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 Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2016 9:15 am
Quote: Advertised around town on available bulletins, a carolling group has been requesting volunteers to join them. There doesn't seem to be any catches--it's just a fun little opportunity to spread some Holiday cheer while making some new friends! Of course, you don't have to if you don't want to--maybe, instead, you're the sort to chase carolers off your doorstep?
Perhaps they were trying to share the holiday spirit and put a certain mood in the air, but whatever their reasoning, it was of their own free will that they did it. One wasn't likely to find a disheartened or unenthusiastic caroler among that bunch of volunteers. Furthermore, they were usually so busy singing and trying to spread good cheer that they weren't likely to notice a mirrorwraith slipping through their throng.
Pleased with himself for having discovered such a plentiful source of energy, Sinope perched himself on a rooftop and summoned a mirrorwraith from Mirrorspace. This one appeared almost bird-like in appearance which seemed perfect for his purposes. He pointed the wraith in the direction of the singers just as they were about to perform in front of the house next door. The creature darted forward, eager to begin its collection of energy.Strickenized ((Please let me know if there's anything I need to change!))
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Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2016 9:25 am
Isaiah sighed to himself and watched the leaving heat curl up against the night sky. Carolers sounded from three blocks down and he wasn't quite home yet. With cane frozen in hand, he limped around the corner of the Burnstein house to spot the group just kitty corner to his own shared apartment. Briefly he made mental comments about "don we now our gay apparel" and considered how best to make a beeline for his house and set a doorstep trap in time for their arrival.
He caught sight of movement, however, and initially he dismissed it as nothing more than a bat. The movement continued to swoop over the carolers, much differently than the usual swirling about the street lamps, and Isaiah paused to watch. Again and again it dived toward the carolers without their acknowledgement. Was it some kind of youma? He never witnessed a transparent youma before; was this a new type, or one of the other strange occurrences that started happening with the Botanical Garden? It very nearly reminded him of the rabid bats that dove at everyone around Halloween, and the thought alone urged him to investigate.
If he could've just become Scholomance back then…
After retreating behind the Burnstein house, he assumed the mantle of Scholomance. His leg felt slightly more innoculated against the cold, and he managed a jump to the roof of the house for better survey. Shingles clacked and clinked underfoot while he crested the zenith of the roof. There, at the edge, one of those Dark Mirror senshi lingered while watching the crowd. The creature across the way, he noted, felt nothing like a youma.
"Is that yours?" He asked from behind the senshi. Doubtless the boy felt him before he spoke; knights had a habit of projecting large auras, it seemed. "Funny little creature. No one seems to notice it. But, that's not saying much, I suppose."
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Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2016 1:53 pm
Sinope hadn't really expected to have any company, especially up there on the rooftop, but the instant he recognized the energy signature of another powered being nearby, he ceased the quiet parodies of Christmas songs he had been murmuring under his breath and tried checking his peripheral vision. He didn't want to seem alarmed, but he was pretty sure he'd been identified, especially when he heard the noisy sound of rooftop shingles being disturbed behind him.
He wasn't sure why the person had chosen to come up behind him; perhaps simply out of convenience. It wasn't likely for the element of surprise because their aura was huge and emanated strength; a powerful being of an Order faction who wouldn't have needed the element of surprise. The teenager sincerely hoped the aura's owner didn't mean to fight him, because aside from not really being a fighter himself, he knew he wouldn't have stood a chance power-wise.
The Dark Mirror Senshi was careful not to jump or flinch at the sound of the voice addressing him, but his body was already rigid with tension. The man's words didn't seem hostile, but Sinope knew better than to relax just for that reason. He was wary of both the Negaverse and White Moon Court.
"I summoned it, if that's what you mean," he answered the knight calmly. "And yeah, it's not much since there's a lot more than just that little guy people don't notice. We don't tend to notice what we're not looking out for or expecting. That's how there's a war being fought right under their ignorant noses." He shrugged. "But you know what they say. Ignorance is bliss. Better than terrorizing the populace with hoards of monsters, in any case."
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Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2016 9:34 am
"Chances of getting help drop with the number of people at the scene. It's called distribution of responsibility." He stared out toward the crowd, recalling well the day that he wandered bloodied through the streets of DC. Many a man, woman, and child passed without the thought of offering help. Some, the few that noticed, perhaps shied away from him and expected further trouble. Briefly he concluded that his singularity in being a powered entity was what brought him assistance in the end. "I suppose the conclusion is, if the other people in your group aren't helping, then why should you shoulder all of the responsibility? People are selfish, after all."
Finally Scholomance approached the lip of the building himself. He stopped when he stood adjacent to the Dark Mirror, and set his fake teeth in preparation for a response. He did not relish his duty for its inherent alienation of others - people with whome he might have made deals so long ago, now - but the alternative spurred him into execution. He sighed. "I will only say this once, so you'd best listen.
"I'm sure you've acquainted yourself with the Negaverse at least once in your powered career, unless this constituted your first night, and I very much doubt that. That thing over there must be your wraith, and if you know how to manipulate it so and have no other Dark Mirrors around you, I assume that they have declared you capable enough to drain on your own. The Negaverse will assume the s ame. And, it bears mention, the Negaverse does not tolerate non-allies. As you're Dark Mirror, you're a non-ally. As there has been some historical friction between your Court and the Negaverse, you're a non-ally. As you're not actively fulfilling their energy needs, you're a non-ally.
"I'm telling you this so you can protect yourself." He cleared his throat softly in an attempt to draw the boy's attention. Still, Scholomance did not look at him, but kept his gaze fixed on the carolers. "This is Negaverse territory, you see. Some of their lieutenants gather energy here frequently. You could say that they're the gang that owns this neighborhood. Now, you might say that they're not here now, or you can take them on if you see them. That may be true. But, as a knight myself, I did not survive contact with the Negaverse by my own volition. They left me this way, you see, as a warning to people like you who decide to encroach on their affairs - knowing or not. So if you value having limbs and autonomy over how you walk around in that uniform, I suggest you abandon your attempts to drain energy here. Take it from someone who knows the consequences."
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Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2016 9:53 pm
The red-head looked back over his shoulder to raise a brow at the knight. "What are you, a psychology teacher? Not sure what you're talking about, anyway, since no one's asking for help, here." He turned back to the scene of carolers. "I totally agree about people being selfish, though." After all, he was one of them.
Sinope turned his head when the stranger stepped forward and warned him to listen to his words. He was a new senshi, true, but it was also true that it wasn't his first night, so he couldn't play dumb. There were still certain things he could question, however. "Wait, wait, why are Dark Mirrors non-allies? Aren't the Negaverse of Chaos just like us?"
As it happened, Sinope adored history, but he couldn't trust its authenticity coming from the mouth of a single person. Still, it seemed the knight had anticipated his questions and doubts beforehand because he also added that as someone 'not actively fulfilling their energy needs', he was not a Negaverse ally. With a definition like that, the matter was not something even the Senshi of Slyness could argue against.
The teenager slowly stood up and planted his hands on his hips, giving his elder a look that expressed a combination of being impressed and being incredulous. Since the dark-haired man wouldn't meet his gaze, though, Sinope wasn't sure whether he caught the look or not. "Dude...you do know you're on the opposite side, right? Of the Negaverse, I mean. Why are you acting like their herald? If they messed you up, why not pay them back? Just get more of your White Moon buddies together and take 'em out."
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Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2016 12:11 am
"No, not in the slightest. But when something happens to you and the whole world stares dumbly, you start to ask why. For example, say someone notices the wraith is attacking them. They scream and flail about it. What will come of it? Likely nothing, if that whole group is a conglomeration of strangers." The statement alone wrought bitterness, and Scholomance fought to remain independent of it. So much of life tried to grind him down to the bone - instances like this included.
"Granted, I can't say precisely that you're not allies. It stands to reason, though, that you are not. Both the Dark Mirror Court and the Negaverse compete for resources - where one gathers energy, that's energy that the other cannot gather - and neither faction pools resources with the other. Besides, just because you're both aligned with Chaos doesn't mean much. That's like saying since I'm male, and you're male, we should be on the same side. Assuming that is a logical fallacy." When he met Tantalus ever long ago, the man mentioned nothing about being allied to the Negaverse. He hardly met any Dark Mirrors in his career as a knight, and sledom did the Negaverse bring up Dark Mirror senshi as allies or otherwise. If Tantalus hadn't acknowledged the Negaverse, he would wager that one faction was entirely unaware of the other.
"But," he couldn't help but laugh at the convenience of it, "that's no different than saying that Knights and White Moon senshi are both subsets of Order, so they must get along. I'm afraid I don't have those White Moon buddies you speak of, so 'taking 'em out' is only a distant possibility." While he missed the look, he finally reigned his vision in toward the Mirror Senshi. "Besides, I have my own way of getting back at them.
"In the interim, I play herald for a while. They have something of mine, you see, and I need to play along well enough to get it back. Plus," Scholomance tilted his head toward the boy, "you can't fault me for tipping you off."
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Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2016 8:36 am
"I read that you're supposed to single someone out at times like those," Sinope replied absently. "Even if you're surrounded by strangers, if you pick someone and single them out by making them aware you're referring to them specifically, it breaks the distribution of responsibility." He shrugged. "Not that I'd bother trying to rely on anyone but myself in the first place. You never know who you can trust."
He smirked at the knight's elaboration as to why Dark Mirrors and Negaverse were not on the same side. "I guess it was dumb to think I could fool someone as obviously experienced as you, but it was worth a shot. Even experienced people sometimes let arrogance make them forget logic. Not in your case, seems like." His expression became somewhat puzzled. "I really did think Order knights and senshi would get along, though. Don't knights serve White Moon senshi or something?"
The assurance that the knight had his own way of getting back at them sparked intrigue and curiosity in Sinope. "Oh, yeah? What's that?" He frowned. "If the Negaverse is keeping something of yours to make you their puppet, what guarantee do you have that they'll ever give it back no matter how well you behave for them?"
"I'm not faulting you for anything," the teenager clarified. "Thanks for the tip, but I have enough self-preservation instincts to know when to scram when I need to." He regarded Scholomance up and down. "Unless you're the one who's planning to make me vacate the premises right here and now."
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Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2016 3:15 am
"I wonder how well that would work here," he mused, his smile hidden. How well indeed.
The response concerning trickery went without comment; Scholomance knew too well the dangers of stepping into territory unbecoming of him. Any antagonistic behaviors toward this one might net similar treatment from the Dark Mirror Court, and Scholomance needed no further enemies. Even if he was an investment to the Negaverse, he doubted they would rise to challenge to protect someone beyond their sphere of chaotic influence. Was it cowardly to avoid comment? Perhaps; he doubted the senshi next to him would see cowardice as anything more than prudence. Besides, he was the one getting off scot-free here.
"Some knights do. Some don't. I've never met the princess of Saturn, if she's even alive, and if I did… Well, she's no princess of mine." She didn't exactly come to my aid when I needed her most.
He similarly offered very little response to the senshi's obvious goad. "Trust is a very powerful thing. If I can't get what I had, then I'll find a way to trade up." He knew nothing of what the Negaverse planned for him, or if they intended to return his ring. For all he knew, they figured out a way to utilize the signet rings themselves and started forging letters to other knights. All they needed was a name, and they could form an entire network of contacts under the guise of Scholomance. None knew him well enough to forge well, however; if they contacted someone he knew quite well, like Gehenna, then the ruse would fail. He'd not yet encountered people who claimed to receive a letter from him. Perhaps there was still time.
"Oh, enforcing their rules is not my business. Consider it a friendly tip." He half-turned, then hesitated. "One last thing - arrogance doesn't mix well with powered life." Scholomance decided that he offered all he dared extend to a Dark Mirror such as he. A couple of fingers found the charm of his crown, and in moments, an ashen horse materialized before him. It crouched as best as it could. Mist began to pool at its feet, and Scholomance wasted little time in mounting the horse.
When it straightened, it loosed a low grunt. Scholomance spared it no sympathies. "I hope your self-preservation finds you well." A couple clicks of the tongue, and the horse started into a trot, and leapt to the adjacent rooftop.
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Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2016 9:56 am
This knight was weird. How did knighthood even work, then, if they were the knights of a planet and didn't pledge themselves to that planet's ruler? He supposed they might have simply devoted themselves to the planet itself, but it still sounded strange. Maybe they were as distant and unknown to each other as the Dark Mirror Court. Maybe even more so.
Sinope didn't need the older male to tell him just how powerful trust was, but he still didn't understand what he meant by 'trading up'. The Saturn Knight didn't seem keen on elaborating, though, or even sticking around, so the senshi didn't bother asking.
He didn't like owing people, even if it was just for information like the advice on arrogance and the 'friendly tip', but he supposed his comment on singling someone out to break the distribution of responsibility could have been considered adequate payment. At least according to his own personal standards and morals. The comment about arrogance made him want to ask more about why, but it seemed late for that.
The senshi watched, amazed, as the dark-haired man summoned an ash-colored horse to mount while mist gathered at its hooves. The knight's parting words to him took him a second to comprehend and respond to. "Uh, yeah," he murmured, watching the magic horse begin to trot away. "You, too."Strickenized ((Just finishing up Sinope's end. Thanks for the rp!))
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