From being an Abandoned who had rarely left the Hollowed Grounds, to embracing the call of adventure, to dying and being reborn first as an Ascended and then as an Ancient, Maea has gone through quite the amount of changes in her life. One thing remains common, though, in her attempts to find out just where she belongs; she’s always had a craving for knowledge which has brought her to so many places and to meet so many people here in Caido. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for her!
Congratulations, Maea!
Credits
Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
Skinning and hosting by the epically talented Kaons, and functionality fanciness by the coding magic of Neowulf. If you ever see either of them around, make sure to show them some love!
Champagne, cocaine, gasoline and most things in between
New year, new Mateo. New year, new Mateo. It's the same mantra after every NYE blowout, roaming the city streets amid the smell of fireworks and the taste of copper on the back of his tongue. But this is the first time he's actually done something about it, rather than just sticking brightly coloured post-its and buying a load of smoothie ingredients. Maybe it was the near-miss from just before Christmas, or maybe it's the thought of getting into shape before going to Italy.
Either way, it's day three of his hangover, day three of sobriety, and Mateo mewls out a protest as his coffee is replaced with a bottle of water. Squinting under the lights of the locker room, he hasn't brought a change of clothes (because if he had, he'd need at least two lockers to himself, let's be real).
So he waits for Ever to get himself ready in his Juicy Couture sweatpants, a pair of sneakers that he's never worn inside a gym before, and a black mesh tanktop. Oh, and those leather fingerless gloves for lifting weights, because that's what they do in the gym, right?
"I don't want a personal trainer, I want to go to bed," he mumbles around a sip of water. "Can I just follow your workout?" How hard can it be?
I roam the city in a shopping cart a pack of Camels and a smoke alarm
Giving his roommate a speculative look as Mateo takes the water bottle, anticipating that at any moment, the florist might try and slip something inside. When there are only complaints, Ever sighs with relief and begins lacing up a pair of beat-up sneakers that look like they've seen much better days. "Sure, if that's what you want to do." The paramedic agrees, offering no warnings or advice. Mateo could make his own decisions, but more than that, Ever just wasn't the sort of man who tried to impose his own advice onto each and every situation.
"Ready?" With his wireless earbuds hanging around his neck and his phone in his pocket, Ever locks their locker and thinks absolutely nothing at all about his friend's choice of clothing.
"I normally start with a light 2-mile jog to warm up. Unless you'd prefer we start with stretching and weights." Ever explains, pushing open the double set of doors that lead into the gym at large. Directly in front of them is a small herd of cardio equipment with various televisions on the walls. To their left is the weight-area, behind which is the strengthening and stretching mats.
even if i had to lose you to know you, i'd still be that temporary phase that you grow through
Champagne, cocaine, gasoline and most things in between
Mateo wants to be eating waffles in his pajamas and enjoying a jazz playlist on Spotify before his shift, but he's here instead so... sure. Making a sound that's something like a grumble but also a little bit like a sob, Mateo has neither phone nor earbuds as he slouches after Everest and into the very bright, very air-conditioned gym. Wrinkling his nose, he spends a moment of consideration while scooping his curls up and into the effortless sort of man-bun that belongs to artistes and baristas.
"Let's do a light jog," he agrees, approaching the treadmill like it might attempt to kill him. "I can lay around on the mats again after. I might need it..." Plonking his water bottle into the holder on his chosen machine, Mateo steps up onto it and tilts his head at the array of settings, taking particular note of the Big Red Button to make it stop.
"Ooooh, they're playing the telenovela I like," he chimes, already watching the TV and its subtitles rather than the treadmill, which he's pressed a bunch of things on to get it moving. And look Ever, he's walking! He's doing it!
I roam the city in a shopping cart a pack of Camels and a smoke alarm
Glancing over his shoulder, Ever neither offers platitudes nor encouragement, but merely gives his friend a nod. With his earbuds in place and his playlist selected—Ever's workout is practically choreographed at this point—the paramedic does briefly consider mentioning that Mateo has selected one of those "walk such and such a path in Italy!" exercises, that undoubtedly offers all sorts of strange incline options. Instead, he cues up his music and focuses his eyes on a poster on the bulletin board ahead of them, and not on the various tramp stamps or brightly coloured bra straps on offer ahead of him.
Beginning his jog, Ever moves like he's a machine; not because he's particularly athletic, but because he's expressionless and efficient. His BPM of his music perfectly matches the pace he's running at (this isn't an accident), and though he's never experienced any sort of runner's high, he does find it easy to just let his mind slip away into nothingness as his feet pound the spinning track below.
even if i had to lose you to know you, i'd still be that temporary phase that you grow through
Champagne, cocaine, gasoline and most things in between
If Mateo were the type to compare himself to others or feel insecure (he is not) he might have turned green with envy at the sight of Ever's perfectly executed workout. His jealousy might have also extended to the several pairs of eyes on the paramedic, from men and women both, who have not expected such a treat at this time in the morning. Alas, he's busy sighing under his breath (Consuela, noooo) and enjoying his stroll through the Italian countryside, which decides to send him up a mountain at random.
It's at that point that he absolutely decides fuck this, watches another ten minutes of his show while standing on the side rail and sipping water, then forgets he's on a treadmill when he tries to step off. It sends him gliding smoothly into the back of another gym bunny, and oops now it's just flirting. By the time Ever's finished jogging, he's adding the bunny's number into his phone and assuring her that he does, in fact, have a doodle of a sailboat tattooed on his left ass cheek.
I roam the city in a shopping cart a pack of Camels and a smoke alarm
So in the zone is Everest that he doesn't even notice as Mateo goes flying off the end of his treadmill. There's only the rhythmic sound of his music and feet, and the orange poster on the bulletin board that he's been memorizing. Only once he's done does Ever take a drink, and it's only as he goes for a bottle of disinfectant that he notices Mateo isn't next to him anymore. Glancing around and finding Mateo deep in conversation, the paramedic shrugs and cleans off both of their machines before awkwardly looming behind his friend.
"Would you like to try the rowing machine? It works lots of muscle groups at once." He suggests, nodding towards the vaguely boat-looking machines, two of which are being used by a pair of very-intense-looking blondes.
even if i had to lose you to know you, i'd still be that temporary phase that you grow through
Champagne, cocaine, gasoline and most things in between
Sending the bunny on her way with his warmest regards and a purr of something in Italian, Mateo almost steps back into Everest as he finds his friend looming in that way that he does. "Two miles isn't so difficult!" He grins, despite that he's actually managed perhaps 0.3 miles in his time on the treadmill. "A rowing machine? Oh, could we get one of those duck peddle boats and sail around Central Park on your next weekend off?"
All of this is to say that yes, he will go on the rowing machine, Mateo sitting himself down next to one intense blonde and paying close attention to her how the machine works as he sits his feet in the stirrups. "So we just... start rowing?" he asks, ending up sliding back and forth without actually pulling the handles of the machine, because Ever, this seems like a lot of work.
"This seems a lot like a weird one night stand I had once."
I roam the city in a shopping cart a pack of Camels and a smoke alarm
"In...stead of the rowing machine?" Ever wants to know, blinking hard to try and understand the grammar of his friend's question. Luckily the fact that Mateo sets off toward the machine is answer enough (so he thinks), and it's with a polite nod to one of the blondes (who looks at him with a scowl). "You need to set the resistance, here—" Ever says quietly (he's paused his music, which has fingernails scratching at the back of his brain, but never mind). For reference, the women next to them are at a 7.
As he mentions a one-night-stand, both women turn to look, glancing from Mateo's choice of attire to his man-bun, down to his nipples, and then to his brand new shoes. Whether they're interested in him or simply want to see him fail is not something Ever notices as he tries to subtly adjust his friend's grip.
even if i had to lose you to know you, i'd still be that temporary phase that you grow through
Champagne, cocaine, gasoline and most things in between
"Noooo, just in general. I'll serenade you and pretend as though we're already sailing along the Venice canals." Mateo says with a romantic sort of sigh (because I just decided this second he's from Venice). He stops as though he and the machine are broken as Ever reaches across, trusting the other man a lot more than himself when it comes to this sort of thing, and as he chooses a resistance - 3 seems challenging, he'll go for that - he also notices their blonde companions.
"Come here often?" he greets, all warm Italian lilting with a paramedic's hands covering his own. "Okay, okay. Let's try again," he says, nodding gratefully to Ever and this time succeeding in actually rowing. In fact - as will become apparent in future mornings at the gym, and perhaps because it is definitely similar to a weird one night stand - Mateo is quite good at working out on the rowing machine.
The only problem is that he doesn't appear to know how to stop. "Ever, help," he pleads after he's been going for some time, and all those muscle groups his roommate was talking about are screaming at him at once.
I roam the city in a shopping cart a pack of Camels and a smoke alarm
'Oh I see. Well in that case I suppose I should be practicing this, and you should be practicing singing.' Ever replies in an incredibly serious voice, despite the fact that this is his attempt at humour.
One of the women scowls and replies with a yeah. we do, before adjusting the strap of her incredibly tight sportsbra. Her companion seems much more charmed by Mateo, smiling at him and raising one of his shoulders in greeting (given that her hands are otherwise occupied). Stepping back as Mateo gets to it, surprising probably everyone with eyes on the Italian, that he's quite good at this. With a frown of approval, Ever folds his arms across his chest. Just as he's going to get the disinfectant, he hears Mateo's plea which of course stops him dead in his tracks.
"Wait, your name is Ever?" One of the women want to know. The other glances at Mateo, taking the opportunity to ask "-what's your name?", as the paramedic turns. "Everest." He corrects. "Oh. Like that ship that got stuck and nearly fucked up Christmas." The harsher blonde says, watching as Ever hits the pause button on Mateo's machine.
even if i had to lose you to know you, i'd still be that temporary phase that you grow through
Champagne, cocaine, gasoline and most things in between
"My name is please help me to stop rowing," Mateo all but begs his friend, despite the fact that it's his own momentum keeping it up. Still, as Ever presses pause on the timer that seems to switch something off in the florist's brain, and he slows to a halt and tries to catch his breath. "Thank youuuu..." He chugs back most of his water and finally seems to pay attention to the blondes once more, turning to raise an eyebrow.
"No, like the mountain," he corrects with a smile that one could cut themselves on. "I'm Mateo. You can have our names for free, but anything else is going to cost you. We're on a tight schedule." His sass would be a lot more impressive if he didn't nearly have to crawl away from the machine. "Can we stretch now? I might die."
I roam the city in a shopping cart a pack of Camels and a smoke alarm
One blonde giggles pleasantly, utterly fascinated by Mateo's accent which has her forgiving his strange fashion choices. The other narrows her eyes at the florist and probably imagines squeezing his head between her thighs until he pops like a grape. Whispering something that sounds vaguely like, that must be the boy equivalent of being named April, the harsher of the two ups her resistance to 10 while maintaining steady eye contact.
"We...err.." Ever stammers, recognizing the tension in the air but not understanding where it had come from. "Sure." He could fit in another proper workout later. It was his fault for thinking that Mateo's first gym session would be anything other than exactly what it was.
"Tight anywhere?" He asks conversationally as they reach the mats. Before sitting Ever of course cleans the surface thoroughly.
even if i had to lose you to know you, i'd still be that temporary phase that you grow through
Champagne, cocaine, gasoline and most things in between
"Scommetto che ti chiami Frida. La versione femminile di cagna congelata," Mateo grumbles under his breath as they leave the blondes to their rowing, and he also maintains steady eye contact with Frida as he limps swaggers away to the mats. "You did not fuck up Christmas," he tells Ever as he plops himself down onto the mat without so much as looking at the disinfectant. "I had a great Christmas with you."
Honestly Mateo feels like he's been hit by a steam engine, and he'd probably benefit from a few sessions of sports massage to even know which muscles feel tight. But here they are, and so he flumps down into child's pose (from yoga - because he does know that one). "My neck, my back, my... you know the words," he mumbles into the mat.
I roam the city in a shopping cart a pack of Camels and a smoke alarm
Mary inhales with awe as Mateo rants in Italian while Frida looks smugly victorious. "I...am glad to hear it." Ever mumbles, sounding confused and a bit relieved, feeling as though he'd narrowly avoided some strange altercation. Softening considerably (which for Ever meant the tension melted from his usually-creased forehead and his eyebrows settled somewhat), he nods. "I did too." He agrees warmly, before kneeling onto the mat.
'Oh, that's quite good.' Ever says of Mateo's child's pose. The paramedic quite likes yoga, if only because the positions are the same order every time such that he always knows what to expect. Patting Mateo on the lower back (as both encouragement to keep going and also a reminder that he should be trying to stretch out his back a little more if he could), Ever places his feet together and lets his knees slowly descend towards the mat. It's quite the display of flexibility, and by the time he's done his knees are nearly entirely on the ground and his chest is pressed against his feet.
even if i had to lose you to know you, i'd still be that temporary phase that you grow through
