CHAPTER FOUR ♔ does it run in your blood to betray the ones you love

[coldheritage]

♬ The Truth - Nonpoint

WHO || Failboat, Rafael, Isabella, Nadia  [Closed]
WHAT || After an exciting Grammy night, the Knights meet up with Nadia to hear what she has to say
WHERE || Staples Center, LA -->  Warehouse
WHEN || Feb 8th, 2015  [back dated]
HOW || Actionspam

[  The Knights' mission to stop the signal and prevent Draken's cult from spreading whatever subliminal message  was lurking beneath Keijen Blade's performance was a success.  It didn't come without its bumps in the road, however:  Alexander Anderson showed up, and the Knights ran afoul of the Mind Master.    Buffy nearly died fighting Anderson, but in the end, he was defeated, beheaded, and hopefully put to death forever.   Finnick, though, found himself thrust into a mental illusion that convinced him he might still be in the Hunger Games, and left him uncertain about whether any of his life here was real.  

Another surprise came in the form of an announcement by Nadia Reichenov, an artist working with Crombe and company, that she was changing her band name and taking things in a 'new direction'.   This direction was perhaps revealed when after her performance, she approached the Knights in Rafael's dressing room - and handed them the necklace that connects her to the Nightmare God Malaak'a, saying she was willing to tell them everything.  ]

Comments

[doubletake]

Whatever that's about, it better be important.

[Considering they're kind of on a schedule, not to mention the people that are probably still wandering around *coughmindmastercough*]

[shootfirst]

We can't leave her. What if another murder-happy priest shows up or something? We're on backup duty.

[nothingsodivine]

[des pinches the bridge of his nose, the quiet expression he's been wearing since all catholic hell broke loose fading just a smidge so he can give the universal exasperated look of #youths.

however, rose's shenanigans serve to get him out of his own head a bit so... that's something. ]

So. Do you think Kanye West will sign my bloody sword if I ask real nice?

[slay]

It's fine.

[ Buffy answers Kat with mock flippancy. ]

I'm in my zone now. Bring on the murder-priests.

[ But more seriously, she adds, ] If Nadia could wait to creepily move this somewhere less flashy, she can wait for Rose to ... whatever Rose is doing before we hear her out.

[ Stares at Rafael like speaking of what is your fucking damage. Buried under some concern trolling of, which looks more along the lines of a reassuring we're ONLY going to hear her out for now. ]

1/-

[savemyself]

I still find it hard to believe you are all here only to make certain no harm came to Rafael. [ she looks pointedly at all the gathered Knights like since when does wynn give this many fucks about rafael i mean really what the fuck is up ]

2/-

[romanticidal]

[ rafael doesn't even seem to notice that buffy is staring at him, because he's too busy staring off into the middle distance himself over here. he does, however, notice that comment, and looks over at isa questioningly like where the hell did u hear that, and also oh shit right i didn't tell isabella i invited all of you ]

3/3

[dragonsclaw]

As much as we appreciate being able to keep Iscariot from reaching him, we were here because of the NOVA plot - to do what we could to stop it.

[bigbad]

And to help Nadia. [Spike shoots a glare at Rafael which is partly that's his default Rafael-aimed expression and partly because HE DOESN'T LIKE RAFAEL'S ATTITUDE.] It's not the first time she's been interested in swapping sides.

[romanticidal]

Or pretended to be. [ SHARP LOOK AT SPIKE ]

[nothingsodivine]

[Des just looks at Isabella like shruuuug, somehow oblivious to the dick measuring contest going on over there.] Well, I was worried he was going to get brainwashed by Keijen and his literal power ballads. I don't know why you're bitching.

[slay]

Hey.

[ Buffy inserts herself between Spike and Rafael preemptively, raising her hands to pacify them both. Interestingly, though, she's coming up Team Spike here, shooting a sharp look at Raf. Diplomacy 32. ]

Maybe before we start with the friendly fire, we should take time to get on the same page. Killing your phone doesn't do a lot for helping any of us keep you up to speed. [ Not the time. Not the time. It's hard, when she knows he couldn't possibly be against saving Nadia if he knew what Keijen had been doing to Jade. She draws a deep breath and looks at Spike, softening to play devil's advocate and add, ] It seems like we've all got some catching up to do. Let's ice the manly posturing until we have a shot at doing it.

[bigbad]

[Luckily Buffy taking Spike's side gives him enough of a bonus to his maturity check that he doesn't burst out with anything especially thoughtless and just looks slightly smug. He shrugs his shoulders back and takes a step away.]

Besides, doesn't matter if we can trust her or not. It's the only lead we've got. We're bloody following it.

1/2

[romanticidal]

[ rafael looks like he's got a lot he wants to say to all of that, but he apparently decides saying nothing at all is the best option again, and looks back off towards the doors with an impatient air, still quietly fuming. ]

[rationalizes]

Spike is right. We're certainly going to be cautious about all of this, but we can't afford to ignore it, either.

[nothingsodivine]

[Des, meanwhile, being the Vesuvius of his, Rafael, and Buffy's little triad, finally notices the attitude Rafael's giving off. It's not... right. He steps a bit closer to the half-elf, lowering his voice.]

Fluffy. Jesus. You're throwing off our feng-shui. See, I'm the hothead, you're the coldly murderous one, and Buffy is little beacon of light that tries to keep us from tilting too far one way. Right now you're on my side of the scale and I'm on yours. It's freakin' me out a little.

[savemyself]

[ /CRIT FAILS WILL SAVE NOT TO INTERRUPTING COW and ofc makes her listen check to hear that. ] Rafael has said he does not wish to discuss it here. [ it's unclear as to whether her irritation is with des, the situation, or with the fact that she... also doesn't know. either way, rafael just gives her and des a side-long look, and again, says nothing. ]

[slay]

[ A flash of tension in her jaw. Buffy chokes something down, not looking at Spike, or Rafael, or Isabella right now. She turns back towards the event hall. ] What is Rose doing? [ She'd like to retract her earlier patience. ]

[bigbad]

Who bloody knows, but she better be quick about it. [He scowls crossing his arms, and glares in the direction she ran.] We've got places to be.

[nothingsodivine]

[Whelp. He tried. Des scratches awkwardly at the space between his eyes and goes to... find a spot that isn't currently covered in blood and brain matter to sit down and... contemplate the situation and reload his gun.

And maybe clean the blood off the bayonet in his jacket, because that's gross.]

[witchwoman]

I don't think she intended for us to wait for her. [Or at least Myri has no intention of waiting... sorry but sh needs to wrap this up so she can get back to her broken husband and hope he'll actually want to touch her or at least stop doubting her existence being real???] She said she would catch up with us.

[slay]

[ Don't tell Buffy twice. She'd like to know what the fuck is going on too, especially considering how cray Rafael is being about it. ]

Good enough for me.

[ Myri speaks for the trees, then looks around. ]

Who's driving?

[bigbad]

That'd be me. [Because tbh Spike doesn't trust most of the other people here behind the wheel. Also because he wants to drive fast and if he's behind the wheel, that'll happen.]

[doubletake]

Pretty sure she meant that she'd catch up in the lobby or something. It's not like we brought a bunch of extra cars.

[Seriously you guys...]

[nothingsodivine]

This was a bad idea. [s-so tense, des.] We got out without runnin' into Blade once- there's such a thing as tempting fate, y'know? And for what? An autograph?

[doubletake]

Like I said, I hope it was important.

[/casually acts like she doesn't really care, actually does oops

Don't die, ladies. Hurry the fuck up.]