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Post by Golden Boy on Jul 21, 2021 14:53:20 GMT -8
The second round of scouting for 1300 artists had drummed media attention, and the Darkling was getting used to bumping into documentary teams. They had even being put in the spotlight themselves to coordinate a group of hopefuls in audition. At some point, Riley had bumped into Mitchell helping and encouraging one of his students, who they could only guess wasn't even out of high school yet. It seemed more just an exercise in exposure to the environment, with Carr casually modelling a few minute corrections to the nervous teen—mistakes that would quickly take her out of any sort of running. The talent scout seemed much more interested in the instructor, but Carr seemed keenly embarrassed in receiving any form of publicity—Archie would have wept at the lost opportunity. Halogens and skidding heels flickered and pulsed as Riley took the time to forget themselves. The troupe hit the gymnasium at 9 am, with general fitness, spin, and conditioning crammed into a workday before they broke for choreography. Normally done in a studio, a promotion was being offered for people to pay a fee for a behind-the-scenes run through as they prepared for the show, and the Moth was contorting and flying across the stage. With all the traffic, they would have missed the pair of Winters. Golden Boy was putting his feet up in the back row. The Fairest doesn't acknowledge any of the side eye, clearly out of his element as everything within reach eventually became a fidget. He was topping it off with hair braiding by the time the performance was over, Lucas Chevalier staring daggers as the Wyrd announced his displeasure even with the distance. It was a little disconcerting for them to both be there, conveniently. The mundies filtered out and the Mantle seemed to do the trick as the Changelings were glossed over. The thief slid over the rail with more grace than they remembered, dismantling distance with natural parkour rather than taking the damn stairs like a regular person. Up close and blinking through the snow-blind, it was readily apparent that Golden was getting thick in the Wyrd. With a more androgynous mien than his Mask had lent, the Hunterheart nature radiated by the way be moved—head locking and tracking as his eyes pinned. They wanted to assume the drop in temperature was just an Onyx blessing, but they knew better with the tired stare and unhealthy pallor to his glamour. |
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Riley Sorsa
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Post by Riley Sorsa on Jul 22, 2021 9:17:35 GMT -8
The bright one was dosed in sweat from the workout of the rehearsal. Wearing a tank top, leggings. Riley down's a bit of their water and wiped their face when they started to realize what was about to happen.
They had sensed something off during the performance but focused on the work and space they found themselves when they danced. Their flushed face began to pale at the dawning realization of the presence of the golden boy and Lucas.
This was not the place or time they had hoped for this. They had wanted to control this, handle each in time. Lucas had made it such a nightmare to contact him. Riley had almost given up on the effort; they expected he would reach out in time, but Golden Boy? That was a surprise.
"Liked what you saw? Didn't know you were into this kind of thing," Riley says, addressing Golden Boy.
The Moth wipes their face before tossing the towel onto their should and resting on their hand on their hip. They keep their eyes on Golden Boy. Lucas can wait for his damn turn.
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Post by Golden Boy on Jul 22, 2021 13:15:33 GMT -8
"I don't have an artistic bone in my body," Golden chuckled. His hand swatted something invisible with the twitch of the wrist, or maybe the gesture was a signal and a spell. He breaks eye contact as he stalks the edge of the stage, looking up and around as he talked, "So, I'm not sure why, but I'm supposed to offer this as some point." The Fairest's mouth twisted as what appeared to be a silvery coin rolled from nothing between his sharp fingers.
"If you help them out, you help me out. And it's not exactly easy, and requires some discretion, so I think that makes it right."
The coin was extended to Riley, from a distance like Golden Boy regarded them as more of a stranger or potential danger.
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Post by Lucas Chevalier on Jul 22, 2021 18:38:51 GMT -8
The Gravewight was fine with waiting his turn. Nothing in his body language suggested he was in a hurry to interact with Riley again any time soon. Being near the Bright One caused the feeling of betrayal to amplify into a searing discomfort to spread from his chest to the tips of his fingers.
He remained in the seating section with his arms folded across his chest. His attention flickered over to the silver coin. His mind wandered back to the silver coins Gavin had presented to the group along with the gun.
The anger in his chest dropped to his stomach as he felt dread start to take its place. Nothing good could come from a coin that had previously been suggested as a way to pay passage to Charon to cross the river in the Underworld.
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Riley Sorsa
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Post by Riley Sorsa on Jul 23, 2021 8:29:07 GMT -8
Riley's eyes fell into Golden Boys' hollow exhausted eyes. Over the last several months, the young man had grown weak in humanity and more robust in the Wyrd. But he seemed spent, spread thin, almost ill. The Bright One, in a way, could relate to that. What burdens lay on him, they wondered.
Their eyes glide down from his eyes to his arms down to his hands and the extended coin. An Omen. It had been what got Riley here in the first place, an ill-fated observation at the wrong time and a plague of nightmares.
Was Golden boy here for Revenge?
The Moths mouth went dry. A sense of distrust and fear waved over them. They stood before two who they broke oaths two. Now Golden Boy gave the gesture of offering coin. They had to be careful. They didn't want to provoke Golden boy or Lucas, but they had to be cautious and polite.
"You suppose to offer this to me?" They say, slowly. Looking up to Golden boy.
The moth's mind raced, taking the coin would to be taking an offer. Was it a pledge? Or was it a spell?
" Don't you want to know why?" The question was open. Why did he need to offer this coin? What Oath had been broken? Why did Riley do it?
The Darkling makes no advance toward Golden Boy or the coin.
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Post by Golden Boy on Jul 26, 2021 12:18:40 GMT -8
Lucas muses on the symbolic significance of what he assumed was silver: stories of the Ferryman indicate a toll for passage to the land of shadows, Twilight being the shore to beyond. The metal has mystical elements across cultures, and associated with warding evil while drawing from the moon.
As the material world falls to dim shadows and muffled stimuli, Lucas starts investigating. There's no immediate signs of a haunting, but the Gravewight could see that Golden Boy had almost undetectable chains. His heart sank instinctually, noting that the other Lost had a sickly resonance and a faint glow, like a candle to attract moths. As his attentions moved beyond, something was sliding from his periphery. Whipping his head back and forth fast enough to catch it, he noted fleeing hands ticking back into cracks and corners—fingers releasing from the ledge of the stage and beyond.
Riley was doing their own watching, getting a feel for the Hunterheart's social habits like the avoidance of eye contact. As he locked gaze with others, it felt hostile even at times where he's in a good mood. He seems genuinely perplexed as he fished for an answer to his unspoken question—the context to what prompted this encounter in the first place. However, he wasn't in a rush to offer Riley comfort or information, and they knew enough from this year's chaos that this meant he held no appreciation for their safety. There was reluctance in his distance, where he clearly thought they were a threat to his well being. It was an alien concept, given how he radiated power with the Wyrd... maybe he was more sensitive to these sorts of social taboos among the Lost.
He was scared of them, and wasn't in a rush to protect them from what was to come. A raw thrill for retribution that felt distinctly fairy.
The coin signified a token or a key. The component of a spell rather than locking Riley into any service, but it's what they chose to do with it that would decide its significance. The Hunterheart's eyes flashed at the question,
"Not really. I'm not looking to be responsible for you. They asked and I don't really have a reason to ignore the request."
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Post by Lucas Chevalier on Jul 26, 2021 23:55:21 GMT -8
The ghosts were intentionally hiding from him.
The ghosts had made a show out of dragging Golden Boy away from everyone else yet here they were, trying to slink away from his gaze.
Did they know he had been a servant of Necropolis...also known as the Ferryman?
The Gravewight's stomach twisted itself into a knot as anxiety surges through him. His foot tapped rapidly against the ground as his body was desperate to relieve the surging adrenaline inside of him. His fingers grasped onto the armrests of the seat he was in, trying to ground himself before his thoughts spun out of control. There were pieces of information he had picked on that were true and not a byproduct of his anxiety. In addition to Fae magic flowing through him, Lucas felt like he was "death touched" as well by his time in the Underworld. Whenever he interacted with hobkins, they saw aspects of the Ferryman in him. It was easy for him to stay humble when it came to his true appearance because every exquisite feature carved into his mien was created with the purpose of serving the Gentry.
Another undeniable fact was that the silver coins played a significant role in whatever was going on with the wards. They had shown up when The Plan became corrupted. Jesus, if he had gone through with it would he have sent himself right back to his captor? More importantly...why was the Freehold dealing with the currency of one of the Gentry?
Lucas let go of the chair and immediately brought his hands up to his face. He murmured under his breath as he repeated breathing exercises he had learned during his time in therapy.
Breathe. Breathe.
He swallowed back a scream as he successfully managed to keep his anxiety from skyrocketing to a 10. Instead it sat at around a 7 which while made him feel a hand was squeezing his heart with the intent to crush it, he could still function. His fingernails dragged down his cheeks until he dropped his hands back onto the armrest again. What he needed to do was figure out how deep this rabbit hole went within his court. The answer was looking mighty obvious at this but he needed the confirmation to quell the feelings of powerless that came with the unknown.
The Gravewight picked himself up at long last and moved to join the other two. He kept his hands inside of his pocket to prevent them from visibly shaking.
"Hey, Golden Boy. Who was it that attached these ghosts to you?"
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Riley Sorsa
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Post by Riley Sorsa on Jul 27, 2021 8:13:58 GMT -8
“Right...” Riley didn't want Golden Boy to be responsible. They wanted him to understand why they couldn't place. Maybe it would make it easier for themself.
The black eyes of the Darkling narrowed as they observed Golden Boy. The two hardly knew each other. RIley of course knew a bit more about Golden boy. At this point, or so they thought. The reluctance and cautio in his presence gave the Moth a mixed sense of
comfort and caution.
Riley knew by the power of the Wyrd if they ignored this call they were doomed to a life of an Oathbreaker. They did not know what was being asked, or what the cost of it would require of them, it was in that moment being an Oathbreaker didn't sound half bad. If they recovered their name could they thrive? No one had cared to understand why, or saw what RIley had tried to do. They just saw the failures, RIley was as far as they concerned already a loss cause in the publics eye. Why strive to earn their love?
The moth fidgets at the thought, their antenna flicking. They kneel down, dropping their towel on a bag, and grabbing a water bottle for a swig. It was a delay to consider what was to happen next before suddenly Lucas joined the conversation.
Ghosts. The Bright ones eyes seem to glint as they glance to Lucas, than Golden Boy. It had been ghosts that drew Riley to seek answers of this coin now offered. The revenant crisis, Yule, Imbolc, Linden. They chew on their lip letting Golden boy speak, if he will. Any information before Riley agreed would be worth the wait.
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Post by Golden Boy on Jul 27, 2021 11:42:06 GMT -8
Golden flipped the coin idly, allowing it to ripple and vanish as he stared at the air for a moment. His attention flicked back to Lucas with the movement from the seats and the question.
"Depends on what you mean. They were following me before the curse, so," he chuckled, teeth as sharp as Eurydice's. "I'm not as dumb or casual for everyone's welfare as the Freehold thinks I am? I get at this point I did everything right, but that doesn't mean it was right. The attachments is just giving me something real to navigate. I'm not sure if it's helping, but, I can see the logic," he admitted, rubbing his eyes with his thumbs before smoothing his hair.
"I have a right to be here," he said, apparently to himself despite the weight of the statement. Lucas watched the glow around Golden Boy flare alongside.
The Fairest then took out a notepad and started tearing and folding paper with practiced hands that moved on an ethereal level. Small origami lotuses started to drop at his feet, the flare increasing with each addition.
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Post by Lucas Chevalier on Jul 27, 2021 12:37:25 GMT -8
The Gravewight steadied himself to keep his emotions in check. The situation the three of them were in reminded him of when he discovered Yasmin was still alive. If he had shared that information with everyone in the moment they would have panicked. He feared that if he panicked and shared the reason behind his anxiety he would set off a chain reaction of volatility. No one in this rag tag group was exactly the poster child for stable mental health and healthy coping skills.
He shoved his fear deep inside of his mind and allowed his fog to flicker around his face to help conceal any fear from his eyes.
However, once Golden Boy started mumbling and attempt to cast tumult, the fog faded to allow those seemingly harmless blue take on an apologetic look. Unless Golden Boy had somehow discovered his true name or Riley's, there was likely someone...or something else there with them...
"Of course you do. This is your home as much as it's any of ours. I'm sorry if what I said or anything I've done has left you feeling unwelcomed.
There's so much going on at the moment that we're all stumbling through the dark while we try to get to the other side of this. The important thing to remember is that you're not alone in this. I'm here with you and I'm not going anywhere. "
His voice was gentle and he spoke with earnest. As much as he wanted to get the hell out of Bat country he couldn't leave Golden Boy in this state.
For a brief moment he glanced up at Riley, wondering how they got themselves mixed up in so much danger. As angry as he was at them he was fearful for them as well. He kept his fear out of his eyes instead opting to keep a gentle, reassuring look before returning his attention back to Golden Boy.
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Riley Sorsa
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Post by Riley Sorsa on Jul 27, 2021 21:08:53 GMT -8
Riley looked between the two. They knew next to nothing about what was going on in all this. They had tried hard to keep their distance and observe, and all they had for it was some rumors, ideas, and a lot of nightmares.
The Moth fidget watching at the sudden display of arts and crafts, not overly excited. Strang behaviors among the Lost often proceeded stranger acts. Lucas's sudden shift in tone was the most significant indicator that something more was going on that Riley wasn't fully aware of.
Between Golden Boy being on edge, Lucas now trying to placate, and the weird origami. Riley changed tactics.
"Look. I honestly don't know what happened to you, Golden" Riley raises a hand up, slowly putting down the water bottle.
" And Yeah, you have every right to be here. Probably more than me, all things said. Lucas is here to help; he wouldn't hurt a fly. And we all know how well I throw a fist. So..."
It was a jab at self-deprecating humor. But Riley had to give something a shot to try and deescalate whatever was happening. They would prefer this was civil, and with the two of them being spooked, it was undoubtedly making Riley uneasy.
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Post by Golden Boy on Jul 27, 2021 23:16:22 GMT -8
Golden looked up from whatever rites he was performing, blinking at Lucas's intense tone, "Cool, yeah, 'the other side of things.'"
He chuckled quietly to himself with a private joke, wiping his nose with his sleeve with a tired and familiar resignation. Hands shook with pure adrenaline.
The Fairest cocked his head, doing a visual sweep of space and calculation as he set his backpack aside to retrieve the compass. "I mean sure of course you don't," he said to Riley's plea, "That's why I'm providing context."
Picking a point, he starts tracing his steps with deliberate direction, still not paying much mind to the other two. "So are you folks going to put your money where your mouth is or opt out?" He asked idly, waving two coins now over his shoulder.
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Post by Lucas Chevalier on Jul 28, 2021 0:47:22 GMT -8
Oh Jesus.
The "joke" set off a stream of memories in Lucas's head. Golden Boy had found a way into the Underworld before using a ritual that acted as a key. The Gravewight was 99% certain that the other Fairest was attempting to do the same thing or at least something that would eventually lead them to the Underworld. In this instance the most likely outcome was that Golden Boy wanted to showcase to Riley the path that lay ahead of them to provide the "proper context" for what they needed to do to make things right.
At this point, he was under no obligation to assist Riley any further. After they broke their Oath, the agreement between the two of them was considered null and void until Riley made things right between the two of them. If he wanted to walk away, he could without having to worry about the wrath of the Wyrd. After the events of Litha, Lucas was confident that if they were in reverse positions Riley wouldn't hesitate to leave him to whatever terrible fate awaited those who held onto the coin of the Ferryman. The thought alone of running into his former master was enough to make his heart feel like it was pumping terror through his veins instead of blood.
Why, Wyrd? Why are you doing this? I told you I wanted to live for the first time in my adulthood life at Litha and now you're wanting me to wander back to the realm of the dead?!
He didn't need to look to the sky for the answer. The answer was standing right across from him.
The Wyrd wasn't the one pushing him in this direction.
His heart was.
There had been a time when he had loved Riley. Sometimes he felt like Riley was the only person he had loved on a meaningful romantic level. All of his other relationships had been passing interests or distractions from his depression. The sense of betrayal wasn't enough to wipe away all of the memories the two of them spent together. What it did was amplify how painful the betrayal was because it made him question how sincere Riley had been at the moment. Was this what lay on the other side of love? When it was over and two lives were pulled apart, you were left with a ruinous trail built with fragment memories and frayed emotions?
He squeezed his fists so tightly in his pockets that he was half expecting his knuckle bones to break through the skin. He never fancied himself the protagonist in the mess that was live as a survivor of Arcadia. Summer and Spring were where the heroic main protagonists went off to. Winter was where those who suffered in silence and did the dirty work went. If only the traitor in his chest would recognize that. Instead of latching onto his anger or his terror he found his emotions latching onto the night that Riley and he broke up. The self-loathing Necropolis had inflicted upon him was what caused him to run away from Riley and leave them behind. Was he going to run away from them again and leave the other two to navigate this ghost mess without someone who has the proper expertise?
Damn it. Time to join this Lost Boy on whatever Neverland nonsense the other two Lost got themselves into. To die would be an awfully big adventure, right?
"I'm here for you too, Riley. I'm not going anywhere this time."
He offered them a small smile before his face lost all of its expressiveness as his skin turned into ice.
He steps forward to reach towards one of the silver coins while watching Riley to see if they do the same.
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Riley Sorsa
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Post by Riley Sorsa on Jul 28, 2021 7:19:08 GMT -8
"Right no wonder i left this court" Riley growls to themself, just loud enough to be heard. The No questions policy was really biting them at the moment.
Riley didn't have the luxury of choice in this moment, not in any meaningful way.
The moth had seen what it meant to be an Oathbreaker, the glances from use to be friends. The anger and cruel words. Even the kindest of people's words had become coated in venom.
The bright one knew they could spend hours trying to hash out with Golden Boy, asking for context, promise, and anything. He owed Riley nothing; he didn't need to extend an offer.
Is it worth it?
Riley's mouth was dry, despite having just had drink water. Then, running a hand through their silver hair, they observed the offered coin. What did it mean to take it?
The path that led here had been paved with good intentions. Riley had wanted to do what they could to keep the Freehold safe. Just on their terms. Look how that turned out.
Dig your own grave, fitting? Riley thought to themself.
They took a step forward hand, reaching out when they notice Lucas is doing the same. It caused them to halt, their hand flicking.
"Lucas. Jesus. Stop" What was he thinking? Riley was the Oathbreaker.
A wave of residual anger from Litha dragged its way up through their body. They stiffen as the adrenaline spike hits. Why did he always have to act like he's some sort of knight. Ready to help and protect. This wasn't his problem; it didn't need to be his problem.
Why did he want to help, after a broken oath, a fist to the face. Why after all this time. They didn't like- no, they didn't deserve his help.
The moth gulps as his flesh became frozen protective fractals.
"I am the one who owes Golden" Riley eyes flicked to Golden Boy.
"Leave him out of this" they try not to make it sound like plea.
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Post by Golden Boy on Jul 28, 2021 8:42:57 GMT -8
Lucas had to squint to look at Golden Boy, opting to seek for the inevitable Gate the Gravewight was expecting. He wasn't sure if he felt relieved or unsettled at the lack of signs. Rather, the edges of his periphery were seething with movement, with shadows taking active shapes and scraping from beneath the floor boards. The curtains twitched, with the feeling of hundreds of hungry eyes as figures leaned to watch. Hands reached and stopped around the space the Hunterheart had traced with his steps, his foot lifting to politely avoid stepping on fingers.
The Fairest tracked Lucas and Riley's approach with his head down, splitting his concentration between the activity and where their feet ended up. As they crossed a threshold only he understood, he relaxed a bit and turned his head as Lucas was reaching. He clearly had not been paying much mind to Riley's chatter and Lucas' intensity as he balanced a complicated task, jaw tightening with the Darkling's appeal to humanity. Golden Boy flushed and broke eye contact, hand dropping as he took the coins away again.
The temperature was dropping at an alarming rate, tracing the performers leftover footprints on the stage in rings of frost. The Fairest wasn't breathing, weighing something as he looked beyond.
"M'not one of the Gentry," he coughed, swallowing whatever meltdown was crowding in the corner of his eyes. "I'll go myself, and you can come up with your own fate. Stay in the circle."
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