dev 9 - conflict with domino

Entering the room, climbing the stairs in a slow trudge, the boy known as Domino (Ren to his closer associates) carries a grim expression! This had to be his least favourite place. He merely saw it as oversaturation.

He reaches for his weapon, and taps the blue crystal on the grandfather clock once- and as the pendulum within reaches its end, it crashes with a loud sound more similar to a gong.

BONNNNNNGGGGG

"Are you clowns just going to talk about relationships? Have any of you come up with ideas to help Ramses, Guerra, and Blaire?" He ponders.
(Domino)


Rachel Beckett says, "Fuck you."
Ray literally passes out.
(Ray Invidia)


Rachel Beckett says, "You don't know tha-"

Juniper Elisheva says, "You know who IS a master blacksmith? HIS AUNT."

Nathan Cruor says, "Ahahahahaha."

Juniper Elisheva says, "---"

Juniper Elisheva says, "Oh god."

Juniper Elisheva asks, "Ray?"

Rachel Beckett says, "....."
She poked him a few times, concern on her face.
(Juniper Elisheva)


Juniper Elisheva asks, "Is he dead?????"
"What dragon?" Man Nathaliel felt... OUT OF PLACE as everyone started dropping names all over the place that he didn't know, and as everyone... Started yelling at each other about things he had no knowledge of and people he had no way of knowing about.

"You guys ever heard of a third wheel? I'm feeling like the fifth wheel on a wagon..." He said, resorting more to watching.
(Nathaliel)

The whole stand up by Rachel didn't really impress him in the slightest.

If anything, he actually believed that she was upset plenty with how these events unfolded, but... even someone like Nathan knew his limits of poking at people. Instead, he responds to all of her words with a smug smile.

"Aha. Of course."

Though, his attention is suddenly shifted to Domino. He squints once, twice- not particularly impressed at suddenly being called 'clowns'.

"First of all - shut up. We've been busy all day. This is literally the first time we get to sit down and have some fun."

"So let us have it."

There is no intruding on the Cruor. There just isn't. He continues speaking, however.

"Second, Tetl has already gathered expedition, and now it's only a matter of time we go on there - and that's supposed to help us rescue them."

"Third, that situation was... turning into something else, but it's being slowly pushed to their rescue."
(Nathan Cruor)

Rachel jumped again in fright at the sound of the apparent gong, hitting her knee once again as she gasped and collapsed forward - tears welling in her eyes again as she hurt the already bruised leg once more. What a terrible night it was shaping up to be.

Nathan had killed Rin by forcing him to choose sides, and now she was in pain and turning to look at Ren - she would squint, vaguely recognizing him. A gesture was had, motioning for him to sit as she sighed.

Back to business it seemed.

"We just got discussing that actually - We have plans underway with Tetl, are soon to be adjusting the goals of the Heroes Club since leadership has fallen, and if our work with Tetl falls through? We're going to take time, amass our groups power, and build an actual force to potentially assault the mountain with."

"Lots more than that, but it's the general lay out right now. Currently we're just?...Relaxing, after a few long years of stress."
(Rachel Beckett)

Ray was probably okay-- the screaming, and the sudden contact caused him a great deal of stress. This was almost as bad is when accidentally held Miyoko's hand.
(Ray Invidia)

She shook Ray several times.
(Juniper Elisheva)

Ray 's just a bit dazed. Give him a moment...
(Ray Invidia)

Looking at them, the boy glances towards Nathan for a moment and merely huffs- heavily, in response to being told to shut up. He grimaces, actually. He seems a bit miffed by it.

"Don't tell me to shut up," he spoke, leaning onto the clock as he affixed the staff to his back. "Don't tell me to shut up when I'm trying to care about my friends being stolen. Don't have that attitude when I'm trying to see if any of you have made progress.

Tetl's expedition, unless it gets us something that can obliterate the captors on the mountain isn't going to do anything.

I spoke with Ramses today. He showed up in Gehenna." He murmured. Calming down, he breathes lightly. "We need to find something that can help us break off their collars so we can get Guerra back as soon as possible, too. They're trying to thrall him.

But go back to talking about dating eachother in some weird circle of love though. I'm sure it's more pressing."
(Domino)

He took a breath of annoyance. It had been GREAT to see these guys finally... Not panicking about something they couldn't control! They were working through all this and had plans-

He spun in his chair, scratching at his nose. "Can you please just... Not? They have worked on stuff! I'd say we, but... I didn't contribute much!" The teen took the water that Rachel had RUDELY not touched at all and took a long drink.

"The entire time I've been here, I feel like that's what they've all been talking about, nonstop! Their friends on the mountain! And when they finally get a plan and manage to relax for a few minutes, you... Come yell at them?"

Nathaliel stood up, not waiting for the others. "Come on then, give a plan! Say what to do!"
(Nathaliel)

The pyromancer frowns. If there's one trait that he inherited is being quite explosive in his anger and in how he gets riled up. This? This was one of such cases, even if he was a child, still.

"Yes, I will tell you to shut up."

"Don't virtue signal when we've been doing our best to save them. We had no time to have any fun whatsoever for about last two-three years. This is literally the first time we sit down to just talk like this."

"We worked. We took necessary steps to actually saving them. I personally went up to negotiate and buy them time."

He comes to a rise, stepping out of the table, the entirety of his frame directed to Ren.

"And what did you do all this time?"

Someone he's never even seen, calling him out. Ridiculous. In the Cruor's eyes, this was just as bad as those that tried to preach to him.

"We're fully aware of what's happening. We fully realize all the consequences that can happen if a wrong move is done."

"So don't act like you're some visionary, when you clearly don't know what you're talking about."

If there was a challenge, he would rise up to it. Always.
(Nathan Cruor)

It was then when he decided it was time to wake up!

Ray snapped over to Domino wearing that ridiculous panda hat. He'd been making small bits of progression with his frequent invisible trips, along with his excessive fights with those nethridin. "Well, I've been working a bit-- I'm not looking to make any big moves but..."

"I think my uncle died, when we last talked he wasn't uh. In the right state of mind. He told me farewell forever, and if he is gone Gurrea's thrall time will reset meaning he has to get hooked to different blood meaning we have more time to save him!"
(Ray Invidia)


Juniper Elisheva says, "......"
Eyes narrowing at the news of thralldom, Rachel would nod a few times and sigh - that was the first piece of useful news in a while, and as much as she had been enjoying acting like a normal teenager, she would get back into work mode and begin theory crafting again how she could work with it.

Adults telling us to be kids, fellow teens pressuring them to stop when we try for just a bit.

"Years back their was a rumor of a blacksmith who could break collars, older than I am by far; but he used a certain mana inhibiting rock to break the collars effect, and release them. If I could get my hands on the stone, which I believe in common in the Briar Locke area? I could begin working towards making the device."

"Though that'll only be useful if they could travel off of the mountain again. Guerra we've talked about being our second priority - we can cure Vampirism, or at least people can, but Ramses is a worry. If he's not as important to them? He could be killed as an example if we fuck up anything, and I don't want that."

As she rose? Rachel brought her hand down, firmly on the shoulder on Nathan; shaking her head to tell him now.

"We've all been dealing with this in different ways - and all hurt for it... Let him approach us however he likes, alright? It's okay."
(Rachel Beckett)

She was quiet, nothing else being said mattered compared to what Ray said. Malentine was dead then....

She stood up slowly.

"I'm sorry for your loss," She said quietly. The Dryad pushed her chair in with a great deal of patience, before speaking up again, "But I have to go do something... I'll see you all later."
(Juniper Elisheva)


Ray Invidia says, "--No need to be sorry."

Juniper Elisheva says, ".... If you're sure, Ray...."

Juniper Elisheva says, "I-......"

Ray Invidia says, "I'll be fine."

Juniper Elisheva says, "Yeah. I gotta go do something. Up North."

Ray Invidia says, "Don't do anything that you'll regret."

Nathaliel says, "You know..."

Nathaliel says, "That sounds an AWFUL lot like what that Gehenna chief guy said about people going to the mountain."

Nathaliel says, "People keep going there and bad stuff keeps happening and then people expect him to do something about it."
As everyone begins to lambast him, and berate him for not having the cheeriest attitude of all, Domino begins to stare at everyone with daggers, beyond Rachel. He shuts his eyes..

.. and what comes from his form is a strange, strange static noise. As if he meant to filter out everything in the room. It allows him to refocus- and from there, his words spill out rather quickly. His mousiness had stopped altogether.

"No, I still think it's inappropriate for you to be mad at me for this. This is our meeting room, where we talk about these things. Even so . . . I don't really care if you're mad that I'm worried about my friends when you've all decided to take a break.

I've been busy. I've been travelling around making my allies- growing in my own strength, and making my own plans. The first thing we have to do is find a way to take off their collars.."

His gaze falls onto Rachel.

"..A rock? That sounds useful. We have to find that, first. The Petal Gang would help us if we wanted to assault the mountain- or something in the future, but we need to find a way to get those collars off because they're being actively tortured with them- shocked, forced to submit, until they can't do anything else."

He glares at everyone, adjusting his glasses.

"If any of you want to be mad that I'm not taking a break for my friends, you can do that. I'll just know not to let you watch my back when the time comes to go and get them."
(Domino)

Juniper Elisheva whispers something.

Juniper Elisheva whispers something.

Juniper Elisheva whispers something.

She moved forward. No words were spared to Rachel, her cousin, Nathaliel, or even Domino. She practically pranced down the stairs, leaving.
(Juniper Elisheva)

"We're not mad that you're not taking a break, you've just...Missed a lot:"

"The adults of several city have refused to help us."
"Rin abandoned us, the moment things got tense. Tetl left with him, but we convinced her back."
"We've had a meeting a day since Rin has left, talking about what we're doing: not to talk bad about anyone? Moavug seems more interested in his girlfriend, and his Dragon than anything else."
"We've constantly worried about anyone else getting captured - some members have been starting trouble."
"We had Guerra and Ramses dangled at us, as probably a trap, at the public Blob Games."
"Kaila was attacked in an attempted murder by Elren, another Vampire."
"We've had no leadership stepping up - I've been doing my best, but it hasn't moved as fast as I've wanted."
"We've planned all out war as an option, and already have the petal gangs promise to help years back."

She spoke, and clearly only giving a fraction, she talked about their troubles. It seemed she was tired, but glaring defiantly.

"We've tried our best, I swear we have - it's been my entire life. This is the one night, the first night, that we've had a time to talk as... People, about normal things. A small break to keep us from going crazy." Teared eyes, sagged with black bags, showed as she looked to Domino - until she rubbed the back of her neck with a soft sigh.

"Aidan's lost the key to the club, and I'm tired of the daycare heroics. We're going to rebrand, or just make a new group together; for people who want to do anything, at all and drop the make believe. A new base, a new set of beliefs - and agoal. King Ray say's he'll be assisting us, as a close ally and friend."

"So we've done work... and we'll do more."
(Rachel Beckett)

Part of him almost wanted to reach for the weapon already.

He just doesn't get it, does he? It's not about him being concerned for his friends. It's not about him doing whatever he was doing, even if most of it sounded more personal than anything compared to before.

It's about him intruding this way.

"This went right over your head. Great."

"Nobody blames you for being concerned for your friend, idiot. Are you actually not listening, or are you trying hard to filter out to hear only what you want to hear?" With the rise of the static, he assumed it was the latter.

"I personally negotiated for them. Time and time again. They would be dead long time ago otherwise."

How long should one repeat until the point reaches across? Even then, that's not the end of it either.

"We're already setting out on expedition as soon as possible. We're already going to rescue them as soon as possible." He huffs. And at the mention of collars?

"--And it seems you aren't even that well aware of everything, to suggest such a thing."

"Making allies and growing in power is good, but you should've looked into this better before coming up all righteous in here."

The young Cruor inhales, followed by an audible exhale- practically his whole being was that of fiery exterior.

"You cannot just remove their collars like that."

"They're observed at all times. They're monitored, and if we make a move for them this way, it's very possible they'll promptly die - and other bad consequences will follow."

"If you want to help- genuinely help- then comfort your friends whenever you see them and keep their spirits high, so they do not submit to blood addiction." After all, mental fortitude did play big part in it.

"Otherwise, don't try to blame us for taking this small break - when most of the work was already done before you even popped up."
(Nathan Cruor)

Aaaand Juniper just walked out on them. Nathaliel could only sigh, because really... Wasn't that EXACTLY what people like Elyon were saying about them? They walked right up to the mountain and then got captured and then they expected other people to do something about it.

"I can't really explain it better than them! They ARE doing stuff, they DO have a plan. Well, I think they do. They haven't just been doing nothing, just because you haven't seen it!"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "They can take a break too. No one can go on forever like some kind of golem!"
(Nathaliel)

With his grip on the staff, it tightens. It was frustrating. He huffs.

"I know that everyone is doing their part. I am, too." He spoke, pausing. The white noise he gives off lessens. He breathes heavily. A sigh.

The blue crystal on his stave glows, as his mood shifts all the same.

"But this isn't the time to be calling me an idiot because I interrupted your break to get an update on it. If you can't see that, then I think I'm done here." He says, his gaze falling, once more, to Rachel. He felt eager to dismiss everyone else, apparently.

"I know your breaks are important. But if you have a lead on that rock, we need to get it sooner rather than later if it can help us break collars. It won't be that hard to take off their collars. Ramses was literally in Gehenna hours ago speaking to me about this. We just have to get them a way to break off the collars, and they need to escape- and return to us.

The collars prevent them from escaping. Nothing else, because without the collars it's as simple as leaving when everyone is distracted … and I want to get them back as soon as possible. It's easier to protect them all here than let them continually be tortured, tormented and forced to become things like a vampire-- If you think letting him become a vampire is fine, because we can fix it, then our priorities are all wrong." He declares.

"They are ALL our first priorities. None of them are more important than the other."
(Domino)

"I'll get to work - there's a chance the rock is just Tyrium, in which case? We'll be smooth sailing in retrieving some of it, and I'll get to work. Any idea where I could get Tyrium now?" Rachel crossed her arms, ready to discuss - eyeing the three of them now before she would sigh and walk forward, waving her hand a bit.

"It's fine. It's not that you approached us, it's how you did it. Loud gong, calling us clowns, kind of starts everything down a fighting path."

"Find me some Tyrium. I'll get to work. If that doesn't work? I'll find the next best thing, and work until I can break every collar in a hundred mile radius."

She would stop in the hallway, looking back at everyone - eyebrows raised as she would frown.

"I'm going to go find a place to sleep, for now - maybe stay up late into the morning drawing out plans. Anything else we need to know?"
(Rachel Beckett)

"You were called an idiot for intruding on us as if we do not do anything. News flash - we do."

Repeating that was getting tired for Nathan, so much so that the next time he'd probably do something worse. The Cruor's gaze considerably darkens at that, holding his arms crossed, clearly unamused.

"They cannot be simply freed like that, because there are methods to observe them from afar otherwise. If it was that easy to snap away the collar and call it a day, then something like that would be done a long time ago."

"Keep ignoring what I'm saying and I'll actually whack you over the head."

But maybe, just maybe, he could... blind them. This is an idea he considers, and it would be something useful in general- even if they do not employ this plan here, knowing how to break collars would be useful.

"The vast majority of the reason as to why they aren't even dead yet, and why they could roam outside like that, is the collective effort we made."

"Don't try to stain it. Ever again."

The mood was already ruined, wasn't it? A single break all of them could have in few years, now gone. Nathan only huffs, headed to the exit- a single glance given to Rachel.

"...Yes. I know where Tyrium is. Frozen caves, right under the mountain."

"Come on. Staying here isn't pleasant anymore."
(Nathan Cruor)