours ago, I think I am here. said:

They danced. A part of Marcel wondered whether to be offended by the question of whether he was new around here, and if the girl had assumed that from his accent. But she seemed genuine, and from what he’d made out not that type of person. But he had to be careful with meeting others; he knew first hand looks were deceiving.

“I can’t wait,” Marcel said and looked up, to the disco lights, swaying with the music. He wasn’t as caught up in it as the teenage girl, but he was also having fun.

“I can only imagine what music would be better than this.”

Wita whirled around her own axis, still smiling in joy.

"It's sad that you have to leave."

She told him, because that was what you said, when someone said goodbye.

"John is making the music tonight. And he saves his best ones for later. This is only an appetizer."

Slowing down when the song faded out, was replaced by a slow one she took a deep breath. She was sweating, everybody here was most likely sweating and she knew she had to drink. Dance an hour, drink something. That was her rule. Easy to remember, no need to think about it. Another song, or two, then a short break. Wita matched her steps to the slower rythm, fell silent lost herself to the dance and the music.

"You are good."

She complimented him, lifted her arms above her head and swayed to the slower beat.

[I think I am here.]

19 hours ago, Sorana said:

“You are good."

She complimented him, lifted her arms above her head and swayed to the slower beat.

“Thanks,” Marcel said and tilted his head at the change of music, to a slower pace than before. The lights changed too, neon red flashes changing to yellow and fast whirls of light slowing to match the tempo. Marcel raised an eyebrow at the girl.

“I’m not leaving however. Why, when there’s so much fun still left to be had?” He smiled and was about occupy himself with someone else. The girl enjoyed the music, and Marcel was happy to just let her dance in her own world without interrupting her. Something caught his eye, however, reflecting a ray of disco light.

“That bracelet,” Marcel said, if only humouring himself, pointing to her bracelet. “Do you know what metal that is?”

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I assumed from the backstory that her bracelet is her metalmind, but I can change it if it’s wrong.

 

[+Sorana]

7 minutes ago, I think I am here. said:

“Thanks,” Marcel said and tilted his head at the change of music, to a slower pace than before. The lights changed too, neon red flashes changing to yellow and fast whirls of light slowing to match the tempo. Marcel raised an eyebrow at the girl.

“I’m not leaving however. Why, when there’s so much fun still left to be had?” He smiled and was about occupy himself with someone else. The girl enjoyed the music, and Marcel was happy to just let her dance in her own world without interrupting her. Something caught his eye, however, reflecting a ray of disco light.

“That bracelet,” Marcel said, if only humouring himself, pointing to her bracelet. “Do you know what metal that is?”

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You are right, the bracelet is her metal mind. If you want to steal it have fun

"Zinc. It's mine."

She replied absently minded, tried to understand why he told her, that he couldn't wait and then changed his decision almost immediatly. People were strange, changing their minds so quickly. Hard to follow their lines of thought.

"Yes, zinc."

She repeated and stopped moving looked at it with a slightly dumb smile.

"I like the pattern. It lookes like the grass."

[I think I am here.]

2 minutes ago, Sorana said:

She repeated and stopped moving looked at it with a slightly dumb smile.

"I like the pattern. It lookes like the grass."

Marcel smiled. Zinc made sense, it made a lot of sense. But was it a coincidence? He knew, a degree in forensic science —especially one in forensic pathology — had paid off. The girl wasn’t dead but that didn’t mean Marcel couldn’t use his investigative skills on her. “Yes, the pattern is nice,” Marcel said, looking at the girl with a new light. He wondered, was it a simple bracelet? Or something more?

“Do you want to see a magic trick?” He asked.

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 Marcel won’t steal it. He’ll try to put a bloodseal on it to see if it gets resisted, so he can tell whether it’s a metalmind or not.

 

[+Sorana]

24 minutes ago, I think I am here. said:

Marcel smiled. Zinc made sense, it made a lot of sense. But was it a coincidence? He knew, a degree in forensic science —especially one in forensic pathology — had paid off. The girl wasn’t dead but that didn’t mean Marcel couldn’t use his investigative skills on her. “Yes, the pattern is nice,” Marcel said, looking at the girl with a new light. He wondered, was it a simple bracelet? Or something more?

“Do you want to see a magic trick?” He asked.

Wita nodded eagerly. A magic trick. She loved magic tricks. They were so ... magical.

"Magic trick!"

She repeated her eyes shining in delight and clapped her hands together.

"With a bunny and a hat?"

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Well you know what will happen

 

[old man moomba]

Quinn placed another shot glass into the grid. He was trying to make a pyramid, but he hadn't taken nearly enough shots for that. He drowned another shot and tried to set the glass on top of the grid to start a new layer, but the glass slipped out of his hands. The thud of the glpass hitting the bar jarred him out of his stupor. 

"Hey buddy." a voice cut though the funk, "You ok?" it was the barkeep. He sounded concerned. 

Quinn shook himself, trying to get the fog out of his head. "Yeah, yeah." he mumbled, "Just... gimme a sec." he tapped a smidgen of gold and sobriety hit him like a sack of wet concrete. "Gimme a few more shots, good man!" Quinn called, quickly fixing his pyramid.

[WrathofaShardKitten]

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Does my character look okay? I want to make sure it's good before jumping in.

 

[+Sorana]

35 minutes ago, Hope Spren said:

Does my character look okay? I want to make sure it's good before jumping in.

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I think yes.

 

[I think I am here.]

On ‎8‎/‎8‎/‎2019 at 10:39 PM, Sorana said:

Wita nodded eagerly. A magic trick. She loved magic tricks. They were so ... magical.

"Magic trick!"

She repeated her eyes shining in delight and clapped her hands together.

"With a bunny and a hat?"

"Not really," Marcel said and he took out a small stamp and a small disc like capsule. The capsule had been marketed as something to hold makeup but he had repurposed it to hold blood. Animal blood, for now, this bloodseal wasn't going to be anything tailoured to anyone specific.

The stamp had some very basic bloodseal markings on it, which really didn't matter now. Trying to avoid spilling the blood in the disco, he quickly dabbed the stamp in it and closed the capsule. Holding the girl's arm he examined the zinc bracelet with one hand.

"Observe," he said and quickly stamped it. To his happiness, the stamp flashed a dim - but still glowing - red before completely disappearing. Marcel smiled and pocketed the stamp. The stamp was always going to disappear - bloodsealings didn't work on metal, after all - but the fact that it had glowed a little before abruptly flashing out of existence proved his theory. The bracelet was Invested. Probably a metalmind. His grin grew larger.

"Ta da," he said.

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As Investiture resists Investiture, the moment the bloodsealing flashes out of existence, the zincmind might get weaker suddenly, but then regain its strength a moment later.

 

[+Sorana]

21 minutes ago, I think I am here. said:

As Investiture resists Investiture, the moment the bloodsealing flashes out of existence, the zincmind might get weaker suddenly, but then regain its strength a moment later.

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That was my headcanon, yes

I so looked forward to that moment.

Wita watched in awe while he pulled out the stamp and the blood, then he took her arm. Alarm bells rang when he looked at her bracelet, when he did something to it, but her reaction was too slow, her thoughts not able to keep up with his quick and efficient movements.

The moment he touched the seal to the bracelet something changed. Changed so suddenly that it caught her by surprise, when suddenly the bracelet was weaker, felt almost full, like far away. He storing stopped. For the first time in years, in what felt like eternity she stopped storing, and didn't withdraw. Instead her thoughts were her own for a moment. A red light light flashed above, red light and she could smell the fire, the screams, loud, ear piercing screams. Wita pressed her hands on her ears to shut out that scream, echoed it with one of her own. Instinctively she started to store again pushed everything, everything into the bracelet until her screams stopped and the music lost it's meaning. Staring blankly into the air she floated in nothingness, perceiving her surroundings, but not reacting to them anymore.

[I think I am here.]

2 hours ago, Sorana said:

Staring blankly into the air she floated in nothingness, perceiving her surroundings, but not reacting to them anymore.

Marcel's eyes opened as wide as they could when the girl started screaming. Dancers from all around them turned, and what they saw was a pale grown man grabbing the arm of a girl as she screamed.

"I'll be outside," he whispered quickly and fled, pushing past crowds of disturbed dancers and the very view who hadn't noticed. The sudden lack of disco music when he exited the party was jarring but he quickly got used to the natural sounds of London city - that was, of bustling people and raging motorcars. He walked a little bit and leaned against the building's side.

"Aye, pervert," someone said and Marcel turned around to see someone punch him straight in the face. He saw stars and fell to the ground, a large man looming over. "Don't think y'can just grab girls and escape like it's nothin', mate." He kicked Marcel in the ribs and pain flooded him. Fighting through it Marcel reached into his pocket, and got the stamp from before. Just as he was kicked again Marcel put the stamp to his nose, and it absorbed the blood that was flowing out of it from the punch.

Standing up shakily, Marcel raised his hands up, and placed the stamp coated in his blood on the outside wall of the building. A very sharp pain stabbed Marcel at his own blood being used for a seal, but the next moment it was gone. The man looked at Marcel for a second.

"Oh, you want t'fight?" he charged again, and in one punch Marcel stepped forward and knocked him out.

He looked to the seal he had placed on the wall. A strength sigil. It would only work if marcel remained in close proximity and it took a lot of Investiture to work, but it had done its job and with a few concentrated thoughts Marcel removed it, staying outside the disco to wait for the girl but leaving the man lying there.

[+Sorana]

8 minutes ago, I think I am here. said:

He looked to the seal he had placed on the wall. A strength sigil. It would only work if marcel remained in close proximity and it took a lot of Investiture to work, but it had done its job and with a few concentrated thoughts Marcel removed it, staying outside the disco to wait for the girl but leaving the man lying there.

Wita stared into nothing. The turmoil around her barely touched her, it was there and it wasn't, too complicated for her to understand, and so she didn't. Outside. He was outside. A familiar face took her arm and led her of the dancefloor to the side, a glass of water pushed against her lips.

"She's been like that before. For days."

"I don't know."

"Just call them."

Magic trick. He'd promised something with a bunny?

"Can't have her standing around like that."

"Crazy ones. Always a risk."

"Never disturbed before."

"Call them, and get her outside."

Outside. Wita nodded. She knew the way outside. Outside. Why was everybody going outside? Still she got up, walked outside, because it was easy, and she somehow knew she had to go home. Home. No not home. Home was ... gone. The cool air hit her face like a blow and she stumbled. It was cold. Outside and cold. Jacket ... gone. Lifting her arms she pressed her bracelet against her chest. The music was gone. The world was grey, lifeless. Looking around she tried to remember which way to go and found that she couldn't. But she saw the man with the magic trick and so she headed towards him. Slowly, stopping now and then to look at an interesting stone.

[old man moomba]

Quinn had gotten about halfway through his club sandwich when the screaming started. He sighed, looked at the bartender quizzicaly, and said, "That sandwich was on the house right?" taking the barkeep's blank look to mean 'no' he barreled onwards, "Alright then. My friend's a regular here, he'll be picking up the tab." Quinn stood up, "Calls himself 'Big'" 

With that, he turned smoothly and followed the girl who'd screamed outside. Any excuse to escape the music, which drilled into his head, as if a corkscrew had been jammed into his ear. He sighed. No one appreciated good music anymore. His musings on the current state of pop culture continued until he saw the body.

"Huh." he remarked, "At least he's still breathing." Quinn addressed the girl, "I'm going to assume this wasn't your handiwork?"

[I think I am here.]

Marcel saw the girl go outside and walk to where he was standing. He suddenly felt as if he was doing something incredibly stupid. The girl probably knew she was a Feruchemist anyway, what was the use making sure of it, causing her to scream for whatever reason and then luring her outside?

But, that meant the whole night she had been storing Zinc. But why?

He waved to her and another man followed her out. He looked at the unconscious body and asked the girl about it.

“She came out just now,” Marcel said, walking ahead. He looked to the unconscious man. The man he’d knocked out, though of course he would never say it. “I saw a big man appear from an alley and knock him out, then leave. I hid so he didn’t see me.”

@Sorana

@Dr. Dapper

[old man moomba]

"Is that so." Quinn said to the new man, who was so pale Quinn swore he could see light coming off of him. "Did you get a good look at the guy?" he asked, rings glinting in the light of a passing car.

[I think I am here.]

3 minutes ago, Dr. Dapper said:

"Is that so." Quinn said to the new man, who was so pale Quinn swore he could see light coming off of him. "Did you get a good look at the guy?" he asked, rings glinting in the light of a passing car.

Marcel paused.

“Big,” he said, again. “Black hair. Brown skin.”

And a tattoo. Criminals always had a tattoo. “And a tattoo on his neck of a dolphin.”

[old man moomba]

"Never seen anyone who looked like that before. Then again, I'm new in town." Quinn smiled at the pale man, "I'll be sure to buy him a drink when I see him." 

[+Sorana]

Wita listened to the conversation not really grasping what they were talking about. Slowly she started to soften her storing, her thoughts accelerating slightly. Was this because of her? Maybe.

"He didn't harm me. I ............. overreacted."

She stated slowly.

@I think I am here.

@Dr. Dapper

[I think I am here.]

39 minutes ago, Sorana said:

Wita listened to the conversation not really grasping what they were talking about. Slowly she started to soften her storing, her thoughts accelerating slightly. Was this because of her? Maybe.

"He didn't harm me. I ............. overreacted."

She stated slowly.

 

Marcel smiled back at the man and looked to Wita. He hadn’t hurt her, she’d overreacted. It had made sense, he guessed, not all metalborn were used to having a bloodseal stamped on their metalminds.

“It is fine,” he said. “I was too hasty.” By looking at her it seemed she was back to storing.

“But I understand you know your magic?” He didn’t care for the man who was listening in on the conversation, he’d probably forget later anyway.

[+Sorana]

18 minutes ago, I think I am here. said:

“But I understand you know your magic?” He didn’t care for the man who was listening in on the conversation, he’d probably forget later anyway.

Know your magic. Wita sensed something behind the question, a larger picture and with a sigh she lowered her storing some more. For the first time since she had met Marcel she was able to think fast enough to look him over, judge his appearance, his words. Pale, awake at night, that stamp thing, probably magic as well. Her thoughts moved at a pace that was close, so close to remembering, that she nearly groaned. Dangerous.

"I can store, yes. Always do. I rarely tap."

She replied curtly, concentrated on him and the other man next to him. Nobody had ever taught her - wrong line of thought.

"What did you do?"

And please be quick about your reply. She was thinking too much already.

[old man moomba]

Quinn had been lighting a cigarette when her heard the pale man mention 'magic'. He tossed the cigarette on the ground and looked at the man with a new fasination. He could be another kind of Investiture user. Quinn mused, Or he could be insane, or trying to scam me, or...

Quinn shook his head, smiling to himself, and continued to listen closely. 

He heard the girl mention storing and tapping and his stomach dropped. He checked his watch, noting the date and time. His package could wait a few days to be delivered. He had plenty of time to figure out what was really going on here.

Edited August 11, 2019 by Dr. Dapper
Edited for maximum freshness.

[I think I am here.]

2 hours ago, Sorana said:

“What did you do?"

And please be quick about your reply. She was thinking too much already.

Marcel noticed the girl seem smarter than she was and reply to him. Always store, never tap. Imagine the sheer amount of magic from storing that long! No wonder Marcel’s seal had diseased so quick.

“I’m a Bloodsealer,” Marcel said truthfully, because even if his art wasn’t very well liked among Investiture, the only thing worse than a normal Bloodsealer was a lying Bloodsealer. Images of his sister flashed through Marcel’s head before he focused his attention back on the girl.

“Why do you always store and never tap?”

[Wyndlerunner]

On 8/6/2019 at 3:19 PM, BookishOcelot said:

Asger shook the man - Charles?- 's hand. "M'name's Asger," he said. "I work for NATO." True, but not the whole truth. But it was as much as he could share.

@Wyndlerunner

"NATO, eh?" Charles said, "one of the few useful things to come out of the last World War, in my opinion." he shook his head ruefully, "unlike this whole situation with the Soviets."

This man could be useful to me, Charles thought, and began burning brass, Soothing away the man's inherent concerns and worries.

[+Sorana]

2 hours ago, I think I am here. said:

“Why do you always store and never tap?”

"Rarely tap."

She corrected him and swallowed, shook her head. Memories surfaced again and she quickly stored more. Her thoughts slowed, panic subsiding and she took another breath, steadied herself.

"Zinc. Storing means .... I slow down."

Wita rubbed her eyes, found them wet, looked at the tears in surprise, tried to understand what they meant. She made a gesture, unable to explain, because explaining meant remembering and she couldn't remember. She'd recalled too much already for a night.

"If I think..... I remember ...."

Her hand touched her ear, a mirror of her earlier gesture. Let him fill in the gaps by himself. Tiredly she closed her eyes, opened them again.

"I never met a bloodsealer. Never met anyone like me."

 

Edited August 11, 2019 by Sorana

[AonEne]

6 hours ago, I think I am here. said:

Marcel paused.

“Big,” he said, again. “Black hair. Brown skin.”

And a tattoo. Criminals always had a tattoo. “And a tattoo on his neck of a dolphin.”

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Just like Rob