SilverPaw

Qualia: Mission Sub Rosa

Kiran Agnarsson

The Clocktower was beautiful. It was astounding to think of its construction; no Formulization at all! That qualified it as art in Kiran’s opinion. Not that formulized things couldn’t be too, but it was a bit different.

There was even a fountain, and seating in the form of benches. People were taking pictures, which he could understand. However, Kiran merely craned his head up instead, peering at the top. There was a balcony up top which would surely provide a great vista of the academy grounds. Steam gently rolled from its highest point.

Kiran approached the base of the tower, taking note of the basement door. Later. For now, he had a climb ahead of him. Might as well take the scenic route there when he was already there. As he ascended gradually, he only occasionally glanced out and around – the far more interesting view was the exact composition of the tower. When simple observation was not enough, Kiran gently ran his fingers across the array of machinery.

It took him a while to get to the balcony, but it was a worthwhile endeavor, and a pleasant one. At the top, he took a seat, and rested, enjoying the view.

*

Once he returned all the way down, Kiran stretched, then stood himself determinedly in front of the basement door. Cheekily, he knocked once. Then he laid a palm on the door, and sent a spark of Formulization through it to unlock it.

The Hourglass Order

Linah Aranda

_{Interactions: Onarr @Bork Lazer, Anesin @Noxious, Marlijn and Sienna Afraval @Force and Fury}

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The parade proceeded forward, a living example why the street they trod upon had been named as it was, and truly giving it its purpose. Closer to the plaza, those mounted passed off their horses to the hands of others to be stabled; in Linah’s case Valverde had taken up that task.

The crowd trekked slowly toward the center, but the closer they got, the more frenzied it became. The students begun fighting their way toward the front, and as Linah mimicked them instinctively, she saw what it was that was so coveted. An array of seating, best spots being fought over not-quite-rowdily.

Smirking at the idea of uppity nobles engaging in a behavior that they would surely term lowborn in other circumstances, Lin began weaving her way through the tightly packed group. If one ignored the scale of it, this was not all that different from making one’s way through a sale at the market. After her own judicious application of elbows and knees, Linah earned herself a decent enough spot. Close enough to serve as a good vantage point, but not so close that she’d be exposed.

Soon, speeches begun to be made, and Linah kept her gaze affixed forwards. She half-listened to the words being said, but mostly took in the atmosphere. Some were tense, some bored, some excited…But all of them select few from all across the world, there to attend at the best magical academy in existence. Despite everything, Lin was a tad proud to be there. It may not have been entirely on her own merit to have made it in – then again, who did? No matter the hows of it, she was eager to make a mark of her own, here. She would use this opportunity, and it would be to her benefit.

As the current speech dragged on, Linah noticed someone close to her left turn slightly towards her. She curiously tilted her head left, smirking and lifting an eyebrow as she caught the assessing gaze of a pale noble girl. The other girl was looking around at her peers, it seemed. Lin mentally shrugged, and righted her position until she was once again facing the current speaker. On a certain level, she could understand that girl’s fascination; seeing so many foreigners was a novel experience for her as well. In fact, it was so bizarre as to be nearly overwhelming. However, Lin had got used to it during the parade, even if it did admittedly still feel strange.

After the lengthy introductory address, something more rousing was announced: The five monarchs. Linah clapped sedately, though she was as invigorated as the rest of them. These men were all powerful; they knew it, and so did everyone else. Even if she personally didn’t care for any of them, felt bitter towards them for disregarding so many as worthless due to being so far beneath their notice, Lin couldn’t deny that they carried themselves well. They were so well practiced, one would be hard pressed to call it posturing – except in the case of the King of Perrence, she thought.

As soon as the second to last monarch of the Thrones was declared, Linah stood up. So did select few people, all Torragonese. It was a sign of respect for their king. She’d never thought about their nation’s ruler all that much, truth be told. She could see now that compared to the ostentatiousness of the others, Sancho VIII was dressed pragmatically, with little embellishments. His address had been short and to the point, only the pertinent points present, as it should be. This, at the very least, she was now able to recognize and reluctantly respect. It spoke to her Torragonese spirit, she supposed.

(Nonetheless…that ruby alone could feed hundreds of mouths for who knew how long, and that golden thread could do just the same. It irritated her.)

When the Torragonese King sat down, so did the rest of his countrymen. Once again seated, she clapped for the Doge.

When the other representatives begun appearing, Linah relaxed her hands, and simply observed. In mere moments after President Yibozo sat down, there was a shimmer of something odd nearby. Looking at it sharply, she saw the moving outline of a not-completely-disillusioned hand. An illusionist… Someone nearby asked if she saw something, but Lin didn’t have the occasion to answer. Her body had automatically tensed, and she was beginning to stand up-

-unimaginable power spiked -- light flashed -- a series of blinks-

-…Linah found herself half-crouched above the bench, as if ready to rise herself. She couldn’t fathom the reason, so was deeply confused, and sat back down. Three of the Arch-Zenos had a brief silent communication, perhaps, but she had no idea what that was about. There was no reason for her discomfiture and unease. The inconsistency reminded her of something, but she couldn’t quite put her mind to it, and the feeling of wrongness was fading rapidly. It seemed insignificant now. Lin told herself she might ask around later if anyone had experienced something odd during the ceremony. That was enough to dismiss the matter from her conscience.

Now that the brief bout of worry had passed, Linah directed her attention to the present. The most personally relevant part of the event for the students begun: the assignment of each initiate to a master. Lin amused herself playing the classic guess their age-height-weight game – but with a twist. She focused particularly on how those students carried themselves, how observant they were. She thought about how easy of a mark they’d be. If she could steal from them without notice – not that she would, of course not. (Unless someone was being unaccountably stupid with their possessions, and even then…)

Hours passed, and only a dozen of them or so remained. Now that the time of her choosing was night, Linah fully straightened up in her seat – she hadn’t exactly been slouching, but she’d relaxed. Now, she was ready to walk up to the stage the moment her name was called.

A royal Torragonese Zeno was the one to pick her. She may be a royal, but Linah though it appropriate to be with a kinswoman, especially given the recognition of their national bond. Lin walked briskly towards her new master, only peripherally observing her teammates. One was an Eskandish woman, one a small helmeted Joruban, and one a Perrench missing a leg. All of them were a curiosity in their own regard, though admittedly Linah was surprised to see someone disabled.

Regardless of newness of these people, and their peculiarities, Lin’s gaze was leveled centrally on Zeno Afraval. As her approach brought her near, she briefly greeted her in Torragonese, “It is an honour.” Turning towards the rest of her group, she switched to Avincian, “Pleasure,” and summoned a small smile for their sake.

Summary

After passing of the horse Margarita to be stabled, ‘fights’ her way to good seating. Watches and listens to the speech, pondering on the fresh start being at the academy sort of represents. Catches Marlijn’s gaze, smirks at the girl. Thinks about foreigners, then the monarchs. Has Opinions, especially about that Perrench peacock. Stands in respect for King Sancho III, as do all the Torragonese. Notices the illusion, is startled into almost-standing. After the memory wipe, she can’t understand why she’s so tense. Unable to resolve the minor discrepancy, she puts it off, refocusing on the present. Kinda up in the air if she’ll actually pursue this issue later, tbh. Watches the student selection. Is pleased at the recognition of a common national identity by her master, even if she is a royal. Greets Zeno Afraval. Briefly greets Anesin, Onarr, and Penny as well; presumably, any more will be done in a collab.

The Hourglass Order

Linah Aranda

Linah was leaning against the galleon’s railing, right elbow digging onto the wood as it supported her head, and left hand partially hanging off. She enjoyed the sea breeze, the saltiness in the air oddly appealing, and the occasional splash resulting from a particularly unruly wave more than refreshing. She mostly stared at the vast, seemingly endless stretches of water. During the day, when there were no landmarks around or no one passing them by, it was as if they were in a separate realm of their own, just them, the people on the ship, and the ocean beneath them.

It was during this strange mood of hers that Mr. Valverde found her. He was one of Na’ir’s servants, and the only person accompanying her. Officially, he was here to ease he journey; to make all the necessary arrangements for travel, manage the finances, negotiate with officials or merchants, and similar tasks. Unofficially, though everyone involved knew about it, he was there to keep an eye on her. To prevent her from ‘running too wild’ as Na’ir often worried she might when left to her own devices. Really, the man needn’t worry. She may be many things, but an idiot wasn’t one of them.

“Ah, miss Aranda, here you are, after all,” the refined (if somewhat sweaty and windswept) middle aged man greeted her. His lips twitched into a barely-there smile, but the corners of his eyes crinkled in genuine emotion.

She’d heard Valverde’s measured footsteps, and had turned towards him upon arrival, nodding. Addressing him verbally, she asked, “What is it?” and despite the brusque address, her tone was kind. Her expression had relaxed from the pensive frown it’d been set in previously as soon as she’d noticed him.

Gael Valverde looked at her carefully, assessing. “Is something the matter?” he inquired quietly.

Linah tilted her head to the side briefly. There was a reason that this man in particular had been trusted to watch her; he was observant and unafraid to pry. “No, I was only thinking,” she shrugged lightly. “This is pretty new to me,” she gestured at everything, the sea and the ship, “But, well, it is the one ship.” Unsaid was that she was getting restless, feeling cooped up a bit despite the vessel’s size or the incomprehensible immensity of the sea. Not that she was unfamiliar with the latter, having lived so near the coast, but she’d certainly not sailed anywhere previously.

Valverde nodded as if he understood her perfectly. Well, he probably did know enough of what she was like. She enjoyed being involved, and though she’d had fun chats with the sailors whenever they were off duty, it just wasn’t…there was that unspoken rift, that their work and lifestyle was and would forever remain foreign to her. Lin didn’t believe it had to be that way, but then again, a few days’ journey really wasn’t the time for her to try integrating herself with the seamen.

“Understandable, I myself vastly prefer the solid ground beneath my feet,” Valverde commented, and gestured for her to follow.

“Oh, it’s lunchtime?” Linah guessed.

Gael nodded, “Indeed.” Lin saw a brief flash of hesitance on his face; he pursued his lips as if he were about to open his mouth, but stopped himself in time.

“If you want to say something,” she said slowly, with deliberation, “don’t hold it back. No need to be all that politic when it’s just the two of us,” she offered.

“Ahh,” the man sighed, wry. “Margarita has been antsy, I’ve been told,” his voice was reluctant, lips pressing together after his admission.

Margarita was the dapple gray mare travelling with them. Na’ir had sent her with them just to artificially elevate Linah (literally and metaphorically) during the procession of the Academy of Ersand’Enise’s opening ceremony. She understood the gesture, but nevertheless thought it a bit silly. Still, given how she’d grown to love riding despite learning ‘late’ (but only according to the standards of nobles, or families like Yazath’s), she hadn’t forth any complaints. She’d arrive at the City of Ersand’Enise four days before the opening, which would be plenty of time to ride Margie to her satisfaction. “Well, I’m not surprised she got fed up staying here,” Lin said, though her eyebrows had risen up. “A ship’s no place for a creature,” she stated. “Yet, she was fine this morning,” she added, tone puzzled and questioning.

“Perhaps she can sense we are nearing the land,” Gael offered.

Linah doubted it, but said nothing. “Either way, I’ll check in on her after lunch.”

“I’d appreciate it. She’s especially fond of you. Not so of strangers – nearly kicked a man’s face in, I was told.”

Lin laughed. “Well, I’ll do my best to prevent any future injuries. Won’t be long now, as you’ve said.”

Their conversation petered out as they made it to the mess deck, joining in with the other personnel to eat. Linah was slowly but surely onset with excitement; as soon as the next morning, they would arrive at Ersand’Enise. There would be many things for her to do there, while she waited for the ceremony. Getting herself acquainted with the city, perusing the famous Merchant’s Quarter, get Margie properly exercised…Oh, yes, much to look forward to.

***

Sooner than expected, it was the day of their official welcome as students. Linah sat comfortably atop the saddled Margarita, who was behaving quite well, despite the crowd, being forced to a slow walk, and the duration of the whole event itself. They trailed at the end of the merchant crowd. Though she didn’t quite belong to that class, she’d been told there would be a few other non-merchants mounted. Besides, not many people paid attention to her specifically. Even if they had, she’d been trained sufficiently that she’d not let her discomfort show regardless.

Admittedly, there was plenty to divert her attention. At the front, there was a speech (she presumed), and then the leader of the group performed a magnificent light show. Leon Solaire…She’d heard of him, of course. Besides admiration for his magical skills and excellent showmanship, she didn’t have much of an opinion on him. He did seem the sort who’d be good to make an acquaintance of, so Lin supposed she’d have to put in some effort to do so.

One other followed Leon’s lead, and created a fiery wolf. Appreciative, Lin lightly clapped, many others doing the same. Some had been emboldened when they saw someone beside the famous performer doing his bit, and followed the second’s bravery. Linah amused herself by comparing the spectacles by their aesthetic, inventiveness, and skill involved.

The only thing that slightly soured her mood, was when the crier called for “The Torragonese Lady Linah Aranda, patroned by Na’ir Yazath!”

Of course, the infuriating man had to have his name added. Scoffing under her breath, confident that no-one would hear her, she returned her gaze to the sky, letting herself enjoy the remaining examples of what competitive beginner students of magic could create for fun when they put their minds to it.

Since she had her head tilted up, she saw when some boy was catapulted through the sky and right into one of those light shows. What, a failed stunt? she wondered. Lin followed his flight trajectory, feeling very much confused and a tad horrified as he sailed through the skies. When she saw him knock into the balcony where the nobility was, the dread was so acute, she had to avert her eyes. She blinked her eyes quickly, pretending the light had dazzled her.

As she sat there, thinking on the scene, her heart begun beating faster, her throat suddenly dry. She’d merely seen it happen, and she wanted to escape. Oh, that poor boy…Barely arriving at the academy, and he’d already committed social suicide. Linah sighed, and with a barely visible shake of her upper body, put the recent memory out of her mind. While she was aware she could help, she wouldn’t stick her neck out just because she’d felt a brief pang of sympathy for a stranger. If he lived to tell the tale, and didn’t become an outcast based on this events, perhaps she could ask him some time what he’d thought he’d been doing, making such a fool of himself.

Summary

A scene from Linah’s voyage, introducing Margarita, her steed-to-be for the ceremony, and Valverde, a servant of the Yazath family. Then, the welcoming ceremony itself. Mostly observes things. Does notice Vyrik, but chooses not to get involved in that mess.

Symphony of Espers

Jacqueline Leroux

Jacqueline was once again being driven somewhere, mildly bored. Still, the anticipation of an oncoming battle was enough to prevent her from dozing off. Even though she’d prefer to occupy herself somehow, professionalism prevented it. Otherwise, she might have pulled out her phone to play Tetris, or something. As it was, she’d spent some time by inspecting the agents around her. She supposed, after their dinner, she knew Su the best. Valkyrie, Silhouette, and Wukong had been there on the previous mission, but she’d only briefly interacted with Valkyrie. Orion was the newbie, so she’d not even met her yet.

Maybe after this mission, she should try get to know some of the others. The tense awkwardness of this silence, where no one really knew another, and wasn’t willing to make small talk – even if it would just be about mission related stuff – was annoying.

Thankfully, that was when Binky briefed them on the situation. The way Jacqueline understood it, they’d be taking the front entrance, which would have been too risky under usual circumstances, but would now be rendered safer due to the recently captured blood mage. Jacqueline wondered if the woman was getting paid, or if she was doing that just to exercise her arcane muscles. It seemed to her that Binky mentioned the back entrance just to make it a point that’s where they would have had to go if they hadn’t the blood mage. Well, that, and to relate it to the information about the Maverick henchmen being their direct competitors this time.

It was due to this supposition of hers, that she was entirely taken aback when the discussion of a vote began. “Quoi?” she expressed her confusion, in a rare occasion briefly falling back to her mother tongue. She shook her head, and looked from Valkyrie to Silhouette. “Who ever said anything about a vote?” though she’d glanced from one coworker to another, it was more or less a rhetorical question. Frowning, she thought back on what exactly Binky said. She realized that her words may imply a choice that was for them to make…But that was really unusual.

For one, Jacqueline didn’t believe she or any of her coworkers present here (with the exception of Binky) had the kind of clout to make such a decision. It wasn’t just a minor here-or-there alteration of a mission parameter either. It was the kind of judgement that carried political weight. If they went through Bastion, Maverick’s new base in Pax, wouldn’t they be basically announcing they were ready and willing to take the whole of Maverick on? That seemed a bit premature in her opinion. For another, asking them to decide now wasn’t in accordance to the rule of TPO. Only the occasion was somewhat (though questionably) appropriate. The time and place…Well, if they picked the front entrance, and the blood mage was neither willing nor ready to assist, what would be the point of them being made to choose or going exactly there in the first place?

Finally, she looked towards Binky for clarification, raising her brows in wordless question. If they really were supposed to have the final start as to their entry point, she’d give her assent to a frontal assault. It was the more sensible option, for more than one reason.

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Havoc | Great Axe | Arcane | Pry
Eternal Knight | Perfectly polished
Forged Arsenal | Earth/Metal | Fissure
[Quake (2), Mass (2)] Damage X (6), AoE (2), Enhance (2), Powerful (0), Dispel (6), Shield (4)

DAMAGE: B | SPEED: D | SENTINEL: D | 500

PHYSICAL: E | ARCANE: C | CHAOS: D | 500

Qualia: Mission Sub Rosa

Kiran Agnarsson

Since Shou wasn’t in the apartment any longer, Kiran departed with a wry shrug, heading to the public denouncement on his own. He frowned in disappointment to see the charred remains of the library. If Bermuda had had any rare tomes or original prints – possible – how much knowledge had been lost? And how much money?

Du Bordeaux was named the culprit. Kiran would find it a likely supposition even without evidence, even if the lack of any such thing would not move him to hasty judgements. However, in this event, there was plenty of evidence. Caught at the scene of the crime, weapon in hand, photographed during her brazen pyromaniacal venture. It seemed pretty clear cut to him that she was indeed guilty. He was somewhat dubious at students handling the whole trial, though.

Perhaps a similar motivation drove Franz to speak up for Jeanne. He was similarly curious as to who the mysterious vigilante was, and what his role in all of this had been. Franz did have a point that the unknown person’s motives and actions could be suspect. Of course, the suspicion of the unknown individual in question and Jeanne’s guilt could certainly be true at the same time.

Surprisingly, quite a few people seemed to take Jeanne’s ‘side’, as it were. At the very least, she had some friends, allies, or simply people fond enough of her to provide her with a defense. Once it became clear that all that was to be said was said, and a group of volunteers formed, Kiran departed with the crowd. He did not especially care about Jeanne’s fate; admittedly, he was sore and bitter at the library’s destruction, and the sight of the named (but not yet entirely proven) criminal made him uncomfortably irrational.

Thankfully, he had better things to stew than bemoan what’d already passed or stew in ineffectual emotions.

***

His first agenda for the day was investigating the clocktower. Perhaps its activation was truly a mere warning for the start of the curfew. But it could also be physically tied to the activation of the Starsteel Formulization. That’s why Kiran took a walk, strolling towards the tower in question. If he could, he’d go inside, see the sights. Well, that’d be his excuse anyhow. If access was forbidden, he might have to talk to some people.

Though, if it was too much of a hassle, he’d give up for the day. He did still have to secure himself a working space for his project, after all, and he intended to do that today as well.

The Hourglass Order

@SilverPaw That's a cool and compelling CS and is approved. Feel free to add it to the Character tab. Two quick question, though:
1) Who is Nazath in terms of your character and his importance in her storyline and the world? I'd lovve to find a way to work him into the story and have him fit organically into the world if I can. Feel free to respond here or DM me, if you like.

2) Are you on our discord server yet? We have about twenty people on there and not all go by their forum names, so it's a bit hard to keep track of. If you're not, feel free to join!

@Force and Fury

One, thank you, and as for the patron, I will PM you for sure. Two, not yet, but I will join now that my character was approved.

@SilverPaw
Noticed your character was learning Revidian.
Spend much time in Revidia?

@Dark Light

No, not at all, the learning was just Lin receiving lessons from a hired teacher so far.

The Hourglass Order

Linah

Linah Aranda

Link to the Artist

“Whenever you’re down, life likes to kick you, just in case you didn’t get the message. So just keep that in mind, that it can always get worse – somehow. Whenever it gets better or whoever is offering to pick you up? Won’t be for free.”

16 | Female | Torragonese | Commoner | 6.8

P E R S O N A L I T Y

❖ [Driven]
❖ [Observant]
❖ [Crafty]
❖ [Pragmatic]
❖ [Hardened]

Linah burns with the desire to prove herself as capable, important, and worthy of respect. She’s always believed in herself, regardless of criticisms and secret doubts. Though experience has confirmed her belief, she yet yearns for recognition – not empty praise, but something more tangible. She is both realistic and sensible enough to realize that she will likely never be free of making uneasy quid-pro-quo alliances; no one ever is. She does however wish to stand on equal ground to others, at the very least. For that, she will do what she can, even if it is via exploitation and manipulation. From what she’s seen so far, it’s not as if there’s a way to advance without opportunistic cooperation with those beneficial to her goals or ruthless preying upon those who cannot cover for their weaknesses.

C H A R A C T E R A P P E A R A N C E

Linah stands at 5’4, and is lithe and wiry, if still somewhat thin and gangly due to a recent growth spurt. She has a warm, light brown complexion that gets darker during the summer. Her eyes are hazel, and her hair a deep walnut. She used to wear it short, but had to grow it out as that is supposedly more befitting of a ‘lady’. After years of taking proper care of it, it is thick, lush, and wavy, not at all resembling the mess it’d been in her youth. She has been told that it is deeply unfortunate that a scar mars her face, but she truly does not care. Lin has learned a variety of gaits; confident ‘I belong here’, shuffling ‘Don’t pay me any mind’, slow ‘I’ve no care in the world’ among them. She is not naturally expressive, and does well at regulating her emotions, but enjoys putting on expressions that fit the current situation. As far as clothing is concerned, she now tends toward the kind of attire that a lower or middling merchant could afford. Though, she will sometimes adopt what others may term ‘rags’ if it suits her purposes. As long as it’s practical and not too showy, she doesn’t care much for the style, colour, or cut of her clothing.

L A N G U A G E S

Torragonese – mother tongue.
Avincian – upper intermediate, though with a noticeable accent.
Revidian – elementary, learning.

T H E G I F T

Linah has a natural knack for (primarily) the Arcane and (secondarily) the Kinetic schools of magic; she discovered and nurtured the talent herself, if to a limited extent. Because she initially learned on her own, she is an adept Freecaster, and generally forgoes instruments or focus points. Even now, after having studied under another mage, she prefers subtle spells that aid her or disrupt the enemy. In the Arcane school, she is most practiced at blinding an opponent, precisely regulating heat or light to get exactly the intended effect, casting invisibility, and using illusions. As for Kinetic magic, she prioritizes self-empowerment and manipulating sounds so as to confuse opponents. She employs telekinesis when necessary, but isn’t particularly creative with it. While familiar with the very basics of other schools, she has so far taken to certain spells within the Chemical school (Gazes of: Sloth, Terror, Agony, and Deception, Blessings of: Joy, Vigor, and Expulsion), and not much besides.

B A C K G R O U N D

Born to commoners down on their luck, Lin was one of the many inhabitants of the slums on the border of a large city. Her parents were both manual laborers hired for cheap, and hadn’t quite planned for a child either. Still, they took care of her as best they could. However, Lin’s mother died while she was young, and Linah has precious few memories of her. Her father grew despondent, but persisted for her sake. Still, he did dip into alcohol more than he’d before, and the older Linah grew, the more she had to fend both for herself and her father. She did what she could and what she had to; begging, stealing, working a ‘job’ as a courier for some seedy folk who were just fine hiring a slum kid, and the like. It was after a failed risky robbery that she spontaneously manifested magic out of a desperation to escape. After that, she dedicated whatever free time she had, even sacrificing some sleep for it, to practice. She discovered she could take heat from another to use it herself, and often did. Whenever she needed a boost to her running speed, or needed to reach just a bit farther to jump onto the roof, she could do that too.

She isn’t sure when, how, or due to whom, but her magic capabilities were discovered. Of course, she had no idea that was the case until she was snatched. After an uncomfortable journey, she was brought before a certain person by the name of Na’ir Yazath. He offered her great things in exchange for her loyalty. Reluctantly, she agreed – on the condition that her father be brought to the estate as well. A few days later, while still settling in, she was informed her father had been found dead. Disbelieving, she ran off to confirm the truth for herself. Her former home (a dilapidated shack shared by several people) had no trace of her father left. Asking around, she was told that after she disappeared, her father had committed suicide. Whether that was true, or whether Yazath’s men had done the deed themselves, it was clear where the blame lay. However, she returned to Na’ir regardless, and accepted his offer. The following several years, she was taught, tutored, and trained in many subjects, magical and mundane. Her patron even attempted to apprentice her to a well-paid Black Rezaindian, though that soon proved to be futile, as Linah resisted being made into a tool for murder, of all things. In the end, it was decided she’d attend Ersand’Enise. Lin doesn’t mind, but is wary as to whatever may come after she finishes schooling.

M O T I V A T I O N

As someone who started near the bottom of the social ladder, Linah’s always had to struggle simply to survive. Rather than become satisfied with merely getting by, however, she has become covetous of power – precisely because she herself has so often lacked it. While it is true that she has gained many comforts that she’d only been able to dream about in her childhood, they’ve all come with a price attached; the kind of price that may very well take her years and decades to repay. Yet, Lin doesn’t want to spend her whole life beholden to someone else. She strives to be free; free of those who would use her without (equivalent) recompense, free of unwelcome obligations, and free of being hobbled by desperation.

I N V E N T O R Y

• A short sword, sheathed at her left hip.
• A knife, sheathed at her back.
• A shiv hidden within a boot.
• A pouch with a small sum of coins, resting in an inner shirt pocket.
• A decoy pouch with a smaller sum of coins (plus a few stray bits and bobs that make a similar jingle, to make it seem a tad more substantial), tied to her belt.
• A fine leather travelling satchel, which she usually stores under lock and key (or otherwise hides) whenever she is staying somewhere.
• A few sets of clothing, some finer and intended for ‘better’ company, some worn and second-handed for when she’d rather pass as a commoner.
• A piece of flint tied to a gray string around her neck (weak enough to tear if someone attempts to strangle her).
• An assortment of hair ties; those not used for her hair are often wrapped around her wrists or ankles.
• A hooded travelling cloak which can double as bedding and/or a blanket.
• A seal of the Yazath family engraved with her name, which she has been granted by her patron, and which she is most paranoid about losing.

S T R E N G T H S & S K I L L S

❖ Slum Kid. A life in poverty meant doing whatever one could to live to the next day. As many children did, Lin turned to thieving. She isn’t one to grow rusty in what is useful, so her aptitude remains. She can walk quietly, blend into the crowds, act unassumingly, choose appropriate locations and targets for her crimes, snatch purses with no one the wiser, and most importantly, run and hide quickly when necessary.
❖ Code of Honour. She will keep to her agreements, and won’t break her promises. She knows fully well what awaits traitors after all. Those who deal with her do have to be aware of what she is promising, however, so as not to get swindled due to ambiguous wording.
❖ Light-footed. She is agile, flexible, and quick to react, her natural athleticism shaped by need during her childhood and diligently honed during her adolescence. Her past on the streets has made her frightfully skilled at navigating urban terrain.
❖ Dirty fighting. A remnant from the occasional physical quarrel between fellow slum-dwellers. Though she’d been tutored later on in the art of sword fighting, her style of dueling (if it could be called that) is considered uncouth, and she prefers knives and short swords besides.
❖ Merchant’s Patronage. Though Lin isn’t exactly fond of her patron, and certainly not obsequious toward him, she appreciates the doors his influence opened. Any and all knowledge that those born into this life take for granted, she is pleased and proud to have acquired.

W E A K N E S S E S & F L A W S

❖ Mistrustful. She is always questioning the motives of others, especially as to how they might pertain to her. Her heart is closed to others; this makes it difficult to form genuine friendships.
❖ Underhanded. Though she does have a particular (mainly self-serving) manner of fairness, it is a very finicky one. She is willing to trick, steal, lie, cheat, and more if it gets her what she wants – and while she’s now more subtle about it, that kind of thing (if discovered!) may quickly tarnish one’s reputation.
❖ Underdog. Used to getting used, she is very susceptible to being taken advantage of by those with more power than her, even if she detests it. Those unscrupulous enough to wield their influence while disregarding their principles can cow her into submission easily enough – as long as they convince her that she has no viable avenues of opposition, that is.
❖ Self-destructive. Linah truly does value her own life and safety; however, she is willing to gamble with both if she judges the benefits worthwhile enough to take the risks. She is also highly suspicious of kindness, and doesn’t believe there is such a thing as ‘no strings attached’. She is perfectly willing to be as unpleasant as necessary to deter people she views as soft-hearted fools.
❖ Class Conscious. While she has learned how to conduct herself in polite society, she doesn’t feel as if she belongs there. Oh, it is a much more comfortable position compared to her humble beginnings, but she can’t help those pesky twinges of dissonance whenever her memory lingers on the past to compare it with the present. Though she presents a confident façade, the societal hierarchy makes her deeply uncomfortable – she is so much half-this, half-that, it’s almost as if she is in some separate category of her own.

M I S C E L L A N E O U S

Color code: #875f9a

The Hourglass Order

Linah

Linah Aranda

Link to the Artist

“Whenever you’re down, life likes to kick you, just in case you didn’t get the message. So just keep that in mind, that it can always get worse – somehow. Whenever it gets better or whoever is offering to pick you up? Won’t be for free.”

16 | Female | Torragonese | Commoner | 6.8

P E R S O N A L I T Y

❖ [Driven]
❖ [Observant]
❖ [Crafty]
❖ [Pragmatic]
❖ [Hardened]

Linah burns with the desire to prove herself as capable, important, and worthy of respect. She’s always believed in herself, regardless of criticisms and secret doubts. Though experience has confirmed her belief, she yet yearns for recognition – not empty praise, but something more tangible. She is both realistic and sensible enough to realize that she will likely never be free of making uneasy quid-pro-quo alliances; no one ever is. She does however wish to stand on equal ground to others, at the very least. For that, she will do what she can, even if it via exploitation and manipulation. From what she’s seen so far, it’s not as if there’s a way to advance without opportunistic cooperation with those beneficial to her goals or ruthless preying upon those who cannot cover for their weaknesses.

C H A R A C T E R A P P E A R A N C E

Linah stands at 5’4, and is lithe and vary, if still somewhat thin and gangly due to a recent growth spurt. She has a warm, light brown complexion that gets darker during the summer. Her eyes are hazel, and her hair a deep walnut. She used to wear it short, but had to grow it out as that is supposedly more befitting of a ‘lady’. After years of taking proper care of it, it is thick, lushy, and wavy, not at all resembling the mess it’d been in her youth. She has been told that it is deeply unfortunate that a scar mars her face, but she truly does not care. Lin has learned a variety of gaits; confident ‘I belong here’, shuffling ‘Don’t pay me any mind’, slow ‘I’ve no care in the world’ among them. She is not naturally expressive, and does well at regulating her emotions, but enjoys putting on expressions that fit the current situation. As far as clothing is concerned, she now tends toward the kind of attire that a lower or middling merchant could afford. Though, she will sometimes adopt what others may term ‘rags’ if it suits her purposes. As long as it’s practical and not too showy, she doesn’t care much for the style, colour, or cut of her clothing.

L A N G U A G E S

Torragonese – mother tongue.
Avincian – upper intermediate, though with a noticeable accent.
Revidian – elementary, learning.

T H E G I F T

Linah has a natural knack for (primarily) the Arcane and (secondarily) the Kinetic schools of magic; she discovered the talent on her own and nurtured it to a limited extent. Because she initially learned on her own, she is an adept Freecaster, and generally forgoes instruments or focus points. Even now, after having studied under another mage, she prefers subtle spells that aid her or disrupt the enemy. In the Arcane school, she is most practiced at blinding an opponent, precisely regulating heat or light to get exactly the intended effect, casting invisibility, and using illusions. As for Kinetic magic, she prioritizes self-empowerment and manipulating sounds so as to confuse opponents. She employs telekinesis when necessary, but isn’t particularly creative with it. While familiar with the very basics of other schools, she has so far taken to certain spells within the Chemical school (Gazes of: Sloth, Terror, Agony, and Deception, Blessings of: Joy, Vigor, and Expulsion), and not much besides.

B A C K G R O U N D

Born to commoners down on their luck, Lin was one of the many inhabitants of the slums on the border of a large city. Her parents were both manual laborers hired for cheap, and hadn’t quite planned for a child either. Still, they took care of her as best they could. However, Lin’s mother died while she was young, and she has precious few memories of her. Her father grew despondent, but persisted for her sake. Still, he did dip into alcohol more than he’d before, and the older Linah grew, the more she had to fend both for herself and her father. She did what she could and what she had to; begging, stealing, working a ‘job’ as a courier for some seedy folk who were just fine hiring a slum kid, and the like. It was after a failed risky robbery that she spontaneously manifested magic out of a desperation to escape. After that, she dedicated whatever free time she had, even sacrificing some sleep for it, to practice. She discovered she could take heat from another to use it herself, and often did. Whenever she needed a boost to her running speed, or needed to reach just a bit farther to jump onto the roof, she could do that too.

She isn’t sure when, how, or due to whom, but her magic capabilities were discovered. Of course, she had no idea that was the case until she’d been snatched. After an uncomfortable journey, she was brought before a certain person by the name of Na’ir Yazath. He offered her great things in exchange for her loyalty. Reluctantly, she agreed – on the condition that her father be brought to the estate as well. A few days later, while still settling in, she was informed her father had been found dead. Disbelieving, she ran off one off to confirm the truth for herself. Her former home (a dilapidated shack shared by several people) had no trace of her father left. Asking around, she was told that after she disappeared, her father had committed suicide. Whether that was true, or whether Yazath’s men had done the deed themselves, it was clear where the blame lay. However, she returned to Na’ir regardless, and accepted his offer. The following several years, she was taught, tutored, and trained in many subjects, magical and mundane. He even attempted to apprentice her to a well-paid Black Rezaindian, though that soon proved to be futile, as Linah resisted being made into a tool for murder, of all things. In the end, it was decided she’d attend Ersand’Enise. Lin doesn’t mind, but is very wary as to whatever may come after she finishes schooling.

M O T I V A T I O N

As someone who started near the bottom of the social ladder, Linah’s always had to struggle simply to survive. Rather than become satisfied with merely getting by, however, she has become covetous of power – precisely because she herself has so often lacked it. While it is true that she has gained many comforts that she’d only been able to dream about in her childhood, they’ve all come with a price attached; the kind of price that may very well take her years and decades to repay. Yet, Lin doesn’t want to spend her whole life beholden to someone else. She strives to be free; free of those who would use her without (equivalent) recompense, free of unwelcome obligations, and free of being hobbled by desperation.

I N V E N T O R Y

• A short sword, sheathed at her left hip.
• A knife, sheathed at her back.
• A shiv hidden within a boot.
• A pouch with a small sum of coins, resting in an inner shirt pocket.
• A decoy pouch with a smaller sum of coins (plus a few stray bits and bobs that make a similar jingle, to make it seem a tad more substantial), tied to her belt.
• A fine leather travelling satchel, which she usually stores under lock and key (or otherwise hides) whenever she is staying somewhere.
• A few sets of clothing, some finer and intended for ‘better’ company, and some worn and second-handed for when she’d rather pass as a commoner.
• A piece of flint tied to a gray string around her neck (weak enough to tear if someone attempts to strangle her).
• An assortment of hair ties; those not used for her hair are often wrapped around her wrists or ankles.
• A hooded travelling cloak which can double as a bedding and blanket.
• A seal of the Yazath family engraved with her name, which she has been granted by her patron, and which she is most paranoid about losing.

S T R E N G T H S & S K I L L S

❖ Slum Kid. A life in poverty meant doing whatever one could to live to the next day. As many children did, Lin turned to thieving. She isn’t one to grow rusty in what is useful, so her aptitude remains. She can walk quietly, blend into the crowds, act unassumingly, choose appropriate locations and targets for her crimes, snatch purses with no one the wiser, and most importantly, run and hide quickly when necessary.
❖ Code of Honour. She will keep to her agreements, and won’t break her promises. She knows fully well what awaits traitors after all. Those who deal with her do have to be aware of what she is promising, however, so as not to get swindled due to ambiguous wording.
❖ Light-footed. She is agile, flexible, and quick to react, her natural athleticism shaped by need during her childhood and diligently honed during her adolescence. Her past on her streets has made her frightfully skilled at navigating urban terrain.
❖ Dirty fighting. A remnant from the occasional physical quarrel between fellow slum-dwellers. Though she’d been tutored later on in proper sword fighting, her style of dueling (if it could be called that) is considered uncouth, and she prefers knives and short swords besides.
❖ Merchant’s Patronage. Though Lin isn’t exactly fond of her patron, and certainly not obsequious toward him, she appreciates the doors his influence opened. Any and all knowledge that those born into this life take for granted, she is pleased and proud to have acquired.

W E A K N E S S E S & F L A W S

❖ Mistrustful. She is always questioning the motives of others, especially as to how they might pertain to her. Her heart is closed to others; this makes it difficult to form genuine friendships.
❖ Underhanded. Though she does have a particular (mainly self-serving) manner of fairness, it is a very finicky one. She is willing to trick, steal, lie, cheat, and more if it gets her what she wants – and while she’s now more subtle about it, that kind of thing (if discovered!) may quickly tarnish one’s reputation.
❖ Underdog. Used to getting used, she is very susceptible to being taken advantage of by those with more power than her, even if she detests it. Those unscrupulous enough to wield their influence while disregarding their principles can cow her into submission easily enough – as long as they convince her that she has no viable avenues of opposition, that is.
❖ Self-destructive. Linah truly does value her own life and safety; however, she is willing to gamble with both if she judges the benefits worthwhile enough to take the risks. She is also highly suspicious of kindness, and doesn’t believe there is such a thing as ‘no strings attached’. She is perfectly willing to be as unpleasant as necessary to deter people she views as soft-hearted fools.
❖ Class Conscious. While she has learned how to conduct herself in polite society, she doesn’t feel as if she belongs there. Oh, it is a much more comfortable position compared to her humble beginnings, but she can’t help those pesky twinges of dissonance whenever her memory lingers on the past to compare it with the present. Though she presents a confident façade, the societal hierarchy makes her deeply uncomfortable – she is so much half-this, half-that, it’s almost as if she is in some separate category of her own.

M I S C E L L A N E O U S

Anything not covered above goes here. You can leave this blank if you like.

Qualia: Mission Sub Rosa

Kiran Agnarsson

At precisely 10 o’clock in the evening, the Clocktower’s bell rang for the first time today. Kiran startled, especially as it brought with it a change in the world. Electricity surged through the building, and the Starsteel Formulization forced close all the windows and doors in the apartments. The window in their dorm shut with a loud bang just as the last clang petered out. The silence afterwards ringed with phantom echoes of noise.

Kiran blinked several times quickly, then shook his head bemusedly as he sat himself into one of the couches. So…A defense mechanism against Technologist, which would incidentally also inhibit Egoists’ regeneration. Of course, if all one desired was to escape, it would be simple enough to disrupt the electrical current enabling the Starsteel Formulization. But that would surely be noticed – and what other defenses were there in place? The mists to obscure visibility…The Starsteel Formulization…What else was there?

Could this be an opportunity to unravel Sukoro Jinga’s work? Kiran glanced at the wiring powering the SF. It was complex, almost absurdly – yet compellingly – so. However, he did not believe it was one he could solve within the night. Was this a project he could do little by little, over multiple nights? Well, he supposed he could attempt that. There were also several other things he wished to test, however.

Kiran was minutely disrupted from his train of thought by Shou’s comment. “Hm? Oh, yes. It seems you might have been right…” he trailed off, not clarifying his statement. If his mind wasn’t elsewhere, he might have paid more attention to Shou’s discomfort – as it was, Kiran noticed rather absentmindedly, but pretty much disregarded it. “Ah, not to worry, I will not be going outside,” he agreed placidly. Unsaid was he wouldn’t be doing it yet.

As Zheng went about his business in the kitchen and the bathroom, Kiran briefly entered his bedroom. There were a few boxes there, full of material or other less sensitive projects that he’d had delivered. Finally, he gently put the suitcase onto his bed, under the covers. It’d be fine now. There was just Shou there, and Kiran figured he could trust the other youth. Besides, the other student wasn’t a Technologist, so there was that as well.

Instead, he opened up the cardboard boxes, rifling through to pick some random Formalized objects. It was time to test how closely he could bring them to an object affected by the Starsteel Formulization before they began being affected as well, how quickly suppression of formulization worked, and exactly how much more difficult it would be to formulize something suppressed by Starsteel. When those experiments were accomplished to his satisfaction, he’d also take some notes on the Starsteel Formulization. Kiran didn’t think the latter would be easy or necessarily useful, but it might help discern if any patterns he noticed tonight could be useful tomorrow.

***

The next morning, Kiran was awoken by some sort of an announcement being relayed over gramophones all across Bermuda. Kiran rubbed sleep from his eyes, and stood up…from the couch? Seemed like he’d never quite made it to his bed the previous night. Around him, stray pieces of paper were scattered (some crumpled up) and various items in various states of functionality – clear evidence of his experiment. “Hmm,” he muttered, and set to cleaning up.

He had an hour till whatever spectacle they’d been invited to, and he’d make use of it. If there was no sight of Shou till that point, Kiran would knock on the doors of his bedroom after showering and changing clothes. If his roommate was still in the vicinity, perhaps they could make their way towards the library together.

Interactions: @Zombehs

Symphony of Espers

Collab: Su Fang and Jacqueline Leroux

_{Interactions between @BrokenPromise and @SilverPaw}

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Shortly after the precinct recovery operation, the area immediately got better. It would be weeks before the police building had been fully restored, but it was at least back in operation. More than that, espers of all walks of life were now on the scene to start cleaning up the area. It would be a long time before the crime was back to tolerable levels, and the concentration of mana in the area would always draw in more monsters. But at least for now, the situation was bearable.

Even government espers needed cover identities to more easily blend into their surroundings. They had been provided with accommodations that they could afford and maintain. Su was given a small suburban home not thirty minutes from Gemini HQ. And by golly, she was going to drive there in style.

Su’s ride of choice was the most stereotypical vehicle a soccer mom could possibly own. A minivan with a weird beige paint color. It was well maintained, but if you stood closer than ten feet it wasn’t hard to spot the paint peeling. There were no less than four bumper stickers declaring how proud the van owner was of their child, and the inside reflected this as well. The back seat was loaded with crayons and coloring books, as well as a tote filled with toys. It probably needed a cleaning, but that was just evidence that Su used this to cart around her child.

Su was humming to herself as she rode towards her new home. But she wasn’t alone. Sitting beside her was Jacqueline, who Su had made arrangements to hang with this evening.

“My house nice!” She said as they approached their destination. “Loaded fridge, good neighborhood, good school nearby, nice!”

Jacqueline had never thought that she’d ever be willingly being driven around in a family van, of all things. But after that last mission, she and Su had got to chatting; Jacqueline had asked her about the hostage thing, may or may not have politely complimented her guts, and the rest was history. Now, she was in the front seat, slightly bored. Not because of Su’s company or anything, but rather because the ride was clunky, slow, and unfashionable, and Su’s driving mind-numbingly comfortable. All in all, it was like being on a bus, or something. Definitely not her style. Still, she was grateful that at least no kid was in the van with them. That’d be the true nightmare scenario.

Su’s words got her mind in higher gear as it were, and Jacqueline turned towards her with a lazy “Hmm?” Then, she directed her gaze out of the window once more, though this time she actually looked where they were going. The house was about what one would expect. A home meant for a family, with that cozy vibe apparent from afar. “Yeah, it’s nice,” she agreed, though unlike Su, she wasn’t at all enthused about it.

“Better than my place,” she admitted neutrally. What she didn’t say was that she wouldn’t trade it for anything. She’d moved to an apartment in Pax recently, and it’d been somewhat of an upgrade compared to where she’d been previously. Actually, her time before they’d arranged this day to meet up had been nearly all spent getting her stuff relocated and set up. It’d been exhausting, but worth it in the end. She was now closer to her work and had a bit more room, though the neighbourhood wasn’t that much better. Not that Jacqueline cared much for such things. As long as she could live in it, it was fine. Admittedly, her flat was already accumulating clutter, but since she was on her own, it didn’t matter.

“Oh, yeah, you gotta cook for yourself and, uh,” she pointed at the backseat. Honestly, Jacqueline was not entirely sure whether Su had one kid or two. It hadn’t been an important detail to remember; all she knew was that her coworker was a mother. “I often get takeout, but then again, I can afford to be lazy like that,” she admitted with a shrug. She could make something decent if she put her mind to it, but she didn’t enjoy it at all. Even if what she got ready-made wasn’t always as ‘healthy’ as it might have been, she burned off enough calories due to her workout routine anyway, so she wasn’t worried about it.

“Mika is work.” Su confessed, nodding along with everything her coworker had said. “I esper or I mom, all the time, no breaks.” The corner of her lips curled into a smile. “This life not for everyone, but my life is my life.” When she pulled into the driveway, she parked the car and turned to look at Jacqueline. “But cook? I cook good!” she giggled. “I cook real good!” With a snort, Su scowled. “Mika too picky though. She spoiled. How orphan girl be spoiled?” The question must have been rhetorical, as she turned the van off without really waiting for a response. She swung open her door before flashing Jacqueline a warm smile. “Let’s look inside!”

If Jacqueline felt kinship to Su for one thing, it was the ‘this is my life’ comment. Being an esper or a Gemini agent alone wasn’t for everyone, so she could relate. But otherwise, she just wasn’t into the family thing. So the idea of directing so much energy, time, money, and who knows what else for the sake of another person was rather foreign for her. There was a reason she preferred casual hookups rather than committed relationships, after all. “I’m looking forward to some of your food then,” Jacqueline said jokingly, laughing briefly. At Su’s mock complaint about Mika being spoiled, she shrugged. “Hey, who knows, kids are weird, right?” she also answered rhetorically as they exited the car. Upon Su’s invitation, Jacqueline followed inside.

As nice as the house looked on the outside, it looked exactly like the homes on either side of it. Which in turn looked like the homes on either side of that. Regardless of how off putting that might have been to some, Su’s joy was visible with every step. She practically skipped to the door and swung it open. “Come in!”

The single story house opened up to a muck room where everyone’s shoes were kept. There were enough shoes for an entire family, maybe two. There were boxes here and there, which let Jacqueline know that she too was still moving in. The muck room opened up into the kitchen, which had a storage closet or pantry. Hard to tell without personally looking. There was a large archway that led into a living room, or maybe it was a dining room. Hard to tell with all the boxes. The kitchen was fully loaded, complete with a stove, some doodles affixed to the fridge, and a stainless steel table, but everything else was boxed up.

Upon entering, Jacqueline dutifully removed her shoes, and searched for a pair of slippers her size. Doing so wasn’t foreign to her at all, despite having lived in America for a while. She herself also didn’t walk around her flat in her shoes as a rule, a part of her European uprising she’d kept. She then unzipped her leather jacket and hung it up on one of the hooks. Afterwards, she went after Su further inside, curiously looking all around the place. “Moving’s a hassle, huh? I still have some boxes here and there, too, though I had less to unpack than you,” she commented.

“It hard, yes. Not much time for it.” She eyed a pile of boxes. “But I put mover in charge of putting away things.” She sighed. “Mika! You playing game again?” She guided Jacqueline deeper into her home while she called for her daughter.

It wasn’t until they moved towards a particularly large cardboard box that they started to hear a scrambling sound. The box tipped over and fell onto its side. The flaps shot open as something darted out and took hold of Su’s ankle. But her reaction to the hostile action was to laugh. What had reached out and grabbed her was her daughter.

Jacqueline would be forgiven for thinking Mika was a child based on her drawings. But Mika appeared to be half way through her teenage years. She rolled her head back so that she could look at her mother. "Hi, mommy!"

“Mika, that fun, but no surprise greetings when guest here!” She extended a hand to help Mika to her feet before turning to the mentioned guest. “Mika, this Jacqueline. She someone from work.” For obvious reasons, Su chose to say as little about her job as possible. Even to her own family.

"Hi Jack-O-Line!" Mika extended her hand with a stupid grin.

When there was some movement from a cardboard box, Jacqueline’s first thought was A pet? but she realized almost immediately after that it was the kid. Who it turned out was actually a teenager, though she wasn’t good enough at judging ages to tell how old or young Mika was. “I don’t mind,” she informed Su, when the mother mildly scolded the daughter. The daughter in question didn’t seem to be deterred by the scolding either, and as soon as Jacqueline was introduced to her, rushed closer, beaming happily.

Still, Jacqueline couldn’t help but grimace somewhat at the horrible mangling of her name. “Just…call me Jay, ok?” she asked lightly, though she was still internally pained by Mika’s pronunciation. She didn’t blame the kid for getting it wrong, but it did sound awful. That’s why she offered the nickname that some of her American buddies from her time in college came up with. Then, she crouched a bit awkwardly, and extended her own hand, shaking politely.

Mika continued to beam as Jacqueline shook her hand. "I get to call you by your nickname already?" This seemed to make her even more pleased. "My name is too short, so I don’t have one. But you are very pretty, and you have soft hands."

“Yeah, you get to,” Jacqueline smiled wryly. “Hmm, sometimes simple names are the best,” she commented. At the compliment, she raised a bemused eyebrow, but said “Thank you,” with the slighted drawl.

Su was wearing one of those smiles that practically screamed “I’m feeling second hand embarrassment right now.” With a chuckle, she moved to Mika’s side and grabbed her shoulder. Mika released Jacqueline’s hand. “Mika quite charming, no? But you do schoolwork?”

She hopped over to a box and picked up some notebooks and textbooks that were related to her curriculum. "Yup!"

“Trash taken out?”

"Yup!"

“Then you put away boxes, or you play games, Mika?”

The teenager looked sheepish for a moment, twiddling her thumbs while her mother’s mood seemed to sour before her eyes. But then she gave one of the boxes a poke, and it rocked back and forth. "They’re empty! I made myself a box fort." She pointed back into the kitchen. "Except for the big ones in there. They were too heavy."

Su turned to look at Jacqueline. “See? I tell you she spoiled!” She waved Mika on. “Dinner ready?”

"Uh, I think it’ll be ready soon!" Mika ran into the kitchen and pulled some hot mats out of a drawer near the sink.

With a chuckle, Su turned to look at Jacqueline again “I make dinner in morning so it ready now. Hope you hungry.” Her eyes went back onto Mika, who was opening up the oven. “Maybe not my place to ask, but you close to family?”

Jacqueline observed the byplay between mother and daughter without further input. She had no idea if Mika was actually as spoiled as Su claimed; all the kid seemed to be was childish, to be honest. That, or playful and active. A bit abrupt, too. Once Mika departed, Jacqueline said, “She’s an interesting one, that’s for sure.” Her tone was neutral, but her expression conveyed that she didn’t really know what to make of the teenager. She didn’t dislike her yet, which was as good as it’d probably get.

At Su’s explanation about dinner, she nodded. “Makes sense.” When Su had initially asked Mika about dinner, Jacqueline had admittedly thought that maybe the daughter cooked as well, and was a bit wary at what would be on offer. So, finding out that the dinner would be from Su after all, who was a self-proclaimed good cook, was a relief. “And I am hungry,” she replied, directing a brief wolfish grin at her coworker.

At the question about her family, Jacqueline hummed inquisitively, tilting her head to the side in mild surprise as she considered how to answer. “Well, I don’t mind you asking, though I have no idea why you’d like to know,” she confessed. “But…hm. Well, we mostly each have our own lives to be honest, so I’m not really that close to my parents. I call or message them here and there, and try to visit them every year or so. They’re glad to know I’m doing well at my job, though talking about work without revealing any confidential information can be awkward. They know it’s government related, so they understand I can’t tell them much. That’s pretty much it.” It wasn’t, but Jacqueline didn’t see the point about bringing up further details.

“Many people find my question strange.” Su confessed. “In China, family very important.” She sighed. “Marriage, also. They want me to marry wealthy man. They warn me if I get older, baby will be retarded.” With a giggle she added. “I not tell them about Mika. I do miss them though. We not talk much now, everyone back in China. Not see them for a long time.”

“Oh, I see,” Jacqueline nodded in acceptance. She did snort as Su mentioned how her parents expected her to marry. “No need to go along with that tradition since you’re here,” she commented. When she revealed keeping her adoption a secret, Jacqueline chuckled. “Ha! What they don’t know won’t hurt ‘em.” She merely hummed to the rest of it, but thought Su’s relationship seemed complicated - wanting to be close to yet not really being understood by her parents.

Everyone’s attention was drawn to a thumping sound as Mika lowered the corningware dish onto the table. Silverware and plates had been set out for the three of them. They just needed to seat themselves.

Mika peeled back the tin foil covering the corningware dish. A ball of hot steam rose into the air, revealing dinner. It was a bed of yellow rice covered in sliced bell peppers, mushrooms, and large shrimp. Going by the smell, there was a fair bit of garlic mixed in there too.

“Rice and shrimp casserole. Not much, but it nice recipe to make during week.” She took a seat at the table alongside Mika.

As the food was readied, Jacqueline took a free seat, and when her turn to do so came, also ladled some of the food on her plate. “No need to be modest, this looks great,” she said honestly, a pleased and eager gleam in her eyes as she got a portion for herself. While the food was still cooling down, she was careful when she ate, but as the temperature lowered, she finished the rest fairly swiftly. Though she did restrain herself just enough not to get food stuck in her throat. She once again slowed for the last few bites, as she was full, and just enjoying the remaining meal. “Ahhh, homemade food is the best,” she sighed, pleased.

---

Every once in a while Mika would ask Jacqueline a question about her job that she would have to deflect. Sometimes Su would ask specifics about how Jacqueline’s move was going. But mostly everyone just ate. Su did know how to cook as it turned out.

“Ready to go?” Su walked to the front door with Jacqueline. “I drive you back home!”

Mika ran over to Jacqueline and gave her a hug. "Thanks for coming over!"

Jacqueline barely grunted as Mika barreled into her, since she’d thankfully seen her coming soon enough. It was still basically like being tackled, just without the intent to be felled. She laughed, but returned the hug, though she was bewildered as hell as to why or how the teenager had apparently grown so quickly attached to her. Well, maybe she was just a touchy-feely person. In either case, it didn’t bother her.

Su raised her finger to interject, but stopped herself. Perhaps she could sense that Jacqueline wasn’t bothered by her daughter’s antics. “Okay Mika, we go now! I be back soon!”

"She doesn’t have to go, right?" Mika looked Su dead in the eye as she said this. She hadn’t released Jacqueline yet. "You guys really enjoyed your date, right?"

At that insinuation, Jacqueline spluttered, then laughed, and eventually shook her head in the negative. She let Su explain the situation, though.

“Ah…” Su ran her hand through her hair. “Not really a date.”

"Of course it was!" Mika said very as-a-matter-of-factly. "You picked her up in your car, drove her here, talked, had something to eat, and now you’re dropping her off!"

“...Yes?” Su confessed. Her cheeks were starting to change color. “Not always date when that happen.”

"But it was this time!" Mika looked at Jacqueline now. Her eyes were bubbling over with joy. Sparking with the hopes and dreams of youth that most teenagers lose well before their teen years. Maybe it was their close proximity, but Jacqueline couldn’t remember the last time she saw eyes filled with so much hope and life. "Are you going to be my second mommy?"

“Nah, not a romantic date,” Jacqueline shook her head, feeling strangely fond now that she’d gotten over being taken aback. “Su’s just a friend and a coworker,” she shrugged lightly. She really didn’t expect that last question though, and cough-laughed in such a way that made her surprise clear. “Mika…don’t take this the wrong way, but I am not a family person. Or even a romantic one, really.” Somewhat helplessly, she patted Mika’s head gently, as if in consolation, then extracted from the hug carefully.

Mika kept her arms wrapped around Jacqueline, but as she stepped backwards, Mika slid further down her legs until her arms were wrapped around her ankles. "It’s not nice to lie." She hadn’t stopped looking at her since they hugged.

“Mika.”

"Fiiiiiiiine." She let go of Jacqueline and sat with her back against the wall. "See you next time!"

Su placed a hand on her head before sighing. “Only if you behave.” She stepped past her adoptive daughter and let Jacqueline step past her. Mika watched her new acquaintance through the opening in the door before Su pulled it closed.