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Lightbringer
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[ NOTICE This is the roleplay thread for the roleplay "In the Shadow of our Ancestors". Please refrain from posting unless you have an accepted character. ] ========= PARTICIPANTS Pillars The King's Descendant || Emery Maharaj - Nonbinary - Page #4 - Determined Wolf The Timekeeper's Descendant || Monika Corvo - Female - Page #3 - Neptune The Draconian Lord's Descendant || Alexander Cirillo - Male - Page #1 - ThisIsAPackName The Unicorn King's Descendant || Petyr Cerill Karlyn - Male - Page #5 - Ebanon The Reaper's Descendant || Michael Shane Evans - Male - Page #2 - the Wayne pack - Bonds The Valiant's Descendant || Garvin - Male - Page #1 - Overthink101 The Common Man's Descendant || Anniss Ijokre - Female - Page #5 - Ebanon The Healer's Descendant || Seraphina Malock - Female - Page #4 - Noctunyx The Lover's Descendant || Asa Shumirova - Female - Page #2 - Lykalo - Side Characters Role || Name - Age - Gender - Page # - Owner Role || Name - Age - Gender - Page # - Owner Role || Name - Age - Gender - Page # - Owner ========= SIGN-UP THREAD: Click. DISCUSSION THREAD: Click. ROLEPLAY THREAD: You are here! ========= Starting Scene: It's 7:10 A.M. on the most important Monday of the past century. Yes, it's the day of a lifetime, because the day of the heir's crowning is finally, finally here! It's your birthday, a day you share with this blessed day, and festivities are in full order along with it. It's the day off for anyone and everyone and festivals and carnivals are set up all over every city and town, ready to be in full swing as soon as the ceremony itself is over. The streets are bustling in excitement and even those who are staying at home are ready to celebrate as they can watch the event, live-streamed from any screen on the continent. It's a lovely, lovely day, and everyone is feeling it. It had snowed heavily overnight, leaving everywhere and anywhere in a clean blanket of beautiful white. The sun is just starting to steadily rise, laying its shine over the snow as it prepares to mark a new day at 7:20, the exact time that the ceremony will begin. You may be getting ready, checking out the stands in your local festival, heading to the city with the fanciest preparations, or staying at home to spend time with loved ones. Or, perhaps you are alone. It's all up to you. After all, things will go wrong either way, so why not have a little fun while the energy lasts? |
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Lightbringer
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= Alexander "Xander" Cirillo - M - The Dragon Lord's Descendant - Mentions: N/A = It was a lovely day, the 1st of January. Snow flaked down from the heavens, dancing across the sky and painting the city white as hundreds, thousands, even, of people rushed through the streets, an excited buzz in the air lingering from the New Years' festivities from midnight and the crowning festivities to follow. Some people rushed to fix up their final preparations, others tried to find their loved ones from where they’d separated in the bustling crowds. And then there were the few that were alone. Xander stood near the wall of a store in a meager attempt to not get shoved around or noticed, blankly watching the snow fall. He didn’t usually go out, but his 18th birthday seemed important. And the crowning, too, he supposed. Other people sure seemed excited about it, he figured, gaze traveling downwards towards the stands set up for the festival that’d follow the entire event (or what little he could see of it through the crowds rushing to save each other spots for the viewing) Games, snacks, memorabilia, — was that a plushie of the King? He tried not to scowl, knowing that Emery probably deserved all of this, but it was just all so damn gaudy. Desperately trying not to look like the Grinch in public, he redirected his gaze back upward to the snow, glad he brought his sunglasses with how damn bright all the white was. The coat and hat made him feel a little bit like a drug dealer standing on the side of the road and he’s sure none of it helped to hide the scales clear as day on his face, but, hey, no one was looking at him, so it was probably fine. Before his thoughts managed to fully get away from him, his gaze caught on one of the grand screens in the city— ah, they were already broadcasting to the Grand Hall, huh? It was a bit early for that — in fact, the hall was still empty at this point, the King nowhere in sight — but he supposed it made sense. Starting up a little bit of hype early or whatever. It sure seemed to work, judging by how much louder and more tangible the buzz got. Heaving out a sigh (he was already kind of starting to regret going out), he turned on his phone to check the time and — wow, would you look at that? The broadcast was on his phone, too! He knew they said it’d be on every screen everywhere so no one would have to miss this once-in-a-lifetime event, but jesus, did they have to be this overbearing about it? Clenching his teeth at the annoyance that immediately coursed through him at the minor inconvenience, he swiped up in order to bring the broadcast into the corner before glancing up at the time. Yep, 7:10. 10 minutes before the actual event. Great. It was at this point he gave u on his attempts to hold back his displeasure, a scowl fully forming on his face as he pressed back against the wall, passersby brushing up again him every second. God, he hated this. He should’ve just bought himself a cupcake like every other birthday and slept in hard enough to miss this whole damn thing. Sleeping sure as hell sounded more fun than waking up this early to get shoved around in a crowd for a while and watch a person he hadn’t seen in years don some stupid outfit and get talked to by some old fucking guy while everybody cheered. What with the ceremony, he’d probably get less attention than usual, too, with everyone already preoccupied with all the festivals and house parties and whatever the fuck normal people were doing. It could’ve been perfect. He didn’t even like going into the city ordinarily, why the hell did he think this was a good idea? Why the hell did he — “Hey, is that —?” He froze up. No. No, no, no, no, he was not fucking dealing with this. He sidestepped against the wall once before getting roughly shoved by some member of the crowd he couldn’t be bothered to look at the face of. He just took that as an invitation to move faster, one hand against the wall to not lose his way as he borderline ran. “Hey w-wait, Xan —“ The first moment the wall gave away, he took the turn, stumbling into the alleyway. He was sure he stood out like a sore thumb, there, dressed in all black against a backdrop of murky-ass city snow, but he took the chance as he pressed up against the wall and desperately hoped the people who noticed him got lost. . . . A moment passed. Two, three, five, ten, in blessed silence except for the murmur of the crowd outside and the crunch of snow under boots. Unclenching his teeth to let out a relieved sigh, he slumped against the wall a bit before looking back up to peer at the looming screens, still broadcasting an empty hall. Well. He was already here, even if it was in misery. All he could do was wait. |
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Neutral
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Asa Shumirova : Female : The Lover's Descendant : Mentions: N/A Silence. Absolute silence. The world seemed to be completely still, completely empty, as though the only things in existence were the half-awoken girl, this room, the soft, warm covers, and the snow falling outside the window. Asa stared at the ceiling, slowly bringing herself out of dreamworld and into reality. Today is your birthday, Asa. Your birthday - the day when you're happy and do whatever you want, whenever you want.
A strange thing to remind yourself about, she thought. It was usually others who reminded her. Usually. But this year she was alone, so this would have to do. It took her a while to drag herself out of bed - it's so cold! - and go through her morning routine.
Asa studied herself in the mirror as she quickly brushed out her hair. Eighteen. Did she look eighteen? Honestly, she didn't think she could tell anymore. Asa had seen this face so many times, she couldn't even tell what it looked like. As strange as that sounds...
Right. Birthday. Celebrate. Be happy. Now. A slight smirk appeared on Asa's face. That felt like an absurd thing to say to yourself. This entire morning, despite having just started, felt absurd. It was just a normal day. She should carry on with work, that would be the logical thing to do. It would be so easy to just ignore the date. Bzz. Bzzzzz. Somewhere beneath all the papers on her desk - which was quite a mess, if I might add - Asa's phone went off, vibrating. It took her a moment to locate it. The screen lit up again. It was a message from her grandparents. Nothing unexpected, of course. It was the unbearable annual tradition of having to listen to (or read) their long, fancy congratulations and well wishes. It could wait.
For all her internal complaining, the knowledge that her family still remembered put a smile on her face. ... It was even colder in the kitchen than it was in her room, and Asa hurriedly set to making herself a warm breakfast. She was standing over the pot, stirring, when her phone gave another buzz. Asa pulled it out of her pocket, and stared at the screen for a few moments, trying to figure out what she was looking at. The festivities, the crowds... is there some kind of event today? ...Oh, right. Asa chuckled, shaking her head. She really does live under a rock, to forget this kind of thing. She glanced at her phone again, now lying on the counter. Was she the only one who found it concerning that someone out there could broadcast to her phone without her knowing? Not that it did any harm, but still.
Asa was never especially interested these events - they meant very little to her. But having nothing better to do while she waited for breakfast, she watched. |
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Lightbringer
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Philip Allen Bell | Male | Unicorn King’s Descendant | M: Open Most of the time and on most days, Philip wouldn’t question his mother. Usually, he’d shrug and settle for watching TV or fool around with his abilities. But this was a different day. This was the big one-eight for him and his mom was telling him to stay home. She had always been over-the-top protective of her “precious baby boy” and every day she’d tell him that she wouldn’t know what to do if something happened to him. Usually, he listened, mainly because he didn’t want to die, but not today. This was one of the rare days where there was no school on his birthday, which also so happened to be the King’s too. Everyone was celebrating and he wasn’t going to be left out. So, of course, he woke up earlier than usual so that he could make it to the coronation on time. He glanced at the wall of clocks. His father was a huge fan of clocks for some reason and somehow persuaded his mom to allow him to dedicate an entire wall to his obsession. Most of them were coo coo clocks or just simple wall clocks, but in the center of them all was the ancient grandfather clock. This was his father’s prize possession. It was well oiled and always clean. Right now, it read 5:59. Then a simple chime sang out of it as the silver hands moved and declared it to be 6:00. He could hear his mom humming in the kitchen and the lovely smell of morning bacon filled his nose. He was tempted to stay. Especially when he saw the bag of red cherries sitting on the table, just begging for him to eat them. The familiar beginning of Don’t Stop Believin’ on the piano entered his ears. Whenever his father wasn’t collecting clocks or working, he was at that piano practicing the same three songs. Most days Phil could block out the ever-going banging of the sticky keys, but today it was as if he had a theme song playing. The words of the 70s band echoed in his mind as he prepared himself to bolt to the door. Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit, he took the midnight train going anywhere He didn’t live in Detroit, nor did he know where that was on the map. It certainly wasn’t midnight, either. It was actually a bright morning. However, it seemed to fit. On his way out, Phil couldn’t help but snag a handful of the cherries. They crunched sweetly in his mouth as he took the keys to the truck from the rack. It had been a while since he had driven; usually his mom dropped him off on her way to work. He forgot his turn signal a couple of times and someone flipped him off because of it. Other than that, things went smoothly. He found all of the convenient parking lots and garages completely filled to the brim. Right as he thought he'd never find a spot, someone flagged him down and told him that he could park in their driveway if he’d pay them fifty bucks. He agreed to the deal and his dad, who forgot his wallet in the car again, ended up sponsoring it. Before he turned off the ignition, Phil's eyes flashed to the clock. It was 6:40, only forty minutes before the coronation. He’d have to run if he wanted a good spot. It seemed that his mother foresaw that he’d have to run at this very moment and for the first time, he was thankful that she had forced him to join track. After getting yelled at and accidentally terrifying an elderly woman, he hitched a ride with a group of friendly strangers. They had given up on parking legally and decided that they’d just drive through the blocked-off streets and in between the tents to see the king. A couple of minutes after getting in, Phil wasn’t too sure if these guys weren’t on something strong. Given that he valued his life and freedom, he asked if they’d drop him off before they rammed the Ford Explore into the safety barriers that lined the roads. The driver was courteous and obliged, even though the rest of the guys disagreed. From then on, Phil raced the clock to see the coronation. He was sure it would be worth it all. He slid in twenty minutes, give or take a few, early to his surprise. Unfortunately, his view was blocked by some rather unattractive people and he concluded that he’d have to fight the crowd to actually see something. It was like cheating a corn maze by running through the actual stalks. He found a weak spot where a couple of twiggy people, like himself, were. Then he had to push through a circus of different people and a couple of times he got stepped on by a few Goliath jocks. In the end, it proved rather useless, and decided to just settle for where he was at. If he saw a pocket open up he’d slip in and he continued to do so for a while, thinking that he was so clever and observant. Then he noticed a lot of empty land up ahead and he stepped out. What an idiot. He had been going in the opposite direction from where he wanted to be. |
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Neutral
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Monika Corvo // The Timekeeper’s Descendant // Mentions: Emery Monika awoke to soft, linen sheets, cloudy pillows, the warm smell of cookies baking in the oven, and a book planted firmly on her face. Had she fallen asleep while reading? It wouldn’t be the first time, anyway. She shook off the book, which promptly fell on the floor with a loud smack on the old hardwood floor of the tiny cramped apartment she and her grandfather lived in. Her room alone was so small, that she barely had enough space to stretch her arms, and even less space to move around in. She had to jump over her bed just to get to the other side! Well, admittedly, the ungodly amounts of books scattered around didn’t help either. Slowly, and with dazed movements, Monika threw off her blanket and got up. What time did she pass out? Three, maybe four? Monika corrected the misplaced glasses on her face, thankfully they weren’t broken. It occurred to her to check the time. 6:20 AM, it read in big white letters on her phone. Below 6:20 AM, was the date. 1st of January. Oh yeah, that’s why there were so many fireworks last night. At the time, Monika didn’t realize it was to celebrate the coming of the New Year. Then another realization hit her, oh shit, it was her eighteenth birthday. And then, yet another, today was Emery’s coronation! Pulling up a messaging app on her phone, Monika sent a quick text to Emery, You okay? Then she placed the phone down back on the nightstand, and as swiftly as she could, got ready. Emery was her only close friend, and she was sure they would be grateful if Monika made it to their coronation. However, she had less than an hour to get in time for the ceremony, taking a quick glance at the window riddled with snowflakes and frosty mist, based on the white blanket that coated the whole city and the accumulating crowds, Monika judged that it would be a while until she got there. She put on a mahogany-colored turtleneck and her only good pair of trousers, then spent a good minute trying to brush through the knots in her hair, gave up, and just resorted to putting it up in a bun. Putting her phone in her back pocket, Monika rushed out of her room. Her senses were suddenly overfilled with the sweet smell of cinnamon and pancakes. In the kitchen, Monika saw her grandfather next to a tall stack of pancakes. When he heard the door open, her grandfather turned with a broad smile on his face, “There’s my birthday girl! You’ve gotten so big...” He wiped away a few tears that welled up in his eye and went to give her a big hug. “Happy birthday, Moni.” The familiar nickname sent shivers through her, she was actually eighteen. “Thanks,” Monika replied, a bit awkwardly. She never got the concept of birthdays, but the time spent with her grandfather and tasty pancakes was surely worth it. “Actually, I think I’ll save breakfast for later. I have to head out.” “Oh?” Her grandfather’s eyes glistened with excitement, he rarely heard those words from her, as she would usually stay cooped up in her room. “Where to?” He questioned, his voice betraying his delight. “The coronation ceremony,” Monika answered though the temptation to stay and just eat cookies and pancakes with her grandfather was as appealing as ever, especially when she thought about all the people, the crowds, and the masses that would be outside in the freezing cold waiting for the crowning of a new King. She resisted that temptation, this was truly once in a lifetime event, and she knew she would regret it if she didn’t go. “I have to run though, else I’ll be late.” “Alright, be safe!” Her grandfather exclaimed as Monika took her long coat, pulled it on, and bolted out of her apartment. Hailing down a cab, Monika got into the back of the taxi, told the driver the directions, and settled down to watch the scenery outside the window for the remainder of the ride. Pure white snow gently fell down all around the city, the festive mood could be felt everywhere, dim decorative lights adorned every corner and the bright new morning marked the beginning of a new year and a new era. After about twenty-five minutes of driving, they finally reached their destination. Monika paid the cab driver all the money that she had in her wallet. Leaving her penniless and miles away from her home. Well, she would just have to walk home. She got out of the taxi, and the biting cold winter air shocked her, a mob had already assembled, eagerly awaiting the start of the ceremony. People were mercilessly pushing and shoving all to get a better view. Monika took a big breath. You can do this, it’s only a crowd. You can do this. She began to push her way through any opening she could find, and soon she was stranded in a sea of people. There were only around ten minutes before the beginning of the ceremony, and Monika hoped she’d at least get somewhere closer to the front before it started. But, most of the time, she spent standing in one place, surrounded by strangers, fumbling and checking her phone every few seconds. It’s only a crowd. |
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Neutral
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:۩:••:۩:••:۩:••:۩:••:۩:••:۩:••:۩:••:۩:••:۩:••:۩: Garvin | M | The Valiant’s Descendant | Mentions; Open :۩:••:۩:••:۩:••:۩:••:۩:••:۩:••:۩:••:۩:••:۩:••:۩: Atop a snow covered roof, sat Garvin. It was at times like these that he was glad for his layers, summer was a totally different story. But it was easier to take layers off than find layers out of thin air to put on. Regardless, he was busy watching the early morning people in this city get ready for whatever the hell was going on. He wasn’t really sure. Con to not going to a formal school, he supposed. He didn’t really need to know though, so it wasn’t too big a deal to him. -- All that really mattered was that even the most corrupt of businesses weren’t open today, New Year’s did that. Which meant he had to wait to try and start anywhere. Which he supposed he could do legally now, since he was 18. If he had identification… Either way, if everyone was going to be celebrating in the streets then the chances of him getting something by the end of whatever it was… Were actually pretty high. So he’d probably head down once the crowds built up more. If they even did. But given that some people seemed to even be trying to decorate the alleyways, he doubted that there wouldn’t be many people not in the crowd. -- It was still early though, with the sun not even truly peeking out from the horizon. Something he was used to, with his life. He hadn’t really been able to actually get to sleep the night before, since New Year’s Eve was always a loud night where people simply didn’t pay as much attention to valuables. Which meant he spent the night stealing as much as possible. Unfortunately, he’d had to stick to a rooftop by the end, since every nearby hotel was either full or closed for the night. Which was kind of stupid in his opinion, but he was used to it. Just meant he would get to see the city sunrise… Which he didn’t really care about. It was cold, even with his layers. And sure, hotel rooms were sometimes just as bad, but they had to have a heater for this time of the year! -- He huffed, and stood from his sitting position on the roof. Moving would be warmer, and even more helpful would be to use his ability to help raise his temperature too. See if he could figure out what could possibly be happening on this loathed date or if it was just something this city did for New Year’s. He hadn’t been here last time, after all. He could pretend to be helping, swipe some stuff from unaware passersby, and figure things out. It seemed like a good idea to him. -- So, he went to one of the sides of the roof facing an alleyway and started descending the stairs there. He guessed they were supposed to be fire escapes but they definitely worked for his purposes too. By the time he reached the bottom, his senses were a bit sharper and he could hear his heart rate speeding up ever-so-slightly. Just enough to help him warm up a bit. The crowd would probably help too, along with staying active. Exiting the alleyway and joining into the slowly growing crowd, his height made it easy to glance around. He started heading in the direction of an area where it looked like people were having a hard time with putting up decorations. Might as well, right? Wasn’t like he had much else to do today, he usually tried to work through this day anyways. -- Reaching the area was pretty easy when you were one of the tallest people around, especially when you were also on alert enough to tell when there was an opening. Which meant he got to where the person was having trouble with ease, and had even managed to swipe a watch on his way over. Something that was now in one of the trench coat pockets that weren’t broken. And, just as he’d thought, the person was having trouble because they were short as fuck. Without hesitation, he grinned and tapped their shoulder, hunching a bit for effect. The person, who hadn’t realized he’d come over, jumped and looked at him. -- “What?” The tone wasn’t the worst Garvin had experienced, probably mostly just a bit on edge from the scare. -- “Ya want some help with that?” He gestured to the banner he was having trouble with, and the person looked at it, and then back at him with their face going red. He kept his grin up as he allowed himself to straighten back to around his actual height. Not to it exactly, but close enough to it for it to be a more comfortable position. -- “I mean, if you don’t mind.” -- The person definitely seemed a bit friendlier now that they’ve seemingly realized that Garvin wasn’t going to jump them. “Of course I don’t mind, wouldn’t’ve asked if I did.” -- And with that, he was handed the banner to put up. Which he did, with the shorty(probably actually just average height) telling him where they wanted it at. When it was up, he could read it. Hopefully. He knew the basics, the stuff that the orphanage had managed to teach him before he ran off. -- ‘Happy 18th birthday and coronation, King Emery!’ -- And… Well, he guessed that explained the crowd. He kept grinning, waved bye to the average sized person he’d been helping, and retreated into a deserted alleyway before his actual adrenaline could push his ability to overdrive. -- His back landed against the wall, and he swallowed a lump in his throat cautiously. He didn’t really know what coronation meant, but that wasn’t what was tripping him the fuck up. The cruel joke from the universe was what was tripping him up. The goddamned king shared a birthday with him. Which meant that no matter where he went, he’d have to deal with that. Forgetting the day existed was going to be shit now, since everyone would always remember the king. Garvin ran a hand through his hair, and pushed it all aside. It was fine, after all. Just meant he had to deal with it. Which he could do. He might as well enjoy whatever was going on, pickpocket if the chance came, and try to pretend he didn’t share this cursed day with probably the most important person ever. -- So, he got himself under control and left the alleyway into the now pretty crowded streets. He’d go with the flow for today. The festivities might help him forget enough for him to pretend the rest. He always had half a pack in a pocket if he decided he wasn’t going to be able to get through it otherwise. He saw a screen, the time read 7:10 AM, and a fancy hall was being broadcasted on it. Seemed appropriate enough for the birthday and, whatever the hell a coronation was, of the king. |
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Darkseeker
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Seraphina || She/They || The Healer's Descendant || M : Open - The thick blankets of snow were the first thing Sera noticed, glistening in the morning sun as its thick embrace smothered anything that would've possibly lain under it. - Beautiful. She's always loved the snow, the way it coats anything it could touch with a temporary layer of white, crystalline individuals that make up such a stunning mass when together. It pulls a smile to her face, seen only by the cool glass of her window and the bare forest beyond. Just waking up, everything else drifts into perspective as Sera leans back into her blankets, the warmth beckoning her back into rest as she lets out a frustrated groan. As much as she'd rather take a nap, the day has come, and with it has come a busy schedule. - Being 18 doesn't feel terribly different- They thought, pulling themself out of bed only to grab a muffin from the countertop, the house silent otherwise, save for the slight twittering of her bird, Milo. Peering into his cage, she murmured a good morning to her beloved pet and dropped off his breakfast as well. Getting ready, she donned a warm outfit and grabbed her wallet, finally set to face the day that awaited her. She pulled open the front door, only to be hit with the bitter breeze, suddenly wishing that she had never left her bed in the first place, but alas, they haven't gotten ready for nothing. - 18, 18, 18... The year so many look forward to, for what again? A little bit more freedom, technically being an adult, and nothing more? Well, nothing more for most, the Coronation probably makes up for it. - Coronation day, the reason so many are out so goddamn early this morn, off celebrating and decorating the streets in honor of the Prince, or King to be, being crowned today. And because of that, she's been given the day off, much to their dismay, being told to go celebrate and enjoy the festivities, although she insisted on working instead. Alas, her pleads fell on deaf ears as thier boss refused to give her the keys to open, and eventually, Sera gave in, although not without promising to work extra hours over the next week instead. - Checking her phone for the time, a faint glow paired with the numbers 7:05 greeted her, granting her only 15 minutes before the ceremony itself would start. Who decided to schedule this so early in the morning- she lamented to herself, trudging through the unshoveled show to the main road, hands deep in her pockets in a feeble attempt to remain warm. Vendors lined the streets, jolly and bustling with life and excitement as minutes drifted by, the ceremony ever closer. The buzz of excitement grew, shouts of praise for their prince, signs and banners to show their support, the commotion almost overwhelming. - She stopped for a coffee, needing something to warm her up before the ceremony itself, exchanging a smile and a few kind words with a fellow before bidding them a good day. Now paired with a hot vanilla latte, Sera was having a good day, smiling down at her cup as steam curled around her face, thawing it slightly from the cold. She didn't mind the ceremonial celebrations, although they did feel a bit dramatic sometimes, some even going far enough to name their children after the current prince or king, kinda creepy in all honesty. But hey, what was Sera gonna do about it. They're just here to enjoy the show, and if that means putting up with a few crazy people, so be it. |
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Lightbringer
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Michael Evans - Male - The Reaper's Descendant - Mentions: N/A
Silence. Blessed silence.
The house was still, silent, peaceful. Not a living thing inside. With the exception of the young man still in bed.
Michael lay on his side, curled up under the wonderfully warm covers. Blanket drawn up to his jaw, face tucked into the soft blanket. He was awake, had been for at least half an hour at this point. He had already gotten up and brushed his teeth and went to the bathroom, but had gotten right back into bed after that. His father was out, probably enjoying the festivities while he remained at home. He stifled a sigh, being eighteen didn't feel any more different. What was he expecting anyways? Something different to happen? While many were happy to go out and have fun in a festival, watching the coronation ceremony that was about to happen, and just having a good time in general; Michael was content to just stay in the warm bed.
He curled his legs up into a position that somewhat resembled the fetal position, although more looser, seeing as he was not curled up that tightly. His entire body was relaxed, eyes closed, breathing slow and steady; he looked entirely at peace, relaxed the way those who are at that state of being still awake or half-asleep are. Sensing himself drifting off to sleep, he slowly opened his eyes, feeling like he had to pry them open. A moment later he gave a yawn so large that he heard and felt his jaw crack. Wiping away the startings of tears that always accompanied a yawn, he lifted his head and looked around his small room. Not much was in it.
I'm legally considered an adult today.
He sure felt the same as he always did. Less angry though.
He didn't really feel like getting up at the moment. Despite the fact that he had been lying there for a while now. Then again, it was his birthday. Unfortunately he had to share the same birth date with the damn king. He was sure some people would be thrilled at that though. While he didn't aim on being lazy for the rest of the day, he was taking the opportunity to just stay in for a while. While he was at the topic of the king, why did people have to be so dramatic? The celebrations were over the top, in his opinion; or maybe it was because he wasn't fond of gaudy things. They went all out, it was ridiculous. He didn't even know the new king, what was their name again?
Emre?
Emele?
Emera?
Ah, he remembered now. Emery.
How was he supposed to celebrate the rise of a new king, when he didn't even know them? Or remember their name, for that matter? This was part of the reason he was just staying in bed. The coronation ceremony was on every television channel. There were a bunch of festivals or whatever the hell is going on to celebrate. Nice thing is, he is alone in the house; no tension, no slinking around his father, it was downright peaceful.
He knew what scene would greet him if he were to get up and look out the window. Small and large and medium sized flakes of snow floating down from the clouds, falling down to join the thick white blanket of snow on the ground from last night's snowfall. It was admittedly a nice day in January. And the snow made everything a beautiful scene. The air outside was crisp with the scent that only cold weather can bring, sharp and knowing. Like petrichor, which seems to enhance the natural smells of things in the dirt, that brings to mind a forest; the scent on the air that winter weather brings speaks of snow and cold and a warning to respect the way that winter can switch from peaceful to blizzards, that it can be easy for winter to take your life if you are not careful.
Michael laid down his head on his pillow, closed his eyes, and enjoyed the warmth he was practically encased in. Content to lie there for a bit longer. |
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Lightbringer
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Emery | Non-Binary | King’s Descendant | M: Monika Do dee-dee doo do doo. No, that doesn’t sound right…. Maybe I should— Do dee-dee duh dah doo. Better, but it needs more… Pizazz! Do dee-dee duh dah do do dah daaah. Emery smiled softly as they glanced down to their mini-synth. Whenever their hands were shaking slightly and they forgot how to breathe, playing tunes always calmed them down. This was definitely one of those moments that required a little calming down. Emery curled tighter into a ball at the sounds of hurried footsteps, the silhouette of someone present across the table curtain. Emery stayed as still and silent as possible before groaning quietly and banging their head against the wall behind them. Was it a stupid idea to be hiding under the snack table? Yes, yes it was. Emery was not an idiot and had already grown to terms with how ridiculous they were being ten minutes ago. Were they going to come out just yet? No, absolutely not. As Emery listened to the hushed and frantic whispers of staff members, Emery snickered slightly as it was clear most of those that were going into a frenzy were those that were not used to working with Emery. Emery had built up a list of the amount of times Emery had given guards heart attacks longer than the list of the times Emery has made it to an event on time, an unbearably short list. From sneaking out of their home and not returning until the next day and sabotaging events in hopes of them being postponed one more day to causing guards unending terror in a more twisted and spooky version of Home Alone traps on Halloween and more, Emery was surprised they had not caused more havoc than all that they already have. Clenching the small pen for their mini-synth in hand, Emery had to try their best not to rip off the traditional clothes they were wearing. The clothes were itchy as hell and Emery looked stupid in them. Emery tried to convince the placeholder king, Mrs. Traditional-And-Everything-Must-Be-Done-By-The-Book, to let them make the horrid thing look better or at least add a hint of gold glitter to make it fancier, but noooooo that would be too much for the people to handle. At least Emery was able to wear makeup still and tie up the front to being a little higher. Otherwise, Emery, being as short— or average as they kept pointing out to people— as they were, would have tripped on the fabric. Do dee-dee duh dah do do dah daaah do dah-dah— Bzzt! Emery froze, staring at their phone with the large non-binary flag, cat face paw, and boba stickers on it as it vibrated. Emery basically leaped to grab their phone before smiling like a dork. Ignoring the messages from Steven and Trent, Emery smiled as they received a message from Doctor Diana, their therapist. Almost no one, barely any of the guards and none of the media, knew about how Emery had been seeing a therapist this past year. Dr. Diana had helped a lot. From dealing with their breakups, their step-dad, and their mom to their ex-friend, Dr. Diana had been a huge relief through it all. While they know they would not be perfect, Emery had been learning to get better with their self-worth and anger and other bad habits thanks to Dr. Diana so it was nice to see a message from her. “knock em dead kid <3” “thanks” Emery paused. “can I still come visit you tomorrow?” “my door is always open” “you’re the best DD” Bzzt! Just then Emery got another message. This time, it was from Monika in proper capitalization, punctuation, and everything like always. Monika was the biggest reader and book nerd in existence so it did not surprise Emery one bit that she would write like an author would. Emery bet she even knew how to use “who” and “whom” properly in a sentence. Honestly, seeing how dumb Emery was and how illiterate they were compared to Monika, it was a shocker that Monika stuck around throughout Emery’s shit. “You okay?” “yeah just a little nervous” Emery thought for a moment before gasping softly, giggling mischievously to themself as they curled around their phone and pulled it close to their chest. “its your bd today right??? we should go celebrate after the ceremony!! we can go to that new shop with all the neat little trinkets and gizmos for something cool!” Emery already had gotten something really cool for Monika’s birthday and was going to surprise her with it, but going to the shop probably would have been a better gift anyways. Maybe, just maybe, if this was over soon enough, Emery might grow the courage to— “Emery, there you are!” their Pops called as he lifted up the table cloth and finally spotted them. Emery froze like a deer in headlights as their father locked onto them with frustration. “Everyone’s been looking all over for you! Have you seriously been here this whole time?!” “Uhhhh… oops?” Emery gave a light hearted smile, tilting their head a little as they tried their best to charm their dad into not scolding them; however, this was not very effective. “Emery, come on… we talked about doing this…!” “Not my fault no one thought to hide under the tables!” Emery huffed, placing their phone on the ground before curling into a ball and resting their chin on their knees. “They should have thought to check here first.” Pops snickered softly, his glare easing up as he kneeled onto the ground. “Yeah, I guess I was the only one smart enough to understand your childishness, huh?” “Wow, rude,” Emery said with a shocked gasp, placing their hand over their heart before sighing dramatically. “I can’t believe you are insulting me like this. My highly sophisticated—” “Sophisticated my ass.” “—hiding spots are always— always— incredible. I mean, no one found me for like— like— twenty minutes!” “Because no one in their right mind would think the future King would hide in such a juvenile spot,” Pops scoffed, looking at Emery with fond eyes as they snickered softly. “Exactly why it was so genius!” Emery shot back. Emery paused and sighed as they ran a hand through their hair. “Do you think I’ll… you know? Fuck it all up somehow? I-I don’t know maybe— I do know if I am going to be a good King.” “Emery,” Pops mumbled softly, gently reaching under the table and grabbing their hand, “you’re an amazing kid.” His eyes drifted away as Emery could see the cogs in his head turning to think of what else to say. “You— You are just… I— I am so lucky to have you as my child.” Pops finally managed to look back at Emery with teary eyes before gently squeezing their hand. “Your mother would be so… so proud of you if she could see you now.” “Dammit, Pops,” Emery mumbled, unable to stop themself from shaking, “I can’t cry ‘cause I’ll ruin my makeup!” Pops chuckled faintly before tugging Emery out of the safety of the space under the table and into the light and a tight hug. Emery hesitated to hug their dad back before sighing, stuffing their face into their shoulder with a smile as they hugged them back. “मैं आपको प्यार करता हूं, डैड।.” “मैं भी तुमसे प्यार करता हूँ, मेरे छोटे शासक।. Now, help me stand. I think I broke my old man knees by kneeling down.” *~*~*~* Emery took a deep breath, glancing back to their dad who gave supportive thumbs up. Emery chuckled faintly and smiled before walking onto the stage. Screaming and cries from the fans flooded Emery’s ears like a tsunami as the cold wind whipped and slashed at their faces like sharpened knives. Emery waved and smiled to the crowd, their pointed teeth shining in the light. Walking over to the mic, Emery gripped the stand as they looked into the crowd. Almost instantly the voices hushed, the people staring with wide eyes as they waited. “How’s everyone doing today??” Emery asked loudly, the speakers carrying their voice through the crowd loud enough to cause them all to burst into cheers. Emery waited a moment to let the sound die down before chuckling. “It’s good to have such an enthusiastic crowd with me here today.” Emery bit their lip, looking down as they took the mic off the stand. “You know, it is a huge honor to be before you today. So many smiling and lovely faces!” Emery took a few steps towards the edge of the stage as they waved to the people in the first row with a beaming smile. “It is such an honor not just because I get to be your King but that—” Emery backed up before motioning to the crowd— “I also get so many amazing people here with me— supporting me— today.” Emery clasped the mic with both hands and they bowed their head to the crowd. “So thank you—all of you— and I can’t wait to share these next few minutes with you!” |
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Darkseeker
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Anniss "Aspen" Ijokre | Female | The Common Man's Descendant | Garvin "WE LOVE YOU, KING EMERY!"
Her arms woke before her eyes and she practically flung herself out of bed, landing on the floor with a crack. Her head whipped to the side to see people cheering right outside her window, holding sparklers and smiling in the light of the rising sun. Ah... my head. She didn't like to live where she did. Closing her eyes, she raised a hand to her skull as she slowly woke up. Living close to a center like this one... well, it was certainly loud. She wasn't used to loud. Not that she could afford much else; her boss refused to give her a raise, despite working the same job for two years, and the fact that she'd managed her own home for much of that time. That's right. I'm eighteen now, aren't I? Hand moving from her face, she pushed herself to lean on her bed and reached a hand up for her phone. She clicked the power button, only to see that no messages had popped up on-screen. She sighed. Happy birthday to me...
Getting up, she quickly pulled the shades down next to her bed. It was too early for something like this. What was it again? The King's Coronation? Shame she didn't have anyone to drag her into it, but as she was already there, she might as well celebrate with someone rather than no one. After all, it's not like her siblings cared. It's not like her own mother cared. She'd missed so many birthdays because of that woman, even though it was on the very first day of the very first year of the twenty-first century, at almost exactly midnight. At least she always had New Year's Eve, though. Not that it was ever enough.
She walked out the door, not bothering to brush her hair. It was a good thing she'd fallen asleep in her clothes last night- it meant she didn't have to go through the arduous process of dressing herself, changing her shoes, all that nonsense. Checking her phone, she noted the time: 6:51 AM. Too early, but a good time to go get breakfast. She checked her wallet, quickly pulling out a slim five dollars that she could go to Dunkin's with. Stretching it thin, there. As soon as she stepped out of the door, she floated with the crowd. They seemed to be circling some type of decked-out area that was shown on the big screen- and she was in the front row, seen ever so slightly in the background. She did not want to be in the front row. But for her, going against the crowd flow was significantly harder than going with it. More than a few times she just stopped, staring at the sunrise then moving her eyes to the street slush, dark with dirt and oil stains and, of course, the occasional dog waste. She had to plant her feet deeply not to get pulled in by the shifting crowd, and after what seemed like a lifetime, finally made it out alive. And only one person had given a glance in her direction. It didn't bother her, of course. Aspen just looked back, a faint smile on her face, and they had looked away. That was because, you see, when people believe you're happy, they don't believe they have a need to notice you. Because when you're happy, you don't have a worry, and people are drawn to worries. She wasn't exempt from this rule, of course. Unlike many she knew who were uncomfortable with the thought of facing someone that knows death, she would gladly look them in the eye and wait for them to say whatever they needed to. It was her curse, but it was also her blessing. She better knew her neighbors that way. It was 7:01 by the time she'd made it to the edge, and her hunger had faded as time did. It was alright, though. She could use that money later. Having nothing better to do for the moment, she pushed herself flat against the wall of a home- her home, as she came to notice- and waited for something, anything to happen. And she was rewarded by seeing a man pull someone's watch right off their wrist. Ah, a pickpocket. She doubted he'd notice her, sitting against a wall and invisible as she was, watching the crowd go by. There were plenty of pickpockets at the celebration, but something seemed... different about that single, quick-handed man. She couldn't quite place it, but something was so off about him, and about him being there. It was peculiar, to say the least. Aspen kept her eyes on the man, watching as he did... whatever he was doing. At one point, he disappeared, walking into an alleyway not far from her own. It wasn't long before her eyes caught back up with him, though. Something in his face made him stick out like a sore thumb- at least to her. So, as he blended into the crowds, she followed far behind, weaving a path through the people that gradually parted for her unassuming self. In times like these, she was grateful to be able to follow the crowd as just an ordinary woman. It made following people much easier. And after a few minutes of staying nearby, she looked down at her phone again. 7:20 AM. The defining moment of her life, of all of their lives... would be stacked on one single occurrence. How fitting. |
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Winter 
Day 
