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 Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2020 6:02 pm
 (Art by Scarlett Arbuckle)
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Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2020 3:20 am
Lucijah
about
Race: Shifter
Gender: Female
Class: Guard > Massif > Brute
Future Class: Brute
Significant Other: None
Parents: NPCs Oleksy and Margo
Siblings: Half-brother, Juno
Children: None
RP Color: royalblue
personality
3 Base Traits: Spirited, Boisterous, Selfless
While a loose cannon in her youth, as she aged Lucijah has learned some amount of temperance in her actions. While headstrong and quick to anger, Lucijah also knows when to bite her tongue, though she has not mastered the ability to hide her displeasure. She feels emotion quite keenly, and reacts to it with the whole of her being - for better and for worse. If she feels sympathetic to someone, Luci will do everything in her power to help that person - even if that puts herself at risk. While she had learned to plan ahead, Luci still occasionally acts without thought and risks hurting those around her due to her rashness.
Luc does hold some distrust in people, and a general fear of being used. She has become afraid that people view her as simple or unintelligent. Even now, after years of stagnation, Luc has that spirit of adventure, but for the time being is content to stay in one place as she gets used to life on her own again.
Perhaps because of her one-track mind and somewhat short attention span, those she meets tend to think she's simpleminded or a fool. This isn't the case, as Luc is adept at hunting, climbing, and fighting. She's good with her hands, although her inability to sit and think things through sometimes leads to injuries. She also enjoys fighting for fighting's sake, and this violence does not always come across as seemly to new people.
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2020 3:43 am
History
Childhood
Luc's childhood was mundane, as far as residents of Tendaji go - without much drama or conflict. Her parents were young lovers who grew up as neighbors in Neued, married young, and moved to Sol to start a new family. Their marriage started as young love, and before long they welcomed their daughter Lucijah into the world.
Growing up, Luc was caught between two differing opinions - her mother felt it was best to retreat into the forests of Jauhar and stay far away from the other races, while her father had an adventurous and friendly spirit, finding himself intrigued with the new lands and its people. Her mother's fatalist nature and ornery disagreement with Luc and her father's outgoing tendencies meant that Luc idolized her father, despite the fact it was her mother who raised her while her father hunted and left to travel for months at a time. He would come home with tales of travel, treats of foreign Tale nuts and Sauti spices, and amber-colored jewelry for her mother. But by far his greatest gift was also his simplest; when Pabbi came home, sweeping her into his arms and sitting together in a hammock while he spoke of his travels to the far off lands of Sauti and Zena - showing her thick cloaks and things called 'boots'. Inevitably, after a few months' reprieve, he would leave again - and when he was gone it was back to the world of mundane day-to-day life.
Mother and daughter bumped heads starting in adolescence to the present, and Luc's own forward and brash nature only made their differences more apparent and dramatic, compared to her restrained and nervous-natured mother. Luc would rather bound out into the jungles and fight, tooth and nail, against the creatures there, or scrambling up trees, loose-limbed and impetuous; while her mother hoped to groom the wild girl into a proper lady in time, alarmed by her wild nature and uncontrollable emotions.
The largest hurdle Luc has had to face in her life is her own violent emotions and tendency for thoughtless action. She often landed on the wrong side of her peers, especially her mother and those like her. Somehow a violence-prone Shifter with lack of forethought can come across as threatening to a society carefully tiptoeing all out war with a neighboring race. Being the source of many of her family's arguments, about whether or not to retreat deeper into the forest in order to avoid instigating fights left Luc yearning to strike out from home and find a place of her own, or to emulate her father's example and take to traveling the lands of Tendaji. That and her mother's last ditch efforts to transform Luc into a 'dutiful wife' for a future Shifter man, a fate Luc was more than keen to evade.
However, despite her disagreements with her mother, Luc loved her family very much and wanted nothing more than to take care of them. Until...
Prentice
Lucijah often escaped into the jungle around her hometown for peace and quiet away from her mother. On one of these outings, she had the luck of seeing an Oban carrying about her business - and thought to herself that if she could capture this Oban, then she could prove that she was strong enough to protect herself, and would be given permission to travel with her father. Only... when she descended upon the unsuspecting Oban (literally), Lucijah instead was quite taken with her- initially by her appearance (androgynous and so perfectly imperfect), Lucijah instead decided, in the heat of the moment, that she would keep this Oban all to herself.
Any plans were ended by the attack of a radaku - Lucijah was mauled by the creature, but Nera's quick thinking saved Lucijah's life, and together they killed the beast. Nera nursed Lucijah back to health, and the two became fast friends, young lovers, and confidants. Retreating back to her home to be healed up, Lucijah eventually escaped back into the jungle, where she built a nest for Nera to stay in. She knew she couldn't take Nera to town, for risk of her being taken from Lucijah, and decided that the only beasts in Jauhar to fear could be avoided easily if she taught Nera. However... one day, when she returned to the nest, Nera is gone.
Months pass, and Lucijah was heartbroken by her lover's disappearance. In one last effort to look for her, Lucijah traveled on her own to Tale's camp facing the Oban's - and here she, somehow, found Nera. Only... Nera was changed - she had been captured by a leaf earthling who hurt her and the once vivid and determined Oban was instead muted and hopeless. After the war, Lucijah returned with Nera to their nest - making it larger, bigger, determined to protect Nera this time.
But once again, Lucijah couldn't protect her lover - this time from the growing cold. Unable to survive together on their own, the two decide to part ways - for now - Nera back home to her people, with plans to meet back up come Spring. Lucijah decided to take this time to learn to fight, properly - and with her father's help, her already impressive wrestling skills were sharpened into skilled hand-to-hand combat.
Lucijah's plans were delayed by the horrid spring rains - and so she sets out without planning properly, untrained in determining her location or survival. She traveled too far west, to Alkidike territory, and fled south - nearly starving to death. Just as she thought she was doomed to die without seeing Nera again - Lucijah was saved by a Matori, and trained in minor survival techniques out in the jungle.
Now, she only needs to reunite with her lover - in Oba.
Guard
Ten years in Oba, and Lucijah grew into a more withdrawn and calm person. Nera, intelligent and brash and fiery when they first met, was a completely different person when surrounded by her Oban family's wealth and strength. While happy to be reunited, the romance and affection the two had in their own personal sanctuary became nothing but a fond memory. While far from cruel, Nera was... manipulative, and enjoyed Lucijah's company. For years, they were close - but only in secret. Otherwise, Lucijah was collared like a pet and allowed to work as a servant in Nera's family home.
There were good times, too - the pair traveled to Matori, and to the fanciest places in Oba, but ultimately Lucijah came to realize what she had become - a glorified pet. She begged Nera to return with her to Jauhar, but after her terrible encounters during the war Nera refused - and ultimately Lucijah had to choose whether to stay with only hollow affections, or choose to live alone again.
She returned to Jauhar, and opted to build a nest for herself outside the settlement of Neued where, once, her parents had grown up together, happily.
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Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2020 3:45 am
Growth ReqsStage 4 to legendary☐ 4 Month's Time - ???
☐ 10/50 RP Points
=== ☑ Relay the Message - 5 pts
=== ☑ A Long Time Coming - 5 ptsQuote: RP Growth Points || 300 word solo = 1 point || 10 post RP = 5 points || 7 posts in group event = 5 points
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2020 3:49 am
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Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2020 3:53 am
Relationships
Family
Oleksy: Father (NPC)
===A broad shouldered, strong man who works as a merchant throughout Tendaji, Oleksy is Lucijah's father and idol. To her, he was everything she wanted to be - even if his job as a merchant was utterly boring to her. He was a traveler - impressive and strong, though quiet and absent during her childhood. He was a 'good' father when he was home - though he never interfered with Margo's decisions in Lucijah's life. He would rather take a step back, and spoil Lucijah in whatever fashion Margo allowed him. It became clear, early on, that Oleksy and his wife didn't care for one another beyond a mutual respect and Margo's desperate attempts to have him quit traveling, and stay home with her.
As a father, Oleksy spoiled Lucijah with stories of the world beyond Jauhar - telling her of the exciting and beautiful cultures, local stories, bringing her fancy goods from far away that impressed her. She was the apple of his eye, and yet he always acted more like an uncle spoiling a distant family member than a father. Even as a prentice, Lucijah never caught on to this treatment - instead deeming him the 'best parent ever', comparing her mother to him at ever turn. When she insisted on going to Oba (even if he had no idea that was where she was going), Oleksy agreed to train her in combat - and even gifted her her first gauntlets.
Unknown to Lucijah, Oleksy is living a double life - traveling to and from Sauti where he has another lover, who he truly cares for - and a son that is actually a son. Who knows how she'll react when she meets this unknown brother?
Margo: Mother (NPC)
===Lucijah's mother, Margo is a plump but kind faced woman. Once, as a young girl, Margo had dreams of marrying and being a good wife to her dear friend Oleksy. But all her hopes of him loving her back were dashed not long after they married. The man respected her, but it was clear he didn't love her as she loved him. When she became pregnant with Lucijah, Oleksy was distant and somber, acting as if this was the final nail in his coffin. Once Lucijah was born, Margo fell utterly in love with her child instead - and sought to raise her so she would be a 'better' wife, suffering an illusion that she had failed in winning Oleksy's love because she wasn't 'good' enough as a wife.
Because of this, as Lucijah grew into a wild child, unrestrained and chaotic, Margo was at her wits end - and was left alone most of the time when her husband began traveling as a merchant. The more Margo pushed and pushed for Lucijah to just CALM DOWN, and LEARN - the further Lucijah withdrew from her, the more the girl balked at lessons of weaving baskets or clothing or cooking. The two fight almost constantly - except when Oleksy is home. During those times, Margo - still hopelessly head over heels for him, sits back and lets Lucijah spend time with her father, even if all she wants is to weep and crawl into his arms, dreaming that he would actually hold her because he wants to and not out of some sort of duty.
She knows she should let him go - she suspects that he strays on his journeys, even if she doesn't realize just how thoroughly he has, but can't yet face life without him. Her biggest fear - one that has recently been realized - is being left alone when Lucijah moves on and starts to travel.
Romance
Nera: ex-romance
===An oban woman Lucijah met in the jungle. They played house together for half a year in the Jauhar jungles, but when Lucijah met with Nera again in Oba their relationship dynamic changed. For a decade, Lucijah remained close, but their relationship soured and she ultimately left bitterly.
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2020 3:57 am
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Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2020 3:58 am
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2020 4:01 am
Class Affinity Solo: Guard
Solo
Words: 1667 ______________________________________________________ Once, as a child, Lucijah had thought highly of herself. She had strutted about her town, rolling her eyes at her parents and shrugging off the lessons they taught about life and responsibility - and instead fancied herself a forward thinker. She didn’t need a husband to build a nest for her - and she didn’t really need to study with her elders on how to craft a proper home, or catch food. Not really - how hard could it be? Nearly being gored by a radaku had been enough to rouse her partway to focus, yet not fully - she was no longer immortal or all powerful in her mind, but she had LIVED - and succeeded. Emboldened, Lucijah believed that, with Nera by her side, they could accomplish anything.
And then winter came - the nest she had been building and cultivating since she was young had been laughably inadequate, and she and her partner were laughably unprepared by way of food. It took everything in Lucijah to admit defeat, and bid her lover goodbye - waiting until the winter chill had died down, and waving her lover off to travel south, towards home - while Lucijah returned back home, to her parents’. Which was as much a relief as a bane.
At least, she thought positively, her father was here - returned just in time to be locked in by the sleet. While her father, Oleksy, busily shuffled around the nest, tightening vines and spreading paste into nooks that let sharp, cold air in - Lucijah was at the mercy of her mother, Margo. She had been gone for weeks - disappearing to the final battle months ago, and only now showing up as the trees froze for shelter. “It’s truly no surprise!” Her mother exclaimed breathlessly, tossing her hands, while Lucijah, her tongue pressed to the corner of her mouth in concentration, ground nuts in a mortar, helping her mother cook as some small penance. She only half listened as Margo continued in her usual litany of “This, Luci, is why you need a husband - you’re old enough for children, and yet here you are playing! I thought you’d have learned after… well.” She motioned to Lucijah’s radaku scars, healed from painful gashes but still dark marrs against her flesh.
This time, though, the topic made Lucijah pause, her lips quirking into a frown of thought, bright eyes turning to her mother. Her hands ceased their grinding, and it was more that lack of noise that caught her mother’s attention than the look. “Mama, who said I want to be the wife?” This was nothing new - she’d complained about marrying for as long as she could remember, but this time… this time she followed it up with, “Perhaps I wish to be the husband.”
Her mother flushed, wide-eyed, and took a quick look around the nest, as if expecting a neighbor to have somehow appeared inside, despite the snowstorm raging outside. Her hand darted out and gripped Lucijah’s wrist, not harshly but firmly, her gaze locking with Lucijah’s. “Lucijah that is -- that talk is… are you seeing an Alkidike?!”
“What-- no!” Lucijah scoffed, biting the inside of her cheek. Margo relaxed, but Lucijah inwardly convinced herself that it wasn’t a lie - she WAS seeing someone, but no bug woman.
“Then the talk is pointless, Luci. Outside of those heathens, if you tried to play husband you would never get with child - and then what would the point be?”
“Children are not a necessity” Lucijah shot back, rolling her eyes, and though her mother made an affronted sound, Lucijah’s arguments didn’t deter her as much as the idea of an Alkidike lover did. If anything she carried on her griping, and Lucijah eventually sighed and continued to grind nuts, looking up to pour them into a bowl. Lifting her eyes, however, Lucijah locked eyed with her father, who stood at the edge of the room, half turned, and observing her with quiet consideration.
The storm lasted another few nights - nights spent tossing and turning, wondering if Nera had gotten along the path safely before the storm settled - if she had gotten back to Oba in one piece. But though the winter didn’t end, the storm abated and she could once more step out of the nest, dropping to the forest floor to stretch her limbs, stealing away to the edge of the village to do exercises. They had been quiet routine for years, building up muscle over her body, but had been neglected after her injury. Now, stretching out and moving tugged at relaxed muscles, and Lucijah, despite the cold, was quickly sweating and panting for breath, lungs stabbed by the sharp, dry air. For weeks this continued - taking what chances she could in the bitter cold to exercise, to push her limits. The hang from limbs by her arms and curl her legs up, until her abdomen burned - punching and kicking at the frozen trees.Then she would return home, where her mother would grow upset at her daughter regaining her muscle, and even putting on more - and her father would watch her quietly. There was something going through his mind, but beyond his stories, Oleksy had always been on his best behavior when home - he needed all the good graces he could with his wife before he disappeared again to travel the world.
Eventually, weeks later, Lucijah was so invested in her exercise routine one day, which consisted of kicks, punches, and lunges to strengthen her legs, Lucijah didn’t hear the crunching of icy footsteps until a figure broke through the clearing - dressed in well worn leathers and furred cloaks from travel, her father Oleksy stepped into view, looking over her with a fond smile. “Is bulking up an attempt at avoiding marriage, Luci?” He asked, voice smooth and curious. Lucijah found herself stopping, panting from exertion, but entirely at attention. Just in a few weeks her body had bulked up and she had taken much more stringent exercises to heart - her body constantly ached, but already new muscle tone appeared on her, and by the end of winter, at this pace, she would have gained enough muscle to truly be a force to contend with.
“Why do you two think it’s all about marriage?” Lucijah scoffed quietly, but her father rarely spoke outside of his stories - if anything, him seeking her out when his books, notes, and memories of places far away often stole his focus meant something.
“Yes or no?” He retorted, simply, and after a long moment Lucijah sighed and turned her eyes away. “No.”
Oleksy nodded and crossed the small clearing to her side, setting his hands on his hips, his form swallowed up by the thick furs which set him apart from all other, shivering leather clad shifters during this winter. Even Margo benefited from snuggling into furs at night, for once pleased at her strange, ever-distant husband’s travels. “You could marry - have a husband who fought and hunted for you, built you a nest and sired children for you. And yet. When you were little… it was endearing that you didn’t fancy it. Your mother and I were certain that you would grow into it.” He paused, looking at her appraisingly - which only made Lucijah realize that even in the course of a few months, she had outgrown him in height, oustripping her father in size by two inches at least.
“But…” He continued, sighing and rubbing a hand over his chin, fingers scritching at the short beard there. “If what you want is to be independent - I’ll teach you what I should have been teaching you all along. Just name it.”
Lucijah blinked, staring at him, then burst into a toothy grin. “What, it’s that easy?”
Her father raised his eyebrows. “Well, if you promise to make up with Mother before you go off.” He laughed as she groaned playfully, then smiled softly.
The two sat, laughing together, but eventually Lucijah sobered, thoughtful. “I want… you to teach me about traveling. Defending yourself on the road - how to be safe in foreign lands. Foreign manners, --” Before she could continue, her father rolled his eyes then nodded, clapping her on the shoulder. “Travel? Your mother is going to kill me -- fine.”
Around Margo Oleksy was just as quiet as ever, quietly agreeing with her insistence and scolding, but during the day he would train with Lucijah, using a dulled sword against her hands - sparring until they were both exhausted, then sitting as he drew notes in the icy slush of the forest floor, and spoke about the customs of trade in Sauti and Zena, or the safest routes of travel. By the end of winter, as the ice finally began to thaw and the dry, frozen air finally regained its humidity, and Lucijah’s thoughts turned inevitably towards meeting back up with her lady love, Lucijah showed up to the clearing she and Oleksy met at - and found him there, standing with a pair of gauntlets in hand. She stared, open mouthed, and stepped forward, tentatively picking them up from his hands.
“These are-- but how--”
“Traded some furs mid-winter.” Her father explained simply with a shrug and a smile. Lucijah slid the gauntlets on - a perfect fit, and took a deep breath, consumed by emotion and overwhelmed - but as she moved to hug her father, he motioned with her not to, smiling weakly and shrugging his shoulders. “Don’t - don’t thank me for this, you deserved it.” He said simply. There was an emotion in his eyes, one Lucijah wondered at - and yet she couldn’t dwell on it, as instead he backed up a few paces and dropped into a battle stance, lips twisted up in a rogueish grin. “How about another sparring match, kid?”
How could she refuse?Mother's Love
Solo
Words: 550 ______________________________________________________ Once, Lucijah liked her mother. The woman was warm, soft, and caring as she curled arms around her and held the plump girl to her breast. Once, Lucijah had come to HER when she was upset, or scared - huge tears trailing down her cheeks as she reached grabbing fingers for arms that were always open, a face eager to pepper her cheeks with maternal kisses. Once, Lucijah sat and smiled prettily, wiggling in place as her mother hummed and sung softly, brading small crystals and gems from the forest into her white hair. Once Pappi disappearing off into nowhere, leaving a sullen silence and sadder songs, barely phased the girl who happily toddled about, content as long as Mammi was there, and pulling away from her only to snuggle into a hammock with Pappi when he was home, listening to stories.
Once Lucijah would often throw her arms around her mother’s legs and shout her love to the woman who had raised her.
Then things changed. Moons waxed and waned above the canopy, seasons shifted and curves bloomed - breasts filled in, blood began to flow, and Lucijah began her change into a woman. Looking back, Lucijah always saw it as her mother becoming ‘insane’ - nagging, centrally focused.
Days tilting her face as her mother caressed her cheek ended, and instead came the urging to wed - to take advantage of her youth and curves to allure a mate. “My darling girl.” turned into “You are pretty, Lucijah, plenty of boys would eagerly wed you and build you a nest!” The girl who was had turned into a woman who WASN’T, and yet the woman who had been Mammi, and was now Mother, simply refused to see her.
At least that was how Lucijah saw it.
How was she to know that when she packed to disappear into the forest again, her mother gazed out into the rain, mourning one more sweetling that was leaving her again? Who turned their back, and refused the comfort and care she knew no other way of giving? An empty nest, no wealth to pass on, only love that was rejected. As Lucijah drew in for a brief, half-hearted hug, Margo clung to her, briefly, pinching her eyes tightly closed and letting out a shaking breath - emotion missed on Lucijah, who pulled back and beamed, bright and excited for meeting with her lover again - even if her mother had no way of knowing it.
“Just… promise to be safe, dear. Or try, at least.” Margo said softly, offering a packed satchel and recovering from her emotion with a sniff of feigned disdain. Lucijah huffed and rolled her eyes, taking the offered supplies. “That’s the plan. Have fun here, somehow…” Lucijah waved her hand at the nest, brightly colored and decorated(lonely and empty, Margo’s mind thought traitorously).
Lucijah turned and clambered down from the nest as Margo leaned out over the ropes, waving and forcing a smile. “Travel safely - stick to the roads! Come home soon- I love you!” Margo called, throat growing thick. Lucijah didn’t look back - only lifted an arm in a wave, and didn’t call back either. “I love you.” Margo repeated, watching her daughter disappear into the forest, voice catching.
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Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2021 10:05 am
Stage 2 to 3: Growth Solo
Growth Solo
Words: 512 ______________________________________________________ In all her years of living, Lucijah had learned one undeniable truth about herself: she liked being around people. Maybe, back when she was younger, she’d have argued that point viciously. Her mother wanted her to be a social butterfly. It was a great tactic to woo husbands, after all, and living in a village if you could earn the support of those around you, then you’d never have to worry if a bad year left you lacking.
Lucijah didn’t understand that, until after Nera and Oba.
Those years were the first time she’d truly been on her own, and she realized … she hated it. She liked the independence, sure, and she could take care of herself. But in the years after returning to Jauhar, there’d always been some excuse for going back into town, or leaving her home for a few months to work. She needed money, she’d tell herself. Or she needed meat, or lending a hand to the settlement she lived outside of would help her be better prepared for the winter months. It was a tactical decision, she told herself. It made sense. It was clever, smart.
But… was that really it?
Lucijah didn’t need much to live comfortably; she tended to live a pretty Spartan lifestyle as it was. She could spend her afternoons hanging from tree limbs, belly full of fruits for the upper canopy, and she’d be more than covered as far as nourishment went. She wasn’t particularly bored, because in Jauhar there was always something to fight.
And yet, she went into town frequently, trawling for work or things to do. Not out of boredom, but because… it made her happy.
She didn’t realize that until Ai came along, and wondered why she wouldn’t just use her bulky strength to TAKE things for herself.
‘Because I don’t want to’ Lucijah had thought, flippantly.
Lucijah didn’t like being beholden to people, but she liked to feel like she belonged. That… was the long, hard truth of it. She liked people. She liked being around them, she liked helping, she liked being useful.
It was a trait she’d misread, when she was with Nera. She thought that spark of joy was purely romance. And it was, of course, but… that wasn’t all it was. She liked feeling like she belonged somewhere, even if it wasn’t real, with Nera.
Just like she liked when Ai referred to the two of them as a group. But Lucijah did feel a certain swell of pride in the realization that someone as reclusive and cold as Ai would tolerate her presence. Because Lucijah was useful, because she was helping. That’s all it was, certainly, and that could be that.
It was simply nice to know where she stood. So whatever it was Lucijah was feeling, it didn’t necessarily HAVE to be … of a romantic inclination, right?
Of course not. But that didn’t negate the fact that Lucijah thrived on positive attention. So - when Ai moved on, the logical course would be to find another group to travel with.
[Lucijah doesn’t want to spend her life clinging to different romantic interests. But she does have to come to terms with the fact that she DOES like people, in general.]
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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