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ximilialog2021-09-08 08:21 pm
- ! event log,
- altered carbon: takeshi kovacs,
- caos: zelda spellman,
- cotar: rhysand,
- critical role: percy de rolo,
- doctor who: clara oswald,
- doctor who: river song,
- doctor who: the doctor (11),
- doctor who: the doctor (12),
- grishaverse: alina starkov,
- grishaverse: the darkling,
- gundam seed destiny: athrun zala,
- gundam seed destiny: cagalli yula athha,
- gundam seed/destiny: yzak jule,
- mass effect: kaidan alenko,
- mcu: daisy johnson,
- mcu: erik stevens,
- mcu: peter quill,
- mcu: sam wilson,
- mcu: tony stark,
- mcu: yelena belova,
- one piece: rosinante donquixote,
- pacific rim: newton geiszler,
- star trek aos: james t. kirk,
- the 100: clarke griffin,
- the magicians: quentin coldwater,
- the old guard: andromache,
- the untamed: jiang yanli,
- towards the terra: soldier blue,
- yakuza: zhao tianyou
MISSION: BRASS DEVIL, PART 1
● ● ● M I S S I O N 2 . 1
It’s early morning when the unmistakable ping of a message filters directly into the minds of everyone on the station. It is a text file labeled “Braccia Orb” — for the Gyeongje veterans, the meaning is clear: another mission awaits. For the newbies the file may cause some confusion, but once they have read the file and the information within, they will get another message of a female voice instructing them to pack their things, fast.
Once you head to the center of the station, the platform there is once again humming with power… but when you step on it, nothing happens — until the very last member of the team makes it there. Then, the noise of the machine gears up to eleven, the lights around the platform burning brighter and brighter. Through the hum, Viveca speaks:
And remember, if you die down there… there’s nothing we’ll be able to do about that. So keep your heads down until it’s time, and stay safe.
Her parting words are barely audible, and as her last syllable dies out, your vision is filled with a bright light like the sun rising —
For a moment, you see nothing… but you hear them: a chorus of voices, non-human and ethereal, assigning you a goal in exchange for power.
The light around you dims the same time as the voices go silent; when you open your eyes, you’ll see that there’s only one third of the team with you anymore.
Your eyes blink open to the sight of polished wooden floors and sturdy mahogany furniture. You’ll find you’re sitting in what seems to be a waiting room of sorts; the couch underneath you is plush red velvet, soft enough to feel like you could fall asleep right then and there.
As soon as the thought crosses your mind, the door opens and a woman walks into the room, her heels hitting the floor with precise taps. With a large fur shawl draped across her shoulders and a deep crimson floor-length gown to match, she looks like she is about to leave to a party — and yet, as her sharp eyes assess the twenty-one Orbers sitting on the sofas, there’s an unmistakable sense of competence that surrounds her.
As she walks down the row of new recruits, she’ll train her eyes on each of you in turn, as though she might be able to drag secrets out through a stare alone. A smile or a casual touch will let you know she likes you; otherwise, it’s clear she will be keeping a close eye on you. She has a good eye and a good ear for faces and names, so it’s likely she’ll remember yours.
We have prepared rooms for you, along with all of the basic amenities and your new clothing. [Is she judging some of your outfits? Possibly.] We’ll have your assignments ready for you in the morning. But for now, please make yourselves comfortable. I’ll be around for a little while for any questions you might have.
1.0A Once you arrive at the floor designated for new recruits, you’ll find that the rooms you get share the air of old-school wealth that permeates the entire headquarters. There are two to three beds per room, all with heavy wooden headboards and more pillows than seems to comfortably fit on them. Red curtains frame the windows, and details of solid gold create patterns in the ceiling. In the imposingly tall closets,there are sets of clothes for each new recruit: light-coloured suits and tan trench coats for the men; longer and shorter dresses, made with highest-quality fabric, with fur shawls and overcoats for the ladies.
When you start getting stir-crazy in your room, you are free to explore the headquarters: a large dining room awaits you on the second floor, silver plates and glasses of pure crystal laid out and waiting for the servants to carry your meal to you. On the fourth floor, there is a large library, shelves filled with books; and yet, if you walk further in, you will find headsets that connect you straight to a database where you can review anything you’d like… well. Almost anything.
2.0A After a refreshing night’s sleep in your oh-so-soft beds, you wake to a letter on your bedside. Once you open it, you’ll see a holo-message pop up: Olexa, with a different gown but lips just as red as before, giving you your very first assignment… but certainly not the last. Over the next few weeks, the letters will become a common occurrence, one arriving like clockwork once an assignment has been completed.
What are the assignments, then, you ask? They range from the ironic (tail and find information of the new arrivals to the other families) to the deceptively simple (take some papers to a city official without anyone noticing) to the slightly odd (open a hostess club in a given location — all that money needs to come from somewhere, you’re told, and maybe it’s not so odd after all).
Something notable is that the assignments rarely involve violence — however, that doesn’t mean it can’t happen. You may be told to make sure an arms deal scheduled for later on that day doesn’t happen, by any means necessary; or to make sure you get to buy that one magical tiara that’s being auctioned privately, before some others get to it.
It's the gravel under your feet that alerts you that you have arrived before anything else, and as you slowly open your eyes, you will see that you're in the courtyard of an old but well-kept mansion. A massive fountain makes water arc through the air behind you, water droplets like crystals as they catch the light from the planet’s three suns.
Before you’ve really had time to gather your bearings, the mansion’s doors are pushed open and out comes a small figure — and yet, you can’t help but instinctively stand straighter.
As the person comes closer, you’ll see she is an older woman, and yet there’s an aura of absolute no-nonsense that clings to her.
She walks through the lines with a razor-sharp glint to her eye as she looks every last one of you from head to toe and back again. Nothing shifts in her expression to tell what she might be thinking — if any of you are the worst she’s ever seen, it thankfully doesn’t show or come up so… congratulations? You’ve passed some sort of muster.
When she spins on her heels to return to the Featherstone headquarters, it is without one more word — but there’s the clear expectation for you to follow.
1.0B When you set foot into the mansion for the first time, it is to the sight of an impressive hall; bear-sized chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and the black walls are polished enough where you can see your own reflection as you walk past.
Bianca motions one of the men in impeccable suits to show you to your rooms. Every new recruit has their own room, located in the east wing on the first and second floors: fully furnished with dark furniture and soft, plush bedding; heavy drapes cover the windows facing the northern courtyard; black and white art hang on dark grey walls. Two doors only noticeable from the inside by the glittering glass doorknob shaped like a diamond lead back to the hallway, while the other leads to a shared bathroom with your neighbour. This space is adorned in black marble and glass, a large jetted bathtub tucked into one corner, while a glass shower occupies the opposite side. The name of the colour game here is monochrome and they have run very, very far with it.
When you decide to see what the attached walk-in closet offers you, you’ll find that all Featherstone recruits follow the same dress code: a full suit, dress shirt, waistcoat and tie, of course coupled with a large overcoat and a hat… yes, for ladies, too.
2.0B Eventually, each one of you is called to Bianca’s office to receive your orders. Some are told to take on training duty — and if you don’t have the proficiency in that particular style of fighting or weaponry, well, you better learn it before it’s your time to step in and instruct the newer recruits. Those with engineering prowess may be sent to modify the latest batch of weapons that have come in, or test their efficiency.
Some are sent out to the city: as new recruits you won't be given charge of any arms deals, but you are sent out to ensure that the transactions go off without a hitch. Some find they have to play bodyguard to a number of important figures in the city… and some may notice that there are always at least two recruits on rotation near the most eye-catching club of the city, Cherry on Top.
Other recruits may be sent out to casinos to ensure that all wins are deserved, and the expectation is that those who try their hand at cheating will be violently removed from the premises. Occasionally, some recruits deemed suitable by Bianca will receive the most high-stakes task of them all: assassination. Whether it be a city council member in the pocket of one of the other families, an unfortunate officer of the law who crossed the wrong gang, or a high-profile job that someone else pays them to do… do it quietly, do it right, and you may just rise a little higher in Bianca Mitchell’s eyes.
It is an astonishing sight that awaits you as you open your eyes. You seem to be standing on nothing — there appears to only be open space that you find underneath your feet, a sight strange enough to shock even the veteran magicians.
From the darkness below, there’s the sudden sound of applause.
[There’s a snap of his fingers and everyone is in a room that suddenly looks as if it’s been plucked from the sky: stars are scattered everywhere and celestial bodies big and small float lazily around the room.]
Welcome to Ti’shaaz! I’m Finch and I’ll be your guide. For now, do acquaint yourself with your rooms and the grounds and then we’ll get to the fun parts!
And one more snap of his fingers and you’ll find yourself directly in the middle of your new room in the Ti’shaaz grounds, perfectly catered to your brand of magic.
1.0C Once you’re over the most recent shock of suddenly finding yourself in your room, you'll find it’s as though someone has created it specifically to match its new residents: those who can levitate will find their beds near the ceiling, while those who can teleport might not have a door to their room at all. The Ti’shaaz prefer to remain deeply connected to their magical roots and traditions and it shows in the architecture of their homestead.
Deep blue and purple heavy fabrics are set against the backdrop of dark wood furniture, and the halls of the mansion are constructed from heavy stone meeting above you in a pointed arch. Stone-carved vines climb the walls and form frames around windows to the outside; from here you see other buildings and a winding train track that curves and bends past this place. There are rooms to dine in, to meditate, and to safely train and hone one’s magical abilities. Where the corridor breaks into a right wing, you might wander into the grand hall: a long table is set in the centre, backed by rows of chairs on either side, and one at the head. This is where the head of the family makes her toughest decisions, doles out her cruelest punishments. Her presence is seen as an honour.
The Ti’shaaz dress very differently to the two families, a tradition born from their founder and added to by their current boss’s time as the court mage: the new members get impressive over-robes and cloaks, light but embroidered with jewels and thread that seems to change colour; underneath, they may wear a waistcoat and pants, or a dress made of similar fabric as the cloaks. They also seem to love colour; the more of it, the better.
2.0C What Finch referred to as “the fun parts” becomes apparent after a few days when a gleaming, purple butterfly flutters close to you in the middle of your breakfast. You can’t help but offer your hand to it, almost as though something compels you to — and when it lands gently on your finger, you’ll hear Finch’s voice in your head cheerfully informing you of the job that’s been selected for you. As soon as the message has been delivered, the butterfly breaks into little squares and disintegrates.
You may cycle through several jobs throughout the weeks: menial tasks like testing the magic items that come in before they’re put on sale, using your magic to turn ordinary technology into what is in Braccia lovingly called magi-tech.
However, once you’re sent into the city there’s more variety, as those Finch has decided are good for acting are directed to the gambling dens and clubs and told to win, but win like it’s natural... and some, particularly those with a variety to their magic, are sent on jobs labelled magic maintenance — perhaps a magic scroll allowing the user to change their appearance has malfunctioned and needs to be fixed, or a sculpture auctioned off just a month ago has started to develop antlers and refuses to let them be cut. Whatever the case, these are the clients of your family, and you have to make sure your clients stay happy.
Despite the density of the cityscape around you, there’s something refreshing and exciting about being here. Braccia’s streets and buildings are absolutely rife with potential for adventure and exploration, with citizens of all shapes, sizes and colours hustling around and past you. It is far from quiet. Voices of people talking, bartering, shouting are overlaid with music coming through shops every time the doors slide open and closed, and vehicle traffic in the streets, the tock tock tock of heels against pavement, and the shuffling of sneakers. It might almost feel too loud if you’re not used to it, but you’ll find yourself quickly adapting to the sound so it becomes white noise.
In your new threads that essentially serve as your new identity and a visual marker aligning you to the family you now belong with, you’ll be required to assimilate into the city’s fabric without a hitch. It’s absolutely in your best interest to, especially when you have very specific goals to accomplish.
4.0 There are shops, eateries and canteens stuffed and filled into every crevice along every street of the financial and shopping districts, offering up more visual stimulation than you might be used to. Even the most city-dwelling individual might find themselves experiencing a little bit of culture shock. If you’re hungry, you have choices beyond choices to pick from and competition here is tough. A subpar eatery won’t last a day, so you’re going to be spoiled for choice, depending on your mood. Those of you with a keen eye for shiny things and magpie tendencies will feel both excited and overwhelmed by the shops offering all manner of trinkets and collectibles, many showcased by beautiful window dressings.
A wrong turn might take you into a completely different part of the city, and that shop full of mechanical bits and bobs? You’ll probably never find it again, sorry to say. Still, there’s an air of continual progress and ambition, every individual you share a space with having dreams and goals of their own, some of them a little shadier than others.
Some restaurants and shops offer perks to certain families, and they’ll recognize you immediately from your clothing. Be receptive to their reactions and use these opportunities to get comfortable with your new identity.
5.0 The people of Braccia love their art and invention: painting, sculpture, performance, engineering; and there are grand establishments built to house these precious artifacts for generations to come. Paintings, enchanted to move like small worlds existing within their frames, have the power to evoke emotion, and movement — literally. Water ripples, painted figures dance, great battles are fought and won. Sculptures stretch and flex and pivot on their pedestals. And demonstrations of inventions that are art in themselves are offered to the public in safe zones.
Get an admissions ticket into one of these majestic buildings for an afternoon and you’ll find yourself entranced by the skill and ambition that the people here seem to possess. Artists in Braccia find themselves living in luxurious wealth and fame; engineers similarly so. At the front counter of these establishments, you’ll be able to sign up for a full tour, history lesson included. Go on your own, or go with a group — it may just be the educational experience you need, allowing you to gain a little more insight into the world you’ve found yourself in.
6.0 If you decide to venture into the city during the late night hours, either because this is your favourite time of the day, because you just can’t sleep, or because you’re simply too curious to let any hour of the day pass by you for something as insignificant as shutting your eyes, you might find yourself wandering in and out of the many clubs that Braccia has to offer.
For those of you who gave the simulation on the station a try, you’ll notice some similarities: bartenders quite literally on wheels and built with startlingly human-like mechanical limbs serve glowing blue and green drinks (among your standard issue G&Ts and Old Fashioned), stage performances vary between men, women, and ensembles from planets you’ve never even heard of, with the unfamiliar songs and sounds to match. It truly promises to be a unique night on the town, and people from every borough, every class, and every creed will congregate in these dimly lit clubs and bars to socialize and relax.
And some of them, each marked with a black emblem, seem to leave the divide between families to the doorway — if you try to keep to your own, a waitress may offer you a laughing comment to mingle a little… and should you try to start anything with a member of another family, you’ll find yourself immediately removed from the premises by hulking, seven-feet tall humanoids with tusks and long ears, telling you that here Cheri’s word is law, and to take your petty squabbles elsewhere.
In the evening, lying under the glimmery, golden veneer of a brighter, progressive Braccia is a darker network of gambling rings that thrive on competition and violence. These arenas are no secret to any citizen on Braccia, but they are deliberately kept separate like the flipside of a coin. Getting to know any of your fellow family members might gain you some insight on specific locations for the more prolific fighting rings often endearingly referred to as the ‘Coliseums’; these are generally where ambitious fighters hope to prove themselves, gain favour from the families, and on the rare occasion, even an invitation to join them.
This isn’t to say that smaller, “off-broadway” fighting rings don’t exist, but they have no regulations, are much harder to find, offer little more than measly cash prizes and a higher chance to lose one’s life in the process.
7.0 The Rules of Fight Club: The location you’ve been directed to might not look like much, but there’s no mistake — judging from slow trickle of people filtering into the building, checked at the door by two very large, very intimidating guards in suits (one human-looking, and the other not-so-much, with sharp claws and sharper teeth) — you’re in the right place. Ignoring the nondescript neon sign that advertises ‘The Best Burgers in Town’, you join the procession and make your way inside where you will have two options: watch the fights go down, or join them as a participant.
The ring itself had clearly been designed with spectacle and an audience in mind; after all what would be the point of a fight if no one was watching? The “stage” glows blue the moment a competitor sets foot, and the space resembles the nickname it’s been given: like a coliseum, the arena is circular in shape, allowing every seat in the house an equal vantage point for the action. Loud music plays overhead, indiscernible against the excited (and louder) chatter of arena patrons. You’ll recognize the different styles of dress in the audience — all of the families are represented here tonight.
If you’re here as a member of the audience, find your seat anywhere within the arena. Seating is offered on a first come, first serve basis but it becomes clear to you as people start to fill up the space where you should go, based on your status and familial affiliation. (If you have difficulty figuring that out, look down at your clothing.)
If you decide to sign up for a spot within the arena to fight, follow the directions of the violet-skinned host with the dark green feather boa and silver heels, as she will lead you to the preparation rooms. You’ll be provided with the opportunity to choose your own ‘fighter’s name’, sign a couple of waivers in the case of your untimely demise (rare, but it happens!), and be given a slot on the surprisingly busy docket. There are two fighting paths you can take here, depending on your skill: brawling without weapons, or a designated weapon’s (of your choice) fight. Once you’re settled in the room with your fellow opponents, there are opportunities to take a moment to get to know what you’re up against, or to simply sit in silence; whatever helps you prepare for a fight. If you’re in here with a fellow Orber (or two), you might wind up in a match with them too, depending on the luck of the draw — or more likely, the management’s desire to capitalize on you for maximum entertainment.
8.0 Bet a Wager: The arena fills up quickly, the closer it gets to show-time. If you’re in the audience tonight, you might notice that people are shuffling about, mingling with each other in the last minutes before the fights begin, coins exchanging hands and names being placed on lists. You’ll quickly learn that taking bets on the fighters is half if not more than the reason why anyone is even here tonight. If you’re the daring, opportunistic type, you (and maybe a fellow Orber) might want to get in on the action before the stage lights up — after all, if you make it out of here with a winning bet, you’ll be sure to make a name for your family, and find some greased palms for the future along the way.
For those of you signed up to fight, the time has come to show this world what you’ve got. The doors open and you are ushered out towards the wave of enthusiastic cheering (and some jeers), giving some of you more fanfare than you’ve ever experienced before. The moment your foot touches the ring, the entire stage glows like a blossom, blue and beautiful and surprisingly flattering against your skin. From across the ring, you see your opponent. Depending on how things went in the preparation room, they might offer you a curt nod of acknowledgement, a scowl, or simply not even react at all. Overhead, an announcer’s voice begins to go through the rules in a rushed manner. Most of those here have heard them over and over again, so they’re for the benefit of the newbies: for you.
Rules are simple here: accidents do happen but try not to kill each other. The first to go down for a count of ten admits defeat and ends the fight. Only one chance per contestant until we find our winner of the night, who will take home a very special, very rare prize! The coveted token!
And that’s it! Good luck!
Thankfully the rules are short. The announcer’s voice pauses, allowing participants within the ring to prepare their stances, and begins the countdown. At the word ‘Fight!’, the air changes in the room, the tension rises, and your opponent starts to move forward. It’s go time.
9.0 Winner Takes It All (Or Something): Even if competitive fighting isn’t regularly your cup of tea and you just so happened to be here tonight, you’ll find yourself swept up in the excitement of the audience around you. Depending on the bets you’d been making with others, you might come out of this a hell of a lot richer. The losing sides might send a couple of sneers in your general direction, but this is the business of the underground coliseums and everyone here is aware of that. You’ll probably have a safe walk home, but you might want to wait for any fellow Family members to accompany you. You know, just in case.
For those who participated in the ring and lost the fight, you’ll find the initial warm welcome for you has changed drastically. You’ll be told to gather whatever belongings you might have left in the preparation rooms, fully escorted by a hulking guard, and then not-so-gently swept out of the building before you could get your coat back on. Victors of tonight’s fight, however, will be treated like royalty. A personal invitation from the management will grant you access to a den in the back where drinks, drugs and food are provided in excess. Your money’s no good here tonight, winner, but there’s more: the violet-skinned woman from earlier will sidle up to you, take your hand, and press something cool into your palm. It’s a small obsidian disc no bigger than a coin, with a strange unrecognizable insignia engraved into it. She tells you you’ll want to keep a tight hold on it. Access like this doesn’t come easy, not for anyone in Braccia. What does this mean? Who knows? She leans in to kiss you and then slides out of view before you can get your thoughts in order.
Three weeks into the team’s stay in Braccia, it’s clear that something is in the air: a palpable excitement spreads through the city, people are seen hurrying back and forth from one tailor to another, one harried woman bursting into tears in front of a hairstylist’s upon being told that there are no appointment times available.
Everywhere you go, you’ll hear the whispers:
Perhaps you make the connection to the little side-note in your mission file… or perhaps you don’t, but at the start of that week, everyone — regardless of family — gets the notice: Cheri, owner of Cherry on Top, cordially invites you to her birthday gala.
Those in Lionetta are sent to the finest tailors, appointments somehow booked well in advance, and are told to get only the best; nothing else will do. Those in Featherstone will be told by Bianca herself that this is the only time they may break their dress code — men are sent tuxedos tailored specifically for them, and ladies get to choose from a wide variety of floor-length gowns… all in monochrome, of course. In Ti’shaaz, tailors are not needed when magic will do the job: their suits reflect colours that you might not even have a name for, and their gowns are made of bleeding colour from pure jewels.
When it’s finally the eve of the gala, one thing is clear to everyone: this is the event of the year.
10.0 You may have seen Cherry on Top multiple times throughout your stay in the city — the club is impossible to miss, a tall building twisting up in a convincing imitation of a tree twining upwards, the club itself situated on the top of it all, looking over the city and offering an impressive view from its floor-to-ceiling windows.
In the middle of the floor stands a small woman whose blue skin seems to glisten underneath the magical lights. Her wholly red eyes rest a moment on everyone who arrives, sparkling as she smiles and… winks? At you? Maybe, or maybe not.
When she opens her mouth to speak, her voice carries to every corner of the club without effort.
Out of the corner of your eye, you see Brom Featherstone empty his glass, eyes fixed on the birthday girl; on his side, Bianca holds her empty glass and seems as stoic as ever. Further off, Finch laughs at something his boss has said, and to his left, Olexa chats with a waiter with an affable smile.
It seems it is as Cheri has said, and all hostilities are put away just for the night — so enjoy yourself and see what the party has to offer!
11.0 While it is easy to get lost in the way the floating lights form little constellations above you, and the way the bass of the music beats loudly enough that you can almost feel it, it won’t do to get stuck just standing there.
If you wander to the back of the room, it seems all the foods have been set there on long tables with golden plates just waiting for you to grab one and sample the selection… and what a selection there is. There are cocktail mixes of all colours, and depending on which one you try, you may find that your dress suddenly changes from black to turquoise, or from silk to velvet; or perhaps the next step you take ends a few inches above the ground, giving you the ability to hover for the next half an hour.
The food on offer doesn’t pale in comparison: it is likely you are most interested in what are clearly alien delicacies of varying colours, shapes and textures, but what the locals ooh and aah over are at the part of the table serving delicately-carved carambola slices, apples shaped like stars, and chains of berries that you can dip into a pool of caramel before eating them.
Once you’ve eaten your fill, it’s time to take a twirl on the dance floor: brass horns and a singer’s sultry voice may be enough to tempt you on their own, but if not, it seems the music, too, has something of an effect on you. One song may make you forget everything you’ve been worried about, the stress fading away and leaving only a sweet, light feeling behind; while another tune might make you feel bolder, giving you that splash of courage you need to walk up to whoever you’ve been eyeing and ask them for a dance.
12.0 Hosted only once a year in parallel with Cheri’s birthday celebrations, those of you in possession of an obsidian token will be permitted to take part in an exclusive auction alongside the richest, most well-respected individuals. These are collectors for whom money is no object, who have keen eyes for the rarest artifacts, and who would stop at nothing to obtain them. All items are kept under utmost privacy until the day of the bidding, and only those with tokens have a chance to attend.
The heavy wood doors to the auction are guarded by a pair of strong guard-creatures blocking the way on all fours. Trespassing without a token will cause them to bare their sharp teeth and claws, growling so low that the vibration is uncomfortable for your insides; almost painful. Showing your token will give no reaction, allowing you to pull the doors open and let yourself in. Engraved into the solid wood is the same emblem reflected on the coin — a full-cut diamond.
Electroswing music fills the space that resembles a ballroom with its open floor, crystal chandeliers, and private balconies above. At one end of the room a long red-clothed table has been set up, but everything is currently concealed until the start of the auction. Waitstaff circulate the room with hors d'oeuvres and alcohol served in tall, thin flute glasses. There is no dancing here and the atmosphere feels different. It’s more serious, almost sophisticated, even considering that most of the attendees here have likely committed all manners of crime over their lifetimes. Most of the faces in the room are unfamiliar, but there are a smattering of recognizable figures representing each of the Families, and then there’s you.
Once the auction begins, no one can enter or leave the room, and the guards from earlier can now be seen from the inside, two imposing shadows standing by. Items are displayed along the table and an auctioneer behind a podium rapidly begins to direct the bids. There's something for everyone: a vase full of shimmering liquid, introduced as the essence of death; a small, spherical object claiming to hold the power to destroy an entire planet; a first edition of Braccia’s Constitutional Law; a few blocks of metal said to withstand even an atomic bomb; and sparkling gemstones that, the auctioneer says with not one ounce of humour, very much resemble those that once decorated the High Queen’s crown.
If you’re fancying something in particular, you can raise your numbered paddle, but just be sure you can afford it somehow. One way to do that is being told to retrieve it: after finding out that you had acquired one of the coveted tokens, your immediate superior in your family may have assigned you to put that to good use, and provided the funds to match.
F Y I
• If you have questions about any of the prompts or the mission in general, please direct them HERE.
• To submit a search request regarding exploring a specific place during any of the prompts, or speaking to any NPCs, please do so HERE. Please remember that multiple characters can combine their search requests and form a mini-team to be able to search areas / complete assignments (and thus hope to gain favour and information/items) that one character would not be able to.
• And finally, have a soundtrack for this log! ♪ ♪ ♪
no subject
Peter considers marriage proposals a private affair as well, there are fewer chances to be humiliated if the other person says no. One doesn't need embarrassment on top of the pain caused by rejection.
It's his turn to look confused because Peter has never heard of a Red Room before, and he wonders if it's yet another of those things who are public knowledge on earth. To travel the Galaxy constantly has its downsides. Going by the look on Yelena's face, what he knows of her skills, and the mention of training, he can put one and one together. Peter does not like the mental picture it paints, especially if they took girls as young as 6 years old. It's not much different from what Thanos did to Gamora, and many others. ]
Fuck, I'm sorry. [ It's short, and he knows that as far as comforting words go, they're not much. But there's something in the way Peter says it, with a bitter and barely restrained anger in his tone, that speaks not just of sympathy but real understanding. ] Back home, you're still forced to be with them? Because if we find a way out of our new mystery home, or a spaceship I could fly, I could take you anywhere. Russia, uh...that explains the accent.
[ He is a tactile guy, and he feels the need to offer some more reassurance, reach out and squeeze her arm or something. He knows better than to touch people without their permission now, and he wants to respect Yelena's personal space. Words will have to do. ]
Then, once our business here is over, we will be celebrating Halloween. It's decided. Are you good with a knife? We should have a pumpkin carving contest.
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[Sisters reunited very briefly before everything went to shit and Yelena lost her again. For good this time. Or so she thought before arriving on the space station. An unexpected second chance.
She's grateful when he brings up Halloween again. She is honestly very intrigued by making an attempt to celebrate it in space. It seems like a good way to wind down after this mission.]
I am very good with a knife. [Specifically she is good at stabbing things with a knife.] But I have never tried pumpkin carving before. I would like to try, I think.
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Thanos? A tall purple asshole with a chin like the scrotum of a hippo? THAT Thanos? There can't be another out there, right? One was more than enough, fuck. Oh shit, we're from the same universe.
[ This means that the Natasha Yelena has been talking about is that Natasha. Peter is suddenly in need of something stronger than just champagne, and he looks paler than he did a minute ago. Thankfully the dim light hid it. Yelena's last words barely register, but he finds himself nodding. ]
Yeah, I...I believe you. I can show you how it's done, once we're back.
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[She glances at him, letting her sentence trail off as she takes in his reaction, the blood draining from his face. She blinks a couple of times, bemused.]
You didn't know? You're one of the raccoon's people, right?
[She had done research on the people her sister worked with during the blip. She knew about Rocket and his role in things. Mentions of talking, gun wielding raccoons tend to stand out when you're reading debriefs.]
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[ Peter takes a deep breath, manages to reign in his emotions somewhat. He doesn't look confused anymore, but he does look like he already regrets what he's about to share next. It's a too fresh bound for both of them and it takes effort to keep his voice steady. ]
My team...I..we lost someone in the same way you lost Natasha.
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[But it hadn't come up. Not specifically. Yelena had assumed he knew, and that's why he was nice to her. She just doesn't expect people to be nice for no reason.
She's not actually sure why he's apologizing, actually, since he has been nice and easy to work with. Not knowing something isn't that offensive in the long run.
She tilts her head a little at his final statement.]
Did you? [She glances around to see if there's any more alcohol nearby because it seems like they both might need it, but there's none within easy grabbing distance. Unfortunately.]
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Yes, my...girlfriend. [ Peter admits rather miserably, a knot in his throat and a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach. Before he can continue, Peter looks around and frowns once more at the heartbreaking lack of alcohol. ] Give me a moment, I'll be right back.
[ He leaves the balcony in a hassle to find a waiter to sweet talk some alcohol from, and somehow manages to come back with what looks like a whiskey bottle and two empty glasses. ]
They had no ice, but this will have to do. [ Beggars can't be choosers and the whiskey smells like the good stuff, so he can't ask for more. Peter fills a glass and handles it glass to Yelena, fills one for himself, and downs half of it in one go. Peter scrunches up his nose briefly, rather cutesy at that. Wow, this is a strong one. GOOD. ] Ah...things were really complicated back then, with Thanos. Plenty of mistakes made...
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I don't need ice. [She tosses back her drink, squeezing her eyes shut as it burns it's way down. It is strong. The drinks might be the best part of this whole mission.]
I brought up a touchy subject. I didn't mean to.
[The combination of being naturally blunt and not having a lot of experiences with normal social interactions can lead to her not being as tactful with things as others might be. It's one of the things she's still figuring out. It's not something she normally worries about much, but she feels a little bad about this. She knows what it's like to mourn someone that was lost to the mess with Thanos.]
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S'ok. No need to apologize, it's not as if you knew. Maybe it will do us good to talk about it. [ His team is just as blunt, if no more. Yelena at least gets sarcasm and jokes, something that is beyond Drax. And she is wayyy more tactful than Rocket, Nebula or Mantis, not like that takes a lot of effort. ]
I never had the chance to meet Natasha, I only learned that she was part of the Avengers latter .In fact, I didn't even know what the Avengers were until I met a few of them while trying to stop Thanos. [ That obviously went so-so, and Peter refills their glasses because any conversation involving that monster requires copious amounts of alcohol. ] But I learned that she made it possible for us to come back, I would still be nothing but dust if it weren't for her.
[ Not to say that Tony and the others didn't take big risks either, they all suffered and died to fix things, but Peter is well aware of what the Soul Stone takes from you. It's a special kind of sacrifice. And since they're giving blunt statements... ]
My girlfriend, Gamora, she's...she was Thanos's adoptive daughter, but calling him a father would be doing a disservice to the word. He took her when she was a little girl too, and made her life hell, turned her an assassin. Not much different from what the Red Room did to you. And when he needed the Soul stone, he sacrificed her for it.
[ They should probably pay more attention to the auction, but Peter's eyes are distant, looking a little wet, and he takes another long sip of his drink to focus on the burn instead of the pain. ]
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So would I. [She says it quietly as she pours herself another drink. She understands the feeling, of owing her life to Natasha's sacrifice, but she also doesn't like it. There's still a part of her that's angry about it. How could she not be? She finally reunited with her sister, only to be snapped into oblivion a couple of years later. But then, suddenly she's back and Natasha is gone forever.
It hurts. Even seeing Natasha again here doesn't make it hurt less. It doesn't make the anger go away. Not entirely.
She tosses back her drink and lets Peter speak of Gamora. That's easier than facing her grief here in public among the fancy alien rich people and mobsters.]
So there are men like that all over the universe. [Powerful men who use girls as they see fit, to whatever purprose suits them at the time. She doesn't know a lot about Thanos, she never faced him herself, but she feels like this tracks.] Disappointing but not surprising. I'm sorry.
[Sorry that he lost someone, too. That powerful men are the same everywhere.]
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There's one less now. Not just Thanos but his army as well. They won't hurt people anymore.
[ That won't bring back Natasha, but it means her sacrifice wasn't in vain. Peter can't say the same for Gamora's death, it's just unfair and a personal failing. He should have protected her better.
'Disappointing but not surprising', could be the story of his life. He almost jokes about it, but the sincerity of her words stops him. Yelena understands, she really understands, and not many do. ]
Thanks, Yelena. I'm sorry too. [ That you know this kind of pain, that we weren't good enough to stop Thanos the first time. Another sip of his drink, and the strong burning taste helps Peter to focus on the present. He speaks softly even though there's no one else around to hear them talk. ]
Sometimes, especially lately, I find myself thinking 'and now what?' Where do we go from here?'...I don't want to live in a galaxy without her. [ And that too is something Peter hasn't told anyone, not even his team. They didn't have a lot of time to have a heart-to-heart with any of them before he was brought to the station, but even if they did, the Guardians aren't the best at talking about their feelings anyway. However, Peter adds, with a small smile. ] Then I remember that Gamora would kick my ass if she knew what I was thinking. Maybe in a literal sense. She was strong enough to toss me across the room barehanded, it was great. What was Natasha like...? Not as an Avenger, I mean...what was she like?
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[She cuts herself off because it hurts to realize this. She doesn't know. Not really, not for certain. Natasha and Yelena spent more time apart than together. She doesn't know the little things a sister should know, like her general likes and dislikes, her favorite color.
She breathes out sharply and sits back in her chair.]
We were together as children, on a mission. A normal American family with two little girls. But I didn't know it was a mission. I was only three when it started, I thought it was real. She was my sister.
[She stares at her currently empty glass as she continues.]
The Red Room separated us when the mission ended, I didn't see her again for two decades. We met again after I got out of the Red Room and we took it down. But she had to go on the run, so we separated again. And then Thanos happened. And when I came back, she was gone.
[She sighs and sniffs a bit, she doesn't really want to cry in the middle of this auction.]
She was the only sister I ever had and I never got the chance to know her. Not really.
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If it was real for you, I'd say it was real enough. [ Peter doesn't know if Yelena needs to hear it, but it's what he honestly believes. He knows that family isn't only blood relatives, but the people that are there for you when you need them most. People like the Guardians, like Yondu, and even Kraglin. ] It doesn't matter how long we spend with someone if they matter to us. I'm sorry you were robbed of that chance, though.
[ He sits down as well, their chairs close enough that the shoulders already brush. The auction is no longer unimportant to him, and he wouldn't name Yelena for crying after having to explain something like this. Peter's a pretty emotional guy himself, and it hurts to see her upset. Slowly at first, just in case it isn't welcome, and she doesn't want him to touch her, he wraps his arm around her smaller shoulders and pulls Yelena close without saying anything.
It's a gentle touch that still gives the space to breathe, but solid enough that shows that he's here with her. That even if she doesn't need it, he would still try to protect and comfort her. That she can let go if she wants, but it would be fine if she doesn't. ]
This is set before Nat officially vanished, so she still has hope :')
She sniffs a little and nods appreciatively, allowing the contact he offers her. It's comforting, and it likely reinforces their cover, as well.]
Yes. But she's here. I saw her on the station. We can catch up when the mission is over.
[It doesn't make Natasha's death hurt less, but it's something. Certainly, it's better than nothing. She doesn't like that they were assigned to different families, but hopefully the mission is closed to being finished.]
Understood o/ ...and oh, no :((((((
That's a good idea. If we're lucky, the mission won't take much longer, and we will all be back safe at the station. Once the auction is over and the door open, we can leave the party as well.
[ He falls silent after that, chin tilted towards her but sometimes looking straight ahead to help keep their cover. There's only a handful of items left on display now, which means the auction won't last much longer. As soon as the doors are no longer locked, Yelena and him will excuse themselves and head back to the Featherstone's mansion, done for the night. ]