Siren's Call: an RP

[Condensation she/her]

Just now, Channelknight Fadran said:

You forgot literally everyone, because you need to actually tag folks to summon them!

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I was going to summon them once I knew I hadn't forgotten anyone!

 

[Mat he/him]

34 minutes ago, Condensation said:

One day, Cadenza got a letter. She waved off the person who delivered it to her and cracked it open. She didn't recognise the handwriting... but it was from Janice! "Guys!!! It's a letter from Janice!"

Maddy somewhat perked up. Colonel would likely want to hear about this, but that wasn't really important. "Really?"

[Knight of Iron she/they]

Cruz woke up, vision blurry and eyes bleary.

"Get up! Your case is scheduled for today," barked an officer.

Cruz rolled out of bed and despite the sickness in his stomach, he forced himself to eat.

[Fallapede]

9 hours ago, ProfetessaOscura said:

The days passed aimlessly.  The man followed the Sparrow's orders, cutting wood almost mindlessly.  His hands shook after a few days of the siphoning, but he did not complain when he had to stop splitting wood or carrying plates.  Trembling shook him, and he eventually took to staying still on the couch, barely moving, eating, or drinking.  He spasmed on occasion, and eventually removed the mask, baring the disfigured features, slick with sweat and fever.

The nectar wasn't the problem.  Early on, they'd acquired more from a dealer in a local city.  It wasn't as pure as the Queen's fare, but cutting it with the drugged supply watered it down and kept the toxins spread out over a longer time.

It turned a week's supply of nectar into three, but it wasn't as simple as that.  After the first few days, Vespyr was practically immobile, sweating and murmuring with little actual being able to discerned.  When approached, he seemed to recognize Sparrow and Janice as completely different individuals, flinching away from Sparrow as if expecting him to slice into his skin, to stab out his ears or cut out his tongue.  He didn't scream.  There was too much training and control for that.  But... it was almost pitiful, seeing a monster cower like a child.

Janice was a person called Rain, to the creature.  If he had eyes, he would have wept every time she spoke to him.  He repeated the words over and over again, a silent mantra, whimpering in a fevered existence.  "I apologize for the inconvenience...  I apologize for the inconvenience...  I apologize for the inconvenience...  Rain... I am so... so...  I apologize for the inconvenience..."  

Sometime in the second week, he cocooned himself in a swirl of wind, suspended in the middle of the room, dead to the world, except for when offered the next dose.  

In week three, the seizures started.  Sparrow cut the supply even further, watering down the meager remnants.  It truly did seem like he was correct, like it would be a dwindling, painful death.  Remission from the drugs would kill him.

Then there was the breakthrough.  One of the tests came back conclusive, successfully identifying two of the more powerful addictive substances in the cocktail.  Obtaining them... had been a bit more difficult.  

Vespyr was recovering, slowly.  He was quiet, sullen, and ashamed.  His memory of the recession was faulty, but he knew he must have acted foolishly.  He repeated that apologetic mantra almost as much as when he'd been delusional, but still ate as much as a small elephant, and slept like a bear. 

It was... odd.  Shadowing the girl as she waited around for friends who may or may not be able to even find her, all on the hopes of a letter.  She was foolish, in her own right.  But... he was beginning to find it endearing, not annoying.  Trust.  It was something he'd had, once.  It was an emotion knotted deeply with guilt, but... it was something he could admire, as a trait.

Brother Sparrow did his best to keep Vespyr alive and well throughout their rehabilitation, though he found their insistence on performing manual labor utterly mystifying. He kept Vespyr warm when their body failed to heat itself, and took on their pain as his own when it became unbearable. Vespyr retreated into semiconscious delirium, and Brother Sparrow redoubled his efforts to isolate the drugs within the mixture Vespyr had been taking. After days of seizures and incomprehensible screaming, he was able to positively identify several of the reagents, many of which he was able to find countermeasures for. It was slow, agonizing work, but Sparrow had inexhaustible patience, and Vespyr was in no state to complain if they'd wanted to. Eventually, with the tiniest of steps, he was able to begin dragging Vespyr back to reality. He did his best to care for Janice as well, though he was unable to do much more than cook and try to keep the house clean. He hoped that that would be enough, at least for now.

[Vapor she/her]

10 hours ago, Condensation said:

One day, Cadenza got a letter. She waved off the person who delivered it to her and cracked it open. She didn't recognise the handwriting... but it was from Janice! "Guys!!! It's a letter from Janice!"

Aryanna raised her eyebrows and peered at it over Cadenza's shoulder, having to crouch a bit in order to see the writing.

[Condensation she/her]

11 hours ago, Matrim's Dice said:

Maddy somewhat perked up. Colonel would likely want to hear about this, but that wasn't really important. "Really?"

"Yes, really! It says she's on an island called Tairna, wherever that is, and that she wants us to come find her."

[Negative_Null They/Them]

"This could be a trap..." Jay's trying to cover up his excitement with wariness.

[Mat he/him]

Maddy nodded in agreement with Jay. "We should be cautious about this."

[Condensation she/her]

"Cautious, smawshus. Come on, let's go get her!"

[Fallapede]

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I have the distinct image in my head of y'all breaking into Brother Sparrow's quaint little cottage SWAT style only to find him making tea and Janice sitting at the table drawing or something.

 

[Channelknight Fadran]

1 minute ago, Fallapede said:

 

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Flashbang through the window, a bunch of people drop from the roof and open fire. Someone breaks down the door, and they surround Sparrow and Vespyr, separating them from Janice. A bunch of helicopters circle overhead with snipers fixed on them.

 

[Mat he/him]

4 minutes ago, Condensation said:

"Cautious, smawshus. Come on, let's go get her!"

Maddy couldn't deny a small flare of excitement that came from ditching Colonel. "I suppose I'd have to come, as your bodyguard..."

[Condensation she/her]

Just now, Matrim's Dice said:

Maddy couldn't deny a small flare of excitement that came from ditching Colonel. "I suppose I'd have to come, as your bodyguard..."

"Yep. C'mon, Jay, please? She's waiting for us!"

[Knight of Iron she/they]

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So, I got two offers for a judge which were both "I'll do it if no one else is doing it" (Condensation and Null) so I'll let one of you decide.

Also for legal procedure it would be prudent to reveal Cruz's full name which I shall soon.

Cruz coughed and stepped out of bed, shaking the nightmares out of his head. Hadn't he just closed his eyes? No, there was the morning breakfast. Another night of restlessness, he supposed. But today was the day of the trial, and he didn't have time to be tired.

He walked over to the lone toilet bowl he was allowed in his cell and, with the limited light he had, looked at his reflection. Who knew how much damage a few days in prison could do to a man's appearance? His curly blonde hair was a mess, and his eyes were bloodshot. He could not present himself to be judged like this.

With determination, he wet his hair and tried to calm its tempest with his fingers, to little success. And he couldn't exactly blink the red out of his eyes.

[Channelknight Fadran]

Janice hopped down out of her tree, then lay down on the grass and started to snooze.

[ProfetessaOscura she/her]

11 hours ago, Channelknight Fadran said:

Janice hopped down out of her tree, then lay down on the grass and started to snooze.

Vespyr ambled up the slight incline towards Janice on shaking legs.  He was perfectly capable and strong... except he trembled and shook, and his body reacted erratically, head jerking from side to side, hands shooting up, as if to defend against a gentle breeze, startled.  He was determined not to lash out and hit Janice in the face... again... and he had his hands balled up at his side.  He meant to have a conversation with her, but then realized she was probably asleep, as she hadn't reacted or flinched at his approach.  He crept quietly away, back toward the house.  Maybe he could work with Sparrow... figure out something he could do for the man.

[Negative_Null They/Them]

11 hours ago, Condensation said:

"Yep. C'mon, Jay, please? She's waiting for us!"

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Connie, pick broam or boxing. If you're right, you're the judge.

Spoiler

I picked broam

 

"I suppose we have to. I'm just saying let's be prepared."

[Channelknight Fadran]

9 hours ago, ProfetessaOscura said:

Vespyr ambled up the slight incline towards Janice on shaking legs.  He was perfectly capable and strong... except he trembled and shook, and his body reacted erratically, head jerking from side to side, hands shooting up, as if to defend against a gentle breeze, startled.  He was determined not to lash out and hit Janice in the face... again... and he had his hands balled up at his side.  He meant to have a conversation with her, but then realized she was probably asleep, as she hadn't reacted or flinched at his approach.  He crept quietly away, back toward the house.  Maybe he could work with Sparrow... figure out something he could do for the man.

It had been a few night since Janice had suffered through a dream. Maybe her mind needed more time to sort through the trauma... maybe some god was showing her mercy. In any case, however, the gift wasn't continuing tonight.

She was back in the Queen's tower, tied down onto a table. Tears ran down her face, leaving her eyes puffy and red. Janice screamed and thrashed as the Queen placed the Qhoral crysta against her chest--

Janice shot awake and screamed. Within seconds, however, she had pulled herself tight into a ball and tried to shiver the fear away. No. Crying.

[ProfetessaOscura she/her]

4 hours ago, Channelknight Fadran said:

It had been a few night since Janice had suffered through a dream. Maybe her mind needed more time to sort through the trauma... maybe some god was showing her mercy. In any case, however, the gift wasn't continuing tonight.

She was back in the Queen's tower, tied down onto a table. Tears ran down her face, leaving her eyes puffy and red. Janice screamed and thrashed as the Queen placed the Qhoral crysta against her chest--

Janice shot awake and screamed. Within seconds, however, she had pulled herself tight into a ball and tried to shiver the fear away. No. Crying.

Vespyr stopped, then slowly returned, then lowered himself unsteadily to the ground beside the child.  He hesitated, then put a gentle hand on her shoulder.

It had been a long time since he'd been surprised by anything.  He could feel the vibration in the air.  He knew that there was a foxhole below the tree, where there was a litter of sweet tiny foxes, just beginning to toddle.  He could sense the nest high above.  In the distance, in a patch of soft, flexible ferns, he could sense a large collie, with a mane like a lion's, trotting along as a painter rushed through the trees, trying to protect their work from the drizzling rain, which was just beginning in the distance, the sun smattered with a splotchy, wispy smattering of clouds.  He could sense them.  The thick air.  It was different.  

And he could see none of it.  Not like she could.  "Describe it to me.  It will be... a diversion.  From what you saw." 

[Channelknight Fadran]

27 minutes ago, ProfetessaOscura said:

Vespyr stopped, then slowly returned, then lowered himself unsteadily to the ground beside the child.  He hesitated, then put a gentle hand on her shoulder.

It had been a long time since he'd been surprised by anything.  He could feel the vibration in the air.  He knew that there was a foxhole below the tree, where there was a litter of sweet tiny foxes, just beginning to toddle.  He could sense the nest high above.  In the distance, in a patch of soft, flexible ferns, he could sense a large collie, with a mane like a lion's, trotting along as a painter rushed through the trees, trying to protect their work from the drizzling rain, which was just beginning in the distance, the sun smattered with a splotchy, wispy smattering of clouds.  He could sense them.  The thick air.  It was different.  

And he could see none of it.  Not like she could.  "Describe it to me.  It will be... a diversion.  From what you saw." 

"D--describe what?"

[ProfetessaOscura she/her]

2 minutes ago, Channelknight Fadran said:

"D--describe what?"

"This place.  It feels like it might be beautiful."

[Channelknight Fadran]

Just now, ProfetessaOscura said:

"This place.  It feels like it might be beautiful."

"Um... well..." She took in a deep, shivering breath. "Were you always blind? Or... do you remember seeing?"

[ProfetessaOscura she/her]

Just now, Channelknight Fadran said:

"Um... well..." She took in a deep, shivering breath. "Were you always blind? Or... do you remember seeing?"

"I had eyes until I was about thirteen," he informed.  "They were taken from me by the Queen."

[Channelknight Fadran]

Just now, ProfetessaOscura said:

"I had eyes until I was about thirteen," he informed.  "They were taken from me by the Queen."

"I--" she decided not to press him. "I guess that's yes, then. Well... the grass is greener here. Greener than Halcyon, anyways. It's the same color as the leaves on the tree. There are birds up there..." Janice looked up. "I think they're bluejays."

[ProfetessaOscura she/her]

6 minutes ago, Channelknight Fadran said:

"I--" she decided not to press him. "I guess that's yes, then. Well... the grass is greener here. Greener than Halcyon, anyways. It's the same color as the leaves on the tree. There are birds up there..." Janice looked up. "I think they're bluejays."

"Is there any gold-yellow?  What about the fox kits?" he asked.  "Are they traditional colors, have you found them yet?"