Hero

𝓘𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓽𝔀𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓭

God forbid she give the man a hand, did he really have to glare at her like that? Once Feliks' back was turned she threw her own scowl at him, turning her attention back to the palace, or at least what remained of it. It was so bizarre to see the place in such shambles, shattering the expectations she had of it. Maybe she had set her expectations too high, letting the rumors and her imagination run away with the images she had in her head. The clash between her idea and reality was jarring as she looked around, often having to remind herself that it had been years since the siege, that she shouldn't have been surprised to see the place in such disarray.

That didn't make it any less sad, though.

Trailing behind the man, Katya let her curiosity wander until she could feel the difference in temperature; it was subtle at first, but even the slightest bit of warmth was such a massive relief compared to the bitter cold. The room was curious, a little more organized than she had anticipated, her eyes lingering on the documents for a moment before realizing that Feliks was speaking to her. Frowning slightly, she decided to shelf her curiosity in favor of warming herself a bit, approaching somewhat cautiously until she sat down on the floor, rubbing her hands together.

She didn't respond right away to his questions, huddling close to the warmth before letting out a sigh. "A false name is fine with me. In all fairness, it's not like I know my first name, either. For all I know I could be Tania or Maria..." Katya shrugged, happy to have the feeling back in her fingertips again as she rubbed her cold cheeks. "Everyone just called me 'Katya' and I didn't exactly know who I was, so I just went with it."

After feeling the color in her face returning, she realized that she hadn't explained herself too well. Looking at Feliks as she rubbed her knees, she gave him a shrug. "I don't actually know my name or where I come from. My Nana told me that one of the nurses found me in an alley nearly frozen to death after the siege. She brought me back and they managed to save me...or that's what I was told, I wouldn't be able to really tell you anything more than that. It's all pretty fuzzy, I really only remember the things after that: being raised by Nana Natasha, getting scolded by Yelena, playing with Grisha and the boys..." She trailed off for a moment, a somewhat wistful smile on her face.

After a few seconds Katya brought her knees up to her chest, rubbing her legs as she finished her story. "So...yeah. Amnesiac and without a clue about my past or my family," She concluded rather cheerfully all things considered. "I'm hoping that Paris has a hint or something; I'll find my mystery person, I'll find my family, I'll find who I am, and everything will be alright. It's my master plan!"

𝓘𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓽𝔀𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓭

Last name? Katya stayed quiet for a moment, at a loss for what to say. Should she just be honest? Probably, she had no idea what kind of excuse to even make. Still, she was distracted by the sight of the decaying palace. For just a moment, Katya actually stopped in her tracks, eyes wide as she looked around. She was often told as a child to keep away from the place, and for good reason considering what had happened there. Seeing it from a distance and suddenly getting close struck a nerve, making her feel like she was doing something she shouldn't be.

Realizing that Feliks was getting ahead, she shook off the thoughts as she hurried to catch up. Unfortunately her old caretaker wasn't around anymore to scold her for being near the palace, nor was she a child anymore. Besides, getting inside to avoid the damn chilly wind was her current priority, the woman wincing as another wind blew around them. God, how she hated the cold. Maybe after she found what she was looking for in Paris she could then find a home somewhere warm where she would never have to worry about winter again.

Watching Feliks open up a way inside, the blonde found it rather odd, a little amused by the makeshift entrance. Well, whatever worked out, she supposed. As she carefully climbed in, she was happy that the wind was no longer an issue, though as she saw Feliks stoop to pick up his bag, she quickly knelt down, picking it up for him.

"Here," She offered the bag to him before she decided to address his previous question. "As for the last name...I don't know." She probably should have taken it more seriously, but she found herself more curious to the condition of the interior of the palace. "You can probably put anything, your guess is as good as mine." She said, more interested in looking around.

𝓘𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓽𝔀𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓭

Wow, what a tame response.

Well, it was better than the alternative, either outright disbelief or mocking her naivete. For the moment she was just glad she wouldn't have to hear about her impossible task, already knowing she had her work cut out for her. The sooner she got started, the better; the details could always be sorted out later on. Katya watched Feliks nervously as he paid, the seconds between that and him speaking once again stretching out for much longer than they probably were, but she could have cried in happiness as he mentioned he could help her.

Unable to contain her grin, the blonde bounced in place before setting off, following Feliks as he led the way. Just the thought of getting to Paris sooner than later was enough to invigorate her, albeit the cold wind threatened to ground her back into reality as it bit at her face. Muttering a comment about the bitter cold, she was surprised at how fast he was moving, but she guessed he wanted to get out of the cold just as much as she did.

Glad his questions would distract her from the weather, Katya paused for a moment. "My name? Oh, right, yeah. I'm Katya," She pulled her collar a little higher around her neck as a wind slapped her face, huffing out a breath of irritation. "You're taking me somewhere warm, right? I can't stand the cold." She couldn't help but whine, already wishing she could have nabbed another scarf for warmth.

𝓘𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓽𝔀𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓭

Feliks wasn't turning her away, so Katya took it as a good sign. His comment was dismissive, but he wouldn't have told her to follow him if he wasn't going to help. Alright, looks like she was making some progress! The blonde visibly relaxed, nodding as he told her to follow him, though her expression fell as she watched him walk. Well, not walk; it looked like he was having some difficulty, surprising her with the speed of which he limped. It didn't look like he was injured, and she didn't notice him minding it too much. Maybe something from the past? A prick of pity hit her, though she snapped out of her thoughts as she realized she was being left behind.

Entering the shop, she followed Feliks almost dutifully, though her eyes wandered the shop briefly. It had been some time since she had shopped for--actually, she had not shopped in general in some time. Anytime she had entered a place it had usually been to either ask for work or fulfilling some errand for pay. Still, something about the place was interesting to her, sparking her curiosity until she would come to a stop behind Feliks.

His expression caught her attention as he leaned against the counter. Something about him being in pain pulled at her heartstrings, regardless of how he spoke to her. No one deserved to be in pain. As he inquired about her destination, Katya shifted her weight from one leg to another, giving him a half-hearted shrug. "Well, you're right. I don't need to go anywhere, but if I'm being honest, I want to go to Paris," She confessed, frowning once again.

Teetering on deciding whether or not to give him the whole story, she exhaled a heavy sigh, gesturing towards outside. "It's as good a place to start as any, since I'm searching for someone. And as far as I'm aware, they're no longer in Russia," Katya informed him, the certainty in her voice slowly dissipating the longer she went on. And now for the part that usually made people give her that look. "Don't ask me how I know that, though. Because I actually have no idea who they are or if they're still waiting for me in Paris, but...I know they're not here. So that's why I need those papers." She braced herself for his reaction, watching him somewhat warily.

Of Blood and Magic

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Magic ♪ Magic ♫ Magic ♪ Magic ♫ Magic ♪

The little song had occupied Lilie's thoughts as she and Salem parted ways, the young girl practically skipping to her class. Seeing as how she would end up having Spell Theory in the Rose Hall as well, she figured she would minimize her chances of getting lost. But vampires, her stress and anxiety, any previous sense of doubt she had--absolutely none of that stuff was even worth thinking about right now, because finally, finally she was going to learn the one thing she had wanted ever since that fateful day six months ago.

Magic.

Granted, mastering her affinity was Lilie's most urgent priority first and foremost; having a repeat disaster was the very last thing she wanted. Once she had that under wraps, she would allow herself to branch out. There had been a few books in the Eve dorm that she had skimmed and found out the possibilities were endless. As excited as she was, though, she promised herself to focus on one thing at a time. Spreading herself too thin wouldn't get her anywhere, and she was approaching this the same way she would approach her schoolwork back in high school: focus one, master it, perfect it, then move on to the next.

She kept that in mind as she listened intently to the Professor, probably a little too attentive, but she couldn't help herself. Allison had looked a little stern at first, but it was a pleasant surprise to see her warm up a bit. Either way, Lilie would make sure she gave her every ounce of attention possible. In a way her words inspired her, serving to excite the girl further still. Goodness, she was going to explode from anticipation alone at this point! There was the slightest hint of Lilie deflating as Allison mentioned the Awakening, causing Lilie to simmer down somewhat. Right, that was how most mages found out, whereas she found out the hard way.

But that didn't matter anymore. Getting control was why she was here.

Lilie took in a deep breath, running her fingers through her bangs as the teaching assistants came around. As Kanalie stopped in front of her, Lilie was equally as surprised. She had never met anyone that was a stranger but looked so much like her, Kanalie's words bringing about a mix of bashfulness and hope. Sisters? She had always wanted a sister! Her heart jumped up, eating up her words, but she did manage to give Kanalie a shy smile and a very enthusiastic nod. Darn, she really needed to be more vocal! But it happened so fast!

For just the moment, Lilie would put that thought away, excited to see she had been paired with a familiar name. As Lilie found the table first, however, she couldn't quite help herself from getting mesmerized by the crystal. So this was what an Awakening crystal looked like. Remembering Allison's instructions, she gently rested her hand on it, eyes widening as she watched it take on a very nice, almost calming blue color. For just a moment she did nothing, staring at the crystal and being completely fascinated.

Right, so, she needed to push and pull? Bright and dim, bright and dim. She could feel the crystal pull at something in her--her magic. The slightest hint of nervousness pricked at her, but she pushed that down, forcing herself to focus. Right, so if she just pushed it just a touch, she would get a result. Sure enough, the blue shined brilliantly, causing the girl to gasp. Wow! As that excitement once again took over, however, she pushed too much, the blue light suddenly erupting into its fullest brightness before fading, and Lilie was hit with an odd sense of dizziness.

Taking her hand away, she was surprised to find herself actually tired despite not having actually done anything. Shoot, she must have overdone it. Shaking her head, she groaned as she put a hand to her forehead, taking a second to try to shake off the feeling.

---

@Gisk@Achronum

𝓘𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓽𝔀𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓭

Momentarily confused by his assumption assumption, Katya hesitated for a moment. Moscow? Ailing mother? She supposed it shouldn't be surprising that people would just assume the worst, but it was the disdain he had as he spoke that irked her slightly. They were complete strangers, there was no need to jump to any conclusions just yet. Though she supposed it was a bit hypocritical, as she already assumed he was a huge jerk and wasn't going to be letting up anytime soon.

"I...don't really know if I even have a mother," Katya admitted slowly, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. "So if she's ailing I wouldn't know too much about that. Maybe she's alive, maybe she's dead...Who knows, I don't know much about my family so your guess is as good as mine."

Realizing she was getting off topic, Katya caught herself as she tried to rerail the conversation, clearing her throat. "Anyway, there was no story or anything, I have the money and just want to leave Russia. This is going to sound crazy, but I actually don't really know where I need to go. Anywhere is fine," Vague, perhaps, but she was driven enough to know that all this guy wanted was money. And as long as he didn't ask for anything insane, she could afford anything he asked.

𝓘𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓽𝔀𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓭

His less than subtle once over immediately rubbed Katya the wrong way, the young woman's face momentarily contorting into a less-than-threatening scowl as she placed her hands on her hips. Granted, it wasn't the first, nor would it be the last, time that people looked at her like that. But what did they expect around here, nearly everyone was as tattered as she was! Except Mr. Fancy Coat. She supposed he did have some justification, but still, he could at least try to be more tact about it.

Of course, the man was full of surprises, his expression turning into one of shock. Her hands flew to her face immediately, assuming she had something on it to cause such a reaction, but he looked like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. She could see his gray eyes going over nearly every aspect of her face, and it hit her that maybe he recognized her! Her heart jumped up to her throat for a moment, staying quiet as an odd hope clung to her. She had to admit that his own face did bring this odd nostalgia, even if she couldn't quite pinpoint it. Actually, no, he reminded her a lot of a childhood friend from the orphanage.

But apparently, she was misguided in that hope; the contempt certainly matched his initial reaction to her, and she felt herself deflate slightly as he spoke again. Wait, maybe she was the one in the wrong, was it Shvet or Shvets? Hesitating for a few seconds, Katya furrowed her brow as she tried to remember what the woman said. Her memory wasn't exactly the best, causing her to doubt herself for just a moment. No, it was Shvets, she had been mistaken. But he didn't have to be so rude about it!

Still, she wasn't going to back away from her dreams just because of one jerk. "I was told Mr. Shvets--" She mimicked him and emphasized the 's' just as sharply as he did, though it was nowhere near as rude, coming off more for clarity purposes than anything. "--can help me out with a minor traveling issue I'm having." She dropped her hands from her hips, raising her left hand to push her hair off her shoulder as she watched him carefully. Maybe her initial assumption had been wrong, this guy didn't look helpful at all. "If you could just point me in the right direction, that would be fantastic."

𝓘𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓽𝔀𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓭

"Travel Visa?"

The innocuous question had come from a tall woman wrapped in a bulky coat that was poorly kept together. Her legs had been previously shaking underneath the makeshift leggings and short boots hastily tied together, heels together as her hands rested on the windowsill of the ticket window. Her bright, azure-colored eyes were wide, lips parted in surprise as she looked at the irritated older man on the other side. Her blonde hair sat in waves on her shoulders, brushed out of her face hastily as she tried to get a handle on what the man was so mad about at the moment.

After years of doing odd jobs, begging, selling anything she could get her hands on--including her own hair at various points--she had finally saved up just enough money for a ticket out of St. Petersburg. It had been a nearly life long dream to leave Russia, fueled by a desire she didn't quite understand herself. Not that she needed much reason to leave, really; things were steadily going downhill for years now. From a young age she had put herself to work, thriving on determination to get what she wanted, and with Nana Natasha watching her from heaven, she was certain she would accomplish her goal.

Except she had run into a minor hiccup when the moment of truth came.

"No travel visa, no ticket!" He informed her rather bluntly, apparently annoyed at her ignorance as he slammed a pair of shutters, effectively blocking her from any further questioning.

Placing her head against the closed window shutters, Katya let out a small whimper of despair as her hands clung onto her bag. She was so close. So, so close. As she pushed herself upright, she looked up at the sky. A miracle, she needed some kind of miracle that would give her the travel visa. This couldn't be the end of everything, there had to be something, anything she could do!

Wracking her brain for any possibilities, Katya backed away from the ticket window, deciding that there must have been another way she hadn't considered. A light tap on her elbow caused the girl to jump in surprise, whirling around as she saw an older woman chuckling at her. She had seen better days, her skin sagging and clinging onto her bones, though she clung onto some papers with one hand, prodding the girl as she beckoned for her to listen.

"If you have the coin, seek out Feliks Shvets," She told her in a quiet, shaky voice, motioning back towards the city. "Around this time, he should be getting more supplies at the stationary."

Katya's eyes widened, daring to hope as she listened intently to the woman. "How will I know it's him?" She asked.

"He sticks out almost as much as you do with that svetlyy hair of yours, though it will be his clothes that make him stand out," She teased, shaking her head hurriedly. "But you didn't hear it from me!"

Before Katya could ask any further questions, the old woman shuffled away in a hurry, the train whistling and indicating that it was time to board. Her journey wasn't over just yet; this was exactly the sign she was looking for. After taking a few seconds to stuff her money securely in her coat and thanking Nana Natasha for watching over her, the blonde immediately went about searching for the place where she could find the man that would give her the visa she needed. Fortunately, there were really only a few places that provided stationary these days that managed to survive over the years, narrowing her search tremendously.

Her heart raced in her chest as she approached the last place, rubbing her hands together as she exhaled. Boy, did she hate the cold. A slight shiver ran over her body as she stuffed her hands into her pockets, continuing to look for Mr. Shvet as she stopped in front of the store. It had yet to open, it seemed, though at least she wasn't alone. A few men had gathered around a makeshift trashcan fire, one holding a newspaper and another bearing a cigarette. She wrinkled her nose as the scent hit her, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. God, how she loathed that smell.

But apparently, the smoker had been the one she was looking for. His long, black wool coat was much too nice in comparison to what the other men wore, though she supposed they made up for his shoes. His pinstriped trousers and scarf seemed to add to the image of 'still too fancy', and that was when she realized that this was what the old woman had meant when she said he stuck out. Physically, there wasn't too much that stood out otherwise, though, her eyes lingering on his dark hair for a moment before remembering why she was there to begin with.

Tugging on the sleeve of his coat, Katya would speak to him. "Excuse me, I'm looking for Feliks Shvet."

𝓘𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓽𝔀𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓭

Name: Katya Popov
Age: 21
Bio:

• Was initially catatonic when she was found, barely responding even after being treated. Apparently the only thing she used to do was weep at night, but she has little memory of this happening. Eventually she would follow instructions and generally react to the adults speaking to her, but wouldn't speak. Once she did come out of her shell, her strong personality clashed with the other children, often expecting them to bend to her will without question.
• Her earliest memory comes from getting hit by a ball, having been taken on a walk by one of the workers. Despite getting hit in the face, she apparently laughed it off, letting go of the worker's hand to go play with the other children.
• She was particularly attached to another orphan by the name of Grisha, a dark haired boy. Often chasing him around (much to his irritation), she was particularly apologetic to him, though when asked why he wouldn't leave him alone, she would only reply that she needed to apologize. As for what, no one knew, but Grisha wasn't too happy about it. Fortunately for him, as they got older, she did put a more respectful distance and eventually they got along better. He was one of the boys in a group that ended up getting indoctrinated some years down the line.
• One of the caretakers, an older woman by the name of Natasha, suspected Katya may have been nobility by the way she acted. She helped the child transition into a common life, teaching her how to speak to people without being so haughty. She found it rather amusing that despite having no memories, she still acted like a member of a noble family and often indulged her when she could. Instilling good values into the girl to the best of her ability, she is the reason why Katya works to get what she wants, having taught her that if you wanted something you had to get out there and take it for yourself. Sadly she passed away when Katya was a teenager of old age.
• Katya has an unexplainable desire to find someone; she wants to think that it is her family, but she feels it is not the case. She does not know who it is nor does she have any idea why, only 'feeling' it and figuring she would know when she would find them. She rarely brings it up, realizing it is an impossible task and one unlikely to happen. The one thing she wants more than anything is to find this person and apologize, though she doesn't even know why or what she did.
• Has sold her hair twice; the first time she was outright approached as a child, and despite not quite understanding why the man had wanted her hair, she obliged. Natasha wasn't too happy when Katya returned to the orphanage with a shaved head, though her heavy pockets let her know that this was a great way to make money. The second time was after Natasha's death, and was Katya's first step into working towards her goal.

People from Katya's Orphanage Days

Natasha Alexeev - Primary caretaker, she oversaw much of the operations of the orphanage Katya grew up in. She assumed Katya to be nobility by the clothing she wore, ordering the other caretakers to hide her once the Bolsheviks came searching for any runaway royalty. Despite the girl having no memory of who she was, her strong personality caused adult and child alike to reject her. Taking pity, Natasha raised her the best she could, teaching her how to better socialize. When Katya mentioned wanting to work, she was initially concerned the girl's naivete would cause her to get taken advantage of. Before she passed away, she left her entire set of jewelry to Katya, including a pair of silver earrings (ones she wore often) and a pair of valuable sapphire earrings.

Grisha Dobrow - A young boy who was placed in the orphanage by his father after his mother passed away. His father returned for him when he was 16, and drafted several other boys his age to be indoctrined into the Bolsehvik army. He has grown into a hardened soldier and learned the truth of the siege, believing that it was a necessary evil despite the lives lost. He doesn't believe the rumor going around about the survival of the last Romanov, but looks to dispel it as quickly as possible, only lamenting that an innocent soul has to be taken in exchange.

Yana and Lev - A pair of inseparable boys, the mischievous Lev always had a follower in Yana. He was best friends with Grisha, though he would often butt heads with Katya over her clinginess to him. Lev has grown crueler over the years, with Yana following dutifully, even as he quietly questions the things happening in their country as well as his friends' sanity.

Simplified Backstory (Post-Siege)

Age 9 - Catatonic for two months, slowly starts to come out of her shell, amnesia apparent

Age 10 - Her attachment to Grisha is apparent, much to the boy's annoyance

Age 11 - While out in the street, a man makes a comment on how much someone would pay for her hair. Katya sells it and gives the money to Natasha, who is none too pleased.

Age 15 - The boys are adopted by a soldier. Grisha and Katya promise to reunite someday.

Age 16 - Natasha passes away. Katya shaves her head and starts working in hopes of getting a ticket out of Russia.

Age 21 - Finally gets enough money for her ticket to Paris. [RP Start]

headers

Palm Beach Royals: Senior Year

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"There, there, you're fine, you're fine..." Nadia continued to rub Lucas' shoulder, trying hard not to laugh as he let out a melodramatic groan.

"I don't know what happened," He muttered, shaking his head as he gripped the sides of the toilet, tensing as another wave of nausea hit him. "I'm not a damn scrub, I've won several drinking contests, this is bull--" The last word was punctuated by Lucas abruptly depositing whatever his stomach still had, the boy coughing and wheezing at the end of it.

Nadia winced slightly, but it seemed to be over, confirmed as Lucas would finally stand, heading straight for the sink. She walked out of his bathroom, taking a seat on his bed and listening to him mutter to himself. Ever since last night he had a bad time, spending most of it on the floor of his bathroom. If it hadn't been for her own late arrival to the house, she probably wouldn't have noticed, only catching him after overhearing a prayer coming from his room. She ended up sleeping in his bed, waking up to check on him. She probably should have been tired, but maybe she was getting used to taking care of people.

Sonny had been a surprisingly good patient, or at least, as good as he could have been. By the time they had departed, she had all but forgotten about Kavi, instead content with the night and then tending to her poor future step-brother. She hadn't messaged Sonny yet, but she figured he had enough to deal with and wasn't in any real rush; if he wanted to talk she was available, if not, then they would see each other in class.

In the meantime, she watched Lucas drag himself out from the bathroom, throwing himself onto the bed with another muffled grumble. Gently stroking his hair, she gave him a smile. "Want me to get you something for your stomach?" She asked him.

"No, I don't want to throw up again," He declined, turning himself towards her. "Thanks."

Nodding, Nadia perked up as the door opened, revealing an already up and running Victoire. Completely ignoring Lucas, she sighed in relief as she spotted Nadia. "There you are, I was starting to think you actually went home with that idiot," She said, shaking her head. "What, did his car break down or something?"

"We went to the hospital, he was hurt," Nadia frowned. "Nothing broken, thank goodness, but it needed to be tended to."

"So you actually spent more time with him than necessary? Did you cut off a priest in traffic and need the good karma?" Vic asked in disbelief.

Lucas chuckled before burying himself in his blankets, whipping out his phone. "I'm more interested in Marisol's reaction, though I thought I saw her leave with her Homecoming date," He said, fingers working as he shot Diablo a quick text to see if he was alive.

Huh? Nadia raised an eyebrow at Lucas' comment, shaking her head. "We're just friends," She said, frowning.

"Do you think that psycho cares?" Vic scoffed at her. "Did you see what she did to my car?"

"That's 'cause you were a whore--OW!" Lucas didn't get a chance to finish his taunt before Victoire stomped over to him and punched his shoulder, causing him to wiggle himself towards Nadia. "What?! It's true!"

"I was drunk and he came onto me," She snapped.

Nadia and Lucas looked at one another, although they wisely chose not to comment on that. Instead, Nadia continued, "Well, like I said, we're friends. He did a good job making me feel better, and, well, if Marisol really does have an issue, we can just talk."

"You're fine, you're so cute and innocent Marisol would feel bad about stomping your teeth out," Lucas said. "Speaking of stomping, what happened with Jun? Barely saw the guy, I thought he was going to do something good at the dance."

Already feeling her headache returning, Victoire threw Lucas a glare before looking at her smart watch. "He managed to annoy me plenty without me having to see his face. I'd be impressed if it didn't piss me off so much," She admitted. "Now that I know Nadia made it home, I'm leaving, going to spend the day at Mara's and apologize for all the stupid shit you said in the car."

"Tell her I said 'thanks for not abandoning me like my bitch sister'--AAHHH! OWWWW!" Victoire immediately jumped onto the bed, managing to deliver several punches onto Lucas.

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