KazAlkemi

Château de La Lune

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Rihannon Linx

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Location: Gold Room
Skills: N/A

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While Rihannon observed their room, the sound of raised voices came from outside their door. Rih turned their head, cocking it slightly to listen better to the conversation. It seemed like there was some confusion with the room luggage. Rihannon left their room and claimed their own bag to mitigate any mix-ups. They smiled in thanks rather than saying it before returning to their room.

Rihannon locked the door behind them and opened their suitcase on the bed. When they had gone, a wind must have picked up and blew some papers from the desk onto the floor. Rihannon walked over to pick up the papers and noticed a photo... A strangely familiar photo.

The blue house pictured in the photo contrasted with the bright yellow of Rihannon’s room. Dread filled their stomach as the memory of that night came back in full force. Their ears rang, the sound of crying and screaming mingling together strangely like it did that night all those years ago.

"If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself."

George Orwell’s novel 1984 came back to Rihannon as if they had just finished reading it. For years, Rihannon had tried to forget that night. To move, to let it go. To keep others from talking about it. But now it was back.

Rih walked out onto the patio to tear the photo and throw it away—when they saw words on the back. A single sentence was written in precise handwriting.

“Strange they never figured out what caused the fire.”

The ringing sound in Rihannon’s ears intensified, and their hands started to shake. They quickly tore the photo in half, then again, and again and again before releasing it to the wind. They leaned heavily against the railing, breathing rapidly.

”Please no.” Rihannon hadn’t had a panic attack in years. Now would not be the best time for it. They clung tightly to the railing, refusing to take a knee and admit the picture had set them back. Rihannon had worked too hard to get where they were. They were not about to regress.

Thankfully, the person Rih shared a bathroom with flushed the toilet several times at that moment. The ringing in their ears subsided thanks to the new noise. Rih gulped down lungfuls of air before walking back into the room to read over the remaining papers.

Dinner. Right. Food. Fancy place. Award for extraordinary achievement. Right. Right. Rih scribbled down the fish option before setting the card outside their room. After that, they grabbed their headphones and played the set list for the tour they would go on once they won that award. Music and dancing always calmed Rihannon. They found their centre and their focus through dance. The room was small, though. After supper, Rihannon vowed to find something a little more accommodating for practice.

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Christian hung back while Penny spoke with the salesman. He didn't want to seem like he was interfering or the one who knew anything about what needed to be known about a trailer. He wandered around the outside, looking at the slides and the stands it sat on. He looked at the electrical and the plumbing before he wandered inside.

It was like a miniature home. It was quaint and tidy, if only because it was for sale rather than having someone currently living in it. Christian found the small appliances and storage spaces whimsical. When comparing the space to a normal house or even Penny's hotel room, he was unsure if she would find it suitable, but Christian found the space to be charming. He could see Penny cooking a meal while he sat on the half couch, an array of mismatched pillows surrounding him as he read a book.

Penny’s voice jarred the strange image from Christian's head and he turned to look at her after stepping out of the bathroom.

”It seems well enough. Stable. Warm,” Christian said. He looked at Penny apologetically, having no clue what made for a good trailer. ”But you need something to pull it still,” he remembered.

Ω Heroes of Olympus: The Next Age of Heroes Ω

Ezekiel Kel

Location: Arena —> Infirmary - CHB
Skills:

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Zeke’s face burned from Demitri’s whispered comment. He shoved his boyfriend but kept a firm hold of his hand. ”Somehow, I don’t think that’ll keep us warm and definitely not dry.’ He nodded goodbye to Nancy and started walking out of the arena when Kristin stopped them.

”Oh, ya. We can grab enough for everyone,” Zeke agreed. He resumed walking again, thinking about the quest they were about to embark on.

They hadn’t exactly succeeded last time, and there was a lot at stake. Zeke stared at the ground as they walked, starting to feel anxious. ”Are you nervous at all?” Zeke asked Demi. He had intended to keep his feelings to himself, but something pulled the words out of him.

Zeke paused outside the infirmary doorway. He shifted to look at Demitri and swallowed the lump quickly forming in his throat. ”If something happens to me…I need you to make sure Nancy gets Mads out. And Leda. That’s all that matters. And tell my mom I died in some epic heroic way,” Zeke chuckled halfheartedly.

Château de La Lune

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Rihannon Linx

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Location: Château de La Lune: Foyer ---> Gold Room
Skills: N/A

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Bullshit. The single word of profanity had been repeating in Rihannon’s head since they received the letter in the mail. Bullshit when they decided they would go, claiming they needed a sabbatical before the tour. Bullshit, when they arrived at the airport and boarded a private plane… The voice in Ri’s head did seem to calm down when they drank their weight in champagne, but it came right back when they climbed into a limo with other people.

Rihannon had no clue who anyone else was in the car. They sat in the corner, their lower half twisted away from everyone to create some space, but Rihannon’s dark brown eyes continuously scanned everyone while small talk occurred.

Who were these people, and how much of a challenge were they going to be?

Bullshit. Ri wasn’t going to get this award. They’ve been second best since childhood. But what if? What if this was it? What if it was the first step to getting everything Rihannon had ever dreamed of?

And that’s why after Rihannon got out of the limo, climbed the steps of the Château, walked into the grand foyer, listened to the ancient woman with excellent skin talk, Rihannon decided to change the word from ‘bullshit’ to ‘of course.’

Of course, they had been called. Of course, they were in line for this prestigious award. Of course, someone had recognized their skill. Of course, they were climbing the left staircase to the second floor, scanning the doors until they found the Gold Room. Of course, they had a room with a private balcony.

Rihannon tossed their carry-on bag onto the bed before opening the doors to the balcony. The damp air swept into the overly yellow room, causing Rih to shiver pleasantly. Growing up in Canada, Rih had grown accustomed to the various climates. However, they always preferred the temperature to be on the colder side.

After taking in the view, Rihannon walked back into the room and flopped onto the wide-backed chair. They sighed, stretched their legs out, and hung their arms over the sides.

Why yellow? Purple was a much better colour. Rihannon wondered if they would be able to switch rooms.

✨ Under Black Stars ✨

Annika shifted her weight uncomfortably. She looked away from her father, staring into the middle distance where she would start creating these portals from nothing. Think without thinking…know without knowing. As a perfectionist, Annika hated that. She needed to know she needed to think and understand so she didn’t make a mistake.

Annika worried her bottom lip, taking off a few layers of skin in the process. She looked at Jack, taking comfort in knowing that he would be there if she passed out or stumbled into something she couldn’t handle.

”Okay…” she said nervously. She turned her focus back to the emptiness in front of her and took in a deep breath. Annika shut her eyes and brought all her focus to the core of her body, to that familiar place where her power seemed to come from. That her understanding of the Everdark within and around her seemed to pool.

Okay, she thought to herself with more determination. Annika pulled on the space around her, creating a portal to some mythical world. She opened her eyes to look before he quickly disappeared, and she tried again. And again and again and again.

Sometimes a space opened quickly, sometimes sweat beaded on Annika’s forehead before she managed to rip one open. She was trembling after opening her fifth one, but she didn’t think her father would be happy with just five, so she kept going until her vision went dark and her breathing became laboured.

Ω Heroes of Olympus: The Next Age of Heroes Ω

Ezekiel Kel

Location: Arena - CHB
Skills:

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Once Kristin gave everyone a list of supplies they should gather, people started to leave. Zeke turned to look at Nancy and Demi, the former just letting go of the hug. It didn’t seem like she had heard anything the group had discussed, and Zeke was shocked by this. He walked closer to the pair of them, slipping his hand into Demi’s and squeezing.

”He actually is rather caring and forward thinking. Shocking isn’t it?” Zeke said, having overheard Nancy’s comment to Demi. Zeke smiled at Demi. ”Kristin wants everyone to get camping supplies and whatever else we need. Then we’re to meet on the beach in thirty minutes. I need to swing by the infirmary to make sure we have enough supplies for everyone. Do you want to get a tent for us to share?”

In some ways, Zeke was glad Niah was coming along. He wouldn’t focus any less on Nancy as this quest was incredibly important to her, and he wanted to be by her side when they rescued Mads. However, he also promised to be better for Demetri. To be present and supportive, to be a boyfriend, and what better way to share a tent—as long as Alexios slept outside.

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

”I was thinking something similar,” Christian confided. ”Oh perhaps an emergency call service or working for a police station. The only thing I worry about if you were to be a bounty hunter or PI is running into the police and being arrested. Bounty Hunters aren't known to have a legitimate or upstanding business. The police are well within their right to arrest you if you interfere with an investigation,” Christian said. ”Of course, the decision is ultimately yours.”

Christian picked up the TV remote and turned the channel to something less attention grabbing. He slipped his iced coffee and watched Penny type away on her laptop. The activity seemed so mundane but in the company of friends it was welcoming and comforting.

Christian smiled, leaning forward to look over Penny's trailer choice. He chuckled softly. ”It looks well, but I confess I do not know what would be considered a good or poor trailer. Should we go and see it?” Penny would be living in it after all. It had to be homey enough for her.

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Christian greeted Penny warmly when she walked into the living area. He watched her select a green tea and made a mental note for later. He set the paper he was reading down, laughing a little. ”I wasn’t sure what you would like, so I decided more was better than less.” He grabbed one of the iced coffees and took a sip of it.

”Did you sleep well? I hear people can have difficult nights and mornings after drinking.” Amusement danced in Christian’s eyes as he looked for any signs of Penny suffering from a hangover. He pushed the food closer to her, wanting her to take her fill.

”Ah, I was looking at the classifieds for you, but then I realized I don’t know what your qualifications are,” Christian confessed. He glanced at the TV and saw what Penny was watching. He frowned slightly. Most vampires didn’t have a tight cover story like that. Then again, these vampires had integrated themselves into society quite well.

”Mmm, I wouldn’t worry about it. Most of these cases tend to get forgotten or thrown out. We can go over being a little more discrete next time. I think you did yourself a favour by moving and selling the house before you killed them. They may question you about your time there before you moved, but I doubt they can tie anything to you.”

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Christian took the shot Penny had poured for him and set the glass back down. He felt a bit of a burn in his throat and picked up the bottle to read it over. He never felt anything he consumed or tasted, so this was another new experience. He set the bottle down when Penny looked at him.

”A travel trailer would be a good idea. You’ll always have the comforts of home,” he said, smiling at Penny. With his attention back on her, Christian could see the glassy look in Penny’s eyes of someone who was drunk, or at the very least tipsy. Christian smiled, feeling that he had successfully completed the mission he had set out to do when he left Penny that note earlier.

He busied himself with closing the bottles and looking for something to cover the wine when Penny kissed his cheek. Christian froze, definitely feeling that. He slowly looked at Penny, who was smiling as she thanked him and said good night. Christian felt his cheeks warm as she walked away. He looked away and cleared his throat.

”Yes, yes of course. Goodnight,” he said quickly before returning to the task of cleaning. Once Penny was gone from the room, Christian brushed his fingers against his cheek. It still felt strange to him but not uncomfortable. If anything, it confused Christian.

He puzzled over Penny’s kiss for most of the night, flipping through TV channels and wishing he had a book of some kind. If these overnights with Penny were going to become a common occurrence, he needed her to start travelling with a library or something that would keep Christian stimulated during the night.

The following day, around six in the morning, Christian left Penny’s hotel room in search of a decent breakfast and coffee. On his way back, he gathered a few newspapers that had classifieds and a magazine that showcased used and new trailers. Christian knew all this information was readily available on the internet. Still, he wasn’t going to break into Penny’s laptop and violate her privacy—at least more than he already was by remaining in her hotel room at night. Besides, now he had something to read and do while Penny slept.

Christian set Penny’s breakfast down on the counter, the tray of coffees beside it. He wasn’t sure what she liked, so he gathered a variety of caffeinated drinks, both hot and cold, and an assortment of packaged teas and hot water. Whatever she didn’t want, Christian would take for himself. He was coming to the understanding that even though eating and drinking didn’t benefit him any, it was something Penny required and something that might make him a little less unsettling if he went through more of the motions that humans did. Like breathing.

Christian sat down at the little table and flipped through the papers, looking for jobs and places for sale.

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Christian leaned against the counter while Penny conversed with Charles. He smiled, happy to hear Charles was well looked after but slightly surprised at the next part of the conversation. Is it because of Christian?

Penny had said she would talk to Charles in the morning, but the moment presented itself so well. Christian also figured the alcohol was guiding her decision to tell Charles she would be staying, but what did Christian have to do with it?

He watched Penny closely while she talked, confirming he might be the reason, but related it to his non-existent dead sister. Interesting. Penny hung up the phone and poured Christian a shot. He raised his eyebrows but shrugged and chuckled.

”No dates, no boyfriends. Just training.” But the comment Charles made still lingered with Christian. ”But before training, I think finding a job or a home would be ideal.” Living out of a hotel wasn't bad, but if Penny was staying for a while, it might be cheaper elsewhere.