Shatter

Hey so yeah, me too. My city has kinda gone wild in the wake of protesting and there's been such a severe uptake of violence since the epidemic began, starting with stabbings on my doorstep, and I am actually trying to get set-up for college this year. My apartment is literally down three jobs, myself included at the start of the epidemic, the third roommate's job ending very shortly here. Three days. Another was jumped at his work on his way to his car, working security at night for the mall and was robbed and forced to sleep on a park bench because he couldn't even call for a ride and was kinda beat up. Tbh I'm harassed while walking my dog so constantly that I think it's coming up when someone tries something-the people in my ghetto apartment are getting more brazen as they spend more time drinking on their front porch all day and watching me walk my dog and hollering at us randomly. My dog is a badass tho so I'll be good, he'll fuck anyone up. I'd rather he didn't though, even if I think human beings are garbage. My apologies to all the threads and storylines I'm leaving hanging. @Csl The Sirens are yours. And I guess you have an open Gillick Kid slot now. Sorry about that too. I assume Opening Act has been kinda dealt with by this point, but you guys do what you have to with Amra if you haven't already. That includes you on the note of Amra, @amenities @Jotnotes Whatever you have to or had to do already to make it work with Atharenaril. I loved that thread and I'm very sorry for abandoning it like this. @saga juliet I don't have your discord, so I'm saying hey here to you to note I will not be available to continue that thread. I'm also messaging some other people whom I am dropping threads on. Thank you Val, and goodnight.

He most definitely jumped when Matt arrived. He had been very focused on his thoughts and avoiding looking at Lumina too much that when Matt popped his head in, Cecil was conveniently looking away. He inhaled sharply, giving Matt a slight glare, pursing his lips as he tried to hide his own fright. However, he relented at Matt's apologies, wiping the mean look from his face with a glance away from him too. The manner in which he avoided retaining anyone's gaze was very pointed, in the way that he seemed to never be anything but submissive in other people's presence. It was almost a direct testament that he wouldn't pose a threat to them. He doubted things would work out that easily. Matt tried to spur the machine to life, but concluded it needed fuel, not to their surprise considering the whole reason they were in this room. He purses his lips at the mention of two things needing to be fueled up, his gaze ending up against a wall where he spoke clearly from his thoughts without addressing anyone in particular, "Maybe we should not turn the lights on..." He realized he had spoken out loud and immediately did a double-take on Matt and Lumina, when he realized just what the bright light bursting out from Lumina's position was. His eyes slowly widened as far too late, he came back from his thoughts to see the lock removed from where it belonged and in Lumina's hands. He blinked several times, expression blank as he found no words for her actions at this moment. He finally forced out a response when she spoke again, saying "N-no. I don't think s-so..." Panic began to set in as he stared into the water and the guarded, wary expression that lived on his face became fear. He took a few unconscious steps away from the hatch, but stopped as he looked over his shoulder and saw the wall of rain waiting behind him. Nowhere to go, all of a sudden. He panicked in place, and Lumina stuck her head inside the hatch to have a look around. This caused his eyes to go far more wide as she did the unthinkable. He took intense breaths through his nose as he stared at her, on the verge of hyperventilating. Calming his nerves wasn't happening now, but he could at least calm his breathing down if he focused on that. He spent a few, very obvious moments of terror breathing in deeply, clearly shaken by Lumina's actions and only beginning to slow his breathing down after she pulled herself completely out of the hatch, making it obvious to both his compatriots that their good spirits on the matter were not shared. He turned himself more completely away from them, muttering quietly, "Y-you shouldn't have done that..." He pursed his lips as he regarded the rain beyond the safety of their roof, and then suddenly he walked out into it. He closed his eyes in the face of the impact, entering the rainwater as though he were being taken by the tide and tensing his whole body up to resist being ripped apart. It caused an awkward sort of movement, arms and legs moving all too stiffly as he knelt down on the ground outside and pressed his hands to the grass. A light green energy began to flow along his hands into the wet grass, spreading along it and changing the hue of it. The grass all looked imbued with the energy, practically sparkling with the image of perfect health. Then, he pulled his hands up and it began to grow rapidly. As it continued to do so after he lifted his hands, he swept his right across it, causing swathes of the grass disconnect from its roots, leaving the ground brown and barren as it flowed towards him as though carried on a wind. The long grass led itself towards his right-hand as single strands, yet flowing rapidly and intertwining. The grass literally melded together in his hand as the base of the rope, then twisted around itself, making a three foot length of grass rope. He moved back inside the generator room and began shaking the water from his body like a dog afraid to be wet, then went across the room to use the rope to tie the hatch back into place as best he could. The rope was enhanced, so as far as grass rope went, this was practically a magical rope+1 in comparison. So really, a little better than a normal rope. His shoulders slumped, and he visibly relaxed as access to the water was cut off. He then proceeded to try and sit down on it when a scream sounded out. He gulped, glancing between the other two and starting for the door where he hesitated against the rain. "I heard it..." He said quietly, then broke into the rain barrier that barraged him with an attack on the senses like no other. So utterly blinding and disturbing he felt like it consumed his mind when he was inside of it suddenly. He didn't look back, but he expected they would follow. He traveled across the courtyard as quickly as possible, then once inside the store, he repeated the ritual of shaking rain water from his rain coat which was still visibly muddy on the inside. He seemed hesitant yet to go anywhere in the building though, and looked around at the others for answers. "...W-what is it?" He asked hesitantly. He didn't see anyone who looked like they were in a fight, though Taylor seemed absolutely shaken by something.

Ive been sick, but I’ll be trying to post today. @Jotnotes Is there any reason powers to control plant life or employ wildlight might find issue right now? Trying to think of a way to cover that hatch o_o

I’m stretched a little too thin on threads right now, but I really appreciate the shout-out.

Wonderland. It seemed a more fitting name to him as he ducked under a branch, hands brushing a tree on his left as he easily navigated the roots around him. He kept a low stance, and a slow pace as to make little noise. Rat didn't really know where he was going, but he was determined to get there, one way or another. After a certain point, he knew he was lost, however. Any idea of a beaten path had escaped him and despite his attempts to memorize the area, it seemed to change around him instead, making his attempts in vain. Therefore, he was a ranger without a path. Something that couldn't make him more unhappy. The endless expanse of trees went on and on and at times seemed to drift out of sight, making a singular path forward. He tried to avoid seeing that, instead looking low and watching for some kind of sign. And after hours, he did. Rat didn't often feel thankful, but at that moment, his heart skipped a beat. He managed to find the remnants of a trail. Someone had been travelling in what seemed to be a circle for a while now. He considered that as he picked up a broken twig and felt about the ground to find footsteps to follow. A circle was better than what he had, and finding out how they were managing it felt imperative to him. This place was draining on his senses and something felt alarmingly wrong about coming here. His initial plan to make a short visit was quickly turning him to desperation as he didn't know where he was or how to leave, and his time here was leaning on the side of 'I don't know.' Once he had followed hints of a more obvious path, it wasn't long before he found her. Ducking behind a tree, he took in a sharp few breaths and put his hand to his chest. 'Pointy ears?' He hadn't seen a woman like this before, tall and slender with long locks of brown curls that complimented her unexpected appearance. The word 'Elf' didn't even process for him, being an unfamiliar concept altogether to the young man. Her attire and tool too were of concern. He wondered if she were some sort of demi-human, touched by the fey, hopeful she wasn't a danger instead. He watched her eating for a moment, then begin speaking, seeming afraid. Following her gaze, he saw only a tree that she regarded. "M...Master Kalmuli..." He thought he heard something then, speaking back to her. Something otherworldly and utterly haunting spoke to her in a voice he could not understand. Malice, however, he could comprehend in any language. The tone of this being seemed to enjoy the terror it wreaked on her emotional state. The strange woman with her unexpected appearance began crying-something he didn't quite know what to make of. He didn't plan on comforting her, that wasn't something he could even do for someone else, let alone himself. So instead, he hid for a few moments longer, watching and waiting for the right moment. Instead, it drove her into quickly gathering her things and running off in a completely random direction. Rat gasped, and realizing the fleeting opportunity to not be alone in this place was about to vanish, he broke into a sprint from his hiding place. No doubt terrifying the already crying woman, he came breaking through the brush directly behind her, and grabbed her by the right-arm with his right-hand as she stumbled while calling out, "Hold on!" He was moving too fast, and she was completely off-balance, making it no surprise when he pushed her down and fell on top of her. He smashed his left-hand into the ground as they fell, simply trying to avoid touching her face with his for even the briefest moment. He didn't want to harm her, he just didn't want to be alone here, and skin contact with him was all it took to be hurt by him. As a result of the fall, his hood came off, exposing his long, straight black hair which fell loosely along the sides of her face. He held onto her right-arm tightly, though he looked away with a hint of embarrassment at his physical entanglement with a woman. It was an odd contrast to the forceful nature of his right-hand's grip on her arm while he kept his gaze turned from her while he spoke. "I'm not...I'm not going to hurt you." It seemed for him, saying that took effort. "So just...calm down, okay, dagger ears!?" He was very bad at being gentle.

lucas black managed to bring his lost love back to life so he could then leave her. the primary antagonist targeted her because of him so he became my cowboy headed nowhere, on the run from something bigger and darker than him which destroyed his homeworld by now. amraphensbane straight up killed his own romantic partner and behaves like a robot because he came from an evil tribal society and escaping it emotionally stripped him athar—haha not yet, i mean CECIL TOTALLY AN ELF NAMED CECIL DEFINITELY NOT HIDING HIS ELF NAME basically gave up on his Wild Elf culture after being enslaved for many years at the age of fourteen. His family doesn’t know what happened to him and he even avoids other Elves for fear of how they may judge him for distancing himself from his heritage culture and own species. He won’t tell anyone who knew him before he was enslaved or is even alive; it’s been six years since then, so they wouldn’t even recognize him. Pink is insane. She will eat your heart out your chest, she WAS a vampire breed that was deranged and debased, and now instead she’s a super attractive part fey monster who would rip a man’s heart out his still beating chest. in the distance, a female choir of voices sing a haunting tune, “Reeeepoo Maaaaan~”

I did this in the reverse order, but basically Strange Lights>Generator with Lumina. He watches everyone, notes their mannerisms as best he can, then pretty much rushes out of the room nervously with/away from her. Also edited in the song I wrote to at the last second.

He reacted with a few confused mutters, "Wait-what-why-" As Matt rushed off before he could respond. He had stood there staring at him and studying him for several moments, not saying anything after everyone had been introduced. 'And when you look at it from that point of view...' He closed his eyes briefly, looking deeply frustrated with himself, moreso than he already did. He wrapped one arm around himself, the other holding up his bike, and said quietly, while turning away from them and looking at the ground, "It's a-a pleasure to m-meet you all..." He might have been stuttering from the cold, and surely some had come to that conclusion, but he wasn't going to stop stuttering anytime soon. Speaking with others was clearly a task for him, one that invoked immediate fear, especially when dealing with this many people. Still, it seemed that how Matt handled things had left the Wild Elf seeming less Wild. He stood there, frowning and briefly glancing at speakers then looking away again, not speaking until they got inside. The sheer embarrassment he was feeling now was more than enough. So, he simply showed he was listening when they spoke by looking. He was sure that somehow was going to upset them too. If his body could fold in on itself, he wished to do that and disappear instead of dealing with this further. Once they were inside, he skulked over towards the counter where he set his bike against it. However, instead of getting on some task like everyone else when he came in, he briefly examined the stack of cans, took one, and watched them from the window. He stayed there, dripping, shivering, regarding them each with fear filled caution, like they might be the killer in this mystery. All the while, he could feel the rain coming closer behind him, trying to choke him and drag him under. It was right there, looking at him. Looking. The sheer horrific chill from the line of thoughts that entered his mind froze him up while he watched June and Taylor move around the store and the others make decisions and head out the door. 'It must be right behind me,' He thought. But what? What could be there, waiting, watching. He had to know. He slowly turned around, teeth bared in a face of terror as he met with the rain, and saw something out there. It should have just been the rain. It could be moving closer, and almost immediately, Cecil stumbled away from the window, gasping and clutching his chest as he struggled against the sheer fear trying to overtake him. It would get inside if he let it. He couldn't let that happen. So, within literal seconds, the distinct appearance of a panic attack was wiped after he stumbled away from the window quite loudly. He lurched across the room, going to rest against the other doorframe while watching the others. He realized he could see June, but where was Taylor? After a moment, she appeared, and when she asked for a light, he nodded in June's direction. Seeing that she hadn't outright vanished into the dark seemed to actually relax him some and he turned to look into the courtyard again, busying himself with making sure no one vanished. There was a curious moment as he peered at her from the side of the open doorway, in which he was sure she saw something too. 'Please, no...' He stuffed that thought down with the rest of his feelings. He came here to deal with the problem, not fall apart because of it. Still, when he saw the fair Elf returning to join them, he immediately and obviously pulled himself from the doorway. He truly didn't want an Elf to know he was keeping an eye on them. He practically avoided speaking to his fellow Elves these days. It seemed clear that his interactions with Lumina thus far consisted of his introduction and looking away from her when she looked at him. He did that to everyone, but it seemed far more inconsistent when he regarded the nonelves in the group, usually not looking away when they noticed him staring at them, seemingly making sure they weren't getting up to no good. The truth was, he was trying to impress upon himself as much of their personalities as he could. He studied everything about everyone in this group with every moment he could, taking in their walking gait, various tones, and how they interact with specific people. His leering gaze might prove unnerving for some of his companions, but his intentions may very well save their lives from his perspective. So, with that in mind, when Lumina returned and asked for help, he slowly peeked his head out from behind the shelf he had gone and hidden behind. His eyes met with hers, then he turned his gaze down and away while saying, "I-I can help you." He hadn't done anything so far and if he kept his distance from everyone, he wouldn't learn more about their particularities he could use to identify abnormalities in their activities. He stepped out from behind the shelf, and moved for the door while avoiding her gaze. He knew he had to try and look at her at some point just to catch her expressions and study those too, but for now, he just wanted to get through the rain as fast as possible with a power-walk and into the other building which smelled like- "Blood..." He was quick to get inside and out of the rain, but once there, he didn't move an inch in deeper with a clear regard for caution. He took in all the little details he could, though colors were completely twisted by the lighting, making him frown as this was no time to be blinded by something so trivial. He thought of pointlessly breaking it, kinetic energies ramping up almost immediately in response. He had to quickly stow the emotions as the bulb immediately flickered after he put his hand to his chest, making it quite obvious he might have done that. He glanced at Lumina with an apologetic expression, then quickly turned his guilt-ridden eyes away. The less he interacted, the least likely people were to run away, right? He slowly entered, gaze lingering on the locked box and pausing him in his step. He pursed his lips, eyes wide as he pulled away from it by a few steps, then turned towards the generator. His mouth opened in surprise. He was familiar with technology and had done many different kinds of work with many different models and tools. He had effectively experienced a large variety of lives by travelling constantly and preferring the wilderness. His life before that also-̴̝̄-̶̨̍-̷̝̊ The generator was nothing like Cecil had ever seen before. It did look like a generator, and it was in the right place to be a generator, but this did not look like a generator. Kneeling down beside it, he runs his finger along what appeared to be the fuel intake and licked it without a moment's hesitation. Then he began spitting it back out, saying "Worse t-than mud..." Standing back up, he turned to Lumina, then in an expected manner, turned away a bit to avoid facing her directly. For a moment, it almost looked like a normal conversation. He glanced at the can of whale meat in his hand, then back at Lumina while pointing with the bland can at the generator. "It's fish."

It would be a competition for it if my character didn't already have a date ☹️