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 Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2025 10:49 am
Stand by for a summons in 5, read the message sent by Headache. The hiveminded youma sat in a chair opposite Faustite in his office, wearing his perfect image while it waited for further orders. They had but to wait, and then Heliodor's latest foray into folly would get to be explored by all.
It failed to understand why Faustite hadn't simply youmafied him, but the whims of Faustite's humane side were inscrutable things.
Faustite found comfort in being able to beckon toward the darker reaches of their universe, knowing that Metallia vested in him a black power that would comply with his expectation. That frenetic power, intrinsically tied to everyone who called themselves his subordinate, would poach them from the Dark Kingdom or Destiny City alike to stand before him in uniform. Not all were available at the moment he wanted them, he knew — they were each masters of themselves and of the ambitions that led them to serve the Negaverse — he needed the expertise of some of his crew to broach their next challenge.
Once those that could show had appeared, Faustite scanned the room briefly and began signing to Headache. Headache recited the words almost monotonously for the gathering of senshi and agent behind it.
"By now, you're all aware that Heliodor's identity was discovered by the enemy. I need your help looking into this matter, for the damage may not have stopped at Heliodor. Our goals are to learn the extent of the damage, learn how they discovered his identity, and anything like this from ever happening again. Doing so requires your unique skillsets and participation.
"I need volunteers to look into his past and present Negaverse contacts. I will provide you with a list of members of Heliodor's old team. You will be working with Heliodor to find out who else he knows. Team members with a low profile among fellow officers would be the best choice here.
"I need volunteers who will pursue the enemy. Preferably our strongest, most coordinated fighters. Don't go out alone. Our known targets are a Cybele Squire and an Earth knight, and I will be looking for information on the others who participated.
"I need volunteers to scrutinize his civilian contacts. Anyone with connections or a canniness for conversation. Albite will have more information on Aelius's usual conversationalists so you can see what they know.
"For now, we cannot assume that anyone's identity is safe. Until we learn that someone's identity is explicitly at risk, operate with the utmost caution when switching between identities.
"Does anyone have questions before we start assembling squads?"Quote: OOC participation is optional~ If you don't have the opportunity to post but would like it known that your character is in attendance, please reach out to me and I can make mention of them being there in my next post! Participation in this plot can be on-screen or off-screen, or hinted at in other unrelated RPs — I will also be working with players to put up some prompts if desired!
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Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2025 7:15 pm
Cassian had joined Faustite in his office. He was still adjusting to the new identity and glamour that he'd been giving. Hell, most of the team hadn't met him since. It was a perfect opportunity to re-introduce himself to them as well as offer up any answers to questions that people might have.
By now, he had healed up rather nicely. His ribs were still sore, but no longer caused a stabbing pain. Whatever illness it was that had wrecked him for days was gone except a dry cough that never sounded deep. Just an annoying carry over that refused to leave. Scars around his wrists were visible as he cuffed up the shirt he wore to just below his elbow along with the fresh pink tell-tale of a scar on his face and white marks in his neck looking reminiscent of some vampire attack. If such creatures existed, of course.
He stood off to the side so he was well out of the way of those being summoned in, leaning against a writing desk arms crossed. At least he was no longer donned in sweats but had been given some of his attire back courtesy of Albite and Faustite gathering things from the apartment. Cassian had chosen a light weight, grey-sweater and black jeans with a pair of short black boots. It was casual, yet put together which felt incredible in comparison to the baggy clothing. He felt put together and presentable. His hair, he had gathered against the nape of his neck in a low pony-tail, fringe left loose around his face.
It was odd, having Faustite talk about him and what the plans were to hunt down the culprit of his outing and shifted a bit uncomfortably with the focus being on him for the meeting. Still, it was necessary. Like so many other things since December.Quote: Cassian is here to answer questions though will look like a total stranger to anyone who hasn't met him since his glamour update.
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Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2025 1:55 pm
Jayce was, thankfully, not at work or not otherwise engaged when the summons came in. It was the oddest pull, like a tug and a promise and a demand all in one. Who was he to deny his King his presence? He gave one look around to make sure that Ilmari's dads were not in the vicinity, and then he let the summons yank him from the couch and coat him in power.
Litharge appeared with a soft sound of crackling flame and gave Cassian and Faustite nods in greeting. He's seen him since his glamour had to be replaced, and to be honest, he looked good in the black jeans and pony tail.
Headache translated out what Faustite was signing, though he'd been taking enough ASL now that he could understand most of what his King was saying already. So he signed in return, while speaking out loud. He wasn't deaf, just mute, but still. ASL was really useful for being silent in combat situations anyway.
"I'll pursue the enemy. I ain't good for infiltration but I absolutely will go after the b***h with the solar flares and the neon a** looking dude. As well as the yellow b***h. Or anyone you point me at," he said, fingers moving in something that could be read as 'i'll pursue them boss'. He did look at Cassian though.
"Cas, how did they manage to catch you? I don't exactly remember my time as one of them, but they didn't seem exactly... coordinated like that," he asked him, with no judgement or accusation. If Order was actually more coordinated than he remembered - or had been led to believe - then that was something to look into. While he was trying to reap anyone who went after his team.
strickenized purse team for this bean!
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Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2025 7:33 pm
Faustite called, and Alkmene came. Even without considering the rank difference, even without the forceful ability to call him--he would have come regardless.
And, in any case, this was a threat to their whole team. Whoever had sold out Heliodor was a threat far beyond them--a threat to the entire ******** Negaverse, given the opportunity. And that absolutely could not be tolerated. If they had to turn things inside out to hunt down whoever had done this, Alkmene was more than prepared to do that.
Faustite asked for questions, but the goal seemed straightforward enough to him, as presented: work together. Root out the leak. Solve the ******** problem.
He took a glance at the civilian in the office, but other than a brief nod of acknowledgement--that was obviously one of their teammates, or he wouldn't be here--paid little mind to him. Faustite or their guest would explain.
"Tell me where you want me," he told Faustite, simply. "I trust you."
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Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2025 4:52 pm
There could be no surprise the thousandth time he was called, could there? It helped this time that Syurs was glad for the distraction from his own internal malaise. To be met with many familiar faces around him, taking in both old and new with intrigue as he fiddled absently with the heft of lengthy hair becoming Cryolite always granted him.
No matter how his spirit squirmed for being enveloped in such chaos, or his own misgivings about staying past his perceived worth and use. He was glad to be here for this. He was already in it, wasn't he? Chest deep and shoulder to shoulder with the others. He had participated, willingly, every time. Whether or not he could bring himself to agree with his own actions that day, he could certainly say that he disagreed with the disorganized ones of orders. Because if their enemy could get to one, then they could get to all, and that? That was something he couldn't wear so easily on his conscious.
'Just because Matt doesn't want to be present doesn't mean he's not at risk...just because he doesn't love me doesn't mean I don't still want to protect him...' It was one thing for them to get themselves into messes amidst a 'war' -- but to not even be safe at home? While walking the streets in their own skins? A terrifying sort of travesty he wouldn't wish on anyone ---
And his gaze lingered pityingly on the rather uncomfortable looking stranger in their midst. The one face he didn't recognize, newly scared, a sore thumb in the room.
"I'll agree that they typically aren't---" Agreeing easily with Jayce, if not his barely leashed attack dog mannerisms. He supposed that was likely a part of the man's charm, even as he wondered if it was Encke's presence at the 'party' that lent any amount of coordination to the group he'd seen? Save for how he hadn't seen all of what had happened upstairs versus what they'd contended with below was still something to unravel.
"Can I also ask -- after you answer Litharge -- if everything is in order to protect 'him' from being further compromised?" Passively motioning at the stranger in the room. Cas, was it? Cryolite knew he'd made any number of social fopas, that some of them were certainly not visiting the man they'd risked themselves to save. Though maybe that'd been for the best. Helio didn't need to be overwhelmed with distant condolences and flower-filled baskets. Cryolite remembered the feeling of his space no longer being safe once, too many overconfident others deciding it was fine to flaunt their power and let themselves in (just the one, really). How he'd sewn up boundaries high as walls, how he'd moved both apartment units and floors just to feel secure; even if it was absolutely delusional to self-soothe his overgrown fears with overly large actions.
So maybe it was for the best he hadn't asked after the incidentals, the wheres and hows ---
None of which changed the fact that the man needed an entire new set up. Secretive, known by few. Safe. Because he didn't assume whoever had done this wouldn't try again.
"Because even though we're all at risk here. Somehow? They decided he was the easier target -- or maybe just the more impactful one..."
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Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2025 5:26 pm
Ilmari was hard at work in town when the message from Headache came through, but fortunately, draining while hunting for a starseed to steal was nothing that he couldn’t put down. When the summons came through, he stood at the ready, and when it brought him to Faustite’s office, Ilmari was the very picture of readiness. Prim and upright, he listened attentively to Headache’s translation—while still tracking the motions of Faustite’s hands; best not to waste a chance at practicing his ASL (even if the practice in question was only getting better at watching other people speaking it)—and nodded in understanding.
The young man with the violet hair caught Ilmari’s eye as a question mark—but fortunately, Litharge quickly provided an answer. Asking how the civilian had been caught meant that he could only be Heliodor. Made sense, and so did Faustite’s directive about what they would need people to do. Security within the Negaverse had been compromised in a way that needed to be rooted out and set to rights.
“Heliodor,” Ilmari said politely, signing along as he spoke because it was worth the effort to practice, “or……Cas, I suppose? You were a dancer in your civilian life, right? My parents donate to the Destiny City ballet and several prominent companies. It would only take a few easy phone calls to get me some face time with some of your old colleagues—fellow dancers, directors, choreographers, costumers, producers, whoever. Obviously, I can’t outright ask them about the Negaverse, but I can see if any of them act suspiciously when asked about Aelius Drayson, dig around to see if any suspicious behavior amounts to anything.”
Ilmari didn’t know if it would or not. Someone else from the ballet could have been a secret fellow member of the Negaverse, but if they were, then that still left the questions of how they found out that Heliodor and Aelius Drayson had been the same person, and why they had seen fit to betray a fellow Nega to Order.
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Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2025 9:48 pm
Albite watched Faustite’s fingers, preferring to let his eyes focus on the quick flick of precise motions, rather than listen to the grate of words that he felt lacked his husbands flare. Headache was a perfect copy in every way—and yet? Waru had his preference still. His pride in one, tolerance for the other. And he found himself smiling in spite of the serious topic at hand; as more and more appeared to lend their minds and ears. As the purpose of the call was mapped out in Headaches mimicked monotone. He couldn’t quite keep the glow of pride he had in their team off his face—
As his gaze roved and landed on one and all, and he titled his head in brief, nodding acknowledgment of his willingness to be a point man for his assigned task. Anything to help things love along with a swiftness—
To get them closer to a place where he could watch Mizuki and Litharge let loose — and give Ilmari the fight he felt he’d robbed the blond of during the hostage raid — to make up to Heliodore in aces, spades, corpses piled high some fraction of what this had cost the dancer.
What it had cost Trey—-
The fact that it still felt like looking through a fun-house mirror, a warped bit of a double take every time he had to remind himself that this was still ‘Aelius’; just as beautiful no matter the new name, just as strong in spite of the show of healing scars. That the glamor took a bit of getting used to? Was something he could just suck the ******** up about all on his own.
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Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2025 8:13 pm
Quite a few members of the team were available for his summons, which was a heartening prospect — Faustite doubted that the leak was from the majority of the team, for there was a far more efficient route of targeting Faustite directly if that was what their enemy wanted. Most if not all, of the team knew his identity as a civilian. It would only take a conversation with one of his boys to learn of any future plans that might accommodate a kidnapping.
So if the individual to blame was a leak in the Negaverse, Faustite expected it to be outside the team. If it was in the team, then his money was on Fulgurite. But that sloth hadn't done much of anything, let alone his assigned duties, in enough time that Faustite was doubting that the man was even a part of their operations anymore. Might have given up powering up entirely, if he hadn't outright purified.
Now wouldn't that have been a parting gift? Here's the name of one of Faustite's boys, because he was too chickenshit to do a little bit of extra digging to find out when they could kidnap Faustite outright.
Good, he signed to Litharge. Do that. Subdue them and call me so I can see what they know. If they don't know anything useful, kill them.
For Alkmene, Headache began its translation again. "Alkmene, I want you to help investigate Negaverse contacts. If you find a mole, we need your magic to ensure they can't teleport before they face their judgment. I can think of no one better to lock them down." Particularly when Faustite's weapon needed no magic to be effective. Ultimately, though, Heliodor deserved to have the executioner's swing on someone like that.
But Cryolite's question was a more complex one. After drawing a measured sigh, Faustite did his best to explain.
"When I was a Captain, my identity was compromised and had to be reset in much the same way. That is to say — I don't have a lot of experience with this. Since being compromised, he has stayed exclusively in the Negaverse and hasn't left. We changed his glamour. Went over the rules about overlapping with his old life. Infiltration's working on building his new identity and finding him temporary housing. If he is compromised again, it would have to be from the inside.
"But — they knew my name, too. Yellow one called me Eion. Not that 'Eion' has much of a presence in Destiny City. Guessing Heliodor was the easier mark."
Faustite paused, then added, "Would be nice if we have some of our Mauvians on the job. Maybe they can see where he was taken, or where he typically powered up in case it was a matter of a chance discovery." Which would have been just Heliodor's shitty ******** luck.
"I'll be looking for the White Moon who were involved. See what I can learn through their memories. Litharge, need you to get comfortable going on patrols with youma, because you're about to have a unique one as your accomplice."
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Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2025 1:59 am
Faustite only needed to say the word about wanting the team’s Mauvians involved, and Ilmari had his tablet out. No, nobody had asked him specifically to send out the word to them. But Haymitch, Tama, and Magnus weren’t present for this meeting, not yet, and they did have certain expertise that no one else on the team could offer. Maybe it wasn’t on Ilmari specifically to send out word to the Mauvians, but he liked to think that taking initiative, even if only in the form of sending a missive for the moment, would help him develop further as a senshi, so that he could more ably help his team.note sent to Haymitch, Magnus, and Tama on their tablets Esteemed Mauvians,
Meeting currently happening in Faustite’s office, with the team. We’re discussing Heliodor’s kidnapping in December, conferring on how to suss out the leak and see them brought to justice. Faustite had an idea for investigation that requires your technical expertise. He wants to set you all on the job, if you would please come join us?
Hope to see you here soon!
Regards,
Ilmari.
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Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2025 6:40 am
Borax ... listened. Technically, when the call came, he was in his office. Easy enough to lock the door with a note on the door saying that he was in an important meeting and not to disturb him, and let himself be pulled away. His life in the Negaverse was more important than his life as a banker, anyway. There was more power to be pursued. There was more work to be done. He didn't outright say anything initially, letting his team converse among themselves. It didn't take too much for him to put together that the singular civilian in the room was likely Heliodor, though that much ended up confirmed. Litharge named a few people who had been seen in the stairwell, though he questioned just how much each one had been involved individually. Cryolite was there with his ever curious questions and without his no longer present fiancé. Unfortunate. He missed stressing the other. His particular expertise in gathering information had Borax trying to absorb anything he could pick up from what Faustite was saying or not saying, what Headache echoed, what the rest of the team volunteered or didn't. He didn't know what Ilmari was typing but he assumed it had something to do with his own proposals. Borax leaned back against the wall. "I've needed some time to distill them," Borax volunteered, "but I pulled myself away from the direct fighting during the reacquisition to note as much as I could there. I'll be putting in a database update once I can get a moment. May help give some clues as to who to go after, on their side." Sadly, there weren't any members of Chaos there that weren't them and a few others that had been called in to back up. Perhaps there was something to those that backed up. Perhaps there was nothing there at all, and their potential internal mole stayed far away. Hmm. If there was a mole, it seemed unlikely it was any of the team. He might've guessed Fulgurite or even Cryolite, but Fulgurite wasn't present anymore and Cryolite wasn't pursuing him, so the more obvious internal moles were gone. That required narrowing down who might've been the problem outside of the team. Perhaps, give Alkmene a place in the contacts to start. Thoughtfully, Borax asked, "Is there anyone on our side that would have something against either of you?"
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Codebreaking Conversationalist
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Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2025 9:48 am
Albite couldn't think of anyone better to help Faustite go hunting than Jayce, his fondness for the imagery that would unfold warmed him. Faustite was a good teacher, had a myriad of methods he thought Jayce could well handle. And Hell? Who better to pair up with than Ei' than Jayce who would someday have a youma all his own. Could become a powerful General with friends on the other side he'd need to learn to command. Albite felt the Captain definitely deserved to start learning how to build that kind of connection from now.
That there was no better way to build it than over a little bit of bloodshed--
"Litharge's gonna be in good hands then..." Supportive warmth in a glance "Can't think of anyone better for that job, Firebrand." Before his gaze slid to Ilmari, "N'I can help you shortcut some of those calls, Mari. If you wanna come by the studio with me? I know the glamor does it's thing for Cas, that they wouldn't know him, but --" He'd thought of bringing Cassian by, of etching names and faces to stone. Then he'd thought of how shittily hard that might be to do to the other man, especially while they were still waiting on tiny little details and the minutiae of managing this stuff to come together fully. "Yanno...I was thinking of dropping off a kinda 'farewell' present. Can't put you in front of anyone so big as what you can reach on your own, but some of the littler people maybe?" A light shrug as he watched Ilmari tip-tap away at something, auburn gaze fliting over Pax in the corner (with his face like it always was and Waru chose to read it as approvingly judgemental today!) alighting on Borax as he spoke questions with the kind of answers Waru had been hesitant to go exploring---
It hurt the softest parts of himself to think that anyone ******** could--
Even if he knew better in some distantly rational part of his mind. It was easier, was all, to want to chomp at the bits of info that pointed outside of themselves. To hunt descriptive flashes of yellow-banana flesh and senshi with -- gods -- four extra wings or some s**t? Whatever, he was actually rather eager to read a database entry for once! And then he felt Sy's eyes on him and made a very 'who me?' expression before cluing in to what the blond was going on about.
It was a relief to hear that Cassian was locked away safe and sound until more of what was going on had been sorted out. A blessing and balm to hear Maus would be brought in.
"Ahh, I'm sorry -- did you just say 'it' knew your name? Not-- they pried it from 'him'," And the look he shot Cassian was somewhat sympathetic in nature, a twinge of a wince before he offered one up on the quick. He wondered if it would've easier on his mind to simply continue to call the bluenette 'Heliodore', but it somehow felt diminishing given the reason for them all being in the room. "My apologies, Cas."
"But 'the yellow one' knew your name?" It struck Syrus as odd, what was the point of knowing Eion's name? Of handing it out to anyone at all? Why would Order even want it to begin with?! The man was not only a Sovereign but a Half-Youma Sovereign at that -- Cryolite thought he needed to refresh himself on the nature of -- oh -- any manner of things -- on what happened to agents 'old lives' in the aftermath of being 'caught', for no better word. It would make sense that any information on whoever Eion had been before would've been buried, locked within the database to protect the agent as a whole from further mishaps and being mis-identified after a new glamor was put on, right? It was ostensibly a death of sorts, wasn't it? So why....
"Faustite...if I may ask, when's the last time you even held a residence in DC? Paid a utility bill? You've been -- well -- yourself as you currently are at least for as long as I've known you; a drop in the bucket timewise, I'm sure. But I assume this means you've been Eion at least since you were a Captain?" He assumed Eion had been a Half-Youma for any length of time during even that -- gods, before then even? And he didn't want to be an absolute a** about asking digging questions anymore than he wanted to consider the implications of how startlingly young Faustite often looked in spite of what his actual age must have been. With how young he thought the man must have been when he'd joined the agency.
It was, for a beat, a tad nauseating.
But he shook it off as he trailed on "My point being-- I cannot imagine the purpose of giving up any portion of your identity to anyone; except as dire warning under the explicit terms of 'General King Eion'. Which makes so little sense to say that way, that I feel a margin stupid for having said it at all. It just makes me think that whoever did this must not know your habits that well...or at least how you're *currently* living your life..." And suddenly Helio did indeed seem the easier target by far, not out of all of them, no, but from a purely visual standpoint? A fish swimming outside the shoal, with little in the way of closeness to the larger group, and Syrus was just now learning what the man did for a living (had Aelius really been so good a dancer as to be worth murdering?). He'd always assumed Helio was maybe a bit like himself, one or two close ties and those one or two were certainly more than enough on any given day. Of course he was aware he may be projecting some, but felt the man's personal habits were worth considering at the very least.
"But they do know you have a large team, and potentially which people in that team are closest to you? They know Helio---" Aelius would be lost to whoever had tried, but they could not keep Heliodore in a box under the bed forever. The man deserved to be able to wander freely powered or not -- to return to normalcy as anyone else might. "Who's been shacking up with you.....or..no..you with him, of course. Because it was Aelius's apartment, yes? Did they ask after Albite at all? Or any of the rest of us?" His words not accusatory so much as they were establishing a fact, before he breathed himself into a listening pause. Because he wanted to hear the answers to Boarax's questions too, wasn't vexed by the man speaking at all, for once. "Or -- well -- I'm going to just keep having questions, actually. So if I could assist alongside either Alkmne or Albite while I'm at it? I can't imagine my presence spiking any red flags for how rarely I tend to walk these halls...."
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Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2025 2:11 pm
Cassian"Cassian now. Cassian Yarrow. Though Cas is completely fine. I am not picky. Just still adjusting to the changes, so forgive me if I don't respond right away to the new alias." He addressed the group as a whole. It hadn't been that long since he'd taken up the new identity. It was still incredibly odd to be going by a name as foreign to him as his new identity would be. There were questions being bounced around some to him, many to Faustite, and Cas did his best to answer them as they came up. "They ambushed me on my way home from dance class. Waited until I was alone walking through one of the small parks that make for a shorter route. I didn't even have a chance to really react before they had me locked down. It was only two of them, unless there were more tat I wasn't aware of, but it's unlikely. Not with how things panned out after. I got the impression they worked as a two person team." His focus was on Jayce as he spoke, but his words were for the entirety of the rooma s he fliked his focus here and there to a few others. Being mentioned as the 'easier target' felt like a bit of a blow to him. Another '******** up' to add to his list of many, but this was one that he wasn't willing to take the blame for. He had, to his knowledge, done everything he could to keep himself safe. So, until they had hard evidence pointing blame to himself, he wasn't accepting it. He tipped his head to Ilmari. "Dancing was...is a passion of mine, yes. I can get you the information to the studio I attended. I've been avoiding the Destiny City Ballet company due to past connections there, but I do believe this studio was an affiliate of a sorts." Which led to the question of, where the hell was he going to continue dancing at? Could he risk going back to DCB now that it had been years and a glamour between Rowan? His eyes flicked to Faustite at the mention of the 'yellow one'. "Her name is Grieve if anyone wants to go rooting around for that b***h." Anger radiated from him. "I didn't get many names, but she was one of the ones to introduce herself." "Against us?" Cas blinked as he thought. He'd never really thought he had made enemies. Well...none that would go to the extent of practically comitting him to death for anything, but....who knew? "Honestly, I can't say for sure. I don't believe I've insulted anyone to the point of doing something like this, but who am I to say what others perceived? For all I know this could be retribution for something like a small slight or something as large as nearly getting Faustite killed." Needless to say, he had no ******** clue. Cryolite was touching on something. "They did mention Waru, but that was only after they made it a point to go through my phone. Thankfully, I don't have anyone's full names in there, but that's not the say they didn't keep a record of the numbers listed to do their own investigating." So, needless to say, out of all of them, Waru was likely the most at risk, but even then, order had little go off of. "And, if I read them right, it seemed they only went after me because they were certain of who I was. I got the impression that if there was any heavy doubt against my affiliation with the negaverse they wouldn't have acted. Eyes shifted to Albite at the mention of a farewell present, and he smiled at that. "While I appreciate the thought, I don't know if it's a good idea for you to go back there. If for some reason they are watching the place, you might make yourself out as a target as well. We don't need to give them anymore to go off of." His gaze shifted to Faustite. "I think honestly, it would be best if people seen with me...Aelius act as if he vanished without a trace."
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Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2025 2:16 pm
MagnusThe mauvian acted when he got the message. Not that he had ignored the summon, no. In fact he had been in the middle of the tricky task of working on a specific team members pen. The device had been in so many pieces whe it was brought to him, that it was delicate work putting it back together again and making sure it properly functioned. Small cat paws got him to the office. One he frequented often because it was usually pleasantly warm in there when a certain fire-filled half-youma was in residence. Magnus let himself into the room and found the person who had been courteous enough to send him and the other team mauvians a message. With a little butt shake, as he prepped his legs under him, Magnus leapt up and onto Ilmari's shoulder. "Sorry I am late." He remarked. "Hope you don't mind?" He said into Ilmari's ear as he made himself comfortable on the boy's shoulder.
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Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2025 3:46 pm
Esteemed Mauvians.Oh. How very much was this letter not from Faustite. A proper introduction. What little of his tail that he had swished from side to side. As Tama read the message, he realized that this would be the first time he met with the full team since his adventure with the crystal. He knew about Helio’s kidnapping, but had not been there for the rescue. He wondered what Faustite could be thinking. What could they get from investigating? The White Moon were hardly organized. They had probably just gotten lucky. “What do you need me for? You know I’m paws deep in battle training…”He stopped short, his bare feet preventing him from practically falling over. It was almost as if he forgot how to stand on just two feet. “Well, I’ll be… I know everything about making a glamour, but it’s not like seeing the thing in action in the field. Damn it, Aelius. I mean, Cassian.”☆
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Bishoujo-senshi Mahou-shoujo
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2025 6:48 pm
FaustiteFaustite waited, silent, as he observed the room. Some of his officers were silently waiting — expectant for and receptive of his orders. Others, like Borax and Cryolite, had questions for him. He signed to Headache, which expressed each of his points in its traditional monotonous disinterest.
"Populate the Database with your findings posthaste," Faustite encouraged first and foremost. "That information will be crucial to all of us as he approach this issue." Particularly when it came to who, of the White Moon, may know more than they were letting on; if it was one of the team's old members who had chronicled names and identities and kept mum on them until this moment. And if it wasn't that, directly, then had the Earth Knight or Cybele Squire gotten wind of that information and strong-armed them for it?
His question took some thought. There were a handful in the Negaverse with whom be brooked disagreements. There were some that seemed to struggle with the basic premise of following orders. But all of that said, Faustite was uncertain if there was anyone in the Negaverse who hated him enough to use another officer to get to him. Particularly when that officer was Heliodor, and to his knowledge, Heliodor largely kept to himself.
Few were those whom he and Heliodor shared in common. But that number wasn't zero.
"Maybe," Faustite answered after a beat. "Might be worth looking into our old team first." But most of them, if not all of them, were gone. The last person he'd seen was Chrysocolla, and at that, it had been ages now.
Cryolite landed on precisely what had Faustite so puzzled about the enemy knowing his name. As Eion, he never bothered to have a residence. When he was reestablishing an identity with Infiltration, the end result was unintentionally sparse (largely because he was too far into his self-loathing to allow himself any grace and imagination in his background). Eion was almost strictly a legal existence — one written into dusty books that failed to make its way into reality.
"Correct," he signed. "It's been…" Faustite blinked. "Seven years? Can't develop a civilian presence like the rest of you, so 'Eion Risk' has been all but a fairytale.
"… But you might be onto something. Talk to you again about that when I've followed up on some leads. But no, they never mentioned anyone else. If they had, I'd be asking the mentions to change their identities. Won't ask for that without proof positive that any of you have been compromised." Of them, however, Waru was most likely to compromise himself, without any further effort on part of the enemy.
Aelius Cassian filled in what he knew of the ambush — if nothing else, it was a fresh reiteration for the team.
"Agreed," he added to Cassian's point. "If you're investigating Aelius in plainclothes, treat him as a missing person report."
As the cats turned up, Faustite's attention lit on them. He signed more pointedly, as if talking to himself, as he glowered in Tama's direction. Headache, perhaps out of spite, translated nonetheless. "******** battle training… You're a ******** cat. Who the ******** do you think you'll be fighting."
Then, naturally, Faustite reached back and grabbed the first solid object — a metal pen box — and hurled it at his youma. It dusted a solid handful of the bugs that comprised Headache and caused the image of Faustite to distort temporarily before ricocheting off the back of the chair and landing on the floor.
Then came business as usual. "Need you two to look into Aelius's phone records. Find out where he was when he sent his last messages, if that's possible." Hell if he knew what was or wasn't with technology that he barely knew how to use.
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