new orleans ♔ for they have shed the blood of saints and prophets

[bancroft]

WHO || Thomas, Jack, Gar, Kat, Dumage, Mark, Myri, Buffy, Finnick, Spike, Rafael, Des, Elena, Chad Becksworth, The Mind Master, Decker Greenwall, Kitty Bonquas, Raoul Jacobson, Rynn, Devereaux, Keijen Blade [Closed]
WHAT || The Knights spy on an important meeting between Chad Becksworth and his compatriots... various downtime shenanigans ensue
WHERE || Various locations, New Orleans
WHEN || Friday, Oct 19th - November 12th [Backdated]
HOW || Actionspam, don't sweat tag order!!

[ Yesterday, members of team failboat went to the bayou hideout of the mysterious woman known only as "the Mind Master", on some intel from the captured Olean Gilbert. What they discovered was a very bizarre woman, who played mind games with them, and seemed to evince little concern for their interference. Another man, whom may have been Chad Becksworth entered, and told her that "Decker" was finished stalling and all was in readiness... The two of them fled before the Knights could get much information from either of them, and set a hideous creature to attack them: which appeared to be the result of a Frankenstein-like scientific process that sewed a human woman together with a giant snake.

The next day, another team of Knights infiltrated NOVA HQ to hack into appointment records and discover the names of those intended to meet with Chad Becksworth. Just as they downloaded the list, the scheduled meeting attendees arrived: it seemed they were meeting today, and the Dragon's Claws insisted that the younger Knights retire to the hotel, where all will be able to monitor the meeting onscreen as they spy on it and broadcast video. Knights' allies (Des, Rafael, Elena) are invited to watch as well. ]

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[ This log also covers any shenanigans the Knights have while staying in New Orleans, immediately following the last logs and extending over the next three weeks, when the next exciting shit go down.

Make your own threads, don't fuss about tag order, feel free to threadjack multiple people into one thread for hang-outs, ask me if you want a certain scene with an NPC, etc. forever whatever.]

Comments

[slay]

Do you ever wish that ... that this was it? That you didn't have to deal with the politics and the spy stuff, and you could just play for yourself?

[romanticidal]

[ there's a short beat ] She asked me the same thing, once.

I think my answer may be different, now.

[slay]

[ she goes quiet, watching him for a long moment before looking down at her hands. it always goes back to her. ]

[romanticidal]

There was a time when the necessity of what I did was not the only thing that kept me doing it. [ he seems to be picking his words carefully ] It becomes difficult to imagine returning to a quiet life, when one lives at such a high speed.

And there are some things you cannot forget. Knowing that this is a war that will never truly be won, that for every moment I would choose not to partake in another battle would mean innocent lives were lost...

I could not imagine wanting that. [ his fingers dance a small quiet melody with one hand ] But now...

I simply wish things could be different.

[slay]

[ it's not all that different from her own mindset, but it's not something she's voiced. she knows that this stuff is going on - knows that these people need help, and thus she feels compelled to help them. feels it's her duty, particularly given what she's proven capable of. she couldn't turn her back on that, as much as she'd like to not have to be fighting all the time. ]

I wish they were sometimes, too.

[romanticidal]

[ he raises his eyes to watch her for a lingering moment, before returning to playing a gentle melody ]

It is hard to imagine we were given the gifts we have merely to suffer for them, never finding peace for ourselves in fighting so long to give it to others.

[slay]

Yeah, but ... at least we have the chance to fight. Everyone has to watch the fighting, and the suffering. Most people can't do anything about it. I don't know if anyone really has peace.

[romanticidal]

[ ♬ The Way - The Pierces ]

Perhaps, si. This is more or less what I told Eterna, when she asked me some years ago. But she thought the cost of fighting was losing something of ourselves, something that could not be replaced if we did not stop before it was gone entirely... [ his voice becomes distant, his brow creased as he stares at the keys, lost in memories ] Back then, I did not think those things mattered. I dismissed her fears.

It was not until she was gone that I came to truly understand. When I lost such a great part of my life that I realized how little was left of myself, without her light there. [ his expression is very heavy, laden with grief and even guilt ] Do you think that is something that can ever truly be reclaimed?

[slay]

I don't know about reclaimed, but ... I think you can move on. Learn to live with the idea that it's never gonna be there again, and find other light. Not to replace it just ... You realize it's not the only light you'll ever have. And there's so much more than just that one.

I think ... I think everyone who comes to this world has to learn that.

[romanticidal]

I suppose I had not thought of it in such a way: that those who came from other worlds may feel that way. It is not quite the same, in that you had no choice in what you have lost of yourself, and I am the only one responsible for what I have done -- become.

But I suppose the question of blame does not change that they have the same effect, and perhaps the same cure, if one is to be had.

[ he looks over at her now, as if considering her differently than usual ] You seem to have learned it quickly.

[slay]

And it doesn't change that past is past, and nothing can change that. If you blame yourself, the best thing you can do is to be the kind of person who'd never do something like that again. [ she shrugs. ] Whatever I had back home. Whatever I was. I'm not, anymore. I can't be. Because, I can't go back to that. But, I can be my best here, and now. Use what I am to help people.

[romanticidal]

It seems, however, I cannot do both: change who I am and help them at the same time.

It is selfish to wish for my own happiness over theirs.

[slay]

Sometimes people have to be selfish. Sometimes, people need to take care of themselves first - and do what's right for them, instead of for someone else. I don't think that's wrong.

[romanticidal]

[ her words seem to weigh heavily on him, and it's easy to see the heavy conflict writ in his features, as he considers them. he gives her merely a: ] Perhaps. [ before changing the subject ]

What do you make of this Chad Becksworth, and what he is planning?

[slay]

Well, I hesitate to throw down the word "apocalyptic," but it is the first that sprang to mind. I mean it all seems kinda ... Final Solution. To me, anyway.

[romanticidal]

But it does seem a strange choice for them to use a record company to further their ends.

[slay]

By the sound of it, blondie's the brains. [ which, marvel at the concept. ] Could be Chad was the easiest deep pocket to get to. Or it could be that the media really is brainwashing the youth of America.

[romanticidal]

If only we could figure out something more of who she is.

[slay]

Yeah, well, unless you or Finnick have plans to get all James Bond-y and seduce her into telling you all her secrets, I don't see that happening.

[romanticidal]

I prefer my methods to be a bit more direct than that. [ he gives a little smile ] Perhaps Finnick will feel differently.

[slay]

If he wants to keep all his parts, he better not.

[romanticidal]

Because of Myri, do you mean?

[slay]

Why else? I just ... I don't wanna see her get hurt.

[romanticidal]

From what I have seen, he cares about her greatly.

[slay]

Caring about someone ... I don't know that that's always enough. To keep them from getting hurt. [ for reals, though, just look at rafael and jade. ]