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everybody is interesting [Vanessa]

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2022 7:48 pm
by Carina
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Searing 51 122 AoS


She was not usually by the airfield. There was little reason for her to go so close to the airfield, because everything fun was Northside, or Wintergarten Circle, which was almost near the airfield, but not really. She hadn't attended any war games in the absolutely unpronouncably named stadium, so she didn't even get that close. In fact, the only reason she was there now was because one of the few remaining Railrunners that had come to Gel'Grandal in the first place was making the roundabout trip back to Zaichaer.

Carina wanted to be supportive, and as she waved at the airship departing with her acquaintance, a somewhat familiar airship showed itself behind, stationed in the civilian docks. She squinted, unbelieving, and a fire burned for familiarity.



The door to the bar slammed open. It was a seedy joint, filled with the smell of smoke and alcohol and sweat. It was the very bar that many of the laborers of the airfield frequented. It had taken no small amount of small talk to learn its name, let alone its location. If she were right, Vanessa would be somewhere in the back arm-wrestling some boy into oblivion.

Carina was dressed in a rather Imperial fashion, but in the Imperial fashion of a teenage boy that toiled the day away with physical labor for pennies on the hour that moonlighted as a fop. An oversized work shirt was tied at the sleeves with ribbons, and she wore pants that were sturdy, but a little tight around the thighs. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail — not unusual, and her boots were a men's style, which at least managed to suit her current dress. Even dressed like a factory laborer, though, she was confident, but even while she made a grand entrance, she hated the feel of eyes on her. Still, she took one drag of her cigarette once she held the attention of the bar, and yelled loud enough to be heard across every conversation, every rowdy voice:


"VANESSA PENELOPE QUILL!"
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Re: everybody is interesting [Vanessa]

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2022 10:04 pm
by Vanessa Quill

Vanessa's first few days in the Imperium had been a mixture of paperwork and chores, two things she absolutely loathed. Just getting the Every Waking Moment legally docked and all of its souls accounted for had sapped her energy, and on top of that she had been required to remain on her best behavior around the other side of Anton's family. Much of her 'free time', such as it was, had been spent reacquiring personal effects she hadn't thought to bring along when Anton had made his premonition known. Which was why she was dressed now in an Imperial style, wearing a basic sailor's outfit that fit well enough but she hadn't bothered to get properly tailored yet. Her double breasted coat was hung over the back of her chair, and her square cut shirt had its sleeves rolled up to the elbows, showing off a couple of her battle scars.

Just as Carina had predicted, Vanessa was surrounded by a group of hooting dock workers, each betting portions of their pay on her feats of strength. It was easy to feel bad for whoever stepped forward to contend with her, as in short order they failed to make an impression and slunk off after she drove their knuckles into the table.

She was locked in an armwrestling stalemate with some beanpole of a boy when she heard her name, -- her full name-- , resound across the bar. Unfortunately for her opponent, the lapse gave him no room to take advantage, and she leapt from her seat after slamming him down to the ground in one fluid motion.

She had hoped Carina had either been in another city or had evacuated safely. Vanessa had known Carina's survival was likely, but without confirmation it had been so difficult to convince herself of it. "Carina." Vanessa said, the word joining with a long exhale that released tension Vanessa had been holding for weeks. Immediately following that deep, cleaning breath, Vanessa was back to her old self, and she clapped her old friend on the shoulder. "What'd I do this time to make you use my full name?"



Re: everybody is interesting [Vanessa]

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2022 12:05 pm
by Carina
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Carina was right, and she watched the moment of recognition in Vanessa just as she stepped around a corner and saw her win the arm-wrestling match. As Vanessa clapped her on the shoulder, she angled it into a hug. "You know damn well what you did! Nearly died, I bet!" She pulled away. "So, what brought you to the Imperium? I mean, other than your airship." If Carina had to hazard a guess, it was Anton — the man that Vanessa was "body-guarding" who had her come to the Imperium. She remembered the man she met in the department store — who had said that Vanessa and Anton brought him, too. So they escaped with refugees in tow and dragged them here.

Maybe Vanessa had a more golden heart than she'd expected. Or maybe she'd been given gold. She couldn't remember if Hector had mentioned. But if he was there, and Vanessa and Anton were here, maybe there were more Zaichaeri she'd recognize lingering around the city.

Carina didn't reveal that this was the third bar she'd barged into, screamed, and sheepishly walked out of when she realized Vanessa wasn't there. Sure, it'd have been easier to just scan the crowd, but Carina was a performer at heart and she hadn't had time or place to dance. She needed to get her drama elsewhere. "I'm glad you're safe. I've been in the Imperium all season so I didn't get to see the excitement down in Zaichaer, but I met a man who told me you two'd saved him." Carina smiled. "I'm just happy to see things are exactly as I'd expect. Who's the poor fella's name with the arm you just nearly broke?"
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Re: everybody is interesting [Vanessa]

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2022 9:50 pm
by Vanessa Quill

People hugged Vanessa so infrequently that she was left momentarily frozen by the gesture as she tried to remember what to do. It wasn't too long before she brought her other arm around Carina and squeezed, though. "Oh, that? C'mon! You know some fire in the sky couldn't kill me. If the gods were trying, then I'm glad to report their aim is rotten." If nothing else, Vanessa wore bravado well, all grins and boastful charm. "Anton's got family here. Figured it was a better option than living out the rest of my days as a sheep farmer."

It would not have been her first choice of places to hunker down after calamity. Hell, just getting her ship docked had involved enough rules and regulations to make her long for the days where her sword more freely spoke for her. But, she thought, Carina was here. She would never had admitted to being worried, it would have been so insulting to imply Carina couldn't wiggle her way out of something as pedestrian as the end of the world, but still. It was good to know.

She stood a bit taller when Carina mentioned her heroics. "Word travels fast. Glad he's settled in well enough, whichever one he was." it surprised Vanessa how much she actually meant it, too. Frustratingly, Anton's ideals kept rubbing off on her.

She turned her attention back to Carina "Was wondering what schemes you've been up to while I've been on guard duty." It was a foregone conclusion that Carina was up to something. If ever Carina was idle, Vanessa could be certain the woman was dead. Then Vanessa looked over at the man currently pulling himself off the floor and nursing his wounded pride. "Oh, him? Eh, Edward or some shit." The string bean of a man opened his mouth to correct her, and Vanessa cut him off with a withering retort of, "The lass didn't ask you, did she?"

With the boy properly humbled, Vanessa looked back to Carina.

"So, you been up to no good?"