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

[witchwoman]

[All sorts of doors are opening and closing. Myri leaves the bathroom, expression blank. She moves back into the room, unable to look any of them in the eye for fear of losing the shaky grasp she has of control right now.]

Do any of you need..? Are you still hurt?

[Shut down like this, her empathy is just a dull ringing in the back of her mind, barely a tug in any direction. She can't risk feeling anything right now.]

[nothingsodivine]

[Des lets Isabella and Elena go ahead of him, staring after them long after they're gone with a concerned expression that seems to suggest a lot of feelings for both of them. Rafael's return is met with a slow nod and another look at the door, before the click of the bathroom door and the look on Myri's face breaks his heart anew. He grabs a hold of Rafael's shoulder to pull him aside so Myri can take the floor... and probably so he doesn't have to deal with the emotional ramifications of the fact that they've probably lost Finnick. It's too much right now.]

Yeah, she left... [He runs a hand over his face, unsure of what was said, but having a pretty good idea. He's sort of... the number one Buffael shipper. BUT MAN, POOR ISA. POOR EVERYONE.] Said she had to call Burt.

1/2

[chessing]

Nothing that we can't rest off for now, Myrilandel. [ it's said gently, but firmly enough on jack's part that it's clear he thinks myri's had enough to contend with tonight. ] Something we should all think of doing.

[romanticidal]

I see. [ raf's voice drops even lower as he asks the next question, which seems to bubble up in spite of his best efforts to clamp it down ] And... Buffy?

[nothingsodivine]

Stepped out on the balcony to talk to Jack. Still there, actually. [He releases Rafael's shoulder, nodding in that direction.] You should... probably go talk to her. I'm gonna go... Talk to Isabella.

[That is a terrible idea, but someone has to do it. SHE DOESN'T REALLY THINK STRAIGHT WHEN SHE'S BEEN BROKEN UP WITH.]

[romanticidal]

If you think it wise. I do not know how much of a mood she will be in to... talk. [ he grimaces, but doesn't protest any more than that, because clearly he's just like HOW DO I SHOT WOMEN rn. in fact, he glances at the balcony doors like he's not sure that's a great idea at this moment either. HESITATES. ]

[nothingsodivine]

No one's in a good mood right now. [chuckles] C'mon, Fluffster. You two haven't talked in months. Might as well make up for lost time. [he gives him a friendly punch on the arm and... ducks out the door, poking his head back in to say:] I think Elena needs some help getting to her room. She kinda... fell asleep out here.

[AND DUCKING OUT. Someone can take care of Elena bb.]

1/2

[romanticidal]

... Si, you are right. [ he stands there as des vanishes, starts towards the doors, glancing surreptitiously at myri as he goes by, worry creasing his brow. jack meets his gaze as he reaches for the balcony doors, and gives him a small nod, and then he slips out. ]

2/2

[shootfirst]

I can go get Elena. [ kat volunteers herself a little too quickly, looking uncomfortable as myri comes back in, the reality of all this finnick shit crashing in on them slowly. the suffocating atmosphere of traumatic emotion is her fav, we all know :| she starts to push herself up, wincing. ]

[bigbad]

[Spike rolls his eyes and gets up with her.] I'll come with. You look like you're about to fall over.

[littledhampir]

[Rose's eyes widen at Alainn's mention of a Rocket Launcher, letting out a low whistle.]

Not a single one. [Scratch.] The plan worked, they didn't even see us leave. [She falls silent as Myri returns, Rose struggling to keep the worry from her face as she takes her in (WS 13) while the rest of the drama that's silently unfolding around them goes sailing over her head, Rose instead looking to Jack.]

I'll stay up until Nadia is ready to leave. Somebody should be awake... just in case. [Shit gets real basically.]

[witchwoman]

[She nods to Jack's decision that no more healing is needed, despite not really agreeing with him. She won't fight him, though. Her eyes shift to Rose next.]

I'll wait wth you.

[She doubts she will be able to sleep anyway. All it will be is another reminder of Finnick not at her side.]

[attollores]

[Although she can sit more comfortably thanks to Vi and Myri, she's still down 50 hp at this point. And despite nearly dying because of a freaking rocket, she is far too amped up to sleep (Fort Nat 20). She wants to stay up with Rose and Myri, but also doesn't want to intrude if Myri wants to have some time just the two of them.

So she decides to get up and make something to eat since she is suddenly starving. She'll just conveniently make enough for anyone who is interested. Once the food is done (and it's awesome with a 19 Craft Cooking check) she'll gauge the room, and if anything she'll hobble her way up to the roof so she can get some air, and put her staff away in her vault again without breaking the room :/ .]

[witchwoman]

[Even with her empathy dialed back, Myri still has eyes, and seeing Alainn move around the room, it's clear that there's still a lot of damage there. She's not okay with just... letting that happen. So despite Jack's insistence that she doesn't need to do more for the team, Myri will just head over to Alainn while she's cooking and gives her a quick healing (cure critical wounds - 38 HP). Her expression is still entirely blank, barely managing to acknowledge the woman in the process. She's just... here.]

1/-

[dragonsclaw]

[ jack nods to rose and myri when they volunteer, and doesn't even seem to notice myri heal alainn, because he puts a hand on the small of gar's back and nods towards one of the side rooms, before announcing: ] I need to learn everything Nadia told us. We'll relay it back to Wynn. [ gar nods, chewing her lip, and the two of them slip into a room to have that conversation privately ]

2/-

[shootfirst]

Let's go. [ to spike, as she heads for ze door ]

3/3

[nepotism]

[ FRED'S STILL HERE and... just gonna spread his arms across the back of the couch and look alainn's way ] ... So what's cookin'?

[slay]

[ Pop music echoes out of Buffy's purse, and a moment later, Rafael blazes a line through the hotel room on his way out. Buffy follows at a mosey, shutting the balcony door and giving Fred a steady smile. Sniffing lightly, she glances over to Myri and Alainn in the kitchen, expression soft and warm. ]

Smells good.

[attollores]

[it actually startles her when Myri gives her another bout of healing and she shivers at the sensation, glancing behind her at the other woman. She wasn't going to ask for anymore healing, knowing that in a few days she would be right as rain again, but she is incredibly grateful to her anyway. She recognizes the look in Myri's eyes, that vacant acknowledgement that she's there but no one is really home. Concern twists her features and she makes to reach out for her, but then Jack is talking and there are still quite a few people in the room and she thinks better of it, willing to wait until there isn't such a crowd. Instead she whispers a soft "thank you" as she brushes her hand along Myris shoulder before turning to answer Fred.]

Turkey Tetrazzini, mixed veggies, a salad and some dinner rolls. I've made enough for everyone, if yer interested? [she smiles at Buffy's remark, still grateful for the help and concern she had given earlier in the evening.]

Rose, do ye wanna lead the parade? [she knows you and your stomach, girl.]

[witchwoman]

[As Buffy approaches and Alainn finishes with cooking, Myri just turns and finds a spot to sit, preferably somewhere with a line of sight on the bathroom door. She's not hungry. She's not anything. She just wants her husband back.]

[slay]

Got anything to pack it to go? I'm kinda on my way out.

[ Which brings her around to the point. Smoothly, she slides onto the couch beside Myri, raising one hand to settle on her shoulder, all gentle concern. ]

How is he? [ Because she knows Myri well enough to know that 'how are you' will be entirely dependent on how someone else is, particularly when that someone else is her husband. ]

[witchwoman]

He-- [There's a brief moment where the reality of how much she's hurting is plain as day in her expression. Nothing short of anguish twists her features, but as quick as it comes, she takes a breath and pushes down the pain to hide behind that mask again (will 35).]

He thinks that all of this is a dream. That he'll wake up any moment into the world he left behind. [She shakes her head and looks at the closed door.]

He told me once what it was like there. The horrors he was forced into as a child and all the pain that came after. And now he thinks that I'm-- that we're all just something he created as an escape from that, that we've never been real. And I think he's afraid to say or do anything, for fear that it will wake him up and tear him away.

[slay]

[ Jesus christ. Myri might be stone-faced, but sorrow and loss grip Buffy tightly as she explains, and her expression falls into something overwhelmed with sympathetic heartache. Without hesitation, she sits forward to pull Myri into a hug, smoothing one hand over her hair. ]

We'll find a way to fix this. [ She sounds so certain (bluff 26), but over Myri's shoulder, her eyes search the wall in lingering doubt. ] We have to. [ She doesn't let up on the hug right away, figuring she'll wait for Myri to be the one to draw out of it when she's done. For as long as Myri needs her, Buffy's here. ]

[witchwoman]

[Even if she won't let herself cry, she clings to Buffy for several long moments, letting her eyes fall closed as she whispers another prayer to the Stargods to bring him back to her. Slowly, reluctantly, she draws from the hug and takes a steadying breath.]

Where are you going? [She had mentioned food to go. It's taking her a bit longer to process that, but she's catching up now.]

[slay]

[ The weight of apology is heavy in her eyes as Myri draws back; she can't reconcile that there's nothing for her to do personally in this. Nothing that she can fight and punch and subdue to protect Myri from what she's being forced to face.

(The Mind Master, she thinks, will do.)

But even that wouldn't bring Finnick back. Not now. She can't be certain that such a way exists, but she knows that she needs to do everything she can to help Myri find it. After all, Myri won't give up, so Buffy can't either. She cups one hand against her cheek, her strained smile sad and tired and reassuring all at once. ]

I just need to get out for a bit. [ She doesn't want to lie, but she does anyway. And it's not entirely untrue: she certainly doesn't mind escaping from the crowd, given how she's feeling, how she's still trying to process what she's done (bluff 25). Either way, she has to take the onus for leaving entirely onto herself because she refuses to put herself in a position where someone might intuit Rafael's discomfort or demand she share his suffering. ]

Don't worry: I'll be back by morning. [ Her hand drops and she pats Myri's thigh, leaning in to impress, ] You should rest. Let Vi watch over Finnick for a while. You've been through enough for one night.