(New thread!)

[Pistol Annie #1 NPC]

████【♟】████

Lanette Lane
Female ♟ Pansexual ♟ Pacifism
Tags: Dakota, Onyx

-----Lanette agreed with the shadow-manipulator's suggestion. Dakota was best suited for a supporting role here, as she'd mentioned. The pacifist herself was a little concerned about playing the point character though. Despite her attempts at being tough, she still looked more like bait than a potential client for their criminal 'friend'.
-----It was a relief when Onyx snatched up that position. This 'punk' was a genius actor, seemingly able to shift between personalities at will. It was impressive enough to belong on television. Maybe after all this was over, years later when they settled down and raised families, Lanette would turn on the television and see Onyx performing.
-----"So long," She said to Onyx with the smirk Dakota just taught her. This time, she was sure she had it down pat. Once they'd gone, Lanette turned to Dakota, still wearing that expression. It was now slightly lopsided from the exertion of keeping her face that way. "Ready to catch a traitor, partner?"
-----Wait, that was totally the wrong accent. It sounded like... Southern Twodor ranch-keepers. Whoops.

████【♫】████

Gavotte Lane
Male ♫ Heterosexual ♫ Hydrokinesis
Tags: Jen, Arys, Drew

-----A wave of relief washed over Gavotte as a familiar wolf sprung from the tree cover. Arys was here to join the fray. The now-powerless brunette ran a few more steps before stopping, and turned to watch his friend fight. His grip tightened around his butterfly knife as he mentally prepared himself. He would fight if Arys needed him, despite being nearly useless in close-ranged combat.
-----Her claws had done a number on the traitor's back, but Gavotte noticed the waves behind him starting to move. The brunette made a last-ditch effort to hold them back, this time feeling the slightest twinge of his power returning to him, but it wasn't enough. The walls of water slammed into the werewolf, succeeding in getting her off Drew. Gavotte rushed forward as Arys retreated from the man. Brandishing his butterfly knife, he stood beside her firmly, standing his ground though his heart was pounding. This filthy traitor would not take her down that easily.
-----In the chaos of the fight, Gavotte hadn't noticed Jen arriving on foot until she lashed out with a flaming fist. The boy flinched, even though it wasn't directed at him. He watched in horror as she just stood there silently, watching the man thrash and scream. She shot him right then and there, but not fatally. Gavotte turned away, only to hear another horrible cry from their enemy.
-----He couldn't watch this.
-----"I- I have to go." His voice shook as he turned on his heel and stumbled into the woods. The nausea and horror made his vision swim in dizzying waves. Once he was out of sight, he braced his hand against a tree and retched, though nothing came up. As he sank to his knees with a low groan, he was vaguely thankful he hadn't eaten in hours. His eyes stung, but with awful dryness and not tears. Even the water of his eyes had left him with his power.
-----Marking Day hadn't ended with the closing of the curtains. No, they were being marked as they stood. Their once-blank slates were now spattered with blood, their innocent consciences marred with the horrible weight of a gruesome murder.

████【❁】████

Sonata Thornwood
Female ❁ Pansexual ❁ Botanokinesis
Tags: FOOD ...and friends

-----Knees shaking a bit from the tense encounter with Counter Guy, Sonata stood close by her friends for comfort as the doors slid open. As she entered, she promised herself she wouldn't let this ruin her day. Fivanians were happy, Fivanians were confident, Fivanians held their heads up no matter what. Agh, I can't do this... No! I can, and I will! Sonata took a deep breath and marched into the elevator.
-----The wall facing them featured a full-length mirror, and Sonata smiled at the sight of herself and two friends, all dressed up and ready to party. She normally hated looking in mirrors for the embarrassment it brought her. It seemed to magnify every imperfection, every freckle that looked suspiciously like a pimple. But here, she felt like a different girl, a Fivanian girl. One who smiled into mirrors and admired how she looked in a ridiculous dress.
-----The rest of the elevator was just as luxurious as the lobby, complete with a miniature chandelier. Sonata stood on tiptoe to play with the dancing crystals, but she was too short to reach. Oh well. She turned around to press the buttons, and had fun slamming her fingers on random ones. She wanted to hit all the buttons, but felt like she'd get in trouble for that. So she limited herself to five (like the province number).
-----The doors slid shut, and Sonata watched the display in eager anticipation. The glowing number went from 1 to 2 to 3... all the way until it stopped at 7. A small musical cadence announced their arrival as the doors opened.
-----Sonata's jaw dropped as she stepped off the elevator. It was a party of businesspeople, except these were not the professional traders she'd expected. These seemed as rowdy as any Fivanians, drinking and feasting on mountains of food. Dishes she'd never seen before lined the red-clothed table, accenting it with colors she'd never imagined food could wear. Sonata's attention was piqued by a ring of pinkish, curled up things that looked like seafood. Was this 'shrimp?' And did shrimp really grow in Fivana, or were they picked in Forell?
-----But the thing that truly drew her was the chocolate fountain. Layers of rich, brown chocolate flowed and cascaded in the most delicious waterfall she'd ever seen. She was going to drown herself in chocolate.
-----"Come on, come on!" She squealed as she tugged the others towards the food. "Let's eat, and hopefully we find our 'friend' here too!"

[honeybee.]

⋯⋯⋯⋯ ❄️⋯⋯⋯⋯
Brenn Lucasta
Location: Midas Tower Tags: Caleb; Sonata
⋯⋯⋯⋯❄️⋯⋯⋯⋯

A grin spread across Brenn's face at the sight of the chihuahua wearing that 'scary sweater'. When Sonata added an entire orange slice and a mini umbrella to their fantasy orange juice and then Caleb furthered that with the whole glass screen idea he couldn't restrain himself from clapping his hands eagerly. "It'll probably even be in a fancy glass!" he added, recreating Sonata's cup with his hand and then displaying a stem with his finger to make it look like a champagne flute. He nodded in agreement when Caleb decided on trying every food he didn't recognise, which would probably be pretty much all of it. Hopefully they could take down the traitor without too much of a scene and enjoy a feast afterwards. The idea of a cake tour with three hundred cakes was also very exciting, and Brenn wouldn't even be surprised if it actually happened. This was Fivana after all.
When Sonata stumbled Brenn stepped towards her in an attempt to save her from falling to the ground but luckily Caleb was closer and steadied her easily. She looked rather embarrassed and Brenn chuckled fondly, it was genuinely rarer to see Sonata without a blush across her cheeks.


They started making haste towards their destination when Caleb spotted it using his little bird and talk began of code names.
"Those names are gonna be tough to follow. Cassia sounds so pretty and Malcolm is so cool. I'll be.." He paused for a moment to think it through. "..Ethan Merchant. Merchant is definitely a Fivanian surname, it used to be my dad's." Fivana was the province of trade, Brenn wouldn't be surprised if there were hundreds of distantly related Merchants scattered around. "And it sounds kind of fancy, so it might help us get into the fancy tower."
When they at last caught sight of the tower, Brenn had to stop for a moment to catch his breath. The golden colour was so bright that felt a little like looking at the sun, as if he should look away before it left imprints on his eyes, and it was so tall. Brenn couldn't believe that anything could extend so high up without the wind just knocking it down. He was still gazing at the tower as Sonata tugged them towards it, there were no cars in their underground HQ so road safety wasn't their strongest point.
Sonata counted out the money before they went in, handing the 50 mark note to Brenn. "Thanks! My parents lived in Twodor so it fits. He held the note next to his eyes for comparison. The Lucastas had lived in Twodor as far back as the provinces went but his father had grown up in this province before marrying his mother, so Brenn had ties to both. He carefully placed the fifty mark note, along with the rest of the money Sonata had handed him, into a separate compartment in his knife pouch.
When Sonata stepped inside Brenn took a moment to have a final look at the tower above him, and another to wonder at the automatic doors, before noticing Sonata gesturing to them, looking rather frantic. He hurried inside to join her, looking concerned. "Sorry, I'm here!" When the man then said they'd been spoken for Brenn wasn't sure how to feel. He couldn't remember Atlanta mentioning any other rebels being present at Midas Tower, but who else would have known they were coming? At least they could get in, otherwise the mission might have gotten a whole lot trickier. He followed the other two down the gilded hall towards the lifts. Caleb, at least, seemed to have some idea of what to do - pressing a button in the wall and causing those metal doors to open. Sonata then seemed to enjoy herself, pressing various buttons. Brenn smiled at them both in the mirror. In the dull grey of headquarters their outfits had looked ugly and out of place but here, against the bright colours of Fivana, they looked far less garish.
Brenn had to grab a handle on the wall when the lift first began to move upwards before he went crashing into someone. It was an off feeling, moving upwards while the rest of his surroundings appeared unchanged. When the movement stopped and the doors slid open they were greeted by the sight of a Fivanian buffet. His eyes were first draw to a mountain of different fruit, including not only familiar apples and oranges but huge spiky pineapples and fuzzy kiwi, and then hundreds of bowls of thick liquids, soup presumably, in every colour of the rainbow. When Sonata began to drag them forwards he followed their direction to a huge chocolate fountain, surrounded by sweets that looked like soft pillows and strawberries stabbed into skewers. "I've never seen so much food in my life," he murmured, a slight catch in his voice from being so overwhelmed by all these new, wonderful things. He wondered vaguely whether he would be able to freeze chocolate, before pushing the thought to the back of his mind. Perhaps they could afford to feast a little before properly getting started on the mission. It would help them blend in at least.

[TheFae]

Arietta Rerum
18
Power: Truth Teller
Location: Corazon Street
Tagged: Ardai, Riley, and Naevys
Mentions: Jade and Sonata and Ella

Arietta smiled wider at Ardai's antics. She loved going back to her Thrintian roots, and even though she had never been there, she still felt a strong connection to her province. Something in her preened at the thought of teasing and challenging.
"Fun fact, since I am the shortest one here, that means I am closer to the Devil, which means I am more godly than all of you combined." Arietta teased, needing to boast and be the best thing there. She was 5'6", the average Thrintian size much to her chagrin, but she was very small compared to the giants she accompanied. "And trust me, I know Ardai is the Idiot. If there were such thing as the Idiot Alliance, he would be the leader."
"Riley, come out of the shadows, it's okay. I won't let anyone hurt you, and we'll know if they want to hurt you." Arietta stated, winking at the end since she was alluding to her power. She really wanted to draw out her friend and have them interact with them. Her heart banged for a moment, knowing how much fun her, Jade, Sonata, and Ella would have had. Granted, Jade, Sonata, and her were much closer due to the fact they were around each other constantly, but Ella was still a good buddy. They all would have a blast in this city, able to be loud and have fun like they used to as children.
"We need to draw out Leroy, so maybe we use our powers in an inconspicuous way. Maybe have an 'explosion' or have something 'fly'." Arietta commented, putting air quotes around explosion and fly. She then noticed there were too many people here and it would just cause too many people to get hurt. "Nevermind, bad idea. Too many people, too many eyes." Her mind raced, trying to think of another way to get Leroy's attention. There were too many people to just try and look at every one of them.
"I've got it." Arietta smiled, remembering back to the flyer. Leroy was a ladies man. "We need to be the hottest ladies here, and before you say anything Ardai, you are not a lady." She then pursed her lips, knowing she needed to get a big crowd going. "Alright, I'm going to start a cat-fight between us. Be loud, and be confident. We'll draw him to us." She hissed so no one else could hear her, smiling at the others.
"What do you mean you are the hottest here? Have you not seen this body when I start dancing?" Arietta screeched, as loud and shrill as she could manage, standing tall and jutting out her hip. "I am the hottest girl here, the hottest person here. I deserve the best of the best, which I think we can all agree with." She winked at her friends, hoping they would start playing arguing with her and making a scene. Oh, how fun this would be if she had Sonata, Jade, and Ella at her side. She really needed a girl's night.

[hellb0und]

➴x────────────────────xxＪＥＮxx────────
NAME. jennifer dire ` ABILITY. fire manipulation ` TAG(S). gav & drew `
xxxxxxxx𝐈 𝐀𝐌 𝐀𝐒 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐋𝐘 𝐀𝐒 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐈𝐓𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅.

xxxxxxxxDrew continued to rasp out cries and screams of pain which must have carried for miles. She wrapped her fingers systematically around the middle of the arrow and yanked it out of him, emitting yet another scream. Considering she didn't have a knife readily on hand, only her bow, she used the tip of her arrow to slash his achilles tendon and rid his capability of walking. He fell silently, the grass making for a soft landing. Now he was nothing but a heap of blood and cries. She knew Gavotte had long left, unable to handle the grusesome scene. She didn't utter a word as he pleaded for mercy, begging her to just shoot him and end his life. Her eyes were narrowed coldly. She wouldn't be so kind. Jen stood there, staring down at him. After a good forty-five minutes, she shot him. Officially ending his life and any ability he once had to pass on information about the rebels. Now that the job was done, the female went looking for Gavotte. She knew he'd gone into the forest but of course, not exactly where. It was a good lead, at least. "Gavotte?!" she called out, her voice its normal alto pitch. She had long dropped the act, and was glad she wouldn't have to perform it ever again. Frankly, she just wanted out of here as soon as possible, but they still had quite a ways to go. "It's over, come on." Jennifer called out.

[Pistol Annie #1 NPC]

████【♫】████

Gavotte Lane
Male ♫ Heterosexual ♫ Hydrokinesis
Tags: Jen, Arys

-----It seemed that hours passed until the agonized screams stopped, finally fading into silence. Even so, the echoes of the horrible sounds were burned into Gavotte's mind for good. He was not a particularly empathetic person but his heart still wrenched for the boy who'd been tortured to death. He'd hated Drew, the traitor who tried to sell out Headquarters and even held a knife to his throat, but this had gone too far.
-----Jen's familiar voice called his name, but his first instinct was to crouch lower and hide. He reminded himself they were on the same side. They grew up together. She'd even saved his life just now, shot the traitor in the shoulder so he could escape without a slashed throat. Keeping this in mind, he rose on shaking legs and started towards the voice.
-----When he reached her, he kept his head down. The fiery dress he'd admired hours before was now a painful reminder of the gruesome fight. He couldn't meet her eyes. What was he supposed to say?
-----Why didn't you just shoot him?
-----Was killing him even the right thing?
-----He pushed aside the doubts, not wanting to even think about Drew anymore. He wouldn't be able to sleep at night as is. Instead, he murmured a quiet "Thank you for saving me. Glad our part's done," under his breath and just stood there. He'd been thinking of returning to the lake, but he had no intentions of seeing Drew's mangled body.

████【➹】████

Ardai Fairchild
Male ➹ Heterosexual ➹ Invisibility
Tags: Naevys, Arietta, Riley

-----Ardai just grinned pridefully as his female companion insulted his intelligence. He puffed out his chest, pleased to be called the leader of all idiots. "I am the Moron of Morons, the Great Idiot who has read a negative number of books! I can't count to three on all my fingers!" He thundered, pointing to himself with glee. The grin he wore looked too big for his face.
-----They were approaching Corazon Street for real now, and Ardai was bombarded with a wall of noise. The cacophony was music to his ears. Pounding drums sent vibrations through his chest, and the clash of cymbals nearly made his teeth clatter together every time. People hollered and danced, jam-packed shoulder-to-shoulder at points. Arietta was making the mission plans, but fortunately no Fivanians were paying attention. All the civilians' eyes were on the massive parade. Commander hadn't made it up - the procession was happening right before their eyes. Wooden platforms with colorful displays rolled by, one of them featuring five girls fighting amidst a city backdrop that imitated Thrinton. "That's us!" Ardai hooted, pointing to the massive staged 'cat-fight' as Arietta called it.
-----Arietta was already kicking up the argument, and Ardai rubbed his hands together in anticipation. The jostling of the crowd meant a few partygoers bumped into them, but despite wearing stilettos, the redheaded troublemaker didn't even notice or care. He felt like a natural at this Fivana thing.
-----"What?!" Ardai screamed in the most outraged, dramatic voice ever. His honey-gold eyes were wide with feigned shock. "You look like you literally crawled out from the gutters in Sixney! You hideous disgrace, if I kicked a load of cow dung on your face, maybe you'd look prettier!"
-----Some of the crowd had turned to stare at them, distracted from the parade. Their screaming had begin to catch some attention. Grinning, Ardai mouthed slap me to Arietta, giving her permission to just go for it.
-----"I'm the hot one here! Just go back to your province, you ugly rat!" He almost felt bad for saying all these rude things, but reminded himself they were totally fake. She was super pretty and could tell he was lying by using her powers.

████【❁】████

Sonata Thornwood
Female ❁ Pansexual ❁ Botanokinesis
Tags: food friends

-----This paradise of food was irresistible. Despite the buffet being a total distraction, Sonata was drawn towards the beautiful dishes and desserts - some rose to heights resembling mini towers themselves. Surely the commander would forgive them for filling their bellies before getting to work, right?
-----"Are we in literal heaven? Look at this!" Sonata gasped as she admired a stack of cakes. Reaching nearly to the ceiling stood layers of vanilla, chocolate, and other cake flavors she couldn't name. Beside it was an ornate glass stand holding clear cups of unfamiliar dessert. The creamy substance inside the cups swirled with pastel pinks and blues, topped by bushes of rainbow dots and a single cherry. Across the table, a Fivanian woman struck a match and set a mountainous dessert aflame. It turned from white to gold to crispy brown. Her friends cheered, and one even stuck a spoon into the still-blazing cake. This must be the Fivanian version of Ardai.
-----She examined what appeared to be an enormous red rose, then found it was an intricate display of sliced strawberries. Sonata took a 'petal' from the outermost rings and gingerly nibbled on it, pleased to find it coated with honey. She shoved four more slices into her mouth before moving on, worried she'd ruin the 'flower'.
-----"What are these?" She mused, bending down and peering at a ring of yellow, crispy potato slices. "Are these called chips? Crisps? Chisps? Please help me out here, it's on the tip of my tongue!"
-----"Literally," She then said as she popped a few into her mouth. The salty snacks crunched satisfyingly between her teeth.

[hellb0und]

➴x────────────────────xxＪＥＮxx────────
NAME. jennifer dire ` ABILITY. fire manipulation ` TAG(S). gav & "drew" `
xxxxxxxx𝐈 𝐀𝐌 𝐀𝐒 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐋𝐘 𝐀𝐒 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐈𝐓𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅.

xxxxxxxxJen bit her lip when she saw the young adult who looked more like a petrified child stalk towards her on shaky legs. His head hung low, he wouldn't even meet her eyes. She murmured a, "Yes," in reply to the quiet words said under his breath. Turning around, honestly doubting he'd follow, she moved forward. She side-tracked back towards the mangled body that was once a man, and with a flick of her hand, set him aflame. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes as he turned to nothing but a pile of gray ashes. She proceeded to sweep them into the empty pit that used to be a lake, and turned away, leaving the remnants and any recollection of him in the dirt. The blonde walked until she was back at the gates she'd seen what felt like forever ago, pushing them open and the familiar groan reverberating. From there she stopped, even if she often broke the rules and went off alone, she decided over it this time. Considering Gavotte's current condition, and the fact that she had to leave him momentarily, she wouldn't do it again. That wasn't all, as threats were still poised, and someone else could launch a surprise attack. Whether it was her or him. Perhaps someone who saw Drew attempting to kill Gavotte followed by him being murdered mercilessly and growing angry with them - or her, specifically. Then again, an ally of his was far more likely, someone working with him. Though he certainly didn't strike her as the type who was able to coordinate an entire criminal operation. Stupid was dangerous, and that's what got you killed.

[cocogerber13]

Caleb Oxenbera——————————
♠︎ // Phoenix Squad Recruit // Beast Summoning // Tags: Sonata, Brenn

Caleb rose and eyebrow when Brenn told them his codename. He had to admit that Brenn was taking the idea a lot more seriously than he and Sonata did, and though theirs were fine Brenn had an awfully good idea. “Heck, just mention that name and they’ll give you one of the trade room numbers. Heck, you might have to be the one to persuade someone to tell us where our guy is.” Caleb mentioned thoughtfully. He tucked the idea into the back of his head as the extravagant doors opened and he strutted in, keeping up the act for as long as the clerk could see him. Actually there were probably cameras all over the place, so maybe he’d just try to temporarily become the act.

Caleb’s eyes were drawn to his own reflection’s as soon as he stepped foot in and he maintained eye contact long enough to be distracted from Sonata’s moment of faltering confidence and then her pressing of buttons. It was strange seeing himself, especially in such attire in such a place. There weren’t too many mirrors in headquarters and Caleb didn’t care much for his own appearance, so the short wait gave him time to consider it. His clothing certainly brought the blue out in his teal eyes, somehow making them appear more green now, and his dark hair was longer than he thought it was. The scar on his shoulder too stuck out through the small space the webbed collar provided, a jagged pink-white line on his pale skin. Just as he started to recall the memory of how it happened, his attention was drawn to Brenn’s grip on the railing and Caleb instinctively reached out to steady him. He was too slow though, and ended his reach by planting his own hand on the cool, cylindrical metal until the door opened.

Caleb had made sure not to keep his hopes up for a buffet as they made their way into the sky, but when the panels once again drew back to allow the three off the boy was pleasantly surprised. The room and people within it were eye-catching, but none was moreso to the three teenagers than all the tables of food. Fulfilling Caleb’s wishes of trying something new would not be hard to achieve. The beast summoner glanced at his teammates, then back to the displays that meant more than gold to them. They would have time to eat before they had to fulfil their mission, and if they happened to stumble into the familiar face they were to capture then it wouldn’t seem like they were out of place with a plate of food.

Caleb was timid to try anything set out at first, afraid that they would get in trouble for crashing someone’s unknown party, but the people seemed to be welcoming and were a bit preoccupied with the mountain set alight. Caleb watched with wide eyes. Was that how Fivanans ate their food at home? Caleb watched as Sonata had her attention stolen by some sweets and golden discs that made a louder sound when eaten than they looked. Eager to look at some things himself, he peered over to dishes of strange shapes and sauces that were presumably pasta. Caleb would have reached for a plate right then, but then he noticed what appeared to be wall of colours in the corner of his vision. He looked up and walked over to a table with only a few fruits that were recognisable to him, picking up a cherry and looking at it quizzically before popping it into his mouth. The tartness was nothing like anything he had eaten before, and after enjoying the first reached for another. He continued this with multiple different berries and fruits cut into shapes up until he saw the familiar pattern of a watermelon. A few of the recruits had been present when an older rebel brought one into base, and though Caleb himself hadn’t tried it, he had heard that it quickly earned favour from Sonata. “Hey, uh, Cass!” Caleb gestured to a watermelon that had been carved in the likeness of Midas Tower itself, the actual fruit cut into figures walking on the ‘street’ in front of it. “Isn’t this your favourite?” Caleb questioned, gingerly plucking up one of the people to examine. The work was almost too detailed for him to want to eat it.

——————

Onyx Carriado——————————
♣︎ // Phoenix Squad Recruit // Acrobat // Tags: Lanette, Dakota, Keith the Thief

Onyx sniffed in amusement at the smaller girls’ “so long”. Their reply was merely a quick tilt of their head to raise their chin- something the writer of this response has witnessed many a time in the hallways of a high school. When the acrobat noticed Lanette’s cocky smirk, they couldn’t help but mirror it and flash a thumbs up from where their arm had moved to roll up their sleeves.

They had started to walk backwards and gave one last wink to Dakota right before they turned around. The recruit had started an effortless saunter- which could have turned out very badly considering their brilliant choice of wearing moonshoes to a dark, dangerous alley with a lot of obstacles on the ground. As it turns out though, the elevated frames of the shoes made it immensely easy to avoid the broken bottles, ripped papers, stepped-on cigarettes, and questionable dark red stains that littered their pathway. The only thing they needed to pay attention to was the fact that they would slip, but their ability did involve balance. So then technically the only real caution Onyx had to care for was the uh... whole sketchy alley and even sketchier people thing. Easy-peasy.

The dark-haired teen truly rocked the careless and bitter gangster stereotype with an uneasy edge to their narrow eyes, lips that looked as if they could pull back to reveal a snarl, and the purposeful (literal) spring in their step. Also the knives on either side of them that were hidden well enough that the hilts appeared more like decorated belt loops. Maybe that would attract someone else that wanted to pickpocket them, but if that scenario were to happen then sly-stepping Onyx would give them a nasty surprise. Hoping dearly that it wouldn’t come to that though, the kid wandered down the street with their eyes peeled for anything suspicious.

There were movements behind closed doors and shuttered windows that they could vaguely hear and see from the corners of their eyes, though many Onyx guessed to be the locking of furnishings in question. They didn’t stop at any of them until they came across a door that appeared different from the rest. It had some sort of metal finish on the outside that had been carved into intricately. It appeared out of place, probably stolen but quite heavy compared to some of the other doors. If this Keith guy had any kind of high standing whoever was behind this door would be able to give Onyx directions if it wasn’t Keith himself.

The teenager stood cooly a few steps away from the door, internally debating if they should knock or just barge in (if their lithe build didn’t instantly crumple from the impact of ramming into it). Heck, they half debated wether they should even try. Though they acted on par as a gangster, acting was still acting and the Phoenix Squad recruit really did not want to go inside an unfamiliar building with a heavy door. Not to mention the eerie feeling was still there, feeling very much like a ghost over their shoulder.

In order to cover up their hesitation Onyx moved their eyes up to peer at the windows and wall above. It was both good to prepare them in case they needed to hop and prepared the illusion that they were looking to possibly break in. They were proud of this clever cover-up and before they could stop themself their face changed to ‘ >:3 ’ .

[marimo.]

▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ αяуѕ ѕℓαтє █ ▇ ▆ ▅ ▄ ▂ ▁

❝ιf ι ¢αи вє σf αиу нєℓρ, ι'ℓℓ єνєи вє¢σмє α яєαℓ мσиѕтєя❞

~18~Female~Werewolf~Mood: uncomfortable~Location: training room~Tags: Gavotte, Jen~Mentions: Drew~

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
She expects Jen's brutality, but not of this calibre. Drew's cacophonous screams echo through the air as the archer drives a flaming fist into the back of his head and then sinks an arrow into his back. As Jen tortures Drew, Arys is aware of Gavotte standing beside her, ready to help if he's needed, though he quickly runs off into the woods after a few moments of Drew's cries. The wolf wants to seek him out, to comfort him in some way, but she can't tear her sight from Drew's bloody form. Never before has she seen such damage done to a human body. In a way, her naive self somehow thought that something like this is impossible. But that naive werewolf is gone. She knows this at she sits silently and stares at Drew's form, watching him with Jen for a full three-quarters of an hour before the fire manipulator eventually drives a fatal arrow into him.
This is what war looks like, The wolf realises suddenly. I'm going to have to see a lot more of this in the foreseeable future. When she was handling Drew, she was going to simply cripple him and then end his life swiftly, maybe seeing if she could find out what he knew. But nothing like what Jen had done. In her mind, war is supposed to be about eliminating the enemy as fast as poossible before moving on, to bigger and better goals. That, to her, is how you win a war. Not like this. Shutting her eyes, the scene flashes before her again, and she knows she'll be seeing Drew's blackened, bloody corpse as long as she lives. Somehow, though, she's not as horrified as she'd initially thought she'd be, just stunned. Stranger still, she feels a twisted sense of satisfaction at the thought that this traitor is dead.
Jen calls out for Gavotte, and the wolf watches as he emerges from the woods. Arys feels a pang of sympathy for the water wielder as he approaches Jen slowly. They exchange only a few words before Jen strides off and waits at the gate, presumably for Gav. She wishes she could turn back into a human, to utter some words of comfort to the guy, but she's stuck as a wolf until the sun rises, which may not be for a while.
Arys knows she should head back with the two, but the once-peaceful Sanctuary feels toxic, and she finds that she needs some time alone, to process what just happened. Against her better judgement, she hauls herself up from her sitting position and turns her back on her two companions. Before she can change her mind, she bounds silently away, disappearing into the woods.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

˜”*°•.˜”*°•𝔻𝕒𝕜𝕠𝕥𝕒 "𝕌𝕞𝕓𝕣𝕒" 𝕊𝕥𝕖𝕖𝕝•°*”˜.•°*”˜

❝𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕕𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕥 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕞𝕖? 𝕎𝕙𝕪 𝕕𝕠𝕟'𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕣𝕦𝕟 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕞𝕖?❞

~18~female~umbrakinesis~mood: lets do this~location: training room~tags: Lanette,Onyx~ mentions: none~

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Dakota grins evilly as Onyx murmurs code words as they pass her. Oh, how she loves the thrill of this! As the acrobat saunters away, she turns to the pacifst and replies, "Of course! I'm always ready for stealth missions. And good smirk by the way. You'll be a crime lord before you know it." She closes her eyes and draws shadows in the alley to her and Lanette, cloaking them and making them invisible to the human eye.
"This should keep you out of sight, but try not to speak too much. I haven't figured out how to soundproof people yet." She murmurs to the pacifist. "And stay near me. I don't know the range of my shadows and I don't care to test it right now." With a decisive nod, the shadow manipulator creeps silently after Onyx, staying a good distance away so they can maneuver without running into them, but close enough to provide backup if they need it. The acrobat stops in front of a locked door and Dakota stops in her tracks, motioning for Lanette to stop as well. She waits with baited breath to see what they'd do, appreciating their acting. They are definitely the right person for the job. Come on, Onyx. She eggs him on silently, wishing she can be in on the action. Her powers, however, are best used from a distance, and now she can only sit and watch, providing help if needed. Everything depends on Onyx now.

[Pistol Annie #1 NPC]

████【♟】████

Lanette Lane
Female ♟ Pansexual ♟ Pacifism
Tags: Dakota, Onyx, Keith

-----Lanette smiled with grateful enthusiasm as the shadow-manipulator encouraged her. "All thanks to you, my partner in crime," Was all she managed to say before the blanket of darkness fell over them. Dakota instructed her on how she should act - staying quiet and staying close.
-----"Got it," She whispered, leaning up on tiptoe to reach Dakota's ear. She followed her companion, keeping a close eye on the acrobat ahead of them.
-----It was strangely comforting, being veiled by the shadows. Danger lurked behind every corner in a place like this, but thanks to Dakota's powers, any mugger or murderer was almost certain to pass them by. They wouldn't be getting their throats cut before meeting their actual assignment. Lanette had a feeling that if they died at the hands of common criminals, Commander Atlanta would be so disappointed in them.
-----Onyx soon stopped at a suspiciously ornate door and stood there. Their expression was unreadable even to Lanette, the sister of a literal empath. The pacifist watched as their gaze shifted, examining the dilapidated brick walls and worn window frames. One of the windows was shattered, but no glass shards lay on the floor below. Someone had long cleaned them away but not bothered to replace the window itself. For a place that could afford such a rich door, it sure hadn't been looked after nicely.
-----Lanette narrowed her eyes at a sudden 'click' and a movement from the crystalline doorknob. The expensive door swung open, as if on its own accord, but there seemed to be nobody inside. Lanette could see what appeared to be a kitchen, lit by the light above the stovetops. She got a glimpse of marble counters and polished tiles.
-----Maybe the door had some kind of motion sensor? That seemed unlikely, considering the doorknob had actually moved. And the 'click' had sounded suspiciously like a lock.
-----The door just... sat there, open and gaping wide. It swung lazily on its hinges, as if taunting them to come in if they dare.
-----Lanette had the nagging feeling that this was a trap. She felt like someone was staring directly at her, watching her every move. It was eerie and she tightened her hold on her knife. If this was a setup and Keith Marshall tried anything, she would show him it was unwise to mess with a pacifist's friends.

████【♫】████

Gavotte Lane
Male ♫ Heterosexual ♫ Hydrokinesis
Tags: Jen --> Open

-----Jen had left him again, heading back towards the ruined lake where the body lay. Gavotte dared not follow. His imagination was bad enough, let alone seeing the remains of their once-enemy in person. He hoped the fire-wielder would understand.
-----The brunette shivered as thought of her empty eyes and flaming fists. They'd seen a different side of her today, a side that warned Gavotte he should stay away. But an irrational part of him still longed for whatever companionship they'd built over the many years spent together.
-----After several minutes, he decided Jen and Arys had probably dealt with the body. He steeled himself and started towards the lake. As soon as he left the cover of the forest, his heart sank at the sight - and it wasn't Drew. Most of the pond's waters had flooded over the banks and was gathered on the shore, forming deep puddles. The pond itself had been shallower than expected, and seeing the lakebed was disturbing. A few fish were flopping feebly in the pit and on the shores. Some water still remained at the center, maybe a quarter of what the lake had once been.
-----Gavotte tested his power on one of the puddles, and found he'd regained his strength. A morbid thought crossed his mind - he had it back because its other 'owner' was now dead. Drew was nowhere to be seen. As Gavotte expected, one of the girls had dealt with the body. Eventually Atlanta and the other recruits would arrive, and he had no idea how many hearts from their innocent squad would be tainted with the bloodstains of murder. Caleb? Arietta? Lanette, his baby sister?
-----He decided to push aside the thoughts by focusing on the pond. It wouldn't do to leave the heart of the Sanctuary this way. So, to distract himself from everything that'd just happened, he started the slow task of levitating the floodwaters back into the soggy indent. Even so, the pond wouldn't be the same for a while. And neither would he.

████【❁】████

Sonata Thornwood
Female ❁ Pansexual ❁ Botanokinesis
Tags: bAD GUY HELP

-----After eating a handful of the crunchy potato snacks, Sonata decided to try the burnt dessert. It reminded her of the whole fiery Phoenix Squad theme. Eating it would be patriotic in a way... and delicious.
-----She timidly slunk over in that direction. Halfway there, she remembered she was a Fivanian girl today and raised her head high. She walked with a birdlike strut and inserted herself right between two partygoers dressed in matching bird themed outfits.
-----"Gonna try the Parfait Flambé?" Hooted the flamingo guy on her left. He was the reckless guy from earlier, the one who'd stabbed his spoon into the parfait while it was still on fire. "Good for you! Dig right in, girlie!"
-----Emboldened, Sonata grabbed one of the cutesy little dessert spoons and plunged it into the recently extinguished cake. She came away with a spoonful of white and crispy brown. After examining the strange creamy substance, she popped it into her mouth. The sweetness of the warm dessert was almost overwhelming after a lifetime of the grueling rebel's diet, and she savored the taste with a exaggeratedly delighted expression. The toucan girl on her right whooped and slapped her on the back.
-----"I looove this," Sonata finally slurred. She had to leave, so she tottered away while waving back at the cheering bird-themed group. "I love you guys! Enjoy your Parfait Fla-baby!"
-----This was met with cheers of approval, and Sonata felt confidence she'd never experienced before. She had just barged into a random group and they hadn't rejected her! Fivana truly was the place to be. Sure it was loud and kinda overwhelming, but everyone here was so happy and accepted even the most awkward weirdos like her.
-----Her stomach growled and twisted, but she assumed it was crying out for more. She decided to ask her friends for some suggestions. Just as the thought crossed her mind, though, Caleb called her fake name and she turned on her heel in a mini pirouette. The green-eyed girl's jaw dropped as she ran towards him, barely believing her eyes.
-----It was watermelon! Real, live watermelon, skin striped like verdant fields in Twodor. Several human-shaped pieces were mounted in front of Midas Tower's fruity likeness. Tears literally sprang to Sonata's eyes at the sight of her favorite fruit, pointed out by the cute gentleman she'd come here with no less.
-----"I- I can't believe it!" She exclaimed, wiping her eyes and blinking at the fruit display. The girl reached out and took one of the watermelon-people, admiring the gleaming pink fruit that begged her to eat it. She bit off the mini Fivanian's head with a satisfying crunch, and the sweet watermelon juice flooded her mouth. She ate the tiny watermelon carving so slowly that if any Onetians were watching, they would probably arrest her for some kind of human rights violation (even though said human was only a watermelon carving).
-----As soon as she finished the piece, in a moment of irrational joy, she rushed at Caleb and enveloped him in a big bear hug. "You're the best! I'm so glad we came here!" She cried aloud. She squeezed him for a good ten seconds or so before letting go, rushing back to the table with the intention of eating more watermelon.
-----Sonata wasn't looking where she was going, though. Wham! She smashed right into someone's back. Sonata watched in horror as a six foot tall, intimidating businessman with spiky red hair turned to glare at her. She barely saw his face, just a gleam of a furious eye before he left without a word.
-----"Ohmygosh ohmygosh," Sonata muttered under her breath. She watched, heart pounding, as the man strode towards the elevator. Was he gonna get them kicked out by Counter Guy, or worse?
-----The doors slid open and he stalked inside. When he turned to press the buttons, Sonata finally got a glimpse of his face and her blood ran cold. It seemed that Brenn's ice had found its way into her veins.
-----The man boarding the elevator was unmistakably James Taylor.
-----"Caleb..." She turned and tugged on his sleeve, her expression completely different now. Any delighted smile or bashful blush had gone from her face. Now her freckles stood out starkly against cheeks pale with horror. Her eyes searched for Brenn, hoping he'd noticed, but the elevator doors clicked shut and their traitor was gone.
-----The number above the closed doors now read '100'. He'd gone to the penthouse. Why hadn't he gone to the lobby and left - was he planning something? Would their little trio be walking right into a trap?
-----Sonata waved Brenn over frantically. Even the watermelon was forgotten for now - their mission had just escaped them in the elevator.

[hellb0und]

➴x────────────────────xxＪＥＮxx────────
NAME. jennifer dire ` ABILITY. fire manipulation ` TAG(S). none `
xxxxxxxx𝐈 𝐀𝐌 𝐀𝐒 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐋𝐘 𝐀𝐒 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐈𝐓𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅.

xxxxxxxxA few more minutes, and despite having long strongly lacked in social cues, she understood. He didn't want to see her, he didn't want to be around her. He feared her. Instantaneously, her actions dwindled into regret. Her purpose wasn't to kill others recklessly, and she knew how horrible the effects of war were, having long dealt with them. Yet here she was, scarring one of the few people she deeply cared for. And she knew how it felt, the pain of it all. She'd turned herself into a monster in his eyes. He'd look at her and see a woman who brutally tortured a traitor, blood painted across her hands and face. Splattered on the once bright dress. Deep and empty eyes that hid demons of all kinds. Though fire ran through her veins, she felt as cold as ever. What had she done? Why didn't she just shoot him and be done with it? Jennifer braced herself against the gate, feeling it shift under her weight, which wasn't much but it was so horribly ancient. Her hand covered her open mouth as she shook her head, shutting her eyes. The darkness offered no comfort to her though, flashing scenes of the violent murder consistently, mixed in with the pain in those ocean eyes. There was no fixing this. When she finally opened her eyelids, she looked up, imagining the disappointment on her beloved father's face. She had to get out of here, and now. Without another thought, she ran. As much as she wished the open arms of the woods were an option, the forest which awaited her back there would offer no sanction. The streets were crowded with bright, happy faces. Jen did her best to fix something onto her face other than misery. Searching for somewhere which she could duck into and be alone. The best she could do was a dim alleyway, slipping into the darkness and letting her knees buckle from underneath her. She still checked over her back though, even forward, watching to see if someone may be entering or coming out. Even in her state of despair.

(Am I the only one who's thinking of this as "Jen burns down school" but alternate universe sorta thing and different situation?)