testament

Baux says, "All th' mutants are out and Andromeda too."

Baux asks, "What's with that freak 'nyway?"

Ambrose tilts his head a little bit at that.

"Who's Andromeda? And which mutants?"
(Ambrose Roche)

"Oh, right. The fuckin' broad that did somethin' weird to the blue-haired idiot. She like eats shit, or somethin'." Bad descriptors, but it's all the wolf can pull from given his recent admission into most things important upon Esshar.

"By th' way, I got an invitation ta' Lando's wedding. You know, as thanks for savin' his life."

Baux was the help, but he fails to mention that. Why? Because it makes him look an ounce cooler than he already is... Duh.
(Baux)

"Hm.."

While that likely implied something incredibly horrible about her, Ambrose didn't know better. He just offered a shrug in return.

"I see. I'm not really familiar with her much, and-" A pause.

"Oh! Good job. Have fun at the wedding." Ambrose, however, wasn't invited - so that means he'll be busy with other things.

"And-"

"I managed to finally catch Ethric. He taught me plenty, and I'll start learning that technique that allows him to be everywhere across Esshar."

"Like... instant teleportation." Surely a useful skill.

"Also got into plenty of fights the other day. It's been fun!"
(Ambrose Roche)

Whether it's horrible or not likely matters to nobody present at this point and time, as neither of them pretended to be good kids.

It was strange, how tolerating people seemed to be of their bad habits. Especially his own, since they wrote it off as 'cute', or 'endearing'. Regardless, his bad temper is chalked up as something to be laughed at while he lashes out at the world.

How convenient.

"Sounds like it'll be cool, then. Keh… Ain't find anyone ta' teach me shit, but whatever. I can, and will do everything on my own. Wolf's honor." The hound tilts his head however.

"Eh? Was gonna say I could probably get ya' in. You know, VIP benefits, an' whatnot."
(Baux)

Baux asks, "Did ya' at least win your fights?"

Baux says, "I assume so."

It's a little more in-depth with Ambrose.

While his public behaviours were normal, revelation of his true nature could very well mean death - or at the very least, being stripped of everything that he's ever had.

Something that he cannot afford to happen at any cost.

"That sucks. But I'm sure you'll find something to learn, hm?" A pause.

"And, well-"

"To be honest, I think weddings might be boring, but... sure, why not. If I won't have anything better to do at the time, I guess I can come around."

Otherwise, what else is he to do other than just stand around and watch? As for the fights..

"Yep! I won."

"I found another little troublemaker as well. Cilantro is his name. He's kind of strong, but.."

"I beat him anyway. He was up to tag along and cause some chaos all around Esshar."
(Ambrose Roche)

"Mhm!"

"He's quite.. resistant to different blows." In all truth, he perceived a threat in it. Something that could end up harming him, should it ever be turned against him.

Which is why it's better to ensure that it would not be.

"And yes, I'm aware. They might claim that they want to do the things I wanted but not carry through it anyway." He pauses. "But even if they don't... at the very least, it's unlikely they'll be up against me."

If only through the fact that they had similar ideas, at the very least. Everything else? He can handle on his own, really.

"True. We could just stay around the wedding until it gets boring."
(Ambrose Roche)

"I hate things like that. Things I hit should just keel over and die!" It's another rivalry, but admittedly the wolf contradicts himself given the fact he visibly enjoyed the chase just as much as he did its conclusion.

His current record however? It was undesirable... Unacceptable. Anyone knew that much, if they'd come to know how he looks at himself, and how the hound wishes to perceive it.

"Whatever ya' say. I ain't sayin' it's dum' or anything, but what I am saying is if ya' think it's a game worth playin' then so be it." He pauses, while squatting and knocking upon the top of one of many chests.

"I'll tear asunder th' competition when it gets problematic."
(Baux)

Was it really worth it?

At times, he questioned that on his own - but in reality, there couldn't be any other outcome for him. Perhaps, one day he could tell Baux about his true motivations behind it..

As to why exactly he wants to shake things up on Esshar, but.. until then?

"It is worth it."

"If we weren't doing that, then what would you do?" He pauses, his gaze turning towards Baux.

"Imagine for a moment that all you do with your life is just taken away."

"What is there to do at the moment, other than fall in line like the rest and become a boring dud?"
(Ambrose Roche)

"Kahaha! They'd have ta' kill me first. Falling in line ain't worth it, you an' me both know that."

The reason, the purpose. He'd probably be the last one to ask, and that alone would cause concern for most. It was funny, how Jinx, Asura Nomont, and the rest of them thought at most they'd convinced him to act like a rabid dog and attack.

"I ain't one ta' take m'life for granted. But I know what I wanna live for, and what I wanna live like. If there ain't nothin' that I dream for then I ain't livin', and don't need ta' be. Right?"

It's selfish, but he wouldn't want it any other way. Compromise could only be allowed so much, before he'd consider it giving up on oneself.

"You say what else there is ta' do? Well... it's certain. We're gonna provide th' options."
(Baux)

Unbeknownst to Baux, he answered it himself.

Without such purpose, without anything to strive toward - what's the point of living? What's the point of carrying on every single day, if you aren't even pushing towards anything in particular?

They were magi. They were gifted.
They were meant to do much more.

"Exactly."

"I don't see a point of just sitting around and waiting until something happens. It feels like that'd be just wasting my life away." And surely, Baux shares the similar thought here.

"We'll be giving more options."

"Soon enough."

It takes time. But when it will happen at last? Esshar just might be never the same anymore.
(Ambrose Roche)

"Kahaha, so what'cha gonna do? Play a game with Asura Nomont? Should we actually give him th' names he wants?" The whole talk of collateral damage was something that bored him to no ends, as a political agenda tended to reduce the edge of someone that 'says' they can get things done.

Non-magi were so flimsy, when one thinks about it. Weak, fragile little things that complained too much. Things of that nature, was too much like looking in a mirror, in his youngest days.

"Gahaha! It'd be pretty easy ta' do, but at th' same time I don't think a mask would suffice as a means for us ta' just go and take names."

He pauses, while tugging upon his lower lip.

"Is that crap even worth it in th' end?"
(Baux)

Asura Nomont?

When he thinks about it, that's not something he would even consider as anything serious. Soon enough, he gives a shake of his head to such.

"No."

"Asura is just a backdrop. Should we ever need to put a blame on someone else, or shift the attention - he's a perfect scapegoat."

Ruthless, cruel? Perhaps... but when one's mind is darkened with Occult, they tend to think that way.

"I'll play along while doing everything I need for as long as I deem it of any value. At some point, he'll be no longer necessary."

"That's when I'll just walk away." A pause. "But if you meant to ask whether I'll explicitly go after these names?"

"No. I won't."

So he lied, then. Back then, in the sewers - it was just a lie. Perhaps to gain the network of ears and eyes, but..

"Ah-"

"I've had an idea of... using my magics, to cause peculiar changes around the Esshar's environment." Baux already witnessed it once - the Occult.

Was he speaking about that dark magic?
(Ambrose Roche)

"Kahaha, thought so." They'd have likely gotten the point now, by his reluctance to even consider donning a disguse so far. Sure the idea is a decent one, though to say he had anything worth hiding at this point? It'd be a stretch.

A faint sign of weakness in the grand scheme of scratching his way to the top before they'd known. "Walkin' away, huh. Thought ya' would just straight up rip him a new one. Bore..."

As much as he'd claim otherwise, there's enough blood and drama in betrayal to entertain even someone, or something like himself.

"Well, they already did a number on th' mines. What would ya' be aimin' for next?" Would he be the passive storm that most witness and turn away from next, or would it be bigger than even that? He's certainly full of questions now.
(Baux)

Was it even worth it to devote time to hunt down Asura Nomont?

While he thought about it, it would most definitely be entertaining, but.. at the end of the day, it's not worth it. It's something that he makes sure to point out as well.

"Mmm.."

"I'm sure it would be fun to mess around with him, but who would care? If Asura dies.."

"He'll just be forgotten. No consequences."

In fact, he doubts that anyone would even go after him. In a sense, he was already a dead man walking - at this point it was a matter of who gets tired of him first.

"As for the mines?"

It was the centrepiece of what'd come next. It is something that he was thinking about for quite a while, but it is a plan that he lays out.

"Carnage. Deaths. Pain. Sorrow."

"Such negative, but powerful emotions carry unto environment. What happened at the mines is a testament to that - and now, that place is ripe with wandering spirits and ghosts of all kind, feeding off the lingering ambience."

There's a pause.

"I wanted to harvest it. Learn to control it. And then.."

"Spread it everywhere."

The Grand Cleansing. Enough to cover the entirety of Esshar either in pestilent disease of the coming storm, or inhabit it with wandering, lost spirits.

"Hundreds, thousands of spiritual essences wandering about. Lost, with no way out."

"They could inhabit something- or someone. Why not give them a voice?"

"Why not let them lash out with rage?"

And turn Esshar upside down.
(Ambrose Roche)

"Ya' cold. But... Damn, if it ain't funny!" The wolf is still laughing at this point, if only amused by how one could humor a non-magi to such a drastic point. It was pathetic, but at most one could make use of it.

"It's good, ya' actually was worth th' time of day. I'm havin' a blast." From indulging in that battle at its peak moment, to seeing one plan upon the remnant, and drastic effects that came after its bloodshed. There just wasn't an end, was there?

"Well, if that's th' plan then lets put it into motion sometime, ye'? I wouldn't mind divin' into th' depths of those caves before too many people get their hands on what lies inside."

For the chaos that's stirred as a result to harness that energy, he'd surely place himself within if only to rope in that ire. If the Roche wants to be in the center, there'd be many a fight to be had surrounding the eye of that storm.

A hunt worth having, through and through.

"Lets leave a legacy upon Esshar, Kahaha!"
(Baux)

Why bother with the lesser, such as the likes of Asura Nomont?

It would be a waste of effort and time, and neither could be afforded by Ambrose. Quite frankly, he would rather move on as soon as possible with his goals and intentions, and only directed effort would be an answer to that.

As for the plans..

"Oh, yes."

"But I believe you might need a disguise for that one." He pauses. "As much as I'd begin gathering those reflections of negative emotions, these powerful feelings that people have.."

To eventually amass it into something powerful and dangerous..

"I sincerely doubt that they would appreciate that - let alone with dark magics like that." So that means next.

"You might want to consider getting something to conceal your features."

A disguise. Otherwise..

He might get himself banned from almost all cities.
(Ambrose Roche)

"Ugh, suppose I could finally start ta' getting behind that. As much of a bother it may be."

A light breath is pushed beyond his pursed lips, mood slightly killed by the idea of technical work. The wolf could surely fashion himself a disguise, if only to properly fit in a way that would not warrant his 'ordinary' life would be given a look into.

"Don't expect me ta' play an act forever though. Shit like that gets old real fast..." Or perhaps people were so nosy they never tended to last long. Whatever the case may be, he waves a hand dismissively.

"What other chores ya' gonna come up with, huh? Grocery run?" The wolf grumbles.
(Baux)

"Oh, you'll be fine! Don't grumble too much."

There's a smile. As much as it is a bother, surely he could understand why it's necessary. Besides... it wouldn't be too long until the act is up and they're both exposed.

As a matter of fact, he expects it to happen within few years, at most.

"It won't last long, I'm pretty sure. I wouldn't want it to last long either.."

Perhaps once they've turned adults would be the most optimal time. As much as they may try to deny it, they simply cannot contend with the strongest magi on Esshar yet.

Not as a bunch of teenagers.

"And don't worry. No other chores. Just get prepared for that, hm?"

With disguise, they should be set and ready.

It's settled.
(Ambrose Roche)