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 Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 11:38 pm
What the hell was he doing? This wasn't like him. If he had a mirror he would be scowling at it in irritation, but in lacking one he settled for scowling at the far wall instead. He knew what day today was. That knowledge alone made him want to grit his teeth and hit something in irritation. He had a routine for this particular day, a sort of fail-save that had yet to prove him wrong. Normally for Valentine's day it was custom for a boy to give a girl chocolates and/or flowers and woo the pants off of her. Lance went above and beyond that. He would plan for the day months in advance, selecting his ideal candidates. For him it wasn't enough for a bouquet of roses. He preferred to pay attention to the details; a box of candy may work for one girl, but a heart-shaped box that contained negotiable neglige were sometimes even more effective. It varied; it always varied. That was the appeal of the holiday to Lance. It was the thrill of the hunt, of stalking and entrapping the prey with honeyed words for a quick lay. Sometimes it turned into something. Most of the time it didn't. He was only in it for the thrill, the build up and moment where it all paid off. Hell, sometimes it didn't pay off. But it was always a thrill, a challenge that he took on year after year. Except this year. This year there would be no notes from a secret admirer, no flowers, no negotiable neglige. No quick glances down a hallway before tip-toeing down it armed with a bouquet to rest outside of a lady's door. No more would he find excuses to conveniently happen to be training at the same time as his intended Valentine. The only advantage to this was the fact that he no longer had to juggle and manage three to five lovers at once. He had several close calls, and yet... And yet he found himself disappointed that he had not yet managed seven at once. That was his goal for this year. But now? His eyes dropped of their own accord down to his legs sprawled in front of him. Lance knew what would happen if he had tried it. Hunters he hadn't seen in months would stare at him in surprise. Wasn't he dead? Where has he been? What happened? Was he okay? Lance didn't want their sympathy, their looks of pity. Just thinking about it made him feel ashamed. And angry. He couldn't help but to ball his hands into fists and strike at his legs once, twice. He hated himself. He hated himself for what he had become, not for what he did. What he did was a desperate gamble, a gamble that ultimately paid off despite the steep price that it took afterward. A quiet voice blazed in his mind briefly, like a match suddenly struck in a dark room before dimming. Afïr waited quietly, adding when Lance said nothing more, I don't know, Lance admitted, leaning forward to rest his head in his hands. You and I were Blazers. Front line Hunters that specialized in offense, trained to take down the opponent at any cost. Don't you remember? 'Die in a blaze of glory!'? I failed in that.Avila snorted. Lance shrugged. I don't know. I never bothered looking into it.We don't know for sure! We can't make assumptions. She waited for a response before adding, He raised his head from his hands and turned, glancing at his sparse room. She was right. Of course his weapon was right. And yet... Are you suggesting that I return to Sun? The weapon paused, seeming to consider something. At his encouraging nod, Afïr continued, Lance's thoughts stumbled and skid to a halt. Truthfully, Aria wasn't the type that he went after. She was too unpredictable, too shy, and not his ideal type. While he preferred to made his advances on the quiet ones, he wasn't the type to push them out of their comfort zone. He respected them and their choice, and if they decided to change their mind later he wasn't the sort to say "no." But Aria? He thought back to when he first met her. She was... awkward. She moved with purpose on the field and spoke with confidence regarding the mission. But during downtime? After the mission was complete? It was as if she learned what socializing was all about in a book and never had a chance to put it into practice. He felt quite sorry for her, and sorrier still when she shied away from him when he first tried to speak with her. But he didn't give up. Lance realized now that it wasn't the physical qualities that had attracted him. He wanted her. In bed would be nice, yes, but she was the type of person that he wanted to have guarding his back on the field. But that wasn't it. Her capabilities and competence were only the start, he realized. His attraction to her began once he knew of her position, her power. The Mist faction was always a small one. It was disorganized mess that was the laughingstock of Deus. You know you failed when you transferred into the Mists. He wondered if Aria was aware of it, if she held herself in shame. He didn't even know she was the leader of the Mists when they first met. She didn't hold herself high like the other division leaders, and the coat she wore instead was rough and torn. It wasn't until later that he would find that she changed coats, dropping her division leader coat in exchange for her old trainee coat. But that was it, he realized. She had power that she didn't use. He wanted her to have access to it. Yes, it was the Mist's, but power was power and even if it was from that division it could be useful. He didn't know what he wanted to do with it. Division Leader was one of the last things he ever wanted to be. There was too much responsibility and it required too much time devoted to other people instead of himself. But that power... That power could be useful. Afïr pointed out. Lance agreed, but he still didn't like it when she brought it up. It was unsettling. The more he continued to think about it, the more a deeper realization set in: he was afraid to die. He didn't want to. He knew and accepted the fact that it was always a possibility, that one day he might not return from a mission. If he was lucky, someone would bring his corpse back to place in a small box and buried. At this, Afïr stirred again. I don't know. Lance shifted uncomfortably, looking around his room with new eyes. There were no windows. The only way to see the outside was to look through the monitors, or to glance through the hole in the wall that was still being patched up. How long was he here? Two months? Three? The room felt small, confining. He wanted out. He... We're still alive, aren't we?A feeling of immense relief made his shoulders slump. He was alive. He wasn't dead, he wasn't stored in a pod to be quietly killed off later. He was alive, and yet... Yet he wasn't. Lance decided to change that. Valentine's day isn't over yet, love, Lance laughed as he maneuvered himself carefully into the wheelchair by his bed. I may not be keen on meeting those that I've left behind, but if I hurry now I think I can beat her. Lance grinned as he settled into his chair, looking around. Where the hell was his coat? You got it. There's still some time left, I think I can get there in time. You're right, Afïr. We're not dead yet. There's still things we can do.>He got the impression that Afïr was shaking her head, lit by a small smile. She paused, considering. He considered her question as he continued to look for his coat. Where the hell did he throw it this time? That's the thing, love. I have access to cameras. I've checked the route and followed her several times. I know where she's at, but -- damn!I've got nothin'.If she had eyes, Afïr would have stared. If she had hands, her hand would quite possibly be covering her face. As it was, she settled for a heavy silence as Lance considered his options. She interrupted his thoughts of bullets and books, and of potentially bribing a trainee to n** out and get something for him. she began, her voice growing sharper. This drew him up short. Weren't you just hinting at me to get out more? To stop skulking around and get over myself?Your Olde English way of thought slipped, Lance laughed as he entered the main section of the Mist lounge, unlocking the computer to spy along his intended route. Besides, earlier you said yourself that I still had hands, right? He laughed again as he sensed his weapon's discomfort, her attempts to find a retort. Besides, if I don't move now I'll probably start thinking about it again and convince myself not to. He shut the computer off, maneuvering the chair backwards as he hurried to the door. On top of that, we only live once. Right? Today's Valentine's day. It's an excuse to go out. I won't get another chance, Afïr. It's now or nothing.>Being in the hallways of Deus Ex was drastically different from being able to watch it through monitors. Lance hurried as quickly as he could through the hallways, his ears straining for any bit of sound. He didn't want to be here. He didn't want to be out in the open where anyone could see him, could catch sight of him and wonder who he was. He was already quite aware of the fact that he was an anomaly on Deus Ex. He was more of a hindrance than help in a fight, a sitting duck. Bait. At least there was a handicap ramp, Lance told himself. It was small and off to one side. If the rumors were correct, it was built for another trainee that lost an arm. Even if he didn't use it, Lance was thankful for the existence of it. Could a wheelchair even go down stairs? He didn't want to find out that it couldn't the hard way. Later he found himself inside the room, the door clicking softly behind him. Was he seen? Of course he was. He knew there were cameras, and he knew that he really had no reason to be here of all places. He wheeled his chair forward, twisted and back to reach the door again. There was still time, he could still retreat. He found himself locking the door behind him. It took him several minutes to unlock the door in the first place, and leaving it unlocked would easily set off warning bells. How much time did he have? Lance ignored the sense of urgency as he examined the room. The last time he had been to Aria's suite in the dorms was nearly a year ago. It didn't look like anything changed. But why should it? Lance asked himself as he moved further into the suite, searching for any sort of security. Aria preferred to travel, to participate in missions that could have easily been delegated to another person. She admitted to him once that she loved to travel and didn't like staying on the island. But with the amount of fresh trainees rising, even she realized that she needed to stay behind and train them. She couldn't take off and disappear for months on end like she used to. And yet... her suite barely looked lived-in. He wondered how much time she spent in here, but a glance into her bedroom revealed tousled blankets. She at least slept here; that was a start. Lance found himself in that same bed a few hours later, one arm wrapped around Aria's back. His fingers idly traced the curve of her panties as she shifted, arranging herself until her head was pillowed on his chest. It was... nice. No, not nice, he decided. It was... pleasurable. It wasn't the sort of physical pleasure he was used to. And yet just having her lie next to him made him feel -- The small grin on his face widened, growing as Aria shifted and moved until she was lying on top of him, her face inches away from his own. All he had to do was lean forward to close the gap between them, head tilted just enough for their lips to meet. He had begun to lean forward when Aria moved again, this time holding one finger to his nose to stop him. The light blush on her cheeks darkened. "I thought this would get your attention," she gave him a nervous grin, tapping his nose and resisting the urge to give it a little beep. " Now will you tell me how you got in here?" Lance raised his hands in mock-surrender. "Well," he began, reaching up to move her hand aside. "No," He couldn't help it; he moved forward and kissed her, letting her pull back and laughing as she smacked his arm. Her flush darkened as she turned away from him. He moved his arms back and raised himself up, catching Aria and holding her against his chest. She moved to leave before sighing and leaning against him, sighing. Her cheeks were still flushed, her skin hot to the touch. Lance could see their empty glasses on the table, the empty wine bottle they shared. Or was it bottles? He didn't particularly care, choosing instead to dip his head and press a kiss on the crook of her neck between her shoulder blades. Aria moved her hand up to stroke his hair, letting her fingers run down the side of his face. "Hey," she said softly, "Do you think...?" Her voice trailed off softly, waiting until Lance raised his eyes to meet her's before continuing, "Do you remember? We would sit and watch the sun rise?" He remembered that. Whenever she slept with him in his room she would always awaken before he did and slip out of bed without him noticing. He would wake up to find her sitting in his chair facing the window and quietly watching the outside, turning to shoot him a small smile. He would get up then with a blanket and pick her up before sitting on the chair himself, wrapping them both in a blanket. She would lean against his chest, both of them quiet as they watched the sun rise outside. He looked around her suite before answering. There was a chair on the other side of the room, tilted towards the window. He had a chair like that in his own room in the Mist Lounge, however there was no window to look out at. The one Aria had looked large enough to comfortably seat him with Aria on his lap, and yet... Lance closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Yeah, I remember." He opened his eyes again and raised a hand to tilt her chin up towards him, stealing another kiss. "I can't carry you over there, but if you don't get out of bed first and beat me I might be able to wheel you over there." Aria's laugh ended as she rose up to kiss him. He lowered himself down carefully onto the bed, tugging Aria down with him once he was settled in. Her bed was comfortable. Lance practically sank into its softness as Aria stroke his cheek as she settled into the crook of his arm, pulling the blankets of the bed on top of them. He wasn't sorry when Aria closed her eyes and fell asleep, one arm thrown across his midsection. The day did not end how he expected it to, and he was surprised to find that he didn't mind. Just having his superior in his arms like this was enough to feel accomplished. Lance reached over and carefully brushed the hair out of Aria's eyes, watching for her to stir. He allowed himself a small grin. It wasn't much, but it was a step. For the first time in months, Lance felt alive again.
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Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 7:07 pm
//Location: Lance's Room, Mist Lounge
//Date: 03.19.12
//Time: 21:28
Lately, it was more common to find Lance in his room rather than in the main area of the Mist Lounge. On a normal day he would be watching the camera monitors on Deus Ex, watching for anything out of the ordinary in both staff and on the island itself. That was how it was at first. With the advances in the Life division and runic technology, there was less and less of a pressing need to spy on other hunters and trainees, to skulk about Deus Ex from the comfort of the Mist Lounge. A better use of the cameras was to keep an eye on the trainees as they trained, making sure that they were utilizing the proper techniques. Lance would even go so far as to keep an extra eye on the training field especially, making note of any potential weaknesses that needed to be addressed. While trainees were expendable, Lance shared the view that an experienced trainee was more valuable than a dead one. It was fine to make mistakes during the training field, but elsewhere? Not at all. It was better to make the mistakes now with little to no consequence rather than pay the price. That lesson in particular was one that Lance had learned the hard way, and was keen to make sure that the trainees did not do the same.
Lance turned the page of the book he was reading, his brow furrowing in thought before he returned several pages prior to consult another passage. His training and duty before as a Sun hunter was relatively easy in comparison to what Aria was making him learn as a Mist. Before, his training was very hands-on and physical. Train with own weapon, grab a runic weapon, train with that until proficient, repeat with another weapon. His personal preference and taste in the weapon selections did not matter. As a Sun hunter, he was expected to be able to pick any weapon up and wield it to its full potential. The expectation did not end with runic weapons, either. Mundane weapons and objects in the area were analyzed, snatched up, and used to attack. Granted, these weapons had no effect on a creature from Halloween but not every threat came from Halloween. Lance has had to fend himself off from another human more than once. He had to occasionally take the extra time to ensure that said other human was never seen or heard from again as well.
But this! Aria insisted that he attempt to catch up, to know as much as she did about how the other divisions functioned and worked. He used to joke with her about how much time she used to spend in Deus Ex's library, even going so far as to suggest she move into it in order to have better access to the books within. Lance rubbed the side of his face tiredly as he stared at the words on the page, attempting to comprehend their meaning. You never know what will come up next, she told him with a shrug, handing him a few books. "Part of it is being prepared, part of it is being paranoid about what could happen. It's best to start learning about the things you're curious about, then switch it off with something that's difficult or boring. I've found that it's easier to work through those sorts of texts knowing that there's something better down the road."
It was still very unlikely that he would have to ever put any of this into practice. He had even ventured it to her when Aria was showing him how to access a particular database through the runic laptop she had presented to him several days prior. Even now he could recall the hesitation as she studied him, trying to find the words. "I know a lot of this seems silly," she had begun, her eyes falling down to the laptop before looking up at him again. "But there may be a time when you're needed for a mission. Barring that," she added quickly, overriding his protest before he could voice it, "It's not so much for you as it will be for the trainees. Lance, I... You know I'm not used to talking to others." She had stood up and began to pace, not looking at him as she continued, "As far as training goes, the most I did was point them to the books and had them learn on their own the hard way. Maybe that's why I had a lot of Mists transfer out into the specialized divisions. I wasn't there. I don't know how to be there. You?" She turned to face him, hands held open as if in supplicant, "You Suns work together. You guys are comfortable teaching and guiding each other through how to properly use weapons. I ended up injuring myself more than once until a Moon told me to stop being a Mist and go play at being a Sun for a bit to get some actual help and training." She gave an embarrassed grin, dropping down into the seat next to him. "The point is, Lance, there's a lot of new Mists. I... I don't know how to train them or how to even go about it. I need you to help me out and be there to answer any questions they have. You're going to be their point of contact, the person they'll look to for help."
"What about you?" He had replied, "You're doing fine right now. And you did point out that I was a Sun, not a Mist."
She gave him a small grin, shaking her head. "I... Maybe I'll tell you some other time. For now, let's continue turning you into a Mist, okay?"
Aria never told him her reason, Lance realized as he continued to thumb through the pages of the book. She was always like that: guarded, secretive, and very unsure of herself. That was what had caught his eye in the first place. Aria wasn't his usual type. Instead, she was... vulnerable. Easy, he amended. She was exactly the type he knew he could claim. She wasn't a challenge, and to his knowledge he had no competition. He could take his time with her, get what he wanted and then... Then what? Lance had originally planned to set her aside and call on her as needed, just like the girls he used to know. It wasn't until he had met her in person and had been on mission with her that he realized the rumors he had relied on did not give the full story. They had certainly neglected to mention that she was a division leader, for instance. Then again, back then Aria would ditch her coat in favor of wearing an emblem of the division she was filling in for. She had explained that it made her job easier, but again Lance realized that she had yet to tell him the full story behind that either.
There was a knock on his door. "Come in," he called, closing the book he was reading and turning his his chair to face the opening door. He froze. The person in the doorway wasn't a trainee. She stood in the doorway, her hand on the doorknob while she held a piece of paper uncertainly. Lance leaned back in his chair, studying her. "Normally when I invite someone in, they usually come all the way inside," He drawled, giving her a lazy grin. "It's been awhile, Rochelle."
The woman stepped into the room and quietly closed the door behind her, her gaze flickering away from Lance to glance around his room and take it all in. "It has been," she agreed, her gaze finally resting on him. "I thought you were dead."
Lance lifted his arms in a shrug. "I was supposed to be, but I guess I like living too much to give it up just yet."
"Supposed to be? You made it seem as if you were!"
"And you didn't bother checking to see whether I was or wasn't!" Lance snapped back. "Was it really that difficult to come visit me in the infirmary?"
"You were unconscious!"
"That didn't stop me from being there when you woke up when you were there."
"What did you expect me to do?" Rochelle cried, taking a step towards him. "When I came to check in on you they told me you were gone. Gone! I couldn't find you anywhere. What else was I supposed to think? I... I didn't know what to do. You.. You vanished."
Lance spread his arms out, gesturing to himself. "Rochelle, look at me. Tell me one instance where a Sun hunter continued to serve like this. Name for me any hunter. Does it look like I can go on a mission? That I can be useful? I'm a ******** waste of resources that was this close," he pinched his fingers together, "This close to going back into a pod or worse."
"Don't be stupid!" Rochelle snapped back, closing the distance between them to jab her finger into his face. "You're an experienced Sun member who could be used to -"
"Used to what? To teach? Train? To share my valuable experience with them?" Lance challenged, slapping his unresponsive knee. "Right. Have the trainees learn how to stay mobile and use the terrain to your advantage from someone who can't even demonstrate the how to answer the why. I have nothing to teach them."
Rochelle stared at Lance, faltering. "But aren't you teaching the Mist trainees?" She asked, looking around his room. "Lance, this room is smaller than a trainee's dorm! You deserve better than this, you... You can do so much more! You can help us, the Suns, and --"
"And die alongside you on the front line between you and whatever comes our way. What are you really here for, Rochelle?" Lance cut in, scowling. "I highly doubt you came here to see me."
"What do you know? I wanted to see you again. I wanted to have proof that you were alive. I wanted to..." She trailed off, her curled fists at her side relaxing as she reached out towards him. "I wanted you. I missed you, Lance. I thought we could catch up before... just in case..."
His hand moved quickly, catching her hand as he stared up. Lance began to squeeze, holding her in place as she winced and tried to back away as he glared at her. "Funny," he began. "If I recall correctly, you didn't bother looking for me and checking to see whether I was okay or not. You also seemed more than willing to spend more and more time with Elle -"
"What does that have to do with this?!"
"- And Mitch, and Corben," Lance continued. "Going so far as to spend several nights with them, if I may add. Tell me, do they know? Do they know that you're open more often than a 24/7 supermarket? That you rarely go sleep in your own bed? That you play them off of one another, claiming that they're your ex's?"
Rochelle jerked her hand back as Lance released it, clutching it with her other hand as she shot him a hurt look. "So because I'm a female, I can't do it too? You did the same to me, Lance!"
"But I was up front about it," Lance snapped back. "I made it clear there's no strings attached. And you know what? I liked you," Lance leaned forward, watching her as he went on. "I was attracted to you. I thought we could have gone further. And you know what? I'm glad it didn't. I'm glad that I've finally seen you for the beast with two backs that you really are. We're done. Get out. I'm not playing your game anymore."
Rochelle backed up, shooting him glares of accusation. "This won't be the last of me," she hissed. "If you dare approach them --"
"Me? I wouldn't worry about that," Lance replied, leaning back in his wheelchair. "I'd personally be more concerned about who you're meeting at three today." He paused, savoring the surprised look on her face. "What, you thought I'm only here to teach the Mists? Oh, no. I do much, much more than that Rochelle. I've moved up in the world. Didn't you know? I'm a Division Assistant now. That means I can, say, look through the Deus Ex cameras and monitor certain hunters. Tell me, who are you meeting today? Was it Mitch? Elle? Hm. I think I recall you making more than one appointment... It'd be a shame that they're at the same place at the same time, wouldn't it be?"
The tone of his voice dropped as he wheeled closer. "I would haul a** out there right now if I were you. And while I was at it, I wouldn't come back here. Don't try to ******** with me again, Rochelle. Consider this payback for what you've done. It's over. ******** off, and don't bother me again."
He savored the backside of the hunter as she whipped around and wrenched the door open, not bothering to close it behind her as she fled. He shook his head as her retreating footsteps faded, wondering if and when this meeting would come around and bite him back on the a**. Lance was surprised by the feeling of pity and regret that came to rest on his shoulders with Rochelle's leaving. On one hand, it was too bad that it had to end that way. He had cared for her prior to his accident. It wasn't until he began scoping out Deus Ex through the cameras that he realized how much of a fool he was and how badly he had been played. And yet, on the other hand...
Lance reached into his pocket and looked at his phone, swearing. Aria had requested his presence at a meeting, one that Rochelle's appearance had made him miss. Could he still make it? Their argument hadn't taken that long, and yet --
His phone beeped, indicating a new text message. It was from Aria. Don't bother with the meeting. We just wrapped the mission debriefing up. Has anyone come by?
Lance set his phone down and began cursing, wanting nothing more than to be able to kick something out of frustration. It was just like any Division Leader to remain vague about something coming up, only to later reveal what it really was. To discover the meeting was a mission debriefing irked him, and rekindled his ire at Rochelle. The ire changed to anger as he was reminded once again of what their fight was about. Lance grit hits teeth in frustration, snatching the book off of his desk and throwing it again the wall. It accomplished nothing, but it made him feel a little bit better.
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Posted: Thu May 10, 2012 9:26 pm
//Location: Deus Ex Hallway
//Date: 03.19.12
//Time: 21:32 The glass bottle banged against her leg as she walked, the contents of it swishing with each step. She was nervous. Hell, even with her hands in her pockets she could tell they were shaking. Was it normal to feel this way? Aria ducked her head, grinning as her weapon laughed. And you don't mind? Really, honestly don't mind? Aria pressed. Mate?! He isn't my mate! Aria protested with darkening cheeks, stopping right then and there to look around wildly. Was there anyone approaching? No? Good. This time of day the hallways were largely empty, giving her the privacy Aria needed. The soft chuckle Symphony gave her didn't help matters. I mean, yes we sleep together but it's just sleeping. Nothing sexual. We haven't mated or anything and geeze! I never thought you were into that sort of thing!There was a definite smirk that came from her weapon. Her tone seemed to gentle. Aria reached under her coat to touch the hilt of her weapon's dormant form. Symph... Thank you. This means a lot.The touch was answered with an answering mental nudge from the weapon. Her steps were lighter, the pace quickened as Aria continued to walk to the Mist Lounge. She smiled. What was just another hidden passage in Deus Ex lead to an empty room which she had taken over and adapted for Mist use. The few Mist hunters each kept a diverse schedule, and the trainees? Here Aria faltered. She was still clueless as to what to do with them, and it was nearly a year after she had been assigned them! Candace and Cass were both nearing the end of their training as well, and -- Symphony interrupted, Aria flushed again, ducking her head like a student caught breaking a rule by her teacher. Yes, Sym, she replied as she stepped into the Mist Lounge. She really needed to patch up that hole one of these days. There wasn't a point to a secret room if everyone could find it by looking for the -- Voices. Aria could hear them. They were muffled, but she could identify them. The first was Lance. The second was a female voice that made Aria tense. The voices were getting louder, sharper before the female's voice broke off. Aria placed it: Rochelle. The weapon's voice was alarmed as Aria backed out, retreating from the Lounge. Away. We have a meeting. And besides, I don't think now's a good time.Yes, yes I am. I don't care if you think I should stand my ground, Sym. This... This is different. Aria quickened her pace. I mean. Suns receive the highest fatalities and injuries, right? Lance... Lance was one of the lucky ones. I know he was with several people. Rochelle? He was passionate about her. This is something... this is between them.Was the hallway getting blurry? Aria blinked, checking. No, it was fine. She pulled out her phone and sent a quick message to Lance, ignoring her weapon's growl. I'm giving him more time. He... I... I thought I could have him all to myself, you know? It's pretty silly to think about it now. Aria dropped the phone into her pocket, her hand quickly running across her face. I thought: here's something I can have again. When Croix... I thought that was it. When he died then, you know? Hunters should stand on their own, when they're too close and one falls? It all makes sense, what Nkiruka told me when I joined them. No attachments, no regrets...Aria's thoughts trailed off as she took a deep breath. I just don't want to see him right now. Okay, Sym? Just. Please. We need to concentrate on what's coming up. It's... It's better this way. Besides, she couldn't help but to shake her head. Knowing my luck? What happened with Croix will happen to him.Symphony, please! I don't want to talk about it!The weapon relented, grumbling to herself as she settled down. Aria could feel her intense disapproval and dislike. The hunter simply shrugged it off and wiped her eyes, taking a deep breath to steady herself. Chin up, shoulders squared, Aria pulled out her phone and began to summon her Mists to a war meeting.
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Posted: Thu May 10, 2012 11:39 pm
//Location: Aria's Office, Main Building
//Date: 03.22.12
//Time: 13:10
"You've been avoiding me."
Aria set the pen she was using down to look up and stare at the latest visitor. It was an automatic reaction: door knocks, call out "Come in," continue working then look up when the door closed. The door hadn't closed until after he spoke, moving around the door smoothly before pushing it back into place. His hand hovered by the lock, dropping in favor of moving forward until he was facing her across the desk.
She said nothing, settling for rubbing her eyes. "Lance, I'm sorry. It's been hectic lately. Here." She picked up a vanilla folder that was on her desk next to her and offered it to him. "I was going to drop this off to you later. It contains the notes of our upcoming mission."
Lance stared at the notes, then at her. "Our upcoming mission? Aria, if this is a joke..."
"Just open it." Aria leaned back in her chair and yawned. She glanced at the clock as he opened the folder and began to read through the notes. It was time for bed. Way past time for bed. She couldn't help but to watch has his expression turned from skeptical to attentive, and indulge in the fact that he was sitting up a bit straighter, his grip tightening on the paper.
At last he put it down and looked at her, leaning forward with an intent gaze. "This is going to be real, isn't it? No fooling?"
"No fooling," Aria confirmed, picking up her pen to idly finish the sentence she was working on when he came in. "We're going to be shipping out soon. You've already completed the training course for authorization regarding a flamethrower. If they give you a hard time, let me know since you did technically pass that course several years ago, and to my knowledge there's no expiration on clearance." Aria glanced at him, then looked back down. "You should also pick up some more runic bandages as well. You're going to be with the trainees, and knowing them... Well. I have a feeling that something bad's going to go down. If that happens, that's when you and I will work together."
Lance held up a hand. "Wait. I'm going to be with the trainees? Where are you going to be?"
"With the rest of the Mists and a couple volunteers from the Death division." Aria paused, adding, "It's better if you don't know, just in case -"
"Just in case what, Aria? You've encountered them before. From what you've told me, those things attack first and ask questions later. If you're concerned about me getting captured and being interrogated --"
"I'm not!"
"Then why won't you tell me?"
"Lance. Look, you have your duty, and I have mine."
"That's a bullshit answer."
"It is not! You're the only one suited for watching the trainees!"
"Why? Because I'm -"
"No! Because you know how to deal with others." Aria cut in, looking up from her paperwork to stare at him. "I can barely talk to the trainees as it is. Either I start lecturing, or I start getting hung up in my own personal problems or... or I just don't know what to do, okay? The other Mists -- we know each other by names. We know we can call on each other. But really? We keep to ourselves. It's... It's just how we are. These trainees -- I don't know. I don't know how to be a leader in their eyes. Small groups? Fine. Large groups?" She shook her head. "You're better at it than I am, Lance."
"Aria, you're not giving yourself enough credit." Lance reached over and plucked the pen from her hands, setting it down out of her reach. "You're doing fine. Otherwise you wouldn't be a division leader, right?"
She scowled, shaking her head sharply. "No. I only received this position because I was lucky." Aria stood up and began to pace, moving from behind her desk into the open space before it. "Do you want to know how I became a leader? It wasn't because I was the best. I was one of the worst Inners that Ruka ever taught. Ruka was the previous leader. Hell, half of this s**t that's in here belongs to her." She gestured sharply to a mask on the wall, African in origin that was too high up and beyond Aria's reach to remove.
"I'm only here because I survived, Lance. I was the only one to stand up again after they attacked and killed us all. And you know what? They didn't even bother to check to see if they killed us. That's what they think of us, Lance: we're cattle to them. Weak. Pathetic. Do you know what it's like to kneel beside someone you've worked with closely for two years, asking -- no. Begging them to let me take their weapon, their best friend with me to escape and fight another day?"
"I don't want to go through that again Lance. Not again, not now, not ever. I -" I'm scared. She turned to face him, then turned away. "I don't -" she tensed, snatching her hand away from him as he reached out to her. "I don't need your sympathy! I know the only reason you're here with me now is because of it. What? You didn't think I knew? Word travels fast on the Island, Lance, especially when it comes from Rochelle."
Lance looked taken aback, his eyes narrowing as he lowered his hands to clench the armrest of his chair. "What the hell are you doing around her?"
"On a good day? Nothing!" Aria shot back. "I already know what kind of a person she is. And I personally wouldn't mind if she was offed in the upcoming mission! She's a rotten, manipulative two-faced b***h who won't hesitate to step on anyone to get what she wants!"
"You think I don't know that?" Lance snapped. "You think I didn't find out the hard way about her?"
"Harder than working alongside her on a mission until the very end where she suddenly has her weapon in your face trying to make it look like she completed the damn thing single-handedly?!" Aria was yelling now, her voice cracking. She swiped at her eyes, shaking her head and continuing before Lance could get a word in edgewise. "How do you think I felt when I heard you and her talking earlier? What the hell am I supposed to think when you two hooked up together again?"
"Aria!" Lance snapped, "What the ******** wrong with you? I'm done with her. We're NOT together. You think you're the only one who's been burned by her? Don't feel special; we all have," he added bitterly, his expression dark as he watched her. "Is this what it's all about? Her? Is this why you've been avoiding me?"
"I've been b-"
"Bullshit! That's absolute bullshit, Aria." He snatched the folder she gave him earlier off of her desk and waved it at her. "If that were true, you would have consulted me on this s**t. Instead you're off doing it by yourself. You can't do everything alone, Aria! You need help!"
"Why? Because I'm a woman? Because I'm a stupid Mist that can't even do any job right? That I have no focus and copycat every other division? Or that I'm weak and easy, hopelessly lost without anyone to guide me?" She should have felt bad when Lance visibly flinched. She didn't.
"Don't drag that s**t up! It was a long time ago. I've changed, and so have you!"
"But that doesn't change the fact that it happened," Aria replied, her voice dropping. "And because it happened, it can still happen again."
"Aria..." Lance wheeled forward, reaching out to take her hand again. He held himself back as she flinched, dropping it. "Don't be like that. It won't happen again. Just... Damnit, Aria! Why the ******** are you so difficult?!" He slammed his fist against his armrest, looking up at her. She looked away. "You keep pushing people away from you. It doesn't matter who it is: me, other Mists, the trainees. Hell, I don't even know how the ******** you treat your own weapon. You're too caught up in what might happen instead of what is happening. You're sick of being a leader? Keep this s**t up and someone's going to get fed up with it and take care of it for you."
"Is that a threat?" Her voice was low, hand resting now on the pummel of her dagger.
Lance clasped his hands together, his fingers ready to grasp and twist the ring off of his fingers. "I can make it one."
They stared at each other, the tension rising in the air. Lance continued, "Aria, I know you're not very good with other people but this is ******** ridiculous. The least you could have done was, I don't know, ask me about Rochelle instead of making some goddamn assumptions."
Aria tightened her grip on her weapon. "Is it my place to say who you can or can't sleep with, Lance?"
"Aria -"
"What the ******** am I supposed to think?!" She snapped, "You and her, alone in a room? I could hear you clear out in the Lounge. I didn't stick around to find out when you two would yell each other's clothes off. What? Don't look at me like that! It's not the first time you've done it to some lady, and yes, I know." Aria shook her head. "I know about you, and I know about the... what you did. I know how the Suns are. It's not... It's not my place to judge."
"And the Mists? The Mists are that different?"
"Ye- I - I don't know, okay?!" Aria moved, retreating to the safety of her desk. "Lance, just... I thought..." She took a deep breath, resting her head in her hands. "Lance, please. Just... Just go. I want to be alone."
She heard him move closer. "Aria..."
"Lance! Just go! That's an order!" She snapped, her hands tightening in her hair. Her gaze didn't raise from the floor until she heard the door open, hanging there long enough for Lance to give her one last glance before gently closing it behind him.
Aria stayed in that pose, eyes closed as she squeezed and tugged at her hair. her weapon began.
Symphony. Not now. I just... I want to think.
What is there to say? I think I just ******** it up. Aria released her hold on herself, head raised to wipe at her eyes. But... maybe this is for the better.
Without him... I can stand on my own, can't I? I have you. I don't need him.
Aria did not answer immediately. Symphony was right. Aria was unhappy. Hell, she was crying wasn't she? She used her coat sleeve to wipe at her eyes, feeling all the more foolish with every passing moment.
Her weapon soothed, nudging her.
I... I know, Aria bowed her head in acknowledgment before she began to clear a space off of her desk. I think... I think for now I'll take a nap. I don't want to be around him or anyone else for awhile. We... We need to forget about him and become strong again, don't we? Just you and me?
her weapon chided.
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Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 10:16 pm
//Location: Underground Barracks
//Date: 04.29.2012
//Time: 19:48How long has it been since we came here? Lance asked himself as he waited, watching as hunters ambled past him before the way was clear for him to proceed. "Clear" was a relative term; the underground base still had enough hunters to block the corridors from time to time in spite of the heavy losses some of the divisions faced with the latest mission. Here and there were the slumped forms of hunters coping with the loss of friends, and hell, family Lance reckoned, stopping long enough to reach out and squeeze the shoulder of a sun. Some welcomed the touch. Others were startled by it, glancing up at him with haunted eyes before looking back down. Others were hostile, shrugging it off quickly. Lance didn't bother sticking around for those. He would note their faces, struggle in vain to remember their names. When the Insanity was cleared out, he would meet them again afield. It was only fair. After all, he survived and left them to join the Mists. Their friends, lovers, siblings... They did not. He would welcome the challenge of a spar, and they would welcome the opportunity to vent their anger. It was a mutual benefit. But he would pass on the sparring. For now, at least. His wounds still stung from where the Insanity creatures managed to scratch him. The Moon trainee, Marcus, had done a good job acting as his meatshield for the duration of their trip into the labs. It was a pity that the trainee's guard had begun to slip towards the end, but that was nobody's fault but Lance's own. The trainee had put up a good front, disapproving of his methods but going along with it nevertheless. Lance valued that. And he valued the advice the trainee had offered even more. Though considering it was a trainee he received the advice from, there was always a chance of it backfiring. The situation could easily shift and change, creating an even larger rift between them. He didn't want that. He was so close, or at least thought he was close to making progress with her. Before it was easy: find someone, make proposition, shack. Granted the proposition wasn't instant. Lance preferred to wait and actually learn a thing or two about them before making his move. If he was rejected, fine. If not, great. Aria now... He knew from the start that she would take awhile. She was skittish and wary like a wild animal, quiet. Overlooked. It was this quality that caught his attention first. She was the kind that would not be missed. It was difficult to build her trust up slowly, posing as a friend and ally and nothing more. Bit by bit he gained her trust. But then again, when he first met her he thought she was a Moon. His original plans were waylaid when she revealed herself as a Mist, and there was only one Mist that came to mind that she could be: division leader. That opened new doors. Having a division leader in his pocket eating out of his hand would allow for many things, and would be far useful to him than just a Moon. There were files she had access to that he didn't, supplies and information. He could use her to his advantage and keep himself in the clear. And yet that didn't happen. At some point those gestures became genuine, the offers to share his tent on the extended missions more hopeful than a charitable act. He wanted her. It wasn't until after his accident that he realized how much of a need she left in him. And how much guilt. She didn't have to wait at his bedside for him to pull through his coma. She didn't have to be there. She didn't have to give him a second chance. Hell, he wouldn't have if he were in her position, knowing what she knew about him. He owed her. There was a simple truth in that which drove him forward, searching. The underground bunker wasn't too large, and there weren't many places she could be hiding. It didn't matter that she was avoiding him. Lance would find her. Even if it meant embarrassing her in front of the other hunters -- he stopped, checked himself. No, embarrassing her would do more harm than good. He would try very hard not to embarrass her, but it wouldn't be his fault if they had another shouting match. Lance found her in the barracks. She had chosen a bunk at random. He knew she would have preferred one out of the way, close to the wall. But of course those would be taken; why wouldn't they be? She was asleep, and by the shifting of her body and the expression on her face it wasn't a pleasant dream. There were rumors of nightmares going around. Lance wasn't surprised. The trainees, Sun and Moon teams had seen enough s**t to last them a lifetime as far as he was concerned with their latest mission. He wheeled his way to her bedside and simply sat there next to her, studying her features. As much as he would like to, now was not an ideal time for a conversation. That would have to wait until another time; he would have to be patient. He moved to leave, pausing when something caught his eye. Aria's wrist was pale, bare. He reached over to her sleeve and carefully tugged it back, frowning. Aria never left her wrists bare. A glance at her other hand revealed that she had her glove on. So what had happened? He frowned as he turned his attention back to her bare wrist, noticing the fresh cut still healing. Ah. Mystery solved. Lance reached up and began to untwine his scarf from around his neck. He didn't have much to remove. Since gaining his wheelchair (now with one wheel he suspected was out of alignment; he would need to catch Clarice before she left to either fix it or recommend another runic technician to repair it. He was, at heart, a Sun hunter -- she should have expected him to break it sooner or later) he had long since shortened his scarf after learning the hard way how painful it was to catch it in the wheels. The former Sun reached over and slowly picked up her wrist, careful not to wake her. The delicate, scarred limb was then wrapped until her marks of shame were hidden, the ends of the scarf tied securely. Only then would he give her one last look before turning, leaving her. It would do him no good to be by her side when she woke up. After all, she was doing a damn fine job of avoiding him. It took him several days to finally corner her, and that was only because she was asleep.
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Posted: Thu May 24, 2012 2:31 pm
//Location: Outside the Main Building
//Date: 05.07.2012
//Time: 13:16Oh. My. God. Why. Whyyyy. Symphony chuckled, her amusement heavily evident. Aria took a slow breath and held it, letting it out slowly. Yeah. She didn't let herself think on the events too much. There were things she didn't want to face. Not yet. Besides, she had more pressing matters to attend to. Aria reached up and removed the headband that was on her head, turning it in her hands. This isn't the same one that's in my room.Of course, Aria paused, glancing at Allan. Was he seriously giving her puppy-dog eyes?! He was. Aria tucked her hair behind her ears and replaced the kitty ears, earning a bright beaming smile from him. Think we can still escape?"Lookin' good, Aria-chan," Lance drawled lazily, rolling up next to her and affectionately slapping her rear. Aria returned the gesture by swatting his face, earning a laugh and mock-surrender from him as he held his hands up. It seemed as if not even he escaped Allan's grasp. The lancer had a pair of bright orange cat ears on his head. But whereas Aria was ambushed by Allan, she suspected Lance put his on willingly. She couldn't help but to wonder if he was offered a pair of the dog-styled ones first. He motioned for her to follow him, moving until they were in front of the building. Lance summoned his weapon, the tip of it resting in front of the door to prevent entry. Neither of them spoke as Allan adamantly typed out his message to the trainees, summoning them to the main building. The silence was only broken by the soft jingling of the bell on Aria's headband as she shifted her weight from foot to foot, nervously crushing her hair out of her face and away from her eyes. By the time Lance finished passing out walkie-talkies to the trainees as they passed him, Aria was gone.
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Posted: Thu May 24, 2012 3:07 pm
//Location: Outside the Main Building
//Date: 05.07.2012
//Time: 14:09 "You and I need to talk." His voice was low and cut through the static and crackle of the walkie-talkie. Aria held her flamethower in one hand, the communication device in her other hand and towards her ear. "This is a private channel. No one else can hear us. It's as alone as we're going to get."Aria fired off a short burst of flame into a shadowling, pushing it back. "Lance, I don't think this is exactly the best time, nyan." A low chuckle rolled out from the headset as Aria swept her flamethrower up, reducing another shadowling to ashes. "There's never a good time. You've been working yourself to the bone, keeping busy. The only time I can catch you is when you're asleep, and you need your sleep."His voice took on a more thoughtful tone, "Besides, I never knew you were into role-playing, Aria-chan.""L-Lance! What are you insisting, nyan?!" Aria sputtered, nearly dropping her walkie-talkie as she held down her weapon's trigger. "You're enjoying yourself, nyan~~""I-I am not! This is ridiculous, nyaaaa!" Aria could feel the heat light up her face, and no amount of hand-waving would cool it down. Hearing his laughter over the radio didn't help either. " I'm still mad at you too, nyan!" She yelled at it. The laughter only increased before his voice took on a rumbling purr that Aria had to hold close to her ear to catch. "My, my. Your cute little cat noises make me wonder what others noises I can get you to make."The walkie talkie was nearly flung from her hand. "LANCE! Not over the radio, nyaaa!"
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Marushii rolled 10 10-sided dice:
2, 7, 4, 5, 10, 1, 7, 9, 1, 9
Total: 55 (10-100)
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Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 5:16 pm
//Location: Deus Ex Main HQ
//Date: July Invasion
//Time: ???
//Continued from: HereQuote: You see it coming almost painfully slow, the white fragments of crystal that burst from the ground. Some around you are consumed instantly, frozen in the solid structure while others are ripped from your very hands. You try to fight it, outrun it. You are only fooling yourself. FENDING OFF CRYSTALS- The crystal fragments steadily grow outwards, taking up all space. There is nowhere else to go. REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU ARE THIS HAPPENS TO YOU. RESPOND ACCORDINGLY. You are free to interact with anyone in your zone until you are consumed. - If you are in a PVP, this happens IN YOUR PVP. If you are in an open thread, this happens IN YOUR THREAD. Hp is carried over - Roll 1 d100 IN THIS THREAD and match your results to the results below. You continue to roll until you are out of HP, and then are pretty much consumed by the fragments at 10 HP (ALL PLAYERS). If you have less than 10 HP then you are automatically consumed without rolling and can proceed to your DEATH SOLO. At that point you can write your DEATH SOLO, whatever moments of lingering regrets you may have. Just post it in this thread/ pvp thread if you didn't conclude that one, no need to make a new thread. 1- 20: As you shatter a few fragments, you find others growing at your feet. They don't just hurt, they tug at your Fear and for a second you feel everything turns black.- 10 HP 21 - 40: You hear a crackling noise - the crystals are growing above you, breaking off and threatening to impale you. - 10 HP 41 - 60: The fragments begin to shake as they snake up, wind upwards and grow, and for a second, the white around you seems different. For a second you see something else. A figure perhaps, the noises of battle - anger - you almost lose yourself to this feeling - 10 HP 61 - 80: Ouch! You wince as a fragment cuts you, and then stare at your wound in surprise as your blood begins to crystalize as well into fragments, growing out of your wound. This doesn't look good at all. - 10 HP 81 - 100: You feel tired. Maybe it is just time to give in.... You hear something calling about revenge. So that's what the the voices had meant... - 10 HP
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Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 2:30 am
//Location: Deus Ex Training Grounds
//Date: August ???
//Time: 13.04
She could picture them clearly, even now months after. They began at her feet. Small, pinpricks of white crystal that glimmered before shooting up quickly. Symphony's flame was enough to chill them, gracing each crystal with a layer of frost before a heeled kick shattered them. Again and again she was forced to jump back, flamethrower pointed towards the ground. Each strike she made against the crystals made the footing worse and worse. It wasn't enough that the shattered crystals were underfoot: she had to contend with her own ice as well.
But that wasn't enough. The crystals continued to surge from the ground, surge forth from her wounds. Her foot became trapped, encased in the white crystal. She remembered swearing and turning to use her flamethrower against it, biting back another curse as her leg became chilled.
There wasn't enough time to worry about that. She could recall how pale her assistant looked, how lifeless he was slumped in his chair. A cold knot grew in her stomach as the crystals seemed to cling to him, entombing him. She remembered reaching out towards him as the crystals spread, battering against her Fear shield.
Her thoughts were interrupted, shattering faster than the crystals as Aria brought the shaft of her training weapon up crosswise, blocking the blow. A shift to vertical parried another strike, the assault driving her back one, two, three steps. Her foot slipped, the hunter's guard dropping as she struggled to regain her balance.
Something snatched at her, squeezing a wince from the division leader as she was hauled forward from the edge of the platform. Aria stumbled forward, crashing into her sparring partner. She stood there, head resting against their shoulder as she concentrated on breathing.
"You're getting careless again."
"I know." Aria raised her gaze, staring into the sharp blue gaze of her partner. "I have no excuse."
Her partner gave a sharp nod, stepping back. "Good. I do not expect you to say differently. Guard up. Focus."
Aria positioned herself on the raised platform, training weapon held at the ready. No runics today; these weapons resembled nothing more than giant cotton swaps, both ends coated in a tell-tale blue-or-red powder that directly marked when and where someone was hit with one. It was a rather silly practice, one that left more to be desired when trainees found out the hard way that the powder actually stained their coats when washed.
Even if Aria wished to train with a runic weapon she would have been denied, runic leader or not. Not that she would. Her partner was more liable to take off her limb with a successful hit. It was easier to wear her shame than to bleed it out, after all.
There was no warning, no agreed upon time to start. Aria faced her opponent in one moment, her staff becoming a whirl of movement as they exchanged blows. Parry, parry, thrust, block, hit. Each strike was a test of skill, both with hands and feet. The platform they sparred on shifted and rolled beneath their feet along with their movements, forcing them to pay attention to both their opponent and where they stood. This was how Aria preferred to train. Her partner also would accept nothing less.
Finally they disengaged, Aria soaked with sweat and panting while her partner watched her warily. With a slight nod Aria straightened up and breathed a sigh of relief, hopping off the raised platform and walking towards the seated area. She ignored the other hunters as she dropped the weapon she was using across the seats next to her, dropping into one following.
A nudge at her arm brought her gaze up to her partner before her eyes dropped to the offered water bottle. "Your thoughts are still elsewhere." A fact, not an accusation.
Aria took the water bottle, giving a shrug before twisting it open and drinking. "They are. Is it that easy to see?"
"By your coat, yes." Her partner scowled, grasping the edge of Aria's coat and flipping it over to reveal the patch of blue. "You are slow. This would have cut your coat, maybe your leg if you were slower." The coat was dropped, a glance to the side thrown. "I do not think I need to guess where your thoughts lie."
A shrug. A glance down at the ground, the grip tightening on the bottle. "I looked them up while waiting for you. I am uneasy about what I had to do for you, considering."
An equal shrug was returned. "Second verse, same as the first. They take their time with division leaders, unlike the trainees. Trainees are in and out. Your's? Hm. I suspect they are... intrigued, considering." A pause, lips pressed into a line. "You are avoiding it."
"Guilty." Aria finished the bottle, replacing the lid before setting it at her feet. "I just... Am I more concerned about the thought? The idea of it. It's like -" she held her hand up, making a vague gesture before dropping it. "There's more to it, isn't there? And yet -"
"And yet you're doing nothing but running in circles," her partner finished, cutting Aria off. "You're doing yourself no good by doing that. Rise. Let us enjoy our time together while we can. We cannot spar like this as we are, Aria."
Aria accepted the offered hand, rising to her feet and grabbing her own weapon. "No, we can't Symphony. Let's keep training and," the division leader gave her a quick grin, "Maybe with luck you'll give me something more to think about."
"How much you'll hurt after we're done?" The golem-weapon grinned, twirling her own staff. "Oh, yes. I intend to run you ragged. If I cannot keep your focus with you, then I shall ensure that you're too busy to think of anything else."
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