#avcnturine

[trailblczed]

About AVENTURINE

Let's here your thoughts, Caelus! || Accepting.

❛ First meeting him in the lobby where after just saying "Hi" and trying to hand me credits just for being a bro was.. odd, but amusing in a way. Something about him, maybe how he carried himself, kept catching my attention. Was excited to get to know another I.P.C. member after Topaz and the Jarilo complication. Though...After Penacony, my feelings about Aventurine are... complicated, to say the least. ❜

A moment to collect his thoughts, one hand coming to squeeze the pointer finger on the other hand to settle his nerves.

❛ I don't hate the guy- I like him on a personal level. He's fun and funny. But just because I like hanging out with him, doesn't mean I can trust him, or be fully comfortable with him..

Now I can't claim to be some sort of genius tactician- or even just smart in general. But.. I don't see why someone would go out of their way to be super friendly, make a deal to be allies, then turn around and throw said allies "under a bus"--- I think that's the saying.

I don't know what caused him to do what he did, and I can only be thankful we had Acheron there with us-- But just.. why..? What purpose does it serve to reveal that... reveal my.. ❜

Another pause, finger in a near choke hold. He doesn't know why saying it aloud is so unnerving- why it bothers him so much. But it's not as if people don't know now-

❛ Thanks to Aventurine, my status as the host of a Stellaron is now public knowledge. And that, alone, terrifies me, because who knows what kinds of people are out there that will now come after the Nameless.. After me..

But-- there's still a part of me that, for some reason, refuses to dislike him. Something-- somehow, somewhere-- is telling me that Aventurine can.. or is.. still my friend. Or maybe that's just me getting my hopes up! Ahah..❜

[balemouns]

"About FURINA" and "About AVENTURINE" yeah im making u do two

Send me “About [NAME]” for my character’s thoughts on another character! - accepting!

About FURINA.

"perhaps it should be none of my concern, but I do wonder at times what fontaine's beloved former goddess finds herself preparing for her meals without the staff she was once accustomed to crafting them for her. lady furina couldn't be surviving on cakes and macarons alone, could she...?" a pause as though she's listening, then a short laugh before she continues. "...starches and carbohydrates then, for the most part? I suppose that shouldn't be shocking, she has always seemed quite fond of sweets... the meals we prepare at the house would be much better for her health in the long term, though. next time the children wish to bring her something, I'll see if they want to offer a little pork steak alongside the confectionaries... it would be such a shame for them to see her lose her mortality to a sugary end."

About AVENTURINE.

"since meeting that fellow, I've spent some time reflecting on what about him feels so familiar and so foreign... aside from the advanced technology he carries with him, of course. I think it comes down to the capacity he has for collaboration when there's mutual benefit for those involved -- though if the other party did not stand to gain anything, I'd bet he'd be just as willing to take on a naive partner in an endeavor. I had considered then, too, that there was a quality to him that was quite like that of most of my colleagues among the harbingers... at the same time, his capacity for risk-taking stood out as more like that of my youngest coworker, who's always seemed much less likely to treat people that way." a shrug. "both highly intelligent and audaciously reckless. not something you see often."

[taixuandream]

"before you can protect others from darkness, you should first be able to protect yourself."

Those words sound familiar. They are the echoes of Deliverance who'd long fallen from his place as leader of those who ran towards the flame. They are the whispers of Disciple, to never lose herself in the waves of endless heat. They are melody cascading from the ascent of Gold, the light at the edge of Daybreak, the shadows of Ego, and the end of Decimation. There were others, but no point to be made in their memory.

Even her codename defied such a statement. "Vicissitude." Unwanted, undesired, unpleasant change. There was never the option to protect herself, it was never even a possibility. It was always her mission, never a desire. Each era wrought with seeping vility, lost if not for those who fought hopelessly.

In chasing a dream that was never hers, she had lost herself once before, tasting the precipice of Taixuan. This is what she was made for, to throw rocks and sticks, never born to quit.

"I don't think I know how to..." 50,000 years, her sense of self burned in the kindling of rebirth countless times. Perhaps it was yearning for rest.

"My hopes come from those I want to protect. My comfort from friends and comrades so far away." Though she'd lost those original bonds, new ones strengthened the resolve of a Phoenix. Who she once was bore little resemblance to the girl she was now. One very special person was the very reason she still stood now. Her own, foolish self-sacrifice overruled by a stubborn friend.

"Because they will protect. They'll pull me from even the darkest reaches. They already have." To find a way back home. 'Wanna run away from me? Not a chance!' Though she'd grown feigned familiarity with the passage of time, she was never alone. "They'll protect me."

[iustitians]

[WPM] How quickly can your character type, read or write?

Thought, learning and intellect headcanon asks for muses | no longer accepting

---

Very! Well, at least when it comes to official and legal documentation. As Neuvillette himself says, he has several hundred years of practice under his belt, and his duties, which would have been a serious and exhausting job for a human (or more like several humans, really), have become a simple routine to him. His natural knack in combination with all the experience he has in this aspect mean that reading such documents and immediately catching all the details required from them is completely natural to him.

The same goes for writing them, be it by hand on or the typewriter. Official documentation is, more often than not, going to have a set model and pattern - especially in a land as obsessed with such things as Fontaine - so he can produce those without thinking. In fact he is capable of writing a document while having a conversation with someone about a completely different topic at the same time, he just doesn't really do that because he believes it would be rude. If he's gonna talk to someone, he offers them his full attention.

Of course, as I mentioned in the beginning, what I said applies in particular to the kinda stuff he reads and writes at work. Give him a romance novel and he'll probably look at it like this

Not that he cannot understand and enjoy a regular book. Sure he can, similarly to how he enjoys performances at the Opera Epiclese. But those would take him a significantly longer amount of time, because he cannot really apply a standardized model to them - each has to be analyzed individually, and with him being the kinda guy he is, boy is he going to analyze it. (As well as himself and his own reactions while experiencing it, because that's also something he pays a lot of attention to.) So you'll have to give him a bit longer with those. And some books I think would be genuinely difficult for him to grasp.

I honestly wanna say that I don't think he reads that many books, though. Sometimes for sure, there is a mention of him buying a book in Sigewinne's web event if I remember right, but I definitely think he prefers performances.

[huuuugestmoney]

[ SOUVENIR ]　/　whoever arranged this tropical island getaway hadn't cut any corners. the market streets stretche seemingly without end — a bustling, kaleidoscopic bazaar of stalls one after another, tarp after display of trinkets, clothes, and jewelry for the covetous eye. aventurine won't deny he's tempted, but his pay grade isn't worth just your run-of-the-mill selection of tourist goods. and neither are those he's been tasked with shopping for.

a tall, indigo-topped man catches his eye. makes sense he'd be at a place like this, doesn't it.

"sampo, isn't it?" he wears a smile and a pleasant cordiality like dressage on approach, waiting for the other to turn and process the company before he continues. "aventurine, of the ipc's strategic investment department. we'll just waive the formal introductions, and assume someone so well-informed is already aware."

"we might not be well-acquainted, but the truth is today i could use someone like you. i hear you have a keen eye, good at panning out gold from the rocks. i'm looking for a souvenir for someone with discerning tastes. what do you say?" one-hundred-thousand credits changes hands easily, one deft palm to another. "i could use your skill."

Well, well, well - if it isn't his patron, ish.

Sampo has had his reservations in dealing with the IPC - but today's quote-unquote "adversary" could just as well be tomorrow's partner, yes? Nothing is life is ever free, of course - not even 'free giveaways' but hey! They come close!

Sampo had thought twice about the tickets being offered,

but the fine print had looked innocent enough, and so he'd not bothered to think on them thrice.

Now he wonders if maybe he should have.

Sampo isn't sure whether he should feel flattered or wary that Aventurine isn't the only one here whose reputation precedes him - or, rather, that this number includes Sampo himself. Instinct suggests the latter, flaring caution, but he really, really wouldn't mind the former and getting to preen a little-- ahem. Right.

To the business at hand, then.

Sampo knows a job when he hears one.

"Hehe. You sure have a way with words, Mister Aventurine."

The feel of money is nice. So nice!

It's the best thing since sliced bread, really.

But damn if being handed this kind of lump sum with little preamble doesn't set the hairs at the nape of Sampo's neck on edge. The credits are carefully - yet deftly - stowed away, and Sampo can but beam at his new client. Clasping his hands togetther, fiddling with the edge of his glove a moment, he chuckles. Now that he's been hyped up, he can't well go gently about this, can he?

"I won't let you down, sir! Sampo Koski is on the job!"

[dukemeropide]

It’s as if they speak as equals. Even if that equality has been bought, and only for fifteen minutes, it’s a testament to the power of wealth in the Fortress. The Duke listens carefully, but more importantly, with respect for what Aventurine has to say. But while he sees little need for intimidation or posturing here, he does maintain an expression that’s an unreadable neutral, shifting little even as the eloquent man spins a story around truths Wriothesley has rarely seen dragged into the light.

And he’s got a good bit of it right. He’s done his research, he thinks again, impressed, and yet equally amused. There is empathy strung through every observation, each a block in a carefully constructed argument shaped like a helping hand. And yet Wriothesley can’t help but wonder how much of it is simply gilding.

”You sound as though you speak from experience,” he says with a controlled smile when he’s offered the opening for a rebuttal. The man had a poise and elegance about him that suggested he held some important position wherever he was from - something the Duke had noticed from the moment he’d arrived in the Fortress, and what had puzzled him about his sentence for so long. Now he’s beginning to see the picture of a leader, perhaps a businessman, quite used to negotiations that would leave anyone with less experience trembling at the door.

Or maybe he’s just exceptionally brave.

Leather creaks softly as the Duke leans forward to retrieve his cup of tea. He sips from it thoughtfully, but a smile still sits on his lips. He’d thought about living under the sun, having a normal job and a normal life, and the freedom to travel wherever he pleased dozens of times. Even now, his mind drifts to the quiet ticking inside a clockwork shop and its somnolent warmth on a spring day.

”It’s true,” he says after a moment, punctuated by the soft clink of the teacup settling back onto its saucer. “I often sit in this office and think about all the things that are out of my grasp. Like right now, I’ve been thinking about how this conversation would be nicer over a picnic outside.” He chuckles and sits back. “But this position isn’t like an ordinary job at the head of an ordinary factory. Don’t forget that the Fortress of Meropide is a prison first.”

When he looks at Aventurine again, it’s with wistful resolve. “Everyone here is repenting for something.”

　♠　⋮﹒ leave no traces

[tempered-chill]

in diamonds and gold

w/ @avcnturine for the shackling prison break prompt!

[feidant]

#FEIDANT.　⁀➷　closed roleplay blog for 𝐅𝐄𝐈𝐗𝐈𝐀𝐎 from HONKAI: STAR RAIL, affiliated with gnostic hymns. directed by rai ( she / he ).

heylo it's rai, after many moons with the honor of writing for feixiao! i'm 30, in eastern time, and hanging out otherwise on @fanfaire and @avcnturine here at gnostic hymns. 　

i enjoy exploring complex character dynamics and situations with a lot of moral and emotional nuance on both sides. as with all my blogs, i do maintain a thread cap for myself because i don't like to keep my partners consistently waiting⠀(⠀and because if i overload myself, i freeze up and panic-drop, and i don't enjoy finding myself there.⠀)⠀thanks for understanding. 　

as always, i use the cn dub as the basis for my portrayals, so there may be some variation from characterization as presented in other dubs. 　

and a couple feixiao portrayal notes.

(⠀2.5 spoilers!!⠀)　i'm choosing to interpret the events of the end of 2.5 as feixiao's moon rage condition not being cured by swallowing the fragment of the plaguemark, as i think this makes for a better narrative for her and, more importantly, more compelling to rp. however, i do hc subtle changes in her condition, which may be expanded on elsewhere. if knowing these details is relevant for your muse⠀(⠀i.e. jiaoqiu or moze, or any character who might be able to detect her unseen condition⠀),⠀please let me know. 　

good guy plot armor and a need for marketability positions feixiao in canon such that we are encouraged to see her as cool at all times, but let's face it——she displays belligerence, brutishness, and egotism, and certainly sees herself as the protagonist of her own story. i'm interested in exploring these aspects of her that i think canon is reluctant to bring out, as well as her behaviors and beliefs that run closer to borisin values. this is a psa mainly to say that feixiao thinking she's swag does not always mean mun thinks she's swag, and that other muses are free to have their own views on her behaviors now that we are outside the bubble of hoyo protag goggles, HAHA.

[trailblczed]

[ sunglasses ]　/　"what a coincidence. just who i was looking for." the early morning sun catches stoneheart and nameless just beyond the steps of the quaint row of catered villas that came with the tickets' promised package. this planet didn't adhere to system hours, but heat hasn't risen yet to intolerable levels with the daylight still young. and just his luck, mister stellaron looked to be on his own — taking a leave of absence for himself this time? he remembers he'd explicitly extended his offer to the rest of the astral express too when this one'd accepted the deal.

anyway, that's not what he'd wanted to say today.

"it looks like you just keep rolling high, friend. i was hoping to find someone to gift something truly remarkable, and you're in the right place at the right time. here, take this."

without preamble, he presses a sleek, velvety grey case into the young man's hand, declaring quality from its clean edges to the soft cashmere fibers against the fingertips.

"top of the line, the newest generation VITA-series frame eyewear, running at three-hundred-seventy-eight grand. the products they sent us are good, but i still prefer the ones i'm using. so, enjoy. i think the navigator style will suit you, and you're in luck — this color should fit you too. titanium rims and diamond-pressed detail. and, of course, ultraviolet protection and anti-reflective coatings. try them out while you're here ; protecting your vision is still important even on vacation."

Caelus makes a mental note that if the Express ever goes to another planet that has a semi-tropical climate, or has a temperature rating above 80Fahrenheit / 27Celsius that he is sitting that trip OUT. Most might not find it too awful a heat, but that does not include the silver-- to be fair, he's naturally hotter thanks Stellaron so his opinion may be a tad of an outlier.

At the sound of a familiar voice, lad turns to the source and is blinded both by sun and by bright blond locks. He was about to make a comment about how bad Aventurine's dice pun was ( teasingly of course, he loves a good pun and thought it was quite a Chef's Kiss one ) when something is ushered into his hand. Caelus stares at it, befuddled, before registering it's something he can physically open and that what the blond was referring to was inside.

A moment as he inspects the gift, curious as to what is so familiar about the specific style when it clicks- a roaring laugh unrestrained as he pulls the shades out of the box, quickly putting them on.

❛ I see I see! Is it part of a Brother Hanu collection? I must say the accuracy is fairly on point! ❜

Lad has to hold back jokingly giving a "hmph" and other grunting sounds instead of actual words when his brain seemingly catches up, or fully processes, Aventurine's words that came with the pair of sunglasses. Sputtering and frantic as Caelus takes the shades off, disbelief and concern etched on his every feature.

❛ T---Three-hundred-sev--------- Aven--- WHAT? I appreciate the thought, really I do! There's---- There's just no way I can accept something so fancy or expensive! I would likely get them broke within a week--! ❜

There is a reason he sticks to finding his goods in garbage bins. Can't break something that's already damaged. Still in a panic, Caelus glances around before looking at the ground, swiftly placing the shades back in their case before reaching into his pocket and pulling out all kinds of random things he's been collecting ( including but not limited to: cool looking rocks, a flat pale looking disk he was told was called a "sand dollar", and some shark teeth ). Through crazed rummaging he's able to feel the item he was looking for-- a very unique and gorgeous looking shell he had found earlier that morning. The silver wants to give the sunglasses back, but something tells him that Aventurine won't let him ( if their past interactions in Penacony's Grand Hotel were anything to go by ), so at least Caelus could give what he deems the most worthy item he has on him as thanks. Nameless yoinks it out, similarly shoving it into the other's hand in a way that leaves no room for argument, nor returns ( you ain't got a receipt to do it with! no take-backsies ).

❛ I know it's not nearly on the same level to be considered a fair trade but-- Here. ❜

[garmgeyr]

”A flashy blond with striking eyes. Got it.” Gallagher smiles like he might just have an idea about who this person could be, but then again, his smiles always seem to be withholding some sort of secret.

”Anything else I can get for you while you wait?” he asks. “Another one? I’ll have that fixed right up.”

Retreating down the bar a little ways, he gathers up a new glass and the ingredients to make a second round. It’s easy, fluid, done almost without thought, all the while Gallagher’s eyes make periodic sweeps of the lounge. He nods occasionally at regulars and new faces alike. Some pass him by with a ‘hello’, others don’t seem to notice him at all, but he keeps a vigilance about him as if tallying everyone who comes and goes.  The drink is done in no time, not a single thing measured, yet just as beautiful as the first. He carries it over to his somber patron.

”Here—“ He’s cut off suddenly by the loud opening notes of a bright dance number, one of the sentient saxophones on stage honking away under the spotlight. Gallagher turns to look over his shoulder, driven half by instinct, half by the curiosity to see who’s playing next as if hoping to find an old friend. A crowd begins to surge around the stage now that it’s obvious the main event is just about to begin, but there is a split second of complete coincidence when a sea seems to part in front of the lefthand entrance. The spotlights flip upwards, catching the double doors right as they open to a young man - flashy, blond, with striking eyes.

Amused, Gallagher nods in his direction and then looks back at the one who’d been waiting for him. ”Is that your friend?”

Low Spirits

veritas ratio & aventurine & gallagher thread 一 " Invitation "

[balemouns]

[SHARE A COFFEE]⠀/⠀"so this is where you're from." the stoneheart is a picture of skillful smiles and adroit fluency as he slides into the leather-cushioned booth against the wall of the cozy cafe, steaming cup and saucer in hand. the large window beside them provides ample light, presenting a wide-angle view of the commercial street corner outside, yet fixed with good enough insulation to let in none of the sound.

visible. cozy. quaint. he's actually never been much of a coffee shop patron, but there's always a first time for everything when seeing new sights.

"it feels a little different from you, doesn't it. of course, i don't mean that as a bad thing——plenty of people don't resemble their homelands much." once the latte's reached a nicer temperature, he lifts the cup and takes a shallow sip, blowing lightly across the surface. the fluff of air and whipped cream wobbles. hm. too much sugar.

"anyway, i've since learned that you run an orphanage here in fontaine. suddenly a lot of things from that temple make sense. that young magician——lyney——i think i understand things a little better now. you must have a really extraordinary institution."

it's been far too long since she last encountered her unlikely ally -- nearly two seasons ago, in fact, with winter approaching. even by a window, the light inside the café is dimmer than the outside patio, but surroundings are also quieter, better for asking questions. what brings him back here, now? if he's truly from beyond the stars, what value can be taken from teyvat?... and, of course, there's only so much she can offer, for whatever value his organization's superior technology can offer. arlecchino stirs her own coffee mindlessly as he settles in --- his second comment almost prompts an offer to clarify something she suspects he's been wondering about for some time. "ah... well, to belong in a particular place is a luxury only some of the children in my organization can afford. lyney is lucky to count himself amongst those children," and she herself is not one of them. nevertheless, to address the third, "...the house of the hearth offers home for any child missing it, no matter the capacity in which it is needed. but from what you've described, it sounds like you've learned more about what we are, or what we do."

a glance out the window, then down to her coffee. this time, it is dark, only a touch of sugar added that has long-since dissolved, despite her own insistent stirring as she thinks. "...it's not just here in fontaine -- the house is in every nation of teyvat. it makes us an invaluable network of information... and yet, despite our reach, I have learned nothing more about you since we last spoke. I assume we're meeting again because your own organization has some interest in teyvat, no...? it can't just be this film festival, mr. aventurine."

[balemouns]

between looks from teammates, she watches for another opening -- cautious forward action seems to be close to breaking again. what will happen next? this whole fight started because... space rends. a woman with long pale hair and a young man appear through at the other side where her children fight alongside sedene and the chief justice, almost more horrifying than the goddess before her in their sudden arrival. did that mean... was one sister already lost?

arlecchino rolls 5 energy.

free arm juts out, sharp nails at the end of blackened hand pointing towards the new arrivals. then, voice calls out to the fiery goddess. "... looks like the exact kind of individuals I discussed with you have made their way here. are you sure this is still a fight you want to have, one worth your life, or the lives of your sisters? it's not too late."

no response comes from within golden heat -- fast steps pace out of the way before action can replace an answer. then, polearm twirls, brows lower, and arlecchino tries again. "why did you listen to us on the beach?"

this time, a booming voice rises -- the goddess speaks. "to give you all a chance to end up on the right side of this conflict. i see now it was undeserved."

undeserved? a quick glance in aventurine's direction, noting gallagher's approached him again with a new refreshment; was that what they had agreed to with her? "...that's not what I remember." arlecchino shakes her head as attention turns back, and steps keep moving around her target. are we really not that alike, my lady? fire scorned, bitter, burning with resentment capable of consuming all it cares for. but where crimson tinged with black was carefully stoked in a hearth, gold and orange burns wildly out of control. "I recall discussing your point of view, wanting to come to terms with how your sisters really feel, finding a resolution for the bad blood between you. at most, advocating for your perspective. where did that become picking a side at all?"

another lick of angry flame, heat warning of its arrival as she answers once more. “then you misunderstood.”

some fires can't be contained ------- another opening. arlecchino lunges forward rapidly again, jabbing steel polearm deep.

[1 energy] ARLECCHINO 10/10HP hits BETRAYAL ARISEN 3.5/50HP with Invitation to a Beheading [Roll: 7 + 1 = 8, (Pinion's Aria activates!) -3.5HP]. BETRAYAL ARISEN 0/50HP. (Phoenix Incarnate activates!) Player Phase ends.

a wave of heat erupts outward, knocking back all those on this side of the battle --- a bird of fire reborn again, wasn't that the legend they'd discussed in the temple? ... but the wave hits hard, and another outpouring of gold follows it, with the autumn goddess landing another hit. gold again, goddess again. barely a breath seems to pass, even a blink --- and the dust starts to settle, revealing both herself and the winged goddess trapped in similar glowing binds.

ARLECCHINO is inflicted with imprisonment and cannot act.

Over and Over, Like a Tune—

˚ʚ [waning sun x temple of betrayal crossover woo ] ɞ˚

[huuuugestmoney]

[diting race betting gone wrong (?) @ @avcnturine ]

Sampo silently paced the length of the small corridor leading into the so-called 'confinement area' his current bosses had set up and charged him with.

If it were any ol' shmuck they'd trussed up and tossed in there, he wouldn't have thought twice about it. If it were a regular ol' joe, he'd have few qualms just shutting up and doing his job.

Times like these, he wondered if losing a bet had done him better than winning might've.

(The jury is still out on that one.)

Coming to a halt, Sampo groans, shakes his head and, with a quiet click, enters the room he's meant to be guarding. He crouches, arms dangling over knees, to look his purported prisoner somewhat eye-level.

"Mister Aventurine..."

Sampo could avert his gaze, kind of wants to, even, but instead he fixes the other with a keen, inquisitive look. (Doesn't stop him nervously carding fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck, mind.)

"Just how's a sharp guy like you wind up in a fix like this?"

And then, the trickier question still: why is Sampo considering helping him? He could get in a whole whack of trouble for this, y'know.

(... It's a long story, okay?)

shiny fiddles made of gold //

[sweepingthunder]

A dismissive wave again, unbothered by such apologies. "None taken," it would be foolish to assume that his fellow companion would hold the same beliefs. Were he still on the Luofu, perhaps tensions would've arisen. Off-duty, it is unimportant.

"I see, though. I suppose hindsight is 20-20." Even as the other spoke, poking fun at potential dismay, there is nothing but contemplation upon the General's face. Second thoughts were not quite what he would call it. Regrets were a truth that came with life, yet such worries rarely bothered him. No, it was remembering what came before, desires to return to what had once been, even if just for a moment.

"Oh please. I am as strong as I am today due to the past. No matter how much I may yearn for better days, it would be foolish to accept anything other than what is. But I hardly find guilt in missing what once was." Faces of bygones, so similar yet painfully different. Changed, forever lost to the past, it was pointless to regret mistakes made of their own accord. They made the choice; may they find some warmth in the end.

Such a light-hearted grin as the fire sparks without help now. Wood catches quickly enough, allowing rest.

"Though perhaps I am a little naive in thinking back like that. I probably worsen my own mood some days by... wishing I could relive those days, even if just for a few minutes. I don't know. I don't regret, but I still wish I could experience it again." A pause, only for a soft, singular chuckle. "I'm mourning. Not regretful. Mourning." A reminder, though it is spoken as if he's only just realized this. Maybe it was strange for someone as himself to feel such weight. A look of curiosity, wordlessly asking the next question. Did he mourn as well, or was that best left to others.

��　⋮﹒ time past and to come

　　 　　　 　 　　 　❪　event. solstice　/　ghost stories　❫

[garmgeyr]

"Good to hear Penacony's been treating you right." Gallagher's crosses his arms and watches for the subtle - or not - changes in his guest's features when he tries his order. Even on the busiest nights, he's never too busy to make sure the drinks are just what the customer wants. One might call it hospitality to rival that of the Family's, but in truth, it's simply a drinksmith's pride. He can tell a few things about the way someone approaches a taste test, too, and this one appears cautious, cerebral. The origin or the byproduct of his tension, Gallagher can't quite tell, but nevertheless he is eloquent and courteous despite that. With a little extra work, he might be able to shine that furrow from his brow.

He glances down the length of the bar, unconsciously searching for any sign of a guest needing his attention, then makes a sweeping gesturing with his hand as if to encompass the entirety of the room.

"What a party, eh? I can't take credit for the atmosphere though." He folds his arms again and looks back with a fond smile. "You should come back on another night and meet the owner, then you'll really understand why--" There's a crash that turns heads somewhere near the stage, but other than the brief lull in the constant chatter around the room, no one seems bothered. A sentient television apologizes a few times to the potted plant it's knocked over, while a second one drones on behind it as if it hadn't even noticed. Gallagher chuckles at the sight.

"Well, I'll just say she's a firecracker in her own right. Siobhan's her name. And you can call me Gallagher," a wry smile, "but 'hey, you' would also work just fine."

The drink appears to have gone down well enough, so he takes back the emptied glass and adds it to a collection of soiled dishes under the counter.

"A drink for someone who's been through hard times, huh?" He raises back up and plants his palms on the polished marble. For a moment, his eyes lift toward the ceiling as he thinks over a few options, but in a blink, they snap back to his guest's face. "How 'bout you tell me what this friend of yours looks like? I'll keep an eye on the door and make sure the drink's fresh when they get here. If I make it now and it takes 'em longer than a minute or two, the flavor will go bad."

Low Spirits

veritas ratio & aventurine & gallagher thread 一 " Invitation "

[garmgeyr]

Like glass shattering, the crack of a shield giving way turns heads. Gallagher’s own shudders against the reverberation when steel blade knocks the little fairy aside, but holds. For now. Newly exposed, the Stoneheart madman draws the goddess’ attention, and her pride draws the opportunist.

”They’ll be fine.” Gallagher’s eyes flick sideways to catch Robin’s, magenta flames welling up from the seams along his arm again. “We have you.”

The goddess closes the distance to Aventurine, whatever had made her human at the beginning of all of this now molten fury vaguely shaped into expression. Twin blades raise, gleaming ferocity, demanding atonement.

“You’ll learn not to turn your back on us mortals.”

The goddess whirls on her heel suddenly, one blade flying after the other in a horizontal slash. Gallagher hooks the first with the end of phantom claws, then rips backwards to pull it off course and slow her momentum. Caught before she can force the distance back between them, she swings the second blade around for his head. Claws disperse into wisps of eldritch fire as Gallagher ducks and, guided by the resonance of overlapping wills, lunges for the opening. Then claws shoot out again at the end of a fist that never connects, sunk deep into divine flame.

GALLAGHER 10/10HP uses Champagne Etiquette. (Sun-Eater activates!) (Pinion’s Aria activates!) [-2.5HP] BETRAYAL ARISEN 8/50HP. BETRAYAL ARISEN is inflicted with BESOTTED. BETRAYAL ARISEN is affected by PYRO.

Like steam expelled from a pressurized pipe, the hiss of frustration precedes the goddess’ next careless backswing. Gallagher twists free, a whirling kick to her side giving him the push to leap backwards and away as the tip of the blade sings through thin air centimeters from his jaw.

GALLAGHER 10/10HP hits BETRAYAL ARISEN 8/50HP with Nectar Blitz (Sun-Eater activates!) [Roll: 2, -0.5HP] BETRAYAL ARISEN 7.5/50HP. BETRAYAL ARISEN deals -1 less damage on next turn. BETRAYAL ARISEN 7.5/50HP counters and misses GALLAGHER 10/10HP with Starfire Twinblade [Roll: 3, -0HP]

He trades a look with Arlecchino past her shoulder, then retreats a few steps with the goddess still in pursuit, a cocky smirk curling languidly across his face.

“Is that the best you’ve got? Come on now—” He raises his right arm in front of him, its numerous scars still glowing, his other hand slipped casually into his pocket. “—I play with nightmares.”

Over and Over, Like a Tune—

˚ʚ [waning sun x temple of betrayal crossover woo ] ɞ˚