Baphomini

The Seven

@Autumn Moon No worries! Life be life-ing and it should always come first! Take care!!

𓆣 ☢ Middle Man ☢ 𓆣

Li couldn't help but match King Stag's jovial mood as a smile graced his face and he gave a light laugh, "Wow..." he breathed, "That's...actually a lot cooler than just having a command over bugs..." it was the first non-professional thing he'd said, and he regretted it the moment it came out, but, well, it was out, and there wasn't really much he could do to change it.

Refocusing, he glanced back at his notes and looked for the next question he had originally planned, "What uh... What are your biggest challenges as a hero?" he asked, then added as an after thought, "E-Especially an official, League of Conduct hero employed by the DNCC? Is it anything you were able to do as a freelance vigilante that you can't do now with the LoC?" That last bit...definitely wasn't planned. Of course it wasn't planned. It was a direct attack at not just the most famous, officially sanctioned, Heroes League in the entire country, let alone their little county of Washtenaw, but also an attack at the DNCC itself. He...really shouldn't be letting on how he felt about an entire government body, but uh...too late!

The Seven

@amorphical That's totally fine! Do take care ^-^

@BamfinatorIt looks like Temperance just opened up, and we've yet to hear back from the one who claimed Chastity <-<

@Autumn Moon This is your last poke...are you still in?

The Seven

Alek the Tender Callous

Aleksei Kovalyov

› ⋇ ❈ ⋇ ‹

"Ruthlessness, violence, suffering—
these are the twisted seeds from which mercy blooms.

When man inflicts pain...
rips away hope...
leaves another broken and bleeding...
then there may come a moment of grace.

A hand extended in compassion...
a soothing word...
a ray of light in the abyss...
This is mercy."

› ⋇ ❈ ⋇ ‹

✚ BASICS ✚

⥼ AGE and BIRTHDAY ⥽
28 prior to Slumber ─ November 5th

⥼ IDENTITY ⥽
M ─ Cis Man ─ He/Him

⥼ STATISTICS ⥽
6’2” ─ 174 lbs ─ O-

✚ APPEARANCE ✚

Aleksei's most striking feature is his wild, curly white hair that cascades in an unruly mane around his slender face. Though rare, his albinism gifts him with the ethereal appearance of a prince stepped out of a fairytale, from the snowy crown atop his head to the soft blue of his eyes. Those eyes, so pale they verge on violet when the light catches them just so, are framed by long white lashes and fine arched brows. Their cool color contrasts beautifully with the warm undertone of his skin and the rubicund flushing of his cheeks. His face is all gentle curves - a soft jaw, round cheeks, and a pert upturned nose combine to give him a sweet, almost cherubic look. This innocence is complemented by his near-constant crooked smile, charming in its lopsidedness. Though his resting expression trends toward cheer, it can morph into a dark scowl when irritation takes hold of his gentle spirit. The decades spent in slumber have made such soured moods more frequent. Still, Aleksei's handsome smile returns swiftly, lighting up his face and creasing the fine laugh lines that have accumulated at the corners of those striking eyes. His height, just above average, complements his slender build. Wiry muscles, honed from years of knightly training, ripple subtly under his fair skin. Though less bulky than some warriors, he possesses a quiet strength and graceful poise.

✚ PERSONALITY ✚

Insightful ─ Tempered ─ Passionate ⤄ Egotistical ─ Vengeful ─ Sadistic

Once upon a time, Aleksei was a genuinely kind and gentle man, radiating warmth and compassion to all he encountered. In his youth, he was known for his passionate friendliness, eagerly striking up conversations with strangers and acquaintances alike. Aleksei performed acts of service constantly, gladly giving his time, money, or possessions to those in need without expecting anything in return. He held a deep empathy for others, intuitively understanding people's troubles and motivations. Aleksei's generosity knew no bounds - he would forfeit all his worldly goods if it meant aiding another soul.

However, after decades trapped in an enchanted slumber, Aleksei awakened as a twisted, corrupted version of his former self. His warped psyche interprets kindness through a lens of egotism and self-interest. Now, Aleksei's so-called selfless acts serve to stroke his ego and feed his inflated sense of self-importance. He views his superficial generosity as concrete evidence of his greatness, pointing to his supposed sacrifices as justification that he deserves glory and praise. Aleksei no longer performs true acts of service, instead delegating tasks he deems beneath him to others while taking credit for their deeds. His empathy has become a tool for manipulation - he uses his intuitive understanding of others to trick and deceive them into serving his wishes. Where he once freely gave, Aleksei now makes uneven trades and deals, offering his power in exchange for people's possessions, freedom, or very lives if it suits him. This corrupted man is but a dark parody of his once kind self - he abuses the image of benevolence for personal gain, growing enraged if his "kindness" goes unacknowledged and vindictively attacking those who fail to thank him.

⥼ ORIENTATION ⥽
Homosexual ─ Panromantic

⥼ LIKES ⥽
Good Company ─ Cold weather, specifically rain ─ A game of Durak ─ Sweet, plum wine

⥼ DISLIKES ⥽
Solitude ─ Hot weather ─ Sitting still and having nothing to do ─ Stouty ale

⥼ THEME SONGS ⥽
“Revolution” ─ The Score

✚ STRENGTHS ✚

⥼ FOCUS CORE ⥽
Soul, minoring in Shape

⥼ APPLICATIONS ⥽
Aleksei wields the elemental forces of Soul and Shape with cunning mastery, cloaking his cruelty in false generosity. With a smile, he raises walls of earth to shelter the downtrodden, only to leave them trapped and abandoned. He conjures flames to warm the cold, letting them grow until they consume all in their path. Aleksei's gifts appear kind, but breed suffering.

His power over fire and earth allows sinister creativity. With penetrating heat, Aleksei mimics the forging of diamonds, focusing scorching flames through dense minerals. Yet at any moment, he can turn this searing force upon his enemies, blinding them with blistering light. The very ground obeys Aleksei's whims, opening sinkholes and pits beneath the feet of those who displease him. Or he can compress soil and stone into nigh-impenetrable barriers, encaging any who dare defy him.

Aleksei makes the earth's bounty an instrument of manipulation, commanding vines to constrict and roots to spread at this command. His fiery power mutates the natural world, breeding new species of flora to serve his wishes. With but a thought, Aleksei can generate hybrid plants or inflict potent effects upon the environment.

In Aleksei's hands, the fundamental elements of Soul and Shape become tools of covert cruelty, masked by the guise of generosity. His imagination in combining them seems endless, as does the suffering he casually inflicts upon those foolish enough to trust his false benevolence. For behind Aleksei's kindly facade lurks only a desire for narcissistic gain, no matter the cost.

⥼ SIGNATURE SPELLS ⥽
The Precious Blade ─ The most iconic of his talents, The Precious Blade, showcases Aleksei's deftness at fusing the fiery Heat of Soul with the earthen Density of Shape. Calling upon these forces, he can summon gemstones such as rubies, sapphires, and diamonds from the ether, morphing them into elegantly wrought blades balanced to lethal perfection. Though Aleksei's power enables him to craft any manner of swords or daggers, when pressed for time, he defaults to conjuring spikes and spires which require less finesse yet remain deadly implements. The glinting crystals he summons are as beautiful as they are dangerous, singing with the harmonious union of earth and fire.

Blessing of the Sun ─ Another fearsome ability as iconic as his Precious Blade is that of Blessing of the Sun, combining the searing Glow of Soul with Aleksei's gem-shaping skills. Through this synthesis, he forms crystal lenses able to concentrate sunlight into blistering beams. By carefully modulating the lenses' curvature, the resultant rays can either gently warm or melt solid rock, such is their intensity. With but a thought, Aleksei can focus the sun's might into a weapon as potent as any blade.

Healing Soul ─ In counterpoint to his destructive abilities, Aleksei has also cultivated restorative powers. His Healing Soul technique draws on the Spark and Heat of Soul to invigorate the body's own healing processes. Through an ignition of one's inner fire, Aleksei can rapidly mend wounds and regenerate damaged cells. While less flashy than his combat skills, this power highlights Aleksei's versatility through his command of Soul's life-giving aspects.

Shepherd of Darkness ─ Finally, developed during his fifty-year slumber through the guidance of Daemonium, Aleksei's Shepherd of Darkness shows his mastery of all four elements in harmonious conjunction. Combining the earthy Bloom of Shape, the watery Birth of Blood, the airy Freedom of Breath, and the fiery Passion of Soul, this ability permits Aleksei to control all lifeforms through hypnotic movements. Flora bends to his will and fauna heed his call as Aleksei conducts nature's myriad voices like a somber symphony. Though lacking the raw devastation of his other skills, this subtle power evidences Aleksei's deep connection to the forces underlying creation.

⥼ RINCI the MERCIFUL ⥽
This delicate key, once known to embody the Buddhist principle of mercifulness, has since been twisted to inflict harm. Originally gifted to Aleksei by Haoran as an expression of gratitude, this Fu Chen, or horsetail whisk, was intended to channel Aleksei's magic in a way that would not injure any living thing, magnifying his kindness in a way no ordinary weapon could.

The whisk itself was crafted from lightly hued, warm wood, etched with intricate markings depicting peace and tranquility. Its fibers were as pale as Aleksei's own snowy locks, evoking a sense of purity and light. When Aleksei first received Rinci, he wielded it gracefully, using it to channel and direct his magic like a conductor guiding an orchestra. The energies flowed from him effortlessly, calming storms and healing wounds without causing any pain.

However, with the rise of Aleksei's corruption, so too came the shift to Rinci's capacity for damage. Aleksei has since begun coating the delicate fibers in diamond dust, transforming the once harmless horsetail whisk into a brutal weapon. The diamond fragments are as fine as fiberglass, inflicting deep lacerations with the slightest touch. With each graceful flick of his wrist, Aleksei can now lay open flesh to the bone, bringing immense suffering rather than mercy.

Though originally a gift representing the ideal of harmlessness, Rinci has become a frightening physical manifestation of Aleksei's corruption, its beauty warped into something sinister and cruel. The whisk that once channeled healing now dealt devastating wounds, sparkling with diamond shards as sharp as its master's corrupted heart.

⥼ SKILLS and HOBBIES ⥽
Painting ─ Dancing ─ Singing ─ Animal Husbandry and Handling ─ Blacksmithing ─ Sleight of Hand

✚ WEAKNESSES ✚

⥼ SPELL LIMITS ⥽
The Precious Blade ─ While Aleksei can summon gemstone blades that are elegantly crafted and lethally sharp, overuse of this ability risks migraines, fatigue, nausea, and bleeding from prolonged Vitanima channeling. Each blade also requires intense mental focus to will into existence and maintain structural integrity. In the chaos of battle, it may prove difficult to summon more than a few weapons at once without losing control. The blades themselves, though beautiful, lack versatility beyond slashing and stabbing. Aleksei's chronic illness exacerbates these issues, with nerve pain and coughing fits potentially disrupting his concentration while wielding the crystals. Ultimately, The Precious Blade provides deadly yet limited offensive options that Aleksei can only employ sparingly before physical and mental exhaustion set in.

Blessing of the Sun ─ This power enables Aleksei to unleash destructive solar beams, but excess use risks overtaxing his body and mind. Each lens requires careful calibration, limiting how many can be controlled at once. The heat and light may also give away Aleksei's position. While able to melt rock when focused, the diffuse rays have limited range and can be blocked. The symptoms of Vitanima overuse and his chronic ailment will steadily debilitate Aleksei the more he channels the Blessing. While the solar onslaught can devastate foes, it quickly drains Aleksei past the point of effectiveness.

Healing Soul ─ Though this ability can rapidly heal wounds, Aleksei's chronic illness limits how much Vitanima he can channel at once. Overextending this power risks bleeding, fainting, and exacerbating his symptoms. The healing is also localized to Aleksei's hands on a body, preventing wide-scale mending. Powerful injuries or illnesses may require prolonged sessions to fully treat, tiring Aleksei past his limits. While useful for quickly stabilizing injuries, Healing Soul cannot persistently undo massive damage without incapacitating its wielder.

Shepherd of Darkness ─ Though this subtle power highlights Aleksei's Vitanima mastery, the extensive focus required gives enemies an opening to attack. The range of control is also localized, allowing distant foes to resist. Summoning specific creatures is mentally taxing, with general manipulation of plant and animal life easier to sustain. However, without precision, the Shepherd can do little beyond distraction. Moreover, any disruption in concentration due to Aleksei's chronic illness rapidly breaks his influence. While evidencing profound skill, the Shepherd's weaknesses betray its lack of direct combat impact.

⥼ KEY WEAKNESS ⥽
Though a formidable weapon in skilled hands, Rinci the Fu Chen does suffer from significant limitations that inhibit its efficacy in many situations. Most notably, the horsetail whisk relies extensively on open, sweeping, dance-like motions to build momentum and inflict damage. The long, graceful arcs and flicks of the wrist required are simply not possible in close quarters or cramped spaces. Tight hallways, small rooms, and other enclosed areas restrict the broad, sweeping movements needed to slash and lacerate with the diamond-coated fibers. Even open spaces can pose issues if crowded with obstacles or combatants, preventing the unencumbered motion ideal for Rinci's use. With ample space to wheel and pivot freely, flicking the horsetail whisk to and fro, Aleksei can inflict devastating wounds. But without room to maneuver unimpeded, the whisk's potential is sharply curtailed. The exquisite, hypnotic swirls and arcs through the air transform into clumsy, stifled gestures when deprived of space. Though beautiful and alluring when allowed to dance through the air unhindered, the encrusted diamond fibers lose their bite when movements are constrained. For all its grace and elegance, Rinci remains dependent on openness and freedom of motion to fully manifest its lethal potential. The very quality that makes it so mesmerizing - the sweeping, unbroken flow - also exposes its limits in situations where space is scarce.

⥼ FEARS and PHOBIAS ⥽
Solitude ─ Rejection ─ Failure/Disappointment

⥼ OTHER WEAKNESSES ⥽
Chronic illness is his biggest weakness, physically. Mentally, he faces weaknesses in the form of his fellow knights and the dependency he's developed around them, and in his own lingering self-doubt, believing himself too weak without his spells, weapons, and the support of his fellow knights

✚ RELATIONS ✚

⥼ RELATIONSHIP STATUS ⥽
Lusting after Haoran

⥼ POSITIVE FIGURES ⥽
Dmitriy Kovalyov ─ Guardian ─ Very Close (deceased)
Dayte Markovic-Kovalyov ─ Husband ─ Very Close (deceased)
Daemonium ─ Savior/Master ─ Devoted
Idunn Matrona ─ Fellow Knight ─ Close
Xian Haoran ─ Fellow Knight ─ Very Close
Brann Lohgtroen ─ Fellow Knight ─ Very Close
Terisa Sokolov ─ Fellow Knight ─ Close
Renaud ─ Fellow Knight ─ Close
@Autumn Moon's character ─ Fellow Knight ─ Close

⥼ NEGATIVE FIGURES ⥽
The Council of the Empire ─ Holy Leaders ─ Tarnished
Father Ambrose ─ Headmaster ─ Vile

⥼ ASSOCIATIONS ⥽
The Seven Knights of Virtue ─ An elite force of specialized knights serving the empire, each standing for one of the Seven Holy Virtues ─ The Second Knight, The Knight of Kindness
The Fallen Seven ─ What remains of the Seven Knights of Virtue after their fifty-year slumber ─ The Callous

✚ HISTORY ✚

Discarded at birth for his striking albinism, the infant's cries pierced the frigid [tbn] air, a plaintive melody signaling his remarkable future. An artist, drawn by fate to the babe's makeshift grave, glimpsed beyond societal prejudice to the luminous potential within. Rescuing Aleksei, he nurtured the boy's fledgling talents, finding inspiration in his ethereal beauty. Together, they weathered the storms of Aleksei's chronic childhood illness, the artist employing his young muse as a conduit to conjure exquisite artwork. Despite his fragility, Aleksei exhibited prodigious control over Vitanima, intuitively channeling the element of Soul to generate flames, a fiery manifestation of his inner light. Recognizing Aleksei's rare gift, his caretaker secured tutelage from a master to elevate the boy's skills. With compassion and wisdom, this mentor revealed the deeper meanings of Aleksei's magic, guiding him to fulfill his destiny.

Through battle after grueling battle with his fragile health, Aleksei revealed himself to be remarkably talented and remarkably powerful, becoming a further inspiration for his guardian, a gifted artisan. Though fueled by this creative spark, Aleksei's guardian grew increasingly concerned for the boy, witnessing the violent toll that tapping deeper into his Vitanima took on him - debilitating migraines and bone-crushing fatigue compounding his already delicate condition. Time and again, the guardian gently questioned if Aleksei was pushing too far, asking if he wanted to cease his intense training and seek an easier path in life, one that didn't stretch his physical body so perilously thin. But no matter how the artist pushed, Aleksei refused to abandon his journey. His guardian had shown him such kindness all his life that the boy was determined to capture that benevolence and pay it forward by mastering his magic. As he slowly gained control over the finer intricacies of Soul in the forms of Heat, Glow, and Spark, learning in his training with the master how to tap into the three other elements of Shape, Blood, and Breath, unlocking within them the raw power of Earth, Water, and Air, Aleksei strengthened his inner flame. He forged an especially robust connection to Shape, embracing the structural facets of Dense, Root, and Bloom in conjunction with the wild, uncontrolled power of the flames of Soul. Combining these forces, he developed a unique magical skill, crafting hard gems by harnessing the heat and pressure of fire and stone. Though his body was weakened, Aleksei's spirit remained strong in his quest to master his magic and spread good in the world.

With a heart full of hope and a mind focused on his craft, Aleksei embarked on the next chapter of his journey. Though it pained him to leave behind the only family he had ever known, his wise guardian who had raised and mentored him, Aleksei knew he must follow the calling of his magical abilities. His unique mastery over the primal forces of fire, earth, and notes within each had caught the attention of the grand mages, and they directed him westward, to the central island of the archipelago, where he could learn the deepest mysteries of the elements. Aleksei set forth, traversing forests and mountains on his quest, before embarking across the frozen seas to the land of [tbn]. He meditated daily to strengthen his connection to the living flames of his inner fire, the ancient bones of the earth, and the boundless energy of his very soul. Though his body remained weakened from channeling such raw power on top of his chronic illness, Aleksei's spirit soared with purpose. He imagined helping others and spreading light with his magic once he refined his skills. The western lands held the promise of transformation, of transcending to the celestial reaches of Vitanima where he could grasp the fundamental nature of the elements. With steadfast dedication through every aching step, Aleksei journeyed toward this new horizon. The road ahead was long, but his will burned bright with the hope of attaining new heights in his magical arts.

While fate dealt the promising mage a cruel hand, cursing him with such insidious illness that wracked his body with agonizing pain and bouts of violent coughing as his body tore itself apart from the inside out, Aleksei persevered, journeying to the famed Vitanimus Academy where he honed his talents under the tutelage of the wisest mages in the Empire. It was there that Councilman Viktor, overseer of the academy's advanced students, first took notice of Aleksei. One could say, Viktor saw himself in the tenacious young man, and took Aleksei under his wing, nurturing his burgeoning powers despite the protest of his frail health.

"Your weakness is but the crucible through which your strength is forged..."

Viktor would say, urging Aleksei to push past the fire in his veins. With Ambrose's guidance, Aleksei rapidly excelled, earning top marks in all his studies. Ambrose grooming him all the while, envisioning the day Aleksei would take his place on the Council. But Aleksei's passions lay not with politics and academia. On the day of his graduation, to Ambrose's dismay, Aleksei enlisted in the city guard, driven by an oath to protect the common folk who had shown him such kindness when he first arrived, a foreigner with nothing to his name.

Though his illness persisted, attempting to bar him from the life of service he dreamed of, Aleksei persevered. His valor and compassion earned him the rank of knight, defender of the people. In time, the Council itself took notice, inviting Aleksei to join the revered order of the Seven. As a Knight of Virtue, Aleksei safeguarded the empire he called home, his inner light guiding him through the darkest nights. The road behind him was long and fraught with suffering, but Aleksei stood tall, an inspiration to all who knew his story. For he was the living embodiment of strength through adversity. But more than that, the epitome of kindness, taking all which had been given to him in life and giving it back to the world that had given him such promise.

Aleksei settled neatly into his role as the Knight of Kindness, standing strong among the other Knights of Virtue, and though Ambrose, who had held so much faith in him during his schooling, was disappointed to see him pass up the chance to become one of the Council as his apprentice, he appeared proud of Aleksei, and Aleksei was proud of himself. In the final moments, as the Council sealed him and the other Knights into their death-like slumber. As his illness spiked once more and cut off his cries and pleas for mercy, with a final bout of violent coughing through thick, hot blood spilling from his mouth with that oh-so-familiar taste of salty iron. Aleksei could swear he heard that same Councilman, Ambrose, the headmaster who had pushed him so hard against his condition, whisper cruelly across his mind.

"To think...you would face such a similar end to that which eluded you not that long ago... Oh the irony..."

𓆣 ☢ Middle Man ☢ 𓆣

It was right about then that a figure passed along the line of windows leading to the door, a tray of coffee, mugs, various kinds of sugar, and a few flavors of creamer held delicately in hand. The guy, presumably Jason, glanced in as he walked by, and did a double take as he caught the sight of the bugs warming toward the table and into King Stag's hand. He stopped dead in his tracks. Stood there a moment, mouthing something that looked like a prayer, then promptly wobbled a bit before going straight down to the ground, tray and all.

Lilian watched the sight of the employee fainting, blinking a few times after the fact, then looked back to King Stag as though nothing had happened. Unlike, well, others, Li was completely unfazed by the sight of the bugs, and even less affected by the knowledge that bugs existed even on the tenth floor of a steel and concrete office building. He did, after all, live in a shitty apartment with black mold behind the fridge and silverfish in the shower-- problems he had reported to the super before escalating it directly to the landlady directly, but had received no response beyond "I'll see to it." --The point was, Li was familiar with the realities of life, and wasn't all that taken aback by King Stag's display. Impressed? Maybe. A little. Thrown off? Not in the slightest.

"King Stag presents a handful of beetles gathered from beneath his chitin as well as the corners of the room while giving this answer; an employee bringing coffee fainted outside the room at the sight of the scene," he noted casually for the recording device before recentering his focus to ask a follow-up question, taking a natural approach by commenting first on the hero's response, "That's fairly noble of you," he said, looking up for only a moment to catch Elijah's gaze, before quickly diverting to the handful of bugs-- as if that was better? --and clearing his throat before he continued, "but you say it was through this apparent...relationship you have with arthropods in general that you were able to be a hero to begin with. That through them, for the first time in your life, you could do something about the quote-unquote evil in the world-- Am I right, then, to assume that, rather than you originally had the power to call upon these entities, they granted you with the powers you have today?" It wasn't a question he'd had on his list. It wasn't a question he had ever thought to ask. Until then. Before that moment, Lilian, like most, assumed that King Stag was simply a Caste-C Metahuman. This though...this changed things, and Li's mind was working faster than he could even keep up anyone. There were a million new questions he just had to ask. Just dump them all out in an endless stream. It was hard stopping at just the one, but if he was going to keep this a proper interview and not devolve into a frantic fanboy, he had to keep his composure. Especially with the PR there.

𓆣 ☢ Middle Man ☢ 𓆣

There were two things Lilian noticed as the interview started. First was that Jenna Falcone was taking notes, and he wasn't quite sure why, but it made him extremely uncomfortable. His mind raced, wondering just what the hell the overly professional woman could be writing about him, and he was damned glad he had written down all the questions he planned on asking King Stag because anything he knew he wanted to ask was completely shot out of his brain like some kind of cruel ejection pod.

"I'm doing alright, myself, thank you for asking," he replied, just as masked as his guest. That was the second thing he noticed. King Stag, while he wasn't necessarily lying, most certainly was not being open. It was obvious from the hero's demeanor that he was nervous, but Lilian knew better than to poke at that.

He casually picked up the notebook and flipped the top page over to glance at the next before returning to that first page, "So. King Stag. How does this all start? Being a hero. We all know the story of your first appearance. Taking out the local villainess, Lady Radiance, who plagued our city with deadly fires for months on end. But what brought that? What called for King Stag to be?"

It was one of his softer questions, and in that, it was a good start. A question about the hero's start was quite literally a good point to start on. Thematically, and just for cohesion. Lilian wasn't full of himself when he claimed to be one of the best writers in the company. He knew what he was doing. It was why he did what he did to begin with. He just hoped that little miss PR wouldn't butt in and say the question was too personal or anything like that.

𓆣 ☢ Middle Man ☢ 𓆣

Oh boy, Li thought as he took in Jenna's words and behavior, Another one. He sighed softly, keeping it as invisible and silent as possible as he walked over to sit in the seat across from Miss Falcone, to the right of where King Stag stood. He wondered for a moment if the office might have a different kind of chair that would be better suited for the hero, and part of him wished he had thought of that in preparation for the interview. It felt like it was too late now, and that making any effort toward getting King Stag a proper seat would just inicite more judgment from the woman, something that Li wasn't too eager to receive. Lilian was used to people like her, he had two bosses, a coworker, and a landlady who all followed the same code and he knew well by that point that if a problem wasn't immediately taken as a problem there was no need to try and fix it.

As he took up his seat, Lilian set down an arrangement of items he'd been hilding under one arm. A few sheets of printed out papers containing articles on some of King Stag's most significant services to the city, a notebook scribbled with what looked like a myriad of questions written in several different pen colors, and a simple audio recorder which he set in the middle of the table between them all.

Brushing his hair back a few times only to ruffle it up again, Lilian gave a nod in responseto the woman, "Yes," he said, "I understand the terms perfectly clear. I assure you, I'm no gossip columnist. I won't be looking for superficial nonsense like dating status, orientation, or anything else falling into such a taboo and personal realm. I'm here to talk about King Stag, the hero, and nothing more. Now," he reached then and pressed record, "Thank you, King Stag, for meeting with me today. It's truly a pleasure to have you. Before we get straight into things, how goes it for you?" Yes. It was technically a personal question, but if miss bossy had a problem with it, she could choke on the creme in one of those stupid donuts she demanded, as far as Lilian was concerned. Lilian wasn't about to dump an entire interview on a guy if he wasn't having a good day.

𓆣 ☢ Middle Man ☢ 𓆣

2:01 PM ─ All this cardio has to do something, right?

Fifteen laps. Lilian had done fifteen laps around the office by the time King Stag's public representative Jenna Falcone entered the scene. And boy did she enter. Just who was the celebrity here? It didn't matter, what did matter was that they were here. Moe specifically, he was here. Li started across the wide open space of the office 'lobby' as it was called, but before he could get to the arrivals, a man walked briskly past him, practically running him over as he shot by.

"Good afternoon, Miss Falcone," Lilian's direct supervisor was hot on the scene, approaching the woman with an overly warm welcome, speaking way too loud and putting way too much force into his words to sound as grand and friendly as he possibly could, "Hal Roberts," he introduced himself, "Article Supervisor and lead writer for Word of the Willow. Thank you so much for meeting with us and agreeing to participate in an interview with our own, Lilian Amie. I assure you, Mr. Amie is one of our finest writers and most dedicated reporters. If anyone can make King Stag shine, it's him."

2:03 PM ─ Get a load of this horseshit.

Lilian was amazed to hear Hal's praise, but not because he bought into any of it. He knew well enough already that his boss was lying through his teeth. To be fair, it wasn't lies by a general standard. Lilian as, in fact, one of the greatest writers and most dedicated reporters the company had. Without letting his head get too big, one could even argue he was the best. But that wasn't the point. Mr. Roberts had never once viewed Lilian in such a way, and often complained that his antics in getting the top coverage on a scene was a liability to the company, even though Li wasn't stupid enough to try and sue the company for an injury he brought on himself. Yet here he was. Hal Roberts. Playing the role of Lilian's hypeman. It was a shock to see, to say the least. He wondered exactly what Hal was trying to get out of this, but decided not to dwell on it too long as he just shook his head and walked over, shoving the man out of his way and interrupting his handshake with Jenna to butt in with a handshake of his own.

"Afternoon," he said shortly, "Lilian Amie, Li if you please. Lead writer in numan affairs. Let's get to a more private place, shall we? I secured the board room for our meeting so we wouldn't be disturbed by anyone else. If you and King Stag will follow me?" he prompted the question and didn't even wait as he spun on his heel and walked off deeper into the office space, past cubicles and down a hall to a long room with large windows and a heavy glass door. A long table took up most of the room, lined with cheap swivel chairs, and a large whiteboard with a pull-down projector screen at one end of the room.

Hal had tagged along with them, seeing to feel entitled to be present during the interview. Lilian stood in the doorway once Jenna and King Stag had entered and blocked the man from entering, looking up at him with a burning scarlet gaze, "She asked for a private meeting," he said pointedly, "Just me. I'll thank you for leaving us to our interview in peace, Mr. Roberts."

Suffice was to say, the man was shocked by Lilian's attitude and looked about to argue, but the moment his upbeat demeanor faltered, he looked at Jenna and the hulking hero they had but one chance at sealing a deal with, and he plastered that smile right back into place, "Of course, Mr. Amie," he said as naturally as he could muster, "My apologies. You all take care. I'll be sure to send Edward this way when he returns with the donuts. Until then, I'll have Jason bring you all a coffee tray."

"Thank you, sir," Lilian smirked, "Make sure he brings us lots of sugar."

With that, Lilian stepped back into the room and closed the door, cutting off the ambient noise of the rest of the office and sealing them into private silence.

2:05 PM ─ All according to plan...more or less...

𖤐 Hell's Renegades 𖤐

Rule #2: Add new information...

Not that far off from Dr. Gate and Lauden, the guard who had stayed behind was listening in on everyone's conversations, taking note of things such as Casey 'threatening' to blow everyone up and Pine 'threatening' to use his powers to silence the bickering two. While some guards would read these as true threats of potential outbursts, this particular guard had worked with this crew long enough to know that their threats were often, baseline and simple: empty. Hearing the exchange between the doctor and the...cannibal...the guard turned his attention to them, ignoring the rest of the party as he spoke to the two, "I've never understood that restriction myself," he started, "Power or not, it's not like limiting your food intake is going to stop you from eating things that could serve you. You could just as easily eat the soap in your bathroom, or even your toilet paper or a bunch of facial tissues and we'd be just as screwed with you gaining new abilities. Denying you a bag of corn chips isn't going to change that, y'know?" he shrugged, then looked down the hall as he said, "When Raymond gets back, I could go and set up the snack cart. Seeing as it doesn't look like anyone's gonna be heading back to sleep this morning, you'll probably be needing something to hold you over until breakfast. We don't want another hangry Bez situation..."

Meanwhile, over on the couch, Casey had shifted to prop nemself up with nir arms folded under nem so ne could look up at the overtly buff man that was Jack Donovan. Donny, as ne liked to call him when ne couldn't get away with Jackaboy. Nir eyes locked on to the name as ne spoke as clearly and concisely as ne could with nir accent, "Congress shall make no law r'spectin' a 'stablishment'uv ligion, 'r pr'hibitin the free exercise there'uv; 'r abridgin' the freedom a'speech, r'uv the press; 'r the rightuv the people peace'bly t'assemble, n't'petition the Government fer a redress'uv grievances," ne recited then scoffed and went on to say, "Ain't nowhere in there does it say we can't tell those fucks t'shut the hell up. Government can't. But we can. s'part'uv our freedom'uv speech, y'know?" If that bird-beaked hybrid could speak, one could most certainly know ne would be doing so in that moment, a dangerously playful light shining in nir eyes as ne shot Jack a challenging look. Ne soon turned nir attention away from the hulking man though and focused on Pine, jutting nir beak towards him as one spoke, "As fer you, flower child, can't'cha like, pop seeds outta yerself or somethin'? Wha's holdin' ya back from that shit? They prune ya or somethin'? I've been wonderin' 'bout this fer a while, cuz'a the fact yer always bitchin' 'bout wantin' plants 'round ya. Can't'cha just, birth them or whatever?"

Throughout all of it, Rubber and Sabriel continued to argue, but as Rubber proved to be the densest being in that facility, Sabriel was getting bored with the argument. It wasn't like his debates with Pine or Gate. It was like trying to explain the internet to a caveman. And the caveman just kept setting everything on fire. He needed an out, but he refused to just give up and let Rubber appear to win, so as the debate came back around to him with Rubber blabbering on in its usual gibberish-driven butchering of the English language about how it was so much smarter than him and everyone there because it was so much more evolved than humans or numans could ever hope to be, Sabriel just said, "Oi, genius, how many quarters fit in a cup?"

Rubber stopped short at Sabriel's question and blinked its six eyes ever so slightly out of sync, like an early 90's CG film if you paid close attention. It tilted its head, then lifted a finger and began writing out equations in the air, its antennae raising and lowering, expanding their membranes and contracting as it worked through its thoughts.

That taken care of, Sabriel smirked and walked away, giving the alien a thumbs up as he went, "Good luck with that one, buddy," he said, and continued off across the room to join Dr. Gate and Lauden with the remaining guard, arriving just as the guy was talking about breakfast and another 'Bez situation'.

"G'morning, Dr. Gate," he sang with a smile, then gave a polite nod toward Lauden, "Lauden," he greeted, "Did I hear something about snacks?" he asked then as he focused his glowing silver gaze on the guard, "Can we get the strawberry Uncrustables? They're really the superior flavor when it comes down to it."

"Don't act cute, Sabriel," the guard warned.

Sabriel laughed drove his hands into his pockets as he leaned toward the group, "Oh well now, who's acting?" he teased, "Everyone knows I'm the most attractive one here, by that regard I would say I'm the cutest! Wouldn't you agree, Dr. Gate?"

Afterimages: The Mirrored World

A piercing stab of heat shot straight into Kousuke's chest mere seconds before the ranged attack as the sharp, jagged tones of crackling, electric blue and violet broke around the edges of his vision. A feeling. A notion. A whisper of sorts. A knowledge of what was to come with only just so much time in which to react. He took a step in the direction he felt no heat, drawn to the cold now rather than the burning flames that surged through his body.

Getting hotter-- Now you're cold!

A miscalculation. A missed sense. The heat surged as the puppet took one step too far, but it was too late to react. They prepared for the hit, ready to shoulder whatever pain was coming their way.

Nothing.

A brush of air, and Kousuke realized they weren't alone. Holding tight on their grasp of the wires holding the beast, Kousuke relaxed to look at the girl who had been sitting on the sidelines until that moment. He took her in. Her form. Her stance. She spoke something, and Kousuke had to think on what the words were as his mind was boggled down with all the paths stretching around them.

'Not too late...'

Kousuke gave a firm nod to the girl, "Better late than never," they told her, "But now is not the time for dramatics. Cut the movie lines and focus."

With that, he turned his focus back to the prismatic creature, studying it deeper now that he had more information about it's abilities. It was strong, that was for sure. Solid and sturdy despite its appearance. It could hold its own in melee combat, but it acted on fear and instinct, not calculated tactic and defined form. That was its weakness, but that was also the weakness of the hulking ice creature, so it seemed. Kousuke wondered if they could rely information to the other being, or if it was stuck in a feral state. Something about the frozen being gave off a more human aura than that of the walking shards of glass, and the heat bubbling around and inside of them told Kousuke that this wintery cervine was more than just another beast of the void.

Kousuke focused deeply on the mirrored creature, feeling along one of the heated pathways pulling out around him like rivers, strings of energy leading in a million and one directions. He followed the heat until it came to a frozen end then moved on to the next. Plan after plan, they rifled through as quickly as it took to breathe. Finally, Kousuke settled on one path that seemed promising. Yanking on the wires as hard as he could, he fought to pull the creature away from the other. They gave a sharp whistle and spoke with that fire they had been growing to understand.

"Come," he ordered sternly, "Move it."

He glanced only slightly at the girl, focusing in on her energy, "Keep me covered," he requested, cooling his voice for the words before turning back toward the beast and the creature and directing his voice to the one coated in ice, "When you have your opening, attack! And don't hold back!"