shylarah

Don't Fear the Reaper (shy and Malice)

@Malice I'd figured Lee's death was the catalyst, but I'm game either way. And if she does hear him as a reaper, it's because she's on the brink of death. She's totally supposed to die.

Feel better soon!

𝓣ℎ𝑒 𝓕𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝒻 𝓐𝑙𝑦𝑠𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑎 & 𝓕𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑛, 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡.

It took all her control not to snap at Finnegan as he used, repeatedly, the one nickname she could never stand. Christopher alone used it, and more often he used the childish form of "Lyssa". Without even thinking, she pulled her hand away. Perhaps Finnegan had truly realized his thoughtlessness, but would that even last beyond the duration of the perfume's effects?

He called their first dance a conquest, and that was the final straw. The expression in her grey eyes turned cool, her lips thinned to a flat line. "You should know better than to call me that," she said once he'd finished with more "Alyssa"s, her voice distant. She didn't say a word of forgiveness. "Walter...I need to leave. You have my apologies." She grabbed the folded metal form of her wings from where they lay near her chair and held them near her back long enough for her control of them to take over and lock them into their sockets.

Finnegan rose to stop her, but in his current state it was easy enough to dodge around him and make it to her jacket, and then the door and beyond to freedom. Outside Alyssana spread her wings and leaped skyward, and she did not look back. The hated nickname still rang in her ears, and it took some time of the cool wind rushing past before the sound faded from mind. She knew she'd responded too harshly, but she'd also done her best to stay calm. She'd apologize once Finnegan was sober.

𝓣ℎ𝑒 𝓕𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝒻 𝓐𝑙𝑦𝑠𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑎 & 𝓕𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑛, 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡.

"I am unwilling to conceed the point, but very well. Assuming you were immune...only a week ago you were singing Lady Sylvia's praises." Alys couldn't help the note of disdain that crept into her tone. "Last month it was Miss Evelyn. How is this different?"

𝓣ℎ𝑒 𝓕𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝒻 𝓐𝑙𝑦𝑠𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑎 & 𝓕𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑛, 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡.

Yes, there it was. The potion talking -- would he believe that? It was worth a try, Alyssana supposed. "Finny, do you remember earlier, in the lab? You got doused with one of your perfumes. The same one you used on Miss Evelyn." She tried to keep the thread of accusation out of her voice -- this was more than punishment enough for his misdeeds in that situation, even if Alys hadn't quite forgiven him for it. "Among its effects are severe infatuation."

𝓣ℎ𝑒 𝓕𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝒻 𝓐𝑙𝑦𝑠𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑎 & 𝓕𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑛, 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡.

With Lady Sylvia manuevered out the door, and it locked behind her, Alyssana allowed herself to indulge in a moment of relief. She'd never liked the woman, and was glad to have her gone. But only a moment before she turned her attention to Walter, trying his best to speak over the uncomfortably mushy expounding of Finnegan. If she didn't know about the perfume she might have wondered what had gotten into him, for while he was a flirt this was far beyond his usual affectionate banter. As things stood, the more he said, the harder it was for Alys -- both the needle-sharp twinge of guilt and simple embarrassment on his behalf.

"If Finnegan knows the most, then I suppose we'll have to wait until he's feeling more like himself," she declared, speaking over Finny with the ease of a teacher who'd faced her share of intractable students. "No, there's no need to knock him out, Walter. ...Let me try to speak with him."

And so Alyssana settled herself again in the chair across from Finnegan. "What do I need to understand, Finnegan?" she asked, tone gentler, more patient. She'd already braced herself for the awkwardness of his answer, but if hearing him out would allow them to move forward with other matters, she felt obligated to endure it.

Don't Fear the Reaper (shy and Malice)

Setting is either Chicago suburbs or those of a Chicago-like city. I've set the month as probably early March. @Malice I hope this works as a starter. The footsteps can be your reaper, or maybe Lee just imagined them.

Don't Fear the Reaper (shy and Malice)

The day had started like any other. Cecilly finished teaching towards the end of the afternoon, and after the end of the last class for the day she tidied the studio before locking up. The weather was chilly, but most of the winter's snow had melted away, and she thought she smelled the hint of spring. Still, the wind gusted cold, and she pulled her jacket closer and buried her nose in her fluffy scarf until it died down, glad for the warmth of both. There was a smile on her face as she headed off down the street.

Cecilly was in her thirties, but years of dance and self-defense had her in superb shape. She was tall and solidly built, with short, dirty blonde hair that framed a round face. She wore a matched fleece outfit over her closefitting dance clothes to guard against the weather, and worn running shoes, but she wasn't at all self conscious because of it. Her stride was confident, and from a distance it was impossible to tell she was blind. In a world where a significant percentage of the population had some minor magic ability, she had been very lucky that hers compensated for the fact that she'd been born without eyesight. Instead, she "saw" the world in spaces and distances between things, sensing their locations. It gave her some advantages over the seeing at close range, but as things got farther away what she could sense dropped off sharply.

She heard the car coming, but it had a red light and she was already halfway across the street. Even if she'd known that it wasn't going to stop, there might not have been time to get out of the way. It was going far too fast, and she had just enough time to realize she was in trouble before her world imploded.

The sound of the car's engine moving away was muffled. There was something cold and hard and uneven digging into her cheek, and under her fingers. It took a long moment for her to realize that it was the asphalt of the street, that the rhythmic noises were the footsteps of someone approaching. She was far too disoriented to make them out in great detail, but she prayed they would help. Please God, I'm not ready to die. I don't want this to be the end. It was more the idea than actual words, but that was the thought that ran through her head. Please.

𝓣ℎ𝑒 𝓕𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝒻 𝓐𝑙𝑦𝑠𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑎 & 𝓕𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑛, 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡.

Alyssana had no interest in whether Lady Sylvia cared for her or not. The suggestion of the woman looking after Finnegan instead of Alys was met with a frown, but also a shrug. "It's all the same to me, but don't you think it would be better to let Walter decide?"

Walter suggested that neither lady be involved, and that was fine with her. She was, after all, at the perfumery to see Walter himself, and not his elder brother. If Walter wanted help she'd be there, and if he wanted to handle Finnegan on his own that was fine as well.

Finnegan started speaking, and Alyssana was quite frankly shocked by what came out of his mouth. He'd never spoken so to a woman so far as she could remember, harsh and honest and not a hint of flirting. The bit about her was no doubt due to his recent dousing, but the rest -- it was rather satisfying to see him taking Lady Sylvia down a peg.

And then he kept going, to her acute embarrassment. Oh, the gossips would have a field day if this got out -- and she had no doubt it would. Fortunately for everyone, Lady Sylvia had had enough, and cut in with mockery and a threat that meant little to Alyssana.

"If you do not care to be a part of this 'circus', then perhaps you had better leave," Alyssana said at last, after a silence left long enough to grow uncomfortable. She had no issue with it herself, but it was useful to know how much of a delay made the other person wonder if their remarks had hit home or not. There was no need for a retort beyond that. Whatever the outcome, she'd deal with it when it happened, and better to let Sylvia feel she'd scored than extend the matter further by bickering. Alyssana lacked the vested interest in her social standing to truly suffer from minor scandals, and if she wasn't invited to parties in one circle, the school circle more than made up for the lack.

"Well then," Alyssana said, once the door swung shut behind their uninvited guest. "Finnegan...I am sorry. I should have tried to get you clear. But it will wear off." She sighed. Was he safe to be left to his own devices? No, best stay where they could keep an eye on him. "Walter...you said something about a murder?"

When Royalty Collides (#YIKES)

> S P A R K S , A C I R A S I T
status: Pokemon master

> > "Yeah, you got it, your highness." Sparks had been tickled pink to hear that the princess was having a Pokemon Go! event. He was wearing a casual-tier cosplay in honor of his team -- goldenrod shirt and a faux leather jacket he'd probably end up taking off later. Even with blue hair and the matching highlights on his jacket, his outfit echoed Instinct's Spark enough to be recognizable to those in the know. Of course his own nickname long predated the game, but he hardly minded sharing.

As the guests filed into the library he finished setting up the projector and the quick slideshow he'd put together at Princess Lea's request. He waited several minutes after the appointed time to let stragglers arrive, and then dimmed the lights and started the show. He'd covered the basic premise of the game, and then went into the mechanics. The three different teams he knew by heart, Mystic with their analytical approach, Valor who believed in strength, and Instinct -- his favorite (but he was biased). The game itself was pretty easy to explain, but Sparks said that anyone with questions was welcome to ask an experienced player, including himself.

"The goal of course is to have fun," he said in conclusion. Trite, perhaps, but definitely true. "I suggest trying to hit up the pokestops in the gardens to get some eggs before starting to ramble. That way you can work on hatching them while you explore. Good luck!"

With the lights back on some people left right away, but as he'd expected the rest lingered. He put away the projector and waited to see if any of the royals needed help.

Black Rainbows: Synthetic Eden Organisation

"Not a better computer. Just a better monitor -- and even that took some doing." Rey hadn't even noticed the fallen medication -- or if he had, he opted to say nothing about it. Athena's arrival made him try very hard to focus on his work, rather than the fennec posing at the cubical wall. Jessamine was a cheerful distraction, and Crispin another. It was much easier to ignore Athena who, while pretty, kept pressuring him to draw her and didn't seem to have any intention of paying for the privelage. Between Crispin and Liz, Rey actually found a smile.

"There, I think that'll -- whoa!" Suddenly Crispin dived under Xell's desk, making Rey push himself aside to give him space and nearly topple himself out of his chair. Laughter rang out, and for a moment Rey thought it was at him, but no: someone was heckling Athena. She was more than capable of handling it, at least.

Then Xell leaped at Crispin, and this time Rey did get knocked out of his chair, landing hard on the floor. The dragon was going for a capsule that matched the ones Rey had politely pretended not to notice. Was it Xell's? Was Crispin really oblivious enough not to check the label on the pill, after picking it up from the floor? Best to let the two of them sort it out, though, instead of stepping in himself.