In this world, Magic is Everything. All people, all races, are granted with the power to perform mystical and magical feats via grimories, mystical tomes granted to each and every child on their 15th birthday. Those blessed by the mana can have their names written down in legend.
Shattered Grimoires is the work of the mind(s) of Ardere & Shattered Grimoire's staff. All characters and content are copyright their creators, and may not be replicated without their creators' permission. Black Clover is owned by Yuki Tabata and published by Viz Shonen Jump. All images belong to their original owners. The theme you are currently viewing was made by Eliza of ElizaCodes exclusively for Shattered Grimoires.
[attr="class","textie"]He was home...How long had he been gone? Time moved differently in Cephoh's than it did outside, though he wanted to see his mother, and Alphonse again. But upon coming home he had found their home empty, no trace of the two of them ever having lived there. It was strange, and he could feel his heart keep breaking as he wandered this strange, but familiar land. Everything was the same, but at the same time it wasn't. His mother, and Alphonse should have both been here, but they were missing, and he didn't know why, or if they had been killed during that strange distortion that Abraxas had saved him from. So he sat on the steps of his home, and was just gazing out into the distance doing his best to not crumble into dust. There was only one place for him to go after this, and that was to the last bastion of his heart, the Golden Dawn.
He couldn't help, but wonder if Zaven was still around, or if he had been killed during that event as well, and if he hadn't would he be changed as so many others had been? Was Sylvester going to be alive this time? Though he quickly squashed that hope the moment it even creeped into his heart. He didn't want to give himself that sort of hope only to be broken all over again. How many people had he lost now? Was this the duty of a Magic Knight to always fail to protect those that were close to you. It was morbidly amusing almost, to dedicate yourself to protecting others, and then failing the ones you loved the most. He just sighed because if he didn't do at least that he knew that he was going to break down, and start sobbing.
"I need to collect myself...Perhaps when I get back to the Golden Dawn base everything will become clearer..." The thought was silent to himself as he just continued to sit on the steps of his now abandoned home.
The most striking feature besides his silvery hair that hung down his back, was the tattered Golden Dawn robe that he wore. It was covering up his tattered clothing at the moment, as it looked like he had just gotten back from a war. To many that is how it would seem as he disappeared after Samson surrendered without a trace, and was now just going to appear out of the blue. Though from what he could tell of this strange world, perhaps it would have been better if he had just remained in Cephohs Forest. There was nothing here that he wanted to think of.
Thankfully it was at least morning so he wasn't getting to many strange looks right now, but he knew that as more people woke up, and started their days errands, he would probably get some strange looks. Running his fingers through his hair he let out another sigh trying to keep himself composed.
Post by Genesis Fantome on Aug 12, 2020 23:50:05 GMT -5
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Genesis Fantôme
La Poste
A lithe figure can be seen making her way towards town. Long crimson hair rippled down past her waist, swinging freely as its owner strolled casually into Kiten, her hometown. The young woman had just left from the presence of another mage, a wraith user. It was a strange encounter, meeting someone in her secluded training grounds. Truth is, she was slightly annoyed that someone had dared intruded in her sacred space, although the woods did not belong to anyone, much less a nobody like her.
A sigh escaped from her ruby lips. It irked her more than she would care to admit, as she liked her privacy and her secrets. Such were the ways of those in shadows, and she was no exception. The only person she had ever really opened up to was her adopted mother. The latter was the only one who had willingly taken in the orphan. Upon seeing the strange scar across her eye, all had deemed the babe cursed. Though many had taken pity when they found the crying bundle on the outskirts of town, none dared to bring the unlucky child into their home.
Save but one. An old woman who lost her husband and children to the Diamond Kingdom was the one who accepted the babe with open arms, and as such, the girl grew up dutiful and loyal to the kind soul who raised her. Her desire to protect her adopted mother was the reason why she took up training in ki and in knives.
There were still some sweat marks on her forehead from her training earlier in the morning. Through her difficult childhood, she had found ki to be extremely helpful, both in its meditative and sensory usages. She was somewhat of a perfectionist, at least when it came to herself and her skills. If there was something she could improve upon, she would work at it until it was better. After all, there was no one else who could do it for her. She was her own greatest enemy, but also her best comrade. There was no one she could rely on more than her own skills, hence her obsession with honing her physical abilities. Unfortunately, that also meant she spends much of her time by herself.
As she entered town, the young woman headed straight back to her temporary lodgings. However, on the way, she noticed an unfamiliar presence on one of the empty houses. It was a strange sight, a grown man sitting on the steps of an abandoned place. Her steps slowed, and from the corner of her eye, she studied the stranger curiously. He looked as if he owned the place, yet at the same time, seemed like a foreigner. Where had he come from? Who was he?
Her questions would go unasked, and she would have walked past without a second thought if she had not caught wind of some of his words. Normally, she was not in the business of prying into other people's lives, much less approaching strangers without good reason. However, her curiosity was piqued and her attitude bold. “Go jump in the lake for a swim.” She muttered in response, loud enough for the man to hear but quiet enough for it to be easily missed.
Notes & Stuff
OOC: Apologies, my first posts are always terrible. ^^; But ALSO nice template!
[attr="class","textie"] "Go jump in the lake for a swim..." Came the response that he didn't think he'd get as his eyes snapped to attention to the red head who had spoken to him. It was abundantly clear that he was very aware of his surroundings, though she had wanted him to hear which is why she said it so loud, or so he thought. Teal eyes looked at her, slitted pupils almost like a reptiles, as he gauged her, she was someone that he didn't recognize, though that was hardly surprising anymore. She had taken the time to speak to him, and he quickly let the loose strands of his hair fall back into place, concealing his ears from her view. He was already different enough, he didn't need for people to see him any more different. Standing up, he walked a few steps toward her, folding his arms over his chest, he tried to piece together anything, that he might know of her.
But nothing came to mind she was completely new to him, and that wasn't a bad thing at least this wasn't someone he knew who had then changed.
"I'll pass..." came the soft reply as he continued to look at her, noting the scar across her eye, but he didn't seem that bothered by it. Warriors often held scars like that, which meant that she was a fighter of some kind. Though what kind remained to be seen, but he wasn't looking for a fight at the moment. "You are from here...?" It was another short statement as if he wasn't keen on talking to others, but he was doing it.
The truth was Vulkan just needed a distraction, and no matter how brief it was, this red head was giving him one. His tone was soft, almost melodic when he spoke, like he was afraid of raising his voice higher for some reason. Though seeing her sent a pang of pain in his heart as he felt the absence of his partner Abraxas that much more. If the little dragon were here, he'd no doubt be doing his best to get Vulkan to muster up the nerve to ask this woman out, or embarrass him in front of her in one of his many amusing ways. He winced for a split second, at the thought, and forced himself to keep those thoughts locked up for now until he could find a place to release the pent up emotions that he was constantly feeling right now.
So instead he kept his gaze locked into the strangers eyes while he waited for an answer, knowing full well that he was a stranger in a strange land to these people. But to him this was his home, where he had grown up, trained, and read more books on knights, and dragons than he could possibly count. All of those things had inspired him to become a Magic Knight, and made him want to get strong enough to protect those close to him. But that list was dwindling by the day...
Post by Genesis Fantome on Aug 13, 2020 21:34:05 GMT -5
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Genesis Fantôme
La Poste
It seemed like the man had indeed caught wind of her muttered response. Genesis could sense the subtle shift in the air, the slight actions and head movements that indicated he heard her. Her steps had slowed down to a halt, just a few long strides away from the steps where he was sitting on. His answer had been just as soft, barely enough for her to hear it.
While he had been gauging her, the young woman had also been doing her own study of him. Even though he was sitting down, she could tell that he was a tall individual. Much taller than her 5’5” frame, at least. But what really drew her attention was the tattered Magic Knights robe he donned. Though she was not particularly familiar with all the squads and such, she knew enough that it belonged to the Golden Dawn faction. From her limited knowledge, most knights in that group were primarily nobles, or at least of noble lineage. Assuming that he was one, despite the robe’s sorry state, what was a noble like him doing here in Kiten?
“Then go train.” Assuming that he is, or was, a Magic Knight, that was what they usually did anyways, right? Although it was curious as to why that mantle was in such a sad shape. It looked like he had just been through a battle and just came back. To her knowledge, there had not been any major wars since the Shattering. Perhaps he was in a patrol that encountered an unexpected skirmish? She could only wonder.
"You are from here...?"
Clear grey-green eyes now turned to stare at him, trying to determine if he was one to be trusted. She did not usually give out personal information without first being convinced of the other’s intentions. He did not seem the type to stalk her after sunset, but she can never be too careful. “And if I am?” Even if he was trying to make small talk, she was still wary.
However, the situation demanded civility, and she was still courteous enough to provide that. “Are you?” Her head cocked ever so slightly to the side. She was still trying to sense if he had any malicious intentions towards her. “I don’t recall seeing you around here.” Judging by the casual way he sat there, she would assume he used to own the place, or at least was familiar with the area.
Genesis jutted her chin out, motioning towards the robe he wore. “What’s a Golden Dawn knight like you doing here?” Though her words seemed hostile, her tone was almost flat, cleverly hiding her curiosity about the stranger. Since she was already bluntly asking for his information, might as well go all the way and get directly to the point.
[attr="class","textie"]She had told him to go train, and if this had been before everything had happened perhaps he would have smiled at that, but it was like a piece of him was missing right now. He couldn't even muster the energy to pretend to smile, so he continued to gaze at her his lips in a soft line. Though her reaction to him asking if she was from here, gave him a few clues, though nothing concrete. That was when she fired one question after another toward him, all reasonable ones. Was he from there, what was a Golden Dawn knight doing in Kiten, and then the final one. Who was he? The last question struck a cord with him that he hadn't expected it to, but he continued to just look at the red head here. His arms still folded over his chest in a defensive manner.
"I see..." was the only thing that he said for several seconds. "I am Vulkan..." he introduced himself to her not asking her name in return, since she was just as evasive as he was, he figured she'd tell him if she really wanted to. It was difficult to answer her questions fully, because he didn't truly know the answers to anything anymore. "My mother lived here once...But something is wrong..." his brow furrowed as he thought about it.
Nothing was correct, when had entered Cephoh's everything was fine, but when he left it was as if the world had been changed with that strange distortion. Everything was both right, and not right at the same time, and he just flared his nostrils in frustration. Those slitted teal eyes rested on hers for a moment.
"Tell me...What happened...How long was I gone?" he needed an answer, he needed to understand why everything was both the same, and different. It was vexing him. "Things are not as I remember them..." the look on his face would be sadness, frustration, and utter confusion at his situation.
Vulkan was usually able to solve most of his problems either via brute force, or with help from his friends, but this wasn't just as simple as blasting away a bunch of monsters, or clearing the path of debris. Something had gone wrong in the world, and he needed to understand it fully. Otherwise he thought he might go insane trying to figure out this strange new land he had come to. Running his fingers through his long silvery hair once more absently, he had forgotten that it was concealing his ears. Briefly for a moment she'd be able to see the pointed ears that were hidden underneath that long hair. It was just another thing that made him different now, but at the end of the day all he wanted was to find his mother, and Alphonse. To let them know that he was okay, and to make sure that they were okay.
Maybe this stranger had some inkling on his mothers whereabouts, or maybe she didn't...
Post by Genesis Fantome on Aug 15, 2020 3:23:40 GMT -5
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Genesis Fantôme
La Poste
Ah, it seemed like she had hit a nerve. The truth is, the simplest and most basic of questions often held the greatest mysteries towards truth, and she had unknowingly entered that territory. The red-haired woman stood there with her head slightly cocked to the side, one hand on her hip, just a few inches away from Chuchote. Just in case. One could never be too careful.
Vulkan, was it? It sounded lofty and sophisticated. She would not be surprised if he was nobility. In fact, his tone and mannerisms all pointed to such a fact. The elegant way he moved and spoke—or was it just a Golden Dawn thing? Most men she has met were battle hardened and ruthless, cold and callous. Hence, it had influenced her to act accordingly. In this pitiless world where the stronger trampled on the weaker, she had to build her walls high and strong in order to survive. It was interesting how the man before her did not fit into that preconceived mold.
“Your mother?” She echoed. An unexpected pang shot through her heart. That brought back memories of her own adopted mother. The only one who she had ever fully opened up to, the only one she has trusted in completely. Just hearing about it triggered something in her. She has yet to know if it was a good thing or not. Regardless, his willingness to be vulnerable was another form of courage, and she appreciated it. However, it was not in her personality to say it out loud, despite her acknowledgement of it.
“When has the world ever been right?” Her tone held a trace of bitterness and hostility, though not towards the man. The world as she knew it was bleak and cold, where only the strong survived. Either become strong, or become clever. Genesis held his gaze steadily, daring him to be the first to look away. Despite her commoner status, she was not afraid to look at anyone in the eye.
Now his questions were becoming a little strange. “What do you mean, what happened?” Her eyebrows furrowed, not understanding. “Are you talking about what happened after the daemon turned the world upside down?” Everyone knew about the legendary fight, the brave heroes who sacrificed their lives to protect Clover Kingdom. However, as a mere citizen, she did not know many of its details, nor was any given to the common people.
From the looks of it, he seemed to have lost track of time...or has time lost track of him? “Where have you been?” Perhaps if she knew that, she could possibly piece together what happened to this Magic Knight. But then the young woman realized he himself might not know that, since the inquiries he posed were the most basic of questions.
Her mind tried to connect the pieces together. Was he someone from the past? It was true that after the Shattering, many things have changed, some in realms beyond the physical world. Perhaps he was someone who had unfortunately been caught up in all that? Genesis watched him run his fingers through his ear, briefly revealing the ears that marked him as different. However, nothing changed on her facial features. Those who had elven blood in them did find themselves looking a little differently after the Shattering, but to the shadow mage, it was not a big deal. Who cared what they looked like? As long as they had their skills and craft honed to excellence, or were at least working towards that, she could care less of what race they were from.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can help you much.” She said shortly, blunt and to the point. However, because he asked for the whereabouts of his mother, she did feel a bit sorry for him. At least she knew exactly where her mother was buried. Her own hands had dug and laid it to rest, after all. Her voice softened a little. “What’s her name? Maybe you can ask around and see if you can find anyone you know previously? Perhaps the town records might have something?”
[attr="class","textie"]Now it was his turn to look at her confused. She mentioned something about a Daemon turning the world upside down, and the look on his face was one of shock. Demons? Daemons? These were things that were myth to the Magic Knight, and he furrowed his brow. She had asked him where he had been, still staring into her eyes, unflinchingly, he had to think hard about how to answer that. Something was definitely wrong...When he had left there had been no Daemons present in the world, had it happened while he had been in Cephohs? Time moved differently in that realm so it was possible that while he was in there, things would change drastically, but this was concerning to him. Some creature had turned the world upside down she said, and he wondered if that was the distortion that Abraxas had protected him from.
"The distortion...It was the work of this Daemon?" the question was slow, measured, and calm as if he was absorbing every piece of information she gave him through her own questions. His mind was racing as he tried to think of the implications that meant. Some creature had changed the world as he knew it, and made it into this facade. Something had took away his world literally, and now he was here, without anyone, or anything that he recognized. "I was...Far away..." once again he spoke in that slow measured tone to her.
"What happened after the war with the Diamond Kingdom? The Shining Palace was stopped...But when did this...Daemon..." he let the unfamiliar word roll off his tongue. "Appear...?" It was a simple question for someone who knew this new world, who had lived between those two time periods. If he could piece that together then he could figure out how long he had been missing. And once he learned that then he could start searching for the people that he was missing.
Though he had to admit that he was sad Abraxas wasn't here, and almost as if he was channeling a part of the small spirit himself he said something that he would normally never say.
"It appears...My affinity for red heads has not disappeared..." he mused quietly not even thinking about it. Knowing that the teasing spirit would say something akin to that if he were on his shoulder where he belonged. Though he still didn't smile, there was a low warmth in his voice. "I need to know everything that has happened since the war with Diamond...If you can tell me.." he looked at the red haired woman before him.
Reaching underneath his tattered Golden Dawn robe he pulled out a small sack of coin, and just held it out to her.
"I will pay...This is important..." the urgency in his tone mixed with the softness, as he held out the coinpurse to her. How much he had to pay didn't matter, all that mattered was that he got as much information as possible. She was the nearest person to him, and thus she was unfortunately relegated to that role.
Post by Genesis Fantome on Aug 15, 2020 23:47:41 GMT -5
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Genesis Fantôme
La Poste
He really did seem lost. But then again, she was only a mere civilian, one who did not know much besides the common knowledge out on the streets. She nodded at his question about the distortion. “Time magic.” It was one of the most powerful magic out there, the ability to control time. The wrong hands had tempered with it, and its touch had devastating results. Apparently it had not only changed Clover Kingdom, but also other realms beyond the physical land.
“Far away...in another world, I’d bet.” Though it was meant to sound like a jest, there was a hint of seriousness in it. He could very well have been in another dimension, with the strange way he was acting. After all, stranger things have happened before.
“It appeared around a year ago? Lots of fighting, mana disturbances, demolished towns, stuff like that. Many people lost their lives, both Magic Knights and civilians.” Here she made a crossing motion, a habitual thing she did to honor the dead. “Most of us just tried to rebuild our lives after that. That’s all.”
Genesis shrugged her shoulders in an almost careless fashion, though it had been anything but easy building up after that. It was around that time when her mother had passed away. The latter’s death was due to old age, and thankfully not because of violence. Nonetheless, it had added to the mental trials when the world outside was also falling apart.
She snorted. It was not ladylike at all, but who was she to care about making a good first impression? “Affinity for redheads?” It made her want to groan in vexation. Ever since she had come out and interacted with people, she had gained nothing but attention, some worse than others. Above all kinds of attention, this type was the one she detested the most.
“I wish you luck then.” Her previously soft tone had hardened into a scoff. At least he had been respectful of her person thus far, unlike another Magic Knight she had met recently. That knight in question had dared lay a hand on her without her permission, and she had clearly shown him what would happen if he did that again. She bristled at the mere thought of it. Nobody touched her besides her shadows and blades. Nobody.
Then he was holding out a small sack, offering to pay her for information. At this point, she might as well become a mercenary. This was not the first time she thought of it, but recently, yul was the only thing that spurred her to take up those odd and questionable jobs here and there. The young woman sighed. On any other occasion, she would have accepted it. But he was offering to pay for information that she did not have. Of course, she could easily make stuff up and pocket the yul, but earning money through dishonest gains was a line she had yet to cross.
“Keep it. I’ve already told you all I know.” She shook her head, trying to politely but firmly decline the offer. “It’s better off used as bribery in the local tavern. People actually talk there.” It was almost a snide comment, though it was true. Genesis had lived most of her life as a loner, shunned by people and herself shunning others. But come to think of it, if they went there, maybe he would recognize some people he knew before. Despite his absence, it was very probable that others might recognize this Magic Knight and fill him in.
[attr="class","textie"]He hung on to every word that she spoke to him. Though his demeanor never changed inside his mind was in turmoil as he pieced it all together, he had been gone for over a year, this creature this Daemon used Time Magic...The strongest magic that could exist, and this thing used it to mess with the lives of those who lived in this world. What else was wrong because of that creatures magic, he would have to search, and figure it out himself it would appear. When she mentioned him being far away in another world he said nothing at first.
"It is complicated...But it doesn't matter where I was...I am here now..." came his reply, and in his mind that was the truth. It didn't matter where he had been because he was here now, and things were messed up far more than they should have been. How long was it going to take for him, and the others to work, and restore the world as it should be.
She had mentioned that most people had tried to rebuild their lives after the creatures Time Magic was used, and honestly what else was there for them to do against such a foe. If the enemy truly did have access to Time Magic it was only a matter of time before they began to use it to enact whatever plan it was that they had. How much longer did they have? Every second they wasted was more time for the enemy to plan, and already he was trying his best to formulate some kind of strategy so he could track down the creature that was responsible for all of this. Though when she mirrored his words about red heads to him he let his mouth hang a bit open, and her slight change in demeanor, he pinched the bridge of his nose in embarrassment.
"My apologies...I was thinking about a friend of mine who use to tease me...I did not mean to offend..." he explained to her though he didn't think she'd believe him even though it was the truth. As he waited for her to take the coin she refused it, and he shook his head. That simply wouldn't do.
"Then consider this a gift, and thanks for telling me what had happened to this place...What the distortion truly was...What cost me..." he stopped himself from finishing that sentence, getting emotional here would be useless, and he began to walk towards the tavern tossing the coinpurse to her as he walked by. "Take it, or let it fall...I don't wish for it to weigh me down..." he stated to her as he headed towards the tavern.
As he walked by her she'd be able to feel the passive heat that he gave off, it was something that always followed him though he usually kept it under control, he wasn't really focusing right now. She had mentioned the tavern, though he doubted he'd have to bribe anyone, typically the Golden Dawn robe he wore was enough, especially in a town that bordered the Diamond Kingdom where Magic Knight's frequented. That was his hope anyways, only time would tell...He wondered if anyone would remember him here...
Post by Genesis Fantome on Aug 17, 2020 0:06:09 GMT -5
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Genesis Fantôme
La Poste
The young woman only nodded when he said it was complicated. That was fine. Everyone had their own secrets, no matter what rank or status they were. Whether king or beggar, all had things which they kept hidden. The shadow mage was no exception. Those who lived in their shadow’s trap often found the darkness staring back at them. She herself was prone to those dark thoughts as well.
At least he had the decency to look embarrassed at his comment about redheads. She had folded her arms across her chest, her facial features more annoyed than offended. It was not because of the actual hair color that bothered her, but the interest that was behind it. There had been far too many instances where she had to fight off unwanted attention, some with more force beyond words. But so far, he did not seem to be like those types, so she relaxed a little.
“Oh?” She could only cock an eyebrow at him, but did not pry further about the friend he mentioned. At least he had a friend whom he could talk to—at least, that was her assumption. She only had her shadows, and they never did anything without her forcefully controlling their shapes. Neither did they talk back, as she sometimes wished.
“Wha—” By reflex, she caught whatever he just threw her. It was the coin pouch. Didn’t she refuse it? She sighed, but tucked it under her belt. No sense in letting it fall to the ground. Yul was yul. Besides, it might come in handy later. Or maybe she would find a way to force it back to him.
He had gotten up and was now walking past her. She stepped to the side, giving him a wide berth to pass her. As he did, she could feel the heat that radiated off of the man. As one belonging to the shadows, her body temperature was almost always cool. She could feel the stark difference between them, not only in body temperature, but also in regards to sheer power. Even with her weak sensory, she could tell he held tremendous power, as his mana presence showed. But out loud, she said nothing, only stored that little bit of information in the back of her mind.
As he started making his way towards town, she followed, though a safe distance away. It seemed like he was actually going to take her suggestion of visiting the local tavern. If he mentioned anything or raised any objections about her following him, she would only shrug. “I was on my way to town anyways. Besides, I’m only holding the bag for you, since it’s obviously too heavy a burden for you to carry.”
Whether they would actually use it was a different matter, but she had her pride. Only after she did something decent or noteworthy would she accept it. As they entered town, she kept a watchful eye out on both the Magic Knight and the townsfolk milling around on the streets. Her interest had been piqued, and she was curious to see what would happen next.
[attr="class","textie"]He had noticed her starting to follow him into town carrying the small sack of coin that he had tossed to her. Though he didn't question her on why she was following him, he was given an answer regardless. Apparently she had already been heading this way, and he had no reason to not believe her. So he simply nodded not speaking further as he walked through the town, it would be very obvious that he was very familiar with the layout of this place. He didn't even seem to be paying attention to where he was going as he scanned the various buildings making sure that not much had changed during his time away. Luckily for him everything seemed to be mostly the same. His feet seemed to guide him to where he wanted to go without him having to think about it as they were soon in front of the tavern.
Looking at the establishment it was one he knew of, but he had never been allowed to go in before, his Mother, and Alphonse had forbade him from going in there because he was to young. Even after he had gotten older, and become a Magic Knight, of the Golden Dawn nonetheless, he still hadn't gone inside. Would his mother be disappointed in him for walking inside such a place, or because he was older, would she not mind anymore? He was a grown man after all, yet she was all he had outside of Zaven anymore. Such was his love for her that even know he hesitated to enter this building, but the woman who was following him had told him that there was more information to be had here. So he forced his legs to move, and he walked inside the unfamiliar atmosphere for the first time.
It was similar to the taverns that were described in his books, but at the same time it wasn't. There were people here already eating breakfast, and a few vagabonds drinking their sorrows away. It was still relatively quiet seeing as how early it was, but that was fine with him, he wasn't here for anything other than information. The way it worked int he books that he had read growing up was to talk to the barkeep as they seemed to have a knack for having information. So he strode forward, and up to the bar, his teal eyes with their slitted pupils appraised the man curiously. He was in his physical prime it seemed, shining a glass with a simple town, and he had many bottles of various liquors behind him. Just like a scene out of one of his books, perhaps if the situation were different he would be smiling.
"Excuse me..." his voice was soft almost dispassionately so, as he spoke. "Can you tell me about a woman named Alexandria Rinvol?" he asked the Barkeep curiously, in his listless tone, and waited patiently for an answer. For as much of a hurry as he was in to find her, he was seemed calm enough to not rush things.
Post by Genesis Fantome on Aug 19, 2020 23:30:00 GMT -5
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Genesis Fantôme
La Poste
It seemed like the knight was fine with her following him. Genesis stayed a few steps behind the tall man, and kept her footsteps light and soundless. Indeed, if it was not for her strikingly crimson hair, she could very well be just a flitting shadow, with her dark clothes and silent yet swift movements. Whether she was aware of it or not, it appeared that the young woman was becoming more and more like her dark element. Was her controlling her shadows, or where they starting to control her?
Genesis noted how at home he seemed to be. Strange how he seemed so at ease here—even though she grew up in this town, she rarely ventured out on the streets. Back then, she only showed her face here when she needed to get the necessities for her aging mother. Whenever she did, she had always gone straight to the stores and bought the needed items and food, not pausing to make contact with the townsfolk, much less stop to get acquainted with any of them. Thus, she had no real connections with the town nor its inhabitants.
She still could not get over how he actually decided to take her suggestion. He must really be desperate for information, otherwise who would listen to a nobody like her? But if she was in his shoes, she supposed she would have been the same. There was, in fact, something that had bugged her all her life. She bit down on her bottom lip. The problem was, she had no idea where to start looking…or was she just afraid of what she would find? If that was the case, maybe she was not ready for the truth yet.
As they entered the local tavern, she was immediately drawn into its homey atmosphere. It was still early in the day, and there were not too many people in there. A few here and there eating, and others drinking. Otherwise, it was pretty quiet. Peaceful, even. However, she knew that it would be very different when night falls.
She hung back as the knight went up straight to the counter and started talking to the barkeeper. Though her ears were turned towards where the two men, her half-closed eyes scanned around the room subtly, taking note of the people and the door. It was not her first time in these types of establishments, but it was in her nature to be familiar with her surroundings, just in case anything happened and she needed a quick exit. Just in case.
[attr="class","textie"]Vulkan stuck out like a sore thumb in this place that much he knew, but he appeared entirely at ease. Was it because he didn't feel threatened in the slightest by the people around him, or was it because he was so strong that the feeling of worry over himself had simply faded. Whatever the case his body was relaxed as he waited for the Barkeep to answer his question. He was vaguely aware of the red head woman still following him, and he was sad that Abraxas wasn't here to tease him about her. Though that would be rectified quickly if he had his way. She was standing like a sentry it seemed keeping a careful watch over their surroundings, it amused him a bit, but that didn't show on his face. The Barkeep was eyeing him up, and down as if trying to figure something out.
"Tch...Thas a name I aven't erd in a while...Been almost a year I think..." he rubbed his chin caressing the rough stubble underneath it. "Said somthin bout her boy missin...She went to find 'im." the man spoke to Vulkan who was just listening for any clue on where his mother went. If she was gone, and the house was empty that meant that Alphonse was with her, and she was well guarded in that case, but she had left to go find him.
A sigh left his lips mostly in disappointment at himself as he just turned his eyes back up to the barkeep.
"I see..." he spoke quietly reaching into his pocket he pulled out a few yul, and just slid it on the counter to the man. Relief, and anguish plagued him at the same time, the heat that swirled around him intensifying for a brief moment as he stepped away from the bar, and just sighed once more. "I am an idiot..." he scolded himself.
Of course she would go looking for him if he just disappeared without a word, his mother was just that kind of woman. He could imagine Alphonse trying to stop her, and failing miserably, he could have asked the man which way she went, but it would do him no good, the trail was over a year old. It would do him no good to pick it back, so he had to think logically. The first place she would check more than likely would be the capital, then probably...His fathers...He grimaced a bit at that. So those would be the two places that he would check first. Closing his eyes he did his best to stifle another sigh, and he ran his fingers through his hair once more trying to calm himself.
"We should go..." he spoke absently to the red haired woman whose name he still didn't know, and just left the tavern making his way to the lake. If she continued to follow him he'd turn back to look at her curiously. "What is your name? I...I can't keep calling you Red Head..." he stated to her simply, though whether he was joking or not would be difficult to tell considering the soft, and listless nature of his voice.
Post by Genesis Fantome on Aug 22, 2020 2:39:36 GMT -5
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Genesis Fantôme
La Poste
Clear grey-green eyes darted around, alert and on edge. The red-haired woman could not help but be wary, since she had grown up extremely cautious and suspicious of the world around her. It was unlikely that anything bad would happen, but old habits were hard to break. Hence, though she leaned casually against one of the tables, her arms were folded. Her eyebrows slightly furrowed, she made no attempts to hide her distrustful looks.
At least the barkeeper seemed to be willing enough to talk. However, it seemed to prove fruitless, judging by the way the knight sighed. What would any good mother do? Go out to look for her child. That should be a given. Genesis felt a pang of pity for the tall man. Both sides must be sorely missing each other, both trying to find the other. But at least he had a good mother who would actually go out to find him.
She stepped out of the establishment, a heavy feeling in her chest. How she envied the knight’s mother. Her own birth parents had not wanted her—at least, that was what she believed. Otherwise, why would she be abandoned on the outskirts of town with no name or trace of her heritage? She would have surely frozen to death, if it were not for the kindly old woman who took her in and raised the orphan as her own. After that, she had dedicated her life to protecting the older lady, but it still did not stop her from wondering about her true parents. Did they abandon her because of her scar? Was it because they were too poor to raise her? Or was it something else entirely? She could only wonder.
His voice broke through her deep thoughts. “Gen,” she said simply. No surname, not even her full name. In her mind, there was no need for him to know all that. Not unless their lives were in danger or something. She followed up a little ways from the tavern, then stopped.
“Where were your favorite places as a child?” She spoke up suddenly. “Perhaps your mother went there to look for you and might have left a trace.” Then she shrugged carelessly. Was it her business to pry about in other people's lives? Did it even matter if she knew? Most likely not. “Just a thought. So where are you planning to go now?”
[attr="class","textie"]Gen...That was her name, and he nodded at her as they went out to the town.The red haired woman asked him a question that he couldn't help, but shake his head at. If she had gone to any of his favorite places, the house wouldn't have been empty as it were. Though he didn't voice that to her, she was only trying to help him out, and it would do him no good to just shoot her down without recourse. It was a good idea, but she was long gone by now, and her trail would be long cold, these were things that he just knew. So he just didn't answer that question hoping that the girl wouldn't think him rude for it. Though her second question was something he could definitely answer easier.
"I am, going to the capital..." that soft melancholic tone pervading his words once more. "I will look for her there...It is the most logical place she would go considering..." he stated to the woman simply patting the Golden Dawn on his body.
He trusted she would understand his logic for choosing to go there next, looking up at the sky which had the sun still high up in it. It had been so long, but he would definitely see her again. That was something that he was just going do, and no one who got in his way would stop him. He was much stronger now than he had been previously. So things would be differently this time around, running his fingers through his hair once more he turned back to Gen.
"What of you...What will you do when I leave?" he asked her for no reason in particular, maybe it was just nice to have someone to talk to again. How long had he been alone for? Once Abraxas had left him he hadn't really spoken to anyone else as he wandered the world trying to find his lost companion.
Coming back home he had hoped to at least see his mother, but she was gone now. His worst fear being that when he got back to the Golden Dawn base, one of the men that he considered a brother would be gone as well. The silvery haired mage wasn't sure how much more loss he could take considering everything. So he thought long, and hard as he looked at the woman in front of him, and he offered something that surprised him a little even if it didn't show.
"You are free...To come with me, if you desire it..." He told her keeping his tone still collected, and measured as he had been the entire time they had met. Though on the inside he was very confused on why he had offered such a thing. Was he that starved of companionship, of interaction that he would even offer a stranger to travel with him. He had been alone for a while, but he shook his head a bit. "My apologies...I have been alone, for a while...Think nothing of it..." Was all he said to her giving her an easy out.
