Forum Thread

He Lei eagerly snapped at the cloth, though it always stayed out of reach. When it bopped him on the nose, He Lei made a noise of delight, gently grabbing the sash and tugging on it, though nowhere near his usual aggression.

With a determined glint in his eye, he makes one last snap at the sash, fails, then repositions Xi’er into a much more secure, and comfortable position. Something that LeQi still doesn’t get the privilege of.

RuoDie whirls around and fixes He Lei with a firm glare, and the Ames, very grudgingly, also shifts LeQi into a slightly better position. Slightly. Seeing RuoXi and LeQi resonate so well together, He Lei is reminded of himself and RuoDie, and hence, decides against eating poor RuoXi.

Though he had to admit, it still looked pretty tasty…

“He Lei. No eating someone else’s weapons. Okay?” The second reminder even after He Lei decided against it himself caused the little gremlin to let out a huff, upset that he had been doubted (with very good reason), and so, he childishly stuck his tongue out at RuoDie

The Knight was completely unbothered by this odd woman's glare. In fact, if anything, eh was somewhat annoyed by her. He was an educated man, damn it!

"Now, Madame, I resent the implication that I am to simply follow your orders! There is no reason I should have to follow your words."

---

Persephone O'Couna
---

Persephone changed her mind. This guy was dead. The second she got him away from this place, she'd shove that stupid book where the sun doesn't shine.

"Call me madame one more time." Her voice was even. But she couldn't help the murderous note creeping into her words. "It's fine. Just go."

---

Carnelian would do anything to be able to just...teleport to the carriage instead of having to travel through this disgusting alleyway. It was even worse than the first one he'd been in if that was even possible. And he was still carrying this violin because Astra was being stubborn and making him carry hxr all the way back it seems.

He heard the familiar, low and sultry voice of Sardonyx in the distance and suddenly Carnelian was running. He did not want to see that...man. Absolutely not that was a recipe for disaster.

After about 5 minutes of running he remembered why he didn't run the in first place. He was so out of breath but he could see the carriage in the distance (or he was just hallucinating from lack of oxygen).

Finally getting there, he unceremoniously dropped Astra on one of the seats and dropped down himself. He had to rub his eyes, they were so sore. He needed to do his 50+ step eyecare routine the minute he gets back to base.

"Boss, you owe me so much wine."

Carnelian already knew he'd be going into a lot of dreams tonight.

---

"What would you prefer me to call you then, madame?" came the question a prodding thing, a simple, innocent smile across his lips. "I never caught your name, after all."

A pause, then a shrug. He tilted his head at her for a moment, noting the rather murderous rage that seemed to be building.

"Indeed a leave seems to be in order."

He stated simply, checking his watch.

"If I am able, I shall now exit this scene."

He smiled at her, and took a step back.

---

Crash.

Another roof collapsed as the cracked wall underneath finally gave under the weight. Ceramic tile and weathered stone and centuries old wood splintering and shattering to form a pitiful heap at Nathaniel's feet. He heaved a weary sigh as he carefully crouched down, bones creaking and muscles aching as if he were as ancient as the buildings. He really needed to get out more regularly.

A shard of jade glinted in the sunlight, held carefully in pale fingers.

It was such a shame.

It had probably belonged to one of the intricately carved dragons that decorated the layered roofs, their bodies writhing and twisting, heads thrown back to howl at the sky. Details so vivid they could break free of the flimsy chains clinging to their powerful bodies with just another twist. Perhaps an eye, or the tip of a claw. Such exquisite workmanship was impossible to find now.

No, he did not fault the Ame.

He had been with the Lightchasers long enough to know that this wasn't a rare occurrence, and such rampages never held ill intent, only mindless destruction. It was simply unfortunate that such beautiful architecture, so thickly steeped in history and the genius of architects of long ago, were caught in the way.

His heart ached as a creator.

Nevermind, now wasn't the time to dwell on such matters. His hands itched to return to his desk, the dusty confines of his room, the projects that beckoned, unfinished siren's calls.

"/static/...carriage.../crackle/Grand Tow.../"

Perfect.

Nathaniel pocketed his treasure as he made his way towards the others.

The mighty grand clock tower was finally in sight. It was quite an antique with an long extensive history within the Solrif Empire. It was first built to celebrate the coronation of King Adelephous III and was built by the best architects and builders of it's time with the intent of the grand clock tower signifying the tenacity of the empire. The ability to stand tall at the end of all conflict.

Solrif isn't a empire built just on war, but also on patience and it's impenetrable will of it's people.

However it's citizens seemed to far forgotten that fact and now treat it as a simple old antique thats slowly being neglected by it's people. Until the infamous 12'o clock Protest six years ago.

Lumiere mused with melancholy, 6 years ago he was only the vice captain of the Lightchasers, while his Vie was the captain. In that very protest, was when his Vie also passed. He could still vividly account the clock striking 12 perfectly aligning with the first and only gunshot fired within the crowd.

It was only when the carriage appeared right in front of him, did Lumiere snap out of the past. He blinked, before seeing Carnelian already seated comfortably within the carriage, with his legs on the cushion horizontally without a care in the world.

"...Carnelian would you mind?"

Lumiere tightly smiled, before getting in and pushing the fella's legs off the seating before the other could say the word. Once everyone arrived within the carriage, Lumiere signaled the coach to start moving.

---

"Pause where you are standing, we did not allow you to move." Gabriel spoke sternly at the pair, his hands on his sword ready for action. His men behind him were in stance ready to follow up on any orders.

"Suspicious individuals must be brought in for investigation per imperial orders. I fear we'll need to detain you both for questioning. Resistance won't do either of you good, so I expect only full cooperation." Gabriel ordered, and had four of his men come up and apprehend them with their hands behind their backs.

---

Adele sat uncomfortably in the carriage. She was the first to arrive, alongside Seraphina, yet everyone was too busy to notice them. She wondered if she should introduce herself, since she wasn’t actually a lightchaser.

She cleared her throat to begin. “Hello,” — several of the members startled at the foreign voice. They really did have the observancy of blind pigeons, didn’t they? — “I’m Adelaine Avery. I assisted in the fight today, and hoped that I could get a position as a lightchaser, since–” Avery gestured vaguely in the direction of RuoXi, “the rampage today has destroyed my living quarters and place of work.”

Seraphina startled from her brief nap. “Oh, right, of course— um, everyone, this is Avery, and she assisted me in arriving at the carriage, given my… state,” Sera left out the part about how hurt she felt when the group she was with simply dashed off as she recovered from her paralysis. Lumiere had healed her, but she was still in no state to be leaping from rooftops. “And, uh, I believe she was with RuoDie when RuoXi was trapped in my cage?” She turned to LeQi, holding the Ame—why on earth were they coming back to HQ with the lightchasers? And why did LeQi give her such a bad feeling? — “Apologies if I caused any injury to your Ame.”

Adele was relieved that Sera interjected— when interacting with people, she struggled to use Pathos, her inability to show emotion shining through.

---

Persephone O'Couna
---

They'd been about to get away with it. They'd been about to get away with it, and this idiot had ruined it.

Persephone let herself smile.

Okay, she could kill him in the prison cell. Or... Her hand flicked out and the knife landed in it. She plunged it into the arm reaching to seize her, and through to the chest, then spun around and slammed her forehead into the other one's nose with a deafening crack.

Gritting her teeth, she fell back, already dizzy. But she turned on her heel and faced the captain, teeth bared in a bloody grin.

The vision had come to her. She could escape. She just had to find... wherever the hell that was.

"Attacking a lady like myself... just wait till my darling sister hears about this," she tsked, settling into a calm posture despite the adrenaline buzzing beneath her skin. "You'll be in for it, that's for sure."

---

One of his men fell back, as the women in front of them unexpectedly pulled out a dagger and attacked them. Gabriel's jaw tightened tightly and swiftly commanded his men. "Suspect is being uncooperative, relative measure is needed. Pull out your swords and seize them!"

With a collective yes, the rest of his men charges forward immediately, one tries to take the dagger away from the girl. Other ready to knock her out.

Gabriel however is in the back, observing the situation with a cold observant gaze. "A sister you say. We'll see once we have a grasp of your identity miss." He smiled with all of his teeth through his helmet.

---

Astra, plopped down on the plush sests of the carriage, pouted. Shx shot Carnelian yet another irritated glare, crossing hxr arms over hxr chest and looking away. Shx was not to concern hxrself with whatever... shenanigans that Carnelian was to involve in.

Blissfully unaware of the commotion outside of the carriage, shx took to tending to hxr hygeine, dusting off whatever icky particles tried to latch onto hxr. Shx glanced at Carnelian from an angle, waiting for him to cut it out as Lumiere pushed Carnelian's legs off.

Shx stiffled a snicker as the carriage began to move. "You're so immature," shx murmured, running her hands through her hair, "...I've seen babies with more idea of what manners are." Given hxr life before being swept up in this mess, shx was bound to grumble about Carnelian's manners... if he had any, of course... Shrugging off that thought, Astra just braided and unbraided hxr hair, waiting for something more interesting to happen.

---

Persephone O'Couna
---

One of the men tried to take her arm, so she bit him. Hard. She proceeded to spit the blood into the next man's eye, her dagger swinging out to stab him.

"COWARDS!" she howled. "GANG UP ON ME WILL YA?"

The faintest hint of the alley cat accent she despised had crept into her voice. Gritting her teeth, she ducked under the next soldier's arm and backed up, trying to catch her breath.

Why was she even here? This whole thing was just stupid. At this point, she should just run. Get back to her hotel, wash off the blood, and sleep for the night until the inevitable escape tomorrow morning.

She caught the captain's gaze for a second, and everything seemed to still.

Her grip tightened on the knife. Nevermind. This man, this coward was practically asking for it.

---

LeQi's jaw dropped when the very very rude Ames went ahead and just nommed on her tool just like that. So gobsmacked at the sheer audacity to simply lean forward and... and...! How Dare! She could hardly even voice her outrage, as incensed as she was, clutching he weapon even closer to her chest as if that would protect it somehow. Sure, it certainly was edging the brutish Ames on by practically daring him to do anything with that silly ribbon trick of its, but still! That was no way for someone to treat anything, much less a injured fellow Ames. But as RuoDie's soft chiding gently rebuked said action, LeQi relaxed just the slightest bit. So not everyone who was a part of the lightchasers were absolute nut cases. She was starting to think that that was a prerequisite.

That fragile sense of peace shattered and exploded into sharped thorns the moment she was carried into the carriage and was greeted by an unknown woman who knew her tool's name. That name that she had so carefully deliberated on and bestowed upon it sat casually upon the stranger's tongue, flung out without any further thought as to what in entailed. And this varlet had the gall to admit to being the one to trap her free spirited tool in a cage that only crushed its glimmering potential. Unforgivable. How did she even get her soiled hands on a name spoken only in empty halls and hidden missives was perhaps the more pressing question but LeQi's blood froze into lacerating hate over the overwhelming rage at hearing it spoken by someone other than her. RuoXi was hers. She could only thank the carriage for being so cramped that that wretch even had a head still attached to her neck.

"That name does not belong on your filthy tongue, caitiff." She intoned, words as biting and sharp as the plummeting mood. "Your empty platitudes are nothing in comparison to the damage you have wrought." The answering chime only seemed to punctuate such words.

---

RuoDie smiled faintly at LeQi’s care- albeit possessive, for RuoXi. She agreed, RuoDie would never hurt anyone, Ames or Vie, unless they first hurt someone she cared about. And even so, her heart was still out to believe they could change, to stay on the defensive rather than attack outright.

Quietly, she offered up “I can try and improve its condition, Madame Liu. Having to grow up myself meant I fixed my own clothes, and even built new furniture to help me reach certain places.”

RuoDie gently distracted He Lei with a piece of gum, letting him chew out the itch in his jaw- and prevent another bite at the poor, already battered GuanDao.

“I wouldn’t say I’m talented, but I can certainly make it better. There has been many a time He Lei required patching up, whether it be a dent or a minor malfunction from general wear and tear.”

RuoDie digs into her pockets. Being the mom figure of the light chasers naturally meant having everything they needed on her person. How she carried them or how she knew what they needed, no one quite knew. But RuoDie had never backed down from a challenge before, and she certainly wasn’t afraid of helping people, albeit against their will.

It was both an attempt at placating Liu LeQi, as well as genuine concern for the poor Ames, whom RuoDie was starting to care too much about.

****
"That name does not belong on your filthy tongue, caitiff. Your words are nothing in comparison to the damage you have wrought."

Adele was shocked, to say the least. (an impressive feat— few people were able to make her feel anything)
This…buffoon? She acted like uttering a name was some great offense, while a lightchaser quite literally bit her weapon. And the “damage” Seraphina had caused? RuoXi—the name she now knew— was leveling half the city. It was embarrassing, really, that an Ame on a rampage—at the fullest level of their power— was so easily contained by a stray Vie.

Avery was beginning to respect LeQi as intelligent, but her possessiveness was clouding her judgement.

But she did pose a good question— why did this oddly familiar woman know the name of a noblewoman's Ame?

***

Seraphina but her lip. She so carelessly messed up— a random Vie shouldn't know the name of RuoXi. And the daughter of a nobleman shouldn't have forgotten the weakness of an opposing house. No matter who she was, Sera or Maddie, this was a reprehensible mistake for both.

She took a deep breath. This didn't have to mean her cover was blown, not if she played her cards right. Suddenly, her heart ached. Cards—- cards and Ace and Maddie and safety.

Seraphina shook herself out of the spiral. Such thoughts only led back to that night.

“Of course, miss. Might there be a way I could make it up to you? Help heal your Ame?” Sera but her lip as soon as the words left her mouth. There was no way LeQi Liu would let her near RuoXi.

This was stupid, anyway. Seraphina hadn't done anything but contain a rouge. RuoXi was the one who caused the harm.

Nonetheless, she was trying to calm the situation.
“Truly, miss, I'll do anything to make it up to you. I was only trying to protect the city, not harm them. I would hate for us to have to become enemies.”

They already were, once before, but she doubted LeQi recognized her.

---

"Astra, my dear. Please don't call me a baby when your braid is so wonky."

Carnelian stretched, loudly sighing. He felt like he'd done so much work today, he really was a key member of the Lightchasers. But alas, his work never ends and he always has such hard, arduous and tedious jobs. Carnelian was going to ask Lumiere for a week off, he deserved it.

He let his thoughts wander for a moment. He wondered how Tourmaline was, he doubted the boy had grown up much since Carnelian left. He had always been too wide eyed and naiive. Carnelian knew his father would use that against the vie. The kid had to be around 19-20 by now if his math was correct.

Sardonyx was a different story. That sadistic, sociopathic, two faced, disgusting insect was probably torturing people. Or doing whatever dastardly things he can get away with. Carnelian could never understand how he and that thing were related.

Carnelian would like to think his father must have picked up that cockroach from the streets and just pretended they're related, but Carnelian's father would never do something so virtuous. If that man saw a helpless, homeless baby he'd just shoot it.

Maybe Carnelian really is the only one in the family who turned out decent. Maybe Tourmaline was okay but he hasn't seen the kid in 6 years. He's definitely heard about Sardonyx's achievements through the grape vine. Captain of the 5th Squad at 23, one of the most efficient torture specialists* [*IF APPLICABLE], overall a disgusting man.

Carnelian hoped he'd get demoted, but knowing that beetle he'd continue to rise in the ranks to as high a position as possible. Then he'd get a pretty, rich and brainless wife that he'd treat badly and nobody would care because he's rich, powerful and objectively attractive.

Personally, Carnelian thinks he's hotter anyway.

---

Now, The Knight hardly struggled against the men restraining him, still smiling good naturedly as he watched this odd woman lash out. He supposed that it was a natural reaction to the situation. He turned his head to his restrainers, smiling cheerfully.

"Excuse me, sirs, would you let go of me? My body is quite brittle, see, and I would rather not break a bone," he said, something light in his tone. "I would much rather we all end up safe and sound."

---

Of all people Carnelian would dare insult, did it truly have to be Astra? An offended gasp escaped hxr lips, hxr brows furrowing. The audacity of this... pathetic excuse of a germophobe dare speak of hxr braids in such a negative light? Allowing hxr locks to fall loose and cascade down, shx ran an irritated hand through hxr hair, combing through it as shx tensed, expression cold—shx was still reeiling from Carnelian's crudeness.

Shx flicked hxr arm into thin wood in the blink of an eye, left arm stiffening into a violin's bow, and shx struck Carnelian across the cheek. Shx didn't need to say a single word of her intent to draw blood. "You vermin!" Shx exclaimed, ready to throw a fit. Running hxr fingers through her locks one last time, shx exhaled, making an effort to calm hxrself.

Whatever Carnelian was thinking of now—it wasn't worth hxr asking. Shx swore if shx did, it'd probably be some other useless product made of jade that he'd want for another step added to his already tedious routine. Shx repeated breathing exercises just to test hxr restraint. He seemed truly lost in thought, though, and Astra had to resist hxr itch to ask. Shx knew it'd probably be something stupid...and egoistic—again.

So shx stopped hxr anger and held back, choosing instead to recite some lines to calm herself. Or something to that effect.

I will not kill this imbecile. Not now. He's very important, yes. He's important to me. I can't kill him. Shx repeated in hxr head, a matra bordering on a desperate prayer.

Well, there certainly was nothing else to do other than shoot Carnelian an irritated stare as the carriage drew farther into the city. Shx chose to instead busy hxrself with feeling the textures of hxr book again, the paper suddenly the most interesting thing in the whole wide world.

If he's going to be like this, then so be it, shx thought, exhaling as shx felt the sheet between her fingers, effectively calming her, I'll just shoot him with the silent treatment. Shx wouldn't bother disciplining this oversized infant anymore—there was "reading" to do. Hxr free arm assumed its original form, softening and stretching into skin again.

---

When Astra hit him in the face he snapped out of his own thoughts, letting out an offended gasp. How dare his beloved Ame marr his beautiful, pristine, blemish free skin. The utter betrayal of the girl he thought he could trust. He could almost feel his heart shatter into pieces (beautiful ones of course because everything about him is beautiful.) Carnelian pouted like a small child and rubbed his cheek.

"Booooossss, Astra hit meeeee!"

Carnelian was going to give Astra some diabolical dreams tonight. Maybe about her hair falling out, not to be petty or anything. He's one of the oldest members and he gets treated like this?? He deserved a raise for this treatment. And a complimentary holiday. And a promotion.

Carnelian was definitely hitting up a speakeasy to flirt with some women tonight. He personally thinks he deserves it after all this mistreatment. And that one bartender he flirts with every night. While Carnelian thinks he's the most attractive man ever, that bartender comes in the top 10.

Carnelian knew he was definitely going to hell. That didn't stop him from unbuttoning his shirt a bit to let the air hit his chest. He pulled his hair out of its hair tie and let it fall into soft strands on his shoulders, the palw blonde a contrast to the darker tan of his skin. With his luscious lips pouting like that and the way he was leaning back in his seat, his posture casual and nonchalant. He really was the most beautiful man in the world.

---

“We appreciate the offer.” Was the clipped response, diplomatic and neutral. But to who it was directed to only hardened the partition LeQi forcefully pushed between her and the rest of the carriage. Do they all consider her such an incompetent Vie that she wouldn’t even take the time to repair what was hers and restore it to its lustrous perfection? While she did bare some of the brunt of the blame for this incident, she seethed at the assumption that she was one to abandon and mistreat what was rightfully hers. She and her family had saved countless such tools and kept them gentle under a caring hand. She was the reason why such incidents didn’t occur as often as they should, her nurturing keeping ravenous beasts tamed with just a touch. Her own conjectures and foresight had averted even more crisis’s, her actions keeping various Ames and citizens alike safe. How quickly the sheep would jump to conclusions at one blunder from a creature that was ultimately as flawed as the rest of them all. No matter the magnitude of such an incident, no one had any right to extrapolate prejudiced assumptions from the worst day of someone’s life.

No one would besmirch what was hers, especially not when it certainly couldn't speak for itself.

Soft hands kept the tool far away from anyone in the carriage, red ribbon wrapped tightly around her wrist. Unscarred fingers danced lightly against the splintered handle, smoothing over old repair scars and the exposed steel core of the staff. There was no question that this was a tool well used and well loved, even if now it stood as a shadow of what it could have been. Not that it was easy to see under the sheer amounts of damage it had inflicted upon itself.

But perhaps the mind was one that clawed out of this unscathed as the secondary grip, wrapped around the base of the ruined wood, unravelled into a spool of blood red. Snaking over the seat, it rested against RuoDie’s leg, warmer than any tattered piece of fabric had any right to be.

---