immortal tardigrade
immortal tardigrade
Post Type: Intro
Word Count: 676
Word Count: 676
- Jaqueline's feet were aching. She couldn't remember the last time she had walked continuously for so long. Still, she uttered not a complaint. She had learned to suffer in silence in her last home -- where Donovan had found and conscripted her -- an Orlesian dungeon. While she walked alongside her recruiter she listened, like him, to all the gossip of the road. None of it was good. Warden was a word hissed angrily between refugees and talk of their dead King seemed to encompass most of the conversations.
Then there were those loudmouth guards. She knew being an Orlesian here would not help welcome them but it was their deceased King that had invited them. That should have held some merit to his people. It didn't and it showed. Holding her tongue, she let her elder do the talking. It was probably for good reason. She had a few choice remarks for the Fereldens. She waited until both the groups started moving again before she spoke up. "Nothing good ever comes from this place. These are Fereldens. Their prized dogs are smarter than them. All we can hope is there are some living Wardens that can give us unbiased answers." Jaqueline wasn't always so prejudiced against the southern country's inhabitants but her immaturity was showing through.
After her outburst she lapsed back into the silence she had become accustomed to. It wasn't long after that her eyes spied the same thing as her mentor. She almost felt comfortable in the presence of another Warden until he opened his mouth and began berating the man that had saved her life. Cursing the boy having a tantrum would only provoke the situation. Instead she rose her hand to the bridge of her nose and pinched it gently. Closing her eyes and inhaling deeply she waited for her rage to pass. 'He's lost all his comrades. Calm yourself.' She continued this mantra as she looked back at the man and he odd companions.
Once the man was chastised he gave his name. "We are sorry for your loss and as Donovan said we would like to help in any way we can."
"Well, there is something," the man named Alistair started, glancing at the young other members of his party before continuing to speak. "We have a set of treaties. Each one is signed by either the dwarves, the elves, or the magi and each promise their assistance to the wardens in the Blight. With so much going on we would be grateful if you could take one." He began digging around in his pack and produced three rolled up documents.
Jaqueline glanced from the young Warden in front of her to the older one by her side and back again. Closing the gap between her and Alistair she reached out for the three treaties and plucked out the one to the left. "We'll take this one then," she said simply before moving back to Donovan's side. Unrolling the parchment, she skimmed over the writing. This one mentioned the Dalish elves. Being in a foreign country with no guide was making none of this easy. "Do you know where we can find the Dalish?"
"To the east, in the Brecilian Forest. There's bound to be a Dalish clan camped there somewhere." the other Warden explained as he busied himself with putting the other treaties back in his pack.
That was little help. That forest covered half of her map of Ferelden. Now she wished she had chosen another. One with occupants that weren't so difficult to find. Oh well. It was too late now and she was sure she would be able to find them. How hard could it be, right? "Thanks for all your help. It should only take us a few months to search the entire forest for a group of people that purposefully hide from and loathe humans." she said, the sarcasm was almost palpable. "Is there anything else we can do for you?" This time there was only a slight tinge of mockery in her tone.
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immortal tardigrade
Post Type: Intro
Word Count: 498
Word Count: 498
I'm currently at the mayor's house with all the party guests.
Amelia had booked this day off at the club months ago. Sure, she knew she could have made killer tips but honestly, she just wanted to get to sit at home and hand out candy to the trick-or-treaters. She adored kids and often wondered what her child would have looked like. Baby would have been around a year old now. She could have dressed him or her up and gone out like all the other parents, toting her bundle of joy from door to door. Instead she was sitting on her front porch with her eyes staring blankly down the street. Maybe taking the day off had been a bad idea. Seeing all the smiling families was making her chest ache.
She had gotten an invite to a party the mayor's house. It was still sitting on the kitchen counter with her junk mail. And she was already dressed for the party. She had chosen her costume because it was kid friendly and wouldn't have the younger ones too scared to come get candy from her. Sure, she doubted it would fit in much with those of her own age group -- slutty nurse, slutty schoolgirl, slutty whatever -- but she didn't really fit in much with her generation anymore anyway. Blinking the fog away, she set the large plastic bowl of candies and chocolate down next to her on the wooden bench and slowly stood. Wandering into her cozy home she grabbed a permanent marker and a piece of white paper writing, "PLEASE TAKE ONE PIECE" in large block letters. In small towns like this most people would courteous enough to obey the sign. She wanted to make sure anyone who came by would be able to have some.
Grabbing her cellphone, keys, and wallet from the glass dish in the front hall on the way back outside with the little sign she slid her jacket off the hanger and headed out the door, locking up behind her. She placed the paper in the dish, wiggling it between enough candy that it wouldn't blow away in the breeze but was still readable. Content she strode over to her 2008 Honda Accord and got in, setting her wallet down in the passenger seat, with her jacket over top. And then she set off.
The drive was uneventful and luckily finding a parking spot wasn't impossible yet. After parking a short ways down the street -- for what she hoped would be an easy exit when she wanted to head home -- she walked toward the house slid her wallet into her jacket and got up, locking the vehicle before adding the keys to the other pocket. Her eyes caught sight of someone in a Darth Vader costume go inside. She followed suit and entered the large home with her jacket folded over an arm in front of her stomach. She had never actually been inside the mayor's house. Glancing around she made way toward a room she assumed was the living room.
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ooc:: click the middle picture for her outfit
"one"
'two'
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immortal tardigrade
Post Type: Regular
Word Count: 613
Word Count: 613
- It had been hard to get anyone to cooperate with Jaqueline and Donovan. Most made some snide comment about their nationality and told them to go away in a much less polite way. The continued to ask villagers and refugees while heading toward the forest. Eventually the two had found a couple nice enough to tell them that their son -- who they explained had been out hunting -- had seen a Dalish woman running through the forest a few days prior. This was good news. They had a more specific heading finally. It would have been nightfall by the time the two made got there so the middle aged couple offered the two adventurers -- at least that's what Jaqueline had said they were -- a hearty meal and a place to rest their heads for the night. Jaqueline had been quick to take them up on their offer. The two left at first light the next morning but not for the graying woman offered them a fresh loaf of bread and some salted beef. Again eager for the food, Jaqueline had accepted gratefully and with a thank you from both Wardens, they set out.
The sun was still hadn't reached it's highest point before the two found what they were looking for. An elf with a hardened look in her eyes stepped forward as Jaqueline and Donovan approached. The two males behind her pulled readied their bows in case there was hostility. Raising her hands away from any hidden blades she gave a smile as greeting to the elves. "We are not here to cause any trouble,"
"Not likely," the female elf muttered. "What are you Shems doing this deep into the forest? You should leave. Now."
"We are Grey Wardens and we have urgent business to discuss with your Keeper," Jaqueline explained with a frown, wondering if Donovan would chastise her later for mentioning what they were. She doubted it. It's not like the Dalish cared about the humans and their civil war.
"Grey Wardens?" The elf's eyebrows raised slightly. "I will take you to the Keeper. Do not try to cause any trouble or you will have an arrow through your neck before you can reach for your weapons."
The warning given to them was clear and Jaqueline had no intention of choking to death on her own blood. She watched the elf woman turn and start walking away. Jolting into a brisk walk, she followed along with Donovan by her side. As they entered the camp eyes followed to two everywhere they went and so did whispers. At least they weren't being cursed for being Orlseian here. Just human. If it wasn't one thing it was another. This Blight was a pain in the a**. She would have preferred to be back in the Warden barracks. Cracking jokes, having a somewhat comfy bed to sleep in each night, three hot meals a day. She missed it all and being treated like she was some kind of monster all the time was really grating on her nerves.
By the time her train of thought dissipated they were being introduced to a bald elf named Zathrian; the clan's Keeper. "Grey Wardens are always welcome here but we are having some problems of our own currently--"
"We have a treaty that obliges your people to help us in a Blight," the young woman cut in and produces the document for the Keeper to take and examine. This got her a a disapproving look from the all the elves around them and she was pretty sure Donovan wouldn't be happy with her rudeness. Oh well. They needed help and these elves were obligated to send aid.
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'two'
immortal tardigrade
Post Type: Intro
Word Count: 782
Word Count: 782
You can find me at Petit Four with Alistair, Cecilia, Jana, and Patty. Did you notice what I'm wearing?
tab Charlotte woke in a cold sweat. The toes on her right foot were throbbing. She had kicked the wall again. With a pained groan she rolled over, pulling the covers down from over her head only to be greeted by an icy chill. She wanted to bury her head back under the blankets where it was warm and hope for a better dream but she knew it was a lost cause. Those nightmares lingered. She was up for the day. Cerulean blues blinked open as she tried to focus. Her heart was still racing, adrenaline pumping through her veins. It wasn't hard for her to spot the only source of light in the room. Her clock-radio. At least she wasn't up too early. Her alarm was set to go off in less than ten minutes. Still, that dream. It made her feel like she hadn't slept at all. Her usually tired body only felt heavier. 'The day can only get better,' she made herself think. It was something she was working on with her psychiatrist. Change negative thoughts into positive ones. It had even started to work a little over the past few months. The positive thoughts came all on their own sometimes. This morning, however, she had to work very hard to make the happy thoughts come. It took all her effort -- and fifteen minutes -- just to pull herself out of bed and by that point she only got up because she desperately needed to pee.
tab It took just under half an hour more for her to start and finish her morning routine and head out the front door of her apartment complex. The biting cold swirled around her face; the only part of her body not covered by a layer of fabric. She wiggled her nose, trying to make the sudden urge to sneeze go away. Stepping into the cold always gave her that feeling. When it finally went away she adjusted the bag strap laying over her body started for her bus stop. All the while she watched her feet, trying to be sure she didn't slip on a patch of ice hiding beneath ever accumulating snow. Her awkward little baby steps finally got her to he stop where she plopped down on the enclosed bench and hid from the falling snow. The street was mostly deserted except for the occasional car driving past or person walking by. This set the young woman more at ease. She hummed gently to herself. The tune was always changing, if only slightly. It was just noise for the sake of noise. It only stopped when the bus came to a halt in front of her and she boarded.
tab In this weather it was no surprise the bus wasn't too full. People usually didn't like to go out if they didn't have to. The few patrons she was sure were the people that had to. She veered as far from everyone else as she could, taking a seat near the middle of the bus. Her eyes focused outside the bus, watching the world go by. Driving around often had a calming affect on the woman, like her music. She used to ride the subway in New York on the nights she had bad dreams and it could always lull her back to sleep.
tab She had almost dozed off a few times on the bus but she knew she had to get to work. When her stop rolled around she stood quietly and made her way out. It was only another few blocks to Petit Four. She was glad when the warmth of the bakery finally hit her as she entered but all the drama she heard going on had her nerves acting up again. This place had way too much estrogen. That wasn't to say she wanted any men in there. No way! She was much more comfortable with women but, boy, could women be crazy. There were too many bodies. She wanted to be in the kitchen. Now. She wove her way through the busy front room and into one of the back rooms where she got all her wintry outdoors clothes off, stuffing most of it into her bag before hanging up her coat and bag on one of the hooks and grabbing an apron.
tab Punching in, she finally wandered into the kitchen and noticed the few others in the room. It looked like someone had just been making pancakes. "Morning ladies." Charlotte's words were barely above a whisper since it seemed there were already conversations going on and she didn't want to interrupt. Instead she finished tying her apron before she started gathering the ingredients for making the caramel-apple danishes.
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immortal tardigrade
Post Type: Intro
Word Count: 595
Word Count: 595
You can find me loitering in Abercrombie & Fitch with Xavier Knight.
tab Unlike most people her age, Natalie was a morning person. Not just a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed riser after a cup of caffeine. No. She was usually out of the house before the sun had fully risen. She liked the quiet of the morning, a long run with Dante -- her two-year-old German Pinscher -- and time to get a start on the day. With her classes finished for the summer back in May, the early hours of the morning that she used to spend on school work now went to other activities. Mainly reading. It was surprising how many books the young woman could go through. She was sure to get a head start on the course reading for next semester but some of her favorites also found their way into her hands. Currently, that involved rereading Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.
tab The cheerful blonde with a taste for horror tales sighed contentedly as she read the last lines of the book, closing the careworn paperback gently before standing and replacing it on her bookshelf. Her movement caused Dante's head to rise, soon followed by the rest of him as he trailed her around the apartment as she grabbed her Shakespeare collection, stashing it in her bag along with a few other odds and ends she knew she would need for a trip to Sunrise Mall. "How does a pee break sound before I head over to the mall?" she asked rubbing the dog behind the ear. The smart pup picked up on her words and bounded excitedly to the door. Hefting the messenger bag over her shoulder, she clipped her best pal to his leash and took him downstairs.
tab Dante was safely locked back in Natalie's apartment in no time and she started to trek to her workplace. Her car could stay at home today. The sun was shining and she was in no rush. She didn't work today, having switched swifts with a coworker who had wanted more hours. It wasn't like she needed the money. She didn't even need the job she had but it was life experience and a little extra cash to spend on her expensive tastes never hurt.
tab As she entered the large mall the five-foot, seven inch female reached for her phone to turn off the music playing through her headphones. Her feet carried her toward the store at the opposite end of the mall of Victoria's Secret -- her place of work. Abercrombie & Fitch was her destination. She was pretty sure she remember Xav saying her worked this morning. Replacing the iPhone and headphones in her bag, she pulled out a cherry flavored Jolly Rancher lollipop, uncovering the tasty morsel and trashing the wrapper.
tab Another few steps and she was turning into the dimly lit store and squinting for her friend. It wasn't long until bright blue eyes spotted their target. "You're hard at it, I see," she said around the slowly dissolving lollipop "Is there anything I can get you for your diligence? Coffee, candy, a hug?". A grin pulled at the corner of her mouth as moved toward the counter. It was impossible for most people to tell when Natalie was being sarcastic or when she was being serious. She was always serious about sneaking hugs from her pals. Not that, that was at all covert. No. She wanted her greeting hug and if it cost her getting Xav something to drink or handing over some prized candy, she would do it. Not that she actually would have had a problem with either. If her friends were happy, so was she.
ooc:: the victoria's secret logo is the link to nat's outfit. if you want to check out some of the junk she has collected in her trusty bag, feel free to click right here. man, i'm easily sidetracked when i get on polyvore. . . terribly sorry.
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