EVENT #5: SOVEREIGN CITIZENS (GODSBLOOD)

[aionmods]

Sovereign Citizens

GODSBLOOD

At the height of the Sovereign's moon, Vaeka Lovenskol's execution is announced. Outside of the City Hall, a dignitary of Achamoth is flanked by an entourage of Kenoma, reading the words of Regent from an unfurled letter: Vaeka stands accused to conspiring against the Regent and abetting the fugitive menace known as the Pleroma. Though the details are not made public, rumors spread quickly, some far more wild than the actual truth. The full truth, after all, is something only the Regent's agents and the Pleroma themselves know, and even to them the manner of her exposure is unclear.

Though losing a proud daughter of an influential family, there seems to be little that the people of Godsblood can do besides accept it. After all, they are still a city of the Regent's empire, and for all the freedom they've enjoyed, there are limits. If she was truly aiding the Pleroma, the sworn enemies of the Regent - and in an organized manner, if the rumors are to be believed - can they truly object? Or would challenging the Regent's claim simply invite more death?

As with many things, the families of Godsblood are torn. Tensions are thick for the five days leading up to Vaeka's appointed execution by hanging, with everyone having an opinion and few wanting to go on record talking about it too loudly. As such, the people's frustrations come out in other ways. Bloodites are uncharacteristically unfriendly to strangers in this time, keeping to their own and treating everyone else with overt skepticism.

Those that have arrived as part of the Regent's official envoy, or seen guarding Vaeka, will receive a particularly icy reception. No longer are the Kenoma curious wanderers on personal business. Now, they are here as the hands of the Regent; few of the Godsblood citizens are foolish enough to challenge them outright, but they are ever an honest people.

Early on, the Kenoma and the rest of the Achamite contingent sent with them will be able to take over a jail in downtown Godsblood to hold Vaeka until her execution, clearing out all other Bloodite prisoners and employees in the meantime. This means they have a relatively secure position to guard their prisoner from, which is a good thing; after all, the Regent did outright invite the Pleroma to stop them, and Pleroma are nothing if not stubborn.

EXECUTION DAY

After five agonizing days of waiting and several high visible conflicts between the Pleroma and Kenoma, finally the hour of Vaeka's execution arrives. A gallows is set outside of City Hall, ready to welcome its newest victim, and a massive crowd has gathered in an spirit of anxious anticipation. Some worry that violence may break out in the streets, even without the Pleroma's agitation, but gradually the minutes tick by and the gallows remain empty.

First one minutes passes. Then five. Then fifteen. Slowly, it becomes clear to the people of Godsblood that Vaeka will not be arriving. Are the rumors true? Has she been saved? Have the Pleroma been successful, despite all odds?

As the hours pass and the crowds disperse, Vaeka Lovenskol is not officially reported as either living or dead. Fortunately, Godsblood is a place where information has a way of getting around, whether those in charge like it or not. Some are saying that she was seen being whisked away as if by powerful magic, following a bloody fight at the jail in which she was being held. Where did she go? Maybe her supposed connections to the forest people did her good, some surmise.

The days following Vaeka's failed execution carry a strange and uncertain energy. Where before there was tension and distrust, Godsblood now finds itself in a surreal reality where the Regent's word is apparently not absolute. Then again, do they really want a repeat performance?

QUESTIONS

What is the best way for Aions to travel to Godsblood?
For Pleroma, this is very easy, as they are likely to either already live there or be able to easy take Greentruth's portal. For Kenoma, they may come directly from Achamoth by boat as part of the Regent's envoy or arrive via Eustace's portal which is set up in a shed a fairly long jaunt outside of town. Once there has been some time to get established, Misa will be setting up another portal leading straight to the prison where Vaeka is being stored.

Are the Kenoma permitted by the Regent to kill other Godsblood citizens?
Though the Kenoma are authorized to kill any Bloodites that try to physically fight them, they are expected to keep things clean. The Regent prefers to only punish the guilty, and having the lines be clear will create less of a hassle in the future. Generally, Godsblood is not in a state where physical resistance is likely to happen unprovoked.

Comments

[passio]

[ the trap goes off just as dextera planned, though no amount of planning stops the little shiver of anxiety from running up his spine. since he constructed them like the ones he knows, they sound like the ones he knows, and he’s lost his life more than once to an ill-timed detonation, or a misfire as he sought to heal himself only to vitalize the monsters surrounding him instead. he’s failed as many times as he’s succeeded, and that’s partially why he can’t just run—he needs to ensure what happened.

the other part is, of course, that it’s the man he saw in godsblood before. it may have been the regent’s order, and they all explicitly saw that, but dextera can’t help but feel the catalyst lies with amos. maybe the regent wouldn’t have targeted godsblood, wouldn’t have been looking here, had amos not drawn their eye. ]

…rrgh!

[ the frustration from being on such high alert since the regent’s address surges as he takes amos’ stature in full view. maybe he wouldn’t follow through on this impulse, were amos as collected as their first proper meeting—but dextera knows what he must be feeling now, having been through it himself in his various tests. he knows that even if it hasn’t sunk in all the way, the city will soon warp and pulse in unnatural ways that make it impossible to stay grounded.

it’s so, so petty. but instead of taking the opportunity to escape an obvious encounter out of his favor, dextera throws all his weight behind a shove. ]

[dragonmount]

[ he goes still.

you killed one of ours. the thought seems too big, too slippery, to grasp. it feels impossible. rand al'thor, a killer. no, no. he's never been violent. he's never done more than ordinary roughhousing with other boys, when he was a little younger. fighting, even killing, a trolloc is one thing — they're mindless, man-eating monsters, they'd attacked his town and his home and his friends, when he'd stabbed one it had been to save his father's life. even attacking the likes of the dark one, the regent, is different. they aren't human; and if the regent is, they certainly aren't a normal human.

but this had just been an ordinary man. a man with a sword, yes, one who'd come at him violently and intended to see a woman publicly executed. but: just a person.

of course he hears amos's anger. in a way, the man in front of him is more familiar than ever. this is the person rand had met in the martyr shrine, the truth of him, without the confusing almost-kindnesses. this is the man moiraine would've killed, if she had to, so that rand could get to the pleroma safely. an enemy. his enemy.

moiraine. she'd be so disappointed in him, not for the guard, but for this. and his father would,

no. if the thought of being a murderer is too big, then this one is like trying to touch a hot iron with his bare hands. bad enough to try through the heat haze of pain, through the horror and fear that feel stuck in his throat. he could choke, and he might deserve that, but not here and now.

he looks back to amos. ]

What are you going to do to me?

[ is asked dully, almost inflectionless. there are a lot of possibilities, of course. more pain, for one, being dragged up to the gallows with vaeka lovenskol, for another. but he thinks he knows the answer. and amos, of all people, won't lie. ]

[lachtara]

[ It's unpleasant work, but necessary all the same. They needed information and this woman could have it. It's frustrating that they would have so little time to find if she did - Which from the point of view of another long-lived being, is strange. Why would the Regent be so rushed to complete these things when time is the ultimate guarantee of success?

It's with that in mind that he exits the familiar prison chamber once his 'work' is done. Ignoring the faintly alarmed glances he receives from the soldiers posted outside is almost impossible. The way their eyes travel to the crisp black-and-red stains on his gloves is so oddly indicative of fear mixed with regard.

As he enters the room with Misa, he begins to pull off the gloves one finger at a time so that he may toss them into a nearby bin; his large coat is removed and tossed over the back of a chair besides. He notices the food across from Misa - an implied invitation to join her - and his cold expression seems to relax. ]

Oh. How very thoughtful of you.

[ It's not lost on him how tired she looks compared to the perky girl he worked with in the training yard. Emet-Selch approaches a sink on the opposite side of the room in order to wash his hands. As he does, he comments. ]

You should rest if you're tired. Forcing oneself to stay awake while on guard is the quickest way to render your efforts ineffective.

[ He wrings out his hands and reaches for a towel. ]

[dragonmount]

[ curiosity gets the better of him this time.

the footfalls of the people who come this way — to guard him, mostly — usually are louder, heavier. even misa, fairly petite, with her regular visits to keep him helpless...she approaches with more confidence than this. the sense that she has every right to be here. and in some ways, she does, doesn't she. by order of the regent, and that's the only thing that seems to matter to everyone he's seen here.

but gray's approach is different, so he does watch until she comes closer into view, until he recognizes her. the memory of his capture is a little hazy, and is disjointed and frenetic, but he does remember her. sweeping in to fight abel, to give amos the clear chance to knock rand out and bring him here. she's so small, and so diffident, and the tray is so incongruous with every other way he's been treated in here. he can smell the tea, even before she mentions it.

is he worried about poison? not really. there probably isn't much point to poisoning him if they haven't killed him already, if they intend to take him back with them. and he's aware on some level that he hasn't eaten since — he doesn't remember, sometime before the scouting mission gone wrong. but all it takes is a flash through his head of his sword biting into flesh, of amos snapping the blade to pieces in his bare hands, of where he is and where he's going, to rob him of any appetite. and he doesn't want to accept anything from his captors, no matter how politely it's offered.

so, he returns to looking away. just off to the side, to the row of empty cells and the wall where they eventually end; but it is a dismissal of gray. ]

I don't want it.

c.

[emblazer]

[ After being freed from his own prison stint, returning to said prison is probably a terrible idea, but Thoma has the best of intentions in mind. He'd been hoping to free any other Pleromas or innocent Venerans who are incarcerated and is snooping around to check. It proves to be somewhat of a poor idea when he nearly crashes into Gray, having to bite the inside of his cheek so he doesn't squawk in surprise and alert any other Kenomas.

While Gray may be unarmed, he has his spear in hand, but he does shift it to his side to show he's not taking an offensive stance, unwilling to fight if he doesn't have to. Especially, if it's Gray... ]

Bad timing, huh? I'm just trying to find any stragglers, and I know you're just doing your job–

[ He hates that this has to transpire at all, but they're both bound by their duties and beliefs. He has to use whatever assets he has even if he recognizes rather guiltily that this could be construed as taking advantage their friendship to achieve his goals. ]

Can you at least tell me if any more prisoners remain inside?

[lachtara]

It had been two days of the same. Speaking with her, asking questions, getting nowhere. Were it under his control he would spend more time on this. Anyone could gradually have their resolve whittled down bit by bit - such is the advantage of the perspective of someone long-lived. Time would always win out in the end.

Unfortunately, they are quickly running out of time.

Emet-Selch sighs faintly from across the table. His expression is one of resignation and wistfulness. There is only one recourse from here and it is not something he enjoys doing. Even if she were nothing more than a husk.

He reaches into the breast pocket of his coat and very deliberately sets a small bottle on its surface with a noticeable 'clink'. It is an intricately designed glass bottle sealed with a cork and topped with a hand-made silver charm. Inside the bottle writhes a distinguished black liquid. She is a resistance member. It should be apparent what it is.

When he speaks, his words are filled with the same melancholy that is clear on his face. "So many worlds I have seen are filled with those who suffer. Sickness, frailty, short-sightedness, ignorance, all the while those who live there tout how glorious it is."

He stands from his seat and begins to round the table toward her. "Those who would seek to improve the world for all are called 'villains' for their ideals. 'The world is beautiful' they say as their ilk dies around them. 'What right do you have to take life' they cry as they pour their efforts into war after war after meaningless war."

He stops by where she sits and leers down at her. "If you seek to play at being a 'hero' for your misguided cause," Again he withdraws something from his imposing coat. This time, it is a dagger with a black blade and intricate silver designs on its hilt. Emet-Selch wastes no time in thrusting the knife downwards towards the woman's palm, intent on pinning her hand to the table with it. "then let me be your villain."

His words are direct and authoritative. "You are a resistance member. You are privy to locations of import, other members, and secrets that may be hidden to those not of your own. The sooner I hear of them the sooner this suffering shall end."

[inutilis]

Well, your opinion might be biased in this case and I won't take your invalid criticisms to heart. But I appreciate your input nonetheless.

[ or does he...? he doesn't look like he does, actually, as he sends his gaze trailing from Rand and toward their surroundings.

the jail isn't far from here, is it? no, just a block or so ahead - it explains how utterly quiet this region of the city has become. people are keeping their distance and for good reason; even the hottest heads in Godsblood do not wish to invoke the Regent's ire. ]

Hey. Rand, do we know what the jail backs onto? Is it a street or the canal?

[lifespanned]

[ Even his usual clumsy and bumbling ways fail to bring a smile to her face this time— she looks on to the display with a fairly tense expression, as if waiting for the other shoe to drop. She had a feeling Abel would be here, since the peace talks, and since she had heard through the grapevine that he'd attuned more closely with the Pleroma. It was a fact of the situation, something she would have to force herself to accept, one way or another. A part of her had hoped they wouldn't cross paths, regardless... ]

I am.... for the sake of the world.

[ She answers for him, firmly. The one thing she can take solace in is her conviction; not even her sympathy and fondness towards Abel can shake that. Still, her brows knit with the effort to clamber over the twinge in her chest at his stressed expression. Her grip tightens on her weapon, and her eyes flick about the edges of the foliage, wondering if he's supposed to serve as some kind of distraction - that'd be what she'd plan to do, if she were on that side. Fun and sweet and silly as Abel is, it remains a possibility to her that that could be used to the other side's advantage - to have her let her guard down. ]

You promised you wouldn't....

[ Act out. She trails off, the crease of her frown deepening, disappointment evident in her voice alone. Because despite the strength and sheer weight of her beliefs, Misa is still able to feel some sense of regret that Abel could come into the crosshairs of this, this mission she can't stray from. Isn't this what she'd always envisioned would happen, even all the way back in the cavern? Someday, they'd find themselves in direct opposition to one another. ]

[lifespanned]

There's a lot of things you don't know about Misa, Ernesto.

[ She sing songs, nearly teasing. With him out of her sight, she returns to scanning her eyes around the perimeter, vigilant about looking for threats. Everyone's counting on her, of course. Though if there's anything she believes she can do, it's talk on the phone at the same time as doing other things. Just like old times. From where she's laying hidden, she kicks her feet back and forth, holding her shard tight within the clasp of her hand. ]

Here because of the Regent, are you?

[ That's the obvious answer. Everyone in Godsblood is aware of the Kenoma's presence at this point, and she really doubts he's here just to have a look, after everything she heard at the peace talks, and finding out that he'd attuned more with the Pleroma. Still, he's staying on the line and not immediately closing the connection (not that it'd have that big of an effect, since they're still from the same Legacy), so she figures he must be curious about something. And she's nothing if not chatty. ]

[dragonmount]

Sure you do.

[ he breathes out, though, similarly noticing the hush that's fallen over this area. it almost been forgettable for a second there, with abel's good natured teasing, but the tenseness in this part of the city is even worse than it had been some blocks distant. his hands twitch nervously at his sides, but at least abel's question is some distraction from the atmosphere.

(when was the last time there was a hanging in andor? moiraine would've probably known, if she were still here.) ]

Street, I think. Why?

[lifespanned]

You're the one sitting randomly near this building! I was just wandering around normally!

[ She absolutely is not taking fault for their collision, despite that it is 100% her doing by being in such a hurry. That fact won't stop her from puffing her cheeks out and setting her fits on her hips in a huff. Very, very belatedly, she makes the connection that Johnny is probably sneaking around for a reason - and only the fact he didn't attack her immediately keeps her from immediately radio-ing Howl to come take care of him. ]

I get it, you're trying to spy on us from here, aren't you?

[ It's an accusation with such a lack of serious regard towards the situation — as if this is all some stupid game of hide and seek — as she simply views it all so cut and dry that it might as well be a children's game. Besides, she's not lusting to off Pleroma or hurt them; she only wants to get into altercations with those that prove themselves to be problems. If she has her way, she'd rather just convince them to back down and stay out of the way, which is an explanation for, but not an excuse, for her light treatment of the matter at hand. ]

[lifespanned]

[ Her expression immediately sours, turning into an indignant pout. Childishly: ]

Hey, that's not fair. I could've made things a lot more awkward for you the first night, you know.

[ To her, this is proof enough that she's not doing this torment him or purposefully make him be physically in pain - she could have preserved his arms in a strange, bent position, or above his head, if she really felt like being mean. But she didn't. A sign of her mercy, and her "care," as far as she's concerned.

That said, she continues her work, watching her enchantment encase the planes of his chest, and even travel a bit further down than it has previously - to the top of his waist. Coming back here is a chore, after all. And she has better things to be doing. When she's decided that she's done with that, she drops herself to the ground up against one of the walls rather heavily (mostly due to her exhaustion), giving another dramatic sigh. ]

I mean, what, do you think this is fun for me?

[ While she rambles, she rustles around in her bag, picking out a few food items— an apple, a hunk of bread wrapped in a fine cloth. Really, she still has no real animosity towards Rand. She doesn't particularly want to see him suffer, she just wants the threat of his presence to be neutralized, as efficiently and as with little drama as possible. At times like these, she really misses her Death Note. That would've taken care of things so neatly, and they wouldn't have to expend so much effort watching him and keeping him contained. Though her inner thoughts regarding how easy things would be if he were just dead instead go unspoken, as she maintains an innocent look of offense, as if she just got accused of stealing out of the cookie jar.

All in all, she's sure that if given the opportunity, he'd cut her down without hesitation, so she feels little guilt for immobilizing him the way she is. It's for her own safety as much as everyone else on her side - perhaps that's why she's able to regard him so casually. ]

late day 3 after misa dips out for her beauty nap

[expiera]

[Eventually, the girl responsible for making half a statue out of Rand retires, replaced by a different jailer a few inches taller but also slender in build. Cloaked in a dark blue robe with a pulled up hood despite the weather, the feminine figure is also wearing a mask that obfuscates the upper half of her face. Her attire leaves no strand of hair loose nor makes her eyes visible; whoever she is, she really doesn't want her face to be seen.

She does not come empty handed. She arrives with a wooden bowl, and in it, there's a paper bag and a wrung towel. She does not speak after entering the room, opting to set the bowl down on the table before sauntering over to face him through the bars with her back against the wall. After crossing her arms, she goes still.

...]

[inutilis]

Mm. Let's try to get a look from behind, alright?

[ if there's anything interest around the sides or exterior of the building they could use to their advantage, their allies would be best served with such details - so Abel's gesturing for Rand to follow his lead and cutting down an alleyway to take some side-streets, navigating loosely toward the jail's location. ]

The water might've made for a more convenient escape, but we'll make due with whatever we have on hand once we get Miss Vaeka out of there, right?

[ the closer they get, the more mindful they'll need to be for wandering sentries - but that's fine! it isn't like either Abel or Rand are known for being loud, or clumsy, or careless, haha, right, ]

[inutilis]

[ there is little denying what his eyes and senses are telling him. Misa has deepened her connection with the Kenoma, and by extension... the rift between the two of them has widened immensely. the bridge he had hoped to keep building between them threatens to fall short of its goal by a large margin, but... Abel--

Abel is not ready to see it tumble into the cavernous maw below.

...he takes a slow, cautious step toward her, holding his hands aloft so that she might see he's unarmed and comes in peace. ]

It's just me. [ he can see she's on edge, tense - and he can't blame her for that considering the circumstances. it doesn't make it any less uncomfortable and uneasy to see all the same. ] ...and, I promise-- I'm only here to talk. So please... don't make that face, alright?

[dragonmount]

[ he hears her out as she talks.

there's not much else for him to do, as a captive audience. he doesn't exactly shudder as the immobilizing magic spreads, renders him even more useless than times before, but he does swallow, a twitch to his feet. he does not, however, look at her. it's a very small defiance, but it's what he has in this moment.

that and a question, posed dryly with raised eyebrows, ]

Am I inconveniencing you?

[ her list of complaints makes it sure sound that way, doesn't it? as if he isn't the one languishing in a cell with no use of his arms, counting the minutes until she returns, or another kenoma decides to talk to (at) him.

the food she pulls out of her bag don't go unnoticed, the motion visible out of the corner of his eye, but they go unmentioned. all well and good to refuse looking at her only to ask what under the light she's doing. like, did she bring a snack to munch on while effectively cutting him off from channeling? ]

[lifespanned]

Oh, yeah! I remember, too. Now everybody knows better than to mess with Misa.

[ Seems like she doesn't have any lingering hang-ups about the guards, if the breezy way she responds is anything go by.

Everything that happened back then just seems so long ago. Misa hardly thinks about it anymore, because there's no real reason to; their kidnappings from the shrine and their ultimate imprisonment at the cavern had seemed like a stepping stone to get to Achamoth, in the end. Something she'd simply endured in order to be able to find the Regent - though she's aware that not all Aions are so dismissive of the entire experience. ]

I'm sad I never got to pay you back for that ration, you know. Don't think I forgot.

[dragonmount]

[ here is the thing that rand does not yet know: the petrification will dissipate when misa falls asleep.

so as far as he's concerned, this is simply yet another jailer, if a surprisingly anonymous one, for yet another hour to drag by in this cell. he notes the bowl, and the bag, and the towel — mostly because it's a strange assortment of items — but soon returns to leaning his head back against the wall and contemplating the ceiling.

minutes tick by, and by, and by. he sighs, shifts his shoulders a little — and then stills, realizing what happened. ]

[lifespanned]

I know...

[ She mumbles, mostly to herself. Of course, Emet is right— the more tired she is, the more likely she is to make a colossal mistake. At the same time, she's already learned more than once that if she's not in the right place at the right time, people could lose their lives in this situation. A part of her feels stubborn against the very obvious logic of his argument, though she doesn't pursue the point further.

No, she's more focused on taking in the minute details of his person; his gloves, which are obviously stained, being discarded as if contaminated. His cold expression that melted away in an instant, the way he has to scrub his hands clean. It's to be expected, she knows that. She's been in Vaeka's position before, if a less literally bloody version of it. Misa knows intimately the lengths to which people will go to get information, if the situation is dire enough. So while she does stare, there's no sense of judgment that comes from her. ]

I'm going to take a short nap after I finish up here. [ And, she mostly says that to put his mind at ease over the possibility that she may push herself past her limit and end up costing everybody. But it's not said without a sigh. ] Maybe I came here to make sure you're listening to your own advice, Emet. Hmm?

[ She teases, lightly, though it lacks the typical level of energy. Further, she ignores the fact that he's corrected her once before on the matter of his name, wishing she could just play around and lighten the mood— everyone's so serious, which only makes her feel more worried. ]

[lifespanned]

Hmmmm.....

[ She lets him come closer, but her eyes return to him, drawing out the hum as she considers it with a palpable sense of uncertainty. The rational side of her brain is saying this is a very stupid idea, to let him close. Surely, the other Kenoma would make fun of her and berate her for allowing such a thing, possibly even tattle on her. On the other side.... she sincerely doubts Abel is cruel enough to turn on her, and at the bottom of her heart, she doesn't want to treat him like just any other enemy, "want" being the key word. ]

Okay.... but no funny business. [ She says, tentatively. Her face settles into something more pouty, as she replaces her shard into her body, signaling that she's no longer considering calling for help. Her weapon stays drawn, but she lowers it, choosing instead to pin her gaze on his left arm, encasing the beginnings of his hand into stone. ] Just in case...

[ There's at least a hint that she made an effort, that she's not just standing around talking with the enemy. It's for her own sake, her own plausible deniability, rather than a true effort to restrain him - a fact made obvious by the way that when she's done enchanting his hand, she looks behind her, and casts her gaze up above them back to the roof quickly. ]

[dragonmount]

Good idea.

[ yeah, everything's going to be fine!

— is not a sentiment rand is feeling right now. or, well. it is, a little bit, and that has a lot to do with the man he follows down these narrowing streets, approaching the jail from more of a meandering, sideways route. it might very well take them around the building from enough of a distance that they aren't noticed at all.

and it does seem that way, at first. things remain oppressively quiet, their footfalls the loudest sound to be heard as they slowly get closer. but other noises rise, and that's comforting at first. some nearby bars, it seems, busy at this hour even despite the location. but in fairness to the city locals, it's less easy to see the jail from here. out of sight...

nearby, a handful of voices start to rise. ]

[lifespanned]

I mean, to be honest, [ She takes a very loud, very crisp bite of her apple. ] Kind of.

[ Sweet, short, and to the point - his dryness either goes over her head, or she chooses not to rise to it. Turns out she absolutely did bring a snack to munch on while bullying him, as will become obvious as she continues to eat shamelessly. She pulls her knees up to get a little more comfortable, rubbing at her eye with a knuckle subconsciously from the combined exhaustion and dryness. She'll still need to stay up for several hours past this, before she can get Ciel to come watch him, after all, so a break is in order before she goes back to her duties on the roof. And, there's probably nowhere safer in the jail for her to rest than in this very room, where she can detain him further if he tries anything funny. ]

You killed somebody, right? So that's kind of an inconvenience to all of us. Even to your side.

[ Her words are brazen, with little heartfelt emotion behind them— it's not like she knew the guard personally. She doesn't show particular disgust towards him, either. It's an inconvenience in the fact that tensions are now higher than ever, and the Kenoma would just look plain dumb if they let him walk, so they have no choice but to imprison him here. In turn, that raises the possibility that others will come in here to retrieve him. It's just a big mess, all stemming from his actions, the way Misa sees it. ]

prison interior, day 3

[lifespanned]

For me? You're such a sweetie.

[ Misa perks right up at the thought of a hot cup of tea— the work has been exhausting after all, doubly so for someone who has likely never worked to this extent. She reaches out for the cup gratefully and with a warm smile - her spirits are high, right now. They're half way through their task, they have Rand imprisoned, and there seems to be, at present, no further altercations that are breaking out, at least from her perch on the roof. Since Gray's come up all this way, she scoots a little over and pats the roofing beside her, inviting Gray to come sit with her. ]

It's super boring out here for right now, so can you please stay for a little? I promise I won't get distracted. Oh, unless they need you down there...

[ She is barely responsible enough to understand that Gray's superior fighting prowess may be the higher priority in determining where Gray should be hanging out than Misa's own boredom... but only barely. ]

[goldendeceiver]

Which would be nice to avoid.

[ He inhales deeply to stead himself. ]

Alright, if you're ready then.

[ For once in his life, Ernesto's thoughts are a lot more straight forward. Rand got captured trying to do what the rest of them have been doing for awhile: skulking around the city and trying to figure out what they can do to help stay the execution that's slated to happen. He's not thinking about Rand's ability to have kept himself out of this trouble in the first place, and more just what he can do in order to drag him out of it now.

Having someone who apparently knows magic at his back is a nice relief though. He'd only recently started fighting alongside Casters again back home, but there's something reassuring about having someone who can blast away someone sneaking up behind you with a flick of the wrist.

He's always been the type to clash head on with people though, so he's perfectly content to have Akua behind him as he creeps forward, trying to stay light on his feet so he doesn't make much sound as he approaches the jail, and eyes scanning the rooftops for any sign of people watching out for them.

They choose this early morning time so it would still be dark enough to spot them, but if any of their foes have abnormally good night vision, then that won't do them much good. ]

i'm so ready

[aquaveiled]

[ Himeka squints as she peers over as well (because she is so very tall). Upon her ascension she has been able to pick out other Aions much more easily and, yes, she can also confirm that even if they were in costume, this person is most definitely not an Aion. That should make them an easier target to bamboozle and overcome. ]

Either they're not too worried about us interfering, or the other Aions are inside.

[ She can't imagine the Regent would leave it all up to hired help, right?

Sliding back down, she does pause to raise a brow. ]

Oh? What's that?