FAM, MEET FAM

Okay, I guess we should just jump into our folks introducing themselves however on some kind of neutral ground and see how they deteriorate from there

good, good. I'll work on seeing who is the bravest of my lovelies to start the introduction.

(not sure how much of a setting/ scene/ set up you think we need or want or if this is strictly JUST conversational but I'm going to start with them just talking and if we feel later on that we need a stage we can set one up. xD )

"So, I believe this is where we introduce ourselves. Fengari Estenor, but most people don't appreciate mystic sounded names and have settled on calling me Luna."

A petite young woman with long plum hair, almost comically over-sized mage hat, and probably far too many layers of varying shades of black clothing to be considered normal begins the introductions.

"Formality dictates we should give our titles too. I am Yvaine Everguard, the Final Oracle. Luna here is an Aterkin, an element controller."

Another woman with an unknowable age but appears to be barely in her twenties stands shorter than the first. Her outfit is ornate and her red hair reaches the ground, but her most notable features are her long, stretching deer-like antlers, completely decorated with gold and jewels. Obviously she's proud of them.

"You actually didn't have to do that."

Luna, clearly irritated by Yvaine's formal attitude but also willingness to share information that isn't hers, cuts the oracle a dagger-sharp glare.

"Sorry, not all of us get along. Most of us aren't even from similar... Situations. I'm Axel Juris. I keep these fantasy people grounded."

The first male to speak up and speak about "grounded reality" ironically sports very wolf-like features. Yes, his clothing is far more modern than the other two women, but his wolf ears, tail, and overall messy fur-like hair looks anything but standard and normal. His wide grin is still surprisingly inviting.  

"You got any questions about our weird little group, you can ask me!"

"Yeah right. Don't believe this joke."

The tallest women of them all, and her height only continued on by her long standing rabbit ears, interrupts Axel. Despite the annoyance, these two appear close, like two friends and coworkers would be. Her soft white hair is pulled up in a messy style held up by a pen and she keeps her arms crossed, tapping her finger impatiently.

"I'm Trita Airin. Spy. Informant. Pub owner and bartender. I am actually the one you can ask any questions. And, before you can even ask: No, my red eyes don't mean I'm a demon or demonic or whatever it is fantasy people connect to having red eyes."

She's clearly been questioned before.

The first four quiet down. There's still another cast of characters waiting with them to be introduced but they decide not to ignore the other group completely.

A tall man with regal features and long hair half pulled up high on his head steps forward and bows his head slightly. "I️ am Kvanne, commander of these ranks, son of-"

"Don't think they're looking for all that." Another man whispers over to the first, slightly shorter and with dirty blonde hair cut short and tidy. He has rich brown eyes that catch the sun with iridescence like amber. "I'm Aleric, Kvanne here is my brother and our other brother-" Aleric cranes his head over the group of assembled people and then suddenly breaks into a sweet, crinkly-eyed smiled. "Is Dolan, just there."

The third brother doesn't move at all, just continues staring at Aleric as though he perhaps wants to murder them all in their sleep, or then again maybe is just plagued with the utmost boredom. His unruly dark hair hangs in his ice blue eyes and makes distinguishing between the two possibilities difficult.

"We are the last remaining royal descendants of the house of Saibinneach and the rightful rulers of the three empires." Kvanne continues his speech, deterred little by Dolan's incessant blinking and Aleric's harrying attempts at interruption.

"What he means to say is that he won't quit with his delusions of grandeur until it puts every last one of us in the ground," Dolan says half under his breath, ends with lips pressed tight together.

"He's just kidding," Aleric chuckles lightly but his half pleading and half horrified glance at Dolan doesn't go unnoticed. "But it is true that our family should be ruling the known world. Not in an arrogant way, just like as a fact. One that our half-sister has chosen, conveniently, to ignore."

"The benefactor of our company, Gavril-"
"Gailen," Dolan insists.

"Gavril." Kvanne stares pointedly at Dolan with his unyielding, almost black-brown eyes until his brother sighs and looks away. "Gavril is not present currently. He is often off seeing to our interests abroad."

"Seeing to your interests, drugging and kidnapping random people, tomayto tomahto." A younger man steps into view, shrugging. His dark and ashy brown hair bounces slightly with the movement, haphazard and careless waves longer on top and cut shorter, closer on the sides. "Also, was I️ just hearing things, or did somebody say something about alcohol?"

"Kingdoms, countries, rulers, treason... It's all so story-like and wonderful sounding."

A man with scars running all over his face, weirdly pointed ears, and a dangerously courteous air listens intently to the tales of drama, family, and politics. Different parts of his skin are multicolored like patches on a quilt, separated by the scars like seams. He's too polite and too interested, clearly taking several notes in his head, for a reason known only to him. His dull black hair lacks shine like most people's, as if he's more dead than alive.

"I am Hito. No last name that you need to be concerned with. I am what you call an Anomaly. I believe I technically died several hundred years ago but some shady organization decided I was better off alive and brought me back. It's a fascinating tale of sewing bodies of multiple people together to create a suitable body for me to roam the earth with again."

"If by 'fascinating' you mean gory, then yes."

Yvaine worriedly looks at Hito yet still keeps her distance, clearly disgusted by the state of his being.

"Tales of kingdoms and kings are dramatic but rarely 'wonderful.' I think we know that first-hand."

Luna motions to a man by her side with gray hair and warm brown eyes. He stands beside her with a pleasant smile and awkward laugh at her comment. He shakes his head, straightening his loose white shirt and brown leather vest.

"Not all tales of kings are bad. You'll have to excuse her. Anyways, I'm Ivor Nightinfall, Luna's traveling companion and, apparently, some sort of last hope. I don't quite understand the details myself. I think, technically speaking, I'm her charge or something."

"I am assigned to protect you with my life, that much is true."

The casual way she approaches the topic clearly makes Ivor uncomfortable.

"Don't worry, it's all part of a greater purpose."

A small, wispy spirit-like fox appears in a flash of soft light on Ivor's shoulder. Even though it's clear the strange voice comes from the creature, its mouth never moves.

"I am the last of a species of prophets. We don't give names in my culture, so I don't have one. You may call me Nameless as a way to address me if you must. I advise Fengari and Ivor and was the one who gave Fengari the task to guide him."

Nameless has an unsettling way of being overly calm, as if intentionally trying to project that kind of aura out into the room. He makes intentional eye contact with each new person, lingering just a second too long with all of them.

"I'm sorry if Nameless weirds you out in any way. He is incapable of feeling human emotion. He tries to over-compensate like a sociopath. He's also stupidly powerful so I wouldn't recommend getting on his bad side."

Trita warily watches the creature as Luna and Ivor casually pet its head without a care, as if they're either unaware of its might and disturbing nature or are desensitized to it.

"But, yes, to answer your question, Shand. I own a pub and tend to its bar. If you're looking for a strong drink, I'm your woman. Looking to buy and sell some information then I may or may not be your woman depending on what you're selling and or buying."

“Undead... I️ respect that,” Shand says slowly, clearly more concerned with the floating fox, the object of his steely gaze. He keeps his eyes trained on Nameless as he continues with less than characteristic brevity. “Uh, this is Dakara.”

The red headed girl standing near him, shoulders pulled inward to make herself appear smaller, nods her head slightly without making any eye contact. Despite her demeanor, she has a somewhat wild look, dreadlocks splayed across her shoulders and tattoos identical to Shand’s creeping the full length of both her arms.

The girl with elaborately done-up silvery blond hairstanding beside Dakara gets an offended look on her face as Shand speaks. She cuts her eyes at Kvanne, with whom she shares her regal bone structure and deep brown eyes.

“My daughter, Aoife, Queen of Caoillin.”

“Don’t you get the feeling they don’t know any of these places we’re throwing at them?” Shand mumbles to Dolan, who gives a short, wry chuckle that sounds more like a snort.

“And this is,” Aoife sweeps her long, graceful arm over to the tall, sturdily built, broad young man standing beside her with a tightly shaved head, sandy colored eyebrows, and intense hazel eyes. “Thrandr. My manservant.” Aoife’s lips twitch amusedly while Thrandr keeps an impossibly blank expression.

“Whatever you’d like to call it, your highness. If you’re putting me on your payroll, I️ naturally have no objections.”

Aoife rolls her eyes and Thrandr cracks a grin, jabbing her lightly with his elbow where he thinks no one can see it.

"Shand keeps looking at me. You think he wants to play?"

Nameless keeps his eyes trained on the poor man, watching his movements a little too closely. Luna and Ivor shoot worried glances over at Shand, knowing full-well interacting with Nameless is the last thing most people want.

"I don't think so."

Luna scoops the little creature off of Ivor's shoulder and takes a couple steps away from the group for safe distance, but Nameless keeps finding ways to look around her, slyly smiling at Shand while letting out a soft hum.

"I guess we'll let the next quartet join the conversation."

Trita motions to a group of four that had been talking to themselves until the spotlight is suddenly thrust upon them.

A tall built man with a low ponytail of wild rust colored hair smiles and waves over at everyone.

"Hey! Name's Lancer. The cutie with the pink bun is Lied, emo boy is Eidolon, and quiet chick is Ploy. We're part of a group called Safegaurd and we make sure people with powers like us are safe in corrupt societies."

A girl in purple, pink, and white frills laughs, clinging to Lancer's arm. She's childishly waves to the group, reintroducing herself as if Lancer hadn't just told people who she is.

"I'm Lied! Pop idol sensation and one of the four leaders of Safeguard."

The girl with short bobbed blue hair sighs, shaking her head at the obliviousness of her friend.

"I'm Ploy. The four of us utilize our unique talent and powers to help others like us, that's the goal of Safeguard."

The man by her side nods, continuing the explanation further.

"Lancer can manipulate electric energy through his muscles. Lied can influence a crowd's emotion through song. Ploy causes people to see illusions of her choice upon seeing their eyes. And I can turn myself into a shadow and manipulate other shadows."

Eidolon and Ploy clearly have a structured system for explaining their group and what they do, probably to make up for the carefree nature of their counterparts.

"So Safeguard looks for others like us and houses them to keep them safe from abuse from society. Example: The names we gave you aren't our actual names but we don't know our real names. Children with powers are taken from their families very young and given to companies and organizations to be raised to serve them."

Ploy looks over to Eidolon to make sure she didn't miss anything and he shrugs in approval, his white hair swishing with the movement.

"This is all incredibly boring. I'm much more interested in whatever that flirtationship is than this sad political movement."

Hito watches Aoife and Thrandr's interaction with a smirk, this conversation being the only thing he's shown genuine interest in this entire time.

“Flirtation?” Aoife’s grin fades and she takes back up her more typically harsh demeanor. “No, you’re mistaken.”

“So mistaken.” Thrandr sighs and folds his surly arms.

“What a perfectly good waste of sexual tension,” Shand laughs uneasily, eyes ever on the fox. “Not between me and the- no, clearly I️ did not mean that. With the. No.”

“Please excuse my son. He never learned social skills as a child.” Dolan runs his tongue across his teeth to rein in a teasing smile. “This is my other boy, Lunath.”

Dolan clasps the ahoulder of a teenage boy who comes up to his shoulder, sports a head full of wispy, mousy hair pointing every way imaginable and then some. He’s got impossibly green eyes, fair skin, and a nearly indiscernible gap between his two front teeth.

He doesn’t respond to Dolan’s touch, but flinches a full five seconds later and blinks repeatedly with white-wide eyes.

“Don’t mind him.” Shand shrugs, still evaluating Nameless. “He sees things. He’s definitely the only one here who sees things, ever.”

“I️ adopted him when he was really young, during a very questionable period of my life. Not so far as in adopting him, just, in everything else I️ was doing.” Dolan intentionally ignores a pointed and judgy look from Kvanne. “It was all government sanctioned, man, get over it. If you have problems, take it up with your girlfriend.”

“He was hired by my government, Kvanne, we needed someone.” A tall woman wearing a spiny silver crown and gleaming royal armor smiles at a sheepish Kvanne.

“Of course,” he mumbles, looking down.

“Iyloh,” the woman introduced herself casually. “Queen of Sheduer. Who does hire a perfectly good hitman from time to time.”

“Perfectly good,” Dolan mouths dramatically at Kvanne.

“Can I️ get a safeguard person to protect me from this family?” Shand says to no one in particular, but more to Nameless than anyone else.

“Well, Keiran, Hadrian, and Tamsin are also absent by unfortunately never far behind.” Aleric sighs.

“If you see the living spawn of Satan anywhere nearby, then you’ve met them, and my condolences.” Shand kicks at the dirt but looks immediately back up at his staring contest partner.

Hito huffs but keeps up his forced smile, disappointed by the end in that track of the conversation.

"I see, I see. My fault for mislabeling."

"He gets very easily bored and only finds joy in watching sexual tension and flirting or partaking in it himself."

Yvaine turns in a way that causes a large antler to smack the back of the man's head with a rather audible thud.

"Well, excuse me, but you'd be bored after living for three centuries and would look for joy in random places too."

The two bicker and ignore the rest of the group, but anyone within range of the antlers is still within the danger zone of being subject to her wrath despite not being part of the argument.

"Personally, after your second millennia, days start running together so you don't care too much."

Nameless looks just about ready to jump out of Luna's grasp and rush at Shand to close the distance and bring their staring contest literally face-to-face. His tail flicks impatiently like a growing flame.

"Name, please... Can't you try to behave? Even Hito is attempting."

Luna flicks the side of the creature's head but it doesn't deter his sudden fixation on the man.

"He's the one staring at me. I'm returning the favor."

Only Luna and Ivor seem to care to try to contain Nameless, the others clearly gave up on the task long ago.

In fact, Eidolon and Ploy watch the rather dazed looking Lunath for a long while, taking in his body language and mannerisms. They whisper something between themselves, something that Lancer listens in on. Something that makes him smile then spurs him into motion.

"Hey bud! Name's Lancer! What's up?"

He tromps over to the younger man with his happy grin on full display. Lied skips after him, waving the entire short walk over.

"Hi-Hi! Nice to meet ya! Ever met a pop idol before? Most people don't get the opportunity so you're kinda special, huh?"

Lunath eyes the two animated young people near him like a spooked animal stuck in between fight and flight mode.

"Uh, I️ don't even know what a pop idol is. Sorry." Lunath twitches a bit, then turns to his other side. "No one else can even see you, why would I️ introduce you?"

"Well," Kvanne tries to shift the focus off Lunath and over to himself, clearly uncomfortable. "Should Gavril return in a timely manner, I️ will happily present him to you. And insofar as it concerns Keiran, Hadrian, and Tamsin-"

"Just be aware that Keiran and I️ grew up like brothers and then he decided to turn tail, kill my wife, start a genocide, and try to get us all to worship him, so you're better off not to meet him, honestly." Dolan says matter of factly.

"And Hadrian stole my boat." Shand clenches his jaw in irritation. "He stole multiple boats, really, and then tried to rip me to death with barnacles. So obviously a sweet, pleasant guy, a delight. And Tamsin, well." He cringes over in Dakara's general direction. "I️ accidentally married her for 48 hours, but what happens on a desert island under duress stays on that desert island under duress, if you catch my drift."

Dakara sends him a cutting look which makes him seem genuinely uncomfortable- a rarity for Shand.

"Are we supposed to just trust you all for some random reason?" Lunath chimes in suddenly, eyes squinted incredulously. Dolan ruffles his hair a little bit.

"We do have several armies in the near vicinity." Aoife says challengingly as she watches Lied with particular disgust.

Shand sighs. "That's so cute. So cute and throwback, with your armies."

"What's wrong with armies?" Thrandr asks defensively, his chest puffing out seemingly on its own and making him seem nearly twice as big.

"Everybody wants to bring an army to a street fight. And everybody's dumb. You of all people should know this, Thrandr. Big fella was on the underground fighting circuit for a long time. Before I️ got the jump on him and pulled a prison break right from under his nose, that is. See, another instance in which a one man con is better." Shand smiles broadly for the sole purpose of irritating the broad man who's at least a head taller.

"First of all, a con and a military operation are two totally different things. And secondly, you did not escape my custody."

Aoife rolls her eyes and folds her arms, clearly having heard this argument unfold before one too many times.

"Thrandr. Flower. Come on." Shand shakes his head.

"You did NOT. I️ let you escape." Thrandr's tone gets more and more defensive with each passing word.

An obnoxious laugh escapes Shand's mouth before he muffles it with his own hands. "Sorry, the desperate lies are always my favorite."

A bizarre emotion flashes across Lied's eyes, almost like something inside of her instantly breaks at Lunath's words. She stands up straight and rigid. You'd swear someone just told her a family member died as her eyes gloss over with welling tears.

"You don't...Know what an idol is?"

Lancer quickly forgets completely about Lunath, turning to his companion, comforting hand on her shoulder and his tone much more gentle than the booming volume it had previously been at.

"Hey, hey, it's ok. You're the most popular idol in the world. He was probably just... Homeschooled or something. Yeah-Yeah! Homeschooled in the backwoods of the country. This doesn't mean anything."

Lancer seems to be the only one with the desire to comfort the crying woman. Ploy and Eidolon especially seem irritated with the scene.

"I think it's safe to assume that isn't an important 'issue,' if you could even call it that."

Ploy mumbles, twisting her short hair in boredom nearly leaning against Eidolon to keep her standing like she can't be bothered to put in the effort to stay how she is anymore. Eidolon doesn't seem to mind as he leans back into the gesture, to assist her, yes, but he also seems to be bored now so he probably needs to lean on her as well.

"Besides, did you not hear the mild threat about their armies?"

"Or the mention of their shady 'friends?'"

The entire group exchanges glances. Eidolon to Ploy, Ploy to Luna, Luna to Axel, Axel to Nameless... No one goes without sending a silent message to someone else. Only one person receives a glance and doesn't send it forward but instead breaks the silence altogether.

"Calm down."

Trita steps a bit forward, bringing her tall rabbit ears to alert to add height to her, making herself appear bigger than she is just like Thrandr before her. Her step is to take the focus off her companions but it also looks defensive, like she's acting as a shield. Her tone is very matter-of-fact but, other than her slightly intimidating posture, nothing about her says she wants to fight.

"If they should send armies, most of you are super-powered individuals. Controlling emotions, shadows, illusions, the elements... And those who aren't are trained warriors and knights. You could all hold your own for a bit, so I wouldn't really look at that as a threat."

A well-timed amused smirk finds its way to her mouth to as she continues, working to alleviate tension further.

"Actually, Axel and I are the ones in the most trouble here. We don't have any powers. We're both spies and informants, what do we know about major fights? Our jobs, for the most part, keep us out of the frontlines."

Axel huffs, frowning over at her, clearly offended by the remark.

"That's not true, I know how to throw a good punch and know my way with several armed weapons-"

He cowers back at the glare Trita throws at him. A few long seconds go by as he panics and backtracks.

"B-But, you know, she's right. If the two of us aren't worried then you all shouldn't be either, huh?"

With a very awkward chuckle, he glances at Trita for approval but her unamused expression and annoyed sigh tells everyone she's not impressed. It's obvious which one of them owns a bar and has had to defuse fights before.

"That's true. And it's not like we don't have odd connections of our own."

Nameless shifts from Luna's arms to her shoulder, resting casually as if the entire previous situation had never happened.

"There's Olvreign, the wanna-be-goddess that completely destroyed my world. She's definitely not someone you want to introduce yourself to. So, I'd say we're on equal grounds there."

Ivor and Luna visibly flinch at the mention of Olvreign, as if just saying her name would summon her. They appear relieved when seconds go by and she doesn't manifest herself before them somehow.

"You know, if we can't trust each other for some reason and we have to fight, I want to battle Shand. I feel like he would make great expressions during a struggle."

Nameless doesn't smile as he says this, only makes unobstructed eye contact with Shand every second he speaks as if this was the most normal thing anyone has ever said.

"You're not helping... Or even trying to act normal."

Ivor folds his arms in front of him, warily watching the creature on Luna's shoulder, but Luna seems to have completely given up and is ignoring Nameless's presence.

Shand gives a quizzical look, a little half grin with a furrowed brow like he wants to unpack so many of those statements, but knows better than to go down that path. Instead, he points at Nameless. “First things first, I️ am rather interested to see this one’s fighting methods, and second things best, nobody lose a spleen or anything. We can aaaaaaaalllllllllllll be friends! Just, super awesome friendly friends.”

Aleric blows out a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Shand. That’s exactly right. We don’t have the desire or the will to be fighting on any more fronts than we already are. Honestly, we’re all a little strapped for resources.”

“Insisting you should be ruling when you’re not can do that to you.” Dolan relishes the opportunity to make the slightest jab at Kvanne, and by now it’s clear that this back and forth poking is just the nature of their relationship.

“I️ resent you telling these strangers about our current financial interests.” Kvanne whispers at Aleric, although he doesn’t have much of an inside voice and it comes out louder than intended.

“Not strangers,” Shand reminds. “Frieeeeeends. Especially this lil fella. I️ feel like you need a falcon perch or something. Have you ever tried a falcon perch? Like, in terms of ease and comfort I’m thinking that’s an easier ride than a shoulder. But then again maybe you’re not working with bad knees, so I️ guess that’s up in the air.”

“Sometimes I️ step back from my life and really take a good chunk of time to ponder why Dakara didn’t smother you in your sleep when she first met you.” Thrandr shakes his head, backed by an even more disapproving stance from Aoife. “How does she put up with you?”

“Who me?” Shand asks with no trace of offense in his voice. “Seriously? I’m a kitten.”

Lunath makes a choked little gasp in his throat and his eyes get wide. When he notices everyone’s eyes on him, he turns bright red and looks down at his shoes. When the attention is too much, he moves quickly without ever looking up and goes to stand directly behind Dolan.

“Lunath gets to do whatever he wants, whenever because he hears voices. He gets to punch people whenever he wants, because voices.” Shand rolls his eyes, and continues under his breath, “But apparently debilitating recurring visions and near seizures will get you nothing. It’s a dog eat dog world.”

Dolan shushes him a bit, looking around to make sure no one heard the last part. Kvanne continues his monotone discussion of his discontent with Aleric, and that’s really all that matters.

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Nameless lets out a soft hum before vanishing in thin air. When he reappears he rests gently on Shand's shoulder, his long flowy tail around the poor man's neck like a threatening scarf.

"I don't typically like to befriend my meals but if that's what you'd like I suppose I won't argue."

Both Luna and Ivor shoot pointed glares at Nameless but he is indifferent to their warnings and judgments.

"He doesn't eat people, I promise. He just... Seems to have taken a liking to you for some reason. Or as much of a liking as something without emotions can take."

Yvaine claps her hands together and the movement causes various gold ornaments on her antlers to chime together, causing her to demand more attention than she had meant to gain. Her outlandish style ridiculously clashes with Trita and Axel near her, the two even seem to cringe at the soft music.

"Well, if we're all going to be friends now, we need to address something first: We all seem to be operating under different definitions of things and clueless to places and historical events each other is saying. Am I to assume this is a multiverse situation? Worlds colliding?"

The idea doesn't come across as a surprise to most anyone in the group other than Hito, who nods in approval of the question.

"Yes, of course. That must be what's going on. Just as most of us are from realities completely separate from each other, this group of rag-tags must be from yet another reality. Fascinating. I suppose worlds really are endless."

"I think we all knew that by now. Even Lied and Lancer seemed caught up on the situation."

Eidolon rolls his eyes but his sharp comment doesn't phase the two in question, instead they both smile happily.

"Yup! I don't even question the thought anymore!"

The tall pink-haired girl seems to completely have forgotten her heart-break over Lunath's lack of knowledge of her status and popularity.

“See, this is what happens when we don’t coordinate.” Aleric shakes his head, tone vaguely disappointed.

Shand seems oblivious to everything now, tentatively patting at the furry tail around his neck with one finger first, then several.

“We are all from the same universe,” Kvanne insists, then shrugs slightly as he tries to find the most efficient way to communicate. “Our exploits have spanned several generations, and much has happened to each of us before we assembled together.”

“Assembled. Choice wording.” Dolan scowls. “Some of us were manipulated into joining up here, and I’d like that to go on record.”

“At least half of us if not more,” Shand adds absentmindedly, now lifting Dakara‘s hand for her and petting Nameless dramatically with it.

“Regardless of how we came together, much of our realities center on things that have occurred when we were apart. And I️ suppose the lack of ability to agree on anything most likely fueled their assumption.”

“You didn’t explain it well enough.” Shand says, apparently bored by the conversation but not enough to stay out of it. “It’s like none of you have ever talked for a living. So we’re all a super dysfunctional family, Pops and Aleric and Kvanne are the peak of our dysfunction, Aoife’s Kvanne’s dysfunctional daughter as made obvious through their matching resting bitch faces, and me and Pops and Lunath are apparently all some kind of family unit now. Father, son, the one with the ghost. You know how it goes.”

“I️ don’t think anyone knows how that goes,” Thrandr turns dismissively from Shand and addresses the other group. “I️ got thrown into this crazy family dynamic with no warning, so if anyone feels your pain, it’s me. Basically all you need to know to survive is just, keep your game face on around Kvanne, Aleric is the mom uncle, nobody likes each other, and everyone survives on repressing trauma and acting like nothing’s wrong. And did I️ say nobody likes each other.”

“I️ won’t bore you with the hundreds of years’ worth of politics and prophecy and history and such-“

“Yeah, don’t, I️ get by fine without it.” Shand cuts Kvanne off and takes to rubbing his whole palm against Nameless’s fur, finding some sort of odd comfort in it.

“Well, I️ suppose..” Kvanne sighs and shrugs, as he’s become accustomed to doing in response to Shand. “Now, tell us what we need to know about your unit, if any such extra information would be beneficial.”

“Tell me about the shadow thing,” Lunath chimes in suddenly in a very quiet, hollow sort of voice.

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"I'm not sure they understand what we meant."

Yvaine frowns, biting down on her nails, stressed by the flood of new information but also by being misunderstood.

"I think that much is obvious."

Nameless smacks Shand in the face with his tail for good measure but he doesn't appear to mind the man's fascination with petting his fur suddenly.

"How do we even summarize this... Okay, so Eidolon, Lancer, Ploy, and Lied are all part of one world, one reality. Axel and I are part of the same world, but it's a different universe than the Safeguard group. Yvaine and Hito are from the same reality, and Luna, Ivor, and Nameless are part of their own universe too. All... Different... Stories, I guess?"

Trita struggles to find a good way to explain the situation surrounding their group and her eyes sweep desperately across those with her begging them to add anything... But they don't.

"Ah-ah, I'm even more confusing. Olvreign and I come from a different universe originally but then she destroyed that world and the two of us crossed dimensions and landed in Luna and Ivor's reality."

As he speaks, Nameless's tail trails up over Shand's mouth, either intentionally or unintentionally bordering on suffocating him. He ignores his own action for the most part but the fact that he doesn't stop proves he's entertained.

"You're not helping. Again."

Luna scowls over at him, motioning with her hand across her mouth to tell the creature to stop but he blissfully ignores her.

"So, yeah, it's kind of hard to explain because we don't all really share a world but somehow we've managed to meet?"

Lied pouts childishly to herself as she can't think of a way to explain this and must admit she herself doesn't understand the situation.

"Yup. So it's hard for us to explain our group as a whole. We'd have to explain all our smaller sub-groups."

With a shrug, Axel dismisses the issue but no one, not even their own group, seems satisfied with that.

"We could always just start with basic questions. For example..."

Eidolon looks over at Lunath while pointing to himself curiously.

"I'm assuming 'shadow thing' is in reference to me? Basically: I can transform into a mass of shadow and move within shadows. Here, I'll show you."

Ploy, Lancer, and Lied take several quick steps back from their friend as he finishes his sentence. In a quick second, Eidolon's form is consuming by a dripping darkness that expands and grows, swirling around where his body used to be. All that's left is a spiraling mass of blackness that wisps and crackles like fire.

Yvaine, Hito, and Axel all duck behind Trita in fear as she watches it with a slightly raised eyebrow. The remaining members of Safeguard talk amongst themselves as the demonstration continues.

The mass sinks into the ground and zips to Ploy's shadow which deforms and appears to bubble up. After a moment, her shadow returns to normal and her eyes rest on Lunath's shadow.

His begins to act the way hers had previously but continues until the giant dark mass takes shape and looms behind the boy. It touches his shoulder, leaving behind a harmless black mark on his clothes, before dropping into the ground again and reappearing back with the other group.

It shrinks in on itself, outlining a human form then disappearing, leaving behind Eidolon.

"Not all of our powers are as flashy as Ei's. But the four of us all have one. I think technically Luna, Nameless, and Hito do too, but they're not part of our world and theirs work a little differently."

Ploy smiles over at Eidolon who returns the expression, though a little sheepishly.

Shand sputters out a small cough and then waggles his tongue around, spitting out a few hairs.

"Cool," Lunath says, not visibly enthusiastic but letting his fingers trail over the spot the shadow had left on him.

"Alright, I️ think we have everything straight," Aleric nods in satisfaction.

"What I'm trying to figure out with the whole separate dimensions thing is who's side they're on in whatever middle, limbo universe we're in now." Dolan sizes the group up with a carefully constructed confident air.

"It's just because we used to have powers, too." Aleric chances a look over at Dolan, not meanly, but perhaps a little sheepishly.

"Then I️ did what I️ do best and defected, and it all went to cold hell." The darker twin smiles sarcastically.

"Interestingly enough, special powers are the unique legacy of our family in our world and yet, we're crushingly devoid of them at the moment." Kvanne mutters.

"We're all just your super average, run of the mill folks. Nothing special to see here." Shand watches Nameless out of the corner of his eye intently before gently flicking at his tail. Dakara pulls his hand back in horror. "I'm thinking of taking a break and finding a bar somewhere in this, middle limbo whatever- universe, anyone else?"

"I'm not sure there are any sides to be had in this limbo dimension. So, I guess by that... You could say we're all on each other's side?"

Axel smiles, okay with encouraging peace between the groups.

"By that logic, you could also say none of us are on each other's side."

The disapproving frown Ivor gives Axel doesn't seem to phase him as the mention of drinks causes his attention to instantly turn to his animal characters-sharing companion.

"Drinks would probably help us at least get on better terms."

For once in this entire exchange, Trita finally agrees with Axel, but also Shand by default.

"I'll take a chance to get to know my new steed better, sure."

Nameless, rather forcefully, gives Shand one good last smack in the face with his tail before disappearing, despite saying Shand was his new steed. When he reappears, he's easily the size of a large wolf, still snow white, with red markings on his fur. He stands in between Ivor and Luna, long tail still flicking to and fro. His eyes are narrowed in a bizarre smile.

"You'll let me sit beside you, right, Shand?"

Lancer's eyes light up at the notion and he turns to his group like a child, flailing his arms around overly animated.

"Trita! You and Luna can make drinks and do all those bar tricks! What are we even waiting for?!"

Luna sighs, leaning against the now large nameless.

"If that's what the entire group wants, I won't object."

Nameless’s sudden new size gives Shand some visible pause at first, and then it becomes apparent that he’s intrigued by something else.

“Aoife,” he asks, eyes darting back and forth between her and the creature. “You two bear a striking resemblance. Has anyone else noticed this yet? Like separated at birth level.

Aoife narrows her eyes and gives him the dirtiest look she’s capable of, which encompasses quite a depth of disgust. She turns casually away from him, flipping her silvery hair over her shoulder and summoning Thrandr to follow her as the whole group starts to ready themselves for the change in location.

Dolan shoots Shand questioning, yet knowing look and Lunath preoccupies himself strangely with examining his hands. Dolan moves toward Shand and Lunath follows.

“I️ need something stiff, in copious amounts, immediately,” Shand says softly to his father, eyes fixed on Nameless’s swishing tail. “I️ don’t know what’s going on-“

“You feel an episode coming on?” Dolan asks in a worried, paternal tone few others ever get to hear.

“Definitely maybe so but probably maybe not.” Shand rubs at his eyes hard with his knuckles. “I️ just know that whatever that thing is, it feels like he’s poking my brain, and not all that gently.”

“Well, good thinking with the bar. Everyone will be drinking so it won’t look strange. Either way, I’ll make sure Kvanne is distracted. Just... let me know.” Dolan finishes his statement with a nod, a wordless agreement between the two of them as the rest of the group sets off.

*didnt think this part through sooo maybe they’ll materialize in a pub somewhere? Haha*

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"Well, it's a good thing this is a limbo that seems to be influenced by us and our actions..."

Her comment seems off-handed, but there's logic to what Ploy says as she walks side-by-side with Eidolon. Lied takes Lancer's hand in hers then rushes to her friend, looping her arm with Ploy's.

"Why's that?"

"Well, we all started walking just assuming we could find a bar in the middle of this nothingness. Luckily for us, there's one right up there that just seems to have materialized for our convenience."

Sure enough, not even half a mile away from the group sits a bar that definitely wasn't there before.

"You didn't make that, did you?"

Ivor looks at Ploy in shock but she shakes her head as she allows herself to be tugged along by her hyper friend.

"No, I just create illusions. This seems to be a real thing. I wouldn't be surprised if this was Nameless's doing, though."

A low chuckle comes from deep in the creature's chest as he leads the charge towards the building. There's knowing mischief in his eyes, whether that's connected to Shand or to the now visible pub is yet to be determined.

"Now, now, who can say? I have been known to create small dimensions from time to time, so it could very well be something I've made."

"Name... Did you bring us all here?"

Luna leans down to the animal's ear and whispers, clearly worried because this wouldn't be new behavior for him.

"Fengari, why on earth would I? I didn't even know these people until this moment. Whoever brought us all together is still unknown but who are we to question his or her judgment? I say roll with it."

With his giant head, Nameless pushes open the door to the building then sits by the door, welcoming each person inside... Waiting.

"Don't kill him."

Luna and Ivor enter first, giving a warning as they pass, knowing good and well just who Nameless is waiting for. Axel and Trita either don't notice his intentional action or don't care, petting his head as they walk in, followed by the Safeguard group.

Hito easily enters the building but Yvaine pauses, analyzing the door. No matter which way she turns, her antlers don't seem to be able to fit in the frame.

Nameless watches her for a bit then yawns. When he does, the opening expands right before their eyes. After letting out a startled shriek, Yvaine rushes forward inside, the door closing back to its normal size once she's through.

Kvanne, ever the leader of the pack, enters the establishment first and scopes the whole place out within several seconds. He motions to the others that the location is secure and they can proceed, but they hadn’t halted and filter in around Kvanne oblivious to his efforts.

Shand stops short by the door, where Nameless is stationed, and waits til the others are near the front and settling themselves at the bar until he leans over slightly. “There’s no fat chance in hell that I️ hallucinated you, right? You’re not some sort of weird incarnation of my dream-fox, are you?” He blinks for just a second. “Sorry, just ignore me. I’m not under the influence of anything and I should be.”

At the bar, Thrandr stations himself behind Aoife’s seat.
“You know, you can sit down and drink something,” she says over her shoulder, working hard to keep the hopefulness out of her voice.

“Your father will kill me if I️ let anything happen to you. Literally, it was one of the terms of the agreement I️ signed.”

Aoife sighs and turns back around to find Dakara watching her compassionately. “What?” She snaps. “At least he’s in control of all his faculties and not suddenly obsessed with an alien fox.”

Dakara gives no visual response and looks back at Shand, who is still hanging out uncharacteristically far from all the alcohol. She has a fair idea of what’s going on, but wouldn’t call him out on her life.

True to his word, Dolan waves Kvanne over to him on the farthest side of the room from Shand.

“I️ think we’ve all earned a little bit of a breather,” Dolan pulls out a seat for his brother.

“Maybe, but you’ve worked hard to get control of your drinking and I️ won’t let you waste all that effort.” There’s every bit of a big brother tone in Kvanne’s voice as he challenges Dolan with raised brows.

Well, if this is what it’s going to take to distract him.

“Truth be told, Kvanne, I️m struggling a bit. I️ could drain a whisky bottle right now. I’d regret it later, but somehow I️ don’t feel like that would stop me.”

Lunath is huddled in a seat away from the bar, his knees pulled up to his chest and his arms wrapped around them. He watched Shand watch the fox and Dolan watching Shand, then Kvanne, then Shand again. Something slithery curls up his spine and he feels the sudden urge to call out, but there is a light tapping of cold, dry, bony fingers on his lips and his brain echoes with a mind-numbing ‘ssshhhhhhhhhhhh’...

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Nameless takes his head and pushes Shand into the building then ushers him the rest of the way to the bar itself where two empty barstools are.

"No, I am very much real, though I have a feeling you wish I wasn't?"

Happy to be in her element, Trita slips behind the bar and starts taking stock of all of the different bottles and materials Nameless has conjured up for them to use.

"Does anyone want anything with a fire show? If so, you better sweet-talk Luna."

Said woman stands awkwardly by the swinging counter door of the bar, not knowing if she should follow Trita or stay on the customer side. Hito sits near her, pulling a cigar out from his pocket and, rather rudely, snaps his fingers towards her. She mimics the motion but it causes a flame to ignite over her fingers and remain there as he lights his cigar.

"I said sweet-talk, not demand. She's not your personal lighter."

Trita snatches the cigar as soon as it's lit then chucks it in a nearby sink.

As he begins to argue, Nameless hops up on a stool and balances himself, patting the empty one beside him with his tail while looking expectantly at Shand.

"Smoke? I can ask Luna for a light for you in case you don't have any manners. She likes me so she's bound to say yes."

Eidolon looks over at Lunath in confusion, having thought his shadow display would have bonded them even just a little. Ploy follows his gaze then encourages him to turn around, figuring the boy just wants space. Lancer and Lied seem obvious to everything going on, as usual.

Yvaine sits off at a table alone, away from anything she may unintentionally knock over, though it also seems she's distancing herself from the alcohol as well.

“I’m fine with you existing, you seem like a swell guy.” Shand begins slowly as he gingerly takes the seat beside Nameless, who looks kind of ridiculous on the seat, but Shand’s not about to say it. “You just... very much remind me of someone I’ve met before. Or something like that.” He shakes the rest of the thought off and turns toward Trita behind that bar.

“Okay here’s the deal. I️ lowkey need two TALL bottles of the clearest stuff you’ve got behind there, please and thanks.”

“And ARE WE DOING FLAMING ABSINTHE SHOTS, OR ARE WE DOING FLAMING ABSINTHE SHOOOOOTS?” Dolan puts in a stupid smile, rather pleased with himself, as Kvanne nearly recoils in horror.

“Have you lost your ever loving mind?” Kvanne is almost out of his chair now trying to prevent Dolan’s request from becoming reality.

Nearby, Lunath slinks out of his lonely chair and strides with a craned neck up to the bar. “Well doesn’t this all look absolutely delightful.” He looks directly into Trita’s eyes and smiles with all his teeth.

“Aren’t you a little young?” Aoife insists, looking over at her father for support.

Kvanne and Dolan both get the same over protective look on their faces, Dolan’s act dropped immediately.

“Absolutely not, Lunath.”

“What do any of you know of my age. Tsk tsk. All that blind ignorance. What a delight.” Lunath’s eyes flash darkly as he takes his seat again, this time his body stretched out confidently and his shoulder held ridiculously straight.

Luna looks over at Dolan, her hand ready for another flame. She clearly doesn't care as much about being sweet-talked as Trita made her out to be, rather she'd just prefer to get everyone's requests out of the way so she can sit down and relax.

Oblivious, as always, Axel lets out a hearty laugh, motioning to Lunath.

"Awh, let him have a drink! It's just us, so what's the harm?"

There doesn't need to be a moment for the other group to look at him as everyone in his own group quickly cuts their eyes in his direction to silence him.

"I will not give drinks to a minor. I could lose my license and then where would my bar be at?"

"Please! Isn't it more about morals?"

Yvaine seems completely distraught by Trita's casual and more self-centered answer, but the other woman doesn't care.

Trita frowns, uncomfortably reaching for a bottle of clear, but oddly unlabeled, liquid while glancing at Lunath from time to time. His request paired with his sudden eye-contact seems to really throw her off.

She pops open the bottle and sniffs it, taking a couple of seconds to place the scent. Satisfied with her answer, she shows Shand the bottle.

"Smells like straight vodka. You okay with this or do you want it mixed or something else entirely?"

Nameless watches Lunath with newfound curiosity, his tail swishing back and forth like a cat watching a bug.

"Hmm... Do I remind you of him, perhaps? Or is it someone else entirely? Not many people say I seem familiar so I'm wondering if you have a connection to my kind or a species like me."

Even though he looks at Lunath and questions Shand about the physical form of the boy, it's clear he's not referencing Lunath himself at all... Well, clear to anyone who knows what's going on and can hear the conversation.

Shand stares at Nameless blankly for a moment, collecting his thoughts, reining in everything fluttering through his already racing and reeling mind. He opens his mouth to speak, but changes the words at the last minute.
“You remind me of a whole ton of stuff I’ve worked really hard to keep plugged up in here,” he taps his head. “Stuff that’s gotta stay up there, no highway options. Which leads me toooooo” Shand swipes up the bottle of vodka and peers through the clear glass and liquid.
“Beautiful. Perfect. Only problem is that it’s lonely. Please tell me there’s another.”

From his seat across the room, Lunath looks pretty much like he’s over being denied a drink, but is eying Nameless as well with a somewhat haughty look. He speaks quietly, but loud enough for Shand and the creature to hear, staring him straight in the eye. “Hmm, I wonder, Fox, have you ever tangled with a wolf? An insatiable appetite, a dragon?”

Shand’s head starts to buzz maliciously, and he holds his forehead in one hand and squints before taking a long gulp from the bottle. He swishes it around his teeth and gargles it briefly before swallowing and going back for more, drinking it like it’s water and he’s dying of thirst. His eyes are aching and he starts to feel that familiar electric static through his shoulders, twitching in his fingers.

Dolan sees Kvanne start to turn in Shand’s direction, so he grabs both his brothers shoulders and widens his eyes. “She’ll make ‘em, Kvanne, flaming absinthe shots are not hard to do. Well, to make. They’re a little rough to do but that’s half the fun of it, amirite? I️ bet someone here would do flaming absinthe shots with me.”