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 Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2015 4:12 pm
It was not raining, for which Celsus was grateful. He could almost count on his fingers the number of times in which he'd seen actual sunlight for more than a few days at a time while in England, and much preferred the distinct lack of a constant drizzle here in the City.
As it was, the air around was pleasantly cool, with a chill that smelled of autumn, crisp and bright, and a light breeze rifled through the trees, rustling the veritable kaleidoscope of colorful leaves. Celsus made his way through the winding dirt roads that stretched and turned to the left of a private academy he'd stumbled upon.
It hadn't been intentional; he'd started off his patrol with no real goal and no real purpose, other than to simply get out of his apartment, which had started to feel claustrophobic in its emptiness, the loneliness creeping in on him like a physical choke hold around his neck. His normal haunt was to the park, but his feet had carried him away from it, his head clouded with too many thoughts to actually make sense of them all.
It was dusk out, shifting into a thick darkness that fell around him, and Celsus' gaze lifted, moving from window to window of the academy. Some lights were still on, dim golden glows emanating out against the inky blue of the sky, but others were darkened, the occupants either not at home, or perhaps asleep.
Celsus slowed his steps and came to a stop. He eased back until he was against a tree and leaned against it, folding his arms across his chest and blew out a breath that was almost a sigh, moonlight catching the gold of his glasses and glinting slightly.
His thoughts, it seemed, simply refused to settle.
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Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2015 5:09 pm
It wasn't usual to feel others out, so far as Thraen had experienced- out of any month he might find another powered individual by chance two or three of those thirsty days. When he did, he tended to try to meet them, Chaos or Order. This was at least a bright aura, a knight. For all intents, a knight should not prove dangerous to the denizens of the academy. Is it Babylon? Valhalla? Hvergelmir? Though I can't imagine why any of them would have come out this way. His focus on the aura became the planchette to a ouija-walk along the rooves of the grounds, then a garden wall and finally led to a tree. Thraen remained in the branches, spying the bright, unusual swaths of uniform below, There is no one else around, so it must be that one. And a stranger. That's the symbol of the Surrounding on him. And he glows...familiar that...the dreams of months gone by. Those who glow... "I have not met a knight wearing the mark of Princess Chronos before. Do you know her? "
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Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2015 9:05 pm
Lost in thought, it took Celsus a moment to register that there was a power signature growing nearer and stronger with each passing second. It was not cause for concern; he could tell it was not a Chaos signature, and instead, it was something brighter, more familiar in a way that only Order could bring.
Not a knight, however, but a senshi. Celsus couldn't quite tell where it was coming from, though he knew it was quite near, and it was only when he heard a rustle of branches, followed by a quiet voice, did he turn, Celsus' gaze sweeping through the darkening area with curiosity.
"I have," he said lightly, turning his gaze skyward, towards the branches above his head. "I'm quite loyal to Her Highness, as a matter of fact. My name is Celsus; I'm a knight of Chronos."
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Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2015 3:37 pm
A 'knight', specifically stated, and so he feels. Thraen shifted momentarily to gauge a clear path to the ground, then dropped down to an easier talking distance. "I'm Thraen. " "The knighthood is different than the 'Guard'? I once had a friend in an Aquarius of the Guard, but she has been ...long away. And the Surrounding seemed a profoundly empty and strange place. What little I saw of it. The princess was alone as well in her castle, when I met her there. I do not mean any accusation by it- " It occurred immediately after saying that the words could be taken that way, and he lifted his hand as though he would ward the impression away from them both. "It's only curiosity to know more- the powers of Chronos, the Surrounding, the Opal Crystal...have been vague and separate all the time I've walked as a senshi. All the stranger, given having to say I would protect and help them, to earn a charm to visit them. Meeting a bearer of that power...I'm sorry. I guess it's like an ambush of overeager questions from a stranger...made all the worse by my being clueless on anything dealing with Knights as well. "
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Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2015 9:40 am
Celsus' gaze swept up and down the tall - very tall - form of the senshi as he dropped down, his head tilted slightly to the side as he took in the branches and vines. He'd never seen this particular Order before, nor even heard of him, but the power signature was strong, level with his own.
"A pleasure, Thraen," said Celsus, and then his brows rose, a look of mild surprise on his freckled face. "Oh - yes, in a way. The Guard was mostly made up of the Zodiac, who guard the Princess, and we, the knights, protect both the Guard and the Princess."
He winced, ever so slightly, at the mention of the princess alone. Celsus felt a wave of hot shame low in the pit of his stomach, the same sort of inadequacy that he always felt when it came to Chronos. But he waved a hand dismissively.
"No, it's fine, I understand," said Celsus, lowering his fingers and toying absently with one of the many golden coins on his uniform. "The Surrounding has long been a place that requires upkeep, it has been...rather lost as of late, though the Wonders are still there, as are the outposts, however abandoned."
A faint smile tugged at his lips. "I don't mind the questions at all," said Celsus truthfully. "It's where I feel the most...knowledgeable, I suppose. I don't mind answering whatever questions you have."
He shifted from one foot to the other, grateful for a chance to think about something else other than the goings on of his life. "You said you were there, have you been taken there by Aquarius? I'm afraid many of the original Guard have all but fallen away, sadly."
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Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2015 11:21 pm
A definitive accent. United Kingdom, sounds like, though I couldn't hope to place region better than 'is it cockney or literally any other dialect not cockney'. But in Destiny City in America- University? Business? I hope not just because of wanting to live in the United States....Detroit is safer, anymore. "Unfortunately, no. I haven't seen Aquarius in a long, long time. I went myself, with no guide, and thankfully found the castle with Chronos inside. " I was looking for her on account of a purification ...I'd heard of the existence of Greater Crystals, that she held one. Little else about them, really. But the other senshi Royalty I knew of had only their personal crystals, which are somehow different, lesser, and were not up to the task. The eternal drew his cell from its subspace, showing the jade-like disk etched with symbols that dangled from it like any regular keitai strap. "Even that was all long ago, now. I don't have much of an idea of how any of it worked or was laid out geographically, how to determine where on it one appeared. If it was safe. If visitors were even welcome. And there was no one to really ask." "Do you go there often? Are there other knights of Chronos?" There was the possibility there weren't. He'd only met two knights of Cosmos, one of Mars, one of Jupiter and other slim numbers in his years. The dreams of the broken times to come held memory of many, many more, and others, with some passing names, if they yet existed though? More questions on questions.
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2015 7:50 pm
Thraen's answer was not unexpected, though Celsus felt the ache more acutely in his chest. He didn't even know Aquarius, or any of the others well, but felt their losses acutely, especially those of the knighthood, those that he cared for.
He watched silently as the senshi pulled out his phone, and Celsus' brows rose in dawning recognition a second later.
"Oh!" he said. "You have a passport! Those are not common anymore, not really. We are capable of giving them out, any of us that are within the Zodiac, but it has been quite some time since I have seen anyone use one of them, or anyone have one at all."
How long had it been? Celsus was not sure he wanted to think about it, and instead offered Thraen a slight smile.
"My Wonder is in the Surrounding," he said. "So I do spend quite a bit of time there. As for whether or not there are others such as myself, yes, there are. I can think of at least three or four off of the top of my head, there were...quite a bit of us that awakened at the same time."
Celsus' tone remained calm, but there was a faint waver of sadness to his voice that he tried to keep at bay.
"There are many that are gone, now," he said quietly. "But those that do remain are quite wonderful."
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Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 8:56 am
Does distraction with thoughts and emotion explain it? Or he does not want to, and is too polite to say no? While not directly questions, the explanations hoped for through the implicit question of ‘And there was no one to really ask’ were not forthcoming. The man seemed down about the whole encounter so far, making it more difficult with each passing exchange to countenance continuing much further. We all need to share information, but we don’t need to break each other at a single telling to get it. Patience is a virtue that can keep more soldiers on the field. In which case, better to assume the latter reason, and word carefully and on his terms?“Would you be willing, sometime, to meet me to explain more about the utilizing the passport charm and the Surrounding? “ It was something to hear that there were at least a few others, as unspecific as ‘wonderful’ was. It was difficult to tell if Celsus was guarded for a specific purpose or just naturally evasive in the ways that politeness could lend itself to. As all things, maybe both. Maybe other. It isn’t hard to recall the hesitations of my first weeks in revealing any information to other potential allies regarding myself personally- Medea and Acrucis, Hvergelmir and others as tutors regarding those who could offer it willingly to the enemy without corruption as a factor, or in a slip. Not accounting further what could be garnered from a corruption, willing or no. Alois may have lost a great deal of information, but he wouldn’t have lost everything so far as examples spoke. Treating remembered aspects of any person as check-boxes of an array could narrow a search for plain clothes enemy from the population of the city to a few thousands...the discomforts of the ethics regarding monitoring are then approached. But only one side, ultimately, has ethics when forced corruption exists and no cleansing likewise. Only one side is based in choices. “Or you could write it in a note, if face time is difficult? Since Knights seem to have the power to send documents by way of letter or scroll. Our time is each to ourselves and precious, for healing hurts or enrichment. I should not take all of yours with questions on barely an acquaintance. I would like the information, though, and it has felt important to disseminate all that can be helpful to others where I may through our Primer. Understanding the Surrounding and your court could save lives- it is the only Greater Crystal extant, even if troubling her is reserved for only the most dire necessity as seems...prudent to respecting her isolation. “
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Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 8:06 pm
Celsus's hands moved somewhat restlessly, starting at the collar of his high necked uniform and flitting down to toy with some of the jangling coins that decorated his sleeves. It was an unconscious gesture, more something to do than anything else, while he listened to Thraen. The senshi spoke with a levelness and a calmness that Celsus rather envied; he himself was a litany of movements and rising and falling of his voice that he couldn't quite ease out of, no matter how much he tried to change.
"Yes," said Celsus, and it wasn't a hesitant answer, because there was nothing, really, to hesitate over in this regard. He was desperate for a chance to prove something of himself, in spite of how low he had sunken over the past several months. "I'd be glad to explain as much as I can to you, perhaps even take you there, should you wish to accompany me."
He did not want to go to his Wonder, but the Surrounding wasn't quite his Wonder, and he could perhaps avoid it if he was careful. And Thraen seemed quite intelligent enough as it was, Celsus casting a curious look over at him, his hands now absently smoothing over and edge of the long cape that he'd gathered in his fingers.
"We do have that ability, yes," he said. "I could send letters, but it's no trouble at all, should you wish to speak naturally like this, scant acquaintance or not. It's..."
He tried to figure out just what it was, but Thraen seemed to have put it into words for him.
"It makes me feel a bit better," said Celsus, "knowing there is someone who is willing to gain more insight as to the Surrounding and the court. It has been quite some time since I have spoken of it to anyone other than those who already know all about it."
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Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2015 10:05 pm
Those who already know all about it? How much do you know about all the war? Senshi and the Negaverse. How long have you been in action? There are some other buzzwords that can give hints of that. “Our circles must be very different- as I said, you’re the first Knight wearing Chronos’ symbol I’ve seen or met. And of the senshi I’ve met, I’ve not seen the charm on their phones. Many didn’t even have the Moon Pearls, or know about them.“ “I would be honored to accompany you for actual tutoring on site, as it were. Now or And at another date. As much as you know or are willing to share. And to offer up any of my knowledge as well, to you, though you sound not to need it. I’ve been a senshi...two and a half years or so. Not long in the greater theater of the war from some accounts I’ve heard. You give the impression of longer? “ In how the man seemed nervous, a little broken emotionally but come through to the other side to functioning again. The craving of purpose, readily admitted beyond the early stages of shame where Eurydike dwelt. “I’m also glad to meet or discuss at need, or be available plain clothes. I own the CatFe. “ The finagling of putting needful objects on a separate surface that were wanted, then transforming, then picking them back up to have available and not poufed to the nethers was a lesson long since learned. Thraen fished an excessively cute logo-ed card from it’s tuck in his leafy bracer and held it out- civilian name, email, the Catfe address, phone, website and hours all made plain as any other business card. “What is easiest for you?”
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Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2015 6:24 am
He half smiled, his hands still moving. "I'm afraid the circles I move in are a little bit fractured at present, not to mention that I don't have many at all. I tend to - drift a bit." And the Chronos knights, lost and broken, were just a reminder of everything that he should have done, everything that should have been, that he'd ruined.
"I don't know the last time I met someone with the charm," Celsus said, frowning slightly. "Or at all. I've taken one or two people to the Surrounding or my Wonder, but most have already been there before, or already are knight. You would be the first to accompany me as a senshi, I believe."
He had no qualms about taking Thraen, the desperate edge to Celsus's voice a slight indicator of his desire to do something, anything to be reminded that he was still capable, even if he knew he wouldn't. "I think I would benefit greatly from your knowledge," he said, and smiled, just a little. "I've been a knight for about four years now, but in truth, the experience I have with senshi is quite limited."
He was slightly distracted by the mention of - "Wait. You said a cat-fe? As in..."
His hand reached out, Celsus accepting the card with a look of surprise, his eyes wide as he stared down at it. Quenton Marinus was the name scrawled neatly across it, which was a very nice name in general, but a cat cafe..?
He swallowed hard, Celsus glancing up at the senshi. "I, er...if you'd like, we can arrange a time for me to take you to the Surrounding, I wouldn't mind that at all. And I very much would like to visit this...Catfe of yours, as well," Celsus continued, and then added quickly, "If that's not too much trouble, I mean."
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Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2015 4:27 am
Fractured. Drift. I wonder if this is still a thing of mourning, or happened time ago? Just getting back on the horse? At least he can still rally something of a smile without it going rictus."Most of my experience has been with the Negaverse and hospitals, not so much other senshi, knights, or the Mirror. " He couldn't tell if it was offense, excitement, novel curiosity, or some other moderately intense emotion that tripped the Knight's words around in light of the business. Maybe the man liked cats? Hopefully that was it. "You will be most welcome. It's near the University, at the intersection of Laurel Avenue and Winston Street, with the entrance on Laurel Ave. It's open Saturday through Thursday from 3 PM to midnight. I regularly work Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. " "I could switch hours around with one of my baristas, if one of those days was better for you. Succinctly, what day and when is good for you? " I said I would be honored. 'If I like'. No, I'm pursuing this with twelve questions in the same vein for practice. Talking with him is like pulling a magician's pocket square- kerchief after over-polite kerchief keeps coming out with no end. No concrete. Well, save that he's been at this four years. Small wonder he's addled or incredibly guarded about the whole affair. It will make getting information about the Surrounding, on the Surrounding, an exercise in patience.
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Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2015 9:35 pm
His brows furrowed a little at the mention of a hospital; but Celsus was distracted by the ensuing conversation about the CatFe, the card of which he kept glancing down at. Such a seemingly silly thing, but it was entirely relevant to his own interests, after all.
"Ah - then, if you don't mind, I could come on Thursday night?" he asked, Celsus turning the card over in his hands absently. "Evenings work best for me, so perhaps around seven or eight?"
He didn't want to press, his hands shaking slightly, and inwardly Celsus cursed the tremor that seemed to appear at the most inconvenient of times. He pushed the card into the lining of his belt for safekeeping and tried not to look foolish, though he somewhat suspected he'd already passed that line.
"Oh," he said, "And - since you've so kindly given me your name, mine is Fritz. Fritz St. James. I'm a painter."
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Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2015 11:59 pm
"I am honored by the trust. Thursday. Let's make it 8. " Fritz St. James. Originally a habitational name? James, from Jacob, the 13th century form of the name used in England at least as a given name, then the Norman Conquest and the devotions of churches brought it to surnames of place and holding. It's used in the UK a fair amount, borne out by his accent. Fritz, though. From the Prussian Friedrich? Or was it someone misunderstanding a patronymic Anglo-Norman 'Fitz' or the later use to connote illegitimate nobility somewhere in a family tree? Painter. And make a living at it? At least not starving. That is something. Why does he tremble? "Are you...well? I don't mean it as an insult- but I can't tell if you're ailing, I make you nervous...or something else is afoot? Is there danger?" Directness seemed the best course, rather than leaving some possibilities to get awkward. Or to leave the knight impaired in the open. "Were you in action recently? I could escort you home? Many of us have the poor habit of going out before we've really mended. "
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Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2015 9:18 pm
Eight o'clock on Thursday. Celsus tried to commit this to memory, though he suspected that it wouldn't be too difficult because of a singular reason: cats. He wished other things were so easy to remember - and even more easier to forget.
He nodded once in agreement, but Thraen's question made a slight flush cross his cheeks, the tremor in Celsus' hands growing more pronounced as he twisted them behind his back to hide them from view. He tried to offer the man a smile, but it didn't quite work.
"My apologies," he said quietly, glancing away, the burning well of shame twisting low in his stomach. "You don't make me nervous. In fact, I've been rather impressed by you, for the most part, it's just..." An excuse, come up with something, anything.
"I have not been well lately," said Celsus, which was not a lie; he could not even remember being well. "There is no danger, unless you count life as a danger in and of itself."
He had opened his mouth to decline the offer, but what came out instead was, "I would hate to impose upon you, but if you are extending the kindness to see me home, I would not object."
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