[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/FaCzAxe.png[/img]     [img]https://i.imgur.com/1Hvat1r.png[/img][/center]
[right][b]Interactions[/b]: Edict [@AtomicEmperor], also her brother
[code]The Harbour, Ferry Docks[/code][/right][hr]
With Sloane out of sight, Linqian pulled the cigarette butt out of her mouth and dropped it on the ground. She stomped on it much more aggressively than normal. As she finished destroying what little remained of her cigarette she caught sight of Edict, immediately regretting it when her eyes were assaulted by some of the flashiest clothing she’d ever seen. Very funny, dressing up as an exaggerated gangster. She almost regretted suggesting they go together. Doubly so when she was assaulted by the most grating accent. Fuck.

[color=CD5C5C]”Huh?”[/color] Linqian narrowed her eyes and shifted right into Edict's personal space, practically leaning against him to look at his phone... And was assaulted by the image of Leon dressed like a fucking grandma werewolf. Had her eyes not suffered enough?! She wished she'd worn another outfit. Maybe she should just rip up her cloak, tie it around her head and pretend she’d been dressed as a pirate all along. 

Unfortunately she didn’t get a chance to say she wasn’t purposefully matching Leon, because Edict noticed that something was up. Of course. She knew he hadn't poked, because she would've felt it, and she hadn't had enough time to collect herself after Sloane left. It wasn't like after an argument when she could just brush it aside, anger forgotten nearly as quickly as it had appeared. 

[color=CD5C5C]”Had to talk to fucking Sloane,”[/color] Linqian scowled. She was tempted to snatch his cigar, just for a drag or two before giving it back. No, she was going to quit, and smoking something fancier wouldn't help with that. Her gaze lingered on his cigar (or it could have been his lips, it would be difficult to tell) for a few moments before sliding away and towards the harbour. There was also the temptation to suggest they just skip the festival and have a repeat of last week- but no. She'd gone through all this effort, and she was going to have a good fucking time. [color=CD5C5C]”She was a condescending bitch like normal, and said some shitty stuff about my little brother.”[/color]

It was partly the truth - what Sloane had said about Henri having nobody left if Linqian was killed still played on her mind. She wasn't going to get into how she'd accepted money from Sloane for a funeral she couldn't afford herself. All the feelings that came with it were too much. Would it be nice to offload some of it onto Edict? Sure. Did she actually want to talk about this with anyone? No. She'd already shared the fact Jinhai wasn't buried yet it with too many people.

[color=CD5C5C]”She talked a whole bunch of shit about taking responsibility as if I haven't been doing that my entire life. Yeah I get it, Jinhai was perfect and everyone liked him, I'm not, as if he could've made it through his fucking degree without me working my ass off to keep a roof over his head. My lack of money is [i]all[/i] my fault. I'd like to see her try to support a family of three without a high school degree.”[/color]

Just ranting about the surface level irritations that covered the deeply buried issues helped to clear her mind. The emotionless veil across her eyes faded, fiery spark that was typical of her returning. The strange, numb state she'd gone into to deal with Sloane and everything to do with Jinhai's funeral was gone. She really didn't want to dwell on it.

[color=CD5C5C]”I'm fine. Not gonna let it ruin my night... It's just started, after all. I heard things get a lot more exciting after dark.”[/color] One corner of her lips twitched up towards a half smile, and her eyebrows rose up and down a couple of times. She hadn't actually been since she was younger, but the rumours were abundant. It was exactly what she needed. Hopefully Sully was around so she didn't have to buy any booze after she got through the cans she'd taken from work. [color=CD5C5C]Thinking about it, might as well crack open one now.[/color] She twisted round to access her bag, pulling out two random cans from inside. 

[color=CD5C5C]”Want one?”[/color] she held out the Stella she’d luckily pulled out, remembering it was what he’d ordered at the bar last night. If he didn’t take it she’d put it back in her bag before opening her own can of bud light. [color=CD5C5C]”I stole them from work.”[/color]

Her phone buzzed in her skirt pocket and she fished it out with one hand to check. She didn't seem all that bothered that she was close enough to Edict for him to see her phone screen if he so much as glanced over - she didn't have much to hide, and her phone language was set to Chinese anyway. Her lock screen revealed a picture of her and her brothers - Henri standing in the middle in a highschool graduation gown, laughing while Linqian rolled her eyes at him and Jinhai smirked over at her. The buzz was just a text from her brother asking if he could have one drink before he left, cause Andre wouldn't allow it unless she gave permission. She snorted, typing a quick yes in English. Then she swiped to her Chinese keyboard and typed out a bit more. As she replied another notification popped up on her phone - the guy she'd hooked up with on Saturday asking if she was going to the festival with an obnoxious winking emoji. She rolled her eyes and just straight up blocked him. 

Her general rule was to never see the people she slept with again... With very few exceptions. 

She shoved her phone back in her pocket, returning her attention to Edict. She pretended that she was only just getting a chance to properly look at his outfit, stepping back and looking him up and down. Once again she felt assaulted by... Everything. The fedora was the worst. It was a literal crime against humanity, and most importantly her eyes. Hopefully a gust of wind would mysteriously blow it off his head. And she didn't even want to consider what was in the guitar case. She highly doubted it was actually a guitar. She'd just ignore it. 

[color=CD5C5C]"You look… incredibly gaudy. What the fuck? What made you think this was a good costume? Fuck, I thought with all your money you might dress up as something classier! You could’ve bought some kinda brand name costume or something, I don’t know.”[/color] Linqian said mockingly, lips curving up into a teasing smile. The clothes he was wearing probably [i]were[/i] brand name, but that didn’t make it look any better. [color=CD5C5C]Let's get going so we look less fucking out of place."[/color] 

She gestured towards the now docked ferry. As much as she didn't want to bump into Sloane on it, it was stupid to wait around another half an hour or so for the next one. [color=CD5C5C]”We can probably make this one if we cut the queue.”[/color]
[hr][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/QIUSezo.png[/img]     [img]https://i.imgur.com/ycOCuCr.png[/img][/center]
 [right][b]Interactions:[/b] Emily [@Punished GN], Lila[@NoriWasHere]
[code]Drink Line, The Halloween Festival[/code][/right][hr]
Emily started crying, and it was shocking enough for Luca to lose sight of the situation and just stare in shock for a moment. In that time Lila moved around him and... Shit. He had to get in between them again. He didn't have time to acknowledge Stormy with more than a nod.

Wincing, he pushed his way back in between Lila and Emily. He was close enough to them both now to feel the rotting aura, a lightly prickling pain that would grow the longer he was near them. He couldn’t keep the decaying touch of his skin under control, either, gloves on his hands starting to fray along with his socks where they touched his knees. Where he stood Lila would have to push him out of the way to get to Emily - he hoped she wouldn’t do that.

Emily wasn’t entirely lying. Lila [i]had[/i] hit her. Was it unjustified? Probably not. Luca didn’t know what had led to this but he trusted Lila. And he couldn’t just ignore what Emily was saying.

[color=6B8E23]”Do you think I can just forget?”[/color] Luca asked. Emily [i]knew[/i] what the rot was doing to him. If she'd cared, she wouldn't have changed their direction from learning to plundering. At the start they'd been making progress, then it all stopped. [color=6B8E23]”I destroy everything I touch. Britney made my life a living hell. You know exactly what happened. I told you when I left.”[/color]

He grimaced. Every word she said stabbed into him, deeper and deeper, twisting guilt and anger into his heart. He did feel bad about leaving 8th Street. He’d cared about them. He still cared about them. But he was also angry that Emily had taken that away from him. 8th Street had been his home for years. He just couldn’t hurt people like that. His own twistedly positive morality had caused him to abandon them. 

[color=6B8E23]”People like us?”[/color] Luca's voice shook, growing hoarser. Flecks of rotting green swirling around his eyes as they focused on Emily. The normal Luca wouldn't react like this - he'd brush it off with a laugh, and say that it wasn't so bad for him. But the Rot had pushed its festering tendrils through the cracks, burrowing in and corroding his thoughts. His sanity was unravelling and he struggled to gather the loose strings held together by his crumbling optimism. [color=6B8E23]”You chose to stay attached to Babylon. Vashti sealed hers. Only Carol and I are still living with the consequences of it, and what have you done to help either of us? Why is Carol still living with that after ten years?! Why the fuck are you spending more time plundering than helping her?!”[/color]

[color=F0E68C][i]If only you would stop being such a coward. Kill her, then the other one that hurt you. It would be easier.[/i][/color] 

[color=6B8E23]”We [i]were[/i] in this together! I didn't want to leave 8th Street! But you wouldn't listen when I asked you to stop making everyone go around stealing and hurting people.”[/color] Luca shook his head, arms trembling at his side. It was like all the rottenness inside of him was threatening to burst out and he could barely suppress it. Everything Emily said increased the guilt he’d pretended wasn’t there. He didn’t care about her, he couldn’t give less of a fuck about her, but the others? Carol, who he still saw as a friend? She was right. After everything Britney had done, why was he in a group that had allowed her back? Why? [color=6B8E23]”I loved 8th Street, and I'd still help most of them in a heartbeat. But not you- fuck, Lila’s my friend. She’s not Britney… And honestly, Emily? You’re just as bad as her.”[/color]

There was something unnatural in his eyes when he narrowed them at her, putrid yellow almost equal to dark brown. Emily had unknowingly struck his weak point, forming a crack in his already fragile walls. [color=#6B8E23]"I[/color][color=#6F9126]'[/color][color=#74942A]m[/color] [color=#7E9A32]o[/color][color=#829D35]n[/color][color=#87A039]l[/color][color=#8CA33D]y[/color] [color=#95AA44]h[/color][color=#9AAD48]o[/color][color=#9FB04C]l[/color][color=#A4B350]d[/color][color=#A8B653]i[/color][color=#ADB957]n[/color][color=#B2BD5B]g[/color] [color=#BBC362]b[/color][color=#C0C666]a[/color][color=#C5C96A]c[/color][color=#CACC6E]k[/color] [color=#D3D375]b[/color][color=#D8D679]e[/color][color=#DDD97D]c[/color][color=#E1DC80]a[/color][color=#E6DF84]u[/color][color=#EBE288]s[/color][color=#F0E58C]e[/color] [color=#E6DF84]o[/color][color=#E1DC80]f[/color] [color=#D8D679]C[/color][color=#D3D375]a[/color][color=#CECF71]r[/color][color=#CACC6E]o[/color][color=#C5C96A]l[/color] [color=#BBC362]a[/color][color=#B7C05F]n[/color][color=#B2BD5B]d[/color] [color=#A8B653]y[/color][color=#A4B350]o[/color][color=#9FB04C]u[/color][color=#9AAD48]r[/color] [color=#91A741]s[/color][color=#8CA33D]i[/color][color=#87A039]s[/color][color=#829D35]t[/color][color=#7E9A32]e[/color][color=#79972E]r[/color][color=#74942A]s[/color][color=#6F9126]."[/color]

Over Emily’s shoulder he caught sight of Jasper, who’d caught up and pulled out his paintbrush. His heart jolted. It was enough to shake him out of [i]whatever[/i] that had been and bring him a little bit closer to being himself. He turned back to look at Lila, yellow and green retreating from his eyes as tears pooled in the corner of them. His lips pulling up into a pleading smile.  [color=6B8E23]”Please don’t hit her again, Lila. Let’s not take this any further.”[/color]
[hr][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/XiUHyUc.png[/img]     [img]https://i.imgur.com/K7gWNb1.png[/img][/center]
[right][b]Interactions:[/b] Jack [@Blizz] & Sloane [@Atrophy]
[code]Cracker Island, Halloween Festival[/code][/right][hr]
Anya wasn’t too bothered by having to wait. In the time she’d been standing around she managed to sell good dream stones to unwitting tourists who seemed terrified at the most basic of ghost costumes. She’d talked up the local legends to them before selling her wares and business. Another few cards had been given out to people more into the whole halloween thing - blinds with a bit too much of an interest in the occult. It would only end badly for them, but Anya didn’t care as long as she made some money from it.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she checked it. A text from Jack. She gave it a cursory scan and didn’t bother replying. He would be back in a few minutes anyway. 

Just like he said, he was back after doing the rounds to make sure no one was killing each other or themselves. 

[color=9966CC]”They are? Colour me surprised.”[/color] Anya raised an eyebrow, surprised that Sloane and Linqian could be near each other without devolving into attempted murder, nevermind a conversation. Of course, Jinhai’s parasite often came for her too but Anya rarely gave her the pleasure of a response. She wondered what they could be talking about to not be fighting. Were her talks with Sloane about how cold politeness was another weapon working?

She quite frankly didn't care if Emily and Lila were fighting. It was on them if they caused a mess and she wasn't inclined to clean it up. But she had to keep up the pretence that she did, in fact, care. Her lips twitching up into a pretend smile as if she too was pleased with what Jack had done. She actually didn’t think it was all that impressive, in fact she thought it was incredibly childish, but she did a [i]very[/i] good job at faking it. Jack would have to be a pink lux user to know otherwise. [color=9966CC]”If you think the situation is under control, I’m sure it will be fine. If there’s one thing Emily dislikes, it’s looking bad in front of other people.”[/color]

She was about to say they should wait for Sloane when the woman herself appeared - in an incredible rush. It didn’t take a Sloane expression reading genius like Anya to tell that she’d been upset by something. Linqian? Someone else she’d seen? Anya wasn’t going to press until they were a safe distance away from whatever it was. 

[color=9966CC]”Yes, let’s get a drink,”[/color] Anya smiled, quickly glancing over Sloane’s face to make sure there was no burn mark on it. Thankfully not. [color=9966CC]”Somewhere with higher quality alcohol sounds perfect. We won’t have to risk running into our peers while discussing anything we might not want them to know.”[/color]

And there were things she wanted to discuss with them both after her meeting with the worst PRA agent to ever exist. Though tonight might not be the right time, and she certainly couldn’t do it sober. A few drinks were in order before she considered sharing a single detail of that harrowing night. 

[color=9966CC]”Well, if you’re offering to get the first round, I won’t decline.”[/color] Anya’s lips curved up into a more genuine smile, though there was a hint of concern in her gaze as she glanced over Sloane. Still, no sense asking now. Sloane would tell them if she wanted to when they got to the private party. Anya turned to Jack. [color=9966CC]”Let’s get somewhere more hidden, and you can teleport us there. It’s easier than making our way through the crowd.”[/color]

Anya didn’t wait for Jack’s response, assuming he would be happy to offer his teleportation services again, before leading them both over to a slightly more secluded, shadowed spot.