Into the Dark

[AonEne]

Still holding her hand out, ignoring the fact that her arm was starting to get tired, Myriad clarified, “And l don’t suppose you’ll share what it is with me?” 

[That Violin Guy]

"Nope," Fasi said. "I'm not going to shake, I don't really trust you. Anything you want to talk about?"

[AonEne]

“Fair enough,” Myriad said with a shrug, and dropped the arm. “Fair enough on both counts. As for talking, could you fill me in on what I missed? I got here late, I was - well, I got here late.” 

[That Violin Guy]

3 minutes ago, AonEne said:

“Fair enough,” Myriad said with a shrug, and dropped the arm. “Fair enough on both counts. As for talking, could you fill me in on what I missed? I got here late, I was - well, I got here late.” 

"Sure, there are tunnels under the ground that important people have gone missing in." Fasi said. "That's pretty much it."

[Voidus]

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

Wes kept up the eye contact, then slightly nodded, tapping his pencil against the chair he sat on. It didn’t really matter who else knew, he supposed, just that people had been saved. And the people who really mattered anyway would know. It was a point Wes deeply wanted to concede to the girl, but deep inside he didn’t find it a satisfying conclusion to his problem.

Why? He thought. I’m not like those politicians, who want to be popular and on the news. I’m not selfish, or narcissistic, am I?

But still, the treacherous thought that he wanted to be noticed, for others to know what he did still lurked around, like a spren keeping to the shadowy places of his mind. Was it bad to want recognition?

“You’re nice,” Wes said, looking down at the pencil he was tapping the chair with. “Did you come here to help people as well?”

Halfway through wiping the board clean again, Whisped paused, head tilted to one side at the question. A small smile tugged at her mouth as she looked up at Wes, her gaze flickered up to his eyes, switching from one to the other. She sat silently, staring for a few seconds more before finally continuing to clear off the board and writing on it once more.

I like helping people. But if I like it, then I guess I'm really doing it for myself, to feel nice. Whisper wrote, giving a small shrug. I'm here because I wanted to be here, I think that's true for everyone.

[AonEne]

2 hours ago, That Violin Guy said:

"Sure, there are tunnels under the ground that important people have gone missing in." Fasi said. "That's pretty much it."

“They didn’t say anything else at all?” She hadn’t commented on Myriad’s stumble of words, and Myriad was thankful for that. 

[kenod]

3 hours ago, AonEne said:

“They didn’t say anything else at all?” She hadn’t commented on Myriad’s stumble of words, and Myriad was thankful for that. 

Karin sighed and threw a glare at the other girl. She then filled the new girl in on what they had been told during the presentation. The caves, missing people, what had already been found. "It seems some stuff is still classified though," she said with a shrug. "I guess they found some stuff there that they don't want the general public to know about, or perhaps they don't want to scare us off." She then sat back down again, watching the others.

[+ElephantEarwax]

On 9/24/2019 at 11:50 PM, Sorana said:

Uncomfortably she had to fight hard to suppress the urge to turn around and flee when he stared at her like that. Years of practice made it easy to keep her mask, to control her face and her eyes, but they didn't change a lot about the way she felt beneath it. It had been a while since she wished for her sunglasses to hide her eyes, but here in this place she suddenly itched to get it out of her pocket and slip it on. People had stopped staring that openly once she'd been part of the Council and later the Triarchy. Most only whispered behind her back. Instead she forced herself to meet his eyes cooly, look into them with her own. Let him stare. Let them all stare, laugh at her because of her appearance. She was who she was. And there was at least one person, that thought her beautiful.

"I'm an Elsecaller." she replied her voice carefully controlled as well, leaving away her ideal. Let him figure it out on his own. "So I keep around a spren, to use your expression." She lifted a hand and gently touched the little spren on her shoulder. Brashen looked at Adren, and she could only imagine, that he wasn't too amused by the conversation. He'd started to mistrust strangers, almost feared them.

"Your eyes are captivating, the light playing off the red. It is beautiful. I'm sorry if my staring was rude, but I don't want to forget them."

Looking at the small spren on her shoulder, Adren smiled. "Inkspren, such an amazing type of spren."

Adren slightly pulled back from looking at Brashen as her comment Finally registering to him, he replies, "I use the term 'keep them around' endearingly, these two are my friends, we've been together for a good while."

"You could tell me we are friends sometime, I like affirmation 

"Well he just told you. Its like 'as you wish' from that weird book with the 100 pages about wedding makeup" 

"ohhhhh, I loved that book"

"it was boring"

"Quiet you two," Adren whispered at them.

"Sorry about that Althea, they started discussing things in my head. And I had to nip the rose at the bud." 

"How progressed is your bond as an elsecaller?

[+Sorana]

1 hour ago, ElephantEarwax said:

"Sorry about that Althea, they started discussing things in my head. And I had to nip the rose at the bud." 

Her face softened the slightest bit when she accepted his compliment with a grateful incline of her head. "I've often found, that beauty lies in the eye of the one speaking." She stated and looked at his earring and cleaver again. "Maybe the fact that you interact and communicate with them adds to them having a conciousness. Like a mind withers, if it isn't trained."

"As to my bond," pensively she tapped her fingers against her ellbow. The number of her oaths was less important than the fact, that she was an Elsecaller, but if he didn't know, she'd prefer to keep it like that. "I think, you might see that once we're in the tunnels. But as you have been very open with answering questions, I will answer like that: I am very proficient with my surges."

In the end that might be more important than the oaths. At least when it came to judging her threat level.

"Why do you go down there?"

[I think I am here.]

9 hours ago, Voidus said:

I like helping people. But if I like it, then I guess I'm really doing it for myself, to feel nice. Whisper wrote, giving a small shrug. I'm here because I wanted to be here, I think that's true for everyone.

“Yeah,” Wes said, scanning the room as he spoke.

“But some people are here for reasons than to help people, I think. Like to spy, or see what other guilds are doing.” He was young and naive, but Wes wasn’t stupid. At least, he didn’t think he was.

“But, I agree, everyone here must be here for themselves, like you and me, otherwise why would they be here?” He shook his head.

“The longer I’ve spent in the outside world, beyond the headquarter walls, the more I learn something new. Like how altruism is a myth, at least in this place. Everyone’s got secrets, an agenda, a plan, a hidden power or spike or motivation. They never taught us that in school.”

Edited September 26, 2019 by I think I am here.

[That Violin Guy]

Fasi started walking away from the conversation, lost in thought. @AonEne @kenod @Rushu42

[xinoehp512]

Nekorb sat in his chair, chewing on his lip and shooting furtive glances around the room. The meeting was over, right? He should probably get up and get to know the others, in case he got selected.

But he couldn't help remembering the words of the woman earlier. "It's the same pattern. A new organization rises and invites everybody to an event. It feels like the moment when Plasma Core opened it's door and invited the whole city under the pretense to collect money." 

This won't be another PlasmaCore, he told himself. But he started making his way towards the door anyways. It never hurt to be cautious.

[Rushu42]

Sarah, who had been slightly distracted finishing her questionnaire, looked up as Fasi began to leave, and noticed the other woman who was standing there. "Fasi?" she called over her shoulder, before turning to the relative newcomer. "Hi. I'm Sarah. What's your name?"

@That Violin Guy @AonEne @kenod

[That Violin Guy]

Just now, Rushu42 said:

Sarah, who had been slightly distracted finishing her questionnaire, looked up as Fasi began to leave, and noticed the other woman who was standing there. "Fasi?" she called over her shoulder, before turning to the relative newcomer. "Hi. I'm Sarah. What's your name?"

@That Violin Guy @AonEne @kenod

Fasi turned. "Yes, Sarah," she replied. As she looked she found herself admiring Sarah's face. STOP IT, she thought.

[+ZincAboutIt]

Farren sat and kept watch over the remaining stragglers still chatting or eating, mindful of his posture even if no one was really paying attention. He'd scanned the last of the questionnaires over to Director Stancel, and now all he had to do was wait.

As he observed the little meeting hall, he felt his heart swell with a tiny bubble of pride. He was no one, really, just an Alleycity kid with no Investiture, destined for a life of unremarkable drudgery. But Director Stancel had seen something in him - in him. When he'd applied for the job as her assistant, she had written two words on the bottom of his resume after his interview.

'Shows promise.' 

Now, Farren would do whatever it took to keep that promise alive. Even if that meant sitting up straight and watching a bunch of strangers eat muffins.

A cheerful ping! sounded from his interior coat pocket, and he nearly jumped at the sudden noise, digging his phone out and giving it a cursory glance. His black eyebrows rose; apparently, the Executive Committee had reached a decision faster than expected.

They must really want to get started, he thought. Farren straightened up and walked out of the meeting room into the little office down the hall, where, sure enough, a stack of papers were already sliding out from the printer. He picked one up, reading the names, then scooped up the rest of the pages. Within ten minutes, he had a small army of runners setting off to the listed addresses of the chosen attendees, bearing their official acceptance. Farren took two sheets for himself and walked back into the meeting room, then taped them to the front doors.

"Your attention, please," he said. "The Executive Committee has made its deliberations, and the final list has been posted. If you have been chosen for the expedition, please meet in the new crater tomorrow morning at 08:00. May I be the first to formally welcome you into Alleycity Excavation."

Quote

The Official List:

Spoiler

Althea Tenira

Karin Dreier

Kendul

Wesley (Ghostblood)

Wes

Sarah

Corette

Adren

Nekorb

Myriad

I have left off Malu and Fasi, as requested. You can still go down into the caverns as you like. Anyone who wants to enter the caverns should do so in this thread, regardless of whether or not they are in the official expedition party!

@Sorana @kenod @Voidus @I think I am here. @That Violin Guy @Rushu42 @Lord Furret @Invocation @AonEne @ElephantEarwax @xinoehp512

Edited September 26, 2019 by ZincAboutIt

[Rushu42]

Sarah, about to respond to Fasi, was interrupted by the sudden announcement. Her face broke into a wide grin when she saw her name, and she turned to Fasi. "I got in!" Then she noticed the absence of Fasi on the list. "Oh. I... Don't think you made it. I'm sorry."

@That Violin Guy

[AonEne]

1 hour ago, That Violin Guy said:

As she looked she found herself admiring Sarah's face. STOP IT, she thought.

Quote

That was fast. 

“Thanks for catching me up,” Myriad said warmly, smiling at Karin. Turning to Sarah, she repeated, “I’m Myriad - it’s nice to meet you.” She offered her hand again. @Rushu42 @kenod 

[Rushu42]

7 minutes ago, AonEne said:

“Thanks for catching me up,” Myriad said warmly, smiling at Karin. Turning to Sarah, she repeated, “I’m Myriad - it’s nice to meet you.” She offered her hand again. @Rushu42 @kenod 

Quote

Yeah, I wasn't sure how to react to that particular comment. I'll just ignore it for now...

10 minutes ago, AonEne said:

That was fast

 

Sarah shook her hand enthusiastically. "So, it seems as if we'll be colleagues."

[kenod]

Karin nodded. Meanwhile she checked the list, and found her name as well. "I guess I'm joining in too," she told the other two with a smile.

[overlord stick]

Kendul wasn't surprised when his name was called. He was the obvious choice, a powerful Sand Master, skilled in combat, very intelligent and knowledgeable, it was simply inevitable. Unfortunately, it seemed Tels hadn't shown up. 

Hmm. Wonder where he wandered off to.

Edited September 26, 2019 by Lord Furret

[AonEne]

1 hour ago, Rushu42 said:

Sarah shook her hand enthusiastically. "So, it seems as if we'll be colleagues."

Myriad looked at the list, then back at her. “Looks like it!” 

[That Violin Guy]

1 hour ago, Rushu42 said:

Sarah, about to respond to Fasi, was interrupted by the sudden announcement. Her face broke into a wide grin when she saw her name, and she turned to Fasi. "I got in!" Then she noticed the absence of Fasi on the list. "Oh. I... Don't think you made it. I'm sorry."

@That Violin Guy

"I thought as much," Fasi said. "See you later?"

[Rushu42]

29 minutes ago, That Violin Guy said:

"I thought as much," Fasi said. "See you later?"

Sarah frowned. "I guess. Um. Look, if you're going to go down anyway, try to be safe, okay? I mean, people have died."

[That Violin Guy]

1 hour ago, Rushu42 said:

Sarah frowned. "I guess. Um. Look, if you're going to go down anyway, try to be safe, okay? I mean, people have died."

"Don't worry," Fasi said. "I will be." Then she walked out.

[Rushu42]

2 hours ago, That Violin Guy said:

"Don't worry," Fasi said. "I will be." Then she walked out.

Sarah watched her go, looking slightly concerned. Then she turned back to the other two women, her smile returning. "So, we're going down into the tunnels tomorrow. What do you think we'll find?"

@AonEne @kenod

Edited September 26, 2019 by Rushu42
I forgot to tag anyone