|
|
Post by Nari on Nov 20, 2023 19:51:52 GMT
Momentarily, Irene was left stunned when Jason finally spoke up, offering himself up in exchange for one of the prisoners. Through his words, it was clear he’d thought about it considerably. He had arguments, and considered himself as the most logical choice in the scenario.
Not to Irene though. She didn’t want to think about what the exiled would do to him if he was sent over, and while she cared about the people who were prisoners, she also cared about Jason. It wasn’t fair they were being asked to choose between their comrades, and it wasn’t fair she couldn’t do jack shit about it.
“Jason,” the leader expressed, her tone dripping with agitation and concern for the boy, “this isn’t something you have to do, even if you think it's the logical decision.”
When Cleo spoke, Irene turned her attention back to the screen. Her face contorted in anger as he seconds ticked on. There was a pause when the other leader was recommending a second option, and when their gaze flickered to Lucien, the ex champion was about ready to blow a fuse.
Until a sudden crash in the room shocked her out of whatever she was going to say. Along with many others, the already antsy Pascal visibly jumped at what had happened, nearly falling from his seat. The missing leader, Luka, had just crashed into the room, and graciously gave Irene the middle finger. She rolled her eyes and returned the favor with one of her own. You know, as a sign of ‘good faith’.
“Well it seems pretty clear what is going on,” Irene gritted, staring at the other leaders in the room, “everyone’s convinced our only option is to give the Exiled what they want, and Lester is too chicken shit to offer themself up while they let everyone else make sacrifices for them.”
Dillon’s comments did very little to dissuade her from speaking, and instead just made Irene more impatient with the boy. “Dillon, respectfully, shut the fuck up,” she growled, “of course we’re fighting about this, I’m not agreeing to this idea because its fucking awful to have people treated as things to trade away!”
|
|
|
|
Post by Leo/ Clundy on Nov 20, 2023 20:49:30 GMT
River hardly flinched when Luka came crashing from the vent. He didn't bother questioning why or how she was in there. No point in doing that. He just stared at her blankly and sighed out a "Luka, sit down," to her as he leaned back in his seat with his arms crossed.
Jason scowled at the look of pity Luka gave him and looked between Irene and Luka flipping each other off. He looked in Chiara's supposed direction, merely guessing since Luka was standing in the way. "Bringing up Theo is irrelevant since he's not here to speak for himself. He chose and you let him go," he shot back. "Just because you can't fight doesn't mean you won't have a warning that we're coming and have a way to prepare compared to me who can't see within 2 minutes of a fight."
His attention then went to Dillon and he made a face. "Two things can be true at the same time. But, everyone's stalling because we feel some need to protect each other is going to get the people who aren't here killed. We don't have time for this."
Jason stood from his spot, squeezing Irene's shoulder, and exited the camera frame.
|
|
|
|
Post by 𝕄𝕖𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕣𝕪 on Dec 4, 2023 21:45:09 GMT
Luka grinned at Lucien once she seemed to get her bearings. It seemed a bit sharp, but she grinned all the same, "it appears there is an Imposter among us," she said, though her joking attitude was not lasting nearly as long as it should.
Her gaze was steely and determined, she resolutely ignored River, only giving him a passing gaze with an angry, burning gaze. She was tired of being told to sit down and stay out of it.
She rounded on Irene however, barking out a cruel laugh. "Lester's chicken? Look whose talking!" Luka stated, glaring at Irene, "Asghar's finally speaking up! It's only been a fucking disaster and half before she's done it, but hey! At least she's doing it!"
Quieting slightly, Luka glared at the girl through the screen. Irene filled her with an anger even Cleo somehow couldn't. She only flipped her off again in a petty manner before turning back to the others. Glaring over at River, though she wasn't mad at him, she crossed her arms and took a seat, alone and sectioned off, sitting before Chiara. However, her gaze snapped up in a fiery way when Jason mentioned Theo.
"Bringing up Theo is irrelevant since he's not here to speak for himself. He chose and you let him go."
It wasn't even said to her, but her heart broke all the same. She looked up at Jason, "Chiara didn't let him go," she said, conviction in her tone, but it softened all the same, "and we aren't letting you go either."
In her own way, she was trying to convince him not to go. Jason wasn't her closest friend, but she had fought him before in the spar battles, she had pranked him, and she had seen him grow since he came to this place.
As he exited the camera frame, her gaze lit up in anger, glaring at Cleo and looking two minutes away from killing them.
Apparently, they took that as a cue to be a dumbass.
"Jason has made his decision," Cleo said, voice stern, "I believe considering our options for the next go around is for the best. Perhaps Chiara could be a good option, but I believe myself, Dillon, Luka, or Lucien would be a good choice. A leader inside the-"
"Your honor," Luka said, promptly shutting Cleo up, "pardon my fucking French, but eat ass."
"Pardon?"
"Eat. Ass. I mean, your head is already so bloody far up there, all you have to do now is chew," Luka returned, tone somehow serious and yet still saying out-of-pocket things, "if you think your nose hurts now, then you don't want to know what I'm going to do to you if you try and trade away one of my only remaining friends."
"Did you just threaten me?" Cleo asked, voice stony and eyes blazing in anger.
"A threat would imply that I might kick your fucking ass, and trust me, I have every intention of it."
Cleo's silence after that was resounding, and Luka threw a smirk their way, "what's wrong, Mx. Lie Detector? Realized I'm not fucking around?"
Her gaze flashed to Dillon next, a clear threat within her gaze. From her gaze alone her intent was clear. Dillon was every bit in danger of an ass whooping as Cleo.
|
|
|
|
Post by pallas on Dec 4, 2023 23:40:55 GMT
Dillon did not make further attempt to quell the fighting, having been shut down hard by Irene and Jason. If people wanted to fight then fine. They could get it out of their system. He understood the anger but as he saw it, it wasn’t productive or helping anything.
Lucien appeared to think the same thing, because he firmly interrupted the exchange between Luka and Cleo. ”Everybody shut the fuck up. Who exactly is this helping?”
He shot a concerned glance at Pascal. The man had only just returned and had to be overwhelmed even without all the shouting. The escalation wasn’t going to help them get anything useful out of the conversation.
”Lukes,” he began, focusing on his best friend, ”I get why you want to be pissed at Cleo. But I was the one who suggested I be on the table.”
He sighed, looking out across the room, particularly taking in each of the people Cleo had suggested. He felt awful about Jason going, but Chiara’s attempts to convince him to consider an alternative had fallen on deaf ears and it appeared that his going was a certainty. It was who else was going that was now in question.
”Look, Jason was right about Chiara. Fenrir will want her and her powers give the exiled an extra advantage which combined with the guard dog will make it almost impossible to attack the base if we wanted to.” the boy began, before turning his gaze to the champion of Hera, ”And respectfully, Dillon, you have no capability to deal with the exiled but know far too much about us.”
Next be turned his attention to Cleo, ”Cleo, I fucking dare you to go. You don’t get to make a mess like the one you’ve made and walk away. I’ve made mistakes but I’ve worked my ass off to at least try and make up for them. Can you say the same?”
His expression softened slightly as he finally looked to Luka. His best friend, who was so angry because he was in danger. The only person he knew would have been hurt if he left even if he weren’t a healer. He felt shitty about what he was suggesting. But he didn’t want her to be on the line and he didn’t see another option.
”I won’t let you go, Luka. You’re still recovering, for one thing. Fenrir would be a danger to you, for another. But mostly I don’t think I could go through losing you again. I’m sorry, Lukes.
He’d almost lost her in that last fight. He didn’t know if he could do it again. He didn’t know if he had the strength.
The boy swallowed, his gaze drifting to River. He knew how angry the other boy had been when he had originally suggested himself. But he didn’t know what else to do.
”The exiled wouldn’t be able to torture information out of me.” He was too used to coping with pain, after all, by this point. ”if they hurt me, I can heal myself. If they want to fuck with me because I’ve got healing powers, I’ll fucking take it. At least they’re not hurting anybody else.”
He could take them messing with him because of his healing abilities. It was better than them hurting one of his friends who couldn’t heal themselves.
”We’d be losing a healer here, I understand that. And I’m so sorry to Pascal for that.” Lucien began ”But it’d only be for a short time, and we’ve been with only one healer for the last three weeks.”
He’d held it together for the last three weeks, on top of his leader duties. Maybe it was selfish to want to go when it meant the burden being left with Pascal, but maybe it wouldn’t have to be for long.
”Not to mention,” the boy continued ”who is keeping the ascendants with them safe? At least if I went, they’d have a healer looking out for them.”
He wouldn’t be giving the exiled a new advantage because they had a healer already, and Lucien would rather die than heal them anyway.
He was the most asked for by the exiled, and he wasn’t afraid to face up to that fact. He knew they wouldn’t have good intentions for him, but if anyone could take the risk it was him. If anyone could survive the exiled it was him, unless they did decide to just kill him to ensure the ascendants could never get their healer back. They wouldn’t have the fun of being able to do it slowly without him being able to heal himself, though.
”Besides,” Lucien continued roughly, ”I’m done with being the screw-up until times like this where I’m suddenly too important and it’s selfish for me to walk away. I’ve tried so hard to prove I deserve to be a leader but maybe I just don’t.”
He wasn’t coping with the pressure, he knew that. He was trying so hard to do the right thing and to please people but all he seemed to do was mess it up. Clearly he could never be up to Cleo’s perfect standards, and he wanted so badly to make up for his mistakes with River but in trying to do that he just seemed to make everything worse.
He couldn’t be sorrier for Luka that he was suggesting he leave, she was pretty much his only friend there at that point. But It made sense. If he went he might be able to start coordinating something from inside the exiled base so that when the others made their move they could attack the exiled base on two fronts. And in the meantime he could keep an eye on the other prisoners. At least try to keep them alive.
His job as healer and leader was to protect everyone. At least that’s how he saw it. If he went, he might be depriving the others in the pantheon of a healer. But at the same time he’d be making sure nobody else had to go and he would be able to give the ascendants in the exiled base access to his abilities if he ever needed them. That seemed like the best way to make sure as many people as possible were safe.
_____
CHARACTER PROFILE IMAGE CREDIT: ElenaA via Picrew
|
|
|
|
Post by Nari on Dec 5, 2023 0:29:16 GMT
Pascal’s attention lingered on the screen where the missing leader was, and watched as her face contorted in anger at what Luka said to her. Clearly some nerve was pinched, but Irene’s attention was pulled away when Jason stepped forward, placed a hand on her shoulder, and left.
“Wait- Jason!” her voice crackled in worry as she quickly got up from her seat and hurried out of frame after him. The call was left in eerie silence.
'No, send me instead!'
Pascal’s head turned to the side, uneasy at the prospect of more people wishing to sacrifice themselves. However, that feeling dissipated the second he realized just who had spoken. To onlookers, he just looked like he was staring at nothing, but he knew what he was seeing.
Right next to Chiara and Luka, a spirit was standing just in front of one of the empty chairs. It was one of the ghosts that had decided to tag along with him, specifically the noisiest of the bunch. With another glance he was able to see the other two, sitting in the vacant second row of the Egyptian section. One of them had their head buried in their hands, while the other was kicked back, staring at the loud spirit in amusement.
'How’s that supposed to work?' he teased, 'you’re already dead.'
'And I’d die again if I must! This is all just so sad.'
The third ghost just laughed at the first, and the second one didn’t even look at the two of them. The only thing that could be discerned by their body language was a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment.
Pascal could only just stare at the three of them and shake his head. Not even the dead seemed to have a clue about what to do with their current situation. All of which being exacerbated by Luka’s appearance and her picking a fight with Cleo.
“I should never have agreed to come to this meeting,” he muttered, looking down at the notes in his hands while his ears rang from all the shouting. Things only began to quiet when Lucien spoke up. He listened to the boy list out every reason why he should be the one going, each word resting painfully on his heart.
Lucien had only been his student for a few weeks, even less because of the kidnapping. After everything he witnessed already, he didn’t wish that fate on him.
“Lucien,” Pascal urged, “your viewpoint is too optimistic.” After speaking, he fidgeted a little, unsure if he should say more. But he let out a breath, and started speaking in a louder tone so everyone could hear.
“Being a healer is precisely why you shouldn’t go. I never got close enough to help the others, and its foolish to think you’d even get to have that chance to help them. The ideal situation is what you think will happen in your brain, but you're not even considering the worst case scenario. Death isn’t the worst thing that could happen to you.”
Pascal could feel his throat start to tighten as he talked, a mixture of his lack of practice with speaking loudly and the rising emotions he felt. “You could be tortured, pushed to your absolute limits with healing yourself. Feel the worst pain imaginable over and over again until you are of no use anymore.”
“Or the worst outcome, they hurt or kill everyone else. Force you to watch, and be unable to do anything to help because your pain isn’t enough. If you’re not dead, they’d want you to suffer long enough to wish you were dead.”
When he finished speaking, he kept a wary gaze on Lucien before lowering his expression. The memory of their leader in the jaws of that mangy beast weighed heavy, “I couldn’t help anyone. I’m supposed to be a healer but… I couldn’t do anything for Haleema. Thinking the outcome would be any different for you is foolish.”
|
|
|
|
Post by Leo/ Clundy on Dec 18, 2023 21:37:10 GMT
Jason had made it to the door and stopped when he heard Irene call after him. He sighed heavily and turned slightly to look over his shoulder. He didn't remove his hand from the door handle but his expression did soften when he looked at her. His leader - his friend - was worried about him. He understood it, he was worried for himself though he'd never show it or say it out loud. He needed to be just as strong as everyone else was."Don't be selfish," he teased. A joke to try and ease her feelings on this situation. He reached out a hand to take hers and pressed his cheek to her knuckles. "I can't keep just you safe while our friends are getting hurt."Jason pulled on her arm and brought her into a tight hug. "I'll be back to bother you with more history and book facts. I'll be ok," He insisted and leaned away to look at her. His expression had turned serious and almost grim. He didn't want to sugarcoat the gravity of his decision too much. Especially not with Irene."But, I have to do this."Pressing his forehead against hers for a quick and gentle moment, Jason took another decisive breath and then moved quickly so as not to be stopped this time. He shut the door behind him, made a portal, and left Italy behind.~~~~~~~~~
River was glowering at Cleo as they kept talking, deciding that Jason had made his decision and was going to go ahead and be a sacrifice. His expression didn't chance when Luka looked at him either. The more either of them talked the angrier he got with them.
And then the other one spoke.
Once again offering himself up to go and get killed. To abandon his post as a healer here and to go play victim for a supposed "short time". The blood that was boiling inside him spilled over causing him to lean closer to Lucien and smack the back of his head as hard as he could. The impact made River grit his teeth in pain but he ignored it and pulled Lucien to him so he could look him in the eye as he spoke way too low. "What the fuck did I just say?"He stopped whatever else he was going to say and turned his eyes to Pascal as he briefly spoke about what it was like. How he couldn't help Haleema or get close enough to help anyone else that was kidnapped. His grip on Lucien's arm lessoned slightly and he forced his expression to go back into mild aggravation. 'It wasn't your fault'He wanted to say it to Pascal but knew it wouldn't help anything. Once someone decided to blame themselves there wasn't much anyone else could do to stop them. Nothing but letting time pass.Turning his gaze back to Lucien he kept his voice very low and quiet. Loud enough for only them to hear. "You can't promise that it will only be a "short time," he spoke evenly and tightened his grip for a second once more. "Don't make me question your intelligence again."Then he let go and looked at the rest of the room before landing on Cleo. "I agree with Lucien partly though. Cleo needs to actually get their hands dirty instead of pointing fingers."Jason opened the door to the meeting room and looked at everyone in the room. Before he got a chance to speak, River pointed at him. "You. Come here." He demanded.Jason hesitated for a second, seemingly put off by the firmness in his tone, but he found his confidence again and approached River. He leaned over to hear what the older man was going to whisper to him.
|
|
|
|
Post by 𝕄𝕖𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕣𝕪 on Dec 20, 2023 8:36:48 GMT
When Lucien snapped, both Luka and Cleo swung their heads towards him, varying looks of anger on their face. Cleo's was more of a 'stand down' one, and Luka's was more somber. As if she knew what he was about to do, and was begging him (or potentially threatening) him not to do it.
But Lucien shared a major character trait with her, and it was stubbornness, raw and painful. She for once went silent, as if a part of her was dying at the words. Like a flame flickering out. The angry gleam in her eyes was still there, but it was settling from rage into something more...accepting. Almost scared perhaps, like she was making a decision, but no option looked entirely good.
Pascal and River were arguing against it, but she laughed without any mirth, under her breath, looking at him, "So that's what this is about?" she commented, glaring at him, "You know, everyone here thought I was the stupid and selfish one, but you really take the fucking cake," she hissed out the words, venomous and hurt, "You thought it was hard seeing me hurt? Almost dead?" She questioned, glaring at him, "How do you think I feel!?"
Laurie was gone. Theo was gone. And Lucien wanted to throw himself over like a raw steak being fed to lions.
Cleo rolled their eyes at Luka's speech, and glared as River spoke quietly to Lucien. Honestly, why were people being so emotional?
Guinevere herself looked torn, looking between Jason, Lucien, and Cleo.
"I have every intent on going if that's what we decide," Cleo stated calmly to River, "but this is a group decision. We must discuss our options peacefully."
Cleo glared at Luka and River at this, apparently lumping the two together. Luka went eerily quiet as she listened to Pascal's words, one of her hands clenching at her side, and her face going a bit pale at the words, an almost frightened, determined glint to them that she quickly hid behind a veil of discomfort.
It was then that Cleo's face shuttered to emotion for once in the meeting other than aggravation, it looked guilty and sorrowful, "I value honesty and fairness, and my lack of fairness, of care towards our people is what got us into this mess in the first place. I caused a rift to form between us due to my negligence and harsh behavior. It is entirely that reason that I believe I should be one of the ones to go, but I also understand that leaving my issues behind doesn't fix them. Trading myself to the Exiled is running away from this, and as a leader it is my duty to see this through."
Luka scoffed at that, sarcastically clapping, "Cute. Little late for that though. Sorry doesn't fix anything," she stopped clapping, only to look away for a moments notice, as if she couldn't even stand to look in Cleo or Dillon's direction, irritation and acceptance coating her tone, "Nothing you can do can fix what you've broken. So save yourself the wasted oxygen."
Guinevere was tense, looking around the room, the vibes were so harsh and choking. It made her want to cry.
Lorenzo, on the call, was silent, staring at where Jason disappeared, a hollow, broken look on his face, mouth open in a silent protest.
Both of them seemed to shift to look at Cleo during their speech, but instead of believing glances and trust, as they usually put in the leader, they looked away, averting their gazes. As much as Luka was a bit much at times, Guinevere couldn't argue with the statement, not learning what Dillon and Cleo had done to Laurie.
Luka was silent again, arms crossed over her in an almost protective way. Almost like she was plotting, and given Cleo's track record, it may just be their demise.
Cleo themselves looked around the group, they couldn't argue with Luka's words, but the averted gazes of people like Guinevere caused a sickly feeling to overtake them. How much of what they faced was monstrous as compared to them?
They didn't want to begin to unpack it.
|
|
|
|
Post by pallas on Dec 20, 2023 12:06:26 GMT
Lucien’s hand flew to the back of his head when River gave him a sharp smack upside the head for his suggestions that he be the one to go. He had to hand it to River, as injured as he was he could still pack plenty of force behind his hits.
”Ow!” the boy exclaimed, but before he could add the “what the fuck, man?” that he probably would have added given a couple of seconds more, River was pulling him closer and giving him a warning in a low voice.
He huffed and opened his mouth to reply, but didn’t get the chance to. Luka was arguing against him, and Pascal started to talk.
His words were sobering, and though they didn’t shift Lucien’s resolve, he felt awful for Pascal. He could see the guilt the other boy was carrying, and he was getting the first glimpse Pascal was willing to show of what being with the exiled had been like.
”Pascal-” he started to say.
He knew Pascal was logical, that he probably knew in his brain that it wasn’t his fault. That he shouldn’t blame himself for the exiled’s cruelty. But he also knew that no amount of logic could change how he felt. He probably felt guilty nonetheless.
”What happened wasn’t anyone’s fault but the exiled.”
But Lucien at least had at least a slightly better chance. He could heal almost instantly. Besides, having that chance, however astronomical, was better than not having it at all. If there was even the slightest chance he could help them, he felt like it could be worth taking.
River let him go after one final warning, and then Cleo began to speak. They suggested themselves and Luka began to argue with them. Lucien was becoming increasingly concerned about Pascal, since this meeting seemed to be causing more and more distress. He needed to shut down this arguing now, and he needed to do it decisively. He addressed Luka first.
”Lukes, I’m mad too, but let’s not throw their acknowledgement of their mistakes and desire to change back in their face. You don’t have to accept it, especially since there was no apology there to accept,” Lucien cast a pointed glance at Cleo then, “but don’t give them shit for wanting to be better or why would they bother trying?” Lucien cautioned, before turning his attention to Cleo, “Damn right you’re seeing this through. You stick the fuck around here and you try. Consider it probation.” A reminder of what they’d done to him and Luka.
He looked at Luka as he said that final sentence. A reminder that he wasn’t letting Cleo off the hook here. He was telling them to stay and face up to what they’d done. Take responsibility. Actually act on their desire to change.
He’d told them he was giving them a second chance. If they went, they wouldn’t be taking it.
He sighed, looking between River, Pascal and Luka. He didn’t know what to do. They didn’t want him to go but it seemed to him like the option that made the most sense of the people they had remaining. He just hadn’t banked on so many people caring about him. Luka… he knew she cared about him a lot, but he cared about her just as much and that was why he couldn’t let her go.
”Somebody has to go. We can talk about it forever if we want but people will die if we don’t choose.” Lucien said, ”If someone has a better option, then I won’t go. Someone Fenrir won’t eat, at least.” Lucien looked at Chiara and Luka there, Chiara swallowing at the wolf being mentioned once more. She had been brave offering despite her fear of Fenrir.
Of the people Cleo had put on the table, that left himself, Cleo and Dillon. Cleo shouldn’t go, because they needed to stick around the pantheon and actually lead. Maybe try to make some changes for the better. Dillon? In theory he could go, but it was fairly obvious to Lucien that Dillon had little the exiled would want apart from information. They’d torture him, not holding back because they would have no reason to care about what happened to him, and kill him when they had that they wanted. If they sent Dillon, there was every chance his time with the exiled would be short and brutal.
Lucien took the same risk, but at least he had his powers to fall back on.
Besides, he’d seen the look coming across Luka’s face and it gave him a horrible feeling. He didn’t want to roll the dice with whatever she was planning in that head of hers.
The boy moved away a little from River when he beckoned Jason over, not wanting to intrude on their conversation. He looked at Cleo now instead.
”Otherwise, you text those assholes and tell them we’ve made a decision.”
_____
CHARACTER PROFILE IMAGE CREDIT: ElenaA via Picrew
|
|
|
|
Post by Nari on Dec 20, 2023 16:38:53 GMT
Irene’s face contorted in pain at Jason’s words, knowing she didn’t have any good response to them. It was selfish to keep him with her, she knew that. Her whole situation could be described as an exercise of her own selfishness, with everyone else getting dragged into her mess.
She bit her mouth closed as she held his hand, every muscle in her face straining to stop her from crying. He would be ok. She had to trust his word that he’d be okay, but man did it hurt. The wounds she got from Atticus hurt less than this.
“T-take care of everyone, okay?” Her voice finally came out with attempted assertiveness, though it was undermined by the occasional crackle of emotion. Jason made up his mind, and the last thing she wanted was for him to see her cry.
“You’re a lot smarter than I am, so I know I can trust you to stay safe. You will come back to us, I promise. I won't let them keep you or anyone else.” Irene knew her words didn’t mean a lot. She had no powers and no way to fight back against the exiled on her own, but she was done sitting around and waiting while everyone else got hurt. If she had to fight the entire group with just her fists, she’d do it. At least then she could say she tried.
Soon, Jason was gone, and the leader made no effort to move from where she was. Instead she just leaned her head against the door and finally let the tears start flowing.
—--
“I am very much aware of who’s fault it is,” Pascal spoke sharply, and quicker than what was usually expected of him, “but if you willingly step into their base knowing full well of the danger, ignore advice telling you how bad it would be if you did go, then you’re walking the line of who’s actions got you there in the first place.”
His words were harsh, he knew it, but it was frustrating to hear how little he seemed to be listening. He was so hell bent on his own sacrifice that it didn’t seem to matter what was being said. The realization caused his expression to shift, from dejection, to hopeless, to absolutely nothing at all. A vacancy that made it seem like he was no longer present in the moment.
Of course he would go, fate liked to toy with him that way. Make him get attached only to have it get ripped away over and over again. What even was the point if it led to the same direction?
Even as conversation continued, he remained detached. Not reacting when Irene finally came back to the screen with reddened eyes, still wet with tears. Though, when Cleo got brought into the conversation, he looked over at them. While he wasn’t fully present, he listened to their words. His eyebrow twitched slightly, and his gaze slowly shifted down to the notes in his hand, then to River. Without a word, he took the last couple pages of his notes and handed them to the other champion.
|
|
|
|
Post by Leo/ Clundy on Dec 20, 2023 18:14:44 GMT
River and Jason were no long paying attention to what anyone else was saying. They were having their own quiet conversation with River's hand covering their mouths in case anyone else got too nosy.
So, someone else decided to speak up.
"The only one that wants to actually keep Cleo around to 'fix their mistakes' is you, Luci!" Griffin snapped leaning forward to glare at him. He'd had enough of another one of his friends doing flips and tricks to try and justify someone else's actions for them. He'd had enough of people sacrificing themselves when they shouldn't have to. "Why would you want them to stay here? To make shit worse than it already is?"
Ariella grabbed Griffin's bicep and tried to pull him back into a neutral position. Her expression was sympathetic but also stern. Her voice had a warning tone to it when she spoke. "Griff-"
"No!" He snapped, pulling his arm from Ariella's hands. He stood up from his seat and took a few steps down the stands to speak directly at Lucien. "Because he wants to forgive Cleo so freaking bad we're gonna be left with a crowded medicine room and one person who actually knows any doctor stuff. Again. You'll be dead and we'll be in the same place we are now."
River leaned away from Jason and noticed the new piece of paper sitting in front of him. He glanced at the writing before looking towards Pascal and then reading it silently.
Jason stayed where he was next to River. He just turned his head towards Lucien and Griffin glancing between the two of them. "We care about you and your wellbeing," he started at a calmer tone than Griffin. They were going in circles over and over again trying to figure out this second person and the one person everyone seemed to agree shouldn't go kept putting himself in the hat. "But, as Luka said you're being selfish and not listening. We have too many soldiers and not enough healers. If you leave you're going to get someone left behind killed," He said way more bluntly.
River's facial features once again morphed into that of wrath. He was gripping the paper in his hand rather tightly as he reading one sentence over and over again. He gestured the paper towards Pascal, silently asking if he could read it. Once he got confirmation he stood up quickly from his chair and placed a hand on Pascal's shoulder as he leaned over and whispered "If you need to go. Go now."
Turning he waved the paper so it made noise and then pointed at Cleo.
"Did you actually say this?" he asked with his eyebrows raised. He waited for a second and then waved it again as he scoffed. "Did you actually tell him this and then justify it?" he asked again but this time louder. Accusatory. His mind already replaying the words he read over and over again in his head.
He brought the paper back in front of him so he could read from it. " 'Convincing River to leave your sorry ass really was for the best' " he started his voice wavering in anger. " 'At first it had been a cause of guilt for me. I had blamed myself for what happened to both River and Laurie. But, now I see it wasn't such a bad move-' " He cut himself off and slammed the paper down on the table. Loud, hard and fast.
"You don't feel sorry for shit! No, now you feel justified because it just happened to work out in your favor," He spat. "You don't want to do better you want to skirt by until something worse comes along and we have to ignore what you've done. My vote is Cleo. That's my final vote."
|
|
|
|
Post by 𝕄𝕖𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕣𝕪 on Dec 20, 2023 20:48:43 GMT
Luka glared at Lucien as he began to argue in Cleo's defense. Typical, everyone was going to treat her like she was the problem again. That's how these stupid meetings always went. Cleo always got someone else to jump to their defense.
She just didn't think Lucien would do it.
But then Griffin hopped in, condemning Cleo for their actions, and Jason agreed with her. She actually grinned, flashing a petty look at the other leader.
There was a certain chill in the room as Pascal and River stopped talking. Luka could see the facial expression change, an anger permeating off of him. He started going off on Cleo, and she found herself turning on Cleo.
"Convincing River to leave your sorry ass really was for the best. At first it had been a cause of guilt for me. I had blamed myself for what happened to both River and Laurie. But, now I see it wasn't such a bad move-."
She felt a tingling under her skin, she worried for a moment she was about to transform into something else once more, but luckily she had tuckered herself out already with the raven one. There was a bone-deep ache she felt from the transformation as a raven earlier, especially having hold the form for as long as she did. No matter the overpowering emotions she felt, her body was too tired to cope with transforming again.
Not that it prevented the other ability from making a show. The smell of smoke was starting to waft around her.
Cleo themselves looked somewhat abashed and panicked, looking down, "I admit, I let my emotions control what I said," they spoke, looking around in a bit of a panic as River voted for them. "But Laurie betrayed us, he pushed everything he had with you behind him! What else was I supposed to do? Coddle him?"
"You don't have to coddle him! You can be mad all you want. Hell, I am!" Guinevere finally stated, eyes watery with a sheen of anger, "but nothing about what you did is right, regardless of what Laurie's done!"
Cleo looked at her in surprise, slinking back into their seat. This was a losing battle. It would be better to try and get back on track. Their voice shook ever so slightly, but they had their head held high, "I will go, if that's what we vote-"
Their voice pitched off in a screech as a small ball of fire narrowly avoided their head, sailing past them and landing a few feet from Guinevere, who yelped and screech, jumping into Griffin's lap. The fire extinguished quickly with nothing to burn off of.
Luka was perched on her table in a cat-like crouch, at Cleo's questioning look, she chuckled a bit, "How sweet," she cooed sarcastically, "Sacrificing yourself for us. When did you get a heart?"
Another fireball flickered to life in her raised hand, "Here's a little thought: Roses are red. Violets are blue. Get out of my sight before I get to you."
The fireball sailed at Cleo, quickly catching on their jacket sleeve, causing them to release a squeal of terror and pain as they rolled around to get the jacket off. Once it was off, they hissed at the burn on their upper arm, placing a hand over it and glaring at the girl.
Only to realize she had moved, perched now much closer than before, right before them on the table sat before them. "You're so bloody stupid," she intoned, "Trading yourself away is a tempting thing, but you don't get to play the hero. You will stay away from Laurie, Theo, and Jason." It wasn't a suggestion, rather a threat. "But on the bright side, you won't have to worry about the Exiled," Luka commented, giggling at the words, head tipped slightly and a smirk on her lips, "because I'm going to make what they've done look like child's play."
Lorenzo piped up in terror, covering his eyes, a quick "please stop!" escaping him. Guinevere herself was looking between the two, but ultimately seemed to side with the younger girl. Laurie was her friend after all. So she remained silent, watching to see what would happen.
|
|
|
|
Post by pallas on Dec 20, 2023 21:07:58 GMT
Pascal’s words hit Lucien hard. He had only the best intentions and was trying to help people, but it was becoming more and more clear that he couldn’t protect anybody. Which was why they were trying so hard to get him to stay.
Griffin’s anger only compounded the situation.
”I’m not desperate to forgive them. I haven’t forgiven them for anything, trust me.” Lucien shot back, ”I’m saying they shouldn’t get to walk away. They told Luka and I we had to work to prove we still deserved to be leaders after Hallowe’en, so I don’t see why they should get to leave us with their mess with no effort to make anything right.”
If he and Luka were forced to be accountable, Cleo should too.
”The exiled aren’t what’s going to kill us, they aren’t what’s making everything we do a disaster, this shit is!” the boy gestured around the room at all the angry faces, ”The more this festers the worse it’ll get. That’s why I’m saying they need to make changes. Because we can’t survive like this.”
Griffin’s words about the Medbay though, did impact him. He knew he would be leaving it all to Pascal, even if he was really the only one of the pair with actual medical knowledge. He hadn’t been taught much before Pascal left. But he’d been so overwhelmed with being healer on his own that he’d asked Pascal to help. Overwhelmed and scared out of his wits. He knew it was unfair to leave him with it.
Jason was trying to talk him out of it then, telling him he was being selfish. He was sick of that word. He was trying to be the opposite of selfish here. But it didn’t seem like there was a way here for him to make a decision that was any good. No decision he felt good about.
Besides, his abilities had forced him to be selfless. Constantly. He was exhausted with it. Pascal understood that to some extent as a fellow healer, but even he couldn’t understand Lucien’s experience completely what with how Lucien’s powers worked.
He didn’t say anything. He had nothing else to say. He’d put the option out there and promised he’d step away if there was a better option. As long as it wasn’t Luka, he didn’t care what happened now.
Then River spoke. Read out the exact words Cleo had spoke in the meeting. Dillon’s face seemed to flood with anger and shame anew at hearing the words a second time. Chiara looked away, unable to look at River while he spoke the words. She felt for him.
His anger was so strong Lucien also felt like he couldn’t look at him. Like looking at the sun. It was fine anyway, because his attention of course went to Cleo.
”That’s what you said? What the fuck, Cleo?” was all he could say, astonished and angry in equal measure. They’d told him what they’d said in a vague kind of way, but hearing the actual words was something else.
”Trust me, we had a discussion about exactly how disgusting what they said was.” Dillon commented sharply. He was still angry about it, even if he didn’t feel like he had as much right to be given that he’d been part of the original decision.
”I’m glad Luka punched you in the fucking nose.” he said to Cleo, ”She did me a favour by doing something I couldn’t use my powers on. I wouldn’t take on any pain for you.”
He understood why River voted the way he did, even if he didn’t necessarily think voting for someone to go into danger like this because they were angry with them was necessarily the most constructive solution. River had been hurt in a way he couldn’t comprehend, so it wasn’t for him to comment on.
But then Cleo tried to defend themselves, and things escalated into all out violence from Luka towards Cleo. The air was thickening with the scent of smoke, which caught at the back of Lucien’s throat.
He was surprised to see Chiara, who’d been quiet for so long now, moving to intervene. She rushed as fast as she could, rising from her chair and running to put herself between Cleo and Luka. The girl held out her good arm, meeting Luka’s gaze steadily.
”Luka, stop it.“ the girl said, voice wavering a little. Not usual for her. ”I know you’re angry but please. Today has been….please just stop.”
The meeting and everything they’d had to witness there. Everything. And then the endless arguing at this meeting. It was too much, Chiara was tired. So tired.
”Hurting them won’t make you feel better, or help anything.”
_____
CHARACTER PROFILE IMAGE CREDIT: ElenaA via Picrew
|
|
|
|
Post by Nari on Dec 20, 2023 21:40:51 GMT
Pascal didn’t give River much of a response when he spoke quietly to him. His expression remained unmoving, but he slowly bowed his head and stood up. Without a word or passing glance, he made his way to the back of the room and out the door. The rest of his notes, the ones he’d painstakingly wrote the hour before the meeting, were left on the seat he’d set himself down at.
It was good he left when he did because all hell broke loose when River read what was on the page. Alongside Lucien’s mention of a probation, it let loose the worst wildfire anyone could have anticipated.
Irene stared ahead, her mouth gaping as she took in the information. As she took the time to process everything, a glare formed on her face as she stared directly at Cleo from the other side of the screen. If they hadn’t been in completely different rooms, she probably would have throttled the other leader.
“What the actual fuck is wrong with you?” she said coldly, her gaze only wavering when Dillon spoke. Of course he knew about it too. After so many weeks of thinking about the shit that has happened, and restless days just thinking about what she could have said to make things better, she was not willing to stay silent on this any longer.
“First off, this probation talk is news to me! I thought the point in having multiple leaders was so not one person would have the deciding power. Second, I doubt that talk you claimed to have was productive enough if Cleo still fucking wants to double down on the shit they’ve said. If this was never brought up by someone else, would you have any fucking intention of speaking about it again or did you want to pretend that it never fucking happened?”
“You’re such a fucking hypocrite, Cleo. River has a genuine human reaction, and you give him shit for it, but the second you have one, you suddenly think you should have it differently. It says a lot about you that what angered you the most was his fucking relationship status.”
By the end of her rant, Irene was visibly seething. Going on for that long seemed to visibly wear her down, and after a few breaths, she managed to calm herself somewhat. “What you did to River and Laurie was fucked up, there’s no excusing that. You were in the wrong for what you did, I was in the wrong for not doing anything sooner. If I could-”
Irene was soon cut off when a fireball was sent hurtling towards Cleo, and Luka began her attack. She was going to say ‘If I could punch you in the face, I would do that,’ but it seemed the smaller girl was faster on the uptake. While also being in the same room as the other leader.
To some extent, Cleo deserved it, but now seemed like the worst time for that.
“Stand down, Luka!” Irene snapped, “nothing’s going to get fixed if you fucking kill them! Stand down!”
|
|
|
|
Post by Leo/ Clundy on Dec 20, 2023 22:43:00 GMT
River glared at Lucien. "The only way this festers is if you refuse to listen to what all of us are screaming at you," he hissed to the other leader.
This dumb fucking moron was putting him through hell right now because he thought his position as leader was going to be taken away? Because one person said it was going to be? River never agreed to that. If he knew sooner he would have spoken up about it.
His angry gaze turned back to Cleo and he started mocking them. "But this! But that! But, but, but, but but!" he yelled back at them. Everyone was yelling now. It didn't matter if his voice was heard or not. He was going to scream out everything they handed to say but couldn't in the name of being civil and productive. "As if that makes anything you've done better."
He gestured to everyone in the meeting room and raised his voice despite the pain. His body felt hot but his mind was clear of the painful thoughts of Laurie or the exiles or his own body failing him. Because, he was finally able to let out his aggression on the person who started all of it.
"You don't get to decide on a probation without the rest of us. Especially not without me. Whatever you promised or planned on doing for me stops now. You keep my name out of your mouth," He yelled. His body was shaking with anger and all he was seeing was red. "You don't get to meddle in our lives for your own gain. We're supposed to be a team but you treat us like dogs in a dog fight. Did you forget that they turn against their owners when they've had enough?"
"You're a dictator!" Griffin yelled.
Jason had crossed his arms over his chest and was staring hard at Cleo. And their nervous state as more people turned against them. "Deciding when someone is useful to you or just a helpless child. You don't get to flip flop and continue calling yourself fair."
Griffin was still standing when the fireball came hurling in his direction. He ducked into a seated position and pulled Gunievere tightly to him when she fell into his lap. His arms immediately went to shield her from the next potential incoming fireball.
Ariella ducked down and looked to the source of the the fire. Of course it was obviously Luka, insanely furious and threatening Cleo.
"Luka!" Jason called suddenly worried about how things were going to progress. He started moving his hands to cast a spell but was stopped by a hand over his.
River shook his head but was still watching Luka and Cleo. "Don't," was all he said. He wasn't sure how Luka might retaliate. And whatever Jason had planned he didn't want Chiara and now Ariella getting hit with it as well.
The Heracles champion was behind Luka, wrapping her arms around the girl's waist and just holding her. Desperate to calm her down but ready to pull her away if need be. "Hey, Luka? I know you're upset. I know. But, you can't hurt them."
|
|
|
|
Post by 𝕄𝕖𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕣𝕪 on Dec 21, 2023 0:27:50 GMT
Cleo's gaze fell across the room. Guilt marred across their face. Guinevere, River, Jason, Lucien, Irene, Griffin, even Dillon was tacking on. They distantly wondered if this is how River felt, all that time ago.
They got nothing in edgewise, soon it was chaos. Luka made her attack, and the burning, agonizing pain on their arm blinded them temporarily. When they focused again, their gaze was filled with horror and fear, chair falling back as they pushed themselves away from the girl.
Chiara had flung herself between them.
Luka glared at the blonde, "Get out of my way Belcher." She hissed.
Irene was telling her to stand down, and suddenly the ire was back in Dillon's direction. "Shut up, Irene," she said mockingly, ball of fire in her hand, and firing it right at the small handheld device.
She was about to return to giving Cleo hell to pay when Ariella grabbed her from behind. She struggled immensely against the hold, panicked by something pressing against her waist. Pressure, pressure, pressure.
But it wasn't painful, and she couldn't fight against it much longer. After a few moments she sagged in Ariella hold, a pout evident on her face, "This is unfair, Ari," they was some of that joking energy back in her, but she sounded exhausted and defeated, and there was an edge to her voice still, "I'm like...the size of a 12-year-old."
Theo probably would have made some cat joke there.
"Anyways, it's not like a little fire is gonna kill them," She added, gaze still locked on Cleo.
The other leader was holding their burnt arm, eyes wide and terrified still, looking at Luka. Voice shaking, they stared around the room, looking disappointed, but for once not in someone else, but in themselves. They looked down, guilt in their eyes. What had any of them said that was wrong?
Head bowed, they nodded at the words, not even coming to their own defense. "I admit I've failed everyone here," they said, hissing as an ebbing pain overcame them, skin festering where they'd been caught by the flame, "I have treated everyone horribly. If me going to the Exiled is what will begin to make that right, then-" they swallowed down fear, "then that's what will be done."
"No," Luka said, shaking her head, "I refuse to be like you. Just because you're fine with trading people away doesn't mean we should be."
She gave a mirthless chuckle anyways, "And I don't want you anywhere near my friends."
Cleo stared at her again, frozen as she spoke, a flash of fear through their eyes. "That's...fair."
|
|
