finalflight | THE JARS THAT BLEED BEFORE THEY BREAK.

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THE JARS THAT BLEED BEFORE THEY BREAK.

Congrats! You've somehow stumbled upon the pocket dimension where five people with questionable morals (some more questionable than others) live and operate. Are you here on business? Do you have an appointment? Or are you here to see a friend? (Come on, don't make us laugh.)

Maybe you're here on accident due to some multiversal, magical, or otherwise supernatural nonsense? It's happened before, it was bound to happen again.

You can wander towards the house, see if anyone's home. Or you can explore the lush grounds, and maybe run across the wolfman groundskeeper who might try to usher you out towards the nearest portal, anyway. The world is your oyster, just try to be a good guest.

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Oh.

[That seems to stir up some concern in the young woman and she swerves her legs off of the wall and sits cross-legged instead.]

Are you sure you're okay then? I mean... Does it have to do with your powers?

[Thomas cracks open one eye to turn his head and look at her.]

Oh, right now, I am fine. Yesterday, I was a mess.

[He says this with such ease; it's been the reality for so long, it's a bit like talking about the weather.]

I carry a plentiful amount of energy within me, you see. And it grows, and grows, and feel far too overwhelming for this small, human body. So I must let it burn off. All the way. [And it feels good to let it burn.] And after that? I am so, so tired.

[Iona doesn't say anything for a second. She just examines him with her brown eyes, like and unlike her grandmother's. Her pair didn't have any mystical layers hidden beneath like Berna's. She had said it herself back at the charity ball; "unblemished and hopelessly optimistic and loving."

The words she offers are simple and direct.]

That must really suck. And I hope this job isn't like, irritating or anything.

[Cause just now, she wonders if Thomas is doing this just to humor her. Like in the short time they've known each other... Wow it was short. But he was easy to talk to. Charming in that way unnaturally older people were... She kind of sees why Berna would take a liking to him, criminal ties aside.]

[He looks at her for a moment longer, considering. He doesn't mind her direct nature, for it's better than playing a game of pretty words and unspoken intentions like he feels like he sometimes gets tangled up within his group.]

Irritating? Oh, no, no. In fact, it is... nice. To do something simple, something that might keep me active, but not too strenuous, you see.

[Here, he eases himself up into a sit, one elbow pressing into his knee.]

A nice in-between. Between being too tired, and being too... lucid.

[Head too full of thoughts, muddied up by a lifetime that is too long to stuff into a single human body.]

Do not worry about me. And do not fret for yourself, either. This is not an inconvenience.

If you say so.

[Iona smiles at Thomas when he reassures her.]

I really am glad that you took on this job. [She runs her hand through her hair and checks her phone (still a good chunk of time left).]

By now, I bet you know all about the Urn Incident, huh? When stuff like that happens, I get really down about how effective I am at this whole witch thing. Berna's way of teaching me is just kind of letting me stumble and fall so I pick myself back up again.

[Oren is there to soften the falls so to speak, but it's still hard on her self-esteem sometimes.]

So uh... I guess what I'm saying is, thanks for stumbling in the dark with me for this one!

[Oh, Iona. That is such an earnest thing for her to say, he can't help but smile despite himself.]

It is hardly a stumble at all. I am certain that you will not think it so by the time we are done here.

But yes, I heard all about the Urn Incident. It was all Jake could talk about for such a long while.

God. Was he that sore over it for that long!?

[Like her grandmother, Iona creates bombshells, just less elegant. Voices float through the vents with a few straggling students and security taking care of their business.]

"Man, I can't wait for the gallery to open! Think they'll serve free food?"

"I think I've been staring at my painting too long... Did I paint a blonde there before?"

"We need some more escorts on the other side can you fill in-?"

[Iona glances at Thomas and stretches her arms in front of her.]

Well? Sounds like we can drop in soon.

[Don't take it personally, Iona. Jake is sore about a lot of things for a while.

But he listens as the voices permeate the vents, snippets of conversation privy to them as a few straggling students linger. He nods quietly in Iona's direction.]

Once the last of them are gone, we find the painting again. Then we deal with the issue at hand, hopefully without too much noise.

Yes. Little noise.

[She rubs her hands together, trying to hype herself up or rather cool down in this instance.]

Sneaky. I will not knock over any displays.

[Again, he looks amused.]

Try not. Just follow me... like a shadow, mm?

[And so, whenever the student voices fade and disappear altogether, Thomas has them wait a few minutes more before slipping out of the went. He waits for Iona to follow, eyes casting about. Looks like the coast is clear for now!]

[Iona slips out after Thomas and lands softly on her feet. It's a lot eerier in the galleries at night and without other people to fill in the gaps, the unnatural atmosphere is palpable.

The witch glances back and forth.]

Okay. She'll be more active now that there's no one to stare at her.

[She shakes out her right arm and opens and closes her fist.]

I can kind of track her based on how much my arm tingles.

That arm of yours is very magical, correct? I can sense it, too, in a way that is different than the rest of you.

[He glances around the empty gallery, almost casually as he speaks.]

We are the same in one way, then, Miss Iona. Did you know that I have a unique arm, too? In a way.

Oh, really? Your senses are really sharp then.

[The crystal is separate but not. The material has bonded with her body in a strange fashion that not even Berna and Oren can predict what it will be like in the future.

Iona was looking around too before Thomas reveals that rather intriguing fact about himself. Jake definitely didn't say anything about that.]

You too? I mean... Is it made of something different like mine?

It is as I told your grandmother, I am the most sensitive of all the Jars.

[And again, for good or ill.

Still, he shakes his head.] No, not quite like that. [Here, he fusses with the cuff of his long sleeve, rolling it up his right arm. As he does so, he reveals... red markings? Of a dark, deep crimson, thin little lines embedded in his skin. It is almost like a Henna tattoo, except the lines leave tracts like very faint scars, and the color is a little off. A little too red.

It runs all up and down his arm, from shoulder to wrist. Strange, wispy designs, interlocking with each other. Iona's own arm might be able to sense imbued magic present--yes, actual magic--different from the energy generated by his soul.]

A little gift from Rachel's... ah, "family." [He holds his arm up, wiggling his fingers.]

Edited 2023-04-29 00:39 (UTC)

Whoa...!

[Her voice is hushed but she's taken aback by the crimson markings. Her right arm pulses at the magic inherent within.]

Is... Is it like an embedded spell? A curse? I mean, it looks like bad news I think.

[He laughs lowly.]

Oh, all of that kind of magic is bad news. But in this case, I am not sure how to describe it. Curse, mm, maybe. But it was explained to me like... it is a dreamcatcher that is etched in blood.

[Also ominous sounding, but-]

Catching dreams and nightmares and storing them in the markings. But eventually that net becomes too full, too, and must be expelled on occasion. Filling up the mind of someone else or something, and putting them to sleep. Helpful, as a thief.

[But WHY does he have this, exactly? It's fine, probably.]

[That sounds complicated... When it comes to complex magical systems, Iona tends to hit a wall and it's rather frustrating. From the way Thomas describes it, a magical dreamcatcher doesn't sound bad. Hopefully. Catching nightmares is supposed to be good right? Putting them in something or someone else though...]

Nnnn.

[The young witch has her hands akimbo and tapping her foot, trying to make sense of what he's just shown and told her.]

Okay, I think I get it... Oh!

[She makes the hand in fist motion.]

If our painted lady is dream-related, especially since she's inducing hallucinations, do you think you could catch her that way?

[Snaps his fingers, delighted that they're on the same page here.]

Yes. That is precisely my own thought. If she is dream-like, perhaps I might catch her in my arm. Or in the magic in my arm. You know what I mean.

[One more hand waggle.]

And if not that, then maybe I can put her to sleep if we catch her long enough in one painting. Either way, I have something to bring her back with.

[A painting or... his arm, he guesses.]

[She makes a delighted fist pump in the air, triumphant in being able to figure it out.]

Ah, that's so cool! Let's start looking for her then! If I have to, I could try to see if I can disable her with a spell so it can be easier for you to put her to sleep.

[Iona makes a start down the hall and pauses just to confirm there's no one around.]

We're in the clear now. No one around and I hear no footsteps...

Oh! Would you like some light too? Nothing too strong of course.

[He can generate his own light, of course, but why not see hers? He's curious, admittedly.]

Light the way, Miss Iona. We could do with a bit more while we walk.

[If her light is subtler than his, then all the better, besides.]

[Iona lets out a "Heh!" and stretches out her right arm.]

Luckily, Grandma just did some maintenance on this last month. Here we go!

[The glamor around her arm flickers in and out until smooth skin disappears to reveal what's underneath. The prismatic veins pulse with alien magic and it's all at once clear and saturated with colors from stones akin to quartz or opals. It glows brightly at first but then Iona brings it down to an acceptable dim.]

It used to be studded with like, actual bumpy rock parts but that got cumbersome to deal with. Berna's been able to smooth it out and now I think it looks a lot better! Whaddya think?

Edited 2023-04-29 06:15 (UTC)

[Oh, well, now that's a sight -- when she reveals her arm to him, he seems mesmerized by the glow. It's beautiful, really, brightly iridescent until Iona dims it, casting them in a halo of light.]

Now, that is an amazing arm. [He means it! He's not seen anything quite like that before, though it does make him wonder what happened to make it so.] I would not have guessed this is what your arm really was like, senses or no. It looks... ah. Very sturdy? And eye-catching.

[probably would hurt if she punched someone with that, huh-]

[sadly tonight is not the night to punch somebody, not even canvas...]

I may not be the most experienced witch, but I sure know how to cast one hell of a glamor.

[Iona grins as she starts making her way around the gallery.]

And you're right, it's very sturdy. My arm's bulletproof, it doesn't burn, and it can't be frozen, much less get cut into... Nothing's sharp enough.

[Only Berna has specialized tools and the magic to even shave bits of it.]

And of course, it'll react to strange auras and unnatural atmospheres. So anything magicky, or weird. Like you!

Oh, sorry that sounded mean huh?

[Does he look offended with this grin? Absolutely not.]

Not mean at all. You only speak the truth. I am very weird, if not exactly "magicky".

[Nice to know, though! Iona can hit things VERY hard, and cast quite impressive glamors.]

And besides, who need experience when you can hit things very hard? I appreciate brawn for what it is, when used in the right way. [His own powers are explosive sometimes, you know.]

I know right? Punching is very effective even in supernatural situations!

[Speaking of, her arm's light begins to flicker.]

Oh, right. She's skittering around now. [She gestures to Thomas to follow her.]

Let's go. I actually don't know how she acts at night other than jumping from painting to painting so I'd say we should watch out for any other surprises.

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