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.
If Suna had chanced to look down, she would have noticed several familiar figures. However, all the various ornaments on the tree had so thoroughly captured her attention, she did not sense those mana signatures. Not yet.
As she flew up on her broom with the mercenary in tow, she leaned forward slightly to study the various ornaments on the tree. There were so many, she wondered just how many people have come and hung theirs here. They came in all shapes and sizes, in every hue imaginable. There was one with a white dove, another that was a ball with sparkly red and green stripes, and yet another that seemed to be a toy soldier handcrafted out of wood. Each other was unique, each with their own stories. If one were to collect all the stories that could be told here, she figured that even the Coral Peacocks’ main library base would not be able to fit them all.
But then she had caught sight of Charles, and her thoughts were instantly forgotten. It was a good thing Hans was sitting with her on the broom, otherwise she probably would have waved herself out of balance. When the silver mage flew closer and returned the greeting, he also mentioned how he did not like being up this high. "It’s not snowing too much, though." She lifted a hand, palm up. Several snowflakes alighted on her hand, only to dissolve immediately upon contact with her warm skin.
"Don’t worry, we’ll keep you safe." She smiled impishly, and on the spur of the moment, decided to fly up next to Charles and attempted to pat him on the head. A strange position, as she was much shorter than either one of the men and had to fly higher in order to make that attempt. Then she watched him hang his ornament up on the branches near where she had hung hers. "It’s pretty...and shiny." She commented, admiring the way the sunlight reflected off the silver ornament. Hans had also hung his ornament up as well, and her gaze lingered at the two angels. It was like catching a glimpse of the man’s happy memories, even if she was just a spectator.
Suna listened on as the two males talked about their previous encounters, back in that town. Before they had gone back the second time, she had actually made a side trip there. Though she did not actually enter Kikka itself, just being around the area had convinced her that she was not mentally strong enough to go there. Her one brief encounter with a possibly daemon-infused illusion had been enough to shake her to the core. Compared to a year ago, the elf has grown much stronger, but there was always room for improvement.
Either way, it seemed like both of them were glad that it was in the past, and honestly, she was too. No more daemons, no more shadows, no more fighting—it was just these two mages safe and sound by her side, hanging up ornaments and talking about the bright future. Was this what they called a happy ending? It seemed like it, at least in her story. Then, something Charles said made her elvish ears perk up.
"Mmm... Good thing you two have each other."
Her first reaction was to blush, but then was curious as to how he came to that conclusion. "Oh?" She tilted her head slightly, studying the younger mage. He has also changed the last few months, and has seemed to become more...sensitive? She could not quite place it, but he seemed to be picking up on other things besides mana beasts. Indeed, he has come a long way from being the ‘lazy’ knight who was tasked with finding a headache cure for his captain’s hangover. The ‘little’ boy has grown, and she was proud of him.
It seemed like Hans was of the same mind, and wanted to know how he came to that thought. She would wait for Charles’ response before nodding and quipping, "I haven’t forgotten, though." She gave him a conspiral wink, though he had probably forgotten and did not know what she was referring to...or perhaps he remembered. Either way, she had a plan. "The Spirit Ball was not a good place to find someone. Too many people and not enough time to get to know someone. I know what would be perfect!" She clapped her hands together, blue eyes sparkling. "A mixer!"
Post by Charles Constantine✾ on Dec 20, 2020 2:26:41 GMT -5
[NOSPACES]
"I'm no g e n i u s, I'm just a fool who keeps going forward."
[break]
@tagme
word count 614
total word count 4,346
[attr="class","glentext"] Charles felt a strange feeling on top of his head, it was a gentle one, noticing Suna that was slightly above him. He didn't feel anything much, it felt nice, but he was mainly confused about it. "...Huh? Thanks, I guess..." The question about Charles's ornament quickly came up. He made himself after deciding to put his silver magic to some use aside from his duty as a Magic Knight or transportation. The silver mage was well-versed in the use of supplementary magic, but it was his first time ever attempting to do something like that with his magic. He never considered making his own magical constructs, aside from of course his silver owl for transportation purposes. Perhaps if he decided to focus a bit more on that he could make magic items, maybe even sell them... Profit. "Yeah, it's my first time ever trying to make something like this. I have to admit it came out pretty well." He replied to the dark mage, stating his own surprise that his first attempt at doing something like that came out better than he expected. Maybe the nature of his magic had something to do with it. "Thanks." He also appreciated Suna's remark about his ornament. [break][break] "Figured. Those guys weren't going to make it any easier, even with Magic Knight Captains present." Charles knew for a fact that Sven held back then, he had the ability to kill them instantly and the chance presented itself multiple times. The Archdaemon had a strange sense of honor and leaving the group alive for his own amusement. He even protected them once and allowed those children to be healed in order to save their lives. Sven was simply toying with them, wanting to give them a chance to win against him. The moment the Magic Knight Captains and other experienced Magic Knights arrived he knew he had to get serious otherwise he'll seriously lose. In terms of strategy and intelligence, he was a force be reckoned with, a master of deception. Charles didn't blame Suna for not being able to go there, not even he or even the more experienced Magic Knights had it easy. Hell, even the Captains themselves who were the strongest people in the Kingdom had it hard as well. It truly demonstrated how much a threat those Daemons are and having an entire city held hostage didn't make things easy either. [break][break] "Oh, my bad. It's just a technique I learned." Charles scratched the back of his head, letting out a small laugh. It seemed like he wasn't entirely wrong. During the moment Kikka was brought he could feel a bit of uneasiness in the two, maybe Suna didn't go there, but combined with what Hans and himself to her she probably had a good idea as to how bad it was. The dark mage didn't seem like someone who would be with someone, much less someone like Suna so the revelation that the person blue-haired elf was with surprised the silver mage. Nonetheless, it was clear that the reason Hans was able to recover from such a hit was her, he was able to tell as much. "Forgotten of what?" He looked over at Suna, confused. The Black Bull had no clue about what she was talking about until she said some specific keywords. "...A mixer..." His facial expression changed to a rather monotonous one, as if Charles suddenly died from inside the moment he remembered something Suna mentioned months back when they first met. He believed the sound mage had forgotten about that ever since she fell for Hans. Oh boy, he was very wrong. "I swear, I thought you forgot about that..." [break]
[attr="class","zavenreescroll"] Ozma apologized and explained himself, he seemed almost out of touch with the area, not that he was in touch with it, but the crimson Lion put emphasis on why he did what he did, Zaven Blake only listened for the moment as he did not want to seem insincere. He was about to speak before the youth decided to continue on with the conversation, even informing him that Hinota had decided to cut ties with him until he came to apologize. That is when Zaven wanted to laugh, it was like he was being slapped before, but now being spat on now...the youth was doing this to get into the good graces of his sister, his own reasonings be damned...but Zaven relented as Ozma finally found a stopping point. [break][break]
Ozma...you speak to me in a way that sounds as though you are doing it for the honor of your family is at stake, but you are the one here who comes to me in an almost selfish way of speaking to just ensure you and your sister do not part. I grew up without knowing when a blade was going to be put to my throat by a half brother...hell I have an actual sister that wants to possibly kill me...You let your emotions run hot, and in the heat of the moment I can understand, trust me...but to lash out was uncalled for and if I were a worse man, I would call your ability to denote right from wrong into question, but we are both men at the end of the day and while I do not see eye to eye with the Yuiee family, I do respect them. Your sister is strong, and like I said already...I do not wish to see her on the frontlines...ever. However I do remember fighting the Diamond soldiers that laid waist to our healers and support mages in the back because they could not properly defend themselves. However, I have a reminder that that is not the case with Hinota. Give her a moment, then go and get her...she is that way.” He points to a stall where she left towards earlier. ”Tell her we have made amends...there is no bad blood between us, and the issue is resolved. When you two are made up, take a walk and speak with her, I will not waltz in like last time. I have no desire to make matters worse, but I will be close by.” Zaven said, there was not change of tone in his voice to show it, but he was most definitely a little off put and disheartened by something.
"When you spend so long trapped in darkness, you find that the darkness begins to stare back."
Charles certainly has a way with crafting things with his magic. Hans doesn't think he has ever come across anyone this talented in that aspect. Hell, even the merc has trouble molding most things with his dark magic other than armors, and swords. He could certainly learn a thing or two from the young bull knight.
Hans simply nodded at the silver mage's comment about Kikka. "I'm fortunate to have made it out of there alive..." the merc claimed. Powerful daemons who played mind games, sticking to some sort of honor code. Hans has come across his fair share of foes who try to use manipulation to get the upper hand, but those daemons were on a whole other league. Hans made many mistakes there, especially his first time, but they also helped him wise up more, but not just him. He could tell how much Charles has grown since he was there, how different the magic knight feels compared to when he first teamed up with him against those wolves, both in mana and in personality. Sometimes it takes a bad experience to come out a better person, and both male mages were perfect examples of that...even though they still have a lot of work to do.
"A technique?" Hans questioned, referring to the silver mage's answer. Hans would be lying if he said he wasn't a bit curious about what Charles was talking about. But the merc isn't the type to pry, leaving it up to Charles if he wishes to elaborate on this "technique" of his. But knowing Suna...she may have other ideas.
Speaking of....
Hans listened as the elf spoke to Charles, bringing up the Spirit Ball...and a mixer? The merc looked a little amused at this back and forth between them both and shook his head a little. Looks like Suna was still trying to play matchmaker with the silver mage, and he didn't seem too pleased about it. Poor Charles...Hopefully, Suna doesn't go too far and end up pairing the guy up with someone he doesn't like...
As the two continued to speak, Hans perked his head up a bit, this talk reminding the merc of something he was debating in his head. "Oh, Charles?" He chimed in, looking over at the guy. "Me, you, and Valo should...go out and get some drinks sometime..." The merc claimed as he looked away, rubbing the back of his neck. "To celebrate..." he added, referring to Kikka. Clearly, what Hans was trying to describe is a "guy's night" as some people call it...but the merc still didn't know how he felt about calling it that since this wasn't usually his thing. Other than Suna, he has come to trust those two enough...despite some of his..." unnecessary concerns" regarding the fire mage. The dark mage was slowly stepping out of his comfort zone, becoming more sociable. A step in the right direction...but he still has much to learn about these activities.
N O T E S
Hans' Coat (Is also wearing a pair of black gloves.)
(Unfortunately I don't have a pic reference for my ornament, but it's basically two angels with their foreheads pressed against each other and their fingers intertwined.)
Suna was not surprised. The young mage did not seem to know how to take her gentle pat on his head, and honestly, it was fairly amusing to see him so bewildered and at loss as to how to act. She only smiled mischievously, storing that little bit of information away in the back of her mind.
Of course, the topic eventually turned to Kikka. It was the talk of the town...or rather, the talk of the kingdom. Almost everyone was somehow related to the event, even if indirectly. She was one of the latter, as she did not directly see for herself what had gone on. All she knew came from her friends and Hans...and bits and pieces of information that may very well be rumors.
Either way, she was just glad that it was behind them, and the past could stay there for all she cared. She did not particularly like it when it had taken her mercenary away from her. Was this what they mean by being possessive of a person? True, it had only been a few days, but during that time, she had been up in the air of how he was doing, where he was, and whether he was safe. There was no describing the vast relief and emotion she felt when he came back after that second round, and she did not want to be put in that stressful and worrying position ever again.
"Oh, my bad. It's just a technique I learned."
"A technique?" Suna leaned forward. She was curious, but there was also a hint of teasing in her tone. "Tell me, what kind of technique allows you to sense peoples’ feelings, hmm?" Her smile only grew when Charles seemed to forget about a certain topic...and when he suddenly remembered at her mention of a ‘mixer’, she laughed merrily out loud.
"Don’t look like you’re just been told your death sentence, Charles! A mixer is just getting together and eating with a few other people. That’s all!" Of course the silver mage would not look so pleased with her mention of a mixer, but the blue-haired elf meant well. It was not like she was going to force a pairing or anything. She just wanted to let him meet a few nice girls. That was all.
Well...maybe she hoped for more, but if she can convince him to even show up, she would count that as a victory. One step at a time. It seemed like the mercenary was also winning, in his initiative of asking Charles to ‘get together with the guys.’ Her teasing smile turned into a more encouraging one, and she leaned back against Hans’ chest, looking fondly up at the man. She was not the only one who had changed, and Suna was glad to see that the mercenary was becoming more open and outgoing with others.
"Didn’t you say you aren’t comfortable flying up this high?" She asked Charles. "Let’s talk more once we’re back down on the ground. I think I saw some cookies and hot chocolate being served and those looked really good!" Assuming the two men would agree, Suna would circle her broom back down and land gently on the ground. There were indeed several stalls lined up on the side of the street, and she made a beeline towards one of them...
Post by Charles Constantine✾ on Dec 21, 2020 17:12:09 GMT -5
[NOSPACES]
"I'm no g e n i u s, I'm just a fool who keeps going forward."
[break]
@tagme
word count 859
total word count 5,205
[attr="class","glentext"] "At least you're a live. Not even the most experienced members of the Magic Knights are capable of such a feat." Charles stated, Hans was most likely higher in the level of a Senior Magic Knight member if not much higher. The dark mage was capable, despite not being a member of the Magic Knights and just a mercenary. Sven was a deadly enemy, only high-sensory mages stood a chance against his illusions and tricks. The experience surely changed both, and this pushed them to become stronger for the sake not committing the same mistakes as they did in the past. Hans was relatively more quiet when he first met him, after Kikka and realizing that he was together with Suna. He had opened up a bit more to people, or at least to the few people he seemed to know and interact with the more often. [break][break] The couple seemed to be rather curious when Charles mentioned it was a technique he had learned. "It's called Ki... It's not very well known, but there are quite a few users in the Kingdom who use it. It doesn't exactly tell me the emotions, but it allows me to come in contact with natural energy. Everyone has a different Ki and often feeling the Ki of someone allows me to feel what type of person they are." The natural energy of someone had an important role to play in the type of person they were, some of their emotions, and other things. The silver mage was still an amateur and had a lot to learn when it came to sensing Ki and his surroundings. He was yet to be in the level of Ki Masters like Captain Ardere who was quite skilled in its use. "I'm still learning, I'm nowhere in the level of a Ki Master right now. I learned it to make up for my poor sensory ability." That his main reasoning to learn Ki, but such technique resulted in being above his expectations and more than just a sensory ability. It changed the way he perceived the world and its surroundings. [break][break] "Yes... Other people... I wonder what kind of people you have in mind..." Charles was very well aware of what Suna meant by a mixer, he knew exactly just what the sound mage had in mind. The Black Bull knew for a fact that Suna didn't mean any sort of ill when it went to that, she just wanted to do something nice for him. Other Magic Knights used their status a someone strong for being a member of the Magic Knights to get girls. The most loved ones were the ones from the Golden Dawn, in his case, he was a Black Bull. The most unpopular squad in the Kingdom alongside the Green Mantis, he was also a Commoner. The only thing that could probably earn him clout is the fact that he was in Kikka, but he wasn't exactly proud of his participation in Kikka nor did he want to use such 'achievement', which was more like him trying to survive against the Daemons for fame. He wasn't the one to openly seek glory, he just did his best for the ones he cares for, at least that's how he sees things now. [break][break] Kikka has become the talk of the Kingdom, so it wouldn't be surprising if a few people knew about the original group. Maybe not their appearances or magic, but their names were enough. While some would criticize for such failure or inability of the Magic Knights to do something earlier, only people who went there would know how much of a hell it was. [break][break] "...Oh? That sounds like a good idea, actually." Charles nodded, he wasn't against the idea at all. He wasn't the type of guy to openly go out, but the trio of mages had experienced something and the liberation of Kikka was something that was worth celebrating. Sure, he didn't drink alcohol, but he'll at least accompany them in order to spend some time with them. It has been a while since he last saw Valo, so he hoped the Green Mantis to be holding up quite well. Right now, he was just doing it for the unique bond the three mages shared, which was going through hell and making it out alive. "Just tell me when and I'll open up sometime when I'm free from my job." [break][break] His eyes perked up like a child the moment she mentioned hot chocolate and cookies, Charles had changed, but he still maintained an immature attitude when it came to these things. Indeed, the weather was killing him, going down sounded like a good idea. "Yeah, I don't like being this high up because of the weather. Let's go then, I want to give try them out." The silver mage agree, Suna simply made an offer that he would never turn down. "I'll see you two down there then..." He said as he began to move around with his silver owl, beginning to descend down to the ground in order to meet the two again right there. Better than being that high up. [break]
"When you spend so long trapped in darkness, you find that the darkness begins to stare back."
As Hans predicted, that curious side of Suna got the best of her and she asked the silver mage about this technique. The merc would've teased her a bit on this if it wasn't for the fact that he is interested as well, and looked over to Charles as he started to explain. "Ki?" Hans has heard a bit about this ability, but never looked into it that much. The ability not to sense mana, but the natural energy around you just as Charles described. The merc was surprised to hear that the silver mage has learned this, being an ability that only a few were able to obtain. "I see..." Hans muttered. It works similar to sensory except that it doesn't use mana. The merc started to ponder, thinking about his own sensory abilities. After what happened in Kikka, it was clear that Hans' sensory isn't as strong as he'd like it to be. Perhaps...he could try his hand at learning how to sense ki instead. Maybe ask Charles about it when this is all over.
But, there was also someone else he had in mind...
For now, Hans listened quietly as the other two spoke about this mixer. It was obvious what the sneaky elf had in mind, both to him and Charles it seems which further amused the dark mage. What Hans has learned about Suna is that once she sets her mind on doing something, there is almost no way to change it, so all he could really do is mentally wish the poor silver mage luck whenever this little get together happens.
"It does?" Hans muttered once more, a part of him honestly not expecting Charles to agree, or to even call this a good idea. He then tried to play it off as nothing serious, going back to his usual stoic self. "Sure. I'll let you know." The merc nodded, a part of himself feeling proud to have asked. When the merc usually invites others or gets invited to something, it's for some sort of job, but after meeting Suna, he has been doing other things with her, and now he was going to have an outing with the guys. Younger Hans would never have seen himself doing anything like this, being surrounded by people who has come to care for him...and who he has come to care for in return.
"Hm?" He then felt something press against his chest, and looked down to see the sound mage, looking up at the man fondly. He returned a similar look, running his gloved hand softly down one of her arms before resting it on top of her hand. Looks like the merc wasn't the only one proud of his little "victory".
The elf then spoke up again, and Hans nodded at her suggestion. He didn't look as enthusiastic as Charles, but the merc could definitely go for something to eat. Landing on the ground, the trio found themselves around a few stalls serving various things. Hans followed Suna as he looked around the other stalls, but then he heard a piano playing and looked over to where he saw a table of food...and a familiar-looking woman in glasses around that area. "Hey Suna. Isn't that Verena over there?" the merc asked, gesturing his head over in the direction she's at. In their current location, they were in clear view of the golem mage if she were to happen to look in their direction.
N O T E S
Hans' Coat (Is also wearing a pair of black gloves.)
(Unfortunately I don't have a pic reference for my ornament, but it's basically two angels with their foreheads pressed against each other and their fingers intertwined.)
Post by Hinota Yuiee✾ on Dec 24, 2020 23:08:32 GMT -5
Hinota move to the front of the line when it was her turn and looked at all the drinks and foods, some she had never heard of before but that might be because this was actually the first time she had actually celebrated it in a place such as this. She was so indecisive more so because she didn't know what to get who and it frustrated her to no end. She moved to her hand to her forehead wincing feel a sharp pain stabbing into it, this wasn't exactly what she thought what she would have to be doing when she accepted the invitation. Her lantern was still sitting on the bench she had originally be sat on untouched by anyone. "Having difficulties deciding?" the woman behind the counter asked making her look up to her and nodded "Yes, I've never been to the festivals before and I want to get things for people I don't know the tastes for." she explained embarrassedly but then she didn't really know many people in all honesty. "I'm also deathly allergic to cocoa." she explained knowing that others might be allergic to other things that could complicate things a bit more making her sigh. "So why not buy some hot chocolate, some tea and some coffee to cover the drinks" the woman suggested making Hinota nod "Are they seasonal?" she asked the woman.
"The hot chocolate is white chocolate mint, the tea is spiced with cinnamon and cloves, the coffee would be plain but they could bring a cup here and we would spice it for them." she said this made the doll-like make happy but now she had to worry about snacks. "We have Christmas cakes, marshmallow men, rice cakes with a sweet centre, we also have curried buns, warm sandwiches with the trimmings, we also have pigs in blankets, warm salads." she explained making the teen think "Can I have some of everything please? that way people can help themselves to what they'd like." she moved closer and watched something being made "What's that?" she asked seemingly stunned watching a young boy making some sort of treat "Oh, the frozen ornament? It is something my son is overly proud of." she said watching him "It's coloured iced sugar which has been frozen inside is a warm gooey chocolate and marshmallow centre but I'm sure if you would like one he could change it to a strawberry sauce." she suggested. Hino looked around knowing of her captain and brother, there was, of course, Charles as well she looked around to see if there was anyone else she recognised, there were Hans and a few others she recognised but they were with people that she didn't know but decided to get them each on. "Could I have eight please with the mallow and chocolate and one with strawberry sauce? Some of them with the squad symbols." she said noting who was from what squad and giving the child the information on the colours of each she'd like and the special seasonal sprinkles. It turned out by the end of her order she needed to borrow a cart but happily paid for what she had ordered and went to the group with the food she had ordered.
"Um... Hi, I know some of you but not others and I didn't know what people liked so I kind of got a bit of everything." she said not exactly sure how to interact with people she didn't have to work with that she had never met before. She pointed to the cups and to the catering thermoses that were marked clearly with their contents. "The woman said if you wanted a flavour to your coffee she would add it for you since coffee was a tricky one." she said holding out a small box towards Charles and Hans first because out of the group they were only the ones she actually knew by appearances. Hans's frozen ornament was purple with golden swirls where Charles's one was a royal blue with silver squiggles and his squad symbol on it. "They're called frozen ornaments... I got one for everyone." he said smiling, to her, it was a time of giving even if you didn't know the person it was the thought that mattered right? She was unsure "There's hot food and sweet stuff too." she said pointing to the rest of the cart she had been allowed to borrow from the vendor.
Post by Joseph Ravencrest✾ on Dec 25, 2020 3:46:31 GMT -5
He might as well have never approached her in the first place. Hinota just left the area like he said nothing, moving to get drinks and interact with others. It was wrong to assume she might have been upset after whatever had happened it seemed. At the least, Josephs face was still completely covered. The only person that had a hint of his voice so far hadn't actually heard it. It had been silly to think of even approaching in the first place, since he had only met the other once in the first place. There was no point in following who was nearly a stranger, so the young man didn't. Whatever she did next, or after would be a mystery to the peachy orange haired person. Walking back to more crowded areas allowed the azure deer to listen to the sounds around while walking towards the tree. The sounds of steps, talking, and other such things that would be typical to this time of year. Outside of the surprise around the start of coming here, everything was going just as the male had expected. Their steps and movements were both slow and relaxed, seeing no need to rush towards the tower of a tree. It wasn't as if the plant was going to sprout legs and leave. It felt nice to listen to the sounds around, even if the weather was cold. Everyone seemed to be having a good time in some way or another for the most part.
That wasn't perfect, but nothing really was. How people act in front of others was often different than how they acted while alone anyway. Maybe when his sensory abilities were better he could tell from the sounds of an area just how many were as happy as they looked or sounded. That wasn't ever likely to happen, but having that skill still sounded nice. Such a thing could help find where trouble might be. Then again, maybe it wouldn't be as useful as thought. Try not to aim too high though, because he was a commoner. Even if these are all thoughts of a far future, there was no way it would be safe nor good to aim too high. The taller your feats as one with a common name of a common family, the more others might look at you as someone trying to go further than the station given in life was allowed. It didn't matter how talented one was or how skilled you became if certain people felt you were out of line. There was a difference between confidence and stupidity, even if for a bit someone had made him think that the lines weren't so divided. Thinking about Naxel would be a bitter thing at this point though, at least he wasn't speaking with any Blakes at this time. The brunette had been the only one of such a family that had looked upon him with such hopes though, even if it seemed the other had hopes in every azure deer.
A guilt loomed inside the heart over it, but that was only one of a few things on the mind at this time. It hadn't been before, seeing Zaven earlier was more than likely the cause. It didn't matter if the golden dawn member hadn't noticed the junior, only that Joseph had noticed him. Things were a lot easier to not address when life made it easy to avoid, the two Blakes had seemed vastly different anyway. Perhaps that was a key to ones sanity staying while the other ones had vanished. This was not something Cobborn could ever know for certain though. The closer he stepped to the tree, the more clear was its scent. Underneath perfumes, drinks, and foods was a nice pine smell that felt refreshing on the body and spirit. The pine needles were a deep nice color that suited the great number of decorations that adorned it's rather massive body. So many items that hung had such amazing coloration, each person currently looking to place an ornament seeming to look for the perfect spot. As someone who couldn't fly in the first place, the idea of a 'perfect spot' felt a bit out of the question. The young thin man stopped once he was close enough to the tree, the long mantle giving a sway at the sudden stop of motion. A gloved hand reached into their own bag, pulling out a rather colorless object.
It was a bell made by his magic earlier, a diamond bell that seemed to give off a quiet but serene hum. It's quiet and calming tune was hard enough to hear when it wasn't covered. That made the item all the more difficult to hear when it was covered, like it had been until that moment. The ornament had a tiny snow pattern on it, something easy to do when using your own magic and having a lot of patience and focus. The second part was a hard task for him though, which was why it was created before coming here. There was no hesitation in hanging the bell on one of the many spots on the tree. He knew that it wasn't in the most ideal spot as it mostly hidden by other decorations that had been there before. Joseph still felt content with the end results, because now nobody would know who put it there. The young man wouldn't need to think about where to place what, nor think about the possible insults on putting something so plain looking up. Maybe the junior could even listen to it's sound a bit before leaving. There was no immediate plain to go, just that most adults wouldn't poke or prod bells hung on a tree. And yet? A gloved finger reached to the newly hung item before gently tapping part of the bottom area of the bell. Part of the pale person particularly wanted to know how well it would sound. The resulting sound wasn't as nice as it could have been.
One mustn’t be so gentle with a bell if you want it's best sounds. He knew this, but also had a feeling that diamond itself would be a bit loud at its best sound, which didn't feel the most ideal for him at the second. What sound did arise was still pleasing enough to make him feel satisfied that this was a job well done. A smile crossed their hidden face under the scarf. That was when he decided to listen for a little bit more.
Ozma heard the Captain of the Golden Dawn speak and as he called him selfish the mute mage kept his face neutral but inside he was seething again. Sure he wanted to keep his connection to his sister but there was also the fact he was showing vulnerability to an outsider of the family something that was not common and almost unheard of. The young Lion listened as Zaven explained that he had to deal with growing up never knowing if he was going to get knifed and that he had a sister that might possibly want to kill him, that got Ozmas attention even though his face showed no hint of it he would make a mental note to meet said sister at some point in the future. As the man told him where his sister was and to tell her that they have made amends and there was no issue Ozma forced himself to bow respectfully to the man before he swipped his brush in the air once more.”thank you for your words captain Zaven ill be sure to let my sister know if you’ll excuse me” he wrote before he walked off.
Heading in the direction that the captain had told him Ozma found his sister and he approached and waited for her to notice him before he would sign to her.”Sister mind if we chat for a moment I promise my temper has calmed” he signed looking to her his face was calm but internally he was still seething mad at the captain.He only hoped that this issue would be put behind them and he also prayed his father didn’t hear about his little moment of anger since he was taught better but when it came to the Captain of the Golden Dawn the mute mages temper ran short very fast.
Suna had only raised an eyebrow at Charles’ explanation of ki. It was interesting, but also made sense. Now, if she had that kind of sensory, she would probably do more than just sense things around her...like determining whether a girl is suitable for a guy... Speaking of which, she smiled mischievously at Charles’ hesitance on her mention of the mixer. "If it makes you feel any better, I can have Hans come along." She offered, attempting to bring the poor mercenary into the situation. But for now, she let that topic pass without any further comments, and her nose led them down to where all the cookies and hot drinks were.
There was a pretty young woman (Hinota Yuiee✾ ) who was now coming with a cart filled with those goodies, and Suna’s eyes lit up at all the delicious food on it. There were cookie assortments of every color and shape, and there were also some other things as well. Her mouth started to water just at the sight. There was one sweet dessert in particular that caught her eye, and Suna was just about to ask her which stall she got it from, but the girl beat her to it.
"Um... Hi, I know some of you but not others and I didn't know what people liked so I kind of got a bit of everything."
Suna looked around, a bit confused. Did she...did she get it all just for them? It seemed like it, especially when she personally handed Hans a small box, as if she knew him. The elf’s eyes turned questioningly at Hans. He knew her? Then Charles also got a box, and so she figured that it must be something related to Kikka. She did not know the specifics, but figured that it must be that. The knowledge gave her consolation, otherwise she would have felt a little jealous of her man knowing the pretty doll-like mage. But she did not want to come off as petty or clingy either, so she swallowed it and pushed it aside.
"Hello, I’m Suna." She said warmly, reaching her hand out for a handshake, which the female was free to return or not. "Thank you so much for getting all this! There are so many choices, I almost don't know which one to choose! Which one are you getting?" She had reached for one of the mugs with hot chocolate...but then saw that there was also tea, and her hand hovered indecisively over the two. In the end, she still went with the latter, as she could never turn down some hot and fragrant tea. She also got one of the small Christmas cakes, and the sweetness of it balanced perfectly with her drink.
"Hey Suna. Isn't that Verena over there?"
"Hmm?" The elf was halfway through her cake when Hans spoke to her. She turned around towards where he was facing. "Mmm!" Her mouth was still full, so she only ‘mmm’d loudly and hurriedly swallowed. "It is! And Shizu, too!" There were also a few other people milling around, but she did not know them. But she was glad to see her summoner friend out and about, talking to other people. It was surprising, though, to see her talking to Shizu. She did not know that they knew each other. What a small world.
Assuming that Hans had accepted the frozen ornament, she would peer curiously at it. It looked just like an ornament, but apparently it was edible. "What’s in it?" She asked, and waited for the mercenary to take a bite into it, so she could see what kind of filling it had.
[attr="class","zavenreescroll"] When Ozma listened to him, it was like he was talking to a wall...the kid took his words and then the finality as Zaven showed kindness when he stood up and brushed a quick reply, Zaven just nodded and took it as goodbye. Zaven sat there a moment and he felt Hraban show back up on his shoulder, the little shadow raven told him about his little brush with Hinota...something that Zaven was not pleased with as he made sure to brush the raven away for a moment. ”If you are going to track down everyone I have shown interest in, you could be a little more convenient about it you know…” Zaven sighed as he let Hraban come back soon after, he could feel the feelings of that youngster, at least at some level. ”Fucking...little lion boy…” Zaven said with a growl that was not audible. [break][break]
He was not happy, then again...when was he ever truly happy with this life anymore. He stood up and made his way towards the nearest bar, to check and see if it was open, passing by Ozma and Hinota...as well as the others that were around as the man regarded to as the Shadow of Dawn was seen as a brooding unapproachable being at that current time.
Post by Charles Constantine✾ on Dec 29, 2020 17:58:40 GMT -5
[NOSPACES]
"I'm no g e n i u s, I'm just a fool who keeps going forward."
[break]
@tagme
word count 621
total word count 5,826
[attr="class","glentext"] It wouldn't be too surprising if Hans wanted to know more about such technique, nor did he blame the dark mage for wanting know more. He knew he may want to learn it for the same reasons as him. If he was interesting on learning more he wouldn't mind teaching him the basics so he could get started on Ki. It was a very useful ability and gave him hope to turn the tide against any users that use sensory/illusions to try and trick people. The silver mage wasn't going to allow that to happen again. Ki acted like a sixth sense to him, so in combat he'll be able to track attacks with it increasing his combat ability as well through the use of a rare technique. It took him sometime to get the the basics of Ki, as it required a lot of patience, but he was happy to say that the time invested in learning would be worth it. [break][break] The conversation later continued with Suna and her mixer idea. The blue-haired elf wasn't simply going to give up that easily on that idea. She then suggested the idea of Hans coming along to make him feel a bit better and more accompanied, which wasn't that bad at all. At least he felt he could count on Hans on making the hell of being there more tolerable. Obviously, he wouldn't say anything the mercenary didn't want to go. Who would blame him for not wanting to go for that kind of thing? Hans didn't seem like the type of person to go to those kinds of things unless Suna was insistent about it. "Well that doesn't sound like a bad idea. What do you think about it, Hans?" Charles asked the mercenary if he had any interest in accompanying through hell as the two did in Kikka, not in a literal sense. [break][break] "Well it's nice to do something new for a change." Celebrating the success in Kikka was something. It should be a time of celebration since the threat of the daemons has disappeared for the time being. Not only that, celebrating that the two of them managed to make it out of there alive. A feat not a lot of people were capable of accomplishing. "Sounds good." He nodded, he'll be waiting for Hans to tell him when they were going to go out to celebrate. [break][break] As he landed down to meet both Hans and Suna. Charles encountered Hinota yet again, this time she handed him over a small box to him and then to Hans. "Oh... Thanks, Hinota." The Black Bull thanked the member of the Golden Dawn. It seemed like the things between her and Captain Zaven were a bit better, for the time being, he wasn't sure, but he wasn't going to bother to ask either. "Alright." It was a nice detail on her part, even though the box was closed he was curious about trying out what Hinota gave him. As the silver mage made his way towards Suna and Hans after receiving his box he heard Hans ask if that was Verena. "Yeah, that's Verena. I sensed her Ki when I first arrived. Wait you know her?" He looked at the two curiously, wondering how the two knew the rather introverted noble. It has been a while since he last saw her, he was wondering she going with her silver magic training. It was a small world for sure, it was a bit surprising that someone like her knew the two. As for Suna, the blue-haired elf seemed like she knew her fair share of people and Hans because of his job as a mercenary and likely because of Suna. [break]
Post by Verena Reinsberg on Dec 31, 2020 14:03:25 GMT -5
[nospaces]
[attr="class","verenaver2image"] [break]
POW
DUR
SEN
STA
CON
007
34
10
032
030
[break]
MANA SKIN senior
HEALTH senior
MANA REGEN 25 IC // 20 OOC
MANA POOL 110/110
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[attr="class","verenaver2scroll"]
While Shizu was preoccupied with the music, Verena herself that that she would simply go back to her hobby of people watching. There was an arguement of some sort between Zaven and two others, though she couldn't hear what was going on. But she could tell based on expressions and glances exchanged between the two it wasn't a particularly happy discussion. Still, all was well that ended well, at least. It seemed the other bowed out, apologizng. She had no idea what was going on, but it must have been some sort of miscommunication, a lack of information, or something. Either way, it seemed that the shorter male and Zaven had worked something out.[break][break]
Then, her crimson eyes set their gaze upon Hans, Suna, and Charles. So he was here, too. She wondered if they were having fun. They seemed to be conversing and talking, enjoying the food. Verena took a small bite out of the food that had been given to her. The food was good, that was for sure. She watched the subtle expressions that decorated their face, or in Suna's case that lit up like the very lights adorned over the tree. Hans and Charles were not as open as Suna was, but she had learned that both were involved in Kikka. Perhaps that was a reason.[break][break]
...Still, they were making peace with things as far as she could tell. For Verena, that wasn't quite... possible. While she personally felt her trauma could not compare to their own, she was already a person of a fragile mental state. And Kikka had served as a reminder of both her own goals and ambitions, but also just how far she had to go. It was a... terrifying height she was trying to climb, and even if she knew what she had to do, the matter came down to how could she pull it off?[break][break]
She... had nothing. The Reinsberg had nothing.[break][break]
Existential dread, worries for the future, the gap in experience... these were all terrifying things to her, and she had little idea of how she could pull it off, if she could at all. What could she offer to others that would make them want to help her? There was a nice enough encounter with Zaven that allowed her permission to visit the home so as to garner more information about Julien--her brother. That was just as much a concern to her as was getting her home back.[break][break]
She couldn't just 'take him home'. Verena didn't have one. Running away had just caused more damage, and that blame was on her now. There was nothing she could do about that though, but that sense of helplessness did little to help that Noble's spirit of hers. She disliked that feeling, as it was a feeling that crept up far too frequently for her personal liking.[break][break]
Suddenly, she felt eyes upon her. While she was so busy being lost in thought, she hadn't even realized that Suna, Hans, and Charles had taken notice of her. Fidgeting around slightly as she averted her eyes, she internally panicked. It was one thing if Charles saw her. It was one thing if Hans saw her. She didn't quite think of them as friends, but rather respected survivors of Kikka. Hans was probably someone she was more likely to trust just on the grounds that Suna and he were romantically involved, and if she was to trust him, that meant that the brunette would place some in him, too. Of course, that didn't mean she didn't trust Charles, but rather she was just less likely to speak so openly around him. At least, now.[break][break]
Still, she didn't want to seem unfriendly. The last thing she wanted to do was to ruin their moods and dampen their spirits. So, she weakly just waved, with an awkward smile about her. She had no idea how to even begin to apologize to Suna. Was it arrogant of her to assume she had to? She... she wasn't sure. Suna was her first and only friend in regards to someone her age. Plenty of elderly saw fit to look after her while she was traveling in the Common Realm, but beyond that...
"When you spend so long trapped in darkness, you find that the darkness begins to stare back."
That little amused look on Hans' face was quickly wiped away as that sneaky little elf volunteered him to come along to this mixer. "M-me?" the merc questioned as he pointed to himself, his tone telling them that he was not at all ready for that. The merc was now questioning to himself on how he ended up getting involved...but knowing Suna, he shouldn't be all too surprised. Then Charles asked next and the dark mage was now rubbing the back of his neck. How Hans ended up getting "cornered" like this he will never know....but he wasn't going to let his friend go through this alone. "Uh...sure...Why not?" the man cleared his throat before crossing his arms and flashed the sound mage a look. A part of him was really tempted to just throw a snowball at the elf while she was walking...but the merc has had enough of that for today.
With the trio making their way over to get some snacks...it seems that the snacks were now making their way to them. A cart filled with goodies and drinks was being pushed over to the three, with a familiar-looking teen behind it.
Before Hans could say anything, the doll-like mage spoke up, confirming that some of these were indeed for them. She then personally handed two of those ornament treats to the dark mage and Charles which the merc gently took from her. "A treat shaped like an ornament?" the merc muttered to himself, not having seen something like this before. He then looked over Suna, wanting to ask if she has had anything like it before...but then he noticed that questioning look in her eyes. "U-uh...?" The merc blinked a few times before shifting his eyes left and right then back on the sound mage. Was there...something on his face? Hans then gently scratched at the bridge of his nose a bit with his finger. Hans was just as dense about this as he was back at that diner in Aries Garse....
Hans was going to say something to Suna, but then he heard Charles thank Hinota, reminding the merc that he almost forgot to do the same. "Ah, my apologies." The merc said before facing the pacifist again. "Thank you, Hinota. Hope Yuletide has been treating you well." he said, giving a slight bow to try and be formal...but it mostly came off as awkward. Hans may be a good fighter...but he still has far to go when it comes to socializing.
As Suna introduced herself, the merc peeked over at Charles' ornament, noticing the Black Bull symbol decorated on it along with other designs and colors that fit the silver mage. He tilted his head a bit before looking at his own. It was purple with golden swirls. Did she have the ornament treats custom made for them? It was such a thoughtful gift, and something he'd expect from a gentle pacifist such as herself. Speaking of, there was something the merc was meaning to ask Hinota...but it could wait until after the festivities.
As this all went on, Hans would eventually take notice of Verena as he picked up one of the black coffees. He told Suna to which she replied with a full mouth at first. The merc then playfully shook his head but looked back over at the summoner mage as Suna mentioned someone else. "Shizu?" Hans was not sure who that was, but she looked a bit familiar. Looks like Suna knows a lot of people...and it appears that Charles knew the summoner mage as well much to the merc's surprise. He was going to leave explaining how they know her to Suna since it's her friend.
Now Hans was looking at his treat once again and then he heard his lady ask curiously what was in it. He looked over to her then back at it, curious as well. He then licked the treat as if to test it, tasting that delicious frozen sugar. Hans wasn't much of a treats person...but this was pretty good. He then bit down on it, and his taste buds were instantly bombarded by the chocolate and marshmallows hidden underneath. Before even answering the sound mage, Hans just took another bite, making it clear that he was enjoying it. "This is...." the merc was about to explain it, but then he had another idea. The merc held his ornament to her and nodded. "Here, try some." the merc smiled softly, feeling that it would be better if she experienced this rich taste for herself.
With that done, the merc looked back over to the summoner, noticing how lonely she appeared despite some others being around her. The dark mage then had an idea...assuming that Suna hadn't beaten him to it. After taking a drink of his coffee, Hans nudged the elf gently before gesturing at Verena. "We should go say hi." Hans said. She may mostly be Suna's buddy, but that doesn't mean that he shouldn't be putting in any effort to speak to her. He managed to do a bit of that during their first meeting, so the merc didn't mind. Plus, they could probably end up becoming friends as well. Whether Charles or Hinota wanted to come along was up to them, but it would certainly be welcomed. Hans may not be a fan of being around crowded places, but when it comes to people he knows and are on good terms with, he can tolerate it.
N O T E S
Hans' Coat (Is also wearing a pair of black gloves.)
(Unfortunately I don't have a pic reference for my ornament, but it's basically two angels with their foreheads pressed against each other and their fingers intertwined.)
Hans likes his coffee P L A I N
and he's taking more initiative with socializing :triumph: