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Post by Rowan on Nov 5, 2020 18:49:44 GMT -8
He tries to stay strong. At the very least, his version and understanding of what strength is. As understanding dawns on his, he keeps his eyes on Abigail.
"I'm afraid of Northern Lights."
No context, no explanations. The Contract didn't require any. He then squared his shoulders and tried to face Kai. Her question sounded genuine, like she actually cared. But those eyes were peering into his soul. Reflexively, the Snowskin tried to bring up his defenses, but it was no use.
He was stressed and he felt cornered. The events of Mabon were still fresh in his mind, how Titania had tried to hijack the event for her own selfish desires. At the same time, he also recognized the necessity of the Spring Court in the Wheel as a time of renewal and new beginnings. His resolve was wavering between opening up to the Lost and retreating further into his mental trenches. He could answer Summer and Spring with the same disdain they always had for Autumn and Winter. What was it that his mom always told him? Be better than them. He closed his eyes and decided to take the leap of faith.
"No, I am not. I came here to find an anniversary gift, not to be ganged up by the High Seasons. Clearly, I'm coming across wrong, but then what else is new? The only reason I'm even entertaining this conversation is the Pledge."
His voice tried to be steady, and anyone but the Polychromatic could have easily missed the trembling. He felt open and vulnerable and he hated every second of it. He wrapped his arms around him to feel less exposed but stood his ground in front of the dragon, defiant in his thawing.
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Post by Kai Rose on Nov 5, 2020 20:56:02 GMT -8
She had no idea why he mentioned Northern Lights, but she flashed a smile. "More of a rainbow, really," she said gently, gesturing at her arms. The colors were dark and light, red and blue, shifting as her emotions did. She slipped her hands into her pockets. "Nobody's out to mess with you here, man. You're all good by me, and if you want to go about your business, do your thing." The fear should not have surprised her, coming from an Autumn. Still. There was an opportunity here for an olive branch. They were all on the same side, after all.
"Although, I don't suck at gifts, if you want to say who you're buying for...?"
Come or go. He was free to do as he wished as far as Kai was concerned.
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Ivory
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Pres 4 (Regal) - SL 1 (Noble) Fairest Hunterheart
Posts: 588
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Post by Ivory on Nov 8, 2020 10:49:00 GMT -8
THe random statement caused the Pale Dragon to blink
He's painting himself as the victim? Really?
"Weird and I didn't come here to be attacked, but here we are," Ivory replied, seething. Turning to Kai and Riley, Ivory cleared her throat, "My apologies, but I feel it is in my best interests to remove myself from... whatever this is. Have a pleasant afternoon," she offered, "I only hope our next meeting is in better company."
With that, Ivory departed, her free fist still balled as she strode past the racks to the checkout.
If they wanted to keep Misery company, that was their business, but Ivory? Ivory did not have that kind of time. Or Desire.
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Riley Sorsa
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Presence (3) Captivating | SL(1) Stylish Mantle (2)Spring | Status(1) Entertainment
Posts: 913
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Post by Riley Sorsa on Nov 8, 2020 13:53:43 GMT -8
The Darkling paused shuffling the bundle of clothing they had picked from the racks as the drama unfolded. The statement of fear caught their attention, a strange claim and one they were certain had deeper significance, what they couldn't tell.
Kai seemed to have deescalated the situation. Riley’s attention moved to Ivory as she made her departing remarks. The side of their mouth curled slightly in disappointment, that was not how Riley had hopped that introduction would have gone.
“Maybe Next time Abigail.” Riley said raising a hand in a parting gesture. Would it be at court, or would it be at a club? Riley didn't know. Hopefully the dragon did not place this fiery exchange on their shoulders.
Riley looked to Kai and Rowan, raising an eyebrow at the pair. The Moth for a moment was tempted to follow the Dragons lead...but they still had not tried anything yet.
“Well... “ Don't be a snarky asshole, don't be a snarky asshole.
They sighed letting the tension release from their shoulders.
“That could have gone better” they say to no one in particular, the Moths antenna twitching slightly as they glanced at the clothes in their arms.
“ I am thinking of heading towards the changing rooms. There are a few bins over there, that tend to have some hidden treasures” They suggest to the two.
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Post by Rowan on Nov 8, 2020 18:10:39 GMT -8
Rowan's feeling of being defensive shifted to being dumbstruck. Were these Springs for real? Twice now, he had been the punchline of some stupid joke and had had to watch as the comic dipped out unscathed. His brow furrowed as anger rose to the surface again. He did not enjoy being the punchline. He took a deep breath and tried to release the tension building up in his shoulders.
Had this been a mistake? Was that what he got for trusting the warmth and light that had betrayed him and time again in Arcadia? Some part had always been proud for coming back. Another part wondered at the price however. What if the Hunt had never been the end goal? He shook his head to rid himself of that possibility.
"I'm buying for me. It's that kind of anniversary."
He did know if others celebrated their Escape, but he sure will. Was the offer even still on the table after whatever that had been? Maybe, it was hard to tell. Rowan hated social interactions of this nature. He could tell an omen when he saw one and tell Kiths at a glance. But grownup words still felt alien in his mouth. The subtleties eluded him, which was why he was more than happy to be left alone most of the time.
"I'm not apologizing," he said, as much to quell his own doubts than as a statement to the others.
Riley made a comment about the state of affairs.
"Alright, I can get jiggy with a makeover. But the slightest mention of how all that was somehow my fault and I'm leaving."
Facts, not feelings. Those were simple, a series of action and consequences.
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Post by Kai Rose on Nov 9, 2020 13:53:47 GMT -8
Shit happened sometimes. Kai simply gave Ivory a wave and a nod as she headed off. Cold fish met regal poorly in these circumstances. That was life. Though Rowan obviously needed a Spring friend to make sure he didn't end up listening to too much Linkin Park and ending up Winter, Ivory probably was not the right person for that role. At least, not until there had been a bit of a heart to heart about what they were about.
"Yeah, let's go check that out," the Polychromatic replied pleasantly to Riley. She glanced to Rowan as he mentioned that he was buying for himself, letting out a little 'ah'. "Well, then. Let's find something cool. Happy homecoming, dude." Talk about blame could be left by the wayside. She hadn't had long enough out of the thorns to celebrate her first homecoming day yet. In fact, she had not even considered the notion of it being a sort of rebirth day. Was that something Lost did? Was it just Rowan's way of clocking the time, of celebrating another year of victory? "What do you like, fashion-wise? I can't really claim to be a fashion master. Riley? Any expertise?"
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Riley Sorsa
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Presence (3) Captivating | SL(1) Stylish Mantle (2)Spring | Status(1) Entertainment
Posts: 913
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Post by Riley Sorsa on Nov 9, 2020 14:42:24 GMT -8
Riley paused at the mention of the anniversary, they flinched slightly at the situation that had unfolded. That was unfortunate timing. That time of year for any lost was...a strange one. Each handled it differently of course, but it was none the less a emotional time. At least for those still a few years out from...there.
Riley was about to say something but suddenly stopped at the use of the word, Jiggy.
Jiggy? Who says Jiggy?
The moth took a breath in. Don't laugh, oh shit don’t laugh, not now. The smile creased their lips and they turned around.
“Jiggy huh? Well” They coughed slightly “Haven't heard that one before. But yeah let's Get jiggy...and uh” They paused by a bin glancing in before looking at Kai than Rowan.
“Congrats and all. On the whole new life thing." The Moth paused, a thought about their own...escape fluttered through their mind. The light that seemed to emit from Riley, pulsed.
"As for fashion...well I have a few ideas” They said now smirking, leaning their weight on one leg in a wider stance turning to Rowan and giving the frosted man a once over.
“I can work with the whole, working Joe. Unless your looking to mix it up”?
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Post by Rowan on Nov 11, 2020 13:15:25 GMT -8
"Um, yeah. Jiggy. Will Smith?"
Had he said something weird? All his friends used to say that. Things had changed more than he had first thought then, if people didn't know what 'getting jiggy with it' meant. But even if he was self-conscious, only Kai could tell. Maybe. Hopefully not.
"I don't really know. I never thought about fashion." He wasn't about to admit that he really liked the armors from Knight Squad or the costumes from Titans.
They had seemed genuine in their wishes. He mumbled a 'thanks' before pretending to look at the closest rack. He had stabilized by then, no longer intending to run away. Despite his solidness, gazes still slid over him. What was that movie that his mom liked so much? There was a song in it, something about Mr. Plastic Bag? Or Mr. Saran Wrap? He couldn't remember at that moment.
He shifted from one leg to another, subtle indicator how uncomfortable he felt asking. "The leather jacket was nice," he said softly. He walked over to it and started reaching out to it.
Too real! Things were getting too real! Quickly, change the subject.
"So. Have you guys been out long?"
Nailed it.
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Post by Kai Rose on Nov 12, 2020 12:03:15 GMT -8
"You haven't heard Will Smith sing, Riley?" Kai looked a little surprised. "He's actually pretty good. Very clean lyrics. You know. If you're into rap you can listen to with a granny." She chuckled at her own terrible joke. Whatever. She made a little 'oo' and snatched up a black turtleneck that looked like it was in good shape. Winter was never all that long in Vegas, but she was a little short on cold-weather attire. Glancing to Riley as he asked his question, she shrugged and replied, "A few months. Long enough to find my feet and a job, but not all that much else, really. What do y'all do for work, anyway? I'm kind of doing construction full time, which is... bloody boiling work, honestly."
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Riley Sorsa
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Presence (3) Captivating | SL(1) Stylish Mantle (2)Spring | Status(1) Entertainment
Posts: 913
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Post by Riley Sorsa on Nov 12, 2020 13:30:42 GMT -8
“You should give it a try, a good denim shirt might do well with the jacket” Riley offered as they hung up their selected clothes on the door of a changing room.
Riley paused when asked if they had hard Will Smith. A moment of embarrassment rose in their gut realizing they hadn't. They knew the name, but they couldn't recall a song from the artist.
“Uh. I guess not, “ Riley said, looking at the two other lost. “I’ll give him a listen sometime”
Wasn't he big back in the day? I doubt my folks let me listen to him.
The Darkling glanced to Kai as she explained when she “got out”. Such a short time really. Riley remembered back in the early months how hard it was to sleep...to eat. The processing was hard, still was.
“Two years and some months” The moth said flatly, in a tone of voice contrary to their normal inflection. The bright ones glow seemed to dim a bit at the thought. The follow up question however provided Riley a distraction.
“Construction huh? Hard work in the heat around here.”
Dancer? Striper? Sex Worker? Riley always debated the simplest wording at this question.
“I am an adult entertainer” Riley says removing their fringed leather jacket and stepping into the changing room.
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Post by Rowan on Nov 13, 2020 16:25:11 GMT -8
"It's pretty apparent that you're an adult," replied the Snowskin deadpan. "What kind of entertainment? Like, birthday parties?" He remembered his friend Marc had a clown for his birthday once. That had been unexpectedly fun.
"Nothing so cool for me. I'm a janitor." He looked down to his jumper again. "But you knew that already."
It was disgusting work, but someone had to do. Kinda like Fall's job. It wasn't glamorous like Spring's or courageous like Summer's, but it was necessary. The Low Seasons were the foundation of Las Vegas, working in the shadows to keep it a safe, and clean, place. The Lost tended to forget that.
"It's going to be a year for me," he added quietly.
A year of toil and paranoia. A year of coming to terms with what's happened to him.
"Maybe we could go for drinks later, to air out my new look? I know this quiet dive bar with acceptable beer. If you pinch your nose and swallow fast without thinking about the taste too much."
Rowan didn't drink much, he still couldn't get used to the taste. That was the proper social convention, right? Have a conversation, then bond around alcoholic beverages. The Twilit Page had said something to that effect.
He felt exhausted. This had been the longest conversation he's had in Las Vegas. That wasn't weird, right?
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Post by Kai Rose on Nov 14, 2020 14:46:46 GMT -8
Kai gave a strong nod to the Bright One's point about the heat. God, it was shitty work sometimes, and it felt off, like a thing she was doing that really, really did not feel quite right. What she had been before was not entirely clear to her. While the physical work kept her in excellent shape and probably supported her in fulfilling the martial part of her role in Summer, there was absolutely no identity to it. It was just... work. Rowan's reaction to Riley saying she was an adult entertainer brought an amused smile to her face. Not at Riley, but rather, at the cold fish being a cold fish. "Where do you perform?" she asked Riley, choosing to engage.
"Drinks sounds good. Yeah. Let's do that."
Yeah, that'd be nice. Extra money wasn't easy to come by, but she had enough to get a round or two going.
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Riley Sorsa
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Presence (3) Captivating | SL(1) Stylish Mantle (2)Spring | Status(1) Entertainment
Posts: 913
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Post by Riley Sorsa on Nov 14, 2020 15:54:38 GMT -8
For a moment Riley couldn't tell whether Rowan had been serious in his comment. But the follow up comments made the joke (they hoped it was a Joke) land. The darkling let out a short but loud laugh in the changing stall.
“The occasional birthday sure. Mostly Bachelor or Bachelorette parties. Never done the clown stuff, but this city is weird as shit so who knows.”
A blazer came over the top of the stalls door, as the moth discarded items they weren't impressed with.
“Piss beer sounds great, actually “ Riley said as they looked between a blouse and button up shirt in the mirror. When they heard Kai’s question they poked their head up from the door (Standing on the seat in the stall). The disembodied head smirked and replied.
“Stripping, pole dancing, go-go. Pay the bills mostly, the occasional Risque catering service. Etc etc”
The moth popped down back into the stall, a moment later re emerged back in their first look , with a few items over their bent arm.
“I am set, as for the beers. I am an early drinker, if you don't mind, work tonight and all”
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Post by Rowan on Nov 16, 2020 14:46:10 GMT -8
Poles? Like, firefighter clowns? Rowan thought about it for a moment. Huh.
He was looking around the various racks, gingerly moving hangers around in search of the proposed denim shirt. Having found nothing, he moved on to the t-shirt bins. He reached blindly into the depth of discount clothes and grabbed something at random. When he pulled out his hands, he was holding an blue-grey t-shirt with a faded Iceman print. That was the ice dude from the X-Men, right?
He looked from the t-shirt to the other lost, back to the t-shirt. A small grin creeped on his limps. Sometimes, the Wyrd worked in, well, weird ways.
He put both the old t-shirt and the leather jacket over his arm and looked at Riley. "I need a pair of pants and I'm ready to go, I think."
It felt nice, worrying about something else besides being hunted. He had never put much stock into how he looked, because his job required him to not be seen. Standing out was counterproductive. He wasn't sold on this whole 'stories and memories' stuff, but he had to admit that shopping had been fun. Like a treasure hunt.
"Jeans or?"
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Post by Kai Rose on Nov 17, 2020 15:16:30 GMT -8
Kai chuckled. "You're definitely going to get a clown call sometime. I'm stoked to hear the story of what happens when you do." She folded her selections over one arm absently, clearly done with her shopping expedition for this day. The shirt Rowan pulled got a thumbs up, and she gestured toward the jeans.
"A few good shirts and a couple of good pairs of jeans, boom, you're fashionable."
Guys had it so easy.
"Try some on and we'll get down to the drinking!"
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