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Post by Rowan on Jan 25, 2021 17:21:44 GMT -8
Rowan nodded to the Torrent. She was right - Tanner needed to worry less about optics and more about his well being. "And you don't think that looking like a homeless person is going to reflect badly? I would have thought Cinder would never let you out like this." He was simply saying out loud what everyone was probably thinking. Except he could get away with saying it. Maybe.
He tried to piece things together in his mind, but he had very little info he could safely share. "All I can say is that he was a regular one man light show in Twilight. The... hand things were reaching out to him." He shivered at the memory of the spirits touching him.
"Well, I'm not exactly interested in staying at the bottom of the chain. Couple that with the weird stuff that's been happening and being Autumn, I kind of get a reputation." He didn't bother adding that he usually put himself in these situations in the first place. He just took another drink of beer.
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Post by Tanner on Jan 26, 2021 17:04:07 GMT -8
Tanner nodded to Firebringer's comment, "Sure, ideally. You're right that having a common neurological issue doesn't stop me from doing Page stuff," he explained, pressing his nail onto one of the shredded pieces as he folded it in half and tore it into a balanced square the size of a thumbnail.
"Um- with the Echoes, though, you need a specific psychological profile to make it work. They do a lot of testing..." the square was spun as the Runnerswift made more meticulous folds, quickly producing a tiny crane as he carefully pinched the beak. "I don't know. Kith made it worse, it's hard to slow down and now I feel like I don't know what I'm doing half the time," he chuckled dryly.
There was a genuine smile with her answer, and he tipped his glass a bit before Rowan weighed in. His eyes widened momentarily at the comment, thrown off a bit (even if it is Rowan). "Shit, you're a month out of constantly wearing that jumpsuit and you're slinging fashion advice. Glad to see you doing so well," he said easily, adding another crane to the growing flock.
There's a long pause from the Darkling's comment.
"He's disappeared again, since... We think it's tied to how much Glamour he has." The Autumn courtier shifts in his seat, "I offered to tap his Fear, to see it. But we have a Thing about doing that to each other. Also counterproductive to actually communicating like people."
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Firebringer
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Elemental Ifrit, Presence 3 (Intimidating)
Posts: 634
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Post by Firebringer on Jan 27, 2021 0:57:11 GMT -8
Danica brings a hand up to stifle laughter as it bubbles up in her throat at Tanner's comment on Rowan's fashion sense and then she moves her head to glance at Rowan.
"Jumpsuit?" She raises her eyebrows in that teasingly quizzical manner before sipping on her soda again.
She then cocks her head to the side a little at Tanner's mentions again of the Echoes and 'testing'. Autumns are always testing, this is just a fact of life she's accepted, but still. "That sounds like a lot to be bubbling up on your mind given what you've already stated about how life's going. I wouldn't find it surprising that you are jittery."
The commends about the hands and Twilight again bring more curiosity to her eyes. She begins piecing together the full situation as she goes along and things do eventually start to click. In her own way. Sorta Okay, weird light show hands thing in another plane of existence with Golden Boy, might be tied to his connection with the Wyrd? Or do they mean his disappearing might be...? That's weird. She tries to rack her brain for any part of that to make any sense.
She looks to Rowan again, "Does anyone know what those hand things are or is that other plane of weirdness not catalogued?"
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Post by Rowan on Jan 29, 2021 19:15:43 GMT -8
Sip. Nod.
"I wasn't talking about your clothes, but I suppose you have a point."
Sip. He wasn't regretting his words, not at all. What were you talking about?
"Like Dani said - you have a lot on your mind already. Just... Don't overdo it, yeah?" He rummaged for his burner phone and starts going through his contacts. "Crap. I would ask Riley about the Adderall, but I don't want to talk to them."
He looked up when Tanner mentioned Golden disappearing. "Like, he disappeared into Twilight or you just don't know where he is? The last thing he should do is go back there."
Sip.
Tanner couldn't be covering for Golden, could he? He wouldn't lie to Rowan, right? The Darkling squinted a little. Well, if the Page didn't want his help, who was he to force it on him. Some of his annoyance was bleeding out. It was more of the same: questions everywhere, and just one certainty.
Nowhere Was Safe.
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Post by Tanner on Jan 29, 2021 19:49:26 GMT -8
With the coaster spent into a pile of tiny paper confetti and cranes, the Beast takes a breath. "I'd say I've known him the longest, I mean, outside of the community effectively looking out for a Ward. I think Mitchell had his case at some point, and he's got a contentious history with Loki? But, yeah- we've been tight for the better part of three years."
Tanner paused a beat, chewing the meat on the inside of his cheek as he kept his eyes on the table, "And I'm going to be the first to admit that Golden doesn't know what the fuck he's been cursed with, and is probably going to die if I don't fix it. He's freezing- it's like squeezing water from a goddamn rock." He gestured to the shadows of the bar,
"They're ghosts. I know, because whenever he's tapping the Wyrd, hell freezes over. Whenever he does anything it attracts attention. He throws a few tricks to get them to leave for a bit and buy some time, starts fading from the power drain, and then they just take him." He clapped his hands together in a loud snap, "Poof. He doesn't talk about what happens. We don't know where he goes. He just drags his ass back to our house a day or two later covered in claw marks, after we've had a forty eight hour freak-out as the Pledge screams at us to help him, and all we can do is sit there." The Runnerswift's hands shake a bit before he works a hand through his hair, looking a little ashamed for just dumping his problems to the newer Lost.
His head ticks, "You don't have to bother, Rowan. If you're not comfortable just asking around your neighbourhood I'm not going to push it. Like I said I can get it myself. Anyway, positive topics... you both seem to be making friends?"
God, that transition was awkward.
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Firebringer
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Elemental Ifrit, Presence 3 (Intimidating)
Posts: 634
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Post by Firebringer on Feb 2, 2021 15:14:59 GMT -8
Danica gives a sympathetic look to Rowan, though she kind of grimaces a bit, "I could talk to Riley, if you want. I mean, she didn't try to limerick my butt. And... I'm sorry I didn't defend you better there. Misunderstandings seem to be our thing."
The confetti made of the napkin does draw her attention, it probably should have before. He's really nervous, stressed out. Anxious for sure. She nods along as he talks more in depth about the problems surrounding his motley mate. She takes a moment to consider what she knows and if anything would be helpful. For a moment, she feels like there might have been something...
No, that was just some bullshit story Erin was telling about Arcadia and... whatever the fuck her Keeper had them do with that game board or something. I never even understood that.
She kind of snaps out of it to pay better attention to the both of them and her surroundings in general. Can't get wound up in odd thoughts.
She looks over to Rowan and then back to Tanner before shrugging, "I mean, I'm doing my best not to piss everyone off." she gives a bit of a laugh, "Things are a lot more on the warm side over here than in Baltimore. Everyone just seems strangely nicer here. Limericks aside."
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Post by Krakenbox on Feb 2, 2021 15:52:50 GMT -8
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Post by Rowan on Feb 3, 2021 18:33:55 GMT -8
He sighed at Danica. "I know how I come across, and I'm trying, I really am. It's just..." He paused, balancing whether he should continue or not. "People keep asking me to use skills I don't have. It's not that I don't want to, it's that I don't know how." For a split second he looked like he wanted to say more, but he finished the last of his beer instead, his mask slipping back on.
"We fought a cow together," he answered to Tanner, almost shrugging. He didn't want to seem ungrateful, but the reality was that they only knew each other for a hot second. It was borderline strange how attached Danica had become to him.
He thought about walking around Whitney, asking for drugs. What if he ran into some of the kids, or some of the parents? Nah, he'd rather ask someone, even if it meant saying it was for himself.
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Post by Krakenbox on Feb 3, 2021 19:30:27 GMT -8
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Post by Tanner on Feb 4, 2021 9:58:22 GMT -8
"Honestly? They're nicer because everyone's got time," Tanner said, musing on Firebringer's observation. "When you aren't on the run, you can pick who you work with? You know, get to know what you actually need from people and be a little more choosy about your community. There's also a lot of us, so, you have some wiggle room if you aren't getting along with everyone," his attention flicked to Rowan was he spoke.
"That being said, um, like any community it's better to address a problem then ignore it and hope it never comes up again. You learn to pick your battles and bury the hatchet, because we're all likely going to be here for a while," he chuckled, realizing how dour he made things sound, "I don't know, I like the consistency."
At Rowan's comment about the pair's connection, he smiled.
"I think it's cool we can have normal relationships instead of couching everything in promises and declarations. Emergency motleys don't happen, so your ugly breakups are rarer. People aren't desperate for company or protection, and can focus on sorting themselves out." Vegas had a lot of upsides, though he didn't get into what happens when the Lost have the time to truly establish themselves, and how draconian things eventually get to manage it. "We can screw up sometimes, and then destiny doesn't tell us we have to hate each other afterwards." The Runnerswift waves is fingers with sarcastic jazz hands, acknowledging how their culture sometimes Othered them from humanity. The idea of a magical force controlling one's emotions and capacity for forgiveness was a little frightening sometimes.
"You'll be fine Rowan, you're going to mess up sometimes as you learn your way around socializing, but the right people will be chill about it. But it's also a give and take, owning up when you've hurt someone's feelings by accident makes things a lot smoother, because then they can understand that you actually do care. It's not an admission that you're a shitty person."
He took a moment to order another pint, moving away to the bar itself when he got tired of waiting for the server to notice. The Page had gotten the sense that Rowan might have wanted to ask about education, but he wanted to give the Snowskin a chance to advocate for himself rather than relying on the Lost to always read his little cues.
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Firebringer
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Elemental Ifrit, Presence 3 (Intimidating)
Posts: 634
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Post by Firebringer on Feb 7, 2021 15:56:07 GMT -8
Danica nods, her expression with a hint of sympathy toward Rowan. "I know you're trying and that matters. I more than feel that on being asked to use skills I just don't have yet. Yet being a key word. Though, sometimes you get to worrying you won't ever develop those skills. It just can take more time than we'd like." I've been out of Arcadia... what? A couple of years now? You'd think I'd have a better hang on all of it. But I really don't. She's lost in that thought a moment while she finishes her soda.
Tanner's comments about the psychology of all of it makes her ponder a bit, comparing her previous experiences. She then looks back to Rowan with a bit of a grin, "Hey. It was a pretty nasty cow. " she laughs. "He got you good though. I'm glad you're all right. You really threw me off though when you scared the crap out of me. I'm not used to people throwing me off like that. Though I somewhat deserved it, being too forward with someone I just met."
Wait... we aren't desperate for company or protection? Well, shit. I'm doing life wrong. I mean, I'm not desperate, I'm just clingy. Right? Then again, I am at that start over point again, aren't I? Just need time. "I suppose that's true, given the amount of people we have. I'm one of those people that finds a group and then good luck getting rid of me," she laughs again. It's true though. Although, I guess I haven't found that full group yet. Finding Erin and Cecilia was easy enough due to drunken bar perfection. "I wonder if I'll find that again," she wonders aloud but doesn't really recognize it.
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Post by Rowan on Feb 7, 2021 17:54:00 GMT -8
He wanted to say something about what he just saw, confusion an worry spiralling in his mind. He was going to, too, before he stopped himself. He cared about Tanner, and maybe making him into a spectacle was probably a bad way of showing it. He checked Danica, trying to see her reaction, but she seemed to be too much in her head to say anything. He decided to shift the discussion.
"You seem to get along fine with Linden and Riley. I think it's safe to say you're doing better than me." There wasn't any self-pity in his voice, just a point of comparison. "Tanner says I should apologize to Riley, but I don't want to. I don't think I did anything wrong. They could have asked me what I mean, it's not like I can control this stuff. I hate it just as much as them, the difference is that I have to live with it."
He played with the label on the bottle, removing it inch by inch. "It's like apologizing for being who you are. I'm cold, because Arcadia made me that way. It's not going away, even after coming back. Everyone is piling up because of how I look and how I come across, but no one cares enough to ask me how I'm feeling." He crossed his arms on the table and hid his face in them. "Kai was so quick to jump on Aello's side, because she's 'just a child.' But what about me?" Was it the beer that was making him talk so much? Or was it hurting for so long, all alone, that pushed him to open up? Either way he felt dumb. "Never mind, my problems are dumb."
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Firebringer
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Elemental Ifrit, Presence 3 (Intimidating)
Posts: 634
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Post by Firebringer on Feb 7, 2021 18:26:05 GMT -8
"No, Rowan, your problems aren't dumb. Your feelings are valid and some people are doing a shit job of making you feel that way. You matter and your feelings matter." Danica purses her lips as she considers his words, trying to decide how best to respond. "There is certainly some visual bias. People are put off by the way you present and the aura you give off, which is some bullshit. You can't help any of that. Sadly, that's a portion of life that just isn't going to change until people understand, or, for that matter, care to understand."
She pauses, playing with the straw in her empty cup, "Though, that goes both ways. Riley has something going on underneath that we have no idea about. They probably have a sensitivity when it comes to things like alcohol and you might have hit a bruise. To them, accidental or not, that still hurts. And when we hurt, we fight back."
She sighs and bends her straw, causing it to burst where she's bent it, not that she particularly cares. "Personally, I think a conversation is a good thing to have if you want to mend things between the two of you. A simple 'I didn't mean it that way and I apologize if my words hurt you. I didn't realize my words would hurt you and in turn, you attacked me and that hurt.' huh... If you think about it, they purposefully got mean and yours was just misunderstanding. But if you don't care for that relationship to be mended, then you kind of have your answer on what to do. Although, talking about it, Riley might surprise you with more understanding than we might expect."
"I was really worried about you, by the way. How are you feeling?" She does make a point of asking, not just because he expressed that no one seemed to care to ask, but also because she was genuinely concerned. Her orange eyes are softer as she gazes over him with gentle concern.
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Post by Rowan on Feb 7, 2021 19:35:59 GMT -8
"Why isn't anyone telling them to apologize? It's like adults telling you to say 'sorry' just because they're adults. Even when they're wrong."
He closed his mouth. He had said too much and now he regretted it. "Besides it's not much of a conversation if the other person doesn't want to listen to you."
"I'm fine," he dismissed her with a wave of his hand. He didn't want to talk about it. He was embarrassed just thinking about it. "It sucks because everyone assumes the worst. Does everyone really think I'm a bad person?"
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Firebringer
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Elemental Ifrit, Presence 3 (Intimidating)
Posts: 634
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Post by Firebringer on Feb 7, 2021 19:48:57 GMT -8
"None of us are really adults. We're all just kids in weird bodies that never feel like our own and we think somehow a simple sorry will make everything better, but it just reminds us that we're all hollow inside and none of it really matters anyway..." She blinks, "Sorry, don't know where that came from."
Her fiery glow seems to brighten with her embarrassed manner. "You know you don't have to hold back with me, right? I'm not going to judge you. You're not fine and it is okay not to be fine." She says quietly.
"I don't think everyone thinks you're a bad person. Being a bit harsh sometimes and being a bad person aren't the same thing. I don't think you're a bad person. You're a little rough around the edges, but we all are and we all deal with that in different ways." She offers a little bit of a smile, though she knows it isn't much.
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