paradisalogs | No time for better words

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No time for better words

Who: Felix Harrowgate and OPEN
What: A Chimera meeting turns into disaster when some people’s stains begin to manifest
When: Afternoon of today, 4/13
Where: Chimera HQ, room 1919 of Gaudium tower
Rating: Probably pg-13 for mild gore
Notes:Open mostly to Chimera members or any people with magic, though curious interlopers are welcome. Felix’s stains will manifest near the end. You may have your character do so around the same time, at your option. Threadjacking encouraged. ~~Please wait for sections.~~

It’s noon and all the doors opening onto the Chimera lobby are thrown wide open to let in the sunlight. For those of those familiar with the space, the large chandelier that used to hang in the center is still missing, having not yet been replaced after the damage from the earthquake.
The adjacent office has been rearranged to seat multiple people, and a cursory attempt at hospitality has been made, in the form of a desk covered in drinks (juice, tea, and sparkling wine) and snacks.

Felix himself is near the back end of the room, like a king of a very small court, though he wouldn’t exactly encourage the comparison. He’s picked up a slightly unfamiliar shadow in the form of his brother, but otherwise everything appears to be business as usual.

MINGLING/ARRIVAL | MEETING | STAINS

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Phoebe's an unfamiliar sight as she enters, a hood pulled up over her head. As soon as she's in the comfort of the familiar room she pulls it back, letting it fall to her shoulders and revealing the black marks streaked across her face. She looks like she's wearing black gloves, but upon further inspection it seems they're not gloves but her own flesh - as dark as shadows from the elbows down, slowly creeping upwards. The other stains don't exactly seep through her shirt, although they seem to peek through, despite there being no holes. Stains the color of fire on her back and stomach.

Wrapping her arms around her stomach she glances around a little nervously as she steps further into the room to find a seat.

Phoebe could perhaps hide from others, but Ashura was more astute than that, and after quietly excusing himself from another conversation he was by her said, politely positioning himself so that he would block view of her from others as they spoke.

"Phoebe, what has happened?" he asked in a quiet voice, brows creased in concern, resisting the urge to reach up and touch the marks.

Phoebe smiled slightly, already looking more comfortable. Ashura always did have a knack for putting her at ease, somehow. One black hand moved up to touch one of the marks, her fingers touching it exactly without even having to look. She'd long since memorized the patterns and streaks, after all.

"The castle." She sighed, "Haven't you heard people talking? People have been waking up like this, with different marks, stains." She paused, eyes dropping a little, "The general thought is that they're representations of regrets or hidden truths."

"I have been keeping to myself lately, I admit," he murmured, watching her quietly. He reached out, taking her hand gently in his and giving a comforting squeeze.

"I am sure it will pass," he whispered. "All things in this Castle pass, when it comes to its tricks."

She nodded slightly. She knew it would pass but it was still disturbing to be reminded of Cole, of the fire and all of her past brushes with evil. She wasn't ready to confront all of her demons... so to speak.

"You're right. Of course you are." She forced a smile, returning his hand squeeze.

He was grateful for that, not least of all because no doubt Felix would be poor comfort at a time like this. The other just... wasn't good at it, and Felix's anger with him had not mellowed in the past days.

"I just... my clothes," he tried to be humorous, mouth quirking but falling almost instantly.

She couldn't help but chuckle, "Maybe we should go shopping when this is all over."

She'd worked for years as an advice columnist. But even before that she was a sister and very used to helping people through difficult times. If nothing else she would always be there for someone who needed her.

"Yes, I think we should. Who knows how much silk has just been ruined," he said, trying his best not to touch the fabric, though he could feel it sticking to his skin and growing heavy, the feeling of it making his stomach protest and roil.

"It's a deal, then. Shall we say the day after this is all over?" She'd gone to lengths to wear clothes she didn't mind getting covered in ick just because of this whole mess... and the fact that her husband is covered in blood just isn't helping things, either.

"Yes, yes I would like that very much," he nodded, and didn't know yet how much he might need it. A sense of normality, a sense of doing something and then firmly burning anything he wore during this time with his own flames. "I would suggest to bring your husband, but I know most men find the task of finding clothing a daunting thing."

Felix actually approaches her separately, intentionally steering clear until Ashura had moved away. The rift is almost visible to someone like Phoebe, who know the two of them well, but he doesn't comment on it.

Instead he steps close to speak in a low voice, "are you alright?"

Phoebe looks up at him, surprised that he'd waited until Ashura had left. Okay there's something wrong here but she'll hold off on saying something just yet. He'd asked her a question, after all. It would be rude to redirect like that.

She forces a tight smile, "As alright as I can be being constantly reminded about things I generally try not to think about... or share with everyone I meet."

"I'm not sure..." he said pausing to take in the marks on her more closely.

"Is this some kind of loss?"

Her implication is that it meant something specific, though it didn't seem the time or place to ask what that was.

She shakes her head, "It's not just me. There are others effected, too." She cringes slightly as she thinks about Peter covered in wounds and blood - both his and others. "Some that look a lot worse than I do."

She looks down at her hands, "It's all a little too personal if you ask me."

"I hadn't heard. I've been busy up there all morning," he said apologetically.

"You...didn't have to come up if you didn't want to."

She shakes her head again, "No. No it's okay. I wouldn't miss this."

She waves a dismissive hand, the shift causing more of the fiery stain on her stomach to bleed through. "I'm not about to let something like this keep me from everything."

"As long as you're certain..."

He pauses and tries for a shade of a teasing smile, "though for the record, I don't think it's your color, darling."

That draws a laugh out of her, "No. No I have to agree with you there. Fire and brimstone were never my thing." She pauses, "At least not for long."

Felix gives her a small, sympathetic smile and steps in to add in a low voice, "is this about Cole?"

Something dark passes behind her eyes as she involuntarily crosses her arms over her stomach to hide the stains there, "Part of it..."

He grimaces slightly. "I didn't mean to pry."

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kungfuwitch - 2013-04-28 20:01 (UTC) - Expand

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lord_wizard - 2013-04-30 20:45 (UTC) - Expand

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kungfuwitch - 2013-05-02 23:59 (UTC) - Expand

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lord_wizard - 2013-05-06 02:53 (UTC) - Expand

Ah finally, another girl, who looks like she's at least from this millennium. Alex starts over to where she's standing, but visibly recoils a bit when the hood drops. Not having any stains herself, Alex doesn't immediately recognize them for what they are, but she sees Phoebe's seeming discomfort with the situation and makes the (incorrect) assumption that maybe she's just as unfamiliar with the group. She takes a few more steps and casually takes a seat a few away.

"... So, you okay? You look kind of freaked." Great conversation starter, honey.

Phoebe looks up when the girl speaks. Well now she hadn't expected to see someone new today. She smiles warmly, trying to ignore the stains crossing over her face and down her hands.

"I'm... I'll be alright. I'm just a little shaken up by the latest castle shenanigans."

Alex's smile in return isn't as warm, but it isn't her usual half-smirk either. She's trying her best to be on good behavior for once (once, mind you).

"Yeah? I'm pretty sure this whole stain business like tops the freaky charts, or something. Been awhile since we've had something that actually makes me want to run off and live in the woods."

Hey she understands, she was a teenager once herself you know. She nods, "Yeah this is just making everyone uncomfortable. It's far more personal than a lot of the things it's done."

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