WELL THAT'S SUPER CONVENIENT BECAUSE I HAVE BEANS AND I WANT TO SPILL THEM so here goes!
everyone, meet Miriam:
she's 30-something, hailing from xak tural (somewhere near yyasulani), and she is tired.
(woe, infodump below the cut)
she was only little when the dome went up - was on a trip to yyasulani proper with her dad. neither of them could've known they'd end up trapped there for 30 odd years. they were both re-settled in solution 9, regulators and all. her father took to it well enough, and so did she, for a time - but as she got older, whilst most became detached from the concept of death, miriam became... fascinated. morbidly curious, in fact. and not just about death.
she was barely a teenager when she took her first crack at summoning something. she was just barely a young adult when she finally succeeded.
now, meet Cielo:
again, he (or she. or they. he doesn't really care) hasn't told me much about himself - all i know is that once he was summoned, he latched himself to miriam's soul with a vengeance.
it speaks to her sheer force of will, i think, that he didn't overtake her entirely. it was a near thing.
i don't think he was particularly ill-meaning - rather just a little overzealous. the void is awfully stuffy, y'know. especially if you've been in there a long time. it took years for the two of them to finally find some semblance of balance, let alone the ability to cooperate. years longer than that before they could start to fight together.
to say she can "control" him now would be misleading - there really isn't any controlling him. but! through the passage of time, the power of friendship, and augmenting her own body with a number of sigils and seals - they can finally work truly as a team. kinda.
Season 1- Episode 2
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Sunlight danced across her eyes as consciousness flooded her mind like a cool river, stretching and splashing its way through her senses. Slowly accepting the feeling Sage reached across her bed, grasping for blankets that weren't there. Kicked off in her sleep, no doubt. She let out a groan and swung her feet over the side of the bed.
Time to get up then.
She shuffled over the blankets she'd thrown off in her sleep, ignoring the traitorous cloth that had left her cold and alone, instead moving towards her bathroom to freshen up for the day.
She caught glimpses of her room through half-lidded eyes, and a pang of restlessness worked its way through her.
This had been her apartment for the past year, and it still hadn't even begun to feel like a home. Closed boxes littered the room, with some of them popped open and their insides spilling out, old trophies and knick-knacks or even decorations still begging to be put up
What's the point in decorating when I'd just have to take it back down anyway?
That was what she told herself, at least as she tripped her way into the bathroom. She started the shower and began brushing her teeth, stripping her nightclothes in the process. As she was finishing up she spit one last time into the sink and stood tall, looking herself over in the mirror.
Her hair stuck out in a mess of angles, her eyes had bags big enough to hold a week's worth of groceries, her body was littered with bruises from work, but something that caught her off guard was the sight of her hands shaking. Why? She looked down at her hands and clenched them tight, willing the motion to stop, and then relaxed them.
They were still for a moment, but as she looked back at her naked body in the mirror, they began to shake again.
A small ball formed in her stomach as realisation dawned upon her, and then a larger, more turbulent feeling took hold.
Anger.
Rage.
Hatred.
Something she didn't hand out lightly.
Whirling on a heel, she burst into the shower and worked to slow the beating in her chest.
It seemed to work; slowly working the shampoo through the tangled hair undid the knot, rubbing conditioner into her scalp and letting it drain down her, smoothing over the ruffles that were left. Finally, getting dressed for the day made it feel as though it was never there to begin with.
But as she was attempting to tie her shoes, the problem of her shaking hands was there to face her yet again. She tried time and time again to tie them, that final knot escaping her trembling hands, which only grew in intensity as her frustration mounted.
A single tear rolled out of her eye, and she threw herself back onto her bed, covering her face in both hands.
When would she get over it?
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The wind whipping at her neck and the promise of a hot coffee were helping her to forget the rough morning. By the time she arrived, she had managed to put up a smile that felt real, even to her.
Helmet at her side, she strolled up to the Lilybell and ignored the loose feeling of her boots, laces tucked into the top, and put on a smile. If she was lucky, then-
WHAM
She hadn't heard the sound of the door opening in front of her, and as she rounded the corner to enter the front, Sage had knocked directly into someone, knocking their bag out of their hands and its contents onto the floor.
"I'm so sorry! Are you ok? I'll -" It was then she realised exactly who she had bumped into, and her blood ran cold. A shorter woman with a mass of muted pink hair that faded to white at the ends, it sat perfectly upon her deep red turtleneck and Sage felt her mouth run dry, nearly forgetting that she had just run into this woman.
"Oh, it's uh… Hi- OH, your stuff!"
Immediately, Sage dropped to her knees and set her helmet to the side, scrambling to pick up the scattered notes and… art? Mixed amongst many of the pages were sketches, some of places she didn't recognize, and others of people. She could have almost sworn that a few of the people were regulars at the cafe.
Gathering the last of the pages, it was then that Sage noticed the woman was next to her, helping gather a few that she had missed, and she could feel her face flush red.
"Here you go, sorry about that. I'm Sage by the way!" The words flew out of her mouth, and she cringed at herself. Of all the ways she had hoped this day would go, this just was not it.
"I know, and you know I'm Spinel." Her raspy voice cut through whatever walls Sage had managed, and she was left scrambling once again.
"R-Right, sorry. Nerves. Here's your stuff, by the way, did you draw those sketches?" She tried to sound as innocent as possible, but as the words left her mouth, Spinel's eyes shot open and she snatched the paper from her hands.
"Thanks." Her voice wasn't raised or pitched any differently but Sage could feel its sting like a bullet. and barely had time to squeak out a 'No problem' before Spinel had speed walked out of sight.
"What a fucking loser." She sighed to herself. That was nothing like the cheesy high school romance scenes; she would be lucky if she didn't just run her off from the Lilybell for good.
Lumbering inside Sage didn't even bother ordering, opting to go straight for Nira'sae instead. Flopping into her seat dramatically and slamming her head onto the table, she let out a loud groan of despair.
"Think I scared her off for good this time, Mouse." She grumbled but couldn't help the grin that took over her face. She knew without a doubt Nira'sae was red as could be, and that served to cheer her up if only a bit.
"I-I uh… I saw." Their usually calm and tepid voice, now pitched in embarrassment, confirmed her fears.
"If it makes you feel any better, you look great." They tried to reassure. Sage raised her head with a smile and cocked it to one side.
"Thanks, it does." She said while sitting up properly in her seat. Another light dusting of red appeared on their cheeks as they fidgeted.
They were all dressed for work, teal scrubs from head to toe
"How have you been?" She asked easily, putting her most recent failing behind them for now.
"I've been-" They were interrupted by a loud buzzing that came from a device sitting upon the table, which prompted them to let out a large sigh.
"Busy…" They immediately began gathering their things and clicked a button on the device, shoving it into their pocket.
"Everything all right?" Sage asked, raising her eyebrow.
"I've just been called in, is all, now where is my…" They continued to dig around through their pockets, eyeing the table over, and then once again scouring their pockets.
"C'mon, I'll give you a ride, I always keep an extra helmet." Sage offered while gathering her own and standing up from the table. "Just point me where."
There was a look of conflict in their eyes for all but a few moments before the all too familiar colour of cherry red took the place of their paler skin tone, and they gave a nod and followed her out.
Giving them the extra helmet and bringing the beast to life, she felt her nerves calm just a bit with the dull roar of the engine. It was almost like being home. Not like her apartment hom,e but rather what she imagined a real home felt like, safe and reassuring.
After double-checking Nira'sae's helmet was fastened correctly and instructing them to hold on tightly to her waist, they were off. Sage could only lament that she wouldn't be able to see their face until they stopped; she was sure it was a great sight.
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It was early evening now, and the sun was making its way below the horizon. Sage had managed to waste her day away trying not to think about… well, anything that had happened so far.
She was sitting outside a bar that happened to have a stage inside. She didn't drink often, but the people were a delight, and one of her best friends was performing tonight.
Moving through the door, she soaked in the dingy interior of the dive bar. Old wooden panels made the floor and walls, posters and photos hung from every visible inch of the place, and the people were buzzing with energy.
The lights were dimmer than usual, and the attention was focused on the right of the entrance. Not the bar which sat in the centre, but the small stage that was used frequently for local bands in the area.
Standing on the stage was a group she'd seen before, and she couldn't help the smile that fell onto her face as she watched the lead singer change the tuning on his guitar for the next song.
Sage moved forward to the bar and waved off the bartender, focusing once again on the lead singer. He was a taller man, though not as tall as her, with long, dirty blonde hair. He was dressed out in punk clothing, and as his deep green eyes met hers across the room, he gave a huge smile and called out from atop the stage he stood.
"This one goes out to a big ass dopey flower I know! Hit it!" his higher register voice cut clean across the bar with the aid of the microphone, and his band did in fact 'hit it' immediately after, starting their show for the night, which was full of pure punk rock angst.
'I hope this wasn't a mistake, you fool.' She thought to herself, already feeling herself grin at the Rock-Star on stage. It wasn't, of course, he had a heart of gold and was smart to boot. He would be able to give her some advice. She knew it.
She sat through the whole performance with a smile on her face, giving out a huge holler at the end of every song and clapping along when he did his crowd work. It was amazing, as it always was.
When it was over, they all packed up their gear and headed backstage, letting the next band set up, but her friend, the singer, came bursting out of a side door within seconds.
"Hey, Sage, how are you?" The man asked as he bounded up to her, giving her a big one-armed hug while protecting the drink in his other hand.
"I'm good Clove, you did great as always." She hugged him back, and he had to tap on her to be released, leaving him gasping for a moment before he smiled once again.
"Damn you must have missed me huh?" He coughed for a moment, and it mixed with his laughter, but Sage could only look away and give a small smile.
"I definitely did."
"So what brings you around? Except me, of course." He prodded; he must have already known something was up. Maybe he was too smart. Her face probably something horrible because his smile instantly dropped into an intense worry.
"Oh no, what happened? What is it? Is someone here? Hold on, I'm getting the crew-" He rambled off on his own until she grabbed his arm and stopped him from wandering away.
"I couldn't tie my shoes this morning," she said quietly. Much too quiet for anyone to hear, especially in a bar, but still he stiffened and turned back to her.
"Oh, Sage…" His voice, having lost its edge, now carries a concerned tone to it.
"I also ran into Spinel." She continued, now facing him as she took a sip of the water she had gotten while watching his show.
"Well, that's a good thing, right? What did you say to her?" He said hopefully. She almost laughed at the misunderstanding but settled for a smile.
"No like, actually ran into her. I knocked everything out of her bag too, and when I tried asking about some of the drawings, she just stormed off. I really think I spooked her off this time." She slouched in her seat as the smile fell and her hands balled into fists in her lap.
Clover reached for her hands and placed them in his own ever so gently, sitting and waiting until she relaxed, if even just a bit.
"I think you're fine, it sounds like she got embarrassed you saw her stuff and ran out. I wouldn't want you to see my drawings." He said calmly, letting her hands simply lie atop his own.
"You have drawings?" She questioned. Clover was artistic, of course, but she always assumed it ended with music.
He responded with a smile and a hushing motion to his lips. So she wouldn't be getting her answer, that was ok. She had ways of finding out the things she needed to know.
"Maybe next time you see her, try and apologise, then invite her out somewhere." He proposed the idea like it was so easy.
Spinel wasn't just pretty, she was.. Intense? Monumental? Mind-numbingly attractive? To the point where just seeing her froze her to the spot. She wasn't sure how to put it, but just being in front of her and not crumbling to dust was a significant hurdle to pass.
"You know I can't just-"
"Yeah, yeah, excuses. Try once for me, you can't just look at her in the café forever." He was right. But that still didn't mean she wanted to admit it.
"I'm sorry, I uh.. I need to go, I have work really early tomorrow." She turned her hands over and grasped his, tight enough to send a message, Thank you, and then she let go and stood up.
"Don't be a stranger, you know you can call me."
"I know."
"Good, wouldn't want you forgetting about me," Clover said while taking a sip from his drink. "And send a message when you get home, else I'll search the whole damn city for you."
A feeling of warmth spread upwards from her hands into her chest as she turned to exit and gave a wave.
"Course Clove, see ya soon."
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I decided that I wanted to post the first chapter of a bit of an older sitcom au piece since I started working on it again! I hope it holds up.
Dare to Dream
Season 1- Episode 1
Everything slows as her fingers reach the metal railing, her pursuer hot on her heels and the world coming into a sharp focus as she brought her legs up and over the barrier.
For a moment it felt like she could see and feel everything. The sharp coastal wind whipping against her face, the smell of the ocean water below, the sound of the city behind her, and rushing water beneath as she rapidly approached its surface. Pulling her body in close she readied for the impact but it still didn't stop the bone cold chill that tore through her body as she plunged beneath the blue waves below. The channels grasp on her did not let up easily as she began to swim to the surface, it felt like the dead hands of the ocean were dragging her back down but still she fought upwards until finally she broke the waters surface.
Looking out across the teal-blue expanse she spotted several local fishing boats as she spat saltwater out of her mouth. Only a few of them were moored along the docks while the rest were moving out to start their days. But one boat was marked differently from the rest, with a film crew as its passengers and large cameras pointed in her direction.
Having spotted the boat she smiled bright and began to move over towards them, not that she couldn't swim to one of the docks just- she had been doing this all morning and saving her strength was becoming more and more important as the day dragged on.
"Was it good? It felt good. I really cleared that barrier this time so-" Sage stopped as she arrived at the boat, clambering up the ladder affixed to its side and graciously accepting the towel that was handed to her by one of the crew. "Man that was awesome."
The man she had been talking to was Mr.Duncan, the director for the film they were currently working on named "SilverEye". A large and wild moustache sat upon his lips and short grey hair lay flat on his head. He was a shorter stockier man that enjoyed his later years as much as he enjoyed his food. He looked over at her dripping form from the chair he sat and stared for a moment, the scene replaying in his eyes as she waited for a response.
"We'll call it a wrap for the day, good job Sage."
That one compliment sent her into the stars. She was only the stunt double for the scene, and her face would never be seen, but every success would lead her an extra step closer to her childhood dream. Being a big name Movie-Star. The glamour had been more appealing when she was younger but even now she found ways to love her dream and continue chasing after it.
"Thank you sir." She beamed as she shivered, the subtle warmth of the midday sun working its way slowly to her bones.
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Sage savoured the cold wind whipping past her face until it slowed to a stop as she pulled into an open parking space outside of her favourite cafe "The Lilybell".
It resided just minutes from the studio she worked at and served as a favourite location for those that were lucky enough to know about it. It was where she hoped to find one of her favourite people, if she was lucky. Though if she was truly lucky the booth in the back corner would be occupied.
Dropping the kickstand on her, aptly named, cafe racer she stowed her helmet underneath her arm and made her way inside.
The building was cosy and gave her a sense of home. It's friendly warmth filled her as she walked through, taking in the familiar sights and smells it provided. First she glanced at the corner booth but saw it was empty. She was too late.
The next thing to catch her eyes was an all too familiar set of teal scrubs slumped into a chair with their mop of grey hair on the table in a heap.
Oh Nira'sae...
A smile fell onto her lips as she got in line. She had a certain soft spot for the EMT; they were entirely dedicated to their work and more often than not neglected their own well-being, putting on a mask for the world around them.
But Sage had seen her fair share of masks, she would work her way under it in time.
Picking up her order for two sandwiches and a coffee for herself she sat quietly at the table next to them, as to not wake them up.
Or at least she tried to. The foot of the chair caught a crack in the wooden floor as she was sitting down, causing her to fall back into the chair and follow it to the ground. Thankfully the sandwiches were set on the table beforehand but her freshly brewed coffee fell all down her front as the cup scattered to the side.
Looking up at the ceiling she laughed and let the liquid seep into her black turtleneck. At least it wouldn't stain.
Nira was at her side almost as soon as she fell however looking her over for any injuries.
"Are you ok? What happened?" Adrenaline was obviously flooding through their system from being so rudely awoken, Sage thought it was incredible to see how fast they went from asleep to Work mode.
"You know me, I love to make a mess wherever I can." She paused and took Nira's offered hand as they pulled her up. "So how's your day been?"
The look of absolute incredulity that flashed across their face almost caused her to burst into laughter, but she managed to keep the joy she felt within her smile.
One large sigh later and Nira had sat back down at the table, picking up the sandwich and taking a bite before responding.
"Long." They stopped abruptly and looked down in confusion at their food... then back up at Sage, only to be met with that same beaming grin. "Did you?"
"I jumped off a bridge today. A few times actually. Did you know there's a correct way to fall from really high into water? It's tricky but I got the hang of it after the third time..." She stonewalled the question in their eyes, and knew she won when they looked back down at the food in defeat.
"I'm glad I didn't have to come get you." Sage could tell that they meant it and felt her heart crack a little when they looked up at her in that awful way they do. So much concern in those grey eyes, it almost hurt to know that she was cared about that much but she pushed the feeling aside and smiled ready to crack a joke.
They caught each-other up on their respective days and Sage got a new coffee to enjoy much more carefully this time. Towards the end of the of the conversation Sage looked at the dregs of her coffee and swirled it around the cup, considering her next question on her tongue.
"She left about an hour before you got here."
She looked up in surprise at Nira, her jaw open in shock.
"How did you-" she started before shaking her head. She was an open book for friends, and Nira'sae was probably the closest friend she had here in the city.
"Maybe next time then..." she trailed off, looking over at the empty seat in the corner.
Nira followed Sage's gaze and stared with her at the empty spot.
"You'll get through to her, I know it." Their soft voice pulled Sage out of her trance and she met their gaze and a small bit of confidence found its home in her chest.
It took every fiber of her willpower not to bolt. She knew better, at this point. You don't turn your back on a predator like him. You don't run.
Lest you get yourself mistaken for prey.
"Come any closer and I'll make you look worse. Offense intended."
He scoffed at the hollow challenge. She couldn't do shit right now, and he knew it. Injured and exhausted, she was spent. Her research had led her to an abandoned Imperial outpost in The Peaks. The area supposedly hadn't been of interest to them in months - it should have been easy. Sneak in, scrape through whatever data they'd left behind, sneak out.
Warnings of her youth trickled through her mind as blood trickled to the cracked stone floor.
Don't venture out alone, 'Khemi. You're easy pickings alone.
It was better this way, she figured. Had her unit been with her, when the group of Imperial scouts came around, unexpected and without warning, many of them may have perished. Maybe not even by Garlean hands.
The cloaked figure perched on the crumbling wall before her hopped down, and she flinched, motion tugging painfully at the wound she was trying to keep pressure on. She put on her best snarl, and he smiled in turn, familiar and twisted in equal measure.
Whether it was good fortune that he'd been there when he had, or a terrible omen, she couldn't be sure. Just as she was getting overwhelmed, mana waning, the bullet had caught her exposed abdomen. And just as she'd wondered if this was it, he had appeared. The spectre of the lochs - this ghost that had been stalking her dreams - descended upon the Imperial unit, ending them with a brutal efficiency.
She had taken the opportunity to make a run for it, taking shelter in a dilapidated storehouse when she felt her legs would carry her no further.
But she had been followed.
Of course she had. This wasn't the first time he had pursued her - though, at this rate, she feared it may be the last.
"You know how to fix it, don't you?"
He was approaching her now. Easily, unwavering, like they were friends. Like he wasn't a monster.
"Leave me alone."
There was a warning in her tone and in her eyes. If he noticed either, he didn't care. He unsheathed one of two blades, gripping it loosely - casual and comfortable.
"Scared? It's okay. I can fix it for you--"
"S-stay away from me!"
Impulsively, she swung her staff out in front of her, bloodied hand almost letting the thing slip. Nothing was cast - but the threat was there, plain as day.
His approach finally faltered.
"Ouch, Emi - that kinda hurts."
"Don't-- don't fucking call me that." she spat, vision swimming from pain and bloodloss.
The man tilted his head - but not in the curious, mock-innocent way she was used to.
"Why?"
"You're not my brother."
Her words were slurred, now, a hushed mumble, fading fast. The clack of her cane hitting the floor rattled around in her head, echoing. In the darkness that followed, she could have been alone, were it not for his voice.
Soothing. Comforting. Terrifying.
"No? Who am I?"
...Ali?
When she woke two days later in her bed at the Reach, she would wonder if he ever got his answer.
I’ve hit a wall where I really want to flesh out the Sage WOL timeline, but I run into the issue of I don’t actually remember any of the important moments from ARR so I don’t even know where to start.
