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 Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 7:28 am
In between long stretches of work in the labs, research and trainee duties alike, Sasha found herself near the exact spot on the beach she'd first seen - really seen - Wash on that moonlit night. It was a spot of comfort for the Intermediate, a place where she felt close to him while not being near him. It was there that she would play her flute for an hour or so before heading back into the labs. A release of sorts, a way to set her head right without feeling as if she was forced to play for anyone. She played for herself, just as she had when she was a child, and it was exhilarating. There was still that dark surge of something that she boxed up and tucked away, safe and sound where it couldn't run loose like a wild, ravenous beast... no matter how much she wished that she could set it free. It was for the best, at any rate, to keep going in the direction she was headed in - mentally, physically - because to backstep, to lose traction... it wasn't something she could afford to think about. Having spent an hour on the beach with her flute, Sasha was making her way back to the labs with the intstrument's case tucked beneath her arm. There was a soft hum on her breath and an easy smile that glittered in her eyes. A quick stop at the cafeteria for lunch and she'd head back to the labs for a few more hours of work.
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Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 3:58 pm
It was becoming quickly apparent: if you knew where to look, there were good places to fit a small body in for secretive, if usually uncomfortable reading. As a trainee she benefited from being ignored and suffered from being at the bottom of the totem pole - some days she could get by without being bothered at all, other days she was errand girl. Coffee this. Deliver that. Non-classified and harmless really, but when you were a busy-busy intermediate or full fledge Hunter and a hapless little chick looked prime for page duty, well . . . "Training", they say.
Today Stormy happened to have a "day off" as it was, a thick green cover book with gilded pages under her arm as she shuffled out from her room. There were still small bags under her eyes form her insomniatic stint after that crown business, but she had been getting better. Sort of. Reading helped take her mind off anything that stressed her at least. She was thinking to pass by the cafeteria a bit to grab some fruit when she saw the older Hunter cross the path ahead.
Oh. Oh hey! oAo!
"Miss Sasha?" she called softly, picking up the pace to catch up to her. "Miss Sasha! Oye~!"
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Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 8:12 pm
Sasha almost didn't hear the soft voice that called out to her - almost. Soft as it was, the greeting very nearly startled her, and Sasha paused to turn a curious blue glance over her shoulder. Her lips parted in a huge smile when she caught sight of Stormy, the scar over her lip lending a crooked appearance to her grin. These smiles didn't come easy to Sasha, but there could be little doubt as to the genuine happiness that brightened her face and caused her to completely turn to face the Mist trainee. "Stormy! I haven't seen you in such a long time. How've you been?" She didn't make any move to open her arms in an inviting, friendly embrace, but she looked eager to catch up - and intrigued by the green tome that the other trainee clasped in her hand.
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Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 11:36 pm
Quickly, which was funny given how she'd let her feet drag not five seconds before, the trainee caught up, perked and bright-eyed rather than slouched and sleepy to see the first older Hunter she had really cling to wasn't dead or prodded or MIA or something awful, which she was starting to notice was something of a running theme at Deus. Even remembering how to-the-point Sasha had been in that first mission (and how that had been particularly intimidating, though helpful), in this instance Stormy didn't feel too timid to approach and offered an uncommonly eager smile in return; those thigs were infectious after all.
"I think I've been okay. I accidentally died again," she reported dutifully with a nod, "but it was in a dream and wasn't really me, so I don't think it counts." Except for the nightmares of course. "Oh, and I've been training more so I don't do dumb things on the battlefield! And I'm trying to actually, like, socialize, which is kinda harder than it looks 'cuz I think some lab techs won't see me, they just, like, see the me that was a total pincushion chick at super Jenga..." She was like a child telling her mother about her day at school, babbling and babbling in her relief to see her well.
"Oh, sorrysorrysorry, what about you, Miss Sasha?" Stormy interrupted herself, clasping the book a little tighter as its weight kept trying to slide out; her coat's fabric wasn't the type to keep it held without sliding. She glanced at the instrument case the older Hunter held with curiosity in turn. "Been super busy and all, right? Were you getting some food too?"
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Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 7:18 pm
Accidentally dying was a terrible habit to have, but it was one that most of the hunters on Deus became well-acquainted with. Sasha certainly had - at least, she'd come close more times than she'd care to admit. "Well," Sasha chuckled softly when she was able to get a word in, "at least it was a dream. I'm glad you've been training, and I'd be more than happy to train with you if you're up for half a challenge." Her smile grew broader as she took a moment to make a bit of physical contact with the trainee, looping her slender arm through Stormy's as they continued walking towards the cafeteria. "I haven't been up to much of anything, really. Trying to put as many hours in to my specialization proposal as I can. And yes, I was just on my way to grab a bite to eat. Would you like to join me, mm? We can continue catching up. I've been spending too much time by myself lately, and your conversation would be most welcome." She didn't wait for the other woman to answer before she continued with a short laugh. "And Jenga. Yes, it.. is not the easiest training course. I should run them more often. Have you done an external mission yet?"
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Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 9:12 pm
Had she been more boisterous in nature, the simple touch might have made her explode with senpai feels before melting into the ground for the rest of the day. "Well to be fair, it was a dream that was sorta real too," Stormy corrected herself, choosing instead to clutch at Sasha's arm as they walked in a happy, if needy fashion. "Some sort of mission for Arthurian stuff? It's not really been explained to me . . ." She posed a hopeful look to the older hunter for some more context but didn't outwardly push.
The idea of receiving tips in training was enough to make the trainee's sleepy eyes sparkle. Intensely. emotion_kirakira That too wasn't given an outward push, for surely her expression said it all: yesyesyesyesyesyesplz.
< < Stop that. You needn't act more helpless than you already are, > > Thane commented with a long-suffering mental look that went ignored as they entered the cafeteria.
"I wanted a bite to eat too! Let's talk over lunch like they do in high school but without the cliquey things and with hopefully better food and less drama stuff and no jocks or food fights but yeah!" Stormy shuffled along with her with a brighter smile, pushing her book up more into the crook of her elbow rather than beneath so it wouldn't fall. "I did go on a mission already. Two, actually! Both times I guess the monster gas thing, like, really likes girls or something, 'cause I swear I kept triggering it, like, minutes into the missions . . . Like seriously I took three steps into the abandoned park one a-and it was like boom right there . . . But I went with Wilson and Dakota on one and Patches - um, the chick with red hair and an eyepatch - and Sherry." No, she still hadn't learned Ofelia's name.
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Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 3:41 pm
Sasha didn't bother to fight the rusty chuckle that rumbled past her lips, mouth parting in a larger smile. It was hard to follow the younger trainee at times - she did love to talk - but it was endearing and Sasha enjoyed Stormy's company. It was refreshing, to say the least. "I didn't visit high school," Sasha said softly as they made their way to the displays of food. Sasha didn't take much. An apple, an orange. This was juggled with a chipped mug of hot water, and she paused as she waited for Stormy to gather her own food. "Patches? -- oh, you mean Ofie. Ahh, she's nice enough - and she can bake like nobody else I've ever met." Sasha cleared her throat. "I saw that there were more external missions available. We should do one sometime. My first very horrible experience here was on an external mission. We very nearly didn't make it out." Her face pinched slightly as she realized that this probably wasn't the best topic to have over a meal. Sasha shifted on her feet as she waited for Stormy.
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Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 8:00 pm
"Oh." Foot in mouth there. "Sorry. You didn't miss much, not really . . . I didn't get to finish either." She ducked her head a bit with the ease of one who was used to bowing and deferring to others and went about filling her tray with a golden apple (whose sweetness she favored), several kiwi slices, and some orange wedges. One day she'd remember to use her human world break to get mangoes and papayas and make awesome fruit smoothies and just all the good stuff. A mediocre fighter, but a purveyor of delicious food!
Oh, so that's what her name was. But Ofie sounded too much like "Oafie", and while she remembered the hunter had tripped up in battle once because of her sandals breaking, she didn't want to connotate that clumsiness to her name. Besides, Patches was easier to remember! All monikers she deemed were to her. Well, at least until she figured out which Disney character to put in its place . . . Sasha's would be harder to pin down, but Stormy was determined! she chirped, hefting her tray in a gesture asking where they should sit. "Brownies were delicious~ She calls me Pennies now, but I don't know why . . ."
< < Because you are merely copper. Third place, third rate. > >
She paused, surprised the dracolich had gleaned that sort of random human knowledge when he normally didn't give a lick about most human customs. His words chilled her a bit, but she swallowed it down. Thane was wont to throw out little nitpicking comments like this, so surely she'd get used to them.
"A-Are there? I'll go if you go, Miss Sasha," Stormy agreed with a bob of her head. "I've been training, so maybe I won't suck so bad this time . . ." She trailed away when the older hunter mentioned almost dying, finding it comforting rather than frightening to hear. "Can I ask what happened?" She remembered how collected Sasha had been on that first mission with the horsemen and students, so maybe . . . Maybe she could become just as cool.
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Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 9:11 am
Ol-j-man Q_____Q okay so ilu sorry for taking so long Sasha lifted a slender shoulder in a slight shrug, her gaze cutting towards a nearby table that she beelined for. There was a split second where her eyes lingered for just a moment on a far wall - and for the briefest tick of time a smile flickered across her lips. It was not a pretty smile, and it was immediately tamped down. Now was not the time for that. "Pennies?" Sasha took a seat so that her back was facing the wall she'd previously glanced at. "An odd nickname to be given." Waving a hand in response to Stormy's self-depreciating comment about sucking, Sasha merely said, "You won't get better if you have nothing to improve on - there's nothing wrong with.. with sucking." The word felt odd on her tongue, and Sasha gave a brief smile. "Famine happened. We were attacked, and it was very ugly. It taught me to value my friendships - the important ones - and to be very, very wary on missions." She thought of Clerise for a brief second. It'd been too long since they'd talked. Sasha cleared her throat and prepared her tea before deftly peeling her orange. "I was lucky, for the most part. Rep was badly wounded, and Clerise. We were foolish and headstrong, I think - instead of backing down as we should have, instead of calling for help sooner.. well." The tip of her tongue touched against the scar that marked her upper lip. "We didn't."
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Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 8:50 pm
Missing the odd smile entirely, the trainee hummed softly to herself as she trailed after Sasha. "I don't mind it," she chirped. "I like nicknames; it's a sign someone likes you, right? I'm no good at making friends, so that's why I nickname everyone . . ." Speaking of, she paused and looked to the older hunter as if waiting for something, blinked, then let it go. Soon enough it would come to her.
Nothing wrong with sucking, huh? Good thing she was good at sucking then~
. . . Oh wow, she beat Thane to that thought. Something was wrong here. Stormy tossed up a little smile of her own even though it had a tacked on quality.
She quickly lost it and smoothed back into a curious look as Sasha began her tail, eyes and ears open as her imagination took a tour. "Famine . . . That's the herd with all the dead and boney looking ones with the fabrics?" Horsemen were in herds, right? Or - "WaitnoImeanClan. Famine Clan. Sorry." She fiddled her fork on the fruit slices, her book and journal nestled against her at the table. "They showed us pictures in orientation. I haven't really fought them yet, just, um . . . the Chinese onesss . . . Oh! Conquest. Yeah, Conquest." Wait that was derailing wasn't it. She turned apologetic and made a gesture for her to keep going.pinchmonster oh god so am i sldfkjlakjkljs ilu2 ;u;
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Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 8:05 pm
"Oh, come now. I can't believe you're not good at making friends, Stormy. It seems like it might come rather easily for you." Sasha gave a strained smile. "It's not easy for me to make friends. I have a very small circle of people I trust, and I don't talk to many of them." She narrowed her eyes at the younger trainee, head tilting to the side as she mentally questioned that odd little smile. "Yes, the bony ones. I've come up against all sorts, but Famine will always hold a special place in my heart, I guess you could say." She paused in order to take a bite of her orange, chewing the juicy fruit slowly. After swallowing, Sasha took a sip of tea before continuing on. "Clerise was badly wounded, like I said. Rep, as well - the beast had her talons around my neck. I thought for certain I'd be dead - but we made it out. Help came." Sasha shook her head. "Never be afraid to hold tight to your survival instinct. Our superiors are very, very powerful hunters."
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Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 9:29 am
"Oh . . . Well, how about this? We're hanging out, right? So we're making friends together," she observed with a most sagacious nod. "And sometimes, if you're really good pals, you don't have to talk at all. I've read if you do it right, sometimes just being around each other is good~" Stormy had only ever felt as much around pets, but that at least meant there was a capacity for it to move to humans, right?
She continued to nibble away at her fruit pieces as Sasha continued, wondering if that was sarcasm being thrown about Famine . . . A lot about the life hunter seemed strained, from the smiles to the recounting tale. Was there a way to help her relax? Hmmmm. "I'm glad you guys got out okay. Otherwise I probably would have died on that last mission without your help," Stormy commented mildly. "The leaders are pretty powerful, yeah. I saw, uh . . . the Sun one? Started with an Aaaaah . . . Anyway, I saw him go into a death trap and then come back for Christmas with snow and presents." She smiled a little at the memory of Joy. "But I also think people like you are pretty strong too, Miss Sasha. You went at that drag - dracolich like it was nothing, so that's survival instinct, right? I want mine to be as strong."
She paused, debated adding something, forked her food around a bit, then moved on. "Can I ask whom you've bonded with? I think this partnership stuff is super neat, 'specially when you hear things like someone literally talking with a ghost or having this huge creature rest inside their head!"
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Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 11:55 am
"Allan," Sasha huffed out a soft laugh under her breath, shaking her head. It was probably pretty obvious that she didn't hold the man in high esteem - but it wasn't something that she would talk about freely. "And I appreciate the compliment, Stormy," Sasha took a sip of her tea, watching the brunette over the cusp of her teacup. "I've got Nona. She is an alkonost. Our relationship got off to a rocky start, to be frank - she was far more outgoing than I could handle, at the time - but we've come to a sort of understanding about what is acceptable and what isn't." Sasha lifted a brow, her expression pure curiosity. "Tell me of your bonded?"
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Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 12:14 pm
Allen, there we go! She really ought to try learning these names better. Wiggling a bit under the compliment's compliment, Stormy leaned in with unabashed interest. "I haven't heard of those before . . . Alkonoooost. Aaaaalkonost." What a curious word! "It's funny. Nona is what I called my grandmother," she commented with a fond look, picking up the golden apple from her plate to bite into. "Mi nona Violetta."
She had to stop herself from reminiscing and took another large bite out of the apple, laying her other hand on the table so that Sasha could see the silver serpentine ring. "Thane's a dracolich. He's been kind to me," she lied. As much as it soothed her that Sasha had once had troubles with her partner, she didn't want to bother the woman with her annoying issues, especially not at their first sit down. "I sat in the weapons room for a long time before he found me. I'd been starting to think the recruiter made a mistake," she mumbled into the skin of her fruit, apparently made to be a joke. "And then I started hearing this rumbling like the wildebeest from The Lion King were about to come get me; turns out it was him yawning!"
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