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 Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2016 1:56 pm
Another restless night had settled upon Rose, her sleeping habits not yet readjusted. Rather than wander the grounds, she decided to pay visit to the lake's edge - the beautiful crash of blue and green that she'd seen upon arrival but had not yet set foot near. Donning a square-strapped black suit with silver stitching and an equally dark sarong patterned with stars, she traced her toes through the water that was warm even at night, thanks to the summer heat. The waves crested no higher than her ankles (as she dared not go too far in at night), the edge of her sarong ghosting over the lap of water. It was a beautiful, clear night, the stars easily visible against the black of the sky without the bright lights of the city to dim them. With her sandals dangling from one hand, she paused to bend and retrieve a small smooth stone, turning it over in her fingers before continuing her walk.
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Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2016 8:37 pm
Sylvia was restless. She was still getting used to being in an entirely new place and trying to settle into a whole new world, complete now with the addition of magic, though she’d yet to really learn what that meant. She hadn’t even really unpacked yet, her personal affects mostly sitting in opened-but-still-mostly-stuffed suitcases arranged across her floor. It was like she was hesitating… She didn’t like that. Sylvia was not usually one to hesitate. She was usually very sure of herself and willing to follow the path she’d chosen with no reservations.
In pursuit of that feeling once more, she huffed out a sigh and made a decision that she could follow. She was going for a walk. She was going to explore these grounds until something made her feel better. She was going to find a way to make herself settle. Digging along the side of one of her suitcases for a light sweater and slipping on a pair of flip flops, Sylvia headed for the door and debated just where she would go.
Water. She would go to the shore. It would calm her nerves and ease her senses. She hoped.
She started in front of Aphrodite’s dorm and made her way along the edge of the lake. She slipped her shoes off as she approached the shore and let them dangle from her fingers, swinging beside her leg while her other arm clutched at her elbow across her chest – a decidedly blocked-off posture, but she was hoping she would ease up eventually.
After some time, she finally looked up from the shore and noticed that she wasn’t alone. A bit in the distance, she noticed a stately silhouette dipping toes at the edge of the lake. Sylvia hardly even wondered if she should keep to herself, her trajectory already set. Maybe it would be better to talk to someone else who, hopefully, understood the way the world was reeling.
“You feeling restless as well?” She called out to the woman ahead as she neared her. She recognized her from the tour, though she hadn’t caught the woman’s name, else she would have tried to remember.Chrystali [ Hello, friend! Apparently I already have a tag for yooou~ <3 ]
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Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2016 6:41 pm
Blue eyes flit upwards when she heard a voice, surprise evident in the arch of her brows and her sudden smile. "Unfortunately," she replied once she was closer within earshot, "it would seem we share this misfortune." Rose also recognized the woman from the tour, but she supposed she'd have a lot of those types of encounters in time - she wasn't the type to forget a face. Her smile smoothed into almost apologetic, tucking the rock she'd picked up against the folds of her sarong and offering her hand then to the other. "Rose, Chosen of Apollo, performer by night and adjusting to the fact that is no longer the case." She chuckled softly, glancing up to the stars, her audience now. "That, coupled with the whole 'warrior' thing and sleep seems to be elusive these nights." Concern settled in her gentle blue gaze, despite herself. She didn't have to know who this woman was to be mindful of their condition - they were in it together, after all. "Are you managing well otherwise?" Mika_Yumi *U* And then I got slow LOL
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Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2016 6:49 pm
Sylvia smiled at their shared situation, unfortunate though it was. There was a comfort in not being alone. She accepted the offered hand and responded with a sympathetic smile – she understood the sentiment of ‘adjustment’ all too well.
“Sylvia, Chosen of Aphrodite; and I know exactly what you mean.” She hadn’t even really tried to sleep yet. She had the feeling that her body would react to rest in two ways – fighting it tooth and nail at first, too many thoughts swarming her exhausted head, before she eventually, finally gave in, falling headlong into sleep and staying comatose for nearly a full day in attempts to recover her sanity. She’d just have to wait and see if she was right.
At Rose’s question, Sylvia offered a shrug, “As well as can be expected, I suppose. Maybe. I don’t really know,” a soft chuckle, “I’ve never had my life turned so upside-down before, so I’m not sure how I should be reacting…” She shook her head, ocean eyes glancing up to meet her companion’s, “I haven’t even unpacked yet.” For some reason this was currently the most unsettling tidbit about her adjustment.
“How about you?”
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Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 11:47 am
"Doing the best I can." Her words were light, her tone sympathetic in turn. "It's an odd turn of events to have reached the point in life you want to be only to find...there's a lot more out there than you could have ever dreamed." Rose exhaled slowly through her nose, briefly glancing out over the lake, as if expecting some sort of sea monster to rise up. When nothing of the sort happened, she returned her gaze to Sylvia. "It's a pleasure to meet you, though I'm sorry under these circumstances." She paused, considering, before adding delicately, "Do you want help unpacking? Or perhaps to stay elsewhere?" Rose's quarters were spacious and she certainly didn't mind sharing. "I've found that I've got to battle myself before I can worry about battling monsters." Her smile was thin, but earnest. "It's been a trial. And though we're surrounded by fellow companions in this situation, it still feels a bit lonely at times." It was ridiculous, in a way, but it was the truth. Folding her fingers together, lacing through the supports of her sandals, Rose subtly shook her head. "I've been studying workouts, weaponry and the Greek pantheon...and it's still surreal. Sometimes it feels like I'm the only one who is resisting sense. We're here, we've seen -- we've seen that creature's head mounted like a trophy...and still I balk. Human nature is a strange thing."
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Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2016 12:57 am
Sylvia hummed, a small note of understanding. She had finally felt comfortable with where she was in life, finally found an office she enjoyed working with, finally found a condo she could afford, felt like she was generally in a good place in life… Not that this was a bad place to be, goodness – no one could look at their new home and say it wasn’t good. But it was certainly different… This was not the life she had seen for herself. But who could have seen this coming?
She smiled, “A mutual pleasure.” She wasn’t sure if she was sorry for the circumstances. They were odd, stressful, but… well. She appreciated the meeting more for it, perhaps. And she so very appreciated Rose’s following offers. “That is a beautiful way to put it: battling yourself before battling monsters.” She shook her head out at the rolling waters before them, “I think part of why it feels so lonely is that there are so many of us, and all trying to make new connections without quite having the opportunities yet to make those closer friendships yet.”
She watched Rose for a minute, “Thank you for the offers.” Sylvia gazed back towards the Aphrodite dorm, one shoulder hitching in a small shrug, “I’m not sure what I need right now. I can’t decide if it’s better to wait until I push through, or… well,” she looked back at Rose and bit the corner of her lip, “I may take you up on one of those offers. Perhaps it would help to have someone encouraging me to find a place for everything, finally make that room feel more like my own…”
Rose’s tone almost compelled Sylvia to give her a hug, but she was still feeling shy, and instead offered the most sympathetic smile she could. “It is, but that is not uncommon. Even in everyday life, I’ve seen people in denial over much smaller things – much more believable things.” She had seen so many clients unable to process much of their relationships because they couldn’t acknowledge certain realities – situations, emotions, reactions... What the Chosen were dealing with now was hardly even comparable.
Despite the mention of monsters and the darkness over the water, Sylvia felt compelled towards the edge of the lake, watching as her toes sunk into the sand as the water moved over it. “There’s a period of adjustment for anything new, and how extreme or lengthy is never sure… I just hope we’re better settled before we actually have to face the beasts we supposedly lure now.” She shook her head, scrunching her nose at her toes, “That’s what intimidates me perhaps the most. The thought of not being prepared, of being caught before I’m ready.” A frustrated huff, “I’m not a fighter in the first place, let alone knowing that something could be hunting me.”
Hunting. She’d said it before she thought about it, and hearing it out loud made her stop. She’d been drawing shapes with her toes and watching them quickly fade, but now she stood still and watched the water pull more and more at the sand around her. Eventually the feeling of sinking got to be too much and she stepped back quickly, returning to slightly firmer ground. She cleared her throat and looked at Rose again, a crease forming between her eyebrows, “It’s not just accepting that such fantastical things exist in our world… it’s believing that we can live up to them…”
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Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 1:09 pm
"It is truly overwhelming," Rose agreed, thoughtfully somber. Her blue gaze didn't miss the backwards glance, the faint shrug, the dimple in the corner of her lips when it was tugged between her teeth. There was comfort in not being alone, but she still didn't wish the displacement on anyone else. She knew that she, at least, would adjust - Sylvia, she could not speak for. Tipping her head to the side in acknowledgement, Rose offered a light smile. "Take your time. There can be no rushing this, but should you make that decision - please, you can seek me out. Sleep is scarce and if I'm not in the library, I'm at the gym." She still hadn't recalled the 'appropriate' names for the places, other than perhaps the 'Hearth,' because it had a good connotation. The rest, she hoped, would come with time and understanding. She fell silent as the woman opened up, listening with a gentle, if not compassionate gaze. "I understand," she replied at length, "and I admit a certain sort of terror at the idea that all that stands between breathing now and tomorrow is weaponry to stave off the monster that would see to it that we all fail." Closing her eyes for a moment, she subtly shook her head. "I will be frank with you, Sylvia - I do not know that there is truly any way to be entirely prepared for what's been saddled on our shoulders." Blue eyes opened again, resolute with a touch of sadness. "Even the military trains, but they don't know what battle tastes like until there are bullets scraping their cheeks. I fear it will be similar for us, our fates resting upon the function of archaic weaponry and the fables we face." Extending a hand, she delicately lit it against Sylvia's arm, trying to impart some comfort. "All we can do is the best we can do. Reading isn't much, but -- it's a start, for me. And in a few days, I will approach that table with weapons, fear in my heart, doubt in my own capabilities, and I will begin the slow path of accepting my new role here. I'm not happy about it, but -- it is the best I can do." She smiled, that sad, near uncertainty, tempered by the resolution of a mind made up. "This is a very strange story we find ourselves in, but we create our own chapters - our own victories and success. Your God saw reason to bring you here, and if nothing else, perhaps you can believe in that."
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Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2016 12:18 am
Another thankful smile, a nod, “Thank you. Hopefully I’ll figure it out soon and find you if I need the help.” She at least knew that she might be in the gym fairly often herself – exercise was a decent way to get rid of nervous energy. She would be able to find the library easily enough. She had a feeling that she, too, would have trouble sleeping for at least a little while.
It was nice to know that she was not the only terrified newcomer, though perhaps not entirely a surprise. And perhaps it wasn’t right to make assumptions, but Rose seemed to be the sort who wouldn’t have picked up heavy weaponry before either. There had been a few, during the tour, who seemed the sort who had at least been in some sort of physical altercation before… It would be interesting to see how experienced everyone was. Perhaps she could even learn something from those who seemed more experienced, if they were willing to teach.
Sylvia took a long, deep breath at Rose’s statement and squinted at the dark horizon, arms crossed over her chest. She wasn’t wrong. Even if they did train, day and night, for weeks, months, any ‘proper’ length of time before a monster approached, there was no guarantee they would be truly ready when it came time to put such training into action. She let the breath out slowly and gazed down at Rose’s hand, resting on her arm, small form of comfort.
A sad sort of smile crossed her lips as she poked a toe again at the soft sand at her feet. It was an odd situation, to have accepted something so easily and somehow not anticipated being ‘not happy about it’. Then again, considering everything else that was available to them, perhaps it evened out. What in life didn’t come with a down side, a necessary compromise?
She looked back up at Rose with a similar, uncertain smile, though she hadn’t yet found the same resolution to strengthen it. She covered Rose’s hand with her own and gave a nod. “You’re right. I shall try to,” she shook her head, eyes focusing outward as if looking for some sort of answer to her upcoming question, “remember that, figure out what in the world it was that made her choose me.” A sharper draw of air this time, her head shaking and her smile turning almost amused. “I almost wish they told you that bit – what it was that brought you here, what it is they need you to do.” She shrugged a bit, blinked hard as a sort of reset before looking back at her new friend. “Oh well. I suppose I’ll sort it out eventually, somehow.”
Suddenly, though, she gave a confused squint, “Though, I suppose I don’t really know if the Gods have told any of their chosen why they’re here. Did Apollo give you a reason?” It didn’t occur to her that might be nosy, she was more just curious. She hadn’t really asked anyone yet about their recruitment, she realized, which… made her that much more curious, especially since it was another of the few shared experiences they all had here.
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Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2016 7:10 pm
Rose laughed, a light, faint sound that wasn't quite tickled but in good humor all the same. "No. Apollo -- if it was him -- came to me with a voice of brass and a face of cigar smoke. He spoke in the language of music and it's any wonder I made words out of it at all. Truly, I was doubting my very sanity." The songstress shook her head slowly, gaze a touch distant as she recalled the moment it had happened, the song in her throat the air filled with harmony. Even standing there, looking back was a hard thing to make any sense of. Not that their present or future prospects were any better. "I can't even fathom what is expected of us beyond the strange introductions, but I suppose time will tell. As it always does." There was no rushing it, and if she had to be logical about it, trying to guess the thoughts and ways of a deity was not something a mere mortal could dabble in. That, or they were all marching to the beat of some questionable drum. Her blue eyes returned to the woman, focusing again and offering a smile that was part apology, part thoughtful countenance. "For now, however, we should probably try to adjust our schedules, hm? Even if that wont happen over night," her smile was a touch rueful then, "we've got to make the effort. No one can get through this but ourselves, it's just nice to know we've friends to make and rely on." She might have been jumping the gun a little, but commiserating over fate and gods at the midnight hour seemed grounds enough to call Sylvia a friend.
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Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 12:57 am
A gentle smile crossed Sylvia’s lips at Rose’s recounting Apollo’s visit. Rose was musical in nature, in every sense of the word so far as Sylvia could tell during their brief encounter, so it made sense that Apollo would approach her within their mutual language. Even if it had seemed ridiculous or crazy. Sylvia chuckled a bit, “I know the feeling.” She had worried about the wine for days until Brynn had come to explain. For the rest, she could only nod and hope that Rose was right. She felt lost now, but hopefully she would find her footing. She had to.
Sylvia met Rose’s gaze and returned the smile. “That it is.” She took a deep breath and cast at least one more glance over the waters, slowly letting the air back out with a reluctant nod. “Yes… I suppose you’re right.” She turned again to watch the other woman for just a moment, a warmth spreading through her chest. She wasn’t entirely reassured in this new life of hers yet, but this did help. “Thank you.” The simple statement was a little weighted with things she couldn’t quite verbalize – how glad she was to not be alone, how much she appreciated the friendly contemplations and reassurances…
She offered another smile, “And I know I’m the one with the suitcase still full of belongings, but if you ever need anything, feel free to track me down. If I’m not back in my dorm,” she hesitated a moment, looking around the campus with an amused sort of smile, “well, I’ll probably be exploring more.” Blue-green eyes rested on Rose for one last lingering glance before she gave a resolute nod, “Well, goodnight. I hope sleep finally finds you.” With that wish, she slowly turned and began making her way back down the coast of her new home.Chrystali HUGS YOU FOREVER BACK <3 ; w;
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