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 Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2015 3:45 am
 When: Sometime after Bloodfest Where: Kursha's hive on Busthind Mountain
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Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2015 4:35 am
Up near the peaks of Busthind the winds were howling, a lonely sound in the desolate landscape. The night sky was streaked with bands of clouds that unleashed gentle snow flurries to the world below. The snowflakes danced through the air on the winds, seemingly weightless until at last they faded out of sight and died on the rocks below. The warmer weather of the dim season had diminished some of Busthind's snowbanks. The peaks however were as white and unforgiving as ever, and even at these lower altitudes, much of the mountain's surface was spotted with frost and ice. Perched on a rocky mound, with its back facing a steep cliff was a dilapidated fort. Parts of the battlements had collapsed, and the left door of the main gate had been bashed in. In several places of the outside wall, the stonework had chipped or fallen away. Despite its run-down appearance, the structure was sound and it was inhabitable. Inhabited even. Green banners waved from its battlements, and rectangles of cloth covered the windows. Occasionally faint glow of light appeared behind the cloths. On the rockier slopes leading up to the fort, the mountainside was unguarded. The ice and the treacherous terrain were its only defences. Out on the flats, the ground was sparsely littered with bear-traps. With the snow melted, and their teeth rusted and exposed, most were harmless; A couple still looked new enough to bite though. Curiously, in areas where there was a thick layer of topsoil, no traps were present. Not on the surface at least.
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Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2015 1:18 am
For the last couple of nights, Byakko had been staying at her childhood hive near the summit of Busthind. Her encounter with Regina had been a wake up call on multiple levels; after being forced to retreat to her abandoned hive, Akko realized she had left it deserted out of some sort of incapacity to face her own feelings over Trolldad's death. It had been easier to just throw herself into the Initiative full force, leaving her neglected hive sealed away under a thick layer of dust and snow along with any notion of dealing with her personal issues. It hadn't been the wisest choice, a matured Byakko could see that with more clarity now. Shelter was shelter, and after all, she hadn't know a safer place than her remote hive. She wasn't planning on actually living there, but Byakko was all about preparedness.
She had spent most of her time tediously wiping away the sweeps of dust and debris, restocking and organizing the supplies she had lugged up the mountain. Byakko was especially careful to mind the expiration dates stamped on the packs of sopor slime patches. Along with the dried portions of food and medical supplies, Akko had brought along some of the files she had managed to retrieve from the crumbling base of the Phoenix Initiative. She had figured they'd be safe there for now, at least.
Deciding to take a short break from her restorations, Akko flopped onto a pile of blankets balled up into a makeshift chair. Popping open one of the folders to take a peek at some of the papers she had brought along, she chewed thoughtfully on a piece of unidentifiable dried meat as she flipped through pages of addresses. Coordinates of those who had answered the rebellion's letters. As her visionglobes trailed down the list of names, they lingered on one in particular. Kursha Vidari. It seemed like her old team mate lived only a few hours away, a short hike given how desolate the mountainside was. Byakko still didn't quite know what to make of the greenblood on a personal level. Sure, he was... difficult, but he had proven himself more than reliable during the rebel's investigation and the successive ********. It wasn't like her to reach out and make social calls, but Byakko figured she didn't have much else left to do on the mountain and deemed paying Kursha a visit worthwhile.
Besides, she still had to ask him what the hell he was talking to Regina about during Bloodfest.
Akko set out shortly after midnight, hiking through the icy slopes with relative ease. The snowbanks offered little in terms of scenery, so as a crumbling fort broke into view there was little question in her thinkpan who took up residence there. The flashes of olive only confirmed that it was indeed Kursha's hive. The mutant took a moment to squat down to survey his lawnring and the pathway leading up to the fort, shifting the weight of her kanabo wrapped across her shoulders. Of course he had to make this difficult, too. Making her way towards Kursha's hive she stepped gingerly around the scattered bear-traps, thinking to herself that it was probably best to avoid the areas with suspiciously fresh soil. Thank gog there wasn't a layer of snow covering everything.
As she neared the fort, Byakko took a sharp turn away from the main gate and instead crept towards one of the windows with a semi-drawn curtain. Kursha's lawnring didn't exactly scream 'welcome unannounced friends', and she barely knew the guy anyway- clearly the better alternative to knocking on his front door was to peep into his windows. She just wanted to get a feel for the situation, honest.
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Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2015 4:30 am
The window looked in on a dark corridor that ran along the front of the hive, from the tower in the corner, to the gatehouse. While there was no thick layer of dust, no cobwebs hiding in the corners, the hallway appeared to be neglected, if only by how empty it was. The walls, a repeating pattern of stone brick, were unadorned. The floor and ceiling were a similar affair. On the left end of the hall, where the passage turned a corner, was a narrow, spiral staircase, no doubt leading up to the battlements. On the right, it stopped at a thick oak door. Probably the gatehouse. A draft ran through from one side of the hall to the other. The fabric hanging over the open windows did nothing to keep out the cold. “Yoooo!” A distant voice called suddenly. It came from up above. A lanky figure leaned out from the top of the tower battlements. “If you're lost, the front gate's that way.” They gestured. “Be there in just a sec!” With that, the figure withdrew, disappearing behind the stone teeth. It was a little over a minute before Kursha poked his head out from behind the gate. When he found Byakko, he grinned and stepped out to meet her. His rifle was strapped across his back. “Hey L... Akko!” he exclaimed, chipper and out of breath. He had sprinted the whole way down, taking two steps at a time. “You're lucky those nubby horns of yours are so distinctive. I almost took a shot at you, thinking you were a raider.”That was bullshit. With his eyes, he could identify her the moment she passed over the hill. He had wondered what she was about though, and had held off on greeting her. Not to mention it was amusing to watch anyone way pick their through the traps. He was only mildly disappointed when she avoided the mines in favour of the steel traps and made it through without incident. His curiosity was piqued however when she peered through his windows instead of seeking entrance. Interesting. She thought he was worth spying on. “So, to what do I owe this honour?” he asked, crossing his arms and leaning against the door. He seemed unfazed by the cold. “Got more trash to be taken out, or is this a more personal visit?”
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Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2015 9:23 pm
Byakko had been peering into the window, hands cupped around her visionglobes and pressed against the glass, focusing them on the empty hallway when Kursha called out to her. The mutantblood flinched, whipping her head up to look in the direction of the voice. She went a few shades paler. Grimacing to herself, Akko sulked over to the main gate, sheepishly scratching at the back of her neck once Kursha darted out of view. That was embarrassing. It was an occasional habit of hers to 'monitor' the members of the Initiative, especially when she had to deliver those damned summons letters anyway, but this was the first time she had actually gotten caught in the act. Awkward. She banished the scowl from her face as Kursha reappeared, melting her expression into the characteristic flat stare she usually wore. Akko's lips twitched ever so subtly with irritation as he started to call her 'Legs', but kept her composure. Smart a**."Greetings." Byakko rose a hand to stiffly wave at him, eyeing the rifle before dropping her arm back to her side. So he had been watching her this whole time? Dammit. She narrowed her eyes up at Kursha as he mentioned trash, remaining otherwise motionless. "Wouldn't exactly call it a personal visit. I don't have a job for you, if that's what you're asking. Happened to be in the area," she shrugged loosely, lying with ease. "I'm simply checking up on the status of our members." Usually Akko would cut right to the chase- but this time it seemed wise to exchange empty pleasantries before shaking him down for details about his interaction with Regina. "How... are you?" She had been convincing beforehand, but the last few words seemed forced. Byakko wasn't overly fond of this whole socializing thing.
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 12:37 am
Byakko was as terse and tight-lipped as always. Despite her stony countenance however, she seemed a little uncomfortable. Whether that was because of the cold or because he had caught her spying remained to be seen. Either way, it was adorable. Kursha shrugged. “Not bad. Just killin' time and gettin' in some target practise. You know. ” He gave a conspiratorial wink. Whatever that meant. He continued, “Hey though! We should talk inside. Besides, I wanna show you my hive. Unless you like freezing your shame globes off out here while spying on your comrades. Come on!” With enthusiasm that was irrepressible, he grabbed Byakko's hand and towed her inside. Passing the gatehouse, they passed through a desolate courtyard. Maybe once it had been cultivated, but now it was nothing more than rocks and dead grass, and a few hardy mountain shrubs. Kursha guided Byakko through quickly, moving towards the keep. “So, how about yourself?” he asked. “Were you checking in on the you-know-what or something else?”
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Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2015 1:20 am
Akko nodded vacantly, but politely, at Kursha's prater. No, she didn't know. She hadn't the faintest of ideas what someone like Kursha would to do 'kill time', and Byakko wasn't entirely positive she wanted to find out. "Sure, if you'd like. B-but I wasn't-" Beginning to protest his accusation, despite him being completely and totally on point about the spying, Akko froze mid-sentence when Kursha reached for her. WHAT. His fingers wrapped around her hand, her eyes widened. WHAT. WHAT. Alarms began to screech in her think pan. Although Byakko's mouth was already firmly shut and pressed into a stern line, a muffled, but audible click of her teeth was heard as she snapped her jaw shut. Personal bubble thoroughly popped. Continuing to clench her jaw, she allowed Kursha to lead her through his hive, still internally screaming over the greenblood's audaciousness. Byakko didn't want to risk offending him, given Kursha was one of the few rebels left, and so she limply shuffled behind him. "We have a safehouse nearby, closer to the town. I was just doing a routine check up." Breaking her sulk to respond with another lie, Byakko glanced around at the courtyard with half interest. Well, it was true enough the rebels had a safehouse on Busthind, and it seemed more believable than her making the trek all the way from the new brooding caverns. "Aside from that, nothing out of the normal to report. Just a whole lot of reorganizing." That much was also true- the old rebel base was a hot ******** mess. Glancing sideways at Kursha, Akko pressed on nonchalantly. "Well, I did stop briefly and go to Bloodfest this year. Not the whole thing, but y'know." She shrugged and watched carefully for his reaction, although she never found herself quite able to read him anyway. "Did you?"
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Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2015 7:27 pm
Either Kursha had not noticed how quickly Byakko had clammed up or he did not care; he kept a firm grip on her hand the entire length of the courtyard. When she mentioned the safehouse, he nodded. He had suspected the Phoenix Initiative of having several hideaways scattered across Alternia. There was no way for the movement to survive with only one. It limited information to one locale and if their base was compromised (as it had been) they had no where left to go. Still, he was curious how many others were nestled away and where Byakko placed her personal headquarters. Though the maze-like tunnels were a fair enough safeguard against intruders, the rebel leader's secretive nature lent Kursha the idea that her main base of operations was elsewhere. There was no way she wanted anyone accidentally wandering into her lair. His train of thought was cut off as Byakko's voice paused on a question. Kursha mentally replayed her words. Then his grin widened. “Yeah, of course! Wouldn't miss it for anything! Except for maybe a good fight of course. Actually though...” He glanced back at her out of the corner of his eye. His expression had turned impish and he had work hard to keep from bursting with excitement. “That reminds me of something. C'mon, c'mon!”Releasing her hand, he dashed to the end of the courtyard, where the enormous double doors stood as entrance to the keep. With some effort, he pushed open the right most and beckoned Byakko inside. Once she had entered, he pushed it closed again. A hollow thud reverberated through the walls. “You've got a grip like a dead fish, by the way,” he remarked as he turned back to her. That answered that question. “Anyway, I'll be right back!” Without any further explanation, he darted off into the left hall. The room he had left Byakko was tremendous. With high peaked ceilings,bannered walls, and a carpet that ran from the door to the distant wall opposite there was a sense of grandeur to it; grandeur that had since been lost however. Cobwebs hid in the corners and from iron chandelier that hung from the ceiling. The mounted animal heads on the walls had patches of fur missing from where moths had eaten away at them. The glass doors of the cabinets between them were so coated with dust they looked almost white. The room was lonely too. Aside from the chests and cabinets placed against the side walls there was no furniture... none, except for the chair at the furthest edge of the room. Sitting atop a series of shallow steps on its own pedestal, it was less like a chair and more like a throne. It even had a wide seat, and a tall imposing back. The shadows in the room were darkest there though, and the cobwebs around it suggested disuse. “Got it!” Kursha's voice echoed down the hall. A moment later, he reappeared, grinning more broadly than ever. He carried a rolled up piece of paper in his hand. Trotting towards Byakko, he offered it to her. “I saw it at Bloodfest and thought of you. Whatcha think? Pretty close resemblance, huh?”Despite his level voice, he practically radiated his glee.
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Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2015 5:03 am
As soon as Kursha released his grip on her, Akko drew the afflicted arm up to her chest, clutching it with her other hand as if he had wounded her. She squinted at him, not entirely sure what to make of his mischievous grin. It did, however, make her uneasy. The familiar weight of her kanabo slung across her shoulders was comforting at the very least, and she followed Kursha at a calm pace as he bolted off across the courtyard. Entering the hall, she craned her neck around to get a good look at her surroundings. Akko had only ever been in Zeffer's hive before- admittedly she had been curious to see how Kursha lived. Only when he remarked on her grip did her attention snap back to him- what the ******** was that supposed to mean. Of course she hadn't wanted to hold his hand. Byakko simmered under her stony composure, unresponsive. It was the politest action she could muster. Biting her tongue as Kursha dashed off again, Akko let out a slow exhale, relaxing into a slump once his steps had faded off down the corridor. Wandering around aimlessly in the desolate room she had been left to wait in, she studied the walls and noted how unlived in it appeared to be. She stopped to admire a particularly large woofbeast head, cocking her head to match it's uneven positioning. Maybe he just stayed in other parts of the hive? Akko never understood why higherbloods needed so much damn room, anyway. Still, Kursha's hive vaguely reminded her of her own. Not for any of the scenery, and certainly not because of Kursha's taste in decor, but rather how... deserted the place felt. Well, at least he had a chair. She had a blanket pile. She had just started to edge closer towards the darker shadows to inspect said chair when Kursha called out again. Akko stopped, turning to face the direction of his voice. At first, she was confused as he waved the paper out to her. Raising a brow, she lifted a claw to accept it. Bloodfest? What? Then realization hit her. Oh my ******** god. Her hand stopped mid air, visibly bristling as she hesitated. Oh ********. <********> She knew exactly what it was, and he knew exactly who it was of. Glancing back up at Kursha's gleaming face, she forced her best blank stare; hoping it would somehow negate how she locked up. Akko snatched it from his hands, silently pressing her lips together. Unrolling it only confirmed her suspicions- her caricatured reflection bluuh'd up at her. The corners of Akko's lips twitched. She scrambled to recollect her composure from behind the poster, nostrils flaring. "I dunno. I don't really see it." She was unconvincing at best. Clearly, undeniably, it was her. Lowering the poster just enough to peer over the top edge, Akko jutted a finger to the bridge of her nose. "See? There's no scar in the picture." The inaccuracies were piling up. Kursha could only see from the bridge of her nose and above, but it was clear enough from her wrinkled brow that Akko wore a deep scowl. "Y'know... I saw you at the Queen's booth." Suddenly abandoning the oblivious act, her tone dropped. She glowered up at him, edges of the poster crinkling as her grip tightened. She'd return his blow with one of her own. "Do tell what you chatted about." Byakko's voice was ice cold.
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Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 1:27 pm
As Byakko reached for the poster, Kursha's mouth spread wider than ever. If he had ever worn a s**t-eating grin, it had nothing on his expression now. Leaning against the wall, Kursha watched the show. Aside from how Byakko momentarily froze, she was impassive. He was all right with that. The damage had been done, and if anything her stoic nature shifted the blame from all his needling. How was he to know that he had done anything to upset her? Suddenly the mood changed. Byakko's expression which had at best been cold, turned fiery and intense. Raising his eyebrows, Kursha attempted to adopt a look of sincere surprise. He failed entirely. “Oh, really...?” he mocked. Still smiling, he crossed his arms. “Well, we talked about you of course.”There was a pause, as he allowed the statement to sink in. Then he burst out laughing. “C'mon Akko! Don't give me that look. It's not like I mentioned you by name or anything. I was just curious as to how the leader of the initiative ends up on the Queen's target board.” Her protest had fallen on deaf ears. “It's pretty flattering, if you think about it.”
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