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Post by Nathalia on Nov 9, 2010 20:21:17 GMT -5
The Capital is unusually cold and empty, people seem to be packing into the bars and an odd spice seems t linger on the air.
One soul is on a hunt, however.
Farran has discovered that there is a person in the Capital...by the name of “Rogers”, an uncle of his was the Villa man who killed his father! Finding Rogers could mean finding this man...
Also there is Arkady, trying out the Capital for the first time in a while, looking for a way to worm himself into the local bars. The wind seems unusually strong and whispers can be heard by Ark every now and then, though they aren’t fully audible...how odd.
(Your goal is to locate one another, and then find their way to Rosewood. Have any natural character conversation with him as they have developed their attitudes thus far. Once they’ve begun to talk all together, your next goal will be revealed.)
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Post by Kari Muffin on Nov 9, 2010 21:16:21 GMT -5
It was a surprisingly slow night at the strip bar. Rosewood found himself sipping an appletini as he stared at the lack of customers to flirt with. He wasn't going to preform for a few hours, which meant his job was to mingle with the crowd around the bar. On nights like this he had to work "extra hard" to get money. He sighed to himself. Funny how therapy was booming and now stripping was crawling along. He never thought that would happen. Perhaps it was just early? Normally he worked the late shift. The owner of the bar shooed him off of the bar stool. With ruffled feathers the swan found himself wandering around the Strip Bar, chatting up the various patrons. No one particularly stood out, and Rogers was working late tonight.... so he wouldn't be visiting would he? It was always a downer when he couldn't play one of his favorite games. (( <3 stationary target! )) |
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Post by Lucca on Nov 9, 2010 23:16:19 GMT -5
 He just wanted a simple trip to the Capital. Just something to relax him and maybe get away from the weirdness at the Court lately. Besides, he'd never been out on his own ANYWHERE, and if he was planning to visit the Glacier someday he'd need at least a little bit of independence...even if part of him didn't like it. And it was just the Capital, after all...normal, friendly, lots of people around. What could go wrong? Arkady should have known things just weren't going to be that simple. The air smelled funny, everything was cold and there were so few Cards out on the streets...it made the Coyote very jumpy and worried. To make matters worse, the Cards that were out seemed to be mostly congregating in the bars, and Arkady had never even set foot in one before--with good reason considering he was underage. And even his natural Solandrian bulk was not enough to make up for the fact that his paws were just a bit too big to mark him entirely out of puppyhood yet. The excuse that in his homeland the drinking age was a lot lower didn't seem to get him any clout, either. Still, he continued trying, hoping to get lucky, or maybe it just gave him a distraction so he didn't have to think about the odd smell in the air and the whispering voices that kept making his ears twitch and shudders run down his back. It was only made worse by the fact that he couldn't make out any clear words in the voices... |
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Post by Callypso on Nov 10, 2010 3:51:02 GMT -5
 He had left home to forget everything, the bustle of the city a promise of the new and unknown. Capital City, the perfect tonic to wash away his troubles. The oasis to ease the drought of emotional agony of his mind… Okay, so he was being a little dramatic, but still. Was it too much to ask to just get away from it all? The feline had hoped that leaving his Realm would help erase the painful memories. Going to the Capital had been his dream for a long time and finally, finally he had turned 18. His uncle Alec had taken the news of his plans in his usual stoic manner, though it hadn’t escaped the young feline how his former guardian’s eyes had glossed over, nor could he completely ignore the weary sadness that had crept over his normally genial expression. The guilt hadn’t been enough to keep him in the Villa, though. The first few days had been overwhelming for the purebred, the noise and grit a stark contrast to the beauty and grace of Villa roads and the gentle sound of music that softly floated through the cliffs. After a few weeks, he had more or less adjusted, though there were still times when a bizarre Card captivated him, and sometimes he was still stunned by the callousness with which the city-dwellers treated each other. Despite everything, he was determined to make the best of it, and what better place to start fresh than in a metropolitan paradise such as this? He had been fully prepared to leave his former life behind him. Until he had received a lead on his father’s murderer… As far as the Villa proper was concerned, it was case closed. The battle between the two musicians had been largely chalked up as a “gentlemen’s quarrel”, and though a vast majority of the Villas knew the story, mum was the word on who had witnessed the event and who had acted as “seconds” in the duel. The young man had tried to forget the whole sordid affair and had harbored resentment against his father for accepting the challenge. It had festered deep within until one day, when he was 16, someone mentioned his parent’s demise and he had flown into a rage, rejecting any connection with the deceased xylophone player and daring anyone to mention it to him ever again. He had never really thought about what he would do if he had a chance to confront his father’s murderer and had instead opted to suppress all thoughts involving the incident. Then he had received an anonymous tip in the morning post that suggested he take a stroll downtown and ask around for a Morganberry/Villa mix by the name of “Rogers”. This Rogers was purportedly the nephew of a certain xylophone player. The note had been signed with a strange symbol that the Villa had never seen before, but it hadn’t mattered then, didn't matter now. All he knew was that something resonated deep within, his blood surging with adrenaline, and something new… something that demanded he follow this through to the end… The sun had since fallen and the Villa tugged nervously at the scarf wrapped around his neck as he walked down the surprisingly empty streets. It was unusually brisk, the air crackling with energy as odd, heavy scents wafted through the air. He cursed lightly to himself in the Diamond tongue. How was he supposed to ask around when the city was deserted? The only establishments that showed any life were the bars and strip joints. What was the drinking age here again? No matter, a small obstacle like that wouldn’t stop him on a night like tonight. Farran Drake was out for revenge. |
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Post by Lucca on Nov 10, 2010 9:38:37 GMT -5
Two hours and countless bars later, and Arkady was beginning to get just a little bit...frustrated. And the voices, though they had gotten no more clear, were getting harder and harder to ignore. The cold wind seemed to cut right through his thick fur, and he shivered, hurrying along the deserted streets as fast as his paws could take him. And so it was that when he saw a rather bright splotch on the otherwise bleak horizon, he honestly thought he might be hallucinating it.
By the time he'd decided the other Card must be a real, honest, living soul, the Villa was almost out of sight. Arkady swallowed past his natural nervousness around strangers, his deep-seated fear of being alone overpowering it. "HEY!" he called in as loud a voice as he dared, and made a dash for the other man, hoping desperately that he was friendly and not some psycho murderer.
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Post by Callypso on Nov 10, 2010 15:29:00 GMT -5
The young Villa was becoming disgruntled. He’d been out for what felt like hours and hadn’t yet managed to come across a single soul. Either he’d been passing by all the packed establishments at exactly the wrong moment or no one had yet left their respective drinking houses. Either seemed equally likely, as Farran hadn’t seen anyone in the square, and he wouldn’t blame a Card for staying in a toasty pub rather than brave the chill night air.
He was beginning to think that his plan was a little half-baked. It was unlikely he was going to meet anyone out that wasn’t bundled up in some strip joint or bar. Farran chewed his lower lip in thought. He was certainly discouraged, but his blood was still boiling. The very thought that his father’s murderer was in the city… why hadn’t he considered that before he moved? It was probably the first place he’d go if he’d committed a crime… just disappear in the Capital where yours was just one face among many.
That thought alone encouraged him to keep trying, though at this point he would most likely have to use his Diamond ability to fool a bouncer into letting him in to a bar or something. He wondered if he might stroll around a bit more and see if any of the gatekeepers were scheduled to change shifts… He’d seen other younger Cards trying to weasel their way in for drinks, and if you could convince the doorman you’d already been in, well…
He was just about to turn a corner when a cry rang out through the empty streets. Farran turned his head to see a Solandrian thundering toward him. He froze in initial fear and realized the Card was about his age, if not younger, and relaxed. It wasn’t likely he was going to get mugged, but kept an eye out in case this guy was a hustler. He’d heard about those guys, though he wasn’t exactly sure what a hustler was or did. He tugged nervously at his scarf again.
Can I help you?
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Post by Lucca on Nov 10, 2010 15:49:21 GMT -5
Arkady paused when he felt he was a decent distance from the other Card--close enough to carry on conversation, but not so close as to be inappropriate or threatening. After a whole day spent in tense solitude, just being so close to another Card was a relief. Arkady sat up, trying to ignore how dirty his paws were getting on the street, and eyed the Feline, tail given a hopeful half wag.
"I..." Arkady realized he had no idea what to say, as usual, felt incredibly foolish for it. Still, he wasn't about to just let the only friendly company he'd found all day wander off in disgust because he couldn't get his tongue around a few words. "Do you have any idea what's going on? Is this...this isn't normally what the Capital is...like?" He ducked his head in a habitual gesture of subservience. He really hoped the guy wouldn't just...run off or something.
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Post by Callypso on Nov 10, 2010 17:23:02 GMT -5
To Farran’s relief, the stranger paused a few feet in front of him and didn’t make a move to get too much closer. The Solandrian seemed a bit twitchy, but the Villa couldn’t blame him. They were both obviously wary of each other, but the allure of comfort in numbers was overwhelming. The darkness had deepened to an inky black and any lanterns on the street flickered uncertainly as though their flames, too, knew something was afoot.
Farran tugged on his scarf again, eyeing the boy and taking another swift glance around, just in case. The boy seemed unnaturally cowed, which he thought odd considering the rank that could just barely be seen in the weak light, but perhaps it was the lack of other Cards that was unnerving him…
The stranger’s question caught the Villa off guard – he’d been so caught up in trying to find someone who could tell him about this “Rogers” guy that he hadn’t really paid that much attention to his surroundings. He took a moment to absorb what the Solandrian had said and looked around again. Now that he was taking a moment from his blind escapade, he noticed how quiet everything seemed. The skin under his fur tingled inexplicably and the very air seemed heavy and laden with an odd, spiced fragrance. The feline suppressed a shudder, not wanting to look fearful in front of the other Card. He half-wished he hadn’t been shaken from his rage-filled reverie.
I couldn’t really say… I haven’t been in the city that long, though it’s never been like this as far as I can remember.
He shuffled his paws then looked a slightly accusingly at the other, feeling a bit put off and trying to direct those feelings elsewhere.
What are you doing out here, anyway?
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Post by Lucca on Nov 11, 2010 23:30:47 GMT -5
It was comforting to smell something other than the heavy aroma of spices, and to hear a real voice speaking actual words instead of just the half-whispers on the wind. Of course, once the words had a chance to make it into his conscious mind, Arkady realized they were far from comforting. And the Feline seemed not to have noticed the strange atmosphere at all before it was brought up to him? That was somewhat amazing, especially with how heavy the scent was. Arkady's couldn't dream being able to ignore something like that, with his nose being as sensitive as it was. He frowned in thought. So the other Card hadn't been here very long either? Though based on what he said, he had been here before, which was really more than Arkady could say. Oh, he was sure he was also brought to the Capital when he was younger, but he could barely remember those trips except as a flurry of activity and noise and dirt.
At the accusatory tone the other Card suddenly took, Arkady's ears pressed back against his head and he lowered it again. "I'm sorry," he stammered, because it seemed like about the right thing to say. "I...I was just visiting with a few of my siblings, but...I haven't seen them in hours...we got l-lost..." He trembled a bit with worry. He didn't want to think about missing siblings. It would only make this whole thing worse.
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Post by Callypso on Nov 12, 2010 16:13:16 GMT -5
Now that it’d been pointed out to him, the atmosphere of the city was really starting to grate on Farran’s nerves. He couldn’t imagine how he hadn’t noticed the strength of the scents wafting through the air, or how the very air crackled with a life of its own. He was starting to feel uneasy about being out in the street – the sooner he was indoors the better…
Which reminded him, he was on a mission. His blood was on fire and he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was supposed to be out here tonight in this weird weather and odd smells. The feline felt restless and jumpy, as though he could run a marathon, take on the whole world. It was exactly the feeling he needed to have if he actually found this Rogers guy. The kid was nice and everything, but he was kind of getting in the way just now.
Then he mentioned his lost family and Farran felt guilty and a little agitated. The last thing he wanted to be doing was babysitting some lost puppy… Still, considering how strange downtown seemed, it didn’t feel right to just leave the kid here. Truth be told, now that he was noticing how tense the atmosphere was and watched the ominous-looking shadows thrown by the few sputtering lanterns… well, he kind of didn’t want to be on his own just now. Maybe they’d do a quick look around and see if they couldn’t find his family. Then, then he’d get back to his real job: Finding his father’s murderer. Or, you know, at least a clue or something.
Aw, don't apologize. It's just not the best night to be out on your own, you know? I'm surprised someone left you out here... I’m looking for someone myself… an old family friend.
The half-lie slipped easily from the feline. It wasn’t as if he was going to go around telling everyone he was looking for his father’s murderer. They might laugh, or worse, spread the word that some young adult was on the prowl. That was the last thing he needed.
He’s supposed to be down here somewhere, but I’ll tell you what, how about I help you find your family first? I’m Farran, by the way.
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