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Post by Ceyla Regenwald on Jun 19, 2016 15:47:12 GMT -6
[nospaces] I CAN'T FIND THE WORDS Ring after ring, click after click. The sounds of the Legion Government Center’s (LGC) main office was beginning to drive Coquel insane. Despite playing the part well, she knew she would never be able to enjoy such a tedious lifestyle. Her eyes scanned the rest of the office floor, studying all the other workers that shared this area of the building as a work space. The sea of cubicles was almost nauseating, though Coquel worked in a rather spacious office towards the back of the floor. It was here she performed managerial duties, which required little more than ensuring work was done and, on occasion, saw her deliver reports to the higher ups.[break][break]
She absolutely detested the higher ups.[break][break]
Bored, she began tapping the pen in her hand against the desk, playing a piece she had heard played many times during her time on Menagerie. The place was like home to her and, despite having been away for some time, she couldn’t help but feel slightly ill as a result of being so far from home. As the hours rolled by, Coquel whipped together a few reports her boss had asked her to put together, threw them in a salmon-colored envelop, and ran them to his office. Elijah Frye was probably the only person in Legion she got along with, and the reasons why showed in how he dealt with the workers of the office.[break][break]
Eli, as she called him, just had a way with people.[break][break]
The two of them had met on her first day, introducing himself as her boss. She didn’t like the idea of having a superior then, but he was quick to teach her that those ways were not the ways of his floor. Everyone worked together as a team, leaving very little work to be done the next day. Proper resource and time management were certainly the young man’s specialties, and these specialties carried over to his profession as a member of Legion’s army. A sergeant and a pilot, arguably one of the best she had ever seen, Eli was a good fit for where life had placed him. Over the last few months the two had formed a close relationship, one that occasionally left her a little bewildered. Distractions were always such a nuisance.[break][break]
He had already left by the time she had arrived, if she recalled this was due to an emergency at his parents’ home. Setting the envelop on his desk, Coquel peered out the window at the city, the skyline glowing orange as the sun began to sink behind the horizon. She believed sunsets were one of the best sources of relaxation - they were particularly beautiful on Menagerie, so she thought. Smiling, Quel spun on her heels and hastily made her way back to her office. Everyone was gone, it was time to change! Grabbing her things, she bee-lined to the restroom designated for women and made her way to the handicap stall. It didn’t take long for her to be out of her dress suit and into something a little more comfortable.[break][break]
A black tank top with a white cat face, a fluffy white sweater, and cut-off shorts completed her attire. She slipped on her shoes and zipped out the door as fast as she could, intent on getting home before the sun had completely set. The air in Legion was chill, something she was certain would take some getting used to, but at least it wasn’t bad enough to make her shorts uncomfortable. In fact, she found the slight chill to be pleasant. As she wandered through the city to her apartment, a block party had gotten her attention. From what she gathered eavesdropping, it was a party for those that might not return home after the upcoming invasion. With an awkward smile, Coquel made her way to the group of people closest to her. She recognized some of them, so it was a good place to start.[break][break]
“Hey guys, how’s it going?” [googlefont=Raleway] |
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Post by Aisio Pendragon on Jun 19, 2016 16:12:11 GMT -6
Aisio hadn't been drinking, she knew better. When she got alcohol in her system she became quite insufferable, and exploded at the mildest incentives. So she had mulled around, acquiring non alcoholic drinks whenever she could. She had come to the party because it was needed, not everyone would return from this invasion, that much was certain. Truth be told, she wasn't sure she would return, but she knew she would try her hardest to limit bloodshed as much as possible. Thus Aisio was leaning against a wall, surrounded by a small group of people. She wasn't wearing her standard armor, nor did she have Flamelash or her shield with her. Excalibur and her trench coat were, of course, present. Aisio never left home without them, partly out of nostalgia, partly out of guilt, and partly out of pride. She was wearing a gift from the Legion military, the uniform of a Lieutenant colored scarlet. She tried her hardest not to showcase Excalibur, but with the golden hilt sticking a few inches above her head she couldn't hide it very well either. Her flaming hair fell to her shoulders in straight locks, and her crimson eyes blazed with light as she watched every inch of the room, purely out of habit.
When the new woman approached and asked how everyone was doing, Aisio was the first to speak up. "We're having a hell of a time." Aisio's words, while unclouded by drink, were still loud and rambunctious. The energy of the party had certainly gotten to her even if she hadn't indulged at all. She gestured her glass to the roaring party going on around her and smiled a sad smile. "Only thing we can do." A hearty "here here!" echoed through the group as they all took drinks. She looked the newcomer up and down, she looked like she could handle herself in a fight, and her outfit was rather laid back. That was a good thing, even though Aisio wouldn't follow her own advice she'd tell people to relax and have a good time here. It may be the last they get. Walking over to the newcomer and holding out a hand in greeting, she focused her blazing eyes on the woman. "I'm Aisio Pendragon, head of the Pendragon house, wielder of the legendary blade Excalibur and inheritor of the Wings of Icarus." After her long winded introduction, Aisio laughed at herself and shrugged. "Don't worry, I always give the full introduction. Force of habit I suppose." Aisio may have been a soldier preparing for war, but fighting and anger had no place here. This was a place and time to laugh, joke, drink, and simply have fun. So that's what Aisio intended to do, make light of the world and have a good time.
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Post by Ceyla Regenwald on Jun 19, 2016 23:03:46 GMT -6
[nospaces] I CAN'T FIND THE WORDS She wasn’t really expecting a response given how loud the party sounded, but Coquel was surprised when a young woman spoke up first. She smiled happily at the response, watching carefully as the girl approached. The party was lively, the people certainly having the time of their life. The girl introduced herself as Aisio, from the Pendragon family. It was a name Coquel was familiar with, having heard it brought up many times throughout the city, even as far as Menagerie. The Pendragons were on the White Fang’s watch list, a family of particular renown in the annals of Remnant’s history. As she extended her hand, Coquel fought the urge to flinch. She hadn’t experienced much interaction with people outside of work, leave occasional shenanigans with Eli on their days off. Hopefully this social experience wouldn’t be too difficult.[break][break]
Taking Aisio’s hand, Coquel shook it firmly. “It’s nice to meet you, Aisio,” she said with a smile. “My name is Coquel Nattier, I’m afraid I don’t come from a very notable family, though.” A person attending the party offered her a cup, which she gratefully accepted. Curiously, she sniffed the contents. It was a little off-putting, but the better stuff was hard to afford on a soldier’s salary, and it was clear to her that this party’s host was a soldier. Why else would it be spilling onto the street? She laughed shyly, still smiling as she took a sip of her drink. “So, Wings of Icarus? Is that the name of your Semblance?” She inquired, speaking directly to Aisio. “Mine is named Gallows. I named it after a monster in my dreams when I was a little girl.”[break][break]
Her mind drifted off to those nightmares.[break][break]
Night after night of her time at the Monastery, Coquel would experience vivid dreams where she was hunted down by an immense beast. In some dreams she got away, in others it got her. It was the latter of the experiences that she ended up blocking in the depths of her subconscious. From time to time, she would have these nightmares, and sometimes she would be left alone in a cold sweat. There were others when Eli was with her, going to great lengths to help calm her down. Her face lit up a bright red as she thought about her friend, and she glanced around shyly while doing her best to hide her face behind the cup. “S-so, tell me a bit about yourself, Aisio.” She said, her voice muffling into the cup. “What made you decide to be a Hunter? And why Legion? If you don’t mind me asking, anyway.” [googlefont=Raleway] |
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Post by Aisio Pendragon on Jun 20, 2016 13:45:02 GMT -6
Aisio's gaze only lightened at Coquel's words, not very surprised she didn't know about her semblance. While her family was well known, and the sword at her back was just as legendary, the semblance passed down through the generations tended to take a back burner to all but the more notable families and knowledgeable historians. "Yeah, the Wings have been passed down as a semblance throughout the Pendragon's line." Aisio took a drink from her glass, containing only juice of course, as she waited for Coquel to finish talking again. When she asked why Aisio was a hunter, and why she was in Legion, Aisio simply shrugged in dismisal. "The Pendragons have been hunters in Legion since, well the way my Grams told it since forever. According to her, we've been in Legion for thousands of years, and we've been protecting humanity ever since." Looking at the woman in front of her Aisio had the strangest feeling the way she phrased that sentence could be offensive, but couldn't quite place why. Instead she gestured at Coquel with her glass, a curious look in her blazing eyes. "And what about you? I became a huntress because of tradition and familial expectations, why did you become a huntress in Legion?" The question was completely innocent, being a simple case of quid pro quo, she shared some of her life and wanted to know a little about the person she shared it with. It was nothing out of the ordinary, and Aisio wanted to be as friendly as possible with the people who might not make it back.
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Post by Ceyla Regenwald on Jun 21, 2016 11:00:04 GMT -6
[nospaces] I CAN'T FIND THE WORDS A hereditary Semblance, eh? Amber’s eyebrow raised slightly as her interest was piqued. She had heard many tales about families who all shared their Aura mastery by blood, but she had never met someone that possessed such a thing. As far as she was aware, Gallows was a Semblance tied to her soul and her soul alone. As Aisio responded to her earlier query, Amber took several small drinks from the cup that had been handed to her moments before their conversation actually began. The liquid it contained, at least to her, tasted remarkably bitter. Despite that, it appeared to get the job done, and that’s what really counted. Her face tingled slightly as the effects of the beverage started to kick in.[break][break]
She was a lightweight.[break][break]
“I believe I’ve heard a story here and there about the Pendragon family,” Coquel finally said in reply, “That said, I don’t remember too many details. It was mostly bits and pieces I caught in passing conversation.” When the red haired girl threw the same question back her way, Coquel was at a loss for words. How would she describe her situation without giving herself away? Without revealing the motives that had brought her to Legion in the first place? She sighed calmly, as if relieving a heavy weight from within. “Truth be told, I’m not sure I’d consider myself to be a Huntress,” she said with a bashful laugh, “In fact, I never even went to Vytal Academy. I was trained at the Cela Monasteries in Pinnacle. That’s where my father is.”[break][break]
A few people she recognized from the office noticed her, and she waved to them as they did the same to her. It was always nice to see familiar faces. She returned her attention to Aisio with a smile. “See, I was adopted. I was brought to the Monasteries when I was just a baby. The man that adopted me, Renault of Cela, was one of the masters of the temple. He taught me everything I know,” she continued, “How to use Aura, mastery of my Semblance, even how to fight with my sword - despite everyone training to use staffs and all that monk stuff.” She chuckled slightly, taking another quick sip from her cup.[break][break]
“After I learned all I could from the Monasteries, I left. Traveled around a little bit, saw the world - or most of it anyway. After that, I came to Legion. Always kind of liked the weather, and I had met someone not long before that who lived here. I guess you could say my motivation for living here was mostly selfish,” she paused for a moment as her smile became crooked and awkward, “I’ve never been a very selfless person, in all honesty. I just don’t expect people to be that way for me, so I don’t see why they’d expect me to be that way for them. Ya know?” [googlefont=Raleway] |
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Post by Aisio Pendragon on Jun 22, 2016 18:26:07 GMT -6
Aisio nodded, a soft smile gracing her features. Her life was so greatly different from Coquel's, Aisio having lived a privileged life in a well renowned family, going to Vytal to become another hunter in the line of Pendragons, while Coquel had found herself at the monastery from a young age and was raised by monks, taught combat but for a different reason then Aisio. "I've heard good things about the Cela Monastery. I can't say I can truly understand how you grew up, but I can say I understand doing something for someone you care about. That's why I carry Excalibur, even though the blade is broken and I'm more effective with something else. Because it's tradition, and it's what my brother would've wanted." Aisio took another swig of her juice, shrugging slightly and gesturing around the room. Her face was slightly darker as she did so, thinking of the many different reasons everybody here fought for. "Truth be told, I fight for the same reason as most other people here. Legion's my home, so I will protect it. In my eyes, your reason is far more noble than mine, fighting for someone you care about, something more than just a sense of loyalty. It's honorable, and you may not have trained at Vytal, but your skills and devotion make you a hunter nonetheless." Aisio reached up and clapped Coquel on the shoulder, smiling greatly as she did so. It was a habit from a warrior family, giving such a physical compliment along with the social one. Aisio cringed after she realized that not everybody approves of that form of greeting and cringed. "Sorry." The apology was muttered as she looked around at everything but the woman before her.
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Post by Ceyla Regenwald on Jun 23, 2016 10:14:45 GMT -6
[nospaces] I CAN'T FIND THE WORDS After having been relatively straight-faced for most of the conversation, seeing a smile on Aisio’s face helped Coquel shake off the last bit of tension she was feeling in the group. Most of these people she had never seen before, and she felt like she was terrible when it came to making good first impressions. Quel flashed a proud smile as Aisio spoke as fondly of the Monastery as she could, a smile that grew more and more sincere as she went on to tell the story about her sword - Excalibur. It was an interesting name for a weapon, but the small backstory that was given on the sword was what piqued Coquel’s interest the most. Once again, tradition was a motivation. Coquel couldn’t help but wonder what life, for her, would be like if there had been more traditions imprinted on her as a child. Instead, Renault chose the opposite. Coquel was trained outside the norm, and as a result, became who she was today.[break][break]
While the girl took a quick drink, Coquel did the same. At this point, her cheeks were reddening as the alcohol in the beverage began working its way through her system. Comparing motivations for fighting wasn’t something Quel had ever felt the inclination to do before, and she was sure Aisio meant well by it. As far as Coquel was concerned, everyone’s motivation was as honorable and sound as the next. It wasn’t about where you came from, who you had grown to be, or the people you had come to know and love. It was, instead, about the future. The future of their homes, of their lives, of their family and loved ones. It was about making Remnant a better place and driving back the creatures of Grimm once and for all. It was a commonality found among most, if not all, people on Remnant.[break][break]
The future.[break][break]
The words echoed in her mind for a while, causing her to space out slightly. Her attention was then returned to Aisio as the girl’s hand patted her shoulder. The ever deductive Coquel was quick to note the girl cringing in response to her action, which was followed by an apology. Instead of reacting negatively, which she believed was expected, Coquel returned the ”Sorry” with laughter followed by a heavy pat on the red-haired girl’s shoulder. “Don’t be sorry, Aisio. It’s probably a tradition thing, yeah?” She said with a cheery grin. “I don’t think you should ever be sorry for tradition. Unless that tradition is something, like...actually not cool, like cannibalism.” As she withdrew her hand from Aisio’s shoulder, Coquel finished the last bit of her beverage before social anxiety pushed her to “hug” herself.[break][break]
“So, Aisio, tell me,” she said bashfully. “What kind of things do you do for fun?” [googlefont=Raleway] |
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Post by Aisio Pendragon on Jun 23, 2016 22:25:33 GMT -6
Aisio laughed with Coquel, accepting the pat on the shoulder with a firm nod, only to be followed by more laughing. She nodded at the question to follow, the comment about cannibalism causing her to burst into another fit of giggles. "No I assure you, if the Pendragons have cannibalistic traditions I haven't heard of them, so we're safe from that." Aisio, who had held herself together long enough to last through that sentence, burst into a fit of giggles again. Many people looked her direction, especially anyone who knew her personally-however few that may be. It was quite uncharacteristic of her to be so open, so frivolous, especially with someone she'd just met. But the calm before the storm would do that, make people more open to expressing themselves, more open to new things, and most importantly less worried of the potential disasters to come. So after calming herself from her rampant laughter, she finally deigned to answer Coquel's other question, though it forced her into thought for some time. "Hmm, I suppose I go out to a wonderful little cafe near the manor that serves a wonderful cup of tea. Usually when I do I just sit there, watching the sky and observing the people mill about, whether it be in the cafe or out. Other than that I enjoy holing up in my room and reading a good book. Or three." Aisio once again laughed, this time accompanied by a slight blush in her cheeks. When the laughter subsided-though not the blush-Aisio continued speaking. "It reminds me of when I was little I suppose. I'd do that all night, and Leo would have to come in to convince me I needed to eat breakfast. That is, before..." Aisio's voice trailed off, her words getting darker as they did so. It was common knowledge that Aisio was the last surviving Pendragon, that her brother and father died very recently in fact. Of course, the details and names of them may not have been so well known. Aisio shook her head, the depressed and longing look being replaced by a solemn and forced smile. "That's enough about boring old me, what about you? What do you enjoy doing?" The rapid subject change was very noticeable, as was the slightly forced joy in her words. It was quite clear something had slightly dampened her spirits, but she wasn't going to let her own traumatic past impede anyone else's party. It would be rude.
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Post by Ceyla Regenwald on Jun 23, 2016 23:50:10 GMT -6
[nospaces] I CAN'T FIND THE WORDS As if the act itself were contagious, Aisio’s sudden burst of giggling was met with Coquel doing the same. Embarrassed, she blushed, though the redness that usually accompanied it was hidden by the redness caused by her drinking. “It’s good to know that the Pendragon’s aren’t all that into eating people,” she replied. “Part of me was worried there, for a moment.” To hear this girl laughing after the two just met made Coquel feel a little proud. She had never been much for socializing, and whatever relationship her and Elijah had could only be attributed to luck. A couple people were drawn by the two sharing laughter, coming by to exchange hellos and introduce themselves. One person even offered Coquel another drink, which she accepted gratefully. Unwinding was doing her a lot of good.[break][break]
Her attention was drawn from the rest of the party right back to Aisio, who went on to answer Quel’s question. It was interesting to hear how normal a young Huntress like her was, and it made Coquel once again reflect on their different upbringings. What would this girl be like had she not grown up a Pendragon? For that matter, what would Coquel be like had she not been abandoned as a child? She kept a smile on her face as her new friend continued talking, however, she became concerned once the girl began trailing off. Coquel found herself struggling for words as she sat there in silence, but gave up as Aisio shook her head. She felt concern for the girl, but didn’t feel like prodding. Instead, Coquel opted to answer the same question per Aisio’s request.[break][break]
“Well, you see, I’m a pretty boring person.” She began, shyly twirling her cup in her hand. “I work most of the day, and when I’m not, I tend to spend my time sleeping. If I happen to find actual time to do something, I like to see movies. After that, I spend a lot of time outside. If I’m lucky, I get to share some of those experiences with this guy I’ve been seeing.” An embarrassed laugh followed, accompanied by a loud hiccup. It was likely caused by her frequent attempts to resist the urge to yawn. It made her eyes water slightly, but other than that one would never know. She was having too much fun, though - no way she was going to call it a night this early. “So yeah, pretty boring stuff, huh?” [googlefont=Raleway] |
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Post by Aisio Pendragon on Jun 28, 2016 7:33:46 GMT -6
Aisio's smile returned full force as Coquel described her life. It was so calm, so normal, and something that Aisio would love to have. Sure she spent some time at a cafe sipping tea, and every now and again read a few books, but more often than not she was off hunting the creatures of Grimm. "I don't know Coquel, you're life doesn't seem too boring. At least you have someone you've been seeing, I haven't dated anybody in, honestly I can't remember how long it's been. A calm life doesn't mean a boring one, in fact I often wish I could've lived a far calmer life." That fact didn't impact her all that much, truthfully she didn't exactly have an interest in getting into a relationship. Although Aisio fully acknowledged not only the possibility but want of companionship, she didn't have it in her heart to put another person into that position. The position to love her and lose her to the darkness of the world, it wasn't something she wanted anyone else to go through. Her smile twisted into a smirk as she nudged Coquel and spoke in a playful voice. "So this guy, what's his name? What does he do?" She probably wouldn't recognize the name, but that wasn't the point of the question. Every now and again everybody enjoys a bit of gossip, and Aisio was no exception. So she liked posing questions like that, especially just before something so dangerous. It helps Aisio, and many others, get their minds off the impending possibility of their death, or deaths of people they care about. So she indulged herself and asked for that smallest amount of gossip, prying just a little bit, but her tone making it clear she wasn't really serious about finding it out.
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