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Code Vein (Closed)

A K A I A A K A I A The Wild · Midnight · A Man

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"Look at me, girl."

Through the ambient crackle of snapping firewood and the noise of a feral growl between her ears did the man's voice reach a distracted Akaia. She struggled, but with effort managed to pull herself away from a prize she knew was hers and turned to stare daggers at the man addressing her. He was layers of dirt caked like a second skin and eyes like bruises the color of exhaustion. There were lines in his forehead that looked as if they were carved out of stone and his beard reminded her of a dead tree. Like stripped branches hung upside down that clawed at the air under his chin. His complexion was dark and mottled, his nose bent and his lips chapped and sharp. When he spoke he spoke to her but stared at the fire between them both. Hot light danced reflections in the dark circles of his eyes and a knife glinted a bright orange as it tumbled lazily in his grasp.

"This world..." He began when he could feel her gaze on him. "...This world only wants one thing." He pushed the edge of the blade under a sliver of half-eaten burnt meat and with a quick horizontal slice, peeled free a thin layer that fell between two fingers. "It wants to survive." Turning away from the fire, he noticed that once again, she was no longer focused on him but on what he had in his hands. "¿Entiendes? It wants to survive... like me." With eyes ravenous watching his every move, he brought the morsel up to his mouth and tore it in half between stained rotting teeth. As he chewed, she watched, unmoving and unblinking. A girl entirely unaware of the world asleep around them and hyper-focused on the fact that there was still half of the sliver remaining. He continued to chew as he gestured at a bundle of dead crows by the fire. "Like them." He then tossed the small piece of one of their own at her feet.

Akaia immediately fell to her knees next to the scrap she'd been offered and ate it directly off the forest floor.

"Like you."

"I think we don't have to worry about Kaia not finishing the soup."

A soft and cheery voice cut through the surrounding dark like a familiar song. The fire, the trees and the midnight sky fell away until all that remained was the empty bowl in front of her.

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_{The Crow's Nest, Medical Bay · Morning · Interacting with @DreamingFlowers, Mentions @Everyone
Collaboration with @Medili}

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Cerise's giggle was unmistakable. An easily recognizable melody like the bouncing of joy and a reminder that a certain Sidhe was not alone. There seated next to her at the table was her closest friend. The girl wore a smile Akaia knew well and a look of genuine happiness at the return of her sister. A look also imposed over one of amused surprise at the speed with which Akaia had consumed the questionable concoction.

Cerise moved to pick up the jug and began pouring some of the water into a glass. Whether to sate thirst or to save what remained of Akaia's tastebuds was anyone's guess. "Here Kaia. Don't forget the water too. Should make you feel much better."

Anxiety left in the wake of a half remembered dream was drowned in a warmth not easily forgotten. The care here was real and not a love covered in thorns. It was a rare thing to find, she knew, and it was a scary thought to know that it was not always like this. Even now as she took the glass from Cerise in both of her hands and nodded in compliance, she was afraid a touch would wake her up. But as she lifted the cup to her lips and took her first big gulp, the world around her remained... as it always did. Within the minute, the glass had been emptied as well.

"There you go. It's done, Poppy! Two bowls of soup and half of the jug of water, all gulped down. Hehe~"

Akaia smiled at Poppy triumphantly. Already, there was a bit of color returning to her pale skin, although even when healthy, there wasn't much to be found. To her surprise however, she also felt a lot better. As was a glaring oversight on her part when focused on any given task, she hadn't taken into account the strain she'd put on herself and it was always others, namely Poppy, who took the time to notice it. Stranger still, it was always her... as if she could tell before Akaia could. Even now, distracted as she was with the contents of the box Akaia had found for her, was Poppy thinking of Cerise.

...Wait, what?...

Both Sidhe looked at the Revenant in the room who had already taken it upon herself to move the dishes to the wash basin. It was yet another task of care the girl had done on her own and a sobering reminder that this person so willing to tend to Akaia upon her return Akaia had left for a week. The small comment made earlier, although innocent she was sure, began to weigh heavily on her mind and it wasn't until Poppy that Akaia realized she could do something about how she felt.

"Thank you Akaia, I'll fill up the box with new supplies. We can still use it." Words of gratitude were loss on Akaia as she was already in her satchel a second time. Before Cerise returned to her seat, Akaia had produced a rather small bead of an object. Carried carefully in the palm of her hands was a miniscule, dirt brown seed that she placed on the table for Cerise to find.

"Ooh. A seed! Of what plant, Kaia?"

It was hard for the Sidhe to match the joy in the girl's eyes. Cerise's excitement was real. The possibilities Akaia was sure she could see were endless and yet, it seemed so small a gift compared to a useful box of supplies for Poppy or the location to something exciting Lysandra could fix. A seed was a needle in the haystack that was the Commune's garden and the collection of flora around the observatory belonging to Cerise and Akaia alone was extensive.

Akaia ignored the ask and replied with a shake of her head instead. "Share." She stated simply. There was a tinge of guilt in her eyes as she looked at the Revenant. "I am sorry you slept alone."

"Oh don't worry about it, Kaia." Cerise replied back, shaking her head in return and waving her hands. "Yes, I was worried and yes, it was lonely to sleep alone in the room... But the important thing is that you're back safe and sound. And that's more than enough to make me forget of the loneliness!"

Akaia pulled a fully loaded Glock 19 out of the satchel and placed it on the table as well, sliding the weapon over to Cerise. "I am so sorry."

Before either could elaborate further, noise from across the foyer drew Akaia's attention. On the far side of the room, it looked like four or five of their troop were in the process of loading the van. There was Lysandra, Dallas, Desmond, a male she was unfamiliar with and Ionna, whose face she lingered on a little longer than the others. A passing comment from Cerise identified her as one of the newer arrivals and Akaia had only permanently burned the knowledge of her being the master of Laplace into her mind. By now, her own crow had retreated from the smaller bird to Cerise's shoulder, picked a stray bit of lint from the girl's hair and flitted to safety in the rafters.

Then, there was Erik who had stepped out of the hall and addressed the three of them in the Medical bay, making a point to mention the two crows. Without a doubt, the entire commune was mobilizing and Akaia was reminded of the 'why' she returned home.

She turned to Poppy with an expectant and curious look. "Work?" She asked before looking down at herself. "Change. I should change." She then turned to Cerise. "I am sorry. I should change. Are you hungry?"

Akaia pinched the skin of Cerise's arm.

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Actual Collaboration Posts

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Medili Cerise sat beside Akaia as the Sidhe downed the bowls of Poppy's 'soup'. The teenage-looking Revenant giggled softly at that as she responded to the medic. "I think we don't have to worry about Kaia not finishing the soup, hehe." She then picked up the jug of water and a glass, pouring the liquid from the jug to fill the glass and offering it to Akaia with a warm big smile. "Here Kaia, don't forget the water too. Should make you feel much better." Exit Akaia nodded obediently as she complied, taking the glass in both her hands and gulping down a surprisingly large amount. When she had had her fill, the glass was replaced and she was back to fishing around in her sack. This time, she produced a rather small bead of an object. In the palm of her hands was a miniscule, dirt brown seed. She placed it very carefully on the table in front of Cerise. "Share." She stated simply. There was a ting of guilt in her eyes as she looked at the Revenant. "I am sorry you slept alone." She shook her head. Meanwhile, Licorice had retreated to Cerise's shoulder, managed to pick a piece of lint out of the girl's hair and then abandoned his perch for something a little safer when Laplace continued his friendly assault. He shrilled at the smaller bird from the rafters. Medili Cerise watched as Akaia gulped all the water down, looking relieved as it really seemed like Akaia was alright after all. Exhausted perhaps, but fine nonetheless, and that was already all Cerise wished for. "There you go. It's done, Poppy! Two bowls of soup and half of the jug of water, all gulped down. Hehe~" As Akaia then rummaged through her sack, Cerise took the glass and the bowl, placing them into a washing basin to wash later. When she returned to her chair, she noticed the brown seed that Akaia had placed on the table. Cerise's eyes lightened up with excitement at the sight of the seed. "Ooh. A seed! Of what plant, Kaia?" Already, she was eager for the possibility of adding even more variety of plant to the collection in their room, or in the garden, or even in one of the many pots that she and Akaia had placed around the Crows' Nest to decorate the place. But then she caught herself, waving her hands and shaking her head in return at Akaia's apology, still smiling. "Oh don't worry about it, Kaia. Yes, I was worried and yes, it was lonely to sleep alone in the room... But the important thing is that you're back safe and sound. And that's more than enough to make me forget of the loneliness!" Her eyes then flicked toward Licorice and Laplace, giggling cheerfully at the sight of the younger crow stubbornly 'attacking' the older one. "Oh right. One of the new member, Ionna? This crow is hers. It's name is Laplace!" End__________

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What Are You Listening To?

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	M E R C Y 2022 _____________________ sir chloe _____________________ mercy _________

^{i love my bed.}

What Are You Listening To?

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	V E N E Z U E L A T R A I N S 2016 _____________________ ravyn lenae _____________________ moon shoes ep _________

^{fluffy pancakes are like cheesecakes trapped in my breakfast.}

What Are You Listening To?

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	D I S T A N C E & D R U G S 2022 _____________________ broods _____________________ space island _________

^{i need a good book.}

Cyberpunk2077: 5th Corporate War

Hello!

Just so happens I am in need of a good Cyberpunk RP. Only issue is I ended up skipping the game that was just released and am not familiar with the world lore. I'll leave interest here and study up and then check back in when I think I know a thing or two.

Code Vein (Closed)

A K A I A A K A I A The Crow's Nest · Early Morning · @dreamingflowers@medili

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And Akaia wasn't one to argue against, especially when it came to Poppy. Her mind rarely went to the why when the what was her fellow Sidhe. Having lived with the girl for the last seven years, she was already well aware of the way Poppy cared for those around her. The order, though stern on the surface, was from a place of love, she knew. The pull on her arm however, was from a place she knew not where.

"O-Ooh. Okay." She answered curiously, entirely unaware of the way she had pushed herself the past twenty-four hours and instead fixated on a tingle left in the wake of Poppy's touch. It was enough to distract her from the Ionna and Laplace situation, if only temporarily as she stared at the agitated point on her arm. The skin did indeed remain pinched for far longer than normal.

...I am thirsty. And hungry...

Before turning to follow, she picked Cerise out from the room once more. "Share!" Akaia exclaimed excitedly to the ashen haired girl. "It's a new friend?!" There was a slight hop to her step as she moved with Poppy and her wide bright eyes was a clear sign that she was drowning in barely contained excitement. "I-..I want to meet them!" She yelled out from the hall. She then turned to Poppy and wrapped her arms around the woman's waist, stealing a hug from behind. "And hello Pa-pee. I have missed you."

The tingling warmth from the captured girl pushed its way into Akaia's body and spread like a fire from her cheeks and arms, across her chest and down to her toes. It had been a while since she felt this safe.

And it had been a while since Licorice felt this endangered as he continued to hold the smaller bird at bay.

Code Vein (Closed)

A K A I A A K A I A The Crow's Nest · Early Morning · @Everyone

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It was becoming harder to tell if the thoughts and feelings in her head were actually her own. This unease like a weight or a shadow looming over her that was unfamiliar and yet spoke to her in a way she could almost understand. Or at least she thought she could. A feeling like being pulled in a direction and that direction forming a word in her mind's eye. If she closed her eyes and listened closely, she could hear it...

...Home...

The past week saw Akaia traveling a slight deviation of a familiar route, checking the usual spots for Lost and seeing what if anything she could scavenge and bring home to those who needed it. For the most part, each day had been uneventful and during her time away, she had taken extra care to keep it that way. She was alone and that meant maintaining a healthy balance of minimizing risk while finding the unknown on a path she knew well. However, the day before, there had been a tug that upset that balance. The weight and shadow she'd been under that only let up when she would think about the people waiting for her to return.

...This is new...

She had told herself, electing to ignore the sudden want. But after a few hours, that yearning for home became a voice she knew she could no longer ignore and all too suddenly she found herself turned around and headed back. A day and a shortcut later and she was climbing the hill leading to the observatory, a half filled tote slung over her shoulder and some small disappointment already buried deep within her about a trip that was only partially complete. So abrupt was the change that she had only found enough bits and bobbles for a few members of her troop. The realization that she would be without anything to give to some only further compounded the still swirling emotions inside of her. It was becoming an increasingly difficult thing to not dwell at length on her thoughts as she pressed on.

Under the light of the early morning sun did she move with a practiced swiftness and silence. The leather of her boots padding the noise of her every step. The mask pulled tight against her face muffling her heavier breaths. Travelling with the thing on wasn't always ideal but it was better this way; as a free spirit bound to rough straps and itchy stiff fabrics for her safety and others. The land under foot was no longer a part of the wild and free world that she had been born into. This place was lived and so the trees here were not hers to command. Lest she upset the surrounding flora, she moved with intentional care.

The observatory itself was nigh impossible to miss once atop the hill. Outside the city and in these parts of the mountains, it was the only remaining structure as far as Akaia knew. And as far as she could tell, it remained unchanged from a week ago. In the shadow cast by the observatory walls, the barricades remained untouched and defiant. Nearly inadequate in most regards, the small measure of safety did at least alert the Sidhe if anything untoward had been through and it seemed like nothing had. Relief was a pollen polluted sigh as she wove herself between the gaps in the barricades and approached the front door.

Once inside, the first thing she noticed was a feeling of weightlessness. Whatever force had been pulling her home suddenly vanished and in its place was a familiar warmth ever present when within these walls. Like a promise, she knew there would be people expecting her and hopefully, whatever she had brought back would bring some amount of joy to them. The second thing she noticed was that everything was very-

"It is very clean." She said aloud to no one. She took another step inside and dragged more dirt in. "So nice." Finally, she noticed that the foyer was empty. The garden in front of her lay silent and still though there were signs of recent care. A rather small detail that pulled a smile from the Sidhe's lips. The rooms across the garden were open and empty as were those rooms directly to her left and right. However, at the far end of the hall ahead, she could see figures moving through a partially open door and hear the soft ambience of voices bouncing lazily off the stonework. "A meeting?"

The garden was stepped carefully around and the memorial paid a brief visit. Her pale hand brushed the cold stone etched with the names of those who had lived a tumultuous life next to hers. Names she would have to reminisce on at another time. She noted the flowers at the base and their satisfactory color and continued to the hall, removing her mask once she was far enough away from the garden behind her. It was only a short distance from here to the strategy room but what would have been a rather short trip was interrupted by the room to her right. What was once a vacant space was now clearly occupied. The sudden change from the norm held her firmly in place as she processed the idea that someone new was among their number. Although the comings and goings of various men and women was not a foreign thing to her, anytime it happened was cause for excitement. Already, Akaia's imagination began to turn as questions crowded into her head:

...What do they look like? What are they? What stuff do they like? What do they eat? Will they pet my bird? Will they be my friend? I'm different. Do they like the garden? Do they like Share? Do they like Poppy? Are they strong like Aye-jacks? Smart like Lee-saw? Can they write better than Air-rik? Can they teach me to write because Air-rik can't? Why can't Air-rik write good?...

Looking forward to meeting the new member, Akaia continued down the hall... only to be stopped a second time.

"...T-there are two friends?"

She didn't wait in front of the second room long enough for the answer to find her. Picking up her walking pace now with a new found determination, Akaia cleared the rest of the distance to the strategy room and pushed open the slightly ajar door. In her haste, she hadn't really thought about what she was expecting to find. Half thinking that only a few people had taken to the room, to be greeted by everyone was a small shock to her system. Cerise and Poppy's faces were the first she noticed and almost immediately she could feel heat rush to her cheeks. As her lips curled into a warm smile, her eyes fell upon Ajax and then Erik. Bounced to Lysandra and Dallas and Desmond. All heads accounted for.

"aKAAaaa!"

Her eyes snapped to Licorice, Cerise's chosen name for her crow. The bird had clearly made itself at home perched on the woman's hand since its return, a fairly definitive reason why it had taken off ahead of Akaia earlier in the day. But while the bird had called for Akaia's attention, he had already turned away from his master and was now staring intently at something else. There being firmly held back by a foot was a very excitable...

...Crow?...

And a series of desperate clucks from Licorice signaled the nearby and rather short girl as its master.

The room around Akaia fell away. Cerise covered now in two birds. Poppy. Ajax. Lysandra. Erik and Dallas and Desmond and the other new face she hadn't even taken a notice to yet. At that moment, her entire world became a pinhole centered on Ionna and the arrival of another corvid.

She blinked.

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^{Relationship information for Ionna has been updated.}

What Are You Listening To?

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	P A R T Y S I C K N E S S 2022 _____________________ hope tala _____________________ party sickness _________

^o7

Word association Game!

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Questions and Answers

Favorite is Thanksgiving and that's 100% a fault of my grandmother. Since I was born, she has hosted every year and while I'm far from the most comfortable person in any public gathering, even if it's a gathering of my family members, the food is always amazing and the joyful atmosphere is nice to just kind of exist in. However, these past few years have been hitting me differently. It becomes less about seeing my family and eating great food and more about the fact that even as the wonderful elderly woman that she is, grandma still insists on helping to prepare. To better put this in perspective, I still receive cards from her every Birthday, but a few years ago her handwriting had begun to fail and this year was the first I received that was typed. I love her very much and have become acutely aware that one day, I'll be eating Thanksgiving dinner somewhere else.

My least favorite is New Years. I'm sorry but today is about to be tomorrow and I have to work in a few hours. Please let me sleep. Also I'm broke now because Christmas just happened and the lights just came down. Didn't we just do this?

_QUESTION:
What is the most expensive meal you've ever paid for and was it worth the price?