The Malevolence of Innocence | Gaia's Ancient Tavern |

Anyone interested in Bounty style RP?

Yes	39.1%	[ 27 ]
No	17.4%	[ 12 ]
Depends...	43.5%	[ 30 ]
Total Votes:			[ 69 ]

[Alexander Aurelius]

He stood with a white towel in his right hand, absentmindedly wiping down the surface of the bar to a reflective polish. He wore a fine tailored suit, a three piece of all black, which looked better on him than most. His skin was pale, though not quite ashen, smooth and clean cut defined his visage well. His hair was shoulder length, tied back above the nape of his neck, black as a starless night sky. Two luminous sapphire eyes lackadaisically observed the counter he was polishing, meticulously buffing out the few scuff marks he found. He had masculine features, an athletic body though not bulky, his face was hard, cold even, in the way he seemed show so little expression. Around him, the air seemed to shimmer for a moment, a strange aura hung around him, like he were a man frozen in a painting, there seemed to be a sense of eternity when gazing upon him, as though he were always there, not just since he spontaneously appeared, but for forever, as though night and day, he were present where he stood. Like an imprint of his entire existence had stamped space and time, like he were a sentinel, forever standing watch.

Other than the timeless aura which was nearly intangible itself there was no measure of power to be sensed within him. No scale in which cast judgement on potential ability, which could be taken to mean multiple things. He didn't carry a weapon on his persons, no swords or concealed guns, not even a knife. When his eyes lifted from the counter to glance across the room, those fierce luminous orbs of blue fire, perfect and cold, like an endless winter night made it clear, he wouldn't need a weapon, he was one. In his eyes, there was wisdom to be found, the way they carefully soaked up every detail, processing more than just visual observations. There was a methodical, calculated nature about everything he did, which made his entire presence seem cold, alien even, to some who were sensitive to emotional wavelengths. In that respect, he was little more than a corpse himself. There was no consideration, no empathy within those eyes, just a quite, patient apex predator, biding his time. When that reality of his presence was combined with the sense of eternity which saturated him so thoroughly, it painted quite the unnerving portrait.

There was no latent hostility to be found in observation, no determinable aggression to be read from his actions, just the empty patience, a deathly silence, hidden machinations already in motion, Alexander need only to sit back and watch. Occasionally, such as tonight, Alexander thought to make a presence, if not only to spice things up a bit during certain moments in time. As long as he didn't cause too much trouble, pull too mush power into himself, the world around him would remain stable enough to support his consciousness in a body. But this could only last a few hours, afterwards, time itself around him would begin to unravel. A nasty situation, when that happened, which usually ended poorly for anyone close enough to witness the singularity implode.

[Sapphire Ceres]

Ceres would listen to Leo's comment She shook her head before she was so rudely interrupted from her own drama going through her mind. Ceres recognized the woman outright. She belonged to the head of her father's house. A spark of devine flame came to her eyes as she looked the woman up and down she listened Runes voice. She knew by the tones that came naturally to the mistress of song.

Ceres would listen to the way Leo had spoken to Rune though she had been quite amused. No one had spoken of her. " Submissve and me should never be in the same sentence. The dragoness would chuckle manicly before taking her attention back to rune becoming silent before looking back to the woman her head held high. The blazing blue bombshell was to put it bluntly. The air about the halfbreed would become more chaotic. As if pulling it from the walls around herself.

Ceres would snap her tail in amusement."You may be used to speaking as such to the others of my father's brood but you may not address me in such tone" The dragoness' body language would turn on a dime.Ceres grew up amongst her mother's breed, a species of demon who used sonic based weapons to put it bluntly all of the Matriarchs before her could simply state that their voice was their weapon of choice. The silk bound maiden was letting the whispers override her being. Her relaxed notions more than just a fond thought. " To my father I may be nothing but a b*****d daughter"

A fang filled grin came over her blackened lips her Azure eyes steadily darkened like that of a raging storm. " But I have become a queen by my own hand...not by birth or marriage..." Ceres flicked her tail the buxom dragoness was not pushing the limits she was drawing a line in the sand. She had always felt unwelcome in her father's house and now she was to be scolded like a child. The electricity in the air had grown, Though she was unarmed before her now. Nothing but tooth and claw the dragoness stood firm.

Leonardo -S- Virunas

Rune Slessiane

[Rune Slessiane]

>>Ahlolika-The lost dragon

Leonardo -S- Virunas

"The words are all my own Leonardo..." The woman replied with a sweet note, followed by a chuckle."I just know their tempers, and your rather seductive reputation."

The woman stepped forward, graceful and silent, hands leaving the sleeves of her coat, one falling to her side as the other lifted to brushed strands of black from her eyes. "She wouldn't know me, most do not. Yet I know everyone, funny isn't it?"

Sapphire Ceres

Her violet gaze shifted to Sapphire, an elegant eyebrow quirked as her head tilted slightly. "That is good, it is better to build a name for yourself instead of relying upon the name of one's parents. I see so many that do that, and in my opinion I rather find that deplorable."

Even as chaos thickened in the air, she woman still retained a calm demeanor, a quality uncommon for her kind.

"My name is Ahlolika, I am not Rune, I have a feeling you are mistaking me for her. I was at the castle, I felt your presence, being a curious creature I followed. Slowly I am meeting the members of that vast family of yours."

Her smile faltered as she again looked to Leonardo, "I shall leave if you so ask me to....In the end I am but an outsider who is bored and curious."

[Leonardo -S- Virunas]

"Suppose I know how it feels to live in the shadow of another~"

Adding his own chuckle Leo wouldn't mistake the women for the previous mate of his original self, whose shadow he spoke of. Endearing a palpably amused smirk the seductive male would gesture towards both women with a dismissive wave of his hand that wasn't to be taken too seriously. It was a bittersweet sort of irony that he couldn't quite escape his past lives, the same memories of which still threaten to lull him back into the incarnated sickness he had only recently managed to recover from. Chaos in spite of its nature wouldn't hold any influence over his weakness however, as the rebellious quality of his nature fed off it like some method of psychic banquet.

"None are unwelcome here, and I'm sure I couldn't take any more advantage over Ceres here than she might I."

Caressing his vaguely hypnotic scarlet iris's from Ahlolika back to Ceres whom he'd brandish a playful wink at his words of either of them taking advantage of the other. Having not intentionally lured any to his secluded home he doubted any measure of seduction could sway the blazing blue bombshell from her own whim, and he hadn't intended to try. In truth the entire scene was near comical if the tension wasn't thick enough to cleave with one of the cutlery knifes littered about the kitchen. Leaning forward off the kitchen counter the rebellious incarnate would nonchalantly place his hand upon Ceres's back, leading her towards the door where he'd calmly place his hand on Ahlolika's shoulder with only suggestive force applied to lead them both out to the bar area.

"Now, ladies. I'd greatly appreciate a drink after dealing with the feathered beasts recently driven off my property. Shall we?~"

[Shaizard]

Slender fingers teased her blood red curls as she approached the bar where an attentive barkeep was seeming to remove the varnish from the well kept bar counter. It was a cute sight, the focus enough to draw another low growling laugh from the back of her throat as she set her hands upon the counter and leaned forward. Bending at the hip, resting her left forearm upon the bar counter as her weight shifted to her left foot. He had paused in his little task as she approached and it was the lack of interest that gave fuel to her own amusement since she was an oddball like that.

"What blue eyes you have there Jack~"

Her mood was more jovial than usual, perhaps because of the blood high she was still riding. Her bloodlust well satisfied for the last few hours. It wasn't the brilliance of his eyes that captured her attention so much as the stoic and 'vulnerable' position he put himself in. She was ever the wildcat and even more so, ever the instigator. Always on the prowl for something to play with between her lethal talons.

"So Jack, what's good on the menu tonight?"

Rak was well aware his name was probably far from 'Jack.' She just didn't care. It was the first move of the game.

[Sapphire Ceres]

Looking to Ahlolika " My apologies Ive only heard whispers of what the new women of the family were like." Ceres was actually one for her manners. Though honestly her previous actions did not say much to agree with that. She had always been an outsider to them and to find one following her now she honestly didn't trust it. Her travels had taught her well that not all whom come in a friendly guise could be trusted.

Ceres would relax feeling Leo's hand upon her back. She looked toward the woman with a slight growl still trying to quiet itself in her throat. Her tail still swaying in an agitated pattern. She was not so concerned about the man whom she followed to the bar it would be the woman who had followed her here. Seeing how she reacted to her energy she must have met the only other of her kind. Which wouldn't surprise her much the Forsworn men were known for their travels in one way or another.

Ceres would turn her eyes back to the devilish male they seemed to glow for a moment as she felt a kinship. Her chaotic energies were not a foreign thing to this place another plus. A number of thoughts raced across the halfbreed's mind as she found her way through and found herself a seat.
" I wouldn't mind one myself " Ceres would say with a wink back as she found herself a seat.

[v-v]

V had stayed outside while Leo had attended to other matters. At the time there had only been the two of them 'present' but he wouldn't have minded if others came out to play. And then there was such a visitor... or visitors in the form of birds. V had taken the time to step out onto the the grass and look up at the entire scene that could be described in great ballads of Leo's fight. When the event was over V went back to standing on the porch and taking occasional drags at the pipe he had. There was no need to rush a good smoke and he was enjoying the silence that came with this place at times. Then there were other visitors who entered or appeared by their own means. While V kept to himself he did crack a window on the porch so he could listen for keyword.

As the man relaxed he tried to recall what had first brought him to MoI. Had it been a raid of some kind? Had he stumbled upon this place in his incessant wanderings? Had some long forgotten friend pointed it out to him? V shook his head as he frowned. He couldn't recall and for a while V threw together ideas that could be possible but he was unsure. Even asking Master for some insight didn't get him anything substantial. Just that he had been underdressed most of the time and had done his best to keep things casual here.

It was then that he heard mention of drink. Vodka would be nice right about now, or maybe some bourbon... or whisky. All of them were something V could go for right now, but for the moment he was going to sit outside a while yet and finish his pipe. He knew that people did sometimes smoke inside the establishment but he preferred not to bring into MoI any more of the smell than what was on his person after a smoke. Some people like the smell of tobacco, others despised it, besides. Second hand smoke was rather dirty... as amusing of a notion that first hand smoke wasn't, second hand was far more troublesome. So V sat outside listening in on a few conversations while he enjoyed the occasional breeze.

[I Dont Exist Anymore Boo]

Pushing her way past an extended branch that blocked her path, the woman, Piper Felicity Lynch walked out of the dark path and into the light of a rather large clearing, a big dingy looking building standing alone in the distance. Sighing as she stared at it, Piper wondered once again what her prospective employer was thinking setting up their meeting in such an out of the way, middle of nowhere location such as this.

Shrugging these thoughts off, she did need the job after all, and due to her less then savory past, this was honestly the only one she was likely to get. Well, the only one she was likely to get that payed well, and was more then likely not situated over a crack den, she thought, shuddering as the memory of that particular interview came back to her.

Reaching up then, Piper brushed several fallen leaves out of her ginger hair, flattening out the mess it had become before reaching back to throw the short ponytail she wore it in over her shoulder. Bending over then Piper proceeds to carefully flatten back out her ruffled skirt, before straightening back up, looking back towards the far off building as she does so. "Well, here's hoping this isn't another crap shoot." She moans out before beginning the short trek across the clearing.

Growing closer and closer to the large structure, Piper felt as though her feet were on fire from all the walking through uneven terrain she'd done, it really had been a poor day to wear flats, but then she hadn't expected an eight hour trek through the wilderness when she'd gotten the call about this mysterious job offer the other day, and figured it'd do good to look her best.

"Next time, screw that." She spit out as she finally reached the tavern, noting several people heading inside at that moment but choosing not to follow them inside just yet. Heading on over to the far wall, Piper began to dig around inside her shoulder bag, pulling out a half empty pack of cigarettes, before knocking one out into her hand.

Holding the stick between two fingers, Piper slowly raises it up to her lips, before suddenly finding herself started by an unexpected man's voice to her left, "You need a light for that?" The man asked, he was slim looking, all dressed in grey, with a large lat atop his head, a lighter gingerly held out towards her, a cigarette of his own burning away between his lips.

Looking from the extended lighter to the strange man for a second, Piper quickly shakes her head before responding, "No thanks, I don't need one.." She shrugs out, and the man, if he found her response odd, didn't show it. So stuffing the lighter back in his coat the man proceeds towards the Tavern's entrance, stomping out his spent cigarette before heading inside.

Waiting several moments longer then, to be sure no one else happened to be around, Piper resumed what she had previously been doing, placing the cigarette between her lips before snapping two fingers together, a spark of flame erupting out from between them. Bringing the impossible flame to her lips then she quickly lights the cigarette before squelching the flame out in her palm.

Taking several short drags from the stick then Piper plucks it from her lips after the third, blowing out a puff of smoke before stamping out the unfinished cigarette against the side of the building. Dropping the ash wasted thing to the floor before walking off towards the tavern's entrance, hoping one final time that this wasn't all yet another waste of time before heading on in.
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count_zantara

[count_zantara]

The Marquis
In The Distance
There was something soothing about the always night surrounding the Malevolence akin to a soothing blanket or a fuzzy pair of penguin slippers. With the strange music playing from the custom stereo system as the 1951 Buick Roadmaster Hearse in deep purple almost black paint came cruising down the dirt road, it's tinted out windows hiding the driver from view while roostertails of dirt and the soft glow of flames were left behind it's path.




With a spray of dirt as it pulled into the clearing and up to the west side of the building, it's purple tinged lights flashed over the outside of the Malevolence façade, shinning into the main area before cutting off, the heavy L7 corvette engine under the bonnet ticking over gently before the drivers side door popped open, allowing a billow of blue tinged smoke to poof from the compartment.


HIs black polished oxford shoes slipped out of the dragonskin interior as he came to his feet, pulling the thin shades off his face with the handrolled cigarette in the corner of his mouth. Tucking them in the breast of his jacket before straitening his dove grey gloves and tucking a few stray strands of his silvery locks behind his vaguely pointy ears. Tucking his right thumb in the corner of his pant pocket as he pulled out a briefcase from the back seat of the Hearse, the Marquis made his way around the building to the front doors. Flicking the cig into the butt holder by the door as he took it from his lips, Zantara reached out his left hand and pulled the door open standing there to be frontlit by the interior lights before looking around briefly.

"Ah, Miss Lynch!!!"

He called out recognizing the female from the dossier he'd retrieved from his sources earlier in the night. Looking over at Cere, the new form of Leo and the strange Dragoness Ahlolika, he found that this place smelled and tasted far too much like the Forsworns. Just goes to show that one good deed will never go unpunished. Reaching up to his eyebrow ridge with hs left hand as if to tip a hat to the threesome, the Cleric walked across the room, the clicking of his heels echoing in the dim quiet room.

"You got here right on time. I apologize for my tardiness, but I had to finish up a deal elsewhere for some....party favors."

Laughing at his little ineundo, the Marquis walked up to the bar and ordered himself a scotch on the rocks from the bartender Alexander before taking a seat at the end of the bar, patting the seat beside him for Piper to take for herself while dropping the black leather briefcase on the bartop to stay close to the wall.

"Leo! I'm going to need to talk with you when you have some free time."

He called out, reaching into his pocket for a gold coin to set to spinning on the bar countertop to pay for the drink, the base relief on it that of a balding man with a hooked cross on the reverse..

[Illusionary Guise]

The Spook was never on time which made him never early so he had to figure that there was something wrong with this reality when he found himself at the Malevolence without Sharlen in sight.

eek

That was a lie. The Spook knew Rak was about and that was like cheating since. Well. He couldn't well explain it, but he knew it was a loophole or a hack of life. Still, he was anxious and nervous and twiddling his little fingers about some rock he had picked up from the ground. His silver iris' flitting back and forth around the surrounding landscape as his weight shifted from right to left to right to left, back and forth and back and forth.

"Iz is never on time. Wut is this? Iz dun like. Iz dun like dis at all."

He was all complaints as he shook his head violently from left to right which made his stark white hair flop about while the chains that twisted and twined about his arms and wrists, rattled against his pale skin. Anxiety and stress, what was a Spook to do?

[Leonardo -S- Virunas]

Sapphire Ceres

Rune Slessiane

Shaizard

Azenforth

v-v

OoC: Suppose I can time skip, and set the other RP on pause until Rune replies or if Ceres care's to move on.

I assume all activities here are before the events in Sigil, since I'm paused there waiting on posts as well. lol

IC:

count_zantara

Eclepsia

"Leo! I'm going to need to talk with you when you have some free time."

Whoosh~

Previously 'meditating' or napping in his small office that sat not far from the bar he'd abruptly be brought awake with the sound of his name being called out. Sitting bolt up right, rattling his desk which his booted feet had been resting against a few loose pieces of paper would splash off onto the ground while the mercenary incarnate himself appeared more surprised than agitated. After a scant moment of realization he'd shake his head with a soft chuckle, finding himself located within his office rather than whatever memory he'd been lost too. Relieved in part he'd slide his feet off the small desk even as both his obsidian tails slithered out to collect the fallen papers to be placed swiftly back onto his desk while he stood. Digging both hands into his pockets a leisurely stride would quickly bring him to the door leading out beside the right end of the bar, utilizing his twin tails once more to shoulder his way through the door way too greet those outside with a friendly albeit devilish smile.

"Yes yes, I'm awake. Can I interest either of you in a drink?"

Ever the oblivious sort, as he wasn't one to trust necessarily his 'memories' of those that would easily recognize him. In this sense, perpetually plagued by deja vu he'd play the casual card rather than an attempt at aces or spades. Finding only one of the two patrons vaguely familiar he'd make no comment on it, navigating his muscular frame behind the bar counter into a position practical to serving either of them drinks. Normally Vincent would have already ventured out to greet them, though the phantom butler seemed oddly distant since the incarnates return. Paying little mind to it his piercingly hypnotic scarlet iris's would note the piece of gold on the counter with a soundless chuckle, making no effort to collect or acknowledge it.

[Shaizard]

Illusionary Guise

Someone needed to put the little Spook at ease before he ran about screaming bloody murder over such a simple thing as being on time. Sharlen had had no intention of being on time since she had no intention of even traveling over to the Malevolence. Yet the Spook had messaged her out of the blue about the meeting. Except it was more like a retrieval since she'd forgotten her couch apparently at the Mal and the Spook didn't want to retrieve it without her it seemed.

The ******** was up with that?

Case and point, she was going to make him suffer by taking her sweet sweet sweet time. Currently she was enjoying a little shopping adventure out of the country. Like other side of the world. Complete with a nice looking sales associate that was attentively lacing up a black knee high stiletto boot upon her right leg while she enjoyed a warm mug of coffee and watched him work. Shooting the Spook a quick message telepathically. Was our little shindig today? My bad~ And she severed the connection, but fear not~ she was sending in the next best thing.

~At the Mal...well, above the Spook's little head~

A blur of black manifested, living shadows snaking outwards like sinister tendrils to flick the Spook upside the head. Beneath the cowl of black shadows that formed a cloak was Skar, the Doppleganger Marionette.

[I Dont Exist Anymore Boo]

Location: The Marquis

Taking a small sip from the glass of whiskey the bartender had delivered just moments before, Piper savored the liquor for a moment before placing the glass back down on the table top, leaning back in the cushioned booth as she did so. "One thing can be said about this place, may be out of the way, but least the liquor's good." Piper found herself thinking, checking her phone for the current time as it ran through her mind.

Groaning at the sight, Piper jammed the phone back in her bag, her prospective employer was at least fifteen minutes late, if he was coming at all. In all honesty she didn't know much about the man who'd called for this interview, but as she was desperate for a job she'd taken it anyway.

Ruing on this as the thought of just leaving crossed her mind, the front door was suddenly flung open, a odd looking man dressed all in purple framed in the doorway. Hoping this odd man wasn't who she was meeting as he appeared, Piper felt herself inwardly groan as he called out her name,

"Yep, just my luck.." Piper moans inwardly, pulling herself up from the booth before walking on over to the man, "Yeah, I'm Piper Lynch, It's a pleasure to meet you." Piper let out unenthusiastically, offering him a hand as she neared him before dropping it the very next moment as he continued to speak.

"I wasn't exactly early, well earlier then you, but-" She started, stopping suddenly as the man let out a low chuckle, the laugh leaving Piper confused as in all honesty she wasn't exactly sure when he'd made a joke. Be that as it may, Piper let out a quiet chuckle anyway in an attempt to get points with her prospective employer.

Proceeding to follow him towards the bar, Piper sat down in the seat he offered with a huff, ordering another whiskey as she'd left the last one at her booth, and honestly didn't feel like walking all the way back there, plus it would probably be bad manners, or something. Hoping he would be paying for it as well as she watched him spin the gold coin.
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count_zantara

[count_zantara]

The Marquis

As the two of them got their respective drinks, the Cleric took a sip of the scotch, before nodding to Leo and pulling another coin from his pocket and placing it on top of the other one.

"I'll take the bottle. You still in the growing business leo?"

Turning from that for now, he set his tumbler down on the coaster and spun his briefcase around so it was facing him, tapping in a few keys on the pad and removed his left glove for a moment to allow it to take a bloodsample.

"I've looked over your resume, Miss Lynch, and I find it quite impressive for one so young. And I'm a hard fellow to impress. I want you to tell me about yourself in your own words and then I'll tell you about the job. It's strenuous, I'll grant, but it pays four grand a month with hazard pay."

Leaving it unlocked but unopened, the Marquis rested his right elbow on the lid as he turned his body so that he could look at Piper face to face while taking another sip of his drink. He could feel the seconds ticking down slowly one by one, a small smile on his ruggedly good looking face.