https://i.imgur.com/m4mPy3q.png https://i.imgur.com/lR3cg7M.png https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b1/c8/3d/b1c83d677b9490cd346df12b77b367d1.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/564x/8f/52/af/8f52afe57a7bd41dde0b54699458da8b.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f5/89/2e/f5892e8b29983a7919638f5304a5b108.jpg
gold
familiar Familiarmegera, green tree viper
played by OOC Namekyou
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Post by Hesperaloe Cartier on Sept 20, 2022 15:39:55 GMT -7
[nospaces] [newclass=".pie"]background: var(--secondbg);color: var(--iconcolor); font-family: 'Jost';font-size: 13px;line-height: 1.8; width: 475px; margin: 0 auto; padding:5em 4em 4em 4em;text-align:justify; box-sizing:border-box;} .pie a { text-transform:uppercase; font-size:0.8em;} .pie .notes { display: block;font-size: 0.8em;letter-spacing: 0.05em;padding: 4em 4em 0 4em;text-align: center;border-top: 1px solid var(--mainbg); margin-top: 4em; } div[rel=user-173] .pie b { color: var(--hydra); [/newclass]
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https://i.imgur.com/m4mPy3q.png https://i.imgur.com/lR3cg7M.png https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b1/c8/3d/b1c83d677b9490cd346df12b77b367d1.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/564x/8f/52/af/8f52afe57a7bd41dde0b54699458da8b.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f5/89/2e/f5892e8b29983a7919638f5304a5b108.jpg
gold
familiar Familiarmegera, green tree viper
played by OOC Namekyou
|
Post by Hesperaloe Cartier on Sept 20, 2022 16:07:49 GMT -7
[nospaces] [attr="class","questcont"] [attr="class","questname"]HESPERALOE CARTIER [attr="class","queststats"] [attr="class","questh"]BASICS [break] FULL NAME — hesperaloe cartier nekoba[break] NICKNAMES — hesper[break] DATE OF BIRTH — august 4th, 1989[break] [attr="class","questblock"]leo ☼ | virgo ☾ | taurus ↑ [break] AFFILIATION — hydra coven[break] [attr="class","questh"]PHYSICALITY [break] EYES — red[break] HAIR — silver, with a singular russet streak running throughout; 36 in. long[break] HEIGHT — 190.5cm; 6' 3''[break] TATTOES — an assortment of rune-like tattos; the most obvious are running across his knuckles, down his fingers. the other prominent one is a bright red "v," placed right on his adam's apple. the rest, oft hidden by several articles of clothing, are found on his shoulder, swirling down his arm and sweeping across his back, ending mid-back.[break] PIERCINGS — both ears; his favorites are █ ████ ████ █████.[break] MISC. — faded scars. ( he doesn't know how they got there. ) they trace across his back, starting from the top of his right shoulder, starting thin, then widening like the gap of a ravine as they move diagonally across his back. they are partially hidden by the swell of tattoos hesper has gotten, but the rawness of the skin beneath will always tell the truth. hesper is incredibly self-conscious of them.[break] [attr="class","questh"]MANNERISMS [break] BASIC TRAITS — almost inappropriately casual, lazy, polite. generally takes things at a slow pace; a bit unorthodox, notably odd in likes. unbothered by the taboo, the nasty, or the weird; clever, lighthearted, complacent, curious. self-preserving, efficient, absentminded, sociable.[break] ALIGNMENT — chaotic neutral[break] SPEECH — smooth; often noted to be light and unhurried, like a lazy river. voice depth carries a subtle purr; he switches between informal and formal speech depending on the situation, likes to use metaphors every once in a while — quotes a poem every once in a blue moon.[break] HABITS — fiddles with his accessories: watch, his earrings, and silver wedding band (secured to a chain to his neck, hidden beneath his shirt). idly traces the tattoos on his fingers when thinking, or apprehensive. fidgets his foot (tapping, bouncing, etc.) when sitting, often when he has nothing to do with his hands; an anxiety tell.[break] [newclass=".questcont"]color: var(--iconcolor); font-family: 'Jost'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.8; width: 520px; margin: 0 auto; padding: 2em; text-align: justify; box-sizing: border-box; border:10px solid var(--bannerbgcolor); } .questname { padding:1em; box-shadow:inset 0 0 0 1000px rgba(18, 18, 30, 0.7); background-size:cover; background-position:center; color:white; font-size:20px; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:0.1em; } .questh { text-transform: lowercase; font-weight: bold; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.05em; border-bottom: 10px solid var(--mainbg); height: 22px; margin-bottom: 1em;} .queststats b { color:var(--hovericoncolor); } .questtalk { display: flex;justify-content: flex-start;align-items: center;background-color: var(--mainbg);height:60px;box-sizing:border-box;overflow:hidden; } .questtalk img { width: 60px;padding-right: 1em;opacity: 0.6;} .questtalk span { font-size: 0.9em; padding: 0 1em 0 0; } .questblock { border-left:1px solid var(--thirdbg); padding-left:1.5em; } .queststats { box-sizing:border-box; margin-top:2em; padding:3em; background-color:var(--secondbg); [/newclass]
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https://i.imgur.com/m4mPy3q.png https://i.imgur.com/lR3cg7M.png https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b1/c8/3d/b1c83d677b9490cd346df12b77b367d1.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/564x/8f/52/af/8f52afe57a7bd41dde0b54699458da8b.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f5/89/2e/f5892e8b29983a7919638f5304a5b108.jpg
gold
familiar Familiarmegera, green tree viper
played by OOC Namekyou
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Post by Hesperaloe Cartier on Sept 20, 2022 16:18:36 GMT -7
[nospaces] [attr="class","loccont"] [attr="class","loctitle"] MEGERA, GREEN TREE PIT VIPER [attr="class","locbody"]as far as the relationship between witch and familiar goes, hesper's and megera's started off not as bumpy or chaotic as most would have been. hesper, for one, was glad for a companion that seemed to live in his head, could help him feel what he's supposed to feel, could pour all his trust into where none could be found; hesper was both relieved and grateful for her.[break][break]
megera is a large green tree pit viper even for her species, having grown to just under four and a half feet in length under hesperaloe's care. she's noted to be exactly as one would believe her species to be like. graceful in her own right, megera has a hypnotic way of moving that endears many to her when they see her for the first time — hesperaloe was the first of many to immediately come under the charm of his beloved familiar.[break][break]
as for the personality of the familiar herself, she is just as much of a mystery as her witch is. there seems to be a knowing glint in her bright yellow eyes, like she holds all the secrets of the universe. she holds hesper's secrets, of course, the ones that many hope to unravel themselves. hesper seems to forget things, so megera sometimes has to remind him. however, there are some things that are better kept secret, she believes. yes, even from hesperaloe himself.[break][break]
"it is simply better like that." [newclass=".loccont"]background: var(--secondbg); color: var(--iconcolor); font-family: "Jost"; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.8; width:520px; margin: 0 auto; box-sizing: border-box; } .loctitle { text-align:center; font-weight:bold; font-size:20px; border-bottom:1px solid var(--thirdbg); color: white; font-size: 20px; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.1em; box-sizing: border-box; padding:2em; margin-bottom:1em; box-shadow: inset 0 0 0 1000px rgba(18, 18, 30, 0.7); background-size: cover; background-position: center; } .locbody { padding:2em 3em 3em 3em; text-align:justify; } .locbody span { background-color:var(--mainbg); padding:0.2em 1em; float:right; margin:0 0.2em; } .locbody span:first-child { margin-right: 0;} .locbody b { color:var(--hovericoncolor);[/newclass]
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https://i.imgur.com/m4mPy3q.png https://i.imgur.com/lR3cg7M.png https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b1/c8/3d/b1c83d677b9490cd346df12b77b367d1.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/564x/8f/52/af/8f52afe57a7bd41dde0b54699458da8b.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f5/89/2e/f5892e8b29983a7919638f5304a5b108.jpg
gold
familiar Familiarmegera, green tree viper
played by OOC Namekyou
|
Post by Hesperaloe Cartier on Oct 1, 2022 3:54:51 GMT -7
[nospaces] [attr="class","loccont"] [attr="class","loctitle"] BOTAN NEKOBA [attr="class","locbody"]missing gardener surgeon[break][break]
you find an old section of newspaper detailing various 'missing persons' reports while cleaning out your house. the first name jumps out at you, as well as the picture they choose. your eyes narrow, brows pulling together in thought. he seems familiar.[break][break]
a promising and brilliant surgeon graduated from a vale university. known to most as bo, hesperaloe reserves the nickname "my love" for him. he, like hesper, had an ever-growing love for plant-life, and had been the one to begin investing in opening the garden of eden in downtown delphi, only really roping hesperaloe into it at the beginning of their relationship.[break][break]
botan was recounted as a practical young man, knowledgeable across various subjects, but invariably kind and aware of himself. he liked to take things easily, if possible, but was willing to buckle down if he sees there was no avoiding going down a rough and rocky path. botan was humble, sincere in his actions — he was a terrible liar, so he would make it blatant if he didn't like someone; yet he still treated them with dignity and courtesy. he was the one who grounded hesper, his lovely emotional antithesis, with the careful maneuvering of his reasoning. he picked up cooking because hesper was atrocious at it, and became something of a good cook. he made sure to experiment with his dishes, all of which his husband endlessly adored.[break][break]
marrying hesper was the one decision in his life he was absolutely sure about. botan often reminisced about their wedding, how charming and quiet it was, and yet it being more than enough (it was just them). he loved him, even though everything wasn't perfect, even while they disagreed on some things — he loved him.[break][break]
brittle grass crunches underfoot.[break] [attr="class","sleft"]lunaire, deer[attr="class","sleft"]alchemy[attr="class","sleft"]twenty-eight (as of going missing)[break][break] [newclass=".loccont"]background: var(--secondbg); color: var(--iconcolor); font-family: "Jost"; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.8; width:520px; margin: 0 auto; box-sizing: border-box; } .loctitle { text-align:center; font-weight:bold; font-size:20px; border-bottom:1px solid var(--thirdbg); color: white; font-size: 20px; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.1em; box-sizing: border-box; padding:2em; margin-bottom:1em; box-shadow: inset 0 0 0 1000px rgba(18, 18, 30, 0.7); background-size: cover; background-position: center; } .locbody { padding:2em 3em 3em 3em; text-align:justify; } .locbody span { background-color:var(--mainbg); padding:0.2em 1em; float:right; margin:0 0.2em; } .locbody span:first-child { margin-right: 0;} .locbody b { color:var(--hovericoncolor);[/newclass]
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https://i.imgur.com/m4mPy3q.png https://i.imgur.com/lR3cg7M.png https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b1/c8/3d/b1c83d677b9490cd346df12b77b367d1.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/564x/8f/52/af/8f52afe57a7bd41dde0b54699458da8b.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f5/89/2e/f5892e8b29983a7919638f5304a5b108.jpg
gold
familiar Familiarmegera, green tree viper
played by OOC Namekyou
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Post by Hesperaloe Cartier on Oct 1, 2022 18:35:21 GMT -7
[nospaces] [attr="class","loccont"] [attr="class","loctitle"] GARDEN OF EDEN [attr="class","locbody"]downtown delphi clinic botanical shop[break][break]
you step up to the store's front, the glass and blooms awash in the golden glow of the sun peeking over skyscrapers. a soft, rueful smile tugs slight at the corners of your lips as you pull open the door. the tinkling of the old silver bell harks your arrival to a empty store. you're greeted by gently bowing sunflowers, the muted smell of lavenders, and a dream once shared.[break][break]
to the uninformed, the ones who simply want to buy their beloved a nice bouquet of fresh cuts, and those who simply shop for flowers and herbs, they only know the garden of eden as just that: a place where they can find a manner of blossoms home-grown by its brilliant owner. for others, it's a temporary refuge, where gentle, discerning hands make pain bearable — a potential life-saver if you find too much ichor running between your fingers.[break][break]
situated on the more modern side of downtown delphi, "garden of eden" takes residence in a large two-floor building with the above space and floor between gutted in favor of aesthetic and space. sections of the brick wall have been replaced with glass, allowing the sun to beam through it seamlessly when it rises from the east. the interior of the building replicates its owner's taste of bare brick walls and exposed wooden beams in a mix of industrial and rustic styles. despite the space being rather open, it still achieves a comfy, inviting feel. there are rows upon rows of shelving, countertops, and hanging filled to the brim with plant-life — it's almost impossible to not find what you want here, hence the name.[break][break]
at the back lies an entrance to the rear of the store. where most would assume this would be the place where plants that thrive in darkness reside, is actually the area where the garden of eden's nighttime business takes place. it's not too gnarly, the owner cleans up well and makes sure not a thing is out of place. with an unsuspecting glance, it looks like an office space where employees can take breaks. it's furnished with a far more modern design in mind, with sofas, tables, and chairs, as well as counters that jut maybe a little too far from the wall. what do those cupboards and drawers have? well, perhaps it's better for you if you don't look.[break][break]
something tells you the owner will get terribly upset if you look through his things.
[newclass=".loccont"]background: var(--secondbg); color: var(--iconcolor); font-family: "Jost"; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.8; width:520px; margin: 0 auto; box-sizing: border-box; } .loctitle { text-align:center; font-weight:bold; font-size:20px; border-bottom:1px solid var(--thirdbg); color: white; font-size: 20px; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.1em; box-sizing: border-box; padding:2em; margin-bottom:1em; box-shadow: inset 0 0 0 1000px rgba(18, 18, 30, 0.7); background-size: cover; background-position: center; } .locbody { padding:2em 3em 3em 3em; text-align:justify; } .locbody span { background-color:var(--mainbg); padding:0.2em 1em; float:right; margin:0 0.2em; } .locbody span:first-child { margin-right: 0;} .locbody b { color:var(--hovericoncolor);[/newclass]
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https://i.imgur.com/m4mPy3q.png https://i.imgur.com/lR3cg7M.png https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b1/c8/3d/b1c83d677b9490cd346df12b77b367d1.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/564x/8f/52/af/8f52afe57a7bd41dde0b54699458da8b.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f5/89/2e/f5892e8b29983a7919638f5304a5b108.jpg
gold
familiar Familiarmegera, green tree viper
played by OOC Namekyou
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Post by Hesperaloe Cartier on Oct 2, 2022 6:35:58 GMT -7
[nospaces] [attr="class","loccont"] [attr="class","loctitle"] ACERBUS CHRONICA I [attr="class","locbody"]
a memory is just like a reverie, except it takes place in scenery much more grounding. the wind whistles between the bushes, the branches, the leaves, and creates their own music sinking into the bones beneath silver, wet skin.[break][break]
( ████ ██ ████. )[break][break]
the heart palpitates. ba-dum, ba-dum. it fights for its life in the ivory confines of his chest, fights like a bird desperately trying to break free of its gilded cage. ██ ██████ ██ ████████. █████, ████████ ██ █████. brittle grass crunches underfoot, █████ ██ █ ████████ ████ ██ ███ ████, █ ██████ █████ ███████ ████ ███████ ██ ███ ████████. he doesn't look back.[break][break]
"botan," a breathless whisper, wires are wrapped taut around his throat. he’s in pain, the █████ having scored through skin and flesh on his back. ██ ████ ████ ██ █████ ██████. there is a break through the trees, the branches moving violently as the thing tears away, having had its fill of carnage. it’s howling the whole way too. he stays quiet until the rumbling thunder fades to nothingness. "botan." he croaks, scared uncertainty paints his voice vibrantly.[break][break]
death. he knows when it is coming.
[newclass=".loccont"]background: var(--secondbg); color: var(--iconcolor); font-family: "Jost"; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.8; width:520px; margin: 0 auto; box-sizing: border-box; } .loctitle { text-align:center; font-weight:bold; font-size:20px; border-bottom:1px solid var(--thirdbg); color: white; font-size: 20px; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.1em; box-sizing: border-box; padding:2em; margin-bottom:1em; box-shadow: inset 0 0 0 1000px rgba(18, 18, 30, 0.7); background-size: cover; background-position: center; } .locbody { padding:2em 3em 3em 3em; text-align:justify; } .locbody span { background-color:var(--mainbg); padding:0.2em 1em; float:right; margin:0 0.2em; } .locbody span:first-child { margin-right: 0;} .locbody b { color:var(--hovericoncolor);[/newclass]
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https://i.imgur.com/m4mPy3q.png https://i.imgur.com/lR3cg7M.png https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b1/c8/3d/b1c83d677b9490cd346df12b77b367d1.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/564x/8f/52/af/8f52afe57a7bd41dde0b54699458da8b.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f5/89/2e/f5892e8b29983a7919638f5304a5b108.jpg
gold
familiar Familiarmegera, green tree viper
played by OOC Namekyou
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Post by Hesperaloe Cartier on Oct 7, 2022 18:40:29 GMT -7
[nospaces] [attr="class","loccont"] [attr="class","loctitle"] ACERBUS CHRONICA II [attr="class","locbody"]
hesper never thought he would see the day he got married. for whatever reason, it felt far beyond his grasp. finding love? true love? it was something out of faerie-tales, sprinkled with pixie dust and wrapped in silver lining — at least to him.[break][break]
love, the mere prospect of it, had been ruined for him once. parents that were no longer in love with each other, stuck in a purely business-arranged marriage to see to it that wealth rose and ambition bolstered. they wouldn’t fight, no, no, they thought that unsightly and unseemly, but the warmth wasn’t there. aloof, straight-faced expressions, “dear” and “honey” uttered with an underlining of indifference. loveless.[break][break]
( botan laid beside him, his fingers curled around a lock of silver hair. his whispers of "i love you," echo as if his head were held underwater. there is a certain tenderness in his eyes he couldn’t ever describe with words alone. hesper melts into the palm of his hand with a light sigh. "i love you, too."[break][break]
"...i think we should get married." he said, his face all too serious, as usual. sandwiched between is a softness not unlike cumulus clouds drifting through an afternoon sky, saved only for him.[break][break]
hesper laughs under his breath, but there’s a blossoming happiness that chases warmth throughout his chest and his face. "oh, really?" he hums softly, as if needing to contemplate the idea. the idea of their cotton-candy love going rotten doesn't terrify him like he thought it would.[break][break]
a twinkle of mirth reflects in his eyes as he snuggles closer, their noses barely touching. "i’ll have to think about it." )[break][break]
he hardly remembers the words exchanged beyond that. it’s a blur, sounds of static popping between his ears whenever he tries to tune in, but when it starts becoming clear, he shies away. his heart aches, the sinew of his heart beginning to snap one strand at a time.
[newclass=".loccont"]background: var(--secondbg); color: var(--iconcolor); font-family: "Jost"; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.8; width:520px; margin: 0 auto; box-sizing: border-box; } .loctitle { text-align:center; font-weight:bold; font-size:20px; border-bottom:1px solid var(--thirdbg); color: white; font-size: 20px; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.1em; box-sizing: border-box; padding:2em; margin-bottom:1em; box-shadow: inset 0 0 0 1000px rgba(18, 18, 30, 0.7); background-size: cover; background-position: center; } .locbody { padding:2em 3em 3em 3em; text-align:justify; } .locbody span { background-color:var(--mainbg); padding:0.2em 1em; float:right; margin:0 0.2em; } .locbody span:first-child { margin-right: 0;} .locbody b { color:var(--hovericoncolor);[/newclass]
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https://i.imgur.com/m4mPy3q.png https://i.imgur.com/lR3cg7M.png https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b1/c8/3d/b1c83d677b9490cd346df12b77b367d1.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/564x/8f/52/af/8f52afe57a7bd41dde0b54699458da8b.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f5/89/2e/f5892e8b29983a7919638f5304a5b108.jpg
gold
familiar Familiarmegera, green tree viper
played by OOC Namekyou
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Post by Hesperaloe Cartier on Oct 15, 2022 3:59:21 GMT -7
[nospaces] [attr="class","loccont"] [attr="class","loctitle"] FINNEGAN Ó MURCHADHA [attr="class","locbody"]informant hunter ex-partner[break][break] there is something which tickles at the edges of your mind. you see a figure at the corner of your eye, but you're unsure if they're looking at you. there is definitely a presence, though, and then it's gone.[break][break]
a "hunter of people," or so they say, finnegan ó murchadha is someone you really don't want tailing you. he is a man dedicated to his work, and nothing is more important than it. there are few who can wriggle their way between him and his work, and those prized few are oft held to his high expectations. finnegan is known to most as a rough-and-tumble kind of guy, someone who wouldn't mind brushing his knuckles against your jaw if you ask him the wrong question. his aggression usually helps him get his job done, rather than being covert and secretive — and what can he say? if it ain't broke, don't fix it.[break][break]
to the few that know him personally, they know that finnegan is a troubled man. they know bits and pieces of his history that most would never be privy to. they know that he lost his only daughter when he was in his twenties, and experienced too much heartbreak for one person to handle. it makes sense, then, why he turned to crime. truly, he seems used to being at the bottom of the rung.[break][break]
finn has been quiet these past years, no doubt nose deep in his work. [attr="class","sleft"]unaffiliated [attr="class","sleft"]wolf familiar [attr="class","sleft"]aquos [attr="class","sleft"]forty[break][break] [newclass=".loccont"]background: var(--secondbg); color: var(--iconcolor); font-family: "Jost"; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.8; width:520px; margin: 0 auto; box-sizing: border-box; } .loctitle { text-align:center; font-weight:bold; font-size:20px; border-bottom:1px solid var(--thirdbg); color: white; font-size: 20px; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.1em; box-sizing: border-box; padding:2em; margin-bottom:1em; box-shadow: inset 0 0 0 1000px rgba(18, 18, 30, 0.7); background-size: cover; background-position: center; } .locbody { padding:2em 3em 3em 3em; text-align:justify; } .locbody span { background-color:var(--mainbg); padding:0.2em 1em; float:right; margin:0 0.2em; } .locbody span:first-child { margin-right: 0;} .locbody b { color:var(--hovericoncolor);[/newclass]
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https://i.imgur.com/m4mPy3q.png https://i.imgur.com/lR3cg7M.png https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b1/c8/3d/b1c83d677b9490cd346df12b77b367d1.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/564x/8f/52/af/8f52afe57a7bd41dde0b54699458da8b.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f5/89/2e/f5892e8b29983a7919638f5304a5b108.jpg
gold
familiar Familiarmegera, green tree viper
played by OOC Namekyou
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Post by Hesperaloe Cartier on Jan 4, 2023 10:43:25 GMT -7
[nospaces] [attr="class","loccont"] [attr="class","loctitle"] FURTIVE TRUTHS 0 [attr="class","locbody"] you’ve been down this path before; isn’t it too late to turn back, now?[break][break] tap-tap-tap.[break][break] the click of his shoes down the sidewalk echo soundly in his ear. the night’s bugs don’t sing, since the chill has set its fangs in firmly for the season. although the cold stings his face, he doesn’t make any move to hurry on his route to garden of eden. he doesn’t mind the weather, evidently, and the city is almost quiet when there aren’t many people around. almost. there are the once-in-a-while sounds of people talking, their dulcet tones easily ignored in the back of his mind, which are occupied with thoughts of several topics vying for his attention.[break][break] signing prescriptions, future appointments, of ives and all the moments they've shared, and the series of letters he’s been receiving from a mysterious m. h. hesper sorts through these in his mind, brows quietly furrowed as he walks with brown bags of freshly gathered ingredients in his hands.[break][break] there is movement from somewhere behind him, sharp and sudden. hesper is too on edge to disregard it, so his eyes shift to the left of his shoulder, where he sees a hand reach out from the shadows of an alleyway. a brief second passes where he braces himself for what comes next, stiffening, as he’s jerked aside unsteadily, and stumbles into the darkness with a stranger.[break][break] he drops what he is carrying on the ground to free up his hands, and he squints against the dark as he’s shoved. the world — what he could see of it, at least — flips on its head; he’s shoved down into the damp cement, the rough surface scratching at the side of his face harshly. hands grappled at his arms, struggling to pin them to the ground, a silent slew of expletives uttered under breath, and nails dig into his wrists. hesper twists his body underneath the weight that’s suddenly come onto him with a wince twisting his face.[break][break] a voice hisses to him, terribly close to his ear: “ just my luck you came trotting down this way.” the smell of acrid smoke spilled over him. the situation he was put in wasn’t advantageous in the slightest, and he barely has the chance to correct it.[break][break] he’s rolled over, and suddenly he goes numb. hesper barely registers he was punched, amidst everything else he was processing. his eyes water from the strike as his head snaps back, further disorienting him as he’s brought up again by the collar of his shirt being grasped in a tightly knuckled fist. several more strikes hit him, each landing harder than the previous, and he feels a wetness dribbling down steadily from his nose, and tastes iron. he feels breathless, as yellow and white dots dance around in his fleeing vision.[break][break] hesper is not a fighter, not by choice. botan made sure to teach him how to defend himself back then. initially, he was baffled why it’d even be brought up — because who would attack him? he thought, but the serious look botan shared with him back then made him tentatively relent to his desires, if not to ease his worries. the lessons he learned had been buried in the back of his mind in a grave labeled “irrelevance.” he hadn’t needed to defend himself from anyone in all his time in delphi, and maybe that speaks for how safe the city was ( or so he thought ).[break][break] he is barely cohesive, but hesper jerks his head to the side with the latest strike, one knuckle barely grazing his cheek. the other is caught off guard, and he seizes the opportunity offered. hesper moves his legs underneath his assailant and kicks upward into where he thought his stomach was. the following grunt and absence of weight are both satisfying and relieving to hear as he gets to his feet.[break][break] slightly disoriented, he leans himself slightly against the wall, as the person at the opening of the alley quickly recollects himself. he sees him scowl, the expression borderline feral. hesper might have counted him as an animal if it weren’t for the fact that he was clearly human.[break][break] “ you’ll regret not going quietly, cartier.” he spoke hushedly as he approached hesper again. he sees something reflective in the dim light, deadly sharp, and quiet — and something in hesper breaks when his eyes land on it. crimson eyes widened at first, then narrowed impossibly thin as he lurched forward. hesper puts everything into throwing himself against his attacker, who clearly knew him. he wrenches him into the thin strands of light that cascaded into the alley via the oil-filled lamps, and sees a face he thought he wasn’t familiar with, but the memories flood in easily enough.[break][break] he’s totally changed, but everything slots into place. mischa hasei. a once apprentice of botan abruptly turned away. bo never gave him a reason for what happened, only the vague notions that something between them had transpired, and mischa had to go. hesper had never thought twice of it. he trusted bo, and whatever he did was for the best.[break][break] “ mischa, why are you doing this?”[break] “you seriously don’t know?” [break] a pause, a scoff.[break][break] “ now that’s tragic. i thought bo told you everything.”[break][break] in his surprise, mischa pushes forward with a burst of strength, and consequently, he’s pushed backward. hesper’s back presses against the wall and, seconds later, he feels something cold scratch at his skin. he almost didn’t notice it, until mischa pulled away. red, lots of it, slowly spreading across his shirt.[break][break] mischa, momentarily, seemed surprised — but hesper for the life of him couldn’t tell where this surprise was placed. a split second of guilt? that he’d actually done it? or maybe he didn’t anticipate hesper would lose so easily. hesper slumps forward, and mischa staggers back, turning as he hears footsteps approaching from further away. he looks back at hesperaloe, whose blood escapes his mouth in thin rivulets, and whose eyes, although hooded with quickly mounting exhaustion, bore into his with a look haunting.[break][break] and then mischa flees away, rushing down the other end of the alleyway without another glance backward. hesper manages to prop himself against the wall of a building, his gaze cast skyward as he meekly tries to apply pressure to his injury with a soft groan.[break][break] what did bo do? 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