Lady Bonajade

what are you willing to exchange? closed Jade aff. with Gnostic Hymns

[desireigns]

The Bonajade Exchange

desireigns - closed & affiliated Jade, run by Kanoesa

mobile links: dossier / mun / talents / exchange log / gnostic hymns

The exchange is open!

[jxrmngxndr]

Ulysses Dissected

[jxrmngxndr]

"Then you believe that all characters in all novels are doomed to failure. Or you have not read very many novels." He hadn't either, to be honest, not for a long time - Kevin could frankly not recall the last book that he read for leisure, and whether or not it had panels to it. It had been popular, if memory served, to collect tankobon at the age he had been before he'd joined Fire Moth, but once the Eruption had happened it had all seemed rather meaningless.

Still, he remembered what it had been like to read them, or at least, he could picture in his mind's eye the face of a young man who had enjoyed them - who had sunk with the lows of his favorite character upon a failure, despite knowing that the turnaround into success and riding that high alongside them would be coming as well.

It was always so, with those sorts of stories. Success.

A hero. Destined to lead, to fight.

To win.

Kevin's gaze flickered over to her for the first time since she had spoken and he found there a blurry sense of recognition, but only briefly, in the sense that any woman might have shared similar facial features, and he might have looked upon one with her nose, her chin, once upon a time.

He frowned.

"Otherwise, your argument is moot - he is destined to fail because he has failed. If this is not the case, and he is only lacking corporeality, then there is no point in discussion: none of these people are corporeal, and their actions mean nothing."

[desireigns]

Jade bristles slightly, visible only in the way that her eyes narrow, the flashing of irises- even if the man was, unfortunately, correct. She did not have the time to spend reading novels, only browsing through them if it were necessary for her next endeavor. Lips curl back into a smile, formulating a response.

“Well, if we are being pedantic, they are destined to reach the exact ending that the author desires,” She begins, smoothly, “In the case of a novel with a single ending, there is no changing that. Whether he is destined to fail because he has failed, or destined to fail as he lacks corporeality…”

It doesn’t quite matter, her tone implies, though she doesn’t bother to truly finish her sentence. 

“But, as we’ve mentioned, there are multiple endings here, all ending in failure, though the exact nature has changed. The author, thus, does not believe that this final result is set in stone, so to speak, else there would no need to create a different ending each time.”

That is, if there was an author at all. A memetic mutation was just as likely, and that meant that the shifting story had a different origin altogether…

Not that it particularly changed the nature of the debate.

“I find it hard to believe that every potential ending that could be created will all end in failure- unless your standards for success are too high, that is.”

[hopetune]

She Staked her Feathers - Gained an Arc

˚ʚ [ robin & jade ] ɞ˚

[hopetune]

It was some time before midnight. The rain fell against the grimy sidewalk like comets to an ocean, splattering splotches of slick Wet reflecting the city's lights in its waters. It had a pleasing pattern—something like Jazz, with all the swings and sways. A woman hummed along to it as she roamed the shadowy streets, not seeming to mind the way the downpour sagged down her coat. Something weighed on her mind, Heavier than the Rain and its troubles. She wanted to find some place to rest, to set down this Yoke—and to Wait. Yes, she needed to Wait. For someone. She was sure she knew who, but she made no solid Conclusions. Assuming is never good for business.

She continued to wander the streets. This planet beheld a charm that she rarely found in Others—it seemed to her to be a bit Unclean, a bit rough around its edges. It reminded her of a Dream—a very Specific one. And that made her smile, though it was small.

Finally, after endless pursuit, she found her Roost—a dimly-lit speakasy at the basement of a stout apartment complex. She descended down the cement steps, and shook off droplets of Street from her sleeve before entering the bar. A bell rung from where the door hit it. To the left, there was a hook for her to hang her coat, and several were already drooping off it, but she deigned not to follow, Flicking up its collar instead to hide her face. The face that people would surely recognize if they went down a couple of blocks to the grand, old theater and looked at the posters glued onto its brick walls.

She took a seat by the counter, letting Wet, clasped hands rest onto its glossy top. She asked the bartender for a water with lemon. He obliged, sliding the drink over to her once he was done with it, but his obedience was not without question. Still, she gave no Answers. Some mysteries need not be solved.

Her glass was Half-Empty when a man approached the stool next to her. Before he could sit, she stopped him with an extended arm.

"Sorry, can I ask you to find a different seat?"

"Why?" the man huffed, "You expectin' someone?"

Robin smiled, though it was small. "Something like that."

A bird waiting for a snake. Prey laying down for predator. It all seemed so novel. It all seemed so Strange. Yet Robin toyed with that novelty with little fanfare. If there are no permanent allies and no everlasting enemies, then let there be This—a curious little dynamic between cat and mouse where neither one chased nor Gave chase.

A bell rung. The door swung open.

@desireigns

[desireigns]

Flickering lights paint a haze within the veil of rain, neon lettering blurred to illegibility. Within the rhythm of the falling drops, one can hear the muffled sound of conversation, the clinking of glasses and the laugh of a woman. From the safety of an unmarked storefront, a well-dressed man, at odds with his surroundings, curses as it continues to pour, heedless of his needs.

From inside, a gloved hand turns off the light, the swift removal of the warmth in an otherwise unremarkable alley. Before its doors shut completely for the night, a sharp-eyed passerby catches sight of a delicate green ornament reflecting the external light before a curtain is drawn. Minutes later, the click of heels and the lock of a door grace the night.

Even serpents need rest, and the Exchange’s doors are closed for the night- the one who walks the streets is not adorned in her usual glamor, tugging close an overcoat and holding down a hat free of accessories. But even in this guise, she is not free from her ornaments of...

Jade opens the door at the end of a small set of stairs, slipping into the speakeasy with the same confidence that she always carried herself in. Her coat is hung amongst the many others, dripping from the rain, her hat balanced carefully atop.

A low voice, amused, exchanges words with the bartender as she makes her order, receiving her drink and sliding into the unoccupied seat in one smooth gesture. If another patron bristles at her easy access to that which he could not reach, she pays no mind. Face turned half away, feigning disinterest as bangle and glass reflect dim light across the room, she speaks, that same low purr.

“Who would have thought I’d find a songbird here?” Her voice does not betray any surprise, nor expectation. “Perhaps I should prepare myself for good fortune.”

[desireigns]

this too is corporate sabotage

[muscle-blues]

A chuckle escaped Yelan’s lips. “You wouldn’t care that much about someone’s stare if you weren’t up to unscrupulous activities, Ma’am.” 

Properly taking her approach, Yelan rolled a dice betwixt her fingers, a cocky grin shining in her expression. She wished to assist with the investigation regarding Empyrea’s mystery; what was meant to be a dream vacation turned into a showing of horror for some, and a deluded fantasy for everyone else, herself included. The efforts pushed by the IPC were a convenience for Yelan, for playing the role of volunteer would allow her freedom to investigate. 

Stepping around shattered glass, Yelan began to investigate the defunct facility herself, mirroring the steps that the woman before her seemed to take. “I’d ask if you’re here to help the IPC’s efforts, but maybe you’re like me, too, here to investigate for your own morbid curiosity? Rather than doing the ‘good thing’?” Though, that had been half-true. Yelan did want to satiate her own curiosity, she wanted to understand the point of everything that transpired on Empyrea. But, she also wanted to build a better relationship with the IPC, and acting as volunteer would achieve just that. Only being friends with Veritas Ratio wouldn’t be enough for building a working relationship, after all. 

Each step taken was one towards an ending. And the presence of the snake from the Garden Ballroom only gave her more questions. Why had she been here? Yelan wondered, what did she hope to find? Yet none of these questions seemed to yield satisfying answers for Yelan. Unfortunately for her, the snake that stood by her side had been far too similar to Yelan; inscrutable, difficult to read, and worst of all secretive where it absolutely mattered most. Information would be difficult to pry from her, yet she understood that information may have come at a great price to someone like the lady that stalked the facility so quietly. 

“Let’s work together.” Yelan spoke candidly, curating a proposal perfect to match the nature of the lady before her. "See what we'd be capable of finding in this damned facility. After all, you’ve already taken something from me,” her voice, while calm and polite, seeped with venom as she spoke, an indication of her indignation, “maybe this could be your way of recompense, Miss…?” 

Much like their dance, this too would be a limited transactional exchange. Yelan didn’t wish to interact with this woman more than necessary, however brief cooperation would be a necessary evil for one who deals in information. 

[desireigns]

“What an arrogant assumption,” Jade murmurs, though her attention lay elsewhere. A heel steps onto a shard of glass, slowly placing pressure on its surface as she scans the dark room, “Staring has always been rude. Even children are taught this fact.”

Pressure builds, the sound of chipping, the shard still unable to keep up with the force she places- then a crack! as the shard finds itself in smaller pieces, and with it, Jade’s gaze finally falls onto her untoward companion. “You are asking many questions, dear, and I don’t give away information for free.”

Her phone, a few pictures already snapped of the area, slides back into her pocket- her smile, glinting in the dark. Devoid of warmth or any emotion, she regards the woman. Indulgent, the same expression given to a child that has come tugging on the hem of a coat without knowing who it belonged to. Kind, if misinterpreted- irritated, if misread. “As for my name, however… you can call me Jade.”

The clicking of her steps across the shards of glass, unbothered as they crumble underfoot heralds her approach to the other woman, a hand under her chin as she studies the new arrival. This too was a trade, insistence receiving attention.

“Hm…” Thinking, for a moment, “You have a deal, if- and only if, you agree to help with a later investigation of mine.”

Her smile grows, her eyes shine. “Information for information. I would say it's fair, isn't it, Yelan?”

[desireigns]

August Plotting

I'm only really looking for commission board plots for Jade this August, though of course, if there's a thread idea that really needs any of my other two, just send me a message! (Discord is preferred)

Fleuve Cendre (Teyvat Muse Needed) - A mysterious moneylender seems to be the only lead on the criminal at large- the only issue is, she isn't willing to talk! For free, at least. Her terms are simple: offer something worthy to trade with the information of the criminal's whereabouts. Not to worry, her Exchange's doors are always open.

She's also open to any other thread or commission board threads, I just don't have a concrete idea for it! As above, contact on discord is preferred, though I'll check this blog's IMs occasionally.

[desireigns]

Who (what) do they love truly, 100% unconditionally (if anyone)?

A hard question right off the bat, haha. Unconditionally is a very, very difficult word to ascribe to Jade, as almost everything she deals with has conditions- she is, at her core, a barterer and merchant. So using circumstantial evidence, the closest thing that Jade has an unconditional love (desire) for, is probably hope.

Given how careful she is with her private life, it makes sense that she hasn’t revealed anything too personal from her appearance in Penacony- however, what we, the players, have is the name of her Eidolons, and her Light Cone. Her Eidolons all formatted in the same way- in that they name a virtue, and then essentially put it in the terms of a trade: “Altruism? Nevertheless Tradable” and so on. 

So- bringing our attention to her Eidolons, there are two that I would like to focus on. E5: “Hope? Hitherto Forfeited” and “Equity? Pending Sponsorship”. E5, because, well, look at that name. Firstly, as mentioned above, all of her Eidolons put some form of virtue and then a term regarding trade. Hitherto Forfeited- lost or given up until a specific time. On top of the general business usage of the term, it also has a sense of loss, which will be elaborated on later. The E6 important as it is often theorized that its image shows the true self of the character in question.

(Honestly, I think Hope? Hitherto Forfeited might be better suited to be the name of E6, but given that the gameplay mechanics of E6 put her as a debt collector when she grants someone else the debt collector state, it was switched to match the name of “equity”. But I have no proof.) 

What is Jade’s E6? It’s her reflection in the eye of her snake. Forfeit may also be defined as “to lose or lose the right to, especially by some error, offense, or crime”. With my previous theory about Jade’s true name of Eve and her numerous allusions to that particular Biblical story, I don’t think I need to spell it out.

Moving onto her Light Cone! (Yippee) “Yet Hope is Priceless”. Now isn’t that an interesting turn of phrase, miss “do you think everything in this world can be traded”? To be honest, that name is what spiraled my search here. If hope is priceless, it cannot be exchanged, even to the owner of the Bonajade Exchange.

On top of this, we have one of Jade’s only “personal” exchanges, with Firefly in the Penacony story- and I say personal because she says so directly (“Consider it more of a personal offer from myself. It doesn't represent the IPC or the Strategic Investment Department.”), which is important, because she describes the Stonehearts with a particular set of phrases:

However, unlike you Stellaron Hunters or the Astral Express, we band together... merely to obtain what we want. [...] This journey could be either brief or long, as each of us carries a void in our hearts that can only be filled from the outside.

I’ve bolded the parts of her dialogue that I think are interesting here. The usage of merely implies that she doesn’t think this bond is as high value or at least not as important as those of the Stellaron Hunters or the Astral Express, which, yes, makes sense to a point- if the Stonehearts are driven entirely by individual goals, their sense of unity is limited at best. What’s also important is that “what we want” is, well, another way to describe desire. Desire, aka the very thing Jade collects- the very thing that she trades for, over and over again. She, too, is bound by her desire. And what does that entail? The void in her heart. Naturally, we don’t know how much she knows about all the other Stonehearts, and how accurate her assessment is but what we do know is that she knows herself.

The void in her heart “can only be filled from the outside”. It is not something she herself can innately fulfill, even with her ability to fulfill desires and grant wishes. Maybe it’s a limitation of her own power, that she can’t grant it herself (possible) or it’s something truly intangible (priceless), something that she can’t even grant Firefly:

Firefly: It's a shame, though, that this pawnshop can't give me what I desire. My last attempt in Penacony... Well, it ends with "hope."

[judasrpc]

WEIRDLY SPECIFIC BUT HELPFUL CHARACTER BUILDING QUESTIONS

What’s the lie your character says most often?

How loosely or strictly do they use the word ‘friend’?

How often do they show their genuine emotions to others versus just the audience knowing?

What’s a hobby they used to have that they miss?

Can they cry on command? If so, what do they think about to make it happen?

What’s their favorite [insert anything] that they’ve never recommended to anyone before?

What would you (mun) yell in the middle of a crowd to find them? What would their best friend and/or romantic partner yell?

How loose is their use of the phrase ‘I love you’?

Do they give tough love or gentle love most often? Which do they prefer to receive?

What fact do they excitedly tell everyone about at every opportunity?

If someone was impersonating them, what would friends / family ask or do to tell the difference?

What’s something that makes them laugh every single time? Be specific!

When do they fake a smile? How often?

How do they put out a candle?

What’s the most obvious difference between their behavior at home, at work, at school, with friends, and when they’re alone?

What kinds of people do they have arguments with in their head?

What do they notice first in the mirror versus what most people first notice looking at them?

Who do they love truly, 100% unconditionally (if anyone)?

What would they do if stuck in a room with the person they’ve been avoiding?

Who do they like as a person but hate their work? Vice versa, whose work do they like but don’t like the person?

What common etiquette do they disagree with? Do they still follow it?

What simple activity that most people do / can do scares your character?

What do they feel guilty for that the other person(s) doesn’t / don’t even remember?

Did they take a cookie from the cookie jar? What kind of cookie was it?

What subject / topic do they know a lot about that’s completely useless to the direct plot?

How would they respond to being fired by a good boss?

What’s the worst gift they ever received? How did they respond?

What do they tell people they want? What do they actually want?

How do they respond when someone doesn’t believe them?

When they make a mistake and feel bad, does the guilt differ when it’s personal versus when it’s professional?

When do they feel the most guilt? How do they respond to it?

If they committed one petty crime / misdemeanor, what would it be? Why?

How do they greet someone they dislike / hate?

How do they greet someone they like / love?

What is the smallest, morally questionable choice they’ve made?

Who do they keep in their life for professional gain? Is it for malicious intent?

What’s a secret they haven’t told serious romantic partners and don’t plan to tell?

What hobby are they good at in private, but bad at in front of others? Why?

Would they rather be invited to an event to feel included or be excluded from an event if they were not genuinely wanted there?

How do they respond to a loose handshake? What goes through their head?

What phrases, pronunciations, or mannerisms did they pick up from someone / somewhere else?

If invited to a TED Talk, what topic would they present on? What would the title of their presentation be?

What do they commonly misinterpret because of their own upbringing / environment / biases? How do they respond when realizing the misunderstanding?

What language would be easiest for them to learn? Why?

What’s something unimportant / frivolous that they hate passionately?

Are they a listener or a talker? If they’re a listener, what makes them talk? If they’re a talker, what makes them listen?

Who have they forgotten about that remembers them very well?

Who would they say ‘yes’ to if invited to do something they abhorred / strongly didn’t want to do?

Would they eat something they find gross to be polite?

What belief / moral / personality trait do they stand by that you (mun) personally don’t agree with?

What’s a phrase they say a lot?

Do they act on their immediate emotions, or do they wait for the facts before acting?

Who would / do they believe without question?

What’s their instinct in a fight / flight / freeze / fawn situation?

What’s something they’re expected to enjoy based on their hobbies / profession that they actually dislike / hate?

If they’re scared, who do they want comfort from? Does this answer change depending on the type of fear?

What’s a simple daily activity / motion that they mess up often?

How many hobbies have they attempted to have over their lifetime? Is there a common theme?

[desireigns]

this too is corporate sabotage

[desireigns]

In response to a chilling distress call made by Ernest Cranebill, the IPC has called for volunteers to go to the now-defunct planet of Empyrea in order to evacuate whichever people remain, as well as to investigate the mysterious manner of its deterioration. Be prepared—lingering Destructive energy may prove dangerous to the body. Best to find protective gear, or at least wear a mask. starter for @muscle-blues

Another destroyed planet, another day at work. The Marketing Development department might have arrived at the planet first, but anything Jade discovers will certainly not be provided to them. It certainly isn’t going rogue, but it isn’t anything she wants official records, either, which leaves her with very little manpower on her investigation. 

A personal venture, then, in the hopes of a few more collected seeds for future harvest. While volunteers work on rounding up the survivors or searching for stragglers, Jade instead enters the now empty research facility where, as she has heard, they had first awakened to their new nightmare.

Sweeping past the entrance of a room more akin to the morgue, she tries the door to the observation deck above it. Despite everything- the arrest, the distress call, and all subsequent rescue attempts, it was locked. A frown, but even this was nothing that a little more… force couldn’t overcome.

The power to the facility was off, so any security measures had long since lost their efficacy- the door shatters with ease. The entire room was dark, lit only by the entrance to the building far below, and the flickering lights accompanying the dying fans of machines still clinging to an emergency store of battery.

Jade steps over the shattered glass, pulling out her phone- when she realized she wasn’t alone. Someone had followed her.

“It's rude to stare.” She hums, meeting the eyes of her company.

[jxrmngxndr]

Ulysses Dissected

[jxrmngxndr]

A new novel has stirred heated debate around Penacony's Paperfold University. Though all books begin the same way—with the same protagonist and the same story—the conclusion seems to change with each individual copy. Now the rumors are getting more and more ominous. Some say there's an emerging pattern with the various reported endings, and that it heralds impending doom for the Dreamscape, others dismiss it merely as the work of a bored Fool or a particularly humorous Fictionologist. With Destruction seemingly on the rise, though, who's to say that the curtains are merely blue? Armed with critical thinking and hermeneutics, go forth and find your own interpretation of the text—and maybe something more beyond that.  (starter for @desireigns)

" - And for that matter, you can't even prove that they're from the same singularity - " 

"Oh for – there you go with your singularity bullshit again. It's clear that the books are meant to be taken as a whole because except for the final chapter, they're verbatim – that means, word for word - " 

"Okay, first off, I know what verbatim means, you condescending prick. Secondly - " 

"You sure? You don't know what singularity means - " 

It had continued in this manner for some time, and in the days prior, and if his suspicions were correct would continue in the days to come. He had seen forum discussions last decades, and over subjects of greater weight to them, so the understanding that these roundtables would only last weeks felt to him like the blink of an eye. 

Nevertheless, the blink of an eye could yet contain a spark. It felt odd to say that he needed to be patient, and yet -  

"That they are the same man, committing to the same actions, is proof enough." His voice was low enough that the two squabbling students did not bother to look up from their argument, apparently long-suffering and prodding at old wounds known only to each other, but the statement was pointed enough that it dragged the lecturer's attention to him, eyes lifting to meet his gaze with the crease of a smile. 

"You think so? Would you like to elaborate?" 

Eyes narrowed, and the slightest curve of a frown tugged at his lips. He didn't think he needed to elaborate. Nonetheless; "The main character is the same man. He performs the same actions, over and over, and although the circumstances of the end are not the same, the result is. He is drive forward by the same motivations, and fails, as he was destined to." 

The smile on the lecturer's face widened. "Destined? Because he is a character in a novel?" 

"Because he is a failure."   

[desireigns]

The university has opened its gates to guest students, offering a set of special lectures as a way to draw in prospective students, and more importantly- sponsors. The numerous attractions, the unique one-off lectures, and other such distractions all pointed to one, rather important result- that they were desperate to show how worthwhile it would be to invest in them.

Jade, naturally, would not waste her time on such endeavors. No- she was here for one reason. In exchange for attending their lectures, she had acquired a new deal from a new professor- not untalented, but struggling nonetheless. Despite this, she was no model student, her phone firmly in her hand as the class talked circles about a series of novels she had skimmed over briefly.

It’s only when a new voice emerges, cutting through the argument, but not stopping it, does she even look up. She recognizes the man from her recent, unfortunate visit to a now defunct planet, and a small indulgent smile forms as she listens to him argue.

The lecturer raises an eyebrow at his last assertion, but seems to have regained some form of enthusiasm that had been whittled away by the circular debate of the other students. “A fascinating interpretation of the text, indeed! Let’s see here…”

A little frantically, they grab onto the chance to change the topic. Jade raises a hand, languidly, smiling as she is called upon with haste.

“It is because he is a character in a novel, and thus granted a role in the way that people aren’t, that he is destined to fail.” She begins, turning to him with a low laugh. “In each novel, the last chapter is the only difference- the most noticeable change is who he has brought with him.”

A gesture, almost grand in nature.

“Naturally, this is an exchange. Who will die for him, and who will he die for? The author has all but spelled it out for us- the two characters that enter the last chapter will fail spectacularly. There is no indication that one of them must be the protagonist.”

"As long as he trades his place with another, he will not fail. Quite simply, he fails because no one has given him the one tool he needs."

[desireigns]

[JACKPOT!]

The hotel, bright and nauseating, reminds Kallen of Penacony. She had gotten lost after leaving behind the display of sparkling water, unable to find an exit out of the labyrinthine building, each turn and hallway filled to the brim with some new, radiant luxury or mind-numbing opulence. For a time, for what feels like forever, she is alone in the empty hallways, accompanied by closed doors, dim lights, and the same rotation of framed paintings on the walls. Eventually, there are distant sounds—bells, chimes, or people’s voices. She follows them, meandering toward their source—until the narrow, maze-like hallways open up to a grandiose room—with the same, spinning machines as Penacony—the same, endless thrall waiting for another false promise to come true, another false hope to be fulfilled.

Her gaze darts across the extravagant room, searching for signs of an exit—or someone still human enough to give her directions. Everyone here is magnificently dressed, except for her, their expressions snobbish or snooty, occupied by delicate wine glasses or the controls of the slot machines. Or—almost everyone.

Kallen notices the woman belatedly, like the effect of staring at an enormous painting and suddenly realizing an exquisite detail, the singular woman standing away from the glamorous machines, seemingly watching the surrounding. She is strikingly beautiful—in a way that almost frightens Kallen. Hesitant, Kallen approaches all the same—and feels compelled, for some reason, to whisper instead of speak. “Excuse me?” She begins, less boisterous than she usually is. “I’m sorry to bother you, but—I’m looking for the way to the lobby. Do you know which direction it’s in?”

With a feast completed, Jade takes a moment of respite. The games no longer interest her, nor have acts of charity ever been her ideal. The crowds continue onward, allowing themselves to be lost in their indulgence of greed- the slot machines keep turning, and the dealers continue shuffling.

And in the midst of it all, a singular woman, refusing to touch the flashing lights and promises of wealth. Making her way through the crowd of people. In the sea of material desire, she was a spot of warmth, simpler- kinder.

Someone of noble character, here? How amusing- how fortunate.

Such a customer must be dealt with differently, after all. When dealing with sincerity, an equal exchange of sincerity is paid- when speaking to those who lacked that drive of greed, one must know when to give, to sow seeds of favor rather than debt.

“No need to apologize,” Warm, inviting. It’s no trouble at all. I’m happy to help. Offering a hand, Jade smiles, “Here, I can guide you back to the lobby. It’s a bit of a trip from here.”

A laugh, "This hotel is a bit of a maze at first, isn't it?"

[desireigns]

[ ＥＭＰＹＲＥＡＮ . ] [SPARKLING WATER]

On this very day, one mature individual arrived at the door in anything but greeting her. The door swung open with a creak from its shifting weight, revealing a room clad in far too many adornments and fineries for his taste. The look upon his pale face was stoically dower, the kind of face you'd see upon a statue that pensively ponders eternally, but the Kennedy of eyes will see his eyes sharpening in their ring of gold. Short of leaving in a gale of white and fury on his heels, he does know manners and isn't so offended he would not stand with repose as a fellow guest comes through the lavish door. Even with an untouched glass in his hands, he is careful with the door as well.

Her heels click with an almost reverberant nature and she strides with all things unfamiliar—wanton about her attention, if he was a man with no purpose—about her having his eyes train upon the trims. But he is not tempted by nostalgia or branch names, neither does he care for status or rubbing elbows as he simply keeps an air about him—his mind wanting to leave.

He is sure she sees him and if recognition happens, he doesn't let it sit in. His headache is already growing again. Into her hands he gently offers up his untouched glass of water, and he calmly states, “Miss Jade, it's good to see you're in good health, but I have much to do and cannot catch-up. You understand how precious time is for projects of the Intelligencia Guild, so I must bid farewell to you."

If Jade was to pay attention to every pebble that came across her path, she would have long grown mad. After all, not every path she trod on is designed for her, and she would not concern herself with a road untraveled. Dr. Veritas Ratio is a more significant than some mere stone- though he fashions that alabaster head at times- but he was someone to be spoken to on work hours, and not out.

Perhaps, if the Lady desired, she could lure him into her storefront with some prodding at his past- or perhaps she could not, but such an endeavor would hardly prove to have gains worthy of her time. Those of the Intelligentsia Guild would be called upon by other methods; easier, and more profitable.

He hands her a glass (plain, the water still bubbling), which she accepts with a gloved hand. His greeting is much the same- bland and sharp all at once, and she smiles, a business smile, no edge and no light.

“A shame.” She lies, “Perhaps some other time.”

As he sweeps past her, and she, past him, she calls for a glass of wine in its stead.

[desireigns]

[JACKPOT!] - Win big or lose it all! The hotel’s got a real nice casino, black-tie only and 100% Definitely Not Rigged machines to waste hours of your life at. Just don’t forget your wallet~

Of all the sorts of people that one might find in a place like this, they seemed somehow the most and least likely to be there. Where others were frazzled, distressed, impatient, clearly at the end of their rope and willing to bargain for more - more time, more money, more chances, more of everything they didn't have - they two were clean, quiet, calm.

They had been at this table for a while now.

Kevin wasn't much of a gambler. He had never needed to be, when everything else in his life came with such certainty - even before MOTH, before the surgery, there was little that he had ever needed to attribute to luck when it could have come with skill. This was somehow different, and the same.

She was watching. She had been watching the entire time, even when she had called or raised her bets, or folded, her eyes had never left his face, and it was the familiar sensation of seeking weakness that Deliverance could never abide.

His was not a facade that faltered.

If it were any other situation, he might have apologized.

With two gentle fingers he took the additional card slid his way by the dealer, and only barely flicked his eyes to acknowledge what resided on its face.

"And so? How much longer until you've had your fill?"

Gambling itself was never one of Jade’s pastimes- especially playing her hand at the blaring slot machines or the roll of a dice. All of this was better suited to a different glittering green; Jade did not take kindly to a lack of control. But the den itself, filled with the desperate (the needy, reaching for the hems of her skirts as she took a seat at a dealer’s table), was tempting.

Be careful not to gorge yourself.

There was never only one target- but there was the most difficult one- the most interesting. Others had folded from a sweet smile and an offered hand, a card slid into their palm as she walked away. From one too many losses, begging for another chance at wealth, at happiness.

He had met her eyes, unblinking. If he breaks contact, it is not for long, an acknowledgement of the facade of a game they played. It was hardly the correct expression for poker; every other player’s face would shift with each hand- but not his. Not hers.

The silence is broken, or rather, the impression of it, for both of them had made their calls even within this standoff. 

“Can’t I admire another’s handiwork?” She knocks her hand against the table, once- check. She knows better than to push her luck. “It’s a shame I didn’t find you first.”

[desireigns]

[ ＳＯＡＲＩＮＧ ＨＥＩＧＨＴＳ . ] [AROUND THE CLOCK]

He has always wondered what it would be like to be the end of a deal gone belly up, as he had yet to experience such a downfall while looking into the eyes of the dealer. The sire to the Kaslana bloodline and World Serpent had been an encumbering and stubborn few who had not addressed anything except their own gains, and while it had rubbed him the wrong ways into gritting his teeth back then, it was something he found quite entertaining now. In this bar far across the city, far from that centerpiece that prides itself on being an embodiment of heaven and fire, he finds himself within the chilling that clutched at the belly of Plutus while mimicking the skin crawl of a freezing mire.

But not in the presence of one lady Bonajade who made sure her circle of influence was warm and lit, the people around the sphere who were of common standing, and both sides of the alignments of night and day. It added a homeliness to her business but it was one he wished to find his way inside and to bury, either in his mind or real life was yet to be seen. He had someone to keep away from here on this planet and wanted to see what they could offer, so darkening someone's door was not beyond his methods of catching two birds with a single stone.

In the night they are without that fire that burns a safety in the minds of common folk, and are replaced with the soliciting whispers of night. He refused to sit once addressed and found his fingers gloved even though his body had no fingerprints to give, running along a dart that had been left within sight. He aligned the shot once he picked it up, and he makes just slight adjustments he doesn't need as he speaks. A purpose is priceless and he had no reason to rush.

“Lady Bonajade, I beseech an answer to a question before I take upon the dealings of yours truly. I have heard that you can help a man if he has something to protect, if he wishes for a sensible future that would soothe their worries and then align with theirs.” His tone holds no hint of misunderstanding that he wasn't asking a question at all, but his smile was curled and eternal. But he does give a real question after. “What do you have to offer that can bring someone to life, spiritually and all?”

He finally stops pseudo measuring the aim between him and the dart board, but the dart doesn't leave his hand the way it naturally should. Instead of coasting through the air, it's embedded in the table between them from where he changes his grip on it. From a featherlight hold to a knuckle clenched grip, he leaves it between them.

“What do you have for a ghost who has achieved his adieu, Miss Bonajade?”

The shadow of arrogance dusts the Lady’s doorstep once again, an uninvited guest- but not an unwelcome one. Few take her hand as easily, as readily, as those who believe themselves above her warnings. All the better for the Lady, who finds audaciousness charming. All the better for her guests, who will gain exactly what they asked for.

As promised, it was an equal exchange; mutually beneficial in its entirety. If pride sped negotiations along, well, time was just another currency they traded.

So Lady Bonajade chuckles, breathy and amused, at his refusal to sit as equals. Unlike her other customers, he is slow, methodical, measuring an unknown unit of success as he clenches a gloved hand around a dart from the dartboard.

This man- so careful, so controlling of his surroundings that he leaves a mark on her table- shows a glimpse of his hand; her temporary residence within an establishment owned by another (they owed her a favor now, as well, to be cashed in with a serpentine smile when her leisure on this planet was over) was not so delicate that she even blinks at his apparent violence.

She lets the sound ring for a moment longer than one normally would, eyes drifting up to his face, contorted in the view of desperation. Desire strong enough to drive the dead, it would seem.

“Now that is an interesting question, indeed…” His actions were rude, at the very least, but the Lady is generous enough to let him off by dangling the promise of hope for longer than she usually would. “The answer to it would have its own price, of course.”

A simple one, paid in blood.

She leans back, savoring another moment. “But I doubt you’re here for something so simple. This is an exchange, my good sir- everything can be traded, for the right price.”

“Is the mere answer what you seek, or what lies beyond?”

[desireigns]

[BALLROOM] - The venue’s been rented out to some startup company for their first Soon-to-be-Annual charity ball, and your name can be on the guest list for the small price of a donation and a dance! Go on and get swept off your feet, or maybe be the one to do the sweeping!

At a young age, little Guinevere had been taught social etiquette and how to conduct herself as a noble's daughter. It didn't matter that she wasn't the oldest, nor that she had a handful of siblings older and several younger- she still needed to be able to play her part. She didn't hate it of course, was just something that was a part of her life- and she didn't want to do anything to harm her parent's reputation. They were honorable, and Guinevere saw them as heroes, especially when they-

No. That's a tale for another time. Here, in the Empyrean, step by step making her way around the outskirts of the room, Guinaifen was just a regular attendee. The performer had considered aiding this newly formed charity ball with her status as a popular streamer, but had second guessed it at the last second. She was meant to be taking a vacation, and even if it was for charity, she did not have enough time to do research into this planet or the companies and businesses present working at the hot-tourist-spot of the planet.

But, she sure wasn't about to turn down the chance to put her childhood training to the test! Maybe her parents would be happy to see her have a brief moment of familiarity of what she once lost-

Ah, get it together Lil Gui! A charity ball, remember! Happy face and party time girlie!

Plus, look at that- a lovely lady simply standing on the sidelines, not even participating in the dance that's in full swing. Now now, that just won't do. Lil Gui to the rescue! ( No it's not an actual rescue, Guinaifen is aware. )

Full bravado and class, the performer approaches the woman with dazzling periwinkle eyes and wavy lilac hair with a warm yet excited smile.

❛ Surely a beautiful woman as yourself isn't here alone, are you? ❜

The redhead starts, waiting until she has the other's full attention before extending her hand.

❛ If I may be so bold, might I ask the lovely lady for a dance? I promise not to step on your feet, I am quite an expert at ballroom dance. ❜

There was nothing quite like a gala. The dance of words was one that Jade knew well, and one that she could navigate with just as much grace as that of the ballroom floor. Speaking to a representative, a merchant, a donor- lovely customers who will grace her doors eventually. It is the greedy that seek the walls of paradise, and it is the greedy who will follow the call of forbidden fruits.

Now, swirling a glass of red, distorting the view of the many, dancing without a care- Lady Bonajade rests. She has sown the seeds, and the harvest is seasons away. The desires of the dancers mix into the air, blatant and encompassing- but it is folly to gouge oneself on it, even for her.

How ironic; it is a charity ball, but the only charity in their hearts are for themselves.

Well- no, that was not quite true. A hum escapes her lips, amused, teasing, at the approach of a precocious little lady, offering a hand and a dance. This one was one who kept her head above the whirlpool of temptation, through ignorance or innocence.

It was…

Charming. Cute.

“I’ll take you up on your offer,” A ringed hand is placed upon the other, an acceptance. “I trust you won’t disappoint.”

[desireigns]

[BALLROOM] - A Dance with a Snake

A snake lurks within the beautiful Garden of Eden. She is a snake that aims to take what it can from those who will allow themselves to be the victims and nothing more. She is a snake who provides everything the victim wants, and everything more, for every promise comes with a cost. There is one, however, who embraces such a snake with open arms. It is not because wishes for the snake to steal from her everything that makes her her, but instead because in the Garden of Eden, she holds innate understanding of the snake's purpose, for she too is one who allures others with sweet manipulation.

Only, in Yelan's case, she manipulated information wherever necessary. 

Yelan's hand reaches out to take hold of another's, though while her voice carries regal politeness among a ballroom floor -- " May I share this dance with you? " -- her azure eyes carry a knowing, piercing stare. A temptress, one who's words coiled so beautifully around victim after victim to extract information, understood a snake who's very essence coiled every ounce of another's very being, bent on taking everything that can be taken, at the cost of what little remains.

Yelan, though she could not say why her intuition told her to remain wary of Jade, still took the Lady's hand in her's in offer of a dance, a distant stare piercing the Lady's eyes. 

How bold, this one. Jade’s lips curl into a smile, a knowing glance over the edge of a glass. She sets it down upon a silver tray with one hand, the other laying carefully in the palm of another. 

Confident, suave, and… eager. A lovely mix of traits promising a fascinating evening. Eyes trail down the length of her attire, falling onto a gem in a metal casing, decorated with symbology she recognizes sparsely from the IPC database.

A resident of that new planet.

“Of course,” She purrs, slowly meeting the other’s eyes again. Lashes angled down to disguise a glint of her eye. “But not before I get a name. It’s only polite.”

She doesn’t need the introduction, all but saying such as she places her hand on the other’s waist, taking the lead in a slow waltz. A laugh bubbles, low and dangerous, pulling Yelan closer in with a spin, a whisper in her ear,

“I like your initiative. I’ll pay a visit to… Liyue, is it? Come find me again.”

Then, the song comes to an end, and she pulls her hand away, her job done. She has information that was not shared, her secrets promise. Another glass is plucked off a silent attendant’s tray, and the Lady disappears into the crowd.

[desireigns]

[S’MORES]　/　"and so what? do you have any idea how many times i've heard something like that before? even if you might not've heard of me, i'd be willing to get a good part of my own treasure trove that i've been getting on the other side of people like you since before you were born."

she sighs, the tip of her tail flickering, but she takes a seat on the log on the other side of where the fire's crackling anyway, a little ways further than midway down. from here, she can keep this lady in her sights, but more importantly she keeps the straightest line to her escape route open. a glance takes in the s'mores laid out in some kind of peace offering, but she never completely takes her eye off the other woman. maybe it was just the fact that she'd singled her out at all to come out here, but everything about this had her fur practically standing on end.

"all right——you asked, i'm here. might as well start talking. what'd you want me out here for, and how exactly did you hear about me anyway?"

"as for the snacks, thanks, but i'll have to pass. don't you know? chocolate's off limits for followers of the meow-meow sect." she brings her tail forward in a slow, waving motion under her chin, then props it there, as if to prove a point.

Jade had no ill-will towards her current feline companion- quite the contrary, in fact. A little rough around the edges, yes, but clear signs of a jewel just waiting to be unearthed underneath those sparkling eyes.

She laughs, a warm sound, mixing with the sound of the crackling of fire. Offending snacks are pushed to the side, so the line of sight between the two remains unbroken. Her smile promises that those who created them would find their due later, “These are not to your tastes? I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Let’s set all the petty details aside, shall we?” She continues, nails ringing only once against the side of porcelain plates. How, and what, and when. She certainly won't share the details of her own acquisitions, just as she suspects the thief won’t. This was a proposal of mutual benefit and nothing more- this was the sort of gemstone that remained the most beautiful when unbridled- untamed.

“I have a proposal for you. What do you say we make a deal?”

[desireigns]

Since she arrived so late, putting something out here- Jade is accepting asks for the event! I will be attempting to get the reward, and will be combing through the people still in the likes to send asks.

As for Jade herself, she can be found almost everywhere except Bigshell Eco Park and the Fight Club- but she'll be most at home in the Empyrean!