ZincAboutIt

Ah so it would be sort of like First Heightening plus burning Bronze? Yeah, likely closer to a Normal merit I'd think.

~Vivica; Alley K-9- 1077~ "Today, we will continue our reading on the zoology of the various Earth iterations." Vivica sat, cross-legged, on the floor of the K-9 Juvenile Training Laboratory, Special Division. She had a large encyclopedia cracked open on her lap, one finger set ready at the top of the page, and smiled at her audience. Arrayed around her were fifteen plump, warm Labrador puppies, each one sitting at attention, posture perfect, tails (mostly) still. One of them panted softly - that was Zeta-9. He had been rather late to gather in the Reading Room, likely due to overenthusiasm regarding his breakfast. The other fourteen members of the Zeta Class paid him no regard, other than perhaps a sidelong look of light disapproval. Vivica winked at him. In the corner, Gamma-10 sat with all the grizzled, iron will of a seasoned field commander. His glossy chocolate coat was tinged with white at the muzzle, but he had lost none of his bearing. Gamma-10 was one of the Dark Alley's finest soldiers. He had once brought down an Edgedancer. An Edgedancer, all by himself! He gave a single, low "woof!", calling the puppies to stillness. Even Zeta-9 stopped panting. "Thank you, Gamma-10," Vivica said, giving the large chocolate lab a respectful nod. "Now, this morning we will be learning about the Saltwater Crocodile. The Saltwater Crocodile, or Crocodylus porosus, is the largest living reptile on Earth. Males can grow up to a length of 6 meters (20 ft), though rarely exceeding 6.3 meters (21 ft), and a weight of 1,000–1,300 kg (2,200–2,900 lb). Females are much smaller and rarely surpass 3 meters (10 ft). The Saltwater Crocodile is a hypercarnivorous apex predator within its habitat, mainly living in saltwater habitats and brackish wetlands. They are ambush hunters, using their jaws to drag prey into the water and subsequently drown them before devouring them. Here's my favorite part - a Saltwater Crocodile has a bite force of 16,414 newtons! That's about 3,960 psi. Isn't that magnificent?" One of the puppies, Vivica thought it might be Zeta-5, yipped in agreement. Her enthusiasm was tempered by a gentle growl from Gamma-10, who brooked no nonsense. Vivica gave him an indulgent smile. "Oh, come now Gamma-10, everyone loves a good bite force fact," she said. Gamma-10, for his part, said nothing, though he did make a low, rather concessionary whine. Vivica held out one hand, and Gamma-10 obligingly provided his chin for scratches. "For comparison, an average domestic dog produces around 250 psi. Of course, bite force isn't everything. I hardly think a pack of crocodiles would be well suited to patrolling the Alleys." Vivica stopped to think. "As a matter of fact I believe that was tried. We lost a not-insignificant number of researchers, as I recall. Well," she shrugged. "Anyway. I believe Gamma-10 is going to take you all through some ambush drills. Then, we will learn a bit more about crocodilians and we can all have biscuits!" The Zeta Class puppies broke out into excited yipping at this; Zeta-9 managed to catch his own tail, and was wagging it in his mouth. Vivica tried not to laugh; the Seekradors were such proud creatures. She did so dearly love visiting them, though. Nox encouraged it, something about keeping her safe. Vivica marked her page in the encyclopedia and set it aside, settling back against the wall as she watched the puppies march in an excruciatingly adorable line to the other side of the room. Nox. As always, when unoccupied her thoughts were drawn to him. He had been so busy since the Forgery broke, she had barely had a chance to speak with him. He came to check on her every other day or so; he was so attentive. Vivica knew that even these small attentions were more than she could ever merit on her own. But still, she yearned to see him more, speak with him for longer, feel the warm surety of his hand around her waist, pulling her close as he had when breaking through the Realms. Their short, quiet tea party in the University hall had been wonderful, and showing him all her gratitude when he was still in her mind had been the most glorious moment of her life. But Vivica wished, selfishly, for more. More tea, more laughter, more warm, patient smiles. Perhaps a chance to bake together, maybe even to entertain a guest together! "Wouldn't that be lovely, Bennington?" Vivica glanced upwards, smile widening at the sight of her oldest friend swimming a pleasant loop in the air, glowing with soft violet luminescence. "Just you, and me, and Nox. And frosting. Lots and lots of frosting."

Map it out... like see where it is in the body? See where someone has used it? Sorry, I'm a bit confused.

Could be played as minor. A Seeker has it, or someone with enough Breath. Depends on how much it's used probably.

~Lita; Rooftop Garden, the Dominion~ "May I help you, ma'am?" The well-dressed host at the front of the rooftop garden had a nervous smile, but he was pulling through it with trained professionalism. It had been about twenty-four hours since the world ended, then was put back in its usual place. Lita idly wondered if this man had been something else in the Forgery, or if he was simply always a host at a rooftop garden, no matter what. She gave him her most charming smile, reaching out and placing a generous number of chrysts on the host stand. "I'm meeting someone, but thank you. I'll find my own way." The man nodded, his smile dipping as she left but not entirely fading as he counted the money. Lita envied him; how lovely it would be to find delight in a simple handful of currency. She walked through the garden, admiring the cultivated plants and the sprawling view of the city as she sought out her quarry. A bath and a few vials of Pewter and Tin had set her largely to rights after the harrowing events of the previous night. Physically, at least. Lita looked neat as a pin in her blue pencil dress, hair braided tidily over one shoulder, shoes clicking on the rooftop stones. Whether or not she felt as though one sharp look would shatter her to pieces was immaterial. She had things to do. The world had ended. Long live the world. Mac was situated in a far corner, near the balcony, on one side of a lovely spread of croissants. Lita reached her seat and gave him a smile that did not reach her eyes. "Good afternoon, Mac," she said, taking her seat. "You look well." @MacThorstenson

~Lita; The Alleys~ "One more time, now," Lita murmured to herself, setting the funnel back into the neck of the wine bottle and pouring the two glasses of wine back into its dark green belly. She first wiped each glass, then the bottle, with a white cloth, setting the funnel aside. Then, with a small intake of breath, she picked up the bottle, careful to hold it from the base - never the neck - in one hand. She was burning tin, as always these days, but she increased the burn beyond its minor heat so as to watch every single detail as she poured a perfect, steady stream of deep claret wine into one of the glasses. Lita filled it right to the widest part, where the glass swelled outward, before lifting the bottle again. At the last moment, she moved her wrist in an expert quarter-turn, cutting off the stream and avoiding spilling a single drop. Lita wanted to smile, but she held herself back. Now, she had to do it again. She repeated the process, once again executing a pristine quarter-turn of the wrist, and set the bottle down. Two perfectly-poured glasses of wine. Finally, Lita allowed herself a proud quirk of the lips. Still have it down. A woman such as herself had many odd skills, little talents that she had learned in her years listening at keyholes and chatting at parties. But this was an old skill, one she learned long before she had ever left Elendel. Before she had met Forian, even. The memory hit her suddenly, the smell of wood varnish in her father's back room filling her nostrils as she knelt on unsanded planks and practiced pouring wine for customers. She'd started with two hands, shaky and nervous with her father's dark bottles, even though she was only using spent ones filled with water. That had been when she was eight. By ten, she'd mastered pouring one-handed - largely due simply to expanded anatomy and the ability to grip the bottle in a single hand. Father's patrons thought it a novelty for such a wee thing to be so adept at wine service, and they never had to worry about her "stealin' sips like them other barmaids." Nevermind that Conrad Attar would never be so cruel as to serve his daughter the same watered down half-vinegar he gave his Soothing patrons. Lita let out a soft sigh and picked up one of the perfect glasses of wine, giving it a sip. She hummed, pleased, at the flavor - it ought to taste good, as she'd been aerating it for the last half hour pouring and refilling the glasses. Why am I doing this? She'd been practicing every night, usually in the small hours when she couldn't sleep, when whatever she'd been drinking or whoever she'd been entertaining had faded into the night and Lita was left with the memories of what had happened a week before. She had expected the nightmares to all revolve around the Stranger, or the Shade, or the lightning and chaos of a battle between gods. And there were plenty of those. But something unexpected haunted her nights - the cool, overlapping echo of Whisper's voice as she stood under the water of the Chapel. "Remembering your time serving wine in Elendel will help you with one task, for instance." Every other memory mentioned had been born out within that last day. The ring, the bayonet, the memories of the Stranger. But that first one... had it simply been some sort of joke? It seemed out of place in that context. No, there was something that Whisper had seen, and now Lita was just waiting for it. It was driving her mad already. But at the very least, she could be prepared. And so, she practiced pouring wine. It has its uses, she thought, taking another sip. The second glass would be for Laurelai - if she ever got here. Lita had been ready for the better part of an hour, and she didn't have the powers of instantaneous Forgery. It was enough time to start making her second-guess her outfit, which was never good. Lita moved from her sitting room back into her bedroom and looked in the mirror, chewing the edge of one lacquered nail. She'd been very happy with the teal velvet dress when she'd slipped it on. It was growing cold in the city, and the fabric combined with the long sleeves would serve well to keep her warm - not that she actually required fabric to keep herself warm. But it was the principle of the thing. She turned, critiquing silently. Lita had picked something rather understated to avoid calling too much attention to herself - but was it too understated? The neckline certainly would catch a few eyes, and the buttons all down the back where it clung to her before ending in a slight flare. She'd braided her hair straight down her back today, tying the end off in gold, and slid on a pair of larger golden hoops to round out her bevvy of ear cuffs. But besides that, Lita had gone for little flash. It was a somber day, wasn't it? Showing up in a gala frock might be a tad gauche, and certainly would be memorable. Probably more memorable than Lita wished to be. After all, she'd managed to retain her city cover after the Forgery broke. Plenty of her contacts still knew Lita LaPetit, the Scadrian socialite, and she even still had her hotel suite at the Grand. A few small mercies granted in his wreckage of a week. Not to mention the rather large mercy - or perhaps not - of still running the Department of Counter Intelligence. Lita sighed, sipped some more wine, and went back out into the sitting room to wait for her friend. Work could wait for one day. It was a party - sort of. Enough of one, anyway.

~Vivica; The University~ Vivica gazed up at her body from within the garnet clutched in her own hand. It was, she supposed, likely rather disorienting. Or perhaps it would have been, if Vivica could currently conceptualize disorientation. She had rather forgotten her own face by this point; there were no mirrors in the Cognitive Realm, after all. It was rather pretty, if a bit vacant-looking. But then, people who were dead did look rather vacant. Vivica knew that from experience. She had seen very many dead people. When Nox spoke to her using her own mouth, Vivica almost hesitated to retake her own body. Surely anything she could come up with to say would be pointless, silly, compared with the words he could make her say. She thought to tell him so, but then, it was rude to refuse a gift so perfectly wrought. He had gone through so much trouble to bring her back, and he had so many other important things to be about. It would be best to accept this present, so she could thank him properly. Thank you. Perhaps two words she could form with her own lips that might be worthy of him hearing. Vivica took one last look at the garnet chamber surrounding her, fondly casting it to memory. Then, she looked back at herself, acknowledging the slight tug on her form that she had been ignoring. Her soul recognizing her body, it seemed. There was a rightness to this feeling, and so Vivica let it overtake her, surrendering to the pull just as her body drew in a breath. She flew like a single stream of Stormlight for a moment, and then - Corporeality. It hurt. Her eyes blinked and watered at the light of the hall, spilling tears down cheeks that felt each millimeter of each tear trace across skin, the water cooling and causing her to shiver. She could feel the chill of the air in the room, feel the cotton of her shapeless medical shift where it brushed her flesh, raising goosebumps along her arms and neck and back. Vivica shuddered at the sensations, giving a soft whimper; even that minute sound hurt her throat after how long she had spent not using it. Something clenched and burned in the pit of her stomach - hunger? She could barely remember hunger but yes, that sounded right. Hunger, and thirst. She was so thirsty, now that she thought about it. Hungry and thirsty and cold, and she could feel everything at once, hear everything. She was breathing too fast; her heart was racing, speeding blood into her brain with enough force to make her dizzy. It was too much - Vivica retreated inward instinctively, turning her vision to the plane of her mind hoping for relief. And that was when she felt him. He had been so quiet, so close, that Vivica hadn't realized he was there, pressed up against her mind like the oncoming shroud of night. Encompassing, inevitable, and wonderful. And so, so close. She had never been so close to anyone; the barrier between them had broken, and Nox was her. He heard her thoughts, felt her emotions, owned her memories. Vivica felt her mouth smile as she looked at him through her own eyes, and she could feel him looking at himself through her eyes, as well. Would they ever be so close again? Could she ever hope to find a better time to show him her gratitude, show him the scope and breadth of what he meant to her? So Vivica showed him. She poured out every memory, every day spent in the Cognitive Ward talking with him, laughing with him, glorying in his warm, patient smile. She poured out each good day, and each bad day, where only the thought of him kept her from fading into total despair, imprisoned in her room, restrained to her bed, watching the slow drip of sedatives lull her into a stupor that could be deemed "safe." She poured out the delight of her first meeting him, the rush of caffeine and experimentation nothing compared to the exhilaration of making a new friend, and one so kind, with such good manners. She showed him the last day before the Forgery, when she had been overcome with memories of the fire and he had found her, taking her someplace safe, folding them both into a tiny corner of nothing. A place where fire could never reach. She showed him more recent memories, her time in the Cognitive Realm, wandering, searching, always hopeful despite her confusion. She showed him how he looked in that realm, both the light and the dark weaving through him in a complex knotwork that was more beautiful than anything wrought by human hands. She gave him the memories of his face in the gemstone, every facet reflecting his perfection back to her in deepest red. Each memory a drop, and the drops formed an ocean of meaning, every wave calling his name and echoing it back again, and again, and again. Vivica looked through regained eyes at the face of the man who had been so many things to her. Her new friend, her patient Professor, her dark and wondrous god. Her Lucien. Her Nox. Perfect in each iteration. And always, always, more than she could ever deserve. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice still thin and hoarse, but now full of delight. "I never worried for a moment." @Voidus

~Lita; The University~ The sound of a door opening caught Lita's heightened senses before Laurelai's, followed by two sets of footsteps. Thunder rumbled as the two men entered the marble hall, footfalls temporarily muffled by the rushing sound of rainfall. A storm was coming - nearly here, judging by that rain. Lita turned, feeling a sense of gratitude as Laurelai stepped closer. That feeling of gratitude was quickly overshadowed by unease. What was that Earth saying? Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. Voidus was taller than Lita remembered him, all cold angles and inevitability. He looked at home in this hall of carved marble, gaze harder than any of the surrounding stone. His resemblance to Laurelai felt especially unnerving in this moment, and Lita moved half a step closer to her on instinct. For a moment, the man who was a god looked to his daughter, and Lita caught the quicksilver flash of... something. Longing? Sorrow? His black eyes seemed to skip right over Lita - a blessing she would happily take in this moment. She had enough to be getting on with, especially when she recognized the ragged, filthy figure that stood beside him. It was Mac. "Mac?" Laurelai spluttered, speaking the words that Lita was thinking. "Is that... gods, sir you look terrible." Lita bit the inside of her cheek to keep from exhaling a slight laugh, but in truth the sight of the man was like a bucket of cold water over her head. All the warm regard between them that had been spun into the Forgery was a fiction. If he was here, then that meant that he had not left the planet, and had definitely not left Lita in charge of the Department. Whether intentional or not, Lita had effectively stolen his job. And she had been damn good at it, too. She forced herself not to duck her eyes in the practiced subservience she had used before the Forgery, meeting and matching his short nod. Lita was unsure of how much Mac knew about the current state of things. And really, could he truly blame Lita for being just another pawn in the Stranger's game? Probably, if he's angry enough, Lita thought, trying to read his expression. He was saying something, probably telling them not to be heroes or some other unnecessary caution. Lita replayed his words to herself, nodding, when Laurelai waved her hand and Forged Mac back to his immaculate self. Rather than looking pleased, Laurelai had a momentary expression of pure horror as she whipped her head around to look at Lita. Lita, for her part, braced for... nothing. Nothing happened. "Are you... alright?" Lita asked Laurelai, for the second time tonight. ~Vivica; The Perfect Gemstone~ Vivica sat amidst deep red light, her face tilted upwards, always upwards, towards Nox. It was, she thought, the most beautiful view that anyone could ever have. Dozens of facets arched overhead, more encircled her, and each one of them bore his reflection like the icon of a temple window. Such a wonderful place to worship, to marvel, to gaze. If he never wished to remove her, if he simply carried her form with him for the rest of eternity, Vivica would have wept with a boundless joy she didn't deserve. Yet he wanted something even more extraordinary, a gift that Vivica did not ever imagine she would receive. He wanted to bring her back. Not as a patient in the Cognitive Ward, but as the true Vivica. The one who knew the whisper of the black Alley sky. The one with a hundred recipes and all of her bindpoints memorized. The one who painted with proper red and not crayons on paper. The one who had given a name to a lonely god. From outside of the gemstone, Vivica could hear him speaking softly, his voice echoing like a benediction within the all-consuming garnet light of her little chamber. "Let's get you back, shall we Viv?" He sounded tired - so, so very tired. Yet still, he planned to do this thing for her. A miracle he had already performed once before. Her Professor was going to make her real again. @Voidus @MacThorstenson

~Lita; The University~ "It's my father." Laurelai said, cautiously. "Lita I know it's impossible but my father he's..." Lita froze at those words, caught by Laurelai's bright blue gaze. There was nowhere for her to run from this, no easy turn of the conversation to guide Laurelai away from possibly finding out that Lita had known - or at least guessed - the truth some time ago. Guessed and then kept that guess to herself. The instinct to lie sprang immediately to her lips, the compulsion to pull her face into an expression of curiosity and act surprised at Laurelai's oncoming revelation. It would be so very easy. The idea made her feel sick. Aren't you tired of lies, Lita? The work of a spy left little room for gratuitous honesty, but if there was ever a time to set aside the duplicity, it was now, here, with Laurelai. Lita sighed. "I know who he is, Laurelai. It's Voidus." The release of that one admission struck Lita harder than she would have thought. She actually felt herself straighten a bit, a bit of the gnawing hollow in her gut easing. How long had she been carrying that around, hiding it from her only friend? "I guessed some time ago," Lita continued, rushing to get the words out before she lost her nerve. "I could never confirm it, obviously, but... well. Enough added up. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. Honestly, I had no idea how to do it. It isn't exactly a conversation one ever expects to have." @Voidus

~Lita; The University~ The sudden uptick in Laurelai’s pulse was enough to cause Lita to snap her head up, stepping out of the embrace slightly to scan the room for any new danger. She turned back to her friend. Her friend. Lita gave a half-smile, exuberant joy tempered by the oppressive feeling of oncoming conflict. ”What is it? Did you hear something? See something?” It was incredibly unlikely that Lita had missed something Laurelai had not, but now was not the time for pride. She’d been distracted enough that it wasn’t impossible that Laurelai had caught some edge of menace Lita had missed in her moment of reunion. @Voidus

~Lita; the University~ It was the hardest thing she had ever done, surely. Standing there and simply watching Laurelai stare at the ring in her hand. Waiting. Giving her the time to choose. Choose a life where Lita was an employer, an acquaintance. A way to pass a pleasant hour. Allowing her the chance to choose a life where Lita was not her friend. Lita watched Laurelai for what could have been a minute or twelve hours. Time constellated around this one moment; there was nothing else. Then Lita noticed a change in Laurelai’s expression, like an internal resolution, before Laurelai’s face seized with sudden shock and pain and she staggered back against the marble wall. A tiny cry dragged itself from Lita’s mouth as she stepped forward, ready to catch Laurelai if she fell. The woman’s face was a mask of pain and confusion, dozens of expressions flitting across her fine features in rapid succession as she clutched the copper ring in one graceful pale hand. And then, Laurelai’s face stilled. It was almost worse, this moment of respite, like a deep breath before a plunge into dark waters. But the plunge never came. Instead, Lita’s green eyes caught the flicker of bright, glacial blue as Laurelai opened her eyes slowly, blinking in the light of the hall. Lita dared not even breathe as she waited for what might happen, mind running a hundred scenarios, so many possibilities. Then Laurelai smiled, and it was warm and familiar. The smile that Lita only ever received from one person. The genuine, easy smile of a friend. Her only friend. "Well that was an interesting few days. Hello Lita." The world was coming apart around them, gods moved behind the framework of reality, and every breath felt like it might be her last. But for this one moment, Lita would not have noticed if the Stranger himself appeared in the room. She tried to form some witty response, put her friend at ease, let her know that everything was going to be alright. But all that came out was a single choked laugh before Lita crossed the last distance between them, wrapped her arms around Laurelai, and buried her face against her shoulder. ”Why the hell did you take off the damn ring, you vain idiot?” Even as she said it, Lita couldn’t stop smiling. @Voidus

Beware the redcaps! Especially tonight.

~Lita; The University~ Lita gave a soft laugh at Laurelai's incredulity regarding her previous employment. "'Obviously more?' Well, I always thought so but it is nice to have such a thing confirmed. I -" A soft footfall, the rustle of cloth, and the eerie voice of Whisper interrupted Lita's next words. Lita whirled on the point of her heel, her heart instantly in her throat again as Whisper held out one pale hand, palm up. "The item that you requested." She said, presenting the copper band to Lita. Lita stared at it for a moment, all the world narrowing on that slender ring of copper. Her breath caught, and for a moment Lita was uncertain if she could hold back the tiny sob that clawed to be free. But she did. "Thank you, Whisper," Lita said, her voice hoarse but otherwise steady. She plucked the ring from the girl's hand, giving her a quick look-over, before turning back to Laurelai. Instantly, Whisper was forgotten. She looked at the blonde woman, wondering if it was truly in Laurelai's best interest to remember her real life. A father unknown to her. A childhood as a war orphan. Years spent in the DA. Would that make her happy? It will make you happy, something whispered in the back of her mind. It stung, which meant it was the truth. Yes, having the true Laurelai back would make Lita happy, and rust all the sorrow it might level upon Laurelai's shoulders. But beyond Lita's satisfaction, the idea of Laurelai alone living in a false life while the rest of the world regained the truth was repugnant. The Stranger may have made her a lovely dream, but Laurelai deserved to wake up. At the very least, she deserved the choice. "I know how much you hate copper," Lita said, lips twisting into a smile she did not feel. She held it out to Laurelai. "But perhaps this time, you might make an exception?" @Voidus

Everyone’s material has been glorious! I can’t give anymore rep for the day so rest assured I’ll get to you all later

Approved!

Approved!

Hello! We can talk about this illustrious individual here. An escaped experiment is a fun character idea, lots of material to work with. I would say that you might want to actually switch your Major and Normal merits. Kandra have quite the advantage (though lack of disguise is a big flaw). Still you get functional immortality, healing power, etc. And learning some hemalurgy and basic alleytravel is closer to a Normal merit in my opinion. Someone could learn both, for instance. Claiming that your character is “important to DA plans” is likely a tad grandiose. However, many an R&D denizen would be cross to have an experiment wander off, and other Departments would be peeved at the potential security leak. One thing you should know is that Loyalty Spiking is an established thing in the DA, so your character would likely be incapable of directly betraying the DA or going 100% outside of general DA motives. Happily the DA doesn’t really have a set motive other than “don’t get in our way we want to do science/seek power” so there is a lot of wiggle room. Mostly you’d likely have to worry about someone coming to look for you and then point blank telling you to come back. Probably also being rather mean with the emotional Allomancy. Four spikes means extra vulnerability to that as well, so you could add it as a weakness.

I believe Voidus replied in the Discussion Thread with required changes/character concerns.

~Lita; The University~ A smile touched Lita’s lips at the mention of Elariel Estate, along with the powerful yearning for a glass. Or a whole bottle. ”Not quite that fine of a label,” Lita said, recalling the memory. “But a glass of port, nonetheless. I was a bit hard-up at the time, between jobs in the city. There was a tavern on the border of the Rosharan quarter where you could go looking for work; the proprietor kept it well stocked and he knew everyone. I figured he might have an idea of some lord or banker or politician who needed a keen set of eyes and ears in the right place.” She sniffed a bit as she remembered herself as she was, close to three years ago now. Or perhaps only two? Did this time in the Forgery count? “Damn dull work that was. I mostly tailed unfaithful spouses or listened in on business meetings. Gods, most people are so impossibly easy to predict. Hardly needed a Tineye to figure out the lion’s share of those mysteries, just a working brain and the capacity to read body language. But of course I took their coin; fine spirits do not buy themselves after all. And just when I thought I might spend the rest of my life doing dull jobs for dull people, who should I meet but you?” Lita’s smile widened just a bit. It felt good, to remember. Even if Laurelai didn’t. ”One thing remains constant. You were far from dull then, just as you are now. It is nice to know that some things are impossible to change.” @Voidus

“So we did know each other? Before? We were... friends." Laurelai’s voice was so careful, so deliberately easy, that Lita almost missed the slight hesitation on that last word. Friends. As though it were a bit unbelievable, to be friends with someone like Lita. Lita gave Laurelai a small, polite smile and felt a dozen new cracks form around the hidden ruin of her heart. “Yes, I suppose we were friends,” Lita answered, tone just as easy. “For my part, anyway.” The little voice in the back of her mind chided her for allowing something like this to affect her so deeply. This wasn’t the Laurelai that Lita had met in the Odd Job Tavern. This was the young woman she’d met at the Festival, the same one who she had treated as an employee, sent on errands, and rather mercilessly seduced. Lita thought on that last point, realizing that perhaps the hesitation on the word “friends” held a second question. Was that all they had been, in the real world? Lita gave this a moment of thought, replaying their interactions. The added layer of the physical had never come into play between them, though she supposed it could have. Lita had already been far more intimate with Laurelai than she was with anyone else; the woman had known her life, her secrets. Her soul. After that, what did it matter if Laurelai saw more of her body or less? A new way to unwind, to have fun, was always welcome in Lita’s book. But she was also aware that many - if not most - felt differently. The second part of Laurelai’s question forced a bitter chuckle between Lita’s teeth. It must have been nice. Lita recalled the fear, the chaos, the drive to continuously prove herself. The relentless craving for more, more, always more that had pounded like a second heart in her chest. All of that had been her reality in the true world. Was she glad to have it back? ”Nice? Well, I don’t know about nice, but… It is real,” Lita answered. “I do not like having secrets pulled over me. Even if they are lovely ones. As an expert liar and consummate hypocrite, I happen to be a connoisseur of the truth. A lie is fine if I’m telling it. Rather less so if I am trapped in it.” Was that even true? Did she want her reality back? It has been such a lovely lie. Such a beautiful cage. Was it really the cage that bothered her? Or the fact that her owner had never come to visit? ”I can tell you about it, if you wish. Our meeting. We got it backwards in this world. Last time you recruited me, as it happens.” @Voidus

~Lita; The University~ “It seems that your memories have returned. Congratulations." Lita looked up from her inspection of the main building’s entrance hall, her mind processing Laurelai’s plain, perfunctory tone at a speed that felt both too fast and too slow. They were not alone here; another young woman walked the hall, her three twisting fox tails more than hinting at who - or what - she was. Lita had returned the young woman’s nod, intending to keep an eye on her, when Laurelai spoke. So… distant. But then, to Laurelai, Lita was not a friend. She was little more than a stranger. Lita tried to ignore the sharp knife-point that twisted in her gut at that thought, a pain much deeper than that of the reappeared steel spike. She could not think too hard about that, or she would be useless to Laurelai. Useless to everyone. And a useless knife was never kept. ”Yes,” Lita said quietly, pitching her voice to avoid an echo in this marble hall. “But we shall have yours returned to you soon, as well. This must be terribly disorienting for you…” She sighed, trying to recall her own bearing with Laurelai before her memories had returned. It was not hard - if anything it was too easy. Lita had offered Laurelai the same face she offered the world: beautiful, charming, competent, and just cruel enough to be good fun. And nothing else. It sickened her to imagine doing so now, to offer her only friend so little. But too much emotion would only make things worse. So Lita held herself back, biting down on the impulse to throw her arms around the woman and sob into her shoulder with mixed relief and anger. Biting down on her tongue to stem a tide of words she would never dare say to anyone else. I missed you. I’m so afraid. Please don’t forget me. I just want to go home. “Are you alright?” @Voidus

How very exciting! Welcome welcome! I see no problems with this character, you’ve given him a lot of room to acquire more skills and grow through plot. If you wanted to submit him in the main thread I see no reason why we wouldn’t quickly approve him.

~Lita; The Alleys~ "Come on." Lita took Laurelai by the upper arm and steered her gently away from the water. "Let's get out of here." Laurelai moved slowly, like one in considerable pain - which, judging by the hand pressed to her head, she was. Lita pressed down firmly on the panic that still fluttered frantically in her chest, crushing it beneath the heel of her will. She had things to do, now. Places to be. Her two lives bent and wove around one another, her new - old? - pewter spike aching with each breath. As they moved further down the corridor of the Alley, the pull of the Chapel lessened, and when Lita could finally form a thought without half of her mind listening for the sound of water, she deemed it safe enough to begin to Alleytravel. She did not remove her hand from Laurelai's arm, nor did she speak to her. There was a nudging surety in the back of her mind that if Lita began to speak now, she would not stop; she would break down, crumble onto the ground, and weep. But there was no time for weeping. No time for weakness. Was there ever a time for weakness? The door to her office, her office now, not Mac's office - rusts, that was confusing - came into view sooner than she expected, and she fumbled with the lock, halfway lost in thoughts, until the door eased open soundlessly. Lita pulled Laurelai through the door, then left her leaning against the wall as Lita rounded her desk and pulled open a drawer, running a finger over a set of Allomantic metal vials before stopping on one stamped with the symbol for Pewter. She made a habit of keeping metal in here; sometimes a field agent stopped by and needed a refill. Sometimes she was entertaining a guest and they ran out. It never hurt to be prepared. She flicked the cork off the vial with a nail and downed the metal, grabbing another two vials of Pewter and three of Tin, stuffing them into her bag and looking around for anything else she might need for... what? A trip to the university? Likely more than a simple trip. Lita pulled her coat off a hook in the corner and checked to see if her bayonet was still in her little bag. It was, for all that she knew how to use the damned thing. And Laurelai? Lita looked up at her friend, a friend who knew her only as an employer - with a bit besides. She twitched her nose, shelving that memory for another time. It did not particularly bother her, but it was a distraction she didn't need right now. Lita put a small dagger in the bag for Laurelai, just in case. "One more trip," Lita said softly, taking Laurelai's arm again and leading her back out of the office, into the Alley beyond. She took a last look at the polished desk, the plush rug by the fire, the well-stocked bar in the corner. Everything I ever wanted. She locked the door, then guided her broken friend through the Alleys until they stepped out into the cool city night. The university lay just ahead of them, across a wide street. Lita led them swiftly, ascending the steps to the main building and trying the door, which was still unlocked despite the late hour. A brisk wind whipped between the buildings, tugging some of Lita's hair out of her braid as she opened the wide, heavy door. It carried with it the slight scent of an imminent storm. @Voidus

Hello there! If you want to discuss further this is the place to do it. As far as a flaw for a character trying to get their memories back, I’m not entirely sure what you mean. A lack of memory could already be a flaw. If this is relating to your earlier question about classic “villain/antihero” characters then a flaw for those could be something that a more classic “hero” character would call a merit. Something like a serious moral restriction - possibly even a compulsion - to avoid harming a set group of people. A lack of self confidence or perhaps extreme disorientation could be one. If they have no memory of who they are/were, it would be harder to act in a way that is megalomaniacal. Lack of sense of self reduces charisma because you don’t know what it is you’re obsessed with, etc. In general though I would need to know more about the supposed character to really help you out with suggestions.