“There are seven more calls from today.” Syhren leans over her desk, offering the other troll the now rather hefty stack of manila folders.
“Something about this time of year..” Vladir muses, taking the folders far too slowly and not even getting them a glance.
“You think winter brings out the blood-thirsty?” She turns her back to him, something that’s come much easier with sweeps, and opens the filing cabinet behind her. There’s more of those folders here- organized by time, name, and service. True to his musing, there does seem to be more within the winter areas. Syhren rolls her eyes and pulls out the file from yesterday, deciding to keep this knowledge to herself. “I’ll have to run out on this one today. I hear there’s a carnival in town. I want to visit it after.”
“Fun. I’ll skip it.”
“You always do.”
“I’ve seen enough clowns in my life. Now I have you and that’s enough.”
“Excuse me?”
“A small little clownfish, all to myself.”
“One day your matesprit is going to call me to get you and I’ll take that job happily.”
“You’d miss me too much. Besides, who would play your silly little games with you? Your moirail- oh wait. My bad.”
“That was low, even for you.” Despite her words, she doesn’t appear to be hurt by his. She slides her folder into her briefcase and dons her newest beret. There’s something exciting in looking cute, even if the target will never see her. Just to be petty, she hits him with the briefcase by ‘accident’ on her way out of the office. It’s just past nightfall and the moons shine so sweetly off the silver of her case.
Syhren travels as most people who don’t want to be tracked do- by foot. Right until she’s within range, then she buys a taxi and pays cash-in-hand to avoid any trail. This is far from her first hit, but the adrenaline builds up all the same. Her ride brings her to the other side of the bustling city and lets her out in an empty alleyway. It’s filthy there, with pieces of things she’d rather not ponder. She’s quick to leave that alley, jumping up to the first windowsill she can reach.
It takes several jumps but soon enough she’s on an outlooking roof- there’s a higher option if this fails her but it seems fine enough. Syhren opens the briefcase to take out a soft cloth, laying it down against the hard surface of the cement. She pats herself down, dusting herself of anything she may have picked up on the way up, before laying down flat against the cloth. The cloth can always be washed but it’s much easier to keep everything packed up nicely if only one side gets particularly dirty. After laying down she pulls out the folder, double checking her target, before taking out the most important- and her favorite- piece from her briefcase. A sniper rifle. The rifle is beautiful to her, long with a deep purple shine that matches her own. The sight is a garish red that stands out and there’s a small charm of a milkbeast that hangs off the stock. Waiting for the shot doesn’t take long at all. The target is predictable with a schedule that she scoped out herself. All it takes is a deep breath and a pulled trigger. Flawless, as always. Or it should be.
The shot itself is fine. One directly through the temple, between and just above the eyes. A smooth shot that has no problem continuing past her target, embedding itself in the wall now stained with teal blood. All of that is fine. What she wasn’t prepared for was the psionics that followed. The target didn’t have any but apparently their companion did. Before she can put the rifle away it blows up in her hands. There’s a loud ringing and then she can’t hear anything, eyes fuzzy with a mixture of blood, sweat, and tears. Syhren’s not sure if she’s in pain, she can’t feel anything. What she does know is that there’s far more purple than she’s comfortable seeing. She reaches over to her phone, knowing it’s her last hope. At least the psionic doesn’t seem to realize she’d survived the initial blast. Only one hand responds to her and she can only manage a few words before it falls limp and all goes dark.
Another night of work as Roddie Lamare moved about the dining area, taking orders and sending them back to the kitchen, grabbing prepared food and bringing them to their respective tables. Night in and night out, this was his routine. This was his work. And honestly? He loved it. He loved finally having SOME semblance of balance and routine to his life, which was one a jumbled mess of job hunting and trying to pay his bills.
He had been so nervous applying for the job at this high-class establishment, assuming the worst before even putting his application in. But he needed a job, he needed the money. So, he took the risk and went for it. And it turned out great! Wonderful, even. Now he had a job that paid him good, a boss who was on his side [for most things] and he could finally pay his bills! And have a little cash left over for other things.
Tonight had been no different: Customer orders, he pens it down, sends it back and brings the food to them. Rinse and repeat for several hours. The dinner rush passed, and it seemed to slow down, Roddie was cleaning up a couple nearby tables when the little overhead doorbell went off, signaling the arrival of a customer. Roddie looked up and greeted the man like he did with every other customer, a bright smile and cheery tone. This guy was... Definitely different from the regular clientele. He wasn't dressed fancy nor did he give off that typical air of self-importance that all Highbloods did. Dressed casually in a jacket and jeans, heavy boots covered in... Some kind of gunk, the Indigoblood flashed Roddie a friendly smile and greeted him back.
The two had a chat as Roddie wrote down his name, taking him to a table and watched the Indigoblood get all situated. Roddie held his pen and pad, smiling as he awaited the order. But was a little surprised when the other didn't order, flashing him another friendly smile before speaking.
"🗡So. You're Vic's new server boy, yeah?"
Roddie blinked and nodded, being caught off guard by the question.
"🗡AH! Knew it. He seems to like hirin' cuties from what I've heard. And I've known him for quite a bit, y'know?"
"Oh! You have? Boss never tolD me he haD any frienDs! Well... He Doesn't tell me a lot of things. But I'm very happy he's got someone in his corner!"
-> The Indigo let out a booming laugh, leaning back slightly in his chair.
"🗡Yeaaaaah. Me and ol' Vic go waaaaay back. Known each other since wrigglerhood. We've grown a little distant, but we're still pretty tight. And y'know... I kinda want to get to know YOU a little more too. Any friend of Vic's is a friend of mine."
Roddie felt his cheeks flush a little at the blunt invitation to hang out with someone who looked... So cool! And made Roddie feel so comfortable despite having met this guy for the first time. He rolled the idea around in his head for a moment, feeling the flutterbugs kick up in his stomach. This was excited! How could he say no?!
"Uh- Sure! I'D love to! I like makin' frienDs y'know!"
-> The Indigo, who introduced himself as Jailyn, grabbed Roddie's hand and shook it.
"🗡Great. I'll come by again at some point. We can make plans then, yeah? Now uhhhh. Hit me up with the best you've got here, mkay?"
Roddie nodded and hurried off to the kitchen area to get his protentional new friend the best in the house. He was so excited! Too excited to realize the trap he just put himself in.
The night was still as Leyraa sat up in her respiteblock, scratching down word after word onto a parchment. Her expression was... Off. It was cold and empty, devote of that usual bright and cheery smile that always dressed her cheeks. Her starlit demeaner seemed gone, replaced by a cold indifferent as she finished off the letter with a simple signature.
She let out a breath and looked up at the ceiling that was decorated with little glow in the dark stars and planets. The House of Astros has been her home for as long as she could remember. The people in the House of Astros were like family to her. Family she THOUGHT she could trust. Although that all changed one night when she was looking out into the inky blackness of the night, stars and planets mingled with one another much like the trolls in the house did. But unlike the world outside, Leyraa had been lied. Her whole life, or well, what she could only assume her was her whole life, had been nothing but one big fabrication. A way to keep her from leaving.... A way to keep her from going back into the outside world. But no more, she had told herself. No more.
She rolled up the letter then adjusted her cloak, silently walking out of her room. The house, a place that once felt warm and homely, now felt empty and foreign, as if Leyraa was now some kind of prisoner trapped within the confines of an enemy ship. She felt like a caged animal that's been waiting FAR too long to break out. Her steps, silent as they were quick, lead her to the area of respiteblocks where the Disciples of the House took residence. She went by door after door after door until she came upon one she could never get out of her head. The door to the room of Safron Zergaz, the Disciple that she has always worked with. Someone she trusted above all else. His image was now tainted to her. She knew he knew. She gripped the letter before unrolling it, folding it gently and slipping it under the door silently.
She continued down the hallway after that, leaving her final goodbye to someone she once saw as family. He was nothing more than a stranger now, and Leyraa needed to remember that. He wasn't her friend, he was her foe. Someone she... She couldn't trust anymore. Not after the realization that he'd been willingly withholding her past from her. Who she truly was.
Leyraa knew the house like the back of her own hand. All of the hallways, the rooms and the secret passageways. She stalked down one of them as quietly as she could, her cloak gently waving behind her as she did so. The escape pod room. A room that was typically off-limits unless needed for an emergency. Leyraa pulled out a keycard from her back pocket, something she had managed to steal from a much higher up troll in the house. She slipped it through the card reader then walked into the room, heading towards the nearest pod.
She didn't know what awaited her when she returned to Alternia. All that she knew that whatever life she'd spend out there would hopefully be better than being lied to and manipulated by a group of trolls she thought were her family. That she thought were her friends. She took a deep breath and stepped into the pod, situating herself into the single seat as the door closed itself. She looked into the dark escape pod room, her voice coming out low and haunting as the pod began the ejection process.
"੪ Goodbye, starlight. ੪"
Cassia moved back from her husktop, gently bouncing her legs in unison as she did. Tonight's been... Different, to say the least. A good kind of different for the most part. Rare is it that she actually GETS to talk to people, to feel some sense of connection with the outside world. For so long Cassia had locked herself up in her tower-like hive, keeping away from strangers and the unknown. For a while it WAS to benefit her and her hearing problems. The world was too loud, too scary and intense for her. But now things have... Unfortunately changed for the worst.
HE showed up. And HE made everything a living nightmare.
When he first showed up, he was so sweet and kind. He guided Cassia through some of the scarier aspects of life. Helped her learn and grow and shape some parts of her own being. He was the one who got her her hearing aids. She was overjoyed! She always struggled going out and getting things herself, so this blessing of a gift made her heart soar! Finally! It would stop hurting so much.
But his kindness melted away slowly. He'd get more aggressive, he'd steal her palmhusk and husktop, checking her messages and berating her for talking to people who WEREN'T him. He'd block people, send them death threats from her account. He was isolating her, and she knew it. She couldn't fight back, she was scared. She was terrified of what he could possibly do to her. The few friends that he "approved" of were left untouched, but she couldn't cry out for help. She knew he'd see them and possibly do something to them.
For sweeps Cassia would lock herself up in her respiteblock, crying into her knees with her hearing aids out. She didn't like hearing him yell, she didn't like how loud and aggressive he could be. His sweet tone didn't match the look of malice in his eyes. He was holding her captive, and she knew it, but she couldn't get away from him. No matter how hard she tried. He'd always force her back, telling her that she was "safe with him", that no one else would "protect her like he did" and that if she listened to him, he'd let her basically do whatever she wanted.
So she complied. She listened to his words; she didn't fight back. She learned not to flinch or make a noise whenever he'd get loud with her. His previous supportive nature towards her disability soon turned to disgust as he'd openly refuse to believe her condition was "that serious", openly causing her of just being "too sensitive". She wasn't being sensitive, and she knew it... But his words eventually got to her.
Eventually she started to believe herself that she WAS being too sensitive, that her condition wasn't as bad as she first thought. Him taking her hearing aids as "punishment for her misbehaving" stopped bothering her as much.
She knows he's manipulating her, abusing her and isolating her from anyone who could possibly help her. It was no use; Cassia wasn't strong enough to fight back. All she could do was pray that her savior would come to her rescue.
Hexa sat up in her respiteblock, mindlessly scrolling through the vast ocean of internet websites. Clicking through different blogs he followed on Instagrub and Grumble, checking up on online orders since they tended to take ages to get to where she lived. Being up in the mountains had perks, yeah, but it also had a lot of downsides.
Being up in the snowy mountains was peaceful, it was beautiful. The howling of the winter winds were like a lullaby to the Jadeblood. And being a Jadeblood also meant the cold wasn't too bothersome for him. But the frequent isolation sucked, and having to be in a wheelchair at times didn't really help her situation. It was... A bit of a struggle to get down if she needed it, but he's been fortunate enough to not find himself in that situation very often.
The distant roars and growls of other creatures never scared her, Hexa's mountain lion lusus was a fierce huntress and has killed off several predators before for as long as Hexa's been able to understand the concept of death. Hexa's grown used to the ambient noise. So, it didn't click to him that the world was silent until she heard something new, making his ears perk up in alarm.
Voices. There were many, but they were faint. Hexa strained to hear them, closing his eyes. About four to five trolls, maybe even more that simply weren't talking. His bloodpusher skipped a beat as she got up from her desk, trying his best to be as quiet as possible. Those voices were far away, yes. But that doesn't mean there weren't any closer to her hive.
The Jadeblood stood there for a few moments, just listening intensely. The voices still seemed quite far, but the idea of them coming closer scared the Jadeblood witless. He felt around his desk and grabbed his palmhusk, unlocking it with the number code and looking through her apps. Her kismesis had made her download some sort of app that controlled the lockdown system the Teal had installed into his hive. Hexa would always politely refute the idea that someone was after her, her kismesis and their two friends. She thought it was silly, impossible even. They're just four trolls. Four Midbloods. Why would someone wanna do anything to them?
Hexa, at least for all she knew, knew that her and her little group weren't involved with anything bad. Nothing that should make them worry for their safety. But Hexa also knew her kismesis could be quite paranoid at times, which worried him a lot. But right now, the idea that someone was here to hurt her was weighing down her rational mind.
He tapped the app and opened it. Hexa didn't want to do this. She didn't want to lock down his entire hive, isolating himself even more from the world. But she wasn't thinking clearly, fear gripping his heart as he pressed the large red "LOCKDOWN" button that appeared on the screen.
The roaring clangs of metal shutting down around the Jade's windows and doors could be heard, the lights switching off above his head. Hexa's lusus roared from another room, clearly confused as to what was going on. Hexa just chewed on her bottom lip as he husktop shut off automatically. He was cut off from the outside world even more now. At least for the time being.
Ever since Psiloc had that last visit to his older sister's hive, an odd feeling welling up in the back of his mind. It never welled to the point it drove him crazy, but it also never shrunk to the point where he could forget about it. It was ever-present, a constant small pain in the back of his mind.
Coming to her hive was normal, getting in and talking was normal, the meal she prepared with absolutely normal. But that drink... That drink bothered him. The odd white powder. It had no flavor, or maybe the drink was too strong for him to taste any flavor it could've had. Something like this, something so insignificant seeming SHOULDN'T have bothered him. But it did. And he hated that it bothered him. He hated how he remembered her putting it in HIS drink only, hers untouched by the odd substance.
Psiloc scratched under his own chin, staring intensely at his husktop screen. He'd been watching some odd video. Something that he hoped would've filled the void in his mind. Unfortunately, it didn't. It didn't bring him any sort of comfort. No solace to his aching mind. His left pointer finger twitched, his entire left hand moving without him realizing. Palm gripping the mouse, the cursor flying across the screen. He hadn't realized he was typing, digitalized words popping up colored in vibrant blue links stung at his eyes. He squinted, rubbing his eyes with his free hand.
Now unbeknownst to a good amount of people, Psiloc was a bit of.... "Master" when it came to "Odd substances", sometimes those of the illegal variety. Mentally his mind knew what he wanted to search for, but Psiloc in the real world could've seem to understand WHAT he was searching for. Was it some kind of sleeping powder? A narcotic? Hallucinogenic? It frustrated him to no wits end that he didn't know exactly what he was trying to search for. Yes, he assumed it was some kind of drug, but he couldn't put his finger on what KIND it must've been.
A low hiss escaped from the Purpleblood's lips as he places his face within his hands, his ears lying flat against his face. He breathed out through clenched teeth, eyes closed tight and his face screwed up. He moved his husktop off his lap and got up, silently walking out of the respiteblock that him and his matesprite shared. He needed to get to the kitchen. He needed to get to his "Calm down" stash as he called it.
Just a couple drags and he'd feel all better. That's what he kept telling himself anyways.
Moonlight danced off the gentle waves of the ocean. Brilliant blues and soft purplish hues swaying side by side as Freaya Helian looked down upon it from her respiteblock's balcony. Normally she'd be marveling at the ocean's beauty, the serenity. But far too much was on her mind to properly enjoy it.
Oh, how she was so deeply in love. In love for a woman she hadn't known for too long, but long enough for her heart to desire her more than anything. A sort of yearning she hadn't felt in sweeps.
A "hopeless romantic" she labeled herself, falling horns over heels for someone only for them to be in love with another. Freaya gripped the little crown pendant on her shirt and stepped away from her balcony, stepping silently into her respiteblock with a heavy sigh passing through her lips. Oh to find a love that'll love her with such intensity. Oh to be loved by someone who's captured her heart so swiftly.
Freaya walked over to a small, cozy loveseat in her room and dropped down into it, gripping the front of her ruffled shirt with both of her little hands. This girl's name flashed in her mind. "Keirra Kitkur". A dazzling star in the vast ocean of space. A beautiful soul who was a delight to talk to. Someone that Freaya seemed to just easily click with! Getting commissioned by this woman for some little plush, at the time, seemed like every other night. Getting commission work for some little object, be it a blanket, a stuffed toy, clothing or whatever else you could think of.
That first interaction led to more, and those interactions led to more and more. Freaya enjoyed every moment of it. Getting to chat with someone who just... Seemed to understand her in a sense.
"⋆｡°✩ Keirra Kitkur..."
Freaya mumbled that name softly to herself and felt the heat rush to her cheeks. She was in love. It scared her, but she remained hopeful as well. She pushed up her opaque glasses, her eyes upcasted. She's felt this whole song and dance about a million and one times at this rate. Intense love for someone who's far out of her reach, although time and time again, she remained hopeful. Hopeful that maybe, just maybe... That someone would be her true love.
"⋆｡°✩ Oh Helian... You're in over your head once again. Aren't you?"
Freaya sighed softly and curled up in the loveseat, her soft pink eyes darkening with sadness. She just needed to hold out hope. Hope that maybe, just maybe... This girl would be her true love.
