(New thread!)

[cocogerber13]

Caleb Oxenbera——————————
♠︎ // Phoenix Squad Recruit // Beast Summoning // Tags: Sonata, Brenn, James from Team Rocket blaSTING OFF AGAINNN

Caleb couldn’t help but burst into a laugh when he saw Sonata’s reaction, still snickering as he put his watermelon-person in his mouth. He didn’t think of the artist’s crushed expression at someone eating their work while Sonata’s excitement had him distracted. “Brenn would probably like it too, since...” his sentence was quickly cut short by his own resolve, not wanting to mention the other’s cool powers out loud. Brenn should at least check the fruit out, if not to use any stored liquid later then to make some frozen treats for the three of them after a victorious mission.

The summoner continued staring when the girl boldy began decapitating the fruit figures. “You’re a monster!” He joked after raising his eyebrows in concern for the watermelady’s life. He stumbled back a step when the botanokinesis practically tackled him. With flushed cheeks Caleb returned the gesture and chuckled, trying not to act shyly in front of the group of Fivanians. “Guess I remembered correctly!” The boy commented through a lopsided grin.

It surprised him how much the previously timid girl seemed at home, as much as he and Brenn both sort of seemed foreign to it. Well, that what Caleb himself felt like, anyway. He raised his hand in a friendly wave to the other guy to get his attention. They shouldn’t completely fill up before a possible fight or else they’d win by hurling on the traitor. How embarrassing would that be when they got back to exchange stories! The thought alone made Caleb snort softly in amusement.

The dark-haired Phoenix recruit still had his attention trained on Brenn when he felt a tug on his sleeve and peered down at Sonata. His eyes rounded at her expression, then followed her stare to the elevator to watch it close on a familiar face. Caleb blinked a few times, at first dumbfounded as he searched his head for the recollection of details. He couldn’t have been on the first floor they had gone to, could he? There were dozens of stops on the elevator’s path. From his teammate’s expression though, the guy’s appearance must have been spot on.

Caleb watched with Sonata as the lift rose to the penthouse and stopped, presumably to let its customer out. Suddenly Caleb could move from where he had been frozen in place, walking not over to the elevator but to the refreshment table he had seen walking in. He quickly grabbed a glass bottle in each hand, the container present for guests to bring drinks to their tables, and filled them with water. It was best they stayed calm or they’d have some unwanted guests thinking they were headed to a party. Though a distraction could be good, Caleb didn’t think it best for this scenario.

He returned to the elevator door and pressed the button, stealing glances to stare both of his friends in their eyes. It would be a little while for one of the elevators to reach their floor. The water Caleb was holding was intended to be used by Brenn if he needed it, and while there was no good place to put it the teen wasn’t willing to leave his teammate without a water source. “Come on, we should meet up with our friend.” Caleb tried to keep his cool but his worried glances and the shaking of the water gave away his unsaid concern.
——————

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

Onyx gave a discreet side-glance back, almost as if they were checking for someone sneaking up on them. It was less so that than peering around for their friends, which they couldn’t see, but the sudden disappearance of two people might be hard to explain to any onlookers. The acrobat just had to have faith in their own ability, which prioritised stealth but also drew gazes to them when they felt like it. And with their little acting stunt now, they better have had an audience.

Though in their heart they knew that backup was literally right behind them, Onyx felt a flutter in their heart that perhaps they had left to leave them on their own. There was no logic behind that reasoning, but it didn’t help the uneasy atmosphere that chilled them through their ridiculous outfit. Finally after what seemed like ages, Something happened. Onyx couldn’t help but perk up at the sight of the door handle turning followed by a click and a pull- though where someone should have been standing, there was empty air. The acrobat kept their cool but looked from side to side. Their paranoia was kicked up a notch upon not seeing other movement and became completely aware of their immediate surroundings. They sure as hell weren’t going to lose their bargaining means if they were set up to fight.

With narrow eyes the dark-haired teenager ran their thoughts quickly through their mind. There could have been a mechanism set up with the door- it was certainly large enough, and the ornate decor could easily hide a switch. There could also be someone hiding behind it, ready to strike as soon as someone entered. That immediately ruled out just strutting in there like they owned the place, especially when it seemed much more like the saying ‘from the frying pan into the fire’. If they entered, it would be by direct invitation and with eyes on their host.

For some reason the occurrence was too odd to simply be one of those options. Calculatingly Onyx’s eyes swept hurriedly across the building structures again. A door swinging open just because someone merely stood in front of it was unlikely in an area referred to as ‘Knifepoint Alley’. Someone must have heard their intentions, and though loudly stated it couldn’t have made its way through a brick building. Though Onyx’s observations left them with some noteable details for a quick parkour-way out there hadn’t been an obvious contraption for listening in on the street either, and the only visible one to have witnessed the group was a stray cat. In the span of about a minute, the acrobat considered their options. Going over all the information they had... The rebel’s chin lifted slightly as they trained a sharp stare to the middle of the open doorway and took a step forward. The word visible stood out in their mind, and what with all the antics Ardai had pulled while being invisible, this trick would be child’s play.

“I’d like to see the dealer.” Onyx said smoothly, the request leaving them poker-faced. The kid dearly hoped that their hunch was correct, or else they’d look like a complete fool in front of their little gang and might be made fun of after they got all this sorted out. They moved to cross their arms across their chest, the swift action of sliding their arms up from their positions at their sides artfully covering the unshealthing of the daggers. Almost as quickly as they were drawn they were re-hidden in Onyx’s sleeves. Though this was probably a tiny bit overdramatic it comforted them now that they could be armed with the flick of their wrists, maybe even only revealing one in case the other would come in handy later.

Now that Onyx awaited an answer or any other sign that they had been heard, a few doubts resurfaced in their mind. The window above had been broken, perhaps someone had heard their words from it- or maybe there were people hidden about on the rooftops, dropping into the chimneys of people that were interested in a few extra marks. Heck, this might not even be the right door; it might be bait, luring them in to rob or possibly even kill. Whatever the case, Onyx’s line was certainly one of the more cautious routes to go, and someone definitely had a part in opening the door.

[honeybee.]

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Brenn Lucasta
Location: Midas Tower Tags: Caleb; Sonata
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As Sonata moved towards the desserts Brenn began to drift away towards the table of savoury food he'd seen when he first came in. By splitting up they'd be able to try more food and be more likely to spot their guy. He sampled soups from tiny bowls with flavours he couldn't identify by name and a tiny fingershaped sandwich filled with a creamy looking sauce and chunks of a white meat. Then he tried little towers of crackers, cheese and sweet preserves. Disappointingly, despite how little he'd eaten Brenn already felt as if eating any more would result him in expelling everything out of his stomach and onto the floor, being full was an altogether new and wonderful experience, so he headed towards a huge stand covered with glasses containing all manners of liquids. There were champagne flutes containing liquids of every colour, some even filled with bubbles, and clear glass mugs containing a variety of thick, steaming chocolatey drinks. He was about to reach for a mug of a strong-smelling, dark brown substance when a woman dressed entirely in neon green, hair and all, rotated the stand causing a cluster of orange drinks to stop in front of Brenn. The glasses of orange juice were almost exactly as their collective imagination had pictured them, with umbrellas and orange slices, only these had streams of bubbles that were continuously rising to the surface and popping. He carefully took three before remembering Atlanta's warning. "This display looks fantastic!" He exclaimed aloud to the woman in green, in way of greeting. "There's no alcohol in these though, right?"
The woman looked him up and down before smiling warmly. "Oh no sweetie, the alcohol's all up at the bar." She gesticulated wildly towards a counter where a large group of people were watching the bartender mix drinks. "You tell 'em it's your birthday and they'll probably mix something up special."
Brenn looked blank momentarily, before realising that the woman had assumed his unfamiliarity was because this was his first night out at legal drinking age. He quickly fixed his blank expression into a grin.
"Thanks, I will!'
"Wait a second though honey, I think your friends are waving at you."
Brenn spun in position to where Caleb and Sonata stood by a watermelon Midas Tower. Sonata was pale and waving frantically at him. He hurried towards them, still holding the delicate stems of the three champagne flutes of orange juice, and followed their horrified gazes towards the lift doors with the number 100 displayed above in lights.
"You saw James?' He mentally chided himself for being so caught up in all the food that he missed him. Their mission had been in this room the entire time and he hadn't even noticed. Following their enemy to the top of this huge tower sounded rather terrifying, but they didn't have a whole range of choices. At least they wouldn't have to fight him on this highly populated floor.
"I guess we go after him then. Did he notice either of you?"

[Pistol Annie #1 NPC]

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

-----Onyx looked calm but perplexed at the suspiciously self-opening door. They had the demeanor of a cat who'd wandered into a sticky situation, but allowed its curiosity to overcome any other instinct. Lanette was certain that thoughts were zipping like arrows through the acrobat's mind, and despite their unreadable expression, their thoughts were busy as the archery range during holidays.
-----Finally, the dark-haired rebel's posture changed. They seemed to exude deadly confidence as they strode forward and spoke, putting emphasis on the word 'see'. Behind the cloak of shadows, Lanette couldn't help but smile. She hadn't expected the traitors to have powers, but it seemed that possibility was on Onyx's mind. They'd even deduced a specific power Keith was likely to be using.
-----Onyx was right on at least some level, though. A dark chuckle echoed through the alley in response to their words. Lanette squinted, seeing nobody there - until three men materialized from thin air, all identical copies of Keith Marshall himself. Even from this distance, the wispy dark hair and sly faces were unmistakable. The Keiths shimmered at the edges and each was slightly translucent. Lanette could see the stove and marble counter behind them.
-----The trio of clones smirked and spoke in unison. "Be careful what you wish for. Would the three of you like to come in?"
-----This made Lanette do a double take. Despite their carefully crafted plan and the obfuscating shadows, Keith still knew they were coming. Her suspicions of being spied on from earlier were all but confirmed.
-----Above, the alley cat from earlier now perched on the windowsill in front of shattered glass. Lanette now realized the hole was the perfect size for this scrawny cat to shimmy through without so much as a nick or scratch. The wispy feline groomed its paw lazily as narrowed green eyes bore into Lanette and Dakota.
-----That's right. Take a close look, Lanette thought as a deadly calm came over her. It was the calm before a storm - and she was ready to fight. We're the ones who are about to arrest you.

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Sonata Thornwood
Female ❁ Pansexual ❁ Botanokinesis
Tags: pls dont hate me

-----Sonata wondered how Caleb could remain calm at a time like this. She herself was a mess, her heart pounding with anxious anticipation of the fight to come. The plant-manipulator followed her more dignified companion in the direction of the elevator, only to nearly trip as he stopped at the refreshments table. She stared at him in awkward silence, a bit overwhelmed by the situation and unable to think logically.
-----Sonata was about to thank the young man for pouring them some drinking water (it would probably calm her nerves), but then she noticed Brenn approaching. She realized the water was more likely for the ice-wielder's use during the upcoming fight. Brenn was already holding three glasses of orange juice, which Sonata would normally have reacted to, but right now all her thoughts were on the mission at hand. She didn't even have the stomach to drink the juice she'd obsessed over on the way here.
-----Brenn then asked if James had noticed them. Almost too embarrassed to admit what happened, Sonata stared at her feet, wanting to curl up and hide somewhere. "He n-noticed me when I bumped into him. He glared at me, then left. I don't even know what that means!" She explained, voice shaking like she was about to cry. What if her clumsiness and distraction had messed up their entire mission? "Ohmygosh, I'm such an idiot. Please don't hate me!"
-----There was no time to wallow or whine, though. Caleb was now at the elevator and the number display was dropping by the second. Sonata rushed over just in time for the double doors to slide open, and waved at Brenn to join them.
-----"Come on!" She tried to plaster on her Fivanian smile, but her facade had broken. There was clearly an edge of panic in her voice as she scurried into the elevator and hid near the buttons, not wanting to be spotted by the 'friends' she'd made at the buffet. Her finger reached for the topmost button but she was afraid to press it.
-----Maybe they could make a plan on the elevator, so they wouldn't be walking blindly into a probable ambush. Sonata thought a safer option would be heading to the lobby. There, they could wait out the traitor and see if he eventually came down. But 9 PM was approaching fast, and then the traitors would carry out their plans. All four had to be captured before then or their efforts would be for nothing.
-----Sonata had never been so stressed out. How did the other rebels function? Both of them were so level-headed, as cool as the ice Brenn wielded. Sonata herself was shaking too much to notice the slight trembling of the glasses in Caleb's hands. She thoroughly regretted eating anything at the buffet now, as her stomach twisted in knots that the most patient Eighner couldn't unravel.

[cocogerber13]

Caleb Oxenbera——————————
♠︎ // Phoenix Squad Recruit // Beast Summoning // Tags: Sonata, Brenn, James from Team Rocket blaSTING OFF AGAINNN

Caleb’s stare stuck to the closed metal doors, too afraid he’d give the group away if he looked elsewhere. His lips stayed zipped together for the same reason, and when Brenn asked if they had been noticed, the boy finally looked up to glance at the embarrassed Sonata. The air of confidence from Fivana had been nearly vaporised by the experience she spoke of, and while saddened by this realisation Caleb steeled his nerves. He and Brenn would have to create their own, confident atmosphere that would hopefully boost the botanokinesis.

“I’m sure he would have done that to anyone who would have walked into him- and looking at where we are, that probably isn’t too rare of an occurrence.” The 18 year old reassured, though his brow creased as he silenced himself and stepped onto the platform that had opened up. He waited for his teammates to get on before pressing the button, hoping desperately that no one else on a higher floor would have to stop it to get on. Caleb warily raised a hand to press the penthouse button. “Chances are he already knows plenty well of what will be the attempted plan of action.” Caleb started. This was probably true, what with having him work with the rebellion for the early years of his life and paying attention enough to know their inner workings. James would have needed those observational skills to get him where he was today, especially at the young age his appearance seemed to hint towards. Why, he only looked a bit older than himself, though his irritated expression may have aged him a few years.

“He probably doesn’t know about us specifically, but as soon as we arrive at his hypothetical doorstep he’ll know our mission. And he’ll try to stop us. We have plenty of floors to talk before we get there. If either of you would like more time then press any of these buttons. They could give us a pause or we could even get off at a higher floor, just make sure to keep an eye on the clock.” Caleb cautioned, his eyes switching between those of Brenn and Sonata every couple of seconds she he thought aloud.

“We have our talents at our disposal and we have each other. Just remember your training and I’ll try to cover any loose ends that we may have.” The dark-haired recruit tried to steady his nervous expression and forced a hopeful smile. In an effort to direct attention away from the somewhat failed results, he raised one of the shaky glasses to a cheer. It could have been symbolism to show Brenn that he had ammo, but Caleb honestly did it to boost morale. This mission would prove something for them, something they’d need to earn in order to make it too the emperor. This was the start of their reason for calling themselves members of the Phoenix squad and Caleb was certainly not going to let his team down.

——————

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

Onyx felt confident of their words but their eyelids still flew up slightly at the appearance of the villain. Well, the three of them to be precise. There was an illusion at play here. The teenager observed the three for a second, concluding quickly that while they had initially guessed two of them being false, the correct answer was all three. In fact, the three didn’t even appear to occupy a physical form, seeing as they were somewhat translucent in appearance. Appearances that matched the culprit on the party invitation complete with the smug grin that Onyx themself now mirrored. They were right! And two of their teammates had witnessed it! They’d absolutely have to brag to Ardai and Brenn once they all got back.

Onyx’s smugness wouldn’t falter from their current predicament and their sharp eyes lifted to the movement of the cat now sitting above the door. It was the same cat as before, and with the information that Keith had let slip for his own dramatic appearance Onyx was aware a fair amount of what information the trio had unknowingly slipped. First, their opponent had witnessed their own terrific acting. Second, the rebels’ motives and Dakota’s cloaking abilities- the use of darkness specifically was still a question mark. Third, that the three were fairly inexperienced or at the very least fairly careless about their plan. Even Onyx had to admit that they should have come up with something on the train or at the very least somewhere that had more security.

Now that that observation was done, so was their acting. Onyx let their posture relax to how it normally was, looking up at the feline with their own >:3 grin. “Guess the cat’s outta the bag.” They chuckled, satisfied with their pun but still trying to piece together Keith’s abilities. The older rebels had probably already known about ‘the hunted’ having powers, yet no ability like this had ever been mentioned. This meant that they’d have to figure out what it was themselves. So far Keith has been a cat, opened a door without actually being there, and made three identical copies of his human form. He was just showing off at this point and was proud of it. Onyx had little doubt they’d get to see more of a show before they actually had a fight.

“Thanks for the invitation! I hope you’re a good host- I’d fancy a cup of tea before we talk business.” The dark-haired acrobat grinned, speaking a phrase straight out of a book titled ‘Oneta Etiquette’ back at HQ. Chances were that their opponent had read it himself thanks to the limited selection of books there were. Who knew, an inside joke might just lighten the mood enough that Keith wouldn’t brutally murder them.

Unfortunately with the proud personality Keith currently sported, a part of Onyx didn’t want to kill him. They wouldn’t be opposed to a fight- heck, that may even be fun- but if the idea of truly harming this guy didn’t appeal to Onyx. Onyx was reminded somewhat of themself, removing the corrupt motivations and different ability. It even scared them a little bit that this was the villain they’d have to face, when there was a single reason pitting them against each other. They even had a spare moment to consider what would make them betray the rebellion. They trusted in their squad surely, and Atlanta and Senegal too, but their own side likely had secrets that ran just as deep as the emperor’s. Onyx didn’t allow any of these doubts to contort their amused smirk, but they still wore heavy on their chest.

[honeybee.]

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Brenn Lucasta
Location: Midas Tower Tags: Caleb; Sonata
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Sonata was very clearly freaking out as Brenn followed her to the lifts. Her confident Fivanian act had shattered completely. Brenn nodded in agreement to Caleb's comment. "He only glared at you right? So he probably just thought you were an annoying Fivanian and doesn't realise there are rebels coming after him." He spoke reassuringly and very much hoped that this was true. "You've practically saved the mission, Sonata, now we know exactly which floor he's on. We'll be able to get to him before he makes the deal."
Brenn dreaded to think of what would have happened had Sonata not bumped into their target. They would have had to search every floor until they reached floor one hundred, they would have never have reached him before he sold their secrets.
Brenn joined the other two inside the lift and was rather relieved when the doors slid closed without anyone else getting in. The atmosphere within the lift was purely anxious. Brenn tapped his fingers against the glasses in his hand, the repetitive movement distracting him from the fear of what was to come next. Caleb, though encouraging them to work on the plan in a calm and confident manner, was holding a pair of water jugs in which the water was sloshing around just the slightest bit as he hands shook. Brenn quickly realised that he'd grabbed the water to supply him with liquid for his ice manipulation and smiles weakly, glad that the boy had his back. "Thanks Caleb. At least I should have enough water to do something decent." He commented, the slightest tremble to his voice. The anticipation from the long lift ride only served to make him more nervous. "If you need to free up your hands when we get up there, you can throw them and I'll freeze the water from the floor." He'd do it now but it would give them away instantly if they entered surrounded by ice. Meanwhile, Sonata was radiating panic. Caleb's discussion of the plan was a pretty good idea, not only because they needed it for the mission, but also to hopefully help calm her, and probably him and Brenn too, down. He honestly wished Lanette was here, they could all use some of her Brenn nodded seriously as he listened and raised his own glass in a similar cheers gesture. "If we knock James out we may be able to leave the tower by pretending he's our super drunk friend. That way nobody else will get hurt and we'll be able to hand him over to some older rebels to do what they will with him."
The thought had crossed his mind that they would just kill him. Atlanta haven't been specific. He could almost hear his mother's voice in his head, informing him that killing a traitor for the good of the rebellion was the right thing to do, the responsible thing. It wasn't a very Twodorian concept, but his mother hadn't always been particularly Twodorian Still, a traitor was a person and Brenn knew he wouldn't be able to do it.

[TheFae]

Arietta Rerum
18
Power: Truth Teller
Location: Corazon Street
Tagged: Leroy, Ardai, Naevys, and Riley
Mentions: N/A

Arietta couldn't help but chuckle at Ardai's antics, and then her eyes were drawn to the beauty of the parade before them. It was a shame she had to be here on business. She would have loved to watch the parade, but alas, she had work to do. And fires to put out. She watched the eyes of the Fivanians, mentally noting where they were looking. Most eyes were on the parade in front of them, watching as floats passed by. The Thrinton one was dazzling, and although Arietta had never been there, she was suddenly filled with longing to go home She always thought of Thrinton as her home for some reason. But then she noticed a few eyes were on them with the bickering they had already started. Which was good, but they need more.
Arietta's eyes flicked back to Ardai and noticed he mouthed slap me to her. Arietta gasped and held her hand to her heart at what Ardai stated, knowing he did not mean a single thing. She didn't even need her truth power too know that.
"You spew words of a lion but act and sound like a mouse!" Arietta screeched, pretending to see red. She then slapped Ardai with all of her worth, hoping he would forgive her later. They needed this to look as authentic as possible. "Hopefully I knocked your screws back into place, you idiot. I am the hottest one here, and I'm sure the crowd agrees. Just watch!" She then turned with a huff, ignoring the pang of guilt as Ardai's face was already blossoming a red hand print. Her hand stung ferociously from the impact. "Do you agree with me? That I am the hottest and prettiest? How about you good sir? Would you date me or him?" She turned to a random Fivanian, tapping him on the shoulder to get his attention. But to her delight, most of the others had crowded around and she was already hearing some murmurings.
Good, her idea, and trap, was working.

[DetectiveLunar]

Riley Smith//18//Non-Binary//Fivana//Tags:Ardai,Naevys,Arietta

Riley couldn’t help but immediately plaster on their signature goofy grin as they took in the extremely loud and colorful place that they had arrived at. They’d honestly never seen anything like it. They just looked around observing everything around them. Apparently,Riley had done that for a bit too long because by the time a voice finally snapped them out of their little “trance” only a few people seemed to remain,Ardai’s group. The other groups had already left to go find their traitors so they had no other choice but to join this one. “Well it’d be against the rules to refuse a dare!” They replied to Ardai with their grin still plastered on their face as they walked over to join the group. Riley laughed at Ardai’s statement about how he wouldn’t be trampled. “Well it’s very clear that I won’t be trampled! It’d be practically impossible to trample someone like me!” Their statement was pretty true. Trampling a almost 7 foot tall person isn’t very easy. Especially when you’re way smaller than them. When Arietta started talking about her plan to catch Leroy’s attention and how it included a cat-fight Riley honestly didn’t like it that much. It wasn’t that it was a horrible plan but they’d feel really bad at yelling such mean things at their friends. So instead they watched the cat-fight unravel for a little bit. With a small glance around them,noticing a crowd starting to form around them,they finally decided to jump in and join the fight. “Honestly,if I may interrupt,your little fight is absolutely hilarious!” They stated with a high pitched voice,that was pretty hard to maintain,as they joined in the fight. “...and how it’s such a waste! Because we all clearly know who’s the most gorgeous one here...” They batted their eyes and smirked. “Me! So I suggest you stop wasting your breath on making such false and idiotic statements about yourselves! Because the prettiest lady is standing right in front of you! And if you can’t see that then you’re either blind or are even dumber than you seem!”

(Sorry for taking so long guys! I was gonna make Riley say something mean but instead it just turned into “Riley the Narcissist” XD)

[Pistol Annie #1 NPC]

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

-----Lanette made no attempt to hide her amusement at the dark-haired rebel's pun. The look on Onyx's face was just as entertaining, and the pacifist felt she was watching a stare-down of two sassy cats. The dark alleycat perched above continued to groom itself leisurely, an arrogant gesture, as if cat-Keith didn't even consider them a threat. But who was the fiercest feline, the most heinous housecat? The little brunette's bets were on her ally.
-----Despite Onyx's prankster-like demeanor, they'd proven themselves very clever. Even before this grand reveal, the rebel had figured out that Keith was no regular traitor. He had powers just like the Phoenix Squad, and seemed much more adept at using them compared to his invisible counterpart Ardai.
-----Lanette giggled out loud as the acrobat adopted a formal tone, asking for the telltale cup of tea that screamed 'Oneta culture'. She was vaguely reminded of long hours spent waiting for the Training Center to be available, of creaky Intelligence Department doors, of dusty books dog-eared and worn from many hands. It seemed the callback triggered a memory of some sort in the traitor, too. A brief smile flitted across the three faces, accompanied by a strangely nostalgic look in the illusory clones' eyes. Had Onyx's words gotten through to Keith on some level?
-----In seconds, the familiar haughty smirk returned to all three faces. The clones floated together until three translucent figures melded together into one almost-opaque form that nearly looked solid. When illusion-Keith spoke, it was with a single voice, soft and silky like an Onetian gentleman. "Of course - make yourself at home. But ah, I would be a poor host to leave your friends out in the cold." The traitor's image walked forward, beckoning with a hand to Lanette and Dakota. "Please do join us, ladies."
-----Their cover had been broken already. From the windowsill, the cat's emerald eyes glinted with a cold light as it lashed its tail, as if threatening to pounce on them. Dakota and Onyx had made an excellent plan, but it seemed they'd run into some tough luck. This traitor's powers seemed precisely designed to undo their strategy.
-----"I'm going as backup," Lanette whispered in Dakota's ear as she steeled herself to face the traitor. "I can't let Onyx go alone."
-----With that, the tiny brunette strode out of the safety of the shadows. She marched towards Onyx with fearless determination in her eyes, daring Keith to try anything. "You invited me, too?" She said in a flattered tone, smiling charmingly at the watching cat and then at the Keith-figure.
-----"I would hate to miss out on your tea, kind sir," She spoke in a sweet tone that matched neither her brash outfit nor her mob-attitude from earlier. In all honestly, Lanette knew there would be no tea. Her words were directed to Onyx and meant something along the lines of 'I'm here because I refuse to let you face this alone'.

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

-----Ardai made a show of crumpling to his knees as Arietta's furious slap knocked his head to the side. His cheek was burning, but he was just impressed at the strength the smallest member of their group possessed. He clutched the reddening side of his face dramatically as he 'stumbled for words' while being 'on the verge of tears'. Really this idiot was just being a drama queen and having some fun as he thought of stupider insults.
-----Arietta and Riley were inflating their egos to such proportions, Ardai could almost see them about to pop. He absolutely loved the exaggerated confidence both wore. Arietta seemed to be flirting with a chubby-faced Fivanian with spiked purple hair, and he looked between the boasters, deep in thought. Suddenly, his eyes lit up as he looked the tallest member of the group up and down.
-----"Sorry dears, I'll have to say neither..." The Fivanian cooed, then winked at Riley. "Going with the third option!"
-----This triggered a scream of fake outrage from Ardai, and several screeches of actual fury from other Fivanians. Around them, people started picking fights of their own. The purple-haired Fivanian grinned at them before turning around and decking another guy in the face. "Shut up, dull bore! The tall one is my date!"
-----"Look what you've started, you dull bore!" Ardai was proud to have learned something from a real Fivanian. He rose to his feet, having a tantrum and getting in Arietta's face. The redhead literally ripped off his phoenix-feather crowned hat and whacked her with it, making sure only the feathers struck so it wouldn't hurt.
-----"And you!" He whirled on Riley, the next target for his screaming fit. "Shut up and give me those legs! If I was as tall as you, I'd have all the dates lined up a mile long!"
-----He could see how ironic this statement was. Despite being shorter than Riley, Ardai already stood out in the crowd, towering head-and-shoulders above most of these people. Even above the sea of now-fighting Fivanians, he could easily see the parade. And the beautiful blonde perched atop a float for Oneta.
-----The dazzling man seemed outlined by a halo of light as he backflipped off his float and strode confidently through the crowd. Ardai could not take his eyes off him. The ocean of people parted to let him pass, even the most rowdy partygoers suddenly going quiet as many pairs of glossy eyes fixed on the radiant blonde. They looked motionless, stunned into silence by the dazzling light he radiated. And that youthful angelic face... it was none other than Leroy himself.
-----Ardai was about to tap Arietta on the shoulder, but he realized he was suddenly unable to move. Disgrace it! This must be his power, He cursed mentally. He hadn't bargained for the traitor having abilities like their own... stronger, it seemed.
-----Dang it, now Ardai was useless and their 'dance partner' was approaching. He just hoped Arietta, Naevys or Riley would notice his unnatural stillness and realize whose fault it was.
-----"Now, now. Are you fighting over me?" Leroy crooned in a singsong voice as he strode up to their little group. Even the fighting Fivanians stopped, each turning to regard the beautiful newcomer. They all froze in place at the sight of him. All of them? Oh wow, how are we supposed to beat this guy?
-----"I'd love to dance with all of you. But you'll have to wait patiently for your turn, alright darlings?" Leroy circled the little squad like a lion about to pounce. The tall traitor's lithe, graceful form was so captivating that Ardai couldn't look away.
-----No! He thought, defiance searing like fire through his veins. He was Ardai Fairchild, professional prankster of the underground. He'd been working his way up to prank the High Councillor herself - he would not allow his career to end here. At some arrogant teenage traitor's hands. Commander Atlanta, his friends, everyone was counting on him to help bring this mission to fruition. He refused to stand here like some idiotic hypnotized dead weight.
-----As newfound determination returned to him, so did his control over his limbs. His right hand was close enough to Arietta's wrist that he could reach out without Leroy noticing. He tapped her arm lightly with a finger - tap, tap, tap, three times for Thrinton.
-----They all needed that Thrinton willpower now. As long as they were more determined than Leroy, it seemed he couldn't control them.
-----Ardai knew his limits though, he was probably the weak link when it came to mental faculties. He would only make a move once Arietta, Naevys or Riley thought of something. In the meantime, Leroy continued to circle them, now with a hand on his sword scabbard.
-----"Who would like to be first to dance?" The blonde offered with a smile. "Onetian style - but not to the death. I don't need to kill to show you I am far out of your leagues."

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Sonata Thornwood
Female ❁ Pansexual ❁ Botanokinesis
Tags: i'd literally just calmed down and-

-----Sonata began to calm down as her friends reassured her. Now that she was thinking a bit more rationally, she realized they were both right. There was no logical sense that James would suddenly know their identities. In their outlandish outfits, they'd melded right into the Fivanian crowd at that buffet. And Brenn's assurance that her clumsiness had been a good thing really got through to her.
-----The plant manipulator took a few deep breaths, then found her voice. "Thank y-you... uhh..." She didn't know what came over her, but she threw herself at both boys and hugged them tightly. "I love you guys!"
-----She plastered the smile back on, but the familiar blush hadn't returned. Her freckles still stood out against the stark snowy landscape that was her face. A part of her was terrified that something really bad might happen once they reached the penthouse, and she would lose her chance to tell her teammates she cared about them. She'd heard enough stories from regretful rebels to avoid making a similar mistake.
-----Sonata kept wiping her trembling palms on the dress in the hopes that they wouldn't be slippery during the fight. It would be a nightmare if her sword just slipped out of her hands. She tried to focus on Caleb's words, calm and cautious. Their stoic teammate had thought of everything, and her admiration only grew.
-----We have each other, he'd said.
-----"That's r-right, we have each other!" Sonata parroted back, beaming despite the panic she was fighting to suppress. She convinced herself it was a winning battle. Although she had no drinks in her hand, she whipped out her sword and clinked it against the boys' glasses in her rather dangerous version of cheers.
-----We have each other.
-----Sonata kept repeating it to herself until she'd completely calmed down. Now with a clear head, she slid over to the side of the elevator. "When we get there, I want to take a minute and look for plants. There's p-probably some... I can tangle him up and he won't see it coming!" The supportive atmosphere created by her allies had really helped the plant-manipulator blossom (pun intended), and once again she was ready to take on the world. The good part about Sonata's drastic mood swings was that she could throw a negative attitude in the trash quite quickly.
-----"We can do t-this! We have this all under control," She said enthusiastically in a clear attempt to reassure both herself and the others. This was no time to curl up or start freaking out. Sonata would do all that later, but not now. The hundredth floor drew ever closer.
-----97... 98... 99...
-----The elevator hummed to a stop at 100. Sonata felt her stomach drop and wasn't sure if it was nerves or elevator physics. The doors dinged open, and she peeked out from the side as she'd told her friends she would. Indeed there were plant pots, but... each flower and fern lay mangled on the penthouse floor, ripped up by rough hands. No... what? Sonata could muster nothing but shock at the sight. It was as if James knew. Had Caleb and Brenn been wrong?
-----"Fancy seeing the Phoenix Squad here. I'm almost insulted they sent the rookies after me," The deep, gruff voice rang from the sofa. James was literally lounging there without a care in the world. The sight scared Sonata more than what she'd been imagining - a terrifying murderer charging at them with an axe. This was even worse. He didn't even see them as a threat. A gilded red box of what appeared to be fancy chocolates lay on the coffee table, and he eyed it with lazy curiosity.
-----"But it does get lonely up here," James continued, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips.
-----Before Sonata could fully comprehend the situation, the traitor's fingers pulled a dark shape out of the chocolate-box. Not a chocolate, but a small throwing knife.
-----"It's knife to see some fresh faces." A flick of the wrist and the blade was airborne, sailing towards the trio in the elevator. And James' hand immediately reached for another.

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Prince Alastair Brungard
Male ♚ Heterosexual ♚ ???
Tags: None

-----Oneta, beloved district of stars.
-----Serene silence ruled the streets of the capital city. The full moon glistened overhead tonight, illuminating sandstone and marble buildings with a soft silver glow. Nights like these gave the capital province its nickname. Indeed, the city of Coniston shone as a ethereal landscape awash in starlight.
-----The sound of softly clacking boots rang through the otherworldly beauty of the moonlit streets. Though many Delrans knew him as a symbol of hope and light, the Prince cast a long shadow across the pristine roads as he strode by.
-----His crown was absent, a common sight when he expected a duel. Despite lacking the telltale mark of royal inheritance, most would recognize his graceful silhouette without further cues. Tall and leanly muscular, elegance in every step, the young man of perfect poise was unmistakable even among fellow Onetians.
-----Green eyes glinted coldly with moonlight as the Prince's path took him into the park, beneath the open sky. This was where the complaint came from. He continued down the pale cobblestone path, so pale it glistened as hundreds of moons embedded in the trail.
-----As the stately young man entered the fountain clearing, disappointment creased his face. The fight had not broken up on its own as he had hoped. A man in a hospital uniform slumped against the white marble fountain, too exhausted to push back the sword held at his throat. The instigator was a woman, dressed in darker colors and a far freer style. Her wild hair and maddened snarl communicated wordlessly that Oneta was not her native home.
-----"What seems to be the matter?" Alastair spoke in a calming tone, yet it filled the clearing.
-----"He won't admit it!" The swordswoman snarled, turning on him as she shook with rage. "He could've saved my husband, but this failure...! This murderer!"
-----Alastair nodded with an expression of calm concern. From what he could decipher, the hospital uniform and the furious woman's words, it seemed the doctor had failed to save this woman's spouse. Unable to deal with her grief in a rational way, she had begun a duel and taken it too far. This was a sadly common scene between Onetian doctors and other provinces' citizens. Oneta had a reputation for superior healthcare, so when even they were unable to save their loved one... sometimes emotions became out of hand.
-----"I see. Please consider this may be a misunderstanding," Alastair murmured, not moving an inch. No action was necessary where words could resolve a situation.
-----"The only misunderstanding is him not admitting it," Spat the swordswoman, taking her sword away from the doctor's throat to point it at Alastair. "You won't make him confess? Fine!"
-----A weary sigh escaped the Prince as he drew his sword. The furious woman was first to strike, but her blade sliced nothing but air. The Prince's movements were impossible for her to even follow with her eyes, so quick and so graceful they seemed impossible. Before she could lift her sword again, she was on her knees, pinned with a sword at her throat now.
-----"Your problem is better resolved in the courts than in a duel," He told her in a reasonable voice, impassive but not unkind. "Please calm down and return home. You will handle this better when you are well-rested."
-----Alastair lowered his sword and met her eyes, his jade-green gaze showing nothing but fatherly concern. Without another word, without so much as a glare, the swordswoman fled.
-----Threat gone, the Prince turned to the vanquished doctor and offered him a hand. Exhaustion and gratitude glistened in the man's eyes as he accepted it and rose to his feet.
-----"Are you alright, sir?" Alastair inquired, head bowed in respect.
-----"Why yes I am, thanks to you." The older man chuckled, smoothing back his ruffled blonde hair. It glistened in the moonbeams as everything else did in the beautiful city of light. "I would never have thought the Prince would come to my rescue."
-----A small smile lit up the young man's features. "It is the least I could do. Please, take care," Was all he said before he walked back the way he came.
-----The smile remained. Today there was another citizen in his country who believed in him, who saw him as their savior, their hopes and dreams.
-----It was all going according to plan.

(Alastair POV posted on request! And this doctor will be important later, much much later.)

[cocogerber13]

(Waiting to post for Onyx)

Caleb Oxenbera——————————
♠︎ // Phoenix Squad Recruit // Beast Summoning // Tags: Sonata, Brenn, James from Team Rocket blaSTING OFF AGAINNN

Caleb eagerly nodded to Brenn’s idea of pretending James was their drunk friend. It would make sense especially with the bar on the floor with all the food, plus they’d have witnesses who may have seen him there. Plus Sonata had bumped into him, and with only a little explaining they could perhaps change people’s ideas that it had been James that had bumped into her. “Yeah, and the only things we’ll have to worry about are cameras and not letting anyone see his face as we take him with us.”

At the sudden hug, Caleb was surprised but held the waters out of the way and leaned in. If it made his teammates feel a little more safe, or even a little less anxious, then it was worth every second. He pulled away when his glance grazed the increasing elevator floors. As they rose into the air so did his own concern. In an effort to ease it, the brunet smiled and nodded, repeating his words Sonata herself had repeated. “Yes, we have each other. None of us will die today.” He assured with as much confidence as he could muster.

Caleb could sense his palms sweating and the glasses felt like they would slip out from them at any moment. He tightened his grip and swallowed, secretly hoping of the other two would press a button at 97, or 98, or 99, or... ah, there the chance went. Caleb closed his eyes briefly then opened them with the elevator. Sonata had regained her confidence thanks to their collective effort, but the scene they were met with had the exact opposite effect.

“What..?” The summoner felt his heart skip a beat at the torn ivy, roots, and other houseplants. His eyes flew around the room to see what all they could do, knowing full well that two of the three needed some other factor to use their abilities. James seemed to know this full well too, since there were no beverages or watering containers for the plants in sight. Perhaps he had ears around the building and cameras? But they had taken so many precautions, and this place didn’t look like some kind of security room. He must have spies, Caleb concluded. He was too startled to register the villain’s words, but at the mention of Phoenix Squad his attention snapped to the man lounging lazily in front of them. It didn’t strike the summoner in the same way it froze Sonata- instead, it made Caleb angry. James had had the decency to allow them privacy from the partying Fivanans, but other than that their fear, planning, and overall efforts were thrown to the ground like the shredded greenery. To top it all off, even with the exclusive knowledge of their previously mentioned efforts, James had the audacity to not even attempt to give them the slip. He thought so lowly of their abilities that here he was just sitting on his couch waiting, then calling them rookies. This infuriated Caleb enough for the normally cheerful guy to clench his fists tighter around the thin vase; they would teach him not to underestimate rookies.

When he glanced away to the chocolate box Caleb’s anger fed into a buzzing swarm of wasps, sending what seemed a whole hive spreading about the room. Thanks to the brunet’s coordination they left his two friends and himself alone, but that was pretty much the extent of his abilities right now. There were too many to control at once, but wasps certainly weren’t keen on movement and Caleb trusted in the eventual swatting away of them by the businessman. Just as he let forth his wrath though, James plucked up something small that glinted with a sharp light before throwing it expertly at the the group. Caleb at first felt a rush of relief to see that the way it was aimed it would miss him directly, but quickly realised it was thrown at Brenn. Without too much of a thought the boy slid in front of the other and threw his arm out to catch the flying blade, completely oblivious to the vase he had accidentally let drop from his hand. It shattered to the ground at his feet in a mixture of water and shards of glass that now blanketed the floor underfoot. This was just the surface to cause him a tragic slip, something that reflexively called upon his arms to catch him- only to take them away from the knife. The object had embedded itself into a good portion of the side of his neck and upper shoulder.

“Get em!” Caleb called out, realising his failure when the ‘m’ part of his phrase ended with a higher-pitched yelp. The recruit involuntarily fell to his knees and upon trying to pull himself out of his friends’ way, quickly fell onto his side. The other water bottle hadn’t broken but it’s contents were pouring out of it in a stream.

His thoughts hurriedly switched from the wasps to the very vibrant streaks of red running down and staining the torn fabric of his extravagant suit. “Atkanta’s gonn a kill meerr...” The teenager mumbled out, eyes wide at the sight of his own blood and the spots that had begun to appear in his vision. His wasp plan had backfired quite a bit, seeing as only around one third of the original population was still hovering around in blind rage while the rest had swarmed around his body protectively. That was the nature of his ability, even as the subconscious command was slowly ebbing away, getting weaker and weaker as Caleb fought to stay awake. While Caleb truly did not know what was going on due to his own now-rugged breathing and blood loss, in his heart he truly cheered for his teammates to end their fight.

[honeybee.]

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Ella Brie
Location: HQ --> Twodor --> Oneta --> Palace Tags: No-one
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After Councillor Evelina's debriefing Ella headed off to her family's rooms to pick up her stuff. As much as she wanted to stay for a while longer she had a role to play, if she /??ⁿ0¿0wasn't wasn't back in Oneta by the next night the rebel's plan. was doomed, and she still had to take the long way to the palace via Twodor to keep her pretense up. Her disappointed siblings crowded around her, forming a large group hug. Ella may have known that, all going well, she could be back before the end of the week but the rest of the Bries had to be kept in the dark.
"You tell Prince Alastair that he better be careful." Mia's voice was dead serious as she hugged her sister carefully, holding back her super strength. "Else he'll have me to answer to."
"Please don't threaten the crown prince." Matty pleaded, he was always the more reasonable of her siblings.
"Enjoy the sun for us." Leo looked sincere, as always.
"Yeah! You should have a..." Lewis paused, searching for the word. "...a picnic or something."
"Perhaps I will." Ella agreed, an idea taking seed in her mind. She squeezed her siblings tight. "I'll see you all soon."


When Ella headed to the train station rather than being dressed in flashy Fivanian fashion like the Phoenix Squad, she wore the clothes of a Twodorian in Severin. Over the typical floaty Twodorian t-shirt she wore a bulky, fur-lined, earth coloured coat with a slightly too large hood that helped hide her faces little. Twodorians were not fans of the cold and the Severin in the ticket booth only looked a little disdainful of her over the top outfit. On the train she found a seat in the corner of a carriage and settled in for the long journey to

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

Brenn thought it wise not to stand in the centre of view for when the lift doors opened so he followed Sonata's lead and stood off to one side, gripping his glasses of orange juice tightly in slightly shaky hands as the floor number counted upwards towards 100. He was relieved that Sonata had regained her confidence and nodded at her plan. Plants seemed to be the ideal way to tie someone up. When the doors slid open he felt his heart begin to beat faster in his chest as he waited for Sonata to identify her weapons. His stomach sank when he noticed the shocked expression on her face. Stepping back towards the centre of the lift to see what the problem was his own face changed to mimic her mask of horror. Every single plant that Sonata could have manipulated had been ruthlessly destroyed, leaving only torn up leaves and stems scattered around. Brenn was incredibly grateful for the beverages clutched in his and Caleb's hands since there didn't seem to be an inch of water on this floor, even the air seemed thin and dry. It was if James had been expecting them, catering his environment exactly against their abilities. But that was impossible, even they hadn't known where they'd be going until an hour ago.
Their target lounged right in front of them, looking as if he didn't have a care in the world. He spoke lazily but with confidence, even going as far as calling them rookies. Every part of their planning seemed fruitless and Brenn just felt lost. Caleb, on the other hand, looked angry. A swarm of wasps were produced out of nowhere and Brenn was kicked out of his stupor. He held his hand over his champagne flutes of orange juice causing the liquid inside to freeze before he pulled the frozen juice out as knife sized shards that grouped around him. He glanced up at James' stupid pun only to see a throwing knife flying through the air in his direction. Before he could do anything in reaction Caleb had flung himself in front of him and, in a series of events that seemed to take both all the time in the world and no time at all, the knife had embedded itself in Caleb's flesh. Brenn felt his breath catch in his throat as his teammate dropped to his knees in front of him. As much as Brenn's instinct was to catch him and stop him from dropping to the floor, James was already reaching for another throwing knife. Brenn would not let another reach them. He hurled the glasses in his hands towards their enemy's head, freeing up his hands to freeze the water, now spilled on the floor, and gather all the ice around him into a round shield, floating in the doorway of the lift to protect them as best he could. "Disgrace it, Caleb," He choked out, nearly sobbing from both anger and gratitude, "What in Solara's name did you do that for?" Looking down at the bright red staining the other boys collar, Brenn recalled that his ice could be used to cauterise wounds just as much as Jen's flame could. He couldn't do stop and do anything right now though, not with James right there and Sonata's power being crippled without plants. She did have a sword but Brenn wasn't sure she'd be able to get close enough to use it with those throwing knives.
"Apply pressure," he told Caleb, doing his best to sound calm and hoping the boy was conscious enough to understand. "We'll be done in a minute."
Caleb had seemed to be the leader of their little group but since he was down Brenn tried his best to quell the panic rising within him and take charge. "Sonata, do you think you could try and use Caleb's crossbow? I don't think it's a good idea to get too close yet." Not wanting to destroy the ice shield that was at least protecting some of their upper body Brenn grabbed one of his own throwing knives and flung it round the side of the shield in James' general direction. All plans of knocking him out and giving him to older rebels were forgotten, they couldn't help their friend until James was dealt with and Caleb's life was far more important than James'.