+- Court of the Fallen (https://cotf-rpg.com)
+-- Forum: Out of Character (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=26)
+--- Forum: Important (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=27)
+---- Forum: Archives (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=38)
+---- Thread: no way no how (/showthread.php?tid=9888)
Pages:
1
2
no way no how - Jack - 08-05-2024
Jack is silent, this time, as they round one of the many corners within The Burrows, not to enormous piles of gemstones, but to the roar of water and the overpowering stench of blood. Nevertheless, even without saying a word, he's loudly questioning Flora's directions in the raise of his eyebrows and the occasional glances around at the cavern walls - walls which are growing a rustier colour by the second, he might add.
[say]"Well this is cheerful,"[/say] the captain drawls as they emerge, at last, into The Mountain's Roar, his face dotted delicately with scarlet from the spray in the air. Practically biting the smile off his face as he turns to face Flora, he gestures casually to the water and the several rocky outcrops - not to mention the puddles of dark red on the ground, suggesting that someone or something has been here recently.
[say]"Now, I'm not saying there aren't troves of crystals here. Reckon they might be a bit hard to see, though, what with all the..."[/say] He gestures around them. The blood, Flora. All the blood.
RE: no way no how - Flora - 08-05-2024
The thing of it is, Flora picks the music and Jack is meant to navigate okay?
[say]"Okay, but it's hardly my fault that no one has bothered to put signs down here."[/say] The queen yells over the roar of the water, crossing her arms and sniffing disdainfully at the wreak of iron hanging heavily in the air. How hard would it be for someone to carve a few horizontal wiggly lines for hotsprings, vertical ones for this random waterfall, maybe a drop of blood for the cathedral, and a diamond for wherever the Scrooge McDuck hall of gems was meant to be?
[say]"Maybe this is...on the way?"[/say] She hazards, flashing the captain a cheerful smile before turning toward the waterfall properly. [say]"Is it really all blood?"[/say] And if so, how was that even possible? (It was Caido, that's how).
RE: no way no how - Jack - 08-05-2024
Considering objecting to the Doubletake, Jack stops himself only at the realisation that she has a very good point, and he fires a rather disdainful look behind them at the non-signposted tunnels before raising the back of his hand to wipe a combination of blood and sweat from his brow. Wrinkling his nose to see the streak of scarlet, it's with a concentrated force of will that Jack uses a combination of air and water magic to keep the area around them as unbloodied as he can.
[say]"If this is on the way, I ain't sure it's worth gettin' there any more,"[/say] he says with a smirk, peering around at the waterfall and shaking his head. [say]"Doesn't look like it goes anywhere,"[/say] he says - not unless there's a hidden tunnel behind the sheet of falling crimson. Sniffing at the blood still smeared across the back of his hand, he wrinkles his nose.
[say]"Probably not all, but enough that it might as well be,"[/say] he mutters. [say]"You reckon this is where all that blood went, from those animals just before the war?"[/say] He'd seen more than enough bloodless ramphire in those days to consider the existence of vampires, put it that way.
RE: no way no how - Flora - 08-05-2024
Not realizing that she too was likely flecked with blood until she watched Jack wipe his own brow, Flora quickly paws at her own cheeks, disgusted to see her fingertips come away pink. Asta would love this place, she thinks with a shiver, glancing at the puddles of near-black before shuffling closer to the captain in an effort to remain slightly cleaner.
Frowning, Flora's eyes lifted to the cavern where stalagtites descended like wine-stained teeth. [say]"Oh yeah...I'd almost forgotten about those."[/say] There were weeks the queen had seen bloodless ramphire littered around the beaches, though ta the time she'd been too focused on trying to help stockpile supplies and prep Torchline for the war.
Lot of fucking good that had done.
[say]"It was all something to do with Dygra, wasn't it? And the ascended?"[/say] The post-war months were a blur for the Doubletake, who'd found it easier to alienate everyone around her than deal with the death of Enzo. Learning the ins and outs of what had actually transpired hadn't been top of mind for her back then.
RE: no way no how - Jack - 08-05-2024
[say]"Bet he fuckin' would, given the state of you when you got back from here last time,"[/say] Jack mutters, of Asta and what he would LoVe, the captain already drawing back from the pools towards the entrance of the tunnels, where they can enjoy the grotesque view without being at risk of wearing it; or at least where they can clean up, since their clothes and skin are speckled red at this point.
[say]"Most people wanted to forget at the time,"[/say] he says of the bloodless creatures of pre-war Torchline, setting his bag down and rummaging in it for the towel he'd used at Frey's breath. Wiping at his face, arms and neck, he holds it out silently for Flora to use as well. [say]"Mm, so say the rumours,"[/say] he continues, nodding all around them.
[say]"Apparently the Voice made a deal with Dygra to get the Ascended to become Ancients. Imagine she had to wake the old bitch up first, hence..."[/say] Hence this.
RE: no way no how - Flora - 08-05-2024
It shouldn't still catch her off-guard the way Jack is able to comment on her thoughts, and yet her blue eyes widen a fraction with surprise as he does just that. [say]"He did say animals didn't do it for him."[/say] Flora says a touch defensively, though in retrospect that likely wouldn't help Asta's standings in the captain's mind. Not, you know, like it mattered or anything.
Flora's pale wrap, now a hazy pink and speckled with tears of red is likely beyond saving, and so as she accepts the towel from Jack she only wipes at her skin with a mumbled thanks. [say]"Ahh. Well, from what I understand blood is definitely what seems to do it."[/say] Mentally wincing because she hadn't meant it that way, Flora shrugs and adds, [say]"-or fire."[/say]
Wrinkling her nose at the bloody towel, the Doubletake does her best to fold it so that the majority of the stains are on the inside before she hands it back to the captain before surreptitiously eyeing the bottle of rum she knew was still in there. [say]"Did you ever know any of the ascended?"[/say] The slant of her thoughts suggested she meant more than just as an acquaintance. Though
RE: no way no how - Jack - 08-05-2024
[say]"Pretty sure hunger is hunger if it ever gets to that point,"[/say] Jack remarks, though he knows well what she means in terms of doing it for the blood-loving Ancient. The point being, though, that she's still little more than a snack for him (and not even in the fun way, gods Flora). Don't ask him why he gives a fuck, though. He's not going to tell you.
[say]"S'pose it makes sense that the Voice went the blood route, given that the Ascended only had to look at a fire to go up like one,"[/say] he muses, accepting the towel back and slipping it away once more, before straightening up - yes - with the bottle of rum in hand. There are perks, after all, of being a mindreader.
Shifting to sit on one of the rocks that might be considered dry enough to not stain them further with crimson, Jack leaves enough room for Flora to join him and uncorks the rum, taking a generous pull from the bottle. [say]"Few of 'em, actually,"[/say] he says, his job and propensity to lurk in Torchline being what it is. [say]"Mainly Nate, but I met the Wraith once, too."[/say] Claim to fame to meet Wessex Theskyra, and all that. [say]"Ain't that pretty doctor one? Used to be, anyway."[/say] Isla he means, of course.
RE: no way no how - Flora - 08-05-2024
Clearing her throat and certainly not wanting to argue the point with Jack—or even really to think about it too hard lest the few remaining pleasant memories she had of Asta between her thighs were corrupted by images of him devouring both of her legs—Flora just hums a noncommital sound and nods.
[say]"Yeah...yeah that actually makes a lot of sense."[/say] Rather surprised to find herself thinking how smart the captain was, no sooner had the thought burst like a soap bubble in her mind that the queen was holding up a finger and pointing it at him. [say]"Don't."[/say] She warns playfully. [say]"I know you're plenty smart."[/say]
Sitting next to him, gods what was with Jack and his fuckin' rocks, Flora happily accepts the bottle (as he knew she would), also taking a fairly long drink if only to clear thoughts of Asta from her mind and blood from her tongue. [say]"Oh right, of course Nate."[/say] Rolling her eyes for having forgotten such an obvious one, the queen takes another small sip before handing the captain back the bottle.
[say]"Oh? What was she like?"[/say] Flora wonders of his having met Wessex before nudging him with her shoulder. [say]"You know her name."[/say] She might have felt a prickle of jealousy too if she thought there was any world at all where Isla would have slept with the captain, mind reader or no. Not that Flora hadn't made a valiant effort in her own right to try and enact the slumber-party-turned-suddenly-more trope with Isla herself.
RE: no way no how - Jack - 08-05-2024
Jack is already raising his eyebrows and turning to look skeptically at Flora, offence taken clearly written on his face before she's backtracking, and he scoffs at her instead. [say]"Sorry, do you see any benches or hammocks lyin' around to get comfortable on?"[/say] he fires back as well for good measure. No? Rocks it is then, Flora, and he accepts the rum back with another small sip for himself, before settling the bottle between them and sitting back to watch the crash of crimson out at the waterfall (from a safe, not blood-flecked distance, too).
[say]"She was a bitch. I liked her,"[/say] he says easily of Wessex. [say]"Type of woman who'd stand on your balls and tell you that you liked it. Pretty sure she died in the war though, so fat lot of good bein' a badass did her."[/say] As for the pretty doctor Isla, Jack nudges Flora back for that. [say]"Didn't realise usin' her name made her look less good,"[/say] he drawls about the Remedy. [say]"Good luck, though. Straight as an arrow, that one."[/say]
RE: no way no how - Flora - 08-05-2024
[say]"You're just...weirdly picky about it, that's all."[/say] The queen chuckles, finding it actually kind of endearing in a way she's sure Jack will hate. Glaring at the waterfall no doubt the next time it's that time of the month Flora will think back to this particular scene with newfound appreciation, but for the moment, all she can think of is how the smell of iron sours every breath she takes.
[say]'A perfect fit for you, then.'[/say] Flora snorts under her breath. Where Isla and Jack would probably have to end up in some contrived Robinson Carusoe-type setting in order to get together, The Wraith and the Captain? Yeah, Flora could see that just about as clearly as the bottle of rum she was reaching for again. Rolling her eyes at him, she pushes the bottle against her mouth (nudging her lip a little too hard because of the sass she was trying to convey). [say]"Everyone knows she's pretty."[/say] She says with a huff.
[say]"I thought that there was a time right after she and Sunjata broke up when she was staying with me when something might have happened, but.."[/say] Well, it fucking hadn't, had it.
RE: no way no how - Jack - 08-05-2024
It should be noted that Jack does not shove Flora off his weirdly picky rock for that remark. But he absolutely thinks about it, and the thought is evident in his expression as he tilts his head at the Doubletake. Anyway. [say]"Maybe, if Ascended had been able to do anythin' but grind against things and hope for the best - and I wasn't keen on bein' anyone's juice box."[/say] Longterm, anyway. Nate had bitten him once and Jack had started to understand why Sunjata was covered in scars, but it still wasn't for him.
Scoffing and snatching the bottle back for another drink, the good captain jostles his shoulder against Flora's and slowly lowers the bottle. [say]"Just as everyone knows you are, love,"[/say] he fires back. [say]"Don't hold it against her, it makes you look old."[/say] Okay, now he's absolutely teasing her, and it's Jack's turn to start to climb down off his seat before he's pushed.
RE: no way no how - Flora - 08-05-2024
Raising a brow in return and perhaps bracing a little because she'd absolutely expected to be voted off Jack's rock for that comment, Flora shrugs. [say]"Yeah, I guess you had more than just your modesty to protect when it came to them biting you."[/say] There was a room for it, in the Grounds once upon a time, wasn't there? But then, for all the things Jack was and the various people he'd fucked all over Caido, Flora doubted if he'd take himself all the way across the world just for a fuck. Especially if it was somewhere the Ark formerly couldn't have done.
Speaking of...[say]"So when are we going to see Safrin?"[/say] He'd wanted the Ark to be able to fly during the day, right?
[say]"All the more reason to use our names so that all of us pretty ones don't get mixed up with one another."[/say] Nudging him back just because, she'd grown up with brothers, after all, Flora widens her eyes as her mind starbursts with neon bright colours at the hypocritical logic of that particular insult. [say]"You're the old one!"[/say] She trills playfully as if he might not have noticed, and had he not already been scrambling away, absolutely Flora would have pushed him off.
Holding the bottle against her chest, the queen shimmies herself onto the centre of the stone and crosses her legs in order to bar the captain from rejoining her.
RE: no way no how - Jack - 08-05-2024
[say]"As you say,"[/say] Jack drawls, already having slid back to the ground to brush himself off, even if he's still as red-speckled as he'll likely be when they leave The Mountain's Roar. He raises an eyebrow, honestly surprised to hear her speak of their prior agreement, especially considering how steadfast her thoughts had been about him the last time they'd considered it. (AKA, DahliaGate). [say]"Whenever you've got room in your little black book,"[/say] he says imperiously, as if it makes no difference to him. (Add some more neon lights of hypocrisy around the captain for good measure).
Beginning to stroll further out and around the crimson pool surrounding the waterfall, Jack of course takes all the protection of his wind and water with him, leaving Flora to be subject to more sprays of blood unless she comes to join him. [say]"You know,"[/say] he's saying, tilting his head and trying to squint behind the waterfall, [say]"as secret places go, that might be a good one to consider for the guild."[/say]
RE: no way no how - Flora - 08-05-2024
[say]"Day after we get back?"[/say] Flora offers, assuming there'd be things that needed the captain's attention after having been away in the Climb.
Watching him stroll around, for the moment the queen is more interested in the way the rum is making her fingertips and toes start to sparkle with phantom sensations that suggest she ought to either eat something or stop drinking. Only when she notices that the spray from the Roar is once again beading against her skin does she pause, reaching for the towel and balling herself up tightly in order to sit beneath it, rather than trotting along after the captain.
[say]"Oh yeah? What, like in the rock face?"[/say] Turning to look over her shoulder, the queen reaches out to tap at the cavern walls trying to gauge how thick they might be and just how much of a hassle it would be to try and leave a cache here. [say]"Oooh, or maybe behind the waterfall."[/say] It's a joke, and if the teasing tone of her voice somehow doesn't reach the captain, the shimmery nature of her thoughts will.