2017-05-30: Storm and Wind
- Log: 2017-05-30 Storm and Wind
- Cast: Rose, Seraph Ragnell, Seraph Dezel
- Where: Adlehyde - Fairgrounds
- Date: 2017-05-30
- Summary: Two Seraphim have another chat following a few reveals.
===========================<* Adlehyde - Fairgrounds *>=========================== Located in the northeast quadrant of Adlehyde, the Fairgrounds are situated on a large open space traditionally used to train soldiers in march and maneuver. As a result of the Ancient Culture Exhibition, however, a large number of tents and other temporary buildings have been set up to showcase the latest in ARM discovery and advancement. Paths between the tents and buildings have been set up more or less at random in the area, making it a bit difficult to navigate, particularly with hawkers and visitors clogging the arteries. The central focus of the Fairgrounds is a large plaza set up for demonstrations, as far away from anything flammable as practicable. A raised platform occupies the centre of the demonstration area, with a (probably not scale) model of Adlehyde's Golems - Diablo, Lolithia, and Barbados - occupying three corners. The fourth corner is taken up by a similarly-scaled model of a gender-neutral individual with an expression of dull surprise, holding a model torch in an upraised hand. A plaque at the bottom of the statue helpfully explains that this is meant to symbolize the concept of INNOVATION; it is accompanied by a smaller plaque that explains innovation means coming up with new things or ideas. Onlookers generally remark that it's nice that the sculptor tries hard, anyway. BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MQRL7xws7w
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.
Adlehyde's fairgrounds aren't exactly fairgrounds anymore. It's more like a collection of broken booths, tents and caravans, smoking craters, shredded buildings and countless wares that simply can't be recovered and will need cleaned up. But on the bright side, with the Metal Demons gone, people have been able to move back in... kind of. It's not unreasonable that people don't dare head into the very depths of the city yet, fearing invaders may yet lurk in the smoke.
On the edge of what was the fairgrounds, countless refugees lie gathered around the merchant caravans of the Sparrowfeathers and a few other smaller guilds. Blankets and food are being distributed, there's still some healing potions and berries left for emergencies, and anyone who isn't busy helping distribute things is either tending to the wounded, reassuring the traumatized, or helping move things around. There's barely any time to rest.
This is true for Rose, too, who despite looking injured when she walks is tending to one of the many counters where people can collect (or donate) clothes and blankets.
It is not true for her guardian angel, who is sitting atop one of the caravans overlooking the scene. In one of his hands, Dezel holds a sort of large golden pendulum, which, tied to his hand by a ring, he tosses up and down to alleviate his boredom.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
That's true enough. Ragnell entered the city again to check out the extent of the damages. It's about as bad as she figured--worse in some places, better in others. She's seen the aftermaths of wars before; it's neither new nor surprising for her. She doesn't bother to count the blankets pulled over some people's faces.
At first she'd taken some time in the Starfall Saloon to talk and listen; then she'd beaten feet around town; and now, at the edge of the fairgrounds, she finds some expected, familiar faces: Rose and the Sparrowfeathers, helping out as best they can. She slows down as she approaches, mainly to watch the humans bustle about. She stops at Rose's counter, silently watching the redhead as she does her thing and noting her injuries.
Then Ragnell looks up at Dezel, hanging out on top of a caravan. Though she hasn't been noisy about her approach, Ragnell hasn't masked her presence either. Dezel probably would have noticed her arrival one way or another unless he just plain wasn't paying attention.
"Hey there," she calls up to him. "Looks like your pet humans have been pretty busy, huh."
It is, in its own way, an opportunity for Dezel to broach the subject of Rose on his own terms, or at least moreso than it would be if she just asked him straight-up. Ragnell sensed his presence in Rose--the assassin's--body the other day, and she doubts he didn't notice her. Either he can say something at his prompting, or she can get down to brass tacks herself. His choice.
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.
"They've been a hassle. I just wanted to enjoy the breeze today," Dezel replies, without masking his intentions or current mood. He's bored, mostly, and maybe a bit annoyed, insofar as it's possible to tell with that hair and hat in the way. Maybe his lips are curved ever slightly more downward than they usually are.
The Wind Seraph angles his head towards Ragnell, just a bit, without ever looking directly at her. "Now that the smoke's mostly out of the air it's starting to be fresh again. It's a bit stale, but it beats ash and brimstone."
He never stops fidgeting with his pendulum. Up and down and up and down, the only sound he makes besides speech being the thump of the metal against his glove. "You here to reprimand the girl about her hobbies too?" He goes right to the point. He actually doubts Ragnell is the type to care all that much, but he needed to break the ice somehow, and it was obvious they'd been spotted.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
"Hmmm..." Ragnell murmurs thoughtfully, looking up at him. Whether he's annoyed at the Sparrowfeathers or annoyed at her doesn't really matter to her; that won't stop her from engaging Dezel in conversation. At least for now. "You could enjoy a better breeze if you skipped town for a while."
That's almost a joke. Ragnell is fairly certain he's not going to do that--not while Rose is still here. Though she does shrug a little and nod about the comment about stale air still being better. "True enough. I'd say a good storm would blow the stink away, but..." She looks around at the humans. "These kids've already been through one."
The to-the-point question gets a chuckle, and she looks back at him. "Nope. If she wants to go 'round knifing bad guys to death, that's her choice an' I'm in no place to judge," Ragnell replies promptly. "I'm actually more interested in why you're helpin' her so much. After all..." She reaches out and wiggles her fingers right in front of Rose's face. A bunny-shape and an antelope-shape follow. "I kinda doubt she asked you for it. No wonder she's scared o' 'ghosts,' when one jumps into her body whenever he pleases."
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.
Up. Down. A good storm, yeah, probably. But then it'd be humid and damp for a while and that's not that much better. Up. Down. They've been through a storm. Yep, that describes the situation pretty well. Up. Down. Knifing bad guys to the death's all fine and good. As expected, Ragnell isn't big on judging people for life choices like that. Up. Down. Why he's helping. The pendulum stops bouncing, Dezel catching it and holding it this time.
All the while Rose fails to react to the slightest hint of the two Seraphim's presence, much less the gesturing. It doesn't help that she's tired, stacking penalties to spotting ghosts.
"She's always been like that. Since she was a kid. Before I met her, even. S'like how some people can't stand bugs and others can't stand lightning," he starts by clarifying, revealing right there that he's known Rose since she was a child. Then he wonders how much he really wants to answer the rest of that question.
"Loyalty, I suppose. I used to travel with the group that adopted her before it disbanded. Watched them raise her. When she took over her interests in "justice" led to close encounters with Malevolence. When you go around purging evil people you're bound to run into a Hellion or two. Didn't really want to see her die, so one thing led to another and..."
And, well, here he is?
That story's got some holes and it's certainly not the entire story, but for all intents and purposes it isn't completely wrong either.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
Ragnell watches the pendulum go up and down as the conversation progresses. She notes in particular that he finally catches and keeps it when asked why he helps her out. Hmm; so he's known her that long... She got the impression from their last conversation that he isn't a particularly old Seraph, so it makes sense to her that Dezel might have formed loyalties to humans. Though, hmm...
"Hmmm... You must care about her a lot if you're willin' to risk openin' yourself up to Malevolence like that," Ragnell comments. "An' here you are, grumpin' around like you don't care. It's cute, really. I mean it, even! I'm not even givin' you shit." Mostly. "Must be tough, never bein' able to make yourself known. Lucky break for you that she started hangin' out with the Shepherd." She hops onto the side of the caravan, pulling herself up in an effortless climb until she's at the top with Dezel a few seconds later. "Now you can have 'im let her know you've been hangin' around," she concludes, folding her arms behind her head.
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.
Ragnell should not be surprised that this makes Dezel... agitated isn't quite the right word. Argumentative? In denial? Further annoyed? Tsundere?
Actually, yes, let's go with tsundere.
"Tch, it's not like that! That girl's just a perfect vessel, 's all. She believes in the path she chose and doesn't let doubt linger longer than a second in her mind. Odds'f her ever generating any Malevolence are close to zero," he explains, glossing over some more important details like the fact that his own Malevolence can be suppressed thanks to her.
"If I'm doin' this for anyone it's not her, it's the man who adopted her. Guess I kind of owe him that much after what happened." He doesn't clarify but it's probably obvious what must have happened.
Mention of the Shepherd doesn't seem to help calm Dezel down either, as he withdraws further into being extremely grumpy and trying to act cool. "Her finding out is just going to be a mess and make things awkward. I don't really care to ever speak to her." A statement which is pointedly untrue, but that he'll stick to to the very end. "Only interesting thing about the Shepherd is that ability to use Seraphim to power himself up. It's something I could use. Sure'd make it easier to deal with Hellions." That much he has no qualms about admitting. He's attracted by the Shepherd's power.
"Who're you to talk anyway, you're always circling around her like you want to take her out for dinner," he adds to finish, glaring knives at the other Seraph. Well, presumably glaring knives. The shark-toothed frown implies it. Seems he's rather possessive of his assassin.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
Ragnell *isn't* surprised. In fact, judging by the way her lips pull into a wide, wide, wiiiiiide grin, it looks like Dezel reacted just like she was hoping he would. Kids! Gotta love 'em. And there's nothing Ragnell loves more than winding the young'uns up.
The fact that he's telling her a lot of interesting things, not just about himself but about Rose too, surely has nothing to do with it.
"Oh really? So you don't mind if she gets angry when she finds out you've been borrowin' her body without permission?" she says. "Humans kinda have a hang-up about that kinda thing! Sure would be a shame if she started fartin' Malevolence because she learns the hard way she's been gettin' possessed by the one thing she's scared of most. That sure would be a kick in the teeth for Ol' Daddy Dear, right? Then again, it makes sense! If you don't even care about how she thinks or feels, then it's obvious it don't really matter to you what happens to her after all." Ragnell shakes her head, arms spread in a broad shrug. "Word to th' wise: you really should care a little, even if it's just 'cuz she's the perfect vessel. Vessels have a tendency to break, after all, especially when handled with clumsy, fumbling fingers."
Wow, Ragnell, aren't you getting kind of mean? Still, she doesn't stop--she laughs outright when Dezel admits to being interested in the Shepherd's power. "Of course! I shoulda figured! Oh, you *are* just a baby still, aren't'cha, Dez?" She settles her elbows on her knees, red eyes piercing as she watches closely. "Power for power's sake... Well, there's plenty o' ways to get that, no doubt. But as long as Rose refuses to see what's right in front o' her, she'll never get any stronger--and neither will you."
The Lightning Seraph pauses, the taunting smile vanishing from her face in a sudden wave of seriousness, to let that sink in. Then Dezel makes his own demands about her interest in the matter.
"Me? Ha! Takin' her out to dinner wouldn't be a bad idea. She *is* a cutie--'specially when she screams." Ragnell winks outrageously, grin wider than ever. "How 'bout it, Dezel? You're always creepin' on her so you oughtta know: how's Rosie like to be wined and dined? What about the after-dinner event? A nice murder spree work, or is that strictly an on-the-job thing?"
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.
"She won't let it bother her in a way that'll create Malevolence," Dezel actually feels confident answering, knowing that Rose in fact wouldn't become plagued with self-doubt. Fear and anger, maybe, but she'd bounce back like she always does, and those two things alone don't create the dreadful inner darkness Seraphim need to fear. Still, it's obvious Ragnell is playing with his nerves - maybe unsafely at that. On the bright side, it seems his reason for not caring is that he just has a lot of trust in Rose. It makes sense, when you pick a human to be your vessel, you don't do it on a whim.
The accusations of being a baby do a better job at riling him up, since he starts shouting and barking, showing those pointy teeth in full. "Oi, I'm not that young! I'm over a thousand easy, just don't remember the exact number." And he's had this cool coat for a thousand years, too! It's a very cool coat, it was given to him when he was a child. An actual child, instead of a man child like he is now.
"We'll see how the Shepherd thing pans out. But I'd bet even you'd admit that Armatus thing is pretty impressive. It's not power for power's sake, besides. This world's hostile. Y've seen it yourself. If there's a way to increase your odds of surviving the next time a city burns, why ignore it?" That is really not why he wants that power but it works.
Having now calmed down to some degree, he lets the comments about wining and dining Rose roll off him. "She likes any food as long as it's your treat, not hers. The murdering thing's a strictly on-the-job thing unless you've got a hell of a target lined up who deserves it. She may be a lotta things but she's a cutthroat business woman above the rest. She'll have your purse emptied before you know it. Lots have tried, none've made it past dinner with her." And it's better that way, he doesn't say, but thinks very loudly.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
Interesting things Ragnell has learned by turning up the heat on Dezel:
1) Whatever else he says, he actually does have real trust in Rose.
2) Either Dezel is a huge liar or else man-child is right, WOWEE. She never would've guessed he'd broken a hundred, let alone a thousand. And he never learned about Shepherds and Armatus in all that time? What has he been doing with his life??
3) Despite all his tsuntsun, he's not quite as easily riled as he first appeared.
"Hmm? I don't remember ever sayin' it wasn't," she says, leaning her chin on one hand. "You kept your cool better than I thought you would, so I'll give you a tip on that end, Dez: that's a power exclusive to the Shepherd, a Shepherd's Squires, and the Prime Lord and Sub-Lords the Shepherd's contracted with. If you want in on that, you an' Rosie'll have to join in on Sorey's band o' merry maniacs--an' I'm sure even you realize that's no trivial commitment." In other words, it's not so much ignoring it as weighing how fully you're willing to commit yourself to someone else's cause. "You are right, though," she adds, leaning onto her other hand. "This world *is* hostile. That's why you need all kinds of strength... not just raw power."
A chuckle follows then. So Rose is the type to clean out her dates's wallets, huh. "So treat her to a home-cooked meal with ingredients I caught myself, got it. Nothin' better than a date money can't buy, right? In the meantime, I'll keep an open mind on the rest of the night."
Dezel might find this comment more threatening if he were aware that a) cooking is one of Ragnell's hobbies, and b) she's actually quite good at it.
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.
"So he said when I asked. If the girl chooses that path then I might not have a choice. Might not be big on wearing my heart on my sleeves," he admits, reluctantly, "But I'd rather be useful than not. Helps to have something to do to pass the time, too."
The pendulum goes swinging again, up and down, as Dezel relaxes, or maybe retreats back into being a cool lone wolf. "It's annoying, y'know? How so many people here can see us? I don't know how the Seraph who choose to live in cities do it. A family's fine, but a horde of strangers? And now those Demons from the sky. The big ones can see us just fine. Unpleasant surprise." Idle conversation. Or a statement of facts, really.
The pendulum keeps bouncing, even though he grits his teeth when Ragnell starts making plans to treat Rose to some nice food. He's restraining the shouting, but it's easy to tell from proximity that he's putting the cool loner act on harder to compensate.
"Y'do what you want. Good luck getting her to sit down and eat with a ghost though." That MIGHT be an obstacle, but surely Ragnell is very determined.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
Hmm... So Dezel's already said hello to Sorey by now, and Sorey already let him in on the requirements to join the exclusive Armatization Club. In other words, Sorey knows that Rose moonlights as an assassin by now. That's *also* good to know. "True enough. It's a pain just hangin' back an' only doin' half of what the others can do." She shrugs. "Well, you'll make up your mind sooner or later, I'm sure. Me, I like bein' free a little too much to saddle myself down with a human, Shepherd or otherwise."
A low, even dark chuckle. Annoying... Yeah, that's one word for it. "Yup. It keeps happenin', too. Back on Lunar, it was maybe, say, one in a thousand? Here, it's more like one in a hundred. Still not a lot, but a whole hell of a lot than before." These numbers are probably totally off, though their relation to one another is probably more or less on the mark. "So you ran into a few too, huh? Which big ones did you run into? I was in a fight with a couple, and one could see me--big guy with a sword and full plate armor--while the other, a lady with a scythe, couldn't." She pauses, then sobers. "Didn't stop her from dodgin' my attack an' hitting me on the rebound, though. Those Metal Demons are no joke."
Oh yes. Ragnell can tell. Ragnell's been watching Dezel this whole time, after all. That's why Ragnell grins wolfishly. "I *will* do what I want. And now I want Rose." RAGNELL NO. RAGNELL STOP. THERE IS A LIMIT TO HOW MUCH YOU CAN TROLL PEOPpffft hahaha shyeah like there's ever a limit to trolling. "If Rose wants to keep up with the Shepherd--and I'm bettin' after all this," she gestures at the destruction around them, "it'd wound her pride an' sense of justice not to--then she's gonna *have* to start seein' the scary things she doesn't want to see. An' once that happens, I won't be just a scary ghost anymore, now will I?"
She shrugs, grin cooling into a mere smirk. "An' if she never does reach that level, well. Then she wasn't ever really worth my time in the first place." But in terms of sheer Resonance and ability, it's clear Rose has what it takes. If Dezel's faith in her is any indication, it's only a matter of time.
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.
"Don't know, didn't ask for their names. It was before I hopped into the girl. Had to cover the caravans' escape from the city. Was pretty busy making sure that didn't end in a disaster to care who was attacking." Luckily, everything turned out to be... fine. Ish. Unless you factor in the city, in which case, boy it was not fine at all. He also has nothing else to add about being visible. Actually, the other Seraph covered it quite well.
The rest of Ragnell's prodding, though, causes Dezel to growl. It is the growl of a defeated man who doesn't want to admit the other person before them is right, but also can't help but make noises about it.
"Don't you dare do anything fishy. I'll be watching," he barks, an echo of what he told the Shepherd when Rose had to pass out in his arms days earlier. He isn't sure he trusts Ragnell, but at the same time he can almost tell he's being played. It doesn't stop him from getting bent out of shape, sadly.
"Either way, wouldn't expect her to take to it in a timely manner. Y've seen how she panics. Even if she does the... Squire thing, she'll probably be difficult to work with for a while. 'specially if you keep prodding."
Now, in Ragnell's defense, Dezel also enjoys prodding, and is liable to do a lot of it. He just doesn't want someone ELSE to do it.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
"I didn't know their names either. That's why I gave you a description," Ragnell points out, rolling her eyes good-naturedly. ...She doesn't actually realize yet that he's blind. Up until now she's assumed he keeps the hat over his eyes for the aesthetic. (It's what *she* would do.) "C'mon, Dezel, you're killin' me here." HE WISHES. (Possibly.)
His growling gets a snort of laughter. "Fishy? How fishy are we talkin' here? 'Cuz, not for nothin', but I'm pretty sure you've been deeper inside her than I'll ever be," Ragnell cracks. "But that's fine." She winks at Dezel again, grin right back on her teeth. "Good things come for those who wait~."
RAGNELL ROSE IS RIGHT THERE, IT DOESN'T MATTER THAT SHE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
"Anyway I can be perfectly gentlewomanly when I wanna be," Ragnell adds loftily, removing her hat and pressing it to her chest. "Just you watch. Imma seduce the hell outta her."
Or not. But hey, that's part of the fun too. And if it doesn't work out, who knows? Maybe she can push Rose over towards Her Highness instead. The Princess and the Assassin: sounds like the title of a fairy tale, doesn't it? (Whether it works out or not, or is even a smart match, is completely not Ragnell's concern.)
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.
Blind is very relative when you can see using the wind. Colors are harder for him but he can tell when someone's carrying a sword or something like that. He'd not be a very good fighter otherwise! And that's how he's been vaguely looking at Ragnell from time to time, angling his head and all. Dezel is pretty good at pretending he can see.
"Don't see what's so bad about killing you," he says with a grin of his own, finding refuge from the prodding by gently prodding back. It's better than nothing for sure.
This turns out to be in naught when Ragnell Goes There, and Dezel actually gets up to protest, raising a fist and all. "Hey, don't you joke about that! That's asking for someone to take it out of context!" Also how dare you insult Rose's purity bluh bluh grump grump. Dezel would never. He huffs, sits back down in one solid motion, and pulls the pendulum back into his sleeve.
Back on the ground, Rose shivers, suddenly glancing around nervously. Eguille comes up form behind, arching a brow. "Something wrong, missy?"
"I just got the intense feeling I need to hit someone."
"About?"
"Don't know, but whoever they are I'm socking them across the face when I figure it out!" She mimics a solid right hook in the air.
"Please don't hit the Shepherd a second time, missy, that's bad for business. And for the Shepherd. But mostly for business."
Rose huffs, in a manner similar to Dezel.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
"Hah! The bad part is how hard it is!" Ragnell cracks back, half-grinning. "Just try, an' I'll be back the very next day!" Thought she was a goner but she couldn't stay away o` The Rag came back the very next day~~ o` But it's true: Ragnell can take what she dishes out, which means Dezel's counter-prodding *is* for not, especially when he *gets off his feet*. Ragnell roars with laughter, slapping a knee, then rolls up to her feet. "Am I wrong, though? Tell me I'm wrong!"
She cackles for another moment, then hops off the edge of the caravan and lands light on her feet nearby Rose as she talks to Eguille. "I'mma be on my way for now, but I'll see you later, Dezel," she calls over her shoulder up at him. "Catch you later!"
She pauses, hearing the end of Rose's conversation. Then she grins and gives her the finger-guns, again knowing she can't see her. "And I'll catch *you* later, doll," she drawls, possibly just to annoy Dezel one last time, before striding off away from the fairgrounds.