Shadows of Sandfield RP Thread

"It is ultimately his choice to make" said James. "I just doubt that Jayden is going to get better by hiding from it all, he knows that the fantastical is all around him now, even his mother is involved. Pretend as he might, he can't just put the cat back in the bag."

He shrugged. "I guess I'll head off as well. Sorry that this went of the rails."

Matthew

"What happens from here on is ultimately Jayden's choice...and thus I think we should not spam up the group chat. Let him have some alone time in there." Matthew sighed and headed for the door too, ready to call this a night. One hell of a night, at that. This did show that he had to be more conscious when someone came in with certain expectations...

As he left, he told Heather, "By the way, with how you reacted to the news about Jayden's diabolism...I'd really think it'd be wise not to confront him about it. He doesn't need the additional pressure."

With that, Matthew started walking home.

Mina and Xander

By contrast, Mina and Xander started to enjoy a pizza, some corndogs, and salad - Mina getting some soda while Xander just drank some lemonade. He made sure all the seasonings were on the table, and leaned back between bites of food. This...this was honestly kind of the good life. He couldn't find it in himself to regret even a moment of tonight. They finally kissed, and enjoyed themselves so far apart from all the action...

He remembered what he told James. He remembered the exception the boy had taken to the idea.

"Maybe..." Xander contemplated, "...Maybe we could run for the AC Transit that'll be leaving from outside here heading out. Just the two of us. Make it to the big city, San Francisco after we transfer a few times. Find our own way, apart from...all of this." He gestured toward the door leading back out to the Sandfield night in Downtown.

Mina Parker

"Wh-What about your f-father?" Mina asked, pausing in her sipping of soda. "He seems like a very m-materialistic person. And you're h-his son. I don't think he'll be w-willing to let you go j-just like that." She snapped her greasy fingers for emphasis and sighed, taking another bite of her salad and then another bite out of her pizza.

"And my p-papa...he's not the p-problem on my end," she continued, looking downcast. "I'd be more w-worried about my m-mama. She's...if she r-really left home for n-nearly all my life up until now f-for the sake of her w-work, then she'll n-never stop hunting us. She'd be absolutely r-ruthless. I h-have a feeling she'd make your dad l-look like a real s-saint by comparison."

Edited by JumpingFruit on Feb 28th 2022 at 2:49:10 AM

The Failed Stake Out

Heather stopped in her tracks as Matthew passed her by, one hand clenching at the request to not bring up the obvious problem of working with someone who'd thrown their lot in with the demons. Of course, given everything that happened tonight Heather was starting doubt almost everything about the people she'd fallen in with as allies.

"Alright. I shall just... Sharpen my blades until raid time then..."

And with that Heather began the tense walk home, the whole time with one hand on her sunglasses in case something else wanted to come along and make her night worse.

Matthew - Failed Stake Out

Matthew nodded, and kept moving. He did however log the way Heather seemed to be behaving, as well as what went on as something to be aware of. He was...familiar with that kind of behavior and tone. If need be, he'd warn James. But for now he decided to just wait and see what happened. He doubted he'd need to take personal action. Things didn't seem to be that far along yet.

Mina and Xander

"My dad? He doesn't care. At all," Xander shook his head, "He's more concerned with the power and position he stands to get from...what's gonna happen..." Xander ate a bit more as he related his position. "Antonius has been more of a father to me than my actual adopted father has ever been. Kellon...he adopted me more to try and make me a weapon than anything else...but now, I'm something he doesn't need so strictly any more. He might make a token effort, but nothing I can't handle."

Xander breathed, "Feathers of Khaos...sorry for dragging all this back up." He paused and contemplated, "Your mom...uh, Mrs. Veronica Parker...I can't say much about her. She made Oron'gur, but I don't think she's staying around for whatever may come. It's really hard to get a read of her."

Helen

Helen damn near dropped her phone.

Matthew Streiss? As in...the same person who'd taken Jayden to that party? One of his...friends? She straightened her spine, forcing herself to inhale. She'd just thought they were delinquents, but now...

"Permission granted," she said, keeping her voice calm.

The Gardner House

"Understood, ma'am. I'll go ahead 'n' relay the data to our employer and proceed as directed, as wolverines can be quite a disagreeable animal...and just as well, apologies for interruptin' any goings on you had tonight. Friedrich out." And with that the phone call ended...

Meanwhile in Jayden's room, he would hear the sound of a flitting bird around his room. Something he possibly had not thought about in some time...

Pablo seemed to just bolt out of the door, taking a pace that resembled a jog. He looked around, feeling oddly restless. As it was, there was still a lot coming, and he just was in a weird tornado, with things just happening and him just barely able to react.

He looked forward, imagining himself an enemy he could hit, and started taking a boxer stance. His fists started flying as he seemed to enter a small trance. Hook, jab, straight...

It was always his respite, working out. In every storm, coming or happening, his body is a shelter.

This'll be a shitshow He thought But I'll face it, jacked and ready

Mina Parker

"My m-mother...well...I've h-heard that when she s-slits a throat, she n-nearly takes the entire h-head off," Mina repeated nervously. "I'd r-rather not make an enemy of h-her if that's the c-case, and I just m-met her. I don't know wh-what her endgame is, or if I f-factor into it at all. I d-don't want her to hurt y-you, for all that she t-tried to flirt with you at the g-gala."

"And if th-this thing they're trying s-succeeds..." she trailed off a bit here, looking over her shoulder. "...Who's to say th-that the r-rest of the world won't be made unsafe a-anyways? We'll always b-be looking over our sh-shoulders. That's no w-way to live. That's no w-way to live at all."

Edited by JumpingFruit on Mar 6th 2022 at 5:05:25 AM

Jayden

...huh? Jayden lifted his head from the pillow to see...

"Oh. You. Forgot. All the stuff going on..." He sighed, slumping downwards. "Sorry. For...everything."

Jayden and Isabella

"It is alright, Jayden." Isabella answered, pecking at one of her wings and then looking at him, "I...happened to overhear your problems. And I believe there is someone who I can guide you toward in the past, whose perspective may prove valuable to you. If you desire to utilize such an option."

She seemed sincere and quite concerned for him, and unlike the other Demons, gave no indication of any unholy nature.

Mina and Xander

Xander for his part seemed to look down as if thinking about this, breathing - looking at his hands and then he just nodded. "Yeah...yeah you're right. For the longest time, I fantasized about just...running. Finding my own place. But just leaving things how they are...it isn't right. Make no mistake - I worship the Dark Gods, but my father...isn't the Gods. He isn't Antonius, and he damn well isn't gonna tell me how to live."

Xander shook his head and then reached into his pocket, taking out what looked like a black and gold mechanical key. "If anyone asks, say you stole this from me during our dance. This...is a key to Orcath Base's rear entrance. If what I suspect about my dad is right, it'll be right near the ritual chamber. But be careful. Whatever you do, he isn't to be underestimated."

Edited by NickTheSwing on Mar 9th 2022 at 4:36:17 AM

James began to head home, leaving the way he came. He should have known things would culminate in this manner. Jayden had been on a steady decline since they were first introduced to magic. He hoped they would be able to get their shit together in time for the assault, they didn't exactly have any other options. At least the other three seemed to be doing alright. At least he could rely on Mina, and Pablo seemed to be a similarly trustworthy sort. Whatever happened, they would have to go forward with their plan. It was what it was. He sighed.

His thoughts turned to Mina, she was in a similarly precarious situation, but she seemed to know the stakes much better. He doubted she'd ever been under the assumption that her father was anything but a scoundrel, and it wasn't as if Xander was going to win her over to his menagerie of psychopaths. Come to think of it, she might be able to take her unseemly suitor out of the equation beforehand. Despite James' personal distaste, he couldn't say he particularly wanted to hurt Xander. The boy was clearly the tragic product of a deeply traumatic upbringing; but if the choice was between between harming Xander and letting innocents suffer, the choice was pretty damn clear.

Mina Parker

"...Th-Thank you, Xander," Mina stuttered, taking the key and putting it into her jacket pocket. "I w-will put it to good use, I p-promise. And there's s-something else I have to t-tell you, in the interest of b-being honest."

She let a rush of breath out and the words came tumbling out along with it. "I w-was just going to use y-your invitation to the b-ball as an excuse to s-spy on people all along. B-But somewhere along the w-way, you were j-just so nice to me, and...I f-fell in love. I d-don't want to deny my f-feelings for you any m-more. B-Based on what you j-just said, you've f-felt used all your l-life. I don't w-want you to be hurt like th-that any more. Y-You're someone I've come to c-care for, and I don't want you to m-misunderstand who I am wh-what I tried to do before," she said, her gaze dropping to her feet but rising up to meet Xander's eyes as she spoke. "Are you s-sure that you still want to l-love me?"

Edited by JumpingFruit on Mar 20th 2022 at 8:14:02 AM

Jayden

"..."

If Jayden hadn't spent the last few weeks being thrown headfirst in a world he was in no way ready for, he might've accepted the offer. Hell, he might've even been excited for it.

But he had. And he wasn't.

So instead, he just narrowed his eyes at her. "What's the catch?"

Because if there was one thing all this had taught him, it was that there was always a catch.

Jayden and Isabella

"There is no catch." Isabella stated in response, "I see that you need help, and I offer you the chance to talk to someone who could help." She flitted about, head moving side to side. Almost like a real bird.

Xander for his part looked down for a moment. He...did kind of figure. But the fact of the matter was, all this still happened. She still did go for all this. She kissed him honestly. And she hadn't actually used him. And besides - it wasn't like he was entirely blameless. That...had been more or less the plan on their end. "...Yes."

He then moved forward and kissed Mina on the lips lightly again. Whether this ended well or poorly, he was gonna commit to it. Whatever may come.

"Whatever may come, I'm just glad we could be honest with each other tonight."

Jayden

...fuck it.

"Sure." He held out a hand and waited.

Isabella's Time Travel

Isabella lightly pecked Jayden's hand, and in an instant, her head was replaced - yet again - by a galaxy as Jayden found himself drawn into it. This time the sequence seemed to speed by around him as he slowly fell into the body of his ancestor - back in England, during the Viking Wars. As Jayden entered awareness of his surroundings, he would hear a pair of nuns chatting as they walked past his room;

"...I cannot believe we allow such a—-a beast among us - and as clergy, no less! You've seen him, haven't you? Tall as two of the tallest men, claws upon his hands! And he says he only wants to pray..."

An older nun scolded the younger one, "Lilah, it is not our place to question anyone's piety. If such a beastman desires to live a life of peace, we should abide."

The younger replied, "Very well, Sister. I admit it, when he's in there, like now...I am afraid! I am!"

The older sighed, "Then pray elsewhere than the main building. Did Jesus not say to pray into the closet? What difference does the location make?"

And with that the two of them walked on.

Jayden

...okay. Great. He'd gone back to a time where a monster was part of the clergy. That was...lovely. Really set the tone of this trip to the past, didn't it.

Jayden sighed and headed over to the door. Alright. Time to find whoever she wants me to talk to.

Knowing my luck, probably the monster.

The Past

It would not take long for Jayden to find his way to the Church's main building. And even less time after arriving to see exactly what the younger nun had been talking about. The bestial figure of Gorrav Malloq could hardly be disguised by even the priestly garbs he wore - his somewhat bear-like, somewhat lupine features cut a rather intimidating profile alone. Sticking out of the enormous cobbled together priestly attire's sleeves were the beastman's claws...currently pressed together in prayer.

It seemed he had personally put together this outfit - consisting of multiple dissonant pieces of cloth all haphazardly strewn together. Even for a Beastman, Gorrav was enormous, standing at about 12 feet tall.

Yet, for such a monstrous individual, there was a sense of peace to his presentation. He didn't respond whatsoever to Jayden's entrance, simply continuing his reverie...at least, until he seemed to detect something. He huffed, sniffing the air, looking slightly to the side to look at Jayden, "...this...is not your time frame, is it now?" His voice seemed quiet - most likely out of respect for the church. After a pause, the beastly priest stated, "I smell...trepidation, tension, anxiety...ask what you wish at your leisure."

Edited by NickTheSwing on Mar 23rd 2022 at 11:36:21 AM

Jayden

Jayden froze, his blood turning to ice as he saw the monster-priest, mouth drying with fear. "U-um." What was he supposed to say? What could he say? Oh, this was a bad idea, he should just go—

Then the man turned to him.

Ask what you wish at your leisure.

What he wished.

What did he wish?

...right.

"I don't want to."

His voice was small.

"I don't want to ask questions. Every time, the answers just— just make everyone miserable. I..." He took a deep, shuddering breath. "I'm so tired. Tired of questions, tired of investigating, tired of..."

Everything.

"So...no. I have nothing to ask. I don't want the answers."

There. Not much, but it was enough.

The Past

The figure of Gorrav didn't move, even as he listened to Jayden. He responded after a moment, "It is only in the nature of living to ask questions, and desire answers. Tell me, then, why you feel as if the answers incite misery? Perhaps we can discuss these things."

He turned to look more at Jayden.

Jayden

"Because..." He hesitated. "It's too much."

There was a brief silence.

"I might be able to handle it better if everything were spaced out, but— it's not. It's just one thing after another, and all the things are bad things and...ugh." Jayden slumped his shoulders. "I'm sorry. I probably sound whiny. I probably am whiny."

God, what's wrong with me?

The Past

"You've seen and undergone much," Gorrav replied, "Explaining your feelings and misgivings is not whining. You have seen a lot of darkness, relative to what your life was like before - your mana scent is fresh, but troubled. You were catapulted, from the security of home into a world that seemed altogether so much more vast than you could have known."

"If you want my opinion on such matters," he seemed to look toward a window a moment, "The world is vast, and overwhelming. There are more things in heaven and earth than one can hope to comprehend. If one cannot take things one step at a time, then focus on whatever is most important to you, or ask your friends for assistance."

Jayden

Focus on whatever is most important to you.

...what was most important to him? His research had been, once, but that was off the table. As for asking his friends for advice...maybe. But they felt too involved. Too caught up in this world to offer anything helpful.

Were they even friends? Jayden barely knew them outside of the investigation. He didn't know their interests, or what their lives were like, or what they wanted, or...anything.

...god. Only now was he noticing how pathetic he really was.

"I-I think I know the problem," he said, slowly. "Well...the biggest one. I-I feel like...I don't have an identity anymore."

He hesitated, then carried on. "I've defined myself as the paranormal investigator so long that I never really...developed anything outside of that. Nothing caught my interest. Now that I've lost that, I..." Another hesitation. "I don't even know who I am. I feel like a stranger to myself. Or a servant with no purpose outside of others' whims. I don't..." Despite himself, he let out a bitter chuckle. "I don't know my friends, I barely know my family, and I have no idea who I am. So where does that leave me?"

The Past

"If I may be so bold," Gorrav stated, "Do what you feel is the right thing. Whenever you feel lost, remember that even if you do not know them, you can always do right by those around you. Life is too short to make one thing the sum total of your existence. There is always time to find the way, and a light guiding forward to bring you and others forward. Ultimately, your identity is shaped by you moment by moment, and what is most important is what you do with the time and position you have."

"I believe you have a decent, moral head on your shoulders." Gorrav nodded, "And even if the world is a frightful and dark place at times..." He gestured toward one of the windows, left open, "There is always beauty to be found in kindness and bravery."

A seemingly normal tree, resting in the courtyard, began to suddenly bloom - bright red blossoms of mana-formed dew forming and then scattering on the winds. The light caught on these mana-forms, casting each of them a different color as they moved through the air before dissipating.