GHOST

[quinncastel]

GIDEON TOWNSEND | QUINN CASTEL ZONE 1 TRAVELER | ZONE 2 RAIDER

I’ll elaborate on this more when I have a sec but it’s been a long week so, without further ado, I give you this two-faced SOB: 

NAME: Quinn Castel || Impersonating: Gideon Townsend AGE: 38 PROUNOUNS: He/His ZONE OF ORIGIN: Zone 2 || Currently in Zone 1 STATUS: Technically Zone 2 Local/Raider ||  Impersonating a Zone 1 Traveler at CHQS TRAITS: + Adaptive, Charming, Quick-Witted || – Competitive,  Distrusting, Machiavellian

BIO

Quinn Castel grew up a street rat in Zone 2. He and his “adopted” sister and brother learned to get by on sheer will and street-smarts.

With a near photography memory, he found himself a quick-study at most things, which helped him learn how to scrap, steal and survive.

He was always a bit of the mastermind of their antics – orchestrating ways in which they could not just survive but also thrive. In a dog-eat-dog world, he learned to be vicious in fights, knowing that it was kill or be killed. He learned to think harder and faster than all those around him. How to look at the details while never losing sight of the bigger picture.

Eventually, more people wanted to follow him – they saw he was capable, calculating and cut-throat enough to make it in their desolate world and in Amhaven specifically.

He became the leader of a group of Raiders that were known throughout their city to be ruthless and shrewd. They weren’t reckless but they knew how to take power but, more importantly, how to keep it. They controlled several main waterways in Amhaven, gaining wealth by charging a high tax to get through. They also began to control one of the city’s main water supplies.

It was good but it wasn’t enough.

There was more out there, Quinn knew this, and he began searching for ways to do more. To be more. Surely there was more for them than a decaying city?

This thought plagued him until, 3 years ago, he came across someone he knew...attacking the very same person. It was his first encounter with a doppelgänger. It was a small thread, the first of many that he pulled at. And when he kept pulling, the truth unraveled itself.

There was more. There were people who could come and go. Who kept them there despite having more to offer. To help. And they refused. So Quinn made up his mind that the only thing left to do was to take it.

How was the question that was answered just over a year and a half ago when Quinn spotted his own doppelgänger. Gideon Townsend. A traveler from Zone 1. An answer and a key wrapped up in one person.

It took a year of careful study, of eagle-eyed observation and espionage for Quinn to pick the right moment to strike. To enact a plan none but his siblings knew about.

He took care of Gideon Townsend, assuming his identity as a Zone 1 Traveler and embarking on a mission to lift his people out of the mud and mire.

Quinn is currently impersonating Gideon Townsend at CHQS and all of his Zone 2 associates/followers, believe him to be dead save his siblings. Down to the scars and tattoos Gideon had, Quinn is fully embodying the traveler as if his life depends on it. Which it does. 

It’s a risky endeavor, but one that will be worth it if they can get the technology and knowledge of how to move between Zones and, more importantly, the opportunity to take what has been withheld from them: the opportunity for me. The chance to get away from a dying world.

CONNECTIONS

These will definitely expand once I think about them more but here are a few thoughts:

QUINN SIBLINGS – they’re not blood related but they are the people he trusts most in the world. They were all orphans on the street of Amhaven when they met, children without homes or families so they made their own. They are the only people who know about Quinn still being alive, and his doppelgänger being the one who is dead.

GIDEON CONNECTIONS – casual associates, friends, flings – people who won’t notice anything different about Gideon. / close associates, close friends – people who may, overtime, consider something different about the way he smiles, or tips his head but nothing that really raises the eye (just to avoid “they totally can tell he’s not himself!”. let’s discuss!)

[quinncastel]

jxnovak​:

Closed Starter for @quinncastel​

As ‘busy’ of a man as Jarek was, he always made time for his Travelers, seeing as they were the company’s first line of defense. In other timelines they might’ve been compared to a decorated war hero, save for the fact that the only recognition they got was limited to within CHQ walls. “So, Gideon,” Jarek began, claiming his seat across from the man. “How’s training that new squadron of Travelers going? You know I only want the best for those new recruits. Any of them cry yet or request a transfer? I have complete faith.” 

•

It wasn’t the first time Quinn met with Jarek, and he was certain it wouldn’t be the last. Leave it to Gideon to be a kiss ass, meeting with the Director biweekly. Still, he plastered on the demeanor he’d harnessed in the past months, slipped into the suits Gideon fancied for himself and arrived just on time, as Gideon would. Sitting across from Jarek, legs crossed, Quinn let out a haphazard laugh, shaking his head. “Not yet, though they haven’t gone through immediate turnaround Travel. I’m sure cleanup will need more than a few buckets and mops when they do.” Getting to one Zone, only to have to move to another or even return back to the one they’d originally come through. It depending on the situation but little time to recover between Travel tended not to agree with most. “We’ve some promising trainees, however, and I think at least two will make it all the way through but rankings go up at the end of the week so I guess we can wait until then before making any judgement calls.”

[mcgregor]

- Bet you like to wear fancy suits, don’t you?

- Yes I do.

[quinncastel]

NEW AMSTEL (ZONE ONE)

In the world of New Amstel, when not illuminated by purple and blue hues and swarming with sordid night life, the sun’s rays shimmer off railways as they meander between picturesque skyscrapers, revealing a world where science & technology bodily collide. 

TRAVELER’S LOG

Historical events and aesthetic align with Zone 1. It has been observed that this particular Zone displays a moderately even scale, driven mostly by perceived outlooks of citizens. Scales are tipped just slightly, favoring realism rather than optimism or pessimism. General social outlook is to speak plainly.

Technology is approximately thirty years ahead of Zone Zero. Rail is the preferred method of transportation in and out of the city. Bicycles and boats are generally used within city limits. Cost of living is high in city limits.

Those born within this Zone are pleasant. Science is preferred to art. The underbelly of this parallel is much seedier than that of Zone Zero, however less organized despite being harder to catch. It is advised that Travel is done in pairs.

[quinncastel]

AMHAVEN (ZONE TWO)

From gas guzzlers to tire trekkers, Amhaven is a seemingly deserted wasteland, crawling with scavengers and junk dealers alike.  

TRAVELER’S LOG

Known as Jim’s folly, Zone 2 is left standing for the purpose of observation only. Severely altered in 1974 following a series of unsolved murders that resulted in worldwide response, most major cities have ceased to exist. Amhaven is one of few standing cities, though desolate like the rest. Nature works to reclaim the land. Most buildings are experiencing heavy overgrowth. A stunted population uses this to their advantage. Technology is very rare, and therefore of high value. Lawless, Zone 2 is considered highly dangerous for Travel. There is no public safety effort. Travel at your own risk. CHQS employees hired in Zone 2 are offered safe living quarters on property, in the company’s underground facilities.

[quinncastel]

AMSTELLAND (ZONE THREE)

An idyllic, picture perfect paradise. Here, the sun is always shining and its weather always feels like the perfect spring breeze. With such a bright and cheerful environment whose resident are always on the up side, what could possibly wrong?

TRAVELER’S LOG:

Known throughout CHQS as the Glass House, Zone 3 is the safest and most dangerous. Bright, cheery, and idealistic, it is the most pleasant to be Traveled so far. Crime is incomprehensible by the majority of the population. Optimism is favored over all else, and is the reigning champion at all times.

Every complaint in other Zones is functionally null in Zone 3.

There have been ungodly scientific advances that have only served to better humanity as a whole. Generations within Amstelland today have never known anything but tranquility. This, above all else, must be maintained while traveling in Zone 3.

[quinncastel]

belladonna, chamomille

belladonna :   how does your muse respond to silence ?   do they take comfort in soundlessness ,   or seek to fill the void with noise ?  

Quinn isn’t bothered by silence. It gives him the opportunity to think on the rare occasion he does get to experience any. Before his “death”, he rarely had time for such a luxurious notion –– life as one of the leaders of the Castel Raider Faction didn’t afford him much of it. Still, he’s a bit suspicious when there’s too much of it – even a wasteland like Amhaven can’t be quiet for that long. 

chamomile :   what is your muse likely to take away from a painful experience ?   are they one to be haunted by adversity ,   or to use what they’ve gone through to become stronger ?  

Quinn definitely uses painful experiences to grow stronger. It fuels him, especially if his pride ever takes a hit. Painful experiences are simply lessons to learn from. In order to survive, he had to learn to keep going, to keep moving forward regardless of the adversity. 

[quinncastel]

motionblues​:

PERHAPS SHE HAD INDULGED her need or want to be cross with someone in favor of the man that stood before her now. He had been gifted just a touch of favoritism when he had been checking out files before. In fact, he had been close to gaining himself an invitation to the union, before things changed. She wasn’t entirely sure what happened, but the one that stood before her now? The same person, surely, but only with a switch flipped somewhere that she hadn’t noticed.

“Process is a little different now.” She mentions, hand curling toward him, fingers extended to make the perfect grabby hands before nodding. “Everything needs to be logged, so you might as well have a seat for a bit, regale me with a story of your childhood or something.” A small hint at a smile, before shoulders shrugged. “But, their from three, so I’m leaning toward the never been told no before but, if I had to guess.”

•

Quinn knew that Gideon was a supposedly nice man, if a little bland. He also knew that his doppelgänger had been by the books, dotting his I’s and crossing his T’s. So when Vinh spoke, he nodded, “I was here a few weeks ago –– we didn’t get a memo about the change, did we?” Because he would’ve gotten it. He supposed record keepers were within their rights to change systems without notifying anyone. 

Still he took a seat because Gideon would and canted his head to the side. “Three thinks they’re something special, don’t they?” He glanced at the man’s retreating back and then back over to the record keeper. “Apparently they’re using substitutes for the mystery meat in the cafeteria. Not sure why they’d bother if it’s already a mystery to begin with...”

[quinncastel]

[quinncastel]

Gideon Townsend is the Zone 1 Traveler whom Quinn Castel is impersonating. Gideon has been dead for several months now, but no one save one contact in CHQS knows that, and Quinn’s siblings from Zone 2. 

I’ve decided to put together some baseline information on Gideon to help anyone who will be interacting with him from CHQS provide a better understanding of who they likely think he is. I’ll probably add to this but if you have questions, just let me know!

NAME: Gideon Townsend AGE: 38 OCCUPATION: Traveler with CHQS Zone 1 STATUS: Deceased

BIO

Gideon had a relatively innocuous upbringing. He wasn’t top of his class by mere talent alone. No, he was the sort to work day and night to earn his merit, to earn any position he’d set his eyes on. He was tireless.

When it came to working with CHQS, he pursued a role as a Traveler, the acclaim coming with being one appealing to him. Title was always important but he felt that having worked as hard as he did, he earned his. 

He would take researches between Zones, as per his Traveler’s mandate, but independently, would travel to Z3 more than Z2, favoring the place that looked better. 

Of course, when one achieves their goal at such a young age, there’s a restlessness that settles in. A need to continually prove himself as capable. 

–

Perhaps that’s why an unnamed benefactor saw potential in him – in the ceaseless drive to succeed. It was how they enlisted him in his smuggling between Zones, paying him handsomely to do so. It was convenient to have a Traveler who’d help fulfill jobs, help keep things moving along when there was overlap in schedules. It wasn’t a constant thing but it was enough. 

Gideon was the perfect person for the job as someone who was hyper-focused on success and rank, as well as reward, and would do just about anything to preserve his reputation at the same time.

By all accounts, he was the model employee: polite to all the right people, strictly by the book (when it counted anyway), never a hair out of place.

Smuggling was just another challenge, another means to an end. Another way to rise in rank and in reputation with someone who was on track to heading up the very Zone.

–

The only other person who knew about his involvement, was a fellow Traveler –– someone who’d come up with him in training, someone he considered a friend and confidant. Someone who ultimately betrayed him. for a greater cause.

This Traveler had long since been sympathetic to the plight of Z2, having known people Hiked from Z0, and having seen firsthand the state of Z2. They were no savior, by any means, but they believed that they could affect change, somehow. 

Gideon didn’t know it, but they were already helping a Z1 Doctor smuggle unauthorized Z1 medical supplies to Z2. So when Gideon mentioned the fact that Z2 was the zone to make a profit in, to get rich fast (exploiting those who were desperate for something as basic as just clean water), this person knew that the Gideon who’d entered CHQS had warped into something so many in Z1 had become. Calloused.

–

For a while, they kept up the ruse of friendship until just over a year and a half ago when they thought they saw Gideon in a Z2 marketplace, laughing with a woman selling flowers. When they realized it was Gideon’s Doppelgänger, things fell into place.

It was clear Quinn knew something was off by the way he and his people trailed Gideon. When this other Traveler approached, offering to help with the Castel’s plans, knowing they wouldn’t succeed without inside help, Quinn and his siblings agreed, though not without prolonged debate and weighing of their options.

– 

Six months ago, Gideon went further out in Amhaven, to make a deal with some Raiders. Little did he knew what was waiting for him on the outskirts of the city. The betrayal of one: the switching out of supplies that would’ve otherwise kept him healthy in Z2. The ambush of three: cutting him off from his means of transport, letting the symptoms associated with distance from CHQS in the wrong Zone creep up on him. 

The last thing Gideon saw before his ultimate death was his own reflection, looking down at him with contempt. 

–

QUICK FACTS

Gideon always played by the rules. No one but the person who approached him and his Traveler connection know he didn’t. 

Gideon was respectful, dutiful, put together and seemingly a stickler for protocol. He followed everything to a tee, always (or seemed to). He was definitely someone who worked late, seeming to focus all his energies on his job. 

He wore suits and generally very nice Z1 attire in his day-to-day at CHQS.

His parents had died several years ago, and he had no siblings. 

He was quite good at card games and found the old-fashioned-ness of them amusing.

TL;DR: think put together, by the books Wall Streeter...seemingly perfect and upstanding on the outside but really just out for himself/profit/rank/respect. 

[quinncastel]

abatina, amaryllis, daffodil, holly, & lilac

abatina :   is there anything in life your muse has changed their mind about over time   (   due to becoming more educated on the topic ,   certain experiences  ,   etc .   ) ,   or that they   would   change their mind about under certain circumstances ?  

Definitely. For most of his life, Quinn was ignorant to the realities of The Parallel. It’s changed his entire understanding of the world –– his world...all the worlds. Reality itself. 

amaryllis :   what is something or someone that your muse takes pride in ?   how do they express that pride ?  

He takes pride in the accomplishments of his family – the fact that they came from nothing and have built a small kingdom for themselves. However, knowledge of Zones 1 and 3 have dampened this pride only slightly. He knows they can accomplish more if they weren’t relegated to life on a dying world. 

Quinn expresses pride through arrogance most of the time. The very fact that they’ve pushed the boundaries so many times and haven’t failed yet keeps them doing so, keeps them testing the limits of what’s possible and what they can accomplish. 

daffodil :   is your muse one to be loyal in relationships ,   or are they likely to quickly move from one bond to another ?

Quinn is loyal, first and foremost, to his family. His brother and sister @ayacastel​. After that, his Raiders. His loyalty cannot be bought and it can not be transferred or changed. Forming bonds in Amhaven was never really an option anyway. Survival came first and relationships second. Anyone else he might’ve cared about are long gone – either they didn’t survive or betrayed him and his in some way. 

In a city like this, bonds are fragile things, easily broken. Not so easily recovered.  

holly :   how strong is your muse’s sense of intuition ?  are they aware of it ?   do they ever fear that it is only paranoia ?  

He is incredibly intuitive. I feel like anyone who’s survived to adulthood in Zone 2 has to be, not just Quinn himself. But, overall, he’s always been adaptive and quick-witted, able to pivot where need be and think several steps ahead. Because of this, he’s not prone to trusting people (which has kept him alive all these years) but he’s also a man of action. If he sees an opportunity, he will take it, knowing that they are few and far between in Amhaven. 

I also think that there is a healthy dose of paranoia in him, but not in a debilitating way. More in a hand ready to grab whatever weapon/item can be used as a weapon that is closest. He’s a bit like a coiled snake, even if it doesn’t show outwardly. He’s always ready for the next threat. As he’s impersonating Gideon, he’s constantly aware of his surroundings, of his own mannerisms. But it’s not necessarily something out of the ordinary. It’s how he’s lived his entire life –– ready for the next fight lingering around the corner.  

lilac :   what was your muse’s childhood like ?   how has their upbringing affected them as they’ve aged ?

You could would hardly call what Quinn and Aya grew up in as a childhood. They were orphaned from a young age, Quinn taking care of his sister until she could take care of herself. When they met their brother on the streets, they were all still less than ten years old, just trying to get by. It wasn’t a childhood, but it’s what kept them alive –– the incessant need to survive. To overcome. To come out on top. And they did. 

It’s what’s driven Quinn’s ambition, his cunning and his ability to block everything else out but the task at hand. When you’re a boy living on the streets, and someone’s trying to steal the clothes off you and your little sister’s back –– you do what you need to in order to survive. There was no room for fear or panic, just adrenaline and a feral desire to live, and to make them pay for ever threatening a hair on his sister’s head. 

Quinn learned the idea of kill or be killed far too young, but it’s what’s kept him very much alive to this day. 

[promptfairy]

❥     𝐁𝐎𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒    [   𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙳 𝙿𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙿𝚃𝚂    ]   .

headcanon prompts with questions based on plants   &   what they represent in flower language .  happy roleplaying !!  ♡

abatina :   is there anything in life your muse has changed their mind about over time   (   due to becoming more educated on the topic ,   certain experiences  ,   etc .   ) ,    or that they   would   change their mind about under certain circumstances ?  

acanthus :   is your muse deceptive ,   or willing to lie or deceive to achieve certain means ?   why or why not ?   

aloe :   how does your muse handle grief ?

amaryllis :   what is something or someone that your muse takes pride in ?   how do they express that pride ?   

anemone :   how does your muse view the world ;   as a cruel   &   unforgiving place ,   a land full of wonders ,   or something in - between ?  where does that world view come from   (   what experiences ,   life lessons ,   etc .   ) ?  

angelica :   where does your muse draw inspiration in life ?   what motivates them ?

apple blossom :   how does your muse go about expressing or not expressing their sexuality ?  

bachelor’s button :   does your muse actively seek romantic companionship ,   or cherish the liberties of being single ? 

basil :   does your muse have a love - hate relationship with anyone or anything ?

bay tree :   does your muse seek glory   &   accolades ,   or do they favour a simpler ,   more personal life ?  

begonia :   how cautious is your muse ?   are they prone to noticing red flags ,   or paranoid to the point of untrusting most everyone ?   why or why not ?  

belladonna :   how does your muse respond to silence ?   do they take comfort in soundlessness ,   or seek to fill the void with noise ?   

bluebell :   does your muse learn from their past ,   or are they prone to repeating the same mistakes ?  

carnation :   what is your muse’s relationship with their gender ?   how do they express or not express this relationship ?  

chamomile :   what is your muse likely to take away from a painful experience ?   are they one to be haunted by adversity ,   or to use what they’ve gone through to become stronger ?  

chrysanthemum :   how does your muse express romantic love ?  how do they feel about love as a concept ?  

daffodil :   is your muse one to be loyal in relationships ,   or are they likely to quickly move from one bond to another ?

daisy :   did your muse ever feel as though their innocence had been lost ?   what moment in their life could be described as the end of their innocence ?  

edelweiss :   what was the bravest moment in your muse’s life ?  are they known to be courageous from then on ?  

fern :   does your muse believe in magic or cosmic forces ,   or are they more likely to think their life is ultimately a matter of their own control ?  

forget - me - not :   has your muse ever forgotten something that is or was important to them ?   are they afraid of forgetting things like that ?  

gardenia :   is your muse one to confess romantic feelings early on ,   or to conceal them for long periods of time ?  

gladiolus :   describe a moment from your muse’s life that they will never forget .

goldenrod :   does your muse believe in luck or fortune ?  why or why not ?   where do they believe these things come from ?  

heliotrope :   does your muse believe in soulmates ?

hibiscus :   how does your muse view the gentler ,   daintier things in life ?   as things worth preserving   &   caring for ,   or things only bound to wither   &   disappear ?  

holly :   how strong is your muse’s sense of intuition ?  are they aware of it ?   do they ever fear that it is only paranoia ?  

hollyhock :   how strong is your muse’s sense of ambition ?  what’s something they strive for in life ?  

hyacinth :   is your muse athletic ?   does it come naturally to them ,   or have they had to work for their physique and/or skill ?  

hydrangea :   how much does your muse value communication in their relationships with others ?  are they prone to being misunderstood ?

iris :   if your muse could convey one last message to someone they have lost or left behind ,   what would it be ?  

ivy :   what are your muse’s views on marriage ?   do they believe it is something strictly for love ,   or an institution rooted in business   &   social benefits ?   do they desire or have they desired to be married ?

lavender :   how easy is it to gain your muse’s trust ?  once their trust is broken ,   how might one go about mending it ?  

lilac :   what was your muse’s childhood like ?   how has their upbringing affected them as they’ve aged ? 

lily :   how does your muse view their mother ?  

lotus :   has your muse ever felt as though they’ve been reborn ?  have they ever desired the feeling of a fresh start ,   or a better understanding of themself and/or the world around them ?  

magnolia :   describe your muse’s relationship with nature   &   the natural world .  

marigold :   is your muse prone to jealousy ?  how might they handle envious feelings ?  

mint :   does your muse view themself as virtuous   &   moral ?  what do these words mean to them ?

nasturtium :   describe your muse’s relationship with their birthplace ,   or homeland .  

oak :   who would your muse consider the strongest person they know ?  

pansy :   does your muse often reflect on their own actions ?   do they ever think a lot about the past ,   and what they could have done differently ?

parsley :   describe a holiday your muse enjoys ,   and why they enjoy it .

peony :   what would a   ‘  happy life  ’   look like in your muse’s eyes ?

poppy :   what comforts your muse ?

rhododendron :   is your muse receptive to warnings   &   advice given by others ?

rose :   how much does your muse value other people ?   do they wish to have many friends ,   lovers ,   and/or associates ?   are they an easy person to love ?

sage :   what is your muse’s legacy ?   what do they want to be remembered for   &   what might they actually be remembered for ?  

salvia :   is your muse possessive over people or things that matter a lot to them ?  how do they express that possessiveness ,   or lack thereof ? 

snapdragon :   is your muse merciful ?  why or why not ?

southernwood :   how seriously does your muse take themself ?   do they prefer a solemn   &   intellectual atmosphere or do they delight in jokes   &   banter ?  

sunflower :   what brings your muse the most joy in life ?  

tulip :   how does your muse view people in general ?  

violet :   how does your muse respond to betrayal ?

willow :   how does your muse handle sadness   &   depression ?

zinnia :   how has the loss of fallen comrades and/or loved ones affected your muse ?   has it taught them anything or given them any new perspectives ?

[quinncastel]

AERYN & KIERAN too!

[thevibraniumvoid]

“Well, mark me down as scared and horny.” 

[quinncastel]

motionblues​:

@quinncastel​

WHILE THIS MIGHT SEEM LIKE USING COMPANY TIME for personal gain, little does she care. Perhaps there is something about being almost publicly chastised that she doesn’t like, or maybe it’s just a welcomed distraction to the road that this conversation is cruising down. Regardless, it doesn’t much matter to her, it’s not like they were going to do anything about her current bout of insubordination. “I said we don’t have any.”  The records request was a strange one, and for that, it was already noted in the back of her mind, always ready to go chasing angles and weaknesses. “Was a part of that hard to understand or did you want the rejection in a different language? I can provide both.” She said, looking up as the nail polish bottle was sat on the desk, as if that made the point behind the statement. 

•

Quinn waited patiently for Vinh to rip the idiot a new one, checking the time as they seemed not to comprehend her words. Still, after what felt like an eternity, it was finally his turn to step up. “Just returning files.” He noted, Gideon’s mannerisms deeply embedded as he extended the two slim folders in his hands. From his intel, Townsend had been taking out files for a while now, every few weeks, wanting to learn more about the different Zones, it seemed. 

Something that was innocuous enough for a traveler to do and also helpful to Quinn now. Hands stuffed in his suit pocket, he nodded in the direction of the chagrined CHQS employee who’d been retreating the elevators, “perhaps they’re hard of hearing. Or they simply have never been told no before.” He was almost certain Viny was going to have to hit them over the head before they got her words through their skull. 

[quinncastel]

ayacastel​:

      “ i might, if only to take your ego down a few pegs. ” lips pressed into a thin line and aya passed her palm over the hem of her shirt to smooth it out —as if quinn had utterly disturbed every part of her with the way he tugged her to and fro. without confirmation she followed him out of the alley, lingering in the mouth for just a moment as she made her last minute adjustments (the basket had settled uncomfortably on her arm in their almost-exchange) and once it was settled she fell into step beside him. immediately she plucked one of the flowers from its place —a red one, adorned with uneven flecks of gold through the petals, and tucked it thoughtlessly into quinn’s shirt.

      “ it’s all settled. the appropriate pound of flesh was paid for their misconception. we won’t be hearing from them again for a long time, if at all. ” business didn’t settle right for aya if it was left up in the air. despite the permanent sense of disarray that seemed to plague amhaven aya found comfort in some semblance of order among the chaos —a clear hierarchy, and the castel raiders were champions among that chaos. they’d worked very hard for it. brushing back loose strands of blonde hair, aya paused only to wet her lips, then continued. “ otherwise it’s been relatively quiet. which means someone else is planning on doing something else that’s completely stupid. but i don’t blame them. they think you’re gone. ”

      and playing the part of tearful sister wasn’t easy —if only because quinn wasn’t gone (obviously), and the conception of that thought was entirely baseless. but she’d managed, well-enough that others believed it and other raiders thought their faction in disarray.

•

“Ouch,” hand to his heart as though wounded, despite the grin on his face. He’d missed Aya. However independent they were as people, the three of them had been by each other’s sides their entire lives. It was strange for so much time to go by then, without seeing either. Quinn had known what he was getting into, and he had the mental wherewithal to do it, no doubt – but that didn’t mean the constant ruse didn’t weigh on him at times. Of course, he’d not share this with his sister. There was no need to worry. It would be worth it in the end. It had to be. This place...there was no future here. Not in the way he saw a future in the other Zones. 

He smiled softly as he glanced down at the flower in his worn shirt, dirty and dusty as much of his attire before the switch had been. “Good. They were always a fucking thorn in our side.” Nettlesome at worst, barely registered at best. But enough people like them coming through, without the Castel’s sending a message –– it wouldn’t be good for business. 

“Annoying for you both but...not unexpected.” He scuffed his foot on the dusty path in front of them, keeping his head down in a practiced manner. Sometimes, the less of a disguise one wore, the easier it was the blend in. After all, Quinn Castel was dead. No one would think anything of it. No one had the ability to comprehend the truth apart from Quinn himself and his siblings. In that, he supposed CHQS had done him an inadvertent favor. Ignorance for the Zone meant opportunity for him and his own. And he’d take it every time. 

“At least it’ll be easy to weed out the would be usurpers.” He scoffed and nudged her shoulder gently, “if only they saw past all this,” the sweet facade that had kept people guessing for years when it came to his little sister, “they’d know that even if I’m gone, the Castels stand stronger than ever.” He may have been leader in appearance, but he and his siblings shared the leadership of their faction in equal measure. They rose together and succeeded together as far as Quinn was concerned. 

[quinncastel]

ayacastel​:

      growing up on the streets of zone 2 had a way of crafting the senses appropriately. the sweet, helpless façade was all apart of the act - a means to lure the unsuspecting or otherwise unsavory somewhere that aya could rough them up and take from them whatever was stowed on their person. it wasn’t uncommon to get jumped on a simple walk from point a to point b, and more often than not it was aya who did the jumping —or at least, was much more frequently in her youth. still, when flashing hands tugged her insistently toward the alley she was ready.

      free hand at her blade she pulled as much out of the grasp as she could and swept the glimmering silver in an arc, stopping only when quinn’s hand caught her wrist. another second and he’d be missing an eye, if he wasn’t lucky. “ that’s a good way to ruin your pretty face, you know. ” she released a breath she wasn’t aware she’d held, gently insisting her wrist from quinn’s grasp before re-sheathing the knife. her attention dropped to her basket, readjusting the disturbed blooms in their place, then tipping her head toward her brother. “ can i help you, mister townsend? ”

•

He was still grinning at her words, genuinely amused by the near-miss (and grateful for it all the same), “maybe if I were slower it’d be. But see,” he gestured at his facade, “not a scratch. You’d never hurt me.” He knew that if she’d cut him today, it would’ve been his own fault. The name had a smirk forming on his lips and he shook his head, “not at all. I can’t drop in to see how my sister’s doing? The suits haven’t gone to my head yet. Promise.” And to emphasize it, he crossed his heart before pushing off against the alley wall. He was dressed like anyone else in Zone 2 today, as per CHQS regulations, but before stepping out into the Zone, he’d been dressed in Gideon Townsend’s typical three piece suit. Prick.

“Walk with me?” He wanted to hear any news, make sure that he was up to date on the going ons of their home. “Everything resolved with Wentworth and his band of idiots?” Last time he’d checked in with Zone 2, several weeks prior, another raider faction had been trying to make headway on their territory, thinking that with Quinn dead, they had leverage. As with most who underestimated the Castel’s faction –– they were mistaken.

[quinncastel]

ayacastel​:

      location: zone 2, markets.       status: open, @chqsstarters​

      the basket hung from her arm like an ornament, the abundance of flowers fighting to break out of the confines of the hand-woven (and very old) wicker. this was how she operated during the daylight hours —knife somewhere on her person but otherwise armed only with a smile and sweet eyes. people were prone to speaking when they felt comfortable, and though zone 2 was anything but, aya could at least say the residents learned how to cope with daily life. this was just how it was. fingers drummed thoughtlessly against the handle of her boon and only when she caught the flicker of eye contact —or perhaps she was just being opportunistic, she offered one of her sweetest smiles. “ flower? first one’s free. ”

•

There were many bright sides to taking on Townsend’s identity, but one of the most convenient was that as a Traveler, Quinn inherited the freedom that came with it. The ability to go between Zones with relative ease. It had been a few weeks since he’d stepped foot in Zone 2, but he made sure to keep his head down, slipping right back into old habits – of how to be invisible. After all, Quinn Castel was dead. He had to be for this to work. So he made sure to conceal his identity, to walk in the shadows and wait where he knew his sister would be. 

Quinn watched for a minute as Aya sold flowers, lingering where none would see or register him until she passed by the alleyway he’d been occupying. He reached out, tugging her into the shadow by one wrist, while his other caught her free hand, right before the glinting metal of a blade could slice his cheek. Barely. He grinned, “faster than last time. Still, that’s no way to greet your brother.”