ProxyInc

~ Attack on Titan: The Western Siege ~ [OPEN]

This feels familiar . . .

Alveos Adventure Academy

Throwing interest here.

IC: The Order of Pandora (Victorian-era superheroes)

👀

Gifted Tempest

Elijah Edwards

And just like that the situation bled from mild confusion to a raucous panic as the once toppled man began to shout. The arrival of the new woman had only served to heighten the anxiety that dwelled in the pit of his stomach. Each person seemed to be as lost and confused as the last, and the lack of information was starting to gnaw at him.

The fair-haired woman, or Wendy as she had introduced herself as, started in on a pretty detailed tangent recalling her recent scuffle. It was bewildering, to say the least, to listen to her talk. And had it not been for his own recent run-in with strange men and strange facilities, he would have written her off as some common lunatic. Lord knows he’s seen enough of them pandering on the corners—talking about superheroes and the shadow movement’s of their government.

But no, as much as his brain wanted to purge the idea something was going on here. Though he still clung to the shredding hole that it was still all a very simple mistake. Elijah didn’t know about the others but for him he didn’t belong there. His place was back in his workshop and soon he would be home—that is if he could find someone of authority to talk too.

More people.

The hallway was starting to feel crowded and Elijah folded his arms across his chest while he studied the two new additions. Just how many people are here? The thought was worrisome. Could it be all the missing people were here? Could there be something to this? His doubt was carving little holes in his logic, giving him cause to start shifting nervously on the balls of his feet.

He listened carefully to the man who approached them. The English accent throwing Elijah off kilter. Since he clearly wasn’t American, did that mean they were outside of the U.S or maybe this incident was happening outside of the states? He felt his face crease with pain as a stress headache arched through his temples while his brain attempted to make heads or tails of the situation.

As the man’s reassurance tapered off he offered his arm as support to the injured woman and with grace she accepted the support, leaning into him. She quickly introduced herself as Amelia, a young woman a handful of years his junior. As she suggested they head to the cafeteria his stomach made a rather impressively loud gurgle. A sheepish grin tugged at his lips before he let out a soft laugh. ”I think my stomach agrees with the young woman.”

He let his arms fall to his side and strode over towards the still panicked looking man, placing his hand on his shoulder and looking him square in the eyes. ”Let’s go see what they have to offer, and maybe we can find someone there who will have a better explanation.”

----
@PinkOwl@Jinxer@SheriffLlama@wolverbells@RumikoOhara

Gifted Tempest

Elijah Edwards

The stranger had blinked at him, asking him questions in a blunder. The confusion was thick across his face and Elijah felt both relieved and disappointed. Part of him had hoped the man had knew something—but it was just his luck that the stranger was just as confused as he was. Taken from his home? He mulled over the sliver of information while opening his mouth to respond.

The sound of a shuffling feet caught his attention, letting his eyes flicker away from the stranger. A woman came barreling down the hall with little warning, knocking into the man and sending him to the ground with fair ease. Her face was a mixture of shock and horror while ushering quick apologies beneath her breath.

”Damn woman, you hit like a train,” the man said with a wobble as he stood.

Elijah remembered where he was for a moment and closed the gap between the trio. Unsure in what to do but slightly unnerved by the blood that now trickled down the man's face.

”Yo, you okay?” Elijah looked at the guy, hands out just in case he should fall back over. He allowed himself a quick glance back over at the woman. It didn’t add up, he had saw the bump but the stranger had pinged off her like she was a one woman wrecking force. But she had barely wavered from where she stood, her toned body showing no sign of impact.

”And are you okay, miss?” He felt a little awkward asking but felt it only polite. She didn’t have the same confused air or look that the man before them did. Maybe she knew something more? Elijah felt the subtle pang of hope crackle through him. Maybe she would have the answers he needed.

---
@SheriffLlama@RumikoOhara

Of Blood and Magic

Joryldin, Lucan, Morrigan

Lucan had impeccable timing. He made his way into the conversation just as the other two were beginning proper introductions.

The shorter one asked his new acquaintance, "Name’s Joryldin, how about you?” just as Bordeleaux strolled in and gave his own.

”Names Morrigan,” he managed to get out before they were interrupted. The embraced vampire took a moment to step back, letting his new companion take the lead.

Joryldin, the smaller, more unkempt one turned to glance at the new face. He was dressed far too casually for the occasion. As he noticed the myriad of crests adorning Lucan’s formal attire, he froze momentarily. "Oh, uh- Hey. You new here too?”

Luc tilted his head to the right slightly as the smaller embraced turned to him. He took in the brief yet adequate glance over and hoped he didn’t appear as some stuck up noble, but he probably did in the end. “I’m new to the Academy yes. As a student anyway.”

"Well, the pleasure’s mine. Joryldin held a hand out to shake, while simultaneously cursing himself for possibly sounding too formal or maybe even being disrespectful with his straightforward greeting.

Morrigan let his eyes wander, the vampire before them seemed more refined but there was something admis. A lack of polish perhaps, he couldn't be for certain. With a cross of his arms he watched the two exchange small talk. ”New as a student? So you've been here before?”

With a respectful inclination of his head Lucan accepted the handshake and gave a polite squeeze, not too hard and not too soft. The embraced seemed to be hesitating after his movements which Luc put down to simply not having dealt with many pureblood yet in this stage of his vampiric life. He was about to respond when the other, taller one spoke. Luc removed a handkerchief from his front pocket, wiped a bit of invisible dust from his jacket, and then nodded.

”Indeed, I worked security here some…” He thought for a moment and then a ghost of a smile came across his face. ”40 years ago? 50, they all start blending together after so long.”

As conversation began to properly kick off, Joryldin took out his earbud and turned his phone off completely. It was best not to risk pulling it out of his pocket and closing the program; people might see what he was listening to. "I guess I can count on you if I get lost, can’t I?” A slight smirk came over him. He was only half-joking though, and would probably get lost multiple times during the first few weeks.

As Joryldin joked, Morrigan simply covered his mouth with his hand, hoping to mask some of the surprise that he felt crease the edges of his mouth. Forty to fifty years was beyond the time that his sister had spent her days here, but even hearing the youthful looking vampire say it so casually threw him. Was the difference between the two so vast?

With keen eyes Luc hardly missed any of the movements his two companions made. He was so used to watching these subtle movements in court that he found himself copying them in normal everyday conversation. The earbuds coming out, the slight smirk coming to Jory’s face and then Morrigan’s covering of his own face, hiding some sort of emotion which Luc could only assume was disbelief.

”Of course you can, I’ve no idea what you two have gone through in your lives but it probably wasn’t easy, and now you’ve been thrust into a world where you haven’t belonged. If you ever need any advice or help please don’t hesitate to find me and ask me any question you might have.” He thought of some of the embraced vampires that were in the Bordeleaux’s House Guard and how he had spoken to them about their own experiences and hoped to at least help some of these vampires find their way into society easier. Then again, that’s what the Academy was for overall.

The mote of humor Joryldin toyed around with disappeared in a puff of smoke. He fully expected everyone here to lord themselves over him and tell him that he didn’t fit. Hell, there was a spiteful part of him that was happy to hear it. What he didn’t expect or want was how quick people would be to try and read him; to try and prod at what made him tick. "Thanks,” the fledgeling mumbled, "If I need a hand I’ll be sure to flag you down. Lucan, right?” Bright eyes slowly faded to their usual dark crimson as Joyrldin threw his hood back over his face.

Morrigan bit back a sigh, there was the arrogance he had come to expect. And he had no doubts Joryldin shared the same feelings of ire as he watched the boy pull up his hood. ”We should probably move with the class to lunch,” he said to ease the tension. ”Lucan, you said you've been here before. How does lunch work?” The question seemed silly but he couldn't imagine vampires feeding off of their mages while they sat down to a tray of whatever.

It seemed that Luc was back into the court scene as his words seemed to have the opposite effect of what he intended. He shrugged mentally, it was a complicated line to cross when it came to the embraced and he regretted even bringing it up. As it was however Jory seemed to be finished with the conversation overall after giving a respectful thanks. Luc watched as the shorter vampire placed his hood over his face, not missing the change in his eyes that belied his mood.

The other embraced didn’t show any outward signs of offense but Luc had stepped all over one so he was sure that he wasn’t exactly a favorite to either, but Morrigan surprised him slightly by being quite diplomatic in his reply. Luc wiped another piece of dust from his jacket and nodded before replying, his eyes going to stare at Morrigan’s form. ”Lunch is a time for vampires to show off their mage’s and for the main bit of policy to begin. Mage’s will no doubt eat but vampires tend to greet their mages friends and their vampires. Cliques will probably form out of that and a pecking order will start forming. Though, with the nobility here this year it will be interesting to see exactly what happens with that. My good friend Aaron has happened to find my Mage since I wasn’t here for orientation. You’re both more than welcome to join us, I can’t speak for Aaron’s vampire since I don’t know who it is but if anything you’ll have a seat with me and Salem.”

Joryldin made a mental note to do the exact opposite: Stay out of his mage’s business and only interact with her friends if she introduces them. Of course there was a pecking order, and he couldn’t wait to see how much of a train wreck that would be. “You two feel free. I’ve got to get my classes in order, but I’ll catch up with you in a bit.” With that, he meandered off into the crowd to find his guidance counsellor. Expecting nothing more than patronization and propaganda, he braced himself and started rehearsing in his head. Joryldin wanted to brush past the pleasantries as politely as he could muster, then gather all the information he needed to start off the school year.

There was sinking feeling for Morrigan as he watched the small of Jorydlin's back disappear, leaving him behind with the pure blood. His mouth opened and closed for a moment while looking for the words. ”I guess I will accompany you, better than trying to figure things out on my own. I guess,” He knew his words didn't exactly inspire confidence but then again he wasn't exactly feeling much of it himself. But friends were something he needed while being here, and despite the arrogant statement made earlier the pure blood seemed kind. He moved to stuff his hands in his pockets and looked back idly at Lucan. ”If you'd kindly lead the way . . .”

With a simple nod Lucan watched as Jory made his exit. It was plain to the pureblood that he had crossed a line without realizing it and he made a mental note to try and correct his mistake at a later date. For the moment however he was left with Morrigan and he politely looked down while the young vampire took a moment to regain control. ”I apologize if I made you separate from your friend, that was not my intention, and I’m sure I’m the last person that you wish to walk about with. But I hope I can show you that not all purebloods are the same, and that some do think about those that are ‘beneath the boot’ so to speak…” He hesitated and placed his handkerchief back into his front pocket and nodded. ”Of course, please this way.” He gestured to the door and ensured he was stepping beside Morrigan and not in front.

Morrigan fell in step with the pure blood, letting his mind roam freely. As his new companion said lunch was supposedly a time for vampires to flaunt their partners and the typical hierarchy that came with school to begin. ”It’s fine,” he assured the vampire. Of course part of him would have felt more at ease with another fledgling, but Morrigan couldn’t pass up this opportunity. ”The change can make us, touchy.” It wasn’t a lie, at least not a full lie. Both he and Jorydlin seemed to be struggling—but another fledglings temperament was of no concern to him. For now, he needed to make sure he found a decent spot in the school's cliques. The two of them moved silently with the rest of the student body towards the cafeteria.

-------
@Apoalo@Jade Blades

Gifted Tempest

Elijah Edwards

“You’re in a government detainment facility,” a voice answered, crackling through a small white speaker on the ceiling. He frowned in response, moving his hands to cup his ears from the offensive noise. The voice's shrill tone sent little shocks of electricity through his brain that only egged on the thrumming headache that pulsed beneath the surface.

“You’ll find a change of clothes and a packet explaining everything you need to know on the little stand in the room. Please change and leave your old clothes on the bed before you leave.”

The speaker cut off with a small hiss of static, leaving Elijah behind with the rush of his heartbeat in his ears. Change of clothes? He looked down at his dark dress shirt, dried sauces painted and smeared across its shiny buttons. He let out a pensive sigh, nothing made sense—not that the thundering going on between his ears allowed for much deep thinking. He let his burning eyes travel around the room, the whiteness offending his sore eyes. True to the voice’s words there was a small stack of neatly folded cloth beside a small paper envelop.

I guess I don’t have much of a choice. . . He slid off the side of the bed with a shallow grunt, slowly flexing his muscles to help shake off the remaining dredges that still clung to him. With clumsy fingers he unbuttoned his shirt and peeled the soiled fabric from his torso. Out of habit Elijah's fingers wrapped around the little circle of metal that bumped against his bare chest. It gave him a calm feeling, like an anchor back to reality. He slipped into the scrubs with haste, dumping his former clothes onto the bed before tearing into the paper envelope.

The paper folded inside was short—just a small list of rules that he let himself skim over. Elijah didn’t plan on learning them, for he didn’t plan to stay long. There was clearly some sort of mix up and the sooner he got out of here to talk to someone, the sooner he could go free. He moved towards the door and pressed on it with his palm. But the door didn’t budge. Again, this time he pressed with both palms but still the door didn’t budge.

”Uh, can I leave?”
“Please discard your jewelry and set them on the bed as per the rules in the paperwork provided,” the intercom hissed again.

”You've got to be kidding me,” he whined back, grabbing the paper again and looking over the print. Sure enough—no jewelry was one of the restrictions listed. ”Listen, I’m not taking off my necklace.” He flicked his eyes up at the speaker and awaited their response.

The intercom hissed to life before a new voice drifted through the air. “Mister Edwards, either you can cooperate with us. Or we can do this the long and hard way. The choice is yours, but you will not be permitted to leave this room until you relinquish your jewelry.” The make voice clicked off with a sharpness, leaving him back alone with his thoughts.

Elijah ran his hands around the door, its surface cold and smooth. Not a button nor lever to be found hidden on the frame. And the room around him too sparse to contain any secrets. He bit down on his lower lip, eyes narrowing on annoyance. ”What about I just give up my earrings,” he asked, attempting to make a deal. But he was met with only more weighed silence, one that set his teeth on edge.

Elijah paced around the room, contemplating his next move. There has to be something. . . He wracked his brain for some solution or thread of logic to follow. He leaned over the rumpled pile of clothes, they still hadn't said anything in return to his bargain. It’s not like I won’t get it back. Yeah, of course I will. Once I explain the mix up they’ll returned everything, they’ll have too. His brain wagered while his fingers fumbled with the tiny metal clasps on the back of his ear.

His ear felt weird without the extra weight, he wouldn’t have known that the two little hoops would have made such an impact. But he strangely felt like he was missing something as he dropped them into the pile. His necklace was next, plucking at the knot on the back of the leather strap around his neck. This made his stomach clench as the metal ring fell from his body. It felt like he was naked.

”There. Happy,” he asked into the silence. Without another word he stomped over to the smooth door and pushed on it. This time the door hissed in response, as of the pressure of the air inside was desperate to escape. As it slid away from its frame Elijah stepped out into the clearing. The halls were as blindingly white as the room behind him. He turned on his heel, one direction then the other. He half expected someone to be out here to greet him, but it seemed like he was have to find his own way.

He made his way down the halls, listening to the echo of his own footsteps until the gentle murmur of a voice broke through the silence. ”Hello?”

”Hello?” he answered back, slightly annoyed at the waver in his voice. He pushed himself further down the hall, looking for the owner of the voice. As he rounded the corner he ran into another man in similar looking scrubs, his dark hair tousled messily in front of his dark eyes. He looked about as confused and wary as Elijah felt. Another prisoner? He frowned at the word but couldn’t find a better term to take its place as he moved towards the stranger.

@SheriffLlama

Of Blood and Magic

Morrigan Cade

Interacting with: @Jade Blades

”Oh god, I don’t even want to imagine,” he said with a groan. An hour of being reminded that they were still essentially cattle. An hour of carefully plucked words that wept with double intent. He was already irritated with the principle's pragmatic chatter. Had he been in the mages shoes . . . Max is probably going to be in a bad mood. Morrigan's face crumpled into a sour look. He just wanted to go to class. He rather be learning things that be told to keep his partner in check. Plus, surely the lay out of the academy couldn’t be that difficult to remember.

”How are you taking the change?” He refused eye contract as his voice hissed out the question. There was a burning desire to know; was it only him that was having difficulties? There was a high chance that the boy had asked for this—unlike himself. But even those who wanted this life, they must be missing something. He folded his arms across his chest, biting back his own doubts while waiting for the boys response. It probably wasn’t the best place to hold this conversation but Morrigan was never one to know when was the appropriate time to approach things.

He eyed the pure bloods in front of him with a weighted look. Could he become more like that? At ease? The thoughts brewed while the tour edged to a close. Lunch was up next, something he both looked forward too and dreaded at the same time.

Of Blood and Magic

Morrigan Cade

Interacting with: @Jade Blades

The morning’s silence buzzed in his ears—an oppressive weight that wrapped around his still frame. He needed to eat, a faint pain clashed like lightening in the back of his throat. And Morrigan chastised himself once more for not indulging back at the party. He didn’t want to open the cabinets, explore only to find the disappointment that he was sure awaited him. There’s always Max . . . his nose wrinkled at the thought. There was no way he was going to wake the mage for that. No, Morrigan would just have to push through his day until the inevitable was before them both.

He moved soundlessly back towards his room, not even bothering to flip on the lights before rummaging through his closet. His attire was simple, plain dark button ups and black pants. He wanted to leave before his partner woke, giving the two of them comfortable space while they still adjusted. Outside was pricked with the faintest hint of humidity left over from the day. The night's coolness washing over him and breaking any remaining threads of sleep that still clung to him.

The school was peppered with chatter. Older students rushing around or lounging in the corners idly chatting. Morrigan settled in with the rest of the vampire freshman before being shuffled to the back with the rest of the embraced. He could feel it. The subtle dynamic shift from the pure bloods and them. They walked before him with bright chatter, while the rest followed in a murky silence.

He largely tuned out the principle, letting his eyes wander and absorb the halls around them. Everything was crisp and polished—and the eyes of mages and vampires alike seemed to trail where ever they moved.

”As their caretakers,” the principle's droll voice caught his attention once more,”we have to guide them with a critical eyes and a firm hand for them to ultimately successful.”

They’re not pets . . . his thoughts flashed back to Max, the mage was clearly more put together than he was. They claim it’s a partnership but they still act like humans are hapless.

With a roll of his eyes Morrigan recognized a familiar face nearby. The angry vampire that had brushed past him back at the party. With some subtle pushing he made his way towards the boy, brushing his shoulder against him as he leaned in slightly. ”Could he get any duller,” he asked, trying to make chitchat while the principle continued. It would be good, to gain a possible friend who understood the difficulties that came from being embraced.

Gifted Tempest

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