Peace and Knives [MM]

[Storyteller]

Title: Peace and Knives
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Characters: Bjorn, Caligrace

Bjorn must post first, outlining a story on the following theme (feel free to get creative):

Setting: A cavern
Backstory: The group were out (alone or together) enjoying some down time (some or all characters).
Occurance: you meet a group of sirens who want you to betray somebody for a reward.
Variable: You feel something is amiss.

Participants: 2
ARES: no
Speed: very slow
Chapter: no
Minimum Words Per Post: none
Maximum Words Per Post: none

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This thread was generated via the Roleplay Matchmaking System.

[Bjorn]

Bjorn’s mood was much improved following a shower, the tension in his shoulders washed down the drain along with the evidence of less than honourable thoughts. He towelled his hair in a way that would make a mess of his natural curl, and moved about the room in search of a clean pair of trousers.

Under the steadying spray of water he’d considered his options and decided against exerting himself, for though his mood had improved his mind remained burdened, and he wasn’t willing to tempt his luck against some of Harper Rock’s newest and uglier breed of monsters. Experience had taught him that irritation was unreliable fuel and the payoff was seldom cathartic. No, he was much happier with the prospect of revisiting the places where he used to wage war against his limitations; the reappearance of bloodline figureheads was bringing forth memories of the years he’d spent training and tailoring his craft and tonight seemed as good a night as any to take a gander down memory lane.

Trading his favoured camo jacket—the one he’d had tailored over time and recently fashioned the lining with out of his anonymity cloak—for a waterproof windbreaker, Bjorn packed its inner pockets with a modified Glock 36, a silencer, a few magazines and a hunting knife. A second knife was holstered at his ankle, beneath the folds of denim scrunched at the hem where his heavy-duty combat boots began. Rare were the occasions he travelled this light, but where he was going there’d be little to no military oversight and the creatures that lived in the caves he’d long ago bested in most, if not all, fights. Tonight he was not intent on starting any fights, but he sure as hell would end them should they find him.

Tome in pocket and an empty, rolled-up 15L backpack stuffed into the other, Bjorn made for the fadeportals. He’d mapped out his route as soon as he’d decided on his destination, opting to bypass the city altogether and stick to the outskirts. If he took his bike he’d have to deal with not one but two checkpoints and, though his hand was healed, he could still feel the phantom cut from whence he’d dug the microchip out and wasn’t eager to go through the process yet again. Also, in settling for the windbreaker he'd forgone the NADUMA patch sewn into his camo jacket that facilitated most of his passages.

No sooner had he materialised beneath the Quarantine Zone did he continue northeast below ground until Moss End. His reasons for doing this were two-fold: (1) to test the Grigori’s offer of the Watchtower (for which he found the sewer entrance and no means of entry) and (2) to cut past the eastern farmland—unmanned at this hour—that’d bring him closer to Algonquin Caverns.

Bjorn had been subjected to the fae’s ill intentions enough times to remain alert as he stepped into the forest, but his newfound gravity-defying abilities allowed him to make quick work of the thick, nettled undergrowth that covered the ground. Within minutes of leaving his quiet abode he’d crossed the city proper and was now descending into the damp caves, unzipping his jacket to retrieve the hunting knife. It wouldn’t do to be caught out, fumbling for a weapon whenever one of the sirens took notice of him, though for the time being they seemed content to keep their distance when he glanced their way.

He surveyed the entrance, long enough for his eyes to adjust to the cave’s particular shade of darkness, and to be hit with the realisation that it’d been at least two (if not three) years since he’d last ventured to these caverns, and as such didn’t remember their layout. Rolling the sheathed knife over his knuckles once, then a second time for good measure, Bjorn decided to go in the opposite direction of an idling encantado worker and followed the distant rush of water.

---

The last person Bjorn expected to come across was the one person he found two right turns later. It wasn’t easy to tell from this angle, but with a tilt of the head he got a better look of the downturned face.

“Caligrace, that you?”

[ Wearing ]

[Caligrace]

WEARING

The quiet whisper of water across stone followed her as she followed the twists and turns of the caverns in a feeble hope of finding the exit. This wasn’t her usual haunt, and for the life of her, she couldn’t remember exactly how she had ended up here. One second, she had been discussing jewelcrafting and swords with Every, and the next, she found herself with her nose buried in the book that Hudson had left behind for her. It all became a blur after that, really, until finally, she found herself brushing her fingers through sticky cobwebs and wiggling gems from the crevices they’d found themselves embedded in. Now, though, she was more than ready to escape this maze, her skin crawling from the sound of skittering legs and angered hissing. She had forgotten what lingered within the caverns - or, well, she chose not to think about it.

She could handle just about anything -- except spiders. Spiders the size of trucks snuggling up to creatures with scales? No. No, thank you. She’d rather toss herself at the feet of Theodosia. Shaking that thought from her mind, she rounded yet another corner and bent down, her manicured nail scraping against the rock until she was able to free another gem. Emerald. They seemed to be in abundance, and though they were pretty, she was looking for something else. Something rare and beautiful and she was beginning to doubt that such a thing existed within these walls. If it did, more than likely, it was buried beneath a ton of webbing and guarded by some frightening spider lord with glowing eyes and venom-coated fangs.

“Ookay, that’s enough, girl. You’re a vampire -- and thanks to your training -- a damned good one. You can take on whatever lurks---” Her words were cut off by a sound of surprise as she ran into the back of a Jorogumo, his hand twisting to lash out at her. As if to prove her own words to herself, she quickly sidestepped the blow and reached beneath her her oversized jacket to free her gun from its holster. The flash of the muzzle lit up the dimly lit corridor, and she sighed in relief as the monster crumpled at her feet. Humming a sound of amusement, she nudged it with the toe of her boot to be certain of its death before she stepped over it, her amber eyes drinking in her surroundings cautiously. She had been so caught up in her thoughts, she hadn’t realized that she had walked in a circle and right back to the very enemy she had managed to dodge not five minutes before.

You’re a moron. I hope you realize this.

The words were spoken in hushed undertones with a hefty dash of menace, and yet, she continued to stare straight ahead as she slid her gun back into place. It was getting easier to ignore him, and the easier it got, the more angered the spirit became. His taunting laughter followed her as she drifted through the hall, sensitive hearing picking up the water once more. If she followed that, she could find her way out. Water had to go somewhere, right? It didn’t dawn on her to use telepathy, or even to call Every, and it rarely did. She was as stubborn as she was charming, and that wasn’t exactly a good thing, especially when it came to getting lost. Of course, it didn’t seem to bother any of her family and faction, and so, she didn’t bother to try and overcome this flaw. At least, not yet, not when she was so close to finally being free of addiction.

Pushing that particular thought far from her mind, even as her hand dipped into her jacket pocket to brush against the dented tin [that held candy instead of pills], she finally managed to trace the steady hum of water to the source. See, I can do it. It just takes patience - and a couple of hours, but we’ll leave that part out when I talk to Every, she thought, coming to a stop when a sparkle of blue caught her eye. Focused as she was on the sapphire, she didn’t hear the approach of another, until his familiar voice washed over her. The gem slipped from her fingers as her head snapped up, her look of concentration melting into a warm smile.

“In the flesh, handsome.” she replied, dusting her hand across the floral print of her skirt as she straightened. “Did you know that sapphires are among the strongest of gems? The only natural gem that is stronger, I believe, is the diamond.” The random fact left her with ease as she bounced the pack of collected gems from palm to palm, idly fidgeting with the leather tie as she did. “I mean, it’s nice to see you,” she chuckled.

[Bjorn]

Bjørn watched the grimy blue gem bounce across the damp cobblestones and interrupted its trajectory with the precise tilt of his foot. He glanced back towards Caligrace and allowed himself a generous look, tracing from her hands down to the tips of her boots and then up her body to the top of her firelight locks. She was as lovely as he remembered her being, if a bit dishevelled. The familiar sight of her carved dimples into his cheeks.

They are? He glanced back down. “Huh.” His smile reappeared when she told him it was nice to see him. It was a mutual sentiment then, which was how he found it all too easy to follow her lead and speak from the heart. “And you, Red. Looking good.”

Bjørn carefully rolled the purported sapphire under the sole of his heavy-duty boots, pressing only a fraction of his weight down on it; he didn’t want to crush her precious find to fine dust if the fact weren’t actually true. He took a step back and dropped to his haunches to retrieve the stone, rolling it across the taunt fabric at his knee to wipe off the grime before holding it out for her at the centre of his open palm.

“Why you collecting these anyway?” He motioned with his chin towards the pack she’d drawn his attention to seconds prior, meeting her eye briefly before his gaze slipped off of her face to scan the tunnel behind her. It was a force of habit born from hyper-vigilance and continually fuelled by his need to protect those he cared about. His attention was back on Caligrace within the blink of an eye however—a fraction of that even, for he had always found it hard to look away.

It really was good to see her again.

[Caligrace]

It shouldn’t have been so easy for someone to render her speechless, even if only for a few seconds, but the man before her wasn’t any ordinary man. He was -- well, Bjorn. There was more to him than the attractive package and the aura of mystery that he wrapped himself in, a puzzle that she found herself wanting to solve while leaving completely untouched at the same time. It didn’t help when he flashed those dimples of his, though she wondered if he knew the effect that smile of his could have on a woman. His compliment caused her features to brighten more, and she quickly tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear as she watched him kneel.

“Thank you, darling,” she said, moving to gently lift the gem from his palm. Her fingers brushed across his skin as she did, and she cleared her throat, careful not to drop the sapphire again. Once was bad enough, twice would be a travesty. Once it was safely back in her grasp, she gingerly opened the mouth of the pouch to deposit it inside with the others. Pale as she was, it was hard to notice how tight she had the tie wrapped around her fingers when she closed it once more, deftly knotting the ends together to ensure nothing escaped. “I was talking to Every about blacksmiths and the different uses of metals and stone. I wanted to test the merit of what I’ve learned and see if there was anything one of you could do with something so beautiful.”

As she spoke, she watched him, noting the way he focused on her while still remaining in-tune with their surroundings. It was something she still hadn’t mastered. Her attention was always drifting, her mind a labyrinth of information as she recorded everything around her. Between that and the constant stream of emotion, vigilance wasn’t something she could put on her list of skills. With him, though, it didn’t matter. She knew she was safe in his presence. Lifting a brow, she moved to tuck the pouch into the pocket of her jacket with another of her smiles. “What brings you down here? Of all the places I thought about running into you, this wasn’t one of them,” she chuckled.

[Bjorn]

The periphery of one’s sight was never still or empty, not in Harper Rock where the widening rift exhumed all manner of threats, most of them unbound by the laws of physics, too quick and too fluid to catch in time if one didn’t lay in wait for them. As Caligrace explained her reason for being down here, Bjørn rose to his full height. Now that he'd revealed himself to be no threat to her, he untucked the stealthed knife he’d stashed up his sleeve upon first seeing her and lazily twirled the weapon out of habit in the process of readjusting his grip on it. If something did appear out the corner of his eye he’d be ready.

“Foraging for a few pieces to practice on,” he replied, casting a glance about them to confirm he’d not missed a blade or pommel upon spotting the red headed allurist. “After guns, it seems like the next logical step in all things weaponry... Still pretty **** at it though.”

A familiar silhouette rounded the corner up ahead, further down the tunnel, legs first. Aware of Caligrace’s aversion towards spiders and unwilling to draw further attention to the both of them by reaching for and firing his weapon at it over her shoulder, he shifted his weight to stand sideways, motioning with his empty hand the way he’d just come.

“Wanna keep looking for stuff together this way?”

Bjørn must have taken a turn too early since he could still hear the rush of water but had yet to come across it.

[Caligrace]

As he straightened, she lifted a brow, her amber gaze following the height of his form until he was --- well, towering over her. It was a familiar feeling, to have to always crane her neck to meet someone’s gaze, but with him - it was always a vastly different experience. She wasn’t able to really put it into words, but she knew she found it rather likable. Shaking her head at herself, she gathered up the thick mass of red tresses and twisted a frayed tie into them, attempting to bring some resemblance of order to the chaos the evening’s adventures had caused.

“I doubt you’re **** at anything you do,” she replied, the compliment dancing easily off the top of her tongue as she finished securing her hair. It wasn’t said to simply boost his confidence, either. She generally believed that the man before her was capable of anything, and she had witnessed a few of his feats firsthand. Clicking her tongue against her teeth quietly, she’d almost had her attention drawn to a flash of stone when his form shifted, causing her to focus back on him with a soft laugh.

“Bored of standing in one place already?”

Even as she replied, she started to move in the direction he indicated, hand moving to brush her fingers across her gun, comforted by the weight against her hip. She didn’t go too far, choosing to keep as close to Bjorn as possible so she didn’t get lost in the tunnels, though she doubted he'd allow it that to happen. It was no secret that her sense of direction was abysmal, especially with Every ensuring that everyone knew to keep a look out for her and Jayden alike. It also helped that the skittering and hissing when things grew quiet enough to hear had her shuddering, and she took a step back, arm brushing across his as she chewed on her lip.

I hate it here.

[Bjorn]

Bjorn was prone to restlessness, particularly in the company of other others. His experience as a fledgling had left scars upon his psyche and no matter how far he’d come since, how hard he’d trained and purposely he now lived, there were a great number of things he preferred to being out in the open, especially any place where one’s presence was enough to incite an attack. Strength in numbers was no empty maxim, but even if the two of them could easily take on the sirens that lurked in these caves, standing idle made sitting ducks of them both.

So yes, bored was one way to put it. He was in no hurry to correct the assumption, not when he could read Caligrace’s discomfort even without her level of extreme empathy. If anything he sought to ease her nerves, for the last thing he wanted was to create another potential enemy by feeding into her fear.

Walking slow and steady along a projected straight line, Bjorn pocketed both his hands and the sheathed knife into his jacket, long arms awkwardly bent and jutting out. He did a bizarre half-step back and to the side dance, sliding behind Caligrace so he could position himself along her right side. There, he bumped her with his left elbow, a silent offering he had no expectation she’d take but an open invitation nevertheless. This way his offered arm wouldn’t get in the way of his dominant hand should he need his gun or knife.

The jorogumo he’d seen moments ago kept its distance, its presence an unpleasant skittering at the periphery of his attention. Nothing had yet to outright attack him—them, but Bjorn couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was going to happen. He felt watched, noting how the fae remained close enough to be heard, but not to be seen or sidestepped. He knew better than to point it out.

As the corner neared and he guided them around it, he figured he could tackle the one thing on his mind he could do something about, even if it was only to seek an opinion on it. He’d not yet spoken to Every, but he was curious as to where Caligrace stood on the matter, if she, unlike the rest of them, had had a different experience.

“The Grigori elders are back. D’you ever meet them?”

[Caligrace]

The cavernous walls seemed to breathe the longer she remained within their embrace. Claustrophobia wasn’t something that she was prone to, but when those walls held the secrets of the creatures that lurked in the shadows, she found herself unwilling to linger. With the man at her side, however, she mustered her best brave face and curved her lips into a hint of a smile as her arm linked with his. Her fingers grasped gently at his muscle, her tension causing her hold to be tighter than normal, but not as tight as to seem desperate. His presence alone was enough to calm some of her nerves, even with the soft whisper of feet - if they had feet - against the rock. The rest of her anxiety came from the tension in the air, as if trying to signal a warning of things to come. With a shake of her head, she pushed that thought from her mind and tipped her head as they walked, her gaze traveling across the familiar lines of his face with a hum.

His question took her by surprise, and she took a moment before answering, her mind working to connect the pieces together until she was able to complete the puzzle. It was, of course, a hazy puzzle that was wrought with holes. Grigori sounded familiar, but none of their names or faces came to mind. With a shrug of her shoulder, she finally loosened her hold on her weapon to run her fingers through her hair. “I’ve heard about them, but I’ve never met them,” she admitted, her nose wrinkled. “I didn’t really meet any of the family. I wasn’t even aware they had elders.” The lack of knowledge on the subject didn’t seem to sit too well with the redhead, but she kept her easy smile in place until her gaze was captured by a flash of green a few inches ahead of them.

It didn’t take her long to bend and snatch the gem as they made their way by, their conversation barely interrupted by the last minute decision, and she curled her fingers around it, enjoying the cool touch against her skin. “Damp. The water should be close,” she muttered under her breath before pocketing it, returning to the topic at hand as if nothing had happened.

“Have you met them, then?”

[Bjorn]

Where Bjorn was prone to restlessness Caligrace was prone to distraction (or so he’d learned when they’d trained together) but despite the trait’s resilience he was heartened to see it so seamlessly integrated into her demeanour, found it endearing. The corner of his mouth quirked to the side as she reached for the emerald. (There were probably other green stones in the world but Bjorn’s precious gem knowledge was subpar at best and not likely to improve, so he chose to leave it at that and not ask, mostly because he wasn’t particularly interested in the answer.)

“I haven’t, no. Elliot was the one who first told me about them. Every’s talked about them too, but neither seemed to have particularly good things to say. I was on Crownet earlier and tried swinging by the Watchtower on my way here since they claim it’s open to all blood, but,” he shrugged, “I don’t know. The response on the thread seemed lukewarm at best. Hard to respect people who weren’t around to earn it in the first place.”

Yes, that was bitterness coating his tongue and tingeing his words. It wasn’t a secret amongst their group how he’d come to be this way and while he’d long ago put to rest his feelings towards an absent sire, and later towards Elliot, the Grigori elders returning and calling for unity amongst blood served as kindling. Sires were a delicate topic amongst current company, and he was self-aware enough to keep the rest of his thoughts guarded, focusing instead on the admiration and respect he felt for the one who hadn’t abandoned him.

Silver linings were tarnished by the feeling creeping at the back of his neck. The rush of water over stone, the echo of the shallow rapids that tapered into slower, deeper waters, did little to alleviate it.

What if it’s something in the water?

After all, all kinds of new monsters seemed to spawn in the neighbouring towns, and there was no telling they only made a home of those half-submerged buildings.