you're late.

Be patient. Be silent. Never let them see you coming.

[snowxmarymargaretxwhite-arc-blog]

Well, shit. Hope speeds up the car, weaving in and out of traffic as the glass building with the stylized triangle adorning the side comes into sight. She has a floor plan now, which will help, but honestly she needs to move fast. Two hours. Maybe that will work, if she goes in low and makes her way to the stranded operative.

A thousand years. In spite of herself, knowing the Animus and Helix are dangerous as hell, there’s always been a bit of jealousy, meeting other Assassins who know they were born to this ancient order. It would be incredible to hear more of this lineage. Chances are the two of them will be sharing close quarters for a few days at least, perhaps Hope can (metaphorically) pick the other operative’s brain.

She abandons the car several blocks off, taking off at a steady jog until she reaches the garage. It doesn’t take long to slip past the cameras and blocks, affecting a look as though she’s finding her car. It’s been almost an hour now.

[msg:MB0593] which floor are you on? any chance of making it to the basement unnoticed?

There’s a service elevator down here she can take lower, and find a stairwell from there. Or… A fire exit catches the Assassin’s eye. It won’t deter Sigma, but it will get anyone who’s technically a civilian out. And in the chaos, who would notice one more person slipping out? Very casually she checks for a camera again, before opening the fire door.

[msg:MB0593] make your way down if you can. I’ll meet you in the middle At least if they fight their way out, it won’t be alone.

Although she had stayed seated, mentally, Mary Margaret was freaking out.  Yeah, she could probably take care of herself against any of the normal body guards.  She might even be able to take out one or two of the sigma team, but there was no way two of them would be able to handle an entire sigma team.

And then the response came in.  Which floor?  Could she get to the basement unnoticed?

[msg: HJ1027] 14th floor.  As long as no one notices that there’s a time loop on the security cameras and that I’m using my id when I shouldn’t be, should be pretty easy.

She hit send the moment before she saw another message come in.  Get down to the middle if she could.  Immediately, she got to work.  She quickly set up a time loop, using last week’s footage of her sitting there, bored, and matching times of normal halls all the way down to the bottom.

[msg: HJ1027] On the way.

She stood up, and pressed the button for a slow, pleasant desynchronization from the Animus and quickly wrote on a note on the default screen of the Animus, in permanent marker, ‘Find a way out’, and she snuck an ID of another coworkers, one that had access to the room, into one of his pant pockets.

Then she left the room, not stopping to worry whether the door stayed open or shut behind her.  She was already on the way down.  She quickly knocked a passing security guard, unaware of what was going on, out and stole his baton.  She could make do with that.  She quickly managed to conceal it in her sleeve with little issue and continued down the stairs.

[ofxpatiencexsilence]

There's a certain speed to walk at that goes without notice by most people and allows even the most out of place person to disappear. Just a shade faster than a normal walk, but not as quick as the 'mall walk'- just bouncy enough to seem carefree and lost in thought but not childish- head dipped and feet dragging just enough to not draw anyone in with a stray glance. The trick is finding the pace.

Thankfully, it's only a bored security guard watching CCTV of a concrete stairwell she has to fool, having not run into anyone yet. Sure, if they looked too close it might be strange for a prospective intern to go up so many stairs rather than taking the elevator. That being said, the cameras back here and not only sparing, given it's supposed to be an emergency path, but easily avoided- especially past the tenth floor, she's gotten good at dodging them. No alarms have gone off. Floor eleven, and the Assassin decides this is close enough. There's certainly a pull she hasn't felt earlier.

With that confidence, she slips into the hall, the hustle of mostly menial office tasks mixed with the few on real business Hope would love to stop if it wouldn't jeopardize this mission. Scanning surreptitiously, walking just behind or beside chatting coworkers, she finds- perhaps not a familiar face, but a familiar expression. Someone else blending, unnoticed but by a fellow Assassin most likely. Or, she supposes, well trained Assassin hunters.

[msg:MB0593] here. teal sweater, still incognito. what's your position?

[jacobfryx-blog]

@ofxpatiencexsilence

Jumping from roof to roof the twin male assassin went as he kept up with his speed, rolling, jumping. He seemed like a graceful cat if anything, as he moved through. Climbing down now he lands on one of the rooftop as he crouched down, his eyes scanning everything. Damn it, did he lost him already? Oh this wasn’t good at all. Examining some more, his hood over his face as he examined everyone. 

Finally he saw his target running through the sidewalk, and towards the people as he then follows suit, as he follows close to his target from the rooftops. Jumping and catching up with him, he pushed people out of the way. Finally he had him, as he aims himself, jumps, rolls on the ground before him. Grabbing the guy finally he gives a tiny smirk, as he was talking a few things. It was getting people’s attention as he looks around the people who were surrounding him. Raising his eyebrow he knew this guy wasn’t going to give him any information so he just threw him on the ground. Scrambling on his feet he then shakes his head, and the people just looked at him. 

As he passed you he gives a tiny raise of his eyebrow as he just placed his hood down, and his hat up as he just walked just like that. His Assassin gullet glistening a little bit. 

[ofxpatiencexsilence]

Well. London has always been exciting, certainly, but this is still unprecedented.

Hope knows an Assassin when she sees one. She’s trained enough, and been with the Brotherhood plenty long, to recognize a fellow even if the rarity of Brothers in England made each individual somewhat infamous. And having lived abroad two years, it’s enough time to have heard a rumor or two (typically told in exasperated tones) about the Frye twins.

Very casually she slips along the crowd, keeping space enough between herself and the other Assassin not to draw attention until there’s a slightly secluded path to join him at. The walls have eyes, after all, and she needn’t be accidentally revealed because someone apparentlynever learned discretion. And her mentor in New York thought she could learn from the London Brotherhood.

“Safety and peace, what little there is to offer here. Might I ask what that was about?” She keeps her voice fairly low, but casual, as if she could simply be asking about the weather. Despite that a glimmer of excitement comes to her eye; a chance at real action has been rare since arriving here, given her lack of real connections and resources.

[scrawnylittlenobody-archive-blog]

It wasn’t fully intention when Hope used those exact words, but parts of it were. Whenever someone new arrives she generally gauges what she’s dealing with so there are fewer surprises down the road. That said, Hope honestly did not intend to cause this level of distress to Alex, or whoever she’s bleeding.

The Assassin raises both hands in apology and appeasement. Italian is not her strongest language by a lot, only having learned it recently for this mission, but perhaps her French will solve some of the gaps. “Calmati. Non volevo dire niente. Nessuno qui vuole farti del male, Alex.” Carefully Hope steps closer to the wall, edging around Alex just slightly while staying in sight. She’d hate for this to get violent, but is also prepared for it. It would not be the first time one of her charges threw a punch in the first hours of arrival, but it’s not fun, exactly. It tends to make things tense between everyone for several days until both are sure they won’t end up with a black eye for crossing paths at the wrong time.  “Si fa a sapere dove sei?”

Alex stayed still, watching her target with a fierce attention, like a wild cat hunting a prey.  Still as confident as she was before.  Ready for a fight.  There was no hint of the all but scared girl Alex regularly was these days.

“L'unica ragione per cui non si è già morto è perché si indossa lo stemma della Fratellanza.”  She watched her intently, reading her actions, deciphering how this girl would prepare. “Con il tuo accento, posso dire che non siamo in Italia. Ma, passato che, non importa. Ho visto come fratturato la Fratellanza russo è. Io non sono sorpreso gli altri sono, troppo.”

Alex looked around, figuring what she had to work with in preparation for a fight.  How best to take out this girl.  Alex was clearly not armed, she’d have to make do with her environment.  “Tutta la loro base è contaminato che cosa significa essere un assassino. Se siete delle loro credenze, è bene nel mio diritto di ucciderti.”

A mere moment after the final word left Alex’s mouth, her hand went to her head and she stumbled into the wall.  For a moment, she looked very confused, then realization set in.  She knew what that was.  It had never lasted so long inside the Animus, but she did know what that was.  Shao Jun.  She hadn’t honestly expected that to be part of her Bleeding Effect.  As far as she could tell, Anastasia wasn’t any more related to Shao Jun than she herself was.  She had thought that was all the box.

For a long moment, she just stayed where she was as she regained her breath in silence.  It was more taxing to experience her than she thought, even if Anastasia nearly fainted after the first one.  Finally, Alex looked to Hope, unsure really what to say.  “I, uh…” she cleared her throat. “I’m not… I’m not entirely sure what that was.”

[ofxpatiencexsilence]

That was... unexpected. Much of the rant was lost on Hope, confused by the mentions of the Brotherhood, but clearly not the American branches, and the apparent threats of violence upon her person. But just as quickly as it came on, it ended.

The Assassin relaxed from the fight-ready stance she'd unknowingly dropped into, a hand outstretched as Alex stumbled. Slowly she stepped closer, tentatively resting a soothing hand (intentionally not the one she still habitually wears her hidden blade upon, unsure if Alex has somehow noticed the tiny wrinkles in her sweater that give hint of it) upon her back and leading her over to the couch.

"These things happen. It could have been worse," Hope assured her guest, a morbid note of cheeriness injected to the tone. But it could have been- Alex might not have come out of it on her own for hours, or either could have responded with violence, or Alex could have fainted. Or vomited. That thought made Hope crinkle her nose a bit. It had happened before and it was not an experience she wished to repeat, still unsure if it had been worse for her or for her humiliated and nauseous comrade.

A gentle pat went to Alex's shoulder as Hope stood up again, checking her over quickly. She seemed okay physically, fine to be given some space to breathe. The Assassin returns shortly with a glass of water. "Would you rather talk about it, or lie down for a bit? I'm sure this has been very ...confusing for you."

[thoughts-memories]

[ofxpatiencexsilence]

[ I know I'm the worst with all my random hiatuses. I should really put it in my rules or about page. But uh. Short of it: my mom and baby sister got really sick the last two weeks and I've been running between work and caring for them, and there has been a recent and really bad flare up of PTSD-related dissociation for me so it's been hard to keep up with anything that's not in my immediate circle. I'm doing my best to get back on track though so I will be replying to ALL waiting threads here and on @brotherhoodwxrrior tonight after work. Thanks again so much to everyone for putting up with me honestly and I hope everyone is doing well ]

[apiaryphantom]

London 99

idk if this has been done before but

[snowxmarymargaretxwhite-arc-blog]

Hope has already started her current car toward the location given, using a mix of encrypted GPS and her own knowledge of the area. She’ll have to leave the city she’s in, but not by a lot. An hour at most and she’ll be flashing the fake intern keycard she’s been using since being stationed out here. Thankfully, this is a new place, and she still looks young enough to stammer her way through a college name, a major, and promise she has the email in here somewhere. Add a few flustered tears and most security, even at Abstergo, waves her by with a warning.

All else fails, if the situation is as bleak as this operative makes it sound when her phone pings again, sneaking in with a few bodies is always an option.

[msg:MB0593] do you need an extraction?

Already the Assassin is getting close, close enough to begin reciting the false identity in her head (Chloe Mason, twenty-one, birthdate August fifteenth, hoping to graduate next year with a double-major in physics and computer programming, dream to work at NASA, likes tropical fish, prefers strawberry icecream over vanilla or chocolate…) while waiting for a floorplan from the rest of the network. It shouldn’t take too long, given the circumstances, but it’s taking long enough. Hopefully things haven’t gone too far south for her Brother.

Mary Margaret had been scowering the emails again while waiting for a reply on her message.  And what she saw next scared her to the very core.  Sigma team?  What the hell were they calling them in for?  To deal with one spy?  That hardly seemed necessary.  But that meant they knew more than they were saying in the emails.  She tried to delete it, but realized that it had already been opened on the other side.  Crap.

[msg: HJ1027] They’ve contacted the Sigma team. Maybe two hours before they get here.

Okay, that might seem a bit excessive.  But they didn’t call the Sigma team to deal with a tiny problem.  No, they called for the Sigma team when they wanted something done right and quickly. She had to figure out what to do, buy herself time before she got out.

[msg: HJ1027] I have 1000 years of Assassin history coursing through my veins.  I’m sure it’s not hard to imagine what they’d do with that information.

[ofxpatiencexsilence]

Well, shit. Hope speeds up the car, weaving in and out of traffic as the glass building with the stylized triangle adorning the side comes into sight. She has a floor plan now, which will help, but honestly she needs to move fast. Two hours. Maybe that will work, if she goes in low and makes her way to the stranded operative.

A thousand years. In spite of herself, knowing the Animus and Helix are dangerous as hell, there's always been a bit of jealousy, meeting other Assassins who know they were born to this ancient order. It would be incredible to hear more of this lineage. Chances are the two of them will be sharing close quarters for a few days at least, perhaps Hope can (metaphorically) pick the other operative's brain.

She abandons the car several blocks off, taking off at a steady jog until she reaches the garage. It doesn't take long to slip past the cameras and blocks, affecting a look as though she's finding her car. It's been almost an hour now.

[msg:MB0593] which floor are you on? any chance of making it to the basement unnoticed?

There's a service elevator down here she can take lower, and find a stairwell from there. Or... A fire exit catches the Assassin's eye. It won't deter Sigma, but it will get anyone who's technically a civilian out. And in the chaos, who would notice one more person slipping out? Very casually she checks for a camera again, before opening the fire door.

[msg:MB0593] make your way down if you can. I'll meet you in the middle At least if they fight their way out, it won't be alone.

[ofxpatiencexsilence]

[ I feel like I've already reached the peak of my artistic career this year ]

[snowxmarymargaretxwhite-arc-blog]

The day starts normally enough. That is, until her phone pings.

Hope snaps her gum as she reads over the short message. The email is vague, but in their line of work that tends to mean urgent. At least that’s what the local den leader seems to think, as he’s sent a location as well. Gauging the distance and the fact she’s probably the nearest field operative who can charm her way into Abstergo on such short notice…

[msg:UNKNOWN] HJ1027 reporting. what’s the problem?

Generally she only keeps half an eye on the Animus project, but Hope figures it must be the woman sent in ages ago to trash the systems. The Assassin doesn’t know details- her job is assassinations and looking into any new information on Pieces of Eden that get flagged by their systems and the ones at Abstergo the Brotherhood has hacked. But it seems dangerous in its own way. There’s enough sick Templars at Abstergo to decide torture and forced sessions in an Animus are better than simply killing a captured Assassin. Most of their POWs seem to go that way, and too often it still ends in the death of that Brother or Sister. Understandably, messages like this are now taken seriously by her compound, after their most recent losses. There’s also additional protections in place for the agents who respond: the code names, the encrypted system on the Hephaestus network, the location block that can only be undone by a mentor or Master of equivalent status. A lot of hoops to jump through, but… well. They’d just lost their second Master Assassin in six months. Someone was targeting their compound specifically and it only made them more nervous for the rest of the Brotherhood.

Mary Margaret hadn’t done anything more to mess with Abstergo since she sent the message.  Part of her hoped that, if nothing happened, Abstergo would stop looking into it.  But she knew better than that.  If the CEO sent out a message about what floor the hacks were coming from, it was only a matter of time before they realized which room.  Only a matter of time before they tracked her down.

After a few minutes, she checked the Hephaestus network again and saw a reply.   She straightened up slightly.

[msg: HJ1027] MB0593 reporting.  i’ve been undercover for six months.  there’s been no sign of them trying to find me. until today.  they know what floor all i’ve been doing to them has been coming from.  it’s only a matter of time before they realize it is me.

It wasn’t all that common to find such long messages on the Hephaestus network, but then again, there was no easy way to explain her situation in a sentence.  It would just cause even more confusion.  She needed a way to get Abstergo off her trail now or an extraction.  She knew she had too much Assassin past. If the Templars decided to put her in even one Animus session, she’d never be free of it.  And she wasn’t going to let them do to her what they were doing to other people.  That was most of the reason she was creating so many problems, to help eliminate the risk of some of these people experiencing the bleeding effect and… to be honest, worse symptoms.

[ofxpatiencexsilence]

Hope has already started her current car toward the location given, using a mix of encrypted GPS and her own knowledge of the area. She'll have to leave the city she's in, but not by a lot. An hour at most and she'll be flashing the fake intern keycard she's been using since being stationed out here. Thankfully, this is a new place, and she still looks young enough to stammer her way through a college name, a major, and promise she has the email in here somewhere. Add a few flustered tears and most security, even at Abstergo, waves her by with a warning.

All else fails, if the situation is as bleak as this operative makes it sound when her phone pings again, sneaking in with a few bodies is always an option.

[msg:MB0593] do you need an extraction?

Already the Assassin is getting close, close enough to begin reciting the false identity in her head (Chloe Mason, twenty-one, birthdate August fifteenth, hoping to graduate next year with a double-major in physics and computer programming, dream to work at NASA, likes tropical fish, prefers strawberry icecream over vanilla or chocolate...) while waiting for a floorplan from the rest of the network. It shouldn't take too long, given the circumstances, but it's taking long enough. Hopefully things haven't gone too far south for her Brother.

[ofxpatiencexsilence]

Answer 8 Tag 8 I was tagged by: @the-lost-templar-daughter (thank you!) RULE: Answer eight questions and tag eight people Last Movie I Watched: I went to Assassin’s Creed with a friend haha Last Song I Listened To: “Poltergeist” | Banks Last book I read: Currently reading League of Dragons by Naomi Novik

Last Thing I Ate: Oatmeal bruv

If You Could Be Anywhere Right Now, Where Would You Be: Asleep.  In bed.

Fictional Character You Would Hang Out With For A Day:  Uh.  Can I have Toothless?  Please?

I tag: @wingedvirtues @haytham--katway @tophatandbrassknuckles @scrawnylittlenobody @ofbrotherhood @diispirited @babaycga and anybody else who wants to!

[fairy-tail-babes]

Headcanon Game - A to Z (NSFW)

Hey guys! I thought I’d so something fun this weekend, so I did my best to sexualize the alphabet and turn it into a headcanon game!

So here’s how it works. You send me a character (or a few), and the corresponding letters that you want me to answer for them!

A = Aftercare (What they’re like after sex) B = Body part (Their favourite body part of theirs and also their partner’s) C = Cum (Anything to do with cum basically… I’m a disgusting person) D = Dirty Secret (Pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs) E = Experience (How experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?) F = Favourite Position (This goes without saying. Will probably include a visual) G = Goofy (Are they more serious in the moment, or are they humorous, etc) H = Hair (How well groomed are they, does the carpet match the drapes, etc.) I = Intimacy (How are they during the moment, romantic aspect…)  J = Jack Off (Masturbation headcanon) K = Kink (One or more of their kinks) L = Location (Favourite places to do the do) M = Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going) N = NO (Something they wouldn’t do, turn offs) O = Oral (Preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc) P = Pace (Are they fats and rough? Slow and sensual? etc.) Q = Quickie (Their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc.) R = Risk (Are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.) S = Stamina (How many rounds can they go for, how long do they last…) T = Toy (Do they own toys? Do they use them? On a partner or themselves?) U = Unfair (how much they like to tease) V = Volume (How loud they are, what sounds they make) W = Wild Card (Get a random headcanon for the character of your choice) X = X-Ray (Let’s see what’s going on in those pants, picture or words) Y = Yearning (How high is their sex drive?) Z = ZZZ (… how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

I’ll have this running all weekend, so feel free to drop by!

[devil-in-red-deactivated2019010]

Liam: This year I lost my dear friend Shay.

Shay, offscreen: Quit telling everyone I’m dead!

Liam: Sometimes, I can still hear his voice.

[ofxpatiencexsilence]

What are your muse’s aesthetics?

BOLD any which apply to your muse! Remember to REPOST! Feel free to add to the list!

[ COLORS ] red. brown. orange. yellow. green. blue. purple. pink. black. white. teal. silver. gold.grey. lilac. metallic. matte. royal blue. strawberry red. charcoal grey. forest green. apple red.navy blue. crimson. cream. mint green.

[ ELEMENTS ] fire. ice. water. air. earth. rain. snow. wind. moon. stars. sun. heat. cold. steam. frost. lightning. sunlight. moonlight. dawn. dusk. twilight. midnight. sunrise. sunset. dewdrops.

[ BODY ] claws. long fingers. fangs. teeth. wings. tails. lips. bare feet. freckles. bruises. canine. scars. scratches. wounds. burns. spikes. feathers. webs. eyes. hands. sweat. tears. feline. chubby. curvy. short. tall. normal height. muscular. piercing. tattoos.

[ WEAPONS ] fists. claws. sword. dagger. spear. arrow. hammer. shield. poison. guns. axes. throwing axes. whips. knives. throwing knives. pepper sprays. tasers. machine guns. slingshots. katanas. maces. staffs. wands. powers. magical items. magic. rocks. mud balls.

[ MATERIALS ] gold. silver. platinum. titanium. diamonds. pearls. rubies. sapphires. emeralds. amethyst. metal. iron. rust. steel. glass. wood. porcelain. paper. wool. fur. lace. leather. silk. velvet. denim. linen. cotton. charcoal. clay. stone. asphalt. brick. marble. dust. glitter. blood. dirt. mud. smoke. ash. shadow. carbonate. rubber. synthetics.

[ NATURE ] grass. leaves. trees. bark. roses. daisies. tulips. lavender. petals. thorns. seeds. hay. sand. rocks. roots. flowers. ocean. river. meadow. forest. desert. tundra. savanna. rainforest. caves. underwater. coral reef. beach. waves. space. clouds. mountains.

[ ANIMALS ]  lions. wolves. foxes. eagles. owls. falcons. hawks. swans. snakes. turtles. ducks. bugs. spiders. birds. whales. dolphins. fish. sharks. horses. cats. dogs. bunnies. praying mantises. crows. ravens. mice. lizards. werewolves. unicorns. pegasus. dragons. rats.

[ FOODS/DRINKS ] sugar. salt. candy. bubblegum. wine. champagne. hard liquor. beer. coffee. tea. spices. herbs. apple. orange. lemon. cherry. strawberry. watermelon. vegetables. fruits. meat. fish. pies. desserts. chocolate. cream. caramel. berries. nuts. cinnamon. burgers. burritos. pizza. ambrosia.

[ HOBBIES ] music. art. watercolors. gardening. smithing. sculpting. painting. sketching. fighting. writing. composing. cooking. sewing. training. dancing. acting. singing. martial arts. self-defense. electronics. technology. cameras. video cameras. video games. computer. phone. movies. theater. libraries. books. magazines. cds. records. vinyls. cassettes. piano. violin. guitar. hurdy gurdy. electronic guitar. bass guitar. harmonica. harp. woodwinds. brass. bells. playing cards. poker chips. chess. dice. motorcycle riding. eating. climbing. running.

[ STYLE ] lingerie. armor. cape. dress. tunic. vest. shirt. boots. heels. leggings. trousers. jeans. skirt. jewelry. earrings. necklace. bracelet. ring. pendant. hat. crown. circlet. helmet. scarf. brocade. cloaks. corsets. doublet. chest plate. gorget. bracers. belt. sash. coat. jacket. hood. gloves. socks. masks. cowls. braces. watches. glasses. sun glasses. visor. eye contacts. makeup.

[ MISC ] balloons. bubbles. cityscape. light. dark. candles. war. peace. money. power. percussion. clocks. photos. mirrors. pets. diary. fairy lights. madness. sanity. sadness. happiness. optimism. pessimism. loneliness. family. friends. assistants. co-workers. enemies. loyalty. smoking. drugs. kindness. love. hugs. Tagged by: @wingedvirtues

Tagging: @the-lost-templar-daughter @scrawnylittlenobody @diispirited @tophatandbrassknuckles @ofbrotherhood @snowxmarymargaretxwhite and really anyone who wants to!

[ofxpatiencexsilence]

Hope - Negative Traits

AGGRESSIVE | callous | cannibal | careless | compulsive | cowardly | DOMINEERING | envious | greedy | HYPOCRITICAL | IMPATIENT | impolite | kidnapper | lazy | liar | materialistic | MURDERER | OBSESSIVE | OVER-CRITICAL | over-emotional | PATRONIZING | SARCASTIC | self-indulgent | serial-killer | torturer | TOUCHY | traitorous | unclean | unpredictable | untidy | VAIN | VENGEFUL tagged by: @diispirited​ Tagging: @scrawnylittlenobody / @snowxmarymargaretxwhite @ofbrotherhood @wingedvirtues @the-lost-templar-daughter @tophatandbrassknuckles and anybody else who wants to do it!

[scrawnylittlenobody-archive-blog]

It’s unfortunate. But Hope has grown used to a lack of trust when people first arrive here, especially those who’ve spent so much time half-in reality and half-in memories that are not even their own. Still, they’d have to solve this issue eventually or it would be a long visit for the both of them.

The Assassin nods, a very slight dip of her chin more than anything- despite the three years since her ‘accident’ her neck still fights any motion that might have once been natural. “Hmm. In theory he was supposed to tell you a bit more about me and about this homestead.” She shrugs as if it’s not a big deal, even if inside she’s rather annoyed.

There’s four doors along the hallway upstairs. Alex picks one seemingly at random and peers inside, but rather than continuing to be so guarded and pessimistic seems pleasantly surprised. Or at least too shocked at the lack of bars on the windows and spartan decor to continue tensely hedging questions. “This used to be a compound until the mid-1800s. It fell out of use when more Assassin’s moved west and the Mentorship split among several people for a time, but the Brotherhood reclaimed it as a safe house for those of us who need to lie low in the eighties. I’m the first permanent resident in about a century,” she says with a wan smile. “It’s supposed to feel a little like home, but there’s only so much we can do without personal affects, I suppose. I’ve considered getting a dog to strive for the homey atmosphere of pets.”

This room is nice enough, an old blanket with Haudenosaunee heritage (which tribe has been lost to time) hanging from a wall and a modern dark bedspread to match making the room feel a bit more personal, planned. She likes this one, but has never felt fully at ease in it- something feels too much like it belongs to someone else. Perhaps it’s the remaining artifacts of a long-dead Assassin. She found a journal under a floorboard last year, but hasn’t found the guts to read it or hand it to the Brotherhood. It’s too intimate, if it was squirreled away so long.

“You can go by color or how far you want to be from the bathroom. That’s a new addition by the way, and the shower is more high-tech than my computer,” she follows this with a short, soft laugh. “You’re welcome to explore, take a bath if you like. I only ask you not try to leave,” an apologetic if slightly forced look; it’s happened before and now it’s more annoying than anything. “I’ll know, and I’d rather not mar our relationship by dragging you back here against your will even if it is for your own safety as well as mine.”

Alex looked back to Hope when she explained what this place was.  A compound until mid 1800′s.  She assumed a compound was similar to what the Kremlin was in her ancestor’s memories.  An anger started to form somewhere inside her at the mere connection.

It kept bubbling as the woman continued speaking, despite her attempting to keep herself calm.  The moment Hope said that  she’d drag her back against her will, her anger snapped.  Something else took over.  Someone else.  Her voice changed ever so slightly. “Credi di potermi trascinare da nessuna parte?” Her voice was in Italian now.  Darker, more confident.  A Chinese accent in the Italian.  “Ti ucciderò proprio come ho ucciso le Tigri.”

To the keen observer, one would notice that she wasn’t herself at this precise moment. Alex had only ever experienced this inside the Animus… well, that was what she told herself before now. She had no idea whether it was true or not. Only the name of the one she had now become: Shao Jun.

[ofxpatiencexsilence]

It wasn't fully intention when Hope used those exact words, but parts of it were. Whenever someone new arrives she generally gauges what she's dealing with so there are fewer surprises down the road. That said, Hope honestly did not intend to cause this level of distress to Alex, or whoever she's bleeding.

The Assassin raises both hands in apology and appeasement. Italian is not her strongest language by a lot, only having learned it recently for this mission, but perhaps her French will solve some of the gaps. "Calmati. Non volevo dire niente. Nessuno qui vuole farti del male, Alex." Carefully Hope steps closer to the wall, edging around Alex just slightly while staying in sight. She'd hate for this to get violent, but is also prepared for it. It would not be the first time one of her charges threw a punch in the first hours of arrival, but it's not fun, exactly. It tends to make things tense between everyone for several days until both are sure they won't end up with a black eye for crossing paths at the wrong time.  "Si fa a sapere dove sei?"

[many-a-meme]

Make my muse moan. Be it anonymous or otherwise, send me something to break their silence with pleasure.

[scrawnylittlenobody-archive-blog]

Hope blinks, confused, head slightly cocked and about to ask what she means before realizing. Well. To her knowledge, Alexandra- Alex, she said Alex had been briefed on what was going on. But then, the man who brought her to this homestead hadn’t struck her as the sort to deign actually speaking to his charge, his ally, so what did she honestly expect. She wants to vent her frustration or call the agent again and chew him out, and likely would if not for how guarded and disoriented Alex seems.

Instead she bites her cheek against a laugh in case it’s taken the wrong way and turns to walk into the kitchen, which is still visible from what she’s set up as the living room, to set water boiling. “There’s not an Animus here. We’re too remote for anything but a laptop to work reliably.” She leaves out the part that, being in hiding and known by too many high-profile Templars, she doesn’t have anything as noteworthy or traceable as an Animus. It’s too hard to keep them off the grid anymore, and Hope is staying firmly off the grid.

With the kettle set up Hope returns to the living room space. It’s a bit hard to feel grown up around most of her guests, typically being their age or too close for it to matter, but she can’t help feeling responsible, even motherly, toward them. Especially in the first few days. It makes her unrealized dreams of children less upsetting, having people to care for. And it certainly keeps the loneliness at bay as they become less her charges and more her peers.

“Why don’t I show you your room? Or, well, you can pick the one you like. There’s several.” Without completely waiting for a reply she turns toward the stairs. “What were you told on your way here?” Better to get some facts before she resolves to strangle a field operative for being a dick. And gauge what she’s dealing with.

Alex was honestly rather confused when she heard Hope say there wasn’t an Animus there.  How did they expect to learn where the box was if they weren’t going to force her back into her ancestor’s head?  But she didn’t mention her confusion.  The older woman seemed to be plenty focused on something else.  Anything else, really.

Alex hesitated before walking up the stairs, looking around.  “I was told that he was an Assassin and that he was getting me out of that place.”  She didn’t look to Hope.  She was very nervous about the whole idea of being near more Assassins.  The only one she had ever interacted with in any life that she knew she could trust was Nikolai.  Everyone else, she had more than enough reason not to trust.  

“He spoke to someone on the phone.  He mentioned a box.”  That was all that she was going to say about it.  She’d let them think she was clueless about they were talking about.  She had no reason to trust them yet.  She had every reason in the world not to trust them after the sessions with Abstergo.  The sessions felt real after so long.  Everything they had done to Anastasia, they had essentially done to her.  How could they possibly imagine she would trust them?

She opened a door slowly and looked inside.  “It’s nicer than what they gave me,” she said quietly.

[ofxpatiencexsilence]

It’s unfortunate. But Hope has grown used to a lack of trust when people first arrive here, especially those who’ve spent so much time half-in reality and half-in memories that are not even their own. Still, they’d have to solve this issue eventually or it would be a long visit for the both of them.

The Assassin nods, a very slight dip of her chin more than anything- despite the three years since her ‘accident’ her neck still fights any motion that might have once been natural. “Hmm. In theory he was supposed to tell you a bit more about me and about this homestead.” She shrugs as if it’s not a big deal, even if inside she’s rather annoyed.

There’s four doors along the hallway upstairs. Alex picks one seemingly at random and peers inside, but rather than continuing to be so guarded and pessimistic seems pleasantly surprised. Or at least too shocked at the lack of bars on the windows and spartan decor to continue tensely hedging questions. “This used to be a compound until the mid-1800s. It fell out of use when more Assassin’s moved west and the Mentorship split among several people for a time, but the Brotherhood reclaimed it as a safe house for those of us who need to lie low in the eighties. I’m the first permanent resident in about a century,” she says with a wan smile. “It’s supposed to feel a little like home, but there’s only so much we can do without personal affects, I suppose. I’ve considered getting a dog to strive for the homey atmosphere of pets.”

This room is nice enough, an old blanket with Haudenosaunee heritage (which tribe has been lost to time) hanging from a wall and a modern dark bedspread to match making the room feel a bit more personal, planned. She likes this one, but has never felt fully at ease in it- something feels too much like it belongs to someone else. Perhaps it’s the remaining artifacts of a long-dead Assassin. She found a journal under a floorboard last year, but hasn’t found the guts to read it or hand it to the Brotherhood. It’s too intimate, if it was squirreled away so long.

“You can go by color or how far you want to be from the bathroom. That’s a new addition by the way, and the shower is more high-tech than my computer,” she follows this with a short, soft laugh. “You’re welcome to explore, take a bath if you like. I only ask you not try to leave,” an apologetic if slightly forced look; it’s happened before and now it’s more annoying than anything. “I’ll know, and I’d rather not mar our relationship by dragging you back here against your will even if it is for your own safety as well as mine.”