(closed) speaking fire

[ressusciter]

Who: Eren, Persephone, Dantes
When: 1/18
Where: Black Market
What: Three Monsters can't find their chill, given everything
Warnings: Eren eating what he shouldn't, others to come


[The Market is one of the places he has to go, since the Coven and Guard aren't getting him the results he wants. it's not the most pleasant place to be, when his bones burn with the desire to grab someone and try to shake them down, to demand answers for questions they won't even know the beginning of. it's at a stall where he sees someone advertising for naturally shed merrow scales that he has to step back and breathe, his hands tightening into subtle fists and his anger searing within him. be calm - they aren't even blue. it's not what he's looking for.

I'm going to find you. I'm going to end this. the words he presses into the faint sensation of the Bond left, hoping they get through.

taking a break in his own search means that he isn't blind to others who would be there, equally or more distressed than he is, faces he might have seen among the Mirrorbound. people who understand the stakes they're in - and he drifts a little closer, to see what's happening before he'll intervene.]

Comments

[joies]

[One of the Mirrorbound who has visited the Markets seems to be in a tense conversation with a vendor, a jar of odd, crimson and orange geodes in her talons - held so tightly the glass threatens to splinter in her grasp. Everything about her is tense, her tail swishing and flicking in clear agitation - fangs bared as she speaks in hushed, hissed tones.

The vendor appears to give an answer she doesn't like, as the next moment she's grasped them by the front of their shirt - fire escaping between clenched fangs, as her following words rise above the panicked commotion from others nearby. While only one eye is visible, it doesn't detract from the ferocity of the glare she levels to the person held in her clutches.]

- Tell me where you got these. You won't like my other methods of questioning. [Judging by how her claws are already threatening to shred their shirt in her grip, the dragon doesn't seem to be making idle threats.]

[usurpers]

[ eren’s been through here, needless to say; has had the similar reaction and has done similar questioning— albeit, truth be told, less flashy. it made his blood boil, certainly, but he made it look like he was saying something shady to a shady vendor in a shady spot. eren knows the look in the eye of a man who had no concrete answer to give, could taste the ups and downs of pheromones drenched in fear at the tip of his constantly flicking forked tongue. they were gathering unwanted attention, most of all, two massive dragons was already more than enough of a threatening sight for the general public to see. with one’s tail fiercely displaying her emotions, it’s . . . worse. the glass jar creaks with sound, and eren swears he’s seen that particular burst of mineral rather personally.

he has, but not through his own eyes; the summer king had granted him a memory of castles in the sky, clouds shaping the domain around them, and the brilliant reflection of a golden dragon, its crystalline chest breaking iridescent fractures through plated breast scales— like the one in this jar, that’d he’d only confirm through scent and taste to be absolutely sure.

eren’s had enough of the escalation. this wasn’t the time to rile her fire, no matter how precious the being on the other hand of her muted bond had been. heavily, eren comes up behind the floral dragon, clicks his talons around the jar that made her knuckles go white, and sets a heavy hand on her shoulder. it squeezes, and he murmurs into her ear, deep and inconspicuous. ]

Persephone. [ but it’s assertive, all the same, with a tone that warns her clearly. to take hold, to stand down, and to maintain composure. easier said than done, but he’s doing it. ] He doesn’t know. It’s for the best it stays that way.

[ something something about a distributor that buys and resells to sellers, and how they probably won’t talk in the slightest. not after you mirrorbound ruined business for them those months back. ]

[ressusciter]

Pardon me.

[the tone is smooth, controlled even as it's pitched to be heard. when Dantes moves, it's with the veil of the Count over his shoulders, meaning that every move he makes is calculated and weighed with presence. he carries himself with nobility, acting as though he expects everything to move aside for him as is the way of the world. dressed in black up to his throat, the bright golden eyes saw and looked through what he gazed at.

even some of the frightened onlookers fall silent, since he steps forward with no sign of fear at all, as though this entire situation is in the palm of his hand. when he speaks, it's not to the dragons, but the seller, who hopefully has been set down.]

You'll have to forgive my colleague and her passion, for it's been quite a long day, and our souls have been utterly wearied from it.

[every word has conviction, a gravity that asked the unwary to believe in him.]

Rest assured, we mean no harm to your business, for that is not why the Coven sent us here. Rather, we are in the middle of a serious criminal investigation, and what's fallen into your hands is vital evidence that we've spent the entire day combing the city for. Your distributor will have to be questioned as well, though you couldn't have known what you were being handed to dispose of. Rather, I'll see to it that the Coven rewards you well for your cooperation.

[terrified as he is, the vendor nods three times, gesturing that they can take the jar with them - though whether that's from Dantes' words or the idea that Persephone might roast him where he stands isn't clear. some of the people nearby are whispering, eyes wide not in fear but in gossip, quickly passing word around and along. they'll leave the Market alone, investigation, it's not our fault - spawning statements and rumors that will pay off.

they can leave, if they want, with curiosity now upon them, and Dantes turns to the dragons.]

I think it's time we reconvened to talk over the case, don't you?

[joies]

[It didn't help her ire that she could feel flashes of pain through the Bond - deep, gouging in her chest. She knows what they're doing to Asura. She knows how they got these crystals. And it infuriates her like nothing ever has. Emotions have always been muted, dull colours - but this is so much brighter, a crimson that threatens to cloud her vision completely.

Eren's approach clears the heavy red shroud from her mind for a moment. It takes a moment, before she presses the jar more into his talons, knowing every moment she holds it threatens to unravel her even more. It's frightening, almost, how... intense this feels. It's almost too much, as a heavy breath escapes her in a light flicker of fire.

Then Dantes prompts her to blink, brow furrowing just slightly as she watches and listens - agitated she may be, she's a Queen who spent a better part of a century weaving falsehoods and weak truths to her advantage. She understands what he's doing, why he's doing it, and the familiarity lets her compose herself for a moment - or at least, seem like she is. Her tail lashes against the ground once more, sharp and whip-like as she grits her jaw.

With a lean into Eren's touch, a silent acknowledgement that she's heeding his words, she lets her shoulders sag as she schools her expression into something more remorseful. Sagging wings, eye glancing to the ground as if she had been chastised - all very simple.]

My apologies, it has been a rather long day. I hope I didn't cause too much distress. [The lies flow easily, every picture of a guilty and sheepish young woman who is aware her behaviour was uncalled for. It makes her sick. Her nerves buzz under her skin, the burning anger demanding an outlet.]

Yes, of course. Let's go. [Yes. Yes she needs to leave. Needs to leave and find something to let this fury out on - ]

[usurpers]

[ the talk is all eren needs to let himself slink further behind the two, but hover close enough to still seem completely part of the conversation as he stares straight at their saving distraction— a turnskin that works well with his mouth.

as they speak, as the vendor listens with wide, frightened eyes, a little dubious but thankful for the subsiding bustle, the people around begin to disperse. there’s no longer an interesting quarrel to whisper and point at. only three individuals who have somehow defused the situation. boring, really, and not suspicious in the slightest for their own sells.

during this, the sunset-black colored dragon was at work since the first second persephone slipped the jar to him. his expression masks just as much of a lie as the both of them; smooth, calculated and hidden movement pour the contents into his massive palm beneath the space of his poncho, and replaces the empty container with ordinary rocks and minerals his tail could brush up underneath the stall. silently, as the main events bow out and end the interaction, eren dips his head and returns the jar, placing it on display just out of the vendor’s line of immediate vision.

and then he walks, just as casual between the two and only a step behind them, without missing a beat to make it all seem completely fluid. ]

Might want to disappear.

[ turn a corner, or go somewhere out of sight, but don’t stop walking. ]

[ressusciter]

That was the intention. If I may, where I'm staying isn't that far off, if you don't mind the walk. Better than a place with prying eyes and ears.

[it's more secure than anywhere public too, given that so far, he's been left in peace to take care of the theatre and the worst that had come was that fog a few months back. there's definitely enough room for two dragons, though Eren might have to duck a little when they get there.]

[joies]

[In any other mindset, she would've been impressed with Eren's sleight of hand - now she's just raw nerves, agitated and on edge and she needs to get away from all this. She is grateful, that he keeps hold of the pieces, holding back the surge of rage and disgust at how much is there - how much was taken from him - and she forces herself to calm. She makes a point not to look at any of the vendors as she leaves, letting them go back to their usual business - as if they didn't possess parts of one of her dearest friends.

She walks in step with them both, sole eye glancing between them before focusing on Dantes, canting her head slightly at his suggestion.]

That's our best plan so far. And the walk isn't a problem. [Maybe it will help burn this energy off, her tail still flicking in sharp, quick motions. It's once they're more out of view that she lets the calm facade drop completely, talons clenching and arms wrapping tightly around herself - wings flat and tense against her back.]

[usurpers]

Thanks. [ then you do you, dantes. eren dips his head in a simple nod and continues, ears a little more erect until he hears it, far off from the trail left but still audible: thief is all he could make out, but keeps it going. casual, even loose— a free hand presses against the bed of roses draped tensely across persephone’s back. ] I’ve got it.

[ just in case she hadn’t realized. fury is blinding. ]

[ressusciter]

[there's a wry sort of smile that crosses his lips to hear that Eren took the pieces - surely, the vendor couldn't have thought they'd just leave them there, not when they had made such a fuss. like he truly cares about the opinion of a man who was selling parts like that. he'd just wear another face should he need to go to the Black Market again.

it'll be clear in the walk that they're headed towards the Entertainment District, weaving through the colorful buildings and the hum of the businesses. no one looks too hard at the group of three - they've got better things to attend to, and in a sense, it's almost like a cocoon for those who might stand out elsewhere.]

What are your names?

[he speaks again when they're travelling those streets, content to be as far away from the Market as possible.]

[joies]

[The call of a thief is picked up by her ears, yet Persephone pays little mind to it - far more focused on following this helpful strangers lead. Though she does snap out of her stupor at the hand pressed against her back, sole eye glancing up at Eren - expression unreadable for a moment. Yet, it soon melts away into a small but undeniably grateful smile, some of the tension easing from her in a soft sigh.

Though there's no motion to fully relax, even as they head into the Entertainment District, the flowering dragon quiet for once. Only at Dantes' question does she speak up again, her eye flicking over to him.]

I go by Persephone. [She cants her head in a polite nod, not even her still bubbling temper lets her forget her manners.]

[usurpers]

Eren.

[ he adds his in turn, and while his own expression remains blank compared to the two, he’s satisfied. these parts were heavy underneath the poncho, but he could allow carrying it around with one arm if he had to. both would help steady the weight and his strength to endure made them feel like hollow plastic, and eventually, a smaller fracture, easy to hide in his fist and equally gem-like talons, his forked tongue brushes over the space between his digits. and again, yes that definitely is asura, and now he has an even more intimate bit to track despite all tracking leading to dead ends—

oh. ]

[ressusciter]

And I am Jaques, called Avenger.

[they're coming up on one of the abandoned theaters, much the same with locked doors and shielded windows, standing but left for what it is. Dantes slows his walk, making a turn to the side and pausing to unlock a door to bring them inside.

the place is dim given that no one's out in the actual theater portion, but he barely spares it a glance, moving to lead the way into the part he actually calls home. through a different door, it leads into the housing area, the living room with the recently used fireplace.

the curtaim drawn reveals it for what it is more, and it would be tidy was the coffee table not half covered in scattered papers and notes, an empty ashtray used as a paperweight as a point. the furnishings are decent quality, but older in style and not new - recovered to flesh the place out. still, the couch and chairs are comfortable, and Dantes sheds his coat to hang up.]

Welcome to my abode.

[they're free to get comfortable, after everything, but it doesn't free them from what's going on.]

Now that we're in seclusion, might I ask exactly what was going on before I extracted you two from that predicament? Consider it a fair trade.